Translated by Tripitaka Master Shihu of the Western Regions, Court Official and Dharma Master, by Imperial Command.

At that time, in the great city of Rajagriha, there lived a prominent Brahmin of the Kasyapa clan. One night, he had a dream in which he saw the entire Jambudvipa world transformed. A vast thousand-petaled lotus appeared, beautifully adorned with seven kinds of precious jewels—pure, clean, and delightful. In the center of this lotus was a great full moon, white and perfectly round, radiating brilliant light in all directions.

The Brahmin awoke from this dream feeling immense joy, happiness, and satisfaction. He thought to himself: "I have heard that the ascetic Gautama is a man of great wisdom, that no one surpasses him in intelligence, and that he is skilled in methods and endowed with deep insight. I should go to him and ask the meaning of this vision."

At that time, the World-Honored One said to the Brahmin: "What you dreamed is actually an auspicious sign. Brahmin, now you should know: If a person sees four kinds of images in their dreams, these are the supreme and most auspicious signs. What are these four? The first is a white lotus flower. The second is a white umbrella canopy. The third is a full moon disk. The fourth is an image of a Buddha. If you see these four signs in a dream, know for certain that you will gain the greatest benefit."

At that time, to make this meaning clear, the World-Honored One spoke further in verse:

"In dreams should you see a lotus white, Or a canopy spreading pure light, A full moon in its perfect round, Or a Buddha's sacred form profound— Know then, this portent shall repay The highest blessing, come what may."

Then the Brahmin said to the Buddha, "World-Honored One! What is this supreme and great benefit? Why do you speak of it in such a way?"

At that time, the World-Honored One responded to the Brahmin with a verse:

Then the Brahmin, having heard the Buddha recite these verses, said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One! If a person gives rise to the Bodhi mind, how many stores of merit will that person attain?"

Then the World-Honored One replied to the Brahmin with a verse:

Then the brahmin, having heard the World-Honored One’s praise of the bodhi mind, said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One! Within the bodhi mind, I find not a single thing to grasp." The Buddha replied: "Exactly so, brahmin! Exactly so! If one awakens the bodhi mind, there is truly nothing to grasp. Why? Know, brahmin, that enlightenment has three kinds. What are these three? They are the enlightenment of the hearers, the enlightenment of the solitary awakeners, and the unsurpassed enlightenment."

"What is known as the Enlightenment of the Hearers? O Brahmin, it refers to someone who, although they have awakened the aspiration for enlightenment, still delights only in their own benefit and not in benefiting others. They cannot generate, cultivate, enter into, or abide in a mind that seeks to help others. They take no joy in listening to or receiving this scripture, nor can they explain it to others. In their future lives, they do not grasp at a physical body and abandon thoughts of coming and going, yet they cannot attain the equal and true wisdom. In this present life, they merely seek to attain liberation and escape. O Brahmin, for this reason it is called the Enlightenment of the Hearers."

"Furthermore, what is Pratyekabuddha Enlightenment? It means that although a person has awakened the aspiration for enlightenment (bodhicitta), they do not delight in practicing the Great Vehicle (Mahayana) teachings, nor do they take them to heart. They only seek personal benefit—striving for their own fruition of realization—without delighting in benefiting others. They cannot cultivate, enter into, or abide in the mind of benefiting others. They do not delight in listening to or receiving this sutra, nor do they proclaim or teach it to others. They cannot abide in the equal, perfect wisdom, but instead merely generate thoughts of contemplating causal conditions. Through such observation, they attain liberation. Brahmin! For this reason, it is called Pratyekabuddha Enlightenment."

"What is the supreme perfect enlightenment? It is like this: if someone has first aroused the mind of supreme perfect enlightenment within themselves, and then encourages others to arouse this same mind; if they personally listen to, receive, practice, and memorize this scripture, and then explain its meaning widely to others; if they do not grow weary of being reborn in the cycle of existence, but instead delight in benefiting and bringing happiness to all sentient beings; if they abide in the wisdom of equality, and having liberated themselves, wish to liberate all sentient beings; if they bring benefit to both themselves and others, attaining peaceful joy, and generously share their own good deeds and blessings with all beings in heaven and among humanity—then this, Brahmin, is what is called supreme perfect enlightenment. One who cultivates this practice is called a follower of the Bodhisattva path."