XX. Presenting

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

1) [Greatness of the teaching (nirdeśamahātmya):] When this chapter on the entrance into the imperishable moments of existence was taught by the bodhisattva Akṣayamati, seventy-eight thousand beings produced the thought of incomparable complete awakening, and fifty-two thousand bodhisattvas attained tolerance to the fact that all moments of existence are unborn.

2) [Offering to and praising the Teacher (śāstṛpūjāstuti):] To honour that exposition of religion the whole of that assembly sprinkled flower-garlands, flower-parasols (p. 154) and flower-ear-ornaments of different colours and fragrances on the Lord and the bodhisattva Akṣayamati.

And gods up in the air exclaimed singing:

– The incomparable complete awakening attained by the Awakened Lords in a hundred thousand times ten million times a hundred thousand million immeasurable world-ages has been taught by the bodhisattva Akṣayamati in this exposition of religion in an imperishable form. And the beings who hear this exposition of religion, the chapter which is an entrance into imperishability, and having heard it believe in it, write it out, understand it, retain it, read it, master it and explain it fully to others, they will be endowed with this imperishability.

3) [Joy of the Teacher (śāstranumodana):] Then the Lord took from his own body a piece of cloth, and giving it to the bodhisattva Akṣayamati as a gift of religion, he said:

– Good, good, son of good family, this exposition of religion was well spoken by you, and the Tathāgata rejoices because of you. And because of my joy for you, as many Awakened Lords as there are sands in the river Gaṅgā also rejoice.

Then the bodhisattva Akṣayamati received this piece of cloth with both hands, and putting it on his head he said:

– May this which we have obtained from the body of the Lord turn into a relic-shrine for the whole world with its gods, human beings and giants!

4) [Gratefulness towards and joy because of the spiritual friend and the teaching (kalyāṇamitranirdeśakṛtajñatânumodana):] Then pieces of cloth with jewels, jewel-canopies, jewel-flags, jewel-pennants formed into jewel-garlands, and wreaths of cloth adorned with jewels were seen coming from the ten directions. Having come they covered the body of the bodhisattva Akṣayamati, and from those cloths with jewels, jewel-canopies, jewel-flags and wreaths of jewel-pennants came the sound:

– Good, good, Akṣayamati, well spoken by you, Akṣayamati, was this chapter on the entrance into imperishability, we rejoice because of these well spoken words of yours.

Then the reverend Śāradvatīputra addressed himself to the Lord, saying:

– From where, Lord, do these cloths with jewels, jewel-canopies, jewel-flags and wreaths of jewel-pennants come from, from where does the sound come?

The Lord said:

– When this bodhisattva Akṣayamati, reverend Śāradvatīputra, formerly trained himself in the practice of the bodhisattva, beings were matured by him for the sake of incomparable complete awakening, and now they are completely awakened to the incomparable complete awakening in the worlds of the ten directions. (p. 155) Feeling thankfulness and gratefulness to the bodhisattva Akṣayamati they proclaim the true qualities of that son of good family, and they offer these gifts of religion to honour his exposition of religion which is a chapter of the Great Collection.

5) [Esteeming the Teacher and the teaching (śāstṛnirdeśacitrīkāra):] Then the whole of that assembly felt very great joy, pleasure and delight in the bodhisattva Akṣayamati and spoke thus:

We have got something very good, that we have got to see the bodhisattva Akṣayamati, to praise him, honour him, serve him and listen to this exposition of religion. Those beings who hear the name of the bodhisattva Akṣayamati have got something very good, to say nothing of those who see him directly with their physical eyes, hear this exposition of religion, and having heard it believe in it, write it out, understand it, retain it, read it, master it and explain it fully to others!

6) [Giving the cause of that (taddhetu):] Then the Lord, rejoicing in these well-spoken words of that assembly, told the reverend Śāradvatīputra:

– Even if sons of good family, Śāradvatīputra, or daughters of good family on the way of the bodhisattvas, remaining here with a life-span of a world-age, should give presents to the Awakened Lords, train themselves in morality and all rules of conduct, endure the wrongdoings of all living beings, undertake vigour so that it seems that his head and clothing are on fire, practise one-pointed meditation, and be able in distinguishing by insight, I would say that their perfections are not fulfilled if they are lacking this exposition of religion. But the sons of good family, Śāradvatīputra, or the daughters of good family on the way of the bodhisattvas who hear this exposition of religion, and having heard it believe in it, write it out, understand it, retain it, read it, master it and explain it fully to others, and who are intent on the practice of cultivating [themselves continually in the meaning of imperishability (akṣayârtha)], I say that they fulfil their perfections and will soon wake up to the incomparable complete awakening.

Why? For the bodhisattva, Śāradvatīputra, who reveals this exposition of religion, and explains it fully to others, this is his fulfilment of the perfection of generosity. Why? Because the gift of religion is the best of gifts.

The morality, rules of conduct and vows practised in this exposition of religion without forgetting the thought of awakening [wishing the good of others] are his fulfilment of the perfection of morality. Why? Because the training of all the bodhisattvas is explained in this exposition of religion.

The bodhisattva’s tolerance taught in this exposition of religion cannot be disturbed by any being; this tolerance which conforms to all moments of existence [being in accordance with the imperishable moments of existence] is the highest of the perfections of tolerance.

(p. 156) Vigour of body, speech and thought in reciting, teaching, practising [or pondering on] and cultivating this exposition of religion is the perfection of vigour.

Introspection into thoughts concerned with this exposition of religion, such undisturbed, one-pointed introspection is the highest of the perfections of meditation.

Actual knowledge, knowledge dependent on no-one else, knowledge discerning [the essential characteristics (lakṣaṇa) of the imperishables in a pure way], knowledge of progress when this exposition of religion is taught is the highest of the perfections of insight.

Thus, reverend Śāradvatīputra, the bodhisattva who is intent on this exposition of religion will fulfil the cultivation of these six perfections with little difficulty. They [the perfections], reverend Śāradvatīputra, are to be known thus through this exposition of religion. As for the bodhisattva who knows this exposition by heart or has it written down in a book, for him all the qualities of a Buddha [the powers, intrepidities, etc. (balavaiśāradyâdi)] should be known as being in the palm of his hand. Even if the great elements changed, the awakening of that bodhisattva would not change. Why? This, reverend Śāradvatīputra, is the seal of the bodhisattvas never turning back [it is the point of support which leads them through the ten stages]; and those bodhisattvas will unite with that seal [through having attained this exposition of religion (dharmaparyāya) they will attain all expositions of religion]. Those who have their attention turned towards this seal, they have their attention turned towards all the qualities of a Buddha.

7) [Promises to protect the teaching (nirdeśarakṣāpratijñā):] Then the Four Great Kings with their forces and retinues joined their hands in respect to the Lord, and having honoured him they said:

– Lord, we, the Four Great Kings are disciples of the Lord who have entered the stream. Lord, we are prepared to assist and serve those sons of good family and daughters of good family who keep this exposition of religion; Lord, we will produce the concept that these preachers of religion are like the Teacher. And why? Because all ways originate from this.

Then Śakra, king of the gods, said to the Lord:

– Even though we, Lord, have heard many hundreds of thousands of expositions of religion from the Lord, we have never heard such a teaching with the well-decided meaning of the moments of existence. As for this exposition of religion, Lord, wherever it is recited and explained, in a village, town, city, district or capital, there I will go with the thirty-three gods to listen to religion, and I will effect the protection of the religion of these religious preachers. There will be no fear of anything among those sons of good family, and when they, without fear for the congregations, enter upon this exposition of religion and teach it extensively to others, I will give them vigour, power, strength, endurance, eloquence, recollection, reason and understanding.

(p. 157) The Lord said:

– Very good, very good, Kauśika, that you are one to effect the protection of those preachers of religion. If the preachers of religion, Kauśika, are helped, true religion is helped, and if true religion is helped all beings are helped.

Then Brahmā the Lord of Sahā addressed himself to the Lord saying:

– Lord, leaving the pleasure and comfort of meditation, I will, with the gods of the company of Brahmā, go to hear that exposition of religion, wherever this exposition of religion circulates. There the preachers of religion will know by four signs that: “Brahmā, Lord of Sahā, has come here with the gods of the company of Brahmā to hear religion”. What four? 1) The vision of great splendour, 2) the smelling of divine fragrances, 3) the eloquence of those preachers of religion with recollection not forgetting the explanations explained or the meanings of the words to be connected to the words, and 4) the fact that all those assemblies listen to religion with undistracted thoughts and respectful attention to the dharma. By those four signs one will know that Brahmā, Lord of Sahā, has come here with the gods of the company of Brahmā.

Then the Evil One addressed himself to the Lord:

– By this exposition of religion, Lord, all my forces with their equipment are weakened. Why? The bodhisattva, Lord, who hears this exposition of religion, by that very act that bodhisattva is prophesied to attain incomparable perfect awakening. And Lord, established in a buddha-field somewhere, he is to be called a Buddha himself. My conceitedness, pride and arrogance, Lord, are struck down by the mass of majesty and power of the bodhisattva Akṣayamati and this exposition of religion. I promise to protect, shield and guard those preachers of religion, and where this exposition of religion circulates I will not go to make hindrances even for one moment of thought.

8) [Entrusting the teaching (nirdeśārpaṇā):] Then the Lord addressed himself to the venerable Ānanda:

– Grasp this exposition of religion, Ānanda, read it and master it so that true religion may endure.

Ānanda said:

– Lord, I have grasped this exposition of religion. It is, however, impossible for me to disseminate it like the great beings, the bodhisattvas.

The Lord said: – As things are, Ānanda, be at rest when it concerns the wide distribution of this exposition of religion. (p. 158) The bodhisattvas who are to disseminate this exposition of religion in the ten directions, as helpers of true religion, have come together and are present here.

Then a hundred million bodhisattvas addressed themselves to the Lord for the sake of helping religion:

– Lord, in the worlds of the ten directions we will fulfil completely and disseminate this exposition of religion, a chapter of the Great Collection. And in this world Sahā, the bodhisattva, the great being Maitreya will disseminate this exposition of religion to help true religion, to protect true religion. In the final time, the final five hundred years [of the thousand years which religion lasts] following the complete extinction of the Lord, the bodhisattvas to whose hearing this exposition of religion comes, and by whom it is grasped, retained, recited and explained, are to be known as blessed by the presence of the bodhisattva Maitreya.

Then the Lord addressed himself to those bodhisattvas, those helpers of true religion:

– Very good, very good, sons of good family; as you are now ready to help true religion in my presence, in the same way you are ready to help true religion in the presence of so many Awakened Lords as there are grains of sand in the river Gaṅgā.

9) [Forbearance with an inconsistent teaching (viruddhadeśanākṣamaṇa):] Then the bodhisattva, the great being Akṣayamati addressed himself to the Lord:

– Because of my weak intelligence, Lord, the meaning, sentences and letters in this exposition of religion are not fulfilled by me, so I ask the Lord and these bodhisattvas and great beings furnished with imperishable moments of existence to forgive that.

The Lord said:

– For the bodhisattvas who have attained the unhindered knowledges, Akṣayamati, there are no blunders when it concerns meaning, moments of existence, explanation or eloquence, nor are there any blunders in cessation [that is, in teaching emptiness (śūnyatā)]. And the good men who have understood these moments of existence have attained the decided true meaning [which enables them to teach]. And you, Akṣayamati, have attained distinction [from the disciples] and excellence [among the bodhisattvas] as well as mastery of the four knowledges, and in this Great Way you are not dependent on any other, having attained distinction and excellence in discerning. For the bodhisattvas, Akṣayamati, who have reached this state, there are no blunders at all in body, speech or thought, and all of them are furnished with actions of body, speech and thought which are preceded by knowledge. Many hundred thousand times million times hundred thousand millions of Buddhas will remember you because of the teaching of religion. Those like me, Akṣayamati, are infinitely accepting of good men like you.

10) [Asking for the title (nāmapraśna):] Then the venerable Ānanda addressed himself to the Lord: What, Lord, is the name of this exposition of religion, how shall I retain it?

11) [Giving the title (nāmakaraṇa):] The Lord said:

– Retain this exposition of religion, Ānanda, as Akṣayamati’s Teaching, retain it as The Teaching on Imperishable Meanings, Words and Syllables, as A Chapter of the Great Collection, as Akṣayamati’s Chapter. If you, Ānanda, grasp this exposition of religion, a chapter of the Great Collection, you will attain hundred thousand-fold the possession of power and strength in the recollection of moments of existence, and if you teach it to others you will attend living beings everywhere with Buddha-action.

Thus spoke the Lord, and, carried away with joy, all those crowds of bodhisattvas, the bodhisattva great being Akṣayamati, the venerable Śāradvatīputra, those monks, the whole of that assembly, and the world with its gods, human beings, giants and celestial musicians praised what the Lord had said.

The Mahāyāna Sūtra Akṣayamatinirdeśa from the The Hundred Thousand Great Collection is ended.