Kalama Sutta

(Anguttara Nikaya III, 65) 

The Instruction to the Kalamas

Translated from the Pali

by Soma Thera

(The Kalamas of Kesaputta go to see the Buddha)

     

1. I heard thus. Once the Blessed One, while wandering in the Kosala 

country with a large community of bhikkhus, entered a town of the 

Kalama people called Kesaputta. The Kalamas who were inhabitants 

of Kesaputta: "Reverend Gotama, the monk, the son of the Sakyans,

has, while wandering in the Kosala country, entered Kesaputta. The 

good repute of the Reverend Gotama has been spread

 in this way: Indeed, the Blessed One is thus consummate, fully

 enlightened, endowed with knowledge and practice, sublime, knower

 of the worlds, peerless, guide of tamable men, teacher of divine

 and human beings, which he by himself has through direct knowledge

 understood clearly. He set forth the Dhamma, good in the

 beginning, good in the middle, good in the end, possessed of

 meaning and the letter, and complete in everything; and he

 proclaims the holy life that is perfectly pure. Seeing such

 consummate ones is good indeed."

  

 2. Then the Kalamas who were inhabitants of Kesaputta went to

 where the Blessed One was. On arriving there some paid homage to

 him and sat down on one side; some exchanged greetings with him

 and after the ending of cordial memorable talk, sat down on one

 side; some saluted him raising their joined palms and sat down on

 one side; some announced their name and family and sat down on one

 side; some without speaking, sat down on one side.

  

 (The Kalamas of Kesaputta ask for guidance from the Buddha)

     

 3. The Kalamas who were inhabitants of Kesaputta sitting on one

 side said to the Blessed One: "There are some monks and brahmins,

 venerable sir, who visit Kesaputta. They expound and explain only

 their own doctrines; the doctrines of others they despise, revile,

 and pull to pieces. Some other monks and brahmins too, venerable

 sir, come to Kesaputta. They also expound and explain only their

 own doctrines; the doctrines of others they despise, revile, and

 pull to pieces. Venerable sir, there is doubt, there is

 uncertainty in us concerning them. Which of these reverend monks

 and brahmins spoke the truth and which falsehood?"

  

 (The criterion for rejection)

     

 4. "It is proper for you, Kalamas, to doubt, to be uncertain;

 uncertainty has arisen in you about what is doubtful. Come,

 Kalamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated

 hearing; nor upon tradition; nor upon rumor; nor upon what is in a

 scripture; nor upon surmise; nor upon an axiom; nor upon specious

 reasoning; nor upon a bias towards a notion that has been pondered

 over; nor upon another's seeming ability; nor upon the

 consideration, 'The monk is our teacher.' Kalamas, when you

 yourselves know: 'These things are bad; these things are blamable;

 these things are censured by the wise; undertaken and observed,

 these things lead to harm and ill,' abandon them.

  

 (Greed, hate, and delusion)

     

 5. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does greed appear in a man for his

 benefit or harm?" -- "For his harm, venerable sir." -- "Kalamas,

 being given to greed, and being overwhelmed and vanquished

 mentally by greed, this man takes life, steals, commits adultery,

 and tells lies; he prompts another too, to do likewise. Will that

 be long for his harm and ill?" -- "Yes, venerable sir."

  

 6. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does hate appear in a man for his

 benefit or harm?" -- "For his harm, venerable sir." -- "Kalamas,

 being given to hate, and being overwhelmed and vanquished mentally

 by hate, this man takes life, steals, commits adultery, and tells

 lies; he prompts another too, to do likewise. Will that be long

 for his harm and ill?" -- "Yes, venerable sir."

  

 7. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does delusion appear in a man for

 his benefit or harm?" -- "For his harm, venerable sir." --

 "Kalamas, being given to delusion, and being overwhelmed and

 vanquished mentally by delusion, this man takes life, steals,

 commits adultery, and tells lies; he prompts another too, to do

 likewise. Will that be long for his harm and ill?" -- "Yes,

 venerable sir."

  

 8. "What do you think, Kalamas? Are these things good or bad?" --

 "Bad, venerable sir" -- "Blamable or not blamable?" -- "Blamable,

 venerable sir." -- "Censured or praised by the wise?" --

 "Censured, venerable sir." -- "Undertaken and observed, do these

 things lead to harm and ill, or not? Or how does it strike you?"

 -- "Undertaken and observed, these things lead to harm and ill.

 Thus it strikes us here."

  

 9. "Therefore, did we say, Kalamas, what was said thus, 'Come

 Kalamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated

 hearing; nor upon tradition; nor upon rumor; nor upon what is in a

 scripture; nor upon surmise; nor upon an axiom; nor upon specious

 reasoning; nor upon a bias towards a notion that has been pondered

 over; nor upon another's seeming ability; nor upon the

 consideration, "The monk is our teacher." Kalamas, when you

 yourselves know: "These things are bad; these things are blamable;

 these things are censured by the wise; undertaken and observed,

 these things lead to harm and ill," abandon them.'

  

 (The criterion for acceptance)

     

 10. "Come, Kalamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by

 repeated hearing; nor upon tradition; nor upon rumor; nor upon

 what is in a scripture; nor upon surmise; nor upon an axiom; nor

 upon specious reasoning; nor upon a bias towards a notion that has

 been pondered over; nor upon another's seeming ability; nor upon

 the consideration, 'The monk is our teacher.' Kalamas, when you

 yourselves know: 'These things are good; these things are not

 blamable; these things are praised by the wise; undertaken and

 observed, these things lead to benefit and happiness,' enter on

 and abide in them.

  

 (Absence of greed, hate, and delusion)

     

 11. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does absence of greed appear in a

 man for his benefit or harm?" -- "For his benefit, venerable sir."

 -- "Kalamas, being not given to greed, and being not overwhelmed

 and not vanquished mentally by greed, this man does not take life,

 does not steal, does not commit adultery, and does not tell lies;

 he prompts another too, to do likewise. Will that be long for his

 benefit and happiness?" -- "Yes, venerable sir."

  

 12. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does absence of hate appear in a

 man for his benefit or harm?" -- "For his benefit, venerable sir."

 -- "Kalamas, being not given to hate, and being not overwhelmed

 and not vanquished mentally by hate, this man does not take life,

 does not steal, does not commit adultery, and does not tell lies;

 he prompts another too, to do likewise. Will that be long for his

 benefit and happiness?" -- "Yes, venerable sir."

  

 13. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does absence of delusion appear

 in a man for his benefit or harm?" -- "For his benefit, venerable

 sir." -- "Kalamas, being not given to delusion, and being not

 overwhelmed and not vanquished mentally by delusion, this man does

 not take life, does not steal, does not commit adultery, and does

 not tell lies; he prompts another too, to do likewise. Will that

 be long for his benefit and happiness?" -- "Yes, venerable sir."

  

 14. "What do you think, Kalamas? Are these things good or bad?" --

 "Good, venerable sir." -- "Blamable or not blamable?" -- "Not

 blamable, venerable sir." -- "Censured or praised by the wise?" --

 "Praised, venerable sir." -- "Undertaken and observed, do these

 things lead to benefit and happiness, or not? Or how does it

 strike you?" -- "Undertaken and observed, these things lead to

 benefit and happiness. Thus it strikes us here."

  

 15. "Therefore, did we say, Kalamas, what was said thus, 'Come

 Kalamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated

 hearing; nor upon tradition; nor upon rumor; nor upon what is in a

 scripture; nor upon surmise; nor upon an axiom; nor upon specious

 reasoning; nor upon a bias towards a notion that has been pondered

 over; nor upon another's seeming ability; nor upon the

 consideration, "The monk is our teacher." Kalamas, when you

 yourselves know: "These things are good; these things are not

 blamable; these things are praised by the wise; undertaken and

 observed, these things lead to benefit and happiness," enter on

 and abide in them.'

  

 (The Four Exalted Dwellings)

     

 16. "The disciple of the Noble Ones, Kalamas, who in this way is

 devoid of coveting, devoid of ill will, undeluded, clearly

 comprehending and mindful, dwells, having pervaded, with the

 thought of amity, one quarter; likewise the second; likewise the

 third; likewise the fourth; so above, below, and across; he

 dwells, having pervaded because of the existence in it of all

 living beings, everywhere, the entire world, with the great,

 exalted, boundless thought of amity that is free of hate or

 malice.

  

 "He lives, having pervaded, with the thought of compassion, one

 quarter; likewise the second; likewise the third; likewise the

 fourth; so above, below, and across; he dwells, having pervaded

 because of the existence in it of all living beings, everywhere,

 the entire world, with the great, exalted, boundless thought of

 compassion that is free of hate or malice.

  

 "He lives, having pervaded, with the thought of gladness, one

 quarter; likewise the second; likewise the third; likewise the

 fourth; so above, below, and across; he dwells, having pervaded

 because of the existence in it of all living beings, everywhere,

 the entire world, with the great, exalted, boundless thought of

 gladness that is free of hate or malice.

  

 "He lives, having pervaded, with the thought of equanimity, one

 quarter; likewise the second; likewise the third; likewise the

 fourth; so above, below, and across; he dwells, having pervaded

 because of the existence in it of all living beings, everywhere,

 the entire world, with the great, exalted, boundless thought of

 equanimity that is free of hate or malice.

  

 (The Four Solaces)

     

 17. "The disciple of the Noble Ones, Kalamas, who has such a

 hate-free mind, such a malice-free mind, such an undefiled mind,

 and such a purified mind, is one by whom four solaces are found

 here and now.

  

 "'Suppose there is a hereafter and there is a fruit, result, of

 deeds done well or ill. Then it is possible that at the

 dissolution of the body after death, I shall arise in the heavenly

 world, which is possessed of the state of bliss.' This is the

 first solace found by him.

  

 "'Suppose there is no hereafter and there is no fruit, no result,

 of deeds done well or ill. Yet in this world, here and now, free

 from hatred, free from malice, safe and sound, and happy, I keep

 myself.' This is the second solace found by him.

  

 "'Suppose evil (results) befall an evil-doer. I, however, think of

 doing evil to no one. Then, how can ill (results) affect me who do

 no evil deed?' This is the third solace found by him.

  

 "'Suppose evil (results) do not befall an evil-doer. Then I see

 myself purified in any case.' This is the fourth solace found by

 him.

  

 "The disciple of the Noble Ones, Kalamas, who has such a hate-free

 mind, such a malice-free mind, such an undefiled mind, and such a

 purified mind, is one by whom, here and now, these four solaces

 are found."

  

 "So it is, Blessed One. So it is, Sublime one. The disciple of the

 Noble Ones, venerable sir, who has such a hate-free mind, such a

 malice-free mind, such an undefiled mind, and such a purified

 mind, is one by whom, here and now, four solaces are found.

  

 "'Suppose there is a hereafter and there is a fruit, result, of

 deeds done well or ill. Then it is possible that at the

 dissolution of the body after death, I shall arise in the heavenly

 world, which is possessed of the state of bliss.' This is the

 first solace found by him.

  

 "'Suppose there is no hereafter and there is no fruit, no result,

 of deeds done well or ill. Yet in this world, here and now, free

 from hatred, free from malice, safe and sound, and happy, I keep

 myself.' This is the second solace found by him.

  

 "'Suppose evil (results) befall an evil-doer. I, however, think of

 doing evil to no one. Then, how can ill (results) affect me who do

 no evil deed?' This is the third solace found by him.

  

 "'Suppose evil (results) do not befall an evil-doer. Then I see

 myself purified in any case.' This is the fourth solace found by

 him.

  

 "The disciple of the Noble Ones, venerable sir, who has such a

 hate-free mind, such a malice-free mind, such an undefiled mind,

 and such a purified mind, is one by whom, here and now, these four

 solaces are found.

  

 "Marvelous, venerable sir! Marvelous, venerable sir! As if,

 venerable sir, a person were to turn face upwards what is upside

 down, or to uncover the concealed, or to point the way to one who

 is lost or to carry a lamp in the darkness, thinking, 'Those who

 have eyes will see visible objects,' so has the Dhamma been set

 forth in many ways by the Blessed One. We, venerable sir, go to

 the Blessed One for refuge, to the Dhamma for refuge, and to the

 Community of Bhikkhus for refuge. Venerable sir, may the Blessed

 One regard us as lay followers who have gone for refuge for life,

 from today."

  

   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  

 Note: Bhikkhu Bodhi's essay, "A Look at the Kalama Sutta", offers some

 important insights into this sutta, clarifying some points that have

 recently become muddled in various contemporary teachings.

  

   Revised: Fri 19 February 1999 , Access-to-Insight

http://world.std.com/~metta/canon/anguttara/an3-65b.html

Tathagata's Unimaginable State Sutra

(The full title is:)
Great, Upright and Broad Tathagata's Unimaginable State Sutra
Or
Maha-Vaipulya Tathagata's Unimaginable State Sutra
(Dai Forng Gworng Yiu Loy Bud See Yee Ging Gai Ging)

(Tripitaka No. 301)
Translated during the Tang Dynasty by Kustana Tripitaka Master Siksananda

Thus I have heard. At one time the Buddha achieved Samyak-Sambodhi (Correct Peerless Enlightenment) under the Bodhi-tree in Magadha state. The Bodhi-tree's name is Ahsipah, its root was deep in the soil, its trunk was tall, straight and had no knot, like a sandalwood column. Whenever birds approach, they had to fly back because they could not fly over the tree. The tree's skin was fine and glossy, with various interlaced colors, just like damasks. The tree was branchy and the crown of it was bushy and green.

Around the tree, there were many beautiful and lovely flowers blooming and emanating fragrance. They were much more beautiful than all other flowers except the Kovidars and Parijatas.

Around the tree, there were also many shorter trees. This Bodhi-tree, the king of trees, was splendid and handsome. It was like the Sumeru Mountain, which is the king of all mountains. It was so tall that even the people beyond 1 Yojana could see it. Its fragrance flows all around and its halo shines all around. People who saw it far away at night would suspect that it is a group of huge fires. The area under the tree was majestic, beautiful, spacious, and flat, like the happy garden, with luxuriant fragrant grass. It was like the neck of the peacock king, beautiful and fragrant, people do not tire of watching it.

At such a place, the Tathagata sat rightly and divinely, with many beings around him, just like a moon surrounded by stars.

At that time, coming from other directions, there were Buddhas as many as the atoms of ten Buddha-Worlds. In order to make the Bodhi-manda(site of enlightenment) of Vairocana more sublime, those Buddhas appeared as Bodhisattvas and joined the congregation. The names of their leaders are: Avalokitesvara(Contemplator of the World's Sounds) Bodhisattva, Manjusri Bodhisattva, Ksitigarbha(Earth Store) Bodhisattva, Akasagarbha(Space Store) Bodhisattva, Vajragarbha Bodhisattva, Vimalakirti Bodhisattva, Virtuous mighty light Bodhisattva, Extinguish all eclipses Bodhisattva, Ratna-Pani(Treasure Hand) Bodhisattva, Mahamati(Great Wisdom) Bodhisattva, Samantabhadra(Universal Goodness) Bodhisattva, and so on.

Moreover, hundred billions of Bodhisattvas appeared as Sravakas and came to join the congregation. The names of their leaders are: Shariputra, Maha-Maudgalyayana, Subhuti, Rahula, Ajnata-Kaundinya, Maha-Kasyapa, Upali, Aniruddha, Revata, Ananda, Devadatta, Upandanda, and so on. All of them had practiced the Six-Paramitas for a long time, and had already been very close to the Bodhi of Buddhas. In order to enlighten living beings, they appeared as Sravakas in this defiled world.

There were also innumerable Bhikshunis headed by Maha-Prajapati. All of them had already accomplished the meritorious virtues of great and wise men, in order to soothe the inferior living beings, they appeared as women.

There were also innumerable Sakra Devanam Indras, Brahmas, guardian gods, Devas, dragons, Yaksas, Gandharvas, Asuras, Garudas, Kinnaras, Mahoragas, human and nonhuman beings. They were all great Bodhisattvas, none of them was mundane person.

At that time, the Bhagavan(World Honored One), who was sitting under the Bodhi-tree, was sublime, pure, refined and wonderful, like the Wish-fulfilling pearl under the Citta tree. With the immovable Correct-Mindfulness, he was like the Sumeru Mountain. In order to make all Bodhisattvas and living beings understand the mighty and holy power of Buddhas' profound and secret Dhyana(Zen)s, he entered a Samadhi named Tathagata's Unimaginable State. Suddenly, each mark of the 32 marks of the Bhagavan revealed infinite Buddha-Worlds and Buddhas of the ten directions, just like a bright mirror reflecting various colors. Moreover, each mark of the 80 minor marks of the Bhagavan revealed his previous Bodhisattva-practices. From the Radiance king to the final incarnation at the place of Dipamkara(Burning Lamp) Buddha, all the difficult and arduous practices, the history that he completely donated all his heads, eyes, bodies, skins, fleshes, arms, legs, wives, servants, and the kingships, palaces, and so on.

This Samadhi has the great mighty power, all Buddhas are always in this Samadhi when they are eating, walking, teaching Dharmas, and even in Nirvana. Why? Because all Buddhas rely on this Samadhi to achieve boundless great mighty sacrosanct power, as far as to realize-and-prove(pravista) the vacuum nature of all dharmas, so they can manifest various unrestricted things at all Buddha-Worlds of the ten directions. For example, a person visualizes various fantastic things in his dream, but when he wakes up, all those things disappear. Likewise, for the mundane persons, because of the dreams of ignorance, they mistakenly think that all things are entities; meanwhile, all Buddhas are awakened and do not cling to anything, thus they can freely show infinite Buddha-Activities(Buddha-karya) within one infinitesimal thought, to profit all living beings and make them succeed, to help them comprehend innumerable abstruse and wonderful Liberation-Gates.

At that time, Virtue Store Bodhisattva, who had not yet achieved the perfection of Bodhi-Practices, asked Samantabhadra Bodhisattva: "What is the name of the Samadhi that the Tathagata entered into just now? How can he freely show various Buddha-Activities in all the worlds of the ten directions to rescue living beings?"

Then Samantabhadra Bodhisattva spoke to Virtue Store Bodhisattva: "Listen carefully and I'll tell you." At that time, all Bodhisattvas looked at them intently and reverently, and glorified together with one voice: "What an excellent question! How profound, delicate and wonderful! Arya(sage) Samantabhadra, who knows everything, is going to preach now." Instantly, the earth shook in six different ways, heaven rained down exquisite flowers, all living beings suffering from afflictions and distresses were relieved for a while.

The Sutra in Forty-two Sections Spoken by the Buddha (Section 38 to 42)

Lectures by the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua,
Given at Gold Mountain Monastery,
San Francisco, California, in 1974

The Sutra in Forty-two Sections Spoken by the Buddha
Section 38 to 42

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Section 38
Birth Leads to Death

The Buddha asked a Shramana, how long is the human life span? "He replied, few days. "The Buddha said, you have not yet understood the Way."

He asked another Shramana, how long is the human life span? "The reply was, the space of a meal. "The Buddha said, you have not yet understood the Way."

He asked another Shramana, how long is the human life span? "He replied, the length of a single breath. "The Buddha said, excellent. You have understood the Way."

The Buddha asked a Shramana, how long is the human life span? "The Buddha asked this question deliberately. It wasn’t that the Buddha didn’t know the answer himself and had to ask the Shramana to find out. The Buddha asked because he knew that people don’t know the length of the human life span. So he asked a Shramana, how long is a human being life? How much time does a human life last? " He replied, few days. "The first Shramana said, probably after a few days we will die. Life is not very long. " The Buddha said, you have not yet understood the Way. You still don understand. "

He asked another Shramana, how long is the human life span? "The reply was, he space of a meal. "The Shramana answered, n the time it takes to eat a single meal, a person life is over. " The Buddha said, you have not yet understood the Way. "He, too, didn understand.

He asked another Shramana, how long is the human life span? "He replied, he length of a single breath. The life span of a human being lasts for one breath. "The Buddha said, excellent. You have understood the Way." The Shramana who gave this answer understood the Way.

In India there was once a king who believed in adherents of non-Buddhist religions that cultivated many kinds of ascetic practices. Some followed the precepts of cows and some the precepts of dogs; some smeared ashes on their bodies; and some slept on beds of nails. They cultivated all sorts of ascetic practices, such as those undertaken by yogis. Meanwhile, the Bhikshus who cultivated the Buddhadharma had it comparatively easy, because they didn cultivate those kinds of ascetic practices. Now, the king of that country said to the Buddha disciples, believe that although these non-Buddhists cultivate all kinds of ascetic practices, they still cannot stop their thoughts of sexual desire. How much less are you Bhikshus, who are so casual, able to stop your afflictions and your thoughts of sexual desire. You surely cannot put a stop to them. "

One of the Dharma Masters answered the king this way, take a man from jail who has been sentenced to execution and say to him, take this bowl of oil and carry it in your hands as you walk down the street. If you spill a single drop of the oil, I’ll have you executed. If you don’t spill a single drop, I’ll release you when you return. ' Then, send some beautiful women musicians out on the street to sing and play their instruments where the sentenced man is walking with his bowl of oil. If he should spill any oil, of course you’ll execute him. If he comes back without spilling a single drop, ask him what he seen on the road, and see what he says! "

The Sutra in Forty-two Sections Spoken by the Buddha (Section 27 to 30)

Lectures by the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua,
Given at Gold Mountain Monastery,
San Francisco, California, in 1974

The Sutra in Forty-two Sections Spoken by the Buddha
Section 27 to 30

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Section 27
One Attains the Way after Letting Go of Attachments

The Buddha said, person who follows the Way is like a floating piece of wood that courses along with the current. If it does not touch either shore; if people do not pluck it out; if ghosts and spirits do not intercept it; if it is not trapped in whirlpools; and if it does not rot, I guarantee that the piece of wood will reach the sea. If students of the Way are not deluded by emotion and desire, and if they are not caught up in the many crooked views, but are vigorous in their cultivation of the unconditioned, I guarantee that they will certainly attain the Way. "

The twenty-seventh section sets forth an analogy to explain that in cultivating the Way, one should stay clear of all kinds of obstacles. What are the two shores? The two shores refer to emotion and desire. Emotion and desire further divide into two kinds: (1) the emotion and desire of views and thought and (2) the emotion and desire of ignorance. With the first, you grow attached to birth and death, which is represented by this shore. With the second, you become attached to Nirvana, which is represented by the other shore. Wood that is plucked out by people is analogous to cultivators getting caught in the nets of crooked views. Wood that is intercepted by ghosts and spirits is analogous to cultivators who get covered by the nets of views and thoughts.

Being caught up in a whirlpool refers to being lazy, which is the opposite of being vigorous. Rotten wood represents the opposite of unconditioned dharmas. Some cultivators are not properly mindful of True Suchness in a straightforward manner, and although they often wish to be vigorous, they end up retreating. It is as if they were in a whirlpool: although the water flows fast, it merely circles in the same spot. Similarly, they return to where they started and cannot reach unconditioned dharmas. Since they cannot reach the unconditioned, they become attached to appearances and cannot perfect the cultivation of blessings and wisdom. People in this situation are likened to rotting wood. They are bound to sink, and they will not reach the other shore of Nirvana. They won be able to end birth and death. That the result of being confused by emotional desire and caught up in the myriad crooked bypaths of love and views. If one is properly mindful of True Suchness and vigorously cultivates, understands that the fundamental nature of the Dharma is originally unconditioned, and can withstand being turned by emotions and love, then one will certainly attain the Way. That is the general meaning of this section of the text.

The Sutra in Forty-two Sections Spoken by the Buddha (Section 13 to 16)

Lectures by the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua,
Given at Gold Mountain Monastery,
San Francisco, California, in 1974

The Sutra in Forty-two Sections Spoken by the Buddha
Section 13 to 16

-----------------------------------------------------------
Section 13
Questions about the Way and Past Lives

A Shramana asked the Buddha, what causes and conditions can I know my past lives and understand the ultimate Way? "

The Buddha said, purifying your mind and preserving your resolve, you can understand the ultimate Way. Just as when you polish a mirror, the dust vanishes and brightness remains, so too, if you cut off desire and do not seek, you then can know past lives. "

The thirteenth section helps people gain knowledge of past lives and an understanding of the Way. The Buddha tells us that if knowledge of past lives is our goal, we must understand the Way.

A Shramana asked, what causes and conditions can I know my past lives and understand the ultimate Way? "What causes and conditions, or what Dharma-doors, should I cultivate in order to obtain knowledge of past lives? How can I understand true principles? "

The Buddha said, purifying your mind and preserving your resolve, you can understand the ultimate Way. "The Buddha said, you should make your thoughts pure and guard your resolve. Firmly keep your resolve. Whatever vows you have made, you should uphold them. You can make vows and then forget them after only a few days. You can withdraw them after a short while. That not permissible. That not preserving your resolve. If you can purify your thoughts, if you can get rid of the darkness in your mind, the false thoughts, greed, hatred, and stupidity and if you can preserve your resolve, you will come naturally to understand the true Way, the highest Way." What is it like? Now I will give you an analogy.

Just as when you polish a mirror, the dust vanishes and bright-ness remains. It just like cleaning a mirror: when the dust is gone, the brightness of the mirror appears. This brightness refers to the penetration of past lives. So too, if you cut off desire and do not seek, you then can know past lives. If you can cut off your thoughts of desire and reach the level of not seeking for anything, then you can attain the penetration of knowing past lives. When people cultivate the Way, they certainly should not indulge in any scattered thinking or false thoughts. If you can do away with false and scattered thoughts, then no matter what Dharma-door you cultivate, you will quickly succeed with it. If you have false and scattered thoughts, as well as greed, hatred, and stupidity filling up your belly, then you certainly aren’t going to obtain a response, no matter what Dharma-door you cultivate. When we study and cultivate the Buddhadharma, we should first cut off desire and cast out love. You should sever thoughts of desire and reach the level of seeking nothing. If you seek for anything, just that seeking is suffering. No matter what you seek, if you cannot obtain it, you will experience the suffering of not getting what you want. Everyone should pay attention to this.

When we cultivate, what is it that we cultivate? We cultivate to get rid of false thoughts and thoughts of desire. That is real-skill. If you cleanse yourself of jealousy, obstructions, greed, hatred, and stupidity, then you can obtain the penetration of knowing past lives.

The Sutra in Forty-two Sections Spoken by the Buddha (Section 11 to 12)

Lectures by the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua,
Given at Gold Mountain Monastery,
San Francisco, California, in 1974

The Sutra in Forty-two Sections Spoken by the Buddha
Section 11 to 12

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Section 11

The Increase in Merit Gained by Bestowing Food

The Buddha said, iving food to a hundred bad people is not as good as giving food to a single good person. Giving food to a thousand good people is not as good as giving food to one person who holds the Five Precepts. Giving food to ten thousand people who hold the Five Precepts is not as good as giving food to a single Srotaapanna.

Giving food to a million Srotaapannas is not as good as giving food to a single Sakridagamin. Giving food to ten million Sakri dagamins is not as good as giving food to a single Anagamin. Giving food to a hundred million Anaga mins is not as good as giving food to a single Arhat. Giving food to one billion Arhats is not as good as giving food to a single Pratyekabuddha. Giving food to ten billion Pratyekabuddhas is not as good as giving food to a Buddha of the three periods of time. Giving food to a hundred billion Buddhas of the three periods of time is not as good as giving food to a single person who is without thoughts, without dwelling, without cultivation, and without accomplishment."

The eleventh section of the Sutra compares the superior and inferior fields of blessings and lets people understand the superior and inferior aspects of making offerings.

The Buddha said, Giving food to a hundred bad people is not as good as giving food to a single good person. The previous section discussed giving in general terms, but when one gives, the important thing is to know how to do it. If you plant blessings but you don know the right method, if you don plant in accord with Dharma, then you won get any blessings. So the text says that giving food to one good person plants a greater field of blessings than giving to one hundred evil people. Why? Because after you feed a hundred bad people, all they can do are evil deeds. You become an accomplice to the bad things that they do, because you helped them do their evil deeds. If you give food to even one good person, then the good things he does after he eaten his fill are deeds that, you could say, you helped him accomplish. That is why it doesn equal giving food to a single good person.

Giving food to a thousand good people is not as good as giving food to one person who holds the Five Precepts. ood " here implies every kind of offering: food, drink, jewels, money, even your head, your eyes, your brains, and your marrow. If you give your life energy to help people do good things, then the good deeds they do are done with your help. But if you give your life energy in order to help bad people, you actually create offenses. Therefore the merit and virtue of feeding one thousand good people is not as great as that which accrues from giving to even one person who holds the Five Precepts.

Giving food to ten thousand people who hold the Five Precepts is not as good as giving food to a single Srotaapanna. eople who hold the Five Precepts " here refers to people who have taken refuge with the Triple Jewel, who hold the Five Precepts, and who cultivate the Ten Good Deeds. The merit and virtue of giving food to ten thousand people who hold the Five Precepts is not as great as that of making an offering of food to a single Srotaapanna, a sage of the first fruition.

Giving food to a million Srotaapannas is not as good as giving food to a single Sakridagamin. Giving food to a million Srotaapannas, sages of the first fruition, wouldn be as good as giving food to a sage of the second fruition, a Sakridagamin, because those of the first fruition do not know the state of those of the second fruition. Sages of the first fruition have already broken through delusion in views; those of the second fruition have also cut off six grades of delusion in thought in the desire realm. This was discussed in a previous section. Therefore, making an offering of food to a Sakridagamin of the second fruition has more merit and virtue than making an offering to a Srotaapanna of the first fruition.

Giving food to ten million Sakridagamins is not as good as giving food to a single Anagamin. Giving food to ten million sages of the second fruition, who have cut off six grades of delusion of thought in the desire realm, would not be as good as giving food to a single Anagamin, a sage of the third fruition. An Anagamin has cut off all nine grades of delusion of thought in the desire realm.

The Sutra in Forty-two Sections Spoken by the Buddha (Section 8 - 10)

Lectures by the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua,
Given at Gold Mountain Monastery,
San Francisco, California, in 1974

The Sutra in Forty-two Sections Spoken by the Buddha
(Section 8 to 10)

----------------------------------------

Section 8
Abusing Others Defiles Oneself

The Buddha said, an evil person who harms a sage is like one who raises his head and spits at heaven. Instead of reaching heaven, the spittle falls back on him. It is the same with someone who throws dust against the wind. Instead of going somewhere else, the dust returns to defile his own body. The sage can not be harmed. Misdeeds will inevitably destroy the doer."

In this eighth section, the Buddha teaches us that we must not do bad deeds, that we must not harm people, because to harm others is just to harm oneself. If you slight others, you only slight yourself. If you are bad to others, it the same as being bad to yourself.

The Buddha said, n evil person who harms a sage is like one who raises his head and spits at heaven. Instead of reaching heaven, the spittle falls back on him. "an evil person" refers to someone who does bad deeds of every kind, while a sage is a worthy and virtuous person. When an evil person who has no virtue tries to harm a sage who has genuine virtue, it as if he were tipping back his head to spit at the sky. The spit doesn’t reach the sky, but instead falls back on his own face. This is to say that an evil person is really unable to harm a sage. He may think of a way to harm him, but in the end he still actually harming himself. In this world there are underlying principles of justice which govern all things, and which make it wrong to harm people.

It is the same with someone who throws dust against the wind. Instead of going somewhere else, the dust returns to defile his own body. If you face the wind and toss out a handful of dust, instead of flying forward, it will fly back to you and fall on your own body.

The sage cannot be harmed. Misdeeds will in evitably destroy the doer. You can slander a sage or really harm him, because when you cause misfortune for others, you will also bring misfortune upon yourself. It you who will have to undergo the retribution.

--------------------------------------------
Section 9
By Returning to the Source, You Find the Way

The Buddha said, deep learning and a love of the Way make the Way difficult to attain. When you guard your mind and revere the Way, the Way is truly great! "

In this ninth section, the Buddha is teaching cultivators to hear the Dharma and to contemplate it, to contemplate the Dharma and to cultivate it, to cultivate the Dharma and then to realize it. Cultivators should not only be able to discuss or to listen to the Buddhadharma, they should also able to put it into practice. It only counts when you actually go and do it.

The Sutra in Forty-two Sections Spoken by the Buddha (Section 1 to 7)

Lectures by the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua,
Given at Gold Mountain Monastery,
San Francisco, California, in 1974

Sutra in Forty-Two Sections
(Section 1 to 7)
----------------------------------------------------------------

Section 1
Leaving Home and Becoming an Arhat

The Buddha said, people who take leave of their families and go forth from the householder life, who know their mind and penetrate to its origin, and who understand the unconditioned Dharma are called Shramanas. They constantly observe the 250 precepts, and they value purity in all that they do. By practicing the four true paths, they can become Arhats."

This is the first section of the Sutra in Forty-two Sections. It says that a Shramana (Buddhist monk) can become an Arhat.

The Buddha said, people who take leave of their families and go forth from the householder life. "When you leave home, according to the Buddhadharma it is necessary to receive your parents ' permission. It not like in America where you are free after the age of eighteen to do whatever you want. Formerly, within Buddhism in India and in China, in order to comply with the custom of the country, it was necessary to tell your plans to your parents: going to leave the home life. “This is called taking leave of them. To leave home is to respectfully offer up your body, mind, and life to the Triple Jewel and no longer to engage in worldly affairs. This is what is meant by take leave of their families and go forth from the householder life. “You enter a place of the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha, and you leave the home-life.

In going forth from the householder life, you leave the ordinary household that has been your worldly home. Every household has its own troubles; there is constant quarreling among relatives and no real happiness. Thus you want to leave the mundane home, which is also called the burning house. It is said, he three realms are like a burning house; there is no peace to be found in them. “Therefore, it also called leaving the home of the three realms --the desire realm, the form realm, and the formless realm. It also called leaving the home of afflictions. Laypeople all have afflictions and no true happiness; that why they wish to leave home. Once you leave home, it essential that you cut off afflictions and resolve your mind on Bodhi. That is what is meant by leaving home.

They are people who know their mind and penetrate to its origin. This means knowing your own fundamental mind and recognizing that when the mind arises, every kind of dharma arises. When the mind is gone, every kind of dharma ceases. There are no dharma’s beyond the mind, and there is no mind outside of dharmas. Mind and dharma’s are one. If you understand that there is no mind outside of dharmas, then you understand the nature that is everywhere calculating and attaching, our ordinary conscious mind.

In penetrating to the origin, if we understand that the mind and nature in fact have no real substance, nor any form or appearance, if we can understand this principle, then we will understand that the nature which arises dependent on other things is false and illusory. The nature that is everywhere calculating and attaching is fundamentally empty as well. The nature that arises dependent on other things is also false and illusory. Neither of these natures actually exists. That is what is meant by knowing the mind and penetrating to its origin.

And who understand the unconditioned Dharma. To understand the unconditioned Dharma is to understand the Dharma of True Suchness. True Suchness and all dharma’s are not one, but at the same time they are not dual. If you understand this doctrine, that True Suchness and all dharma’s are not one and yet not different, then you can understand the perfectly accomplished real nature. You can awaken to your basic substance. That is what is meant by understand the unconditioned Dharma. "

Are called Shramanas. If you can be like that, if you can take leave of your family and go forth from the householder life, know your mind and penetrate to its origin, and understand the unconditioned Dharma, then you can be called a Shramana . "Shramana" is a Sanskrit word that means "diligently putting to rest." The Shramana diligently cultivates precepts, Samadhi, and wisdom; and he puts to rest greed, anger, and stupidity. After you leave the householder life, you should not diligently cultivate greed, anger, and stupidity while putting to rest precepts, Samadhi, and wisdom. If day after day you are without wisdom and day after day your stupidity grows greater, that is what is meant by diligently cultivating how to be greedy, diligently cultivating how to be angry, and diligently cultivating how to be stupid. Every day you are confronted with your own greed, anger, and stupidity. You can put them down, and so precepts, Samadhi, and wisdom cannot develop. You pay no attention whatsoever to investigating how to cultivate, how to hold precepts, how to practice Samadhi, and how to develop wisdom. Every day your afflictions increase. And why? Because your karmic obstacles from past lives are too heavy and your karmic retribution is so weighty that it keeps you from making the resolve for Bodhi. It makes you constantly find fault with other people. With this attitude, from morning until night you feel that you are better than anyone else, even to the point that you feel you are better than your teacher. Your teacher doesn’t measure up to me. See how talented I am? You could say that heaven above to earth below, I alone am honored. '" Someone with this outlook is certainly headed for a fall.

I often see Sangha members who haven even learned how to place their palms together correctly; they join their palms in a very sloppy manner. They sometimes hold them up at eye level! Properly done, your palms should come together in front of your chest. When you place your palms together, your ten fingers should be touching one another. After having left home for so many years, you don even know how to put your palms together! You don know how to bow correctly or to offer incense correctly; you’re too pathetic! If you don't know how to place your palms together, then you should look at the older cultivators and imitate them.

I recall when I explained the Rules of Deportment for Novices, I told you all not to put your fingers into your nostrils. How could this possibly happen? Because you joined your palms so high that your fingertips brush against your nose! Your folded palms should be at chest level. Hold them evenly at chest level, not at your mouth, your nose, or your eyes. When you are unclear about as basic a point as this, how can you cultivate the Way at all? If you still get this wrong, you will understand cultivation even less. When you cultivate the Way, you cannot be sloppy about anything or you won have any accomplishment. If you are off by a hairsbreadth in the beginning, you'll be off by a thousand miles in the end”

So, as Shramanas cultivate, they constantly observe the 250 precepts. They always rely on the precepts in their cultivation and do not violate them, and thus their study of the precepts grows. They value purity in all that they do. In motion and stillness, no matter what you are doing, you should maintain your purity. There should be no defilement in what you do.
By practicing the four true paths. The four true paths refer to the Four Noble Truths: suffering, accumulation, cessation, and the Way. When Shramanas diligently cultivate this Dharma, they can become Arhats. Since Arhat is a Sanskrit word with three meanings, it is considered to be a term that contains many meanings and thus is not translated. Due to the multiple meanings, it is not translated. We merely transliterate the sound of the Sanskrit word. The three meanings of Arhat are:

1. Killer of thieves. Arhats are really fierce! Wherever there are thieves about, they kill them. "Well, “you ask, "Aren't they violating precepts then?" The thieves the Arhats kill are not external thieves. They kill the inner thieves of affliction. Why are there thieves outside? Because there are thieves of affliction inside thieves of greed, hatred, and stupidity. Greed is a thief, anger is a thief, and stupidity is a thief. These are the thieves that must be killed. Therefore, the first meaning is "killer of thieves."

2. Worthy of offerings. They are entitled to receive the offerings of gods and humans. An Arhat who has been certified to the fruition is an enlightened sage. If you make offerings to an Arhat, you can thereby gain limitless and boundless blessings, too many to be reckoned. Being a Bhikshu is the cause of becoming an Arhat; one becomes an Arhat as a result of having been a Bhikshu. At the stage of causation, Bhikshus are destroyers of evil, and at the time of fruition, they are killers of thieves. At the stage of causation they are mendicants, and at the time of fruition they are said to be worthy of offerings. At the stage of causation they are frighteners of Mara, and at the time of fruition they are free of rebirth.

3. Free of rebirth. What is meant by "free of rebirth"? It means they have ended birth and death. They no longer suffer its misery. However, they have only ended share section birth and death. They have not yet ended change birth and death, so they are only Arhats. If you can cultivate the 250 precepts, then you will accomplish your study of the precepts. If you value purity in all things, then you will accomplish your study of Samadhi. If you cultivate the Way of the Four Truths, then you will accomplish your study of wisdom. In this way, you will cultivate precepts, Samadhi, and wisdom to perfection; and you will destroy greed, hatred, and stupidity. Once you have destroyed greed, hatred, and stupidity, you become an Arhat. There are four kinds of Arhats: first, second, third, and fourth stage Arhats. One who accomplishes the fourth stage of Arhatship truly ends birth and death.

Arhats can fly and transform themselves. They have a life span of vast eons, and wherever they dwell they can move heaven and earth. "

What is an Arhat? A fourth stage Arhat has reached the position called Beyond Study, because further study is no longer necessary. So Arhats of the first three fruitions are in the position of Having More to Study. Arhats of the fourth fruition have reached the position of the Way of Certification; second and third fruition Arhats have reached the position of the Way of Cultivation; and first fruition Arhats have reached the position of the Way of Seeing.

Sutra of the Past Vows of Earth Store Bodhisattva (Chapter 13)

CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The Entrustment of Men and Gods
________________________________________

Sutra:

At that time the World-Honored One extended his gold colored arm and again rubbed the crown of Earth Store Bodhisattva, Mahasattva, as he said, “Earth Store, Earth Store, your spiritual powers, compassion, wisdom, and eloquence are inconceivable. Even if all the Buddhas of the ten directions were to praise your inconceivable qualities, they could not finish in thousands of tens of thousands of aeons.

Commentary:

The Buddha calls Earth Store Bodhisattva’s name twice in order to show the depth of his compassion and loving care for him. Earth Store’s spiritual power is said to be inconceivable because all the beings in the hells receive its benefit, enabling even those who fundamentally should not be able to leave their sufferings to do so. In addition, his compassion is said to be inconceivable because there are none to whom he is not compassionate.

There are three major types of compassion: compassion which is offered with conditions, compassion with respect to Buddhadharmas, and even unconditionally offered compassion. The latter kind of compassion is particularly wonderful and beyond thought. The power of Earth Store Bodhisattva’s compassion is unusually great; a strength which even most other Bodhisattvas cannot match: he alone has made the vow to go to the hells and rescue beings. Avalokitesvara, Manjusri, and Samantabhadra have great vows, yet they teach beings in the world; only Earth Store Bodhisattva does not fear the sufferings of the hells and goes there to teach beings. Thus he is known as the Teaching Host in the Dark Regions.

A demonstration of his inconceivable eloquence can be found in his ability to teach hungry ghosts to turn from evil to good. If his eloquence were not completely unobstructed and beyond thought, he would certainly be unable to effect such changes. Even if you wish to investigate the inconceivability of Earth Store Bodhisattva’s various states, you will be unable to do so, since they are completely beyond all thought. This being the case, what is there to investigate?

Sutra:

“Earth Store, Earth Store, remember that now, in the Trayastrimsa Heaven in this great assembly of hundreds of thousands of tens of thousands of millions of ineffable Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, gods, dragons, and eightfold divisions of spirits, I entrust to you the men and gods of the future who have not yet left the burning house of the Triple World. Do not allow those beings to fall into the Evil Paths for the space of even a single day and night, much less fall into the uninterrupted hell of the Five Offenses and the Avici hell, where they would have to pass through thousands of tens of thousands of millions of aeons without being able to leave.”

“Earth Store, the beings of Jambudvipa are of irresolute will and nature, and they habitually do many evil deeds. Even if they resolve their thoughts on good, they quickly turn back on that resolve, and if they encounter evil conditions they tend to become increasingly involved in them. For this reason I reduplicate hundreds of thousands of millions of transformation bodies to cross them over in accord with their respective natures.”

Commentary:

The irresolute nature of living beings can be seen in those who want to study one day and not the next, who want to do good for a moment and then decide to do evil. In one moment you resolve to cultivate and accomplish the pure Dharma-body, and then the resolve changes to a wish for the retribution body. A moment later you may decide that having a hundred thousand million transformation bodies is the most desirable goal and switch to that, and so there is nothing fixed about your will or resolve. These are examples of irresolute will concerning the bodies of the Buddha.

On the other hand, irresolute will can also be seen in the desire, on one day, to cultivate the Ten Good Deeds and attain rebirth in the heavens, followed by a burst of activity in the Ten Evils the next. One’s resolve is set for the heavens, but the next day one thinks that being an animal wouldn’t be bad. An unfixed nature very commonly shows up in the resolve to stop smoking, drinking, or taking drugs: one’s resolutions often last for only a moment. What is particularly bad about this kind of vacillating behavior is that people who act this way always end up rationalizing their actions one way or another.

When people of irresolute nature meet a teacher who tells them to learn or do something and stresses its importance, they may try to take action, but they lack the resolve to complete the project. If someone tells them to misbehave, on the other hand, they don’t even need instructions but learn to do it spontaneously. Gamblers are an excellent example of this tendency: no one has to teach them how to place bets; they see it done once and remember all the details of how to do it themselves in the future.

While it does happen that living beings may decide to do good deeds – contribute to building a temple, printing sutras, or making images, for example – they may quickly turn back on their initial resolve. They give, but the gift is accompanied by the thought, “What’s in it for me?” A good historical example of such a person is the Emperor Wu of the Liang Dynasty, who built temples, aided the Sangha, and propagated Buddhism, but who still had to ask Patriarch Bodhidharma how much merit he had accrued.

When living beings tend to retreat from good, they surge forward into evil – they are attracted by anything that is conducive to falling into evil paths. Foremost among these causes are greed for sex and wealth; hatred, which leads to murder, arson, and other antisocial acts; and stupidity, which derives one constantly to try to get what he cannot attain.

Sutra:

“Earth Store, I now carefully entrust the multitudes of men and gods of the future to you. If, in the future, gods or men plant good roots in the Buddhadharma, be they as little as a hair, dust most, grain of sand, or drop of water, you should use your spiritual powers and virtues to protect them so that they gradually cultivate the unsurpassed way and do not retreat from it.

“Moreover, Earth Store, if in the future men and gods who ought to fall into the Evil Paths in accord with the retribution of their deeds, who are on the verge of falling into those paths, or who are already at the very gates of those paths, recite the name of one Buddha or Bodhisattva, or a single sentence or verse from a Mahayana sutra, you should manifest a limitless body, smash the hells, and cause them to be born in the heavens and receive supremely wonderful bliss.”

Sutra of the Past Vows of Earth Store Bodhisattva (Chapter 12)

CHAPTER TWELVE
The Benefits from Seeing and Hearing
________________________________________


Sutra:

At that time the World-Honored One emitted hundreds of thousands of tens of thousands of millions of great rays of light from the door of his crown: the White Ray, the Great White Ray, the Auspicious Portent Ray, the Great Auspicious Portent Ray, the Jade Ray, the Great Jade Ray, the Purple Ray, the Great Purple Ray, the Blue Ray, the Great Blue Ray, the Azure Ray, the Great Azure Ray, the Red Ray, the Great Red Ray, the Green Ray, the Great Green Ray, the Gold Ray, the Great Gold Ray, the Good Luck Cloud, the Great Good Luck Cloud, the Thousand-Wheeled Ray, the Great Thousand-Wheeled Ray, the Jeweled Ray, the Great Jeweled Ray, the Solar Disc Ray, the Great Solar Disc Ray, the Lunar Disc Ray, the Great Lunar Disc Ray, the Palace Ray, the Great Palace Ray, the Ocean Cloud Ray and the Great Ocean Cloud Ray.

Commentary:

This chapter discusses the merit and benefit derived from seeing the image of merely hearing the name of Earth Store Bodhisattva. The “door of his crown” refers to an invisible “opening” in the crown of the Buddha’s head, which is said to be “invisibly high.” It is not something exclusive to the Buddhas, however, since everyone may have such a “door.” It is through this door that the Buddha-nature of a person skilled in cultivation of the Way leaves the body at death. When it leaves it goes wherever one wishes, but only on the condition that some successful work of cultivation took place during the person’s life.

The light rays, which illumined all beings in the nine Dharma realms below the Buddha, lit up hundreds of millions of worlds in order to reveal the importance of this sutra to living beings. These manifold light rays serve to remind us to put forth great effort in explaining, lecturing on, printing, and circulating this sutra.

The printing and circulation of sutras is a beneficial cause that leads to the development of wisdom. Since there are so few sutras and commentaries available in the West, it can be said that the ground is parched and waiting for the rain of Dharma. The circulation of sutras such as this one is the falling of the Dharma rain.

The names of the various rays of light indicate what the rays reveal and how they function. The White Ray and the Great White Ray represent the power of Earth Store Bodhisattva and of this sutra to disperse the darkness in the world; the Thousand-Wheeled Light reveals the appearance of the thousand-spoke wheel such as is seen on the sole of the Buddha’s feet. The other rays reveal similar phenomena.

Sutra:

After emitting such rays of light from the door of his crown, the Buddha spoke in wonderfully subtle sounds to the great assembly of gods, dragons, and other members of the Eightfold Division of ghosts and spirits, and to humans, nonhumans, and others: “Hear me now in the palace of the Trayastrimsa Heaven as I praise Earth Store Bodhisattva’s beneficial and inconceivable deeds among men and gods, his rapid progress in the causes of wisdom, his certification on the Tenth Ground, and his ultimate irreversibility from Anuttarasamyaksambodhi.”

Commentary:

Wonderfully subtle sounds refer to the Four Types of Eloquence and the Eight Types of Sound.

The first of the Four Types of Eloquence is Unobstructed Eloquence of Meaning. Although there is fundamentally no meaning to express, when the Buddha speaks Dharma to awaken beings to the state beyond words, the meanings and doctrines become infinite and multilayered in response to the needs of living beings.

The second is Unobstructed Eloquence in Dharma. Fundamentally there is just one kind of Dharma, but when the Buddha speaks, it is manifested as limitless and unbounded Dharmas. Even though as many Dharmas appear, they eventually return to one, and so it is said, “One root disperses to the myriad numbers, a myriad numbers all return to the single root.”

The third kind of eloquence is Unobstructed Eloquence of Phrasing. When some people speak they finish in two or three short sentences; when the Buddha speaks, on the other hand, his words are like an inexhaustible torrent.

The fourth kind of eloquence is the Eloquence of Delight in Speech. It includes not only the enjoyment of speaking Dharma, but also the quality of which cause those who hears to enjoy listening.

In addition to the Four Types of Eloquence there are Eight Types of Sound:

1. The ultimately Good Sound. The sound of the Buddha’s voice is devoid of all the rasping, harsh qualities so often found among people. It is a harmonious sound, and the more one hears it the more he wishes to continue doing so.

2. The Gentle Sound. This sound is like the soft sound of a flowing brook, and it far surpasses the sound of music.

3. The Harmonious Sound.

4. The Venerable and Wise Sound. The Buddha’s voice is such that we need not even mention listening to his words; just hearing his sound is sufficient to lead to the development of wisdom.

Sutra of the Past Vows of Earth Store Bodhisattva (Chapter 10)

CHAPTER TEN
The Conditions and Comparative Merits of Giving
__________________________________________

Sutra:

At that time Earth Store Bodhisattva Mahasattva, inspired by the Buddha’s awesome spirit, arose from his seat, knelt, placed his palms together and said to the Buddha, “World-Honored One, when I compare the various acts giving done by the beings within the paths of karma, I see some that are great and some that are small. As a result, some receive blessings for one life, some for ten lives, and some receive great blessings and profit for one hundred or one thousand lives. Why is this? Please, World-Honored One, explain this for me.”

Commentary:

There are three kinds of gifts: the gift of wealth, the gift of Dharma, and the gift of fearlessness. The first of these is again divided into two types, inner and outer wealth.

Outer wealth includes gold, silver, jewels, and things external to the body. In grand terms, giving of outer wealth can be said to involve the renunciation of an entire country, as Sakyamuni Buddha did. This kind of wealth even includes husbands and wives, for those who are seeking Dharma will even give their mates away for the sake of Dharma. Any reason other than seeking Dharma, of course, is not justified; certainly one cannot give up his wife in exchange for a prettier one.

The gift of inner wealth consists of giving skin, brains, marrow, sinew, and bone.

When giving Dharma, one gives the Dharma he has learned in order to teach beings to leave confusion and go toward enlightenment. There is a proverb that says, “Do not clutch at your treasures while the country is laid waste.” In other words, if you have a valuable treasure that can be used to obtain anything one wishes, it should be put into action rather than hoarded while the entire country is laid waste and starves. The gift of Dharma is the supreme gift and cannot be surpassed.

The gift of fearlessness pacifies and comforts people who are upset or who have encountered terrible disasters.

In this passage, Earth Store Bodhisattva has asked the Buddha to explain the differences in the retributions for various kinds of giving done by beings who are in the karmic paths.

Sutra of the Past Vows of Earth Store Bodhisatva (Chapter 5)

CHAPTER FIVE
The Names of the Hells
________________________________________

Sutra:

At that time Universal Worthy Bodhisattva, Mahasattva, said to Earth Store Bodhisattva, “Humane One, for the sake of the gods, dragons, and the fourfold assembly, as well as for all living beings of the present and future, please speak about the names of the hells and describe the retributions for evil undergone by living beings of Jambudvipa in the Saha world.”

Earth Store Bodhisattva replied, “Humane One, receiving the Buddha’s awesome spirit as well as your strength, I shall speak in general terms of the names of the hells, and of the retributions for offenses and evil.

“Humane One, east of Jambudvipa there is a mountain called Iron Ring, which is totally black and has neither sun nor moonlight. There is a great hell there called Uninterrupted, and another called the Great Avici. There is also a hell called Four Pointed, a hell called Flying Knives, a hell called Flying Arrows, and a hell called Squeezing Mountains; a hell called Piercing Spears, a hell called Iron Carts, a hell called Iron Beds, and a hell called Iron Ox; a hell called Iron Clothing, a hell called Thousand Blades, a hell called Iron Asses, and a hell called Molten Brass; a hell called Embracing Pillar, a hell called Flowing Fire, a hell called Plowing Tongues, and a hell called Head Chopping; a hell called Burning Feet, a hell called Eye Pecking, a hell called Iron Pellets, and a hell called Quarreling; a hell called Iron Ax, and a hell called Much Hatred.”

Earth Store Bodhisattva said, “Humane One, such is the unlimited number of hells within the Iron Ring. In addition there is the hell of Crying Out, the hell of Pulling Tongues, the hell of Dung and Urine, and the hell of Brazen Locks; the hell of Fire Elephants, the hell of Fire Dogs, the hell of Fire Horses, and the hell of Fire Oxen; the hell of Fire Mountains, the hell of Fire Stones, the hell of Fire Beds, and the hell of Fire Beams; the hell of Fire Eagles, the hell of Sawing Teeth, the hell of Flaying skin, and the hell of Blood Drinking; the hell of Burning Hands, the hell of Burning Feet, the hell of Hanging Thorns, and the hell of Fire Houses; the hell of Iron Rooms, and the hell of Fire Wolves.

“Such are the hells, and within each of them there are one, two, three, four, or as many as hundreds of thousands of smaller hells, each with its own name.”

Earth Store Bodhisattva told the Universal Worthy Bodhisattva, “Humane One, such are the karmic retributions of the living beings of Jambudvipa who do evil. The power of karma is extremely great and can rival Mount Sumeru; it can deepen the great ocean and can obstruct the way of wisdom. For this reason, living beings should not slight small evils and consider them as being no offense, for after death retribution is undergone in the most exact detail. Father and son may be close, but their roads diverge and each goes his own way, and even if they should meet, neither would consent to undergo suffering in the other’s place. Now, drawing on the awesome spiritual power of the Buddha, I shall speak of the events of hellish retributions for offenses. Please, Humane One, hear these words.”

Sutra of the Past Vows of Earth Store Bodhisattva (Chapter 3)

CHAPTER THREE
Contemplating the Karmic Conditions of Living Beings
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Sutra:

At that time the Buddha’s mother, the Lady Maya, placed her palms together respectfully and said to Earth Store Bodhisattva, “Holy One, the deeds done by the living beings of Jambudvipa differ. What are their respective retributions?”

Earth Store replied, “In a thousand ten thousands of worlds and lands, whether with or without hells, with or without women, the Buddhadharma, Sound-Hearers, Pratyekabuddhas, and others, the retributions of the hells differ.”

Commentary:

The term “living beings” is composed of two words in Chinese, literally, many/born. Living beings are said to grasp at the many aggregates (form, reception, thought, activity, and consciousness) and thereby attain bodies. They are born into various states as a result of manifold causes and conditions, which are collectively called karma. Karma is a Sanskrit term that refers to that which is made by the activity of speech, body, or mind. What is the difference between “cause” and “karma”? Cause refers to a single incident; karma is a long accumulation of causes. There are many causes and conditions that constitute karma, and each being has his own. Therefore the states encountered by living beings differ. Some encounter great joy because they planted good seeds long ago, while others must endure a great deal of hardship, always living in difficult situations, because they have only sown bad causes. In general, if you plant good seeds, you reap good fruit; if you plant bad seeds, you reap bad fruit.

Good and bad are done by you alone, and no one forces you to do either. Even the work of becoming a Buddha is something to which you alone must apply effort; no one else can make you do it, and nobody can do it for you. If you do the work, you will plant the seeds of Buddhahood and find accomplishment. If you do the deeds, the karma, of Buddhas, you will be a Buddha in the future; if you do the deeds of demons, you will become a demon. Didn’t the text say earlier that the hells are called forth in response to the Three Evil Karmas?

After Sakyamuni Buddha accomplished the Way, he spoke Dharma for forty-nine years in over three hundred Dharma assemblies. When he was about to enter nirvana he realized that he had not yet crossed over his mother, the Lady Maya, and so he went to the Trayastrimsa Heaven to speak Dharma for her.

Some worlds have hells and some do not. The Land of Ultimate Bliss, for example, does not have any of the Three Evil Paths, nor any hells, hungry ghosts, or animals. In this world of ours, on the other hand, they do exist.

Some worlds – ours for example – have both men and women as well as sages and common people. The Land of Ultimate Bliss has only men. How does this come about? Men remain men, but when women go to that world they become men. Since there are no women, the people in the world of Ultimate Bliss are born transformationally from lotus flowers. When we recite the Buddha’s name once here, our lotus-flower mother in the Land of Ultimate Bliss grows a bit. The more we recite it here, the more our flower grows. The more sincere our recitation is, the more flourishing our lotus.

When the Eighth Consciousness has not yet become a person, a god, a ghost, etc., it is called the Intermediate Skandha Body. When we die, the Intermediate Skandha, or Intermediate Shadow Body, is led into the lotus flower. When that flower opens, a person is born.

In some worlds a Buddha may be speaking Dharma; in others, the Dharma of a Buddha may circulate. Places where no one speaks Dharma, where there are no Buddha images, sutras, or people who have left the home life, are called places without Buddhadharma. According to the sutras, the northern continent, Uttarakuru, does not have Buddhadharma, and is classed among the Eight Difficulties, circumstances in which it is hard to encounter Buddhadharma.

From the point of view of common people, Sound-hearers are very happy, but from the standpoint of the Bodhisattva, the Sound-Hearers, too, have their sufferings. The passage cited above refers to places that have the sufferings of Sound-Hearers or the sufferings of the Pratyekabuddhas.

Regardless of who you are, if you create karma, you will undergo the appropriate retribution; avoiding karma you avoid the retribution that follows it. This is a certain principle that works impartially, with equality for all.

Sutra:

The Lady Maya again spoke to Earth Store Bodhisattva; “I wish to hear only of the bad paths that are the retribution from offenses in Jambudvipa.”

Earth Store Bodhisattva replied, “Holy Mother, please listen and I will explain it in general terms.”

The Buddha’s mother answered, “I hope that you will do so.”

Earth Store Bodhisattva said to the Holy Mother, “These are the names of the retributions for offenses in Jambudvipa. Living beings who are not filial to their parents, who harm or kill them, will fall into the uninterrupted hell, where, for a thousand millions of kalpas, they will seek in vain to escape.”

Commentary:

We living beings should be filial to our parents, for those who are not filial commit offenses. Filial piety is important because it is the basis of humanity; if people are not filial, they forget their very origin. Therefore, it is said, “Father gave me a life, mother raised me; their kindness – as vast as high heaven, as manifold as the hairs on the head – is difficult to repay.”

What is filial piety? Does it mean buying rare delicacies to feed one’s parents? Is it perhaps seeing that they are dressed in fine clothes? No. These are a superficial form of filial piety. The inner functioning of filial piety is to comply with one’s parents’ fundamental intent.

Suppose my father likes to smoke opium. If he smoked one once a day, and I smoked two, wouldn’t that be filial piety? It certainly would not. When I said “comply,” I meant to comply with the basic parental desire for the children’s welfare, not with a parent’s superficial habits. If the latter were intended, you might as well say that if your father likes bread and butter, you should say to him, “I like that, too. You’re just going to have to wait while I eat it.” That would be belligerence about a superficial matter, not compliance with your father’s basic benevolent intentions towards you. To comply means to be in accordance with another’s wishes.

There is a couplet that says,
The lamb kneels to drink its milk,
The young crow returns to the nest.

When the lamb drinks its mother’s milk, it kneels to do so. The crow is called filial bird in Chinese since the young crows return with food for their aged mother who can no longer fly. If we are not filial to our parents, we humans are not even the equals of birds and beasts.

There are Five Virtues possessed by humans: humaneness, propriety, etiquette, knowledge, and trust. Since we have the ability to practice these qualities, can we not even equal the best aspects of the behavior of crows and sheep? There is nothing more important than being filial.

Someone might ask, “I want to be filial, but now I have left the home life and my parents are nowhere nearby. How can I be filial?” Leaving one’s home life can be an act of great filial piety. There is a saying,

When one son enters the Buddha’s door,
Nine generations ascend to heaven.

If you leave home to cultivate the Way, nine generations of ancestors receive the benefit and can ascend to heaven. In this way, you are being filial not only to your parents but to your grandparents and to parents and grandparents of past lives. Of course, you must continue to cultivate. If you do not do so, your nine generations will fall into hell, where they will wail and moan: “We had a descendant who left home to cultivate, and because of him we should have been born in the heavens. Who would have thought that all he does is sleep, causing us to fall into hell.”

Sutra of the Past Vows of Earth Store Bodhisattva (Chapter 2)

CHAPTER TWO
The Assembly of the Reduplicated Bodies
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Sutra:

At that time the reduplicated bodies of Earth Store Bodhisattva assembled in the palace of the Trayastrimsa Heaven from a hundred thousand tens of thousands of millions of inconceivable, unutterable, immeasurable, ineffable, asamkhyeyas of worlds, from all the places where there are hells. Because of the spiritual power of the Thus Come One, each came from his own direction together with thousands of ten thousands of nayutas of those who had obtained liberation from the paths of karma. All came holding incense and flowers as offerings to the Buddha. Because of the teachings of Earth Store Bodhisattva all of those who came were irreversible from Anuttarasamyaksambodhi, even though long kalpas ago they had been wandering in birth and death, undergoing suffering within Six Paths without even temporary respite. Because of Earth Store Bodhisattva’s great compassion and deep vows, however, each had borned testimony to the fruits. When they came to the Trayastrimsa Heaven, their hearts jumping, they gazed at the Thus Come One, their eyes not leaving him for a moment.

Commentary:

It could be said that the reduplicated body is also the “reduplicated spirit,” “reduplicated nature,” or “reduplicated heart.” Bodhisattvas have a king of spiritually efficacious response, and thus it is said, “A penetration effected, everywhere there is response.” This is also what is meant by the phrases,

A thousand pools of water,
Moons in a thousand pools;
Ten thousand miles without a cloud,
Ten thousand miles of sky.

The moon is reflected in as many pools of water as there are; if there are ten thousand pools, there are as many reflected moons. The moon in the pool represents the “spiritual” being discussed here. It is also “nature” and you might say a “thought” as well. Although there are the appearances of a thousand moons reflected in a thousand pools, the substance of the moon does not reduplicate.

Likewise, the reduplicated bodies of Earth Store Bodhisattva created by living beings. By way of a simple analogy, the reduplicated bodies are like photographs. Originally, there is just one person, but an unlimited number of copies of his photograph may be made. The difference between photographs and reduplicated bodies is that the photographs do not have the ability to function, spiritual response, or the breath of life. The reduplicated bodies of Earth Store Bodhisattva, on the other hand, are identical with his original body and are referred to as the “hundred thousand million transformation bodies.” Wherever Earth Store Bodhisattva sees a hell, no matter where in the world system of a billion worlds it may be, he dispatches a transformation body to teach living beings there. He does this in accord with his vow to teach all the living beings in the hells.

The number of worlds from which the reduplicated bodies of Earth Store Bodhisattva returned to the Trayastrimsa Heaven is completely beyond calculation or comprehension, for the reduplicated bodies exist because of the needs of the limitless number of living beings who are flowing, floating and drowning, dying, and then being reborn again and again in the wheel of life and death, as many as waves on the sea. Because of Earth Store Bodhisattva’s great compassion and deep vows, many had borne testimony to the fruits of the path. He vowed, “Only when the hells are emptied will I become a Buddha; only when living beings have all been saved, will I attain to Bodhi.” Their hearts jumping, they gazed at the Thus Come One, their eyes not leaving him for a moment. This is a sign of utmost sincerity.

Sutra:

At that time the World-Honored One stretched forth his golden-colored arm and rubbed the crowns of all the reduplicated bodies of Earth Store Bodhisattva, from the hundreds of thousands of tens of thousands of millions of unthinkable, unutterable, immeasurable, ineffable, limitless asamkhyeyas of worlds, and said, “I teach and transform obstinate living beings within the evil worlds of the Five Turbidities, causing their minds to be regulated and subdued, to renounce the improper and return to the proper. One or two of ten, however, have bad habits remaining and I also divide into hundreds of thousands of millions of bodies in order to establish numerous expedient devices for them. There are those of keen roots who hear and then faithfully accept; there are others who have already reaped good retribution and who have been energetically exhorted to accomplishment. Yet others are dark and dull and must long be taught and transformed in order to effect their return, while others whose karma is heavy do not give rise to respect. The reduplication bodies cross over and release all of these manifold kinds of living beings by being manifested as the bodies of men, women, gods, dragons, spirits, or ghosts. They may be manifested as mountains, forests, streams, springs, and rivers; as lakes, fountains, or wells, in order to benefit people. All of these may save beings. The bodes of divine emperors, Brahma kings, wheel-turning kings, laymen, kings of countries, prime ministers, officials, bhiksus, bhiksunis, upasakas, upasika, Sound-Hearers, Arhats, Pratyekabuddhas, and Bodhisattvas, may be manifested in order to teach and rescue beings. It is not only the body of a Buddha which manifests.”