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 VIII.
ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE FUTURE DESTINY OF THE FIVE HUNDRED MONKS.
On
hearing from the Lord that display of skilfulness and the
instruction by means of mysterious speech; on hearing the
announcement of the future destiny of the great Disciples,
as well as the foregoing tale concerning ancient devotion
and the leadership of the Lord, the venerable Pûrna, son of
Maitrâyanî, was filled with wonder and amazement, thrilled
with pure-heartedness, a feeling of delight and joy. He
rose from his seat, full of delight and joy, full of great
respect for the law, and while prostrating himself before
the Lord's feet, made within himself the following
reflection: Wonderful, O Lord; wonderful, O Sugata; it is
an extremely difficult thing that the Tathâgatas, &c.,
perform, the conforming to this world, composed of so many
elements, and preaching the law to all creatures with many
proofs of their skilfulness, and skilfully releasing them
when attached to this or that. What could we do, O Lord, in
such a case? None but the Tathâgata knows our inclination
and our ancient course. Then, after saluting with his head
the Lord's feet, Parna went and stood apart, gazing up to
the Lord with unmoved eyes and so showing his veneration.
And the Lord, regarding the mental disposition of the
venerable Pûrna, son of Maitrâyani, addressed the entire
assembly of monks in this strain: Ye monks, see this
disciple, Pûrna, son of Maitrâyani, whom I have designated
as the foremost of preachers in this assembly, praised for
his many virtues, and who has applied himself in various
ways to comprehend the true law. He is the man to excite,
arouse, and stimulate the four classes of the audience;
unwearied in the preaching of the law; as capable to preach
the law as to oblige his fellow-followers of the course of
duty. The Tathâgata excepted, monks, there is none able to
equal Pûrna, son of Maitrâyanî, either essentially or in
accessories. Now, monks, do you suppose that he keeps my
true law only? No, monks, you must not think so. For I
remember, monks, that in the past, in the times of the
ninety-nine Buddhas, the same Pûrna kept the true law under
the mastership of those Buddhas. Even as he is now with me,
so he has, in all periods, been the foremost of the
preachers of the law; has in all periods been a consummate
knower of Voidness; has in all periods acquired the (four)
distinctive qualifications of an Arhat; has in all periods
reached mastership in the transcendent wisdom of the
Bodhisattvas. He has been a strongly convinced preacher of
the law, exempt from doubt, and quite pure. Under the
mastership of those Buddhas he has during his whole
existence observed a spiritual life, and everywhere they
termed him 'the Disciple.' By this means he has promoted
the interest of innumerable, incalculable hundred thousands
of myriads of kotis of beings, and brought innumerable and
incalculable beings to full ripeness for supreme and
perfect enlightenment. In all periods he has assisted the
creatures in the function of a Buddha, and in all periods
he has purified his own Buddha-field, always striving to
bring creatures to ripeness. He was also, monks, the
foremost among the preachers of the law under the seven
Tathâgatas, the first of whom is Vipasyin and the seventh
myself.
And as to the Buddhas, monks, who have in future to appear
in this Bhadra-kalpa, to the number of a thousand less
four, under the mastership of them also shall this same
Pûrna, son of Maitrayanî, be the foremost among the
preachers of the law and the keeper of the true law. Thus
he shall keep the true law of innumerable and incalculable
Lords and Buddhas in future, promote the interest of
innumerable and incalculable beings, and bring innumerable
and incalculable beings to full ripeness for supreme and
perfect enlightenment. Constantly and assiduously he shall
be instant in purifying his own Buddha-field and bringing
creatures to ripeness. After completing such a
Bodhisattva-course, at the end of innumerable, incalculable
Æons, he shall reach supreme and perfect enlightenment; he
shall in the world be the Tathâgata called Dharmaprabhâsa,
an Arhat, &c., endowed with science and conduct, a
Sugata, &c. He shall appear in this very Buddha-field.
Further, monks, at that time the Buddha-field spoken of
will look as if formed by thousands of spheres similar to
the sands of the river Ganges. It will be even, like the
palm of the hand, consist of seven precious substances, be
without hills, and filled with high edifices of seven
precious substances. There will be cars of the gods
stationed in the sky; the gods will behold men, and men
will behold the gods. Moreover, monks, at that time that
Buddha-field shall be exempt from places of punishment and
from womankind, as all beings shall be born by apparitional
birth. They shall lead a spiritual life, have ideal bodies,
be self-lighting, magical, moving in the firmament,
strenuous, of good memory, wise, possessed of gold-coloured
bodies, and adorned with the thirty-two characteristics of
a great man. And at that time, monks, the beings in that
Buddha-field will have two things to feed upon, viz. the
delight in the law and the delight in meditation. There
will be an immense, incalculable number of hundred
thousands of myriads of kotis of Bodhisattvas; all endowed
with great transcendent wisdom, accomplished in the (four)
distinctive qualifications of an Arhat, able in instructing
creatures. He (that Buddha) will have a number of
disciples, beyond all calculation, mighty in magic,
powerful, masters in the meditation of the eight
emancipations. So immense are the good qualities that
Buddha-field will be possessed of. And that Æon shall be
called Ratnâvabhâsa (i.e. radiant with gems), and that
world Suvisuddha (i.e. very pure). His lifetime shall last
immense, incalculable Æons; and after the complete
extinction of that Lord Dharmaprabhâsa, the Tathâgata,
&c., his true law shall last long, and his world shall
be full of Stûpas made of precious substances. Such
inconceivable good qualities, monks, shall the Buddha-field
of that Lord be possessed of.
So spoke the Lord, and thereafter he, the Sugata, the
Master, added the following stanzas:
1. Listen to me, monks, and hear how my son has achieved
his course of duty, and how he, welltrained and skilful,
has observed the course of enlightenment.
2. Viewing these beings to be lowly-disposed and to be
startled at the lofty vehicle, the Bodhisattvas become
disciples and exercise Pratyekabuddhaship.
3. By many hundreds of able devices they bring numerous
Bodhisattvas to full ripeness and declare: We are but
disciples, indeed, and we are far away from the highest and
supreme enlightenment.
4. It is by learning from them this course (of duty) that
kotis of beings arrive at full ripeness, who (at first),
lowly-disposed and somewhat lazy, in course of time all
become Buddhas.
5. They follow a course in ignorance (thinking): We,
disciples, are of little use, indeed! In despondency they
descend into all places of existence (successively), and
(so) clear their own field.
6. They show in their own persons that they are not free
from affection, hatred, and infatuation; and on perceiving
(other) beings clinging to (heretical) views, they go so
far as to accommodate themselves to those views.
7. By following such a course my numerous disciples
skilfully save creatures; simple people would go mad, if
they were taught the whole course of life (or story).
8. Pûrna here, monks, my disciple, has formerly fulfilled
his course (of duty) under thousands of kotis of Buddhas,
he has got possession of this true law by seeking after
Buddha-knowledge.
9. And at all periods has he been the foremost of the
disciples, learned, a brilliant orator, free from
hesitation; he has, indeed, always been able to excite to
gladness and at all times ready to perform the Buddha-task.
10. He has always been accomplished in the sublime
transcendent faculties and endowed with the distinctive
qualifications of an Arhat; he knew the faculties and range
of (other) beings, and has always preached the perfectly
pure law.
11. By exposing the most eminent of true laws he has
brought thousands of kotis of beings to full ripeness for
this supreme, foremost vehicle, whilst purifying his own
excellent field.
12. In future also he shall likewise honour thousands of
kotis of Buddhas, acquire knowledge of the most eminent of
good laws, and clean his own field.
13. Always free from timidity he shall preach the law with
thousands of kotis of able devices, and bring many beings
to full ripeness for the knowledge of the all-knowing that
is free from imperfections.
14. After having paid homage to the Chiefs of men and
always kept the most eminent of laws, he shall in the world
be a Buddha self-born, widely renowned everywhere by the
name of Dharmaprabhâsa.
15. And his field shall always be very pure and always set
off with seven precious substances; his Æon shall be
(called) Ratnâvabhâsa, and his world Suvisuddha.
16. That world shall be pervaded with many thousand kotis
of Bodhisattvas, accomplished masters in the great
transcendent sciences, pure in every respect, and endowed
with magical power.
17. At that period the Chief shall also have an assemblage
of thousands of kotis of disciples, endowed with magical
power, adepts at the meditation of the (eight)
emancipations, and accomplished in the (four) distinctive
qualifications of an Arhat.
18. And all beings in that Buddha-field shall be pure and
lead a spiritual life. Springing into existence by
apparitional birth, they shall all be goldcoloured and
display the thirty-two characteristic signs.
19. They shall know no other food but pleasure in the law
and delight in knowledge. No womankind shall be there, nor
fear of the places of punishments or of dismal states.
20. Such shall be the excellent field of Pûrna, who is
possessed of all good qualities; it shall abound with all
goodly things, a small part (only) of which has here been
mentioned.
Then this thought arose in the mind of those twelve hundred
self-controlled (Arhats): We are struck with wonder and
amazement. (How) if the Tathâgata would predict to us
severally our future destiny as the Lord has done to those
other great disciples? And the Lord apprehending in his own
mind what was going on in the minds of these great
disciples addressed the venerable Mahâ-Kasyapa: Those
twelve hundred self-controlled hearers whom I am now
beholding from face to face, to all those twelve hundred
self-controlled hearers, Kasyapa, I will presently foretell
their destiny. Amongst them, Kâsyapa, the monk Kaundinya, a
great disciple, shall, after sixty-two hundred thousand
myriads of kotis of Buddhas, become a Tathâgata, an Arhat,
&c., under the name of Samantaprabhâsa, endowed with
science and conduct, a Sugata, &c. &c.; but of
those (twelve hundred), Kâsyapa, five hundred shall become
Tathâgatas of the same name. Thereafter shall all those
five hundred great disciples reach supreme and perfect
enlightenment, all bearing the name of Samantaprabhâsa;
viz. Gayâ-Kâsyapa, Nadî-Kâsyapa, Uruvilvâ.-Kâsyapa, Kâla,
KâIodâyin, Aniruddha, Kapphina, Vakkula, Kunda, Svâgata,
and the rest of the five hundred self-controlled (Arhats).
And on that occasion the Lord uttered the following
stanzas:
21. The scion of the Kundina family, my disciple here,
shall in future be a Tathâgata, a Lord of the world, after
the lapse of an endless period; he shall educate hundreds
of kotis of living beings.
22. After seeing many endless Buddhas, he shall in future,
after the lapse of an endless period, become the Gina
Samantaprabhâsa, whose field shall be thoroughly pure.
23. Brilliant, gifted with the powers of a Buddha, with a
voice far resounding in all quarters, waited upon by
thousands of kotis of beinas, he shall preach supreme and
eminent enlightenment.
24. There shall be most zealous Bodhisattvas, mounted on
lofty aereal cars, and moving, meditative, pure in morals,
and assiduous in doing good.
25. After hearing the law from the highest of men, they
shall invariably go to other fields, to salute thousands of
Buddhas and show them great honour.
26. But ere long they shall return to the field of the
Leader called Prabhâsa, the Tathâgata. So great shall be
the power of their course (of duty).
27. The measure of the lifetime of that Sugata shall be
sixty thousand Æons, and, after the complete extinction of
that mighty one, his true law shall remain twice as long in
the world.
28. And the counterfeit of it shall continue three times as
long. When the true law of that holy one shall he
exhausted, men and gods shall be vexed.
29. There shall appear a complete number of five hundred
Chiefs, supreme amongst men, who shall bear the same name
with that Gina, Samantaprabha, and follow one another in
regular succession.
30. All shall have like divisions, magical powers,
Buddha-fields, and hosts (of followers). Their true law
also shall be the same and stand equally long.
31. All shall have in this world, including the gods, the
same voice as Samantaprabha'sa, the highest of men, such as
I have mentioned before.
32. Moved by benevolence and compassion they shall in
succession foretell each other's destiny, with the words:
This is to be my immediate successor, and he is to command
the world as I do at present.
33. Thus, Kâsyapa, keep now in view I here these
self-controlled (Arhats), no less than five hundred (in
number), as well as my other disciples, and speak of this
matter to the other disciples.
On hearing from the Lord the announcement of their own
future destiny, the five hundred Arhats, contented,
satisfied, in high spirits and ecstasy, filled with
cheerfulness, joy, and delight, went up to the place where
the Lord was sitting, reverentially saluted with their
heads his feet, and spoke thus: We confess our fault, O
Lord, in having continually and constantly persuaded
ourselves that we had arrived at final Nirvâna, as (persons
who are) dull, inept, ignorant of the rules, For, O Lord,
whereas we should have thoroughly penetrated the knowledge
of the Tathâgatas, we were content with such a trifling
degree of knowledge.
It is, O Lord, as if some man having come to a friend's
house got drunk or fell asleep, and that friend bound a
priceless gem within his garment, with the thought: Let
this gem be his. After a while, O Lord, that man rises from
his seat and travels further; he goes to some other
country, where he is befallen by incessant difficulties,
and has great trouble to find food and clothing. By dint of
great exertion he is hardly able to obtain a bit of food,
with which (however) he is contented and satisfied. The old
friend of that man, O Lord, who bound within the man's
garment that priceless gem, happens to see him again and
says: How is it, good friend, that thou hast such
difficulty in seeking food and clothing, while I, in order
that thou shouldst live in ease, good friend, have bound
within thy garment a priceless gem, quite sufficient to
fulfil all thy wishes? I have given thee that gem, my good
friend, the very gem I have bound within thy garment. Still
thou art deliberating: What has been bound? by whom? for
what reason and purpose? It is something foolish, my good
friend, to be contented, when thou hast with (so much)
difficulty to procure food and clothing. Go, my good
friend, betake thyself, with this gem, to some great city,
exchange the gem for money, and with that money do all that
can be done with money.
In the same manner, O Lord, has the Tathâgata formerly,
when he still followed the course of duty of a Bodhisattva,
raised in us also ideas of omniscience, but we, O Lord, did
not perceive, nor know it. We fancied, O Lord, that on the
stage of Arhat we had reached Nirvâna. We live in
difficulty, O Lord, because we content ourselves with such
a trifling degree of knowledge. But as our strong
aspiration after the knowledge of the all-knowing has never
ceased, the Tathâgata teaches us the right: 'Have no such
idea of Nirvâna, monks; there are in your intelligence
roots of goodness which of yore I have fully developed. In
this you have to see an able device of mine that from the
expressions used by me, in preaching the law, you fancy
Nirvâna to take place at this moment.' And after having
taught us the right in such a way, the Lord now predicts
our future destiny to supreme and perfect knowledge.
And on that occasion the five hundred self-controlled
(Arhats), Agnata-Kaundinya and the rest, uttered the
following stanzas:
34. We are rejoicing and delighted to hear this unsurpassed
word of comfort that we are destined to the highest,
supreme enlightenment. Homage be to thee, O Lord of
unlimited sight!
35. We confess our fault before thee; we were so childish,
nescient, ignorant that we were fully contented with a
small part of Nirvâna, under the mastership of the Sugata.
36. This is a case like that of a certain man who enters
the house of a friend, which friend, being rich and
wealthy, gives him much food, both hard and soft.
37. After satiating him with nourishment, he gives him a
jewel of great value. He ties it with a knot within the
upper robe and feels satisfaction at having given that
jewel.
38. The other man, unaware of it, goes forth and from that
place travels to another town. There he is befallen with
misfortune and, as a miserable beggar, seeks his food in
affliction.
39. He is contented with the pittance he gets by begging
without caring for dainty food; as to that jewel, he has
forgotten it; he has not the slightest remembrance of its
having been tied in his upper robe.
40. Under these circumstances he is seen by his old friend
who at home gave him that jewel. This friend properly
reprimands him and shows him the jewel within his robe.
41. At this sight the man feels extremely happy. The value
of the jewel is such that he becomes a very rich man, of
great power, and in possession of all that the five senses
can enjoy.
42. In the same manner, O Lord, we were unaware of our
former aspiration, (the aspiration) laid in us by the
Tathâgata himself in previous existences from time
immemorial.
43. And we were living in this world, O Lord, with dull
understanding and in ignorance, under the mastership of the
Sugata; for we were contented with a little of Nirvâna; we
required nothing higher, nor even cared for it.
44. But the Friend of the world has taught us better: 'This
is no blessed Rest at all; the full knowledge of the
highest men, that is blessed Rest, that is supreme
beatitude.'
45. After hearing this sublime, grand, splendid, and
matchless prediction, O Lord, we are greatly elated with
joy, when thinking of the prediction (we shall have to make
to each other) in regular succession.