Treasury of the True Dharma Eye

THE BUDDHA SAID, “Without the past worlds, there would be no past buddhas. Without past buddhas, there would be no leaving home and receiving the precepts.”

Clearly know that there are always buddhas in the past, present, and future. Do not say that past buddhas had a beginning or did not have a beginning. To fall into such theoretical discussion is not the study of buddha dharma. Instead, to make offerings to past buddhas, leave the household, and follow them is a crucial way to become buddhas.

You become buddhas by the merit of making offerings to buddhas. How can a sentient being who has not made offerings to even one buddha become a buddha? There is no becoming a buddha without cause.

According to the Sutra of the Buddha’s Original Practice, the Buddha said to Maudgalyayana:

In a vision I had of a past life, I was with innumerable, boundless world-honored ones, planting various wholesome roots, and seeking unsurpassable, complete enlightenment. Maudgalyayana, in my vision, I became a wheel-turning king and encountered three billion buddhas. They all had the same name and were called Shakyamuni. I made four types of sufficient offerings to tathagatas and shravakas, and served and venerated them. The four types of sufficient offerings are clothes, food, bedding, and medicine. But at that time those buddhas did not predict: “You will attain unsurpassable, complete enlightenment and become the Knower of the World, the Teacher of Devas, and the Buddha, the World-Honored One.”

Maudgalyayana, in my vision of a past life, I became a wheel-turning king and encountered eight hundred million buddhas. They all had the same name and were called Dipankara. I made four types of offerings to tathagatas and shravakas, and served and venerated them. The four types of offerings included clothes, food, bedding, medicine, banners, canopies, flowers, and incense. But at that time those Buddhas did not predict: “You will attain unsurpassable, complete enlightenment and become the Knower of the World, the Teacher of Devas, and the Buddha, the World-Honored One.”

Maudgalyayana, in my vision of a past life, I became a wheel-turning king and encountered three hundred million buddhas. They all had the same name and were called Pusya. I made four types of sufficient offerings to tathagatas and shravakas, and served and venerated them. But at that time those buddhas did not predict: “You will become a buddha.”

Other than this, Shakyamuni Buddha in his former lives made offerings to a number of buddhas. A wheel-turning king presides over the Four Worlds. So, he must have had abundant things to offer. A great wheel-turning king must preside over a billion worlds. It is impossible nowadays for ordinary people to fathom the amount of his offerings. Even the Buddha himself would be unable to measure them completely.

According to “Pure Seeing,” the eighth chapter of the Buddha’s Treasury Sutra, the Buddha said:

Shariputra, in a vision of a past life, I met three billion buddhas through my search for unsurpassable, complete enlightenment. They were all called Shakyamuni Buddha. I became a wheel-turning king and made sufficient offerings of clothes, food, bedding, and medicine to the buddhas and their disciples throughout my lifetime. I did this in search of unsurpassable, complete enlightenment. And yet, those buddhas did not predict: “You will become a buddha in the next lifetime.” Why not? Because I had done so with a grasping mind.

Shariputra, in a past life, I met eight thousand buddhas. They were all called Dipankara. I became a wheel-turning king and made sufficient offerings of clothes, food, bedding, and medicine to the buddhas and their disciples throughout my lifetime. I did this in search of unsurpassable, complete enlightenment. And yet, those buddhas did not predict: “You will become a buddha in the next lifetime.” Why not? Because I had done so with a grasping mind.

Shariputra, in my vision of a past life, I met sixty thousand buddhas. They were all called Prabha. I became a wheel-turning king and made sufficient offerings of clothes, food, bedding, and medicine to the buddhas and their disciples throughout my lifetime. I did this in search of unsurpassable, complete enlightenment. And yet, those buddhas did not predict: “You will become a buddha in the next lifetime.” Why not? Because I had done so with a grasping mind.

Shariputra, in my vision of a past life, I met three hundred million buddhas. They were all called Pusya. I became a wheel-turning king and made sufficient offerings to the buddhas and their disciples throughout my lifetime. And yet, those buddhas did not predict: “You will become a buddha in the next lifetime.” Why? Because I did my practice with a grasping mind.

Shariputra, in my vision of a past life, I met eighteen thousand buddhas. They were all called Parvataraja. The eon was called High Eight. At the place of the eighteen thousand buddhas I shaved my head and practiced for unsurpassable, complete enlightenment. And yet, those buddhas did not predict: “You will become a buddha in the next lifetime.” Why? Because I was doing my practice with a grasping mind.

Shariputra, in my vision of a past life, I met five hundred buddhas. They were all called Padmottara. I became a wheel-turning king and offered everything to the buddhas and their disciples throughout my lifetime. I did this in search of unsurpassable, complete enlightenment. And yet, no buddhas predicted that I would be enlightened, because I did my practice with a grasping mind.

Shariputra, in my vision of a past life, I met five hundred buddhas. They were all called Prabhava. I offered everything to them. And yet, none of them gave me a prediction of enlightenment, because I did my practice with a grasping mind.

Shariputra, in one vision of a past life, I met two thousand buddhas. They were all called Kaundinya. I became a wheel-turning king and offered everything to these buddhas. And yet, none of them predicted that I would be enlightened, because I did my practice with a grasping mind.

Shariputra, in my vision of a past life, I met nine thousand buddhas. They were all called Kashyapa. I made four types of offerings to these buddhas and their disciples. And yet, none of them predicted that I would be enlightened, because I did my practice with a grasping mind.

Shariputra, in a vision I had of a past life, there were no buddhas for myriad eons. Then, for the next five hundred eons there were ninety thousand pratyeka-buddhas. I offered clothes, food, bedding, and medicine to all of them, and venerated and praised them. In the next five hundred eons I made four types of offerings to eighty trillion pratyeka-buddhas, and venerated and praised them.

Shariputra, after these one thousand eons, there were no more pratyeka-buddhas. I died in the Jambudvipa World and was born in the Brahma Heaven and became King Brahma. For the next five hundred eons, I transmigrated in the Brahma Heaven and was always born as King Brahma, without being born in the Jambudvipa World. After that, I was born in the Jambudvipa World and presided over it. When my life ended, I was born in the Heaven of the Four Deva Kings. After that, I was born in Tushita Heaven and became Indra. I transmigrated in this way for five hundred eons. Then I was born in the Jambudvipa World. After another five hundred eons, I was born in the Brahma Heaven and became King Brahma.

Shariputra, for the next nine thousand eons, I was always born in deva worlds, except once in the Jambudvipa World. When the eon was exhausted and the world exploded, I was born in Abhasvara Heaven. After the next world was formed, I went back to the Brahma World. I was never born in the human realm in these nine thousand eons. Shariputra, during this time there were no buddhas and pratyeka-buddhas. A number of sentient beings fell into unwholesome paths.

Shariputra, after more than ten thousand eons, a buddha emerged who was called Universal Protection Tathagata, Worthy of Offering, True Encompassing Knower, Clear Walker, Well Gone, Knower of the World, Unsurpassable Warrior, Excellent Tamer, Teacher of Humans and Devas, and Buddha, the World-Honored One. I had just finished a life as the Brahma King and was born in the Jambudvipa World to be a wheel-turning king called Heaven Sharer. I was ninety thousand years old in human age. Throughout my time I made offerings of excellent things to the Buddha and nine billion monks. I was in search of unsurpassable, complete enlightenment. But Universal Protection Tathagata did not predict: “You will become a buddha in the next lifetime.” Why not? Because at that time I was not able to understand the reality of all things but only had a mind greedy for attainment.

Shariputra, in these eons one hundred buddhas with different names emerged. Every time, I became a wheel-turning king and made offerings through my lifetime to the buddha and his disciples of that time, in pursuit of unsurpassable, complete enlightenment. But none of these buddhas predicted, “You will become a buddha in the next lifetime,” because I had a mind greedy for attainment.

Shariputra, in a vision I had of a past life, I met one thousand Buddhas in the seven hundredth uncountable eon. They were all called Jambunada. I made four types of offerings to them, but none of them predicted that I would be enlightened, because I had a mind greedy for attainment.

Shariputra, in my vision of a past life, I met six million two hundred thousand Buddhas in the seven hundred uncountable eons. They were all called Sarvarthadarsha. I became a wheel-turning king and made all types of comfortable offerings to these Buddhas and their disciples throughout my lifetime, but none of them predicted that I would be enlightened because I had a mind greedy for attainment.

Shariputra, in one vision I had of a past life, I met eighty-four Buddhas in the seven hundred uncountable eons. They were all called Indra Ketu. I became a wheel-turning king and made all types of splendid offerings to these Buddhas and their disciples throughout my lifetime, but none of them predicted that I would be enlightened, because I had a mind greedy for attainment.

Shariputra, in my vision of a past life, I met fifteen Buddhas in the seven hundredth uncountable eon. They were all called Suryarashmi. I became a wheel-turning king and made all types of comfortable offerings to these Buddhas and their disciples throughout my lifetime, but none of them predicted that I would be enlightened, because I had a mind greedy for attainment.

Shariputra, in my vision of a past life, I met sixty-two Buddhas in the seven hundredth uncountable eon. They were all called Shanta. I became a wheel-turning king and made all types of splendid offerings to these, but none of them predicted that I would be enlightened, because I had a mind greedy for attainment.

In this way I transmigrated and saw Dipankara Buddha and attained patience beyond birth. Dipankara Buddha predicted, “In the next life after passing uncountable eons, you will become a buddha and be called Shakyamuni Tathagata, Worthy of Offering, True Encompassing Knower, Clear Walker, Well Gone, Knower of the World, Unsurpassable Warrior, Excellent Tamer, Teacher of Humans and Devas, and Buddha, the World-Honored One.

From the time of meeting three billion Shakyamuni Buddhas and making offerings to them until the time of meeting Dipankara Buddha, the bodhisattva [former life of Shakyamuni Buddha] always took the form of a wheel-turning king and made offerings to Buddhas. Many wheel-turning kings are said to live more than eighty thousand years. During the lifetimes of eighty or ninety thousand years, he made his splendid offerings. Dipankara Buddha is the same as Lamp-Burning Tathagata. The Sutra of Buddha’s Original Practice and the Buddha’s Treasury Sutra also talk about his meeting three billion Shakyamuni Buddhas.

Bodhisattva Shakyamuni met and made offerings to seventy-five thousand Buddhas in the first set of uncountable eons, when his name was Shakyamuni at first and Ratnachuda at the end. He met and made offerings to seventy-six thousand Buddhas in the second set of uncountable eons, when his name was Ratnachuda at first and Dipankara at the end. He met and made offerings to seventy-seven thousand Buddhas in the third set of uncountable eons, when his name was Dipankara at first and Vipashyin at the end. While he was practicing actions that nurture different types of effects, he met and made offerings to six Buddhas in ninety-one eons. His name was Vipashyin at first and Kashyapa at the end.

In making offerings during these three sets of uncountable eons, Bodhisattva Shakyamuni did not spare his own body and life, nor did he spare his nation, palace, wife, children, seven treasures, men, and women [followers]. It is beyond ordinary thinking. He made offerings sometimes by filling a silver bowl with golden millet, and sometimes by filling a gold and silver bowl with the millet of seven treasures. He made offerings of red beans, sandalwood, aloeswood, and flowers from both water and land. He made offerings to Dipankara Buddha of five stalks of blue lotus flowers purchased for five hundred coins, and of deerskin robes.

Making offerings to buddhas does not mean providing buddhas with what they need. It is dedicating moments of your life to buddhas without wasting any moment. What use can buddhas make even if gold and silver are offered? What benefit can buddhas receive if incense and flowers are offered? However, buddhas receive the offerings with great compassion to help increase the merit of sentient beings.

Good people, in my vision of a past life, countless and boundless trillion eons ago, there was a world called Saha. There was a buddha called Shakyamuni Tathagata, Worthy of Offering, True Encompassing Knower, Clear Walker, Well Gone, Knower of the World, Unsurpassable Warrior, Excellent Tamer, Teacher of Humans and Devas, and Buddha, the World-Honored One. This Buddha expounded the Maha Pari-nirvana Sutra for various beings. At that time, while at a good friend’s place, I heard that the Buddha was expounding this sutra. I rejoiced and wanted to make offerings.

Since I was poor and had nothing where I lived, I wanted to be hired, but unfortunately no one wanted to hire me. On my way home I met someone and said, “I want to offer myself. Will you please hire me?”

The man said, “No one can bear the work in my house. But if you are willing to do it, I will hire you.”

The man replied, “I have a very bad disease. My doctor says the cure is to eat three ounces of human flesh every day. If you agree to give me three ounces of your flesh every day, I will give you five coins.”

Hearing this, I rejoiced and said to the man, “Please give me the money and let me have seven days. When I am done with what I need to do, I will get to work.”

The man said, “Seven days are not possible. If you want to do this, I will let you have one day.”

Good people, I got the money, went to the Buddha, bowed at his feet by putting my head to the ground, and offered him all of my possessions. After doing this I sincerely listened to the sutra. Although I heard the sutra, I was stupid and could only receive this verse:

Good people, although I gave three ounces of my flesh to the sick man every day, my mind was concentrated on this verse and I did not feel pain. This continued every day until a month had passed.

Good people, because of this endeavor, the man was cured. I was healed and did not possess a single scar. Furthermore, I aroused the aspiration for unsurpassable, complete enlightenment.

The power of one verse is like this. How much more so if you completely receive the sutra and chant it? Seeing that this sutra has such power, I further aroused the aspiration for enlightenment, and vowed to attain the buddha way and be called Shakyamuni Buddha in the future.

Good people, because of the power of my connection to this verse, I am moved to expound this sutra in this assembly of devas and humans.

Good people, as you see in this story, the Maha Pari-nirvana Sutra is beyond thinking and brings forth immeasurable, boundless merit. This sutra is a storehouse of very profound secrets of all buddha tathagatas.

The bodhisattva who offered himself became Shakyamuni Buddha in the next life. According to other sutras, this was the beginning of the first set of uncountable eons when the bodhisattva made offerings to the ancient Shakyamuni Buddha. The bodhisattva was a slate roofer and his name was Mahaprabha. In venerating the ancient Shakyamuni Buddha and his disciples, he made three kinds of offerings: grass cushions, sugar water, and candles. He also made a vow: “May my land, title, long span of life, and disciples all be equal to the present Shakyamuni Buddha.” This vow has been fulfilled to the present day.

Thus, when you make offerings to the Buddha, don’t say you are poor, and don’t say your family is poor. To offer oneself and make offerings is the true dharma of Great Master Shakyamuni. Who will not rejoice for him? For this practice, he met a master who took three ounces of flesh from him daily. This is something other people could not have endured, however advanced their practice might be. But with the help of the deep aspiration to make offerings, he was able to receive this merit.

Now we hear the Tathagata’s true dharma. This is to receive a share of the bodhisattva’s past practice of scarifying his flesh. This verse of four lines cannot be purchased with five coins. This is what those buddhas and this buddha have realized without regard to receiving or letting go of birth for countless, boundless eons. Indeed, this verse has unthinkable power. Disciples of the dharma left by the Buddha should deeply bow to, receive, and maintain it. The Tathagata explained the power of this verse in this way. This teaching is, indeed, vast and profound.

If you venerate and make offerings of flowers, incense, banners, and a canopy to a jeweled or painted image of the Buddha in a stupa; if you make offerings of all the exquisite sounds by having musicians hit the drums, blow the horns and flutes, and play the harp and double hand-bells; or if you praise virtues of the Buddha by singing with joy; even a small sound can lead any of you to attain the buddha way. If, even with a scattered mind, you make offerings of a flower to a painted image of the Buddha, you will immediately see countless buddhas. Or, if you make offerings of bowing, just joining your palms together, raising one hand, or lowering your head to a painted image of the Buddha, you will soon see countless buddhas, attain unsurpassable enlightenment, and widely awaken countless beings.

This is the skull and eyeball of buddhas in the past, present, and future. Seeing a wise person and wanting to be like that, you should exert your power and endeavor to make offerings. Do not waste moments in your life.

All those who practice this virtue become buddhas. This is the same for the past, present, and future. There are not two or three different ways for this. Attaining the effect of becoming a buddha through the cause of making offerings to buddhas is like this.

Ancestor Nagarjuna said, “If you want the effect of being a buddha, recite one verse of praise, chant one refuge, burn a pinch of incense, or offer one flower. Even with such a small practice, you will certainly become a buddha.”

Even if this had been spoken only by Ancestor Nagarjuna Bodhisattva, you should venerate it. But, he authentically transmitted and expounded great master Shakyamuni Buddha’s words. With great fortune we now climb on the treasure mountain of the buddha way, enter the treasure ocean of the buddha way, and acquire the treasure. Rejoice in this more than anything else. This is the effect of making offerings to buddhas for vast eons. Do not doubt that you will certainly become a buddha. It is determined. What Shakyamuni Buddha explained was also like this.

[Ancestor Nagarjuna also said,] “A small cause can bring forth a large effect. A small condition can bring forth a large result. If you seek the buddha way, recite one verse of praise, chant one refuge, and burn a pinch of incense, then you will certainly become a buddha. Furthermore, if you learn and understand that the reality of all things is not beyond birth, beyond death, beyond beyond birth, beyond beyond death, and practice the act of causation, you will never miss it.”

This is a clear teaching of the World-Honored One, authentically transmitted by Ancestor Nagarjuna. This golden expression of truth has been authentically transmitted and received. As this was a statement by Nagarjuna, it could not be compared to the statements of other teachers. Thus, you have encountered an authentic transmission and spreading of the World-Honored One’s teaching. Rejoice. Do not compare this sacred teaching to the false statements of mediocre teachers in China.

Ancestor Nagarjuna said, “Because buddhas venerate the dharma, they make offerings to the dharma and regard it as the teacher. How is it so? Because, all buddhas in the past, present, and future regard the reality of all phenomena as the teacher.”

He was asked, “How come buddhas don’t make offerings to the dharma within themselves, but make offerings to the dharma outside themselves?”

Nagarjuna replied, “Because they follow the convention of the world. If monks want to make offerings to the dharma treasure, they do not make offerings to the dharma within themselves, but they make offerings to other people’s maintaining, knowing, and understanding of dharma. Buddhas are also like this. Although there is dharma within them, they make offerings to dharma in other buddhas.”

He was asked, “Since the Buddha doesn’t want to receive benefaction, why do we make offerings to him?”

Nagarjuna replied, “For countless eons the Buddha has conducted various meritorious deeds and practiced wholesome actions without seeking reward. Because we venerate his merit, we make offerings.”

When the Buddha was in this world, there was a blind monk. Without seeing, he used his hands to sew a robe. When a thread came off from the needle, he said to himself, “Who is going to benefit me by threading the needle?”

Then the Buddha went to him and said to the blind monk, “I love beneficial merit. So, let me thread the needle for you.”

Noticing that the voice was the Buddha’s, the blind monk quickly put on his robe, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, and said, “The Buddha is complete with merit. How come you say you love beneficial merit?”

The Buddha said, “Although I am already complete with merit, I deeply understand the cause, effect, and power of merit. The reason why I excel most among all sentient beings is because of this merit. Therefore, I love beneficial merit.”

After praising merit for the sake of this blind monk, the Buddha spontaneously expounded dharma. Then the monk attained the pure dharma eye and also became able to see with his eyes.

I was told this story in an evening talk by Rujing, my late master. Later, I compared it with the Treatise on Realization of Great Wisdom. The admonition by Rujing, the dharma transmitting ancestor, had been correct with nothing lacking. This passage is found in the tenth chapter of the Treatise on Realization of Great Wisdom. Thus, it is clear that all buddhas regard the reality of all phenomena as their great teacher. Shakyamuni Buddha also realized the permanent dharma of all buddhas.

To regard the reality of all phenomena as their great teacher means to venerate and make offerings to the three treasures—buddha, dharma, and sangha. Buddhas in countless eons accumulate a great deal of merit—the wholesome root—without seeking reward, and only venerate and make offerings. Even after the Buddha reached the rank of having enlightenment—the buddha fruit—still he loved minor merits, and so he threaded the needle of a blind monk. If you want to clarify the merit of the buddha fruit, this story clearly demonstrates it.

In this way, the merit of enlightenment—the buddha fruit—and the principle of the reality of all phenomena are not like what ordinary people nowadays think they are. They think that creating unwholesomeness is the reality of all phenomena and that only those who are greedy for attainment can reach the buddha fruit of enlightenment. Those who have such a crooked view may know about eighty thousand eons but will not be able to escape the view of original eons and declined eons. How can they understand the reality of all phenomena, which is thoroughly understood by “only a buddha and a buddha”? The reason is that what is thoroughly understood by “only a buddha and a buddha” is the reality of all phenomena.

Offerings to the Buddha himself; offerings to a chaitya [place of veneration] for the Buddha; offerings to the Buddha himself and to a chaitya for the Buddha; offerings to the invisible Buddha and to a chaitya for the Buddha; offerings by yourself; offerings you have others make; offerings of materials; excellent offerings; unstained offerings; and offerings of the ultimate way.

The second type of offering to the Buddha is for a chaitya [sacred site] of the Buddha. They are called chaitya offerings.

The Great Sangha Precepts says, “A place of veneration where the relics are enshrined is called a stupa. A place of veneration where relics are not enshrined is called a chaitya. Sometimes both of these are called a chaitya. These are also called thuba in Sanskrit.

In China, chaitya is translated as a “square tomb” or “sacred shrine.” The Agama Sutra uses the term chaitya.

What are called a stupa and a chaitya appear to be the same thing. But Nanyue Huisi says in his Method of the Lotus Samadhi Repentance, “Wholeheartedly I venerate all the relics, sacred images, chaityas, wondrous stupas, Prabhutaratna Tathagata, whose entire body is a stupa treasure.” From here it is possible to assume that chaityas and wondrous stupas are different, just as relics and sacred images are.

In regard to the way of building a stupa, once the Buddha lived in the country of Kaushala and was traveling. A Brahman who was plowing saw the Buddha passing by, pushed his cane onto the soil, and bowed to the Buddha.

The World-Honored One smiled. Then the monks asked, “Please tell us why you smiled.”

The Buddha replied, “When he bowed to me, there was a stupa of Kashyapa Buddha below his cane.”

So, the monks dug up the ground and looked for the tower under the guidance of the Brahman. When they found it, the World-Honored One allowed a seven-treasure stupa of Kashyapa Buddha to appear. It was one yojana high and half a yojana wide.

Seeing this, the Brahman said to the Buddha, “World-Honored One, my family name is Kashyapa. This is my Kashyapa stupa.”

The World-Honored One went to the Brahman’s house and started building a stupa of Kashyapa Buddha.

Then, monks said to the Buddha, “World-Honored One, may we bring some dirt?”

After this, the Buddha completed a stupa of Kashyapa Buddha. Its ground story was square with a railing around it. The two stories above it were round with the roof joints sticking out from the four sides. Banners and canopies stood above these stories, and the wheel of space [symbolizing one of the five great elements] was added on top.

The Buddha said, “This is how to build a stupa.” Then, the Buddha bowed respectfully to Kashyapa Buddha of the past.

Hearing that the World-Honored One had built a stupa, people in the world brought incense and flowers and gave them to him. The Buddha received them and respectfully offered them to the tower of Kashyapa Buddha of the past.

The Buddha said to Shariputra, “I will expound dharma for these people.” Then he recited this verse:

In this assembly there were those who had attained the way. The Buddha said in a verse:

Hundreds of Jambudvipa Worlds filled with

offerings of genuine gold

do not equal the offering of one dharma

followed by the realization of truth.

Then, the Brahman attained indestructible trust and made a meal offering to the Buddha and monks in front of the stupa.

Hearing that the World-Honored One had a stupa built for Kashyapa Buddha, King Prasenajit brought seven hundred cartfuls of slate to the Buddha, bowed to the Buddha’s feet by putting his face to the ground, and said, “World-Honored One, I wish to make this stupa larger. May I do so?”

“Yes.” Then the Buddha said to the king, “In the past, when Kashyapa Buddha entered pari-nirvana, there was a king called Gridra. He wanted to build a seven-treasure stupa. One of the courtiers said to the king,’ In the future there may be people who break laws and want to destroy the stupa. I suggest that we build the stupa with slate and cover it with gold and silver. Then, even if the gold and silver are taken away, the slate of the stupa will remain intact.’

“The king followed the courtier’s advice and had the stupa built with slate covered with gold. It was one yojana high and half a yojana wide. The balcony railing was made of bronze. It took seven years, seven months, and seven days to complete it. Then he made offerings of incense and flowers to the Buddha and monks.”

King Prasenajit said to the Buddha, “That king must have been very wealthy and had many rare treasures. What I am going to build may not be as good.” Then he built the stupa in seven months and seven days. After its completion he made offerings of incense and flowers to the Buddha and monks.

The way to build a stupa is to have the ground story square with a railing around it. The two higher stories are round with the joints of the roof sticking out from the four sides. Banners and canopies stand above these stories. The wheel of space is added on top. If you say, “The World-Honored One spoke of himself as having become free from greed, hatred, and delusion, then why would he need such a stupa?” then this would break the precept [of not slandering the three treasures]. Such an offence is serious and prohibited according to the stupa principles.

The stupa principles require selecting a suitable site when constructing a temple building. A stupa should be in the east or north of the temple compound but not in the south or west. The monks’ quarters should not be in the Buddha’s quarters [stupa], and the Buddha’s quarters should not be in the monks’ quarters. If the site of the stupa is close to a place for leaving corpses, build a fence so dogs don’t pollute the ground by scattering bones. The monks’ quarters should be built in the west or south of the temple. Water from the monks’ quarters should not flow to the Buddha’s quarters, but may flow from the Buddha’s quarters to the monks’ quarters. Therefore, the stupa should be built on higher ground. [At the site of the stupa] Do not wash clothes, wear sandals, cover the head or shoulders, or spit on the ground. If you say, “The World-Honored One spoke of himself as having become free from greed, hatred, and delusion, then why would he need such a stupa?” this would break the precept. The result of this action [insulting the Buddha or a stupa for him] is serious and prohibited according to the stupa principles.

In regard to stupa altars, King Prasenajit went to see the Buddha, bowed to the Buddha’s feet by putting his face to the ground, and said, “World-Honored One, I have built a stupa for Kashyapa Buddha. May I make altars?”

“Yes.” The Buddha said, “In the past when Kashyapa Buddha entered pari-nirvana, King Gridra built a stupa for the Buddha. He built altars with balconies that had railings on all four sides, and images of lions and various paintings above them. In those balconies there were places for flowers. Inside the altars, banners and canopies were hung. If you say, ‘The World-Honored One speaks of himself as having become free from greed, hatred, and delusion, but he gets himself decorated and receives bliss,’ this would break the precept. The result of this action is serious. These are called stupa altar principles.”

Thus, we clearly know that to build a stupa for an ancient buddha and make offerings in veneration of enlightenment, the buddha fruit, are customs for buddhas. There are many precedents like this, but I am only presenting this for the time being.

In buddha dharma the teaching of the Sarva Asti Vada School is outstanding. The Maha Sangha Precepts is the most basic teaching of the school. Monk Faxian went to India by clearing a way through wild lands. He climbed Vulture Peak and brought this teaching to China for the first time. The teaching transmitted from ancestor to ancestor corresponds to that of the Sarva Asti Vada School.

The third type of offering is to the Buddha himself or to a chaitya for the present Buddha.

The fourth type of offering is the making of extensive offerings to the invisible Buddha or to a chaitya for the Buddha. It is said: There are offerings to the Buddha himself or to a chaitya for the present Buddha, and there are offerings to the invisible Buddha or to a chaitya for the invisible Buddha. By making offerings to the Buddha himself or to a chaitya for the present Buddha, you attain great merit. By making offerings to what is invisible, you attain extremely great merit, because the field of offerings is very extensive. If you combine making offerings to the visible and invisible, you attain the greatest merit.

The fifth type of offering is an offering made by yourself to the Buddha or to a chaitya for the Buddha.

The sixth type of offering is an offering you have others make to the Buddha or to a chaitya for the Buddha. If others have materials, you have them make an offering without negligence. It is said, “Offerings made by the self and others are done together.” If you make offerings by yourself, you attain great merit. If you have others make offerings, you attain extremely great merit. If you combine making offerings by yourself and others, you attain the greatest merit.

The seventh type of offering is making an offering of materials to the Buddha or to a chaitya for the Buddha. It is said, “There are three kinds of materials: things for livelihood such as clothes and food, things for veneration such as incense and flowers, and things for decoration, including all other things, to create a magnificent sacred space.”

The eighth type of offering is excellent offerings. There are three kinds: general offerings; appropriate offerings in accordance with pure trust in the weightiness of the Buddha’s virtue; and offerings of the dedicated heart—the merit of one’s practice—in seeking the buddha heart.

The ninth type of offering is unstained offerings. There are two kinds: an unstained heart free from all faults, and unstained materials free from all faults.

The tenth type of offering is making an offering of the ultimate way. Here, the offering follows its effect. The effect of being a buddha is being at the ultimate place. The practice of making offerings brings you to this place. This being so, it is called making offerings of the ultimate way. It is also called making offerings of dharma or making offerings of practice. There are three kinds: offerings of materials regarded as offerings of the ultimate way; offerings of delight [at others’ wholesome actions] regarded as offerings of the ultimate way; and offerings of practice regarded as offerings of the ultimate way.

These are the ten types of offerings to the Buddha. Offerings made to the dharma and to the sangha are similar. It is said, “Making offerings to the dharma is making them to the principle, teaching and practice expounded by the Buddha, as well as to the scriptures. Making offerings to the sangha is making them to all sacred members of the Three Vehicles, the chaitya, images, and shrines, as well as to ordinary monks.”

There are six types of hearts that make offerings: an unsurpassable heart in the field of benefaction, which is the most excellent of those aroused in the field of benefaction; an unsurpassable heart of gratitude, where all wholesome enjoyment is aroused by the three treasures; a heart that arouses the most excellent heart of all sentient beings; a heart rare to encounter like an udumbara blossom; a heart rare in the billion worlds; and a heart that embodies the principles that are depended on in the world and beyond the world.

If you make even small offerings to the three treasures with these six types of heart, you attain immeasurable, boundless merit. How much more so if you make many offerings?

These offerings should always be made with a sincere heart. This is what buddhas have practiced. Since examples of this practice are widely shown in sutras and teachings on the precepts, this practice has been authentically transmitted by buddha ancestors.

The days and months of assisting your master and engaging in labor are the time of making offerings. Guidelines for enshrining buddha images and relics, venerating and bowing, as well as building stupas and chaityas, have been authentically transmitted in the house of buddha ancestors alone, and not by those who are not descendants of buddha ancestors.

If the guidelines are not authentically transmitted, there will be discrepancies. If there are discrepancies, offerings will not be genuine. If the offerings are not genuine, there is no merit. Make sure to authentically receive the correct way of making offerings.

Zen Master Lingdao spent years attending to the tomb of Huineng at Caoxi. Worker Lu [Huineng] pounded rice ceaselessly for the assembly of monks day and night. These were both appropriate ways of making offerings. These examples are a few out of many that are impossible to list.

[Edited by Ejo during] The summer practice period, the seventh year of the Kencho Era [1265].