c. 9th or 10th century CE
trans. Jason Colavito
2025
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NOTE |
The so-called Incomplete Scripture is a Chinese Manichaean text from the Tang Dynasty, around 900 CE, give or take, that appears to be a Chinese translation and adaptation of earlier Manichaean scripture. Taking the form of a dialogue between Mani and his apostle Mar Adda, it is the most important Chinese Manichaean text and of particular interest because it both preserves descriptions of Manichaean mythology that are only alluded to in other texts and because it demonstrates how Manichaeism syncretized with Buddhism and Daoism in ancient China. The Incomplete Scripture was found in a cache of manuscripts in the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang in 1907, and a French translation by Édouard Chavannes and Paul Pelliot appeared in 1911. It is from this translation that I have made an English version, with the caveat that this is meant only to give a sense of the content of the document. I cannot read Chinese and therefore cannot correct the text against the original, and I do not know enough about ancient Chinese or modern Mandarin to adapt the early twentieth century French transliterations of Chinese words into the modern Pinyin system. I have also included selections from the headnote with which Chavannes and Pelliot prefaced their translation in the Journal Asiatique, though I did not translate the lengthy scholarly apparatus and commentary they attached to the translation, much of which is now obsolete.
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INCOMPLETE SCRIPTURE OF MANICHAEISM
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In recent years, the discovery of previously unknown oriental sources has made it possible to resume the study of Manichaeism on a new basis. The extracts from the Book of Scholia, by Theodore bar Konai, published in 1898 by Mr. Pognon, were commented on in 1908 in an excellent work by Mr. Cumont, La cosmogonie manichéenne d’après Théodore bar Khoni. At the same time, the rich material collected in the Turfan region of Chinese Turkestan was gradually being developed. Mr. F. W. K. Müller brilliantly opened the way in 1904 with his Handschriften-Reste in Estrangelo-Schrift aus Turfan; these were Manichaean fragments in Pahlavi and, for one or two pieces, in Sogdian. Turkish fragments followed, but less important. Then, in 1909, a considerable text of Turkish Manichaeism, the Xuastvanift or Confession Manual of the Manichaean Auditors, was published by Mr. Radlov; a new German translation and an English translation of this same text, by Mr. von Le Coq, appeared in 1911. China finally made its contribution. In the caves of Dunhuang, in Gansu, one of us collected in 1908 and immediately reported a fragment of a Manichaean work in Chinese; this fragment was published in Peking, at the beginning of 1909, in the Dunhuang che che yi chou or Lost Books of the Stone Chamber of Dunhuang. Unable to acquire and return to Paris all of Dunhuang's manuscripts, it seemed advisable to urge Chinese scholars in Beijing to ensure that the Chinese government took responsibility for what had to be left in the niche. Their advice was heeded. The several thousand texts which thus entered the National Library in Beijing indeed contain, by and large, only the Buddhist sutras that we had been forced to abandon. There is, however, at least one exception: One of the texts, written in the style of Buddhist sutras, is in fact a Manichean work; it is this one that we are translating today. If we are able to undertake this work, it is thanks to Mr. Luo Zhenyu (Lo Chen-yü). A very good philologist and archaeologist, Mr. Luo Zhenyu is one of the scholars who, using photographs, edited the Dunhuang Che Che Yi Chou. Since then, other photographs of Dunhuang manuscripts that have entered the National Library of Paris have been sent to him by one of us. To edit them, Mr. Luo Zhenyu founded in 1911 a bimonthly publication, the Kouo Hio Ts’ong K’an or Collection of National Scholarship, in which appear, alongside some of our manuscripts, independent works by Chinese scholars. The second fascicle of this publication contains the Manichean work now preserved in Beijing. Mr. Luo Zhenyu, who hesitated between Nestorianism, Mazdaism, and Manichaeism regarding this text, limited himself to provisionally qualifying it as Po sseu kiao ts'an king, or an Incomplete Holy Book of a Persian Religion. The manuscript is indeed incomplete: the beginning is missing. But it is not a fragmentary text. The very handling of scrolls quickly damaged the first sections; this seems to have been the case here, and the initial gap must not have been significant. The end of the scroll is intact; unfortunately, the title was not repeated there; we cannot therefore say immediately and definitely which Manichaean work is in question. However, in the first lines of the preserved part, the Envoy of Light, who is certainly Mani, addresses a certain A-t’o (*A-da). It seems that this is the Ἀδδᾶς that the Acta Archelai indicates as the apostle of Manichaeism in the East, who is also named in the Greek formulas of abjuration used by the Manichaeans and, in the form Addai, in the Syriac Acts of the Persian Martyrs; his writings, according to Photius, would have provoked the treatise of Titus of Bostra, and it is also against them, rather than against the living Gospel of Mani, that the first seven books of Diodorus’ treatise would have been directed. Could our work therefore represent the τὰ Ἄδδου συγγράμματα (“the writings of Addus”) of which Photius speaks? It is possible, and perhaps a later study of the text will support this conclusion. For the moment, going to the most urgent matters, we will limit ourselves to translating this treatise with an explanatory commentary, without further emphasis on its origin or composition. |
… If we do not encounter an occasional cause, we have no way to free ourselves and pursue deliverance.
Is the primitive nature of the carnal body simple or is it double? [For] all the saints without exception who have appeared in the world have distributed and invented methods that would be able to succor the luminous nature, and by which it could free itself from the multitude of sufferings and finally be calm and happy.
After he had asked this question, he bowed in respect, and, drawing back, he stood on one side.
Then the Envoy of Light spoke in these terms to A-t’o “That’s very good! That’s very good! In order to benefit the unlimited crowd of living beings, you have been able to ask this question, which has an extremely deep and mysterious meaning. You are now a great ‘excellent friend’ of the crowd of living beings who, in all worlds, are blinded and misguided, and I will give you an explanation from point to point, so that the net of your doubts be broken forever without anything remaining. All of you, therefore, must know that, before this world was established, the two Envoys of the Light who are Tsing-fong (Pure Wind) and Chan-mou (Excellent Mother) entered the lightless realm of the abysses of darkness; they drew out the valiant ones who were always victorious... [covered with] the breastplate of great knowledge, [namely] the five divided luminous bodies; they took them in hand ingeniously that they might go up and advance, and they brought them out of the five chasms. The Five Kinds of Demons stuck together to the five luminous bodies, like the fly that attaches itself to honey, like the bird that is held by glue, like the fish that swallowed the hook. For this reason, the Messenger of Light named Tsing-fong (Pure Wind), by means of the five kinds of demons and the five luminous bodies and by the combination of their two forces, constituted the ten heavens and the eight earths of the universe. Thus, the universe is the pharmacy where luminous bodies are healed, but at the same time it is the prison where the dark demons are chained. These [two Envoys of the Light], Tsing-fong (Pure Wind) and Chan-mou (Excellent Mother), established, by an ingenious process, the ten heavens, and then they instituted the wheel of revolutions, as well as the palaces of the sun and the moon, and also the eight earths below, the three garments and the three wheels, and even the three calamities, the four courtyards with iron enclosures, Mount Wei-lao-kiu-fou, as well as all the small mountains, oceans and rivers. When they had done all these things and had constituted the universe, they imprisoned the five kinds of demons and chained them by means of the thirteen great luminous forces. These thirteen kinds of great brave forces are the five luminous sons of Sien-yi (Earlier Reasoning) and the five luminous sons of Tsing-fong (Pure Wind), then Hou-lou-chö-tö (Khroštag), P’o-leou-houo-tö (Padvakhtag), as well as Sou-lou-cha-lo-yi (Sroš-ḥaråy). The five luminous bodies were like the prison, and the five kinds of demons were together shut up in this prison. The Five Sons of Tsing-fong (Pure Wind) were like the magistrates governing the prison. Chouo-t’ing (the one who listens when spoken to = Khroštag) and Houan-ying (the one who answers when called = Padvakhtag) were like those who shout the night watches. As for the thirteenth (of the great luminous forces), namely Su-lou-chalo-yi (Sroš-ḥaråy), it was like the king who judges affairs.
When the demon of lust having seen these things, in his poisoned heart he again conceived a wicked project; he therefore ordered Lou-yi and Ye-lo-yang to imitate Tsing-fong (Pure Wind) and Chan-mou (Excellent Mother). In this [macrocosm], by transformation they constituted the body of man and imprisoned in it the luminous natures in order to imitate The Big World. Thus, the carnal body, with its poisonous and evil lust and lust and concupiscence, was, though smaller, the faithful image from point to point of the universe of heaven and earth. The Wheel of Revolutions, the Constellations, the Three Calamities, and the Four Enclosures, the great seas and rivers, the two lands of dry and wet, plants and animals, mountains and streams as well as mounds and mounds, spring, summer, fall and winter, years, months, hours and days, and even the limited and the unlimited, there was not a single formation of the universe that they did not imitate [in the fleshly body]. Thus, when a goldsmith, copying the shape of a white elephant, engraved it inside a ring, it is exactly like the body of the elephant itself; it is in the same way that man is similar to the universe.
[Furthermore], Tsing-fong (Pure Wind) had taken the five kinds of demons, and, in the thirteen kinds of pure luminous bodies, he had imprisoned and chained them, and no longer allowed them to be independent. Seeing this, the demon conceived envious and poisonous feelings; he enclosed the five luminous natures in the fleshly body, which he made into a small universe (microcosm); in his turn, he used the thirteen dark non-luminous forces to imprison and chain [the five luminous natures], which he no longer allowed to be independent. Thus, this demon of lust enclosed the pure ether in the city of bones; he established the dark thought, in which he planted a tree of death. Then he enclosed the excellent wind in the city of nerves; he established the dark feeling, in which he planted a tree of death. Then he enclosed the force of light in the city of veins; he established dark reflection, in which he planted a tree of death. Then he shut up the excellent water in the city of the flesh; he established the dark intellect, in which he planted a tree of death. Then he shut up the excellent fire in the city of the skin; he established the dark reasoning, in which he planted a tree of death. The demon of covetousness planted these five poisoned trees of death in the five kinds of corrupt land; he caused them on every occasion to disappoint and disturb the primitive luminous nature, to draw out the alien nature and produce poisonous fruits: thus, the tree of dark thought grows within the city of bones: its fruit is hatred; the tree of dark sentiment grows within the city of nerves: its fruit is irritation; the tree of dark reflection grows within the city of veins: its fruit is lust; the tree of the dark intellect grows within the city of flesh: its fruit is anger; The tree of dark reasoning grows within the city of the skin: its fruit is foolishness. Thus it was that of the five kinds of things, which are bones, nerves, veins, flesh, and skin, he made a prison, and shut up in it the five divided bodies (that is, which are the divisions of the first luminous principle), in the same way as the five luminous (bodies) held the various kinds of demons prisoners. Moreover, from hatred, irritation, lust, anger, and folly he made the magistrates of the prison to imitate the five valiant sons of Tsing-fong (Pure Wind). In the middle [he placed the demon of] lust [and that of] concupiscence to represent Chouo-t’ing (Khroštag) and Houan-ying (Padvakhtag) who shout the watches of the night. Violent, voracious and poisonous fire, he gave him full freedom, so that he could imitate Su-lou-cha-lo-yi (Sroš-ḥaråy).
When these five luminous bodies had endured such sufferings, and were imprisoned and chained, they forgot their primitive feelings, as a madman, or a drunken man, does, or like [the one referred to in the following comparison]: one having intertwined a multitude of poisonous serpents into a cage in which the heads of the serpents are all turned inwards, and where they spit their venom in all directions, if a man is brought into that cage and hung upside down, then, because he is threatened by the venom and because he is hung upside down, that man will be led astray in his heart and in his mind; he will no longer have leisure to think even of his father and mother, and his parents, and of what was originally his joy. It is in the same way that the five luminous natures behave when they have been imprisoned and chained by the devil in the carnal body, where they endure sufferings day and night.
In addition, Tsing-fong (Pure Wind) made (or had made) two luminous ships which he set on the sea of life and death to make good men cross it and to bring them back to their primitive world, so that their luminous nature was definitely calm and happy.
When the demon of hatred, the master of lust having seen this, he conceived feelings of irritation and jealousy; He then made the forms of the two sexes, the male and the female, in order to imitate the two great luminous vessels, which are the sun and the moon, and to deceive and disturb the luminous nature, so that it would mount the boats of darkness, and, led by them, enter the underworld, that it transmigrated in the five conditions of existence, that she would suffer all the sufferings and that in the end it would be difficult for her to be delivered.
When there is an Envoy of the Light who appears in the world to instruct and convert the multitude of living beings in order to deliver them from all their sufferings, he begins by sending down through the door of their ears the sound of the Marvelous Law; then he enters the old house and, employing the great magical prayers, he imprisons the multitude of poisonous serpents as well as all the wild beasts, and no longer allows them to be at liberty. Moreover, equipped with the axe of wisdom, he cuts down and cuts down the poisonous trees, and he uproots their stumps as well as all other unclean plants; at the same time he orders that the hall of the palace be purely and majestically adorned, and that a seat [for the preaching] of the Law be placed there; he then sits down there. Just as when the king of a kingdom has triumphed over an enemy and hateful kingdom, he adorns in this land a lofty hall, he sets a throne there, and he judges all men, good and bad, with equity, so does this Envoy of the beneficent Light. When he has entered the old city and destroyed the hateful enemies, he must at once separate the two forces of Light and Dark, and not allow them to mingle. He begins by subduing hatred; he imprisons him in the city of bones, and causes the pure ether to be entirely freed from its bonds. He then subdues the irritation and imprisons it in the city of nerves; he makes sure that the pure and excellent wind is immediately delivered. He then subdues lust and imprisons it in the city of veins; he makes sure that the luminous force can immediately rid itself of its bonds. He then subdues the anger and imprisons it in the city of the flesh; he ensures that excellent water can be immediately delivered. He then subdues the folly; he imprisons him in the city of the skin; he causes the excellent fire to be entirely delivered. The two demons of lust and concupiscence, he imprisons in the middle. The violent, hungry, and poisoned fire, he lets him go free. This is how a goldsmith whoever desires to smelt gold begins by procuring fire; if he does not find a fire, the melting does not take place. The Envoy of the beneficent Light is comparable to the goldsmith; as for the Yi-lieou-eul-yun-ni, it is like gold ore; and as for the hungry devil, it is the violent fire that melts the five divided bodies [of the primitive light] and makes them become pure. The great Messenger of the beneficent Light, in the bodies of excellence, makes use of the hungry fire to produce great profit.
The Five Light Forces dwell in [the body formed by] the combined substances [of the two forces of light and dark]; Therefore the excellent man distinguishes and chooses between the two forces, and causes them to separate from each other.
The carnal body is also called the “old man”. It consists of bones, nerves, veins, flesh, skin, hatred, irritation, lust, anger, folly, as well as covetousness, gluttony, and lust; These thirteen terms constitute by their union a single body which symbolizes [in the macrocosm] the world without beginning and without light.
The Second Dark Night is none other than all evil natures which have been wickedly conceived by the demon of covetousness, namely: folly, lust, boasting, inconvenient temper for others, irritation, impurity, destruction, disintegration, death, deception, revolt, obscure thought; these are the twelve hours of the dark night without clarity and dreadful. These are the signs that [show that this night] originated originally from the demons.
For this reason, then, the great Sage of the beneficent Light by excellent methods, distinguished in the carnal body thus constituted the luminous nature, and came to its aid so that it could be delivered. Of its own five members, he brought out by transformation the five liberalities to be useful to the luminous nature: first, from his luminous thought, he brought forth by transformation pity and added it to the pure ether; secondly, of his luminous feeling..., he brought out contentment by transformation and added it to the force of light; then, from his luminous intellect, he brought out patience by transformation and added it to pure water; then, from his luminous reasoning, he brought forth wisdom and added it to the pure fire; [as to] Hou-lou-cho-to (Khroštag) and P’o-leou-houo-tö (Padvakhtag), to the treasure of [their] words, he added wisdom. These thirteen terms, namely: ether, wind, light, water, fire, pity, good faith, contentment, patience, wisdom, together with Hulou-chô-tô (Khroštag), P’o-leou-houo-tö (Padvakhtag) and the beneficent Light, are signs that symbolize the Venerable of the Light of the world of pure light. Those who observe all the tusks are like the sun. The second day is that in which the twelve great kings [who are] wisdom [and the others], [occur] by the transformation of [the Messenger of] the beneficent Light. These are signs that symbolize the round and complete sun.
As for the third day, whenever the seven kinds of Mo-ho-lo-sa-pen (Mahraspand) enter into the body of a pure religious master, from [the Envoy of the] Beneficent Light he receives the five liberalities, and [these] twelve hours realize the full day: these are signs that symbolize the great strength of Su-lou-cha-lo-yi (Sroš-ḥaråy).
These three days, to which we add the two nights, are signs that there are absolutely two worlds, both for religious masters and for simple devotees.
Sometimes it happens that the old man enters into a struggle with the new man who is wise; This is similar to [what happened] when, for the first time, the demon of lust decided to invade the world of light. There are the following signs of this. From the dark and poisonous thought of this old man, demons come forth by transformation, which immediately struggle with the member of the thought of the new man. If this new man does not heed the signs, he abolishes and forgets his luminous thought, and immediately there are the signs of it: such a man, in his conduct, will have no mercy; in the affairs he encounters, he will conceive hatred; immediately it will defile the pure thought member of its luminous nature, and the alien nature which temporarily dwells in it will also be affected and damaged. If he knows how to keep the signs, he will awaken, he will drive out hatred and practice pity; the member of thought of his luminous nature will return to its purity; the alien nature that dwells temporarily in him will free itself from all dangers. Happy and stamping his feet with joy, he thanked him with homage and went away.
Sometimes the new man forgets and loses the signs; then from the midst of his obscure feeling, demons come out by transformation, who immediately struggle against the feeling of the new man. In the body of this man there are great signs of it: this man, in his conduct, will not have good faith; in the affairs he encounters, he will conceive irritation; the alien nature which dwells temporarily in him will be immediately infected. But if the member of the feeling of his luminous nature returns to the signs and does not forget his primitive feeling, it will awaken him and he will continue [the irritation]; this irritation will recede and disperse, and his good faith will be the same as before; the alien nature which dwells provisionally in him will avoid all suffering, and he will reach his primitive world.
Sometimes the new man forgets the signs; then from his obscure, poisonous, and non-luminous reflection, demons emerge by transformation, which immediately struggle against the member of the pure reflection of the new man. Then in this man there are great signs of it: this man, in his conduct, will have no contentment; his feelings of concupiscence will be inflamed; the alien nature which dwells temporarily in him will be immediately infected. But if for this man the signs are not forgotten, as far as the member of his contentment is concerned,, he will be able to protect him well; he will overthrow all thoughts of concupiscence and will not allow them to rise again. The alien nature that dwells provisionally in him will avoid all suffering. Pure at all times, he will reach his primitive world.
Sometimes from the non-luminous intellect of this man, demons come out by transformation which immediately struggle against the intellect of the new man. If this man abolishes and forgets his primitive intellect, there are signs of it: this man, in his conduct, will have no patience; in the affairs he encounters, he will conceive anger. The two natures, the one that is the stranger and the one that is the mistress [of the house], will at all times be infected. If, for this man, the signs are not forgotten, he will awaken and repel the enemy; his feelings of anger will recede and go away; the great strength of patience will return to sustain and protect him. The alien nature that dwells provisionally in him will gladly free itself; the member of the luminous thought of his primitive nature will become again what he was before.
Sometimes, from the non-luminous reasoning of this man, demons come out by transformation which immediately struggle against the member of the reasoning of the new man. If this man forgets and loses his primitive reasoning, there are signs of it: this man, in his conduct, will be very foolish; both his natures, the one who is the stranger and the one who is the mistress [of the house], will both be infected. If, for this man, the signs are not forgotten, in case the stupidity should arise immediately and of his own accord he will awaken and will be able to submit it promptly; with zeal he will strive for energy and will realize wisdom. The alien nature which dwells provisionally in him because of his good deeds may be entirely pure. The reasoning member of his luminous thought, in a limpid manner, will be undefiled.
These five kinds of very great struggles, the new man and the old man at every moment engage in one. The new man, by means of these five kinds of forces, defends himself against his hateful enemies. These are signs reminiscent of the saints of the macrocosm: pity symbolizes the Envoy of the Light who holds the world together; good faith symbolizes the Great King of the Ten Heavens; contentment symbolizes the victorious Envoy who subdues the demons; patience symbolizes the Envoy of Light who is in the bowels of the earth; wisdom symbolizes the Messenger of light who accelerates clarity. It is for this reason that the saints of the past and the religion of the present Thus speak the words: The man who enters religion, if he has not to struggle with the limited carnal body, has to struggle against the poisonous natures of unlimited demons. Therefore, the pure masters who observe the prohibitions are like the saints: why is this? it is because they subdue the hatreds of demons not differently from the saints.
Sometimes the old man’s soldiers retreat and are beaten; the religious thought of the beneficent Light is then at ease and walks about; it reaches the innumerable realms of the five kinds of worlds of the new man; then it enters the city of marvelous pure thought; in the magnificent hall there, she sets up a seat to [preach] the Law and sits down there. Then it arrives at the cities of feeling, reflection, intellect, and reasoning, in the same manner as before, and it enters successively into each of them.
When the beneficent Light walks through the city of [a master’s] thought, it should be known that this master preaches the correct Law in a wonderful way, delights in speaking of the three permanences and the five greatness of the Great Light, and, thanks to his supernatural penetration, produces by transformation all thoughts in their entirety; then, in his preaching of the Law, he speaks especially of pity.
When the beneficent Light walks through the city of [a master’s] feeling, it should be known that this master delights in discoursing on the luminous palaces of the sun and moon, and, thanks to its supernatural penetration, produces by transformation the entire majestic force; then, in his preaching of the Law, he speaks especially of good faith.
When the beneficent Light walks through the city of reflection, it must be known that this master delights in discoursing on the great minister Sou-lou-cha-lo-yi (Sroš-haråy), and, thanks to its supernatural penetration, produces silence by transformation in full; then, in his preaching of the Law, he speaks especially of contentment.
When the beneficent Light walks through the city of the intellect [of a master], it must be known that this master delights in discoursing on the five lights, and, thanks to his supernatural penetration, manifests by transformation...; then, in his preaching of the Law, he speaks especially of patience.
When [the beneficent Light] walks through the city of [a master’s] reasoning, it must be known that this master delights in discoursing about the Envoys of the Light of the past, the future, and the present and, thanks to its supernatural penetration, produces by transformation the freedom to be invisible or visible; then, in his preaching of the Law, he speaks especially of wisdom.
Thus, the wise one, by carefully examining such a teacher, knows at once in what realm the beneficent Light is to be found.
If there are tien-na-wu (dênâvar) which in this way ensure prosperity of the correct Law without superior, and until the end of their lives do not turn back, after their death their old man, with the dark and unluminous force of his crowd of soldiers, will fall into hell from which he will never emerge. At the same time, the beneficent Light, dragging the pure parent of its own luminous army, will go straight into the world of Light; Definitely [this Master] will no longer be afraid and will receive joy forever.
The Ying louen king (Book of the Wheel of Retribution) said: “If tien-na-wu (dênâvar) have the whole of the Excellent Law in their persons, [then] the Father of Light, the Son of Light, and the Wind of the Pure Law are all in his person and constantly walk or stop there. The Father of Light is the Venerable of Light without a superior in the world of Light. The Son of Light is the brightness of the sun and the moon. The Wind of the Pure Law is Houei-ming (Beneficent Light).”
The Ning wan king (Book of Universal Appeasement?) says: “If tien-na-wu (dênâvar) fully realize the excellent Law in themselves, [then] pure Light and greatly strong Wisdom will be fully cultivated and present in their person. Then the merits of the new man will be complete. »
All of you, listen carefully. When the great Envoy of the Beneficent Light had entered this world, he overthrew the crooked quarters of the city of heresy, he destroyed the ancient mansions and penetrated to the palace of the demon.
Now this demon of covetousness, seeing that his quarters had been destroyed, made another unclean city; on account of the folly which belongs to him alone, he caused the five concupiscences to act without restriction.
Now it happened that the valiant religious children of the Pure Wind who is a white dove, and the sons of the great Saint entered that city; they looked in the four directions and saw nothing but smoke and clouds that all around protected the innumerable crooked quarters [of the impure city]. When they saw this from afar, they continued to advance gradually and came to the top of the rampart [of the city]; Looking straight down from afar, they saw seven precious pearls; each of these precious pearls taken in isolation is of inestimable value; all were covered with various defilements that coiled over them and covered them.
Then the Messenger of the beneficent Light chose a rich and fertile soil and sowed his own seed without superior light; moreover, he removed the models from his own limbs, so that all the jewels abounded for himself[according to these models]; with great profit, he prosperously created all kinds of ornaments; he satisfied the inner nature and made of it a support column; The seed of truth, leaning on this pillar, was able to come out of the five kinds of dark, unluminous chasms. It was as in the macrocosm, where Sien-yi (Primitive Reasoning) and Tsing-fong (Pure Wind) had each had five sons who had served as a support column for the five luminous bodies.
Then the skillful Ploughman of the beneficent Light, because he hated the five steep and dangerous lands of non-light, razed and filled them; He began by removing the brambles and all the poisoned herbs and he burned them with fire; then he cut down the five kinds of poisoned trees. When the five dark lands had been razed and ruined, for the use of the new man he established a princely hall with palaces; in the gardens of these palaces he planted all kinds of fragrant flowers and precious trees; then, for the use of his own person, he decorated a palace with a throne room; then for all those who accompanied him, who were innumerable, he also made palaces.
This Envoy of the beneficent Light, by his majestic supernatural power, instituted these achievements of all kinds. Then he upset the dark, poisonous, and evil lands of lust and lust, and caused them to be overthrown. Then the five kinds of pure members of the luminous nature could gradually develop; these five members are: thought, feeling, reflection, intellect, reasoning.
Then the Messenger of the beneficent Light, in the five kinds of precious lands of purity, planted the five kinds of precious trees of luminous, beyond all praise and without superiors. Then, on the five kinds of luminous precious terraces, he lighted the five luminous precious lamps that last forever.
When the Envoy of the beneficent Light had made the five liberalities, he began by driving out the dark non-luminous thought; he cut down and removed the five kinds of poisonous and evil trees of death: the root of this tree is hatred; its trunk is violence; its branches are irritation; its leaves are aversion; its fruits are division; his taste is bland; its color is denigration. Then he drove away the dark and non-luminous feeling, from which he cut down and removed the tree of death; this tree has for its root the lack of faith; its trunk is oblivion; its branches are hesitation and negligence; its leaves, violence; its fruits, torments; his taste, greed, and concupiscence; its color, resistance. He then chased away the dark non-luminous reflection, from which he cut down and removed the tree of death; the root of this tree is concupiscence; its trunk, laziness; its branches, violence; its leaves, the hatred of superiors; its fruits, mockery: its taste, covetousness; its color, sensual love. The various kinds of impure actions are committed first and then repented of. Then he drove out the dark intellect, and cut down and removed the tree of death. The root of this tree is anger; its trunk is stupidity; its branches are lack of faith; its leaves are unintelligence; its fruits are disdain; his taste is pride; its color is contempt for others. Then he drove away obscure reasoning, from which he cut down and removed the tree of death; the root of this tree is stupidity; its trunk is the absence of memory; its branches are slowness of mind; its leaves are to look at its shadow and to believe himself without rival; its fruits are to surpass the common man in the luxury of clothing and adornment; his taste is to love necklaces, pearls, rings, bracelets and to cover his body with all kinds of jewels; its color is the immoderate desire for drinks and foods of all kinds of flavors in order to benefit the carnal body.
The trees we have just described are the trees of death. The demon of covetousness, in these dark and non-luminous dens, had put all his zeal into planting them.
Then, when the Messenger of the Beneficent Light, having used the sharp axe of wisdom, had successively cut down all these trees, he took his own precious trees of five kinds, luminous, pure, and without superiors, and planted them in the lands of primitive nature; he watered these precious trees with the water of ambrosia and they produced fruits that give immortality.
First, he planted the tree of thought. For this tree of thought, the root is pity; its trunk, joy; its branches, felicity; its leaves, the praise of the multitude; its fruits, absolute calm; his taste, respect; its color, firmness. He then planted the precious, marvelous, and pure tree of feeling; the root of this tree is good faith; its trunk, faith; its branches, fear; its leaves, vigilance; its fruits, the application to the study; his taste, reading and recitation (of holy texts); its color, calm joy. He then planted the tree of reflection; the root of this tree is contentment; its trunk, the good thought; its branches, the imposing rules; its leaves, the truth that adorns all acts; its fruits, the truthful words by which there are no more lying words; his taste, the speeches on the correct and pure Law; its color, the pleasure of meeting others. Then he planted the tree of the intellect; the root of this tree is the endurance of insults; its trunk, absolute calm; its branches, patience; its leaves, the prohibitions and precepts of discipline; its fruits, fasting and hymns; his taste, zeal to practice [religion]; its color, energy. Then he planted the tree of reasoning; the root of this tree is wisdom; its trunk is the complete understanding of the meaning of the two principles; its branches are the ability to discuss the Law of Light; its leaves are to know the arguments in a manner appropriate to the circumstances, to be able to crush heterodox doctrines, to honor and strengthen the true Law; its fruits are to be skillful in questioning and answering, and to excel in speaking with the proper arguments; his taste is to excel in making use of apologues that make men understand well; its color is the beautiful expressions that make what is exhibited please the crowd.
The trees we have just described are those which are called the trees of life.
So, the Messenger of the beneficent Light took these excellent trees; then, in the five lands of primitive nature which are on the four sides of the throne of the marvelous palace of this new city, and in the pavilions of its gardens, in these lands he planted them.
In these [lands], the king is pity; pity is the ancestor of all meritorious actions; it is like the bright sun which, in the midst of all lights, prevails over them; it is like the full moon, which, in the midst of all the stars, is the most venerable; it is still like the diadem of the king of a kingdom which is the most beautiful and the first of all adornments; it is also like the trees of which the fruits are the best; it is like the luminous nature which dwells in this dark body, and which, in this body, is an unequalled wonder; it is also the ordinary salt that can give their taste to meats and the most excellent dishes of all kinds; it is also like the seal of the king of a kingdom which, wherever it is affixed, makes one obey without reserve; it is still like the precious pearl called “clear moon” who is the first among all jewels; it is still like the colorless varnish made with glue which is more tenacious than all colors; it is also like the surfaces that are coated with lime and which are in each of their points fresh and white; or again, as is a palace in the middle of which is the king, and because of this king the palace is imposing and pure; such also is pity. He who possesses pity possesses by this very fact the excellent Law; if one does not have pity, no meritorious action can succeed. It is for all these reasons that he is called the king.
Inside pity there is still good faith; This good faith is the mother of all good things. She is like the king’s wife who can help the king of the land to support and feed all beings; it is also like the force of fire that can cook all food and give us all flavors. Just as the sun and moon are without comparison the most venerable of all the stars, and, by spreading their brilliance, illuminate everything, so that there is nothing that does not benefit from them; in the same way, pity and good faith make the various meritorious actions succeed and are complete. Pity and good faith are also, for all the saints of the past and of the future, the fundamental basis luminous causes, the marvelous door that lets us see everywhere. They are also the narrow path on which one walks standing sideways along the great sea of torment in the three worlds; among hundreds and thousands of men, seldom is there a single one to embark on this path; if there are any who engage in it, thanks to this path, they can be born in the Pure Land, to free oneself from punishments and to free oneself; definitively without fear, they will rejoice perpetually in calm and tranquility.
Then the Messenger of the beneficent Light caused the three great beneficent days of light to shine entirely upon the dark body of the devil, and he subdued the two kinds of dark non-luminous nights. It is a sign that symbolizes the Light without superior.
The first day is the beneficent Light; its twelve hours are the twelve great kings in victorious form.
This is a sign that symbolizes the uncomplicated excellence of the world of pure Light.
The second day is the pure seed of the New Man. The twelve hours are the twelve luminous kings of secondary transformation; they are also the marvelous garments of the victorious form of Yi-chou (Yîšô, Jesus) which he gives to luminous nature; by means of these marvelous garments, he adorns the inner nature and makes sure that nothing is lacking; pulling it upwards, he makes it rise and advance and separate itself forever from the filthy earth. This day of the New Man imitates the vast and great Su-lou-cha-lo-yi (Sroš-ḥaråy); the twelve hours imitate the five luminous sons of Sien-yi (Earlier Reasoning) and the five luminous sons of Tsing-fong (Pure Wind), as well as Hou-lou-chö-tö (Khroštag) and P’o-leou-houo-to (Padvakhtag); putting them together, it makes thirteen pure luminous members that form a day.
On the third day, it is Chouo-t’ing (the Appellant, Khroštag) and Houan-ying-cheng (the Respondent, Padvakhtag). The twelve hours are: In a marvelous way, thought, feeling, reflection, intellect and reasoning, combined with pity, good faith, contentment, patience of insults and wisdom... symbolize the Envoy of the Light of the Sun in the macrocosm. The twelve hours of pity, etc., and form, etc., symbolize the twelve daughters of transformation of the palace of the sun. The light [of these twelve hours] being complete, they form by coming together one day.
Then there are the two dark nights.
The first night is the demon of lust. The twelve hours are bones, nerves, veins, flesh and skin, as well as hatred, irritation, concupiscence, anger and folly, (to which are added) the hungry fires of lust and concupiscence. The impure poisons of all these categories are what symbolize the first dark night without beginning and without clarity in the world of darkness.
The second night is the burning flame of concupiscence violent and poisonous. His twelve hours are the twelve obscure and poisonous thoughts. This dark night is a sign that symbolizes the first success of the demons.
At that time, the day of the beneficent Light opposing these dark nights, of no light and deep darkness, by the force of its light subdued their dark nature, and there was nothing [of these nights] that did not recede and disperse. This is a sign that symbolizes the submission of the devil by the first Envoy of the Light.
Moreover, the Messenger of the beneficent Light, who in the non-luminous body was free in any case, subdued all the demons. Like a king who, in his audience hall, rewards and punishes without fear.
As for the [twelve] forms of beneficent Light, the first is the great king; the second is wisdom; the third is constant victory; the fourth is joy; the fifth is the application to practice [the precepts of religion]; the sixth is equality; the seventh is faith; the eighth is the endurance of insults; the ninth is righteous thoughts; the tenth is meritorious actions; the eleventh is the uniform heart; the twelfth is the total light [of nature] from within and [of nature] from without. These twelve great luminous hours, when they enter into the five realms which are thought, feeling, reflection, intellect and reasoning, cause an unlimited light to grow in each of them, in turn; each of them successively manifests fruits which are also unlimited; these fruits are all manifested in the crowd of pure adepts.
If the tien-na-wu (dênâvar) have completed the twelve hours of daylight, you must know that such masters differ from the crowd; if they are said to differ, it is in this that these mou-chö and these fou-to-tan in their bodies and hearts, always conceive extraordinary, benevolent and affable knowledge, and that they are calm and harmonious. Such signs mark that the [twelve] trees of the twelve forms [of the beneficent Light] are showing their first buggers; on these trees there is constantly an abundance of precious flowers which have no superiors; when they opened their brilliance illuminates everything. Inside each of these flowers are countless Buddhas of transformation, successively and without interruption, produce their innumerable persons by transformation.
If the tien-na-wu (dênâvar) have in them the first tree, which is that of great royalty, you must know that such masters show five signs of it: 1. They do not like to live always in the same place; like a king who, being independent, does not always live in the same place, but sometimes walks about taking with him the multitude of his soldiers, holding their weapons in an imposing manner and having their equipment complete; he can thus cause all the ferocious beasts and all hateful enemies to lurk in their lairs. 2. They are not miserly. In the place where they stop, if they receive alms, they do not make private use of them, but they hand them over to the great assembly. 3. Chaste, they guard against all faults and all evils; Capable of being pure themselves, they can also excite in their turn those who also apply themselves to study, and make them also become pure. 4. They always stand by their venerable masters who possess wisdom, but if there are men without wisdom, who love to argue empty, and who are quarrelsome, they depart from them far away. 5. They always take pleasure in remaining in the society of pure adepts; in whatever place they may be, they do not isolate themselves from the crowd [of the faithful] to remain alone in a room If there are men who act in this way, they are called sick; For it is in this way that in the world a sick person, being tormented by his illness, always wishes to remain alone and does not wish to have his relatives and friends with him. Such also are those who do not love society.
The second [tree] is that of wisdom. If tien-na-wu (dênâvar) observing the defenses have the nature of wisdom in them, you must know that such masters show five signs of it: 1. They always delight in praising and praising pure men who possess wisdom, and they love pure and wise adepts; to dwell [with them] in one place, they conceive joy in their hearts and never tire of it. 2. If their own root of wisdom [is weak, so that] what they see and understand is narrow and insufficient, when they hear the words imbued with wisdom spoken by other sages, they do not conceive any jealousy. 3. In all their conduct they study ardently, and their hearts are not slackened. 4. They apply themselves incessantly to studying all the good rules imposing the means of [obtaining] wisdom; they also encourage other men to apply themselves to it with them. 5. As for the tusks, they are very careful not to violate them; if they violate them by mistake, they immediately confess it in front of the assembly and express their repentance.
The third [tree] is that of constant victory. If pure tien-na-wou (dênâvar) have within them the nature of victory, you must know that such masters show five signs of it: 1. They do not delight in slander, flattery, or cruelty; if they meet men acting in this way, they do not approach them. 2. They do not delight in quarrels and shouting; if they meet quarrelsome people, they move away from them as quickly as possible; if men seek a quarrel with them by force, they know how to be humble and patient. 3. If, in a discussion, the other has been defeated, they do not allow themselves to profit by the excess of his peril, but praise him to put him at ease. 4. On all occasions, they do not manifest [their thoughts] in a disorderly manner and, if they are not questioned, they do not speak; If someone comes to them to question them, they answer only after having reflected; they do not expose themselves to being, in the end, covered with shame for something said. 5o When they speak with others, they are conciliatory and not contradictory: nor do they make compelling demonstrations in such a way as to make evident the faults of their interlocutor. If they are with the crowd of the followers of religion, their hearts are in harmony and there are no divisions.
The fourth [tree] is that of joy. If pure tien-na-wou (dênâvar) have in themselves the nature of joy, you must know that such masters show five signs of it: 1. As for the prescriptions of the holy religion concerning prohibitions, progress and stopping according to the imposing rules, they rejoice in them from point to point and adhere to them with all their strength; until the end of their life, their heart does not abandon them. 2. The ordinances of the saints relating to the clothing that one changes only once a year and to the food that one takes only once a day, they observe them with joy and do not consider them vexatious; nor do they make false demonstrations by saying: “The saints have provisionally established these rules”; nor do they wrongly quote the holy books and doctrinal treatises to say that those who, understanding the second revelation, seek deliverance, do not have to observe these prohibitions. 3. They study only the correct and pure law of their own sect and do not seek after various heretical and harmful doctrines. 4. Their hearts are always humble; in their dealings with those who study like themselves, they do not hate those who are superior to them. 5. If they are in an inferior condition, they do not exceed those who are above them; if they are themselves venerable leaders, they consider the multitude as themselves and have no partiality in their affections.
The fifth [tree] is that of zeal. If there are pure tien-na-wou (dênâvar) who have within them the zealous nature, you must know that such masters show five signs of it: 1. They do not like to sleep, [for fear that] it might prevent them from performing actions [leading] to perfection. 2. They constantly delight in reading and reciting [the holy books] and their zealous heart does not tire; if those who study with them give them a teaching, they pay attention to it and thank them with joy; and on the other hand, for a teaching they have received, their hearts conceive no resentment; being always zealous, they also excite the zeal of others. 3. They always delight in expounding, by commenting on it, the correct law of purity. 4. They recite the hymns according to the rites, then they transcribe what they have recited and then they repeat it in their minds; in this way, not a moment is wasted. 5. They adhere firmly and unwaveringly to the prohibitions they observe.
The sixth [tree] is that of truth. If there are pure tien-na-wu (denavar) who have the nature of truth within them, you should know that such masters display five signs: 1. The explanations they give of the holy books and religious doctrine are entirely true; they conform absolutely to the holy religion and expose nothing false; they say yes when it means yes and no when it means no. 2. Their heart and mind are always in accord with the truth: they do not wait for an opportunity from outside to regulate themselves according to it. 3. The actions they perform while complying with the prohibitions are always truthful; whether they are alone or among the crowd, their hearts are not two-faced. 4. With regard to their teachers, their hearts are constantly decided; they serve them with all their strength and do not conceive of any doubt; even until their death, they have no other idea. 5. As for those who study with them, they encourage them to practice [the practice of religion]; by their truthful conduct, they serve as guides to all.
The seventh [tree] is that of faith. If there are pure tien-na-wou (dênâvar) who have within them the nature of faith, you must know that such masters show five signs: 1. They believe in the meaning of the two principles; their heart is pure and conceives no doubt; they reject darkness and follow the light, as prescribed by the saints. 2. With regard to all prohibitions and rules of discipline, their heart is well resolved. 3. With regard to the holy books, they do not allow themselves to add or subtract a single sentence or a word. 4. With regard to the true doctrine, for everything that is profitable to it, their heart joins in its joy; but if they see that it is wounded and tormented by the devil, then they conceive compassion and participate in its worries. 5. They do not imprudently divulge the faults of others; They do not allow themselves any denigration and do not spread deceitful talk; their nature is always affable; they are upright without duplicity.
The eighth [tree] is that of patience. If there are pure tien-na-wu (denavar) who have within them the nature of patience, you should know that such masters display five signs: 1. Their heart is constantly benevolent and does not conceive of anger. 2. They are always joyful and do not experience irritation. 3. In every place, their heart is without hatred. 4. Their heart is not violent; their speech is neither coarse nor malicious; constantly, with affable words, they please the hearts of the crowd. 5. If, either within or without, there are evil torments that arise against them and come to invade and humiliate them, they know how to bear everything with patience; they remain joyful and do not harbor hatred.
The ninth [tree] is that of righteous thought. If there are pure tien-na-wou (dênâvar) who have within them the nature of righteous thought, you should know that such masters show five signs: 1. They are not bound by torments and are always joyful in their righteous and pure thought. 2. Regarding religion, whether a small or a great one questions them, they receive [his question] with respect and answer it with joy. 3. When they speak with those who study like them, they do not reply in an embarrassing manner; They do not defend their own errors and do not harbor feelings of discontent. 4. Their words and actions are in agreement; their hearts are always simple and upright; they do not seek out the faults of others in such a way as to produce disputes. 5. If among their brothers in religion there are some who, with regard to the holy religion, have heterodox feelings, they immediately distance themselves from them; they do not remain with them and do not stay near them in such a way as to form with them a force which intentionally disturbs the assembly of good people.
The tenth [tree] is that of meritorious deeds. If there are pure tien-na-wu (denâvar) who have in them the nature of meritorious deeds, you must know that such masters show five signs of this; 1. The words they speak do no harm to anyone. Constantly, by the resources of excellent skill of their compassionate hearts, they make the whole multitude of men joyful. 2. Their hearts are always pure and do not hate others; nor do they make calumnies capable of irritating others; their words are always kind, and they remove from them the four kinds of faults. 3. Neither towards the great nor towards the humble do they feel any jealousy. 4. They do not bring people together a crowd of adepts, disciples instructed in the holy books and doctrinal treatises; wherever they come, if there is a place of residence that is pure, they are pleased to stop there, and do not choose a sumptuous [dwelling]. 5. They always enjoy teaching to all men, and by their wisdom and marvelous resources, they make them practice correct conduct.
The eleventh [tree] is that of uniformity of heart. If there are pure tien-na-wu (denavar) who have in them the nature of uniformity of heart, you must know that such masters show five signs of it: 1. All the teachings given to them by the head of the religion, the mou-chô and the fou-to-tan, concerning the means of excellent skill of wisdom, and progress and stopping according to the imposing rules, they conform to them from point to point in their conduct; they dare not change anything and do not confine themselves to their own opinions. 2. They always delight in dwelling harmoniously in the company of the multitude; They do not want to remain apart and each have different projects. 3. Their uniform hearts are in harmony [with that of others]; because of this harmony, the alms they receive they make a meritorious work for the use of all. 4. They constantly get the Auditors, with respect, make offerings to them, and with love praise them. 5. They always like to stay away from excitement, from mockery and quarrels, and they excellently protect their two natures combined, that of the interior and that of the exterior.
The twelfth [tree] is that of the total light [of nature] from within and [of nature] from without. If pure tien-na-wu (denavar) have in them the nature of total light, you must know that such masters show five signs of it: 1. They excel in extirpating their filthy hearts and in not tolerating lust and lust, so that their own luminous nature can always be free; as for women, they may regard them as empty and deceptive appearances; they are not stopped and embarrassed by sensual charms: like the bird which, flying does not perish in the nets. 2. In their relations with the Auditors, they have no partiality or special esteem; nor do they attach themselves to the families of the Auditors by considering them as their own houses; if they see that laymen who are not followers of religion suffer some damage or sorrow, their hearts do not grieve; if, on the other hand, it is a question of some advantage and some opportunity for happiness, their hearts remain unchanged . 3. Whether they walk or stand still, whether they sit or lie down, they do not cherish their fleshly bodies by seeking fine and soft garments, or by having bedding, drink and food, soups and medicines, birds and horses, chariots and mounts so as to glorify their bodies, 4. They are constantly thinking of the difficult, painful, and perilous day when their lives will end; they always consider impermanence, and the King of Equality is as if present before their eyes; at no time do they abandon this thought, even for a moment. 5. They are personally affable; they do not molest their brothers and friends or excite their irritation; nor do they make false demonstrations to give a bad name to others; they can constantly, with a firm heart, remain peacefully in the pure law.
These [trees] that we have just enumerated are what are called the precious trees of the twelve kings of light. Me, I have departed from the world of light and eternal bliss and have come here on your behalf, bringing these trees which I wanted to plant in your pure multitude. You, then, men and women of the higher form and excellent wisdom, each one of you must plant these trees in your pure heart, make them prosper and grow; just as, when one sows in extremely good soil, without sand and saltpeter, for one grain sown, one reaps ten thousand, and this developing incessantly, one arrives at infinity. If now you wish to realize within yourselves the fruits of purity of the great Light without superiority, you must all adorn these precious trees and make them have all that is necessary for them. Why do we need it? It is because, O good people, it is by means of the fruits of these trees that you will be able to free yourselves from the four difficulties and that all beings having bodies will deliver themselves from life and death, and, definitively always victorious, will go to the region of immutable bliss.
Then, when the mou-chö and others in the assembly heard the holy text pronounced, they stamped their feet with joy and cried out that there had never been anything like it. The gods and the good spirits, the limited and the unlimited, as well as the kings of the kingdoms, the multitude of ministers, and the multitude of the four classes, both men and women, infinite and innumerable, after hearing this holy text, all rejoiced greatly. All could conceive the desire for perfection without superior; such as the grasses and trees which, at the time of the invigorating spring, develop and grow without exception, are covered with flowers and tie their fruits which reach maturity; only the roots that have been torn out and spoiled can no longer develop and grow.
Then the mou-chö and the others adored the Messenger of Light in prostrate themselves, and knelt down, clasped their hands, and said to him: “There is only the Great Saint, the Venerable One in the three worlds who is universally a compassionate father and mother to the multitude of living beings; he is also the great guide of the three worlds; he is also the great physician for beings who have a soul within them; it is also the wonderful space that can hold all shapes; it is also the superior heaven that envelops all things; it is also the true soil that can produce true fruits; it is also the great sea of ambrosia for all living beings; it is also the fragrant mountain, vast and great, of all jewels; it is also the precious pillar of diamond that supports the crowd of beings; he is also the skillful and wise pilot on the great sea; he is also the helping and compassionate hand in the abysses of fire; he is also the one who, in death, gives eternal life; it is also the central nature among the luminous natures of all living beings; He is also the door of light that delivers from the solid prisons of the three worlds.”
The mou-chö and the others also addressed the Envoy of the Light these words: “And only the only Venerable of the Great Light can praise holy virtue; it is not we who, with the mediocre knowledge of our tongue of flesh, will be able to celebrate the merits and wisdom of the Tathāgata; Of the thousand myriads of parts it contains, we can know only a few parts. Now we have excited our weak virtue and our weak knowledge, we have raised our small and petty mind, and we have praised the great benevolence of the Saint. Our desire would be that the great Saint would send down his pitiful heart upon us to suppress the grave unenlightened crimes that we have committed from immense kalpas to the present, so that they will be abolished. We will not allow ourselves to be negligent now; on all occasions we will take care to watch over the precious trees without superiors so that they have all that is necessary for them. By using this water of the Law, we will wash away all our impurities and grave defilements, so that our luminous nature can always be pure. We will use this remedy of the Law and the great supernatural incantations to ward off and cure all our serious diseases of many kalpas, so that they can be entirely suppressed and cured. We will use the solid armor of wisdom and put it on to stand up to these wicked enemies and to obtain a crushing victory on every occasion. We will make use of wonderful clothes and hairstyles of all “shapes” and we will adorn ourselves with it in order to obtain contentment in all circumstances. We will make use of the luminous models [issued] from primitive nature and we will print them on us so that they may not be lost. We will make use of the various foods and drinks of this excellent food to satisfy ourselves and to keep hunger and thirst away from us. We will use these wonderful and innumerable musical sounds to rejoice and to keep sadness away from us. We will use these extraordinary jewels of all kinds to make liberalities of them so that we may become rich and opulent. We will use this net of light and put it in the vast sea to collect ourselves, save us and deposit us in the precious boat. “Now, by the blessed advantage of the higher form, we were able to see the distinctive marks of the Great Saint; moreover, we have heard the door of the marvelous Law as it has been previously exposed, which has removed torments and impurities for us: our hearts have been able to open and understand; he has received within himself the majestic brilliance of the pearl that makes desires come true; we were able to walk in the right way. The saints of the past, in innumerable numbers, have all been able, through this door, to free themselves from the four difficulties, and all beings who have bodies have reached the realm of light, where they have received unlimited bliss. Our only desire is that in the future all luminous natures may meet such a door of light; if they see it and hear it, then, as the saints of the past did, and as we ourselves have done today, when they hear the Law, they rejoice, and their hearts are opened and understood; and that by deeply venerating and prostrating themselves, they accept [this teaching] without conceiving any doubt or anxiety.
Then, when all the members of the great assembly had heard this holy text, they accepted it with faith as a law and put it into practice with joy.
Is the primitive nature of the carnal body simple or is it double? [For] all the saints without exception who have appeared in the world have distributed and invented methods that would be able to succor the luminous nature, and by which it could free itself from the multitude of sufferings and finally be calm and happy.
After he had asked this question, he bowed in respect, and, drawing back, he stood on one side.
Then the Envoy of Light spoke in these terms to A-t’o “That’s very good! That’s very good! In order to benefit the unlimited crowd of living beings, you have been able to ask this question, which has an extremely deep and mysterious meaning. You are now a great ‘excellent friend’ of the crowd of living beings who, in all worlds, are blinded and misguided, and I will give you an explanation from point to point, so that the net of your doubts be broken forever without anything remaining. All of you, therefore, must know that, before this world was established, the two Envoys of the Light who are Tsing-fong (Pure Wind) and Chan-mou (Excellent Mother) entered the lightless realm of the abysses of darkness; they drew out the valiant ones who were always victorious... [covered with] the breastplate of great knowledge, [namely] the five divided luminous bodies; they took them in hand ingeniously that they might go up and advance, and they brought them out of the five chasms. The Five Kinds of Demons stuck together to the five luminous bodies, like the fly that attaches itself to honey, like the bird that is held by glue, like the fish that swallowed the hook. For this reason, the Messenger of Light named Tsing-fong (Pure Wind), by means of the five kinds of demons and the five luminous bodies and by the combination of their two forces, constituted the ten heavens and the eight earths of the universe. Thus, the universe is the pharmacy where luminous bodies are healed, but at the same time it is the prison where the dark demons are chained. These [two Envoys of the Light], Tsing-fong (Pure Wind) and Chan-mou (Excellent Mother), established, by an ingenious process, the ten heavens, and then they instituted the wheel of revolutions, as well as the palaces of the sun and the moon, and also the eight earths below, the three garments and the three wheels, and even the three calamities, the four courtyards with iron enclosures, Mount Wei-lao-kiu-fou, as well as all the small mountains, oceans and rivers. When they had done all these things and had constituted the universe, they imprisoned the five kinds of demons and chained them by means of the thirteen great luminous forces. These thirteen kinds of great brave forces are the five luminous sons of Sien-yi (Earlier Reasoning) and the five luminous sons of Tsing-fong (Pure Wind), then Hou-lou-chö-tö (Khroštag), P’o-leou-houo-tö (Padvakhtag), as well as Sou-lou-cha-lo-yi (Sroš-ḥaråy). The five luminous bodies were like the prison, and the five kinds of demons were together shut up in this prison. The Five Sons of Tsing-fong (Pure Wind) were like the magistrates governing the prison. Chouo-t’ing (the one who listens when spoken to = Khroštag) and Houan-ying (the one who answers when called = Padvakhtag) were like those who shout the night watches. As for the thirteenth (of the great luminous forces), namely Su-lou-chalo-yi (Sroš-ḥaråy), it was like the king who judges affairs.
When the demon of lust having seen these things, in his poisoned heart he again conceived a wicked project; he therefore ordered Lou-yi and Ye-lo-yang to imitate Tsing-fong (Pure Wind) and Chan-mou (Excellent Mother). In this [macrocosm], by transformation they constituted the body of man and imprisoned in it the luminous natures in order to imitate The Big World. Thus, the carnal body, with its poisonous and evil lust and lust and concupiscence, was, though smaller, the faithful image from point to point of the universe of heaven and earth. The Wheel of Revolutions, the Constellations, the Three Calamities, and the Four Enclosures, the great seas and rivers, the two lands of dry and wet, plants and animals, mountains and streams as well as mounds and mounds, spring, summer, fall and winter, years, months, hours and days, and even the limited and the unlimited, there was not a single formation of the universe that they did not imitate [in the fleshly body]. Thus, when a goldsmith, copying the shape of a white elephant, engraved it inside a ring, it is exactly like the body of the elephant itself; it is in the same way that man is similar to the universe.
[Furthermore], Tsing-fong (Pure Wind) had taken the five kinds of demons, and, in the thirteen kinds of pure luminous bodies, he had imprisoned and chained them, and no longer allowed them to be independent. Seeing this, the demon conceived envious and poisonous feelings; he enclosed the five luminous natures in the fleshly body, which he made into a small universe (microcosm); in his turn, he used the thirteen dark non-luminous forces to imprison and chain [the five luminous natures], which he no longer allowed to be independent. Thus, this demon of lust enclosed the pure ether in the city of bones; he established the dark thought, in which he planted a tree of death. Then he enclosed the excellent wind in the city of nerves; he established the dark feeling, in which he planted a tree of death. Then he enclosed the force of light in the city of veins; he established dark reflection, in which he planted a tree of death. Then he shut up the excellent water in the city of the flesh; he established the dark intellect, in which he planted a tree of death. Then he shut up the excellent fire in the city of the skin; he established the dark reasoning, in which he planted a tree of death. The demon of covetousness planted these five poisoned trees of death in the five kinds of corrupt land; he caused them on every occasion to disappoint and disturb the primitive luminous nature, to draw out the alien nature and produce poisonous fruits: thus, the tree of dark thought grows within the city of bones: its fruit is hatred; the tree of dark sentiment grows within the city of nerves: its fruit is irritation; the tree of dark reflection grows within the city of veins: its fruit is lust; the tree of the dark intellect grows within the city of flesh: its fruit is anger; The tree of dark reasoning grows within the city of the skin: its fruit is foolishness. Thus it was that of the five kinds of things, which are bones, nerves, veins, flesh, and skin, he made a prison, and shut up in it the five divided bodies (that is, which are the divisions of the first luminous principle), in the same way as the five luminous (bodies) held the various kinds of demons prisoners. Moreover, from hatred, irritation, lust, anger, and folly he made the magistrates of the prison to imitate the five valiant sons of Tsing-fong (Pure Wind). In the middle [he placed the demon of] lust [and that of] concupiscence to represent Chouo-t’ing (Khroštag) and Houan-ying (Padvakhtag) who shout the watches of the night. Violent, voracious and poisonous fire, he gave him full freedom, so that he could imitate Su-lou-cha-lo-yi (Sroš-ḥaråy).
When these five luminous bodies had endured such sufferings, and were imprisoned and chained, they forgot their primitive feelings, as a madman, or a drunken man, does, or like [the one referred to in the following comparison]: one having intertwined a multitude of poisonous serpents into a cage in which the heads of the serpents are all turned inwards, and where they spit their venom in all directions, if a man is brought into that cage and hung upside down, then, because he is threatened by the venom and because he is hung upside down, that man will be led astray in his heart and in his mind; he will no longer have leisure to think even of his father and mother, and his parents, and of what was originally his joy. It is in the same way that the five luminous natures behave when they have been imprisoned and chained by the devil in the carnal body, where they endure sufferings day and night.
In addition, Tsing-fong (Pure Wind) made (or had made) two luminous ships which he set on the sea of life and death to make good men cross it and to bring them back to their primitive world, so that their luminous nature was definitely calm and happy.
When the demon of hatred, the master of lust having seen this, he conceived feelings of irritation and jealousy; He then made the forms of the two sexes, the male and the female, in order to imitate the two great luminous vessels, which are the sun and the moon, and to deceive and disturb the luminous nature, so that it would mount the boats of darkness, and, led by them, enter the underworld, that it transmigrated in the five conditions of existence, that she would suffer all the sufferings and that in the end it would be difficult for her to be delivered.
When there is an Envoy of the Light who appears in the world to instruct and convert the multitude of living beings in order to deliver them from all their sufferings, he begins by sending down through the door of their ears the sound of the Marvelous Law; then he enters the old house and, employing the great magical prayers, he imprisons the multitude of poisonous serpents as well as all the wild beasts, and no longer allows them to be at liberty. Moreover, equipped with the axe of wisdom, he cuts down and cuts down the poisonous trees, and he uproots their stumps as well as all other unclean plants; at the same time he orders that the hall of the palace be purely and majestically adorned, and that a seat [for the preaching] of the Law be placed there; he then sits down there. Just as when the king of a kingdom has triumphed over an enemy and hateful kingdom, he adorns in this land a lofty hall, he sets a throne there, and he judges all men, good and bad, with equity, so does this Envoy of the beneficent Light. When he has entered the old city and destroyed the hateful enemies, he must at once separate the two forces of Light and Dark, and not allow them to mingle. He begins by subduing hatred; he imprisons him in the city of bones, and causes the pure ether to be entirely freed from its bonds. He then subdues the irritation and imprisons it in the city of nerves; he makes sure that the pure and excellent wind is immediately delivered. He then subdues lust and imprisons it in the city of veins; he makes sure that the luminous force can immediately rid itself of its bonds. He then subdues the anger and imprisons it in the city of the flesh; he ensures that excellent water can be immediately delivered. He then subdues the folly; he imprisons him in the city of the skin; he causes the excellent fire to be entirely delivered. The two demons of lust and concupiscence, he imprisons in the middle. The violent, hungry, and poisoned fire, he lets him go free. This is how a goldsmith whoever desires to smelt gold begins by procuring fire; if he does not find a fire, the melting does not take place. The Envoy of the beneficent Light is comparable to the goldsmith; as for the Yi-lieou-eul-yun-ni, it is like gold ore; and as for the hungry devil, it is the violent fire that melts the five divided bodies [of the primitive light] and makes them become pure. The great Messenger of the beneficent Light, in the bodies of excellence, makes use of the hungry fire to produce great profit.
The Five Light Forces dwell in [the body formed by] the combined substances [of the two forces of light and dark]; Therefore the excellent man distinguishes and chooses between the two forces, and causes them to separate from each other.
The carnal body is also called the “old man”. It consists of bones, nerves, veins, flesh, skin, hatred, irritation, lust, anger, folly, as well as covetousness, gluttony, and lust; These thirteen terms constitute by their union a single body which symbolizes [in the macrocosm] the world without beginning and without light.
The Second Dark Night is none other than all evil natures which have been wickedly conceived by the demon of covetousness, namely: folly, lust, boasting, inconvenient temper for others, irritation, impurity, destruction, disintegration, death, deception, revolt, obscure thought; these are the twelve hours of the dark night without clarity and dreadful. These are the signs that [show that this night] originated originally from the demons.
For this reason, then, the great Sage of the beneficent Light by excellent methods, distinguished in the carnal body thus constituted the luminous nature, and came to its aid so that it could be delivered. Of its own five members, he brought out by transformation the five liberalities to be useful to the luminous nature: first, from his luminous thought, he brought forth by transformation pity and added it to the pure ether; secondly, of his luminous feeling..., he brought out contentment by transformation and added it to the force of light; then, from his luminous intellect, he brought out patience by transformation and added it to pure water; then, from his luminous reasoning, he brought forth wisdom and added it to the pure fire; [as to] Hou-lou-cho-to (Khroštag) and P’o-leou-houo-tö (Padvakhtag), to the treasure of [their] words, he added wisdom. These thirteen terms, namely: ether, wind, light, water, fire, pity, good faith, contentment, patience, wisdom, together with Hulou-chô-tô (Khroštag), P’o-leou-houo-tö (Padvakhtag) and the beneficent Light, are signs that symbolize the Venerable of the Light of the world of pure light. Those who observe all the tusks are like the sun. The second day is that in which the twelve great kings [who are] wisdom [and the others], [occur] by the transformation of [the Messenger of] the beneficent Light. These are signs that symbolize the round and complete sun.
As for the third day, whenever the seven kinds of Mo-ho-lo-sa-pen (Mahraspand) enter into the body of a pure religious master, from [the Envoy of the] Beneficent Light he receives the five liberalities, and [these] twelve hours realize the full day: these are signs that symbolize the great strength of Su-lou-cha-lo-yi (Sroš-ḥaråy).
These three days, to which we add the two nights, are signs that there are absolutely two worlds, both for religious masters and for simple devotees.
Sometimes it happens that the old man enters into a struggle with the new man who is wise; This is similar to [what happened] when, for the first time, the demon of lust decided to invade the world of light. There are the following signs of this. From the dark and poisonous thought of this old man, demons come forth by transformation, which immediately struggle with the member of the thought of the new man. If this new man does not heed the signs, he abolishes and forgets his luminous thought, and immediately there are the signs of it: such a man, in his conduct, will have no mercy; in the affairs he encounters, he will conceive hatred; immediately it will defile the pure thought member of its luminous nature, and the alien nature which temporarily dwells in it will also be affected and damaged. If he knows how to keep the signs, he will awaken, he will drive out hatred and practice pity; the member of thought of his luminous nature will return to its purity; the alien nature that dwells temporarily in him will free itself from all dangers. Happy and stamping his feet with joy, he thanked him with homage and went away.
Sometimes the new man forgets and loses the signs; then from the midst of his obscure feeling, demons come out by transformation, who immediately struggle against the feeling of the new man. In the body of this man there are great signs of it: this man, in his conduct, will not have good faith; in the affairs he encounters, he will conceive irritation; the alien nature which dwells temporarily in him will be immediately infected. But if the member of the feeling of his luminous nature returns to the signs and does not forget his primitive feeling, it will awaken him and he will continue [the irritation]; this irritation will recede and disperse, and his good faith will be the same as before; the alien nature which dwells provisionally in him will avoid all suffering, and he will reach his primitive world.
Sometimes the new man forgets the signs; then from his obscure, poisonous, and non-luminous reflection, demons emerge by transformation, which immediately struggle against the member of the pure reflection of the new man. Then in this man there are great signs of it: this man, in his conduct, will have no contentment; his feelings of concupiscence will be inflamed; the alien nature which dwells temporarily in him will be immediately infected. But if for this man the signs are not forgotten, as far as the member of his contentment is concerned,, he will be able to protect him well; he will overthrow all thoughts of concupiscence and will not allow them to rise again. The alien nature that dwells provisionally in him will avoid all suffering. Pure at all times, he will reach his primitive world.
Sometimes from the non-luminous intellect of this man, demons come out by transformation which immediately struggle against the intellect of the new man. If this man abolishes and forgets his primitive intellect, there are signs of it: this man, in his conduct, will have no patience; in the affairs he encounters, he will conceive anger. The two natures, the one that is the stranger and the one that is the mistress [of the house], will at all times be infected. If, for this man, the signs are not forgotten, he will awaken and repel the enemy; his feelings of anger will recede and go away; the great strength of patience will return to sustain and protect him. The alien nature that dwells provisionally in him will gladly free itself; the member of the luminous thought of his primitive nature will become again what he was before.
Sometimes, from the non-luminous reasoning of this man, demons come out by transformation which immediately struggle against the member of the reasoning of the new man. If this man forgets and loses his primitive reasoning, there are signs of it: this man, in his conduct, will be very foolish; both his natures, the one who is the stranger and the one who is the mistress [of the house], will both be infected. If, for this man, the signs are not forgotten, in case the stupidity should arise immediately and of his own accord he will awaken and will be able to submit it promptly; with zeal he will strive for energy and will realize wisdom. The alien nature which dwells provisionally in him because of his good deeds may be entirely pure. The reasoning member of his luminous thought, in a limpid manner, will be undefiled.
These five kinds of very great struggles, the new man and the old man at every moment engage in one. The new man, by means of these five kinds of forces, defends himself against his hateful enemies. These are signs reminiscent of the saints of the macrocosm: pity symbolizes the Envoy of the Light who holds the world together; good faith symbolizes the Great King of the Ten Heavens; contentment symbolizes the victorious Envoy who subdues the demons; patience symbolizes the Envoy of Light who is in the bowels of the earth; wisdom symbolizes the Messenger of light who accelerates clarity. It is for this reason that the saints of the past and the religion of the present Thus speak the words: The man who enters religion, if he has not to struggle with the limited carnal body, has to struggle against the poisonous natures of unlimited demons. Therefore, the pure masters who observe the prohibitions are like the saints: why is this? it is because they subdue the hatreds of demons not differently from the saints.
Sometimes the old man’s soldiers retreat and are beaten; the religious thought of the beneficent Light is then at ease and walks about; it reaches the innumerable realms of the five kinds of worlds of the new man; then it enters the city of marvelous pure thought; in the magnificent hall there, she sets up a seat to [preach] the Law and sits down there. Then it arrives at the cities of feeling, reflection, intellect, and reasoning, in the same manner as before, and it enters successively into each of them.
When the beneficent Light walks through the city of [a master’s] thought, it should be known that this master preaches the correct Law in a wonderful way, delights in speaking of the three permanences and the five greatness of the Great Light, and, thanks to his supernatural penetration, produces by transformation all thoughts in their entirety; then, in his preaching of the Law, he speaks especially of pity.
When the beneficent Light walks through the city of [a master’s] feeling, it should be known that this master delights in discoursing on the luminous palaces of the sun and moon, and, thanks to its supernatural penetration, produces by transformation the entire majestic force; then, in his preaching of the Law, he speaks especially of good faith.
When the beneficent Light walks through the city of reflection, it must be known that this master delights in discoursing on the great minister Sou-lou-cha-lo-yi (Sroš-haråy), and, thanks to its supernatural penetration, produces silence by transformation in full; then, in his preaching of the Law, he speaks especially of contentment.
When the beneficent Light walks through the city of the intellect [of a master], it must be known that this master delights in discoursing on the five lights, and, thanks to his supernatural penetration, manifests by transformation...; then, in his preaching of the Law, he speaks especially of patience.
When [the beneficent Light] walks through the city of [a master’s] reasoning, it must be known that this master delights in discoursing about the Envoys of the Light of the past, the future, and the present and, thanks to its supernatural penetration, produces by transformation the freedom to be invisible or visible; then, in his preaching of the Law, he speaks especially of wisdom.
Thus, the wise one, by carefully examining such a teacher, knows at once in what realm the beneficent Light is to be found.
If there are tien-na-wu (dênâvar) which in this way ensure prosperity of the correct Law without superior, and until the end of their lives do not turn back, after their death their old man, with the dark and unluminous force of his crowd of soldiers, will fall into hell from which he will never emerge. At the same time, the beneficent Light, dragging the pure parent of its own luminous army, will go straight into the world of Light; Definitely [this Master] will no longer be afraid and will receive joy forever.
The Ying louen king (Book of the Wheel of Retribution) said: “If tien-na-wu (dênâvar) have the whole of the Excellent Law in their persons, [then] the Father of Light, the Son of Light, and the Wind of the Pure Law are all in his person and constantly walk or stop there. The Father of Light is the Venerable of Light without a superior in the world of Light. The Son of Light is the brightness of the sun and the moon. The Wind of the Pure Law is Houei-ming (Beneficent Light).”
The Ning wan king (Book of Universal Appeasement?) says: “If tien-na-wu (dênâvar) fully realize the excellent Law in themselves, [then] pure Light and greatly strong Wisdom will be fully cultivated and present in their person. Then the merits of the new man will be complete. »
All of you, listen carefully. When the great Envoy of the Beneficent Light had entered this world, he overthrew the crooked quarters of the city of heresy, he destroyed the ancient mansions and penetrated to the palace of the demon.
Now this demon of covetousness, seeing that his quarters had been destroyed, made another unclean city; on account of the folly which belongs to him alone, he caused the five concupiscences to act without restriction.
Now it happened that the valiant religious children of the Pure Wind who is a white dove, and the sons of the great Saint entered that city; they looked in the four directions and saw nothing but smoke and clouds that all around protected the innumerable crooked quarters [of the impure city]. When they saw this from afar, they continued to advance gradually and came to the top of the rampart [of the city]; Looking straight down from afar, they saw seven precious pearls; each of these precious pearls taken in isolation is of inestimable value; all were covered with various defilements that coiled over them and covered them.
Then the Messenger of the beneficent Light chose a rich and fertile soil and sowed his own seed without superior light; moreover, he removed the models from his own limbs, so that all the jewels abounded for himself[according to these models]; with great profit, he prosperously created all kinds of ornaments; he satisfied the inner nature and made of it a support column; The seed of truth, leaning on this pillar, was able to come out of the five kinds of dark, unluminous chasms. It was as in the macrocosm, where Sien-yi (Primitive Reasoning) and Tsing-fong (Pure Wind) had each had five sons who had served as a support column for the five luminous bodies.
Then the skillful Ploughman of the beneficent Light, because he hated the five steep and dangerous lands of non-light, razed and filled them; He began by removing the brambles and all the poisoned herbs and he burned them with fire; then he cut down the five kinds of poisoned trees. When the five dark lands had been razed and ruined, for the use of the new man he established a princely hall with palaces; in the gardens of these palaces he planted all kinds of fragrant flowers and precious trees; then, for the use of his own person, he decorated a palace with a throne room; then for all those who accompanied him, who were innumerable, he also made palaces.
This Envoy of the beneficent Light, by his majestic supernatural power, instituted these achievements of all kinds. Then he upset the dark, poisonous, and evil lands of lust and lust, and caused them to be overthrown. Then the five kinds of pure members of the luminous nature could gradually develop; these five members are: thought, feeling, reflection, intellect, reasoning.
Then the Messenger of the beneficent Light, in the five kinds of precious lands of purity, planted the five kinds of precious trees of luminous, beyond all praise and without superiors. Then, on the five kinds of luminous precious terraces, he lighted the five luminous precious lamps that last forever.
When the Envoy of the beneficent Light had made the five liberalities, he began by driving out the dark non-luminous thought; he cut down and removed the five kinds of poisonous and evil trees of death: the root of this tree is hatred; its trunk is violence; its branches are irritation; its leaves are aversion; its fruits are division; his taste is bland; its color is denigration. Then he drove away the dark and non-luminous feeling, from which he cut down and removed the tree of death; this tree has for its root the lack of faith; its trunk is oblivion; its branches are hesitation and negligence; its leaves, violence; its fruits, torments; his taste, greed, and concupiscence; its color, resistance. He then chased away the dark non-luminous reflection, from which he cut down and removed the tree of death; the root of this tree is concupiscence; its trunk, laziness; its branches, violence; its leaves, the hatred of superiors; its fruits, mockery: its taste, covetousness; its color, sensual love. The various kinds of impure actions are committed first and then repented of. Then he drove out the dark intellect, and cut down and removed the tree of death. The root of this tree is anger; its trunk is stupidity; its branches are lack of faith; its leaves are unintelligence; its fruits are disdain; his taste is pride; its color is contempt for others. Then he drove away obscure reasoning, from which he cut down and removed the tree of death; the root of this tree is stupidity; its trunk is the absence of memory; its branches are slowness of mind; its leaves are to look at its shadow and to believe himself without rival; its fruits are to surpass the common man in the luxury of clothing and adornment; his taste is to love necklaces, pearls, rings, bracelets and to cover his body with all kinds of jewels; its color is the immoderate desire for drinks and foods of all kinds of flavors in order to benefit the carnal body.
The trees we have just described are the trees of death. The demon of covetousness, in these dark and non-luminous dens, had put all his zeal into planting them.
Then, when the Messenger of the Beneficent Light, having used the sharp axe of wisdom, had successively cut down all these trees, he took his own precious trees of five kinds, luminous, pure, and without superiors, and planted them in the lands of primitive nature; he watered these precious trees with the water of ambrosia and they produced fruits that give immortality.
First, he planted the tree of thought. For this tree of thought, the root is pity; its trunk, joy; its branches, felicity; its leaves, the praise of the multitude; its fruits, absolute calm; his taste, respect; its color, firmness. He then planted the precious, marvelous, and pure tree of feeling; the root of this tree is good faith; its trunk, faith; its branches, fear; its leaves, vigilance; its fruits, the application to the study; his taste, reading and recitation (of holy texts); its color, calm joy. He then planted the tree of reflection; the root of this tree is contentment; its trunk, the good thought; its branches, the imposing rules; its leaves, the truth that adorns all acts; its fruits, the truthful words by which there are no more lying words; his taste, the speeches on the correct and pure Law; its color, the pleasure of meeting others. Then he planted the tree of the intellect; the root of this tree is the endurance of insults; its trunk, absolute calm; its branches, patience; its leaves, the prohibitions and precepts of discipline; its fruits, fasting and hymns; his taste, zeal to practice [religion]; its color, energy. Then he planted the tree of reasoning; the root of this tree is wisdom; its trunk is the complete understanding of the meaning of the two principles; its branches are the ability to discuss the Law of Light; its leaves are to know the arguments in a manner appropriate to the circumstances, to be able to crush heterodox doctrines, to honor and strengthen the true Law; its fruits are to be skillful in questioning and answering, and to excel in speaking with the proper arguments; his taste is to excel in making use of apologues that make men understand well; its color is the beautiful expressions that make what is exhibited please the crowd.
The trees we have just described are those which are called the trees of life.
So, the Messenger of the beneficent Light took these excellent trees; then, in the five lands of primitive nature which are on the four sides of the throne of the marvelous palace of this new city, and in the pavilions of its gardens, in these lands he planted them.
In these [lands], the king is pity; pity is the ancestor of all meritorious actions; it is like the bright sun which, in the midst of all lights, prevails over them; it is like the full moon, which, in the midst of all the stars, is the most venerable; it is still like the diadem of the king of a kingdom which is the most beautiful and the first of all adornments; it is also like the trees of which the fruits are the best; it is like the luminous nature which dwells in this dark body, and which, in this body, is an unequalled wonder; it is also the ordinary salt that can give their taste to meats and the most excellent dishes of all kinds; it is also like the seal of the king of a kingdom which, wherever it is affixed, makes one obey without reserve; it is still like the precious pearl called “clear moon” who is the first among all jewels; it is still like the colorless varnish made with glue which is more tenacious than all colors; it is also like the surfaces that are coated with lime and which are in each of their points fresh and white; or again, as is a palace in the middle of which is the king, and because of this king the palace is imposing and pure; such also is pity. He who possesses pity possesses by this very fact the excellent Law; if one does not have pity, no meritorious action can succeed. It is for all these reasons that he is called the king.
Inside pity there is still good faith; This good faith is the mother of all good things. She is like the king’s wife who can help the king of the land to support and feed all beings; it is also like the force of fire that can cook all food and give us all flavors. Just as the sun and moon are without comparison the most venerable of all the stars, and, by spreading their brilliance, illuminate everything, so that there is nothing that does not benefit from them; in the same way, pity and good faith make the various meritorious actions succeed and are complete. Pity and good faith are also, for all the saints of the past and of the future, the fundamental basis luminous causes, the marvelous door that lets us see everywhere. They are also the narrow path on which one walks standing sideways along the great sea of torment in the three worlds; among hundreds and thousands of men, seldom is there a single one to embark on this path; if there are any who engage in it, thanks to this path, they can be born in the Pure Land, to free oneself from punishments and to free oneself; definitively without fear, they will rejoice perpetually in calm and tranquility.
Then the Messenger of the beneficent Light caused the three great beneficent days of light to shine entirely upon the dark body of the devil, and he subdued the two kinds of dark non-luminous nights. It is a sign that symbolizes the Light without superior.
The first day is the beneficent Light; its twelve hours are the twelve great kings in victorious form.
This is a sign that symbolizes the uncomplicated excellence of the world of pure Light.
The second day is the pure seed of the New Man. The twelve hours are the twelve luminous kings of secondary transformation; they are also the marvelous garments of the victorious form of Yi-chou (Yîšô, Jesus) which he gives to luminous nature; by means of these marvelous garments, he adorns the inner nature and makes sure that nothing is lacking; pulling it upwards, he makes it rise and advance and separate itself forever from the filthy earth. This day of the New Man imitates the vast and great Su-lou-cha-lo-yi (Sroš-ḥaråy); the twelve hours imitate the five luminous sons of Sien-yi (Earlier Reasoning) and the five luminous sons of Tsing-fong (Pure Wind), as well as Hou-lou-chö-tö (Khroštag) and P’o-leou-houo-to (Padvakhtag); putting them together, it makes thirteen pure luminous members that form a day.
On the third day, it is Chouo-t’ing (the Appellant, Khroštag) and Houan-ying-cheng (the Respondent, Padvakhtag). The twelve hours are: In a marvelous way, thought, feeling, reflection, intellect and reasoning, combined with pity, good faith, contentment, patience of insults and wisdom... symbolize the Envoy of the Light of the Sun in the macrocosm. The twelve hours of pity, etc., and form, etc., symbolize the twelve daughters of transformation of the palace of the sun. The light [of these twelve hours] being complete, they form by coming together one day.
Then there are the two dark nights.
The first night is the demon of lust. The twelve hours are bones, nerves, veins, flesh and skin, as well as hatred, irritation, concupiscence, anger and folly, (to which are added) the hungry fires of lust and concupiscence. The impure poisons of all these categories are what symbolize the first dark night without beginning and without clarity in the world of darkness.
The second night is the burning flame of concupiscence violent and poisonous. His twelve hours are the twelve obscure and poisonous thoughts. This dark night is a sign that symbolizes the first success of the demons.
At that time, the day of the beneficent Light opposing these dark nights, of no light and deep darkness, by the force of its light subdued their dark nature, and there was nothing [of these nights] that did not recede and disperse. This is a sign that symbolizes the submission of the devil by the first Envoy of the Light.
Moreover, the Messenger of the beneficent Light, who in the non-luminous body was free in any case, subdued all the demons. Like a king who, in his audience hall, rewards and punishes without fear.
As for the [twelve] forms of beneficent Light, the first is the great king; the second is wisdom; the third is constant victory; the fourth is joy; the fifth is the application to practice [the precepts of religion]; the sixth is equality; the seventh is faith; the eighth is the endurance of insults; the ninth is righteous thoughts; the tenth is meritorious actions; the eleventh is the uniform heart; the twelfth is the total light [of nature] from within and [of nature] from without. These twelve great luminous hours, when they enter into the five realms which are thought, feeling, reflection, intellect and reasoning, cause an unlimited light to grow in each of them, in turn; each of them successively manifests fruits which are also unlimited; these fruits are all manifested in the crowd of pure adepts.
If the tien-na-wu (dênâvar) have completed the twelve hours of daylight, you must know that such masters differ from the crowd; if they are said to differ, it is in this that these mou-chö and these fou-to-tan in their bodies and hearts, always conceive extraordinary, benevolent and affable knowledge, and that they are calm and harmonious. Such signs mark that the [twelve] trees of the twelve forms [of the beneficent Light] are showing their first buggers; on these trees there is constantly an abundance of precious flowers which have no superiors; when they opened their brilliance illuminates everything. Inside each of these flowers are countless Buddhas of transformation, successively and without interruption, produce their innumerable persons by transformation.
If the tien-na-wu (dênâvar) have in them the first tree, which is that of great royalty, you must know that such masters show five signs of it: 1. They do not like to live always in the same place; like a king who, being independent, does not always live in the same place, but sometimes walks about taking with him the multitude of his soldiers, holding their weapons in an imposing manner and having their equipment complete; he can thus cause all the ferocious beasts and all hateful enemies to lurk in their lairs. 2. They are not miserly. In the place where they stop, if they receive alms, they do not make private use of them, but they hand them over to the great assembly. 3. Chaste, they guard against all faults and all evils; Capable of being pure themselves, they can also excite in their turn those who also apply themselves to study, and make them also become pure. 4. They always stand by their venerable masters who possess wisdom, but if there are men without wisdom, who love to argue empty, and who are quarrelsome, they depart from them far away. 5. They always take pleasure in remaining in the society of pure adepts; in whatever place they may be, they do not isolate themselves from the crowd [of the faithful] to remain alone in a room If there are men who act in this way, they are called sick; For it is in this way that in the world a sick person, being tormented by his illness, always wishes to remain alone and does not wish to have his relatives and friends with him. Such also are those who do not love society.
The second [tree] is that of wisdom. If tien-na-wu (dênâvar) observing the defenses have the nature of wisdom in them, you must know that such masters show five signs of it: 1. They always delight in praising and praising pure men who possess wisdom, and they love pure and wise adepts; to dwell [with them] in one place, they conceive joy in their hearts and never tire of it. 2. If their own root of wisdom [is weak, so that] what they see and understand is narrow and insufficient, when they hear the words imbued with wisdom spoken by other sages, they do not conceive any jealousy. 3. In all their conduct they study ardently, and their hearts are not slackened. 4. They apply themselves incessantly to studying all the good rules imposing the means of [obtaining] wisdom; they also encourage other men to apply themselves to it with them. 5. As for the tusks, they are very careful not to violate them; if they violate them by mistake, they immediately confess it in front of the assembly and express their repentance.
The third [tree] is that of constant victory. If pure tien-na-wou (dênâvar) have within them the nature of victory, you must know that such masters show five signs of it: 1. They do not delight in slander, flattery, or cruelty; if they meet men acting in this way, they do not approach them. 2. They do not delight in quarrels and shouting; if they meet quarrelsome people, they move away from them as quickly as possible; if men seek a quarrel with them by force, they know how to be humble and patient. 3. If, in a discussion, the other has been defeated, they do not allow themselves to profit by the excess of his peril, but praise him to put him at ease. 4. On all occasions, they do not manifest [their thoughts] in a disorderly manner and, if they are not questioned, they do not speak; If someone comes to them to question them, they answer only after having reflected; they do not expose themselves to being, in the end, covered with shame for something said. 5o When they speak with others, they are conciliatory and not contradictory: nor do they make compelling demonstrations in such a way as to make evident the faults of their interlocutor. If they are with the crowd of the followers of religion, their hearts are in harmony and there are no divisions.
The fourth [tree] is that of joy. If pure tien-na-wou (dênâvar) have in themselves the nature of joy, you must know that such masters show five signs of it: 1. As for the prescriptions of the holy religion concerning prohibitions, progress and stopping according to the imposing rules, they rejoice in them from point to point and adhere to them with all their strength; until the end of their life, their heart does not abandon them. 2. The ordinances of the saints relating to the clothing that one changes only once a year and to the food that one takes only once a day, they observe them with joy and do not consider them vexatious; nor do they make false demonstrations by saying: “The saints have provisionally established these rules”; nor do they wrongly quote the holy books and doctrinal treatises to say that those who, understanding the second revelation, seek deliverance, do not have to observe these prohibitions. 3. They study only the correct and pure law of their own sect and do not seek after various heretical and harmful doctrines. 4. Their hearts are always humble; in their dealings with those who study like themselves, they do not hate those who are superior to them. 5. If they are in an inferior condition, they do not exceed those who are above them; if they are themselves venerable leaders, they consider the multitude as themselves and have no partiality in their affections.
The fifth [tree] is that of zeal. If there are pure tien-na-wou (dênâvar) who have within them the zealous nature, you must know that such masters show five signs of it: 1. They do not like to sleep, [for fear that] it might prevent them from performing actions [leading] to perfection. 2. They constantly delight in reading and reciting [the holy books] and their zealous heart does not tire; if those who study with them give them a teaching, they pay attention to it and thank them with joy; and on the other hand, for a teaching they have received, their hearts conceive no resentment; being always zealous, they also excite the zeal of others. 3. They always delight in expounding, by commenting on it, the correct law of purity. 4. They recite the hymns according to the rites, then they transcribe what they have recited and then they repeat it in their minds; in this way, not a moment is wasted. 5. They adhere firmly and unwaveringly to the prohibitions they observe.
The sixth [tree] is that of truth. If there are pure tien-na-wu (denavar) who have the nature of truth within them, you should know that such masters display five signs: 1. The explanations they give of the holy books and religious doctrine are entirely true; they conform absolutely to the holy religion and expose nothing false; they say yes when it means yes and no when it means no. 2. Their heart and mind are always in accord with the truth: they do not wait for an opportunity from outside to regulate themselves according to it. 3. The actions they perform while complying with the prohibitions are always truthful; whether they are alone or among the crowd, their hearts are not two-faced. 4. With regard to their teachers, their hearts are constantly decided; they serve them with all their strength and do not conceive of any doubt; even until their death, they have no other idea. 5. As for those who study with them, they encourage them to practice [the practice of religion]; by their truthful conduct, they serve as guides to all.
The seventh [tree] is that of faith. If there are pure tien-na-wou (dênâvar) who have within them the nature of faith, you must know that such masters show five signs: 1. They believe in the meaning of the two principles; their heart is pure and conceives no doubt; they reject darkness and follow the light, as prescribed by the saints. 2. With regard to all prohibitions and rules of discipline, their heart is well resolved. 3. With regard to the holy books, they do not allow themselves to add or subtract a single sentence or a word. 4. With regard to the true doctrine, for everything that is profitable to it, their heart joins in its joy; but if they see that it is wounded and tormented by the devil, then they conceive compassion and participate in its worries. 5. They do not imprudently divulge the faults of others; They do not allow themselves any denigration and do not spread deceitful talk; their nature is always affable; they are upright without duplicity.
The eighth [tree] is that of patience. If there are pure tien-na-wu (denavar) who have within them the nature of patience, you should know that such masters display five signs: 1. Their heart is constantly benevolent and does not conceive of anger. 2. They are always joyful and do not experience irritation. 3. In every place, their heart is without hatred. 4. Their heart is not violent; their speech is neither coarse nor malicious; constantly, with affable words, they please the hearts of the crowd. 5. If, either within or without, there are evil torments that arise against them and come to invade and humiliate them, they know how to bear everything with patience; they remain joyful and do not harbor hatred.
The ninth [tree] is that of righteous thought. If there are pure tien-na-wou (dênâvar) who have within them the nature of righteous thought, you should know that such masters show five signs: 1. They are not bound by torments and are always joyful in their righteous and pure thought. 2. Regarding religion, whether a small or a great one questions them, they receive [his question] with respect and answer it with joy. 3. When they speak with those who study like them, they do not reply in an embarrassing manner; They do not defend their own errors and do not harbor feelings of discontent. 4. Their words and actions are in agreement; their hearts are always simple and upright; they do not seek out the faults of others in such a way as to produce disputes. 5. If among their brothers in religion there are some who, with regard to the holy religion, have heterodox feelings, they immediately distance themselves from them; they do not remain with them and do not stay near them in such a way as to form with them a force which intentionally disturbs the assembly of good people.
The tenth [tree] is that of meritorious deeds. If there are pure tien-na-wu (denâvar) who have in them the nature of meritorious deeds, you must know that such masters show five signs of this; 1. The words they speak do no harm to anyone. Constantly, by the resources of excellent skill of their compassionate hearts, they make the whole multitude of men joyful. 2. Their hearts are always pure and do not hate others; nor do they make calumnies capable of irritating others; their words are always kind, and they remove from them the four kinds of faults. 3. Neither towards the great nor towards the humble do they feel any jealousy. 4. They do not bring people together a crowd of adepts, disciples instructed in the holy books and doctrinal treatises; wherever they come, if there is a place of residence that is pure, they are pleased to stop there, and do not choose a sumptuous [dwelling]. 5. They always enjoy teaching to all men, and by their wisdom and marvelous resources, they make them practice correct conduct.
The eleventh [tree] is that of uniformity of heart. If there are pure tien-na-wu (denavar) who have in them the nature of uniformity of heart, you must know that such masters show five signs of it: 1. All the teachings given to them by the head of the religion, the mou-chô and the fou-to-tan, concerning the means of excellent skill of wisdom, and progress and stopping according to the imposing rules, they conform to them from point to point in their conduct; they dare not change anything and do not confine themselves to their own opinions. 2. They always delight in dwelling harmoniously in the company of the multitude; They do not want to remain apart and each have different projects. 3. Their uniform hearts are in harmony [with that of others]; because of this harmony, the alms they receive they make a meritorious work for the use of all. 4. They constantly get the Auditors, with respect, make offerings to them, and with love praise them. 5. They always like to stay away from excitement, from mockery and quarrels, and they excellently protect their two natures combined, that of the interior and that of the exterior.
The twelfth [tree] is that of the total light [of nature] from within and [of nature] from without. If pure tien-na-wu (denavar) have in them the nature of total light, you must know that such masters show five signs of it: 1. They excel in extirpating their filthy hearts and in not tolerating lust and lust, so that their own luminous nature can always be free; as for women, they may regard them as empty and deceptive appearances; they are not stopped and embarrassed by sensual charms: like the bird which, flying does not perish in the nets. 2. In their relations with the Auditors, they have no partiality or special esteem; nor do they attach themselves to the families of the Auditors by considering them as their own houses; if they see that laymen who are not followers of religion suffer some damage or sorrow, their hearts do not grieve; if, on the other hand, it is a question of some advantage and some opportunity for happiness, their hearts remain unchanged . 3. Whether they walk or stand still, whether they sit or lie down, they do not cherish their fleshly bodies by seeking fine and soft garments, or by having bedding, drink and food, soups and medicines, birds and horses, chariots and mounts so as to glorify their bodies, 4. They are constantly thinking of the difficult, painful, and perilous day when their lives will end; they always consider impermanence, and the King of Equality is as if present before their eyes; at no time do they abandon this thought, even for a moment. 5. They are personally affable; they do not molest their brothers and friends or excite their irritation; nor do they make false demonstrations to give a bad name to others; they can constantly, with a firm heart, remain peacefully in the pure law.
These [trees] that we have just enumerated are what are called the precious trees of the twelve kings of light. Me, I have departed from the world of light and eternal bliss and have come here on your behalf, bringing these trees which I wanted to plant in your pure multitude. You, then, men and women of the higher form and excellent wisdom, each one of you must plant these trees in your pure heart, make them prosper and grow; just as, when one sows in extremely good soil, without sand and saltpeter, for one grain sown, one reaps ten thousand, and this developing incessantly, one arrives at infinity. If now you wish to realize within yourselves the fruits of purity of the great Light without superiority, you must all adorn these precious trees and make them have all that is necessary for them. Why do we need it? It is because, O good people, it is by means of the fruits of these trees that you will be able to free yourselves from the four difficulties and that all beings having bodies will deliver themselves from life and death, and, definitively always victorious, will go to the region of immutable bliss.
Then, when the mou-chö and others in the assembly heard the holy text pronounced, they stamped their feet with joy and cried out that there had never been anything like it. The gods and the good spirits, the limited and the unlimited, as well as the kings of the kingdoms, the multitude of ministers, and the multitude of the four classes, both men and women, infinite and innumerable, after hearing this holy text, all rejoiced greatly. All could conceive the desire for perfection without superior; such as the grasses and trees which, at the time of the invigorating spring, develop and grow without exception, are covered with flowers and tie their fruits which reach maturity; only the roots that have been torn out and spoiled can no longer develop and grow.
Then the mou-chö and the others adored the Messenger of Light in prostrate themselves, and knelt down, clasped their hands, and said to him: “There is only the Great Saint, the Venerable One in the three worlds who is universally a compassionate father and mother to the multitude of living beings; he is also the great guide of the three worlds; he is also the great physician for beings who have a soul within them; it is also the wonderful space that can hold all shapes; it is also the superior heaven that envelops all things; it is also the true soil that can produce true fruits; it is also the great sea of ambrosia for all living beings; it is also the fragrant mountain, vast and great, of all jewels; it is also the precious pillar of diamond that supports the crowd of beings; he is also the skillful and wise pilot on the great sea; he is also the helping and compassionate hand in the abysses of fire; he is also the one who, in death, gives eternal life; it is also the central nature among the luminous natures of all living beings; He is also the door of light that delivers from the solid prisons of the three worlds.”
The mou-chö and the others also addressed the Envoy of the Light these words: “And only the only Venerable of the Great Light can praise holy virtue; it is not we who, with the mediocre knowledge of our tongue of flesh, will be able to celebrate the merits and wisdom of the Tathāgata; Of the thousand myriads of parts it contains, we can know only a few parts. Now we have excited our weak virtue and our weak knowledge, we have raised our small and petty mind, and we have praised the great benevolence of the Saint. Our desire would be that the great Saint would send down his pitiful heart upon us to suppress the grave unenlightened crimes that we have committed from immense kalpas to the present, so that they will be abolished. We will not allow ourselves to be negligent now; on all occasions we will take care to watch over the precious trees without superiors so that they have all that is necessary for them. By using this water of the Law, we will wash away all our impurities and grave defilements, so that our luminous nature can always be pure. We will use this remedy of the Law and the great supernatural incantations to ward off and cure all our serious diseases of many kalpas, so that they can be entirely suppressed and cured. We will use the solid armor of wisdom and put it on to stand up to these wicked enemies and to obtain a crushing victory on every occasion. We will make use of wonderful clothes and hairstyles of all “shapes” and we will adorn ourselves with it in order to obtain contentment in all circumstances. We will make use of the luminous models [issued] from primitive nature and we will print them on us so that they may not be lost. We will make use of the various foods and drinks of this excellent food to satisfy ourselves and to keep hunger and thirst away from us. We will use these wonderful and innumerable musical sounds to rejoice and to keep sadness away from us. We will use these extraordinary jewels of all kinds to make liberalities of them so that we may become rich and opulent. We will use this net of light and put it in the vast sea to collect ourselves, save us and deposit us in the precious boat. “Now, by the blessed advantage of the higher form, we were able to see the distinctive marks of the Great Saint; moreover, we have heard the door of the marvelous Law as it has been previously exposed, which has removed torments and impurities for us: our hearts have been able to open and understand; he has received within himself the majestic brilliance of the pearl that makes desires come true; we were able to walk in the right way. The saints of the past, in innumerable numbers, have all been able, through this door, to free themselves from the four difficulties, and all beings who have bodies have reached the realm of light, where they have received unlimited bliss. Our only desire is that in the future all luminous natures may meet such a door of light; if they see it and hear it, then, as the saints of the past did, and as we ourselves have done today, when they hear the Law, they rejoice, and their hearts are opened and understood; and that by deeply venerating and prostrating themselves, they accept [this teaching] without conceiving any doubt or anxiety.
Then, when all the members of the great assembly had heard this holy text, they accepted it with faith as a law and put it into practice with joy.
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Source: Édouard Chavannes and Paul Pelliot, “Un traité manichéen retrouvé en Chine,” Journal Asiatique, Série 10, tome 18 (1911), 505-596.
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