The Ten Good Teachers of the Ten Transferences
XXII. The Ship Captain Vaira, The City Pavilion
The Transference of Indestructibility
At that time, the youth Good Wealth traveled toward the city Pavilion. He contemplated the Way, specifically, he contemplated the highs and lows of the Way; he contemplated the safety and perils of the Way; he contemplated the purities and defilements of the Way; he contemplated the crookedness and straightness of the Way.
He progressively traveled and made the following reflections:
I should draw near that good knowing advisor. A good knowing advisor is the cause of accomplishing the cultivation of the path of all Bodhisattvas. He is the cause of accomplishing the cultivation of the path of paramitas. He is the cause of accomplishing the cultivation of the path of gathering in living beings. He is the cause of accomplishing the cultivation of the path of unobstructed universal entry to the Dharma Realm. He is the cause of accomplishing the cultivation of the path that enables all living beings to get rid of evil wisdom.
He is the cause of accomplishing the cultivation of the path of enabling all living beings to separate from arrogance and pride. He is the cause of accomplishing the cultivation of the path of enabling all living beings to destroy their afflictions. He is the cause of accomplishing the cultivation of the path of enabling all living beings to renounce their myriad views. He is the cause of accomplishing the cultivation of the path of enabling all living beings to pull out all the thorns of evil.
He is the cause of accomplishing the cultivation of the path of enabling all living beings to arrive at the city of All Wisdom. Why is this? It is because at the place of the good knowing advisor, one attains all wholesome dharmas, and because from relying on the strength of the good knowing advisor, one attains the path of All Wisdom. A good knowing advisor is difficult to see and difficult to encounter.
He entertained these reflections, as he progressively traveled. Upon arriving at the city, he saw that ship captain outside the city gates, residing by the seashore. Hundreds of thousands of merchants and others formed a limitless great multitude that surrounded him on all sides. He spoke the Dharma of the great sea and expediently opened and revealed the sea of the Buddhas' merit and virtue.
Upon seeing this, Good Wealth went to where he was, bowed at his feet and circumambulated him limitless times. Coming before him, with his palms placed together, he said, “Sagely one, I have already brought forth the resolve for anuttarasamyaksambodhi, but I still do not know how a Bodhisattva studies the Bodhisattva conduct and how he cultivates the Bodhisattva Way. I have heard that the sagely one is skilled at teaching and guiding. I wish you would explain this for me.
The ship captain said to him, "Good indeed, good indeed, good man, that you have already brought forth the resolve for anuttarasamyaksambodhi! And moreover, now you can also ask about the causes for producing great wisdom; the causes for cutting off all the sufferings of birth and death; the causes for traveling to the great jeweled continent of all wisdom; the causes for becoming accomplished in the indestructible Mahayana.
“You wish to know the causes for leaving far behind the terror of birth and death of the Two Vehicles, abiding in the revolvings of the myriad still and quiet samadhis; the causes of the path of purification of riding upon the chariot of great vows, pervading all places, and practicing the Bodhisattva conduct, without any obstruction; the causes of the path of purification of adorning all indestructible wisdom with the Bodhisattva conduct; the causes of the path of purification of universally contemplating the myriad dharmas of the ten directions, as all without any obstruction; the causes of the path of purification of being able to swiftly tend toward and enter the sea of All Wisdom.
“Good man, along the road of the seashore of this city, I purify and cultivate the conduct of a Bodhisattva's banner of great compassion. Good man, I contemplate the poor and destitute living beings within Jambudvipa. For the sake of benefiting them, I cultivate the myriad bitter practices. According to their wishes, I completely cause them to be fulfilled and content. First, I satisfy their minds with objects of the world. Then I give them the wealth of Dharma, thus causing them to be happy. I cause them to cultivate the conduct of blessings; I cause them to give rise to the path of wisdom; I cause them to increase the power of good roots; I cause them to give rise to the bodhi resolve; I cause them to purify the vows for bodhi; I cause them to make firm the power of great compassion; I cause them to cultivate the path that can put an end to birth and death; I cause them to give rise to the conduct that does not resent birth and death; I cause them to gather in the sea of all living beings; I cause them to cultivate the sea of all merit and virtue; I cause them to illuminate the sea of all dharmas; I cause them to behold the sea of all Buddhas; I cause them to enter the sea of the wisdom of All Wisdom.
“Good man, I reside here and make such reflections, formulate such intentions, and in such ways, benefit living beings. Good man, I know within the sea, the continents of jewels, the places of all jewels, the varieties of all jewels, the origin of all jewels. I know how to purify all jewels, to drill for all jewels, to extract all jewels, to work all jewels. I know the utensils of all jewels, the functions of all jewels, the states of all jewels, and the lights of all jewels. Good Man, I know the locations of all dragons' palaces, the locations of all yakshas' palaces, and locations of all bhutas' palaces. I am skilled at avoiding them, thus eluding their myriad difficulties.
“Moreover, I am skilled at discriminating the shallowness and depths of whirlpools, the distances of waves and billows, the favorable and unfavorable colors of water—all their differences. I am also competent at discerning and knowing the courses of the sun, moon, stars, and constellations; their orbits and degrees of turning which make the nights, days, mornings, and afternoons, whether a vessel is water-tight or leaky, slow or fast.
“I also know whether the boat is made of steel or wood; whether it is solid or fragile; whether its components are rough or smooth; whether the water is great or small; whether the wind is opposing or favorable—of all such myriad aspects of safety and peril, there are none that I do not completely understand.
“When it is suitable for navigation, I will navigate. When it is not suitable for navigation, I will not navigate. Good man, from having accomplished wisdom such as this, I can constantly benefit all living beings. Good man, with a sturdy boat I ferry all merchants, cruising in a course which is peaceful and secure. Moreover, I speak the Dharma for them, causing them all to be happy. I guide them to the jeweled continent, give them myriad rare jewels, and cause them all to be thoroughly fulfilled and content. Then I lead them back to Jambudvipa.
“Good man, in coming to and fro on this big boat, not so much as a single loss or any damage has been incurred. If there are living beings who get to see my person or hear my Dharma, I enable them to be forever unafraid of the sea of birth and death, so they most certainly obtain entry to the sea of All Wisdom. They most certainly can dry up the sea of all love and desire. They can illumine the sea of the three periods of time with wisdom light. They can exhaust the sea of all living beings’ sufferings. They can purify the sea of all living beings’ minds.
“They can swiftly adorn and purify the sea of all kshetras. They can universally travel to the great sea of the ten directions. They universally know the sea of all living beings’ roots. They universally understand the sea of all living beings’ conducts, and universally accord with the sea of all living beings’ minds.
“Good man, I have only attained this conduct of the Banner of Great Compassion. Those who see me, hear me, dwell with me, or recollect me—all will not do so in vain. But as to how all great Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas can adroitly swim and wade in the great sea of birth and death; how they are not defiled by the sea of all afflictions; how they are able to renounce the sea of all false views; how they are able to contemplate the sea of the nature of all Dharmas; how they can gather in the sea of living beings with the four attractions; how they already skillfully abide in the sea of All Wisdom; how they can destroy the sea of all living beings' attachments; how they can abide in the sea of all times equally; how they can use their spiritual penetrations to rescue the sea of living beings; how they can tame the sea of living beings at the right time—how could I possibly know or speak of the merit and virtue of their conduct?
“Good man, south of here in a city called Delightful is an elder named Unsurpassed Victory. Go to where he is and ask how a Bodhisattva studies the Bodhisattva conduct and how he cultivates the Bodhisattva Way."
At that time, the youth Good Wealth bowed at his feet and circumambulated him limitless times. Gazing up at him with longing admiration, he wept sorrowfully.
Since he sought for good knowing advisors without his mind ever becoming weary or satiated, he bade farewell and took his leave.
XXIII. The Elder Unsurpassed Victory - The City Delightful, The Grove No Worry
The Transference of Sameness to All Buddhas
At that time, the youth Good Wealth gave rise to a mind of pervasive great kindness and a mind of moistening great compassion. They succeeded one another without interruption. He was adorned with the dual aspects of blessings and virtue, and wisdom. He renounced and separated from the defilement and filth of all afflictions. He was certified to the level equality of the dharmas.
His mind was without high nor low. He pulled out the thorn of unwholesomeness. And he destroyed all obstacles.
Firm and solid vigor served as his wall and moat. Most profound samadhi was his garden. With the light of the wisdom sun, he smashed the darkness of ignorance.
With the wind of expedients, he made bloom the flower of wisdom.
With unobstructed vows, he filled the Dharma Realm. Within his mind, entry to the city of All Wisdom constantly appeared. In this way, he sought the Bodhisattva Way. Traveling progressively, he arrived at that city.
Then he saw Unsurpassed Victory east of that city, within Great Adornment Banner's No Worry Grove. Limitless merchants and hundreds of thousands of lay people surrounded him on all sides. He legislated and decided the various different affairs among people, and spoke the Dharma for them. He caused them to forever pull out all pride and arrogance; to separate from self and that which belongs to self; to renounce what they have amassed; to destroy the filth of stinginess and jealousy. Their minds attained purity, being without the myriad filth and turbidities. They gained the power of pure faith and constantly delighted in seeing the Buddhas. They received and upheld the Buddhadharmas. They brought forth the powers of a Bodhisattva. They gave rise to a Bodhisattva's conduct. They entered a Bodhisattva's samadhi. They attained a Bodhisattva's wisdom. They dwelt in a Bodhisattva's proper mindfulness. They increased in a Bodhisattva's delight and wishes.
At that time, the youth Good Wealth, upon observing that elder speak Dharma for the multitudes, prostrated his body on the ground and bowed at his feet. Only after a long while did he rise. Then he said, “Sagely one, I am Good Wealth.
I am Good Wealth. I singlemindedly seek the Bodhisattva conduct. How should I study the Bodhisattva conduct and how should I cultivate the Bodhisattva Way, so that when I cultivate and study, I can constantly transform and rescue all living beings? How can I constantly manifest and see all Buddhas? How can I constantly get to hear all Buddhadharmas? How can I constantly abide in and maintain all Buddhadharmas? How can I constantly tend toward and enter all Dharma doors? How can I enter all kshetras and study the Bodhisattva conduct?
How can I dwell in all kalpas and cultivate the Bodhisattva Way? How can I know the spiritual powers of all Thus Come Ones? How can I receive the protection and mindfulness of all Thus Come Ones? How can I attain the wisdom of all Thus Come Ones?
At that time, the elder said to Good Wealth, “Good indeed, good indeed, good man, that you have already brought forth the resolve for anuttarasamyaksambodhi! Good man, I have accomplished a Bodhisattva's conduct door of Arriving at All Places and the Power of Spiritual Penetration Which Are Without Reliance and Without Effort.
“Good man, what is a Bodhisattva's conduct door of Arriving at All Places? Good man, among all living beings in the desire realm, in this three thousand great thousand world system, specifically for all the living beings who inhabit the
Heavens of the Thirty-Three, all Suyama Heavens, all Tushita Heavens, all Heavens of Wholesome Transformations, all Heavens of the Comfort from Ohers' Transformations, all demon heavens, and for the rest of the gods, dragons, yakshas, rakshasas, kumbhandas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, and nonhumans in villages, communities, cities, and towns, I speak the Dharma.
“I cause them to renounce that which does not accord with Dharma. I cause them to cease their contention and debate. I cause them to get rid of fighting and warring. I cause them to stop their rage and competition. I cause them to dispel their resentment and grudges. I cause them to untie their fetters. I cause them to come out of their prisons. I cause them to be free of terror. I cause them to stop their killing, up to prohibiting deviant views, all evil karma, and those deeds which are forbidden, so they come to a halt. I cause them to compliantly practice all good dharmas. I cause them to cultivate and study all skills and arts. In all worlds, I benefit them. I discriminate the various different theories for them. I cause them to produce happiness. I cause them to gradually come to maturity. I speak with wisdom for those who comply with externalists. I cause them to cast off their myriad views. I cause them to enter the Buddhadharmas.
“For beings up to and including all those in the form realm, I also speak the transcendental and supreme Dharma. As it is in this three thousand great thousand world system, so too, up to and including throughout the ten directions, in worlds many as dust motes in ten ineffable hundreds of thousands of millions of nayutas of Buddha kshetras, I speak for them the Dharma of Buddhas, the Dharma of Bodhisattvas, the Dharma of Sound Hearers, and the Dharma of Solitarily Enlightened Ones.
“I speak about the hells, the living beings of the hells, and the path that tends toward the hells. I speak about animals, the differences among animals, the sufferings that animals undergo, and the path that tends toward the realm of animals. I speak about the realm of King Yama, the sufferings in the realm of King Yama, and the path that tends toward the realm of King Yama. I speak about the realm of gods, the joy in the realm of gods, and the path that tends toward the realm of gods. I speak about the human realm, the sufferings and joys in the human realm, and the path that tends toward the human realm.
“For the sake of opening and revealing the Bodhisattva's merits and virtues; for causing them to renounce and separate from the tribulations of birth and death; for causing them to know and see the myriad wondrous merits and virtues of persons of all wisdom; for causing them to know the confused delusion and sufferings undergone within the myriad destinies of existence; for causing them to know and see the Dharma of non-obstruction; and also wishing to display and reveal the causes of the arisal of all worlds; wishing to display and reveal how all worlds take quiet extinction as bliss; wishing to cause living beings to renounce the myriad attachments to thoughts; wishing to cause them to be certified to and attain the Buddha's dharmas of non-reliance; wishing to cause them to forever destroy the wheel of their myriad afflictions; and wishing to cause them to turn the Thus Come Ones’ Dharma wheel—for such reasons I speak Dharma for all those living beings.
“Good man, I only know this pure Dharma door of arriving at all places and cultivating the Bodhisattva conduct through the power of spiritual penetrations of non-reliance and effortlessness. But as to how all Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas are replete with all spiritual penetrations of self-mastery; how they can pervasively travel to all Buddha kshetras; how upon attaining the grounds of the eye of universality, they can completely hear all sounds, languages and speech; how they universally enter all Dharmas, how they have wisdom that is sovereign; how they are without opposition or contention; how they are courageous and valiant without peer; how with vast long tongues they emit level and equal sounds; how their bodies are wondrously fine, identical with those of all Bodhisattvas; how they are ultimately non-dual with all Thus Come Ones, being without differentiation; how their wisdom bodies are vast and great, and universally enter into the three periods of time; how their states are without limit, being identical to empty space—how could I possibly know or speak of the merit and virtue of their conduct?
“Good man, south of here in a kingdom called Shronaparanta, there is a city named Kalinga Grove. There is a bhikshuni there called Lion Sprint. Go to where she is and ask her how a Bodhisattva studies the Bodhisattva conduct and how he cultivates the Bodhisattva Way.”
At that time, the youth Good Wealth bowed at his feet, circumambulated him limitless times, and gazed up at him in longing admiration. Then he bade farewell and took his leave.
