16th Imperishable, Divine Hearing

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

What then is the bodhisattvas’ supernormal knowledge of divine hearing?

[1. Distinguished both as worldly and as unworldly (lokalokottaraviśiṣṭa):] As for the divine hearing of all the gods, the divine hearing of all snake-gods and all demons, all celestial musicians, giants, divine birds, man-horses, great serpents, men and not men, the divine hearing of all disciples with their training completed or not, the divine hearing of all the isolated buddhas, compared with all these the divine hearing of the bodhisattvas perfecting omniscience and perfecting the exalted [practices] is better, higher, more eminent, more excellent, clearer, finer, stronger, more brilliant.

[2. Having all words as the object (sarvaśabdâlambana):] By that divine hearing, the sounds of words in endless, limitless worlds in the ten directions, the words of gods, snake-gods, demons, celestial musicians, giants, divine birds, man-horses, great serpents, men and not men, the words of saints, the words of disciples, isolated buddhas, bodhisattvas and Complete Buddhas, all are recognized by that sense-organ of divine hearing, even the words of the inhabitants of hell, animals, the inhabitants of Yāma’s world, gadflies, flies, wasps and bees are heard.

[3. Knowledge of the causes (hetu) by which the words arise:] The objects of thought, good, bad or neutral, by which the vocal activity of those beings is brought about, he knows them all also truly as they are.

[4. Knowledge of the fruit (phala) which arises:] The vocal activity dependent on good causes, the vocal activity dependent on bad causes, and the vocal activity dependent on neutral causes, he knows them all also truly as they are.

[5. Knowledge of adverse causes and fruits (pratikūlahetuphalajñāna):] The vocal activity having its origin in the latent habit of greed which those filled with aversion perform, the vocal activity having its origin in the latent habit of greed which the deluded perform, the vocal activity having its origin in the latent habit of aversion which the greedy perform, the vocal activity having its origin in the latent habit of aversion which the deluded perform, the vocal activity having its origin in the latent habit of delusion which the greedy perform, the vocal activity having its origin in the latent habit of delusion which those filled with aversion perform, the vocal activity having its origin in the latent habit of greed which greedy perform, the vocal activity having its origin in the latent habit of aversion which those filled with aversion perform, the vocal activity having its origin in the latent habit of delusion which the deluded perform, he knows them all truly as they are.

The vocal activity with pure intention but limited practice, the vocal activity with pure practice but limited intention, the vocal activity with pure intention and pure practice, the vocal activity with impure intention and impure practice, all those he knows truly as they are with his unhindered supernormal knowledge of divine hearing.

[6. No vices on any side in duality (ubhayaniṣkleśa):] By the supernormal knowledge of divine hearing they hear the words of both the holy and the profane. Having heard them, they have no attachment to the words of the holy, no aversion towards the words of the profane, they attain great friendliness towards the words of the holy, (p. 98) they attain great compassion towards the words of the profane.

[7. Knowledge of the three times as not adulterated (trikālâsaṃsṛṣṭajñāna):] They know truly as it is the distribution of all words in the past and the future [the present is not mentioned in the sūtra, since that knowledge is evident].

[8. Its action (karman):] By that supernormal knowledge of divine hearing they hear all the words of the Buddhas. Having heard them, they retain them all by the state of recollection, awareness and no forgetfulness. Retaining them they do not forget and they also make living beings remember in accordance with their abilities, they also know the essential and unessential moments of existence truly as they are.

If they hear the teaching of one Tathāgata, they neither conceal nor elevate the teachings of a second Tathāgata, they grasp the words of all the Buddhas simultaneously. The good, bad or neutral words they hear they proclaim at proper times through recollection and awareness. But even if it is the time when there is a congregation of disciples, if they realize it is not the time for teaching, they give it up; even though they have heard [of religion], they do not teach. When it is time to teach religion because of one person, they do not teach to all even at the time when there is a congregation of disciples there. They do not give an explanation painful to others even if it is true; but with skill in means and purity of thoughts they may give an explanation though not true when it is helpful to others. The kinds of words they wish to be heard are heard, and the words they do not wish to be heard are not heard. They know truly as it is the knowledge pertaining to the organ of hearing of all beings in a congregation where religion is taught, and having known it, they teach religion with an essence according to that. And the beings they make religion known to, hear their teaching in religion; the beings they do not make religion known to, do not hear their teaching of religion.

[9. Its cause (hetu):] That sphere of hearing of theirs is the purified sphere of all moments of existence [or, arising from meditating thereon]; that sphere of hearing of theirs is purified knowledge [having omniscience as the object]; that sphere of hearing of theirs is purified of the sphere of self; that sphere of hearing of theirs is purified of the sphere of animated being, the sphere of life-principle, the sphere of personality; that sphere of hearing of theirs is the discernment of sounds, syllables and explanations as they are heard. They teach religion according to language to beings born in the five states of existence who have different words, syllables and explanations.

That sphere of divine hearing of theirs is transformed into the divine hearing of the Tathāgatas since it does not attend to any other way [such as that of the disciples or isolated buddhas].

This is the bodhisattvas’ imperishable supernormal knowledge of divine hearing.