The Analogies

The Buddha told Bhadrapāla:

“Bodhisattvas who have attained this samādhi but do not progress energetically are like those who are shipwrecked midway while crossing an immense ocean on a ship fully loaded with treasures.

People in Jambudvīpa will all be in tremendous anguish, concerned about the loss of their treasures. If Bodhisattvas have heard this samādhi but do not learn it, gods will all sadly say, ‘Our sūtra treasure is lost.’”

The Buddha said, “This samādhi is taught and praised by all Buddhas.

Those who have heard this profound samādhi sūtra but do not copy, study, recite, or uphold it in accordance with the Dharma, are foolish.

As an analogy, someone gives sandalwood incense to a fool, but he refuses to accept it, saying that the incense is impure.

The giver says, ‘This is sandalwood incense. Do not say that it is impure. If you smell it, you will know that it is fragrant. If you look at it, you will know that it is pure.’ That fool closes his eyes, refusing to see or smell it.”

The Buddha said, “Those who have heard this samādhi sūtra but refuse to accept it are as ignorant as that fool. They defiantly argue that everything in the world exists. Not having realized emptiness, they do not know nonexistence.

Alleging that their views accord with the Dharma, they say in mockery, ‘Does the Buddha have profound sūtras, as well as awesome spiritual powers?’ They say these contradictory words: ‘Are there bhikṣus in the world who are like Ānanda?’”

The Buddha said, “Those people walk away from the ones who uphold this samādhi sūtra. In twos and threes, they say to one another, ‘What do these words mean? Where did they get these words? They must have gathered together to forge this sūtra. It is not pronounced by the Buddha.’”

The Buddha told Bhadrapāla, “As an analogy, a merchant shows a precious gem to a foolish farm boy. The boy asks, ‘How much is it worth?’ The merchant replies, ‘If you place this gem in the dark, its light shines on the treasures that fill up that area.’”

The Buddha said, “The foolish boy still does not know that this gem is precious. He asks, ‘Can its value be compared with that of a cow? I would rather trade it for a cow. If you agree, it is fine. If you disagree, forget it.’

Bhadrapāla, Bodhisattvas who, having heard this samādhi, do not believe it and make contradictory remarks are like that foolish boy.”

The Buddha said,

“Bodhisattvas who, having heard this samādhi sūtra, believe, accept, and uphold it, and train accordingly, are supported by those around them, and have nothing to fear.

Fully observing their precepts, they are brilliant, and their wisdom is profound. They disseminate the Dharma and tell people to teach others, who in turn teach others, enabling this samādhi sūtra to remain in the world for a long time.”

The Buddha said,

“Those fools have not made offerings or acquired merits in their past lives. They have instead elevated themselves, carrying on their slanderous and jealous ways.

Greedy for wealth and benefits, they seek fame and reputation. They only want to make noisy remarks because they do not believe in profound sūtras.

Having heard this samādhi sūtra, they neither believe nor appreciate it, nor learn it. Instead, they malign this sūtra, alleging that it is not pronounced by the Buddha.”

The Buddha told Bhadrapāla,

“If good men and good women give, as alms, treasures that fill up the Three-Thousand Large Thousandfold World, their merit is less than that of those who hear this samādhi sūtra and believe and delight in it. Their merit surpasses that of the almsgivers.”

“These following words will never change. Setting aside those who in future lives will follow evil teachers, if there are those who now have doubts about this samādhi I have pronounced, their merit is not worth mentioning even if in future lives they follow good teachers.

These people will nevertheless defect [from good teachers] to work under evil teachers. Why is that they, having heard this samādhi, neither believe nor appreciate it, and choose not to learn it?

They disbelieve because they have seen few Buddhas in the past and have little wisdom.”

“I have the foresight and foreknowledge of those who, having heard this samādhi sūtra, will not laugh in contempt, malign, doubt, or suddenly believe and suddenly disbelieve, but will delight in copying, learning, reciting, and upholding it.

They not only have accumulated merit under one or two Buddhas, but have heard this samādhi sūtra from one hundred Buddhas.

When they hear this samādhi sūtra in their future lives, if they copy, learn, recite, and uphold it even for only one day and one night, their merit will be beyond calculation. They will arrive at the spiritual level of avinivartanīya on their own as they wish.”

Suppose someone crushes a Buddha Land into dust, then further pulverizes each dust particle into more particles.

Is the number of dust particles produced from a Buddha Land very huge?”

Bhadrapāla replied, “Very huge, God of Gods.”

The Buddha said,

“Suppose a Bodhisattva takes all these dust particles and places each in a Buddha Land. He then takes treasures that fill up all these Buddha Lands to make an offering to Buddhas.

His merit is very little in comparison with that of those who have heard this samādhi sūtra and have learned, copied, recited, and upheld it.

Even if they explain this sūtra to others only for a short while, this merit is beyond calculation. Even greater is the merit of those who have fully attained this samādhi.”

Then the Buddha spoke in verse:

If there are Bodhisattvas who seek merit, They should pronounce and train in this samādhi.

Those who believe, delight in, and recite [this sūtra] without doubts Have immeasurable merit. Crushing one Buddha Land Into dust particles, One can give, as alms, treasures filling Buddha Lands that are As numerous as dust particles. Those who have heard this samādhi Have merit greater than that of the almsgiver. Their merit is beyond analogy.

I entrust you all to teach others To progress energetically without negligence or indolence.

Those who recite and uphold this samādhi sūtra Have already beheld 100,000 Buddhas.

As for the huge dread at the final moment of life, Those abiding in this samādhi will have no fear. Bhikṣus who train in this way have already seen me. They will always follow the Buddha, never far from Him.

As the Buddha’s words never change, Bodhisattvas should always follow His teachings To attain quickly samyak-saṁbodhi, the ocean of wisdom.