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Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
164 DESCRIPTION OF SUKHAVAtJ, §41. thrown into the dungeon for some misdeed is there, bound with a chain made of the 6"dmbClnada gold. And suppose there is a couch prepared for him, covered with many woollen cloths, spread over with cotton and feather cushions, having Kaliiiga coverings, and carpets, together with coverlids \ red on both sides, beautiful and charming. There he might be then either sitting or resting. And there might be brought to him much food and drink, of various kinds, pure and well prepared. What do you think, O A^ita, would the enjoyment be great for that' prince ? ' A^ita said: ' Yes^, it would be great, O Bhagavat.* The Bhagavat said : ' What do you think, O A^ita, would he even taste it there, and notice it, or would he feel any satisfaction from it ? ' He said : ' Not indeed, O Bhagavat; but on the contrary, when he had been led away by the king and thrown into the dungeon, he would only wish for deliverance from there. He would seek for the nobles, princes, ministers, women ^ elders (rich merchants), householders, and lords of castles, who might deliver him from that dungeon. Moreover, O Bhagavat, there is no pleasure for that prince in that dungeon, nor is he liberated, until the king shows him favour. The Bhagavat said : ' Thus, O Acita, it is with those Bodhisattvas who, having fallen into doubt, amass a stock of merit, but doubt the knowledge of Buddha. They are born in that world Sukha- * The text is corrupt. One might begin a new word with sottarapada^^^ada^. • One expects, No. ' Stryagara, like the German Fraucnzimmer.
2§42- THE LAND OF BLISS. 65 vati, through the hearing of Buddha's name, and through the serenity of thought only ; they do not, however, appear sitting cross-legged in the flowers of the lotus, being born miraculously, but dwell only in the calyx of the lotus-flowers. Moreover for them there exist ideas of palaces and gardens \ There is no discharge, there is no phlegm or mucus, there is nothing disagreeable to the mind. But they are deprived of seeing Buddhas, hearing the Law, seeing Bodhisattvas, speaking about and ascertaining the Law, (gathering) any (new) stock of merit, and practising the Law, during five hundred years. Moreover they do not rejoice there or perceive satisfaction. But they wish to remove one another, and then they step out behind. And it is not known whether their exit takes place above, below, or across. See, O A^ita, there might be worshippings of many hundred thousand niyutas of ko^'is of Buddhas during those five hundred years, and also many, immense, innumerable, immeasurable stocks of merit to be amassed. But all this they destroy by the fault of doubt. See, O A^ita, to how great an injury the doubt of the Bodhisattvas leads. Therefore now, O A^ita, after the Bodhisattvas without doubting have quickly raised their thoughts towards the Bodhi, in order to obtain power of conferring happiness for the benefit of all creatures, their stock of merit should be turned towards their being born in the world Sukhavati, where the blessed Amitabha, the Tathagata, holy and fully enlightened, dwells.' § 42. After these words, the Bodhisattva A^ita ^ They imagine they are hving in palaces and gardens. [49] ''•'^'
366 DESCRIPTION OF SUKHAVAtJ, § 42. thus spoke to the Bhagavat : ' O Bhagavat, \\'\\\ the Bodhisattvas,\vho have gone away from this Buddha country, or from the side of other blessed Buddhas, be born in the world Sukhavati ? ' The Bhagavat said: 'Indeed, O A^ita, seventytwo niyutas of ko/is of Bodhisattvas are gone away from this Buddha country, who will be born in the world Sukhavati ; Bodhisattvas, who will never return, thanks to the stock of merit, which they have accumulated under many hundred thousand niyutas of ko/is of Buddhas. What then shall be said of those with smaller stocks of merit ' ? I. Eighteen hundred niyutas of ko/is of Bodhisattvas will be born in the world Sukhavati from the place of the Tathagata Dushprasaha. 2. There lives in the Eastern quarter the Tathagata named Ratnakara. From his place ninety ko/is of Bodhisattvas will be Ijorn in the world Sukhavati. 3. Twenty-two ko/is of Bodhisattvas will be born in the world Sukhavati from the place of the Tathagata Cyotishprabha. 4. Twenty-five ko/is of Bodhisattvas will be born in the world Sukhavati from the place of the Tathagata Amitaprabha. 5. Sixty ko/is of Bodhisattvas will be born in the world Sukhivati from the place of the Tathagata Lokapradipa. 6. Sixty-four ko/is of Bodhisattvas will be born in the world Sukhavati from the place of the Tathagata Nagabhibhu. 7. Twenty-five ko/is of Bodhisattvas will be born in the world Sukhdvati from the place of the Tathagata Vira(^a//prabha. 8. Sixteen ko/ls of Bodhisattvas will be born in the world Sukhavati from the place of the Tathagata Siwha. 9. Eighteen thousand ' Wliat is meant is that ihcir number is much larger.
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.
164 DESCRIPTION OF SUKHAVAtJ, §41. thrown into the dungeon for some misdeed is there, bound with a chain made of the 6"dmbClnada gold. And suppose there is a couch prepared for him, covered with many woollen cloths, spread over with cotton and feather cushions, having Kaliiiga coverings, and carpets, together with coverlids \ red on both sides, beautiful and charming. There he might be then either sitting or resting. And there might be brought to him much food and drink, of various kinds, pure and well prepared. What do you think, O A^ita, would the enjoyment be great for that' prince ? ' A^ita said: ' Yes^, it would be great, O Bhagavat.* The Bhagavat said : ' What do you think, O A^ita, would he even taste it there, and notice it, or would he feel any satisfaction from it ? ' He said : ' Not indeed, O Bhagavat; but on the contrary, when he had been led away by the king and thrown into the dungeon, he would only wish for deliverance from there. He would seek for the nobles, princes, ministers, women ^ elders (rich merchants), householders, and lords of castles, who might deliver him from that dungeon. Moreover, O Bhagavat, there is no pleasure for that prince in that dungeon, nor is he liberated, until the king shows him favour. The Bhagavat said : ' Thus, O Acita, it is with those Bodhisattvas who, having fallen into doubt, amass a stock of merit, but doubt the knowledge of Buddha. They are born in that world Sukha- * The text is corrupt. One might begin a new word with sottarapada^^^ada^. • One expects, No. ' Stryagara, like the German Fraucnzimmer.
2§42- THE LAND OF BLISS. 65 vati, through the hearing of Buddha's name, and through the serenity of thought only ; they do not, however, appear sitting cross-legged in the flowers of the lotus, being born miraculously, but dwell only in the calyx of the lotus-flowers. Moreover for them there exist ideas of palaces and gardens \ There is no discharge, there is no phlegm or mucus, there is nothing disagreeable to the mind. But they are deprived of seeing Buddhas, hearing the Law, seeing Bodhisattvas, speaking about and ascertaining the Law, (gathering) any (new) stock of merit, and practising the Law, during five hundred years. Moreover they do not rejoice there or perceive satisfaction. But they wish to remove one another, and then they step out behind. And it is not known whether their exit takes place above, below, or across. See, O A^ita, there might be worshippings of many hundred thousand niyutas of ko^'is of Buddhas during those five hundred years, and also many, immense, innumerable, immeasurable stocks of merit to be amassed. But all this they destroy by the fault of doubt. See, O A^ita, to how great an injury the doubt of the Bodhisattvas leads. Therefore now, O A^ita, after the Bodhisattvas without doubting have quickly raised their thoughts towards the Bodhi, in order to obtain power of conferring happiness for the benefit of all creatures, their stock of merit should be turned towards their being born in the world Sukhavati, where the blessed Amitabha, the Tathagata, holy and fully enlightened, dwells.' § 42. After these words, the Bodhisattva A^ita ^ They imagine they are hving in palaces and gardens. [49] ''•'^'
366 DESCRIPTION OF SUKHAVAtJ, § 42. thus spoke to the Bhagavat : ' O Bhagavat, \\'\\\ the Bodhisattvas,\vho have gone away from this Buddha country, or from the side of other blessed Buddhas, be born in the world Sukhavati ? ' The Bhagavat said: 'Indeed, O A^ita, seventytwo niyutas of ko/is of Bodhisattvas are gone away from this Buddha country, who will be born in the world Sukhavati ; Bodhisattvas, who will never return, thanks to the stock of merit, which they have accumulated under many hundred thousand niyutas of ko/is of Buddhas. What then shall be said of those with smaller stocks of merit ' ? I. Eighteen hundred niyutas of ko/is of Bodhisattvas will be born in the world Sukhavati from the place of the Tathagata Dushprasaha. 2. There lives in the Eastern quarter the Tathagata named Ratnakara. From his place ninety ko/is of Bodhisattvas will be Ijorn in the world Sukhavati. 3. Twenty-two ko/is of Bodhisattvas will be born in the world Sukhavati from the place of the Tathagata Cyotishprabha. 4. Twenty-five ko/is of Bodhisattvas will be born in the world Sukhavati from the place of the Tathagata Amitaprabha. 5. Sixty ko/is of Bodhisattvas will be born in the world Sukhivati from the place of the Tathagata Lokapradipa. 6. Sixty-four ko/is of Bodhisattvas will be born in the world Sukhavati from the place of the Tathagata Nagabhibhu. 7. Twenty-five ko/is of Bodhisattvas will be born in the world Sukhdvati from the place of the Tathagata Vira(^a//prabha. 8. Sixteen ko/ls of Bodhisattvas will be born in the world Sukhavati from the place of the Tathagata Siwha. 9. Eighteen thousand ' Wliat is meant is that ihcir number is much larger.
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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