Chapter 3 The Causal Condition For The Great Teaching

At that time, The World Honoured One emitted a light of bright illumination, just like the brilliance of pure liquid gold. And also like the clear mirror, which can reflect the images that are as clear as the objects. He revealed the bright illumination, which changed in hundreds of thousands of times.

The Honourable Ananda was then thinking to himself, "Today The World Honoured One looks pure and blissful in both his form body and the six roots. From His face He emits such brilliant lights and His Jewelled Land is also purely adorned."

From the past till now, he had never seen such a transformation, so he gazed in adoration at The World Honoured One. And with a heart of deep gratitude, he got up from his seat, bared his rights shoulder, knelt down and put his palms together. Then he asked The Buddha, "Today, The World Honoured One has entered The Samadhi of Great Stillness, dwelling in the very special Dharma, dwelling in the practice as leaders of all Buddhas, dwelling on the Unsurpassed Way. The Buddhas of the past , present and future are mindful of each other. Is The World Honoured One mindful of the Buddhas of the past, future or is He mindful of the Buddhas who are presently dwelling in other directions? Why is The World Honoured One shining with such powerful and wonderful brightness? I hope that The Honoured One will tell us."

Then the World Honoured One told Ananda, "Good indeed! Good indeed! Out of the pity for the living beings, you wish to make them joyful and obtain great benefits. That is why you are able to ask such subtle meanings. Your present question is much better than making offerings to a whole world of Arhats and Pratyeka Buddhas, better than giving donations through many kalpas to those beings in the heaven and on the earth, and to those living beings that fly, crawl or move about in other ways. Your merits and virtues are hundreds and thousands of millions of times greater than the donations and offerings made. Why is it of such greatness? The reason is that the future generations of heavenly and earthly beings and all living beings with senses will be able to obtain liberation from birth and death because of your question. Ananda, The Thus Come One is full of endless compassion. He has great pity for the Triple Realms. Because of His compassionate heart, The Buddha appears in the world to extensively and clearly teach the paths to liberation, saving them from the sea of suffering and giving them the true benefits. The Thus Come One is difficult to meet or see, just like the Udumbara flower which rarely blooms. Your present question is of great benefit. Ananda, you should know that The Thus Come One, The Proper Enlightened One is of unfathomable wisdom. He has no obstacles and in a single thought, he can dwell in innumerable billions of kalpas. His body and the six roots are neither increase nor decrease. Why is it? The Thus Come One's concentration and wisdom are limitless and free of obstructions. Because in all the Dharmas, He can obtain the most supreme ease. Ananda, listen carefully and be mindful of my words. I will explain to you in details."