Overall Teaching

Offerings made with pure intention, wisdom, and devotion transform both place and beings, creating a buddha-field-like environment that inspires faith, joy, and resolve toward awakening. Through Vajrapāṇi’s supernormal powers, generosity, and careful preparation, the wilderness city becomes a realm of splendour where devas, humans, and spirits gather, illustrating that the act of honouring the Buddha with sincere offerings not only generates vast merit but also harmonises and elevates all beings, leading them closer to liberation.

Summary

1. Vajrapāṇi Bodhisattva's Invitation

   • Vajrapāṇi Bodhisattva feels joy from the prediction, invites Buddha for a seven-day stay at his Palace of Mysteries to receive alms along with bodhisattvas and śrāvakas. He expresses the intent to benefit various beings residing in the nearby wilderness city by their exposure to Buddha, hoping to alleviate their negative tendencies. Buddha silently accepts the invitation. Vajrapāṇi, recognising the acceptance, shows elation, pays homage to Buddha, and hastily returns to prepare for the visit in his wilderness dwelling.

2. Vajrapāṇi Prepares for the Offering

   • Vajrapāṇi contemplates on how to prepare offerings and adornments to evoke joy and a unique mental state among attendees, aiming for a grand offering to Buddha. He recalls a past event where, alongside Buddha, he witnessed marvelous adornments in a buddha-field called Anantaguṇaratnavyūha, deciding to replicate those adornments for the offering. Entering a samādhi (meditative state), he meticulously examines the adornments of Anantaguṇaratnavyūha, and using supernormal powers, replicates them in the wilderness city where the offering is to take place.

   • The adornments include a beryl ground, sapphire- inlaid fences, hanging jewels, divine garments, extraordinary silk cloths, jewelled garlands, burning incense, and various other majestic decoratives creating an exquisite setting. The unique adornments induce joy and satisfaction among those who witness them. He further adorns the place with numerous lion thrones, jewelled footstools, canopies, along with an array of refined meals and drinks, creating a spectacle unheard or unseen before. Vajrapāṇi, while in meditation, arranges these superior characteristics, prepares the best pure food for offerings after arising from meditation, and anticipates making offerings to Buddha and the assembly of bodhisattvas.

3. Vajrapāṇi Instructs Donors

   • Vajrapāṇi informs the four great kings about Buddha's acceptance of his invitation for a seven-day offering event at the Palace of Mysteries, urging them to diligently make offerings. He extends the invitation and instructions to various yakṣas, rakṣasas and other goblin-like beings residing in the wilderness city, emphasising maintaining a pure mind and joy in making offerings to Buddha. Vajrapāṇi instructs his eldest son, Vajrasena, to inform the devas from the Brahmā realm to Akaniṣṭha Heaven about the event, urging those interested in seeing Buddha to attend. Following the instructions, Vajrasena acts immediately to convey the message to the devas.

   • Vajrapāṇi then instructs his second son, Subāhu, to inform the devas from the earth up to the sky about the event, echoing the same message of invitation. Upon receiving the instructions, Subāhu also acts immediately to spread the word among the devas. In a short span, numerous devaputras from the desire and form realms gather around, filling the sky, indicating a grand assembly forming for the event.

4. Vajrapāṇi Invites the Buddha to Enter

   • Vajrapāṇi prepares a couch for the Buddha and recites a verse to invite him. The verse praises Buddha as revered among humans and bipeds. He likens Buddha's teachings to a lotus, expressing desire for his descent, he praises Buddha's establishment of the Four Noble Truths and compassionate observance, he illustrates Buddha's enlightenment components, he lauds Buddha's profound wisdom and samādhi, he admires Buddha's radiant wisdom that awakens all beings, and he praises Buddha's right speech and liberating qualities, expressing desire for his descent.

5. The Buddha and the Saṅgha Travel to the Palace

   • The Bhagavān accepts Vajrapāṇi's invitation, instructs assembly to prepare for the seven- day stay for offerings and worship. Those with supernormal powers are advised to travel through the sky, others to enter Buddha's halo of light for the journey. Upon making his body invisible on Mount Gṛdhakūṭa, a great light emerges, devas and devīs sing praises, creating a grand spectacle with divine flowers raining down showcasing Buddha’s great attributes. Bhagavān appears in the sky like a king of geese, moving effortlessly, eliciting joy and admiration from the observing crowds of devaputras.

   • The devas offer various marvelous incenses and flowers to the Buddha, creating a vibrant scene of reverence. Upon arrival at the wilderness city, the scene is adorned with extraordinary appearances, incense, flowers, banners, and canopies celebrating the Buddha's glory. Entering the palace in the wilderness with the assembly of Vaiśravaṇa, the Buddha's arrival causes the earth to quake softly, creating a serene and pleasing ambiance, alleviating any vexation among sentient beings.

6. Vajrapāṇi and the Assembled Beings make Offerings to the Buddha and Saṅgha

   • The four great kings, along with their retinues, honour the Buddha with offerings upon his arrival at the wilderness city. Ten thousand beings from various celestial groups are inspired by the Buddha's characteristics to attain supreme enlightenment. Vajrapāṇi and his retinue, holding splendid offerings, reach the Buddha and pay homage with sincere offerings amidst celebratory music. The Buddha, along with the assembly, settles on a gloriously adorned lion throne. Vajrapāṇi instructs divine beings to partake in the offerings to the Buddha to accumulate merit, sparking their wonder about the source of the magnificent setting.

   • A celestial voice attributes the grandeur to Vajrapāṇi’s supernormal power, linking it to a divine realm he had witnessed. Various celestial beings pay homage to the Buddha, reverently standing aside. Vajrapāṇi invites the assembly to prepare exceptional offerings of food and drink for the Buddha, emphasising the merit in such acts. Vajrapāṇi and the assembly meticulously prepare and present a grand meal to the Buddha and the gathering, showing deep reverence, and then attentively settle to listen to the Dharma. The celestial beings in the wilderness city display their sincere reverence and homage to the Buddha post-meal.