In the past, present, and future, illuminating without obstruction, they are the great Arhats. As the Buddha taught, they have completed what was to be done, laid down the heavy burden, attained their own benefit, severed the cycle of rebirth, and ended the suffering inherent in existence. With the power of right knowledge, they skillfully understand the inclinations of the minds of sentient beings. Such great Śrāvakas, with the Elder Śāriputra as their leader, were present. Furthermore, countless Bodhisattva Mahāsattvas were also assembled together at the gathering.
The suffering spoken of by the Buddha is of three kinds: the suffering of suffering, the suffering of change, and the suffering of conditioned existence. Although devas lack the suffering of suffering, they still possess the suffering of change and the suffering of conditioned existence, because their happiness is not permanent; it cannot be retained and will inevitably vanish. This kind of suffering is called "the suffering of change." When the feeling of happiness disappears, it is called "the suffering of change." Particularly at the time of approaching death, devas manifest five signs of decay: 1. Their bodies become foul-smelling; 2. Their floral crowns wither; 3. Their garments become soiled with dust; 4. Sweat exudes from their armpits. Their bodies become foul and putrid, so no deva would be willing to approach them; 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 originally clean garments, which never gathered dust, now become dusty; foul-smelling sweat appears under his armpits. When these signs manifest, it indicates that the deva's life is about to end; he is about to undergo suffering. This is called the devas' "manifestation of the five signs of decay." The suffering inherent in birth and death within the three realms has been completely severed by Arhats. They will no longer experience the suffering of birth and death in the future, nor will they return to take rebirth within the three realms.
"With the power of right knowledge, they skillfully understand the inclinations of the minds of sentient beings." The Arhats cultivate the Four Noble Truths of suffering, its origin, cessation, and the path, attaining the wisdom of liberation and possessing all-knowledge. With this wisdom, they can truly observe the mental activities of sentient beings, discerning precisely where they are inclined. Seeing the dharmas that sentient beings crave and delight in, they can know into which of the six destinies sentient beings will be reborn after death. They can also know whether sentient beings can attain liberation and enter Parinirvāṇa. The minds of most sentient beings are attached to the worldly dharmas of the three realms; consequently, they cannot free themselves from the bondage of worldly dharmas in the future. They will all be bound by the six dusts (sense objects), inclined towards the six destinies, inclined towards the worldly five aggregates, inclined towards the six dusts of form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and mental objects, unable to escape the cycle of birth and death.
In this great assembly, the Śrāvakas were led by Śāriputra. "Elder" is an honorific title for Arhats. Those who have realized the fourth fruition of Arhatship are called the great Śrāvakas. Among them, the Elder Śāriputra was foremost in wisdom, therefore Śāriputra occupied the foremost position among the Śrāvakas. Countless Bodhisattva Mahāsattvas were present at the assembly, positioned after the great Śrāvakas, indicating that many Bodhisattva Mahāsattvas were lay followers, with monastics being fewer in number. During the Buddha's time, monastics took precedence, hence the monastics are mentioned first, followed by the laity. Both the Śrāvaka disciples and the Bodhisattva disciples gathered at the Dharma assembly where the World-Honored One was teaching, listening to the World-Honored One's instructions.
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