At that time, the Brahmā Prabhāvyūha, being surrounded and followed (parivṛta) by sixty-eight hundred thousand Brahmās, teleported from the world of Brahmā to the presence of the Lord (brahmaloke antarhitaḥ bhagavato ’ntike prātiṣṭhata), bowed down at his feet (bhagavataḥ pādau śirobhir vanditvā), circumambulated him three times (tripradakṣiṇīkṛṭya), and sat down on a side.
Then the Brahmā Prabhāvyūha addressed himself to the Lord: “O Lord, the greatness (māhātmya) of the bodhisatva Gaganagañja’s morality, concentration, supernormal knowledge, knowledge, insight, fulfilling vows, skillful means, highest intention, mastery of the dharma, ornaments for body, speech and thought, and mastery over all dharmas (śīlasamādhyabhijñājñānaprajñāpraṇidhānaparipūraṇopāyakauśalādhyāśayadharmeśvarakāyavākcittālaṃkārasarvadharmavaśitā) are marvelous (āścarya)!
Since the bodhisatva Gaganagañja has purified his former activities, he manifests all activities by body, speech, and thought without any effort. O Lord, since his former roots of good (pūrvakuśalamūla) have been not yet repaid by anyone, that the bodhisatva Gaganagañja roars this lion’s roar (siṃhanādanādi) in the present time is the outcome of the profound practice in the past.”
The Lord said: “Quite so, it is just as you have said. The incomparable complete awakening of the bodhisatvas arises from the former roots of good, merits, and knowledges (pūrvakuśalamūlapuṇyajñāna).”
Then the Brahmā Prabhāvyūha said this to the Lord: “O Lord, what is the root of good of the bodhisatvas, what is the merit, what is the knowledge?”
The Lord said: “Brahmā, ‘the root of good (kuśalamūla)’ is the initial resolution to strive for awakening (prathamacittotpādika), and the root of all qualities of the buddha (sarvabuddhadharmamūla);
‘merit (puṇya)’ is, as soon as the thought of awakening is produced, to conquer all items of meritorious action consisting in generosity, morality, and meditational self-cultivation of all disciples and isolated buddhas (sarvaśrāvakapratyekabuddhānāṃ dānamayaṃ śīlamayaṃ bhāvanāmayaṃ sarvapunyakriyāvastvabhibhāvana);
‘knowledge (jñāna)’ is to accumulate the root of good, and to transform the accumulations into omniscience (sarvākārajñatā).
Further, ‘the root of good’ is pure intention (śuddhāśaya) since it is without deception or guile (māyāśāṭhya), ‘merit’ is the practice (prayoga) for all merits, etc., and ‘knowledge’ is the highest intention (adhyāśaya) of going to a different state (viśeṣagamana).
Further, ‘the root of good’ is the solemn vow of good teachings (kuśaladharma), ‘merit’ is never being content (asaṃtuṣṭi) with the accumulation of the roots of good, and ‘knowledge’ is to consider the roots of good as an illusion.
Further, ‘the root of good’ is to have spiritual friends (kalyāṇamitra), ‘merit’ is not abandoning spiritual friends (kalyāṇamitrāparityāga), and ‘knowledge’ is asking questions to spiritual friends.
Further, ‘the root of good’ is aiming at the dharma (dharmārthika), ‘merit’ is striving for the dharma (dharmakāma), and ‘knowledge’ is taking pleasure in the delights of the dharma (dharmārāmaratirata).
Further, ‘the root of good’ is seeking the dharma (dharmaparyeṣṭi), ‘merit’ is teaching the dharma without a view to profit (nirāmiṣadharmadeśaka), and ‘knowledge’ is without secrecy of teachers concerning religion (dharme ’nācāryamuṣṭi).
Further, ‘the root of good’ is listening to the dharma (dharmaśravaṇa), ‘merit’ is thorough reflection (yoniśaḥpratisaṃkhyāna), and ‘knowledge’ is accomplishing the dharma (dharmanirhāra).
Further, ‘the root of good’ is seeing the buddha (buddhadarśana), ‘merit’ is worshiping the buddha, and ‘knowledge’ is relying on the buddha.
Further, ‘the root of merit’ is to become a renunciant, ‘merit’ is to be pleased with the [fourfold] sources of holiness (āryavaṃśa), and ‘knowledge’ is to be pleased in hermits (araṇyavāsa).
Further, ‘the root of good’ is being easily satisfied with food (subharasupoṣatā), ‘merit’ is effortlessly obtaining dhrama-robes and alms-bowls (cīvarapiṇḍapāta), and ‘knowledge’ is to usufruct (paribhoga) them without desire or greed.
Further, ‘the root of good’ is to practice the presences of recollection (smṛtyupasthāna), ‘merit’ is fulfilling the correct eliminations (samyakprahāṇaparipūraṇa), ‘knowledge’ is attaining the bases of magical power (ṛddhipāda).
Further, ‘the root of good’ is the entrance into the ability of faith (śraddhendriya), ‘merit’ is in accordance with vigour, recollection, and awareness (vīrya_smṛtisaṃprajanya), and ‘knowledge’ is the cultivation of concentration and insight (samādhiprajñā).
Further, ‘the root of good’ is to be established in the five powers (pañcabala), ‘merit’ is to understand the limbs of awakening (bodhyaṅga), and ‘knowledge’ is to know the entrance into the path (pathapraveśajñāna).
Further, ‘the root of good’ is the happiness in mind (pramuditacitta), ‘merit’ is seeking for peaceful meditation (śamathasaṃbhāraparyeṣṭi), and ‘knowledge’ is the skillfulness in the expanded vision (vipaśyanakauśalya).
Further, ‘the root of good’ is the item of meritorious action consisting in generosity (dānamayaṃ puṇyakriyāvastu), ‘merit’ is the item of meritorious action consisting in morality (śīlamayaṃ puṇyakriyāvastu), and ‘knowledge’ is the item of meritorious action consisting in meditational self-cultivation (bhāvanāmayaṃ puṇyakriyāvastu).
Further, ‘the root of good’ is training in the highest morality (adhiśīla), ‘merit’ is training in the highest thought (adhicitta), and ‘knowledge’ is to practice the highest insight (adhiprajñā).
Further, ‘the root of good’ is to confess all sins (sarvapāpapratideśana), ‘merit’ is to take pleasure in all merits (sarvapuṇyānumodanā), and ‘knowledge’ is to request [teachings from] all buddhas (sarvabuddhādhyeṣaṇa).
Further, ‘the root of good’ is to give away all possessions (sarvasvaparityāga), ‘merit’ is non-expectation of reward (vipākāpratikāṅkṣaṇa), and ‘knowledge’ is to give a gift without conceit and to transform it into awakening.
Further, ‘the root of good’ is to keep discipline (śikṣāsamyagādhāraṇa), ‘meirt’ is unimpaired morality (akhaṇḍaśīlatā), and ‘knowledge’ is to transform the unconditioned morality (anabhisaṃskāra) into awakening.
Further, ‘the root of good’ is not to be hostile towards all beings (sarvasatvāpratigha), ‘merit’ is to be patient with unpleasant words, and ‘knowledge’ is to abandon his body and life in order to bring all being to maturity, and to transform it into awakening.
Further, ‘the root of good’ is to undertake all good dharmas (sarvadharmābhibhāvana), ‘merit’ is the eagerness for all roots of good (sarvakuśalamūlacchanda), and ‘knowledge’ is to enter into the sameness in the absence of distinguishing mark (animittasamapraveśa), and to transform the roots of good into awakening.
Further, ‘the root of good’ is to seek the limbs of meditation (dhyānāṅgaparyeṣṭi), ‘merit’ is not to make former roots of good disappear by attaining the meditation, and ‘knowledge’ is to be born in the desire realm (kāmadhātu) after having returned from the meditation.
Further, ‘the root of good’ is to learn the root of insight (prajñāmūla), ‘merit’ is to reflect on what he learned, and ‘knowledge’ is to fulfill the insight (prajñāparipūraṇa).
Further, ‘the root of good’ is to be equal to all living beings (sarvasatvasamacitta), ‘merit’ is to meditate on friendly thoughts (maitrīcittasamāpatti), and ‘knowledge’ is to be friendly to all beings with the sameness of open space.
Further, ‘the root of good’ is to accumulate in three stages, ‘merit’ is to accumulate in four stages, and so forth, and ‘knowledge’ is to fulfill the tenth stage.
Further, ‘the root of good’ belongs to the bodhisatvas who have generated the initial determination to seek awakening (prathamacittotpādikānāṃ bodhisatvānām), ‘merit’ belongs to the bodhisatvas who have entered their practice (caryāpratipannānāṃ bodhisatvānām), and ‘knowledge’ belongs to the bodhisatvas who are never to turn back (avaivartikānāṃ bodhisatvānām).
Further, ‘the root of good’ is to touch the evenness of the sole of the foot (pādatala), ‘merit’ is to adorn the characteristics of a great man and the marks of beauty (lakṣaṇānuvyañjanālaṃkāra), and ‘knowledge’ is not to see the top of the head (anavalokitamūrdha).
Further, ‘the root of good’ is to adorn the buddha-fields (buddhakṣetrālaṃkāra), ‘merit’ is to enjoy food and drink (pānabhojana) mentally, and ‘knowledge’ is to be produced in intelligent beings (tīkṣṇendriyasatva).
Further, ‘the root of good’ is to learn the works of Māras (mārakarman), ‘merit’ is to know the works of Māras, and ‘knowledge’ is to transcend the works of Māras.
Further, ‘the root of good’ is the great compassion (mahākaruṇā), ‘merit’ is the skillful means (upāyakauśalya), and ‘knowledge’ is the perfection of insight (prajñāpāramitā).
Further, ‘root of good’ is to adorn the place of awakening (bodhimaṇḍa), ‘merit’ is to subdue all Māras, and ‘knowledge’ is to attain the incomparable perfect awakening (bodhim abhisaṃbudh-) through insight that is associated with a moment of thought (ekacittakṣaṇasamāyuktaprajñā).
In this way, Brahmā, the bodhisatva arises from the root of good, merit, and knowledge (kuśalamūlapuṇyajñāna).”
Then the Brahmā Prabhāvyūha said this to the Lord: “It is a marvelous, Lord, that the tathāgata explains all sorts of qualities of the buddha (sarvabuddhadharmanānātva) by means of these three root words [or stages] (mūlapada).”
At these words, the bodhisatva Gaganagañja said to the Brahmā Prabhāvyūha: “Brahmā, everything is included in a single word (ekapadasamavasṛta).
Why is that? The word ‘emptiness (śūnyatā)’ is a single word, and everything is included in emptiness;
the word ‘signlessness (ānimitta)’ is a single word, and everything is included in signlessness;
the word ‘wishlessness (apraṇihita)’ is a single word, and everything is included in wishlessness;
in the same manner, the words ‘the unconditioned (anabhisaṃskāra), non-desire (virāga), peace (śānti), non-basis (anālaya), the absolute truth (dharmadhātu), suchness (tathatā), the limit of reality (bhūtakoṭi), inexistence (asaṃbhava), and unbornness (anutpāda), each of them is a single word, [and everything is included in them];
the word ‘extinction (nirvāṇa)’ is a single word, and everything is included in extinction.
Further, Brahmā, desire (rāga) is a word for non-desire. Why? Because desire is the essence of non-desire (virāgasvabhāva). Thus everything is included in the essence of desire (rāgasvabhāva).
Aversion (dveṣa) is a word for non-aversion (adveṣa). Why? Because aversion is the essence of non- aversion (aveṣasvabhāva). Thus everything is the essence of aversion.
Bewilderment (moha) is a word for non-bewilderment (amoha). Why? Because bewilderment is the essence of non-bewilderment (amohasvabhāva). Thus everything is the essence of bewilderment.
Aggregation of perishable things (satkāya) is a word for no aggregation of perishable things. Why? Because aggregation of perishable things is the essence of no aggregation of perishable things. Thus everything is the essence of aggregation of perishable things.
Form (rūpa) is a word for the absence of form. Why? Because form is the essence of absence of form. Thus everything is the essence of form.
In the same way, feeling, perception, formative factors and consciousness (vedanāsaṃjñāsaṃskāravijñāna) are words for the absence of feeling, perception, formative factors or consciousness. Why? Because feeling, perception, formative factors and consciousness are the essence of absence of them. Thus everything is the essence of feeling, perception, formative factors and consciousness.
It is the same for fields, sense perceptions (dhātvāyatana), and the twelve links of dependent origination (dvādaśāṅga pratītyasamutpāda).
Ignorance (avidyā) is a word for the absence of ignorance. Why? Because ignorance is the essence of the absence of ignorance, all dharmas of the buddha are the essence of ignorance.
Birth is a word for no birth (anutpāda). Why? Because birth is the essence of no birth, all dharmas of the buddha are the essence of birth.
All teachings of the buddha (sarvabuddhadharma) is a word for no teaching (adharma). Why? Because everything is the essence of no thought-construction (avikalpa), all teachings of the buddha are the essence of all teachings.
Brahmā, those are the door of entering into a word for dharma called (dharmapada) ‘the entrance into the word without word (apadapadapraveśa)’ in which all dharmas of the buddha are included in one single word.
Just as, Brahmā, all streams flow into the great ocean (mahāsāgara), just so all qualities of the buddha are included in a single word ‘the entrance into the dharma (dharmamukha).’
Just as, Brahmā, all manifestations of forms (sarvarūpāvabhāsa) appear in open space, just so all teachings of the buddha are included in a single word, thus this word is the inexhaustible word and the word which is split into one hundred thousand.
Just as, Brahmā, even though all of one hundred thousand are included in a single word which is split into one hundred thousand, and even though those have been removed after having been split for a thousand years, the muchness of one hundred thousand is neither established in the connection with that word nor connected to ‘one hundred thousand,’ just so, Brahmā, while calculating and measuring to split the qualities of the buddha for many hundreds of thousands of aeons, the qualities of the buddha are never experienced by body or thought, thus those are impossible to be explained and too much to be explained.
Further, muchness is non-muchness. Why is that? If someone obtained so much or not so much, it would be just as much as he obtained because there is no muchness or non-muchness. Thus it is impossible to say that it is much or not much.
Brahmā, calculating the dharmas of the buddha is calculating all dharmas. Why is that? Because all dharmas are the dharmas of the buddha, and the dharmas of the buddha are neither the dharmas nor non-dharmas.
Why is that? The dharmas of the buddha cannot be mentally constructed (parikalpita) by perception (saṃjñā), or rather, those are taught in order to fully know the perception. Thus the thought-construction (parikalpa) that there is neither perception nor non-perception is neither the dharma nor the non-dharma.
Brahmā, since the dharmas of the buddha have such an essential character (lakṣaṇa), by their own essential character, they are pure and transcendent (svalakṣaṇapariśuddhasvalakṣaṇavivikta).
Since own essential character (svalakṣaṇa) is the absence of essential character (alakṣaṇa), the open space has no essential character and it is characterized as all dharmas.
When this religious discourse was given by the bodhisatva Gaganagañja, twelve thousand Brahmās in the assembly produced the thought of the incomparable complete awakening, and five thousand Brahmās, who had planted the well prepared roots of good (parikarmāvaropitakuśalamūla), attained the tolerance that all things are unborn (anutpattikadharmakṣānti).
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I. The Occasion