Prologue
Thus I have heard: Once the Buddha stayed at the City of Sravasti in the magnificent abode of the Jeta Grove. Alongside there were twelve hundred and fifty great Arhats, who were completely sealed off and free of outflows – meaning they had crossed the stream of transmigration and acquired the caliber to uphold the Dharma without distraction or slackness. (In other words, these disciples of the Buddha had transcended all existence.) Everywhere they went, they exuded magnanimity and inspired veneration. Following the Buddha to turn the Wheel of Dharma, these accomplished monks were great exemplars for beings in the three realms of existence. They manifested in countless phenomena to help beings transcend their earthly attachments.
The names of the leaders were: the Wisest Sariputra, Maha-Maudgalyayana, Maha-Kausthila, Purnamaitrayaniputra, Subhuti, Upani-sad, and other sages. Alongside them there were also some beginners who had only recently made a resolve to attain full awakening. Together they came to the place where the Buddha and the great monks were spending the summer. Bodhisattvas from all ten directions came too to pay homage to the Buddha, longing to understand his sophisticated teachings and resolve the problems they encountered in practice.
Sitting serenely, the Buddha began to reveal the most subtle and profound truths, for the sake of everyone. It was a grand banquet of Dharma, where the assembly learned what they had not known before. The Buddha’s voice was like the call of the kalavinka bird, and it could be heard in worlds throughout all ten directions. The Bodhisattvas who gathered to listen were as innumerous as the sands in the Ganges, with Manjushri being the leader.
On the anniversary day of mourning for his father, the late king, King Prasenajit had invited the Buddha and escorted him to a vegetarian feast of delicacies in the palace’s banquet hall. Meanwhile he welcomed all the great Bodhisattvas. In the city, elders and other laities also had prepared meals for the Sangha. The Buddha directed Manjushri leading Arhats and Bodhisattvas to kindly accept those offerings.
Only Ananda didn’t show up for the Sangha. Earlier he had accepted a special invitation to go somewhere else and had not yet returned from the trip. No senior monk was accompanying him; he was returning alone.
That day Ananda had not yet received offerings, so at mealtime he carried his alms bowl in hands and walked through the town from door to door. While receiving alms, he thought to himself that he would accept offering from everyone, not only from Kṣatriyas of honorable families, but also from Caṇḍālas, who were considered impure classes. Ananda knew that the Buddha had once admonished the Arhats Subhuti and Mahakasyapa for being prejudicial on their alms rounds. Being a devoted follower of the Buddha, Ananda was then determined to practice impartiality and compassion, so as to assist all beings in generating merits, and also to eradicate their wrong views.
Having crossed the city moat, Ananda walked slowly through the outer gates. His manner remained disciplined and proper, as he respectfully observed the monastic rules. Since he was receiving alms impartially, he soon chanced upon a house of courtesans, where he was waylaid by a powerful artifice – a young Matanga woman cast a spell on Ananda and seduced him onto her bed. Then she caressed him lasciviously, until he was about to lose self-control and break his monastic vows.
Knowing that Ananda was succumbing to the carnal influence, the Buddha ended his meal immediately and returned to the monastic grounds. The king, his senior ministers, the elders and the laities all followed suit. Seated in full-lotus posture on a thousand-petal lotus flower, with invincible light as dazzling as hundreds of gems radiating from the crown of His head, the Shakyamuni Buddha proclaimed a powerful mantra.
He then instructed Manjushri to go rescue Ananda with this powerful mantra and, once the evil spell had been vanquished, to lead Ananda as well as the young Matanga woman back where the Buddha was.
Having returned with Manjushri, Ananda bowed deep in front of the Buddha and wept in sorrow. Since beginningless time, he had been studying extensively; yet he had not fully realized the teachings and completed his practice – how regretful he was now! Devotedly, he beseeched the Buddha to show him the elementary steps that calm the mind, deepen the insight, and ultimately lead to enlightenment — the wondrous practice through which the innumerable Buddhas of ten directions had become fully awakened.
Meanwhile, the Bodhisattvas and great Arhats silently gathered around at the foot of the Buddha’s seat, all eager to hear the sacred teachings.
如是我闻，一时佛在室罗筏城，祇桓精舍。与大比丘众，千二百五十人俱。皆是无漏大阿罗汉，佛子住持，善超诸有；能于国土，成就威仪 ；从佛转轮，妙堪遗嘱；严净毗尼，弘范三界；应身无量，度脱众生；拔济未来，越诸尘累。其名曰：大智舍利弗、摩诃目犍连、摩诃拘絺罗、富楼那弥多罗尼子、须菩提、优婆尼沙陀等，而为上首。复有无量辟支无学，并其初心，同来佛所 ，属诸比丘，休夏自恣。十方菩萨，咨决心疑，钦奉慈严，将求密义。即时如来，敷座宴安，为诸会中，宣示深奥，法筵清众，得未曾有。迦陵仙音，遍十方界。恒沙菩萨 ，来聚道场，文殊师利，而为上首。
时波斯匿王，为其父王讳日营斋，请佛宫掖，自迎如来，广设珍馐，无上妙味，兼复亲延诸大菩萨。城中复有长者居士，同时饭僧，伫佛来应。佛敕文殊，分领菩萨及阿罗汉，应诸斋主。唯有阿难，先受别请，远游未还，不遑僧次 。既无上座，及阿阇黎，途中独归。其日无供，即时阿难，执持应器，于所游城，次第循乞。心中初求，最后檀越 ，以为斋主，无问净秽，刹利尊姓，及旃陀罗。方行等慈，不择微贱，发意圆成，一切众生无量功德。阿难已知 ，如来世尊，诃须菩提及大迦叶，为阿罗汉，心不均平。钦仰如来，开阐无遮，度诸疑谤。经彼城隍，徐步郭门 ，严整威仪，肃恭斋法。
尔时阿难，因乞食次，经历淫室，遭大幻术，摩登伽女，以娑毗迦罗先梵天咒，摄入淫席，淫躬抚摩，将毁戒体。如来知彼 ，淫术所加，斋毕旋归。王及大臣，长者居士，俱来随佛，愿闻法要。于时世尊，顶放百宝无畏光明，光中出生千叶宝莲，有佛化身，结跏趺坐，宣说神咒。敕文殊师利，将咒往护。恶咒销灭，提奖阿难及摩登伽，归来佛所。
阿难见佛，顶礼悲泣，恨无始来，一向多闻，未全道力。殷勤启请，十方如来得成菩提，妙奢摩他、三摩、禅那，最初方便。于时复有恒沙菩萨，及诸十方大阿罗汉、辟支佛等，俱愿乐闻，退坐默然，承受圣旨。
Buddha Mind 