Chapter XIV - Abhisaṃbodhi

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1. After the Bodhisattva had subdued Māra, his determination was firmer and his mind tranquil. The eternal end being most meaningful, he entered the profound and fine trances. Sovereign in the samādhis, he would realize them in due order.

2. During the first watch he entered concentration and remembered his past lives. “From Such-and-such a place, called So-and-so, I came to be reborn here.” That way he completely understood his hundreds, thousands, and tens of thousands of births and deaths.

3. The births and deaths he had experienced were countless. All kinds of living beings had all been his family once, and he had great compassion in his heart.

4. Having recollected with great compassion, he further observed that living beings revolved in six^[2] destinations, and that their births and deaths never ended. [The six destinations] were false and not firm at all, like a plantain tree or an illusion.

5. In the second watch he then obtained the pure divine eye. Seeing all beings, it was as if he observed their images in a mirror.

6. As the beings generated births and deaths, they were noble or low, poor or rich. According to their pure or impure actions they experienced painful or happy retributions.

7. He observed that evildoers would be reborn in woeful destinations, and that those who practiced wholesome actions would be reborn among humans or gods. If they were reborn in hell, they experienced countless kinds of suffering.

8. They [had to] swallow liquid copper, or iron skewers pierced their limbs. [They were] thrown into boiling hot cauldrons, or forced into great masses of fire.

9. Packs of dogs devoured them with their long teeth, or crows with sharp beaks pecked at their brains. Afraid of fire, they went to dense forests, with leaves that were [as sharp as] swords, cutting their limbs. Sharp knives cut open their bodies, or sharp axes chopped them up.

10. Experiencing these utterly painful poisons, their actions did not let them die. They had happily performed unclean actions, but their retribution was the experience of utter suffering.

11. They had savored their attachments for only an instant, but the painful retribution lasted for a very long time. Laughing, they had planted the cause of suffering, but they experienced the punishment in tears.

12. If the beings that do evil were to see their retribution, they would sever their vital arteries, collapse in fear, and bleed to death.

13. When they performed the actions of animals, their actions were of several kinds, each one different. After death they fell into the animal destination, with several kinds of bodies, each one different.

14. Some died for their skin and flesh, for their fur, horns, bones, tails, or feathers. They massacred one another, and their relatives still devoured them.

15. They carried a heavy burden or pulled a yoke. They were lashed and stabbed with goads and awls. Bloody pus dripped from their wounded limbs. No one could stop hunger or thirst.

16. As they proceeded they massacred others, and they did not have the power of autonomy [over their own fates]. In the sky, in water, or on dry land, they had nowhere to escape from death.

17. Those whose stinginess was great were reborn in the destination of hungry ghosts. Their huge bodies were like big mountains, but the openings of their throats were like the eye of a needle. As the fiery poisons of hunger and thirst were ablaze, they burned themselves.

18. If they had been stingy and had not given to those who asked, or if they had kept others from being generous, they were reborn among the hungry ghosts. When they asked for food, they could not obtain any. They might try to eat impurities rejected by others but it was transformed and lost.

19. If one would hear that the painful retribution of stinginess is such, he would slice his flesh to give it to another, just like King Śibi.

20. Some were reborn in the destination among humans, physically dwelling in walking latrines. [The body’s] movement was utterly painful, and as it left the womb, it gave rise to fear. When a soft body touched an external object, it was as if cut by a sword.

21. As they dwelled in the lot of their previous actions, they did not have a single moment free of death. Suffering hardship, they sought rebirth; and being reborn, they experienced suffering for a long time.

22. If they were reborn in heaven because of their merit, their thirst constantly burned them. When their merit was exhausted and their life was at its end, the five signs of decay and death^[3] arrived. Just as the flowers of a tree become pale and withered, they became drawn and lost their brightness.

23. The lot of their retinue was life or death. Suffering in sadness, no one could make them stay. Their palaces became desolate and empty, and the jade ladies all departed. Sitting or lying in the dirt, they wept sadly and longed for them.

24. The living felt grief about their miserable fall, and the dead were sad, longing for life. Through strenuous practice of asceticism one wishes for the happiness of rebirth in heaven, but because one has such suffering, how base is this? What is there to covet?

25. What is obtained through great application will not avoid the suffering of separation. Alas! Gods and humans, tall or short, there is no difference!

26. Practicing asceticism for eons and forever free from desire, one may think one will surely abide a long time, but in the present all miserably fall. 27. In hell one experiences various suffering, and animals kill each other. Hungry ghosts are forced to suffer hunger and thirst, and humans are exhausted from craving.

28. One might mention the happiness of rebirth in heaven, but separation is a very great suffering. Being misled, one is reborn in the world and does not have any place to rest.

29. Alas! In the sea of birth and death the wheel turns without end. Beings drown in an unceasing current. They are tossed about, without anything to rely upon.

30. Thus [the Bodhisattva] observed the five destinations with his pure divine eye. They were false and not firm, like a plantain tree or like bubbles.

31. Then, during the third watch, he entered profound concentration and observed that the suffering of the turning of the wheel in the world was its specific nature.

32. “One is frequently reborn, grows old, and dies. The number [of rebirths] is countless. Desire and the darkness of delusion—no one knows how to escape them.”

33. In his right mindfulness, he inwardly considered the origination of birth and death. He knew with certainty that old age and death had to be brought about by birth. If a person has a body, for that reason physical pain must follow.

34. He further observed how birth was caused, and he saw that it was through the action of existence. His divine eye observed that the action of existence was not produced by the god Īśvara. It had no specific nature and no self, and neither was it without a cause.

35. If one cuts through the first knot of the bamboo, the other knots then pose no difficulty. After he had seen the cause of birth and death, he gradually saw the truth.

36. The action of existence was produced by grasping, as when fire consumes firewood. Grasping had craving as its cause, just as a small fire may set a mountain ablaze.

37. Knowing that craving is produced by experiencing, one understands unpleasant and pleasant, seeking contentment. Hunger and thirst seek drink and food. Experiencing produces craving in the same way.

38. Any experiencing has contact as its cause. Its three classes^[4] mean the production of suffering or of happiness. If one works at rubbing sticks,^[5] one may obtain fire and use it.

39. Contact is produced by the six sense faculties, because a blind person does not have clear perception. The six sense faculties originate from name-and-form, just as a shoot grows into a stalk and [produces] leaves.

40. Name-and-form are produced by consciousness, just as a seed means the production of the shoot and leaves. But consciousness comes from nameand-form. Nothing is omitted from such transformation.^[6]

41. Because of consciousness, one produces name-and-form; and because of name-and-form, one produces consciousness. Just as a man and his boat advance together, there is mutual transportation on water and on dry land.

42. Just as consciousness produces name-and-form, name-and-form produces the faculties. The faculties produce contact, and contact further produces experiencing.

43. Experiencing produces craving, and craving produces grasping. Grasping produces the existence of actions, and existence then produces birth.

44. Birth produces old age and death. The turning of the wheel is endless for all. The conditioned origination of the beings is completely known in right awakening.

45. [The Bodhisattva’s] right awakening was certain to be completed. The end of birth meant the extinction of old age and death. When existence is extinguished, birth is extinguished. When grasping is extinguished, existence is extinguished.

46. When craving is extinguished, grasping is extinguished. When experiencing is extinguished, craving is extinguished. When contact is extinguished, experiencing is extinguished. When the six sense faculties are extinguished, contact is extinguished.

47. The extinction of all sense faculties comes from the extinction of name-and-form. When consciousness is extinguished, name-and-form is extinguished. When formation is extinguished, consciousness is extinguished.

48. When delusion is extinguished, formation is extinguished.^[7] The great seer’s right awakening was accomplished. When right awakening was thus accomplished, the Buddha appeared in the world.

49. The eightfold path—right view, and so on—is a smooth, level, and right road. In the end there is no [“I” or] “mine,” just as fire is extinguished when the firewood is consumed.

50. “What I had to do, is done. I have obtained the path of right awakening of our ancestors.” [The Buddha] had completely achieved the highest meaning and entered the house of the greatest seer.

51. As darkness passed and the light rose, movement and tranquility were both silent. He had reached the Law without end, and his omniscience was clear.

52. The virtue of the great seer was pure, and the earth quaked all around. The whole universe was clear and bright, and gods, dragons, and spirits gathered in great numbers. In the sky they played celestial music to worship the Law.

53. A gentle breeze brought coolness, and celestial clouds brought fragrant rain. Fine flowers blossomed out of season and sweet fruits became ripe in spite of the season.

54. Mahāmāndārava and all kinds of celestial precious flowers came down in profusion, in worship of the worthy muni.

55. Beings of different species all turned to one another with friendly thoughts. Fear was completely eliminated. There was no longer any thought of anger or arrogance. All in the entire world accompanied the one whose impurities had ended.

56. The gods were happy with [the Buddha’s] deliverance, and the woeful destinations were calm for a while. Affliction gradually ceased and the moon of knowledge gradually increased its light.

57. When the seers of the Ikṣvāku family who were reborn in heaven saw that the Buddha had appeared in the world, they were filled with joy.

58. In their celestial palace it then rained flowers in worship. The gods, dragons, and spirits praised the Buddha’s virtue with one voice.

59. When people in the world saw the worship and heard the sounds of praise, they all rejoiced and they were overcome with joy. Only the celestial king Māra felt great grief in his heart.

60. The Buddha meditated seven days, and his mind was pure. He observed the bodhi tree, gazing without blinking.

61. “Relying on this place, I have fulfilled my previous wish. I am established in the Law without self.” With his buddha eye he observed beings, and this gave rise to merciful thoughts. He wished to let [beings] obtain purity.

62. “Greed, anger, delusion, and wrong views are floating and sinking into their minds. Deliverance is very profound and fine. How can I propagate it?” He gave up his diligent application and stayed silent.

63. He thought back to his previous solemn oath. He again thought about expounding the Law, and observed the strength of the afflictions of living beings.

64. Brahmadeva knew what was on [the Buddha’s] mind, [and understood] that he should be invited to turn the [wheel of the] Law. Releasing his pure light all around for the rescue of suffering beings, he came to see the worthy muni and the signs of a great person who would expound the Law.

65. As the fine meanings were all seen, [the Buddha] was established in true knowledge. He had abandoned any wrong that would cause difficulties, and was free from any false thought.

66. [Brahmadeva] was reverential and rejoiced in his heart. He held his palms together and urged him, “How fortunate the world is in meeting you, worthy one with great compassion!

67. “All kinds of beings are unclean and have impure thoughts. Some have serious afflictions and the afflictions of others are insignificant.

68. “World-honored One, you have escaped the great sea of the suffering of birth and death. Please, save those beings who are sunk in it!

69. “Just as a righteous person in the world shares the benefit he has obtained with others, the benefit of the Law that you, World-honored One, have obtained, should indeed save beings!

70. “Common people mostly benefit themselves. Combining the benefit of oneself and others is difficult. Please, deign to be compassionate and do the most difficult thing in the world!” Having urged him in this way, [Brahmadeva] took his leave and returned to the Brahma Heaven.

71. The Buddha was pleased in his heart at Brahmadeva’s invitation, and increased his sincerity. He nourished his feeling of great compassion and strengthened his intention to expound the Law.

72. Remembering that [the Buddha] would go begging for alms, the four kings^[8] all offered their almsbowls. The Tathāgata^[9] accepted the four [bowls] for the sake of the Law, and combined them into one.

73. At that time some merchants were traveling. A celestial spirit, a good friend, told them, “The great seer, the worthy muni, is in that mountain forest.

As he is a fine field of merit in the world, you should go and worship him!”

74. When [the merchants] heard this command they greatly rejoiced, and offered [the Buddha] his first meal. After the meal he looked back and thought, “Who should hear the Law first?

75. “Yes, there are Ārāḍa and Udraka Rāmaputra. They are fit to receive the Right Law, but their lives have now come to an end. Next, there are the five bhikṣus who should hear the first exposition of the Law.”

76. He wanted to expound the Law of tranquility, just as the sunlight does away with darkness. He went to Vārāṇasī, the place where the seers of the past had dwelled.

77. With the steady gaze of the eyes of an ox king, and with the dignified gait of a lion, he went to the city of Kāśi to save beings. At every step, the animal kings looked at him, but he looked back at the bodhi grove.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Abhisaṃbodhi: enlightenment.

[2]:

Both five and six destinations are mentioned throughout the text. Is this Baoyun’s “correction”? Or a later scribal error? Or was the number not fixed?

[3]:

The five signs of imminent death are: 1) the flowery crown withers, 2) one’s armpits sweat, 3) one’s clothes are dirty, 4) the body’s brightness is lost, or one has bad body odor, 5) one ceases to enjoy one’s original status.

[4]:

The three classes are a sense faculty, its object, and the corresponding consciousness.

[5]:

I.e., contact (sparśa), one of the links of dependent origination. See notes 72 and 73 below.

[6]:

Stanzas 41–44 mention ten links of dependent origination: consciousness (vijñāna), name-and-form (nāmarūpa), six sense faculties (ṣaḍāyatana), contact (sparśa), experiencing (vedanā), craving (tṛṣṇā), grasping (upādāna), existence (bhava), birth (jāti), and old age and death (jarāmaraṇa).

[7]:

Here two more links, ignorance or delusion (moha) and formation (saṃskāra), are added, adding up to the twelve links of dependent origination.

[8]:

The four kings are the guardians of the world and of the Law, dwelling on Sumeru. In the east, Dhṛtarāṣṭra; in the south, Virūḍhaka; in the west, Virūpākṣa; and in the north, Vaiśravaṇa.

[9]:

The context makes it clear that “Tathāgata” is interpreted here as “Thus-come,” i.e., one who has come to enlightenment.