Fetching
One moment.
Fetching
One moment.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1‘ In the Old English poem, verse 355 seq., we read that hosts of birds flock together from all points of space ‘to celebrate in song the hero and saint.’ Further on, verse 590, the birds are identified with the released souls accompanying Christ. 380 SADDHARMA-PUNDARIKA. XXII. is the sublimest gift, higher than the abandoning of royalty, the abandoning of beloved children and wife. Sacrificing one’s own body, young man of good family, is the most distinguished, the chiefest, the best, the very best, the most sublime worship of the law. After pronouncing this speech, Nakshatraragasankusumitabhig#a, those Lords Buddhas were silent. The body of Sarvasattvapriyadarsana continued blazing for twelve thousand years without ceasing to burn. After the expiration of those twelve thousand years the fire was extinguished. Then, Nakshatraragasankusumitabhig#a, the Bodhisattva Mahdsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarsana, having paid such worship to the Tathagata, disappeared from that place, and (re)appeared under the (spiritual) reign of that very Lord Aandravimalasfryaprabhdsasri, the Tathagata, &c., in the house of king Vimaladatta, by apparitional birth, and sitting crosslegged. Immediately after his appearance the Bodhisattva Mahdsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarsana addressed his father and mother in the following stanza : 1. This, O exalted king, is the walk in which I have acquired meditation; I have achieved a heroical feat, fulfilled a great vote by sacrificing my own dear body. After uttering this stanza, Nakshatraragasankusumitébhig#a, the Bodhisattva Mahdsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarsana said to his father and mother: Even now, father and mother, the Lord Aandravimalastryaprabhdsasri, the Tathagata, &c., is still living, existing, staying in the world, the Lord by worshipping whom I have obtained the spell of XXII. ANCIENT DEVOTION OF BHAISHAGYARAGA, 381 knowing all sounds! and this Dharmaparydya of the Lotus of the True Law, consisting of eighty hundred thousand myriads of otis of stanzas, of a hundred Niyutas?, of Vivaras’, of a hundred Vivaras, which I have heard from that Lord. Therefore, father and mother, I should like to go to that Lord and worship him again. Instantaneously, Nakshatraragasankusumitabhig#a, the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Sarvasattvapriyadarsana rose seven t4las* high into the sky and sat cross-legged on the top of a tower of seven precious substances. So he.went up to the presence of that Lord, and having approached him humbly saluted him, circumambulated him seven times from left to right, stretched the joined hands towards the Lord, and after thus paying his homage addressed him with the following stanza : 2. O thou whose face is so spotless and bright ; thou, king and sage! How thy lustre sparkles in all quarters! After having anciently paid thee homage, O Sugata, I now come again to behold thee, O Lord. Having pronounced this stanza, the Bodhisattva Mahfsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarsana said to the
2O thou whose face is so spotless and bright ; thou, king and sage! How thy lustre sparkles in all quarters! After having anciently paid thee homage, O Sugata, I now come again to behold thee, O Lord. Having pronounced this stanza, the Bodhisattva Mahfsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarsana said to the 1 This comes rather unexpected; of the Phoenix in the Old English poem, verse 131, we read that ‘the sound of the bird’s song is sweeter and more beautiful than ail other singer-craft, and more delicious than any other tune.’ 2 Equal to a thousand billions. The cyphers being noughts, the whole number=1. Eighty is the number of intermediate kalpas in one: Mah&kalpa or Great Aon, i.e. one day and night. The turn (pary4ya) of the True Law is the regular revolution of the sun. ’ Equal to a hundred thousand billions. As cyphers must be left out of account, all the numbers specified come to one. * The height of a palm-tree, or a span. 382 SADDHARMA-PUNDARIKA. XxIl. Lord Kandravimalastryaprabhasasri, the Tathagata, &c.: Thou art then still alive, Lord? Whereon the Lord Kandravimalasdryaprabhasasri, the Tathagata, &c., replied: The time of my final extinction, young man of good family, has arrived; the time of my death has arrived. Therefore, young man of good family, prepare my couch; I am going to enter complete extinction. Then, Nakshatraragasankusumitabhig#a, the Lord Xandravimalasdryaprabhdsasri said to the Bodhisattva Mahdsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarsana: I entrust to thee, young man of good family, my commandment (or mastership, rule); I entrust to thee these Bodhisattvas Mahdsattvas, these great disciples, this Buddha-enlightenment, this world, these jewel cars, these jewel trees, and these angels, my servitors. I entrust to thee also, young man of good family, my relics after my complete extinction. Thou shouldst pay a great worship to my relics, young man of good family, and also distribute them and build many thousands of Stdpas. And, Nakshatrar4gasankusumitabhig#a, after the Lord Kandravimalasfryaprabhasasri, the Tathagata, &c., had given these instructions to the Bodhisattva Mahdasattva Sarvasattvapriyadarsana he in the last watch of the night entered absolute final extinction'. Thereupon, Nakshatraragasankusumitabhiga, the Bodhisattva Mahd4sattva Sarvasattvapriyadarsana, perceiving that the Lord Xandravimalasdryaprabhdsasri, the Tathagata, &c., had expired, made a pyre of Uragasaéra sandal-wood and burnt the ' It is sufficiently clear that the Nirvana of this Tathdgata is the end of a day of twenty-four hours, and that Sarvasattvapriyadarsana is the new day. XXII. ANCIENT DEVOTION OF BHAISHAGYARAGA. 383
3XXII. ANCIENT DEVOTION OF BHAISHAGYARAGA. 383 body of the Tathagata. When he saw that the body was burnt to ashes and the fire extinct, he took the bones! and wept, cried and lamented. After having wept, cried and lamented, Nakshatraragasankusumitabhig#a, the Bodhisattva Mahdsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarsana caused to be made eightyfour thousand urns of seven precious substances, deposed in them the bones of the Tathagata, founded eighty-four thousand Stdpas?, reaching in height to the Brahma-world, adorned with a row of umbrellas, and equipped with silk bands and bells. After founding those Stdpas he made the following reflection: I have paid honour to the Tath4gata-relics of the Lord XandravimalasdryaprabhAsasrt, but I will pay to those relics a yet loftier and most distinguished honour. Then, Nakshatrarayasankusumitabhig#a, the Bodhisattva Mahdsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarsana addressed that entire assembly of Bodhisattvas, those great disciples, those gods, Nagas, goblins, Gandharvas, demons, Garudas, Kinnaras, great serpents, men, and beings not human: Ye all, young men of good family, unani- 1 In the Phoenix myth it is the bird himself that, after his resurrection, collects the relics; verses 269-272. Both versions come to the same, for the sun of to-day is essentially the same as yesterday’s. * Exactly the same number of monasteries was erected by Asoka, according to the Dipavamsa VI, 96. The king was induced to build so many monasteries because there were eighty-four or, optionally, eighty-four thousand towns in India, a number precisely coinciding with that of the sections of the Law. Notwithstanding the difference in details, it may be assumed that there is some connection between the two tales, especially because Asoka was a namesake of Sarvasattvapriyadarsana, one of his epithets being Priyadarsana. 384 SADDHARMA-PUNDARIKA. XXII. mously vow to pay worship to the relics of the Lord. Immediately after, Nakshatraragasankusumitaébhig#a, the Bodhisattva Mahdsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarsana, in presence of those eighty-four thousand Stdpas, burnt his own arm which was marked by the one hundred auspicious signs, and so paid worship to those Stipas containing the relics of the Tath4gata, during seventy-two thousand years. And while paying worship, he educated countless hundred thousands of myriads of kof¢is of disciples from that assembly, in consequence whereof all those Bodhisattvas acquired the Samadhi termed Sarvar(pasandarsana,
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.
1‘ In the Old English poem, verse 355 seq., we read that hosts of birds flock together from all points of space ‘to celebrate in song the hero and saint.’ Further on, verse 590, the birds are identified with the released souls accompanying Christ. 380 SADDHARMA-PUNDARIKA. XXII. is the sublimest gift, higher than the abandoning of royalty, the abandoning of beloved children and wife. Sacrificing one’s own body, young man of good family, is the most distinguished, the chiefest, the best, the very best, the most sublime worship of the law. After pronouncing this speech, Nakshatraragasankusumitabhig#a, those Lords Buddhas were silent. The body of Sarvasattvapriyadarsana continued blazing for twelve thousand years without ceasing to burn. After the expiration of those twelve thousand years the fire was extinguished. Then, Nakshatraragasankusumitabhig#a, the Bodhisattva Mahdsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarsana, having paid such worship to the Tathagata, disappeared from that place, and (re)appeared under the (spiritual) reign of that very Lord Aandravimalasfryaprabhdsasri, the Tathagata, &c., in the house of king Vimaladatta, by apparitional birth, and sitting crosslegged. Immediately after his appearance the Bodhisattva Mahdsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarsana addressed his father and mother in the following stanza : 1. This, O exalted king, is the walk in which I have acquired meditation; I have achieved a heroical feat, fulfilled a great vote by sacrificing my own dear body. After uttering this stanza, Nakshatraragasankusumitébhig#a, the Bodhisattva Mahdsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarsana said to his father and mother: Even now, father and mother, the Lord Aandravimalastryaprabhdsasri, the Tathagata, &c., is still living, existing, staying in the world, the Lord by worshipping whom I have obtained the spell of XXII. ANCIENT DEVOTION OF BHAISHAGYARAGA, 381 knowing all sounds! and this Dharmaparydya of the Lotus of the True Law, consisting of eighty hundred thousand myriads of otis of stanzas, of a hundred Niyutas?, of Vivaras’, of a hundred Vivaras, which I have heard from that Lord. Therefore, father and mother, I should like to go to that Lord and worship him again. Instantaneously, Nakshatraragasankusumitabhig#a, the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Sarvasattvapriyadarsana rose seven t4las* high into the sky and sat cross-legged on the top of a tower of seven precious substances. So he.went up to the presence of that Lord, and having approached him humbly saluted him, circumambulated him seven times from left to right, stretched the joined hands towards the Lord, and after thus paying his homage addressed him with the following stanza : 2. O thou whose face is so spotless and bright ; thou, king and sage! How thy lustre sparkles in all quarters! After having anciently paid thee homage, O Sugata, I now come again to behold thee, O Lord. Having pronounced this stanza, the Bodhisattva Mahfsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarsana said to the
2O thou whose face is so spotless and bright ; thou, king and sage! How thy lustre sparkles in all quarters! After having anciently paid thee homage, O Sugata, I now come again to behold thee, O Lord. Having pronounced this stanza, the Bodhisattva Mahfsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarsana said to the 1 This comes rather unexpected; of the Phoenix in the Old English poem, verse 131, we read that ‘the sound of the bird’s song is sweeter and more beautiful than ail other singer-craft, and more delicious than any other tune.’ 2 Equal to a thousand billions. The cyphers being noughts, the whole number=1. Eighty is the number of intermediate kalpas in one: Mah&kalpa or Great Aon, i.e. one day and night. The turn (pary4ya) of the True Law is the regular revolution of the sun. ’ Equal to a hundred thousand billions. As cyphers must be left out of account, all the numbers specified come to one. * The height of a palm-tree, or a span. 382 SADDHARMA-PUNDARIKA. XxIl. Lord Kandravimalastryaprabhasasri, the Tathagata, &c.: Thou art then still alive, Lord? Whereon the Lord Kandravimalasdryaprabhasasri, the Tathagata, &c., replied: The time of my final extinction, young man of good family, has arrived; the time of my death has arrived. Therefore, young man of good family, prepare my couch; I am going to enter complete extinction. Then, Nakshatraragasankusumitabhig#a, the Lord Xandravimalasdryaprabhdsasri said to the Bodhisattva Mahdsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarsana: I entrust to thee, young man of good family, my commandment (or mastership, rule); I entrust to thee these Bodhisattvas Mahdsattvas, these great disciples, this Buddha-enlightenment, this world, these jewel cars, these jewel trees, and these angels, my servitors. I entrust to thee also, young man of good family, my relics after my complete extinction. Thou shouldst pay a great worship to my relics, young man of good family, and also distribute them and build many thousands of Stdpas. And, Nakshatrar4gasankusumitabhig#a, after the Lord Kandravimalasfryaprabhasasri, the Tathagata, &c., had given these instructions to the Bodhisattva Mahdasattva Sarvasattvapriyadarsana he in the last watch of the night entered absolute final extinction'. Thereupon, Nakshatraragasankusumitabhiga, the Bodhisattva Mahd4sattva Sarvasattvapriyadarsana, perceiving that the Lord Xandravimalasdryaprabhdsasri, the Tathagata, &c., had expired, made a pyre of Uragasaéra sandal-wood and burnt the ' It is sufficiently clear that the Nirvana of this Tathdgata is the end of a day of twenty-four hours, and that Sarvasattvapriyadarsana is the new day. XXII. ANCIENT DEVOTION OF BHAISHAGYARAGA. 383
3XXII. ANCIENT DEVOTION OF BHAISHAGYARAGA. 383 body of the Tathagata. When he saw that the body was burnt to ashes and the fire extinct, he took the bones! and wept, cried and lamented. After having wept, cried and lamented, Nakshatraragasankusumitabhig#a, the Bodhisattva Mahdsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarsana caused to be made eightyfour thousand urns of seven precious substances, deposed in them the bones of the Tathagata, founded eighty-four thousand Stdpas?, reaching in height to the Brahma-world, adorned with a row of umbrellas, and equipped with silk bands and bells. After founding those Stdpas he made the following reflection: I have paid honour to the Tath4gata-relics of the Lord XandravimalasdryaprabhAsasrt, but I will pay to those relics a yet loftier and most distinguished honour. Then, Nakshatrarayasankusumitabhig#a, the Bodhisattva Mahdsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarsana addressed that entire assembly of Bodhisattvas, those great disciples, those gods, Nagas, goblins, Gandharvas, demons, Garudas, Kinnaras, great serpents, men, and beings not human: Ye all, young men of good family, unani- 1 In the Phoenix myth it is the bird himself that, after his resurrection, collects the relics; verses 269-272. Both versions come to the same, for the sun of to-day is essentially the same as yesterday’s. * Exactly the same number of monasteries was erected by Asoka, according to the Dipavamsa VI, 96. The king was induced to build so many monasteries because there were eighty-four or, optionally, eighty-four thousand towns in India, a number precisely coinciding with that of the sections of the Law. Notwithstanding the difference in details, it may be assumed that there is some connection between the two tales, especially because Asoka was a namesake of Sarvasattvapriyadarsana, one of his epithets being Priyadarsana. 384 SADDHARMA-PUNDARIKA. XXII. mously vow to pay worship to the relics of the Lord. Immediately after, Nakshatraragasankusumitaébhig#a, the Bodhisattva Mahdsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarsana, in presence of those eighty-four thousand Stdpas, burnt his own arm which was marked by the one hundred auspicious signs, and so paid worship to those Stipas containing the relics of the Tath4gata, during seventy-two thousand years. And while paying worship, he educated countless hundred thousands of myriads of kof¢is of disciples from that assembly, in consequence whereof all those Bodhisattvas acquired the Samadhi termed Sarvar(pasandarsana,
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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