Dragon-King Sutra Stanzas

A Short Introduction

This Dragon-King Sutra implies profound wisdom. In it Buddha settled the struggle between the Asuras and Gods and that between the Garudas and Dragons. Anyone who repeats it may become enlightened and get protection from all the eight departments of protectors, namely, Deavs, Nagas, Yaksas, Gandharvas, Asuras, Garudas, Kinnara, and Mahoraga.

I was advised by heavenly instruction that I should find this Sutra in the Chinese Tripitaka and repeat it. As this Sutra is much longer than the Diamond Sutra, it was not separately repeated by anyone except those who read the whole Tripitaka. Hence there was no such Sutra printed separately by any publisher. I therefore summarized all those essences into some stanzas and printed them for those who may wish to repeat them, especially those who work on the oceans as navigators and mariners. Now I have been trusted to translate it into English. I hope it can flourish all over the earth between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

    On Condor Mount, where Buddha held a meeting
    A great precious canopy was in sight!
    With many different jewels, pearls and brooches,
    They all were so pure shining in a great light!

    From the canopy fell flowers and incense,
    A very loud thunder was heard from the sky.
    Maudgalya (Buddha's disciple) was inspired by Buddha to ask,
    What was this nice, auspicious symbol and why?

    Buddha replied, "The Dragon King
    Will come to me soon in this place."
    And so he came with family,
    Worshipped, offered with best praise!

    He said, "Buddha can distinguish
    Evil persons from the good ones.
    Buddha saw all things were void,
    All Mayas happened only once !

    Buddha performed Six Paramitas,
    All his good wills have been carried out!
    He is the great Hero in this world,
    Purified all our sins in Nought!"

    After the King praised Buddha, he then asked:
    "What should be the Bodhisattva's actions?
    How to be rid of evil and get power,
    And Buddha's wisdom and his foretelling?"

    Buddha taught him with the following four things:
    "To get rid of sins, one should not harm others (1),
    Keep ten goodnesses (2), don't talk of other's faults (3),
    Neither praise oneself highly with a false pride (4).

    One who's skilled in seeing Buddha may obtain
    The heaven-eye power and can see all things.
    One who's skilled in preaching Dharma may obtain
    Ear-power and at far places hear others sing!

    One who's skilled in controlling one's mind,
    May know that which another's thinking.
    One practicing the Six Remembrance,
    (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, Sila, Alms, God)
    May know in the past lives of all things!

    One renouncing all the dirts of evil,
    May do everything at one's Will!
    One practicing all kinds of good Dharma,
    May get Asrava Kasaya-Jnana! (A supernatural consciousness of the Waning of Vicious Propensities)

    View one's body and Dharma as natural, (1)
    One's body and Dharma as purified, (2)
    View one's body and Dharma as non-ego (3)
    One's body and Dharma then become void! (4)
    One's mind silent, Dharma too silent, (5)
    Oneself and Dharma both become quiet! (6)
    Non-Body sees Non-Dharma, (7)
    Non-Wonder sees Non-Karma. (8)
    When body seems with no ear,
    There is non-Dharma one may hear! (9)
    I have no feelings of Karma, (10)
    These ten things are the deep Dharma.

    Four things may obtain Prophecy:
    Meek in temper, and like Dharma (1)
    Know every person's thinking, (2)
    All conduct aimed at white Karma, (3)
    Know the purity of all things." (4)

    The Dragon King offered many jewels,
    Whose value is equal to the whole world.
    And wished to attain the Buddha's light.
    Bless all beings to get the Buddhahood!

    Dragon King asked the Six Paramitas again:
    Buddha replied, "One must hold the Wisdom Sword.
    Give alms equally of all things and one's self.
    Give others equally and with all Dharma's word,
    When all things have been given equally to others,
    One may obtain the quality of Buddhahood!

    Keep the Vinaya not by body, mouth and mind,
    Nor by the Three Periods nor inside nor outside,
    Nor by awakeness, nor by consciousness,
    No thing to depend upon is good guide.

    In patience, there is neither man nor me,
    Nor is there any objectivity of mine,
    Man and I and View all three are pure.
    All Dharma is pure, patience becomes fine.

    No action attached to all those Dharmas,
    Who will hate the disturbance of mind?
    As mind is naturally of non-thing,
    This is the true patience of real kind!

    Diligence is to view but not to follow,
    Neither to renounce, nor to gather the laws,
    Man and Dharma have not separated,
    All are of nature in the same source!

    Dharma and Buddha all are natural,
    There is no thing that needs Diligence,
    Neither is there a thing to be obtained,
    This non-obtaining is the diligence!

    The mind of Chan is not inside,
    Nor outside nor any place to abide!
    For all where Chan does not attach,
    Really feel no-thing but not hide!

    Chan uses wisdom to get rest,
    To save beings in the way that's best!

    Wisdom views all Dharma as quiet,
    But nowhere they may be gathered;
    One may view it but not catch it,
    Nor make non-form of another!

    No craving, no knowledge, no insight,
    To save fools is wisdom real and right.
    Dharma and Dharmadhatu all are pure,
    They are in nature, unspeakable and sure!
    All four Dhyanas and Six Paramitas
    Vulgar conditions are able to cure!

    Buddha thinks not with his mind or consciousness!
    Real Dharma has no speech nor literature.
    He does not hold fast any speech nor non-speech,
    All words, speech may be Dharma in nature.
    Forget its purity and nothing to keep.
    All holy preachings are endless scripture!"

    Buddha taught Dragon King with endless teachings,
    Which was a doctrine named "The Entire Control",
    "Endless discrimination, Endless wisdom,
    Endless understanding, Endless rebuttal!

    Again, there are four endless forces:
    Endless endurance to do things, (1)
    Endless world wisdom to cut doubts, (2)
    Endless power to see men's thinkings, (3)
    Endless skill to give men teaching. (4)

    Again there is the endlessness of non-fear,
    Non-fear of evil-states and their meeting,
    Non-fear of cutting all doubts whatever,
    Non-fear of falling into any rebutting.

    Again there's no end of literal meeting,
    They all appear only in illusion.
    When one is free from all five illusions,
    Then Sunyata of all things can be seen.

    The vast Dharma surely has no end,
    The literature is like this too.
    Who knows where does the speech arrive?
    Nor knows anywhere it gathers into?

    Conditionally we say realization,
    Actually there is not any real assurance!
    Just like all Dharmas have their name in words,
    All our conducts follow the Doctrine influence!"

    Again Buddha taught the whole control of body,
    "Keep the truth as your head, keep the mind as your face.
    Keep law as throat, keep sunyata as the ribs.
    Keep steps as spine, deep doctrine as umbilicus.

    Pure mind is mother, keen skill is father.
    Law family, Bodhi-branches are party.
    Work hard is perfection, Dhyana well fed,
    Almsgiving is food, endurance beauty.
    Best agreement is Prajna Paramita,
    Keeping all the above teachings is important."

    Buddha again told the past conditions,
    Dragon King was named Endless Welfare King.
    Himself had been the Head Tathagata.
    At that time he gave the same teaching.

    A total maxim with many essences:
    "Don't quench all the forms but act as conduct,
    Don't give rise or produce any kind of form,
    All forms have their own nature to contact.

    When all forms have been contacted in Truth,
    All your conducts will be also perfect.
    But you should not hold it as a success,
    This is my profound teaching to affect."

    Sariputra (disciple) heard it and asked Buddha:
    "I never heard such a profound teaching.
    Why have you not preached it to all mankind,
    But you only taught to the Dragon King?"

    Buddha replied, "Don't disregard Dragons,
    They all were Bhiksus in past lives.
    They all fell here through their lustful Karmas,
    Will be Buddhas in their future lives.
    Their Pure Land will be named "No-Defilement."

    Dragon King asked why many families are here?
    Buddha replied, "Because they were Bhiksus who fell.
    And many bad lazy Buddhists were reborn,
    Otherwise they would fall in different hells.
    As they broke the silas but kept Right View,
    So they're reborn here, may still hear my call!"

    The Prince of Dragons heard about this,
    Then vowed before Buddha and said,
    "I must Keep my good conduct and don't forget."
    He was told will be Buddha in life next!

    Dragon King then invited the Buddha
    To go to his ocean palace,
    Buddha accepted his invitation,
    King went back for preparation!

    Dragon King called all those Dragons,
    And invited all Gods of all heavens,
    Made a non-edge highest palace,
    As Buddha descended from sky it happened!

    Transformed many precious grades to descend,
    Guide six myriads Dragons to welcome.
    Many Pure Land Buddhas appeared too,
    Many Deities praised Buddha with songs.

    Buddha preached in Dragon palace the Ten Goodness.
    Which was the man-heaven-yana and Hinayana base.
    Besides it can benefit the whole vulgar world,
    With wisdom one may become Buddha in good case!

    No-murder may get longlife Buddha,
    No-robbing may get Buddha's great power,
    No-desire gets Buddha's horse-hide-organ.
    No-lie gets Buddha's faithful follower.
    No-two-tongue gets Buddha's good family,
    No-bad-speech may get the best Brahman sound.
    No-improper-word gets Buddha's prophecy,
    No-lust the three realms offering may be found!

    No-anger one may get Buddha's awakeness,
    No-ignorance one gets Buddhahood perfect.
    Practice these ten goodness and six perfections,
    One may accomplish Bodhisattva conducts!

    Buddha said again, "With three things
    One may get rid of all one's sin:
    Condition wisdom (1) and clear mind(2),
    Pure Sunyata (3), no fault to find."

    Dragon King asked how to be transcendent.
    Buddha replied, "Ten things are important:
    Keep constant gladness (1) and pure nature (2)
    Keep the convenience (3) and diligence (4),
    Treat all sentient beings with great compassion (5)
    Do merit without tire but influence (6).
    Like study (7) and live in the Mandala (8).
    Get best wisdom (9), never forget Dharma (10).

    The Diety named Quiet-Abiding Asura asked
    How a Bodhisattva gets a non-extreme mind.
    Buddha replied, "His mind is always pure and bright(1),
    He keeps the deepest wisdom (2) and knows sunyata (3),
    He works anywhere, there is no tire to find (4).
    By these four conditions he becomes such a kind!"

    Quiet-Abiding Asura vowed before Buddha,
    He wanted himself to be such a Bodhisattva.
    Buddha prophesied that he will be a Buddha,
    And he will be named the God's Pennant of Dharma!

    Then another Dragon King named No-Consumed asked,
    If there are no men who will give prophecy.
    Buddha replied, "It is just like such a Sunyata,
    One knows non-egoism is worthy to prophesy!

    Tathagata knows the sunyata,
    He abides in it without moving.
    All Dharmas are void in nature.
    Such a place is Buddha's dwelling.

    A Princess of Dragon King named Precious Silk
    Offered Buddha some jewels and then vowed:
    "I would like to be the same Buddha too."
    Kasyapa refused, "How can a girl hold?"

    Precious Silk said, "It's easy as turning the palm.
    Egoism of the sexes both are not attainable.
    Body and mind may be Buddha naturally.
    I am the path, but not by the path it is able."

    Kasyapa said, "Why, you can't turn the Dharma Wheel."
    Precious Silk said, "This is the Dharma Wheel you see!
    I turn it with non-volition and with sunyata,
    With no-dualism which in nature as pure as sea,
    Such as wheel how do you turn it?"
    Buddha agreed and then said "Good,
    You will be the 'Pervade Buddha'."
    Thus Buddha proved her Buddhahood!

    Indra asked Buddha to advise Asuras
    Who have disturbed the Trayastrinsa heaven.
    Buddha advised all those Asuras and said:
    "Beneficence is worthy to be praised often.
    Welfare of this life time will not last so long.
    Try to see next life in which what will happen!"

    All Asuras heard this, vowed before Buddha,
    They will make friends with Devas, not war again!
    Buddha praised them three times, "You are good, good, good!
    This is the best thing to offer and to gain."

    Dragon King welcomed Buddha and gave thanks
    Offered him many gems worth the whole world.
    Our Buddha never praised them so highly
    As those Asuras who vowed to be good.

    At that meeting there were four Dragon Kings,
    Named Breath, Great Breath, Bear, and Endless Color!
    They all asked Buddha to stop Garuda (Bird who eats Dragons)
    Buddha gave them some Holy Kasaya (Robe).

    He told them to cut into pieces and divide,
    Those kings at first feared of there being not enough.
    But at last each Dragon had just one piece!
    But advised to keep it as well as one's love!
    Buddha again made a general prophecy:
    Each Dragon will be a Buddha and all have mercy!

    Four Garudas asked what things they should take?
    Buddha said, "Things by killing and robbing,
    Cheating and pretending should not be eaten.
    Because it will cause you to end up falling."

    Four Garudas then vowed before Buddha
    "We will give alms of non-fear to Dragons."
    Buddha told them about their past lives,
    They were Bhiksus who did something wrong.

    Their names, Pleasure, Great Joy, Winer, and Pet.
    They were so lustful but offered to Buddhas!
    Because of offering they did not fall in hell.
    This hearing, there appeared their past lives' Karmas.

    What they had done all re-appeared,
    They repented before the Buddha.
    Buddha then made a prophecy:
    They will be freed by Maitreya (Next Buddha).

    After Dragons have been blessed by Lord,
    Asked Buddha Parinirvana there!
    Hence they will have relics to worship.
    Subhuti (disciple) refused to rest elsewhere!

    Dragons said, "Lord's body is not limited.
    His Holy Body has no end at all!"
    Subhuti kept silence, Buddha said "Yes!
    Buddha's body is neither short nor tall!"

    After preaching Buddha said Goodbye.
    Goddess of Ocean asked for blessing.
    Lord said "The Ten Goodness is blessing,
    And told her she will become a man,
    Be reborn in non-anger Pure Land!

    The Prince of Dragon King named "Get Appearance"
    Transformed the palace as a heavenly one,
    And sent Buddha back to the Condor Mountain.
    All said farewell and asked Lord to re-come!

    Dragon King and his young Prince asked again:
    What things may be counted as great offering?
    Buddha replied, "There are four great offerings,
    If you like to do, you may really gain!
    Forget not Bodhicitta and do good, (1)
    Have great pleasure and keep deep talent, (2)
    With diligence to establish an Altar, (3)
    Learn wonderful Dharma and be patient (4)."

    At that time the Indian King and officials
    All came to the Mount and did welcome Buddha,
    And asked "Why the water has been dried up?
    On earth we only saw the pagoda?"

    Buddha said, "It was my special power,
    Let men see altar, Dragon see water."
    King asked "What was the cause of Dragon King?"
    Lord said, "He had been Dharma Wheel Master!"

    When he served Buddha named Pure-Light,
    He heard heavenly voice which advised him:
    Save all beings and have Bodhicitta,
    It's the best offering to holy beings.
    You will be successful in Buddhahood,
    Name 'No-Dirt' better than all Kinds."

    Indian King lauded the Dragon King,
    But Dragon King said, "It was nothing.
    It was the great compassion of Buddha,
    Followed the custom and had the saying."

    After Dragon King uttered these words,
    Many Bodhisattvas came awake.
    Dragon King flew up to the sky,
    A best praise he was to make!

    "Every Dharma has no mind,
    Neither is there one to make.
    Evil appears but no receiver,
    Buddha's preaching was like a great quake!"

    Buddha then trusted all Bodhisattvas,
    And many Gods, Dragons and Deities,
    To spread this Sutra everywhere,
    Let all Buddhists obtain their Bodhis!

    Bodhisattva 'Wisdom Hero' said,
    "I do know there is not any holder,
    Could I hold this Sutra, My Lord !"
    "Yes, no holder is the real holder!"
    No-Defilement Goddess said to Buddha:
    "I do not think of man and Buddha,
    Could I hold this great sutra and spread"
    "Yes to think no Buddha is a Buddha."

    Buddha again blessed them without obstacles.
    The God named Pervade-Head vowed to protect,
    And said, "To subdue the outsiders
    Drive away demons, it should contact."

    Buddha also commanded Ananda,
    "In Kali Age this is most important,
    Repeating it may rid one of hindrance,
    May free from demons and difficulty,
    May get many Gods, Dragons to protect!
    May quickly obtain Full Enlightenment,
    And help all beings to get accomplishment!!"

Colophon

The inspiration of my repetition of these stanzas was unexpected. The Dragon King personally came to me in Kalimpong. He humbly bowed down before me and welcomed me to go to America's West Coast where the whole range of mountains, with the head in Seattle, navel in Sonoma County, California, and tail in Mexico, formed a symbol of a Dragon. The next day I received a letter along with a building photo sent from Seattle by a Chinese sponsor asking me to go and teach Buddhist meditation there. As the time and the place of the building were not fixed with my conditions, I did not go. In 1970 Charles and Varya favored me a visit. After they had enjoyed the geomancy of my hermitage, I trusted them to find the same auspicious geomancy on the West Coast of America for my hermitage to fix the invitation of the Dragon King. Charles was inspired to find out the navel wheel of the Dragon mountain when he went back a short while later. He immediately purchased this land and wrote and invited me. Varya was so kind as to personally come to India again and to help bring me out from my Kalimpong hermitage where I had lived as a hermit for 25 years. I arrived in America in December 1972 and got my permanent resident visa in only a few months. Things difficult for others are made very easy for me. In 1973 on the 3000th birthday of Lord Buddha, I performed a fire sacrifice on the mountain place we call the Adi Buddha Mandala and the Dragon King sent a most beautiful Dragon with a five colored body to lay under my Dharma seat which proved exactly the situation of the centre of the Adi Buddha Mandala.

This small booklet cannot mention all His endless favours. I have to end it here in hopes that every reader would like to repeat this Sutra and get more inspirations than what I have been blessed with.

Source

By Yogi C. M. Chen
yogichen.org