Part 7
Prostrating in front of the pavilion, he sees Maitreya Bodhisattva approaching with countless living beings and those of the eightfold division. Good Wealth will soon be replete with all merit and virtue. He seeks the Dharma. The Bodhi Mind gives birth to all Buddhas. Inside the great Tower of Vairochana’s Treasury, he beholds inconceivable wonders and boundless adornments. Spiritual states manifest in endless profusion.
The Teacher of Bodhisattvas, the Mother of Buddhas is the Great and Awesome Manjushri Bodhisattva. Going to the country Universal Door, seeking for the first Good and Wise Advisor. Manjushri Bodhisattva extends his right hand placing it on Good Wealth’s head and bestows the Dharma. He then withdrew and did not appear.
Hearing the name ‘Universal Worthy Bodhisattva Mahasattva,’ longing to see the Great Sage. Giving rise to infinite minds, auspicious luminous portents manifested. Single-mindedly gathering in his faculties, he sees the incomparably majestic Universal Worthy Bodhisattva who says to him,
‘In the seas of so many kalpas, I personally remember that I never had even a single thought of not according with the Teachings of the Buddha…’

Annotation
Initially, it was Manjushri Bodhisattva Mahasattva who had inspired Good Wealth to bring forth the great Supreme Resolve to seek for anuttarasamyaksambodhi. From that time onwards Good Wealth had drawn near to and received the Dharma from Good Knowing Advisors who represent the Ten Dwellings, the Ten Conducts, the Ten Transferences, the Ten Grounds, and then he went south to a country called Seashore. He wished to seek Dharma from Maitreya Bodhisattva in a garden known as Great Adornment.

Good Wealth saw Maitreya Bodhisattva and there were an uncountable number of gods and dragons of the eightfold division with him. Maitreya Bodhisattva praised Good Wealth and rubbed the crown of Good Wealth’s head.
Maitreya Bodhisattva is known as Ajita in Sanskrit, and Mi Lei Pu’sa in Chinese. Ajita means ‘invincible’ and Maitreya means ‘compassionate clan.’ He cultivates the Compassion Heart Samadhi, and has perfected his practice of patience. Shakyamuni Buddha predicted that Maitreya Bodhisattva would be the next Buddha. Hence, he is also known as Maitreya, the Honored Future Buddha. He is usually depicted with a big belly that shows he can stomach what is unendurable. A verse on him says,
‘If you ask me what I’m laughing about,
First let me ask you what you’re crying for.
Neither crying nor laughing are the Middle Way.
Why get attached to either side?
In a single gulp, swallow your worries and grief.
With two eyes, see through those who pursue fame and profit.
No one recognizes the Bodhisattva;                      
Everyone misses him at close range.’

It is said that a great teacher inspires.The Buddhas and Great Bodhisattvas are definitely Teachers who inspire. When a person is greatly inspired, he is able to undertake something, which he would not have had the strength or patience to carry out under normal circumstances. A Great Sage can cause others to bring forth a great Bodhi Resolve so that they can activate and develop their strength of perseverance and fortitude to cultivate and perfect the myriad practices and virtues. An inspiration is like an awakening, an inner stirring of one’s spiritual nature and a fortifying of one’s courage. Before that kind of moral incitement occurs, before one brings forth the Bodhi Resolve, one is like sleep walking through life aimlessly and recklessly.
After one encounters a genuine Good and Wise Advisor, one should never turn one’s back on him. One should not reject or renounce one’s source of spiritual inspiration. Even after one has certified to the fruitions of a Bodhisattva Mahasattva and attains enlightenment, one must not forget or renounce one’s Master. Therefore, Maitreya Bodhisattva instructed Good Wealth to go to Manjushri Bodhisattva in order to enable living beings and all the disciples of the Buddha to know that that is the right, filial, and timely thing to do. Even after one has encountered many Great Bodhisattvas, one should still always remember one’s first Good Knowing Advisor. A Bodhisattva never forgets or grows weary of his pure spiritual source of inspiration.Indeed,how can living beings not revere their Good Teachers?

Good Wealth requested Dharma from Maitreya Bodhisattva. Maitreya Bodhisattva described in detail what the Bodhi Mind is like. Then, he invited Good Wealth to enter the Great Tower of Vairochana’s Treasury of an Array of Adornments. Inside the Tower, Good Wealth saw all kinds of inconceivable states. After that, Maitreya Bodhisattva spoke Dharma for him and instructed him to go to Manjushri Bodhisattva.
Good Wealth went to the City of Sumana in search of Manjushri Bodhisattva. From afar, Manjushri Bodhisattva extended his hand and placed it on Good Wealth’s head.
That is a very compassionate gesture. It shows that Manjushri Bodhisattva is mindfully protective of Good Wealth. Manjushri Bodhisattva spoke Dharma for Good Wealth, then he withdrew and did not appear, causing Good Wealth to again receive tremendous benefits and eventually study with Universal Worthy Bodhisattva.

Universal Worthy Bodhisattva explained how he had for many kalpas cultivated in accord with the Buddha’s Teaching. One cannot help but feel greatly inspired by Universal Worthy Bodhisattva Mahasattva’s immaculate and totally selfless conduct. He is able to completely give up everything. He sought the Dharma for the sake of rescuing and protecting all living beings. He is constantly benefiting and aiding living beings throughout the Dharma Realm. However, most of the living beings are not even aware that they are receiving such compassionate aid from him. Why? Because he is not interested in seeking for fame or a good reputation. He isn’t waiting for living beings to thank him. He does not want anything from living beings. He only wishes to benefit them and help them all to obtain ultimate liberation. It is said,
‘The Sage stays behind, therefore he is ahead. The true benefactors of humankind work deep and silently.’

Tripitaka Master Hsuan Hua said in his commentary,
‘In doing good things for people, you wouldn’t want them to know about it. You wouldn’t even think about it, you’d just do whatever you were going to do and not pay any attention to whether anybody knew or not. If you know what you are doing is proper and beneficial, and you do it with no thought of whether people think well of you or not, then it counts…
‘In helping other people, if you don’t do it in order to get other people to thank you, or to say a good word about you, then that’s true fame… If you calculate for fame, then what you are doing is false… If you use phony motives and false advertising, then the merchandise that you’re selling is just counterfeit. If it were true, you wouldn’t have to do that. You’d just truly and actually go ahead and do what you do. You would not even have a hair’s worth of any motive involved.’

Someone says, “The art of secret altruism does not come naturally. It must be cultivated, for it goes against the natural grain of our ego.” Also, “There’s no limit to what a man can do if he doesn’t mind who gets the credit.’
Universal Worthy Bodhisattva has cultivated secret altruism to perfection. He is especially adept and skilled in wanting to benefit all living beings without expecting anything in return. Hence, he is a most perfect and genuine disciple of the Buddha.
In general, many living beings are such that when they perform a good deed, they want others to know about it. There is a saying, ‘When a hen lays an egg, it cackles as if it has laid an asteroid.’
However, the proclamation of one’s good deeds is actually an indication of one’s arrogance and lack of humility. Many people perform charity for the sake of receiving recognition and an honorable title. They give because they want something in return. So, it is said,
‘One ought to be ashamed of the good deeds that one does when one think of the (selfish) motives behind them’
As it is said,
‘Good that is done hoping others will see it is not real good.’

Universal Worthy Bodhisattva says that he had cultivated for an infinite period of time without ever opposing the Teachings of the Buddha. In every thought and in every move he makes, he is always in accord with the Teaching of Supreme Compassion and Great Wisdom. He is a most filial disciple.
If one investigates Sutras, one will find that the wonderful practice of filiality is a recurring theme. Before the Buddha departed, he told his disciples to take the precepts as their Master after he enters Nirvana. One could also say that, after the Buddha enters Nirvana, one should take supreme filiality as one’s master because filiality is the highest precepts. One upholds precepts in order to be filial towards all Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Pratyekabuddhas, Sound Hearers, one’s parents and all living beings. That is just the conduct of Universal Worthy Bodhisattva Mahasattva.

People have a tendency to discard what is old in favor of something new. They fail to appreciate old friends and become tired with things, which are old. But, they enjoy having new friends and are thrilled about things which are novel. However, what is old and ancient has already stood the test of time. Universal Worthy Bodhisattva would never think of replacing his Teacher the Buddha in that way. For that reason, whenever the World Honored Ones expound the Dharma, Universal Worthy Bodhisattva Mahasattva will come and act as one of the influential assembly. Just by being present when the Buddha speaks, Universal Worthy Bodhisattva is already making a very powerful statement on Filiality and Loyalty. He is also expressing his profound gratitude and supreme reverence towards the Buddha in a silent way.