Overall Teaching

Queen Māyā proceeds to Lumbinī garden and the Bodhisattva is born from her right side. He takes seven steps in the various directions and makes declarations. He is bathed by the gods. Ānanda clarifies the nature of these events with the Buddha in the frame narrative. The Queen dies after seven days. The Bodhisattva is brought to Kapilavastu and Mahāprajāpatī, his aunt, is made his guardian. Asita predicts that he will become a Buddha. The devas come to pay homage to him and the king.

Summary

1.     After ten months the time for birth occurred and 32 omens[1] occurred in the parks.

a.     E.g. Apsaras (celestial maidens) arrived bearing offerings such as banners.

b.     E.g. The palace became adorned with a net of jewels, Puṣya arrives.

2.     When Māyādevī knew it was time to give birth she told the king in verse:

a.     She desires to go to Lumbinī Park.[2]

b.     The sāl trees are in blossom, so now it is fitting to go.

3.     The king, hearing this, commanded his servants to prepare the chariots and decorate the garden at Lumbinī.

4.     The king then announced to the women in the palace that they should prepare to go with Māyādevī to the garden, adorning themselves with ornaments.

5.     Māyādevī then left the palace as bells and instruments sounded. The adorned chariot was looked upon by devas and humans. It was led by Śakra, and the way ahead was cleared of untamed creatures by Brahmā.

a.     The king, seeing this, knew that the child must surely become a Buddha, for only one who is supreme among gods can accept all such offerings.

6.     She was accompanied by thousands (usually 84,000) of maidens and chariots.

7.     Looking at all the lush trees, Māyādevī specially selected a sāl tree that was ideal, and which had supported the mothers of previous buddhas, and approached it.

a.     The Bodhisattva’s power caused a branch of the tree to descend and Māyādevī reached up and grasped the branch.[3]

8.     At that time the Bodhisattva emerged from his mother’s right side, unstained by impurities of the womb.[4]

9.     Śakra and Brahmā appeared before the bodhisattva and wrapped him in pure silk and the temple from within the womb was carried up to Brahmā’s realm. Thus the bodhisattva was honoured by gods before humans.[5]

10. The bodhisattva stepped on the ground and a lotus sprung up. He was bathed by the great nāga kings and a parasol of yak tail whisks appeared in the air.

11. The bodhisattva surveyed the whole world, and knew the minds of all beings. He did not perceive anyone like himself in the great trichiliocosm:

a.     Knowing that he will be the only cause of beings’ benefit, he took seven steps[6] towards the east and declared he will be the cause of all virtuous practices.

b.     Taking seven steps towards the south he declared he is worthy of offerings of gods and humans.

c.     Taking seven steps towards the west, he declared that he is the supreme being on earth, this is his last birth, wherein old age, sickness, and death shall be uprooted.

d.     Taking seven steps towards the north, he declared he will be supreme among all beings.

e.     Taking seven steps down hill he declared that he will subjugate Māra and his army, extinguishing the fires of hell and filling beings with happiness.

f.      Taking seven steps uphill, he declared that all beings will look up to him.[7]

12. His words being heard throughout the trichiliocosm, all beings’ hairs stood on end, and instruments sounded by themselves, and trees blossomed by themselves, and a mist of rain fell with petals. All appeared bright and beautiful.

a.     From the space above, all the light of the gods were eclipsed by another light of all colours. All beings were filled with bliss and negative states subsided.

b.     Illnesses and ailments of beings ceased, and sufferings in realms ceased.

13. When stepping, the bodhisattva already had attained the state of reality. The earth was blessed by bodhisattvas so that it would not be destroyed by his steps.[8]

a.     The world was billed with bright light & other inconceivable events occurred.[9]

14. Ānanda said to the Buddha, the Bodhisattva was incredible, but how much more so the fully awakened Buddha: thus he takes refuge in him countless times.

15. In reply, the Buddha said that in future some monks will be unrestrained and bring stains on the monastic order. They will not believe these teachings and consider them nonsense, particularly, for instance, entering the womb by the right side unsullied:

a.     Those beings don’t understand that it is for the compassion for sentient beings that bodhisattvas are born, out of the power of their previous actions, in an inconceivable manner: otherwise beings would be discouraged, and think that the buddha is just a god, and we cannot achieve that state.

b.     It will not occur to those beings that the Buddha is inconceivable, and they will, overcome with desire for wealth, respect, and praise, sink into a lust for honour and abandon the Buddha’s teachings, accumulating nonvirtue.[10]

16. Ānanda asked whether, in future, monks will reject the sūtras and speak poorly of them. The Buddha replied that there will be, and also they will perform negative deeds and abandon their obligations as monks.

17. Ānanda asked how life will turn out for those beings. The Buddha explained that the fate is the same as those who insult the buddhas of the three times. Ānanda paid homage to the Buddha, declaring that such conduct makes him almost faint.

a.     The Buddha explained that some beings do not feel inspired by these sūtras and fall into the great hell of incessant pain, because they reject them—they should not attempt to measure the Tathāgatas because they are immeasurable, profound, vast, and difficult to judge.[11]

b.     When beings hear sūtras such as this and attain joy, elation, and faith, they become heirs of the tathāgatas and obtain what they need.  They will cross over saṃsāra. They will also become proper objects of generosity. This is because they have faith in the teachings of the tathāgatas that go beyond worldly conventions.[12]

c.     Those beings do not have inferior roots of virtue, they are both pleased and delighted to see and hear him: they have accompanied him for many lives. They are friends of, will be liberated by, have the same qualities as, and go for refuge in: the tathāgatas.[13]

d.     Beings even begged him as a bodhisattva to protect them from fears, and he will do the same as a buddha: thus, strive in faith. Your task has already been completed by the Tathāgata and has already pulled out the thorn of pride.[14]

e.     If a person travels hundreds of miles to receive news of a friend, and is delighted to hear that news, how much more will they be delighted if they meet that friend? Thus also, one who relies on the tathāgatas and generates virtue will be recognised as the friends of the tathāgatas. Friends delight each other. Thus, entrust oneself to the tathāgatas of the future as one’s friends. Those who entrust in Śākyamuni Buddha, are entrusted also to the future buddhas, just as the son of one’s friend is still accepted and not rejected when one’s friend dies.[15]

18. Thus, many goddesses showered Māyādevī with divine flowers, incense, garlands, etc.

a.     The goddesses offered to serve Māyādevī and fulfil her wishes.

b.     The goddesses describe the scene and its adornments, declaring that certainly her son will attain buddhahood.

19. The devas and nāgas bathed the Bodhisattva’s body with warm and cool fragrant water.[16]

20. Then the Bodhisattva took seven steps again and lotuses sprung up under his feet.

a.     He declared that the sublime physician has arrived, that he is supreme in the world, and that this is his last birth.

b.     The devas smiled and again they bathed the Bodhisattva’s body.

21. King Śuddhodana was informed by a man that his son was born, and that he will become a universal monarch uniting all in Jambudvīpa.

a.     Another man informed him that 25,000 sons were also born at the same time to the Śākya house.

b.     Another reported that 800 children, headed by Chanda, were born to the servants, and the horse Kaṇṭhaka’s mare bore 10,000 foals.

c.     Twenty thousand kings from the borderlands paid homage to the king.

d.     20,000 elephants marched to Kapilavastu.

e.     6,000 black spotted calves were born to Gopā.

22. At the centre of the four billion regions a bodhi tree grew, a sandalwood tree forest grew in the inner region, and five hundred parks sprang forth around the city, and the entrances to five thousand treasures became visible: Thus the king’s intentions were perfectly fulfilled.

23. The king declared that since all his aims were attained at the birth of his son, he will be named Sarvārthasiddha.

24. Thousands of apsaras came to Māyā and asked how the birth was and whether she was weary.

25. Extremist sages honoured the king.

26. The Śākya clan gathered and everyone engaged in merit, practiced generosity, and satisfied the needs of 32,000 brahmins each day. Śakra and Brahmā appeared as brahmins and sang verses of auspiciousness:

a.     They largely repeat praises that have been stated previously.

27. After seven days the time for Māyādevī came to pass away occurred and she was born in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three (Trāyastriṃśa). This is because she reached the maximum extent of her lifespan, and all mothers of bodhisattvas die seven days after the bodhisattvas’ birth. This is because when a bodhisattva renounces home, it could destroy a mother’s heart.[17]

28. With pomp a trillion times greater than the Queen’s entry into the park, the prince entered Kapilavastu, with thousands of elephants, ornaments, horses, apsaras, etc.[18] Because of the power of the Bodhisattva, the apsaras did not find the scent of the humans displeasing and the humans were not overwhelmed by the sight of the apsaras.

29. The Śākyas constructed 500 homes for the Bodhisattva. They all summoned him to come to them. In order to make all the Śākyas happy, the king took the Bodhisattva to each residence. Thus it took four months before he entered his own residence, the palace called the Display of Gems (Nānāratnavyūha).

30. Five hundred Śākya women argued over who could take care of the prince. But they came to an agreement that his maternal aunt Mahāprajāpatī Gautamī was the best.

a.     32 additional nurses cared for him: 8 to carry him, 8 as nursemaids, 8 as playmates, and 8 to bathe him.

31. The king was wondering whether his son would be a Cakravartin or a

Buddha: the sage Asita, with his divine eye, knew this, and told his nephew

Naradatta that the Bodhisattva was born who would become a Cakravartin if he

stayed in the palace and a Buddha if he goes forth from home. So, they set out to see the Bodhisattva.

32. Asita came to see the Bodhisattva and told the gate keeper. Śuddhodana already had a seat prepared for him, and told the gate keeper to let the decrepit man in.

33. Asita praised the king and Śuddhodana honoured the sage. The sage told Śuddhodana he has come to see the child. The king thought he was sleeping, but the Bodhisattva showed signs that had awakened. The sage looked at the Bodhisattva and, seeing the 32 marks, declared that he was a great being and circumambulated him.

34. Asita took the Bodhisattva on his lap and knew again the two possibilities for his future. He sobbed and the king asked why. Asita declared that it is not for the prince but for himself, as he is old and won’t be able to see him become a Buddha in this life, after which he will teach the Dharma that is good in the beginning, middle, and end and liberate those afflicted by old age, sickness, and death, and tormented by greed, anger, and ignorance, leading them on the straight path to nirvāṇa. The prince is like an uḍumbara flower, which blossoms rarely in the world, but Asita will not live to see his awakening, even if he remains healthy.

35. Asita declared that his renunciation and Buddhahood is certain as the prince bears the 32 major and 80 minor marks of a great being.

36. Hearing this, the King rejoiced and prostrated at the feet of the prince. Then he gave a banquet for Asita and Naradatta.

37. After flying back home through the air, Asita told Naradatta that he must take ordination with the Buddha as soon as he hears that he has appeared in the world. 38. The episode featuring Asita is repeated in verse form.

39. After the Bodhisattva was born Maheśvara[19] told the gods of the pure abodes (śuddhāvāsa):

a.     A Bodhisattva has been born due to his great roots of virtue brought about by previous buddhas.

b.     His mind is set on liberation and will awaken beings.

c.     He is born in the family of Ikṣvāku.

d.     Let’s go to pay homage to him, honour the king, and make a true prophecy of the Bodhisattva.

40. Maheśvara descended and entered the gate, and then the palace, bathing it in light. He honoured the prince with his head, and told the king that he should be delighted as his son would become a Buddha. After having made offerings and shown their respect, they returned to the pure abodes.

41. The episode featuring Maheśvara is repeated in verse form.

[1] Perhaps presaging the 32 marks of a great being.

[2] Upāyakauśalya Sūtra: “Why was the Bodhisattva born in a secluded place, not at home in the city? Good man, the Bodhisattva always delighted in solitude; he praised lonely, solitary spots in a mountain forest as good places to cultivate ultimate quiescence. If the Bodhisattva had been born at home in the city, no god, nāga, ghost, spirit, or gandharva would have come to offer him fragrant flowers, powdered incense, perfumed ointment, and countless hundreds of thousands of kinds of music. All the people in Kapilavastu at that time were intemperate, unrestrained, and arrogant; they could not make offerings to the Bodhisattva. Therefore he was born in a secluded place, not at home in the city. This is the skillful means practiced by the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva.”

[3] Upāyakauśalya Sūtra: “Why did the Bodhisattva’s mother reach up and hold a branch of a tree when she gave birth to him? Good man, sentient beings might suspect that Queen Māyā went through travail when she gave birth to the Bodhisattva, just as other women do when they give birth. In order to show that she was joyful, she reached up and held the branch when she gave birth to the Bodhisattva. This was the skillful means practiced by the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva.”

[4] Upāyakauśalya Sūtra: “Why did the Bodhisattva come into the world with right mindfulness through the right side of his mother, not through any other parts of her body? Good man, the pure deeds of the Bodhisattva were supreme, the most venerable in the great billion world universe; he did not enter the female organ or come out of it. Only a Bodhisattva who will become a buddha in his next life can perform such a feat, not any other cultivators of pure conduct. Hence, the Bodhisattva came into the world through his mother’s right side. Though he was born thus, he really came from nowhere, just as he entered no place in his pure conception described before. This was the skillful means practiced by the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva.”

[5] Upāyakauśalya Sūtra: “Why was it Śakra, not any other god, who received the Bodhisattva with a precious garment when he was born? Because, good man, Śakra made this vow in the past, ‘When the bodhisattva is born, I will receive him with a precious garment because of his wonderful good roots. This will cause other gods to have more faith in the Bodhisattva, more respect for him, and to make more offerings to him.’ This was the skillful means practiced by the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva.”

[6] Upāyakauśalya Sūtra: “Why did the Bodhisattva walk seven steps, not six or eight, immediately after he was born? Good man, the Bodhisattva doubtless had great miraculous powers, vigour, and the auspicious signs of a great man, and he wished to show sentient beings a manifestation that no one else could make. If it had been more beneficial to sentient beings to walk six or eight steps than to walk seven steps, he would have walked six or eight steps. Since it was most beneficial to sentient beings to walk seven steps, he walked seven steps, not six or eight, with no one supporting him. This was the skillful means practiced by the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva.”

[7] Upāyakauśalya Sūtra: “Why did the Bodhisattva say after he had walked seven steps, ‘I am supreme, the most venerable in the world; I am free from old age, sickness, and death’? Good man, at that time, in the assembly which beheld his birth, Śakra, Brahmā, and other gods were very proud and claimed, ‘I am the most venerable in the world.’ Since they were arrogant and conceited, they had no respect for anyone. At that time the Bodhisattva thought, ‘The gods are arrogant; because of this, they will fall to the three miserable planes of existence in the long night.’ Consequently, he said, ‘I am supreme, the most venerable in the world. I am free from old age, sickness, and death.’ When he said that, his voice was heard in the entire trichiliocosm. Those gods who had not come to see him at the time of his birth all came when they heard this voice. Then the gods of the Realm of Desire and the Realm of Form joined their palms respectfully and paid homage to the Bodhisattva. They said to one another, ‘How marvelous!’ This is why the Bodhisattva spoke truthfully after he walked seven steps, saying, ‘I am supreme, the most venerable in the world. I am free from old age, sickness, and death.’ This was the skillful means practiced by the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva.”

[8] Sustaining the display for skillful means rather than expounding emptiness.

[9] The nature of buddhahood is inconceivability: non-conceptuality.

[10] Inconceivability as a quality of Buddhahood allows us to abandon attachment to the self. Reliance upon the primordial inconceivability of thusness, which is the transformed nature of the ālayavijñāna, allows us to see that the self is an illusion, and the true nature of mind is Buddhahood.

[11] As long as we are not recognizing imminent Buddha-nature, we are in saṃsāra, the hell of incessant pain. Each time we attach to a Buddha of conceptuality, we attach to a concept of Buddhahood that is “measurable, not profound, small, and judgeable.” This would be to miss the mark of what Buddhahood is. Thus, even to attach to the description in this sūtra is to miss the mark of what Buddhahood is. The point is to not mistake the finger pointing for the moon as the point, the point is the inconceivability of Buddhahood—the moon. It is for this reason that Linji wrote, “Monks, if you want to attain understanding of the dharma, just do not be misled by people. Kill everything you encounter, within and without. If you encounter a buddha, kill him. If you encounter a patriarch, kill him. If you encounter an arhat, kill him. If you encounter your parents, kill them. If you encounter your relatives, kill them. Only then can you attain liberation, such that you are not restrained by anything and can be completely free and at ease.” Recall also the notes on the five grave deeds in the Laṅkāvatāra.

[12] Faith, śraddhā: abandoning reliance upon conceptuality and self of persons and dharmas, and to thus see directly Buddhahood, and rely upon it singlemindedly. The Buddha accepts one just as one is, entrusting in his power we see the nature of mind.

[13] The Buddha is always there, in a manner of speaking, he is always extending his hand to us, but we do not always see it and grab it. Abandoning conceit and self-views, we achieve recognition of this and have a turning about of mind in a single instant. Some are deluded for aeons, but when they awaken they see that the Buddha was always there and had accompanied them all that time.

[14] Nirvāṇa and saṃsāra are identical. Buddhahood has already been attained. Mired in conceptuality and pride, we do not realise it.

[15] All buddhas are one Buddha. Going by different names and appearing at different times, entrusting to one is entrusting to all.

[16] Upāyakauśalya Sūtra: “When the Bodhisattva was born, his body was immaculate; why did Śakra and Brahmā bathe him? Good man, because the Bodhisattva wished to cause the heavenly subjects of Śakra and Brahmā to make offerings, and because convention demands that a newborn baby be bathed, he caused Śakra and Brahmā to wash his body, though it was immaculate. This was the skillful means practiced by the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva.”

[17] Upāyakauśalya Sūtra: “Good man, when the Bodhisattva was still in the Tuṣita Heaven, he saw with his devaeye that Queen Māyā had only ten months and seven days to live in the world. It was then that he descended from the Tuṣita Heaven to be reborn there, knowing already by his ingenuity that the Queen Māyā would soon die.”

[18] Upāyakauśalya Sūtra: “Why did the Bodhisattva go to the palace after he was born in the secluded place, instead of going immediately to the bodhi-site? Good man, in order to let his organs fully develop, he appeared to live in the palace and amuse himself with the five sensuous pleasures; then he appeared to give up the four continents and leave the household life. Also, in order to convert other people so that they might abandon the five sensuous pleasures, and leave the household life, the Bodhisattva went home instead of going immediately to the bodhi-site after he was born in the secluded place. This was the skillful means practiced by the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva.”

[19] Śiva.