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Major Expositions
KGSS VI : 81-90
VI-2
A Collection of Passages Revealing
The Transformed Buddha-Bodies and Lands
That are Provisional Means of the Pure Land Way
Compiled by Gutoku Shinran,
Disciple of Sakyamuni
81 Here, based
on the sutras, the true and the false are determined and people
are cautioned against the wrong, false, and misleading opinions
of nonbuddhist teachings:
82 The Nirvana
Sutra states:
If one has taken refuge in the Buddha, one must not further take
refuge in various gods.
83 The Sutra
of the Samadhi of All Buddhas' Presence states:
Those among laywomen who hear of this samadhi and seek to learn
it:...Take refuge in the Buddha yourself, take refuge in the dharma,
take refuge in the sangha. Do not serve other teachings, do not
worship devas, do not enshrine spirits, do not heed days considered
lucky.
84 Further,
it states:
Laywomen who wish to learn this samadhi...must not worship devas
or enshrine spirits.
85 Chapter
Eight, "Constellations of the Mara King Papiyas," section
two, in the Extensive Mahayana Sun-Matrix Sutra, fascicle eight,
states:
Then Kharosti said to the beings of the heavens, "The moon
and these other heavenly bodies each have their own sphere to govern.
You are to save the four kinds of sentient beings. What are these
four? You are to aid the human beings on earth, all nagas, yaksas,
and further, scorpions. All such beings are to be saved without
exception. In order to bring peace and happiness to all sentient
beings, I have fixed the stars in their constellations. Each of
these has its own divisions of space and time, down to the briefest
hour. I will explain each in detail. The activities of each proceed
regularly and prosper, varying according to the lands and their
directions."
Kharosti placed his palms together before the assembly and said,
"I have thus set in their places the sun and moon, the annual
seasons, and the major and minor heavenly bodies. What are the six
seasons? The first and second months are the time of warmth. The
third and fourth months are the time of sowing. The fifth and sixth
months are the time of rain. The seventh and eighth months are the
time of ripening. The ninth and tenth months are the time of chill.
The eleventh and twelfth months are the time of heavy snow. The
twelve months are thus divided into six seasons.
"Further, there are eight major heavenly bodies: Jupiter,
Mars, Saturn, Venus, Mercury, the sun, the moon, and the star of
eclipse. In addition, there are twenty-eight minor heavenly bodies,
ranging from Krttika to Bharani. I have set them thus in order and
have explained the laws of their placement. All of you, look and
listen! All of you in this assembly, what are your thoughts? Are
the methods by which I set them in place right or wrong? Do the
activities and functioning of the twenty-eight constellations and
the eight major heavenly bodies give you delight or not? Those who
say yes and those who say no, each declare your views."
A that time all the devas, human beings, ascetics, asuras, nagas,
kinnaras, and others placed their palms together and said, "You,
Great Sage, are the most revered among devas and human beings, and
among the nagas and asuras also, non surpasses you. Your wisdom
and compassion are supreme. For innumerable kalpas you have taken
pity on all sentient beings, never forgetting them; hence, you have
gained meritorious recompense and fulfilled your vows, and your
virtues are like an ocean. You know all things of the past, present
and future; among devas and human beings, there is not one who possesses
such wisdom. There is no sentient being who could have made such
laws and operations - the laws and operations of day and night,
of moment and hour, of the major and minor heavenly bodies, and
of the waxing and waning moon and the cycle of the year. All of
us delight in this and find peace and joy in it. How wonderful!
You, the one of great virtue, give peace and comfort to sentient
beings."
Then the sage Kharosti said, "Means such as the cycle of the
year consisting of twelve months, and the laws governing the major
and minor stars and the moments and hours, have all been explained
already. Further, the great kings of the four continents have been
placed at the four faces of Mount Sumeru, one king at each face.
From each face, they reign over the sentient beings of that quarter.
The deva-king of the northern quarter is Vaisravana. In his realm,
there are many yaksas. The deva-king of the southern quarter is
Virudhaka. In his realm, there are many kumbhandas. The deva-king
of the western quarter is Virupaksa. In his realm, there are many
nagas. The deva-king of the eastern realm is Dhrtarastra. In his
realm, there are many gandharvas.
"These kings protect all lands and cities throughout the four
cardinal points and four intermediate directions. Further, spirits
are placed about as guards."
When the sage Kharosti finished preaching, all the great assembly
- including devas, nagas, yaksas, asuras, kinnaras, mahoragas, and
human and nonhuman beings - rejoicing immeasurably, said, "It
is good, it is good!" A this time, the devas, sages nagas,
yaksas, asuras and others paid homage day and night to Kharosti.
Further, after an immeasurable length of time, there will be another
sage. He will be named Kalika. He will appear in the world and again
teach the laws governing the heavenly bodies and minor and major
moons, and the essentials concerning times and seasons.
When the sage Light-Taste had preached the above, all the nagas
on Mount Khalatiya where the sage lived venerated him with great
reverence. With all their power as nagas, they paid homage.
86 Chapter
Ten, "Buddha-Mindfulness Samadhi," of the Sun Matrix Sutra,
fascicle nine, states:
When Papiyas finished delivering his verse, there was a mara woman
in the assembly named Free-of-Darkness. This mara woman had, in
the past, planted various roots of good. She stated, "The sramana
Gautama is called by a name meaning 'virtues'. If sentient beings
are able to hear the Buddha's name and wholeheartedly take refuge
in him, no mara is capable of inflicting harm on them. Much less
subject to harm, then, are those who, seeing the Buddha and hearing
the dharma directly, adopt various means to deepen and broaden their
wisdom and insight...An army of all maras hundreds of billions in
number could not inflict harm on them even for a moment. The Tathagata
has now opened forth the path to nirvana. I will go to the Buddha
and take refuge in him."
Then she declared in verse for her father:....
By practicing the dharma taught by all the Buddhas throughout
the past, present, and future,
I will liberate sentient beings undergoing all forms of pain.
Attaining complete mastery in all dharmas,
I aspire to be like the Buddha in the future.
When Free-of-Darkness finished stating her verse, five hundred
mara women in the palace of her father the king, including all her
sisters and relatives, awakened the aspiration for enlightenment.
Then the mara king, seeing that the five hundred women of the palace
had all taken refuge in the Buddha and awakened the aspiration for
enlightenment, felt a mounting anger and fear and sorrow....At that
time, the five hundred mara women declared in verse to Papiyas:
If sentient beings take refuge in the Buddha,
Those people will be fearless in the face of a hundred billion
maras.
All the more free of fear are those who have aspired to cross
the current of birth-and-death
And reach the shore of uncreated nirvana.
If there are beings who offer a piece of incense
And scatter a blossom before the three treasures of Buddha,
Dharma, and Sangha,
They will give rise to a mind resolute and fearless,
Which cannot be defeated even by all the maras....
Our immeasurable evil from the past
Is all extinguished without any residue;
Now that we have taken refuge in the Buddha sincerely and wholeheartedly,
It is certain that we will attain the fruit of supreme enlightenment.
When the mara king heard these verses, his anger and fear greatly
increased; his heart grew feverish with distress and melancholy,
he sat alone in the palace.
At that time, the bodhisattva-mahasattva Light-Taste, hearing the
Buddha teach the dharma, caused all sentient beings to sever their
attachments and achieve the four pure practices....
[The Buddha said to Light-Taste,] "Bathe yourself, don clean
robes, refrain form meat and from meals after noon, and do not eat
things strong in taste or smell. Prepare a site for practice in
a tranquil place and sit in right mindfulness with your legs crossed.
Whether walking or sitting, think on the Buddha's bodily features
and do not let your mind be distracted. Do not perceive any other
objects or think on other matters. For one day and night or seven
days and nights, perform no other action. Sincerely think on the
Buddha...and see the Buddha. With a small thought one sees a small
Buddha; with a great thought one sees a great Buddha....With immeasurable
thoughts, one sees the immeasurable and boundless Buddha body.
87 Chapter
Thirteen, "Protecting Stupas," of the Sun-matrix Sutra,
fascicle ten, states:
Then the mara Papiyas, surrounded in front and behind by eighty
billion kinsmen, went to the place of the Buddha. On reaching it,
he touched his head to the Buddha's feet and paid homage to the
World-honored one. Then he stated in verse....
All Buddhas of the past, present, and future, with great compassion,
Accept my homage! I repent all my evil acts.
In the two treasures of dharma and sangha, in the same way.
I sincerely take refuge without any other thought.
May I, this day, make offerings to, revere,
And venerate the guiding master of all the world.
All evils I extinguish forever and will never commit;
To the end of my life, I will take refuge in the Tathagata's dharma.
The mara Papiyas, when he had finished stating this verse, said
to the Buddha, 'O World-honored one! The Tathagata, possessing a
mind of equality and nondiscrimination with regard to me and all
sentient beings, is always filled with joy and with compassion and
forbearance."
The Buddha said, "So it is."
Then the mara Papiyas greatly rejoined and awakened the mind of
purity. Again, before the Buddha, he touched his head to the Buddha's
feet in homage. He then circumambulated the Buddha three times to
the right, reverently placed his palms together, and withdrew to
one side, where he stood gazing at the Buddha without wearying.
88 Chapter
Eight, "Evil Spirits" Attainment of Reverent Trust,"
part one, of the Great Collection "Moon-Matrix" Sutra,
fascicle five, states:
[The Buddha said,] "All beings! If you keep your distance
from wrong views, you will gain ten kinds of virtue. What are these
ten? First, with your mind pliant and good, you will have companions
who are wise and virtuous. Second, believing in the recompense of
actions, leading even to death, you will not commit any evil acts.
Third, venerating the three treasures, you will not trust in gods.
Fourth, adopting right views, you will not decide propitious or
unpropitious times according to the season, day or month. Fifth,
always being born in realms of human beings or devas, you will never
fall into the evil courses. Sixth, attaining a mind of clarity in
wisdom and goodness, you will be praised by others. Seventh, abandoning
secular involvements, you will always pursue the holy path. Eighth,
parting from views of annihilation and eternality, you will believe
in the law of causation. Ninth, you will always meet and be with
people of right faith, right practice, and right aspiration. Tenth,
you will be born into the good courses of existence.
"You will direct the roots of good acquired from casting off
wrong views toward attainment of supreme, perfect enlightenment.
People who do so quickly fulfill the six paramitas and will attain
perfect enlightenment in a Buddha-land of goodness and purity. Having
achieved enlightenment, they will adorn sentient beings with their
virtues, wisdom, and all their roots of good in their own Buddha-land.
Being born in those lands, people do not put trust in gods; leaving
behind their fear of the evil course, they will be born into good
courses on ending their lives there."
89 Chapter
Eight, "Evil Spirits' Attainment of Reverent Trust," part
two, of the Moon-Matrix Sutra, fascicle six, states:
Extremely difficult is it to encounter a Buddha's appearance
in the world,
And difficult again to encounter the dharma and the sangha.
Difficult is it for sentient beings to attain pure faith,
And difficult again to part from the manifold adversities.
Difficult is it to have pity on sentient beings,
And difficult above all to know content.
Difficult is it to be able to hear the right dharma,
And difficult indeed to practice it well.
If we come to know these difficulties and thus attain [the ten
kinds of] equality,
We will always receive happiness in the world.
The person of wisdom is always quick to perceive
The ten kinds of equality....
Then the World-honored one taught the dharma to the gathering of
evil spirits. At that time, some evil spirits in the assembly had
in the past awakened a resolute faith in the Buddha's teaching.
After that, however, they had associated with evil teachers and
had come to perceive in their hearts the faults of others. It was
through this cause that they had been born evil spirits.
90 Chapter
Nine, "The Deva Kings' Protection," in the "Moon-Matrix"
section of the Great Collection Sutra, fascicle six, states:
Then, in order to instruct the beings of the world, the World-honored
one asked the deva-king Mahabrahma, lord of the Saha world, "Who
protects and sustains the four continents?"
The deva-king Mahabrahma, lord of the Saha world, said, 'World-honored
one of great virtue! The deva-king of Tusita heaven, together with
countless hundreds of thousands of Tusita gods, protects and sustains
Uttarakuru.
"The deva-king of Paranirmitavasavartin heaven, together with
countless hundreds of thousands of Paranirmitavasavartin gods, protects
and sustains Purvavideha.
"The deva-king of Nirmanarati heaven, together with countless
hundreds of thousands of Nirmanarati gods, protects and sustains
Jambudvipa.
"The deva-king of Suyama heaven, together with hundreds of
thousands of Suyama gods, protects and sustains Aparagodaniya.
"World-honored one of great virtue! King Vaisravana, together
with a host of countless hundreds of thousands of yaksas, protects
and sustains Uttarakuru.
"King Dhrtarastra, together with a host of countless hundreds
of thousands of gandharvas, protects and sustains Purvavideha.
"King Virudhaka, together with a host of countless hundreds
of thousands of kumbhandas, protects and sustains Jambudvipa.
"King Virupaksa, together with a host of countless hundreds
of thousands of nagas, protects and sustains Aparagodaniya.
"World-honored one of great virtue! Seven constellations of
the heavenly sage [Kharosti], three luminous bodies, and three celestial
maidens protect and sustain Uttarakuru. These seven constellations
of the heavenly sage are Sata-bhisa, Dhanistha, and Purva-bhadrapada,
Uttara-bhadraphada, Revati, Asvini, and Bharani. The three luminous
bodies are Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars. The three celestial maidens
are Kuhan, Mina, and Meisha.
"World-honored one of great virtue! Among these seven constellations
of the heavenly sage, Sata-bhisa, Dhanistha, Purva-bhadrapada are
the domain of Saturn, and Kuhan is its star. Uttara-bhadrapada and
Revati are the domain of Jupiter, and Mina is its star. Asvini and
Bharani are the domain of Mars, and Meisha is its star. World-honored
one of great virtue, these seven constellations of Kharosti, three
luminous bodies, and three celestial maidens protect and sustain
Uttarakuru.
"World-honored one of great virtue! Seven constellations of
the heavenly sage, three luminous bodies, and three celestial maidens
protect and sustain Purvavideha. These seven constellations of the
heavenly sage are Krttika, Rohini, Mrga-sira, Ardra, Punar-vasu,
Pusya, and Asleka. The three luminous bodies are Venus, Jupiter,
and the moon. The three celestial maidens are Birisha, Michuna,
and Katsukataka.
"World-honored one of great virtue! Among these seven constellations
of the heavenly sage, Krttika and Rohini are the domain of Venus,
and Birisha is its star. Mrga-sira, Ardra, and Punar-vasu are the
domain of Jupiter, and Michuna is its star. Pusya and Aslesa are
the domain of the moon, and Katsukataka is its star. World-honored
one of great virtue! These seven constellations of the heavenly
sage, three luminous bodies, and three celestial maidens protect
and sustain Purvavideha.
"World-honored one of great virtue! Seven constellations of
the heavenly sage, three luminous bodies, and three celestial maidens
protect and sustain Jambudvipa. These seven constellations of the
heavenly sage are Magha, Purva-phalguni, Uttara-phalguni, Hasta,
Citra, Svati, and Visakha. The three luminous bodies are the sun,
Mercury, and Venus. The three celestial maidens are Shakuka, Ka'nya,
and Tora.
"World-honored one of great virtue! Among these seven constellations
of the heavenly sage, Magha, Purva-phalguni, and Uttara-phalguni
are the domain of the sun, and Shakuka is its star. Hasta and Citra
are the domain of Mercury, and Ka'nya is its star. Svati and Visakha
are the domain of Venus, and Tora is its star. World-honored one
of great virtue! These seven constellations of the heavenly sage,
three luminous bodies, and three celestial maidens protect and sustain
Jambudvipa.
"World-honored one of great virtue! Seven constellations of
the heavenly sage, three luminous bodies, and three celestial maidens
protect and sustain Aparagodaniya. These seven constellations of
the heavenly sage are Anuradha, Jyestha, Mula, Purva-sadha, Uttara-sadha,
Sravana, and Abhijit. The three luminous bodies are Mars, Jupiter,
and Saturn. The three celestial maidens are Birishika, Tatoba, and
Makara.
"World-honored one of great virtue! Among these seven constellations
of the heavenly sage, Anuradha and Jyestha are the domain of Mars,
and Birishika is its star. Mula, Purva-sadha, and Uttara-sadha are
the domain of Jupiter, and Tatoba is its star. Sravana and Abhijit
are the domain of Saturn, and Makara is its star. World-honored
one of great virtue! These seven constellations of the heavenly
sage, three luminous bodies, and three celestial maidens protect
and sustain Aparagodaniya.
"World-honored one of great virtue! Among the four continents,
Jambudvipa is the most excellent. Why? Because the people of Jambudvipa
are courageous and wise, and their pure acts benefit them. You,
the Buddha, World-honored one, have appeared in it. For this reason
the four great deva-kings of the directions all the more protect
and sustain it. In Jambudvipa, there are sixteen great kingdoms.
The four great kingdoms of Anga-Magadha, Vangamagadha, Avanti, and
Ceti are surrounded by King Vaisravana and a host of yaksas, who
protect and sustain them.
"The four great kingdoms of Kasi, Kosala, Vamsa, and Malla
are surrounded by King Dhrtarastra and a host of gandharvas, who
protect and sustain them.
"The four great kingdoms of Kuru, Vajji, Pancala, and Surasena
are surrounded by King Virudhaka and a host of Kumbhandas, who protect
and sustain them.
"The four great kingdoms of Assaka, Soma, Sorata, and Kamboja
are surrounded by King Virupaksa and a host of nagas, who protect
and sustain them.
"World-honored one of great virtue! Because the sages of the
heavens protected and sustained the four continents in the past,
they have been divided and situated in this way. Later - depending
on whether the place was a kingdom, city, village, temple, or garden,
beneath trees, among graves, or in mountain valleys, fields, rivers,
springs, dikes, or jeweled islands in the sea or shrines to the
gods - nagas, yaksas, raksasas, hungry ghosts, pisacas, putanas,
kataputanas and so on were born there, by egg, womb, moisture, and
metamorphosis. They dwell in those places but have no territory
of their own. They have not received instructions from others. Thus,
I pray that the Buddha array these spirits and station them throughout
the lands of Jambudvipa for the protection of these lands and for
the protection of all the beings. We would like to rejoice with
them in receiving this instruction."
The Buddha said, "It is so. Mahabrahma, it is as you say."
Then the World-honored one set forth the meaning once more, teaching
in verse:
In order to instruct the beings of the world, I,
The guiding master, asked King Brahma:
Who is it that protect and sustains
These four continents?
Brahma, teacher of the heavens, spoke thus:
With their followings, the kings of the heavens
Of Tusita, Paranirmitavasavartin,
Nirmanarati, and Suyama
Protect and sustain
The four continents.
Further, the kings of the four directions
And their followers protect and sustain them.
The twenty-eight constellations,
Their twelve central stars,
And the twelve celestial maidens
Protect and sustain the four continents.
Nagas, spirits, raksasas, and so on,
Who have received no instructions from others,
Go to and protect various areas
According to their place of birth.
I pray that the Buddha array
The devas and spirits variously,
And taking pity on sentient beings,
Make the torch of the right dharma burn brightly.
Then the Buddha said to Bodhisattva-mahasattva Moon-Matrix, "You
who have knowledge of purity! At the beginning of this Auspicious
Kalpa, when human life lasted forty-thousand years, the Buddha Krakucchanda
appeared in the world. For the sake of countless, innumerable hundreds
of thousands of billions of nayutas of sentient beings, this Buddha
stopped the wheel of birth-and-death and turned the wheel of the
right dharma. Further, he stopped the evil courses and established
the good courses and the attainment of emancipation.
"This Buddha entrusted the four vast continents to the deva-king
Mahabrahma, lord of the Saha-world, and to the deva-king of Paranirmitavasavartin
heaven, the deva-king of Nirmanarati heaven, the deva-king of Tusita
heaven, the deva-king of Suyama heaven, and other. In order to protect
them, in order to sustain them, in order to manifest pity for sentient
beings, in order that the seeds of the three treasures not be severed,
in order that the three treasures flourish, in order that the vital
energy of the earth, the vital energy of sentient beings, and the
vital energy of the right dharma long abide and increase, in order
to stop sentient beings from falling into the three evil courses,
and in order to guide them toward the three good courses, he entrusted
the four continents to Mahabrahma and the other deva-kings of the
heavens.
"Thus the kalpa gradually elapsed and devas and human beings
expired, all good acts and the pure dharma passed into extinction,
and beings addicted to great evil and various blind passions increased.
When human life lasted thirty thousand years, the Buddha Kanakamuni
appeared in the world. This Buddha entrusted the four great continents
to King Mahabrahma, lord of the Saha-world, and to the other deva-kings,
from the deva-king of Paranirmitavasavartin heaven to the four great
deva-kings of the directions and their followers. In order to protect
and sustain the continents, and for all the other reasons, including
stopping sentient beings from falling into the three evil courses
and guiding them toward the three good courses, he entrusted the
four continents to Mahabrahma and the other deva-kings.
"Thus the kalpa gradually elapsed and devas and human beings
expired, the pure dharma passed away, and beings addicted to great
evil and various blind passions increased.
"When human life lasted for twenty thousand years, the Tathagata
Kasyapa appeared in the world. This Buddha entrusted the four great
continents to King Mahabrahma, lord of the Saha-world, and to the
deva-king of Paranirmitavasavartin heaven, the deva-king of Nirmanarati
heaven, the deva-king of Tusita heaven, the deva-king of Suyama
heaven, Kausika Indra, the four deva-kings of the directions, and
all their followers. In order to protect and sustain the continents,
and for all the other reasons, including stopping sentient beings
from falling into the three evil courses and guiding them toward
the three good courses, Kasyapa Buddha entrusted the four continents
to Mahabrahma, the four deva-kings of the directions, and the others.
He also entrusted them to the various sages of the heavens, the
seven central stars, the twelve celestial maidens, the twenty-eight
constellations, and so on in order to protect and sustain the continents.
"You who have knowledge of purity! Thus we have reached the
time when human life lasts one hundred years - the time of defilement
of the kalpa, defilement of the blind passions, defilement of the
sentient beings, defilement of great evil and blind passions, and
the evil world of strife. The pure dharma has vanished entirely,
and all evils darken the world. Just as sea water has the single
taste of salt, so the world is pervaded and filled with the taste
of great blind passions. Evil ones in hordes, taking skulls in their
hands and staining their palms with blood, slay one another. Among
such evil sentient beings, I now appear in the world and attain
perfect enlightenment beneath the bodhi tree. I received food from
merchants led by Trapusa and Bhallika. For their sake, I divide
Jambudvipa among the devas, nagas, gandharvas, kumbhandas, yaksas,
and others, so that it be protected and sustained.
"Accordingly, all the bodhisattva-mahasattvas of the Buddha-lands
throughout the ten quarters, without exception, will come and assemble
here, gathering in multitudes. In this Buddha-land of Saha, where
there are ten billion suns and moons, ten billion fourfold continents,
ten billion fourfold great oceans, ten billion Encircling Iron Mountains
and Great Encircling Iron Mountains, ten billion Mount Sumerus,
ten billion fourfold asura castles, ten billion fourfold great deva-kings
of the directions, ten billion Trayatrimsa heavens and so on, up
to ten billion realms of neither thought nor no-thought that I will
not enumerate in detail - in this Buddha-land of Saha, I will perform
the Buddha's work. In this Buddha-land of Saha, all the deva-kings
Brahmas and their followers, as well as the deva-king Papiyas, the
deva-kings of the Paranirmitavasavartin heavens, the deva-kings
of the Nirmanarati heavens, the deva-kings of the Tusita heavens,
the deva-kings of the Suyama heavens, the deva-king Indras, the
fourfold great deva-kings of the directions, the kings of the asuras,
the kings of the nagas, the kings of the yaksas, the kings of the
raksasas, the kings of the gandharvas, the kings of the kinnaras,
the kings of the garudas, the king of the mahoragas, the kings of
the kumbhandas, the kings of the hungry ghosts, the kings of the
pisacas, the kings of the putanas, the kings of the kataputanas
and so on are gathered here in a great assembly with their followers
in order to hear the dharma.
"In this Buddha-land of Saha, all the bodhisattva-mahasattvas
and sravakas, without exception, have gathered here in order to
hear the dharma. I will now, for the great assembly gathered here,
set forth the most profound Buddha-dharma. Moreover, in order to
protect the world, I will array the spirits gathered in Jambudvipa
and station them throughout the land, and thus protect and sustain
it."
Then the World-honored one asked deva-king Mahabrahma, lord of
the Saha-world, "To whom did the Buddhas of the past entrust
these four great continents, in order that they be protected and
sustained?"
Deva-king Mahabrahma, lord of the Saha-world, replied, "The
Buddhas of the past entrusted these four continents to me and to
Kausika Indra in order that they be protected. But we were at fault.
[Thus,] my name and that of Indra have not been stated; only the
other deva-kings and the constellations, luminous bodies, and central
stars have been praised as those who protect and sustain them."
Then deva-king Mahabrahma, lord of the Saha-world, and Kausika
Indra touched their heads to the Buddha's feet in homage and spoke
these words, "World-honored one of great virtue! Well-gone
one of great virtue! We now repent our failings. We are like small
children, foolish and lacking in wisdom; how can we speak our names
before the Tathagata?
"World-honored one of great virtue! Please pardon us. Well-gone
one of great virtue! Grant us your pardon. Those gathered in the
great assembly also, please pardon us. Having obtained freedom in
expounding the teaching in our own dominions, we protect and sustain
beings in order to lead them all into the good courses.
"Already in the distant past, under the Buddha Krakucchanda,
we received our instructions, and we have already made the seeds
of the three treasures flourish. Under the Buddhas Kanakamuni and
Kasyapa, we again received the same instructions, and earnestly
caused the seeds of the three treasures to flourish. This was in
order that the vital energy of the earth, the vital energy of the
sentient beings, and the vital energy of the right dharma - the
taste of manda - long abide and increase. We too now receive instructions
under the World-honored one also. Having obtained freedom in expounding
the teaching in our dominions, we put an end to all strife and famine,
and earnestly give protection in order to keep the seeds of the
three treasures from extinction; in order that the three kinds of
vital energy long abide and increase; in order to obstruct those
sentient beings performing evil acts and protect and nurture those
who practice the dharma; in order to stop sentient beings from falling
into the three evil courses and to guide them into the three good
courses; and in order that the Buddha-dharma be able to long abide."
The Buddha said, "Excellent, excellent! Stalwart ones, let
it be as you say."
Then the Buddha said to the ten billion deva-king Mahabrahmas,
"I place in your hands all beings who practice the dharma,
abide in the dharma and accord with the dharma, and who shun evil.
You, leaders of sages, obtain freedom in expounding the teaching
in your own dominions in the ten billion fourfold continents. You
have acquired places where you can freely exercise your powers.
The sentient beings of those places are vile, coarse, and malicious;
they altogether lack pity for others, conceive no fear for the next
life, and impinge upon and distress the minds of all, whether warriors,
brahmans, merchants and peasants, or serfs. They do so even to the
minds of animals. In this way they engage in the destruction of
life and hold to wrong views. Through these acts they bring about
untimely winds and rains, the impairment and diminution of the vital
energy of the earth, of sentient beings, and of the right dharma.
You are to stop them and lead them to good acts.
"If there are sentient beings who seek to achieve good, who
desire to obtain the dharma, who aspire to cross to the other shore
beyond birth-and-death, who practice the paramitas of charity or
one of the others, up to the paramitas of wisdom - sentient beings
whose acts abide in the dharma, or who manage their affairs in order
to perform practices - you should protect and sustain such sentient
beings.
"If there are sentient beings who accept and uphold various
sutras and treatises, recite them, expound them for others, and
explain them, you should, with them, acquire sturdy powers through
the means of mindfulness, enter the wisdom in which one does not
forget what one hears, and discern the characteristics of all things,
and moreover cause beings to part from birth-and-death, practice
the noble eightfold path, and accord with the root of samadhi.
"If there are sentient beings in your dominions who, dwelling
in the dharma, performing the methods of practicing samatha and
vipasyana in order, and accomplishing the various samadhis, earnestly
seek to practice in order to attain the three kinds of bodhi, you
should remove evils and protect them, embrace them, warmly give
them alms, and keep them from want.
"If there are sentient beings who practice charity by giving
food and drink, clothing, or bedding, or who give medication for
illness, you should cause the five benefits to increase for those
almsgivers. What are these five? First, increase in life; second,
increase in wealth; third, increase in pleasure; fourth, increase
in good acts; and fifth, increase in wisdom. You will obtain benefits
and happiness throughout the long night. Because of this, you will
well fulfill the six paramitas, and before long, you will attain
all-knowing wisdom."
Then the ten billion deva-king Brahmas, with deva-king Mahabrahma,
lord of the Saha-world, at their head, all said, "It is so,
it is so. World-honored one of great virtue, in each of our own
dominions, there are people who are vile, course and malicious,
who lack pity for others, conceive no fear for the next life, and
so on. We will stop them and cause the five benefits to increase
for the alms-givers."
The Buddha said, "Well spoken, well spoken! Let all of you
be thus."
At that time, all the bodhisattva-mahasattvas, all the great sravakas,
and all the devas and nagas and so on, including all the human and
nonhuman beings, praised [the deva-king Brahmas], saying, "Excellent,
excellent! Valiant, courageous ones! You will cause the dharma to
long abide, free all sentient beings from the evil courses, and
lead them quickly into the good courses."
Then the World-honored one, in order to clarify further the meaning,
stated in verse:
I say to Moon-Matrix:
Upon entering the beginning of this Auspicious Kalpa,
Krakucchanda Buddha
Entrusted the four continents to Brahma and the others.
In order to obstruct all evil acts,
They make the eye of the right dharma bright;
They cast aside all evils
And protect and sustain those who practice the dharma.
They keep the seeds of the three treasures from extinction
And cause the three kinds of vital energy to increase;
They arrest the suffering in the evil courses
And lead them into the good courses.
Kanakamuni also entrusted the four continents
To King Mahabrahma and all the other deva-kings -
Of Paranirmitavasavartin, Nirmanarati, and so on,
And the four directions.
Next, Kasyapa Buddha also entrusted them
To deva-king Brahma, the four deva-kings
Of Nirmanarati and the other heavens,
Indra, the world-protecting kings,
And all the sages of the heavens in the past.
For the sake of all the worlds,
They set the constellations and luminous bodies in place
And had them protect and sustain beings.
When the world has entered the age of defilement and evil
And the pure dharma has become extinct,
I alone attain enlightenment that is supreme
And bring human beings peace and protect them.
Now, before this great assembly,
I have often been deeply troubled;
But you are to bestow alms and teach the dharma,
Support me and enable me to protect and sustain the world.
The bodhisattvas throughout the ten quarters
All without exception will come and gather here.
And the deva-kings also
Come to this Buddha-land of Saha.
I asked King Mahabrahma:
Who protected this world in the past?
The deva-kings Indra and Mahabrahma
Indicated the other deva-kings.
Then Indra and King Brahma
Begged me, the guiding master, for pardon, saying,
"In the dominions where we rule
We will stop all evil.
We will cause the seeds of the three treasures to flourish
And increase the three kinds of vital energy;
We will obstruct those who commit evil acts
And protect those who perform good."
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