Fetching
One moment.
Fetching
One moment.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
129. Let us all together go and search; no trifle can be the cause of it; such a foretoken, indeed, was never seen before '. } Viz. in the same kalpa, i.e. on that same day. VII. ANCIENT DEVOTION. 30. Come, let us go and visit ko/is of fields, along the four quarters ; a Buddha will certainly now have made his appearance in this world. Thereupon, monks, the great Brahma-angels in the fifty hundred thousand myriads of ko/is of spheres mounted all together their own divine aerial cars, took with them divine bags, as large as Mount Sumeru, with celestial flowers, and went through the four quarters successively until they arrived at the north-western quarter, where those great Brahmaangels, stationed in the north-western quarter, saw the Lord Mahdbhig#ag#anabhibhd [&c., as above till compassion to us} On that occasion, monks, after presenting their own cars to the Lord the Brahma-angels celebrated the Lord, face to face, with the following seasonable stanzas : 31. Homage to thee, matchless great Seer, chief god of gods, whose voice is sweet as the lark’s’. Leader in the world, including the gods, I salute thee, who art so benign and bounteous to the world. 32. How wonderful, O Lord, is it that after so long a time thou appearest in the world’, Eighty hundred complete Zons this world of the living was without Buddha *. 1 Kalavinka, which I have freely rendered in this manner, commonly denotes a sparrow, but the corresponding P4li word kuravika is supposed to be the Indian cuckoo, the koil, which in Indian poetry may be said to answer to our nightingale; in so far one might perhaps render kalavinka by nightingale. * Consequently it was not for the first time that he appeared. * I do not understand this reckoning, unless Aon (kalpa) here be taken in the sense of intermediate kalpa. A mahakalpa is the period elapsing from the commencement of the world’s destruction (i e. sunset) to its complete restoration (i. e. sunrise). So, indeed, 166 SADDHARMA-PUNDARIKA. VII. 33. It was deprived of the most high of men; hell was prevailing and the celestial bodies constantly went on waning during eighty hundred complete fEons. 34. But now he has appeared, owing to our good works, who is (our) eye, refuge, resting-place!, protection, father, and kinsman?; he, the benign and bounteous one, the King of the law. After the great Brahma-angels, monks, had celebrated the Lord Mahabhig#4g#4nabhibhd, the Tathagata, &c., face to face, with these seasonable stanzas, they besought him: May the Lord move forward the wheel of the law! [as above till both gods and men. ] Thereupon, monks, those fifty hundred thousand myriads of kof¢is of Brahma-angels addressed the Lord, with one voice, in common chorus, with the following stanzas : 35. Move forward the exalted wheel, O great ascetic! reveal the law in all directions; deliver all beings oppressed with suffering *; produce amongst mortals gladness and joy!
2Move forward the exalted wheel, O great ascetic! reveal the law in all directions; deliver all beings oppressed with suffering *; produce amongst mortals gladness and joy! 36. Let them by hearing the law partake of enlightenment and reach divine places. Let all shake off their demon body and be peaceful, meek, and at ease *. the Buddha has been absent for a kalpa, such a kalpa==mah4kalpa contains 4 asankhyeya-kalpas ; each asankhyeya-kalpa has 20 intermediate kalpas ; hence a mahakalpa=8o intermediate kalpas. 1 Lena, Sansk. layana. In Burnouf’s translation we find this word rendered by appui. 8 The sun is lokabandhu, the kinsman and friend of the world, of mankind. ® Or relieve all beings oppressed with toil. “It is not easy to say what is really meant by those divine VIL. ANCIENT DEVOTION. 167 And the Lord, O monks, silently intimated his assent to these Brahma-angels also. Somewhat later, monks, the aerial cars of the Brahma-angels in the southern quarter [&c., as above till to one another]. After that, monks, the great Brahma-angel, named Sudharma}?, addressed the numerous host of Brahma-angels in stanzas : 37. It cannot be without cause or reason, friends, that to-day (or now) all these celestial cars are so brilliant; this bespeaks some portent somewhere in the world. Come, let us go and investigate the matter. 38. No such portent has appeared in hundreds of Eons past. Either some god has been born or a Buddha has arisen in this world. Thereupon, monks, the great Brahma-angels in the fifty hundred thousand myriads of ko¢is of spheres mounted [&c., as above? till compassion to us}, On that occasion, monks, after presenting their own cars to the Lord, the Brahma-angels celebrated the Lord, face to face, with the following seasonable stanzas : 39. Most rare (and precious) is the sight of the Leaders. Be welcome, thou dispeller of worldly defilement. It is after a long time that thou now appearest in the world; after hundreds of complete Eons one (now) beholds thee. 40. Refresh the thirsty creatures, O Lord of the places; I think the temples and shrines to be visited in the morning. 1 Of course Dharma, Yama, the regent of the south. The name here applied to him is derived from Sudharm4, Yama’s hall. 3 Save the substitution of ‘northern quarter’ to ‘north-western quarter,’ 168 SADDHARMA-PUNDARIKA. VII. world! Now first thou art seen'; it is not easy to behold thee. As rare (or precious) as the flowers of the glomerated fig-tree is thine appearance, O Lord. 41. By thy power these aerial cars of ours are so uncommonly illumined now, O Leader. To show us thy favour accept them, O thou whose look pierces everywhere ! After the great Brahma-angels, monks, had celebrated the Lord Mahébhig#4g#4n4bhibha, the Tath4gata, &c., face to face, with these seasonable stanzas, they besought him: May the Lord move forward the wheel of the law! [as above till gods and men.]
3After the great Brahma-angels, monks, had celebrated the Lord Mahébhig#4g#4n4bhibha, the Tath4gata, &c., face to face, with these seasonable stanzas, they besought him: May the Lord move forward the wheel of the law! [as above till gods and men.] Thereupon, monks, those fifty hundred thousand myriads of kofis of Brahma-angels addressed the Lord, with one voice, in common chorus, with the following stanzas : 42. Preach the law,O Lord and Leader! move forward the wheel of the law, make the drum of the law resound, and blow the conch-trumpet of the law. 43. Shed the rain of the true law over this world and proclaim the sweet-sounding good word; manifest the law required, save myriads of ko¢is of beings. And the Lord, monks, silently intimated his assent to the Brahma-angels. Repetition; the same occurred in the south-west, in the west, in the north-west, in the north, in the north-east, in the nadir. Then, monks, the aerial cars of the Brahmaangels in the nadir ®, in those fifty hundred thousand myriads of ko¢is of spheres [&c., as above till 1 We must in thought add, in full glory, because we are at noontide. ® YenAdhodigbhaga. Vil. ANCIENT DEVOTION. I 69 to one another] After that, monks, the great Brahma-angel, named Sikhin, addressed the numerous host of Brahma-angels with the following stanzas: 44. What may be the cause, O friends, that our cars are so bright with splendour, colour, and light ? What may be the reason of their being so exceedingly glorious ? 45. We have seen nothing like this before nor heard of it from others. These (cars) are now bright with splendour and exceedingly glorious; what may be the cause of it? 46. Should it be some god who has been bestowed upon! the world in recompense of good works, and whose grandeur thus comes to light ? Or is perhaps a Buddha born in the world? Thereupon, monks, the great Brahma-angels in the fifty hundred thousand myriads of ko¢is of spheres mounted all together their own divine aerial cars, took with them divine bags, as large as Mount Sumeru, with celestial flowers, and went through the four quarters successively until they arrived at the zenith, where those great Brahma-angels, stationed at the zenith, saw the Lord Mahébhig#4g#4nabhibha [&c., as above till compassion to us} On that occasion, monks, after presenting their own cars to the Lord, the Brahma-angels celebrated the Lord, face to face, with the following seasonable stanzas: 47. How goodly is the sight of the Buddhas, the mighty? Lords of the world; those Buddhas who are to deliver all beings in this triple world. 1 Samarpita. * Tayin. 170 SADDHARMA-PUNDARIKA. VIT. 48. The all-seeing Masters of the world send their looks in all directions of the horizon, and by opening the gate of immortality! they make people reach the (safe) shore *. 49. An inconceivable number of AZons now past were void, and all quarters wrapt in darkness, as the chief Ginas did not appear.
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
129. Let us all together go and search; no trifle can be the cause of it; such a foretoken, indeed, was never seen before '. } Viz. in the same kalpa, i.e. on that same day. VII. ANCIENT DEVOTION. 30. Come, let us go and visit ko/is of fields, along the four quarters ; a Buddha will certainly now have made his appearance in this world. Thereupon, monks, the great Brahma-angels in the fifty hundred thousand myriads of ko/is of spheres mounted all together their own divine aerial cars, took with them divine bags, as large as Mount Sumeru, with celestial flowers, and went through the four quarters successively until they arrived at the north-western quarter, where those great Brahmaangels, stationed in the north-western quarter, saw the Lord Mahdbhig#ag#anabhibhd [&c., as above till compassion to us} On that occasion, monks, after presenting their own cars to the Lord the Brahma-angels celebrated the Lord, face to face, with the following seasonable stanzas : 31. Homage to thee, matchless great Seer, chief god of gods, whose voice is sweet as the lark’s’. Leader in the world, including the gods, I salute thee, who art so benign and bounteous to the world. 32. How wonderful, O Lord, is it that after so long a time thou appearest in the world’, Eighty hundred complete Zons this world of the living was without Buddha *. 1 Kalavinka, which I have freely rendered in this manner, commonly denotes a sparrow, but the corresponding P4li word kuravika is supposed to be the Indian cuckoo, the koil, which in Indian poetry may be said to answer to our nightingale; in so far one might perhaps render kalavinka by nightingale. * Consequently it was not for the first time that he appeared. * I do not understand this reckoning, unless Aon (kalpa) here be taken in the sense of intermediate kalpa. A mahakalpa is the period elapsing from the commencement of the world’s destruction (i e. sunset) to its complete restoration (i. e. sunrise). So, indeed, 166 SADDHARMA-PUNDARIKA. VII. 33. It was deprived of the most high of men; hell was prevailing and the celestial bodies constantly went on waning during eighty hundred complete fEons. 34. But now he has appeared, owing to our good works, who is (our) eye, refuge, resting-place!, protection, father, and kinsman?; he, the benign and bounteous one, the King of the law. After the great Brahma-angels, monks, had celebrated the Lord Mahabhig#4g#4nabhibhd, the Tathagata, &c., face to face, with these seasonable stanzas, they besought him: May the Lord move forward the wheel of the law! [as above till both gods and men. ] Thereupon, monks, those fifty hundred thousand myriads of kof¢is of Brahma-angels addressed the Lord, with one voice, in common chorus, with the following stanzas : 35. Move forward the exalted wheel, O great ascetic! reveal the law in all directions; deliver all beings oppressed with suffering *; produce amongst mortals gladness and joy!
2Move forward the exalted wheel, O great ascetic! reveal the law in all directions; deliver all beings oppressed with suffering *; produce amongst mortals gladness and joy! 36. Let them by hearing the law partake of enlightenment and reach divine places. Let all shake off their demon body and be peaceful, meek, and at ease *. the Buddha has been absent for a kalpa, such a kalpa==mah4kalpa contains 4 asankhyeya-kalpas ; each asankhyeya-kalpa has 20 intermediate kalpas ; hence a mahakalpa=8o intermediate kalpas. 1 Lena, Sansk. layana. In Burnouf’s translation we find this word rendered by appui. 8 The sun is lokabandhu, the kinsman and friend of the world, of mankind. ® Or relieve all beings oppressed with toil. “It is not easy to say what is really meant by those divine VIL. ANCIENT DEVOTION. 167 And the Lord, O monks, silently intimated his assent to these Brahma-angels also. Somewhat later, monks, the aerial cars of the Brahma-angels in the southern quarter [&c., as above till to one another]. After that, monks, the great Brahma-angel, named Sudharma}?, addressed the numerous host of Brahma-angels in stanzas : 37. It cannot be without cause or reason, friends, that to-day (or now) all these celestial cars are so brilliant; this bespeaks some portent somewhere in the world. Come, let us go and investigate the matter. 38. No such portent has appeared in hundreds of Eons past. Either some god has been born or a Buddha has arisen in this world. Thereupon, monks, the great Brahma-angels in the fifty hundred thousand myriads of ko¢is of spheres mounted [&c., as above? till compassion to us}, On that occasion, monks, after presenting their own cars to the Lord, the Brahma-angels celebrated the Lord, face to face, with the following seasonable stanzas : 39. Most rare (and precious) is the sight of the Leaders. Be welcome, thou dispeller of worldly defilement. It is after a long time that thou now appearest in the world; after hundreds of complete Eons one (now) beholds thee. 40. Refresh the thirsty creatures, O Lord of the places; I think the temples and shrines to be visited in the morning. 1 Of course Dharma, Yama, the regent of the south. The name here applied to him is derived from Sudharm4, Yama’s hall. 3 Save the substitution of ‘northern quarter’ to ‘north-western quarter,’ 168 SADDHARMA-PUNDARIKA. VII. world! Now first thou art seen'; it is not easy to behold thee. As rare (or precious) as the flowers of the glomerated fig-tree is thine appearance, O Lord. 41. By thy power these aerial cars of ours are so uncommonly illumined now, O Leader. To show us thy favour accept them, O thou whose look pierces everywhere ! After the great Brahma-angels, monks, had celebrated the Lord Mahébhig#4g#4n4bhibha, the Tath4gata, &c., face to face, with these seasonable stanzas, they besought him: May the Lord move forward the wheel of the law! [as above till gods and men.]
3After the great Brahma-angels, monks, had celebrated the Lord Mahébhig#4g#4n4bhibha, the Tath4gata, &c., face to face, with these seasonable stanzas, they besought him: May the Lord move forward the wheel of the law! [as above till gods and men.] Thereupon, monks, those fifty hundred thousand myriads of kofis of Brahma-angels addressed the Lord, with one voice, in common chorus, with the following stanzas : 42. Preach the law,O Lord and Leader! move forward the wheel of the law, make the drum of the law resound, and blow the conch-trumpet of the law. 43. Shed the rain of the true law over this world and proclaim the sweet-sounding good word; manifest the law required, save myriads of ko¢is of beings. And the Lord, monks, silently intimated his assent to the Brahma-angels. Repetition; the same occurred in the south-west, in the west, in the north-west, in the north, in the north-east, in the nadir. Then, monks, the aerial cars of the Brahmaangels in the nadir ®, in those fifty hundred thousand myriads of ko¢is of spheres [&c., as above till 1 We must in thought add, in full glory, because we are at noontide. ® YenAdhodigbhaga. Vil. ANCIENT DEVOTION. I 69 to one another] After that, monks, the great Brahma-angel, named Sikhin, addressed the numerous host of Brahma-angels with the following stanzas: 44. What may be the cause, O friends, that our cars are so bright with splendour, colour, and light ? What may be the reason of their being so exceedingly glorious ? 45. We have seen nothing like this before nor heard of it from others. These (cars) are now bright with splendour and exceedingly glorious; what may be the cause of it? 46. Should it be some god who has been bestowed upon! the world in recompense of good works, and whose grandeur thus comes to light ? Or is perhaps a Buddha born in the world? Thereupon, monks, the great Brahma-angels in the fifty hundred thousand myriads of ko¢is of spheres mounted all together their own divine aerial cars, took with them divine bags, as large as Mount Sumeru, with celestial flowers, and went through the four quarters successively until they arrived at the zenith, where those great Brahma-angels, stationed at the zenith, saw the Lord Mahébhig#4g#4nabhibha [&c., as above till compassion to us} On that occasion, monks, after presenting their own cars to the Lord, the Brahma-angels celebrated the Lord, face to face, with the following seasonable stanzas: 47. How goodly is the sight of the Buddhas, the mighty? Lords of the world; those Buddhas who are to deliver all beings in this triple world. 1 Samarpita. * Tayin. 170 SADDHARMA-PUNDARIKA. VIT. 48. The all-seeing Masters of the world send their looks in all directions of the horizon, and by opening the gate of immortality! they make people reach the (safe) shore *. 49. An inconceivable number of AZons now past were void, and all quarters wrapt in darkness, as the chief Ginas did not appear.
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
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