Into the Fire

There were, further, ten thousand gandharva kings, present in the open sky, who spoke thus: "Good son, when this brahmin scorched his body with the five fires, he released great light, illumining our own palaces, causing all of us to attain bliss beyond conceiving; we came before him, and he expounded the Dharma for us, even causing us to raise the mind of unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, attaining non-retrogression." There were, further, ten thousand asura kings, present in the open sky, kneeling on their right knees, single-mindedly joining their palms, reverently making offering, who spoke thus: "Good son, when this brahmin scorched his body with the five fires, every asura palace, the great earth, and the great ocean, all shook; at that time we extinguished our own pride, and came before him; he expounded the Dharma for us, forever removing every flattering, crooked, illusory mind, attaining profound patience with the Dharma, abiding firmly, unmoving, fully endowed with the ten powers." There were, further, ten thousand garuḍa kings, Balin and others, transformed into the youths of heterodox paths, present in the open sky, who spoke thus: "Even so, he expounded the Dharma for us, establishing great kindness, praising great compassion, delivering us across the ocean of birth and death; for those sunk in the mire of the five desires, praising the gate of a pure, upright mind, giving rise to the wings of wisdom's own skillful means, transforming and delivering each according to what they required." There were, further, ten thousand kiṃnara kings, present in the open sky, who spoke thus: "Good son, when this brahmin scorched his body with the five fires, from within our own jeweled tāla-trees, our nets of golden bells, our jeweled necklaces, our every jeweled tree, and every kind of musical instrument, subtle and marvelous voices spontaneously sounded forth — the voice of the Buddha, the voice of the Dharma, the voice of the monastic community, the voice of every irreversible bodhisattva, the voice of the mind of awakening; the voice proclaiming that, in such-and-such a direction, in such-and-such a land, some bodhisattva had raised the mind of awakening, cultivated ascetic practice, practiced great generosity, adorned the bodhimaṇḍa, gone to the bodhimaṇḍa, and attained perfect awakening. Good son, on hearing these voices, we rejoiced greatly, and came before him; he expounded the Dharma for us, causing sentient beings beyond measure to attain non-retrogression from unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening." There were, further, devas of the desire realm beyond measure, present in the open sky, making offering in reverence, who spoke thus: "Good son, when this brahmin scorched his body with the five fires, he released great light, even universally illumining the Avīci hell, extinguishing its every pain and suffering; whatever sentient being beheld this light, at the end of their life, was reborn in heaven, knowing to repay this kindness. Casting aside the pleasure of the five desires, we came before him, delighting to behold him without ever tiring; he expounded the Dharma for us, even causing sentient beings beyond measure to raise the mind of awakening."

At that time Sudhana the Boy, hearing this extraordinary Dharma, his mind greatly rejoicing, in the presence of the brahmin, raised a mind of true, genuine trust in this good spiritual friend; bowing his head at his feet, he said thus: "Just now I doubted your sacred teaching, going against the teaching of a spiritual friend — I ask only that you, great sage, accept my repentance."

At that time the brahmin spoke a verse for Sudhana's sake: "Whoever seeks awakening should accord with the teaching of a spiritual friend, extinguishing every doubt, single-mindedly and constantly reverent. Cultivating the true path, knowing the true mark of the Dharma, abiding firmly at the bodhimaṇḍa, accomplishing the Buddha's own awakening."

At that time Sudhana the Boy then climbed the mountain of knives and threw himself into the mass of fire; before he had even reached its midst, he already attained the bodhisattva's own Samādhi of Abiding in Peace; and, having reached the very flame itself, he further attained the bodhisattva's own Samādhi of Tranquil, Peaceful, Illumining Bliss. Having attained this samādhi, he said: "How extraordinary, great sage! This mountain of knives and this great mass of fire — when my body touched them, I felt only peace and bliss." At that time the brahmin said to Sudhana: "Good son, I have accomplished only this bodhisattva's own Dharma-gate of Inexhaustibility. The bright, pure Dharma-King's every bodhisattva practice, fulfilling every vow; extinguishing entirely every sentient being's own affliction and wrong view, attaining non-retrogression, an inexhaustible mind, departing from every mind of indolence, fearless in every way; attaining the treasury of vajra and Nārāyaṇa, reaching the very end of the great domain, never once weary; forever removed from every stain, unmoving as the wheel of wind, diligent and never retreating, adorning himself with great adornment, bringing benefit to sentient beings. A Dharma-gate such as this — how could I possibly know it, how could I possibly explain it? Good son, to the south of here there is a city, named Lion's Vigor; there is a girl there, named Maitrāyaṇī. Go to her and ask how a bodhisattva learns the bodhisattva's own practice, cultivates the bodhisattva path." At that time Sudhana the Boy bowed his head at his feet, circled him countless times, observed him without ever tiring, and, taking his leave, journeyed on to the south.