Commentary on the Mahayana Vijnaptimatrata Sutra
Section 3 The Child Bhadrapāla Reaps Present-Life Blessings
Original text:时长老阿难。见贤护童真。姿容晖泽。色相具足。白佛言。世尊。未曾有也。此贤护童真。有大福德。光色丰盛。诸王威相。咸蔽不现。
Explanation: At this time, the Elder Ānanda saw the child Bhadrapāla, whose appearance was dignified, stately, and beautiful, radiant and glowing. He said to the Buddha: World-Honored One, this is unprecedented. This child Bhadrapāla possesses great merit and virtue; his body radiates abundant light and color, and the majestic bearing of all kings is completely obscured and cannot manifest before him.
From his attendants and his sixty thousand merchant-lords, one can see that his merit is extraordinarily vast. The moment he appears, all the kings lose their majesty. Although those kings also possess great merit, when compared with the child Bhadrapāla, their majestic bearing is completely obscured and cannot manifest; only the child Bhadrapāla's radiant and abundant appearance can be seen. This passage turns back to introduce how the Bodhisattva Bhadrapāla cultivated merit in past lives, such that in this life he obtained such a great karmic retribution of merit.
Original text:佛告阿难。此贤护胜上童真。福业所致。虽处人间。受天胜果。安宁适乐。欢娱嬉戏。畅悦恣心。犹如帝释。阎浮提中。唯除月实童真。更无比者。阿难白佛言。贤护童真。果报资用。宿植善根。唯愿为说。
Explanation: The Buddha said to Ānanda: This is what the child Bhadrapāla's superior excellence was brought about by—the great merit he cultivated in the past. Although he is in the human world and has obtained a human body, the karmic retribution he enjoys is entirely the kind of retribution that heavenly beings should enjoy—peace, comfort, happiness, ease, joy, play, delight, and unrestrained pleasure—just like Śakra, the lord of the second heaven of the desire realm (the Jade Emperor). His retribution is sufficient to rival that of Śakra Devānām Indra. Among those in Jambudvīpa (the southern continent of Jambudvīpa) who possess great merit, the child Yuèshí (Moon-Real) ranks first, and he ranks second; apart from the child Yuèshí, no one surpasses him. Ānanda said to the Buddha: Please, World-Honored One, explain to us the child Bhadrapāla's planting of good roots and merit over many lifetimes, and the abundance of his retributive provisions.
Original text:佛告阿难。贤护现受乐报。资用广大。及宿胜因。汝今当听。阿难。此贤护童真。六万商主。资产丰饶。金宝盈积。恭敬受教。随逐奉事。六万床座。敷设卧具。毡褥缯绮。并倚枕等。杂色晖发。妙丽庄严。俱罗帷幕。及憍奢耶。火浣币帛。支那安输。周匝施布。众宝雕间。相宣焕烂。交错如画。
Explanation: The Buddha told Ānanda: The joyful retribution Bhadrapāla now receives, his vast and abundant provisions, the causes of his past excellence, and the merit he has cultivated life after life, the causes and conditions of the retribution he has obtained, and the good roots he has planted since past lives—you should now listen; I will tell you now.
Ānanda, this child Bhadrapāla is surrounded by sixty thousand merchant-lords. These merchant-lords' assets are abundant, with gold and jewels piling up to fill their storehouses, yet they are extremely respectful toward the child Bhadrapāla, willing to accept his instruction, and follow and serve him. In the child Bhadrapāla's residence there are sixty thousand beds and seats, all furnished with bedding—felt blankets, cushions, and fine silks, along with leaning pillows and the like—in variegated colors that radiate brilliantly, wonderfully beautiful and adorned. There are kurava curtains and kauśeya silk, fire-washed asbestos cloth, Chinese silk and Indian antu fabrics, spread all around in layers, so abundant and numerous, with many jewels carved and inlaid among them, mutually setting each other off in brilliance, interwoven like a painting.
This passage all introduces his rooms and bedding, describing the decorations in the bedroom and the room's magnificence; the decorations are extremely luxurious and opulent, setting off the child Bhadrapāla's extraordinarily vast merit.
Original text:六万妓女。被服安输。众色间杂。金宝璎饰。鲜华炫丽。光彩耀目。其触细软。如天迦遮。轻重随心。适称情意。戏容笑语。歌唱相娱。闲婉严洁。柔敬事主。于他人所。心绝爱欲。惭耻低首。或覆头为容。肌肤平满。柔软细滑。手足支节。踝等骨脉。咸悉不现。齿白齐密。发绀右旋。如削蜡成。如工画作。氏族华望。名誉流远。如是妇人。而为侍从。
Explanation: There are also sixty thousand female attendants wearing extremely bright and magnificent clothes of intermingled colors, adorned with golden jewels, dazzling and resplendent, their brilliance dazzling to the eye. When touched by hand, the clothes feel extremely fine and soft, like celestial kaśāya garments, becoming lighter or heavier according to one's wishes, perfectly satisfying one's desires. Together they laugh and talk merrily, singing and dancing to entertain one another; their appearances are all beautiful and dignified, serene, graceful, disciplined, and pure; their every movement is dignified and pleasing, their minds gentle, devotedly serving their master.
Toward others, however, they have no trace of lust; they are often bowed-headed in shame and a sense of disgrace, or cover their heads to conceal their faces. Their flesh is full and smooth, the bones and veins of their hands, feet, joints, and ankles do not show; their teeth are white, even, and close-set; their hair is dark blue-purple, curling to the right, as if carved from shaved wax, or like a master painter's artwork. Their families are illustrious and renowned, their fame spreading far and wide. Women of such beauty are all Bhadrapāla's attendants.
Original text:又有六万。供食妇人。饭饼诸物。种种异色。香味调美。如天肴膳。饮具八德。见令心悦。宁身适意。不劳而熟。是福之食。应心而至。涤净拥秽。去诸病恶。
Explanation: There are also sixty thousand women who offer food and drink to Bhadrapāla. The rice, breads, and all foods are complete in color, aroma, and flavor, like the food of heavenly beings; the eating utensils are also all superb, endowed with eight kinds of virtues, so that at a single glance one's mind rejoices and the body becomes peaceful. When food is placed in these vessels, no one needs to labor with their hands; everything becomes cooked naturally. This is food of merit, appearing in response to the mind. It can also automatically cleanse the food and drink of impurities and dispel illness—this is the enjoyment of the Nirmāṇarati (Transformed Enjoyment) and Parinirmitavaśavartin (Transformation by Others' Enjoyment) heavens of the desire realm.
For these heavenly beings, each day's food and drink arrives automatically before them the moment they think of it—this is the merit cultivated by heavenly beings, and the child Bhadrapāla enjoys these blessings while in the human world. He is a human being enjoying the blessings of a heavenly being, enjoying the superb retribution of Śakra Devānām Indra, the lord of the Trāyastriṃśa heaven.
Original text:庭宇台楼。具足六万。摩尼真珠。琉璃诸珍。罗布垂饰。众宝间钿。行列端美。绮彩蒙悬。缀以铃铎。随风飖飏。铿锵和发。
Explanation: His towers, courtyards, terraces, and pavilions were adorned with sixty thousand kinds of precious jewels, such as maṇi gems, pearls, and lapis lazuli. The courtyards and terraces are intermingled with many jewels, exquisitely decorated, accompanied by jeweled bells, pleasant to the ear in the gentle wind. The ground is like lapis lazuli reflecting images; various flower petals are scattered across the lapis lazuli ground, giving one a feeling of great coolness and joy, with a comfortable and pleasant state of mind. There are also various musical instruments producing various sounds—altogether sixty thousand kinds of wonderful sounds, soft and resonant, able to carry to places very, very far away, their sound shaking the regions under the family's domain.
The tones are beautiful, soft, and resonant, able to carry to places very, very far away; these sounds rise and fall, intermingle, and clamor, shaking the surrounding regions in the ten directions. All this was brought about by the profound merit Bhadrapāla cultivated in past lives, so that in this life his joy, wealth, and honor continue without end.
Original text:地若琉璃。现众影像。杂花散布。清凉快乐。遨游栖息。畅心适志。又有细腰。般拏箜篌。长笛铜钹清歌。种种音声。数凡六万。美声调润。响亮闻远。喧嚣杂作。震警方域。福业所致。欢乐不绝。
Explanation: The ground is clear and luminous like lapis lazuli, reflecting many images; various jeweled flowers are scattered throughout the courtyards, and walking among them makes one feel cool and refreshed in body and mind, with a relaxed and joyful state of mind. There are also countless women of graceful figure and beautiful, dignified appearance playing and performing on arched harps, long flutes, and various other instruments, accompanied by singing; the various wonderful sounds combined together number more than sixty thousand.
Original text:鸽等诸鸟。飞翔游集。异声间和。畅心悦耳。藤蔓众花。萦缘台阁。鲜葩标秀。蓊郁晖焕。铃铎乐器。响若天宫。
Explanation: Pigeons and many other birds fly and roam, gathering there; various different sounds intermingle harmoniously, making one feel relaxed in mind and delighted in ear. Various flowers, grasses, and vines wind around the terraces and pavilions, vying in fragrance and beauty, lush and luxuriant, radiating pure brilliance; the sounds of the jeweled bells and musical instruments are unceasing to the ear, like the wonderful music of a heavenly palace.
The entire family was brought to this by the profound merit they cultivated, so that their joy is unceasing. For people of great merit, birds and other sentient beings fly and roam around them; the calls of various birds are harmonious and pleasing to the ear; various flowers, grasses, and vines wind around the terraces and pavilions, vying in fragrance and beauty, lush and radiant; the sounds of musical instruments are like the beautiful music of a heavenly palace.
Original text:房廊昭晰。如须弥窟。神药流照。有六万城。高墙峻峙。楼橹备设。街街布列。四衢三达。美丽填溢。诸方凑集。
Explanation: Inside and outside the palaces where the child Bhadrapāla lived, the houses and corridors were decorated and embellished with the seven kinds of jewels and jade, appearing dazzling and resplendent in gold and jade. There were also sixty thousand cities, with all kinds of precious objects placed within them, like the jeweled grottoes of a wheel-turning sage king; among them were not lacking jeweled vases containing various divine medicines, their flowing radiance filling the space. The city walls were tall and lofty, equipped with watchtowers and defensive platforms; every street was arrayed and guarded in this way, extending in all directions, overflowing with beauty; the buildings in every direction were equally magnificent like this, and treasures from all quarters gathered together.
Original text:种种服饰。种种言语。法制万差。殊容异状。奇货列肆。商侣百千。交易嚣喧。声震城域。
Explanation: The people on the four-crossroads streets wore all kinds of magnificent clothing, and in conversation spoke all kinds of regional dialects; the goods in the shops varied in thousands of ways, beautifully packaged, with styles all different; rare goods were displayed in the shops, and hundreds and thousands of merchants came and went in trade, the clamorous sounds resounding throughout the entire city and its domain.
Original text:园林郁茂。大树小树。藤蔓卉药。众花竞发。清波环映。间错光鲜。粲如舒锦。象马车乘。其众百千。往还不绝。充遍城邑。
Explanation: The gardens and groves here are lush and luxuriant, with trees large and small, flowers, grasses, and medicinal herbs spread throughout, vines entwining, flowers blooming in profusion, and medicinal herbs covering the ground. Many beautiful flowers bloom in competition; clear water ripples surround and reflect, weaving in an orderly yet varied way among them; seen from afar it is dazzlingly brilliant, like brocade adorned with many jewels. There are hundreds and thousands of elephants, horses, and carriages, coming and going without cease, filling and pervading the entire city.
This entire passage describes the scene of them living an extremely luxurious life because they cultivated great blessings. The city walls are tall, the streets broad, the clothing abundant, the goods rich, with hundreds and thousands of elephants, horses, and carriages shuttling back and forth throughout the city. The sounds of merchants trading shake the entire city; the living environment is elegant, and the entire city belongs to their family.
Original text:阿难。六万城中。名德高人。及诸豪富。并诸商主。日日称赞。贤护童真。播扬声德。虔恭合掌。礼拜修敬。娇萨罗国。波斯匿王。福力富盛。比之贤护。状类贫下。
Explanation: The Buddha said to Ānanda: The renowned and virtuous people of high standing in the sixty thousand cities, as well as all the wealthy nobles and their merchant-lords, come every day to praise the child Bhadrapāla's wealth and merit, proclaiming the child Bhadrapāla's virtue; toward the child Bhadrapāla they are all devout, respectful, bowing in worship and reverent admiration. King Prasenajit of Kośala's power of merit was already immensely abundant, but compared with the child Bhadrapāla, he seemed like a poor and lowly person.
Original text:月实童真。无量百千。妓从侍绕。恭敬奉事。爱悦欢戏。众乐所依。虽天帝释。百千万倍。不及月实。贤护童真。容色丰美。富有自在。安宁适乐。亦百千万倍。不及月实。斯皆宿福所感。非力致也。
Explanation: Another person of great merit, the child Yuèshí, was also surrounded by immeasurable hundreds and thousands of female attendants and servants, who respectfully served him, loving and delighting in joyful play with him; he was that upon whom sentient beings' happiness depended. Although Śakra, the lord of the desire-realm heavens, has immeasurable blessings, even with a hundred thousand million times more merit he would not surpass the child Yuèshí in the human world—Yuèshí's merit surpasses Śakra's by a hundred thousand million times. Although the child Bhadrapāla's appearance was rich and beautiful, wealthy and at ease, peaceful, comfortable, and joyful, even if his merit increased a hundred thousand million times, it would still not match the child Yuèshí's merit. All this was brought about by the merit they planted life after life; it cannot be attained through effort in this single life.
We people today always seek promotion, wealth, prosperity, and success; if you did not cultivate and accumulate blessings in past lives, in this life you cannot possibly have such great merit to fulfill your wishes. Especially today's corrupt officials, who through embezzlement and other means seek to enjoy splendor and wealth—this is attempting to forcibly obtain blessings that should not be obtained, and in the end they will still be dispersed. In truth, those who have blessings need not be greedy; blessings come naturally.
Original text:阿难。贤护童真。又有如意宝辂。天宝雕严。光晖赫烂。天金金刚。光玉日受。种种诸宝。钿厕间错。丽若观星。运速如风。如金翅飞。乘此宝辂。宝洲等所。应念而至。身不疲劳。戏乐而返。
Explanation: The Buddha continued: Ānanda, the child Bhadrapāla also had a wish-fulfilling jeweled carriage, in which he could ride flying to various places; it was carved and adorned with heavenly jewels, extremely radiant and dazzling. It was inlaid with heavenly gold and vajra, with luminous jade and sun-stones, and made of various jewels inlaid and intermingled, beautiful like the scattered stars; it moved as fast as the wind, flying like the golden-winged bird. Riding this jeweled carriage, the child Bhadrapāla could reach all the jeweled isles and other places the moment he thought of them. No matter how far he flew, his body never grew weary, and he always returned in joy and delight.
