Chapter 8 - Śiṣkhāsnvaronama

Śiṣkhāsṅvaronama Aṣṭamaṃ Prakaraṇam
(Chapter Eight named Śiṣkhāsnvaronama )

Then Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhī said to the Bhagavat, ‘Bhagavat, Avalokiteśvara has come. I who was blind can now see. Today my life has borne fruit. Today my wishes have come true. Today my wishes have been fulfilled. Today my path to enlightenment has been cleansed. I have been taught correct thought, the dharmakāya, and nirvāṇa.’

Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhī then said to the Bhagavat, ‘Bhagavat, I pray that you teach today the special qualities of Avalokiteśvara.’

The Bhagavat said, ‘Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhī, it is like this: there are the kings of mountains Mount Cakravāla and Mount Mahācakravāla, the kings of mountains Mount Mucilinda and Mount Mahāmucilinda, the kings of mountains Mount Kāla and Mount Mahākāla, the kings of mountains Mount Saṃsṛṣṭa and Mount Mahāsaṃsṛṣṭa, the king of mountains Mount Pralambodara, the king of mountains Mount Anādarśaka, the king of mountains Mount Kṛtsrāgata, the king of mountains Mount Jālinīmukha, the king of mountains Mount Śataśṛṅga, the king of mountains Mount Bhavana, the king of mountains Mount Mahāmaṇiratna, the king of mountains Mount Sudarśana, and the king of mountains Mount Akāladarśana. I can calculate, noble son, the number, parts, and groups of how many palas are in those mountains, how many hundreds of palas, or thousands of palas, or millions of trillions of palas, but, noble son, I cannot calculate Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara’s accumulation of merit. ‘Noble son, it is like this: I can count each drop in the vast ocean, but, noble son, I cannot calculate Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara’s accumulation of merit. ‘Noble son, it is like this: I can count each leaf in a forest of agar wood trees, but, noble son, I cannot calculate Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara’s accumulation of merit.

Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin, it is like this: If the king of mountains Sumeru were to become birch bark, and if the vast ocean were to become an inkwell, and if all the men, women, boys, and girls who live in the four continents were to become scribes, and if they were to write on the limitless, endless extent of Mount Sumeru as birch bark, I would be able to count every single letter, but, noble son, I cannot calculate Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara’s accumulation of merit ‘Noble son, it is like this: If someone were to provide Tathāgatas, arhats, and samyaksaṃbuddhas as numerous as the grains of sand in twelve Ganges Rivers with robes, food, bowls, bedding, seats, necessary medicine, and utensils for an eon, the accumulation of merit that would come from serving those Tathāgatas would only equal the merit of the tip of one hair on the body of Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara.

‘Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin, it is like this: Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara has many hundreds of thousands of samādhis: the samādhi named Completely Defeating, the samādhi named Adorning, the samādhi named Unadorning, the samādhi named Lightning’s Illumination, the samādhi named Being Patient, the samādhi named Great Brilliance, the samādhi named Manifesting, the samādhi named Vajra Garland, the samādhi named Sublime Gift, the samādhi named Hundred Strengths, the samādhi named Endless Array, the samādhi named Summit of Mental Brilliance, the samādhi named King’s Powers, the samādhi named Vajra Wall, the samādhi named Vajra Doorway, the samādhi named Continuous Sub-lime Gift, the samādhi named Liberation from the Senses, the samādhi named Liberation from Anger, the samādhi named the Senses’ Sublime Illumination, the samādhi named Day-Maker’s Sublime Illumination, the samādhi named Facing the Dharma, the samādhi named Vajra Womb, the samādhi named Well Taught, the samādhi named Creating Nirvāṇa, the samādhi named Creating Infinite Light Rays, the samādhi named Creating Yoga, the samādhi named Scattering, the samādhi named Complete Illumination of the World, the samādhi named Illumination of the Buddha Realms, the samādhi named Facing Love, the samādhi named Wisdom’s Light, the samādhi named Well Tamed, the samādhi named Abode of Beings, the samādhi named Creating Inexhaustibility, the samādhi named Extinguishing Avīci, the samādhi named Ocean Deep, the samādhi named Hundred Retinues, and the samādhi named Teaching the Path. Noble son, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara has those samādhis.

Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin, it is like this: When the Tathāgata, the arhat, the samyak-saṃbuddha, the one with wisdom and conduct, the Sugata, the knower of the world, the unsurpassable guide who tames beings, the teacher of gods and humans, the Buddha, the Bhagavat Krakucchanda, appeared in this world, at that time I was a Bodhisattva named Dānaśūra. When I was in the presence of that Tathāgata, I heard that description of the qualities of Avalokiteśvara, and I saw these different samādhis of Bodhisattva Samantabhadra and others. When Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Samantabhadra was in the samādhi named Ascending Vajra, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara was in the samādhi named Vividhamādhi. When Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Samantabhadra was in the samādhi named Moon’s Sublime Illumination, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara was in the samādhi named Sun’s Sublime Illumination. When Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Samantabhadra was in the samādhi named Sprinkling, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara was in the samādhi named Treasury of Space. When Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Samantabhadra was in the samādhi named Creating Indra, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara was in the samādhi named Indra’s Intelligence. When Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Samantabhadra was in the samādhi named Indra’s way, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara was in the samādhi named Ocean Deep. When Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Samantabhadra was in the samādhi named Intimidating Lion, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara was in the samādhi named Play of the Lion. When Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Samantabhadra was in the samādhi named Sublime Gift, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara was in the samādhi named Drying up Avīci. When Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Samantabhadra opened up his pores, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara opened all his pores. At that time, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Samantabhadra said to Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara, ‘Avalokiteśvara, it is excellent that you have this capability Excellent.’ Then Tathāgata Krakucchanda said to Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Samantabhadra, ‘Noble son, you have seen only a little of Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara’s prowess. Even the Tathāgatas don’t have Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara’s prowess.’

That is what I heard Krakucchanda say.

Then Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin said to the Bhagavat, ‘Bhagavat, I pray that you teach the precious king of the Mahāyāna Sūtras, the Sūtra of the Kāraṇḍyavyūha Sūtra, so that we will enjoy and be satisfied by the taste of the dharma.

The Bhagavat said, ‘Noble son, those who hear the precious king of the Mahāyāna Sūtras, the Sūtra of the Kāraṇḍyavyūha Sūtra, will not have the obscuration of previous karma. Those who, enamoured of another’s wife, have sexual intercourse with her; those who have killed their parents; those who have killed an arhat; those who have destroyed stūpas;those who have maliciously caused a Tathāgata to bleed; and those who delight in such bad actions will be freed from bad karma by the precious king of the Mahāyāna Sūtras, the Sūtra of the Kāraṇḍyavyūha Sūtra.

Then Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin said to the Bhagavat, ‘Bhagavat, how can I know the precious king of the Mahāyāna Sūtras, the Sūtra of the Kāraṇḍyavyūha Sūtra, which brings freedom from all bad karma?’ The Bhagavat said, ‘Noble son, on the southern side of Sumeru, the king of mountains, the seven samyaksaṃbuddhas examine the extent of stains and stainlessness. I also am presently examining them. A white cloth becomes Blue/black, and a black cloth becomes white. When the white cloth becomes black, that is like an accumulation of bad karma. When a black cloth becomes white, that is like the accumulation of the Dharma. ‘Noble son, in that way, the precious king of the Mahāyāna Sūtras, the Sūtra of the Kāraṇḍyavyūha Sūtra, burns up all bad karma. It makes it white. It eliminates all obscuration. It is like this: For example, during the summer/ plants and forests become very green. Then the Nāga king Śatamukha comes from his residence and burns the grass, the bushes, the herbs, and the forests. ‘Noble son, in that same way, this precious king of the Mahāyāna Sūtras, the Sūtra of the Kāraṇḍavyūha Sūtra, burns up all bad karma. Those who hear the precious king of the Mahāyāna Sūtras, the Sūtra of the Kāraṇḍyavyūha Sūtra, will have happiness. Noble son, they should not be known as ordinary beings. They should be seen as irreversible Bodhisattvas. When they die, twelve Tathāgatas will come and reassure them, saying, ‘Do not be afraid, noble son, do not be afraid. You have heard the precious king of the Mahāyāna Sūtras, the Sūtra of the Kāraṇḍyavyūha Sūtra. You will no longer continue in saṃsāra. You will never again see birth, aging, sickness, and death. You will not be separated from that which is beloved and pleasant, and will not encounter that which is disliked. You will go, noble son, to the realm of Sukhāvatī. You will hear the Dharma from Tathāgata Amitābha.’ In that way, noble son, those beings will have happiness. Then Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara bowed his head to the Bhagavat’s feet and departed.

Then Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin became silent. The Devas, Nāgas, Yakṣas, Gandharvas, Asuras, Gandharvas, Garuḍas, Kiṃnaras, mahoragas, humans, and non-humans all departed.

After they had departed, Brother Ānanda said to the Bhagavat, ‘Bhagavat, I pray that you teach us the vows of training.’ The Bhagavat said, ‘Those Bhikṣus who wish to give complete ordination should first go and examine the various locations. When they have examined them, they should tell the other Bhikṣus, ‘Noble ones, the various locations are completely pure. There are no bones in those various locations. There are no feces and urine. Those various place are completely pure and are worthy for Bhikṣus to give ordination.’

The Bhagavat said, ‘Those who have incorrect conduct should not give ordination. They cannot even make the announcement of the request for ordination, the intermediate-motions, and the fourth. What need is there to say more? Bhikṣus, a Bhikṣu with incorrect conduct cannot establish the various locations for ordination, let alone make the fourth motion. They destroy the teaching. Those who have incorrect conduct should not dwell among those who receive offerings. They should dwell outside the monastery. The Saṅgha’s alms should not be given to them. They are not worthy to be in the Saṅgha. They have no part of being a Bhikṣu.’

Then Brother Ānanda asked the Bhagavat, ‘Bhagavat, in what time will they become recipients of offerings?’ The Bhagavat said, ‘There will be those kinds of recipients of offerings three hundred years after my passing into nirvāṇa. They will see the monastery as their home. Sons and daughters will encircle them. They will use the Saṅgha’s seats, stools, clothing bags, cushions, and beds, which are prohibited to them. They will urinate and defecate in the places the Saṅgha uses, and they will be reborn as insects in a cesspool of feces and urine in the great city of Vārāṇasī. They will also spit in the places the Saṅgha uses, not knowing the karma that ripens from it. Those who spit in places the Saṅgha uses will be reborn in a sal tree forest as insects the size of the eye of a needle for twelve years. Those who use the toothpicks of the Saṅgha, which are prohibited to them, will be reborn as turtles, crocodiles, and fish. Those who use the Saṅgha’s sesame, rice, millet, horse gram, and other grains, which are not for them to eat, will be reborn in the city of the Pretas. They will be like burned tree trunks, like standing skeletons covered with hair, with stomachs the size of mountains and mouths the size of a needle’s eye. They will experience that kind of physical suffering. Those who use the food of the Saṅgha to feed dogs will be reborn in a low caste, with defective faculties, crippled and hunchbacked and unable to look others in the face while begging. When they die, they will be reborn with diseased bodies. They will have blood and pus dripping from their bodies; the tendons in their bodies will shrink. When they stand up, red lumps of their flesh will fall onto the ground, and their bones will be exposed. They will experience that kind of suffering for many years, for many hundreds of thousands of years. Those who use land exclusive to the Saṅgha will be reborn in the Raurava great hell for twelve eons. Lumps of red hot iron will be squeezed into their mouths, burning them, destroying their lips and teeth, splitting their palates, burning their throats, and burning their hearts and all their entrails until there is nothing left but bones. Bhikṣus, at that time the winds of karma will blow, and although they have died they will come back to life. Then Yama’s guards will again seize them. Their karma will come;they will be under the power of their karma. Their tongues will become vast, and a hundred thousand plows will plow them. They will experience that kind of suffering in that hell for hundreds of thousands of years. When they die and leave that hell, they will be reborn in the Agnighaṭa great hell. Yama’s guards will seize them and insert a hundred thousand needles into their tongues. Then, through the power of karma, they will be come back to life and will be hurled into a mass of flames. When they are cast out from that mass of flames, they will be hurled into the Vaitarāṇi River. When they die, they will be reborn in other hells. They will wander in that way for three eons. When they die and leave the hells, they will be reborn in Jambudvīpa as poor people, blind from birth. Therefore, Ānanda, protect the property of the Saṅgha.

Bhikṣus, those who have the vows of training should have the three Dharma robes. One Dharma robe is worn by the Saṅgha so that there will be confidence in the Saṅgha. The second robe is for when one goes to the king’s palace. The third robe is for when one goes to the villages, towns, marketplaces, and hamlets. So the Bhikṣus must have the three robes. Those Bhikṣus who have good conduct, who have good qualities, and who have wisdom should remember my words of instruction. Bhikṣus, the exclusive property of the Saṅgha, such as the embers of the Saṅgha’s fire, the smoke of the Saṅgha, the vajras of the Saṅgha, or the baggage of the Saṅgha, should not be used. There are remedies for poison, but there are no remedies for using the property of the Saṅgha.

Then Brother Ānanda said to the Bhagavat, ‘Bhagavat, every Bhikṣu will remember these words of instruction given by the Bhagavat and will keep the pratimokṣa vows, will follow the Vinaya, and will preserve the Bhagavat’s words of instruction.

Then Brother Ānanda bowed his head to the Bhagavat’s feet and departed. Then the mahāśrāvakas departed to their own Buddha realms. The Devas, Nāgas, Yakṣas, Gandharvas, Asuras, Garuḍas, Kiṃnaras, mahoragas, humans, and non-humans also departed.

End of the Chapter named Śiṣkhāsṅvaraḥ.

The joyful Bhagavat spoke those words, and the entire community and the world with its Devas, humans, Asuras, and Gandharvas rejoiced in the Bhagavat’s words.

Dhāraṇivyūha Maheśvara is concluded of this Kāraṇḍyavyūha Mahāyāna Sūtrarāja.

Āryakāraṇḍavyūha Mahāyāna Sūtraratnarāja, is concluded.

All Dharmas arise from causes. Those causes have been taught by the Tathāgata (Buddha). And their cessation too has been proclaimed by the Great Śramaṇa.