Samantabhadra's Encouragement

From "as for the remaining sons who had lost their right mind" onward corresponds to what was said above about not truly ceasing yet manifesting cessation. What was said above fell into two: first, that he would soon have to die, corresponding to not truly ceasing yet manifesting cessation; second, the sons' awakening, corresponding to the benefit of proclaiming extinction. Moreover, the reason for proclaiming his death lies in the sons' refusal to take the medicine, corresponding to what was said above about beings of thin merit who, seeing the Buddha ever abiding, only grow the more prideful and self-indulgent. What was said above concerning manifesting cessation itself fell into two: first, that in reality he never truly ceases; second, not truly ceasing yet proclaiming cessation — this does not go beyond the reason for manifesting cessation, and is likewise included within the benefit of proclaiming extinction. Here, the parable does not represent the first of these, but instead makes clear the reason for manifesting cessation: precisely that beings of thin merit, seeing the Buddha, fail to cultivate practice — that is, they are simply unwilling to take the medicine.

From "I shall now devise" onward is the actual proclamation that he must die, corresponding to not truly ceasing yet proclaiming cessation. Within this, the account of his growing old and feeble falls into two: first, weighing what is fitting between remaining and departing, corresponding to what was said above about remaining bringing harm and ceasing bringing benefit; second, from "he then spoke these words" onward, the proclamation that he must die, corresponding precisely to the manifesting of cessation as the period of transformation draws to its close. "The time of death has now arrived" means that he is about to enter nirvāṇa. That he leaves the teaching of the sūtras behind is why it is said, "this good and efficacious medicine I now leave here." "He went again to another land" means precisely that, in this world, extinction is manifested, while, in another world, birth is manifested — as the text said above, "I vow to be in another region, watching over and protecting from afar," which is exactly this meaning. As for "he sent a messenger": this may be taken as the great proclamation made throughout at the time of the parinirvāṇa serving as the messenger, or the use of supernatural power, or the use of the relics, or the use of the sūtra teachings, and so on, each serving as the messenger. Here, it is the bodhisattvas of the four kinds of reliance who tell beings that the Buddha has already entered extinction, but that he has left this Dharma behind, and that they themselves now proclaim and spread it widely, and that beings should receive and practice it.

For later beings, without the four kinds of reliance to transmit and expound the sūtra teaching, how could they know of themselves that the Buddha has already entered extinction? Hence it is the four kinds of reliance who serve as the messenger. Second, from "at that time, the sons" onward, the sons' awakening corresponds to the benefit of manifesting cessation. What was said above fell into two: first, making clear the harm and the benefit; second, explaining the harm and the benefit — here, however, the parable expresses only the attaining of benefit. Within this, from "reflecting on their own solitary and unprotected state" onward makes clear the benefit obtained after his extinction, as with the multitude transformed by Upagupta. This itself falls into two: first, the benefit of manifesting cessation; second, the stimulus for future ages. It is precisely because, after the extinction, beings awaken, take the medicine, and cultivate practice, thereby forming causes and conditions, that they are able to call forth a future response and transformation — as the Testament Sūtra says, "for those not yet delivered, this becomes the cause and condition for their deliverance." There are also those who, in the present, attain the stimulus and see the response directly — the Contemplation of Samantabhadra Sūtra says, "through diligent and arduous striving, they attain sight of Śākyamuni's emanation-bodies, of Prabhūtaratna, of Dongli and Shande" (unidentified buddha-names in the source text), "and of the buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, of the seven [past buddhas]."

Third, from "the father, hearing that his sons had all recovered" onward is precisely the mighty and forceful power of benefiting beings in the future. The father, hearing that his sons had recovered, at once causes their capacities collectively to see him — this is precisely the arising of the response and transformation of the future, about to bring the twofold benefit of form and sound together, exactly as the text has it. From "good sons, what do you think" onward restates the parable of never being false, making clear that the benefit across the three periods of time is never false. From "the Buddha said, I too am like this" onward makes clear the correlation of the parable. "Since I attained buddhahood, it has been immeasurable kalpas" corresponds to the past age. "Through the power of skillful means I speak of entering extinction" corresponds to the present age. The text, in brief, does not correlate the future, nor is there anyone able to say that I am false — this corresponds to the benefiting of beings being never false.

The verse section, twenty-five and a half lines, restates the prose exposition and the parable set out above. The first twenty and a half lines restate the prose exposition; the next five lines restate the parable. The prose exposition above fell into two, and the verse likewise falls into two: the first nineteen and a half lines restate the benefiting of beings across the three periods of time; the next one line restates that everything is entirely true, never false. The first four lines, restating the benefiting of beings in the past age, fall into three: the first line restates the attaining of the path long ago; next, from "ever expounding the Dharma" onward, the second, one line, restates the benefiting of beings in between; next, from "in order to deliver beings" onward, the third, two lines, restate the dwelling-place spoken of above. Next, from "the assembly, seeing me" onward, the second part, five lines, restates the present age. What was said above fell into two: the first two and a half lines restate not truly being born yet manifesting birth; next, from "at that time I said" onward, the second, two and a half lines, restate not truly ceasing yet manifesting cessation. Next, from "I see all the" onward, the third, ten and a half lines, restate the future spoken of above. What was said above rested on only the four characters "ever abiding, never ceasing," but the verse here expands on this at length. The text falls into four parts: first, from "I see" onward, one and a half lines, making clear the future stimulus and response; next, from "such is the power of my supernatural faculties" onward, the second, four lines, restate the ever-abiding, never-ceasing spoken of above. "Ever dwelling on Vulture Peak" refers to the land of true reward; "and in all my other dwelling-places" refers to the land of skillful means with residue — this is precisely the meaning of "other lands" spoken of above. "Filled with gods and humans" — the thirty minds [of the ten faiths, ten abodes, and ten transferences] are the "humans," while the ten grounds are the "gods." "Beating the heavenly drum" means speaking without being asked. "Mandārava flowers" refers to expounding the ranks of the worthies and the saints. Next, from "my pure land" onward, the third, two lines, make clear the causes and conditions for not seeing him; next, from "all those who cultivate merit and virtue" onward, the fourth, three lines, make clear the causes and conditions for attaining sight of him. Next, from "you who have wisdom" onward, the second part, one line, restates that the benefit spoken of above is never false.

Next, the five lines restating the parable fall into two: one line restates the parable set out, and itself falls into three — the first phrase restates the past; the two phrases from "in order to cure" onward restate the present, without restating the future; the third, one phrase, from "none can say" onward, restates never being false. From "afterward, I too, for the sake of" onward, the second, four lines, restate the correlation of the parable. In the correlation above, the future was originally not correlated; here, the first half-line restates the correlation with the past; next, from "ordinary beings" onward, the second, two and a half lines, restate the correlation with the present; and finally, from "ever making myself out to be" onward, the third, one line, restates the correlation with never being false — opening the three to reveal the one, and opening the near to reveal the distant, all in order to cause beings swiftly to enter the buddha-path; this matter must indeed prove never false.

Explaining "Discrimination of Merits." Once the Buddha has expounded his lifespan, disciples of both the present and the future ages obtain various kinds of benefit — hence it is called "merits"; and since these benefits are not uniform in depth, it is called the "Discrimination" chapter. This text is the second section of prediction within the origin gate. Discussing the divisions of this text, there is the power of the Dharma and the power of practice. The power of the Dharma has five aspects: first, realization; second, faith; third, offering — all three as in the present chapter; fourth, hearing the Dharma, as in "The Merit of Rejoicing"; fifth, reading, reciting, upholding, and expounding — reading and reciting as in "The Merits of a Teacher of the Dharma," upholding referring ahead to the three chapters "Teacher of the Dharma," "Peaceful Practices," and "Encouraging the Upholding of This Sūtra," and expounding as in "Supernatural Powers" and "Entrustment." The power of practice: the power of ascetic practice, as in "Medicine King"; teaching and transformation, as in "Wondrous Sound"; protecting against calamity, as in "Perceiver of the World's Sounds" and "Dhāraṇī"; demonstrating merit, as in "King Wonderful Adornment"; and protecting the Dharma, as in "Samantabhadra."

Guangzhai says: "First, in terms of the gate of merit, [the text] predicts their advance in practice and their present cultivation of causes; second, in terms of the gate of wisdom, it predicts their diminishing of birth and their future attainment of fruit; third, it makes clear the ordinary worldling's arousing of the aspiration [for awakening]. Now, prediction runs through both cause and fruit, and these three are, in every case, instances of prediction. The arousing of aspiration by beings of the eight worlds mentioned below ought properly to stand at the head of the list, since it is the ordinary worldling, upon hearing the sūtra, who arouses the aspiration and abides in the thirty minds; having heard the sūtra at the thirty minds, one first emerges from the ranks of the ordinary worldling and ascends to the first ground, attaining the forbearance of non-arising; hearing the sūtra at the first ground, one advances into the second ground and attains retention of what is heard; hearing the sūtra at the second ground, one is able to enter the third ground, named eloquence in preaching; hearing the sūtra at the third ground, one enters the fourth ground, attaining the immeasurable dhāraṇī; hearing the sūtra at the fourth ground, one enters the fifth ground, named non-retrogression; from the fifth ground one enters the sixth ground, named the pure wheel — from the 'small chiliocosm' onward, this is prediction in terms of the gate of the diminishing of birth. Once at the seventh ground, one has already cut off the affliction of fundamental ignorance; this affliction has nine grades, and is able to serve as the cause for nine further births. From the seventh ground upward, the fruit of reward has no fixed limit and is difficult to determine precisely, but one may speak simply in terms of cutting off the nine grades of affliction. The grades of affliction number in the hundreds of thousands upon thousands of kinds; here, we take the scheme of nine grades within a single kind as our basis. What is cut off at the seventh ground forms a lower and an upper grade, and so on up through what is cut off at the tenth ground, which likewise forms an upper and a lower grade; what is cut off by the vajra-mind forms a single grade. Hearing the sūtra at the sixth ground and ascending to the seventh ground's lower forbearance, one cuts off one grade, leaving the remaining eight grades to serve as the cause for eight further births — hence it is said that after eight births one will attain bodhi. At the seventh ground's upper forbearance, one cuts off yet another grade, thereby diminishing two grades of birth, and the remaining seven grades serve as the cause for seven further births, so that after seven births one will attain bodhi. Each of these grades, by analogy, has an upper and a lower division, and each single grade cut off entirely diminishes one birth; the text is abbreviated, and so, from the eighth ground onward through four births, down to the remaining one birth, this is precisely the method by which the vajra-mind cuts it off."

The Fahua Lun [Treatise on the Lotus Sūtra] says: "Attaining the forbearance of non-arising means entering the first ground and realizing that wisdom. It should be understood that 'from eight births down to one birth, attaining bodhi' means that ordinary worldlings, once determined, are able to realize the first ground, partially attaining birth after birth until, in one further birth, they realize bodhi. 'Bodhi' here means being freed from the fragmentary birth-and-death of the three realms and partially able to see the buddha-nature of true suchness — this is named 'attaining bodhi,' not the ultimate and complete fulfillment of bodhi."

Now, as I would say: the Treatise moves from the deep to the shallow, while Guangzhai moves from the shallow to the deep — the two stand opposed to one another, and who in the world is to judge between them? As for the forbearance of non-arising, the sūtras and treatises are not in agreement on it. Kātyāyanīputra makes clear that, upon the completion of the five dharmas, one attains non-retrogression — this is the rank of the bodhisattva of the six perfections; the stream-enterer, whether in terms of wisdom or of severance, who is said to have the bodhisattva's forbearance of non-arising, is the rank shared in common by the three vehicles; ascending to the first ground and attaining the forbearance of non-arising is the rank of the bodhisattva of the distinct teaching; ascending to the initial abiding and attaining the forbearance of non-arising is the rank of the bodhisattva of the perfect teaching. All of these are set out explicitly in the sacred teachings, and must not be muddled together indiscriminately. Furthermore, the Vimalakīrti says, "drawing near to the unequaled equal, one attains the forbearance of non-arising," and the Humane Kings Sūtra says, "up to the vajra summit, all are named the subduing forbearance, also named the forbearance of quiescent extinction" — these, too, belong to the distinct and the perfect teachings. As for "ground by ground," this common way of speaking cannot be applied with fixed certainty. Now, Guangzhai takes the arousing of the aspiration as the rank of the inner worldling, and the position of the thirty minds as the forbearance of non-arising, identified with the first ground — these are all terms and doctrines proper to the distinct teaching, not the framework of the shared teaching. From the first ground to the sixth ground he calls the gate of merit and virtue; the Great Sūtra speaks of this as conditioned and subject to outflow, naming it the śrāvaka-saṃgha — this, then, is the sense proper to the shared teaching. As for cutting off, from the seventh ground upward, the nine grades of the cause of birth: among those who attain entry into rank, whether by the lesser or the greater vehicle, who does not cut off affliction? This alone is not enough to settle the matter with certainty. If one says that fundamental ignorance is cut off at the seventh ground, this belongs neither to the shared teaching nor to the distinct teaching, but is rather the sense of the distinct teaching grafted onto the shared. Guangzhai wanders and drifts, and does not meet the intent of the present sūtra. Vasubandhu takes the arousing of the aspiration as the forbearance of non-arising, and, from eight births down to one birth, holds that the ordinary worldling, once determined, cuts off the birth of retributive fruit entirely and attains full entry into the first ground, thereby gaining the forbearance of non-arising — this rests exclusively on the sense of the distinct teaching, and likewise does not meet the sūtra's intent.

Here, I divide the text into three: first, the sūtra compilers' general prologue; second, the Tathāgata's discrimination [of merits]; third, the assembly's offering.

The general prologue is exactly as the text has it.

As for "discrimination": the Buddha's words are perfect and sublime, and cannot be explained through the ranks of the provisional teachings. Hence, in the passage above, "opening, showing, awakening to, and entering the buddha's knowledge and vision" [in "Skillful Means"], and here, in the origin gate, "increasing the path and diminishing birth" — both are to be explained solely in terms of the ranks of the perfect teaching. As for the arousing of the aspiration by beings of the eight worlds mentioned below: these are persons of the purified six sense-faculties, first entering the rank of the ten stages of faith — hence the Humane Kings Sūtra says, "the bodhisattva of the ten good deeds arouses the great aspiration, and is forever parted from the suffering wheel-sea of the three realms," which is precisely this meaning. Attaining the forbearance of non-arising, one enters the rank of the ten abodes — hence the Avataṃsaka says, "at the abode of the initial arousing of the aspiration, one arousing is every arousing, and one attains the Tathāgata's single body as immeasurable bodies, the pure and sublime Dharma-body, tranquil and responsive to all" — precisely this meaning. Attaining retention of what is heard through dhāraṇī, one enters the rank of the ten practices. Attaining eloquence in preaching, one enters the rank of the ten transferences. Attaining the immeasurable dhāraṇī, one enters the first ground. Attaining non-retrogression, one enters the second ground. Attaining purity, one enters the third ground. Eight births, and one enters the fourth ground. Seven births, the fifth ground. Six births, the sixth ground. Five births, the seventh ground. Four births, the eighth ground. Three births, the ninth ground. Two births, the tenth ground. One birth, and one enters the vajra-mind of the stage of virtual enlightenment. If we discuss increasing the path and diminishing birth, it is neither Guangzhai's cutting off of the birth caused, nor Vasubandhu's cutting off of the birth of retributive fruit; rather, "increase" is spoken of in terms of the virtue of wisdom, and "diminishing" in terms of the virtue of severance; "birth" is spoken of in terms of the Dharma-body, and "extinction" in terms of fundamental ignorance. Take, for example, the simile of the moon in the Great Sūtra: from the first day to the fifteenth, its light gradually waxes; from the sixteenth day to the thirtieth, its light gradually wanes — this is speaking of increase and decrease with respect to the single body of the moon, and the simile is speaking of wisdom and severance with respect to the single Dharma-body. It may be that, for one person, in a single lifetime, there are eight successive increases; or it may be one age, or eight ages, or immeasurable ages; it may be one thought-moment, or eight thought-moments, or immeasurable thought-moments; it may even be as numerous as fine motes of dust — and persons, too, are just the same. For this reason, one cannot confine the matter within a fixed scheme of the birth caused and the birth of fruit, nor can one explain it apart from the bow-drawn tension between wisdom and severance. And yet, in the origin gate, the attaining of the path occurs many times over the number found in all the other sūtras — not only is the number great, but the perfuming and cultivation has gone on for so very long: from the very root, the traces have been unfolded and beings guided in place after place, meeting one another again and again in between and ripening time after time; in the present age, through the five flavors [of the teaching], stage by stage they have been tamed and subdued, all gathered up and drawn together, brought at last into the Lotus Sūtra. It is like a farming family: in spring the crop sprouts, in summer it grows, and they plow, sow, weed, and tend it; in autumn they harvest, and in winter they store it away, reaping all at once. Those who have attained the path since the Lotus Sūtra was preached are like those who merely go gleaning afterward.

Third, as for the assembly's offering: having heard the profound and far-reaching Dharma and obtained great benefit thereby, they wish to repay the Buddha's kindness, and so make their offering; this, too, is a matter used to express their grasp of understanding. Above, in the trace gate, the bodhisattvas likewise awakened, yet the great matter was not yet completed, and so this was not set forth there; now that the origin gate is complete, Maitreya, on behalf of all, expresses their grasp of understanding, making clear how the bodhisattvas, holding banners and canopies, ascend rank upon rank all the way up to the Brahmā heaven. "Banner" carries the sense of turning; "canopy," the sense of covering; "ground," the sense of beginning; "Brahmā," the sense of purity. Wisdom and severance turn again and again, compassion covers again and again, high and low, deep and shallow, never losing their proper sequence, all the way up to the Brahmā heaven — expressing how the bodhisattvas increase the path and diminish birth, drawing near to sublime enlightenment and reaching the utmost purity. If one were to follow Vasubandhu's reading, this would obtain only a single turning at the first ground — how, then, could it possibly accord with this text?

The verse section, nineteen lines, divides into three: the first two lines restate the assembly's attaining of understanding; the next nine lines restate the Tathāgata's discrimination; the final eight lines restate the assembly's offering. "Attained an immeasurable and undefiled, pure reward of fruit" — distinguishing this from the two lesser vehicles, whose reward is measured, it is here called immeasurable; brought about by sublime causes, it is called pure; being an unobstructed land, it is called a reward of fruit — distinguishing this, again, from the two lesser vehicles, who have no such reward. "Hearing that the Buddha's lifespan is immeasurable" — this passage definitively judges it to be immeasurable; how, then, could the old reading of it as measured possibly be used?

The masters of the South hold that, from the prose section after the verse onward, the text belongs to the transmission section, citing, as a parallel, how Mañjuśrī's being present in the trace gate above was likewise transmission. The masters of the North, taking the four kinds of faith among the present disciples who hear the sūtra, judge this to belong still to the correct exposition, and hold that only from "moreover, after the Tathāgata's extinction" onward does it become the transmission section. Both schools may be followed; here, for now, I follow the school of the South.

From after the verse section, in all, eleven and a half chapters remain, dividing into two: first, from here down through the "Never Disparaging" chapter, making clear that the merit of spreading the sūtra is profound, and urging its transmission; second, from "Supernatural Powers" down through the remaining eight chapters, the entrustment and the transmission, each again in three parts. This half chapter together with "The Merit of Rejoicing" make clear the causal merit of the first rank, urging transmission; second, from "The Merits of a Teacher of the Dharma" onward, making clear the resultant merit of the first rank, urging transmission, while "Never Disparaging" cites the offense and the blessing of faith and slander, offering proof and urging transmission; the final three, "Supernatural Powers" and "Entrustment," entrust and transmit the teaching; the five chapters from "Medicine King" onward, in terms of transforming others, urge transmission; and "Samantabhadra," in terms of one's own practice, urges transmission. As for how this arises in sequence: those in the present who hear the sūtra obtain the twofold benefit of true and approximate understanding, as explained above; but if one merely hears a single phrase and gives rise to rejoicing — as measured against the merit of the four kinds of faith among those in the present — then, in the future when there is no buddha in the world, fearing that people might doubt that their blessing would be slight, the merit of the five ranks after extinction is therefore expounded. Since the merit of the cause is subtle and hidden, not so manifest and evident as the merit of the fruit, "The Merits of a Teacher of the Dharma" is therefore expounded; since cause and fruit, raised together, are still not so clear as when proof is cited, "Never Disparaging" is therefore expounded; though a figure from the past has been cited, this is still not so vivid as a manifestation witnessed in the present, and so "Supernatural Powers" is expounded; though supernatural power has been displayed, this is still not so weighty as laying a hand upon the head in entrustment, and so "Entrustment" is expounded; though entrustment in general terms has been given, this is still not so pointed as showing the essential method of relinquishing the body to preserve the path, and so "Medicine King" is expounded; though those capable of transforming others have been admonished, this is still not so complete as admonishing those who are to be transformed, that wherever they hear the Dharma they should give rise to the thought of the Buddha's presence, and so "Wondrous Sound" and "Perceiver of the World's Sounds" are expounded; and if, at the very outset of spreading the sūtra, one lacks supernatural power, one ought to rely upon inward discipline, and so "Dhāraṇī" is expounded; and, further requiring outward protection, "King Wonderful Adornment" and "Samantabhadra" are expounded — one following upon another, layer upon layer, so that the great Dharma may be spread and transmitted.

Taking up the prose section after the verse, it divides into two: first, the four kinds of faith among those in the present; second, the five ranks after extinction. What are the four kinds of faith? Briefly understanding — three persons; expounding at length — two persons; the contemplation brought to completion — one person; and faith running through all four — hence they are called the four kinds of faith. The four kinds of faith are: first, a single thought-moment of faith and understanding, not yet able to expound it to others; second, briefly understanding its gist; third, expounding it at length for others; fourth, deep faith with the contemplation brought to completion. The first, a single thought-moment of faith and understanding, has both a prose section and a verse. The prose falls into three: first, pointing out this person; second, making clear the merit; third, the rank and practice of non-retrogression. Here, explaining "a single thought-moment of faith and understanding": wherever one has heard the teaching, one is suddenly opened to illumination, entering in accordance with the words without the slightest hindrance, believing that all dharmas are entirely the buddha-dharma, and further believing that the buddha-dharma is not separate from all dharmas — one does not grasp the buddha-dharma apart from all dharmas, and yet, seeing all dharmas, one likewise sees the buddha-dharma: this is precisely the one as the three, and the three as the one. It is likewise practicing the not-path and thereby penetrating the buddha-path, practicing the buddha-path and thereby penetrating every path — not grasping the buddha-path apart from every path, and yet penetrating both the buddha-path and every path; having nothing whatsoever and yet having, having and yet having nothing whatsoever, neither having nor not having — like the road before one's gate, which penetrates in every direction, east, west, south, and north, without the slightest obstruction; and eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind, whatever they each encounter, are every one just the same. To be without doubt is called faith; to be clearly illumined is called understanding — this is the mind of a single thought-moment of faith and understanding. If, seated in contemplation, wherever one's contemplation turns one suddenly awakens and penetrates the three truths, this too is just the same, and such faith and understanding is named the rank of the iron wheel. There is, however, another reading: that this is not yet the iron wheel in its fullness, but rather the initial mind among the ten stages of faith, this person not yet having attained the purified six sense-faculties, and hence not the proper rank of the iron wheel. Next, as to the measuring [of merit]: first, a general discussion of its immeasurability; next, measuring its relative amount, which itself falls into two — first, taking up the five perfections as the basis for measurement, prajñā being precisely the correct wisdom spoken of here, and hence it is said, "excepting prajñā."

Question: If prajñā is set apart, then the remaining five cannot be called perfections.

Answer: Since all are performed for the sake of seeking the Buddha's wisdom, giving to the utmost limit of generosity and the precepts, they too may be called perfections — this is simply speaking in terms of their proper sequence.

From "with this merit" onward is the second part, the actual measuring of relative amount. From "if there is a good son" onward is the third part, making clear the rank and practice of non-retrogression. In the distinct teaching, the sixth mind may still retrogress, while the seventh mind does not; in the perfect teaching, the mind of the initial abiding does not retrogress. Hearing of the merit of the Buddha's lifespan nourishes one from without, while the perfect teaching's compliant faith and understanding perfumes one from within — and this is why there is no retrogression. The Greater [Perfection of Wisdom] Sūtra says, "there are bodhisattvas who retrogress, and bodhisattvas who do not retrogress" — the presence or absence of Māra is likewise this same meaning.

The verse section, nineteen and a half lines: the first twelve lines first restate the measuring of relative amount; the next two lines, retrospectively, restate the description of this person; the final five and a half lines restate the rank and practice of non-retrogression. "Practicing the path for immeasurable kalpas" refers to the long cultivation of the various perfections. "I vow that, in the future" refers to the arousing of the vow of compassion. Resting upon this long practice and vow, one hears the sūtra and gives rise to faith and understanding; and now, at the very first rank, one first hears this sūtra and, in a single thought-moment, attains faith and understanding — a merit equal to that long practice, and indeed surpassing it.

"Moreover, Ajita, one who hears that the Buddha's lifespan is long and distant" begins the second rank. The rank before this consisted only of faith and understanding, not yet able to set it forth in speech; expounding it, since it touches on names and numbers, requires skill in exposition, and the present rank possesses this in full, hence it is said, "expounds it for the sake of others." Taking its name from this superior capacity, it is named the second rank. Through the power of exposition, one is able to arouse the unsurpassed wisdom of both oneself and others. This passage first sets out the description of this person, and next measures the merit.

From "how much more, then, one who broadly hears this sūtra" onward is the third rank: broadly hearing, broadly understanding, broadly expounding it for others, and broadly cultivating offerings — the offering, as an outward support, causes the inward wisdom swiftly to enter and to be able to give rise to the wisdom of all modes. First the description of this person is set out, and next the measuring of the merit.

From "Ajita" onward is the fourth [rank]: this person, complete in the three ranks above, further cultivates the contemplative practice, entering meditative absorption and applying wisdom, so that the visualization is brought to completion and its signs arise, becoming able to see the appearance of both the land of skillful means with residue and the land of true reward. "Seeing the Buddha together with the assembly of monks ever dwelling on Vulture Peak" is the appearance of the land of skillful means with residue; "and further seeing the Sahā world filled entirely with bodhisattvas" is the appearance of the land of true reward. The first two ranks are the rank of the wisdom of hearing; broadly hearing and broadly expounding is the rank of the wisdom of reflection; the contemplative visualization brought to completion is the rank of the wisdom of cultivation — proceeding from shallow to deep, this comes to form the rank of the ten stages of faith with the six sense-faculties purified.

From "moreover, after the Tathāgata's extinction" onward makes clear the five ranks; the text falls into two: first, listing the five ranks and measuring the merit of the four later ranks; second, in "The Merit of Rejoicing," measuring the merit of the first rank.

Question: Why is this so?

Answer: The four later ranks are measured roughly, while the first rank is measured at length; once the extended measurement has shown what surpasses it, the rest may be grasped by inference — the Buddha does not burden the text further, and expounds it skillfully in just this way. The five ranks are: first, simply giving rise to the mind of rejoicing; second, in addition, personally receiving, upholding, reading, and reciting it; third, in addition, urging others to receive, uphold, read, and recite it; fourth, in addition, practicing the six perfections as a supplementary practice; fifth, in addition, practicing the six perfections as the principal practice. Speaking of these five persons in general terms, all of them both practice themselves and transform others — as the text below says, "fifty persons teaching one another in succession" — and, since all possess self-practice, they are called, in common, disciples, and since all possess the transforming of others, they are called, in common, teachers of the Dharma. Speaking of them individually, however, two persons only practice themselves, while three possess also the transforming of others; the designation "teacher of the Dharma" properly belongs to these three, not to all five — but since self-practice runs through all of them in common, all are called disciples. The first rank merely sets out the description of the person; the measuring is given afterward. From "how much more" onward is the second rank, showing by comparison one able to receive, uphold, read, and recite — the description of the person may be understood without further comment. From "this person, bearing it upon the crown of the head" onward is the measuring. At the beginning of one's practice, one fears that outward conditions, in their turbulence, will hinder the cultivation of the proper task, and so devotes oneself single-mindedly to upholding this sūtra alone — this is the offering spoken of above, setting aside outward affairs to preserve inward principle, and the benefit of this is very great. Once, in the latter stage, the contemplation of principle has ripened, engaging with outward things no longer hinders the inward, and outward affairs become, instead, a support to the path — like oil in abundance making the fire fiercer still, or like raising sail before a following current: adding further effort, its momentum only grows the swifter. As for pointing to the text of the sūtra: this is itself the Dharma-body relics, and there is no need to enshrine the physical relics separately; the text expounds what it expounds, and what does the expounding is itself the stūpa, with no need for a material stūpa; the text of the sūtra is able to contain the saṃgha of ultimate meaning, and there is no need to wait upon an assembled saṃgha to accompany it.

Question: If this is so, then upholding the sūtra is itself the precept of ultimate meaning — why, then, does the text further speak of one "able to uphold the precepts"?

Answer: This is making clear the sense of the first rank; one should not raise a difficulty against it by appeal to a later rank. If one wishes to explain it further: upholding the sūtra is itself the precept that accords with principle, and this is likewise spontaneously to uphold the first and second categories [of the precepts] as well; when the text here speaks of one "able to uphold the precepts," it means that, from the third category onward, there is no deficiency in outward practice either.

The third rank is one who, further, is able to teach others; first the description of the person is set out, and from "rising up" onward is the measuring. From "how much more, then, if there is a person" onward is the fourth rank, one who, further, is able to practice the six perfections as a supplementary practice; first the description of the person, and from "his virtue is most excellent" onward is the measuring.

From "if a person reads and recites" onward is the fifth rank, one who, further, is able to practice the six perfections as the principal practice; first the description of the person, and from "if, after my extinction" onward is the measuring. In sum, of these five ranks: the first three persons are at the rank of the wisdom of hearing; practicing the six perfections as a supplementary practice is the rank of the wisdom of reflection; practicing the six perfections as the principal practice is the rank of the wisdom of cultivation — all of these lie before the ten stages of faith. Some, however, say that the initial rank belongs to "The Merit of Rejoicing," which is the entry into the rank of the mind of faith, dividing that one rank into two minds, so that the five ranks together are precisely the ten minds of faith — that is, the rank of the iron wheel with the six sense-faculties purified.

The verse section, nineteen and a half lines: the first five and a half lines restate the second rank; next, from "if one is able to uphold" onward, three lines restate the third rank; from "if there is faith and understanding" onward, four lines restate the fourth rank; and next, from "with reverence" onward, seven lines restate the fifth rank. "Giving rise to the thought that regards him as the Buddha himself" means, at the outset, relying on this person's designation as though he were the Tathāgata. "Before long he will approach the tree of awakening" means that, though his rank still lies at the iron wheel, before long he will enter the copper wheel, able to display the eight aspects and become a buddha. "Having already proceeded to the site of awakening" refers to the place of practice; "unsurpassed, perfect and complete awakening" refers to the place he draws near to. This fifth rank is, in the same way as the fourth kind of faith, the rank of the wisdom of cultivation; and if one discusses entry into rank, both alike are the rank of the six sense-faculties purified — though there is the distinction between the present, when the Buddha is still in the world, and the future, after his extinction (and so on). ◎

Explaining "The Merit of Rejoicing." "Rejoicing" means according with both principle and phenomena without any duality or distinction; "joy" means rejoicing both for oneself and for others. Hearing this profound and abstruse Dharma, according with principle there is real merit, and according with phenomena there is provisional merit; rejoicing for oneself, there is wisdom, and rejoicing for others, there is compassion — the provisional and the real, wisdom and severance, are joined together and spoken of as one, and hence it is called "The Merit of Rejoicing." Furthermore, "according with principle" means hearing of the Buddha's original ground, profound and far-reaching, and, believing and according with it, not turning against it, without so much as a hair's breadth of doubt or hesitation; "according with phenomena" means hearing of the Buddha's benefiting of beings across the three periods of time, spreading crosswise and lengthwise throughout every place, likewise without a hair's breadth of doubt or hesitation — that is, through the breadth of phenomena, arriving at the depth of principle, and, through the depth of principle, arriving at the breadth of phenomena: not two, and yet two; not distinct, and yet distinct; though two, though distinct, yet neither two nor distinct. Such faith and understanding is what is named "following." In the more than forty years since the Tathāgata appeared in the world, the true and real was not revealed, and the persons of the seven expedient ranks were not told of the truth in its fullness; rejoicing for myself and for others, that the mind of an ordinary worldling should come to equal what the Buddha knows, that the eye born of my own being should come to see just as the Tathāgata sees — such knowledge and vision, reaching the very limit of the dharma-realm, vast and without any farther shore, has no equal, no equal to its equal, nothing whatsoever beyond it; and that the Buddha now expounds this, and that I have been able to hear it — this is why it is named "The Merit of Rejoicing." The fiftieth person is the very beginning of the first rank: at the outset there is only a single thought-moment of understanding in principle, only a single thought-moment of rejoicing for oneself and for others, with no outward practice yet, and its kindness not yet extending to others — and yet the merit obtained is, as the Tathāgata skillfully illustrates, a merit surpassing even that of the arhat beyond further training. How much more, then, the merit of the very first person in the assembly who hears it directly; how much more the second, third, fourth, and fifth ranks; how much more those who have entered the ranks of the ten abodes, the ten practices, and on up to the final stage — who, hearing of such profound and sublime merit, would not be moved to admiration?

The Tathāgata expounds this so as to cause beings to esteem it, and hence it is named "The Merit of Rejoicing." In what has gone before, praising and extolling the merit of upholding the sūtra, the assembly at the time all supposed that only by entering the rank of the true cause could such virtue be attained, and, at the very outset of the initial mind, gave rise to a thought that it must be slight and weak; suddenly hearing that the good and sturdy tree, though its root is still in the ground, already measures a hundred spans around, that the kalaviṅka bird within its egg already sings a voice surpassing every other bird, they found this rare and extraordinary, and their slight doubt dissolved away — hence it is named "The Merit of Rejoicing." Even heretics who attain the five supernatural faculties, able to move mountains and dry up the seas, still have not subdued their views and their craving, and do not come up to the level of one at the stage of heat [in the four aids to penetration]; the arhat of the two lesser vehicles beyond further training, though freed in both fruit and cause, is still bound by nirvāṇa, not knowing that both his cause and his fruit are merely provisional; though the practitioner of the shared teaching cultivates the cause with skill, at the arousing of the aspiration he does not yet recognize the five hundred yojanas, and, upon attaining the fruit, removes only the four states of confusion; though the practitioner of the distinct teaching surpasses the two lesser vehicles, his cultivation of the cause is still one-sided and his approach still clumsy, and is not what the Buddha praises — none of these comes up to the level of the very first person who rejoices. The Buddha here raises up the very letter "A" [the first of the syllabary] in order to show, by contrast, that even the very last surpasses every one of the other teachings — hence it is named "The Merit of Rejoicing."

Question: How does this compare with "rejoicing" as spoken of in the Greater [Perfection of Wisdom] Sūtra?

Answer: Here it is the Dharma that is emphasized; there it is the person — Dharma and person are raised up reciprocally, each in its own text.

The text has both question and answer, each with a prose section and a verse. In the previous chapter, the four later ranks had already been measured, but the first was not spoken of; Maitreya, taking up the occasion, asks after it — this meaning is as the text has it. The Buddha's answer falls into two: first, answering concerning the person who rejoices inwardly; second, directly making clear the person who merely listens to the Dharma outwardly. The first falls into five: first, teaching one another in succession; second, the basis for measurement; third, the question; fourth, the answer; fifth, the actual measurement. The masters of the South explain the fifty persons as falling into three: first, those of superior capacity teaching in succession; second, those of ordinary capacity teaching in succession; third, those of inferior capacity teaching in succession. The superior are hard to find, the ordinary likewise rare, while the inferior are all around — the inferior is measured in order to show, by comparison, the ordinary and the superior. The masters of the North explain it differently: the very first, sublime enlightenment, expounds it for the person at the tenth ground; the person at the tenth ground expounds it for the person at the ninth ground; and so on in succession down to the ten stages of faith — the later is measured to show, by comparison, the first. Now, as I would say, this is not so: the Buddha states plainly that the first rank, hearing it within the assembly, is transmitted and taught in succession, fifty in a row, and the later is measured to show, by comparison, the first — but the "later" here is not the very beginning of the ten stages of faith, nor is the "first" the very culmination of sublime enlightenment. What need is there, then, for this reading? This reading probes too deep and fails to meet the sūtra's intent. Here I take it in two ways: first, crosswise, in terms of the fourfold assembly of the various teachings; second, directly, in terms of the number belonging to the perfect teaching alone. The Tripiṭaka teaching has four approach-gates, each gate having its fourfold assembly; further opening this to include male and female novices makes six persons per gate, so that the four gates together give twenty-four persons; taking this in terms of the faith-follower and the dharma-follower gives forty-eight, and adding the very first and the very last together makes fifty — the shared and distinct teachings' four gates are likewise so. Taking it directly in terms of the number belonging to the perfect gate alone: the numerical scheme has both a lesser seven and a greater seven; the greater seven, seven times seven, makes forty-nine, each one, teacher and disciple together, possessing the virtue of both practicing oneself and transforming others, while the fiftieth and final person possesses only understanding for himself, without the virtue of teaching others — and hence the lower is measured in order to bring out the higher.

In the measuring, first he gives worldly pleasure and removes the suffering of retribution, and afterward gives the pleasure of nirvāṇa and removes the suffering of birth and death — this is a brief citing of the blessing equal to Brahmā's. Now I expand on this further: the blessing of a person filling all of Jambudvīpa does not equal the blessing of a single person in Godānīya to the west; the blessing of a person filling Godānīya does not equal the blessing of a single person in Pūrvavideha to the east; the blessing of a person filling three of the continents does not equal the blessing of a single person in Uttarakuru to the north; the blessing of a person filling all four continents does not equal that of a single one of the Four Heavenly Kings; the Four Heavenly Kings do not equal a single Śakra; and so on up to the sixth heaven, which does not equal a single blessing equal to Brahmā's. The blessing equal to Brahmā's has both the fixed and the dispersed: the dispersed is where, in a place without a stūpa, one builds a stūpa, and where a stūpa has fallen into ruin, one restores it; where the harmonious assembly of the saṃgha is invited to turn the Dharma-wheel; and where a scattered assembly is gathered together once more — these four together form the blessing. Being equal to the Brahmā heaven, it is called the blessing equal to Brahmā's. As for the blessing of the sagely: this refers to the arhat who, dwelling in his final body, attains nirvāṇa with residue. There are, further, persons of the three vehicles who directly comprehend dharmas, who together learn non-arising and cut off affliction entirely, like wood burnt down to charcoal. There is, further, the blessing of the sagely bodhisattva-being, who both practices himself and transforms others, both alike cutting off affliction through the wordless path and entering the state without residue. There is, further, the blessing of the bodhisattva-being who, from the initial arousing of the aspiration onward, transforms others in succession, bringing them into great nirvāṇa. Measured in this way: the blessing equal to Brahmā's does not equal the blessing of the sagely; the blessing of the sagely does not equal the blessing of the sagely who directly comprehends dharmas; the blessing of the sagely who directly comprehends dharmas does not equal the blessing of the lesser bodhisattva-being; the blessing of the lesser bodhisattva-being does not equal the blessing of the greater bodhisattva-being; and the blessing of the greater bodhisattva-being does not equal the blessing of the very first rejoicing at hearing the Lotus Sūtra. Why is this so? Because those other blessings are not the buddha-dharma, are not the real, and are not the perfect teaching — though one may dwell in their later fruit, it still does not equal my own initial mind: such is the meaning of this. As I would privately put it: urging people to listen to the Dharma, from being born together in one place with the dhāraṇī-bodhisattvas, up through the description of the person being complete, there are, in all, fifty meritorious qualities, and, taking these meritorious qualities to designate the persons, this too comes to fifty — except that the fifty discussed above concern understanding rejoicing inwardly, while here the discussion concerns only the outward matter, and this is the difference. This passage, moreover, also contains the merit of the six sense-faculties: sharp faculties and wisdom are the merit of the mind; not being mute or stammering is the merit of the tongue; the nose grown high and straight is the merit of the nose; seeing the Buddha is the merit of the eye; hearing the Dharma is the merit of the ear; the rest is the merit of the body — the merit spoken of earlier belongs to the approximate rank itself, while the merit spoken of here belongs to the stage just before the approximate rank. As for listening to the sūtra, the text falls into four: first, going in person; second, sharing one's seat; third, urging others; fourth, listening and practicing in full (and so on).

The verse section, eighteen lines, falls into two: the first nine lines restate rejoicing; the next, from "if there is one who urges" onward, the second nine lines, restate listening to the sūtra. Within the rejoicing section there are three parts: the first line and a half restates the fifty persons; next, from "the very last person" onward, the second, five and a half lines, restates the basis for measurement; next, from "the very last" onward, the third, two lines, restates the measurement, abbreviating and not restating that the blessing is exceedingly great. The final nine lines restate listening to the sūtra, in an order slightly out of sequence, falling into four: the first five lines restate, ahead of their place, urging others to listen to the sūtra; next, from "if one deliberately goes" onward, the second, two lines, restate, following their place, going in person; next, from "if, at a place where the Dharma is expounded" onward, the third, one line, restates sharing one's seat; next, from "how much more" onward, the fourth, one line, restates practicing it (and so on).

Explaining "The Merits of a Teacher of the Dharma." The sense of "teacher of the Dharma" has been explained above. As for "merits": what was spoken of earlier was the merit of the very beginning of the first rank; here, it is that which stands above the five ranks, referring to the purification of the six sense-faculties, adorned both inwardly and outwardly — the purification of the five outer sense-faculties is named outward adornment, and the purification of the mind faculty is named inward adornment. Furthermore, that all forms and images, from the hells up through the Buddha and back again, manifest within one's own body, is named inward adornment; that all forms and images, from the hells up through the Buddha and back again, are transformed outwardly by means of the samādhi of universal manifestation, is named outward adornment. As it is for the body faculty, so it is for the remaining five faculties as well. As it is for reading and reciting, so it is for the other three of the four kinds of practice with the sūtra as well. As it is for the first rank, so it is, all the more, for the four later ranks as well.

As it is for the rank of approximation, so it is, twice over, for the rank of partial truth. The practitioner, hearing this merit expounded, is filled with joy beyond containing, seeking it diligently without ever tiring, his faith and his progress redoubled, clearly recognizing that the Great Vehicle possesses a mighty power, and resolutely free of the net of doubt; and, at the very outset of approximate understanding, he already surpasses the utmost limit of the two lesser vehicles by a hundred thousand myriad times over, pointing from the very beginning toward the final revelation, resolving from afar the ultimate and inconceivable truth of ultimate meaning. This chapter, in what it makes clear, is complete with these four senses, and hence it is named "The Merits of a Teacher of the Dharma." As for the merit of the six sense-faculties, Guangzhai says: "The three karmic activities together comprise the ten good deeds; one good deed, complete in its ten aspects, makes a hundred; self-practice, transforming others, rejoicing, and praising, taken together, make four hundred; taking this in terms of the five kinds of teacher of the Dharma gives two thousand; and dividing this among the three ranks gives, in all, six thousand meritorious qualities. In this world, since the use of the three lesser sense-faculties is weak, the number is diminished and it is said to be eight hundred; since the use of the three greater sense-faculties is strong, the number is augmented and it is said to be twelve hundred — taken together, augmented and diminished, it still comes to six thousand." There are those who explain the number in the same way as Guangzhai: the lower rank, eight hundred; the middle rank, one thousand; the upper rank, twelve hundred. The various masters' one-sided explanations fail to meet the present sūtra, and also do not accord with the other teachings.

The Greater [Perfection of Wisdom Sūtra] says, "because form is pure, prajñā is pure; because prajñā is pure, form is pure; form being pure, the five outer sense-faculties are pure; prajñā being pure, the mind faculty is pure" — if the six sense-faculties are thus equal to one another, how, then, can one judge them as upper, middle, and lower, or as of strong and weak function? If one were strong and another not, one pure and another not, one of the upper rank and the rest not of the upper rank, this would not make sense (and so on). The Zhengfahua gives the full and complete six thousand meritorious qualities, without distinguishing upper, middle, and lower (and so on). The Fahua Lun says, "the ordinary person, through the power of the sūtra, attains a superior function of the sense-faculties; though not yet having entered the first ground, with the very physical eye born of father and mother, he sees within and beyond the great chiliocosm." The Great Sūtra says, "in the Tathāgata, a single sense-faculty is able to see form, hear sound, smell fragrance, distinguish flavor, feel touch, and know dharmas" — the present sūtra's purification of the six sense-faculties accords with the Greater [Perfection of Wisdom Sūtra]; that this merit adorns the six sense-faculties accords with the Zhengfahua; that the nose sees form, hears sound, and perceives and knows accords with the Nirvāṇa Sūtra; that the physical eye possesses the function of the heavenly eye, the wisdom eye, the Dharma eye, and the buddha eye accords with the Treatise. Since the text and its meaning are thus, one must not, through a one-sided view, force down the correct meaning of this sūtra. I shall now explain it: Guangzhai's number, though giving the sense-faculties in full, does not follow the text closely. Here, I take it that, within the peaceful practices, the three karmic activities already possess the ten good deeds; one good deed having ten aspects makes a hundred good deeds; and within one good deed there are the ten suchnesses, making a thousand good deeds; taking this in terms of transforming others gives two thousand; and, in terms of the Tathāgata's room, the Tathāgata's robe, and the Tathāgata's seat, this comes to six thousand — the five kinds of teacher of the Dharma each possess the purification of the six sense-faculties in full, and each and every sense-faculty possesses a full thousand meritorious qualities.

Furthermore, within a single mind are contained the ten dharma-realms, and each and every realm possesses the ten suchnesses, which comes to a hundred; a single sense-faculty, taking in all six sense-objects, gives six hundred; and, in terms of the twofold adornment of concentration and wisdom, this comes to twelve hundred — each and every sense-faculty, employing the adornment of concentration and wisdom equally, likewise has twelve hundred. If one discusses the purification of the six sense-faculties, purity itself does not speak of merit as being more or less; but if one speaks of adornment, which is able to expand, able to contract, and able to remain equal — equally adorning — then each and every sense-faculty has six thousand; if one says twelve hundred, this shows its capacity to expand; if one says eight hundred, this shows its capacity to contract; and if one says merely pure, this is without expansion, without contraction, and without any measure at all — for the six sense-faculties function reciprocally, since the sense-faculties are self-sovereign, and since this is inconceivable. Judged one-sidedly, one loses the point entirely. As for the rank of approximation: according to the fourfold wheel, it is the rank of the iron wheel; according to the fifty-two ranks, it is the mind of the ten stages of faith; according to the Humane Kings Sūtra, it is the great mind of the ten good deeds. Set against "ever-diligent [bodhisattva]" here, it is the third mind of the ten stages of faith. Though the various sūtras' designations differ, they are, alike, the rank of approximation within the perfect teaching.

The text falls into two: first, a general listing of the numbers of merit, expandable and contractible, of the six sense-faculties; second, a separate explanation given in six sections, each with both a prose section and a verse. The section on the eye faculty makes clear that what is "born of father and mother" is named the physical eye, and yet what it sees surpasses the heavenly eye. The Brahmā king, through the fruit of his reward, obtains the heavenly eye, and, within his own realm, sees the great chiliocosm entirely; but outside the great chiliocosm there is the wheel of wind, which obstructs the eye so that he cannot see beyond, and were he in another realm he would not see the great chiliocosm entirely either, since it does not fall under his dominion. The lesser arhat sees the small chiliocosm; the greater arhat sees the great chiliocosm; the pratyekabuddha sees a hundred buddha-worlds, unobstructed by the wheel of wind and without any barrier between his own realm and another's. Now, the present sūtra, discussing the eye, says that it is able to see within and beyond the great chiliocosm — this ought properly to be the heavenly eye; how, then, can it be named the physical eye? This is because it is the rank of approximation within the perfect teaching: through the power of the sūtra, one has a superior function of the sense-faculty, yet, not having yet given rise to the true wisdom, one cannot properly be said to have the heavenly eye, and it is still named the physical eye — just as, in the lesser vehicle's stage of preparatory expedients, before one has attained the supernatural faculties, one is likewise not said to have the heavenly eye. It is still the body of fragmentary birth-and-death, and hence it is called "born of father and mother." Though it is called the physical eye, it possesses the function of all five eyes: seeing within and beyond the great chiliocosm is the function of the heavenly eye; seeing all beings and the causes and conditions of their karma is the function of the Dharma eye; its vision being exceedingly pure is the function of the wisdom eye; seeing, all at once, within and beyond the great chiliocosm, seeing karma and seeing purity, and, further, perfectly subduing the afflictions throughout the dharma-realm, is the function of the buddha eye.

The Great Sūtra says, "though possessing the physical eye, it is named the buddha eye" — because it is the buddha eye, it is named pure; because it possesses all five eyes, it is called adorned; its capacity to expand and to contract is named the superior function of the sense-faculty, named the self-sovereignty of the sense-faculty — how, then, could it possibly be explained merely as eight hundred or twelve hundred?

The section on the ear faculty makes clear that it universally hears the sounds of the ten dharma-realms within and beyond the great chiliocosm: hearing the six destinies is the physical and heavenly ears together; hearing the two lesser vehicles is the wisdom ear; hearing the bodhisattvas is the Dharma ear; hearing the Buddha is the buddha ear. Furthermore, the physical ear born of father and mother, being able to hear within and beyond, is the heavenly ear; hearing without attachment is the wisdom ear; hearing without error is the Dharma ear; hearing all at once and reciprocally is the buddha ear. Taking the ear as a parallel for the eye, the eye is likewise so: seeing humans and gods is the twofold eye [physical and heavenly]; seeing the two lesser vehicles is the wisdom eye; seeing the bodhisattvas is the Dharma eye; seeing the Buddha is the buddha eye (and so on).

The section on the nose faculty is likewise so: what is born of father and mother is the physical nose; within and beyond the great chiliocosm is the heavenly nose; without defilement and without attachment is the wisdom nose; discerning without error is the Dharma nose; functioning all at once and reciprocally is the buddha nose. This section makes clear the reciprocal function: the nose, knowing what is good and what is repugnant, distinguishing the noble and the base, and even beholding the adornments of the heavenly palaces and the like — in this the nose has the function of the eye; reading the sūtras and expounding the Dharma while smelling a fragrance and knowing thereby — in this the nose has the function of the ear; the fragrance of every kind of tree, flower, and fruit, and of butter and oil — in this the nose has the function of the tongue; entering and emerging from meditative absorption, since absorption has its eight tactile sensations, and the sporting of the five desires likewise being a tactile phenomenon — in this the nose has the function of the body; and knowing, too, a mind defiled by desire, folly, or anger, as well as one that cultivates good — in this the nose has the function of the mind. The nose faculty's self-sovereign and superior function is thus; and, by analogy, the other five faculties are likewise so.

The section on the tongue faculty is likewise so: what is born of father and mother is the physical tongue, able to produce the speech of the ten dharma-realms — taking this as the basis, the meaning of the fivefold tongue becomes clear: able to produce the speech of the ten dharma-realms is the heavenly tongue; unimpaired is the wisdom tongue; unerring is the Dharma tongue; functioning all at once and reciprocally is the buddha tongue (and so on). Question: bitter, astringent, and foul flavors, upon reaching the tongue, all transform into the finest flavor — why is it, then, that the various colors, upon reaching the eye, do not likewise transform into a sublime color? The old explanation held that these are not parallel, since flavor has both harm and benefit — what is harmful transforms, what is not harmful does not — whereas the various colors do not impair the eye, and hence they are not parallel. My own explanation is not so: all colors are identical with the Buddha's own color, and all sounds are identical with the Buddha's own sound, equally and entirely pure — taken as parallel, there is no difficulty. To know completely all dharmas of color and of sound, without confusion and without error, and to discern them, is likewise without any difficulty — how, then, could the self-sovereign sense-faculty be explained as though it were obtusely obstructed?

The section on the body faculty is likewise so: all that exists in the world manifests, within the body, the function of the physical body; up to the peak of existence, it manifests, within the body, the function of the heavenly body; the two lesser vehicles manifest, within the body, the function of the wisdom body; the bodhisattvas manifest, within the body, the function of the Dharma body; the Buddha manifests, within the body, the function of the buddha body — all manifesting perfectly at once, all functioning reciprocally at once, all without error at once, all without attachment at once (and so on).

The section on the mind faculty is likewise so: all worldly livelihood and enterprise, when in accord with the true Dharma, are the purity of the human mind; the deeds and movements that the gods perform, all known, are the purity of the heavenly mind. The four months are the four noble truths; the single year of twelve months is the twelvefold chain of dependent origination — these, not contradicting the true mark of reality, are the purity of the wisdom mind. The single month is the purity of the mind of the bodhisattva of the one vehicle; whatever is thought and considered, all being what the buddhas of the past have already taught in their sūtras, is the purity of the buddha mind. All perfectly illumined at once, all perfectly reciprocal at once, all without defilement at once, all without error at once — the function of the sense-faculty, self-sovereign, is able to expand, able to contract, able to remain equal, and able to be pure (and so on).

Explaining "Never Disparaging." Inwardly he holds the understanding of never disparaging; outwardly he reveres the object of never disparaging; in his body he establishes the practice of never disparaging; with his mouth he proclaims the teaching of never disparaging; and people give him the name of Never Disparaging. As for the understanding of never disparaging, the Fahua Lun says: "This bodhisattva knows that beings possess buddha-nature, and dares not disparage them. Buddha-nature has five aspects: the correct-cause buddha-nature runs through both the origin and what is yet to come; the conditioning-cause and revealing-cause buddha-natures, as seeds, are inherently present, not something newly arisen now; and the fruit-nature and the fruit-of-fruit-nature are certain to be attained in the end, without fail — this is named the understanding of never disparaging." Taking this understanding and applying it to each person he meets, seeing that they too are just the same, is named revering the object of never disparaging; revering this object is named the practice of never disparaging; proclaiming this teaching is named the teaching of never disparaging. In the past, those who reviled him used this as a name for the person; now, the sūtra's compilers use it as a name for the chapter. The Bhūtatathatā-samādhi Sūtra says: "The Buddha, expounding for the sake of his father the king, said that all are precisely the Buddha. The king asked: 'Are all beings, then, precisely the Buddha?' The Buddha answered: 'If one sees beings exactly as they truly are, then, in them, this is precisely the Buddha.'" I would, on my own, put it in a similar way: if one does not see the Buddha exactly as he truly is, then, in him, this is not the sage. It is like a beginner learning archery: aiming at a mark, he misses far more often than he hits; but aiming at the ground itself, there is nowhere he does not strike it. If one distinguishes among the worthies and the sages which is right and which is wrong, one may miss; but seeing exactly as things truly are, this itself is the Buddha. The first of these is the understanding in terms of causes and conditions; the second is the understanding of the perfect teaching (and so on). This chapter cites a person as proof, proving that the merit of the five ranks is profound and the reward of the six sense-faculties weighty — that I myself, rejoicing in the past, obtained reward in this present life and in lives to come — so as to encourage its transmission.

The text has both a prose section and a verse. The prose falls into three: first, pointing back, in a paired way, to the offense and the blessing of the previous chapter; second, opening up, in a paired way, the faith and the slander of the present chapter; third, urging, in a paired way, the two outcomes, adverse and favorable, that follow. As for the paired pointing-back: first he points to the offense, as expounded in "Teacher of the Dharma"; next he points to the blessing, as expounded in "Merits of a Teacher of the Dharma," exactly as the text has it. Second, the paired opening of faith and slander has both the circumstantial origin and the substance of the story itself. The circumstantial origin includes the time, the name, the kalpa, the land, the preaching of the Dharma, and so on, all exactly as the text has it. Second, from "the very first Bhīṣmagarjitasvararāja" onward makes clear the substance of the story itself, and this in turn falls into three: first, making clear the time; second, from "in the semblance Dharma age" onward, setting out, in a pair, the two persons' names — the reviler, named for the time, is called Overweening Pride, and the believer, named for the time, is called Never Disparaging; third, from "'Getting Great Power'" onward, making clear, in a pair, the gaining and the losing. The gaining and losing itself falls into two: first, discussing the gaining on the side of the believer, gaining the great tenet of the correct exposition and gaining the sublime benefit of transmission — being named Never Disparaging is the oneness of person; whatever he sees is the oneness of principle; bowing to all alike is the oneness of practice; and speaking these words is the oneness of teaching — this is the fourfold oneness of opening the provisional to reveal the real. From "even seeing from afar" onward is the oneness of principle in the origin; hence going to bow is the oneness of practice in the origin; and speaking these words is the oneness of teaching in the origin; the oneness of person being slight, its meaning may be understood — this is the fourfold oneness of opening the near to reveal the distant. The text's saying "not devoting himself to reading and reciting the sūtra texts, but only practicing bowing" refers to the rank of the very first person who rejoices. Rejoicing that all dharmas entirely possess the nature of ease and bliss, all being the one true mark, and rejoicing that all persons entirely possess the three buddha-natures: reading and reciting the sūtra texts is precisely the revealing-cause nature; practicing the bodhisattva path throughout is precisely the conditioning-cause nature; and not daring to disparage, but instead deeply revering, is precisely the correct-cause nature — revering both persons and the Dharma without giving rise to contention is precisely the intent of rejoicing. Never disparaging, in deep reverence, is the Tathāgata's seat; enduring being struck and reviled is wearing the Tathāgata's robe; practicing with a compassionate mind unceasingly is the Tathāgata's room. Furthermore, deep reverence is the karma of the mind; the teaching of never disparaging is the karma of speech; going to bow is the karma of the body — these three, together with compassion, are precisely the peaceful practice of the vow. Such being these three and four together, how could this be anything but the sublime benefit of transmission — what else, indeed, could it be called?

From "among the fourfold assembly" onward, the second part makes clear the failing of those who reviled him. "Giving rise to a mind of anger and impurity" means not accepting the fourfold oneness. "Reviling him, saying he has no wisdom" — wisdom is what knows principle, and since it says he has no wisdom, this means not accepting the oneness of principle; "monk" means not accepting the oneness of person; "where do you come from" means not accepting the oneness of practice; "a false and empty prediction" means not accepting the oneness of teaching. "For many years on end he was constantly reviled" concludes the not accepting of the fourfold oneness of opening the provisional to reveal the real. "Fleeing to dwell far away, yet still crying out in a loud voice" is likewise this same not accepting — this is the not accepting of the fourfold oneness, of opening the near to reveal the distant, of the original ground. "Because he constantly spoke these words" concludes that the believer's deep faith never ceased. "The fourfold assembly gave him the name Never Disparaging" concludes that the revilers' scorn and slander never ceased.

Question: When Śākyamuni appeared in the world, he hesitated long before expounding the Lotus Sūtra, yet Never Disparaging, at a single glance, spoke of it at once and without hesitation — why is this?

Answer: Where the good roots were already present, Śākyamuni nurtured and protected them with what was small; where the good roots were not yet present, Never Disparaging forcefully implanted the poison of what was great (and so on).

From "when he was about to die" onward makes clear, in a pair, the karmic reward of both faith and slander. The first part falls into two: first, making clear the karmic reward; second, concluding by identifying the persons of past and present. For the believer, three rewards are discussed: in this present life he attains the purification of the six sense-faculties; he is born to meet the Buddha Candrasūryapradīpa; and afterward he meets two thousand koṭis of buddhas. "The power of supernatural faculties" is the purity of bodily karma; "the power of eloquence in preaching" is the purity of verbal karma; "the power of good tranquility" is the purity of mental karma (and so on). The concluding identification itself falls into two: first, the identification itself, exactly as the text has it; from "if, in my past lives" onward, the second part raises up the believer and urges compliance, exactly as the text has it. From "those in the fourfold assembly at that time" onward makes clear the karmic reward of those who reviled him, and this too falls into two: first, making clear the fruit obtained; second, the concluding identification of past and present. The revilers obtain both a good and an evil fruit: because of their slander, they fall into evil destinies; yet because they heard the name buddha-nature, through the power of the poisoned drum they obtain a good fruit of reward as well. The concluding identification of past and present itself falls into two: first, the identification of past and present; next, from "you should know" onward, raising up the adverse in order to reveal the favorable, urging its upholding in order to check slander. The sūtra possesses great power, and in the end brings about a great fruit — one must, then, diligently practice the five kinds of conduct.

The verse section, nineteen and a half lines: the first fifteen and a half lines simply restate the cause and fruit of faith and slander; the final four lines restate the urging to uphold the sūtra — this may be seen plainly in the text, and I do not set it out in detail. As for "attachment to dharmas": this Dharma cannot be pointed to or displayed; if one holds with certainty that it exists, this is precisely attachment to dharmas, and so too if one holds with certainty that it neither exists nor does not exist, this too is named attachment to dharmas. The Buddha-Treasury Sūtra says, "the wheel of the blade that harms the people of Jambudvīpa is still the lesser fault; the fault of one who, with a mind of grasping, expounds the Great Vehicle, exceeds even that (and so on)." The Greater Treatise says, "holding to existence disputes with non-existence, and so, too, holding to neither existence nor non-existence disputes with existence and non-existence — like the cowhide rope tied ever tighter, or the dragon's coil, neither escapes its own affliction." The Middle Treatise says, "the buddhas taught the dharma of emptiness in order, from the very root, to transform those attached to existence; but if there is one attached to emptiness itself, the buddhas cannot transform him." If one holds with certainty that all dharmas neither exist nor do not exist, this is named a foolish and deluded doctrine, if it loses the intent of the four siddhāntas. Whether in one's own practice or in transforming others, this is, in every case, named attachment to dharmas; but if one attains the intent of the four siddhāntas, then, whether for oneself or for others, there is no attachment at all. ◎

Explaining the chapter "The Tathagata's Power." As for "Tathagata," this was already explained above. "Supernatural" means unfathomable; "power" means the capacity to act. Being unfathomable, the Tathagata's naturally endowed substance is profound; having the capacity to act, his power to transform is great. Here, in order to entrust this profound Dharma, he manifests ten great powers, and hence the chapter is named "The Tathagata's Power." From this chapter onward there are, in all, eight chapters, which belong to entrustment and to the propagation of the Dharma to later generations. The present chapter makes clear the bodhisattvas' receiving the charge to propagate the sutra; the next chapter tells of the Tathagata laying his hand upon their heads and entrusting them with the charge.

The text has both a prose section and a verse section. The prose falls into three parts: first, the bodhisattvas receiving the charge; second, the Buddha manifesting his spiritual power; third, gathering up the essentials and urging that the sutra be upheld. The first part opens with the sutra-compiler's own account of the reverent bearing of the bodhisattvas, followed by their vow to propagate the sutra. Propagating the sutra itself falls into three: first, the time — namely, after the Buddha's extinction; second, the place — namely, the lands of the emanation-buddhas and the like; third, the vow — for they are not merely carrying out a charge to benefit others, but themselves also vow that this true and pure great Dharma, together with the benefiting of all, should be equally excellent.

From "at that time" onward is the second part, the manifesting of the ten spiritual powers, which itself falls into two: first, the assembly before whom the powers are manifested; second, the actual manifesting of the spiritual powers. "Before Manjushri and the others" refers to the assembly converted through the trace gate. "Long dwelling here" refers to the assembly originally converted, from beneath the earth. "All" refers to those who have come from other lands as well as those who have come from the emanation-buddhas.

Question: We see only the bodhisattvas from beneath the earth making their vow — we do not see Manjushri and the others making any vow. Why is this? Answer: The passage above says, "In my own land there are of themselves bodhisattvas able to uphold this sutra" — this already includes them as well.

As for the ten spiritual powers: first, the mark of the extended tongue. What this sutra expounds — opening the three to reveal the one, secretly hidden within yet openly manifest without, setting aside the near to reveal the distant — makes clear that the benefiting of beings across the three periods of time is, in every case, sincere and true, never false. A person of ordinary merit extends his tongue only to his nose; a Tripitaka buddha, only to his hairline; here, the Buddha's tongue reaches to the Brahma heaven, passing beyond the reach of both ordinary beings and sages, extending to the very summit of the Pure Abodes — and since the mark itself is so extraordinary, what is spoken becomes all the more worthy of belief. Second, light streaming from every pore over the entire body, its rays circling and illuminating the ten directions with nowhere left unlit — this signifies that the domain of wisdom is exhausted. The earlier emission of light from the white tuft of hair began in the east, signifying the seven skillful means' first glimpse of the single principle; now that the origin gate is complete, he emits light from every pore to illuminate every land, able to bring the initial cause all the way to the ultimate buddha-wisdom of the stage of Virtual Enlightenment, and the emanation-buddhas do likewise. Third, clearing his throat — this is the manner of one about to speak, and is also a mark of things flowing forth unimpeded. For more than forty years the true reality was kept secretly hidden; now, having found room to unfold and set it forth, nothing at all remains withheld — this is the great matter of his appearance in the world flowing forth freely, and it is for this reason that he clears his throat, wishing by means of this Dharma to entrust the bodhisattvas so that, in ages to come, they may guide and benefit beings; being about to speak of this very matter, he therefore clears his throat. The clearing of the throat carries two meanings: one throat-clearing for the completion of the matter, and one throat-clearing for its entrustment to others. Fourth, snapping his fingers — this is rejoicing. He rejoices that the seven skillful means alike enter the perfect path; he rejoices that the perfect path increases wisdom and diminishes birth-and-death; he rejoices that the bodhisattvas uphold this true and pure great Dharma; he rejoices that, in ages to come, beings will obtain the unsurpassed treasure. This single snapping of the fingers reaches vertically through the three periods of time and extends horizontally across the ten directions. Fifth, the earth quaking in six ways — this signifies that, from the initial resolve all the way to the final mind, ignorance is shaken in six turns; here it makes clear, moreover, that the six sense-faculties of every person are shaken once again, so that they may attain purity.

Sixth, all beings everywhere beholding the great assembly — this signifies that the buddhas share the same path, and that it is so now and will remain so from this time forward. In the earlier scene of the five thousand rising and departing, the land underwent its threefold transformation and was shifted elsewhere; having already lost their original resolve, they could not manifest any benefit there — it was fitting, then, to show apparent extinction though not actually extinct, so that, following the bodhisattvas' propagation of the sutra and attainment of the path, they might enter the buddha-wisdom without any difference from the present assembly — and this also signifies that, in the future, there is but a single capacity. Seventh, voices proclaiming from within the sky — this signifies that, in the future, there is but a single teaching. Eighth, voices taking refuge with "Namo," becoming the Buddha's disciples — this signifies that, in the future, there is but a single kind of person. Ninth, beings from afar scattering all manner of offerings that gather like clouds and come toward the Buddha — this signifies that, in the future, there is but a single practice. Tenth, the ten directions being everywhere the same, as if a single buddha-land — this signifies that there is but a single principle.

Question: How do we know that these ten marks signify both a meaning for the present and a meaning for the future? Answer: The text says, "though I were to use the Tathagata's spiritual power to entrust this sutra for immeasurable, boundless hundreds of thousands of myriads of kotis of asamkhyeya kalpas, I still could not exhaust it" — the meaning of their signifying both the present and the future is thereby made plain.

From "at that time the Buddha said to Vishishtacaritra" onward is the third part, gathering up the essentials and making the entrustment. The text falls into four: first, praising and then entrusting; second, gathering the essentials and entrusting; third, urging and encouraging the entrustment; fourth, explaining the entrustment. The first, the praise, is as the text has it. The gathering of the essentials contains four phrases: "all dharmas," meaning that all things without exception are the Buddha-dharma — this gathers up the name "wondrous" as applied to everything; "all powers," meaning penetrating understanding without obstruction, endowed with the eight sovereign masteries — this gathers up the wondrous function; "every secret treasury," meaning that everywhere, in every place, is itself true reality — this gathers up the wondrous substance; "every profound matter," meaning that cause and effect are themselves the profound matter — this gathers up the wondrous doctrine. "All of this has been proclaimed and made manifestly clear within this sutra" sums up the entire sutra as nothing more than these four, gathering up its very pivot and handle and bestowing it upon them.

From "for this reason, you should..." onward is the third part, urging and encouraging the entrustment, as the text has it. From "why is this?" onward is the fourth part, explaining the entrustment. The passage above says, "wherever this sutra-scroll is found, a stupa should be raised there" — the essential teaching contained within the sutra lies in four matters: "the place of enlightenment" explains the "profound matter" spoken of above; "attaining bodhi" explains the "secret treasury"; "turning the Dharma-wheel" explains "all dharmas"; "entering nirvana" explains the "spiritual power." These four essentials gather up the sutra's text entirely, and this is why a stupa should be raised in every case. As for what is meant by "essential": attaining bodhi is the Dharma-body, turning the Dharma-wheel is prajna, and entering nirvana is liberation — these three dharmas together form the secret treasury, and the Buddha dwells within it; this is precisely the meaning of "stupa." The Agama says, "when a buddha appears in the world, stupas are raised in only four places: the place of birth, the place of attaining the path, the place of turning the Dharma-wheel, and the place of entering nirvana." Sitting at the place of enlightenment is the Dharma-body's place of birth; the rest is all as the text has it.

The verse section has sixteen lines. The first four lines set the ten spiritual powers to verse; the next twelve lines set the gathering of the essentials to verse. From "entrustment" in the two lines that follow, "the merit of this person" sums up the four dharmas in verse as a whole. From "if one is able to uphold it, then one has already seen me" onward is the second part, eight and a half lines setting each of the four dharmas to verse individually. The first line and a half set "all dharmas" to verse: upholding the Dharma is itself upholding the Buddha's own body (and so on).

The two verses beginning "may I, together with the emanation-buddhas" set the spiritual power to verse — the spiritual power urges the Buddha and brings him joy. The one verse beginning "the buddhas, seated at the place of enlightenment" sets the secret essential to verse, and may be understood as it stands. The four verses beginning "as for the meaning of all dharmas" set the profound matter to verse: expounding the Dharma to break through darkness and bring beings into the one vehicle is itself the Buddha's profound matter. The final line and a half sums up the whole in verse, as a closing.

Explaining the chapter Entrustment. "Entrust" is what the Buddha bestows in charging the bodhisattvas; "burden" is the trouble of proclaiming it further — this name derives from the sage's own intention, and hence it is called "Entrustment." "Entrust" is receiving the charge upon the crown of the head; "burden" is bearing it gladly and without complaint — this name derives from the bodhisattvas' reverent compliance, and hence, again, it is called "Entrustment." "Entrust" is what the Tathagata charges with his own golden mouth; "burden" is what the bodhisattvas bear with utmost sincerity upon the crown of the head — this name derives from discussing bestowal and receiving together, and hence it is called the chapter "Entrustment." It is for this reason that the Tathagata himself rose from his seat, extended his hand, and laid it upon their heads, bestowing upon them this Dharma so difficult to obtain, while the great assembly bowed low with palms joined — just as the World-Honored One commanded, they would carry it out in full — and it is this earnest bestowal and receiving that gives the chapter its name, "Entrustment."

The text falls into two parts: first, the entrustment itself; second, the assembly's rejoicing at that time. The first falls into three: first, the Tathagata's entrusting; second, the bodhisattvas' receiving; third, the matter's completion and the dispersal proclaimed. The first, again, falls into three: first, the entrustment proper; second, the explanation of the entrustment; third, the admonition accompanying the entrustment. As for the entrustment proper: the Buddha, with the skillful hand of his single provisional wisdom, laid it upon the crowns — the real wisdom — of the bodhisattvas who filled the empty sky of three thousand three hundred myriad kotis of nayutas of lands. Because the Tathagata bestows the path in order to convert others, this is called "the hand of provisional wisdom"; because the bodhisattvas, through their own practice, receive the path, this is called "the crown of real wisdom." His extending his hand and laying it upon their heads is precisely the entrustment through the body; the provisional wisdom's meeting the real wisdom is precisely the entrustment through the mind.

"And he spoke these words" is precisely the entrustment through speech. The text carries the meaning of the four siddhantas. "For immeasurable kalpas I have cultivated this Dharma so difficult to obtain" — this refers to his having received it in study from an earlier buddha, and his now entrusting it to them, so that they in turn should bestow it upon others, an unbroken succession across the three periods of time — this is the mundane siddhanta. "Propagate it with a single mind" is the individual siddhanta. "Cause it to spread and increase widely" is the therapeutic siddhanta. "Bring benefit" is the siddhanta of ultimate meaning. From "why is this?" onward is the explanation of the entrustment. "Possessing great compassion" is the Tathagata's room; "free of any stinginess" is the Tathagata's robe; "and also free of any fear" is the Tathagata's seat. "The Buddha's wisdom" is the wisdom of all things; "the Tathagata's wisdom" is the wisdom of the paths that lead beings; "spontaneous wisdom" is the wisdom of all modes. Within the Tathagata's room, he is able to bestow upon beings these three kinds of wisdom, and it is likewise so within his seat; being a benefactor of this kind, he is therefore free of stinginess, therefore free of fear — you, too, should study this Dharma of the Tathagata. This is what is meant by explaining the Buddha's intention in making the entrustment.

From "in ages to come" onward is the admonition accompanying the entrustment: if a being's roots are deep and his wisdom sharp, teach the buddha-wisdom directly; if he cannot bear it, instruct, teach, benefit, and delight him by means of some other profound Dharma. The buddha-wisdom is profound but not "other"; the six skillful means are "other" but not profound; the distinct teaching's step-by-step approach is both "other" and profound. If you are able, by means of this other profundity, to help set forth the buddha-wisdom, this is a skillful repayment of the Buddha's kindness — this is what is meant by the admonition accompanying the entrustment.

From "at that time, the bodhisattvas" onward is the second part, the receiving. Rejoicing in mind is the receiving through mind; "bowing low with heads lowered" is the receiving through body; "together raising their voices and saying" is the receiving through speech, which also includes the receiving through mind. "Just as the World-Honored One has commanded" is the receiving of the meaning of the Tathagata's room, the great benefactor; "we shall carry it out in full" is the receiving of the meaning of the Tathagata's robe, free of stinginess; "may you have no further concern" is the receiving of the meaning of the Tathagata's seat, free of fear. Just as the Buddha made the threefold entrustment, so the bodhisattvas make the threefold receiving, all as the text has it.

"At that time, Shakyamuni" onward is the third part, the dispersal proclaimed. Prabhutaratna came in order to bear witness to the sutra; now that both the trace gate and the origin gate have come to their conclusion, he must be respectfully sent off, just as before. The emanation-buddhas gathered in order to open the stupa; now that the opening of the stupa is accomplished, the emanation-buddhas are made to return to their own lands. The stupa cannot be opened a second time, and hence, though the emanation-buddhas depart and no longer appear, the stupa still listens to the Dharma, and hence, though closed, it still remains.

Question: If the stupa still listens to the Dharma, then it, too, ought not to be closed. Answer: Since its bearing witness to the correct teaching is already accomplished, it is closed; since it still listens to the propagation of the Dharma, it remains (and so on).

From "when these words were spoken" onward is the great assembly's rejoicing. The buddhas rejoice because the work of converting others has been accomplished; the bodhisattvas rejoice because, through their own practice, they have obtained the Dharma. Further: they rejoice because the one who speaks is pure — this is the Buddha; they rejoice because the pure Dharma that is heard — this is the wondrous sutra; they rejoice because, having heard the Dharma, realization is attained — these are those, present and future, who obtain benefit. All three matters being complete, there is therefore great rejoicing (and so on).

Explaining the chapter Bhaishajyaraja's Former Life. The Contemplation Sutra says: "In a former age he was named Starlight; hearing the venerable Sun-Store expound the buddha-wisdom, he made offerings to the assembly of monks with medicinal herbs from the Snow Mountains, vowing, 'In the future may I be able to heal beings' twin illnesses of body and mind' — and the whole world, rejoicing, called him Bhaishajyaraja, the King of Medicine." This passage of our sutra makes clear how Sarvasattvapriyadarshana, "Gladly Seen by All Beings," at once relinquished his own body, and further burned both his arms — making light of his life and holding the Dharma dear, his life perishing while the path endured — raising up the former deed to make manifest the present one, and hence it is called the chapter "Former Life." If we press this meaning further, Starlight should properly come after Sarvasattvapriyadarshana, since it is from the time he relinquished the medicine and made his vow onward that he was named Bhaishajyaraja (and so on).

The five chapters that follow are all part of the propagation of the Dharma through converting others. The present chapter makes clear the teacher who converts others: wishing only that the great Dharma be widely proclaimed, vowing greatly that beings obtain great and abundant benefit, he therefore exhausts his spiritual power and spends his very life and body, earnest and reverent, his resolve never yet spent, hoping that his disciples will honor the Dharma as their teacher does — I transmit it and make it clear to you, and you in turn transmit it and make it clear to others, clarification upon clarification, the resolve of a teacher never exhausted — and hence we know that this chapter exhorts teachers who propagate the Dharma. Below, the two chapters "Gadgadasvara" and "Avalokiteshvara" make clear how great beings from other lands, carrying out the charge, propagate the sutra, manifesting bodily forms everywhere without any fixed pattern, forms that cannot be judged by the eyes of an ox or a sheep, nor measured by ordinary, mediocre understanding — wherever such a form is encountered, one must not give rise to any thought of contempt, for a thought of contempt keeps the Dharma from soaking into the mind — and hence we know that the chapters below exhort the disciples who receive the Dharma. Some say that, in the chapters above, the buddhas carry out the buddhas' work, while, from this chapter on, the bodhisattvas carry out the buddhas' work.

This, however, is only a rough approximation, for the chapters above also have bodhisattvas carrying out the buddhas' work, and the chapters below also have buddhas doing so (and so on). Here it should be understood: "Skillful Means" makes clear the opening of the three to reveal the one, the perfect cause, and brings it to its conclusion; "Peaceful Practices" makes clear the Dharma of riding the vehicle; "The Tathagata's Lifespan" makes clear the fruit of riding the vehicle, and brings it to its conclusion; from this chapter on, what is made clear is the person who rides the vehicle. Hence the Twelve Gate Treatise says, "The Great Vehicle is that which is ridden by great persons such as Samantabhadra and Manjushri." "Bhaishajyaraja" rides the vehicle by means of ascetic practice; "Gadgadasvara" and "Avalokiteshvara" ride the vehicle by means of samadhi; "Dharanis" rides the vehicle by means of the retention of all teachings; "King Shubhavyuha" rides the vehicle by means of vows; "Samantabhadra" rides the vehicle by means of supernatural powers. Reading it in this way makes for a convenient sense of the propagation through converting others.

The text falls into four parts: first, the question; second, the answer; third, the benefit; fourth, Prabhutaratna's praise. The question falls into three: first, the general question about roaming and converting beings; second, the specific question about ascetic practice; third, the request for an answer, all as the text has it. Second, the answer falls into two: first, answering only the question of ascetic practice — the roaming and converting is instead pointed to as the samadhi of manifest bodily forms, or else pointed to in the two chapters below; second, the praise of the sutra. Within the answer on ascetic practice, first the underlying basis of the matter is made clear, and then the former deed itself. The underlying basis falls into three — namely, the time, the buddha and shravakas present, the land, and so on — all as the text has it. The former deed falls into three: first, the Buddha's expounding the Dharma; second, the cultivating of offerings; third, the concluding identification of past and present.

Now, the Buddha universally teaches for the sake of all — why, then, only Sarvasattvapriyadarshana? This is because he serves as the one who responds and expounds, needing to be entrusted with the propagation, just as, in the present sutra, Shariputra is singled out as representative, though what is said applies to all. The ascetic practice, again, falls into two: first, in the present; second, in the future. The present falls into two: first, cultivating practice and obtaining the Dharma; second, forming the thought of repaying kindness. Repaying kindness falls into two: first, the power of samadhi; second, the power of the very reward-body. The power of the body falls into three: first, burning the body; second, the Buddha's praise; third, the time. "True offering of the Dharma" ought to mean an inward contemplation with wisdom, contemplating the causes and effects of affliction, sweeping them all away with the wisdom of emptiness — hence it is called "true Dharma." Furthermore, contemplating that both the body and the fire, the one who makes the offering and that which is offered, are all alike true reality — who, then, is burned, and what burns? — the one who offers and that which is offered are both, in the end, unobtainable, and hence it is named "true Dharma."

From "all beings" onward is the ascetic practice in the future, which itself falls into five: first, being born into a royal household; second, telling of the former deed; third, going to where the Buddha is; fourth, the Tathagata's entrustment; fifth, carrying out the charge and upholding the sutra. All as the text has it. The upholding falls, again, into four: first, raising a stupa; second, burning the arm; third, the benefit; fourth, the present recompense. All as the text has it. From "the Buddha said" onward is the third part, the concluding identification of past and present, which itself falls into two: first, the identification; second, the exhortation to practice. As for the exhortation to practice: being able to burn a single finger surpasses relinquishing the outer body, since the outer is light and the inner is weighty, and so the merit and blessing differ accordingly. Where the text says "wife and children," this is the outer body; "kingdom and city," and the like, are outer wealth.

From "if there is a person who, with the seven treasures" onward is the praise of the sutra: first, praising the one who is able to uphold it; next, praising the Dharma that is upheld; finally, making clear the depth of the blessing in upholding it. Offering the seven treasures to the four kinds of sages does not compare to upholding a single verse, for the Dharma is the sage's teacher, able to give birth, to nurture, to bring to completion, and to bring honor, as nothing else can — hence a person is light in weight compared to the Dharma, which is weighty. From "King of Constellations" onward is the second part, the praise of the Dharma that is upheld, which itself falls into two: first, praising the substance of the Dharma; next, praising its function. As for "among all the streams, rivers, and every kind of water, the sea is foremost": the Sutra of Infinite Meanings says, "the four kinds of water are a parable for the teachings; within the parable of the medicinal herbs, the single cloud able to send down rain is a parable for the preaching of the Dharma." Here, all the various waters together stand for the teachings as a whole, and the four specifically named are a parable for the four flavors of milk, cream, curdled, and refined butter as teachings. This Lotus teaching is a parable for the ocean of ghee: expounded to the very depths of the fundamental ground is called "profound"; pervading every place is called "great"; being purely the manifest buddha-dharma and expounding no other teaching is called "salty" — this is the meaning of "most profound and great."

The names of the ten treasure mountains are found in the Avatamsaka Sutra and various other sutras (and so on). Soil, black rock, and the Cakravada ring of iron mountains are, for this reason, not treasures; though the other ten mountains are treasures, they are inhabited, mixed together, by either one or two kinds of naga spirits; Sumeru alone is formed of the four treasures and is the pure dwelling place of the gods — this stands as a parable for the other teachings' explanation of what is relied upon: the forty stages of mind across the ten grounds, spoken of as ordinary, as worthy, or as sage, and what is relied upon as mundane, as real, or as the middle — these are lowly by comparison. This Lotus Sutra expounds the truth of permanence, bliss, self, and purity, like Sumeru formed of the four treasures, the very support of those who open, show, awaken to, and enter the Buddha's knowledge and vision — and hence, in this sense, it is the most exalted of all. The stars and the moon are alike essences of yin, both appearing at night, yet the stars, having no waxing or waning, do not compare to the moon — the other sutras' explanation of provisional wisdom cannot attain sovereign mastery, while this sutra makes clear that the provisional is itself the real and the real is itself the provisional, waxing and waning pointing to one another, not two yet two — and it is in this sense that the provisional wisdom spoken of here surpasses that of the other teachings. The sun, the essence of yang, alone is able to break through darkness — the other sutras' account of real wisdom breaking through delusion still does not compare to the real that is itself the provisional; how much less, then, could it be paired with the provisional that is itself the real? Hence we know that this sutra's account of real wisdom is foremost of all.

A cakravartin king's commands reach only across the four continents; Shakra's, only equally across the thirty-three heavens; Brahma's commands cover both above and below — these stand as a parable for the other sutras' explanation of the three truths and the three samadhis, each unable to gather up the others, unable to attain sovereign mastery. What this sutra expounds enters the truth by means of true reality, fully resolving the teachings of the shravakas — it is the king of all sutras; true reality enters the mundane, and all worldly occupations and productive enterprises are then in no way contrary to it; true reality enters the middle, and all dharmas are then nothing other than the buddha-dharma. The text says, "the father of all those in training and beyond training, and of those who have given rise to the bodhisattva-resolve" — this is the meaning of it. "Foremost among all ordinary beings, the four fruits, and the pratyekabuddhas" makes clear spontaneous accomplishment without effort. The other sutras require effort as a cause before one can enter the stream — as when those of the four fruits attain awakening only through hearing, reflection, and cultivation; this sutra makes clear that the uncontrived four noble truths, unmixed with any skillful means, flow spontaneously into the ocean of omniscience, like the great white ox, sturdy and full of strength, swift as the wind (and so on).

The line "foremost among shravakas, pratyekabuddhas, and bodhisattvas" makes clear that the cause is foremost: the other sutras' account of the cause consists in the seven skillful means, while this sutra's account of the cause lies beyond all skillful means, and hence its cause is foremost. The line "the Tathagata is foremost" makes clear that the fruit is foremost: the other sutras' account of the fruit points nearby, to the place of quiescence, while this sutra's account of the fruit points to the distant fundamental ground, and hence it is most foremost of all. From "this sutra is able to save" onward is the praise of the Dharma's function — first, praising its function of removing suffering; next, twelve matters praising its function of bestowing joy; finally, a conclusion — all as the text has it. From "if a person is able to hear" onward makes clear the depth of blessing in upholding the sutra: first, citing the blessing of hearing the entire sutra; next, citing the blessing of hearing even a single chapter — there is a comparative reckoning, and there is a final charge, as the text has it. The mouth emitting fragrance is a recompense in the present life; the rest are recompenses in a future life. As for "having heard this sutra, one neither ages nor dies" — this calls for a contemplative understanding: "not aging" is bliss, "not dying" is permanence; hearing this sutra, one attains an understanding of permanence and bliss, resting at ease within, with nothing to fear or dread.

From "having spoken this" onward is the third part, the benefit obtained from hearing the chapter, as the text has it. Fourth, Prabhutaratna's praise, as the text has it.

Explaining the chapter Gadgadasvara. The text explains this itself: in a former age he made offerings of a hundred thousand kinds of music to Meghadundubhisvararaja Buddha, and now, roaming and converting beings in other lands, music of itself accompanies him; in a former age he offered eighty-four thousand jeweled bowls, and now he is surrounded by just as many vessels of the path among his retinue; in a former age he obtained the dharani of the language of all beings, and now, manifesting bodily forms everywhere, he roars forth with a wondrous voice throughout the ten directions, proclaiming this teaching — and hence the chapter is named "Gadgadasvara," "Wonderful Voice." This chapter makes clear how the bodhisattva, by means of a power beyond ordinary conception, follows beings' various kinds and propagates the sutra: beings behold his trace but cannot fathom his origin; they savor only the flavor, without singling out any one form; he lowers himself to their very ground and, of himself, checks the flow to match their capacity — this is the second meaning within the gate of converting others.

The text falls into six parts: first, emitting light to summon him from the east; second, receiving the charge and coming from the west; third, propagating the sutra in the ten directions; fourth, the benefit obtained in the two lands; fifth, returning to his own land; sixth, the advancement in the path upon hearing the chapter. "The mark of a great being" refers to the ocean of great marks. The merit of the hair covering the entire body does not equal the merit of a single minor mark; the merit of all the minor marks together does not equal the merit of a single major mark; and among the major marks, proceeding from the lowest upward, each surpasses the one before, yet none equals the merit of the white tuft of hair, and the merit of the white tuft of hair does not equal the merit of the fleshy cranial protuberance — hence this, the light from the cranial protuberance, is the mark of a great being. This karmic mark arises from filial devotion to one's teachers and elders; here, this light is emitted to summon his own original disciple, so that he may propagate the sutra of the middle way and benefit those of great capacity. The white tuft of hair arises from the purity of the single path; here, this light is emitted so that this Dharma may be propagated.

Question: Every single mark of the Buddha is itself an ocean as vast as the dharma-realm — why, then, speak of one surpassing another? Answer: This is simply the manner of explanation suited to what the other sutras set forth.

Question: The Buddha's karmically connected disciples fill the ten directions — why summon from the east and speak of the west, and not discuss all eight directions? Answer: There is something signified here. The Vimalakirti Sutra says, "Why do the sun and moon travel across Jambudvipa? It is in order to dispel the darkness of all beings with their light. The east is where the light begins, the west is where it ends — having both a beginning and an end, is this not the way of the sage alone?" Those who have not yet given rise to the resolve are thereby made to give rise to it; those who have not yet reached the ultimate are thereby made to reach it. As it is for one bodhisattva, so it is for the whole assembly; as it is for one direction, so it is for every direction — the sage, not wishing to burden the text, cites one to stand for all, and hence speaks only of east and west.

As for his coming, the text falls into two: first, the conditions for his coming; second, the coming itself. The conditions for his coming fall into six: first, the sutra-compiler's own account of his merit and wisdom; second, being illuminated by the light; third, taking leave; fourth, the admonition; fifth, receiving the instruction; sixth, the appearance of his coming. As for the account of his merit: its cause lies in his having encountered many buddhas before. "Extremely profound wisdom" is the adornment of wisdom; the sixteen samadhis are the adornment of merit.

The light illuminating his body, and his taking leave of the Buddha — all as the text has it. As for the Buddha's admonition: since a great being of the Dharma-body accomplishes all things without needing to be admonished, it is for the sake of those in his retinue who have not yet fully attained that he relies on that occasion to counsel this one. Now, the Buddha's body corresponds exactly to principle, and one must not, upon seeing something lowly and small, forget its dignity — this admonition is framed in terms of the Tathagata's seat. Now, both teacher and disciple are fully endowed with wisdom and the cutting off of afflictions — the teacher, having already bestowed the provisional, the disciple likewise conceals the real — this admonition is framed in terms of the Tathagata's robe. Now, the dependent recompense of one's land is, in every case, brought about by the direct recompense of the being who dwells there — the Tathagata, extending compassion over the great trichiliocosm, must, as fitting, appear both high and low, and one must not, in looking at the dependent recompense, overlook the direct recompense — this admonition is framed in terms of the Tathagata's room. This Buddha's propagating of the sutra likewise carries these three meanings in its charge, and that honored buddha's admonition is framed in terms of the buddhas sharing the same path. As for the receiving of the instruction: "the Tathagata's power" is the power of the seat; "supernatural power" is the power of the room; "the power of adornment" is the power of the robe — this is the receiving of the great purport of propagating the sutra, the essential doctrine for benefiting beings, and hence he is able, without stirring from this assembly, to roam and convert throughout the ten directions.

The text on the appearance of the sign falls into six: first, sending forth a lotus flower; second, the question; third, the answer; fourth, the request; fifth, deferring the credit to the Buddha; sixth, the command to come — all as the text has it.

Question: If Manjushri's rank is lower than Gadgadasvara's, he ought not, out of humility, ask to see him; but if Manjushri's rank is as high as his and yet he comes bearing such a sign, how could Manjushri suddenly fail to recognize him? Answer: Although they occupy the same rank, that rank has a beginning, a middle, and an end — his not knowing of this one matter alone is no disgrace to his lofty rank; furthermore, since the assembly, upon seeing the auspicious sign, did not understand it, he raises the question so as to bring about their understanding, and it is for this reason that he asks the Buddha.

From "at that time" onward is the account of his coming, and the text falls into six: first, his passing through the assembly together with his retinue; second, the account of the sign and his ascending the platform; third, exchanging greetings and conveying the message; fourth, requesting to see Prabhutaratna; fifth, the World-Honored One making the introduction; sixth, the praise voiced from within the stupa — all as the text has it.

Third, the propagating of the sutra falls into two: the question and the answer. The question first asks what good roots he planted, and second asks about this spiritual power. The good roots is a question about the past; the spiritual power is a question about the present. The Buddha answers both meanings in turn: telling of the offering of music and vessels in the past, and then linking past and present together, all as the text has it — this answers the question about the good roots he planted. From "Padmashri" onward answers the question about the spiritual power, showing thirty-four bodily forms — the four ordinary and thirty more, and the four sagely forms — resolving them into the ten dharma-realms and the six destinies. From "at that time, Padmashri" onward is the question of what samadhi he now abides in, that he is able to bring such benefit with such sovereign freedom — the Buddha's answer is as the text has it.

"Having spoken this chapter" onward is the fourth part, the benefit in the two lands. Samadhi and dharani share the same substance but differ in function: their function as quiescence is called samadhi, their function as retention is called dharani. Further, transforming and manifesting a bodily form is called samadhi, while eloquently expounding with the voice is called dharani. The preceding chapter says, "having first attained the samadhi of manifesting every bodily form, he transformed his body, and attained the dharani of every kind of language" — one should understand that the voice, too, belongs to physical form, and hence it is said that the substance is one, though the function differs. Further, the purity of the tongue-faculty is called dharani, while the purity of the other faculties is called samadhi — both are simply the dharma-gate of the six purified sense-faculties.

"At that time, Gadgadasvara" onward is the fifth part, his return to his own land. "The earth shook and flowers rained down" — if the bodhisattva's mere passing through is able to bring incidental benefit, how much more so the light the Buddha earlier emitted, incidentally illuminating a hundred and eight myriad kotis of nayutas of lands to the east — this, too, is spoken of as an incidental benefit. Sixth, the advancement in the path upon hearing the chapter, as the text has it.

Explaining the chapter Avalokiteshvara's Universal Gate. This chapter is the sutra most widely honored in its own time, and those who lecture on it are very numerous; the explanation given here does not follow theirs, but is drawn, in brief, from a separate two-fascicle Private Notes. In explaining this title, there is a general approach and a specific approach. The general approach uses ten paired meanings; the specific approach uses five distinct terms. As for the ten pairs: the first is person and dharma, and so on down to the tenth, wisdom and its severance (and so on). "Avalokiteshvara" is the person; "Universal Gate" is the dharma. There are many kinds of person (and so on); there are many kinds of dharma (and so on). Following the first question and answer, we discuss Avalokiteshvara as person; following the second question and answer, we discuss the Universal Gate as dharma; person and dharma joined together give the chapter its title, and hence it is called "Avalokiteshvara's Universal Gate." (2) "Avalokiteshvara" is great compassion removing suffering — following the first question and answer, beings amid a hundred thousand afflictions all attain liberation; "Universal Gate" is great loving-kindness bestowing joy — following the second question and answer, the bodhisattva expounds the Dharma to whomever is to be liberated by it. (3) "Avalokiteshvara" is the adornment of wisdom, wisdom able to cut off delusion as light banishes darkness; "Universal Gate" is the adornment of merit, merit able to transform one's very lifespan, as a jewel that rains down treasures.

(4) "Avalokiteshvara" is contemplating what is hidden within the object of contemplation — this is the Dharma-body; "Universal Gate" is manifesting in response to whatever is needed — this is the response-body. (5) "Avalokiteshvara" is likened to the king of medicinal trees, healing illness throughout the body it touches; "Universal Gate" is likened to the wish-fulfilling jewel-king, granting whatever is wished for. (6) "Avalokiteshvara" works benefit hiddenly, with nothing seen or heard — the three poisons and the seven perils are all removed, and the two kinds of request and vow are both fulfilled; "Universal Gate" works benefit openly — the eyes behold his thirty-three sagely forms, the ears hear his nineteen kinds of venerable teaching. (7) "Avalokiteshvara" illuminates real wisdom, following his own intention; "Universal Gate" illuminates provisional wisdom, following the intentions of others.

(8) "Avalokiteshvara" is the unmoving fundamental ground; "Universal Gate" is the trace, taking on square or round as needed. (9) "Avalokiteshvara" has, as its root, the seed of the revealing cause; "Universal Gate" has, as its root, the seed of the conditioning cause. (10) "Avalokiteshvara," in its ultimate sense, is the virtue of wisdom, like the moonlight on the night of the fourteenth; "Universal Gate," in its ultimate sense, is the virtue of severance, like the waning light of the moon on the night of the twenty-ninth, about to vanish entirely. The sutra text's two questions and answers contain immeasurable meanings; here, in brief, the ten pairs are used, beginning with person and dharma and ending with wisdom and its severance, to explain the chapter's general title — such is the meaning of it.

As for discussing the five distinct terms individually: first, "contemplation." There are many kinds of contemplation: analytical contemplation, contemplation of the essence, sequential contemplation, and perfect contemplation. Analytical contemplation extinguishes form to enter emptiness; contemplation of the essence sees that form is itself empty; sequential contemplation proceeds from analytical contemplation all the way up to perfect contemplation; perfect contemplation sees that analytical contemplation is itself true reality, all the way up to seeing that sequential contemplation, too, is true reality. Here, setting aside the other three contemplations, only perfect contemplation is under discussion, for the text says "Universal Gate" — if the contemplation is not perfect, the gate cannot be called universal; this is precisely the meaning of it.

"World": in terms of practice, the world comes first and contemplation follows; in terms of the exposition, contemplation comes first and the world follows — here, for convenience of exposition, the world is discussed afterward. There are, likewise, many kinds of world: the conditioned world, the unconditioned world, the world of the two extremes, and the inconceivable world. The conditioned world is the world of the three realms; the unconditioned world is the two kinds of nirvana; the world of the two extremes is birth-and-death and nirvana; the inconceivable world is the domain of true reality. Setting aside the other worlds, only the inconceivable world is taken up here.

"Sound" is capacity, and capacity, too, is of many kinds: the capacity of humans and gods, the capacity of the two vehicles, the capacity of the bodhisattva, the capacity of the buddha. The capacity of humans and gods is to do no evil and to uphold every good; the capacity of the two vehicles is to weary of and fear birth-and-death and to delight in the unconditioned; the capacity of the bodhisattva is to put others before oneself, with compassion, benevolence, and yielding; the capacity of the buddha is to enter every single dharma by means of impartial contemplation, to be a person without any obstruction whatsoever, and, by the one path, to go beyond birth-and-death. Setting aside the capacities behind the other sounds, only the capacity behind the buddha's sound is taken up, and a response set forth for it — and it is on account of this causal connection between capacity and response that he is named Avalokiteshvara, the "one who observes the sounds of the world."

"Universal" means pervading everywhere. The dharmas are immeasurable: failing to attain universality, they remain a partial dharma; attaining universality, they become the perfect dharma. Hence the Sutra of Resolving Doubts through Contemplation says, "all dharmas are false, all dharmas are correct." Here, in brief, ten dharmas are used to make clear this universality; once this sense is grasped, it may be extended by analogy to every dharma without exception being universal — namely, the universality of compassion, the universality of the great vow, the universality of practice, the universality of freedom from delusion, the universality of entering the dharma-gates, the universality of supernatural powers, the universality of skillful means, the universality of expounding the Dharma, the universality of bringing beings to maturity, and the universality of making offerings to the buddhas. From humans and gods up to bodhisattvas, all possess compassion, yet there is a compassion that is universal and one that is not. Where compassion's substance takes as its basis both beings and dharmas, it remains partial — the beings to whom it extends are not broad, and it cannot be called universal; where compassion has no such basis and shares the very substance of true reality, its principle is perfect, and there is nowhere its compassion does not reach — like a magnet drawing iron, responding spontaneously — such compassion pervades and suffuses all things alike, and is named the universality of compassion. As for the universality of the great vow: "great" means broad, "vow" means to bind oneself — binding the essential resolve broadly is called the great vow. The great vow arises in terms of the four noble truths: if it arises in terms of the contrived, the uncontrived, the boundless, or even the truly unarising four truths, it does not gather up every dharma without remainder, and cannot be called universal; only if it arises in terms of the uncontrived four truths is it named the universality of the great vow.

As for the universality of practice: consider how, before the Buddha encountered Dipamkara Buddha, whatever he cultivated did not yet accord with principle; from the time he received his prediction onward, whatever he encountered was itself principle, and, principle and wisdom running through every dharma as he practiced, there was no practice that was not universal. As for the universality of cutting off delusion: if one employs the wisdom of all things and the wisdom of the paths to cut off the delusions of the four abodes and of dust and sand, this is like lopping off branches and twigs, and cannot be called the universality of cutting off delusion; only if one employs the wisdom of all modes to cut off ignorance, exhausting all five abodes of delusion as one removes the very root, is it named the universality of cutting off delusion. As for the universality of entering the dharma-gates: before the path, this is called cultivating skillful means; what is entered after the path is called entering the dharma-gates. If the two vehicles enter a single concentration with a single mind, this single mind produces only a single thing and cannot produce many, and is, moreover, bound by that concentration — and hence it cannot be called universal; if one proceeds step by step through the various grounds, shallow and deep, level by level, this, too, cannot be called universal; only if one enters the king of samadhis, in which every samadhi without exception is contained, so that, without rising from cessation-concentration, one manifests every manner of dignified conduct, is it named the universality of the dharma-gates.

As for the universality of supernatural powers: the great arhat's heavenly eye illuminates the great trichiliocosm, the pratyekabuddha's illuminates a hundred buddha-worlds, the bodhisattva's illuminates worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges — yet all of these, taking as their object a narrow domain, produce a supernatural power that is likewise partial; only if one's practice takes true reality as its object does a single arising of the power become the arising of all — a resembling supernatural power, as explained above — how much more so, then, must the true supernatural power be universal? As for the universality of skillful means, there are two kinds: skillful means before the path are subsumed under cultivation and practice; after the path, there are, again, two: first, the very substance of the Dharma, as explained under "entering the dharma-gates"; second, its transformative function, as explained here — meeting each capacity, benefiting beings, matching each condition as it is fitting, complete and pervasive all at once, and though carrying out one action after another in ever-varying ways, suffering no diminishment whatsoever with respect to the true nature of dharmas and the ultimate reality — this is named the universality of skillful means.

As for the universality of expounding the Dharma: being able, with a single wondrous voice, to match the capacities of the ten dharma-realms, causing each, according to its own fitting kind, to attain liberation, like the lute of the asuras that sounds differently to each hearer — hence it is named the universality of expounding the Dharma. As for the universality of bringing beings to maturity: every undertaking, whether mundane or transcending the mundane, is, in every case, the bodhisattva's own doing — digging wells, building boats, Shennong tasting the medicinal herbs, clouds giving shade, the sun giving light, all benefiting beings, extending even to benefiting every worthy and sage, instructing, teaching, benefiting, and delighting them, and bringing them into unsurpassed bodhi — this is named the universality of bringing beings to maturity. As for the universality of making offerings to the buddhas: if one performs an outward act of offering, offering, at a single time, a single meal, a single flower, or a single stick of incense universally to every buddha, with no "before" and no "after," all offered equally at one and the same time, and, from within a single speck of dust, bringing forth every manner of speck of dust in just the same way; or if one performs an inward contemplation, then perfect wisdom guides the whole host of practices — perfect wisdom is itself named "buddha," and the host of practices, providing resources for perfect wisdom, is itself the offering made to the Buddha; if one's practice provides resources for some other, partial, wisdom, this cannot be called a universal offering — only when the host of practices provides resources for perfect wisdom is it named a universal offering.

"Gate": entering emptiness from the provisional makes emptiness pass through, yet the provisional remains blocked; entering the provisional from emptiness makes the provisional pass through, yet emptiness remains blocked — such one-sided passing-through is not universal, and, being blocked, is not a gate. The middle way is neither empty nor provisional; its true passing-through doubly illuminates the two truths of true reality, and hence is called universal; its true passing-through is what is called a gate. The meaning of the perfect passing-through of the Universal Gate is thus immeasurable; here, in brief, ten categories have been set forth, from which it may be understood. This chapter, too, belongs to the propagation, through converting others, by means of the samadhi of manifesting everywhere.

The text falls into three: first, the question; second, the answer; third, the benefit obtained from hearing the chapter. The question and answer come in two rounds. The question of the first round falls into two: first, the sutra-compiler's own account of the time — namely, after speaking of the bodhisattva from the east having concluded, next speaking of the time for the bodhisattva from the west (this is the first sense). Having concluded speaking of the arising of goodness associated with the east, next is the time for speaking of the arising of goodness associated with the west (this is the second sense). Having concluded speaking of the cutting off of doubt associated with the east, next is the time for speaking of the cutting off of doubt associated with the west (this is the third sense). Having concluded speaking of the attaining of the path associated with the east, next is the time for speaking of the attaining of the path associated with the west (this is the fourth sense).

"Akshayamati," "Boundless Mind": the Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra makes clear that emptiness is boundless; the Mahasamnipata Sutra makes clear the eighty gates of boundlessness; the Vimalakirti Sutra says, "as for the boundless, it is neither exhausted nor unexhausted, and hence it is named boundless." Drawing on all three sutras, using the three contemplations and the three wisdoms, explains "boundless." "Mind" is wisdom; "boundless" is the object. Wisdom accords with its object: taken purely in terms of the object, one should speak of "boundless"; taken purely in terms of wisdom, one should speak of "mind" — object and wisdom named together give "Boundless Mind." (1) Further, "mind" is the very root of both the mundane and the transcendent. (2) Further, "mind" is itself the middle way of the dharma-realm, and hence it is said that being able to contemplate the nature of mind is named the supreme concentration. (3) This explains the name in terms of the three wisdoms and the three contemplations. As for his raising the question: the Great Sutra says, "endowed with the two adornments, one is able both to question and to answer." Akshayamati, beforehand, with the adornment of wisdom, questions Avalokiteshvara, who is likewise endowed with the adornment of wisdom, and the Buddha, with the adornment of wisdom, answers concerning Avalokiteshvara's adornment of wisdom.

The Buddha's answer falls into three: first, the general answer; second, the specific answer; third, the answer urging that the name be upheld. The general answer falls into four: first, the number of persons; second, encountering suffering; third, hearing the name and invoking it; fourth, attaining liberation. Suffering itself is of many kinds: one person suffering, many people undergoing a single suffering, one person undergoing many sufferings, one person undergoing a lesser suffering. Here the text speaks of hundreds of thousands of myriads of kotis of beings — this is many people; undergoing every kind of suffering and affliction — this is many sufferings. Citing the greater to make plain the lesser: if even the many can be saved, how much more the few and their lesser sufferings! Encountering suffering is the evil; invoking the name is the good — good and evil together constitute the meaning of "capacity." "And attains liberation" is the response — this is the causal connection of capacity and response that gives the name Avalokiteshvara, and it is likewise the causal connection of person and dharma, extending to the causal connection of wisdom and its severance, that gives the name Avalokiteshvara. From here on, the name is concluded by analogy in just this way, without further burdening the text.

The specific answer falls into three: first, the response to capacity through speech; second, the response to capacity through the mind; third, the response to capacity through the body. The response through speech, again, falls into two: first, making clear the seven perils; second, the conclusion. The peril of fire falls into four: first, upholding the name is the good; second, encountering fire is the evil; third, the response; fourth, the conclusion. Within each single peril, there are, correspondingly, three rounds of consideration: first, the fire of karmic recompense — from the hells up through the first dhyana, all are discussed in terms of capacity and response; second, the fire of evil karma — from the hells up through the heaven of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, all are discussed in terms of capacity and response; third, the fire of affliction — from the hells up through the stage of Virtual Enlightenment, all are discussed in terms of capacity and response. The seven perils, the three poisons, and the two kinds of request all follow this same pattern by way of example. Since this meaning is so extensive, it can be grasped in its intent but cannot be recorded in the text in full. The response through the body falls into two: first, the two kinds of request; second, the conclusion. The request for a son involves establishing a vow and cultivating meritorious practice; for the request for a daughter, the text abbreviates the cultivation — since the actual act of paying homage is the same in both cases, it is abbreviated — yet, since the vow and the karmic deed differ in each case, they are set forth separately once again. The conclusion is as the text has it.

From "for this reason, beings" onward is the urging that the name be upheld, which falls into three: the urging itself, the comparative reckoning, and the concluding praise. What was said above, of his surpassing name and admirable virtue, does not distinguish his bodily form — if one wishes to take refuge in and honor him, one should uphold his name, and hence this urging. The Treatise on Entering the Great Vehicle says, "the Dharma-body is single, but the response-bodies are many" — reckoning that sixty-two kotis of bodhisattvas' merit equal a single Dharma-body. The Wise One (Zhiyi himself) says: "the perfect person is single, but the partial persons are many" — reckoning that sixty-two kotis of partial bodhisattvas equal a single perfect bodhisattva.

The second round of questioning falls into three: "how does he roam" asks about the body; "how does he expound the Dharma" asks about speech; "by what skillful means" asks about the mind — this is the sage's threefold mystery, the provisional means beyond calculation, adapting and responding to each capacity. The Buddha's answer, likewise, falls into three: first, the specific answer; second, the general answer; third, the urging to make offerings. "Should be saved by such-and-such a body" answers concerning the power of skillful means; "manifests that body" answers the question about roaming; "expounds the Dharma" answers the question about speech. In all, there are thirty-three bodily forms and nineteen ways of expounding the Dharma (and so on).

From "accomplishes" onward concludes the specific answer and opens into the general answer. The specific portion has broad wording but narrow meaning; the general answer has narrow wording but broad meaning (and so on). From "for this reason" onward is the urging to make offerings — here, having seen his form and heard the Dharma, an offering is therefore urged. First, the urging; next, the receiving of the instruction. The receiving of the instruction falls into six: offering it, declining it, offering it once more, the Buddha's urging, accepting it at once, and the conclusion — all as the text has it. From "Dharanindhara" onward is the merit obtained from hearing the chapter (and so on). As for "unequaled and equal": the minds of the nine dharma-realms cannot equal the principle, while the mind of the buddha-realm is able to equal this very principle — hence "unequaled, yet equal." Further, ultimate principle is unequaled; when one first takes the ultimate principle as an object and gives rise to the resolve, one becomes able to equal that principle — hence it is called "unequaled, yet equal." Further, mind and principle are both alike unobtainable — what thing, then, would equal what other thing, that one should speak of "unequaled, yet equal"? Mind and principle are both alike inexpressible, yet, being inexpressible, are nonetheless expressed — to say that this mind equals this principle is what is meant by "unequaled, yet equal." The first explanation is a horizontal one; the second is a vertical one; the third is neither horizontal nor vertical (and so on).

Explaining the chapter Dharanis. This is translated "total retention," retaining evil so that it does not arise, and retaining good so that it is not lost (this is the first sense). It is also translated "able to block and able to retain": able to retain the good and able to block evil (this is the second and third sense) — this is also expressed as able to block partial evil and able to retain the middling good (this is the fourth sense). The various sutras open and restrict the use of dharanis differently: some use them solely to cure illness, as with the layman Nadi; some use them solely to protect the Dharma, as in the present text; some use them solely to eliminate offenses, as in the Vaipulya sutras; some use them broadly, to cure illness, eliminate offenses, and protect the sutra all at once, as in the Sutra of Requesting Avalokiteshvara; and some — the Great Bright Spell, the Unsurpassed Bright Spell, the Unequaled and Equal Bright Spell — are for none of these: neither curing illness, nor eliminating offenses, nor protecting the sutra. If one is speaking generally, all these uses should be combined; if one is discussing a particular case, one must be sure to follow the sutra and not depart from its own teaching (and so on).

Various masters have said, variously: that a mantra is the name of a spirit-king, and, by invoking that king's name, his subjects, honoring their lord, dare not do wrong, and so the mantra is able to subdue every ghost and spirit (this is the first account). Or that a mantra is like a secret password within an army: chanting the password correctly meets with no challenge or interrogation, while, if it does not match, one is seized and punished — if one does not comply with the correct spell, one's head splits into seven pieces, while if one complies with the spell, no fault results (this is the second account). Or that a mantra secretly and silently overcomes evil, so that the evil of itself subsides — as when, for instance, a person of humble station fled from his own country to another, falsely claiming to be a prince, so that that country married its princess to him, a princess who was prone to anger and difficult to manage.

There was a wise man who came from the impostor's own country; the husband went to consult him, and the man told him that, whenever she was about to grow angry, he should recite a verse. The verse ran: "Wandering to another land, with no kin of my own, I have deceived every person here; coarse fare has become my ordinary lot — why, then, should I trouble myself to grow angry as well?" As he recited this verse, she fell silent and her anger subsided, and afterward she was never angry again — yet the husband and everyone else, hearing only the verse, had no idea what it meant. A mantra is likewise so: secretly and silently blocking evil, its meaning unknown to anyone else (this is the third account). Or that a mantra is the buddhas' own secret speech, as when a king asks for saindhava — a word that can mean salt, water, a vessel, or a horse, depending on context — which none among his subjects can understand, save for a wise minister alone, who alone is able to know what is meant. A mantra is likewise so: it is a single dharma that pervasively holds every power at once, curing illness, removing offenses, giving rise to good, and according with the path (this is the fourth account). For this reason, mantras all retain their original sound, and it is for this very reason that translators do not translate them. In an evil age, propagating the sutra brings much vexation and difficulty, and it is by means of mantras that it is protected, so that the path may be propagated and spread.

The text falls into four: first, the question about the merit of upholding the sutra; second, the answer, "very great"; third, the request to protect it with spells; fourth, the benefit obtained from hearing the chapter. The first, the question, is as the text has it. The second, the answer, involves a comparative reckoning: the original question asks whether the merit is great, and the answer, "very great," reckons out the merit, as the text has it. The request to speak the spells comes in five rounds: first, Bhaishajyaraja; second, Pradanashura; third, Vaishravana; fourth, Dhrtarashtra; fifth, the ten rakshasi daughters. Bhaishajyaraja's falls into four: the request, the speaking of the spell, the praise, and the seal of confirmation; the examples that follow have three parts each, as the text has it. The ten daughters' falls into five: listing their names, the request to speak, the praise, the vow, and the seal. "Yaksha" is translated "swift ghost"; "rakshasa" is translated "man-eating ghost" — these two classes belong to those governed by Vaishravana in the north. "Putana" is a fever-demon; "krtya," a corpse-raising demon — both humans and yakshas alike may harbor this demon. "Vidala" is a red-colored demon; "Kanthapata" is a yellow-colored demon (unclear); "Aumaraka" is a black-colored demon (unclear); "Apasmara" is a blue-colored demon.

When a branch of the arjaka tree falls to the ground, it naturally breaks into seven pieces, just as the head of one who breaks the spell's precept is said to split into seven pieces; killing one's father, killing one's mother, and causing a schism in the sangha are the three most grievous transgressions. As for the oil-makers of foreign lands, who pound sesame and let it breed maggots before pressing it, hoping thereby for more juice and greater profit — this fault is especially grave. Using a light measure to give out and a heavy measure to take in is the height of cheating and theft; in recent times there have been those who give out with a small dipper and take in with a large one, branding the mark upon its very handle — this offense, too, is far from light.

Explaining the chapter King Shubhavyuha's Former Life. This causal story comes from another sutra. In the age of the Buddha's declining Dharma there were four monks who felt the utmost reverence and earnestness toward the Lotus Sutra; although they unrolled and studied this secret teaching, they had not yet tasted its ambrosia, and day and night, with upright sincerity, never for a single moment forgot it, lamenting, "Is it not, perhaps, that we are not the right persons? Is it not, perhaps, that this is not the right place?" The mundane world is a tangle of sorrow, its stillness and its distractions at odds with each other — merely to seek quiet already requires renouncing it, how much more so to honor the path! And so they bound themselves by an agreement to dwell together in the mountain forest, their resolve set upon the buddha-wisdom. As their secluded dwelling stretched on, day by day, their robes and provisions grew utterly bare; having needs, they suffered many troubles, and at no time were they without want — a single meal, hastily gulped down, was enough to abandon a journey of ten thousand li; nine meals in a hundred days bent low their sky-soaring resolve — how could this even be put into words?

One of the four said: "We four, destitute as we are, cannot even sustain our own bodies — how, then, should the Dharma find its support? You three should simply devote your very lives to the path and set your minds at rest about our provisions; I alone will give up my own bodily strength and vow to supply whatever is needed." And so he shook his staff at the gates of the villages, seeking to sustain their support, from spring to winter, cycle after cycle, like a servant attending his master, enduring both the sweet and the bitter without either joy or resentment.

The other three were thus able to unfold their sincerity fully, their achievement complete and their task accomplished — the benefit of a single lifetime, extending to lives without measure. As for the one man, going out among people time and again, he repeatedly encountered sound and beauty, and, being like an unfired clay vessel, found it hard to safeguard himself. He chanced once to meet a king setting out in his carriage, horses ranked close together, banners and pennants dazzling in profusion, and a thought arose in his mind, delighting in that royal splendor; his merit, thus perfumed and cultivated, brought its recompense in accordance with that very thought, and among humans and gods he thereafter constantly became a king — though the resulting blessing was beyond reckoning, it was, nonetheless, still finite. The other three, having attained the path, gathered and discussed the matter: "That we escaped the cage and trap of poverty and hunger was due to this man's merit — yet his indulgence in the recompense of that merit only increases what is conditioned, and, once he dies from this present state, he will no longer be a king, but will instead sink into a pit of fire, from which it will be truly hard to save him. While he has not yet suffered, this is precisely the moment to convert him."

One of the three said: "This king is attached to desire, and holds wrong views besides — unless we use the hook of love, there is no way to draw him out. One of us can become his upright and beautiful wife, and two can become his clever sons; the words of sons and wife will surely be heeded and followed, and, converting him in this fitting way, we may succeed in turning him from his wrongness." The wife was none other than the bodhisattva Gadgadasvara; the two sons of that former age are, in the present, the two bodhisattvas Bhaishajyaraja and Bhaishajyasamudgata; the king of that former age is, in the present, the bodhisattva Padmashri. This is why, in the preceding chapters, the white tuft of hair summoned Gadgadasvara from the east, and he ascended the purple platform and was led westward; and why the spirit-mantras protect the sutra, causing it to spread and be of great benefit — and it is in telling the prior karmic connection of these four sages that the chapter is named King Shubhavyuha's Former Life.

Further, "Shubhavyuha," "Wonderful Adornment": the merit of the wondrous Dharma adorns all the sense-faculties. This king, in a former age, had a karmic connection to the wondrous Dharma; as the path perfumed him and the time ripened, his sense-faculties were fit to become pure — though not yet attained in that birth, its principle would inevitably arrive, and, moved and connected by this numinous omen, his fine name was established early on. This is like Subhuti, who, though not yet free of all contention, was already named "born of emptiness" — hence the text below says, "attaining the samadhi of adornment with pure merit" — and it is for this reason that he is named "King Wonderful Adornment." The preceding chapter told of protection by mantra; this chapter tells of protection by a person — if protection by a person is already so effective, how much better still is protection by mantra — and so, universally, the propagation of the sutra is urged.

The text falls into six: first, making clear the basis of the matter; second, naming, in pairs, those converted and those who convert; third, the skillful means of converting; fourth, the benefit obtained by those converted; fifth, the concluding identification of past and present; sixth, awakening to the path upon hearing the chapter. The basis of the matter is as the text has it.

From "within that buddha's Dharma" onward is the second part, naming, in pairs, those converted and those who convert. The one converted and the three who convert are both named outright, and the two sons' merit and wisdom, the six perfections, and the fourfold universal vow are shown separately. Other sutras point to these as the ten paramitas, a horizontal dharma-gate, and the thirty-seven factors aiding the path, a vertical dharma-gate; in other sutras the thirty-seven factors are the correct path, while other practices are aids to the path. This sutra points to the ten perfections as the correct path, and calls these thirty-seven factors the aids to the path. Within the perfection of meditative absorption there is, in full, samadhi, and within each of the factors of the path there is, section by section, samadhi as well; that seven samadhis are further specified here is simply to display the dharma-gates in full.

From "at that time, that buddha" onward is the third part, the skillful means of converting, and the text falls into three: first, the time's arrival; second, the discussion; third, the manifest transformation. As for the time's arrival: that buddha, appearing in the world, constantly proclaimed the correct Dharma, but, given the king's weak karmic connection, it was not yet the time — only when the Lotus Sutra was to be expounded would the time have come. The text says, "that buddha, wishing to guide him, was about to expound the Lotus Sutra" — this is precisely the meaning of it. Second, the discussion: in the text, the sons tell their mother that the time has come; the mother defers to them, having them convert their father; the sons lament having been born into a household of wrong views; the mother reproaches them, bidding them to hold this in mind with concern — all as the text has it. From "thereupon the two sons" onward is the third part, the manifest transformation — the manifest transformation ought to correspond to the eighteen kinds of miraculous transformation, which may be explained in full. From "at that time, the father, seeing his sons" onward is the fourth part, the benefit obtained by those converted, and the text falls into ten: first, believing in his sons and submitting to their teacher — the king, having witnessed the transformations of the heretics, one or two at most, narrow and crude, and then seeing what his sons had done, marveled at what he had never before seen; believing in his sons, he submitted to their teacher, and asked who this teacher was, wishing to see him himself.

Second, the royal father, already believing, and the eighty-four thousand within the palace likewise having ripened, the sons tell their mother, rejoicing, and ask leave to go forth from household life, which their mother grants. Third, urging their parents once more, saying that now is precisely the time, since a buddha is so hard to encounter. Fourth, the achievement of the conversion already manifest, the Buddha praises their merit. "The samadhi of the Lotus" gathers up every dharma into the one true reality, as explained above. "Freed from the evil destinies": taken narrowly, the three lower paths are the evil destinies; taken in full, discussing all twenty-five states of existence, every one of them, straying from the true and giving rise to the false, is itself an evil destiny — here, all of these are left behind at once, through the twenty-five samadhis that break the twenty-five states of existence. "The samadhi of the buddhas' gathering" is precisely the secret treasury in which the buddhas gather together — a domain in which only a buddha may act, not any other person.

Fifth, together going to where the Buddha was, hearing the Dharma, making offerings, and rejoicing at the auspicious sign. Sixth, the Buddha bestowing the prediction. Seventh, going forth from household life and cultivating practice. Eighth, praising the two sons. Ninth, the Buddha recounting the loftiness of their practice. Tenth, praising the Buddha and making his own vow. The Buddha's praise of the good spiritual friend carries great significance: the good spiritual friend is able to carry out the buddhas' work — this, then, is the good spiritual friend as outer protector. "Instructing, teaching, benefiting, and delighting" is, then, the good spiritual friend as teacher; "namely, guiding and converting so as to bring about the sight of the Buddha" is, then, the good spiritual friend as fellow practitioner; "causing entry into bodhi" is, then, the good spiritual friend of the ultimate reality itself. The Samyukta Agama says, "the good spiritual friend is like a chaste and virtuous wife" — this is the meaning of outer protector; further, the good spiritual friend is like the wealth of one's own clan — this is the meaning of fellow practitioner; further, the good spiritual friend is like the leader of a merchant caravan — this is the meaning of teacher; further, the good spiritual friend is like a child lying in its father's embrace — this is the meaning of the ultimate reality.

"The Buddha said to the great assembly" onward is the concluding identification of past and present: first, the identification itself; next, the concluding praise of the two bodhisattvas. "Having spoken this" onward is the attaining of the path upon hearing the chapter, as the text has it.

Explaining the chapter Samantabhadra's Encouragement. The Great Treatise and the Contemplation Sutra both name him "Universally Auspicious"; this sutra calls him "Samantabhadra" — both are Chinese renderings of the Sanskrit sound Vishvabhadra, which means "universally worthy." The Sutra of Compassionate Flowers says, "'I vow that, in a defiled and evil world, I shall practice the bodhisattva path so as to make it adorned and pure, and my practice must surpass that of every other bodhisattva.' The Buddha Ratnagarbha said: 'On account of this causal vow, I now change your name to Samantabhadra.'" This carries the meaning of the three siddhantas, and is, further, an explanation in terms of causes and conditions, and also a name obtained through vow and practice. As it has come down, from the four foundations of mindfulness up through the four wholesome roots, all are together called "universally worthy"; taken specifically, the dharma called "supreme in the world," bordering on the true and near to sagehood, is what is called "worthy" — this, however, is spoken of within the Tripitaka teaching alone. Here, what is meant is the very summit of the stage of subduing affliction: its cause pervading everywhere is called "universal"; and, after the cutting-off of the path, bordering on the ultimate sage, is called "worthy." If the ten stages of faith are the beginning of the stage of subduing, they are neither the summit nor pervasive, bordering only on the very beginning of the initial sagehood, neither its later stage nor its ultimate; and even the tenth ground is likewise neither pervasive nor ultimate — how much less, then, the stages before it? Here what is discussed is the stage of Virtual Enlightenment, which occupies the very summit of every stage of subduing — since the stage of subduing is here pervasive, it is called "universal"; since the cutting-off of the path is all but complete, with scarcely anything left to compare, bordering on the very final limit, it is called "worthy." The Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra cites the moon of the fourteenth night as like the moon of the fifteenth — this meaning is thereby made plain.

This, framed in terms of the perfect teaching's stages, explains Samantabhadra in his later stage. "Encouragement" is a phrase expressing longing for the Dharma: dwelling far off in his own land, having heard this sutra in full, from beginning to end, complete, he wishes his own practice and his converting of others to continue without ever ceasing, and hence he comes from the east, from the west, to give this encouragement — carrying, in full, the meaning of the four siddhantas (and so on). The text says: "Because I wished to make offerings to the Lotus Sutra, I manifested my own body; if beings see my body, they will feel great joy" (this is the first sense); "having already seen me, they will grow ever more diligent, and will at once attain samadhi and dharani" (this is the second sense); "having attained this dharani, there will be no non-human being able to destroy it, nor will they be led astray by any woman" (this is the third sense); "the bodhisattvas, as numerous as motes of dust in the three-thousand-great-thousandfold world, will all be endowed with the path of Samantabhadra" (this is the fourth sense). Such a manifestly plain text is precisely the four siddhantas, and it is with these that he comes to give his encouragement. What was set out above as the threefold propagation of the Dharma to later generations: from the nineteen-line verse onward, through the following three and a half chapters, the sutra's own power is cited as great, to urge its propagation; the five chapters following "Bhaishajyaraja" cite the bodhisattvas' power of converting and guiding as great, to urge its propagation; this one chapter cites Samantabhadra's power of vow as great, to urge its propagation.

The text is divided into four parts: first, his coming; second, the encouragement; third, his account confirming it; fourth, the resulting benefit. The first, the sutra-compiler's own account of his coming, falls into three: first, offerings made above; second, converting below; third, paying reverent homage. "Sovereign freedom" is the oneness of principle; "supernatural power" is the oneness of practice; "awesome virtue" is the oneness of the person; "renown" is the oneness of the teaching. Further, "sovereign freedom" is permanence; "supernatural power" is bliss; "awesome virtue" is self; "renown" is purity — spoken of in this way, they are one yet four, virtue lacking nothing, this being the very meaning of sovereign freedom. By the power of purity, flowers rain down; by the power of bliss, music is played; by supernatural power, the earth quakes. By the power of sovereign freedom, he rains down flowers at will, raining wherever he goes, playing music wherever he moves — like a great dragon flying without cease, clouds and rain arising inexhaustibly all about its body.

Samantabhadra and his retinue come in bodhisattva form, employing the power of these four virtues. As for the fourfold encouragement: first, wherever he passes, making his own offerings above — the matter is as described. From "and together with the various gods and dragons" onward is the benefit of converting below wherever he passes, manifesting the forms of the eight kinds of non-human beings as suited to each, employing, in brief, two of the powers according to what each is able to bear — the matter is as described. Third, paying reverent homage, circling his body and bowing his face to the ground, as the text has it.

The encouragement falls into two: first, the request that occasions the encouragement; second, the vow that constitutes the encouragement. There is a question, and there is an answer. As for the question: having heard the sutra to its conclusion from afar, his longing for the Dharma without end, his resolve in coming from so distant a place set upon giving encouragement, he therefore makes this further request. The direct request concerns the encouragement of his own practice; the further request concerns the encouragement of propagation, the converting of others — should the Tathagata grant it, both paths would then be expounded once more, their radiance without limit, and it is for this reason that he makes a double request. The Buddha's answer proceeds first with a general statement, then a specific one, and finally a conclusion. The specific portion lists the names of the four dharmas, as the text has it. Since Samantabhadra made a double request, the Tathagata's skillful answer, in brief, raises these four to cover them both. Why is this? Because the essence of the four dharmas embraces both the correct teaching and its propagation. Why is this? Although the Buddha shows no partiality, if one is able to turn from evil far away and follow the good, turning back from delusion to the correct, opening the provisional knowledge and vision to reveal the buddha's own knowledge and vision, this accords with the sage's own mind, and the buddhas guard and are mindful of it; if the buddha's knowledge and vision are opened, then prajna illuminates clearly, and this is the planting of every root of virtue; it is likewise entering the assembly certain of the correct path, neither confused nor deluded, neither grasping nor rejecting; and it is likewise the arousing of the vow to save beings. One should understand that these four are, in name, different from "opening the provisional to reveal the real," yet, in substance, the very same, without any duality or distinction.

Further, "the buddhas guarding and being mindful of it" is the opening of the buddha's knowledge and vision; "planting every root of virtue" is the showing of the buddha's knowledge and vision; "arousing the vow to save beings" is the awakening to the buddha's knowledge and vision; "entering the assembly certain of the correct path" is the entering into the buddha's knowledge and vision. The essence of the trace gate is gathered up entirely in these four. Further, where there is a trace, there is an origin as well; from the origin come opening, showing, awakening, and entering, and hence there is likewise an opening, showing, awakening, and entering within the trace. Here, opening the trace is itself the revealing of the origin — origin and trace are without duality, without distinction — and it is by means of these four dharmas that the request concerning the correct teaching is answered; the meaning is thereby made plain.

Answering with these four dharmas the request concerning propagation: the means of propagation are but three, yet also but four. "Arousing the vow to save beings" is entering the Tathagata's room; "entering the assembly certain of the correct path" and "the buddhas guarding and being mindful of it" is wearing the Tathagata's robe; "planting every root of virtue" is sitting in the Tathagata's seat — these are the essentials of propagation, four and yet three at once. "Arousing the vow to save beings" is the peaceful practice of vow; "entering the assembly certain of the correct path" is the peaceful practice of mind; "planting every root of virtue" is the peaceful practice of speech; "being guarded and held in mind" is the peaceful practice of body — one should understand that these latter four are none other than the former four. A single answer thus satisfies both requests, and these four raised up together crown the entire sutra — the Lotus repeated once more, this sutra proclaimed again, and the encouragement of one who has come from so far — such is the meaning of it.

Third, the conclusion: after the Tathagata's extinction, one will surely obtain this sutra. The older reading says: "One who is able to practice the four dharmas will, in ages to come, constantly hold this sutra in hand." Here it is held that this is not so: the passage above says, "the meaning of the true reality of all dharmas has already been expounded for your sake," and, further, "causing all beings, one and all, to open, show, awaken to, and enter the buddha's own knowledge and vision." This is, after all, the very substance itself of the Lotus — one who is able to practice the four dharmas will surely obtain this very understanding, and it is this understanding, named "sutra," that concludes the question concerning the request for the correct teaching. If one is able to carry this understanding and transmit its practice to others, and those others, obtaining this faith and understanding, become a first-level dependable person, while those able to obtain true understanding become a second-, third-, or fourth-level dependable person — this concludes the question concerning the request for propagation. If this intent goes unrecognized, is it not simply idle talk to say anything else?

"He said to the Buddha" onward is the second part, the vow that constitutes the encouragement. The text falls into two: first, protecting the person; second, protecting the Dharma. Protecting the person falls into six: first, warding off outer difficulties — the first part, warding off difficulties in general, is the meaning of "so that none may find any opportunity to take advantage of him"; next, warding off difficulties specifically, listing the twelve non-human beings. Second, teaching the inner Dharma, comprising three rounds of instruction in all: first, while walking, standing, or reciting the sutra, riding the white elephant with six tusks, he comforts and reassures the practitioner's mind; next, while sitting in contemplation, again riding the white elephant with six tusks, he teaches and shows the sutra, bestowing samadhi upon him. "Dharani" is turning from the provisional to enter emptiness; "the hundred-thousandfold turning" is turning from emptiness to emerge into the provisional; "skillful means" — these two prior turnings serve as the path of skillful means, leading to entry into the ultimate-meaning truth of the middle way.

Finally, twenty-one days of single-minded diligence, Samantabhadra again riding the white elephant with six tusks, instructing, teaching, benefiting, and delighting him, and reciting the spell — as the text has it. Third, covering him with spiritual power — whether one hears it or upholds it, none of it is other than spiritual power — as the text has it. Fourth, showing the superior cause: if one is able to be a teacher of the Dharma in any of the five ways, this is precisely what the buddhas of the three periods of time have, as seed, brought to ripeness and to liberation — such a person attains liberation together with the buddhas of the future, and hence it is said, "he shares in the practice of Samantabhadra." Such a person has already, under former buddhas, planted good roots, and hence it is said, "he has deeply planted good roots." Such a person is brought to ripeness by the buddhas presently appearing, and hence it is said, "the buddha lays his hand upon his head." Fifth, showing the near fruit: one who is merely able to copy the sutra draws near to the Trayastrimsha heaven; one endowed with the five kinds of teaching of the Dharma comes next to be in Tushita — as the text has it. Sixth, the general conclusion — this is the passage beginning "for this reason, the wise." From "World-Honored One, with my spiritual power now" onward is the second part, the vow to protect the Dharma, as the text has it.

Third, his confirmation: this is the Tathagata's raising up what is superior to confirm what is lesser, so as to increase the courage and vigor of practitioners in propagating the Dharma. First, he confirms the protecting of the Dharma, saying: since you are able to bring such benefit outwardly and accumulate such compassion inwardly, and have, moreover, given such protection since long kalpas past, I, too, with the buddha's spiritual power, protect this Dharma — how much more, then, should you? — as the text has it. From "if there is a person" onward he confirms the protecting of the person; though not given in strict order, the confirmation is complete in its meaning. "Know that such a person then sees Shakyamuni Buddha" confirms his manifesting his body and teaching the Dharma: if such a person, merely upholding the sutra, sees my own reward-body of ten thousand virtues, how much more so you, upon your causal white elephant with six tusks? If such a person hears the sutra in full from the Buddha's own mouth, how much more so those you have taught, though they should forget a passage or a phrase?

If such a person is already praised by the Buddha's own mouth, has his head touched by the Buddha's hand, and is covered by the Buddha's robe, how much more so you, upon whose causal person the dharani itself provides covering? From "not covetously clinging to worldly pleasures" onward he confirms the raising up of the cause: setting forth at length that, within this cause, there is no fault or wrongdoing whatsoever, the practitioner wanting little, knowing contentment, and cultivating the practice of Samantabhadra — this confirms the superior cause. From "if, after the Tathagata's extinction" onward he confirms the raising up of the near fruit: such a person, bound for the place of enlightenment, will surely accomplish the distant fruit — how much more, then, the near fruit! He will, moreover, obtain this near fruit in the very present life, not merely by being born in the heavens. From "if a person makes light of and slanders one who upholds this sutra" onward he confirms his ability to ward off outer difficulty: the Buddha sets forth at length the offense of one who slanders, causing him, upon recognizing his fault, to surely correct it and cause no further vexation or disturbance to others — so that not only does the one who upholds the sutra escape harm, but even the one who wished to slander him gives rise to blessing instead; with neither slander nor difficulty, both sides find peace and ease — a boundless salvation, without partiality, the very height of compassion. From "one should rise to receive him from afar, as reverently as one would receive the Buddha himself" he confirms the merit of the one who places his faith in this practice.

Fourth, from "having spoken this" onward is the text of the resulting benefit. First, the benefit obtained from hearing the chapter: "attaining the dharani of turning" is the stage of the first ground, "being fully endowed with the path of Samantabhadra" is the stage of the tenth ground; second, the benefit obtained from hearing the sutra as a whole: this is "the great assembly, rejoicing." "Rejoicing" is as explained before. Here, why are they still called "shravakas"? This is simply the sutra-compiler retaining their original rank and title.

And yet the sutra-compiler also calls them "shravakas of the Great Vehicle" — for, having caused the voice of the buddha-path to be heard by all, this meaning becomes all the more evident.