38. He will have paid worship to me, and built Stipas of relics, made of precious substances, variegated, beautiful, and splendid ;
39. In height coming up to the Brahma-world, with rows of umbrellas, great in circumference?, gorgeous, and decorated with triumphal streamers ;
40. Resounding with the clear ring of bells, and decorated with silk bands, while jingles moved by
1 One would rather expect, that place one should consider to be a shrine.
* Parinfhavanta#, There is no word for Burnouf’s ‘ proportionné’ (anupfirva) in the text.
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the wind form another ornament at (the shrines of) Gina relics’.
41. He will have shown great honour to them by flowers, perfumes, and ointments; by music, clothes, and the repeated (sound of) tymbals.
42. He will have sweet musical instruments struck at those relics, and lamps with scented oil kept burning all around.
43. He who at the period of depravation shall keep and teach this Sdtra, he will have paid me such an infinitely varied worship.
44. He has built many kofis of excellent monasteries of sandal-wood, with thirty-two pinnacles, and eight terraces high ;
45. Provided with couches, with food hard and soft; furnished with excellent curtains, and having cells by thousands.
46. He has given hermitages and walks embellished by flower-gardens; many elegant objects? of various forms and variegated.
47. He has shown manifold worship to the host of disciples in my presence, he who, after my extinction, shall keep this Satra.
48. Let one be ever so good in disposition, much greater merit will he obtain who shall keep or write this Satra.
49. Let a man cause this to be written and
1 Sobhante Ginadhatushu. Burnouf gives a different translation of this passage: ‘ces Stfipas, enfin, regoivent leur éclat des reliques du Djina.’
2 I am quite uncertain about the word in the text, uA&hadaka. It seems to be connected with the P&li ussada, about which Childers, s. v., remarks that it probably means ‘a protuberance.’ Burnouf renders the word in our text by ‘ coussin,’
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have it well put together in a volume; let him always worship the volume with flowers, garlands, ointments.
50. Let him constantly place near it a lamp filled with scented oil, along with full-blown lotuses and suitable! oblations of Michelia Champaka.
51. The man who pays such worship to the books will produce a mass of merit which is not to be measured,
52. Even as there is no measure of the element of ether, in none of the ten directions, so there is no measure of this mass of merit.
53. How much more will this be the case with one who is patient, meek, devoted, moral, studious, and addicted to meditation ;
54. Who is not‘irascible, not treacherous, reverential towards the sanctuary, always humble towards monks, not conceited, nor neglectful ;
55. Sensible and wise, not angry when he is asked a question ; who, full of compassion for living beings, gives such instruction as suits them.
Who is not‘irascible, not treacherous, reverential towards the sanctuary, always humble towards monks, not conceited, nor neglectful ;
55. Sensible and wise, not angry when he is asked a question ; who, full of compassion for living beings, gives such instruction as suits them.
56. If there be such a man who (at the same time) keeps this Satra, he will possess a mass of merit that cannot be measured.
57. If one meets such a man as here described, a keeper of this Sdtra, one should do homage to him.
58. One should present him with divine flowers, cover him with divine clothes, and bow the head to salute his feet, in the conviction of his being a Tathagata.
59. And at the sight of such a man one may
? Yuktait. Burnouf must have read muktaiA, for his translation has ‘ pearls.’
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directly make the reflection that he is going towards the foot of the tree to arrive at superior, blessed enlightenment for the weal of all the world, including the gods.
60. And wherever sueh a sage is walking, standing, sitting, or lying down; wherever the hero pronounces were it but a single stanza from this Sftra;
61. There one should build a Stdpa for the most high of men, a splendid, beautiful (Stdpa), dedicated to the Lord Buddha, the Chief, and then worship it in manifold ways.
62. That spot of the earth has been enjoyed by myself; there have I walked myself, and there have I been sitting ; where that son of Buddha has stayed, there I am.
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CHAPTER XVII.
INDICATION OF THE MERITORIOUSNESS OF JOYFUL ACCEPTANCE.
Thereupon the Bodhisattva Mahdsattva Maitreya said to the Lord: O Lord, one who, after hearing this Dharmaparydaya being preached, joyfully! accepts it, be that person a young man of good family or a young lady, how much merit, O Lord, will be produced by such a young man or young lady of good family ?
And on that occasion the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Maitreya uttered this stanza:
1. How great will be the merit of him who, after the extinction of the great Hero, shall hear this exalted Sfdtra and joyfully accept it ?
And the Lord said to the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Maitreya: If any one, Agita, either a young man of good family or a young lady, after the complete extinction of the Tath4gata, hears the preaching of this Dharmapary4ya, let it be a monk or nun,a male or female lay devotee, a man of ripe understanding or a boy or girl; if the hearer joyfully accepts it, and then after the sermon rises up to go elsewhere, to a monastery, house, forest, street, village, town, or province, with the motive and express aim to expound the law such as he has understood, such as he has heard it, and according to the measure of his power,
* Or, gratefully.
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to another person, his mother, father, kinsman, friend, acquaintance, or any other person ; if the latter, after hearing, joyfully accepts, and, in consequence, communicates it to another; if the latter, after hearing, joyfully accepts, and communicates it to another; if this other, again, after hearing, joyfully accepts it, and so on in succession until a number of fifty is reached; then, Agita, the fiftieth person to hear and joyfully accept the law so heard, let it be a young man of good family or a young lady, will have acquired an accumulation of merit connected with the joyful acceptance, Agita, which I am going to indicate to thee. Listen, and take it well to heart; I will tell thee.
It is, Agita, as if the creatures existing in the four hundred thousand Asankhyeyas! of worlds, in any of the six states of existence, born from an egg, from a womb, from warm humidity, or from metamorphosis, whether they have a shape or have not, be they conscious or unconscious, neither conscious nor unconscious, footless, two-footed, four-footed, or many-footed, as many beings as are contained in the world of creatures,—(as if) all those had flocked together to one place. Further, suppose some man appears, a lover of virtue, a lover of good, who gives to that whole body the pleasures, sports, amusements, and enjoyments they desire, like, and relish. He gives to each of them all Gambudvipa for his pleasures, sports, amusements, and enjoyments ; gives bullion, gold, silver, gems, pearls, lapis lazuli, conches, stones (?), coral, carriages yoked with horses, with bullocks, with elephants; gives palaces and
1 An incalculable great number.
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towers. In this way, Agita, that master of munificence, that great master of munificence continues spending his gifts for fully eighty years. Then, Agita, that master of munificence, that great master of munificence reflects thus: All these beings have I allowed to sport and enjoy themselves, but now they are covered with wrinkles and grey-haired, old, decrepit, eighty years of age, and near the term of their life. Let me therefore initiate them in the discipline of the law revealed by the Tathdgata, and instruct them. Thereupon, Agita, the man exhorts all those beings, thereafter initiates them in the discipline of the law revealed by the Tathagata, and makes them adopt it. Those beings learn the law from him, and in one moment, one instant, one bit of time, all become Srotadpannas, obtain the fruit of the rank of Sakvzd4gA4min and of Anagémin, until they become Arhats, free from all imperfections, adepts in meditation, adepts in great meditation and in the meditation with eight emancipations. Now, what is thine opinion, Agita, will that master of munificence, that great master of munificence, on account of his doings, produce great merit, immense, incalculable merit? Whereupon the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Maitreya said in reply to the Lord : Certainly, Lord; certainly, Sugata; that person, Lord, will already produce much merit on that account, because he gives to the beings all that is necessary for happiness ; how much more then if he establishes them in Arhatship!
This said, the Lord spoke to the Bodhisattva Mahdsattva Maitreya as follows: I announce to thee, Agita, I declare to thee; (take) on one side the master of munificence, the great master of munificence,p. 331 who produces merit by supplying all beings in the four hundred thousand Asankhyeyas of worlds with all the necessaries for happiness and by establishing them in Arhatship; (take) on the other side the person who, ranking the fiftieth in the series of the oral tradition of the law, hears, were it but a single stanza, a single word, from this Dharmaparyaya and joyfully accepts it ; if (we compare) the mass of merit connected with the joyful acceptance and the mass of merit connected with the charity of the master of munificence, the great master of munificence, then the greater merit will be his who, ranking the fiftieth in the series of the oral tradition of the law, after hearing were it but a single stanza, a single word, from this Dharmapary4ya, joyfully accepts it. Against this accumulation of merit, Agita, this accumulation of roots of goodness connected with that joyful acceptance, the former accumulation of merit connected with the charity of that master of munificence, that great master of munificence, and connected with the confirmation in Arhatship, does not fetch the im part, not the mo not the joo, not the jmowss, not the
1066 10,000,000 not the 0000 167500060» not the soa BOOT TOON 10 TO part; it admits of no calculation, no counting, no reckoning, no comparison, no approximation, no secret teaching. So immense, incalculable, Avita, is the merit which a person, ranking the fiftieth in the series of the tradition of the law, produces by joyfully accepting, were it but a single stanza, a single word, from this Dharmaparydya ; how much more then (will) he (produce), Agita, who hears this Dharmapary4ya in my presence and then joyfully accepts it? I declare, Agita, that hisp. 332 accumulation of mierit shall be even more immense, more incalculable.
And further, Agita, if a young man of good family or a young lady, with the design to hear this discourse on the law, goes from home to a monastery, and there hears this Dharmaparydya for a single moment, either standing or sitting, then that person, merely by the mass of merit resulting from that action, will after the termination of his (present) life, and at. the time of his second existence when he receives (another) body, become a possessor of carriages yoked with bullocks, horses, or elephants, of litters, vehicles yoked with bulls', and of celestial aerial cars. If further that same person at that preaching sits down, were it but a single moment, to hear this Dharmapary4ya, or persuades another to sit down or shares with him his seat, he will by the store of merit resulting from that action gain seats of Indra, seats of Brahma, thrones of a Xakravartin. And, Agita, if some one, a young man of good family or a young lady, says to another person: Come, friend, and hear the Dharmaparyaya of the Lotus of the True Law, and if that other person owing to that exhortation is persuaded to listen, were it but a single moment, then the former will by virtue of that root of goodness, consisting in that exhortation, obtain the advantage of a connection with Bodhisattvas who have acquired Dharami. He will become the reverse of dull, will get keen faculties, and have wisdom; in the course of a hundred thousand existences he will never have a fetid mouth, nor an offensive one; he will have no
1 Rishabhayanaz4m.
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He will become the reverse of dull, will get keen faculties, and have wisdom; in the course of a hundred thousand existences he will never have a fetid mouth, nor an offensive one; he will have no
1 Rishabhayanaz4m.
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diseases of the tongue, nor of the mouth; he will have no black teeth, no unequal, no yellow, no illranged, no broken teeth, no teeth fallen out; his lips will not be pendulous, not turned inward, not gaping, not mutilated, not loathsome'; his nose will not be flat, nor wry; his face will not be long, nor wry, nor unpleasant. On the contrary, Agita, his tongue, teeth, and lips will be delicate and wellshaped; his nose long; his face perfectly round?; the eyebrows well-shaped ; the forehead well-formed. He will receive a very complete organ of manhood. He will have the advantage that the Tathagata renders sermons intelligible* to him and soon come in connection with Lords, Buddhas. Mark, Agita, how much good is produced by one’s inciting were it but a single creature ; how much more then by him who reverentially hears, reverentially reads, reverentially preaches, reverentially promulgates the law!
And on that occasion the Lord uttered the following stanzas : ‘
2. Listen how great the merit is of one who, the fiftieth in the series (of tradition), hears a single stanza from this Sdtra and with placid mind joyfully adopts it.
3. Suppose there is a man in the habit of giving
1 Burnouf has some terms wanting in my text; they have been added by a later hand in the margin, but the characters are indistinct.
* Pranitamukhamandala; a marginal reading has prinamukha’.
® Tathagataz kavavidanubhasakam pratilabhate. I am not sure of the real meaning of anubh4saka; it may as well be ‘ suggesting.’ Burnouf has, ‘c’est de la bouche du Tathagata qu’il reeevra les avis et lenseignement.’
-p. 334 alms to myriads of ko¢is of beings, whom I have herebefore indicated by way of comparison}; all of them he satisfies during eighty years.
4. Then seeing that old age has approached for them, that their brow is wrinkled and their head grey (he thinks): Alas, how all beings come to decay! Let me therefore admonish them by (speaking of) the law.
5. He teaches them the law here on earth and points to the state of Nirvava hereafter. ‘Atl existences’ (he says) ‘are like a mirage; hasten to become disgusted with all existence.’
6. All creatures, by hearing the law from that charitable person, become at once Arhats, free from imperfections, and living their last life.
7. Much more merit than by that person will be acquired by him who through unbroken tradition shall hear were it but a single stanza and joyfully receive it. The mass of merit of the former is not even so much as a small particle of the latter’s.
7. Much more merit than by that person will be acquired by him who through unbroken tradition shall hear were it but a single stanza and joyfully receive it. The mass of merit of the former is not even so much as a small particle of the latter’s.
8. So great will be one’s merit, endless, immeasurable, owing to one’s hearing merely a single stanza, in regular tradition; how much more then if one hears from face to face!
g. And if somebody exhorts were it but a single creature and says: Go, hear the law, for this Sftra is rare in many myriads of ko¢is of AZons;
10. And if the creature so exhorted should hear the Sftra even for a moment, hark what fruit is to result from that action. He shall never have a mouth disease ;
From this reference to the preceding prose we must gather that these stanzas are posterior to or coeval with the prose version.
.
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11. His tongue is never sore; his teeth shall never fall out, never be black, yellow, unequal ; his lips never become loathsome ;
12. His face is not wry, nor lean, nor long; his nose not flat; it is well-shaped, as well as his forehead, teeth, lips, and round face.
13. His aspect is ever pleasant to men; his mouth is never fetid, it constantly emits a smell sweet as the lotus.
14. If some wise man, to hear this Sitra, goes from his home to a monastery and there listen, were it but for a single moment, with a placid mind, hear what results from it.
15. His body is very fair; he drives with horsecarriages, that wise man, and is mounted on elevated carriages drawn by elephants and variegated with gems.
16. He possesses litters covered with ornaments and carried by numerous men. Such is the blessed fruit of his going to hear preaching.
17. Owing to the performance of that pious work he shall, when sitting in the assembly there, obtain seats of Indra, seats of Brahma, seats of kings}.
1 The purport of this passage seems to be that lay devotees who are regular in attending the sermon, besides receiving terrestrial blessings, will rank high as churchwardens and be entitled to conspicuous places apart in the chapel. The gist of the whole chapter, at any rate, is that it is highly meritorious to come to church.
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CHAPTER XVIII.
THE ADVANTAGES OF A RELIGIOUS PREACHER?.
The gist of the whole chapter, at any rate, is that it is highly meritorious to come to church.
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CHAPTER XVIII.
THE ADVANTAGES OF A RELIGIOUS PREACHER?.
The Lord then addressed the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Satatasamitabhiyukta (i.e. ever and constantly strenuous). Any one, young man of good family, who shall keep, read, teach, write this Dharmaparyaya or have it written, let that person be a young man of good family or a young lady ’, shall obtain eight hundred good qualities of the eye, twelve hundred of the ear, eight hundred of the nose, twelve hundred of the tongue, eight hundred of the body, twelve hundred of the mind*, By these many hundred good qualities the whole of the six organs shall be perfect, thoroughly perfect. By means of the natural, carnal eye derived from his parents being perfect, he shall see the whole triple universe,p. 337 outwardly and inwardly, with its mountains and woody thickets, down to the great hell Avi#i and up to the extremity of existence. All that he shall see with his natural eye, as well as the creatures to be found in it, and he shall know the fruit of their works.
1 Dharmabhanak4nrisams&h. The use of 4nrzsamsa, as a synonym to guza, is not limited to Buddhist writings, as we see from the inscription at Bassac in Camboja, st. 18. It is, of course, the P4li 4nisamsa,
* The words ‘or a young lady’ are wanting in my MS., but Burnouf’s text had them, and from the sequel it would seem that they have to be added. It is certainly remarkable that we find mention being made of female preachers, who may be compared with the brahmavadinis of ancient times, and, further up, with the wise women of the Teutons, the Velledas and Vélvas, the Pythonissas of the Greeks, and the Valians of the Indian Archipelago.
5 We may also render, of sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and thought.
And on that occasion the Lord uttered the following stanzas:
1. Hear from me what good qualities shall belong to him who unhesitatingly and undismayed shall preach this Satra to the congregated assembly.
2. First, then, his eye (or, organ of vision) shall possess eight hundred good qualities by which it shall be correct, clear, and untroubled.
3. With the carnal eye derived from his parents he shall see the whole world from within and without.
4. He shall see the Meru and Sumeru, all the horizon and other mountains, as well as the seas.
5. He, the hero, sees all, downward to the Avifi and upward to the extremity of existence. Such is his carnal eye.
6. But he has not yet got the divine eye, it having not yet been produced! in him; such as here described is the range of his carnal eye.
5. He, the hero, sees all, downward to the Avifi and upward to the extremity of existence. Such is his carnal eye.
6. But he has not yet got the divine eye, it having not yet been produced! in him; such as here described is the range of his carnal eye.
Further, Satatasamitabhiyukta, the young man of good family or the young lady? who proclaims this Dharmapary4ya and preaches it to others, is possessed of the twelve hundred good qualities of the ear. The various sounds that are uttered in the triple universe, downward to the great hell Aviéi
1 No 44pi gayate. Burnouf’s translation, ‘il n’aura pas encore la science,’ points to a reading, g#ayate. * This time the word is also found in my MS.
(21) zp. 338 and upward to the extremity of existence, within and without, such as the sounds of horses?, elephants, cows, peasants *, goats, cars; the sounds of weeping and wailing ; of horror, of conch-trumpets, bells, tymbals ; of playing and singing ; of camels, of tigers ?; of women, men, boys, girls ; of righteousness (piety) and unrighteousness (impiety) ; of pleasure and pain; of ignorant men and 4ryas; pleasant and unpleasant sounds ; sounds of gods, Nagas, goblins, Gandharvas, demons, Garuaas, Kinnaras, great serpents, men, and beings not human; of monks, disciples, Pratyekabuddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Tath4gatas ; as many sounds as are uttered in the triple world, within and without, all those he hears with his natural organ of hearing when perfect. Still he does not enjoy the divine ear, although he apprehends the sounds of those different creatures, understands, discerns the sounds of those different creatures, and when with his natural organ of hearing he hears the sounds of those creatures, his ear is not overpowered by any of those sounds, Such, Satatasamitabhiyukta, is the organ of hearing that the Bodhisattva Mahdsattva * acquires ; yet he does not possess the divine ear.
' Burnouf’s version shows a few unimportant various readings.
* Ganapadasabda4A, rather strange between the others. I suppose that ganapada is corrupted from some word meaning a sheep, but I find no nearer approach to it than g4lakini, a ewe; cf. st. 8 below.
> T follow Burnouf, who must have read vyAghra; my MS. has vadya.
‘ This term, as it is here used, refers, so far as I can see, to the ministers of religion, the preachers. It is, however, just possible that we have to take it in the more general and original sense of any ‘rational being,’ for all the advantages enumerated belong to everybody who is not blind, not deaf, &c.
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Thus spoke the Lord; thereafter he, the Sugata, the Master, added:
7. The organ of hearing of such a person becomes (or, is) cleared and perfect, though as yet it be natural; by it he perceives the various sounds, without any exception, in this world.
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Thus spoke the Lord; thereafter he, the Sugata, the Master, added:
7. The organ of hearing of such a person becomes (or, is) cleared and perfect, though as yet it be natural; by it he perceives the various sounds, without any exception, in this world.
8. He perceives the sounds of elephants, horses, cars, cows, goats, and sheep; of noisy kettle-drums, tabours, lutes, flutes, Vallaki-lutes.
g. He can hear singing, lovely and sweet, and, at the same time, is constant enough not to allow himself to be beguiled by it; he perceives the sounds of kofis of men, whatever and wherever they are speaking.
10. He, moreover, always hears the voice of gods and N4gas; he hears the tunes, sweet and affecting, of song, as well as the voices of men and women, boys and girls.
11. He hears the cries of the denizens of mountains and glens; the tender notes! of Kalavinkas, cuckoos ?, peafowls *, pheasants, and other birds.
12. He also (hears) the heart-rending cries of those who are suffering pains in the hells, and the yells uttered by the Spirits, vexed as they are by the difficulty to get food ;
13. Likewise the different cries produced by the demons and the inhabitants of the ocean. All these
? Valgusabda.
® Here we see that kalavinkas are distinguished from kokilas, cuckoos.
8 The voice of the peafowl is proverbially unharmonious, but that is no reason why the poet should have omitted this item from his enumeration; such peculiarities give a relish to this kind of spiritual poetry.
Z2
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sounds the preacher is able to hear from his place on earth, without being overpowered by them.
14. From where he is stationed here on the earth he also hears the different and multifarious sounds through which the inhabitants of the realm of brutes are conversing with each other.
15. He apprehends all the sounds, without any exception, whereby the numerous angels living in the Brahma-world, the Akanish‘4as and Abhasvaras1, call one another.
16. He likewise always hears the sound which the monks on earth are raising when engaged in reading, and when preaching the law to congregations, after having taken orders under the command of the Sugatas.
17. And when the Bodhisattvas here on earth have a reading together and raise their voices in the general synods, he hears them severally.
18. The Bodhisattva who preaches this Sitra shall, at one time, also hear the perfect law? that the Lord Buddha, the tamer of men’, announces to the assemblies.
19. The numerous sounds produced by all beings in the triple world, in this field, within and without, (downward) to the Avi#i and upward to the extremity of existence, are heard by him.
20. (In short), he perceives the voices of all beings, his ear being open. Being in the possession of his six senses‘, he will discern the different sources (of sound), and that while his organ of hearing is the natural one;
20. (In short), he perceives the voices of all beings, his ear being open. Being in the possession of his six senses‘, he will discern the different sources (of sound), and that while his organ of hearing is the natural one;
* Two classes of angels of the Brahma-heaven.
* Te. judgment. ® T.e. in his quality of Dharmarfga.
* Te. not being out of his wits.
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21. The divine ear is not yet operating in him; his ear continues in its natural state. Such as here told are the good qualities belonging to the wise man who shall be a keeper of this Satra.
Further, Satatasamitébhiyukta, the Bodhisattva Mahdsattva who keeps, proclaims, studies, writes this DharmaparyAya becomes possessed of a perfect organ of smell with eight hundred good qualities. By means of that organ he smells the different smells that are found in the triple world, within and without, such as fetid smells, pleasant and unpleasant smells, the fragrance of diverse flowers, as the greatflowered jasmine, Arabian jasmine, Michelia Champaka, trumpet-flower ; likewise the different scents of aquatic flowers, as the blue lotus, red lotus, white esculent water-lily and white lotus. He smells the odour of fruits and blossoms of various trees bearing fruits and blossoms, such as sandal, Xanthochymus, Tabernzemontana, agallochum'. The manifold hundred-thousand mixtures of perfumes he smells and discerns, without moving from his standing-place. He smells the diverse smells of creatures, as elephants, horses, cows, goats, beasts, as well as the smell issuing from the body of various living beings in the condition of brutes. He perceives the smells exhaled by the body of women and men, of boys and girls. He smells, even from a distance, the odour of grass, bushes, herbs, trees. He perceives those smells such as they really are, and is not surprised nor stunned by them. Staying on this very earth he smells the odour of gods and the
1 There is something strange in enumerating these plants, after speaking of fruits,
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He perceives those smells such as they really are, and is not surprised nor stunned by them. Staying on this very earth he smells the odour of gods and the
1 There is something strange in enumerating these plants, after speaking of fruits,p. 342 fragrance of celestial flowers, such as Erythrina, Bauhinia, Mandarava and great Mandarava, Mafgtsha and great Mazgtsha. He smells the perfume of the divine powders of sandal and agallochum, as well as that of the hundred-thousands of mixtures of different divine flowers. He smells the odour exhaled by the body of the gods, such as Indra, the chief of the gods, and thereby knows whether (the god) is sporting, playing, and enjoying himself in his palace Vaigayanta or is speaking the law to the gods of paradise in the assembly-hall of the gods, Sudharm4, or is resorting to the pleasure-park for sport’. He smells the odour proceeding from the body of the sundry other gods, as well as that proceeding from the girls and wives of the gods, from the youths and maidens amongst the gods, without being surprised or stunned by those smells. He likewise smells the odour exhaled by thé bodies of all Devanikayas, Brahmak4yikas, and Mahabrahmas?. In the same manner he perceives the smells coming from disciples, Pratyekabuddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Tath4gatas. He smells the odour arising from the seats of the Tathagatas and so discovers where those Tathagatas, Arhats, &c. abide. And by none of all those different smells is his organ of smell hindered, impaired, or vexed; and, if required, he may give an account of those smells to others without his memory being impaired by it.
And on that occasion the Lord uttered the following stanzas :
22. His organ of smell is quite correct, and he
' The parallel passage in the poetical version, st. 41, is much less confused, and for that reason probably more original. * Three classes of aerial beings, archangels.
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perceives the manifold and various smells, good or bad, which exist in this world;
23. The fragrance of the great-flowered jasmine, Arabian jasmine, Xanthochymus, sandal, agallochum, of several blossoms and fruits.
24. He likewise perceives the smells exhaled by men, women, boys, and girls, at a considerable distance, and by the smell he knows where they are.
25. He recognises emperors, rulers of armies, governors of provinces, as well as royal princes and ministers, and all the ladies of the harem by their (peculiar) scent.
26. It is by the odour that the Bodhisattva discovers sundry jewels of things, such as are found on the earth and such as serve as jewels for women.
27. That Bodhisattva likewise knows by the odour the various kinds of ornament that women use for their body, robes, wreaths, and ointments.
28. The wise man who keeps this exalted Sftra recognises, by the power of a good-smelling organ, a woman? standing, sitting, or lying; he discovers wanton sport and magic power ?.
28. The wise man who keeps this exalted Sftra recognises, by the power of a good-smelling organ, a woman? standing, sitting, or lying; he discovers wanton sport and magic power ?.
29. He perceives at once where he stands, the fragrance of scented oils, and the different odours of flowers and fruits, and thereby knows from what source the odour proceeds.
30. The discriminating man recognises by the odour the numerous sandal-trees in full blossom in the glens of the mountains, as well as all creatures dwelling there.
31. All the beings living within the compass of
1 Sthitda nishann4m sayit&m tathaiva. * Kridaratim riddhibalam ha.
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the horizon or dwelling in the depth of the sea or in the bosom of the earth the discriminating man knows how to distinguish from the (peculiar) smell.
32. He discerns the gods and demons, and the daughters of demons; he discovers the sports of demons and their luxury. Such, indeed, is the power of his organ of smell.
33. By the smell he tracks the abodes of the quadrupeds in the woods, lions, tigers, elephants, snakes, buffaloes, cows, gayals.
34. He infers from the odour, whether the child that women, languid from pregnancy, bear in the womb be a boy or a girl.
35. He can discern if a woman is big with a dead child'; he discerns if she is subject to throes ?, and, further, if a woman, the pains being removed, shall be delivered of a healthy boy.
36. He guesses the various designs of men, he smells (so to say) an air of design; he finds out the odour of passionate, wicked, hypocritical, or quiet persons.
37. That Bodhisattva by the scent smells treasures hidden in the ground, money, gold, bullion, silver, chests, and metal pots +.
38. Necklaces of two sorts, gems, pearls, nice priceless jewels he knows by the scent®, as well as things priceless and brilliant in general.
39. That great man from his very place on earth
1 Apannasatva. 2 Vindmadharma.
8’ Abhiprayagandha.
* It need hardly be remarked that ‘to smell’ is here used in the same sense as in the English saying ‘to smell a rat.’
5 The word gandha also means ‘some resemblance, faint likeness, an air,’
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smells the flowers here above (in the sky) with the gods, such as Mand4ravas, Ma#g(dshakas, and those growing on the coral tree.
40. By the power of his organ of smell he, without leaving his stand on earth, perceives how and whose are the aerial cars, of lofty, low, and middling size, and other brilliant forms shooting? (through the firmament).
41. He likewise finds out the paradise, the gods (in the hall) of Sudharm4 and in the most glorious palace of Vaigayanta *, and the angels who there are diverting themselves.
42. He perceives, here on earth, an air of them; by the scent he knows the angels, and where each of them is acting, standing, listening, or walking.
42. He perceives, here on earth, an air of them; by the scent he knows the angels, and where each of them is acting, standing, listening, or walking.
43. That Bodhisattva tracks by the scent the houris who are decorated with many flowers, decked with wreaths and ornaments and in full attire; he knows wherever they are dallying or staying at the time.
44. By smell he apprehends the gods, Brahmas, and Brahmakayas moving on aerial cars aloft, upwards to the extremity of existence; he knows whether they are absorbed in meditation® or have risen from it.
1 Kavanti, Sansk. 4yavanti, altered by a later’ hand into bhavanti.
* A sculptured representation of Indra’s palace of Vaigayanta and the hall Sudharmé is found on the bas-reliefs of the Stipa of Bharhut; see plate xvi in General Cunningham’s splendid work on that Stfipa.
8 The real meaning is, perhaps, to say that he knows whether those inhabitants of the empyreum are plunged in glimmer or disengaged from mist, &c.
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45. He perceives the Abhdsvara angels falling (and shooting) and appearing, even those that he never saw before. Such is the organ of smell of the Bodhisattva who keeps this Satra.
46. The Bodhisattva also recognises all monks under the rule of the Sugata, who are strenuously engaged in their walks and find their delight in their lessons and reading.
47. Intelligent as he is, he discerns those among the sons of Gina who are disciples and those who ~ used to live at the foot of trees, and he knows that the monk so and so is staying in such and such a place.
48. The Bodhisattva knows by the odour whether other Bodhisattvas are of good memory, meditative, delighting in their lessons and reading, and assiduous in preaching to congregations}.
49. In whatever point of space the Sugata, the great Seer, so benign and bounteous, reveals the law in the midst of the crowd of attending disciples, the Bodhisattva by the odour recognises him as the Lord of the universe.
50. Staying on earth, the Bodhisattva also perceives those beings who hear the law and rejoice at it, and the whole assembly of the Gina.
51. Such is the power of his organ of smell. Yet it is not the divine organ he possesses, but (the natural one) prior to the perfect, divine faculty of smell.
Further, Satatasamitabhiyukta, the young man of good family or the young lady who keeps, teaches,
1 Such Bodhisattvas may be said to stand in the odour of sanctity.
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Further, Satatasamitabhiyukta, the young man of good family or the young lady who keeps, teaches,
1 Such Bodhisattvas may be said to stand in the odour of sanctity.
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proclaims, writes this DharmaparyAya shall have an organ of taste possessed of twelve hundred good faculties of the tongue. All flavours he takes on his tongue will yield a divine, exquisite relish. And he tastes in such a way that he is not to relish anything unpleasant; and even the unpleasant flavours that are taken on his tongue will yield? a divine relish. And whatever he shall preach in the assembly, the creatures will be satisfied by it; they will be content, thoroughly content, filled with delight. A sweet, tender, agreeable, deep voice goes out from him, an amiable voice which goes to the heart, at which those creatures will be ravished and charmed; and those to whom he preaches, after having heard his sweet voice, so tender and melodious, will, even (if they are) gods, be of opinion that they ought to go and see, venerate, and serve him?. And the angels and houris will be of opinion, &c. The Indras, Brahmas, and Brahmakayikas will be of opinion, &c. The Nagas and Naga girls will be of opinion, &c. The demons and their girls will be of opinion, &c. The Garudas and their girls will be of opinion, &c. The Kinnaras and their girls, the great serpents and their girls, the goblins and their girls, the imps and their girls will be of opinion that they ought to go and see, venerate, serve him, and hear his sermon, and all will show him honour, respect, esteem, worship, reverence, and veneration. Monks and nuns, male and female lay devotees will likewise be desirous of seeing him. Kings, royal princes, and grandees (or ministers) will also be
1 Mokshyante, properly, ‘ will emit.’ 2 In the margin added sravan4ya, ‘to hear.’
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desirous of seeing him. Kings ruling armies and emperors possessed of the seven treasures’, along with the princes royal, ministers, ladies of the harem, and their retinue will be desirous of seeing him and paying him their homage. So sweet will be the speech delivered by that preacher, so truthful and according to the teaching of the Tathagata will be his words. Others also, Brahmans and laymen, citizens and peasants, will always and ever follow that preacher till the end of life. Even the disciples of the Tathagata will be desirous of seeing him ; ‘ likewise the Pratyekabuddhas and the Lords Buddhas. And wherever that young man of good family or young lady shall stay, there he (or she) will preach, the face turned to the Tath4gata, and he (or she) will be a worthy vessel of the Buddha-qualities. Such, so pleasant, so deep will be the voice of the law going out from him.
And on that occasion the Lord uttered the following stanzas :
Such, so pleasant, so deep will be the voice of the law going out from him.
And on that occasion the Lord uttered the following stanzas :
52. His organ of taste is most excellent, and he will never relish anything of inferior flavour; the flavours are no sooner put on his tongue than they become divine and possessed of a divine taste.
53. He has a tender voice and delivers sweet words, pleasant to hear, agreeable, charming ; in the
1 The seven treasures or jewels of an emperor are the wheel, the elephant, the horse, the gem, the empress, the major domo (according to others, the retinue of householders), and the viceroy or marshal. See Spence Hardy, Manual of Buddhism, p. 127; Burnouf, Lotus, p. 580; Senart, Légende du Buddha, pp. 22-60; Lalita-vistara, pp. 15-19.
midst of the assembly he is used to speak with a melodious and deep voice.
54. And whosoever hears him when he is delivering a sermon with myriads of ko/¢is of examples, feels a great joy and shows him an immense veneration.
55. The gods, Nagas, demons, and goblins always long to see him, and respectfully listen to his preaching. All those good qualities are his.
56. If he would, he might make his voice heard by the whole of this world; his voice is (so) fine, sweet, deep, tender, and winning.
57. The emperors on earth, along with their children and wives, go to him with the purpose’ of honouring him, and listen all the time to his sermon with joined hands.
58. He is constantly followed by goblins, crowds of Nagas, Gandharvas, imps, male and female, who honour, respect, and worship him.
59. Brahma himself becomes his obedient servant; the gods fsvara and Mahesvara, as well as Indra and the numerous heavenly nymphs, approach him.
60. And the Buddhas, benign and merciful for the world, along with their disciples, hearing his voice, protect him by showing their face, and feel satisfaction in hearing him preaching.
Further, Satatasamitébhiyukta, the Bodhisattva Mahisattva who keeps, reads, promulgates, teaches, writes this Dharmaparydya shall have the eight hundred good qualities of the body. It will be pure, and show a hue clear as the lapis lazuli; it will be pleasant to see for the creatures. On that perfect body he will see the whole triple universe; the beings who in the triple world disappear and appear, who are low or lofty, of good or of bad colour, in
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On that perfect body he will see the whole triple universe; the beings who in the triple world disappear and appear, who are low or lofty, of good or of bad colour, inp. 350 fortunate or in unfortunate condition, as well as the beings dwelling within the circular plane of the horizon and of the great horizon, on the chief mountains Meru and Sumeru, and the beings dwelling below in the Avi4#i and upwards to the extremity of existence; all of them he will see on his own body. The disciples, Pratyekabuddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Tath4gatas dwelling in the triple universe, and the law taught by those Tath4gatas and the beings serving the Tathagatas, he will see all of them on his own body, because he receives the proper body of all those beings, and that on account of the perfectness of his body.
And on that occasion the Lord uttered the following stanzas:
61. His body becomes thoroughly pure, clear as if consisting of lapis lazuli; he who keeps this sublime Sftra is always a pleasant sight for (all) creatures,
62. As on the surface of a mirror an image is seen, so on his body this world. Being self-born, he sees no other beings!. Such is the perfectness of his body.
63. Indeed, all beings who are in this world, men, gods, demons, goblins, the inhabitants of hell, the spirits, and the brute creation are seen reflected on that body.
64. The aerial cars of the gods up to the extremity of existence, the rocks, the ridge of the
1 This seems to mean that the thinking subject or thinking power only (svayambh@ or brahma) has real existence, the objects being products from one’s own mind. In so far it may be said that the thinking subject sees no other real beings.
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horizon, the Himalaya, Sumeru, and great Meru, all are seen on that body.
65. He also sees the Buddhas on his body, along with the disciples and other sons of Buddha; likewise the Bodhisattvas who lead a solitary life, and those who preach the law to congregations.
66. Such is the perfectness of his body, though he has not yet obtained a divine body; the natural property of his body is such.
66. Such is the perfectness of his body, though he has not yet obtained a divine body; the natural property of his body is such.
Further, Satatasamitabhiyukta, the Bodhisattva Mahdsattva who after the complete extinction of the Tathagata keeps, teaches, writes, reads this Dharmaparyaya shall have a mental organ possessed of twelve hundred good qualities of intellect. By this perfect mental organ he will, even if he hears a single stanza, recognise its various meanings. By fully comprehending the stanza he will find in it the text to preach upon for a month, for four months, nay, for a whole year. And the sermon he preaches will not fade from his memory. The popular maxims of common life, whether sayings or counsels, he will know how to reconcile with the rules of the law. Whatever creatures of this triple universe are subject to the mundane whirl, in any of the six conditions of existence, he will know their thoughts, doings, and movements. He will know and discern their motions, purposes, and aims. Though he has not yet attained the state of an Arya, his intellectual organ will be thoroughly perfect. And all he shall preach after having pondered on the interpretation of the law will be really true; he speaks what all Tathdgatas have spoken, all that has been declared in the Sftras of former Ginas.
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And on that occasion the Lord uttered the following stanzas:
67. His mental organ is perfect, lucid, right, and untroubled. By it he finds out the various laws, low, high, and mean.
68. On hearing the contents of a single stanza, the wise man catches the manifold significations (hidden) in it, and he is able for a month, four months, or even a year to go on expounding both its conventional and its true sense,
69. And the beings living in this world, within or without, gods, men, demons, goblins, Nagas, brutes,
70. The beings stationed in any of the six conditions of existence, all their thoughts the sage knows instantaneously. These are the advantages of keeping this Satra.
71. He also hears the holy sound of the law which the Buddha, marked with a hundred blessed signs, preaches all over the world, and he catches what the Buddha speaks,
72. He reflects much on the supreme law, and is in the wont of constantly dilating upon it; he is never hesitating. These are the advantages of keeping this Sdtra.
73. He knows the connections and knots’; he discerns in all laws contrarieties?; he knows the meaning and the interpretations, and expounds them according to his knowledge.
74. The Sitra which since so long a time has been
? Sandhivisandhi, I am not sure of the real purport of these terms; Burnouf renders ‘ concordances et combinaisons.’
* Sarveshu dharmeshu vilakshaw4ni; the rendering is uncertain ; Burnouf has, ‘ne voit entre toutes les lois aucune différence.’
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Sandhivisandhi, I am not sure of the real purport of these terms; Burnouf renders ‘ concordances et combinaisons.’
* Sarveshu dharmeshu vilakshaw4ni; the rendering is uncertain ; Burnouf has, ‘ne voit entre toutes les lois aucune différence.’
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expounded by the ancient Masters of the world is the law which he, never flinching, is always preaching in the assembly.
75. Such is the mental organ of him who keeps or reads this Sitra; he has not yet the knowledge of emancipation, but one that precedes it.
76. He who keeps this Satra of the Sugata stands on the stage of a master; he may preach to all creatures and is skilful in ko¢is of interpretations.
(21] Aa
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CHAPTER XIX.
SADAPARIBHOTA.
The Lord then addressed the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Mahasthémaprapta. Ina similar way, Mahasthamaprapta, one may infer from what has been said that he who rejects such a Dharmaparydya as this, who abuses monks, nuns, lay devotees male or female, keeping this Sdtra, insults them, treats them with false and harsh words, shall experience dire results, to such an extent as is impossible to express in words. But those that keep, read, comprehend, teach, amply expound it to others, shall experience happy results, such as I have already mentioned : they shall attain such a perfection of the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind as just described.
In the days of yore, Mahdsth4mapr4pta, at a past period, before incalculable AZons, nay, more than incalculable, immense, inconceivable, and even long before, there appeared in the world a Tathagata, &c., named Bhishmagargitasvarardga, endowed with science and conduct, a Sugata, &c. &c., in the AZon Vinirbhoga, in the world Mahdsambhava. Now, Mahasthamapr4pta, that Lord Bhishmagargitasvararaga, the Tathazata, &c., in that world Vinirbhoga, showed the law in the presence of the world, including gods, men, and demons; the law containing the four noble truths and starting from the chain of causes and effects, tending to overcome birth, decrepitude, sickness, death, sorrow, lamentation,
XIX. SADAPARIBHOTA.
SADAPARIBHOTA.
woe, grief, despondency, and finally leading to Nirvana, he showed to the disciples; the law connected with the six Perfections of virtue and terminating in the knowledge of the Omniscient, after the attainment of supreme, perfect enlightenment, he showed to the Bodhisattvas. The lifetime of that Lord Bhishmagargitasvararaga, the Tathagata, &c., lasted forty hundred thousand myriads of kofis of A£ons equal to the sands of the river Ganges’. After his complete extinction his true law remained hundred thousands of myriads of kofis of AZons equal to the atoms (contained) in Gambudvipa, and the counterfeit of the true law continued hundred thousands of myriads of ko¢is of AZons equal to the dust-atoms in the four continents. When the counterfeit of the true law of the Lord Bhishmagargitasvarardga, the Tathagata, &c., after his complete extinction, had disappeared in the world Mahasambhava, Mahdsthamaprapta, another Tathagata Bhishmagargitasvararaga, Arhat, &c., appeared, endowed with science and conduct. So in succession, Mahasthamapr4pta, there arose in that world Mahasambhava twenty hundred thousand myriads of kotis of Tathagatas, &c., called Bhitshmagargitasvararaga. At the time, Mahdsthamapr4pta, after the complete extinction of the first Tathagata amongst all those of the name of Bhishmagargitasvararaga, Tathagata, &c., endowed with science and conduct, &c. &c., when his true law had disappeared and the counterfeit of the true law was
1 According to Burnouf: ‘autant de centaines de mille de myriades de ko/is de Kalpas qu’il y a de grains de sable dans quarante Ganges.’
Aa2
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&c., when his true law had disappeared and the counterfeit of the true law was
1 According to Burnouf: ‘autant de centaines de mille de myriades de ko/is de Kalpas qu’il y a de grains de sable dans quarante Ganges.’
Aa2
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fading; when the reign (of the law) was being oppressed by proud monks, there was a monk, a Bodhisattva Mahasattva, called Sadaparibhata. For what reason, Mahdsth4maprapta, was that Bodhisattva Mahdsattva called Sad4paribhdta? It was, Mahdsthamapr4pta, because that Bodhisattva Mahasattva was in the habit of exclaiming to every monk or nun, male or female lay devotee, while approaching them: I do not contemn you, worthies. You deserve no contempt, for you all observe the course of duty of Bodhisattvas and are to become Tathagatas, &c. In this way, Mahdsthdmaprdpta, that Bodhisattva Mahdsattva, when a monk, did not teach nor study; the only thing he did was, whenever he descried from afar a monk or nun, a male or female lay devotee, to approach them and exclaim: I do not contemn you, sisters'. You deserve no contempt, for you all observe the course of duty of Bodhisattvas and are to become Tathdgatas, &c. So, MahasthamaprApta, the Bodhisattva Mahdsattva at that time used to address every monk or nun, male or female devotee. But all were extremely irritated and angry at it, showed him their displeasure, abused and insulted him: Why does he, unasked, declare that he feels no contempt for us ? Just by so doing he shows a contempt for us. He renders himself contemptible? by predicting our future destiny to supreme, perfect enlightenment; we do not care for what is not true. Many years, Mahdasth4maprépta, went on during which that
1 It may seem strange that we find no other word than this, but the reading of the text cannot be challenged.
* Paribhfitam 4tmanam karoti, yad, &c. Burnouf must have followed a different reading.
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Many years, Mahdasth4maprépta, went on during which that
1 It may seem strange that we find no other word than this, but the reading of the text cannot be challenged.
* Paribhfitam 4tmanam karoti, yad, &c. Burnouf must have followed a different reading.
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Bodhisattva Mahdsattva was being abused, but he was not angry at anybody, nor felt malignity, and to those who, when he addressed them in the said manner, cast a clod or stick at him, he loudly exclaimed from afar: I do not contemn you. Those monks and nuns, male and female lay devotees, being always and ever addressed by him in that phrase gave him the (nick)name of SadAparibhata?. Under those circumstances, Mahasthamapr4pta, the Bodhisattva Mah4sattva Sad4paribhdta happened to hear this Dharmapary4ya of the Lotus of the True Law when the end of his life was impending, and the moment of dying drawing near. It was the Lord Bhishmagargitasvarardga, the Tathagata, &c., who expounded this Dharmaparydya in twenty times twenty hundred thousand myriads of ko/¢is of stanzas, which the Bodhisattva Mahdsattva SadAparibhdta heard from a voice in the sky, when the time of his death was near at hand. On hearing that voice from the sky, without there appearing a person speaking, he grasped this Dharmaparydya and obtained the perfections already mentioned: the perfection of sight, hearing, smell, taste, body, and mind. With the attainment of these perfections he at the same time made a vow to prolong his life for twenty hundred thousand myriads of ko/is of years, and promulgated this Dharmapary4ya of the Lotus of the True Law. And all those proud beings, monks, nuns, male and female lay devotees to whom he had said: I do not contemn you, and who had given him the name of Sad4paribhdta, became all his fol-
1 T.e. both ‘always contemned’ (sada and paribhfita) and ‘always not-contemned, never contemned’ (sada and aparibhfta).
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lowers to hear the law, after they had seen the power and strength of his sublime magic faculties, of his vow, of his readiness of wit, of his wisdom. All those and many hundred thousand myriads of ko¢is of other beings were by him roused to supreme, perfect enlightenment.
XIX.
lowers to hear the law, after they had seen the power and strength of his sublime magic faculties, of his vow, of his readiness of wit, of his wisdom. All those and many hundred thousand myriads of ko¢is of other beings were by him roused to supreme, perfect enlightenment.
Afterwards, Mah4sthamapr4pta, that Bodhisattva Mahdsattva disappeared from that place and propitiated twenty hundred kofis' of Tathagatas, &c., all bearing the same name of KandraprabhAsvarardga, under all of whom he promulgated this Dharmaparyaya. By virtue of his previous root of goodness he, in course of time, propitiated twenty hundred thousand myriads of ko/is of Tath4gatas, &c., all bearing the name of Dundubhisvararaga, and under all he obtained this very Dharmapary4ya of the Lotus of the True Law and promulgated it to the four classes. By virtue of his previous root of goodness he again, in course of time, propitiated twenty hundred thousand myriads of ko/is of Tath4gatas, &c., all bearing the name of Meghasvararaga, and under all he obtained this very Dharmaparydya of the Lotus of the True Law and promulgated it to the four classes. And under all of them he was possessed of the afore-mentioned perfectness of sight, hearing, smell, taste, body, and mind.
Now, Mahasthamapr4pta, that Bodhisattva Mahésattva Sadaparibhata, after having honoured, respected, esteemed, worshipped, venerated, revered so many hundred thousand myriads of ko¢is of Tathagatas, and after having acted in the same way towards
* From the sequel it appears that the text ought to have ‘ twenty hundred thousand myriads of ko/is.’
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many hundred thousand myriads of kofis of other Buddhas, obtained under all of them this very Dharmapary4ya of the Lotus of the True Law, and owing to his former root of goodness having come to full development, gained supreme, perfect enlightenment. Perhaps, Mah4sth4mapr4pta, thou wilt have some doubt, uncertainty, or misgiving, and think that he who at that time, at that juncture was the Bodhisattva Mahdsattva called Sad4paribhita was one, and he who under the rule of that Lord Bhishmagargitasvararaga, the Tath4gata, &c., was generally called Sad4paribhita by the four classes, by whom so many Tath4gatas were propitiated, was another. But thou shouldst not think so. For it is myself who at that time, at that juncture was the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Saddparibhita. Had I not formerly grasped and kept this Dharmapary4ya, MahasthamaprApta, I should not so soon have arrived at supreme, perfect enlightenment. It is because I have kept, redd, preached this Dharmaparydya (derived) from the teaching of the ancient Tathagatas, &c., Mahdsthamaprapta, that I have so soon arrived at supreme, perfect enlightenment. As to the hundreds of monks, nuns, male and female lay devotees, Mahésth4maprapta, to whom under that Lord the Bodhisattva Mahdsattva Sadaparibhita promulgated this Dharmapary4ya by saying: Ido not contemn you; you all observe thé course of duty of Bodhisattvas; you are to become Tathagatas, &c., and in whom awoke a feeling of malignity towards that Bodhisattva, they in twenty hundred thousand myriads of ko/is of fEons never saw a Tath4gata, nor heard the call of the law, nor the call of the assembly, and for ten thousand: Eons they suffered terrible pain in thep. 360 great hell Avi#i. Thereafter released from the ban, they by the instrumentality of that Bodhisattva Mahasattva were all brought to full ripeness for supreme, perfect enlightenment. Perhaps, Mahasth4maprapta, thou wilt have some doubt, uncertainty, or misgiving as to who at that time, at that juncture were the persons hooting and laughing at the Bodhisattva Mahdsattva. They are, in this very assembly, the five hundred Bodhisattvas headed by Bhadrapala, the five hundred nuns following Siszha- Aandra, the five hundred lay devotees?! following Sugata#etan4, who all of them have been rendered inflexible in supreme, perfect enlightenment. So greatly useful it is to keep and preach this Dharmapary4ya, as it tends to result for Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas in supreme, perfect enlightenment. Hence, Mahasthamapr4pta, the Bodhisattvas Mah4sattvas should, after the complete extinction of the Tathagata, constantly keep, read, and promulgate this Dharmaparyaya.
And on that occasion the Lord uttered the following stanzas :
1. I remember a past period, when king Bhtfshmasvara?, the Gina, lived, very mighty, and revered by gods and men, the leader of men, gods, goblins, and giants.