Thus have I heard:
At one time the Blessed One was in Rajagriha, on Eagles Peak,
together with one thousand, two hundred and fifty monks. There were
also an immeasurable, unlimited multitude of Bodhisattvas and the
eight classes of gods, nagas and so forth, who were all assembled.
At that time, the Pure Wisdom Bodhisattva was seated in the midst
of this assembly. Because he aspired to extend compassion toward
all sentient beings, he thought: "by what means do the Buddhas,
Tath¨¢gatas, obtain the pure body, furnished with the marks of the
great person?" Again he thought: "all classes of living beings are
able to meet the Tath¨¢gata and approach him with offerings. The
blessings that are obtained are without measure or limit. I do not
yet know, however, what offerings living beings will make or what
merit they will cultivate after the death of the Tath¨¢gata so as
to bring about those roots of good merit that quickly lead to
final, supreme enlightenment." After thinking this, he then arose
from his seat and bared his right shoulder, having bowed his head
at the feet of the Buddha; he knelt upright, with palms in
salutation and spoke to the Buddha, saying, "World Honored One, I
wish to ask questions and hope that you deign to acknowledge them."
The Buddha said, "Noble son, I will teach according to what you
ask."
At that time the Pure Wisdom Bodhisattva spoke to the Buddha
saying, "By what means do the Buddhas, Tath¨¢gatas, perfectly
enlightened ones obtain the pure body, furnished with the marks of
the great person? Also, all living beings are able to meet the
Tath¨¢gata and approach him with offerings. The blessings that are
obtained are without measure or limit. I have not yet discerned
what offerings living beings will make or what merit they will
cultivate after the death of the Tath¨¢gata so as to bring about
those good qualities that quickly lead to final, supreme
enlightenment."
At that time, the World Honored One said to the Pure Wisdom
Bodhisattva: "excellent, excellent, that you are able for the sake
of future beings to bring forth such questions! Now listen
carefully, reflect on this well, and practice as I say. I will
explain for you in detail."
The Pure Wisdom Bodhisattva said, "So be it, World Honored One, I
dearly wish to listen."
The Buddha explained to the Pure Wisdom Bodhisattva: "Noble son,
you should know that because giving, morality, patience, vigor,
meditation, and wisdom; benevolence, compassion, delight, and
should know that because giving, morality, patience, vigor,
meditation, and knowledge and experience of liberation; the ten
strengths and the four confidences are all the characteristics of
the Buddha and are all various kinds of knowledge, virtue, and
purity, they are the purity of the Tath¨¢gata.
If the Buddhas, Tath¨¢gatas, are in this way given various
offerings with a pure heart¡ªincense, flowers, gems, garlands,
banners, parasols, and cushions¡ªdisplayed before the Buddha,
multifariously adorning him, and the marvelously scented water is
used to bathe his noble form, the dark smoke of the burning incense
will carry your mind to the Dharma realm. Furthermore, you
celebrate the extraordinary merit of the Tath¨¢gata with food and
drink, percussion and stringed music; you will manifest the superb
vow to direct your mind to the supreme ocean of omniscience. The
merit thereby produced will be immeasurable and without limit; it
will be perpetually continued through successive rebirths to the
point of enlightenment. Why is this? The blessed wisdom of the
Tath¨¢gata is inconceivable, infinite, and unequaled.
Noble son, all Buddhas, World Honored Ones, have three bodies. They
are known as the Dharma body or Dharmakaya, the glorified body or
the Sambhogakaya, and the manifestation body or the Nirmanakaya.
After my Nirvana, if you wish to do homage to these three bodies
then you should do homage to my relics. But these are of two kinds:
the first is the bodily relic; the second is the Dharma-verse
relic. I will now recite the verse:"
All things arise from a cause.
The Tath¨¢gata has explained their cause
and the cessation of the cause of these things.
This the great ascetic has explained.
"If men, women, or the five groups of mendicants would build an
image of the Buddha; or if those without strength would deposit one
as large as a grain of barley, or build a stupa¡ªits body the size
of a jujube, its mast the size of a needle, its parasol equal to a
flake of bran, its relic like a mustard seed¡ªor if someone writes
the Dharma verse and installs it inside the stupa, it would be like
doing homage by offering up a rare jewel. If in accordance with
one¡¯s own strength and ability one can be truly sincere and
respectful, it (the image or stupa) would be like my present body,
equal without difference.
Noble son, if there are beings who are able to make such excellent
offerings, they will glorify themselves by achieving the fifteen
superb virtues. First, they will always be modest. Second, they
will manifest a mind of pure faith. Third, their hearts will be
simple and honest. Fourth, they will cleave to good friends. Fifth,
they will enter a state of passionless wisdom. Sixth, they will
constantly encounter Buddhas. Seventh, they will always maintain
the correct teaching. Eighth, they will be able to act according to
my teaching. Ninth, they will be reborn in pure Buddha fields
according to their wishes. Tenth, if they are reborn among men,
they will be noblemen of great families; being respected among men,
they will produce joyous thoughts. Eleventh, being born among men,
they will naturally set their minds on the Buddha. Twelfth, an army
of demons will not be able to harm them. Thirteenth, they will be
able in the final age to protect and maintain the True Dharma.
Fourteenth, they will be protected by the Buddhas of the ten
directions. Fifteenth, they will be able to quickly obtain the five
attributes of the Dharma body."
At that time, the World Honored One uttered these verses:
After my death
You will be able to honor my relics
Some will build stupas
Or images of the Tath¨¢gata.
At the place of the image or stupa,
One who anoints that spot of ground
With various incenses and flowers
Scattering them over its surface
Uses pure, beautifully scented water
To pour onto the body of this image,
Offers it various flavorful drinks and foods,
Fully maintaining it with oblations,
Eulogizes the virtue of the Tath¨¢gata,
Which is endlessly difficult to conceive;
Through the wisdom of skillful means and the supernatural power of
the Buddha
Such a one will quickly reach the other shore of Nirvana.
He will obtain the diamond body
Complete with the thirty-two marks of a great person
And the eighty minor signs of excellence.
He will ferry the multitude of living beings to the shore of
Nirvana.
At that time, the Pure Wisdom Bodhisattva, having heard these
verses, addressed the Buddha saying, "Future living beings will
ask, ?(r)why bathe the image?¡¯"
The Buddha answered the Pure Wisdom Bodhisattva: "Because you will
equal the Tath¡§¡égata in producing right mindfulness. You will not
be attached to the two sides that deceive people with
?(r)emptiness?¡¥ and ?(r)being.¡¯ You will long insatiably for
virtuous conduct. The three emancipations, morality, and wisdom
will be constantly sought to escape the endless cycle of birth and
death. You will produce great compassion toward all living beings.
You will aspire to obtain and quickly perfect the three kinds of
bodies.
Noble son, I have already expounded for your sake the four noble
truths, the twelve conditioned co-productions and the six
perfections. Now I teach the method of bathing the image for your
sake and the sake of the various kings, princes, ministers,
concubines, princesses, gods, nagas, men and demons. Among the
various types of homage, this (the bathing of the image) is the
best. It excels the giving of the seven jewels equal to the sands
of the Ganges.
When you bathe the image, you should use ox-head sandalwood, white
sandalwood, red sandalwood, or aloe-wood incenses. You should burn
Mountain Top Tulip incense, ?(r)Dragons Brain¡¯ incense, Ling-ling
(Mountain) incense, and so forth. On the surface of a clean stone
you should grind these to make paste; use this paste to make
scented water and place it in a clean vessel. At a clean spot, make
an altar with good earth, square or round, its size suited to the
circumstances. On top establish the bathing platform and place the
Buddha image in the middle. Pour on the scented hot water,
purifying and cleansing it, repeatedly pouring the pure water over
it. The water that is used must be completely filtered so as not to
cause harm to insects. Drops from two fingers of the water with
which you bathed the image should be taken and placed on your own
head?athis is called ?(r)good luck water.¡¯ Drain off the water
onto clean ground without allowing your feet to tread upon it. With
a fine, soft towel wipe the image, making it clean. Burn the above
name incenses spreading the aroma all around and put the image back
in its original place.
"Noble son, the consequence of performing this bathing of the
Buddha image is that you and the great multitude of men and gods
will presently receive wealth, happiness, and long life without
sickness; your every wish will be fulfilled. Your relatives,
friends, and family will all be at ease. You will bid a long
farewell to the eight conditions of trouble and forever escape the
fount of suffering. You will never again receive the body of a
woman and will quickly achieve enlightenment.
When you have set up the image and burned the various incenses,
face the image, clasp your palms together in pious salutation and
recite these praises:
I now bathe the Tath¨¢gata.
His pure wisdom and virtue adorn the assembly.
I vow that those living beings of this period of the five
impurities
May quickly witness the pure Dharma body of the Tath¨¢gata.
May the incense of morality, meditation, wisdom and the knowledge
and experience of liberation
Constantly perfume every realm of the ten directions.
I vow that the smoke of this incense will likewise
Do the Buddhas work of salvation without measure or limit.
I also vow to put a stop to the three hells and the wheel of
samsara,
Completely extinguishing the fires and obtaining the coolness of
relief
So that all may manifest the thought of unsurpassed
enlightenment
Perpetually escaping the river of desires and advancing to the
other shore of Nirvana."
The Buddha finished expounding this Sutra. At this time there were
among this assembly an immeasurable, unlimited number of
Bodhisattvas who obtained stainless concentration. The countless
gods obtained never lapsing wisdom. The multitude of Voice Hearers
vowed to seek the fruits of Buddhahood. The eighty-four thousand
living beings all manifested the thought toward unexcelled,
complete enlightenment.
At that time, the Pure Wisdom Bodhisattva said to the Buddha:
"World Honored One, being fortunate to receive the compassion and
pity of the Great Teacher (the Buddha), we shall teach the method
of bathing the image. I will now convert kings, ministers, and all
those of good faith, cheer, or merit. Every day I will bathe the
noble image to procure great blessings. I pledge to always receive
and carry out with pleasure
"The Sutra On The Merit Of Bathing The Buddha."