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Universal Salvation:

There was a woman named Bomo. Though her husband was very wealthy, their affection was deep, with him plowing and her weaving.

Whenever her husband was busy in the fields, Bomo would finish her chores and go help him. They also had two innocent and adorable children, living a happy and fulfilling family life.

One day, after her husband went to the fields, Bomo was breastfeeding her younger son under a tree by the sea while her elder son played on the beach. She gently patted her younger son, her heart filled with happiness.

However, happiness in the human world does not last long, and little did Bomo know that as she finished feeding the baby and placed him under the tree, disaster had already begun to befall her—

Her husband, while harvesting crops in the field, was bitten by a venomous snake that suddenly appeared, and soon he died from the poison...

A fierce vulture suddenly descended from the sky, snatched the baby from under the tree, and in an instant, disappeared without a trace...

The sea surged with roaring waves, sweeping away the elder son who was on the beach...

In just one day, Bomo lost her husband and two beloved children. Devastated by grief, she watched the flames consuming her husband’s remains, deeply feeling the suffering of the world. The bereaved Bomo took refuge in the Buddha, earnestly praying for liberation. Enlightened by the Buddha, she devoted herself to cultivation, striving diligently, and later became a renowned female disciple of the Buddhist Sect.

Feeding the Hawk:

Once, Shizun was traveling and encountered a hungry old hawk chasing a pitiful dove.

The dove said to the hawk, "Spare me, please! There will be another after me, but I have only this one life."

The hawk said, "I understand your point, but I am starving now. If I don’t eat you, I won’t survive. It’s difficult for everyone to live in this world. It’s not that I wouldn’t let go unless driven into a corner."

Upon hearing this, Shizun’s compassion was aroused, and he held the dove, hiding it in his robe.

The hawk, burning with anger, argued with Shizun, "Shizun, with your great mercy and compassion, you save the dove’s life, but do you have the heart to watch me starve to death?"

Shizun said, "I cannot bear to see you harm the innocent dove, and I do not want you to starve to death in vain. As the saying goes, if I do not enter hell, who will?"

So Shizun took out a balance, placing the dove on one side and flesh cut from his own body on the other.

Though the dove appeared small, no matter how much flesh the World-Honored One cut off, it seemed unable to balance its weight.

When he cut off the final piece of flesh, the balance finally equalized.

The celestial winds and clouds changed, and a true Buddha was born.

In the Buddha’s view, all things are mutually dependent and have their own destinies; no one should force anything. However, all beings are not ordinary and strive within this heartless Heavenly Dao, struggling for a lifetime for what reason? It is all just to survive and live well, which is precisely why he fed the hawk with his flesh. Saving the dove, killing the hawk, is it not killing? How can it be deemed fair?

The Buddha once said to his disciples:

Once there was a king named Lena Bami, inherently kind and understanding of people’s conditions, earning the respect of the masses. As he had no heir, he earnestly prayed to the Heavenly Emperor, and soon the queen bore him a son, known as the Prince Good Deed. From a young age, the Prince was very wise, familiar with scriptures, and deep in understanding their meanings.

He often sat in quiet thought under the Bodhi Tree or listened to the monks reciting sutras and preaching. Those who saw him said he resembled the Heavenly Emperor in appearance.

One day, as he passed through the outskirts, he saw a farmer plowing the field and decided to try it out. He immediately witnessed an event — during the plowing, many insects and ants were driven out from the ground: a frog took the opportunity to feast on the insects and ants; then a snake devoured the frog; and finally, a large eagle flew in and pecked at the snake.

The Crown Prince watched and was deeply moved, feeling an unease in his heart. While seeking teachings and Taoism with the National Master across famous mountains, he advised his parents to do more good deeds and attend to the people’s hardships. Later, when Prince Good Deed arrived at Ganliuli Mountain, numerous Heavenly Maidens offered him treasures. The Buddha finally said: The Prince Good Deed then was me now! King Lena Bami is King Jingfan now, and the queen at that time is my mother Mahapaya.

Finally, the Buddha, Shakyamuni, taught several disciples by a river before bathing in it. After washing, the disciples set up a rope canopy between a few Bodhi trees, and Shakyamuni lay on his side, resting on his right hand, saying to the disciples, "I am old and will soon pass away. After I die, do not abandon yourselves due to the loss of your teacher; instead, you must vigorously promote Buddhism to save the world." After saying this, he passed away...

The Buddha has ten appellations:

1. Tathagata: Coming by the path of reality and attaining true enlightenment.

2. Worthy of Worship: Should be worshiped by heaven and humans.

3. Perfectly Knowledgeable: Completely and truly knows all Buddhadharma.

4. Knows the Three Knowledges (past lives, Heavenly Vision, end of defilements) and Five Elements (saint, Brahmin, heaven, infant, sickness).

5. Benevolent Departure: Peacefully enters into Nirvana.

6. Understanding of the World: Can understand everything in the world.

7. Supreme Being: The highest and paramount being.

8. Great Ruler: Can govern and adjust cultivation methods.

9. Teacher of Heaven and Man: The Buddha is the teacher of all heaven and humans.

10. World-Honored One: The Buddha should be respected by all humans.

These ten titles of the Buddha correspond to the ten major disciples of the Buddha:

Shariputra — Foremost in Wisdom

Shariputra, also known as Shariputra, was born near the city of Rajagriha in a Brahmin family. His father was a great scholar of Brahmanism. Influenced by his family since childhood, he was very knowledgeable about Brahmanism. Growing up, he and his friends, who later became monastic Taoists with him, Mogallana, shared the same aspirations, spreading teachings and education in the countryside with thousands of disciples. Once, while traveling with Mogallana, they encountered Master Shizun’s disciple Mahashamsaka, and upon hearing the verse "All dharmas arise from causes and conditions, all dharmas perish from causes and conditions. My Buddha, the great shramana, always speaks thus," they developed faith in Buddhism. Soon, they led many disciples to convert to Buddhism. Before becoming monastic, Shariputra was a well-known scholar of Brahmanism, and his ordination greatly enhanced the Buddha’s reputation and prestige. After Shariputra’s conversion to the Buddha, he became known for "maintaining precepts, hearing more, desiring little, knowing satisfaction, right mindfulness, right reception, swift and wise...," earning Buddha’s praise. His virtues were many, notably vast and profound wisdom, which led to his title as "Foremost in Wisdom" among the Buddha’s disciples.

Shariputra followed the Buddha for over forty years, aiding in the propagation of Buddhist teachings and contributing significantly to the dissemination and development of Buddha’s teachings. In the end, he could not bear to witness his mentor the Buddha’s passing, requesting to pass away first, which was granted by the Buddha. Upon his parinirvana, he returned to his long-separated hometown, bade farewell to his eighty-year-old mother, and gave one last sermon to the people of his hometown, then peacefully entered Nirvana. This act reflects that Buddhism also values familial affection among humans.

Mogallana — Foremost in Divine Skills

Mogallana, also known by the names "Mahamoggallana," "Great Mogallana," "Mulan," etc., studied Brahmanism alongside Shariputra before ordination and had a close relationship with him. Later, he encountered Mahashamsaka’s disciple and together converted to the Buddha. After ordination, Mogallana diligently practiced cultivation and attained extraordinary divine powers. He used these powers to break Lotus Sexual Woman’s temptation, earning great praise from the Buddha. Thus, he earned the title "Foremost in Divine Skills" among the Buddha’s disciples. Mogallana actively aided in the propagation of Buddhist teachings, becoming an important assistant to the Buddha’s life’s work of spreading the Dharma. Therefore, the Buddha referred to him and Shariputra as the "Dual Saints" among his disciples. The Buddha once said: "These two are foremost among my disciples, boundless in wisdom, foremost in divine powers."

Mogallana is also a paragon of filial piety within Buddhism. According to the "Mogallana Saves His Mother Sutra," Mogallana learned through his divine powers that his mother, due to committing major evil deeds before her passing, was suffering in hell and sought help from the Buddha. The Buddha instructed him to place diverse food offerings in the Ullambana Basin to offer to monastic communities on the Lunar July 15th. Mogallana did as instructed, eventually saving his mother. This method of saving souls later developed into the "Ullambana Festival" holiday, enduringly popular in both Buddhist and secular society for hundreds of years. Mogallana thus became known through history. Such a wise monk, honored within the Buddhist sect, truly achieved earth-creating contributions.

Anaruy — Foremost in Heavenly Vision

Anaruy means "as wished," "untainted," "the everlasting as wished." Commonly referred to in Buddhist Sutras as "Ara-Tou." He was the Buddha’s cousin, the son of the Buddha’s uncle Ganjufan King (also White Rice King). When the Buddha returned to his hometown Kapilavastu to propagate the Dharma six years after achieving enlightenment, Anaruy followed the Buddha to become monastic. Among the Buddha’s disciples, he is known as "Foremost in Heavenly Vision." His attainment of this divine ability has a less honorable history. Once, while Anaruy was listening to the Buddha’s teachings, he grew tired and dozed off, and the Buddha noticed and sternly criticized him. Deeply ashamed, he vowed never to sleep again, dedicating himself to diligent cultivation. After seven days and nights, his eyes became blind from exhaustion. Upon learning of this, the Buddha showed great compassion and taught him to meditate. Following the Buddha’s guidance, he persevered without relenting, ultimately opening his heart eye and attained Heavenly Vision, "seeing the Jambudvipa as clearly as a fruit in the palm."

Anaruy also possessed a proactive Mahayana thought of saving the world; he once told the Buddha: "Desiring little, knowing contentment, constantly practicing diligence are essential for a cultivator; forgetting one’s small self and promoting the well-being of all lives is the duty of a Buddha’s disciple." His words and deeds received great commendation from the Buddha, who specifically expounded the Mahayana classic "Eight Great Realizations Sutra" for him, explaining eight important matters of Mahayana Practice. Additionally, Anaruy participated in the first Buddhist Council, becoming a foundational figure for Buddhism. (To be continued. If you like this work, welcome to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation tickets and monthly tickets, your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please read at m.qidian.com.)