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Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1§13- THE LAND OF BLISS. 3 1 } 1 3. ' And, O Ananda, the assembly of the hearers of that Tathagata Amitabha is immeasurable, so that it is not easy to learn its measure, so as to be able to say, there are so many ko/is of the hearers, so many hundreds, thousands, hundred-thousands, kankaras, vimbaras, nayutas (niyutas ?), ayutas, akshobhyas, vivdhas (masc), srotas (?), o^as\ so many periods, called immeasurable, innumerable, countless, incomparable, inconceivable. Now, for instance, O Ananda, the Bhikshu Maudgalyayana having obtained miraculous power, might, if he wished, count - in one day and night, how many kinds of stars there are in the universal world. Then, let there be a hundred thousand niyutas of ko/is of such men, endowed with miraculous powers, and let them do nothing else but count the first company (only) of the hearers of the Tathagata Amitabha, during a hundred thousand niyutas of ko/is of years, and yet by them thus counting even the hundredth part would not be counted, even the thousandth, even the hundred thousandth ; nay, not even so far as the minutest part, or likeness, or approach^ towards it would have been counted. ' Thus, for instance, O Ananda, a man might throw out from the great ocean, which is not to be measured across by less than eighty-four thousand yo^^anas, one single drop of water by the sharp end of hair, which is divided a hundred times. What do you think then, Ananda, — which would be greater, one drop of water which has been thrown up by the ^ All these are names of fanciful measures. ^ Nagare«a, 'with an instrument' or 'by some clever contrivance.' ^ See Kern's translation of the Saddharmapuw^arika, p. 317, note 2.
232 DESCRIPTION OF SUKHAVAxi, § 14. sharp pointed hair divided a hundred times, or the mass of water left in the great ocean ?' Ananda said : ' Even a thousand yoi^anas, O Bhagavat, would be a small portion of the great ocean, how much more then one drop of water thrown out by the sharp pointed hair divided a hundred times ! ' Bhagavat said : ' As that one drop of water, exactly so large (so small in proportion) was the first company of the hearers. And let there be reckoninof made b}- those Bhikshus, who are like Maudgalyayana, counting for a hundred thousand niyutas of ko/is of years, and yet, as to the mass of water left in the great ocean, it would even then have to be considered as not counted. How much more with regard to the second, third, and the rest of the companies of the hearers ! Therefore the mass of hearers of the Bhagavat is endless and boundless, and receives the name of " immeasurable and innumerable." § 14. 'And, O Ananda, the length of the life of that Bhagavat Amitibha, the Tathagata, is immeasurable, so that it is not easy to know its length, so as to be able to say (that it comprises) so many hundreds of kalpas, so many thousands of kalpas, so many hundred thousands of kalpas, so many ko/is of kalpas, so many hundreds of ko/is of kalpas, so many thousands of ko/is of kalpas, so many hundred thousands of ko/is of kalpas, so many hundred thousands of niyutas of ko/is of kalpas. Therefore, O Ananda, the limit of the measure of the life of that Bhagavat is immeasurable indeed. Therefore that Tathdgata is called AmitAyus. ' And as, O Ananda, the rule of making known the reckoning of kalpas exists here in this world, ten kali)as have passed now since Bhagavat Amitdyus, § l6. THE LAND OF BLISS. 33
3the Tathagata, arose and awoke to the highest perfect knowledore. J 1 5. ' And, O Ananda, the world called Sukhavati belonging to that Bhagavat Amitabha is prosperous, rich, good to live in, fertile, lovely, and filled with many gods and men. Then, O Ananda, in that world there are neither hells, nor the brute creation, nor the realm of departed spirits, nor bodies of Asuras, nor untimely births \ And there do not appear in this world such gems as are known in the world Sukhavati. § 16. ' Now, O Ananda, that world Sukhavati is fragrant with several sweet-smelling scents, rich in manifold flowers and fruits, adorned with gem trees, and frequented by tribes of manifold sweet-voiced birds, which have been made by the Tathagata (on purpose -). And, O Ananda, those gem trees are of several colours, of many colours, and of many hundred thousand colours. There are gem trees there of golden-colour, and made of gold. There are those of silver-colour, and made of silver. There are those of beryl-colour, and made of beryl. There are those of crystal-colour, and made of cr}stal. There are those of coral-colour, and made of coral. There are those of red pearl-colour, and made of red pearls. There are those of diamond-colour, and made of diamonds. ' There are some trees of two gems, viz. gold and silver. There are some of three gems, viz. gold, silver, and beryl. There are some of four gems, ' These untimely births, i. e. being born out of time, when there are no Buddhas to hsten to, are not mentioned in the first Prawidhana ; nor the jewels. 2 Cf. the eighth paragraph in the Smaller Sukhavali-vyQlia. [49] * ^
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§13- THE LAND OF BLISS. 3 1 } 1 3. ' And, O Ananda, the assembly of the hearers of that Tathagata Amitabha is immeasurable, so that it is not easy to learn its measure, so as to be able to say, there are so many ko/is of the hearers, so many hundreds, thousands, hundred-thousands, kankaras, vimbaras, nayutas (niyutas ?), ayutas, akshobhyas, vivdhas (masc), srotas (?), o^as\ so many periods, called immeasurable, innumerable, countless, incomparable, inconceivable. Now, for instance, O Ananda, the Bhikshu Maudgalyayana having obtained miraculous power, might, if he wished, count - in one day and night, how many kinds of stars there are in the universal world. Then, let there be a hundred thousand niyutas of ko/is of such men, endowed with miraculous powers, and let them do nothing else but count the first company (only) of the hearers of the Tathagata Amitabha, during a hundred thousand niyutas of ko/is of years, and yet by them thus counting even the hundredth part would not be counted, even the thousandth, even the hundred thousandth ; nay, not even so far as the minutest part, or likeness, or approach^ towards it would have been counted. ' Thus, for instance, O Ananda, a man might throw out from the great ocean, which is not to be measured across by less than eighty-four thousand yo^^anas, one single drop of water by the sharp end of hair, which is divided a hundred times. What do you think then, Ananda, — which would be greater, one drop of water which has been thrown up by the ^ All these are names of fanciful measures. ^ Nagare«a, 'with an instrument' or 'by some clever contrivance.' ^ See Kern's translation of the Saddharmapuw^arika, p. 317, note 2.
232 DESCRIPTION OF SUKHAVAxi, § 14. sharp pointed hair divided a hundred times, or the mass of water left in the great ocean ?' Ananda said : ' Even a thousand yoi^anas, O Bhagavat, would be a small portion of the great ocean, how much more then one drop of water thrown out by the sharp pointed hair divided a hundred times ! ' Bhagavat said : ' As that one drop of water, exactly so large (so small in proportion) was the first company of the hearers. And let there be reckoninof made b}- those Bhikshus, who are like Maudgalyayana, counting for a hundred thousand niyutas of ko/is of years, and yet, as to the mass of water left in the great ocean, it would even then have to be considered as not counted. How much more with regard to the second, third, and the rest of the companies of the hearers ! Therefore the mass of hearers of the Bhagavat is endless and boundless, and receives the name of " immeasurable and innumerable." § 14. 'And, O Ananda, the length of the life of that Bhagavat Amitibha, the Tathagata, is immeasurable, so that it is not easy to know its length, so as to be able to say (that it comprises) so many hundreds of kalpas, so many thousands of kalpas, so many hundred thousands of kalpas, so many ko/is of kalpas, so many hundreds of ko/is of kalpas, so many thousands of ko/is of kalpas, so many hundred thousands of ko/is of kalpas, so many hundred thousands of niyutas of ko/is of kalpas. Therefore, O Ananda, the limit of the measure of the life of that Bhagavat is immeasurable indeed. Therefore that Tathdgata is called AmitAyus. ' And as, O Ananda, the rule of making known the reckoning of kalpas exists here in this world, ten kali)as have passed now since Bhagavat Amitdyus, § l6. THE LAND OF BLISS. 33
3the Tathagata, arose and awoke to the highest perfect knowledore. J 1 5. ' And, O Ananda, the world called Sukhavati belonging to that Bhagavat Amitabha is prosperous, rich, good to live in, fertile, lovely, and filled with many gods and men. Then, O Ananda, in that world there are neither hells, nor the brute creation, nor the realm of departed spirits, nor bodies of Asuras, nor untimely births \ And there do not appear in this world such gems as are known in the world Sukhavati. § 16. ' Now, O Ananda, that world Sukhavati is fragrant with several sweet-smelling scents, rich in manifold flowers and fruits, adorned with gem trees, and frequented by tribes of manifold sweet-voiced birds, which have been made by the Tathagata (on purpose -). And, O Ananda, those gem trees are of several colours, of many colours, and of many hundred thousand colours. There are gem trees there of golden-colour, and made of gold. There are those of silver-colour, and made of silver. There are those of beryl-colour, and made of beryl. There are those of crystal-colour, and made of cr}stal. There are those of coral-colour, and made of coral. There are those of red pearl-colour, and made of red pearls. There are those of diamond-colour, and made of diamonds. ' There are some trees of two gems, viz. gold and silver. There are some of three gems, viz. gold, silver, and beryl. There are some of four gems, ' These untimely births, i. e. being born out of time, when there are no Buddhas to hsten to, are not mentioned in the first Prawidhana ; nor the jewels. 2 Cf. the eighth paragraph in the Smaller Sukhavali-vyQlia. [49] * ^
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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