1 Mana, 4 pride/ is one of the Kief as.
3 The Tibetan translator seems to have read sagaravat, instead of nagavat.
58 DESCRIPTION OF SUKhAvatI, §38.
tired of discussions on the Law; like the precious beryl, through their value; (like) jewel-mines \ by their sacred knowledge; sweet-sounding by the noise of the great drum of the Law, striking the great kettledrum of the Law, blowing the great trumpet-shell of the Law, raising the great banner of the Law, lighting the torch of the Law, looking for wisdom, not foolish, faultless, passionless, pure, refined, not greedy, fond of distributing, generous, open-handed, fond of distributing gifts, not stingy in giving instruction and food, not attached, without fear, without desires, wise, patient, energetic, bash¬ ful, orderly, fearless1 2, full of knowledge, happy, pleasant to live with, obliging, enlightening the world 3, free from sorrow, free from taint, having left off the winking of the eye, possessing lightly acquired knowledge, strong in reasoning, strong in prayer, not crooked, not perverse; then, hav¬ ing accumulated a hundred thousand niyutas of ko/is of lakshas 4 of virtue, delivered from the thorns of pride, free from illusion, hatred, and passion; pure, devoted to what is pure, famous by the Gina-power, learned in the world, elevated by their purified knowledge, sons of the Gina, endowed with the vigour of thought, heroes, firm, unselfish5, free from faults, unequalled, free from anger, collected, noble, heroes, bashful, energetic, possessed of memory, understanding, and prudence; 1 The Tibetan translation seems to have read ratnakarasa- d risih.
2 If the same as nirgahana.
3 The next words are unintelligible in their present form.
4 The Tibetan translation has Buddha for laksha.
3 AsamO in the Tibetan translation.
§39- the land of BLISS. 59 sending forth the weapons of knowledge, possessed of purity, shining, free from faults and taints, en¬ dowed with memory, resting on serene knowledge. And such, O Ananda, are the beings in that Buddha country, stated briefly. But if the T athagatas should describe them fully, even in a length of life that should last for a hundred thousand niyutas of ko/is of kalpas, yet the end of the virtues of those good people would not be reached, and yet there would be no failure of the self-confidence of the Tathagata. And why? Because, O Ananda, both are indeed inconceivable and incomparable, viz. first, the virtues of those Bodhisattvas, and secondly, the unsurpassed light of knowledge of the Tathagata1.
§ 39. ‘And now, O Ananda, stand up, facing westward, and having taken a handful of flowers, fall down. This is the quarter where that Bhagavat Amitibha, the Tath&gata, holy and fully enlightened, dwells, remains, supports himself, and teaches the Law, whose spotless and pure name, famed in every quarter of the whole world with its ten quarters, the blessed Buddhas, equal to (the grains of) the sand of the river Gartga, speaking and answering again and again without stopping, extol, praise, and eulogize.’
After this, the blessed Ananda said this to the Bhagavat: ' I wish, O Bhagavat, to see that Ami- tabha, Amitaprabha, Amitayus, the Tathagata, holy and fully enlightened, and those noble-minded Bodhisattvas, who are possessed of a stock of merit amassed under many hundred thousand niyutas of ko/is of Buddhas.’
1 For these passages, see the end of Chapter XII.
6o DESCRIPTION OF SUKHAVATl, At that moment this speech was spoken by the blessed Ananda, and immediately that Amitabha, the Tathagata, holy and fully enlightened, let such a ray of light go out of the palm of his own hand, that even the most distant Buddha country was shining with the great splendour. And again at that time, whatever black mountains, or jewel-mountains, or Merus, great Merus, Mu/i’ilindas, great Mu/i’ilindas, Aakra- vdafas, great A’akraviaks, or erections, or pillars, trees, woods, gardens, palaces, belonging to the gods and men, exist everywhere in hundred thousand ko^ls of Buddha countries; all these were pervaded and overcome by the light of that Tathigata. And as a man, followed by another at a distance of a fathom only, would see the other man, when the sun has risen, exactly in the same manner the Bhikshus, Bhikshums, U pasakas (laymen), U pasikas (lay- women), gods, Nagas, Yaksha's, Rakshasas, Gan- dharvas, Asuras, Garuohs, Kinnaras, Mahoragas,men and not-men, in this Buddha country, saw at that time that Amitibha, the Tathdgata, holy and fully enlightened, like the Sumeru, the king of mountains, elevated above all countries, surpassing all quarters, shining, warming, glittering, blazing; and they saw that great mass of Bodhisattvas, and that company of Bhikshus, viz. by the grace of Buddha, from the pureness of that light. And as this great earth might be, when all covered with water, so that no trees, no mountains, no islands, no grasses, bushes, herbs, large trees, no rivers, chasms, water-falls, would be seen, but only the one great earth which had all become an ocean, in exactly the same manner there is neither mark nor sign whatever to be seen in that Buddha country, except Yravakas, THE LAND OF BLISS.
61 spreading their light over a fathom, and those Bodhisattvas, spreading their light over a hundred thousand ko/is of yo/anas. And that Bhagavat Amitabha, the T athagata, holy and fully en¬ lightened, overshadowing that mass of 6ravakas and that mass of Bodhisattvas, is seen, illumina¬ ting all quarters. Again at that time all those Bodhisattvas, 6ravakas, gods and men in that world Sukhavatl, saw this world Saha and.S’&kyamuni, the Tathdgata, holy and fully enlightened, surrounded by a holy company of Bhikshus, teaching the Law.
§ 40. Then, the Bhagavat addressed the noble- minded Bodhisattva A/ita, and said: ‘ Do you see, O A^ita, the perfection of the array of orna¬ ments and good qualities in that Buddha country; and above in the sky (places) with charming parks charming gardens, charming rivers and lotus lakes, scattered with many precious Padmas, Utpalas, Kumudas, and Purztfarikas; and below, from the earth to the abode of the Akanish//&as, the surface of the sky, covered with flowers, ornamented with wreaths of flowers, shining on the rows of many precious columns, frequented by flocks of all kinds of birds created by the T athagata? ’ The Bodhisattva Acdta said: ‘ I see, O Bhagavat.’
The Bhagavat said: ‘ Do you see again, O A^ita, those flocks of immortal birds, making the whole Buddha country resound with the voice of Buddha, so that those Bodhisattvas are never without meditating on Buddha? ’ 1 A substantive seems to be wanting to which all these adjectives would refer.
62 DESCRIPTION OF SUKHAVATI, §41.
The Bhagavat said: ‘ Do you see again, O A^ita, those beings, who have ascended to the palaces which extend over a hundred thousand yo/anas in the sky, walking about respectfully? ’ The Bhagavat said: ‘What do you think, O A^ita, is there any difference between the gods called Paranirmitavai'avartins, and men in the world Sukhavati? ’ A/ita said: ‘I do not, O Bhagavat, perceive even one difference, so far as the men in that world of Sukhavati are endowed with great supernatural powers.’
The Bhagavat said: ‘Do you see again, O A^ita, those men dwelling within the calyx of excellent lotus-flowers in that world Sukhavati? ’ He said: ‘As gods called Trayastri#«as or Yamas, having entered into palaces of fifty or hundred or five hundred yo^anas in extent, are playing, sporting, walking about, exactly in the same manner I see, O Bhagavat, these men dwelling within the calyx of excellent lotus-flowers in the world SukMvati.
§ 41. ‘ Again there are, O Bhagavat, beings who, being born miraculously, appear sitting cross-legged in the lotus-flowers. What is there, O Bhagavat, the cause, what the reason, that some dwell within the calyx, while others, being born miraculously, appear sitting cross-legged in the lotus-flowers? ’ The Bhagavat said: ‘ Those Bodhisattvas, O A^ita, who, living in other Buddha countries, entertain doubt about being born in the world Sukhavati, and with that thought amass a stock of merit, for them there is the dwelling within the calyx. Those, on the contrary, who are filled with faith, and being THE LAND OF BLISS.
63 free from doubt, amass a stock of merit in order to be born in the world Sukhavati, and conceive, believe, and trust in the perfect knowledge of the blessed Buddhas, they, being born miraculously, appear sitting cross-legged in the flowers of the lotus. And those noble-minded Bodhisattvas, O A^ita, who, living in other Buddha countries, raise their thought in order to see Amitabha, the Tath&gata, holy and fully enlightened, who never entertain a doubt, believe in the perfect knowledge of Buddha and in their own stock of merit, for them, being born miraculously, and appearing cross-legged, there is, in one minute, such a body as that of other beings who have been born there long before. See, O A^ita, the excellent, immeasurable, unfailing, un¬ limited wisdom, that namely for their own benefit they are deprived during five hundred years of seeing Buddhas, seeing Bodhisattvas, hearing the Law, speaking about the Law (with others), and thus collecting a stock of merit; they are indeed deprived of the successful attainment of every stock of merit, and that through their forming ideas tainted with doubt.
‘And, O A^ita, there might be a dungeon belong¬ ing to an anointed Kshatriya king, inlaid entirely with gold and beryl, in which cushions, garlands, wreaths and strings are fixed, having canopies of different colours and kind, covered with silk cushions, scattered over with various flowers and blossoms, scented with excellent scents, adorned with arches, courts, windows, pinnacles, fire-places, and terraces, covered with nets of bells of the seven kinds of gems, having four angles, four pillars, four doors, four stairs; and the son of that king having been 64 DESCRIPTION OF SUKHAVATt, §41, thrown into the dungeon for some misdeed is there, bound with a chain made of the G&mbftnada gold. And suppose there is a couch prepared for him, covered with many woollen cloths, spread over with cotton and feather cushions, having Kalinga cover¬ ings, and carpets, together with coverlids1, red on both sides, beautiful and charming. There he might be then either sitting or resting. And there might be brought to him much food and drink, of various kinds, pure and well prepared. What do you think, O A^ita, would the enjoyment be great for that prince? ’ A^ita said: ‘Yes2, it would be great, O Bhagavat.’
The Bhagavat said: ‘ What do you think, O A^ita, would he even taste it there, and notice it, or would he feel any satisfaction from it? ’ He said: ‘ Not indeed, O Bhagavat; but on the contrary, when he had been led away by the king and thrown into the dungeon, he would only wish for deliverance from there. He would seek for the nobles, princes, ministers, women 3, elders (rich merchants), householders, and lords of castles, who might deliver him from that dungeon. Moreover, O Bhagavat, there is no pleasure for that prince in that dungeon, nor is he liberated, until the king shows him favour.’
The Bhagavat said: ‘ Thus, O A^ita, it is with those Bodhisattvas who, having fallen into doubt, amass a stock of merit, but doubt the knowledge of Buddha. They are born in that world Sukhd- 1 The text is corrupt. One might begin a new word with sottarapada££^adaA.
* One expects, No.
8 Stry&g&ra, like the German Frauenzimmer.
THE LAND OF BLISS.
65 vati, through the hearing of Buddha’s name, and through the serenity of thought only; they do not, however, appear sitting cross-legged in the flowers of the lotus, being born miraculously, but dwell only in the calyx of the lotus-flowers. Moreover for them there exist ideas of palaces and gardens '. There is no discharge, there is no phlegm or mucus, there is nothing disagreeable to the mind. But they are deprived of seeing Buddhas, hearing the Law, seeing Bodhisattvas, speaking about and ascertaining the Law, (gathering) any (new) stock of merit, and practising the Law, during five hundred years. Moreover they do not rejoice there or per¬ ceive satisfaction. But they wish to remove one another, and then they step out behind. And it is not known whether their exit takes place above, below, or across. See, O Ajdta, there might be worshippings of many hundred thousand niyutas of ko/is of Buddhas during those five hundred years, and also many, immense, innumerable, im¬ measurable stocks of merit to be amassed. But all this they destroy by the fault of doubt. See, O A^ita, to how great an injury the doubt of the Bodhisattvas leads. Therefore now, O A^ita, after the Bodhisattvas without doubting have quickly raised their thoughts towards the Bodhi, in order to obtain power of conferring happiness for the benefit of all creatures, their stock of merit should be turned towards their being born in the world Sukhavati, where the blessed Amitabha, the Tathi- gata, holy and fully enlightened, dwells.’
§ 42. After these words, the Bodhisattva A^ita 1 They imagine they are living in palaces and gardens.
66 DESCRIPTION OF SUKhAvAt!, thus spoke to the Bhagavat: ‘ O Bhagavat, will the Bodhisattvas, who have gone away from this Buddha country, or from the side of other blessed Buddhas, be born in the world Sukhavati? ’ The Bhagavat said: ‘ Indeed, O Afita, seventy- two niyutas of ko/is of Bodhisattvas are gone away from this Buddha country, who will be born in the world Sukhavati; Bodhisattvas, who will never return, thanks to the stock of merit, which they have accumulated under many hundred thousand niyutas of ko/ls of Buddhas. What then shall be said of those with smaller stocks of merit 1? i. Eighteen hundred niyutas of ko/ls of Bodhisattvas will be born in the world Sukhavati from the place of the Tathagata Dushprasaha. 2. There lives in the Eastern quarter the Tathagata named Ratnakara. From his place ninety ko/is of Bodhisattvas will be born in the world Sukhavati. 3. Twenty-two ko/is of Bodhisattvas will be born in the world Sukhavati from the place of the Tathigata Cyotishprabha. 4. Twenty-five ko/is of Bodhisattvas will be born in the world Sukhavati from the place of the Tatha¬ gata Amitaprabha. 5. Sixty ko/ls of Bodhisattvas will be born in the world Sukhavati from the place of the Tathagata Lokapradlpa. 6. Sixty-four ko/is of Bodhisattvas will be born in the world Sukha¬ vati from the place of the Tathagata Nagabhibhu. 7. Twenty-five ko/is of Bodhisattvas will be born in the world Sukhavati from the place of the Tathagata VirafaAprabha. 8. Sixteen ko/is of Bodhisattvas will be born in the world Sukhavati from the place of the Tathigata Siwha. 9. Eighteen thousand 1 What is meant is that their number is much larger.
THE LAND OF BLISS.
67 Bodhisattvas will be born in the world Sukha- vatl from the place of the Tathagata Siwha (sic). 10. Eighty-one niyutas of ko/is of Bodhisattvas will be born in the world Sukhavati from the place of the Tathagata,Srikh/a. 1 1. Ten niyutas of ko/is of Bodhisattvas will be born in the world Sukha¬ vati from the place of the Tathagata Narendrara^a. 12. Twelve thousand Bodhisattvas will be born in the world Sukhavati from the place of the Tathagata Bal&bhi^wa. 13. Twenty-five ko/ls of Bodhisattvas1, who have obtained strength, having gone to one place in one week of eight days, and having turned to the West during ninety hundred thousand niyutas of ko/ls of kalpas 2, will be born in the world Sukhavati from the place of the Tathagata Pushpadhva^a. 14. Twelve ko/ls of Bodhisattvas will be born in the world Sukhavati from the place of the Tathagata GValanadhipati. 15. From the place of the Tathagata V aisaradyaprapta, sixty-nine ko/is of Bodhisattvas will be born in the world Sukhavati, in order to see the T athagata Amitabha, to bow before him, to worship him, to ask questions of him, and to consult him. For this reason, O A^ita, I might proclaim during a full niyuta of ko/is of kalpas the names of those Tathagatas, from whom the Bodhisattvas proceed in order to see that T athagata Amitabha in the world Sukhavati, to 1 It should be paw^aviwjatir.
2 Sanghavarman’s translation of this passage is: 1 Within seven days they can take hold of the firm conditions (dharmas) practised by a noble-minded one during hundred thousands of ko/is of kalpas.’ Bodhiru£i’s is: ‘ Within seven days they can cause beings to separate from their state of transmigration during hundred thou¬ sands of niyutas of ko/is.’
68 DESCRIPTION OF SUKHAVAxt, bow before him, and to worship him, and yet the end could not be reached.
§ 43. ‘ See, O A/ita, what easy gains are gained by those beings who will hear the name of the Tathdgata Amitabha, holy and fully enlightened. Nor will those beings be of little faith1, who will obtain at least- one joyful thought of that Tath&gata and of this treatise of the Law. Therefore now, O A^ita, I invite you, and command you to proclaim this treatise of the Law, before the world together with the gods. Having plunged into the vast uni¬ verse full of fire, no one ought to turn back, if he has but once conceived the thought of going across. And why? Because ko/is of Bodhisattvas indeed, O Ajfita, return from the highest perfect knowledge, on account of not hearing such treatises of the Law as this. Therefore, from a wish for this treatise of the Law, a great effort should be made to hear, learn, and remember it, and to study it for the sake of fully grasping it and widely making it known. A good copy of it should be kept, after it has been copied in a book, if only during one night and day, or even during the time necessary for milking a cow. The name of Master should be given to a teacher who desires to conduct quickly innumerable beings to the state of never returning from the highest perfect knowledge, namely, in order that they may see the Buddha country of that blessed Amitabha, the Tathagata, and to acquire the excellent per¬ fection of the array of good qualities peculiar to his own Buddha country.
1 Hfn&dhimuktika, see Va^ra/^edikS XV; or ‘ following the lower Law.’
THE LAND OF BLISS.
69 ‘ And, O A/ita, such beings will have easily gained their gains who, having amassed a stock of merit, having performed service under former (Anas, and having been guided by Buddhas, shall hear in future, until the destruction of the good Law, such-like excellent treatises of the Law, treatises which are praised, eulogized, and approved of by all Buddhas, and convey quickly the great knowledge of omni¬ science. And those also who, when they have heard it, shall obtain excellent delight and pleasure, and will learn, retain, recite and grasp, and wisely preach it to others, and be delighted by its study, or, having copied it at least, will worship it, will certainly pro¬ duce much good work, so that it is difficult to count it.
‘ Thus indeed, O A^ita, I have done what a Tathd- gata ought to do. It is now for you to devote yourself to it without any doubt. Do not doubt the perfect and unfailing knowledge of Buddha. Do not enter into the dungeon made of gems built up in every way. For indeed, the birth of a Buddha, O A^ita, is difficult to be met with, so is the instruc¬ tion in the Law, and also a timely birth \ O A^ita, the way to gain the perfection (paramita) of all stocks of merit has been proclaimed by me. Do now exert yourselves and move forward. O A^ita, I grant indeed a great favour to this treatise of the Law. Be valiant so that the laws of Buddhas may not perish or disappear. Do not break the command of the Tathdgata.’
§ 44. Then at that time, the Bhagavat spoke these verses: 1 Of the hearer; so that the student should be born at a time ■when there is a Buddha on earth.
70 DESCRIPTION OF SUKHAVAtI, 1. ‘Such hearings of me will not be for people who have not done good; but those who are heroes and perfect, they will hear this speech.
2. ‘And those by whom the Lord of the world, the enlightened and the light-giver, has been seen, and the law been heard reverentially, will obtain the highest joy.
3. ‘ Low people of slothful minds cannot find any delight in the laws of Buddha; those who have worshipped in the Buddha countries learn the service of the Lords of the three worlds.
4. ‘As a blind man in darkness does not know the way, and much less can show it, so also he who is (only) a Yr&vaka 1 in the knowledge of Buddha; how then should beings who are ignorant!
5. ‘ The Buddha only knows the virtues of a Buddha; but not gods, Nclgas, Asuras, Yakshas, and ►Srdvakas (disciples); even for Anekabuddhas 2 there is no such way, as when the knowledge of a Buddha is being manifested.
6. ‘ If all beings had attained bliss, knowing the highest meaning in pure wisdom, they would not in ko/is of kalpas or even in a longer time tell all the virtues of one Buddha: 7. ‘ Thereupon they would attain Nirvana, preach¬ ing for many ko/'ls of kalpas, and yet the measure of the knowledge of a Buddha would not be reached, for such is the wonderfulness of the knowledge of the (Anas.
8. ‘Therefore a learned man of an intelligent race 3 who believes my words, after having perceived 1 Those who are as yet hearers only of the Law.
2 Should it be Pratyekabuddhas?
8 The text is evidently corrupt, and the translation conjectural.
§45- the land of bliss. 71 all paths of the knowledge of the Cinas, should utter speech, saying, “ Buddha is wise.”
9. ‘Now and then a man is found, now and then a Buddha appears, knowledge of the object of faith is acquired after a long time, — therefore one should strive to acquire (the knowledge of) the object (of faith) V § 45. And while this treatise of the Law was being delivered, twelve ko/ls of niyutas of beings obtained the pure and spotless eye of the Law with regard to Laws. Twenty-four hundred thousand niyutas of ko/ls of beings obtained the Anagamin1 2 reward. Eight hundred Bhikshus had their thoughts delivered from faults so as to cling no more to anything. Twenty-five ko/is of Bodhisattvas obtained resigna¬ tion to things to come. And by forty hundred thousand niyutas of ko/is of the human and divine race, thoughts such as had never risen before were turned toward the highest perfect knowledge, and their stocks of merit were made to grow toward their being born in the world Sukhivati, from a desire to see the Tathagata, the blessed Amitabha. And all of them having been born there, will in proper order be born in other worlds, as Tathagatas, called Ma%usvara (sweet- voiced). And eighty ko/is of niyutas having acquired resignation under the Tatha¬ gata Dipankara, never turning back again from the highest perfect knowledge, rendered perfect by the 1 The tenth verse is again unintelligible, but may have meant something like that ‘those who having heard the best Laws, are joyful in remembering Sugata, are our friends in time past, and they also who wish for enlightenment.’
2 One who is not born again, except in the Brahma world, and then may obtain Nirvawa.
DESCRIPTION OF SUKHAVAtI, §§ 46, 47.
T athagata Amitayus, practising the duties of former Bodhisattvas, will carry out, after they are born in the world Sukhavatl, the duties enjoined in the former Prawidhanas (prayers).
§ 46. At that time this universe (the three millions of worlds) trembled in six ways. And various miracles were seen. On earth everything was perfect, and human and divine instruments were played, and the shout of joy was heard as far as the world of the AkanishMas.
§ 47. Thus spoke the Bhagavat enraptured, and the noble-minded Bodhisattva A^ita, and the blessed Ananda, the whole Assembly, and the world, with gods, men, spirits, mighty birds, and fairies, applauded the speech of the Bhagavat.
The praise of the beauty of the excellences of Sukhavati, the country of the blessed Amitabha, the T athagata, the entry of the Bodhisattva on the stage of ‘never returning,’ the story of Amitabha, the Mahclyclnasfttra of the Description of SukMvati is finished.