Bodhisattva Virtuous Precepts Sutra (菩薩善戒經)

Chapter 1: The Bodhisattva Grounds

Thus have I heard:

Thus have I heard. At one time, the Buddha was staying in the Jeta Grove of Sudatta's monastery in the kingdom of Śrāvastī, together with a great assembly of five hundred bhikṣus and a thousand bodhisattvas. At that time, the World-Honored One addressed the countless bodhisattvas, saying: "Who, in this evil age to come, can uphold and protect Anuttarā Samyaksaṃbodhi? Who can protect the Dharma? Who can teach and transform all sentient beings?"

Then the Bodhisattva Maitreya rose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, knelt on his right knee, and with palms pressed together, said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One! I can, in the evil age to come, uphold and protect Anuttarā Samyaksaṃbodhi, protect the true Dharma, and transform sentient beings."

The Bodhisattva Siṃha then said: "World-Honored One! I too can use various skillful means to embrace and guide sentient beings."

The Bodhisattva Vajra said: "World-Honored One! If there are sentient beings who are about to fall into the three lower realms, I can block and hold them back so they do not fall."

Mañjuśrī then said: "World-Honored One! If there are sentient beings who seek anything at all, I can ensure that all their needs are fulfilled."

The Bodhisattva Wisdom Banner then said: "I can bestow great wisdom upon sentient beings."

The Bodhisattva Dharma Banner said: "World-Honored One! I can shower the Dharma upon all sentient beings."

The Bodhisattva Sunlight said: "World-Honored One! I can grant peace and happiness to sentient beings."

The Bodhisattva Moonlight said: "World-Honored One! I can teach all sentient beings to cultivate merit and virtue."

The Bodhisattva Good Protection said: "World-Honored One! I can teach all sentient beings not to be heedless."

The Bodhisattva Never-Exhausting Intention said: "World-Honored One! I can teach all sentient beings to understand and perceive the meaning of the boundless realm."

The Bodhisattva Moon Child said: "World-Honored One! I can bestow unsurpassed peace and happiness upon all sentient beings."

The Bodhisattva Good Moon said: "World-Honored One! I can provide the causes of peace and happiness for all sentient beings."

The Bodhisattva Guanyin said: "World-Honored One! I can rescue sentient beings from fear and terror."

The Bodhisattva Great Power said: "World-Honored One! I can cause those who have not yet crossed over to cross over."

The Bodhisattva Many Good Deeds said: "World-Honored One! I can tame those who are untamed."

The Bodhisattva Good Intention said: "World-Honored One! If there are sentient beings who have fallen into the animal realm, I can teach and guide them to become tamed."

The Bodhisattva No Delight said: "World-Honored One! I can bestow wisdom upon the foolish."

The Bodhisattva Light of Gathering said: "World-Honored One! I can cause those of inferior faculties to attain superior faculties."

The Bodhisattva Truthful said: "World-Honored One! I can show the right path to those who are deluded."

The Bodhisattva Joyful Sight said: "World-Honored One! I can grant measureless peace and happiness to countless sentient beings."

The Bodhisattva Banner of Release said: "World-Honored One! I can cause suffering sentient beings to constantly remember their suffering."

The Bodhisattva Inconceivable Liberation said: "World-Honored One! I can cause hungry ghost sentient beings to be free from the suffering of hunger."

The Bodhisattva Holy Light said: "World-Honored One! I can tame those who are untamed."

The Bodhisattva Vimalakīrti said: "World-Honored One! I can destroy the doubts in sentient beings' minds."

The Bodhisattva Radiant Light said: "World-Honored One! I can block the gates to the three lower realms."

The Bodhisattva Vajra Merit said: "World-Honored One! I can cause sentient beings with differing views to all arrive at one understanding."

The Bodhisattva Immeasurable Practice said: "World-Honored One! I can offer sentient beings the path free of defilements."

The Bodhisattva Fearless said: "World-Honored One! I can destroy all kinds of fear and dread."

The Bodhisattva Jewel of Merit said: "World-Honored One! I can reveal the treasure of merit within all sentient beings."

The Bodhisattva Good Intention said: "World-Honored One! I can use this subtle and gentle speech to tame and guide sentient beings."

The Bodhisattva Pure Light said: "World-Honored One! I can use loving-kindness to harmonize all sentient beings."

The Bodhisattva Jeweled Sage said: "World-Honored One! I can cause all sentient beings to remember their past lives."

The Bodhisattva Noble Radiance of Virtue said: "World-Honored One! I can cause sentient beings to diligently cultivate perseverance."

The Bodhisattva Good Merit said: "World-Honored One! I can cause all afflicted sentient beings to attain liberation."

The Bodhisattva Jeweled Hand said: "World-Honored One! I can give countless sentient beings all kinds of precious treasures."

The Bodhisattva Wish-Fulfilling Jewel said: "World-Honored One! I can destroy poverty among sentient beings."

The Bodhisattva Breaking Knots said: "World-Honored One! I can destroy the afflictions of sentient beings."

The Bodhisattva Golden Light said: "World-Honored One! I can show the true path to those sentient beings who are deceitful and false."

The Bodhisattva Color of Merit said: "World-Honored One! I can cause sentient beings of all vehicles to abide in the one vehicle."

The Bodhisattva Dharma Intention said: "World-Honored One! I can cause all of them to attain the Dharma eye."

The Bodhisattva Vajra Child said: "World-Honored One! I can destroy the evil karma of sentient beings."

The Bodhisattva Increasing Dharma said: "World-Honored One! I can embrace and guide sentient beings in accordance with the Dharma."

The Bodhisattva Nameless said: "World-Honored One! I can cause all sentient beings to be far from the three poisons."

The Bodhisattva Victory of the Moon said: "World-Honored One! I can show sentient beings skillful means of goodness."

The Bodhisattva Lion's Intention said: "World-Honored One! I can give the Dharma to sentient beings."

The Bodhisattva Lion's Roar said: "World-Honored One! I can shatter the net of doubt that entangles sentient beings."

The Bodhisattva King of Fragrant Elephants said: "World-Honored One! In the evil age to come, I can show sentient beings dreams that will shatter their afflictions."

At that time, Shariputra thought to himself: "How extraordinary and remarkable! The deeds of bodhisattvas are truly beyond imagination." He then said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One! If there are bodhisattvas who diligently cultivate perseverance and fully possess skillful means, they are able to benefit all beings in countless ways. World-Honored One! For such great bodhisattvas, how could sentient beings possibly come to beg from them for their heads, eyes, marrow, brains, blood, flesh, or other necessities? World-Honored One! I am now certain that such beggars must themselves be great bodhisattvas."

The Buddha said: “Excellent, excellent, Shariputra! It is exactly as you have said. Only bodhisattvas can truly understand bodhisattvas—this is far beyond the reach of voice-hearers and solitary realizers. Shariputra! Even when a great bodhisattva manifests all kinds of miraculous powers of a Buddha, they never abandon the bodhisattva mind. Shariputra! If there is an elder who is proud and arrogant, a bodhisattva may appear in the form of an elder to break that pride. If someone among the Nārāyaṇa-like mighty ones or the handsome and attractive is arrogant, the bodhisattva appears in their very form to shatter their conceit. To those who have attained the noble Dharma, the bodhisattva reveals the Great Vehicle. Why? Because apart from the one Liberation, there is no other liberation—this is why it is called the Thus-Come One (Tathāgata). Shariputra! Lay bodhisattvas cultivate two kinds of giving: first, the giving of Dharma; second, the giving of material gifts. Monastic bodhisattvas cultivate four kinds of giving: first, giving pens; second, giving ink; third, giving scriptures; fourth, giving the gift of teaching the Dharma. After a monastic bodhisattva has fully accomplished these four kinds of giving, they can tame their mind, break pride and arrogance, and cultivate patience. Shariputra! When a monastic bodhisattva has perfected patience, they are then able to uphold the bodhisattva precepts. Furthermore, they must perfect three kinds of giving before they can uphold the bodhisattva precepts: first, ordinary giving; second, great giving; third, supreme giving. Ordinary giving means not being stingy even with the four continents, let alone small things—this is called giving. Great giving means being able to give away one’s wife and children. Supreme giving means giving one’s head, eyes, marrow, brain, bones, flesh, skin, and blood. When a bodhisattva has fully perfected these three kinds of giving, they then perfect patience. With patience perfected, they can then uphold the bodhisattva precepts. Shariputra! When a bodhisattva wishes to receive the bodhisattva precepts, they should first tame and soften all their faculties. Where desire would arise, they do not give rise to a desiring mind; where anger would arise, they do not give rise to an angry mind; where delusion would arise, they do not give rise to a deluded mind; where fear would arise, they do not give rise to a fearful mind. If one knows oneself to possess these four qualities, one is known by all the Buddhas of the ten directions, and that person can also know the Buddhas of the ten directions. Shariputra! If someone who knows they do not possess these four qualities still receives the bodhisattva precepts, that person does not actually obtain the bodhisattva precepts and also deceives the present Buddhas and bodhisattvas of the ten directions.”

"Shariputra, there are two kinds of bodhisattvas: those who act on anger and those who act on ignorance. Shariputra, anger creates the causes for the eight great hells, and ignorance creates the causes for all sorts of evil and afflicting mental states. Because of these two causes—anger and ignorance—a bodhisattva can destroy their moral precepts. Shariputra, if you wish to uphold the bodhisattva precepts, you should first distance yourself from desire, ignorance, anger, and fear, and for six months, day and night, stay alone in a quiet place, repenting all your wrongdoings: 'I, [name], take refuge in the Buddha, take refuge in the Dharma, take refuge in the Sangha, take refuge in all the Buddhas and bodhisattva sanghas present in the ten directions, and take refuge in the Thus Come One Shakyamuni. Homage to the Buddha, homage to the Dharma, homage to the Sangha, homage to all Buddhas and bodhisattva sanghas in the ten directions. Homage to Shakyamuni Buddha, homage to the Vajra Indestructible Body, homage to the Jeweled Light, homage to the Unlimited Sovereign King, homage to the Supreme Forest King, homage to the Supreme Joy, homage to the Jeweled Fire, homage to the Jeweled Moonlight, homage to the Pure One, homage to the Diligent Hand, homage to the Brahma Virtue, homage to the Good Merit, homage to the Sandalwood Merit, homage to the Light Merit, homage to the Asoka Merit, homage to the Narayana Strength, homage to the Flower Merit, homage to the Lotus, homage to the Wealth Merit, homage to the Mindfulness Merit, homage to the Good Name, homage to the King of the Shakya Clan, homage to the Unsurpassed, homage to the Infinite Body Light, homage to the Infinite Body, homage to the Immovable, homage to the Great Mountain King.' All these countless Buddhas and bodhisattvas in the world constantly abide, teaching the Dharma and transforming beings. I only ask that you, in your compassion, remember me. Whatever evil deeds and unwholesome actions I have done in my past countless lives and in this present life—whether I did them myself, or rejoiced when I saw others doing them; whether I took things belonging to the Buddha, the Dharma, the Sangha, or the community of monks, whether I took them myself or rejoiced when I saw others taking them; whether I myself committed the five heinous offenses, or rejoiced when I saw others committing them; whether I myself committed the ten unwholesome deeds, or rejoiced when I saw others doing so—because of these unwholesome actions, I may be born as an animal, a hungry ghost, or in hell, or as a human in a remote borderland, or as a long-lived heavenly being, with impaired faculties, following false views, or not encountering a Buddha in the world. For all such wrongdoings, I now sincerely seek forgiveness and repent. Just as here before Shakyamuni Buddha, the Thus Come One, the World-Honored One, truly sees and knows, with unobstructed wisdom and clear, unhindered vision, always serving as a witness for all sentient beings, I only ask that you observe my sincere repentance. From today onward, I dare not do such things again. Furthermore, all Buddhas and bodhisattvas of the ten directions, listen closely with full attention! Whatever virtuous giving I have practiced in my past countless lives and in this present life, even if only giving a handful of food to an animal, and whatever moral discipline I have upheld, even for a single moment—I dedicate all such merit to supreme enlightenment. Just as the Buddhas of the past and their bodhisattvas made vows and dedicated their merit, just as the Buddhas of the future and their bodhisattvas will make vows and dedicate their merit, and likewise just as all the Buddhas and bodhisattvas of the ten directions at present make vows and dedicate their merit.' Shariputra, when a bodhisattva sincerely bows and venerates the Buddhas in this way for six months, then whether walking, standing, moving, or sitting, the Buddhas of the ten directions will reveal their bodies and faces, complete with the thirty-two marks and eighty excellent characteristics. Although they show these excellent marks to the bodhisattva, the realm of reality itself never wavers. Why? Because the Thus Come One truly knows this person's mind. The Buddhas of the ten directions know for certain that this person is worthy and able to uphold the bodhisattva precepts, cultivate compassion and loving-kindness, destroy the armies of Mara, turn the wheel of the true Dharma, tame sentient beings, and proclaim the realm of reality. For this reason, the Buddhas of the ten directions reveal their bodies to that bodhisattva. Shariputra, when a lion roars, can a cat or a wildcat do the same?"

"No, World-Honored One."

"No, World-Honored One."