Chapter Two ............. Expedient Means
Presently The Great Buddha calmly arose from his deep meditation and addressed Shariputra, one of his two
main disciples,
"The wisdom of the Buddhas is profound and infinite, it is extremely difficult to fully comprehend.
There are a great number of prospective Buddhas with need of wider knowledge
and there are those Buddhas who do not feel the necessary compassion to remain as Bodhisatvas in this world.
None of these very wise Buddhas fully comprehend the full depth of the Buddhas wisdom.
Why should this be"?
"No, not one of the great world heroes
can fathom the Buddhas.
Long ago I trod the path of the
profound and mystic law.
It is hard to fully perceive and
perform for uncountable eons
as I have.
Having done all this wisdom has
finally arrived.
I now perfectly understand the form
and nature of all phenomena.
I and the Great Buddhas of the
Universe alone can understand
these things.
The truth beyond expression
the truth beyond explanation
the truth beyond demonstration
none comprehend it but
Boddhisattvas and Buddhas
unshaken in their faith.
My great disciple Shariputra
I tell you
Even great holy men who
have come to the end of their
cycles of rebirth
even they do not have the
great power needed.
Even if the earth was peopled
with Shariputra's and they all
pooled their great knowledge
and wisdom
they could not truly fathom the
sublime law.
With the Buddhas of the ten
directions only I understand
its perfect nature.
Shariputra I tell you
The teachings of the Buddhas
never varies.
Never lose faith in the
Great Law of the Universe.
I announce to all assembled here
that the only way to pry people
from their earthly attachments is
to teach doctrines that accord
with learners capacities.
The Buddha has shown the way
to reach enlightenment by following
the path of good conduct,
mental development and wisdom
but now this Buddha will reveal
the mysterious. incomprehensible,
profound, subtle and wonderful law
that is the full and perfect truth."
The Buddhas attendant Ananda continues
When the students and wise holy men in the great assembly
heard the Buddha speak in this way each thought to himself
- Why does the Great Buddha so earnestly praise the teaching
of lesser doctrines or expedient means,
saying that even advanced students and wise ones will have difficulty
in understanding the full truth.
Up until now we have only ever heard the Great Buddha teach
the one same teaching based on the Great Principles of the
Mystic Law.
This present teaching is novel and different and not yet clear -
The Buddhas great disciple Shariputra could see their doubts
and harbouring some of the same himself he addressed the
Great Buddha
Oh Sun of Wisdom
at last you will expound
the highest truth in its fullness
but this immense assembly
has fallen into doubt.
Why so do you earnestly
praise preparatory teachings
as the introduction to the
study of the Great Truth?
We have not heard this as yet
and we humbly beg that as
devoted students of the
perfect path you explain
this to us.
After Shariputra had made this request three times
the World Honoured One replied
Thrice have you asked, so how can I refuse so earnest a request.
Listen and ponder for now I shall speak clearly.
As`soon as the Great Buddha had uttered these words a large
number of ordained monks, nuns and their attendants arose from their seats
and bowing to the assembled seekers of the truth they withdrew and left
the great assembly.
Now you ask why should this be.
The simple truth is that the roots of self aggrandizement in these truly
haughty beings was so deep and their egos so inflated that they
imagined that they already understood what they did not.
Being so mistaken they would not remain.
The World Honoured One did not try to detain them.
After they had departed The Great Buddha said to his Disciple Shariputra
Now this assembly of mine is free of useless twigs and leaves leaving
nothing but the firm fruit of the steadfast and true.
Shariputra I tell you
the Buddhas words are not empty
or false
All the Buddhas teach the truth
employing endless combinations
of preparatory teachings.
Discussing reasons and results
using simile and parable
to explain all that needs to be
explained.
However monks and nuns
such as these embedded
in their absolute arrogance
self-conceit and unbelief
not seeing their own
moral shortcomings
have left us.
These pitiful beings
shut out the truth and
take cover from the
Majesty of the Universe.
Those remaining are
ready for the Truth.
Shariputra, Listen carefully
The truth as discovered by
all the Great Buddhas is
here and it is explained in
exquisite detail as often
and in the way that
they see proper.
However this truth cannot
be understood in an eon
of pondering or analysis.
Like the Cluster Fig Tree
it is rarely seen in flower
so the Great Buddhas rarely
teach this wonderful subtle
truth.
All the Great Buddhas thoroughly
knowing the thoughts, desires
and deeds of fallible beings
use all the methods of explaining
truth to those who will listen
and do so according to the
learners capacity to understand.
This allows the needful to rejoice
in the truth and advances their
life state somewhat.
For those who have failed to
progress in the Truth
under countless previous Buddhas
and to those who delight in
petty rules and those desperately
attached to their existence in this
puny life and suffer for it so -
to these I teach the idea of
perfect peace of mind free from
afflictions of the spirit - Nirvana.
This is the first preparatory teaching
leading to the wisdom
of the Buddhas.
At this point I cannot say to
them "now you will all become
Buddhas"
for they were not ready.
But now the time has come for me
to teach this great truth in its fullness.
Yet the Great Truth within this
teaching is too much for some
to bear.
Lacking in true understanding
and still not ready to accept
what I say
they stubbornly cling to base
desires.
Infatuated with greed and desire
they have suffered and will continue
to suffer the utmost misery.
Such beings are hard to redeem.
The endless cycles of being
continue with them in train.
I tell you Shariputra
My heart is stirred with compassion
and it is for them that I utter
preparatory teachings.
I proclaim a way for them to end
their suffering and I give it the
name Nirvana.
Even so this is not the complete
way to suppress base desires
and extinguish their misery.
The Great Buddhas of the past
and the future know that there is
only the one way to bring
true enlightenment,
Teaching lesser doctrines
has never saved a single being.
The truth and the way lives within
every Buddha and it is only
by following this single truth is
anyone saved.
Know this O Shariputra
Long ago I made a vow
to work until all creatures
are my equal in virtue
now that vow will be
fulfilled.
When a Buddhas follower
treads`the true path
then will he become
a Great Buddha
in a future world.
Know this again Shariputra
those beings unable to
bring themselves to listen
and act on what they have
heard are not ready
for this ultimate truth.
So it is with great joy
that I see that you and this
Great Assembly are now
ready and I shall put
aside all expediency
and proclaim the truth
boldly and clearly.
All teachings prior
to this are preparatory.
Future Buddhas may
teach those who listen
countless ways into
the truth but be assured
there is only this one
truth.
Rare it is for this truth
to be uttered and rarer
still for there to be
beings who understand
and will extol its virtues.
Even one word of this
teaching pays everlasting
homage to all the
Buddhas and Bodhisatvas.
Know in your heart Shariputra
that this Wonderful Truth
is the great secret truth of
all the Great Buddhas
and rejoice in the knowledge
that you, too, will become
such a Great Buddha in a
future world.
CHAPTER 3 ........................ SIMILE AND PARABLE
Ananda, the Great Buddhas attendant, continued
At that point the Great Buddhas disciple Shariputra
rose to his feet. He felt ecstatically happy.
He gazed at the Great Buddha in reverence and
held his hands together
Addressing the World Honoured One he said
“Now, when I hear from the World-honoured One this voice of the
truth my heart dances with joy, since I have gained what I have never had before.
Why do I say this? Because, when in the past I heard how the Bodhisattvas were
predicted to attain Buddhahood, I and others felt excluded. I was deeply grieved to
think I would never gain the immeasurable insight of the thus come one.
World-honoured
One, I have constantly lived in the mountain forests or alone under the trees and
always I have thought to myself, ‘we have entered all alike into the nature of the
truth, so why does the thus come one use the teachings that emphasise personal
enlightenment so as to deprive us of the opportunity to gain the unsurpassed
attainments and body of a Buddha?’
“But the fault is mine, not that of the World-honoured One. I failed to understand
that the Buddha was employing preparatory means, and teaching what was appropriate
to our circumstances. For example, when I first heard the Buddha’s teaching, which
rooted out my mistaken views, I immediately supposed that I had fully understood
the teaching of Emptiness, and assumed I had reached the final goal. I now realise
that this was not the true Nirvana.
“World-honoured One, for a long time now, day and night, I have repeatedly
taxed myself with this thought. But now I hear the Buddha’s gentle voice, hear what I
had never heard before, a wonderful teaching, profound, extremely subtle, far beyond
ordinary understanding, setting forth the pure truth, the means to accomplish
Supreme Perfect Enlightenment for all.
My doubts and regrets are ended. My heart
is filled with joy; my body and mind are at ease; I have gained peace and security.
Today, at long last, I indeed know that I am the Buddha's son, born of the Buddha's
mouth, born through conversion to the Truth, and received my inheritance of the
Buddha's Teaching! I am certain that I too will become a Buddha!”
And then the Buddha said to his disciple Shariputra
“Indeed, Shariputra, in
ages to come, having made offerings to numberless Buddhas, being endowed with all
the Bodhisattva practices, the ten powers and other blessings, you will realise the
Unsurpassed Way. You will become a Buddha of universal wisdom, venerable,
bearing the name Lotus Light.
Your world will be called Land without Stain - , pure, without flaw or blemish.
Its land will be made of lapis lazuli, its roads bounded by ropes of gold, and seven jewelled
trees in a blaze of colours will constantly bear blossoms and fruit. After
countless eons have passed, your time period will be named ‘Great Treasure Adornment.’
Why? Because your Bodhisattvas will be infinite,
boundless, inconceivable, beyond compare - wherever they walk, jewelled flowers will
form beneath their feet.
The lifespan of the Buddha Lotus Light will be many eons
He will then predict the Bodhisattva Complete Truth to become a Buddha
whose name will be ‘He who walks securely on lotuses.’
After Buddha Lotus Light has passed into extinction, the True
teaching will endure in the world for thirty-two eons, saving living beings far
and wide. The actions of Lotus Light Buddha will be all as I have said. This most
excellent and holy of men will be foremost and without peer. And he will be none
other than Shariputra.
Then Shariputra said, “World-Honoured One, now I have no more
doubts or second-thoughts; but for the sake of these disciples gathered here, who
have heard what they have never heard before, I beg you to resolve their
uncertainty.”
The Buddha replied, “Shariputra, have I not said before that the
Buddhas, World-honoured Ones, by a variety of reasonings, parables and terms,
teach the Truth as it may be expedient.
All these are for the purpose of transforming
their disciples into Bodhisattvas. But, let me again by means of simile and parable
make this clearer, for intelligent people can thereby reach understanding.
The Parable of the burning house
“Shariputra, suppose that in a certain town in a certain country there was a rich
elder of great power, advanced in years, his wealth incalculable, owning many
estates, mansions and surrounded by servants. One of his houses was large and
spacious, but also very old: the foundations were collapsing, the walls cracked and
the plaster crumbling, with its ceilings falling in, with pillars rotten at their base, beams
slipping, and the roof and rafters crooked and aslant. And in this house lived a great
many people ~ several hundred. But also
living as well were all manner of venomous creatures such as rats, mice, snakes,
beetles, insects, raccoons, weasels and many types of birds. Packs of dogs, driven by
hunger and fear, raced through the house searching for food. The house stank of
excrement and overflowed with streams of filth. And all manner of ferocious
demons and evil spirits, shrieking and howling, roamed everywhere making the
house fearful and perilous.
“One day, quite suddenly, a fire broke out, and spreading quickly, the house was
soon ablaze. As it happened, the rich man was standing outside the gate to the house,
when someone said to him, ‘A little while ago, all your young children went into the
house to play.’ Greatly alarmed, the rich man rushed into the burning house to save
them. But when he saw huge flames leaping up on every side, he was very fearful,
thinking, ‘Although we can escape to safety through the burning doorway, my
children are too preoccupied enjoying themselves and playing games; my children
are very young, knowing nothing as yet, and they love their games, and are
completely engrossed in them. Unaware, they don’t understand and are not
frightened. Though the fire is closing in on them, with pain and suffering imminent,
yet they don’t mind; they don’t think of trying to escape!’
This rich man thought to himself, ‘I am strong; perhaps I can carry
each of them out of the house? But then he thought, ‘there is only one door through
which we could go, and it is too narrow and small for me to carry them. All I can do
is to warn them that they will get hurt by the flames, that they must be quick to get
out in time before they come to great harm.’
“So he called out to all his children, saying, ‘You must come out at once!’ But
though the father was moved by compassion and spoke kindly, the children, absorbed
in their games, paid no attention to him. They were not frightened, and did not want
to pay any attention to him, nor to leave the house. Moreover, they did not really
understand what he meant, nor what danger they were in. They merely raced up and
down in play, from time to time glancing at their father.
“Then the rich man thought: ‘My children are taking no notice of me; they are
bewitched by their play. But the house is already blazing with this huge fire. If I and
my children do not get out at once, we are certain to be burned. I will have to invent
some way or another to ensure that the children escape harm.’
“So the father knowing his children, knowing which toys and playthings that each
child liked and delighted in, called out to them, ‘Here are the kind of playthings you
like, which are so hard to find. If you don’t come and get them now when you can,
you will be sorry for it later. I have all sorts of goat-carts, deer-carts, and ox-carts for
you to play with; they are all outside the gate now where you can play with them. So
hurry up, you must come quickly out of this burning house. Then whatever ones you
want, I will give them to you!'
“When the children heard their father telling them about these attractive toys, and
because the carts were just what they wanted, every one of them eagerly, pushing and
shoving one another, came wildly dashing out of the burning house.
“When the rich man saw that all his children were safe and no longer in danger,
and were all waiting in the square, he sat down greatly relieved and ecstatic with joy.
Then the children asked their father, ‘The lovely toys you promised that we could
play with, the goat-carts and deer-carts and ox-carts ~ please give them to us now!'
“Shariputra, then the rich man gave to each of his children a large chariot, high
and spacious, adorned with all manner of precious things, surrounded with railed
seats, hung with bells on its four sides, and covered with curtains, splendidly
decorated with precious jewels, hung with garlands of flowers, thickly spread with
beautiful carpets and vermilion cushions. Each chariot was yoked with pure white
bullocks, handsome and strong, capable of pulling the chariot smoothly, and also
with the speed of the wind. Each chariot had many grooms and servants to attend and
guard it.
“What was the reason for this? The rich man thought to himself, ‘My wealth is
limitless and I have many kinds of storehouses that are all filled and over-flowing; it
would not be right if I were to give my children small carts of inferior make. These
are my children and I love them equally.’ So each child, filled with excitement,
mounted his large chariot, gaining something he had never had before, something he
had originally never expected, and was free to play and roam as he wished without
hindrance.
“Shariputra, what do you think of this? Has that elder, in only giving to his
children great chariots adorned with rare jewels, been guilty of falsehood or not?”
Then Shariputra replied to the Buddha, “No, World-honoured One.
This rich man simply made it possible for his children to escape the peril of the fire.
He did not commit a falsehood. Why do I say this? Because in having their lives
saved, the children have already obtained a plaything of sorts.
World-honoured One, even
if the rich man had not given them the tiniest cart, he would still not be guilty of
falsehood. Why? Because this rich man from the outset had made up his mind that he
would use an expedient to cause his children to escape. Using a device of this kind
was no act of falsehood. How much less so then, when the rich man, knowing that his
wealth was limitless and he intended to enrich and benefit his children, gives to each
of them a marvellous chariot.”
The Buddha then said to Shariputra, “Very good, very good! It is
just as you say. Shariputra, the Thus Come One is like this, for he is a father to all the
world. He is born into this imperfect world, just another burning house, rotten and old,
to save living
beings from the fires of birth, old age, sickness and death, grief, suffering, stupidity,
darkness, and the three poisons of greed, hatred and delusion to teach them to attain
Perfect Enlightenment.
“He sees living beings scorched by the fires of suffering, undergoing many kinds
of pain because of the desires of their senses and their greed for wealth. He sees
how, through
striving after their desires and attachments, they undergo numerous pains in their
present existence, and later how they suffer the pain of being reborn in hell or as
beasts or hungry spirits. And even if they are reborn in the heavenly realm or the
realm of human beings, there are all kinds of sufferings, such as the pain of poverty
and want, the pain of being parted from loved ones, the bitterness of encountering
those they detest.
“Yet living beings, drowning in the midst of all this, delight and amuse
themselves, unaware, unknowing, without alarm or fear. They feel no sense of
loathing and make no attempt to escape. In this burning house which is the imperfect
world, they race about here and there, and though they encounter great sufferings,
they remain unconcerned. When the Buddha sees this, he reflects thus:
‘I am the
father of living beings. I must rescue them from their sufferings and give them the
bliss of the measureless and boundless Buddha-wisdom to play with.’
“Shariputra, the Thus Come One also has this thought: ‘If I should only employ
supernatural power and wisdom, casting aside every expedient and extol for all
creatures the Thus Come Ones insight, power and freedom from fear, then they would not
by this be saved.’ Why? Because these living beings have not yet escaped from birth,
old age, sickness, death, grief and suffering, but are consumed by flames in the
burning house that is this grossly imperfect world. How could they understand the Buddha's
wisdom?
“Shariputra, just as that rich man, although he had strength in his body and arms
and yet did not use it, but resolutely resorted to a carefully contrived expedient to
rescue his children from the peril of the burning house, so it is with the Thus Come One.
Though he possesses power and fearlessness, he does not use them. Instead he
merely employs wise expedients to rescue living beings from the burning house
saying, ‘you must come out of this imperfect world with its coarse and
shoddy forms so that you can acquire the three ways to truth, the way of persistent
and gradual understanding,
the way of first wanting only enlightenment for oneself and then truly
understanding what it means to be a Buddha. Using these three ways you will
perfect faculties, powers, perceptions, paths and effortless ways to deep and
satisfying meditation and
become happy and gain incalculable peace and joy. This I guarantee, and that
promise will never prove false.’
“And furthermore, just as that rich man, first used three types of carts to entice his
children, but seeing that they had all escaped from the burning house safely and were
no longer threatened, recalled that his wealth was immeasurable and presented each
of them with just the great chariot adorned with jewels, the safest, most comfortable
kind of all, so the Thus Come One does likewise. Just as that rich man was not guilty of
falsehood, the Thus Come One is without falsehood too.
Being the father of all living beings, the Thus Come One has this thought:
‘I possess measureless, boundless wisdom, power,
fearlessness, and the storehouse of the Truth of all the Buddhas. Living beings are all
my children. I will give the full and complete truth to all of them equally in due course,
so that there will not
be those who gain enlightenment and peace only for themselves, but that all may do so by
comprehending the full truth in the way of the Thus Come One.’
“Shariputra, the Thus Come One is capable of giving to all living beings the Final
and True Teaching at any time but not all of them are capable of receiving it. For
this reason
you should understand that the Buddhas employ the power of expedient means. And
because they do so, they make distinctions in the one Buddha teaching and preach it as
three.”
Chapter 4 ........................... BELIEF AND UNDERSTANDING
The Buddhas Attendant Ananda continued
Then, at that time, when those venerable and wise disciples, Good Existence,
Clear Explainer, Ascetic Practices, and Supernormal Powers had heard the
Buddha talk of that unprecedented truth, and hearing the World-honoured One’s
prophecy that Shariputra would attain Supreme Perfect Enlightenment, they were
struck with wonder and ecstatic joy. At once they rose from their seats, and arranging
their robes appropriately, bent their right knees to the ground. Pressing their palms
together they bowed respectfully, and then gazing up in reverence at the face of the
Honoured One, they said to the Buddha:
“We stand at the head of the Priesthood and all of us are advanced in years. We
believed that we had already attained the state of freedom from suffering
and that there was nothing further to
do, and so we never sought to attain Supreme Enlightenment. It has been a long time
since the World-honoured One first began to expound the Truth. Since that time
we have been meditating solely on the concepts of emptiness, non-form and nonaction.
But as to the Truth of delaying redemption for the sake of others,
its pleasures and transcendental powers, or
of the purifying of Buddha lands and of the salvation of living beings ~ in these our
minds took no joy. Why is this? Because the World-honoured One had made it
possible for us to transcend the imperfect world and to attain the enlightenment of
freedom from suffering.
Moreover, being old and decrepit, when we heard the teaching of this lesson of
Supreme Perfect Enlightenment, which the Buddha uses to teach and convert the
delayer of redemption for others, our
minds were not filled with any enthusiasm. But now in the presence of the Buddha
we have heard this fellow disciple with the same lack of understanding as ourselves,
receive a prophecy that he will attain Supreme Perfect Enlightenment.
We are greatly delighted; we have gained what we never had before.
Suddenly we have heard a teaching so rarely encountered, something that we never
expected. We are profoundly fortunate to have gained great goodness and benefit, an
immeasurably rare jewel, something unsought that came of itself. World-honoured
One, we wish to tell a parable to make our meaning clear.
The Parable of the Return Journey
“It is like a youth who, on attaining manhood, abandoned his father and ran away.
For a long time he lived in another country, for perhaps ten, twenty or more years. As
he grew older, he found himself increasingly poor and in need. He wandered from
place to place in search of clothing and food, roaming farther and farther afield.
The father meanwhile had been searching for his son without success and
eventually had taken up residence in a certain city. And at this time the father became
powerful and very wealthy, with immeasurable riches and treasures. Gold, silver,
lapis lazuli, corals, amber, crystal and other gems all filled and overflowed from his
storehouses. He had many grooms and manservants, clerks and attendants, and
elephants, horses, carriages, oxen, and herds beyond number. His business ventures
extended far and wide, and his traders and customers were constantly coming and
going. He was held in high esteem and affection by the king, ministers and noble
families. For all these reasons his guests were many.
Meanwhile the impoverished son roamed from place to place, scraping his
livelihood together, until at last he came by chance to the great city where his father
had settled. Although they had been parted for a long time the father thought
constantly of his son; but, he had never told anyone else about the matter. He merely
pondered to himself, his heart filled with sadness, regret and longing. He thought to
himself,
‘I’m old and worn; I have great wealth and possessions: gold, silver, and rare
treasures; my granaries and storehouses are overflowing. But I do not have my son.
One day I will die, and all my wealth and possessions will be scattered and lost, for I
have no-one to entrust them to.’
In this way he would constantly reflect, and earnestly repeat to himself, ‘If only I
could find my son and entrust my wealth and possessions to him, how contented and
happy I would be!’
World-honoured One, one day the son, drifting from one kind of employment to
another, famished, weak and gaunt, covered with scabs and itches, came by chance to
his father's mansion. As he stood at the outer gate, in the distance he was amazed to
see a rich man (who he did not recognise as his father), seated on a lion throne, his
legs supported by a jewelled foot-rest, while Brahmins, noblemen, and householders,
uniformly deferential, surrounded him.
Festoons of pearls worth thousands, or tens of
thousands, adorned his body, and clerks, grooms, and manservants holding white fly
whisks stood in attendance to left and right. A jewelled canopy covered him, with
flowered banners hanging from it, perfumed water had been sprinkled over the
ground, heaps of rare flowers were scattered about and precious objects were ranged
here and there. Clerks came and went, some counting up gold, silver and precious
things, some recording in ledgers incoming and outgoing goods, and noting down
bonds. Such were the rich man’s many different types of adornments, the emblems
of prerogative and marks of distinction.
When the son saw how great was the rich man’s power and authority, he was
filled with fear and awe and regretted he had ever come to such a place. In some
alarm, he thought to himself: ‘This must be some king, or very powerful man. This is
not the sort of place where I can hire out my labour and gain a living. It would be
better to go to some poor village where, if I work hard, I will find a place and can
easily earn food and clothing. If I stay here for long, I may be seized and pressed into
service!’ With this in mind, he hurried away.
But, his father, seated on his lion throne, had instantly spied his son recognising
him immediately. His heart was filled with great joy and at once he thought: ‘My
thoughts have constantly been with this son of mine, but I had no way of seeing him.
But now quite unexpectedly he has come, and my longing is satisfied. Though worn
with years, I yearn for him as of old. Now at last I have someone to whom I can give
my wealth!’
Immediately he dispatched an attendant to go after the son as quickly as possible
and bring him back. When the attendant caught up with the son, he laid hold of him.
The poor man, surprised and scared, cried out angrily, 'I have done nothing wrong!
Why am I being seized?' But the attendant held on to him all the more tightly and
forcibly started to drag him back.
The son, thinking to himself, ‘I’m innocent! I have not committed any crime;
why should I be arrested? Surely I am going to be put to death!’ was so terrified that
he sank to the ground, and fainted with despair.
“His father, observing this from a distance, immediately sent a messenger, saying,
‘Leave the man alone; I have no need of him. Sprinkle cold water on his face so he
will regain his senses. Then say nothing more to him!’
Why did he do that? Because the father, seeing that his son’s disposition was
now so humble, knew his own rich and eminent position could only cause his son
more distress. Whilst knowing very well that this was his son, he tactfully refrained
from saying to anyone, ‘This is my son.’
“When the son had revived, the messenger said to him, ‘You’re free to go now,
wherever you wish.’ Delighted the son quickly left to look for food in some poor
village.
Then the father, hoping to entice his son back again, decided to resort to a
device. So he sent two of his attendants, men who were lean, haggard and shabby in
appearance, saying to them, ‘Go and find that poor man; approach him casually. Tell
him you know a place where he can earn twice the regular wage. If he agrees, then
bring him here and put him to work. If he wants to know what sort of work he will be
put to, say that he is hired to move dung and filth, and that the two of you will be
working with him.’
The two men then set out at once to find the son, and when they had done so, put
their proposition to him. The son, getting his wages in advance, decided to join them
in their work.
From that day the father secretely gazing out of his window would constantly
observe his son, his body, gaunt and emaciated, filthy with dust and sweat, and from
the dung and excrement he was clearing away. When the father saw how happily his
son engaged in this menial work, he was struck with both pity and amazement.
From time to time the father would take off his necklaces, his soft fine garments
and his other adornments, and disguising himself in clothes that were ragged and
soiled, he would smear dirt on his body. Carrying a dung-hod and acting as a
foreman, he would gruffly order the labourers around saying, ‘Get on with your
work! Don’t be lazy!’ By this device, he was able to approach his son.
After some time had passed, the rich man called his son to him and said, ‘Now
then, young man! You stay and work here; you have no need to go elsewhere! I will
increase your wages, and give you whatever you need, whether it is food, clothes or
bedding; I also have an old servant I can lend you whenever you need him. Set your
mind at ease: I will be like a father to you, so you need worry no further. Why do I
say this? You are not like the other workers: all the time you’ve been working here,
you have never been deceitful, lazy, angry or grumbled. I am getting old, but you are
still young and sturdy. From now on, I will treat you like my own son.’ And then the
rich man gave his son a new name, treating him as if he were his own child, allowing
him to come and go in his own house.
Whilst the son was delighted at this turn of events, he nevertheless still thought
of himself as a menial worker. Because of this, he continued in his original job,
clearing away excrement for a long time, and continued to live in his grass hut
outside the rich man’s gates. But during this time, the son’s self-confidence became
stronger and, feeling that he was understood and trusted, he came and went at ease.
World-honoured One, one day the father fell ill, and bearing in mind that he
might soon die, he spoke to his son, saying, ‘I have great quantities of gold, silver,
and rare treasures that fill and overflow from my storehouses. I want you to become
my steward, to take complete charge of the accounting, the income and expenditure.
So you must keep your wits about you and see that there are no mistakes or losses.
This is what I have in mind, and I want you to carry out my wishes.’
So the son, taking up his new job, took over attending to all the rich man’s
goods, gold, silver, rare treasures, and various storehouses. In spite of all this wealth
he never once thought of appropriating for himself so much as the cost of a single
meal. Indeed, he still continued to live where he had before, and at first was unable to
abandon his sense of inferiority.
Nevertheless as time passed, the father saw that his son was bit by bit becoming
more self-assured and that with a changing view of himself he was become more
ambitious and ashamed of his former low opinion of himself. Realising that his own
end was fast approaching, the father ordered his son to arrange a meeting with his
relatives, as well as the king’s representative, high ministers, and noblemen. When
they were all gathered together, the father addressed this great assembly saying,
‘Gentlemen, know that this is my son, who was born to me. It is over fifty years since
from a certain city he left me and ran away, and for long time he wandered
about suffering hardship. But by chance, we met up again. This is in truth my son,
and I in truth am his father. Now everything that belongs to me, all my wealth and
possessions, shall belong entirely to this son of mine.’
When the son heard his father speak, he was overjoyed at this unexpected news,
and he thought to himself, ‘Although I have never thought to want or look for such
wealth, now it has come of its own accord!’
World-honoured One! The Buddha likewise,
Knowing our fondness for the petty,
Has never before told us
‘You shall become Buddhas!’
We all, during a long night,
After the true Buddha-wisdom
Never aspired nor sought.
For we, in regard to the Truth
Thought we had reached finality.
We kept to the truth of the
impermanence of the physical world
Throughout the long night of time,
Escaping from the three aspects
of the imperfect world
Burden of suffering and care,
And dwelt in our final existence,
Where form only remains.
Without doubt, we thought,
To have won the Way to
Buddhahood as taught to us by the
Buddha himself,
And thereby we need to repay
the Buddha's grace.
Although teaching the truth of
helping others,
in that we saw no hope.
Our Leader saw and let us be,
For into our minds he looked,
And sought not to stir our zeal
By telling us of our true Gain.
Just as the rich elder,
By his own tactfulness,
Knowing his son's lower frame of mind,
Softens and moulds his mind,
So that later to him
All his riches he can bequeath,
So is it with the Buddha
In the display of his treasures;
Knowing those by trifles pleased,
Yet by skilful devices
Tames he their minds,
And only then teaches the greater wisdom.
To-day we have obtained
What we never had before;
What we previously never looked for,
We have unforeseen obtained,
Just as that poor son
Received inestimable treasures.
World-honoured One!
Steeped in the Buddha Truth,
For a long time have we kept
The King of Truths pure discipline,
Thereby through faultless Truth,
Attaining to clear vision.
But to-day for the first time
Have we won the Fruit of the Way;
Today we attain the faultless,
Peerless Great Fruit.
Now at last we are
Truly those who have attained
the Buddha-way.
Now at last we are
Truly hearers of the Sound,
Who sing the song of Buddha-Way
For all creatures to hear.
The World-honoured One,
In his great loving-kindness,
With that rare and precious thing,
Compassion, instructs
And confers benefits on us;
Through countless eons of time,
Who could ever repay him?
Service of hands and feet,
Homage all prostrate,
Every kind of offering,
Are all unable this to repay.
Buddhas, Righteous Rulers,
With powers rare and inconceivable,
Boundless and infinite,
Faultless and ineffable,
For the sake of inferior minds,
Are effortlessly patient;
To common folk, attached to externals,
They teach as befits them.
Exercising complete freedom in the Truth,
Appraised of living beings’ desires,
Their pleasures and aspirations,
So, according to their capacity,
The Buddhas, by innumerable parables,
To them they teach the Way.
According as all the living
Have planted wholesome roots,
Knowing the mature from the immature,
And discerning the fruits of each,
The Buddha discriminating,
As is most befitting,
Thereby for the sake of the One Supreme Way,
Teaches it as the Three Ways to Truth.”