The Mahayana Sutra of Consciousness Revealed.pdf

Mahāyāna Sūtra of Consciousness Revealed

Translated from Sanskrit into Chinese in the Tang Dynasty

The Tripiṭaka Master Divākara

Fascicle 1 (of 2)

Thus I have heard:

At one time the Bhagavān was in the Karaṇa Bamboo Garden of the capital

city [ Rājagṛha ], together with a multitude of 1,250 great bhikṣus . All of them

were Arhats , who, with no more afflictions , had ended their discharges and

acquired selfmastery. With their minds totally liberated and their wisdom fully

unfolded, like the great dragon , they illuminated the past, future, and present

without obstructions. Taught by the Buddha , they had accomplished their

undertaking [for Arhatship] and shed the enormous heavy burden. They had

acquired benefits for themselves, having finished transmigrating through life and

death and ended suffering through existence. With the power of true knowledge,

they were adept in identifying the proclivities of sentient beings. At the head of

the multitude of such great voicehearers was the Elder Śāriputra. The assembly

also included an innumerable multitude of BodhisattvaMahāsattvas .

At that time the bhikṣus, at the place where the WorldHonored One was,

were tired and drowsy, losing their color and too exhausted to hold up. Then the

face of the WorldHonored One lit up like a blooming lotus blossom. Forthwith

the bhikṣus all became alert, each straightening up and thinking this thought:

"The BuddhaBhagavān now looks resplendent, his face glowing with light. What

Dharmaeye will He open to give us great benefits?"

At that time the youth Worthy Protector Superior, complete with fine

qualities such as robust good looks, gentleness, and radiance, surrounded by

60,000 merchant lords, together with attendants, came with rumbling sounds

like an earthquake to the place where the Buddha was. Seeing the Buddha

Bhagavān silent and peaceful as the store of virtues, and majestic and radiant

like a towering golden tree, he pondered as he joined his palms with profound

faith and reverence. He had this thought: "As praised by all, the Buddha, who is

allknowing and allseeing, is truly the Tathāgata , Arhat, SamyakSaṁbuddha . It

is not false."

He bowed his head down at the feet of the Buddha and then gazed at Him.

The Buddha saw Worthy Protector and radiated light from His entire body to

shine on him. Worthy Protector then acquired fearlessness. He circumambulated

the Buddha three times, and again bowed his head down at the Buddha's feet.

He said to the Buddha, "I pray only that the WorldHonored One will teach me

with compassion. It is only today that I have acquired pure faith at the place

where the Buddha is. My mind longing for the wondrous Dharma , I would like to

ask questions. However, I have long been in the cycle of life and death,

drowning in afflictions and chaotic thoughts. I have no invisible provisions such

as observance of precepts or other good karma . Anxious as I am, I do not know

how to transcend life and death and be delivered from this net of stupidity,

affliction, and doubt. The WorldHonored One is allknowing and allseeing. The

appearance of the Buddha in the world is rare and hard to encounter. As a wish

fulfilling jewel can give happiness to sentient beings, the Buddha is the greatest

wishfulfilling jewel. All sentient beings need to depend upon the Buddha to

acquire great peace and bliss. He is the great parent and the root of goodness of

sentient beings. Because of the Buddhaparent, one will be able see the right

path. I pray only that, out of sympathy, You will remove my doubts and

darkness."

The Buddha said to Worthy Protector, "You may ask anything about your

doubts. I will resolve them separately for you."

At that time Worthy Protector, having received the Buddha's permission,

stood on one side, to concentrate on his questions. Meanwhile, the Elder

Ānanda, seeing the radiance and good features of the youth Worthy Protector,

said to the Buddha, "A sight never encountered before! This youth Worthy

Protector has great merit, whose radiance and glow outshine the awesome

appearances of kings."

The Buddha told Ānanda, "This youth Worthy Protector Superior, because of

his meritorious karma, enjoys a splendid heavenreward while living in the

human world. He can frolic and enjoy peace and pleasure totally at will just like

the godking Śakra . No one in Jambudvīpa can compare with him, except for the

youth Moon Reality."

Ānanda requested the Buddha, "I pray only that You will tell us about the

youth Worthy Protector, concerning his current resources as karmic reward and

the good roots he has planted in the past."

The Buddha told Ānanda, "You should now hear the pleasure reward in the

form of enormous resources that Worthy Protector now enjoys and learn the

contributing causes from his past. Ānanda, this youth Worthy Protector is

attended by 60,000 merchant lords who have an abundance of assets and an

accumulation of gold and jewels. They respectfully accept his instructions and

follow him at his service. [In his residence, there are] 60,000 beds with well

arranged beddings, blankets, fine linens, and pillows, in various colors, beautiful

and magnificent. All around are columns, jeweled carvings, colorful silk curtains,

and other decorations, as gorgeous as a painting. There are 60,000 artistic

playmates, dressed in silk in a variety of colors, adorned with golden jewelry and

necklaces in dazzling colors, which are so fine and delicate to the touch that they

are like celestial crystal. Their weight can be light or heavy, suiting the wearer's

mood. Playing, laughing, talking, singing, these ladies entertain and serve their

master with gentleness, discreetness, and respect. They cease their love and

desire for others, lowering their heads with humility or covering their heads for

modesty. Their skin is fine, soft, and smooth. The bony joints of their hands,

feet, and ankles do not show. Their teeth are white and straight, without gaps,

and their black hair curls to the right, like shredded wax, as if rendered in a

painting. They come from families and clans with names known far and wide.

Such women are his attendants. Moreover, there are 60,000 women who serve

him food. There are rice, bread, and so forth, in various colors. The aromas and

flavors are as wonderful as those of celestial food. Such food, a reward for merit,

arrives as he wishes, cooked without labor. The water there has the eight

virtues , pleasing to one's mind and soothing to one's body, and it cleanses filth

and removes diseases.

"His mansions and towers are adorned with 60,000 jewels such as precious

beads and vaiūrya , hanging down or beautifully arranged. Bells suspended from

ribbons jingle harmoniously in the winds. The ground is like vaiūrya, showing

myriads of reflections, with various flowers scattered around. [The place] is cool

and pleasant, inviting leisurely strolls to relax one's mind. There are musical

instruments such as paṇava drums, sitars, pipes, and brass cymbals, playing

60,000 kinds of melodies. The beautiful sounds are harmonious and loud,

resonating far and wide. Joy and happiness brought by meritorious karma flow

nonstop. Doves and other birds are flying around, their various calls enjoyable

to one's mind and pleasant to one's ear. Flowering vines climb up on the towers,

adorning them with bright flowers and lush leaves. The tones of bells and

musical instruments sound like those in a celestial palace. The halls are spacious

like a cavern of Mount Sumeru, where divine medicine flows.

"There are 60,000 cities graced with towers and surrounded by high walls.

The streets are well designed with crossroads to reach all directions. Adding to

the magnificence are people who come from everywhere, wearing various kinds

of clothing, speaking various kinds of languages. They have different features

and follow diverse customs. Hundreds of thousands of merchants display their

extraordinary goods. The raucous sounds of trade shake the entire city. In the

lush gardens and forests are large and small trees, with vines, medicinal herbs,

and flowers in full bloom. [In their midst are pools,] the clear waters of which

reflect shimmering light, like a sheet of colorful brocade. Hundreds and

thousands of elephants, horses, and carriages move endlessly throughout the

city. Ānanda, in these 60,000 cities, all the nobility and the famous as well as the

wealthy and the merchant lords praise the youth Worthy Protector every day,

broadcasting his virtues. They respectfully join their palms and make obeisance

to him in reverence.

"Prasenajit, the king of Kośala, is wealthy because of the power of his merit,

but he is poor in comparison with Worthy Protector. The youth Moon Reality is

surrounded by hundreds of thousands of skilled attendants, serving him

respectfully and entertaining him with music and frolic. Even the godking Śakra

is hundreds, thousands, and tens of thousands of times less fortunate than Moon

Reality. On the other hand, the youth Worthy Protector, with his robust, high

colored good looks, wealth, ease, peace, and pleasures, is hundreds, thousands,

and tens of thousands of times less fortunate than Moon Reality. Their fortune,

in each case, is not acquired by force, but a response to their past merit.

"Ānanda, the youth Worthy Protector has a wishfulfilling carriage inlaid with

celestial jewels, radiating bright light like celestial gold or vajra . It is decorated

with various kinds of treasures, mixed as beautifully as stars. It moves speedily,

like the wind, like the flight of the goldenwinged bird. Riding this jeweled

carriage, he arrives at any treasure continent on a thought. Then he comes

home from his pleasure tour, not tired."

At that time Ānanda bowed down at the feet of the Buddha. He asked the

Buddha, "What good roots did the youth Worthy Protector plant and what

meritorious karma did he perform, to own now enormous assets and to enjoy the

great pleasure reward, living in such magnificent mansions decorated with

extraordinary treasures?"

The Buddha told Ānanda, "The youth Worthy Protector, because he planted

in the past meritorious karma in the Buddha Dharma, has now acquired this

enormous pleasure reward. In the past, there was a Buddha named Blissful

Light, who was the Tathāgata, Arhat, SamyakSaṁbuddha, Knowledge and

Conduct Perfected, Sugata, Understanding the World, Unsurpassed One, Tamer

of Men, Teacher to Gods and Humans, Buddha the WorldHonored One. At that

time Worthy Protector renounced family life and became a bhikṣu, called Dharma

Topknot, in the Dharma of that Buddha. He was inadequate in observance of the

precepts for conduct. However, he clearly understood the profound teachings in

the Tripiṭaka —the Sūtras, the Vinaya, and the Abhidharma—and he excelled in

expounding them. He always pronounced the teachings to sentient beings in

solemn, beautiful tones, endlessly giving the Dharma as alms. He was forthright

and brilliant in his eloquent exposition, and the hearers delighted in the Dharma

they heard. They pondered and trained themselves accordingly, and those who

saved themselves from trekking the evil lifejourneys were innumerable. Ānanda,

the bhikṣu Dharma Topknot, because of his virtue of giving the Dharma, was

reborn as a god for 90 kalpas , enjoying his reward. In addition, when Dharma

Topknot saw thin and frail bhikṣus who were observing their precepts purely, he

always gave them food, drink, shoes, and so forth. Because he gave alms

courteously and sincerely with a pure mind, he now has received this pleasure

reward in the form of great wealth and enjoyment of magnificent mansions and

extraordinary jeweled carriages. Furthermore, Dharma Topknot later came

across Kāśyapa Tathāgata, who gave him teachings and guidance and told him,

'You will receive a prophecy from the future Buddha Śākyamuni.' Hence, he is

seeing me now, and I will pronounce the Dharma to him to bring him to

maturity."

Ānanda said to the Buddha, "The youth Worthy Protector Superior has

command of such an abundance of riches, gold, and treasures. It is

extraordinary that he is gentle and modest, without any pride or arrogance."

The Buddha said, "Ānanda, one with great wisdom does not become

arrogant because of wealth, treasures, and sensory pleasures. Worthy Protector

has long trained in the good deeds . Supported by good dharmas, he always has

fortune fruits to eat."

Worthy Protector, having been praised by the Buddha and Ānanda, joined

his palms reverently and bowed down at the feet of the Buddha. He asked the

Buddha, "Please pity, welcome, and protect all sentient beings. I pray that You

will permit me to ask a few questions."

The Buddha told Worthy Protector, "You have my permission. You may ask

me about all of your doubts. I will clear them up for you."

Worthy Protector said to the Buddha, "WorldHonored One, although

sentient beings know that there is consciousness, it is like a jewel kept in a box,

unrevealed and unknowable. WorldHonored One, I do not know the shape of

this consciousness, nor the reason why it is called consciousness. When a person

dies, his hands and feet may convulse, and the look of his eyes changes

uncontrollably. When the sense organs perish, the great domains separate.

Where does consciousness go after it has left the current body? What is its self

nature? What is its form? How does it assume the next body after leaving this

body? After this body is abandoned, how does consciousness carry the sense

faculties in order to accept the next requital, which can be one of many kinds of

bodies? WorldHonored One, how does a sentient being grow new sense organs

after the expiration of this body? Why does one accumulate meritorious karma in

this life, only to receive the requital in the next life? The current body does

meritorious deeds, and the next body will eat [the fruit]. How does

consciousness nourish the body and keep it alive? How do consciousness and

sense faculties develop according to the body?"

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