The Mahayana Sutra on the Manifestation of Consciousness (Volumes VII & VIII)

Then the noble youth Bhadrapāla said to Prince Mahāpratisara: "Excellent, excellent! The question you now ask is subtle and profound. The question of Candraprabha is shallow and narrow, like an infant whose mind wanders to external objects without knowing the inner. The true Dharma is rarely heard; the Buddhas are hard to encounter. The Buddha's wisdom is perfect, vast, and deep, unfathomable. The supreme truth should be earnestly inquired about."

At that time, Prince Mahāpratisara saw the Buddha serene and joyful, his countenance relaxed and pleasant, like an autumn lotus blooming. He leaped for joy and, with single-minded devotion, joined his palms and said to the Buddha: "Bhagavat, I love the profound Dharma, I thirst for the profound Dharma. I constantly fear that the Tathāgata will enter parinirvāṇa, and I will not hear the true Dharma. Then, among the beings in the five impurities, I would be ignorant and unknowing, not recognizing good and evil, unable to distinguish between the wholesome and unwholesome, ripe and unripe, unable to awaken, confused and revolving in the cycle of birth and death, suffering in the miserable destinies."

Explanation: Then the Bodhisattva Bhadrapāla said to Prince Mahāpratisara: "Good! The question you now ask is both subtle and profound. The question asked by Bodhisattva Candraprabha has a shallow and low meaning, like an infant whose mind greedily seeks outward without knowing to seek inward for the self-mind. The true Dharma is rare and hard to hear; the Buddhas are also hard to meet and encounter. The Buddha's wisdom is perfect, vast, and profound, immeasurable by anyone. We should indeed earnestly inquire about his profound wisdom and subtle truth."

At this time, Prince Mahāpratisara saw the Buddha's countenance gentle, kind, and compassionate, his complexion relaxed and joyful, like an autumn lotus blooming. He leaped for joy and, with single-minded devotion, joined his palms, wishing to request the Buddha to expound the profound Dharma. Then he said to the Bhagavat: "Lord, I like the profound Dharma, I revere the profound Dharma. I constantly fear that the Buddha will enter nirvāṇa, and I will not hear the profound Dharma. Then, in the evil world of five impurities, my mind would be foolish and dark, utterly unknowing, not recognizing the Dharma of good and evil. Regarding wholesome and unwholesome dharmas, ripe and unripe, I would be unable to distinguish, confused and revolving in the sea of suffering of birth and death, unable to escape."

Beings with profound wholesome roots are all like Prince Mahāpratisara, thirsting for the profound Dharma to attain wisdom and liberation. Beings without profound wholesome roots, if they encounter the Buddha dwelling long in the world, will become lazy in mind; or they will no longer regard the Buddha as miraculous and hard to encounter, not generating deep reverence, nor taking faith and delight in the Dharma. The Buddha, in order to save these beings, does not choose to dwell long in the world, lest beings become lazy in cultivation. As a result, when the Buddha announces his imminent nirvāṇa, beings quickly come to inquire about the Dharma, hasten to cultivate, fearing they might never again receive the Buddha's guidance and teachings. For those who are prone to laziness, not seeing the Buddha frequently also has benefits: it can arouse pure faith in seeing the Buddha, revering the Buddha, and constantly following the Buddha's teachings, thus advancing in the path.