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Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1§ i8. THE LAND OF BLISS. ^J do the gods consisting- of the companies of the four Maharajas who dwell on the side of the Sumeru, and where do the Trajastriw^a gods who dwell on the top of the Sumeru, find their place ? ' Bhagavat said : ' What do you think, O Ananda, where do these other beings find their place, who in this world dwell above the king of mountains, Sumeru, namely, the Yamadevas, Tushitas, Nirma?2aratis, Paranirmitavai-avartins, Brahmakayikas, Brahmapurohitas, Mahabrahmans, as far as the Akanish//^as ? ' Ananda replied : ' O Bhagavat, the result of works and the outcome of works are inconceivable ' (i.e. I do not understand it). Bhagavat said : ' Here, you see, the result of works and the outcome of works are inconceivable. But to the blessed Buddhas the position of Buddhas is not inconceivable, while to thee the holy and miraculous power of virtuous beings, whose stock of merit has become ripened, seems inconceivable.' Ananda said : ' I had no doubt on this, no difference of opinion, or hesitation ; on the contrary, I ask only the Tathagata about this matter in order to destroy the doubts, the differences of opinion, and the hesitations of future beings.' Bhagavat said : ' All right, Ananda, this is what you ought to do. J 1 8. 'In that world Sukhavati, O Ananda, there flow different kinds of rivers ; there are great rivers there, one yo^ana in breadth ; there are rivers up to twenty, thirty, forty, fifty yo^anas in breadth, and up to twelve yo^anas in depth. All these rivers are delightful, carrying water of different sweet odour, carrying bunches of flowers adorned with various 38 DESCRIPTION OF SUKHAVATt § i8.
2gems, resounding wiih sweet voices. ^ And, O Ananda, there proceeds from an instrument which consists of hundred thousand ko/ls of parts, which embodies heavenly music and is played by clever people, the same delightful sound which proceeds from those great rivers, the sound which is deep, unknown, incomprehensible, clear, pleasant to the ear, touching the heart, beloved, sweet, delightful, never tiring, never disagreeable, pleasant to hear, as if it always said, " Non-eternal, peaceful, unreal. Such a sound comes to be heard by these beings. ' And again, O Ananda, the borders of those great rivers on both sides are filled with jewel trees of various scents, from which bunches of flowers, leaves, and branches of all kinds hang down. And if the beines, who are on the borders of those rivers, wish to enjoy sport full of heavenly delights, the water rises to the ankle only after they have stepped into the rivers, if they wish it to be so ; or if they wish it, the water rises to their knees, to their hips, to their sides, and to their ears. And heavenly pleasures arise. Again, if the beings then wish the water to be cold, it is cold ; if they wish it to be hot, it is hot ; if they wish it to be hot and cold, it is hot and cold, according to their pleasure. ' And those great rivers flow along, full of water scented with the best perfumes of the Uragasara sandal-wood, of Tagaras, K^lanusarin (dark, fragrant sandal-wood) trees, Agarus, and heavenly Tamdlapattras ; covered with flowers of the white waterlilies, and heavenly Utpalas, Padmas, Kumudas, and Pu^<^arikas ; full of delightful sounds of peacocks, * Instead of tdsim, it is better to read tailid.
3§l8. THE LAND OF BLISS. 39 sparrows, ku^^alas, cuckoos, i-arikas, parrots, ducks, geese, herons, cranes, swans ^ and others ; with small islands inhabited by flocks of birds, created by the Tathagata ; adorned with fields, full of metals ; with fords on which it is easy to drink, free from mud, and covered with gold dust. And when these beings there desire, thinking what kind of wishes should be fulfilled for them, then exactly such wishes are fulfilled for them according to the Law ^. ' And, O Ananda, the sound which rises from that water is delightful, and the whole Buddha country is aroused by it. And if beings, who stand on the borders of the river, wish that the sound should not come within their ear-shot, then it does not come within their ear-shot, even if they are possessed of the heavenly ear. And whatever sound a man wishes to hear, exactly that delightful sound he hears, as for instance, the sound " Buddha, Dharma (the Law), Sangha (the Church), the Paramitas (highest perfections), the Bhtimis (stages), the Balas (powers), Vai^aradya (perfections), Ave/^ikabuddhadharma (freedom from attachment), Pratisa;;2vit (consciousness) ; ^'unyata (emptiness), Animitta (unconditioned), Apra7nhita (free from desire), Anabhisawskara (not made), A^ata (not born), Anutpada (without origin), Abh^va (not being), and Nirodha (cessation) ; KS'anta,pra.yanta,andupa5anta (peace); Mahamaitri (great love), Mahakaru;za (great pity), Mahamudita (great rejoicing), and Mahopeksh^ (great forgiveness) ; Anutpattikadharmakshanti ' The Tibetan translation puts these birds as follows: geese, swans, cranes, ducks, kara««/avas, parrots, grouse (kokilas), kuwalas, kalavihkas, and peacocks. 2 Instead of Dharma/^, the Tibetan translator seems to have read Dharmavat.
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§ i8. THE LAND OF BLISS. ^J do the gods consisting- of the companies of the four Maharajas who dwell on the side of the Sumeru, and where do the Trajastriw^a gods who dwell on the top of the Sumeru, find their place ? ' Bhagavat said : ' What do you think, O Ananda, where do these other beings find their place, who in this world dwell above the king of mountains, Sumeru, namely, the Yamadevas, Tushitas, Nirma?2aratis, Paranirmitavai-avartins, Brahmakayikas, Brahmapurohitas, Mahabrahmans, as far as the Akanish//^as ? ' Ananda replied : ' O Bhagavat, the result of works and the outcome of works are inconceivable ' (i.e. I do not understand it). Bhagavat said : ' Here, you see, the result of works and the outcome of works are inconceivable. But to the blessed Buddhas the position of Buddhas is not inconceivable, while to thee the holy and miraculous power of virtuous beings, whose stock of merit has become ripened, seems inconceivable.' Ananda said : ' I had no doubt on this, no difference of opinion, or hesitation ; on the contrary, I ask only the Tathagata about this matter in order to destroy the doubts, the differences of opinion, and the hesitations of future beings.' Bhagavat said : ' All right, Ananda, this is what you ought to do. J 1 8. 'In that world Sukhavati, O Ananda, there flow different kinds of rivers ; there are great rivers there, one yo^ana in breadth ; there are rivers up to twenty, thirty, forty, fifty yo^anas in breadth, and up to twelve yo^anas in depth. All these rivers are delightful, carrying water of different sweet odour, carrying bunches of flowers adorned with various 38 DESCRIPTION OF SUKHAVATt § i8.
2gems, resounding wiih sweet voices. ^ And, O Ananda, there proceeds from an instrument which consists of hundred thousand ko/ls of parts, which embodies heavenly music and is played by clever people, the same delightful sound which proceeds from those great rivers, the sound which is deep, unknown, incomprehensible, clear, pleasant to the ear, touching the heart, beloved, sweet, delightful, never tiring, never disagreeable, pleasant to hear, as if it always said, " Non-eternal, peaceful, unreal. Such a sound comes to be heard by these beings. ' And again, O Ananda, the borders of those great rivers on both sides are filled with jewel trees of various scents, from which bunches of flowers, leaves, and branches of all kinds hang down. And if the beines, who are on the borders of those rivers, wish to enjoy sport full of heavenly delights, the water rises to the ankle only after they have stepped into the rivers, if they wish it to be so ; or if they wish it, the water rises to their knees, to their hips, to their sides, and to their ears. And heavenly pleasures arise. Again, if the beings then wish the water to be cold, it is cold ; if they wish it to be hot, it is hot ; if they wish it to be hot and cold, it is hot and cold, according to their pleasure. ' And those great rivers flow along, full of water scented with the best perfumes of the Uragasara sandal-wood, of Tagaras, K^lanusarin (dark, fragrant sandal-wood) trees, Agarus, and heavenly Tamdlapattras ; covered with flowers of the white waterlilies, and heavenly Utpalas, Padmas, Kumudas, and Pu^<^arikas ; full of delightful sounds of peacocks, * Instead of tdsim, it is better to read tailid.
3§l8. THE LAND OF BLISS. 39 sparrows, ku^^alas, cuckoos, i-arikas, parrots, ducks, geese, herons, cranes, swans ^ and others ; with small islands inhabited by flocks of birds, created by the Tathagata ; adorned with fields, full of metals ; with fords on which it is easy to drink, free from mud, and covered with gold dust. And when these beings there desire, thinking what kind of wishes should be fulfilled for them, then exactly such wishes are fulfilled for them according to the Law ^. ' And, O Ananda, the sound which rises from that water is delightful, and the whole Buddha country is aroused by it. And if beings, who stand on the borders of the river, wish that the sound should not come within their ear-shot, then it does not come within their ear-shot, even if they are possessed of the heavenly ear. And whatever sound a man wishes to hear, exactly that delightful sound he hears, as for instance, the sound " Buddha, Dharma (the Law), Sangha (the Church), the Paramitas (highest perfections), the Bhtimis (stages), the Balas (powers), Vai^aradya (perfections), Ave/^ikabuddhadharma (freedom from attachment), Pratisa;;2vit (consciousness) ; ^'unyata (emptiness), Animitta (unconditioned), Apra7nhita (free from desire), Anabhisawskara (not made), A^ata (not born), Anutpada (without origin), Abh^va (not being), and Nirodha (cessation) ; KS'anta,pra.yanta,andupa5anta (peace); Mahamaitri (great love), Mahakaru;za (great pity), Mahamudita (great rejoicing), and Mahopeksh^ (great forgiveness) ; Anutpattikadharmakshanti ' The Tibetan translation puts these birds as follows: geese, swans, cranes, ducks, kara««/avas, parrots, grouse (kokilas), kuwalas, kalavihkas, and peacocks. 2 Instead of Dharma/^, the Tibetan translator seems to have read Dharmavat.
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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