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Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1They feel (however) a certain aspiration by which their mind becomes right‘. 6. When such upright (or pious), mild, and gentle creatures leave off their bodies, then I assemble the crowd of disciples and show myself here® on the Gvedhrakii/a. 7. And then I speak thus to them, in this very 1 Upayam. It has been remarked above that up4ya likewise denotes the world, the energy of nature (prag#4). * Tatraham 4tm&nam adhish/sih4mi, sarvana satvana tathaiva Akiham. Adhish/ha is constructed both with the accusative case and the genitive. * Tatraiva. * I.e. comes into the right disposition, or becomes pious. ° This important word has been omitted by Burnouf. The Tathagata represents himself to be Dharmar4ga, the judge of the departed, the god rewarding the pious and brave after their death. xX 2 308 SADDHARMA-PUNDARIKA. - XV. place: I was not completely extinct at that time; it was but a device of mine, monks; repeatedly am I born in the world of the living. 8. Honoured by other beings, I show them my superior enlightenment, but you would not obey my word, unless the Lord of the world enter Nirvaza. 9. I see how the creatures are afflicted, but I do not show them my proper being. Let them first have an aspiration to see me; then I will reveal to them the true law. 10, Such has always been my firm resolve during an inconceivable number of thousands of koféis of “Eons, and I have not left this Gvdhrakdéa for other abodes’. 11. And when creatures behold this world and imagine that it is burning, even then my Buddhafield is teeming with gods and men. 12. They dispose of manifold amusements, ko/is of pleasure gardens, palaces, and aerial cars ; (this field) is embellished by hills of gems and by trees abounding with blossoms and fruits. 13. And aloft gods are striking musical instruments and pouring a rain of Manddras? by which they are covering me, the disciples and other sages who are striving after enlightenment. 14. So is my field here, everlastingly ; but others fancy that it is burning; in their view this world is most terrific, wretched, replete with number of woes°. 1 Sayydsana, 2 The form constantly used in Buddhist writings, both in Pali and Sanskrit, is Mandarava, The whole description of Heaven, or Paradise, bears the stamp of being taken, with more or less modification, from a non-Buddhistic source. * There are different beliefs about the realm of the dead; the XV. DURATION OF LIFE OF THE TATHAGATA. 309 15. Ay, many ko/is of years they may pass without ever having mentioned my name, the law, or my congregation’. That is the fruit of sinful deeds. 16. But when mild and gentle beings are born in this world of men, they immediately see me revealing the law, owing to their good works. 17. I never speak to them of the infinitude of my action. Therefore, I am, properly, existing since long’, and yet declare: The Ginas are rare (or precious).
216. But when mild and gentle beings are born in this world of men, they immediately see me revealing the law, owing to their good works. 17. I never speak to them of the infinitude of my action. Therefore, I am, properly, existing since long’, and yet declare: The Ginas are rare (or precious). 18, Such is the glorious power of my wisdom that knows no limit, and the duration of my life is as long as an endless period; I have acquired it after previously following a due course. 19. Feel no doubt concerning it, O sages, and leave off all uncertainty : the word I here pronounce is really true; my word is never false. 20. For even as that physician skilled in devices, for the sake of his sons whose notions were perverted, said that he had died although he was still alive, and even as no sensible man would charge that physician with falsehood ; 21. So am I the father of the world, the Self- Brahma-world and Paradise are usually depicted as places of bliss, but Yama’s kingdom is often represented as a kind of hell, though at other times the same King of righteousness is said to have gathered round him the blessed company of the pious departed. 1 Elsewhere we find Visvanatha, the Universal Lord, called Sangamesvara, the Lord of the gathering. Yama is Vaivasvata Sangamana gandnam, he of solar race, the gatherer of men, Rig-veda X, 14, 1. * Tendha sush/Afi ha Airasya bhomi. The phrase admits of being translated, ‘therefore, truly, I am (repeatedly) born after a long time.’ 310 SADDHARMA-PUNDARIKA. XV. born!, the Healer?, the Protector of all creatures. Knowing them to be perverted, infatuated, and ignorant I teach final rest, myself not being at rest. 22. What reason should I have to continually manifest myself? When men become unbelieving, unwise, ignorant, careless, fond of sensual pleasures, and from thoughtlessness run into misfortune, 23. Then I, who know the course of the world, declare: I am so and so%, (and consider): How can I incline them to enlightenment ? how can they become partakers of the Buddha-laws*? 1 Lokapita Svayambhft#. The juxtaposition of these two words shows to an evidence that Sakyamuni is represented as Brahma, the uncreated Being, existing from eternity, the Father of the world, All-father. 2 In a moral sense the Saviour, mythologically Apollo, ® T.e. 1 am so in reality, tath4tathaham. Burnouf’s rendering, ‘T am the Tathagata,’ points to a reading tath4gato "ham, which comes to the same. * Katham nu bodhaya sandmayeya (Sansk. sannamayeya) katha buddhadharm4za bhaveyu labhinad. XVI. OF PIETY. 311 CHAPTER XVI. OF PIETY.
31 am so in reality, tath4tathaham. Burnouf’s rendering, ‘T am the Tathagata,’ points to a reading tath4gato "ham, which comes to the same. * Katham nu bodhaya sandmayeya (Sansk. sannamayeya) katha buddhadharm4za bhaveyu labhinad. XVI. OF PIETY. 311 CHAPTER XVI. OF PIETY. While this exposition of the duration of the Tathagata’s lifetime was being given, innumerable, countless creatures profited by it. Then the Lord addressed the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Maitreya: While this exposition of the duration of the Tathagata’s lifetime was being given, Agita, sixty-eight hundred thousand myriads of ko¢is of Bodhisattvas, comparable to the sands of the Ganges’, have acquired the faculty to acquiesce in the law that has no origin. A thousand times more Bodhisattvas Mahdsattvas have obtained Dhdramt?; and other Bodhisattvas MahAsattvas, equal to the dust atoms of one third of a macrocosm, have by hearing this Dharmapary4ya obtained the faculty of unhampered view. Other Bodhisattvas Mahdsattvas again, equal to the dust atoms of two-third parts of a macrocosm, have by hearing this Dharmaparyaya obtained the Dhéraat that makes hundred thousand ko/is of revolutions. 1 Ash/ashash/inam Gangé° BodhisatvakoAnayutasatasahasrandm. Burnouf connects ash/ashash/in4m with Gangé, and translates, ‘soixante huit Ganges.’ His version is justified by the analogy of other passages. ; 2 Dh4rant usually denotes a magic spell, a talisman. Here and there it interchanges with dh4ran4, support, the bearing in mind, attention. The synonymous raksh4 embraces the meanings of talisman and protection, support. It is not easy to decide what is intended in the text. 312 SADDHARMA-PUNDARIKA. XVI.
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.
1They feel (however) a certain aspiration by which their mind becomes right‘. 6. When such upright (or pious), mild, and gentle creatures leave off their bodies, then I assemble the crowd of disciples and show myself here® on the Gvedhrakii/a. 7. And then I speak thus to them, in this very 1 Upayam. It has been remarked above that up4ya likewise denotes the world, the energy of nature (prag#4). * Tatraham 4tm&nam adhish/sih4mi, sarvana satvana tathaiva Akiham. Adhish/ha is constructed both with the accusative case and the genitive. * Tatraiva. * I.e. comes into the right disposition, or becomes pious. ° This important word has been omitted by Burnouf. The Tathagata represents himself to be Dharmar4ga, the judge of the departed, the god rewarding the pious and brave after their death. xX 2 308 SADDHARMA-PUNDARIKA. - XV. place: I was not completely extinct at that time; it was but a device of mine, monks; repeatedly am I born in the world of the living. 8. Honoured by other beings, I show them my superior enlightenment, but you would not obey my word, unless the Lord of the world enter Nirvaza. 9. I see how the creatures are afflicted, but I do not show them my proper being. Let them first have an aspiration to see me; then I will reveal to them the true law. 10, Such has always been my firm resolve during an inconceivable number of thousands of koféis of “Eons, and I have not left this Gvdhrakdéa for other abodes’. 11. And when creatures behold this world and imagine that it is burning, even then my Buddhafield is teeming with gods and men. 12. They dispose of manifold amusements, ko/is of pleasure gardens, palaces, and aerial cars ; (this field) is embellished by hills of gems and by trees abounding with blossoms and fruits. 13. And aloft gods are striking musical instruments and pouring a rain of Manddras? by which they are covering me, the disciples and other sages who are striving after enlightenment. 14. So is my field here, everlastingly ; but others fancy that it is burning; in their view this world is most terrific, wretched, replete with number of woes°. 1 Sayydsana, 2 The form constantly used in Buddhist writings, both in Pali and Sanskrit, is Mandarava, The whole description of Heaven, or Paradise, bears the stamp of being taken, with more or less modification, from a non-Buddhistic source. * There are different beliefs about the realm of the dead; the XV. DURATION OF LIFE OF THE TATHAGATA. 309 15. Ay, many ko/is of years they may pass without ever having mentioned my name, the law, or my congregation’. That is the fruit of sinful deeds. 16. But when mild and gentle beings are born in this world of men, they immediately see me revealing the law, owing to their good works. 17. I never speak to them of the infinitude of my action. Therefore, I am, properly, existing since long’, and yet declare: The Ginas are rare (or precious).
216. But when mild and gentle beings are born in this world of men, they immediately see me revealing the law, owing to their good works. 17. I never speak to them of the infinitude of my action. Therefore, I am, properly, existing since long’, and yet declare: The Ginas are rare (or precious). 18, Such is the glorious power of my wisdom that knows no limit, and the duration of my life is as long as an endless period; I have acquired it after previously following a due course. 19. Feel no doubt concerning it, O sages, and leave off all uncertainty : the word I here pronounce is really true; my word is never false. 20. For even as that physician skilled in devices, for the sake of his sons whose notions were perverted, said that he had died although he was still alive, and even as no sensible man would charge that physician with falsehood ; 21. So am I the father of the world, the Self- Brahma-world and Paradise are usually depicted as places of bliss, but Yama’s kingdom is often represented as a kind of hell, though at other times the same King of righteousness is said to have gathered round him the blessed company of the pious departed. 1 Elsewhere we find Visvanatha, the Universal Lord, called Sangamesvara, the Lord of the gathering. Yama is Vaivasvata Sangamana gandnam, he of solar race, the gatherer of men, Rig-veda X, 14, 1. * Tendha sush/Afi ha Airasya bhomi. The phrase admits of being translated, ‘therefore, truly, I am (repeatedly) born after a long time.’ 310 SADDHARMA-PUNDARIKA. XV. born!, the Healer?, the Protector of all creatures. Knowing them to be perverted, infatuated, and ignorant I teach final rest, myself not being at rest. 22. What reason should I have to continually manifest myself? When men become unbelieving, unwise, ignorant, careless, fond of sensual pleasures, and from thoughtlessness run into misfortune, 23. Then I, who know the course of the world, declare: I am so and so%, (and consider): How can I incline them to enlightenment ? how can they become partakers of the Buddha-laws*? 1 Lokapita Svayambhft#. The juxtaposition of these two words shows to an evidence that Sakyamuni is represented as Brahma, the uncreated Being, existing from eternity, the Father of the world, All-father. 2 In a moral sense the Saviour, mythologically Apollo, ® T.e. 1 am so in reality, tath4tathaham. Burnouf’s rendering, ‘T am the Tathagata,’ points to a reading tath4gato "ham, which comes to the same. * Katham nu bodhaya sandmayeya (Sansk. sannamayeya) katha buddhadharm4za bhaveyu labhinad. XVI. OF PIETY. 311 CHAPTER XVI. OF PIETY.
31 am so in reality, tath4tathaham. Burnouf’s rendering, ‘T am the Tathagata,’ points to a reading tath4gato "ham, which comes to the same. * Katham nu bodhaya sandmayeya (Sansk. sannamayeya) katha buddhadharm4za bhaveyu labhinad. XVI. OF PIETY. 311 CHAPTER XVI. OF PIETY. While this exposition of the duration of the Tathagata’s lifetime was being given, innumerable, countless creatures profited by it. Then the Lord addressed the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Maitreya: While this exposition of the duration of the Tathagata’s lifetime was being given, Agita, sixty-eight hundred thousand myriads of ko¢is of Bodhisattvas, comparable to the sands of the Ganges’, have acquired the faculty to acquiesce in the law that has no origin. A thousand times more Bodhisattvas Mahdsattvas have obtained Dhdramt?; and other Bodhisattvas MahAsattvas, equal to the dust atoms of one third of a macrocosm, have by hearing this Dharmapary4ya obtained the faculty of unhampered view. Other Bodhisattvas Mahdsattvas again, equal to the dust atoms of two-third parts of a macrocosm, have by hearing this Dharmaparyaya obtained the Dhéraat that makes hundred thousand ko/is of revolutions. 1 Ash/ashash/inam Gangé° BodhisatvakoAnayutasatasahasrandm. Burnouf connects ash/ashash/in4m with Gangé, and translates, ‘soixante huit Ganges.’ His version is justified by the analogy of other passages. ; 2 Dh4rant usually denotes a magic spell, a talisman. Here and there it interchanges with dh4ran4, support, the bearing in mind, attention. The synonymous raksh4 embraces the meanings of talisman and protection, support. It is not easy to decide what is intended in the text. 312 SADDHARMA-PUNDARIKA. XVI.
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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