Ch.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27
CHAPTER XIV.
ISSUING OF BODHISATTVAS FROM THE GAPS OF THE EARTH.
Out of
the multitude of Bodhisattvas Mahâsattvas who had flocked
from other worlds, Bodhisattvas eight (times) equal to the
sands of the river Ganges then rose from the assembled
circle. Their joined hands stretched out towards the Lord
to pay him homage, they said to him: If the Lord will allow
us, we also would, after the extinction of the Lord, reveal
this Dharmaparyâya in this Saha-world; we would read,
write, worship it, and wholly devote ourselves to that law.
Therefore, O Lord, deign to grant to us also this
Dharmaparyâya. And the Lord answered: Nay, young men of
good family, why should you occupy yourselves with this
task? I have here in this Saha-world thousands of
Bodhisattvas equal to the sands of sixty Ganges rivers,
forming the train of one Bodhisattva; and of such
Bodhisattvas there is a number equal to the sands of sixty
Ganges rivers, each of these Bodhisattvas having an equal
number in their train, who at the end of time, at the last
period after my extinction, shall keep, read, proclaim this
Dharmaparyâya.
No sooner had the Lord uttered these words than the
Saha-world burst open on every side, and from within the
clefts arose many hundred thousand myriads of kotis of
Bodhisattvas with gold-coloured bodies and the thirty-two
characteristic signs of a great man, who had been staying
in the element of ether underneath this great earth, close
to this Saha-world. These then on hearing the word of the
Lord came up from below the earth. Each of these
Bodhisattvas had a train of thousands of Bodhisattvas
similar to the sands of sixty Ganges rivers; (each had) a
troop, a great troop, as teacher of a troop. Of such
Bodhisattvas Mahâsattvas having a troop, a great troop, as
teachers of a troop, there were hundred thousands of
myriads of kotis equal to the sands of sixty Ganges rivers,
who emerged from the gaps of the earth in this Saha-world.
Much more there were to be found of Bodhisattvas
Mahâsattvas having a train of Bodhisattvas similar to the
sands of fifty Ganges rivers; much more there were to be
found of Bodhisattvas Mahâsattvas having a train of
Bodhisattvas similar to the sands of forty Ganges rivers;
Of 30, 20, 10, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Ganges river; of 1/2, 1/4,
1/6, 1/10, 1/20, 1/50, 1/100, 1/1000, 1/100,000,
1/10,000,000, 1/100 X 10,000,000, 1/1000 X 10,000,000,
1/100 X 1000 X 10,000,000, 1/100 X 1000 X 10,000 X
10,000,000 part of the river Ganges. Much more there were
to be found of Bodhisattvas Mahâsattvas having a train of
many hundred thousand myriads of kotis of Bodhisattvas; of
one koli; of one hundred thousand; of one thousand; Of 500;
Of 400; Of 300; Of 200; Of 100; Of 50; Of 40; Of 30; Of 20;
Of 10; Of 5, 4, 3, 2. Much more there were to be found of
Bodhisattvas Mahâsattvas having one follower. Much more
there were to be found of Bodhisattvas Mahâsattvas standing
isolated. They cannot be numbered, counted, calculated,
compared, known by occult science, the Bodhisattvas
Mahâsattvas who emerged from the gaps of the earth to
appear in this Saha-world. And after they had successively
emerged they went up to the Stûpa of precious substances
which stood in the sky, where the Lord Prabhûtaratna, the
extinct Tathâgata, was seated along with the Lord Sâkyamuni
on the throne. Whereafter they saluted the feet of both
Tathâgatas, &c., as well as the images of Tathâgatas
produced by the Lord Sâkyamuni from his own body, who all
together were seated on thrones at the foot of various
jewel trees on every side in all directions, in different
worlds. After these Bodhisattvas had many hundred thousand
times saluted, and thereon circumambulated the Tathâgatas,
&c., from left to right, and celebrated them with
various Bodhisattva hymns, they went and kept themselves at
a little distance, the joined hands stretched out to honour
the Lord Sâkyamuni, the Tathâgata, &c., and the Lord
Prabhûtaratna, the Tathâgata, &c.
And while those Bodhisattvas Mahâsattvas who had emerged
from the gaps of the earth were saluting and celebrating
the Tathâgatas by various Bodhisattva hymns, fifty
intermediate kalpas in full rolled away, during which fifty
intermediate kalpas the Lord Sâkyamuni remained silent, and
likewise the four classes of the audience. Then the Lord
produced such an effect of magical power that the four
classes fancied that it had been no more than one
afternoon, and they saw this Saha-world assume the
appearance of hundred thousands of worlds replete with
Bodhisattvas. The four Bodhisattvas Mahisattvas who were
the chiefest of that great host of Bodhisattvas, viz. the
Bodhisattva Mahâsattva called Visishtakâritra (i.e. of
eminent conduct), the Bodhisattva Mahasattva called
Anantakâritra (i.e. of endless conduct), the Bodhisattva
Mahâsattva called Visuddhakâritra (i.e. of correct
conduct), and the Bodhisattva Mahasattva called
Supratishthitakâritra (i.e. of very steady conduct), these
four Bodhisattvas Mahâsattvas standing at the head of the
great host, the great multitude of Bodhisattvas stretched
out the joined hands towards the Lord and addressed him
thus: Is the Lord in good health? Does he enjoy well-being
and good ease? Are the creatures decorous, docile,
obedient, correctly performing their task, so that they
give no trouble to the Lord?
And those four Bodhisattvas Mahâsattvas addressed the Lord
with the two following stanzas:
1. Does the Lord of the world, the illuminator, feel at
ease? Dost thou feel free from bodily disease, O Perfect
One?
2. The creatures, we hope, will be decorous, docile,
performing the orders of the Lord of the world, so as to
give no trouble.
And the Lord answered the four Bodhisattvas Mahâsattvas who
were at the head of that great host, that great multitude
of Bodhisattvas: So it is, young men of good family, I am
in good health, well-being, and at ease. And these
creatures of mine are decorous, docile, obedient, well
performing what is ordered; they give no trouble when I
correct them; and that, young men of good family, because
these creatures, owing to their being already prepared
under the ancient, perfectly enlightened Buddhas, have but
to see and hear me to put trust in me, to understand and
fathom the Buddha-knowledge. And those who fulfilled their
duties in the stage of disciples have now been introduced
by me into Buddha-knowledge and well instructed in the
highest truth.
And at that time the Bodhisattvas Mahâsattvas uttered the
following stanzas:
3. Excellent, excellent, O great Hero! we are happy to hear
that those creatures are decorous, docile, well performing
their duty';
4. And that they listen to thy profound knowledge, O
Leader, and that after listening to it they have put trust
in it and understand it.
This said, the Lord declared his approval to the four
Bodhisattvas Mahâsattvas who were at the head of that great
host, that great multitude of Bodhisattvas Mahâsattvas,
saying: Well done, young men of good family, well done,
that you so congratulate the Tathâgata.
And at that moment the following thought arose in the mind
of the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Maitreya and the eight
hundred thousand myriads of kotis of Bodhisattvas similar
to the sands of the river Ganges: We never yet saw so great
a host, so great a multitude of Bodhisattvas; we never yet
heard of such a multitude, that after issuing from the gaps
of the earth has stood in the presence of the Lord to
honour, respect, venerate, worship him and greet him with
joyful shouts. Whence have these Bodhisattvas Mahâsattvas
flocked hither?
Then the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Maitreya, feeling within
himself doubt and perplexity, and inferring from his own
thoughts those of the eight hundred thousand myriads of
kotis of Bodhisattvas similar to the sands of the river
Ganges, stretched out his joined hands towards the Lord and
questioned him about the matter by uttering the following
stanzas:
5. Here are many thousand myriads of kotis of Bodhisattvas,
numberless, whom we never saw before; tell us, O supreme of
men!
6. Whence and how do these mighty persons come? Whence have
they come here under the form of great bodies'?
7. All are great Seers, wise and strong in memory, whose
outward appearance is lovely to see; whence have they come?
8. And each of those Bodhisattvas, O Lord of the world, has
an immense train, like the sands of the Ganges.
9. The train of (each) glorious Bodhisattva is equal to the
sands of sixty Ganges in full. All are striving after
enlightenment.
10. Of such heroes and mighty possessors of a troop the
followers are equal to the sands of sixty Ganges.
11. There are others, still more numerous, with an
unlimited train, like the sands of fifty, forty, and thirty
Ganges;
12, 13. Who have a train equal to the (sands of) twenty
Ganges. Still more numerous are the mighty sons of Buddha,
who have each a train (equal to the sands) of ten, of five
Ganges. Whence, O Leader, has such an assembly flocked
hither?
14. There are others who have each a train of pupils and
companions equal to the sands of four, three, or two
Ganges.
15. There are others more numerous yet; it would be
impossible to calculate their number in thousands of kotis
of Æons.
16. (Equal to) a half Ganges, one third, one tenth, one
twentieth, is the train of those heroes, those mighty
Bodhisattvas.
17. There are yet others who are incalculable; it would be
impossible to count them even in hundreds of kotis of Æons.
18. Many more yet there are, with endless trains; they have
in their attendance kotis, and kotis and again kotis, and
also half kotis.
19. Other great Seers again, beyond computation, very wise
Bodhisattvas are seen in a respectful posture.
20. They have a thousand, a hundred, or fifty attendants;
in hundreds of kotis of Æons one would not be able to count
them.
21. The suite of (some of these) heroes consists of twenty,
of ten, five, four, three, or two; those are countless.
22. As to those who are walking alone and come to their
rest alone, they have now flocked hither in such numbers as
to be beyond computation.
23. Even if one with a magic wand in his hand would try for
a number of Æons equal to the sands of the Ganges to count
them, he would not reach the term.
24. Where do all those noble, energetic heroes, those
mighty Bodhisattvas, come from?
25. Who has taught them the law (or duty)? and by whom have
they been destined to enlightenment? Whose command do they
accept? Whose command do they keep?
26. Bursting forth at all points of the horizon through the
whole extent of the earth they emerge, those great Sages
endowed with magical faculty and wisdom.
27. This world on every side is being perforated, O Seer,
by the wise Bodhisattvas, who at this time are emerging.
28. Never before have we seen anything like this. Tell us
the name of this world, O Leader.
29. We have repeatedly roamed in all directions of space,
but never saw these Bodhisattvas.
30. We never saw a single infant of thine, and now, on a
sudden, these appear to us. Tell us their history, O Seer.
31. Hundreds, thousands, ten thousands of Bodhisattvas, all
equally filled with curiosity, look up to the highest of
men.
32. Explain to us, O incomparable, great hero,who knowest
no bounds, where do these heroes, these wise Bodhisattvas,
come from?
Meanwhile the Tathâgatas, &c., who had flocked from
hundred thousands of myriads of kotis of worlds, they, the
creations of the Lord Sâkyamuni, who were preaching the law
to the beings in other worlds; who all around the Lord
Sâkyamuni, the Tathâgata, &c., were seated with crossed
legs on magnificent jewel thrones at the foot of jewel
trees in every direction of space; as well as the
satellites of those Tathâgatas were struck with wonder and
amazement at the sight of that great host, that great
multitude of Bodhisattvas emerging from the gaps of the
earth and established in the element of ether, and they
(the satellites) asked each their own Tathâgata: Where, O
Lord, do so many Bodhisattvas Mahâsattvas, so innumerable,
so countless, come from? Whereupon those Tathâgatas,
&c., answered severally to their satellites: Wait
awhile, young men of good family; this Bodhisattva
Mahâsattva here, called Maitreya, has just received from
the Lord Sâkyamuni a revelation about his destiny to
supreme, perfect enlightenment. He has questioned the Lord
Sâkyamuni, the Tathâgata, &c., about the matter, and
the Lord Sâkyamuni, the Tathâgata, &c., is going to
explain it; then you may hear.
Thereupon the Lord addressed the Bodhisattva Maitreya: Well
done, Agita, well done; it is a sublime subject, Agita,
about which thou questionest me. Then the Lord addressed
the entire host of Bodhisattvas: Be attentive all, young
men of good family - be well prepared and steady on your
post, you and the entire host of Bodhisattvas; the
Tathâgata, the Arhat, &c., is now going to exhibit the
sight of the knowledge of the Tathâgata, young men of good
family, the leadership of the Tathâgata, the work of the
Tathâgata, the sport [i.e. magic display of creative power,
lîlâ, synonymous with mâyâ.] of the Tathâgata, the might of
the Tathâgata, the energy of the Tathâgata.
And on that occasion the Lord pronounced the following
stanzas:
33. Be attentive all, young men of good family; I am to
utter an infallible word; refrain from disputing about it,
O sages: the science of the Tathâgata is beyond reasoning.
34. Be all steady and thoughtful; continue attentive all.
To-day you will hear a law as yet unknown, the wonder of
the Tathâgatas.
35. Never have any doubt, ye sages, for I shall strengthen
you, I am the Leader who speaketh infallible truth, and my
knowledge is unlimited.
36. Profound are the laws known to the Sugata, above
reasoning and beyond argumentation. These laws I am going
to reveal; ye, hear which and how they are.
After uttering these stanzas the Lord addressed the
Bodhisattva Mahasattva Maitreya: I announce to thee, Agita,
I declare to thee: These Bodhisattvas Mahâsattvas, Agita,
so innumerable, incalculable, inconceivable, incomparable,
uncountable, whom you never saw before, who just now have
issued from the gaps of the earth, these Bodhisattvas
Mahâsattvas, Agita, have I roused, excited, animated, fully
developed to supreme, perfect enlightenment after my having
arrived at supreme, perfect enlightenment in this world. I
have, moreover, fully matured, established, confirmed,
instructed, perfected these young men of good family in
their Bodhisattvaship. And these Bodhisattvas Mahâsattvas,
Agita, occupy in this Saha-world the domain of the
ether-element below. Only thinking of the lesson they have
to study, and devoted to thoroughly comprehend it, these
young men of good family have no liking for social
gatherings, nor for bustling crowds; they do not put off
their tasks, and are strenuous. These young men of gyood
family, Agita, delight in seclusion, are fond of seclusion.
These young men of good family do not dwell in the
immediate vicinity of gods and men, they not being fond of
bustling crowds. These young men of good family find their
luxury in the pleasure of the law, and apply themselves to
Buddha-knowledge.
And on that occasion the Lord uttered the following
stanzas:
37. These Bodhisattvas, immense, inconceivable and beyond
measure, endowed with magic power, wisdom, and learning,
have progressed in knowledge for many kotis of Æons.
38. It is I who have brought them to maturity for
enlightenment, and it is in my field that they have their
abode; by me alone have they been brought to maturity;
these Bodhisattvas are my sons.
39. All have devoted themselves to a hermit life and are
assiduous in shunning places of bustle; they walk detached,
these sons of mine, following my precepts in their lofty
course.
40. They dwell in the domain of ether, in the lower portion
of the field, those heroes who, unwearied, are striving day
and night to attain superior knowledge.
41. All strenuous, of good memory, unshaken in the immense
strength of their intelligence, those serene sages preach
the law, all radiant, as being my sons.
42. Since the time when I reached this superior (or
foremost) enlightenment, at the town of Gayâ, at the foot
of the tree, and put in motion the allsurpassing wheel of
the law, I have brought to maturity all of them for
superior enlightenment.
43. These words I here speak are faultless, really true;
believe me, all of you who hear me: verily, I have reached
superior enlightenment, and it is by me alone that all have
been brought to maturity.
The Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Maitreya and those numerous
hundred thousands of myriads of kotis of Bodhisattvas were
struck with wonder, amazement, and surprise, (and thought):
How is it possible that within so short a moment, within
the lapse of so short a time so many Bodhisattvas, so
countless, have been roused and made fully ripe to reach
supreme, perfect enlightenment? Then the Bodhisattva
Mahâsattva Maitreya asked the Lord: How then, O Lord, has
the Tathâgata, after he left, when a prince royal,
Kapilavastu, the town of the Sâkyas, arrived at supreme,
perfect enlightenment on the summit of the terrace of
enlightenment, not far from the town of Gayâ, somewhat more
than forty years since, O Lord? How then has the Lord, the
Tathâgata, within so short a lapse of time, been able to
perform the endless task of a Tathâgata, to exercise the
leadership of a Tathâgata, the energy of a Tathâgata? How
has the Tathâgata, within so short a time, been able to
rouse and bring to maturity for supreme, perfect
enlightenment this host of Bodhisattvas, this multitude of
Bodhisattvas, a multitude so great that it would be
impossible to count the whole of it, even if one were to
continue counting for hundred thousands of myriads of kotis
of Æons? These Bodhisattvas, so innumerable, O Lord, so
countless, having long followed a spiritual course of life
and planted roots of goodness under many hundred thousands
of Buddhas, have in the course of many hundred thousands of
Æons become finally ripe.
It is just as if some man, young and youthful, a young man
with black hair and in the prime of youth, twenty-five
years of age, would represent centenarians as his sons, and
say: 'Here, young men of good family, you see my sons;' and
if those centenarians would declare: 'This is the father
who begot us! Now, Lord, the speech of that man would be
incredible, hard to be believed by the public. It is the
same case with the Tathâgata, who but lately has arrived at
supreme, perfect enlightenment, and with these Bodhisattvas
Mahâsattvas, so immense in number, who for many hundred
thousand myriads of kotis of Æons, having observed a
spiritual course of life, have long since come to certainty
in regard to Tathâgata-knowledge; who are able to plunge in
and again rise from the hundred thousand sorts of
meditation'; who are adepts at the preparatories to noble
transcendent wisdom, have accomplished the preparatories to
noble transcendent wisdom; who are clever on the
Buddha-ground, able in the (ecclesiastical) Council and in
Tathâgata duties; who are the wonder and admiration of the
world; who are possessed of great vigour, strength, and
power. And the Lord says: From the very beginning have I
roused, brought to maturity, fully developed them to be fit
for this Bodhisattva position. It is I who have displayed
this energy and vigour after arriving at supreme, perfect
enlightenment. But, O Lord, how can we have faith in the
words of the Tathâgata, when he says: The Tathâgata speaks
infallible truth? The Tathâgata must know that the
Bodhisattvas who have newly entered the vehicle are apt to
fall into doubt on this head; after the extinction of the
Tathâgata those who hear this Dharmaparyâya will not
accept, not believe, not trust it. Hence, O Lord, they will
design acts tending to the ruin of the law. Therefore, O
Lord, deign to explain us this matter, that we may be free
from perplexity, and that the Bodhisattvas who in future
shall hear it, be they young men of good family or young
ladies, may not fall into doubt.
On that occasion the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Maitreya
addressed the Lord with the following stanzas:
44. When thou wert born in Kapilavastu, the home of the
Sâkyas, thou didst leave it and reach enlightenment at the
town of Gayâ. That is a short time ago, O Lord of the
world.
45. And now thou hast so great a crowd of followers, these
sages who for many kotis of Æons have fulfilled their
duties, stood firm in magic power, unshaken, well
disciplined, accomplished in the might of wisdom;
46. These, who are untainted as the lotus is by water; who
to-day have flocked hither after rending the earth, and are
standing all with joined hands, respectful and strong in
memory, the sons of the Master of the world.
47. How will these Bodhisattvas believe this great wonder?
Expel (all) doubt, tell the cause, and show how the matter
reallv is.
48. It is as if there were some man, a young man with black
hair, twenty years old or somewhat more, who presented as
his sons some centenarians,
49. And the latter, covered with wrinkles and grey-haired,
declared the (young) man to be their father. But such (a
young man) never having sons of such appearance, it would
be difficult to believe, O Lord of the world, that they
were sons to so young a man.
50. In the same manner, O Lord, we are unable to conceive
how these numerous Bodhisattvas of good memory and
excelling in wisdom, who have been well instructed during
thousands of kotis of Æons;
51. Who are firm, of keen intelligence, lovely and
agreeable to sight, free from hesitation in the decisions
on law, praised by the Leaders of the world;
52. Who in freedom live in the wood; who unattached in the
element of ether constantly display their energy, who are
the sons of Sugata striving after this Buddha-ground;
53. How will this be believed when the Leader of the world
shall be completely extinct? After hearing it from the
Lord's own mouth we shall never more feel any doubt.
54. May Bodhisattvas never come to grief by having doubt on
this head. Grant us, O Lord, a truthful account how these
Bodhisattvas have been brought to maturity by thee.