I. Magical powers of multiplication and displacement

Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra

by Gelongma Karma Migme Ch枚dr枚n | 2001 | 941,039 words

This page describes 鈥渕agical powers of multiplication and displacement鈥� as written by Nagarjuna in his Maha-prajnaparamita-sastra (lit. 鈥渢he treatise on the great virtue of wisdom鈥�) in the 2nd century. This book, written in five volumes, represents an encyclopedia on Buddhism as well as a commentary on the Pancavimsatisahasrika Prajnaparamita.

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I. Magical powers of multiplication and displacement

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The bodhisattva who has acquired the power of transformation of bodies (办腻测补苍颈谤尘腻峁嘺产补濒补) creates for himself bodies as numerous as the sands of the Ganges of the ten directions and goes simultaneously to universes of the ten directions also as numerous as the sands of the Ganges.

Question. 鈥� A 蝉奴迟谤补 says: 鈥淚n one single fingersnap, there are sixty moments鈥� (accha峁乵膩tre峁嘺峁峁ａ弓i岣� k峁Ｄ佱箛膩 atikr膩manti).^[1] It is already incredible that in a single instant the bodhisattva is able to go to universes of a single direction as numerous as the sands of the Ganges; what can be said then if he goes to universes of the ten directions as numerous as the sands of the Ganges? In such a short time, the destinations are truly too numerous!

Answer. 鈥� A 蝉奴迟谤补 says: 鈥淭here are five incomprehensible (acintya) things, namely: i) the number of beings; ii) the retribution of action (办补谤尘补惫颈辫腻办补); iii) the power of a person in meditation (诲丑测腻测补产补濒补); iv) the power of the 苍腻驳补蝉; v) the power of the Buddha. Of these five incomprehensible things, the power of the Buddha is the most incomprehensible.^[2]

The bodhisattva in profound concentrations (驳补尘产丑墨谤补蝉补尘腻诲丑颈) produces incomprehensible superknowledges (补肠颈苍迟测腻产丑颈箩帽腻) and by means of them, in a single moment, goes everywhere in the Buddha universes of the ten directions.

As has been said (p. 329鈥�330F, 1819鈥�1820F) in regard to the four magical powers of movement (驳补尘补苍补峁沝诲丑颈), only the Buddhas and bodhisattvas have the magical powers (峁沝诲丑颈补产丑颈箩帽腻) of moving at the speed of thought (尘补苍辞箩补惫腻 gati). As soon as the chick of the bird with golden wings (驳补谤耻岣峚) comes out of its shell, it goes from Sumeru to Sumeru. It is the same with the bodhisattvas; by the power of their conviction of the non-arising of things (补苍耻迟辫腻诲补办峁Ｄ乶迟颈) they have destroyed the passions (办濒别艣补) and broken the egg-shell of ignorance (补惫颈诲测腻). From then on, in a single instant, they create innumerable bodies for themselves and go in the ten directions.

Furthermore, for the bodhisattva, all the sins (腻辫补迟迟颈) committed during innumerable lifetimes are completely erased and, by the power of wisdom (辫谤补箩帽腻产补濒补), he is able to transform things: to make huge that which is small and to make small that which is huge. He is able to reduce a thousand myriads of immense kalpas into a single day and to extend a single day into the space of a thousand myriads of kalpas. This bodhisattva is the master of the world (濒辞办补蝉惫腻尘颈苍) and his wishes are sovereign. What wish would not be fulfilled? Thus [284a] it is said in the P鈥檌-mo-lo-kie king (Vimalak墨rti蝉奴迟谤补): 鈥淭he bodhisattva makes seven nights last for a kalpa鈥�.^[3]

This is why the bodhisattva, mounted on the power of the superknowledges (补产丑颈箩帽腻产补濒补谤奴岣峢补) is able to leap quickly in the universes of the ten directions.