by Donald Lopez
Thereupon the venerable Subhūti said to the bodhisattva Maitreya, ‘Maitreya, the Lord has declared you to be one rebirth away from supreme and perfect awakening, so you find out where and in what place that bowl is.’ The bodhisattva and mahāsattva Maitreya said to the venerable Subhūti, ‘Reverend Subhūti, although the Tathāgata has declared me to be one rebirth away from supreme and perfect awakening, I do not know even the names of the samādhis which Prince Mañjuśrī can sink into and rise out of. Yet, reverend Subhūti, when I attain awakening the time will come when bodhisattvas and mahāsattvas of the likes of Prince Mañjuśrī will wonder “How does the Tathāgata lift up his foot, and how does he place it down?” and will not even comprehend how he takes a single step. Therefore, reverend Subhūti, ask Mañjuśrī himself. He is able to find and fetch the bowl.’ Thereupon the elder Subhūti said to the Lord, ‘Lord, please command Prince Mañjuśrī to fetch that bowl and present it before the Lord.’ Then the Lord said to Prince Mañjuśrī, ‘Mañjuśrī, fetch that bowl, and find out where and in what place it is.’
Then Prince Mañjuśrī thought to himself, ‘Let me produce that bowl without getting up from my seat and without disappearing from this assembly.’ Thereupon Prince Mañjuśrī became absorbed in the samādhi called ‘all-pervasive’, and reached down with his right hand into the earth. Then the hand of Prince Mañjuśrī saluted as it went those buddhas and lords in all those buddha-fields in which buddhas and lords had appeared, and from that hand a voice was heard which said to the lords ‘The Lord, the realized, worthy and perfectly awakened one Śākyamuni hopes that you are keeping well, in good health, in good shape physically, getting along all right, feeling strong and in good spirits.’ Then a hundred thousand million rays of light blazed forth from each and every hair pore of the arm, a hundred thousand lotus flowers sprang forth from each and every ray of light, and the forms of tathágatas appeared sitting in the heart of each lotus. And all those tathāgatas were singing the praises of the lord and tathāgata Śākyamuni. All the buddha-fields through which the hand passed also quaked in six different ways. All those buddha-fields were also filled with a great radiance. All those buddha-fields also became adorned with parasols, flags and banners.
Then the right hand of Prince Mañjuśrī, after passing through all those buddha-fields equivalent in number to the grains of sand in seventy-two Ganges rivers, and after making obeisance to the feet of all those buddhas and lords and asking after their health, arrived in the world-system Avabhāsa, the buddha-field of that lord and tathāgata Raśmirāja. Then, when it had made obeisance to the feet of that lord and tathāgata Raśmirāja, it uttered the words, ‘The Lord, the realized, worthy and perfectly awakened one Śākyamuni hopes that you are keeping well, in good health, in good shape physically, getting along all right, feeling strong and in good spirits.’ From that hand a hundred thousand rays of light blazed forth, and a hundred thousand lotus flowers also sprang up, but those rays of light did not clash with the tathāgata’s [i.e., Raśmirāja’s] rays of light.
Thereupon, a bodhisattva and mahāsattva by the name of Prabhāśrï, who was in attendance upon the tathāgata Raśmirāja, said to that tathāgata, ‘Lord, this arm from which these hundred thousand rays of light are being emitted, from which a hundred thousand lotus flowers have also sprung forth, on all of which the forms of tathāgatas are sitting and singing the praises of the Lord Śākyamuni, this arm, which is so beautiful to look at and which causes so much joy, to whom does it belong?’ When this was said the lord replied to the bodhisattva Prabhāśrī, ‘Prabhāśrī, if you should pass through as many buddha-fields up above this buddha-field as there are grains of sand in seventy-two Ganges rivers, you will find the world-system known as Sahā in which the realized, worthy and perfectly awakened one called Śākyamuni lives, dwells and resides. There there is a bodhisattva and mahāsattva by the name of Mañjuśrī who is armed with the inconceivable armour, and who has acquired all the supernormal faculties, powers and perfections. That Mañjuśrī has sent down this hand, without rising from his seat, for the purpose of getting this bowl.’
Then those bodhisattvas from that buddha-field of the tathāgata Raśmirāja became very curious and said, ‘Lord, we would like to see that world-system Sahā, that tathāgata Śākyamuni, and that prince Mañjuśrī.’
Then the tathāgata Raśmirāja emitted a light from the circle of hair between his eyebrows, and that light penetrated all those buddha-fields equal in number to the grains of sand in seventy-two Ganges rivers, so that all the world-systems there were filled with a great radiance. All the sentient beings whose bodies that light touched became possessed of the happiness of a universal monarch. All the practitioners of yoga whose bodies that light touched obtained the fruit [of their respective practices]. All those in training whose bodies that light touched became arhats absorbed in meditation on the eight stages of liberation. All the bodhisattvas whose bodies that light touched attained the samādhi called ‘sun-like lamp’. And so it was that the bodhisattvas from the buddha-field of that tathāgata Raśmirāja came to see this world-system Sahā, the Lord Śākyamuni, Prince Mañjuśrī, and the entire assembly of śrāvakas. Thereupon the bodhisattva and mahāsattva Prabhāśrï, seeing this world-system Sahā, wept and shed tears, saying, ‘Lord, just like priceless beryl gemstones thrown in the mud, Lord, so are those bodhisattvas and mahāsattvas who are reborn in the world-system Sahā to be regarded.’ The tathāgata Raśmirāja said, ‘Son of good family, do not say that. Why? Because if someone were to generate thoughts of friendliness towards all beings for a single morning in the world-system Sahā, their merit would increase much more than that of someone who continued to practise dhyāna for ten aeons in this world-system. Why is that? Because, son of good family, those bodhisattvas and mahāsattvas who uphold the true dharma in the Sahā world-system are purified of all karmic hindrances and defilements.’
Thereupon all the bodhisattvas in this world-system Sahā whom that light had touched said to the Lord, ‘Lord, whose is this light which is so delightful and pleasurable and which removes all the defilements?’ When this was said, the Lord said to those bodhisattvas, ‘Sons of good family, if one passes from here in the direction of the nadir through as many buddha-fields as there are grains of sand in seventy-two Ganges rivers, there is a world-system called Avabhāsa, in which a realized, worthy and perfectly awakened one known as Raśmirāja presently lives, dwells and resides, and that tathāgata has emitted light from the circle of hair between his eyebrows, and that light has illuminated this world-system Sahā.’ Then those bodhisattvas said to the Lord, ‘We would like to see that world-system Avabhāsa and that tathāgata Raśmirāja.’ Thereupon the Lord and tathāgata Śākyamuni sent downwards from the soles of his two feet, which were marked with thousand-spoked wheels, such a ray of light as to pass through and penetrate all those buddha-fields equal in number to the grains of sand in seventy-two Ganges rivers and fill with light the whole of that world-system Avabhāsa, after which all the bodhisattvas whose bodies that ray of light touched obtained the samādhi known as ‘Sumeru-like lamp’. That buddha-field also became visible from this buddha-field, and this buddha-field also became visible from that buddha-field. Just as, for example, the sun and the moon are visible from here in Jam-budvīpa, so too those bodhisattvas saw the tathāgata Śākyamuni, and these bodhisattvas saw that lord and tathāgata Raśmirāja. Just as, for example, the gods living on the summit of Sumeru look down on Jambudvïpa, so too the bodhisattvas saw from this world-system the lord and tathāgata Raśmirāja and those bodhisattvas and mahāsattvas armed with the great armour.
Thereupon, having grasped the bowl, the right hand of Prince Mañjuśrī was raised aloft, preceded and accompanied by many hundred thousand millions of billions of bodhisattvas, through the upper atmosphere and out of the world-system Avabhāsa, the buddha-field of the tathāgata Raśmirāj a. As that hand passed upwards, in each and every buddha-field the rays of light disappeared, and the lotus flowers also disap
peared from view, and so it was that the right hand of Prince Mañjuśrī, holding the bowl, arrived in this world-system Sahā. And after he had thrown the bowl into the air before the Lord Śākyamuni, Prince Mañjuśrī prostrated himself at the Lord’s feet, and said to the Lord, ‘Lord, here is the bowl which I have fetched, so will the Tathagata please accept it.’ And the lord accepted the bowl. Thereupon the bodhisattvas who had arrived in this world-system Sahā along with Prince Mañjuśrī’s arm prostrated themselves at the lord’s feet, announced the names of their respective tathāgatas, said, ‘Lord, the tathagata So-and-so hopes that you are keeping well, in good health, in good shape physically, getting along all right, feeling strong and in good spirits,’ and then sat down on their respective seats at the behest of the Buddha.
Then the Lord said to the venerable Śāriputra, ‘Therefore, Śāriputra, listen and I shall tell you what service Prince Mañjuśrī once rendered me that he should have charged me with ingratitude. Once long ago, Śāriputra, in an age and at a time incalculable hundred thousand millions of billions of aeons ago, and even more besides, a realized, worthy and perfectly awakened one by the name of Aparājitadhvaja arose in the world, in the world-system called Anindya. Śāriputra, that tathagata’s assembly of srāvakas numbered 84,000, and his bodhisattvas numbered 12,000, and that tathagata taught the dhartna concerning the three vehicles [the érāvaka, pratyekabuddha and bodhisattva paths], having been born to expound the three vehicles and to expound the six perfections [giving, ethics, patience, effort, concentration and wisdom] and the creative use of stratagems.
‘Furthermore, Śāriputra, at that time and on that occasion a certain monk and preacher of dharma by the name of Jñānarāja appeared, who, after donning his inner robe and taking up his outer robe and bowl, went into the royal capital called Vistārika in order to beg for almsfood, after which he came out with much food having a hundred flavours. Furthermore, on that occasion, a merchant’s son by the name of Vimalabāhu was sitting in his wet-nurse’s lap, and that child saw that monk coming from afar. Seeing him, he jumped down from his nurse’s lap, ran to that monk and begged him for food, at which the monk gave him a sweet. Excited by that food he followed the monk until he eventually came to the place where the tathāgata Aparājitadhvaja was, and, having arrived there, he prostrated himself at the feet of the tathāgata and sat down in his presence. Then the monk Jñānarāja gave what almsfood he had received to the child, and said, ‘Boy, give this almsfood to the tathāgata.’ Then the child took the almsfood and filled the bowl of that lord with it, and yet that almsfood was still not used up. And so it was, Śāriputra, that from that one portion of almsfood that child fed and provided for those 84,000 srāvakas, those 12,000 bodhisattvas, and that lord and tathāgata Aparājitadhvaja, and yet that almsfood did not run out.
‘Then that child, delighted, overjoyed, feeling joy and exultation, sat down in the presence of the lord and uttered these verses:
Those who are fitting recipients of gifts and fields of merit
Have been worshipped by me
With a bowl which never ran out
Even after feeding the assembly of monks.
Because the cooked rice did not run out
Even after feeding the lord of the world
There can be no doubt that a gift is inexhaustible
If it is given to the Buddha.
Just as the cooked rice does not get used up
But increases still more,
So too shall the merit increase
Of those who honour the buddhas.
‘And so it was, Śāriputra, that that child fed the tathagata and his assembly of monks for seven days with that single portion of almsfood, yet by virtue of the power of the buddha and the faith in that child’s heart, that food did not run out. Then the monk Jñānarāja induced that child to take refuge in the buddha, to take refuge in the dharma, and to take refuge in the sahgha, he imparted the precepts to him and had him confess his faults, had him make an act of rejoicing at that which was to be rejoiced over, had him make a request for those things one should request, and finally had him conceive the aspiration for supreme and perfect awakening.
‘So it was, Śāriputra, that the child’s father and mother came to the tathagata Aparājitadhvaja looking for the child, and when they arrived they prostrated themselves at the lord’s feet and sat down in his presence. Then the child prostrated himself at his parents’ feet and uttered these verses:
Since I have set out for awakening
For the happiness of all embodied beings,
May you too abide in happiness:
Favourable conditions [for spiritual progress] are truly rare.
Behold the shining Buddha’s body,
Adorned with its marks!
Who would not aspire to that awakening,
Brought to perfection by cognition?
The Tathāgata is truly rare.
In this very place I have gone forth
From the home into the homeless life.
You two give me your approval.
The parents said:
Since we both love you,
We vow to attain excellent awakening
And will imitate you, our son,
In order to go forth [into the religious life].
‘And so it was, Śāriputra, that that child, and that child’s parents and those 500 beings who conceived the aspiration for awakening all went forth [into the religious life].
‘Śāriputra, if you should be doubtful, puzzled or uncertain as to the identity of the monk and preacher of dharma called Jñānarāja on that occasion and at that time, then, Śāriputra, you should not be that way. Why is that? Because on that occasion and at that time Mañjuśrī here was the monk and preacher of dharma called Jñānarāja. Śāriputra, if you should be doubtful, puzzled or uncertain as to the identity of the merchant’s son called Vimalabāhu on that occasion and at that time, then, Śāriputra, you should not be that way. Why is that? Because on that occasion and at that time I was the merchant’s son called Vimalabāhu. Śāriputra, Prince Mañjuśrī caused me to conceive the aspiration for awakening after giving me the almsfood, which was my first aspiration to awakening, and that is the way, Śāriputra, in which this is to be known. One should see that the greatness of a buddha, the ten powers, the [four types of] assurance, the unhindered cognition and anything else belonging to the Tathāgata have all come from the instigation of Prince Mañjuśrī. Why is that? Because omniscience has been attained on the basis of that moment of aspiration. Śāriputra, I see in the ten directions innumerable and incalculable tathāgatas who have been established in awakening by Prince Mañjuśrī and who are called Śākyamuni, just like me, as well as those who are called Tisya, Pusya, Sikhin and Dipamkara, and I could go on reciting for an aeon or more than an aeon the names of all those tathāgatas who, after being established in awakening by Prince Mañjuśrī, are now turning the wheel of the dharma, and still not come to the end of them – to say nothing of those who are pursuing the course of a bodhisattva, residing in the Tusita Realm, taking rebirth, going forth from the household life, practising austerities, or sitting on the terrace of awakening! That is the way, Śāriputra, in which this is to be known, that it is about Prince Mañjuśrī himself that they speak and teach who rightly say and teach that he is the mother of the bodhisattvas, their father, the one who shows compassion to them and their instigator. And that, Śāriputra, is the reason and the cause, why, on account of a former favour, Prince Mañjuśrī charged me with ingratitude.’
Thereupon the 2oo gods thought to themselves, ‘All things follow from causes, depend upon conditions, have their roots in desires and are determined by vows. If even the Lord here was instigated by another person, it is not fitting that we should aspire to what is inferior while a tathagāta is right in front of us.’ Thereupon those zoo gods conceived wholeheartedly the aspiration for supreme and perfect awakening.
When Prince Mañjuśrī displayed here the miracle by which h
e stretched out his hand and exhibited his magical powers, when the bowl was retrieved and the teaching relating to previous events was given here, incalculable sentient beings from the buddha-fields down below and from this one conceived the aspiration for awakening. Further, from countless buddha-fields in the ten directions, the buddhas and lords sent jewelled parasols as offerings for Prince Mañjuśrī and as coverings for the dharma, and those jewelled parasols filled this world-system. And from those jewelled parasols came voices saying, ‘It is true, it is just as the tathagata Śākyamuni has said – we too were all established in awakening by Prince Mañjuśrī!’
Translated by Paul Harrison from Tibetan blockprint and manuscript editions (including the Tabo manuscript) of the Ajātaśatru-kaukṛtya-vinodanā-sūtra. The passage appears in the Derge edition of the Tibetan canon (Toh. 216), Mdo sde, vol. tsha, 223b1-230a1, Tibetan Tripitaka, Taipei Edition, vol. 13 (Taipei: SMC Publishing, 1991), pp. 152/446(1)–154/459(1)