jewels, covered with different heavenly flowers 1, full of couches strewn with beautiful cushions, then exactly such a palace appears before them. And in these delightful palaces they dwell, play, sport, walk about, being honoured, and surrounded by seven times seven thousands of Apsarases.
§ 20. ‘ And in that world, there is no difference between gods and men, except when they are spoken of in ordinary and imperfect parlance as gods and men. And, O Ananda, as a low man and impo¬ tent man, before the face of the mighty king, is neither bright, nor warm, nor brilliant, nor is he self-confident and radiant, — thus Sakra, king of the Devas, if before the face of the Paranirmitavasa- vartin gods, is neither bright, nor warm, nor brilliant, namely, with regard to his gardens, palaces, dresses, ornaments, his dominion, his perfection, his miracu¬ lous power, or his supremacy, his comprehension of the Law, and his full enjoyment of the Law. And, O Ananda, as the Paranirmitava-savartin gods are there, thus men must be considered in the world Sukhavati.
§ 21. ‘ And again, O Ananda, in that world Sukha¬ vati, when the time of forenoon has come, the winds are greatly agitated and blowing everywhere in the four quarters. And they shake and drive many beautiful, graceful, and many-coloured stalks of the gem trees, which are perfumed with sweet heavenly scents, so that many hundred beautiful flowers of delightful scent fall down on the great earth, which is all full of jewels. And with these flowers that 1 Instead of pushpa the Tibetan translator seems to have read d u s h y a, ‘garment.’
THE LAND OF BLISS.
43 Buddha country is adorned on every side seven fathoms deep. As a clever man might spread out a flower-bed on the earth and make it even with both his hands, beautiful and charming, even thus with those flowers of various scents and colours that Buddha country is shining on every side seven fathoms deep. And these many flowers are soft, pleasant to touch, if one may use a comparison, like K&Mindika (some kind of soft substance). If one puts one’s foot on them, they sink down four inches; if one raises one’s foot, they rise again four inches. When the time of the forenoon has gone again, those flowers vanish without leaving anything behind. Then that Buddha country is again clean, pleasant, beautiful, and without fading flowers. The winds blow again everywhere in the four quarters, and scatter down fresh flowers as before. And as it is in the fore¬ noon, so it is at noon, at twilight, in the first, middle, and last watch of the night. And the beings, if touched by those winds which blow per¬ fume with various scents, are as full of happiness as a Bhikshu (mendicant) who has obtained Nirviwa.
§22. ‘And in that Buddha country, O Ananda, no mention is ever made of the names of fire, sun, moon, planets, Nakshatras (constellations), and stars, or of blinding darkness. There is no men¬ tion even of day and night, except in the conver¬ sation of the Tathagata. Nor is there any idea of predial property belonging to monasteries.
§23. ‘ And again, O Ananda, in that world Sukha- vati at the proper time clouds full of heavenly per¬ fumed water pour down heavenly flowers of all colours; heavenly seven jewels, heavenly sandal¬ wood-powder, and heavenly umbrellas, flags, and 44 DESCRIPTION OF SUKHAVATI, banners are poured down. And in the sky, the heavenly flowers of all colours, and heavenly cano¬ pies are held, likewise heavenly excellent umbrellas and all kinds of ornaments, heavenly musical instru¬ ments are played, and heavenly Apsarases dance.
§ 24. ‘ And again, O Ananda, in that Buddha country whatever beings have been born, and are being born, and will be born, are always constant in absolute truth, till they have reached Nirv&wa. And why is that? Because there is no room or mention there of the other two divisions (rads), such as beings not constant or constant in falsehood.
‘ On this wise, O Ananda, that world is briefly called Sukhavati, not at full length. Even a kalpa, O Ananda, would come to an end, while the causes of happiness which exist in that world Sukhavati are being praised, and yet it would be impossible to reach the end of them.’
$25. Then the Bhagavat at that time spoke the following verses 1: ‘ Thus, O Ananda, the world Sukhavati is endowed with immeasurable good qualities and excellences.
§ 26. ‘ And again, O Ananda, in the ten quarters, and in each of them, in all the Buddha countries equal in number to the sand of the Ganga, the 1 The text of these verses is so corrupt that I thought it best to follow the example of the five Chinese translators, all of whom leave them out. They only repeat what was said before, that people might go on for ever praising the excellences of Sukhavati, yet they would never reach the end of them, and that the merit of hearing even the name of Sukhavati is greater than all other blessings on earth. The best thing, however, is to have faith in Gina, and to drive away all doubt. The Tibetan translator gives a translation of seven verses, but his translation also seems as obscure as the original.
THE LAND OF BLISS.
45 blessed Buddhas equal in number to the sand of the Gangi, glorify the name of the blessed Amitabha, the Tathagata, they preach his fame, they proclaim his glory, they extol his virtue. And why? Because all beings who hear the name of the blessed Amitabha, and having heard it, raise their thought with joyful longing, even for once only, will not turn away again from the highest perfect knowledge.
§ 27. ‘And before the eyes of those beings, O Ananda, who again and again think of the Tathigata reverently, and who make the great and unmeasured stock of good works grow, turning their thought towards Bodhi (knowledge), and who pray to be born in that world, Amitibha, the Tathagata, holy and fully enlightened, when the time of their death has approached, will appear, surrounded by many companies of Bhikshus and honoured by them. And then these beings, having seen the Bhagavat, their thoughts filled with joy, will, when they have died, be born in that world of Sukhivati. And if, O Ananda, any son or daughter of a good family should wish — What? — How then may I see that Tathagata Amitabha visibly, then he must raise his thought on to the highest perfect knowledge, he must direct his thought with perseverance and excessive desire towards that Buddha country, and direct the stock of his good works towards being born there.
§ 28. ‘ But before the eyes of those who do not care much about the Tathigata Amitabha, and who do not vigorously increase the great and unmeasured stock of their good works, the Tathigata Amitibha, holy and fully enlightened, will appear, at the time of death, with the company of Bhikshus, in breadth 46 DESCRIPTION OF SUKhAvAtI, §29.
and height and form and beauty, very like (the former), and very like (the real T athagata), but only created by thought. And they, through their meditation that dwells on perceiving the sight of the Tathagata, and with unfailing memory, will, when they have died, be born in the same Buddha country.
§ 29. ‘ And again, O Ananda, those beings who meditate on the Tathagata by giving him the ten thoughts, and who will direct their desire towards that Buddha country, and who will feel satisfaction when the profound doctrines are being preached, and who will not fall off, nor despair, nor fail, but will meditate on that Tathagata, if it were by one thought only, and will direct their desire toward that Buddha country, they also will see the TathA- gata Amitabha, while they are in a dream, they will be born in the world SukhAvatl, and will never turn away from the highest perfect knowledge.
§ 30. ‘And, O Ananda, after thus seeing the cause and effect, the TathAgatas of the ten quarters, in im¬ measurable and innumerable worlds, glorify the name of the T athagata Amitabha, preach his fame, and proclaim his praise. And again, O Ananda, in that Buddha country, Bodhisattvas equal in number to the sand of the Ganga approach, from the ten quarters, and in each quarter towards that TathAgata AmitAbha, in order to see him, to bow before him, to worship him, to consult him, and likewise in order to see that company of Bodhisattvas, and the dif¬ ferent kinds of perfection in the multitude of orna¬ ments and excellences belonging to that Buddha country.’
§ 31. Then at that time, the Bhagavat, in order THE LAND OF BLISS.
47 to illustrate this matter in fuller measure, recited these verses 1: 1. ‘As there are Buddha countries equal to the sand of the river Ganga in the eastern quarter, whence all the Bodhisattvas come to worship the Buddha, the lord Amitiyu; 2. ‘ And they having taken many bunches of flowers of different colours, sweetly-scented and delightful, shower them down on the best leader of men, on Amitayu, worshipped by gods and men; — 3. ‘ In the same manner there are as many Bud¬ dha countries in the southern, western; and northern quarters, whence they come with the Bodhisattvas to worship the Buddha, the lord Amitayu.
4. ‘And they having taken many handfulls of scents of different colours, sweetly-scented and delightful, shower them down on the best leader of men, on Amitiyu, worshipped by gods and men.
5. ‘ These many Bodhisattvas having worshipped and revered the feet of Amitaprabha, and having walked round him respectfully, speak thus: “ Oh, the country of Buddha shines wonderfully! ” 6. ‘And they cover him again with handfulls of flowers, with thoughts jubilant, with incomparable joy, and proclaim their wish before that lord: “ May our country also be such as this.”
7. ‘ And what was thrown there as handfulls of flowers arose in the form of an umbrella extending over a hundred yo^anas, and the beautiful country shines and is well adorned, and flowers cover the whole body of Buddha.
1 In these verses there are again many doubtful passages which could be rendered tentatively only.
48 DESCRIPTION OF SUKHAVATi, 8. ‘ These Bodhisattvas having thus honoured him, how do they act? — Delighted they pronounce this speech: “ Gains by those people are well gained, by whom the name of the best man has been heard.
9. ‘ “ By us also all the gain has been well gained, because we have come to this Buddha country. See this dream-like country 1 how beautiful it is, which was made by the teacher during a hundred thousand kalpas.
10. ‘ “ Look, the Buddha possessed of a mass of the best virtues shines, surrounded by Bodhisattvas. Endless is his splendour2, and endless the light, and endless the life, and endless the assembly.”
11. ‘And the lord Amitiyu makes a smile of thirty-six niyutas of ko/is of rays, which rays having issued from the circle of his mouth light up the thousand ko/is of Buddha countries.
12. ‘And all these rays having returned there again settle on the head of the lord; gods and men produce (perceive) the delight, because they have seen there this light of him.
1 3. ‘ There rises the Buddha-son, glorious, he in¬ deed the mighty Avalokite-svara, and says: “ What is the reason there, O Bhagavat, what is the cause, that thou smilest, O lord of the world?
14. ‘ “ Explain this, for thou knowest the sense, and art full of kind compassion, the deliverer of many living beings. All beings will be filled with joyful thoughts, when they have thus heard this excellent and delightful speech.
15. “‘And the Bodhisattvas who have come from 1 Maitra, ‘love,’ possibly ‘kindness,’ or was it kshetra?
2 Amitl asyabhd?
THE LAND OF BLISS.
49 many worlds to Sukhavati in order to see the Buddha, having heard it and having perceived the great joy, will quickly inspect this country.
1 6. And beings, come to this noble country, (quickly) obtain miraculous power, divine eye and divine ear, they remember their former births, and know the highest wisdom.”
17. ‘Then Buddha Amit&yu preaches: “This prayer was mine formerly, so that beings having in any way whatever heard my name should for ever go to my country.
18. And this my excellent prayer has been fulfilled, and beings having quickly come here from many worlds into my presence, never return from here, not even for one birth.”
19. ‘ If a Bodhisattva wishes here that his country should be such as this, and that he also should deliver many beings, through his name, through his preaching, and through his sight, 20. ‘ Let him quickly and with speed go to the world Sukhavati, and having gone near Amita- prabha, let him worship a thousand ko/ls of Buddhas.
21. ‘Having worshipped many ko/ls of Buddhas, and having gone to many countries by means of their miraculous power, and having performed ador¬ ation in the presence of the Sugatas, they will go to Sukhavati with devotion l.
§ 32. ‘And again, O Ananda, there is a Bodhi- tree belonging to Amitayus, the Tath&gata, holy and fully enlightened. That Bodhi-tree is ten hun- 1 The Tibetan translation has ‘in the morning,’ as if the text had been pftrvabhakta.
50 DESCRIPTION OF SUKHAVAtI, dred yo^anas in height, having petals, leaves, and branches spread over eight hundred yo^anas, having a circumference near the base of the root of five hundred yo^anas, always in leaf, always in flower, always in fruit, of different colours, of many hundred thousand colours, of different leaves, of different flowers, of different fruits, adorned with many beau¬ tiful ornaments, shining with precious jewels, bright like the moon, beautified with precious jewels (such as are) fastened on.Sakra’s head, strewn with Alnta- ma«i 1 jewels, well adorned with the best jewels of the sea, more than heavenly, hung with golden strings, adorned with hundreds of gold chains, jewel- garlands, necklaces, bracelets, strings of red pearls and blue pearls, lion twists (Siwzhalata), girdles, bunches, strings of jewels, and all kinds of jewels, covered with nets of bells, nets of all kinds of jewels, nets of pearls, and nets of gold, adorned with the emblems of the dolphin, the Svastika, the Nandya- varta, and the moon, adorned with nets of jewels and of bells, and with ornaments of gold and of all kinds of jewels, in fact adorned according to the desires of beings whatever their wishes may be.
‘And again, O Ananda, the sound and noise of that Bodhi-tree, when it is moved by the wind, reaches immeasurable worlds. And, O Ananda, for those beings whose hearing that Bodhi-tree reaches, no disease of the ear is to be feared until they reach Bodhi (highest knowledge). And for those immea¬ surable, innumerable, inconceivable, incomparable, measureless, immense, and inexpressible beings, whose sight that Bodhi-tree reaches, no disease of the eye 1 Jewels yielding every wish.
THE LAND OF BLISS.
51 is to be feared until they reach Bodhi. And again, O Ananda, for those beings who smell the scent of that Bodhi-tree, no disease of the nose is to be feared until they reach Bodhi. For those beings who taste the fruits of that Bodhi-tree, no disease of the tongue is to be feared until they reach Bodhi. For those beings who are lighted up by the light of that Bodhi-tree, no disease of the body is to be feared until they reach Bodhi. And again, O Ananda, for those beings who meditate on that Bodhi-tree according to the Law, henceforward until they reach the Bodhi, no perplexity of their thought is to be feared. And all those beings, through the seeing of that Bodhi-tree, never turn away, namely, from the highest perfect knowledge. And they obtain three kinds of kshanti or resignation, namely, Ghosha- nuga, Anulomikl (resignation to natural conse¬ quences), and Anutpattika-dharma-kshanti (resigna¬ tion to consequences which have not yet arisen), through the power of the former prayers of that same Tathagata Amitayus, through the service rendered by them to the former Ginas, and through the performance of the former prayers, to be well accomplished, and to be well conceived, without failure or without flaw.
§ 33. ‘ And again, O Ananda, those Bodhisattvas who have been born, are being born, or will be born there, are all bound to one birth only1, and will thence indeed obtain the highest perfect knowledge; barring always the power of prayers, as in the case of those Bodhisattvas who are preaching with the voice of lions, who are girded with the noble armour 1 Their present birth.
52 DESCRIPTION OF SUKHAVATi, (of the Law), and who are devoted to the work of helping all people to attain Parinirva/za.
§ 34. ‘And again, O Ananda, in that Buddha country, those who are Aravakas are possessed of the light of a fathom, and those who are Bodhisattvas are possessed of the light of a hundred thousand ko/is of yo^anas; barring always the two Bodhi¬ sattvas, by whose light that world is everywhere shining with eternal splendour.’
Then the blessed Ananda said this to the Bhagavat: ‘ What are the names, O Bhagavat, of those two noble-minded Bodhisattvas? ’ The Bhagavat said: ‘ One of them, O Ananda, is the noble-minded Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, and the second is Mahasthamaprapta by name. And, O Ananda, these two were born there, having left this Buddha country here h § 35. ‘ And, O Ananda, those Bodhisattvas who have been born in that Buddha country are all endowed with the thirty-two marks of a great man, possessed of perfect members, skilled in meditation and wisdom, clever in all kinds of wisdom, having sharp organs, having well-restrained organs, having organs of sense capable of thorough knowledge, not mean, possessed of the five kinds of strength, of patience under censure, and of endless and bound¬ less good qualities.
1 Sanghavarman translates this passage: ‘ These two Bodhi¬ sattvas practised the discipline of Bodhisattva in this country, and after death they were miraculously born in that Buddha country.’ BodhiruX'i translates: ‘ O Ananda, these two Bodhisattvas went to be born in that country from the world Saha, when they had exhausted the measure of their life (here).’ The world SaM belongs to the Buddha Aakyamuni.
THE LAND OF BLISS.
53 § 36. ‘And again, O Ananda, all those Bodhi- sattvas who have been born in that Buddha country are not deprived of the sight of Buddha, nor liable to fall down (to the evil states), until they reach the Bodhi. Henceforward they all will never be forget* ful of their former births 1; barring always those who are devoted to their former place, during the dis¬ turbances of the kalpas, and while the five kinds of corruption prevail, when there is the appearance of blessed Buddhas in the world, as for instance, that of me at present.
§ 37. ‘And again, O Ananda, all the Bodhisattvas who have been born in that Buddha country, having gone during one morning meal to the other world, worship many hundred thousand niyutas of ko/ls of Buddhas, as many as they like, through the favour of Buddha. They consider in many ways that they should worship (Buddhas) with such and such flowers, incense, lamps, scents, garlands, ointments, powder, cloaks, umbrellas, flags, banners, ensigns, music, con¬ certs, and musical instruments; and, as soon as they have considered this, there arise also on their hands exactly such materials for every kind of worship. And while performing worship for those blessed Buddhas with those materials, beginning with flowers and ending with musical instruments, they lay up for themselves much immeasurable and innumerable merit. Again, if they wish that such handfulls of flowers should be produced on their hands, then such handfulls of heavenly flowers, of different colours, of many colours, of different scents, are produced on their hands as soon as thought of. They shower 1 ‘ Na’ must be left out, or we must read na^atva^atismard.
54 DESCRIPTION OF SUKHAVATi, §38.
again and again such handfulls of flowers upon those blessed Buddhas. And the very smallest handfull of flowers, being thrown on high, appears above in the sky as an umbrella of flowers ten yo^anas in circumference. And when the second has been thrown after it, the first does not fall down on the earth. There are handfulls of flowers there, which having been thrown up, appear in the sky as um¬ brellas of flowers twenty yo^anas in circumference. There appear in the sky some flower-umbrellas, thirty, forty, or fifty yo^anas in circumference, as far as a hundred thousand yo^anas in circumference. Those (Bodhisattvas) there who perceive the noble pleasure and joy, and obtain the noble strength of thought, having caused a great and immeasurable and innumerable stock of good works to ripen, and having worshipped many hundred thousand niyutas of ko^is of Buddhas, turn again to the world Sukha- vati in one morning, through the favour of practising the former prayers of the same Tathagata AmitAyus, owing to the hearing of the Law formerly given, owing to the stock of good works produced under former Ginas, owing to the perfect completion in the success of former prayers, owing to the well-ordered state of mind \ §38. ‘ And again, O Ananda, all those beings who have been born in that Buddha country recite the story of the Law, which is accompanied by omni¬ science z. And for the beings in that Buddha 1 The text of this passage is very imperfect in all the MSS. Comparing the sentence with the last sentence of Chapter XXXII, it might seem possible to read paripfirwAnfinataya, or paripftr- yatayanftnatay&, for paripfiry&tmabhfitayA. On suvibhakta, see Childers, s.v. vibha^ati.
1 See the twenty-third Prawidhana.
THE LAND OF BLISS.
55 country there exists no idea of property whatever \ And all those going and walking through that Buddha country feel neither pleasure nor pain; stepping forward they have no desire, and with desire they do not step forward. They give no thought to any beings. And again, O Ananda, for those beings who have been born in that world Sukhavati, there is no idea of others, no idea of self, no idea of inequality, no strife, no dispute, no opposition. Full of equanimity, of benevolent thought, of tender thought, of affectionate thought, of useful thought, of serene thought, of firm thought, of unbiassed thought, of undisturbed thought, of unagitated thought, of thought (fixed on) the practice of discipline and transcendent wisdom, having entered on knowledge which is a firm sup¬ port to all thoughts, equal to the ocean in wisdom, equal to the mountain Meru in knowledge, rich in many good qualities, delighting in the music of the Bodhyangas1 2, devoted to the music of Buddha, they discard the eye of flesh, and assume the heavenly eye. And having approached the eye of wisdom, having reached the eye of the Law, pro¬ ducing the eye of Buddha, showing it, lighting it, and fully exhibiting it, they attain perfect wisdom. And being bent on the equilibrium of the three ele¬ ments 3, having subdued and calmed their thoughts, endowed with a perception of the causes of all 1 See the tenth Prawidhana.
2 ‘ Requisites for attaining the supreme knowledge of a Buddha.’ — Childers, Pali Dictionary, p. 93 b.
* Probably the three d hat us, KamadhStu, Rfipadhatu, and Arfipadhatu; see Childers, s. v. dhatu.
56 DESCRIPTION OF SUKHAVATl, §38.
things, clever in explanation of causes, endowed with the power of explaining the Law (or things such as they really are), clever in taking and refusing, clever in leading and not leading, clever in resting 1, they, being regardless of worldly stories, derive true pleasures from stories transcending the world. They are clever in examining all things, familiar with the knowledge of the cessation of the working of all things, perceiving even what cannot be seen, caring for nothing, attached to nothing, without cares, without pain, free without clinging to any¬ thing, free from impurity 2, of blameless behaviour, not clinging to anything, intent on the deep or profound laws, they do not sink, elevated to the entrance into the knowledge of Buddha difficult to comprehend, having obtained the path of one vehicle 3, free from doubt, beyond the reach of questionings, knowing the thoughts of others, free from self-confidence. Being elevated in knowledge, they are like the Sumeru; being imperturbable in thought, they are like the ocean; they surpass the light of the sun and moon, by the light of wisdom, and by the whiteness, brilliancy, purity, and beauty of their knowledge; by their light and splendour, they are like the colour of molten gold; by their patiently bearing the good and evil deeds of all beings, they are like the earth; by their cleaning and carrying off the taint 4 of all sins, they are 1 The text may originally have been sthanasthanakujala^.
* The next words aparyasthayinaA and abhi^Msvamflla- sthayina/i seem to have a technical meaning, but neither the Tibetan nor the Chinese translators give an intelligible rendering.
8 Sanghavarman translates * one vehicle.’
4 The Tibetan translation presupposes mala instead of mula.
THE LAND OF BLISS.
57 like water; by their burning the evil of pride 1 in anything, they are like the king of fire; by not clinging to anything, they are like the wind; by per¬ vading all things and yet not caring for anything, they are like the ether; by not being tainted by the whole world, they are like lotuses; by their shout¬ ing forth the Law, they are like the great cloud at the rainy season; by showering down the whole ocean of the Law, they are like the great rain; by overpowering great troops, they are like bulls; by the highest restraint of their thoughts, they are like great elephants; by being well trained, they are like noble horses; by their fearlessness, confidence, and heroism, they are like the lion, the king of beasts,* by affording protection to all beings, they are like the Nyagrodha (fig-tree), the king of trees; by not being shaken by any calumniators, they are like the (Sumeru), the king of mountains; by their feeling of unlimited love, they are like the sky; by their pre¬ cedence, owing to their command of the Law, and their stock of all merit, they are like the great Brahman; by their not dwelling in what they have accumulated, they are like birds; by their scattering all calumniators, they are like Garutfa, king of birds; by their not being averse to our obtaining difficult things, they are like the Udumbara flowers; calm like elephants 2, because their senses are neither crooked nor shaken; clever in decision, full of the sweet flavour of patience; without envy, because they do not hanker after the happiness of others; wise, because in their search after the Law, never