Shakyamuni Buddha then said to Maitreya Bodhisattva, “Good indeed, good indeed, Ajita, that you can inquire of the Buddha about such a great matter. You should all single-mindedly don the armor of vigor. Put forth a firm resolve.
“The Thus Come One now wishes to disclose and proclaim the wisdom of all Buddhas, the power of all Buddhas’ comfortable self-mastery and spiritual penetrations, the power of all Buddhas’ lion sprint, and the power of all Buddhas’ awesome courage and mighty strength.”
At that time, the World Honored One, wishing to restate these principles, spoke verses:

Shakyamuni Buddha then said to Maitreya Bodhisattva, “Good indeed, good indeed, Ajita, that you can inquire of the Buddha about such a great matter.” The attendants that the Buddhas of the ten directions brought with them, those Bodhisattvas, also had doubts, and each went to ask the Buddha whom he accompanied. They asked, “Where have these Great Bodhisattvas come from? Why don’t we recognize them?”

And so each of the Buddhas told his attendants: “Don’t be nervous. Listen. Just now, Maitreya Bodhisattva has already asked the World Honored One, Shakyamuni, that question. The World Honored One, Shakyamuni, is now going to answer. From their dialogue you will come to understand the causes and conditions.”

“Then” refers to that time. Shakyamuni Buddha, the World Honored One, spoke to Maitreya Bodhisattva, saying, “Maitreya Bodhisattva, good indeed, good indeed!”

“Good indeed, good indeed” has two meanings. The first “good indeed” means that Maitreya Bodhisattva’s question was excellent. Why? Because he understood the Buddha’s mind. His question tallied above with all the Buddhas’ minds. The second “good indeed” means that his question was again excellent in that it tallied below with everyone’s thoughts. It tallied below with living beings thoughts, with their minds. That’s why “good indeed” was spoken twice.

Why is it said to be a “great matter”? Because it “discloses the traces in order to reveal the origin, and discloses the near to reveal the far. “Traces” are the imprints left by previous events. Revealing the origin means manifesting the way it basically was, manifesting the events of one’s previous lives.

The Buddha also wants to disclose the near to reveal the far. In the past, this Dharma-door had never been spoken. This Dharma-door was not spoken during the Flower Adornment Period, nor was this Dharma-door spoken during the Agama Period. In the Vaipulya Period, this Dharma-door was not spoken; and in the Prajna Period, this Dharma-door was also not spoken. Only in the Lotus-Nirvana Period was this Dharma-door finally spoken. It’s only now, in the Lotus-Nirvana Period, that the Dharma Flower is spoken. This is “disclosing the near to reveal the far,” a subtle, wonderful, inconceivable Dharma-door. And, since it has never before been spoken out in such an open and obvious manner, this is a great matter. Furthermore, the “great matter” does not refer to the virtue of the nature, but to the virtue of cultivation. The virtue of cultivation through which one attains the level of fruition is extremely profound and far-reaching. This is not referring to the principle of the equality of the virtue of the nature. Therefore, this matter is a specific, not a principle. It is a great matter.

The Buddha therefore says, “Good indeed, good indeed, Ajita, that you have been able to ask the Buddha about this great matter.”

You should all single-mindedly… The word “should” is an exhortation, an admonishment. “Each of you in this great assembly should be single-minded. Do not allow your minds to be scattered,” he warns them. “If you want to listen to me explain this Dharma, you must be single-minded. Don the armor of vigor. Put on vigor as your armor. Vigor implies that one should not be lazy. This is a warning to you not to be lazy. Go forward with vigor. Put forth a firm resolve; do not retreat. You should bring forth a determined resolve that does not retreat.”

To be continued