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Sūtra 44 (posted 08/2014, updated 09/2015) Book information on Home page
fascicle 53 fascicle 54 fascicle 55 fascicle 56 fascicle 57 fascicle 58 fascicle 59
大方廣佛華嚴經
離世間品第三十八之五
Mahāvaipulya Sūtra of Buddha Adornment
Translated from Sanskrit into Chinese in the Tang Dynasty
by
The Tripiṭaka Master Śikṣānanda from Yütian
Fascicle 57 (of 80)
Chapter 38e – Transcending the World Continued
The Next Thirty-eight Questions and Answers (117–154)
[Universal Wisdom Bodhisattva asked] “117. What habits does a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva have?”
[Samantabhadra Bodhisattva answered] “Buddha-Sons, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva has ten habits. What are these ten? They are (1) activating the bodhi mind, (2) developing roots of goodness, (3) teaching and transforming sentient beings, (4) seeing Buddhas, (5) being reborn in a pure worlds, (6) taking Bodhisattva actions, (7) making vast vows, (8) practicing the pāramitās, (9) pondering the equality of dharmas, and (10) differentiating various states. These are the ten. If a Bodhisattva abides in these ten habits, he will forever leave behind all his afflictions and their lingering traces, and acquire a Tathāgata’s great wisdom-knowledge [jñāna], which is not a habit.”
“118. What things does he use?”
“Buddha-Sons, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva uses ten things in order never to cease taking Bodhisattva actions. What are these ten? They are (1) all sentient beings, to teach and transform them; (2) all worlds, to adorn them; (3) Tathāgatas, to train in Bodhisattva actions as an offering to Them; (4) roots of goodness, to accumulate merits required to acquire a Buddha’s excellent appearance; (5) great compassion, to end all sentient beings’ suffering; (6) great lovingkindness, to give all sentient beings the joy of all wisdom-knowledge; (7) the pāramitās, to acquire a Bodhisattva’s adornments; (8) skillful means, to reveal Dharma Doors everywhere; (9) bodhi, to acquire the hindrance-free wisdom-knowledge; (10) all dharmas, to understand them in every way with radiant wisdom. These are the ten. If a Bodhisattva uses these ten things, he will acquire all Tathāgatas’ unsurpassed way to use nothing.”
“119. What trainings does he do?”
“Buddha-Sons, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva does ten trainings. What are these ten? They are (1) practicing the pāramitās, (2) learning the Dharma, (3) developing wisdom, (4) understanding the meanings in the Dharma, (5) following the Dharma, (6) transcending the world, (7) producing manifestations, (8) making energetic progress without indolence, (9) attaining samyak-saṁbodhi, and (10) turning the wheel of the true Dharma. These are the ten. If a Bodhisattva does these ten trainings, he will be able to do the unsurpassed training in all areas.”
“120. How does he master the Buddha Dharma?”
“Buddha-Sons, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva masters the Buddha Dharma in ten ways. What are these ten? They are (1) never leaving his beneficent learned friends, (2) deeply believing in a Buddha’s words, (3) never maligning the true Dharma, (4) transferring his countless and endless roots of goodness [to his attaining bodhi], (5) believing and understanding that a Tathāgata’s states are boundless, (6) knowing the states of all worlds, (7) never abandoning the state of the dharma realm, (8) staying far away from māras’ states, (9) rightly thinking of all Buddhas’ states, and (10) delighting in seeking the state of a Tathāgata’s Ten Powers. These are the ten. If a Bodhisattva abides in these ten ways, he will acquire a Tathāgata’s unsurpassed great wisdom.”
“121. How does he lose the Buddha Dharma?”
“Buddha-Sons, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva can lose the Buddha Dharma in ten ways, which he should avoid. What are these ten? They are (1) slighting his beneficent learned friends, (2) fearing the suffering in the cycle of birth and death, (3) tiring of training in Bodhisattva actions, (4) disliking to abide in the world, (5) being attached to the experience of samādhi, (6) taking his roots of goodness as owned, (7) maligning the true Dharma, (8) ceasing Bodhisattva actions, (9) delighting in the paths of the Two Vehicles, and (10) resenting other Bodhisattvas. These are the ten. If a Bodhisattva stays far away from these ten ways, he will enter the Bodhisattva path to transcend rebirth.”
“122. How does he transcend rebirth?”
“Buddha-Sons, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva transcends rebirth in ten ways. What are these ten? They are (1) achieving prajñā-pāramitā [the wisdom pāramitā] yet constantly observing all sentient beings, (2) staying far away from the wrong views yet delivering all sentient beings bound by their wrong views, (3) never thinking of dharma appearances yet never abandoning any sentient beings attached to appearances, (4) transcending the Three Realms of Existence yet constantly abiding in all worlds, (5) forever free from afflictions yet living with all sentient beings [with afflictions], (6) free from desires yet constantly having compassion for sentient beings attached to their desires, (7) delighting in quietness yet displaying [the company of] all retinues, (8) transcending rebirth in the world yet displaying his death here and rebirth there to take Bodhisattva actions, (9) being unattached to all worldly dharmas yet never ceasing worldly doings, and (10) having realized Buddha bodhi yet never abandoning Bodhisattva vows and actions. Buddha-Sons, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva transcends rebirth in the world in these ten ways, which are inaccessible to sentient beings, voice-hearers, and Pratyekabuddhas. If a Bodhisattva abides in them, he will acquire a Bodhisattva’s definite dharmas.”
“123. What definite dharmas does he have?”
“Buddha-Sons, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva has ten definite dharmas. What are these ten? They are (1) being spiritually born into the Tathāgata family, (2) abiding in Buddhas’ states, (3) knowing all Bodhisattva work, (4) abiding in the pāramitās, (5) attending Tathāgatas’ assemblies, (6) displaying the Tathāgata character-type, (7) abiding in a Tathāgata’s power, (8) entering deep into Buddha bodhi, (9) having the same [dharma] body as those of all Tathāgatas, and (10) living with all Tathāgatas [as their equal], without any difference. These are the ten.”
“124. How does he acquire the Buddha Dharma?”
“Buddha-Sons, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva acquires the Buddha Dharma in ten ways. What are these ten? They are (1) following his beneficent learned friends, because he plants the same roots of goodness as theirs; (2) deeply believing and understanding the Buddha Dharma, because he knows a Buddha’s mastery; (3) making vast vows, because his mind is vast; (4) protecting his roots of goodness, because he knows that karmas never fail to bring corresponding requitals; (5) training throughout all kalpas, because he continues to train throughout the future, never tiring or feeling bored; (6) displaying his rebirths in asaṁkhyeya worlds, because he brings sentient beings to [spiritual] maturity; (7) never ceasing Bodhisattva actions, because they increase his great compassion; (8) using the immeasurable mind, because his one thought pervades the entire domain of space; (9) taking excellent actions, because his training never regresses or declines; (10) preserving the Tathāgata seeds, because he enables all sentient beings to delight in activating the bodhi mind and sustaining it with good dharmas. These are the ten. If a Bodhisattva abides in these ten ways, he will receive the titles of a great man.”
“125. What are the titles of a great man?”
“Buddha-Sons, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva has ten titles of a great man. What are these ten? They are (1) Bodhisattva [Bodhi Being], because he is born from his wisdom-knowledge of bodhi; (2) Mahāsattva [Great Being], because he abides in the Mahāyāna; (3) Foremost Sattva, because he takes the foremost path; (4) Excellent Sattva, because he attains bodhi, the excellent dharma; (5) Supreme Sattva, because his wisdom is supreme; (6) Higher Sattva, because he makes higher energetic progress; (7) Unsurpassed Sattva, because he expounds the unsurpassed Dharma; (8) Powerful Sattva, because he fully knows the Ten Powers; (9) Unequaled Sattva, because he is unequaled in the world; (10) Inconceivable Sattva, because he attains Buddhahood in one thought. These are the ten. If a Bodhisattva receives these ten titles, he completes walking the Bodhisattva Way.”
“126. What paths does he take?”
“Buddha-Sons, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva takes ten Bodhisattva paths. What are these ten?
(1) The one path, because he never abandons the bodhi mind as the unique path.
(2) The double path, because he develops wisdom and acquires skillful means.
(3) The triple path, because he enters emptiness, no appearance, and no wish [the Three Liberation Doors], unattached to the Three Realms of Existence.
(4) The path of the four actions, because he repents of his sins, expresses sympathetic joy over others’ merits, reverently requests every Tathāgata to remain in the world, and skillfully transfers his merits without rest.
(5) The path of the Five Roots[1], because he abides in pure faith, makes energetic progress to complete his work, abides undistracted in right mindfulness, skillfully enters and exits samādhi, and capably differentiates the states of wisdom.
(6) The path of the six transcendental powers, because he has the god eye, to see myriad things in all worlds and that sentient beings die here and are reborn there; because he has the god ear, to hear Buddhas expound the Dharma, enabling him to accept and remember Their teachings, and to widely expound them to sentient beings according to their capacities; because he has the ability of telepathy, to know others’ minds hindrance free; because he has the ability to know everything throughout all past kalpas, as he expands his roots of goodness; because he has miraculous powers, to produce manifestations for sentient beings ready to be transformed; because he has the wisdom-knowledge that all his afflictions have ended, as he verifies the true reality of dharmas and ceaselessly takes Bodhisattva actions.
(7) The path of the seven memories, because he remembers the Buddha, the Dharma, the Saṅgha, almsgiving, the precepts, heaven, and sentient beings. He remembers the Buddha, because he sees in one pore innumerable Buddhas enlightening all sentient beings. He remembers the Dharma, because he receives the wondrous Dharma in all Tathāgatas’ assemblies without leaving even one Tathāgata’s assembly, and expounds it to sentient beings according to their capacities and desires. He remembers the Saṅgha, because he constantly sees Bodhisattvas everywhere in all worlds. He remembers almsgiving, because he does all Bodhisattva trainings in relinquishing all he has as alms, to expand his almsgiving mind. He remembers the precepts, because he never abandons the bodhi mind and always transfers all his roots of goodness to sentient beings. He remembers heaven, because he constantly thinks of Bodhisattvas in the palace of Tuṣita Heaven [the fourth desire heaven], who will demonstrate attaining Buddhahood in their next life. He remembers sentient beings, because he ceaselessly teaches, transforms, and tames them, using wisdom and skillful means.[2]
(8) The Eightfold Right Path to bodhi, because he follows right views, right thinking, right speech, right actions, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right samādhi. He holds the right views, because he stays far away from all the wrong views. He does the right thinking, because he follows all wisdom-knowledge and discards differentiation. He uses the right speech, because he follows the holy teachings and stays away from the four faults of speech.[3] He takes the right actions, because he teaches, transforms, and tames sentient beings. He makes a right livelihood, because he knows the contentment of the dhūta way of ascetic life, displays proper deportments, follows the four ways of the holy[4] to train to attain bodhi, and leaves all faults behind forever. He makes the right effort, because he diligently does all Bodhisattva trainings and enters a Buddha’s Ten Powers hindrance free. His mind abides in right mindfulness, because he remembers all words and sounds, and ends the worldly wandering mind. His mind abides in right samādhi, because he capably enters a Bodhisattva’s inconceivable liberation door, which leads from one samādhi to all samādhis.
(9) The path of entering the nine levels of samādhi, because he abides in meditation. In the first dhyāna, he discards desires and malice, and uses his voice to expound the Dharma hindrance free. In the second dhyāna, he discards coarse and fine thinking, and teaches and transforms sentient beings using the thinking arising from all wisdom-knowledge. In the third dhyāna, he discards the joy experienced in meditation and sees all Buddhas, with great joy in his heart. In the fourth dhyāna, he discards worldly happiness and enjoys the supra-worldly happiness of walking the Bodhisattva Way. Then, without moving, he enters [the four levels of] samādhi in the formless realm without abandoning his rebirth in the desire realm or the form realm. Even when he abides in the Samādhi of Total Suspension of Sensory Reception and Perception, he never ceases taking Bodhisattva actions.
(10) The path of learning a Buddha’s Ten Powers, in order to have the wisdom-knowledge (i) to know the right or wrong in every situation and its corresponding karmic consequences; (ii) to know all sentient beings’ past, present, and future karmas and corresponding requitals; (iii) all sentient beings’ different capacities, whether high, middling, or low, to teach them accordingly; (iv) to know all sentient beings’ countless different natures; (v) to know all sentient beings’ different understandings, whether high, middling, or low, to enable them to enter the Dharma by skillful means, (vi) to manifest as a Tathāgata everywhere in the world, all worlds, all three time frames [past, present, and future], and all kalpas, without abandoning Bodhisattva actions; (vii) to know all dhyānas, liberations,[5] samādhis, pure or impure, and the right and wrong times to reveal a Bodhisattva’s countless liberation doors; (viii) to know that all sentient beings die here and are reborn there to take different life-paths; (ix) to know in one thought all past, present, and future kalpas; (x) to know that all sentient beings have ended their desires, afflictions, and habits forever, without abandoning his Bodhisattva actions.
“These are the ten. If a Bodhisattva abides in these ten Bodhisattva paths, he will acquire all Tathāgatas’ unsurpassed skillful paths.
“Buddha-Sons, to attain bodhi, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva takes immeasurable paths, uses immeasurable aids, does immeasurable trainings, and adorns bodhi in immeasurable ways.”
“127. What immeasurable paths does he take?”
“Buddha-Sons, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva takes immeasurable Bodhisattva paths to bodhi, which are as immeasurable as ten things. What are these ten? They are (1) the immeasurable domain of space, (2) the boundless dharma realm, (3) the endless realm of sentient beings, (4) countless worlds, (5) endless kalpas, (6) all sentient beings’ languages, (7) a Tathāgata’s body, (8) a Buddha’s voice, (9) a Tathāgata’s power, and (10) [sarvajña-jñāna] the knowledge of all wisdom-knowledge. These are the ten.”
“128. What immeasurable aids does he use?”
“Buddha-Sons, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva uses immeasurable aids to attain bodhi,[6] which can be compared to ten things. What are these ten? (1) As the domain of space is immeasurable, so too are his aids; (2) as the dharma realm is boundless, so too are his aids; (3) as the realm of sentient beings is endless, so too are his aids; (4) as worlds are countless, so too are his aids; (5) as one can never finish describing kalpas, so too one can never finish describing his aids, (6) as sentient beings’ languages are immeasurable, so too are his aids to develop wisdom and master languages; (7) as a Tathāgata’s body is immeasurable, as too are his aids that pervade all sentient beings, all worlds, all time frames, and all kalpas; (8) as a Buddha’s voice is immeasurable, so too are his aids, as he emits one sound to pervade the entire dharma realm and be heard by all sentient beings; (9) as a Tathāgata’s power is immeasurable, so too are his aids supported by a Tathāgata’s power; (10) as all wisdom-knowledge is immeasurable, so too are his aids. These are the ten. If a Bodhisattva abides in such immeasurable aids, he will acquire a Tathāgata’s immeasurable wisdom.”
“129. What immeasurable trainings does he do?
“Buddha-Sons, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva does ten immeasurable trainings to attain bodhi. What are these ten? They are (1) the training to observe that dharmas neither come nor go, because his body, voice, and mind karmas do not move; (2) the training to observe that dharmas neither increase nor decrease, in accord with their true nature; (3) the training to observe that dharmas are neither existent nor nonexistent, because they have no self-essence; (4) the training to observe that dharmas are like illusions, dreams, reflections, echoes, images in a mirror, mirages in hot air, and the moon in the water, because he discards all attachments; (5) the training to enter the Three Liberation Doors—emptiness, no appearance, and no wish—because he clearly sees the Three Realms of Existence and accumulates merits without rest; (6) the training to observe that dharmas are ineffable, beyond words, and apart from words, because he stays far away from dharmas established by words; (7) the training that never destroys the dharma realm, because his wisdom knows all dharmas; (8) the training that never destroys true suchness, because he enters the true reality of dharmas, which is like the domain of space; (9) the training to develop vast wisdom, because he makes endless effort; (10) the training to abide equally in a Tathāgata’s Ten Powers, Four Fearlessnesses, and knowledge of all wisdom-knowledge, because he has no doubts about [the true reality of] dharmas. These are the ten. If a Bodhisattva does these ten immeasurable trainings, he can then do the unsurpassed skillful training in order to acquire a Tathāgata’s wisdom-knowledge.”
“130. How does he adorn bodhi?”
“Buddha-Sons, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva adorns bodhi in ten immeasurable ways. What are these ten?
(1) Although he, without leaving the desire realm, enters dhyānas, liberations, and samādhis in the form realm and the formless realm, he will not for this reason be reborn there. This is his first way to adorn bodhi.
(2) Although his wisdom directs him to enter the path of voice-hearers, he does not ride their vehicle to leave the world. This is his second way to adorn bodhi.
(3) Although his wisdom directs him to enter the path of Pratyekabuddhas, he elicits great compassion without rest. This is his third way to adorn bodhi.
(4) Although he is surrounded by gods and humans as his retinue and entertained by the song-dance of 100,000 beautiful maidens, he never abandons even temporarily his practice of dhyāna, liberation, and samādhi. This is his fourth way to adorn bodhi.
(5) Although he enjoys gratification of desires and pleasures together with all sentient beings, he never abandons even for one thought a Bodhisattva’s Samādhi of Equality. This is his fifth way to adorn bodhi.
(6) Although he has arrived at the shore opposite this world of existences and has no attachment to worldly dharmas, he never abandons his efforts to deliver sentient beings. This is his sixth way to adorn bodhi.
(7) Although he abides in the right path, right wisdom-knowledge, and right views, he displays entering all evil paths and reveals the truth of his not accepting them and the purity of his not being attached to them, enabling sentient beings to turn away from evil ways. This is his seventh way to adorn bodhi.
(8) He always abides by and protects Tathāgatas’ pure precepts, and does body, voice, and mind karmas without faults. However, to teach and transform those who have violated the precepts, he displays ways of the ordinary and the foolish. Although he has accumulated pure merits and walks the Bodhisattva Way, he displays his rebirths as hell-dwellers, animals, or hungry ghosts, or [as humans] in perilous, difficult, or proverty-stricken places, to enable sentient beings to achieve liberation, though he is not actually reborn there. This is his eighth way to adorn bodhi.
(9) He acquires unimpeded eloquence without being taught by others, and the radiance of his wisdom illuminates the entire Buddha Dharma. He is supported by the spiritual power of all Tathāgatas, and has the same dharma body[7] as those of all Buddhas. Having mastered all radiant secret dharmas of a great man, he impartially abides in all vehicles. Buddhas’ states appear before him, and the radiance of his worldly wisdom-knowledge illuminates the realm of all sentient beings. Although he can be a Dharma teacher of sentient beings, he displays seeking the true Dharma without rest. Although he can be an unsurpassed teacher of sentient beings, he displays paying respects to ācāryas and preceptors. Why? Because a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva walks the Bodhisattva Way by skillful means and displays to sentient beings whatever they are ready to see. This is his ninth way to adorn bodhi.
(10) His roots of goodness and his actions complete, all Tathāgatas pour sweet dew on his head. He arrives at the opposite shore,[8] where he is at ease with all dharmas. With the hindrance-free Dharma scarf tied around his head, he manifests everywhere a Tathāgata’s hindrance-free body, pervading all worlds. With the highest mastery of dharmas, he turns the hindrance-free pure Dharma wheel. Although he has completed all Bodhisattva trainings to achieve freedom, for sentient beings’ sake he displays his rebirths in all worlds. Although in the same states of all past, present, and future Buddhas, he never abandons Bodhisattva actions, never gives up Bodhisattva teachings, never slackens in doing Bodhisattva karmas, never leaves the Bodhisattva Way, never relaxes Bodhisattva deportments, never neglects what a Bodhisattva should use, never abandons Bodhisattva skillful means, never ends Bodhisattva work, never tires of rendering Bodhisattva services, and never stops using Bodhisattva powers to abide in the world. Why not? Because a Bodhisattva who wishes to quickly attain anuttara-samyak-saṁbodhi observes the door of all wisdom-knowledge and trains in Bodhisattva actions without rest. This is his tenth way to adorn bodhi.
“If a Bodhisattva abides in these ten ways, he will acquire a Tathāgata’s unsurpassed great way to adorn bodhi without abandoning the Bodhisattva Way.”
“131. What feet does he have?”
“Buddha-Sons, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva has ten feet. What are these ten? They are (1) the precepts, to fulfill his excellent vast vows; (2) energetic progress, to complete all elements of bodhi[9] without regress; (3) transcendental powers, to delight sentient beings according to their desires; (4) miraculous powers, to go to all Buddha Lands without leaving any Buddha Land; (5) conviction, to seek all excellent dharmas; (6) firm vows, to complete all his work; (7) compliance, to follow the teachings of all honored ones; (8) delight in the Dharma, to hear and retain the Dharma of all Buddhas, never tiring or becoming bored; (9) the Dharma rain, to expound the Dharma, without timidity, to multitudes; (10) training, to stay far away from all evils. These are the ten. If a Bodhisattva walks with these ten feet, he will acquire a Tathāgata’s unsurpassed supreme feet, which can reach all worlds in one step.”
“132. What hands does he have?”
“Buddha-Sons, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva has ten hands. What are these ten? They are (1) the profound-faith hand, to always have faith in the Dharma of all Buddhas and forever accept and retain it; (2) the almsgiving hand, to give solicitors whatever they ask for, to delight them; (3) the hand that initiates greetings with an open palm, to welcome and guide everyone; (4) the hand that makes offerings to Buddhas, to accumulate merits, never tiring or becoming bored; (5) the skillful hand, to hear much of the Dharma in order to resolve all sentient beings’ doubts; (6) the hand that enables sentient beings to transcend the Three Realms of Existence, to pull them out of the mire of their desires; (7) the hand that delivers sentient beings to the opposite shore, to rescue them from drowning in the four torrential flows; (8) the never-begrudging hand, to give all teachings in the true Dharma; (9) the hand that well uses all theories, to dispense wisdom as the medicine to cure the diseases of the mind and body; (10) the hand that holds the jewel of wisdom-knowledge, to emit the radiance of the Dharma in order to dispel the darkness of sentient beings’ afflictions. These are the ten. If a Bodhisattva uses these ten hands, he will acquire a Tathāgata’s unsurpassed hands, which cover all worlds in the ten directions.”
“133. What abdomens does he have?”
“Buddha-Sons, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva has ten abdomens. What are these ten? They are (1) the no-sycophancy abdomen, because his mind is pure; (2) the no-deception abdomen, because his nature is upright; (3) the no-falsity abdomen, because he has no treachery; (4) the no-robbery abdomen, because he has no greed for anything; (5) the affliction-ending abdomen, because he has wisdom; (6) the pure abdomen, because he stays away from evils; (7) the abdomen that observes food and drink, because he thinks of the true reality of dharmas; (8) the abdomen that observes that dharmas take no [independent] action, because he is aware of their dependent arising; (9) the abdomen that knows all paths to transcend the world, because he capably brings his profound mind to maturity; (10) the abdomen that stays far away from opposite views [such as perpetuity versus cessation of dharmas], because he enables all sentient beings to enter a Buddha’s abdomen. These are the ten. If a Bodhisattva uses these ten abdomens, he will acquire a Tathāgata’s unsurpassed vast abdomen, which can hold all sentient beings.”
“134. What internal organs does he have?”
“Buddha-Sons, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva has ten internal organs. What are these ten? They are (1) the Bodhisattva organ that enables the Buddha seeds never to end, because he reveals the immeasurable awe-inspiring virtues of the Buddha Dharma; (2) the Bodhisattva organ that grows the Dharma seeds, because he emits the vast radiance of wisdom; (3) the Bodhisattva organ that preserves the Saṅgha seeds, because he turns the no-regress Dharma wheel; (4) the Bodhisattva organ that enlightens sentient beings definitely on the right path to bodhi, because he senses their readiness in less than one thought; (5) the Bodhisattva organ that brings to [spiritual] maturity sentient beings indecisive about their paths, because he enables the causes of their spiritual growth to continue without interruption; (6) the Bodhisattva organ that elicits great compassion for sentient beings definitely on the wrong paths, because he enables their future causes [of bodhi] to arise;[10] (7) the Bodhisattva organ that completes the indestructible causes of acquiring a Buddha’s Ten Powers, because he has the unparalleled roots of goodness to subjugate māra legions; (9) the Bodhisattva organ that holds a Buddha’s Eighteen Exclusive Dharmas, because his wisdom enters everywhere; (10) the Bodhisattva organ that knows all sentient beings, all worlds, all dharmas, and all Buddhas, because he clearly sees everything in one thought. These are the ten. If a Bodhisattva uses these ten Bodhisattva organs, he will acquire a Tathāgata’s internal organ of unsurpassed roots of goodness and indestructible great wisdom.”
“135. What hearts does he have?”
“Buddha-Sons, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva has ten hearts. What are these ten? They are (1) the diligent heart, to complete all his work; (2) the striving heart, to accumulate merits required to acquire a great man’s excellent appearance; (3) the valiant heart, to destroy all māra legions; (4) the heart that acts according to principle, to end all his afflictions; (5) the no-regress heart, never to rest until he attains bodhi; (6) the pure-nature heart, never to form attachments; (7) the heart that knows sentient beings’ minds, to enable them to transcend the world according to their understandings and desires; (8) the great Brahma heart[11] that abides in the Buddha Dharma, because he knows sentient beings’ various understandings and desires, and does not rescue them using vehicles other than the Mahāyāna; (9) the heart that abides in emptiness, no appearance, and no wish [the Three Liberation Doors], because it has no attachment to the appearances in the Three Realms of Existence; (10) the heart adorned with the symbol of a swastika—an excellent organ as adamantine as vajra—because māras as numerous as sentient beings cannot move even one of his hairs. These are the ten. If a Bodhisattva uses these ten hearts, he will acquire a Tathāgata’s heart, the radiant store of unsurpassed great wisdom.”
“136. What armors does he don?”
“Buddha-Sons, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva dons ten armors. What are these ten? They are (1) great lovingkindness, to rescue and protect all sentient beings; (2) great compassion, to endure all suffering; (3) vast vows, to complete all his work; (4) transference of his merits [to his attaining Buddhahood], to acquire all adornments of a Buddha; (5) merits, to benefit all sentient beings; (6) the pāramitās, to deliver all sentient beings; (7) wisdom, to end all sentient beings’ afflictions; (8) skillful means, to develop roots of goodness in all; (9) the unwavering mind focused on all wisdom-knowledge, never to ride vehicles other than the Mahāyāna; (10) the resolute mind, to resolve all doubts about dharmas. These are the ten. If a bodhisattva dons these ten armors, he will don a Tathāgata’s unsurpassed armor, to subjugate all māra legions.”
“137. What weapons does he have?”
“Buddha-sons, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva has ten Bodhisattva weapons. What are these ten? They are (1) almsgiving, to destroy all his stinginess; (2) observing the precepts, to end all their violations; (3) impartiality, to end all differentiations; (4) wisdom, to end all his afflictions; (5) making a right livelihood, to stay far away from all evil livelihoods; (6) skillful means, to use them everywhere; (7) all afflictions, such as greed, anger, and ignorance, to use them as a door to deliver sentient beings; (8) birth and death, never to cease taking Bodhisattva actions to teach and transform sentient beings; (9) expounding the true reality of dharmas, to end all attachments; (10) all wisdom-knowledge, never to abandon Bodhisattva actions. These are the ten. If a Bodhisattva uses these ten weapons, he will be able to eliminate all sentient beings’ afflictions accumulated over their long night.”
“138. What heads does he have?”
“Buddha-Sons, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva has ten heads. What are these ten? They are (1) the nirvāṇa head, because no one can see its top; (2) the respect-inspiring head, because all gods and humans pay respects to it; (3) the head with a vast understanding, because it is supreme in the Three Realms of Existence; (4) the head with foremost roots of goodness, because all sentient beings make offerings to it; (5) the head that carries all sentient beings, because it has a fleshy bulge on its top; (6) the head that never slights others, because it is revered everywhere; (7) the prajñā-pāramitā head, because it nurtures all virtuous dharmas; (8) the head that uses facilitation wisdom-knowledge,[12] because it displays everywhere the same kind of bodies; (9) the head that teaches and transforms all sentient beings, because it accepts all sentient beings as students; (10) the head that guards the Dharma of all Buddhas, because it enables the seeds of the Three Jewels never to end. These are the ten. If a Bodhisattva uses these ten heads, he will acquire a Tathāgata’s head, the unsurpassed great wisdom.”
“139. What eyes does he have?”
“Buddha-Sons, Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva has ten eyes. What are these ten? They are (1) the physical eye, which sees all forms; (2) the god eye, which sees all sentient beings’ minds; (3) the wisdom eye, which sees all sentient beings’ capacities and states; (4) the dharma eye, which sees the true reality of dharmas; (5) the Buddha eye, which sees a Tathāgata’s Ten Powers; (6) the wisdom-knowledge eye, which knows and sees all dharmas; (7) the radiant eye, which sees a Buddha’s radiance; (8) the transcending-birth-and-death eye, which sees nirvāṇa; (9) the hindrance-free eye, which sees everything hindrance free; (10) the all-wisdom-knowledge eye, which sees the dharma realm as the universal door. These are the ten. If a Bodhisattva uses these ten eyes, he will acquire a Tathāgata’s unsurpassed great wisdom eye.”
“140. What ears does he have?”
“Buddha-Sons, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva has ten ears. What are these ten? They are (1) the ear that hears praises, to end his greed and attachments; (2) the ear that hears slanders, to end his anger; (3) the ear that hears about the Two Vehicles, not to seek them or become attached to them; (4) the ear that hears about the Bodhisattva Way, to rejoice exuberantly; (5) the ear that hears about the suffering in painful places, such as hell, to elicit great compassion and make vast vows; (6) the ear that hears wonderful things about humans and gods, to know that they are impermanent dharmas; (7) the ear that hears praises of Buddhas’ virtues, to make energetic progress in attaining bodhi; (8) the ear that hears teachings on the six pāramitās and the Four Drawing-in Dharmas, to resolve to arrive at the opposite shore and to train; (9) the ear that hears all sounds in worlds in the ten directions, to know that they are like echoes and to enter the ineffable profound meanings in the Dharma; (10) the ear that constantly hears the true Dharma without rest from his initial activation of the bodhi mind to his arrival at his bodhimaṇḍa, never to abandon his work of transforming sentient beings. These are the ten. If a Bodhisattva uses these ten ears, he will acquire a Tathāgata’s unsurpassed great wisdom ear.”
“141. What noses does he have?”
“Buddha-Sons, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva has ten noses. What are these ten? They are (1) the nose that smells stench but does not take it as stench; (2) the nose that smells fragrance but does not take it as fragrance; (3) the nose that smells both stench and fragrance with the impartial mind; (4) the nose that smells neither stench nor fragrance, and abides in equability; (5) the nose that knows sentient beings’ actions driven by their greed, anger, and ignorance, when it smells the stench or fragrance of their bodies, clothes, or beddings; (6) the nose that differentiates unseen grass and trees as if they were seen, when it smells their scents; (7) the nose that knows the past actions of sentient beings, from those in hell below to those in the top heaven above, when it smells their scents; (8) the nose that enables voice-hearers to abide undistracted in the mind of all wisdom-knowledge, when it smells the fragrance of their wisdom arising from their almsgiving, observing the precepts, and hearing much of the Dharma; (9) the nose that enables Bodhisattvas to enter with equal wisdom the Tathāgata Ground, when it smells the fragrance of their Bodhisattva actions; (10) the nose that smells the fragrance of the state of all Buddhas’ wisdom and never abandons Bodhisattva actions. These are the ten. If a Bodhisattva uses these ten noses, he will acquire a Tathāgata’s immeasurable boundless pure nose.”
“142. What tongues does he have?”
“Buddha-Sons, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva has ten tongues. What are these ten? They are (1) the tongue that expounds sentient beings’ endless actions, (2) the tongue that expounds countless Dharma Doors, (3) the tongue that praises Buddhas’ endless merits, (4) the tongue that expounds the Dharma with endless eloquence, (5) the tongue that expounds the Mahāyāna aids to attain bodhi, (6) the tongue that covers the sky in the ten directions, (7) the tongue that illuminates all Buddha Lands, (8) the tongue that enables all sentient beings to understand, (9) the tongue that delights Buddhas, and (10) the tongue that subjugates all māras and those on the wrong paths, ends sentient beings’ afflictions and [cycles of] birth and death, and enables them to attain nirvāṇa. These are the ten. If a Bodhisattva uses these ten tongues, he will acquire a Tathāgata’s unsurpassed tongue, which covers all Buddha Lands.”
“143. What bodies does he have?”
“Buddha-Sons, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva has ten bodies. What are these ten? They are (1) the human body, to teach and transform all humans; (2) the non-human body, to teach hell-dwellers, animals, and hungry ghosts; (3) the celestial body, to teach gods in the desire realm, the form realm, and the formless realm. (4) the learning body, to teach those on the learning ground; (5) the no-more-learning body, to reveal the Arhat ground;[13] (6) the Pratyekabuddha body, to teach how to enter the Pratyekabuddha ground; (7) the Bodhisattva body, to reveal the path of the Mahāyāna; (8) the Tathāgata body, to pour the water of wisdom on someone’s head; (9) the mind-created body, to appear by skillful means; (10) the affliction-free dharma body, to effortlessly manifest all sentient beings’ bodies. These are the ten. If a Bodhisattva uses these ten bodies, he will acquire a Tathāgata’s unsurpassed body.”
“144. What mental actions does he take?”
“Buddha-Sons, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva takes ten mental actions. What are these ten? They are (1) the foremost mental action, to develop all roots of goodness; (2) the persistent mental action, to have unwavering profound faith; (3) the delving mental action, to follow the Buddha Dharma and understand it; (4) the insightful mental action, to know sentient beings’ preferences; (5) the imperturbable mental action, to remain unperturbed by his afflictions; (6) the pure mental action, to remain untainted by sense objects; (7) the mental action to observe sentient beings, to tame them at the right times; (8) the mental action to make right choices, to have no faults in any situation; (9) the mental action to tame his faculties, to keep them from pursuing [external or internal] objects; (10) the mental action to master samādhi, to enter deep into a Buddha’s samādhi to see that one has no self and its belongings. These are the ten. If a Bodhisattva takes these ten mental actions, he will be able to take all Buddhas’ unsurpassed mental actions.”
“145. Why does he walk?”
“Buddha-Sons, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva walks to do ten things. What are these ten? He walks (1) to hear the Dharma, because he delights in the Dharma; (2) to expound the Dharma, because he benefits sentient beings; (3) to stay away from evil actions driven by greed, anger, and ignorance, because he tames his mind; (4) in the desire realm, to teach and transform sentient beings there; (5) to enter samādhi in the form realm and the formless realm, because he quickly turns away from this experience; (6) to enter the meanings in the Dharma, because he wants to acquire wisdom quickly; (7) through all life-paths, because he teaches sentient beings with ease; (8) to visit all Buddha Lands, because he makes obeisance and offerings to Buddhas; (9) to abide in nirvāṇa, because he never ends the continuation of birth and death; (10) to master the entire Buddha Dharma, because he never ceases taking Bodhisattva actions. These are the ten. If a Bodhisattva does these ten things, he will be able to walk a Tathāgata’s walk, which neither comes nor goes.”
“146. Where does he stand still?”
“Buddha-Sons, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva stands still in ten places. What are these ten? They are (1) the bodhi mind, never to forget or lose it; (2) the pāramitās, to practice them tirelessly as aids to attain bodhi; (3) expounding the Dharma, to increase his wisdom; (4) an araṇya [a quiet remote place], to attain great samādhi; (5) all wisdom-knowledge, contentment with the dhūta way of ascetic life, and the four ways of the holy, to have few desires and few worldly affairs; (6) profound faith, to uphold the true Dharma; (7) staying close to Tathāgatas, to learn Their majestic deportments; (8) mastering transcendental powers, to fully develop great wisdom; (9) endurance [in his realization of the truth], to receive the prophecy [of his attaining Buddhahood]; (10) his bodhimaṇḍa, to possess the Ten Powers, the Four Fearlessnesses, and the entire Buddha Dharma. These are the ten. If a Bodhisattva stands still in these ten places, he will stand still in the unsurpassed all wisdom-knowledge.”
“147. Where does he sit?”
“Buddha-Sons, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva sits on ten seats. What are these ten? They are (1) a Wheel-Turning King’s seat, to promote the path of the ten good karmas; (2) any of the four god-kings’ seats, to establish with ease the Buddha Dharma in the world; (3) the god-king Śakra’s seat, to be the excellent master of all sentient beings; (4) the Brahma-king Śikhin’s seat, to master his mind and others’ minds; (5) the lion throne, to expound the Dharma; (6) the true-Dharma seat, to expound the Dharma with the power of dhāraṇīs and eloquence; (7) the firm seat, to fulfill his vows; (8) the great-lovingkindness seat, to give joy to even evil sentient beings; (9) the great-compassion seat, to endure all suffering without fatigue or resentment; (10) the vajra seat, to subjugate māras and those on the wrong paths. These are the ten. If a Bodhisattva sits in these ten seats, he will acquire a Tathāgata’s seat of unsurpassed true enlightenment.”
“148. Where does he lie down?”
“Buddha-Sons, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva lies down in ten places. What are these ten? They are (1) quietness, because his body and mind are peaceful; (2) meditation, because he trains according to principle; (3) samādhi, because his body and mind are gentle; (4) a Brahma heaven, because he does not disturb himself or others; (6) good karmas, because he does them without regrets; (7) the right faith, because it cannot be moved; (7) the right path, because he follows his beneficent learned friends; (8) wonderful vows, because he skillfully transfers his merits [to fulfilling them]; (9) finishing of all things, because he completes his work; (10) effortlessness, because he has completed his effortful training. These are the ten. If a Bodhisattva lies down in these ten places, he will lie down in a Tathāgata’s unsurpassed great Dharma and enlighten all sentient beings.”
“149. What abodes does he have?
“Buddha-Sons, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva has ten abodes. What are these ten? They are (1) great lovingkindness, because he is impartial toward all sentient beings; (2) great compassion, because he never slights even the uneducated; (3) great joy, because he leaves all anxieties behind; (4) great equability, because he knows that saṁskṛta and asaṁskṛta dharmas are equal; (5) all pāramitās, because he is led by the bodhi mind; (6) the emptiness of dharmas, because he skillfully observes them; (7) the no appearance of dharmas, because he abides in dharma nature; (8) the no wish for rebirth,[14] because he observes his rebirths; (9) mindfulness and wisdom, because he has acquired endurance [in his realization of the truth]; (10) the equality of all dharmas, because he has received the prophecy of his attaining Buddhahood. These are the ten. If a Bodhisattva abides in these ten abodes, he will acquire a Tathāgata’s unsurpassed hindrance-free abode.”
“150. In what areas does he train?”
“Buddha-Sons, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva trains in ten areas. What are these ten? They are (1) right mindfulness, to perfect his practice of the Four Abidings of Mindfulness;[15] (2) various life-paths, to head for true enlightenment; (3) wisdom, to delight Buddhas; (4) the pāramitās, to acquire [sarvajña-jñāna] the knowledge of all wisdom-knowledge; (5) the Four Drawing-in Dharmas, to teach and transform sentient beings; (6) undergoing birth and death, to develop roots of goodness; (7) chatting and playing with all sentient beings, to deliver those ready to be delivered; (8) transcendental powers, to know all sentient beings’ capacities and states; (9) skillful means, to use them according to prajñā-pāramitā [the wisdom pāramitā]; (10) his bodhimaṇḍa, to acquire all wisdom-knowledge without ceasing Bodhisattva actions. These are the ten. If a Bodhisattva trains in these ten areas, he will acquire the areas of a Tathāgata’s unsurpassed great wisdom.”
“151. What kinds of observations does he make?”
“Buddha-Sons, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva makes ten kinds of observations. What are these ten? They are observations of (1) sentient beings’ karmas, to see even tiny karmas; (2) sentient beings’ births and deaths, to have no attachment to sentient beings; (3) sentient beings’ faculties, to understand that faculties are no faculty; (4) all dharmas, to know that the dharma realm is indestructible; (5) the Buddha Dharma, to train diligently to acquire the Buddha eye; (6) his wisdom, to expound the Dharma according to principle; (7) the no birth of dharmas, to understand the Buddha Dharma; (8) the no-regress ground, to end all his afflictions, and to transcend the Three Realms of Existence and the ground of the Two Vehicles; (9) the ground where nectar is poured on his head, to fully master the entire Buddha Dharma; (10) a Buddha’s samādhi, to do Buddha work everywhere in the ten directions. These are the ten. If a Bodhisattva makes these ten kinds of observations, he will acquire a Tathāgata’s unsurpassed great wisdom to make observations.”
“152. What kinds of pervasive observations does he make?”
“Buddha-Sons, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva makes ten kinds of pervasive observations. What are these ten? They are pervasive observations of (1) all who come to solicit him, to fulfill their wishes with a compliant mind; (2) all who have violated the precepts, to settle them in Tathāgatas’ pure precepts; (3) all who harbor malice, to settle them in the power of a Tathāgata’s tolerance; (4) all who are indolent and slack, to persuade them to make energetic progress and never to abandon carrying the massive load of the Mahāyāna; (5) all with a chaotic mind, to enable them to abide undistracted on a Tathāgata’s ground of all wisdom-knowledge; (6) all with evil wisdom, to resolve their doubts and refute their wrong view of existence; (7) all his beneficent learned friends, to follow their teachings to abide in the Buddha Dharma; (8) all teachings he has heard, to quickly verify their highest meaning; (9) all sentient beings, never to abandon great compassion for them. These are the ten. If a Bodhisattva makes these ten kinds of pervasive observations, he will be able to use a Tathāgata’s unsurpassed great wisdom to make pervasive observations.”
“153. What kinds of thrusts does he make?”
“Buddha-Sons, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva makes ten kinds of thrusts. What are these ten? They are the thrusts of (1) the ox-king, because he eclipses all multitudes, such as gods, dragons, yakṣas, and gandharvas; (2) the elephant-king, because his mind skillfully tames and carries all sentient beings; (3) the dragon-king, because he forms the dense Dharma cloud, flashes the lightning of liberation, claps the thunder of the true reality of dharmas, and showers down the sweet dew of the Five Roots, the Five Powers, the Seven Bodhi Factors,[16] dhyāna, liberation, and samādhi; (4) the golden-winged garuḍa-king, to drain the water of thirsty love [tṛṣṇā] of being, end his ignorance, eliminate his afflictions, which are like evil dragons, and enable sentient beings to leave behind their suffering in the immense ocean of birth and death; (5) the great lion-king, to use fearlessness, impartiality, and great wisdom as the weapons to subjugate māras and those on the wrong paths; (6) bold valor, to eliminate all his afflictions in the vast battlefield of birth and death; (7) great wisdom-knowledge, to know the five aggregates, the twelve fields, the eighteen spheres, and the dependent arising of dharmas, and to expound the Dharma with ease; (8) dhāraṇī, to retain, with the power of memory and wisdom, all teachings he has heard, never forgetting them, and to expound them to sentient beings according their capacities; (9) unimpeded eloquence, to quickly differentiate all dharmas without impediment and to delight questioners with his answers; (10) a Tathāgata, to use all aids to acquire the knowledge of all wisdom-knowledge, to acquire all he should acquire, to realize all he should realize in one thought attuned to wisdom,[17] to sit on the lion throne to subjugate māras and enemies, and to attain anuttara-samyak-saṁbodhi. These are the ten. If a Bodhisattva makes these ten kinds of thrusts, he will acquire a Tathāgata’s unsurpassed thrust, which masters all dharmas.”
“154. What lion’s roars does he roar?”
“Buddha-Sons, a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva roars ten lion’s roars. What are these ten?
(1) He declares, ‘I will definitely attain samyak-saṁbodhi.’ This is the great lion’s roar of the bodhi mind.
(2) He declares, ‘I will enable all who have not been delivered to be delivered, all who have not achieved liberation to achieve liberation, and all who are not at peace be at peace.’ This is the great lion’s roar of great compassion.
(3) He declares, ‘I will enable the seeds of the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṅgha never to end.’ This is the great lion’s roar of requiting Tathāgatas’ kindness.
(4) He declares, ‘I will purify all Buddha Lands.’ This is the great lion’s roar of fulfilling firm vows.
(5) He declares, ‘I will eliminate all evil life-paths and difficult places.[18]’ This is the great lion’s roar of observing the pure precepts.
(6) He declares, ‘I will acquire the sublime appearances of all Buddhas’ bodies, voices, and minds.’
This is the great lion’s roar of insatiable accumulation of merits.
(7) He declares, ‘I will acquire the wisdom of all Buddhas.’ This is the great lion’s roar of insatiable seeking of wisdom.
(8) He declares, ‘I will annihilate all māras and māra karmas.’ This is the great lion’s roar of doing the right training to end all his afflictions.
(9) He declares, ‘I will verify that a dharma has no self, is no sentient being, is no pudgala [an individual that transmigrates], does not own its lifespan, is empty, has no appearance, has no wish for rebirth,[19] and is pure like the open sky.’ This is the great lion’s roar of enduring realization that dharmas have no birth.
(10) When a Bodhisattva ready to display his last life shakes all Buddha Lands and purifies them, the Brahma-king Śikhin, the god-king Śakra, and the four god-kings[20] come to him and request, ‘We pray that you, Bodhisattva, will display being born though there is no birth.’ This Bodhisattva then observes the entire world with his hindrance-free eye and says, ‘No sentient being can compare with me.’ Then he displays his birth in a palace. He walks seven steps and roars the great lion’s roar, ‘I am the foremost supreme one in the world, and I will end sentient beings’ births and deaths forever.’ This is the great lion’s roar of what he will do.
“If a Bodhisattva roars these ten lion’s roars, he will be able to roar a Tathāgata’s unsurpassed great lion’s roar.”
—Mahāvaipulya Sūtra of Buddha Adornment, fascicle 57
Translated from the digital Chinese Canon (T10n0279)
Notes
1. 1. See Five Roots listed in the glossary’s Thirty-seven Elements of Bodhi. (Return to text)
2. See “six memories” in the glossary. Here, a seventh memory of sentient beings is added to highlight his great compassion. (Return to text)
3. The four faults of speech are (1) false speech, (2) divisive speech, (3) abusive speech, and (4) suggestive speech. See “ten evil karmas” in the glossary. (Return to text)
4. The four ways of the holy (catvāra ārya-vaṁśaḥ, 四聖種) are (1) joyful contentment with humble clothing, (2) joyful contentment with humble food and drink, (3) joyful contentment with humble bedding, and (4) delight in discarding pleasures and in training to attain bodhi.
(Return to text)
5. See “eight liberations” in the glossary. (Return to text)
6. See the glossary’s Thirty-seven Elements of Bodhi, which are also called Thirty-seven Aids to Attain Bodhi. (Return to text)
7. See “dharma body” defined in the glossary’s “three bodies of a Buddha.” (Return to text)
8. The opposite shore is that shore of nirvāṇa, opposite this shore of saṁsāra.
(Return to text)
9. See Thirty-seven Elements of Bodhi in the glossary. (Return to text)
10. See “three groups” in the glossary. (Return to text)
11. The great Brahma heart refers to the Four Immeasurable Minds: lovingkindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equability. (Return to text)
12. See “facilitation wisdom-knowledge” in the glossary’s “two kinds of wisdom-knowledge.” (Return to text)
13. See “those who are still learning” and “those who have nothing more to learn,” defined in the glossary’s “voice-hearer fruits.” (Return to text)
14. See “emptiness, no appearance, and no wish” defined in the glossary’s Three Liberation Doors. (Return to text)
15. See Four Abidings of Mindfulness in the glossary, which are also listed in the glossary’s Thirty-seven Elements of Bodhi. (Return to text
16. See Five Roots, Five Powers, and Seven Bodhi Factors listed in the glossary’s Thirty-seven Elements of Bodhi. (Return to text)
17. See “attuning thought” in the glossary. (Return to text)
18. See “eight difficulties” in the glossary. (Return to text)
19. See “four appearances” and “Three Liberation Doors” in the glossary. (Return to text)
20. In each world, the Brahma-king Śikhin rules the gods in the first dhyāna heaven in the form realm, or the Brahma realm, where all gods are referred to as Brahma gods. The god-king Śakra rules the gods in the second desire heaven. The four god-kings rule the gods in the first desire heaven and protect the human world. (Return to text)