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 XXIII.
GADGADASVARA.
At that
moment the Lord Sâkyamuni, the Tathâgata, &c., darted a
flash of light from the circle of hair between his
eyebrows, one of the characteristic signs of a great man,
by which flash of light hundred thousands of myriads of
kotis of Buddha-fields, equal to the sands of eighteen
rivers Ganges, became illuminated. Beyond those
Buddha-fields, equal, &c., is the world called
Vairokanarasmipratimandita (i.e. embellished by the rays of
the sun). There dwells, lives, exists the Tathâgata named
Kamaladalavimalanakshatrarâgasankusumitâbhigña, who,
surrounded and attended by a large and immense assembly of
Bodhisattvas, preached the law. Immediately the ray of
light flashing from the circle of hair between the eyebrows
of the Lord Sâkyamuni, the Tathâgata, &c., filled the
world Vairokanarasmipratimandita with a great lustre. In
that world Vairokanarasmipratimandita there was a
Bodhisattva Mahâsattva called Gadgadasvara, who had planted
roots of goodness, who had before seen similar luminous
flashes emitted by many Tathâgatas, &c., and who had
acquired many Samâdhis, such as the Samâdhi Dhvagâgrakeyûra
(i. e. bracelet at the upper end of the banner staff),
Saddharma-pundarîka (i. e. the Lotus of the True Law),
Vimaladatta (i.e. given by Vimala), Nakshatraragâvikrîdita
(i.e. sport of the king of asterisms, the moon god),
Anilambha [Of uncertain meaning], Gñânamudrâ (i.e. the seal
of science), Kandrapradîpa (i.e. moon-light),
Sarvarutakausalya (i.e. skill in all sounds),
Sarvapunyasamukkaya (i.e. compendium or collection of all
piety), Prasâdavatî (i.e. the favourably-disposed lady),
Riddhivikrîdita (i.e. sport of magic), Gñanolkâ (i.e. torch
of knowledge), Vyûharâga (i.e. king of expansions or
speculations), Vimalaprabhâ (i.e. spotless lustre),
Vimalagarbha (i.e. of spotless interior part), Apkritsna
[I.e. belonging to the mystic rite, called Âpokasina in
Pali], Sûryâvarta (i.e. sun-turn); in short, he had
acquired many hundred thousand myriads of kotis of Samâdhis
equal to the sands of the river Ganges. Now, the flash of
light came down upon that Bodhisattva Mahâsattva
Gadgadasvara. Then the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Gadgadasvara
rose from his seat, put his upper robe upon one shoulder,
fixed his right knee on the ground, stretched his joined
hands towards the Lord Buddha, and said to the Tathâgata
Kamaladalavimalanakshatrarâgasankusumitâbhigña: O Lord, I
would resort to the Saha-world to see, salute, wait upon
the Lord Sâkyamuni, the Tathâgata, &c.; to see and
salute Mañgusrî, the prince royal; to see the Bodhisattvas
Bhaishagyarâga, Pradânasûra,
Nakshatrarâgasankusumitâbhigña,Visishtakâritra,Vyûharâga,
Bhaishagyarâgasamudgata.
Then the Lord
Kamaladalavimalanakshatrarâgasankusumitâbhigña, the
Tathâgata, &c., said to the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva
Gadgadasvara: On coming to the Saha-world, young man of
good family, thou must not conceive a low opinion of it.
That world, young man of good family, has ups and downs,
consists of earth, is replete with mountains of Kâla,
filled with gutters. The Lord Sâkyamuni, the Tathâgata,
&c., is short of stature, and so are the Bodhisattvas
Mahâsattvas, whereas thou, young man of good family, hast
got a body forty-two hundred thousand yoganas high, and
myself have got a body sixty-eight hundred thousand yoganas
high. And, young man of good family, thou art lovely,
handsome, of pleasant appearance, endowed with a full bloom
of extremely fine colour, and abundantly blest with hundred
thousands of holy signs. Therefore then, young man of good
family, when you have come to the Saha-world, do not
conceive a low opinion of the Tathâgata, nor of the
Bodhisattvas, nor of that Buddha-field.
Thus addressed, the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Gadgadasvara
said to the Lord
Kamaladalavimalanakshatrarâgasankusumitâbhigña, the
Tathâgata, &c.: I shall do, Lord, as the Lord commands;
I shall go to that Saha-world by virtue of the Lord's
resolution, of the Lord's power, of the Lord's might, of
the Lord's disposal, of the Lord's foresight. Whereon the
Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Gadgadasvara, without leaving that
Buddha-field and without leaving his seat, plunged into so
deep a meditation that immediately after, on a sudden,
there appeared before the Tathâgata on the
Gridhrakûta-mountains in the Saha-world eighty-four hundred
thousand myriads of kotis of lotuses on gold stalks with
silver leaves and with cups of the hue of rosy lotuses and
Butea Frondosa.
On seeing the appearance of this mass of lotuses the
Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Mañgusrî, the prince royal, asked
the Lord Sakyamunî, the Tathâgata, &c.: By what cause
and by whom, O Lord, have been produced these eighty-four
hundred thousand myriads of kotis of lotuses on gold stalks
with silver leaves and with cups of the hue of rosy lotuses
and Butea Frondosa; Whereon the Lord replied to Mañgusrî,
the prince royal: It is, Mañgusrî, the Bodhisattva
Mahâsattva Gadgadasvara, who accompanied and attended by
eighty-four hundred thousand myriads of kotis of
Bodhisattvas arrives from the east, from the world
Vairokanarasmipratimandita, the Buddha-field of the Lord
Kamaladalavimalanakshatrarâgasankusumitâbhigña, the
Tathâgata, &c., at this Saha-world to see, salute, wait
upon me, and to hear this Dharmaparyâya of the Lotus of the
True Law. Then Mañgusrî, the prince royal, said to the
Lord: What mass of roots of goodness, O Lord, has that
young man of good family collected, that he has deserved to
obtain such a distinction? And what meditation is it, O
Lord, that the Bodhisattva practises; Let us also learn
that meditation, O Lord, and practise that meditation. And
let us see that Bodhisattva, Lord; see how the colour,
outward shape, character, figure, and behaviour of that
Bodhisattva is. May the Lord deign to produce such a token
that the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva be admonished by it to come
to this Saha-world.
Then the Lord Sâkyamuni, the Tathâgata, &c., said to
the Lord Prabhûtaratna, the Tathâgata, &c., who was
completely extinct: Produce such a token, Lord, that the
Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Gadgadasvara be admonished by it to
come to this Saha-world. And the Lord Prabhûtaratna, the
Tathâgata, &c., who was completely extinct, instantly
produced a token in order to admonish the Bodhisattva
Mahâsattva Gadgadasvara (and said): Come, young man of good
family, to this Saha-world; Mañgusrî, the prince royal,
will hail thy coming. And the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva
Gadgadasvara, after humbly saluting the feet of the Lord
Kamaladalavimalanakshatrarâgasankusumitâbhigña, the
Tathâgata, &c., and after three times circumambulating
him from left to right, vanished from the world
Vairokanarasmipratimandita, along with eighty-four hundred
thousand myriads of kotis of Bodhisattvas who surrounded
and followed him, and arrived at this Saha-world, among a
stir of Buddhafields, a rain of lotuses, a noise of hundred
thousands of myriads of kotis of musical instruments. His
face showed eyes resembling blue lotuses, his body was
gold-coloured, his person marked by a hundred thousand of
holy signs; he sparkled with lustre, glowed with radiance,
had limbs marked by the characteristic signs, and a body
compact as Nârâyana's. Mounted on a tower made of seven
precious substances, he moved through the sky to a height
of seven Tâlas [Or spans]. There are seven regions of
winds. Vâyu, the god of wind or air, is nearly akin to
Indra and Vishnu], surrounded by a host of Bodhisattvas, in
the direction of this Saha-world, and approached the
Gridhrakûta, the king of mountains. At his arrival, he
alighted from the tower, and went, with a necklace of
pearls worth a hundred thousands, to the place where the
Lord was sitting. After humbly saluting the feet of the
Lord, and circumambulating him seven times from left to
right, he offered him the necklace of pearls in token of
homage, whereafter he said to the Lord: The Lord
Kamaladalavimalanakshatrarâgasankusumitâbhigña, the
Tathâgata, &c., inquires after the Lord's health,
welfare, and sprightliness; whether he feels free from
affliction and at ease. That Lord has also charged me to
ask: Is there something thou hast to suffer or allow? the
humours of the body are not in an unfavourable state; thy
creatures are decent in manners, tractable, and easy to be
healed; their bodies are clean; They are not too
passionate, I hope, not too irascible, not too unwise in
their doings? They are not jealous, Lord, not envious, not
ungrateful to their father and mother, not impious, not
heterodox, not unsubdued in mind, not unrestrained in
sexual desires; Are the creatures able to resist the Evil
One; Has the Lord Prabhûtaratna, the Tathâgata, &c.,
who is completely extinct, come to the Saha-world in order
to hear the law, sitting in the centre of a Stûpa made of
seven precious substances; And as to that, Lord
Prabhûtaratna, the Tathâgata, &c., the Lord
Kamaladalavimalanakshatrarâgasankusumitâbhigña, inquires:
Is there something that the Lord Prabhûtaratna, &c.,
has to suffer or allow; Is the Lord Prabhûtaratna, &c.,
to stay long; We also, O Lord, are desirous of seeing the
rudimentary frame [Dhâtuvigraha, the frame of the
elementary parts, or the bone relics.] of that Lord
Prabhûtaratna, the Tathâgata, &c. May the Lord
therefore please to show us the rudimentary frame of the
Lord Prabhûtaratna, the Tathâgata, &c.
Then the Lord Sâkyamuni, the Tathâgata, &c., said to
the Lord Prabhûtaratna, the Tathâgata, &c., who was
completely extinct: Lord, the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva
Gadgadasvara here wishes to see the Lord Prabûtaratna, the
Tathâgata, &c., who is completely extinct. Whereon the
Lord Prabhûtaratna, the Tathâgata, &c., spoke to the
Bodhisattva Maliasattva Gadgadasvara in this strain: Well
done, well done, young gentleman, that thou hast come
hither in the desire to see the Lord Sâkyamuni, the
Tathâgata, &c.; to hear this Dharmaparyâya of the Lotus
of the True Law, and see Mañgusrî, the prince royal.
Subsequently the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Padmasrî said to
the Lord: What root of goodness has the Bodhisattva
Mahâsattva Gadgadasvara formerly planted; And in presence
of which Tathâgata; And the Lord Sâkyamuni, the Tathâgata,
&c., said to the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Padmasrî: In
the days of yore, young man of good family, at a past
period there appeared in the world a Tathâgata called
Meghadundubhisvararâga (i.e. the king of the drum-sound of
the clouds), perfectly enlightened, endowed with science
and conduct, a Sugata, &c., in the world
Sarvabuddhasandarsana (i. e. sight or display of all
Buddhas), in the Æon Priyadarsana. To that Lord
Meghadundubhisvararâga the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva
Gadgadasvara paid homage by making resound hundred
thousands of musical instruments during twelve thousand
years. He presented to him also eighty-four thousand
vessels of seven precious substances. Under the preaching
of the Tathâgata Meghadundubhisvararâga, young man of good
family, has the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Gadgadasvara
obtained such a beauty as he now displays. Perhaps, young
man of good family, thou hast some doubt, uncertainty or
misgiving, (and thinkest) that at that time, that epoch,
there was another Bodhisattva Mahâsattva called
Gadgadasvara, who paid that homage to the Lord
Meghadundubhisvararâga, the Tathâgata, and presented him
the eighty-four thousand vessels. But, young man of good
family, do not think so. For it was the very same
Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Gadgadasvara, young man of good
family, who paid that homage to the Lord
Meghadundubhisvararâga, the Tathâgata, and presented to him
the eighty-four thousand vessels. So, young man of good
family, the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Gadgadasvara has waited
upon many Buddhas, has planted good roots under many
Buddhas, and prepared the soil under each of them. And this
Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Gadgadasvara had previously seen
Lords Buddhas similar to the sands of the river Ganges.
Dost thou see, Padmasrî, how the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva
Gadgadasvara now looks; Padmasrî replied: I do, Lord; I do,
Sugata. The Lord said: Now, Padmasrî, this Bodhisattva
Mahâsattva Gadgadasvara preaches this Dharmaparyâya of the
Lotus of the True Law under many shapes he assumes;
sometimes [or somewhere] under the shape of Brahma,
sometimes under that of Indra, sometimes under that of
Shiva, sometimes under that of Kubera, sometimes under that
of a sovereign, sometimes under that of a duke, sometimes
under that of a chief merchant, sometimes under that of a
citizen, sometimes under that of a villager, sometimes
under that of a Brâhman. Sometimes again the Bodhisattva
Mahâsattva Gadgadasvara preaches this Dharmaparyâya of the
Lotus of the True Law under a monk's shape, sometimes under
a nun's, sometimes under a male lay devotee's, sometimes
under a female lay devotee's, sometimes under that of a
chief merchant's wife, sometimes under that of a citizen's
wife, sometimes under a boy's, sometimes under a girl's
shape. With so many variations in the manner to show
himself, the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Gadgadasvara preaches
this Dharmaparyâya of the Lotus of the True Law to
creatures. He has even assumed the shape of a goblin to
preach this Dharmaparyâya to such as were to be converted
by a goblin. To some he has preached this Dharmaparyâya of
the Lotus of the True Law under the shape of a demon, to
some under a Garuda's, to some under a Kinnara's, to some
under a great serpent's shape. Even to the beings in any of
the wretched states, in the hells, the brute creation,
Yama's realm, the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Gadgadasvara is a
supporter. Even to the creatures in the gynæceums of this
Saha-world has the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Gadgadasvara,
after metamorphosing himself into a woman, preached this
Dharmaparyâya of the Lotus of the True Law. Verily,
Padmasrî, the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Gadgadasvara is the
supporter of the creatures living in this Saha-world. Under
so many shapes, assumed at will, has the Bodhisattva
Mahâsattva Gadgadasvara preached this Dharmaparyâya of the
Lotus of the True Law to creatures. Yet, there is no
diminution of wisdom, nor diminution of magic power in that
good man. So many, young man of good family, are the
manifestations of knowledge by which this Bodhisattva
Mahâsattva Gadgadasvara has made himself known in this
Saha-world. In other worlds also, similar to the sands of
the river Ganges, he preaches the law, under the shape of a
Bodhisattva to such as must be converted by a Bodhisattva;
under the shape of a disciple to such as must be converted
by a disciple; under the shape of a Pratyekabuddha to such
as must be converted by a Pratyekabuddha; under the shape
of a Tathâgata to such as must be converted by a Tathâgata.
Nay, he will show to those who must be converted by a relic
of the Tathâgata himself such a relic, and to those who
must be converted by complete extinction he will show
himself completely extinct. Such is the powerful knowledge,
Padmasrî, the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva is possessed of.
Thereafter the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Padmasrî said to the
Lord: The Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Gadgadasvara then has
planted good roots, Lord. What meditation is it, Lord,
whereby the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Gadgadasvara, with
unshaken firmness, has converted (or educated) so many
creatures; Whereupon the Lord Sâkyamuni, the Tathâgata.
&c.. replied to the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Padmasrî: It
is, young man of good family, the meditation termed
Sarvarûpasandarsana. By steadiness in it has the
Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Gadgadasvara so immensely promoted
the weal of creatures.
While this chapter of Gadgadasvara was being expounded, all
the eighty-four hundred thousand myriads of kotis of
Bodhisattvas Mahâsattvas who, along with the Bodhisattva
Mahâsattva Gadgadasvara, had come to the Saha-world,
obtained the meditation Sarvarûpasandarsana, and as to the
number of Bodhisattvas Mahâsattvas of this Saha-world
obtaining the meditation Sarvarûpasandarsana, it was beyond
calculation.
Then the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Gadgadasvara, after having
paid great and ample worship to the Lord Sâkyamuni, the
Tathâgata, &c., and at the Stûpa of relics of the Lord
Prabhûtaratna, the Tathâgata, &c., again mounted the
tower made of seven precious substances, among the stir of
the fields, the rain of lotuses, the noise of hundred
thousands of myriads of kotis of musical instruments [After
a last effort the storm subsides], and with the eighty-four
hundred thousand myriads of kotis of Bodhisattvas
surrounding and following him, returned to his own
Buddha-field. At his arrival there he said to the Lord
Kamaladalavimalanakshatrarâgasankusumitâbhigña, the
Tathâgata, &c.: O Lord, I have in the Saha-world
promoted the weal of creatures; I have seen and saluted the
Stilpa of relics of the Lord Prabhâtaratna, the Tathâgata,
&c.; I have seen and saluted the Lord Sâkyamuni, the
Tathâgata, &c.; I have seen Mañgusri, the prince royal,
as well as the Bodhisattva Bhaishagyarâga, who is possessed
of mighty knowledge and impetuosity, and the Bodhisattva
Mahâsattva Pradânasûra; and these eightyfour hundred
thousand myriads of kotis of Bodhisattvas Mahâsattvas have
all obtained the meditation termed Sarvarûpasandarsana.
And while this relation of the going and coming of the
Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Gadgadasvara was being delivered,
forty-two thousand Bodhisattvas acquired the facultyof
acquiescence in future things, and the Bodhisattva
Mahâsattva Padmasrî acquired the meditation called the
Lotus of the True Law.