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.