Ratnāvalī (寶行王正論)

Analyze a plantain tree by splitting it apart— nothing at all remains; it is utterly without substance. Likewise, when you break down a person into the six elements, everything is empty, exactly the same.

Therefore the Buddha rightly taught that all phenomena are without self. The six elements are merely names for phenomena— when examined decisively, truly there is no self.

The two notions of "self" and "no self"— when investigated truthfully—cannot be found. Therefore the Tathāgata sets aside both extremes of self and no-self.

Regarding what is seen, heard, sensed, and known— the Buddha said these are neither real nor unreal, because the two aspects depend on each other for their existence; thus both are, in ultimate truth, nonexistent.

When you truthfully examine the world, it transcends both the real and the unreal. But when the world relies on "the real," it falls into existence or nonexistence.

If a teaching does not apply universally, how could the Buddha say that there is a limit and no limit, that things are dual and non-dual?

Past Buddhas are countless; present and future ones surpass all reckoning. The limits of beings surpass all counting— the three times are revealed through the Buddhadharma.

The world has no permanent cause; this boundary is revealed in relation to the world. The world transcends existence and nonexistence— how could the Buddha assign it a limit?

Because the Dharma is this profound, it is kept secret and not taught to ordinary people. To teach that the world is like an illusion, a conjured form— this is the Buddha's ambrosial teaching.

Just as a conjured image— its arising and ceasing can still be seen. Yet this image and its arising and ceasing, investigated in ultimate truth, do not exist.

The world is like an illusion— its arising and ceasing can be seen likewise. The world and its arising and ceasing, in terms of ultimate truth, are both false.

A conjured image comes from nowhere, and goes nowhere. It merely deludes the minds of beings, because it cannot abide in reality.

If the world's nature transcends the three times, how then is the world real? Who can say it exists or does not exist? Existence and nonexistence truly make no sense.

Therefore the Buddha, regarding the four propositions, did not declare anything about the world, because existence and nonexistence are both false— and this falsehood is not false either.

This body's impure nature, its gross aspect known to ordinary consciousness— seen again and again constantly— still does not settle in the mind. How much less the subtle, profound Dharma, with no support at its depths, hard to realize for a scattered mind— how could it be easily entered?

Therefore the Buddha, upon first attaining enlightenment, considered remaining silent and entering Nirvana, seeing that this true Dharma is so profound and difficult to understand.

If a teaching is not rightly understood, it harms the unintelligent person. By grasping it incorrectly, they fall into the filthy pit of wrong views.

People whose understanding of Dharma is unclear, out of pride, slight the Dharma. They create slander and ruin themselves, head bowed, falling into hell.

It is like excellent food— taken improperly, it brings harm. If eaten with proper measure, one gains long life, strength, and happiness.

Misunderstanding the true Dharma brings suffering in the same way; if understood correctly, it brings joy and enlightenment.

The wise, regarding the true Dharma, abandon slander and wrong grasping. Applying themselves to right understanding, they accomplish all they wish.

Through not understanding this Dharma, people give rise to lasting self-view. From this they create the three kinds of karma, and then are born in good or evil realms.

Until one realizes the Dharma and can eliminate self-view, one should always be respectful and diligent, in precepts, generosity, patience, and so forth.

In all actions, let Dharma come first, let Dharma be in the middle and at the end— this is the truth of non-falsehood. Present and future, you shall not sink.

Because of Dharma, one gains a good name; at death, one is joyful and fearless; in future lives, one receives wealth and happiness— therefore one should always serve the Dharma.

Dharma alone is the true governance; through Dharma, all the world loves you. If a ruler inspires the people's love, present and future, he will not be deceived.

If one rules without Dharma, the ruler is despised by ministers. Because the world hates him, present and future bring no joy.

A king's law that deceives others— this is great calamity and an evil path. How could one call it "right" when it is held by the wicked and the wrongly-lived?

If a person devotes himself to deceiving others, how can what he does be called right? Because of this, among all beings, he will constantly be deceived by others.

If you wish to make an enemy suffer, give up taking what they hold dear; by this your own benefit is fulfilled, and the enemy is distressed.

Through generosity, kind words, beneficial action, and impartiality— may you embrace the world and thereby spread the true Dharma.

If a king speaks one truthful word, the people's trust is firmly born. If the king speaks falsely, trust does not arise in others.

When one's intention is truthful, without contradiction, flowing benevolently, one can benefit others— this is called truthful speech; the opposite is false speech.

If a ruler is wise in giving up wealth, he can conceal the king's faults. If a ruler hoards and is stingy, he harms the king's many virtues.

If a king pacifies all evil, his virtue is deep and people love and respect him. Thereby teaching the wise king— therefore one should cultivate peace.

A king made steadfast by wisdom, understanding himself, not trusting others— he will never be deceived. Therefore one should decisively cultivate wisdom.

Relying on truth, renunciation, peace, and wisdom, a king possesses four excellent qualities. Like the four virtues of the true Dharma, he is praised by humans and gods.

He can tame and his speech is pure, through wisdom and compassion, stainless. Always gathering with wise people, the king's Dharma and wisdom grow.

A good teacher is hard to find; to hear good words is also hard. The third person is most excellent— one who quickly practices good teachings.

If something good is not what you love, once known, you should quickly practice it. Though medicine tastes bitter, for the sake of healing, you should take it by force.

Long life, health, and royal rank— always reflect on impermanence. Then cultivate a sense of weariness and fear, and afterward focus your mind on practicing Dharma.

Seeing that death is certain, and that death comes from evil views and suffering— the wise, for the sake of present happiness, should not commit wrongdoing.

If one sees no fear in a single thought, but sees fear later— if a single thought's mind is calm, why should one not fear later?

Through alcohol, one is despised by others, harming affairs and reducing physical strength. Through delusion, one does what should not be done— therefore the wise abandon alcohol.

Playing at chess and games gives rise to greed, anger, worry, and deceit— the cause of lying and harsh speech; therefore one should always avoid them.

Sexual indulgence gives rise to faults because one imagines a woman's body as pure. Examine a woman's body carefully— there is not a single bit of purity.

A woman's mouth is a vessel for saliva; teeth and tongue are filthy and foul-smelling. The nose is foul with running mucus; the eyes flow with tears from their source. The belly is a vessel for feces and urine; the rest is a heap of bones and flesh. The deluded, infatuated with the loathsome— therefore they crave this body.

The sense doors are most foul; they are the cause of this repulsive body. If one gives rise to love within them, by what means can one be free from desire?

It is like a vessel of excrement— a pig delights in playing in it. In the impure doors of the body, those with much desire play likewise.

From these doors is born the waste of bodily filth. The deluded, with wrong craving and clinging, pay no heed to their own true benefit.

If you yourself see a portion of excrement and other impurities— this heap is called the body— how can you give rise to love?

Red and white are the seeds of birth; it is nourished by the waters of the latrine. If you know the body is impure, why do you painfully give rise to love?

A filthy heap, disgusting and hateful, smelly and moist, wrapped in skin— if you can lie within it, then you are attached to a woman's body.

Whether lovely or hateful, whether old or young— a woman's body is always impure. Where in it do you give rise to desire?

If a heap of excrement were beautiful, soft, smooth, and well-proportioned— to love it would be wrong; the same applies to loving a woman's body.

Inside, it is foul, extremely impure; outside, it is covered by skin. It is the lineage of corpses— how do you see it and not know?

Skin is impure like clothing, unable to be washed and cleaned even briefly. How can this impure skin-covered heap be temporarily scrubbed clean?

Like a painted bottle full of excrement— if you despise its outer decoration, this body is full of the seed of filth; how can you not be disgusted?

If you despise impurity, how can you not loathe the body? Fragrant flowers, garlands, food— these are pure by nature yet can be soiled.

If you utterly despise your own and others' excrement, how can you not be disgusted by your own and others' impure bodies?

Just as a woman's body is impure, one's own body is foul likewise. Therefore the one free from desire is consistent within and without.

Nine streams flow with impurity— you yourself prove it, you yourself wash it. If you do not know impurity and compose treatises on sexual love— how rare and utterly ignorant, shameless and slighting others, regarding the most impure body— what benefit does it bring you?

Because of this, many beings— their minds covered by ignorance— form enmity over the dust of desire, like dogs fighting over excrement.

Like scratching an itch and calling it pleasure— not itching is the greatest ease. So too there is pleasure in desire; the one without desire has the greatest joy.

If you reflect on this meaning, and still cannot accomplish freedom from desire— because desire is seen as light, one avoids the fault of sexual indulgence.

From hunting comes short life; terror and suffering press down heavily. In the future one will surely receive this— therefore one should firmly practice compassion.

Whoever, when others see him, causes them extreme terror— like a body smeared with excrement, with a poisonous snake emerging— if that person were to go there, beings would attain happiness, like a great cloud in summer, when farmers see and wish for rain.

Therefore abandon evil practices; determine to cultivate good deeds, so that both self and others may attain the fruit of supreme enlightenment.

This is the root of enlightenment— a mind firm as a king of mountains, through compassion spanning the ten directions and wisdom relying on non-duality.

Great king, listen carefully— this cause I now explain, which brings the thirty-two marks that can adorn your body.

Serve shrines, holy and venerable persons— offer and attend upon them constantly. With the precious wheel-mark on hands and feet, you will become a wheel-turning king.

Hands and feet smooth and soft, body broad and seven places high— through giving beautiful food and drink, making others equally abundant.

Body full and upright, fingers and heels round and long— you will attain long life, through compassion releasing condemned prisoners.

Great king, firmly uphold the Dharma, let it remain pure and long-lasting. By this, the soles of your feet will be level— you will become a Bodhisattva.

Practicing generosity, kind words, beneficial action, and impartiality— by this, web-like webbing between fingers, eighty marks on hands and feet, insteps high and lovely, whorls of hair curling upward— through long adherence, never turning back from the Dharma you have undertaken.

Through respectful giving and receiving, clarity and craftsmanship— you attain the calves of a king of deer, and bright, great wisdom.

When others seek what you own, you quickly give it generously— by this your arms are large and full, and you become a leader of the world.

When dear ones are separated, the Bodhisattva brings them together— this brings the mark of the concealed organ, and the constant wearing of the garment of shame.

Always giving pavilions and fine furnishings, soft and lovely in color— thus you attain a heavenly-colored body, smooth, radiant, and subtle.

Through giving unsurpassed protection, following the righteous and respecting elders— you attain one pore per hair, and a white tuft adorning the face.

Always speaking kind and loving words, and able to follow right teaching— the upper body like a lion, the neck round like a gentle vessel.

Nursing the sick, giving medicine, or having others provide care— thus you attain fullness under the arms, a thousand channels with a hundred tastes.

In matters of Dharma for self and others, always able to take the lead— the crown of the head with the uṣṇīṣa, and the cheeks broad and full.

Through long and skilled teaching, truthful, beautiful, smooth, and kind words— you attain the eight-phased Brahma voice, and a broad, long tongue.

Knowing the truth of benefit, teaching it again and again to others— you attain the excellent lion-like face, with a mouth and countenance most lovely.

By respecting others and not slighting them, following right principles— teeth white, even, and always victorious, like rows of true pearls.

Through repeatedly practicing this speech, truthful and not divisive— thus you attain forty teeth, smooth, even, firm, and pure.

Through gazing at beings smoothly, without greed, anger, or delusion— eyes blue, smooth, and clear, eyelids like a bull king.

From this brief explanation of the great person's marks and their causes, wheel-turning king and Bodhisattva— you should know these beautiful adornments.

Following these marks are eighty more, flowing from compassion— great king, I will not explain them, to avoid excessive words.

Though all wheel-turning kings share these marks and beauties, their purity, radiance, and loveliness never equal the Tathāgata's.

From a Bodhisattva's good mind, in a single thought, a single fraction— the cause of a wheel-turning king's marks still cannot equal this.

One person for ten trillion eons cultivating and growing roots of goodness— compared to one hair-mark of a Buddha, this cause also cannot produce it.

The marks of Buddhas and wheel-turning kings are equal in one fraction— like a firefly and the sun: in light, there is only a faint resemblance.