The practices of the core followers of Buddha

 

KAUNDINYA (one of) the first five bhiksus, rose from his seat, prostrated himself with his head at the feet of the Buddha and declared: When, soon after His enlightenment, we met the Tathagata in the Mrgadava and Kukkuta parks, I heard His voice, understood His teaching and awakened to the Four Noble Truths. When questioned by the Buddha, I interpreted them correctly and the Tathagata sealed my awakening by naming me ajnata (Thorough Knowledge). As His wonderful voice was mysteriously all-embracing, I attained arhatship by means of sound.

As the Buddha now asks about the best means of perfection, to me sound is the best according to my personal experience.

UPANISAD then rose from his seat, prostrated himself with his head at the feet of the Buddha and declared: .I also met the Buddha soon after His enlightenment. After meditating on impurity which I found repulsive and from which I kept, I awakened to the underlying nature of all forms I realized that (even our) bleached bones that came from impurity would be reduced to dust and would finally return to the void. As both form and the void were perceived as nonexistent, I achieved the state beyond study. The Tathagata sealed my understanding and named me Nisad. After eradicating the (relative) form, wonderful form (surupa) appeared mysteriously all-embracing. Thus I attained arhatship through meditation on form. 

As the Buddha now asks about the best means of perfection, to me form is the best according to my personal experience.

A Bodhisattva named FRAGRANCE-ADORNED then rose from his seat, prostrated himself with his head at the feet of the Buddha and declared: .After the Tathagata had taught me to look into all worldly phenomena, I left Him and retired to set my mind at rest. While observing the rules of pure living, I saw the bhiksus burn sandal incense. In the stillness, its fragrance entered my nostrils. I inquired into this smell which was neither sandalwood nor voidness, and neither smoke nor fire and which had neither whence to come nor whither to go; thereby my intellect vanished and I achieved the state beyond the stream of transmigration. The Tathagata sealed my awakening and named me Fragrance-adorned. After the sudden elimination of (relative) smell, the wonderful fragrance became mysteriously all-embracing. Thus I attained arhatship by means of smell.

As the Buddha now asks about the best means of perfection, to me smell is the best according to my personal experience.

The two Bodhisattvas called BHAISAJYA-RAJA and BHAISAJYA-SAMUDGATA who were present with five hundred Brahmadevas, then rose from their seats, prostrated themselves with their heads at the feet of the Buddha and declared: Since the time without beginning we have been skilful physicians in the world and have tasted with our own mouths herbs, plants and all kinds of mineral and stone found in the world (saha), numbering 108,000 in all. As a result we know perfectly their tastes, whether bitter or sour, salt, insipid, sweet, acrid, etc., their natural, changing or harmonizing properties, and whether they are cooling, heating, poisonous or wholesome. We received instruction from the Tathagata and knew clearly that taste was neither existing nor non-existent, was neither body nor mind and did not exist apart from them. Since we could discern the cause of taste, we achieved our awakening which was sealed by the Buddha who then named us Bhaisajya-raja and Bhaisajya samudgata. We are now ranked among the sons of the Dharma king. in this assembly and because of our awakening by means of taste, we have attained the Bodhisattva stage.

As the Buddha now asks about the best means of perfection, to us taste is the best according to our personal experience.

BHADRAPALA who was with sixteen companions who were all great Bodhisattvas, rose from his seat, prostrated himself with his head at the feet of the Buddha and declared: When the Buddha with an awe-inspiring voice (Bhismagarjita-Ghosha-Svara-Raja) appeared in the world, I heard of the Dharma and left home. At the time of bathing, I followed the rules and entered the bathroom. Suddenly I awakened to the causal water which cleansed neither dirt nor body; thereby I felt at ease and realized the state of nothingness. As I had not forgotten my former practice, when I left home to follow the Buddha in my present life, I achieved the state beyond study. That Buddha named me Bhadrapala because of my awakening to wonderful touch and my realization of the rank of a son of Buddha.

As the Buddha asks now about the best means of perfection, to me touch is the best according to my personal experience.

6. MAHAKASHYAPA who was present with the bhiksu

Golden Light. and others (of his group), then rose from his seat, prostrated himself with his head at the feet of the Buddha and declared: In a former aeon, when Chandrasurya Pradipa Buddha appeared in this world, I had a chance of following him and of hearing the Dharma which I practised. After he had passed away, I revered his relics, lit lamps to perpetuate his light and decorated his statue with pure gold powder. Since then, in every subsequent reincarnation, my body has been radiant with perfect golden light. This bhiksu Golden Light. and the others who are with her, are my retinue because we developed the same mind at the same time. I looked into the six changing sense data which can be reduced to complete extinction only through the state of nirvana. Thus my body and mind were able to pass through hundreds and thousands of aeons in a fingersnap.

By eradicating all dharma (things and ideas), I realized arhatship and the World Honoured One declared that I was the foremost disciplinarian. I awakened to the wonderful dharma, thereby putting an end to the stream of transmigration.

As the Buddha now asks about the best means of perfection, to me dharma are the best according to my personal experience.

ANIRUDDHA then rose from his seat, prostrated himself with his head at the feet of the Buddha and declared: .After I left home, I was always very fond of sleep and the Tathagata scolded me, saying that I was like an animal. After this severe reprimand, I wept bitterly and blamed myself. Because of my sadness I did not sleep for seven successive nights and went completely blind. Then the World Honoured One taught me how to take delight in the Enlightening Vajra Samadhi which enabled me to perceive, not with my eyes (but my mind), the Pure Truth pervading the ten directions, very clearly perceptible, as easy to see as a mango held in my own hand. The Tathagata sealed my attainment of arhatship.

As he now asks about the best means of perfection, to me seeing is, according to my personal experience, the best which is made possible by turning the organ of sight back to its source.

KSUDRAPANTHAKA then rose from his seat, prostrated himself with his head at the feet of the Buddha and declared: I did not know much (about the Dharma) for want of reading and reciting (the Scriptures). When I first met the Buddha, I heard of the Dharma and then left home. I tried to memorize a line of His gatha but failed for a hundred days because as soon as I could retain its first words, I forgot the last ones, and when I could remember the last words, I forgot the first ones. The Buddha took pity on my stupidity and taught me how to live in a quiet retreat and to regularize my breathing. At the time I looked exhaustively into each in and out breath and realized that its rise, stay, change and end lasted only an instant (ksana); thereby my mind became clear and unhindered until I stepped out of the stream of transmigration and finally attained arhatship. I came to stay with the Buddha who sealed my realization of the state beyond study.

As He now asks about the best means of perfection, to me breathing is the best according to my personal experience in turning the breath back to the condition of nothingness.

GAVAMPATI then rose from his seat, prostrated himself

with his head at the feet of the Buddha and declared: Because of my verbal sin when I trifled with monks in a former aeon, in every succeeding reincarnation I have been born with a mouth that always chews the cud like a cow. The Tathagata taught me the pure and clean doctrine of One Mind which enabled me to eliminate the conception of mind for my entry into the state of Samadhi. I looked into tasting, realized that it was neither (a subjective) substance nor (an objective) thing and leaped beyond the stream of transmigration; I thereby disengaged myself from both the inner body and mind and the outer universe and was released from the three worlds of existence. I was like a bird escaping from its cage, thus avoiding impurities and defilements. With my Dharma eye now pure and clean, I attained arhatship and the Tathagata personally sealed my realization of the stage beyond study. As the Buddha now asks about the best means of perfection, to me the turning of taste back to its knower is the best according to my personal experience.

PILINDAVATSA then rose from his seat, prostrated himself with his head at the feet of the Buddha and declared: .When I first followed the Buddha to enter upon the Path, very often I heard the Tathagata speak about the worldly which could not give joy and happiness. (One day) I went to town to beg for food, and as I was thinking about His teaching, I stepped inadvertently on a poisonous thorn that pierced my foot and caused me to feel pain all over my body. I thought of my body which knew and felt this great pain. Although there was this feeling, I looked into my pure and clean mind which no pain could affect. I also thought, .How can this one body of mine have two sorts of feeling? and after a short (mental) concentration on this, all of a sudden, my body and mind seemed to be non-existent and three weeks later I achieved the stage beyond the stream of transmigration and thereby attained arhatship. The Buddha personally sealed my realization of the stage beyond study.  

As he now asks about the best means of perfection, to me the pure awareness that wipes out the (conception of) body is the best according to my personal experience.

SUBHUTI then rose from his seat, prostrated himself with his head at the feet of the Buddha and declared: .As my mind was already free from all hindrances in former aeons, I can now remember my previous reincarnations as countless as the sands in the Ganges. Even when I was a foetus in my mother's womb, I had already awakened to the condition of still voidness which subsequently expanded to fill all the ten directions and which enabled me to teach living beings how to awaken to their absolute nature. Thanks to the Tathagata, I realized the absolute voidness of self-natured awareness, and with the perfection of my immaterial nature, I attained arhatship, thereby entering suddenly into the Tathagata's precious brightness which was as immense as space and the ocean, wherein I (partially) achieved Buddha knowledge. The Buddha sealed my attainment of the stage beyond study; I am, therefore, regarded as the foremost disciple because of my understanding of immaterial self-nature.

As the Buddha now asks about the best means of perfection, according to my personal experience, the best consists in perceiving the unreality of all phenomena, with the elimination of even this unreality, in order to reduce all things to nothingness.

SARIPUTRA then rose from his seat, prostrated himself with his head at the feet of the Buddha and declared: .In former aeons, the sight-perception of my mind was already pure and clean, and in my subsequent incarnations as countless as the sands in the Ganges, I could see without hindrance through all things either on a worldly or supramundane plane. (One day), I met on the road the two brothers Kasyapa who were both preaching the doctrine of causality, and after listening to them, my mind awakened to the Truth and thereby became extensive and boundless. I then left home to follow the Buddha and achieved perfect sight perception thereby acquiring fearlessness, attaining arhatship and qualifying as the Buddha's Elder Son born from the Buddha's  mouth and by transformation of the Dharma. As the Buddha now asks about the best means of perfection, according to my personal experience, the best consists in realizing the most illuminating knowledge by means of the mind's radiant sight perception.

SAMANTABHADRA BODHISATTVA then rose from his seat, prostrated himself with his head at the feet of the Buddha and declared: I was already a son of the Dharma king when formerly I was with the Tathagatas who were countless as the sands in the Ganges. All the Buddhas in the ten directions who teach their disciples to plant Bodhisattva roots, urge them to practise Samantabhadra deeds which are called after my name. World Honoured One, I always use my mind to listen in order to distinguish the variety of views held by living beings. If in a place, separated from here by a number of worlds as countless as the sands in the Ganges, a living being practises Samantabhadra deeds, I mount at once a six tusked elephant and reproduce myself in a hundred and a thousand apparitions to come to his aid. Even if he is unable to see me because of his great karmic obstruction, I secretly lay my hand on his head to protect and comfort him so that he can succeed.

As the Buddha now asks about the best means of perfection, according to my personal experience, the best consists in hearing with the mind, which leads to non-discriminative discernment.

SUNDARANANDA then rose from his seat, prostrated himself with his head at the feet of the Buddha and declared: When I left home to follow the Buddha, although fully ordained, I failed to realize the state of Samadhi because my mind was always unsettled; I was, therefore, unable to reach the condition beyond the stream of transmigration. The World Honoured One then taught me and Kausthila to fix the mind on the tip of the nose. I started this meditation and some three weeks later, I saw that the breath that went in and out of my nostrils was like smoke; inwardly both body and mind were clear and I looked through the (external) world which became a pure emptiness like crystal everywhere. The smoke gradually disappeared and my breath became white. As my mind opened, I achieved the state beyond the stream of transmigration. Both my in and out breaths, now bright, illumined the ten directions so that I attained the arhat stage. The World Honoured One prophesied that I would win enlightenment.

As he now asks about the best means of perfection, according to my personal experience, the best is to eliminate breath which will then turn radiant, ensuring the attainment of the stage of perfection beyond the stream of transmigration.

PURNAMAITRAYANIPUTRA then rose from his seat, prostrated himself with his head at the feet of the Buddha and declared: In former aeons, my power of speech was unhindered and I preached the (doctrine of) misery and unreality, thereby penetrating deep into the absolute reality. I (also) expounded in the assembly the Tathagata's Dharma doors to enlightenment as uncountable as the sands in the Ganges, and thereby won fearlessness. The World Honoured One knew that I had acquired the great power of speech and taught me how to perform the Buddha work by preaching. There, in his presence, I assisted Him in turning the Wheel of the Law and since I could give the lion's roar, I attained arhatship. He sealed my unexcelled skill in expounding the Dharma.

As he now asks about the best means of perfection, according to my opinion, the best consists in employing the Dharma voice to subdue the enmity of Mara and to stop the stream of transmigration.

UPALI then rose from his seat, prostrated himself with

his head at the feet of the Buddha and declared: I personally accompanied the Buddha and we climbed the city wall to flee from home. With my own eyes, I saw how he endured hardship in His practice during the first six years of ascetic life, subdued all demons, overcame heretics and freed himself from worldly desires and all impure efflux (asrava) from the mind. He personally taught me discipline, including the three thousand regulations and eighty thousand lines of conduct which purified all my innate and conventional subtle karmas. As my body and mind were in the nirvanic state, I attained arhatship and the Tathagata sealed my mind because of my strict observance of discipline and control of body. I am now a pillar of discipline in this assembly and am regarded as the foremost disciple.

As the Buddha now asks about the best means of perfection, in my opinion, the best consists in disciplining the body so that it can free itself from all restraints and then in disciplining the mind so that it can be all-pervading, which results in the freedom of both body and mind.

MAHA MAUDGALYAYANA then rose from his seat, prostrated himself with his head at the feet of the Buddha and declared: One day as I was begging for food in the street, I met the three Kasyapa brothers, Uruvilva, Gaya and Nada, who preached the profound doctrine of causality taught by the Tathagata. Suddenly my mind opened and became all pervading. Then the Tathagata gave me a monks robe and when I wore it, my hair and beard fell out. I rambled in the ten directions and met no obstruction. I thus acquired transcendental power which proved the foremost and led to my attainment of arhatship. Not only the World Honoured One, but all the Tathagatas in the ten directions praised my supernatural powers which were perfect, pure, sovereign and fearless. As the Buddha now asks about the best means of perfection, in my opinion the best consists of returning to stillness to allow the light of the mind to appear just as muddy water by settling becomes pure and clean as crystal.

USSCHUSMA then came forward in front of the Tathagata, joined the palms of his two hands, prostrated himself with his head at the feet of the Buddha and declared: .I can still remember that in a very remote aeon, I was filled with sensual desire. At the time a Buddha called The King of Immateriality appeared in the world. According to him, those with lustful desires increased their own hell fires. He then taught me to meditate on the bones in my body, on my four limbs and on my warm and cold breaths. So by turning inwardly the spiritual light for pointed concentration, my lustful mind turned into the fire of wisdom. Since then, I was called Fire Head. by all the Buddhas. Because of my powerful Fire Light Samadhi, I attained arhatship. Then I took my great vow to become a demigod (vira) so that when all Buddhas were about to attain enlightenment, I would personally help them to overcome the enmity of Mara.

As the Buddha now asks about the best means of perfection, according to my opinion, the best consists in looking into the non-existent heat in my body and mind in order to remove all hindrances thereto and to put an end to the stream of transmigration so that the great Precious fight can appear and lead to the realization of Supreme Bodhi..

DHARANIMDHARA BODHISATTVA then rose from his seat, prostrated himself with his head at the feet of the Buddha and declared: .I still remember that formerly when the Buddha of Universal Light appeared in the World, I was a bhiksu who used to level all obstacles, build bridges and carry sand and earth to improve the main roads, ferries, ricefields and dangerous passes which were in bad condition or impassable to horses and carts. Thus I continued to toil for a long time in which an uncountable number of Buddhas appeared in the World. If someone made a purchase at the marketplace and required another to carry it home for him, I did it without charge. When Visvabhu Buddha appeared in the world and famine was frequent, I became a carrier charging only one coin no matter whether the distance was long or short. If an ox cart could not move in a bog, I used my supernatural power to push its wheels free. One day the king invited that Buddha to a feast: as the road was bad, I levelled it for him. The Tathagata Visvabhu placed his hand on my head and said: You should level your mind-ground, then all things in the world will be on the same level.. (Upon hearing this), my mind opened and I perceived that the molecules of my body did not differ from those of which the world is made. These molecules were such that they did not touch one another and could not be touched even by sharp weapons. I then awakened to the patient endurance of the uncreate and thereby attained arhatship. Then by turning my mind inwards, I realized the Bodhisattva stage and when I heard the Tathagatas expound the Buddha's Universal Knowledge in the profound Lotus Sutra, I was the first listener to be awakened to it and was made a leader of the assembly.

As the Buddha now asks about the best means of perfection, in my opinion, the best consists in looking into the sameness of body and universe which are created by infection from falsehood arising from the Tathagata store, until this defilement vanishes and is replaced by perfect wisdom which then leads to the realization of Supreme Bodhi.

CHANDRAPRABHA BODHISATTVA then rose from his seat, prostrated himself with his head at the feet of the Buddha and declared: .I still remember that in the remotest of aeons countless as the sands in the Ganges, there was a Buddha, called Varuna, who appeared in the world and taught Bodhisattvas to contemplate the element of water in order to enter into the state of Samadhi. This method consists in looking into the body wherein all watery elements do not by nature suppress one another, using as subjects of meditation first tears and snot, and then saliva, secretion, blood, urine and excrement, and then reversing the order, thereby perceiving that this element of water in the body does not differ from that of the fragrant oceans that surround the Pure Lands of Buddhas, situated beyond our world. When I achieved this contemplation, I succeeded in realizing only the sameness of the element of water (everywhere) but failed to relinquish (my view of) the body. I was then a bhiksu practising dhyana and when my disciple peeped into the room, he saw that it was filled entirely with clear water, without anything else. As he was an ignorant boy, he picked up a broken tile, threw it into the water with a splash, gazed curiously and left. When I came out of my dhyana state, I suddenly felt pain in my heart as if I had the same trouble which øariputra had with a wicked demon. I thought, .Since I have realized arhatship, I should be free from all causal ailments. Why today, all of a sudden, have I pain in my heart; is it not a sign of my backsliding?. When the boy returned and related what he had seen and done during my meditation, I said: .When next you see water in my room, open the door, enter the water and take away the

broken tile. The boy obeyed, for when I again entered the dhyana state, he saw the same broken tile in the water; he then opened the door and removed the tile. When I came out of dhyana, my pain had vanished. Later, I met countless Buddhas before I encountered Sagara Varadhara Buddhivikridita Bhijna Buddha (under whose instruction) I succeeded in relinquishing (the conception of) body, thereby realizing perfect union of this body and the fragrant oceans in the ten directions with absolute voidness, without any further differentiation. This is why I was called .a son of a Buddha and was qualified to attend all Bodhisattva meetings.

.As the Buddha now asks about the best means of perfection, in my opinion the best consists in achieving the unhindered universalizing pervasion of the element water, thereby realizing the patient endurance of the uncreate which ensures Complete Enlightenment.

THE BODHISATTVA OF CRYSTAL LIGHT then rose from his seat, prostrated himself with his head at the feet of the Buddha and declared: .I still remember that once, in the remotest of aeons countless as the sands in the Ganges, there was a Buddha called Infinite Voice. who appeared in the world to reveal to Bodhisattvas the profoundly enlightened fundamental awareness which, by looking into this world and the bodily forms of all living beings, could perceive that all were created by the power of the wind arising from illusory concurrent causes. At the time, I inquired into the (illusory) setting up of the world, changing time, bodily motion and motionlessness, stirring of mind, in other words all kinds of movement which were fundamentally the same and did not differ from one another. I then realized that these movements had neither whence to come nor whither to go and that all living beings in the ten directions, as uncountable as the dust, came from the same falsehood. Likewise, all living beings in every small world of the great chiliocosm were like mosquitoes in a trap in which they hummed aimlessly and created a mad tumult. Soon after meeting that Buddha, I realized the patient endurance of the uncreate. As my mind opened, I perceived the land of the Imperturbable Buddha in the eastern region where I was admitted as a son of the Dharma king, serving all the Buddhas in the ten directions. My body and mind gave out rays of light that illumined all the worlds without obstruction.

.As the Buddha now asks about the best means of perfection, in my opinion the best consists in looking into the power of the element of wind which has nothing (real) on which to rely, thereby awakening to the Bodhi mind so as to enter Samadhi and (then) to unite with the profound One Mind expounded by the Buddhas in the ten directions.

AKASAGARBHA BODHISATTVA then rose from his seat prostrated himself with his head at the feet of the Buddha and declared: When the Tathagata and I were with Dipamkara Buddha and realized our boundless bodies, I held in my hands four big precious gems which illumined all Buddha lands in the ten directions, as uncountable as dust, and transmuted them into the (absolute) void. Then my own mind appeared like a great mirror emitting ten kinds of mysterious precious light which penetrated the ten directions, reaching the boundaries of space and causing all pure lands of Buddhas to enter the mirror and then to intermingle freely with my own body which was just like unobstructive space. (Then) my body could enter perfectly as many (samsaric) countries as there are grains of dust to carry out far and wide the Buddha works (of salvation) so that universality could prevail (everywhere). This great transcendental power derived from my close inquiry into the four elements which had nothing real to rely upon and into false thinking that rose and fell (alternately and ended in nothingness). I realized the nonduality of space and the sameness of the Buddhas (pure lands) and samsaric worlds, thereby achieving the patient endurance of the uncreate.

As the Buddha now asks about the best means of perfection, according to my own experience, the best consists in the close examination into boundless space, leading to entry into Samadhi and perfecting thereby the mysterious spiritual power.

MAITREYA BODHISATTVA then rose from his seat, prostrated himself with his head at the feet of the Buddha and declared: I still remember that in the remotest of aeons as uncountable as the dust, there was a Buddha called Chandrasurya pradipa who appeared in the world (to convert others). I followed him to leave home. However, I (still) cherished worldly fame and liked to mix with noble clans. Then the Tathagata taught me how to practise dhyana meditation on the minds consciousness in order to realize the state of Samadhi. Ever since the following aeons, I have used this Samadhi to serve Buddhas as many as the sands in the Ganges, thereby eliminating completely my (previous) mind set on worldly fame. When Dipankara Buddha appeared in the world, (under his instruction) I realized the consciousness perfecting supreme Samadhi of the mind which enabled me to perceive that all Tathagata (stores) and samsaric worlds, purity and impurity and existence and non-existence were but appearances caused by my own minds transformations. World Honoured One, because of my clear understanding that only the minds consciousness was the cause (of all externals, I perceived) an unlimited number of Tathagatas coming out of the nature of consciousness, hence (the Buddhas) prophecy that I shall be His successor.

As the Buddha now asks about the best means of per-fection, my opinion is that the best consists of close examination into all appearances which are created by consciousness only, in order to perfect the conscious mind, thereby realizing complete reality and ensuring non-reliance on externals and the breaking of all attachments caused by discrimination, thereby achieving  the  patient  endurance  of  the uncreate.

MAHASTHAMA, a son of the Dharma king, who was the head of a group of fifty-two Bodhisattvas, rose from his seat, prostrated himself with his head at the feet of the Buddha and declared: I still remember that in the remotest of aeons countless as the sands in the Ganges, there was a Buddha called Amitabha who was succeeded by eleven other Tathagatas in that kalpa. The last one was called the Buddha Whose Light Surpassed that of the Sun and Moon; he taught me how to realize the state of Samadhi by thinking exclusively of (Amitabha) Buddha. By way of illustration, if a man concentrates his mind on someone else while the latter always forgets him, both may meet and see, but without recognizing, each other. However, if both are keen on thinking of each other, their keenness will grow from one incarnation to another until they become inseparable like a body and its shadow. The Tathagatas in the ten directions have compassion for all living beings and always think of them, like a mother who never ceases thinking of her son. If the son runs away, her thoughts of him will not help. But if he also thinks of her with the same keenness, they will not be separated in spite of the passing of transmigration. If a living being remembers and thinks of the Buddha, he is bound to behold Him in his present or future incarnation. He will not be far from the Buddha and thus without the aid of any other expedient, his mind will be opened. He is like a man whose body, perfumed by incense, gives out fragrance; hence his name .One Glorified by (Buddhas) Fragrance and Light. From my fundamental cause-ground and with all my thoughts concentrated on the Buddha, I achieved the patient endurance of the uncreate. (This is why) I help all living beings of this world to control their thoughts by repeating the Buddhas name so that they can reach the Pure Land.

As the Buddha now asks about the best means of perfection, I hold that nothing can surpass the perfect control of the six senses with continuous pure thoughts in order to realize Samadhi.

AVALOKITESVARA  Bodhisattva rose from his seat, prostrated himself with his head at the feet of the Buddha and declared: I still remember that long before numbers of aeons countless as the sand grains in the Ganges, a Buddha called Avalokitesvara appeared in the world. When I was with Him, I developed the Bodhi Mind and, for my entry into Samadhi, I was instructed by Him to practise meditation by means of the organ of hearing.

At first by directing the organ of hearing into the stream of meditation, this organ was detached from its object, and by wiping out (the concept of) both sound and stream-entry, both disturbance and stillness became clearly non-existent. Thus advancing step by step both hearing  and its object ceased completely, but I did not stop where they ended. When the awareness of this state and this state itself were realized as non-existent, both subject and object merged into the void, the awareness of which became all embracing. With further elimination of the void and its object both creation and annihilation vanished giving way to the state of Nirvana which then manifested. Suddenly I leaped over both the mundane and supramundane, thereby realizing an all-embracing brightness pervading the ten directions, and acquired two unsurpassed (merits). The first was in accord with the fundamental Profound Enlightened Mind of all the Buddhas high up in the ten directions and possessed the same merciful power as the Tathagata. The second was in sympathy with all living beings in the six realms of existence here below in the ten directions and shared with them the same plea for compassion.

World Honoured One, as I (followed and) made offerings to the Tathagata Avalokitesvara, He taught me to use my illusory hearing and sublimate it to realize the Diamond (Vajra) Samadhi which gave me the same power of mercy of all Buddhas and enabled me to transform myself into thirtytwo bodily forms for the purpose of visiting all countries in samsara (to convert and liberate living beings). World Honoured One, if there are Bodhisattvas who practise Samadhi to attain the transcendental (Mean), when there is a chance for them to realize absolute Wisdom, I will appear as a Buddha to teach them the Dharma to liberate them. If there are solitary students seeking (only) self enlightenment, who practise the stillness of Nirvana, when there is a chance for them to realize it, I will appear as a teacher of self-enlightenment to teach them the Dharma to liberate them. If there are students of the Four Noble Truths who, after realizing the unreality of suffering and its accumulation, tread the Path leading to the extinction of passions, when there is a chance for them to achieve this, I will appear as a hearer (sravaka) to teach them the Dharma to liberate them. If there are living beings who realize (the harmfulness of) desire in the mind and abstain from all worldly cravings to achieve purity of body, I will appear as Brahma to teach them the Dharma to liberate them. If there are living beings who desire to be lords of devas to rule over the realms of the gods, I will appear as sakra to teach them the Dharma so that they reach their goals. If there are living beings who wish to roam freely in the ten directions, I will appear as Isvaradeva to teach them the Dharma to that they reach their goals. If there are living beings who wish to fly freely in empty space, I will appear as Mahesvara to teach them the Dharma so that they reach their goals. If there are living beings who wish to be lords of ghosts and spirits to protect their countries, I will appear as a great warrior to teach them the Dharma so that they reach their goals. .If there are living beings who wish to rule over the world to protect all its inhabitants, I will appear as a deva king of the four quarters to teach them the Dharma so that they reach their goals. If there are living beings who wish to be reborn in the palace of devas to command ghosts and spirits, I will appear as a son of the deva king of the four quarters to teach them the Dharma so that they reach their goals. If there are living beings who wish to be kings of human beings, I will appear as a king to teach them the Dharma so that they reach their goals. If there are living beings who wish to be heads of clans to enjoy the respects of their clansmen, I will appear as a respectable elder (grhapati) to teach them the Dharma so that they reach their goals. If there are living beings who enjoy discussing well known sayings and practise pure living, I will appear as a respectable scholar to teach them the Dharma so that they reach their goals. If there are living beings who wish to govern cities and towns, I will appear as a magistrate to teach them the Dharma so that they reach their goals. If there are living beings who delight in practising mysticism for self-welfare, I will appear as a Brahmin to teach them the Dharma so that they reach their goals. If there are men who are keen on study and learning and leave home to practise the rules of morality and discipline, I will appear as a bhiksu to teach them the Dharma so that they reach their goals. If there are women who are eager to study and learn and leave home to observe the precepts, I will appear as a bhiksu to teach them the Dharma so that they reach their goals. If there are men who observe the five precepts, I will appear as a upasaka to teach them the Dharma so that they reach their goals. If there are women who observe the five precepts, I will appear as a upasika to teach them the Dharma so that they reach their goals. If there are women who are keen to fulfil their home duties thereby setting a good example to other families and the whole country, I will appear as a queen, a princess or a noble lady to teach them the Dharma so that they reach their goals. If there are young men who are chaste, I will appear as a celibate youth to teach them the Dharma so that they reach their goals. If there are young women who are keen to avoid carnality in order to preserve their virginity, I will appear as a maiden to teach them the Dharma so that they reach their goals. If there are gods who wish to be freed from bondage in their realms, I will appear as a deva to teach them the Dharma so that they reach their goals. If there are dragons (nagas) who wish to be freed from bondage in their realms, I will appear, as a naga to teach them the Dharma so that they reach their goals. If there are yaksas who wish to be freed from bondage in their realms, I will appear as a yaksa to teach them the Dharma so that they reach their goals. If there are gandharvas who wish to be freed from bondage in their realms, I will appear as a gandharva to teach them the Dharma so that they reach their goals. If there are asuras who wish to be freed from bondage in their realms, I will appear as an asura to teach them the Dharma so that they reach their goals. If there are garudas who wish to be freed from bondage in their realms, I will appear as a garuda to teach them the Dharma so that they reach their goals. If there are kinnaras who wish to be freed from bondage in their realms, I will appear as a kinnara to teach them the Dharma so that they reach their goals. If there are mahoragas who wish to be freed from bondage in their realms, I will appear as a mahoraga to teach them the Dharma so that they reach their goals. If there are living beings who wish to be reborn as human beings, I will appear in human form to teach them the Dharma so that they reach their goals. If there are non-human beings with or without forms and either thoughtful or thoughtless, who wish to be freed from bondage in their  realms, I will appear as one of them to teach them the Dharma so that they reach their goals.  These are my thirty-two transformation-bodies in response to (the needs of) all countries in samsara, achieved by means of the uncreated sovereign power of Samadhi realized in my practice of sublimating the faculty of hearing. World Honoured One, I also use this uncreated sovereign power of Diamond Samadhi, derived from sublimating hearing, to share with all living beings in the six realms in the ten directions the same plea for compassion, and to bestow upon them fourteen kinds of fearlessness which emanate from my body and mind.

1.  Since I myself do not meditate on sound but on the meditator, I cause all suffering beings to look into the sound of their voices in order to obtain liberation.

2. By returning (discriminative) intellect to its (absolute) source, I cause them to avoid being burned when they find themselves in a great fire.

3. By returning hearing to its source, I cause them to avoid drowning when they are adrift on the sea.

4. By stopping wrong thinking and thereby cleansing their minds of harmfulness, I lead them to safety when they wander in the realm of evil ghosts.

5. By sublimating their (wrong) hearing to restore its absolute condition, thereby purifying all six organs and perfecting their functions, I cause them, when in danger, to be immune from sharp weapons which become blunt and useless like water that cannot be cut and daylight that cannot be blown away, because their (underlying) nature does not change.

6. By perfecting the sublimation of their hearing, its bright light pervades the whole Dharma realm to destroy the darkness (of ignorance) thereby dazzling evil beings such as yaksa, raksa, kumbhanda, pisaci, putana, etc, who cannot see them when meeting them.

7. When hearing is reversed so that sound vanishes completely, all illusory objects of sense disappear so that (practisers) are freed from fetters which can no longer restrain them.

8: The elimination of sound to perfect hearing results in universal compassion so that they can pass through regions infested with robbers and bandits who cannot plunder them.

9. The sublimation of hearing disengages them from the objects of sense and makes them immune from (attractive) forms, thereby enabling lustful beings to get rid of desires and cravings.

10. The sublimation of sound eliminates all sense data and results in the perfect mingling of each organ with its objects and the total eradication of subject and object, thereby enabling all vindictive beings to bury anger and hate.

11. After the elimination of sense data and the return to the bright (Reality), both inner body and mind and outer phenomena become crystal dear and free from all hindrances, so that dull and ignorant unbelievers (icchantika) can get rid of the darkness of ignorance.

12. When their bodies are in harmony with the nature of hearing, they can, from their immutable state of enlightenment (bodhimandala), re-enter the world (to liberate others) without harming the worldly, and can go anywhere to make offerings to Buddhas countless as dust, serving every Tathagata in the capacity of a son of  the King of the Law and having the power to give male heirs with blessed virtues and wisdom to childless people who want boys.

13. The perfecting of the six organs unifies their divided

functions so that they become all embracing, thus revealing the Great Mirror (Wisdom) and immaterial Tathagata womb compatible with all Dharma doors taught by Buddhas as uncountable as dust. They can bestow upright, blessed, gracious, and respect-inspiring girls on childless  parents who want daughters.

14. In this great chiliocosm which contains a hundred lacs of suns and moons, there are now Bodhisattvas countless as sand grains in sixty-two Ganges rivers. They practise the Dharma to set a good example to all living beings by befriending, teaching and converting them; in their wisdom their expedient methods differ. Because I used one penetrating organ which led to my realization through the faculty of hearing, my body and mind embrace the whole Dharma realm in which I teach all living beings to concentrate their minds on calling my name. The merits that follow are the same as those derived from calling on the names of all these Bodhisattvas. World Honoured One, my single name does not differ from those uncountable ones, because of my practice and training which led to my true enlightenment. These are the fourteen fearless (powers) which I bestow upon living beings.

World Honoured One, because of my Perfect Understanding which led to my attainment of the Supreme Path, I acquired four inconceivable absolute virtues.

1. When I first realized the hearing mind which was most profound, the Essence of Mind (i.e. the Tathagata store) disengaged itself from hearing and could no longer be divided by seeing, hearing, feeling and knowing, and so became one pure and clean all-pervading precious Bodhi. This is why I can take on different wonderful forms and master a countless number of esoteric mantras. I can appear with one, three, five, seven, nine, eleven and up to 108, 1,000, 10,000 and 84,000 sovereign (cakra) faces; with two, four, six, eight, ten, twelve, fourteen, sixteen, eighteen, twenty, twenty-four and up to 108, 1,000, 10,000 and 84,000 arms making various gestures (mudras); and with two, three, four, nine up to 108, 1,000, 10,000 and 84,000 clean and pure precious eyes, either merciful or wrathful, and in a state either of still imperturbability (dhyana-samadhi) or of absolute wisdom (prajna) to save and protect living beings  so  that  they  can  enjoy  great  freedom.

2. Because of my meditation by means of the (organ of) hearing, which resulted in my disengagement from the six sense data, like a sound going through a wall without hindrance, I can, with each appearance and with the aid of each mantra, bestow fearlessness upon (suffering) beings in countries as countless as dust in the ten directions in which I am regarded as the Giver of Dauntlessness.

3. Because of the perfection which I won by sublimating

the appropriate organ, living beings in countries which I visit (lay down their desires and attachments and) offer their bodies and treasures to implore my compassion.

4. As 1 have realized the Buddha mind and attained Ultimate (Reality) I can make offerings to the Tathagatas in ten directions and satisfy living beings in the six worlds who seek (virtuous) wives, (good) sons, samadhi, long life and even parinirvana.

As the Buddha now asks about the best means of perfection, my method which consists in regulating the organ of hearing so as to quiet the mind for its entry into the stream of meditation leading to the state of Samadhi and attainment of Enlightenment is the best.

World Honoured One, that Buddha praised my excellent method of perfection and gave me, in the presence of the assembly, the name of Avalokitesvara. Because of my all-embracing (absolute function of) hearing, my name is known everywhere. Thereupon, the Tathagata said to Manjusri: Son of the Dharma king, these twenty-five Bodhisattvas and Arhats who no longer need to study and learn, have related the expedient methods used by them at the start of their practice for their realization of Bodhi. In reality each of these methods does not differ  from, and is neither superior nor inferior to the others.