Lotus Sutra
Practices That Ease The Way
The Highly Perfected Bodhisattva Manjusri, the Dharma Lord's disciple,
then spoke to the Buddha, saying, "World-honored One, Bodhisattvas such
as these are rarely met with! Out of reverence for the Buddha, they have
sworn a vow that, in evil times to come, they will protect, keep to, read,
recite and expound this Discourse of yours which is the blossoming of your
teaching. World-honored One, how are
these Highly Perfected Bodhisattvas to preach on this Discourse of yours
in the evil times to come?"
The Buddha addressed Manjusri, "If any Highly
Perfected Bodhisattva among you wishes to preach on this Discourse of mine
in the evil times to come, be steadfast in your devotion to four practices
that ease the way.
"As to the first of these practices, you should hold
steadfast to a Bodhisattva's perspectives on practice and relationships so
that you will be able to give voice to this Discourse of mine to sentient
beings.
"O Manjusri, what is this perspective on practice of a Highly Perfected Bodhisattva? When a Highly Perfected Bodhisattva abides in a state of patience and gratitude, is gentle and modest, is neither abrupt nor violent, stays unperturbed in heart and mind and, moreover, clings unto nothing yet views all things according to their true nature, does not strain in doing his practice or engage in discriminatory thinking -- this is termed a Highly Perfected Bodhisattva's perspective on practice.
"What is a Highly Perfected Bodhisattva's perspective on relationships? A Highly Perfected Bodhisattva does not seek to be on intimate terms with rulers, their offspring, ministers, officials, non-Buddhists such as Brahman priests or Jain monks, creators of worldly literature, extollers of non-Buddhist writings, materialistic persons, hedonists and those who actively oppose them; he does not curry fellowship with those who engage in cruel or violent games involving knocking each other about or knocking each other down, with actors, dancers and any other type of stage entertainers; he does not take up with those who are amoral or rely on chance to steer their lives, with those engaged in evil industries such as raising pigs, sheep, fowl or goats for slaughter, hunting and fishing. Even so, whenever any such persons as these come to him on some occasion, he talks with them of the Dharma but with no expectations. He does not seek or encourage familiarity with monks or lay persons of either gender who are only eager to hear his voice but not what he says, by meeting with them in his quarters, stopping them whilst out walking in order to socialize with them or lingering with them in the lecture hall; if at some time they come to him, he takes the opportunity to talk with them of the Dharma but with no expectations.
"O Manjusri, a Highly Perfected Bodhisattva should also not talk of the Dharma with others whilst displaying an appearance designed to arouse passionate thoughts in them nor take pleasure in looking upon them. When he enters the home of another, he does not seek to encourage any child, young person or widowed one, for instance, to become over familiar with him nor does he seek or encourage familiarity with any who may be equally vulnerable to some form of seduction. He does not enter the home of another by himself; if, for some reason, he must enter there alone, then he is wholehearted in his mindfulness of the Buddha. When talking about the Dharma to women, he does not flash his teeth, all smiles and grins, nor does he display his bare chest; since he does not seek or encourage any familiarity or intimacy for the sake of the teaching, how much less for any other reason! he is also not eager to rear young pupils, novices or children, or eager to be with them as teacher, ever preferring meditation where, in seclusion, he may train and pacify his mind.
"O Manjusri, this is what is termed the first perspective on relationships.
"Further, a Highly Perfected Bodhisattva views all things as void of any substantial self, seeing appearances as they really are, not topsy-turvy, moving, receding or spinning about; he sees it just as space is, without any substantiality, beyond the ability of any word or phrase to encapsulate, unborn, not coming forth or arising, nameless, beyond characterization, having no permanent existence, immeasurable, unbounded, unobstructed, unhindered, having 'existence' only through cause and effect produced by topsy-turvy thought: he constantly delights in viewing the appearance of all things in this way. This is what is termed a Highly Perfected Bodhisattva's second perspective on relationships."
The World-honored One, desiring to clarify the meaning of his teaching, spoke thus in verse:
"If there be any Bodhisattva here
Who, in the evil days to come,
With a heart free from fear and awe,
Desires to preach on this Discourse of mine,
You must hold to a Bodhisattva's perspectives
On practice and relationships.
"Be constant in keeping your distance
From those who would rule,
And from their offspring, ministers and officials,
From those who play at brutal and dangerous games,
Are devoid of scruples or steer their lives by chance
As well as from non-Buddhists such as Brahman priests.
"Seek no friendship or companionship
Among those vain and conceited ones
Who avidly pursue the Lesser Course
In their study of the Triple Canon,
With Precept-breaking monks
Who are Arahants in name only,
With monks who take joy in flirtatious laughter,
With those who are deeply attached
To all manner of craving
Or are seeking instant nirvana,
As is common with lay folk;
With none of these seek familiarity.
"However, if such people,
Out of goodness of heart,
Come to you as a Bodhisattva
To hear of the Buddha's Way,
Then, as a Bodhisattva
With heart free from fear and awe
And cherishing no expectations,
You should speak with them on the teaching.
"Do not seek to entice
Into intimacy or close friendship
Such as are widowed, young
Or equally vulnerable to some form of seduction.
"Do not keep company
With butchers, meat-cutters,
Hunters or fishermen,
For they slaughter and slay for gain.
"Do not keep company
With those who hawk meat for their living
And those who parade and market people for sex;
Do not consort with such ones.
"With violent and dangerous sports
And all manner of frivolous games,
As well as with dissolute people,
You should not seek to involve yourself whatsoever.
"You should not,
In some screened-off place,
Talk about the teaching alone
With one of the opposite sex.
"When you preach on the Dharma,
take care to avoid making a joke of it.
"When entering a village in quest of food,
Seek a monk to accompany you;
If no monk is available,
keep your mind wholeheartedly on the Buddha.
"These, then, are what are called
The perspectives on practice and relationships.
By maintaining these two perspectives
You can teach with ease and contentment."
"Further, when you do not act
As if there were superior, middling and inferior Dharmas,
Or as though things were material
Or independent of cause, real or unreal,
When you do not make such distinctions as
'This is a man' or 'This is a woman',
And when you do not grasp after things,
Failing to recognize them
Because you do not discern them as desirable,
This then is what is called
A Bodhisattva's perspective on practice.
"All that are called 'things'
Are void of self-existence,
Having no permanence,
Neither arising nor perishing:
This is what wise ones call
ABodhisattva's perspective on relationships,
Whereas those whose views are topsy-turvy
Decide by discrimination
Whether all things exist or do not exist,
Are real or unreal,
Produced or not produced.
"As for you, abide in seclusion,
Train and pacify your mind,
Dwelling peaceably in your meditation
And immovable as Mount Sumeru,
Regarding all things
As though they had no permanence,
As if they were as insubstantial as space,
Lacking solidity,
Neither arising nor coming forth
But motionless and unreceding,
Ever remaining in their oneness:
This is what is called
A Bodhisattva's perspective on relationships.
"If there be any monk
Who, after my entering into eternal meditation,
Holds to these perspectives
On practice and relationships,
Then, when he talks on this Discourse of mine,
He will have no timidity or weakness.
"When this Bodhisattva at times
Enters the quiet of his room
And, while holding properly to mindfulness,
Looks upon all things
According to their true significance,
Let him then rise from his meditation
And—for the sake of rulers of nations,
Their offspring and subjects,
Be they Brahmans and others—
Help turn their hearts around
By clearly expounding and explaining
This Discourse of mine
With a heart and mind at ease,
Free from timidity and weakness.
"O Manjusri, this is what is called
A Bodhisattva's being steadfast in the first means,
For he will then be able, in future generations,
To preach on this Discourse
Which is the Blossoming of my Teaching.
"O Manjusri, after my entering into eternal meditation, whoever of you desires to give voice to this Discourse of mine in the degenerate period of the Dharma should abide in the second practice that eases the way through appropriate speech.
"Whether orally passing on this Discourse of mine from memory or reading it aloud, do not take pleasure In speaking of the shortcomings or efforts of your predecessors, or of this Discourse of mine, nor speak disrespectfully of other Dharma masters, nor talk of the goodness, wickedness, merits or shortcomings of others, nor single out by name those who do not understand the Dharma and broadcast their mistakes or wickedness, nor by name praise and extol any for their admirable taste nor cultivate a resentful or jealous heart.
"By well training your heart and mind to be at ease and content, those who hear you will not misinterpret or twist your intentions. To those who raise objections or ask difficult questions, do not answer from the teachings of the Lesser Vehicle, but lucidly explain matters simply from those of the Greater Vehicle that they may obtain all sorts of understanding."
The World-honored One, then desiring to reiterate the meaning of this, spoke thus in verse:
"A Bodhisattva ever delights and is at ease
In giving voice to the Dharma;
In a pure and clean place
He spreads out his mat,
Annoints himself with sesame oil
After having bathed away dust and dirt,
Puts on a fresh, clean robe
So that he is completely clean within and without,
And then, calmly seated on his Dharma seat,
He teaches according to how he is questioned.
"Be there monks of either gender,
Lay disciples of either gender,
Rulers, their offspring and retainers
Or other people,
He expounds the subtlest meanings to them all,
Ever with a gentle countenance.
"If there is any objection
Or difficult question,
He responds to it according to its meaning,
Elaborating and making distinctions
Through apt illustrations and parables.
"By these skillful means
He urges them all
To give rise to their will to train
So that, steadily advancing,
They may penetrate the Buddha's Way.
"Having rid himself
Of any tendencies to indolence
And of any idle thoughts and fantasies,
He is free from all worry, grief and care
And, with a tender and compassionate heart,
Proclaims the Dharma day and night;
"Ever propounding
The unsurpassed teaching of the Way
By varied illustrations
And innumerable parables,
He reveals it to sentient beings
Which causes them all to rejoice.
"Of garments, bedding, drink, food, medicine
And all such things he has no expectations;
With singleness of mind
He thinks only of the cause of his teaching the Dharma,
Vowing to complete the Buddha's Path
By helping all others to do the same;
This is his great reward,
Contentment and offering.
"After my entering into eternal meditation,
If there be any monk
Capable of proclaiming this Discourse
Which is the wondrous blossoming of my teaching,
His heart will be free from envy and rancor,
From all irritations and obstacles
And from sorrow and depression
As well as from the curses and slanders of others.
"Further, he will be free
From fear and dread
of their adding the insult of injury
From sword or cudgel;
He will not be driven off
For he is steadfast and at ease in his forbearance.
"The wise one, in such ways as these,
Will train his mind so well,
And be able to dwell so content and at ease,
As I have already said,
That the merits and virtues of this person
Are beyond any power
To fully express in number
Or in illustration
Even were thousands upon thousands of kalpas
To be given for the task.
"O Manjusri, as to the third practice which concerns right thought, any Highly Perfected Bodhisattva among you who, in the decadent ages to come when the Dharma will be on the brink of perishing, accepts and keeps to, reads and recites this Discourse of mine, will not carry within the bosom an envious, suspicious or deceitful heart or slight and abuse fellow students of the Buddha's Way by seeking out their excesses or shortcomings.
"If there be monks or lay disciples of either gender who seek to hear the Dharma but are not yet ready to follow it, seek to follow the Way but only for their own sakes or seek after the Bodhisattva's Way, you must not distress or vex them, causing them to doubt or feel regret by telling them, 'You are far removed from the Way and will never be able to attain any manner of understanding for you are nothing but indulgent and idle people who are lax in the Way.'
"Moreover, do not indulge in chatter that treats the Dharma as a pastime, or enter into debates or quarrel over the Dharma. Instead, give rise to thoughts of great compassion for all sentient beings, to thoughts of how like benevolent parents the Tathagatas are and to thoughts of what great teachers the Bodhisattvas are.
"From the very depths of your heart, ever revere and worship the great Bodhisattvas in all the Ten Quarters and, being in accord with the Dharma, give voice to it to all sentient beings alike without exceeding what they need or falling short of it.
"O Manjusri, when such a Highly Perfected Bodhisattva among you, in the decadent age when the Dharma is on the verge of disappearing, has succeeded in this third mode of conduct that eases the way through appropriate thought and then gives voice to this Discourse of mine, nothing will be able to disturb him. He will find good fellow students who will read and recite this Discourse along with him and who after hearing it will be able to keep to it, after keeping to it will be able to recite it, after reciting it will be able to give voice to it, after giving voice to it will be able to copy or inspire others to copy it and make an offering of these copies of my Discourse in reverence, honour and praise of it."
The World-honored One, then desiring to reiterate the meaning of this, spoke thus in verse:
"If you wish to give voice
To this Discourse of mine,
You should forsake all envy, anger and pride
And all thoughts arising
From a suspicious, deceitful,
Twisted or dishonest heart,
Ever cultivating the practice
Of maintaining integrity.
"Do not disparage others
Or, for amusement's sake,
Discuss the teachings
Or lead others to doubt or regret
By saying: You will never become Buddhas,'
But, as a disciple of the Buddha,
When giving voice to the Dharma,
Be ever gentle, patient
And compassionate with all,
Never cultivating thoughts
Of indulgence or idleness.
"Toward the great Bodhisattvas
In all the Ten Quarters
Who practice the Way
Out of pity for all beings,
Cultivate a reverent mind by thinking,
'These are my great teachers';
For all World-honored Buddhas
Engender thoughts of them
As peerless parents, and then,
Eliminating all feelings of pride and arrogance,
Give unobstructed voice to the Dharma.
"Such is the third method:
Let the wise protect and guard it
For wholehearted devotion to these practices
In ease and contentment
Is revered by beings beyond count."
"O Manjusri, any Highly Perfected Bodhisattva among you who, in the decadent ages to come when the Dharma has all but perished, preserves this Discourse which is the blossoming of my teaching should cultivate a spirit of great compassion not only toward lay disciples and monks but also toward those not yet upon the Bodhisattva path by holding this thought in mind, 'Such people as these have suffered a great loss for they have neither heard of, nor know about, nor are aware of, nor inquired into, nor believed in nor understood the Dharma which the Tathagata voiced through his use of skillful means and in accordance with what was suitable to the occasion. Although those people have not inquired into, nor believed in nor understood this Discourse of his, when I have attained Full and Perfect Enlightenment, wherever I may be, by means of my transcendental powers and my powers of wise discrimination and insight I will help lead them to find that abiding place within his Dharma.'
"O Manjusri, any Highly Perfected Bodhisattva who, after my entering into eternal meditation, succeeds in this fourth practice which relates to appropriate resolve, will be free from error whenever he gives voice to this Dharma. Monks and lay disciples of both genders, rulers and their offspring, ministers and subjects, Brahmans and ordinary citizens among others will offer him their reverence, respect and praise; all the devas of space will continually follow and attend on him that they might hear the Dharma. Whether he is in some village, town or city or in some open place or forest, if someone comes desiring to raise an objection or put a difficult question to him the devas, day and night, will constantly guard and protect him for the sake of the Dharma so that he can make all who hear him rejoice because this Discourse of mine is precisely what all past, present and future Buddhas watch over and protect with their spiritual powers.
"O Manjusri, for those in untold countries even the name and reputation of this Discourse which is the blossoming of my teaching is unheard of; how much less is it possible for them to meet with it, accept it, keep to it, read it or recite it!
"O Manjusri, take, by way of analogy, the example of a powerful and sage universal monarch whose chariot wheels roll everywhere, one who desires by dint of his awesome power and authority to have all realms submit themselves in allegiance to him but finds that there are petty rulers who will not comply with his will; so the universal monarch calls up his varied troops and goes forth to chastise them. When the monarch sees among his multitude of soldiers those who have distinguished themselves in battle, he straightway is greatly pleased and bestows rewards on them according to their merit by offering them fields, houses, villages, towns or cities, or giving them garments and personal ornaments, or presenting them with all kinds of treasures such as gold, silver, lapis lazuli, agate, carnelian, coral and amber as well as elephants, horses, chariots, carriages, servants of both genders and other people; only the bright pearl upon his top-knot does he not give away. And for what reason? Because only atop a ruler's head is this solitary jewel to be found and, were he to bestow it, all the monarch's household would undoubtedly be greatly astonished.
"O Manjusri, I, as the Tathagata, am also like this. Although by dint of my powers of meditation and insight I had attained the domain of the Dharma and ruled as lord over all Three Worlds, the lords of Mara were unwilling to yield in obedience to Me. When my wise and saintly generals joined in battle with them, those who meritoriously distinguished themselves likewise filled my heart with delight and, in the midst of my four hosts, I gave voice to various Scriptures, making their hearts rejoice, and bestowed upon them the many riches of the Dharma such as meditation, liberation from enslaving passions and the strength to realize Buddhahood from their undefiled roots. In addition, I gave them a city called Nirvana, saying that they could escape from their suffering there and thereby guided their hearts so that they all were filled with joy but I did not give them this Discourse which is the blossoming of my teaching.
"O Manjusri, just as the universal monarch, upon seeing among his soldiers one who has been extraordinary in distinguishing himself, feels his heart fill with such joy that now at last he bestows upon him the incredible pearl which so long has lain upon his top-knot and which is not given to anyone rashly, so also is it with Me. When, as the great Lord of Dharma in the Three Worlds Who teaches all sentient beings how to turn their hearts around by being in accord with the Dharma, I see my wise and saintly host battling with great meritoriousness and loyalty against the demons of Mara who delude and threaten harm to the five skandhas, or who tempt and bedevil through defiling passions or who threaten death and annihilation, and observe how my troops eradicate the three poisons of greed, hatred and delusion and leap beyond the Three Worlds by breaking through the ensnaring nets of Mara's minions, I, likewise, am greatly pleased and now give voice to this Discourse which is the blossoming of my teaching, which is capable of helping all sentient beings to realize Buddhahood and which I have not yet proclaimed since there were so many in the world who were filled with rancor and animosity and had difficulty in believing in anything.
"O Manjusri, this Discourse is the foremost teaching of the Tathagatas and the most profound of all Discourses. I give it to you at last just as that powerful monarch at last gave the bright pearl that he has guarded for so long.
"O Manjusri, this Discourse which is the blossoming of my teaching is the profound Treasure House of the Buddhas as Tathagatas, supreme above all other Scriptures. Long has been the time of darkness while it has been safe-guarded and not prematurely and rashly spread abroad; today for the first time I present it to you all."
The World-honored One, then desiring to clarify the meaning of this, spoke thus in verse:
"Ever act with patience and forbearance,
And with pity for all beings,
For only then can you give voice
To a Discourse which the Buddhas will extol.
"In later ages to come,
You who would keep to this Discourse of mine,
Be you layman, monk
Or one not yet on the Bodhisattva path,
By all means cultivate compassion by thinking,
'Since those who do not hear or have faith
In this Discourse of his,
Will suffer a great loss,
I, having realized the Buddha Way
Through skillful means,
Will expound this Dharma to them
That they all may abide in it.'
"Like a powerful monarch
Whose chariot wheels roll everywhere,
One who, to his soldiers
Who are meritorious in battle,
Presents many rewards such as elephants,
Horses, chariots, carriages
And ornaments to adorn their bodies,
As well as fields, houses, villages and cities,
Or gives them raiment,
Various kinds of precious jewels,
Servants and wealth,
Joyfully bestowing all,
"But only on the one
Who is most valiant and strong
And capable of the most difficult of deeds
Does the monarch take from his own head
The lustrous pearl to give to him,
So too is it with a Tathagata,
Lord of all Dharmas,
Whose great strength lies in his patience
And his treasure Trove of enlightened wisdom.
"Out of his great compassion and benevolence,
And in keeping with the Dharma,
He transforms the world.
"Seeing all human beings
Suffering in torment and distress,
And craving to find deliverance
As they struggle against the demons of Mara,
He gives voice to various teachings
For the sake of all these sentient beings
And, by the most skillful of means,
Proclaims the various scriptures:
"However, once he finally knows for sure
That these beings have their full strength,
Then and only then, at last,
Does he offer this Flower of the Dharma to them
Just as the monarch took from his head
The bright pearl as his gift.
"This Discourse of mine
Is the most precious among all the scriptures;
I have always guarded it, kept it safe
And never revealed it rashly or too soon;
now, indeed, this is the time
To proclaim it to you all.
"After my entering into eternal meditation,
Whoever seeks the Buddha's Way
And desires peaceably and amicably
To give voice to this Discourse of mine
Should make himself intimate
With the four modes of conduct
As they have been given.
"Whoever of you reads this Discourse completely
And attends to its meaning
Will be ever free from worry, grief,
Gloom, suffering and disease,
Of countenance bright and clear;
You will not live in destitution, meanness or squalor;
"All sentient beings will delight to look upon you
With a fondness they feel for one sainted or wise;
The offspring of devas will be given you as ministers;
Swords and cudgels will not add their injury to you;
Things poisonous will leave you unharmed.
"If any, from hatred or malice, would abuse you,
Their mouths will close up tight;
Fearless will you roam like the Lord of lions,
The radiance of your wisdom and insight
Will shine forth illumining like the sun.
"When you dream,
You will behold only things wondrous;
You will see Tathagatas,
Seated upon their Lion Thrones of Meditation,
As they give voice to the Dharma
To the hosts of surrounding monks:
"You will behold nagas and spirits,
Asuras and others,
Numerous as the sands of the Ganges,
As they pay reverence with hands held in gassho,
And you will catch sight of yourself
Proclaiming the Dharma to them.
"You will also behold Buddhas,
Their bodies like burnished gold,
Emitting boundless rays of light
Which illumine all as,
With voices melodious as Brahma's,
They thunder forth the Dharma.
"While some Buddha
Gives voice to the Supreme Dharma
To the fourfold host of disciples,
You will see yourself in their midst
Extolling the Buddha
With your hands in gassho.
"On hearing the Dharma,
You will fill with joy
And, making your offering,
Will receive the sacred invocations,
You will give witness
To the wisdom of never regressing.
"The Buddha, knowing that in heart and mind
You have penetrated deep into the Buddha's Way,
Will then predict your success
In realizing Supreme and Perfect Enlightenment,
Saying, 'You, my good child,
Shall, in an age to come,
Obtain wisdom beyond measure
By realizing the Great Way of the Buddha.
"Your realm will be filled
With splendor and immaculate,
Of breadth beyond compare;
There you too will have
Your fourfold host of disciples
Who, with hands in gassho,
Will listen to you proclaim the Dharma.
"You will also see yourself
In some mountain grove
Putting the good teachings into practice
By proving for yourself
What is real and what appearance
And, deep in meditation,
You will meet the Buddhas
Of all the Ten Quarters.
"Like burnished gold
Are the bodies of these Buddhas,
Adorned with a hundred auspicious marks,
For whoever, hearing the Dharma,
Gives voice to it for the sake of others,
Ever has good dreams like these.
"Again, in a dream or vision,
You will be transformed
Into a lord who forsakes palace, family and kin,
As well as the most exquisite pleasures
The five senses crave,
To journey forth to the place of training
At the foot of a Bodhi tree,
There, seated on your Lion Throne of Meditation,
You will seek the Way until seven days pass
And you realize what 'the Wisdom of the Buddhas' is.
"Having thus succeeded to the Supreme Way,
You will arise
And, turning the Wheel of the Dharma,
Proclaim to the fourfold host of disciples
My teaching for thousands of myriads of kalpas.
"After giving voice
To the undefiled Wondrous Dharma
And ferrying countless sentient beings to the Other Shore,
You will then enter nirvana
Like a lamp ceasing to smoke
When its flame is extinguished.
"If any of you in the evil ages to come
Give your voice to this pre-eminent Dharma,
You shall obtain a great bounty
Such as the merits here foretold."
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