In this short sūtra, the Buddha first instructs the monks to carry the ringing staff and then provides a brief introduction to its significance. In response to Venerable Mahākāśyapa’s queries, the Buddha gives a more detailed explanation of the attributes of the staff and the benefits that can be derived from holding it. In the course of his exposition, he also elucidates the rich symbolism of its parts, such as the four prongs and the twelve rings. Finally, the Buddha explains that while the ringing staff is carried by all buddhas of the past, present, and future, the number of prongs on the staff might vary.
The Translation
Homage to all buddhas and bodhisattvas!
Once, the Blessed One said to the monks, “You shall carry this ringing staff. Why? Because past buddhas have carried this ringing staff and future buddhas will carry this ringing staff. Present buddhas also carry this ringing staff; having now attained awakening, I carry the ringing staff. [F.271.b] In a similar manner, past, future, and present buddhas instruct the listeners, ‘You shall carry the ringing staff.’ So now, having attained awakening, I also teach you in accordance with the Dharma of the buddhas, and you too shall carry the ringing staff. Why?
“The ringing staff is also called the staff of gnosis. It is also called the staff of excellent qualities. Because it signifies the gnosis of noble beings, it is called the staff of gnosis. Because it builds the foundation of excellent qualities, it is called the staff of excellent qualities.
“This ringing staff signifies that the holder is a sublime being belonging to the lineage of noble beings, it is an emblem that points to the Dharma of the path, and it is a practice that facilitates recollection. Therefore, you should carry it according to the Dharma.”
Then Venerable Mahākāśyapa rose from his seat, adjusted his robes, draped his upper robe over one shoulder, joined his palms, and knelt on the ground. He inquired of the Blessed One, “Blessed One, why is it called a ‘ringing staff’? How should it be carried? May the Blessed One explain. We will practice as instructed.”
The Blessed One said to Kāśyapa, “Listen well, keep it in mind, and I shall explain.
“The ringing staff brings relief. Those who rely upon this ringing staff will eliminate afflictions and emerge from the three realms. Therefore, it is said to bring relief.
“The ringing staff causes illumination. Those who hold the ringing staff will attain the illumination of wisdom. Therefore, it is said to cause illumination.
“The ringing staff brings about irreversibility. [F.272.a] Those who hold the ringing staff will emerge from the three realms of existence and also be unattached. Therefore, it is said to bring about irreversibility of spiritual progress.
“The ringing staff causes understanding. What does the ringing staff cause one to comprehend? One will understand suffering, emptiness, and the fetters that are afflictions of the three realms, and one will clearly realize the four truths and the twelve links of dependent origination. Therefore, it is said to cause understanding.
“The ringing staff eliminates pride. Those who hold the ringing staff will give up acting pridefully. Therefore, it is said to eliminate pride.
“The ringing staff keeps others at a distance. Those who hold this ringing staff will distance themselves from the five sensual objects. Therefore, they will give up the fetters of craving for sensual objects, discard the five aggregates, give up the five states of existence, approach nirvāṇa, and also expel conditioning karma far away. Therefore, it is said to keep others at a distance.
“The ringing staff adopts. By adopting the precious discipline, meditative stabilization, and wisdom of the buddhas, those who hold the ringing staff will attain freedom. Therefore, it is said to adopt.
“The ringing staff brings accomplishment. By becoming accomplished in the collections of the Buddha’s teachings and practicing them as taught,13 those who hold the ringing staff will not fall back but become excellent. Therefore, it is said that it brings accomplishment.”
“Kāśyapa,” the Blessed One concluded, “since the meanings of the term ringing staff are vast and multifarious, they cannot be described fully, but for the time being you should comprehend them in that way.” [F.272.b]
Kāśyapa then asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, if the meanings of the ringing staff are so, what are the reasons for this whole range of meanings, from ‘staff of gnosis’ to ‘it is a practice aimed at the application of recollection’?14 Could the Blessed One explain?”
The Blessed One replied, “The ringing staff causes the accomplishment of the practice of gnosis; causes the accomplishment of vast learning; engenders an unhindered understanding of worldly and transcendent wisdom, virtue and nonvirtue, the conditioned and unconditioned, and the contaminated and uncontaminated; and it causes the accomplishment of wisdom. Therefore, it is called the staff of gnosis.
“Practicing the strict observance of discipline, patience, the cultivation of meditative concentration with a single-pointed mind devoid of distraction,15 and constant meritorious actions, as if their head or turban had caught fire, those who hold the ringing staff do not forsake these practices even for an instant. Therefore, it is called the staff of excellent qualities.
“Those who hold this ringing staff will become perfect in the sixteen kinds of practice: (1–4) the four truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and the path; (5–8) the four immeasurable states of love, compassion, joy, and equanimity; (9–12) the four meditative concentrations: the first meditative concentration, second meditative concentration, third meditative concentration, and fourth meditative concentration; and (13–16) the four formless states of meditative attainment: the sphere of infinite space, the sphere of infinite consciousness, the sphere of nothingness, and the sphere of neither perception nor absence of perception. [F.273.a] In addition, they will become perfect in the thirty-seven practices—namely, the thirty-seven aids to awakening—and they will discern these dharmas with clarity.16 Because they actualize them physically, they do not pursue words. They frolic in these dharmas and are free to enter the gateways to liberation of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness at will and without difficulty.17 Such persons are called noble beings.
“Possessing such qualities internally, they hold the ringing staff externally. Because of this, it is beyond doubt that such persons are perfect in the excellent qualities of noble beings: discipline, patience, meditative concentration, wisdom, the threefold knowledge, the six types of supernatural knowledge, and the eight kinds of liberation. Because the ringing staff engenders respect by signifying that such persons are noble beings, it is called the sign of a noble being.
“As for the expression ‘that which signifies that the holder is a sublime being,’ because of possessing the nature of gnosis within, a person is said to be ‘sublime.’ The ringing staff engenders respect by signifying that the person is a noble being.18 It thereby shows that, because of possessing the nature of gnosis that is present within a noble being, the holder accomplishes the foundation of excellent qualities, strives for increasingly higher qualities, and accomplishes them well. Therefore, it is called that which signifies that the holder is a sublime being.
“It makes known that ‘this clear-minded person, having practiced by means of wisdom, will enter before long the path leading to a peaceful and secluded state beyond conditioning, namely the bliss of nirvāṇa, the ultimate place.’ Therefore, the ringing staff is called the emblem that points to the Dharma of the path.
“As for the expression ‘it is a practice that facilitates recollection,’ this ringing staff has three levels. Just by seeing the structure of the three segments, having recollected the suffering of the three lower states of existence, [F.273.b] one will cultivate discipline, meditative stabilization, and wisdom; having recollected the three misfortunes—aging, sickness, and death—one will dispel the three poisons: attachment, hatred, and ignorance; and having recollected the three realms as impermanent, one will generate belief in and respect for the Three Jewels, eliminate the three realms of existence, discard the three contaminations,19 purify the three kinds of karma, wish to possess the threefold knowledge, enter the three liberations, obtain the three states of the six recollections,20 and realize the three gnoses that take one far. Hence, it is presented in its structure of three segments.
“Furthermore, it is made with four prongs. For the purpose of severing the four types of birth, recollecting the four truths, cultivating the four immeasurable states, entering the four meditative concentrations, purifying the four states of meditative attainment, revealing the four applications of mindfulness, teaching the four kinds of exertion,21 and obtaining the four bases of supernatural power, it is made with four prongs.
“With the central wooden shaft included, it is shown to have five aspects. For the purpose of forsaking the five views,22 discarding the disturbances of the suffering of saṃsāra of the five states of existence, cultivating the five faculties, possessing the five powers, eliminating the five hindrances, dismantling the five aggregates, and attaining the Dharma body having five parts, it is shown to have five aspects.
“It is taught that there are twelve rings so that one will recall the twelve links of dependent origination and will do so without being impeded, one will cultivate the meditative concentrations of the twelve doors, and one will recollect with a flawless mind. [F.274.a]
“It is taught to have seven parts—the combination of the three levels and the four prongs—so that one will recollect the Dharma of the seven branches of the awakening of the Tathāgata and accomplish the seven treasures of noble beings.
“With the lower tip included, it is shown to have eight parts. It is for the purpose of teaching the eight branches of the path, attaining the eight kinds of liberation, and dispelling the eight inopportune states that the eight parts are shown.
“That is the brief meaning of the ringing staff. Therefore, you should retain it well.”
Kāśyapa promised the Blessed One, “Blessed One, it shall be done just as it has been taught in the noble statements.”
Mahākāśyapa then inquired again of the Blessed One, “Blessed One, are all the teachings of the tathāgatas of the three times the same?”
The Blessed One replied, “For some, the staff is the same but the usage is different. On account of that, during the time of some, it is made with four prongs, and during the time of others, it is made with two prongs. The number of rings does not vary. As for me, I have taught that it should be made with four prongs and twelve rings.
“The two-prong design was established by the Tathāgata Kāśyapa. This meaning was established for the sake of sentient beings recollecting the two truths: conventional truth and ultimate truth.”
At that time, after the Blessed One had spoken these words, Venerable Mahākāśyapa, the entourage of 1,200 followers, and the large congregation were delighted and gave praise respectfully.
This concludes The Noble Mahāyāna Sūtra on the Ringing Staff.