At that time among the great assembly there were voice-hearers, Arhats whose outflows had come to an end, Ajnata Kuandinya and the others, twelve hundred persons. And there were monks, nuns, laymen and laywomen who had conceived a desire to become voice-hearers or pratyekabuddhas. Each of these had this thought: Now for what reason does the World-Honored One so earnestly praise expedient means and state that the Law attained by the Buddha is profound and difficult to understand, that it is very difficult to comprehend the meaning of the words he preaches, that not one of the voice-hearers or pratyekabuddhas can do so? If the Buddha preaches but one doctrine of emancipation, then we too should be able to attain this Law and reach the state of Nirvana. We cannot follow the gist of what he is saying now.

At that time Shariputra understood the doubts that were in the minds of the four kinds of believers, and he himself had not fully comprehended. So he addressed the Buddha, saying, "World-Honored One, what causes and conditions lead you to earnestly praise expedient means, the foremost device of the Buddhas, the profound, subtle and wonderful Law that is difficult to understand? From times past I have never heard this kind of preaching from the Buddha. Now the four kinds of believers all have doubts. We beg that the World-Honored One earnestly praise this Law that is profound, subtle and wonderful, difficult to understand?"

At that time Shariputra, wishing to state his meaning once more, spoke in verse from, saying:

Sun of wisdom, great sage and venerable one,
at long last you preach this Law.
You yourself declare you have attained
power, fearlessness, samadhis,
concentration, emancipation, and these other attributes,
and the Law that is beyond comprehension.
This Law attained in the place of practice
no one is capable of questioning you about.
'My intention is hard to fathom,
and no one can question me.'
No one questions, yet you yourself preach,
praising the path you walk on.
Your wisdom is very subtle and wonderful,
that which all the Buddhas attain.
The arhats who are without outflows
and those who seek nirvana
now have all fallen into the net of doubt,
wondering for what reason the Buddha preaches this.
Those who seek to become pratyekabuddhas,
monks and nuns,
heavenly beings, dragons and spirits,
along with the gandharvas and others,
look at one another, filled with perplexity,
gazing upward at the most honored of two-legged beings.
What is the meaning of all this?
I beg the Buddha to explain it for us.
Among the assembly of voice-hearers
the Buddha has said I am foremost,
yet now I lack the wisdom
to solve these doubts and perplexities.
Have I in fact grasped the ultimate Law,
or am I still on the path of practice?
The sons born from the Buddha's mouth
press palms together, gaze upward and wait.
We beg you to put forth subtle and wonderful sounds
and at this time explain to us how it really is.
The heavenly beings, dragons, spirits, and the others,
their numbers like Ganges sands,
the bodhisattvas seeking to be Buddhas
in a great force of eighty thousand,
as well as the wheel-turning sage kings
come from ten thousands of millions of lands,
all press their palms and with reverent minds
wish to hear the teaching of perfect endowment.

Shariputra once more spoke to the Buddha, saying, "World-Honored One, we beg you to preach! We beg you to preach! What is the reason? Because this assembly of countless hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, millions of asamkhyas of living beings in the past have seen the Buddhas; their faculties are vigorous and acute and their wisdom is bright. If they hear the Buddha preach, they will be capable of reverent belief."

At that time Shariputra, wishing to state his meaning once more, spoke in verse form, saying:

Dharma King, none more highly honored,
speak, we beg you, without reserve!
In this assembly of numberless beings
are those capable of reverent belief.

At that time the World-Honored One repeated what he had said in verse form:

Stop, stop, no need to speak!
My Law is wonderful and difficult to ponder.
Those who are overbearingly arrogant
when they hear it will never show reverent belief.

At that time Shariputra, wishing to state his meaning once more, spoke in verse form, saying:

Supremely honored among two-legged beings,
we beg you to preach this foremost Law.
I who am regarded as the Buddha's eldest son
ask you to favor us by preaching distinctions.
The countless members of this assembly
are capable of according reverent belief to this Law
The Buddhas have already in age after age
taught and converted them in this manner.
All with a single mind and palms pressed together
desire to hear and receive the Buddha's words.
I and the other twelve hundred of our group,
as well as the others who seek to become Buddhas,
beg that for the sake of this assembly
you will favor us by preaching distinctions.
When we hear this Law
we will be filled with great joy.

Shariputra said, "So be it, World-Honored One. We are eager to listen!"

The Buddha said to Shariputra, "A wonderful Law such as this is preached by the Buddhas, the Thus Come Ones, at certain times. But like the blooming of the udumbara, such times come very seldom. Shariputra, you and the others must believe me. The words that the Buddhas preach are not empty or false.

"Shariputra, the Buddhas preach the Law in accordance with what is appropriate, but the meaning is difficult to understand. Why is this? Because we employ countless expedient means, discussing causes and conditions and using words of simile and parable to expound the teachings. This Law is not something that can be understood through pondering or analysis. Only those who are Buddhas can understand it. Why is this? Because the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, appear in the world for one great reason alone. Shariputra, what does it mean to say that the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, appear in the world for one great reason alone?

"The Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones , wish to open the door of Buddha wisdom to all living beings, to allow them to attain purity. That is why they appear in the world. They wish to show the Buddha wisdom to living beings, and therefore they appear in the world. They wish to cause living beings to awaken to the Buddha wisdom, and therefore they appear in the world. They wish to induce living beings to enter the path of Buddha wisdom, and therefore they appear in the world. Shariputra, this is the one great reason for which the Buddhas appear in the world."

The Buddha said to Shariputra, "The Buddhas, the Thus Come Ones, simply teach and convert the Bodhisattvas. All the things they do are at all times done for this one purpose. They simply wish to show the Buddha wisdom to living beings and enlighten them to it.

"Shariputra, the Thus Come Ones have only a single Buddha vehicle which they employ in order to preach the Law to living beings. They do not have any other vehicle a second one or a third one.¹ Shariputra, the Law preached by all the Buddhas of the ten directions is the same as this.

"Shariputra, the Buddhas of the past used countless numbers of expedient means, various causes and conditions, and words of simile and parable in order to expound the doctrines for the sake of living beings. These doctrines are all for the sake of the one Buddha vehicle. These living beings, by listening to the doctrines of the Buddhas, are all eventually able to attain wisdom embracing all species.

Shariputra, when the Buddhas of the future make their appearance in the world, they too will use countless numbers of expedient means, various causes and conditions, and words of simile and parable in order to expound the doctrines for the sake of living beings. These doctrines will all be for the sake of the one Buddha vehicle. And these living beings, by listening to the doctrines of the Buddhas, will all eventually be able to attain wisdom embracing all species.

"Shariputra, the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, who exist at present in the countless hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, and millions of Buddha lands in the ten directions, benefit and bring peace and happiness to living beings in large measure, these Buddhas too use countless numbers of expedient means, various causes and conditions, and words of simile and parable in order to expound the doctrines for the sake of living beings. These doctrines are all for the sake of the one Buddha vehicle. And these living beings, by listening to the doctrines of the Buddhas, are all eventually able to attain wisdom embracing all species.

"Shariputra, these Buddhas simply teach and convert the Bodhisattvas. They do it because they wish to show the Buddha wisdom to living beings. They do it because they wish to use the Buddha wisdom to enlighten living beings. They do it because they wish to cause living beings to enter the path of Buddha wisdom.

"Shariputra, I too will now do the same, I know that living beings have various desires. Attachments that are deeply implanted in their minds. Taking cognizance of this basic nature of theirs, I will therefore use various causes and conditions, words of simile and parable, and the power of expedient means and expound the Law for them. Shariputra, I do this so that all of them may attain the one Buddha vehicle and wisdom embracing all species.

"Shariputra, when the age is impure and the times are chaotic, then the defilements of living beings are grave, they are greedy and jealous and put down roots that are not good. Because of this, the Buddhas, utilizing the power of expedient means, apply distinctions to the one Buddha vehicle and preach as though it were three.

"Shariputra, if any of my disciples should claim to be an arhat or a pratyekabuddha and yet does not heed or understand that the Buddhas, the Thus Come Ones, simply teach and convert the bodhisattvas, then he is no disciple of mine, he is no arhat or pratyekabuddha.

"Again, Shariputra, if there should be monks or nuns who claim that they already have attained the status of arhat, that this is their last incarnation, that they have reached the final nirvana, and that therefore they have no further intention of seeking anuttara-samyaksambodhi, then you should understand that such as these are all persons of overbearing arrogance. Why do I say this? Because if they are monks who have truly attained the status of arhat, then it would be unthinkable that they should fail to believe this Law. The only exception would be in a time after the Buddha had passed away, when there was no Buddha present in the world. Why is this? Because after the Buddha has passed away it will be difficult to find anyone who can embrace, recite, and understand the meaning of sutras such as this. But if persons at that time encounter another Buddha, then they will attain decisive understanding with regard to this Law.

"Shariputra, you and the others should with a single mind believe and accept the words of the Buddha. The words of the Buddhas, the Thus Come Ones, are not empty or false. There is no other vehicle, there is only the one Buddha vehicle."

At that time the World-Honored One, wishing to state his meaning once more, spoke in verse form, saying:

There are monks and nuns
who behave with overbearing arrogance,
laymen full of self-esteem,
laywomen who are lacking in faith.
Among the four kinds of believers, the likes of these
number five thousand.
They fail to see their own errors,
are heedless and remiss with regard to the precepts,
clinging to their shortcomings, unwilling to change.
But these persons of small wisdom have already left;
the chaff among this assembly
has departed in the face of the Buddha's authority.
These persons were of paltry merit and virtue,
incapable of receiving this Law.
This assembly is now free of branches and leaves,
made up only of those steadfast and truthful.
Shariputra, listen carefully,
for the Law which the Buddhas have attained,
through the power of countless expedient means
they preach for the benefit of living beings.
The thoughts that are in the minds of living beings,
the different types of paths they follow,
their various desires and natures,
the good and bad deeds they have done in previous existences--
all these the Buddha takes cognizance of,
and then he employs causes, similes and parables,
words that embody the power of expedient means,
in order to gladden and please them all.
Sometimes he preaches sutras,
verses, stories of the previous lives of disciples,
stories of the previous lives of the Buddha, of unheard-of things.
At other times he preaches regarding causes and conditions,
uses similes, parables, passages of poetry
or discourses.
For those of dull capacities who delight in a little Law,
who greedily cling to birth and death,
who, despite the innumerable Buddhas,
fail to practice the profound and wonderful way
but are perplexed and confused by a host of troubles--
for these I preach nirvana.
I devise these expedient means
and so cause them to enter into the Buddha wisdom.
Up to now I have never told you
that you were certain to attain the Buddha way.
The reason I never preached in that manner
was that the time to preach so had not yet come.
But now is the very time
when I must decisively preach the Great Vehicle.
I use these nine devices,
adapting them to the living beings when I preach
my basic aim being to lead them into the Great Vehicle,
and that is why I preach this sutra.
There are sons of the Buddha whose minds are pure,
who are gentle and of acute capacities,
who under innumerable Buddhas
have practiced the profound and wonderful way.
For these sons of the Buddha
I preach this sutra of the Great Vehicle.
And I predict that these persons
in a future existence will attain the Buddha way.
Because deep in their minds they think of the Buddha
and practice and uphold the pure percepts,
they are assured they will attain Buddhahood,
and hearing this, their whole bodies are filled with great joy.
The Buddha knows their minds and their practices
and therefore preaches for them the Great Vehicle.
When the voice-hearers and bodhisattvas
hear this Law that I preach,
as soon as they have heard one verse
they will all without doubt be certain of attaining Buddhahood.
In the Buddha lands of the ten directions
there is only the Law of the one vehicle,
there are not two, there are not three,
except when the Buddha preaches so as an expedient means,
merely employing provisional names and terms
in order to conduct and guide living beings
and preach to them the Buddha wisdom.
The Buddhas appear in the world
solely for this one reason, which is true;
the other two are not the truth.
Never do they use a lesser vehicle
to save living beings and ferry them across.
The Buddha himself dwells in this Great Vehicle,
and adorned with the power of meditation and wisdom
that go with the Law he has attained,
he uses it to save living beings.
He himself testifies to the unsurpassed way,
the Great Vehicle, the Law in which all things are equal.
If I used a lesser vehicle
to convert even one person,
I would be guilty of stinginess and greed,
but such a thing would be impossible.
If a person will believe and take refuge in the Buddha,
the Thus Come One will never deceive him,
nor will he ever show greed or jealousy,
for he has rooted out evil from among the phenomena.
Therefore throughout the ten directions
the Buddha alone is without fear.
I adorn my body with the special characteristics
and shine my light upon the world.
I am honored by numberless multitudes
and for them I preach the emblem of the reality of things.
Shariputra, you should know
that at the start I took a vow,
hoping to make all persons
equal to me, without any distinction between us,
and what I long ago hoped for
has now been fulfilled.
I have converted all living beings
and caused them all to enter the Buddha way.
If when I encounter living beings
I were in all cases to teach them the Buddha way,
those without wisdom would become confused
and in their bewilderment would fail to accept my teachings.
I know that such living beings have never in the past cultivated good roots
but have stubbornly clung to the five desires,
and their folly and craving have given rise to affliction.
Their desires are the cause
whereby they fall into the three evil paths,
revolving wheel-like through the six realms of existence
and undergoing every sort of suffering and pain.
Having received a tiny form in the womb,
in existence after existence they constantly grow to maturity.
Persons of meager virtue and small merit,
they are troubled and beset by manifold sufferings.
They stray into the dense forest of mistaken views,
debating as to what exists and what does not,
and in the end cling to such views,
embracing all sixty-two of them.²
They are profoundly committed to false and empty doctrines,
holding firmly to them, unable to set them aside.
Arrogant and puffed up with self-importance,
fawning and envious, insincere in mind,
for a thousand, ten thousand, a million kalpas
they will not hear the Buddha's name,
nor will they hear the correct Law--
such people are difficult to save.
For these reasons, Shariputra,
I have for their sake established expedient means,
preaching the way that ends all suffering.
And showing them nirvana.
But although I preach nirvana,
this is not a true extinction.
All phenomena from the very first
have of themselves constantly borne the marks of
tranquil extinction.
Once the sons of the Buddha have carried out this path,
then in a future existence they will be able to become Buddhas.
I have employed the power of expedient means
to unfold and demonstrate this doctrine of three vehicles,
but the World-Honored Ones, every one of them,
all preach the single vehicle way.
Now before this great assembly
I must clear away all doubts and perplexities.
There is no discrepancy in the words of the Buddhas,
there is only the one vehicle, not two.
For numberless kalpas in the past
countless Buddhas who have now entered extinction,
a hundred, thousand, ten thousand, million types
in numbers incapable of calculation -
such World-Honored Ones,
using different types of causes, similes, and parables,
the power of countless expedient means,
have expounded the characteristics of teachings.
These World-Honored Ones
have all preached the doctrine of the single vehicle,
converting countless living beings
and causing them to enter the Buddha way.
And these great sage lords,
knowing what is desired deep in the minds
of the heavenly and human beings and the other living things
throughout all the worlds,
have employed still other expedient means
to help illuminate the highest truth.
If there are living beings
who have encountered these past Buddhas,
and if they have listened to their Law, presented alms,
or kept the precepts, shown forbearance,
been assiduous, practiced meditation and wisdom, and so forth,
cultivating various kinds of merit and virtue,
then persons such as these
all have attained the Buddha way.
After the Buddhas have passed into extinction,
if persons are of good and gentle mind,
then living beings such as these
have all attained the Buddha way.
After the Buddhas have passed into extinction,
if persons make offerings to the relics,
raising ten thousand or a million kinds of towers,
using gold, silver and crystal,
seashell and agate,
carnelian, lapis lazuli, pearls
to purify and adorn them extensively,
in this way erecting towers;
or if they raise up stone mortuary temples
or those of sandalwood or aloes,
hovenia or other kinds of timber,
or of brick, tile clay or earth;
if in the midst of the broad fields
they pile up earth to make a mortuary temple for the Buddhas,
or even if little boys at play
should collect sand to make a Buddha tower,
then persons such as these
have all attained the Buddha way.
If there are persons who for the sake of the Buddha
fashion and set up images,
carving them with many distinguishing characteristics,
then all have attained the Buddha way.
Or if they make things out of the seven kinds of gems,
of copper, red or white copper,
pewter, lead, tin
iron wood, or clay,
or use cloth soaked in lacquer or resin
to adorn and fashion Buddha images,
then persons such as these have all attained the Buddha way.
If they employ pigments to paint Buddha images,
endowing them with the characteristics of hundredfold merit,
if they make them themselves or have others make them,
then all have attained the Buddha way.
Even if little boys in play
should use a piece of grass or wood or a brush,
or perhaps a fingernail
to draw an image of the Buddha,
such persons as these
bit by bit will pile up merit
and will become fully endowed with a mind of
great compassion;
they all have attained the Buddha way.
Merely by converting the bodhisattvas
they bring salvation and release to numberless multitudes.
And if persons, in the presence of such memorial towers,
such jeweled images and painted images,
should with reverent minds make offerings
of flowers, incense, banners or canopies,
or if they should employ persons to make music,
striking drums or blowing horns or conch shells,
playing pipes, flutes, zithers, harps,
balloon guitars, cymbals and gongs,
and if these many kinds of wonderful notes
are intended wholly as an offering;
or if one with a joyful mind
sings a song in praise of the Buddha's virtue,
even if it is just one small note,
then all who do these things have attained the Buddha way.
If someone with a confused and distracted mind
should take even one flower
and offer it to a painted image,
in time he would come to see countless Buddhas.
Or if a person should bow or perform obeisance,
or should merely press his palms together,
or even should raise a single hand,
or give no more than a slight nod of the head,
and if this were done in offering to an image,
then in time he would come to see countless Buddhas.
And if he himself attains the unsurpassed way
and spreads salvation abroad to countless multitudes,
he will enter the nirvana of no remainder
as a fire dies out when the firewood is exhausted.
If persons with confused and distracted minds
should enter a memorial tower
and once exclaim, "Hail to the Buddha!"
Then all have attained the Buddha way.
If from past Buddhas
when they were in the world or after their extinction,
they should be those who heard this Law,
then all have attained the Buddha way.
The World-Honored Ones of the future,
whose numbers will be incalculable,
these Thus Come Ones
will also employ expedient means to preach the Law,
and all these Thus Come Ones
through countless expedient means
will save and bring release to living beings
so that they enter the Buddha's wisdom which is free
of outflows.
If there are those who hear the Law,
then not one will fail to attain Buddhahood.
The original vow of the Buddhas
was that the Buddha way, which they themselves practice,
should be shared universally among living beings
so that they too may attain this same way.
The Buddhas of future ages,
although they preach hundreds, thousands, millions
a countless number of doctrines,
in truth do so for the sake of the single vehicle.
The Buddhas, most honored of two-legged beings,
know that phenomena have no constantly fixed nature,
that the seed of Buddhahood sprout through causation,
and for this reason they preach the single vehicle.
But that these phenomena are part of an abiding Law,
that the characteristics of the world are constantly abiding--
this they have come to know in the place of practice
and as leaders and teachers they preach expedient means.
The presently existing Buddhas of the ten directions,
whom heavenly and human beings make offerings to,
who in number are like Ganges sands,
they have appeared in the world
in order to bring peace and comfort to living beings,
and they too preach the Law in this way.
They understand the foremost truth of tranquil extinction
and therefore employ the power of expedient means,
and though they point out various different paths,
in truth they do so for the sake of the Buddha vehicle.
They understand the actions of living beings,
the thoughts that lie deep in their minds,
the deeds they have carried out in the past,
their desires, their nature, the power of their exertions,
and whether their capacities are acute or dull,
and so they employ various causes and conditions,
similes, parables, and other words and phrases,
adapting what expedient means are suitable to their preaching.
Now I too am like this;
in order to bring peace and comfort to living beings
I employ various different doctrines
to disseminate the Buddha way.
Through the power of my wisdom
I know the nature and desires of living beings
and through expedient means I preach these doctrines,
causing all living beings to attain joy and gladness.
Shariputra, you should understand
that I view things through the Buddha eye,
I see the living beings in the six paths,
how poor and distressed they are, without merit or wisdom,
how they enter the perilous road of birth and death,
their sufferings continuing with never a break,
how deeply they are attached to the five desires,
like a yak enamored of it's tail,
blinding themselves with greed and infatuation,
their vision so impaired they can see nothing.
They do not seek the Buddha, with his great might,
or the Law that can end their sufferings,
but enter deeply into erroneous views,
hoping to shed suffering through great suffering.
For the sake of these living beings
I summon up a mind of great compassion.
When I first sat in the place of practice
and gazed at the tree and walked around it,
for the space of three times seven days
I pondered the matter in this way.
The wisdom I have attained, I thought,
is subtle, wonderful, the foremost.
But living beings, dull incapacity,
are addicted to pleasure and blinded by stupidity.
With persons such as this,
what can I say, how can I save them?
At that time the Brahma kings,
along with the heavenly king Shakra,
the Four Heavenly Kings who guard the world,
and the heavenly king Great Freedom,
in company with other heavenly beings
and their hundreds and thousands
of followers,
reverently pressing their palms together and bowed,
begging me to turn the wheel of the Law.
Immediately I thought to myself
that if I merely praised the Buddha vehicle,
then the living beings, sunk in their suffering,
would be incapable of believing in this Law.
And because they rejected the Law and failed to believe it,
they would fall into the three evil paths.
It would be better if I did not preach the Law
but quickly entered into nirvana.
Then my thoughts turned to the Buddhas of the past
and the power of expedient means they had employed,
and I thought that the way I had now attained
should likewise be preached as three vehicles.
When I thought in this manner,
the Buddhas of the ten directions all appeared
and with Brahma sounds comforted and instructed me.
"Well done, Shakyamuni!" they said.
"Foremost leader and teacher,
you have attained the unsurpassed Law.
But following the example of all other Buddhas,
you will employ the power of expedient means.
We too have all attained
the most wonderful, the foremost Law,
but for the sake of living beings
we make distinctions and preach the three vehicles.
People of small wisdom delight in a small Law,
unable to believe that they themselves could becomes Buddhas.
Therefore we employ expedient means,
making distinctions and preaching various goals.
But though we preach the three vehicles,
we do it merely in order to teach the bodhisattvas."
Shariputra, you should understand this.
When I heard these saintly lions
and their deep, pure subtle, wonderful sounds,
I rejoiced, crying "Hail to the Buddhas!"
Then I thought to myself,
I have come into this impure and evil world,
and as these Buddhas have preached,
I too must follow that example in my actions.
After I had thought of the matter in this way,
I set out at once for Varanasi.
The marks of tranquil extinction borne by all phenomena
cannot be explained in words,
and therefore I used the power of expedient means
to preach to the five ascetics.
This I termed turning the wheel of the Law,
and also with regard to "the sound of nirvana,"
and "arhat", "Dharma" and Samgha,"
I used these terms to indicate distinctions.
"From infinite kalpas in the past
I have extolled and taught the Law of nirvana,
ending the long sufferings of birth and death."
This is how I customarily preached.
Shariputra, you should know this.
When I looked at the Buddha sons,
I saw incalculable thousands, ten thousands, millions
who had determined to seek the way of the Buddha,
everyone with a respectful and reverent mind,
all coming to the place of the Buddha,
persons who in the past had listened to other Buddhas
and heard the Law preached through expedient means.
Immediately the thought came to me
that the reason the Thus Come One has appeared
is so he may preach the Buddha wisdom.
Now is precisely the time to do so.
Shariputra, you should understand
that persons of dull capacity and small wisdom,
who are attached to appearances, proud and overbearing,
are incapable of believing in this Law.
Now I, joyful and fearless,
in the midst of the bodhisattvas,
honestly discarding expedient means,
will preach only the unsurpassed Way.
When the bodhisattvas hear this Law,
they will be released from all entanglements of doubt.
The twelve hundred Arhats,
they too will all attain Buddhahood.
Following in the same fashion that the Buddhas of the
three existences
employ in preaching the Law,
I now will do likewise,
preaching a Law that is without distinctions.
The times when the Buddhas appear in the world are far apart and difficult to encounter.
And even when they appear in the world
it is difficult for them to preach this Law.
Throughout incalculable, innumerable kalpas
it is rare that one may hear this Law,
and a person capable of listening to this Law,
such a person is likewise rare.
It is like the udumbara flower
which all the world loves and delights in,
which heavenly and human beings look on as something rare,
but which appears only once in many ages.
If a person hears this Law, delights and praises it,
even if he utters just one word,
then he has made offerings
to all the Buddhas of the three existences.
But a person like this is very rarely found,
rarer than the udumbara flower.
You should have no doubts.
I being king of the doctrines,
make this announcement to the entire great assembly.
I employ only the single vehicle way
to teach and convert the bodhisattvas,
I have no voice-hearer disciples.
You, Shariputra,
and the voice-hearers and bodhisattvas,
you should understand that this wonderful Law
is the secret crux of the Buddhas.

In this evil world of the five impurities
those who merely delight in and are attached to the desires,
living beings such as this
in the end will never seek the Buddha way.
When evil persons in ages to come
hear the Buddha preach the single vehicle,
they will be confused, will not believe or accept it,
will reject the Law and fall into the evil paths.
But when there are those with sense of shame, persons of purity
who have determined to seek the Buddha way,
then for the sake of such as these
one should widely praise the way of the single vehicle.
Shariputra, you should understand this.
The Law of the Buddhas is like this.
Employing ten thousand, a million expedient means,
they accord with what is appropriate in preaching the Law.
Those who are not versed in this matter
cannot fully comprehend this.
But you and the others already know
how the Buddhas, the teachers of the world,
accord with what is appropriate in employing expedient means.
You will have no more doubts or perplexities
but, your minds filled with great joy,
will know that you yourselves will attain Buddhahood.

Tada je Šariputra shvatio sumnje koje behu u umovima četiri vrste vernika, a ni on sam nije potpuno pojmio. Stoga se obratio Budi, govoreći: "Od Sveta Poštovani, koji uzroci i stanja te vode da ozbiljno hvališ celishodna sredstva, prvenstveno sredstvo budâ, duboki, suptilan i čudesan Zakon koji je teško razumeti? Nikada ranije nisam čuo takvu vrstu propovedanja od strane Bude. Sada sve četiri vrste vernika imaju sumnje. Molimo da Od Sveta Poštovani ozbiljno hvali ovaj Zakon koji je dubok, suptilan i čudesan, težak za razumevanje?"

Tada Šariputra, želeći da još jednom iskaže ono što je mislio, govoraše u stihovima, rekavši:

Sunce mudrosti, veliki mudrače i prečasni,
najzad propovedaš ovaj Zakon.
Ti sam objavljuješ da si postigao
moć, neustrašivost, samadhi-je,
koncentraciju, emancipaciju i ove druge osobine,
i Zakon koji je van poimanja.
O ovom Zakonu postignutom na mestu praktikovanja
niko nije sposoban da te ispituje.
'Moju je nameru je teško dokučiti
i niko me ne može ispitivati.'
Niko ne ispituje/pita, pa ipak ti sam propovedaš,
hvaleći stazu kojom koračaš.
Tvoja je mudrost veoma suptilna i čudesna,
koju sve bude postižu.
Arhati koji su bez odliva
i oni koji traže nirvanu
su sada svi pali u mrežu sumnje,
pitajući se iz kog razloga Buda ovo propoveda.
Oni koji traže da postanu pratjeka bude,
kaluđeri i kaluđerice,
nebeska bića, zmajevi/aždahe i duhovi,
uz gandarve i druge,
zgledaju se, ispunjeni zbunjenošću,
piljeći naviše u najpoštovanije od dvonožnih bića.
Koje je značenje svega ovoga?
Ja molim Budu da nam to objasni.
Među onima u skupu onih-koji-čuju-glas
Buda kaže da sam ja najistaknutiji,
pa ipak sada mi nedostaje mudrost
da razrešim ove sumnje i zbunjenosti.
Da li sam ja u stvari shvatio kranji Zakon,
ili sam još uvek na stazi praktikovanja?
Sinovi rođeni iz Budinih usta
sklapaju dlanove, zure naviše i čekaju.
Molimo te da se oglasiš suptilnim i čudesnim zvucima
i objasniš nam sada kako stvarno jeste.
Nebeska bića, zmajevi/aždahe, duhovi i ostali,
brojni kao zrna peska Ganga,
silne bodisatve koje traže bude
njih osamdeset hiljada,
isto kao i kraljevi mudraci koji [p]okreću točak
iz deset hiljada miliona zemalja,
svi oni sklapaju dlanove i umova punih poštovanja
žele da čuju učenje o savršenoj obdarenosti.

Šariputra još jednom govoraše Budi, rekavši: "Od Sveta Poštovani, molimo te da propovedaš! Preklinjemo te da propovedaš! Iz kog razloga? Stoga što je ovaj skup bezbrojnih stotina, hiljada, desetina hiljada, miliona asamkhja živih bića video bude; njihove sposobnosti su krepke i prodorne i njigova je mudrost bistra. Ako čuju Budu da propoveda, biće sposobni da veruju puni poštovanja."

Tada Šariputra, želeći da naglasi što misli još jednom, govoraše u stihovima, rekavši:

Darma Kralju, od svih najpoštovaniji
govori, preklinjemo te, bez ustezanja!
U ovom skupu bezbrojnih bića
oni su koji su sposobni da veruju puni poštovanja.

Tada Od Sveta Poštovani ponovi šta je bio rekao, u stihovima:

Stani, stani, nije potrebno govoriti!
Moj Zakon je čudesan i težak za proučavanje.
Oni koji su bahato arogantni
kada ga čuju nikada više neće pokazati veru punu poštovanja.

Tada Šariputra, želeći da još jednom iznese šta misli, govoraše u stihovima, rekavši:

Vrhovno poštovano biće među dvonožnim bićima,
molimo te da propovedaš ovaj najistaknutiji Zakon.
Ja koji sam smatran Budinim najstarijim sinom
tražim da pokažeš naklonost prema nama propovedajući posebna obeležja.
Bezbrojni članovi ovog skupa
sposobni su za odgovarajuću veru punu poštovanja u ovaj Zakon
Bude su ih već pokoljenje za pokoljenjem
podučavale i obratile takvom vladanju.
Svi jednoumno i sklopljenih dlanova
žele da čuju i prime Budine reči.
Ja i drugih dvanaest stotina iz naše grupe,
kao i drugi koji nastoje da postanu bude,
mole da za dobro ovog skupa
pokažeš svoju naklonost propovedanjem posebnih obeležja.
Kada čujemo ovaj Zakon
bićemo ispunjeni velikom radošću.

Kada je izgovorio ove reči, beše nekih pet hiljada kaluđera, kaluđerica, laika i laikinja u skupu koji odmah ustaše sa svojih sedišta, pokloniše se Budi, i povukoše se. Šta beše razlog tome? The osobe su imale korene krivice koji su bili duboki i mnogostruki, a dodatno bile su bahato arogantne. Ono što nisu bile postigle, pretpostavljale su da jesu, ono što nisu bile razumele, pretpostavljale su da jesu. I pošto su imale tu manu, nisu ostale gde su bile.

Od Sveta Poštovani je ćutao i nije pokušao da ih zadrži.

Tada Buda reče Šariputri: "Sada je ovaj moj skup slobodan od grana i lišća i sačinjen je jedino od onih postojanih i istin{sk|oljubiv}ih. Šariputra, dobro je da su su ove osobe bahate arogantnosti povukle. Sada slušajte pažljivo i ja ću vam propovedati."

Šariputra reče: "Neka bude tako, Od Sveta Poštovani. Orni smo da slušamo!"

Buda reče Šariputri: "Jedan čudesan Zakon kao ovaj što je, propovedale su bude, Takodošavši [tatagatha], u određenim vremenima. Ali kao i cvetanje udambare, takva vremena dolaze veoma retko. Šariputra, ti i ostali mi morate verovati. Reči koje bude propovedaju nisu ni prazne ni lažne.

Šariputra, bude propovedaju Zakon u skladu sa onim što je prikladno, ali je značenje teško za razumevanje. Zašto je to tako? Zato što koristimo bezbrojna celishodna sredstva, razmatrajući uzroke i stanja i koristeći reči poređenja i parabola da izložimo učenje. Ovaj Zakon nije nešto što bi moglo biti shvaćeno kroz promišljanje i analiziranje. Jedino oni koji su bude mogu ga shvatiti. Zašto? Zato što se bude, Od Sveta Poštovani, pojavljuju u svetu samo iz jednog velikog razloga. Šariputra, šta to znači kad kažemo da se bude, oni Od Sveta Poštovani, pojavljuju na svetu zbog samo jednog velikog razloga?

Bude, oni Od Sveta Poštovani, žele da otvore vrata budine mudrosti svim živim bićima, da im dozvole da postignu čistotu. Eto zašto se pojavljuju u svetu. Žele da pokažu mudrost bude živim bićima, i stoga se pojavljuju u svetu. Žele da podstaknu živa bića da stupe na stazu mudrosti bude, i stoga se pojavljuju u svetu. Šariputra, to je taj veliki razlog zbog koga se bude pojavljuju u svetu."

Buda reče Šariputri: "Bude, Takodošavši, jednostavno podučavaju i obraćaju bodisatve. Sve stvari koje rade u svim vremenima rade s tom jedinom svrhom. Jednostavno žele da pokažu mudrost bude živim bićima i da ih prosvete za nju.

Šariputra, Takodošavši imaju samo jedno vozilo bude koje koriste u svrhu propovedanja Zakona živim bićima. Nemaju nijedno drugo vozilo, neko drugo ili neko treće.¹ Šariputra, Zakon koji sve bude deset pravaca propovedaju je isti takav.

Šariputra, bude prošlosti su koristile bezbrojna celishodna sredstva, razne razloge i stanja i reči poređenja i parabola da izlože te doktrine za dobro živih bića. Ove doktrine su sve za dobro jednog [jedinog] Budinog vozila. Ova živa bića, slušanjem tih doktrina budâ, sva naposletku mogu da postignu mudrost koja obuhvata sve vrste.

Šariputra, kada se bude budućnosti pojave u svetu, one će takođe koristiti bezbrojna celishodna sredstva, razne razloge i stanja i reči poređenja i parabola da izlože ove doktrine za dobro živih bića. Te će doktrine sve biti za dobro jednog [jedinog] Budinog vozila. I ta će bića, slušanjem ovih doktrina budâ, sva naposletku moći da postignu mudrost koja obuhvata sve vrste.

Šariputra, bude, Od Sveta Poštovani, koje postoje sada u bezbrojnim stotinama, hiljadama, desetinama hiljada i milionima buda zemalja u deset pravaca, koje su od koristi i donose mir i sreću živim bićima u velikoj meri, ove bude takođe koriste bezbrojna celishodna sredstva, razne razloge i stanja i reči poređenja i parabola da izlože ove doktrine za dobro živih bića. Ove doktrine su sve za dobro tog jednog Budinog vozila. A ova živa bića, slušanjem tih doktrina budâ, sva su naposletku sposobna da postignu mudrost koja obuhvata sve vrste.

Šariputra, ove bude jednostavno podučavaju i [pre]obraćaju bodisatve. To čine stoga jer žele da pokažu mudrost bude živim bićima. To čine stoga jer žele da koriste mudrost bude da prosvete živa bića. To čine stoga jer žele učine da živa bića stupe na stazu mudrosti bude.

Šariputra, ja ću takođe sad da uradim isto, znam da živa bića imaju razne želje. Privrženosti koje su duboko usađene u njihov um. Bivajući svestan ove njihove osnovne prirode, ja ću prema tome koristiti razne razloge i stanja, reči poređenja i parabola, i moć celishodnih sredstava, i izložiću im ovaj Zakon. Šariputra, ja to radim da bi sva ona mogla da postignu jedno vozilo/sredstvo Bude i mudrost koja obuhvata sve vrste.

Šariputra, kada je doba nečisto i kad su vremena haotična, tada su uprljanosti živih bića ozbiljne, pohlepna su i ljubomorna i puštaju korenje koje nije dobro. Usled toga, bude, koristeći moć celishodnih sredstava, primenjuju razlike [u pojedinim karakteristikama] jednog [jedinog] vozila/sredstva bude, i propovedaju kao da ih ima tri.

Šariputra, ako bi bilo ko od mojih učenika/pristalica tvrdio da je arhat ili pratjeka buda, a ipak ne bi obratio pažnju na to niti razumeo da bude, Takodošavši, jednostavno podučavaju i [pre]obraćaju bodisatve, onda on nije nikakav moj učenik, nije nikakav arhat niti pratjeka buda.

Opet, Šariputra, ako bi neki kaluđeri ili kaluđerice tvrdili da su već postigli status arhata, da je ovo njihova poslednja inkarnacija, da su dosegli konačnu nirvanu, i da prema tome nemaju dalje namere da traže anuttara-samyaksambodhi, treba tada sa shvatiš da su svi takvi osobe ohole arogancije. Zašto ovo kažem? Stoga jer ako ima kaluđera koji su odista postigli status arhata, onda bi bilo nezamislivo da ne bi mogli da veruju u ovaj Zakon. Jedini izuzetak bio bi u vreme nakon što je buda preminuo, kada nijedan buda nije prisutan u svetu. Zašto? Stoga jer će biti teško nakon što je buda preminuo naći ikoga ko može da prihvati, recituje i razume značenje sutri kao što je ova. Ali ako neko u to vreme sretne nekog drugog budu, onda će postići presudno razumevanje u pogledu ovog Zakona.

Šariputra, ti i ostali treba da jednousmerenog uma verujete u i prihvatite reči bude. Reči budâ, Takodošavših [Tatagatâ], nisu prazne ni lažne. Ne postoji drugo vozilo/sredstvo, postoji samo jedno Budino vozilo."

Tada Od Sveta Poštovani, želeći da potvrdi još jednom šta misli, govoraše u stihovima, rekavši:

Ima kaluđera i kaluđerica
koji se ponašaju oholo arogantno
laika punih [preteranog] samopoštovanja
laikinja kojima nedostaje vera.
Među četiri vrste vernika, ovima sličnih
ima pet hiljada.
Oni ne mogu da vide svoje vlastite greške,
nemarni su i nehatni u pogledu pravila,
držeći se svojih mana, nevoljni da se promene.
Ali ove osobe male mudrosti već su otišle;
pleva ovog skupa
udaljila se pred licem Budinog autoriteta.
Ove osobe su bile beznačajnih zasluga i vrline,
nesposobne da prime ovaj Zakon.
Ovaj skup je sada slobodan od grana i lišća,
sačinjen jedino od postojanih i istinoljubivih/onih pravih.
Šariputra, slušaj pažljivo,
jer Zakon koji su bude dostigle,
snagom bezbrojnih celishodnih sredstava
one propovedaju za dobro živih bića.
Misli koje su u umovima živih bića,
različiti tipovi staza koje ona slede,
njihove razne želje i prirode,
dobra i loša dela koja su počinili i prethodnim egzistencijama -
svega toga je Buda svestan,
i tada se služi razlozima, poređenjima i parabolama,
rečima koje otelovljuju moć celishodnih sredstava,
da bi ih obradovao i ugodio svima njima.
Ponekad propoveda sutre,
poeziju, priče o prethodnim životima pristalica,
priče o prethodnim životima Bude, o nečuvenim stvarima.
Drugih puta propoveda u vezi sa uzrocima is stanjima,
koristi poređenja, parabole, odlomke poezije
ili predavanja.
Onima tupih sposobnosti koji uživaju u malom Zakonu,
koji se pohlepno drže rođenja i smrti,
koji, uprkos bezbrojnim budama,
ne uspevaju da praktikuju ovaj duboki i čudesan put/način
već su zbunjeni i pometeni mnoštvom briga -
njima propovedam nirvanu.
Smišljam ova celishodna sredstva
i tako činim da stupe u područje mudrosti bude.
Nikada do sada ti nisam rekao
da ćeš sigurno postići put bude.
Razlog zašto nikada nisam propovedao tim manirom
bio je da vreme da se propoveda na taj način nije bilo još došlo.
Ali sada je pravo vreme
kada moram odlučno da propovedam Veliko Vozilo.
Koristim ovih devet izuma/pomoćnih sredstava,
prilagođavajući ih živim bićima kada propovedam
budući da je moj osnovni cilj da ih dovedem do Velikog Vozila,
i to je razlog zašto propovedam ovu sutru.
Ima sinova bude čiji su umovi čisti,
koji su plemeniti/otmeni/blagi i prodornih sposobnosti,
koji su pod vođstvom bezbrojnih buda
upražnjavali ovaj duboki i čudesni put/način.
Ovim sinovima budâ
propovedam ovu sutru Velikog Vozila.
Takođe pred{viđa|skazuje}m da će ove osobe
u budućem postojanju postići put/način bude.
Stoga što duboko u svom umu misle na budu
i upražnjavaju i podržavaju čiste percepcije/utiske,
sigurno će postići budastvo,
i čuvši ovo njihova tela su sva ispunjena velikom radošću.
Buda poznaje njihove umove i njihove navike/običaje/vežbe
i stoga im propoveda Veliko Vozilo.
Kada oni-koji-čuju-glas i bodisatve
čuju ovaj Zakon koji propovedam,
čim budu čuli jedan stih
biće bez sumnje svi sigurni da će postići budastvo.
U budinim zemljama deset pravaca
postoji samo jedan Zakon jednog vozila,
nema ih dva, nema ih tri,
osim kada [ovaj] Buda tako propoveda koristeći celishodna sredstva/načine,
upotrebljavajući provizorne/privremene nazive i izraze/pojmove
da bi vodio i navodio živa bića
i propovedao im mudrost bude.
Bude se u ovom svetu pojavljuju
jedino iz tog jednog razloga, koji je istin{ski|it}/pravi;
druga dva nisu [ta prava] istina.
One nikada ne koriste manje vozilo
da sačuvaju živa bića i da ih prevedu preko.
Sâm Buda boravi u ovom Velikom Vozilu,
i krašen moćima meditacije i mudrosti
koje idu uz Zakon koji je postigao,
koristi ih da sačuva/spašava živa bića.
On sam dokazuje neprevaziđen put,
Veliko Vozilo, Zakon u kome su sve stvari jednake.
Ako bih koristio neko manje vozilo,
da [pre]obratim ma i jednu osobu,
bio bih kriv zbog škrtosti i gramzivosti,
ali bi takva stvar bila nemoguća.
Ako neko veruje, i potraži utočište u, Budi,
Takodošavši ga nikada neće obmanuti,
niti će ikada pokazati gramzivost ili ljubomoru,
jer je iskorenio zlo iz pojava.
Prema tome, diljem deset pravaca
sam Buda je bez straha.
Ukrašavam svoje telo naročitim karakteristikama
i isijavam svoje svetlo na svet.
Poštovan sam od strane bezbrojnog mnoštva
i njima propovedam simbol stvarnosti stvari.
Šariputra, treba da znaš
da sam na početku dao zavet,
nadajući se da učinim sve ljude
jednake meni, bez ikakvih razlika među nama,
i to čemu sam se odavno nadao
sada je ispunjeno.
Preobratio sam sva živa bića
i učinio da stupe na put bude.
Ako bih kada sretnem živa bića
u svim slučajevima podučavao sve njih putu bude,
ona bez mudrosti bi se zbunila
i u svojoj zbunjenosti ne bi uspela da prihvate moja učenja.
Znam da takva živa bića nikada u svojoj prošlosti nisu kultivisala dobre korene
već su se zadrto držala pet želja,
i njihova glupavost i žudnja su izazvale bol.
Njihove želje su uzrok
usled kojeg padaju na tri rđave staze,
obrćući se kao točak kroz šest oblasti postojanja
i podvrgavajući se svakoj vrsti patnje i bola.
Primivši majušni oblik u materici,
u postojanju za postojanjem oni neprekidno rastu do zrelosti.
Osobe oskudnih vrlina/snage i male zasluge/vrednosti,
uznemirene su i saletane mnogostrukim patnjama.
Zalutaju u gustoj šumi pogrešnih gledišta,
raspravljajući u pogledu toga šta postoji a šta ne,
i na kraju se drže takvih gledišta,
prihvatajući sva šezdeset dva.²
Ona su duboko predana lažnim i praznim doktrinama,
držeći ih se čvrsto, nesposobna da ih ostave na stranu.
Arogantna i naduvena od sujete,
ulagivačka i zavidljiva, neiskrenog uma,
tokom hiljada, desetina hiljada, miliona kalpi
neće čuti budino ime,
niti će čuti ispravan Zakon -
takav je svet teško sačuvati/spasti.
Iz ovih razloga, Šariputra,
za njihovo dobro sam ustanovio celishodna sredstva,
propovedajući put koji okončava svu patnju.
I koji im pokazuje nirvanu.
Ali mada propovedam nirvanu,
to nije prava ugašenost/izumiranje.
Sve pojave od samog početka
same po sebi stalno nose znake
mirnog/tihog/spokojnog izumiranja.
Jednom kada sinovi bude prođu ovom stazom,
u sledećem postojanju će moći da postanu bude.
Služio sam se moćima celishodnih sredstava
da otkrijem i demonstriram ovu doktrinu triju vozila,
ali Od Sveta Poštovani, svaki od njih,
svi propovedaju put/način samo jednog vozila.
Sada pred ovim velikim skupom
moram da uklonim sve sumnje i nedoumice.
Ne postoji protivrečnost u rečima budâ,
postoji samo jedno vozilo, ne dva.
Tokom bezbrojnih kalpi u prošlosti
bezbrojne bude koje su sada stupile u zgasnuće,
stotine, hiljade, desetine hiljada, milion tipova
brojevima nemogućim za izračunavanje -
takvih Od Sveta Poštovanih,
koristeći različite tipove razloga, poređenja i parabola,
moći bezbrojnih celishodnih sredstava,
izlagalo je karakteristike učenjâ.
Ovi Od Sveta Poštovani
propovedali su svi doktrinu jednog [jedinog] vozila,
[pre]obraćajući bezbroj živih bića
i čineći da stupe na put bude.
I ovi veliki mudri gospodari,
znajući šta je željeno duboko u umovima
nebeskih i ljudskih bića i drugih živih stvari
diljem svih svetova,
koristili su svejedno druga celishodna sredstva
kao pomoć da osvetle najvišu istinu.
Ako je bilo živih bića
koja su srela te prošle bude,
i ako su slušala njihov Zakon, poklanjala milostinju,
ili se držala pravila, pokazivala uzdržanost,
bili prilježna, upražnjavala meditaciju i mudrost, i tako dalje,
negujući razne vrste zasluga i vrlina/moći,
onda su takve osobe
sve postigle put bude.
Nakon što bi bude prešle u ugasnuće,
ako ima takvih koji su dobrog i otmenog uma,
onda su takva živa bića
postigla put bude.
Nakon što su bude prešle u ugasnuće,
ako ima onih koji prinose ponude relikvijama,
podižući deset hiljada ili milion vrsta tornjeva,
koristeći zlato, srebro i kristal,
morske školjke i ahat,
kalcedon, lapis lazuli, bisere
da ih pročiste i ukrase izdašno,
na taj način gradeći tornjeve;
ili ako grade hramove mrtvačnice od kamenea
ili od sandalovog drveta ili aloje,
hovenije ili drugih vrsta drvene građe,
ili od opeke, gline ili zemlje;
ako usred širokih polja
nagomilaju zemlju da naprave hram mrtvačnicu za bude,
ili čak ako bi dečaci u igri
sakupljali pesak da prave Budin toranj,
onda su svi oni
postigli Budin put.
Ako ima onih koji za dobro Bude
modeluju i postavljaju slike,
rezbazeći ih brojnim otmenim odlikama,
onda su svi oni postigli Budin put.
Ili ako izrađuju stvari od sedam vrstas dragulja,
od bakra, crvenog ili belog bakra,
kositera, olova, kalaja
tvrdog drveta ili gline,
ili koriste sukno potopljeno u lak ili smolu
da ukrase i modeluju slike Bude,
ovakve su osobe sve postigle Budin put.
Ako upotrebljavaju pigmente da boje slike Bude,
obdarujući ih odličjima stostrukih zasluga,
onda su svi postigli Budin put.
Čak i ako bi dečaci u igri
koristili komad drveta ili trave ili četke,
ili možda i nokat
da nacrtaju neku sliku Bude,
ovakve osobe
delić po delić će nagomilati zasluge
i postaće u celosti obdareni umom
velikog saosećanja;
svi oni su postigli Budin put.
Samo preobraćajući bodisatve
oni donose spas i oslobođenje bezbrojnom mnoštvu.
I ako bi osobe, u prisustvu takvih spomen tornjeva,
takvih draguljima ukrašenim i obojenim slikama,
duha punog poštovanja prinosile ponude
u cveću, insensu, barjacima ili baldahinima,
ili ako bi uposlili nekog da svira,
udarajući bubnjeve ili svirajući trube ili školjke,
frule, flaute, citre, harfe,
gitare, cimbala i gongove,
i ako su ove mnogovrsne čudesne note
namenjene potpuno da budu ponuda;
ili ako neko radosnog uma
peva pesmu u pohvalu Budinoj vrlini/moći,
čak i ako je to samo jedna mala nota,
onda svi koji rade ovako nešto su postigli Budin put.
Ako bi neko zbrkanog i rastrojenog uma
uzeo samo jedan cvet
i ponudio ga oslikanoj slici,
vremenom bi uspeo da vidi bezbrojne bude.
Ili ako bi se neko poklonio ili pozdravio sa poštovanjem,
ili samo sklopio svoje dlanove,
ili ako bi podigao čak samo i jednu ruku,
ili bi čak samo neznatno klimnuo glavom,
i ako je to učinjeno kao ponuda nekoj slici,
tada bi vremenom uspeo da vidi bezbrojne bude.
I ako on sam postigne nenadmašan put
i širi spas nadaleko bezbrojnom mnoštvu,
stupiće u nirvanu bez ostatka
kao što vatra odumire kada je drvo za loženje potrošeno.
Ako bi oni zbrkanog i rastrojenog uma
stupili u spomen toranj
i jednom uzviknuli "Pozdrav Budi!"
onda bi svi postigli Budin put.
Ako bi od prošlih buda
dok su bili u svetu ili nakon njihovog zgasnuća,
bilo onih koji bi čuli ovaj Zakon,
onda bi svi oni postigli put Bude.
Od Sveta Poštovani budućnosti,
čiji će broj biti neizračunljiv,
ovi Takodošavši
takođe će koristiti celishodna sredstva da propovedaju Zakon,
i svi ti Takodošavši
posredstvom bezbrojnih celishodnih sredstava
spasiće živa bića i doneti im oslobođenje
tako da ona stupe u mudrost bude slobodnu
od izliva[nja]/isticanja/curenja.
Ako ima onih koji čuju Zakon,
nijedan od njih neće tada propustiti da postigne budastvo.
Izvorni zavet budâ
bio je da u načinu/putu bude, koji su sami upražnjavali,
treba da univerzalno učestvuju sva živa bića
tako da ona takođe mogu da postignu isti put.
Bude budućih doba,
mada propovedaju stotine, hiljade, milione,
nebrojen broj doktrina,
doista rade tako za dobro jednog [jedinog] vozila.
Bude, najpoštovanija od dvonožnih bića,
znaju da fenomeni nemaju konstantno fiksiranu prirodu,
da seme budastva niče posredstvom uzrokovanja,
i iz toga razloga propovedaju jedno [jedino] vozilo.
Ali, da su fenomeni deo jednog trajnog Zakona,
i da su karakteristike sveta konstantno trajne -
to su saznali na mestu praktikovanja/upražnjavanja,
i kao vođe i učitelji, propovedaju celishodna sredstva.
Sada postojeće bude deset pravaca,
kojima nebeska i ljudska bića prinose ponude,
kojih je po broju kao zrna peska Ganga,
pojavile su se u svetu
da bi donele mir i utehu živim bićima,
i one takođe propovedaju Zakon na taj način.
One shvataju glavnu istinu mirne/spokojne ugašenosti
i prema tome koriste moć celishodnih sredstava,
i mada ukazuju na razne različite staze,
one doista to čine za dobro budinog vozila.
One shvataju akcije živih bića,
misli koje leže duboko u njihovim umovima,
dela koja su izvršila u prošlosti,
njihove želje, njihovu prirodu, moć njihovih napora,
i da li su njihove sposobnosti oštre ili tupe,
i tako koriste razne razloge/povode i stanja,
poređenja, parabole i druge reči i fraze,
prilagođavajući celishodna sredstva tako, da budu podesna njihovom propovedanju.
Sada sam i ja takav;
da bih doneo mir i udobnost/utehu živim bićima
koristim razne različite doktrine
da rasprostranim budin put/način.
Posredstvom moći svoje mudrosti
poznajem prirodu želja živih bića
i putem celishodnih sredstava propovedam ove doktrine,
čineći da sva živa bića postignu radost i zadovoljstvo.
Šariputra, treba da shvatiš
da ja gledam na stvari okom bude,
da vidim kako su živa bića na šest staza,
jadna i žalosna, bez zasluga i mudrosti,
kako stupaju na opasne puteve rođenja i smrti,
njihove patnje koje se nastavljaju bez prekida,
kako su duboko privrženi i vezani za pet želja,
kao goveče zaljubljeno u svoj rep,
oslepljujući se gramzivošću i zaluđenošću,
vida toliko oštećenog da ne mogu da vide ništa.
Oni ne traže budu, i njegovu veliku moć,
ili Zakon koji može da okonča njihove patnje,
već zalaze duboko u pogrešna gledišta,
nadajući se da će se otarasiti patnje posredstvom velike patnje.
Radi takvih živih bića
pribiram duh velikog saosećanja.
Kada sam prvi put seo na mesto praktikovanja
i zurio u drvo i hodao oko njega,
u toku tri puta sedam dana
promišljao sam materiju na taj način.
Mudrost koju sam postigao, mislio sam,
suptilna je, čudesna, glavna i najistaknutija.
Ali živa bića, tupih sposobnosti,
zavisna su od zadovoljstava i oslepljena glupošću.
Sa takvim osobama,
šta mogu reći, kako da ih spasem/sačuvam?
Tada, brama kraljevi,
skupa sa nebeskim kraljem Šakrom,
Četiri Nebeska Kralja koji štite svet,
i nebeskim kraljem Velika Sloboda,
u društvu ostalih nebeskih bića
i njihovih stotina i hiljada
pristalica,
s poštovanjem sklapajući dlanove i klanjajući se,
moliše me da [p]okrenem točak Zakona.
Odmah pomislih u sebi
da ako bih samo hvalio budino vozilo,
živa bića bi tada, utonula u svoju patnju,
bila nesposobna da veruju u taj Zakon.
I stoga što su odbacila Zakon i nisu uspela da veruju u njega,
pala bi na tri rđave staze.
Bilo bi bolje ako ne bih propovedao Zakon
već brzo stupio u nirvanu.
Tada su se moje misli okrenule budama prošlosti
i moćima celishodnih sredstava koje su koristile,
i pomislio sam da bi put koji sam sad bio postigao
trebalo propovedati kao [put] triju vozila.
Kada sam razmišljao na takav način,
sve bude deset pravaca su se pojavile
i brama zvucima me utešila i poučila.
"Odlično urađeno, Šakjamuni!" rekoše.
"Najistaknutiji vođo i učitelju,
postigao si neprevaziđeni Zakon.
Ali sledeći primer svih drugih buda,
koristićeš moć celishodnih sredstava.
Mi smo svi takođe postigli
taj najčudesniji, glavni Zakon,
ali radi živih bića
pravimo razliku i propovedamo tri vozila.
Ljudi male mudrosti ushićuju se malim Zakonom,
nesposobni da veruju da oni sami mogu da postanu bude.
Stoga koristimo celishodna sredstva,
praveći razlike i propovedajući razne ciljeve.
Ali mada propovedamo tri vozila,
radimo to samo da bismo podučavali bodisatve."
Šariputra, ovo treba da razumeš.
Kada sam čuo ove svetačke lavove
i njihove duboke, čiste suptilne, čudesne zvukove,
obradovao sam se, vapijući: "Živele bude!"
Onda sam pomislio u sebi,
da sam došao u ovaj nečist i zao svet,
i da kao što su ove bude bile propovedale,
i ja sâm mora da sledim taj primer u svojim akcijama.
Nakon što sam bio razmislio o stvarima na taj način,
krenuo sam odmah za Varanasi.
Obeležja mirne/spokojne ugašenosti nošena svim fenomenima
ne mogu biti objašnjena rečima,
i stoga sam koristio moć celishodnih sredstava
da propovedam pred pet asketa.
To sam nazvao [p]okretanjem točka Zakona,
a takođe u pogledu "zvuka nirvane",
i "arhata", "Darme" i "Sange",
koristio sam te izraze da ukažem na razlike.
"Tokom beskrajnih prošlih kalpi
podučavao sam Zakonu nirvane i veličao ga
okončavajući duge patnje rađanja i smrti/umiranja." Eto kako sam uobičajeno propovedao.
Šariputra, ovo treba da znaš.
Kada sam pogledao sinove budâ,
video sam neproračunljive hiljade, desetine hiljada, milione
koji su bili rešeni da traže put bude,
svakog od njih uma punog poštovanja,
sve njih kako dolaze na mesto bude,
osobe koje su u prošlosti bile slušale druge bude
i čule Zakon propovedan putem celishodnih sredstava.
Odmah mi je došla misao
da je razlog zašto se Takodošavši pojavio
taj da bi mogao da propoveda mudrost bude.
Sada je tačno to vreme da se tako uradi.
Šariputra, treba da shvatiš
da osobe tupih sposobnosti i male mudrosti,
koje su privržene/vezane pojavama/izgledom, ponosne i ohole,
nesposobne da veruju u ovaj Zakon.
Sada ću ja, radostan i neustrašiv,
usred bodisatvi,
pošteno odbacujući celishodna sredstva,
propovedati samo neprevaziđen Put.
Kada bodisatve čuju ovaj Zakon,
biće oslobođene svih zamršenosti sumnje.
Dvanaest stotina arhata,
takođe će svi postići budastvo.
Sledeći isti način koje bude
tri postojanja
koriste u propovedanju Zakona,
sada ću činiti slično,
propovedajući Zakon koji je bez {pominjanih} razlika.
Vremena kada se bude pojavljuju u svetu su veoma odvojena i teško ih je biti svedokom.
I čak i kada se pojave u svetu
teško im je da propovedaju ovaj Zakon.
Tokom neizračunljivih, bezbrojnih kalpi
retko će neko moći da čuje ovaj Zakon,
a osoba sposobna da sluša ovaj Zakon,
takve su osobe takođe retke.
To je kao cvet udambare
koji ceo svet voli i uživa u njemu,
na koji nebeska i ljudska bića gledaju kao na nešto retko,
ali koji se pojavljuje samo jednom u mnogo doba.
Ako neka osoba čuje ovaj Zakon, uživa u njemu i hvali ga,
čak i ako izusti samo jednu reč,
onda je učinila ponude
svim budama triju postojanja.
Ali takva osoba se veoma retko nalazi,
ređe nego cvet udambare.
Ne treba da imaš nikakve sumnje u to.
Ja, budući da sam kralj doktrina,
objavljujem ovo pred celim velikim skupom.
Ja koristim samo put jednog [jedinog] vozila
da podučavam i [pre]obraćam bodisatve,
ja nemam učenike/pristalice koji-čuju-glas.
Ti, Šariputra,
i oni-koji-čuju-glas i bodisatve,
vi treba da razumete da je ovaj čudesni Zakon
tajna srž budâ.

U ovom zlom/rđavom svetu pet nečistoća
oni koji samo uživaju u željama i samo su njima privrženi,
takva živa bića
na kraju nikada neće tražiti put bude.
Kada zle/rđave osobe u dobima koja će doći
čuju budu da propoveda jedno [jedino] vozilo,
biće zbunjene, neće verovati u njega niti će ga prihvatiti,
odbaciće Zakon i pasti na pet rđavih/zlih staza.
Ali kada ima onih sa osećajem za stid, osoba čistote
koje su rešene da traže put bude,
onda radi takvih kao što su oni
treba naširoko hvaliti put/način jednog [jedinog] vozila.
Šariputra, ovo treba da razumeš.
Zakon budâ je ovakav.
Koristeći deset hiljada, milion celishodnih sredstava,
slažu se u pogledu toga šta je pogodno u propovedanju Zakona.
Oni koji nisu upućeni u ovu materiju
ne mogu potpuno da ovo pojme.
Ali ti i ostali već znate
da se bude, učitelji sveta,
slažu u pogledu toga šta je podesno u korišćenju celishodnih sredstava.
Nećeš više imati sumnji ili nedoumica
već ćete, umova ispunjenih velikom radošću,
znati da ćete i vi sami postići budastvo.