The Lotus Sutra
Translated by H. Kern
Modified by Antihubris.com
CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTORY.
CHAPTER 2 - SKILLFULNESS.
CHAPTER 3 - A PARABLE.
CHAPTER 4 - DISPOSITION.
CHAPTER 5 - ON PLANTS.
CHAPTER 6 - ANNOUNCEMENT OF FUTURE
DESTINY.
CHAPTER 7 - ANCIENT DEVOTION.
CHAPTER 8 - ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE FUTURE
DESTINY OF THE FIVE HUNDRED MONKS.
CHAPTER 9 - ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE FUTURE
DESTINY OF ÂNANDA, RAHULA, AND THE TWO THOUSAND MONKS.
CHAPTER 10 - THE PREACHER.
CHAPTER 11 - APPARITION OF A STÛPA.
CHAPTER 12 - EXERTION.
CHAPTER 13 - PEACEFUL LIFE.
CHAPTER 14 - ISSUING OF BODHISATTVAS
FROM THE GAPS OF THE EARTH.
CHAPTER 15 - DURATION OF LIFE OF THE
TATHÂGATA.
CHAPTER 16 - OF PIETY.
CHAPTER 17 - INDICATION OF THE
MERITORIOUSNESS OF JOYFUL ACCEPTANCE.
CHAPTER 18 - THE ADVANTAGES OF A
RELIGIOUS PREACHER.
CHAPTER 19 - SADÂPARIBHÛTA.
CHAPTER 20 - CONCEPTION OF THE
TRANSCENDENT POWER OF THE TATHÂGATAS.
CHAPTER 21 - SPELLS.
CHAPTER 22 - ANCIENT DEVOTION OF
BHAISHAGYARÂGA.
CHAPTER 23 - GADGADASVARA.
CHAPTER 24 - CHAPTER CALLED THAT OF THE
ALL-SIDED ONE, CONTAINING A DESCRIPTION OF THE
TRANSFORMATIONS OF AVALOKITESVARA.
CHAPTER 25 - ANCIENT
DEVOTION.
CHAPTER 26 - ENCOURAGEMENT OF
SAMANTABHADRA.
CHAPTER 27 - THE PERIOD [OF THE LAW,
DHARMAPARYÂYA].
SADDHARMA-PUNDARÎKA
OR
THE LOTUS OF THE TRUE LAW.
HOMAGE TO
ALL THE BUDDHAS AND BODHISATTVAS.
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTORY.
Thus
have I heard. Once upon a time the Lord was staying at
Râgagriha, on the Gridhrakuta mountain, with a numerous
assemblage of monks, twelve hundred monks, all of them
Arhats, stainless, free from depravity, self-controlled,
thoroughly emancipated in thought and knowledge, of noble
breed, (like unto) great elephants, having done their
task, done their duty, acquitted their charge, reached
the goal; in whom the ties which bound them to existence
were wholly destroyed, whose minds were thoroughly
emancipated by perfect knowledge, who had reached the
utmost perfection in subduing all their thoughts; who
were possessed of the transcendent faculties; eminent
disciples, such as the venerable Agñâta-Kaundinya, the
venerable Asvagit, the venerable Vâshpa, the venerable
Mahânâman, the venerable Bhadrikal, the venerable
Mahâ-Kâsyapa, the venerable Kâsyapa of Uruvilvâ, the
venerable Kâsyapa of Nadi, the venerable Kâsyapa of Gayâ,
the venerable Sâriputra, the venerable
Mahâ-Maudgalyâyana, the venerable Mahâ-Kâtyâyana, the
venerable Aniruddha, the venerable Revata, the venerable
Kapphina, the venerable Gavâmpati, the venerable
Pilindavatsa, the venerable Vakula, the venerable
Bhâradvâga, the venerable Mahâ-Kaushthila, the venerable
Nanda (alias Mahânanda), the venerable Upananda, the
venerable Sundara-Nanda, the venerable Pûrna
Maitrâyanîputra, the venerable Subhûti, the venerable
Râhula; with them yet other great disciples, as the
venerable Ananda, still under training, and two thousand
other monks, some of whom still under training, the
others masters; with six thousand nuns having at their
head Mahâpragâpatî, and the nun Yasodharâ, the mother of
Râhula, along with her train; (further) with eighty
thousand Bodhisattvas, all unable to slide back, endowed
with the spells of supreme, perfect enlightenment, firmly
standing in wisdom; who moved onward the never deviating
wheel of the law; who had propitiated many hundred
thousands of Buddhas; who under many hundred thousands of
Buddhas had planted the roots of goodness, had been
intimate with many hundred thousands of Buddhas, were in
body and mind fully penetrated with the feeling of
charity; able in communicating the wisdom of the
Tathâgatas; very wise, having reached the perfection of
wisdom; renowned in many hundred thousands of worlds;
having saved many hundred thousand myriads of kotis of
beings; such as the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Mañgusrî, as
prince royal; the Bodhisattvas Mahâsattvas
Avalokitesvara, Mahâsthâmaprâpta, Sarvarthanâman,
Nityodyukta, Anikshiptadhura, Ratnakandra,
Bhaishagyarâga, Pradânasûra, Ratnakandra, Ratnaprabha,
Pûrnakandra, Mahivikrâmin, Trailokavikrâmin,
Anantavikrâmin, Mahâpratibhâna, Satatasamitâbhiyukta,
Dharanîdhara, Akshayamati, Padmasrî, Nakshatrarâga, the
Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Maitreya, the Bodhisattva
Mahâsattva Simha.
With them were also the sixteen virtuous men to begin
with Bhadrapâla, to wit, Bhadrapâla, Ratnikara,
Susârthavâha, Naradatta, Guhagupta, Varunadatta,
Indradatta, Uttaramati, Viseshamati, Vardhamânamati,
Amoghadarsin, Susamsthita, Suvikrântavikrâmin,
Anupamamati, Sûryagarbha, and Dharanidhara; besides
eighty thousand Bodhisattvas, among whom the
fore-mentioned were the chiefs; further Sakra, the ruler
of the celestials, with twenty thousand gods, his
followers, such as the god Kandra (the Moon), the god
Sûrya (the Sun), the god Samantagandha (the Wind), the
god Ratnaprabha, the god Avabhâsaprabha, and others;
further, the four great rulers of the cardinal points
with thirty thousand gods in their train, viz. the great
ruler Virûdhaka, the great ruler Virûpâksha, the great
ruler Dhritarâshtra, and the great ruler Vaisravana; the
god Îsvara and the god Mahesvara, each followed by thirty
thousand gods; further, Brahma Sahdmpati and his twelve
thousand followers, the BrahmakAyika gods, amongst whom
Brahma Sikhin and Brahma Gyotishprabha, with the other
twelve thousand Brahmakdyika gods; together with the
eight Nâga kings and many hundred thousand myriads of
kotis of Nigas in their train, viz. the Nâga king Nanda,
the Nâga king Upananda, Sâgara, Vâsuki, Takshaka,
Manasvin, Anavatapta, and Utpalaka; further, the four
Kinnara kings with many hundred thousand myriads of kotis
of followers, viz. the Kinnara king Druma, the Kinnara
king Mahâdharma, the Kinnara king Sudharma, and the
Kinnara king Dharmadhara; besides, the four divine beings
(called) Gandharvakâyikas with many hundred thousand
Gandharvas in their suite, viz. the Gandharva Manogña,
the Gandharva Manogñasvara, the Gandharva Madhura, and
the Gandharva Madhurasvara; further, the four chiefs of
the demons followed by many hundred thousand myriads of
kotis of demons, viz. the chief of the demons Bali,
Kharaskandha, Vemakitri, and Râhu; along with the four
Garuda chiefs followed by many hundred thousand myriads
of kotis of Garudas, viz. the Garuda chiefs Mahâtegas,
Mahâkâya, Mahâpûrna, and Mahârddhiprâpta, and with
Agâtasatru, king of Magadha, the son of Vaidehi.
Now at that time it was that the Lord surrounded,
attended, honoured, revered, venerated, worshipped by the
four classes of hearers, after expounding the
Dharmaparyâya called 'the Great Exposition,' a text of
great development, serving to instruct Bodhisattvas and
proper to all Buddhas, sat cross-legged on the seat of
the law and entered upon the meditation termed 'the
station of the exposition of Infinity;' his body was
motionless and his mind had reached perfect tranquillity.
And as soon as the Lord had entered upon his meditation,
there fell a great rain of divine flowers, Mandâravasâ
and great Mandâravas, Mañgûshakas and great Mañgûshakas,
covering the Lord and the four classes of hearers, while
the whole Buddha field shook in six ways: it moved,
removed, trembled, trembled from one end to the other,
tossed, tossed along.
Then did those who were assembled and sitting together in
that congregation, monks, nuns, male and female lay
devotees, gods, Nagas, goblins, Gandharvas, demons,
Garudas, Kinnaras, great serpents, men, and beings not
human, as well as governors of a region, rulers of armies
and rulers of four continents, all of them with their
followers, gaze on the Lord in astonishment, in
amazement, in ecstasy.
And at that moment there issued a ray from within the
circle of hair between the eyebrows of the Lord. It
extended over eighteen hundred thousand Buddha-fields in
the eastern quarter, so that all those Buddha-fields
appeared wholly illuminated by its radiance, down to the
great hell Avîki and up to the limit of existence. And
the beings in any of the six states of existence became
visible, all without exception. Likewise the Lords
Buddhas staying, living, and existing in those
Buddha-fields became all visible, and the law preached by
them could be entirely heard by all beings. And the
monks, nuns, lay devotees male and female, Yogins and
students of Yoga, those who had obtained the fruition (of
the Paths of sanctification) and those who had not, they,
too, became visible. And the Bodhisattvas Mahâsattvas in
those Buddha-fields who plied the Bodhisattva-course with
ability, due to their earnest belief in numerous and
various lessons and the fundamental ideas, they, too,
became all visible. Likewise the Lords Buddhas in those
Buddha-fields who had reached final Nirvâna became
visible, all of them. And the Stûpas made of jewels and
containing the relics of the extinct Buddhas became all
visible in those Buddha-fields.
Then rose in the mind of the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva
Maitreya this thought: O how great a wonder does the
Tathâgata display! What may be the cause, what the reason
of the Lord producing so great a wonder as this? And such
astonishing, prodigious, inconceivable, powerful miracles
now appear, although the Lord is absorbed in meditation!
Why, let me inquire about this matter; who would be able
here to explain it to me? He then thought: Here is
Mañgusrî, the prince royal, who has plied his office
under former Ginas and planted the roots of goodness,
while worshipping many Buddhas. This Mañgusrî, the prince
royal, must have witnessed before such signs of the
former Tathâgatas, those Arhats, those perfectly
enlightened Buddhas; of yore he must have enjoyed the
grand conversations on the law. Therefore will I inquire
about this matter with Mañgusrî, the prince royal.
And the four classes of the audience, monks, nuns, male
and female lay devotees, numerous gods, Nâgas, goblins,
Gandharvas, demons, Garudas, Kinnaras, great serpents,
men, and beings not human, on seeing the magnificence of
this great miracle of the Lord, were struck with
astonishment, amazement and curiosity, and thought: Let
us inquire why this magnificent miracle has been produced
by the great power of the Lord.
At the same moment, at that very instant, the Bodhisattva
Mahâsattva Maitreya knew in his mind the thoughts arising
in the minds of the four classes of hearers and he spoke
to Mañgusrî, the prince royal: What, O Mañgusrî, is the
cause, what is the reason of this wonderful, prodigious,
miraculous shine having been produced by the Lord? Look,
how these eighteen thousand Buddha-fields appear
variegated, extremely beautiful, directed by Tathâgatas
and superintended by Tathâgatas.
Then it was that Maitreya, the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva,
addressed Mañgusrî, the prince royal, in the following
stanzas:
1. Why, Mañgusrî, does this ray darted by the guide of
men shine forth from between his brows? this single ray
issuing from the circle of hair? and why this abundant
rain of Mandâravas?
2. The gods, overjoyed, let drop Mañgûshakas and sandal
powder, divine, fragrant, and delicious.
3. This earth is, on every side, replete with splendour,
and all the four classes of the assembly are filled with
delight, while the whole field shakes in six different
ways, frightfully.
4. And that ray in the eastern quarter illuminates the
whole of eighteen thousand Buddha-fields, simultaneously,
so that those fields appear as gold-coloured.
5. (The universe) as far as the (hell) Aviki (and) the
extreme limit of existence, with all beings of those
fields living in any of the six states of existence,
those who are leaving one state to be born in another;
6. Their various and different actions in those states
have become visible; whether they are in a happy,
unhappy, low, eminent, or intermediate position, all that
I see from this place.
7. I see also the Buddhas, those lions of kings,
revealing and showing the essence of the law, comforting
many kotis of creatures and emitting sweet-sounding
voices.
8. They let go forth, each in his own field, a deep,
sublime, wonderful voice, while proclaiming the
Buddha-laws by means of myriads of kotis of illustrations
and proofs.
9. And to the ignorant creatures who are oppressed with
toils and distressed in mind by birth and old age, they
announce the bliss of Rest, saying: This is the end of
trouble, O monks.
10. And to those who are possessed of strength and vigour
and who have acquired merit by virtue or earnest belief
in the Buddhas, they show the vehicle of the
Pratyekabuddhas, by observing this rule of the law.
11. And the other sons of the Sugata who, strivinor after
superior knowledge, have constantly accomplished their
various tasks, them also they admonish to enlightenment.
12. From this place, O Mañgughosha, I see and hear such
things and thousands of kotis of other particulars
besides; I will only describe some of them.
13. 1 see in many fields Bodhisattvas by many thousands
of kotis, like sands of the Ganges, who are producing
enlightenment according to the different degree of their
power.
14. There are some who charitably bestow wealth, gold,
silver, gold money, pearls, jewels, conch shells,
stones', coral, male and female slaves, horses, and
sheep;
15. As well as litters adorned with jewels. They are
spending gifts with glad hearts, developing themselves
for superior enlightenment, in the hope of gaining the
vehicle.
16. (Thus they think): 'The best and most excellent
vehicle in the whole of the threefold world is the
Buddha-vehicle magnified by the Sugatas. May I, forsooth,
soon gain it after my spending such gifts.'
17. Some give carriages yoked with four horses and
furnished with benches, flowers, banners, and flags;
others give objects made of precious substances.
18. Some, again, give their children and wives; others
their own flesh; (or) offer, when bidden, their hands and
feet, striving to gain supreme enlightenment.
19. Some give their heads, others their eyes, others
their dear own body, and after cheerfully bestowing their
gifts they aspire to the knowledge of the Tathâgatas.
20. Here and there, O Mañgusrî, I behold beings who have
abandoned their flourishing kingdoms, harems, and
continents, left all their counsellors and kinsmen,
21. And betaken themselves to the guides of the world to
ask for the most excellent law, for the sake of bliss;
they put on reddish-yellow robes, and shave hair and
beard.
22. 1 see also many Bodhisattvas like monks, living in
the forest, and others inhabiting the empty wilderness,
engaged in reciting and reading.
23. And some Bodhisattvas I see, who, full of wisdom (or
constancy), betake themselves to mountain caves, where by
cultivating and meditating the Buddha-knowledge they
arrive at its perception.
24. Others who have renounced all sensual desires, by
purifying their own self, have cleared their sphere and
obtained the five transcendent faculties, live in the
wilderness, as (true) sons of the Sugata.
25. Some are standing firm, the feet put together and the
hands joined in token of respect towards the leaders, and
are praising joyfully the king of the leading Ginas in
thousands of stanzas.
26. Some thoughtful, meek, and tranquil, who have
mastered the niceties of the course of duty, question the
highest of men about the law, and retain in their memory
what they have learnt.
27. And I see here and there some sons of the principal
Gina who, after completely developing their own self, are
preaching the law to many kotis of living beings with
many myriads of illustrations and reasons.
28. joyfully they proclaim the law, rousing many
Bodhisattvas; after conquering the Evil One with his
hosts and vehicles, they strike the drum of the law.
29. 1 see some sons of the Sugata, humble, calm, and
quiet in conduct, living under the command of the
Sugatas, and honoured by men, gods, goblins, and Titans.
30. Others, again, who have retired to woody thickets,
are saving the creatures in the hells by emitting
radiance from their body, and rouse them to
enlightenment.
31. There are some sons of the Gina who dwell in the
forest, abiding in vigour, completely renouncing sloth,
and actively engaged in walking; it is by energy that
they are striving for supreme enlightenment.
32. Others complete their course by keeping a constant
purity and an unbroken morality like precious stones and
jewels; by morality do these strive for supreme
enlightenment.
33. Some sons of the Gina, whose strength consists in
forbearance, patiently endure abuse, censure, and threats
from proud monks. They try to attain enlightenment by
dint of forbearance.
34. Further, I see Bodhisattvas, who have forsaken all
wanton pleasures, shun unwise companions and delight in
having intercourse with genteel men (âryas);
35. Who, with avoidance of any distraction of thoughts
and with attentive mind, during thousands of kotis of
years have meditated in the caves of the wilderness;
these strive for enlightenment by dint of meditation.
36. Some, again, offer in presence of the Ginas and the
assemblage of disciples gifts (consisting) in food hard
and soft, meat and drink, medicaments for the sick, in
plenty and abundance.
37. Others offer in presence of the Ginas and the
assemblage of disciples hundreds of kotis of clothes,
worth thousands of kotis, and garments of priceless
value.
38. They bestow in presence of the Sugatas hundreds of
kotis of monasteries which they have caused to be built
of precious substances and sandal-wood, and which are
furnished with numerous lodgings (or couches).
39. Some present the leaders of men and their disciples
with neat and lovely gardens abounding with fruits and
beautiful flowers, to serve as places of daily
recreation,
40. When they have, with joyful feelings, made such
various and splendid donations, they rouse their energy
in order to obtain enlightenment; these are those who try
to reach supreme enlightenment by means of
charitableness.
41. Others set forth the law of quietness, by many
myriads of illustrations and proofs; they preach it to
thousands of kotis of living beings; these are tending to
supreme enlightenment by science.
42. (There are) sons of the Sugata who try to reach
enlightenment by wisdom; they understand the law of
indifference and avoid acting at the antinomy (of
things), unattached like birds in the sky.
43. Further, I see, O Mañgughosha, many Bodhisattvas who
have displayed steadiness under the rule of the departed
Sugatas, and now are worshipping the relics of the Ginas.
44. 1 see thousands of kotis of Stûpas, numerous as the
sand of the Ganges, which have been raised by these sons
of the Gina and now adorn kotis of grounds.
45. Those magnificent Stûpas, made of seven precious
substances, with their thousands of kotis of umbrellas
and banners, measure in height no less than 5000 yoganas
and 2000 in circumference.
46. They are always decorated with flags; a multitude of
bells is constantly heard sounding; men, gods, goblins,
and Titans pay their worship with flowers, perfumes, and
music.
47. Such honour do the sons of the Sugata render to the
relics of the Ginas, so that all directions of space are
brightened as by the celestial coral trees in full
blossom.
48. From this spot I behold all this; those numerous
kotis of creatures; both this world and heaven covered
with flowers, owing to the single ray shot forth by the
Gina.
49. O how powerful is the Leader of men! how extensive
and bright is his knowledge! that a single beam darted by
him over the world renders visible so many thousands of
fields!
50. We are astonished at seeing this sign and this
wonder, so great, so incomprehensible. Explain me the
matter, O Mañgusvara! the sons of Buddha are anxious to
know it.
51. The four classes of the congregation in joyful
expectation gaze on thee, O hero, and on me; gladden
(their hearts); remove their doubts; grant a revelation,
O son of Sugata!
52. Why is it that the Sugata has now emitted such a
light? O how great is the power of the Leader of men! O
how extensive and holy is his knowledge!
53. That one ray extending from him all over the world
makes visible many thousands of fields. It must be for
some purpose that this great ray has been emitted.
54. Is the Lord of men to show the primordial laws which
he, the Highest of men, discovered on the terrace of
enlightenment? Or is he to prophesy the Bodhisattvas
their future destiny?
55. There must be a weighty reason why so many thousands
of fields have been rendered visible, variegated,
splendid, and shining with gems, while Buddhas of
infinite sight are appearing.
56. Maitreya asks the son of Gina; men, gods, goblins,
and Titans, the four classes of the congregation, are
eagerly awaiting what answer Mañgusvara shall give in
explanation.
Whereupon Mañgusrî, the prince royal, addressed Maitreya,
the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva, and the whole assembly of
Bodhisattvas (in these words): It is the intention of the
Tathâgata, young men of good family, to begin a grand
discourse for the teaching of the law, to pour the great
rain of the law, to make resound the great drum of the
law, to raise the great banner of the law, to kindle the
great torch of the law, to blow the great conch trumpet
of the law, and to strike the great tymbal of the law.
Again, it is the intention of the Tathâgata, young men of
good family, to make a grand exposition of the law this
very day. Thus it appears to me, young men of good
family, as I have witnessed a similar sign of the former
Tathâgatas, the Arhats, the perfectly enlightened. Those
former Tathâgatas, &c., they, too, emitted a lustrous
ray, and I am convinced that the Tathâgata is about to
deliver a grand discourse for the teaching of the law and
make his grand speech on the law everywhere heard, he
having shown such a foretoken. And because the Tathâgata,
&c., wishes that this Dharmaparyâya meeting
opposition in all the world be heard everywhere,
therefore does he display so great a miracle and this
fore-token consisting in the lustre occasioned by the
emission of a ray.
I remember, young men of good family, that in the days of
yore, many immeasurable, inconceivable, immense,
infinite, countless Æons, more than countless Æons ago,
nay, long and very long before, there was born a
Tathâgata called Kandrasûryapradîpa, an Arhat, &c.,
endowed with science and conduct, a Sugata, knower of the
world, an incomparable tamer of men, a teacher (and
ruler) of gods and men, a Buddha and Lord. He showed the
law; he revealed the duteous course which is holy at its
commencement, holy in its middle, holy at the end, good
in substance and form, complete and perfect, correct and
pure. That is to say, to the disciples he preached the
law containing the four Noble Truths, and starting from
the chain of causes and effects, tending to overcome
birth, decrepitude, sickness, death, sorrow, lamentation,
woe, grief, despondency, and finally leading to Nirvâna;
and to the Bodhisattvas he preached the law connected
with the six Perfections, and terminating in the
knowledge of the Omniscient, after the attainment of
supreme, perfect enlightenment.
[Now, young men of good family, long before the time of
that Tathâgata Kandrasûryapradîpa, the Arhat, &c.,
there had appeared a Tathâgata, &c., likewise called
Kandrasûryapradîpa, after whom, O Agita, there were
twenty thousand Tathâgatas, &c., all of them bearing
the name of Kandrasûryapradipa, of the same lineage and
family name, to wit, of Bharadvâga. All those twenty
thousand Tathâgatas, O Agita, from the first to the last,
showed the law, revealed the course which is holy at its
commencement, holy in its middle, holy at the end,
&c. &c.]
The aforesaid Lord Kandrasûryapradîpa, the Tathâgata,
&c., when a young prince and not yet having left home
(to embrace the ascetic life), had eight sons, viz. the
young princes Sumati, Anantamati, Ratnamati, Viseshamati,
Vimatisamudghâtin, Ghoshamati, and Dharmamati. These
eight young princes, Agita, sons to the Lord
Kandrasûryapradîpa, the Tathâgata, had an immense
fortune. Each of them was in possession of four great
continents, where they exercised the kingly sway. When
they saw that the Lord had left his home to become an
ascetic, and heard that he had attained supreme, perfect
enlightenment, they forsook all of them the pleasures of
royalty and followed the example of the Lord by resigning
the world; all of them strove to reach superior
enlightenment and became preachers of the law. While
constantly leading a holy life, those young princes
planted roots of goodness under many thousands of
Buddhas.
It was at that time, Agita, that the Lord
Kandrasûryapradîpa, the Tathâgata, &c., after
expounding the Dharmaparyâya called 'the Great
Exposition,' a text of great extension, serving to
instruct Bodhisattvas and proper to all Buddhas, at the
same moment and instant, at the same gathering of the
classes of hearers, sat cross-legged on the same seat of
the law, and entered upon the meditation termed 'the
Station of the exposition of Infinity;' his body was
motionless, and his mind had reached perfect
tranquillity. And as soon as the Lord had entered upon
meditation, there fell a great rain of divine flowers,
Mandâravas and great Mandâravas, Mañgûshakas and great
Mañgûshakas, covering the Lord and the four classes of
hearers, while the whole Buddha-field shook in six ways;
it moved, removed, trembled, trembled from one end to the
other, tossed, tossed along.
Then did those who were assembled and sitting together at
that congregation, monks, nuns, male and fe-male lay
devotees, gods, Nâgas, goblins, Gandharvas, demons,
Garudas, Kinnaras, great serpents, men and beings not
human, as well as governors of a region, rulers of armies
and rulers of four continents, all of them with their
followers gaze on the Lord in astonishment, in amazcment,
in ecstasy.
And at that moment there issued a ray from within the
circle of hair between the eyebrows of the Lord. It
extended over eighteen hundred thousand Buddha-fields in
the eastern quarter, so that all those Buddha-fields
appeared wholly illuminated by its radiance, just like
the Buddha-fields do now, O Agita.
[At that juncture, Agita, there were twenty kotis of
Bodhisattvas following the Lord. All hearers of the law
in that assembly, on seeing how the world was illuminated
by the lustre of that ray, felt astonishment, amazement,
ecstasy, and curiosity.]
Now it happened, Agita, that under the rule of the
aforesaid Lord there was a Bodhisattva called Varaprabha,
who had eight hundred pupils. It was to this Bodhisattva
Varaprabha that the Lord, on rising from his meditation,
revealed the Dharmaparyâya called 'the Lotus of the True
Law.' He spoke during fully sixty intermediate kalpas,
always sitting on the same seat, with immovable body and
tranquil mind. And the whole assembly continued sitting
on the same seats, listening to the preaching of the Lord
for sixty intermediate kalpas, there being not a single
creature in that assembly who felt fatigue of body or
mind.
As the Lord Kandrasûryapradîpa, the Tathâgata, &c.,
during sixty intermediate kalpas had been expounding the
Dharmaparyâya called 'the Lotus of the True Law,' a text
of great development, serving to instruct Bodhisattvas
and proper to all Buddhas, he instantly announced his
complete Nirvâna to the world, including the gods, Mâras
and Brahmas, to all creatures, including ascetics,
Brahmans, gods, men and demons, saying: To-day, O monks,
this very night, in the middle watch, will the Tathâgata,
by entering the element of absolute Nirvâna, become
wholly extinct.
Thereupon, Agita, the Lord Kandrasûryapradîpa, the
Tathigata, &c., predestinated the Bodhisattva called
Srîgarbha to supreme, perfect enlightenment, and then
spoke thus to the whole assembly: O monks, this
Bodhisattva Srîgarbha here shall immediately after me
attain supreme, perfect enlightenment, and become
Vimalanetra, the Tathâgata, &c.
Thereafter, Agita, that very night, at that very watch,
the Lord Kandrasûryapradîpa, the Tathalgata, &c.,
became extinct by entering the element of absolute
Nirvâna. And the aforementioned Dharmaparyâya, termed
'the Lotus of the True Law,' was kept in memory by the
Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Varaprabha; during eighty
intermediate kalpas did the Bodhisattva Varaprabha keep
and reveal the commandment of the Lord who had entered
Nirvâna. Now it so happened, Agita, that the eight sons
of the Lord Kandrasûryapradipa, Mati and the rest, were
pupils to that very Bodhisattva Varaprabha. They were by
him made ripe for supreme, perfect enlightenment, and in
after times they saw and worshipped many hundred thousand
myriads of kotis of Buddhas, all of whom had attained
supreme, perfect enlightenment, the last of them being
Dîpankara, the Tathalgata, &c.
Amongst those eight pupils there was one Bodhisattva who
attached an extreme value to gain, honour and praise, and
was fond of glory, but all the words and letters one
taught him faded (from his memory), did not stick. So he
got the appellation of Yasaskâma. He had propitiated many
hundred thousand myriads of kotis of Buddhas by that root
of goodness, and afterwards esteemed, honoured,
respected, revered, venerated, worshipped them. Perhaps,
Agita, thou feelest some doubt, perplexity or misgiving
that in those days, at that time, there was another
Bodhisvattva Mahâsattva Varaprabha, preacher of the law.
But do not think so. Why? because it is myself who in
those days, at that time, was the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva
Varaprabha, preacher of the law; and that Bodhisattva
named Yasaskâma, the lazy one, it is thyself, Agita, who
in those days, at that time, wert the Bodhisattva named
Yasaskâma, the lazy one.
And so, Agita, having once seen a similar foretoken of
the Lord, I infer from a similar ray being emitted just
now, that the Lord is about to expound the Dharmaparyâya
called 'the Lotus of the True Law.'
And on that occasion, in order to treat the subject more
copiously, Mañgusrî, the prince royal, uttered the
following stanzas:
57. I remember a past period, inconceivable, illimited
kalpas ago, when the highest of beings, the Gina of the
name of Kandrasûryapradîpa, was in existence.
58. He preached the true law, he, the leader of
creatures; he educated an infinite number of kotis of
beings, and roused inconceivably many Bodhisattvas to
acquiring supreme Buddha-knowledge.
59. And the eight sons born to him, the leader, when he
was prince royal, no sooner saw that the great sage had
embraced ascetic life, than they resigned worldly
pleasures and became monks.
60. And the Lord of the world proclaimed the law, and
revealed to thousands of kotis of living beings the
Sûtra, the development, which by name is called 'the
excellent Exposition of Infinity.'
61. Immediately after delivering his speech, the leader
crossed his legs and entered upon the meditation of 'the
excellent Exposition of the Infinite.' There on his seat
of the law the eminent seer continued absorbed in
meditation.
62. And there fell a celestial rain of Mandâravas, while
the drums (of heaven) resounded without being struck; the
gods and elves in the sky paid honour to the highest of
men.
63. And simultaneously all the fields (of Buddha) began
trembling. A wonder it was, a great prodigy. Then the
chief emitted from between his brows one extremely
beautiful ray,
64. Which moving to the eastern quarter glittered,
illuminating the world all over the extent of eighteen
thousand fields. It manifested the vanishing and
appearing of beings.
65. Some of the fields then seemed jewelled, others
showed the hue of lapis lazuli, all splendid, extremely
beautiful, owing to the radiance of the ray from the
leader.
66. Gods and men, as well as Nâgas, goblins, Gandharvas,
nymphs, Kinnaras, and those occupied with serving the
Sugata became visible in the spheres and paid their
devotion.
67. The Buddhas also, those self-born beings, appeared of
their own accord, resembling golden columns; like unto a
golden disk (within lapis lazuli), they revealed the law
in the midst of the assembly.
68. The disciples, indeed, are not to be counted: the
disciples of Sugata are numberless. Yet the lustre of the
ray renders them all visible in every field.
69. Energetic, without breach or flaw in their course,
similar to gems and jewels, the sons of the leaders of
men are visible in the mountain caves where tbeyare
dwelling.
70. Numerous Bodhisattvas, like the sand of the Ganges,
who are spending all their wealth in giving alms, who
have the strength of patience, are devoted to
contemplation and wise, become all of them visible by
that ray.
71. Immovable, unshaken, firm in patience, devoted to
contemplation, and absorbed in meditation are seen the
true sons of the Sugatas while they are striving for
supreme enlightenment by dint of meditation.
72. They preach the law in many spheres, and point to the
true, quiet, spotless state they know. Such is the effect
produced by the power of the Sugata.
73. And all the four classes of hearers on seeing the
power of the mighty Kandrârkadipa were filled with joy
and asked one another: How is this?
74. And soon afterwards, as the Leader of the world,
worshipped by men, gods, and goblins, rose from his
meditation, he addressed his son Varaprabha, the wise
Bodhisattva and preacher of the law:
75. 'Thou art wise, the eye and refuge of the world; thou
art the trustworthy keeper of my law, and canst bear
witness as to the treasure of laws which I am to lay bare
to the weal of living beings.'
76. Then, after rousing and stimulating, praising and
lauding many Bodhisattvas, did the Gina proclaim the
supreme laws during fully sixty intermediate kalpas.
77. And whatever excellent supreme law was proclaimed by
the Lord of the world while continuing sitting on the
very same seat, was kept in memory by Varaprabha, the son
of Gina, the preacher of the law.
78. And after the Gina and Leader had manifested the
supreme law and stimulated the numerous crowd, he spoke,
that day, towards the world including the gods (as
follows):
79. 'I have manifested the rule of the law; I have shown
the nature of the law; now, O monks, it is the time of my
Nirvâna; this very night, in the middle watch.
80. 'Be zealous and strong in persuasion; apply
yourselves to my lessons; (for) the Ginas, the great
seers, are but rarely met with in the lapse of myriads of
kotis of Æons.'
81. The many sons of Buddha were struck with grief and
filled with extreme sorrow when they heard the voice of
the highest of men announcing that his Nirvâna was near
at hand.
82. To comfort so inconceivably many kotis of living
beings the king of kings said: 'Be not afraid, O monks;
after my Nirvâna there shall be another Buddha.
83. 'The wise Bodhisattva Srîgarbha, after finishing his
course in faultless knowledge, shall reach highest,
supreme enlightenment, and become a Gina under the name
of Vimalâgranetra.'
84. That very night, in the middle watch, he met complete
extinction, like a lamp when the cause (of its burning)
is exhausted. His relics were distributed, and of his
Stûpas there was an infinite number of myriads of kotis.
85. The monks and nuns at the time being, who strove
after supreme, highest enlightenment, numerous as sand of
the Ganges, applied themselves to the commandment of the
Sugata.
86. And the monk who then was the preacher of the law and
the keeper of the law, Varaprabha, expounded for fully
eighty intermediate kalpas the highest laws according to
the commandment (of the Sugata).
87. He had eight hundred pupils, who all of them were by
him brought to full development. They saw many kotis of
Buddhas, great sages, whom they worshipped.
88. By following the regular course they became Buddhas
in several spheres, and as they followed one another in
immediate succession they successively foretold each
other's future destiny to Buddhaship.
89. The last of these Buddhas following one another was
Dîpankara. He, the supreme god of gods, honoured by
crowds of sages, educated thousands of kotis of living
beings.
90. Among the pupils of Varaprabha, the son of Gina, at
the time of his teaching the law, was one slothful,
covetous, greedy of gain and cleverness.
91. He was also excessively desirous of glory, but very
fickle, so that the lessons dictated to him and his own
reading faded from his memory as soon as learnt.
92. His name was Yasaskâma, by which he was known
everywhere. By the accumulated merit of that good action,
spotted as it was,
93. He propitiated thousands of kotis of Buddhas, whom he
rendered ample honour. He went through the regular course
of duties and saw the present Buddha Sâkyasimha.
94. He shall be the last to reach superior enlightenment
and become a Lord known by the family name of Maitreya,
who shall educate thousands of kotis of creatures.
95. He who then, under the rule of the extinct Sugata,
was so slothful, was thyself, and it was I who then was
the preacher of the law.
96. As on seeing a foretoken of this kind I recognise a
sign such as I have seen manifested of yore, therefore
and on that account I know,
97. That decidedly the chief of Ginas, the supreme king
of the Sâkyas, the All-seeing, who knows the highest
truth, is about to pronounce the excellent Satra which I
have heard before.
98. That very sign displayed at present is a proof of the
skilfulness of the leaders; the Lion of the Sâkyas is to
make an exhortation, to declare the fixed nature of the
law.
99. Be well prepared and well minded; join your hands: he
who is affectionate and merciful to the world is going to
speak, is going to pour the endless rain of the law and
refresh those that are waiting for enlightenment.
100. And if some should feel doubt, uncertainty, or
misgiving in any respect, then the Wise One shall remove
it for his children, the Bodhisattvas here striving after
enlightenment.