The Buddha Speaks the Sutra of Placing the Alms Bowl (佛說放缽經)

The Buddha Speaks the Bowl-Offering Sutra

According to An Gong, the original translator is unknown, so it is now appended to the Western Jin dynasty record.

The Buddha was staying at the Jeta Grove Monastery in Shravasti. At that time, he was accompanied by numerous bodhisattvas, countless monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen, as well as the heavenly kings, Shakra, Brahma, and the asuras, ghosts, spirits, dragons, humans, and non-humans—an immeasurable gathering, all seated together.

The Buddha taught the bodhisattva path, speaking of countless eons of arduous effort, of the hells, of beasts and hungry ghosts, and of all kinds of suffering and toil. He spoke of giving in all ten directions—gold, silver, precious jewels, carriages, horses, servants, and even wives, children, heads, eyes, and flesh—none of which were cherished or held dear, all offered to beings everywhere in the ten directions, because of the hardship involved.

At that time, two hundred heavenly beings from the realm of Trāyastriṃśa, who in past lives had walked the bodhisattva path but had not yet firmly established themselves, heard in the Buddha's presence about the hardships of seeking the Way. They all thought, "This path is so difficult and hard to attain," and their minds turned instead toward seeking the paths of arhats and pratyekabuddhas.

The Buddha knew that these heavenly beings were considering turning back. So he manifested a person of unparalleled beauty, who came before the Buddha carrying a meal of a hundred delicacies. Kneeling, the person placed his hands together in respect and said, "May the Buddha, in his compassion, accept this meal." The Buddha accepted it.

A bodhisattva named Manjushri was seated before the Buddha in the assembly. He addressed the Buddha, saying, "We should remember past kindness." All the bodhisattvas present heard this and asked one another, "Manjushri, what kindness did you show the Buddha in a past life, that you now seek to receive his alms bowl?"

The Buddha then placed his bowl on the ground, and it sank into the earth, traveling all the way to the Buddha-land of Raivira, a realm known as Padasha. There the bowl hovered in the air, suspended without falling. The bodhisattvas of that realm saw it, rose, and knelt before their Buddha, asking, "Where does this suspended bowl come from, and why does it not fall to the ground?"

Their Buddha replied, "Wait a moment—you will soon witness the miraculous powers of a bodhisattva."

At that time, Shakyamuni Buddha said to Mahamaudgalyayana, "Go and find the alms bowl." Mahamaudgalyayana then entered into eight thousand samadhis and searched throughout eight thousand Buddha realms, but could not see it. He returned and said to the Buddha, "I have searched for the alms bowl, but I do not know where it is."

The Buddha said to Shariputra, "Continue your search." Shariputra entered a deep state of concentration, journeyed down past ten thousand Buddha realms, and still could not find the bowl. He returned and said to the Buddha, "I traveled down past ten thousand Buddha realms, searching for the bowl, but I did not see it anywhere."

The Buddha then instructed Mahākāśyapa to go and search for the bowl. Mahākāśyapa entered twelve thousand samādhis, descended past twelve thousand Buddha realms, and searched for the bowl but could not find it. He returned and said to the Buddha, "I searched for the bowl but did not see it at all."

Shariputra said to Maitreya Bodhisattva: "Venerable One, your great talents and merit are complete, your wisdom is fully perfected, and you will be the next Buddha to come. Please know where the bowl is."

Maitreya Bodhisattva said to Shariputra: "Although I am the next to become a Buddha, with the perfection of merits and the fullness of practice, I do not equal Manjushri Bodhisattva. For instance, when all the worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges in the ten directions are filled with countless beings, plants, and trees, and as many Bodhisattvas as there are, they cannot know what the Buddha is thinking in a single step. Only Manjushri Bodhisattva, who understands the profound states of meditation, can know where the Buddha's bowl rests."

Shariputra rose, approached the Buddha, knelt with palms pressed together, and said, "May the Bodhisattva Manjushri be asked to go and seek the begging bowl."

The Buddha said to Manjushri, "Go and find the alms bowl to bring back."

Manjushri thought to himself, "Shariputra should bring the bowl here without even rising from his seat." Then he entered a meditative state. Just as the sun rises and its light shines everywhere without exception, so too does a bodhisattva in deep meditation reach all directions throughout the ten realms. Manjushri reached his hand down through his robe, passing through ten Buddha-worlds. Each finger joint emitted a million rays of light, and at the tip of each ray blossomed a lotus flower. Seated upon each lotus was a bodhisattva identical to Manjushri. In the worlds below, upon lotus flowers before the Buddhas, these bodhisattvas conveyed the voice of Shakyamuni Buddha, offering thanks to all the Buddhas. They also carried Manjushri's voice, bowing in homage to the Buddhas from afar.

Manjushri's hand reached the land of the Buddha of Lai Pi Luo Ye. The bodhisattvas in that land asked the Buddha, "What is this hand? We can see neither its edge nor its limit." The Buddha of Lai Pi Luo Ye said to the bodhisattvas, "Above, countless Buddha lands away, there is a land called Sha He Lou Tuo, where the Buddha is called Shakyamuni. Before him sits a bodhisattva named Manjushri, who is foremost in brilliance, with wisdom that cannot be matched. He performs such transformations as this." The bodhisattvas said to the Buddha, "We now wish to see together Shakyamuni Buddha and Manjushri."

The Buddha Lalitavyūha then emitted a thousand billion rays of light from his forehead, illuminating countless Buddha-lands in the ten directions, reaching even the land of Śākyamuni. The bodhisattvas asked the Buddha, "Now there is a great blaze with smoke arising, and in a moment fire bursts forth. Is this the fire of hell?" The Buddha replied, "Do not speak thus. This is not the fire of hell. This is the fire of the land called Sahālokadhātu, the realm of Śākyamuni."

The bodhisattvas then asked, "Why is this Sahālokadhātu land named so, that it has such fire?" The Buddha told the bodhisattvas, "The Sahālokadhātu land is mixed with the three poisons of evil: lust, anger, and ignorance."

The bodhisattvas said to the Buddha, "Is it acceptable that the bodhisattvas in the Sahālokadhātu land endure humiliation and do not become angry?" The Buddha said to the bodhisattvas, "When people in the land of Śākyamuni curse, insult, belittle, or strike the bodhisattvas, the bodhisattvas endure it without anger. They show compassion toward all beings in the ten directions, wishing to liberate them. All this is due to the spiritual power of the bodhisattvas. Because of the bodhisattvas' practice of patience and kindness, the land is named Sahālokadhātu."

The bodhisattvas said to the Buddha, "We are greatly delighted to hear this, that we are not born in the Sahālokadhātu among wicked people." The Buddha Lalitavyūha then told the bodhisattvas, "Do not speak this way. It is not fitting to dismiss the intentions of the bodhisattvas in the Sahālokadhātu land."

The Buddha said, "I will tell you about a Buddha in the eastern direction, whose name is Hebolimodiruozha. The bodhisattvas in his Buddha-land, who fully cultivate the six perfections, are not as good as the bodhisattvas in the land of Shahuloutuoduo who, in one day and one night, practice the six perfections and, thinking of the suffering beings in all directions, work to liberate them all. Why is this? Because the practice in the land of Shahuloutuoduo involves great hardship. For example, suppose a Buddha-land is being destroyed by fire, and a person wearing new clothes comes from the east into the fire, passes through it to the west, and emerges without being burned. Is this difficult?"

The bodhisattvas replied, "Very difficult, Heaven-Honored One!"

The Buddha said, "The bodhisattvas in the land of Shahuloutuoduo, when insulted and reviled in their practice for a day and a night, remain patient and never become angry. This is far more difficult than that person walking through fire without being burned—surpassing it by a hundredfold, a thousandfold, a ten-thousandfold, a hundred-millionfold."

Then the two thousand bodhisattvas present said to the Buddha, "We wish to go up to the land of Shahuloutuoduo to make offerings to Shakyamuni Buddha and to Manjushri and the other bodhisattvas."

The Buddha Laipilaiyefuo said to the bodhisattvas, "If you wish to go to the land of Shahuloutuoduo, first purify your minds. It should be like the earth, which does not rejoice when given fragrant flowers or fine things, nor becomes angry when given feces, urine, saliva, pus, blood, or filth."

The Buddha said, "Why do I tell you this? In the land of Shakyamuni Buddha, there are bodhisattvas who, in past lives, made offerings to many Buddhas. Some people have quick tempers, and although their intentions are good, their words are hasty and sharp, because of their bad habits in this life."

The bodhisattvas asked the Buddha, "The bodhisattvas in the Saha world—who in past lives made great offerings to many Buddhas and sought the Way for a very long time—why are they born in the impure and evil land of Saha?"

The Buddha told the bodhisattvas, "There are two causes for being born in the Saha world in this life: First, in former lives they walked the path to Buddhahood together with Shakyamuni Buddha, so they follow him life after life. Second, there are bodhisattvas whose past karma still holds unexhausted negativity, and so they are born in that impure age."

The bodhisattvas asked the Buddha, "These bodhisattvas are born in the Saha world. What causes them to be freed from the bad karma of their past lives?" The Buddha said, "Good men and women born in the Saha world who seek the bodhisattva path and are born into poor families—because of this, they are freed from the bad karma of past lives. Those who suffer from many illnesses are also freed from the bad karma of past lives. Those who encounter the sickness, death, and grief of parents, brothers, sisters, spouses, and children—because of this, they are freed from the calamities of past karma. Those who face government persecution, terror, abandonment of parents, family, and property, and flee in distress—because of this, they are freed from the calamities of past karma. If someone suddenly loses their wealth and falls into poverty—because of this, they are freed from the calamities of past karma. If someone is born in a hostile country, attacked and defeated by other nations, running in panic and despair—because of this, they are freed from the calamities of past karma. If someone is born among vile people, poor, lowly, with an ugly face, crippled, blind, or deaf, not accepted by others, hated by parents, brothers, sisters, children, and relatives alike—this person grieves, and because of this, they are freed from the calamities of past karma. If someone hears of a good path and rejoices, wanting to find a wise teacher to guide them in the scriptures and the Way, but cannot find such a teacher and grieves—because of this, they are freed from the calamities of past karma. If someone hears of a wise teacher far away, brilliant and penetrating in wisdom, and wants to go study with them, but their body is sick and thin, their limbs crippled and immovable, lacking funds and companions, unable to go, and they grieve over it—because of this, they are freed from the calamities of past karma. If someone seeks a good teacher to study the scriptures, and the teacher is greatly enlightened and knows the essentials of the Way, but the student is foolish and without wisdom, unable to understand, and grieves—because of this, they are freed from the calamities of past karma. If a good teacher wants to teach a student about worldly matters and expound the scriptures and the Way, but the student is foolish, unable to endure and practice patience, and abandons the teacher, only later to remember the teacher's Dharma and precepts with great joy, feeling regret and grief—because of this, they are freed from the calamities of past karma. If someone seeking the bodhisattva path, while lying down and dreaming, sees enemies chasing them with knives and weapons, terrified in the dream—because of this, they are freed from the bad karma of past lives. If a good man or woman of the bodhisattva path has not yet exhausted the bad karma of past lives and would otherwise fall into hell for one kalpa of intense suffering, but meets a good teacher and repents for one day and one night—headaches, bodily fevers, and all illnesses are completely eliminated, and they will not enter hell."

When Rādrapāla Buddha finished speaking, Mañjuśrī reached down to retrieve the bowl. At that moment, the entire Buddha-land of Rādrapāla, along with countless Buddha-lands in the center, and even up to the realm of Śākyamuni Buddha, all shook greatly, causing every living being to tremble with fear. Shariputra rose, knelt forward with palms pressed together, and asked the Buddha, "What cause brings about such a great earthquake, that none are unafraid?"

The Buddha said to Shariputra, "The earth trembles now because Manjushri is reaching for the bowl. That is what causes this shaking."

Shariputra asked the Buddha, "Where does the alms bowl rest?"

The Buddha said: “The bowl is far below, beyond countless Buddha realms. There is a Buddha named Lai Pi Luo Ye, and his realm is called Bo Tuo Sha. The bowl rests there.”

Shariputra said to the Buddha, "Now all the bodhisattvas, arhats, and the gods, humans, asuras, spirits, and dragons wish to see the Buddha-land of Laipilaya in the lower region, as well as the central Buddha-lands. They wish to see Manjushri's miraculous transformation when he retrieves the bowl."

At that time, the Buddha released a hundred billion rays of light from beneath his feet, illuminating countless Buddha lands in all ten directions. Through this light, all present could clearly see the Bodhisattvas in the land of Buddha Lalitavyūha, and witnessed Mañjuśrī’s miraculous transformation as he retrieved the bowl.

Then all the Bodhisattvas, heavenly beings, humans, asuras, spirits, and dragons were filled with great joy. But all the Arhats were deeply distressed, tears streaming down their faces, each thinking: "Even Bodhisattvas can perform such miraculous transformations at will—how much more overwhelming must be the radiant power of the Buddha himself! It would be better for us to enter the hells and, after a hundred kalpas, emerge again. If we then hear and practice the Bodhisattva teachings, why worry that we won't achieve our aspiration?"

In the land of the Buddha Raivira, countless bodhisattvas, along with bodhisattvas from the central Buddha realms, all came to where Shakyamuni Buddha was. Each bodhisattva thought, "Let us go and make offerings to Shakyamuni Buddha." Among them, some scattered flowers covering an entire Buddha realm, some scattered incense, some scattered heavenly robes, some scattered gold, silver, and precious jewels, and some made music that resounded throughout a Buddha realm. All these bodhisattvas then approached, bowed their heads to the ground at the Buddha's feet, paid their respects, and sat down.

Manjushri Bodhisattva, after taking his alms bowl, came forth and sat among the assembly. All the bodhisattvas, arhats, devas, humans, asuras, spirits, and dragons were filled with joy. Shariputra rose, approached the Buddha, knelt upright with palms pressed together, and said: "What kindness has Manjushri bestowed upon the Buddha, and for what reason do you now speak of remembering past benevolence?"

The Buddha said to Shariputra, "In a past era, countless kalpas ago, there was a Buddha named Ratnakirti. He had sixty thousand arhat monks and seven hundred twenty million bodhisattvas. Among them was a bodhisattva named Janaraja. One morning, he rose and went into the city to beg for alms, returning with a full bowl. As he walked along the street, a wet nurse was holding the son of a wealthy man, a boy named Vimalabhadra. The boy saw the monk carrying his bowl and asked to be put down. The nurse set him down, and he ran to the monk. The monk gave the boy a honey cake. The boy ate it and found it delicious, so he followed the monk. The nurse ran after him to watch over him. When the boy finished the cake, he turned back, wanting to go home. The monk took out another cake and gave it to him. The boy ate it and kept following the monk out of the city to the Buddha's place. There he saw the Buddha, majestic and upright, adorned with the thirty-two marks and eighty fine signs. He could not look away. He was overjoyed to see the bodhisattvas and monks. The monk then had the boy wash his hands and rinse his mouth, and gave him the bowl of cakes to offer to the Buddha, saying, 'You will find peace now, and gain merit in the future.' The boy took the bowl of cakes, walked up to the Buddha, and with his own hands placed the cakes in the Buddha's bowl. Then he offered them to the bodhisattvas and monks as well, and all were completely satisfied. Yet the cakes and the bowl remained as full as before. In this way, he made offerings to the Buddha, the bodhisattvas, and the monks for seven days. The boy was filled with great joy and said to himself, 'Day after day, I offer one cake to the Buddha, the bodhisattvas, and the monks. For seven days my offerings have been complete. I am certain to gain merit, and by this one act of goodness, I will attain Buddhahood.'"

The Buddha spoke to the bodhisattvas and arhats, saying: "This is a kindness from long ago. The bodhisattva Janaradaya is now Manjushri. The child Vimala Prabhasa at that time was myself. Now that I have attained Buddhahood, with the thirty-two marks and eighty excellent characteristics, majestic and honored, delivering all beings in the ten directions—this is all due to Manjushri's kindness. He was originally my teacher. The countless Buddhas of the past were all disciples of Manjushri, and those yet to come will also attain their state through his majestic power and grace. Just as children in the world have parents, Manjushri is the parent of all those on the Buddha's path."

When the Buddha preached this sutra, two hundred bodhisattvas in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three Gods thought to themselves: "The Buddha was originally taught and transformed by Manjushri, causing him to accumulate merits and attain Buddhahood. Why is it that Manjushri, being the Buddha's teacher, has not yet become a Buddha himself before the Buddha?"

The Buddha said, "Manjushri has delved deeply into skillful means and broadly transforms sentient beings, so he has not yet attained enlightenment."

The Buddha told the bodhisattvas and the four assemblies of monks: "The two hundred celestial beings and bodhisattvas who previously wished to turn back to the Two Vehicles, upon witnessing Manjushri's transformations and my response of gratitude, have now all renewed their resolve for supreme enlightenment, cultivating the bodhisattva path. In future lives, they will all attain Buddhahood."

After the Buddha had spoken this sutra, all the bodhisattvas, monks, gods, humans, asuras, spirits, and dragons were overjoyed. They rose and paid their respects to the Buddha.

The Buddha Speaks the Bowl-Offering Sutra