Sutra of the Prophecy Bestowed upon Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva
Translated from Sanskrit into Chinese in the Liu Song Dynasty
by
The Chinese Srama?a Dharmodgata

Thus I have heard:
At one time the Buddha was in the ??i-frequented Deer Park in Vara?asi, Vara?asi, together with 20,000 bhikhius and 12,000 Bodhisattvas. Among them were Lion Bodhisattva, Lion Mind Bodhisattva, Peaceful Mind Bodhisattva, Unsurpassed Mind Bodhisattva, Upholding the World Bodhisattva, Narada Bodhisattva, Divine God Bodhisattva, Treasure Accumulation Bodhisattva, Guhyata Bodhisattva, Worthy Protector Bodhisattva, Radiant God Bodhisattva, Loving Joy Bodhisattva, Mañjusri Bodhisattva, Wisdom Action Bodhisattva, Dedicated Action Bodhisattva, Displaying No-obstruction Bodhisattva, and Maitreya Bodhisattva. Bodhisattvas such these were at the head of 12,000 Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas. Also present were 20,000 god-sons led by the god-sons Good Realm and Well Established, who all stand firm in the Mahayana.
At that time the World-Honored One, surrounded by His innumerable retinue in the hundreds of thousands, expounded the Dharma for their sake.
In the assembly, a Bodhisattva called Flower Virtue Store rose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, knelt on his right knee, and joined his palms, facing the Buddha. He said, “I pray only that the World-Honored One will bestow upon someone in our midst the wish to ask questions.”
The Buddha told Flower Virtue Store Bodhisattva, “You may ask any question as you wish. I already know your doubts, and I will resolve them to make you happy.”
Then Flower Virtue Store Bodhisattva asked the Buddha, “World-Honored One, how does one avoid regressing from the resolve to attain anuttara-samyak-sanbodhi or from the five transcendental powers? How does one acquire the Illusion Samadhi, during which one can transform one’s body by skillful means and pronounce the Dharma according to the roots of goodness of various kinds of sentient beings, enabling them to attain anuttara-samyak-sanbodhi?”
The Buddha told Flower Virtue Store Bodhisattva, “Very good! Very good! You are able to ask about this meaning before me, the Tathagata, Samyak-Sanbuddha. Flower Virtue Store, you have planted your roots of goodness under past Buddhas, made offerings to a billion ko?i Buddha-Bhagavans, and invoked the mind of great compassion for sentient beings. Very good! Hearken! Hearken! Ponder it well. I will explain it to you.”
“Yes, I would be delighted to hear,” the Bodhisattva responded.
The Buddha told Flower Virtue Store Bodhisattva, “If one can accomplish a particular Dharma, one will acquire the Illusion Samadhi. Having acquired this samadhi, one can transform one’s body by skillful means and pronounce the Dharma according to the roots of goodness of various kinds of sentient beings, enabling them to attain anuttara-samyak-sanbodhi. What is this Dharma? It is called No-dependence. One does not depend on the Three Realms of Existence, the within, or the without. That there is nothing to depend on is the right view. This right view leads to the right eradication [of afflictions], with no impairment to perception. Then, from the true mind, which never changes, one’s true wisdom arises. That is, because dharmas are born through causes and conditions, their existences are illusory. As causes and conditions too are illusory, no dharma can be born through them. Although dharmas appear to be born through causes and conditions, nothing comes into being. One who penetrates the no-birth of dharmas has entered the Bodhisattva Way and invoked the mind of great lovingkindness and compassion. Out of sympathy, one will deliver all sentient beings. Having acquired a deep understanding of this meaning, one knows that all dharmas are illusory. One simply constructs dharmas with one’s thoughts and words. These dharmas constructed by thoughts and words are nevertheless empty. This adept penetration of the emptiness of dharmas is called the Acquirement of the Illusion Samadhi. Having acquired this samadhi, one can transform one’s body by skillful means and pronounce the Dharma according to the roots of goodness of different kinds of sentient beings, enabling them to attain anuttara-samyak-sanbodhi.”
Flower Virtue Store Bodhisattva asked the Buddha, “In this assembly, are there Bodhisattvas who have acquired this samadhi?”
The Buddha replied, “Yes, there are. In this assembly, including Maitreya Bodhisattva and Manjusri Bodhisattva, there are sixty Upright Ones who, adorned with their inconceivable great vows, have acquired this samadhi.”
Flower Virtue Store Bodhisattva next asked the Buddha, “World-Honored One, have Bodhisattvas acquired this samadhi in this world only? Are there Bodhisattvas in other worlds who have also acquired this Illusion Samadhi?”
The Buddha told Flower Virtue Store Bodhisattva, “West of here, beyond 100,000 ko?i lands is a land called Peace and Bliss. In that land is a Buddha called Amitabha, the Tathagata, Arhat, Samyak-Sa?buddha. He is now expounding the Dharma. He is attended by Bodhisattvas, and among them are two Upright Ones: Avalokitesvara and Great Might Arrived. Both of them have acquired this samadhi. Moreover, Flower Virtue Store, Bodhisattvas will acquire this Illusion Samadhi right after they hear and accept this Dharma from those two Upright Ones for seven days and seven nights.”
Flower Virtue Store Bodhisattva said to the Buddha, “World-Honored One, that land must have innumerable Bodhisattvas who have acquired this samadhi. Why? Because Bodhisattvas who have been reborn in that land should all go to those two Upright Ones, and hear and accept this Dharma.”
The Buddha said, “Indeed! Indeed! Just as you say, immeasurable asa?khyeyas of Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas have acquired this samadhi from those two Upright Ones.”
Flower Virtue Store Bodhisattva asked the Buddha, “Very good! World-Honored One, the Tathagata, Arhat, Samyak-Sanbuddha, I pray that You will use Your spiritual powers to have those two Upright Ones come to this world and to enable [the inhabitants of] the two worlds to see each other. Why? If those two Upright Ones come to this world, good men and good women who have developed their roots of goodness will hear them pronounce the Dharma and will acquire this samadhi. I also pray that we will see Amitabha Buddha in the land called Peace and Bliss, so that the good men and good women in this world will activate the anuttara-samyak-sanbodhi mind and resolve to be reborn in His land. Once reborn there, they will never regress from their resolve to attain anuttara-samyak-sanbodhi.”
The World-Honored One accepted this request, and light radiated from the white hair between His eyebrows, illuminating everywhere in this Three-Thousand Large Thousandfold World. The grass, trees, earth, and stones in this world, as well as Sumeru, king of mountains, the Mucilinda Mountain, the Great Mucilinda Mountain, the Cakravala Mountain, and the Great Cakravala Mountain, and even the dark and hidden places in this world, all turned golden and bright. Although the glowing awesome light of the sun and the moon disappeared, the radiance even illuminated everywhere in 100,000 ko?i lands in the west, including the land called Peace and Bliss, and all turned golden. This great flood of light circled Amitabha Buddha to the right seven times and then vanished before Him, the Tathagata. The sentient beings, Bodhisattvas, and voice-hearers in that land could all see this world and see Sakyamuni Buddha expounding the Dharma, surrounded by huge multitudes. It was as clear as if each of them were seeing a mango in his hand. With adoration and delight in their hearts, they chanted these words: “Namo Sakya, the Tathagata, Arhat, Samyak-Sanbuddha!”
In the assembly here, the bhikkhus, bhikkhunis, upasakas, upasikas, gods, yak?as, gandharvas, asuras, garu?as, ki?naras, mahoragas, humans, nonhumans, and others, as well as the Brahma-kings, the god-king Sakra, the four god-kings, Bodhisattvas, and voice-hearers, all saw Amitabha Buddha in the Land of Peace and Bliss, surrounded by His retinue of Bodhisattvas and voice-hearers. He was as radiant as an extraordinary, high treasure mountain. His glowing awesome radiance illuminated all lands. All could see Him, just as a clear-eyed person could see without difficulty the features of another person within the distance of eight feet. Having seen Him, they were joyful and exuberant, and they chanted these words: “Namo Amitabha Buddha, the Tathagata, Arhat, Samyak-Sanbuddha!” Then, 84,000 sentient beings in this assembly activated the anuttara-samyak-sanbodhi mind, planted their roots of goodness, and resolved to be reborn in that land.
Meanwhile the Bodhisattvas and voice-hearers in the Land of Peace and Bliss, having seen this land, marveled at it as something that never existed before. They joyfully joined their palms, made obeisance to Sakyamuni, the Tathagata, Arhat, Samyak-Sa?buddha, and spoke these words: “Namo Sakyamuni Buddha! He can expound the Dharma to Bodhisattvas and voice-hearers!” Then the Land of Peace and Bliss quaked in six ways: everywhere moving, everywhere equally moving, everywhere shaking, everywhere equally shaking, everywhere quaking, and everywhere equally quaking.
Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva and Great Might Arrived Bodhisattva said to Amitabha Buddha, “How amazing, World-Honored One! Sakyamuni Tathagata manifested such extraordinary events. Why? Saying the name of Sakyamuni Buddha, the Tathagata, Arhat, caused the immeasurable great earth to quake in six ways.”
Amitabha Buddha told those two Bodhisattvas, “Sakyamuni’s name is not only said in this land, but also said in innumerable other Buddha Lands. Therefore, everywhere is displayed the radiance of great light and the quaking of the earth in six ways.”
Immeasurable asa?khyeya sentient beings in that land, upon hearing the name and epithets of Sakyamuni Buddha, formed their roots of goodness. They all would never regress from their resolve to attain anuttara-samyak-sa?bodhi. In addition, forty ko?i Bodhisattvas in the assembly there, upon hearing the name and epithets of Sakyamuni, the Tathagata, Arhat, Samyak-Sanbuddh, made a vow with one voice, transferring their roots of goodness to their attainment of anuttara-samyak-sa?bodhi. Immediately, Amitabha Buddha bestowed upon them the prophecy of attaining anuttara-samyak-sanbodhi.
Then Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva and Great Might Arrived Bodhisattva went to Amitabha Buddha and bowed their heads down at His feet. Reverently joining their palms and stepping to one side, they asked that Buddha, “Through what causes and conditions is Sakyamuni Buddha emitting this bright light?”
Amitabha Buddha told Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, “A Tathagata, Arhat, Samyak-Sanbuddha, would not emit light without causes and conditions. Why? Today, Sakyamuni, the Tathagata, Arhat, Samyak-Sanbuddha, will pronounce the Sutra of the Bodhisattva Treasure Samadhi. Hence He first displayed this auspicious sign.”
Then Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva and Great Might Arrived Bodhisattva said to Amitabha Buddha, “We would like to visit the Saha World, to make obeisance and present offerings to Sakyamuni Buddha, and to hear Him expound the Dharma.”
Amitabha Buddha responded, “Good men, now is the right time.”
Those two Bodhisattvas said to each other, “Today we will definitely hear the wondrous Dharma expounded by Sakyamuni Buddha.”
Having received the approval from Amitabha Buddha, each of those two Bodhisattvas told his retinue of forty ko?i Bodhisattvas: “Good men, together we should visit the Saha World, make obeisance and present offerings to Sakyamuni Buddha, and hear and accept the true Dharma. Why? Sakyamuni, the Tathagata, Arhat, Samyak-Sanbuddha, was able to forego a wondrous Pure Land, so that He could do a difficult thing. By the power of His original vows, He has invoked the mind of great compassion and attained anuttara-samyak-sanbodhi in that turbid and evil world, which has little virtue and meager merit, but has increasing greed, anger, and delusion. And He is expounding the Dharma there.”
As soon as these words were spoken, Bodhisattvas and voice-hearers praised with one voice, “The sentient beings in that world can receive excellent benefits quickly even from hearing the name of Sakyamuni, the Tathagata, Arhat, Samyak-Sanbuddha. How many more benefits [must they receive] from seeing Him and invoking joy in their hearts? World-Honored One, we all should visit that world, and make obeisance and present offerings to Sakyamuni Buddha.”
Amitabha Buddha responded, “Good men, now is the right time.”
At that time, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva and Great Might Arrived Bodhisattva, in that land, were each surrounded by forty ko?i Bodhisattvas. Using their transcendental powers, each of them conjured up forty ko?i well-adorned treasure platforms for his retinue. Each wonderful, splendid treasure platform was twelve yojanas in length and width. Each treasure platform was made of gold, silver, aquamarine, crystal, ruby, conch shell, or emerald. Some platforms were made of two treasures: gold and silver; some, three treasures: gold, silver, and aquamarine; some, four treasures: gold, silver, aquamarine, and crystal; some, five treasures: gold, silver, aquamarine, crystal, and ruby; some, six treasures: gold, silver, aquamarine, crystal, conch shell, and ruby; and some, seven treasures, including emerald. These platforms were further adorned with sandalwood and flowers of utpala, padma, kumuda, and pu??arika. Down from the sky rained blooms of sumana, campaka, pa?ali, atimuktaka, ra?i, gaura?i, mandarava, maha-mandarava, palasa, maha-palasa, mañju?aka, maha-mañju?aka, locana, maha-locana, caka, maha-caka, suloci-caka, ca?a, maha-ca?a, suloci-ca?a, canuttara, tala, and maha-tala. Each treasure platform was a carnival of colors, splendid, bright, pure, and radiant.
On these treasure platforms stood 84,000 magically conjured, exquisite maidens, holding fiddles, sitars, lutes, guitars, flutes, violins, drums, or conch shells. They stood elegantly, playing wonderful music on these innumerable jeweled musical instruments. Some exquisite maidens stood elegantly, holding incense of red sandalwood, agalloch sandalwood, or black agalloch sandalwood. Some exquisite maidens stood elegantly, holding flowers of utpala, padma, kumuda, and pu??arika. Some exquisite maidens stood elegantly, holding blooms of mandarava, maha-mandarava, palasa, maha-palasa, locana, maha-locana, ca?a, maha-ca?a, suloci-ca?a, caka, maha-caka, suloci-caka, tala, maha-tala, and suloci-tala. Some exquisite maidens stood elegantly, holding flowers and fruits.
On these treasure platforms sat lion thrones adorned with jewels. Seated on each throne was a magically manifested Buddha, adorned with the thirty-two major marks and eighty excellent characteristics. Hanging over each treasure platform were 84,000 assorted precious gems in blue, yellow, red, and white. On each treasure platform sat 84,000 wonderful jeweled vases, filled with powdered incense. Covering each treasure platform were 84,000 wonderful jeweled canopies. Hovering over each treasure platform were nets from which hung 84,000 jeweled bells. Standing on each treasure platform were 84,000 jeweled trees. Among the jeweled trees were pools made of the seven treasures and filled with water with the eight virtues. In the pools were diverse jeweled lotus flowers in blue, yellow, red, and white. Their colors were vibrant and radiant. As breezes blew, all the jeweled trees in lines rustled wonderful tones, the harmony of which surpassed celestial music. Connecting all the trees on each treasure platform were 84,000 ropes made of wonderful treasures. Each treasure platform radiated light, reaching a distance of 84,000 yojanas, illuminating everywhere.
Then Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva and Great Might Arrived Bodhisattva, together with their retinues of eighty ko?i Bodhisattvas, standing on equally splendid treasure platforms, disappeared from that land and arrived in this world. It happened in an instant, as quickly as a strong man could bend or extend his arm. Upon arrival, surrounded by eighty ko?i Bodhisattvas, those two Bodhisattvas, using their transcendental powers, made the ground of this world as level as the surface of water. Their attainments were adorned with great merits, their extraordinary majesty was beyond analogy, and their radiance illuminated everywhere in this Saha World. Those two Bodhisattvas went to Sakyamuni Buddha, bowed their heads down at the Buddha’s feet, and circled Him to the right seven times. Stepping back to one side, they said to the Buddha, “World-Honored One, Amitabha Buddha sends greetings to the World-Honored One. Are Your illnesses few and Your troubles few? Is Your daily life easy and smooth? Are Your activities peaceful and blissful?”
When that land displayed those sublime, wonderful things, the Bodhisattvas and voice-hearers here in this world, seeing the splendors of the treasure platforms, marveled at them as something that never existed before. They each had this thought: “These splendid and wonderful treasure platforms have come from the Land of Peace and Bliss to this world. Was it by the power of the Buddha or the power of these two Bodhisattvas?”
Flower Virtue Store Bodhisattva, by virtue of the Buddha’s spiritual power, asked the Buddha, “How amazing, World-Honored One! This is unprecedented. By whose awesome power are these wonderful treasure platforms of such splendor now present in this Saha World?”
The Buddha replied, “It is by the transcendental powers of Bodhisattvas Avalokitesvara and Great Might Arrived that such great splendor is displayed in this world.”
“How amazing, World-Honored One! It is inconceivable. These two good men, whose vows and actions are pure, can use their transcendental powers to adorn the treasure platforms and to make them appear in this world.”
The Buddha said, “Indeed! Indeed! It is just as you say. These two good men have purified their roots of goodness in immeasurable hundreds, thousands, nayutas, and ko?is of kalpas, and have acquired the Illusion Samadhi. Abiding in this samadhi, they can manifest these things through their transcendental powers. Now, Flower Virtue Store, behold the worlds in the east. What do you see?”
Flower Virtue Store Bodhisattva used his hindrance-free, pure God-eye to observe the Buddha Lands in the east, which are as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. He saw that before each of the Buddhas there, present as well were Bodhisattvas Avalokitesvara and Great Might Arrived, both as sublime as described above. They too paid respects and made offerings [to each Buddha], and said, “Amitabha Buddha sends greetings to the World-Honored One. Are Your illnesses few and your troubles few? Is Your daily life easy and smooth? Are Your activities peaceful and blissful?” The same display could be seen in all the worlds in the south, west, and north, as well as in the worlds toward the zenith and toward the nadir.
Flower Virtue Store Bodhisattva, having seen these things, was joyful and exuberant, as if he had gained something that never existed before. He asked the Buddha, “How amazing! World-Honored One, how did these Great Ones acquire such a samadhi? How do these Upright Ones adorn those Buddha Lands with their presence?”
Then the World-Honored One, using his spiritual power, enabled all in the assembly to see the displays. Thirty-two thousand members of the assembly activated the anuttara-samyak-sanbodhi mind.
Flower Virtue Store Bodhisattva asked the Buddha, “World-Honored One, these two Upright Ones must have activated the anuttara-samyak-sa?bodhi mind long ago. In the land of which Buddha? I pray that you will tell us, to enable other Bodhisattvas to train themselves and fulfill their vows.”
The Buddha said, “Hearken! Ponder it well! I will explain it to you.”
“Very good! World-Honored One, I would be delighted to hear.”
The Buddha said, “Far back in the past, in inconceivable, innumerable asa?khyeya kalpas, I had been king 100,000 times. The first time was near the end of the Great King Kalpa. There was a world called Display of Immeasurable Aggregate of Virtue, Peace, and Bliss. In that land was a Buddha called Golden Light Lion Frolic, the Tathagata, Arhat, Samyak-Sanbuddha, Knowledge and Conduct Perfected, Sugata, Understanding the World, Unsurpassed One, Tamer of Men, Teacher to Gods and Humans, Buddha the World-Honored One. I now tell you about the pure and splendid things in His Buddha Land. What is your opinion? Are there not many pure and splendid things in Amitabha Buddha’s Land of Peace and Bliss?”
“A great many! They are so inconceivable that it is too difficult to describe them all.”
The Buddha asked Flower Virtue Store, “Suppose one cuts a hair into one hundred pieces. One then takes a piece of this hair to draw water from the immense ocean. What is your opinion? Compare the water on the tip of that hair with that in the immense ocean. Which water is more?”
“The water in the ocean is more. It is beyond comparison,” he replied.
[The Buddha continued] “Indeed, Flower Virtue Store, you should have this understanding. The splendid things in Amitabha Buddha’s land are like the water on the tip of a hair while those in Golden Light Lion Frolic Buddha’s land are like the water in the immense ocean. The disparity between voice-hearers and Bodhisattvas is of a similar order. Golden Light Lion Frolic Tathagata also expounded the Dharma of the Three Vehicles to sentient beings. Even in kalpas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, I will not be able to finish describing the virtues and splendors of that Buddha Land, and the joyful things about their Bodhisattvas and voice-hearers.
“In the Dharma of Golden Light Lion Frolic Tathagata was a king named Awesome Virtue. Because he ruled the Thousandfold World with the true Dharma, he was called Dharma King. King Awesome Virtue had many sons, each endowed with the twenty-eight marks of a great man. These princes all stood firm in the unsurpassed Way. That king had 76,000 gardens, in which his sons frolicked.”
Flower Virtue Store asked the Buddha, “Were there women in that Buddha Land?”
The Buddha replied, “That land did not even have the word ‘woman,’ much less a real one. Sentient beings of that land practiced the Brahma way of life with purity. They all were born through miraculous formation and nourished by the bliss of meditation. King Awesome Virtue served Golden Light Lion Frolic Tathagata for 84,000 ko?i years, never pursuing other ways. Then, that Buddha, knowing the king’s earnestness, expounded to him the immeasurable Dharma Seal.
“What is the immeasurable Dharma Seal? Flower Virtue Store Bodhisattva, one’s spiritual training should arise from one’s immeasurable vows. Why? As a Bodhisattva-Mahasattva, one’s almsgiving is immeasurable; one’s observance of the precepts is immeasurable; one’s endurance of adversity is immeasurable; one’s energetic progress is immeasurable; one’s meditative concentration is immeasurable; and one’s wisdom is immeasurable. In all, one should cultivate the six paramitas through the immeasurable cycle of life and death. One should have lovingkindness and compassion for innumerable sentient beings. One should adorn innumerable Pure Lands. One should achieve immeasurable tones and command immeasurable eloquence. Flower Virtue Store, even one’s transference of the merit of only one good thought is immeasurable. What is meant by the immeasurable transference of merit? Transferring one’s merit to sentient beings, wishing them all to realize the no-birth of all dharmas and to enter parinirva?a as Buddhas, is called the immeasurable transference of merit.
“Moreover, immeasurable are [the Three Liberation Doors] emptiness, no-appearance, and no-wish. Also immeasurable are no-act, true reality, no-birth as the nature of dharmas, liberation from bondage, and nirva?a. Good man, I have only mentioned in brief the immeasurability of dharmas. Why? Dharmas [with no birth and no death] have no measure.
“Then, Flower Virtue Store, as King Awesome Virtue entered samadhi in his garden, two lotus flowers emerged from the ground, one at each side of the king. They had splendid mixed colors, and their scent was as fragrant as that of celestial sandalwood. Inside each flower, seated cross-legged, a boy was born through miraculous formation. When King Awesome Virtue rose from his meditation and saw these two boys sitting in the lotus-flower wombs, he asked them in verse:

Are you gods, dragons, spirits,
Yak?as, kumbha??as,
Humans, or nonhumans?
I hope that you will reveal your names.'

“Then the boy on the king’s right answered in verse:

All dharmas are empty.
Why do you ask for names?
Past dharmas have perished,
Future dharmas have not arisen,
And present dharmas do not stay.
Whose names are you asking for?
In the dharma of emptiness, there are neither humans
Nor dragons, nor rak?asas.

Whether humans, nonhumans, or others,
None can be captured.

“The boy on the king’s left spoke in verse:

A name and the object named are both empty.
Giving a name and the name given cannot be captured.
All dharmas have no names that
One can ask for.
Their true names
Have never been seen or heard.
As dharmas have no birth and no death,
Why ask for their names?

Names and words
Are all fabrications.
My name is Jewel Adornment.
His is Jewel Superior.

“Flower Virtue Store, the two boys, having spoken these stanzas, together with King Awesome Virtue, went to Golden Light Lion Frolic Buddha. They bowed their heads down at the feet of that Buddha and circled Him to the right seven times. They joined their palms respectfully and stood on one side. Then the two boys spoke with one voice, asking that Buddha in verse:

How does one make offerings
To the unsurpassed Two-Footed Honored One?
I pray that You will explain the meaning.
The hearer will carry out Your teachings.

Flowers, incense, and instrumental music,
Apparel, food, medicine, and bedding:
Of offerings such as these,
Which one is supreme?

“Golden Light Lion Frolic Buddha answered the boys in verse:

One should activate the bodhi mind
And widely rescue sentient beings.
These are the offerings to the Perfectly Enlightened One
With the thirty-two major marks.

Suppose one offers the Tathagata
Precious, wonderful, splendid objects,
Filling lands as numerous as the sands of the Ganges,
And joyfully carries Him on one’s head.

These offerings cannot be compared with transferring with lovingkindness
One’s merit to everyone’s attainment of bodhi.
This merit is supreme,
Immeasurable, and boundless.

No other offerings can surpass this.
Its supremacy cannot be calculated.
A bodhi mind such as this
Will certainly attain samyak-sa?bodhi.

“The two boys spoke again in verse:

Gods, dragons, ghosts, and spirits,
Listen to my lion's roar!
Now before the Tathagata,
I solemnly vow to activate my bodhi mind.

The cycle of life and death turns for immeasurable kalpas,
Its primordial origin unknowable.
Even for only one sentient being,
You have walked the Way for kalpas.
During these kalpas,
You have delivered innumerable multitudes.
Training in the Bodhi Way,
[You never] had mental fatigue.

From now on, if I were ever to
Allow the mind of greed and desire to arise,
I would be cheating
All Buddhas [in lands] in the ten directions.
Similarly, with respect to anger and delusion.
Similarly, with respect to stinginess and jealousy.
Now I speak the truth
That I will keep far away from falsehood.

Starting from today, if I were ever to
Entertain the mind of a voice-hearer,
Not delighting in training for the great bodhi,
I would be cheating Tathagatas.
I will never seek to be a Pratyekabuddha,
For saving and benefiting myself only.
I should, for 10,000 ko?i kalpas,
Deliver sentient beings with great compassion.

As this Buddha Land here and now
Is pure, wondrous, and splendid,
May my land, after I have attained bodhi,
Surpass it 100,000 ko?i times.

There will be no voice-hearers in my land,
Nor the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle,
But Bodhisattvas only.
Their numbers will be infinite.
All beings will be pure and untainted.
They all will have superb, wonderful bliss.
They all will attain the perfect enlightenment
And will retain and uphold the Dharma store.

If my vow is sincere,
It should shake the Great Thousandfold World.

“After these stanzas were spoken, forthwith quakes were everywhere. Hundreds and thousands of kinds of music played in harmonious, exquisite tones. Radiant wonderful garments fell spiraling down from the sky. Gods in the sky showered down powdered incense. Its fragrance wafted everywhere, delighting sentient beings’ hearts.”
The Buddha said to Flower Virtue Store, “What is your opinion? Was King Awesome Virtue then a different person? He is none other than I. The two boys then are now Bodhisattvas Avalokitesvara and Great Might Arrived. Good man, it was under that Buddha that these two Bodhisattvas first activated the anuttara-samyak-sa?bodhi mind.”
Flower Virtue Store said to the Buddha, “How amazing! World-Honored One, these two good men, even before they made their resolve, had already attained such profound wisdom. They thoroughly understood that names could never be captured. World-Honored One, these two Upright Ones must have made offerings to past Buddhas and acquired merits.”
“Good man, you can know the number of grains of sand in the Ganges. However, the Buddhas to whom these two Great Ones had made offerings, and the roots of goodness they had planted, are beyond reckoning. Even before they activated the bodhi mind, they adorned themselves with what was inconceivable. Among sentient beings, they were the most boldly valiant.”
Flower Virtue Store Bodhisattva then asked the Buddha, “World-Honored One, where was that land called Display of Immeasurable Gathering of Virtue, Peace, and Bliss?”
The Buddha replied, “Good man, at that time this Western Land of Peace and Bliss was called Display of Immeasurable Gathering of Virtue, Peace, and Bliss.”
Flower Virtue Store Bodhisattva asked the Buddha, “World-Honored One, I pray that You will explain to us, to enable innumerable sentient beings to receive great benefits. In what land will Avalokitesvara attain samyak-sa?bodhi? What will be the name of his world adorned with radiance? What will be the lifespan of the voice-hearers and Bodhisattvas there until they attain Buddhahood? How will these things unfold? If the World-Honored One will tell the original vows of this Bodhisattva, then other Bodhisattvas, having heard his vows, will definitely train themselves to fulfill them.”
The Buddha replied, “Very good! Hearken! I will tell you.”
“Yes, I would be delighted to hear.”
The Buddha said, “Good man, although the lifespan of Amitabha Buddha will last immeasurable hundreds, thousands, and ko?is of kalpas, it will finally come to an end. Good man, after incalculable distant kalpas to come, Amitabha Buddha will enter parinirva?a. After His parinirva?a, the true Dharma will continue for as long as His lifespan. The number of sentient beings that will be delivered will equal that during His life. After Amitabha’s parinirvara, some sentient beings will not be able to see a Buddha. However, Bodhisattvas who have attained the Thinking-of-Buddhas Samadhi will constantly see Amitabha Buddha. Furthermore, good man, after His parinirva?a, all the precious things, bathing ponds, lotus flowers, and the jeweled trees in lines will continue to sound Dharma tones, in the same way as during the life of that Buddha.
“Good man, [the night] the true Dharma of Amitabha Buddha ends, after the midnight period, when the dawn breaks, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, seated cross-legged under the bodhi tree made of the seven treasures, will attain anuttara-samyak-sa?bodhi. He will be called Universal Radiance Virtue Mountain King, the Tathagata, Arhat, Samyak-Sanbuddha, Knowledge and Action Perfected, Sugata, Understanding the World, Unsurpassed One, Tamer of Men, Teacher to Gods and Humans, Buddha the World-Honored One. His Buddha Land will be naturally made of the seven treasures. Even in kalpas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, Buddha-Bhagavans will not be able to finish describing its splendors. Good man, I now give you an analogy. As the land of Golden Light Lion Frolic Tathagata was magnificent, the land of Universal Radiance Virtue Mountain King Tathagata will surpass it billions of times, ko?is of times, ko?is of billions of times, even beyond reckoning. The names voice-hearers and Pratyekabuddhas will be nonexistent in that Buddha’s land. Only Bodhisattvas will fill His land.”
Flower Virtue Store Bodhisattva asked the Buddha, “World-Honored One, will that Buddha’s land still be called Peace and Bliss?”
The Buddha replied, “Good man, that Buddha’s land will be called Adorned with Gathering of Multitudinous Treasures. Good man, until His parinirvara, Universal Radiance Virtue Mountain King Tathagata will be attended personally by Great Might Arrived Bodhisattva and will receive his offerings. After His parinirva?a, His true Dharma will be upheld [by Great Might Arrived Bodhisattva] until its end. After the end of the true Dharma, Great Might Arrived Bodhisattva will, in that land, attain anuttara-samyak-sa?bodhi. He will be called Well Established Virtue Treasure King, the Tathagata, Arhat, Samyak-Sanbuddha, Knowledge and Action Perfected, Sugata, Understanding the World, Unsurpassed One, Tamer of Men, Teacher to Gods and Humans, Buddha the World-Honored One. His land, His radiance, His lifespan, His Bodhisattvas, and even the duration of His Dharma will be just like those of Universal Radiance Virtue Mountain King Tathagata. If, among good men and good women, there are those who have heard the name Well Established Virtue Treasure King Tathagata, they will not regress from their resolve to attain anuttara-samyak-sa?bodhi.
“Moreover, good man, if there are good women who have heard the names of Golden Light Lion Frolic Tathagata of the past and Well Established Virtue Treasure King Tathagata [of the future], they will not assume the female form again, and their sins which would entail forty ko?i kalpas of life and death will be expunged. They will never regress from their resolve to attain anuttara-samyak-sanbodhi. They will see Buddhas, hear and accept the true Dharma, and make offerings to Sanghas. In a life after the present one, they will be able to renounce family life, command unimpeded eloquence, and quickly acquire the retention of all Dharmas.”
Then sixty ko?i people in this assembly praised with one voice: “Namo Buddhas in parinirvara in the ten directions!” They unanimously decided to activate the anuttara-samyak-sanbodhi mind. The Buddha immediately bestowed upon them the prophecy of attaining anuttara-samyak-sa?bodhi. Moreover, 84,000 nayuta sentient beings discarded their defilements and, in the midst of dharmas, acquired the pure Dharma-eye. Seven thousand bhik?us eradicated their afflictions and liberated their minds.
Then Bodhisattvas Avalokitesvara and Great Might Arrived, using their spiritual powers, enabled all in the assembly to see innumerable Buddha-Bhagavans [in lands] in the ten directions, bestowing upon both of them the prophecy of attaining anuttara-samyak-sa?bodhi. Having seen this, they all marveled, saying, “How amazing, World-Honored One, those Tathagatas all bestow such a prophecy upon these two Great Ones!”
Flower Virtue Store Bodhisattva said to the Buddha, “World-Honored One, suppose, among good men and good women, there are those who can accept and uphold this profound sutra of the Tathagata. If they read and recite it, explain and copy it, pronounce and circulate it, how much merit will they gain? I pray only that the Tathagata will explain in detail. Why? In the evil times to come, sentient beings with a meager stock of merits will not believe or accept this profound sutra of the Tathagata. For this reason, they will undergo suffering through the long night. It will be too difficult for them to achieve liberation. World-Honored One, I pray that, out of sympathy, You will explain, to benefit sentient beings. Besides, World-Honored One, in this assembly there are good men and good women of excellent ability, who will serve as the great light in future times.”
The Buddha said, “Flower Virtue Store, Very good! Hearken! I will explain to you.”
“Your instruction accepted, I would be delighted to hear,” he responded.
The Buddha said, “Suppose there is a good man who carries on his shoulders all the sentient beings in the Three-Thousand Great Thousandfold World and, till the end of his life, offers them all that they desire, such as food, clothing, beds, bedding, and medicinal potions. Is the merit he has earned great?”
“Very great, World-Honored One! If one makes offerings with lovingkindness even to only one sentient being according to his needs, one’s merit will be immeasurable, not to mention making offerings to all sentient beings.”
The Buddha said, “Suppose, among good men and good women, there are those who activate the bodhi mind. If they accept and uphold this sutra, read and recite it, explain and copy it, make various kinds of offerings to it, and widely pronounce and circulate it, their merit acquired will be a billion times greater. It will be beyond analogy.”
Flower Virtue Store Bodhisattva said to the Buddha, “World-Honored One, from today on, I will accept and uphold this sutra pronounced by the Tathagata, and will uphold the names of these three Buddhas: one of the past and two of the future. I will read and recite this sutra, explain and copy it, and widely pronounce and circulate it. I will keep far away from the mind of greed, anger, and delusion. Never being false, I will activate my anuttara-samyak-sa?bohi mind. World-Honored One, when I become a Buddha, if there are women who have heard this Dharma, they will abandon the female form [in a rebirth]. After it is changed, I will bestow upon them the prophecy of attaining anuttara-samyak-sa?bodhi. They all will be called Away from Defilement, the Tathagata, Arhat, Samyak-Sa?buddha.”
After the Buddha finished pronouncing this sutra, Flower Virtue Store Bodhisattva-Mahasattva, bhikhus, bhikhiunis, Bodhisattvas, voice-hearers, as well as gods, dragons, yak?as, gandharvas, asuras, garu?as, ki?naras, mahoragas, humans, nonhumans, and others, having heard the Buddha’s words, greatly rejoiced.

—Sutra of the Prophecy Bestowed upon Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva
Translated from the Chinese Canon