Thereafter, A/ita, that very night, at that very watch, the Lord AandrasCiryapradipa, the Tathagata, &c., became extinct by entering the element of abso¬ lute Nirvana. And the afore-mentioned Dharmapar- yiya, termed ‘ the Lotus of the True Law,’ was kept in memory by the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Vara- prabha; during eighty intermediate kalpas did the Bodhisattva Varaprabha keep and reveal the com¬ mandment of the Lord who had entered Nirvi»a. Now it so happened, Ajnta, that the eight sons of the Lord Aandrasuryapradipa, Mati and the rest, were pupils to that very Bodhisattva Varaprabha. They were by him made ripe for supreme, perfect enlightenment, and in after times they saw and wor¬ shipped many hundred thousand myriads of ko/is of Buddhas, all of whom had attained supreme, perfect enlightenment, the last of them being Dipaiikara, the Tathigata, &c.
Amongst those eight pupils there was one Bodhi¬ sattva who attached an extreme value to gain, honour and praise, and was fond of glory, but all the words and letters one taught him faded (from his memory), did not stick. So he got the appella- I. INTRODUCTORY. 23 tion of Yasaskama 1. He had propitiated many hundred thousand myriads of ko/is of Buddhas by that root of goodness, and afterwards esteemed, honoured, respected, revered, venerated, worshipped them. Perhaps, A§ita, thou feelest some doubt, perplexity or misgiving that in those days, at that time, there was another Bodhisvattva Mahasattva Varaprabha, preacher of the law. But do not think so. Why? because it is myself who in those days, at that time, was the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Vara¬ prabha, preacher of the law; and that Bodhisattva named Yasaskima, the lazy one, it is thyself, Agita, who in those days, at that time, wert the Bodhisattva named YasaskAma, the lazy one.
And so, A^ita, having once seen a similar fore¬ token of the Lord, I infer from a similar ray being emitted just now, that the Lord is about to expound the Dharmapar yaya called ‘the Lotus of the True Law.’
And on that occasion, in order to treat the subject more copiously, Ma^gxuri, the prince royal, uttered the following stanzas: 57. I remember a past period, inconceivable, illimited kalpas ago, when the highest of beings, the Gina of the name of Wandrasuryapradipa, was in existence.
58. He preached the true law, he, the leader of creatures; he educated an infinite number of ko/is of beings, and roused inconceivably many Bodhi- sattvas to acquiring supreme Buddha-knowledge.
59. And the eight sons born to him, the leader, when he was prince royal, no sooner saw that the 1 I. e. desirous of glory.
I.
great sage had embraced ascetic life, than they resigned worldly pleasures and became monks.
60. And the Lord of the world proclaimed the law, and revealed to thousands of ko/is of living beings the Sutra, the development, which by name is called ‘ the excellent Exposition of Infinity.’
61. Immediately after delivering his speech, the leader crossed his legs and entered upon the medi¬ tation of ‘ the excellent Exposition of the Infinite.’ There on his seat of the law the eminent seer continued absorbed in meditation.
62. And there fell a celestial rain of Mandaravas, while the drums (of heaven) resounded without being struck; the gods and elves in the sky paid honour to the highest of men.
63. And simultaneously all the fields (of Buddha) began trembling. A wonder it was, a great prodigy. Then the chief emitted from between his brows one extremely beautiful ray, 64. Which moving to the eastern quarter glittered, illuminating the world all over the extent of eighteen thousand fields. It manifested the vanishing and appearing of beings.
65. Some of the fields then seemed jewelled, others showed the hue of lapis lazuli, all splendid, extremely beautiful, owing to the radiance of the ray from the leader.
66. Gods and men, as well as N&gas, goblins, Gandharvas, nymphs, Kinnaras, and those occupied with serving the Sugata became visible in the spheres and paid their devotion.
67. The Buddhas also, those self-born beings, appeared of their own accord, resembling golden columns; like unto a golden disk (within lapis I.
INTRODUCTORY.
lazuli), they revealed the law in the midst of the assembly.
68. The disciples, indeed, are not to be counted: the disciples of Sugata are numberless. Yet the lustre of the ray renders them all visible in every field.
69. Energetic, without breach or flaw in their course, similar to gems and jewels, the sons of the leaders of men are visible in the mountain caves where they are dwelling.
70. Numerous Bodhisattvas, like the sand of the Ganges, who are spending all their wealth in giving alms, who have the strength of patience, are devoted to contemplation and wise, become all of them visible by that ray.
71. Immovable, unshaken, firm in patience, de¬ voted to contemplation, and absorbed in meditation are seen the true sons of the Sugatas while they are striving for supreme enlightenment by dint of meditation.
72. They preach the law in many spheres, and point to the true, quiet, spotless state they know. Such is the effect produced by the power of the Sugata.
73. And all the four classes of hearers on seeing the power of the mighty 1 Aandrarka- 1 The text has tayin, a word frequently occurring in the Lotus. I assume that the form tip in, given in the dictionaries as an epithet of Buddha, is but a misread tiyin, and further that this is radically the same with the Pili tadi (tadin). As tayana, Pamni I, 3, 38, is explained to have the meaning of thriving, prospering, it may be sup¬ posed that tayin on the strength of its derivation denotes thriving, prosperous, mighty, holy, as well as making prosperous, blessing, sanctifying. Burnouf derives it from a supposed Sanskrit trSyin, and translates it by ‘protector.’ It is, indeed, by no means unlikely 26 I.
dipa 1 were filled with joy and asked one another: How is this?
74. And soon afterwards, as the Leader of the world, worshipped by men, gods, and goblins, rose from his meditation, he addressed his son Vara- prabha, the wise Bodhisattva and preacher of the law: 75. ‘ Thou art wise, the eye and refuge of the world; thou art the trustworthy keeper of my law, and canst bear witness as to the treasure of laws which I am to lay bare to the weal of living beings.’
76. Then, after rousing and stimulating, praising and lauding many Bodhisattvas, did the Gina pro¬ claim the supreme laws during fully sixty inter¬ mediate kalpas.
77. And whatever excellent supreme law was proclaimed by the Lord of the world while conti¬ nuing sitting on the very same seat, was kept in memory by Varaprabha, the son of (Pina, the preacher of the law.
78. And after the Gina and Leader had mani¬ fested the supreme law and stimulated the numerous crowd, he spoke, that day, towards the world includ¬ ing the gods (as follows): 79. ‘ I have manifested the rule of the law; I have shown the nature of the law; now, O monks, it is the time of my Nirvana; this very night, in the middle watch.
80. ‘ Be zealous and strong in persuasion; apply yourselves to my lessons; (for) the (Pinas, the great that t&yin was used synonymously with natha or nayaka, but it seems not necessary to derive it from trayate.
1 This name is synonymous with ^andrasuryapradipa; one of the MSS. has iTandrapradipa.
I.
INTRODUCTORY.
27 seers, are but rarely met with in the lapse of myriads of koris of Hions.’
81. The many sons of Buddha were struck with grief and filled with extreme sorrow when they heard the voice of the highest of men announcing that his Nirvana was near at hand.
82. To comfort so inconceivably many ko/is of living beings the king of kings said: ‘ Be not afraid, O monks; after my Nirvdwa there shall be another Buddha.
83. ‘ The wise Bodhisattva Arigarbha, after finish¬ ing his course in faultless knowledge, shall reach highest, supreme enlightenment, and become a Cina under the name of Vimaligranetra.’
84. That very night, in the middle watch, he met complete extinction, like a lamp when the cause (of its burning) is exhausted. His relics were distributed, and of his Stupas there was an infinite number of myriads of ko^is.
85. The monks and nuns at the time being, who strove after supreme, highest enlightenment, nume¬ rous as sand of the Ganges, applied themselves to the commandment of the Sugata.
86. And the monk who then was the preacher of the law and the keeper of the law, Varaprabha, expounded for fully eighty intermediate kalpas the highest laws according to the commandment (of the Sugata).
87. He had eight hundred pupils, who all of them were by him brought to full development. They saw many kotfs of Buddhas, great sages, whom they worshipped.
88. By following the regular course they became Buddhas in several spheres, and as they followed 28 I.
one another in immediate succession they suc¬ cessively foretold each other’s future destiny to Buddhaship.
89. The last of these Buddhas following one another was Dipankara. He, the supreme god of gods, honoured by crowds of sages, educated thou¬ sands of ko/is of living beings.
90. Among the pupils of Varaprabha, the son of Crina, at the time of his teaching the law, was one slothful, covetous, greedy of gain and cleverness.
91. He was also excessively desirous of glory, but very fickle, so that the lessons dictated to him and his own reading faded from his memory as soon as learnt.
92. His name was Yai'askama, by which he was known everywhere. By the accumulated merit 1 of that good action, spotted as it was, 93. He propitiated thousands of kods of Buddhas, whom he rendered ample honour. He went through the regular course of duties and saw the present Buddha Aakyasiwha.
94. He shall be the last to reach superior en¬ lightenment and become a Lord known by the family name of Maitreya, who shall educate thousands of ko/is of creatures.
1 The MSS. have tenaku.falenakarma»a, tenokuralena kar- ma«a. As teno and tent in the stanzas are occasionally used instead of tena, it is uncertain whether tenak. is to be separated into tena and akurala. This much is clear, that the author of the foregoing prose text has taken the words as tent (Vedic the same) or teno, and ku^ala. The good in Yarasktma was his love of renown, of good fame. Maitreya, by his very nature, holds a middle position be¬ tween black night and bright daylight; Mithra also is represented as a fi€(riTr]s.
I.
INTRODUCTORY.
29 95. He who then, under the rule of the extinct Sugata, was so slothful, was thyself, and it was I who then was the preacher of the law.
96. As on seeing a foretoken of this kind I re¬ cognise a sign such as I have seen manifested of yore, therefore and on that account I know, 97. That decidedly the chief of Ginas, the su¬ preme king of the Gakyas, the All-seeing, who knows the highest truth, is about to pronounce the excellent Shtra which I have heard before.
98. That very sign displayed at present is a proof of the skilfulness of the leaders; the Lion of the Aakyas is to make an exhortation, to declare the fixed nature of the law.
99. Be well prepared and well minded; join your hands: he who is affectionate and merciful to the world is going to speak, is going to pour the endless rain of the law and refresh those that are waiting for enlightenment.
100. And if some should feel doubt, uncertainty, or misgiving in any respect, then the Wise One shall remove it for his children, the Bodhisattvas here striving after enlightenment.
30 II.
CHAPTER II.
SKILFULNESS 1.
The Lord then rose with recollection and con¬ sciousness from his meditation, and forthwith addressed the venerable Aariputra: The Buddha knowledge, Aariputra, is profound, difficult to under¬ stand, difficult to comprehend. It is difficult for all disciples and Pratyekabuddhas to fathom the know¬ ledge arrived at by the Tathagatas, &c., and that, Aariputra, because the Tathagatas have worshipped many hundred thousand myriads of ko/is of Buddhas; because they have fulfilled their course for supreme, complete enlightenment, during many hundred thou¬ sand myriads of ko/is of /Eons; because they have wandered far, displaying energy and possessed of wonderful and marvellous properties; possessed of properties difficult to understand; because they have found out things difficult to understand.
The mystery 2 of the Tathagatas, &c., is difficult to understand,.Sariputra, because when they explain the laws (or phenomena, things) that have their 1 Or, able management, diplomacy, upayakauralya. Up ay a means an expedient, but with the Pra§r«kas it denotes the energy of Pra gn&, the latter being Nature, otherwise called Maya; see B. H. Hodgson, Essays on the Languages, Literature, and Religion of Nepal and Tibet, p. 104; cf. pp. 72, 78, 89. From the atheistic point of view the possessor of upayakauralya can hardly be any¬ thing else but all-ruling Time; regarded from the theistic view he must be the Almighty Spirit.
2 Sandha-bhashya; on this term more in the sequel.
II.
SKILFULNESS.
31 causes in themselves they do so by means of skilful¬ ness, by the display of knowledge, by arguments, reasons, fundamental ideas, interpretations, and sug¬ gestions. By a variety of skilfulness they are able to release creatures that are attached to one point or another. The Tathagatas, &c.,.Sariputra, have acquired the highest perfection in skilfulness and the display of knowledge; they are endowed with wonderful properties, such as the display of free and unchecked knowledge; the powers 1; the ab¬ sence of hesitation; the independent conditions 2; the strength of the organs; the constituents of Bodhi 3; the contemplations; emancipations 4; medi¬ tations; the degrees of concentration of mind. The Tathagatas, &c.,.Sariputra, are able to expound various things and have something wonderful and marvellous. Enough, vSctriputra, let it suffice to say, that the Tathagatas, &c., have something extremely 1 Here will be meant the ten powers, whence the epithet of Dara- bala applied to a Buddha; they are enumerated in S. Hardy’s Manual, p. 379. Other enumerations count four, five, or seven powers.
2 Or rather, the uncommon, not vulgar properties which distin¬ guish the saints from the vulgar; these avewikadharmas, also called buddhadharmas, are eighteen in number; S. Hardy’s Manual, p. 381.
3 The seven Bodhyangas, viz. recollection, investigation, energy, joyfulness, calm, contemplation, and equanimity.
4 Vimoksha, vimukti, for which see Burnoufs Appendix to the Lotus, p. 824 sqq. According to the view there expressed the eight Vimokshas are as many states of intellect which the thinking sage is going through in his effort to emancipate himself from the versatile world; cf. Lotus, p. 543. There is also a threefold Vi¬ moksha, mentioned by Childers, P&li Diet., p. 270; it may be com¬ pared with the threefold /Htta-vimukti in the Yoga system; see Comm, on Yogarastra, 2, 27.
32 II.
wonderful, Aariputra. None but a Tathagata,, 5 ari- putra, can impart to a Tathagata those laws which the Tathagata knows. And all laws, Aariputra, are taught by the TatMgata, and by him alone; no one but he knows all laws, what they are, how they are, like what they are, of what characteristics and of what nature they are.
And on that occasion, to set forth the same sub¬ ject more copiously, the Lord uttered the following stanzas: 1. Innumerable are the great heroes in the world that embraces gods and men; the totality of crea¬ tures is unable to completely know the leaders.
2. None can know their powers and states of emancipation, their absence of hesitation and Buddha properties, such as they are.
3. Of yore have I followed in presence of ko/is of Buddhas the good course which is profound, subtle, difficult to understand, and most difficult to find.
4. After pursuing that career during an incon¬ ceivable number of koris of yEons, I have on the terrace of enlightenment discovered the fruit thereof.
5. And therefore I recognise, like the other chiefs of the world, how it is, like what it is, and what are its characteristics.
6. It is impossible to explain it; it is unutterable; nor is there such a being in the world 7. To whom this law could be explained or who would be able to understand it when explained, with exception of the Bodhisattvas, those who are firm in resolve.
8. As to the disciples of the Knower of the world, those who have done their duty and received praise II.
SKILFULNESS.
33 from the Sugatas, who are freed from faults and have arrived at the last stage of bodily existence, the Cina-knowledge lies beyond their sphere.
9. If this whole sphere were full of beings like Aarisuta, and if they were to investigate with com¬ bined efforts, they would be unable to comprehend the knowledge of the Sugata.
10. Even if the ten points of space were full of sages like thee, ay, if they were full of such as the rest of my disciples, 11. And if those beings combined were to in¬ vestigate the knowledge of the Sugata, they would, all together, not be able to comprehend the Buddha- knowledge in its whole immensity.
12. If the ten points of space were filled with Pratyekabuddhas, free from faults, gifted with acute faculties, and standing in the last stage of their existence, as numerous as reeds and bamboos in the woods; 13. And if combined for an endless number of myriads of ko/is of./Eons, they were to investigate a part only of my superior laws, they would never find out its real meaning.
14. If the ten points of space were full of Bodhi- sattvas who, after having done their duty under many ko/is of Buddhas, investigated all things and preached many sermons, after entering a new vehicle 1; 15. If the whole world were full of them, as of dense reeds and bamboos, without any interstices, and if all combined were to investigate the law which the Sugata has realised; 1 Or rather, a new career.
D 34 II.
16. If they were going on investigating for many ko/is of./Eons, as incalculable as the sand of the Ganges, with undivided attention and subtle wit, even then that (knowledge) would be beyond their ken.
17. If such Bodhisattvas as are unable to fall back, numerous as the sand of the Ganges, were to investigate it with undivided attention, it would prove to lie beyond their ken.
18. Profound are the laws of the Buddhas, and subtle; all inscrutable and faultless. I myself know them as well as the Crinas do in the ten directions of the world.
19. Thou,.Shriputra, be full of trust in what the Sugata declares. The Cina speaks no falsehood, the great Seer who has so long preached the highest truth.
20. I address all disciples here, those who have set out to reach the enlightenment of Pratyeka- buddhas, those who are roused to activity at my Nirvd/za 1, and those who have been released from the series of evils.
21. It is by my superior skilfulness that I explain the law at great length to the world at large. I deliver whosoever are attached to one point or another, and show the three vehicles 2.
The eminent disciples in the assembly headed by Ajf»ata-Kau«^inya, the twelve hundred Arhats fault¬ less and self-controlled, the other monks, nuns, male and female lay devotees using the vehicle of disciples, and those who had entered the vehicle of Pratyeka- 1 Or, who by me are established in Nirviraa.
2 The word yana in the text also means ‘a career, course.’
II.
SKILFULNESS.
35 buddhas, all of them made this reflection: What may be the cause, what the reason of the Lord so extremely extolling the skilfulness of the Tatha- gatas? of his extolling it by saying, ‘ Profound is the law by me discoveredof his extolling it by saying, ‘ It is difficult for all disciples and Pratyeka- buddhas to understand it.’ But as yet the Lord has declared no more than one kind of emancipation, and therefore we also should acquire the Buddha- laws on reaching Nirvana. We do not catch the meaning of this utterance of the Lord.
And the venerable Aariputra, who apprehended the doubt and uncertainty of the four classes of the audience and guessed their thoughts from what was passing in his own mind, himself being in doubt about the law, then said to the Lord: What, O Lord, is the cause, what the reason of the Lord so repeatedly and extremely extolling the skilfulness, knowledge, and preaching of the Tathagata? Why does he repeatedly extol it by saying, ‘ Profound is the law by me discovered; it is difficult to understand the mystery of the Tathagatas.’ Never before have I heard from the Lord such a discourse on the law. These four classes of the audience, O Lord, are overcome with doubt and perplexity. Therefore may the Lord be pleased to explain what the Tatha¬ gata is alluding to, when repeatedly extolling the profound law of the Tathagatas.
On that occasion the venerable 6ariputra uttered the following stanzas: 22. Now first does the Sun of men utter such a speech: ‘ I have acquired the powers, emancipations, and numberless meditations.’
23. And thou mentionest the terrace of enlighten- 36 II.
ment without any one asking thee; thou mentionest the mystery, although no one asks thee.
24. Thou speakest unasked and laudest thine own course; thou mentionest thy having obtained know¬ ledge and pronouncest profound words.
25. To-day a question rises in my mind and of these self-controlled, faultless beings striving after Nirva/za: Why does the Gina speak in this manner?
26. Those who aspire to the enlightenment of Pratyekabuddhas, the nuns and monks, gods, Nagas, goblins, Gandharvas, and great serpents, are talking together, while looking up to the highest of men, 27. And ponder in perplexity. Give an elucida¬ tion, great Sage, to all the disciples of Sugata here assembled.
28. Myself have reached the perfection (of virtue), have been taught by the supreme Sage; still, O highest of men! even in my position I feel some doubt whether the course (of duty) shown to me shall receive its final sanction by Nirvana.
29. Let thy voice be heard, O thou whose voice resounds like an egregious kettle-drum! proclaim thy law such as it is. The legitimate sons of Cina here standing and gazing at the Cdna, with joined hands; 30. As well as the gods, Nagas, goblins, Titans, numbering thousands of ko/is, like sand of the Ganges; and those that aspire to superior en¬ lightenment, here standing, fully eighty thousand in number; 31. Further, the kings, rulers of provinces and paramount monarchs, who have flocked hither from thousands of ko?is of countries, are now standing with joined hands, and respectful, thinking: How are we to fulfil the course of duty?
II.
SKILFULNESS.
37 The venerable Sariputra having spoken, the Lord said to him: Enough, Shriputra; it is of no use explaining this matter. Why? Because, Shriputra, the world, including the gods, would be frightened if this matter were expounded.
But the venerable Shriputra entreated the Lord a second time, saying: Let the Lord expound, let the Sugata expound this matter, for in this assembly, O Lord, there are many hundreds, many thousands, many hundred thousands, many hundred thousand myriads of koris of living beings who have seen former Buddhas, who are intelligent, and will believe, value, and accept the words of the Lord.
The venerable Sariputra addressed the Lord with this stanza: 32. Speak clearly, O most eminent of Chinas! in this assembly there are thousands of living beings trustful, affectionate, and respectful towards the Sugata; they will understand the law by thee ex¬ pounded.
And the Lord said a second time to the venerable .Sariputra: Enough, Shriputra; it is of no use ex¬ plaining this matter, for the world, including the gods, would be frightened, Sariputra, if this matter were expounded, and some monks might be proud and come to a heavy fall 1.
And on that occasion uttered the Lord the follow¬ ing stanza: 33. Speak no more of it that I should declare this law! This knowledge is too subtle, inscrutable, and there are so many unwise men who in their conceit and foolishness would scoff at the law revealed.
1 Or, commit a great offence.
3§ II.
A third time the venerable.Sariputra entreated the Lord, saying: Let the Lord expound, let the Sugata expound this matter. In this assembly, O Lord, there are many hundreds of living beings my equals, and many hundreds, many thousands, many hundred thousands, many hundred thousand myriads of ko/is of other living beings more, who in former births have been brought by the Lord to full ripe¬ ness. They will believe, value, and accept what the Lord declares, which shall tend to their advantage, weal, and happiness in length of time.
On that occasion the venerable.Sariputra uttered the following stanzas: 34. Explain the law, O thou most high of men! I, thine eldest son, beseech thee. Here are thou¬ sands of ko/is of beings who are to believe in the law by thee revealed.
35. And those beings that in former births so long and constantly have by thee been brought to full maturity and now are all standing here with joined hands, they, too, are to believe in this law.
36. Let the Sugata, seeing the twelve hundred, my equals, and those who are striving after superior enlightenment, speak to them and produce in them an extreme joy.
When the Lord for the third time heard the entreaty of the venerable Sariputra, he spoke to him as follows: Now that thou entreatest the Tathagata a third time, Sariputra, I will answer thee. Listen then, Sariputra, take well and duly to heart what I am saying; I am going to speak.
Now it happened that five thousand proud monks, nuns, and lay devotees of both sexes in the congre¬ gation rose from their seats and, after saluting with IT.
SKILFULNESS.
39 their heads the Lord’s feet, went to leave the assem¬ bly. Owing to the principle of good which there is in pride they imagined having attained what they had not, and having understood what they had not. Therefore, thinking themselves aggrieved, they went to leave the assembly, to which the Lord by his silence showed assent Thereupon the Lord addressed the venerable Sariputra: My congregation, Sariputra, has been cleared from the chaff 1, freed from the trash; it is firmly established in the strength of faith. It is good, •Sariputra, that those proud ones are gone away. Now I am going to expound the matter, Sariputra. ‘ Very well, Lord,’ replied the venerable Sariputra. The Lord then began and said: It is but now and then, Sariputra, that the Tatha- gata preaches such a discourse on the law as this. Just as but now and then is seen the blossom of the glomerous fig-tree, Sariputra, so does the Tathagata but now and then preach such a discourse on the law. Believe me, Sariputra; I speak what is real, I speak what is truthful, I speak what is right. It is difficult to understand the exposition of the mystery of the Tathagata, Sariputra; for in elucidating the law, Sariputra, I use hundred thousands of various skilful means, such as different interpretations, indi¬ cations, explanations, illustrations. It is not by reasoning, Sariputra, that the law is to be found: it is beyond the pale of reasoning, and must be.
1 One of the MSS. has nishpralava, which ought to be nish- palava; another has nishpudgalava. Both imaginary words are no doubt the result of an unhappy attempt to Sanskritise a Pra¬ krit nippalava by scribes unacquainted with the Sanskrit palava (Pali palapa). The right form occurs below, stanza 40.
40 II.
learnt from the Tathagata. For, Sariputra, it is for a sole object, a sole aim, verily a lofty object, a lofty aim that the Buddha, the Tathagata, &c., appears in the world. And what is that sole object, that sole aim, that lofty object, that lofty aim of the Buddha, the Tathagata, &c., appearing in the world? To show all creatures the sight of Tathagata-know- ledge 1 does the Buddha, the TatMgata, &c., appear in the world; to open the eyes of creatures for the sight of Tathagata-knowledge does the Buddha, the Tathagata, &c., appear in the world. This, O Sari- putra, is the sole object, the sole aim, the sole pur¬ pose of his appearance in the world. Such then, Sariputra, is the sole object, the sole aim, the lofty object, the lofty aim of the TatMgata. And it is achieved by the Tathagata. For, Sariputra, I do show all creatures the sight of Tathagata-knowledge; I do open the eyes of creatures for the sight of Tathi- gata-knowledge, Sariputra; I do firmly establish the teaching of Tathagata-knowledge, Sariputra; I do lead the teaching of Tathagata-knowledge on the right path,.Sariputra. By means of one sole vehicle 2, to wit, the Buddha-vehicle,.Sariputra, do I teach creatures the law; there is no second vehicle, nor a third. This is the nature of the law, Sariputra, universally in the world, in all directions. For, Sariputra, all the Tathagatas, &c., who in times past existed in countless, innumerable spheres in all directions for the weal of many, the happiness of many, out of pity to the world, for the benefit, weal, and happiness of the great body of creatures, 1 Or, to rouse all creatures by the display of Tathagata-knowledge.
2 Rather and properly, one sole course.
II.
SKILFULNESS.
41 and who preached the law to gods and men with able means, such as several directions and indica¬ tions, various arguments, reasons, illustrations, fun¬ damental ideas, interpretations, paying regard to the dispositions of creatures whose inclinations and temperaments are so manifold, all those Buddhas and Lords,.Shriputra, have preached the law to creatures by means of only one vehicle, the Buddha- vehicle, which finally leads to omniscience; it is identical with showing all creatures the sight of Tathagata-knowledge; with opening the eyes of creatures for the sight of Tath&gata-knowledge; with the awakening (or admonishing) by the dis¬ play (or sight) of Tathigata - knowledge x; with leading the teaching of Tathagata-knowledge on the right path. Such is the law they have preached to creatures. And those creatures,.Sariputra, who have heard the law from the past Tathagatas, &c., have all of them reached supreme, perfect enlightenment.
And the Tathagatas, &c., who shall exist in future, -Shriputra, in countless, innumerable spheres in all directions for the weal of many, the happi¬ ness of many, out of pity to the world, for the benefit, weal, and happiness of the great body of creatures, and who shall preach the law to gods and men (&c., as above till) the right path. Such is the law they shall preach to creatures. And those creatures, Sariputra, who shall hear the law from the future Tathagatas, &c., shall all of them reach supreme, perfect enlightenment.
And the Tathagatas, &c., who now at present are 1 One MS. has TatMgata^-mSnadejanapratibodhana; the other D darfana° instead of °dejana°.
42 II.
staying, living, existing, S&riputra, in countless, innu¬ merable spheres in all directions, &c., and who are preaching the law to gods and men (&c., as above till) the right path. Such is the law they are preaching to creatures. And those creatures, Shri- putra, who are hearing the law from the present Tathagatas, &c., shall all of them reach supreme, perfect enlightenment.
I myself also, Sariputra, am at the present period a Tathagata, &c., for the weal of many (&c., till) mani¬ fold; I myself also, Siriputra, am preaching the law to creatures (&c., till) the right path. Such is the law I preach to creatures. And those creatures, Sdri- putra, who now are hearing the law from me, shall all of them reach supreme, perfect enlightenment. In this sense,.Sariputra, it must be understood that nowhere in the world a second vehicle is taught, far less a third.
Yet, Sariputra, when the Tathigatas, &c., happen to appear at the decay 1 of the epoch, the decay of creatures, the decay of besetting sins 2, the decay of views, or the decay of lifetime; when they appear amid such signs of decay at the disturbance of the epoch; when creatures are much tainted, full of greed and poor in roots of goodness; then, Sari¬ putra, the Tathagatas, &c., use, skilfully, to desig¬ nate that one and sole Buddha-vehicle by the appellation of the threefold vehicle. Now, Sari¬ putra, such disciples, Arhats, or Pratyekabuddhas 1 One MS. has °kashayeshu in the plural, literally ‘ the dregs.’
2 Klexakashaya, which Burnouf renders by ‘la corruption du mal.’ I think we might paraphrase the term used in the text by saying, the time when the besetting sins or natural depravities show themselves at their very worst.
II.
SKILFULNESS.
43 who do not hear their actually being called to the Buddha-vehicle by the Tath&gata, who do not per¬ ceive, nor heed it, those, Sariputra, should not be acknowledged as disciples of the Tathagata, nor as Arhats, nor as Pratyekabuddhas.