Key Summary of The Shurangama Sutra Volume 6

1. Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva’s Cultivation Process:

   • Entering Samadhi through hearing, contemplating, and practicing.
   • Obtaining two supreme states: uniting above with the compassion of all Buddhas, and uniting below with the sorrow and admiration of all living beings.

2. Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva’s Thirty-Two Manifestation Bodies:

   • Able to manifest various forms (such as Buddha body, Pratyekabuddha body, Sound Hearer body, etc.).
   • Speaking the Dharma for living beings of different capacities.

3. Fourteen Kinds of Fearlessness Virtues:

   • Including liberation from suffering and distress, exemption from fire and water disasters, and distance from greed, anger, etc.

4. Four Inconceivable Effortless Wonderful Virtues:

   • Manifesting various magical transformations.
   • Able to bestow fearlessness upon living beings.
   • Enabling living beings to give up their bodies to seek compassion.
   • Able to make offerings to all Buddhas and living beings.

5. Manjushri Bodhisattva’s Choice:

   • Comparing the twenty-five methods of perfect penetration.
   • Praising Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva’s method of perfect penetration through the ear organ as the most supreme.

6. Ananda’s Request:

   • How to establish a Bodhimanda and stay away from demonic matters.

7. The Buddha’s Four Clear and Decisive Instructions on Purity for Cultivation:

   • Cutting off lust.
   • Abstaining from killing and eating meat.
   • Not stealing.
   • Not lying.

8. Emphasizing the Importance of These Four Clear and Decisive Instructions:

   • If these are not cut off, even with cultivation, it is difficult to achieve success.
   • Following these instructions is the only way to truly attain liberation.

These contents embody the cultivation concepts of Mahayana Buddhism, particularly emphasizing Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva’s compassion and wisdom, as well as the basic precepts and methods of mental purification that practitioners should follow.

The Shurangama Sutra Volume 6: Complete Text

Then Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva rose from his seat, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, and said to the Buddha: “World Honored One, I remember that countless kalpas ago, a Buddha named Avalokitesvara appeared in the world. I aroused the Bodhi mind under that Buddha, who taught me to enter Samadhi through hearing, contemplating, and practicing. Initially, I entered the stream of hearing and forgot the object of hearing. Since the entry was quiet, the two characteristics of movement and stillness clearly did not arise. Advancing in this way, hearing and what was heard both came to an end. Even when hearing was exhausted, I did not stop there; awareness and the object of awareness became empty. When the emptiness of awareness reached its utmost perfection, emptiness and what was emptied were extinguished. Since generation and extinction were both extinguished, sudden silence appeared. Suddenly, I transcended both the worldly and transcendental worlds, and a perfect brightness pervaded the ten directions, obtaining two supreme states. First, I united above with the fundamental wondrous originally awakened mind of all Buddhas in the ten directions, possessing the same power of compassion as all Buddhas. Second, I united below with all living beings in the six paths of the ten directions, sharing the same sorrow and admiration as all living beings.”

“World Honored One, because I made offerings to Avalokitesvara Tathagata, I received from that Tathagata the Vajra Samadhi of illusion-like hearing, contemplating, and practicing. Because I have the same power of compassion as the Buddha, I can manifest thirty-two forms to enter various lands. World Honored One, if there are Bodhisattvas who enter Samadhi and advance in cultivation of the leakage-free supreme understanding, manifesting perfection, I will appear in the body of a Buddha to speak the Dharma for them and bring them to liberation. If there are solitary realizers who are quiet, wonderful, and bright, with supreme wonder manifesting perfection, I will appear before them in the body of a Solitary Realizer to speak the Dharma for them and bring them to liberation. If there are those who study and cultivate to sever the twelve causal links, and having severed the links, their supreme nature manifests perfection, I will appear before them in the body of a Pratyekabuddha to speak the Dharma for them and bring them to liberation. If there are those who study and cultivate to attain the emptiness of the Four Noble Truths, entering extinction through cultivation, and their supreme nature manifests perfection, I will appear before them in the body of a Sound Hearer to speak the Dharma for them and bring them to liberation.”

“If there are living beings directly aware of their mind and realizing that the absence of desire creates clear comprehension, who do not violate the dust of desire and whose bodies are pure, I will appear before them in the body of a Brahma King to speak the Dharma for them and bring them to liberation. If there are living beings who wish to be the Lord of Heaven and rule over the heavens, I will appear before them in the body of Shakra to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If there are living beings who wish to roam freely in the ten directions with their bodies, I will appear before them in the body of a God of Freedom to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If there are living beings who wish to fly freely in the void with their bodies, I will appear before them in the body of a Great God of Freedom to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If there are living beings who love to rule over ghosts and spirits to protect their lands, I will appear before them in the body of a Great General of Heaven to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If there are living beings who love to rule the world and protect living beings, I will appear before them in the body of a Four Heavenly King to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If there are living beings who love to be born in heavenly palaces and command ghosts and spirits, I will appear before them in the body of a Crown Prince of the Four Heavenly Kings to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal.”

“If there are living beings who delight in being rulers of people, I will appear before them in the body of a Human King to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If there are living beings who love to be leaders of clans and be respected in the world, I will appear before them in the body of an Elder to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If there are living beings who love to discuss famous sayings and live a pure life, I will appear before them in the body of a Layman to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If there are living beings who love to govern the country and manage state affairs, I will appear before them in the body of an Official to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If there are living beings who love various arts and magic and live in seclusion, I will appear before them in the body of a Brahmin to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If there are men who are eager to learn and leave the home life to uphold the precepts, I will appear before them in the body of a Bhikshu to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If there are women who are eager to learn and leave the home life to uphold the precepts, I will appear before them in the body of a Bhikshuni to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If there are men who delight in upholding the five precepts, I will appear before them in the body of an Upasaka to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If there are women who live by the five precepts, I will appear before them in the body of an Upasika to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal.”

“If there are women who manage internal affairs and establish themselves to improve the family and country, I will appear before them in the body of a Queen, a Noble Lady, or a Matriarch to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If there are living beings who do not destroy their male roots, I will appear before them in the body of a Celibate Youth to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If there are virgins who love to maintain their bodies and do not seek violation, I will appear before them in the body of a Virgin Maiden to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If there are heavenly beings who wish to transcend their heavenly kind, I will appear in the body of a Heavenly Being to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If there are dragons who wish to transcend their dragon kind, I will appear in the body of a Dragon to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If there are Yakshas who wish to transcend their kind, I will appear before them in the body of a Yaksha to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If Gandhabbas wish to transcend their kind, I will appear before them in the body of a Gandhabba to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If Asuras wish to transcend their kind, I will appear before them in the body of an Asura to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If Kinnaras wish to transcend their kind, I will appear before them in the body of a Kinnara to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If Mahoragas wish to transcend their kind, I will appear before them in the body of a Mahoraga to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If living beings delight in human life and cultivating humanity, I will appear in the body of a Human to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If non-humans, whether with form or without form, with thought or without thought, wish to transcend their kind, I will appear before them in their respective forms to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. These are called the thirty-two wonderful and pure manifestations that enter the lands. They are all achieved through the effortless wonderful power of the Samadhi of hearing, contemplating, and practicing.”

“World Honored One, I also use this effortless wonderful power of the Vajra Samadhi of hearing, contemplating, and practicing, because I share the same sorrow and admiration as all living beings in the six paths of the ten directions and the three periods of time, to enable all living beings to obtain fourteen kinds of fearlessness virtues from my body and mind. First, because I do not contemplate sound but contemplate the contemplator, I enable suffering and distressed living beings in the ten directions to obtain liberation by contemplating their sound. Second, because knowledge and views return to the source, I enable living beings, even if they enter a great fire, not to be burned. Third, because contemplating and listening return to the source, I enable living beings not to be drowned if they are drifted by great waters. Fourth, because wrong thinking is severed and the mind has no intent to kill or harm, I enable living beings entering the ghost realms not to be harmed by ghosts. Fifth, because hearing is cultivated and returns to the source, the six sense organs dissolve and return to become the same as hearing, enabling living beings, when facing harm, to have the knives break into pieces, making weapons like cutting water or blowing light, without any effect. Sixth, because hearing and cultivation are clear and bright, pervading the Dharma Realm, the darkness cannot remain, enabling living beings not to be seen by Yakshas, Rakshasas, Kumbhandas, Pisacas, Putanas, etc., even if they are near. Seventh, because the nature of sound completely dissolves, and contemplating and listening return to the source, leaving all dust and delusions, I enable living beings not to be bound by fetters and chains. Eighth, because sound is extinguished and hearing is perfect, generating universal compassion, I enable living beings passing through dangerous roads not to be robbed by thieves. Ninth, because hearing is cultivated and detached from dust, and form cannot rob it, I enable all lustful living beings to leave greed and desire. Tenth, because the sound is pure and free from dust, and the root and dust merge without duality, I enable all hateful living beings to leave anger and resentment. Eleventh, because dust dissolves and the brightness returns, the body and mind of the Dharma Realm are like glass, clear and unobstructed, enabling all dull and obstructed living beings, the Icchantikas, to forever leave ignorance and darkness. Twelfth, because forms merge and hearing returns, I do not move from the Bodhimanda but enter the world, not destroying the world but pervading the ten directions, making offerings to countless Buddhas, serving as a Dharma Prince by each Buddha’s side, enabling childless living beings in the Dharma Realm who desire a son to give birth to a son of blessedness, virtue, and wisdom. Thirteenth, because the six sense organs are perfect and unobstructed, clearly illuminating without duality and encompassing the ten directions, establishing the Great Perfect Mirror and the Empty Tathagata Treasury, respectfully receiving the endless Buddhas in the ten directions and their secret Dharma doors without loss, enabling childless living beings in the Dharma Realm who desire a daughter to give birth to a daughter of uprightness, blessedness, virtue, compliance, and beloved by all. Fourteenth, because living beings in this three-thousand-great-thousand world with ten billion suns and moons, and the Dharma Princes currently residing in the world, have sixty-two Ganges sands of cultivation methods and models, teaching and transforming living beings according to their needs with different skillful means and wisdom, and because I obtained the perfect root and opened the wonderful ear door, my body and mind are subtle and encompass the Dharma Realm, enabling living beings who hold my name to have the same merit as those who hold the names of sixty-two Ganges sands of Dharma Princes. World Honored One, my one name is no different from their many names. Because of my cultivation, I attain true perfect penetration. These are called the fourteen powers of fearlessness bestowal, blessing living beings.”

“World Honored One, because I have obtained this perfect penetration and realized the supreme path, I have also skillfully obtained four inconceivable effortless wonderful virtues. First, because I initially obtained the wonderful mind of hearing, the essence of the mind abandoned hearing, and seeing, hearing, awareness, and knowing could not be separated, becoming one perfect, pure, and precious awareness. Therefore, I can manifest many wonderful appearances and speak boundless secret spiritual mantras. Among them, I may manifest one head, three heads, five heads, seven heads, nine heads, eleven heads, up to one hundred and eight heads, a thousand heads, ten thousand heads, or eighty-four thousand Vajra heads. Two arms, four arms, six arms, eight arms, ten arms, twelve arms, fourteen, sixteen, eighteen, twenty, to twenty-four arms, up to one hundred and eight arms, a thousand arms, ten thousand arms, or eighty-four thousand Mudra arms. Two eyes, three eyes, four eyes, nine eyes, up to one hundred and eight eyes, a thousand eyes, ten thousand eyes, or eighty-four thousand pure precious eyes. Being compassionate, or awesome, or in samadhi, or wise, saving and protecting living beings to attain great freedom.”

“Second, because I use hearing and contemplation to escape the six dusts, just as sound passes through walls without obstruction, I can skillfully manifest each and every form and recite each and every mantra. These forms and mantras can bestow fearlessness upon living beings. Therefore, in the countless lands of the ten directions, I am called the Bestower of Fearlessness.”

“Third, because I cultivate the originally wonderful and perfect penetration of the pure root, in the worlds I travel to, I enable living beings to give up their bodies and precious treasures to seek my compassion.”

“Fourth, I have attained the Buddha’s mind and realized the ultimate. I can make various offerings of precious treasures to the Tathagatas of the ten directions, and also to living beings in the six paths of the Dharma Realm. If they seek a wife, they get a wife; if they seek a child, they get a child; if they seek Samadhi, they get Samadhi; if they seek longevity, they get longevity; up to seeking Great Nirvana, they get Great Nirvana.”

“The Buddha asked about perfect penetration. I attained Samadhi through the ear door, with the conditioned mind at ease because of entering the stream, obtaining Samadhi and achieving Bodhi. This is the foremost. World Honored One, that Buddha Tathagata praised me for skillfully obtaining the Dharma door of perfect penetration, and in the great assembly, he gave me a prediction and the name Avalokitesvara. Because I observe and listen to the perfect brightness in the ten directions, the name Avalokitesvara pervades the ten directions.”

At that time, the World Honored One, from his Lion Seat, emitted precious light from his five limbs, illuminating the crowns of Tathagatas and Dharma Prince Bodhisattvas in the ten directions as numerous as dust motes. Those Tathagatas also emitted precious light from their five limbs within the dust-mote worlds to illuminate the Buddha’s crown, as well as the crowns of all Great Bodhisattvas and Arhats in the assembly. The trees and ponds all played Dharma sounds, and the lights interlaced like a net of precious silk. The great assembly experienced something unprecedented, and all universally obtained the Vajra Samadhi. At that time, the heavens rained down hundreds of precious lotus flowers, intermingled with blue, yellow, red, and white colors. The empty space in the ten directions turned into the color of the seven treasures. The mountains, rivers, and earth of this Saha world were not seen, and only the lands of the ten directions as numerous as dust motes were seen merging into one realm. Heavenly chants and songs naturally played in harmony.

Then the Tathagata said to Dharma Prince Manjushri: “You now observe these twenty-five great Bodhisattvas and Arhats who have no more to learn. Each has spoken of the expedient means by which they initially attained the Way, and all claim to have cultivated true perfect penetration. Their cultivation truly has no superiority or inferiority, and no difference in terms of earlier or later. I now wish to have Ananda awaken to which of the twenty-five practices suits his roots. Also, for living beings in this realm after my extinction who wish to enter the Bodhisattva vehicle and seek the supreme Way, which expedient door is easy to achieve?” Dharma Prince Manjushri received the Buddha’s compassionate instruction, rose from his seat, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, and relying on the Buddha’s awesome spiritual power, spoke verses to the Buddha.

“The sea of awareness is originally pure and perfect; the perfect clarity is the wondrous original awareness. originally bright illumination generates the object; the object being established, the nature of illumination is lost. Confusion and delusion create empty space; based on emptiness, the world is established. Thoughts settle to become lands; awareness becomes living beings. Voidness arises within great awareness, like a single bubble rising in the ocean. The dusty lands with outflows are all born from empty space.”

“The bubbles burst and emptiness is originally non-existent; how much more so for the three forms of existence? Returning to the source, the nature is not dual; expedient means have many doors. The holy nature penetrates everything; both compliance and opposition are expedient means. Beginners entering Samadhi have different speeds. Form and thought knot into dust; essence and understanding cannot penetrate. How to attain clarity and thoroughness, and thereby obtain perfect penetration?”

“Sound mixes with language, but they act as names and phrases. One does not contain everything; how can one obtain perfect penetration? Smell is known through contact; separated, it originally does not exist. The awareness is not constant; how can one obtain perfect penetration? Taste’s nature is not intrinsic; it exists only when tasting. The awareness is not constant; how can one obtain perfect penetration?”

“Touch is clear through contact; without contact, there is no clarity. Union and separation are not fixed in nature; how can one obtain perfect penetration? Dharma is called internal dust; relying on dust, there must be an object. Subject and object do not pervade everything; how can one obtain perfect penetration? The seeing nature is clear, understanding the front but not the back. Four dimensions are missing half; how can one obtain perfect penetration?”

“Breath implies entry and exit; realized, there is no intersection. Apart, it does not involve entry; how can one obtain perfect penetration? The tongue is not an organ without a cause; awareness arises due to flavor. When flavor is gone, awareness is non-existent; how can one obtain perfect penetration? The body is the same as what is touched; neither is the perfect enlightened contemplation. Limits and quantities do not merge; how can one obtain perfect penetration?”

“The intellect is confused by chaotic thoughts; clear understanding is never seen. Thoughts cannot be escaped; how can one obtain perfect penetration? Consciousness sees the mixture of the three, but investigating the origin, it has no characteristics. The self-nature is originally undetermined; how can one obtain perfect penetration? The mind hears and penetrates the ten directions, born from great causal power. Beginners cannot enter; how can one obtain perfect penetration?”

“Contemplating the nose is originally an expedient means, only to gather the mind to stay. If staying becomes what the mind dwells on, how can one obtain perfect penetration? Speaking Dharma plays with sounds and words; enlightenment is first achieved by the one who speaks. Names and phrases are not without outflows; how can one obtain perfect penetration? Holding precepts only restrains the body; without a body, there is nothing to restrain. It originally does not pervade everything; how can one obtain perfect penetration?”

“Spiritual powers originally come from past causes; how do they relate to Dharma discrimination? Thoughts and conditions are not separated from objects; how can one obtain perfect penetration? If contemplating the nature of earth, hardness and obstruction are not penetration. Conditioned existence is not the holy nature; how can one obtain perfect penetration? If contemplating the nature of water, thoughts are not real. Suchness is not awareness or contemplation; how can one obtain perfect penetration?”

“If contemplating the nature of fire, disliking existence is not true leaving. It is not an expedient for beginners; how can one obtain perfect penetration? If contemplating the nature of wind, movement and stillness are not without opposition. Opposition is not supreme awareness; how can one obtain perfect penetration? If contemplating the nature of emptiness, dullness and bluntness are essentially not awareness. Lack of awareness is different from Bodhi; how can one obtain perfect penetration?”

“If contemplating the nature of consciousness, consciousness is not permanent. Keeping it in mind is false; how can one obtain perfect penetration? All activities are impermanent; the nature of mindfulness has no birth or death. Cause and effect are different now; how can one obtain perfect penetration? I now tell the World Honored One, the Buddha appeared in the Saha world. The true teaching body in this land resides purely in sound and hearing.”

“If you wish to attain Samadhi, actually enter through hearing. Leaving suffering and attaining liberation, how excellent is Avalokitesvara! In kalpas as numerous as Ganges sands, entering dust-mote Buddha lands. Obtaining great power of freedom, fearlessly bestowing upon living beings. The wonderful sound of Avalokitesvara, the Brahma sound and the sea tide sound. Saving the world and bringing peace, manifesting in the world and obtaining permanence.”

“I now respectfully tell the Tathagata, as Avalokitesvara has said. For example, a person living in a quiet place, ten directions all beat drums. Ten places heard at one time, this is the perfect reality. The eyes do not see beyond obstacles, the mouth and nose are also the same. The body knows only through contact, the mind is confused and without order. Hearing sounds through walls, both far and near can be heard.”

“The five sense organs are not equal, this is the true penetration. The nature of sound is moving and still, within hearing there is existence and non-existence. No sound is called no hearing, but it is not that the hearing nature is really absent. Sound absent implies no extinction, sound present implies no birth. Birth and extinction are both perfectly left behind, this is the constant reality. Even in dreams and thoughts, it does not become unthinking nothingness.”

“Awareness and contemplation arise from thinking, body and mind cannot match it. In this Saha world now, the teachings are proclaimed through sound. Living beings are confused about the original hearing, and follow sounds to flow and turn. Ananda, even with strong memory, cannot avoid falling into deviant thoughts. Is it not that following the flow leads to sinking, while turning the flow gains no falseness? Ananda, listen attentively, I rely on the Buddha’s awesome power.”

“Proclaiming the Vajra King, like an illusion and inconceivable. The Buddha Mother’s true Samadhi, you hear of dust-mote Buddhas. All secret doors, if desire and outflows are not first removed. Accumulating hearing becomes a mistake, holding onto hearing to hold the Buddha. Why not listen to your own hearing? Hearing does not arise naturally. Because of sound there is a name, turning hearing liberates from sound.”

“Who names the ability to leave desire? Once one organ returns to the source, the six organs attain liberation. Seeing and hearing are like illusory cataracts. If the three realms are like flowers in the sky, hearing returns and the cataract is removed. Dust dissolves and awareness is perfect and pure, extreme purity allows light to penetrate. Stillness and illumination encompass empty space, looking back at the world. It is like things in a dream, Matangi was in a dream.”

“Who can retain your form? Like a skilled magician in the world. Illusionary creating men and women, although their various organs seem to move. It requires a mechanism to be pulled, stopping the mechanism returns to silence. All illusions become non-existent nature, the six sense organs are also like this. Originally relying on one pure brightness, divided into six harmonies.”

“When one organ returns to rest, the six functions all fail. Dust and defilement should dissolve upon thought, becoming perfect, bright, pure, and wonderful. Remaining dust still requires learning; extreme brightness is the Tathagata. Great Assembly and Ananda, turn around your mechanism of hearing. Return the hearing to hear the self-nature, the nature becomes the supreme Way. True perfect penetration is really like this, this is the dust-mote Buddhas.”

“The one road to the Nirvana gate, all past Tathagatas. This gate has already been achieved, by all present Bodhisattvas. Now each enters perfect brightness, future practitioners. Should rely on this Dharma, I also certify it from within. Not only Avalokitesvara, truly like the Buddha World Honored One. Asking me about various expedients, to save those in the final kalpa.”

“Those seeking to transcend the world, to achieve the Nirvana mind. Avalokitesvara is the best, compared to other expedients. All are the Buddha’s awesome spiritual power, abandoning dust and labor in immediate affairs. It is not a long cultivation and study, but shallow and deep are taught the same. Bowing to the Tathagata Treasury, undefiled and inconceivable. Wishing to aid the future, to have no doubts about this door.”

“This expedient is easy to achieve, suitable to teach to Ananda. And those sinking in the final kalpa, should cultivate only with this organ. Perfect penetration surpassing others, the true mind is like this.”

Then Ananda and the great assembly clearly understood and received a great revelation. They contemplated the Buddha’s Bodhi and Great Nirvana, just like someone who had traveled far away for business and had not returned, now clearly knowing the road home. The entire assembly, including the Eight Great Divisions of gods and dragons, those of the two vehicles with learning, and all newly resolved Bodhisattvas, numbering as many as the sands of ten Ganges Rivers, all attained their original mind, left dust and defilement far behind, and obtained the pure Dharma Eye. The Bhikshuni Nature Hearing heard the verses and became an Arhat. Boundless living beings all aroused the unsurpassed Bodhi mind.

Ananda straightened his robes, faced the assembly, placed his palms together, and bowed. His mind was perfectly bright, and he felt a mixture of joy and sorrow. Wishing to benefit future living beings, he bowed and said to the Buddha: “Great Compassionate World Honored One, I have now realized the Dharma door to Buddhahood and have no doubts about the cultivation within it. I have often heard the Tathagata say that those who save others before saving themselves are Bodhisattvas making resolve, and those who have perfected their own enlightenment and can enlighten others are Tathagatas appearing in the world. Although I have not yet been saved, I vow to save all living beings in the Dharma Ending Age. World Honored One, these living beings are gradually moving away from the Buddha, and teachers of deviant dharmas are as numerous as Ganges sands. If I wish to gather their minds to enter Samadhi, how can I help them establish a Bodhimanda, keep them far from demonic matters, and ensure they do not retreat from the Bodhi mind?”

At that time, the World Honored One praised Ananda in the great assembly: “Good indeed, good indeed! As you have asked, how to establish a Bodhimanda to save living beings sinking in the Dharma Ending Age. You should listen attentively now, and I will explain it for you.” Ananda and the great assembly respectfully awaited the teaching.

The Buddha told Ananda: “You constantly hear me explain the three determining principles of cultivation in the Vinaya. That is, gathering the mind is called precept (Sila); from precepts, concentration (Samadhi) arises; and from concentration, wisdom (Prajna) develops. These are called the Three Non-Outflow Studies. Ananda, why do I call gathering the mind precept? If living beings in the six paths of all worlds do not have lust in their minds, they will not follow the continuous cycle of birth and death. You cultivate Samadhi originally to transcend the weariness of dust. If the lustful mind is not removed, the dust cannot be transcended. Even if one has much wisdom and Samadhi manifests, without cutting off lust, one will surely fall into the demonic way. The highest grade becomes a demon king, the middle grade becomes a demon subject, and the lowest grade becomes a demon girl. These demons also have followers, and each claims to have attained the supreme Way. After my extinction, in the Dharma Ending Age, many of these demon subjects will flourish in the world, widely practicing greed and lust while posing as spiritual teachers. They will cause living beings to fall into the pit of love and views and lose the Bodhi path. You should teach people in the world who cultivate Samadhi to first cut off the lustful mind. This is the first clear and decisive instruction on purity given by the Tathagata and all Buddhas of the past. Therefore, Ananda, if one cultivates Dhyana without cutting off lust, it is like steaming sand and stones hoping they will become rice; even after hundreds of thousands of kalpas, they will only be hot sand. Why? Because this is not the origin of rice, but made of sand and stones. If you seek the Buddha’s wonderful fruit with a lustful body, even if you attain wonderful understanding, it is all rooted in lust. With lust as the root, you will revolve in the three evil paths and surely cannot escape. How can you cultivate and realize the Tathagata’s Nirvana? You must ensure that the mechanism of lust in the body and mind is completely cut off, and even the nature of cutting off is gone; then you can hope for the Buddha’s Bodhi. What I have said is the Buddha’s teaching. Any explanation contrary to this is the teaching of Papiyas (Mara).”

“Ananda, furthermore, if living beings in the six paths of all worlds do not have killing in their minds, they will not follow the continuous cycle of birth and death. You cultivate Samadhi originally to transcend the weariness of dust. If the killing mind is not removed, the dust cannot be transcended. Even if one has much wisdom and Samadhi manifests, without cutting off killing, one will surely fall into the path of spirits. The highest grade becomes a mighty ghost, the middle grade becomes a flying Yaksha or ghost commander, and the lowest grade becomes an earth-traveling Rakshasa. These ghosts and spirits also have followers, and each claims to have attained the supreme Way. After my extinction, in the Dharma Ending Age, many of these ghosts and spirits will flourish in the world, claiming that eating meat leads to the Bodhi path. Ananda, I allowed Bhikshus to eat five kinds of pure meat, but this meat is all transformed by my spiritual power and originally has no life root. Because your land is humid and full of sand and stones, where vegetables do not grow, I used my great compassionate spiritual power to create this, calling it meat out of great compassion. You obtained its taste, but why, after the Tathagata’s extinction, do those who eat the flesh of living beings call themselves disciples of the Shakya clan? You should know that these meat-eaters, even if their minds open and seem to attain Samadhi, are all great Rakshasas. In the end, they will surely sink into the bitter sea of birth and death and are not disciples of the Buddha. Such people kill and eat each other endlessly; how can they escape the three realms? You should teach people in the world who cultivate Samadhi to next cut off killing. This is the second clear and decisive instruction on purity given by the Tathagata and all Buddhas of the past. Therefore, Ananda, if one cultivates Dhyana without cutting off killing, it is like someone plugging their ears and shouting loudly, hoping no one will hear. This is called wishing to hide but becoming more exposed. Pure Bhikshus and Bodhisattvas, when walking on a narrow path, do not even step on live grass, let alone pull it up with their hands. How can holding great compassion, they take the flesh and blood of living beings for food? If Bhikshus do not wear eastern silk, cotton, or silk fabrics, or consume boots, furs, feathers, milk, cream, or ghee from this land, such Bhikshus are truly liberated in this world and will repay their past debts without wandering in the three realms. Why? Because using parts of their bodies creates conditions with them. It is like people eating grains from the earth; their feet cannot leave the ground. If one does not wear or eat the bodies or parts of living beings physically and mentally, I say this person is truly liberated. What I have said is the Buddha’s teaching. Any explanation contrary to this is the teaching of Papiyas.”

“Ananda, furthermore, if living beings in the six paths of all worlds do not have stealing in their minds, they will not follow the continuous cycle of birth and death. You cultivate Samadhi originally to transcend the weariness of dust. If the stealing mind is not removed, the dust cannot be transcended. Even if one has much wisdom and Samadhi manifests, without cutting off stealing, one will surely fall into the deviant way. The highest grade becomes an elemental spirit, the middle grade becomes a demon or goblin, and the lowest grade becomes a dense person possessed by demons. These groups of deviants also have followers, and each claims to have attained the supreme Way. After my extinction, in the Dharma Ending Age, many of these demons and deviants will flourish in the world, secretly practicing deceit and calling themselves spiritual teachers. Each claims to have obtained the Dharma of superior people, deluding and confusing the ignorant, causing them to lose their minds. Wherever they pass, families are ruined. I teach Bhikshus to beg for food in an orderly manner to help them abandoned greed and accomplish the Bodhisattva path. Bhikshus do not cook for themselves, entrusting their remnant lives to temporary stay in the three realms, showing that once they go, they will not return. Why do thieves wear my robes and sell the Tathagata, creating various karma? They all say it is the Buddha Dharma, yet they are not truly left-home people. They call Bhikshus who hold the complete precepts as belonging to the Small Vehicle path. Because of this, they confuse and mislead countless living beings to fall into the Uninterrupted Hell. If after my extinction, there are Bhikshus who resolve to cultivate Samadhi and can, before the Tathagata’s image, burn a lamp on their body, burn a finger joint, or burn a stick of incense on their body, I say this person has repaid their debts from beginningless past times all at once, bidding farewell to the world and forever escaping all outflows. Although they may not yet understand the unsurpassed awakening road, this person’s mind is already determined in the Dharma. If one does not sacrifice this small bodily cause, even if one attains the unconditioned, one must return to be born as a human to repay past debts. It is just like my karma with the horse fodder. You should teach people in the world who cultivate Samadhi to next cut off stealing. This is the third clear and decisive instruction on purity given by the Tathagata and all Buddhas of the past. Therefore, Ananda, if one cultivates Dhyana without cutting off stealing, it is like someone pouring water into a leaking cup hoping to fill it; even after dust-mote kalpas, it will never be full. If Bhikshus possess nothing beyond their robes and alms bowl, give any surplus food to hungry living beings, place their palms together and bow to the assembly in great gatherings, and seeing someone beating or scolding them, treat it as praise, they must sacrifice both body and mind, sharing their flesh, bones, and blood with living beings. Do not take the Tathagata’s unfinished explanations and interpret them as your own understanding to mislead beginners. The Buddha certifies that such a person attains true Samadhi. What I have said is the Buddha’s teaching. Any explanation contrary to this is the teaching of Papiyas.”

“Ananda, even if living beings in the six paths of such worlds are physically and mentally free from killing, stealing, and lust, and these three practices are perfected, if they speak great lies, their Samadhi will not be pure, and they will become demons of love and views, losing the Tathagata’s seed. That is, claiming to have attained what they haven’t attained, claiming to have realized what they haven’t realized, or seeking to be foremost and supreme in the world. They tell people: ‘I have now attained the fruit of Srotapanna, Sakridagamin, Anagamin, the path of Arhat, the Pratyekabuddha vehicle, or the various stages of Bodhisattvas before the Ten Grounds.’ They seek people to bow and repent to them, greedy for their offerings. These are Icchantikas who destroy the Buddha’s seed, like someone cutting a Tala tree with a knife. The Buddha predicts that such people will forever lose their good roots and have no more knowledge or vision, sinking into the three seas of suffering and not attaining Samadhi. After my extinction, I will command Bodhisattvas and Arhats to respond and be born in that Dharma Ending Age, taking various forms to save those in the cycle of transmigration. They may appear as Shramanas, white-robed laypeople, kings, officials, virgin boys, and virgin girls, or even as prostitutes, widows, thieves, butchers, and peddlers, working together with them and praising the Buddha vehicle, enabling their bodies and minds to enter Samadhi. In the end, they will never say of themselves, ‘I am a true Bodhisattva’ or ‘a true Arhat,’ leaking the Buddha’s secret cause and speaking lightly to those who have not learned. Only at the end of their lives might they secretly leave a testament. How can these people confuse and mislead living beings and commit great false speech? You should teach people in the world who cultivate Samadhi to subsequently cut off all great false speech. This is the fourth clear and decisive instruction on purity given by the Tathagata and all Buddhas of the past. Therefore, Ananda, if one does not cut off great false speech, it is like carving human feces into the shape of sandalwood, hoping for fragrance; there is no such thing. I teach Bhikshus to have a straight mind in the Bodhimanda, and even in the four awesome deportments and all actions, there is no falsehood. How can they claim to have attained the Dharma of superior people? It is like a poor person falsely calling themselves an emperor, bringing about their own execution; how much more so for the Dharma King? How can one falsely usurp that title? If the causal ground is not straight, the result will be crooked; seeking the Buddha’s Bodhi would be like someone trying to bite their own navel—how can anyone achieve it? If the minds of Bhikshus are as straight as a lute string, true in everything, they enter Samadhi and forever have no demonic matters. I certify that such people will achieve the Bodhisattva’s supreme knowledge and awareness. What I have said is the Buddha’s teaching. Any explanation contrary to this is the teaching of Papiyas.”

Vernacular Translation of The Shurangama Sutra Volume 6

Then Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva rose from his seat, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, and said to the Buddha: “World Honored One, I remember that countless kalpas ago, a Buddha named Avalokitesvara appeared in the world. I aroused the Bodhi mind under that Buddha, who taught me to enter Samadhi through hearing, contemplating, and practicing. Initially, I entered the stream of hearing and forgot the object of hearing. Since the entry was quiet, the two characteristics of movement and stillness clearly did not arise. Advancing in this way, hearing and what was heard both came to an end. Even when hearing was exhausted, I did not stop there; awareness and the object of awareness became empty. When the emptiness of awareness reached its utmost perfection, emptiness and what was emptied were extinguished. Since generation and extinction were both extinguished, sudden silence appeared. Suddenly, I transcended both the worldly and transcendental worlds, and a perfect brightness pervaded the ten directions, obtaining two supreme states. First, I united above with the fundamental wondrous originally awakened mind of all Buddhas in the ten directions, possessing the same power of compassion as all Buddhas. Second, I united below with all living beings in the six paths of the ten directions, sharing the same sorrow and admiration as all living beings.”

A long, long time ago, there was a Bodhisattva named Avalokitesvara. One day, he stood up, respectfully bowed to the Buddha, and began to tell his story. Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva said: “Respected Buddha, I remember that in the distant past, a Buddha appeared in the world, whose name was also Avalokitesvara. At that time, I began my path of cultivation under his guidance.”

He continued to explain: “That Buddha taught me to attain Samadhi (a deep state of meditation) through hearing, contemplating, and practicing. I began by focusing on listening, and gradually, I reached a state of silence, no longer disturbed by movement or stillness. My cultivation deepened continuously, and finally, I transcended everything in the worldly and transcendental realms, obtaining two special abilities.”

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva then described these two abilities: “First, I can connect with the awakened mind of all Buddhas in the ten directions and possess the same power of compassion as the Buddha. Second, I can empathize with all living beings in the six paths, understanding and sharing their suffering.”

“World Honored One, because I made offerings to Avalokitesvara Tathagata, I received from that Tathagata the Vajra Samadhi of illusion-like hearing, contemplating, and practicing. Because I have the same power of compassion as the Buddha, I can manifest thirty-two forms to enter various lands. World Honored One, if there are Bodhisattvas who enter Samadhi and advance in cultivation of the leakage-free supreme understanding, manifesting perfection, I will appear in the body of a Buddha to speak the Dharma for them and bring them to liberation. If there are solitary realizers who are quiet, wonderful, and bright, with supreme wonder manifesting perfection, I will appear before them in the body of a Solitary Realizer to speak the Dharma for them and bring them to liberation. If there are those who study and cultivate to sever the twelve causal links, and having severed the links, their supreme nature manifests perfection, I will appear before them in the body of a Pratyekabuddha to speak the Dharma for them and bring them to liberation. If there are those who study and cultivate to attain the emptiness of the Four Noble Truths, entering extinction through cultivation, and their supreme nature manifests perfection, I will appear before them in the body of a Sound Hearer to speak the Dharma for them and bring them to liberation.”

He continued: “Because I sincerely made offerings to Avalokitesvara Tathagata, he bestowed upon me a special method of cultivation. This enabled me to manifest thirty-two different forms to help living beings in various lands.”

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva explained how he helps practitioners of different levels: “If Bodhisattvas enter deep meditation, I will appear in the image of a Buddha to speak the Dharma for them.” “For those cultivating quietude and wonderful brightness, I will appear as a Solitary Realizer (one who achieves enlightenment alone).”

“For practitioners who are severing the twelve causal links, I will appear as a Pratyekabuddha (one who achieves enlightenment by observing causal relations).”

“For those who have understood the Four Noble Truths and are cultivating the path to extinction, I will appear as a Sound Hearer (a direct disciple of the Buddha).”

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva said: “In any case, I will appear and speak the Dharma according to their needs to help them attain liberation.”

“If there are living beings directly aware of their mind and realizing that the absence of desire creates clear comprehension, who do not violate the dust of desire and whose bodies are pure, I will appear before them in the body of a Brahma King to speak the Dharma for them and bring them to liberation. If there are living beings who wish to be the Lord of Heaven and rule over the heavens, I will appear before them in the body of Shakra to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If there are living beings who wish to roam freely in the ten directions with their bodies, I will appear before them in the body of a God of Freedom to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If there are living beings who wish to fly freely in the void with their bodies, I will appear before them in the body of a Great God of Freedom to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If there are living beings who love to rule over ghosts and spirits to protect their lands, I will appear before them in the body of a Great General of Heaven to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If there are living beings who love to rule the world and protect living beings, I will appear before them in the body of a Four Heavenly King to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If there are living beings who love to be born in heavenly palaces and command ghosts and spirits, I will appear before them in the body of a Crown Prince of the Four Heavenly Kings to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal.”

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva continued to describe how he helps different living beings:

“For those who want to keep their minds pure and stay away from desires, I will manifest as a Brahma King to teach them.”

“If someone wants to be a leader in the heavens, I will appear in the image of Shakra.”

“For those who yearn for freedom and want to travel the ten directions, I will appear as a God of Freedom.”

“And for those who want to fly in the sky, I will manifest as a Great God of Freedom.”

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva continued: “Some people want to command ghosts and spirits to protect the country; I will appear as a Great General of Heaven. ‘For those who want to protect the whole world and living beings, I will manifest as the Four Heavenly Kings. If someone wants to be born in a heavenly palace and command ghosts and spirits, I will appear as the Crown Prince of the Four Heavenly Kings.”

“If there are living beings who delight in being rulers of people, I will appear before them in the body of a Human King to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If there are living beings who love to be leaders of clans and be respected in the world, I will appear before them in the body of an Elder to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If there are living beings who love to discuss famous sayings and live a pure life, I will appear before them in the body of a Layman to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If there are living beings who love to govern the country and manage state affairs, I will appear before them in the body of an Official to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If there are living beings who love various arts and magic and live in seclusion, I will appear before them in the body of a Brahmin to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If there are men who are eager to learn and leave the home life to uphold the precepts, I will appear before them in the body of a Bhikshu to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If there are women who are eager to learn and leave the home life to uphold the precepts, I will appear before them in the body of a Bhikshuni to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If there are men who delight in upholding the five precepts, I will appear before them in the body of an Upasaka to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If there are women who live by the five precepts, I will appear before them in the body of an Upasika to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal.”

He continued to explain: “In the human world, I also change my appearance according to different people’s needs.”

“For those who want to be kings, I will appear as a Human King.”

“For those who want to be respected clan leaders, I will manifest as an Elder.”

“For those who love to discuss famous sayings and pursue a pure life, I will appear as a Layman.”

“For those who want to govern the country and judge right from wrong, I will appear as an Official.”

“For those who love to study arts and magic and want to protect themselves, I will manifest as a Brahmin.”

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva also said: “For men who want to leave home to cultivate, I will manifest as a Bhikshu; for women who want to leave home, I will manifest as a Bhikshuni.”

“If there are laymen who want to uphold the five precepts, I will manifest as an Upasaka (layman); if there are women who want to uphold the five precepts, I will manifest as an Upasika (laywoman).”

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva finally said: “In any case, I will appear and speak the Dharma according to their wishes and needs, helping them achieve their goals and attain liberation.”

“If there are women who manage internal affairs and establish themselves to improve the family and country, I will appear before them in the body of a Queen, a Noble Lady, or a Matriarch to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If there are living beings who do not destroy their male roots, I will appear before them in the body of a Celibate Youth to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If there are virgins who love to maintain their bodies and do not seek violation, I will appear before them in the body of a Virgin Maiden to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If there are heavenly beings who wish to transcend their heavenly kind, I will appear in the body of a Heavenly Being to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If there are dragons who wish to transcend their dragon kind, I will appear in the body of a Dragon to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If there are Yakshas who wish to transcend their kind, I will appear before them in the body of a Yaksha to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If Gandhabbas wish to transcend their kind, I will appear before them in the body of a Gandhabba to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If Asuras wish to transcend their kind, I will appear before them in the body of an Asura to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If Kinnaras wish to transcend their kind, I will appear before them in the body of a Kinnara to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If Mahoragas wish to transcend their kind, I will appear before them in the body of a Mahoraga to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If living beings delight in human life and cultivating humanity, I will appear in the body of a Human to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. If non-humans, whether with form or without form, with thought or without thought, wish to transcend their kind, I will appear before them in their respective forms to speak the Dharma for them and help them achieve their goal. These are called the thirty-two wonderful and pure manifestations that enter the lands. They are all achieved through the effortless wonderful power of the Samadhi of hearing, contemplating, and practicing.”

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva continued to describe how he helps various living beings:

“For women who want to manage internal affairs and establish families and countries, I will manifest as a Queen, a Noble Lady, or a Matriarch to guide them.”

“For men who maintain purity, I will appear as a Celibate Youth to teach them.”

“And for young women who love to keep their virginity and do not wish to be violated, I will appear in the image of a Virgin Maiden.”

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva continued: “My manifestations are not limited to the human world, but also include various non-human worlds.”

“If a heavenly being wants to transcend the heavenly realm, I will appear as a heavenly being.”

“For dragons who want to transcend their dragon identity, I will manifest as a dragon.”

“When Yakshas want to break free from their clan, I will appear as a Yaksha.”

“Similarly, for Gandhabbas, Asuras, Kinnaras, and Mahoragas, I will manifest in their corresponding forms to help them transcend their limitations.”

“If someone wants to cultivate to become a better person, I will appear in the image of a human.”

“Even for those non-human beings, whether with form or without form, with thought or without thought, as long as they want to transcend their kind, I will appear in the same form as them to teach them.”

Finally, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva concluded: “These are what I call the thirty-two response bodies. I can enter various lands and appear in different forms. All of this is achieved through deep Samadhi and cultivation, and is an inconceivable spiritual power.”

“World Honored One, I also use this effortless wonderful power of the Vajra Samadhi of hearing, contemplating, and practicing, because I share the same sorrow and admiration as all living beings in the six paths of the ten directions and the three periods of time, to enable all living beings to obtain fourteen kinds of fearlessness virtues from my body and mind. First, because I do not contemplate sound but contemplate the contemplator, I enable suffering and distressed living beings in the ten directions to obtain liberation by contemplating their sound. Second, because knowledge and views return to the source, I enable living beings, even if they enter a great fire, not to be burned. Third, because contemplating and listening return to the source, I enable living beings not to be drowned if they are drifted by great waters. Fourth, because wrong thinking is severed and the mind has no intent to kill or harm, I enable living beings entering the ghost realms not to be harmed by ghosts. Fifth, because hearing is cultivated and returns to the source, the six sense organs dissolve and return to become the same as hearing, enabling living beings, when facing harm, to have the knives break into pieces, making weapons like cutting water or blowing light, without any effect. Sixth, because hearing and cultivation are clear and bright, pervading the Dharma Realm, the darkness cannot remain, enabling living beings not to be seen by Yakshas, Rakshasas, Kumbhandas, Pisacas, Putanas, etc., even if they are near. Seventh, because the nature of sound completely dissolves, and contemplating and listening return to the source, leaving all dust and delusions, I enable living beings not to be bound by fetters and chains. Eighth, because sound is extinguished and hearing is perfect, generating universal compassion, I enable living beings passing through dangerous roads not to be robbed by thieves. Ninth, because hearing is cultivated and detached from dust, and form cannot rob it, I enable all lustful living beings to leave greed and desire. Tenth, because the sound is pure and free from dust, and the root and dust merge without duality, I enable all hateful living beings to leave anger and resentment. Eleventh, because dust dissolves and the brightness returns, the body and mind of the Dharma Realm are like glass, clear and unobstructed, enabling all dull and obstructed living beings, the Icchantikas, to forever leave ignorance and darkness. Twelfth, because forms merge and hearing returns, I do not move from the Bodhimanda but enter the world, not destroying the world but pervading the ten directions, making offerings to countless Buddhas, serving as a Dharma Prince by each Buddha’s side, enabling childless living beings in the Dharma Realm who desire a son to give birth to a son of blessedness, virtue, and wisdom. Thirteenth, because the six sense organs are perfect and unobstructed, clearly illuminating without duality and encompassing the ten directions, establishing the Great Perfect Mirror and the Empty Tathagata Treasury, respectfully receiving the endless Buddhas in the ten directions and their secret Dharma doors without loss, enabling childless living beings in the Dharma Realm who desire a daughter to give birth to a daughter of uprightness, blessedness, virtue, compliance, and beloved by all. Fourteenth, because living beings in this three-thousand-great-thousand world with ten billion suns and moons, and the Dharma Princes currently residing in the world, have sixty-two Ganges sands of cultivation methods and models, teaching and transforming living beings according to their needs with different skillful means and wisdom, and because I obtained the perfect root and opened the wonderful ear door, my body and mind are subtle and encompass the Dharma Realm, enabling living beings who hold my name to have the same merit as those who hold the names of sixty-two Ganges sands of Dharma Princes. World Honored One, my one name is no different from their many names. Because of my cultivation, I attain true perfect penetration. These are called the fourteen powers of fearlessness bestowal, blessing living beings.”

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva continued to recount his spiritual powers: “Respected Buddha, because I practiced this special method of meditation, I can empathize with all living beings. This allows living beings to obtain fourteen kinds of fearless merits from me.” He began to explain these fourteen merits in detail:

“First, I can help suffering living beings. As long as they call my name, they can be liberated.”

“Second, I can protect living beings from being burned by great fires.”

“Third, I can prevent drowning people from drowning.”

“Fourth, I can protect people from being harmed by ghosts.”

“Fifth, I can make weapons harmless, just like cutting water or blowing wind.”

“Sixth, I can make various ghosts unable to see and harm people.”

“Seventh, I can make prisoners’ shackles automatically loosen.”

“Eighth, I can protect travelers from being harmed by robbers.”

“Ninth, I can help people stay away from lust.”

“Tenth, I can help angry people calm their anger.”

“Eleventh, I can help ignorant people stay away from ignorance.”

“Twelfth, I can help those who want a son to have a smart and blessed boy.”

“Thirteenth, I can help those who want a daughter to have a beautiful and kind girl.”

“Fourteenth, I can make those who recite my name obtain the same blessings as other numerous Bodhisattvas.”

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva concluded: “These are the fourteen kinds of fearless powers I can give to living beings. As long as they recite my name, they can obtain these protections and blessings.”

“World Honored One, because I have obtained this perfect penetration and realized the supreme path, I have also skillfully obtained four inconceivable effortless wonderful virtues. First, because I initially obtained the wonderful mind of hearing, the essence of the mind abandoned hearing, and seeing, hearing, awareness, and knowing could not be separated, becoming one perfect, pure, and precious awareness. Therefore, I can manifest many wonderful appearances and speak boundless secret spiritual mantras. Among them, I may manifest one head, three heads, five heads, seven heads, nine heads, eleven heads, up to one hundred and eight heads, a thousand heads, ten thousand heads, or eighty-four thousand Vajra heads. Two arms, four arms, six arms, eight arms, ten arms, twelve arms, fourteen, sixteen, eighteen, twenty, to twenty-four arms, up to one hundred and eight arms, a thousand arms, ten thousand arms, or eighty-four thousand Mudra arms. Two eyes, three eyes, four eyes, nine eyes, up to one hundred and eight eyes, a thousand eyes, ten thousand eyes, or eighty-four thousand pure precious eyes. Being compassionate, or awesome, or in samadhi, or wise, saving and protecting living beings to attain great freedom.”

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva continued to recount his spiritual powers: “Respected Buddha, because I have practiced to the highest level, I have also obtained four inconceivable magical abilities.” He began to explain these four abilities in detail:

“First, my mind has become so pure that I can manifest various different forms. I can appear with one head, three heads, or even thousands of heads. I can also appear with different numbers of arms, ranging from two, four, to tens of thousands. My eyes can also change, from two to thousands. These changes are all to help living beings, sometimes compassionate, sometimes awesome, sometimes calm, and sometimes full of wisdom.”

“Second, because I use hearing and contemplation to escape the six dusts, just as sound passes through walls without obstruction, I can skillfully manifest each and every form and recite each and every mantra. These forms and mantras can bestow fearlessness upon living beings. Therefore, in the countless lands of the ten directions, I am called the Bestower of Fearlessness.”

“Second, my mind can transcend all obstacles. Just as sound can pass through walls, I can freely change my form and recite various magical mantras. Therefore, in the worlds of the ten directions, people call me the ‘Bestower of Fearlessness’.”

“Third, because I cultivate the originally wonderful and perfect penetration of the pure root, in the worlds I travel to, I enable living beings to give up their bodies and precious treasures to seek my compassion.”

“Third, because I have cultivated to the purest state, wherever I go, living beings are willing to give up their treasures to seek my pity.”

“Fourth, I have attained the Buddha’s mind and realized the ultimate. I can make various offerings of precious treasures to the Tathagatas of the ten directions, and also to living beings in the six paths of the Dharma Realm. If they seek a wife, they get a wife; if they seek a child, they get a child; if they seek Samadhi, they get Samadhi; if they seek longevity, they get longevity; up to seeking Great Nirvana, they get Great Nirvana.”

“Fourth, I have reached the same state as the Buddha. I can not only make offerings to the Buddhas of the ten directions but also satisfy the various wishes of living beings in the six paths. Whether they seek a wife, children, wisdom, longevity, or even the highest Nirvana, I can help them achieve it.”

“The Buddha asked about perfect penetration. I attained Samadhi through the ear door, with the conditioned mind at ease because of entering the stream, obtaining Samadhi and achieving Bodhi. This is the foremost. World Honored One, that Buddha Tathagata praised me for skillfully obtaining the Dharma door of perfect penetration, and in the great assembly, he gave me a prediction and the name Avalokitesvara. Because I observe and listen to the perfect brightness in the ten directions, the name Avalokitesvara pervades the ten directions.”

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva finally concluded: “The Buddha asked me how I attained perfect penetration. I practiced through the ear organ, focusing on listening, and finally reached the state of freedom. This is my core method of cultivation.”

He continued: “That Buddha praised me for being good at mastering this method of cultivation and named me ‘Avalokitesvara’ in front of the public. Because I can hear and observe the worlds of the ten directions, this name has spread throughout the ten directions.”

At that time, the World Honored One, from his Lion Seat, emitted precious light from his five limbs, illuminating the crowns of Tathagatas and Dharma Prince Bodhisattvas in the ten directions as numerous as dust motes. Those Tathagatas also emitted precious light from their five limbs within the dust-mote worlds to illuminate the Buddha’s crown, as well as the crowns of all Great Bodhisattvas and Arhats in the assembly. The trees and ponds all played Dharma sounds, and the lights interlaced like a net of precious silk. The great assembly experienced something unprecedented, and all universally obtained the Vajra Samadhi. At that time, the heavens rained down hundreds of precious lotus flowers, intermingled with blue, yellow, red, and white colors. The empty space in the ten directions turned into the color of the seven treasures. The mountains, rivers, and earth of this Saha world were not seen, and only the lands of the ten directions as numerous as dust motes were seen merging into one realm. Heavenly chants and songs naturally played in harmony.

At this time, the scene of the story changed wonderfully. The Buddha sat on the Lion Throne and suddenly emitted precious light from his whole body, illuminating the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the ten directions. Other Buddhas also emitted precious light, illuminating Shakyamuni Buddha and the Bodhisattvas present. The whole world seemed to turn into a network of interwoven light.

Even the trees and ponds played the sound of Dharma. Everyone present felt an unprecedented experience and obtained a special state of meditation. Colorful lotus rain began to fall from the sky, and the whole world became magnificent. The original mountains, rivers, and earth disappeared, leaving only the scene of the ten directions Pure Lands merging into one. Wonderful heavenly sounds naturally resounded in the air.

Then the Tathagata said to Dharma Prince Manjushri: “You now observe these twenty-five great Bodhisattvas and Arhats who have no more to learn. Each has spoken of the expedient means by which they initially attained the Way, and all claim to have cultivated true perfect penetration. Their cultivation truly has no superiority or inferiority, and no difference in terms of earlier or later. I now wish to have Ananda awaken to which of the twenty-five practices suits his roots. Also, for living beings in this realm after my extinction who wish to enter the Bodhisattva vehicle and seek the supreme Way, which expedient door is easy to achieve?” Dharma Prince Manjushri received the Buddha’s compassionate instruction, rose from his seat, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, and relying on the Buddha’s awesome spiritual power, spoke verses to the Buddha.

At this time, the Buddha said to Manjushri Bodhisattva: “Look, these twenty-five great practitioners have all recounted their initial methods of attaining the Way. These methods are all perfect and have no superiority or inferiority. However, I want to help Ananda awaken, and I also want to point out an easy path for future living beings to practice. Which method do you think is most suitable?” Manjushri Bodhisattva stood up respectfully, bowed to the Buddha, and prepared to answer this important question.

“The sea of awareness is originally pure and perfect; the perfect clarity is the wondrous original awareness. originally bright illumination generates the object; the object being established, the nature of illumination is lost. Confusion and delusion create empty space; based on emptiness, the world is established. Thoughts settle to become lands; awareness becomes living beings. Voidness arises within great awareness, like a single bubble rising in the ocean. The dusty lands with outflows are all born from empty space.”

“A long, long time ago, there was a vast and boundless sea of awareness. This ocean was crystal clear, perfect, and contained infinite mysteries.”

“In this ocean, there is a bright light. This light illuminates everything around it, but strangely, when it illuminates other things, it becomes less obvious itself.”

“One day, some mist appeared on this ocean. This mist formed what we know as the void. In this void, various worlds gradually formed.”

“People’s imaginations began to create beautiful lands in these worlds. As time passed, sentient life also began to appear, which is what we call living beings.”

“But remember one important thing: all of this, including the void, the worlds, and living beings, is actually just a small bubble in that ocean of awareness. Like a bubble that occasionally pops up on the sea surface, it looks separate, but it is actually an inseparable part of the ocean.”

“All the worlds we see, no matter how big or small, are produced from this void. They seem real, but in essence, they are as illusory as bubbles on the sea surface.”

“The bubbles burst and emptiness is originally non-existent; how much more so for the three forms of existence? Returning to the source, the nature is not dual; expedient means have many doors. The holy nature penetrates everything; both compliance and opposition are expedient means. Beginners entering Samadhi have different speeds. Form and thought knot into dust; essence and understanding cannot penetrate. How to attain clarity and thoroughness, and thereby obtain perfect penetration?”

“On that vast ocean of awareness, small bubbles come and go.”

One day, a clever little bubble suddenly realized a truth. It said to the other bubbles: “Friends, do you know? When we disappear, nothing really disappears. Because we are originally part of this ocean!”

The little bubble continued: “Since we all come from the same ocean, our essence is actually the same. It’s just that we appear to have different shapes and sizes.”

At this time, an older bubble interrupted: “That’s right! There are many ways to return to the source, just like we can merge into the sea from different directions. The sages know that whether following the current or going against it, both are ways home.”

The young bubbles listened with half-understanding and asked questions one after another. The old bubble patiently explained: “When starting to practice, everyone’s speed may be different. Some bubbles merge quickly, some slower, this is all normal.”

The old bubble said seriously: “However, if we are too attached to our own shape and color, we will form an invisible film that prevents us from merging into the sea. We must let go of these attachments to truly return to the source.”

Finally, the old bubble smiled and said: “When we truly understand this truth and let go of all attachments, we can completely merge into this ocean of awareness and obtain true perfect penetration and freedom.”

“Sound mixes with language, but they act as names and phrases. One does not contain everything; how can one obtain perfect penetration? Smell is known through contact; separated, it originally does not exist. The awareness is not constant; how can one obtain perfect penetration? Taste’s nature is not intrinsic; it exists only when tasting. The awareness is not constant; how can one obtain perfect penetration?”

In a wonderful world full of various sensory experiences, lived several interesting little spirits: the Sound Spirit, the Scent Spirit, and the Taste Spirit. Every day, they discussed how to truly understand the essence of this world.

The Sound Spirit proudly said: “I can understand all languages and sounds!”

But the wise elder shook his head and said: “But, little Sound, you can only understand the surface meaning of words and sentences. A single sound cannot contain all meanings. How can you say you completely understand this world?” The Sound Spirit lowered its head in embarrassment.

Then, the Scent Spirit was eager to try: “I can distinguish all smells!”

The wise elder gently said: “Little Scent, you can only perceive a certain smell when you smell it. When the smell dissipates, you can no longer perceive it. Your perception is not lasting, so how can you completely understand this world?” The Scent Spirit nodded thoughtfully.

Finally, the Taste Spirit confidently said: “I can taste all delicious foods!”

The wise elder smiled and said: “Little Taste, your feelings also depend on external things. You can only feel the taste when tasting food. Your experience is not eternal and unchanging, so how can you say you completely understand this world?” The Taste Spirit also fell into deep thought.

The wise elder finally said to all the spirits: “Children, each of you has unique abilities, but to truly understand the essence of this world requires deeper and more lasting realization. Keep working hard, one day you will understand.”

“Touch is clear through contact; without contact, there is no clarity. Union and separation are not fixed in nature; how can one obtain perfect penetration? Dharma is called internal dust; relying on dust, there must be an object. Subject and object do not pervade everything; how can one obtain perfect penetration? The seeing nature is clear, understanding the front but not the back. Four dimensions are missing half; how can one obtain perfect penetration?”

In the journey of exploring the sensory world, three new little spirits joined: the Touch Spirit, the Thought Spirit, and the Vision Spirit. They also wanted to understand the truth of this world.

The Touch Spirit excitedly said: “I can feel all touches!”

The wise elder responded gently: “Little Touch, you can indeed feel a lot, but your feelings are always changing. When you touch something, you feel it; when you leave, you don’t. Your experience is unstable, how can you say you completely understand this world?” The Touch Spirit nodded thoughtfully.

The Thought Spirit confidently said: “I can think about all problems!”

The wise elder smiled and said: “Little Thought, you are indeed very smart. But your thinking always relies on certain concepts or ideas. You cannot cover all possibilities, so how can you say you completely understand this world?” The Thought Spirit fell into deep thought.

Finally, the Vision Spirit proudly said: “My eyesight is very good, I can see very far!”

The wise elder gently said: “Little Vision, you indeed see very far. But you can only see what is in front of you, not what is behind you. Your field of vision is also limited, not a full 360 degrees. How can you say you completely understand this world?” The Vision Spirit also began to reflect on its limitations.

The wise elder finally said to all the spirits: “Children, each of you has unique abilities, but to truly understand the essence of this world requires more comprehensive and lasting realization. Don’t be satisfied with your current abilities, continue to explore and break through your limitations.”

“Breath implies entry and exit; realized, there is no intersection. Apart, it does not involve entry; how can one obtain perfect penetration? The tongue is not an organ without a cause; awareness arises due to flavor. When flavor is gone, awareness is non-existent; how can one obtain perfect penetration? The body is the same as what is touched; neither is the perfect enlightened contemplation. Limits and quantities do not merge; how can one obtain perfect penetration?”

In the journey of exploring the sensory world, three new little spirits joined: the Breath Spirit, the Taste Spirit, and the Body Spirit. They also longed to understand the truth of this world.

The Breath Spirit proudly said: “I can control breathing and feel the flow of air!”

The wise elder gently responded: “Little Breath, you can indeed feel the breath coming in and out. But when you exhale, the inhalation stops; when you inhale, the exhalation stops. Your experience is intermittent, how can you say you completely understand this world?” The Breath Spirit nodded thoughtfully.

The Taste Spirit excitedly said: “I can taste all delicious foods!”

The wise elder smiled and said: “Little Taste, you can indeed feel various tastes. But only when food is in your mouth can you taste it. When the food is gone, your feeling disappears. Your experience is not lasting, so how can you say you completely understand this world?” The Taste Spirit showed a thoughtful expression.

Finally, the Body Spirit confidently said: “I can feel all touches!”

The wise elder gently said: “Little Body, you can indeed feel a lot. But you can only feel what you are touching, and your feeling is separate from the object touched. Your experience is incomplete, how can you say you completely understand this world?” The Body Spirit also began to reflect on its limitations.

The wise elder finally said to all the spirits: “Children, each of you has unique abilities, but to truly understand the essence of this world requires more comprehensive and lasting realization. Don’t be limited by your abilities, learn to transcend these limitations and seek deeper understanding.”

“The intellect is confused by chaotic thoughts; clear understanding is never seen. Thoughts cannot be escaped; how can one obtain perfect penetration? Consciousness sees the mixture of the three, but investigating the origin, it has no characteristics. The self-nature is originally undetermined; how can one obtain perfect penetration? The mind hears and penetrates the ten directions, born from great causal power. Beginners cannot enter; how can one obtain perfect penetration?”

In the journey of exploring the sensory world, three new little spirits joined: the Thought Spirit, the Cognition Spirit, and the Heart-Hearing Spirit. They also wanted to understand the truth of this world.

The Thought Spirit proudly said: “I can think about everything!”

The wise elder gently responded: “Little Thought, you can indeed think about many things. But your thoughts are often chaotic and hard to truly calm down. You are always entangled by various ideas and cannot escape. With such a chaotic state, how can you say you completely understand this world?” The Thought Spirit lowered its head in embarrassment.

The Cognition Spirit confidently said: “I can recognize and understand everything!”

The wise elder smiled and said: “Little Cognition, you can indeed recognize many things. But your recognition is often a mixture of eyes, ears, consciousness, etc. If you investigate to the end, you will find that these recognitions themselves have no fixed essence. Your understanding is unstable, so how can you say you completely master this world?” The Cognition Spirit showed a confused expression.

Finally, the Heart-Hearing Spirit excitedly said: “I can hear sounds from the ten directions!”

The wise elder gently said: “Little Heart-Hearing, your ability is indeed special. But this ability is produced by powerful causes and conditions. For beginners, this state is hard to enter. If even starting is difficult, how can you say you already completely understand this world?” The Heart-Hearing Spirit nodded thoughtfully.

The wise elder finally said to all the spirits: “Children, each of you has unique abilities, but to truly understand the essence of this world requires deeper and purer realization. Don’t be limited by your current abilities, learn to transcend these limits and seek a more essential understanding.”

“Contemplating the nose is originally an expedient means, only to gather the mind to stay. If staying becomes what the mind dwells on, how can one obtain perfect penetration? Speaking Dharma plays with sounds and words; enlightenment is first achieved by the one who speaks. Names and phrases are not without outflows; how can one obtain perfect penetration? Holding precepts only restrains the body; without a body, there is nothing to restrain. It originally does not pervade everything; how can one obtain perfect penetration?”

In the journey of exploring the world of practice, three new little practitioners joined: the Breath-Counting Practitioner, the Dharma-Speaking Practitioner, and the Precept-Holding Practitioner. They all wanted to find the path to truth.

The Breath-Counting Practitioner confidently said: “I can control my mind by counting breaths!”

The wise elder responded gently: “Little Practitioner, counting breaths is indeed a good way to focus attention. But this is just a preliminary technique to calm your mind. If you just stay at this stage, your mind is still bound by something. Can this fully understand the essence of the world?” The Breath-Counting Practitioner nodded thoughtfully.

The Dharma-Speaking Practitioner excitedly said: “I can explain the Dharma with beautiful words!”

The wise elder smiled and said: “Little Speaker, you can indeed use beautiful language to explain the Dharma. But words and names themselves are not the ultimate truth. They can only help those who already have some understanding. If you are too attached to words, how can you truly realize the truth beyond language?” The Dharma-Speaking Practitioner showed a thoughtful expression.

Finally, the Precept-Holding Practitioner seriously said: “I strictly observe all precepts!”

The wise elder gently said: “Little Precept-Holder, observing precepts is indeed very important. But precepts are mainly used to restrain the body and behavior. If there is no body, what do precepts restrain? Moreover, simply holding precepts cannot cover all aspects of practice. How can you say that you can completely understand this world just by holding precepts?” The Precept-Holding Practitioner also began to reflect on his own way of practice.

The wise elder finally said to all practitioners: “Children, each of your practice methods has its value, but to truly understand the essence of this world requires more comprehensive and deeper practice. Don’t be limited by one method, learn to integrate and seek a more perfect way of practice.”

“Spiritual powers originally come from past causes; how do they relate to Dharma discrimination? Thoughts and conditions are not separated from objects; how can one obtain perfect penetration? If contemplating the nature of earth, hardness and obstruction are not penetration. Conditioned existence is not the holy nature; how can one obtain perfect penetration? If contemplating the nature of water, thoughts are not real. Suchness is not awareness or contemplation; how can one obtain perfect penetration?”

In the journey of exploring the world of practice, four new practitioners joined: the Supernatural Power Practitioner, the Visualization Practitioner, the Earth-Nature Practitioner, and the Water-Nature Practitioner. They all longed to find the path to truth.

The Supernatural Power Practitioner proudly said: “I can use various supernatural powers!”

The wise elder responded gently: “Little Supernatural One, your abilities are indeed amazing. But these powers are produced by past causes and conditions, not by discriminating the Dharma. Your abilities are magical, but if you rely only on this, how can you truly understand the essence of the world?” The Supernatural Power Practitioner lowered his head in embarrassment.

The Visualization Practitioner confidently said: “I can visualize various realms!”

The wise elder smiled and said: “Little Visualizer, your imagination is indeed rich. But your visualization always depends on external things. If you cannot transcend these external concepts, how can you truly realize the truth beyond everything?” The Visualization Practitioner showed a thoughtful expression.

The Earth-Nature Practitioner seriously said: “I practice by observing the nature of the earth!”

The wise elder gently said: “Little Earth-Observer, observing the nature of the earth is indeed a method of practice. But the nature of the earth is hard, which may make your mind inflexible. Moreover, earth is a conditioned dharma and changes. If you are attached to this changing thing, how can you realize the unchanging holy nature?” The Earth-Nature Practitioner nodded thoughtfully.

The Water-Nature Practitioner excitedly said: “I practice by observing the nature of water!”

The wise elder gently said: “Little Water-Observer, observing the nature of water is also a good method. But the nature of water is flowing, which may make your thoughts unstable. The true state of Suchness transcends all visualization. If you just stay at the level of visualization, how can you truly realize the non-arising and non-ceasing True Suchness?” The Water-Nature Practitioner also began to reflect on his own way of practice.

The wise elder finally said to all practitioners: “Children, each of your practice methods has its value, but to truly understand the essence of this world requires deeper and more essential realization. Don’t be limited by one method, learn to transcend these methods and seek more direct and ultimate truth.”

“If contemplating the nature of fire, disliking existence is not true leaving. It is not an expedient for beginners; how can one obtain perfect penetration? If contemplating the nature of wind, movement and stillness are not without opposition. Opposition is not supreme awareness; how can one obtain perfect penetration? If contemplating the nature of emptiness, dullness and bluntness are essentially not awareness. Lack of awareness is different from Bodhi; how can one obtain perfect penetration?”

In the journey of exploring the world of practice, three new practitioners joined: the Fire-Nature Practitioner, the Wind-Nature Practitioner, and the Empty-Nature Practitioner. They all longed to find the path to truth.

The Fire-Nature Practitioner enthusiastically said: “I practice by observing the nature of fire!”

The wise elder responded gently: “Little Fire-Observer, observing the nature of fire can indeed make people feel aversion to the world. But true liberation is not just hating the real world. If you just want to escape instead of truly transcending, this may not be the best method for beginners. do you think this can completely understand the essence of the world?” The Fire-Nature Practitioner nodded thoughtfully.

The Wind-Nature Practitioner excitedly said: “I practice by observing the nature of wind!”

The wise elder smiled and said: “Little Wind-Observer, wind indeed has movement and stillness, this observation method is interesting. But movement and stillness are relative concepts, they are always opposed to each other. The highest state of enlightenment transcends this opposition. If you stay at this relative level, how can you realize the absolute truth?” The Wind-Nature Practitioner showed a thoughtful expression.

The Empty-Nature Practitioner calmly said: “I practice by observing the nature of emptiness!”

The wise elder gently said: “Little Empty-Observer, observing emptiness is indeed a profound practice method. But if you are not careful, this method may make people dull and lose the ability of awareness. True Bodhi is full of wisdom and awareness. If you fall into a state of ignorance, how can you achieve true enlightenment?” The Empty-Nature Practitioner also began to reflect on his own way of practice.

The wise elder finally said to all practitioners: “Children, each of your practice methods has its unique value, but to truly understand the essence of this world requires more comprehensive and deeper realization. Don’t be limited by one method, learn to integrate and seek a more perfect and ultimate way of practice.”

“If contemplating the nature of consciousness, consciousness is not permanent. Keeping it in mind is false; how can one obtain perfect penetration? All activities are impermanent; the nature of mindfulness has no birth or death. Cause and effect are different now; how can one obtain perfect penetration? I now tell the World Honored One, the Buddha appeared in the Saha world. The true teaching body in this land resides purely in sound and hearing.”

In the journey of exploring the world of practice, two new practitioners joined: the Consciousness-Nature Practitioner and the Mindfulness-Nature Practitioner. They all longed to find the path to truth. At the same time, a wise man also came to the Buddha, ready to share his insights.

The Consciousness-Nature Practitioner confidently said: “I practice by observing the nature of consciousness!”

The wise elder responded gently: “Little Consciousness-Observer, observing consciousness is indeed a deep method. But have you noticed that consciousness is always changing and never stays in one state? If you are attached to this constantly changing consciousness, your practice may become illusory. Do you think this can completely understand the essence of the world?” The Consciousness-Nature Practitioner nodded thoughtfully.

The Mindfulness-Nature Practitioner excitedly said: “I practice by observing the nature of thoughts!”

The wise elder smiled and said: “Little Thought-Observer, observing thoughts indeed allows one to see some interesting things. The essence of thoughts seems to be unborn and undying, but the cause and effect it produces are completely different. If you just stay at the level of observing thoughts and ignore the actual effects it brings, how can you truly understand the operation of this world?” The Mindfulness-Nature Practitioner showed a thoughtful expression.

At this time, the wise man walked up to the Buddha and respectfully said: “Respected World Honored One, you came to this world full of suffering and pointed out the direction of practice for us. Here, the purest and truest method of practice is to purify our minds through hearing.”

The wise man continued: “By listening to the Buddha Dharma, we can gradually understand the truth and purify our minds. This method is simple and direct, yet profound. It is suitable for people of all capacities and is the most perfect method of practice.” The Buddha smiled kindly after hearing the wise man’s words.

He said to all practitioners: “Children, each of your practice methods has its value. But as this wise man said, in this world, practicing by hearing the Buddha Dharma is a particularly suitable method. It can help you gradually understand the truth and finally reach the state of perfect penetration.”

“If you wish to attain Samadhi, actually enter through hearing. Leaving suffering and attaining liberation, how excellent is Avalokitesvara! In kalpas as numerous as Ganges sands, entering dust-mote Buddha lands. Obtaining great power of freedom, fearlessly bestowing upon living beings. The wonderful sound of Avalokitesvara, the Brahma sound and the sea tide sound. Saving the world and bringing peace, manifesting in the world and obtaining permanence.”

Under the Buddha’s guidance, the wise man continued to share his insights, telling a wonderful story: “Dear fpractitioners, if you want to reach a deep state of meditation, the best way is to start with listening. By listening attentively to the Buddha Dharma, we can gradually enter that wonderful state.”

The wise man’s eyes shone with admiration as he continued: “In this regard, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva has given us the best example. How amazing he is!”

Then, the wise man began to tell the story of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva: “Throughout countless long eras, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva traveled to countless Buddha lands. Through continuous practice, he obtained incomparably powerful strength.”

“However, he did not use this power for himself, but to help all living beings get rid of fear.”

The wise man’s voice became soft and emotional: “Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva’s name is truly wonderful! ‘Wonderful Sound’, ‘Observer of the World’s Sounds’, ‘Brahma Sound’, ‘Sea Tide Sound’, every name is like beautiful music, full of wisdom and compassion.”

“He uses this wonderful sound to help living beings in the world. Anyone, as long as they hear Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva’s name, the pain in their hearts will subside, and the world will become peaceful. And those who pursue higher realms can obtain eternal peace and joy through his guidance.”

The wise man finally concluded: “So, dear friends, let us learn from the example of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, listen attentively to the Buddha Dharma, and help others with a compassionate heart. In this way, we can gradually get rid of suffering and obtain true liberation.”

“I now respectfully tell the Tathagata, as Avalokitesvara has said. For example, a person living in a quiet place, ten directions all beat drums. Ten places heard at one time, this is the perfect reality. The eyes do not see beyond obstacles, the mouth and nose are also the same. The body knows only through contact, the mind is confused and without order. Hearing sounds through walls, both far and near can be heard.”

The wise man continued to share his understanding with the Buddha and everyone, using a vivid metaphor to explain: “Let me tell everyone why the method of hearing taught by Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva is so supreme.”

The wise man smiled and said, imagine a scene: “There is a person sitting quietly in a room. Suddenly, drums are beaten in ten directions around him at the same time.”

The wise man raised his voice so everyone could hear clearly: “Amazingly, this person can hear the drums from all directions at the same time! This is the perfect and true hearing ability.”

Then, the wise man began to compare other senses: “Our eyes cannot see things behind obstacles, right?” The crowd nodded in agreement. “Our nose and mouth are the same, their perception range is very limited.”

The wise man continued: “As for our body, we can only perceive when we touch something directly.” “And what about our mind?” The wise man asked, “It is often chaotic and hard to concentrate.”

The wise man’s eyes shone with wisdom: “But hearing is different. Even through walls, we can hear sounds. Whether the sound comes from far or near, we can hear it.”

Finally, the wise man concluded: “This is why the Dharma door of hearing is so special. It allows us to transcend physical limitations and directly perceive the truth. Just as Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva taught us, through listening, we can understand this world more comprehensively and deeply.”

“The five sense organs are not equal, this is the true penetration. The nature of sound is moving and still, within hearing there is existence and non-existence. No sound is called no hearing, but it is not that the hearing nature is really absent. Sound absent implies no extinction, sound present implies no birth. Birth and extinction are both perfectly left behind, this is the constant reality. Even in dreams and thoughts, it does not become unthinking nothingness.”

The wise man continued his explanation, his eyes shining with wisdom: “Friends, do you know why hearing is so special?” He looked around and then said: “Because it can do what other senses cannot. This is why it can penetrate the truth.”

The wise man then used an interesting metaphor to explain: “Imagine sound is like a mischievous little elf, sometimes appearing, sometimes disappearing.”

“When the elf appears, we say there is sound; when the elf disappears, we say there is no sound.” The wise man smiled and said: “But our hearing is always there, isn’t it?”

He continued to explain: “Even when it is quiet, we cannot say hearing does not exist. Because once there is a sound, we can hear it immediately.”

The wise man’s voice became deep: “More amazingly, when the sound disappears, hearing does not really die; when the sound appears, hearing is not born out of nothing. The essence of sound transcends the concepts of birth and death.” The wise man concluded, “This is the reality of hearing, it exists eternally and is not affected by birth and death.”

Finally, the wise man stated a fact that surprised everyone: “Did you know? Even when we are dreaming, hearing does not completely disappear. It is always there, ready to capture sounds at any time.”

“Awareness and contemplation arise from thinking, body and mind cannot match it. In this Saha world now, the teachings are proclaimed through sound. Living beings are confused about the original hearing, and follow sounds to flow and turn. Ananda, even with strong memory, cannot avoid falling into deviant thoughts. Is it not that following the flow leads to sinking, while turning the flow gains no falseness? Ananda, listen attentively, I rely on the Buddha’s awesome power.”

The wise man gently said: “Dear friends, when we start to think and observe, our body and mind often cannot keep up with our thoughts. It’s like our thinking is a fast horse, while our body and mind are a slow cart.”

The wise man looked around to ensure everyone was listening carefully: “In the world we live in, sound and language are the main ways to spread knowledge. It’s like a huge concert hall where knowledge is spread through sound.”

But the wise man’s expression suddenly became a bit sad: “Unfortunately, many people forget the essence of listening. They just chase sounds but ignore the truth behind the sounds. It’s like a group of people chasing echoes but forgetting to look for the source of the sound.”

The wise man mentioned someone everyone knew: “Take Ananda for example, his memory is very good, he can remember almost everything he hears. But even he sometimes falls into wrong thinking.”

The wise man’s voice became gentler: “But we should not be discouraged. Even if we may be lost in the whirlpool of thoughts now, as long as we are willing to turn back and move in the right direction, we can get rid of mistakes and find the truth.”

Finally, the wise man took a deep breath and said: “Ananda, and everyone present, please listen carefully to what I am going to say next. What I am going to tell you now is a profound truth that can only be understood by the grace of the Buddha.”

“Proclaiming the Vajra King, like an illusion and inconceivable. The Buddha Mother’s true Samadhi, you hear of dust-mote Buddhas. All secret doors, if desire and outflows are not first removed. Accumulating hearing becomes a mistake, holding onto hearing to hold the Buddha. Why not listen to your own hearing? Hearing does not arise naturally. Because of sound there is a name, turning hearing liberates from sound.”

The wise man slowly began to speak: “The Buddha proclaimed a powerful and magical Dharma door, indestructible like a diamond and inconceivable like magic.”

This Dharma door is the source of the Buddha’s wisdom, the true state of Samadhi." The disciples opened their eyes wide and listened attentively.

“You have heard the teachings of countless Buddhas and learned many secret Dharma doors.”

“But, children, remember one important thing, if you do not first remove desires and attachments, merely accumulating knowledge will become an obstacle.” A young disciple raised his hand and asked: “Master, then how should we practice?”

The wise man smiled kindly and answered: “Instead of blindly pursuing the Buddha’s teachings, it is better to first learn to listen to the voice of your own heart.”

“You must know that hearing does not exist naturally, it is produced because there is sound. When you can transcend sounds and names and truly listen to your own heart, you can obtain true wisdom.”

“Who names the ability to leave desire? Once one organ returns to the source, the six organs attain liberation. Seeing and hearing are like illusory cataracts. If the three realms are like flowers in the sky, hearing returns and the cataract is removed. Dust dissolves and awareness is perfect and pure, extreme purity allows light to penetrate. Stillness and illumination encompass empty space, looking back at the world. It is like things in a dream, Matangi was in a dream.”

The wise man said: “When we can break free from the shackles of desire, we obtain true freedom. Like a branch returning to the trunk, when one of our senses returns to the source, the other five senses will also be liberated.” An older disciple asked in confusion: “Master, what does this mean?”

The wise man explained kindly: “Imagine that our senses are covered by a thin mist. What we see and hear is like an illusion. The whole world is like flowers in the sky, seemingly real but without substance.”

He paused to let the disciples digest this concept, and then continued: “But when we truly understand the essence of hearing, this thin mist will dissipate. As dust fades away, our awareness becomes perfect and pure.”

The disciples listened attentively, and the wise man’s voice became softer: “When we reach extreme purity, the light of our wisdom can penetrate everything.”

“This quiet and bright awareness can encompass the entire void.”

His eyes became deep, as if seeing through time and space: “At that time, when we look back at this world, we will find that everything is like scenes in a dream. Just like the Matangi woman’s experience in the dream, seemingly real but illusory.”

“Who can retain your form? Like a skilled magician in the world. Illusionary creating men and women, although their various organs seem to move. It requires a mechanism to be pulled, stopping the mechanism returns to silence. All illusions become non-existent nature, the six sense organs are also like this. Originally relying on one pure brightness, divided into six harmonies.”

The wise man said: “Children, let us use a metaphor to understand this profound truth.” “Imagine that in this world there is a skilled magician. He can conjure up various men and women, lifelike.”

The wise man continued: “These illusionary people seem to really move and have their own lives. But, do you know?”

He paused deliberately to attract everyone’s attention: “Actually, the magician only needs to pull a string, and all illusions will disappear. When he stops performing, everything will return to calm, and those seemingly real figures will become nothingness.” The disciples opened their eyes wide, seeming to begin to understand something.

The wise man then explained: “Our six senses - eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind - are also like this. They seem independent, but actually all originate from the same bright and pure nature.”

He looked around and said gently: “Just like the magician’s illusions, our sensory experiences seem real, but are essentially empty and illusory. They all differentiate from one source, combine with each other, and form our perception of the world.”

“When one organ returns to rest, the six functions all fail. Dust and defilement should dissolve upon thought, becoming perfect, bright, pure, and wonderful. Remaining dust still requires learning; extreme brightness is the Tathagata. Great Assembly and Ananda, turn around your mechanism of hearing. Return the hearing to hear the self-nature, the nature becomes the supreme Way. True perfect penetration is really like this, this is the dust-mote Buddhas.”

The wise man said slowly: “If we can achieve complete tranquility in one sense, the other five senses will also stop functioning. Like turning off a switch, the whole system will quiet down.” A curious disciple asked: “Master, what will happen then?”

The wise man answered kindly: “When we do this, the dust and defilement in our hearts will dissipate instantly. Our minds will become perfect, bright, pure, and wonderful.”

He paused and then continued: “Of course, this requires continuous practice. Even if there is a trace of dust, we must continue to learn. But when our minds reach extreme brightness, we can be like the Buddha.”

The wise man looked around, his gaze falling on every disciple: “Everyone, including Ananda, you must learn to change your way of hearing. Don’t just listen to external sounds, but learn to listen to your own nature.”

His voice became more solemn: “When you can truly hear your own nature, you can achieve the supreme Dao fruit. This is the state of true perfect penetration.”

Finally, the wise man concluded: “This truth is not my discovery alone. Countless Buddhas have taught this way. This is an eternal truth.”

“The one road to the Nirvana gate, all past Tathagatas. This gate has already been achieved, by all present Bodhisattvas. Now each enters perfect brightness, future practitioners. Should rely on this Dharma, I also certify it from within. Not only Avalokitesvara, truly like the Buddha World Honored One. Asking me about various expedients, to save those in the final kalpa.”

The wise man’s eyes shone with wisdom as he continued to speak: “Children, I want to tell you an important secret. The method we just discussed is like a gate leading to Nirvana.” A young disciple asked curiously: “Master, is this method really that magical?”

The wise man smiled kindly and answered: “Indeed. You should know that all past Buddhas achieved enlightenment through this Dharma door.” He looked around and continued: “Not only that, the present Bodhisattvas are also entering the state of perfect brightness through this method.”

The wise man’s voice became firmer: “For those who want to practice in the future, they should also follow this Dharma door. This is not just my personal opinion, but the common experience of countless practitioners for thousands of years.”

His eyes became deep, appearing to transcend time and space: “I myself also realized enlightenment through this method.”

“But remember, not only Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, everyone can achieve enlightenment through this method.”

The wise man’s tone became more solemn: “Just as the Buddha asked me how to save living beings in the Dharma Ending Age, I now pass this method on to you. This is the most effective method of practice, capable of helping all who wish to awaken.”

“Those seeking to transcend the world, to achieve the Nirvana mind. Avalokitesvara is the best, compared to other expedients. All are the Buddha’s awesome spiritual power, abandoning dust and labor in immediate affairs. It is not a long cultivation and study, but shallow and deep are taught the same. Bowing to the Tathagata Treasury, undefiled and inconceivable. Wishing to aid the future, to have no doubts about this door.”

The wise man looked at the awe-inspiring eyes of the disciples and smiled, continuing his teaching: “Children, for those who want to transcend the worldly and pursue the state of Nirvana, I want to tell you an important message.”

His voice became soft and firm: “Among many practice methods, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva’s Dharma door is the most supreme.” A disciple asked curiously: “What about other methods, Master?”

The wise man answered kindly: “Other practice methods are also expressions of the Buddha’s wisdom. They all have their own advantages and can help us let go of worldly troubles.”

He paused and then added: “Moreover, the advantage of these methods is that you don’t need long-term ascetic practice to see results. Regardless of the depth of your cultivation, you can benefit from them.”

The wise man’s tone became more solemn: “Let us pay our highest respects to the Tathagata Treasury. This is a flawless, inconceivable realm that exceeds our imagination.”

He looked around, his eyes full of compassion: “I sincerely pray that future practitioners will not have any doubts when facing this Dharma door. May the Buddha’s blessing help them clearly understand this truth.”

“This expedient is easy to achieve, suitable to teach to Ananda. And those sinking in the final kalpa, should cultivate only with this organ. Perfect penetration surpassing others, the true mind is like this.”

The wise man’s eyes shone with wisdom as he continued his teaching: “Children, let me tell you some good news.” His voice was full of encouragement: “This method of practice is very easy tomaster, and results can be seen very quickly. It is so simple and effective that we can use it to teach Ananda, and even those lost in this chaotic era.”

A young disciple asked curiously: “Master, how should we practice this method?” The wise man smiled kindly and answered: “It’s very simple, you just need to focus on your hearing. Through the practice of this one sense organ, you can reach the state of perfect penetration.” He looked around, his gaze falling on every disciple: “Know that this method is superior to all other practice methods. It can help you directly realize the true nature of the mind.”

The wise man’s tone became more firm: “This is the true mind, this is the truth we have been looking for.” After listening, the disciples felt a burst of excitement and hope. They realized that they had found a simple and effective method of practice. Everyone’s eyes shone with eagerness and determination, ready to start this wonderful journey of practice."

Then Ananda and the great assembly clearly understood and received a great revelation. They contemplated the Buddha’s Bodhi and Great Nirvana, just like someone who had traveled far away for business and had not returned, now clearly knowing the road home. The entire assembly, including the Eight Great Divisions of gods and dragons, those of the two vehicles with learning, and all newly resolved Bodhisattvas, numbering as many as the sands of ten Ganges Rivers, all attained their original mind, left dust and defilement far behind, and obtained the pure Dharma Eye. The Bhikshuni Nature Hearing heard the verses and became an Arhat. Boundless living beings all aroused the unsurpassed Bodhi mind.

In the main hall of the monastery, Ananda and many practitioners listened to the Buddha’s teachings, and their faces showed expressions of sudden enlightenment.

The wise man looked at them and smiled, saying: “It seems you have all realized something.”

Ananda excitedly said: “Yes, Master. We finally understand the true meaning of Bodhi and Nirvana. Like a wanderer who has been away from home for many years, finally finding the way home.”

The wise man nodded and looked around: “Not only you, everyone present, including the eight divisions of gods and dragons, the Sound Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas, and the Bodhisattvas who have just started practicing, a total of beings as many as the sands of ten Ganges rivers, have found their original mind. Their minds have become pure, far away from the pollution of the mundane world.”

He specifically pointed out: “Look, Bhikshuni Nature Hearing attained the Arhatship immediately after hearing the Buddha’s verses. And countless living beings have aroused the supreme Bodhi mind, determined to pursue the highest enlightenment.”

Ananda straightened his robes, faced the assembly, placed his palms together, and bowed. His mind was perfectly bright, and he felt a mixture of joy and sorrow. Wishing to benefit future living beings, he bowed and said to the Buddha: “Great Compassionate World Honored One, I have now realized the Dharma door to Buddhahood and have no doubts about the cultivation within it. I have often heard the Tathagata say that those who save others before saving themselves are Bodhisattvas making resolve, and those who have perfected their own enlightenment and can enlighten others are Tathagatas appearing in the world. Although I have not yet been saved, I vow to save all living beings in the Dharma Ending Age. World Honored One, these living beings are gradually moving away from the Buddha, and teachers of deviant dharmas are as numerous as Ganges sands. If I wish to gather their minds to enter Samadhi, how can I help them establish a Bodhimanda, keep them far from demonic matters, and ensure they do not retreat from the Bodhi mind?”

At this time, Ananda arranged his clothes, faced the public, and put his palms together to pay respect. His eyes showed both joy and a trace of sadness.

He turned to the Buddha and said respectfully: “Compassionate World Honored One, I now understand the path to Buddhahood, and I will no longer have doubts when practicing. I often hear you say that Bodhisattvas make a resolve to save others, and Tathagatas appear in the world to enlighten living beings. Although I have not yet been fully liberated, I am willing to help all living beings in the Dharma Ending Age.”

Ananda’s expression became serious: “World Honored One, future living beings will be further and further away from the Buddha’s era, and there will be many deviant teachers misleading them. I want to know how to help them practice with peace of mind, stay away from demonic obstacles, and strengthen their Bodhi mind?”

At that time, the World Honored One praised Ananda in the great assembly: “Good indeed, good indeed! As you have asked, how to establish a Bodhimanda to save living beings sinking in the Dharma Ending Age. You should listen attentively now, and I will explain it for you.” Ananda and the great assembly respectfully awaited the teaching.

Hearing Ananda’s words, the Buddha smiled with approval: “Well said, Ananda. The question you asked is very important. Regarding how to establish a Bodhimanda and save living beings in the Dharma Ending Age, I will tell you in detail.”

“The Buddha told Ananda: ‘You constantly hear me explain the three determining principles of cultivation in the Vinaya. That is, gathering the mind is called precept (Sila); from precepts, concentration (Samadhi) arises; and from concentration, wisdom (Prajna) develops. These are called the Three Non-Outflow Studies. Ananda, why do I call gathering the mind precept? If living beings in the six paths of all worlds do not have lust in their minds, they will not follow the continuous cycle of birth and death. You cultivate Samadhi originally to transcend the weariness of dust. If the lustful mind is not removed, the dust cannot be transcended. Even if one has much wisdom and Samadhi manifests, without cutting off lust, one will surely fall into the demonic way. The highest grade becomes a demon king, the middle grade becomes a demon subject, and the lowest grade becomes a demon girl. These demons also have followers, and each claims to have attained the supreme Way. After my extinction, in the Dharma Ending Age, many of these demon subjects will flourish in the world, widely practicing greed and lust while posing as spiritual teachers. They will cause living beings to fall into the pit of love and views and lose the Bodhi path. You should teach people in the world who cultivate Samadhi to first cut off the lustful mind. This is the first clear and decisive instruction on purity given by the Tathagata and all Buddhas of the past. Therefore, Ananda, if one cultivates Dhyana without cutting off lust, it is like steaming sand and stones hoping they will become rice; even after hundreds of thousands of kalpas, they will only be hot sand. Why? Because this is not the origin of rice, but made of sand and stones. If you seek the Buddha’s wonderful fruit with a lustful body, even if you attain wonderful understanding, it is all rooted in lust. With lust as the root, you will revolve in the three evil paths and surely cannot escape. How can you cultivate and realize the Tathagata’s Nirvana? You must ensure that the mechanism of lust in the body and mind is completely cut off, and even the nature of cutting off is gone; then you can hope for the Buddha’s Bodhi. What I have said is the Buddha’s teaching. Any explanation contrary to this is the teaching of Papiyas.’”

The Buddha looked at Ananda and many disciples and began to teach with a serious expression: “Ananda, you often hear me mention the three important principles of practice in the precepts. These are the so-called ‘Three Non-Outflow Studies’: Precepts, Samadhi, and Wisdom.” Ananda nodded seriously.

The Buddha continued: “So, what is ‘gathering the mind as precept’? If living beings in the six paths can have no lust thoughts, they will not fall into the cycle of birth and death. The purpose of your Samadhi practice is to transcend the troubles of the mundane world, but if lust is not eliminated, you cannot escape the mundane world.”

The Buddha’s tone became harsher: “Even if you have high wisdom and can enter Samadhi, without cutting off lust, you will definitely fall into the demonic way. These demons are divided into upper, middle, and lower grades. They all have followers, and each claims to have achieved the supreme Way.”

He paused, looked around, and continued: “In the Dharma Ending Age after I pass away, the followers of these demons will flourish in the world. They will take lust as good and claim to be spiritual teachers. This will cause living beings to fall into the deep pit of love and wrong views, losing the path to enlightenment.”

The Buddha turned to Ananda and said earnestly: “So, Ananda, when you teach people to practice Samadhi, you must first teach them to cut off lust. This is the most important and purest teaching from me and past Buddhas.”

He used a metaphor to illustrate: “Meditation without cutting off lust is like trying to steam sand and stones into rice. Even after thousands of kalpas, you only get hot sand and can never become rice.”

The Buddha’s voice became firmer: “If you seek Buddhahood with a lustful body and mind, even if you have realized something, it is all based on lust. Such a foundation will make you reincarnate in the three evil paths and never be liberated. To attain Nirvana, you must completely cut off the lust mechanism of body and mind, and even the thought of cutting off must be gone, so that you can hope to attain Bodhi.”

Finally, the Buddha said seriously: “Remember, what I said is the Buddha Dharma. If anyone says the opposite, that is the devil’s talk.”

“‘Ananda, furthermore, if living beings in the six paths of all worlds do not have killing in their minds, they will not follow the continuous cycle of birth and death. You cultivate Samadhi originally to transcend the weariness of dust. If the killing mind is not removed, the dust cannot be transcended. Even if one has much wisdom and Samadhi manifests, without cutting off killing, one will surely fall into the path of spirits. The highest grade becomes a mighty ghost, the middle grade becomes a flying Yaksha or ghost commander, and the lowest grade becomes an earth-traveling Rakshasa. These ghosts and spirits also have followers, and each claims to have attained the supreme Way. After my extinction, in the Dharma Ending Age, many of these ghosts and spirits will flourish in the world, claiming that eating meat leads to the Bodhi path. Ananda, I allowed Bhikshus to eat five kinds of pure meat, but this meat is all transformed by my spiritual power and originally has no life root. Because your land is humid and full of sand and stones, where vegetables do not grow, I used my great compassionate spiritual power to create this, calling it meat out of great compassion. You obtained its taste, but why, after the Tathagata’s extinction, do those who eat the flesh of living beings call themselves disciples of the Shakya clan? You should know that these meat-eaters, even if their minds open and seem to attain Samadhi, are all great Rakshasas. In the end, they will surely sink into the bitter sea of birth and death and are not disciples of the Buddha. Such people kill and eat each other endlessly; how can they escape the three realms? You should teach people in the world who cultivate Samadhi to next cut off killing. This is the second clear and decisive instruction on purity given by the Tathagata and all Buddhas of the past. Therefore, Ananda, if one cultivates Dhyana without cutting off killing, it is like someone plugging their ears and shouting loudly, hoping no one will hear. This is called wishing to hide but becoming more exposed. Pure Bhikshus and Bodhisattvas, when walking on a narrow path, do not even step on live grass, let alone pull it up with their hands. How can holding great compassion, they take the flesh and blood of living beings for food? If Bhikshus do not wear eastern silk, cotton, or silk fabrics, or consume boots, furs, feathers, milk, cream, or ghee from this land, such Bhikshus are truly liberated in this world and will repay their past debts without wandering in the three realms. Why? Because using parts of their bodies creates conditions with them. It is like people eating grains from the earth; their feet cannot leave the ground. If one does not wear or eat the bodies or parts of living beings physically and mentally, I say this person is truly liberated. What I have said is the Buddha’s teaching. Any explanation contrary to this is the teaching of Papiyas.’”

The Buddha continued his teaching, saying seriously: “Ananda, furthermore, if living beings in the six paths do not have killing thoughts in their minds, they will not fall into the cycle of birth and death. The purpose of your practice is to transcend the troubles of the mundane world, but if the killing mind is not eliminated, you cannot escape the mundane world.”

The Buddha’s tone became harsher: “Even if you have high wisdom and can enter Samadhi, without cutting off killing, you will definitely fall into the spirit path. The upper grade becomes mighty ghosts, the middle grade becomes flying Yakshas, and the lower grade becomes earth-traveling Rakshasas. These ghosts and spirits also have followers, and each claims to have attained the supreme Way.”

He paused, looked around, and continued: “In the Dharma Ending Age after I pass away, the followers of these ghosts and spirits will flourish in the world. They will say that eating meat can lead to the Bodhi path. Ananda, I allowed Bhikshus to eat five kinds of pure meat, but those meats were all transformed by my spiritual power and originally had no life.”

The Buddha explained: “I did this because in the land of Brahmins, the soil is humid and sandy, and vegetables are hard to grow. I created this meat with my great compassionate spiritual power so that you can get nutrition. But after I pass away, if someone eats the meat of living beings and calls himself my disciple, that is completely wrong.”

His voice became firmer: “Meat eaters, even if they seem enlightened, are just big Rakshasas. They will eventually sink into the sea of birth and death and cannot be considered disciples of the Buddha. How can such people who kill and eat each other transcend the three realms?”

The Buddha turned to Ananda and said earnestly: “So, Ananda, when you teach people to practice Samadhi, the second important teaching is to cut off killing. Practicing meditation without cutting off killing thoughts is as ridiculous as someone plugging their ears and shouting loudly, hoping others won’t hear.”

He used some specific examples to illustrate: “Pure Bhikshus and Bodhisattvas will not step on green grass when walking on fork roads, let alone pull grass. How can they eat the flesh and blood of living beings out of great compassion? If Bhikshus do not wear silk, leather, fur, and do not eat cheese, ghee, such Bhikshus are truly transcendent people.”

Finally, the Buddha said seriously: “Remember, what I said is the Buddha Dharma. If anyone says the opposite, that is the devil’s talk.”

“‘Ananda, furthermore, if living beings in the six paths of all worlds do not have stealing in their minds, they will not follow the continuous cycle of birth and death. You cultivate Samadhi originally to transcend the weariness of dust. If the stealing mind is not removed, the dust cannot be transcended. Even if one has much wisdom and Samadhi manifests, without cutting off stealing, one will surely fall into the deviant way. The highest grade becomes an elemental spirit, the middle grade becomes a demon or goblin, and the lowest grade becomes a dense person possessed by demons. These groups of deviants also have followers, and each claims to have attained the supreme Way. After my extinction, in the Dharma Ending Age, many of these demons and deviants will flourish in the world, secretly practicing deceit and calling themselves spiritual teachers. Each claims to have obtained the Dharma of superior people, deluding and confusing the ignorant, causing them to lose their minds. Wherever they pass, families are ruined. I teach Bhikshus to beg for food in an orderly manner to help them abandoned greed and accomplish the Bodhisattva path. Bhikshus do not cook for themselves, entrusting their remnant lives to temporary stay in the three realms, showing that once they go, they will not return. Why do thieves wear my robes and sell the Tathagata, creating various karma? They all say it is the Buddha Dharma, yet they are not truly left-home people. They call Bhikshus who hold the complete precepts as belonging to the Small Vehicle path. Because of this, they confuse and mislead countless living beings to fall into the Uninterrupted Hell. If after my extinction, there are Bhikshus who resolve to cultivate Samadhi and can, before the Tathagata’s image, burn a lamp on their body, burn a finger joint, or burn a stick of incense on their body, I say this person has repaid their debts from beginningless past times all at once, bidding farewell to the world and forever escaping all outflows. Although they may not yet understand the unsurpassed awakening road, this person’s mind is already determined in the Dharma. If one does not sacrifice this small bodily cause, even if one attains the unconditioned, one must return to be born as a human to repay past debts. It is just like my karma with the horse fodder. You should teach people in the world who cultivate Samadhi to next cut off stealing. This is the third clear and decisive instruction on purity given by the Tathagata and all Buddhas of the past. Therefore, Ananda, if one cultivates Dhyana without cutting off stealing, it is like someone pouring water into a leaking cup hoping to fill it; even after dust-mote kalpas, it will never be full. If Bhikshus possess nothing beyond their robes and alms bowl, give any surplus food to hungry living beings, place their palms together and bow to the assembly in great gatherings, and seeing someone beating or scolding them, treat it as praise, they must sacrifice both body and mind, sharing their flesh, bones, and blood with living beings. Do not take the Tathagata’s unfinished explanations and interpret them as your own understanding to mislead beginners. The Buddha certifies that such a person attains true Samadhi. What I have said is the Buddha’s teaching. Any explanation contrary to this is the teaching of Papiyas.’”

The Buddha continued his teaching, saying seriously: “Ananda, furthermore, if living beings in the six paths do not have stealing thoughts in their minds, they will not fall into the cycle of birth and death. The purpose of your practice is to transcend the troubles of the mundane world, but if the stealing mind is not eliminated, you cannot escape the mundane world.”

The Buddha’s tone became harsher: “Even if you have high wisdom and can enter Samadhi, without cutting off stealing, you will definitely fall into the evil way. The upper grade becomes spirits, the middle grade becomes demons, and the lower grade becomes possessed by demons. These evil demons also have followers, and each claims to have attained the supreme Way.”

He paused, looked around, and continued: “In the Dharma Ending Age after I pass away, these evil demons will flourish in the world, hiding themselves and deceiving others, claiming to be spiritual teachers. They will say they have attained the Way, confusing the ignorant and making them lose their reason. Wherever they go, the family’s assets will be exhausted.”

The Buddha explained: “I teach Bhikshus to beg for alms everywhere so that they can abandon greed and achieve the Bodhisattva path. Bhikshus do not cook for themselves to show that they are only temporarily residing in the three realms and will eventually leave and never return.”

His voice became firmer: “Those thieves who borrow my clothes and do various things contrary to the Buddha Dharma, yet say this is the Buddha Dharma, and instead call those Bhikshus who hold precepts Small Vehicle. This will cause countless living beings to have doubts and eventually fall into hell.”

The Buddha turned to Ananda and said earnestly: “If after I pass away, a Bhikshu is determined to practice and can light a lamp, burn a finger joint, or burn a stick of incense on his body in front of the Buddha image, I say this person’s past debts are paid off from this moment, and he will forever leave the troubles of the world. Although he may not have fully realized enlightenment, his mind is already firm.”

He used a metaphor to illustrate: “Meditation without cutting off stealing thoughts is like pouring water into a funnel, it will never be full. A true Bhikshu should have nothing but robes and alms bowl, and surplus food should be given to hungry living beings. In public gatherings, pay respect to everyone with joined palms, and treat beatings and scoldings as praise.”

Finally, the Buddha said seriously: “Remember, what I said is the Buddha Dharma. If anyone says the opposite, that is the devil’s talk.”

“Ananda, even if living beings in the six paths of such worlds are physically and mentally free from killing, stealing, and lust, and these three practices are perfected, if they speak great lies, their Samadhi will not be pure, and they will become demons of love and views, losing the Tathagata’s seed. That is, claiming to have attained what they haven’t attained, claiming to have realized what they haven’t realized, or seeking to be foremost and supreme in the world. They tell people: ‘I have now attained the fruit of Srotapanna, Sakridagamin, Anagamin, the path of Arhat, the Pratyekabuddha vehicle, or the various stages of Bodhisattvas before the Ten Grounds.’ They seek people to bow and repent to them, greedy for their offerings. These are Icchantikas who destroy the Buddha’s seed, like someone cutting a Tala tree with a knife. The Buddha predicts that such people will forever lose their good roots and have no more knowledge or vision, sinking into the three seas of suffering and not attaining Samadhi. After my extinction, I will command Bodhisattvas and Arhats to respond and be born in that Dharma Ending Age, taking various forms to save those in the cycle of transmigration. They may appear as Shramanas, white-robed laypeople, kings, officials, virgin boys, and virgin girls, or even as prostitutes, widows, thieves, butchers, and peddlers, working together with them and praising the Buddha vehicle, enabling their bodies and minds to enter Samadhi. In the end, they will never say of themselves, ‘I am a true Bodhisattva’ or ‘a true Arhat,’ leaking the Buddha’s secret cause and speaking lightly to those who have not learned. Only at the end of their lives might they secretly leave a testament. How can these people confuse and mislead living beings and commit great false speech? You should teach people in the world who cultivate Samadhi to subsequently cut off all great false speech. This is the fourth clear and decisive instruction on purity given by the Tathagata and all Buddhas of the past. Therefore, Ananda, if one does not cut off great false speech, it is like carving human feces into the shape of sandalwood, hoping for fragrance; there is no such thing. I teach Bhikshus to have a straight mind in the Bodhimanda, and even in the four awesome deportments and all actions, there is no falsehood. How can they claim to have attained the Dharma of superior people? It is like a poor person falsely calling themselves an emperor, bringing about their own execution; how much more so for the Dharma King? How can one falsely usurp that title? If the causal ground is not straight, the result will be crooked; seeking the Buddha’s Bodhi would be like someone trying to bite their own navel—how can anyone achieve it? If the minds of Bhikshus are as straight as a lute string, true in everything, they enter Samadhi and forever have no demonic matters. I certify that such people will achieve the Bodhisattva’s supreme knowledge and awareness. What I have said is the Buddha’s teaching. Any explanation contrary to this is the teaching of Papiyas.”

The Buddha continued his teaching, saying seriously: “Ananda, even if living beings in the six paths no longer kill, steal, or engage in sexual misconduct physically and mentally, if they speak great lies, their Samadhi cannot be pure. Instead, they will become demons of love and views and lose the seed of Buddhahood.”

The Buddha explained: “So-called great lies mean claiming to have obtained what one has not obtained, and claiming to have realized what one has not realized. For example, some people, in order to gain worldly respect, tell others: ‘I have already obtained the fruit of Srotapanna, Sakridagamin, Anagamin, Arhatship, Pratyekabuddha vehicle, or a certain stage of Bodhisattva.’ They do this to make others bow and repent to them, greedy for offerings.”

His voice became harsher: “Such people are like cutting a Tala tree, forever cutting off the possibility of becoming a Buddha. They will forever lose their good roots, have no correct knowledge and vision, sink into the sea of three sufferings, and cannot achieve Samadhi.”

The Buddha turned to Ananda and said earnestly: “After I pass away, I will order Bodhisattvas and Arhats to manifest in the Dharma Ending Age and save living beings in various forms. They may appear as monks, laypeople, kings, officials, boys and girls, or even prostitutes, widows, thieves, butchers, etc. They will live with these people, praise the Buddha Dharma, and guide them to enter the state of Samadhi.”

He added: “But these Bodhisattvas and Arhats will never claim to be true Bodhisattvas or Arhats, nor will they casually reveal the secrets of the Buddha Dharma to inexperienced people. Only when they assume dying will they leave some hints.”

The Buddha said seriously: “When you teach people to practice Samadhi, the fourth important teaching is to cut off great lies. If one practices Samadhi without cutting off great lies, it is like carving human feces into the shape of sandalwood, hoping it will emit fragrance, which is absolutely impossible.”

He used a metaphor to illustrate: “Just as a poor man claiming to be an emperor will surely bring about his own destruction. How much more so for impersonating the Dharma King? If the foundation of practice is not upright, the result will surely be distorted. Wanting to become a Buddha but speaking great lies is like trying to bite one’s own navel, never achievable.”

Finally, the Buddha said gently: “If the minds of Bhikshus are as straight as a lute string, and everything is true and deceitless, then they will never encounter demonic obstacles in Samadhi. Such people, I certify that they will surely achieve supreme Bodhi.” After hearing this, Ananda and the disciples were deeply shocked by the Buddha’s teaching, and determined to be honest and never speak great lies.

Reference

• Selected Buddhist Sutras: Shurangama Sutra