Praise of the Buddha’s Qualities
Then the Bhagavān said to the youth Candraprabha, “Young man, therefore, if bodhisattva mahāsattvas wish to teach the buddha qualities as described by the Tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened Buddha, without any loss of meaning or words, and for all their words to come forth as those of the Buddha, then those bodhisattva mahāsattvas, young man, [F.10.a] should, for the sake of all beings, obtain196 this samādhi, understand197 it, preserve it,198 recite it to others,199 promote it,200 proclaim it,201 chant it,202 meditate on it with unadulterated203 meditation, promulgate it,204 and make it widely known to others.205
3.2 “Young man, what are the buddha qualities of a tathāgata?
“Young man, bodhisattva mahāsattvas, whether in solitude, at the foot of a tree, in the open air, or in an empty building, should learn well the following.
3.3 “The Bhagavān is thus: a tathāgata, an arhat, a fully enlightened buddha, one with perfect wisdom and conduct,206 a sugata, one who knows the world’s beings, an unsurpassable guide who tames beings, a teacher of devas and humans, a buddha, a bhagavān.
3.4 “The Tathāgata is the natural result of merit. He is the inevitable result of roots of merit. He is adorned by patience. He is the manifestation207 of a treasure of merit. He is beautified by the excellent primary signs of a great being. He has the blossomed208 flowers of the secondary signs of a great being. He is exemplary in his conduct. His appearance is never disagreeable. He brings joy to those motivated by faith. He is invincible in his wisdom. He has the invulnerability of the strengths.
He is the teacher of all beings. He is the father of all bodhisattvas. He is the king of all noble individuals. He is the caravan leader for those beginning on their journey. He is immeasurable in his wisdom. He is inconceivable209 in his eloquence. He is pure in his voice. He is delightful in his speech. He is lovely in his physical form.
He is unequaled in body. He is unstained by the desire realm. He is unsullied by the form realm. He is unadulterated by the formless realm. He is free from suffering.210 He is liberated from the skandhas. He is separated from the dhātus.
He has restrained211 the āyatanas. He has cut through the knots.212 He is free from torment.213 [F.10.b] He is released from craving.214 He has crossed over the great river. He is complete in his wisdom. He is established in the wisdom of the buddha bhagavāns of the past, future, and present. He does not remain in nirvāṇa. He resides at the summit of existence. He is on the level of seeing all beings. Young man, those are the buddha qualities of a tathāgata. 215
3.5 “If bodhisattva mahāsattvas who possess these buddha qualities and their praise,216 and who have continuous confidence of speech based upon this samādhi, teach correctly the buddha qualities and praises of the Tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened Buddha, there will be no loss of meaning or words and all their words will come forth as those of the Buddha.”
3.6 Then at that time the Bhagavān, in order to make the meaning clear, gave a detailed teaching by chanting the following extensive verses to the youth Candraprabha.217
3.7
“It would not be easy to recite all the praises of the jinas
Even if one were to speak for many thousands of eons;
And the jinas attained their qualities
Through seeking this supreme samādhi of peace. {1}
3.8
“In the past, when I sought this supreme samādhi of peace
With a mind that was indefatigable,
I gave away a maiden adorned in jewelry,
Who was perfectly beautiful and desirable. {2}
3.9
“In the past, when I sought this supreme samādhi of peace
With a mind that was indefatigable,
I gave away male and female servants, riches and grain,
And also jewels, pearls, gold, and silver. {3}
3.10
“When I sought this supreme samādhi of peace
In the past, I gave to the guides
Various kinds of precious jewels, strings of pearls,
Beautiful clothes, and necklaces of conch and gold. {4}
3.11
“In countless, endless millions218 of eons
I developed the highest supreme aspiration, [F.11.a]
And gave the best of perfumes and summer flowers
To the caityas of the jinas. {5}
3.12
“Through my giving the gift of the Dharma219
I developed a pleasing following;
But the thought did not arise in my mind
Of gaining renown through giving the gift of the Dharma. {6}
3.13
“I never felt any reluctance to give away
The loveliest things that gave me pleasure.
I gave the gift of Dharma numerous times,220
And always my thoughts were of attaining buddha wisdom.221 {7}
3.14
“In the past, to attain the qualities of this training,
I remained always in excellent, quiet forests.
I had immense compassion throughout that time
And always my thoughts were of attaining buddha wisdom. {8}
3.15
“I had a distinct conduct222 that was gentle and sweet,
A smiling face, the memory of what I had heard, and affectionate speech.
My very sweet words were beloved by many
And all beings never had enough of looking at me. {9}
3.16
“I did not have any stinginess223 for even a moment.
Throughout myriad existences I had no envy.224
I was always completely satisfied by alms.
I offered225 everything and left no remainder. {10}
3.17
“Those who remember just one four-line verse from this
Become very learned and remember all they have heard.
Through it the highest, perfect faith226 arose in me
And I always honored it. {11}
3.18
“I longed for the supreme peace of this samādhi
And made many offerings to the guides.
I gave to them an endless variety of gifts
And this maintained my correct conduct for a long time.227 {12}
3.19
“From remembering one verse from this samādhi
The merit will be vastly greater
Than from endlessly offering numerous, various worlds
That are all filled with precious jewels. {13}
3.20
“If those wishing for merit
Were to offer to the jinas228
Whatever flowers and incense exist
For numerous, countless, endless eons, {14}
3.21
“And if those wishing for merit
Were to offer to the jinas
Every kind of music, light, food, and clothing
For numerous, countless, endless eons, {15}
3.22
“A person who develops the aspiration to enlightenment, [F.11.b]
Wishing to become a self-arisen jina, a lord of Dharma,
Will have merit that will be vastly greater
Through remembering one verse of this meditation.229 {16}
3.23
“The merit from possessing this samādhi is most vast.
One would not be able to conclude reciting
The description of its benefits even in as many eons
As there are grains of sand in the Ganges.230 {17}
3.24
“Therefore, having listened to
The excellent benefits of the buddhas,
You should quickly be one who has the transmission231
Of this samādhi praised by the Buddha. {18}
3.25
“In my past lives I have honored
Seven hundred and thirty million buddhas.
All of those buddhas
Promulgated this sūtra. {19}
3.26
“The name of this sūtra
Is Entering Great Compassion. 232
Buddha qualities will not be hard to attain
For the learned one who trains in it. {20}
3.27
“When the World’s Guide is in nirvāṇa,
In that future time there will be
Many undisciplined bhikṣus
Who have no interest in becoming learned. {21}
3.28
“They will utter praises of correct conduct
But will have no interest in correct conduct.
They will utter praises of samādhi
But will have no interest in samādhi. {22}
3.29
“They will utter praises of wisdom
But will have no interest in wisdom.
They will utter praises of liberation
But will have no interest in liberation. {23}
3.30
“It is like when someone
Speaks of the qualities of sandalwood,
Saying, ‘Sandalwood is like this,
It makes a pleasing incense.’233 {24}
3.31
“Then another person asks
That man this question:
‘Do you have some of the sandalwood
That you have been praising?’234 {25}
3.32
“The man answers him,
‘I speak the praises of that incense
And in that way make my living,
But I have never seen that incense.’235 {26}
3.33
“In such a way, in future times
There will be those who have no correct conduct,236
Yet they who do not engage in it
Will make their living by praising it. {27}
3.34
“In that way, in future times
There will be those who have no samādhi,237
Yet they who do not engage in it
Will make their living by praising it. {28}
3.35
“In that way, in future times
There will be those who have no wisdom,238
Yet they who do not engage in it
Will make their living by praising it.239 {29} [F.12.a]
3.36
“In that way, in future times
There will be those who have no liberation,240
Yet they who do not engage in it
Will make their living by praising it. {30}
3.37
“When a certain poor person,
Despised by the populace,
Later finds a treasure
And becomes rich, he is respected by the people. {31}
3.38
“In that same way, not having attained the samādhi,
A bodhisattva is not esteemed
By gods241 or humans, kumbhāṇḍas or rākṣasas,
Just like the poor person who has no wealth.242 {32}
3.39
“Yet when the wise one attains the level
Of the unfathomable243 Dharma treasure,244
Gods and humans will be attracted to him,
And he will give those beings the supreme wealth. {33}
3.40
“Therefore, having heard the Jina’s description
Of the perfect attainment of those benefits,
Forsake all happiness gained through reputation
And hold the transmission of this supreme peace of samādhi. {34}
3.41
“The buddhas in all directions who have passed away,
And those of the future, and those who are present,
All attain unequaled, inconceivable enlightenment
Through having trained in this samādhi.” {35}
3.42
The youth Candraprabha was overjoyed,
And in the presence of the Buddha he said these words:
“When the best of beings has passed into nirvāṇa,
I will uphold this sūtra in that very difficult time.245 {36}
3.43
“I will give up my body and my life
And whatever happiness246 there is in the world;
In that time of great terrors
I will hold this samādhi of supreme peace. {37}
3.44
“I will have compassion for many beings.
I will see beings suffering without a protector.
I will be endowed with love for them
And will uphold this supreme peace, this samādhi.” {38}
3.45
At that time, no less than five hundred people
Became holders of the samādhi.
The youth was their leader247
In this vast holding of the supreme sūtra. {39}
3.46
Conclusion of the third chapter, “Praise of the Buddha’s Qualities.” 248 [B2]
