Explanation of the Mahayana Vijñāna Manifestation Sūtra

Original text: Illuminating past, present, and future without obstruction, he is the great Nāga. As the Buddha taught, having completed what was to be done, having laid down the heavy burden, having attained his own welfare, having extinguished the stream of becoming, and having ended suffering in the round of existence, with right knowledge and vision, he skillfully discerns the inclinations of beings' minds. Such great disciples, with the Elder Śāriputra as their leader, were present. Furthermore, innumerable Bodhisattva Mahāsattvas were gathered together in the assembly.

The Buddha taught that suffering is of three kinds: the suffering of suffering (duḥkha-duḥkhatā), the suffering of change (vipariṇāma-duḥkhatā), and the suffering of conditioned existence (saṃskāra-duḥkhatā). Although heavenly beings (devas) do not experience the suffering of suffering, they still endure the suffering of change and the suffering of conditioned existence. This is because their happiness is not permanent; it cannot be retained and will inevitably fade. This type of suffering is called "the suffering of change." When the pleasant feeling disappears, it is called "the suffering of change." Especially at the time of approaching death, heavenly beings manifest five signs of decay: 1. Their bodies emit a foul odor, 2. Their floral crowns wither, 3. Their garments become soiled with dust, 4. Sweat exudes from their armpits. The heavenly being's body becomes foul-smelling and repulsive; no other deva wishes to approach him, and all avoid and distance themselves from him. He can no longer remain seated on his heavenly throne; the floral crown on his head withers; his previously immaculate garments, which never gathered dust, now become dusty; and foul-smelling sweat appears under his armpits. When these signs manifest, it indicates that the heavenly being's life is nearing its end; he is about to fall into suffering. This is called the "manifestation of the five signs of decay" for heavenly beings. The suffering inherent in birth and death within the three realms has been completely extinguished by Arhats. They will not experience the suffering of birth and death in the future, nor will they return to take birth within the three realms.

"With right knowledge and vision, he skillfully discerns the inclinations of beings' minds." Arhats cultivate the Four Noble Truths of Suffering, its Origin, its Cessation, and the Path, thereby attaining the wisdom of liberation and possessing all-knowledge. With this wisdom, they can truly observe the mental activities of beings and discern precisely where their inclinations lead. Seeing the dharmas that beings crave and delight in, they can know into which of the six destinies a being will be reborn after death. They can also know whether beings can attain liberation and enter nirvana without residue. The minds of most beings are attached to the dharmas of the mundane world within the three realms; consequently, they will not be able to break free from the bondage of worldly dharmas in the future. They will all be bound by the six dusts (objects of the six senses: forms, sounds, smells, tastes, tangibles, and mental objects), inclined towards the six destinies, inclined towards the mundane five aggregates (form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness), inclined towards the six dusts, and unable to escape the cycle of birth and death.

In this great assembly, the Śrāvaka assembly had Śāriputra as their leader. "Elder" is an honorific title for an Arhat. Those who have attained the fourth fruition of Arhatship are called the great disciples (Mahāśrāvakas). Among them, the Elder Śāriputra was foremost in wisdom; therefore, Śāriputra occupied the leading position among the Śrāvaka assembly. Innumerable Bodhisattva Mahāsattvas were present in the assembly, positioned after the great disciples. This indicates that many Bodhisattva Mahāsattvas were lay followers, with relatively few being monastics. During the Buddha's time, the monastic community took precedence; thus, the monastics were mentioned first, followed by the lay followers. Both the Śrāvaka disciples and the Bodhisattva disciples gathered in the Dharma assembly where the World-Honored One was teaching, to receive his instructions.