Again the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Akshayamati said to the Lord: How, O Lord, is it that the Bodhi¬ sattva Mahasattva Avalokitesvarafrequents this Saha- world? And how does he preach the law? And which is the range of the skilfulness of the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Avalokite-svara? So asked, the Lord re¬ plied to the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Akshayamati: In some worlds, young man of good family, the Bodhisattva Mah&sattva Avalokitesvara preaches the law to creatures in the shape of a Buddha; 1 Burnouf has followed a text of greater length.
XXIV.
THE ALL-SIDED ONE.
in others he does so in the shape of a Bodhi- sattva. To some beings he shows the law in the shape of a Pratyekabuddha; to others he does so in the shape of a disciple; to others again under that of Brahma, Indra, or a Gandharva. To those who are to be converted by a goblin, he preaches the law assuming the shape of a goblin; to those who are to be converted by Isvara, he preaches the law in the shape of 1.svara; to those who are to be converted by Mahesvara, he preaches assuming the shape of Mahesvara. To those who are to be converted by a Wakravartin 1, he shows the law after assuming the shape of a Aakravartin; to those who are to be converted by an imp, he shows the law under the shape of an imp; to those who are to be converted by Kubera, he shows the law by appearing in the shape of Kubera; to those who are to be converted by Senhpati 2, he preaches in the shape of Senapati; to those who are to be con¬ verted by assuming a Brhhman 3, he preaches in the shape of a Brahman; to those who are to be converted by Va^rapa/d 4, he preaches in the shape of Va^rap&m 5. With such inconceivable qualities, young man of good family, is the Bodhi- 1 This term is ambiguous; it means both ‘the mover of the wheel,’ i.e.Vishmi, and ‘an emperor.’
2 Ambiguous; the word denotes both ‘ the commander-in-chief of the army of the gods, Skanda,’ and ‘ a commander-in-chief in general.’
8 The Brahman may be Bn'haspati.
* VagrapSwi is the name of one of the Dhyanibuddhas, and of certain geniuses, and an epithet of Indra.
5 The functions of Avalokitejvara, as it appears from these pas¬ sages, agree with those of Gadgadasvara mentioned in the fore¬ going chapter. Both beings have many qualities in common, just as Aiva and Vishrra have.
SADDHARMA-PUiVDARf KA.
XXIV.
sattva Mahasattva Avalokitesvara endowed 1. There¬ fore then, young man of good family, honour the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Avalokitesvara. The Bodhi- sattva Mahasattva Avalokitesvara, young man of good family, affords safety to those who are in anxiety. On that account one calls him in this Saha-world Abhayandada (i. e. Giver of Safety).
Further, the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Akshaya- mati said to the Lord: Shall we give a gift of piety, a decoration of piety, O Lord, to the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Avalokitei'vara? The Lord replied: Do so, if thou thinkest it opportune. Then the Bodhi¬ sattva Mahasattva Akshayamati took from his neck a pearl necklace, worth a hundred thousand (gold pieces), and presented it to the Bodhisattva Maha¬ sattva Avalokitesvara as a decoration of piety, with the words: Receive from me this decoration of piety, good man. But he would not accept it. Then the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Akshayamati said to the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Avalokitesvara: Out of compassion to us, young man of good family, accept this pearl necklace. Then the Bodhisattva Maha¬ sattva Avalokite.yvara accepted the pearl necklace from the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Akshayamati, out of compassion to the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Akshayamati and the four classes, and out of com¬ passion to the gods, Nagas, goblins, Gandharvas, demons, Garurfas, Kinnaras, great serpents, men, and beings not human. Thereafter he divided (the necklace) into two parts, and offered one part to the Lord Aakyamuni, and the other to the jewel Stftpa of the Lord Prabhfttaratna, the Tathagata, &c., who had become completely extinct.
1 Burnouf has followed another reading.
XXIV.
THE ALL-SIDED ONE.
With such a faculty of transformation, young man of good family, the Bodhisattva Mah&sattva Avalo- kitesvara is moving in this Saha-world.
And on that occasion the Lord uttered the follow¬ ing stanzas: 1. Witradhva^a asked Akshayamati the following question: For what reason, son of (Ana, is Avaloki- tesvara (so) called 1?
2. And Akshayamati, that ocean of profound in¬ sight, after considering how the matter stood 2, spoke to Witradhva^a: Listen to the conduct of Avaloki- texvara.
3. Hear from my indication how for numerous, inconceivable Aions he has accomplished his vote under many thousand ko/is of Buddhas.
4. Hearing, seeing, regularly and constantly thinking 3 will infallibly destroy all suffering, (mun¬ dane) existence, and grief of living beings here on earth.
5. If one be thrown into a pit of fire, by a wicked enemy with the object of killing him, he has but to think of Avalokite^vara, and the fire shall be quenched as if sprinkled with water.
6. If one happens to fall into the dreadful ocean, the abode of Ndgas, marine monsters, and demons, he has but to think of Avalokitesvara, and he shall never sink down in the king of waters 4.
1 It will be observed that this poetical version here entirely differs from the preceding prose introduction. As to the name of ATitradhva^a, I have not met with it elsewhere.
2 TadrfjatS vilokiysi.
8 Of whom or what? is not expressed. From the sequel one might be tempted to infer that Avalokitervara, or the exposition of his power, is the object of hearing, &c.
4 Smarato(for smaratu), Avalokitervara^ ^alara^e na kadfWi sidati.
7. If a man happens to be hurled down from the brink of the Meru, by some wicked person with the object of killing him, he has but to think of Ava- ■lokitervara, and he shall, sunlike, stand firm in the sky 1.
8. If rocks of thunderstone and thunderbolts are thrown at a man’s head to kill him, he has but to think of Avalokitewara, and they shall not be able to hurt one hair of the body.
9. If a man be surrounded by a host of enemies armed with swords, who have the intention of killing him, he has but to think of Avalokitesvara, and they shall instantaneously become kind-hearted.
10. If a man, delivered to the power of the execu¬ tioners, is already standing at the place of execution, he has but to think of Avalokitewara, and their swords shall go to pieces.
11. If a person happens to be fettered in shackles of wood or iron, he has but to think of Avalokite- svara, and the bonds shall be speedily loosened.
12. Mighty spells, witchcraft, herbs, ghosts, and spectres, pernicious to life, revert thither whence they come, when one thinks of Avalokitesvara.
13. If a man is surrounded by goblins, Nagas, demons, ghosts, or giants, who are in the habit of taking away bodily vigour, he has but to think of Avalokite-svara, and they shall not be able to hurt one hair of his body 2.
1 Smarato Avalokitervaro (r. °raw) sfiryabhfitaw? (r. °to) va nabhe pratish//$ati. I have taken the liberty of translating pratish/^ati as if the text had prati tish/^ati. The version of Beal has ‘ stand in space, fixed as the sun.’
2 Here I have followed the marginal reading, which agrees with Burnoufs. The older text has instead of thirteen and fourteen but one stanza, the translation of which runs thus: * If, &c., sur- XXIV.
THE ALL-SIDED ONE.
14. If a man is surrounded by fearful beasts with sharp teeth and claws, he has but to think of Avalo- kitesvara, and they shall quickly fly in all directions.
15. If a man is surrounded by snakes malicious and frightful on account of the flames and fires (they emit), he has but to think of Avalokitesvara, and they shall quickly lose their poison.
16. If a heavy thunderbolt shoots from a cloud pregnant with lightning and thunder, one has but to think of Avalokitesvara, and the fire of heaven shall quickly, instantaneously be quenched.
17. He (Avalokite.svara) with his powerful know¬ ledge beholds all creatures who are beset with many hundreds of troubles and afflicted by many sorrows, and thereby is a saviour in the world, in¬ cluding the gods.
18. As he is thoroughly practised in the power of magic, and possessed of vast knowledge and skil¬ fulness, he shows himself 1 in all directions and in all regions of the world.
19. Birth, decrepitude, and disease will come to an end for those who are in the wretched states of existence, in hell, in brute creation, in the kingdom of Yama, for all beings (in general 2 ).
[Then Akshayamati in the joy of his heart uttered the following stanzas 3:] 20. O thou whose eyes are clear, whose eyes are rounded by Nagas, marine monsters, demons, ghosts, or giants he has, &c., and they shall quickly fly in all directions.’
1 Drz'ryate.
2 We have to understand: in consequence of the conduct of the great Avalokitefvara.
3 The words in brackets have been added in the margin by a later hand.
kind, distinguished by wisdom and knowledge, whose eyes are full of pity and benevolence; thou so lovely by thy beautiful face and beautiful eyes!
21. Pure one, whose shine is spotless bright, whose knowledge is free from darkness, thou shining as the sun, not to be beaten away, radiant as the blaze of fire, thou spreadest in thy flying course thy lustre in the world 1.
22. O thou who rejoicest in kindness having its source in compassion, thou great cloud of good qualities and of benevolent mind 2, thou quenchest the fire that vexes living beings, thou pourest out nectar, the rain of the law.
23. In quarrel 3, dispute, war, battle, in any great danger one has to think of Avalokitevvara, who shall quell the wicked troop of foes.
24. One should think of Avalokitervara, whose sound is as the cloud’s and the drum’s, who thunders like a rain-cloud, possesses a good voice like Brahma, (a voice) going through the whole gamut of tones.
25. Think, O think with tranquil mood of Avalo- kite-svara, that pure being; he is a protector, a refuge, a recourse in death, disaster, and calamity.
26. He who possesses the perfection of all virtues, and beholds all beings with compassion and bene¬ volence, he, an ocean of virtues, Virtue itself, he, Avalokitesvara, is worthy of adoration.
3 Kalahe.
XXIV.
THE ALL-SIDED ONE.
27. He, so compassionate for the world, shall once become a Buddha, destroying all dangers and sor¬ rows 1; I humbly bow to Avalokite^vara.
28. This universal Lord, chief of kings, who is a (rich) mine of monastic virtues, he, universally wor¬ shipped, has reached pure, supreme enlightenment, after plying his course (of duty) during many hun¬ dreds of.Eons.
29. At one time standing to the right, at another to the left of the Chief Amit&bha, whom he is fan¬ ning, he, by dint of meditation, like a phantom, in all regions honours the (Ana.
30. In the west, where the pure world Sukhakara 2 is situated, there the Chief Amitabha, the tamer of men 3, has his fixed abode.
31. There no women are to be found; there sexual intercourse is absolutely unknown; there the sons of (Ana, on springing into existence by appari- tional birth, are sitting in the undefiled cups of lotuses.
32. And the Chief Amitabha himself is seated on a throne in the pure and nice cup of a lotus, and shines as the.S’ila-king 4.
1 The present will make room for the future, life will end in death; the living Avalokitervara will pass into the state of Buddha, al. Dharmarag-a, i.e. Death, the great physician.
2 I.e. procuring bliss or tranquillity; the more common name is Sukhavati. In Greek and Roman mythology we find the Insulae Fortunatae and the gardens of the Hesperidae lying in the same quarter.
3 From this it appears that Amitabha or Amitayus is but another name of Yama, and just as Yama also governs the planet Saturn, it may be held that Amitabha, as one of the five Dhyani-Buddhas, among his other offices, is invested with the dignity of being the ruler of Saturn.
4 I do not understand the meaning of this compound. In the 33. The Leader of the world, whose store of merit has been praised, has no equal in the triple world. O supreme of men, let us soon become like thee!
Thereupon the Bodhisattva Mahisattva Dhara- mndhara rose from his seat, put his upper robe upon one shoulder, fixed his right knee against the earth, stretched his joined hands towards the Lord and said: They must be possessed of not a few good roots, O Lord, who are to hear this chapter from the Dharmaparyaya about the Bodhisattva Maha- sattva Avalokitesvara and this miraculous power of transformation of the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Ava- lokitesvara.
And while this chapter of the All-sided One was being expounded by the Lord, eighty-four thousand living beings from that assembly felt their minds drawn to that supreme and perfect enlightenment, with which nothing else can be compared l.
next following chapter we shall meet with a Tathagata named .Salendraraga, i.e. king of the ^ala-chiefs.
1 Asamasama; Burnouf takes it as ‘qui est £gal a ce qui n’a pas dTgal.’ The term also occurs Lalita-vistara, p. 114, 1. 9.
XXV.
ANCIENT DEVOTION.
CHAPTER XXV.
ANCIENT DEVOTION 1.
Thereupon the Lord addressed the entire assem¬ blage of Bodhisattvas: Of yore, young men of good family, at a past epoch, incalculable, more than in¬ calculable Eons ago, at that time there appeared in the world a Tathagata named Ghladharagar/ita- ghoshasusvaranakshatrara^asahkusumitabhif^a, an Arhat, &c., endowed with science and conduct, &c. &c., in the.Eon Priyadarsana, in the world Vairo/£a- nara-rmipratima^ita. Now, there was, young men of good family, under the spiritual rule of the Tathct- gata Guladharagar^itaghoshasusvaranakshatrara^a- sankusumitabhi^a a king called.Subhavyuha. That king.Subhavyhha, young men of good family, had a wife called Vimaladatta, and two sons, one called Vimalagarbha, the other Vimalanetra. These two boys, who possessed magical power and wisdom 2, applied themselves to the course of duty of Bodhisattvas, viz. to the perfect virtues (Parami- tas) of almsgiving, morality, forbearance, energy, meditation, wisdom, and skilfulness; they were accomplished in benevolence, compassion, joyful sympathy and indifference, and in all the thirty- 1 Pfirvayoga; rather, ancient history; cf. p. 153.
8 In the margin sundry epithets have been added, which here are omitted.
e e 2 XXV.
seven constituents of true knowledge h They had perfectly mastered the meditation Vimala (i.e. spot¬ less), the meditation N akshatrara^aditya 1 2, the medita¬ tion Vimalanirbhasa, the meditation Vimalibhisa, the meditation Alankarasura 3, the meditation Mahate/o- garbha 4. Now at that time, that period the said Lord preached the Dharmaparyaya of the Lotus of the True Law out of compassion for the beings then living and for the king Yubhavyuha. Then, young men of good family, the two young princes Vimala- garbha and Vimalanetra went to their mother, to whom they said, after stretching their joined hands: We should like to go, mother, to the Lord Caladha- ragar^it aghoshasusvaranakshatrara^a s a n k u sumita - bhi^a, the Tathagata, &c., and that, mother, because the Lord Caladharagandtaghoshasusvaranakshatra- ra^asankusumitabhi^a, the Tathigata, &c., ex¬ pounds, in great extension, before the world, in¬ cluding the gods, the Dharmaparyaya of the Lotus of the True Law. We should like to hear it. Whereupon the queen Vimaladatta said to the two young princes Vimalagarbha and Vimalanetra: Your father, young gentlemen, the king Yubhavyuha, favours the Brah- 1 Bodhipakshika or Bodhapakshika (dharmas). They form part of the 108 Dharmalokamukhas in Lalita-vistara, p. 36, 1. 17-p. 38, 1. 6; an enumeration of them is found in Spence Hardy’s Manual of Buddhism, p. 497.
* Burnoufs reading is Nakshatrat&rar&^aditya, i.e. the Sun, king of stars and asterisms.
5 So Burnouf; my MS. has Alankarajubha, i.e. splendid with ornaments.
4 I.e. having great lustre in the interior, or womb of great lustre. Nirmalanirbhasa may mean both ‘spotless radiance’and ‘having a spotless radiance;’ Vimalabhasa, ‘spotless shine,’ or ‘having a spotless shine.’
XXV.
ANCIENT DEVOTION.
mans. Therefore you will not obtain the permission to go and see the Tathagata. Then the two young princes Vimalagarbha and Vimalanetra, stretching their joined hands, said to their mother: Though born in a family that adheres to a false doctrine, we feel as sons to the king of the law. Then, young men of good family, the queen Vimaladatta said to the young princes: Well, young gentlemen, out of compassion for your father, the king Vubhavyhha, display some miracle, that he may become favourably inclined to you, and on that account grant you the permission of going to the Lord Galadharagar/ita- ghoshasusvaranakshatrara^asankusumitabhif^a, the Tathagata, &c.
Immediately the young princes Vimalagarbha and Vimalanetra rose into the atmosphere to a height of seven Til trees 1 and performed miracles such as are allowed by the Buddha, out of compassion for their father, the king Vubhavyuha. They prepared in the sky a couch and raised dust; there they also emitted from the lower part of their body a shower of rain, and from the upper part a mass of fire; then again they emitted from the upper part of their body a shower of rain, and from the lower part a mass of fire 2. While in the firmament they became now big, then small; and now small, then big. Then they vanished from the sky to come up again from the earth and reappear in the air. Such, young men of good family, were the miracles produced by the ] Or seven spans, whatever may be meant by it.
2 A similar miracle was performed by the Buddha, according to the traditions of the Southern Buddhists, when he had to show his superiority to the six heretical doctors; see Bigandet, Life of Gaudama, vol. i, p. 218.
XXV.
magical power of the two young princes, whereby their father, the king.SubhavyCtha, was converted. At the sight of the miracle produced by the magical power of the two young princes, the king 6ubha- vyftha was content, in high spirits, ravished, rejoiced, joyful, and happy, and, the joined hands raised, he said to the boys: Who is your master, young gentlemen? whose pupils are you? And the two young princes answered the king.Subhavyuha: There is, noble king, there exists and lives a Lord Galadharagargitaghoshasusvaranakshatrara- ^asankusumitabhi^wa, a Tathagata, &c.; seated on the stool of law at the foot of the tree of enlighten¬ ment; he extensively reveals the Dharmaparyaya of the Lotus of the True Law to the world, including the gods. That Lord is our Master, O noble king; we are his pupils. Then, young gentle¬ men of good family, the king vSubhavyhha said to the young princes: I will see your Master, young gentlemen; I am to go myself to the presence of that Lord.
After the two young princes had descended from the sky, young gentlemen, they went to their mother and with joined hands stretched forward said to her: Mother, we have converted our father to supreme and perfect knowledge; we have performed the office of masters towards him; therefore let us go now; we wish to enter upon the ecclesiastical life in the face of the Lord. And on that occasion, young men of good family, the young princes Vimalagarbha and Vimalanetra addressed their mother in the following two stanzas: i. Allow us, O mother, to go forth from home and to embrace the houseless life; ay, we will XXV.
ANCIENT DEVOTION.
become ascetics, for rare to be met with (or precious) is a TatMgata.
2. As the blossom of the glomerated fig-tree, nay, more rare is the Gina. Let us depart; we will renounce the world; the favourable moment is precious (or not often to be met with).
Vimaladatta said: 3. Now I grant you leave; go, my children, I give my consent. I myself will likewise renounce the world, for rare to be met with (or precious) is a TatMgata.
Having uttered these stanzas, young men of good family, the two young princes said to their parents: Pray, father and mother, you also go together with us to the Lord Galadharagarfitaghoshasusvarana- kshatrar 4 ^asankusumitabhi^a,the Tathagata, &c., in order to see, humbly salute and wait upon him, and to hear the law. For, father and mother, the appearance of a Buddha is rare to be met with as the blossom of the glomerated fig-tree, as the entering of the tor¬ toise’s neck into the hole of the yoke formed by the great ocean l. The appearance of Lords Buddhas, father and mother, is rare. Hence, father and mother, it is a happy lot we have been blessed with, to have been born at the time of such a prophet. Therefore, father and mother, give us leave; we would go and become ascetics in presence 2 of the Lord Galadharagarfitaghoshasusvaranakshatrarao'a- sankusumitabhyvaia, the Tathagata, &c., for the 1 I am as unable to elucidate this comparison as Burnouf was. Not unlikely the mythological tortoise in its quality of supporter of the earth is alluded to.
2 SakSre; Burnouf has ‘ sous l’enseignement ’ (r a sane), which is the more usual phrase.
XXV.
seeing of a Tathagata is something rare. Such a king of the law is rarely met with; such a favourable occasion 1 is rarely met with.
Now at that juncture, young men of good family, the eighty-four thousand women of the harem of the king S'ubhavyhha became worthy of being receptacles of this Dharmaparyaya of the Lotus of the True Law. The young prince Vimalanetra exercised himself in this Dharmaparyaya, whereas the young prince Vi- malagarbha for many hundred thousand myriads of ko/is of yEons practised the meditation Sarvasattva- papa^ahana 2, with the object that all beings should abandon all evils. And the mother of the two young princes, the queen Vimaladatta, acknowledged the harmony between all Buddhas and all topics treated by them 3. Then, young men of good family, the king Aubhavyhha, having been converted to the law of the Tathagata by the instrumentality of the two young princes, having been initiated and brought to full maturity in it, along with all his relations and retinue; the queen Vimaladatti with the whole crowd of women in her suite, and the two young princes, the sons of the king.Subhavyuha, accom¬ panied by forty-two thousand living beings, along with the women of the harem and the ministers, went all together and unanimously to the Lord Cala- dharagar^itaghoshasusvaranakshatrari^asankusumi- tabhi^wa, the Tathagatha, &c. On arriving at the place where the Lord was, they humbly saluted his 2 I.e. means whereby (all) evils are abandoned by all creatures.
3 SarvabuddhasthSnani; in the margin added the word for ‘ secret.’
XXV.
ANCIENT DEVOTION.
feet, circumambulated him three times from left to right and took their stand at some distance.
Then, young men of good family, the Lord Cala- dharagar^itaghoshasusvaranakshatrara^asaiikusumi- t&bhifwa, the Tathagata, &c., perceiving the king •Subhavyftha, who had arrived with his retinue, in¬ structed, roused, excited, and comforted him with a sermon. And the king 6ubhavyuha, young men of good family, after he had been well and duly in¬ structed, roused, excited, and comforted by the sermon of the Lord, was so content, glad, ravished, joyful, rejoiced, and delighted, that he put his diadem on the head of his younger brother and established him in the government, whereafter he himself with his sons, kinsmen, and retinue, as well as the queen Vima- ladatta and her numerous train of women, the two young princes accompanied by forty-two 1 thousand living beings went all together and unanimously forth from home to embrace the houseless life, prompted as they were by their faith in the preach¬ ing of the Lord < 7 aladharagarfitaghoshasusvarana- kshatrari^asankusumitdbhi^a, the Tathagata, &c. Having become an ascetic, the king ^ubhavyhha, with his retinue, remained for eighty-four thousand years applying himself to studying, meditating, and thoroughly penetrating this Dharmaparyaya of the Lotus of the True Law. At the end of those eighty- four thousand years, young men of good family, the king Aubhavyuha acquired the meditation termed Sarvaguwdlankiravyhha 2. No sooner had he ac- 1 Burnouf has eighty-four, but this must be a faulty reading, because the number of forty-two agrees with that given above.
2 I. e. collocation (or disposition) of the ornaments of all good qualities.
XXV.
quired that meditation, than he rose seven Tils up to the sky, and while staying in the air, young men of good family, the king.Subhavyftha said to the Lord £aladharagarjfitaghoshasusvaranakshatrara/a- sankusumitabhi^a, the Tathagata, &c.: My two sons, O Lord, are my masters, since it is owing to the miracle produced by their magical power that I have been diverted from that great heap of false doc¬ trines, been established in the command of the Lord, brought to full ripeness in it, introduced to it, and exhorted to see the Lord. They have acted as true friends to me, O Lord, those two young princes who as sons were born in my house, certainly to remind me of my former roots of goodness.
At these words the Lord Caladharagar^itagho- shasusvaranakshatrara^asankusumitabhifwa, the Ta¬ thagata, &c., spoke to the king.Subhavyuha: It is as thou sayest, noble king. Indeed, noble king, such young men or young ladies of good family as possess roots of goodness, will in any existence, state, descent, rebirth or place 1 easily find true friends, who with them shall perform the task of a master 2, who shall admonish, introduce, fully prepare them to obtain supreme and perfect enlightenment. It is an exalted position, noble king, the office of a true friend who rouses (another) to see the Tathagata. Dost thou see these two young princes, noble king? I do, Lord; I do, Sugata, said the king. The Lord 1 Bhavagati£yutyupapatty£yataneshu. Burnouf must have read bhagava^^yu 0 or something like it, for he translates: ‘qui sont nds dans les lieux oh se sont accomplies la naissance et la mort d’un Bienheureux.’
XXV. ANCIENT DEVOTION. 427 proceeded: Now, these two young gentlemen, noble king, will pay worship to sixty-five (times the number of) Tathagatas, &c., equal to the sands of the Ganges; they will keep this Dharmaparyaya of the Lotus of the True Law, out of compassion for beings who hold false doctrines, and with the aim to produce in those beings an earnest striving after the right doctrine.
Thereupon, young men of good family, the king .Subhavyftha came down from the sky, and, having raised his joined hands, said to the Lord ( 7 ala- dharagargitaghoshasusvaranakshatrara^asahkusumi- tabhif»a, the Tathagata, &c.: Please, Lord, deign to tell me, what knowledge the Tathagata is possessed of, so that the protuberance on his head is shining; that the Lord’s eyes are so clear; that between his brows the tlrzza (circle of hair) is shining, resembling in whiteness the moon; that in his mouth a row of equal and close-standing teeth is glittering; that the Lord has lips red as the Bimba and such beau¬ tiful eyes.
As the king.Subhavyfiha, young men of good family, had celebrated the Lord Caladharagargita- ghoshasusvaranakshatrara^asahkusumitabhifzza, the Tathagata, &c., by enumerating so many good qualities and hundred thousands of myriads of ko/is of other good qualities besides, he said to the Lord Galadhara- gar^itaghoshasusvaranakshatrarafasankusumithbhi- gna, the Tathagata, &c.: It is wonderful, O Lord, how valuable the Tathagata’s teaching is, and with how many inconceivable virtues the religious discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata is attended; how bene¬ ficial the moral precepts proclaimed by the Tatha¬ gata are. From henceforward, O Lord, we will no XXV.
more be slaves to our own mind; no more be slaves to false doctrine; no more slaves to rashness; no more slaves to the sinful thoughts arising in us. Being possessed of so many good qualities, O Lord, I do not wish to go away from the presence of the Lord 1.
After humbly saluting the feet of the Lord Gala- dharagar^itaghoshasusvaranakshatrarafasankusumi- t&bhi/wa, the Tathagata, &c., the king rose up to the sky and there stood. Thereupon the king Aubha- vyuha and the queen Vimaladatta from the sky, threw a pearl necklace worth a hundred thousand (gold pieces) upon the Lord; and that pearl necklace no sooner came down upon the head of the Lord than it assumed the shape of a tower with four columns, regular, well-constructed, and beautiful. On the sum¬ mit of the tower appeared a couch covered with many hundred thousand pieces of fine cloth, and on the couch was seen the image of a Tathagata sitting cross-legged. Then the following thought presented itself to the king Aubhavyuha: The Buddha-knowledge must be very powerful, and the Tathagata endowed with inconceivable good qualities that this Tathagata- image shows itself on the summit of the tower, (an image) so nice, beautiful, possessed of an extreme abundance of good colours. Then the Lord Caladhara- gar^itaghoshasusvaranakshatrara^asankusumitabhi- gna, the Tathagata, &c., addressed the four classes 1 Here I have followed Burnouf’s reading; the Cambridge MS. has: ebhir ahawz Bhagavann iyadbhir akusalair dharmai^ samanva- gato nzkkh&m\ Bhagavato ’ntikaw (sic) upasawkramituw, i.e. being possessed of so many unholy qualities, O Lord, I do (or did) not wish to approach the Lord.
XXV.
ANCIENT DEVOTION.
(and asked): Do you see, monks, the king.Subha- vyftha who, standing in the sky, is emitting a lion’s roar? They answered: We do, Lord. The Lord proceeded: This king Subhavytlha, monks, after having become a monk under my rule shall become a Tathagata in the world, by the name of Salendra- ra^a 1, endowed with science and conduct, &c. &c., in the world Vistlmavati; his epoch shall be called Abhyudgatara^a. That Tathagata Salendraraifa, monks, the Arhat, &c., shall have an immense congre¬ gation of Bodhisattvas, an immense congregation of disciples. The said world Vistimavati shall be level as the palm of the hand, and consist of lapis lazuli. So he shall be an inconceivably great Tathagata, &c. Perhaps, young men of good family, you will have some doubt, uncertainty or misgiving (and think) that the king Subhavyftha at that time, that juncture was another. But you must not think so; for it is the very same Bodhisattva Mahasattva Padma.?rl here present, who at that time, that juncture was the king Subhavyuha. Perhaps, young men of good family, you will have some doubt, uncertainty or misgiving (and think) that the queen Vimaladatta at that time, that juncture was another. But you must not think so; for it is the very same Bodhi¬ sattva Mahasattva called Vairoianara-smipratimawr/i- tari^a 2, who at that time, that juncture was the queen Vimaladatta, and who out of compassion for the king Subhavyuha and the creatures had assumed 1 Also written Salendrara^a. In the Calcutta edition of the Lalita-vistara, p. 201, 1.12, he occurs as Sarendrara^a, but Hodgson, Essays, p. 33, in a list drawn from the same work, has Salendraraga.
2 Burnoufs reading has dhva^a for ra^a.
XXV.
the state of being the wife of king Aubhavyftha. Perhaps, young men of good family, you will have some doubt, uncertainty or misgiving (and think)...that the two young princes were others. But you must not think so; for it was Bhaishafyara^a and Bhaisha^yara^asamudgata, who at that time, that juncture were sons to the king Aubhavyuha. With such inconceivable qualities, young men of good family, were the Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas Bhaisha^yara^a. and Bhaisha^yarifasamudgata en¬ dowed, they, the two good men, having planted good roots under many hundred thousand myriads of ko/is of Buddhas. Those that shall cherish the name of these two good men shall all become worthy of receiving homage from the world, includ¬ ing the gods.
While this chapter on Ancient Devotion was being expounded, the spiritual insight of eighty-four thou¬ sand living beings in respect to the law was purified so as to become unclouded and spotless.
XXVI. ENCOURAGEMENT OF SAMANTABHADRA. 431 CHAPTER XXVI.
ENCOURAGEMENT 1 OF SAMANTABHADRA.