Arthaviniscaya 27

The Discourse giving the Analysis of the Topics

Arthaviniścayasūtram 27. The Eighty Secondary Characteristics

Herein, monastics, what are the eighty secondary characteristics?

   The Buddhas, the Gracious Ones have copper-coloured nails,
   glossy nails,
   prominent nails,
   even lines on his hands,
   rounded fingers,
   firm fingers,
   regular fingers,
   hidden veins,
   unhindered veins,
   hidden ankles,
   even feet,
   a gait like that of a lion,
   a gait like that of a elephant,
   a gait like that of a goose,
   a gait like that of a bull,
   a respectful stride,
   a beautiful stride,
   straight limbs,
   rounded limbs,
   pleasant limbs,
   regular limbs,
   broad, beautiful knees,
   fullsome genitals,
   an even step,
   pure limbs,
   soft limbs,
   purified limbs,
   noble limbs,
   upright limbs,
   compact limbs,
   well-proportioned minor limbs,
   a pure luminescence that dispels the darkness,
   a rounded belly,
   a pleasant belly,
   a straight belly,
   a slim stomach,
   a deep navel,
   a navel that turns to the right,
   (an appearance) that is pleasant on all sides,
   a pure behaviour,
   limbs that are free of moles,
   hands that are soft as cotton,
   glossy palms of the hands,
   deep palms of the hands,
   long palms of the hands,
   a not overly-long face,
   a lovely appearance and reflection,
   a soft tongue,
   (a slim tongue),
   a copper-coloured tongue,
   a voice that sounds like a elephant’s,
   a voice that is sweet, charming and lovely,
   rounded eye-teeth,
   sharp eye-teeth,
   even eye-teeth,
   regular eye-teeth,
   a long nose,
   a clean nose,
   wide eyes,
   long eyes,
   thick eyelashes,
   eyes like lotus petals,
   a broad and long chest,
   a long brow,
   a smooth eyebrow,
   an eyebrow with even hairs,
   a glossy eyebrow,
   pendant ears,
   even ears,
   unimpaired ear faculty,
   a well-developed forehead,
   (a broad forehead),
   a complete head,
   hair of the head that is like a black bee (in colour),
   rounded hair of the head,
   fine hair of the head,
   unconfused hair of the head,
   smooth hair of the head,
   fragrant hair of the head,
   curls of hair, the auspicious cross, the diagram, wheel, diamond, lotus, fish and so on: the Buddhas, the Gracious Ones have these marks on their hands, feet, and soles.

These are the eighty secondary characteristics. Conclusion

This was said by the Gracious One:

“I will teach the Dharma to you, monastics, those Dharma teachings that are good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end, with their meaning, with their (proper) phrasing, I will make known the spiritual life which is complete, fulfilled, accomplished, that is to say, the Dharma instruction known as the Analysis of the Topics.”

When this was said, he said this also: “There are for you, monastics, wildernesses, roots of trees, empty places, mountain caves and caverns, heaps of straw, open spaces, cemeteries, deep and remote forests, you can live in these dwelling places. Meditate, monastics, do not be heedless, do not regret it later.”

This is the advice.

And while this Dharma instruction was being spoken the minds of five hundred monastics were freed from the attachments and the pollutants.

The Gracious One said this,

and those monastics and the whole assembly were uplifted, together with the gods, humans, demons and angels in the world, and they greatly rejoiced in what was said by the Gracious One.

The Dharma instruction known as the Analysis of the Topics is Complete