The All-Wonderful of the Three Jewels

"Also, next, oh good man! Practice the teachings of the Buddha, Dharma and the life of the Sangha (which are the Three Jewels), and abide in the thought of the Eternal. These three things do not contradict one another. There is no form of the non-eternal, nor change. Any person practicing these three (things) as things which differ (among themselves), it fails in the Three Refuges which are pure. This we should know. This means that such person lacks a place to abide in. (If) the precept is not fully learned, no fruit can come about of Sravakas or Pratyekabuddhas. Anyone who abides in the thought of the Eternal in this All-Wonderful has a place to take refuge in. Oh good man! It's like the shadow accompanying a tree. The same is the case with the Tathagata. As there is the Eternal, there is a refuge that can be taken. It is not non-eternal. Once one says that the Tathagata is non-eternal (impermanent), it cannot be a refuge for all the heavenly beings and people of the world."

The Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "Oh World Honored One! For example, it is like in the case of a tree in the darkness, where there is no shadow."

"Oh Kasyapa! Do not say that there is a tree and that it has no shadow. This is merely because the fleshly eye cannot see it. The same occurs with the Tathagata. His nature is eternal, immutable. One cannot see it without the eye of Wisdom. This is as in the case where no tree-shadow appears in the darkness. Common mortals, after the death of the Buddha, well may say: ‘The Tathagata is non-eternal’. Same is the case. If one says that the Tathagata is other than Dharma and Sangha, there cannot be the Three Refuges. This is as in the case in which, as your parents are different from each other, there is the non-eternal."

Bodhisattva Kasyapa said again to the Buddha: "Oh World Honored One! Henceforth, I will, for the first time, with eternity of the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, enlighten parents for ages, down to seventh generation. It's really wonderful! Oh World Honored One! Now, I will learn the All-Wonderful of the Tathagata, Dharma and Sangha. Having been satisfied, I will expound it widely to all others. If they have not faith in the teachings, I will know that they have extensively practiced the non-Eternal. To such people, I will be like frost and hail."

Then the Buddha praised Bodhisattva Kasyapa and said: "Well said, well said! You now indeed protect and uphold the Wonderful Dharma. Such protection of Dharma is no cheating people. By the good deed of not cheating others, one obtains a long life and becomes well able to read our past lives."

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Paramartha-satya

Bodhisattva Kasyapa said again to the Buddha: "Oh World Honored One! How did you, the Tathagata, obtained eternal life?"

The Buddha said to Bodhisattva Kasyapa: "Oh good man! There are eight great rivers, which are: 1) Ganges, 2) Yamuna, 3) Sarabhu, 4) Ajitavati, 5) Mahi, 6) Indus, 7) Pasu, and 8) Sita. All of these eight great rivers, and other smaller rivers, drain into the great ocean. Oh Kasyapa! All the great rivers of life of all people, heavenly beings, from earth and sky drain into the life's ocean of the Tathagata. Hence, the longevity of life of the Tathagata is incalculable. Furthermore, next, oh Kasyapa! As an illustration: it is like the case of Lake Anavatapta, which comprise (the water of) four rivers. The same applies to the Tathagata. It embraces all lifes. Oh Kasyapa! As an example: of all eternal things, that (eternity) of space is the foremost. The same is the case with the Tathagata. He is the foremost of all eternal things. Oh Kasyapa! This is as in the case of sarpirmanda [the most delicious and effective medicine], the first of all medicines. The same is the case with the Tathagata. He is endowed with the longest life."

Bodhisattva Kasyapa said again to the Buddha: "If the life of the Tathagata is like this, you should live for one kalpa, or less than one kalpa, and be delivering sermons like the great rain falls."

"Oh Kasyapa! Do not distort the idea of extinction regarding the Tathagata. Oh Kasyapa! There may be amongst the bhiksus, bhiksunis, upasakas, upasikas, or even among Tirthikas [deluded beings, non-Buddhists], a person who holds the five divine powers or the unlimited power of a Rishi (Great Sage). This person may live one kalpa or less than one kalpa; it may be able to fly through the air, and be unconstrained whether it is sitting or reclining. It may emit fire from the left side of his body and water from his right side. His body may release smoke and flames like a fireball. If it desires to live long, it can do as wish. It can lengthen or shorten his life freely. With such divine powers, it has freedom of power. How this could not possible with the Tathagata, who possess unlimited power over all things? How could not be possible that it can live for half kalpa, one kalpa, 100 kalpas, 100 000 kalpas, or countless kalpas? For this reason, know that 'the Tathagata is an eternal and unchanging existence’. The body of the Tathagata is a transformed body (not born) and is not nourished by the various kinds of food. In order to pass beings to the other side, it manifests itself amidst poisonous trees. Thus, it manifests itself discarding his carnal body and entering Nirvana. Know, oh Kasyapa, that the Buddha is an eternal and unchanging existence. Oh all of you! Practice the Way in this Paramartha-satya [Truth of the Transcendent Reality], make effort, and practice the Way with a single mind, having practiced the Way, expound it widely to others."

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The Parable of the Strict Father

The Buddha said to Kasyapa: "An illustration, oh good man! The king, the minister and the prime minister may wish to promote their sons who are perfect in countenance and sharped in intellect. One of those fathers takes one, two, three, four sons and forwards them to a strict teacher and tells him: 'Please, teach my sons deportment, good behavior, arts, writing and reckoning. These my four sons will study under your guidance. Even if three of my sons die under the rigor of the teaching, teach the last through whatever means that you may think fit. I may lose the three, but I shall not be ashamed’. Oh Kasyapa! Are the father and the teacher responsible for the deaths?"

"No, oh World Honored One! Why not? Because a love feeling was at the bottom [of their actions]. What exist is accomplishment desire, but not an evil thought. Such teachings will be well administered, and its extension will be limitless."

"Oh good man! The same is the case with the Tathagata. He looks at those who transgress the Dharma as he looks at his only son. Now, the Tathagata entrusts the unsurpassed Wonderful Dharma to the hands of kings, ministers, prime ministers, bhiksus, bhiksunis, upasakas and upasikas. All of these kings, ministers, and the four classes of Buddhist Sangha will encourage those who practice the Buddhist teachings and enable them gradually to comply the moral precepts, practice meditation and wisdom. If there are someone who fails in these three phases of Dharma and if there are those who are indolent and who break the moral precepts; the kings, ministers, and the four classes of the Buddhist Sangha will work hard and recover such people. Oh good man! Could all these kings, ministers, and the four classes of the Buddhist Sangha be blamed or not? "

"No, indeed, oh World Honored One!"

"Oh good man! These kings, ministers and the four classes of the Buddhist Sangha cannot be blamed. How could the Tathagata be guilty? Oh good man! The Tathagata well observes everything with such impartiality, looking upon all people as were his only son. Is called practitioner of the Way, one who practises the all-equal mind of a Bodhisattva and one who possesses a mind that loves an only son. Oh good man! The Bodhisattva, practicing thus, will get a long life and will be able to see what took place in the past."

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The True Disciple

“When I have entered Nirvana, a bhiksu who is perfect in the deportment of a bhiksu, and who remains in compliance with the Wonderful Dharma, may come across one who transgresses. If this bhiksu departs, rebukes, censures, or corrects such evil-doer, he will be blessed with a weal which one cannot measure or conceive. Oh good man! To illustrate: there is a tyrant king who does evil deeds, and happens to suffer very seriously from an illness. The king of a neighboring country, hearing this, mobilizes the army to conquer your country. At this time, the king, having no power to resist attack, repents, tries to do good, and thus the weal of the king of this neighboring country becomes incalculable. The same goes with the bhiksu who is observer of the precepts. If he moves away or rebukes those who act against the Dharma, and makes them do good, an incalculable wealth will be his. Oh good man! As an illustration: in the fields and around the house where a rich man dwells, grow many weeds and poisonous tree. Seeing this, he fells all of them, leaving no one. Or when white hairs appear on the head of a young person, it feels ashamed of them, cuts them off and does not allow his hair grows long. The same is the case with a bhiksu who is observer of the precepts. If he sees any persons who breaks the precepts and transgresses against the Wonderful Dharma, he should move away, rebuke or censure such persons. If a good bhiksu, seeing those who transgress against Dharma, does not move away, rebuke or censure such persons, know that this bhiksu is an enemy of the Buddhist teachings. If he moves away, rebuke or censure such persons, he is my disciple, a true disciple."

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The Secret of Long Life

Then the Buddha said to Kasyapa: "Oh good man! Listen clearly, listen clearly! I shall now tell you the cause of the Tathagata’s longevity of life. The Bodhisattva, through this action, gains long life. For this reason, listen to it with your best attention. Having heard it, speak about it to others. Oh good man! Having practiced thus, I attained unsurpassed Bodhi. I, for the sake of all beings, now speak about it. Oh good man! As an example: a prince transgresses against the state laws and is chained up in prison. The king took pity on him and, riding on a palanquin, condemns himself to prison because he loves the prince. The same with the Bodhisattva. If he wants to have a long life, he should guard and protect beings, seeing them as if they were his only son, and abide in the great lovingkindness, great compassion, great joy, and great equanimity. Also, he should impart them to the precept of non-harming and teach them to practice all good things. Also, he should let all beings abide peacefully in the five moral precepts and the ten good deeds. Furthermore, he should enter the realms of hell, hungry preta, animality, and asura, and free all these beings from wherever they are suffering, emancipate those not yet emancipated, cross over those who have not yet reached the other shore, give Nirvana to those who have not yet attained it, and comfort all those who live in fear. Acting thus, the Bodhisattva gains longevity of life and unmolested freedom in knowledge. And when the end comes, he will gain life in the high heavens."

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