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 IX.
ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE FUTURE DESTINY OF ÂNANDA, RAHULA, AND THE TWO THOUSAND MONKS.
On
that occasion the venerable Ânanda made this reflection:
Should we also receive a similar prediction? Thus
thinking, pondering, wishing, he rose from his seat,
prostrated himself at the Lord's feet and uttered the
following words. And the venerable Râhula also, in whom
rose the same thought and the same wish as in Ânanda,
prostrated himself at the Lord's feet, and uttered these
words: 'Let it be our turn also, O Lord; let it be our
turn also, O Sugata. The Lord is our father and
procreator, our refuge and protection. For in this world,
including men, gods, and demons, O Lord, we are
particularly distinguished, as people say: These are the
Lord's sons, the Lord's attendants; these are the keepers
of the law-treasure of the Lord. Therefore, Lord, it
would seem meet, were the Lord ere long to predict our
destiny to supreme and perfect enlightenment.'
Two thousand other monks, and more, both such as were
still under training and such as were not, likewise rose
from their seats, put their upper robes upon one
shoulder, stretched their joined hands towards the Lord
and remained gazing up to him, all pre-occupied with the
same thought, viz. of this very Buddha-knowledge: Should
we also receive a prediction of our destiny to supreme
and perfect enlightenment.
Then the Lord addressed the venerable Ânanda in these
words: Thou, Ânanda, shalt in future become a Tathâgata
by the name of Sâgaravaradharabuddhivikrîditâbhigña, an
Arhat, &c., endowed with science and conduct, &c.
After having honoured, respected, venerated, and
worshipped sixty-two kotis of Buddhas, kept in memory the
true law of those Buddhas and received this command, thou
shalt arrive at supreme and perfect enlightenment, and
bring to full ripeness for supreme, perfect enlightenment
twenty hundred thousand myriads of kotis of Bodhisattvas
similar to the sands of twenty Ganges. And thy
Buddha-field shall consist of lapis lazuli and be
superabundant. The sphere shall be named
Anavanâmita-vaig-ayanta and the Æon
Manogñasabdâbhigargita. The lifetime of that Lord
Sâgaravaradharabuddhivikriditâbhigña, the Tathâgata,
&c., shall measure an immense number of Æons, Æons
the term of which is not to be found by calculation. So
many hundred thousand myriads of kotis of incalculable
Æons shall last the lifetime of that Lord. Twice as long,
Ânanda, after the complete extinction of that Lord, shall
his true law stand, and twice as long again shall
continue its counterfeit. And further, Ânanda, many
hundred thousand myriads of kotis of Buddhas, similar to
the sands of the river Ganges, shall in all directions of
space speak the praise of that Tathagata
Sâgaravaradharabuddhivikrîditâbhigña, the Arhat, &c.
1. I announce to you, congregated monks, that
Ânanda-Bhadra, the keeper of my law, shall in future
become a Gina, after having worshipped sixty kotis of
Sugatas.
2. He shall be widely renowned by the name of
Sâgarabuddhidhârin Abhigñaprâpta [These names may be
translated by 'possessor of an intellect (unfathomable)
as the ocean, having arrived at transcendant wisdom.'],
in a beautiful, thoroughly clear field, (termed)
Anavanatâ Vaigayantî (i. e. triumphal banner unlowered).
3. There shall be Bodhisattvas like the sands of the
Ganges and even more, whom he shall bring to full
ripeness; he shall be a Gina endowed with great (magical)
power, whose word shall widely resound in all quarters of
the world.
4. The duration of his life shall be immense. He shall
always be benign and merciful to the world. After the
complete extinction of that Gina and mighty saint
[Tâyin], his true law shall stand twice as long.
5. The counterfeit (shall continue) twice as long under
the rule of that Gina. Then also shall beings like grains
of sand of the Ganges produce in this world what is the
cause of Buddha-enlightenment.
In that assembly were eight thousand Bodhisattvas who had
newly entered the vehicle. To them this thought presented
itself: Never before did we have such a sublime
prediction to Bodhisattvas, far less to disciples. What
may be the cause of it? what the motive? The Lord, who
apprehended in his mind what was going on in the minds of
those Bodhisattvas, addressed them in these words: Young
men of good family, I and Ânanda have in the same moment,
the same instant conceived the idea of supreme and
perfect enlightenment in the presence of the Tathagata
Dharmagahanâbhyudgataraga, the Arhat, &c. At that
period, young men of good family, he (Ânanda) constantly
and assiduously applied himself to great learning,
whereas I was applying myself to strenuous labour. Hence
I sooner arrived at supreme and perfect enlightenment,
whilst Ânanda-Bhadra was the keeper of the law-treasure
of the Lords Buddhas; that is to say, young men of good
family, he made a vow to bring Bodhisattvas to full
development.
When the venerable Ananda, heard from the Lord the
announcement of his own destiny to supreme and perfect
enlightenment, when he learned the good qualities of his
Buddha-field and its divisions, when he heard of the vow
he had made in the past, he felt pleased, exultant,
ravished, joyous, filled with cheerfulness and delight.
And at that juncture he remembered the true law of many
hundred thousand rnyriads of kotis of Buddhas and his own
vow of yore.
And on that occasion the venerable Ânanda uttered the
following stanzas:
6. Wonderful, boundless are the Ginas who remind us of
the law preached by the extinct Ginas and mighty saints.
Now I remember it as if it had happened to-day or
yesterday.
7. 1 am freed from all doubts; I am ready for
enlightenment. Such is my skilfulness, (as) I am the
servitor, and keep the true law for the sake of
enlightenment.
Thereupon the Lord addressed the venerable Râhula-Bhadra
in these words: Thou, Râhula, shalt be in future a
Tathâgata of the name of Saptaratnapadmavikrântagâmin, an
Arhat, &c., endowed with science and conduct, &c.
After having honoured, respected, venerated, worshipped a
number of Tathâgata, &c., equal to the atoms of ten
worlds, thou shalt always be the eldest son of those
Lords Buddhas, just as thou art mine at present. And,
Râhula, the measure of the lifetime of that Lord
Saptaratnapadmavikrântagâmin, the Tathâgata, &c., and
the abundance of all sorts of good qualities (belonging
to him) shall be exactly the same as of the Lord
Sâgaravaradharabuddhivikrîditâbhigña, the Tathâgata,
&c.; likewise shall the divisions of the Buddha-field
and its qualities be the same as those possessed by that
Lord. And, Râhula, thou shalt be the eldest son of that
Tathâgata Sâgaravaradharabuddhivikrîditâbhigña, the
Arhat, &c. Afterwards thou shalt arrive at supreme
and perfect enlightenment.
8. Râhula here, my own eldest son, who was born to me
when I was a prince royal, he, my son, after my reaching
enlightenment, is a great Seer, an heir to the law.
9. The great number of kotis of Buddhas which he shall
see in future, is immense. To all these Ginas he shall be
a son, striving after enlightenment.
10. Unknown is this course (of duty) to Râhula, but I
know his (former) vow. He glorifies the Friend of the
world (by saying): I am, forsooth, the Tathâgata's son.
11. Innumerable myriads of kotis of good qualities, the
measure of which is never to be found, appertain to this
Râhula, my son; for it has been said: He exists by reason
of enlightenment.
The Lord now again regarded those two thousand disciples,
both such as were still under training and such as were
not, who were looking up to him with serene, mild, placid
minds. And the Lord then addressed the venerable Ânanda :
Seest thou, Ânanda, these two thousand disciples, both
such as are still under training and such as are not? I
do, Lord; I do, Sugata.' The Lord proceeded: All these
two thousand monks, Ânanda, shall simultaneously
accomplish the course of Bodhisattvas, and after
honouring, respecting, venerating, worshipping Buddhas as
numerous as the atoms of fifty worlds, and after
acquiring the true law, they shall, in their last bodily
existence, attain supreme and perfect enlightenment at
the same time, the same moment, the same instant, the
same juncture in all directions of space, in different
worlds, each in his own Buddha-field. They shall become
Tathâgatas, Arhats, &c., by the name of
Ratnaketurâgas. Their lifetime shall last a complete Æon.
The division and good qualities of their Buddha-fields
shall be equal; equal also shall be the number of the
congregation of their disciples and Bodhisattvas; equal
also shall be their complete extinction, and their true
law shall continue an equal time.
And on that occasion the Lord uttered the following
stanzas:
12. These two thousand disciples, Ânanda, who here are
standing before me, to them, the sages, I now predict
that in future they shall become Tathâgatas,
13. After having paid eminent worship to the Buddhas, by
means of infinite comparisons and examples, they shall,
when standing in their last bodily existence, reach my
extreme enlightenment.
14. They shall all, under the same name, in every
direction, at the same moment and instant, and sitting at
the foot of the most exalted tree, become Buddhas, after
they shall have reached the knowledge.
15. All shall bear the same name of Ketus of the Ratna,
by which they shall be widely famed in this world. Their
excellent fields shall be equal, and equal the
congregation of disciples and Bodhisattvas.
16. Strong in magic power, they shall all simultaneously,
in every direction of space, reveal the law in this world
and all at once become extinct; their true law shall last
equally long.
And the disciples, both such as were still under training
and such as were not, on hearing from the Lord, face to
face, the prediction concerning each of them, were
pleased, exultant, ravished, joyous, filled with
cheerfulness and delight, and addressed the Lord with the
following stanzas:
17. We are satisfied, O Light of the world, to hear this
prediction; we are pleased, O Tathâgata, as if sprinkled
with nectar.
18. We have no doubt, no uncertainty that we shall become
supreme amongst men; to-day we have obtained felicity,
because we have heard that prediction.