Causes and Conditions Origin Sutra (因果本起經)

Causality and Origin Sutra, Vol. 1

Thus have I heard.

Once, the Buddha was staying in the kingdom of Shravasti, at the Jeta Grove, in the garden of Anathapindika. At that time, the World-Honored One and his monks were residing in a bamboo grove. One morning, the monks put on their robes, took their bowls, and entered the city to beg for food. After returning to their dwelling and finishing their meal, they washed and rinsed. Then each one gathered his robe and bowl, and they all assembled in the lecture hall, wishing to discuss together past causes and conditions.

At that time, the World-Honored One, with his pure celestial ear that transcends the ordinary world, heard the sound of the monks’ discussion. He immediately rose from his seat, went to the lecture hall, and sat among the assembly. He asked the monks, “When you gathered together, what teachings were you about to discuss?”

Then the bhikkhus said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One, we have finished our meal and washed up. Now we have gathered here because we all wish to hear the teachings on the causes and conditions from the past."

At that time, the World-Honored One said to the monks: "If you wish to hear about the causes and conditions of the past, listen carefully, listen attentively, and reflect upon it well. Now, I will explain it to you."

The monks replied, "Yes, World-Honored One. We are eager to hear your teachings."

The Buddha said to the monks: In the distant past, countless eons ago, there was a sage named Shanhui. He was pure in spiritual practice, cultivating the path to attain all-knowing wisdom. Driven by the desire for this great wisdom, he was not averse to cycling through birth and death, wandering through all five realms of existence. When one body died and decayed, he would take on another body. These cycles of birth and death were so immeasurable that if one were to cut down all the grass and trees in the world to make counting sticks, they could not count his past bodies. What we call an eon is the complete cycle of the world from formation to destruction, but the worlds he had passed through, formed and destroyed, were beyond reckoning.

He felt deep compassion for living beings, who were intoxicated and lost in love and desire, drowning in the ocean of suffering. This moved him to arouse a mind of great kindness and compassion, wanting to rescue them. He thought: "All these sentient beings are trapped in birth and death, unable to free themselves because of greed, anger, and ignorance—because they cling to sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touch, and objects of the mind. I am determined to cure them of this sickness." Although he was reborn in various realms, he never forgot this resolve. He treated all beings equally, whether friends or enemies. He used generosity to help the poor, moral discipline to correct those who broke precepts, patience to counter anger, diligence to overcome laziness, meditation to calm scattered minds, and wisdom to guide the ignorant. In this way, through the long night of existence, he continuously benefited beings, becoming a refuge for all. He respectfully made offerings to the enlightened ones, delighting in hearing the Dharma, and teaching it to others. He always provided the four necessities to the monastic community, and with reverence and care, protected the Dharma and the Sangha. Such virtuous practices were too numerous to count.

At that time, there was a king named Lamp Light, who ruled a city called Shining Banners. The people of his kingdom enjoyed a lifespan of eighty thousand years, living in peace, prosperity, and great abundance. They had whatever they desired, just like the gods. The king governed his realm by righteous means, never wronging his people. There was no killing, punishment, or suffering from beatings. He regarded all his people as his own children.

Then the Lamp Light King's queen gave birth to a crown prince. The prince was supremely noble in appearance, endowed with great virtue and majesty, possessing the thirty-two marks and eighty excellent features of a great being. On the day of his birth, light shone from all directions, making the sun, moon, pearls, and fire no longer needed. Seeing these miraculous signs, the king summoned his ministers and said, "The crown prince was born with such extraordinary marks. What name should we give him?" The ministers replied, "He should be named Universal Light."

The king also summoned fortune-tellers to interpret the signs. They said, "Observing the prince, if he remains a householder, he will become a wheel-turning monarch ruling over the four continents. If he renounces the world, he will become the supreme teacher of gods and humans and realize the highest enlightenment." Upon hearing this, the king, the queen, and the palace ladies were filled with deep affection for the prince. The prince was also venerated, respected, and praised by gods, dragons, yakshas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, mahoragas, and other celestial and human beings.

At that time, the crown prince was in the inner palace, teaching various teachings to his queens and attendants. When he was 29,000 years old, he set aside his position as a wheel-turning king. He asked his parents for permission to leave home and practice the path, but they did not consent. He made this request three times, yet they still would not allow it. However, the prince, filled with compassion and a resolve to help all beings, accepted this small difficulty for the sake of a greater good. He then went to a forest beneath the trees, shaved his head and beard, donned the monastic robe, and diligently practiced austere cultivation for six thousand years. Thereupon, he attained complete and perfect enlightenment. For the sake of gods, humans, and the eight kinds of beings, he set in motion the wheel of the Dharma—a wheel so profound that no one in all the worlds—gods, humans, demons, or heavenly kings—could turn it. He taught sentient beings with the three vehicles, and the benefits he brought were incalculable.

Now his father the king, together with the queens, the ladies of the inner palace, and all the concubines, heard that Prince Universal Light had attained complete and perfect enlightenment. They were filled with great joy and leapt up in boundless delight. At that time, all the ministers, the kingdom’s people, and the Brahmins heard that the prince had accomplished the path. Each thought to themselves, "Prince Universal Light set aside his position as a wheel-turning king, shaved his head and beard, donned the monastic robe, left home to cultivate the path, and attained true enlightenment. We too should now leave home." Having thought this, they all went at once to the place where the Buddha Universal Light was. At that time, the Tathāgata Universal Light perceived their minds and, according to their inner causes, taught them the Dharma. Four thousand of the ministers and Brahmins attained the state of arhats. Among the people of the kingdom and the other assemblies from the four directions, eighty thousand people also attained the unshakable patience of non-attachment.

At that time, Universal Light Tathagata, together with eighty-four thousand Arhats, journeyed to the kingdom to teach and guide the people. When the father king heard this, his heart was filled with great joy. He immediately ordered the kingdom to smooth the roads, sprinkle them with perfumed water, hang silk banners, jeweled pennants, and canopies, and scatter many fine flowers. Thus the roads were adorned for twelve yojanas. He also had drums beaten and proclaimed throughout the land that no one with flowers was to sell them privately—all must be given to the king. And he commanded the people not to make offerings to the Buddha before he did. Then he sent ministers along with musicians, burning incense and scattering flowers, to go and invite Universal Light Tathagata.

At that time, the Sage Shanhui was in the mountains when he had five extraordinary dreams. First, he dreamed of lying upon the great ocean. Second, he dreamed of resting his head upon Mount Sumeru. Third, he dreamed that all the living beings in the ocean entered into his body. Fourth, he dreamed of holding the sun in his hand. Fifth, he dreamed of holding the moon in his hand. Having had these dreams, he awoke with a great start and said to himself, "These dreams of mine are no small matter. Who should I ask about them? It would be best to go into the city and ask the wise." With this thought, he put on his deerskin robe, took up his water bottle, staff, and parasol, and set out for the city. On the road, he passed by a place where non-Buddhist practitioners lived. There were five hundred of them, with one as their leader. Shanhui thought, "I should ask them about my dreams and also observe the practices they cultivate." So he discussed the principles of the path with them and refuted their mistaken views. At once, all five hundred admitted defeat and asked to become his disciples. Deeply reverent toward Shanhui, each offered him a silver coin. Another five hundred non-Buddhists, seeing Shanhui's eloquence and intelligence, also rejoiced. Then these non-Buddhists said among themselves, "The Tathagata Universal Light has now appeared in the world." When the Sage Shanhui heard these words, every hair on his body stood on end, and his heart was filled with great joy, leaping up beyond measure. He then parted from the non-Buddhists. They asked, "Teacher, where are you going?" He replied, "I now wish to go to where the Buddha Universal Light is, to make offerings." The non-Buddhists said, "If you are going, Teacher, we would gladly follow you." Shanhui replied, "I have my own karmic connections and should go on ahead." Then Shanhui, carrying the five hundred silver coins, set off along the road. The assembly of non-Buddhists, grieving and reluctant, bade him farewell and returned home.

Sumedha approached and saw the king's men leveling the road, sprinkling it with perfumed water, and arranging banners, parasols, and all kinds of decorations. He immediately asked, "For what reason are you doing this?" The king's men replied, "A Buddha has arisen in the world named Universal Light. King Dipankara has invited him to enter the city, which is why we are hurriedly preparing the road." Sumedha then asked those passersby, "Do you know where there are any fine flowers?" They replied, "The ascetic, King Dipankara, has beaten the drum and proclaimed that no famous flowers in the country may be sold—all must be delivered to the king." When Sumedha heard this, he was greatly distressed, yet his resolve did not waver, and he painstakingly searched for where flowers might be found.

At that time, Eer (the youth) encountered a palace maid from the royal household who was secretly carrying seven stalks of blue lotus flowers. Because of the king's strict decree, she had hidden them in a jar. But Shanhui's sincere devotion caused the lotus flowers to leap out of the jar. Seeing them from afar, Shanhui immediately called out, "Elder sister, please wait! Are these flowers for sale?"

When the maid heard this, she was greatly startled and thought to herself, "The flowers were hidden so carefully—how did this man see them and ask to buy them?" She looked back at her jar and indeed saw the flowers had emerged. A strange feeling arose in her. She replied, "Young man, these blue lotus flowers are to be sent to the palace as an offering to the Buddha. You cannot have them."

Shanhui said again, "Please, I will buy five stalks for five hundred silver coins."

The maid hesitated, thinking, "These flowers are worth no more than a few coins, yet this man offers five hundred silver coins for just five stalks." So she asked him, "What do you intend to do with these flowers?"

Shanhui replied, "A Tathagata has appeared in the world, illuminating all with his light. The great king has invited him to enter the city. That is why I need these flowers—to make an offering. Elder sister, you should know that Buddhas and Tathagatas are hard to encounter, appearing only from time to time, like the udumbara flower."

The maid asked further, "What do you seek by making offerings to the Tathagata?"

Shanhui answered, "I wish to attain all-encompassing wisdom in order to liberate countless suffering beings."

When the maid heard these words, she thought to herself, "This young man has a handsome face and wears a deerskin garment, barely covering his body, yet he is so sincere and does not begrudge his wealth." She then said to him, "I will give you these flowers, but I ask that in life after life, I may always be your wife."

Shanhui replied, "I cultivate the pure life and seek the path of non-action. I cannot agree to the bonds of birth and death."

The maid then said, "If you will not grant my wish, you cannot have the flowers."

Shanhui said again, "If you are determined not to give me the flowers, then I must grant your wish. But I delight in generosity and do not go against others' wishes. If someone comes to beg from me—my head, my eyes, my marrow, my brains, or my wife and children—do not stand in the way and destroy my spirit of giving."

The maid replied, "Excellent, excellent. I respectfully accept your command. But I, being a woman and weak, cannot come before the Buddha myself. Please deliver two of these flowers as an offering on my behalf, so that in life after life I may not lose this vow. Whether in beauty or plainness, may I never be separated from you. Keep this always in your heart and let the Buddha know of it."

At that time, King Dengzhao, together with his sons, his officials and retainers, and the brahmins, brought fine incense, flowers, and all kinds of offerings, and went out to welcome Tathagata Puguang. The people of the whole country also followed along. Then Shanhui's five hundred disciples said to one another, "Today the king and all his ministers and people have gone to where the Buddha Puguang is. Our master must have gone there already. We too should go there to pay reverence." Having spoken these words, they all went together. Before they had gone far along the road, they met Shanhui. Master and disciples met, and their joy was boundless. Together they proceeded to where the Buddha Puguang was. They saw that King Dengzhao had already arrived before the Buddha and was the very first to make offerings and pay homage. In this way, in order, the great ministers also each paid reverence and scattered fine flowers, and the flowers all fell to the ground.

At that time, Goodness and Wisdom, together with five hundred disciples, saw that the crowds had finished making their offerings. He carefully contemplated the Buddha's excellent marks and features, and because he wished to save all living beings and also to fulfill all-encompassing wisdom, he scattered five flowers. They all remained suspended in the air and transformed into a flower platform. Then he scattered two more stems, and they too stayed in the air, flanking the Buddha on both sides. At that moment, the king, together with his family and all his ministers and people, along with gods, dragons, yakshas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, non-humans, and others, saw this wonder and exclaimed that it had never been before. Then Universal Light Tathagata, with unobstructed wisdom, praised Goodness and Wisdom, saying, "Excellent, excellent, good man. Through this practice, after immeasurable asamkhyeya kalpas, you will attain Buddhahood, with the title Shakyamuni Tathagata, Worthy One, Truly Enlightened, Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, Well-Gone, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed One, Tamer of Beings, Teacher of Gods and Humans, Buddha, World-Honored One." When Goodness and Wisdom received this prophecy, immeasurable gods, dragons, yakshas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, non-humans, and others scattered countless wonderful flowers, filling the air, and made this vow: "When Goodness and Wisdom attains the path of Buddhahood in the future, we all vow to be his followers." Then Universal Light Tathagata gave them this prophecy: "You will all be born in his land."

At that time, after the Tathagata had given the prediction, he still saw that Sudhana wore a sage's topknot and a deerskin garment. Wanting to make him abandon this attire, the Tathagata then transformed the ground into mud. Sudhana saw the Buddha about to walk that way, and the ground was muddy and wet. He thought to himself, "How can I let the thousand-spoked wheel feet tread upon this?" So he took off his deerskin garment and spread it on the ground, but it was not enough to cover the mud. He then untied his hair and spread it over the mud as well. The Tathagata then stepped across upon it. Thereupon he gave the prediction, saying, "You will later attain Buddhahood. In the evil world of the five defilements, you will deliver gods and humans, and you will not find it difficult. You will surely be like me." At that time, when Sudhana heard this prediction, he was overjoyed, leaping with delight, unable to contain his joy. Immediately he understood that all phenomena are empty and attained the acceptance of non-arising. His body rose into the air, ascending to the height of seven tala trees, and he praised the Buddha in verse.

At that time, after Shanhui had spoken this verse, he came down from the sky, stood before the Buddha, prostrated himself with his five limbs touching the ground, and said to the Buddha: "I only pray that the World-Honored One, out of compassion for me, will permit me to leave home and become a monk." Then the Tathagata Puguang replied: "Excellent, Shanhui, come, monk." His hair fell out on its own, the monk's robe appeared on his body, and he immediately became a monk.

At that time, there were two poor old men, each with a hundred relatives and followers. When they saw the Buddha's majestic appearance and dignified radiance, they felt sorrow over their own poverty, having nothing to offer in worship. The Tathagata, moved by their sincere hearts, instantly transformed the ground before them, causing weeds and filth to appear, so that the two poor men, seeing the impure ground, felt joy and swept it clean. Then Universal Light Tathagata gave them a prophecy, saying: "After immeasurable asamkhya kalpas, Shakyamuni Buddha will arise in the world, and at that time you shall become his foremost voice-hearer disciples." After Universal Light Tathagata had given the prophecy to the poor men, surrounded before and behind by eighty-four thousand monks, along with King Lamp-Bearer and the brahmins, ministers, and people, he entered the city of Tipapati.

At that time, King Lamp-Bearer and his followers made offerings of the four requisites to Buddha Universal Light and to the eighty-four thousand monks for forty thousand years. The king then gave up his throne to his son, and together with his followers and his queen's followers—each numbering eighty-four thousand people—he left home to practice the Dharma under the Buddha. He attained the Dharani of the Samadhi of All Dharmas. The monk Good Wisdom also received the king's offerings along with Buddha Universal Light for a full forty thousand years, and attained a profound samadhi within all dharmas, teaching and transforming countless beings.

Then the monk Good Wisdom said to Buddha Universal Light, "World-Honored One, in the past, while I was in the deep mountains, I had five extraordinary dreams. First, I dreamed I was lying on the great ocean. Second, I dreamed I was resting my head on the polar mountain. Third, I dreamed that all the beings in the ocean entered into my body. Fourth, I dreamed that my hand was holding the sun. Fifth, I dreamed that my hand was holding the moon. I only pray that the World-Honored One will explain these dreams to me."

Then Buddha Universal Light replied, "Good Wisdom, if you wish to know the meaning of these dreams, I will explain them for you. Dreaming that you lay on the great ocean means that you are presently within the great ocean of birth and death. Dreaming that you rested your head on the polar mountain is the sign of transcending birth and death and attaining parinirvana. Dreaming that all beings in the great ocean entered into your body means that within the great ocean of birth and death, you will become a refuge for all beings. Dreaming that your hand held the sun means that the light of wisdom will illuminate the entire dharma realm. Dreaming that your hand held the moon means that through skillful means and wisdom you will enter birth and death, and with the cool Dharma you will guide and teach beings, leading them away from the fever of affliction. These dreams are the signs of your future Buddhahood."

When Good Wisdom heard this, he was overjoyed, leaping with delight beyond measure, bowed to the Buddha, and withdrew.

At that time, Universal Light Tathagata, after a short while, entered Parinirvana. The monk Shanhui protected the true Dharma for a full twenty thousand years, teaching and transforming sentient beings with the Three Vehicles, and those who benefited were beyond all reckoning. When Shanhui passed away, he was immediately reborn as one of the Four Heavenly Kings, teaching and transforming the heavenly beings with the Three Vehicles. When his heavenly lifespan ended, he descended to the human realm and became a Wheel-Turning Sage King ruling over the four continents, complete with the seven treasures: first, the golden wheel treasure; second, the white elephant treasure; third, the dark blue horse treasure; fourth, the divine pearl treasure; fifth, the jewel maiden treasure; sixth, the treasurer treasure; and seventh, the military commander treasure. He had a thousand sons, all brave and strong, able to subdue enemies. He ruled by the true Dharma, free from all sorrow and trouble, constantly teaching people through the ten wholesome deeds. When his life ended here, he was reborn in the Trayastrimsa Heaven as its lord. When that life ended, he descended to become a Wheel-Turning Sage King again. Thus his lifespans continued, even up to rebirth in the seventh Brahma Heaven as a heavenly king, then descending as a sage ruler—thirty-six times in each direction. In between, he sometimes appeared as a sage, sometimes as one of the six non-Buddhist teachers, sometimes as a brahmin, sometimes as a petty king. Such transformations were beyond all reckoning.

At that time, the Bodhisattva Shanhui had perfected his practices and reached the tenth stage. Just one more lifetime remained before he would attain omniscient wisdom. He was born in the Tushita Heaven, named Sage Shanbai, and taught the assembled gods about the practice of one remaining lifetime. He also manifested various forms throughout lands in all ten directions, teaching the Dharma to beings according to their capacities. When the time came for him to descend and become a Buddha, he contemplated five matters: first, whether beings were ripe or unripe; second, whether the time had come or not; third, which land to choose among all lands; fourth, which clan was most noble and prosperous; and fifth, through past causes and conditions, who would truly be most suitable to be his parents. Having contemplated these five matters, he reflected: all these beings have been matured by me since I first formed the aspiration, and they are capable of receiving the pure and wondrous Dharma. In this three-thousand-great-thousand world, in the land of Kapilavastu in Jambudvipa, among all clans and lineages, the Shakya clan is foremost—descendants of the sage king of the sugarcane lineage. He observed that King Shuddhodana's past causes and conditions, and that the husband and wife were truly worthy to be his parents. He also observed Queen Maya's lifespan and saw that she would carry the crown prince for ten full months, and then the prince would be born. Seven days after the birth, his mother would pass away.

He then reflected further: "If I were to descend and be born now, I would not be able to widely benefit the assembled gods and humans." So he manifested five signs in the heavenly palace to let all the heavenly beings clearly know that the Bodhisattva's time had come to descend and become a Buddha. First, the Bodhisattva's eyes began to flutter and blink. Second, the flowers on his head wilted. Third, his clothes became soiled with dust. Fourth, sweat appeared under his arms. Fifth, he took no delight in his original seat. When the assembled heavenly beings suddenly saw these unusual signs in the Bodhisattva, they were greatly alarmed and terrified, and blood flowed like rain from every pore of their bodies. They said to one another, "The Bodhisattva will soon abandon us."

At that moment, the Bodhisattva manifested five auspicious signs. First, he emitted a great radiance that illumined the entire three-thousand great-thousand world. Second, the earth trembled in the eighteen ways, the waters of the ocean surged, and all the heavenly palaces shook. Third, the dwellings of the demons became hidden and vanished. Fourth, the sun, moon, and stars lost their light. Fifth, the bodies of gods, humans, and the eight classes of beings all trembled, and they could not control themselves.

Then the gods of the Tushita Heaven, having seen these five signs on the Bodhisattva's body and also witnessed these five rare external occurrences, all gathered before the Bodhisattva. They bowed their heads at his feet and said, "Venerable One, today we have seen these signs, and our whole bodies tremble; we cannot remain at ease. Please explain this cause to us."

The Bodhisattva immediately replied to the gods, "Good sons, you should know that all conditioned things are impermanent. Before long, I will leave this heavenly palace and be born in the world of Jambudvipa."

At that moment, the heavenly beings heard this.