Commentary on the Mahayana Xianshi Sutra

Original Text: The Buddha saw Bhadrapāla. His entire body radiated light, illuminating Bhadrapāla. At that moment, Bhadrapāla attained fearlessness. He circumambulated the Buddha three times, prostrated at the Buddha’s feet, and addressed the Buddha, saying: "O World-Honored One, I beseech You, out of Your great compassion, to instruct me. I have now just gained pure faith in the Buddha. My heart longs for the wondrous Dharma and I have questions to ask. Yet I have long dwelled in the cycle of birth and death, drowning in the suffering of afflictions. My thoughts are chaotic and scattered. Regarding practices like the precepts, I have done nothing, lacking the latent provisions [for enlightenment]. Although my mind is exceedingly earnest, I now do not know how, from within this net of foolishness, confusion, and doubt, I can transcend it, cross over, and be delivered from birth and death. The World-Honored One is the one of all-knowing wisdom, seeing all things universally. The Buddha’s manifestation in this world is truly rare and difficult to encounter, like a wish-fulfilling jewel that bestows joy upon sentient beings. The Buddha is the great wish-fulfilling jewel. All sentient beings attain great peace and happiness solely through relying upon the Buddha. [The Buddha] is the great parent, the fundamental source of goodness for sentient beings. It is through the Buddha-parent that sentient beings see the correct path. I solely beseech Your compassion to illuminate and dispel my doubts and darkness."

The Buddha told Bhadrapāla, "You have doubts. Ask freely according to your wish. I shall explain and elucidate them for you in detail." At that time, Bhadrapāla, having received the Buddha’s permission to ask, concentrated his mind on his inquiry and stood to one side.

Explanation: Bhadrapāla said to the World-Honored One: "I hope the World-Honored One can compassionately instruct me. I have just now attained pure faith in You, O World-Honored One. My heart earnestly longs to hear the supreme wondrous Dharma, and I have questions I wish to ask the World-Honored One. For immeasurable kalpas, I have long dwelled in birth and death, drowning in the suffering of afflictions such as greed, hatred, and delusion. My mind is filled with a profusion of distracting thoughts and delusions; I have neglected the practice of the precepts and have not accumulated the provisions and resources [for the path]. Although my mind deeply desires liberation from birth and death, I now do not know how, while trapped within this net of foolishness and doubt, I can transcend it, cross over, and be delivered from the ocean of suffering that is birth and death."

Bodhisattva Bhadrapāla confessed his laxness of mind in cultivation and his懈怠 (dài xiè - negligence/sloth) in not practicing precepts, meditation, wisdom, etc. Yet, he had received the subtle support of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. He understood part of his own karmic actions and the afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion, but not completely. His mind was still in a state of foolishness, lacking genuine wisdom, and harboring many doubts. He wanted to resolve all his doubts, to eradicate his foolishness and dispel his confusion. He asked the Buddha how he could transcend the abyss of afflictions and the cycle of birth and death, to escape the suffering ocean of birth and death. In fact, his doubt represents the doubt of all beginners on the Buddhist path: how can one be delivered from birth and death, transcend the suffering ocean of the cycle of birth and death, and attain liberation? Only by resolving this question can one truly benefit from studying the Buddha Dharma.

Bodhisattva Bhadrapāla continued: "The World-Honored One is the one of all-knowing wisdom, able to see all dharmas universally and to know the faculties and the root causes of afflictions of every sentient being. For immeasurable kalpas, what kinds of karmic actions sentient beings have performed, what kinds of results they will attain in the future—the World-Honored One knows all of this. The Buddha’s appearance in this world is truly rare, extremely difficult to encounter. The Buddha is like a wish-fulfilling jewel, bestowing all happiness upon sentient beings. The Buddha is the great wish-fulfilling jewel. All sentient beings can rely upon the Buddha to attain great peace and happiness. The Buddha is the supreme, most beloved parent of sentient beings, able to bring sentient beings the most fundamental benefit; [the Buddha] is the root of wholesome dharmas for sentient beings. Sentient beings rely upon such a Buddha-parent to see the correct path, to walk the correct path, and ultimately attain liberation. We solely beseech the World-Honored One, out of Your compassion, to illuminate and clarify the doubts and darkness in our minds."