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Spiritual Penetrations in the Palace
of the Trayastrimsha HeavenChapter 1
Sutra:
At that time, Shakyamuni Buddha said to the Dharma Prince Manjushri Bodhisattva Mahasattva, “As you regard these Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, gods, dragons, ghosts, and spirits from this land and other lands who are now gathered in the Trayastrimsha Heaven, do you know how many of them there are?”
Commentary:
At that time. What time was that? It was when each ghost king went to Tryastrimsha Heaven to listen to the Dharma. What are ghost kings? They are leaders among ghosts. Whether these ghosts are good or bad, they are transformations of Bodhisattvas. Do not think ghosts kings are just ghosts. Ghost kings made vows in past lives to teach and transform living beings using various means. Some pulled in all beings using compassion; some used ferociousness to tame living beings. These are the two ways of disciplining and attracting.
Some beings developed their resolve for Bodhi when they met a compassionate ghost king who used gathering in to teach and transform living beings. Some beings met ferocious-looking ghost kings and developed their resolve for Bodhi, an example of teaching and transforming living beings with discipline. Since we understand that all ghost kings are transformations of Bodhisattvas, we know there is really no good or evil ghost king.
Where did good and evil come from? From every living being’s karmic retribution. When living beings’ evil karma matures, they see the Ghost King Evil Eyed; when living beings’ good karma matures, they see the Ghost King Kindhearted. Regardless of evil karma or good karma, when it ripens, it changes. When evil karma ripens, it turns into good karma; when good karma ripens it sometimes turns into evil karma. We will not be turned by good or evil karma if we were cultivating the Buddhadharma. We will only walk toward good karma and not turn to evil karma. We will not enter stray paths and end up at the mountain of knives, the wok of oil, and the tree of swords.
Why do we study the Buddhadharma? We want to flip heaven and earth over, shatter the universe. Why do we want to shatter heaven and earth? Heaven represents good karma while earth represents evil karma. Turn back the good and evil karma of heaven and earth, walk down the path of goodness and not the path of evil. Do that and the evil ghost kings would be rendered powerless, the good ghost kings would be unemployed or retire because they have no work to do.
I am very unhappy with recorders during my sutra lectures. Why? It makes some of refuge disciples dependent and lazy. No one is personally taking notes. I notice that everyone used to pay attention and write lots of notes and records everything very clearly, but now no one takes notes any more. People do not pay attention when they are listening; they forget when they read. Soon enough they return everything I said to me, forcing me into retirement. Since both good and bad ghost kings are useless, I as a Dharma Master am useless too. So I cannot make good ghosts and bad ghosts retire. If they are out of a job then I would be unemployed too. I would not have any sutra to lecture on. No lecturer, no audience. Without an audience, what is the point of being a Dharma Master?
At that time, Shakyamuni Buddha said to the Dharma Prince Manjushri Bodhisattva Mahasattva. Manjushri Bodhisattva is also called Wonderful Virtue Bodhisattva and Wonderful Auspiciousness Bodhisattva. Why is he called Wonderful Virtue? He was born with ten auspicious signs:
1. light lit up the entire room;
2. sweet dew overfilled the place;
3. seven gems welled forth from the earth;
4. hidden treasures magically opened up;
5. chickens gave birth to phoenixes;
6. pigs gave birth to dragons;
7. horses gave birth to chimeras;
8. cows gave birth to mythical beasts;
9. Millets in the granary turned to gold;
10. elephants had six tusks.He is called Wonderful Virtue because he had these ten inconceivable wonders. He is called Wonderful Auspiciousness because he was born with these ten kinds of auspicious omens.
Actually this Bodhisattva is no longer a Bodhisattva but a Buddha. He became a Buddha in the past named the Venerated King Buddha of Dragon Seed. He became a Buddha in the past. Is he a Buddha now? He became a Buddha in the present too. What is his name as the Buddha now? He is called the Buddha of Accumulation of Treasures of Happiness Filled with Mani Jewels. His land is the World of Happiness in the north.
Manjushri Bodhisattva is the Buddha of Accumulation of Mani Jewels. According to the Lotus Sutra, Manjushri Bodhisattva is the master of Shakyamuni Buddha’s master. What does that mean? The Buddha of Light from Sun and Moon Lamps had eight sons, the youngest became a Buddha named Burning Lamp Buddha. Burning Lamp Buddha’s master is Dharma Master Wonderful Light. Who is Dharma Master Wonderful Light? He is Manjushri Bodhisattva. Shakyamuni Buddha was Burning Lamp Buddha’s disciple; he received the prediction for Buddhahood from Burning Lamp Buddha and became a Buddha in this life.
In terms of generations, Manjushri Bodhisattva is much more senior than Shakyamuni Buddha, being the master of Shakyamuni Buddha’s master. Now that Shakyamuni Buddha came to be a Buddha, Manjushri became Shakyamuni Buddha’s disciple. See how Bodhisattvas do not hang on to any outer signs at all; for them, there is big or small, high or low, various discriminations.
When I lectured on the Vajra Sutra, I often told you that “The Dharma is equal and level, without high or low.” Now that we are in this house lecturing on the sutras and explaining the Dharma, there may be my masters or disciples from the past. Now that you are studying the Buddhadharma, you will become enlightened and realize Buddhahood if you learn to have the Way, to possess virtue. Perhaps I will request you to be my master. The Buddhadharma is inconceivable, so the wonderful strengths of Wonderful Virtue and Wonderful Auspiciousness are examples. Once you understand, then “leaving all marks is all dharma.” If you do not understand, “Attached to marks you are wrong in every turn; falling into emptiness based on the unconditioned.”
I speak extemporaneously when I lecture on the sutras. Sometime my explanations shatter the heavens and sometimes quake the earth; but I do not care whether the sky collapses or the earth caves in. I do not care at all; there is nothing. All dharmas are without a self, without people, without living beings, and without life spans. So what does it mean by the Buddhadharma flourishing? The Buddhadharma declining? Proper Dharma? Ending Dharma? Everything is false. Some say, “Dharma Master, your talks confuse me.” I meant to confuse you. If you understand, you would not listen to my sutra lectures. OK, let me keep explaining this confusing sutra.
Bodhisattva Mahasattva. Mahasattva is a great Bodhisattva. Who is this great Bodhisattva? Manjushri Bodhisattva. Shakyamuni Buddha asked Manjushri Bodhisattva, “As you regard these Buddhas who have come to the heavenly palace, Bodhisattvas, gods, dragons, ghosts, and spirits from this land, this world, and other lands who are now gathered in the Trayastrimsha Heaven, do you know how many of them there are? Do you know how many Buddhas have come to the palace in the Tryastrimsha Heaven to listen to me speak the Earth Store Sutra? How many Bodhisattvas? How many ghosts and spirits? Are you clear on the exact number? Why do I ask you? Because you have great wisdom, true wisdom and wisdom that thoroughly penetrates the source of the Dharma. Now let me ask you, do you know how many? Tell me! Please respond.”
Sutra:
Manjushri said to the Buddha, “World Honored One, even if I were to measure and reckon with my spiritual powers for a thousand eons, I still would not be able to know how many of them there are.”
The Buddha told Manjushri, “Regarding them with my Buddha Eye, their numbers cannot be exhausted. Those beings have been taken across, are being taken across, will be taken across, have been brought to accomplishment, are being brought to accomplishment, or will be brought to accomplishment by Earth Store Bodhisattva [Ksitigharba] throughout many eons.”
Manjushri said to the Buddha, “World Honored One, throughout many eons I have cultivated good roots and my wisdom has been certified as unobstructed. When I hear what the Buddha says, I immediately accept it with faith. But Hearers of small attainment, gods, dragons, and the rest of the Eightfold Division, and beings in the future who hear the Thus Come One’s true and sincere words, will certainly harbor doubts. Even if they receive the teaching most respectfully, they will still be unable to avoid slandering it. My only wish is that the World Honored One will proclaim for everyone what Earth Store Bodhisattva Mahasattva practiced and what vows he made while on the level of planting causes that now enable him to succeed in doing such inconceivable deeds.
Commentary:
Manjushri said to the Buddha...Earlier, Shakyamuni Buddha asked Manjushri Bodhisattva, do you know how many Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, ghosts and spirits there are? Manjushri Bodhisattva told the Buddha, “World Honored One, even if I were to measure and reckon with my spiritual powers for a thousand eons. . . Were I, to take one thousand eons, to estimate and guess that number using my spiritual powers and wisdom, I still would not be able to know how many of them there are. I would not know that number.”
The Buddha Shakyamuni told Manjushri Bodhisattva, “Regarding them with my Buddha Eye...Observing with my Buddha Eye...what is a Buddha Eye? A Buddha Eye is like a thousand suns that are omniscient, see and hear everything. The Buddha Eye has all possibly capabilities and is the manifestation of all wisdom. There are four other eyes: the Flesh Eye, the Heavenly Eye, the Dharma Eye and the Wisdom Eye. One verse describes them comprehensively:
The Flesh Eye penetrates obstructions;
The Heavenly Eye penetrates without obstructions;
The Dharma Eye contemplates the secular;
The Wisdom Eye understands true emptiness;
The Buddha Eye is like a thousand suns,
It is the same at the source but shines on different things.
The Heavenly Eye sees everything thoroughly and clearly, without any obstructions.The Flesh Eye penetrates obstructions. What is the flesh eye? It can see everyone and everything. The Flesh Eye is not the eyes we typically use to see, there is another Flesh Eye. The Heavenly Eye and the Flesh Eye are on opposite sides. Not only can the Flesh Eye see things in the house, and outside the house, regardless of how far. As long as you want to, you will see it. If you do not want to see it, you will not see it of course.
Although you can see, it would be best if you do not. Why? It takes a thought to see one thing. It is better to have fewer thoughts than more thoughts. One less false thought is better than one more false thought. Using this Eye to see things and observe requires thoughts, but this kind of thought is somewhat different than most people’s thoughts. Although they are different, there is not much advantage to it. Even when you can see, you should not look. This is the Flesh Eye that penetrates obstructions. This means it can see through every item that blocks.
The Dharma Eye contemplates the secular. The Dharma Eye sees the secular truths, which are the typical worldly situations. If you open your Dharma Eye, not only do you not need to read sutras, all you need to do is open your Dharma Eye and all of space and Dharma Realm are sutras, limitless and boundless number of Dharma treasures. As long as you have the purity to the Dharma Eye, you can universally observe the true marks of all dharmas. This is the Dharma Eye that contemplates the secular.
The Wisdom Eye understands true emptiness. The Wisdom Eye observes emptiness. Secular truths are false truths because they are not substantive. Real truths are about the understanding of true emptiness. The Wisdom Eye understands true emptiness because it understands the true marks of all dharmas and true emptiness.
The Buddha Eye is like a thousand suns. The Buddha’s eyes are as bright as a thousand suns. It is the same at the source but shines on different things. Although it sees different things, it is one at the core.
Now in this sutra passage, the Buddha said that he observed with the Buddha Eye. He used the Buddha Eye and observed that all the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Sound Hearers, Those Who Enlighten to Conditions, Pratyekabuddhas, and dragons and spirits of the eightfold division. Their numbers cannot be exhausted. “I do not know the numbers in detail,” Shakyamuni Buddha said.
Those beings have been taken across to become Buddhas a long time ago by Earth Store Bodhisattva, all these Bodhisattvas are being taken across in the time when Earth Store Bodhisattva was on the cause ground, will be taken across are all the dragons and spirits, gods and all beings of the future, have been brought to accomplishment, are being brought to accomplishment, or will be brought to accomplishment by Earth Store Bodhisattva [Ksitigharba] throughout many eons.” Accomplishment in Chinese also means lush and lofty. The position achieved will be high, great and lush. It also means filiality. Most people cannot shoulder the word “filiality” in China. Who can? The emperor. Since ancient times, the emperor governed the world with filiality, achieving the loftiest virtues.
In this sutra, Earth Store Bodhisattva is already helping all beings realize Buddhahood. Now he is helping living beings be Bodhisattvas and will help all beings realize their highest role, Buddhas in the future. This idea contains three stages: 1. planting, as in planting seeds. 2. ripening, grains nurtured and irrigated grow from out of the soil. 3. liberated, as in liberation after being mature for a while. In other words, making beings who have not planted any good roots to plant good roots; making beings who have planted good roots grow; making those whose good roots have already grown to ripen. They are liberated when their good roots mature. There are three meanings to “accomplishment”.
Manjushri said to the Buddha, “World Honored One, throughout many eons in the past, since a long long time ago, I have cultivated good roots and my wisdom has been certified as unobstructed. I have already certified to unobstructed wisdom. Unobstructed wisdom is the Four Unobstructed Eloquences or the Four Unobstructed Wisdom.
The Four Unobstructed Eloquences are:
1. The Unobstructed Eloquence of Dharma. The dharmas spoken are very reasonable. Though it is one principle, it can be broken down into millions and millions of principles. Although they are millions and millions of principles, they can be classified into one principle.
2. The Unobstructed Eloquence of Meaning.
3. The Unobstructed Eloquence of Phrasing: words said really make sense.
4. The Unobstructed Eloquence of Delight in Speaking: one enjoys talking.
When I hear what the Buddha says, I immediately accept it with faith. Since I, Manjushri, cultivated Mahayana dharmas in the past, I believe instantaneously what the Buddha says. But Hearers of small attainment, such as Sound Hearers, Those Who Enlighten to Conditions and positions in the Theravadan tradition, gods, dragons, and the rest of the Eightfold Division, such as yakshas, ghandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, and maharagas and all beings in the future who hear the Thus Come One’s true and sincere words, will certainly harbor doubts. Look, as truthful as the Buddha’s words are, they are still skeptical, not to mention my disciples? Someone does not believe in my explanation of the sutras and wants to runaway. It is no wonder considering what Manjushri said about how all of the Eightfold Division does not believe and questions the Buddha’s spoken truths.
Some people think it is very normal to hear sutra lectures. Actually it is one of the most difficult and rare things to hear sutra lectures live, especially in the United States. How many places offer lectures following lines in the sutra text and explaining the meaning word by word? None, or extremely few, in Western countries. Although few, Westerners who hear the true Buddhadharma do not recognize it either because they do not understand the Buddhadharma.
For example, people who have never seen gold will treat gold you hand him as copper. Another example would be to treat diamond as glass. Similarly, explain the true Buddhadharma and because they do not recognize it they consider it ordinary and external, rather than internal. Actually, how can you understand the inner if you do not even understand the outer? You must try the two-prong approach. You cannot cultivate without understanding principles; you cannot understand principles if you do not cultivate either. Understanding and practice must correspond. Understanding means to understand the Buddhadharma and practice means cultivating according to the Buddhadharma.
When Shakyamuni Buddha explained this Earth Store Sutra, even Manjushri Bodhisattva raised his concern about Sound Hearers of the small attainments, Eightfold Division of god, dragons and others, and all beings in the future will not believe it. Since they do not have enough good roots, although they hear these honest words the Buddha articulated, they are skeptical for sure.
Even if they receive the teaching most respectfully . Suppose they receive the teachings, it is only temporary because their faith only last for a short period of time. For instance, some people take refuge like others, but they have no faith because their heads are full of deviant knowledge and deviant views. They do not understand the proper Dharma when you explain it to them. They do not know what they hear. They will still be unable to avoid slandering it.
While Shakyamuni Buddha was in the world, Manjushri Bodhisattva suggested: My only wish is that the World Honored One will proclaim for everyone what Earth Store Bodhisattva Mahasattva practiced and what vows he made while on the level of planting causes. I wish you, World Honored One, will say a bit more about Earth Store Bodhisattva Mahasattva, this great Bodhisattva. What practices did he cultivate and what vows did he make in lives past? We make vows. No matter the vows, we must fulfill our promises and do what we say we will. We cannot deviate from that no matter what kind of hardship or difficulty according to our vows. . . . that now enable him to succeed in doing such inconceivable deeds. This Earth Store Bodhisattva, however, achieves this type of inconceivable state.
Sutra:
The Buddha said to Manjushri, “By way of analogy, suppose that each blade of grass, tree, forest, rice plant, hemp stalk, bamboo, reed, mountain, rock, and dust mote in a Three Thousand Great Thousand World System was a Ganges River. Then suppose that each grain of sand in each of those Ganges Rivers was a world and that each dust mote in each of those worlds was an eon.
"Then suppose that each dust mote accumulated in each of those eons was itself an eon. The time elapsed since Earth Store Bodhisattva was certified to the position of the Tenth Ground is a thousand times longer than that in the above analogy. Even longer was the time that he dwelled on the levels of Hearer and Pratyekabuddha.
Commentary:
The Buddha said to Manjushri . Shakyamuni Buddha told Manjushri Bodhisattva, let me give you an analogy. “By way of analogy, suppose that each blade of grass, tree, forest, rice plant, hemp stalk, bamboo, reed, mountain, rock, and dust mote in a Three Thousand Great Thousand World System was a Ganges River. We are not talking about just one of each of these items, but all the grass, all the trees, eatable rice plants, usable hemp stalks etc. How many bamboos and reeds are there in a Three Thousand Great Thousand World System? Can you count all of them? You cannot.
Lots of dust motes become mountains. There are so many things in the Three Thousand Great Thousand World System. If each item was one, what would be the total? If every blade of grass counted as one Ganges River, then the number of Ganges Rivers that existed would be uncountable. Not only every blade of grass, but every tree, forest, rice plant, hemp stalk, bamboo, and reed too, to count as one Ganges River. One item is one Ganges River; two items are two Ganges rivers; three items are three Ganges rivers; four items are four Ganges rivers...The number of grass and trees are practically infinite, so there would be infinite Ganges rivers. This means that there are so many that the figure cannot be calculated. If each item were to turn into a Ganges River, how many sand grains would be in those Ganges rivers?
Then suppose that each grain of sand in each of those Ganges Rivers was a world. If every sand grain in all those Ganges Rivers were a Three Thousand Great Thousand World. And that each dust mote in each of those Three Thousand Great Thousand worlds was an eon. Then suppose that each dust mote accumulated in each of those eons was itself a great eon. The time elapsed since Earth Store Bodhisattva was certified to the position of the Tenth Ground is a thousand times or more longer than that in the above analogy. Even longer was the time that he dwelled on the levels of Hearer and Pratyekabuddha. Not to mention how long Earth Store Bodhisattva was Sound Hearer, how long he was Sravaka, how long he was a Pratyekabuddha. Earth Store Bodhisattva’s conduct and vows have been in existence for a long time.
Sutra:
“Manjushri, the awesome spiritual strength and vows of this Bodhisattva are inconceivable. If good men or women of the future hear this Bodhisattva’s name, praise him, behold and bow to him, call his name, make offerings to him, or if they draw, carve, cast, sculpt, or make lacquered images of him, such people will be reborn in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three one hundred times and will never fall into the Evil Paths.
“Manjushri, indescribably many eons ago, during the time of a Buddha named Lion Sprint Complete in the Ten Thousand Practices Thus Come One, Earth Store Bodhisattva Mahasattva was the son of a great elder.
Commentary:
“Manjushri, Shakyamuni Buddha called out, the awesome spiritual strength and vows of this Bodhisattva are inconceivable. Which Bodhisattva is the Buddha referring to, Earth Store Bodhisattva. His awesome virtues, spiritual powers and vows are inconceivable. To save all beings with profoundly heavy offenses, he uses his awesome might to subdue them. He made these vows: Unless the hells are empty, I will not become a Buddha. Until all beings are saved, will I then certify to Bodhi. He wants to save all beings before he becomes a Buddha. If there is one being who has not been saved, he will not become a Buddha. This is why it has been so long and he is still not a Buddha.
When this being is saved, another comes; it never ends. Either that being is becoming born or that being is passing away; or that being is passing away and this being is coming into the world. There are ten times, a hundred times, a thousand times, ten thousand times more living beings becoming born than passing away. Let us calculate and see if there are more deaths or births in San Francisco right now. Deaths come after aging and sickness; whereas birth only requires ten months of pregnancy, a relatively shorter period of time. Since people have to wait a few decades to die, there are millions many more births than deaths, which makes Earth Store Bodhisattva’s work so hard that he cannot realize Buddha even now.
But does he regret it? He does not regret it. The more living beings there are, the more jobs he has. Without living beings, he is out work and he goes on to realize Buddhahood. There is not much to do as a Buddha either, so Earth Store King Bodhisattva looks for things to do when there is not much to do. He was very much at leisure but he would rather be busy all day saving living beings. This is Earth Store King Bodhisattva’s vows. Why did Earth Store King Bodhisattva make this kind of vow? He feels that he is one with living beings. If living beings do not become Buddhas, there is not much significance to his becoming a Buddha either. He is here waiting for living beings because his causes and conditions are about being one with living beings always. Earth Store King Bodhisattva’s vows can never be fathomed or understood. What we have talked about is just one small portion of his unimaginable and unspeakable vows.
If good men or women of the future hear this Earth Store King Bodhisattva’s name, praise him for his incredible vows, spiritual powers, and compassion. They introduce everyone to Earth Store Bodhisattva. You have heard this sutra, so you should introduce the compassion and vows of Earth Store Bodhisattva to every colleague, relative or friend you see.
Reflect too: Earth Store Bodhisattva makes vows like this, so what should I do? Should I make a tiny vow? Perhaps becoming a Buddha after I deliver one living being to Buddhahood? Perhaps becoming a Buddha after I deliver two living beings to Buddhahood? I do not make any great vows, just little vows; even that would mean that I have not wasted listening to the Earth Store Sutra. If you simply let it go by so that “the Bodhisattva is the Bodhisattva and I am me; he and I do not have too many connections”, then it is as if you did not hear it. For instance, men should make vows about saving their ex-friends when they have become Buddhas. Women should consider this: I had a dearest boyfriend before. Now that I am cultivating, I am going to make sure he becomes a Buddha first, then I will follow. Make vows like this. Avoid: “Amitabha Buddha takes his own, Mahasattvas cares about no others.”
Perhaps you say, “I am really young and have never had a boyfriend or girlfriend.” You have mom and dad. Make vows to save them so they become Buddhas. What if your parents have already passed away? You have siblings. No sibling? You can save your friends. Make vows targeting someone or some group. If there is no one else, you can say, “I will make a vow to save my Dharma brother so that he becomes a Buddha for sure.” You may laugh at me but I will tell you: if any disciple who has taken refuge with me does not become a Buddha, I will not become a Buddha either. I may not have vows as huge as Earth Store King Bodhisattva, wanting to save all beings so that they become Buddhas, I qualify it with those who have taken refuge and disciples who truly believe in me. If such people do not become Buddhas, I will wait for them. Even if they fall into the hells, I will go down to the hells to find them. This is not too bad either; it is quite great. It takes many lives of planting good roots to encounter a teacher like this.
Behold and bow to him, call his name. Recite the holy name of Great Vows Earth Store King Bodhisattva. As we explain the Earth Store Sutra now, my words, “Earth Store King Bodhisattva is really amazing” are praises. Incantations of “homage to the Great Vows Earth Store King Bodhisattva” are recitations of his name. Make offerings to him. Now that we have invited the elder Earth Store King Bodhisattva here, we make offerings by lighting incense for him daily, bowing to him, and making him offerings of fruits. Or if they draw a colored picture of Earth Store King Bodhisattva, not even on wood, but just a drawing of this Buddha image makes your appearance adorned and perfect. There are 32 hallmarks and 80 minor subsidiary characteristics to the Buddha. Draw a Buddha image and you will be better looking. Draw two, even better. Draw three, four, five...millions and millions, then you will have the 32 hallmarks and the 80 subsidiary characteristics. In general, drawing Buddha images and making Buddha images will make you very good looking.
Carve, cast, sculpt, or make lacquered images of him, such people will be reborn in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three one hundred times. One drawing of a Buddha image will lead you to become reborn in the Heaven of Thirty-Three for one hundred rounds. These one hundred rounds include not only births in the Heaven of Thirty-Three; someone who draws a Buddha image will first be reborn 100 times in each level of the Six Desire Heavens and the Eighteen Heavens of the Form Realm (the three heavens of the First Dhyana, the three heavens of the Second Dhyana, the three heavens of the Third Dhyana, the nine heavens of the Fourth Dhyana and even the Heaven of the Station of Neither Thought Nor Non-Thought in the Formless Realm and others) Before he is reborn in the Heaven of Thirty-Three 100 times, he has been born in each level of the Desire Realm, Form Realm and Formless Realm 100 times. This is a long time.
And will never fall into the Evil Paths. As long as you praise, behold and bow, recite the name, make offerings, or make different images of Earth Store King Bodhisattva, then you will never fall into the evil paths.
“Manjushri Bodhisattva, indescribably many eons ago. There is no way to say how long that is or how many eons that is. This is just as incalculable as the analogy used earlier for a long period of time: if each blade of grass, tree, forest, rice plant, hemp stalk, bamboo, reed, mountain, rock, and dust mote in a Three Thousand Great Thousand World System was a Ganges River. Then suppose that each grain of sand in each of those Ganges Rivers was a world. And that each dust mote in each of those worlds was an eon. Then suppose that each dust mote accumulated in each of those eons was itself an eon.
This number is bigger than and more difficult to calculate than the number representing the amount of force required to send a rocket to the moon. We are using math to calculate the force needed to shoot a rocket into a certain spot in space, to stop it, and to orbit it. After the exact figures needed for fuel have been calculated with mathematics, the rocket is shot into the atmosphere. This is calculable. However, no matter how advanced mathematics develops or how precise science gets, there is no way to calculate the number of eons that Earth Store King Bodhisattva has gone through.
During the time of a Buddha named Lion Sprint Complete in the Ten Thousand Practices Thus Come One, Earth Store Bodhisattva Mahasattva was the son of a great elder. At that time, there was a Buddha in the world named Lion Sprint. Lions are the king among beasts. As long as a lion roars, all the beasts are frightened into paralysis and collapse or become numb. The name of this Buddha is like a lion. Sprint is an indication of the speed at which lions run. The Buddha is named Complete in the Ten Thousand Practices because he is replete with the Six Paramitas and the myriad conducts.
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