35. To the Asura （三五）阿修罗经

I have heard thus:

At one time, the Buddha was wandering in Vīrāna and staying in the Yellow Reed Grove.

At that time, the Asura King Vāruṇa and the Asura son Maudgalyāyana, with majestic appearance and radiant splendor, went to where the Buddha was in the early morning, bowed at the feet of the World-Honored One, and stood to one side.

The World-Honored One asked, "Vāruṇa! Do the Asuras in the great ocean not have any decline in Asura lifespan, Asura appearance, Asura happiness, and Asura strength? Do the Asuras enjoy the great ocean?"

The Asura King Vāruṇa and the Asura son Maudgalyāyana replied, "World-Honored One! We Asuras in the great ocean do not have any decline in Asura lifespan, Asura appearance, Asura happiness, and Asura strength. We Asuras enjoy the great ocean."

The World-Honored One further asked, "Vāruṇa! How many unprecedented phenomena are there in the great ocean that make the Asuras enjoy it when they see them?"

Vāruṇa replied, "World-Honored One! There are eight unprecedented phenomena in my great ocean that make the Asuras enjoy it when they see them. What are the eight? World-Honored One! From the bottom to the top, my great ocean gradually widens and evenly turns upward to form the shore. The water is always full and never overflows. World-Honored One! If my great ocean gradually widens from the bottom to the top, evenly turns upward to form the shore, and the water is always full and never overflows, this is called the first unprecedented phenomenon in my great ocean, which makes the Asuras enjoy it when they see it.

Furthermore, World-Honored One! The tides in my great ocean never miss their time. World-Honored One! If the tides in my great ocean never miss their time, this is called the second unprecedented phenomenon in my great ocean, which makes the Asuras enjoy it when they see it.

Furthermore, World-Honored One! The water in my great ocean is very deep and bottomless, extremely wide and boundless. World-Honored One! If the water in my great ocean is very deep and bottomless, extremely wide and boundless, this is called the third unprecedented phenomenon in my great ocean, which makes the Asuras enjoy it when they see it.

Furthermore, World-Honored One! The water in my great ocean is salty and all has the same taste. World-Honored One! If the water in my great ocean is salty and all has the same taste, this is called the fourth unprecedented phenomenon in my great ocean, which makes the Asuras enjoy it when they see it.

Furthermore, World-Honored One! There are many precious treasures in my great ocean, countless rare and wonderful things, various precious gems, filling it. The names of the precious treasures are gold, silver, crystal, lapis lazuli, maṇi, pearls, green jade, white shells, conch shells, coral, tiger-eye, agate, amber, red stone, and moonstone. World-Honored One! If there are many precious treasures in my great ocean, countless rare and wonderful things, various precious gems, filling it, and the names of the precious treasures are gold, silver, crystal, lapis lazuli, maṇi, pearls, green jade, white shells, conch shells, coral, tiger-eye, agate, amber, red stone, and moonstone, this is called the fifth unprecedented phenomenon in my great ocean, which makes the Asuras enjoy it when they see it.

Furthermore, World-Honored One! There are great deities dwelling in my great ocean, and the names of the great deities are Asuras, Gandharvas, Rākṣasas, fish, makaras, turtles, alligators, varāha, timi, timiṅgila, and timiṅgila. Furthermore, in the great ocean, there are very strange and extraordinary beings with bodies a hundred yojanas long, two hundred yojanas long, three hundred yojanas long, up to seven hundred yojanas long, all dwelling in the ocean. World-Honored One! If there are great deities dwelling in the great ocean, and the names of the great deities are Asuras, Gandharvas, Rākṣasas, fish, makaras, turtles, alligators, varāha, timi, timiṅgila, and timiṅgila. Furthermore, in the great ocean, there are very strange and extraordinary beings with bodies a hundred yojanas long, two hundred yojanas long, three hundred yojanas long, up to seven hundred yojanas long, all dwelling in the ocean, this is called the sixth unprecedented phenomenon in my great ocean, which makes the Asuras enjoy it when they see it.

Furthermore, World-Honored One! My great ocean is pure and does not accept corpses. If there is a death, the wind blows it to the shore overnight. World-Honored One! If my great ocean is pure and does not accept corpses. If there is a death, the wind blows it to the shore overnight, this is called the seventh unprecedented phenomenon in my great ocean, which makes the Asuras enjoy it when they see it.

Furthermore, World-Honored One! There are five great rivers in Jambudvīpa that enter my great ocean, namely the Ganges, the Yāmuna, the Sarabhū, the Airāvati, and the Mahī. Having entered, they each abandon their original names and are all called the great ocean. World-Honored One! If there are five great rivers in Jambudvīpa that enter my great ocean, namely the Ganges, the Yāmuna, the Sarabhū, the Airāvati, and the Mahī. Having entered, they each abandon their original names and are all called the great ocean, this is called the eighth unprecedented phenomenon in my great ocean, which makes the Asuras enjoy it when they see it.

"World-Honored One! These are the eight unprecedented phenomena in my great ocean, which make the Asuras enjoy it when they see it. World-Honored One! In the true Dharma and Vinaya of the Buddha, how many unprecedented phenomena are there that make the bhikṣus enjoy it when they see it?"

The World-Honored One replied, "Brahman! In my true Dharma and Vinaya, there are also eight unprecedented phenomena that make the bhikṣus enjoy it when they see it. What are the eight? Brahman! Just as the great ocean gradually widens from bottom to top, evenly turning upward to form the shore, its water is always full and never overflows. Brahman! My true Dharma and Vinaya are also like this, gradually practicing, gradually studying, gradually exhausting, and gradually teaching. Brahman! If in my true Dharma and Vinaya, there is gradual practice, gradual study, gradual exhaustion, and gradual teaching, this is called the first unprecedented phenomenon in my true Dharma and Vinaya, which makes the bhikṣus enjoy it when they see it.

Furthermore, Brahman! Just as the tides of the great ocean never miss the time, my true Dharma and Vinaya are also like this. For bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, and upāsikās, I establish precepts. The sons and daughters of noble families will not violate the precepts until the end of their lives. Brahman! If in my true Dharma and Vinaya, I establish precepts for bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, and upāsikās, and the sons and daughters of noble families will not violate the precepts until the end of their lives, this is called the second unprecedented phenomenon in my true Dharma and Vinaya, which makes the bhikṣus enjoy it when they see it.

Furthermore, Brahman! Just as the water of the great ocean is very deep and bottomless, extremely wide and boundless, my true Dharma and Vinaya are also like this. The dharmas are very deep, very deep and bottomless, extremely wide and boundless. Brahman! If in my true Dharma and Vinaya, the dharmas are very deep, very deep and bottomless, extremely wide and boundless, this is called the third unprecedented phenomenon in my true Dharma and Vinaya, which makes the bhikṣus enjoy it when they see it.

Furthermore, Brahman! Just as the water of the great ocean is salty and all has the same taste, my true Dharma and Vinaya are also like this. The taste of desirelessness, the taste of awakening, the taste of cessation, and the taste of the path. Brahman! If in my true Dharma and Vinaya, the taste of desirelessness, the taste of awakening, the taste of cessation, and the taste of the path, this is called the fourth unprecedented phenomenon in my true Dharma and Vinaya, which makes the bhikṣus enjoy it when they see it.

Furthermore, Brahman! Just as there are many precious treasures in the great ocean, countless rare and various precious gems are filled within it. The names of precious treasures are gold, silver, crystal, lapis lazuli, maṇi, pearls, green jade, white shells, conch shells, coral, tiger amber, agate, mother-of-pearl, red stones, and crystal balls. Brahman! My true Dharma and Vinaya are also like this. There are many precious treasures, countless rare and various precious gems, filled within it. The names of precious treasures are the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of supernormal power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, and the eightfold noble path. Brahman! If in my true Dharma and Vinaya, there are many precious treasures, countless rare and various precious gems, filled within it. The names of precious treasures are the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of supernormal power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, and the eightfold noble path, this is called the fifth unprecedented phenomenon in my true Dharma and Vinaya, which makes the bhikṣus enjoy it when they see it.

Furthermore, Brahman! Just as there are great gods dwelling in the great ocean, the names of the great gods are asuras, gandharvas, rākṣasas, fish, makaras, turtles, crocodiles, varāha, timi, timiṅgala, and timiṅgalatimika. Furthermore, in the great ocean, there are very strange and extraordinary beings with bodies of a hundred yojanas, two hundred yojanas, three hundred yojanas, up to seven hundred yojanas, all dwelling in the ocean. Brahman! My true Dharma and Vinaya are also like this. The great gods of the noble assembly all dwell within it. The names of the great gods are arhats, those who aspire to arahantship, non-returners, those who aspire to non-return, once-returners, those who aspire to once-return, stream-enterers, and those who aspire to stream-entry. Brahman! If in my true Dharma and Vinaya, the great gods of the noble assembly all dwell within it. The names of the great gods are arhats, those who aspire to arahantship, non-returners, those who aspire to non-return, once-returners, those who aspire to once-return, stream-enterers, and those who aspire to stream-entry, this is called the sixth unprecedented phenomenon in my true Dharma and Vinaya, which makes the bhikṣus enjoy it when they see it.

Furthermore, Brahman! Just as the great ocean is pure and does not accept corpses. If there is someone who dies, the wind blows them to the shore overnight. Brahman! My true Dharma and Vinaya are also like this. The noble assembly is pure and does not accept corpses. If there are people who are not diligent, who are evil, who claim to be celibate but are not, who claim to be monastics but are not, although they may fall within the noble assembly, they are far from the noble assembly, and the noble assembly is also far from them. Brahman! If in my true Dharma and Vinaya, the noble assembly is pure and does not accept corpses. If there are people who are not diligent, who are evil, who claim to be celibate but are not, who claim to be monastics but are not, although they may fall within the noble assembly, they are far from the noble assembly, and the noble assembly is also far from them, this is called the seventh unprecedented phenomenon in my true Dharma and Vinaya, which makes the bhikṣus enjoy it when they see it.

Furthermore, Brahman! Just as the great ocean in Jambudvīpa has five great rivers, namely the Ganges, the Yāmuna, the Sarabhū, the Aciravatī, and the Mahī. They all enter the great ocean, and upon entering, they each abandon their original names and are all called the great ocean. Brahman! My true Dharma and Vinaya are also like this. If a noble son of the kṣatriya caste shaves off his beard and hair, puts on the monastic robe, with utmost faith leaves home, becomes homeless, and studies the path, he abandons his original name and is called a śramaṇa. If a noble son of the brāhmaṇa caste, the householder caste, or the artisan caste shaves off his beard and hair, puts on the monastic robe, with utmost faith leaves home, becomes homeless, and studies the path, he abandons his original name and is called a śramaṇa. Brahman! If in my true Dharma and Vinaya, a noble son of the kṣatriya caste shaves off his beard and hair, puts on the monastic robe, with utmost faith leaves home, becomes homeless, and studies the path, he abandons his original name and is called a śramaṇa. If a noble son of the brāhmaṇa caste, the householder caste, or the artisan caste shaves off his beard and hair, puts on the monastic robe, with utmost faith leaves home, becomes homeless, and studies the path, he abandons his original name and is called a śramaṇa, this is called the eighth unprecedented phenomenon in my true Dharma and Vinaya, which makes the bhikṣus enjoy it when they see it.

"Brahman! These are called the eight unprecedented phenomena in the true Dharma and Vinaya, which make the bhikṣus enjoy them when they see them. Brahman! What do you think? If in my true Dharma and Vinaya there are eight unprecedented phenomena, and if in your great ocean there are eight unprecedented phenomena, which of these two kinds of unprecedented phenomena is superior, excellent, wonderful, and supreme?"

"Brahman said: "World-Honored One! The eight unprecedented phenomena in my great ocean are not equal to the eight unprecedented phenomena of the Tathāgata. They are not even a thousandth, a hundred thousandth, incomparable, inexpressible, immeasurable, and innumerable. Only the eight unprecedented phenomena of the World-Honored One are superior, excellent, wonderful, and supreme. World-Honored One! I now take refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and the Saṅgha of bhikṣus. I only wish that the World-Honored One would accept me as a lay devotee. From this day forth, I take refuge for life, until the end of my life.

The Buddha spoke thus. The asura king Brahmā and the bhikṣus, having heard the Buddha's words, rejoiced and practiced accordingly.