Sutra on the Buddha’s Bequeathed Teaching
Sutra on the Buddha’s Bequeathed Teaching
Translation into Chinese by Tripitaka Master Kumarajiva of Yao Qin DynastyProvisional Translation into English by The Buddhist Text Translation Society,Dharma Realm Buddhist University, City Of Ten Thousand Buddhas(1999 )
When Shakyamuni Buddha first turned the Wheel of Dharma, he crossed over theVenerable Ajnatakaundinya. The very last time he spoke the Dharma, he crossed overthe Venerable Subhadhra. All of those whom he should have crossed over had alreadybeen crossed over. He lay between the Twin Sala trees and was about to enter Nirvana.At this time, in the middle period of the night, all was quiet, without any sound. Thenfor the sake of all of his disciples, he spoke on the essentials of the Dharma.All of you Bhikshus! After my Nirvana, you should revere and honor the Pratimoksha.It is like finding a light in darkness, or like a poor person obtaining a treasure. You should know that it is your great teacher, and is not different from my actual presence in the world.
Those of you who uphold the pure precepts should not buy, sell or trade. You should not covet fields or buildings, or keep servants or raise animals. You should stay faraway from all kinds of agriculture and wealth as you would avoid a pit of fire. You should not cut down grass or trees, plow fields or dig the earth. Nor may youcompound medicines, prophesize good and evil, observe the constellations, casthoroscopes by the waxing and waning of the moon, or compute astrological fortunes.All of these activities are improper.
Regulate yourselves by eating at the appropriate time and by living in purity. You should not participate in worldly affairs or act as an envoy, nor should you becomeinvolved with magical spells and elixirs of immorality, or with making connectionswith high ranking people, being affectionate towards them and condescendingtowards the lowly. With an upright mind and proper mindfulness you should seek to cross over. Do not conceal your faults or put on a special appearance to delude themultitudes.
Know your limits and be content with the four kinds of offerings. When you receive offerings, do not store them up.This is a general explanation of the characteristics of upholding the precepts.
The precepts are the root of proper freedom; therefore they are called the Pratimoksha (lit.The root of freedom). By relying on these precepts, you will give rise to all dhyana concentrations, and reach the wisdom of the cessation of suffering.
For this reason, Bhikshus, you should uphold the pure precepts and not allow them tobe broken.
If a person is able to uphold the pure precepts, he will, as a result, be ableto have good dharmas. If one lacks the pure precepts, no good merit and virtue canarise. Therefore you should know that the precepts are the dwelling place for theforemost and secure merit and virtue.
All of you Bhikshus! If you are already able to abide by the precepts, you should restrain the five sense organs, and do not allow them to enter the five desires as theyplease. It is like a person tending cattle who carries a staff while watching them, notallowing them to run loose and trample others’ pouting grains. If you let your fivesense organs run loose, not only will the five desires become boundless, they will beuncontrollable.They are like a violent horse unrestrained by reins who drags a person along so that hefalls into a pit. If you are robbed or injured you will suffer for only a single life, butthe injury from the plundering done by the five sense organs brings misfortunes whichextend for many lives. Because their harm is extremely heavy, it is impermissible tobe careless.For this reason wise people restrain the five sense organs and do not go along withthem. They restrain them like thieves who are not allowed to run loose. If you letthem run loose for a while, before long you will observe their destruction.Since the five sense organs have the mind as their ruler, you should restrain the mindwell. Your mind is as dangerous as an extremely poisonous snake, a savage beast or ahateful robber. A great fire rushing upon you is still not a satisfactory analogy for themind. It is like a person carrying a container of honey who, as he moves along in haste,only pays attention to the honey, and does not notice a deep pit. It is like a madelephant without a barb, or a monkey in a tree jumping about, which are both difficultto restrain. You should hasten to control it and not allow it to run loose. Those whoallow their minds to wander freely lose the goodness that people do. By restraining itin one place there is no affair which cannot be completed. For this reason, Bhikshus,you should vigorously subdue your mind.
All of you Bhikshus! You should accept various kinds of food and drink as if youwere taking medicine. Whether they be good or bad, do not take more or less of them,but use them to cure hunger and thirst and to maintain the body. Bhikshus should bethe same way as bees gathering from flowers, only taking the pollen without harmingtheir form or scent. Receive peoples’ offerings to put an end to distress, but do notseek to obtain too much and spoil their good hearts. Be like a wise man, who havingestimated the load that suits the strength of his ox, does not exceed that amount andexhaust its strength.All of you Bhikshus! During the day, with a vigorous mind, cultivate the Dharma anddon’t allow the opportunity to be lost. In the first and last periods of the night also donot be lax, and during the middle period of the night, chant Sutras to make yourselfwell informed. Do not let the causes and conditions of sleep cause your single life topass in vain, so that you don’t obtain anything at all.You should be mindful of the fire of impermanence which burns up all the world.Seek to cross yourself over and do not sleep. The thieves of afflictions are alwaysabout to kill you even more than your mortal enemies. How can you sleep? How canyou not rouse yourself to awaken?
The poisonous serpent of afflictions is sleeping in your mind; just as if a black viperwere asleep in your room. You must use the hook of precepts to quickly remove it.When the sleeping snake is gone, then you can rest at ease. Those who sleep eventhough the snake hasn’t yet gone are without shame. The clothing of shame, amongall adornments, is the very best. Shame can be compared to an iron barb which canrestrain people from doing evil. Therefore you should always have a sense of shame,and not be without it even for a moment, for if you have no sense of shame you willlose all of your merit and virtue. Those who have shame have good dharmas; onewithout it is no different from the birds and beasts.
All of you Bhishus! Even if a person dismembered you piece by piece, your mindshould be selfcontained. Do not allow yourself to become angry. Moreover, you should guard your mouth and not give rise to evil speech. If you allow yourself to have thoughts of anger, you will hinder your own Way, and lose the merit and virtueyou have gained. Patience is a virtue which neither upholding the precepts nor the ascetic practices are able to compare with. One who is able to practice patience can becalled a great person who has strength; If you are unable to happily and patientlyundergo the poison of malicious abuse, as if drinking sweet dew, you cannot be calleda wise person who has entered the Way. Why is this? The harm from anger ruins allgood dharmas and destroys one’s good reputation. People of the present and of thefuture will not even wish to see this person.You should know that a heart of anger is worse than a fierce fire. You should alwaysguard against it, and not allow it to enter you, for of the thieves which rob one’s meritand virtue, none surpass anger. Anger may be excusable in lay people who indulge indesires, and in people who do not cultivate the Way, who are without the means torestrain themselves, but for people who have left home-life, who cultivate the Wayand are without desires, harboring anger is impermissible. Without a clear, cool cloud,there should not be a sudden blazing clash of thunder.
All of you Bhishus! You should rub your heads, for you have relinquished fineadornments, you wear the garments of a Buddhist monk, and you carry the alms bowlto use in begging for your livelihood; look at yourself in this way. If thoughts ofarrogance arise you should quickly destroy them, because arrogance and pride are notappropriate even among the customs of lay people, how much the less for a personwho has left the home-life and entered the Way. For the sake of liberation, you shouldhumble yourself and receive alms for your food.
All of you Bhikshus! Thoughts of flattery are contradictory to the Way. Therefore youshould have a straightforward disposition of mind. You should know that flattery isonly deceit, so people who have entered the Way should not flatter. For this reason,all of you should have an upright mind, and take a straightforward disposition as yourbasis.
All of you Bhikshus! You should know that people with many desires suffer much,because they constanly seek for their own benefits. People who reduce their desires,who are free of seeking or longing, don’t have so much trouble. Straight-away reduceyour desires and cultivate appropriately. One who reduces desires can increase merit.People who reduce their desires, do not flatter in order to get what they want fromothers. Moreover they are not dragged along by their sense organs. People who reducetheir desires have, as a consequence, a mind which is peaceful, without worry or fear.When situations arise, they are ever satisfied and never discontent. One who reduceshis desires can realize Nirvana. This is my teaching on reducing desires.
All of you Bhikshus! If you wish to be free from all suffering and difficulty, youshould know contentment. The dharma of contentment is the dwelling of blessings,happiness, and peace. People who are content, although they might sleep on theground are peaceful and happy. Those who are not content, although they might abidein the heavens, are still dissatisfied. Those who are not content, even if they arewealthy, still they are poor. Those who are content, although they might be poor, theyare truly rich. Those who are discontent are always dragged along by their five senseorgans, and are pitied by those who are content.This is my teaching on contentment.
All of you Bhikshus! Seek quietude, unconditioned peace, and happiness. You shouldbe apart from confusion and disturbances, and dwell alone in seclusion. People whodwell in quietude are revered by the heavenly ruler Shakra and all the gods. For thisreason you should leave your own group and other groups; dwell alone in seclusion.Contemplate the root of suffering’s end. If you delight in crowds, you will undergomuch affliction. It is like when a flock of birds gathers in a great tree, the tree is indanger of collapsing. One who is bound to the world drowns in a multitude ofsuffering, like an old elephant sunk in mud, who is unable to get himself out. This ismy teaching on seclusion.
All of you Bhikshus! If you are vigorous, no affair will be difficult for you; For thisreason all of you should be vigorous. It is like a small stream flowing for a long timewhich is able to bore through stones. If, on the other hand, the mind of one whocultivates frequently becomes lax, It is like trying to make a fire by friction but restingbefore you get any heat; Though you want to make a fire, the fire is hard to get.This ismy teaching on vigor.
All of you Bhikshus! Seeking for a Good and Wise Advisor, or for a wholesomebenefactor, does not compare with mindfulness. If you do not neglect mindfulness,none of the thieves of the afflictions’ can enter your mind. For this reason all of youconstantly collect the thoughts in your mind. If you lose mindfulness you will lose allmerit. If your power of mindfulness is firm and strong, though you mingle with thethieves of the five desires, they cannot harm you. It is like joining a battle-wearingarmor, thus you have nothing to fear. This is my teaching on mindfulness.
All of you Bhikshus! If you collect your thoughts, your mind will be concentrated. Ifyour mind is concentrated, you can know the arising and ceasing of all dharma’sappearances. For this reason, all of you should constantly and vigorously cultivateconcentration. If you attain concentration your mind will not be scattered. It is like ahousehold that uses its water sparingly and is able to regulate its irrigation ditches.One who cultivates concentration is also the same way; for the sake of the water ofwisdom he cultivates dhyana concentration, so it doesn’t leak away. This is myteaching on concentration.
All of you Bhikshus! If you have wisdom, you will be free of greed or attachment.Always examine yourselves, and do not allow yourselves to have faults, this way youcan gain liberation within my Dharma. If you never examine yourself, I don’t knowwhat to call you, for you neither a cultivator of the way nor a layperson. One withwisdom rides in a secure boat for crossing over the ocean of birth, old age, sickness,and death. Wisdom is also like a big bright lamp in the darkness of ignorance, a goodmedicine for those who are sick, and a sharp ax for cutting down the tree of afflictions.For this reason all of you should increasingly benefit yourselves by learning,considering, and cultivating wisdom. Even though a person only has flesh eyes, if hehas illuminating wisdom, he has clear understanding. This is my teaching on wisdom.All of you Bhikshus! If you indulge in all sorts of idle discussions, your mind will bescattered. And even though you have left the home-life, you will not attain liberation.For this reason, Bhikshus! You should quickly renounce scattered thoughts and idlediscussions. If you want to attain the happiness of still tranquillity, you only need toeliminate the error of frivolous debate. This is my teaching on not having idlediscussions.All of you Bhikshus! With respect to merit, you should always be single-minded.Relinquish laziness as you would avoid a hateful thief. The World Honor One hasnow finished his compassionate teaching for your benefit. All of you need only topractice it diligently. Whether you are in the mountains, in a desolate marsh, beneath atree, or in a quiet dwelling, be mindful of the Dharma you have received and do notforget it. You should always exert yourself and practice it vigorously. You don’t wantvain. I am like a good doctor who understands illnesses and prescribes medicines.Whether you take it or not is not the doctor’s responsibility. Moreover I am like avirtuous guide who points out a good road. If you who hear of it do not walk downthat road, it is not the guide’s fault.All of you Bhikshus! If you have doubts about suffering and the other Four Truths,you may quickly ask about them now. Do not harbor doubts and fail to clear them up.At that time the World Honor One repeated this three times, yet no one asked him aquestion. And why was this? Because the assembly did not harbor any doubts.At that time, Venerable Aniruddha contemplated the minds of the assembly and saidto the Buddha, World Honor One, the moon might grow hot and the sun could growcold, but the Four Truths proclaimed by the Buddha could not be otherwise. TheTruth of Suffering taught by the Buddha is actually suffering, and cannot becomehappiness. Accumulation is truly the cause of suffering, besides which there is no other cause. If one wants to destroy suffering,
the cause of suffering must be destroyed, because if the cause is destroyed then the result is destroyed. The pathleading to the destruction of suffering is truly the real path, besides which there is noother path.World Honored One, all of these Bhikshus are certain and have no doubts about theFour Truths.
When those in this assembly who have not yet done what should be done see theBuddha cross over to Nirvana they will certainly feel sorrow. Those who have newlyentered the Dharma and heard what the Buddha taught, will all cross over. They haveseen the Way, like a flash of lightning in the night. But those who have already donewhat was to be done, who have already crossed over the ocean of suffering, will onlyhave this thought :Why has the World Honored One crossed over to Nirvana sosoon ?’
Although Aniruddha spoke these words, everyone in the assembly had alreadyunderstood the meaning of the Four Holy Truths. The World Honored One wantedeveryone in that great assembly to be firm and secure, so with a mind of greatcompassion he spoke again for their sake.
All of you Bhikshus! Do not be grieved or distressed. If I were to live in the world foran eon, my association with you would still come to an end. A meeting without aseparation can never be. The Dharma for benefiting oneself and others is complete. IfI were to live longer it would be of no further benefit. All of those who could becrossed over, whether in the heavens or among humans, have already crossed over,and all of those who have not yet crossed over have already created the causes andconditions for crossing over. From now on all of my disciples must continuouslypractice. Then the Thus Come One’s Dharma body will always be enduring andindestructible.
You should know therefore, that everything in the world is impermanent. Meetingsnecessarily have separations, so do not harbor grief. Every appearance in the world islike this; be vigorous, seek liberation right away! Destroy the darkness of delusionwith the brightness of wisdom. The world is truly dangerous and unstable, it is notreliable. Birth and death have ceases for me, as if a chronic illness has been cured atlast. This evil, malign falsely-named object drowns in the ocean of birth, old age,sickness and death. Let this body go! How can one who is wise and not be happywhen he gets rid of it, like killing a hateful thief?
All of you Bhikshus! You should always single-mindedly and diligently seek the wayout of all the moving and unmoving dharmas of the world, for they are all decaying,unfixed appearances. All of you! Here I stop; there is nothing more to say. Time ispassing away, and I want to cross over to Nirvana. These are my very lastinstructions.