Index to the Kyogyoshinsho files
Present file - H:
Transformed Buddha and Land (part 2);
Other files - A: Preface, Teaching, Practice (part 1); B: Practice (part 2);
C: Faith (part 1): D: Faith (part 2); E: Enlightenment; F: True Buddha and Land; G: Transformed Buddha and Land (part 1).

<Posted May 2001>

Passages in pale blue are Shinran's own comments


Chapter 6: A Collection of Passages Revealing the Provisional
Transformed Buddhas and Lands of the Pure Land Way
Part 2


Non-Buddhist teachings
Exhortations to leave non-Buddhist ways and take refuge in the true teaching

81 I will discern the true and false teachings based on the various sutras, thereby cautioning people against the wrong and falsely attached view of non-Buddhist teachings.

Testimony from the Nirvana Sutra
Salvation of demi-gods and evil spirits

82 The Nirvana Sutra says [in the Chapter on the Nature of Tathagata]:

Once you have taken refuge in the Buddha, you should never again take refuge in various gods.

Testimony from the Pratyutpanna Samadhi Sutra - (1)

83 It is stated in the Pratyutpanna Samadhi Sutra:

The laywomen who, having heard of this samadhi, wish to learn it... should take refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. They should not follow other paths, worship gods or spirits, or seek lucky days.

Testimony from the Pratyutpanna Samadhi Sutra - (2)

84 It is stated in the same sutra:

Laywomen who wish to learn this samadhi...should not worship gods or spirits.

Testimony from the Great Assembly  Sutra - (1)

85 It is stated in Chapter 8, "Constellations of the Devil King Papiyas," section 2, of the Sun-Matrix Division of the Great Assembly Sutra, fasc. 8:

Then Kharosti [the Saint] said to the heavenly beings, "The moon and other heavenly bodies have their own area to cover. You give aid to the four kinds of sentient beings. What are the four? The human beings on earth, dragons, yaksas, and others, down to scorpions. You give aid to all of them. In order to bring peace and happiness to all sentient beings, I have arranged constellations in position. Each of these has its own assigned work and allocated time, down to a moment. I will explain each in detail. Their activities are performed harmoniously and augment each other in accordance with their locations and areas."
Kharosti joined his palms before the assembly and said, "I have thus arranged in position the sun and moon, periods of the year, and big and small constellations. What are the six seasons? The first and second months are the time of warmth. The third and fourth months are the time of sowing. The fifth and sixth months are the time of praying for rainfall. The seventh and eighth months are the time of ripening. The ninth and tenth months are the time of coldness. The eleventh and twelfth months are the time of heavy snow. Thus the twelve months are divided into six seasons.

"There are eight planets: [635c] Jupiter, Mars, Saturn, Venus, Mercury, the sun, the moon, and the planet of eclipse. There are also twenty-eight minor heavenly bodies, namely, from the constellation Krttika to the constellation Bharani. I have arranged these in position and have explained the laws regulating them. All of you, look and listen! All of you in this assembly, what do you think? Are the laws I adopted for placing them right or wrong? Are you or are you not delighted with the activities of the twenty-eight constellations and the eight major planets? Each of you, express your views as to whether you approve of them or not."

At that time, all the gods, saints, asuras, dragons, kinnaras, and others joined their palms and said, "Great Saint you are the most revered among gods. None among others, including dragons and asuras, surpasses you. Your wisdom and compassion are supreme. Since, for innumerable kalpas, you have taken pity on all sentient beings, without forgetting them, you have gained the reward of merits; your vows having been fulfilled, your merits are like an ocean. You know all things of the past, present, and future; there is none among gods who possesses wisdom like yours. No sentient being could operate the laws as you do with regard to the functions of day and night, moment and hour, big and small heavenly bodies, waxing and waning moon, and the cycle of the year. All of us are delighted with these. They give us peace and happiness. It is wonderful that you, the one of great virtue, thus give peace and comfort to sentient beings."

Then the Saint Kharosti made this remark, "I have provided the cycle of the year of twelve months, and explained how I arranged the big and small constellations and the laws of time, such as moment and hour. I have also placed the Four Great Heavenly Kings on the four sides of Mount Sumeru, one king in each direction. They each reign over the sentient beings in each region. The Heavenly King in the northern quarter is Vaishravana; in his region there are many yaksas. The Heavenly King in the southern quarters is Virudhaka; in his region there are many kumbhandas. The Heavenly King in the western quarter is Virupaksa; in his region there are many dragons. The Heavenly King in the eastern quarter is Dhrtarastra; in his region there are many gandharvas. These kings protect all lands and towns throughout the four cardinal points and four intermediate directions. Spirits are also stationed to protect them."

At that time, the Saint Kharosti made all the assembly - gods, dragons, yaksas, asuras, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans and non-human beings - rejoice beyond measure, saying, "How wonderful!" Then the gods, dragons, yaksas, asuras, and others made offerings to Kharosti day and night.

Next, after immeasurable ages, [636a] there will be another saint, named Kalika. He will appear in the world and expound the laws governing the constellations and big and small moons, and the essentials concerning times and seasons.

At that time, all the dragons, while dwelling with the sage on Mount Khalatiya, venerated and worshiped the Saint Jyotirasa. Using their power to the utmost, the dragons made offerings to the saint.

Testimony from the Great Assembly  Sutra - (2)

86 It is stated in Chapter 10, "Nembutsu-Samadhi," of the "Sun-Matrix" section of the Great Assembly Sutra, fasc. 9:

When Papiyas had presented this verse, there was in the assembly a devil woman named Darkness-Free. In the past she planted various roots of good. She said, "The mendicant Gautama is called 'Virtues.' If there are sentient beings who, having heard the Buddha's name, single-mindedly take refuge in him, no devil is capable of inflicting harm on them. Much less likely to receive harm from devils are beings who have seen the Buddha, have directly heard the Dharma from him, performed various methods of practice, and attained deep wisdom and extensive understanding.... An army of all devils, ten million kotis in number, could not inflict harm on them even for a moment. The Tathagata has now opened the path to Nirvana. I wish to go to the Buddha and take refuge in him."

Then she expressed herself in verse for her father: ...

By practicing the teachings of all the Buddhas of the three periods,
I will deliver all suffering beings.
Having attained complete freedom over all dharmas,
I wish to be like the Buddha in the future.

At that time, when Darkness-Free finished presenting this verse, five hundred devil women in the royal palace of her father, including her sisters and relatives, all awakened the Bodhi-mind. At that time, having seen that all the five hundred women in the palace had taken refuge in the Buddha and awakened the Bodhi-mind, the Devil King became very angry, fear-ridden and sorrowful.... Then the five hundred devil women stated in verse to Papiyas:

If sentient beings take refuge in the Buddha,
They will not fear even a thousand kotis of devils.
Even more fearless are those who aspire to cross the stream of birth-and-death
And reach the shore of Nirvana of No-action.

If there are persons who offer a piece of incense and a flower
To the Three Treasures of Buddha, Dharma and Sangha,
And give rise to resolute and unflinching courage,
They cannot be destroyed by any number of devils....

Our immeasurable evil from the past
Is completely destroyed.
Since we have taken refuge in the Buddha sincerely and wholeheartedly,
We are sure of attaining the fruit of supreme Bodhi.

When the Devil King heard these verses, his anger and fear multiplied, troubling his mind. Emaciated and sorrowful, he sat alone in the palace.

At that time, Bodhisattva-Mahasattva Jyotirasa hearing the Buddha's exposition of the Dharma, made all sentient beings become free of attachments and perform the four pure practices....

[The Buddha said to Jyotirasa,] "Bathe yourself, put on clean robes, take only vegetarian food, refrain from eating after noon, and do not eat acrid food. Choose a quiet place, adorn a hall, and sit cross-legged with right mindfulness. [636b] Whether walking or sitting, contemplate the Buddha's physical characteristics without losing concentration. Do not take any other objects or conceive of any other matters. For one day and night or seven days and nights, do not engage in any other acts. If you are sincerely mindful of the Buddha, ... you will see the Buddha. With small mindfulness, you will see a small Buddha; with large mindfulness, you will see a large Buddha.... With immeasurable mindfulness, you will see the immeasurable and boundless Buddha-body.

Testimony from the Great Assembly  Sutra - (3)

87 It is stated in Chapter 13, "Protecting Stupas," of the "Sun-Matrix" section of the Great Assembly Sutra, fasc. 10:

Then the Devil Papiyas, surrounded all around by eighty kotis of his kinsmen, went to the place where the Buddha was. Having reached there, he touched his head to the Buddha's feet and paid homage to him, the World-Honored One. Then he said in verse: ...

All Buddhas of the three periods, with Great Compassion,
Accept my homage! I repent all the evil I have done.
In the two other treasures, Dharma and Sangha, too,
I sincerely take refuge in the same way.

May I, today, make offerings to, worship,
And revere the Master of the World.
I will extinguish all evil forever and never again commit any evil;
Until the end of my life, I will take refuge in the Tathagata's Dharma.

After presenting this verse, the Devil Papiyas said to the Buddha, "World-Honored One, I pray that you, the Tathagata, always joyfully and compassionately embrace me and all sentient beings with the mind of equality and non-discrimination."

The Buddha said, "So I will do."

Then the Devil Papiyas greatly rejoiced and awakened the pure aspiration. He again touched his head to the Buddha's feet and paid homage to him, circumambulated him three times to the right, worshiped him with joined palms, and withdrew to one side. While remaining there, he looked at the World-Honored One adoringly without tiring.

Testimony from the Great Assembly  Sutra - (4)

88 It is stated in Chapter 8, "Evil Spirits Attaining Reverential Faith," of the "Moon-Matrix" section of the Great Assembly Sutra, fasc. 5:

[The Buddha said,] "All of you, through elimination of wrong views, will gain ten kinds of merit. What are the ten? First, to attain tenderness and goodness of heart and so be accompanied by wise and good friends. Second, to believe in the law of karma and abstain from committing various evil acts, even at the sacrifice of your life. Third, to take refuge in and revere the Three Treasures and not to believe in gods. Fourth, to gain the right view and not to decide good or bad fortune according to the year, month, or day. Fifth, to be born in human or heavenly realms always and not to fall into the evil realms. Sixth, to attain clarity of mind in wisdom and goodness and so receive people's praise. Seventh, to abandon the secular world and always pursue the Holy Path. Eighth, to be free of both nihilistic and eternalistic views and accept the law of causation. Ninth, to always meet and see people of right faith, right practice, and right aspiration. Tenth, to be born in the good realms.

"If you transfer the roots of good acquired from eliminating wrong views towards the highest, perfect Bodhi, you will quickly accomplish the Six Perfections and attain perfect Enlightenment in a Buddha-land of goodness and purity. Having realized Bodhi, while dwelling in that Buddha-land, you will adorn sentient beings with merits, wisdom, and all the roots of good. Such beings will come to be born in your land, no longer [636c] believe in gods, and become free of the fear of evil realms. After the end of their lives there, they will be reborn in good realms.

Testimony from the Great Assembly  Sutra - (5)

89 It is stated in Chapter 8, "Evil Spirits Attaining Reverential Faith," of the "Moon-Matrix" section of the Great Assembly Sutra, fasc. 6:

It is extremely difficult to encounter the Buddha's appearance in the world;
Difficult, too, is it to encounter the Dharma and the Sangha.
For sentient beings to attain Pure Faith is difficult;
To alienate yourself from various adverse conditions is difficult, too.

It is difficult to have pity on sentient beings;
To know contentment is of prime difficulty.
Difficult is it to be able to hear the Right Dharma;
To practice it well is most difficult of all.

If you know these difficulties and attain the [ten] equalities,
You will always enjoy happiness in the world;
The wise should always quickly realize
The ten equalities....

Then the World-Honored One expounded the Dharma to the multitudes of evil spirits, "Some evil spirits in the multitudes of evil spirits in the past awakened a resolute faith, but later associated with evil teachers and came to perceive others' faults. For this reason, they were born as evil spirits."

Testimony from the Great Assembly  Sutra - (6)
Divine protection of the world through Buddhas' benevolence

90 It is stated in Chapter 9, "Protection by the Heavenly Kings," of the "Moon-Matrix" section of the Great Assembly Sutra, fasc. 6:

Then, in order to inform people of the world, the World-Honored One asked the Heavenly King Great Brahma, Lord of the Saha world, "Who protects and sustains the Four Continents?"

The Heavenly King Great Brahma, Lord of the Saha world, said, "World-Honored One of Great Virtue, the King of Tusita Heaven, together with countless hundreds of thousands of gods of Tusita Heaven, protect and sustains Uttarakuru, the northern continent. The King of the Heaven of Free Enjoyment of Others' Manifestations, together with countless hundreds of thousands of gods of the Heaven of Free Enjoyment of Others' Manifestations, protects and sustains Purvavideha, the eastern continent. The King of the Heaven of Enjoying Self-created Pleasures, together with countless hundreds of thousands of gods of the Heaven of Enjoying Self-created Pleasures, protects and sustains Jambudvipa, the southern continent. The King of the Heaven of Restraining Well, together with countless hundreds of thousands of gods of the Heaven of Restraining Well, protects and sustains Aparagodaniya, the western continent.

"World-Honored One of Great Virtue, the Heavenly King Vaishravana, together with countless hundreds of thousands of yaksas, protects and sustains Uttarakuru. The Heavenly King Dhrtarastra, together with countless hundreds of thousands of gandharvas, protects and sustains Purvavideha. The Heavenly King Virudhaka, together with countless hundreds of thousands of kumbhandas, protects and sustains Jambudvipa. The Heavenly King Virupaksa, together with countless hundreds of thousands of dragons, protects and sustains Aparagodaniya.

"World-Honored One of Great Virtue, seven constellations - arranged by the Saint [Kharosti] - three luminaries, and three celestial maidens protect and sustain Uttarakuru. These seven constellations arranged by the Saint are Shata-bhisa, Dhanistha, Purva-bhadrapada, Uttara-bhadrapada, Revati, Ashvini, and Bharani. The three luminaries are Saturn, [637a] Jupiter, and Mars. The three celestial maidens are Kumbha, Mina, and Mesa.

"World-Honored One of Great Virtue, among the seven constellations arranged by the Saint, Shata-bhisa, Dhanistha, and Purva-bhadrapada belong to the domain of Saturn, and Kumbha is its corresponding astrological house. Uttara-bhadrapada and Revati belong to the domain of Jupiter, and Mina is its corresponding astrological house. Ashvini and Bharani belong to the domain of Mars, and Mesha is its corresponding astrological house. World-Honored One of Great Virtue, these seven constellations arranged by the Saint, three luminaries, and the three celestial maidens protect and sustain Uttarakuru.

"World-Honored One of Great Virtue, seven constellations arranged by the Saint, three luminaries, three celestial maidens protect and sustain Purvavideha. These seven constellations arranged by the Saint are Krttika, Rohini, Mrga-shira, Ardra, Punar-vasu, Pusya, and Ashlesa. The three luminaries are Venus, Jupiter, and the moon. The three celestial maidens are Vrsabha, Mithuna, and Karkataka.

"World-Honored One of Great Virtue, among the seven constellations arranged by the Saint, Krttika and Rohini belong to the domain of Venus, and Vrsabha is its corresponding astrological house. Mrga-shira, Ardra, and Punar-vasu belong to the domain of Jupitar, and Mithuna is its corresponding astrological house. Pusya and Ashlesa belong to the domain of the moon, and Karkataka is its corresponding astrological house. World-Honored One of Great Virtue, these seven constellations arranged by the Saint, three luminaries, and three celestial maidens protect and sustain Purvavideha.

"World-Honored One of Great Virtue, seven constellations arranged by the Saint, three luminaries, three celestial maidens protect and sustain Jambudvipa. These seven constellations arranged by the Saint are Magha, Purva-phalguni, Uttara-phalguni, Hasta, Citra, Svati, and Vishakha. The three luminaries are the sun, Mercury, and Venus. The three celestial maidens are Simha, Kanya, and Tula.

"World-Honored One of Great Virtue, among the seven constellations arranged by the Saint, Magha, Purva-phalguni, and Uttara-phalguni belong to the domain of the sun, and Simha is its corresponding astrological house. Hasta and Citra belong to the domain of Mercury, and Kanya is its corresponding astrological house. Svati and Vishakha belong to the domain of Venus, and Tula is its corresponding astrological house. World-Honored One of Great Virtue, these seven constellations arranged by the Saint, three luminaries, and three celestial maidens protect and sustain Jambudvipa.

"World-Honored One of Great Virtue, seven constellations arranged by the Saint, three luminaries, three celestial maidens protect and sustain Aparagodaniya. These seven constellations arranged by the Saint are Anuradha, Jyesta, Mula, Purva-sadha, Uttara-sadha. Shravana, and Abhijit. The three luminaries are Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. The three celestial maidens are Vrshcika, Dhanus, and Makara.

"World-Honored One of Great Virtue, among the seven constellations arranged by the Saint, Anuradha and Jyestha belong to the domain of Mars, and Vrshcika is its corresponding astrological house. Mula, Purva-sadha, and Uttara-sadha belong to the domain of Jupiter, and Dhanus is its corresponding astrological house. Shravana and Abhijit belong to the domain of Saturn, and [637b] Makara is its corresponding astrological house. World-Honored One of Great Virtue, seven constellations arranged by the Saint, three luminaries, three celestial maidens protect and sustain Aparagodaniya.

"World-Honored One of Great Virtue, among the Four Continents, Jambudvipa is the most excellent. For what reason? Because the people of Jambudvipa are courageous and wise, and their pure practices befit them. You, the Buddha, World-Honored One, have appeared in it. For this reason, the Four Great Heavenly Kings all the more protect and sustain Jambudvipa. There are in it sixteen great kingdoms. Four of them, Anga-Magadha, Vangamagadha, Avanti, and Ceti are protected and sustained by the Heavenly King Vaishravana, surrounded by a host of yaksas. The four great kingdoms, Kashi, Kosala, Vamsa, and Malla, are protected and sustained by the Heavenly King Dhrtarastra, surrounded by a host of gandharvas. The four great kingdoms, Kuru, Vajji, Pancala, and Surasena, are protected and sustained by the Heavenly King Virudhaka, surrounded by a host of kumbhandas. The four great kingdoms, Assaka, Soma, Sorata, and Kamboja, are protected and sustained by the Heavenly King Virupaksa, surrounded by a host of dragons.

"World-Honored One of Great Virtue, because the past Heavenly Saints protected and sustained the Four Continents, they have been positioned and arranged in this way. Later, in each country, dragons, yaksas, raksasas, hungry spirits, pishacas, putanas, kataputanas, and others, were born in cities, villages, stupas, gardens, under trees, cemeteries, mountain valleys, fields, rivers, springs, dams, or jeweled islands in the sea or shrines - whether by egg, womb, moisture, or metamorphosis. Although dwelling in those places, they have no territory of their own and have not yet received any teaching from others. Therefore, I pray that the Buddha arrange these spirits in position throughout the lands in Jambudvipa in order to have them protect the lands and all sentient beings living there. We would rejoice at your arrangement." The Buddha said, "It is just as you say, Great Brahma."

Then the World-Honored One said in verse to clarify the essentials of this once more:

In order to inform the people of the world,
I, the Teacher, asked Brahma:
Who protects and sustains
The Four Continents?

Brahma, teacher of the heavens, [replied] thus:
The kings of the Heaven
Of Tusita, the Heaven of Free Enjoyment of Others' Manifestations,
The Heaven of Enjoying Self-created Pleasures, and the Heaven of Restraining Well with their followers

Protect and sustain
The Four Continents.
The Four Heavenly Kings
And their followers also protect and sustain them.

The twenty-eight constellations,
The twelve astrological houses,
And the twelve [637c] celestial maidens
Protect and sustains the Four Continents.

Dragons, spirits, raksasas, and others,
Who have received no instructions from anybody,
Should be made to go and protect various regions,
According to their place of birth.

Gods and spirits in various ways
Asked the Buddha to arrange them in position;
Taking pity on sentient beings,
They make the torch of the Right Dharma burn brilliantly.

Then the Buddha said to Bodhisattva-Mahasattva Moon-Matrix, "You, knower of purity, at the beginning of this Auspicious Kalpa, when the life-span of human beings was forty thousand years, Buddha Krakucchanda appeared in the world. For the sake of immeasurable, countless hundred thousand kotis of nayutas of sentient beings, he stopped the wheel of birth-and-death and turned the wheel of the Right Dharma; he closed the evil paths and established the good paths and the fruit of emancipation.

That Buddha entrusted the Four Continents to the the King of Great Brahma Heaven, Lord of the Saha world, and to the King of the Heaven of Free Enjoyment of Others' Manifestations, the King of the Heaven of Enjoying Self-created Pleasures, the King of Tusita Heaven, the King of the Heaven of Restraining Well, and others. He did so in order to have them protect and sustain the Four Continents, because he takes pity on sentient beings, in order to keep the seeds of the Three Treasures multiplying and flourishing, in order to keep the vital energy of the earth, of sentient beings, and of the Right Dharma abiding long and increasing, and in order to keep the sentient beings away from the three evil realms and lead them to the three good realms.

"As the cosmic period advanced, gods and humans deteriorated, all good acts and the pure Dharma became extinct, and great evil and addiction to evil passions increased. When the life-span of human beings became thirty thousand years, Buddha Kanakamuni appeared in the world. He entrusted the Four Continents to the the Heavenly King Great Brahma, Lord of the Saha world, and to other heavenly kings, from the King of the Heaven of Free Enjoyment of Others' Manifestations to the Four Great Heavenly Kings and their followers. He did so in order to have them protect and sustain the Four Continents, and for other reasons, including keeping the sentient beings away from the three evil realms and leading them to the three good realms.

"As the cosmic period further advanced, gods and humans deteriorated, the pure Dharma became extinct, and great evil and addiction to evil passions increased. When the life-span of human beings became twenty thousand years, Tathagata Kashyapa appeared in the world. He entrusted the Four Continents to the the King of Great Brahma Heaven, Lord of the Saha world, and to the King of the Heaven of Free Enjoyment of Others' Manifestations, the King of the Heaven of Enjoying Self-created Pleasures, the King of Tusita Heaven, the King of the Heaven of Restraining Well, Kaushika Indra, the Four Great Heavenly Kings, and others, and their followers. In order to have them protect and sustain the Four Continents, and for other reasons, including keeping the sentient beings away from the three evil realms and leading them to the three good realms, Kashyapa Buddha entrusted the Four Continents to Great Brahma, the Four Great Heavenly Kings, and others, and also to many heavenly saints, [638a] the seven astrological houses, the twelve celestial maidens, the twenty-eight constellations, and others, in order to have them protect and sustain the Four Continents.

"You, knower of purity, with the advance of the cosmic period, we have reached the time of evil world of strife with defilement of the cosmic period, defilement of evil passions, defilement of sentient beings, and defilement of great evil passions. This is the time when the life-span of human beings is a hundred years, the pure Dharma has become completely extinct, and all kinds of evil darken the world. Just as sea-water is of one taste, saltiness, the whole world is pervaded with the taste of great evil passions. Gangs of rascals, with skulls in their hands and with their palms besmeared with blood, kill each other. Among such evil sentient beings, I have appeared in the world and attained Enlightenment under the Bodhi-tree. I received alms from the merchants, including Trapusa and Bhallika. Thus, for their sake, I have divided Jambudvipa among gods, dragons, gandharvas, kumbhandas, yaksas, and others, in order to have them protect and sustain it.

"Accordingly, all the bodhisattvas-mahasattvas of the Buddha-lands throughout the ten quarters come and assemble here in great multitude. In this Buddha-land of Saha, there are a hundred kotis of suns and moons, a hundred kotis of Four Continents, a hundred kotis of four great oceans, a hundred kotis of Encircling Iron Mountains, a hundred kotis of Great Encircling Iron Mountains, a hundred kotis of Mount Sumerus, a hundred kotis of four asura castles, a hundred kotis of Four Great Heavenly Kings, a hundred kotis of Heavens of Thirty-three Gods, and so on, up to a hundred kotis of abodes of neither thought nor non-thought - I will not enumerate all the numbers. In this Buddha-land of Saha, I perform the Buddha's work. Assembled here in great multitude are all the the Kings of Great Brahma Heavens, and their followers, Kings of Devil Heavens, Kings of Heavens of Free Enjoyment of Others' Manifestations, Kings of the Heavens of Enjoying Self-created Pleasures, Kings of Tusita Heavens, Kings of the Heavens of Restraining Well, Heavenly King Indras, Four Great Heavenly Kings, kings of asuras, kings of dragons, kings of yaksas, kings of raksasas, kings of gandharvas, kings of kinnaras, kings of garudas, kings of mahoragas, kings of kumbhandas, kings of hungry spirits, kings of pishacas, kings of putanas, kings of kata-putanas, and so on, accompanied by their kinsmen, in order to hear the Dharma. Also, all the bodhisattvas-mahasattvas and shravakas in this Buddha-land of Saha, with none excepted, have gathered here in order to hear the Dharma. I will now expound the most profound Buddha Dharma for the sake of the great assembly that has gathered here. Moreover, in order to protect the world, I will arrange in position the spirits that have assembled in Jambudvipa to have them protect and sustain it."

Then the World-Honored One asked the Heavenly King Great Brahma, Lord of the Saha world, "To whom did the Buddhas of the past entrust these Four Continents so that they be protected and sustained?" [638b]

The Heavenly King Great Brahma, Lord of the Saha world, replied, "The Buddhas of the past entrusted the Four Continents to me and Kaushika [Indra] so that we would protect and sustain them. But since we committed a fault, they stopped mentioning our names. Instead, they spoke to the other heavenly kings, constellations, luminaries, and astrological houses, ordering them to protect and sustain the Four Continents."

The Heavenly King Great Brahma, Lord of the Saha world, and Kaushika Indra prostrated themselves at the Buddha's feet and made this remark, "World-Honored One of Great Virtue, Sugata of Great Virtue, we now repent our faults. We are like small children, stupid and ignorant. How can we announce our names in the presence of the Tathagata? World-Honored One of Great Virtue, please forgive us. Sugata of Great Virtue, please forgive us. The great assembly who have gathered here, please forgive us. We will teach others as we wish in our own territory, and protect and sustain them, so that, in the end, we may lead sentient beings to the good realms. In the past, I received instructions from the Buddha Krakucchanda, and have already made the seeds of the Three Treasures multiply and flourish. Similarly, we received instructions from the Buddhas Kanakamuni and Kashyapa, and diligently made the seeds of the Three Treasures multiply and flourish, in order to keep the vital energy of the earth, sentient beings, and the taste of the Right Dharma - manda - abiding long in the world and increasing. Having received instructions from the World-Honored One, even we can teach others as we wish in our own territory and carefully protect them in order to put an end to all strife and famine and perform other acts, including keeping the seeds of the Three Treasures from extinction, keeping the three kinds of vital energy dwelling long in the world and increasing, hindering evil acts of the sentient beings, protecting and nurturing those who practice the Way, stopping sentient beings from falling into the three evil realms, leading them to the three good realms, and ensuring the Buddha Dharma to abide long in the world."

The Buddha said, "It is very good of you, wonderful men, to do such acts."

Then the Buddha said to a hundred kotis of Heavenly King Great Brahmas, "I entrust to you the care of all beings who practice the Dharma, abide in the Dharma, and accord with the Dharma, thereby avoiding evil. You, leaders of the sages, teach others as you wish in your own territory in the hundred kotis of the Four Continents. All the sentient beings are corrupt, evil, coarse, and rude; they torment and harm others and take no pity for them. Having no fear for the next life, they incite and harass the minds of warriors, brahmans, merchants, and slaves, and also do the same even to the minds of animals. As a result of such acts of taking lives and holding to wrong views, they invite untimely gusts and rains and cause impairment and diminution of the vital energy of the earth, sentient beings, and the Right Dharma. In such a case, you stop them and lead them to abide in good acts. [638c]

"You should also protect and nurture those sentient beings who seek good, who seek the Dharma, who aspire to cross to the Other Shore beyond birth-and-death, who practice charity-perfection, and so on, up to wisdom-perfection - and those sentient beings who perform practices in accord with the Dharma and engage in works in order to perform practices.

"If there are sentient beings who uphold and recite sutras and expound them and explain various scriptures for others, you should care for them with mindfulness and provide skillful means, so that they may gain strong powers, hear and not forget the teachings, accept in faith the distinctions of all dharmas, attain emancipation from birth-and-death, practice the Eightfold Noble Path, and come into accord with the [five] roots of samadhi.

"If there are sentient beings in your territory who dwell in the Dharma, practice cessation and contemplation in proper order, come into accord with various samadhis, and sincerely seek to realize the three kinds of Bodhi, you should guard them from hindrances, embrace them, kindly give alms to them, and keep them from short of provisions.

"If there are sentient beings who give food and drink, clothing, and bedding, or who give medicine to the sick, you should make sure that the five benefits increase for the donors. What are the five? First, longer life; second, increase in wealth; third, increase in happiness; fourth, increase in good acts; and fifth, increase in wisdom. You yourselves will gain benefits and happiness for a very long time. As a result of this act, you will accomplish the Six Perfections, and before long, you will attain the all-knowing wisdom."
Then the hundred kotis of Heavenly King Brahmas, headed by the Heavenly King Great Brahma, Lord of the Saha world, together made this remark, "So it is, so it is. World-Honored One of Great Virtue, in each of our own territories, there are people who are corrupt, evil, coarse, and rude, torment and harm others, take no pity for them, and have no fear for the next life. We will stop them and make sure that the five benefits increase for the donors."

The Buddha said, "It is good of you to do so."

Then all the bodhisattvas-mahasattvas, all the great shravakas, all the gods, dragons, and others, including all the humans and non-humans, praised [the Heavenly King Brahmas] and said, "How wonderful! Great valiant ones, you will ensure that this Dharma abides long in the world and that all sentient beings become free from the evil realms and quickly proceed to the good realms."

At that time, the World-Honored One said in verse to clarify the essentials of this once more:

I say to Moon-Matrix:
At the beginning of this Auspicious Kalpa,
Krakucchanda Buddha
Entrusted the Four Continents to Brahma and others,

So that various evil be stopped,
The eye of the Right Dharma brighten,
All evil acts be abandoned,
Practicers of the Dharma be protected,

The seeds of the Three Treasures multiply, [639a]
The three kinds of vital energy increase,
Various evil realms cease to be,
And people be led to the good realms.

Kanakamuni also entrusted the Four Continents
To the King Great Brahma and the Heavenly Kings
Of Free Enjoyment of Others' Manifestations, Enjoying Self-created
Pleasures, and others,
Including the Four Great Heavenly Kings.

Next, Kashyapa Buddha also entrusted them
To the King Great Brahma, the four Heavenly Kings
Of Enjoying Self-created Pleasures and the other heavens,
Indra, the world-protecting kings,

And to all the heavenly saints of the past,
And arranged the constellations and luminaries
In position for the sake of the world,
So that they protect and sustain the sentient beings.

When the evil age of defilement has arrived
And the pure Dharma is about to perish,
I alone attain supreme Enlightenment
And keep the people in peace and protected.

There are some in this assembly
Who often disturb and trouble me;
You teach the Dharma to them
To support and protect me.

Bodhisattvas throughout the ten quarters
Have all, without exception, gathered here;
And heavenly kings, too,
Have come to this Buddha-land of Saha.

I asked the King Great Brahma:
Who protected this world in the past?
[He replied:] Indra and Great Brahma did,
But you have now instructed other heavenly kings.

Then Indra and the King Brahma
Asked the Teacher to forgive them for their faults, saying:
In the territories where we rule as kings,
We will stop all evil.

We will make the seeds of the Three Treasures flourish,
And increase the three kinds of vital energy;
We will obstruct evil friends
And protect good ones.

Testimony from the Great Assembly  Sutra - (7)

91 It is stated in Chapter 10, "Devils Attaining Reverential Faith," of the "Moon-Matrix" section of the Great Assembly Sutra, fasc. 7:

At that time there were a hundred kotis of devils. They all rose from their seats at the same time, joined their palms and, facing the Buddha, touched their heads to his feet, and said to him,

"World-Honored One, We will muster up great courage and strive to protect and support the Buddha's Right Dharma, make the seeds of the Three Treasures flourish and abide long in the world, and make the vital energy of the earth, the vital energy of sentient beings, and the vital energy of the Dharma increase. If there are shravaka disciples of the World-Honored One who abide in the Dharma, accord with the Dharma, and practice while keeping their three modes of acts in harmony with the Dharma, we will protect and sustain all of them and see that they do not lack any necessities....

In this Saha world,
At the beginning of the Auspicious Kalpa,
Kurukucchanda Tathagata entrusted
The Four Continents

To Indra and the Heavenly King Brahma
And had them protect and sustain them.
He made them multiply the seeds of the Three Treasures
And increase the three kinds of vital energy.

Kanakamuni, too, entrusted
The Four Continents
To Brahma, Indra, and other heavenly kings
And had them protect and sustain them.

Kashyapa, too, did the same;
Entrusting the Four Continents
To Brahma, Indra, and the World-guardian Kings,
He had them protect the practicers of the Dharma.

He also made the heavenly saints of the past
And other heavenly saints
Arrange in position the astrological houses,
Constellations, and luminaries.

In the world of the five defilements I have appeared;
Having subdued devils, the adversaries,
I have formed a great assembly
And displayed the Buddha's Right Dharma....

All the heavenly beings
All together said to the Buddha:
In the territories where we rule,
We will all protect [639b] the Right Dharma,

Make the seeds of the Three Treasures flourish,
And the three kinds of vital energy increase;
We will put an end to all disease and epidemics,
And terminate famine and strife.

Testimony from the Great Assembly  Sutra - (8)

92 It is stated in "Chapter on the Heavenly King Dhrtarastra" [of the Great Assembly Sutra]:

The Buddha said, "God of the Sun and God of the Moon, if you protect and sustain my Dharma, I will enable you to enjoy long life and keep you from decline."

At that time, there were a hundred kotis of Heavenly King Dhrtarastras, a hundred kotis of Heavenly King Virudhakas, a hundred kotis of Heavenly King Virupaksas, and a hundred kotis of Heavenly King Vaishravanas. Together with their kinsmen, they arose from their seats at the same time, adjusted their clothes, joined their palms, respectfully paid homage to the Buddha, and made this remark, "World-Honored One of Great Virtue, in our own territory, we will sincerely protect and sustain the Buddha Dharma, keep the seeds of the Three Treasures flourishing and abiding long in the world, and make all the three kinds of vital energy increase.... We now, with the same mind as our leader, Heavenly King Vaishravana, protect Buddhas' Dharma in this Jambudvipa and in the northern quarter.

Testimony from the Great Assembly  Sutra - (9)

93 It is stated in "Chapter on Patience," part 16, of the "Moon-Matrix" section of the Great Assembly Sutra, fasc. 8:

The Buddha said, "So it is, so it is. It is just as you say. If there are beings who abhor pain and seek pleasure for their own sake, they should uphold Buddhas' Right Dharma, thereby gaining the reward of immeasurable merit. If there are sentient beings who renounce the world to join my Sangha, shave their beard and hair, and wear a monk's robe, they are all, without exception, bear the seal of Nirvana, even if they do not observe the precepts. There may be some who have renounced the world but do not observe the precepts; acting unlawfully, they cause distress to others, abuse and revile them; holding swords and sticks in their hands, they beat and tie them up, and even cut and slash them. If there are other people who snatch the robes and bowls of these monks and deprive them of daily necessities. Such people inflict harm on the true Recompensed Bodies of Buddhas of the three periods; they also gouge out the eyes of all heavenly beings. Because they seek to destroy the Buddhas' Right Dharma and the seeds of the Three Treasures, they deny all heavenly beings the chance to obtain benefit and make them fall into hell. Consequently, the three evil realms grow bigger and full."

At that time, all heavenly beings, dragons, and others, down to all kata-putanas, humans, and non-humans, together joined their palms, and made this remark, "We will regard as our teachers and elders all the shravaka disciples of the Buddha and those who, though they do not observe the precepts, shave their hair and beard and wear a monk's robe on their shoulders. We will protect and support them, provide them with necessities, and see that they do not lack anything. If other heavenly beings, dragons, and others, down to kata-putanas, cause distress to these monks, and do such acts as looking on them with malicious thoughts, we will [639c] all together impair their physical characteristics as heavenly beings, dragons, kata-putanas, and so on, and make them ugly. We will also see that they do not live and take meals with us and that they do not laugh and sport with us in the same place. Such will be our punishment on them."

Testimony from theGarland Sutra

94 It is also stated [in the Garland Sutra, Chapter on the Ten Stages]:

Give up divination, study the right views, and resolutely and deeply believe in the causation of evil and meritorious acts.

Testimony from theSutra of the Samadhi of Heroic Advance
Warning against disturbances by devils and evil spirits

95 It is stated in the Sutra of the Samadhi of Heroic Advance:

Those devils, spirits, and evil ones, accompanied by their respective followers, will each say, "I have attained the supreme enlightenment." After my Nirvana, during the age of the Decadent Dharma, there will be many such devils, spirits, and evil ghosts. Swarming in the world, they will present themselves as good teachers and cause sentient beings to fall into the pit of attachment and wrong views, lose the way to enlightenment, become deluded and confused, lose their judgement, and derange their minds. Where these spirits pass, families will collapse and disperse, and their members will become devils of attachments and wrong views, thereby losing the seeds of Tathagatas.

Testimony from theSutra of Ritual Sprinkling

96 It is stated in the Sutra of Ritual Sprinkling [and Mantras]:

The thirty-six kings of spirits, accompanied by their kinsmen spirits, ten thousand kotis times the number of sands of the River Ganges, will take turns to protect, while remaining unseen, those who receive the Three Refuges.

Testimony from theSutra n the Ten Wheels of Ksitigarbha - (1)

97 It is stated in the Sutra on the Ten Wheels of Ksitigarbha:

Those who correctly take refuge and disengage themselves from delusive attachments and divination, should never take refuge in evil spirits or non-Buddhist teachings.

Testimony from theSutra on the Ten Wheels of Ksitigarbha - (2)

98 It is also stated in the same sutra:

There may be some who in various ways, to a lesser or greater degree, cling to lucky or unlucky days, worship spirits ... and commit serious evil karma, close to the one leading to Avici hell. If they do not repent and extinguish such evil karma, they should not become Buddhist mendicants and receive the monk's full precepts. If you allow them to become Buddhist mendicants and receive the monk's full precepts, you are committing a fault.

Testimony from theSutra on the Samadhi of Collecting All Merits

99 It is stated in the Sutra on the Samadhi of Collecting All Merits:

Do not turn toward non-Buddhist teachings; do not worship non-Buddhist gods.

Testimony from theSutra on the Vows of the Buddha Medicine Master - (1)

100 It is stated in the Sutra on the Vows of the Buddha Medicine Master:

Sons and daughters of good families of pure faith, do not serve non-Buddhist gods until the end of your lives.

Testimony from theSutra on the Vows of the Buddha Medicine Master - (2)

101 It is also stated in the same sutra:

Those who believe in the false teachings of devils, non-Buddhists, and sorcerers, which are popular in the world, and foretell fortune and misfortune are most likely to have mistaken ideas. Engaging in divination, they will invite misfortune and kill various sentient beings. They will offer prayers to deities, and invoke goblins and sprites to ask for good fortune and long life, only to find these prayers fruitless. Being foolish and deluded, they will believe in wrong teachings and cling to perverse views, ending in untimely death and falling into hell with no expectation of an end to their terms there.... Eighth, they will suffer from unexpected poisoning, imprecation, and curses and will be harmed by the spirits arising from corpses, and others.

Testimony from theSutra  on the Bodhisattva Precepts

102 It is stated in the Sutra on the Bodhisattva Precepts:

The rule of a Buddhist mendicant is not to pay homage to the king or [640a] parents, not to serve the six kinds of blood-relatives, and not to worship spirits.

Testimony from theSutra on the Buddha's Past Lives

103 It is stated in "Chapter on Upasena" in the Sutra on the Buddha's Past Lives, fasc. 42:

At that time, there was a nephew of the three Kashyapa brothers, who was a brahmin with his hair tied in the shape of a conch. His name was Upasena.... He always practiced and studied the way of heavenly saints with his two hundred-fifty disciples. He heard that his uncles, the three Kashyapas, had gone with all their disciples to the place of the Great Mendicant, shaved their hair and beards and worn a monk's robes. Having seen this, he faced his uncles and said in verse:

Uncles, you have worshiped fire in vain for a hundred years;
You have also practiced austerities in vain.
Today, do you abandon this practice
Just as a snake sloughs off its skin?

Then his uncles, the three Kashyapas, all said together in verse to their nephew, Upasena:

Formerly, we worshiped the god of fire in vain
And practiced austerities to no purpose.
Today, we abandon this practice
Just as a snake casts off its slough.

Testimony from theAwakening of Faith

104 It is stated in the Awakening of Faith:

If sentient beings lack the power of the roots of good, they may be deluded by devils, non-Buddhists, and spirits. These may appear in meditation manifesting various forms to terrify them, such as handsome men or women. If you meditate on the state of "mind only," these objects will disappear and will not cause any harassment to you any longer.

Sometimes they may manifest forms of gods or bodhisattvas, or forms of Tathagatas, completely adorned with physical characteristics; they may teach you dharanis, or the virtues of charity, observance of the precepts, forbearance, diligence, meditation, and wisdom, or teach you that all things are equal, void, formless, desireless, free of enemy or friend, having neither cause nor effect, and ultimately void and tranquil - this is true Nirvana. They may give you the knowledge of your past lives or your future. They may give you the wisdom of knowing others' thoughts or the unimpeded eloquence. They may make you attached to worldly fame and profit.

They may cause you to get angry or rejoice often, leaving you in an unstable state. You may become too kind, too sleepy, feel your stomach heavy, become ill too often, or feel sluggish. You may have fits of diligence, followed by negligence. You may give rise to disbelief, much doubting, and much wavering thought. You may discard the excellent practices that you have been performing before and take up miscellaneous practices. You may be attached to worldly affairs and find yourself drawn about and entangled in them.

They may enable you to attain the states which partly resemble various samadhis; these are all non-Buddhist acquisitions, and not true samadhis. They may enable you to dwell in samadhis for one day, two days, three days, or up to seven days, while being naturally provided with sweet-smelling and tasteful food and drink, so that you will feel comfort in body and mind, without hunger or thirst, and thus become deeply attached to these states. Or they may cause you to take food [640b] immoderately, suddenly eating too much or too little, so that your complexion deteriorates.

For this reason, practicers should constantly be watchful with wisdom and keep their minds from falling into a net of depravity. Strive in right mindfulness. Neither grasp nor cling, and remove all these karmic hindrances. Know that all non-Buddhist samadhis are accompanied by wrong views, attachment, and self-conceit, because they are rooted in avid desire for worldly fame, profit, and veneration.

Testimony from the Treatise Clarifying the True - (1)
Supremacy of Shakyamuni over Lao-tzu

105 It is stated in the Treatise Clarifying the True (by Fa-lin):

The chapters "Ten Clarifications" and "Nine Admonitions" in reply to the "ten differences and nine delusions" set forth by Li, the Taoist.

The first "difference" presented by the non-Buddhist says:

The Supreme Heavenly Lord Lao-tzu entrusted his spirit to the Hermit Lady Profoundly Wonderful, and was born from her left side. Shakyamuni entered the womb of Queen Maya and was born from her right side....

The first clarification by the Buddhist is: Lao-tzu, against the established law, was conceived by a shepherdess and was born from her left side. The World-Honored One, in accordance with the transforming and sustaining force of nature, was conceived by the sacred mother and was born from her right side.

A person of illumination [i.e., bodhisattva] says: When I peruse the Commentary on the Five Thousand Characters by Lu Ching-yu, Tai Shen, Wei Ch'u-hsuan, and others, and the lectures [on Lao-tzu] compiled by the Emperor Yuan of Liang dynasty and Chou Hung-cheng, I find that the title "Supreme Heavenly Lord" is used for the four persons: the three Emperors and Yao and Shun. The reason is that in ancient times there were these lords of great virtue, who reigned over all the people; hence, they were called "Supreme Heavenly Lords." Kuo-hsiang [in his commentary on Chuang-tzu] explains, "The person regarded as the wise man is the lord; those who are not recognized as such are retainers." Lao-tzu was not an emperor or lord. He is not included among the four persons who held this title. In what authoritative source is he described as "Supreme Heavenly Lord" as you thoughtlessly call him? Besides, such Taoist classics as Hsuan-miao, Chung-t'ai, and Chu-t'ao-yu-cha, and the record Ch'u-sai-chi, state that Lao-tzu was born of his mother Li; they do not mention "Hermit Lady Profoundly Wonderful." So this description is not authentic; it is a groundless fiction.
Further, the Precious Record of Hermit Sages says:

Hermit sages do not take wives; hermit ladies do not take husbands. Although they have female forms, they bear no children.

Such an auspicious event [as Lao-tzu's birth from the Hermit Lady] would have been widely acclaimed. The fact, however, is that there is no mention of this in the Record of History or the Book of Chou. To fabricate a false record and denounce the truth would be like trusting in the words of a liar.
In the Book of Rites it is stated:

One who retires from government office and has no rank is described as "shifted to the left."

The Confucian Analects says:

It is against propriety to wear robes with the left side under the right.

If the left side is superior to the right, why do Taoists in their processions turn right, not left? The state decrees all end with, "as stated in the right." These are all examples of the established law of Heaven.

The fourth "difference" presented by the non-Buddhist says:

Lao-tzu lived in the days of King Wen and the state teacher of the Chou dynasty when it was at its height. Shakyamuni lived in the days of King Chuang and the teacher of Chi-pin [northern India].
The fourth clarification by the Buddhist is: Elder Yang [Lao-tzu] was a petty official in the government, humbly serving in the archives. He did not live in the days of King Wen, nor was he a state teacher of the Chou dynasty when it was at its height. Shakyamuni was a prince [640c] and attained the most honored Enlightenment. His days correspond to the height of King Chao, and he was the teacher of Jambudvipa....

The sixth "difference" presented by the Non-Buddhist says:

Lao-tzu's life in the world began during the reign of King Wen of Chou and ended during the time of Confucius. Shakyamuni was born in the family of Shuddhodana; his period corresponds to the reign of King Chuang.

The sixth clarification by the Buddhist is: Kashyapa [incarnated as Lao-tzu] was born in the year fire/hare [714 B.C.] of the reign of King Huan and died in the year water/horse [519 B.C.] of the reign of King Ching. Although he is said to have died in the time of Confucius, he did not live during the reign of Chi-ch'ang [King Wen]. The Tamer of Beings [Shakyamuni] was born in the year wood/tiger [1027 B.C.] of the reign of King Chao and died in the year water/monkey [949 B.C.] of the reign of King Mu. He was the heir of Shuddhodana, and appeared before King Chuang.

A person of illumination says: Confucius went to the kingdom of Chou, where he met Lao-tan [Lao-tzu] and asked him about propriety. This is recorded in detail in the Record of History. As to whether he was the teacher of King Wen, there is no authentic evidence. He appeared at the end of the Chou dynasty; this can be found in the records, but that he flourished at the beginning of the Chou dynasty lacks evidence in the historical documents....

The seventh "difference" presented by the non-Buddhist says:

Lao-tzu was born during the Chou dynasty and, later in life, went into the desert. It is not known what became of him or where he died. Shakyamuni was born in the western land [India] and ended his life near the Ajitavati. [When he died,] his disciples beat their chests in sorrow, and a multitude of barbarian natives cried bitterly.

The seventh clarification by the Buddhist says: Lao-tzu was born at Lai-hsiang and buried at Huai-li. The details of this are known in the account of Ch'in-i's call of condolence, in which Lao-tzu is criticized for making people believe that he was "a hermit who hides himself in Heaven." Gautama was born in the palace and died under the shala trees. This became known in China during the reign of King Ming of the Han dynasty and is recorded in a writing treasured in the imperial archives Lan-t'ai.
A person of illumination says: It is stated in the "Inner Section" of Chuang-tzu:

When Lao-tan died, Ch'in-i went to mourn him. He cried three times, and then left the room. Lao-tzu's disciples were puzzled and asked, "Were you not the Master's friend?" Ch'in-i replied, "When I went in, I saw young people mourning for Lao-tzu as if they had lost their father, and old people mourning for him as if they had lost their son. In ancient times, people spoke of 'a hermit who hides himself in Heaven.' At first, I thought that Lao-tzu was exactly that type of person, but now I do not think so."

"Hide" means to withdraw; "Heaven" means escape from bondage; "form" refers to the body. This passage means that at first Ch'in-i thought that Lao-tzu was a hermit who hid himself from worldly bondage, but now he sees that he was wrong. Ah, Lao-tzu sought to win people's sympathy by words of flattery; hence, he could not escape death. This means that he is not my friend....
The above are the ten clarifications of the Buddhist in reply to the ten differences set forth by the non-Buddhist.

The non-Buddhist asserts that the first difference is about left and right in the manner of birth; the Buddhist replies that from the time of birth there is a distinction of superior and inferior.
The Buddhist clarifies the matter: The custom of wearing clothes with the left side under the right is maintained by barbarians. In China, commands from the "right" are respected. So it is stated in the Spring and Autumn Annals:

The prime minister receives no imperial commands, but the assistant ministers receive them. Is this not on the left [that is, wrong]?

The Record of History states:

Lin Hsiang-ju's contributions were great, and his position was to the right of Lien-p'o. This made Lien-p'o feel humiliated.

It also states:

Prime Minister Chang-i placed [the envoy from] Ch'in on the right and Wei on the left. Prime Minister Hsi-shou placed Han on the right and Wei on the left.

This is because the left side is not suitable. The Book of Rites says:


"Left-sided" people who form groups and start riots shall be killed.

Does this not indicate that the right is superior and [641a] the left is inferior?

Huang Fu-mi says in his Biographies of Eminent Hermits:

Lao-tzu was a physiognomist in the state of Ch'u. He had his house to the north of the Wo River, and studied under Ch'ang-ts'ung-tzu. When Ch'ang-tzu became ill, Li-erh [Lao-tzu] went to inquire after him.

Again, Chi-k'ang says:

Li-erh studied the arts of the nine hermits under Chuan-tzu.

When I examine various books, including one by T'ai-shih-kung, I cannot find any record that Lao-tzu was born from his mother's left side. Since there is no authentic source of information, this assertion is clearly unreliable.

As we all know, wielding a lance or moving a brush [with the right hand] is the first step in military or literary arts. It is just as the five ethers and three luminous bodies are the beginning of yin and yang. In the teaching of Shakyamuni, one turns to the right; this corresponds with human activities. The "left side" path of Chang-ling contradicts the law of Heaven. For Shakyamuni, he awakened the compassion based on the realization of voidness and responded to the needs of sentient beings. This shows how he manifested himself in this world.... Shakyamuni stood aloof from heaven and earth as the most revered one. His distinguished virtue was adored by all in the three worlds and the six realms....

The non-Buddhist remarks:

Lao-tzu set an example of filial piety and loyalty, thereby saving the world and the people. He was a paragon of compassion and love. Therefore, his teaching has been long transmitted, without being altered by any of the hundred kings. His profound influence has benefited many generations, showing no sign of deviation for a myriad ages. Thus, his teaching has served as a standard, whether in ruling a kingdom or regulating the family.

In Shakyamuni's teaching, righteousness is discarded and parents are abandoned; benevolence and filial piety are not adopted. King Ajatashatru killed his father, but it is declared that he did not commit any offense. Devadatta wounded his cousin [Shakyamuni] with an arrow, but we do not hear of any punishment imposed on him. If ordinary people are guided by this, the evil multiplies. If his teaching becomes a standard, how can good be produced? This is the tenth "difference," showing that Lao-tzu's teaching conforms to the way and Shakyamuni's teaching contradicts it.

The clarification of the Buddhist says: [According to the Taoist teaching,] righteousness is lower than the Way, propriety arises from lack of loyalty and sincerity, small benevolence is despised as the conduct of mean women, and great filial piety is practiced only by the rich. In addition, to laugh and sing at the occasion of bereavement is not the custom of the Chinese, and to beat trays at funerals is not the manner of the Chinese. (When Yuan-jang's mother died, he rode astride the coffin and sang. When Tzu-sang died, Tzu-kung made a call of condolence; Tzu-sang's four children looked at each other and laughed. Confucius was at the funeral, and laughed. When Chuang-tzu's wife died, he beat the tray and sang.)
Therefore, the virtue of filial piety is taught to instruct such people, for it is intended to have them respect their fathers. Also, the virtue of loyalty is taught to them in order to have them respect their king. It is through the profound benevolence of the wise ruler that the teaching of such virtues spread to all countries; it is through the great filial piety of the sacred king that the benevolent ruling reaches throughout the four seas.

The Buddhist sutras say:

Since the subject of mental activity transmigrates in the six realms, there is no being that has not become one's father or mother. Since beings change their abodes in the three worlds of birth-and-death, who can distinguish their friends from their enemies?

It is also stated:

With the eye of wisdom covered by ignorance, people come and go in birth-and-death. While repeating comings and goings, they commit various acts, through which they become each other's parents and children. Enemies often become friends, and friends often become enemies.

Hereupon, Buddhist mendicants abandon the secular world and turn toward the true. They regard all beings as equal to their parents and relatives. They discard worldly prosperity and seek the Way. They treat all beings as their parents. (They universally practice the right mind and look upon others as equal to their parents.)

Taoism esteems serene voidness, but you place greater importance on love. The law is to be enforced equally, but you discriminate between friends and enemies. [641b] Is this not unreasonable? It is recorded in history books that rivalry for power results in abandoning one's parents; Duke Huan of Ch'i and King Mu of Ch'u are examples of this. Is it not a mistake to slander the sage [Shakyamuni] on these grounds?
Here ends the tenth point clarifying that Taoism is inferior [to Buddhism]....

The two emperors [Fou Hsi and Nu Wa] ruled the land and transformed the people with their virtue. (The Sutra on the Four Continents Surrounding Sumeru says: "Bodhisattva Responding-to-Voice appeared as Fou Hsi, and Bodhisattva Auspicious appeared as Nu Wa.") The three sages set forth their teachings (in the Sutra on the Questions of Bodhisattva Voidness-Tranquility: "Kashyapa appeared as Lao-tzu, Bodhisattva Manavaka appeared as Confucius, and Bodhisattva Pure Light appeared as Yen-hui.") and expounded the Way in the period of defilement. Yellow Emperor and Lao-tzu enthusiastically expounded the teaching of 'returning to oneness by emptying one's self.' The Duke of Chou and Confucius promoted the study of the arts of poetry, composition, propriety, and music. Manifesting the virtue of modesty and maintaining simple and sincere disposition are steps to sagehood. The three kinds of awe and the five constant virtues are causes for birth in human and heavenly realms. These teachings are in tacit agreement with the Buddhist truth, but they are not correct and exhaustive discussions of it. It is like asking a deaf mute the way; he may be able to show you the direction but cannot tell the exact distance. It is also like asking a rabbit or a horse about crossing the river; it can tell you how to cross, but does not know its depth.

These examples show that the Yin and Chou dynasties were not fit for the spread of Shakyamuni's teaching. It is like a child unable to look directly at blazing flames or dazzling light, or like a coward unable to listen well to the shuttering sound of a sudden clap of thunder. Thereupon, on seeing rivers and ponds swelling, King Chao became fearful of the birth of a divine being [Shakyamuni]. On seeing clouds and a rainbow change in color, the queen of King Mu rejoiced at the sage's death. (The Chou Dynasty Record of Miraculous Events says: On the eighth day of the fourth month, twenty-fourth year of the reign of King Chou, all rivers and springs swelled and overflowed. On the fifteenth day of the second month, fifty-second year of the reign of King Mu, violent winds arose; trees were blown down, the sky darkened with black clouds, and a ghastly white rainbow appeared.) Such being the case, how could the teaching be received across the rivers of the Pamirs? How could the sincere pursuit of the Dharma cross the Himalayas? The Vimalakirti Sutra says, "It is the fault of the blind, not the fault of the sun or the moon." If a thorough investigation were to be made, it would harm your nature of "Chaos." [The Buddhist truth] is beyond your understanding.

This is the first point disclosing your blindness.

The second point of the Buddhist concerning the construction of statues and pagodas:

From the time of Emperor Ming of the Han dynasty to the end of Ch'i and Liang dynasties, more than two hundred people, including kings, nobles, officials, laymen and laywomen, monks, and nuns, sensed the presence the most sacred being, though invisible, and saw a miraculous light with their own eyes.

Some saw the Buddha's foot impression on Mount Wan and a brilliant Buddha image on the waters of Hu-tu; others saw the [Buddha's] image appearing like the full moon at the foot of Mount Ch'ing-t'ai and a stupa outside the Yung-men gate. King Nan-p'ing perceived an auspicious image, and King Wen-hsuan received a sacred tooth relic in his dream. King Hsiao succeeded in casting a golden image of the Buddha at the first attempt, while the emperor of Sung tried to cast one four times without success. There are a number of such examples - there are too many to mention them all. How can you overlook these miraculous signs even with your blind eyes?

There is no virtue that is not contained - this is nieh-p'an (Nirvana). There is no place that is not reached - this is pu-t'i (Bodhi). There is nothing that wisdom does not pervade - this is fo-t'o (Buddha). These Chinese words represent Sanskrit terms. If expressed in these two languages, 'Buddha' is clearly to be entrusted to. How do you explain this? Fo-t'o is translated as [641c] ta-chueh ('great awakening') in Chinese. Pu-t'i is translated as ta-tao ('great Way'). Nieh-p'an is translated as wu-wei ('No-action'). Although you tread the earth of enlightenment all day, you do not know that the great Way is a different name for enlightenment. Although you receive your bodily form from the great awakening, you do not know that great awakening is a translation of Buddha. Chuang-chou [Chuang-tzu] says:

After you have the great awakening, you will realize a great dream.

Kuo[-hsiang] says in his commentary:

Awakening refers to a sage. The reason is that those who have distress in their hearts are all dreaming.

The commentary also says:

Confucius and Tzu-yu were not able to reach the true understanding beyond words; hence, theirs was not the great awakening.

A man of virtue says: "The teaching of Confucius does not go beyond this."

Nirvana, which is tranquility and illumination, cannot be known by the consciousness or wisdom. Words fail to reach it, and mental activity ceases to function [trying to grasp it]. Hence, one forgets words to describe it. The Dharma-body is possessed of the three virtues and four excellent qualities; it is tranquil and free of troubles. Hence, it is described as 'emancipation.' This means that through true understanding one attains cessation of troubles. Although Confucius was a sage, he cannot compare with the Buddha in spiritual accomplishments. I say this, for Liu-hsiang's Two Records of Antiquity states:

One hundred fifty years after Buddhist sutras were transmitted to China, Lao-tzu composed the five-thousand-character discourse.

Both Chou [Chuang-tzu] and Lao-tzu, no doubt, read Buddhist sutras. In their words and teachings evidence for this is found here and there. We should ponder on this....

The Sutra on Mindfulness of the Right Dharma says:

If people do not observe the precepts, gods will decrease and asuras will increase. Good dragons will lose their power, and evil dragons will gain in power. When evil dragons have power, they will cause frost and hail to fall from the sky and violent winds and torrential rain will occur out of season. Then the five kinds of crops will not yield good harvest, epidemics will arise one after another, and the people will starve and kill each other.
If people observe the precepts, gods will grow in majestic glory, asuras will decrease, evil dragons will lose their power, and good dragons will gain in power. When good dragons have power, winds and rains will come at the right time, and the four seasons will be harmonious. The nourishing rain will fall, bringing abundant crops. People will be at peace, and arms will cease to be used. Epidemics will not occur....

A man of virtue says:

The Taoist says in the Book of Hidden Truth of the Great Heaven and the Book of Supreme Truth: "The Lord of the supreme Great Way rules in Great Gossamer Net Heaven, which is infinitely vast and of fifty-five layers, on Mount Jade Capital, where there is a seven-jeweled stage, golden floor, and jade-desk. Attended by hermit youths and hermit ladies, he dwells outside the Thirty-two Heavens and the three worlds."

The Chart of the Five Divine Peaks reads: "The Celestial Honored One of the Great Way governs at T'ai-hsuan-tu (capital of Great Profundity), located in the province of Jade Light, the prefecture of Golden Truth, the district of Heavenly Protection, the county of Primordial Illumination, the village of Settled Aspiration. No calamities infiltrate there."

The Scripture of Spirits has this to say: "Great Gossamer Net Heaven lies at the top of the heavens in 555,555 layers."

The Chart of the Five Divine Peaks says: 'Tu' means capital. The highest Lord of gods [Lao-tzu], the supreme Great Way, [642a] the Way of Ways, remaining in tranquility, dwells in the capital of Great Profundity."

The Inner Sound of the Heavens says: "Gods, together with hermits, beat drums in the storied palace. They have an audience with the Lord of the Way at the jade capital and entertain him."

If we examine the Catalog of Taoist Scriptures dedicated to the emperor by the Taoist, we find that all people say, "According to Lu Hsiu-ching, a man of the Sung, there are 1,228 volumes." They are originally miscellaneous works, which do not include the writings of so and so 'tzu.' Now the Taoist lists 2,040 volumes. Among them are many titles taken from the Catalog of Literature of the Book of Han; 884 are arbitrarily listed as Taoist scriptures....

Upon investigation, we find that T'ao-shu was Fan-li. He intimately served Kou-chien, the king of Yueh. The king and all his ministers were taken prisoners by the kingdom of Wu, and had to eat excrement and drink urine; they suffered untold misery. Further, Fan-li's son was murdered by the kingdom of Ch'i. If his father possessed the art of transforming one's body, why could he not transform himself and escape?
In the Record of the Creation of Heaven and Earth, it is recorded, "Lao-tzu was conceived in the womb of the consort of King Yu." That is to say, Lao-tzu was King Yu's child. It also says, "His position was an official in the Office of Archives." This shows that he was King Yu's retainer. The Scripture on Converting the Barbarians says, "Lao-tzu was Tung-fang Shuo of the Han dynasty." If this is so, since King Yu was killed by the western barbarians, why did Lao-tzu not, out of love for him, give him a divine amulet to save his life? ...

We have referred to Lu Hsiu-ching's catalog; there is no authentic text. It is amazing that there are so many errors. Hsiu-ching's catalog was obviously fraudulent. Hsuan Tu-kuan's Catalog [based on it] is the worst of all fakes.

Testimony from theTreatise Clarifying the True - (2)
Exhortation to take refuge in the Buddha

106 It is also stated in the same work:

The Larger [Nirvana] Sutra states:

There are ninety-six paths; only the single path of the Buddha is the right path. The other ninety-five are all non-Buddhist paths.

I [Emperor Wu] have discarded the non-Buddhist paths and taken refuge in the Tathagata. If there are lords who make the same vow, they should each awaken the Bodhi-mind. Lao-tzu, the Duke of Chou, Confucius, and others, guided people as disciples of the Tathagata, but they were originally in the wrong. They taught only worldly good, unable to bring people beyond the state of ordinary beings to sagehood. Lords, ministers, nobles, kings, and their families should turn from the false paths and follow the true one, abandon the wrong paths and enter the right one. It is stated in the Buddhist scripture, Discourse on the Establishment of Truth:

To follow non-Buddhist paths with great reverence and follow the Buddha-Dharma with little reverence is a wrong view. If your reverence for both is equal, your acts are neutral, neither good nor evil. To serve the Buddha with strong resolution and to serve Lao-tzu with little concern is pure faith. 'Pure' means thoroughly pure, within and without, with complete extinction of defilements and delusion. 'Faith' is to believe in the right and reject the wrong; hence, such people are called the Buddha's disciples of pure faith. Others are all wrong-viewed; they cannot be called persons of pure faith....

Give up the wrong teaching of Lao-tzu and enter the true teaching of the Dharma. [642b]

Testimony from Shan-tao's work

107 The Master of Kuang-ming temple says [in the Hymns of the Nembutsu Liturgy]:

The Buddhas of the zenith, countless as the sands of the Ganges,
Extend their tongues for the sake of the beings of this Saha world
Who commit the ten evil acts and the five gravest offenses, entertain much doubt and slander the Dharma,
Believe in the wrong paths, serve spirits, offer food to gods and devils,

Who, with delusory thoughts, seek benevolence and benefits,
Only to find that misfortune and calamities increase more and more,
Or who, lying in bed with sickness for many years,
Become deaf and blind, have broken legs and paralyzed hands -

Those who serve gods and yet receive such retributions -
Why do they not abandon such beliefs and practice mindfulness on Amida?

Testimony from T'ien-t'ai's work

108 It is stated in T'ien-t'ai's Steps to the Dharma-realm:

The first is to take refuge in the Buddha. The [Nirvana] Sutra says:

Those who take refuge in the Buddha should never again take refuge in various non-Buddhist gods.

It also says:

Those who take refuge in the Buddha will not fall into evil realms.

The second is to take refuge in the Dharma. It is said, "Take refuge in and practice what the Great Sage taught, whether his teachings or theoretical principles."

The third is to take refuge in the Sangha. It is said, "The mind takes refuge in the company of those who have renounced the world and follow the right practice of the Three Vehicles." The same sutra says:

One never again takes refuge in non-Buddhist paths.

Testimony from Tz'u-yun's work

109 Master Tz'u-yun says:

In India, methods of worship are compiled in the Vedas, and in China they are found in the books of rites. They do not lead to emancipation from the world. From the perspective of the true, they are provisional means to guide the people of the world.

Testimony from Chegwan's work
Don't take refuge in spirits

110 Master Chegwan of Koryo says [in the T'ien-t'an Discourse on the Fourfold Teaching]:

Hungry spirits are called preta in Sanskrit. Their places of habitation are found in various realms. The hungry spirits with much merit become spirits of mountains and forests or of graveyards. Those without merit dwell in filthy places, receive no food or drink, and are constantly whipped. Forced to dam up rivers and oceans, they suffer immeasurable pain. Those who harbor flattery and deception in their hearts and have committed the five gravest offenses and the ten evil acts which belong to the lowest degree of karmic evil receive the recompense of this state of existence.

Testimony from Shen-chih's work

111 Master Shen-chih comments on this [in his Commentary on the T'ien-t'an Discourse on the Fourfold Teaching]:

Concerning the realm of hungry spirits, 'hungry' means constantly starving, and 'spirit' means that which returns. According to Shih-tzu, in ancient times a dead person was called 'one who has returned.' Also heavenly spirits are called spiritual beings, and earth spirits are called earth-gods.... In form, they resemble human beings or they are like beasts. The mind that is not honest is described as 'flattery' and 'deception.'

Testimony from Tai-chih's work

112 Master Tai-chih says [in the New Notes to the Commentary on the Ullambana Sutra]:

'Spirits' refers to spiritual beings. They all belong to the four realms of gods, asuras, hungry spirits, and hell.

Testimony from Chieh-tu's work
Devils' disturbances

113 Master Chieh-tu says [in the Subsidiary Discourse on the Contemplation Sutra]:

Devils are classified in evil realms.

Testimony from T'ien-t'ai's work

114 The Discourse on Cessation and Contemplation, in the section on devils' activities, says:

Second, I will clarify the way devils appear: Whether they belong to the upper or lower class, they are called devils. When we look into the details of their differences, we find that there are no more than three kinds: 1) spirits that irritate practicers, 2) spirits that seduce practicers at fixed hours, and 3) devil-spirits. The ways these three kinds of devils appear vary. [642c]

Testimony from Genshin's work

115 Genshin, based on the Discourse on Cessation and Contemplation, says [in the Collection of Essential Passages Concerning Birth]:

Devils obstruct enlightenment by taking advantage of the practicers' evil passions. Spirits cause illness and deprive them of the root of life.

Testimony from the Confucian Analects

116 The Confucian Analects says:

Chi-lu asked, "Should we worship spirits?"

Confucius said, "You should not worship spirits. Why should people worship them?"

Postscript
Honen's exile and passing

117 When I humbly contemplate matters, I find that in the various teachings of the Path of Sages, both practice and enlightenment have long become unrealizable and that the true teaching of the Pure Land way is now flourishing as the sure way to Enlightenment.

Despite this fact, monks of various temples, being blind in discerning the teachings, are unable to distinguish the true from provisional ways. Confucian scholars in the capital, being confused about practices, cannot tell the difference between the right and wrong paths. Thus, scholar-monks of Kofukuji temple presented a petition to the retired emperor [Gotoba-in] (Takanari by name) in the first part of the second month in the year fire/hare of the Jogen era [1207] during the reign of emperor [Tsuchimikado-in] (Tamehoto by name).

Lords and vassals who opposed the Dharma and justice bore indignation and resentment [to the Nembutsu teaching]. Thus, Master Genku, the great founder who promulgated the true teaching of the Pure Land way, and a number of his followers were, without proper investigation of their crime, indiscriminately sentenced to death or, deprived of their priesthood, exiled under criminals' names. I was one of them. Hence, I am neither a priest nor a layman, and so I took 'Toku' as my surname. Master Genku and his disciples spent five years in remote provinces in exile.

On the seventeenth day of the eleventh month in the first year of Kenryaku, the year metal/sheep [1211], during the reign of emperor [Sado-no-in] (Morinari by name), Master Genku was pardoned by the imperial order and returned to the capital. After that he lived at Otani, north of Toribeno at the western foot of Higashiyama, Kyoto. In the second year of Kenryaku, he passed away at the hour of the horse [midday] of the twenty-fifth day of the first month. At his death, there appeared incalculable miraculous signs, as stated in his biography.

Postscript
Personal expression of gratitude to Honen and Amida

118  I, Gutoku Shinran, disciple of Shakyamuni, abandoned sundry practices and took refuge in the Primal Vow in the first year of Kennin, the year metal/ cock [1201]. In the year wood/ox of the Genkyu era [1205], with the master's kind permission, I copied his Collection of Passages Concerning the Nembutsu of the Selected Primal Vow. In the same year, on the fourth day of the middle part of the fourth month, the master in his own hand inscribed my copy with the title inside, "Collection of Passages Concerning the Nembutsu of the Selected Primal Vow," and the words, "Namu amida butsu: The fundamental act for the attainment of birth is the Nembutsu," and also my new name, "Shakku, disciple of Shakyamuni." On the same day, I borrowed the master's portrait and copied it. In the same second year [of Genkyu], on the ninth day of the latter part of the seventh intercalary month, the master inscribed my copy of the portrait with "Namu amida butsu" and with the passage of the true teaching: "If, when I become a Buddha, all sentient beings in the ten quarters who call my Name even ten times fail to be born in my land, may I not attain perfect Enlightenment. This Buddha, having attained Buddhahood, now dwells in the Pure Land. You should know that his weighty vows are not in vain. Sentient beings who call his Name will unfailingly attain birth." On the same day, he also wrote on the portrait my new name [Zenshin] to which my former name 'Shakku' was changed according to a revelation in a dream. [643a] The master was then seventy-three years old.

The Collection of Passages Concerning the Nembutsu of the Selected Primal Vow was compiled at the request of the Chancellor, the ordained layman (Lord Tsukinowa Kanezane, Buddhist name Ensho). The essentials of the true teaching of the Pure Land way and the profound doctrine of the Nembutsu are contained in it. Those who read it can easily understand. It is indeed an incomparable and supreme collection of fine passages, an unsurpassed and profound scripture. Out of the thousands of people who received his teaching, personally or otherwise, over many days and years, very few were allowed to read and copy this book. Nevertheless, I was allowed to copy it and also make a copy of his portrait. This is the benefit of the exclusive practice of the Right Act; this is a sure proof of my future attainment of birth. With tears of sorrow and joy, I have noted the above story.

What a joy it is that I place my mind in the ground of the Buddha's Universal Vow and I let my thoughts flow into the sea of the inconceivable Dharma! I deeply acknowledge the Tathagata's Compassion and appreciate the master's benevolence in instructing me. As my joy increases, my feeling of indebtedness grows deeper. Hereupon, I have collected the essentials of the true teaching, and have gleaned important passages of the Pure Land way. I only think of the Buddha's deep benevolence, and do not care about people's abuse. May those who read this attain the Joyful Faith of the Vow-Power, either by the cause of faithful acceptance of the teaching or by the condition of doubt and abuse, and realize the supreme fruition in the Land of Peace and Provision.

Reason for compiling this work through Tao-ch'o' words

119 It is stated in the Collection of Passages Concerning Birth in the Land of Peace and Bliss:

I have collected true words so that they may help others practice the way for birth. For my wish is that those who have attained birth may lead those who come after them and those who aspire for birth may follow their predecessors, thus following one after another endlessly and uninterruptedly until the boundless sea of birth-and-death is exhausted.

Urging people to follow this teaching

120 For this reason, the priests and laypeople of the last age should respectfully accept this teaching in faith. This one should bear in mind.

Reminder of the bodhisattva's compassion

121 A verse in the Garland Sutra says:

When people see a bodhisattva
Perform various practices,
Some give rise to good thoughts and others conceive evil thoughts;
But the bodhisattva embraces both of them.


End of Part 2 of the Chapter on the Provisional
Transformed Buddhas and Lands
of the Pure Land Way



Obscuring the light and mixing with the dust
is the beginning of establishing contact with the beings;
Attaining Buddhahood and manifesting the eight major events
shows the end of the Buddha's mission.


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