Radiance and Truthful Speech

Sutra: At that time, the World-Honored One illuminated the entire great trichiliocosm with his abiding radiance. It also reached Buddha worlds in the east as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, and likewise in all ten directions. Any beings who encountered this light would certainly attain unsurpassed complete awakening.

Treatise: Question: His whole body has already smiled, and he has emitted light from his pores. Why does he now also emit his abiding radiance to illuminate the ten directions?

Answer: Some people see an unusual light and think it is not the Buddha's light. When they see his abiding radiance expand, their hearts rejoice: 'This truly is the Buddha's light.' They will then ultimately attain unsurpassed complete awakening.

Question: What is 'abiding radiance'?

Answer: It is the light extending one zhang on every side of the Buddha's body. The bodhisattva has it from birth. It is one of the thirty-two marks, called the mark of a halo extending one zhang.

Question: Why does the Buddha's abiding light extend only one zhang and no farther?

Answer: The abiding radiance of all Buddhas is immeasurable and constantly illuminates the worlds in the ten directions. The light of Śākyamuni Buddha's body, manifested through his supernormal power, is immeasurable: it may extend one zhang, a hundred zhang, or countless vast distances, filling the great trichiliocosm and even the ten directions, as is the usual way of all Buddhas. But in this age of the five defilements, because beings have little virtue and wisdom, he assumes a radiance of one zhang. If he assumed a greater radiance, beings now, having little merit and dull faculties, could not bear its brightness with their eyes. It is like people losing their sight upon seeing a deva's body, because its light is strong and their eyes are weak. If beings have sharp faculties and abundant merit, the Buddha manifests immeasurable light for them.

Furthermore, some people rejoice upon seeing the Buddha's abiding radiance and attain liberation. It is like a king giving what remains of his regular meal to his subjects: those who receive it are greatly delighted. The Buddha is also like this. Some people do not rejoice at the many other kinds of light he manifests, yet upon seeing his abiding radiance, they are certain to attain unsurpassed complete awakening.

Sutra: At that time, the World-Honored One extended his broad and long tongue, covering the entire great trichiliocosm, and smiled with joy. From the root of his tongue came immeasurable myriads of rays. Each ray transformed into a golden jeweled lotus with a thousand petals. On each lotus sat a manifested Buddha in full lotus posture, teaching the six perfections. Beings who heard them would certainly attain unsurpassed complete awakening. The same manifestations also reached Buddha worlds in all ten directions as numerous as the sands of the Ganges.

Treatise: Question: The Buddha, the World-Honored One, possesses great virtue and dignity. Why does he extend his broad and long tongue, seemingly making a frivolous gesture?

Answer: The three kinds of light described above illuminated beings in the ten directions and enabled them to attain liberation. Now he is about to teach the Mahāprajñāpāramitā in words. The Mahāprajñāpāramitā is extremely profound, difficult to understand and know, and difficult to believe and accept. Therefore, he extends his broad and long tongue as testimony. One possessing such a mark of the tongue must speak truthfully.

For example, once, after completing the rains retreat in Śrāvastī, the Buddha traveled through various countries with Ānanda attending him and was about to reach a city of brahmins. Its king knew the Buddha's spiritual power and virtue, and his ability to transform people and move their hearts. He thought, 'If he comes here, who will still take delight in me?' He therefore issued a prohibition: 'Anyone who gives food to the Buddha or listens to his words must pay five hundred gold coins.' After this decree was issued, the Buddha arrived in that country and entered the city with Ānanda, carrying his bowl to seek alms. Everyone in the city shut their doors and refused to respond, so the Buddha left with his bowl empty.

At that time, an elderly servant of one household came out to discard foul-smelling rice-rinsing sediment in a broken earthenware vessel. She saw the Buddha, the World-Honored One, approaching with an empty bowl. Seeing his beautiful marks—his golden complexion, white tuft, crown protuberance, and halo extending one zhang—and his bowl empty of food, she thought, 'Such a wondrous person ought to dine on heavenly food. Yet he humbles himself and carries a bowl to beg. This must be because of his great loving-kindness and compassion for all.' With pure faith, she wished to make a fine offering, but had no way to fulfill her wish. With a sense of shame, she said to the Buddha, 'I wish to prepare an offering, but can obtain nothing better. If you have use for this poor food, please accept it.' Knowing the purity of her faith and reverence, the Buddha held out his bowl and accepted her gift of food. He then smiled and emitted light of five colors, illuminating heaven and earth. The light returned and entered the mark between his eyebrows. Ānanda joined his palms, knelt upright, and said, 'World-Honored One, we wish to hear the meaning of your smile.'

The Buddha said to Ānanda, 'Did you see the elderly woman offer food to the Buddha with faith?' Ānanda replied, 'I did.' The Buddha said, 'Because this elderly woman has offered food to the Buddha, for fifteen kalpas she will enjoy blessings and happiness among devas and human beings, without falling into the bad destinies. Later she will obtain a male body, go forth to cultivate the path, become a pratyekabuddha, and enter nirvāṇa without remainder.'

A brahmin standing beside the Buddha then spoke this verse: 'You are a kṣatriya of the solar lineage, the crown prince of King Śuddhodana. Yet for the sake of food you tell a great falsehood! How could such foul food bring so great a reward?'

The Buddha extended his broad and long tongue, covering his face up to his hairline, and said to the brahmin, 'In the scriptures you have read, have you ever found that someone with such a tongue tells lies?' The brahmin replied, 'If someone's tongue can cover his nose, his words are not false. How much more so if it reaches his hairline! I believe that the Buddha certainly does not lie, but I do not understand how so small a gift can bring so great a reward.'

The Buddha asked, 'Have you ever seen something in the world that is rare and difficult to encounter?' The brahmin replied, 'Yes. Once, while traveling with other brahmins, I saw a banyan tree whose shade covered five hundred merchants' carts, with shade still to spare. This was something rare and difficult to encounter.' The Buddha asked, 'How large is this tree's seed?' He replied, 'About one-third the size of a mustard seed.' The Buddha said, 'Who would believe what you say? The tree is so large, yet its seed is so small!' The brahmin replied, 'It is truly so, World-Honored One. I saw it with my own eyes; it is no falsehood.'

The Buddha said, 'It is the same with me. I see that this elderly woman, offering to the Buddha with pure faith, will obtain a great result. It is like this tree: a small cause brings a great result. It also comes about because the Tathāgata is such an excellent field of merit.' The brahmin's mind opened and he understood. Prostrating with all five parts of his body touching the ground, he confessed to the Buddha, 'My mind was unruly; in my foolishness I did not believe the Buddha.' The Buddha taught him the Dharma in various ways, and he attained the first fruit of the path. At once he raised his hands and cried aloud, 'Everyone! The gate to the deathless is open. Why do you not come out?'

All the brahmins in the city sent five hundred gold coins each to the king, welcomed the Buddha, and made offerings. They all said, 'Having gained the taste of the deathless, who would begrudge these five hundred gold coins?' Everyone went out, and the prohibition broke down. The brahmin king, together with his ministers and people, also took refuge in the Buddha Dharma, and everyone in the city gained pure faith. Thus the Buddha manifests his broad and long tongue for the sake of those who do not believe.

Question: When he manifested the mark of his tongue for the brahmin, it covered his face. Why does its radiance now reach throughout the great trichiliocosm?

Answer: Covering his face up to the hairline served to establish faith on a small scale. Now, because the great undertaking of Prajñāpāramitā is about to begin, his broad and long tongue covers the great trichiliocosm.

Question: It would already be difficult for everyone in a single city to see his tongue covering his face. How much more difficult is it now, when he teaches the Mahāprajñāpāramitā, for the immeasurable assembly gathered here and from other regions all to see it! Moreover, human eyes see no farther than a few li. To say that it extends throughout the great trichiliocosm—is this not so vast as to be difficult to believe?

Answer: Through skillful means, the Buddha lends them his spiritual power, enabling everyone to see his tongue covering this great trichiliocosm. Without the support of his spiritual power, even bodhisattvas of the tenth abiding cannot know the Buddha's mind. With its support, even animals can know his mind. As a later chapter of the Prajñāpāramitā says, 'Everyone in the assembly saw Akṣobhya Buddha's assembly directly before their eyes.' Likewise, when the Buddha described the many kinds of majestic purity in Amitābha Buddha's world, Ānanda said, 'We wish to see it.' The Buddha then enabled the entire assembly to see the majestic purity of the world of the Buddha of Immeasurable Life. Seeing the Buddha's tongue is also like this. After covering the great trichiliocosm with his broad and long tongue, the Buddha smiled. The reasons for smiling have been explained above.

Question: He has already manifested light from his tongue. Why does he now emit light from its root as well?

Answer: He wishes everyone to gain renewed faith. Furthermore, his tongue is coral-colored, and the pure golden light enhances its appearance as it in turn enhances the light. For this reason, he emits light again. Moreover, these rays transform into golden jeweled lotuses with a thousand petals. Emerging from his tongue, these thousand-petaled golden jeweled lotuses shine brilliantly, like the rising sun.

Question: Why does he create these jeweled lotuses within the light?

Answer: Because the Buddhas are going to sit upon them.

Question: There are many couches on which to sit. Why must they be lotuses?

Answer: Couches are the customary seats of householders in the world. Furthermore, lotuses are soft and pure. He wishes to manifest the spiritual power by which he can sit upon them without damaging the flowers. They also adorn the wondrous Dharma seat. Other flowers are small; none is so fragrant, pure, and large as this one. Lotuses in the human realm grow no larger than one chi. Those in Lake Mandākinī and Lake Anavatapta are as large as carriage canopies. Jeweled lotuses in the heavens are larger still, providing room to sit in full lotus posture. The flowers on which the Buddhas sit surpass even these hundreds of thousands of myriads of times. Moreover, their central platforms are splendid, pure, wonderfully fragrant, and suitable as seats.

Furthermore, when the fire at the end of a kalpa has consumed everything, all is empty. Through the power of the conditions created by beings' merit, winds arrive from the ten directions, meet and press against one another, and support a great mass of water. Upon the water is a being with a thousand heads and two thousand hands and feet, named Viṣṇu. From his navel emerges a wondrous golden jeweled lotus with a thousand petals, shining as brightly as ten thousand suns together. In the flower sits a being in full lotus posture, also possessing immeasurable light, called King Brahmā. From his mind this King Brahmā produces eight sons, and the eight sons produce heaven, earth, and human beings. This King Brahmā has completely exhausted lust and anger, leaving none behind. Hence the saying: 'When someone cultivates meditation and pure conduct, cutting off sensual desire, this is called practicing the Brahmā path.' The wheel the Buddha turns is sometimes called the Dharma wheel and sometimes the Brahmā wheel. Because this King Brahmā sits upon a lotus, the Buddhas, following worldly convention, also sit in full lotus posture upon jeweled flowers and teach the six perfections. Those who hear this teaching will ultimately attain unsurpassed complete awakening.

Question: Śākyamuni Buddha creates immeasurable myriads of Buddhas by transformation. How can they all teach the Dharma at the same time? The Abhidharma says, 'There cannot be two minds at one time.' When a manifested Buddha speaks, the one producing the manifestation should be silent; when its producer speaks, the manifestation should be silent. How can all of them teach the six perfections at once?

Answer: What you describe applies only to the transformations of non-Buddhist practitioners and śrāvakas. The Buddha's transformations, empowered by immeasurable samādhis, are inconceivable. Therefore, when the Buddha himself speaks, immeasurable myriads of manifested Buddhas also speak at the same time. Furthermore, the manifestations of non-Buddhist practitioners and śrāvakas cannot produce further manifestations, whereas those of the Buddha, the World-Honored One, can do so. After their death, non-Buddhist practitioners and śrāvakas cannot leave manifestations behind, whereas after his own passing into nirvāṇa, the Buddha can leave manifestations that do not differ from a Buddha.

Furthermore, the Abhidharma states that there cannot be two minds at one time. The Buddha also accords with this here: when the manifestations speak, they do not themselves possess minds. The Buddha brings the manifestations to mind and wishes them to speak, and immediately they all speak.

Question: Since the Buddha is about to teach Prajñāpāramitā, why does he have the manifested Buddhas teach the six perfections?

Answer: The six perfections and Prajñāpāramitā are one teaching, without difference. Without Prajñāpāramitā, the other five are not called perfections. For example, without Prajñāpāramitā, the practice of giving remains submerged among the world's perishable dharmas, or leads to arhatship or the pratyekabuddha path and entry into nirvāṇa. When joined with Prajñāpāramitā, it is called a perfection and can lead to the Buddha path. For this reason, Prajñāpāramitā and the six perfections are one teaching, without difference.

There are two forms of Prajñāpāramitā: adorned and unadorned. It is like someone adorning the body with fine necklaces, while someone who wears none is called unadorned. Or it is like a king accompanied by officials and attendants: this is called the king's arrival; without them, he is said to be alone. This occurs in worlds in the east as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, and likewise in all ten directions.

Question: If the Buddha has such great spiritual power, and countless myriads of manifested Buddhas teach the six perfections throughout the ten directions to liberate all beings, everyone should be liberated, with no one left over!

Answer: There are three kinds of obstruction: beings in the three bad destinies cannot understand; among humans and devas, some are too young, extremely old, or gravely ill; and there are beings in the higher formless realms and the heaven of non-perception. These cannot hear or understand.

Question: Among those able to hear and understand, why do not all attain the path?

Answer: It does not follow that all of them attain the path either. Why? Because of fetters, underlying tendencies, and karmic obstructions. Some have heavy fetters and underlying tendencies that constantly cover their minds. For this reason, not all attain the path.

Question: The Buddhas of the ten directions should also send manifestations to teach the six perfections. We do not have the three obstructions either, so why do we not hear them?

Answer: Beings today are born in a troubled age and thus fall within the three obstructions! Born after the Buddha, they experience the results of unwholesome karma: some are obstructed by the evil karma of their world, and some by heavy fetters and underlying tendencies. Among those born after the Buddha, many are obstructed by such heavy afflictions. Some have little sensual desire but much anger; some have little anger but much sensual desire; some have little sensual desire but much delusion; and some have little delusion but much anger. In this way their relative strength varies. Because of these obstructions, people neither hear nor understand the manifested Buddhas' teaching, nor see the Buddhas' light, much less attain the path. It is like the sun rising: a blind person does not see it and declares that there are no sun and moon in the world. What fault is there in the sun? Or it is like thunder and lightning shaking the earth: a deaf person does not hear them. What fault is there in the sound? The Buddhas of the ten directions constantly teach the scriptures and Dharma, and constantly send manifested Buddhas to worlds in the ten directions to teach the six perfections. Because of evil karma and blindness and deafness, beings do not hear the sound of the Dharma. For this reason, not everyone hears and sees. Although the noble ones possess great loving-kindness, they cannot make everyone hear and see. When someone's evil karma is about to be exhausted and merit is about to arise, that person can then see the Buddha and hear the Dharma.

Sutra: At that time, the World-Honored One, still on the lion seat, entered the samādhi called Lion's Play. Through his supernormal power, he caused the great trichiliocosm to shake in six ways.

Treatise: Question: Why is this samādhi called 'Lion's Play'?

Answer: It is like a lion pouncing upon deer, freely enjoying its play. The Buddha is also like this. Entering this samādhi, he can turn and move the earth in various ways, causing it to shake in six ways. Furthermore, it is like a lion at play: on the day when the lion plays, the other animals are safe and at ease. The Buddha is also like this. When he enters this samādhi and shakes the great trichiliocosm, he enables beings in the three bad destinies to find relief all at once, so that all become safe and at ease.

Furthermore, the Buddha is called a lion among humans. The samādhi called Lion's Play is the samādhi of the Buddha's play. When he enters it, he causes this great earth to shake in six ways, and all beings in the hells and other bad destinies are released and gain birth in the heavens. This is called play.

Question: Why does the Buddha enter this samādhi?

Answer: He wishes to shake the great trichiliocosm, bring beings out of the three bad destinies, and establish them in the two good destinies, those of humans and devas.

Furthermore, the three kinds of transformations described above came from the Buddha's own body, and some people's faith may not have deepened. Now he shakes the great earth so that beings will know his spiritual power is immeasurable and can move external things as well. Their faith becomes pure and their hearts joyful, and all gain release from suffering.

Question: Arhats and devas can also shake the earth. Why speak of this as the Buddha's spiritual power alone?

Answer: Arhats and devas cannot shake it in the complete manner. Only the Buddha, the World-Honored One, can make the great earth shake in all six ways.

Question: Why does the Buddha shake the great trichiliocosm?

Answer: He wishes beings to know that everything is empty and impermanent. Some people say, 'The great earth, the sun and moon, Mount Sumeru, and the great ocean are all permanent.' Therefore, the World-Honored One shakes the earth in six ways, showing this occurrence so that they understand impermanence. Furthermore, it is like someone wishing to dye a garment who first removes its dust and dirt. The Buddha is also like this: he first enables beings throughout the great trichiliocosm to see his spiritual power, so that their hearts become reverent and gentle, and afterward he teaches the Dharma. For this reason, he shakes the earth in six ways. What are these six ways?

Sutra: The east rose and the west sank; the west rose and the east sank. The south rose and the north sank; the north rose and the south sank. The edges rose and the center sank; the center rose and the edges sank.

Treatise: Question: Why are there exactly six kinds of shaking?

Answer: Earth movements are greater, intermediate, or lesser. A lesser movement has two aspects: the east may rise while the west sinks, or the south while the north sinks, or there may be movement of the edges and center. An intermediate movement has four aspects: east, west, south, and north; or east, west, edges, and center; or south, north, edges, and center. A greater movement has all six kinds of shaking. Various causes and conditions make the earth shake greatly. As the Buddha told Ānanda, 'There are eight causes and eight conditions that make the earth shake.' These are explained elsewhere.

Furthermore, some say, 'There are four kinds of earth movement: movements associated with fire, dragons, garuḍas, and heavenly kings.' The moon makes a circuit of the twenty-eight lunar mansions every month. If an earthquake or collapse occurs when the moon is in one of the six mansions Mao, Zhang, Di, Lou, Shi, or Wei (昴、張、氐、婁、室、胃), the movement belongs to the fire deity. At that time there is no rain, rivers run dry, the year is unfavorable for grain, the ruler meets misfortune, and the great ministers suffer calamity.

If an earthquake or collapse occurs when the moon is in one of the six mansions Liu, Wei, Ji, Bi, Kui, or Wei (柳、尾、箕、壁、奎、危), the movement belongs to the dragon deity. At that time there is no rain, rivers run dry, the year is unfavorable for grain, the ruler meets misfortune, and the great ministers suffer calamity.

If an earthquake or collapse occurs when the moon is in one of the six mansions Shen, Gui, Xing, Zhen, Kang, or Yi (參、鬼、星、軫、亢、翼), the movement belongs to the garuḍa. At that time there is no rain, rivers run dry, the year is unfavorable for grain, the ruler meets misfortune, and the great ministers suffer calamity.

If an earthquake or collapse occurs when the moon is in one of the nine mansions Xin, Jiao, Fang, Nü, Xu, Jing, Bi, Zi, or Dou (心、角、房、女、虛、井、畢、觜、斗), the movement belongs to the lord of heaven. At that time there is peace and abundant rain, conditions favor the five grains, the ruler enjoys good fortune, the great ministers receive blessings, and all the people are safe and at ease.

Furthermore, the causes and conditions of earth movements may be small or great. Some movements affect one Jambudvīpa, some the four continents, and some a small thousandfold, a medium twice-thousandfold, or a great thrice-thousandfold world system. Small movements arise from small causes and conditions. For example, when a meritorious person is born or dies, the earth of one country shakes: this is a small movement. Great movements arise from great causes and conditions. When the Buddha is born, first attains Buddhahood, or is about to enter nirvāṇa, the entire great trichiliocosm shakes: this is a great movement. Now the Buddha wishes to bring together a great assembly of beings, so he makes this earth shake in six ways.

Furthermore, in the Prajñāpāramitā, bodhisattvas receive predictions that they will become Buddhas. A Buddha is the great lord of heaven and earth. At that time the earth deity rejoices greatly, thinking, 'Now I have a lord!' Therefore, the earth shakes. It is like the accession of a ruler, when ministers and people celebrate, cry out 'Long life!', and leap, sing, and dance with joy.

Furthermore, through the causes and conditions of the merit of beings in the great trichiliocosm, there exist this great earth, mountains, rivers, trees, and all other things. Yet beings do not understand impermanence! Therefore, with the great power of his merit and wisdom, the Buddha shakes what is sustained by the merit of beings in this world, showing how slight that merit is: everything wears away and perishes, and all is subject to impermanence.

Sutra: The ground everywhere became soft, bringing beings harmony and joy.

Treatise: Question: How can the shaking of the earth make beings' minds harmonious and joyful?

Answer: The mind follows the body. When the body encounters something pleasant, the mind rejoices. The people with whom one lives and the things that bring bodily comfort can delight the mind. Now the minds of the many troubled beings in this great trichiliocosm are rough and harsh, without wholesome activity. Therefore, the World-Honored One moves this great earth and makes it soft everywhere, benefiting their minds. It is like the Garden of Joy belonging to the king of the Thirty-three: the devas who enter it become gentle, happy, harmonious, and joyful, and harsh thoughts do not arise. Even if the asuras arrive with an army, they have no wish to fight. At such a time, Śakra, lord of the devas, leads them into the Rough Garden. Because the scent of its trees, flowers, and fruits is unpleasant, harsh, and offensive, the devas' fighting spirit immediately arises. The Buddha is also like this: because this great earth is rough, harsh, and unpleasant, he transforms it and makes it soft, bringing joy to the minds of all beings. Likewise, certain herbs used with spells can provoke anger and immediate quarrelling when their fumes enter people's noses. Other herbs used with spells can make people's minds harmonious and joyful, so that they treat one another with respect. If spells and herbs can do this, how much more can the softening of all the ground in the great trichiliocosm!

Sutra: In this great trichiliocosm, beings in the hells, among hungry ghosts and animals, and in the eight difficult circumstances were immediately released and gained birth in the heavens, from the heaven of the Four Heavenly Kings up to the heaven of Mastery over Others' Creations.

Treatise: Question: If the Buddha, by entering the samādhi called Lion's Play, can release beings from the hells, the hungry ghost and animal realms, and the other difficult circumstances, enabling them to be born in the heavens from the Four Heavenly Kings up to Mastery over Others' Creations, why must they cultivate merit and do good in order to obtain such results?

Answer: This is as explained above. Those with abundant merit are liberated upon seeing the light; those whose stains of wrongdoing are deep awaken only when the earth shakes. It is like sunlight falling upon a lotus pond: the mature flowers open first, while the immature ones do not yet unfold. The Buddha is also like this. He first emits light, and those whose merit is ripe and whose wisdom is sharp are liberated first. Those whose merit is not yet ripe and whose understanding is not sharp do not yet attain release. With great loving-kindness and compassion, the Buddha liberates all equally, without aversion or favoritism. It is also like fruit on a tree: when someone shakes the tree, the ripe fruit falls first. The Buddha is also like this. The great trichiliocosm is like the tree, and the Buddha is the one shaking it. Those liberated first are like ripe fruit; those not yet liberated are like unripe fruit.

Question: Why do these wholesome states of mind lead to birth in the desire-realm heavens rather than in the form or formless realms?

Answer: The Buddha wishes to liberate these beings and bring them to realization of the path. In the formless realm, because they have no bodies, he cannot teach them the Dharma. In the form realm, they lack disenchantment and find it difficult to attain the path: because the pleasure of meditation is abundant, their wisdom is dull.

Furthermore, the Buddha moves the world through his supernormal power, making all the ground of the great trichiliocosm soft. Beings develop faith and joy, and therefore are born in the desire-realm heavens. Because they have not practiced the four dhyānas or the four formless attainments, they cannot be born in the form or formless realms.

Question: The five aggregates are impermanent, empty, and without a self. How, then, can there be birth among devas and humans? Who dies, and who is born?

Answer: This has already been explained at length in the chapter praising the bodhisattvas. Now we will answer briefly. You say, 'The five aggregates are impermanent, empty, and without a self.' But in Prajñāpāramitā, the five aggregates are neither permanent nor impermanent, neither empty nor nonempty, neither possessed of a self nor without a self. If one searches for a real self as non-Buddhist practitioners do, it cannot be found. There are only provisional designations: various causes and conditions come together, and these names are applied. It is like illusory people killing one another: observers see them die. Through the illusionist's art they rise again, and observers see them come to life. The names 'birth' and 'death' exist, but have no underlying reality. At the level of worldly convention, birth and death do occur; at the level of the true nature of dharmas, there is neither birth nor death.

Furthermore, for those subject to birth and death, there is birth and death; for those no longer subject to them, there is neither. Why? Through great wisdom, those no longer subject to birth and death can break through the appearance of birth. As a verse says:

Though the nature of the Buddha Dharma is empty, it is not annihilation. Though there is arising, there is no permanence; the karma of actions is not lost.

Dharmas are like a plantain trunk; all arise from mind. If one knows that dharmas have no solid reality, this mind, too, is empty.

If someone conceives of emptiness, that is not the practice of the path. Dharmas neither arise nor cease; through conceiving of existence, one loses sight of their nature.

With conceptual fixation, one falls into Māra's net; without it, one escapes. The mind's agitation is not the path; freedom from agitation is the seal of the Dharma.

Sutra: These devas and humans recalled their former lives and rejoiced greatly. They came to the Buddha, bowed with their heads at his feet, and stood to one side.

Treatise: Question: When devas are born, they naturally know three things: where they have come from, the field of merit in which they cultivated blessings, and the meritorious deeds they formerly performed. Humans do not have these three kinds of knowledge at birth. How, then, do they remember former lives?

Answer: The human destiny is not uniform: some remember and some do not. Furthermore, through the support of the Buddha's spiritual power, they can remember former lives.

Question: Devas possess the five supernormal powers as a karmic result. They remember former lives and can reach the Buddha. Although humans may remember former lives through the Buddha's spiritual power, they live far away. How can they reach him?

Answer: Some humans possess supernormal powers as a result of their birth, such as wheel-turning kings and noble ones. Others rely on the Buddha's spiritual power.

Question: A human spends ten months in the womb, is nursed for three years, and can go out independently only after the age of ten. Now, through the Buddha's spiritual might, beings are released from the three bad destinies and the eight difficult circumstances, are born among devas or humans, and immediately come to him. This may be possible for devas, but humans have not yet developed. How can they come?

Answer: The modes of birth in the five destinies differ. Devas and hell beings are all born by spontaneous manifestation. Hungry ghosts have two modes of birth: from the womb or by spontaneous manifestation. Humans and animals have four: from eggs, from moisture, by spontaneous manifestation, and from the womb. Birth from eggs is exemplified by the thirty-two sons of Viśākhā, known as Migāra's Mother; such cases are called egg birth. Birth from moisture is exemplified by the courtesan Āmrapālī and the wheel-turning king Born from the Crown; such cases are called moisture birth. As for spontaneous manifestation: when the Buddha traveled with the fourfold assembly, there was among the nuns a nun named Aluopo (阿羅婆), who had appeared spontaneously from the earth. Also, at the beginning of a kalpa, humans are all spontaneously born. Such cases are called spontaneous birth. Birth from the womb is the ordinary way humans are born. Spontaneously born humans are fully grown at once and can reach the Buddha. Some can reach him because they possess supernormal powers as a karmic result. Furthermore, they can reach him through the supernormal power the Buddha lends them.

Sutra: Likewise, in worlds in the ten directions as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, the earth shook in all six ways. All beings in the hells, among hungry ghosts and animals, and in the other difficult circumstances were immediately released and gained birth in the heavens, up to the sixth heaven.

Treatise: Question: The great trichiliocosm is immeasurably vast and contains so many beings. Why extend this further to beings in worlds throughout the ten directions as numerous as the sands of the Ganges?

Answer: The Buddha's power is immeasurable. Even liberating the beings of the great trichiliocosm is still little in relation to it. Therefore, he extends this to the ten directions as well.

Question: If Śākyamuni Buddha uses his great spiritual power to liberate beings widely throughout the ten directions, why are other Buddhas needed?

Answer: Beings are immeasurable, and they do not all mature at the same time. Moreover, their causes and conditions differ. As the śrāvaka teaching says, 'As for disciples whose karmic connection is with Śāriputra, apart from Śāriputra even the Buddhas cannot liberate them, much less others.' Furthermore, the text here speaks only of worlds in the east equal in number to the sands of one Ganges, not two, three, four, or countless myriads of Ganges rivers. Worlds are boundless and immeasurable. If they had boundaries and a fixed measure, beings could be exhausted. Therefore, in immeasurable worlds throughout the ten directions, there are beings for the Buddhas to liberate.

Sutra: At that time, among the beings of the great trichiliocosm, blind people gained sight, deaf people gained hearing, those unable to speak could speak, those who had lost their reason regained it, and those with scattered minds gained concentration. Those without clothing received clothing, the hungry and thirsty were satisfied, the sick recovered, and those with impaired bodies became whole.

Treatise: Question: Beings suffer in hundreds of thousands of ways. If this is the Buddha's spiritual power, why does he not release them from every kind of suffering?

Answer: He rescues them from all of them. Here the text gives only a brief account of the more evident ones, just as the many fetters and underlying tendencies are summarized as the three poisons.

Question: It would be enough to say that blind people gained sight. Why specify those blind from birth?

Answer: Blindness from birth results from grave wrongdoing in a former life. If he can restore the sight even of those with such grave wrongdoing, how much more can he do so for those whose wrongdoing is lighter?

Question: What grave wrongdoing in former lives leads to blindness from birth?

Answer: If someone damages or removes another being's eyes, or destroys the eye of right view by asserting that there is neither wrongdoing nor merit, that person falls into hell after death. When the punishment is exhausted and the person is born as a human, they are blind from birth. Or someone steals fire jewels and lamps from a Buddha's stūpa, jewels and lamps from the stūpas of arhats or pratyekabuddhas, or takes away sources of light from other fields of merit. Such karmic causes and conditions from former lives lead to loss of sight. When blindness results from illness or a blow in this life, those are present-life conditions.

Furthermore, among the ninety-six kinds of eye disease, those that even the king of physicians called Shenajia (闍那迦) cannot cure can be healed only by the Buddha, the World-Honored One, so that sight is restored. Furthermore, he first gives people sight and afterward enables them to gain the eye of wisdom. The restoration of hearing to deaf people is also like this.

Question: Since the text mentions blindness from birth, why does it not mention deafness from birth?

Answer: Many are blind from birth, while fewer are deaf from birth. Therefore, it does not mention the latter.

Question: What causes and conditions lead to deafness?

Answer: Deafness can arise from conditions in former lives: when teachers or fathers gave instruction, one refused to accept or follow it and instead became angry. Through this wrongdoing, one becomes deaf. Furthermore, cutting off or damaging beings' ears, or stealing striking boards, bells, conches, and drums from Buddha stūpas, monastic stūpas, or the fields of merit of virtuous people brings this result. These are various karmic causes and conditions from former lives. Present-life conditions include illness or blows; such circumstances cause deafness in this life.

Question: Those unable to speak cannot utter words. What wrongdoing brings this loss of speech?

Answer: In a former life, one cut out another's tongue, blocked their mouth, or gave harmful medicine that prevented them from speaking. Or, on hearing a teacher's instruction or a parent's admonition, one interrupted and rejected it. Or one acted wickedly, held wrong views, disbelieved in wrongdoing and merit, and undermined right speech. After emerging from the punishment of hell, one is born as a human unable to speak. Such are the various causes and conditions of this loss of speech.

Question: The text says that those who had lost their reason regained it. What is meant by losing one's reason?

Answer: In former lives, one committed wrongdoing by disrupting others' meditation, destroying meditation lodgings, or using spells to provoke anger, conflict, or sensual desire. In this life, one's fetters and underlying tendencies are heavy. For example, a brahmin lost his field of merit, and then his wife died as well; he immediately lost his reason and ran about naked. Likewise, the nun called Chishega Gautamī (翅舍伽憍曇), while still a householder, lost all seven of her sons and, overwhelmed by grief, lost her reason. Some become so angry that they cannot control themselves and fall into extreme confusion. Some deluded people, through harmful and mistaken practices, smear their bodies with ashes, pull out their hair, go naked, and eat excrement in their confusion. Some suffer disorders of wind or heat, and severe illness causes them to lose their reason. Some are possessed by harmful spirits, and some foolishly drink rainwater and lose their reason. Such various forms of mental derangement are called loss of reason. Through seeing the Buddha, they immediately regain it.

Question: The text says that those with scattered minds gained concentration. Since loss of reason also involves mental disorder, what distinguishes the two?

Answer: Some people have not lost their reason, but their minds are very scattered. Their attention is like a monkey and cannot remain focused. This is called a scattered mind. Others are hurried by pressing duties and attached to many concerns, so that they lose their mental strength and cannot receive the path.

Question: What causes and conditions lead to a scattered mind?

Answer: When wholesome states of mind grow weak and one pursues what is unwholesome, this is called mental distraction. Furthermore, one does not contemplate impermanence, death, or the emptiness of the world. One clings to life, dwells on tasks and affairs, and runs about mentally in many directions; therefore, the mind is scattered. Furthermore, without gaining the inner joy of the Buddha Dharma, one seeks pleasant experiences outside and pursues their causes. Therefore, the mind is scattered. When such distracted people see the Buddha, their minds gain concentration.

Question: Earlier the text said that those who had lost their reason regained it. Now it says that those without clothing received clothing. Apart from those who have lost their reason, who else goes naked?

Answer: There are two kinds of loss of reason. One is recognized by everyone. In the other, people go naked because of harmful and mistaken practices, yet others do not recognize this as loss of reason. As a story relates: In southern India, a Dharma teacher sat on a high seat explaining the meaning of the five precepts. Many non-Buddhist practitioners came to listen. The king challenged him: 'If, as you say, giving alcohol to others and drinking it oneself bring the result of mental derangement and foolishness, people today should mostly have lost their reason, with few remaining sound. Yet those who have lost their reason are fewer, and the others are more numerous. Why is this?' The non-Buddhist practitioners said, 'Excellent! This objection is very profound. That shaven-headed man on the high seat certainly cannot answer it, for the king's wisdom is sharp.' The Dharma teacher pointed at the non-Buddhist practitioners, then went on to speak of other matters. The king immediately understood.

The non-Buddhist practitioners said to the king, 'Your objection is very profound. He does not know the answer and is ashamed of his ignorance, so he merely raises his finger and changes the subject.' The king replied, 'The Dharma teacher on the high seat has already answered by pointing. To spare your feelings, he did not put it into words. When he pointed at you, he meant that you yourselves have lost your reason, and such people are not few. You smear your bodies with ashes, go naked without shame, and eat excrement from human skulls. You pull out your hair, lie on thorns, hang upside down while fumes enter your noses, enter water in winter, and roast yourselves by fire in summer. These various practices are not the path; they are all signs of loss of reason.'

'Furthermore, according to your teaching, selling meat or salt immediately forfeits one's standing as a brahmin. Yet when you receive a cow as an offering in a shrine, you immediately sell it and declare this lawful. A cow is flesh: is this not deception and a violation? You also say, 'By entering the waters of an auspicious river, all stains of wrongdoing are removed.' This makes wrongdoing and merit independent of causes and conditions. What wrongdoing is there in selling meat or salt? You say that entering an auspicious river removes wrongdoing. If it can remove wrongdoing, it can also remove merit. Who, then, gains anything auspicious? In such matters, you arbitrarily assign causal connections where there are none. This is loss of reason. All these signs apply to you. To spare your feelings, the Dharma teacher pointed without saying it aloud. This is what is meant by the loss of reason that takes the form of going naked.'

Furthermore, some people are poor and have no clothing, or wear only worn-out rags. Through the Buddha's power, they receive clothing.

Question: The text says, 'The hungry were fed, and the thirsty received drink.' What causes hunger and thirst?

Answer: Because merit is slight, the causes were not established in former lives and supporting conditions are absent in this life. Therefore, there is hunger and thirst. Furthermore, in former lives these people took away food belonging to Buddhas, arhats, pratyekabuddhas, parents, or loved ones. Because their wrongdoing was grave, they still suffer hunger and thirst even when born in a Buddha's time.

Question: Some people born in a troubled age obtain fine food and drink, while others born in a Buddha's time suffer hunger and thirst. If those with wrongdoing should not be born in a Buddha's time, and those with merit should not be born in a troubled age, why does this happen?

Answer: The causes and conditions of karmic results differ. Some have the conditions to see the Buddha but not to obtain food and drink. Others have the conditions for food and drink but not for seeing the Buddha. It is like a black snake lying curled around a maṇi jewel, while an arhat may be unable to obtain almsfood.

Another example: In the time of Kāśyapa Buddha, two brothers went forth to seek the path. One kept the precepts, recited scriptures, and practiced meditation. The other sought donors far and wide and performed meritorious deeds. When Śākyamuni Buddha appeared in the world, one was born into an elder's household, while the other became a great white elephant strong enough to defeat enemies. The elder's son went forth, cultivated the path, and became an arhat possessing the six supernormal powers. But because his merit was slight, he found it difficult to obtain almsfood. One day he entered the city with his bowl, seeking alms, but could obtain nothing anywhere. He came to the white elephant's stable and saw the abundant provisions the king supplied for it. He said to the elephant, 'You and I both had our faults.' The elephant was deeply affected and ate nothing for three days.

Alarmed, the elephant keeper searched for the practitioner. When he found him, he asked, 'What spell did you cast to make the king's white elephant ill and unable to eat?' He replied, 'This elephant was my younger brother in a former life. Together we went forth to cultivate the path in the time of Kāśyapa Buddha. I only kept the precepts, recited scriptures, and meditated; I did not practice giving. My younger brother only sought donors far and wide and arranged acts of giving; he neither kept the precepts nor pursued learning. Because he did not keep the precepts, recite scriptures, or meditate, he is now this elephant. Because he practiced giving extensively, he has abundant food and drink and everything he needs. Because I only cultivated the path and did not practice giving, even though I have now attained the path, I cannot obtain almsfood.' Thus, because causes and conditions differ, people may still suffer hunger and thirst even in a Buddha's time.

Question: How are these beings satisfied?

Answer: Some say, 'Through his spiritual power, the Buddha creates food by transformation and satisfies them.' Others say, 'When the Buddha's light touches their bodies, they no longer hunger or thirst. It is like a wish-fulfilling maṇi jewel: when people bring it to mind, they no longer hunger or thirst. How much more so when they encounter the Buddha!'

As for 'the sick recovered': illness has two sources. Various illnesses arise as the results of actions in former lives. Various illnesses also arise in this life through disturbances of cold, heat, and wind. Present-life illnesses are of two kinds: internal illnesses, involving disharmony of the five internal organs, hard accumulations, and chronic ailments; and external injuries, caused by runaway vehicles or horses, impacts, crushing, falls, weapons, blades, or clubs.

Question: What causes and conditions lead to illness?

Answer: In former lives, one habitually whipped, beat, tortured, or imprisoned others and caused them distress in various ways; therefore, one becomes ill in this life. Present-life illnesses arise from not knowing how to care for the body, eating and drinking without moderation, and irregular sleeping and waking. These circumstances lead to various illnesses. There are four hundred and four such illnesses. Through the Buddha's spiritual power, the sick recover.

As a story relates: When the Buddha was in Śrāvastī, a householder invited him and the Saṅgha to a meal at his home. There are five reasons for the Buddha to remain at the monastery and have food brought to him: he wishes to enter concentration; he wishes to teach the devas; he wishes to walk about and inspect the monks' lodgings; he wishes to visit sick monks; or, where a rule has not yet been established, he wishes to establish one for the monks. On this occasion, carrying a door-opening implement, the Buddha entered the monks' rooms. He saw a monk suffering from illness, with no one to care for him, lying in his own urine and feces and unable to get up.

The Buddha asked, 'What troubles you? Why is there no one here to care for you?' The monk replied, 'Venerable One, I am lazy by nature. When others were ill, I never cared for them. Therefore, now that I am ill, they do not care for me either.' The Buddha said, 'Good man, I will care for you.' Śakra, lord of the devas, poured water, and the Buddha stroked the monk's body with his hand. As he did so, all the monk's suffering and pain were immediately healed, and his body and mind became peaceful. The World-Honored One gently helped him up, took him outside to wash and dress him, and gently brought him back in. He spread bedding for him and had him sit down.

The Buddha said to the sick monk, 'For a long time you have not diligently sought to attain what you have not attained, reach what you have not reached, or understand what you have not understood. You suffer these afflictions, and if you continue in this way, still greater suffering lies ahead!' Hearing this, the monk thought, 'The Buddha's kindness is immeasurable, and his spiritual power beyond reckoning. With a touch of his hand, my pain disappeared, and my body and mind became happy!' Thus the Buddha uses his spiritual power to heal the sick.

The text says, 'Those with impaired bodies became whole.' What is meant by 'impaired bodies'? In former lives, someone injured another's body, cut off their head, severed their hands or feet, or damaged various bodily parts. Or they damaged Buddha images, destroyed the noses of Buddha images or images of noble ones, or damaged images of their parents. Through such wrongdoing, the bodily form they receive often lacks completeness.

Furthermore, as a result of unwholesome actions, one receives an unattractive body. In this life, attacks by robbers, judicial punishments, or various other circumstances may cause bodily mutilation. Or disorders of wind, cold, or heat produce severe sores and decay of bodily parts. This is called bodily impairment. Through the Buddha's great kindness, all become whole.

For example, a servant at Jetavana named Jiandi (犍抵) was the son of King Prasenajit's elder brother. He was handsome, brave, strong, and kind-hearted. The king's chief queen became attracted to him and secretly summoned him, wishing him to yield to her. Jiandi refused. Furious, she slandered him to the king, accusing him of the very offense she had intended. On hearing this, the king had him cut apart at the joints and abandoned in a cemetery. Before his life had ended, tigers, wolves, and rākṣasas came that night to devour him. The Buddha then came beside him and shone his light upon him. His body was immediately restored, and he rejoiced greatly. The Buddha taught him the Dharma, and he at once attained the third stage of the path. Taking him by the hand, the Buddha led him to Jetavana.

Jiandi said, 'My body had been mutilated and cast away. The Buddha restored it. For the rest of this life, I will give myself in service to the Buddha and the community of monks.' The next day, King Prasenajit heard what had happened and came to Jetavana. He said to Jiandi, 'I confess my wrongdoing toward you. You were innocent, and I unjustly punished and injured you. I will now give you half the kingdom to govern.' Jiandi replied, 'I have already become disenchanted. The king, too, is without blame: my wrongdoing in former lives has brought this karmic result. I have now given myself to the Buddha and the Saṅgha and will not return.' Thus beings whose bodies are impaired or incomplete are immediately restored when touched by the Buddha's light. For this reason, the text says that even those with impaired bodies become whole: touched by the Buddha's light, they are immediately restored.

Sutra: All beings gained an equal heart toward one another, regarding each other as fathers and mothers, elder and younger brothers, elder and younger sisters, or as dear relatives and good spiritual friends. At that time, beings equally practiced the ten wholesome courses of action, cultivated pure celibate conduct without blemish or stain, and were serenely happy, like a monk entering the third dhyāna. All gained wholesome wisdom, kept the precepts, guarded themselves, and did not trouble other beings.

Treatise: Question: These beings have not yet become free from desire, have no meditative concentration, and have not attained the four immeasurable states of mind. How can they gain an equal heart?

Answer: This equality is not the equanimity of meditative absorption. It means having neither hostility nor anger toward any being. Through this equality, they look upon one another with wholesome minds. Furthermore, a scripture says, 'What is an equal heart? Regarding one another as fathers and mothers is called an equal heart.'

Question: Does this mean regarding every being as actually one's father, mother, brother, or sister?

Answer: No. One regards the elderly as parents, those older than oneself as elder brothers, and those younger as younger brothers; likewise with elder and younger sisters. Through the power of this equal heart, all are regarded as dear relatives.

Question: How can one call those who are not one's parents 'parents,' or those who are not relatives 'relatives'? Does this not amount to false speech?

Answer: Throughout immeasurable lives, there is no being who has not been one's parent, brother, sister, or dear relative.

Furthermore, in the true nature of dharmas, there are neither parents nor brothers. Because people cling to 'I' and 'mine' and make mistaken distinctions, they apply the names 'parents' and 'brothers.' Now, through the power of wholesome minds, they regard one another as fathers and mothers. This is not false speech. Furthermore, people may become close through a bond of mutual commitment: they serve someone who is not their father as a father, or someone who is not their mother as a mother. The same applies to brothers and sons. Someone may have a son who acts badly and disown him, while raising a well-behaved child of another family as a son. Regarding one another in this way is an equal heart. As a verse says:

Regard another's wife as a mother, another's wealth as fire, and all beings as dear relatives: this is called seeing equally.

As for 'at that time, beings equally practiced the ten wholesome courses of action': there are three bodily courses—abstaining from killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct; four verbal courses—abstaining from false speech, divisive speech, harsh speech, and frivolous speech; and three mental courses—freedom from covetousness, harmful intent, and wrong view. One refrains from killing, does not instruct others to kill, praises those who refrain, and rejoices when seeing others refrain. These four aspects likewise apply to each course, through to refraining from wrong view.

Question: The last three courses are not themselves karma, while the first seven are both courses and karma. Why, then, call them the ten wholesome courses of action?

Answer: The smaller group is subsumed under the larger, so all are called courses of action. Although the last three are not themselves karma, they can give rise to karma; they also arise for the sake of action. Therefore, all are collectively called courses of action.

As for 'cultivated pure celibate conduct without blemish or stain': Question: The earlier statement about practicing the ten wholesome courses of action already seems sufficient. Why add 'cultivated pure celibate conduct'?

Answer: Some practice the ten wholesome courses of action without giving up sexual activity. Here the text further praises the practice of Brahmā conduct: because they abandon sensual desire, it says that they cultivate pure celibate conduct. As for 'without blemish or stain': those who engage in sexual activity have bodily impurity and a tainted reputation. Therefore, in praising those who give it up, the text says 'without blemish or stain.'

As for 'serenely happy': Question: What kind of happiness is this?

Answer: There are two kinds of happiness: inner happiness and the happiness of nirvāṇa. This happiness does not arise from the five sense objects. It is like a spring in rock: the water comes from within, not from outside. Happiness of mind is also like this. Practicing an equal heart, cultivating celibate conduct, and attaining the ten wholesome courses of action, one is pure and unstained. This is called inner happiness.

Question: To which realm does this happiness belong—the desire realm, the form realm, or the formless realm?

Answer: This happiness may belong to the desire realm or may be unbound. It does not belong to the form or formless realms. The text says 'like a monk entering the third dhyāna.' If it belonged to the form realm, it would not say 'like.' From this we know that it does not belong to the form realm. Joy and happiness arise in this desire-realm mind and fill the whole body, like warm clarified butter soaking the body and making it soft, comfortable, and happy. As for the unbound: one realizes the nature of Prajñāpāramitā, observes that dharmas neither arise nor cease, gains true wisdom, and clings to nothing. This signless happiness is called unbound.

Question: The Buddha says that nirvāṇa is the highest happiness. Why speak of the happiness of the third dhyāna?

Answer: There are two kinds of happiness: happiness that is felt and the happiness of the exhaustion of feeling. When feeling is exhausted, all five aggregates cease and do not arise again. This is the happiness of nirvāṇa without remainder. What removes grief and affliction and brings gladness to the mind is called pleasant feeling. Such pleasant feeling reaches its fullness in the third dhyāna. Therefore, the text says 'like the happiness of the third dhyāna.'

Question: The first and second dhyānas also have pleasant feeling. Why mention only the third?

Answer: Happiness has higher, intermediate, and lower degrees: the first dhyāna is lower, the second intermediate, and the third higher. In the first dhyāna there are two faculties: pleasure and joy. The faculty of pleasure is associated with the five sensory consciousnesses, and the faculty of joy with mental consciousness. In the second dhyāna, mental consciousness is associated with the faculty of joy. In the third, mental consciousness is associated with the faculty of pleasure. Throughout the three realms, apart from the third dhyāna, there is no faculty of pleasure associated with mental consciousness. The five sensory consciousnesses do not discriminate or know names and characteristics. When visual consciousness arises, mental consciousness has already arisen within a finger snap. Therefore, the faculty of pleasure associated with sensory consciousness cannot bring happiness to fullness, while that associated with mental consciousness can. For this reason, the third dhyāna has fewer other qualities but abundant happiness, and does not include the liberations, spheres of mastery, or totality bases. Beyond the third dhyāna, there is no further pleasure of this kind. Therefore, the text says 'like a monk entering the third dhyāna.'

As for all beings gaining 'wholesome wisdom, keeping the precepts, guarding themselves, and not troubling other beings': Question: Why does the text say that all gain wholesome wisdom immediately after describing happiness?

Answer: Before obtaining happiness, people can cultivate merit. Once they obtain it, they may become so attached to happiness that they stop cultivating merit. Therefore, following happiness, their minds gain wholesome wisdom in turn. Wholesome wisdom means keeping the precepts, guarding oneself, and not troubling other beings.

Question: Keeping the precepts already means guarding oneself and not troubling beings. Why repeat 'guarding themselves and not troubling other beings'?

Answer: Wholesome conduct of body and speech is called keeping the precepts. Restraining the mind and directing it toward goodness is called guarding oneself, and also not troubling other beings. All meritorious qualities are included in the bodies of morality, concentration, and wisdom. Taking delight in keeping the precepts belongs to the body of morality. Taking delight in guarding oneself belongs to the body of concentration. Not troubling other beings—the qualities of loving-kindness and the like within meditation—belongs to the body of wisdom.

Question: No one says that keeping the precepts is undesirable. Why specify taking delight in keeping them?

Answer: Some, such as brahmins attached to worldly ways, say, 'Those who leave the household and delight in keeping precepts cut off their family line.' They also say that earning wealth through one's own efforts and widely performing meritorious deeds brings blessings. Those who go forth and beg cannot even support themselves; how can they perform meritorious deeds? Such statements disparage delight in keeping the precepts.

There are also practitioners attached to worldly government who disparage delight in guarding oneself. They say, 'People should govern the world through law, reward good and punish evil, uphold the law, and not abandon their elders and parents. Establishing laws to aid the world brings great benefit. What use is there in cultivating goodness only for oneself, guarding oneself and doing nothing, while leaving a disordered world unattended and people in urgent need unaided?' This is called disparaging delight in guarding oneself.

Others disparage delight in not troubling beings, saying, 'One cannot avenge a grievance, imprison a thief, deal with evildoers, discipline offenders, avert calamity, or rescue those in danger. Remaining silent is useless. What good is such conduct?' This disparages delight in not troubling beings. As a verse says:

If a person has no courage or strength, what use is birth in this world? Failing to rescue relatives in danger, one is like a wooden figure standing on the ground!

Such various unwholesome statements are called disparaging non-harming. These devas and humans all gain wholesome wisdom, keep the precepts, guard themselves, and do not trouble other beings. Practicing these wholesome qualities, they are peaceful in body and mind, without fear of difficulty, torment, or distress. They have good names and reputations and are loved and respected. This is the gateway toward nirvāṇa. When their lives are about to end, they rejoice on seeing their merit, without grief or regret. If they have not attained nirvāṇa, they are born in Buddha worlds or in the heavens. Therefore, the text says, 'They gained wholesome wisdom, kept the precepts, guarded themselves, and did not trouble other beings.'