English
In the ten-thousand hells, fires are extinguished at once; Fires are extinguished together today, surely you will be a Buddha. The sun becomes clear, all the stars are seen; These appear today, surely you will be a Buddha. Without rain, water, springs forth from the earth at once; That springs forth from the earth today, surely you will be a Buddha. Constellations shine, stars in the sky; Visakha conjoined with the moon, surely you will be a Buddha. Those dwelling in holes and caves, emerge from their dwellings; Their dwellings are abandoned today, surely you will be a Buddha. There is no discontent in beings, they are content at once; All are content together today, surely you will be a Buddha. Diseases then subside, and hunger vanishes; These things appear today, surely you will be a Buddha. Disease then becomes slight, hatred and delusion vanish; All are gone together today, surely you will be a Buddha. Fear then It does not happen, it appears upside down; By that sign we know, surely you will be a Buddha. Dust blows upwards, it appears upside down; By that sign we know, surely you will be a Buddha. Unpleasant smells depart, divine scents waft; A heavenly scent wafts, surely you will be a Buddha. All the gods appear, except for the formless ones; All three realms are visible, surely you will be a Buddha. As far as the hells are named, all are visible; All three realms are visible, surely you will be a Buddha. Walls, doors, and rocks, are no longer obstructions then; All three realms become like space, surely you will be a Buddha. Passing away and rebirth, do not exist at that moment; All three states are visible, surely you will be a Buddha. Firmly grasp your energy, do not turn back, advance; We also know this, surely you will be a Buddha. Having heard the Buddha's words, the ten thousand worlds trembled; Joyful, delighted, and pleased, thus I thought then. Buddhas speak without deceit, Conquerors speak without fail; There is no falsehood in Buddhas, surely I will become a Buddha. Just as a clod thrown into the sky, surely falls to the ground; So too the words of the best of Buddhas, are surely everlasting. Just as for all beings, death is surely everlasting; So too the words of the best of Buddhas, are surely everlasting. Just as when the night has ended, the sunrise is surely certain; So too the words of the best of Buddhas, are surely everlasting. Just as the lion's roar, when it emerges from its lair, is surely certain; So too the words of the best of Buddhas, are surely everlasting. Just as for pregnant beings, the laying down of the burden is surely certain; So too the words of the best of Buddhas, are surely everlasting. Come, in the Buddha-making qualities, I will search here and there; Upwards, downwards, in the ten directions, as far as the realm of Dhamma extends. Searching, then I saw, the first perfection of giving; Practiced by the former great sages, the great ones. The Path. This first one, Having made firm, undertake; Go to the perfection of giving, If you wish to attain enlightenment. Just as a pot, Completely full, turned upside down; Empties out the water entirely, Nothing is kept back. Likewise, seeing beggars, Low, high, and middling; Give completely, Like a pot turned upside down. These alone, Will not be all the Buddha-qualities; I will seek out others, The qualities that ripen enlightenment. Seeking, then I saw, The second, the perfection of morality; Practiced and cultivated, By the great sages of old. This second one, Having made firm, undertake; Go to the perfection of morality, If you wish to attain enlightenment. Just as a yak, Its tail caught on something; Goes to its death there, Not damaging its tail. Likewise, in the four planes, Fulfill the moralities; Always protect morality, Like the yak its tail. These alone, Will not be all the Buddha-qualities; I will seek out others, The qualities that ripen enlightenment. Seeking, then I saw, The third, the perfection of renunciation; Practiced and cultivated, By the great sages of old. This third one, Having made firm, undertake; Go to the perfection of renunciation, If you wish to attain enlightenment. Just as a man in a dark house, Long dwelling, afflicted by suffering; Does not generate desire there, But seeks only escape. Likewise, you, in all existence, See it as like a dark house; Be inclined to renunciation, For liberation from existence. These alone, Will not be all the Buddha-qualities; I will seek out others, The qualities that ripen enlightenment. Seeking, then I saw, The fourth, the perfection of wisdom; Practiced and cultivated, By the great sages of old. This fourth one, Having made firm, undertake; Go to the perfection of wisdom, If you wish to attain enlightenment. Just as a monk, begging, Low, high, and middling; Not avoiding families, Thus obtains sustenance. You are not deceitful at any time, Always question the wise; Having gone to the perfection of wisdom, You will attain enlightenment. These alone will not be All the qualities of a Buddha; I will seek out others too, Qualities that ripen enlightenment. Seeking, then I saw The fifth, the perfection of energy; Practiced and cultivated By the great sages of old. This fifth one, for now, Firmly establish and undertake; Go to the perfection of energy, If you wish to attain enlightenment. Just as a lion, king of beasts, In sitting, standing, and walking; Is unflagging in energy, His mind always uplifted. Likewise, in every existence, Uplift your energy firmly; Having gone to the perfection of energy, You will attain enlightenment. These alone will not be All the qualities of a Buddha; I will seek out others too, Qualities that ripen enlightenment. Seeking, then I saw The sixth, the perfection of patience; Practiced and cultivated By the great sages of old. This sixth one, for now, Firmly establish and undertake; There, with unwavering mind, You will attain enlightenment. Just as the earth, Pure or impure; Endures all that is cast upon it, And does not react with aversion. Likewise, you too, to all, Be patient with honor and dishonor; Having gone to the perfection of patience, You will attain enlightenment. These alone will not be All the qualities of a Buddha; I will seek out others too, Qualities that ripen enlightenment. Seeking, then I saw The seventh, the perfection of truth; Practiced and cultivated By the great sages of old. This seventh one, for now, Firmly establish and undertake; There, with unwavering speech, You will attain enlightenment. Just as Osadhi, A balance for gods and humans; In due season, whether it rains or not, Does not deviate from its course. Likewise, you too, in truths, Do not deviate from the path; Having gone to the perfection of truth, You will attain enlightenment. These alone will not be All the qualities of a Buddha; I will seek out others too, Qualities that ripen enlightenment. Seeking, then I saw The eighth, The perfection of resolution; Practiced and cultivated by former great seers. This eighth one, you must Firmly undertake and adhere to; There, being unwavering, You will attain enlightenment. Just as a mountain of rock, Unmoving, well-established; Does not tremble in fierce winds, But stands firm in its place. So too, in resolution, Always be unwavering; Having gone to the perfection of resolution, You will attain enlightenment. These alone will not be All the Buddha-qualities; I will seek out others too, Qualities that ripen enlightenment. Seeking, then I saw The ninth, the perfection of loving-kindness; Practiced and cultivated By former great seers. This ninth one, you must Firmly undertake and adhere to; Be unmatched in loving-kindness, If you wish to attain enlightenment. Just as water, Towards good and bad people; Spreads equally with coolness, Washing away dust and dirt. So too, towards the beneficial and unbeneficial, Cultivate loving-kindness equally; Having gone to the perfection of loving-kindness, You will attain enlightenment. These alone will not be All the Buddha-qualities; I will seek out others too, Qualities that ripen enlightenment. Seeking, then I saw The tenth, the perfection of equanimity; Practiced and cultivated By former great seers. This tenth one, you must Firmly undertake and adhere to; Being balanced, firm, You will attain enlightenment. Just as the earth, Casts aside the impure and pure; Regards both with equanimity, Free from anger and affection. So too, towards pleasure and pain, Always be balanced; Having gone to the perfection of equanimity, You will attain enlightenment. These alone are The qualities that ripen enlightenment; Beyond that there is nothing else, Firmly establish yourself there. As he contemplated these qualities, In their essential nature and characteristics; By the power of the Dhamma, the earth, Ten thousand worlds, trembled. The earth shook and roared, Like sugarcane crushed in a press; As a wheel is oiled, So the earth trembled. As many as were the assembly, In the Buddha's presence; Were trembling. There, they collapsed unconscious on the ground. Thousands of pots, And hundreds of water jars; Were crushed and churned there, Rubbing against each other. Agitated, thirsty, frightened, Confused, with distressed minds; The great crowd gathered together, And approached Dīpaṅkara. "What will become of the world, Good or evil? The whole world is afflicted, Remove it, O Seer." Then Dīpaṅkara, the great sage, Reassured them: "Be confident, do not fear, In this earthquake. He whom I have predicted today, Will become a Buddha in the world; He will comprehend the Dhamma, The ancient path followed by the Conquerors. Because of his comprehending the Dhamma, And attaining the state of Buddhahood completely; Therefore, this earth trembled, With its ten thousand worlds including the deities." Having heard the Buddha's words,