1 Or, perhaps, of one whole world of four continents.
3 The number 8 being the half of 16, the number of kalas of a XYI.
OF PIETY.
XYI.
OF PIETY.
No sooner had the Lord given this exposition determining the duration and periods of the law, than there fell from the upper sky a great rain of Mandirava and great Mandirava flowers that covered and overwhelmed all the hundred thousand myriads of ko/is of Buddhas who were seated on their thrones at the foot of the jewel trees in hun¬ dred thousands of myriads of ko/is of worlds. It also covered and overwhelmed the Lord.Sakyamuni, the Tathagata, &c., and the Lord Prabhhtaratna, the Tathagata, &c., the latter sitting fully extinct on his throne, as well as that entire host of Bodhi- sattvas and the four classes of the audience. A rain of celestial powder of sandal and agallochum trickled down from the sky, whilst higher up in the firmament the great drums resounded, without being struck, with a pleasant,sweet, and deep sound. Double pieces of fine heavenly cloth fell down by hundreds and thousands from the upper sky; necklaces, half¬ necklaces, pearl necklaces, gems, jewels, noble gems, and noble jewels were seen high in the firmament, hanging down from every side in all directions of space, while all around thousands of jewel censers, containing priceless, exquisite incense, were moving of their own accord. Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas were seen holding above each Tathagata, high aloft, a row of jewel umbrellas stretching as high as the Brahma-world. So acted the Bodhisattvas Maha¬ sattvas in respect to all the innumerable hundred whole circle, it may be inferred that the description in the text alludes to the stars of that half of the sphere which is at the time below the horizon. Those stars then have reached Nirvawa, though not the immortal one.
314 SADDH AR MA-PU iVDARIKA. XVI.
thousands of myriads of ko/is of Buddhas 1. Seve¬ rally they celebrated these Buddhas in appropriate stanzas, sacred hymns in praise of the Buddhas.
And on that occasion the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Maitreya uttered the following stanzas: 1. Wonderful is the law which the Sugata has expounded, the law we never heard before; how great the majesty of the Leaders is, and how infinite the duration of their life!
2. And on hearing such a law imparted by the Sugata from face to face, thousands of ko/is of creatures, the genuine sons of the Leader of the world, have been pervaded with gladness.
3. Some have reached the point of supreme en¬ lightenment from whence there is no return, others are standing on the lower stage 2; some have reached the standpoint of having an unhampered view, and others have obtained thousands of ko/is of Dhara^is 3.
4. There are others, (as) atoms 4, who have reached supreme Buddha-knowledge. Some, again, will after eight births become (A'nas seeing the infinite 5.
5. Among those who hear this law from the Master, some will obtain enlightenment and see the truth 6 after four births, others after three, others after two.
1 The version followed by Burnouf is somewhat longer.
2 Dh&rawiye dharay am, which is ambiguous, because the latter may stand for adhardyam. That dhtra«i can denote bhtimi I infer from the phrase (bhumi) lokadhari«i, Taitt. Arawyaka X, 1.
3 The translation doubtful.
4 Parama«u; the literal rendering is, others, extremely faint (or small).
5 Cf. the phrase ‘ to see Nirvana.’
6 Evidently the same as ‘ seeing Nirvana,’ as appears from what is added and the analogy with the preceding stanza.
XYI.
OF PIETY.
6. Some among them will become all-knowing 1 after one birth, in the next following existence 2. Such will be the perfect result of learning the duration of life of the Chief.
7. Innumerable, countless as the atoms of the eight fields, are the ko/is of beings who by hear¬ ing this law have conceived the idea of superior enlightenment.
8. Such is the effect produced by the great Seer, when he reveals this Buddha-state that is endless and has no limit, which is as immense as the element of ether.
9. Many thousand ko/is of angels, Indras, and Brahma-angels, like the sands of the Ganges, have flocked hither from thousands of ko/is of distant fields and have poured a rain of Mandaravas.
10. They move in the sky like birds, and strew fragrant powder of sandal and agallochum, to cover ceremoniously the Chief of Ginas withal.
11. High aloft tymbals without being struck emit sweet sounds; thousands of ko/is of white cloth whirl down upon the Chiefs.
12. Thousands of ko/is of jewel censers of costly incense move of their own accord on every side to honour the mighty 3 Lord of the world.
13. Innumerable wise Bodhisattvas hold myriads of ko/is of umbrellas, elevated and made of noble jewels, like chaplets 4, up to the Brahma-world.
14. The sons of Sugata, in their great joy, have 1 Another term for seeing Nirvawa.
2 These four descriptions of Bodhisattvas agree in the main with the four degrees of holiness, of Srotaapanna, Sakrz'dagamin, An&g&min, and Arhat.
3 Tayin.
4 Utansakdn (sic).
SADDH ARM A-PUiVDARf KA.
XYI.
attached beautiful triumphal streamers at the top of the banner staffs 1 in honour of the Leaders whom they celebrate in thousands of stanzas.
15. Such a marvellous, extraordinary, prodigious, splendid 2 phenomenon, O Leader, is being displayed by all those beings who are gladdened by the expo¬ sition of the duration of life (of the Tathagata).
16. Grand is the matter now (occurring) in the ten points of space, and (great) the sound raised by the Leaders; thousands of ko/is of living beings are refreshed and gifted with virtue for enlightenment.
Thereupon the Lord addressed the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Maitreya: Those beings, A/ita, who during the exposition of this Dharmaparydya in which the duration of the Tathagata’s life is revealed have entertained, were it but a single thought of trust, or have put belief in it, how great a merit are they to produce, be they young men and young ladies of good family? Listen then, and mind it well, how great the merit is they shall produce. Let us sup¬ pose the case, A^fita, that some young man or young lady of good family, desirous of supreme, perfect enlightenment, for eight hundred thousand myriads of ko/is of /Eons practises the five perfections of virtue (Paramitas), to wit, perfect charity in alms, perfect morality, perfect forbearance, perfect energy, perfect meditation—perfect wisdom being excepted 3; 1 Dhva^-agre; a marginal reading has dhva g&m ka (sic).
3 VirahitaA prag'raaparamitaya(^). The five specified virtues are identical with those enumerated in Lalita-vistara, p. 38, and slightly different from those as found in the Pali scriptures. C ut of the five virtues, four, viz. rila, kshanti, virya, dhyana, answer to XVI.
OF PIETY.
let us, on the other hand, suppose the case, Afita, that a young man or young lady of good family, on hearing this Dharmaparyaya containing the exposi¬ tion of the duration of the Tath&gata’s life, conceives were it but a single thought of trust or puts belief in it; then that former accumulation of merit 1, that accumulation of good connected with the five perfec¬ tions of virtue, (that accumulation) which has come to full accomplishment in eight hundred thousand myriads of kods of iEons, does not equal one hun¬ dredth part of the accumulation of merit in the second case; it does not equal one thousandth part; it admits of no calculation, no counting, no reckoning, no com¬ parison, no approximation, no secret teaching 2. One who is possessed of such an accumulation of merit, A^ta, be he a young man or a young lady of good family, will not miss supreme, perfect enlightenment; no, that is not possible.
dama, kshamd, dhrfti, dhi in Manu VI, 92, where vidya is the equivalent to the Paramita of pra^wa.
1 Punyibhisawskdra, which may be said to be the common Buddhistic equivalent of karmaraya, explained by Hindu scho¬ lastics to be the accumulation of moral merit and demerit. The term properly means ‘ one’s moral disposition (at a given time as a necessary result of one’s previous acts).’ In a certain sense it may be contended that the sum of one’s previous actions determines one’s moral state at a given moment. As &raya means disposition, character, and accumulation, we can understand how the Indian scholastics came to misunderstand the real purport of the word in karmaraya. As to abhisawzskara, it properly means ‘(mental or moral) disposition, character, impression, conception.’
a Upanisam api, upanishadam api na kshamate. Upanisa is nothing else but the Prakrit form of Sansk. upanishad. In Pali it is explained by raho, mystery, secret lore, and karawa; the latter may mean ‘mathematical operation.’ See, however, the Editor’s note on Sukhavati-vyhha, p. 31.
And on that occasion the Lord uttered the follow¬ ing stanzas: x 7. Let a man who is seeking after this knowledge, superior Buddha-knowledge, undertake to practise in this world the five perfect virtues; 18. Let him, during eight thousand ko/is of complete /Eons, continue giving repeated alms to Buddhas and disciples; 19. Regaling Pratyekabuddhas and kods of Bodhi- sattvas by giving meat, food and drink, clothing and lodging 1; 20. Let him build on earth refuges and monasteries of sandal-wood, and pleasant convent gardens pro¬ vided with walks; 21. Let him after so bestowing gifts, various and diversified, during thousands of ko/is of /Eons, direct his mind to enlightenment 2; 22. Let him then, for the sake of Buddha- knowledge, keep unbroken the pure moral precepts which have been recommended by the perfect Bud¬ dhas and acknowledged by the wise; 23. Let him further develop the virtue of for¬ bearance, be steady in the stage of meekness 3, be constant, of good memory, and patiently endure many censures; 24. Let him, moreover, for the sake of Buddha- 1 These Pratyekabuddhas can hardly be other persons than hermits, and the Bodhisattvas must be the ministers of religion, who otherwise are called Pa»<fitas, and Vandyas, whence our Bonzes.
2 I. e., if I rightly understand it, let him, after having lived in the world, retire from a busy life to take orders.
8 I. e. of a monk under training.
XVI.
OF PIETY.
knowledge, bear the contemptuous words of un¬ believers who are rooted in pride; 25. Let him, always zealous, strenuous, studious, of good memory, without any other pre-occupation in his mind, practise meditation, during ko/is of./Eons; 26. Let him, whether living in the forest or enter¬ ing upon a vagrant life 1, go about, avoiding sloth and torpor 2, for ko/is of /Eons; 27. Let him as a philosopher, a great philosopher 3 who finds his delight in meditation, in concentration of mind, pass eight thousand ko/is of./Eons; 28. Let him energetically pursue enlightenment with the thought of his reaching all-knowingness, and so arrive at the highest degree of meditation; 29. Then the merit accruing to those who practise the virtues oft described, during thousands of ko/is of./Eons, 30. (Is less than that of) a man or a woman who, on hearing the duration of my life, for a single mo¬ ment believes in it; this merit is endless.
31. He who renouncing doubt, vacillation, and misgiving shall believe even for a short moment, shall obtain such a reward.
32. The Bodhisattvas also,who have practised those virtues during ko/is of./Eons, will not be startled at hearing of this inconceivably long life of mine.
33. They will bow their heads (and think): ‘ May I also in future become such a one and release ko/is of living beings!
2 Stydnamiddhaw^a varg-itvd. Middha, well known from Buddhistic writings, is a would-be Sanskrit form; it ought to be mr/ddha, from Vedic mr/dhyati.
XYI.
34. ‘As the Lord JT&kyamuni, the Lion of the 6akya race, after he had occupied his seat on the terrace of enlightenment, raised his lion’s roar; 35. ‘So may I in future be sitting on the terrace of enlightenment, honoured by all mortals, to teach so long a life 1!’
36. Those who are possessed of firmness of inten¬ tion 2 and have learnt the principles, will understand the mystery 3 and feel no uncertainty 4.
Again, A/ita, he who after hearing this Dharma- paryaya, which contains an exposition of the duration of the Tathagata’s life, apprehends it, penetrates and understands it, will produce a yet more immeasur¬ able accumulation of merit conducive to Buddha- knowledge; unnecessary to add that he who hears such a Dharmaparyaya as this or makes others hear it; who keeps it in memory, reads, comprehends or makes others comprehend it; who writes or has it written, collects or has it collected into a volume, honours, respects, worships it with flowers, incense, perfumed garlands, ointments, powder, cloth, um¬ brellas, flags, streamers, (lighted) oil lamps, ghee lamps or lamps filled with scented oil, will produce a far greater accumulation of merit conducive to Buddha-knowledge.
And, A/ita, as a test whether that young man or young lady of good family who hears this exposition 1 It is difficult to say what difference there is between becoming Buddha or becoming Brahma, except in sound.
2 Or strong application, the word used in the text being adhyo- s&ya (Sansk. adhyavasaya).
8 Sandh&bhashya.
4 The tenor of this stanza, and even the words, remind one of the.Sawailyavidya in jOandogya-upanishad III, 14, 4.
XVI.
OF PIETY.
of the duration of the Tathagata’s life most decidedly believes in it may be deemed the following. They will behold me teaching the law 1 here on the Grfdhrakh/a 2, surrounded by a host of Bodhisattvas, attended by a host of Bodhisattvas, in the centre of the congregation of disciples. They will behold here my Buddha-field in the Saha-world, consisting of lapis lazuli and forming a level plain; forming a chequered board of eight compartments with gold threads; set off with jewel trees. They will behold the towers that the Bodhisattvas use as their abodes 3. By this test, Ajdta, one may know if a young man or young lady of good family has a most decided belief. Moreover, A^ita, I declare that a young man of good family who, after the complete extinc¬ tion of the Tathagata, shall not reject, but joyfully accept this Dharmaparyaya when hearing it, that such a young man of good family also is earnest in his belief; far more one who keeps it in memory or reads it. He who after collecting this Dharma- paryiya into a volume carries it on his shoulder 4 carries the Tathagata on his shoulder. Such a young man or young lady of good family, A/ita, need make no Stftpas for me, nor monasteries; need not give to the congregation of monks medicaments for the 1 And, pronouncing judgment.
2 We have seen above that this is the true abode of the Dharmara^a.
3 Ku/agaraparibhogeshu Bodhisatvavasaw va drakshyanti, pro¬ perly, they will behold the dwelling of the Bodhisattvas in the towers which those Bodhisattvas have received for their use. About the technical meaning of ku/agara in Nepal, see B. H. Hodgson, Essays, p. 49.
4 I. e. holds it in high esteem and treats it with care.
XVI.
sick or (other) requisites 1. For, A^ita, such a young man or young lady of good family has (spiritually) built for the worship of my relics Stftpas of seven precious substances reaching up to the Brahma-world in height, and with a circumference in proportion, with the umbrellas thereto belonging, with triumphal streamers, with tinkling bells and baskets; has shown manifold marks of respect to those Stftpas of relics with diverse celestial and earthly flowers, incense, perfumed garlands, ointments, powder, cloth, umbrellas, banners, flags, triumphal streamers, by various sweet, pleasant, clear-sounding tymbals and drums, by the tune, noise, sounds of musical instru¬ ments and castanets, by songs, nautch and dancing of different kinds, of many, innumerable kinds; has done those acts of worship during many, innumer¬ able thousands of ko/is of Atons. One who keeps in memory this Dharmaparyaya after my complete extinction, who reads, writes, promulgates it, A^ita, shall also have built monasteries, large, spacious, extensive, made of red sandal-wood, with thirty-two pinnacles, eight stories, fit for a thousand monks, adorned with gardens and flowers, having walks furnished with lodgings, completely provided with meat, food and drink and medicaments for the sick, well equipped with all comforts. And those numerous, innumerable beings, say a hundred or a thousand or ten thousand or a ko/i or hundred ko/is or thousand ko/is or hundred thousand ko/is or ten thousand times hundred thousand ko/is, they 1 This agrees with the teaching of the Vedanta that Brahma- knowledge is independent of good works; see e. g. Brahma-sutra XVI.
OF PIETY.
must be considered to form the congregation of disciples seeing me from face to face, and must be considered as those whom I have fully blessed 1. He who, after my complete extinction, shall keep this Dharmaparyaya, read, promulgate, or write it, he, I repeat, Afita, need not build Stftpas of relics, nor worship the congregation; not necessary to tell, Agita, that the young man or young lady of good family who, keeping this Dharmaparyaya, shall crown it by charity in alms, morality, forbearance, energy, meditation, or wisdom, will produce a much greater accumulation of merit; it is, in fact, immense, incal¬ culable, infinite 2. Just as the element of ether, A^ita, is boundless, to the east, south, west, north, beneath, above, and in the intermediate quarters, so immense and incalculable an accumulation of merit, conducive to Buddha-knowledge, will be produced by a young man or young lady of good family who shall keep, read, write, or cause to be written, this Dharmaparyaya. He will be zealous in worship¬ ping the Tathdgata shrines; he will laud the disciples of the Tathagata, praise the hundred thousands of myriads of ko/is of virtues of the Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas, and expound them to others; he will be accomplished in forbearance, be moral, of good character 3, agreeable to live with, and tolerant, modest, not jealous of others, not wrathful, not vicious in mind, of good memory, strenuous and always busy, devoted to meditation in striving after the state of a Buddha, attaching great value to 1 Paribhukta.
2 The Vedantin does not deny the relative value of good works; see e. g. Brahma-sutra III, 4, 26-27.
3 Kalya^adharman.
XVI.
abstract meditation, frequently engaging in abstract meditation, able in solving questions and in avoid¬ ing hundred thousands of myriads of ko/is of ques¬ tions. Any Bodhisattva Mahasattva, A^ita, who, after the Tathagata’s complete extinction, shall keep this Dharmaparyaya, will have the good qualities I have described. Such a young man or young lady of good family, A^ita, must be considered to make for the terrace of enlightenment; that young man or young lady of good family steps towards the foot of the tree of enlightenment in order to reach enlighten¬ ment. And where that young man or young lady of good family, A^ita, stands, sits, or walks, there one should make a shrine 1, dedicated to the Tathagata, and the world, including the gods, should say: This is a Sthpa of relics of the Tathdgata.
And on that occasion the Lord uttered the follow¬ ing stanzas: 37. An immense mass of merit, as I have re¬ peatedly mentioned, shall be his who, after the com¬ plete extinction of the Leader of men, shall keep this Sutra.
38. He will have paid worship to me, and built Stupas of relics, made of precious substances, varie¬ gated, beautiful, and splendid; 39. In height coming up to the Brahma-world, with rows of umbrellas, great in circumference 2, gorgeous, and decorated with triumphal streamers; 40. Resounding with the clear ring of bells, and decorated with silk bands, while jingles moved by 1 One would rather expect, that place one should consider to be a shrine.
2 Pariwahavanta/z. There is no word for BurnouPs ‘pro- portionnd' (anupftrva) in the text.
XVI.
OF PIETY.
the wind form another ornament at (the shrines of) Crina relics 1 41. He will have shown great honour to them by flowers, perfumes, and ointments; by music, clothes, and the repeated (sound of) tymbals.
42. He will have sweet musical instruments struck at those relics, and lamps with scented oil kept burn¬ ing all around.
43. He who at the period of depravation shall keep and teach this Shtra, he will have paid me such an infinitely varied worship.
44. He has built many kods of excellent monas¬ teries of sandal-wood, with thirty-two pinnacles, and eight terraces high; 45. Provided with couches, with food hard and soft; furnished with excellent curtains, and having cells by thousands.
46. He has given hermitages and walks em¬ bellished by flower-gardens; many elegant objects 2 of various forms and variegated.
47. He has shown manifold worship to the host of disciples in my presence, he who, after my extinc¬ tion, shall keep this Sfitra.
48. Let one be ever so good in disposition, much greater merit will he obtain who shall keep or write this Sfitra.
49. Let a man cause this to be written and 1 Sobhante Orinadhttushu. Burnouf gives a different trans¬ lation of this passage: ‘ ces Stupas, enfin, rejoivent leur dclat des reliques du Djina.’
2 I am quite uncertain about the word in the text, uX’/'/zadaka. It seems to be connected with the Pali ussada, about which Childers, s. v., remarks that it probably means 1 a protuberance.’ Burnouf renders the word in our text by ‘ coussin.’
XYI.
have it well put together in a volume; let him always worship the volume with flowers, garlands, ointments.
50. Let him constantly place near it a lamp filled with scented oil, along with full-blown lotuses and suitable 1 oblations of Michelia Champaka.
51. The man who pays such worship to the books will produce a mass of merit which is not to be measured.
52. Even as there is no measure of the element of ether, in none of the ten directions, so there is no measure of this mass of merit.
53. How much more will this be the case with one who is patient, meek, devoted, moral, studious, and addicted to meditation; 54. Who is not irascible, not treacherous, reve¬ rential towards the sanctuary, always humble towards monks, not conceited, nor neglectful; 55. Sensible and wise, not angry when he is asked a question; who, full of compassion for living beings, gives such instruction as suits them.
56. If there be such a man who (at the same time) keeps this Sutra, he will possess a mass of merit that cannot be measured.
57. If one meets such a man as here described, a keeper of this Shtra, one should do homage to him.
58. One should present him with divine flowers, cover him with divine clothes, and bow the head to salute his feet, in the conviction of his being a Tath&gata.
59. And at the sight of such a man one may 1 Yuktai^. Burnouf must have read muktai^, for his trans¬ lation has * pearls.’
XVI.
OF PIETY.
directly make the reflection that he is going towards the foot of the tree to arrive at superior, blessed enlightenment for the weal of all the world, including the gods.
60. And wherever such a sage is walking, stand¬ ing, sitting, or lying down; wherever the hero pro¬ nounces were it but a single stanza from this Sutra; 61. There one should build a Stftpa for the most high of men, a splendid, beautiful (Stupa), dedicated to the Lord Buddha, the Chief, and then worship it in manifold ways.
62. That spot of the earth has been enjoyed by myself; there have I walked myself, and there have I been sitting; where that son of Buddha has stayed, there I am.
XVII.
CHAPTER XVII.
INDICATION OF THE MERITORIOUSNESS OF JOYFUL ACCEPTANCE.
Thereupon the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Maitreya said to the Lord: O Lord, one who, after hearing this Dharmaparyaya being preached, j’oyfully 1 accepts it, be that person a young man of good family or a young lady, how much merit, O Lord, will be pro¬ duced by such a young man or young lady of good family?
And on that occasion the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Maitreya uttered this stanza: i. How great will be the merit of him who, after the extinction of the great Hero, shall hear this exalted Sutra and joyfully accept it?
And the Lord said to the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Maitreya: If any one, A^ita, either a young man of good family or a young lady, after the complete extinction of the Tathagata, hears the preaching of this Dharmaparyiya, let it be a monk or nun, a male or female lay devotee, a man of ripe understanding or a boy or girl; if the hearer joyfully accepts it, and then after the sermon rises up to go elsewhere, to a monastery, house, forest, street, village, town, or pro¬ vince, with the motive and express aim to expound the law such as he has understood, such as he has heard it, and according to the measure of his power, 1 Or, gratefully.
XVII. MERITORIOUSNESS OF JOYFUL ACCEPTANCE. 329 to another person, his mother, father, kinsman, friend, acquaintance, or any other person; if the latter, after hearing, joyfully accepts, and, in consequence, com¬ municates it to another; if the latter, after hearing, joyfully accepts, and communicates it to another; if this other, again, after hearing, joyfully accepts it, and so on in succession until a number of fifty is reached; then, Afita, the fiftieth person to hear and joyfully accept the law so heard, let it be a young man of good family or a young lady, will have acquired an accumulation of merit connected with the joyful acceptance, A^ita, which I am going to indicate to thee. Listen, and take it well to heart; I will tell thee.
It is, A/ita, as if the creatures existing in the four hundred thousand Asankhyeyas 1 of worlds, in any of the six states of existence, born from an egg, from a womb, from warm humidity, or from meta¬ morphosis, whether they have a shape or have not, be they conscious or unconscious, neither conscious nor unconscious, footless, two-footed, four-footed, or many-footed, as many beings as are contained in the world of creatures,—(as if) all those had flocked to¬ gether to one place. Further, suppose some man appears, a lover of virtue, a lover of good, who gives to that whole body the pleasures, sports, amuse¬ ments, and enjoyments they desire, like, and relish. He gives to each of them all Cambudvipa for his pleasures, sports, amusements, and enjoyments; gives bullion, gold, silver, gems, pearls, lapis lazuli, conches, stones (?), coral, carriages yoked with horses, with bullocks, with elephants; gives palaces and 1 An incalculable great number.
XVII.
towers. In this way, Agita, that master of munifi¬ cence, that great master of munificence continues spending his gifts for fully eighty years. Then, A/ita, that master of munificence, that great master of munificence reflects thus: All these beings have I allowed to sport and enjoy themselves, but now they are covered with wrinkles and grey-haired, old, decrepit, eighty years of age, and near the term of their life. Let me therefore initiate them in the discipline of the law revealed by the Tathagata, and instruct them. Thereupon, Afita, the man exhorts all those beings, thereafter initiates them in the discipline of the law revealed by the Tathagata, and makes them adopt it. Those beings learn the law from him, and in one moment, one instant, one bit of time, all become Srota&pannas, obtain the fruit of the rank of Sakr/digimin and of Anagamin, until they become Arhats, free from all imperfections, adepts in meditation, adepts in great meditation and in the meditation with eight emancipations. Now, what is thine opinion, A^ita, will that master of munificence, that great master of munificence, on account of his doings, produce great merit, immense, incalculable merit? Whereupon the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Maitreya said in reply to the Lord: Cer¬ tainly, Lord; certainly, Sugata; that person, Lord, will already produce much merit on that account, because he gives to the beings all that is necessary for happiness; how much more then if he establishes them in Arhatship!
This said, the Lord spoke to the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Maitreya as follows: I announce to thee, Ajdta, I declare to thee; (take) on one side the mas¬ ter of munificence, the great master of munificence, XVII. MERITORIOUSNESS OF JOYFUL ACCEPTANCE. 33 1 who produces merit by supplying all beings in the four hundred thousand Asankhyeyas of worlds with all the necessaries for happiness and by establishing them in Arhatship; (take) on the other side the person who, ranking the fiftieth in the series of the oral tradition of the law, hears, were it but a single stanza, a single word, from this Dharmaparyaya and joyfully accepts it; if (we compare) the mass of merit connected with the joyful acceptance and the mass of merit connected with the charity of the master of munificence, the great master of munificence, then the greater merit will be his who, ranking the fiftieth in the series of the oral tradition of the law, after hearing were it but a single stanza, a single word, from this Dharmaparyaya, joyfully accepts it. Against this accumulation of merit, A^ita, this accumulation of roots of goodness con¬ nected with that joyful acceptance, the former accu¬ mulation of merit connected with the charity of that master of munificence, that great master of munificence, and connected with the confirmation in Arhatship, does not fetch the ^ part, not