45.5 （五）

Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Buddha was at Anāthapiṇḍada's Park in the Jeta Grove near Śrāvastī.

At that time, the World Honored One told the bhikṣus: "You should practice loving-kindness, widely spread loving-kindness; by practicing loving-kindness, any hateful mind will naturally be eliminated. Why is this so? Bhikṣus should know; in the past, there was a ghost who was extremely vicious and violent, who came and sat on the seat of Śakra Devānām-Indra. At that time, the thirty-three celestials were extremely angry: 'How can this ghost sit on our lord's seat?' At that time, as soon as the celestials gave rise to an angry mind, the ghost suddenly became handsome, with an extraordinary appearance. At that time, Śakra Devānām-Indra was sitting in the assembly hall, enjoying himself with the celestial maidens. At that time, a celestial being went to where Śakra Devānām-Indra was and said to Śakra: 'You should know, now there is an evil ghost sitting on your seat. Now the thirty-three celestials are extremely angry. As soon as the celestials give rise to anger, the ghost suddenly becomes handsome, with an appearance surpassing the ordinary.' At that time, Śakra Devānām-Indra then thought: 'This ghost must be a divine and wondrous ghost.'"

"At that time, Śakra, Lord of the Devas, went to where the ghost was, not far away, and proclaimed his name, saying, 'I am Śakra, Lord of the Devas.' When Śakra proclaimed his name, the evil ghost became even more ugly and repulsive in appearance. The evil ghost then immediately disappeared. Bhikṣus! You should know that by this method, the practice of loving-kindness is not abandoned, and its virtues are like this.

"Moreover, bhikṣus! When I was seven years old, I constantly cultivated the mind of loving-kindness for seven eons of formation and destruction. I did not transmigrate in birth and death. When the eon was about to be destroyed, I was reborn in the Ābhāsvara Heaven. When the eon was about to be formed, I was reborn in the Heaven of Non-conception. I became Brahmā, the ruler of the heavens, and presided over ten thousand worlds. I also became Śakra Devānām-Indra thirty-seven times, and I became a wheel-turning sage king countless times. Bhikṣus! Through these means, know that the practice of loving-kindness has such merits.

"Furthermore, one who practices loving-kindness, when the body perishes and life ends, is reborn in the Brahma heavens, free from the three evil paths, and avoids the eight difficulties. Furthermore, one who practices loving-kindness is reborn in a central and proper country. Furthermore, one who practices loving-kindness has a dignified appearance, with complete faculties and a perfect body. Furthermore, one who practices loving-kindness personally sees the Tathāgata, serves the Buddhas, does not enjoy being at home, and wishes to leave home to study the path. Wearing the three Dharma robes, shaving the beard and hair, practicing the Dharma of the śramaṇa, practicing the unsurpassed Brahma practice.

"Bhikṣus, you should know that it is like a diamond. If a person takes it and eats it, it will never be digested and must pass through. The person who practices loving-kindness is also like this. If the Tathāgata appears in the world, he will definitely attain the Way and cultivate the unsurpassed Brahma conduct; the cycle of birth and death will be exhausted, the Brahma conduct will be established, what is to be done will be accomplished, and he will no longer accept existence, knowing it as it really is."

At that time, Venerable Ānanda addressed the Buddha, saying, "World-Honored One! If the Tathāgata does not appear in the world, where will those good sons who do not delight in household life go?"

The Buddha told Ānanda, "If the Tathāgata did not appear in the world, then good sons who do not enjoy household life, who shave their own beards and hair, and who practice self-cultivation in secluded places, will be able to exhaust all outflows and accomplish the practice of being free from outflows right there.

At that time, Ānanda addressed the Buddha, saying, "World-Honored One! How does that person cultivate the practices of the three vehicles on their own? Where will that person go?"

The Buddha told Ānanda: "As you have said, I have always taught the practice of the Three Vehicles. The Buddhas of the past, present, and future will all teach the Dharma of the Three Vehicles. Ānanda should know that there will be a time when the appearance and lifespan of sentient beings will gradually decrease, their physical forms will become weak and without any spiritual power, they will have much anger, jealousy, hatred, deceit, and deception, and their conduct will not be genuine. Some will have sharp faculties and be quick-witted, but they will compete with each other and quarrel, using their fists, tiles, stones, knives, and sticks to harm each other. At that time, sentient beings will take up grass and it will turn into swords and knives, cutting off their life force. Among those sentient beings, those who practice loving-kindness will not be angry. Seeing these strange changes, they will all be frightened and flee to the mountains and wilderness, naturally shaving their beards and hair, wearing the three Dharma robes, cultivating the unsurpassed Brahma conduct, restraining themselves and cultivating, exhausting their defiled minds and attaining liberation, then entering the undefiled realm. They will each say to each other: 'We have defeated our enemies.' Ānanda should know that this is called the supreme victory."

At that time, Ānanda again addressed the Buddha, saying, "In which group is that person? The Śrāvaka group, the Pratyekabuddha group, or the Buddha group?"

The Buddha told Ānanda: "That person will be called one who is in the position of the branch of enlightenment. The reason is that this person is all due to creating various merits, practicing various roots of goodness, cultivating the pure four truths, and discerning all dharmas. The practice of good dharmas is precisely the mind of kindness. The reason is that practicing kindness and compassion, this virtue is vast. I once donned this armor of kindness and compassion, subdued the demon officials, sat under the king of trees, and attained supreme enlightenment. With this skillful means, I know that kindness is the foremost. Kindness is the supreme Dharma. Ānanda should know, therefore it is called the supreme. The virtue of practicing the mind of kindness is immeasurable. One should seek skillful means to cultivate the mind of kindness. Thus, Ānanda! One should practice accordingly."

At that time, Ānanda, having heard the Buddha's teaching, joyfully accepted and upheld it.