The King Who Withholds Nothing

"The bodhisattva manifests himself as a king, unequaled in worldly rank; his merit, virtue, and majestic light surpass all others, and he universally brings benefit to every living being. His mind is pure and free of any defilement; sovereign over the world, he is honored and revered by all; he broadly proclaims the true Dharma to instruct people, and universally causes sentient beings to find peace and security. Born into a noble clan, he ascends to the throne, and forever relying on the true teaching, he turns the wheel of the Dharma; his nature is kind and compassionate, without any cruelty, and beings in the ten directions revere him and are all transformed by him. His wisdom and discernment are forever clear, his form and abilities entirely complete; as he governs the whole land, there is none who does not submit, and he subdues every army of Māra, destroying it entirely. He firmly upholds pure precepts without any transgression, his resolve steadfast in forbearance, never wavering; he forever vows to eliminate any mind of anger and hatred, forever delighting in cultivating the Dharma of every buddha."

Food and drink, fragrant garlands, and clothing, carriages and mounts, bedding, seats, and lamps — the bodhisattva provides all of these to help people, together with immeasurable other kinds of things besides. For the sake of benefiting them he practices giving, causing them to open up a vast and expansive mind; toward those of the most exalted station and toward all others alike, his mind remains entirely pure, giving rise to joy. The bodhisattva provides for everyone entirely, giving away everything he has, both what is internal and what is external, and is certain to keep his mind forever pure, never once, even briefly, letting a narrow or lesser mind arise. Sometimes he gives away his head, sometimes his eyes, sometimes his hands, sometimes his feet; his skin, flesh, bones, and marrow, and every other thing besides — he gives all of it away, his mind free of any stinginess.

The bodhisattva, his person seated upon the great throne of a king, of a noble and eminent clan, the most honored among people, opens his mouth and puts forth his tongue to give it to every living being, his mind joyful, free of any sorrow or longing. With the merit of that giving of his tongue, he dedicates it to all sentient beings, universally vowing that, by means of this excellent causal condition, they may all attain the Tathāgata's own broad and long tongue. Sometimes he gives away his wife and children along with his kingship, sometimes he gives his own person to become a servant; his mind remains pure and forever joyful, and in all of this he never once feels sorrow or regret. Whatever is delighted in and sought, he gives it all away entirely, providing for people in a timely manner without any fatigue; everything he has, he is able to give it all away, so that every one who comes seeking is universally satisfied.

For the sake of hearing the Dharma, he gives away his own body, cultivating every manner of ascetic practice in seeking enlightenment; and again, for the sake of sentient beings, he relinquishes everything, seeking unsurpassed wisdom without ever regressing. Because he hears the true Dharma in the presence of a buddha, he gives his own body over entirely to serve and attend upon him, and for the sake of universally rescuing every living being, gives rise to immeasurable joy in his mind. When he sees the World-Honored One, the great guide, who with a mind of kindness broadly brings benefit to all, at that moment he leaps with joy, rejoicing, and listens to and receives the Tathāgata's profound flavor of the Dharma. Every wholesome root that the bodhisattva possesses, he dedicates entirely to sentient beings, universally rescuing and protecting them all without exception, forever causing them to attain liberation and constant happiness. Every member of the bodhisattva's own retinue is dignified and fine in form, eloquent and wise, adorned entirely with garlands of flowers, clothing, and fragrant perfumes, every manner of adornment fully complete. Though this retinue is exceedingly rare and precious, the bodhisattva is able to give every one of them away entirely, single-mindedly seeking true enlightenment in order to deliver every living being, and this mind of his is never abandoned, not even for a moment. The bodhisattva, reflecting truly in this way, fully practices every manner of vast and great deed, dedicating all of it entirely to every sentient being, without ever giving rise to a mind of grasping or attachment.