3U4rtl?klfawi)

Lalitavistara’Phags-pa rgya-cher-rol-pa

zhes-bya-ba theg-pa chen-po’i mdo

"Voice of the Buddha

cIf)e "Voice of the Buddha: "Tf e Beauty of Compassion^

‘V o lu m e I

ranslated into K mulish from the French by C >w > rulolyn Bays

"Voice of the Buddha: T!)e Beauty of Compassion^

‘VSlume I

Translated into English from the French by Gwendolyn Bays

Dharma Publishing

T ibetan T ranslation Series

Buddha’s LionsCalm and ClearElegant SayingsGolden ZephyrKindly Bent to Ease UsLegend o f the Great Stupafh e Life and Liberation o f PadmasambhavaM ind in Buddhist Psychology

Copyright ©1983 by Dharma Publishing.All rights reserved. No part o f this book, including text, art reproductions, and illustrations, may be reproduced in any form without written permission. For information, write: Dharma Publishing, 2425 Hillside Avenue, Berkeley, California 94704 usa.

Library o f Congress Cataloging in Publication Data

Tripitaka. Sutrapitaka. Lalitavistara. English.The voice o f the Buddha, the beauty o f compassion.

(Tibetan translation series)Includes index.I. Title. II. Series.

BQ1582.E5B38 1983 294.3'823 83-15024ISBN 0-913546-84-4 (v. 1)ISBN 0-913546-85-2 (v. 2)ISBN 0-913546-86-0 (pbk. : v. 1)ISBN 0-913546-87-9 (p b k .: v. 2)

Typeset in Fototronic Baskerville with Bookman Light and Dutch Initials. Printed and bound in the United States o f America by Dharma Press, Oakland, California.

9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Dedicated tothe Masters of the Buddhist tradition

and to Western students of the Dharma

Table o f Contents

Publisher’s Preface xiiiIntroduction by Tarthang Tulku xviiChapter 1 The Setting 4Chapter 2 The Great Inspiration 16Chapter 3 The Complete Purity o f Family 28Chapter 4 The Luminous Doors o f the Dharma 52Chapter 5 Setting in Motion 70Chapter 6 The Descent into the Womb 94Chapter 7 The Birth 122Chapter 8 The Visit to the Temple 172Chapter 9 The Jewelry 180Chapter 10 The Visit to the Schoolroom 186Chapter 11 The Farming Village 198Chapter 12 Skill in the Worldly Arts 210Chapter 13 Exhortation 240Chapter 14 Dreams 282Chapter 15 The Departure from Home 300

‘Publisher’s Preface

€ h e l a l it a v is t a r a is a w o r k o f g r e a t b e a u t y , with a vision that has no parallel in modern literature. Its elegant style reflects the dignity o f its subject, and its rich

imagery, building and building until it almost overwhelms the ordinary mind, gives the text the power to touch the heart directly.

The present English translation is an attempt to transmit at least some o f this power and beauty. It is based primarily on two sources: the French translation from the Sanskrit and Tibetan by Edouard Foucaux, and the masterful eighth century translation from Sanskrit into Tibetan by Jinamitra, Danaslla, Munivarman, and Ye-shes sde. The first step in our work was to translate Foucaux’s French version into English. Since Foucaux’s text is more a working draft than a finished translation, we found it necessary to compare this first English version word for word against the Tibetan. For occasional difficult passages we also consulted the Sanskrit original. As the draft developed, it was re­viewed and revised many times for both style and content.

Despite these efforts, the accuracy and reliability o f the present text are still provisional. Foucaux’s work, published

played important roles I express my thanks. I am sure they join with me in dedicating the fruits o f their efforts to West­ern students o f the Dharma, and to the past masters who have kept alive the teachings o f the Enlightened One through the ages.

XV

"Introduction^

h e n i w a s a c h il d in t ib e t , I read and heard many different accounts o f the life o f the Buddha. Not

until years later did I realize that all these accounts were based on the Lalitavistara, an epic o f grand proportions which presents the life o f the Buddha in his own words, as he himself wished his followers to understand it.

The teachings o f the Buddha are classified into twelve branches, or angas. They are also organized into the collec­tions o f the Tripitaka: the Vinaya, which set forth the code o f conduct for the Sangha; the Sutras, which reveal the heart o f the Buddha’s realization; and the Abhidharma, which gathers and systematizes the teachings as a basis for practice and insight. The Lalitavistara finds its place within this structure as a Sutra o f the Mahayana tradition. It comes within the anga known as the vaipulya, or extensive teaching. Like other vaipulya Sutras, its teachings are rich and varied, a source o f insight and realization for all who hear and reflect on them.

Many different sources describe the basic events re­counted in the Lalitavistara. The Buddha Sakyamuni was born as Siddhartha Gautama, son o f the king o f the Sakyas,

a people well-known in early Indian history. He grew to an incomparable manhood, ahd became enlightened while seated in meditation beneath the Bodhi tree at Bodh Gaya. After his Enlightenment, he taught for forty-five years be­fore passing away at Kusinagara.

In the Lalitavistara, the Buddha himself describes these events from the time before his birth to the time when he first transmitted his realization to others. The account follows the traditional framework based on twelve acts common to all Buddhas, beginning with existence in the Tusita heaven prior to the final rebirth. The Bodhisattva resolves to appear in the world to demonstrate the path to Enlightenment, and enters his mother’s womb in the form o f a white elephant. Emerging from his mother’s right side after ten lunar months, he immediately takes seven steps in each direction, proclaiming his future destiny and his re­solve to lead all beings to liberation from suffering.

Siddhartha grows to manhood, demonstrating complete mastery o f all worldly arts. At the proper time, he marries the maiden Gopa, and for many years enjoys a life o f luxury and ease in the palace. At length, having shown that even such pleasures bring no lasting happiness, he departs from home for the life o f a wandering monk. After six years o f extreme ascetic practice, he rejects the path o f austerities and proceeds to the Bodhi tree. There he seats himself, vowing not to arise until he has attained complete and perfect Enlightenment. In epic battle with Mara, king of the forces o f deception, he vanquishes all obscurations and penetrates to the true nature o f all reality.

Traveling to the Deer Park at Sarnath, the Buddha turns the Wheel o f the Dharma for the first time, setting forth the

xvm

basic teachings o f the path toward liberation. Later the Buddha would turn the Dharma Wheel a second and a third time, revealing the omniscience o f the Prajnaparamita and demonstrating the vastness o f perfect realization. While the Second and Third Turnings are not described in the Lalitavistara, the Sutra itself offers insight into all three Turnings.

In reading the Lalitavistara, it soon becomes evident that the Buddha is being described on several levels at once. First, the Buddha is immutable and universal, free o f all limitations: omnipresent, already enlightened since begin­ningless time, and inseparable from the Dharma and the Sangha. At the same time, he is a being whose training through countless lifetimes has made him more than hu­man, greater even than the gods. The many miraculous displays recounted in the Lalitavistara demonstrate that the Buddha moves in a realm not normally accessible to ordi­nary vision and understanding.

Finally, the Buddha is an individual human being, born in a certain time and place, whose life can be understood on the level o f personal growth and inner dynamics. On this level, his knowledge is incomplete, and he must discover anew the truths that he will later communicate to others. The Lalitavistara presents this aspect o f the Buddha as an emanation or manifestation produced solely for the purpose o f instructing sentient beings.

Keeping these different aspects o f the Buddha in mind can help guide the reader through the rich treasures o f the Lalitavistara. Even these dimensions o f his being, however, only hint at the true nature o f the Enlightened One. The Mahayana teaching o f the Buddha’s three-fold embodi­

xix

ment and the inner Mantrayana teachings o f the five Buddha families both express aspects o f the Buddha. Countless other teachings unfold still further dimensions. It has been said that if Manjusri, the Bodhisattva who em­bodies the highest wisdom and understanding, set out to explain the qualities and the nature o f the Buddha in terms accessible to the conceptual mind, he could not do so, though he spent a full lifetime in the effort. The ultimate pature o f the Tathagata is manifold and inexpressible, a truth that the Lalitavistara conveys so well.

Among the Buddhists o f northern Asia, the Lalitavistara is greatly revered as a powerful antidote to the misery and basic ignorance that plague human existence. The Sutra’s manifold teachings, born directly from the Buddha’s deep and penetrating samadhi, operate on many levels simulta­neously. They have inspired countless readers and listeners with confidence and dedication.

Within the Theravada tradition o f Southeast Asia, other accounts o f the life o f the Buddha are preferred to the Lalitavistara, which is not regarded as a canonical work. The Mahayana tradition o f the North, however, under­stands the Buddha as manifesting differently in accord with the circumstances and the capacity o f the audience. The vision o f the Buddha presented in the Lalitavistara accords with the penetrating insight and vast perspective o f the great Bodhisattvas, and it seems only natural that it would exist side by side with other accounts addressed to a differ­ent understanding.

Western readers will feel free to appreciate this text without resolving the issue o f its canonical status. Still, they may wonder exactly why the Mahayana tradition considers

iXX

the Lalitavistara to be such an unsurpassed expression o f the Buddha’s teachings, when other Sutras offer more philosophical content or present express instructions in meditation. Perhaps the answer is that this most precious teaching evokes a deep understanding o f the Tathagata himself. Although study and meditation are o f course very helpful, the best way to begin a serious investigation o f Buddhist teachings is to look at who the Buddha really is. The Enlightened One exemplifies the goal o f all Buddhist practice, and whoever has a clear vision o f the goal will move surely along the path to its realization. Yet how many o f those who follow the Dharma in the West have really stud­ied the life o f the Buddha?

Reading the Lalitavistara can help counteract a number o f common misconceptions about Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha alike. The image o f a laughing, fat-bellied Buddha depicted in some popular art has little to do with the reality o f Enlightened Being, and superficial statements about nirvana and Enlightenment made by individuals not fully trained in a living tradition offer little real insight into the Dharma. When individuals gathered in the name o f the Buddha spend their time socializing or in poorly under­stood ritual observances, or in exchanging personal opin­ions on doctrine, they are not necessarily acting as true representatives o f the Sangha. Anyone who reads and reflects on the Lalitavistara will avoid such confusions.

Ultimately, the Lalitavistara does far more than clarify our misconceptions. The beauty and power o f the Sutra’s language awaken our deeper faculties, and its vision shows us worlds we do not usually see. As the Sutra unfolds, our understanding deepens and our hearts open. Then we truly begin to learn about the Buddha.

xxi

Unique in history, the Enlightened One stands alone among gods and men alike. Even the Creators and De­stroyers o f universes revere his matchless knowledge, and acknowledge him as their teacher. The Buddha’s omnis­cience, manifested in all his actions, shows us the limits of our own knowledge. Unlike the Enlightened Ones, we can never know the outcome o f our actions, and we can never be sure that we will attain our goals. As we come to see this, we turn to the Tathagata with a joyful heart, confident that we have found a guide o f perfect wisdom.

Yet this is only part o f the story, for the Buddha is not a divine messenger or an incarnation, come to earth to offer guidance. Instead, the Enlightened One is himself a human being who has attained the perfection o f his human qual­ities. Through the teaching of pratltyasamutpada, which reveals the truths that govern the arising and passing away of all things, he demonstrates that nothing is ultimately beyond our understanding. By teaching that the realm of Enlightenment is inseparable from our own being, he sets us on the path that leads in the end to our also becoming Buddhas. Through his continuing presence, he holds open the door o f liberation for all sentient beings, fulfilling with unending joy the vow that guides his conduct throughout all time and space.

xxn

‘Tfje ‘'Voice o f the Buddha

"Volume I

Plate 1

P W M M ffc l t f :

I |

Setting

m ! SALUTATIONS TO ALL BUDDHAS AND BODHISATTVAS, /to the venerable Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas who

abide in the ten directions in the endless regions o f the infinite universe.

Thus I once heard: The Lord was dwelling in Sravasti, in the Jetavana Grove, the pleasure garden of Anathapindada, together with twelve thousand monks led by the Ayusmat Ajnanakaundinya, as well as by the Ayusmat Asvajit, the Ayusmat Vaspa, the Ayusmat Mahanama, the Ayusmat Bhadrika, the Ayusmat Yasodeva, the Ayusmat Vimala, the Ayusmat Subahu, the Ayusmat Purna, and the Ayusmat Gavampati, the Ayusmat Uruvilva Kasyapa, the Ayusmat Nadlkasyapa, the Ayusmat Gayakasyapa, together with the Ayusmat Sariputra, the Ayusmat Maudgalyayana, the Ayusmat Mahakasyapa, the Ayusmat Mahakatyayana, and the Ayusmat Kaphila, the Ayusmat Kaundinya, the Ayusmat Cunanda, the Ayusmat Purnamaitrayanlputra, as well as the Ayusmat Aniruddha, the Ayusmat Nandika, the Ayusmat Kasphila, the Ayusmat Subhuti, the Ayusmat Revata, the Ayusmat Khadiravanika, along with the Ayusmat Amogharaja, the Ayusmat Mahaparamika, the

Ayusmat Vakkula, the Ayusmat Nanda, and the Ayusmat Rahula, the Ayusmat Sva^ata, and the Ayusmat Ananda.

Together with these twelve thousand monks were thirty- two thousand Bodhisattvas who had completely ob­tained all the perfections o f the Bodhisattva and had but one birth remaining. They had obtained the superior knowledge of the Bodhisattva and had also mastered the Bodhisattva dharanls and energy. They had accomplished all the aspirations o f the Bodhisattva and had understood the Bodhisattva knowledge in all its forms; they had mastered all the samadhis of the Bodhisattva and obtained the Bodhisattva powers; they had entered into all- embracing patience and attained each o f the stages o f the Bodhisattva.

All these thirty-two thousand Bodhisattvas were led by the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Maitreya, together with the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Dharanlsvararaja, the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Sinhaketu, and the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Siddharthamati, the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Prasanta- caritramati, the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Pratisaiiivitprapti, the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Nityoyukta, as well as by the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Mahakarunacandrin.

At this time the Lord had retired into the large city o f Sravasti. There he lived, honored, respected, and revered. He was deluged with offerings: from the four assemblies; from kings, princes, ministers, and officers; from ksatriyas, brahmins, merchants, and householders; from inhabitants of both city and country; from tlrthikas, sramanas, brahmins, carakas, and parivrajakas.

There the Lord received all forms of goods and neces­sities: dishes both savory and abundant, the clothing and

alms befitting a monk, bedding and medicines. Richly en­dowed and famous, the Lord remained detached from everything, like the lotus shedding drops o f water. And the great accounts o f the Lord’s repute spread throughout the world:

“ The Bhagavan is the Tathagata, Arhat, the perfect and complete Buddha, endowed with perfect knowledge and perfect conduct. He is the Sugata, the Lord o f Knowledge, unexcelled leader o f those yet to be trained, teacher o f both gods and men. The Lord Buddha has appeared in the world. Endowed with the five eyes, he abides together with gods o f both this world and beyond; he abides with demons and with Brahma, with sramanas and with brahmins, and with many other beings, both gods and ordinary mortals.

“ Having attained complete omniscience, he taught the Dharma: good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good at the end, truly excellent in meaning and beautiful in expression, fully accomplished, free o f contamination, truly pure, truly pristine, and maintaining its purity. Such is the Dharma which he has taught.”

One day at midnight, the Lord entered into the medita­tion called Buddhalamkakaravyuha, Arrangement o f the Ornaments o f the Buddha. He had scarcely entered into this samadhi when from the top o f his head, from the very crown, there shone forth a beam o f light called Purva- buddha-anupasmrti-asanga-ajnana-aloka-alamkara, Light o f the Unbounded Wisdom Which Recalls the Previous Buddhas. This beam illuminated all the dwellings o f the gods of the Suddhavasa realm, attracting innumerable devaputras, including the devaputra Mahesvara. From within the beam o f light stanzas o f exhortation came forth:

“ Come meet with the Muni &akya Simha, the Sage, Lion o f the 6akyas.His wisdom conquers darknesswith a light beautiful and splendid, spotless and pure, for his body is tranquil, his mind both calm and virtuous.

“ Have recourse to the Masterful One, who naturally actualizes the Dharma.Ocean o f Knowledge, pure one o f great strength, he is Lord of the Dharma and knower o f all things; he is Master o f the Munis, God o f Gods, worshipped by gods and men.

“ Do not let your sight and hearing pass uselessly,but approach the One who holdsthe peace o f final deliverance,master o f the mind so difficult to subdue,master o f the mind free from the snares o f demons.

“ He has manifested himself in the matchless Dharma, dispelling the shadows while teaching the good way.He is the Buddha whose knowledge o f tranquility and action is unexcelled. Approach him with devotion!

“ He is the King o f Physicianswho dispenses the elixir o f immortality.He is the greatest o f orators, destroyer o f the troops o f the wicked.Knowing well the true meaning o f the Dharma, he is the Friend o f the Dharma.He is the True Guide who reveals the path.”

Touched by the luminous rays called Light o f the Un­bounded Wisdom Which Recalls the Previous Buddhas, moved by verses such as these, the devaputras of the Suddhavasa realm emerged from their perfectly tranquil meditation. Through the power o f the Buddha, they re­membered the previous Lord Buddhas o f innumerable kalpas, immeasurable beyond calculation and number, and for each o f the Buddhas they recalled their qualities and their Buddha-fields, their circle o f attendants, and their teachings.

In the middle o f that peaceful night, Isvara, a devaputra o f the &uddhavasa realm, together with the devaputra Mahesvara, as well as Nandana, Candana, Mahita, Pra- santa, Vinitesvara, and other devaputras o f Suddhavasa in great number, shining with many brilliant colors, illu­mined the entire Jetavana Grove with their divine splendor. Appearing before the Lord, touching their heads to his feet, they stood to one side and said to the Bhagavan:

“ There is, Lord, a part o f the Dharma which bears the name Lalitavistara, a Sutra o f great extent which illumines the roots o f the virtue o f the Bodhisattvas, which reveals in detail the descent from the Tusita heaven, the entering into the womb, and the purposeful stay in the womb o f the mother; which shows clearly the Bodhisattva’s power over the earth at his birth, his superior conduct as an infant and youth, and his superiority over all other beings in practice of the worldly arts. This teaching shows the superior quality of the Bodhisattva’s actions as a youth and indicates every­thing which demonstrates his superiority over all beings in the practice o f writing and cyphering, palmistry and astrol­ogy, fencing, archery, fighting, and wrestling.

j9

“ This teaching celebrates all the Bodhisattva’s actions, as well as his appreciation of^all things, including women. It displays the coming together o f the Bodhisattva’s activities, the results o f his attainments, and the pleasures o f the Bodhisattva, the various actions o f the Bodhisattva, the destruction o f the circle o f demons, and the strength o f a Tathagata. This teaching tells o f the Bodhisattva’s fear­lessness, his acquiring o f the eighteen Buddhadharmas, and the teachings o f the incomparable Buddhadharma as taught by past Tathagatas: Padmottara, Dharmaketu, Dipamkara, Gunaketu Mahakara, and Rsideva, Sritejas, Satyeketu, Vajrasarhhata, Sarvavibhu, and Hemavarna, Atyucchagami, Pravahasagara, Puspaketu, Vararupa, by Sulochana, Rsigupta, Jinavaktra, Unnata, Puspita, and Urnitejas, Pushkara, Surasmi, Mangala, Sudarsana, as well as Mahasimhatejas, Sthitabuddhidatta, Vasantagandhin, Satyadharmavipulaklrti, Ti§ya, Pusya, Lokasundara, and Vistlrnabheda, Ratnaklrti, Ugratejas, and Brahmatejas, Sughosa, Supuspa, Sumanojnaghosa, Sucestarupa, and by Prahasitanetra, Gunarasi, Meghasvara, and Sundaravarna, Jinavaktra, Ayustejas, Salllagajagamin, Lokabhilasita, and Jitaiatru, Sarhpujita, Vipasyi, Sikhin, and by Visvabhu, Krakucchanda, and Kanakamuni; teachings also taught formerly by the Kasyapa Tathagata Arhat, perfect and ac­complished Buddha.

“ May the Lord once more bring this teaching to light, out o f compassion for the world, as medicine for myriads o f beings, for the happiness o f many beings, for the flowering o f the multitudes, for the happiness and greater purpose o f gods and men, so that all beings may be well and happy. May this teaching once more be brought to light, to ex­plain the Great Vehicle, to subjugate all opponents, and

10

to suppress all demons. May it reveal to all the ways o f the Bodhisattva and inspire great effort in all who would follow the Bodhisattva vehicle. May it be brought to light to show clearly the accomplishments o f a Buddha, so that the Dharma may be embraced and the continuity of the Three Jewels ensured.”

Thus they spoke. And the Lord consented by his silence, taking pity on the ordinary beings o f the world and on the gods and devaputras as well.

Knowing by the silence o f the Buddha that he had given his consent, the devaputras were happy and content. Trans­ported with joy, their minds full o f delight, they touched their heads to the feet o f the Lord. Circumambulating the Buddha three times, they rained down around him divine sandalwood powders, powders o f aloes, and mandarava flowers, and then disappeared.

As the night came to an end, the Bhagavat proceeded to a bamboo grove, surrounded by the crowd o f Bodhisattvas and the assembly o f Sravakas, and seated himself upon the seat prepared. The Lord then addressed the assembly:

“ O monks, during the peaceful night, the devaputras o f the Suddhavasa realm named Isvara and Mahesvara as well as Nandana, Sunandana, and Candana, Mahita, Prasanta, Vinltesvara, and many other devaputras o f Suddhavasa came before me.” And so the Buddha told them o f the gods’ appearance and disappearance.

The Bodhisattvas and the Mahasravakas bowed with joined palms to the Buddha and spoke to him as follows:

“ May it please the Lord to teach us clearly the extensive teaching o f the Dharma called Lalitavistara—as medicine

for numerous beings, for the happiness o f numerous beings, out o f compassion for thevworld, for the benefit o f a great number o f beings, for the succor o f gods and men, and for the Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas present and future.”

Moved with great compassion for the Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas, for the Mahasravakas, for gods, men, and asuras, for all the world, the Lord consented to this request by his silence. Then the Buddha began to speak:

“ Last night, O monks, I was sitting where we now sit. Joyfully was I sitting, free from all fettering passion, with mind in perfect balance, fixed on a single point.

“ There came before me a host of devaputraso f great supernatural power,shining with spotless splendor,in colors brilliant and delightful to behold.Illuminating the Jeta Grove with their glory,the devaputras approached, joyous in my presence.

“ There were Mahesvara, Gandana, I£a, and Nanda,Prasantacitta, Mahita, Sunanda,as well as the devaputra &anta,along with several tens o f millions o f other gods.

“ Bowing at my feet, each devaputra circled around me, presenting his right side.Bowing with folded hands, they remained near, and filled with respect, they said to me:

“ ‘O Muni, this comprehensive Sutra, rich in what destroys the pa

1 2

this great discourse, has been taught by all the previous Tathagatas, to benefit and succor all the worlds.

“ ‘With consideration for all the Bodhisattvas, may the Muni once again explain this Great Vehicle, this teaching which suppresses all demons and subdues all opponents.’ ”

So did the gods petition the Buddha, who, with his silence, gave consent.Thrilled with delight and joy, happy and content, the gods cast flowers all about.

Listen then, O monks, and carefully, to this great discourse, this comprehensive Sutra, taught for the sake o f benefitting the world, by all the Tathagatas who have come before.

The First Chapter The Setting

13

‘Tfje great "Inspiration^

ND NOW, O MONKS, WHAT IS THIS EXTENSIVE TEACHINGo f the Dharma called Lalitavistara?

O monks, the Bodhisattva was abiding in Tusita heaven. Having obtained consecration, he was worshipped by those who are worshipped; one hundred thousand gods honored md celebrated him, showing their respect, crowning him vith praises. His aim had been attained; exalted through lis aspirations, he had acquired the wisdom which pene- rates the whole Buddhadharma.

The Bodhisattva was endowed with the great and per- ictly pure eye of wisdom, with great memory and intelli- ence, with realization, prudence, and modesty, with broad nowledge intensified by joy. He had practiced great skillful leans, practiced the ultimate in giving, morality, patience, Tort, meditation, and wisdom. With the great love o f the rahmavihara path, with great loving kindness and great unpassion, with great joy and great equanimity, and

through a higher knowledge, the Bodhisattva had truly arrived at boundless and undefiled knowing.

With mindfulness and complete non-attachment well acquired, with the foundations o f supernatural abilities, with the powers and strengths, with the branches o f awak­ened understanding and the path, the Bodhisattva had arrived at the truly accomplished fulfillment o f all the teachings connected with true awakening. His body was well endowed with the principal signs and secondary marks, which were produced by the accumulation o f immeasurable «merit and wisdom.

The Bodhisattva, having pursued the path for countless aeons, always acted in accord with his words, and his words were always without error. His mind, which nothing could impede, was firm and unswerving, totally free from fraud or cunning. Having put aside all that is due to pride or arrogance, envy, fear, or dejection, the Bodhisattva was impartial toward all beings.

The Bodhisattva had honored innumerable hundreds o f millions o f Buddhas; in turn innumerable hundreds o f mil­lions o f Bodhisattvas had gazed upon him, gaining for themselves the qualities that they perceived. Brahma, Sakra, Mahesvara, the Guardians o f the World, gods and nagas, yaksas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, ma- horagas, and raksasas had all gained splendor through their delight in the Lord.

The Bodhisattva had obtained skill in the understanding o f all aspects of knowledge—he knew every single thought and intention, every single word. He was the perfect vessel of the precepts as taught by all the Buddhas; his memory was boundless and clear of all confusion.

Through mindfulness, renunciation, the foundations of supernatural abilities, the powers and strengths, and the

1 8

branches o f awakened understanding, through the good path, transcendent wisdom, and the precious law o f skillful means and merits, he had become captain o f the great vessel o f the Dharma. Across the four currents and beyond he traveled, inspired by great intention. A firm leader in battle, he subdued all demons and opponents and completely tamed all adversaries. Armed with the vajra-bolts o f the greatest knowledge, he destroyed the hosts o f harmful fet­tering passions.

From the wellspring o f the enlightened mind, the stream of mercy, issuing from the higher intentions, flows forth strong and deep. Steeped in the waters o f the heroism o f the Dharma, the Bodhisattva arises like a lotus from the boundless lake o f many qualities. The essence o f skillful means flows within him, coursing through the stems o f awakening, forming stamens o f contemplation, anthers o f meditation. Untouched by pride or arrogance, his broad unblemished leaves unfurl in the pristine moonlight. The fragrance o f awareness, revelation, morality, and serenity lift toward the ten points o f space. Elder o f knowledge in the world, yet unstained by the eight worldly dharmas, he is the Lotus o f Great Men. The sweet perfume o f merit and the accumulation o f wisdom wafts forth; the sun’s rays o f knowledge and wisdom shine upon the extended blossoms o f the hundred-petaled lotus o f his vision, perfect and pure.

The Bodhisattva is the Lion o f Men. He demonstrates the great fleetness o f the four foundations o f supernatural abilities; the four noble truths are his teeth and claws, his canines the four abodes o f Brahma. The four means o f con­version compose his noble head; his noble body is perfected through understanding o f the twelvefold cycle o f depen-

19

dent origination. His mane is formed of knowledge and wisdom, braided into the fhirty-seven conditions o f awak­ening, perfectly complete. The three doors o f deliverance are his roaring mouth; his clear eyes form his intense insight and deep calm. He dwells in the grottoes and the mountain caves o f meditation, complete deliverance, contemplation, and equanimity. Striding forth from the forest of discipline, he treads the four paths o f pure action. He bears himself with the power o f the four fearlessnesses and the ten strengths. His unwavering courage is unmoved by the fright- fulness o f creation and destruction. His great roar o f ego­lessness tames the tlrthikas, those herds o f deer and donkeys.

The Bodhisattva is the great Sun o f Merit, clearing away the film o f obscuring ignorance, burning with glory in the midst o f gods and men. From his sphere of contemplation and complete deliverance, rays o f wisdom shine forth, burn­ing with strength and valor, outshining the glimmer of the tlrthika glowworms. Blazing white, dispelling all darkness, he entrances with beauty too bright for the eye to behold.

The Bodhisattva is the Great Moon, whose rays open the most skilled o f gods and men like kumuda flowers. He is the great sphere o f contemplation, complete deliverance, and knowledge, surrounded by the shining stars of one hun­dred thousand gods. Moonbeams pour forth from the joy o f his awakening, as he casts light over the four continents.

Possessing the great jewel o f the seven branches o f awak­ening, the Bodhisattva is the great Dharma King, impar­tial toward all beings. With unimpeded intelligence he draws forth abundant and complete benefit from the as­cetic practices o f the ten virtues. Born o f the race o f Cakra- vartins, he turns the precious Dharma Wheel unceasingly.

20

Imbued with all the precious Dharma, the profound cycle of dependent origination, so difficult to fathom, he is never tired o f hearing the Teachings. His morality and wisdom are always well balanced and abundant.

His eyes are like the calyx of a great lotus; his mind is wide, like earth and ocean. His thoughts are the equal o f earth, air, fire, and water. Strong and firm like Mount Meru, his understanding is unshakable. Rid o f passion and o f anger, his intelligence is unmatched, his mind vast and spotless as space. Truly pure is his exalted mind, and his generosity is complete. He has properly acted in the past and done well in all things. The ornament o f truth well adorns him.

Having sought out the roots o f virtue, he is clothed in virtue. Indeed, his virtue is unshakable, for he has practiced tirelessly for seven endless kalpas. He has made gifts o f the seven kinds and practiced earnestly the five articles o f merit. He has conducted himself in accord with the three ways o f the body, the four ways o f speech, and the three ways o f the mind. He has followed well the path o f the ten virtuous works.

He has done forty different types o f perfect actions, and has planted the forty types o f genuine aspirations. The forty highest thoughts are his, and the forty kinds o f genuine liberation. He has attended on forty times one hundred thousand niyutas o f kotis o f Buddhas, and with uprightness offered them the forty types o f genuine devotion. He has offered gifts to the fifty-five hundred thousand niyutas of kotis o f Buddhas, and has rendered service to the hundreds of millions o f Pratyekabuddhas. Because o f him, countless living beings have entered the highest realms and proceeded to liberation.

21

He desires to become a Buddha, with perfect Enlighten­ment, complete and unequaled. With only one lifetime remaining, he dwells now in Tusita heaven, bearing the name o f Svetaketu. Honored by all the gods as the greatest o f their sons, he will be born again from Tusita into the world of man, soon to attain the perfect and complete qualities o f a Buddha.

Among the thirty-two thousand palaces o f the gods, adorned with terraces, with porticos, and with gabled pa­vilions, in the greatest celestial palace of all, the Bodhisattva is seated. Within the palace are trellises adorned with tiny jeweled bells, parasols, and standards and streamers floating unfurled; scattered about are blossoms o f the mandarava coral tree. The palace echoes with the songs o f a hundred thousand niyutas o f kotis o f apsarases. Myriad varieties o f flowering trees can be seen: pearly-white atimuktakas, magnolias, trumpet vines, orchid trees, mahamucilindas, asokas, banyan trees, persimmon trees, asanas, karnikaras, kesaras, sala, coral trees, and many others.

Within the palace are level fields o f sweetly perfumed flowers, sheltered by golden trellises; flowers such as jyotis, malikas, barasikas, taranls, sumanas, balis, and kotaranis. And lotuses abound—blue utpalas, kumudas, and white lotuses as well. Birds fly in the sweet-smelling air, calling out to each other—parrots and cuckoos, geese and peacocks, mallards and kunalas, kalavinkas and pheasants.

The palace is so centered that it is always before the eyes of one hundred thousand niyutas o f kotis o f gods. Its rooms resound with the clear expression o f the Dharma that de­stroys all fettering emotions with the strength o f joy. All within its gilded halls are free from anger and rage, pride,

haughtiness, and arrogance. Here are born joy, serenity, and mindfulness intensified by joy.

While the Bodhisattva is seated at his ease within the great palace, a great discussion o f the Dharma is taking place. Eighty-four thousand melodies resound, brought forth by the accumulated merits o f the Bodhisattva. These stanzas o f exhortation ring forth:

You who have generated the lightof infinite knowledge, memory, and judgment,keep in mind your treasure o f abundant merit.With your matchless strength and great energy, reflect upon the prediction o f Dlpamkara!

You who have wiped out the sin o f pride, who have a heart full o f virtue, hold fast to the developed, spotless mind, rid o f the three defilements.Bring to fruition your former practice o f giving!

Bear in mind the strengths of your tranquility and morality, your austerities and patience, your restraint and effort, meditation, power, and wisdom.Reflect upon all you have done during hundreds o f millions o f kalpas!

Remember, remember, you whose renown is boundless, the hundreds o f millions o f Buddhas you have honored. Reflect upon your compassion for all;

2 2

remember your great actions.Now is the time! Do not letrit slip away!

Prepare to be reborn,you who know the way o f life and death,destroyer o f the fetters o f old age and o f death.Liberator, they await you—the gods, the asuras, and the nagas,the yaksas and the gandharvas.

Even a thousand kalpas o f ascetic practices are like the water o f the ocean— they cannot bring true satisfaction.But your heartfelt virtue gives great satisfaction, so satisfy the beings long tormented by thirst.

Do you not possess unblemished reputation?Are you not delighted with the Dharma and impervious to desire?Your vision is stainless, unclouded.So take pity on the world, and on the gods as well!

Tens o f millions o f godshear the Dharma from you, yet are not satisfied.They do not know true leisure, but rather tend to waste their time.Look upon them!

You with stainless vision,you see the Buddhas o f the world in all the ten directions listening to the Dharma—this great law.Share it with the world!

Your merit and splendor, O Magnificent One, have brought glory to the Tusita heaven.

24

Now, O Merciful One,unfurl the victory banner in the world!

Many gods now awaken to understanding.Passing beyond the desire realm, greatly rejoicing, they enter the realm o f form and say:“ May we attain supreme Enlightenment, the aim o f our vows.”

O Protector, you have destroyed the demons and have conquered the tirthikas.You hold awakening in the palm o f your hand.The time is now. Do not let it pass!

The world is scorched by the fire o f emotions.O Great Hero, cover the world like a bank o f clouds to soothe the passions o f gods and men.Let fall the rain o f immortality!

Vastly skilled in medicine,you can easily cure longstanding disease.Apply the remedy o f the three liberations; establish all in the well-being o f Nirvana!

When they do not hear the lion’s roar, foxes yammer fearlessly.Call out the Buddha’s lion roar, and frighten the fox-like tirthikas!

You hold the lamp of wisdom in your hand; your effort has given you the strength o f the earth. Now touch the earth with the palm o f your hand and conquer!

The Four Guardians o f the World wait to offer you the alms '

25

Sakra and Brahma, and hundreds o f thousands o f others will receive you at your birth.

Possessing the heritage o f wisdom,you look at those of noble lineage and choose the best;dwelling among them, you will demonstratea lineage to be admired,and the conduct o f a Bodhisattva.

Placing a precious jewel within the vase brings great glory!You who are the most precious o f faultless jewels, unfurl the victory banner in the world!Thus do the melodies resound, exhorting the Merciful One:“ The time is at hand! Do not let it pass!”

The Second Chapter The Great Inspiration

26

Plate 3

Com plete ‘P u rity o f P a m ily

® m o n k s , t h e b o d h is a t t v a , moved by these words o f exhortation, this counsel on the opportune time for the Dharma, stepped forth from his crystal palace to the great

palace Dharmoccaya, where he was accustomed to teach the gods o f the Tusita realm. There the Bodhisattva seated himself upon the lion throne.

All o f the devaputras who shared the Bodhisattva’s fortune, who shared the same vehicle, entered the palace after the Lord. The Bodhisattvas were summoned from the ten directions—those who followed the same line o f conduct as the Bodhisattva, as well as devaputras, apsarases, and the ardinary gods. All the noble-minded entered the palace, 'orming an assembly o f sixty-eight thousand kotis o f beings, ill united in the same thought o f profound meditation. And :ach o f them was seated, as was fitting, upon a lion throne.

It was then, O monks, that the Lord said: “ In twelve years he Bodhisattva will enter the womb o f a mother.” The

devaputras of the §uddhavasa realm all rejoiced at these words. Down to the land o f Jambu they went and, having

first hidden their divine beauty under the guise o f brah­mins, they studied with other brahmins. And so they made known that whoever should enter the womb in a certain auspicious manner would be endowed with the thirty-two signs o f a great man, and would take one o f two forms, and not a third.

If he remained a householder, he would become a Cakra- vartin king, the victorious leader o f four armies. A king o f the Dharma, he would possess the seven precious treasures: the treasure o f the wheel, the treasure o f the elephant, the treasure o f the horse, the treasure o f the queen, the treasure o f the jewel, the treasure o f the chancellor, and the treasure o f the counselor.

How does the Cakravartin king possess the treasure o f the wheel? The ksatriya king, having received royal consecra­tion, having had his head anointed on the fifteenth day o f the month, having fasted, goes out upon the terraces o f the palace, surrounded by the women o f his house. And there he sees the treasure o f the divine wheel appear in the East, emitting a thousand rays, seven tala trees in height, with circumference and hub all out o f gold, not fabricated by any Cartwright.

The consecrated ksatriya king, having seen this precious divine wheel, reflects: “ Because the precious divine wheel came before me, I know that I am truly a Cakravartin king. For I have heard that if the treasure o f the divine wheel appears in the East for a ksatriya king who has received royal consecration and has had his head anointed on the fifteenth day o f the month, who has fasted and then gone out onto the terraces o f the palace surrounded by the women o f his house, such a one^will be a Cakravartin king.”

30

Throwing back his cloak from his shoulder, putting his right knee on the ground, the consecrated king reaches out his right hand to turn this divine wheel, proclaiming: “ Turn with the Dharma, precious wheel o f the gods! Never do what is not the Dharma!” And set in motion by the consecrated ksatriya king, the divine wheel advances magi­cally across the eastern sky, followed by the Gakravartin king with his powerful army. And wherever the divine wheel stops, the ksatriya king stops with his army.

As he travels, all the kings o f the East present themselves before him, bearing silver cups filled with gold or golden cups filled with silver. “ You are welcome here, Lord,” they say. “ Please approach. Lord, this kingdom is extensive, prosperous, and agreeable. The population is numerous, and the land is filled with happiness. Pray remain here, Lord; it is your conquest; this land belongs to you.”

The ksatriya king replies to this address o f the ruling kings: “ May your kingdoms act in accord with the Dharma and never disagree with the Dharma. Do not kill, do not take what is not given, do not let desire lead you to commit adultery, and do not tell lies. Do not slander others or speak deceitfully. Do not act frivolously. Do not be covetous or entertain cruel thoughts or views. Do not support those who take life, and do not let yourself be influenced by those with false views. Do not let that which is against the Dharma enter these lands; do not be indulgent toward those who act against the Dharma.”

In such a way the ksatriya king conquers the eastern lands. Traveling then over the eastern ocean, he advances across the sky into the southern regions amidst miraculous apparitions. The Cakravartin king advances, followed by

31

his powerful army, and, as in the East, he subdues the region of the South. In like manner, he subdues the West and the North. Having entirely subjugated the North, he crosses the northern ocean, and by miraculous transformations through the sky, he easily regains his homeland and rests once more above the quarters o f the queen. In this way, the ksatriya king, having received royal consecration, possesses the treasure o f the wheel.

How does the Cakravartin king possess the treasure o f the elephant? For the Cakravartin king, who has received con­secration, the treasure o f the elephant comes forth in the same way as the wheel. Pure white, with four firm limbs, strong tusks and trunk, the elephant wears golden head ornaments and trappings; he bears a golden standard and is covered with golden netting. Endowed with supernatural power, he travels through the heavens, knowing the laws o f transformation well. For this reason the king o f elephants is called Bodhi.

When the consecrated ksatriya king desires to experience the treasure o f the elephant, he mounts the great beast at sunrise and travels to the ends o f the earth. He travels this great earth surrounded by all its oceans and, when he re­turns to his capital, he experiences the joy o f reunion. In this way the Cakravartin king possesses the treasure o f the elephant.

How does the consecrated Cakravartin king possess the treasure o f the horse? The ksatriya king obtains the treasure o f the horse as before. The horse is gray with a black head and a braided mane. He bears a golden standard and is adorned with golden necklaces and covered with golden netting. He is respectful when mounted. Endowed with

supernatural powers, he knows the laws o f transformation well and so can travel through the skies. For this reason the king o f the horses is called Balahaka, Thunder Cloud.

When the consecrated ksatriya king desires to experience the treasure o f the horse, he mounts Balahaka at sunrise and travels to the ends o f the earth. Having traversed the great oceans, he returns to his capital and is welcomed with joy. Such is the way the Cakravartin king possesses the treasure o f the horse.

How does the Cakravartin king possess the treasure o f the jewel? For the ksatriya king, who has received consecration, the precious jewel comes forth as before. It is brilliant blue and bears the eight facets o f the lapus lazuli. Its brightness illuminates the entire apartment o f the queen.

When the consecrated ksatriya king desires to experience the precious jewel, he attaches it to the top o f a standard at the stroke o f midnight and goes forth into the royal park in the midst o f darkness. Its brightness lights up the four armies to the distance o f a yojana, and all within the circle o f its light see each other as if it were day and say to one another: “ Friends, get up! It is time for work; it is time to go to market. Daybreak has come; the sun has risen.” Such is the way that the consecrated ksatriya king possesses the treasure o f the jewel.

How does the Cakravartin king possess the treasure o f the queen? For the consecrated ksatriya king, the treasure o f the queen comes forth as before. She is infinitely agreeable and is born o f the ksatriya race. She is very beautiful, not too tall or too short, too fat or too thin, too lightskinned or dark. Benevolent, pleasing to the eyes, she is radiant and perfectly

33

proportioned. A perfume o f sandalwood issues from all her pores; her breath is redolent with the fragrance o f the blue lotus. Her skin is as soft to the touch as a garment of kacalindi cloth—during cold weather her body is warm to the touch, and during hot weather it is cool. Not even in her thoughts, much less in her body, does she feel desire for any other than the Cakravartin king. Such is the way the Cakra- vartin king possesses the treasure o f the queen.

How does the Cakravartin king possess the treasure o f the chancellor? For the ksatriya king, who has received conse­cration, the treasure o f the chancellor comes forth as before. He is learned, enlightened, and prudent. Endowed with the divine eye, he oversees to the extent o f a yojana every trea­sure that is owned, as well as all that belongs to no one. With these treasures he supplies the Cakravartin king with what­ever wealth is needed. Such is the way the Cakravartin king possesses the treasure o f the chancellor.

How does the Cakravartin king possess the treasure o f the counselor? For the Cakravartin king, the treasure o f the counselor comes forth as before. He is wise, enlightened, and prudent; as soon as the king even considers equipping the army, the king’s every thought is fulfilled by the counselor. Such is the way the Cakravartin king possesses the treasure of the counselor.

It is thus that the Cakravartin king possesses the seven treasures. In addition to these treasures, a thousand sons are born to him. Extremely handsome heroes, bold and strong, they conquer all hostile forces. And so the Cakravartin king rules over this great earth bounded by oceans, employing neither punishment nor weapons, but merely applying the Dharma.

34

But if the Bodhisattva leaves the life o f a householder to wander as a homeless monk, he will become a Buddha. Renouncing all desires bound by emotion, he will become the teacher o f gods and men, a peerless guide needing no aid from another.

At this time, other devaputras who had gone into the land o f Jambu exhorted the Pratyekabuddhas, saying: “ O Venerable Ones, leave the field of the Buddha free, for in twelve years the Bodhisattva will enter the womb o f a mother.”

O monks, there dwelt then in the great city o f Rajagrha, on the mountain Golangulaparivartana, a Pratyekabuddha named Matanga. Having heard the call o f the devaputras, he became as still as silt on a rock. Then he rose into the sky to the height o f seven tala trees and passed with equanimity into the realm of fire; in a brilliant flash he entered totally into Nirvana. The fire consumed all bile and phlegm, all fibers and nerves, all bone, flesh, and blood, but relics fell to the ground, and even today traces o f the footsteps o f this rsi can be seen.

O monks, at this time there lived near Varanasi, in the Deer Park at Rsipatana,.five hundred Pratyekabuddhas. Having heard the devaputras’ call, they rose into the sky to the height o f seven tala trees, and passing with equanimity into the realm of fire, in a flash entered into Nirvana. All bile and phlegm, all fibers and nerves, all bone, flesh, and blood were completely consumed by the fire; only pure relics fell to the earth. And because o f these relics, the place has been known since that time as Rsipatana, the Place Where the Rsis Rose; and because deer live there without fear, it is also known as Mrgadava, the Deer Park.

35

O monks, the Bodhisattva had four great visions during his stay in the Tusita palace. And what were these visions? They were the vision of the time, the vision o f the land, the vision o f the country, and the vision o f the family.

Why, O monks, would the Bodhisattva devote himself to the vision o f time? Because a Bodhisattva does not enter the womb o f a mother at the beginning o f a world when beings are first developing. But when the world is completely evolved, and when old age, sickness, and death appear, it is then that a Bodhisattva enters a mother’s womb.

Why, O monks, would the Bodhisattva devote himself to the vision o f the land? Because Bodhisattvas are not born in barbarian lands; they also are not born in the East, in Purvavideha, where men are tall and proud; not born in the West, in Aparagodana, where men act like raging bulls; not born in the North, in Uttarakuru, where voices are harsh and unlovely. But rather Bodhisattvas are born in the South, in Jambudvipa.

Why, O monks, would the Bodhisattva devote himself to the vision of the country? Because Bodhisattvas are not born in barbarian countries where men are ignorant and dull, dumb like sheep and incapable of distinguishing the mean­ing of right and wrong; but Bodhisattvas are born in the central countries.

Why, O monks, would the Bodhisattva devote himself to the vision of the family? Because Bodhisattvas are not born into the lower castes, sudra or candala, reed gatherers, Cartwrights, or servants. Rather they are born in either o f two castes: that o f the brahmins or ksatriyas. In times when the brahmins are most respected, they are born in a brahmin

36

family; in times when the ksatriyas are most respected, they are born in a ksatriya family. Today, monks, the caste of the ksatriyas is most respected; therefore, Bodhisattvas are born in a ksatriya family.

And thus, relying upon the force o f such reasoning, the Bodhisattva abided in Tusita heaven, devoting himself to the four great visions. Thereafter he remained silent.

O monks, the devaputras and Bodhisattvas asked each other: “ Into what jewel o f a family will the Bodhisattva be born? What mother’s womb will he enter?”

And to this some answered: “ The family o f Vaidehi in the country o f Magadha has prospered, and its fortune has increased. Into this happy and suitable family the Bodhisattva will enter, dwelling in the womb o f a mother.”

Others replied: “ No, such a family is not suitable. And why not? Because neither the mother’s nor the father’s line is pure. The family’s fortunes have arisen as the result o f small merit, not o f great merit. They are wild, inconstant, and changeable. The land itself is like a desert, lacking gardens, lakes, and ponds; their home is like the home o f savages, set on the side o f a cliff. Surely this family is not suitable.”

Some said: “ The family o f Kosala has a numerous fol­lowing; it also has great wealth, including many chariots. This is surely a suitable family for the Bodhisattva to enter, dwelling in the womb o f a mother.”

But others replied: “ That family is not suitable either. And why not? Because the family o f Kosala is descended from the Matangas. Neither the father’s nor the mother’s line is pure; furthermore, they patronize base people. Not

37

only is the family ignoble, they are not truly wealthy. This is clearly not the right family.,r

Some said: “ The happy family o f King Vatsa has pros­pered and has increased in well-being. This family is suit­able for a Bodhisattva to enter, dwelling in the womb of a mother.”

Others replied: “ That family is not suitable either. And Why not? Because the family is common, violent, and in­glorious. They are foreign in origin and have not achieved glory through the good works o f either father or mother. The king himself speaks constantly o f destruction and re­tribution. This family could not be the one.”

Some said: “ The great walled city of Vaisali, rich and extensive, happy and prosperous, teeming with multitudes, filled with joyful folk, is a city o f summer houses and palaces designed with terraces, porticoes, columns, pavilions, and oval windows. It is a city filled with flowers from woods and gardens, fit for the gods. Surely it is fit for the Bodhisattva to enter and dwell in the womb o f a mother.”

But others replied: “ This city is not suitable. And why not? Because those who live there do not interact with each other properly. They do not observe the Dharma; they respect neither the wise nor the aged nor their leaders. Each who dwells there thinks that he is king and so cannot accept the discipline or the authority o f the Dharma. Therefore, that city is also unsuitable.”

Some said: “ In the walled city o f Ujjayinl the Pradyota family keeps a great army and cavalry which have won many battles. Surely this family is the one suitable for a Bodhisattva to enter, dwelling in the womb o f a mother.”

38

But others replied: “ That family is also unsuitable; fierce, inconsiderate, and cruel, quarrelsome and wild, they take little heed o f their actions.”

Some said: “ In the walled city o f Mathura, rich, exten­sive, flourishing, and joyfully alive with multitudes o f men and beasts, there stands the palace o f King Subahu, who is master of a valiant army. Surely this family is suitable for a Bodhisattva to enter, dwelling in the womb o f a mother.”

Others replied: “ This family is not suitable either, for the king was born in a family which has followed false views from generation to generation. He is like a barbarian. It is not fitting that a Bodhisattva in his last birth should enter into a family which upholds false views. Thus, this family is not suitable either.”

Some said: “ In the walled city o f Hastinapura, there lives a royal family descended from the lineage o f Pandava, the great hero endowed with strength and beauty, the con­queror o f vast armies. Surely this family is suitable for the Bodhisattva to enter, dwelling in the womb o f a mother.”

Others responded: “ This family is not suitable either. And why not? Because those who are born into the lineage o f Pandava have confused their genealogy by calling Yudhisthira the son o f Dharma, Bhlmasena the son o f Vayu, Arjuna the son o f Indra, Nakula and Sahadeva the sons o f the two Asvins. Therefore, this family is not suitable for the Bodhisattva to enter and dwell in the womb o f a mother.”

Some said: “ The city o f Mithila, where well-being and pleasure abound, is the dwelling place o f King Sumitra, ruler over powerful armies o f both infantry and cavalry,

39

which are well equipped with elephants, horses, and char­iots. He possesses vast quantities of gold and silver; pearls, diamonds, lapis lazuli, and conches; crystal, coral, and natural gold; and many different kinds o f goods. He has the ability to overwhelm all the greatest kings and ministers, yet he is surrounded with friends and is clearly attracted to the Dharma. This, then, is the family suitable for the Bodhisattva to enter, dwelling in the womb o f a mother.”

But others replied: “ This family is also unsuitable, for although King Sumitra has many spiritual qualities, he is too old to be a father. And since he already has numerous sons, this family is not the right one.”

In this way the Bodhisattvas and gods examined the highest royal families in the sixteen great kingdoms o f the land o f Jambu and saw that all had faults.

While they were entertaining these thoughts, the deva- putra Jnanaketudhvaja, who was firm in the Great Vehicle, and whom nothing could turn away from Enlightenment, spoke these words to the circle of Bodhisattvas and gods: “ Friends, come hither. Let us go before the Bodhisattva and ask him into what jewel o f a family, endowed with what perfections, he will be born for his last existence.”

“ Excellent!” they replied. And so, going before the Bodhisattva, they all respectfully joined their palms and questioned him: “ Great Being! Into what jewel o f a family, endowed with what perfections, will the Bodhisattva in his final birth be born?”

Considering the great assembly o f Bodhisattvas and gods, the Bodhisattva replied: “ Friends, the Bodhisattva in his last existence must be born in a family endowed with sixty-

four kinds o f perfections. What are these sixty-four? They are as follows: The family is revered and known by all. Malevolence and pettiness are totally lacking. The family is o f noble origins, perfect through the maternal lineage and perfect in its noble alliances. The family has made perfect marriages with those who are distinguished, those who have great knowledge, and those renowned for great power. The family has many offspring and many women. Fearless, it has never been humiliated or defeated, yet is not ambitious.

“ This family is endowed with pure morals and wisdom. All advisers esteem this family, and its members are known for their appreciation o f the arts; their skill in the arts is also renowned. Constant in its friendships, this family shows consideration for all beings, even those reduced to the con­dition o f insects and wild beasts. Always the family remem­bers kindnesses. Clever and powerful, the family members are not tempted by desire or hatred; they are not moved by ignorance or fear. This family is above reproach. They do not dwell in ignorance, and they give alms abundantly. They have a taste for good works and for self-sacrifice, for giving, and for straightforward actions. They stand firm in their strength and have the strength o f the great.

“ The family in which the Bodhisattva will be born hon­ors the rsis and worships the gods; this family honors the caityas and honors its ancestors. No enmities enchain them. Honored throughout the ten directions, this family has a great following, a following which cannot be divided, a fol­lowing which none can surpass. It is the best o f families, the most respected o f families, the most powerful o f families. This family shows respect for the father and mother, respect for sramanas and for brahmins.

4

“ Great treasure o f both grain and jewels accrue to this family, and riches in abundance—gold, jewels, pearls, lapis lazuli, conches, crystal, coral, natural gold, and silver, as well as many goods and artifacts. They own many ele­phants, horses, camels, cattle, and sheep, and many laborers and servants, both male and female, work for them. Hard working, the family succeeds in all undertakings.

“ Born from the lineage o f Cakravartin kings, the mem­bers o f the family are friends who came together in past lives through virtuous works. Descended from the revered lineage o f Bodhisattvas, they are free from even the slight­est defects found in gods or demons, in Brahma, or in sramanas or brahmins. Friends, these are the sixty-four signs o f the family of a Bodhisattva in his last existence.

“ Friends, the Bodhisattva in his last existence will de­scend into the womb o f a woman endowed with thirty-two kinds o f good qualities. What are these thirty-two? They are as follows:

“ The Bodhisattva in his last existence enters into the womb o f a woman whose wisdom and intelligence are well known to all; she neglects no duty; she is o f perfect lineage and birth. Her figure is perfect, her name is perfect, her proportions are perfect. She has not yet given birth and has perfect morals. Completely self-sacrificing, she is always smiling. Gentle and wise, fearless, experienced, learned, and guileless, she is without artifice, without anger, without jealousy or greed, without frivolity, and without incon­stancy. She is not a gossip; she is patient, strong, modest, chaste, and emotionally stable. Desire, hatred, and ignor­ance have little hold upon her, and she is free from all possible faults of the feminine sex. She is strongly devoted to her husband.

42

“ Friends, such are the thirty-two good qualities o f the woman into whose womb the Bodhisattva in his last exis­tence will enter. Moreover, friends, the Bodhisattva does not enter into the womb o f a mother during the dark o f the moon; rather, the Bodhisattva in his last existence enters during the light o f the moon, the fifteenth day, when the moon is full and in conjunction with the constellation Pusya. It is then that the Bodhisattva enters into the womb of a mother devoted to spiritual pursuits.”

The Bodhisattvas and devaputras, having learned from the Bodhisattva o f the complete purity o f the family and the complete purity o f the mother, considered: “ What family could be so endowed with such unique qualities?” Having reflected upon this question and meditated upon it, they said to each other:

“ The city o f the Sakyas is large and prosperous; its people are flourishing and abide in happiness. Suddhodana, the king, is o f pure descent through both his mother and father, and has a pure wife. His duty is never swayed by his emotions. His body is strong and well-formed; he has brilliant merits.

“ The king is from an illustrious family, descended from Cakravartins. He possesses great riches, treasure and jewels o f every kind. He appreciates good works, and his views are untainted. In the whole land o f the Sakyas, he is the only king honored and respected by all the chiefs and the mer­chants, by householders and by counselors, by all his at­tendants and advisers.

“ Gracious and handsome, he is not too old and not too young. His fine body is endowed with every wonderful

43

quality. He makes good use o f his time and o f all things. He understands himself and is acquainted with spiritual pur­suits. He understands people, he understands the world, and he knows the signs. As a Dharma King, he commands according to the Dharma. The great city o f Kapilavastu, the home o f the Sakyas, is truly the dwelling place of beings who have produced the root of virtue; all who are born there have a similar good fortune.

“ The wife o f King Suddhodana is MayadevI, daughter of the Sakya King Suprabuddha. She is in the flower o f her youth and has perfect beauty. She has never given birth and so has neither son nor daughter. Her beauty is like that described in fables, or like that of a goddess adorned with jewels. Free from all possible feminine faults, she always speaks truth, her words never harsh or rough, never crude or scattered. Her speech is irreproachable and timely. She has the voice o f the dove, yet does not chatter. Sweet and agreeable are her words, for she has truly put aside envy and arrogance, anger, pride, jealousy, haughtiness, and vio­lence. She is generous, moral, contented, devoted to her husband, and free from desire for any other.

“ Her face is beautiful, her features even. Hair the color of a dark bee frames her smooth forehead and unwrinkled brow. A smile is ever on her lips, and her speech is sweet and rhythmic. Harmonious arid just, modest and blushing, she is totally without subterfuge, without pretentiousness or artifice. She never speaks with harshness or undue levity, nor does she indulge in irrelevant talk. Desire, hatred, and ignorance have little hold on her; she is sweet and patient. With great care she guards the conduct o f her feet, her hands, and her eyes.

44

“ Her skin is as soft to the touch as a garment o f kaca- lindi cloth; her eyes are as clear as the new leaf o f the blue lotus; her hands and feet are soft and delicate. Her nose is well-formed, and her arms firm and rounded like the rain­bow. Her limbs are well-developed and o f faultless beauty. Her lips are red as the bimba, and her neck is graceful, en­circled with fine ornaments. Her teeth are pure white, like the flower o f the sumana and the jasmine. She has lovely arms and smooth shoulders. Her firm waist has the curve of a bow; her navel is deep, her hips wide, soft, and round. Firm as a diamond, her body has no equal. Her thighs are as well-proportioned as the trunk o f an elephant; her legs are like those o f the antelope. The palms o f her hands and the soles o f her feet are pink, like the juice o f the lac plant.

“ She is entrancing to the sight o f all beings. Among all women marked by superior beauty, she has no equal. She is the jewel, ravishing to the heart and eye. And since her body seems a product o f illusion, she was given the name Maya. Skilled in the arts, like a daughter o f the gods o f Nandana, she lives in the chambers o f the women o f the great King Suddhodana. It is she who unites in herself all the qualities to be the mother o f the Bodhisattva. Just as the Bodhisattva has indicated, the complete purity o f family appears in the family o f the Sakyas.”

Concerning this it is said:

In the Dharmoccaya palace,the Pure Being is seatedon the lion throne of the Dharma;

]

45

Bodhisattvas and gods o f eaual fortune surround the Great Rsi.

While seated there they wonder:into what family will the Bodhisattva be born?What family has the right qualities?They wonder about the father and the mother: what parents could be pure enough in nature?

And closely they survey the land called Jambu: where could the royal ksatriya family be?All the families they look upon have faults, excepting only the Sakyas: here is a family without a fault.

Suddhodana, born of royal kings, descends from a race of masters o f men; his lineage is pure, the family prosperous and orderly, respected by all.The family observes religious law, as do all who dwell in Kapilavastu.

The city itself is embellished with parks, with palaces, viharas, and gardens.The native land must surely be this shining city of Kapila.

The city is full o f powerful men, possessing the strength of several elephants.They excel at archery and all the arts of war,yet not one would harm another even to save himself.

The enchanting wife of King Suddhodana is the first among a thousand: she has attained perfection.

46

Ravishing the heart like a magical creation, she is called MayadevI, Goddess o f Illusion.

She has perfect beautylike a daughter o f the gods;her shapely body sets off exquisite limbs:neither gods nor men could see enough o f Maya.

Untarnished by desire or hatred, she is lovable, sweet, and just, and speaks with kindness always.Modest and chaste, she too observes religious law.

Neither proud nor pompous, yet never frivolous,she is free o f subterfuge and jealousy, artifice and deceit.With loving thoughts, she takes joy in giving.Happy to observe her duty, she never acts unwisely.

Living in total truth,her body and mind are well-controlled.The faults o f womankind the whole earth over do not exist in her.

No woman in the world o f gods,in the world o f the gandharvas, or the world o f men,is the equal o f MayadevI.Where is the one who can surpass her?She alone is suited to be the mother o f the Rsi.

For five hundred births, without exception, she has been the mother o f the Bodhisattva, and &uddhodana often the father.Surely she has the necessary qualities.

47

She remains as diligent as an ascetic; she practices the Dharma constantly.And the king has consented to grant her wisti to live chastely for thirty-two months.

Wherever she may be,whether standing, sitting, or sleeping,her conduct is resplendent,shining with the brilliance o f her good works.

No god, asura, or man could look upon her with lust; those o f noble and honorable ways see her as a mother or a daughter.

Because o f the virtuous works of MayadevI, the kingdom o f the Sakyas prospers.And as King Suddhodana makes no inroads into the lands of neighboring kings, his fame and glory increase.

Like a vase fit to receive a treasure, and a jewel sparkling with glory, so are Maya and this venerable being.

Here are two beings endowed with great qualities: the one to be the son, the other to be the mother.Blessed with the qualities o f a goddess, endowed with the strength o f ten thousand elephants, none but she could carry the greatest o f men, the great victory banner o f the world.

48

Thus the great devaputrasand the Bodhisattvas perfected in knowledgegive praise to Maya, the one endowed with virtuesand worthy to be mother o f the one who will bring joyto the family o f the Sakyas.

The Third Chapter The Complete Purity o f Family

49

Plate 4

f I

‘Lum inous ‘Doors o f the ‘D harm a

m o n k s , in t h e tu sita h e a v e n s stands Uccadhvaja, a great crystal palace which extends for sixty-four yo-

janas. Here the Bodhisattva had considered the family to which he would be born, and here also he taught the Dharma to the Tusita gods.

Now the Bodhisattva went again to Uccadhvaja to speak to the Tusita gods, saying: “ May you meet together here for the teaching o f Cyutyakaraprayoga, The Breath o f Life. Listen well and commit this teaching to memory, for it is the last instruction you will hear from the Bodhisattva.” Heeding these words, all the devaputras o f Tusita, together with the host o f apsarases, gathered in the palace. And the Bodhisattva blessed the four regions o f the world from end to end; he blessed its every dimension.

So beautiful, so pleasant to behold, so well-adorned, so ravishing was this crystal palace, that all the devaputras o f the realms of form and desire compared their own dwellings to cemeteries. Here the Bodhisattva sat upon his lion throne

surrounded by the rich results o f his merits, now completely matured. This gem-covered throne, fitted with the finest cotton cloth, redolent o f both heavenly perfumes and the smoke o f purest incense, gleamed softly with the rainbow colors o f fragrant flowers. The throne glowed with hundreds o f thousands o f precious stones, and over it hung a jeweled lattice, resonating with the sounds o f many little bells.

Because o f the hundreds o f thousands o f virtues o f the Bodhisattva, many hundreds o f thousands o f jeweled bells rang forth. Many hundreds o f thousands o f precious para­sols sheltered the throne, and many hundreds o f thousands o f jeweled nets covered it; silk cloths by the hundreds of thousands and silk fringes adorned it. Hundreds o f thou­sands o f goddesses sang, danced, and played music from every direction, giving praise to the Bodhisattva’s hundreds of thousands o f virtues.

Similarly, many hundreds o f thousands o f Guardians of the World stood at guard; many hundreds o f thousands of &akras gave him greeting, and many hundreds o f thou­sands o f Brahmas paid reverence to him. Hundreds o f thousands o f niyutas o f kotis o f Bodhisattvas followed him, and hundreds o f thousands o f niyutas o f kotis o f Buddhas o f the ten directions reflected upon him. For hundreds o f thousands o f niyutas o f kotis of kalpas, he has matured transcendent merits; such are the circumstances which brought forth these conditions.

O monks, the Bodhisattva, endowed with such good qualities, seated himself on the lion throne and addressed himself to the great assembly o f gods: “ Friends, look upon the body o f the Bodhisattva, well-adorned with the signs o f a hundred merits. Look toward the east, the south, the west,

54

the north. Look above and below, to all sides, to all the ten directions.”

The Bodhisattvas with only one life remaining, who dwell in the abode o f Tusita, appeared in countless numbers, sur­passing all calculation, for surrounded by a great assembly o f gods, the Bodhisattva would teach the doors o f the Dharma to bring happiness to the gods at the time o f his descent from Tusita.

After the blessing o f the Bodhisattva had allowed this assembly o f gods to gaze upon these Bodhisattvas, the gods proceeded toward him and bowed with joined palms. Worshipping him with full prostrations, they pronounced these words respectfully: “ How wonderful! This blessing of the Bodhisattva is inconceivable. Wherever we look, we can see countless Bodhisattvas!”

Then the Bodhisattva again addressed the great assembly of gods: “ Listen, O friends. When the Bodhisattva is about to descend from Tusita, he teaches the luminous doors of the Dharma, which delight the gods. Listen well, friends. The doors o f the Dharma number one hundred and eight. At the time o f the Bodhisattva’s descent, he explains them to the assembly o f gods. The one hundred and eight are as follows:

Faith, friends, is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to an undivided intention.Great pleasure is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads the confused mind to the state o f serenity.

55

Joyfulness is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to the purification o f the mind.Restraint o f the body is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to the purification o f the three faults of the body.Restraint of speech is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to the complete abandonment of the four faults of speech.Restraint of the mind is a luminous door of the Dharma; it leads to the complete abandonment o f envy, wickedness, and false views.Mindfulness o f the Buddha is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to pure seeing o f the Buddha.Mindfulness o f the Dharma is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to the pure teaching o f the Dharma.Mindfulness o f the Sangha is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to the avoidance o f wrongdoing.Mindful practice o f giving is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to the giving up o f everything.Mindful practice o f good conduct is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to the perfect fulfillment o f aspiration.Mindfulness o f the gods is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to excellence o f mind.Love is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to the un­surpassable glory o f meritorious giving o f material gifts.Compassion is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to the virtue o f doing no harm.Joy is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to the clearing away o f all displeasure.

Whatever brings joy is a luminous door of the Dharma; itleads to a body which is cl^ar and light.

56

Equanimity is a luminous door of the Dharma; it leads to contempt for desire.Full realization o f impermanence is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to overcoming passion for the objects of desire, whether they have form or are formless.Full realization o f suffering is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to the cessation o f suffering through prayer.Full realization o f egolessness is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to no longer fixing upon an ego identity.

Full realization o f peace is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to not being inflamed by passion.Self-respect is a luminous door of the Dharma; it leads to inner peace.Modesty is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to outer peace.Truthfulness is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to deceiving neither gods nor men.Reality is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to not deceiving oneself. vPractice o f the Dharma is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to depending on the Dharma.Taking refuge in the Three Jewels is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to overcoming the three unfortunate states o f being.Caring is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to not destroying the root o f virtuous actions.Knowledge o f the right way o f acting is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to not despising others.

57

Knowledge o f other beings is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to not blaming others.Knowledge o f the Dharma is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to zeal for the Dharma and for what agrees with the Dharma.Knowledge of time is a luminous door of the Dharma; it leads to seeing what is useful.Conquering pride is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to the perfection o f knowledge.Thought free from hate and ill will is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to guarding oneself and others.Abandonment o f anger is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to not needing repentance.Respect is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to complete absence o f doubt.Realization o f what is not virtuous is a luminous door of the Dharma; it leads to abandoning the thought o f desire.The absence o f wickedness is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to abandoning the thought o f wickedness.The absence o f ignorance is a luminous door of the Dharma; it leads to the clearing away o f ignorance.Interest in the Dharma is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to taking refuge in the meaning of the Dharma.Desire for the Dharma is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to obtaining the light o f the Dharma.Seeking to listen to the Dharma is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to the right way o f realizing the Dharma.

Knowledge of oneself is a luminous door of the Dharma; itleads to not praising oneself.

58

Complete knowledge of name and form is a luminous door of the Dharma; it leads to overcoming all attachment.Right view is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to obtaining complete liberation through knowledge.The abandonment of desire and hatred is a luminous door of the Dharma; it leads to possessing a mind free from in­flation and depression.Skillfulness in knowing the aggregates is a luminous door of the Dharma; it leads to knowing clearly the nature of suffering.Even temperament is a luminous door of the Dharma; it leads to the abandonment o f all production.Clarifying the senses is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to meditation on the path.Patience is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to the prevention of birth.Mindfulness o f the body is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to great calm in the body.Mindfulness o f feeling is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to cutting off the flow o f feeling.Mindfulness o f the mind is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to the realization that mind is like an illusion.Mindfulness of the Dharma is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to awareness without obscurity.The four complete renunciations are a luminous door o f the Dharma; they lead to the abandonment of all that is un- virtuous and to the accomplishment o f all that is virtuous.

Proper application is a luminous door of the Dharma; itleads to continuous perfection.

59

The four foundations o f supernatural powers are a lumi­nous door o f the Dharma; they lead to lightness o f body and mind.The power o f faith is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to freedom from dependence on others.The power o f effort is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to having an extraordinary awareness.The power o f mindfulness is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to the doing of good works.The power o f concentration is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to the complete liberation of the mind.The power of wisdom is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to awareness which discriminates clearly.The strength o f faith is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to overcoming the power o f demons.The strength o f effort is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to freedom from backsliding.The strength o f mindfulness is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to not being deprived.The strength o f concentration is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to abandoning all conceptualization.The strength o f wisdom is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to not being controlled.Mindfulness as a branch o f awakened understanding is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to knowing the Dharma as it is.Investigation o f the Dharma as a branch o f awakened un­derstanding is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to the fulfillment o f all the Dharma.

60

Effort as a branch o f awakened understanding is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to extraordinary realization.Joy as a branch o f awakened understanding is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to accomplishment in con­templation.Very refined practice as a branch o f awakened under­standing is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to accomplishing what one wants to do.Concentration as a branch o f awakened understanding is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to the recognition o f the equality o f all dharmas.Equanimity as a branch o f awakened understanding is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to indifference to all forms o f birth.Right view is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to faultlessness.Right intention is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to abandoning all mental selectivity, conceptualization, and interpretation.Right speech is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to understanding that a syllable or an entire discourse are the same as an echo.Right conduct is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to not producing bad karma and to its non-maturation.Right livelihood is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to the cessation o f all acquisitiveness.Right effort is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to passing to the other shore.Right mindfulness is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to no need for memory or fixing the mind on anything.

61

Right concentration is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to obtaining the concentration o f an unconfused mind.The mind o f Enlightenment is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to the continuation of the family of the Three Jewels.Aspiration is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to not desiring the Lesser Vehicle.

Higher aspiration is a luminous door of the Dharma; it leads to high motivation in the involvement with the Buddhadharma.Application is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to the perfect fulfillment o f all virtuous qualities.

The perfection o f giving is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to the complete purity o f the principal signs, the secondary characteristics, and the Buddha-field, and to the complete maturation o f beings who have been bound by greed.The perfection o f morality is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to overcoming all bad and unfortunate forms o f existence, and to the complete maturation o f beings who have been caught in bad behavior.

The perfection o f patience is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to the complete abandonment o f wickedness, malice, hatred, pride, and haughtiness, and to the complete matur­ation o f beings who have been bound by bad intentions.

The perfection o f effort is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to the practice o f all the virtuous qualities, and to the complete maturation o f beings who have been caught in indolence.

62

The perfection o f meditation is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to the birth o f all superior knowledge and meditation, and to the complete maturation o f beings who have been inattentive.The perfection o f wisdom is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to abandoning ignorance, the murkiness o f confusion, lack o f knowing, self-pity, and negativities, and to the com­plete maturation o f beings who have been trapped by false knowledge.Skillful means is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to attaining all the Buddhadharma and to teaching correct action in ways that attract beings to the Teachings.The four means o f conversion are a luminous door o f the Dharma; they lead to the gathering o f all beings to obtain Enlightenment and to understand the Dharma.The complete maturation o f beings is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to not being attached to personal well­being and to being without regret.Upholding the holy Dharma is a luminous door of the Dharma; it leads all beings to abandon completely all the fettering passions.The accumulation o f merits is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to the sustenance o f all beings.The accumulation o f awareness is a luminous door of the Dharma; it leads to the fulfillment o f the ten powers of a Buddha.The accumulation o f calm abiding is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to obtaining the concentration o f a Tathagata.The accumulation o f intense insight is a luminous door of the Dharma; it leads to obtaining the eye o f wisdom.

63

Entrance into clear and exact knowledge is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to obtaining the eye o f the Dharma.Entrance into reliable meaning is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to the pure eye o f the Buddha.Acquisition o f dharanl is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to retaining all the words o f the Buddha.Acquisition of brilliance is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to delighting all beings through fine discourse.Acceptance o f the correct teachings is a luminous door of the Dharma; it leads to bringing everything into accord with the Buddhadharma.True acceptance is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to fulfilling the prophecy o f Enlightenment.The stage o f irreversibility is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to the perfection o f all the Buddhadharma.The wisdom which proceeds from stage to stage is a lumi­nous door o f the Dharma; it leads to initiation by the wisdom of omniscience.The stage o f initiation is a luminous door o f the Dharma; it leads to the descent into the womb o f a mother, to birth, to manifesting in the world, to the practice o f austerities, to the journey toward Bodhimanda, to the defeat o f Mara, to manifesting the Enlightenment o f Buddhahood, to turning the Wheel o f the Dharma, and to demonstrating the passing into Parinirvana.

“ There, friends, is the list o f the one hundred and eight doors o f the Dharma, which will always be taught to the

64

assembly o f the gods by the Bodhisattva at the moment of the descent from Tusita.”

O monks, when the teaching on the doors o f the Dharma was given, eighty-four thousand devaputras from among the assembly o f gods generated the thought o f perfect, complete, and unsurpassed Enlightenment. Thirty-two thousand devaputras who had previously practiced good conduct attained the stage o f pure patience, and some thirty-six million devaputras, free o f defilement and lack of clarity, purified the eye o f the Dharma. And the whole realm o f Tusita was showered with petals, up to the knees.

Then, O monks, the Bodhisattva pronounced this verse for the great joy o f the assembly o f gods:

When the Lion Guide o f Men descends from Tusita, he says to the gods: “ Abandon all hesitation!

“All conceivable heavenly and pleasurable situations arise with virtue as their cause.They are the fruit o f virtuous action.

“And thus should you remember:when you exhaust accumulations o f former good works, you will fall into the unfortunate lower realms where pain and displeasure must be endured.

“ You have heard this teaching from me; if you think about it now with respect, and apply yourself to its practice, you will obtain a boundless joy.

65

“ Desires are fleeting, unstable, without duration, like magic, like a dream or a mirage, unstable like lightning ancTfoam!

“ Enjoyment o f the qualities o f desirebrings no satisfaction,as though one had drunk salty water.Wise and honorable men reach true satisfaction above the world and without defilement.

“ Goddesses singing and making sweet music are really no different from actors in a play, from the dancer and the audience.The relationships are similar as they join together.

“ Impermanent, they move apart.They do not follow you, as do acts o f virtue; they are not real friends, not helpful or truly close. Therefore, act with harmony and true loving-kindness; act in accordance with the Dharma in all you do, and your actions will never torment you.

“ True joy is found in listening to the Dharma, in giving, moral conduct, patience, and firm conviction. These are your best friends.So always keep the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha in mind.

“ Be always mindful and act with care.Carefully examine the Teachings;for all is impermanent, full o f suffering, and egoless,and all comes forth from cause and condition.Neither body nor any other thing belongs to anyone.

6 6

“ All that you see in me—supernatural power, knowledge, and awareness- have meritorious deeds and study, good conduct and care as their cause.

“ Follow the way o f my conduct, teaching, and prudence, through giving, gentleness, and the acceptance o f duty, for the sake o f love and help for living beings.

“ Not by talking, supplication, or discourses can the Dharma be acquired; apply yourself and act accordingly.Make effort with energy, and follow the teachings o f the Dharma.

“ Not every action brings a gift,but without acting, nothing is achieved.Recall again the experience o f suffering which you felt for so long in the round o f rebirth.

“ If you hold what is wrong to be good, you cannot pass beyond misery, or gain freedom from desire.

“ Therefore, with true leisure, a spiritual friend, and a suitable place to dwell,listen to the Dharma, and you will obtain holiness.

“ You will ease the suffering which comes from desire. Delivered from pride, conceit, and arrogance, absorb yourself in justice, gentleness, and integrity, as you travel the road to Nirvana.

“ Search zealously for the most excellent path.With the lamp o f wisdom,clear away the darkness o f ignorance.

67

“ With the lightning bolt o f knowledge, tear open the net of error. ^What more is there to say?

“ If you do not apply yourself to the Dharma, the Dharma will not yield its fruit.I am about to obtain Enlightenment, and I will rain down the Dharma which leads to Immortality.

“ With mind well-purified,come hear the holy and unsurpassed Dharma!”

The Fourth Chapter The Luminous Doors o f the Dharma

6 8

Plate 5

Setting in cMotion^

m o n k s , a ft e r t h e b o d h is a t t v a had instructed the great assembly o f gods with this discourse on the

Dharma, after he had helped them understand clearly, had encouraged them, delighted them, and strengthened their patience, he spoke again:

“ Friends, I shall go now into the land of Jambu. For­merly, when I engaged in the practice o f a Bodhisattva, I invited beings to join me in four ways: by giving, by kind words, by helpfulness, and by consistency between words and deeds. How unfitting and ungrateful on my part, if now I did not become a perfect and completely enlightened Buddha!”

At this the devaputras of Tusita wept. Embracing the feet o f the Bodhisattva, they implored him: “ Noble Being, if you leave, this Tusita realm will lose all its glory!”

In response, the Bodhisattva replied: “ The Bodhisattva Maitreya will teach you the Dharma.” He placed the dia­dem from his own head upon the head o f the Bodhisattva Maitreya and said: “ Noble Being, after me you will become the perfect and completely enlightened Buddha.”

In this manner, O monks, did the Bodhisattva consecrate the Bodhisattva Maitreya in the Tusita heaven. He then addressed himself again to the great assembly o f gods: “ Companions, in what form shall I enter into the womb o f a mother?” Some said: “ In human form.” Others said: “ In thefform o f Sakra.” And others said: “ In the form o f Brahma.” Still others replied: “ In the form o f a Great King.” “ In the form of Vaisravana.” “ In the form of Rahu.” “ As a gand- Jiarva, a kinnara, a mahoraga, or as Mahesvara.” “ In the form o f Candra or Surya.” “ In the form o f a garuda.”

Then Ugratejas spoke, one o f the devaputras o f the Brahma realm, a rsi in a previous life who in this rebirth had attained the enlightened irreversible state: “ Since all this information is found in the brahmin books, in mantras, Vedas, and Sastras, we know the Bodhisattva must enter the womb of his mother in the magnificent form o f a great elephant with six tusks, covered with golden netting. His head is rosy red and his temples moist, his body beautiful and gracious. A brahmin who knows the meaning of the Vedas and Sastras will predict that one entering the womb in this form will be endowed with the thirty-two signs of a great being.”

O monks, while the Bodhisattva was still residing in the realm of Tusita, he examined the time of his birth and caused eight signs to manifest at the pure abode o f King Suddhodana. What were these eight signs? First, the grounds became clear of weeds, dead tree trunks, brambles, gravel, and sand; all was well watered, filled with flowers, and swept clean of dust, dirt, and debris; all flies, wasps, mosquitos, moths, and poisonous snakes disappeared; and the grounds became smooth as the palm of the hand. This was the first precursory sign.

72

From the Himalayas, the king o f mountains, came flocks o f birds: pattraguptas, parrots, jays, cuckoos, swans, herons, peacocks, geese, kunalas, nightingales, pheasants, song birds, and birds with striped wings o f many colors. They flew to the pure abode o f King Suddhodana, where they perched on the terraces and balustrades, the arches, the round win­dows, the galleries, and the roofs o f the palace. Each bird fluttered about, full o f joy, embodying this gaiety in song. This was the second precursory sign.

In all the pleasure gardens and in the parks and woods ruled by King Suddhodana, all the flowering trees and fruit trees o f different seasons suddenly came into bloom. This was the third precursory sign.

The many ponds enjoyed by King Suddhodana were filled with thousand-petaled lotus blossoms the size of chariot wheels. This was the fourth precursory sign.

In the pure abode o f King Suddhodana, all the pro­visions, including clarified butter, oil, honey, sugarcane juice, and sugar, were used in abundance, and still they were not depleted. This was the fifth precursory sign.

In that excellent and pure abode, every single instrument in the women’s apartments—large drums, earthen drums, and brass drums, lutes, harps, and flutes, theorbos, and cymbals, all gave forth a soft and melodious sound without being touched. This was the sixth precursory sign.

In that excellent and pure abode, the chests o f gold and silver, o f diamonds, pearls, and lapis lazuli, o f mother-of- pearl, crystal, and coral opened o f themselves, each one overflowing with shining treasure. This was the seventh precursory sign.

73

A perfectly clear light, brighter than sunlight or moon­light, flooded King Suddhbdana’s palace, producing a deep contentment in the body and mind o f everyone inside. This was the eighth precursory sign.

MayadevI, after bathing and rubbing her body with aloes, covered her arms with bracelets and dressed herself in the finest and most beautiful o f festival garments. Filled with contentment, joy, and happiness, surrounded and preceded by ten thousand attendants, she approached King Suddhodana, who was seated at ease in the middle o f the concert hall. Sitting herself down at his right on the seat of honor, which was draped with jeweled netting, she spoke to King Suddhodana with a smile on her lips, her brow un­wrinkled:

“ Pray heed me, Great Lord, protector o f the earth. Grant me the favor I ask o f you today.Learn the intention which brings joy to my heart, and rejoice with me!

“ I wish to undertake, O Lord, a practice of strict moral conduct and fasting.For the love o f all beings,I will adhere to the eight branches o f practice. Keeping my thoughts always pure,I will avoid harm to all beings; as I love myself, so will I love others.

“ Having put aside the much distracted mind,I have relinquished pride and desire.My Lord, I will no longer wastefully follow desires.

74

Dwelling in truth, I will lay aside all meanness,and never utter vain or impious words opposed to virtue.

“Abandoning meanness and hatred, confusion, pride, and malevolence, having freed myself from all envy, content with my fortune and acting with purity, free from deceptive speech and without desire,I shall walk in the path o f the ten virtuous actions.

“ As I will take delight in observing strict moral conduct, pray, Lord o f Men, make me not an object o f desire.May there be nothing unworthy o f you.Permit me to observe for some while the duties o f austere conduct and fasting.

“ Now is it my desire, Master o f Men, to enter the highest apartments o f the palace and there where the swans roost, to recline on a couch sweetly perfumed and strewn with flowers.

“ May no eunuchs or young men attend me, and may no strange woman remain in my presence; but may my women friends always surround me.May every form be pleasingand every sound sweet and melodious.

“ May those imprisoned and bound be freed; may all the poor become rich.During this week, for the joy o f the world, give freely o f clothing, food, and drinks, o f chariots and horses for riding.

“ Throughout this palace may men and women all hold benevolent and charitable thoughts toward each other; may there be no disputes,

75

no quarrels, and no harsh words.May all enjoy themselves togetherlike the gods in the pleasure garden o f Nandana!

“ May no punishment be meted out by order o f the king, neither for the great nor for the small.May there be no oppression and no threats or beatings.O King, look upon all creatures as upon an only child, with a calm mind, with kind, benevolent thoughts.”

Delighted by this speech, the king replies:“ May all be according to your desire.Whatever you wish, your every thought, I grant.”

Thus commands this best o f kings, instructing his followers:“ With beautiful flowers in profusion,with perfumes and chosen scents,decorate the summit o f the most beautiful o f palaces.Arrange there parasols and streamersand a row of tala trees.

“ Let twenty thousand courageous fighting men armed with bows, lances, javelins, and swords, keep watch where the voice o f the swans is heard, so that the queen may be without fear.

“ May the queen ascend to the sanctuary that is worthy o f goddesses to the sound o f sweet and moving music from thousands o f divine instruments.May she ascend like a daughter o f the gods, freshly bathed and anointed with aloes, adorned in the most beautiful garments and surrounded by her attendants.May she recline like a daughter o f the gods

76

on a beautiful couch supported by postsinlaid with priceless jewels, and covered with flowers.

“ Having removed her diadem of precious stones,may she remain on her couch like the daughter o f the godswho went into the MiSraka garden.”

Meanwhile, O monks, gods by the hundreds o f thousands assembled: the Four Great Kings, Sakra the lord o f the gods, the devaputras Suyama, Santusita, Sunirmita, Parinirmitta Vasvartin, Sarthavaha the son o f Mara, Brahma the master o f beings, the Purohita Brahmottara , the Purohita Subrahma, Prabhavyuha, Abhasvara, Mahesvara, the gods o f Suddhavasa, Nisthagata, Akanistha, and many others.

“ Friends, how unworthy and ungrateful we would be if we were now to leave the Bodhisattva on his own. O friends, which among us will stay with the Bodhisattva always and without ceasing—as he descends to earth, as he dwells in the womb o f a mother, as he is born, as he engages in the diversions o f youth, as he enjoys himself in the women’s apartments, as he goes out into the world, as he practices austerities, as he approaches Bodhimanda, as he conquers Mara, as he attains perfect and complete Enlightenment o f a Buddha, as he turns the Wheel o f the Dharma, and until he enters into Mahaparinirvana? W ho is capable of serving with the thought o f being useful, with an affec­tionate and benevolent mind, a loving mind, a sympathetic, gentle mind?” And they uttered these verses:

77

“ Which o f us can serve with constant affection the one with the most beautiful form?Who among us desires to greatly increasethe splendor of his merits, his strength, and fame?

“ Some there must be in the palace o f the gods who wish to ceaselessly enjoy 'divine pleasures with great goddesses.Let them attach themselves to the service o f the one with a face like the stainless moon.

“ Some must wish to amuse themselves in the most beautiful and most glorious o f gardens, where the palace o f the gods stands near at hand: the garden of Misraka, filled with flowers and strewn with golden dust.Let them serve the one with spotless splendor.

“ Some there must be who desire to disport themselves with goddesses within the petals of a giant mandarava flower as though in a great chariot.Let them then attach themselves to the service o f the Great Being.

“ Should some desire sovereignty over the Yamya gods,or desire to be lord o f Tusita,worthy o f the homage o f the entire world,let them attach themselves to the serviceof the one whose glory is infinite.

“ Some may desire to delight in all the pleasures possible in the city of the Nirmita gods

78

or the realm o f the gods o f Vasavartin.Let them attach themselves to the service o f the one who possesses the highest virtues.

“ He is Master o f Mara, his mind without hostility.He has reached the limit o f supernatural abilities. Absolute master o f desire, he has far surpassed all power. Should you desire such power, go with the one who is always there to aid.

“ Whoever wishes to pass beyond the realm o f desire,and to live in the city o f Brahma,let him serve the Great Beingwho shines with the four immeasurables.

“ Whoever has in mind a great kingdom, the vast and excellent realm o f a Cakravartin, let him attach himself to the service o f the jewel mine rich in abundant merit, who offers security and well-being.

“ Whoever wishes to be lord o f the earth,or a great and rich merchant followed by many,or a commander of great armies,let him go with the one always ready to aid.

“ Whoever desires beauty and power, glory, fame, and strength, or desires to be a great orator whose speeches will be long remembered, let him draw near the Learned One who has the voice o f Brahma.

“ Whoever desires fulfillment o f divine and human desires, or wishes for all the happiness found in the three worlds, and the joy o f contemplation;

79

whoever wishes happiness in solitude, let him attach himself to the service o f the Lord o f the Dharma.

“ Whoever desires to abandon attachment and hatred, whoever desires to clear away the fettering passions, let him go promptly into the presence o f the one whose mind is calm, very calm, supremely calm, whose mind is perfectly controlled.

“ M ay learners and those finished learning,as well as Pratyekabuddhas,seek out the sage who is an ocean o f virtues.Roaring like a lion with the ten strengths,they will obtain the knowledge o f the Omniscient One.

“ Whoever wishes to travel the eightfold path,whoever desires to destroy the path to lower states o f beingand to open the road o f immortality;whoever desires to walk in goodness,let him serve the one who puts an endto traveling the road o f rebirth.

“ Whoever desires to honor the Sugata, to listen to the Dharma from the Compassionate One; whoever desires to obtain the qualities o f the Sangha, let him go into the presence o f this Ocean o f Virtues.

“ Whoever desires the destructionof birth, old age, and death,wishing to free himself from the bonds o f rebirth,let him attach himself to this being,pure as the perfectly clear sky.

80

“ Whoever wishes to free himself and others, desiring the best signs and virtues and the beauty which wins the hearts o f all, let him come before the Skillful One.

“ The sage who desiresgood conduct, contemplation, and wisdom,who desires deliverance, so profound and difficult to probe,let him go promptly before the King o f Physicians.

“ Whoever desires all these many qualities, which carry one awayfrom both the misery and the joy o f existence, let him seek out the sage who has become a siddha.”

Having heard this discourse, the gods assembled in the east, in the south, in the west, and in the north: a hundred and eighty-four thousand gods from the realm o f the Four Great Kings, a hundred thousand gods from the realm of the Thirty-three, a hundred thousand gods o f the Yama realm, a hundred thousand gods o f the Tusita realm, a hundred thousand Nirmanarati gods, a hundred thousand Parinirmita vasavartin gods, sixty thousand gods o f Mara’s realm born in this state through the effect o f their former merits, sixty-eight thousand gods o f the Brahma realm, and several hundreds o f thousands o f other gods, including Akanisthas, and thousands upon thousands o f devaputras. And the most illustrious of the devaputras addressed these verses to this great assembly o f gods:

81

“ Pray, listen, Lords, to our present decision.We will give up the riches and joys o f desire and the supreme happiness o f contemplation, and attach ourselves instead to this pure and excellent being.

“At the moment when he descendsinto the womb of a motherand during the time he remains there,we will give homage to the one who is worthy o f homage,and guard carefully the one well-guarded by good works,the one never touched by corruption.

“ With songs and concerts and sweet melodies, we will celebrate the perfections and the virtues of the Ocean o f Virtues.Whoever hears us will generate the Thought o f Enlightenment, and all heaven and earth will rejoice.

“ We will fill the king’s palace with flowers perfumed by the sweet smoke o f dark aloes, which delivers gods and men from fever and sickness.

“ With fresh and brilliant mandarava, parijata, candra, sucandra, and sphara flowers will we fill the city called Kapila, to honor the one who comes forth through the merit o f his previous actions.

“ From the time he abides in the womb o f his mother,unsoiled by the three defilements,until he is born to put an end to old age and death,

82

we will give homage to the one o f great understanding, and serve him faithfully.

“After his birth, he will take seven steps.Sakra and Brahma will take him in their arms, and bathe this pure being in scented water.The gods and men who see this will obtain great benefits.

“ For so long as he leads a worldly life, residing in the women’s apartments and conquering the fetters o f desire, until he abandons the life o f royalty, we will serve him faithfully.

“ From the time he approaches Bodhimandaand gathers up sweet rushesuntil he achieves Enlightenment;from the time he overcomes the demon Marauntil he is asked by hundreds o f thousands o f Brahmasto turn the Wheel o f the Dharma,we will give homage to the Sugata.

“ For so long as he performs the work o f a Buddha,training hundreds o f millions o f beingsin the three thousand worlds,preparing them for Immortality,until he passes into the cool tranquility o f Nirvana,until then, none o f us will leave the Rsi in his great glory!”

O monks, the daughters o f the gods o f the realm o f desire, having seen the perfection o f the body o f the Bodhisattva,

83

wondered: “ W ho will the young woman be who shall carry in her womb this being pure and fine above all others?” Filled with curiosity, they gathered up the finest incense and flowers, garlands and ointments, lamps, perfumed powders, and raiments. Blessed by the maturity o f good works and endowed with divine bodies and minds, they disappeared in an instant from the palace o f the gods and entered the city o f Kapila, the most beautiful o f cities, the city of a hundred thousand gardens.

Shining with the splendid merit o f stainless virtue, wear­ing diaphanous garments and row upon row o f jeweled bracelets, the goddesses entered the swan-filled palace grounds o f King Suddhodana. In the large palace fit for the master o f the gods, they spied Queen Mayadevi resting on her couch. Remaining suspended in the middle o f the sky, they pointed her out and spoke to each other in these verses:

“ When we who live in the city o f the long-lived gods saw the ravishing beauty o f the Bodhisattva, we wondered: who shall be his mother?

“ Bearing flowers, garlands, and ointments, wearing graceful garments, bowing with respect, we have entered the dwelling o f the Master o f Men to satisfy our curiosity.

“ Seeing Queen Maya resting on her couch,we point at her and exclaim:look well uDon this beautiful mortal!

“ Proud and self-satisfied, we have thought that our beauty most ravished the heart.But looking upon the wife of the lord o f men, we see our divine splendor eclipsed!

“ Endowed with great virtues, wholly worthy is she to be the mother o f the greatest o f men.As a precious jewel is placed inside a beautiful vase, so will this queen be the vase for the god o f gods!

“ From the palms o f her hands to the soles o f her feet, her face and her body are exquisite, more than divine. Indeed, we cannot gaze upon her long enough, for she brings increasing joy to heart and mind.

“ Like the moon in the sky glows her beautiful face; like the light from the sun her body shines; her beauty sparkles like a nugget o f pure gold.She has perfumed curls like the large black bee, eyes like lotus petals, teeth like the stars in the heavens.

“ Her small waist is curved like a bow,her hips are rounded and meet her waist smoothly;her thighs and legs are as shapelyas the trunk o f an elephant; her knees are well-formed.

“ The palms o f her handsand the soles o f her feet are smooth and pink;clearly she could only be the daughter o f the gods.”

Having thus gazed upon the queen from all directions, they toss flowers and circumambulate three times around her,praising the glorious mother o f the Victorious One, and return the next moment to the city o f the gods.

85

Then the Four Guardians o f the four directions, along with Sakra, Suyama,Nirmita, the troops o f the gods, the kumbhandas, the raksasas, the asuras, the mahoragas, and the kinnaras say:

“ Proceed before the Highest o f Men; guard and protect him; but take no offense at living beings; do nothing harmful to any being.

“ There in the best o f abodes, where MayadevI abides together with her retinue, take up bows and arrows, javelins and swords, and remaining in the broad expanse o f heaven, watch with attention.”

The devaputras know the timeof the Bodhisattva’s descent from Tusita;entering the presence o f Maya,carrying flowers and balsam,with joyous minds, they join their palmsand bowing respectfully before her say:

“ It is time for the Lion to descend!Take birth, most powerful o f men!Out o f sympathy and compassion for the world, listen to our prayer for the gift o f the Dharma.”

O monks, at the time o f the descent o f the Bodhisattva, several hundreds o f thousands o f Bodhisattvas who dwelt in

86

Tusita and had but one birth remaining came from the east to honor him. From each o f the other directions, several hun­dreds o f thousands o f Bodhisattvas who dwelled in Tusita and had but one birth remaining also came to honor him.

From the realm o f the Four Great Kings, hundreds o f thousands o f goddesses took up instruments and sang sweet songs in honor o f the Bodhisattva. From the realm of the Thirty-three gods, from the Yama, Tusita, Nirmanarati, and Parinirmita vasavartin realms, eighty-four thousand goddesses singing and playing instruments o f all sorts went before the Bodhisattva to praise him.

The Bodhisattva was seated on the Srigarbha throne in the storied palace produced by his great merit. Now, in the sight o f all the gods and nagas, and accompanied by hun­dreds o f millions o f Bodhisattvas, gods, nagas, and yaksas, the Bodhisattva began his departure from the Tusita realm.

O monks, the departing Bodhisattva projected from his body a light surpassing divine light, a light so great that three thousand great thousands o f worlds were filled com­pletely with light. Abundant light! Light which had never before been seen extended everywhere. Neither sun nor moon, for all their strength and power, has the magnitude or strength, the color or glory to illuminate what is wrapped in the darkness o f sin; nor can they illuminate the places plunged in obscurity. Beings in such places can never even see their own outstretched arms. But now a great and ma­jestic light enveloped them, so that they saw each other per­fectly and recognized each other: “ So! Other beings have been born here too!”

For a moment, the three million world-realms were strongly shaken by six phenomena and eighteen great signs; worlds

87

were shaken, strongly shaken, strongly shaken on all sides; worlds trembled, trembled strongly, trembled strongly on all sides; worlds were agitated, strongly agitated, strongly agitated on all sides; worlds resounded, resounded loudly, resounded loudly on all sides; worlds reverberated, rever­berated loudly, reverberated loudly on all sides; worlds were lowered at the edges, raised up in the middle; lowered in the middle, raised up at the edges; lowered in the east, raised in the west; lowered in the west, raised in the east; lowered in \he south, raised in the north; lowered in the north, raised in the south.

At this moment there were heard great cries o f joy, plea­sure, and happiness. There were heard happy outbursts full o f faith, words worthy o f being heard, worthy o f being praised, without equal, melodious and totally free from fear.

At that moment, no being was oppressed by misfortune or fear, terror or fright. The splendor o f the sun and the moon, o f &akra and Brahma and the Guardians o f the World was eclipsed. All beings o f the lower regions, whether born from the womb o f an animal or born in the hellish realm o f Yama, were delivered from suffering and filled with well-being. No being was tormented by desire, hatred, confusion, attachment, or jealousy. No being was torn by hypocrisy, pride, anger, wickedness, or regret. All beings felt for each other the same affection parents feel for their children.

Hundreds o f millions o f gods carried the great sanctum of the departing Bodhisattva on their heads and shoulders. A hundred million instruments, both divine and human, poured forth beautiful melodies without being touched,

8 8

while one hundred thousand goddesses gathered around the palace—at the front, at the back, to the right and to the left—praising the Bodhisattva with their sweet song:

“ Having previously accumulated great good works, you have been exalted by virtue practiced for ages and purified by the discipline o f the Dharma.Great Being, we offer you homage.

“ For tens o f millions o f kalpas,you gave up cherished sons and many treasures.Here today is the fruit o f this giving: the flowers o f the gods fall like rain.

“ You offered your own flesh, Lord, out o f goodness, to a bird which was hungry and thirsty.Here today is the fruit o f your giving: the hungry ghosts obtain food and drink.

“ For several tens o f millions o f kalpas, you practiced virtue without breaking your vows. Here today is the fruit o f your moral practice: obstacles to virtue and bad ways o f being are purified.

“ For several tens o f millions o f kalpas,you meditated on patience,the basis o f supreme Enlightenment.Here today is the fruit o f that patience: gods and men are full o f loving thoughts.

“ For several tens o f millions o f kalpas, you meditated on pure, unsurpassed effort.

89

Here today is the fruit o f that effort: your body shines like Mount Meru.

“ For several tens o f millions o f kalpas, you engaged in contemplation to purify the fettering passions.Here today is the fruit o f that contemplation:beings are no longer tormented by the harmful emotions.

“ For several tens o f millions o f kalpas, you meditated on the wisdom which destroys the fettering passions.Here today is the fruit o f that wisdom: the clear light which shines unequaled.

“ Dressed in the armor o f lovewhich destroys the fettering passions,you have obtained supreme joy and equanimity;you have become pure out o f compassion for all beings.O Sugata, homage to you!

“ Exalted by the splendor o f the light from the lamp of wisdom that clears away darkness and folly, you are the eye that leads three thousand worlds, the one who shows the path.O Muni, homage to you!

“ Skilled in the knowledgeo f the foundations o f supernatural power,you see the truth and have learned the meaning o f purity;having crossed over, you free other beings.O Sugata, the deliverer, homage to you!

“ Practiced in all knowledge and in skillful means, you who will change no more

90

manifest a change in form; unattached to the world, you yet conform to its customs.

“ For whoever sees or hears you, supreme, unimaginable benefit is obtained; whoever hears from you the Dharma and has faith is filled with abundant jo y

“ Somber now is the whole Tusita realm, but the sun has risen in the land o f Jambu; its light will awaken innumerable beings from the sleep o f harmful obsessive emotions.

“ Crowded today is the great and prosperous city, filled with hundreds o f thousands o f gods; and in the palace, hosts o f goddesses play sweet music on their instruments.

“ The queen o f virtuous action is endowedwith great beauty, and her son is perfect;she is filled with the splendor o f merits,while his glory shines with majesty in the three worlds.

“ Henceforth in the palace, no more passionate disputes and no quarrels will break out; the love and majesty of the greatest o f beings makes all minds kind and reverent.

“ Issuing from the race o f Cakravartin kings, the king’s lineage grows strong.The city called Kapila, greatly prospering, shall be filled with a treasure o f precious things.

“ For the yaksas, the raksasas, the kumbhandas, the troops o f the gods and danavas,

91

and those o f Indra who follow,for those who stand ready to guard the greatest of men, deliverance soon will come.

“ Having praised the guide possessing such merits, the one so worthy o f love and respect, we will all soon be ready for supreme Enlightenment. In this we shall follow you, most eminent o f men!”

The Fifth Chapter Setting in Motion

92

Plate 6

laws' l

"Descent into the "Womb

# MONKS, THE COLD WEATHER HAD PASSED, a n d Spring h a darrived—springtime, the most beautiful o f all the sea­

sons, when the new leaves decorate the trees and the earth is covered with flowers. Soft green grass carpeted the earth, the air was neither too cold nor too hot, and neither fog nor dust tainted the breeze. It was the month o f Vaisakha, when the constellation Visakha returns.

The Bodhisattva, the Lord o f the three worlds, revered by all the world, saw that the right time had arrived. Just at the appropriate moment, on the fifteenth o f the month when the moon was full and in conjunction with the constellation Pusya, the Bodhisattva descended from the Tusita realm, and, retaining full memory and knowledge, entered the womb o f his mother, who had devoted herself to spiritual practices.

Through her right side he entered in the form o f a small, white elephant with six tusks, his head the color o f cochi­neal, his tusks o f gold, his limbs and organs all without imperfection. And having entered the womb, he remained on her right side, never moving to the left. MayadevI, sleeping softly on her couch, saw this in a dream:

V'

An elephant entered her womb. White as snow or silver, with six perfect tusks, and beautiful feet, a finely wrought trunk, and a rosy head; the most beautiful o f elephants, with graceful gait, and a body immutable as a diamond.

Completely absorbed in contemplation, never had she felt such happiness; never had she known such pleasure both in body and in mind.

As MayadevI arose from her couch and adorned herself with ornaments and suitable attire, the deep delight and well-being o f the dream remained. Surrounded and pre­ceded by her women attendants, she descended from the upper apartments o f the most beautiful o f palaces and went into the asoka wood. Seated in the garden o f the wood, she sent a message to King Suddhodana: “ May the king please attend: the queen desires to see him.”

Hearing these words, King Suddhodana rose from his throne, filled with joy. Surrounded and preceded by his ministers and advisers, accompanied by his retinue and relatives, he hastened toward the asoka wood. But once there, he suddenly felt very heavy and found he could not enter. At the gate o f the asoka wood he reflected, reciting this verse:

96

“ I cannot ever remember feeling as heavy as I feel today; not even when I rode to battle at the head o f brave men. I cannot even enter my own family’s dwelling!What is happening to me? W ho would know?”

At these words the devaputras o f the Suddhavasa realm revealed the upper half o f their bodies, and from the sky addressed these verses to King Suddhodana:

“ The great Bodhisattva has descended from Tusita heaven: rich with austerities, spiritual practice, and virtue, worthy o f the homage o f the three thousand worlds; his love and compassionare consecrated by good works and knowledge.O Great King, he has entered the womb o f MayadevI as your son.”

Joining his palms and bowing his head,the king entered the woodand gazed on Maya, full o f respect.Putting aside pride and haughtiness he said:“ What may I do for you?What is it you wish? Please tell me.”

The queen replied:“ White as snow or silver, surpassing the sun and moon,

97

the greatest o f elephantswith beautiful, shapely feet'and six great tusks, with diamond-like joints, magnificent and surpassingly beautiful, has entered my womb. Listen to the story.

“ In a dream I saw, not vaguely but distinctly, the three thousand worlds and millions o f gods, praising me as I slept.M y mind was clear and at peace; free of anger, confusion, and hatred,I knew the happiness of contemplation.

“ It would be good, O Master o f Men, quickly to call the brahmins, those clever in explaining the Vedas and dreams, those who know astrology.They can say if this dream o f mine reflects the truth; and whether it portends happiness or unhappiness for our family.”

Instantly the king summoned the learned brahmins, who know the Vedas and the reading o f the sacred texts, and Maya said again: “ Listen to my dream.”

The brahmins replied: “ Please tell us,O Queen, what you have seen in your dream, and we will tell you what it means.”

And so the queen related:“ White as snow or silver, surpassing the sun and the moon, the greatest of elephants, with beautiful, shapely feet

98

and six great tusks, with diamond-like joints, magnificent and surpassingly beautiful, has entered into my womb.”

The brahmins then predicted:“ You will obtain a greatjoy; there is no sign of unhappiness for your family in this dream.A son will be born to you, his body adorned with signs, a noble descendant o f a race o f kings, a magnanimous Cakravartin.

“ If he abandons love, royalty, and home, departing to wander as a monk,free from attachment, out o f compassion for all the worlds,he will become a Buddha,worthy o f the offerings o f the three worlds.With the excellent nectar o f immortality, he will satisfy all beings.”

Having made this auspicious prediction, the brahmins took food in the palace; after receiving many gifts, they departed.

/O monks, as soon as King Suddhodana heard the reply of

the brahmins who know signs and omens, who are clever in astrology and in the explanation o f dreams, he was filled with contentment and pleasure, with joy and delight. To satisfy the brahmins, he served them delicate dishes, well- prepared and savory, and before bidding them farewell, presented them with many gifts.

99

At the same time, throughout Kapilavastu, at the four gates o f the city, at all the crossroads and public squares, he ordered alms distributed, with the thought o f doing homage to the Bodhisattva. He gave food to those who wished food; drink to those who wished drink; clothing to those who wished clothing; carts to those who wished carts; he gave perfumes, garlands, ointments, perfumed powders, couches, shelters, and means o f subsistence according to each one’s desire.

Then, O monks, the thought occurred to King Suddho- dana: where can MayadevI stay pleasantly and without disturbance? At that instant, the Four Great Kings o f the gods approached King Suddhodana and spoke to him: “ Do not trouble yourself, O King; remain at ease. We will prepare a palace for the Bodhisattva.”

“ The palace prepared by the Four Great Kings is a very poor place.That of the Thirty-three gods is far better;I shall give the Bodhisattva an abode like Vaijayanta.”

Then the devaputra Suyama approached King Suddhodana and said:

“ Seeing my palace, ten million Sakras were filled with admiration; this fortunate abode of Suyama do I give

Then &akra, the master o f the gods, approached King Suddhodana and said:

100

Then the devaputra Santusita approached King Suddhodana and said:

“ The abode o f the very glorious one when he lived in the Tusita realm; this do I give to the Bodhisattva.”

Then the devaputra Sunirmita approached King Suddhodana and said:

“ A happy dwelling, like a jewel, a realized dream; this shall I give to the Bodhisattva as homage.”

Then a devaputra o f the Parinirmita vasavartin realm approached King Suddhodana and said:

“ All these dwellings, such as they are, belong to the desire realm; however beautiful, they are completely eclipsed by the splendors o f my dwelling.

“ I offer this fortunate dwelling, formed o f precious and splendid things, as homage to the Bodhisattva.I shall bring it, O King.

“ It is filled with heavenly flowers and scented with divine perfumes.It is a spacious palace where the queen can live.”

In this way, O monks, in the great city o f Kapila, each o f the powerful gods o f the desire realm offered a dwelling as homage to the Bodhisattva. King Suddhodana also pre­pared a dwelling, one which surpassed those o f men, though

101

it did not equal that o f the gods. And through the power of the Bodhisattva’s great contemplation, MayadevI appeared to reside in each one o f the dwellings.

During the time the Bodhisattva lived in the womb o f his mother, he remained on the right side, seated with his legs crossed. And each o f the most powerful gods knew clearly that it was indeed in his own palace that the mother of the Bodhisattva lived, and not elsewhere.

Concerning this it is said:

While the Bodhisattva remainedin the great state o f contemplation,through the incomprehensible manifestationso f his supernatural power,all the gods have had their intentions fulfilled;even the desire o f the king has come to pass.

Then some o f the devaputras in that assembly o f gods considered: any devaputra from the realm o f the Four Great Kings would withdraw in disgust from the foul-smelling human body, and those gods higher than they, such as the Thirty-three gods or the Yamas or the gods o f Tusita, would be even more repelled. How then could the Bodhisattva, raised above all the worlds, pure and free from any disagree­able odor, the pearl o f beings, descended from Santusita,

102

the realm of the gods, how could he remain in a human body with its foul odor; how could he remain for ten lunar months in the womb o f a mother?

At this point in the Buddha’s discourse, Ananda, through the power o f the Buddha, spoke thus to the Bhagavat: “ It is astonishing, O Bhagavat, how base is the body o f woman, as the Tathagata has said, and how subject to passion. But this, Bhagavat, is still more astonishing—that the Bhagavat, who as a Bodhisattva had been raised above all the worlds, descended from the divine realm o f Tusita into a human body with its disagreeable odor, and dwelt within the right side o f the womb o f his mother. I cannot explain it!”

The Bhagavat said: “ Do you wish, Ananda, to see the Ratnavyuha, the jeweled sanctum in which the Bodhisattva dwelt when he entered the womb o f his mother?”

Ananda said: “ This is surely the time, Bhagavat! This is surely the right moment, Sugata! May the Tathagata show us the jeweled sanctum o f the Bodhisattva! How we would rejoice to see it!”

The Bhagavat made a sign, and Brahma, the lord o f the Saha worlds, came at once to stand in the presence o f the Bhagavat, accompanied by sixty-eight hundred thousand gods o f the Brahma realm. He bowed his head to the feet o f the Bhagavat and circumambulated him three times; with palms joined, he bowed again and stood to one side.

Then the Bhagavat spoke to Brahma, the lord of the Saha worlds: “ Brahma, previously you carried away the jeweled sanctum in which I resided for ten months as a Bodhisattva in the womb of my mother.” And Brahma replied: “ It is so, Bhagavat; it is so, Sugata.” “ Where is this

103

sanctum now, O Brahma? Show it to me.” And Brahma replied: “ It is in the Brahma realm.” The Bhagavat at once requested Brahma to show him the Ratnavyuha, the sanc­tum of the Bodhisattva where the Bodhisattva had dwelt for ten months, so that its manner o f construction could be made known.

Then Brahma, the lord o f the Saha worlds, said to the Brahma gods: “ May your lordships remain until I return

*with the sanctum o f the Bodhisattva.” Bowing with his head to the feet o f the Bhagavat, the lord o f the Saha worlds disappeared from his presence, reappearing in the same instant in the Brahma realm. There Brahma said to the devaputra Subrahma: “ Friend, hasten from the world of Brahma to the realm of the Thirty-three gods; raise your voice and let this word be heard—we will carry the Ratnavyuha, the sanctum o f the Bodhisattva, into the pres­ence o f the Tathagata. Let whoever desires to see it ap­proach quickly!”

Then Brahma, lord o f the Saha worlds, together with eighty-four hundreds o f thousands o f niyutas o f kotis o f gods, took up the Ratnavyuha, the sanctum o f the Bodhisattva, and placed it in a palace o f Brahma three hundred yojanas in breadth. Surrounded on all sides by these hundreds o f thousands o f niyutas o f kotis o f gods, he descended with the sanctum into the world.

And at that moment, the gods o f the desire realm who wished to serve the Bhagavat gathered in great number. They covered the Ratnavyuha with the cloth o f the gods and adorned it with garlands, divine incense, and flowers. Heavenly music sounded, and divine amusements were displayed, while gods renowned for their great power sur­rounded the sanctum.

104

rSakra, the master o f the gods, standing at a great distance

on the great mountain Sumeru in the middle of the ocean, put his hand up to shade his face. He bent his head to one side and blinked his eyes, for he could see nothing. And why not? Now the Brahma gods are renowned for their great power; the Thirty-three gods, the Yamas, the Nirmanaratis, and the Parinirmita vasavartins are lower. If Sakra, the master o f the gods, was confused, how much more so these others?

Then the Bhagavat caused the music o f the gods to stop, because on hearing it, the men o f the land o f Jambu would go mad.

The Four Great Kings o f the gods sought out &akra, the master o f the gods, and spoke to him: “ Lord o f the gods, how can it be that we can not see the jeweled sanctum of the Bodhisattva?”

And Sakra replied: “ Friends, like you, I myself cannot see it. But nevertheless, friends, when it is brought into the presence of the Bhagavat, we will see it.” And they replied: “ Lord o f the gods, let us do whatever is necessary to see it; let us do it as quickly as we can!”

&akra said to them: “ Friends, let us wait until the most eminent o f most eminent devaputras delight the Bhagavat with their speeches.” Consequently, they stood to one side and gazed upon the Bhagavat.

Now Brahma, lord o f the Saha worlds, together with eighty-four hundreds o f thousands o f niyutas o f kotis o f gods in attendance, carried the Ratnavyuha, the sanctum o f the Bodhisattva, to offer it to the Tathagata.

The jeweled sanctum o f the Bodhisattva was shining, its fine proportions wonderful to behold. It was four-sided in

105

shape and rested on four pillars. The top tier was the height o f a six-month-old child, ^nd in the middle o f this tier was a throne o f proper size for a child six months old.

In color and form there is nothing like the jeweled sanc­tum o f the Bodhisattva in all the worlds, including the worlds o f the gods, the Brahma gods, and the demons. At the sight o f it, the gods were lost in admiration; their eyes were dazzled. Carried into the presence o f the Tathagata, the sanctum was shining, glowing, and resplendent. Just as gold, melted by a skilled workman and refined into com­plete purity, is free from every flaw and stain, so the tier of the Ratnavyuha was shining now like pure gold. And the throne, O monks, prepared for the Bodhisattva in this tier of the sanctum, could be compared with nothing in all the worlds o f gods and men, except perhaps to the beautiful neck o f the Bodhisattva, the color and shape o f which is similar to a conch shell. In its presence the magnificent garment of the great Brahma could no longer be seen, just like the skin of a black gazelle, when beaten by the wind and rain. This tier is made o f the essence o f Uraga sandal­wood. So permeated is it with the essence o f sandalwood that a single grain o f its dust is equal to the value o f a thousand worlds.

A second tier exactly like the other stands freely in the bottom tier. In the second tier is a third tier, exactly like it, and in this third tier o f sandalwood is found the throne, the color of lapis lazuli, well-placed and well-sheltered. Cover­ing this tier o f sandalwood is every kind o f heavenly flower, surpassing all earthly flowers, produced through the mat­uration of the previous merits o f the Bodhisattva.

Solid and indestructible as a diamond is the jeweled sanctum of the Bodhisattva, the Ratnavyuha, and yet soft

106

to the touch as a garment o f kacalindi cloth. And within the Ratnavyuha is displayed everything to be found in the realms o f desire.

On the night the Bodhisattva entered into his mother’s womb, from the great depth o f the sea, from a depth o f sixty- eight million yojanas, a lotus rose up to the world o f Brahma, seen only by the holy Cakravartin, the Best o f Men, and by the great Brahma, commander o f millions o f beings. Gath­ered in the great lotus in the form o f a drop o f nectar was the essence, the quintessence, o f the elementary substances o f the three thousand great thousands o f worlds. Placing this drop into a shining vase o f lapis lazuli, the great Brahma presented it to the Bodhisattva. Out o f mercy toward the great Brahma, the Bodhisattva took the vessel and drank from it. Except for a Bodhisattva who is, in his last existence, and who has accomplished all the stages o f a Bodhisattva, there is no being among all the multitudes o f beings who can digest such a drop o f elixir.

Through the maturation o f what actions was this drop o f elixir the lot o f the Bodhisattva? During the ages when the Bodhisattva was practicing, he had given medicines to the sick, he had filled beings with hope, he had satisfied their hearts’ desires, he had given refuge to all who needed refuge. Always he gave the first flowers, the first fruits, the first taste o f dishes to the Tathagata, to the caityas o f the Tathagatas, to the assemblies o f Sravakas, to his parents; it was only later that he enjoyed anything himself. With the maturing o f such actions, the great Brahma offers this drop o f nectar to the Bodhisattva.

Upon this tier o f the Ratnavyuha appears all that is best, all joyful things and strings o f garlands, all appearing

107

through the complete maturation o f the previous actions of the Bodhisattva.

In the Ratnavyuha, the sanctum of the Bodhisattva, there also appeared an assortment o f cloth which was called the &atasahasravyuha, Array o f a Hundred Thousand. For no being among the multitudes o f beings could such cloth be produced, save only for a Bodhisattva who is in his last existence.

All that was most pure in form, sound, odor, taste, and touch was found on this tier. So perfect was its quality that both the inside and the outside o f the sanctum were as soft to the touch as a garment o f kacalindi cloth. Once it was seen, nothing anywhere could compare with this tier o f the Ratnavyuha.

And thus do the Bodhisattva’s intentions, expressed in his previous prayers, come to pass; it is certain that the Bodhisattva Mahasattva will be born into the world of men; after leaving his home and becoming a perfect and complete Buddha, he will turn the Wheel o f the Dharma.

The Ratnavyuha manifests on the right side o f his mother’s womb where the Bodhisattva makes his entry, and here the Bodhisattva, having descended from the Tusita heaven, remains seated with his legs crossed—this is be­cause the Bodhisattva in his last existence does not appear as a weak and lifeless embryo, but is endowed with limbs fully formed and also with the signs o f a great man. And so the mother o f the Bodhisattva, MayadevI, saw the most ex­cellent o f great elephants coming to her in a dream.

rSakra and the Four Great Kings, the twenty-eight chiefs

o f the army o f the yaksas, and Guhyakadhipati, from the

108

family o f yaksas known as Vajrapani, having learned that the Bodhisattva had entered the womb o f his mother, placed themselves always and ceaselessly at his service. Four goddesses also appeared to serve the Bodhisattva: Utkhali, Sumutkhali, Dhvajavati, and Prabhavati. Learning that the Bodhisattva had entered the womb o f a mother, they guarded him always and ceaselessly. Sakra also, the lord of the gods, with devaputras numbering five hundred, on learning that the Bodhisattva had entered the womb of a mother, served him always and ceaselessly.

The body o f the Bodhisattva who has entered into the womb o f his mother is like a great mass o f fire on the summit o f a mountain on a dark and gloomy night, visible from the distance o f a yojana, visible even from five yojanas. So did the Bodhisattva manifest at the time that he entered the womb o f his mother: luminous, glorious, gracious, beautiful to see, seated with his legs crossed within the tier o f the Ratnavyuha, he shone like pure gold inlaid with lapis la­zuli. And the mother o f the Bodhisattva could see him enter her womb: like a lightning flash from a great mass o f clouds. Radiating great light, the Bodhisattva entered the womb o f his mother—with majesty, great brilliance, splendor, and color, illuminating the first tier o f jewels completely. After illuminating the first tier and the second tier, he lit up the third tier o f perfumes and jewels. After illuminating the third tier, he illumined the entire body o f his mother. After illuminating the body o f his mother, he lit up the throne on which he was seated; after lighting up the throne, he lit up the whole palace. When the whole palace was bathed in brilliance, the light illumined the regions of the east, the south, the west, and the north, the zenith and the nadir: each o f the ten directions, up to the distance o f a

109

krosa. Thus did the Bodhisattva enter the womb o f his mother, illuminating everything with majesty, splendor, and color.

O monks, early in the morning, there arrived the Four Great Kings along with the twenty-eight great chiefs o f the army o f yaksas and five hundred other yaksas in order to see the Bodhisattva, to praise him, to serve him, and to hear the Dharma. As they arrived, the Bodhisattva extended his right hand, pointing out their seats. Sitting down upon the seats prepared for them, these guardians o f the world and the others saw the Bodhisattva in the womb o f his mother, his body like gold, moving his hand, waving it, gesturing. And filled with joy, delight, and well-being, they paid hom­age to the Bodhisattva.

Once they were seated, the Bodhisattva instructed them with a discourse on the Dharma; he helped them to grasp it, encouraged them, and filled them with joy. And when they desired to depart, the Bodhisattva, knowing their thought, signaled their departure by stretching out his right hand, stretching it out and withdrawing it without hurting his mother.

The Four Great Kings realized that their desire had been foreseen, and that the Bodhisattva had dismissed them. Circumambulating the Bodhisattva and his mother three times, they withdrew.

These are the causes, and these are the circumstances of the Bodhisattva extending his right hand and then with­drawing it, during the calm night when all were sleeping. And having withdrawn his hand, he held himself still, with great mindfulness and knowledge.

110

Whenever men or women, youths or maidens, ap­proached to see the Bodhisattva, they all were filled with joy, first by the Bodhisattva and then by his mother. O monks, during the time the Bodhisattva dwelt in the womb of his mother, he gave pleasure to all beings. No being, god, naga, or yaksa, human or non-human, could first bring pleasure to the Bodhisattva; it was the Bodhisattva who first brought delight to them, and then it was the mother of the Bodhisattva who filled them with joy.

The morning having passed and the noon hour having arrived, Sakra, lord o f the gods, together with the most eminent o f most eminent devaputras o f the realm of the Thirty-three gods, all approached the Bodhisattva in order to pay homage to him, to serve him, and to hear the Dharma. The Bodhisattva, seeing them coming from afar, stretched out his right arm, the color o f gold, and gestured to their seats. By doing so, he filled Sakra, master o f the gods, and the Thirty-three gods with such joy that not even Sakra could decline the invitation o f the Bodhisattva; he sat down, along with the other devaputras, on the seats pre­pared for them.

Once they were seated, the Bodhisattva instructed them with a discourse on the Dharma; he helped them to under­stand it, encouraged them, and filled them with joy. And even the mother o f the Bodhisattva turned to the side where the Bodhisattva was extending his hand.

To each o f the gods it seemed that the Bodhisattva was conversing pleasantly with him. Each one said to himself: “ It is with me that the Bodhisattva is speaking; it is with me alone that he is conversing so joyously!” Moreover, on that tier o f the Ratnavyuha were seen the reflected images of

111

Indra and the Thirty-three gods: certainly there is nowhere any domain o f a Bodhisattva like that o f the Bodhisattva who has entered into the womb o f his mother!

And monks, when Sakra, the master o f the gods, and the other devaputras wished to depart, the Bodhisattva, know­ing their thought by thought alone, gestured with his right hand and then withdrew it. Yet with great mindfulness and (knowledge, he did not hurt his mother.

Sakra, lord o f the gods, and the other Thirty-three gods realized that their desire had been foreseen, and that they were dismissed by the Bodhisattva. Circumambulating the Bodhisattva and his mother three times, they withdrew.

Noon had passed, O monks, and it was afternoon. Brahma, lord o f the Saha worlds, surrounded and preceded by several hundreds o f thousands o f devaputras, approached the Bodhisattva bearing the divine drop o f elixir. He came in order to pay his respects, to give homage to him, to serve him, and to hear the Dharma.

O monks, realizing that Brahma, lord o f the Saha worlds, was approaching with his following, the Bodhisattva again stretched out his golden right hand. He filled the gods with joy by his words and gestured to their seats. And it was impossible, O monks, for Brahma to decline the invitation of the Bodhisattva. O monks, Brahma seated himself with the devaputras of the Brahma realm on the seats which had been prepared for them. As soon as they were seated, the Bodhisattva instructed them with discourses on the Dharma; he helped them to understand, encouraged them, and filled them with joy. And Mayadevi had again turned toward the side where the Bodhisattva was extending his right hand.

112

Once more each o f the gods had the thought that it was with himself alone that the Bodhisattva conversed so pleasantly.

When Brahma, lord o f the Saha worlds, and the other devaputras o f the Brahma realm desired to depart, the Bodhisattva, knowing by his thought the content o f their thought, extended his golden right arm and then withdrew it. But this signal to depart did not hurt his mother.

Brahma, lord o f worlds, and the other devaputras o f the Brahma realm realized that their desire to depart had been foreseen. Knowing that they had been dismissed, they cir­cumambulated the Bodhisattva and his mother three times and departed. Again the Bodhisattva with great mindful­ness held his hand motionless.

And then, O monks, from the east, from the south, from the west, from the north, from the zenith, from the nadir, from every one o f the ten directions, hundreds o f thousands o f Bodhisattvas came to see the Bodhisattva, to pay him homage, to serve him, to hear the Dharma, and to sing the praise o f the Dharma. While they were arriving, rays o f light streamed forth from the body o f the Bodhisattva and be­came thrones, and on these thrones the Bodhisattvas seated themselves. As soon as they were seated, the Bodhisattva discoursed with them on the development o f the Great Vehicle. And no one saw this except the devaputras who shared the same destiny. These are the causes, these are the circumstances o f the light streaming forth from the Bodhisattva’s body during the calm night when all were sleeping.

O monks, during the time that the Bodhisattva dwelt in her womb, MayadevI felt no heaviness in her body; she felt instead lightness, well-being, and pleasure, and no internal

113

pain at all. She was afflicted neither with the suffering of desire, nor the suffering ofdiatred, nor the suffering o f ig­norance. Her mind held no thought of desire, malevolence, or harmfulness.

Mayadevi experienced neither cold nor heat, neither hunger nor thirst, neither gloominess nor strain; she knew nothing o f weariness. No unpleasant form, sound, odor, or touch was presented to her; she had no bad dreams. She was not subject to feminine coquetry, trickery, or envy, or to the natural feminine passions. The mother o f the Bodhisattva devoted herself to the five rules o f discipline; her conduct was moral and was strengthened by the ten virtuous actions. And never did the mother o f the Bodhisattva have the thought o f desire for any man; nor could any man feel de­sire for the mother o f the Bodhisattva.

And during this time, any one—woman or man, youth or maiden—whose mind was possessed by another, whether by god or naga, yaksa, gandharva, asura, garuda, or bhuta, either in the great city o f Kapila or in other lands, had only to look on the mother o f the Bodhisattva to regain posses­sion of his senses.

And likewise, those who were not human promptly changed their condition o f existence on seeing Mayadevi. Those struck down by illnesses arising from the union o f wind, bile, and phlegm; those tormented by the diseases of the eyes, the ears, the nose, the tongue, the lips, the teeth, or the throat; those afflicted with swelling o f the neck or chest; for any with leprosy, scabies, consumption, madness, epilepsy, fever, stomachache, skin maladies, and so on: all were delivered from their maladies when the mother o f the Bodhisattva extended her right hand over their heads, and

114

then each returned to his dwelling. MayadevI also gathered herbs which she used to treat illness; anyone taking them was completely cured of his afflictions.

When MayadevI looked at her right side, she could see the Bodhisattva, as a face is seen in a mirror, and the sight gave her satisfaction, happiness, and delight; it filled her heart with joy and pleasure.

O monks, through the benediction o f the Bodhisattva who had entered the womb o f his mother, the musical instruments o f the gods sounded forth night and day, and heavenly flowers fell like rain. The winds blew, and rain fell at favorable times, and stars and the seasons made their orderly revolutions. The kingdom enjoyed abundance and prosperity free from strife.

y

Throughout the great city o f Kapila, the Sakyas as well as all others rejoiced, eating, drinking, amusing themselves, giving alms, and doing good works; they passed the days living in pleasure as though it were a holiday lasting four months. King Suddhodana, living the perfectly pure life o f a brahmacarin, put aside business matters, and like an ascetic in the forest, concerned himself only with observing spiritual practices. \

O monks, these conditions were manifestations o f super­natural power displayed by the Bodhisattva while dwelling in the womb o f his mother.

And then the Bhagavat said to Ayusmat Ananda: “ Do you see, Ananda, the Ratnavyuha, the dwelling of the Bodhisattva in which he resided after entering the womb of his mother?” Ananda replied: “ I see it, O Bhagavat! I see it, Sugata!” The Tathagata caused the Ratnavyuha to be seen

115

by Ayusmat Ananda, by Sakra, lord o f the gods, by the Four Guardians of the Woi^ld, and by many other men and gods—a sight which gave them satisfaction, contentment, and delight, and filled their hearts with joy. Then Brahma again transported the Ratnavyuha to the Brahma world, where he would build a caitya for it.

The Bhagavat again addressed the monks: “ In this way the Bodhisattva, while residing for ten lunar months in his mother’s womb, matured thirty-six ayutas o f gods and men in the three vehicles.”

Concerning this it is said:

When the Bodhisattva, the holiest o f beings,enters into the womb o f a mother,the earth with its forests shakes in six ways.

A golden-colored light spreads in all directions, and all the lower states o f being are purified.All the gods are filled with joy, saying:“ He will be King o f the Dharma!”

The Hero, the Best of Guides,abides within the crystal sanctum covered with jewels. Filled with the most softly perfumed sandalwood, his dwelling shines;the three thousand worlds filled with precious gems do not have half its value.

From deep within the three thousand great thousands o f worlds

116

arises the lotus o f Gunakara, possessing the splendor o f pure merits, containing within it the drop o f elixir.

Into the Brahma realm it climbs on the seventh day, and Brahma takes from it the precious drop, to offer to the Bodhisattva.

Not one single being, having drunk it, could digest it save only a Bodhisattva o f perfect conduct.

Nourished by this drop o f elixir,formed from the splendor o f the merits o f many kalpas, one’s body, speech, and mind become most pure.

To render homage to the Guide o f the World,Sakra, Brahma, and the Guardians o f the World three times enter the Bodhisattva’s presence.

Having praised and honored him, having listened to the excellent Dharma, having circumambulated him three times, they depart as they have come.

Bodhisattvas from all the regions of the universe,desirous o f hearing the Dharma,appear together, seated on luminous thrones.

Having heard the Dharma o f the Great Vehicle, they depart with joyous hearts, reciting a garland of praises.

Women and children possessed by demons, with troubled minds, naked, and covered with dust, at the sight o f Maya recover their senses.Memory and judgment renewed, they return to their dwellings.

117

Those who are sickened by wind, bile, or phlegm, or afflicted in body and mind by diseases o f the eyes or ears;

Those stricken with maladies o f different kinds and origins,are cured by the touch o f Maya’s hand on their heads.

And when Maya takes from the ground healing herbs and gives them to the sick, all are restored to health and return to their dwellings.And so it is that the King o f Physicians, the great remedy, has entered into the womb of a mother.

When Mayadevi looks at her body, she sees the Bodhisattva in her womb.Like the moon in the sky surrounded by stars, she sees the Guide o f the World, the Bodhisattva, adorned with all the signs o f a great man.

For him no torment o f desire, hatred, or ignorance; no love o f pleasure, no jealousy or pain.

Satisfied in mind, joyous in mind, fixed in contentment and quietude, she feels no pangs o f hunger or thirst, she feels not the suffering o f heat or o f cold.

Untouched, divine instruments sound ceaselessly; heavenly flowers rain down with the sweetest o f perfumes.

Gods and men, even humans and non-humans,put aside their differences;they do not strike or wound each other.

All beings are delighted and happy; they give away food and drink,

118

and shout with joy,so happy and satisfied are they.

The kingdom is filled with prosperity and peace; rain falls in its season;grasses, flowers, and medicinal plants have timely growth.

For seven days and seven nights, a rain o f precious things falls in the kingdom; the poor receive all they can take and enjoy.

Those who once were poor or sufferingare now as joyous as the beings in the Nandana woodson the summit o f Meru.

And the king o f the Sakyas devotes himself to fasting; leaving aside the affairs o f his kingdom, he turns his mind to spiritual practice.

Entering the forest o f the ascetics, he says to MayadevI:“ How great must be the joy you feel as you carry the greatest o f beings.”

The Sixth Chapter The Descent into the Womb

119

Plate 7

'jMWfickJ:

‘Tfje ‘Birth

# m o n k s , w h e n ten m o n th s h a d passed and the time for the birth of the Bodhisattva had drawn nigh, thirty-

two precursory signs appeared at the palace. What were these thirty-two signs? All the flowers burst into bloom. In the ponds, blue lotuses, yellow, red, and white lotuses opened their buds and extended their flowers. In the gardens, young flowering trees and fruit trees blossomed, even from new growth. Eight jeweled trees and twenty thousand trea­sures appeared. Within the dwellings, sprouts appeared on the jeweled trees. Streams o f warm and cool waters, scented with sweet perfumes, began to flow. From the slopes o f the Himalayas lion cubs found their way into the city of Kapila, and circling joyously three times around the city, they came up to the doorways without hurting any being. Five hundred young white elephants appeared and touched the feet of King Suddhodana with the tips o f their trunks.

In the inner apartments o f King Suddhodana, the chil­dren of the gods wrapped in swaddling clothes were seen being rocked back and forth. Ten thousand urns full o f water were seen circling the great city o f Kapilavastu. Sus­

pended in the expanse o f the heavens, the daughters o f the nagas appeared, showing the upper half o f their bodies and holding various offerings. The daughters o f the gods also appeared in the sky, motionless and waiting: ten thou­sand goddesses holding fans made o f peacock feathers; ten thousand goddesses bearing on their heads golden vases filled with scented water; ten thousand goddesses carrying parasols, standards, and banners; and hundreds o f thou­sands o f goddesses holding conch shells and drums, with hand drums hung round their necks. All stood motionless and waiting.

The winds were quiet and did not blow. Rivers and streams stopped flowing. The moon, the sun, the celestial chariots, and the planets stood still, as did the multitude o f stars. The constellation Pusya appeared. A jeweled trellis covered the palace o f King Suddhodana, and the palace fires stopped burning. Pearls and precious stones appeared, hanging on the galleries, the palaces, the terraces, and over the portals. Shops which dealt in white cloth, shops with various precious things, all stood wide open. The cries o f crows, owls, and vultures, o f wolves and jackals ceased, and only the most pleasant o f sounds were heard. All the labors o f men came to a halt.

The high and low places o f the earth were leveled; all the crossroads, public squares, streets, and markets were as smooth as the palm o f the hand, covered with flowers and shining. All pregnant women gave birth easily. The gods o f the sala wood were seen motionless, amidst the trees, re­vealing the upper half o f their bodies, bowing down with respect.

These were the thirty-two precursory signs.

124

Through the power o f the Bodhisattva, Queen Maya knew that the time for the birth o f the Bodhisattva was al hand. At the first watch o f the night, she searched out King Suddhodana and spoke the following:

“ Lord, pray heed me as I tell you my thoughts.It has been a long timesince I have thought o f the pleasure garden.But now I would like to go to the garden, if it would cause you no displeasure, no fear, embarrassment, or worry.

“ You have turned to thoughts o f the Dharma; you have long undergone austerities; for my part, I have long been carrying a pure being within me.The salas, the most beautiful o f trees, are covered with blossoms;it is fitting, O King, to go to the pleasure garden.

“ Spring, the most beautiful o f seasons, is for women a time to adorn themselves.The calls o f the cuckoos and the peacocks resound in the midst o f the woods, and pollen from many flowers flies everywhere, fresh and sparkling.Pray, give the order without delay!”

The most powerful o f kings is pleased to hear these words from the queen.

125

Joyfully, he calls to his retinue:“ Prepare the horses, elephants, and chariots.Prepare and decorate the Lumbini garden, the garden o f most perfect beauty.

“ Prepare twenty thousand elephants, dark blue like mountains and thunderclouds.Outfit them with trappings o f pearls and gold.Cover them with golden netting, and to the flanks o f the six-tusked king o f the elephants, attach tiny bells.

“ Prepare twenty thousand horses white as snow, white as silver, with beautiful plaited manes.Ornament their flanks with golden nets hung with little bells.Light and swift as the wind are the mounts for the king.

“ Make ready promptly troops o f brave warriors, lovers o f combat numbering twenty thousand.Let them brandish their swords, their bows, arrows, and javelins.Let them guard Maya and her following with the deepest respect.

“ Drape the Lumbini garden with golden ornaments and pearls.Tie many red banners to the trees, and strew flowers all about.Make all in readiness until Lumbini is like the garden o f the gods.”

The attendants quickly prepare the mounts and decorate the Lumbini garden.

126

“ Victory! Victory! O Prince o f Men, may you live forever!All has been done just as you have said.Look, O Lord! The time has come!”

With a joyous mind the prince o f men enters the palace and speaks to the women:“You whom I hold dear and who desire to please, may you do as I ask and adorn yourself well.

“ Pray, dress with joy.Anoint with the sweetest perfume your clothing o f different colors, soft and ravishing to the heart.Decorate yourself with pearl necklaces covering your breast. Show, today, the splendor o f all your ornaments.

“ Prepare the drums and lutes,the flutes, the harps and tambourines,and a hundred thousand delightful instruments.Enhance the joy o f the daughters o f the gods.May the sweetness o f the sounds charm the gods themselves.

“ Let Queen Maya ride alonein the finest o f chariots, drawn by maidens o f rank; let no other man or woman enter within.Let no disagreeable or discordant sound be heard.”

When Queen Maya appears on the threshold, horses, elephants, chariots, foot soldiers, the whole army assembled there in all its glory roars like a stormy sea, and a hundred thousand bells ring out as a sign o f benediction.

127

The king himself decorates the shining chariot, and thousands o f gods prepare the throne.

The ornamental trees are covered with leaves and flowers. Peacocks, herons, and geese call out joyously; parasols, standards, and banners flutter on all sides.The daughters o f the gods look down upon the chariot covered with silken drapery.When Maya is seated on the lion throne,«they sing soft and heavenly melodies o f praise.

The land o f the three thousand worlds is strongly shaken in six ways.The gods wave scarves while tossing flowers.

Today the greatest o f menwill be born in the Lumbinl grove.The Four Guardians o f the World pull the chariot.Indra himself, master o f the Tridasas, purifies the route, while Brahma marches ahead, pushing aside the unruly, and a hundred thousand gods bow respectfully with joined palms.

The king sees all this with a satisfied mind, thinking: one so honored by the Four Guardians o f the World, by Brahma and the gods, together with Indra, will certainly be a Buddha.No other in the three worlds could bear such an honor: he would fall into pieces;his head would be broken, his life would be lost.But the One who is above the gods sustains all honors.

128

O monks, MayadevI went forth from the gates o f the palace surrounded by eighty-four thousand horse-drawn chariots and by eighty-four thousand palanquins carried by elephants covered with ornaments o f every kind. An army o f eighty-four thousand handsome, sturdy, and heroic soldiers armed with shields and breastplates guarded her. Sixty thousand Sakya women walked before her, and at her side came forty thousand o f the king’s paternal relatives, old, young, and o f middle age. Sixty thousand persons o f the king’s inner apartment surrounded her with song and music from instruments o f every kind. Eighty-four thousand daugh­ters o f the gods escorted her, and also eighty-four thousand daughters o f the nagas, eighty-four thousand daughters of the gandharvas, eighty-four thousand daughters o f the kinnaras, and eighty-four thousand daughters o f the asuras, all beautifully adorned, all singing melodies and praises.

The whole garden o f Lumbinl, most beautiful o f gardens, was sprinkled with scented water and filled with heavenly flowers. The gods had decorated it to perfection, just as they do the garden o f Misraka. And all its trees pro­duced leaves and fruits, though out o f season.

Stepping forth from that most handsome o f chariots, MayadevI entered the Lumbinl garden, surrounded by the daughters o f both men and gods; walking from grove to grove, she looked at one tree after another, until she came to the plaksa tree, the most beautiful o f them all. Its well- proportioned branches were covered with bright leaves and buds, as well as with flowers found both in heaven and on earth. This tree gave off the sweetest perfumes, and its branches were draped with streamers o f many colors. The plaksa shone with precious stones; jewels adorned it entirely —the roots, the trunk, the graceful branches, and even

129

the leaves. Where the tree stood rooted, the earth was as level as the palm o f the hand, and carpeted with grass green as a peacock’s neck, soft to the touch as a garment ol kacalindi cloth. The mothers o f preceding Jinas had al leaned against this tree; the gods, beautiful and perfectly pure, had praised it in song. Hundreds o f thousands ol Suddhavasa gods, tranquil in mind, their hair plaited and crowned with diadems, bent their heads to honor this tree.

As MayadevI approached, through the power o f the glor ious Bodhisattva, the plaksa tree bowed to her in greeting MayadevI raised her right arm, shining like a lightning flash in the sky, and grasped a branch o f the plaksa tree tc bear her weight. Stretching, she gazed at the broad expanse o f the sky. From among the gods o f the desire realm, sixty thousand apsarases drew near to serve her and form an honor guard around her.

Miraculous manifestations occurred, like those when the Bodhisattva had entered into the womb o f his mother. The end o f the ten months having arrived, the Bodhisattva now came forth, possessing full memory and knowledge; from the right side o f his mother he emerged, untouched by the taint o f the womb. O f no one else can this be said.

At that very instant, O monks, Sakra, lord o f the gods, and Brahma, lord o f the Saha worlds, stood before the Bodhisattva. Filled with profound reverence, they remem­bered and recognized him; full o f respect for the tender form o f his body, they wrapped the Bodhisattva in a silken garment woven with gold and silver threads and took him in their arms. Then Brahma and the devaputras o f the Brahma realm took away the jeweled sanctum in which the Bodhisattva had dwelt while in the womb o f his mother;

130

they carried it into the world o f Brahma in order to make a caitya for it and to pay it homage. The Bodhisattva had been touched by no human being; the gods themselves had received him.

As soon as he was born, the Bodhisattva descended to earth, and a great lotus arose from the depth o f the earth to receive him. The naga kings Nanda and Upananda, show­ing the upper half o f their bodies in the expanse o f the sky, caused two streams o f cool and warm water to flow forth to bathe the Bodhisattva; then Sakra, Brahma, the Guardians o f the World, and hundreds o f thousands o f devaputras sprinkled the Bodhisattva with perfumed waters and flower essences. Two royal fans and a jeweled parasol appeared in the air above the Bodhisattva, who stood on the great lotus, surveying the ten directions with the gaze o f a lion, with the gaze o f a great being.

O monks, the Bodhisattva looked forth with the divine eye which arose through the complete maturation o f the root o f previous virtue. With the unobstructed divine eye he saw completely all the three thousand great thousands ol worlds with their cities and villages, their provinces, capi­tals, and kingdoms, as well as all the gods and men. He knew perfectly the thought and conduct o f all beings; and knowing them, he saw that there was no one comparable to himself in moral conduct, contemplation, knowledge, or virtue. In all the three thousand great thousands of worlds, the Bodhisattva saw no being equal to himself.

Like a fearless lion, the Bodhisattva recalled the thought o f goodness which is free from longing, free from fear and terror. Knowing the thoughts and the conduct o f all beings, the Bodhisattva took seven steps toward the east, unsup­

131

ported by anyone, and said: “ I will walk at the head o f all the dharmas which have virtue as their root.” Above him as he walked floated a great wfiite parasol and two royal fans; beneath him lotuses sprang up wherever he set foot.

The Bodhisattva took seven steps to the south and stated: “ I will be worthy o f the offerings o f both gods and men.” Taking seven steps to the west, like a lion well-satisfied, he pronounced these words: “ I am the finest in the world, for this is my final birth; I shall put an end to birth, old age, sickness, and death!” He took seven steps to the north and said: “ I will be unequaled among all beings!” Taking seven more steps, he faced below and stated: “ I will destroy Mara and his army. I will extinguish the fires o f hell with rain from the great cloud o f the Dharma, filling beings in the hell realms with joy !” Taking seven final steps, he faced upward and stated: “ It is on high that I shall be visible to all beings!”

Just as these words were pronounced by the Bodhisattva, at that very moment, the three thousand great thousands of worlds heard a voice saying: “ Behold the essence o f direct knowledge, born o f the complete maturation o f the actions o f the Bodhisattva.”

When a Bodhisattva in his last existence comes to be born, and also when he attains the perfect and unexcelled Enlightenment o f a Buddha, miraculous manifestations take place.

O monks, all beings felt their skin shiver with pleasure. A great frightening earthquake made their hair stand on end, and the musical instruments o f gods and men sounded without being touched. At the same time everywhere in the three thousand great thousands o f worlds, trees of all sea-

132

sons brought forth perfect flowers and fruits. From the heights o f heaven, thunder was heard, and from the cloud­less sky the gods caused a light rain to fall. From the land o f the gods came forth all sorts o f flowers, garments, orna­ments, and perfumed powders; soft fragrant winds began to blow. Every place took on a serene and luminous appear­ance, free from shadows, dust, smoke, and fog.

Sweet and prolonged, the great sounds o f Brahma were heard from the heights o f the sky. All the splendors o f Candra and Surya, o f Indra, Brahma, and the Guardians o f the World were eclipsed by a light which spread throughout the three thousand great thousands o f worlds, sparkling with a hundred thousand colors, producing well-being and joy in the body and mind o f each being touched by its rays.

As soon as the Bodhisattva was born, great pleasure filled all beings. All were delivered from desire, hatred, and ig­norance, pride, sadness, depression, and fear. They were freed from attachment, jealousy, and greed, and ceased all actions contrary to virtue. The sick were cured; the hungry and thirsty were no longer oppressed by hunger and thirst. Those maddened by drink lost their obsession. The mad recovered their senses, the blind regained sight, and the deaf once more could hear. The halt and the lame obtained perfect limbs, the poor gained riches, and prisoners were delivered from their bonds. For beings thrown into the Avici and the other hells, for beings reduced to the condi­tion o f beasts devouring one another, and for hungry and thirsty beings in the realm of Yama, there was relief from suffering and misery.

Because of the pure actions which he had accomplished for hundreds o f thousands o f niyutas o f kotis o f kalpas, the

133

Bodhisattva had acquired the essence o f the Dharma; he was endowed with tremendous force and strength. When he took seven steps at the time o f his birth, the Buddhas of the ten directions at once gave the place where he walked a diamond nature, lest the force o f his steps produce devastation.

O monks, the Bodhisattva was endowed with a force of such great strength that when he was born and took seven ^teps, all the world was filled with great light. Clouds o f flowers, incense, and perfume descended; flowers, garlands, pearls, ornaments, and banners fell in profusion. The air rang with loud sounds o f singing and dancing, for all beings were filled with the greatest joy. Such were the great events which occurred at the time the Bodhisattva, raised high above all the worlds, was born into this world.

At this point the Ayusmat Ananda arose from his seat and, having thrown his robe over his shoulder, he put his right knee to the ground. Joining his palms, he bowed to the Bhagavat and said: “ Bhagavat, the blessed Tathagata has been a source o f astonishment for all beings. If even the Bodhisattva possesses the most wonderful Dharma, what then can be said o f one who has attained the all-surpassing Enlightenment o f a perfect and complete Buddha?

“ And I, O Bhagavat, four times, five times, ten times, fifty times, several hundreds o f thousands o f times, I take refuge ip the Lord Buddha.”

After Ayusmat Ananda had spoken, the Bhagavat said to him: “ There will certainly be, Ananda, in a time to come, monks who have not prepared their bodies, who have not prepared their minds, who have not prepared their conduct

134

or their knowledge. Ignorant and unskilled, proud, vain­glorious, and arrogant, dissipated and unrestrained, filled with envy, full o f doubts, and lacking faith, they will stand out as a blemish in the midst o f the sramanas.

“ In contrast to the sramanas, they will not believe that the descent o f the Bodhisattva into the womb o f his mother was perfectly pure. Having gathered together, they will say to each other: ‘How undignified! The Bodhisattva entered into the womb of his mother and mingled with a mass o f filth. Is this pure action? It is said that he was born from his mother’s right side, that he was not soiled by the maternal womb. How is that possible?’ Those foolish men will not recognize that the bodies o f beings who have done good works do not come forth from uncleanliness. O monks, excellent is the entry o f pure beings into the womb o f a mother, and pure their stay there.

“ It is through compassion for beings that a Bodhisattva is born into the world o f men, for gods do not turn the Wheel o f the Dharma. If the Buddha were a god, Ananda, beings would then become discouraged. They would say: ‘The Bhagavat Tathagata Arhat is a truly perfect and fulfilled Buddha; he is a god, but we, being only men, are incapa­ble o f fulfilling the conditions needed to become the same as he is.’ And so they would become discouraged. It never occurs to the foolish men, robbers o f the Law, that this Being is truly incomprehensible, that he can not be measured by them.

“ Moreover, Ananda, the foolish men will not believe possible the miracles o f the Buddha, much less the mani­festations o f the supernatural power o f the Bodhisattva as the Tathagata Bodhisattva. Ananda, what a series o f mis­conceptions and wrong actions these foolish men will per-

135

petuate! Rejecting the teachings o f the Buddha, they will be submerged in desire for gain, honor, and fame.”

Ananda said: “ Will there truly be, Bhagavat, in a time to come, monks who will reject the teachings of this excellent Sutra, and even speak against it?” And the Bhagavat re­plied: “ Such men will certainly appear, Ananda, men who will reject this Sutra, will speak against it, and will conceive many other blameworthy notions, without care for their responsibilities as sramanas.”

Ananda asked: “ O Bhagavat, what will be the way o f such virtueless men? What will be their future?” The Bhagavat replied: “ Those who cast aspersions on the Enlightenment o f the Buddha and o f the Buddhas past, present, and future, who find fault with the Buddhas, will go the way such men go.”

Then the Ayusmat Ananda trembled and cried out: “Adoration to the Buddha!” and he said to the Bhagavat: “ On learning of the conduct o f these men without virtue, I become faint, O Bhagavat.”

The Bhagavat replied: “ Ananda, since the conduct o f those beings is not correct, they will go the way o f those with improper conduct—they will fall into Avici, the great hell. Why is that? Ananda, monks, nuns, or devotees, whoever hears such a Sutra and does not admire it, does not have confidence in it, and rejects it, will be thrust into Avici, the great hell, as soon as he dies.

“ Ananda, do not measure the Tathagata! Why? Ananda, the Tathagata is immeasurable, profound, expansive, and difficult to understand.

136

“ Ananda, whoever hears such a Sutra and feels joy, pleasure, and faith, such beings will greatly benefit. Their human lives will bear much fruit; they will always act with righteousness; they will take up the essence o f the Dharma; they will be delivered from the three lower states of being; they will be sons o f the Tathagata. Whatever they need, they will obtain. Fruitful for them will be the acquisition of faith, and well-shared by them will be the produce o f the land. They will admire holy beings. Breaking the chains o f demons, they will pass beyond the desert o f transmigrant life. Thqy will withdraw the arrow o f suffering and will ob­tain the treasure o f great joy. They have taken refuge and are worthy o f homage and support.

“ Ananda, these beings come forth in the world very rarely; they are held dear in the world. W hy is that? They have faith in the Dharma o f the Tathagata, which does not accord with worldliness. Ananda, these beings are not even slightly tainted by non-virtue. They are friends and com­panions from many lifetimes.

“ Why is that? Some, O Ananda, are happy merely lis­tening to my teaching, and some in seeing me are joyful. Some who find pleasure in seeing have not heard me. There are also some who rejoice in both hearing and seeing, and these have been my friends and companions for many life­times. You should understand this.

“ They are seen by the Tathagata and will be delivered by the Tathagata to whom they have gone for refuge. Their qualities are similar to those o f the Tathagata, and they are accepted by the Tathagatas. O Ananda, formerly, when I led the life o f a Bodhisattva, I gave security to whomever came into my presence hounded by fear and begging for

137

safety; all the more so now, when I have obtained the perfect and accomplished qualities^ a Buddha.

“ Ananda, strive for faith; that is what the Tathagata tells you. Whatever you must do, Ananda, the Tathagata has done, and the Tathagata has cleared away the goad of pride. Ananda, on hearing about a friend, have you not traveled a hundred yojanas in order to see him? And were you not happy to see him? Are you not happy to see the Tathagata, a friend one has not seen for ages?

“ Those who depend on me will grow in virtue. The Tathagatas o f the future, the Arhats, the perfect and com­plete Buddhas, will know them. Those who were formerly the friends o f the Tathagatas are our friends; this is my thought. Why is this? O Ananda, a true friend takes to his heart those dear to him, and those dear to his dear friends.

“ Ananda, I urge you to understand: only produce faith and I will lead you into the presence o f the Tathagatas o f the future, the Arhats, and the truly perfect and fulfilled Buddhas, saying: he also is our friend! And having under­stood this, they will fulfill your every thought.

“ Ananda, if a man had an only son, and this man, at­tracting respect, had many friends, even if the father died, the son would not be destitute, for he would be well- received by his father’s friends. In the same way, Ananda, whoever has faith is welcomed by me as a friend, and there are many who take refuge in me. The Tathagata has many friends, and these friends o f the Tathagata, who tell the truth and do not tell lies, I entrust as well to the future Tathagatas, Arhats, truly perfect and fulfilled Buddhas; thus will they become enlightened. Ananda, strive for faith; this is what I recommend.”

138

O monks, as soon as the Bodhisattva was born, hundreds of thousands o f niyutas o f kotis o f goddesses floating in the sky covered Mayadevi with flowers, perfumes, garlands, ointments, garments, and ornaments.

Concerning this it is said:

For the one o f spotless virtue,shining with golden light like the sun and moon,sixty thousand heavenly goddesses sing sweet melodies.Having come in an instant to the Lumbini garden,they say to Mayadevi: “ We offer youour love and respect. Be always joyful.

“ Speak! What may we do for you?What is it that you need?We are ready to render any service, and are joyous with this task.Set aside all sadnessand be filled with the greatest joy.Today, O Queen, you will give birthto the Greatest o f Physicians,one who will destroy old age and death.

“ The sala trees have burst into bloom;hundreds o f thousands o f godsbow low before you, holding out their arms.The land and sea tremble in six ways.Today you will bring forth a son renowned in heaven and earth, superior to all in the world.

139

“ The air glows with a pure golden light; a hundred instruments, without being touched, send sweet music into the air; a hundred thousand Suddhavasa gods, pure and free from passion, bow before you with joyous minds.Today you will give birth to a son, who will be the help o f all worlds.

‘Sakra, Brahma, the Guardians o f the World, and many other gods stand joyously at your side, adoring you with outstretched arms; and the Lion o f Men, his vows fulfilled, emerges from the right side o f his mother, like a golden mountain;the Guide o f the World emerges in brilliant light.”

/

Sakra and Brahma receive the Muni in their arms; a hundred thousand Buddha-fields tremble, and pure light rays shine forth;a hundred thousand gods throw flowers and wave banners; even the creatures in the three lower states o f being are joyful and free from misery.

The power o f the earth is strengthened to a diamond nature and so remains firm.Wherever the most excellent Guide places his feet, embellished with the mark o f a wheel, a lotus o f marvelous beauty arises.After taking seven steps,he calls out with a voice like Brahma’s:“ I will be the Greatest o f Physicians, the destroyer of sickness and death.”

140

Brahma and Sakra bathe the most excellent Guide with sweet-smelling waters, soft and refreshing.Two naga kings in the sky cause two pure streamsof water, warm and cool, to flow,and one hundred thousand godsbathe the most excellent Guide with scented waters.

The Guardians o f the World, with great respect, hold him in their beautiful hands.Both the stable and the shifting regions o f the three thousand worlds are shaken.

Brilliant light rays shine forth,soothing those in the lower realms o f being.The suffering o f emotionality is relievedwhen the most excellent Guide is born into the world.

The gods cast flowers on this conquering Guide o f Men, the strong and courageous hero.Newly born, he takes seven firm steps,and wherever he places his feet,the most beautiful o f lotuses rise from the earth,adorned with all kinds o f precious things.

After taking seven steps,he speaks with a voice like Brahma’s:“ The destroyer o f old age and death has come forth, the Greatest o f Physicians.”

Looking fearlessly in all directions, he pronounces these words rich in meaning:“ I am the Leader o f the World;I am the Guide of the World.

“ This is my final birth.”And speaking thus, the Guide o f Men smiles.

141

The greatest o f the gods and the Guardians o f the Worldtogether with Indra produce great faith,and with scented watersbathe the one who came to help the world.

The princes o f the nagas, all assembled, bathe him also; and other gods as well, hundreds o f thousands suspended in the air, bathe him with sweet-smelling waters.

Beneath the shelter o f a large white parasol and royal fans, they bathe the freely-arising being with perfumed water; thus do the gods, suspended in the air, bathe the greatest o f men.

Someone goes in haste to King Suddhodana and tells him with joy: “ O King,a son of great fortune has been born, adorned with signs.

“ Firstborn jewel of a great family!Certainly he will be a Cakravartin king.Having no enemy in the land o f Jambu, he alone will hold the parasol, insignia o f sovereignty.”

A second man runs to King Suddhodana to say:“ Great fortune, sire, to the Sakya ra ce - five hundred thousand allies have been born, endowed with strength and greatness.”

Another man says: “ Sire, hear this joyful news: eight hundred sons have been bom to the servants, who will be under the charge o f Chandaka.Ten thousand foals have been born to the horses, with Kanfhaka at their head; they are the best o f horses, golden-colored, with beautiful manes.

142

And twenty thousand sons have been born to the kings o f the frontier fortresses.”

Approaching the feet of the king, he says:“ O great and glorious King, give your orders. Where shall we go? What shall we do?You have the power; we are your servants.Lord, may you celebrate your victory!”

Twenty thousand elephants, brilliant under golden netting, come in haste to the £akya kingdom, filling the air with their cries.Six thousand cows and calves, spotted with black, have also been born.

For the one who is born above the godshas brought glory and increase to the kingdom.

Shining with the light o f merit,the one bom a king has arrived in the world.Men and gods by the thousands exclaim in joy upon seeing his virtues: “ Enlightened One, free from all suffering, may you soon be victorious!”

O monks, when the Bodhisattva was born, an abundant distribution o f gifts took place. At the same time were born five hundred sons o f good family, along with ten thou­sand girls with Yasovati at their head. Eight hundred serving girls were also born, and eight hundred boys with Chandaka at their head. Ten thousand horsemen were born, and ten

143

thousand steeds with Kanthaka at their head. Many ele­phants were born as well,v.five hundred female and five hundred male, all marked by the king with ornamental letters on their trunks and given to the young prince for his amusement.

By the power o f the Bodhisattva and for the enjoyment o f the Bodhisattva, an asvattha flower appeared in the middle o f the four hundred thousand kotis o f continents, and in the lower continent appeared a forest o f sandalwood trees. On all sides o f the city appeared five hundred gardens for the enjoyment o f the Bodhisattva. And five thousand treasure chests arose from the soil o f the earth and opened their lids. All that King Suddhodana could wish for had come about.

Then the thought occurred to the king: “ What name should I give the young prince?” And he thought: “ Since all my wishes were perfectly fulfilled as soon as the child was born, Sarvarthasiddha shall be the name I give him.” And having honored the Bodhisattva with a great show o f re­spect, King Suddhodana said: “ May the young prince be known as Sarvarthasiddha.”

O monks, the Bodhisattva had been born from the right side o f his mother’s womb, without any rent or injury to her; just as she was before, so she was afterwards. And at the time o f birth, wells with three springs appeared, and also ponds o f perfumed oils.

Five thousand apsarases came before the Bodhisattva’s mother bearing oils impregnated with divine perfumes, asking had the birth been happy, asking had it left her weary. Bearing vases filled with divinely scented waters, five thousand apsarases approached the Bodhisattva’s mother, asking had the birth been happy, asking had it left

144

her weary. Bearing garments o f the children o f the gods, five thousand apsarases approached the Bodhisattva’s mother, asking had the birth been happy, asking had it left her weary. Bearing ornaments o f the children o f the gods, five thousand apsarases approached the Bodhisattva’s mother, asking had the birth been happy, asking had it left her weary. Bearing instruments for divine music, five thousand apsarases ap­proached the Bodhisattva’s mother, asking had the birth been happy, asking had it left her weary.

And all the many foreign rsis in the land o f Jambu, endowed with five superior kinds o f knowledge, all came flying through the skies and stopped in the presence o f King Suddhodana to say: “ May the king be victorious and pros­per!” Such were the words they uttered.

O monks, at the time the Bodhisattva was born, he was honored for seven days in the Lumbinl garden. He was surrounded with respect, with homage, and with offerings, with the sounds o f the instruments o f both gods and men. Delicate dishes were prepared and offered, and all o f the Sakyas assembled with cries o f delight to give presents and do good works. The needs o f thirty-two thousand brahmins were satisfied every day; all were given what their hearts desired. Sakra and Brahma took on the form o f young men from the assembly o f brahmins and, seating themselves in the first available places, uttered these verses on the omens:

“ Those in lower states o f being are comforted, and all beings are made happy.

145

Surely the one bringing joy has been born to establish all beings in bliss.

“ The light which destroys darkness eclipses the sun and moon.Surely the one with the splendor o f merit has appeared.

“ The blind see and the deaf hear,and fools have regained their senses.i Surely many caityas will be built to honor him.

“ The fettering passions no longer bring torment, and love o f all beings has come into the world.Beyond doubt he is worthyof the homage o f ten million Brahmas.

“ The salas are covered with flowers, and the earth made smooth.Certainly, he is worthy o f all homage and will be omniscient.

“ The world is without disturbance, and the great lotus has appeared.Without any doubt, this brilliant one will be the Guide o f the World.

“ Soft breezes perfumed with incenserelieve the suffering o f beings,and the illnesses o f all creatures are cured.Surely he will be the King o f Physicians.

“ The hundred gods o f the realm o f form are freed from their passions and bow with joined palms.Surely he is worthy o f offerings.

146

“ Men see the gods, and the gods see men, and neither harms the other.Surely he will be the leader of all beings.

“ The fires are out, the rivers cease flowing, and the earth is gently shaken.Surely he will be the one who sees the truth.”

O monks, seven days after the Bodhisattva’s birth, it came time for his mother, Mayadevi, to die. And upon her death, Mayadevi was reborn into the realm o f the Thirty- three gods.

But monks, if you think that Mayadevi’s death was due to the birth o f the Bodhisattva, you are wrong. That is truly not the way to see it. And why not? Because she had reached the end o f her life. With Bodhisattvas o f the past also, seven days after their final birth, their mothers have died. And why? Because if a Bodhisattva were to grow up, his faculties fully developed, at the moment he left home, his mother’s heart would break.

Thus, O monks, seven days after Mayadevi left the great city o f Kapilavastu to go in magnificent splendor to the pleasure garden, the Bodhisattva returned to the great city o f Kapilavastu with a splendor a hundred thousand kotis greater.

As he entered the city, five thousand urns filled with scented water were carried before him. Sprinkling the road along the way were five thousand maidens holding golden vases full o f scented water, and sweeping the road before

147

them were five thousand maidens wearing jeweled orna­ments. Five thousand maidens wearing veils as well as five thousand maidens carrying garlands of flowers walked ahead. Also five thousand maidens holding fans o f peacock feathers and five thousand young girls carrying branches o f tala trees walked ahead, and five thousand young girls carrying chairs of state also walked in the procession. Five thousand brahmins ringing bells made auspicious sounds as they walked along. Walking ahead were twenty thousand elephants decorated with all their ornaments and twenty thousand horses all covered with golden garlands and with trappings.

Following the Bodhisattva came eighty thousand char­iots, well-decorated with parasols, with flying standards and banners, and embellished with nets hung with little bells. Also following came forty thousand foot soldiers, dignified and courageous, with strong bodies covered by sturdy ar­mor. In the sky countless numbers o f hundreds o f thousands of niyutas of kotis of gods from the realm of desire and the realm of form paid homage to the Bodhisattva with dis­plays o f all sorts.

The gods of the desire realm had decorated the specially chosen chariot which carried the Bodhisattva. The chariot was pulled by twenty thousand apsarases, who were beauti­fully adorned with jeweled ornaments and carried garlands o f pearls. Between each two apsarases was a young woman, and between each two women, an apsaras. Yet, through the power and glory of the Bodhisattva, the goddesses did not perceive the disagreeable odor o f the women, and the women were not humiliated by the beauty o f the apsarases.

O monks, five hundred Sakyas had built five hundred dwellings for the Bodhisattva in the beautiful city of

148

Kapila. When the Bodhisattva was entering the city, each Sakya, standing at the threshold o f his dwelling, bowed respectfully to the Bodhisattva with joined palms, beseech­ing: “ O Sarvarthasiddha, pray, enter here! God above all gods, pray, enter here! Pure Being, pray, enter here! Source of pleasure and joy, spotless in your glory, pray, enter here! All-seeing One, equal o f the one without equal, pray, enter here! You who possess the splendor o f peerless virtues, whose body is well-adorned with signs and secondary marks, pray, enter here!”

To reconcile them all with each other, King Suddhodana had the Bodhisattva stay in each house in turn. Only after four months did the Bodhisattva enter into his own dwelling, the great palace known as Nanaratnavyuha, the Variegated Array o f Jewels. Here the Bodhisattva settled, and here the oldest o f the elders o f the Sakya family as­sembled and took counsel, saying: “ W ho is truly capable of nurturing the Bodhisattva, o f loving him, o f caring for him? Who is the one benevolent enough in spirit, gentle enough in spirit, virtuous and good?” Then fifty different Sakya women each replied: “ I am the one who should serve the Bodhisattva.”

But the very eldest o f the &akyas remarked: “ All these women are young and beautiful, heedless and proud o f their youth and their beauty. They are not capable o f serving the Bodhisattva. Only Mahaprajapati GautamI, sister o f the mother o f the young prince, is capable o f rearing him. She will bring happiness to the prince and also make King Suddhodana happy.” All agreed to put their confidence in Mahaprajapati GautamI, and so she was given the task of rearing the young prince.

149

Thirty-two nurses were chosen to serve the Bodhisattva: eight nurses to carry him, ejght to suckle him, eight to bathe him, and eight to play with him.

/

Next, King Suddhodana, having called an assembly of the &akyas, posed this question: “ Will the young prince be a Cakravartin king, or will he leave home to become a men­dicant monk?”

Now at this time, on the slope o f Mt. Himavat, king of mountains, there lived a rsi named Asita, together with his sister’s son Naradatta. This great rsi, possessing the five superior kinds o f knowledge, observed many supernatural phenomena at the moment o f the Bodhisattva’s birth. In the expanse o f the sky, he saw many devaputras transported with joy, calling out the name o f the Buddha, and waving banners from side to side. The thought came to him: “ I must see all o f this in detail.” With his divine eye, he examined the whole o f the land o f Jambu attentively and saw that in the great city o f Kapila, in the home o f King Suddhodana, a young prince had been born, shining with the splendor o f a hundred merits, glorified by the entire world, his body well-adorned with the thirty-two signs o f a great man. Having seen the Bodhisattva, Asita addressed himself to Naradatta, the brahmin youth: “ Note well: a great jewel has appeared in the world. In the great city o f Kapilavastu, in the home o f the king, a young prince has been born, brilliant with the splendor o f a hundred merits, honored by the entire world, endowed with the glory o f the thirty-two signs o f a great man.

“ If he remains at home, he will be a Cakravartin king, the leader of four armies o f victorious troops. He will be a great leader, devoted to the Dharma, having the strength

150

and courage o f many subjects at his command. He will be a Dharma King, in possession o f the seven jewels: the jewel o f the wheel, the jewel o f the elephant, the jewel o f the horse, the jewel o f the precious mani stone, the jewel of the queen, the jewel o f the chancellor, and the jewel o f the counselor. He will have a thousand heroic sons, courageous, handsome, and well-built, conquerors o f enemy armies. Having subjugated the great circle o f the great earth bound­ed by oceans with his law and might, without using force or armies, he will exercise royal authority with omnipo­tence.

“ But if he departs his home to wander as a homeless monk, he will be a Tathagata Arhat, a truly perfect and complete Buddha, a perfect Buddha, a teacher guided by no one in the world. Let us both go to gaze upon him.”

Having spoken thus, Asita, the great rsi, together with his nephew Naradatta, soared like swans across the skies toward the great city o f Kapilavastu. There they alighted, and entering the great city on foot, they approached the door o f the king’s dwelling. O monks, at the door o f the king’s dwelling, the god-like rsi saw assembled several hundreds o f thousands o f beings. Going up to the gate­keeper, Asita spoke these words: “ Friend, please inform the king that a rsi is at his door.” “ Very well,” said the gate­keeper. And conforming to the rsi’s request, he went to King Suddhodana. Joining his palms in respect, he said: “ Know, sire, that a very aged r§i is standing at the gates, saying that he desires to see the king.”

The king had a seat prepared for the rsi Asita; he then said to the gatekeeper: “ Tell the rsi he may enter.” So the

151

gatekeeper returned to the rsi and asked him to come into the palace.

Immediately, Asita approached King Suddhodana and stood before him, saying: “ May you be victorious, Great King, may you long be victorious! May your life be long! May you govern the kingdom o f the Dharma!”

King Suddhodana, having first honored the great rsi Asita with respect and consideration, brought water to wash his feet and invited him to be seated. After seeing that the rsi was comfortable, the king spoke to him with deference: “ I do not remember, O Rsi, ever having seen you before. What brings you here?”

Asita replied: “ A son has been born to you, Great King. I have come to see him.” “ The young prince is sleeping, Great Rsi,” said the king. “ Please wait until he awakens.” To this the rsi replied: “ O King, such great men do not sleep for long; such virtuous men are accustomed to remain awake.”

Then, O monks, the Bodhisattva, out o f kindness to the rsi Asita, made a sign that he was awake. Taking the young prince Sarvarthasiddha gently and carefully in his arms, King Suddhodana brought him before the rsi. And when the great rsi Asita examined the Bodhisattva, he saw that his body bore the thirty-two signs o f a great man, and the eighty secondary marks; he saw that it surpassed the body o f &akra, Brahma, and the Guardians o f the World, that the Bodhisattva had a brilliance greater than a hundred thousand suns, and that all his limbs were beautiful. Then he expressed his thoughts, saying: “ Truly a great wonder has appeared in the world.” And speaking thus, he arose from his seat and joining his hands respectfully, he prostrated himself at the feet o f the Bodhisattva.

152

After circumambulating the Bodhisattva, Asita pressed him to his breast and gazed thoughtfully at the thirty-two signs marking the body o f the Bodhisattva. For the great man endowed with these signs, there are two ways of being and no other. If he remains at home, he will be a Cakra- vartin king with four armies o f victorious troops, a great leader devoted to the Dharma. Commanding the strength and courage o f his subjects, he will be a Dharma king, pos­sessing the seven jewels: the wheel, the elephant, the horse, the mani stone, the queen, the chancellor, and the counselor. He will have a thousand heroic sons, courageous, handsome, and strong, conquerors o f armies. Having subjugated the circle o f the great earth bounded by oceans with his law and strength, without force or weapons, he will exercise royal authority with omnipotence.

But if he departs from home to wander as a homeless monk, he will be a Tathagata, a perfect and complete Buddha, a guide unequaled by any other.

Looking upon the Bodhisattva, Asita began to weep, and uttered a deep sigh. King Suddhodana, seeing the great rsi weeping and sighing, shivered with anxiety. With strong apprehension, he asked the great rsi: “ W hy are you weep­ing, Rsi, and uttering great sighs? Is there some danger you see for the young prince?”

At these words, the rsi Asita spoke the following: “ Great King, it is not for the young prince that I am weeping, because for him there is truly no danger. It is for myself that I weep. Why is that, Great King? Because I am old and feeble.

“ Young Sarvarthasiddha will surely obtain the peerless Enlightenment o f a perfect and complete Buddha. He will

153

turn the Wheel o f the matchless Dharma which no one else can turn: no sramana or brahmin, no god or demon, no one else at all in the world. For the salvation and the hap­piness o f this world and that o f the gods, he will teach the Dharma, good at the beginning, good in the middle, and good at the end; with meaning most excellent and perfectly pure; well-expressed, clear, and very com plete- such a truly accomplished Dharma he will bring to light.

“ Hearing the Dharma from this pure being, who knows the Dharma from his birth, one will be completely delivered from birth and old age, from sickness, sorrow, and lamen­tations, from pain, depression, troubles, and from calamities. For beings burning in the fires o f passion, hatred, and ig­norance, he will pour down the refreshing rain o f the Dharma. Beings enveloped by the darkness o f wrong views, who have wandered onto the wrong path, he will guide to the straight road that leads to Nirvana. He will break the bonds o f beings held in the ensnaring prison o f life and bound by the fettering passions. For those whose vision is dimmed by the deep shadows o f ignorance, he will produce the eye o f wisdom. For those tormented by the sharp arrow o f emotionality, he will extract the arrow.

“ Great King, just as the udumbara flower rarely appears in the world, so also do the Bhagavat Buddhas appear in the world only after niyutas o f kotis o f kalpas. This young prince, without any doubt, will obtain the perfect and com­plete qualities o f a Buddha. And with those qualities, he will lead hundreds o f thousands o f niyutas o f kotis o f beings to the shore which lies beyond the sea o f rebirth and will establish them in Immortality!

“ And I, I will not see this jewel o f a Buddha! And this is why, Great King, I am weeping, I am distressed, and I utter

154

deep sighs, for I will not become free from sickness and froi attachment.

“ According to our holy 3astras, Great King, the youn Sarvarthasiddha, having the appearance that he does, wi of necessity depart from home. W hy is this? Because, C Great King, the young Sarvarthasiddha is endowed wit] the thirty-two signs o f a great man.

“ What are these thirty-two signs? They are these. Grea King, the head o f the young Siddhartha is crowned witl a protuberance o f the skull. This sign is the first mark o f i great man. Siddhartha’s hair whorls to the right, is curb and blue-black and brilliant like a peacock’s neck. He ha a broad and smooth forehead. A tuft o f hair, Great King arises in the middle o f his eyebrows, as bright as snow 01 silver. He has eyelashes like those o f a heifer. He has deep black eyes and forty uniform teeth, closely set and perfectly white.

“ He has a voice like Brahma’s, O Great King, and an excellent sense o f taste. He has a long and slender tongue, the jaw o f a lion, and well-rounded arms. The seven prin­cipal parts o f the body are lofty. His chest and shoulders are broad. He has fine, golden skin, and when he stands erect, his hands reach to his knees. His upper body is like a lion’s. The young Sarvarthasiddha’s figure is like the trunk o f the fig tree, O Great King. His hairs grow one by one, and they curl toward the right at their tip. His private parts are hidden in a sheath. His thighs are well-developed, and he has the legs o f the king o f gazelles.

“ His fingers are long, the soles o f his feet are broad, and his stride is long. His hands and feet are soft and delicate, and his toes and fingers are joined by a membrane up to the

155

first joint. On the soles o f young Sarvarthasiddha’s feet, O Great King, are two wheels^—beautiful, luminous, brilliant, and white, each with a thousand spokes between hub and rim. His feet are even and well-placed.

“ O Your Majesty, the young Sarvarthasiddha is endowed with the totality o f the thirty-two signs o f a great man. And, Great King, such signs are not those o f a Cakravartin, but are those o f a Bodhisattva.

“ Your Majesty, the eighty secondary marks also appear on the body o f the young Sarvarthasiddha, showing that he will not wish to remain at home and will certainly depart to lead the life o f a wandering monk. And what, O Great King, are these eighty secondary marks? They are as follows:

“ The young Sarvarthasiddha has rounded fingernails, O Great King, glossy and the color o f red copper. His fingers and toes are long and very fine and tapering. His veins and ankle bones are hidden. His joints are solid; his feet smooth and regular; his heels broad.

“ O Your Majesty, the lines in young Sarvarthasiddha’s hands are smooth, equal, regular, deep, and long. His lips are red like the fruit o f the bimba, his voice well-modulated, not too high. His tongue is soft and delicate, the color o f red copper. His sweet and beautiful voice sounds like the cry o f an elephant, like thunder. O Great King, the young Sarvarthasiddha’s sexual organs are complete. His arms are long, his limbs are broad and well-covered, his skin is soft. His body is not subject to fear or disquiet; it is well-propor­tioned, beautiful, and heroic. His limbs are perfect; his knees broad, strong, and well-developed.

“ O Great King, the young Sarvarthasiddha’s body is rounded and elegant, straight, smooth, and beautiful. His

156

navel is deep, straight, and regular. Like a rsi, he is pure in conduct; his appearance is beautiful and pure, radiating such light that it dispels the shadows. Great King, young Siddhartha moves with the dignity o f a bull. He has the majestic gait o f the elephant, O Great King, and the heroic walk of the lion. He has the powerful gait o f the great bull, and moves like the flight o f the goose. He walks always turning toward the right.

“ The sides o f his body are rounded, elegant, and sym­metrical, and his waist is like the curve o f a bow. O Great King, the brilliance o f the young Sarvarthasiddha’s body is untarnished—not a dark spot mars its beauty. His front teeth are rounded, his eyeteeth are pointed, his molars are regular. His nose is sharply defined; his brilliant, clear eyes are smiling, elongated, and large, like the petals o f the blue lotus.

“ The young Sarvarthasiddha, Great King, has eyebrows which are even, beautiful, dark, connected, and smoothly arched. His cheeks are full and even, free from imperfection. With his senses perfectly controlled, he is free from hostility and wrath. The sense organs o f the young Sarvarthasiddha, O Great King, are perfect and complete. He has a face and a forehead in harmony with each other, and his head is well-developed. His hair is full-bodied, falling freely from his face and brow, well-arranged, smooth, and black. Sweet in smell and luxuriant, it is never unkempt or tangled, but is very fine and curly. The hair o f the young Sarvarthasiddha, O Great King, curls into the forms o f the srivatsa, the svas- tika, the nandyavarta, and the vardhamana.

“ These, Great King, are the eighty secondary marks of the young Sarvarthasiddha. Endowed with these signs, the young prince will not want to remain a householder;

157

certainly he will depart from home to lead the life o f a wandering monk.”

After King Suddhodana heard the prediction concerning the young prince from the great rsi Asita, he was satisfied and happy, joyous, and carried away with delight. He rose from his seat and, prostrating himself at the feet o f the Bodhisattva, recited this verse:

“ You who are venerated by all the gods together with Indra, and honored also by the rsis, Physician to the entire world,I, too, bow before you, Lord!”

O monks, King Suddhodana then offered food to satisfy the great rsi Asita and his nephew Naradatta, gave them fine garments, and circumambulated three times around them. Then Asita and his nephew, by means o f super­natural power, returned through the sky to their hermitage. There, the great rsi said to the brahmin youth: “ Naradatta, when you hear it said that a Buddha has appeared in the world, go to him and become a wandering monk under his tutelage. Thus will you find benefit, help, and happiness for a very long time to come.”

Concerning this it is said:

158

Seeing the host o f gods suspended in the heavens proclaiming the fame o f the Buddha,Asita, the godly rsi, abiding at Mt. Himavat, is filled with the greatest happiness.“ What is this name, ‘Buddha,’ which brings joy to all beings?M y body is filled with well-being,and my tranquil mind feels supreme calm.

“ Does ‘Buddha’ refer to a god?Or to an asura, a garuda, or perhaps a kinnara?This previously unheard title o f ‘Buddha’ brings joy and pleasure.What does it mean?”

The rsi looks out over mountains, land, and sea; he looks with divine eye in all the ten directions, and everywhere he sees marvelous sights: on the earth, the mountains, and the sea.

A shining light o f many colors appears, to delight and soothe the body.Delicate branches o f coralare produced on the top o f the mountains,and the trees bear flowers and different kinds o f fruit.Clearly a Jewel o f Beingswill soon appear in the three worlds.

The earth is shining, spotless, and smooth: smooth as the palm of the hand.In the sky the gods wave banners in heartfelt joy.

159

On the sea, the home o f the naga king, marvelous jewels are floating.Clearly the Jewel o f the Jinas,the Source o f the Dharma,has appeared in the land o f Jambu.

The poor creatures in the lower states o f beingare calmed, delivered from pain, and filled with ease;the troops o f gods in the sky’s expanseare filled with joy, and sing the sweet soundthat lies at the heart o f heavenly songs.Clearly a jewel has appeared in the three worlds.

Asita looks with his divine eye at the land called Jambu.In the great city o f Kapila,in the palace o f King Suddhodana,he sees the one born bearing the signs 6f splendid merit,equal in strength to Narayana,and his heart is filled with joy and new strength.

In haste, his mind full o f amazement,the rsi travels to Kapila, the most excellent city,accompanied by his disciple,and stands at the door o f the Prince o f Men.Seeing the niyutas o f kops o f beings there to pay homage, the old rsi says to the gatekeeper:“ Tell the king that a rsi is at his door.”

The gatekeeper quickly goes into the palace and announces to the king:“ At the door, sire, stands an ascetic, old and worn, a great rsi, wishing to enter the palace.May permission be given, O Best o f Lords, for him to come within?”

160

The king prepares a seat for the rsi, and gives him permission to enter.The gatekeeper’s words fill Asita with joy— the joy of a thirsty man finding water, the joy o f a hungry man seeing food.Such is the feeling o f the best o f rsis nearing the presence of the highest o f beings.

To the king he speaks in great delight:“ May you always be victorious, O King!May you have a long life!”Having wished for the king’s prosperity, he calmly sits downwith mind controlled, with senses appeased.The king, addressing this best o f rsis, asks:“Why have you come? Tell me promptly, O Sage.’

“A son o f the greatest beauty is born to you; one who has reached the other shore.Endowed with great splendor,he is adorned with the thirty-two excellent signsand the strength o f Narayana.To see him is my desire, O Master o f Men.For the sake o f Sarvarthasiddha, your son, have I come, and for no other reason.”

“ Good! Good! You are welcome, and I am happy to see you.But the young prince is sleeping, so wait a while, and then you will see him, like the spotless full moon adorned by the multitude o f stars.”

The Best of Charioteers awakens, shining like the full moon,

1 6 1

his body bright as fire, brighter than the sun.The king lifts him up:“Ah, Rsi! Look at the one honored by gods and men, beautiful as the finest gold.”And the rsi sees the Bodhisattva’s beautiful feet, both marked with a wheel.

Arising and joining his palms with respect, the rsi then holds Sarvarthasiddha to his breast.Versed in the Sastras, he examines the prince with skill. He sees the excellent signs o f the one with the strength o f Narayana.Versed in the Vedas and the Sastras, this rsi sees the two possible paths; shaking his head, he says:

“ He will either be a powerful Cakravartin king, or a Buddha, Leader o f the World.”Deep in despair, he sighs profoundly and begins to weep. The best o f kings is troubled:“ Why is the brahmin weeping?Does he see a threat to my Sarvarthasiddha?The truth, pray, speak it. Why are you weeping?Is this good or bad?”

“ I see no misfortune or hindrance for Sarvarthasiddha.I lament for myself, O Master o f Men, for I am old and worn.He will be a Buddha; honored by the world, he will preach the Dharma.

“ But I will not be there to gaze on him with joyful eyes!Therefore do I weep.The spotless body marked with thirty-two signs

162

foretells two ways o f being and not a third.Know, O Lord, he will be a Cakravartin king or a Buddha, the most elevated in the world.

“ But he will not be attracted by the qualities o f desire, and he will be a Buddha.”Hearing the rsi’s prediction, the king is filled with joy.Arising with his palms joined together,the king bows with respect to the feet o f the child, saying:“ Endowed with great strength,you are honored by the gods and praised by the rsis.

“ I bow to you, great Leader o f the caravan of beings, honored by all in the three worlds.”Asita, now joyous, says to his sister’s son:“ Listen well to my advice.When you hear that an enlightened Buddha is turning the Wheel o f the Dharma in the world, then enter quickly the religious path.Under the direction o f the Muni, you will soon obtain deliverance!”

After bowing to the feet o f the child and circumambulating him three times, the rsi says: “ Having such a son, O King, you have gained great and abundant benefits.With the Dharma he will satisfy completely all the world of gods and men.”And so leaving the city of Kapila,the best o f rsis returns to his forest hermitage.

163

O monks, as soon as the Bodhisattva was born, the deva- putra Mahesvara called tqgether the devaputras o f the &uddhavasa realm and spoke to them thus: “ Friends, the Bodhisattva Mahasattva, for immeasurable hundreds of thousands o f niyutas o f kotis o f kalpas, has devoted himself to the practice o f purification, giving, morality, patience, effort, contemplation, wisdom, and skillful means. He hears the Dharma and acts accordingly, practicing austerities and good conduct. He is endowed with great love, great com­passion, and great joy, and he has been elevated through equanimity. Eager to offer help and happiness to all beings, he is clothed in the armor o f heroism. He has produced the root o f virtue found in the previous Jinas; well-adorned with the signs o f a hundred merits, he possesses fine actions resolutely accomplished. Destroyer o f many fierce armies, endowed with pure and spotless intentions, he carries the great standard o f knowledge. He will put an end to the power o f Mara. Leader o f the caravan o f the three thousand great thousands o f worlds, the Bodhisattva is honored by both gods and men.

“ Having made great offerings, he possesses a multitude o f accumulated merits. Having resolved to escape from the circle o f rebirth, the Bodhisattva will put an end to birth, old age, and death. Well-born, he descends from the family o f King Iksvaku. He will quickly cause the world to par­take o f supreme Enlightenment. Having appeared in the world o f men, the Bodhisattva Mahasattva will soon attain the matchless, perfect, and complete Enlightenment o f a Buddha.

“ Let us therefore render homage to him, adore him, and praise him. By this we will cut short the pride, haughtiness, and arrogance o f the devaputras who are dominated by pride.

164

If they see us honor him, they too will greet, honor, and adore the Bodhisattva; and this will profit them, through all the time it takes for them to arrive at Immortality.

“ Now let us proclaim the increase o f the glory o f King Suddhodana. We shall make a true prediction concerning the Bodhisattva, and then return.”

Then the devaputra Mahesvara, surrounded and pre­ceded by twelve thousand other devaputras, approached the palace of King Suddhodana, filling the entire city of Kapilavastu with a brilliant light.

Informed o f his presence by the gatekeeper, the king invited MaheSvara into the palace. There Mahesvara bowed with his head to the feet o f the Bodhisattva. Throw­ing his cloak over one shoulder, he circumambulated the Bodhisattva several hundreds of thousands o f times and then took the Bodhisattva into his arms, speaking these happy words to King Suddhodana: “ O Your Majesty, you should have great joy! Supreme joy! For what reason? Because, O King, the body o f the Bodhisattva is well- adorned with signs and secondary marks; the young prince surpasses all the gods, all men, and all asuras with his color, his glory, his majesty. Without any doubt, Great King, the Bodhisattva will attain the matchless, perfect, and complete Enlightenment o f a Buddha.”

Thus, O monks, the devaputra Mahesvara, together with the devaputras o f the Suddhavasa realm, performed the great ceremony o f adoration o f the Bodhisattva and made the true prediction about the Bodhisattva. Mahesvara then returned to his abode.

Concerning this it is said:

165

When the king o f the gods learns that the Ocean o f Virtues has been born, he says in joy to the gods:“ Let us go and worship this Prince o f Men— one so difficult even to hear of, through many kotis o f kalpas.”

The gods who are most pure,their heads crowned with precious jewels,their hair flowing and well-adorned,twelve thousand in all,go quickly to the city o f Kapilawhere they stand at the gate o f the palace.

The soft-spoken ones say to the keeper o f the gates: “ Enter the palace and inform the Master o f Men.” So the gatekeeper enters the palace and with palms joined respectfully, says to the king:

“ M ay you always be victorious, O King, and may your life be long!At the gate stand beingswith the pure splendor o f great merits,their heads well-adorned with precious jewels;their faces are like the full moon,and they have the moon’s spotless splendor.

“ I have not seen their shadows, O King, and I have not heard their footsteps; walking on the earth, they raise no dust, and people do not tire o f gazing upon them.

166

“ The splendor o f their bodies is great and glorious; their speech touches the heart,and unlike the speech o f men, is deep and caressing. They have sweet manners and beautiful forms.I do not doubt they are gods, for they are not men.

“ They bear garlands o f beautiful flowers, ointments and scarves o f silk; they wait respectfully.Without any doubt, O King, they come to see the young prince; these gods higher than other gods come to render homage.”

These words fill the king with the greatest joy:“ Go tell their lordships to enter the palace.Such supernatural power is in no way that o f men, if you speak truly o f their virtues and their actions.”

The gatekeeper returns to the gods, palms joined in respect:“At the invitation o f the Master o f Men, may Your Lordships enter.”Joyous, with delighted hearts,bearing in their hands the most beautiful garlands,the gods enter the palace o f the king,itself like the abode o f the long-lived gods.

When the highest o f gods enter the palace,the king himself arises,with palms joined together, and says:“ These thrones have been prepared for you.Pray, your benevolent Lordships, please be seated.”

167

Free from arrogance and pride, they sit patiently.“ Hear, O King, why we have come.Your son has been born with a great sign o f merit;we wish to see him,the one born with beautiful feet.

“ We know the ways o f living beings, we know the conduct and the characteristics o f those with the best signs.O Best o f Kings, cast aside all sadness, and let us see the one whose body is well-adorned with signs.”

The king and the young prince’s attendantsall gather around joyouslyto pick up the child who shines so brightly.And when the child is carried over the threshold into the presence o f the long-haired gods, the three thousand worlds begin to tremble.

Seeing the feet o f the Guide o f the World,seeing the copper-red fingernailson the splendid one with the unblemished body,the long-haired gods, the highest o f gods,swiftly arise and bow their headsto the feet o f the one with stainless brilliance.

“ We have seen the signs, we have seen his glory, we have seen the crown o f his head shining with merit. Light shines forth from the tuft o f hair between his brows, brilliant and spotless with splendor.There can be no doubt: after conquering Mara, he will attain supreme Enlightenment.”

And so the gods in this way praise him, the one marked with excellent qualities,

168

the one free from the fettering passions.Gazing upon the onewhose virtues dispel the shadows o f ignorance, they know the Jewel o f Beings has arrived, he who will clear away the fettering passions, he who will put aside birth, old age, and death.

“ The whole o f the three worlds is burning, tormented by the three firesfueled by the objects o f the senses, by passions, by desire. But you will relieve the suffering of emotionality.Having spread the cloud o f the Dharmaover the three thousand worlds,you will pour down the rain o f immortality.

“ Your words are full o f love and compassion, and your speech is soft;your voice rings out with the sweet accents o f Brahma, going straight to the heart.O Bhagavat, you will cause the great voice o f a Buddha to be heard, and quickly make known the precepts throughout all the three thousand worlds.

“ You will subdue the masses o f miserable tirthikas, those with views opposed to the truth, those who are tangled in the bonds o f attachment to existence.When they hear the teachings o f Emptiness and dependence on causes, they will flee like packs o f jackals at the roar o f a lion.

“ You clear away the darkness o f ignorance, the thick cloud o f the fettering passions.

169

The Being has appearedwhose light of wisdom illuminates all things.With the light o f wisdom and the ray o f understanding, dispel the great darkness o f the world!

“Abundant are the benefits for gods and men when such a pure being appears in the world.A perfectly purified jewel o f beings, he will close off the lower paths and open the paths o f the gods.”

Showering heavenly flowers on the city o f Kapila,the gods circumambulate three timesand praise the child with respect, saying aloud:“ It is the Buddha! The excellent Buddha!”And the host o f gods returns to the heavens, giving thanks.

The Seventh Chapter The Birth

170

Plate 8

T()e "Visit to the Temple

® MONKS, THE VERY NIGHT THE BODHISATTVA WAS BORN,twenty thousand baby girls were born into the fam­

ilies o f the townsmen, into the families o f the ksatriyas, the brahmins, and the mahasalas. These children were pre­sented by their parents to the Bodhisattva to be his atten­dants and to serve him. King Suddhodana also offered twenty thousand young women to attend and serve the Bodhisattva. Friends, advisers, and relatives on both the father’s and the mother’s side likewise offered twenty thou­sand young girls, as did the king’s inner circle o f counselors.

At this time, O monks, the eldest men and women amongr /the Sakyas assembled to advise King Suddhodana that it was time for the young prince to be taken to the temple to pray to the gods.

“ It is good that this take place!” replied the king. And he called for the streets o f the town to be decorated: “ Beautify the crossroads, the public squares, and the roads where the chariots will pass. Put out of sight the ill-omened ones: the

one-eyed, the hunchbacks, the deaf, the blind, the mute. Remove from sight the deformed or disfigured, and those with imperfect organs. Fill the air with auspicious sounds! Ring the bells and sound the drums as a sign o f benediction; make harmonies with the most melodious instruments; let the people decorate with care the gates o f the city; let all the kings from the outlying regions assemble, as well as all o f the people o f Kapila—the merchants, the householders, the counselors, the gatekeepers, and all the servants. Let them harness the chariots o f the maidens; let them fill the urns. Assemble the brahmins who recite the prayers, and decorate the temples o f the gods.”

O monks, when everything had been done as the king ordered, King Suddhodana entered his palace and told Mahaprajapatl GautamI to dress the young prince in finery so that they might take him to the temple.

“ Very well!” Mahaprajapatl GautamI replied. But while she was dressing the young prince in fine clothes, he ques­tioned the sister o f his mother with unwrinkled brow: “ Mother, where are you taking me?” he asked in the mildest o f tones. And she replied: “ T o the temple o f the gods, my son.” At that, the young prince smiled and spoke these verses to his aunt:

“ When I was born, the three thousand worlds were shaken; /Sakra and Brahma, the asuras, the mahoragas,Gandra and Surya, as well as Vaisravana and Kumara all bowed their heads at my feet and did homage to me.

174

“ What god is so distinguished by his superiority over me, O mother, that you take me to him today?I am the god above the gods, superior to all the gods; no god is like me—how could there be a higher?

“ Yet I will conform to the custom o f the world and go to the temple, O mother.When they see my miraculous activities, the delighted crowd will offer homage and show great respect;gods and men will all agree: ‘He is a god o f gods.’ ”

O monks, when the child’s chariot was prepared and decorated, King Suddhodana took him in his arms. At­tended by brahmins, merchants, householders, and ad­visers, by the kings o f the outlying fortresses, by gatekeepers and servants, friends and relatives, they went forth into the beautifully adorned crossroads, the streets, and the public squares. The smoke o f incense drifted along the flower- strewn road. Horses, elephants, chariots, and foot soldiers marched to the sound o f many instruments, while parasols, banners, and standards fluttered in the breeze. Gods by the hundreds o f thousands drew the chariot o f the young Bodhisattva, while hundreds o f thousands o f niyutas o f kotis o f devaputras and apsarases hovered in the sky, tossing down flowers and playing sweet music.

With great royal ceremony and proud display, King Suddhodana led the prince into the temple o f the gods. As soon as the Bodhisattva set his right foot in the temple, the

175

statues o f the gods, including Siva, Skanda, Narayana, Kubera, Gandra, Surya, Vaisravana, Sakra, Brahma, the Guardians o f the World, and others, rose from their places and bowed at the feet o f the Bodhisattva.

Seeing this, gods and men by the hundreds o f thousands cried out with admiration and delight, waving banners in the air. The great city o f Kapilavastu, the first among cities, trembled in six ways. Heavenly flowers fell like rain; in­struments by the hundreds o f thousands played without being touched; and all the gods whose images were found in the temple showed themselves in person and pronounced these verses:

“ Meru, king o f mountains, the greatest o f mountains,would never bow down to the mustard seed;the ocean, home o f the kings o f the nagas,would never bow down to a puddle o f water;the brilliant sun and moonwould never bow down to a firefly.How can the Lineaged One,endowed with virtues, with wisdom and merit,bow down to the gods?

“ The gods and men o f the three thousand worldsare like the mustard seed, the puddle o f water, the firefly.The Supreme One o f the worldis like Mount Meru, like the ocean, like the sun and moon. Paying homage to him, the world obtains as reward heavenly bliss and final liberation.”

176

O monks, as they saw the Bodhisattva entering into the temple o f the gods, thirty-two hundreds o f thousands of devaputras aspired toward matchless, perfect, and com­plete Enlightenment.

And there, O monks, are the causes and there are the circumstances in which the Bodhisattva was escorted to the temple o f the gods.

The Eighth Chapter The Visit to the Temple

177

Plate 9

JewelryAg} monks, during th e tim e of h asta , the lunar mansion Kg-f which precedes Citra, a brahmin named Udayana, the father of Udayin, attended by five hundred brahmins, sought audience with King Suddhodana: “ O Royal One,” he said to the king, “ it is time that ornaments be made for the young prince.” The king replied: “ Very well! Let such or­naments be made.”

King Suddhodana then had five hundred sets of jewelry nade by five hundred Sakyas: ornaments for the hands, the eet, the head, and the neck; seal rings, earrings, and brace- ets for the upper arm; belts o f gold, golden cloth, nets with ittle bells and nets o f pearls, shoes ornamented with jewels, scarves decorated with various precious things, and golden Dracelets, necklaces, and diadems.

The ornaments were finished at the time o f the conjunc- :ion with the constellation Pusya, and the brahmins came nto the presence o f King Suddhodana, saying: “ Sire, let the foung prince be adorned!”

The king said: “ You may honor and ornament the young prince with the jewelry I have had made for him.” The

brahmins replied: “ For seven days and seven nights, let the young prince wear our jewelry; that will be reward enough for us.”

When the night had come to an end and the sun had risen, the Bodhisattva was taken into the garden called Vimalavyuha, where Mahaprajapatl GautamI held the young prince in her arms. Eighty thousand women and five thousand brahmins as well as ten thousand young girls came before the Bodhisattva to gaze upon his face. There in the garden, the jewelry made by order o f the fortunate king o f the Sakyas was placed on the Bodhisattva. But no sooner were the ornaments put in place than the splendor o f his body outshone them. Just as a drop o f ink does not shine, glitter, or sparkle next to gold from the river o f Jambu, so these jewels lost their shine next to the splendor o f the Bodhisattva’s body. Like the sparkle o f the inkdrop, the beauty o f the ornaments faded away.

Vimala, the majestic goddess o f the garden, appeared before the crowd and addressed these verses to King Suddhodana and the great assembly o f Sakyas:

“ If all the land o f the three thousand worlds, including the cities and villages, were filled and covered with pure and brilliant gold, a single grain o f gold from Jambu would eclipse them: next to the gold of Jambu, no other gold can shine.

“ Even if this entire earthwere as brilliant as the gold from Jambu,

182

it would lose its shine, it would lose its splendor, it would lose its sparkle next to the Guide o f the World when, filled with modesty and majesty, he lets a single ray escape his pores.Next to the radiance o f the Sugata,the Protector o f the World,gold cannot shine; it becomes like ink.

“ So it is with the jewels adorning the one who is unblemished, the one filled with a hundred virtues: placed on him the jewels cannot shine.

“ The brightness o f the moon and sun,the brightness o f the stars,even the radiance o f the mani stone,and the light o f Sakra and Brahmalose their brilliancenext to the majesty o f this one.Bearing the signs which are the fruits o f former virtue, what need does he have o f common ornaments, the work o f others?Let the ornaments be removed!Do not trouble the one who makes wise the ignorant;the one with a mind so greathas no need o f artificial ornaments.Give away these jewels!Seek the radiance which is truly pure and spotless.”

Chandaka was born in the palaceat the same time as the prince;he would be well ornamented with these jewels.

183

The hearts of the astonished Sakyas filled with the great­est joy, and they thought: “ The prosperity o f the son o f the Sakya family will be supreme and extensive!” Having spo­ken, the goddess showered flowers on the Bodhisattva and disappeared from the garden.

The Ninth Chapter The Jewelry

184

Plate 10

1 |

‘Tfje "Visit to the Schoolroom ^

§ MONKS, WHEN THE YOUNG PRINCE HAD GROWN OLDER,having preferred a hundred thousand blessings, he

went forth to the schoolroom, surrounded by ten thousand children. While eight hundred thousand musical instru­ments played and flowers rained down, ten thousand chariots filled with gold and silver and ten thousand chariots filled with delicious food distributed goods everywhere: in the middle o f the great city o f Kapila, in the streets, at the crossroads, along the chariot routes, in the public squares, and at the markets.

One hundred thousand young women wearing their finest ornaments stood on galleries and balconies, at gates, by oval windows, and in the pavilions o f palaces, to gaze upon the Bodhisattva and toss flowers. Eight thousand beautiful young girls, well-adorned with ornaments o f all kinds, each holding a jewel in her hands as an auspicious sign, walked in front o f the Bodhisattva, sprinkling the road with perfumes.

Gods, nagas, yaksas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kin- naras, and mahoragas appeared in the sky, showing the upper part of their bodies and tossing flowers, silk cloths,

and garlands. Thus did the Bodhisattva walk to the school­room with King Suddhodana, preceded by all the atten­dants o f the Sakyas, surrounded by great glory and pomp.

As soon as the Bodhisattva had entered the schoolroom, the children’s teacher, Visvamitra, unable to bear the maj­esty and the splendor o f the Bodhisattva, fell prostrate upon the ground. Seeing the teacher thus, a devaputra of the Tusita realm named Subhanga extended his right hand and raised him up. Standing in the expanse o f the sky, he spoke these verses to the king and to the great assembly:

“ For several kotis o f kalpas, the Bodhisattva has been expert in all the Sastras found in the world, in numbers, scripts, and calculations, in combinations o f the elements,and all the immeasurable applications o f the worldly arts.

“ Still, conforming to custom, he has come to the schoolroom, so that many children may mature completely in the best o f all vehicles.He has come for the instruction o f even the well-educated, to lead hundreds o f thousands o f beings to Immortality.

“ He knows the way o f the Four Noble Truths which are beyond samsara.He knows how everything arises dependent on causes; he has the cool nature

188

of one who knows the cessation o f the aggregates.Having such knowledge, would he not know his letters?

“ There is no teacher above him in all the three worlds; among gods and men he is truly superior.For kotis o f kalpas he has been familiar with scripts whose names you do not even know.

“At this very moment, this pure one knows the purposes and dispositions o f all sentient beings; the way o f the invisible and formless he knows as well. Would he not know writing in the visible form o f letters?”

Having spoken, the devaputra scattered many heavenly flowers to honor the Bodhisattva and disappeared. Then the nursemaids and attendants took their places, and the rest of the Sakyas departed, with Suddhodana at their head.

The Bodhisattva took up an exquisitely colored writing tablet made o f the essence o f Uraga sandalwood, strewn with gold dust and decorated all around with precious stones, and spoke to his teacher Visvamitra: “ Well, master, which o f the sixty-four scripts will you teach me?”

“ The Brahml, KharosthI, or Puskarasari scripts? Or the scripts o f Anga, Vaiiga, or Magadha? Or the Mangalya, Manusya, or Angull scripts? Or the scripts of Sakari, Brahmavall, Dravida, Kinari, Daksina, or Ugra? Or the scripts known as Sankhya, Anuloma, or Ardhadhanus? Or the scripts of Darada, Khasya, Clna, or Huna? Or those known as Madhyaksaravistara or Puspa? Or the scripts of the devas, nagas, yaksas, gandharvas, kinnaras, mahoragas,

189

asuras, or garudas? Or the scripts known as Mrgacakra or Cakra? Or the scripts o f the Vayumaruts, Bhaumadevas, or the Antariksadevas? Or the scripts o f Uttarakurudvlpa, Aparagodana, or Purvavideha? Or the scripts known as Utksepa, Niksepa, Viksepa, Praksepa, Sagara, Vajra, or Lekhapratilekha? Or the scripts Anudruta, Sastravarta, Gananavarta, Utksepavarta, Niksepavarta, Padalikhita, or Dviruttarapadasamdhi? The Yavaddasottarapadasamdhi, MadhyaharinI, Sarvarutasamgrahani, Vidyanuloma, or Vimisrita scripts? Or the scripts known as Rsitapastapta, Rocamanadharanipreksana, GaganapreksinI, or those known as Sarvausadhinisyanda, Sarvasarasamgrahani, or Sarvabhutarutagrahani?

“ Which o f these sixty-four scripts will you teach me?” Laughing with astonishment, Visvamitra, the teacher o f the children, unaffected by pride or vanity, recited this verse:

“ How wonderful is this pure being,learned in all the Sastras,who nonetheless comes to the schoolroom.In the world, he follows the customs o f the world.

“ He has the knowledge o f scripts whose names I do not even know; nevertheless he has come to the schoolroom!

“ Although one can see his face, the crown o f his head is so exalted, it seems to disappear!

190

“ How could I instruct the onewho has attained unsurpassed knowledge o f scripts?

“ He is truly a god above gods, superior to all the gods, the lord greater than all gods.Outstanding among all others, he is without equal; the incomparable Saint o f all the worlds!

“ Through his power,distinguished by the use o f knowledge and means, this friend o f all the world will instruct even the wise.”

O monks, ten thousand children learned writing together with the Bodhisattva. Through the Bodhisattva’s blessing, when the children pronounced the syllable a , the sound came out: anityah sarvasamskarah, all aggregates are imper­manent.

When the syllable a was pronounced,the sound came out: atmaparahita, beyond self.The syllable i: indriyavaipulya,the extensive development o f the faculties.The syllable i: itibahula,the abundance o f calamities and disease.The syllable u: upadravabahula, beings abound in destruction.

191

The syllable u: unasattvam jagat, the world has nothing attractive.The syllable e : esanasamutthanadosa^ pain is born from desire.The syllable a i : airyapathah shreyan, the virtues o f the noble path.The syllable o: oghottara,the way out o f the ocean o f sarhsara.The sy llab le a u : a u p a p a d u k a , su p ern atu ra l pow er.

The character a m : amoghotpatti, non-possessing.The character a h : astangamana, the West.The syllable ka : karmavipakavatarana, the complete maturity o f deeds.The syllable kha : khasamasarvadharma, all dharmas are like space.The syllable g a :gambhlradharmapratltyasamutpadavartana, realization of profound dependent origination.The sy llab le g h a :ghanapatalavidyamohandhakaravidhamana, destruction o f confusion, ignorance, and obscured visionThe syllable n g a : angavisuddhi,complete purification o f the branches o f knowledge.The syllable c a : caturaryasatyapatha, the way o f the Four Noble Truths.The syllable c h a : chandaragaprahana, the abandoning o f desire and passion.The syllable ja : jaramaranasamatikramana, the complete bypassing o f old age and death.

192

The syllable j h a : jhasadhvajavaranigrahana,the weakening o f the one who takes the fish as his symbol.The syllable n a : jnapana, that which makes known.The syllable t a : pathopatchedana, the complete cutting off o f the path.The syllable t h a : thapanlyaprasna, the request for what must be collected.The syllable d a : damaramaranigrahana,the destruction o f Mara and those who cause dissension.The syllable d h a : mldhavisaya, the impure regions.The syllable n a : nenuklesa,the residues o f the fettering passions.The syllable t a : tathatasambheda, the nondifferentiation o f Suchness.The syllable t h a : thamabalavegavaisaradya, energy, strength, fearlessness, courage.The syllable d a : danadamasamyamasaurabhya, giving, training, restraint, and valor.The syllable d h a : dhanam aryanam saptavidhi, the seven riches o f the Saints.The syllable n a : namarupaparijnana, the perfect knowledge o f name and form.The syllable p a : paramartha, the ultimate truth.The syllable p h a : phalapraptisaksatkriya, manifesting the acquisition o f the fruit.The syllable b a : bandhanamoksa, the deliverance from bondage.The syllable b h a : bhavavibhava, existence and emancipation.

193

The syllable m a : madamanopasamana, the suppression o f pride and conceit.The syllable y a : yathavaddharmapratiseda, penetrating the Dharma as it is.The sy llab le r a : ra tyara tip aram arth ara ti,the absence o f pleasure in pleasure as truest pleasure.The syllable l a : latacedana, cutting the vines.The syllable v a : varayanavara, the excellent vehicle.The syllable 6a : samathavipasyana, calm and intense insight.The syllable s a : sadayatananigrahasadabhijnajnanavapti, the restraint o f the six senses and the acquisition o f the six superior knowledges.The syllable s a : sarvajnajnanabhisambodhana, the complete acquisition o f perfect knowledge.The syllable h a : hatakleSaviraga,the absence o f desire and the destruction o f emotionality.

When the last syllable, k s a , was pronounced, the phrase came out: ksanaparyantabhilasa sarvadharma, with long­ings instantly brought to an end, the entire Dharma has been expounded.

O monks, while the children were pronouncing the al­phabet, countless hundreds o f thousands o f principal doors of the Dharma appeared, all through the power o f the Bodhisattva. Thirty-two thousand children were steadily

194

brought to complete maturation by the Bodhisattva’s pres­ence in the schoolroom, and their thoughts were directed toward perfect and complete Enlightenment.

Here is the cause, and here is the circumstance for which the Bodhisattva, although learned himself, visited the schoolroom.

The Tenth Chapter The Visit to the Schoolroom

195

Plate 11

‘Tfje ‘Farming ‘Village

# MONKS, WHEN THE PRINCE WAS A LITTLE OLDER, hewent on one occasion with some other young men, the

sons o f counselors, to inspect a farming village. Having looked about the village, he went off into a grove o f trees at the far end o f a field that was being plowed. All alone, the Bodhisattva wandered here and there until he saw a jambu tree, beautiful and pleasant to behold. He sat down in the shade of the jambu tree with his legs crossed, and there under the tree, he attained one-pointedness o f mind. Having so fixed his mind, he was free from non-virtue and obscur­ation and achieved the first level o f meditation, in which there is observation and reflection, a meditation endowed with joy and pleasure born of solitude. There he remained steady.

As he deepened his concentration, free from observation and reflection, his thoughts narrowed to one thread, and he reached the second level o f meditation, in which there is joy and pleasure.

Letting go o f attachment to pleasure, he abided in equanimity, in which there is awakened awareness and

consciousness, as well as experience o f great joy—an equa­nimity described by the Ary as as dwelling in joy with great mindfulness and equanimity. Reaching this third level o f meditation, free from pleasure, he remained steady.

When he let go o f even joy, as well as previous suffering, all impressions o f joy and sadness disappeared, and he reached the fourth level o f meditation, where there is neither joy nor misery, where equanimity and awareness are completely pure; and he remained there.

At that time, five foreign r§is, possessing the five superior knowledges and supernatural power, were traveling through the sky from south to north. Soaring above the dense grove o f trees, they found themselves held back and unable to advance. Irritated and trembling with impa­tience, they uttered these verses:

“ We have crossed over the precious stones and diamondson the high and extensive summit o f Meruas easily as elephants push over tangled clumps o f trees.

“ Rising into the sky we have soaredabove the dwellings o f the yaksas and gandharvas,above the very city o f the gods.Yet reaching this dense grove, we have lost our strength! What great power obstructs our magic?”

Then the goddess o f the forest addressed these verses to the rsis:

“ The son o f the king o f the Sakyas, descendant o f the family o f a king o f kings,

>00

the Lord o f the World,the Learned One with a lace like the moon,the one with the lustrous color o f a lotus in full bloom,and who shines with the brilliance o f the rising sun,

“ Has entered this groveand given himself over entirely to meditation.The gods, the gandharvas, the masters o f the nagas, and the yaksas all pay their respects to him.Since his merit has grown greatthrough hundreds o f kotis o f lives,his power overwhelms your supernatural abilities.”

Looking beneath them, they saw the young prince bril­liant with majesty and radiant with splendor, and they reflected: W ho can it be, seated here? Gould it be Vaisravana, the master o f riches; or Mara, the god o f desire; or the master o f the mahoragas? Gould it be Indra, the lightning-bearer; or Rudra, the lord o f the kumbhandas; or Krsna o f great energy? Is it Gandra, the moon, or Surya, the sun with his thousand rays? Or can this be a Cakravartin king? And they pronounced this verse:

“With a body so like Vaisravana’s,this must be Kubera, or it may be Rahula.Or is it the Bearer o f the Vajra?Or Pratima or Candra or Surya?Or perhaps Kama, the lord o f desire?He has also the likeness o f Krsna.

201

with great signs marking his body, perhaps he is a spotless Buddha.”

Then the goddess o f the grove addressed this verse to the rsis:“ Whatever majesty there may be in Vaisravana, in Sahesreksana, or the Four Guardians o f the World, whatever majesty belongs to the master o f the asuras, or to Brahma, master o f the Saha worlds, or to the planets,

% truly it does not approach the splendor

When they heard the words o f the goddess, the rsis de­scended to earth and saw the Bodhisattva completely still in meditation. Seeing him shine like beams o f light, they praised him with these verses:

One said:“ In the world aflame with the fire o f the passions, a lake o f deliverance has appeared; he will obtain the Dharma and so refresh the world.”

Another said:“ In the world darkened by ignorance, a torch o f deliverance has appeared; he will obtain the Dharma and enlighten all beings.”

Another said:“ In the difficult passage across the ocean o f suffering, the best o f ships has appeared;

of the son o f the £akyas.”

202

he will obtain the Dharmaand carry all beings to the other shore.”

Another said:“ For those bound by the chains o f the emotions, the Liberator has appeared; he will obtain the Dharma and deliver all sentient beings.”

Another said:“ For those tormented by old age and sickness,the Best Physician has appeared;he will obtain the Dharmaand release them from birth and death.”

After praising the Bodhisattva and circumambulating him three times, the rsis departed through the skies.

Meanwhile, King Suddhodana, having noticed that the Bodhisattva was missing, inquired concerning his absence, asking: “ Where has the young prince gone? I do not see him anywhere.” So a great crowd o f people spread out in all directions to look for the prince.

Shortly, one o f the King’s advisers caught sight o f the Bodhisattva in the shade o f the jambu tree, seated with his legs crossed, deep in meditation. Now, throughout the day, the shadows o f all the trees had moved, but the shadow o f the jambu tree had not left the body o f the Bodhisattva. See­ing this, the adviser was filled with astonishment. His heart transported with joy, quickly, quickly, in great haste, he went to King Suddhodana and addressed these verses to him:

203

“ See, O King, the young prince is therein the shadow of the jambu tree, deep in meditation!Like Sakra, like Brahma,he shines with splendor and majesty.

“ The shadow o f the tree does not move; it stays in place,sheltering the one with the best of signs,the greatest o f men,seated beneath it in deep meditation.”

When the king approached the jambu tree and saw the Bodhisattva, brilliant with splendor and majesty, he uttered this verse:

“ There he sits, like a fire blazing on a mountaintop, like the moon surrounded by clusters of stars.M y whole body trembles to see him deep in meditation, glowing like a brilliant lamp.”

Bowing to the feet o f the Bodhisattva, he recited this verse:

“ Muni! Just as I bowed to you at your birth,now that I see you resplendent and deep in meditation,once, even twice, I bow at your feet,O Guide, O Protector.”

At this moment, some children passed by, pulling a small chair and making a commotion. The king’s advisers scolded them: “ You mustn’t make any noise.” And the children

204

asked: “ What have we done wrong?” To which the adviser replied:

“ The disc o f the sun,which dispels the darkness, has moved,but the shadow o f the treedoes not abandon Siddhartha,the one with the splendor o f the sky,the one bearing the most beautiful signs,the king’s son sitting motionless like a mountain,deep in meditation.”

Concerning this it is said:

Spring had passed,the first month o f summer had arrived, bringing flowers, budding young boughs, and the resounding cries o f herons, peacocks, parrots, and jays.And the sons o f the Sakyas strolled forth in great number.

Chandaka says to the young Bodhisattva:“ Come let us go out!Let us go to see the forests and groves!Why stay inside like a brahmin?Let us gather our friends, and invite the girls as well!”

So at noon, the Perfectly Pure One, surrounded by five hundred young people, sallies forth to the farming village, not telling his father or mother.

Seeing the farmers work in the fields,and moved by the suffering, the Bodhisattva exclaims:

205

“ How miserable is all that is composite, for it produces numerous sorrows!”

Now in the village is a jambu tree, with many spreading boughs.Into its shade, he withdraws, his mind well-disciplined.He spreads out grasses to form a rug.Sitting cross-legged, his body erect, he enters deeply the four levels o f meditation, contemplating virtue.

Traveling through the sky,five rsis arrive above the jambu tree,but they can go no farther.Putting aside their impatience and pride, they agree to investigate:

“ After crossing Mount Meru, the greatest o f mountains, after soaring past all obstructions,into the horizon and beyond, we were traveling rapidly. But now we cannot pass beyond this tree.What can be the cause?”

Descending to the surface o f the earth, they come to rest.There they catch sight o f the son o f the Sakyas:

He is sitting at the foot o f the jambu tree cross-legged, deep in meditation, shining with splendor like gold from the rivers o f Jambu.

Astonished, they raise their joined palms to their heads, and bow at the feet o f the Bodhisattva.“ Excellent One, Well-born,who causes the greatest happiness in the world,

206

quickly become a Buddhaand train all beings for Immortality.”

The sun has moved, but not the shadow o f the tree; it does not leave the body o f the Sugata; it envelops the best o f trees like a lotus leaf.And gods by the thousands, palms joined in reverence, bow to the feet o f the one with unshakable resolve.

Suddhodana, looking everywhere in the palace, asks after his son, and the aunt replies:“ I have searched in all places, but he cannot be found— we must learn, O King, where the young prince has gone.”

In haste Suddhodana questions the servants;in haste he asks the gatekeeper as well,and the others in the palace: “ Was my son seen leaving?”

“ Know, sire, that your handsome son has gone to the farming village.”

The king hurries out, with the Sakyas beside him, and soon catches sight o f the farming village, clothed in the brilliance o f niyutas o f kotis o f rising suns. And so he sees him, dazzling and majestic, the one who comes to the aid o f all beings.

The king takes off the insignia o f royalty,the diadem, the sword, and the slippers,and with hands raised to his head, he utters great praise:“ Yes, magnanimous rsis, you spoke true words.It is clear: the young prince will leave home for supreme Enlightenment.”

Twelve thousand gods filled with faithand five hundred Sakyas as well,all see the sunernatural nower o f the Sucrata.

207

that ocean o f virtues; and with firm resolution,they produce the Thought o f Perfect Enlightenment.

The one who has causedthe three thousand worlds to tremblecomes out o f meditation with deep awareness.With the melodious voice o f Brahma, he addresses his father:“ In plowing the field o f the mind, O father, do not seek from another.

“ If one seeks gold, one can make gold rain down; if one seeks raiment, one offers raiment; if one seeks grain, one can cause grain to pour forth. Lord of Men, apply this to everyone.”

After speaking thus with great authority to his father and his followers,the Perfectly Pure One returns to the finest o f cities, and conforming to custom, remains in the city.But his mind is occupied with departure from home.

The Eleventh Chapter The Farming Village

208

Plate 12

Skill in the ‘Worldly' cArts

MONKS, WHEN THE PRINCE HAD GROWN STILL OLDER,King Suddhodana met in the council hall with the

assembly o f Sakyas. The eldest o f the Sakyas spoke thus to King Suddhodana:

“ O King, you know what has been predicted for the young Sarvarthasiddha by the brahmins who know the signs and by the gods whose knowledge is certain. If the prince leaves his family, he will be a perfect and fulfilled Tathagata Arhat Buddha. But if he does not leave home, he will be a Cakravartin king, a conqueror, a king devoted to the Dharma, possessing the seven precious jewels: the wheel, the elephant, the horse, the mani stone, the queen, the chancellor, and the counselor. He will have a full thousand sons, great heroes, powerfully built and full o f courage, conquerors of great armies. Having subjugated this great earth without using weapons or force, he will govern by means o f the Dharma.

“ This is why the young prince must be married. Once he is married and surrounded by women, he will know such pleasure that he will not leave his family, and in this way the

succession o f Cakravartin kings surely will be maintained. The Sakyas will be respected and not subject to the scorn o f the frontier kings.”

King Suddhodana replied: “ If this be so, pray see to finding a young woman who is agreeable to the prince.” Immediately, the five hundred Sakyas said to each other: “ M y daughter would best suit the young prince! M y daugh­ter is the one.” The king replied: “ The prince is difficult to please. Let us therefore ask him which young woman would most appeal to him.”

When the assembly spoke to the prince about the matter, the prince replied: “ In seven days, I will give my answer.” And the Bodhisattva began to think: “ I know the evils of desire are endless; they are the root o f sorrow, accompanied by regrets, struggles, and hostility; they are frightful, like poison ivy, like fire, like the blade o f a sword. For the qualities o f desire, I have neither taste nor inclination, and I am not at all happy to be among women; I would rather dwell in a forest, silent, with my mind calmed by the hap­piness o f meditation and contemplation.”

After reflecting upon this situation with skillful means, he thought of bringing beings to complete maturation. Seized with great compassion, he recited these verses:

“ In the midst o f the murky swamp, lotuses grow; in the midst o f the mass o f men, the king receives homage. Bodhisattvas obtain the best environment when they train hundreds o f millions o f beings

212

“All previous wise Bodhisattvas have been shown with a wife and a son and a following o f women.And yet they were not agitated by desire,nor did they turn from the delights o f contemplation.I, too, will follow this example.

“ A common woman who lacked good conduct or qualities such as truthfulness would never suit me.The woman who would truly delight meis modest and very pure,in body and birth, in family and race.”

And he writes in verses a list o f these virtues,concluding: “ If there is a young womanlike the one I describe, O my father, I will be happy.I do not want a common, uninstructed creature.Choose for me the one whose qualities I now describe:

“ May she be in the flower o f youth and beauty, and yet without pride.May she act with benevolent spirit like a mother or a sister. Accustomed to giving gifts to sramanas and brahmins, may she take pleasure in renunciation.Such a wife, O my father, you may choose for me.

“ May she be upright, without pride, without meanness or bitterness, without trickery, envy, or artifice.May she be satisfied with her husband, with no thought for another, even in dreams.May she always be restrained and modest.

“ Neither haughty nor presumptuous,may she be as modest and lacking in pride as a slave.

213

May she have no passion for wine or rich food, for music or perfume.May she be free from covetousness and satisfied with her lot.

“ May she be firm in the truth, neither silly, confused, nor proud, but clothed in the garment o f modesty.May she be attracted neither to spectacles nor to feasts. Constantly applying herself to the Dharma, may she keep herself always pure in body, speech, and mind.

“ Not lured by sleep or laziness, untroubled by pride, may she perform good actions with good judgment, always practicing the Dharma.She should respect her father- and mother-in-lawas spiritual teachers,and be as good to all the servantsas she would be to herself.

“ May she know, like a courtesan, the way o f the Sastras.Like a mother, last to bed and first to rise,may she act with benevolence and without affectation.If such a woman exists, Master o f Men,choose her for me.”

O monks, when King 6uddhodana heard these verses recited, he addressed himself to the brahmin priest: “ Great Brahmin, go at once to all the homes in the great city o f Kapilavastu and investigate the young women. Bring to us the girl in whom these virtues stand out, be she the daughter o f a ksatriya, a brahmin, a vaisya, or a sudra. Why?

214

The prince does not consider the family or the race; he looks only for the virtues.” And the king uttered these verses:

“ Bring me the one who possesses these virtues whether daughter o f brahmin or ksatriya, o f vaisya or even o f sudra.

“ M y son is not dazzled by family or race;real qualities and virtues are the source o f his pleasure.”

Therefore, O monks, the priest took the prince’s list and went into the great city o f Kapilavastu, going from one house to another, looking for a young woman endowed with such qualities. Still seeking in vain, he arrived at the dwelling o f Dandapani o f the Sakyas. There he spied a remarkably beautiful and gracious young woman whose lovely complexion delighted the eye. She was in the first flower of youth, neither too tall nor too short, neither too fat nor too thin, neither too pale nor too dark; in­deed, she was a jewel among women.

Having touched lightly both feet o f the brahmin priest, the young woman spoke to him thus: “ Great Brahmin, how can I serve you?” The priest replied to her with this verse:

“ The son o f 6uddhodana,the prince endowed with greatest beauty,the most splendid virtues, and the thirty-two signs,has made a list o f qualities:she who has these qualities shall be his wife.”

215

And he presented her the list o f qualities written in verse. The young woman read the list and then looked up at him with a smile:

“ Brahmin, I have all the suitable qualities.May this loving and handsome young man be my husband! The prince has spoken; let there be no delay!With an ordinary woman, he could not live.”

The brahmin priest then returned to King Suddhodana and related to him what had occurred: “ Great King, I have seen a young woman who would be a match for the young prince.” The king asked: “ To what family does she belong?” The brahmin replied: “ Sire, she is the daughter o f the Sakya Dandapani.”

Then King Suddhodana reflected: “ The young prince is difficult to please, being inclined toward the extremely good and beautiful. In general the feminine sex is not distin­guished by virtue, though some would claim these qualities. So I will order lovely ornaments to be made for the young prince to bestow upon all the girls. The young man who catches the eye of the prince will stand out, and he shall have her for his wife.” Such was his thought.

King Suddhodana had fine ornaments made of gold and silver, o f lapis lazuli and various other precious stones. Then he sounded a bell and had an announcement made in the great city o f Kapilavastu: “ In seven days, the prince will distribute lovely jewelry to all the young women. On that day all the young women are to meet in the assembly hall.”

216

O monks, the seventh day having come, the Bodhisattva went to the assembly hall and seated himself on the throne. King Suddhodana placed his aides in the hall and said to them: “ Make known to me the girl who catches the eye o f the prince.”

O monks, all the young women in the great city o f Kapilavastu hurried into the hall where the Bodhisattva was seated, eager to gaze upon him and to receive the lovely gifts. And so, monks, the Bodhisattva distributed the jewelry to all the young women, who, unable to endure the splendor and the majesty o f the Bodhisattva, went off quickly, carrying the ornaments.

Then Gopa, the daughter o f the Sakya Dandapani, sur­rounded and preceded by many women attendants, came into the assembly hall. But by this time, all the jewelry had been given away. Drawing near the Bodhisattva, she looked at him with steady gaze and with a smile stepped forward to speak: “ O Prince, how have I offended you, that you scorn me?” “ I do not scorn you,” he said. “ You are simply the last to arrive.” And taking from his finger a ring which was worth more than a hundred thousand palas, Sarvarthasiddha gave it to her.

“ O Prince, is it truly fitting for me to accept this gift from you?” she asked. “ I have other jewels,” he replied. “ Take it! You must accept it.” But she answered him: “ I would not deprive the young prince o f his jewelry; I have ornaments enough.” And saying thus, the young woman withdrew.

Forthwith, King Suddhodana’s aides went to the king and reported what had occurred: “ Sire, the daughter o f the Sakya Dandapani, named Gopa, is the one on whom the

217

young prince fixed his eye; there was even a moment o f conversation between them.”

Hearing this, King Suddhodana sent the brahmin priest to the Sakya Dandapani with this message: “ Pray, give your young daughter in marriage to my son, the prince.”

To this, Dandapani replied: “ Lord, it is the custom o f our family to give our daughters in marriage only to men skilled in the arts, and your son has grown up in luxury in the pal­ace. If he does not excel in the arts, does not know the rules o f fencing or archery or boxing or wrestling, how then can I give my daughter to him?”

These words were reported to the king, who considered: “ Twice now have I been justly rebuked on this subject. Once before, I wondered why the young &akyas were not coming to render homage to the prince, and they asked in return why they should render homage to one who was so indolent. Today it is again the same.” And the king was overcome with distress.

When the Bodhisattva learned what had transpired, he went to the king, saying: “ Sire, you are troubled. What is worrying you?” To which the king replied: “ Young man, do not ask.”

But the prince persisted: “ It is always necessary to explain oneself.” Three times, the Bodhisattva questioned King Suddhodana, until the king finally explained the situation. At once the Bodhisattva reassured him: “ Sire, is there a single person here in the city who can rival my dexterity and skill in the arts?”

Smiling broadly, the king questioi still further: “ Could you, my son, p

218

which the Bodhisattva answered: “ Certainly, sire. Let all who excel in the arts assemble, and in their presence I will demonstrate my ability.”

So King Suddhodana sounded the bell and had an an­nouncement made throughout the city o f Kapilavastu: “ In seven days the young Sarvarthasiddha will demonstrate his skill in the worldly arts. Let all who excel in the arts assemble.”

On the seventh day, five hundred young Sakyas came together, and Gopa, the daughter o f Dandapani, was promised as the prize for the victorious one: to the one who wins in fencing, in archery, in boxing, and in wrestling, she would belong.

The young Devadatta left the city ahead o f all the others. As he left, he saw being led into the city a white elephant o f great size destined for the Bodhisattva. Envious and drunk with pride at being a Sakya—drunk with his own strength as well—Devadatta seized the elephant’s trunk in his left hand and, with a single blow from the palm o f his right hand, killed him.

The young Sundarananda went forth soon after and saw the elephant lying at the gate o f the city. “ By whom was this animal killed?” he asked. And the great crowd which had as­sembled there cried out: “ Devadatta killed him!” At this Sundarananda said: “ Devadatta has acted badly.” And tak­ing the elephant by the tail, he dragged him outside the gate o f the city.

Immediately after this, the Bodhisattva, riding past in his chariot, saw the elephant and asked: “ By whom was he killed?” Told it was Devadatta, he replied: “ Devadatta has

219

not acted properly. And by whom was the elephant dragged out o f the city?” “ By Sundarananda,” they replied. To which the Bodhisattva said: “ Sundarananda has done well. But this creature with its large body will fill the whole city with a foul odor when it decomposes.”

Then the young prince, standing in his chariot, stretched out one foot. With his toe he took the elephant by the tail and cast him far away, to a distance o f a krosa, past seven circles o f ramparts and seven ditches that surrounded the city. Where the elephant landed a great indentation was made in the ground, which still today is called Hastigarta, the Ditch o f the Elephant.

Upon seeing this, gods and men by the hundreds o f thousands waved scarves and cheered with admiration and pleasure. The devaputras who reside in the expanse o f the sky spoke these two verses:

“ With the superb bearing o f a king o f elephants, he seizes the king of elephants; using only the toe o f his foot,he throws him far past the seven ramparts o f the city.

“ Without any doubt, he will seize those inflated with pride, and using the strength o f his intelligence and wisdom, will throw them far past the city o f rebirth.”

220

And so, monks, five hundred young Sakyas went forth from the city to the place where their skill in the worldly arts was to be demonstrated. King Suddhodana, preceded by the eldest o f the Sakyas and surrounded by a multitude of people, arrived soon afterward, eager to compare the skill o f the Bodhisattva with that o f the other young Sakyas.

First, the young Sakyas skilled in writing contended with the Bodhisattva. The preceptor, Visvamitra, chosen as judge by the Sakyas, was told to determine which young man drew the finest letters or knew the greatest number of scripts, thereby distinguishing himself in writing.

After Visvamitra had witnessed the Bodhisattva’s knowl­edge o f scripts, he smiled and uttered these two verses:

r

“ This pure being knows to perfectionthe many scripts in all the worlds,in both the worlds o f men and the worlds o f gods,in the worlds o f the gandharvasand the worlds o f the asuras.

“ Neither you nor I even know the names o f the scripts or the letters known to this moon among men.I am very sure o f it; he is obviously the winner.”

The Sakyas said: “ Let the young man reveal his knowl­edge o f mathematics; let him show the extent o f his

221

ability.” A Sakya named Arjuna, a great mathematician who had attained unsurpassed knowledge o f numbers and calculations, was chosen as judge and asked to determine which o f the young men was most distinguished in the knowl­edge o f numbers.

Forthwith the Bodhisattva proposed a problem, and a young Sakya attempted to solve it, but he could not. Next two young Sakyas, three, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, even up to five hundred attempted to solve the prob­lem, but they also could not do so.

So the Bodhisattva said to them: “ Now you propose a problem, and I will solve it.” So a young Sakya set forth a problem, but he could not perplex the Bodhisattva. After that, two young Sakyas, three, four, five, ten, twenty, thir­ty, forty, fifty, even up to five hundred Sakyas all at once proposed a problem, but the Bodhisattva solved them all. “ Enough, enough o f this contest,” said the Bodhisattva. “All o f you now, all together, propose a problem, and I will do it.”

So the five hundred young Sakyas, with common agree­ment, suggested a calculation which had never been done before, and the Bodhisattva solved it easily. Thus were all the young Sakyas defeated; the Bodhisattva alone was successful.

And the great mathematician Arjuna, filled with admi­ration, recited these two verses:

“ So quick is his mind,that even five hundred young Sakyas, all together, cannot match his knowledge o f numbers.

222

“ Such is his knowledge, his memory, his intelligence, and his wisdom: he is an ocean o f knowledge.Yet still he studies and learns!How wonderful is his mind!”

The multitude o f Sakyas was completely astonished; full o f admiration, they shouted with a single voice: “ Victory! Victory to the young Sarvarthasiddha!” Rising from their seats and joining their palms together respectfully, they all bowed down before the Bodhisattva, and addressed these words to King Suddhodana: “ The advantage is yours, O King! Your son is quick; he is swift and alert! How he rises to the challenge!”

King Suddhodana then asked the Bodhisattva: “ Can you, my son, rival the skill o f the great mathematician Arjuna in the knowledge o f mathematics?” “ Sire, I can,” he replied. So the Bodhisattva was told to show his ability.

The great mathematician Arjuna asked the Bodhisattva: “ Young man, do you know the procedure o f numeration called kotiSatottara, more than a hundred kotis?” The Bodhisattva answered: “ I do.” “ Well, then, how must one proceed to enumerate more than a hundred kotis?”

The Bodhisattva replied: “ A hundred kotis is called ayuta; a hundred ayutas is called niyuta; a hundred niyutas is called kankara; a hundred kahkaras is called vivara; and a hundred vivaras is called aksobhya; a hundred aksobhyas is called vivaha; a hundred vivahas is called utsanga; a hundred utsangas is called bahula; a hundred bahulas is

223

called nagabala; a hundred nagabalas is called titila; a hundred titilas is called vyavasthanaprajnapti; a hundred vyavasthanaprajnaptis is called hetuhila; and a hundred hetuhilas is called karahu; a hundred karahus is called hetvindriya; a hundred hetvindriyas is a samaptalambha; a hundred samaptalambhas is known as gananagati; a hundred gananagatis is called nlravaravadya; a hundred niravaravadyas is called mudrabala; a hundred mudrabalas is called sarvabala; and a hundred sarvabalas is called visamjnagatl; a hundred visamjnagatls is a sarvasarhjna; a hundred sarvasamjnas is a vibhutangama; and a hundred vibhutangamas is called tallaksana.

“ Now with the numeration called tallaksana one could take even Meru, the king o f mountains, as a subject of calculation and measure it. And next is the numeration called dvajagravatl; with the help o f this numeration, one could take all the sands o f the river Ganges as a subject o f calculation and measure them.

“ Above this is the numeration called dvajagranisamani; and above this is the numeration o f vahanaprajnapti; next comes the numeration called inga; above this is the numeration o f kuruta.

“ Again above this is the numeration called sarvaniksepa, with the help o f which one could take the sands o f ten Ganges rivers as a subject for calculation and measure them all. And again above this is the numeration called agrasara, with the help o f which one could take the sands o f a hun­dred kofis o f Ganges rivers as a subject o f calculation and measure them all. And again above this is the highest numeration called uttaraparamanurajahpravesa, which is said to penetrate the most subtle atoms. Except for a

224

Tathagata, or a Bodhisattva who has reached the purest essence o f Enlightenment, or a Bodhisattva who has been initiated into all the Dharma, there is no being who knows this numeration, except myself or a Bodhisattva like me, who has arrived at his last existence, but has not yet left home.”

Arjuna said: “ Young man, how must one proceed in the numeration which penetrates the dust o f the most subtle atoms?”

The Bodhisattva said: “ Seven subtle atoms make a fine particle; seven fine particles make a small particle; seven small particles make a particle called vatayanaraja; and seven particles o f vatayanaraja make a particle called sasaraja; seven particles o f sasaraja make a particle called edakaraja; seven particles o f edakaraja make a particle o f goraja; seven particles o f goraja make a liksaraja; seven liksaraja make a sarsapa; seven sarsapas make an adyava; seven adyavas make an angull; twelve angull make a parva; two parva make a hasta; four hastas make a dhanu; a thou­sand dhanu make a krosa o f the country o f Magadha; four krosas make a yojana. And now who among you knows the mass o f one yojana, and how many o f these subtle atoms it contains?”

Arjuna said: “ I myself am even more astonished than others o f lesser knowledge. Let the young prince show us the mass o f a yojana, and explain how many subtle particles are found in it.”

The Bodhisattva replied: “ In the mass o f a yojana the/e are a complete niyuta o f aksobhyas plus thirty hundred thousand o f niyutas o f kotis plus sixty hundreds o f kotis plus

225

thirty-two kotis and five times a hundred thousand and twelve thousand. Such is the calculation o f subtle particles in the mass o f a yojana. By this procedure, there are here in the land of Jambu seven thousand yojanas; in the land o f Aparagodana, eight thousand yojanas; in the land o f Purvavideha, nine thousand yojanas; in the land o f Uttara- kuru, ten thousand yojanas.

“ Continuing with this method, beginning with the worlds composed o f four continents, there are a hundred kotis o f worlds with four continents and a hundred kotis o f great oceans; there are the hundred kotis o f Cakravalas and Mahacakravalas, the hundred kotis o f Sumerus, kings o f mountains; the hundred kotis o f realms o f the Four Great Kings; the hundred kotis o f realms o f the Thirty-three gods; the hundred kotis o f realms o f the Yama gods; the hundred kotis o f Tusita realms; the hundred kotis o f Nirmanarata realms; and the hundred kotis o f Parinirmita vasavartin realms. There are the hundred kotis o f Brahma realms; the hundred kotis o f Brahmapurohita realms; the hundred kotis o f Brahmaparsadya realms; the hundred kotis o f Mahabrahma realms; the hundred kotis o f Parittabha realms; the hundred kotis o f Apramanabha realms; the hundred kotis o f Abhasvarana realms; the hundred kotis o f Parittasubha realms; the hundred kotis o f Apramanasubha realms; the hundred kotis o f Subhakrtsna realms; the hundred kotis o f Anabhraka realms; the hundred kotis o f Punyaprasava realms; the hundred kotis o f Brhatphala realms; the hundred kotis o f Asangisattva realms; the hun­dred kotis o f Abrha realms; the hundred kotis o f Atapa realms; the hundred kotis o f Sudrsa realms; the hundred kotis o f Sudarsana realms; and the hundred kotis o f the Akanistha realms.

2 2 6

“ All together these are said to be the whole o f the three thousand great thousands o f worlds, spread out and devel­oped. All the calculations o f the essence o f the yojana in­cludes the many hundreds o f yojanas o f subtle particles in this mass o f three thousand great thousands o f worlds, the many thousands o f yojanas, the many kotis o f yojanas, and the many niyutas o f yojanas. And how many subtle parti­cles are there? It passes beyond calculation, it is incalcula­ble. There are an incalculable number o f subtle atoms in the mass o f the three thousand great thousands o f worlds.”

While this lesson on enumeration was being taught by the Bodhisattva, the great mathematician Arjuna and the multitude o f £akyas listened with pleasure, joy, and happi­ness. Everyone there was filled with great admiration, and each o f them presented the Bodhisattva with garments and ornaments. The great mathematician Arjuna then uttered these two verses:

“ The hundreds o f kotis and the ayutas, the nayutas and the niyutas, the procession o f the kankaras, the vivahas, and the aksobhyas as well:this supreme knowledge I do not have—he is above me. One with such knowledge o f numbers is incomparable!

“ And doubtless, O Sakyas, he could calculate the dust o f the three thousand worlds, as well as all the herbs, the woods, the medicinal plants, and even the drops o f water,

227

in the time it takes to say ‘Hung’ . How could these five hundred Sakyas do anything more wonderful?”

Then gods and men by the hundreds o f thousands uttered cries o f admiration and joy.

And the devaputras in the expanse o f the sky recited this verse:

“ The concepts and the ideas, the reasonings good or bad, small or great, the workings o f the minds o f all the beings o f the three times: all this he knows perfectly through a single movement o f his mind.”

Thus, O monks, the Bodhisattva distinguished himself by his superiority over all the other young Sakyas. And as they continued their contests—in jumping, in swimming, in running and all the rest—the Bodhisattva again and again demonstrated his superiority. And the devaputras in the sky uttered these verses:

“ By the qualities o f devotion and austere practices,by the power o f love and self-denial,by the strength o f patiencedeveloped during kotis o f kalpas,he has made his mind and his body light.Listen to how superior is his strength:

228

“ You saw this great being enter the city; and yet he travels to all the worlds in an instant to offer gifts o f jewels and gold to innumerable Jinas in all the ten directions.

“ You do not even notice his departure or his return, so great is his supernatural power.Who in this assembly could produce such miracles? He is without equal.It is through such actionsthat the Bodhisattva shows his superiority,so show yourselves respectful o f him.”

/But the Sakyas said: “ The people want the prince to show

his superiority in feats o f strength as well.”

So the Bodhisattva stood alone on one side, as each o f the five hundred young Sakyas prepared to test his strength. Then thirty-two young Sakyas made ready to contest with the Bodhisattva. First Nanda and Ananda approached the Bodhisattva in order to wrestle with him. But no sooner did the Bodhisattva touch them with his hand than both, unable to endure his strength and his splendor, fell to the ground.

__ /Then the arrogant young Sakya Devadatta risked himself

against the Bodhisattva, for he was filled with vanity at being a &akya and was proud o f his strength. He postured and moved all around the arena to show off his strength to the Bodhisattva.

OOQ

But without effort, without haste, the Bodhisattva gently picked up the young Devadatta with his right hand. Out o f kindness, and with no thought o f hurting him, and only to reduce Devadatta’s pride, he tossed him three times head over heels in the air and then set him down unharmed on the ground.

Then the Bodhisattva said: “ Enough, enough o f this pontest. It is not right. Join all together for the next.” So all o f the young men gathered together. Carried away by their pride, they attacked the Bodhisattva. But as soon as he touched them, they fell back; incapable o f enduring the nobility, majesty, and strength o f his body, they tumbled to the ground.

At that moment, gods and men by the hundreds o f thousands uttered great cries o f admiration, and the deva- putras residing in the heavens rained down a profusion o f flowers and recited in chorus:

“All the beings in the ten directions, no matter how fearsome, he would conquer in a moment; at the touch o f the most eminent o f men, they would fall flat upon the ground.

“ Meru, Sumeru, the Cakravala mountains, and any other mountain in any direction, would crumble to powder at the touch o f his hands. How wondrous—he has a human body, but without limitations!

230

“And so when the terrible contestant, Mara, approaches,together with his dark allies, his army,and his horses, preceded by their standards,then, by the power o f love, he will overthrow the foe;and sitting beneath the Bodhi tree,he will attain the peace o f supreme Enlightenment.Through such actions will the Bodhisattvashow his true superiority.”

Then Dandapani addressed these words to the young Sakyas: “ You have seen what you wished to see. Show us now the art o f archery.”

Immediately, Ananda set an iron drum as a target, at a distance o f two krosas; Devadatta put an iron drum at four krosas; Sundarananda placed an iron drum at a distance o f six krosas; and the Sakya Dandapani arranged an iron drum at the distance o f eight krosas. Then the Bodhisattva set an iron drum as a target at ten kroSas, arranged seven tala trees in back o f it, and placed an iron figure o f a boar at a still greater distance.

Ananda’s arrow reached the drum set at the distance o f two krosas, but he could do no more.

Devadatta’s arrow reached the drum set at four krosas, but no further would it go.

Sundarananda reached the drum set at six krosas, but he could shoot no farther.

231

Dandapani reached the drum set at eight krosas and succeeded in piercing it, but could not shoot beyond it.

Now each bow given the Bodhisattva had broken as he drew it back, so he asked: “ Does this city house a bow which will resist my strength and sustain my effort?”

The king replied: “ M y son, there is one.” “ Sire, where is it?” “ Your grandfather Simhahanu, the Lion’s Jaw, had a bow which is now honored in the temple o f the gods, sur­rounded by incense and garlands. No one man up to the present time has been able to lift or bend this bow.”

The Bodhisattva said: “ Sire, let this bow be brought forth; we will try it.” Immediately, the bow was brought. But none o f the young Sakyas, although they made the greatest efforts, were able to lift it, much less bend it. Then the bow was presented to the Sakya Dandapani. Although he drew on all the strength o f his body, he succeeded only in lifting the bow, but could not bend it.

Finally the bow was presented to the Bodhisattva, who seized it without getting up from his seat. Seated with his legs half-crossed, he grasped the bow with his left hand and bent it with a single finger o f the right hand. The sound o f the bow being bent traveled throughout the great city o f Kapilavastu. Wondering at the noise, the inhabitants felt great fear until they learned that it came from young Sarvarthasiddha bending his grandfather’s bow.

Hundreds o f thousands o f gods and men cheered in as­tonished admiration at the young prince’s feat, and the devaputras residing in the sky addressed this verse to King Suddhodana and to the great multitude:

232

“Just as this bow has been bent by the Muni without effort and without rising from his seat, so undoubtedly will the Muni conquer the army o f Mara, and soon fulfill his purposes.”

O monks, the Bodhisattva, having bent the bow, took up an arrow and shot it. Such was his strength that it pierced the drums o f Ananda, Devadatta, Sundarananda, and Dandapani, and then pierced the iron drum which he him­self had set as a target, at the distance o f ten krosas. On il flew, past the seven tala trees and, finally, passing through the iron figure o f the boar, the arrow penetrated the earth and disappeared. Where it entered the soil, a spring welled up which still today is called Sarakupa, Spring o f the Arrow.

As the arrow disappeared into the earth, hundreds of thousands o f gods and men shouted praises, and the whole crowd o f Sakyas marveled to each other: “ He is in truth a wonder! Without any training, he has such skill in every worldly art!”

And the devaputras in the heavens spoke thus to King Suddhodana and to the great multitude:

“ Why are you so astonished?The former Buddha Ksitigarbha previously sat just so,

233

shooting the arrows o f egolessness and emptinessthrough the sky o f tranquilityto vanquish the enemy, the fettering passions.Having split asunder the web o f wrong views, he obtained Nirvana, the pristine peace o f Enlightenment. Why then be astonished?”

And tossing a profusion o f flowers on the Bodhisattva, the devaputras departed.

In all the worldly arts, the Bodhisattva surpassed both gods and men, distinguishing himself as superior: in jum p­ing, in the knowledge o f writing, astrology, mathematics, and arithmetic; in wrestling, archery, running, swimming, and riding elephants mounted on the neck; in riding horse­back, chariot driving, and the use o f the bow; in firmness, strength, and courage, in feats o f strength, in the use o f the hook and the lasso, and in the action o f throwing forward, backward, and taking away; in the tying o f the wrists, the tying o f the feet, the tying o f locks o f hair; in the actions of cutting, separating, penetrating, arid grinding; in cutting apart, in hitting the right place, hitting exactly the right place; in striking with a sound; in striking heavy blows; in the game o f dice; in poetry, grammar, and composition of books; in painting, sculpture, drama, and the science of tending the fire; in the art o f playing on the vina; in instru­mental music, dance, and song; in reading, reciting, and joking; in sports, dancing, decorating the body, and mime; in placing o f garlands; in use o f the fan, in drama, and creative arts; in business and dyeing garments; in magic, the explanation o f dreams, and the signs o f the birds; in

234

knowing the signs o f women, the signs o f men, the signs o f elephants, horses, bulls, goats, sheep, and dogs; in the com­position o f vocabularies, holy scripture, the Puranas, the Itihasas, the Veda, grammar, and the Nirukta; in the art o f reciting poetry and the rites o f offering; in astronomy, the systems o f arithmetic, yoga, and religious ceremonies; in the method o f the Vaise§ikas; in the knowledge o f riches; in morality, the condition o f the preceptor, the asura state, the language o f birds and animals, and the knowl­edge o f debate; in silk manufacturing; in dyes, working with wax, extracting oil, the cutting o f palm leaves, and things.

And so the Sakya Dandapani gave his daughter Gopa tothe Bodhisattva, and King Suddhodana accepted her as the prince’s betrothed.

At this time too, the Bodhisattva, in accordance with worldly custom, showed his skill in games and pleasures in the midst o f eighty-four thousand women. And among the eighty-four thousand, Gopa o f the Sakyas was solemnly recognized as the first wife.

rHowever, Gopa o f the Sakyas did not veil her face in the

presence o f her father-in-law or mother-in-law, or even in the presence o f the men o f the household. Many com­plained about her, saying: “ This young woman has far too lax a manner! Always she goes about unveiled!” Hearing their complaints, Gopa recited these verses before the entire household:

“ Whether seated, standing or walking, the noble-minded shine unveiled.

235

The mani jewel appears more brilliant when displayed at the top o f the standard.

“ The noble-minded shine when leaving and when arriving; standing or sitting, they shine.

“ The noble-minded shine while speaking, and also while remaining silent,Jike the song and sight o f the nightingale.

“ Whether wearing a garment woven with gold, or gaunt and thin and dressed in rags, the noble-minded shine with their own splendor; the one with virtues is adorned by his virtues.

“ The noble-minded without misconductshine everywhere; the ignoble, however well-adorned,do not shine anywhere.

“ Those who speak sweet words with malice in their hearts are like a pot o f poison covered over with ambrosia, like the bitter pith o f wild fruit.Drawing near such hardhearted people is like caressing the head of a serpent.

“ People flock with pleasureto the presence of the noble-minded,just as they frequent sacred ponds that bring healing;the noble-minded are like a vase always filled with milk;to look upon such pure beings is a true benediction.

“ To look upon one who gives up dishonorable friends, and takes to his heart the spiritual friends o f the Dharma; to gaze upon one who abandons misconduct,

236

and lives in accord with the law o f the Buddha— this is a blessing.

“ Those who have mastered the body and restrain it from ignoble acts; those who have mastered their speech and always speak with reserve; those who have disciplined their senses and are calm and at peace: why should such people veil their faces?

“ Even if they were to cover their bodies with a thousand robes, the ignoble, lacking shame, modesty, and truthful speech, lacking these virtues entirely, go through life more naked than the naked.

“ Those who guard the mind and control the senses,who are satisfied with their husbands,and do not think o f another,without veil are brilliant like the sun and moon.Why should such people veil their faces?”

And again:“ The magnanimous rsis,skilled in penetrating the thoughts o f others,know my intentions, just asthe assemblies o f the gods know my conduct,my virtues, my restraint, and my modesty.Why should I veil my face?”

O monks, King Suddhodana listened to these stanzas, which showed the wisdom o f young Gopa o f the Sakyas, and

237

he was filled with contentment, satisfaction, and pleasure. With great joy, he presented young Gopa with two pieces of white cloth sewn with precious stones, worth a hundred thousand kotis o f palas, and also gave her a pearl necklace and a golden garland inlaid with red pearls. Then he ut­tered this verse:

“ My son is adorned with great virtues, and his bride has qualities like his own; the union o f these two pure beings is like the union of butter and ghee.”

The Twelfth Chapter Skill in the Worldly Arts

238

Plate 13

S3

‘Exhortation^

m o n k s , the gods, nagas, yaksas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, and mahoragas, Sakra, Brahma,

and the Guardians o f the World all found delight in mak­ing offerings to the Bodhisattva as he dwelt in the women’s apartments. All came in great numbers, jubilant and crying out with joy.

Yet, O monks, soon it occurred to the gods, to the nagas, yaksas, and gandharvas, the asuras, garudas, kinnaras, and mahoragas, to Sakra, Brahma, and the Guardians o f the World: “ Too long, in truth, is this pure being staying in the women’s apartments! Over a great period o f time he has brought many beings to perfect maturation by the four means o f conversion: giving, kind words, helpfulness, and consistency between words and deeds; after obtaining Enlightenment, those beings will understand and teach the Dharma. But soon those vessels o f the Dharma will be no more. Too late will the Bodhisattva withdraw from the world, and too late will he attain perfect and complete Enlightenment. ”

Full of respect and regard, with palms joined, the deva- putras bowed before the Bodhisattva, and gazing upon him,

they expressed their desire: “ When will we see this being, pure and noble, the greatest o f all, withdraw from the world? When will we see him, seated at the foot o f the great king o f trees, overcome the demon and his army, and attain the perfect and complete Enlightenment o f a Buddha? When will we see the Bodhisattva attain the ten powers o f a Tathagata, the four fearlessnesses o f a Tathagata, and the eighteen pure Buddhadharmas? When will he delight «the world o f gods, men, and asuras by acting out the great play o f a Buddha, by turning the Wheel o f the Dharma, the best o f wheels, showing its twelve aspects as it turns three times?”

O monks, for countless kalpas, for a continual and great span o f time, the Bodhisattva had had no need to depend on others for either mundane or supramundane knowledge. In matters concerning virtuous action, he was his own spiritual preceptor. Endowed with the five superior knowledges, omniscient in every thought, he had known time for ages, had known the measure o f time, known the favorable mo­ment. Playing with the foundations o f supernatural power, skilled in knowing the faculties and minds o f beings, know­ing whether the time was favorable or not, he gave time due consideration, and like the great ocean, was timely in all things.

As the Bodhisattva was endowed with the strength o f su­perior knowledge, his grasp o f time was all-embracing—he knew the time for discipline, the time for union, the time for giving aid, the time for equanimity, the time for speech, the time for silence, the time to withdraw from the world, the time to wander as a monk, the time to speak out. He knew the time for focusing the mind in the proper way, the time for solitude, the time for attending the circle o f royalty,

242

the time for attending the brahmins and householders, and for attending the assemblies o f gods, nagas, yaksas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, and mahoragas; the time for attending the assemblies o f &akra, Brahma, the Guardians o f the World, and the assemblies o f monks, nuns, and male and female disciples; he knew the time to teach the Dharma and the time to be absorbed in contemplation. He knew all this: everywhere and at all times, the Bodhisattva knew time, saw the time.

O monks, the Bodhisattva had obtained the Dharma o f the Bodhisattvas who are in their last existence. Now it is necessary that the Lord Buddhas o f the ten directions ex­hort the Bodhisattva while he is residing in the women’s apartments, encouraging him with melodious voices and instruments and with all the other similar doors o f the Dharma.

Concerning this it is said:

By the power o f the Buddhaswho dwell in the ten directions,these verses are heardfrom the lovely sound o f instruments—songs full o f sweetnessexhorting the best among the best o f men:

“ In times past, seeing beingsburdened by misery so great, enduring hundreds o f evils, you vowed to be Protector and Refuge o f the World, to be the Best o f Guides, who gives aid to all!

243

“ Excellent Hero!Remember your former conduct and aspirations.O Help o f the World!Now is the time, the hour, the moment: go forth from the house, you o f the r§is,Best among the Best!

“ Greatest of the World, your qualities are boundless.In times past you gave away all o f your riches— you gave up your hands, your feet, even your head.And now you will be a Buddha, training gods and men.

“ Due to your good conduct, you have practiced austerities.Due to your patience,you have come as a help to the world.Due to your valor,you have acquired hundreds o f good qualities.In meditation, in wisdom, no one is your equal in all the three worlds.

“ The many possessed by anger and malice, wrap them in your love, O Sugata!For the ignorant, traveling a false path, deprived o f the qualities of virtue, your compassion takes many forms.

“ You are filled with merit, knowledge, and virtue, with the superior knowledge o f contemplation free from defilements.You shine in the ten directionslike the spotless moon come out from behind the clouds.”

From the sweet sounds o f many instruments such songs o f the Jinas issue forth,

244

exhorting the one venerated by gods and men: “ Depart from home! Your time has come!”

O monks, the Bodhisattva lives in the most excellent o f dwellings, decorated with wondrous things and arranged for every conceivable comfort. Like the dwellings o f the long-lived gods, the palace is remarkable for its terraces and porticos, for its arcades, round windows, and observation towers. All sorts o f precious ornaments have been arranged with careful art, as well as parasols, standards, and unfurled banners. Jeweled bells hang from all the many trellises, and hundreds o f thousands o f silk fringes, garlands o f flowers, and garlands set with pearls and other precious stones are draped everywhere. Carved wooden bridges covered with flowers add to its charm.

The air is impregnated with the perfume from cassolettes; the grounds, sheltered by silk tents, are sown with brilliant, soft-scented flowers o f all seasons. Many are the places for enjoyment: glades where ponds are filled with clusters o f white lotuses; places resounding with the songs and cries of birds—patraguptas, parrots, jays, cuckoos, geese, peacocks, mallards, kunalas, sparrows, partridges, and many others; places where the soil o f the earth is made o f lapis lazuli, reflecting images o f all kinds, delighting the eye, which can never gaze its fill; places where the greatest contentment and joy arise.

The Bodhisattva resides in this finest o f abodes, this finest o f shelters. Here he spends his days, the Spotless One, the Stainless One, decked with garlands and necklaces. His

245

perfect body is oiled with the most precious and beautifully scented unguents. Clothed in spotless and perfectly pure white garments, he reclines on couches covered with soft cottons and beautifully decorated materials, soft to the touch as a garment o f kacalindi cloth. The Bodhisattva is attended by women resembling goddesses, free from all moral blemish and adorned by the finest noble deeds.

Within the splendid inner apartments, conches, drums, timbals, and brass drums, harps, lutes, tambourines, cym­bals, and flutes give forth all kinds o f pleasant sounds and melodies; the hosts of women, with soft and responsive voices that touch the heart, serenade the Bodhisattva with concerts and entrancing melodies. But now, by the bless­ings o f the Lord Buddhas who dwell in the ten directions, these verses o f exhortation emerge in the midst o f the music.

The maidens, their spirits joyous, their minds content, play the sweetest, most ravishing music with their flutes; but through the power o f the supreme Jinas o f the ten directions, these verses are heard instead:

“ O Hero, in times past,you saw beings still lacking protection,and vowed to deliver them from birth and old age,from death and from all other sorrows,by becoming a Buddha o f great dignity,free from desire and suffering.

“ O Excellent One,you will quickly leave the best o f cities;

246

you will travel to a place frequented by the rsis o f old; you will become a Buddhaendowed with the unequaled knowledge o f the Jinas.

“ In times past you gave away all your varied riches; you gave even your precious hands and feet.Behold, Great Rsi, your time has come!Pour forth to the world the limitless waters from the river o f the Dharma!

“ Your fine conduct has been spotless and unequaled; the supremely good has always adorned you.No one can surpass you in good conduct, O Great Rsi! Deliver the world from all its corruptions!

“ Strong in patience and self-control,you endured for hundreds o f livesthe many hard words that are heard in the world.O Lord o f Men, rise up and depart from home.

“ Constant and unshakable, O Sugata, is your valor, great from beginning to end.After conquering the crafty demon and his army,you will completely destroy the three lower states o f being.

“ For this have you practiced good works and austerities, to bum away the emotions o f these sad times.Pour forth the water o f immortality to satisfy the thirst o f the unprotected.

“ Go quickly from this excellent city, remembering your great vow o f former times: that when you obtained the dignity o f an immortal Buddha, free from suffering,

247

“ Skilled in practicing the best wisdom, your knowledge extensive, unlimited, and stainless, make the pure and clear light o f wisdom shine for the senseless ones traveling the path o f doubt.

“ For hundreds of lives you have practiced great love, taking pleasure in compassion and detachment.Share with the world this excellent conduct, which has been your practice.”

By the glory o f the Jinas o f the ten directions,these verses exhort the young prince, reclining on his couch,delighting in the melodious instruments;they remind him o f the great bouquet o f virtue,the gathered blossoms o f his past good qualities.

While charming maidens delight himwith enchanting music,the Jinas residing in the ten directions,who train both gods and men,cause this excellent discourseto manifest through the music:

“ You have produced the innate qualities o f the Jinas, and so endowed have come to aid sentient beings. Remember! Remember your former religious practices and discipline; go quickly to the best o f trees and reach immortal dignity.

“ You who possess Enlightenment, the greatest strength,offer the taste of immortality to the godsand to thirsty men who lack the Jina’s qualities.Endowed with the ten strengths, honored by the wise,

you would quench the thirst o f sentient beingswith the nectar of immortality.

248

“ In former existences you have given up your goods, your jewels, your gold, your bride, and your beloved son, cities, villages, your very head.You have given up your hands, your feet,and your eyes as well,you who aid all sentient beings,you who find joy in the Jina’s qualities.

“ In times past, O Best o f Men, when you were a virtuous king, a man came before you and asked for your land with all its cities and villages.You gave them, and your mind remained untroubled.

“ In times past, O Best o f Brahmins,you were the virtuous brahmin for a king,honoring the spiritual preceptors and not harming others.You established a great many people in virtueand then were reborn in the abode o f the gods.

“ In times past, when you were a king’s son and the best o f rsis,an evil king cut off your limbs in anger.You fulfilled the time o f death, and your mind was not troubled.Milk flowed then from your hands and feet.

/“ In times past, when you were the rsi Syama,taking pleasure in spiritual preceptors,living simply, high on a mountain,you were struck by a king with a poisoned arrow.Your heart was not troubled, and you pardoned the king.

quickly, O Lord of Men,distribute the nectar of immortality.

249

“ In times past, when you were the virtuous king o f gazelles, a man was caught in a raging mountain stream.Full o f goodness, you pulled him onto dry land, and your mind was not troubled by helping your foe.

“ In times past, O Best o f Men,when you were a brahmin’s son,your precious mani stone fell into the great ocean.With your powerful strength, O Leader o f Men, you parted the great ocean to retrieve this gem.

“ In times past, O Excellent One, when you were the best o f rsis, a brahmin came to you seeking refuge, and asked that you drive off his foe.You sacrificed your own body, while the brahmin kept his.

“ In times past, you approached the rsi &yama who dwelt in a tree, and he asked you to count all its leaves.Calmly you counted each separate leaf; calmly you told him the accurate number.

“ In times past, when you were a virtuous parrot living in a tree, you did not abandon the tree as it died, honoring the memory o f its former benefit.Rejoicing, in memory o f your virtues,the lord o f gods made o f the tree an object o f veneration.

“ Your pious works and practice o f austerities are unequaled, O possessor o f so many virtues.Conforming your actions to the qualities you possess, give up the earth and its cities!Behold, your time has come. Quickly establish the world in the practice o f the Jina’s qualities!”

25<

While the pearls among women, adorned with finery, play harmonies on the instruments, through the power o f the Jinas o f the ten directions verses full o f glory are heard amidst the music:

“ O Lamp o f the World, many kalpas ago you vowed to be the refuge for the world devoured by old age and death.O Lion o f Men, remember this vow o f former times. Behold, Lord o f Men, it is time to leave your family!

“ In your millions o f lives here below,you have given myriad gifts:goods, gold, and precious stones,beautiful garments and various costly things,your hands and your feet, your eyes,your beloved son, your prosperous kingdom—everything!In giving, you felt neither anger nor hatredtoward any o f those who were asking.

“ You have been the calm king, merciful and compassionate,O Sasiketu o f the beautiful teeth.With the mani jewel gracing the top o f your head, you shine like the moon!O Dauntless Hero, king with beautiful eyes,for many niyutas o f years you have offered gifts gladly.Such are your principal actions.Such are the manifestations o f your giving.

“ For many kalpas, O Sugata, your conduct has been dedicated to moral practices.Your pure morality has been as perfect and spotless as the precious mani stone.As the female yak keeps her tail by guarding it,

251

your actions have preserved your morality.Delighting in moral practices,you have rendered great service to the world here below.

“ As the finest of elephants, you were struck by a hunter, and seized with pity for that cruel being, in your goodness you helped him.You gave up your beautiful tusks, but not your morality.These virtuous acts and many others you performed: Such are the manifestations o f your moral practice^

“ On behalf o f the world you have joyfully endured thousands o f refusals when you sought for help.You withstood murder, persecution, hurtful words, imprisonments, all the while delighting in patience.Men whom you formerly honored and made happy became your murderers—and those you pardoned:Such is your patience.

“ When you lived as a bear in the mountains,O Lord Protector,you found a man frightened by an avalanche.You gave him fruits and roots to ensure his comfort.And when he returned, leading men to kill you, with patient acceptance you pardoned him.

“ Firm, durable, solid, and dauntless has your valor ever remained.Firm also your knowledge, virtues, and asceticism, as you searched for Enlightenment.Overcome by the strength o f your valor, the demon has lost his power.

252

O Lion o f Men, the moment has come for you to leave your home!

“ In times past, when you were the finest o f horses,beautiful and golden,you were seized with compassionand traveled rapidly across the skyinto the land o f the raksasas.Rescuing the desperate men trapped by the demons, you established them in happiness.Quickly you disciplined their wild minds and brought joy to the barbarian lands.Such are your principal actions, the numerous manifestations o f valor.

“ By restraint, calm, and discipline,O Great Meditator,you have destroyed the fettering passions.Taking satisfaction in contemplation, you accomplished the aims o f beings by means o f your virtuous qualities.O Best o f Beings,thus does your samadhi manifest!

“ In times past, when you were a rsi, established in the bliss o f contemplation, men without a king came for you to give you royal consecration.You have established many sentient beings in the ten virtues and in brahmacarya.Those among them who have passed from the human realm have entered the abode o f Brahma.

“ Skillfully knowing beings in all the different realms, you excel in the knowledge o f the conduct o f others,

253

in the language o f sentient beings,in the knowledge o f the senses, in discipline and duty,and in knowing the cause o f the workings o f the mind.It is time for you, king’s son, to leave your family.

“ When you saw sentient beings adopting harmful views, beings surrounded by old age, death, and misery, you led them to understanding Jby teaching the right way o f examining existence.O Destroyer o f Darkness,you have accomplished great things in the world.”

Thus through the power o f the Jinas’ majesty, many beautiful verses filled with brilliant qualities make themselves heard to encourage the hero:

“ Seeing sentient beings full o f suffering, do not remain indifferent.Possessor o f the highest intelligence, it is time to leave your family.”

The women here are joyful,adorned with brilliant garments,with pearl necklaces and perfumed garlands.Their thoughts are affectionate and tender.But by the power o f the Jinas, verses emerge from the music urging the Best o f Beings to depart:

“ During numerous kalpas, you have aided all beings, giving up what was difficult to relinquish.You have practiced morality, patience, and effort; you have practiced contemplation and transcendent wisdom.Now the time has come.

Quickly resolve to leave your fam ily- do not delay, O Guide!

“ In times past, you gave up precious treasures: gold, silver, and ornaments.To many different beingsyou made offerings o f all kinds;you gave up your wife, your son, and your daughter,your body, your kingdom, and your life,things immeasurably difficult to part with,for the sake o f supreme Enlightenment.

“As a king, you have been renowned for the splendor o f your good works.You have been Nimindhara, Nimi, Krsnabandhu, as well as Brahmadatta, Kesari, Sahasrajna, Dharmacinti, Arcimat, and Drthajana.Considering carefully the purpose o f life, you have given afflicted beings the things hard to relinquish.

“ When you were Sutasoma,Dlptavlrya, and Punyarasmi, you gave abundantly. Remember your great strength; remember what you have relinquished.

“ O Rsi o f kings, with a body like Candra’s,O Hero who makes the truth grow,Orator o f great eloquence, ceaselessly devoted to goodness, you have also been Sumati and Surata.

“ You have been Candraprabha and Visesagamin; you have been Renu, master o f the ten directions, Santaga, hero o f giving,

255

and King Ka£i, with his diadem o f pearls, teaching peace. As these kings and others, you have given up much that is difficult to relinquish.Just as you poured forth a rain of gifts,so may you now shower the world with the Dharma.

“ Seeing that sentient beings are equal in number to the sands o f the Ganges, you have made countless offerings to achieve their deliverance;you made unimaginable offerings to the Buddhas, while searching for supreme Enlightenment.The time has come, O Hero, to leave the finest o f cities!

“ First you offered sala flowers to Amoghadarsin;For an instant you gazed upon Vairocana with pure mind. Balsam you gave to Dundubhisvara; after seeing Candana, you carried a torch made of grass into his house.

“ Seeing Renu enter the city, you tossed a handful o f gold dust.On seeing Samantadarsin, you proclaimed your devotion.To the teacher Dharmesvarayou spoke your approval: ‘Well done!’You joyously threw a golden garland to Maharsiskandhin.

“ You gave fringes to Dharmadhvaja,and to Nirodha a handful o f beans;asoka flowers to Jnanaketu; to Sarathi a drink;you gave a lamp to Ratnasikhin;medicinal herbs to Padmadani;a pearl necklace to Sarvabhibhu;to Sagara you gave yellow lotuses.

256

“ You gave tapestries to Padmagarbha;to Simba rain tents;clarified butter to Salendraraja;milk to Puspita; to Yasodatta kurunda flowers;to Satyadarsin prepared food.You bowed down before Jnanameru; to Nagadatta you gave a monk’s garment.

“ You gave to Abhyuccagami the best sandalwood; to Tlksana a handful o f salt; you gave yellow lotuses to Mahavyuha; precious stones to RaSmiraja;a handful o f gold to Sakyamuni; praises to Indraketu; to Suryananda earrings; to Sumati a golden diadem.

“ To Nagabhibhu you presented a precious stone; you gave Bhaisajyaraja a precious parasol; to Simhaketu a throne, to Gunagradhari a jeweled net.All sorts o f sweet music you gave Kasyapa; to Arciketu you always offered flowers with the most delicate scents.

“ You gave Aksobhyaraja a storied house;a garland to Lokapujita;to Tagarasikhin you offered your kingdom.You gave all sorts o f perfumes to Durjaya.You gave yourself to Mahapradlpa; you gave necklaces to Padmottara; various flowers to Dharmaketu; to Dlparhkara blue lotuses.

“ With all these things and many othersyou have honored in times past the Best o f Beings;

257

and more besides you have offered to many.Remember the past Buddhas and the Masters you have honored!Do not neglect the beings suffering without a protector! Leave the fine city!

“ When you saw Dlpamkara, you attained greatest patience, and also the five superior and imperishable knowledges. With great pleasure, you honored numerous Buddhas,

•more than thought can embrace,throughout innumerable kalpas, in all parts o f the world.

“ Innumerable kalpas have passed,and these Buddhas have passed into Nirvana.All the bodies and names which were yours, where have they gone?Every substance ends by perishing;there is nothing permanent in what is composite.Fleeting are desire, royalty, and pleasures.Leave your fine city!

“ Old age and suffering, disease and death,terrible they come, accompanied by terror,like the fearsome fire that bursts out at the end o f a kalpa.Every substance ends by perishing;there is nothing permanent in what is composite.See the beings who have fallen into great misery.Leave your home, Possessor o f the Virtues.”

While the group of maidensmake music with lutes and flutesto entertain the Lord o f Men,stretched out at ease on his couch,these words are heard emerging from the music:

258

“All the three worlds are consumedby the suffering o f old age and disease;this world without a protectoris consumed by the fire o f death;ever crazed, beings do not try for liberationbut circle in agitation like bees caught in a vase.

“ Unstable like autumn cloudsare all the three worldly states;like scenes from a dramaare the birth and death o f beings;like a mountain torrent or a lightning flash,the brief and rapid life o f creatures passes.

“ From the earth and from the abode o f the gods, through the power o f desire and ignorance, beings are reborn in the three lower realms.The ignorant travel round the five states o f being, turning like the potter’s wheel.

“ Beautiful forms, melodious sounds,agreeable odors and tastes, and pleasant sensationsenvelop this world in the net o f time,like a monkey caught in the nets o f a hunter.

“Accompanied by fears and struggles, always producing enmity,the qualities o f desire lead to pain and suffering, like the edge o f a sword, like poison ivy.The noble-minded throw them out like a vessel full o f vomit.

“ The root o f suffering is desire;and the desire for life grows like vines,always accompanied by fears and struggles,

259

ever producing the fog of forgetfulness, ever producing the shadows o f the mind, ever producing the causes o f fear.

“ The noble-minded consider desire a fearsomely blazing fire-pit, a great swamp, a sword blade, the edge o f a razor smeared with honey.

“ Like the head o f a serpent, like a vessel o f vomit, so are desires seen by the sages.They are known as enemiesas dangerous as are sharp stakes,a bird’s carcass, or an apricot pit for a playful dog.

“ The qualities o f desire resemblethe image of the moon in the water, a reflection,or an echo in the mountains;the noble-minded consider them to be like apparitions, like the presentations of a play, like a dream.

“ The qualities of desire endure only a moment;they are like an illusion, a mirage,like a bubble o f water or foam;the wise know they are producedby errors o f the imagination.

“ When one is young and beautiful and behaves like a fool, one is loved, desired, and sought after; when old age and disease have destroyed the splendor o f the body,one is abandoned as gazelles abandon a dried-up river.

“ When one is rich and powerful and behaves like a fool,

260

one is loved, desired, and sought after;when one’s fortune is lost, and one falls into despair,one is abandoned as men abandon a barren desert.

“ Like the tree which bears flowers and fruit,the one who delights in giving brings joy;when he has no more fortune, and in old age must beg,he is deemed as disagreeable as a vulture.

“ One loves to meet the handsome,the powerful, and the rich, those who charm the senses;but when they are overcome by old age and disease,and their possessions are lost, such fine onesseem as disagreeable as the lord o f death.

“ Overcome by old age, youth having passed,one is like a tree struck by lightning,and is feared like an abandoned house with rotten floors.How can one escape old age? Tell us quickly, O Muni!

“ Old age lays waste the multitude o f men and women, as the malu ivy chokes a thick forest o f salas.Old age drains away courage, energy, and strength, as if a man were plunged into a swamp.

“ Old age changes beauty into ugliness; it takes away the bloom.Old age robs one o f well-being, love, and respect, and leads to death.Old age takes away luster, power, and strength.

“ Beings are destroyed by hundreds o f illnesses and pains, just as gazelles are consumed by fire.After seeing the world in the sway o f old age and sickness, how does one escape? Teach us quickly!

261

“ As the cold winter wind ravishes the fields and forests, so old age with its illnesses ravishes the bloom o f youth, destroying strength and beauty, dimming the faculties and weakening the body.

“ Old age consumes great stores o f money and grains; old age and illness always produce suffering.They wound and make hateful whatever is pleasant; they burn like the midday sun in the sky.

“ Like the onward flowing current o f a river,old age and illness bring the time o f death,rebirth, and change o f existence;like a leaf or fruit fallen from a tree,one is separated from possessions and loved ones,with no chance o f return, no reunion.

“ Death renders the powerful powerless;it carries one off in the same waythat a river uproots and carries away a pine tree.Alone, without companions,a man must go to death by himself,followed by the fruit o f his own deeds and powerless.

“ Death seizes beings by the hundreds;as a sea monster devours myriad creatures;as a garuda seizes a snake, and the lion a bull;as a raging fire destroys grasses, plants, and animals.

“ Remember the vow you made to deliver the world from its hundreds of evil afflictions.Remember your promise to liberate beings.Now is the time to leave home!”

While the joyous women entertain the great Muni with music,

262

through the power o f the Sugatas,these various verses come forth from the music:

“ Everything composite passes quickly, enduring briefly, like lightning in the sky.Lo, your time has come.Now is the moment to leave home, O Suvrata!

“ Whatever is composite is neither permanent nor stable, but is fragile like an earthen vase; like goods borrowed from another or a city o f sand, it does not long endure.

“ Composite factors are perishable,like a coat o f mud plaster in the rainy season;weak and dependent on conditions,ephemeral by nature, these factors shift and alterlike a river’s sandy shore.

“ Composite factors are like the flame o f a lamp;they quickly shift and change;like the wind, they die away;like a spray o f sea foam,they are evanescent and insubstantial.

“ Composite factors do not interact; they are empty. Examined, they are hollow, like the stem o f the kadall plant.They delude and trouble the mind like a mirage; they are like the empty hand which deceives a child.

“All composites exist proceeding from causes and conditions; causes make conditions, and conditions, causes: they support each other.The ignorant do not understand this.

263

“Just so, valvaja grass must blend with muhja grass to make a rope with strength, and the rope is needed to turn the waterwheel; singly they can do nothing.

“ Every constituent part o f existence is established by one thing depending on another. Each becomes established by another: where one begins and ends, and how long it lasts, can nowhere be seen.

“ When there is a seed, there is a sprout, but the seed is not the sprout.It is not something else,though it is not the same thing either.And so there is no permanence or ending.

“ Composite factors are derived from ignorance; even the factors do not exist in reality.Composites and ignorance are both empty by nature; they are motionless, non-interacting.

“ By means o f the seal the impression appears: did the seal shift to the impression, or did it not? It is not the same, yet is not from something else.Thus are all composites impermanent, and yet they are not destroyed.

“ The eye being fixed on form, eye-consciousness is produced, even though the eye does not depend on the form, and the form does not move to the eye.

“ Though the characteristic o f form is egoless and ugly, it can appear as ego and attractive.

264

But it is only an appearance- wrong, not genuine.In this way does the eye-consciousness arise.

“ That ceasing, another consciousness comes forth. Thus do the wise see production and cessation: nothing goes anywhere, and nothing comes from any place; therefore yogis see all as being like illusion, like emptiness.

“ Even so does fire come forth from two sticks o f wood the wood rubbed, and the wood with which one rubs, and the effort o f the hands— through these three together.But fire, once produced, is very quickly checked.

“ In this way do the wise examine everything: where does it come from, where does it go?Examining all the points o f space,they find neither its arrival nor its departure.

“ Like that are all sense objects and sense qualities and all realms o f being;they have as their cause desire, ignorance, and karma.Taken together, all o f these thingsare called sentient beings,but their ultimate reality does not exist.

“ The tongue, the throat, the lips, and the palate, produce together the sounds o f the letters.Without the throat or palate, no sound o f letters is produced;only through their interaction does sound come forth.

265

I

“ Our perceptions are the same.But mind and speech have no visible form; they are nowhere perceived internally or externally.

“ The observant man examinesthe production and cessation o f sound,the voice and its modulation,and sees that speech endures only an instant;ft is like an echo.

“ The sound o f the vlna lute arisesdepending on three things together:the strings, the wood, and the movement o f the hand;and so with other musical instruments.

“ Let the observant examine:where has it come from, where has it gone?Searching all the points o f space,one finds neither the arrival nor the departure o f sound!

“ Like that also are all causes and conditionsfrom which come forth the composite factors,and the yogi, seeing reality,sees all composite factorsto be empty and non-interacting.

“ Empty the skandhas, the ayatanas, the dhatus; empty on the inside, empty on the outside; each has no self-identity and no foundation.All things have as their characteristic the nature o f the sky.

“ This characteristic o f dharmas, just as they are, you understood when you saw

2 6 6

the beautiful light o f the Buddha Dipamkara.Now let it be understood by gods and men.

“ Beings are made miserable by desire and hatred, which do not truly exist.From the cloud o f mercy, O Guide,cause the clear and calming rain o f ambrosia to fall.

“ You have said that when you had found full and true Enlightenment,you would draw beings together by means o f true riches. For this, O Sage, have you made sacrifices again and again, for tens o f millions o f kalpas.

“ Remembering your past conduct regarding your wealth, do not neglect the suffering ones, the poor, the afflicted; draw them together by offering true riches,O Charioteer o f Beings.

“ Guarding your moral conduct, you have said you would close the gates to the lower realms for tens o f millions o f beings, and show them the supreme gate o f immortality in the higher states.By means o f your moral conduct, achieve your great aim.

“ Remembering your former conduct, close the gate to the three lower states and open the gate o f immortality in the higher states o f being.

“ Meditating always on patience, you have said that after you helped beings cross the ocean o f existence, and helped destroy the anger and fury of all those attached to life,

267

you would establish them in well-being and calm, free from all fever.

“ Remember your conduct in former times!Do not neglect those who perform bad actions,those troubled by rancor,or by the desire to harm and injure.Establish them all in the land o f patience.

‘^Remember your aim in cultivating effort.Prepare the vessel o f the Dharma;help all beings cross the ocean o f existence;establish them in well-being and calm, free from fever.

“ Remember your conduct in former times.With the strength o f your persistenceand the power o f effort,quickly rescue those unprotectedfrom the four currents which carry them away.

“ Remember your conduct in former times: you meditated on destroying the fettering passions for the sake o f those whose minds grow troubled and dim. You have said: £I will establish them in the right path, those whose thoughts are like monkeys.’

“ The net o f emotionality fills this world with confusion- do not neglect the beings tormented by emotions; but remember your former conduct, and establish all beings in one-pointed meditation.

“ In times past, immersed in the meditation o f wisdom, you said you would give the vision which sees the truth, which makes visible the hundreds o f teachings, to all beings enveloped in the shadow of ignorance and darkness.

“ Remember your former conduct:to beings enveloped in the shadowsof ignorance and confusion,give o f the beautiful ray o f holy wisdom,the spotless eye o f the Dharma,free from the fettering passions.”

Verse after verse poured forthfrom the instruments and music played by the maidens. Hearing them, the Bodhisattva abandoned all pride and applied himselfto the highest, most excellent Enlightenment.

O monks, even while in the women’s apartments, the Bodhisattva was not deprived o f hearing the Dharma, was not deprived o f meditating on the Dharma. And why? Be­cause, O monks, the Bodhisattva had long been respectful o f the Dharma and the teachers o f the Dharma. He had long been intent on the Dharma with great diligence; for he desired the Dharma and gained great pleasure in it; he was never sated by his study o f Dharma. He taught the Dharma as he heard it; peerless master o f the great gifts o f the Dharma, he taught the Dharma without confusion. Never greedy for benefits, he willingly lent Dharma texts. He mas­tered the Dharma and all connected with it. Heroic in his reliance on the Dharma, he made the Dharma his abode, his protection, his refuge. Through adhering to the Dharma, through patience and certainty in the Dharma, he obtained deliverance. Practicing transcendent wisdom, he attained realization through skillful means.

269

O monks, by making use o f great skillful means, and surrounded with the respect o f all, the Bodhisattva dem­onstrated the higher path o f action through his playful activity in the women’s apartments. His actions demon­strated clearly the honorable path o f the Bodhisattvas o f the past, who had gone completely beyond worldly needs while following teachings which conform to the cus­toms o f the world. Having recognized for a long time the epor o f desire, the Bodhisattva demonstrated his enjoy­ment with the intention o f maturing other beings.

By the power o f merit accumulated through immeasur­able virtue, he demonstrated complete dominion over the world. He demonstrated the most agreeable satisfaction, beyond any pleasure produced by sight or sound, by odor, taste, or touch, whether in the world o f gods or men. He demonstrated the power o f the mind to free itself from the hold o f all the senses, which take their pleasure in desire. By the strength o f a former prayer and vow, the Bodhisattva became the companion o f beings; by means o f dwelling together with them, he completely matured beings brought together by the root o f virtue. With a mind unsullied by the stains o f emotionality, while he was in the women’s apartments, he watched for the proper moment to bring to maturity those whom he had gathered around him.

Now the Bodhisattva remembered most completely his prayer o f former times, and he made manifest the Dharma of the Buddha. He made manifest the force o f prayer and showed the greatest compassion for all beings, considering their complete deliverance.

All prosperity changes and ends, trouble is everywhere: that is what the Bodhisattva saw in each thing. He per­

270

ceived the numerous miseries and the many fears in the world o f rebirth. Breaking the chains o f the demon, he freed himself from the stream o f rebirth; he applied himself en­tirely to the thought o f Nirvana.

O monks, from times past to the present, the Bodhisattva has recognized clearly the sorrows o f existence. Having reflected deeply on the composite factors, he has no taste for what is composite, no taste for grasping and pleasures. In­tent on the Buddhadharma, he turns directly toward Nirvana and turns his back on rebirth. He is delighted to act in the way o f a Tathagata and not to be involved with Mara’s realm.

He sees the burning defects o f existence; he desires to leave the totality o f the three worldly spheres and skillfully frees himself from the evil o f rebirth. Desiring the state o f a wandering monk, he plans to leave his family. Absorbed in truth, seeking solitude, inclined toward solitude, and tend­ing toward solitude, he turns toward the edge o f the forest: he desires the calm o f complete solitude.

He applies himself to what is useful to himself and others. He is a hero without equal in effort. He desires the good o f the world; he wants to be useful; he seeks happiness and benefit for all the world. He desires to be useful; he dwells in compassion; he is the one with great mercy. Skilled in gathering students, he is always free from agitation; he is skilled in training beings, in bringing them to complete maturity.

He has completely given up attraction to outward things, but has affectionate thoughts for each being, as for an only son. Happy to share his gifts, he gives abundantly; he gives open-handedly; he is a hero o f giving. He has made many

271

holy offerings and has abundant merit; he upholds the objects o f merit. He is free from defilements and from envy; his mind is free from grasping. He is the peerless master o f giving. Having given, he desires nothing in return; he is a hero o f generosity.

He is the opponent o f desire and passion, o f covetousness, hatred, folly, and pride, o f haughtiness, ignorance, envy, and the rest, for he opposes the enemy, the host o f fettering passions. He does not waver from omniscience. Well-armed with great renunciation, he is full o f compassion for the world, desiring to be useful. Staunchly armed and devoted to the deliverance o f all beings, he has the courage that comes with great compassion; he has far-reaching courage. He is irreversible. With an impartial mind for all beings, he wears the armor o f renunciation.

He satisfies all beings according to their desires. He is the great vessel o f Enlightenment, ceaselessly realizing the Dharma; his prayers to obtain Enlightenment bear fruit. He does not lower his banner. He has generously made the gift which purifies the three worlds completely. He is solidly armed with the vajra-bolt o f the highest wisdom; he stops short the adversary, the fettering passions.

He is endowed with morality and with all good qualities and actions. His body, speech, and mind are well-guarded: seeing the danger o f even the slightest transgression, he has perfectly pure conduct and a spotless mind free from all blemish.

His mind is never agitated: not by bad words, harmful discourse, or blame; by raillery, disdain, or censure; by blows, threats, or murder; not by the chains and shackles o f the emotions. His mind is never agitated; he is well-

272

endowed with patience. His mind is never harmful, and he never does harm; his mind lacks any thought o f harm.

To be useful to all beings, he has the initiative o f burning valor. He is firm in the observances; he never turns away from achieving all the forms o f virtue. He has mindfulness and complete knowledge. He abides in equanimity; he is never distracted; he meditates one-pointedly. He is skilled in the analysis o f the Dharma; he has obtained clarity; he is free from confusion and from darkness. He has recognized clearly what is impermanent, what is suffering, what is egoless, what is disagreeable. He duly practices all the Teachings, in accord with mindfulness and complete re­nunciation, the foundations o f supernatural power, the powers and strengths, the branches o f awakening, the path, the noble truths, and all the conditions o f the aspects of Enlightenment. He has an intelligence thoroughly purified by deep calm and intense insight. He sees dependent orig­ination. Realizing the truth, he does not rely on others. He has enjoyed the three gates o f complete deliverance; he has realized the way o f all things—like an illusion, a mirage, a dream, like the moon reflected in the water, like an echo, or like double vision. O monks, the Bodhisattva naturally abides in the Dharma, naturally abides in wisdom, natu­rally abides in great qualities; he is naturally concerned with the benefit o f beings.

Through the blessing o f the Buddhas o f the ten direc­tions, verses o f exhortation emerged from the songs and music. For the sake o f maturing the women o f the inner apartments, the Bodhisattva manifested at that moment the four gates o f the Dharma, which have been manifested by all Bodhisattvas in their last existence.

273

What are these four? The first gate o f the Dharma is called Complete Purity in Employing the Four Means o f Conversion: giving, kind words, helpfulness, and consis­tency between words and deeds.

He manifested the second gate o f the Dharma, called The Irreversible State: it produces the powerful aspiration for inexhaustible knowledge which sustains the lineage o f the Three Jewels, the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha.

The Bodhisattva manifested the third gate o f the Dharma, called Realizing Great Compassion: the intention never to abandon beings.

He manifested the fourth gate o f the Dharma, called The Great Arrangement: it produces the strength o f certain knowledge o f the meaning o f the words o f all the Teachings on the aspects o f Enlightenment.

Having manifested the four gates o f the Dharma in order to mature completely the women o f the inner apartments, the Bodhisattva then produced through supernatural power hundreds o f thousands o f similar gates o f the Dharma, all emerging from the sounds o f the music:

“ Through pure devotion, through the highest thoughts,through compassion for all beings,the thought o f excellentand supreme Enlightenment takes form.”Such are the words which emerge from the music.

“ Purity and faith, devotion, respect,absence o f pride, deference to the spiritual teacher,and concern for his well-being,

274

seeking the teachings, mindfulness, and meditation.” Such are the words which emerge.

“ Giving, self-control, discipline, good conduct, patience and valor; meditation and samadhi, wisdom and skillful means.”Such are the words which emerge.

“ Love, compassion, joy, equanimity,clear knowledge, the four means o f conversion,complete maturation o f beings.”Such are the words which emerge.

“ Detailed application o f mindfulness, complete renunciation, degrees o f supernatural power,detailed application o f the five strengths and powers, and the aspects o f Enlightenment.”Such are the words which emerge from the music.

“ Detailed application o f the eightfold path, deep calm and intense insight, impermanence, selflessness and suffering, the suffering o f experiencing what is unwanted.”Such are the words which emerge from the music.

“Absence of desire, solitude, knowledge o f extinction, absence o f birth, cessation, absence o f abode, Nirvana.” Such are the words which emerge from the music.

By the power o f the accomplished Bodhisattva, these words emerge from the music.After the charming maidens listen and are instructed, they beg the highest and first o f beings to think o f supreme Enlightenment.

275

O monks, in this way, eighty-four thousand women were brought to complete maturity by the Bodhisattva who had gone into the inner apartments; several hundreds o f thou­sands o f gods assembled there were also brought to maturity, and were prepared for perfect, complete, and supreme Enlightenment.

The time having come for the Bodhisattva’s departure from home, Hrldeva, a devaputra from the realm o f Tusita, who had obtained irreversible, perfect, and complete Enlightenment, surrounded and preceded by thirty-two thousand devaputras, arrived at the palace during the calm of night to honor the Bodhisattva. And he spoke these verses to the Bodhisattva:

“ Death has been demonstrated, O Glorious One! And birth as well, O Lion of Men!In order to teach in the women’s apartments, you have conformed to the customs of the world.

“ Having obtained the Dharma,you have matured great numbers o f beingsin the worlds o f gods and men.Today is the time and the hour!Reflect well on the plan to leave your home.

“ One who is bound cannot set another free, and a blind man cannot point out the way.But one who is free, sets free;one who has eyes points out the road to the blind.

276

“ Taught by you, may those beings who are slaves o f desire,attached to homes and riches, to sons and wives, produce the desire to leave home.

“ When they learn that you have renounced your sovereignty, given up the games o f desire, the four continents, and the seven jewels; when they learn you have left your family, how the worlds o f men and gods will admire you!

“ Taking pleasure in the joys o f contemplation, finding no satisfaction in desires, you awaken the hundreds o f gods and men, who have slept for so long!

“ Youth is soon gone, like the mountain torrent whose speed is great and strong.Once your youth has passed, the thought o f leaving home no longer has anything o f beauty in it.

“ While you are so handsome and in the flower o f youth, you must fulfill your promise to leave the family: do what is right for the host o f men and gods!

“Just as the salty water o f the sea will never quench one’s thirst, what satisfies you is beyond the w orld - venerable wisdom free o f defilement.

/

“ You who delight the heart o f King Suddhodana and the whole kingdom, you with a face like a hundred-petaled lotus, O Beloved One, consider well the plan to leave your family.

277

“ Those tormented by the sufferings o f emotionality, tormented by the tight, inextricable bonds o f attachment; establish them quickly, O Hero, in the way o f calm; establish them in the path o f deliverance.

“ With your skill in the art o f medicine, apply the remedies o f the Dharma; establish quickly in the joy o f Nirvana those who have suffered so long.

“ Beings are blind and in darkness, bound by the net o f harmful views, and heavy with confusion.With the lamp of wisdom,quickly bring light to the eyes o f gods and men.

“ The numerous gods, asuras, and nagas,the yaksas and gandharvaslook on with confidence, thinking:‘We will see the one who has obtained Enlightenment!We will hear the peerless Dharma!’

“ The king o f the nagas will see his dwelling illuminated by your splendor; he will then make endless offerings.Fulfill his vows and his hope!

“ The Four Guardians o f the World with their armies await you— to offer the four begging bowls to the One whose practice is fulfilled in front of the tree o f Enlightenment.

“ Brahma, with calm demeanor, is waiting; he has soft words, he has become merciful.

278

He says to himself: ‘I will implore the Greatest o f Men to turn the peerless Wheel o f the Dharma.’

“ And the gods who venerate Enlightenment wait at Bodhimanda, saying:‘He will appear, and we shall see the Enlightenment o f the Buddha!’

“And among the others who sawthe activities in the women’s apartmentsare those who say: ‘Be the one who walks ahead—be the first among the Bodhisattvas!’

“ Remember the soft voice and the sweet words o f the prophecy o f Dipamkara; let the sound o f the true voice o f a Jina be heard, true and right, free from error.”

The Thirteenth Chapter Exhortation

279

Plate 1

TDreams

# m o n k s , w h il e t h e b o d h is a t t v a was attending to the devaputra’s exhortation, he caused King Suddhodana

to have the following dream: King Suddhodana saw the Bodhisattva leaving the palace in the quiet o f the night, surrounded by a host o f gods, and then he saw the prince dressed in the saffron garments o f a wandering monk. Awakening suddenly, the king questioned a servant: “ Is my young prince in the women’s apartment?” The servant replied: “ Yes, sire, he is there.”

Then the arrow o f sorrow pierced the king’s heart. “ The young prince will surely leave home since the premonitory signs have appeared.” And he thought: “ No, never! The young prince must not even visit the pleasure garden. En­joying himself among the women, his pleasure will be such that he will not leave his family.”

So King Suddhodana had three palaces built for the enjoyment o f the prince, palaces appropriate to the sum­mer, the winter, and the rainy season. The summer palace was cool, the winter palace was naturally warm, and the palace o f the rainy season had both advantages. Five

hundred men were appointed to patrol the staircases o f each palace, and the noise made by the patrols as they marched up and down was heard for half a yojana. Everyone was certain the young prince could not now leave home without being seen.

But those who knew the signs foretold: “ The prince will leave home through the Gate o f Benediction.” So the king had heavy gates made for the Gate o f Benediction, gates so large that five hundred men were needed to open or close each one. And the noise could be heard for half a yojana. All the while, in the palaces, the young prince involved himself in the incomparable qualities o f desire. At all times the young women accompanied him, singing and playing in­struments.

Then, O monks, the Bodhisattva said to his charioteer: “ Quickly, harness the chariot so that I may go to the garden.” And the charioteer went to King Suddhodana and spoke thus: “ Sire, the young prince wishes to go to the pleasure garden.”

King Suddhodana thought: “ The young prince has never gone with me to see this beautiful garden; perhaps I should send him there myself. In the pleasure garden, surrounded by the most beautiful women, he will enjoy himself so

fready that he will not think of leaving home.” So King uddhodana, showing his tenderness and great esteem for

the Bodhisattva, sounded the bell and caused this proclama­tion to be heard throughout the city: “ In seven days, the young prince will go to the pleasure garden. Remove all disagreeable things from view, so that the prince will see nothing unpleasant on the way. Decorate the city with every­thing o f beauty.”

284

On the seventh day, the whole city was decorated, and the pleasure garden adorned with cloths o f varied colors, with tapestries and parasols, with standards and banners. And the road by which the Bodhisattva proceeded was well-sprinkled with scented water and strewn with fresh flowers. It was made fragrant by cassolettes burning per­fumes. The road was adorned with full urns and planted with banana trees hung with colored tapestries, with nets o f jeweled bells, and with garlands o f large and small pearls. Four divisions o f well-ordered troops filled out the proces­sion as it left the interior apartments o f the prince. In great pomp, the Bodhisattva departed through the eastern gate o f the city toward the pleasure garden.

At that moment, through the power o f the Bodhisattva, the devaputras o f Suddhavasa manifested an old man on the road. He was broken and decrepit; his veins pro­truded on his neck, his teeth chattered, and his body was covered with wrinkles. His hair had gone grey; youth had long forsaken him, and from his throat came croaks rather than words. His body bent over, he leaned on a cane, his hands and limbs trembling badly.'Upon seeing him, the Bodhisattva asked the charioteer:

“ W ho is this feeble man, charioteer,with so little strength, whose flesh and bloodare so dried up, whose muscles sag in his wrinkled skin?W ho can this be whose head is so white,whose teeth clatter together,whose body and limbs are so thin,

285

who leans on a cane and stumbles, walking with such difficulty?”

The charioteer replied:“ This man, O Lord, has been brought low by old age; his faculties have been ravaged; he is sorely afflicted, deprived o f strength and energy. Scorned by his family, he has no protector.Incapable o f acting for himself,he has been abandoned to the forest like a piece o f wood.”

The Bodhisattva said:“ Is this his family’s custom?Or do all human beings suffer in such a way?Tell me the truth at once, starting at the beginning, and I will reflect on what you say.”

The charioteer replied:“ Lord, it is neither the condition o f his family alone nor the condition o f this kingdom only.Old age takes youth from everyone.Your mother, your father, your relatives, and allies— all will end in old age.For living beings there is no other way.”

The Bodhisattva exclaimed:“ What a misfortune, charioteer, for the weak and ignorant creaturewho, drunk with the pride o f youth, does not see old age! Turn the chariot around; I will return home.What do games and pleasures matter to me,I who will be the abode o f old age!”

286

Then, O monks, another time, the Bodhisattva in great pomp departed through the southern gate o f the city, toward the pleasure garden. There appeared on the road a man who had been stricken by disease. Breathing with difficulty, burning with fever, his body weak and fouled by his own excrement, he had no protector, no asylum. Seeing him, the Bodhisattva questioned the charioteer intently:

And the Bodhisattva, turning around the finest of char­iots, returned to the city.

“ Who is this man, charioteer, with a body so ravaged and weak, covered with his own excrement, whose senses are so weakened, who breathes with such difficulty?W ho can this be whose limbs are dried up, whose belly is sunken, who suffers so greatly?”

The charioteer replied:“ This man, Lord, has been struck by disease; enduring the horror o f illness, he has arrived at the threshold o f death. Deprived o f health and well-being, completely drained o f strength, he is without protection or shelter; without asylum, he no longer has friends.”

The Bodhisattva exclaimed:“ Then health is just the play o f a dream!

287

And the horror o f illness has this terrible form!Seeing such a condition o f existence,can the wise retain the concepts o f joy and pleasure?”

Then, O monks, the Bodhisattva turned the best o f char­iots around and returned to the city.

O monks, on another occasion the Bodhisattva, going in great pomp through the western gate toward the pleasure garden, saw a dead man on a palanquin covered over with a cloth canopy. A multitude o f his relatives surrounded him, all weeping, lamenting, and moaning, pulling their hair and covering their heads with dust, beating their breasts as they followed the palanquin. The Bodhisattva questioned the charioteer intently:

“ Who, charioteer, is that man on the palanquin? And who are those people around him, tearing their hair, throwing dust on their heads, beating their breasts, and uttering lamentations?”

The charioteer replied:“ This man, Lord, who died in the land o f Jambu, will never again see his mother, his father, his son or his wife.He has abandoned his enjoyments, his possessions, and his house; abandoned his mother,

288

his father, and all his friends and relatives.He has gone to another world; he will not see his relatives again.”

The Bodhisattva exclaimed:“ What a pity that old age undermines youth!What a pity that disease destroys health!What a pity that man’s life does not endure!What a pity that even the wise are attached to pleasure!

“ Old age and disease are always followed by death.But even were there no old age, no sickness, and no death, great suffering would still arisebased on the five aggregates, the elements o f existence. What more can one say?Let us return—I will think o f deliverance!”

And immediately, O monks, the Bodhisattva turned the finest o f chariots around and returned to the city.

O monks, still another time, through the power o f the Bodhisattva, while the prince was passing through the city’s northern gate, going toward the pleasure garden, the devaputras manifested a monk on the road. The Bodhisattva noticed him at once, calm and controlled, restrained and continent. The monk glanced neither here nor there, but only looked ahead the distance o f an ox yoke. Walking on the great path o f pure action, his movement pleasant to see, his manner agreeable as he looked both left and right; his aspect was beautiful; he glowed while getting up or stretch-

289

ing out; he glowed as he walked along the road, carrying the alms bowl and wearing religious garments.

Seeing this monk, the Bodhisattva questioned the char­ioteer intently:

“ Charioteer, who is this calm man with the peaceful mind,who walks with his eyes lowered,looking only the length o f an ox yoke,dressed in saffron garments,with demeanor perfectly calm,neither proud nor haughty,and carrying an alms bowl?”

The charioteer replied:“ Lord, this man is one o f those whom people call bhiksus. Having abandoned the joys o f desire, he has perfect and disciplined conduct.He has become a wandering monk seeking for inner calm.Without desire he wanders,without hate he wanders, asking for alms.”

The Bodhisattva said:“ What you describe is good, well said, and desirable.Entering into spiritual practice has always been praisedby the wise, for there one finds what is usefulto oneself and to other beings;one finds a happy life, the sweet nectarand the fruit o f immortality.”

290

O monks, King Suddhodana, having learned that the Bodhisattva had seen these forbidden things, had many walls and many solid gates built in order to guard the Bodhisattva with even greater care. He had ditches dug; he established patrols manned by brave soldiers, manned even by well-armed cavalry. To guard the Bodhisattva, he placed four large divisions o f soldiers at the intersections and at the four gates o f the city, saying: “ As long as the Bodhisattva is guarded day and night, he will not leave home!”

In the women’s apartments, the king gave orders: “ Do not interrupt for an instant the music and the singing. All the pleasures and all the games must continue without ceas­ing. Use all your feminine wiles; ensnare the young prince, entrance his mind so that he will not leave home to become a wandering monk.”

Concerning this it is said:

The Bodhisattva then turned his chariot around andreturned to the city.

At the gates stand fighting men with swords ready at their belts;mounted on elephants and horses, and riding chariots,men dressed in armor stand guard,and others on a file o f elephants keep careful watch.Ditches have been dug, and large enclosureswith passageways; solid doors have been erected:the noise made opening them can be heard for a krosa.

291

The anxious Sakyas watch day and night; the tumult o f the army pervades the air.The atmosphere o f the troubled city is agitated with fear: “ May the Pure Being not leave home!May the descendant o f the Sakyas not depart!May the lineage o f kings not be broken!”

And the hosts o f maidens receive this order:“ Never cease your songs; keep always ready.*Ensnare his heart with games and pleasures.Actively use your feminine wiles.Be on your guard, create many hindrances.Ensure that the Pure Being will not leave home!”

O great charioteer, these are the premonitory signso f the time o f departure:the geese, the herons, the peacocks,the jays, and the parrotscease their cries and hang their heads;dreamy and dejected, they perch with sad heartson the palaces, at the oval windows,in the arcades, and on the terraces.

In the reservoirs and ponds,the brilliant lotuses fade and wither.Flowers and leaves wilt,and the trees cease their blooming.The strings on the lutes and guitars snap in two.Drums and tambourines, when struck with the hand, break and make no sound.

The whole troubled city is overcome by sleep;none have the heart for dancing or singing or pleasure.With profoundly afflicted heart,the king himself is given over to somber thoughts:

292

“Ah! Woe unto the Sakya race!May these great supernatural apparitions not destroy us!”

While Gopa and the prince are sleeping,at the hour o f midnight, Gopa sees in a dreamthe whole earth shaken, from oceans to mountain peaks;trees, buffeted by the wind,fall broken and uprooted to the earth.

The sun and the moon, together with their attendant stars, fall from the sky to the earth.She sees her hair cut off by her left hand, and she sees her crown fallen.She sees her hands cut off, and her feet cut off, and she sees herself naked.She sees her pearl necklacesand her jewels broken and strewn about.

She sees the four feet o f her bed broken, lying on the floor.She sees the beautifully decorated handle o f the king’s parasol broken and all the ornaments fallen in disarray, carried away by a river.She sees her husband’s ornaments, his clothing, and his crown scattered in disorder on their bed.

She sees beams o f light issuing from the city, which itself is plunged into darkness.And in her dream the beautiful nets made o f precious materials are broken,

293

and the hanging pearl garlands have fallen.Even the great ocean is in turmoil, and she sees Meru, the king o f mountains, shaken to its foundations.

These are the thingswhich the daughter o f the Sakyas sees in a dream.And on waking, weeping and with worried eyes, she says to her husband:“ Tell me, Lord, what will come to pass from such things as I have dreamed?M y mind is troubled. I cannot see clearly, and my heart is filled with sorrow.”

Hearing these words, the one with the voice as beautiful as Brahma’s, like the nightingale, like the sound o f the drum, says to Gopa:“ Be happy—these dreams show nothing wrong.Beings who have formerly practiced good works are the ones who have such dreams.Miserable people have no such dreams.

“ Since you have seen in a dream the earth strongly shaken, and the mountain peaks fallen to earth, the gods, the nagas, the raksasas, and the troops o f bhutas will render the greatest homage to you.

“ Since you have seen trees uprooted,and your hair cut off with your left hand,soon, Gopa, you will cut the net of the fettering passions;you will remove the veil o f false viewsthat obscures the conditioned world.

294

“ Since you have seen the moon and sun fallen, as well as the stars and planets, soon, Gopa, having conquered the enemies, the fettering passions, you will know the praise and honor o f the world.

“ Since you have seen your pearl necklace scattered, your body broken and completely unclothed, soon, Gopa, having cast off your female body, you will be born as a man.

“ Since you have seen the couch with broken legs and the parasol with the broken jeweled handle, soon, Gopa, you will see me pass beyond the four currents, and become the unique parasol for the three worlds.

“ Since you have seen the ornaments dragged offby the river, and my diadem and clothingscattered on the bed,soon, Gopa, you will see me,whose body is adorned with the signs,praised by all the worlds.

“ Since you have seen hundreds o f millions o f lights streaming out o f the city plunged in darkness, soon, Gopa, I will cause the light o f wisdom to shine in the world blinded by ignorance and confusion.

“ Since you have seen the pearl necklace broken, as well as the precious golden thread,Gopa, having cut the net o f emotionality,you will cast away the threads o f limited perceptionthat obscure the conditioned world.

295

“ Because, Gopa, you have always honored meand surrounded me with the greatest respect,there are for you neither unfortunate rebirths nor sorrow;soon you will rejoice, filled with great joy.

“ In times past, I gave in abundance,I guarded my conduct and always acted patiently.That is why those with faith in me will all be filled with pleasure and joy.

“ For tens o f millions o f kalpas in the world,I purified the path o f Enlightenment.That is why, for all who have faith in me, the paths to the three unfortunate rebirths will be no more.

“ Be happy and do not give in to sadness; be joyous and give yourself over to cheer.Soon you will obtain joy and contentment.Sleep, Gopa; the omens are favorable for you!”

Holy men o f the pastwho have accumulated many virtuous works have seen when the time has come to leave home.These signs o f great merit and these dreams mark the essence o f his glory:

He stirs up the water o f the four great oceans with his hands and feet;the whole world becomes his well-adorned bed, with Meru, best o f mountains, a pillow for his head.

He sees a brilliance spread throughout the world, bringing light to the deep shadows,

296

and a parasol comes out o f the earth to shelter the three worlds.Touched by this light,the sufferings o f those in lower realms are lessened.

Four black and white animals lick his feet; birds o f four colors become a single color.Climbing a mountain o f the most repulsive filth, he walks there without being soiled.

He sees again in a dreamseveral hundreds o f millions o f beings carried away by the waters o f a great river.Crossing this river,he creates a vessel to carry others across, and establishes them in the beautiful land where there is neither fear nor sorrow.

He sees many beings languishing, overcome by disease, deprived o f strength and beauty.Becoming a physician,he gives medicine in abundanceand cures millions o f beings struck by many illnesses.

Seated on the side o f Mount Meru,which serves him as a lion throne,he sees disciples and gods bowing with folded hands.He sees his victory in battleand hears the gods shouting to the sky with joy.

Such are the things the Bodhisattva sees in a dream because o f the perfect achievement o f his pious and meritorious vows.

297

Those who heard these verses were delighted and thought: “ Before long, the Bodhisattva will become the god o f gods and men alike.”

Chapter Fourteen Dreams

298

Plate 15

‘Tfje ‘Departure Jrom D om e

EANWHILE, O MONKS, THE BODHISATTVA THOUGHT:“ How unseemly and ungrateful if I were to leave

without asking my father’s permission, without even telling the great king.”

And so, in the quiet o f the night, the Bodhisattva goes forth from the palace which was his residence and enters the palace o f King Suddhodana. No sooner has he entered than the whole palace is filled with light.

The king, awakened by the light, at once calls out: “ O servant! Has the sun just risen? Such a beautiful light is shining!” And the servant replies: “ At this moment, sire, not half the night has passed.”

“ The light o f the sundoes not shine through walls or wood.Its light is hot and burns the body.

If it were daybreak, swans, peacocks,parrots, cuckoos, and partridges would be calling out.

“ But this light, O Master o f Men, is pleasant and soft; it affords delight and exudes well-being and does not burn; it passes through walls and wood and casts no shadow. There can be no doubt, a being endowed with great qualities has entered the palace.”

Troubled, the king looks all around the room— and then before him there appears the pure being with lotus eyes.The king attempts to rise from his bed but cannot, while the Bodhisattva, pure in mind, full o f respect for his father,

Stands before the king and says to him:“ Lord, the time has come for me to leave home.Please, create no obstacles. Do not be distressed.O King, I pray that my familyand the people o f the kingdom will restrain their grief.”

The king’s eyes fill with tears, and he replies:“ Whatever I must do to change your mind, whatever gift you might desire o f me, you need but speak. I will give you anything.Take this palace and myself, along with all my kingdom!”

The Bodhisattva says softly: “ Lord, I seek four things.If you can but give them to me, I shall remain here,

302

“ I desire, my lord, that old ageshould never take hold o f me;that I should always possess the radiance o f youth;that I should always be in perfect health,and that sickness never should strike me;that my life should be endless,and that there should be no death.”

The king is overcome with sorrow at these words: “ What you ask, my son, cannot be done; in these matters I am powerless.Even the rsis who live for kalpas are not free from the fear o f old age, sickness, death, and misfortune.”

The young prince replies:“ If you cannot give me these four gifts,then listen, my lord, and grant this single gift instead:that on leaving this life,there may be no more rebirth for me.”

When he hears these words from the greatest o f beings,the king restrains his attachment,and, controlling his love for his son,he says: “ May you do great good in the world.May you rejoice in liberating beings, and may all you intend come to pass.”

Then, O monks, the Bodhisattva returned to his palace and lay down upon his bed. And no one saw his departure or return.

303

O monks, at the end o f the night, King Suddhodana assembled the whole Sakya clan and told them what had transpired. “ The prince is going to leave. What shall we do?” The Sakyas said: “ Sire, we will place a guard; the Sakyas are many, and he is but one—he cannot force his way out.”

Then they placed at the eastern gate o f the city five hundred young Sakyas, seasoned soldiers experienced in the Vise o f arms, skillful with the bow and arrow, and with strong well-trained bodies like those o f the nagnas. Each o f the young Sakyas had five hundred chariots as escort, and each chariot, five hundred infantrymen.

At the southern, western, and northern gates as well, five hundred young Sakyas were stationed, seasoned warriors, experienced in the use o f arms, skilled with the bow and arrow, and as strong as the great nagnas. Each o f the young Sakyas was escorted by chariots, and each chariot by five hundred soldiers. The oldest among the elders o f the Sakyas were placed in great numbers at all the crossroads, public squares, and great highways. Even King Suddhodana, with a retinue o f five hundred Sakyas mounted on horses and elephants, stood guard at the door o f the palace.

Then Mahaprajapati GautamI said to the multitude o f serving girls:

“ Light the lamps; at the top o f the bannersplace all the precious jewels; hang garlands o f pearls,and fill the palace with light.

304

“ Let music and songs ring out;watch ceaselessly during the night,and guard the prince with care,so that he cannot leave without being seen.

“ Take daggers in your hands;arm yourselves with swords and javelins,and guard this cherished son at all costs.

“ Close the doors firmly, make fast the bars and chains; do not open them unless the time is right, lest the Pure Being be lost.

“Adorn yourselves with care.Put on necklaces o f precious stones and pearls, garlands, belts, and earrings, seal rings and anklets.

“ Eager to go to the aid o f gods and men, he will be like a crazed elephant.If suddenly he attempts to go outside, much unhappiness will come to pass.So take great care!

“ Let women carrying lancessurround the couch o f this pure being;do not let sleep overcome you—let your eyes hover over him, like butterflies.

“ Cover the couch with a jeweled lattice to prevent the prince from rising.Play the flutes loudly, do not doze or sleep.Guard the prince carefully!

“ Help each other ward off sleep,lest he abandon home and kingdom and heritage.

305

“ If he leaves, the royal palace will be deprived o f joy, and the long-enduring lineage o f the king will end!”

Then, O monks, twenty-eight great chiefs o f the army o f yaksas and five hundred sons o f the yaksinl Hariti, pre­ceded by Pancika, chief o f the yaksa army, assembled in the palace and spoke thus: “ Today, friends, the Bodhisattva will leave home. Be ready now to present him with offerings.”

And the Four Great Kings, having entered the royal pal­ace o f Adakavatl, said to the assembly o f yaksas: “ Today, friends, the Bodhisattva leaves home; as he leaves, you must lift up the hooves o f his horse.”

And the assembly o f yaksas said:

“ This most exalted o f beings is immutable, this body is as solid as diamond and unshakable; he has the power o f Narayana; strength, energy, and gravity are his.The first among mountains, the great Meru, could be uprooted and carried away into heaven, but he could not be moved at all!His Buddha-qualities far outweigh Mount Meru, as he has taken refuge in virtue and knowledge.”

Vaisravana said: “ Men filled with pride are the ones for whom the master is heavy.

Those who abide in gentleness and respect recognize that he is light.Put on zeal and respect, and with the help o f reflection,you will know that he is as lightas a tuft o f cotton that floats through the sky.

“ I will go ahead, and you lift up the horse.Now, when the Bodhisattva is leaving home, let us amass many good works.”

Meanwhile, O monks, &akra, the lord o f the gods, said to the Thirty-three gods: “ Today, friends, the Bodhisattva will leave home. On this occasion, one should be ready to make many offerings.”

Then a devaputra named Santasumati spoke: “ For my part, I will put to sleep all the men and women, young and old, in the great city o f Kapilavastu.”

A devaputra named Lalitavyuha spoke: “ I will make all noise imperceptible—no sound will be heard from horses or elephants; from donkeys, camels, oxen, or buffaloes; from men, women, boys, or girls.”

A devaputra named Vyuhamati spoke: “ And I, from the sky, will decorate the route taken by the Bodhisattva as he leaves home. Seven great chariots will surround him, spark­ling with the brilliance o f precious jewels and sun crystals. The road by which the Bodhisattva departs will be strewn with flowers and decorated with unfurled banners and open parasols, with cassolettes o f varied scents.”

307

The king o f the elephants named Airavana spoke thus: “And I on my own trunk will have a storied palace built, three hundred and twenty-two yojanas high. There the apsarases will make a respectful escort for the Bodhisattva with song and the music o f many instruments.”

&akra himself, the lord o f the gods, spoke: “ I will open the gates and point out the road.”

The devaputra named Dharmacarin spoke: “ I will cause the women’s apartments to appear disagreeable.”

Sancodaka, the devaputra, said: “ I will then lift the Bodhisattva from his bed.”

Varuna, Manasvin, Sagara, Anavatapta, Nanda, and Upananda, all kings o f the nagas, spoke: “As offerings to the Bodhisattva, we will produce a cloud o f incense and a rain o f Uraga sandalwood powder.”

Such, O monks, were the resolutions made and settled by the gods, the nagas, the yaksas, and the gandharvas.

Dwelling at ease in the palace, surrounded by the sound o f music in the women’s apartments, the Bodhisattva reflected on being useful to all beings; he entered into the thought o f the Dharma and recalled the meaning o f his four prayers o f the past:

“ In the past, desiring the sovereignty o f the freely-arising being, and aspiring to omniscience, I donned the armor of virtue. Beholding the suffering o f beings, I prayed: ‘Alas for the world bound in the great prison o f rebirth! May I completely destroy this prison and call out for deliverance from these bonds! May I be able to free all beings chained tight by the strong bonds o f desire!’ ” Such is the mean­

3<

ing o f the first prayer o f times past, which he now brought to mind.

“Alas for the world which has entered the thick jungle o f ignorance! May I produce the great lamp o f wisdom and the great light o f the Dharma for those with eyes blinded by darkness and veiled by the film o f ignorance, for those de­prived o f the eye o f wisdom and blinded by the shadows o f confusion. May I produce the remedies o f wisdom, knowl­edge, and means, the remedy o f the eye o f wisdom and the three doors o f deliverance. After dispelling the shadows and darkness o f ignorance and clearing away the great fog o f confusion, may I purify the eye o f wisdom.” Such is the meaning o f the second prayer o f times past, which he now brought to mind.

“Alas for the world full o f egotism and self-love! It has unfurled the banner o f pride and pursues its self-concerns. May I overturn the banner o f pride and self-concern and show the honorable path to those who carry the flag o f error, who hold mistaken views o f mind and consciousness.” Such is the meaning o f the third prayer o f times past, which he now brought to mind.

“Alas for the world which is not at peace, whose fabric is a mass o f tangled threads! Beings are always coming and going from this world to the world beyond, running around from that place to this place, unable to free themselves from the round o f rebirth that turns like the illusory wheel o f fire made by spinning a torch. May I make the light o f the Dharma shine, bringing peace and producing the content­ment o f wisdom!” Such is the meaning o f the fourth prayer o f times past which he now brought to mind.

These are the four prayers made in previous lives.

309

At that instant, the women’s apartments were trans­formed and put into great disorder by the devaputra Dharmacarin and by the gods o f the Suddhavasa realm. The devaputras hovering in the sky revealed the women’s unpleasant and disgusting aspects and addressed these verses to the Bodhisattva:

The devaputras, great magic makers,say to the one with long eyeslike the petals o f a blooming lotus:“ How can you be joyfulin the midst o f this cemetery in which you live?”

Admonished by the masters o f the gods, he looks about the women’s apartments, and finding it so, he says:“ I do, in truth, dwell in the middle o f a cemetery!”

The Bodhisattva looked at the entire gathering o f women and studied them intently. He saw that some had torn clothing and disheveled hair; their ornaments and diadems lay on the floor. He saw that some had ugly shoulders and long arms dangling; some had ugly or discolored faces or flawed bodies. Some while sleeping had crossed their eyes, and others were drooling. He saw women snoring, laughing, mumbling, coughing, and gritting their teeth. Some had

310

their legs askew and heads held hanging, while others had covered their uneven features. Some were lying naked, coarse bodies in view. Some had fallen onto their sides, clutching drums, or were slumped over the lutes, over the vlnas and the vallakls; some were gripping other instruments such as the kimpalas, nakulas, sampas, and tadavacaras; some clenched flutes between their teeth. Some were blinking their eyes, and others were twisting their faces. Struck by the sheer ugliness o f the women thus transformed as they lay spread out upon the floor, the Bodhisattva indeed had the impression of a cemetery.

Concerning this it is said:

The Protector of the World gazes upon them and sighs with compassion:“Alas! These creatures are miserable!How can one find pleasure with troops o f raksasls?

“ Those whose judgment has been wrappedin the shadows o f extreme confusiontake the qualities o f desire for virtues;like birds that enter traps, they lose their freedom.”

By means o f the luminous gates o f the Dharma, the Bodhisattva again examined the women’s apartments and lamented with great compassion:

311

“ These ignorant ones die like prisoners who have been condemned to death.These ignorant ones are full o f desire like idiots clutching pretty vases full o f vomit.These ignorant ones are drowning like elephants who are in deep water.These ignorant ones are shackled like criminals in prison.These ignorant ones rejoice like wild boars cavorting in the midst o f manure.These ignorant ones jump with excitement like dogs in the midst o f bones.These ignorant ones throw themselves like moths into the burning flames.These ignorant ones are bound like monkeys who have been caught in a trap.These ignorant ones are caught like fish in a net.These ignorant ones are cut in pieces like sheep brought to a slaughterhouse.These ignorant ones are transfixed like evildoers who have been impaled on a spike.These ignorant ones are distressed like aged elephants who are stuck in a swamp.These ignorant ones are bereft like travelers whose ship has broken up on the ocean.These ignorant ones fall into chasms like those who are blind.

312

These ignorant ones are exhausted like water which disap­pears into the opening o f the Patala underworld.These ignorant ones are consumed by fire like the great earth destroyed at the end o f a kalpa.These ignorant ones are whirled about like the spinning wheel o f the potter.

These ignorant ones go astray like the blind who wander into the mountains.

These ignorant ones run in circles like dogs tied on a leash.These ignorant ones diminish like the waning moon during its dark fortnight.These ignorant ones perish like grass and trees drying up in the heat o f summer.These ignorant ones are devoured like serpents that are killed by the garuda.These ignorant ones are mangled like sailors caught by the great makara.These ignorant ones are ravaged like caravans stripped bare by a troop o f robbers.These ignorant ones are broken like palm trees by the wind.These ignorant ones are killed like small wild beasts that are devoured by serpents.These ignorant ones are harmed by sweetness like someone licking honey off the blade o f a razor.These ignorant ones are carried away like pieces o f wood by the current o f a river.These ignorant ones sport and play like little children with their own excrement.

313

These ignorant ones are pushed about like elephants con­trolled by the driver’s hook.These ignorant ones are deceived like fools led by rascals.These ignorant ones destroy the roots o f virtue like pas­sionate gamblers who lose their fortunes.These ignorant ones are devoured like merchants fallen prey to raksasls.”

In this way, the Bodhisattva completely analyzed the women’s apartments with thirty-two similes, and when he formed for himself a clear consciousness o f the impurity of the body and of what is debased, revulsion welled up within him. Reflecting on his own body, he saw clearly its afflictions and cut off all inclination toward it. He formed for himself a clear consciousness o f the pure and penetrated the idea of the impure; he saw that the body, from the soles o f the feet to the confines o f the brain, is born from the impure, proceeds from the impure, and always lets flow what is im­pure. And at that moment, he pronounced these verses:

“ The body, born from the field o f karma,issuing from the water o f desire, is characterized by decay.Disfigured by tears and sweat, by saliva, urine, and blood,filled with filth from the belly,with marrow, blood, and liquids from the brain,always letting impurities flow -bodies are the abode o f impure things and ugly stenches.

314

“ Covered with leathery skinpunctured by pores, teeth, and hair;weakened by the accumulationo f excrement, pus, fat, and saliva;held together like a machine by sinews and nerves;made beautiful by the fleshbut subject to the pains o f disease;always tormented by hunger and thirst—

“ This body with its many apertures is the abode o f old age and death.Having seen this, what wise manwould not look upon his own body as an enemy?”

And the Bodhisattva recalled passing from one body to another.

In the expanse o f the sky, the devaputras spoke thus to the devaputra Dharmacarin: “ Friend, what is this? Siddhartha delays: though he has examined in detail the women’s apartments, he has even smiled. Seeing such unpleasant­ness, how can he go back to it?

“Ah, truly, he is as deep as the ocean; it is impossible to take his measure. And truly, the mind o f the one without attachment does not attach itself to sense objects. No! Ex­horted by the gods, he surely does not forget his former promise.”

Dharmacarin said: “ Need we say more? In the past so great was his detachment in acting for the sake o f Enlight­

315

enment that he even left his family and gave up all he had. Having already developed true detachment, would he not possess it now, in his last existence?”

Meanwhile, monks, the Bodhisattva, who had attained certitude, whose mind was made up, whose thought was firm, did not delay. He stretched his crossed legs and arose, facing the east where the music had sounded. With his right hand he parted the jeweled lattice and went to the palace roof. There, he joined his palms and, with the mind o f all the Buddhas, made obeisance to all the Buddhas. Looking into the expanse o f the heavens, he saw the master o f the gods, Dasasatanayana, surrounded by a hundred thousand gods holding flowers, incense, perfumes, and garlands, aloes, perfumed powders, and monastic garments, parasols, standards, banners, earrings o f flowers, and garlands o f precious stones. Looking down, he saw Dasasatanayana bowing before him. He then saw the Four Guardians o f the World, accompanied by troops o f yaksas, raksasas, gandharvas, and nagas, fitted out in solid breastplates and coats of mail, holding swords, bows and arrows, javelins, and lances with two and three points. As was fitting, all laid down their crowns and diadems o f pearls and bowed before the Bodhisattva. Pusya, the chief constellation, rose over the horizon flanked by Gandra, the god of the moon, and Surya, the god o f the sun. Then, just at the hour o f midnight, the Bodhisattva called Chandaka.

“ Chandaka, the blessings are moving toward their culmination!

316

Today without doubt the great purpose will be achieved. Chandaka, do not delay!Bring me the king o f horses decorated with his ornaments.”

When Chandaka heard these words, his heart was trou­bled: “ Where will you go, O Lion o f Men? You with the long lashes, with the eyes as beautiful as the lotus petal, you with the face as pleasing as a new white lotus? You are like the kumuda flower open to the moon; you are like the full autumn moon itself when the sun has set, flawless, and as brilliant as pure gold. You who blaze like fire sprinkled with offerings o f pure butter; you who sparkle like the diamond and the flash o f lightning; you with the gait o f a wild elephant, o f a playful elephant; you with the bearing o f the swan, the manner o f the king o f beasts—where will you go?”

The Bodhisattva replied:

“ Chandaka, for the sake o f this moment,I have in past lives given up my hands and feet, my eyes, my head, my body, my children, and my dear wives, royalty, wealth, gold, and beautiful dress.

“ I have given up elephants with rich trappings and horses who had strength and valor, and the speed o f the wind.

317

For tens o f millions o f kalpas,I have guarded virtue and meditated on patience, gained the strength o f valor, meditation, and wisdom.

“ I have attained supreme Enlightenment, happy and calm. The time has come for me to deliver beings who have entered the trap o f old age and death!”

Chandaka said: “ I have heard it said, my lord, that when you were born, you were examined by brahmins who knew the signs, and they predicted in the presence o f King Suddhodana that you would increase the prosperity o f the king’s family.

“ When Suddhodana asked how that could happen, the brahmins replied: ‘Your son was born shining with the signs o f a hundred merits. He will be a Cakravartin king, sover­eign o f the four continents, possessor o f the seven treasures. But if, after seeing the world afflicted with sorrow, he leaves his family and abandons the women’s apartments, he will obtain Enlightenment, where there is neither old age nor death, and will quench the thirst o f sentient beings with the water o f the Dharma.’

“Ah, well, my lord. There is the prediction, such as it is. But listen to me, for I seek to help you.”

The Bodhisattva asked: “ How is that?”

Chandaka replied: “ M y lord, consider what some people undertake as penance and austerity. They wear clothing made o f tree bark and deer skins, and a braid o f hair for a

318

crown; they grow long their fingernails, their hair, anc their beards. They submit their bodies to miserable tortures by their own choice, and they devote themselves to terrible penitences. Lord, why would one seek to obtain in this way the happiness o f men and gods when one already has such happiness?

“ This kingdom is large, flourishing, and prosperous, abundant in everything, filled with happy men and other living beings. And these grounds! They are the most beau­tiful among the most beautiful—bedecked with all sorts of flowers and fruits, filled with flocks o f marvelous singing birds.

“And the lakes! They are embellished with lotuses o f blue and yellow, red and white, enlivened with the calls o f geese, peacocks, and cuckoos, cakravakas, herons, and jays; they are surrounded by gardens o f coral trees and flowering trees, mango trees, asokas, magnolias, red amaranths, tilakas, and kesaras.

“And the parks! They are marked out as huge chess­boards for games, surrounded with jeweled tables, and sheltered by jeweled lattice work, ready to be enjoyed in any season, spring, summer, autumn, or winter.

“And the great palaces! They are like Mount Kailasa, like Vaijayanta; they are protected by the law, the good law. In these palaces cares and worries are banished. And the palaces are decorated with terraces, porticos, and arcades, with ornamental windows and storied pavilions, with tiny bells ringing from the lattice work.

“And the apartments o f the women! Where the women dance so well and raise their voices in harmony; there they

319

play instruments—drums and tambourines, lutes, flutes, and cymbals; there the time is spent sweetly, in laughter and dance, in play and rejoicing.

“And you, Lord! You are young and slender, in the flower of youth; your body is graceful and handsome; your hair, is black, and you have not toyed with desires. Give yourself over to pleasure like Indra, the master o f the gods. Later, when we have grown old, we will leave home to wander as monks.” And at that moment, he recited this verse:

“ Knowing the rites o f pleasure, O Lord,give yourself over to pleasure,like the master o f the gods in the Tridasa realm.When we have grown old,we will undertake austerities.”

The Bodhisattva replied: “ Enough, Chandaka. The ob­jects o f desire do not endure; they are impermanent, in­constant, and o f a changing nature; they are quickly gone; they move as rapidly as the mountain torrent; like the dew drop, they soon disappear. Like the empty fist which de­ceives a child, they are without essence; like the hollow stem of a kadal! plant, they are empty. Like clay vases, their nature is fragile; like autumn clouds, they appear for an instant and then are no more; like flashes o f lightning, they

320

do not last long. Like a vessel full o f poison, they produce only misery; like poison ivy, they bring discomfort.

“ The objects desired by those o f weak intelligence are like water bubbles, o f a quickly changing nature. They are like a mirage produced by an error o f consciousness; like an illu­sion caused by an error o f the mind; like dreams which hold one enthralled by an error o f sight. Like the ocean, they are incapable o f giving satisfaction and difficult to fill; like salty water, they produce thirst. Like the head o f a serpent, they are dangerous to touch; like a great precipice, they are avoided by the wise.

“ Having recognized that desires are accompanied by dangers, quarrels, faults, and vices, the wise avoid them, scholars disparage them, the noble push them away. The intelligent abandon them, but they are grasped by fools and supported by the ignorant.” And at that moment he recited this verse:

“ The wise avoid them like the head o f a serpent; they push them away like a vessel full o f vomit.O Chandaka, since I know that desires destroy all virtue, they bring me no more joy.”

Chandaka groaned as if pierced by an arrow; his eyes filled with tears, and overcome with grief, he said:

“ Lord, some who think that way practice austerities.They wear black gazelle skins and braid their hair.

321

They grow their hair and fingernails and their beards very long.Their bodies are emaciated and covered only with bark. Locked in their ascetic practice, they eat only small amounts o f millet or other grains. With heads bowed, they observe the frugality o f cattle.

“ With the same goal in view, we also, the principal beings, the most elevated, along with the great Gakravartins, the Guardians o f the World,&akra who holds the vajra,and Yama, lord o f the gods o f the Nirmita realm, we all desire the joys o f contemplation in the world o f Brahma,thinking to become like the most powerful gods, who are free from all strife.

“ O Best of Men, this kingdom is yours, flourishing, extensive, prosperous— these delightful gardens, these parks, this palace built like Mount Vaijayanta.The women’s quarters are yours, where the women know so well how to mix concerts o f songs and instruments with dance and enjoyment.Enjoy these pleasures.Do not wander forth as a monk, O Excellent One!”

The Bodhisattva replied:“ Chandaka, listen! Because o f desire,I have endured hundreds o f sufferings.In the course o f my previous lives,I experienced imprisonments,

322

hindrances, blows, and threats, and endured them all patiently.

“ Long ago, I was bound by the neto f ignorance and confusion,and under the influence o f heedlessness.The Dharma drew me forth from ignorance, and I no longer grasped at sensation or objects o f consciousness.

“All things are changing, unstable, like clouds, like flashes o f lightning, like drops o f dew; they are vain and hollow, without essence, without identity, entirely empty by nature.

“ M y mind is not attached to objects o f the senses.Ghandaka, bring me Kanthaka,the best o f horses, adorned with ornaments.By the fulfillment o f the blessings o f my thoughts,I shall be the Muni who conquers everything,Lord o f the Dharma, King o f the Dharma.”

Chandaka said:“ Do you not see on her couch, the beautiful one, with eyes like the petals o f a lotus in bloom, adorned with garlands o f pearls and precious stones, sparkling like the lightning which flashes through the cloud drifts in the heavens?

“And these flutes, these drums which make pleasing sounds,these musical instruments and these melodies,the calls o f the partridgeand the warblings o f the nightingale,this dwelling like that o f the women o f the kinnaras:how can you abandon it all?

323

“ Masses o f flowers: jasmine, blue lotuses, aloes, magnolias, soft scented garlands, and black aloes; cassolettes where the best perfumes burn, and the finest o f ointments: do you not see them all?

“ Savory dishes with the most excellent taste, prepared with delicate spices, sugared drinks: do you not see even them? Lord, where will you go?

“ These fine and soft garmentsfooven with silver and gold,warm and comfortable in cold and heat alike,impregnated with the essence o f Uraga sandalwood:do you not see even them? Lord, where will you go?

“And what o f the five qualities o f desire, which for you, Lord, are as abundant as those in the lands o f the gods?Rejoice in possession o f joy and well-being; let the prince o f the Sakyas go later to the forest.”

The Bodhisattva replied:“ Chandaka, for immeasurable and endless kalpas,I have tasted all the divine and human desires arising from form, sound, smell, taste, and touch, and I have not been satisfied!

“As son o f the highest o f kings,I ruled over a great kingdom composed o f the four continents.I was then a Gakravartin king in possession o f the seven precious objects, living within the women’s apartments.I have ruled over the masterso f the TridaSa realm and the Suyama gods.

324

“After passing from their midst,I became the highest among the Nirmitas, holiest o f the gods o f transformation.I have already enjoyed the greatest prosperities which could delight the heart;I have had the power o f the greatest o f gods and mastery o f their realm, and I was not satisfied.

“All the more today—how could I be satisfied by depending on these demeaning conditions?The ferocious emotions in this wilderness o f misery and suffering always carry one away in despair and confusion.

“ In the darkness o f ignorance and confusion, there is no refuge and no protector.Pursued by the fear o f old age, illness, and death,struck on all sides by the suffering o f birth,persecuted by suffering,beings continually harm each otherand are harmed in turn.

“ When I realized this, I turnedto the good ship o f the Dharmaand gathered the timbers o f giving,good conduct, discipline, patience, and valor;solidly I secured these timbers with the highest intentions,deep and solid as a diamond.

“ Entering this ship, I crossed over by myself, and now I will give passage to beings without number, beings caught in the current o f rebirth, troubled by the sorrow o f rebirth,fearful of the waves of anger and the monsters of passion that hinder passage over the turbulent waters.

325

“ This is my thought:since I by myself have crossed this ocean o f existence, infested with the monsters o f harmful views and the raksasas o f emotional conflict,I will establish all beings in the happy place where there is no more old age or death!”

Then Ghandaka spoke, groaning deeply: “ Lord, is this your firm resolution?”

The Bodhisattva replied: “ Listen, Ghandaka, to what I have resolved: I shall not waver from my unwavering intent to deliver beings, for my intent is firm, like Meru, the king of mountains.

Chandaka said: “ What is the intent of the noble lord?”

The Bodhisattva replied:“ Even in the midst o f a rain o f stones and arrows, picks and axes, lightning and burning rocks o f molten iron, even if the flaming peaks of mountains were to fall on my head,I would never again conceive the desire to be a householder!” .

At this very moment, the gods in the sky cried out with great joy and rained down flowers, saying: “ Victory! Victory is yours.You possess the highest intelligence;

326

you show compassion for all sentient beings; you make fearless those without a protector!

“ The Best o f Men is not attachedto the objects o f the senses;his mind is no more attachedthan a comet to the darkness o f the sky.Like the new lotus, spotless and pristine in the water, he is untouched by attachment.”

O monks, when the devaputra Santamati and the deva- putra Lalitavyuha saw the Bodhisattva’s determination, they caused all the noise in the great and excellent city o f Kapilavastu to cease and plunged the men and women, the youths and maidens into deep sleep.

O monks, the Bodhisattva realized that all the inhabi­tants of the city were sleeping. He knew that the hour o f midnight was at hand, and also that the moon was in the constellation Pusya. It was indeed the time to leave home. The Bodhisattva said to Chandaka: “ Chandaka, please do not try to discourage me, but prepare Kanthaka; bring him to me without delay.”

The Bodhisattva had no sooner uttered these words than the Four Guardians o f the World, who had been listening, arrived from their dwellings to pay him homage. Quickly, quickly they came to the large city o f Kapilavastu, each having made his preparations.

From the East, Dhrtarastra, the great master o f the gandharvas, arrived in the company o f several hundreds o f

327

thousands o f millions o f gandharvas, playing sweet music and songs o f all sorts. As soon as he had arrived, he circum­ambulated the great city o f Kapilavastu, and returning to the eastern horizon, he made obeisance to the Bodhisattva.

From the South, the great king Virudhaka arrived with several hundreds o f thousands of millions o f kumbhandas, holding garlands and necklaces o f pearls and diamonds and vases filled with all kinds o f scented water. As soon as he had arrived, he circumambulated the great city o f Kapilavastu, and returning to the southern horizon, he made obeisance to the Bodhisattva.

From the West, the great king Virupaksa arrived with several hundreds o f thousands o f millions o f nagas, holding garlands and necklaces o f pearls and diamonds, raining down flowers and perfumed powders, and sending forth sweetly scented breezes. As soon as Virupaksa had arrived, he circumambulated the great city o f Kapilavastu, and re­turning to the western horizon, he made obeisance to the Bodhisattva.

From the North, the great king Kubera arrived with several hundreds o f millions o f yaksas, holding in their hands jeweled lamps, butter lamps, and lighted torches. Fitted out in strong breastplates, the yaksas were armed with weapons o f all kinds, with bows and arrows, picks and javelins, lances with two and three points, discuses, and projectiles. As soon as Kubera had arrived, he circum­ambulated the great city o f Kapilavastu, and, returning to the northern horizon, he made obeisance to the Bodhisattva.

Then Sakra, master of the gods, arrived, together with the Thirty-three gods, holding heavenly flowers, incense, oint­ments, perfumes, garlands, perfumed powders, and cloth­

328

ing, parasols, standards, banners, earrings o f flowers, and other ornaments. As soon as he had arrived, he circumam­bulated the great city o f Kapilavastu, and proceeding with his following to the zenith o f the sky, he made obeisance to the Bodhisattva.

O monks, when Chandaka heard the Bodhisattva’s words, his eyes filled with tears, and he addressed the Bodhisattva in this way: “ Lord, you who know time, who know the hour, who know the favorable moment, this is not the favor­able time to leave. Why then do you give the order for it?”

The Bodhisattva answered him: “ Chandaka, the time has come.”

“ What time has come, Lord?”

The Bodhisattva patiently replied: “ In seeking to help all living beings, I made the prayer long ago that when I obtained Enlightenment, free from old age and death, I might free living beings. The time has now arrived. This is that very culmination.”

Concerning this it is said:

The gods are in haste:the gods o f the earth and air, the Guardians o f the World,Sakra, the master o f the gods with his following,the Yama and Tusita gods, and the Nirmitaand Parinirmita gods, Varuna and Manasvin also,the king o f the nagas, Anavatapta as well as Sagara;all are in haste to present their offeringsat the moment o f the Great Being’s departure from home.

329

And the gods from the realm o f form,who act always with calmand remain in the state o f contemplation,they, too, are in haste to offer homageto the Highest o f Beings,worthy o f the homage o f the three worlds.

The myriad Bodhisattvas, his companions in actions o f former times, come from the ten directions i to see the departure o f the Jina from home and to pay homage, as is fitting.

And the magnanimous master o f the guhyakas also, carrying a burning vajra, stands in the sky, his body clothed in armor.Endowed with strength, energy, and courage, he holds in his secret hand a brilliant vajra.

The devaputras Candra and Surya, standing on the right and left, join their palms in adoration and reflect upon the departure o f the Bodhisattva.

The constellation Pusya with his followingtransforms his majestic bodyand stands before this holiest o f men.He speaks with an intonation which goes straight to the heart:

“ Today your blessings and benedictions have been fulfilled: Pusya is in view.It is the favorable moment to depart, and I, too, will go with you.May you encounter no obstacles, O Destroyer o f Desire.

330

“ The devaputra Sancodaka has encouraged you; arise quickly, you who are outstanding in strength and courage!Deliver all beings harmed by suffering!The time to leave home has come.”

Hundreds o f millions o f gods rain down delightful flowers; surrounded by gods, the Bodhisattva sits cross-legged in the best o f positions, shining with brilliant splendor.

But none in the city sees him.All the men and women, youths and maidens,having strayed from right action,are asleep, their minds heavy and dull.Elephants, horses, oxen, jays, parrots, herons,and peacocks are all asleep, their minds slow and heavy.

And the sons o f the Sakyas,armed with two-pointed lances solid as diamonds, mounted on elephants, horses, and chariots, all sleep soundly in front o f the gates they guard.

The king and his men, and the attendants o f the prince, all are sound asleep, and so are the women attendants. They have removed their clothing, and sleeping deeply, they sense nothing.

When the midnight hour has passed, the Bodhisattva speaks to Chandaka with a voice like Brahma’s, with words that touch the heart and resound like the song o f the nightingale:“ Please, Chandaka, bring me

331

my good horse Kanthaka, decorated with all his ornaments.Do not make trouble. If you love me, bring him to me quickly.”

Chandaka’s eyes fill with tears when he hears these words, and he says to his master:“ Where will you go, O Best Charioteer o f Beings?Why have you need o f a horse?!fbu who know the time, who know the moment, it is not the time to go anywhere, not the time to practice the Dharma.The gates are closed, strengthened with solid bars.Who then will open them?”

Chandaka brightens at this thought and looks toward the doors.But the power o f &akra’s mind has flung them open, and Chandaka falls again into despair:“Ah! Misfortune! W ho is my friend?What shall I do? Where shall I turn?This glorious being will listen only to the awful words o f Sakra.

“ These four strong armies o f troops— what good are they? The king, the king’s men,and the troops o f the royal prince—none see him.The women are plunged into sleep.Yasovatl has been put to sleep by the gods.Ah! Misfortune! Let him go then!Let the prayer which he previously made be fulfilled!”

Joyfully hundreds o f millions o f gods urge Chandaka: “ Please Chandaka, bring him the excellent Kanthaka.Do not oppose the Guide o f Beings.

332

See, Chandaka, the gods and the asuras have sounded their drums and their conches, their musical instruments by the hundreds o f thousands, and yet the great city does not awaken.The gods have put everyone to sleep!

“ See, Chandaka, in the pure air, a divine light is shining. Look upon the Bodhisattvas who have come by the millions to do homage.Look upon 6akra, the husband o f SacI:he is shining, standing at the door, surrounded by his army.The gods also, the asuras, the troopso f the kinnaras, all have come to do homage!”

Chandaka hears these words o f the gods, yet he whispers thus to the horse, Kanthaka:“ When the great Charioteer o f Beings approaches, neigh loudly.”And decorating with gold the hooves o f the horse who is the color o f rain clouds, he sorrowfully brings the saddled horse to the one who is an ocean o f virtue.

“ You who possess the best signs,who give aid to all, here is your fine horse.May the prayer you made previously be accomplished. May all who create obstacles be appeased.May your vow be fulfilled!May you give peace, high states o f being, and joy to all beings.”

The Bodhisattva arises from his couch and mounts the king o f horses, white as the disk o f the full moon.And the whole earth shakes in six ways.

333

The Guardians o f the World lift the best o f horses with their hands, pure as a spotless lotus.

As Sakra and Brahma go before him to show the best route, a pure and brilliant light illuminates the earth, and all the beings on the lower paths become peaceful and joyful:they are no longer caught in the fettering passions..Flowers fall like rain;millions of musical instruments resound;gods and asuras offer praiseand three times circumambulate the city.All are filled with joy.

The principal god o f the great city, his spirit dejected, approaches the Great Man just as he is leaving.Standing in front o f the Bodhisattva,he speaks his sorrow to the one with a face like a lotus:

“ Deprived o f you, the land is bleak;the city is filled with shadows: it shines no more.There will no longer be joy or pleasure for me here, if you leave this home!

“ O you whose splendor is infinite, no longer will you hear those songs and words o f benedictionwhich used to awaken you in the inner apartment,where the singing o f birdsand the music o f flutes filled the air.

“ When you have left, O Destroyer o f Fetters, you will no longer see the hosts o f suras and siddhas;

334

there will be no more offerings o f parasols and banners; there will no longer be the scent o f divine perfume.

“ This abode has been abandoned like a withered garland, like a theater after the dance is done.With you departed, there is no longer either splendor or joy.

“ The entire city will become a wilderness.You have taken its brilliance and strength; it will shine no more.The prediction o f the rsis that you would be a mighty ruler has proved false today.

“ With your departure,the Sakyas are no longer a force on this earth!This breaks the lineage o f the king.This dashes the hopes o f the Sakyas!

“ Great tree o f virtue, O Spotless One, free from all blemish, I will travel with you, since you are sure to go!But better to be kind and merciful— pray, look once more upon your palace!”

And looking again at the palace,the Wise One softly pronounces these words:“ I will not return to the city o f Kapilavastu without obtaining that which puts an end to birth and death.

“ I will not stand, sleep, or walktoward the city o f Kapilavastuuntil I have obtained supreme Enlightenment,in which old age and death are no more!”

335

As the Bodhisattva, Lord o f the World, goes forth, the apsarases traveling through the sky sing his praises: “ O Great Field o f Virtue worthy o f great offerings!O field o f those who aspire to virtue, dispenser o f the fruit o f immortality!

“ Over many tens o f millions o f kalpas, through compassion for living beings, you have completely obtained Enlightenment by giving, self-control, and practice.Perfectly pure, you guard your conduct: faithful to your vows, impartial in your actions, lacking all interest in desire or pleasure.

“ With the aim of protecting all beings, you have always spoken with patience, even to those who came to cut off your limbs.You know neither anger nor fury.

“ For tens o f millions o f kalpas,you have acted with vigor and never despaired.Having completely obtained Enlightenment, you have made tens o f millions o f offerings.

“Always firm in contemplation, your mind tranquil and calm, you have burned away all emotionality and have delivered tens o f millions o f beings.Possessing wisdom, you are detached;free from conceptualization and judgment,your mind is liberated. You will be a Jina, freely arising.

“ You have attained the supreme limit o f compassion: your heart is always full o f love.Satisfied, meditating on detachment,

336

you know the path o f brahmacarya.You are the god above gods, worthy o f the homage o f gods, your mind virtuous, pristine, and completely pure.You have reached the supreme limit o f hundreds o f thousands o f virtues.

“ Refuge o f those tormented by fear, lamp for those who are blind, guide for those who are lost, physician for those long ill, you are a holy king o f the Dharma, like Indra with the thousand eyes, like the freely-arising Brahma.

“ Your body and mind are pure;you are firm and your knowledge abundant;powerful is your mind and free from desire.You are a conquering hero, the destroyer o f emotionality, which is the invincible enemy.

“ You are like a lion who feels no fear.Like the patient leader o f an elephant herd, your mind is well tamed and free o f anger.

“ You are like the moon which illumines, like the sun which shines clearly, like the lamp which gives light, like the stars which clear away darkness.

“ Immaculate lotus!Flower whose scent is good conduct!Teacher unshakable as Meru!As nourishing as the earth,you are as unwavering as a jewel mine.

137

“ You have overcome the demon o f emotionality and the demon o f the aggregates; you have overcome the demon o f death and conquered Mara.You are the leader o f the great caravan.For those in the lower states o f being, you will soon point out the eightfold path, the best o f ways.

“ Destroyer o f old age, death, and the fettering passions, you deliver from darkness and shadows.You will be renowned on the earth and in the heavens, a freely-arising Jina.Having the marks o f a great being, you are praised by those worthy o f praise.By the merit o f this eulogy,may we be like you, O Lion o f Teachers!”

In this way, O monks, the Bodhisattva left home. Gross­ing the land o f the Sakyas, the land o f the Krotjlyas, and the land o f the Mallas, by the time daylight appeared, he had arrived in the city o f Anumaineya, in the land o f the Maineyas. There the Bodhisattva alighted from his horse Kanthaka, and standing upon the earth, he dismissed the great host o f gods, nagas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas,

ekinnaras, and mahoragas. Having dismissed them, he thought: “ I will now dismiss Ghandaka and hand Kanthaka and these ornaments over to him.”

Then calling Chandaka, the Bodhisattva said to him: “ Go, Ghandaka. Take these ornaments and Kanthaka, and

138

return to the palace.” At the place from which Chandaka retraced his steps, a caitya stands, which is still known today as Chandakanivartana, The Return o f Chandaka.

Then the Bodhisattva reflected: “ How can I become a wandering monk with my hair still long?” And cutting his hair with his sword, he threw it to the wind. The Thirty- three gods gathered the Bodhisattva’s hair to do it honor, and even today the gods celebrate the Festival o f the Locks o f Hair. There also a caitya stands, which is still known today as Cudapratigrahana, The Collected Locks o f Hair.

Again, the Bodhisattva thought: “ How can I become a wandering monk when I clothe myself in silken garments woven with gold and silver? It would be better if I had saffron-colored garments, suitable for living in the forest.”

Then the gods o f the Suddhavasa realm considered: “ The Bodhisattva needs saffron-colored apparel.” And a deva- putra appeared before the Bodhisattva in the form o f a huntsman in saffron-colored garb. The Bodhisattva said to him: “ Friend, if you were to give me your clothes, I would give you my silken garments.” The other said: “ These clothes suit you; those clothes suit me.” The Bodhisattva said: “ Then I accept them.”

So the devaputra in the form o f a huntsman gave the Bodhisattva the saffron-colored garments and took the prince’s raiment for himself. Filled with respect, he placed the Bodhisattva’s garments on his head with his two hands and returned to the world o f the gods to do them honor. That was seen by Chandaka. There, too, a caitya stands, which is still known today as Kasayagrahana, The Taking o f the Princely Garments.

339

As soon as the Bodhisattva had cut off his hair and donned the saffron garments, a hundred thousand joyous devaputras, transported with delight and filled with enthu­siasm, called out: “ Yes, friends! The young Siddhartha has become a wandering monk! He has become a monk! Now he shall attain perfect and complete Enlightenment and turn the Wheel o f the Dharma. He shall deliver beings from birth and old age, from sickness and death, from sorrow, lamentation, and pain, from depression and anxiety. He shall ferry them across the ocean o f existence and establish them in the unsurpassed sphere o f the Dharma, happy, free of fear, sorrow, and confusion, calm, without desire, and beyond death.”

And these words o f joy passed from one dwelling to another, up to the realm o f the gods o f Akanistha.

In the meantime, the women o f the inner apartments, not seeing the young prince, were looking for him in the winter, summer, and rainy season palaces, in his beds of rest, and in his apartments. In spite o f their searches, they did not find him, and they began to cry out all at once like fish hawks.

Tormented by grief, the women cried out: “Ah, my son!” “Ah, my brother!” “Ah, my husband!” “Ah, my protector!” “Ah, my lord!” They wept, uttering many tender words and beating their breasts. They moaned with heads lowered or

tcried in each other’s arms. They wept with wild eyes; some covered their faces. Some beat their thighs or breasts or bruised their arms; some pounded their heads against the wall. Some wept as they covered their heads with dust, and some pulled out their hair. Some raised their arms and uttered great lamentation; like gazelles pierced by poisoned

340

arrows, they ran headlong, wailing. Some tossed their bodies to and fro in grief like palm trees shaken by the wind. Some rolled on the ground, unable to catch their breath. Some writhed like fish drawn from the water; great moans escaped them, like the sound o f trees with their roots torn up, falling violently to earth.

When the king heard this noise, he asked the Sakyas: “ What is this great sound coming from the women’s apart­ments?” And the Sakyas, having been informed, replied: “ Your Majesty, the young prince cannot be found.” “ Quickly!” said the king. “ Close the gates o f the city! Let us look for the young prince within!”

They looked both inside and outside, but they could not find him. Mahaprajapati Gautami collapsed, and rolling on the earth, she moaned: “ Great King, let me quickly be reunited with my son!”

The king sent messengers on horseback to the four direc­tions, ordering them not to return until they had found the young prince.

Since it had been predicted by the soothsayers and those who know the signs that the Bodhisattva would depart through the Gate o f Benediction, the king’s messengers left through that gate. When they saw the flowers that had rained down lying in the road, they thought: “ It is by this road that the prince left.”

A little farther on, they caught sight o f the devaputra carrying the richly woven garments o f the Bodhisattva on his head, and they thought: “ If those are the garments o f the young prince, is it not possible that he has been killed?” But just as they started after the devaputra, they saw Chandaka

341

approaching with Kanthaka and the ornaments, and said: “ Let us not do anything in haste. Chandaka is approaching, leading Kanthaka. Let us question him.”

And so they questioned Chandaka: “ Has the young prince been killed for his silken garments?” Chandaka re­plied: “ No. Quite the contrary. This devaputra gave the young prince his saffron garb, and in return, the prince gave him his garments woven with gold and silver thread.” And even as they spoke, the devaputra soared off to the world o f the gods, intending to honor the Bodhisattva’s garments, which he held on his head with both hands.

The messengers questioned Chandaka again: “ What do you think, Chandaka? Will it be possible to make the prince return?” Chandaka replied: “ No, certainly not. The young prince is firm in his resolution and his valor. This is what he said to me: ‘I will not return to the great city o f Kapilavastu until I have acquired supreme and perfect Enlightenment.’ And since the prince said this, it will be so. It would be impos­sible to bring back the young prince, so firm are his resolution and valor.”

Then Chandaka, leading Kanthaka and carrying the or­naments, returned to the palace and the women’s apart­ments. There, the young Sakyas, Bhadrika, Mahanama, and Aniruddha each tried to lift the ornaments, but could not do so, for it would have taken one strong as Narayana and Ardha-narayana to lift them.

Since no one could move them, Mahaprajapatl Gautaml thought: “As long as I see his ornaments, sorrow will be in my heart. Should they be thrown into a pond?” And so this was done; the ornaments were thrown into the deep waters,

342

and even today this pond is known as Abharanapuskari, Pond o f the Ornaments.

Concerning this it is said:

After the wise and courageous Bodhisattva has left home, the entire city o f Kapila awakens, thinking:“ The young prince is sleeping,”and joyfully, they converse with each other.

When Gopa and the queen’s attendants awaken, they look at the Bodhisattva’s couch and find it empty. “Alas!” they cry. “ We have been betrayed!Where has the Bodhisattva gone?”

The king, hearing this lament, falls to the earth, crying out: “Ah, my only son!” Sprinkling him with water from silver ewers, the Sakyas rouse the distraught king.

Gopa, fallen from her bed to the ground, tears at her hair and her ornaments.“Alas! The Guide o f Men told me this would come to pass! But the separation from everything which is dear to me comes too soon!

“ Beautiful one, most beautiful o f all, with faultless and well-proportioned limbs; brilliant one, perfectly pure, fortunate and happy one who has won the hearts o f all and is beloved o f all creatures; who is worthy o f being honored in heaven and on earth, where did you go after slipping away from my couch?

343

“ So long as the Bodhisattva, the one filled with virtue, is not before my eyes, my thirst will go unslaked; no appetite will I have; no more will I bathe;I will take the earth as my couchand the tangled hair o f ascetics as my crown.I shall make mine the customs o f ascetics.

“All the gardens are barren o f flowers and fruit!The garlands are faded and seem covered with dust. Abandoned by the best and greatest o f men, this city has lost its beauty— it is like a desert.

“Alas! The women’s apartments, filled with shining ornaments,with the harmonies o f instruments and sweet voices, veiled with golden trellises even by day:I will look upon them no more, deprived o f the one filled with virtues.”The sister o f the Bodhisattva’s mother gives Gopa solace, though she herself is seized with violent sorrow:“ Do not weep, daughter o f the &akyas!Long ago it was said by the greatest o f men:‘I shall act to deliver the people o f the world from the sorrow o f old age and death!’ ”By the middle o f the night,the Great Rsi, practiced in thousands o f virtues,has reached a distance o f six yojanas.He gives the finest o f horses and the ornaments to Ghandaka, saying: “ Take them and return to the city o f Kapila.“ To my mother and father, repeat these words from me ‘The young prince has left; please grieve no more.

344

When he attains the Enlightenment o f a Buddha, he will return. Then you will hear the Dharma, and your minds will be at rest!’ ”

Chandaka, weeping, says to the Guide:“ I have neither power nor strength nor courage.The family o f the best o f men may strike me, saying: ‘Chandaka, where did you take the virtuous Bodhisattva?’ ”

“ Fear nothing, Chandaka,” the Bodhisattva replies.“ When they have found joy,my family will see in you a teacher;they will love you as they have loved me.”

Leading the great horse and carrying the ornaments, Chandaka returns to the garden o f the best o f men.The guard espies him coming, and bursting with joy, tells the Sakyas the happy news:

“ The young prince has returned to the garden with the best o f horses and Chandaka!We need weep no more!”Surrounded by the Sakyas, the king is told the news and hurries to the garden filled with joy.

But Gopa gives no credence to this rumor.She knows the firmness o f the Bodhisattva’s mind and therefore does not rejoice.It cannot be that, having left, the young prince will return without having attained Enlightenment.

When he sees only the horse and Chandaka,King &uddhodana utters a great cryand falls prostrate on the ground. “Ah! M y son!

345

So clever at singing and at playing instruments!You have left the kingdom. Where have you gone?

“ Chandaka, tell me truly.What is the aim o f the Bodhisattva, and where has he gone?W ho opened the gates? W ho led him away?How did the gods show him honor?”

Chandaka replies: “ Listen to me, Lord o f Kings.\At midnight when the young and old in the city were deeply sleeping, the Bodhisattva said to me in a soft voice:‘Chandaka, quickly bring me the king o f horses.’

“And I sought to awaken the troops o f men,to rouse the multitude o f women,but sleeping as in a trance, they did not hear my voice.Weeping, I brought him the king o f horses,and said: ‘Go then where you liketo accomplish your good works!’

“ The doors fortified by iron chains were opened by Sakra; each o f the Four Guardians o f the World lifted up one foot o f the horse.When the hero mounted,the three thousand worlds were shaken.Into the immense sky, he advanced.

“A great light was pouring forth, destroying the darkness and the shadows.Flowers fell; hundreds o f musical instruments sounded; the gods and the apsarases praised him.He advanced through the sky, surrounded by hosts o f the gods.”

346

Then taking the horse and the ornaments with him, Ghandaka goes in tears to the women’s quarters.At the sight o f Chandaka and the best o f horses,Gopa faints and falls to the ground.

The entire assembly o f women hasten to her aid, and they bathe the daughter o f the Sakyas with water, saying: “ In truth, she is going to die!Separated from the one with whom she shares great love, she will be overcome by grief.”

The desolate daughter o f the Sakyas arises with great effort and wraps her arms around the neck o f the king o f horses. Remembering the loving games o f former times, she speaks her sorrow in various ways:

“ O you who made my joy! O my love,Greatest o f Men, with a face like the spotless moon!O my husband, most beautiful o f the beautiful, endowed with the excellent signs, clothed in spotless brilliance!

“ O my husband, flawless in limbs, well-born, unequaled in nobility!O my lord, endowed with the most outstanding virtues, honored by gods and men, supremely compassionate!

“ O my husband, endowed with the strength and vigor o f Narayana, conqueror o f the enemy troops!O my husband with voice soft as the nightingale, sweet as the voice o f Brahma!

“ O my lord o f infinite glory,elevated by a hundred meritorious works,possessor of spotless virtues!O my husband o f infinite grace,

347

adorned with a multitude o f virtues, who brings joy to the assembly o f rsis!

“ O my love, born in the LumbinI garden where the buzzing o f bees is heard!O my lord o f glorious name,tree o f knowledge honored by gods and men!

“ O my love of the sweetest taste, with lips red as the fruit o f the bimba, with eyes long as the petals o f the lotus, with skin the color o f gold!O my husband with pure, even teeth, white as heifer’s milk and morning frost!

“ O my love with beautiful features, with brows bearing the spotless sign urna!O my husband, with shoulders well-formed,with the bow-shaped waist,with the finely-formed legs o f a deer!

“ O my love with thighs like the trunk o f an elephant, with pure and beautiful hands and feet, with fingernails copper red!Your attributes, produced by your great merit, brought joy to all.Your songs, your concerts,your gifts o f flowers and aloes:such times o f happiness you gave us all!

“ Perfumed by the most well-chosen flowers, you are the most beautiful o f the beautiful seasons!O you who had for me the fragrance o f the flowers!O you who brought joy to the women’s apartments!

348

“Ah, Kanthaka, noble charger, my husband’s companion, where have you taken him? Ah, pitiless Chandaka, you did not call out when the Best o f Men was leaving!

“ He has left, the one who came to give us help.Why did you not say a single word?Today the compassionate Guide o f Men departed the city!

“ How did the Great Benefactor depart?Who helped him leave the royal palace?Wherever he has gone, a goddess o f the woods and forests will surely be his fortunate companion now.

“ To me, Chandaka, a treasure was revealed.Now what cruel affliction!Ravisher o f my eyes, give back my sight!O Chandaka, a father and mother must always be praised and honored; yet he has abandoned them.W hy not then abandon the pleasure o f being with a wife!

“Ah, accursed be the separation from those one loves.How inconstant, this shifting spectacle, this dance!

“ The ignorant, caught by their thoughts, and by the effect o f their bad views, are subject to birth and rebirth.And so indeed he said:‘For those made up o f composite elements,subject to old age and death,there are no friends, there is no pleasure.’

“ May his hope be fulfilled.May he attain the highest Enlightenment!

349

When he has become a Buddha beneath the great tree, when he possesses Enlightenment free from defilement, may he return here to the best o f cities!”

Deeply do these words o f Gopa afflict the heart o f Chandaka, and he replies with trembling voice:“ Gopa, listen carefully. At the hour o f midnight, the women were sleeping, and he stood there alone, th e one who has raised himself up by hundreds o f merits said to me then:

“ ‘Bring me Kanthaka!’And when I heard these words,I looked at you asleep on your couch, and I cried out loudly: ‘Arise, Gopa! Your beloved is departing!’But a god stifled the cry, and not a woman awoke.

“ Weeping I brought him the king o f horses, decorated with all his ornaments.Kanthaka advanced with a terrible splendor, the clatter o f his hooves resounding for a krosa; yet no one in the city heard.

“ For all had been plunged into sleep by the gods.The earth, covered with gold and silver,and with many precious stones,gave forth a muffled sound, frightening and solemn,as the hooves o f Kanthaka struck with great force.

“ But no one heard; none awoke.At that moment, the constellation Pusya had risen, and the moon and stars were shining in the firmament.

350

Tens o f millions o f gods and the hosts o f yaksas and raksasascrowded the sky; they bowed their headsand with joined palms respectfully made obeisance.

“ The Four Guardians o f the World, those great magicians,bore up the feet o f Kanthaka with their pure hands, spotless as the stamens o f the lotus.

“ Mounted on his horse, raised up by the splendor o f virtues,he was like the flower o f the red lotus and the jasmine.The earth was shaken strongly in six ways,and the Buddha-fields were illumined with pure light.

/

“ Sakra himself, the master o f the gods, the husband o f Saci, opened the gates, and the Bodhisattva advanced, preceded by hundreds o f millions o f gods, adored by the gods and the nagas.

“ Knowing he carried the Protector o f the World,Kanthaka bore the Sugata away; troops o f gods and asuras joined them traveling through the sky.

“ With songs o f benediction, the gods and the apsarases called out the virtues o f the Bodhisattva.Singing sweetly to Kanthaka,they gave him strength and brought joy to his heart:

“ ‘Kanthaka! Carry the Guide o f the World, quickly, quickly! Fear nothing at all!

351

You will meet with no danger, you will travel no bad roads, for you carry the Guide o f the World.’

“ Each o f the gods rejoiced in his heart, thinking: it is I who am carrying the Guide o f the World!Not a space was left untrodden by the feet of gods by the millions, exclaiming:

“ ‘See, Kanthaka, in the midst o f the sky, the road spreads out, marked by jeweled altars, decorated so well,and scented with the smoke o f perfumes made o f the most subtle essences.

“ ‘For this fine action, Kanthaka, you will enjoy divine pleasures in the abode o f the Thirty-three gods, surrounded and preceded by apsarases.’ ”

Chandaka continued: “ Good Gopa! Weep no more.Be happy and filled with great joy.You will soon see the Best o f Men,after he obtains Enlightenment in the presence o f the gods.

“ O Gopa, one must not weepfor those who have done good works.Rejoice, for the Bodhisattva has lifted himself up by the splendor o f a hundred merits.O do not weep for him !

“ O Gopa, when the prince departed, honored by men and gods,the glory of the spectacle could not be described, even if one should speak for seven days.

352

“ Consider your greatest benefit, incomprehensible to thought: having served the one who brings aid to the world, you in turn will become the Best o f Beings!”

The Fifteenth Chapter The Departure from Home

Lalitavistara’Phags-pa rgya-cher-rol-pa

zhes-bya-ba theg-pa chen-po’i mdo

‘Tfie ''Voice of the ‘Buddha

‘Tfje "Voice of the Buddha: ^ e B eauty of Gompassiom

"Volume II

Translated into English from the French by Gwendolyn Bays

D harm a Publishing

T ibetan T ranslation Series

Buddha's LionsCalm and ClearElegant SayingsGolden ZephyrKindly Bent to Ease UsLegend o f the Great Stupa*The Life and Liberation o f PadmasambhavaM ind in Buddhist Psychology

Copyright ©1983 by Dharma Publishing.All rights reserved. No part of this book, including text, art reproductions, and illustrations, may be reproduced in any form without written permission. For information, write: Dharma Publishing, 2425 Hillside Avenue, Berkeley, California 94704 usa.

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication DataTripitaka. Sutrapitaka. Lalitavistara. English.

The voice of the Buddha, the beauty of compassion.(Tibetan translation series)Includes index.I. Title. II. Series.

BQ1582.E5B38 1983 294.3'823 83-15024ISBN 0-913546-84-4 (v. 1)ISBN 0-913546-85-2 (v. 2)ISBN 0-913546-86-0 (pbk.: v. 1)ISBN 0-913546-87-9 (pbk.: v. 2)

Typeset in Fototronic Baskerville with Bookman Light and Dutch Initials. Printed and bound in the United States of America by Dharma Press, Oakland, California.9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Dedicated tothe Masters of the Buddhist tradition

and to Western students o f the Dharma

cIable of Contents

Chapter 16 The Visit with Bimbisara 360Chapter 17 The Practice of Austerities 372Chapter 18 The Nairanjana River 398Chapter 19 The Walk Toward Bodhimanda 414Chapter 20 The Displays at Bodhimanda 442Chapter 21 The Defeat of Mara 456Chapter 22 Attaining Perfect and

Complete Enlightenment514

Chapter 23 Praise 536Chapter 24 Trapusa and Bhallika 558Chapter 25 Exhortation 592Chapter 26 Turning the Wheel of the Dharma 610Chapter 27 Conclusion 666Glossary 677Acknowledgements 697Index 699

"Voice o f the ‘Buddha "Volume II

Plate 16

|u| u|*r»3^ - q :3 p*rq 'Qj!j |

"Visit with Simbisaramonks, to allay the sorrow of King Suddhodana and Gopa of the Sakyas, and to comfort the women

attendants and all the other Sakyas, Chandaka, through the blessings of the Bodhisattva, told them about the circum­stances surrounding the Bodhisattva’s departure.

O monks, the Bodhisattva, after giving his silk garments woven with gold and silver to the devaputra who had taken the form of a hunter, then donned the saffron-colored gar­ments to become a wandering monk, out of sympathy for the world, out of compassion for all beings, and to bring about their complete development.

The Bodhisattva then approached the hermitage of a brahmin, who invited him to rest and partake of a meal. He was welcomed, too, at the brahmin Padma’s hermitage and at the hermitage of the brahmarsi Raivata. Rajaka, who was the son of Datrmadandika, also made the Bodhisattva welcome.

Thus, O monks, traveling by stages, the Bodhisattva finally arrived at the great city of Vaisall. It was here in this city that Arada Kalama had established his dwelling, stay­

ing together with a great assembly of Sravakas and three hundred disciples, to whom Arabia taught the doctrines that entail strenuous austerities associated with the various formless meditations. When Arabia saw the Bodhisattva approaching from afar, he was filled with wonder and said to his disciples: “Look at the one who approaches! How beautiful he is!” The disciples replied: “We see him. He is indeed wonderful to behold!”

Then, O monks, approaching Arada Kalama, I spoke to him thus: “Arada Kalama, I wish to practice brahmacarya with you.” And he answered: “O Gautama, practice this teaching, for through its practice a son of good family who possesses faith can acquire complete knowledge with little difficulty.”

O monks, I considered thoughtfully: “Being endowed with intention, courage, mindfulness, deep meditation, and wisdom, with these qualities I can obtain this teaching. To manifest this teaching, I will dwell apart and practice alone with firmness and diligence.” And so, monks, calm and diligent, I stayed in solitude and soon understood and manifested this teaching.

Then, O monks, I went to Arada Kalama and said to him: “You have understood and made manifest this doc­trine, O Arada.” And he replied: “That is true, Gautama.” I said to him: “I also have understood and manifested this teaching.” He replied: “O Gautama, just as I know this teaching, so also do you know it; and everything which you know about it, I know as well. Now both of us can com­municate it to the assembly of disciples.”

And Arada Kalama showered me with the greatest hon­ors and established me at the head of his disciples for the mutual benefit of all.

4CO

Then, O monks, I considered: “Arada’s doctrine is not liberating; it does not completely destroy suffering. I must search for a higher doctrine.”

Therefore, O monks, after dwelling in Vaisali as long as I needed, I traveled to the land of Magadha. Nearing the city of Rajagrha, I reached the region of Pandava, the king of mountains. There I lived on the slope of the king of moun­tains, alone and without companions, guarded by many hundreds of millions of gods.

One morning at dawn, wearing the robes of a monk and carrying the alms bowl, I entered the great city of Rajagrha, through the Gate of Warm Waters. Looking to all sides, I advanced with a fine stride, wearing the light cloak, the garment of a monk, and carrying the alms bowl. As becomes a man transformed, my senses were unagitated, my mind was not directed outward. Walking like one who carries a bowl of oil, not gazing farther ahead than the length of a yoke, I went forth to seek alms.

Upon seeing me, the people of Rajagrha were filled with astonishment. “Who can this be? Could he be Brahma or Sakra, the lord of the gods? Gould he be Vaisravana? Or perhaps he is some god of the mountains?” Such were their thoughts.

Concerning this it is said:

Possessing infinite and spotless splendor, the Bodhisattva becomes a wandering monk. His mind calm, his actions well-controlled,

363

he lives alone on the slope of Pancjlava, the king of mountains.Seeing that the night has passed,the Bodhisattva, dressed in monk’s robes,humble in spirit, takes up his alms bowl.Beautiful to behold, he enters Rajagrha, seeking alms.Crowds of men and women behold the one who is like pure gold.His self-mastery is complete;he is marked with the thirty-two signs.And no one tires of gazing upon him.Sprinkling the streets before him with water, adorning them with jewels and banners, following behind as he passes, the multitude asks: “Who is this being?”Never before has such a one been seen, one who makes the city shine with splendor.Thousands of women, desiring to see the most outstanding of men,leave their houses empty; they stand on the rooftops, in doorways, at windows, and in the streets to gaze upon him.The merchants stop doing business; in the houses and the streets, all drinking and revelry cease, so intent are the people on watching the most remarkable of men.Quickly a citizen goes to the palace, seeking out King Bimbisara:“Sire, the greatest of blessings is yours today.Brahma himself is here in the city, asking for alms.

“Some say it is &akra, the king of the gods,or the devaputra Suyama or a Tusita god in disguise.Others say one of the Sunirmita gods has arrived.“Still others say it is Candra or Surya or Rahu or Bali or Vemacitri.And there are those who sayit is the one who dwells on Pandava,the king of mountains.”These words fill the king with the greatest joy,and he goes to the windowto look upon the most excellent being,the radiant Bodhisattva shining like the purest gold.King Bimbisara says to the citizen:“Give him alms, and watch carefully where he goes.” And the man reports back to the king:“Sire, he has gone to the side of the mountain.”When the night has passed, King Bimbisara, surrounded by a great entourage, travels to the foot of Pandava and sees the king of mountains shining with light.Descending from his chariot, the king climbs Mount Pandava.There he looks with respect upon the Bodhisattva,steadfast as Mount Meru,sitting cross-legged on a cushion of grass.The king bows his head respectfully to the Bodhisattva’s feet, and they speak of many things, until at length the king says:“ T iamII v a i i U o l f m \ r U n r r / ^ n m !

Enjoy here all you could of desire!Do not go off as a wanderer!”The Bodhisattva replies in a soft voice:“Lord of the land, may you have a long life!I have given up a beautiful kingdom;and thus detached, I have embraced the religious lifeto obtain peace.”The King of Magadha replies:“You are in the flower of your youth!Your complexion is brilliant; you are clearly robust.Accept from me abundant riches and women.Stay here in my kingdom and enjoy yourself!“I feel the keenest joy from having seen you.Pray, be my friend and companion.I will give you my kingdom, and everything you could desire.“Stay no longer in the wilderness.Stay no longer on this seat of grass.While your body is in the bloom of youth, stay here with me and enjoy the objects of desire.”The Bodhisattva, compassionate and helpful, answers him softly, with kind but honest words:“May blessings always be with you,0 protector of the land!But I am no longer attracted by the qualities of desire.“Desires are like poison, bringing endless harm - through desire beings fall into hell and into the animal and preta realms.Through desire and base concerns, the wise are brought low1 have expelled all such things like snot from the nose.

366

“Desires fall like fruits from trees;they pile up like rain clouds in the sky;changing and inconstant as the wind,they are deceivers and destroyers of all that is good.“He who does not obtain the object of desire is sorely distressed, but so is he who does.Neither finds contentment.If violent desires are not mastered when they arise, they produce great suffering.“O King, even if one satisfies all desires— be they human or divine, even those desires worthy of praise, complete satisfaction is not obtained; for still one seeks for more.“But those, O King, who are calm and restrained, content because they are instructed by wisdom, their perceptions filled with the venerable faultless Dharma, such beings are truly fulfilled.None of the qualities of desire give them the slightest satisfaction.“O King and protector of the land,the more one serves desire,the more things to desire limitlessly appear.Just as drinking salt water increases thirst,so he who serves his desires increases those desires.“Further, O King, consider this body- unstable, without essence, a mass of suffering, always secreting impurities through its nine apertures.O King, no longer do I have any impulse of desire.

“I abandoned all that is desirableand gave up thousands of beautiful women.Finding no joy in the things of the world,I renounced them all to gain supreme Enlightenment, the greatest happiness.”The King of Magadha says:“From where have you come, O wandering monk? Where were you born and where are your parents?Are you ksatriya, brahmin, or king?Speak, O monk who bears no burden.”The Bodhisattva replies:“My father is Suddhodana.You have heard, O King, of Kapila, the rich and flourishing Sakya city.It is there I became a wandering monk, in order to acquire virtue.”The King of Magadha replies:“We are fortunate to have had you in our sight and proclaim ourselves disciples of your source.Pray, be patient in your heart with one who desires to be free from all desire and thus invites you here.“When you have attained Enlightenment, may you share your teachings with me,0 Master of the Dharma.1 have gained already the greatest benefit since you have lived here in my kingdom,O Naturally-realized Being.”And bowing again to the feet of the Bodhisattva, and humbly circumambulating him three times,

368

the king, surrounded by his entourage, returns to Rajagrha.Thus, having entered the land of Magadha, and dwelling there peacefully as long as he wished, attending to the needs of gods and men, the Protector of the World goes forth toward the banks of the Nairanjana River.

The Sixteenth Chapter The Visit with Bimbisdra

369

Plate 17

Practice of A usterities

m xi t that time, o monks, a son of Rama named Rudraka had withdrawn into the city of Rajagrha, where he

was dwelling with an assembly of seven hundred disciples. He taught them a teaching which used ascetic practices to reach the samadhi in which there is neither perception nor non-perception.

O monks, the Bodhisattva saw that Rudraka, the son of Rama, the guide of the assembly, the preceptor of multi­tudes, was well-known, was sought after, venerated, and esteemed by scholars. After seeing him, the Bodhisattva thought: “This Rudraka, the guide of the assembly, the preceptor of multitudes, is known, sought after, venerated, and esteemed by scholars. If I do not approach him myself, if I do not deliver myself over to austerities and ascetic practices, he will not respect me, or consider me as different from his other disciples. Unless I manifest this knowledge, I will not be able to refute his teachings—although his meditations and samadhis are transitory and limited in application. Therefore, I will practice according to instruc­tions and manifest his meditations. I will demonstrate the samadhis which give worldly powers. After becoming a dis-

ciple of Rudraka, I will demonstrate the superiority of my meditation; I will also demonstrate the essential meaning­lessness of the samadhi which is limited.”

O monks, the Bodhisattva went to Rudraka, the son of Rama for this purpose, and spoke thus: “Friend, who is your preceptor? Who teaches this doctrine which you know so completely?” Rudraka replied: “I have, my friend, no teacher, and it is solely by myself that I have understood this.” The Bodhisattva replied: “What is it that you have understood?” Rudraka answered: “The way of acquiring calmness and the samadhi in which there is neither per­ception nor non-perception.” The Bodhisattva said: “May I obtain from you this precept, the rule, and the way of this meditation?” Rudraka replied: “Let it be so. I will give this teaching as you have asked.”

Then the Bodhisattva, having gone off by himself, sat down with his legs crossed. He was hardly seated when, because of the superiority of his virtue, the superiority of his knowledge, the superiority of the fruits of his previous practice of good works, and the superiority of his experience with all the meditations beginning with all the worldly and transworldly contemplations, the hundreds of types of calmness appeared to him directly in all their forms and with all their characteristics—all because he showed himself as master of his mind.

Then with mindfulness and knowledge the Bodhisattva arose from his seat and approached Rudraka, the son of Rama. He spoke to him thus: “Friend, above the path of acquiring calmness and the samadhi where there is neither perception nor non-perception, is there a higher level of samadhi?” Rudraka said: “There is not.”

374

Then the Bodhisattva thought: “Rudraka is not the only one with faith, effort, mindfulness, meditation, and wisdom. I too have faith, effort, mindfulness, meditation, and wis­dom.” Therefore, the Bodhisattva spoke to Rudraka, the son of Rama: “Friend, I also have understood this doctrine; whatever you have understood, I also have realized.”

Rudraka said: “Well, then, come. You and I will together teach this assembly.” And so for the mutual benefit of all, he proclaimed the Bodhisattva as a teacher.

Then the Bodhisattva told Rudraka: “Friend, this way which you teach leads neither to distaste for the world nor the absence of desire, nor to the cessation of rebirth, nor to calm, nor to superior knowledge, nor to perfect Enlighten­ment, nor to being a Sramana, nor to Nirvana.” And the Bodhisattva left Rudraka, the son of Rama, and his disci­ples, saying to himself: “So much for that. That is enough for me.”

At that same time, five men of good family who were practicing brahmacarya under Rudraka considered: “The end for which we have been working and seeking for such a long time, and which we still do not understand, has been grasped and has been understood with little difficulty by the Sramana Gautama. And yet it does not satisfy him; he is looking beyond it. Without any doubt, he will be the teacher of the world, and what he will understand will satisfy us.” With such reasoning, the five men left Rudraka and attached themselves to the Bodhisattva.

Thus, monks, the Bodhisattva, having dwelt as long as he pleased at Rajagrha, left the city to travel the country of Magadha, attended by the five men of good family.

375

At that time, a large group was having a celebration in a place between Rajagrha and Gaya, and the Bodhisattva and his five followers were invited to take part in the feast. Continuing on, O monks, the Bodhisattva traveled through Magadha until he reached the peak of Mount Gaya, where he stayed for a time, practicing renunciation. And while he dwelt there, three examples concerning desire, previously unknown and unheard of, presented themselves to him. What were these three?

“There are sramanas and brahmins who have not kept their bodies isolated from desire, who have not kept their minds isolated from desire, and who take pleasure in desire. They are attached to desire, are drunk with desire, long for desire, are consumed with desire, and are faint with desire. Since they do not calm their desire, they experience painful feelings, sharp, burning, and cruel, which torment their bodies and minds. They are therefore incapable of seeing or manifesting the highest wisdom, which is so much greater than the highest human knowledge. It is like a man who is looking for light and desires to make fire who takes a piece of green wood and then rubs it against another piece of green wood he has first put into water. He will not be able to produce a flame.

“So it is with these sramanas and brahmins who have not kept their bodies and minds isolated from desire, who take joy in desire, are attached to desire, are drunk with desire, long for desire, are consumed with desire, and are faint with desire. Since they do not calm their desire, they experience painful sensations, sharp, burning, and cruel, which tor­ment their bodies and minds. They are therefore incapable of seeing or manifesting the highest wisdom, which is so much greater than the highest human knowledge.” This

V 1 R

was the first example, previously unknown and unheard of, which came to the Bodhisattva.

And again the Bodhisattva considered: “There are other sramanas and brahmins who have kept their bodies and minds isolated from desire, but take joy in desire. They are attached to desire, are drunk with desire, long for desire, are consumed with desire, and are faint with desire. Since they do not calm their desire, they experience painful feelings, sharp, burning and cruel, which torment their bodies and minds. They are therefore incapable of seeing or manifes­ting the highest wisdom, which is so much greater than the highest human knowledge. It is like a man who desires to make fire who takes a piece of green wood and, having placed it in a hollow, rubs it against another piece of green wood. He will not be able to produce a fire.

“So it is with these Sramanas and brahmins who have kept their bodies and minds isolated from desire, but take joy in desire, are attached to desire, are drunk with desire, long for desire, are consumed with desire, and are faint with desire. Since they do not calm their desires, they experience painful sensations, sharp, burning, and cruel, which tor­ment their bodies and minds. And they are therefore inca­pable of seeing or manifesting the highest wisdom, which is so much greater than the highest human knowledge.” This was the second example, previously unknown and unheard of, which came to the Bodhisattva.

And again: “There are sramanas and brahmins who keep their bodies and minds isolated from desire, who find plea­sure in desire. These are attached to desire, are drunk with desire, long for desire, are consumed by desire, and are faint with desire. But they calm their desire. They also experience

377

painful feelings, sharp, burning, and cruel. They, however, are capable of seeing and manifesting the highest wisdom, which is so much greater than the highest human knowl­edge. It is like a man who desires to make fire and light who takes two pieces of dry wood and rubs them together in a dry hollow: he will be able to make flame burst forth and light shine.

“So it is with these sramanas and brahmins who keep their bodies and minds isolated from desire, who find plea­sure in desire, are attached to desire, are drunk with desire, long for desire, are consumed by desire, but who calm their desire. They also experience painful feelings, sharp, burn­ing, and cruel, but they are capable of clearly seeing and manifesting the highest wisdom, which is so much greater than human knowledge.” This is the third example, pre­viously unknown and unheard of, which came to the mind of the Bodhisattva.

Then, O monks, the Bodhisattva considered: “I certainly keep my body isolated from desire, and my mind isolated from desire. Although I have found pleasure in desire, and been attracted by desire, have been drunk with desire, have longed for desire, and been consumed by desire, I have calmed all these. And although I have experienced painful feelings, sharp, burning, and cruel, I am certainly capable of seeing and manifesting the highest wisdom, which is so much greater than any human knowledge.”

O monks, having dwelt as long as he pleased at Gaya, on Mount Gayasirsa, the Bodhisattva went by foot toward Uruvilva. Near this village he caught sight of the river Nairanjana with its pure water and beautiful waterfalls, its shores lined with branching trees and pleasant woods, sur­

378

rounded on all sides by pasture lands and villages. There, the mind of the Bodhisattva was extremely content. “In truth, this corner of the world is level, pleasant, and hospi­table; it is just right for a son of good lineage intent on renunciation. As I am truly desirous of renunciation, here I will remain.”

Then, O monks, the Bodhisattva reflected: “In this time of the five degenerations, I have descended into the land of Jambu among beings with base inclinations, into a land full of tlrthikas imbued with various different views and doc­trines. Many yearn wholeheartedly for a fine body in their future lives, but in their ignorance, they teach and search for purity by means of various penitences and mortifica­tions. There are those who rely on magic spells, who lick their hands after eating, who do not stand up, who do not speak; there are those who eat only roots and neither flesh nor fish, who do not travel in the rainy season, who abstain from alcohol, rice gruel, and water.

“There are those who believe they should take their nourishment at the homes of one, three, five, or seven fam­ilies; those who eat roots, fruits, valisneria, kusa grass, leaves, cow dung, cow urine, milk, curds, butter, molasses, or unground seed; those who wash and take as food what geese and pigeons have tasted and rejected. There are those who look for their subsistence only in villages or deserts; those who live like cows, gazelles, dogs, sheep, monkeys, or elephants; those who only stand; those who do not speak; those who eat only one mouthful of food, or else up to seven mouthfuls; those who eat once a day, once in a day and a night, or else four, five, or six times a day; those who fast for half a month, regulating their fasts by the moon.

379

“Then there are those who wear the feathers of vultures and owls, and make loincloths of munja grass, asana bark, darbha grass, or valvaja grass; those who wear blankets of camel’s hair, blankets of goat’s hair, blankets of horsehair or leather; and those who wear wet cloth.

“There are those who sleep on stools, or in puddles of water, on cinders, on gravel, on rocks, on boards, on thorns, on grass; those who sleep on slabs of wood, those who sleep with the head down or sleep squatting; those who sleep on bare ground; those who wear one, two, three, four, five, six, seven garments or more; those who go naked; those who take as a rule to bathe or not to bathe; those who grow their hair, their nails, or their beards; those who wear their hair in a knot; those who eat a single juniper berry or grain of sesame or rice; those who smear their bodies with cinders, with blacking, with flower essences, with dust, dung, or mud. There are those who wear human hair, human skin, human skulls, and fingernails; those who wear loincloths of hair, who cover themselves with mud, and wear bones; those who drink warm water, filtered rice water, or boiled water. Some carry coals, some mark themselves with daubs of color, some wear dark red garments. Some carry tridents, others shave their heads. Some carry a water pot, others a human skull and a club.

“In all these ways do these foolish ones understand purity! They inhale smoke, they inhale fire; they gaze at the sun; they perform the five austerities; they stand on one foot; they stay with one arm uplifted; they bury one foot; they stay in one spot. Thus do they pile up austerities.

“They walk on burning straw and other burning sub­stances. They walk on hot coals, burning vases, burning

380

stones; they walk into flaming fire. Some take no food and live in deserts or under waterfalls. They search for the de­sired path by means of courting death. They pursue purity by saying om; by saying vasat; by saying svadha; by saying svaha. By reciting mantras, and by reading the sacred books and the Dharana, they pursue purity.

“Believing themselves pure, they go for refuge to such as Brahma, Indra, Rudra, or Visnu, Devi, Kumara, Matr, KatyayanI, Candra, Aditya, Vaisravana, or Varuna; to the vasus, the asvins, the nagas, or the yaksas, the gandharvas, the asuras, the garudas, the kinnaras, the mahoragas, the raksasas, or the pretabhutas; to the kumbhanqlas, the par- sadas, the ganapatis, the pisacas, the devarsis, the rajarsis, or the brahmarsis; to all these they render homage. All these things they find meaningful.

“They also take refuge in earth, water, fire, wind, or ether; in mountains, valleys, rivers, fountains, lakes, ponds, and reservoirs; in the sea, basins, wells, or ditches; in trees, bushes, ivy, grasses, or trunks of trees; in enclosures, ceme­teries, crossroads, public squares, lanes, or doors. They render homage to houses, pillars, and rocks, to pestles, swords, bows, axes, arrows, spears, and to three-pointed weapons. They accept as signs of benediction curdled milk, clarified butter, mustard seeds, barley, garlands, darbha grass, jewels, gold, silver, and other such substances.

“These are the things done by tlrthikas. Tormented by fear of rebirth, these are the things to which they have recourse. And some among them think: ‘We will achieve the highest states of being and deliverance by these means.’ And by saying that to themselves, they travel on a false road, conceiving as refuge that which is not a refuge, conceiving

381

as a blessing that which is not a blessing; they take for pure what is impure.

“And so I myself will undertake with purity that which will confound and convert all these opponents. I will make meaningful the time and actions of those whose time and actions have been meaningless. I will demonstrate the medi­tations of the gods of the realm of both form and meditation by performing great austere practices.”

O monks, having thus reflected, the Bodhisattva for six years practiced terrible austerities, those most difficult to practice, the most difficult among the most difficult. And so he has been called Du?karacarya, the One who has Done the Difficult. No one among all the myriad beings, human or non-human, is capable of practicing such difficult aus­terities except a Bodhisattva in his last existence, who has entered the space-like meditation known as the Asphanaka.

What is this meditation called Asphanaka? The first time the Bodhisattva entered into the fourth profound medita­tion, he completely cut off all inhalation and exhalation; his meditation was non-investigative, non-conceptual, unshak­able, free from perception, unchangeable; it penetrated everywhere and was independent of everything. Such a meditation had never previously been achieved by anyone, not by those in the stage of learning or by those who had finished learning, not by Pratyekabuddhas or Bodhisattvas who have entered the path of action. From this comes the name Asphanaka.

This meditation is called ‘the sky’ for it is like space- all-encompassing, without extending anywhere. It cannot

382

be dispersed and is all-inclusive. Because it is like akaSa, space, it is called Asphanaka.

O monks, the Bodhisattva caused marvelous actions to be seen in the world. He sat thus to reduce the pride of the tlrthikas, to confound all opponents, to accord with the wishes of the gods, to counter and guide the nihilists, the eternalists, and the materialists, to indicate the results of meritorious actions and the genuine fruits of knowledge, to show the various stages of meditation, to demonstrate the strength and energy of the body, and to produce true heroism of the mind. For all of these reasons the Bodhisattva sat with crossed legs on the unswept earth; and having seated himself, he put his body and mind through great torment.

O monks, for eight winter nights I subdued and tortured my body. Sweat ran from my armpits, ran from my fore­head, and fell to the ground in brilliant droplets so warm they evaporated like smoke. Like a strong man who seizes a weak man by the neck and overpowers him, so, monks, did I subdue my body with my mind and force it, until sweat ran from my armpits and from my forehead, falling to the ground in brilliant droplets so warm they evaporated like smoke.

Then, monks, it occurred to me: “I will apply myself to Asphanaka contemplation.” And as I did so, inhalation and exhalation through both the mouth and nose ceased. Great loud noises came forth from the two openings of my ears, loud noises, great noises like those made when one works a bellows. Monks, this loud noise, this great noise, came forth from the two openings of my ears because inha­lation and exhalation through both nose and mouth had stopped.

383

Next, monks, I thought again to devote myself to the Asphanaka contemplation. O monks, my nose, my mouth, and my ears were stopped up, so that the breath hit the top of my skull. O monks, since my mouth, my nose, and my ears were stopped up, inhalation and exhalation being ob­structed, the breath hit the top of my skull, striking it as would a man who sought to pierce the skull with a sharp lance. '

A devaputra saw this condition and spoke thus: “Alas, in truth the young Siddhartha has gone to his death!” Others said: “No, it is not the time for his death. Arhats who dwell in meditation proceed in this way.” And they recited these two verses:

“No, truly, this prince of the Sakyas will not die here in this wilderness without having fulfilled his purpose.He will not leave the three worldsin misery and without a protector;he will not depart without having achieved his goal.“Ah! Heart of living beings whose promise is firm! In times past, O Protector, you invited us joyfully to serve the holy Dharma!Where, O Guide, is the firm promise which you, the Pure One, made in Tusita?”

384

Then these gods entered the realm of the Thirty-three gods, and sent this news to MayadevI: “The young prince has reached the hour of death.” At midnight MayadevI, surrounded by a host of apsaraseS, went to the bank of the river Nairanjana, where she saw the Bodhisattva, his body wasted. On seeing him thus like a corpse, she began to weep. Choked by sobs, she recited these verses:

“When you were born in the garden called LumbinI,O my son, like a lion, you took seven steps forward all by yourself, and after gazing in the four directions, you pronounced these beautiful words:‘This is my last birth.5Now these words will go unfulfilled.“When Asita declared:‘He will be a Buddha in the world,5 his prophecy proved false.He had not seen the instability of fate.“Nor have you tasted the splendorwhich delights the heart of Cakravartin kings.O my son, without obtaining supreme Enlightenment, you have gone to your death in the forest!“What a great affliction this is for me!To whom can I now turn for help?Who will give the breath of life back to my son?”The Bodhisattva replied:“Who is this woman weeping bitterly, tearing her hair and destroying her beauty?

385

Who is this so sorely afflicted, lamenting so greatly over her son?”Maya replied: “For ten months I carried you like a diamond in my womb.O my son, the one so miserable is your mother.”

Then the Bodhisattva consoled her: “Do not fear; you shall have your son again. I will return to you your fruitful labor: the renunciation of a Buddha is always productive. I will clearly fulfill the prediction of Asita and make the prediction of Dipamkara come true. The earth could be torn into hundreds of pieces; the peak of great Meru could be turned upside down; the multitude of stars could fall to earth; yet should a single human being remain, I would not die! So you have no cause to give yourself over to sorrow. The time is not far distant when you will see the Enlight­enment of a Buddha!”

As soon as Maya heard these words, she shivered with delight. She covered the Bodhisattva with mandarava flow­ers, and after circumambulating him three times, withdrew to her abode amidst the sound of heavenly instruments.

Then, O monks, there came to my mind this thought: “There are sramanas and brahmins who believe that by eating only a very little food, one is pure.” And so I thought: “I also must apply myself to the practice of eating only a very little food.”

And I recognized, monks, that I must eat but a single ju­niper berry and not a second one. And if you think, monks, that the juniper berry of that time was larger, you are

certainly wrong. In truth, at that time, the juniper berry was the same size as it is today. And my body which took for food only a single berry became extremely thin and weak. O monks, like the knots of the asitakl plant or the knots of the kalika plant were my limbs and their joints. Like the sides of the crab, so also were my sides. My rib cage was like an old stable with its sides caved in, so that light shines through— so likewise, you could see light shine through my body. The vertebrae of my spine were like the uneven contours of a braid of hair—high and low, uneven. So were the vertebrae of my spine. Like a gourd cut too young which has withered and finally dried up completely, my head withered until it looked old and wrinkled and dry. Like the reflections of the stars in a well during the last month of summer when the water is so low the reflections are difficult to see, so also my eyeballs sank in, becoming difficult to see. Like the foot of the goat or the hoof of the camel were my shoulders, my stomach, my chest, and the rest.

And, monks, when I thought I was touching my stomach with my hands, it was my spine that I was feeling. When I tried to get up, I was so bent over that I fell backwards. When with difficulty I again got up, and rubbed my limbs with dust, all the hairs came away from my body. Through the rough self-abasement I was undertaking, my former beautiful and delicate complexion disappeared. And the people who dwelt in the neighboring village thought: “Ah, truly, he is black, the Sramana Gautama! Ah, truly, he is dark blue, the Sramana Gautama! Ah, truly, the Sramana Gautama is the color of the madgura fish! His former beautiful and clear complexion has disappeared!”

This came to my mind, monks: “I must apply myself more and eat even less.” And I knew that I needed only a

387

single grain of rice and not a second one. Monks, if you think that the grain of rice of that time was larger, put the thought out of your mind. A grain of rice of that time was the same as that of the present. O monks, sustained only by one single grain of rice in a day, my body became even thinner and weaker, and the people thought: “Ah, truly, the Sramana Gautama is the color of a madgura fish. His former beautiful and clear complexion has disappeared!”

Monks, this came to my mind: “I must attempt to eat still less.” And I knew that I needed only one grain of sesame seed and not a second one. And as before, my body grew thinner still, and people said: “His beautiful and delicate complexion has disappeared.”

Monks, this came to my mind: “There are sramanas and brahmins who believe that purity comes from not eating. I will therefore apply myself to not eating at all.”

And then, monks, my body, receiving no food at all, be­came excessively dry, thin, and weak. My limbs and their joints were two or three times, four times, five times, even ten times, thinner than the knots of the asitakl plant or the knots of the kalika plant. My sides were like those of a crab. My rib cage was like a caved-in stable, my spine took on the contours of a braid of hair, my skull became like a dried-up gourd, my eyeballs like the stars reflected at the bottom of a well.

And monks, when I thought to myself, how good to get up and loosen the limbs, and bent over to do so, I fell down. When with difficulty I picked myself up and rubbed my limbs, all the hairs of my body fell out. Because of the rough self-abasement I had undertaken, my beautiful, clear, and brilliant complexion disappeared. And those people who

388

dwelt in the neighboring village thought: “Ah! Truly, he is black, the Sramana Gautama! Truly, he is dark blue, the Sramana Gautama! Ah! Truly, the Sramana Gautama is the color of the madgura fish! His beautiful, clear com­plexion has disappeared.”

At that time, King Suddhodana sent a messenger to the Bodhisattva every day.

Thus, monks, the Bodhisattva, in order to cause marvelous actions to be seen in the world, to guide the actions and karma of beings whose actions were defiled, to express his accumulation of merits, to show the virtues of great knowl­edge, to define clearly the stages of meditation, manifested for six years the practice difficult to accomplish, eating but a single juniper berry and a single grain of rice. His mind never dejected, the Bodhisattva remained for six years with his legs crossed, abiding just so and never deviating from the path of pure action.

When the sun fell on him, he did not move into the shade, and from the shade he did not move into the sun. He did not seek refuge from wind, sun, or rain; he did not chase away horseflies, mosquitos, or snakes. He did not excrete urine or excrement or spittle or nasal mucous; he did not get up or stretch; he did not lie down on his stomach or back or side. The great storms and tempests, the rain and hail of autumn, spring, and winter descended on the Bodhisattva, who at the end, did not even try to shelter himself with his hand. He did not fight his senses, nor did he welcome the objects of the senses.

The young men and young girls of the village who passed by—cowherds, grass or wood gatherers or collectors of cow dung—thought: “He is a dust demon!” and they made fun

389

of him and covered him with dust. During those six years, the body of the Bodhisattva had become so weak, so feeble and thin that when they put grass and cotton in the open­ings of his ears, it came out through his nostrils; when they put stuff in his nostrils, it came out through his ears; when they put anything in his ears, it came out through his mouth; when they put anything in his mouth, it came out through his ears and his nose; when they put stuff in his nose, it came out of his ears, his nose, and his mouth.

And the gods, the nagas, the yaksas, the gandharvas, the asuras, the garudas, the kinnaras, and the mahoragas were witnesses of the virtues of the Bodhisattva. They remained near him day and night, giving homage to the Bodhisattva and praying.

By means of the Bodhisattva’s practice of austerities, twelve complete niyutas of gods and men were brought to complete maturation in the three vehicles.

Concerning this it is said:

The Bodhisattva endowed with great qualities leaves home;he generates skillful meansfor the sake of aiding and fulfillingthe purpose of living beings.At the time of the five degenerations, when people are inclined toward base and worldly doctrines, he was born into the land of Jambu where much karma is created.

390

“This land is filled with tlrthikas, foolish ones who proudly put themselves on display. Because of the tortures they practice on their bodies, they believe they have attained pure minds.“They walk into fire and throw themselves from cliffs; naked, they cover themselves with dust and ashes.To torment their bodies thoroughly,they zealously practice the austerity of the five fires.“Some repeat spells, some lick their hands after eating; some refuse offerings from bronze vessels or refuse to do rituals near pillars or gates.“Some refuse offerings from a place with a dog, or where they are told: “Wait!” or “Come!”After receiving a single offering from a dwelling, they believe they have become pure.“Some reject ghee, sesame oil, honey, and molasses,milk, curd, fish, and flesh,eating only syamaka grain and vegetables.Others eat only gardulas and rice sprouts, and the fibers of the lotus.“Some eat only roots, leaves, and fruits, and wear clothing of kula grass, skins, or felt; others wander naked, saying foolishly:‘Here is truth, the rest is falsehood!’“Some hold their hands uplifted and wear their hair in a tangled knot.Having completely lost their way, they desire the path to happiness, yet pursue a road that is wrong.

391

“They sleep on grass or ashes,on piles of sticks or thorns, or sleep crouched over.Some stand on one foot with faces lifted, gazing at the sun and moon.“Fountains, ponds and lakes, seas and rivers, the moon and sun, trees, mountains, and clay— these are some of the things they worship.“By means of various mortifications, they shrivel their bodies, those foolish ones!Wrapped in false views,they fall quickly into lower states of being.“These terrible mortifications I practice are surely a difficult course- impossible for gods or men to do.“And I will apply myself to Asphanaka contemplation, whose foundation is as solid as a diamond; a contemplation which the Pratyekabuddhas are incapable even of seeing.“In this world there are gods and men happy with miserable tlrthika practices; in order to bring them to complete maturity,I must practice rough and difficult austerities.”And the Bodhisattva, having crossed his legs, remains seated on the exposed earth, demonstrating the method of nourishing the body with only a juniper berry, a sesame seed, a grain of rice.Completely cutting off both inhalation and exhalation, he is not shaken, he who is strong!

392

For six years, he applies himselfto the great contemplation, the Asphanaka.Without investigation or conceptualization, this meditation is without change or vacillation, and all-encompassing like space— he applies himself to Asphanaka contemplation.And he does not move from sun to shade, or from the shade into the sun.Unshakable as Meru,he applies himself to Asphanaka contemplation.Without shelter from the wind and the rain, without protection against mosquitoes and scorpions, snakes and crawling insects, with unshakable practice,he applies himself to Asphanaka contemplation.He strives not for himself alonebut applies himself out of compassion for others,contemplating great benefit for the world.And the young people of the village, the cowherds, the grass and wood gatherers, imagine that he is a dust demon and cover him with dust.They heap filth upon him and do other malicious things.But he is unperturbed; unconcerned,he applies himself to the Asphanaka contemplation.He does not rise, nor does he lie down; he makes no effort to shield himself.

He excretes neither excrement nor urine.Unfrightened by noise, he does not look at others.His flesh and blood dry out,his skin wizens; tendons and bones stick out.Through his stomach one can see his spine, like the knots of a braid of hair.And those who excel in all things—the gods, asuras, nagas, yaksas, and gandharvarender homage day and nightto the one who possesses great virtues.And they set forth this prayer:“May we soon be like the one who, with the all-embracing contemplation of openness, applies himself to Asphanaka meditation, the samadhi which is the all-encompassing openness of space.”Not for his own happiness,not to taste the sweetness of meditationdoes he apply himself,but out of compassion for the well-being of others, out of concern for the troubles of the world.Those with opposing views are overcome; the tirthikas with base minds are subjugated.Where is the Enlightenment so difficult to obtain, even Over numerous kalpas?The great actions and deeds are being demonstrated— those which were told to Kaiyapa.For the sake of the joy of all beings,he applies himself to the Asphanaka contemplation.

394

Twelve complete niyutas of men and gods become trained in the three vehicles.For this reason does the one with the great mind apply himself to Asphanaka contemplation.

The Seventeenth Chapter The Practice of Austerities

one

Plate 18

Tfje ‘Nairafijana ‘Rivermonks, during the six years that the Bodhisattva practiced austerities, the demon Paplyan followed be­

hind him step by step, seeking an opportunity to harm him. But he found no opportunity whatsoever and went away discouraged and discontent.

Concerning this it is said:

There in the pleasant forests and woods, among thickets lush with vines, to the east of Uruvilva where the Nairanjana river flows,Namuci approaches the onewho applies himself to renunciation,striving zealously for perfection, firm in his valor.Namuci approaches, speaking sweetly:“Sakya son, arise! What need have you to weary yourself?

Life is most valuable for the living; in living, you will practice the Dharma.The living can act in such a way that their deeds do not bring sorrow.“You are weak, discolored, defeated;death approaches—death which has a thousand partswhile life has only one.“Great merit comes from giving alms and making fire offerings when one can.What can you do by renunciation?“Sorrowful is the path to renunciation, difficult the submission of the mind.”This is Mara’s discourse of the moment addressed to the Bodhisattva.The Bodhisattva replies to Mara:“Paplyan, ally of those gone mad, you have come out of self-interest alone.“You have not the slightest concern for my merit.O Mara, whoever is truly interested in virtue would speak like this:“ ‘I do not think of immortality, for life assuredly hds death as its end.Yet I will not turn backfor I am practicing brahmacarya.“ ‘The wind which dries up the river’s flowcan easily dry up the body and blood of renunciates.After the blood dries up, the flesh will certainly be next; and when the flesh is diminished, the mind becomes clear.’

400

“And so I abide with purpose, effort, and contemplation, and because I dwell like this,I have obtained higher perceptions and feelings.“I have no concern for my body or life.See the pureness of my rigor!Firm in my purpose and effort, I have wisdom as well.In this whole world I see no one who could move me from my endeavor!“Death which steals the vital breath is better than a miserable life in the town.Death in combat is better than the life of the vanquished.“Though he takes no pride in the victory, only the hero can conquer an army.The timid do not succeed.Soon, Mara, I will overcome you.“Desires are your first army; the second is discontent; the third is hunger and thirst; covetousness is the fourth.“The fifth is laziness and indolence;fear is said to be the sixth;the seventh is doubt;anger and hypocrisy make the eighth.“Ambition, praise, and respect, falsely acquired renown,self-glorification that puts others down:such is the army of Mara,allies of the dark and burning ones;to them the sramanas and brahmins succumb.

401

“Such is your army which subjugates this world and that of the gods.But my wisdom will destroy your army, as water destroys the unbaked vessel of clay.“I will act with understanding,for my mind is established in mindfulness,and I have meditated well on wisdom.But your mind is set on wickedness; so what can you accomplish?”At these words, Mara Paplyan,confused, humiliated, and full of resentment,at once disappeared from that very place.

Then, monks, it occurred to the Bodhisattva: “There are sramanas and brahmins who in times past, present, or future, harm themselves by tormenting their bodies, caus­ing great misery and pain. The tortures and great sufferings they experience are not good.”

And therefore, O monks, I further reflected: “Though their actions and attainments are much greater than the highest teachings of ordinary men, they do not bring the highest wisdom into view; they are not on the route to Enlightenment. This is not the path that will bring about the disappearance of future births, old age, and death. The path of Enlightenment, which brings an end to future births, old age, death, and suffering, is other than this.”

And, monks, the thought came to me: “In my father’s garden, seated in the shade of a jambu tree, d e t^ l"^ frr»m

402

desire, free from that which is non-virtuous and debasing, I attained the first level of meditation, in which there is observation and reflection, a meditation endowed with joy and pleasure born of solitude. I proceeded on to the fourth contemplation, and this I sustained. This is the path of Enlightenment which will lead to the disappearance of the miseries of birth, old age, sickness, and death.” This was my thought. And there followed for me the clear perception that this was the path of Enlightenment.

There came to me again the thought: “On a path where one becomes exhausted and weak, one cannot manifest complete Enlightenment. And if, moreover, I approached Bodhimanda, the Seat of Wisdom, with strength of knowl­edge and wisdom, but with a weakened body, I could not devote my last existence to compassion. And truly such is not the path of Enlightenment. Therefore, only after taking nourishment and regaining strength in my body will I approach Bodhimanda.”

Then, monks, the devaputras, out of sympathy for a being so exhausted, understanding clearly my thoughts and my deliberation, came to me and said: “O Holy Being, do not partake of rough food, as you intend. We will insert strength into you through your pores.”

O monks, the thought occurred to me: “If the devaputras, out of sympathy for my exhaustion, inserted strength into me through my pores, I could swear that I was not eating, and the people who inhabit the neighborhood could ac­knowledge that the Sramana Gautama does not eat. But this would be on my part the greatest of falsehoods.” And so to avoid this lie, the Bodhisattva did not heed the devaputras but maintained his intention of eating substantial food.

403

And so, O monks, after six years devoted to austerities, the Bodhisattva arose from his seat and spoke these words: “I will eat solid food, such as dal, molasses, and boiled rice.”

However, monks, the five men of good family reflected: “By the achievements of this path, the Sramana Gautama will never be able to manifest the saintly wisdom which is above the highest human knowledge. As he is now eating food in abundance, and as he is begging food, he is clearly an ignorant and stupid fellow.” And with this thought, withdrawing from the presence of the Bodhisattva, they traveled to Varanasi and took up residence at R$ipatana in the woods of the Deer Park.

When the Bodhisattva had first begun to practice aus­terities, ten young village girls came to see him. They had continued to honor and to serve him, although it was the five men of good family who generally attended on him, giving him the juniper berry, grain of rice, or sesame seed. The names of the ten girls were: Bala, Balagupta, Supriya, Vijayasena, Atimuktakamala, Sundari, and Kumbhakari, Uluvillika, Jatilika, and Sujata.

These young girls now prepared several kinds of foocj which they offered to the Bodhisattva. He partook of them and thereafter regularly sought alms in the village, so that he regained his color and his strength, and became known as the beautiful sramana, the great sramana.

O monks, from the first moment the Bodhisattva had begun to practice austerities, Sujata, daughter of the head villager, offered food for eight hundred brahmins, so that the Bodhisattva might end his ascetic practices and morti­fications and regain his strength. “May the Bodhisattva, having received food from me, attain perfect and fulfilled

404

Enlightenment and become a Buddha!” This was the prayer that she uttered.

O monks, the saffron garments which I had worn for six years had become extremely worn. And, monks, this came to my mind: “How fine it would be if I were to find some­thing with which to cover myself.”

At that time, O monks, Radha, a girl who had served Sujata, daughter of the head villager, had just died. After being wrapped in a hemp cloth, she was taken to a corner of the cemetery, where she was left. I noticed this dusty rag, and stepping close with my left foot, I stretched out my right hand and bent over to take the cloth away. At that motion the earth gods called out to the gods of the air: “What an astonishing thing, friends! How extraordinary! Here is the descendent of a great royal family, who not only has aban­doned the sovereignty of a Cakravartin, but now stoops down for a dusty cloth!” The gods of the air, having heard these words from the gods of the earth, called out to the Four Great Kings, and word then passed from them to the Thirty-three gods; from them to the Yamas, to the gods of Tusita, the Nirmanaratis, to the Parinirmita vasavartins, and from them to the gods of the Brahma realm. And so, monks, in the same instant, in the same voice, these very words reached the gods of Akanistha: “What an astonishing thing, friends! How extraordinary! Here is the descendent of a great royal family, who not only has abandoned the sovereignty of a Cakravartin, but now stoops down for a dusty cloth!”

In the meantime, O monks, the Bodhisattva thought again: “I have found a dust-covered cloth. It would now be good to find some water!” At once the gods struck the

Aft*

ground powerfully with their hands and on the very spot, a pond appeared. Today this pond is still called Panihata, Struck with the Hands.

The Bodhisattva thought again: “I have found water. Would it not be fine to find a rock on which to wash this dusty cloth?” At once Sakra placed there a flat rock, and the Bodhisattva began to wash the dust-covered cloth. Sakra then said to the Bodhisattva: “Pure Being, pray give the cloth to me. I will wash it.” But the Bodhisattva, in order to show the obligations of a wandering monk, did not give the cloth to Sakra, but washed it himself.

When the Bodhisattva, being quite weary, thought to step out of the pond, the demon Paplyan, out of envy, raised the edges of the pond by magic. But on the shore of this pond stood a large kakubha tree, and the Bodhisattva, as was the custom at that time, spoke to the goddess of this tree to propitiate her. He then asked her to bend down a branch of the tree, and when she had lowered the branch, the Bodhisattva pulled himself out of the water. Once out of the water, he sat under the kakubha tree and sewed the cloth, fashioning it into a monk’s garment. Today, this place is still called Pamsukulaslvana, The Sewing of the Dust-Covered Cloth.

Then a devaputra from the Suddhavasa realm named Vimalaprabha offered the Bodhisattva various garments dyed with saffron such as are suitable to a sramana. The Bodhisattva took these garments, and early in the morn­ing, dressed in monk’s garb, went toward the village near which he had lived during his mortifications.

In the middle of the night, the gods had spoken to Sujata. the daughter of Nandika, head of the village of Uruvilva.

4 nfi

saying: “Sujata, the one for whom you have made many offerings has ceased the practice of mortifications, and is now ready to receive pure and abundant food. Formerly you prayed: ‘After partaking of the food prepared by me, may the Bodhisattva attain perfect, supreme, and complete Enlightenment.’ Now do what must be done.”

O monks, upon hearing this, Sujata, daughter of Nandika the head villager, immediately took the milk of a thousand cows, drew from it seven times the purest cream, and poured this cream together with the freshest and newest rice into an earthen pot which she put on a new fireplace. And in the midst of this special food, as she prepared it, there appeared auspicious signs: a srivatsa, a svastika, a nandyavarta, a lotus, a vardhamana, and other signs of blessing.

Then Sujata thought: “Since such signs appear, there can be no doubt: after taking this food, the Bodhisattva will obtain the perfect, supreme, and complete Enlightenment.” Previously, a sage who knew the signs, who knew the rules for understanding the marks of the body, had come to the village and had prophesied that Immortality would be at­tained there.

Putting the soup on a prepared spot of ground, Sujata covered it with flowers and perfumed it with scented water. She then asked a servant girl named Uttara to request the presence of the Brahmin while she herself watched over the

.soup of milk and honey. “Very well, mistress!” answered Uttara, and she set forth. Going toward the east, she caught sight of the Bodhisattva. Likewise, when she went toward the south, the west, and the north, wherever she went, she always caught sight of the Bodhisattva. As for the tlrthikas, they had all been held back by the devaputras from the

407

Suddhavasa realm, and not a single one appeared. Upon returning, Uttara said to her mistress: “In truth, mistress, wherever I go, here or there, the handsome sramana is the only one I see. I see no other sramana or brahmin.”

Sujata replied: “For that very sramana has this food been prepared; please ask him to come here.” “Very well, miss,” replied Uttara, and going to the Bodhisattva, she bowed to his feet and extended an invitation to him in the name of Sujata.

Then, monks, the Bodhisattva went to the home of Sujata, daughter of the head villager, and sat upon the seat prepared for him. O monks, Sujata offered the Bodhisattva a golden bowl filled with milk and honey. At that moment, the Bodhisattva thought: “Now that Sujata has offered such food to me, there can be no doubt: after partaking of it, I will attain the perfect, supreme, and complete Enlighten­ment of a Buddha.”

As the Bodhisattva accepted the food from Sujata, he asked her: “My sister, what should I do with the golden bowl?” and she replied: “Take it with you.” To which the Bodhisattva replied: “I have no need of such a bowl.” To this Sujata answered: “Then do with it what you please. I do not give food to anyone without also giving a bowl.”

So taking the bowl of food with him, the Bodhisattva left Uruvilva, and later in the morning arrived near the Nairanjana, the river of the nagas. Placing the bowl and his garments to one side, he entered the river to refresh himself.

And, monks, while the Bodhisattva was bathing, several hundreds of thousands of devaputras rendered homage by filling the river with aloes and powders of sandalwood and

408

tossing into the water heavenly flowers of many colors, so that the Nairanjana grew thick with flowers and heavenly perfumes. Thousands of niyutas of kotis of gods scooped up the water with which the Bodhisattva had bathed and took it away, each to his own abode, there to build a caitya and do homage to the Bodhisattva.

As for the hair and whiskers of the Bodhisattva, Sujata, daughter of the head of the village, took them away as objects full of blessing, to build a caitya for them and to render homage to them.

Emerging from the water, the Bodhisattva looked for a place to seat himself along the shore, and a daughter of the nagas who resided in the Nairanjana river came from deep below and offered him a resplendent lion throne. Seating himself, the Bodhisattva ate his fill of the soup of milk and honey, thinking with kindness of Sujata, the daughter of the head villager. When he had eaten as much as he needed, he threw the golden bowl into the river, without thought of attachment. No sooner had he thrown the bowl into the water than Sagara, a king of the nagas, feeling faith and respect arise within him, took up the bowl and carried it to his abode, saying: “This bowl is worthy of homage!”

Now, Indra, the destroyer of cities, took the form of a garuda with lightning in his beak, and sought to take the golden bowl from the nagas, but did not succeed. He then asked for it courteously in his own form and carried it away to the abode of the Thirty-three gods to build a caitya for it and to pay it homage. There he established the Feast of the Begging Bowl, held on the autumn holy days. And even today, the celebration of the bowl takes place every year among the Thirty-three gods. As for the throne, it was

409

And upon this throne the being with calm mind—the one who has the vision of all the world—takes his seat.The mindful Sujata bows to the feet of the Bodhisattva, and serves him food in a golden bowl, saying joyously: “Pray, partake of my food, O Charioteer of Beings.”After eating what food he requires,the sage throws the bowl into the riverwhere Indra, master of the gods,takes it up, saying: “I will render homage to it.”After the Jina eats his fill of the very best food, the strength, splendor, and majesty of his body return at once.He gives a discourse on the Dharmafor Sujata and the gods, bringing them great benefits.And with the gait of the lion, the poise of the goose,and the bearing of the king of elephants,the Bodhisattva approaches the Bodhi tree.

The Eighteenth Chapter The Nairahjana River

412

Plate 19

grffcW^WHMRcH:

Tf)e ‘WcillC Toward tBodhimanda&&& monks, after the bodhisattva had bathed himself in vggr the Nairanjana river, after he had eaten and regained his strength and vitality, in order to triumph completely over Mara, he turned toward the foot of the great tree of Enlightenment, to the place on earth with the sixteen forms. He advanced with the stride of the great man: the untroubled stride, the stride like the caitya of the sages, the stride as firm as Mount Meru, the king of mountains. He advanced with the illustrious gait, the straightforward gait, the strong gait, unhurried and unhindered. He walked with the unagitated and unhesitating stride, the stride not going astray, surefooted, and not slowing down.

He advanced with the blessed stride, the spotless stride, the stride of virtue, the stride without anger, without ig­norance, without desire.

He walked with the gait of the lion, the gait of the king of geese, the gait of the king of the nagas, the gait of Narayana, the gait which does not touch the earth.

He advanced with the stride which causes the image of a thousand-spoked wheel to appear on the earth, the stride of

the one with copper-colored fingernails and fingers joined by a membrane.

He advanced with the stride which makes a whistling sound, the stride which sounds like rolling mountains, the tapping stride. He advanced with the stride of the one who touches beings with a ray of light that emanates from the space between his webbed fingers, leading them into bliss.

It was the gait which leaves the spotless lotus as its foot­print, the gait which has the momentum of good works previously completed, leading toward the lion throne of the former Buddhas.

He walked with the stride of a firm mind, indestructible like the vajra, a stride destroying all the difficulties of beings on wrong paths, producing all happiness, showing the road of deliverance, annulling the strength of Mara, conquering the hosts of evil in accord with the Dharma, destroying the blemish of ignorance, clearing away the fettering passions, clearing away samsara.

He proceeded with the stride which dominates Sakra, Brahma, Mahesvara, and the Guardians of the World, the stride of the unique hero of the three thousand great thou­sands of worlds, the unsurpassable stride of the self-arising being, the stride which leads toward omniscience, the stride of mindfulness and intelligence, the stride leading to bliss and calm, the stride which causes old age and death to disappear without a trace, the stride of pure peace, the stride free from fear of Mara.

He proceeded with the stride which carries beings to the city of Nirvana. With such a stride did the Bodhisattva advance toward Bodhiman<ja.

O monks, the road from the river Nairanjana leading up to Bodhimanda was cleansed by the gods of the winds and the clouds; it was sprinkled with perfumed water by the devaputras of the rain clouds who strew flowers down upon it. Throughout the three thousand great thousands of worlds, the trees all bent their crowns toward Bodhimanda. And all the children born on that day turned their heads toward Bodhimanda as they slept. And in all the regions of the three thousand great thousands of worlds, all the mountains, beginning with Sumeru, also bent in the direc­tion of Bodhimanda.

O monks, the road leading from the river Nairanjana to Bodhimanda, for the distance of a kro£a, had been made ready by all the devaputras of the desire realm. On each side of the road, to both right and left, altars composed of seven precious things had been magically constructed seven palm trees in height, sheltered above by jeweled nets, ornamented with royal parasols, standards, and banners. At the distance of an arrow’s flight, palm trees formed of seven precious substances had been produced by magic, and on each palm tree was a dais. ^

All of the palm trees were connected by jeweled cords. Between each two palm trees appeared a pond lined with golden sand, brimming with perfumed water, and covered with blue, yellow, red, and white lotuses. Each jeweled dais was encircled by jeweled staircases of pearl and lapis lazuli. The calls of thrushes, cranes, and geese, of swans, herons, and peacocks enlivened the air. Eighty thousand apsarases sprinkled the road with perfumed water, and eight thou­sand apsarases cast down fresh flowers with divine scents. In front of each palm tree a jeweled platform was raised, and upon each platform stood eighty thousand apsarases

417

carrying boxes of sandalwood powder and aloes, as well as cassolettes wafting the smoke of balsam through the air. And on each platform apsarases singing sweet melodies assembled into groups of fifty thousand and played con­certs on divine instruments.

O monks, all the Bodhisattva-fields were quaking, and rays of light numbering hundreds of millions shone forth; hundreds of thousands of musical instruments played, while flowers rained down. Thousands of floating banners were waving in the breeze, and hundreds of thousands of drums resounded under repeated beats. Horses neighed, elephants trumpeted, and bulls roared, all while circumambulating the Bodhisattva three times. Parrots, jays, black cuckoos, nightingales, and jlvamjlvas, geese, mallards, herons, and peacocks by the hundreds of thousands called out to the Bodhisattva amidst hundreds of thousands of benedictions. On this road, prepared in so spectacular a manner, did the Bodhisattva advance toward Bodhiman<jla.

On the very night when the Bodhisattva determined to attain the perfect and complete Enlightenment, Brahma Sahampati, who is called VaSavartin, the sovereign of the three thousand great thousands of worlds, spoke to the assembly: “Friends, the Bodhisattva Mahasattva, having donned the great armor, the solid armor, has not put aside his great promise; he who never becomes discouraged has performed all the practices of a Bodhisattva and has suc­ceeded in going beyond all the Paramitas. He has mastered all the stages of the Bodhisattva and knows perfectly all the thoughts and actions of a Bodhisattva. He has penetrated the senses of all beings and has entered into all the secrets of the Tathagatas.

418

“He has completely overcome all the devious ways of the demon. Virtuous in all things, he is independent of others and blessed by all the Tathagatas. He teaches all beings the way of complete deliverance; he is the Leader of the great caravan. Destroyer of all the domains of the demon Mara, he is the unique hero of the three thousand great thousands of worlds. As the great King of Physicians, discoverer of the means of complete deliverance, he procures all the remedies of the Dharma. He is the great King of the Dharma who shines forth the great light of wisdom; he is the king bearing the great banner. Untainted by the eight worldly dharmas, the Bodhisattva is like a great lotus that sheds water from its leaves. He never forgets the dharanls, the great formulas of the Dharma.

“He is like the great ocean, free from desire and jealousy. He is like the great Sumeru, unchangeable, unshakable. Pristine, perfectly pure, with a well-enlightened intelli­gence, he is like a great precious jewel, exercising mastery over all the Dharma. He has every circumstance well in hand.

“The Bodhisattva, appearing like the great Brahma, ad­vances to Bodhimanda to assume the perfect and complete Enlightenment of a Buddha, to overcome completely the army of Mara. He proceeds to Bodhgaya to fulfill com­pletely the ten strengths and the four fearlessnesses, to ac­complish completely the eighteen pure Buddhadharmas. He proceeds in order to turn the Wheel of the Dharma, to utter the great lion’s roar, to satisfy all beings with the Dharma, to purify the Dharma eye of all beings, to offer the aid of the Dharma to all opposed to the Dharma, to show the perfect fulfillment of a former promise, and to obtain supreme mastery over all the dharmas. Friends,

419

make haste in offering the Bodhisattva your homage and your respects.”

And on this occasion, the great Brahma VaSavartin ut­tered these verses:

“By his great virtue and splendor,he reveals the path of the brahmaviharas—the path of love, compassion, joy, and equanimity.Manifesting meditation and clear knowledge,having performed for thousands of kalpasthe actions of the Bodhisattva,he walks toward the Bodhi tree.Render offerings to the Muni as he achieves his goal!“After taking refuge in him,one has no fear of traveling lower pathsor of losing one’s opportunity.One will enter the vast dwelling of Brahma, obtaining the desired happiness among the gods.Having accomplished for six years things difficult to achieve, he is going to the Bodhi tree.Filled with the greatest joy,may all beings render homage to him!“He is the king of the three thousand worlds, the powerful lord, the sovereign lord of the Dharma.In the realms of 6akra, Brahma, Surya, and Gandra, none is equal to him at whose birthhundreds of millions of Buddha-fields quaked in six ways.

490

Today he advances toward the magnificent tree, intent on conquering the armies of Mara.“Even those who dwell in the lofty abode of Brahma cannot catch sight of his head.Bearing the most excellent marks,his body is adorned with the thirty-two signs;his speech goes straight to the heart,sweet, penetrating, and harmonious,like the voice of Brahma;his mind is calm and without anger.Let us proceed to offer him homage!“May those who wish to taste the bliss of meditationin the abode of Brahma and Sakra;those who wish to cut the vine of the fettering passions;those who wish to attain the Enlightenmentof a peaceful, immortal Pratyekabuddhawho does not hear the Teachings from another;those who desire to obtain the conditionof a Buddha in the three worlds—may they all pay homage to the Guide of All!“The earth and surrounding ocean he has completely renounced; he has given up innumerable precious things— palaces with oval windows and pavilions, horses and chariots,the land adorned with brilliant masses of fresh flowers,with ponds and gardens;he has given up his hands and feet,his head and eyes, his whole body;such is the one making his way toward Bodhimanda.”

421

O monks, at that moment the great Brahma who presides over three thousand great thousands of worlds called for all to assemble in this world—in the region which was as smooth as the palm of the hand, free of rock and without gravel, covered with diamonds, pearls, crystal, and lapis lazuli, bedecked with conch shells, coral, gold, and silver, carpeted with smooth green grass that swirled to the right like a nandyavarta and was soft to the touch as kacalindi down. To this one point in the three thousand great thou­sands of worlds Brahma called all to assemble. And all the great seas were as calm as the surface of the earth, and no harm befell the beings who lived within them.

When Sakra, Brahma, and the Guardians of the World saw this place on the earth thus adorned, they also carefully adorned the hundred thousand Buddha-fields in the ten directions in order to render homage to the Bodhisattva. With offerings and preparations surpassing those of gods and men, the Bodhisattvas also adorned the immeasurable Buddha-fields of the ten directions in order to render homage to the Bodhisattva. And all the Buddha-fields were as one, adorned with various ornaments and preparations. Moun­tains encircling the world—the Kalaparvatas, Cakravalas, and Mahacakravalas—had disappeared entirely, and all the Buddha-fields appeared bathed in the clear light radiating from the Bodhisattva.

Sixteen devaputras who had acquired the unswerving pa­tience of irreversibility were standing vigilant in their role as guardians of Bodhima^qla. They were Utkhali, Sutkhali, Prajapati, Surabala, Keyurabala, along with Supratisthita, Mahindhara, Avabhasakara, Vimala, Dharmesvara, and Dharmaketu, Siddhapatra, Apratihatanetra, Mahavyuha, Sllavisuddhinetra, and Padmaprabha.

In order to pay honor to the Bodhisattva, these sixteen vigilant devaputras decorated Bodhimanda. For eighty yo- janas, Bodhimanda was encircled by seven altars made of seven precious materials; seven rows of tala trees rimmed the altars, and beyond the trees were seven precious nets adorned with tiny bells, encircled by seven golden cords. Holy books were there, covered with cloths made of gold from the rivers of Jambu. Woven into the material were golden lotuses and the symbols of the seven precious things, made from thread of gold from the rivers of Jambu.

Bodhimanda was perfumed with the softest scents and sheltered by a jeweled lattice. All the different trees found in all the worlds of gods and men in all ten directions were seen at Bodhimanda. All the different flowers found in the ten directions, growing in the water or on the earth, were also seen at Bodhimanda. And the Bodhisattvas of the various worlds in all the ten directions adorned Bodhimanda with the arrangement of the accumulation of their knowledge and boundless virtue.

O monks, the devaputras who were the vigilant guardians of Bodhimanda also made similar supernatural displays at Bodhimanda. At the sight of these preparations, the gods, nagas, yaksas, gandharvas, and asuras compared their own abodes to cemeteries and expressed their admiration: “Ah! This is indeed the incomprehensible result of the complete maturation of merit!”

And all four goddesses of the Bodhi tree, Venu, Valgu, Sumanas, and Ojapatl, out of respect for the Bodhisattva, beautified the tree of Enlightenment: its fabulous roots and trunk, its branches, leaves, flowers, and fruits, its remark­able height and breadth. The Bodhi tree was glorious to see and very imposing, rising to the height of seven talas.

A.O’K

Wonderful and radiant, the Bodhi tree entirely delighted the mind. It was surrounded by seven jeweled altars which in turn were rimmed by seven rows of precious talas; these were circled by seven nets, laced with tiny jeweled bells, and all was surrounded and linked by jeweled cords. The eye would never grow weary of seeing this tree, majestic as the coral tree and the kovidara tree.

At this place where the Bodhisattva would sit to attain perfect and complete Enlightenment, here at the center of the three thousand great thousands of worlds, the earth was unchangeable, its essence immutable, its nature that of a diamond.

O monks, while the Bodhisattva was advancing toward Bodhimanda, a brilliant light shone forth from his body which emptied the unfortunate realms, destroyed all anx­ieties, and caused all bad feelings to disappear. All beings with imperfect senses had their senses entirely restored; those attacked by illnesses were cured; all the unhappy be­came joyful; those tormented by fear were reassured; those held in bondage were released; the poor received all their hearts’ desires; beings tormented by the fettering passions were no longer assailed; the hungry had their stomachs filled; those desperate with thirst were relieved of thirst; pregnant women gave birth easily; those who were lan­guishing and weak were endowed with vigor.

At that moment all beings were relieved of the pains of desire, hatred, and ignorance, anger, envy, meanness, and jealousy. At that moment no being died or was reborn in a lower realm. At that moment all beings were filled with the desire to be helpful to each other, with the benevolent feelings of a father or mother.

424

Concerning this it is said:

Even as far as the Avici hellwhere dwell underworld beings terrible to see,suffering is relieved,and all beings experience great joy.All those bom from the wombs of animalswho prey upon each otherare touched by the rays of the Muniand feel sweetly benevolent toward each other.All the hungry ghosts in the world of pretas, tormented by hunger and thirst, through the splendor of the Bodhisattva, obtain food and drink.Every obstruction to practice is removed, and all the lower realms are emptied.All beings in fortunate states of being become as happy and as satisfied as the gods.Those deprived of sight and hearingand those with limbs imperfect are all completely cured.All beings tormented by the fettering passionsor assailed by desire and hatredor by other human miseries,all have their emotionality appeased,and all are filled with well-being.The demented regain their senses; the poor gain riches; the sick are cured; prisoners are d<

425

Hostility, envy, meanness, and quarrels all cease,and people become benevolent, ready to help one another.Like the tenderness of a mother and a father for an only son, such is the affection of beings for each other.Immeasurable Buddha-fields in all the ten directions—Buddha-fields as numerous as the sands of the Ganges—are bathed in the rays of lightwhich are shining from the Bodhisattva,light so bright the Cakravala and Kalaparvata mountainscan no longer be seen,and all the vast and varied fields appear as one.Smooth as the palm of the hand,the Buddha-fields are filled with precious thingsas offerings to the Bodhisattva:adorned and decorated, all the fields resemble jewels.Sixteen gods attend to Bodhimanda, adorning it to a distance of eighty yojanas.And through the splendor of the Bodhisattva all the great, endless ornamental array in the tens of millions of fields can be seen everywhere.The gods, the nagas, and the yaksas, the kinnaras and the mahoragas reflect that their own airy abodes are cemeteries in comparison.On seeing this glorious array, gods and men are amazed, and they cry to each other in wonder:“Such a blessing is indeed the result of his virtue!”

42fi

Effortless in action, in word, and in thought, all his affairs succeed! His wishes are attained.Even the wishes of others are fulfilled by his former actions; the prosperity produced here is the complete maturation of all the Bodhisattva’s actions.Decorated by the four goddesses of the Bodhi tree,Bodhimanda stands outlike a flower of the coral tree against the sky.And the qualities of the display at Bodhimandaarranged by the godscannot be completely described in words.

O monks, the light cast by the Bodhisattva completely illumined the abode of Kalika, the king of the nagas. Pure and pristine was this light, which produced joy and delight, happiness and calm in the body and mind of all beings, clearing away all the fettering passions. Seeing this light, Kalika, the king of the nagas, uttered these verses in the presence of his following:

“Brilliant rays stream forth,flooding my abode with shining light,like the light seen emanating from Krakucchandaand also from Kanakahvaya,like the pure light seen streaming from Kasyapa.

427

There can be no doubt:the Muni, King of the Dharma, has been born, a helpful being endowed with the best signs, one possessing the light of wisdom.“The shadows of previous evil actionshave kept from my dwelling the lightof sun and moon, of fire and stars,the flash of lightning, and the sparkle of jewels.Not even the light of Sakra or Brahma, or the light of the asuras has graced my home.“But today the splendid light of virtue shines within my dwelling like the sun, causing joy to arise in the mind and well-being in the body.“The limbs are refreshed;the burning sands which fall upon the body have cooled.Clearly, the one who has done his utmostfor tens of millions of kalpasis now proceeding toward the Bodhi tree.“Quickly, bring the lovely flowers of the nagas,fine perfumed garments, necklaces of pearls,bracelets, sweet-smelling powders, and the best of incense.Sing and play the instruments in harmony;with drums and tambourines honor the helpful being,worthy of homage from the entire world!”And rising up, accompanied by his daughters, he looks in the four directions and sees the one who is like Mount Meru, well-adorned with splendor,surrounded by tens of millions of gods and danavas, brahmendras and yak§as, who joyously offer homage and show him the road, saying, “This way is good.”

428

After making offerings to the Best One in the World, the king of the nagas, filled with joy, bows down respectfully at his feet.The daughters of the nagas render joyful homage to the Muni, tossing flowers, aloes, and perfumes, and playing sweet music.The king of the nagas joins his palms and gives praise to the Muni’s true qualities:“It is sweet to see you, O Guide,0 Greatest Being in the World, you whose face is like the full moon.1 have seen the signs of the rsis of old; we see these signs in you as well.Today, having conquered the demon Mara, full of strength, you will obtain the highest state.“For the sake of this momentyou upheld your discipline, your giving, and your vows; you gave up all your possessions.For the sake of this momentyou have meditated on the power of discipline,on good conduct, on love, compassion, and patience;for this purpose were you firm in effort.Delighting in contemplation, you became a torch of knowledge.Your prayers have been completely fulfilled: today you will be a conqueror.“The trees with their leaves, their flowers and fruits, bow to the Bodhi tree.A thousand urns full of clear water surround you; hosts of joyous apsarases sing their sweet songs; geese and flocks of herons frolic in the sky, joyously circling the Rsi.

429

“Today you will be an Arhat.Beautiful golden rays of lightpenetrate hundreds of Buddha-fields;all sufferings are relieved,and all beings are delivered from lower realms.Today, rain has fallen on the abodes of Candra and Surya, and a soft wind blows.O Driver of the caravan of beings,you will be the one who deliversthe three worlds from birth and old age.“The gods abandon the joys of desire and come before you to render homage.Brahma and his priests as well as many gods have interrupted a meditation full of sweetness; all the powerful beings in the three worlds have come here before you.Today the King of Physicians will deliver the three worlds from birth and old age.“The gods have sprinkled and decorated the route by which you advance— the route used also by the blessed Bhagavats Krakucchanda, Kanakahvaya, and Kasyapa.Where your feet touch the ground, perfect pure lotuses, spotless and beautiful, push up through the earth.You are full of extraordinary strength; today you will become an Arhat.“Myriads of millions of demons— as numerous as the sands of the Ganges— cannot move you or draw you from the Bodhi tree, for you have made hundreds of thousands of offerings—

430

as numerous as the sands of the Ganges.Your actions always aid the world.Therefore does your light shine here in my realm.“Though the planets and the moon, the stars and sun,should fall from the sky to the earth;though the greatest among the grandest of mountainsshould move from its place;though even the ocean should dry out;though a sage who would be able to teachshould arise from each of the four realms;once you have arrived at the foot of the king of trees,you would not arise before gaining Enlightenment.“Because I have seen the Charioteer of Beings, great fortune and richness have become mine.You have been given offerings, your virtues have been proclaimed— now I am full of ardor for Enlightenment, as are my sons and daughters.May we be delivered from birth!Like a great elephant you advance; may we proceed in the same way.”

O monks, Suvarnaprabhasa, the wife of Kalika, king of the nagas, now came forward and circumambulated the Bodhisattva, surrounded and preceded by a multitude of daughters of the nagas. They carried jeweled parasols, mu­sical instruments, and necklaces of pearls, gems, perfumes, and garlands, both human and divine. They bore urns filled with incense and played instruments while singing most

431

sweetly. As they came before the Bodhisattva, they tossed heavenly flowers and praised him with these verses:

“You who are without error and without fear, without timidity, fright, depression, or sadness, you who are joyous and difficult to conquer, free from desire, defilement, confusion, and envy, you who have reached deliverance, to you we bow down, O Great Rsi!“Physician who causes no pain, you train those needing training.Great doctor who cures all suffering, knowing the unfortunate lack refuge and protection, you were born into the three worlds where they dwell in order to give them refuge.“The hosts of the gods, eager and joyous, let fall a great rain of flowers from the skies; they float great numbers of banners in the wind. Today you will be a Jina! Let happiness burst forth!“Draw near the king of trees and sit down uprightly. Shake off the nets of the fettering passions, and the armies of Mara will be conquered.Like the Jinas before you,you will attain supreme Enlightenment,complete and perfectly calm.“For the purpose of securing the world’s deliverance, you have done things difficult to do for several tens of millions of kalpas.

432

Now your intention is well-fulfilled;the time has come to approach the king of trees,and reach supreme Enlightenment!”

Then, O monks, the Bodhisattva reflected: “What did the former Tathagatas sit upon when they assumed perfect and complete Enlightenment?” And he knew that it was upon a mat of kusa grass.

Hundreds of thousands of gods of the Suddhavasa realm appeared in the sky, knowing in their minds the thoughts of the Bodhisattva, and spoke thus: “So it was, Holy One; so it was. They attained supreme, perfect, and complete Enlightenment after seating themselves on a mat of ku$a grass.”

And then, O monks, the Bodhisattva noticed on the right side of the road the kusa grass seller, Svastika, who was cutting fresh rushes and braiding them so that they swirled to the right like the soft feathers of a peacock’s neck. These grasses were soft to the touch like cloth made of kacalindi down, sweet-smelling, and of a color that delighted the eye. At this sight, the Bodhisattva left the road and, approach­ing Svastika, the kusa grass seller, addressed a discourse to him in a soft voice. It was a discourse which made every­thing known, made it perfectly known, perfectly clear; a discourse not interrupted, producing affection, beautiful and worthy of being heard, sweet, and mellow; a discourse worthy of being retained, encouraging, satisfying, joyous, and friendly; a discourse without slackness, without hesita­

444

tion, without harshness, without haste; soft, harmonious, agreeable to the ear, pleasing to the body and the mind; free from passion, hatred, ignorance, argument, and harshness.

This discourse was like the song of the nightingale and the sonorous voice of the kunala and the jlvamjlvaka; like the sound of the drum; like melodies of sweet song; causing no harm, truthful, clear, exact; like the harmonious accents of Brahma; like the sound of the billowing ocean; like the sound of colliding mountains.

This was a discourse worthy of praise from the master of the gods and the master of the asuras, profound, difficult to penetrate; a discourse rendering Mara powerless, reducing the opposition to silence; a discourse like the formidable roar of a lion; like the neighing of the horse and the trum­peting of the elephant; resounding like the voice of a naga; thundering like storm clouds filling all the Buddha-fields of the ten directions.

This was a discourse consoling to beings needing disci­pline; not harsh, neither precipitous nor slow; well-bound, suitable, appropriate to the time, and wholly opportune; well-formed of a hundred thousand dharmas; subtle and unhindered; with a persistent energy.

It was a discourse emitting all voices with a single voice, making all of his purposes known, producing well-being, teaching the path of deliverance, indicating the multiplicity of ways; a discourse not passing from the assembly, de­lighting the whole assembly, and conforming to what has been uttered by all the Buddhas. With such a discourse the Bodhisattva addressed Svastika, the gatherer of kusa grass:

“Listen, Svastika! Quickly, give me your ku£a grass.I have great need of such grass today.After overcoming great Mara and his army,I will attain Enlightenment’s great calm.For this purpose have I carefully practiced giving for thousands of kalpas; for this purpose have I carefully practiced mastery over the self, discretion, renunciation, good conduct, fidelity to vows, and austerities; today complete Enlightenment will come to pass.“The strength of patience and the strength of effort; the strength of contemplation and wisdom; the strength of merit and knowledge of liberation: today will I fulfill all these.“The strength of wisdom and the strength of means;supernatural power and the strengthof love without grasping;the strength of correct understandingand the strength of truth:today will I fulfill all these.“By giving me a bundle of kusa grass, you will gain the strength of boundless merit.No troubles will ever beset you,and you yourself will become a teacher without equal.”

435

Having received this most beautiful blessing full of sweet­ness from the Guide of the World, Svastika was joyous, transported, delighted, and full of contentment. He took a bundle of new rushes, soft to the touch, tender and beau­tiful, and standing before the Bodhisattva, addressed to him this speech, his heart filled with joy:

“If with a few bundles of kusa grassone can attain the path of the former Buddhas,so difficult to see, so calm, the greatest Immortality,and the highest state of Enlightenment,then pray accept this grass.You are already a greatly renowned Ocean of Virtues; let me be the first to become a Buddha, attaining the highest state of Immortality.”The Bodhisattva replied:“This Enlightenment, O Svastika, is not obtained by sitting on a seat of the softest grass without having first practiced for numerous kalpas austerities and actions difficult to accomplish.When a sage has been lifted by wisdom, merits, and the knowledge of means,the Victorious Munis will make a prediction, saying: ‘You will be faultless.’“O Svastika, if this Enlightenmentcould be given to others like a ball of boiled rice,there would be no hesitation in giving itto great gatherings of living beings.

When I obtain Enlightenment, know that I will share Immortality.In times ahead, come listen to the Holy Dharma, and you will become faultless.”The Guide took up the soft, sweet-smelling grass and departed with the gait of a lion and the beautiful bearing of a swan.The earth trembled strongly.The gods and nagas, their palms pressed together, their hearts full of joy, said:“Now he will conquer the army of Mara and attain Immortality.”

O monks, while the Bodhisattva was approaching the Bodhi tree, eighty thousand Bodhi trees were adorned by the devaputras and the Bodhisattvas, who thought: “Here, after seating himself, the Bodhisattva will obtain Enlight­enment and will become a perfect and complete Buddha.” Some of the Bodhi trees were formed of flowers and were a hundred yojanas high; others were formed of incense and reached the height of a thousand yojanas; there were also Bodhi trees of sandalwood a hundred thousand yojanas high; Bodhi trees of cloth which were five hundred thousand yojanas high; Bodhi trees of jewels a million yojanas high; other Bodhi trees of jewels tens of millions of niyutas of kotis of yojanas high. At the feet of all these Bodhi trees stood lion thrones, prepared in suitable form, covered with various kinds of heavenly cloths. At the feet of other Bodhi trees were prepared lotus thrones, thrones of incense, or thrones of various precious jewels.

437

The Bodhisattva entered into the contemplation called Lalitavyuha, the great Playful Arrangement, and at that very instant, the Bodhisattva, well-adorned with the thirty- two signs and the eighty secondary marks, appeared to be seated on each one of the lion thrones at the feet of all the Bodhi trees.

The devaputras and the Bodhisattvas all thought: “It is on my own seat that the Bodhisattva sits and enters into meditation, and not on that of the others.” And in the same way that the devaputras had this idea through the power of the Bodhisattva’s Lalitavyuha contemplation, all the beings of hell, all the beings born in animal realms, all those in the world of Yama, all gods and men born in whatever condition, all beings saw the Bodhisattva seated on a throne at the foot of a Bodhi tree.

And still more—in order to delight the minds of beings who are attracted to earthly things, the Bodhisattva, taking a bundle of kusa grass, approached the Bodhi tree and circumambulated it seven times. He himself laid out the mat of grass, excellent in every respect, with the tips of the grass to the inside and the roots to the outside. Then, like a lion, like a hero, like a strong being, like a firm being, like a courageous being, like a vigorous being; like a wisdom holder, like a naga, like a possessor of the supreme power; like one freely arising, like a being without equal, like an eminent being, like an elevated being, like a glorious being, like an illustrious being; like one accustomed to giving, like a being endowed with good conduct, with patience, effort, and meditation; like a knowledgeable one, like a being en­dowed with all virtues; like a being who has destroyed the opposition of Mara; like all of these, the Bodhisattva sat down upon the mat of kusa grass, holding his body erect

in the cross-legged posture, his face toward the east. Mani­festing great mindfulness, he made this vow in a firm voice:

“Here on this seat my body may shrivel up, my skin, my bones, my flesh may dissolve, but my body will not move from this very seat until I have obtained Enlightenment, so difficult to obtain in the course of many kalpas.”

The Nineteenth Chapter The Walk Toward Bodhiman4a

439

“Displays at “Bodhimandam o n k s , d u r in g t h e t i m e the Bodhisattva was seated at Bodhimanda, six gods of the desire realm remained

in the eastern region to protect the Bodhisattva from ob­stacles. The southern, western, and northern regions were also guarded by the gods.

O monks, during the time the Bodhisattva was seated there at Bodhimanda, he cast forth the rays of light called Exhortation of the Bodhisattva. Immeasurable and innu­merable light rays spread out in all directions, illuminating all of the Buddha-fields of boundless space in the vast open sphere of the Dharma.

From the eastern region, from Vimala, from the Buddha- field of the Tathagata Vimalaprabhasa, the Bodhisattva known as Lalitavyuha was drawn by the light from the Bodhisattva. Surrounded and preceded by a great host of Bodhisattvas whose number surpassed all calculation, he approached Bodhimanda where the Bodhisattva was seated. And as a token of homage to the Bodhisattva, Lalitavyuha manifested a great supernatural power that made all the Buddha-fields of boundless space in all ten directions visible as a single circle of pure, deep lapis lazuli.

At the same time, Lalitavyuha caused the Bodhisattva at Bodhimanda to be visible to all beings born into the five conditions of existence. And beings everywhere pointed out the Bodhisattva to each other, wondering: “Who is this one with such an auspicious form, the most gracious of all? Who is this one with such an auspicious form, who shines so brightly?” And in the presence of all of these beings, the Bodhisattva caused other Bodhisattvas to appear, who pro­nounced this verse:“From the body of the one who has destroyed all inclinations toward desire, hatred, or impurity, rays of light stream forth, eclipsing all other light in all the ten directions.The treasure of his knowledge, contemplation, and merit has increased during a multitude of kalpas; now J>akyamuni, holiest of the great Munis, glorifies all points of space.”

Then, from the south, from Ratnavyuha, from the world realm of the Buddha-field which belongs to the Tathagata Ratnarcis, the Bodhisattva Mahasattva who is known as Ratnacchattraku{a-samdarsana was drawn by the light of the Bodhisattva. Surrounded and preceded by a great mul­titude of Bodhisattvas which surpassed all calculation, he approached Bodhimanda where the Bodhisattva was seated. And as a token of homage, he gave shelter to the entire assembly with a single jeweled parasol.

Then Sakra, Brahma, and the Guardians of the World said to each other: “Of whose merit is this the fruit? What

brings about this display of a jeweled parasol?” And from the precious parasol, this verse was heard:“With a loving mind, he has givenmillions of perfumed and jeweled parasolsto incomparable beings now in Nirvana;the one who gives aid,the one with the strength of Narayana,the one who is marked with the best signsand filled with virtues,the one who has approached the Bodhi tree:to him this homage is given.”

Then from the western region, from Campakavarna, from the world realm of the Buddha-field of the Tathagata Puspavali Vanaraji Kusumitabhijna, a Bodhisattva Maha- sattva named Indrajali was drawn by the light from the Bodhisattva. Surrounded and preceded by Bodhisattvas surpassing calculation, he approached Bodhimanda where the Bodhisattva was seated. And as a token of homage to the Bodhisattva, he gave shelter to the whole assembly with a single jeweled net.

The gods, nagas, the yaksas, and the gandharvas of the ten directions said to each other: “Why then is there such a display of light?” And from within the jeweled net, this verse came forth:“I honor the mine of precious gems, the exalted banner, joy of the three worlds,

445

first among precious jewels, greatly renowned, the one joyous in the Dharma, zealous in striving ceaselessly for the Three Jewels, the one who will obtain Enlightenment.”

Then from the northern region, from Suryavarta, from the world realm of the Buddha-field of the Tathagata Candra-surya JihnI Karanaprabha, a Bodhisattva Maha- sattva named Vyuharaja was drawn by the light from the Bodhisattva. Surrounded and preceded by an incalculable multitude of Bodhisattvas, he approached Bodhimanda where the Bodhisattva was seated. As a token of homage, he displayed within the circle of the assembly all the qualities of the Buddha-fields of all the world realms in all the ten directions. At this some of the Bodhisattvas asked: “Foriwhom are these displays?” And from the midst of the dis­plays, this verse came forth:“We honor the chief of the Sakyas,the one who has come before the king of trees,the one who has purified his body by merit and wisdom;the one who has purified his speech by vows and austerities,and by the truthfulness of the Dharma;the one who has purified his mind by modesty,devotion, love, and compassion.”

Then from the southeastern region, from Gunakara, from the world realm of the Buddha-field which belongs to the

Tathagata Gunarajaprabhasa, the Bodhisattva Mahasattva who was named Gunamati was drawn by the light from the Bodhisattva. Surrounded and preceded by a great multitude of Bodhisattvas surpassing all calculation, he approached Bodhimanda where the Bodhisattva was seated. As a token of homage, he manifested within the circle of the assembly a many-storied palace possessing every wonderful quality. And from this palace came forth this verse:

“The one by whose virtuesgods, asuras, yaksas, and mahoragas shine,possessor of the qualities of the Gunaraja family,the ocean of virtue is seated in front of the Bodhi tree.”

From the southwestern region, from Ratnasambhava, from the world realm of the Buddha-field belonging to the Tathagata RatnayastI, a Bodhisattva Mahasattva who was known as Ratnasambhava was drawn by the light from the Bodhisattva. Surrounded and preceded by an incalculable multitude of Bodhisattvas, he approached Bodhimanda where the Bodhisattva was seated. As a token of homage, he manifested within the circle of the assembly immeasurable and innumerable celestial temples. From these holy temples this verse came forth:

“The one who has renounced both earth and ocean, who has given up precious things in great number- beautiful palaces with turrets and oval windows, horse-drawn chariots and celestial temples,

447

gardens covered with garlands of flowers, even his feet, his hands, his head, his eyes: this one is seated at Bodhimanda.”

From the northwest, from Meghavatl, from the world realm of the Buddha-field of the Tathagata Megharaja, the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Meghakutabhigarjitesvara was drawn by the light from the Bodhisattva. Surrounded and preceded by a multitude of Bodhisattvas surpassing all calcu­lation, he approached Bodhimanda where the Bodhisattva was seated. As a token of homage to the Bodhisattva, he manifested a cloud of balm and sandalwood and caused a fine dust composed of the essence of Uraga sandalwood to rain down upon the assembly. And from within the circle of the cloud of balm, this verse came forth:“He extends the cloud of the Dharma,shining with the rays of deliverance and realization,into the three worlds.Free from attachment, he rains down the holy Dharma and the attainment of Immortality and Nirvana.He cuts away the vines of desire and the fettering passions, with all their tendencies which bind so completely.The flowers of meditation, the supernatural abilities, the ten powers and strengths open through the power of faith.”

H.AQ

Then from the northeast, from Hemajalapratichanna, from the world realm of the Buddha-field belonging to the Tathagata Ratnacchatrabhyudgatavabhasa, a Bodhisattva Mahasattva named Hemajalalamkrta was drawn by the light from the Bodhisattva. Surrounded and preceded by a host of Bodhisattvas which surpassed all calculation, he approached Bodhimanda where the Bodhisattva was seated. As a token of homage to the Bodhisattva, he caused figures of Bodhisattvas completely adorned with the thirty-two signs to appear in all of the storied palaces and temples, each figure holding garlands of divine and human flowers. Bowing toward the Bodhisattva, each Bodhisattva hung these garlands of flowers about Bodhimandala and uttered this verse:

“I bow my head to the onepraised by hundreds of thousands of previous Buddhas, to the one who has produced great faith and humility, the one who speaks with the melodious voice of Brahma, who now has arrived at Bodhimanda.”

From the lower region, from Samanatavilokita, from the world realm of the Buddha-field belonging to the Tathagata SamantadarSin, the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Ratnagarbha was drawn by the light from the Bodhisattva. Surrounded and preceded by an incalculable multitude of Bodhisattvas, he approached Bodhimanda where the Bodhisattva was seated. And as a token of homage, he caused golden lotuses which grows in the water of Jambu to appear within the

449

circle of lapis lazuli. In the hearts of the lotuses appeared radiant maidens revealing the upper half of their bodies, well-ornamented with jewelry, flower garlands, and golden cords, with many necklaces and bracelets on their wrists and arms. After hanging wreaths of silk and flowers around Bodhimanda, they bowed toward Bodhimanda and to the Bodhisattva and uttered this verse:“Come, bow before this one so filled with virtue, who himself has always bowed before spiritual teachers— before the Buddhas, the Sravakas, and the Pratyekajinas; the one joyful in mindfulness and conduct, the one who lacks all pride.”

From the higher region, from Varagana, from the world realm of the Buddha-field of the Tathagata Ganendra, a Bodhisattva Mahasattva named Gaganaganja was drawn by the light from the Bodhisattva. Surrounded and pre­ceded by a host of Bodhisattvas surpassing all calculation, he approached Bodhimanda where the Bodhisattva was seated. As a token of homage, he stood in the sky and from the Buddha-fields of the ten directions manifested all sorts of things never seen before: heavenly flowers, incense, perfume, flower garlands, ointments, perfumed powders, religious robes, clothing, ornaments, parasols, standards, streamers, banners, jewels, precious stones, gold, silver, pearl necklaces, horses, elephants, chariots, infantrymen, vehicles, flowers, trees, fruits, young men, young women, gods, nagas, yaksas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, and mahoragas, as well as Sakra, Brahma, and the Guard­ians of the World, humans and non-humans. From the

middle of the sky, they all rained flowers down, producing joy in all beings and causing fright or harm to none.

Concerning this it is said

From all the ten directions all the sons of the Jinas have come to pay homage to the Enlightenment which will benefit all beings.Listen to the measure, the symmetry, the order,the swiftness, the beautiful display of the sons of the Jinas.Some come like storm clouds in the sky, draping garlands by the hundreds of thousands.Some come with precious diadems in their flowing hair, revealing crystal palaces of flowers in the sky.Some come roaring like lions,proclaiming emptiness which is signless and wishless.Some come bellowing like bulls, tossing beautiful flowers never seen before.Some come crying out like peacocks,their bodies shimmering with thousands of colors.Some come like full moons in the sky, reciting the qualities of the son of the Jinas— a garland of virtues.Some come like suns emitting light, eclipsing the abodes of Mara.Some carry staffs with banners like Indra’s; having amassed the treasures of merit, they have come to Bodhiman^a.

AH 1

From the height of heaven they toss jeweled nets decorated with shining candras and sucandras; they loss garlands and bouquets of mandarava, sumana, jasmine, and magnolia flowers to the perfect Iiodhisattva, seated in front of the king of trees.

Some come shaking the earth with their stride, bringing joy to all people.Some come carrying Mount Meruin the palm of their hands;from the skv they toss down baskets of flowers.

Some approach carrying the four seas on their heads, sprinkling perfumed waters on the earth.Some come carrying jeweled staffs,pointing out the perfect Bodhisattva from a distance.

Some approach in the tranqu/7 form of Brahma, calm in mind, perfectly calm, abiding in meditation. From their pores conies a delightful voice, expressing the immcasurablcs: love, compassion, joy, and equanimity.

Others come in the form of (tidra,preceded by gods by the hundreds of thousands;after approaching the Bodhi tree.they bow with joined palms, and toss precious gemslike those of I tidra.

Some come in the form of the Four Guardians, surrounded by gandharvas, kinnaras, and raksasas; they rain down brilliant flowers like flashes of lightning and praise the Hero with the voices of gandharvas and kinnaras.

<tv;

Others come carrying flowering and fruit-bearing trees, whose blossoms perfume the air;showing the upper half of their bodies amidst the foliage, they bow toward Dharanimanda and throw flowers.

Some come bearing ponds tilled with lotuses, yellow, blue, and white.In the heart of each lotus stands one who bearsthe thirty-two signs of a great man-one who praises the Bodhisattva,the sage whose mind is completely detached.

Some manifest bodies as immense as Meru:they appear in the sky,then hurl themselves toward the earth,their falling bodies turning into garlands of fresh flowers,which fill the three thousand fields of thejinas.

Some approach writh eyes flaming like the conflagration at a kalpa’s end when the world is destroyed and reborn.From their bodies issue voices, teaching numerous doors of the Dharma. freeing hundreds of millions from envy.

Some who approach arc beautiful, with lips as red as the bimba and voices as resonant as the kinnaras’; some appear as young girls, adorned with beautiful necklaces, entrancing to the assembled gods.

Some appear with bodies indestructible as the diamond, wading through the deepest waters of the ocean floors.

4 5 3

P h il* 71

! JTFWWTf T:j | c i « - q s ; Q r a ^ , 5 | S , [I_____________ _ _

T)efeat of cMara

uc:h, o monks, were the numerous displays which theBodhisattvas manifested at Bodhimanda as homage to

the Bodhisattva. And the Bodhisattva himself made visi­ble at Bodhimanda all the displays of ornaments in all the fields of the Bhagavats, past, present, and future, in all of the ten directions.

Then, C) monks, while (he Bodhisattva was seated at Bodhimanda. the thought occurred to him: “The demon Mara is lord of this realm of desire—the master who wields the power; it would not be right to become a Buddha, to attain perfect and complete Enlightenment, without first informing him. 1 shall therefore summon Mara Paplyan. When he is conquered, all the gods of the desire realm and all others will be subdued as well. Moreover, among the entourage of the demon Mara are devaputras of his realm who have previously generated the root of virtue. When these devaputras have seen how the lion sports, they will then turn their thoughts toward perfect and complete Enlightenment.”

O monks, when the Bodhisattva had so reflected, he emitted from the tuft of hair between his eyebrows a ray called Sarvamara-mandalavidhvamsanakarl, That Which Destroys All the Domains of the Demon. As soon as this ray appeared, all the abodes of Mara in the three thousand great thousands of worlds grew dim and shook severely. The three thousand great thousand worlds were filled with a great light, and Mara Paplyan heard these words coming from within the light:

“Today the completely pure being who has performed pure actions for numerous kalpas. who gave up his position as the son of King Suddhodana in order to benefit the world.who set forth with the desire to manifest Immortality, approaches the tree of wisdom.May lie now make great effort!

“ May he help others cross over after he himself crosses over. Mav he deliver others as he himself is delivered.

j

1 laving taken breath, he will give breath to others; having entered into complete Nirvana, he will help others enter also.

“ He will empty the three lower realms,leaving behind not a single sentient being;he will fill to overflowing the cities of gods and men.He is the great Benefactor; having obtained Immortality, he will bestow on others the great bliss of contemplation, omniscience, and Immortality.

4 5 8

“O Ally of Evil, upon his Enlightenmenthe will cause the great rain of the Dharma to fall;he will empty all your cities.Without using force, he will weaken your army and render it powerless.Deprived of your army, O Mara,you will be a partisan without partisans;you will not know where to turn or what to do/’

O monks, agitated by these challenges, Mara Papiyan dreamed a dream with thirty-two aspects. What were the thirty-two?

He saw his abode enveloped in shadows. Dreaming, he saw his dwelling covered with dust and filled with sand and gravel. He saw himself running in all directions, over­come by fear and anger; in his dream he was without diadem or earrings. He dreamed that his lips, his throat, and his palate were parched and dry. He saw himself with heart tormented. In his dream his gardens had all been stripped of leaves, flowers, and fruits; the ponds, whose waters had drained away, were left cracked and dry. He dreamed that the flocks of geese, storks, peacocks, night­ingales, the kunalas, jlvamjlvas, and other birds, all had had their wings clipped.

He saw drums, conch shells, tambourines, kettle drums, lutes, guitars, theorbos, cymbals, and all other imaginable musical instruments broken in pieces and scattered over the ground. He saw himself, Mara,

4 5 9

abandoned by his following and by those he loved. He saw his favorite wife, adorned with garlands, fallen from her couch onto the ground, beating her head terribly with her fists. And he dreamed that he saw the most valiant, the strongest, the most brilliant, the wisest of the sons of Mara bowing before the Bodhisatlva, who had come to the holy place of Bodhimancja.

He saw his daughters weeping and shouting: “ O father! O father!” He dreamed his body was covered with a soiled garment, and that his head was covered with dust. His face was pale, he was without strength, and his splendor was gone. He saw his palaces with their galleries, oval windows, and arcades crumbling and covered with dust. In his dream the captains of his armies of vaksas, raksasas, kumbhan^as, and gandharvas were in Bight, and were holding their heads in their hands, weeping and crying out. lie saw the great leaders of the gods of the desire realm, Dhriarastra, Virudhaka, Virupaksa, Vaisravana, ancl Sakra, Suyama, Santusita, Sunirmita, Vasavartin, and the others as well, turn their faces toward the Bodhisattva, ready to serve him.

He dreamed that in the midst of combat, his sword would not come out of the scabbard. He saw himself uttering cries of misfortune; he saw himself abandoned by bis following. He dreamed that the urns of benediction at his door had overturned. He saw the brahmin Narada uttering curses, and the doorkeeper Anandita wailing in despair. He saw the canopy of the heavens enveloped in shadows, and saw the goddess of fortune, Sri, who lives in the realm of desire, crying great tears. 1 lc dreamed that his supreme empire had been overturned, that he had become powerless, that the nets of pearls and precious gems had been broken into pieces and had fallen to earth. In his dream he saw the

460

entire abode of Mara shaken hard. He saw trees cut down, wails fallen, and the whole army of Mara put to rout.

Such, O monks, were the thirty-two aspects of the dream of the demon Paplyan. Awakening trembling and fright­ened, he assembled all his men: his army, his attendants, his captains, and gatekeepers. When they had assembled, he addressed them in verse:

The demon Namuci is stricken when he sees these things in a dream.He summons his sons and his attendants and the demon captain Simhahanu, and addresses these allies of darkness:

“ Last night I heard some verses in the air, announcing that one born among the Sakyas, the one bearing the excellent signs, who for six years practiced austerities most terrible and difficult to do, has now arrived before the Bod hi tree.It is time for us to make great effort!

“When ihe Bodhisativa awakens,he will awaken hundreds of millions of others.When he obtains Immortalityand enters the cool of Nirvana,he will empty my abode of every being.

“ With a vast army wo must go forth.We will strike the sramana who sits alone at the foot of the king of trees.

461

Quickly assemble the four divisions of troops.If you want to please me, act quickly!

“Though the world is full of Pratyekabuddhas and Arhats, my strength is not diminished when they enter Nirvana. But if he becomes a Jina, King of the Dharrna, there will be countless Buddhas, their numbers immeasurable.”

Then. O monks, a son of the demon named Sarthavaha addressed this verse to the demon Paplyan:

“Why, O father, is your face so sad and pale?Why is your heart beating so last?Why are your limbs trembling so?What have you heard? What have you seen?'Tell us at once! Having looked at the problem, we will decide what to do.”

Mara put aside his pride and answered:“ Listen to me, dear son.I have seen terrible things in a dream,sights most frightening. If I told you the whole of it,vou would all faint in terror!”*

Sarthavaha said:“ If the time of combat has arrived, there is nothing wrong with winning, but losing brings <»re»i harm!

4 6 2

If you have seen bad omens in a dream, there may be virtue in standing aside, rather than being destroyed in battle!”

Mara said:“ For one with an agile mind, success in combat is certain. If we are linn and act with skill, the victory will be ours. Where is there a man who would not bow to my feel at the sight of my army?”

Sarthavaha said:“ However large the army, if it lacks sufficient strength, it will fall to a single powerful hero.Though fireflies filled the three thousand worlds, the sun alone would eclipse their light and plunge them into obscurity.”

And he added:“The one who acts unskillfullythrough pride and ignorance, without reasoning,will surely be destroyed.”

«-■

O monks, the demon Mara Papivan did not listen to Sarthavaha. He proceeded to deploy his great army of font- divisions of troops, strong and valiant in combat, so formi­dable that it made the hair stand on end, an army such as gods and men had never seen or even heard of before.

Mara’s soldiers were endowed with the ability to change their faces into many different shapes and to transform themselves in a hundred million ways. Around the hands and feet and bodies of the demons were coiled snakes by the

hundreds of thousands; in their hands they held swords, bows and arrows, axes, hammers, hatchets, tridents, clubs, stall's, chains, bludgeons, discuses, and lightning bolts; their bodies were protected by fine coats of armor.

The demons' heads and their hands and feet were twisted and distorted: their bellies were distended; their heads and faces and eyes were flaming, shining with a terrible licrce- ness; their eyes shone red and flashing like those of the venomous black serpent; their canine teeth stuck out, enor­mous and frightful; their tongues hung from their mouths, thick and rough like matting.

Some of the demons spewed forth venom; others, like garudas, grasped sea-snakes in their hands. Some were eating human flesh and blood, gnawing on hands and feet, heads, livers, entrails, and bones. Their bodies were of dif­ferent colors: greenish, dark blue, reddish brown, blue, red, and yellow. Some had crooked eyes or eyes hollow like wells, eyes inflamed or torn out and hanging; eyes slyly squinting or twisted; eyes flashing and deformed.

Some of the demons approached proudly, carrying fiery mountains and riding atop other fiery mountains. Others made their way toward the Bodhisattva grasping uprooted trees. Some had ears like goals, hogs, or demons; like the hanging ears of an elephant, or the ears of a boar. Some had no ears at all. Some looked like skeletons with emaciated bodies but stomachs distended. Others had stomachs like pitchers and feet like skulls. Their skin and flesh were shriveled, 1 heir cars, noses, hands, and feci, or eyes and heads were missing. Some in their desire to drink blood were cut­ting off each other’s heads.

464

With raucous voices, ugly, harsh, and frightening, some of the demons were groaning: “ Hu, hu, 1 conic!” or calling out: “ Hulu, hulu!” Some were screaming: “ Grab him! Hit him! Strike him! Rip him to pieces! 'l ie. grab, cut, break, crush! Away with the Sramana Gautama and the tree!”

Some of the demons had the faces of wolves or jackals; of swine, asses, oxen, of elephants, horses, camels, wild asses, water buffalo, onagers, or rabbits: of yaks, rhinoceroses, and sarabhas- deformed faces, inspiring terror. Some had the bodies of lions, tigers, rams, or bears; of monkeys, leopards, cats, or goats; of serpents, mongeese, fish, sea monsters, alli­gators, or turtles; of ravens, vultures, owls, garudas, and other creatures.

Some of the demons had strange forms, with one head or two or up to a hundred thousand heads while others had no head at all. Some had one arm or up to a hundred thousand arms while o th e r s had no hands. There were creatures with one foot or up to a hundred thousand feet while others had no feel.

Some of the demons had serpent venom dripping from the openings of their ears, their mouths, their noses, eyes, and navels. Some brandished swords, bows, arrows, lances, hatchets, axes, discuses, iron clubs, or javelins, lightning bolts, spindles, small javelins, and all sorts of other weapons as they threatened and taunted the Bodhisattva.

Some of the demons were wearing garlands of severed human lingers and garlands made of human bones and skulls. Some were smeared with serpent venom; others rode elephants, horses, camels, donkeys, bulls, and water buffalo, while spouting fire from their heads. Some were covered with hair like monkeys; others had hair like needles, or the

4 6 5

hair of oxen, donkeys, boars, or mongeese; the hair of goats, rams, sarabhas, cals, monkeys, wolves, or jackals.

There were demons which vomited and swallowed iron balls, and breathed fire. 'They spread a rain of llaming cop­per and iron, a rain of lightning bolts, a rain of burning iron sand, and a rain of arrows, making black clouds arise. And in the great darkness, the demons rushed toward the Bodhisattva, calling out fiercely. Rattling chains, they made great mountains crumble. The demons stirred up the great seas and jumped over looming mountains, shaking Mount Meru, the king of mountains.

Pushing here and there, the demons threw their limbs from side to side, uttering great screaming bursts of laughter as they pierced and beat their chests. Jostling one another, shaking their heads, their hair standing on end or blazing with fire, their eyes like those of jackals, they attempted to frighten the Bodhisattva.

The forms of old women approached the Bodhisattva wailing to him: “Alas, inv son! Alas, my son! Arise, quickly! Run! Save yourself!” Creatures in the shape of raksasls, of priacas, and one-eyed pretas, lame, weak, and hungry, rushed up to the Bodhisattva with their arms raised, their mouths distorted, uttering fearful cries.

With such an army of demons was the attack carried out. For twenty-four yojanas on all sides, the demons by the hundreds of millions converged on the Bodhisattva. Mara's army spread out and filled the air, occupying entirely the three thousand great thousands of worlds.

Concerning this it is said:

466

Creatures in the forms of yaksas and kumbhandas, mahoragas, pretas, and pi&icas—everything most disagreeable and frightful in the world, all appear by magic.

There appear yaksas with one head,two heads, three heads, a thousand heads;with one arm, two arms, three arms, a thousand arms.

There are many with one foot, two feet, three feet, up to a thousand feet:there are those with dark blue faces and yellow bodies, with yellow faces and dark blue bodies.

Some have faces of one kind and bodies of another: white faces with black bodies, black faces with white bodies.

And so the whole army of demons approaches with the faces of tigers and snakes and swine, with the faces of elephants, horses, insects, and camels, with the faces of monkeys, lions, and bears; the army with demonic faces advances.

Fearsome yaksas with heads like sheep arc covered with horrible growths and sticky with human blood.So the yaksa demons advance—with feet like antelope, with eyeballs like monkeys, teeth like elephant tusks: such are the faces of the demon army advancing.

Bodies like crocodiles, cars like goats*, eyeballs hollow and shining with fire: such arc the faces of the demons advancing.

467

Some brandish sticks and others, axes and lances;some are carrying great mountains:such are the fearful forms of the yaksas advancing.

Some, with eyes swirling, brandish wheels of fire or carry great mountain peaks in their hands, while hurling iron balls and stones amidst hurricane winds such are the frightful yaksas advancing.

They make the wind blow fiercely and (he rain to fall; lightning flashes follow one on another by the hundreds of thousands.

Thunder crashes, and trees overturn, but not a leaf on the tree of wisdom quivers.Rain pours down, the streams fill to overflowing; the earth is covered with water.

In the midst of all these numerous terrors, night falls imperceptibly.All around trees crash to the ground,and the most frightful of forms arc everywhere seen.

Yet, even as he views these shocking forms,the mind of the one with the signs of virtue,shining in his glory like Mount Meru, remains unmoved.Like magic, like a dream, like clouds:thus he regards all things.

Reflecting that all substances are thus,he sits still and meditates, abiding in the Dharma.The thought comes to his mind:

“ Those who think T and ‘mine’are attached to themselves and to other things.The wise who sec this condition of grasping become intent on breaking free.”

4 6 8

But the son of the &akyas realizes that all things come forth dependentlv, that their nature is without substance.

Endowed with a mind like great space, he remains untroubled at the sight of the deceiver with his army.

O monks, among the thousands of sons of the demon Paplyan were some who were partisans of the Bodhisattva. Led by the demon Sarthavaha, they stood on the right side of Mara, while those who took the side of Mara Paplyan stood on his left. Then Mara Paplyan spoke thus to his sons: “ With what sort of army shall wc subdue the Bodhisattva?”

»\nd on his right side, Mara's son Sarthavaha addressed this verse to his father:‘Would you want to wake the sleeping king of the nagas, ar the sleeping king of the elephants?Or arouse the sleeping king of the beasts?^ct you want to stir up the most powerful of men who is abiding there at ease."

From the left side, the son of Mara named Durmati spoke thus: “ Look here!I can cause hearts to break! I can fell great trees!No one alive can keep his strengthwhen struck by the deathblow of my glance.”

From the right side, one named Madhuranirghosa said “ Because you can destroy great trees, you think that you can take on this man?Where is your sense?Even if your glance could destroy Mount Merit, you could not even open your eyes in his presence.

“You might take up the ocean in your hands and even drink down its waters, but looking such a pure one in the face would bring you great suffering!”

On the left, one named Satabahu said:“ l have a hundred arms and can shoot one hundred arrows at one lime.I will make holes in the bodv of the sramana.» •O my father, do not worry! Advance without delay!”

On the right side, Subuddhi said:“Though you have one hundred arms,they will be like one hundred hairs against him.Even your hundred arrows can do nothing.

“ Why is this? The Muni has meditated on a love that passes far beyond the world; his body cannot be touched by poison, arrows, or fire; all weapons hurled against him change into flowers.

“The strongest of the strong, be they men or yaksasfrom the sky, the earth, or water,though armed with swords and hatchets,will lose their strengthwhen they approach the master of men,who arms himself w ith the strength of patience.”

470

On the left Ugratejas said:“ I will enter his beautiful body, and I will burn it, as a forest fire burns dead trees, from trunk to twigs.”

On the right, Sunetra said:“ Even if you could penetrate and burn Mount Meru, the likes of you could never burn this one, who has the diamond mind,though your numbers equaled the sands of the Ganges.

“Though all the mountains crumble,and the great oceans dry up,though the sun and the moon fall to the earth,and the earth itself should be destroyed,

“The one who has undertaken to help the world, who has made a solemn vow, would never arise from beneath the great tree without having obtained supreme Enlightenment.”

On the left side, DIrghabahugarvita said:“ With my hand I can crush the abodes of Candra and Surya;1 can crush the stars as if they were right here before me

“ I can part the waters of the four oceans in spoi l.0 father, I will seize the sramanaand throw him 10 the other side of the sea.

“ Have the army stand ready, O father!Do not be disheartened.1 will tear him to pieces,and the tree of wisdom as well,and scatter the bits to the ten directions.”

471

From the right side, Prasadapratilabdha said: “Even if you could crush to powder the earth, the seas, and the mountains, together with the gods, asuras, and gandharvas, you and thousands like you, equal in number to (he sands of the Ganges, could still not move one hair of the Bodhisattva, the one who is the wisdom-holder.”

From the left side, Bhayariikara said:“Why, O father, arc you so afraidwhile you stand in the midst of your army?He has no armv, and where are his allies?What reason is there to fear him?”

On the right side, Ekagrarnati said:“ Moons and suns. Cakravartins and lions, all have no armies in this world.True, the Bodhisattva has no army— but alone he can conquer Mara."

On the left side, Avatarapreksi said:“ He has no lances, no spears, no clubs or swords, no elephants or horses, no chariots or soldiers.Fear nothing, father! I will kill him—this worthless sramana who sits there alone.”

On the right side, Punyalamkara said:“ lake Naravana. his bodv is indestructible./ • /Armed w ith the strength of patience, wielding the solid sword of valor and the bow or knowledge,he rides the triple vehicle of complete deliverance.

4 7 2

O father, by the strength of his merit, he will overcome the army of Mara.”

On the left Anivartin said:“The forest fire does not spare the grass;the archer’s arrow does not return;the lightning from the sky docs not turn aside;nor will I rest until I conquer the son of the Sakyas.”

On the right side, Dhamiakama said:“ Encountering damp grass, fire draws back;hitting a rock, the arrow rebounds;striking the earth, the lightning is buried below.Until he has obtained peaceful Immortality, he will not rest. And why?

“ O my father, even if one could draw figures in the air,or unite all sentient beings in a single thought;even if one could bind with a cordthe sun, the moon, or the wind,still one could not move the Bodhisattvafrom Bodhimanda.”

On the left side Anupasanta said:“ By the great venom of my glance,I can burn Mount Mcru and dry up the oceans.Watch, dear father, how I pierce with my gazethe Bodhi tree and the siamana;see how today I reduce them both to ashes.”

On the right side the devaputra Siddhartha said: “ Even if the three thousand worlds were filled with poison and aflame, a glance from the one who is a source of virtues

473

would drain all the poison away.The three worlds are full of terrible poisons: desire, hatred, and ignorance.Yet, in his body and mind they arc nowhere to be found, no more than mud or dust arc found in the heavens.

“ I lis body, his speech, his mind arc perfectly pure;he is filled with love for all beingsand neither weapons nor poison can harm him.For this reason, dear father, sound the order to withdraw!”

On the left side, the one who was named Ratilola said:‘‘By exciting his desireswith a thousand musical instrumentsand a hundred thousand well-adorned apsarases,I will lead him into the finest of cities.Overcome with desire, he will be in your power!”

On the right side, Dharmarati said:“ His pleasure is in the Dharma and in contemplation, in the meaning of Immortality, in love, and in delivering all beings.He finds no pleasure in the joys of passion!”

On the left side the one named Vatajava said:“ With my all-consuming power,I could devour the sun and moon and the wind which blows from the sky.This very day, O my father, I will seize the sramanaand break him into pieces,as the wind scatters a handful of straw!”

On the right, the son of Mara named Acalamati spoke thus “ However formidable your speed and power.

474

even if it equaled that of gods and men together, it could do no harm to this uncqualcd man.”

On the left side, Brahmamati said:“ Even if your strength were that great, your self-esteem is weak; never would you win. Every enterprise succeeds through numbers; he is alone: what could he possibly do?”

On the right side Simhamati said:“ Lions never move in herds,nor do beings who kill with their looks:glorious beings, the first among men,who conquer with the truth.also do not group together.”

On the left side, Sarvacandala said:“Thus do your sons speak to you with heated words, words full of courage, impetuosity, and strength- let us go and kill the sramana quickly!”

On the right side, Sitiihanadi said:“ In the winding paths of the forest, the jackals bark when the lion is not near, but they flee in terror at the sound of his roar, scattering in all directions.

“The ignorant sons of Mara shout proudly when they do not hear the voice of the best of men; but as soon as the Lion of Men speaks out, they will run.”

On the left side, Du^cintitacinii said:“What I have in mind will be quickly done.This idiot knows nothing;

4 7 5

does he not sec our legions?Why does he not rise promptly and flee?”

On the right side, Sucintitartha said:“ Neither stupid nor easy to conquer is he; it is you who are harmless and stupid.You do not understand his strength.By the power of his wisdom, he will conquer all!

“ Even if the number of Mara's sons were equal to the sands of the Ganges, with all your strength you could not move even a single hair on his head.How could you think to kill him?Have no thought of harm and calm your mind;fill it with faith and respect; withdraw without fighting;hero in the realms of existence, he will be king.”

And so in this way all the sons of Mara,forming a full thousand,those on the light side and those on the dark,each in his turn, addressed verses to the demon PapTyan.

Then Bhadrasena, the captain of Mara’s armies, said to Mara: “All who have marched in your ranks— Sakra, the Guardians of the World, the kinnaras, the most powerful of the asuras, the lords of the garudas— all join their palms and bow before him.

“And the more so those who have not followed you—the devaputras of Brahmabhasvaraand the gods of Suddhavasa—all have bowed before him.

“And even here, the wise among your sons, the intelligent and strong,

4 7 6

unite their hearts with the Bodhisattva and also bow before him.

“ He looks upon this army of demons,yaksas, and other terrors,an army extending for eighty-four yojanas,and his mind is wholly tranquil;for he lacks completely all moral fault.

“ Having seen this fearsome army,terrible, monstrous, terrifying,he is neither astonished nor overcome.Certainly the victory today will go to him.

“ Everywhere this army of owls and jackals stops, they make their cries heard: when the crow and the donkey raise their voices, the time to retreat is at hand.

“ Look at Bodhimanda: the paiakuntas, swans, kokilas, and peacocks circle him, doing homage. Certainly the victory today will go to him.

“Where your army stops, ink and dust rain down; at Mahimancla, there is a rain of flowers.Do as I say, withdraw your forces!

“Where your army stops, the ground is unlevel.rocky, and covered with thorns;the ground of Mahimanda is spotless gold.The wise would quickly withdraw.

“ Withdraw, unless you wish your dream to come true. Withdraw, or he will reduce you to ashes, as the land of the rsis was razed.

477

“On his royal walk, a great rsiwas irritated by Brahmadatta,and for many years thereafterno grass grew in the burned out forest of Dandaka.

“Yet this one is superior to the greatest of rsis the whole world over—r is of good conduct, who fulfill their vows and are devoted to austerities— for he truly does no harm to any being.

“ Have vou not heard it said in former times:j

‘When the one who bears the beautiful, striking signs leaves his family, he will be a Buddha, a conqueror of the fettering passions'?

“The sons of the jinas have manifested a great display, and today they come to honor him; the first of beings accepts this first among all offerings.

“The perfectly pure urn a between his brows shines in tens of millions of Buddha-fields.Alas! Surely we shall be eclipsed!The army of Mara will be destroyed!

“ Since his head cannot be seen even by the gods who dwell in the uppermost worldly realms, he will surely obtain omniscience without being instructed by others.

“ Mcru and the Cakravalas, the sun and moon.Indra, Brahma, and the trees and highest mountains all bow before Mahimanda.

“Without any doubt, through the strength of his virtue, the strength of his wisdom, the strength of his knowledge,

-17R

the strength of his patience, and the strength of his valor, he will render powerless the demon’s allies.

“ Like an elephant smashing an earthen pot, or a lion conquering a jackal; like the sun outshining a glowworm, the Sugata will conquer this army.”

After hearing this speech, another son of Mara, his eyes aflame with anger, said:“You pronounce words of exaggerated praise for that one all alone.What can he do by himself?Do you not see this great and frightful army?”

Then, from the right side, a son of Mara named Marapramardaka said:“The sun needs no companion in this world, nor docs the moon, a lion, or a Cakravartin king. Certainly the Bodhisaitva.well-seated and greatly strengthened by wisdom, has no need of other companions.”

Meanwhile, in order to weaken the forces of Mata, the Bodhisattva shook his head like a hundred-pctaled lotus in full bloom. Seeing ibis, the demon fled, for he thought that he saw his army vanish within the Bodhisativa’s mouth. From a safe distance, he reconsidered, thinking that this could not be, and so turned back.

4 7 9

Returning to his followers, he hurled projectiles at the Bodhisattva; but even when he threw mountains like Meru, they were transformed into a canopy of flowers and celestial palaces. From the attackers’ eyes came the venom of ser­pents, from their breath carnc poisons and flames. But the flames hovered over the Bodhisattva like a circle of light.

The Bodhisattva touched himself on the forehead with his right hand, and Mara fled toward the south, thinking: “The Bodhisattva has a sword in his hand!” But then he thought: “There was nothing!” and again turned back.

Mara aimed at the Bodhisattva all sorts of frightening weapons: swords, arrows, lances, javelins, stones, spindles, axes, rammers, sharp lightning bolts, clubs, discuses, ham­mers, uprooted trees, boulders, chains, and iron balls. But no sooner did he throw these weapons than they changed into garlands and canopies of flowers. Flowers covered the ground and hung as ornaments for the tree of wisdom. So magnificent were these displays made for the Bodhisattva that Mara Paplyan was devoured with anger and envy. Me cried to the Bodhisattva: “Arise! Arise, youthful prince! Go and enjoy your kingdom! Through what merit will you gain deliverance?”

Then the Bodhisattva in a deep firm voice, solemn, sweet, and pleasant, answered Mara Paplyan in these words: “ Paplyan. through a single offering freely made you have become head of the empire of desire; but 1 have freely made hundreds of millions of offerings. I have cut off my hands, my feel, my eyes, and my head as gifts for those who wished them; ardently desiring the deliverance of beings, I distrib­uted houses, riches, seeds, beds, garments, gardens, and parks to all who asked.”

4 8 0

Then Mara Papiyan addressed the Bodhisattva with this verse:

, V tr

“ In a previous existence,I freely made an irreproachable offering; to this you arc the witness;but you have no witness to offer evidence in your support, and so you will be conquered!”

The Bodhisattva replied: “ PapTvan, this earth is my wit­ness.” And then the Bodhisattva enveloped Mara and all his following with a thought proceeding from love and compassion. Me was like a lion, without distress or fear, terror or weakness, without dejection, without confusion, without agitation, without the dread which makes the hair stand on end.

With his right hand, which had on its palm the designs of a conch, a banner, a fish, a vase, a svastika, an iron hook, and a wheel; this hand which had the spaces between the fingers joined by a membrane; which was beautifully adorned with fine softly polished fingernails the color of red copper; which had the graceful form of youth; which dur­ing innumerable kalpas had accumulated great masses of virtue; with this hand he touched all parts of his body, and then gently touched the earth. And at that moment lie uttered this verse:

461

“This earth, the home of all beings, is impartial and free of malice toward everything which moves or docs not move. Here is the guarantee that there is no deception: take the earth as my witness.”

And as the Bodhisaitva touched the great earth, it trem­bled in six ways: it trembled, trembled strongly, trembled strongly on all sides; resounded, resounded strongly, re­sounded strongly on all sides. Just as the bronze bells from Magadha ring out when struck with a stick, so this great earth resounded and resounded again when touched by the hand of the Bodhisattva.

Then the goddess of the earth that is in this world realm of the three thousand great thousands of worlds, the goddess named Sthavara, surrounded by a following of a hundred times ten million earth goddesses, shook the whole great earth. Not far from the Bodhisattva, she revealed the upper half of her body adorned with all its ornaments, and bowing with joined palms, spoke thus to the Bodhisaitva: “Just so. Great Beings. It is indeed as you have declared! Wc appear to attest to it. Moreover, O Bhagaval, you yourself have become the supreme witness of both the human and god realms. In truth, you are the purest of all beings.”

Having frustrated the guile of Mara with these words, the great earth goddess Sthavara honored and praised the

482

Bodhisattva and showed in several ways her own power; then with her following she disappeared.

Having heard the voice from the earth,the deceiver and his army, terrified and broken,begin to flee. Like foxes in the woodswho hear ihe lion’s roar,like crows at the fall of a clump of earth,all suddenly dispersed.

The demon Paplyan was angered and worried, crushed and humiliated; but dominated by pride, he did not move, did not retreat; he did not flee. Looking back at his army, he spoke: “All of you together, let us slop for a while until we determine if he can ever be budged. The destruction of such a jewel among beings cannot take place without careful consideration!”

Then Mara Paplyan said to his daughters: “ Now go, my girls, and when you come to Bodhimanda, investigate the Bodhisattva. Determine if he is susceptible to desire or free from passion. Is he ignorant or wise? Is he blind, or is he well-acquainted with all things? Does he have followers? Is he weak or strong?”

Upon hearing these words, the apsarascs approached Bodhimanda and, in the presence of the Bodhisattva, they

4 0 3

manifested the thirty-two kinds of feminine wiles. What are these thirty-two? Some of the goddesses veiled half their faces; some showed off their firm round breasts; some with half-smiles flashed their pcarl-likc teeth; some stretched out their rounded arms while yawning; some showed their lips, which were red like the fruit of the bimba; some gazed at the Bodhisattva with half-closed eyes, glancing at him, and then quickly looking away; some were showing their half- covered breasts; with garments which were loosely belted, or in fitted, transparent garments, they revealed the curve of their waists. Some made their anklets jingle; some were wearing garlands of flowers on their breasts; some were bar­ing half their thighs; some were parading parrots and jays on their shoulders and their heads.

Some of the goddesses were throwing sidelong glances at the Bodhisattva; some, although in good clothing, appeared disheveled; some shook the golden girdles at their waists; others, like wanton women, moved flirtatiously here and there; some were dancing and singing. Some flirted shame­lessly; some were moving their hips like palm trees shaken by the wind; some were sighing deeply; others, dressed in finery, strolled about, lapping the bolls that adorned their belts; some were shamelessly tossing their clothes and orna­ments onto the ground; some were displaying the secret ornaments of guhyaka women; some were displaying their arms, rubbed with perfumed ointments; some were showing their painted faces and wore dangling earrings; some wore artful veils on both body and face, and unexpectedly re­vealed themselves.

Some of the goddesses were laughing together, remind­ing each other of their pleasures and their games, and then stopping as if ashamed. Some had the bodies of young girls;

484

some the bodies of young women who have not been moth­ers; some the bodies of mature women. Some, filled with desire, called out to the Bodhisattva. Some showered the Bodhisattva with flowers and stood before him, examining his face, seeking to guess his thoughts: does his look reveal that his senses are aroused, or is he gazing into the distance? Is he agitated or not? Questioning each other in this way, they looked at the pure, spot less face of the Bodhisattva, like the disk of the moon delivered from Ralni, like the sun rising at first dawn, like the golden pillar of sacrifice, like a hundred-pet a led lotus in full bloom, like the sacramental fire sprinkled with ghee; immovable like Mount Meru; noble like theCakravala mountains; with perfectly guarded senses; like an elephant with a well-controlled mind.

Then, in order to excite the desires of the Bodhisattva, the daughters of Mara sang these verses to him:

A* ‘Vt; *

“ Springtime has come, the most beautiful of the seasons, and all the trees arc in flower.Come, friend, let us enjoy ourselves.Your body is beautiful and graceful, well-adorned with the signs of a Cakravartin king.

“We are well-born, well-made to give pleasure to gods and men—for this do we exist.Arise, enjoy your beautiful youth.Supreme wisdom is difficult to attain; dismiss it from your thoughts.

4 8 5

“'These daughters of the gods have come for you— they have come to you beautifully adorned and ready for pleasure.What man, having seen such beauty,would not yield to passion, be drawn on by passion,even were he as dried out as a piece of wormy wood?

“ Trained by diadems and earrings, their faces, beautifully painted, arc like (lowers in full bloom.'Their silky hair is scented with the softest perfumes.Their brows are beautiful.their eyes as large and lovely as lotus petals.

“'Their lips are like the ripe fruit of the bimba; their beautiful teeth arc as while as conch shells, white as jasmine and snow; their faces resemble the full moon.Look at them! How beautiful they are. and they dream only of pleasure.

“ Look, Lord, upon their firm breasts, high and round. The three folds at their waists arc charming; their hips are broad with graceful contours; truly they are very lovely.

“Their thighs arc as shapely as an elephant’s trunk; their arms are covered with bracelets, their waists adorned with golden girdles. l,ook at them, Lord! Thcv arc vour slaves.

“ ’They have the bearing of a swan, swaying as they walk they speak with grace the language of love, the language that touches the heart;

4 8 6

they are beautiful and finely adorned; they are skilled as well in the joys of the gods!

“They know the arts of music,singing, playing instruments, and dancing.They arc ruled by love, they live to give pleasure.If you disdain these great beauties, you will truly be robbing yourself.

“These maidens are here of their own accord, driven by desire—en joy yourself with them!Only a fool, not realizing the worth of a precious gem, would run away on seeing a treasure."

V: ' iK »

O monks, the Bodhisattva remained there calmly, not moving so much as an eye, smiling, his senses calm, his body unaffected and glorious; free from all passion, hatred, and confusion, unshakable as ihc king of mountains, neither de­spondent nor anxious, without weakness, his mind perfectly firm. Having renounced emotionality, he had entered the gale of wisdom, and now with a voice as soft and pleasant as the song of the nightingale, a voice which surpassed Brahma's, beautiful and heart-touching, he answered the demon’s daughters:

“Desires collect much suffering; desires indeed arc the root of sufferimr.

487

They corrupt the contemplations, the supernatural powers, and the austerities of those who do not take care.The wise speak well: there is no satisfaction to be found in (he quality of desiring women.By means of knowledge, I will satisfy the ignorant.

“ Like the man who has drunk salty water, the one who nourishes desires finds his thirst increasing endlessly; indulging in the passions, he is useful neither to himself nor to others.But I have the wish to be useful to both myself and others.

“Your bodies are like foam or water bubbles; like illusions; they appear and disappear at will.Like the pleasures found in dreams, desires arc neither permanent nor lasting.Only fools arc caught in such a mire.

“ Eyes are like water bubbles covered by a film; like round pimples swollen with clotted blood; or like the germs of disease.The belly is a filthy and disagreeable receptacle for urine and excrement.The body is a machine of suffering, arising from karma and the fettering passions.

“The foolish and confused imagine the body to be beautiful; the wise know better.Those who arc confused turn round and roundin the world of rebirth, the root of suffering,and experience the inconceivable suffering of beings in hell.

4 8 8

“ From the belly a stream of filthand disagreeable odors escapes;the thighs, the legs, and the feetare joined together like the parts of a machine.Truly, you are like an illusion; you come forth from the cause and circumstance of falsehood.

“The characteristics of desire lack all virtue; they arc bereft of virtue, like poison ivy, like fire, like great and furious serpents.The falsehood of desire turns beings from the path of noble wisdom- considering this, how foolish are the ignorant to take desires for happiness.

“The matt who through desire becomes a slave of women abandons the pleasures of the Dharma; he leaves the path of good conduct.Ijonging for pleasure and the joys of desire,he leaves the path of contemplation;deprived of judgment, he dwells far from wisdom.

“ I do not dwell with either passion or hatred;I do not see anything of permanence, attraction, or self;I do not dwell with what is pleasant or unpleasant; like the wind in the sky, my mind is completely free.

“ Were this world entirely filled with beings such as you,were I to live with demons for a kalpa,still no anger, desire, or ignorance would arise in me,for Jinas abide in equanimity— their minds are like the sky,

“Although the gods and apsarascs, having neither blood nor bones, arc very pure and beautiful.

4 8 9

still they dwell in very great fear: because their lives are not eternal, and their nature is impermanent.”

Meanwhile, the illusory daughters of the demon Mara, carefully adorned and completely intoxicated with passion, arrogance, and pride, continued to look for ways to excite the Bodhisattva, using feminine wiles as their father had instructed.

Concerning this it is said:

The most seductive of women have come in haste; they bring desire and the pleasures of desire.Sent by the demon to display their charms,they sway and dance like the branches and leavesof young trees in the wind;they seek to seduce the prince,seated at the tree of wisdom.

The time is spring,most beautiful and charming of seasons, when joy springs up in men and women, when darkness and dust disappear.The air rings with the cries of the cuckoo,the goose, and the peacock; birds flock everywhere.It is the lime to taste the joys of the qualities of desire.

4 9 0

For a thousand kalpas he has taken pleasure in good conduct, accomplishing his vows and austerities, unshakable as the king of mountains.His body is like the rising sun,his voice thunders like a storm cloud,or like the lion’s melodious roar.Speaking words full of meaning, he comes to the aid of all beings.

The wise avoid, the ignorant foster whatever increases desires and quarrels, hostility, rage, the lettering passions, and fear.The time has come—the Sugata will now obtain Immortality.

Today, having overcome the demon,he will be an Arhat endowed with the ten strengths.Yet, illusory beings show themselves to him, saying:“ Pray, listen, you with the lotus face:you will be king, the greatest of lords,a powerful master of the earth.

“ While hosts of beautiful women are playing a thousand instruments, what are you doing in the garb of a Muni?Leave it all behind—enjoy yourself!”

The Bodhisattva says:“ Yes, I will be king,honored in the three worlds by gods and men, a powerful master, endowed with ten strengths, traveling with the Wheel of the Dhanna, greeted everywhere by millions of disciples and by those with no more to learn.

491

My pleasure is in the Dharma;my mind is not delighted with the objects of the senses.”The daughters of Mara say:“ While you arc in the prime of your life, before youth completely passes you by; while you still possess beauty and vigor, before sickness and old age have touched you; while we are your friends, with a smiling face taste the joys of desire!”

The Bodhisattva replies:“ I have now obtained the best of quietudes, which is imperishable;I have left behind the sorrows of unrest found in the realm of the gods and the asuras;I do not fear the enemies: old age, sickness, death.Today I will attain the excellent path which leads to the city free from fear.”

The daughters of Mara say:“Taste the joys of desire in the abode of the gods, surrounded by apsarases as is the master of the Tridasas. Possess the joys of Yama, Suyama, or Santusita, praised by the best of the greatest of gods.Submit to the power of women in the city of Mara; play with us and give us great pleasure!”

The Bodhisattva says:“ Inconstant arc desires,like the dewdrop on the grass, like autumn clouds. Fearsome are desires,like the anger of the daughters of the nagas.Even Sakra and the king of the Suyamasand the Tusita gods come under the sway of Namuci.

4 9 2

The ignoble are filled with the misery of desire; who could find true pleasure in the abode of the gods?”

The daughters say:“ Behold the trees in bloom-how beautiful their swaying young brancheswhere nightingales and the jlvamjlvakas sing,surrounded by the buzzing of bees;here on the ground where green grass has spread,soft, rich, and thick, here in the woods alive with kinnaras,give yourself over to pleasure with beautiful maidens!”

The Bodhisatlva replies:“ By the power of time have these young branches bloomed; hungry and thirsty, the bees approach the flowers.In lime, whatever is born from the earth will wither under the sun.But here I will certainly taste Immortality, experienced by all preceding Jinas.”

The daughters of Mara say:“You whose face is like the moon,look upon those with faces like the new lotus.Their voices are soft and sweet; their teeth as white as snow or silver.Women like these are difficult to meet, even in ihc abode of the gods— the highest devaputras again and again make them the object of their desire.In the abode of men, their like cannot be found!”

The Bodhisatlva says:“ I see the body as unclean and impure, filled with worms, easily destroyed, fragile, and enveloped in suffering.

4 9 3

I will obtain the imperishable state revered by the sages who have produced the supreme happiness of all sentient and non-sentient beings.”

The daughters of Marashow the sixty-four kinds of desire:they shake their golden girdles and their anklets,their clothing in artful disarray.Struck by the arrows of desire, smiling proudly, they ask the Bodhisattva:“ Lord, what wrong have we done you that you disdain us?”

The Bodhisattva replies:“ Beings who understand wrongdoing will surely be set free.Desires are like swords or javelins, like spears or a razor smeared with honey: like the head of a serpent or a furrow of fire: this 1 understand well.1 have given up the company of women, whose tendencies are to captivate.”

Even with hundreds of thousands of feminine wiles, they could not seduce the king of the Sugatas, who has the bearing of the young elephant.And now the daughters of Mara are ashamed.They bow to the feel of the Muni; gladdened, respectful, and gentle, they praise the one who comes to aid the world:

“ You are like the spotless calyx of the lotus; your face is like the autumn moon.You equal in splendor the flame of the offering lamp; you arc like a mountain of gold.

494

May your purposes and your prayer be accomplished. You have passed through hundreds of lives; having delivered yourself, may you free this world enveloped in misery!”

The daughters of Mara praise in many ways the one like the karnikara and magnolia flowers, and having circumambulated three times the one unshakable as a mountain, they return to their father.Bowing to his feet, they speak these words:“O father, neither fear nor anger exist in the Teacher of gods and men.

“ He watches with a smiling face, with eyes like lotus petals; he docs not gaze at anyone with desire or with frowning brow's.Mount Merit could tremble, the sea could dry up, even the sun and the moon could fall, but the one who has seen the errors of the three worlds would not fall into the grasp of a woman!”

r'l " . .

The demon Paplyan, on hearing these words, was over­come with great sorrow and distress; dejected and full of bitterness, he spoke to his daughters: ikHe is ignorant and foolish not to appreciate the perfection of your beauty. How is it that you cannot lead him away from Bodhimanda?” Then the daughters of the demon addressed these verses to their father:

4 9 5

“ He speaks soft and gracious words,and there is no desire in him at all;he sees what is most hidden and has no bitterness at ail;he sees the pure path and has no delusions at all.lie knows the true nature of the body;his thoughts are profound.

“ Clearly he knows the numerous faults of women; his mind, completely free from desires, remains unmoved by passion.Neither god nor man. in heaven or here below on earth, could match his mind and conduct.

“ Wc showed him the deceptions of women, O father;accompanied by passion,they should have softened his heart.Yet he saw and did not waver even an instant; like the king of mountains, he remained unmoved.

“ Filled with the splendor of hundreds of virtues, full of brilliance from austerities accomplished, he has practiced good works and discipline for many millions of kalpas.The gods and Brahma, beings glorious and pure, have fallen at his lect and made obeisance.

“After overcoming Mara and his army, he will surely obtain the supreme wisdom attained by all the previous Jinas.Dear father, he does not seek combator a quarrel with us. Even for strong beings,such combat would be a difficult enterprise.

“ Behold, O father, in the sky-hundreds of thousands of realized Bodhisattvas,

49(i

wearing diadems of precious stones, have appeared out of respect for him.Each is a jewel mine of precious things; each is adorned with garlands of flowers; each is possessed of the ten strengths; and all have arrived to pay him homage.

“ Beings sentient and otherwise- trees, mountains, powerful gods, kings of the garudas, asuras, and yaksas— all are prostrate before the one who is a mountain of virtues.O father, it would be best to turn your back on him today.

“ No one who has not gone completely beyond could ever wear him down; no one who has not cut off the root of passion could ever uproot him.He is always patient and never disturbed; no way can be found to upset him.”

'W -O monks, at this same time, the eight goddesses of the

tree of wisdom—Sri, Vrddhi, 'la pa, S re vast, Vidus, Ojobala, Satyavadinl, and Samangini-honored the Bodhisattva in sixteen ways, praising, exalting, and glorifying him:

“You are brilliant, Pure Being, like the clear full moon:you shine, Pure-minded Being, like the rising sun.

45)7

“ You sparkle, Pure Being,like the lotus in the midst of the waters;you roar, Pure Being, like the lionwho strides like a monarch through the forest.

“You shine, Pure Being,like the king of mountains in the midst of the ocean; you manifest nobility, Pure Being, like Mount Cakravala.

“You arc difficult to fathom, Pure Being, like the sea which is filled with jewels; your intelligence extends, Protector of the World, as far as the boundless skv.4“Your heart is firm, Pure Being,like the soil of the earth which nourishes all beings;you are endowed with a mind untroubled, First of Beings,like Lake Anavatapta, which is always cairn.

“ Your mind is without fixed abode, Pure Being, like the wind which is constantly shifting; you are difficult to approach, Pure Being, like the glorious monarch who shuns all conceit.

“ You are strong, Pure Being,like Narayana, who is difficult to overcome;you are firm in the observance of practices,Protector of the World,for vou do not arise from Bodhimanda.4 • •

“O Pure Being, like the lightning bolthurled by the hand of India, you will not turn back.You have obtained what is fine to obtain.Soon you will come to possess the ten strengths.”

4 9 8

In this way, O monks, the goddesses of the tree of wisdom exalted the Rodhisattva by glorifying him in sixteen ways.

In addition, O monks, the devaputras of the Suddhavasa realm spoke words to weaken Mara Pa ply an in sixteen ways. What were these sixteen ways? They are as follows:

“ Conquered by the Bodhisattva, Papuan, you arc like an old heron with little understanding. You are without strength. Paplyan. like an old elephant sunk in a swamp.

“You are alone, Paplyan,like one who boasts of his valor after being conquered.You have been deserted. Paplyan.like a sick person abandoned in the woods.

“You are without strength, Paplyan, like a young bull laboring under a burden.You are overthrown, Paplyan, like a tree uprooted by the wind.

“ You are on the wrong path, Paplyan, like a traveler who has lost his way.You are the most miserable of the miserable, Paplyan, like a poor and debt-ridden man.

“You chatter, Paplyan, like an insolent crow.You are overcome by pride, Paplyan, like one who has forgotten his subjugation.

4 9 9

“Today you will be put to flight, Papiyan, like a jackal frightened by the lion’s roar.You will be shaken, Papiyan, like a bird tossed by the wind.

“ You do not know the proper time, Papiyan, like a mendicant whose merits are exhausted. Today you will be abandoned, Papiyan, like a broken pot full of dirt!

“Today you will be seized, Papiyan, like a serpent hypnotized with a charm.You arc deprived of your powers, Papiyan, like a man with his hands and feet severed.”

O monks, thus did the gods ol'Suddhavasa seek to weaken the demon Papiyan in sixteen ways. Also, O monks, the gods who honored the Bodhisattva attempted to dissuade the demon Papiyan in sixteen ways. What were these six­teen? They were as follows:

“Today, Papiyan, the Bodhisattva will overcome you, in the same way a hero conqtiers an enemy army.

“Today, Papiyan, the Bodhisattva will seize you, in the same way as a powerful wrestler grips a weakling.

500

“Today, PapTyan, the Bodhisattva will eclipse you, in the same way the glowing orb of the sun outshines a firefly.

“Today, PapTyan, the Bodhisattva will break you to pieces, in the same way a great wind disperses chaff.

“Today, PapTvan, the Bodhisattva will frighten you, in the same way a lion terrifies the jackal.

“Today, PapTvan, the Bodhisattva will overthrow you, like a great sala tree cut down at the roots.

“Today, PapTvan, the Bodhisattva will bring you to ruin, in the same way a great king destroys a hostile city.

“Today, PapTvan, the Bodhisattva will entirely drain you, in the same way great heat dries up a puddle of water.

“Today, PapTvan, the Bodhisattva will pursue you, in the same way the law tracks down an escaped criminal.

“Today, PapTvan, the Bodhisattva will make you turn back, in the same way the heat of a fire turns aside a swarm of bees.

“Today, PapTvan, the Bodhisattva will condemn you to be like a Dharmaraja stripped of his kingdom.

“ 'Today, PapTyan, the Bodhisattva will ground you, like an old heron whose wings have been clipped.

“Today, PapTyan, the Bodhisattva takes everything from you, and you will be like one deep in the forest without any provisions.

“Today, PapTyan, the Bodhisattva will compel you to groan like one whose boat breaks up on the ocean.

501

“Today, Paplyan, the Bodhisativa will consume you,like grass and trees (lamingin the conflagration at the end of a kalpa.

"Today, Paplyan, the Bodhisattva will reduce you to dust in the same way a great holt of lightning destroys the lop of a mountain.”

,'-?v 'r

In this way, O monks, those devaputras who honored Enlightenment attempted to dissuade the demon in sixteen ways. But the demon Paplyan would not be turned aside.

Concerning this it is said:

V - *. } v

After hearing a sensible exhortation from multitudes of gods, the demon does not turn away, hut cries: “ Kill! Strike! Tear him to pieces!Do not let him live! If he delivers himself, he will deliver others from my realm!If the srarnana hopes for salvation, he must arise, he must depart.”

The Bodhisattva replies:“ Mount Meru, the king of mountains, could wander from its base; all beings could cease to exist;

502

the multitude of stars, the moon, and the planetscould fall from the sky to the earth;all beings could be united in a single thought;and the great ocean could dry upbefore a being such as I,once arrived at the foot of the king of trees,would turn aside.”

The demon says:“ I am the lord of desire, lord of the entire world, master of the gods, master of the danavas, of men and beasts— all act according to my will.Arise, for vou are in mv realm.Do what I say!”

The Bodhisattva says:“ If you are the lord of desire, then you arc not the lord of the light.Look at me. It is I who am master of the Dharma.If you are the lord of desire,do not engage yourself on the lower path.Powerless, you will watch as I obtain Enlightenment.”

The demon says:“ What arc you doing all alone in the forest, Srarnana? What you seek is, in truth, not easy to attain.Bhrgu. Ahgiras, and others, even after great effort in austerities, did not obtain this supreme dignity.How could you, a mere man, obtain it?”

The Bodhisattva says:“The austerities practiced by the rsis were not preceded by knowledge of the truth.

50H

Their practices were meaningless; the rsis’ minds were dominated by anger and desire for the realm of the gods; they persisted in the ideathat the self is both permanent and impermanent; they persisted in the idea that liberation is a place where beings go.

“ Some say that life lacks a genuine purpose.Some have no definite belief's;others believe in narrow dogma, and others in cternalism. Some say that one who has a body is without a body.Some believe in virtue, some in non-virtue.Some believe in a creator, others believe there is no creator.

“ 1 Iere today, upon this scat, after having vanquished you, conquered you, your pride, and your army, l will obtain pure Enlightenment.Then to all beings now and in the future.I will show Nirvana,the cool nature of peace and tranquility,free from all suffering.”

Angered, furious, and worried,Mara again utters a spiteful speech:“ Seize this monk seated here alone in the forest!Seize him in mv presence, and quickly take him off; keep him under your power.Quickly, guardians of the gate, take him to my abode, and put him in bonds of wood and iron.I will see him overcome by suffering,uttering all sorts of groans, the slave of t lie gods.”

5 0 4

The Bodhisattva says:“Even if one could trace pictures in the sky,drawing figures here and there,or chain the rapidly shifting wind,or obscure the sun and the moon,and throw them from heaven to earth—these things would come to pass more easilythan you and your kind could draw me from this tree,though your numbers surpassed all calculation.”

The powerful army of the demonthen arose with cries of lHa, ha.1’and the sounds of conches, drums, and gongs.“Ah, my son! Dear child, are you not frightened at the sight of Namuci’s formidable army?

“ You gleam witli the golden hue of the rivers of Jambu and the calyx of the magnolia;you are in the flower of youth, praised by gods and men. and worthy of homage.But today you will fall to your destruction in this great combat!You will fall into the power of Mara as Indra fell into the grip of the asuras.”

The Sugata speaks to the troops of yaksas and raksasas with a voice like Brahma’s, like the nightingale’s:“ You trying to frighten me from the tree of wisdom is like a fool trying to frighten the sky!

“While ! sit beneath this tree, no one can harm me: not even one who could pulverize the three thousand great worlds and count the grains of their dust;

505

not even one who could make the water of the ocean pass through a pore of his skin; not even one who could crush in a moment a mountain of diamond.”

Frustrated and enraged, Mara draws a sharp dagger from its sheath and says:“Get up quickly, monk. Do what I say,or I will cut you down like the green stem of a reed!”

The Bodhisattva replies:“ Were (he three thousand worlds filled with demons, each holding swords as large as Meru, they could not touch even a single hair of my head; they could not harm me. Let them oppose me: they shall remind me of my firm resolve.”

The demons attack,some throwing mountain lops the color of flames; some throwing uprooted trees and shafts of copper and iron some throwing camels and elephants with frightening eyes, snakes and dreadful reptiles with venomous glances, and other demons with heads of oxen.

Clouds thunder in the four directions, hurtling down longues of lightning and iron balls.Spears and swords, javelins, sharp axes,and poisoned arrows pierce ihc earth and destroy the trees.

Demons with hundreds of arms hurl spears:they vomit up serpents and flames;they pull makaras and other monsters out of the sea;and others, transformed into garudas, hurl nagas.

Furiously, they throw iron balls as large as Mount Mcru, and mountain peaks the color of flames.

5 0 6

Covering the earth, they disturb the land and cause the subterranean waters to overflow.

Some fall forward, others backward;they jump to left and right, crying: “Ah, my son!”Their feet and hands are put on backwards;their heads in flames, their eyes emitting sparkling Hashes.

Seeing the frightful transformations of Mara’s army, the Pure Being recognizes them all as a product of illusion. There is no demon, no army, no beings; there is not even a self.Like the image of the moon in the water, the cycle of the three worlds is misleading.

There is no eye, no man, no woman, and no self; no car, no nose; likewise, no longue and no body. Substances arise by depending on each other, free from a creator or one who perceives.They arc empty within and empty without.

With words of truth, he declares the truth that all substances are empty.And all the yaksas who have submittedand conformed to disciplinenow see garlands of flowersin the hands of those who had weapons.This is the truthful discourse given by (he one whose words are always truthful.

The palm of his right hand is adorned with beautiful membranes and glossy fingernails the co it is embellished with a then

5 0 7

as brilliant as gold from the rivers of Jambu.He is strengthened by merit and good works, and anointed with dignity from head to foot.

Extending his arm like a lightning Hash into the sky, he says: “This earth is my witness.Formerly I made hundreds of thousands of offerings: for there has never been reason to deny those who asked.

“Water, fire, and wind arc my witnesses; so too arc Brahma, lord of conditioned beings, and the sun and the moon, together with the stars.My witnesses are the Buddhas of the ten directions; my witnesses arc my good conduct, my austerities, and the venerable branches of awakening.

“Giving is my witness, as are good conduct and patience; effort is a witness, and also contemplation and wisdom. The four immeasurables are witnesses, along with omniscience;all the stages of the Bodhisattvas" practice are my witness.

“ Even if one could count the merits, strength, and good conduct, the knowledge, and the offerings of all the beings in the ten directions, they would not attain in number the hundredth part of my activities.”

The Bodhisattva touches the earth gently with his hand, and the earth resounds like a vase of bronze.Having heard the sound,Mara is thrown down on the ground and he hears these words:“ Strike! Seize the ally of darkness!”

5 0 8

Mara’s body is covered with sweat, all his splendor is gone;his face discolored, Mara sees old age overtake him.

He beats his chest and cries out;spurred on by fear, he is without a protector.His thoughts whirl about, and madness touches his mind.

The army of horses and elephants and chariots is over-turned.Raksas, kumbhaiiclas,and pisacas flee in fright; bewildered, they can no longer find their way.Without a place of refuge or protection, they scatter like birds that see the forest suddenly ablaze.

Fathers, mothers, sons, sisters, and brothers ask each other “What have you seen? Where will you go?”They debate their condition among themselves:“ Wc have fallen into misfortune; we have no means to save ourselves!”

The unshakable army of Mara, great and powerful, is scattered in disarray; it does not rally.Seven days will passbefore they meet again and hoarsely say:“You arc alive, my friends. I am glad!”

The goddess of the tree of wisdom, moved with pity, takes water anti sprinkles the ally of darkness, saying: “Arise quickly! Depart without delay.Thus does it come to pass for those who do not listen to t he words of a spiritual teacher.”

Mara replies:‘‘For not listening to the gentle and wise words of my sons, for having offended a pure being,1 have today obtained great suffering, fright, misfortune, sorrow, and ruin.”

The goddess says:•‘When foolish people harm those who have not done them harm, they will meet with calamity, suffering, ruin, and misery, cursing, bad treatment, imprisonment, and multiplied evils."

The gods, the asuras. the masters of the garudas./the kin tiaras, Brahma as well as Sakra.and the gods of the Parinirmila realm.along with the gods of the Akanistha realm,hail the triumph: “ Victory to you, 1 lero of the World!Mara’s army has been pul to rout!”

They oiler garlands of pearls, parasols,standards, and victory banners;they rain down flowers, aloes, tagara,and sandalwood powder. Musical instruments play,and these words sound forth: “They surrounded your tree,O 1 lero, but l lie e n e m y troops have been conquered.

“ () Hero, having gently overcome by your love the forces of the crafty demon, here on the best of seats you will today obtain incomparable Knlightenmem.You will obtain the ten powers, the pure Buddhadharmas, the realizations and all the domain of a Buddha.

510

“ In order 10 subdue Mara, you entered into battle; thirty-six koiis and twenty-four niyutas of beings have seen the powers and skills of a fully Enlightened Being and their minds have been direc ted toward the supreme wisdom of a Buddha.’'

The I'nruty.first ChapterI'hc Defat of Mara

5 l ]

Plate J J

rv

t > r r PP"v jv v v-£ ^ ^ _, 'Q.

11 3f FF#TfeH'-lf?cld:j ^ d j-cK g ^ p rw g c'^ 'c is '0^ 1es »v

j J j

< • ■■ !, - A 1

a tta in in g Terfect and Complete Enlightenm ent

P m o n k s , in s l c i i a w a y did the Bodhisaltva overcome the opposition of Mara. Having subdued the enemy

and triumphed in battle, he remained seated, surrounded by parasols, standards, and unfurled banners, and entered into meditation.

After having attained the first level of meditation, which is detached from desire, accompanied by observation and reflection, free from non-virtue and wrongdoing, and en­dowed with joy and pleasure that are born from tranquility, he remained steady.

Letting go of observation and reflection, his purified concentration became one stream, and he attained the sec­ond level of meditation, which is accompanied by joy and pleasure, and which is produced from the samadhi that is free from observation and reflection. And the Bodhisaltva remained steady.

Letting go of attachment to pleasure, he abided in the third level of meditation: equanimity accompanied by awak-

encd awareness, consciousness, and great joy, called by the Aryas the equanimity which dwells in great joy and mind­fulness. After having attained the third level of meditation, free from pleasure, he remained steady.

lotting go of joy, so that all previous pleasant and un­pleasant feelings abated, he abided in the fourth level of meditation where there is neither suffering nor pleasure, where equanimity and mindfulness arc completely pure. And he remained steady.

Abiding thus in equanimity, the mind of the Bodhisattva was completely pure, perfect, luminous, free from emotion­ality, free from all the fettering passions, supple, perfectly balanced, unwavering. At the lirst watch of the night, the Bodhisattva prepared his mind well and directed it care­fully in order to bring forth the vision of wisdom which comes from the divine eye.

With his perfectly pure divine eye, far surpassing the human eye, the Bodhisattva saw beings being born and passing away. Me saw those of good birth, of bad birth, on good paths, on bad paths, the lowly and exalted, each proceeding according to the influence of his actions; and he understood it well: “Ah, truly, these beings obtain the fruit of their karma. By bad use of their bodies, their minds, and their speech, by disparaging the saints, and by having false views, beings fall into lower slates at the time of their death and are reborn in the hells as a result of their karma. But those beings who make good use of their bodies, their speech, and their minds, those who show respect to the saints, and who have right views arc reborn in the happy states of men and gods as a result of their karma.”

And so, with the perfectly pure divine eye, far surpassing the human eye, the Bodhisattva saw beings born and pass­ing away: from good births, from bad births, on good paths, on bad paths, the lowly and the exalted, each receiving the result commensurate with his actions.

This is how, O monks, in the first watch of the night, the Bodhisattva cleared away the darkness and produced direct knowledge and clarity.

Abiding thus in equanimity, the mind of the Bodhisattva was completely pure, perfect, luminous, free from emotion­ality, free from all the fettering passions, supple, perfectly balanced, unwavering. At the middle watch of the night, in order to bring about the disappearance of suffering, in or­der to bring forth directly the knowledge of the vision of wisdom which remembers former lives, the Bodhisattva prepared his mind and directed it.

He remembered his many previous lives, as well as those of other beings—in one birth, two births, three, four, five, ten births, in twenty, thirty, forty, fifty births, in a hundred births, a thousand births, a hundred thousand births, even in several hundreds of thousands of births, a koti of births, a hundred kotis of births, a thousand kotis of births, a hundred thousand kotis of births, a hundred thousand nivutas of kotis of births, many hundreds of kotis of births, in many thousands of kotis of births, manv hundreds of thousands of kotis of births, manv hundreds of thousands of niyutas of kotis of births, in births up to a kalpa of destruc­tion, a kalpa of re-creation, a kalpa of destruction and of re-creation, several kalpas of destruction and re-creation, recalling:

5 1 7

I was such and such a person, my name was this, my race was this, my lineage this; my color was this, the food I ate was such and such, this the span of life, this the length of time that I remained there; this was the happiness and unhappiness which I experienced. And then after leaving that life, I was born such and such a person; having passed on, I was bom such and such a person; having passed on, I was born here. He remembered exactly the places and circumstances of his own lives and those of all other beings.

The mind of the BodhisaUva abided thus in equanimity, completely pure, perfect, luminous, free from emotionality, free from all of the fettering passions, supple, perfectly balanced, unwavering. And in the last watch of the night when the dawn appears, at the moment when the drum is sounded, in order to vanquish suffering and the source of suffering, and in order to manifest the vision of knowledge which destroys corruption, the BodhisaUva prepared his mind carefully and directed it well.

There came to his mind: certainly this world is miserable, subject to birth, old age, sickness, and death, to change of existence and rebirth. No one knows the means to escape this cycle, which is a great mass of sufferings: old age, sick­ness, death, and the rest. Alas! What can put an end to this great mass of sufferings? No one knows!

Then this came to the mind of the BodhisaUva: what by its very existence gives rise to old age and death; what is the conditional cause of old age and death? Then there came to his mind: since birth exists, old age and death come forth; the conditional cause of old age and death is birth.

And this came again to the mind of the BodhisaUva: what by its very existence gives rise to birth; what is the

5 1 0

conditional cause of birth? And there came to his mind: when existence exists, birth comes forth; the conditional cause of birth is existence.

Then it came to the mind of the Bodhisattva: what by its very existence gives rise to existence; what is the conditional cause of existence? And there came to his mind: when grasping exists, existence comes forth; the conditional cause of existence is grasping.

Then it came to the mind of the Bodhisattva: what by its very existence gives rise to grasping; what is the conditional cause of grasping? And there came to his mind: when crav­ing exists, grasping comes forth; the conditional cause of grasping is craving.

Then it came to the mind of the Bodhisattva: what by its very existence gives rise to craving; what is the conditional cause of craving? And there came to his mind: when feeling exists, craving comes forth; the conditional cause of craving is feeling.

Then it came to the mind of the Bodhisattva: what by its very existence gives rise to feeling; what is the conditional cause of feeling? And there came to his mind: when contact exists, feeling comes forth; the conditional cause of feeling is contact.

Then it came to the mind of the Bodhisattva: what by its very existence gives rise to contact; what is the conditional cause of contact? And there came to his mind: when the six senses exist, contact comes forth; the conditional cause ol contact is the six senses.

Then it came to the mind of the Bodhisattva: what by its very existence gives rise to the six senses; what is the condi­

5 1 9

tional cause of the six senses? And there came to his mind: when name and form exist, the six senses come forth; the conditional cause of the six senses is name and form.

Then it came to the mind of the Bodhisatlva: what by its very existence gives rise to name and form; what is the con­ditional cause of name and form? There came to his mind: when consciousness exists, name and form come forth, the conditional cause of name and form is consciousness.

Then it came to the mind of the Bodhisattva: what by its very existence gives rise to consciousness; what is the con­ditional cause of consciousness? And there came to his mind: when karmic dispositions exist, consciousness comes forth; the conditional cause of consciousness is karmic dis­positions.

Then it came to the mind of the Bodhisattva: what bv its4

very existence gives rise to karmic dispositions; what is the conditional cause of karmic dispositions? There came to his mind: when ignorance exists, karmic dispositions come forth. The conditional cause of karmic dispositions is ignorance.

And so, monks, it came to the mind of the Bodhisattva: ignorance is the conditional cause of karmic dispositions; karmic dispositions are the conditional cause of conscious­ness; consciousness is the conditional cause of name and form; name and form are the conditional cause of the six senses; the six senses arc the conditional cause of contact; contact is the conditional cause of feeling; feeling is the conditional cause of craving: craving is the conditional cause of grasping; grasping is the conditional cause of exis­tence; existence is the conditional cause of birth; birth is the conditional cause of old age, and of death, grief, lamenta-

O monks, by fixing his mind on ihe source of suffering, on teachings never heard before, he produced wisdom, he produced vision, produced realization, great knowledge, prudence, and understanding. And light came forth.

Then the Bodhisattva thought: by the absence of what do old ago and death not exist: by the cessation of what will the cessation of old age and death result? And there came to his mind: birth not existing, old age and death do not exist; by the cessation of birth, old age and death cease.

Then there came to the mind of the Bodhisattva: by the absence of what does birth not exist; by the cessation of what docs the cessation of birth result? And there came to his mind: existence not existing, birth does not exist: by the cessation of existence, birth ceases.

And the Bodhisattva thought again: by the absence of what does existence not exist? and so forth in detail through the cessation of grasping, craving, feeling, contact, the six senses, name and form, consciousness, and up to the cessa­tion of karmic dispositions. And from the cessation of what docs the cessation of karmic dispositions result? And there came to his mind: ignorance not existing, karmic disposi­tions do not exist; from the cessation of ignorance, karmic dispositions cease. And furthermore: from the cessation of karmic dispositions, consciousness ceases; from the cessation of consciousness, name and form ceases; and so on through the cessation of the six senses, of contact, feeling, craving, grasping, and existence, up to: from the cessation of birth comes the cessat ion of old age and death, of grief, lamenta-

lion s, su fferin g , p a in , a n d d esp air . T h u s does the g rea t m asso f su fferin g com e forth .

521

So, O monks, again and again, the Bodhisattva fixed his mind on teachings previously unknown, generating wisdom and vision, generating realization, great knowledge, pru­dence and understanding. And light came forth.

At this time, O monks, I recognized in accord with the truth the suffering of affliction; I recognized the source of affliction, the cessation of affliction, the way which leads to the cessation of affliction. In accord with the truth, I recog­nized: this is the affliction of desire, this is the affliction of existence, this is the affliction of contact, this is the affliction of view; it is here that afflictions cease without exception; it is here that afflictions disappear without leaving a trace.

This is ignorance, this the source of ignorance; this is the cessation of ignorance, and this is the way which leads to the cessation of ignorance. This did I recognize in accord with the truth. It is here that ignorance disappears, without a trace or reflection.

Here are karmic dispositions, here the source of karmic dispositions; here is the cessation of karmic dispositions, here the way which leads to the cessation of karmic dispo­sitions. All this I recognized according to the truth.

This is consciousness, this the source of consciousness; this is the cessation of consciousness, and this is the wav which leads to the cessation of consciousness. All this I recognized according to the truth.

Here are name and form; here the source of name and form; this is the cessation of name and form, this the way

tions, su fferin g , p a in , a n d d esp air . T h u s there is the cessa tiono f the great m ass o f su fferin g.

5 2 2

which leads to the cessation of name and form. All this I recognized according to the truth.

Here arc the six senses, here the source of the six senses; here is the cessation of the six senses, and here is the way which leads to the cessation of the six senses. All this I recog­nized according to the truth.

This is contact; this the source of contact; this is the ces­sation of contact, this the w'av which leads to the cessation of contact. All this I recognized according to the truth.

This is feeling, this the source of feeling; this is the cessa­tion of feeling; this the wfay which leads to the cessation of feeling.

This is craving, this the source of craving: this is the ces­sation of craving, and this is the w-av which leads to the cessation of craving.

This is grasping, this the source of grasping; this is the cessation of grasping, this the way which leads to the cessa­tion of grasping.

'This is existence, this the source of existence; this is the cessation of existence, this the way which leads to the ces­sation of existence.

This is birth, this the source of birth; this is the cessation of birth, this the wav which leads to the cessation of birth.

This is old age, this the source of old age; this is the cessation of old age, this the wfay which leads to the cessa­tion of old age.

'This is death, this the source of death; this is the cessation of death, this the way which leads to the cessation of death. All this I recognized according to the truth.

OZ3

This is sorrow, lamentations, suffering, pain, and despair. Such is the source of this great mass of suffering, and so forth, up to its cessation. This did I recognize according to the truth. This is suffering, this the source of suffering; this is the cessation of suffering, this the way which leads to the cessation of suffering. All this I recognized according to the truth.

O monks, during the last watch of the night, at the mo­ment when the drum is sounded, in a single instant, the Bodhisattva, the Great Being, the Holy Being, the Superior Being, the Magnificent Being, Leader of Men, Elephant of Men. Lion of Men, Chief among Men, the Hero of Men, the Best of Men, the All-knowing Being, tile Lotus of Men, the White Lotus of Men, the Being who Carries a I leavy Load, the Peerless Charioteer of Men, the one whose knowledge comes through the wisdom of the saints, the one who has gained understanding, attainments, and vision, and who has manifested whatever is suitable: through the wisdom that manifests all of those qualities in a single instant, the Bodhisattva attained Buddhahood, the complete, accom­plished, unexcelled Enlightenment, and obtained the three knowledges.

Then, O monks, the gods called out: “Friends, throw down flowers! The Bhagavat is truly a perfect and complete Buddha.” But the devaputras assembled who had seen the preceding Buddhas replied: “ Friends, the preceding perfect Buddhas gave a sign; they showed a supernatural sign. Do not throw flowers before the Bhagavat gives such a sign.”

O monks, the Tathagata, knowing that the devaputras were uncertain, rose into the sky to the height of seven tala trees and uttered these joyous words: “The chain is broken,

5 2 4

the emotions stilled. The stream of impurities is dry and runs no more. Since the chain is destroyed, suffering is ended. Thus has it been said.” It was then that the devaputras covered the Tathagata with heavenly flowers up to tlie knees.

O monks, when the Tathagata became a perfect Buddha, the darkness and the shadows disappeared, craving was purified, views changed, and fettering passions were shaken. The thorn was withdrawn, the knot untied; the banner of pride was overturned; the banner of the Dharma was un­furled. The inclinations were uprooted; the nature of the Dharma was understood. He reached the true end, enter­ing reality, and understood well the sphere of the Dharma.

The realms of beings were restored to proper balance; all positive things were praised; all lower things were rejected; all things not so established were understood. The character of all beings was observed, and the conduct of all beings was perfectly known. The remedy for the sickness of beings was well understood; the nectar of immortality was applied; the King of Physicians manifested. The freedom from all suffering w'as set forth, establishing beings in the happiness of Nirvana. The Tathagata himself was seated on the great throne of the King of the Dharma. for the means of arriving at complete deliverance was obtained; he entered into the city of omniscience; indivisible from the knowledge of the sphere of the Dharma, he joined with the truth and with all the Buddhas.

In the week that followed, O monks, the Tathagata re­mained seated at Bodhimanda— there 1 brought an end to the beginningless suffering of birth, old age, and death.

525

O monks, at the very moment that the Bodhisattva ob­tained omniscience, at that very instant, all the sentient beings in all the worlds in the ten directions experienced great bliss. In all the ten directions, a great splendor illu­mined all the world-realms, and even the sinister hellish regions, enveloped in darkness, were bathed in light. In all directions the earth shook in six ways; it shook, shook hard, shook hard on all sides; it trembled, trembled hard, trem­bled hard on all sides: it quaked, quaked vigorously, quaked vigorously on all sides; it was disturbed, was greatly dis­turbed, was greatly disturbed on all sides; it reverberated, reverberated loudly, reverberated loudly on all sides; it re­sounded, resounded loudly, resounded loudly on all sides.

And all of the Buddhas gave their approval to the One who had become a perfect and complete Buddha. They sent many gifts to the Pure One of the Dharma; the three thou­sand great thousands of worlds were covered with jeweled parasols. From these parasols networks of light shone forth, illuminating the innumerable and immeasurable regions of the earth in all the ten directions.

In all of the ten directions of space the Bodhisattvas and the devaputras uttered cries of gladness: “ He has appeared, the Lotus of Beings, born from the ocean of knowledge! He comes forth untouched by the worldly dharmas. Embracing the sphere of the Dharma, he is the great and noble Cloud of Mercy, which will rain down the medicine of the Dharma for beings capable of being trained. From all the seeds of virtue, tender shoots will sprout forth and grow strong; in time the fruits of liberation will come forth and will fall like rain,

Concerning this it is said:

5 2 6

Having overcome the demon with his army, the Lion of Men, the Teacher, manifests the joy of meditation.With the ten strengths, he takes pleasure in the three realizations,and the lens of millions of Buddha-ficlds tremble.

Desiring the Dharma, the Bodhisattvas come before him, bowing at his feet and speaking thus:“Are you not weary?So fearsome was the army that appeared.It has been broken by the strength of your merit, wisdom, and valor.”

From hundreds of thousands of Buddha-ficlds, the Buddhas have sent parasols, saying:“Good and Great Being, the army of Mara has been overcome. You have obtained the immortal abode free from sorrow.Quickly pour down the rain of the Dharma upon the three worlds'.”

Extending their arms,the Buddhas of the ten direct ions,the Hearts of All Beings,speak with the voice ol the nightingale:“As butter is similar to ghee, so, Pure Being, you, like us, have attained Enlightenment.”

527

Then, O monks, the apsarases or the desire realm learned that the one seated at Bodhimanda was the Tathagata: the Omniscient One who has fulfilled all his intentions, the Victor in combat. Conqueror of the opponent Mara, the one w'ith the parasol, the standard, and the unfurled banner, Hero uplifted by victory.

He is a Being, a Great Being, the Best of Physicians who pulled out the great thorn of craving; fearless like a lion, free from exasperation, having the well-controlled mind of the elephant, free from the three defilements and spotless; the Learned One with the three knowledges, who has crossed the four currents and arrived at the other shore.

I Ie is the Ksatriya who carries the parasol decorated with jewels; the Brahmin of the three worlds who has abandoned wickedness; the Monk who lias broken out of the shell of the egg of ignorance; the Sramana who lias gone beyond all attachment, the one now pure, free from all emotionality; he is the Hero whose banner lias never been lowered, the strongest of all, possessing the ten strengths; he is the jewel mine filled with all the jewels of the Dharma.

Turning their (aces toward Bodhimanda. the apsarases praised the Tathagata with these verses:

“ Sitting in front of the king of trees, he conquered the army of Mara.Unshakable and fearless like Mount Meru, he did not flee from the army of Mara.

“ For lens of millions of kalpas,he practiced giving, discipline, and self-control.

5 2 8

until ho achieved Enlightenment.This is the reason today he shines.

“ For tens of millions of kalpaswhile he was searching for supreme wisdom,Sakra and Brahma were outshone by his good conduct, his vows, and his ascetic practices.

“ For tens of millions of kalpas. armed with the strength of patience, he endured suffering.This is the reason today he sparkles like gold.

“ For tens of millions of kalpas,by his energy and strength orelTort,he left the others far behindand so the army of Mara is conquered.

“ For tens of millions of kalpas.he has greatly honored the Munisthrough wisdom, omniscience, and meditation.This is the reason today lie is honored.4

“ For lens of millions of kalpas, accumulating knowledge and learning, he has helped ions of millions of beings: and so lie has quickly obtained Enlightenment.

“ He has conquered the demons of the aggregates, the lord of death, and the demon of emotionality.1 le has conquered the god Mara; and so he has no sorrow. 1 le is the god of the higher gods, worthy of being honored by the gods themselves, worthy of homage in the three worlds.Intent on virtue, he pours forththe nectar of immortality, the fruit ofamrta.

“ He is the one most worthy of offerings:the merit from giving to him will never be lostand will lead as well to gaining supreme Enlightenment.

“The tuft of hair between his eyebrows shines and lights up tens of millions of Buddha-fields; even the sun and the moon are eclipsed as his light shines for all beings.

“ He is well-endowed with a shining form,with the most beautiful form, an excellent form,marked with the best signs;desiring only to be of aid,he is worthy of the three worlds1 homage.

“ His vision is pure, he is the Self-arising One— he sees many things: the Buddha-fields and the masses of sentient beings, as well as their thoughts and intentions.

“With the purest of ears he hearsan infinity of voices: the divine and the human,the voices ofjinas, the voice of the Dhanna.

“ He has a broad tongue and the beautiful voice of the nightingale; let us listen to him teach the Dharma, which leads to perfect and unending calm.

“ When he saw the army of Mara, his heart was not distressed; when he saw the troops of the gods, the Great Sage felt no relief!

“ He conquered Mara’s army using neither arms nor arrows; with truth, fulfilled vows, and austerities, he overcame the vindictive champion.

5 3 0

“Not shaken from his seat, his body quite unharmed, he faced the situation bound by neither desire nor hatred.

“ Benefits, great benefits will flow to the gods and men who, seeking attainments, hear you teach the Dharma.

“ By the merit of praising all your merit, may we soon be like you, O Moon of Men, possessor of the splendid virtues of the Jinas.”

When the great leader of beings obtainedthe Enlightenment of Buddhahood,hundreds of thousands of Buddha-fields were shaken;and after he had conquered the demon Mara,the Guide of Men uttered these verseswith the voice of Brahma,with the voice of the nightingale:

“The maturation of merit brings happiness and cleat's away all suffering.All the aims of one with merit are accomplished.Having conquered Mara,he will quickly attain Enlightenment.He will obtain the cool nature of peace, Nirvana.

“Who then could have enough of doing good works?Who could have his fill of the ambrosia of the Dharma? Who could grow weary of staying in a lonely forest?Who could have enough of benefiting mankind?”

Stretching out his hand, the Tathagata says to the Bodhisaltvas: “You have given homage; now return each of you to your own field.”Respectfully, they bow to the feet of the Tathagata and depart in different groups, each going to his own field of action.

531

And seeing the great attack of Namuciand the blessed sport of the Sugata,seeing Mara and his army conquered,beings send forth a single, uncqualed prayerfor Enlightenment: “ May we attain Immortality!”

O monks, at the very instant the Tathagata attained perfect and complete Enlightenment seated on the lion throne, at the foot of the tree of wisdom, there took place the immeasurable play of a Buddha, which could not be de­scribed even in the course of a kalpa.

Concerning this it is said:

The earth stretches out as smooth as the palm of the hand; lotuses arise, and opening their blossoms, cast forth light; gods by the hundreds of thousands bow before Bodhiinanda;the first sign has been heard—the roar of the lion.

Hundreds of trees in the three thousand worlds bow before Bodhiinanda;many mountains bow low, together with Meru, their king. Brahma and Sakra come to bow down to the one endowed with the ten strengths: this too is part of the marvelous play of the Lion of Men at Bodhiinanda.

532

Rays of light by the hundreds of thousands escape from his body; they spread throughout the great fields of the Jinas, bringing peace to those in the three lower realms.

At this instant, at this very moment, all worries are set aside;suffering, pride, and hatred torment no one any lo n g e r .And still the Lion of Men, seated on his throne, engages in marvelous play.The light from the tuft of hair between his brows eclipses the heavenly lights of the sun and the moon, and outshines the mani stone, fire, and lightning.And no being in the world can seeto the top of the head of the .Spiritual Teacher.

This, loo, is the sport of the Lion of Men. seated on his throne.At the touch of his hand, the entire earth trembles. Mara's army is tossed about like tufts of cotton; and with an arrow, Mara traces pictures on the ground.

The Twenty-second Chapter Attaining Perfect and Complete Enlightenment

533

IM i.ic 2:<

fak®

1

‘Praise/ ^ S ^ ihle thf. bodiiisattva was seated ai Bodhimanda

the dcvapulras of the Suddhavasa realm circum­ambulated him three times. Raining down divine sandal­wood powder, they praised him with these verses:

•• V

“The light of the world has appeared—Protector of the World wlio brings the light—you give to the blind world eyes free from emotionality.

“Conqueror in combat,through your merit, all your wishes are fulfilled.Rich with accomplishing every pure doctrine, you will bring satisfaction to all beings.

“ Having crossed the swamp ofsarhsara, you are truly undefiled; you, Gautama, seated firmly, will help other beings to cross over— those carried away by the great current.

“ Unsullied by worldly dharmas, like the lotus from which water slips away, you arc eminent, Great Sage: a inan uncqualed in all the world.

“ With the lamp of wisdom, you can awaken this world asleep for so long, enveloped in shadows.

“ O King of Physicians, who has appeared in the worldYou will deliver the distressed.those l<mg tormented by the fettering passions.

“ Since vou have come. O Protector,4

worries will vanish,and men and gods alike will he filled with well-being.

“Those before whose eyes you pass,O Excellent Chief of Men. will not fall to the lower realms for thousands of kalpas.

“ 1,earned and free from sickness will be those who listen to ihc Dharrna; having exhausted every trace of suffering, having exhausted the aggregates, thev will be without fear.t

"\ laving cut the bonds of the fettering passions, they will quickly be delivered; they will never fall into lower rebirths and will obtain the fruits of great virtue.

“They are worthy of being given gifts in the world, worthy of receiving offerings; no gift made to them will be insignificant: each will he a cause of final deliverance. Nirvana."

#O monks, after the devaputras of the Suddhavasa realm

had praised the Tathagata, they bowed to him with palms joined and stood to one side.

Then the devaputras of Abhasvara made offerings to the Tathagata seated at Bodhimanda, offerings of heavenly flowers, incense, garlands, aloes, and scented powders, of clothing, parasols, victory banners, and standards. After circumambulating the Tathagata three times, they praised him in chorus:

“ Muni with the profound mind, with the sweet voice, with the melodious voice of Brahma, like a soft song— you have passed to the other shore, obtaining the best benefit of supreme Enlightenment; wc bow down before you.

“You are the Refuge, the firm earth; you arc the Defender, protecting the world with love and compassion.You are the Best of Physicians, relieving suffering; you are the Doctor who applies the sovereign remedy!

“As soon as you saw the Buddha Dlpamkara, you completed the wonderful cloud of love and mercy. Pour down, O Protector, the rain of amrta; calm the sufferings of gods and men!

“ In all the three worlds,you are like the lotus from which water slips away; you are like Mount Mcru, unwavering, unshakable.Like the diamond, your word is immutable;like the moon, you are endowed with all great qualities.”

O monks, after the gods of Abhasvara had praised the Tathagata seated at Bodhimanda, they bowed to him with palms joined and stood to one side.

Then the gods of the Brahma realm, headed by the deva- pulra Subrahma, created shade for the Tathagata seated at Bodhimanda, offering him a net which was adorned with several hundred niyutas of kotis of precious gems. After circumambulating the Tathagata three times, they praised him with these verses, fit for the occasion:

“ We bow down to the one who is indefatigable,endowed with unblemished virtueand the splendid light of wisdom;who is marked with thirty-two most excellent signs,and possesses mindfulness, knowledge, and wisdom.

“ Wc bow down to the one with the three eyes of purity,who bestows the eye of the three liberations;who is spotless and pure, free from the three defilements;possessor of the three knowledges,honored in the three worlds.

540

“ Noble one of mercy and compassion, your mind is peaceful;you have cleared away the sorrows of bad times; you benefit all beings.Muni, eminent in contentment and perfectly calm,delighting in equanimity,you deliver others from uncertainty.

“ Eminent in austerities and ascetic practices,you benefit all beings;with perfectly pure action,you have reached the perfection of action.Teacher of the Four Truths,you have the joy of complete deliverance;Delivered One, you will deliver other beings.

“ Strong and full of zeal, Mara came before you; and you conquered him hy wisdom, effort, and love. You have obtained supreme and immortal holiness; we bow down to you, conqueror of the army of the deceiver!"

-v

O monks, the gods of the Brahma realm, who were led by the devaputra Subrahma, having praised the Tathagata with these verses, bowed low with palms joined and stood to one side.

Then the sons of Mara who had been on the side of purity approached the Tathagata. Having sheltered him with a jeweled parasol and silken canopies, they joined their palms and praised the Tathagata with verses fit for the occasion:

541

“ It was granted to us to see ihe powerful army of Mara matched against your extensive strength.It was granted to us to seeyou conquer Mara’s frightful army in an instant without ever arising or speaking a word, without even moving.We bow down to the Muni Sarvasiddhartha, honored by all the worlds!

“ Hundreds of millions of daughters of the demon, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, could not shake you or turn you away from the tree of Enlightenment.You have made hundreds of millions of offerings, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, and so today you shine in splendor at the foot of the tree of Enlightenment.

“ Heloved wives, dearsons, servants, and women attendants,pleasure gardens, cities, and provinces,kingdoms, royalty, and elephants.your head, your eyes, and your tongue-all these you have given upin performing (he actions of a Bodhisauva;and so today you arc resplendent.

“ You made a vow:‘I will be a Buddha, armed with contemplation, with the faculties of supernatural power and wisdom;1 myself will carry beings by the millions across the ocean of suffering;

> 1 2

I will free them by means of the vessel of the holy Pharma.’ And this vow is fulfilled: you shall free ail sentient beings.

“Through the merit of praising you, Chief of Orators,who gives vision to the world,we are making joyful prayers for omniscience.May we obtain the uncqualed perfect Enlightenment,well-praised by the former Buddhas;may we conquer the army of Mara;may we too attain the omniscience of a Buddha!”

O monks, after praising the Tathagata, the sons of Mara bowed to him with palms joined and stood to one side.

Then a devaputra of the Paranirmita vasavartin realm, who was surrounded and preceded by hundreds of thousands of devaputras, showered the Tathagata with golden lotuses from the golden rivers of Jambu, and, in the Tathagata’s presence, praised him with these verses:

— \... \ •

“ Without deviation, error, or falsity arc your words. Delivered from darkness, you have realized Immortality. Unequaled in heaven or earth, you are worthy of glory and homage.Possessor of the light of wisdom, we bow to you.

“ Your joyful words delight both gods and men; you have practiced great austerities

543

and cleared away the defilements and fetters.By the light which radiates from your great body,Master of gods and men, you conquer all the worlds!

“ Your skillful action on behalf of others overcomes the multitudes of adversaries and clears the minds of all beings.You arc beloved by gods and men— discerning the conduct of others, you are learned and prudent.O you who possess the ten strengths, may vve walk on your path.

“After breaking the bonds of existence and suffering, you train well the minds of gods and men.You traverse the four directions like the moon in the sky. Pray, be our defender and protective eye here in the three realms of existence.

“ Beloved in the world of gods and men.objects of the senses leave you unmoved;you rejoice in virtue and dwell free from the joys of desire.O Eloquent Speaker, \'ou have no peer in the three worlds.O Guide and Refuge, you are the protectorof all sentient beings as they mature.”

O monks, after having praised the Tathagata, the deva- putras of the Paranirmila vasavarlin realm, who were led by the devaputra Vasavartin, bowed with palms joined and stood to one side.

544

Then the devaputra Sunirmita, surrounded and pre­ceded by a multitude of gods, sheltered the Tathagata with silk canopies and praised him, in his presence, with these verses:

“ Free from the three defilements, you appear as the noble light of the Dharma; you destroy confusion, false views, and ignorance. You extend majesty and glory everywhere, establishing in Immortality all sentient beings accustomed to delighting in false paths.Coming forth into the W'orld, you are honored by caityas in heaven and on earth.

“You are the skilled Healer who gives the happiness of amrta.You ease the illnesses of all beings; by means of the Path of the previous Buddhas, you clear away the accumulated propensities toward ignorance, emotionality, and false views.O Guide traversing the earth, you are the Greatest of Doctors!

“The sun and moon, the precious inani stone, fire, and the shining gods Brahma and Sakra lose their radiance in your majestic presence.

“ You produce the light and splendor of wisdom, and make its glory extend in all directions.To your majesty and wisdom, vve bow our heads.

545

“O Spiritual Guide with the sweetest of voices, you clearly show what is true and what is not; your mind is controlled and calm, your senses subdued, your heart at peace.We bow to the Teacher of gods and men who leaches what is to be taught— we bow to Sakyamuni, the Great Guide, worshipped by both gods and men.

“ O Wisdom-holder, endowed with great wise words, you bring knowledge to the three worlds.You teach the three forms of liberationand the three realizations,and remove the three defilements.You arc the Muni, who has known for countless aeons how to subdue the mind. We bow to you respectfully, marvel of the three thousand worlds, honored in heaven and on earth.”

O monks, having praised the Tathagata, the devaputra Sunirrnita with his following bowed to the Tathagata wdth palms joined and then stood to one side.

Santusita then approached the Tathagata, together with the gods of Tusita, and with lacework of gossamer cloth sheltered the Tathagata seated at Bodhimaiujla, praising him, in his presence, with these verses:

“ When you dwell in the Tusita heaven, you taught the Dharma of great extent,

which even today the devaputras practice; the stream of your teaching flows uninterrupted.

“ We can never see enough of you,and we can never hear our fill of the Dharma.Ocean of Virtues, Lamp of the World,we bow down to you respectfully, with head and heart.

“After dwelling in Tusita heaven, you came to earth. The worries there you cleared away.Seated in front of the tree of wisdom,you removed all the fetters of sentient beings.

“ Having sought and obtained Enlightenmentfor the sake of all beings, you have overcome Mara.Your prayer is fulfilled;now quickly turn the Wheel of the Dharma.

“Thousands of beings delighted by the Dharma beg to hear the Teachings again!Quickly turn the excellent Wheel of the Dharma; deliver thousands of sentient beings from samsara!”

O monks, having thus praised the Tathagata, the deva- putra SaiUusita with his following bowed to the Tathagata with palms joined and stood to one side.

Next, the devapuira Suyama, preceded by the Varna gods, approached the Bliagavat seated at Bodhimanda, making offerings to the Tathagata of flowers, incense, per­fumes, garlands, and aloes. Then they praised him, in his presence, with these fitting verses:

547

“ Your good conduct, contemplation, and wisdom arc unequaled.We bow to you, O Tathagata, skilled in affection and in causing complete deliverance.

“ We have witnessed the beautiful ceremonies performed in your honor by the gods here at Bodhimanda. No one else is worthy of such honor from gods or men!

“You have come and have achieved your purpose: you have done what is difficult to do; you have conquered Mara with his army; you have attained unequaled Enlightenment.

“You have spread light into the ten directions, illumining the three worlds with the lamp of wisdom. You have cleared away the shadows and given to the world the peerless vision.

“ Your praises, sung for kalpns, are endless- equal in number to the pores of vour skin.O Tathagata. Ocean of Virtues, celebrated by all the worlds, vve bow our heads to you.”

v//

Having praised the Tathagata. the gods led by the deva- putra Suyania bowed respectfully with palms joined and stood to one side.

548

Next, Sakra, the master of the gods, accompanied by the Thirty-three gods, honored the Tathagata with flowers, in­cense, aloes, perfumed powders, garments, parasols, stan­dards, streamers, and displays of all sorts, and praised him with these verses:

if?- ' • - V j ^ \-■ *. * ‘ ;

“O Muni, you arc infallible and irreproachable,always firm like Mem.*The light of your knowledgeis celebrated in the ten directions,for you arc endowed with great splendor and merit.O Muni, through having formerly honored Buddhasby the hundreds of thousands,in this realm you now have overcomethe army of Mara, here before the tree of Enlightenment.

“ Source of good conduct, of revelation, of contemplation and wisdom, you carry the banner emblazoned with the emblem of knowledge.Destroyer of old age and death, vou are the Best of Phvsicians.4 /who gives eyes to the world.O Muni, your heart and senses arc peaceful; you have cast olF completely the three defilements.Chief of the Sakyas, we take refuge in you, who arc King of the Dharma for all beings.

“ By the power of zealous effort, you have practiced to the limits the noble actions of the Bodhisattva.

5 4 9

You are endowed with the strength of wisdom, the strength of love and skillful means, and the strength of virtue.O Bhagavat, abiding in Enlightenment, you take these strengths to their limit; possessor of strength, abiding at Bodhimanda. you are now Master of the ten strengths.

“The gods were filled with fear at the sight of the endless army of beings arrayed against you. wondering if the King of the Sramanas would hold strong at Bodhimanda.But you had no fear; you never even wavered.Your hand struck like a heavy weight; completely terrified, Mara's army was conquered!

“Just as the Buddhas of former times obtained Enlightenment seated on a lion throne, so you have become a Buddha as well.You are lheir equal, iheir like; equal in heart and equal in mind: there is not the slightest difference.By your own effort, you have obtained omniscience. () 1 highest Being in the world, self-arising, be the field of merit lor all beings!”

O monks, when Sakra, master of the gods, along with the Thirty-three gods, had praised the Talliagala. with joined

5 5 0

palms they bowed respectfully to the Tathagata and stood to one side.

Then the Four Great Kings together with the devaputras of their realm approached the Tathagata, carrying garlands and bouquets of abhimuktaka, magnolia, sumana, jasmine, and dhanuskarl flowers. Surrounded by a hundred thou­sand apsarascs, they rendered homage io the Tathagata with heavenly music, praising him with these fitting verses:

“ Muni, your sweet speech and your voice touch the heart. Your mind is clear, your face smiling, your longue broad. You produce the best and greatest of joys, and like the moon you bring tranquility.O Muni, we bow to you!

“All the sounds and voices of the entire world- sweet delights for gods and men disappear at the sound of your soft voice.

“ Your voice calms desire, hatred, and ignorance; it calms the fettering passions; it produces pure and heavenly pleasure.Those assembled will hear the Dhannawith an untroubled mindand obtain the highest deliverance.

You are not inflated with pride in your knowledge, and so you do not disdain the ignorant.Neither haughty nor meek, you are solid, like a mountain in the midst of the ocean.

“The birth of such a being in the world brings great benefit to mankind.Like the goddess of fortune who gives the greatest riches,so will you give all the worldthe great offering of the Dharma.”

'I'ltc Four Great Kings together with the gods of their realm praised greatly 1 he Tathagata sealed at Bodhimanda, and bowing respectfully with palms joined, they stood to one side.

Then the gods of the sky came into the presence of the Tathagata, in order to render homage to the perfect and complete Enlightenment. They adorned the entire sky with jeweled nets festooned with tiny bells, and offered the Tathagata jeweled parasols, jeweled standards, precious earrings, pearl necklaces, and garlands of flowers. And the gods were almost completely covered by these offerings of flowers. The gods of the sky offered flower arrangements to the Tathagata and praised him, in his presence, with these verses:

> , fr:

“O Muni, from our place in the sky we sec the conduct of all beings in the universe. We have examined your conduct, Pure Being, and we find no weakness in your heart.

552

“The Bodhisattvas have come to render homage to you; the sky is filled with them, O Guide of Men.As they have the nature of space,no harm can touch them or their palaces of crystal.

“ Streams of flowers fall from the sky, filling the great thousands of worlds; they all fall on your body, as rivers flow to join the ocean.

“The gods rain down parasols, flower earrings, pearl necklaces, garlands of magnolias, and garlands of moons and half moons; yet the offerings do not become mixed together.

“The skv is filled with gods;not a hairs-breadth of space remains between them.All render homage to the most exalted of men;yet you arc neither proud nor astonished.”

- x

O monks, having greatly praised the Tathagata seated at Bodhimanda. the gods of the sky bowed to the Tathagala respectfully with palms joined and stood to one side.

Then the gods of the earth rendered homage to the Tathagata, cleaning and purifying the entire surface of the earth, sprinkling it with scented water and covering it with flowers. Offering a fine linen canopy to the Tathagata, they praised him with these verses:

553

“Of all places in the three thousand worlds, only this place is as indestructible as a diamond.By this diamond nature,Bodhimanda is solidly established.And he has said: ‘May my skin and flesh dry up, may the marrow of my bones dry up as well before I arise from here without having attained Enlightenment.1

“O Lion of Men, had you not blessed all the three thousand worlds,they would now have crumbled without exception: so eager were the Bodhisatlvas in arriving that their footsteps have shaken the tens of millions of Buddha-fields.

“The benefit obtained here by the gods of the earth has been beautiful and great; where the most exalted of beings has walked, even the grains of dust shine brightly.All the three thousand worlds have become a cailya, and your body as well.

“We offer you all nourishing food on the surface of the earth,and the hundred thousand streams of subterranean water. All the earth of the three thousand worlds wc offer to you—pray do with it as you will!

“ Everywhere you dwell, walk, or sleep,may wc, sons of Sugata, the hearers of Gautama,

554

discuss the Dharma and listen to the teachings, thereby making every root of virtue grow.May we dedicate everything to Enlightenment.”

Having greatly praised ilie Talhagata who was seated at Bodhimanda, the gods of the earth joined their palms, bowed respectfully to the Bodhisattva, and then stood to one side.

The Twenty-third Chapter Praise

r ii • V,|g► 1fiJQ r f m &4r

Plate 24

Trapusa and 'BhallikaMONKS, AFTER RECEIVING GREAT PRAISE FROM TI1E GODS,the Tathagata, who had become die perfect and com­

plete Buddha, remained sealed with his legs crossed, gazing steadily at the king of trees. Nurtured by the joy of con­templation, he stayed for a week at the foot of the tree of Enlightenment, experiencing bliss.

After the week had passed, the devaputras of the desire and form realms brought twenty thousand vases of scented water to where the Tathagata was sealed, and bathed the tree of wisdom and the Tathiigaia with the scented water.

Innumerable gods, nagas, vaksas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, and mahoragas gathered up this water —and with this scented water which had flowed from the body of the Tathagata, they anointed their bodies. Return­ing to their dwellings, they turned their minds toward perfect and complete Enlightenment. None lacked the fra­grant water, and none desired any other scent. Furthermore, through the ecstasy of joy and gladness born in their hearts, through respect for the Tathagata, they henceforth never turned back from striving to attain perfect and complete Enlightenment.

O monks, the dcvaputra Samantakusuma descended in­to this assembly and, bowing at the feet of the Tathagata with joined palms, asked: “ Bhagavat, what is the name of the profound meditation which enables the Tathagata to remain a week without uncrossing his legs?”

And the Tathagata replied: “ This profound meditation is known as Prityaharavyuha, Adaptation of the Food of Joy. This is the meditation which allows the Tathagata to re­main a week without uncrossing his legs.”

Then, O monks, the dcvaputra Samantakusuma praised the Tathagata with these verses:

-Y

“Your feet are marked by the Wheel of the Dharrna; you are endowed with the splendor of a thousand sparkling lotus petals; the diadems of the gods lie at your feet.I bow to the feet of the one filled with blessings.”

Having bowed at the feet of theSugata,the devaputra speaks joyouslyto the one who removes hesitation,and who produces complete peace, even for asuras.

“ You are the one who creates joy in the family of the Sakyas,who brings an end to desire, hatred, and ignorance,who resolves all questions;pray, dear away the doubts of gods and men!

5 6 0

“ Why do (he Buddhas, endowed with the ten strengths,and with unlimited knowledge,sit cross-legged for seven days ai Mahimanda?

“ Why, Lion of Men, do you gaze without blinking,your eyes open for seven days,when your eyes are perfectly pure,like the hundred-petaled lotus in bloom?

“Is this a vow made by all the lion-voicedor a vow of yours alonewhich allows you to remain for a weekat the foot of the king of treeswithout uncrossing your legs?

“ Your face shows the leu strengths: your teeth are beautiful, even, and white; you have the sweetest scent;and your true discourse brings joy to men and gods!”

The one whose face is like the moon replied:“() son of the gods, listen to my words;I will briefly answer your queries.

“Just as the king who is consecrated by his kin with holy oil,must not leave that place for a week.likewise, when the Jinas with the ten strengthsare consecrated, their prayers fulfilled,they sit cross-legged at Dharanimaiu.la fora week.

“Just as a hero looks at the troops of the enemy completely conquered without a trace remaining, so at Bodhimanda, the Buddhas contemplate the fettering passions destroyed.

“ Desire and anger born of ignoranceare like one’s enemies and like ihicvcs;they destroy what is good without leaving a trace.

“ Here, the nine kinds of pride no longer have a home, for I have destroyed them;I have abandoned all traces of defilement and produced the highest wisdom.

“ Here, with the clear fire of wisdom 1 have burned the roots of all the propensities for performing wrong actions out of ignorance;I have destroyed the causes of thirsting for existence.

“With the sword of knowledge 1 have cut through the noose of faults and the concept of T and ‘mine’;I have cut off the tight bonds of the afflictions and severed the solid knot of defilement.

“ Here, with perfected wisdom I have destroyed the deceivers, long my masters:I have destroyed the aggregates, together with their inclinations.

“ Here, I have abolished all discriminationand wrong ways of thinking, which end in the great hell;surely they will never arise againfor not a trace remains,

“Mere, with the blazing fire of virtue I consumed the forest of defilement; the four errors have been completely burned up and not a trace remains.

562

“Donning the garlandsmade from the branches of Enlightenment,1 have undone the harmful strandsmade from conceptualizationand entwined with the thread of perception.

“The sixty-five difficult passages,the thirty entrapping types of ignorance,and the forty defilements—all have been destroyed here at Dharanimanda.

“The sixteen omissions, the eighteen elements,the twenty-five duties, the twenty currents of emotionality,and the twenty-eight terrors of beings—all have been conquered through vigor, strength, and valor.

“ Likewise, I have here understood the five hundred great calls of the Buddha, and also the complete number of the hundred thousand Dharmas.

“ Here, 1 have destroyed with the flame of knowledge the ninety-eight proclivities together with their roots; even new shoots reappearing have been completely razed.

“ With the scaring sun of wisdom 1 have dried up doubt which has its source in uncertainty and is watered by viewsand the rushing current of desire, banked by non-virtue.

“ Hypocritical speech, idle talk, and deception, jealousy, envy, and hatred all have been abandoned; today the forest of emotionality has been cut down and consumed in

563

“ Here, the excellent medicine of wisdom has stopped the quarrels which lure beings into bad and rocky paths, and halted all words insulting to the Saints.

“After acquiring the qualities of w isdom and meditation, I found the end of tears and lamentations, of groans and afllictions without exception.

“After attaining meditative awareness, true s a m a d h i and certainty,I have conquered all heedlessncss, pride, and misery, the knots of sorrow and the stream of desire.

“ With the axe of mindfulness I have cut down the bushes of emotionalityand the trees of existence firmly rooted in concepts; with the fire of wisdom I have burned away the last traces.

“ Pride and self-esteem,those powerful masters of the three realms,1 have conquered with the sword of knowledge, just as the asuras wrere conquered by India.

“ With the powerful sword of wisdom1 have pierced the net of illusionheld in place in thirty-six ways,and have burned it in the fire of knowledgehere at Dharanlmanda.

“ Here, the fettering passions have been rooted out. together w'ith their propensities born of suffering and sorrow; they have been dug upby the excellent blade of the plow of wisdom.

364

“ Here, I have completely purified the naturally pure wisdom eye of sentient beings; with the great medicine of the wisdom eye ] have destroyed the film of ignorance.

“The four spheres of beings who arc burdened with extensive desires and troubled by the sea monsters of pride, have been drowning in the ocean of existence.But I have dried up this oceanwith the raysofthe sun of calm and mindfulness.

“ Here, the great roaring fire of desire, fueled by the multitude of sense objects, smoking with conceptualization, has been extinguished by the cool water of the essence of complete deliverance.

“ Here, the storm clouds of the propensities, generating the lightning flash of pleasure, resounding with the thunder of conceptualization, have been rent by the strong wind of effort and entirely dispelled.

“After obtaining the pure meditation of mindfulness, with the sword of wisdom I cut down the fearsome foe-enmity that agitates the mind in the stream of existence.

“ Here, after acquiring love.the best of banners was flown,and the grotesque army of Namuci was dispersed,though strong, courageous, and well-suppliedwith horses, elephants, and chariots.

5 6 5

“ Having mastered the contemplation of what is harmful, here I reined in the six horses of the senses, which were inflated with extreme arrogance and intoxicated with the five qualities of desire.

“After obtaining the meditation of wish less ness, here I totally and completely banished desire, haired, belligerence, and quarrelsomeness.

“After obtaining the contemplation of emptiness, here, I completely abandoned all inner and outer forms of pride, all investigations and conceptualizations.

“After obtaining the meditation of signlessness, here, I abandoned without exception, all the pleasures of existence, both human and divine, even those at the summit of the realms of existence.

“After attaining the three kinds of complete deliverance, using the strength of wisdom,I untied all the bonds of existence.

“ Here, having seen the causes, I truly overcame the notions of permanence and impermanence, of happiness and unhappiness, of sell and not-self and their causes.

“ Here at the foot of the king of trees, using the weapon of impermanence,I have penetrated the various kinds of karma, everything rooted in the six senses.

“ Here, with the sun of wisdom 1 have cleared away the fog of confusion and ignorance.

of angry and arrogant views,which have for so long spread such darkness.

“ Here, in the ship of strong effort I have crossed the great ocean of existence, full of the sea monsters of desire and intoxication, churning with waves of craving and conceit.

“ Having understood what I have understood here,I burned up desire, ignorance, and conceptualization. They fell like grasshoppers into a forest fire.

“ Here, I have cured the weariness of misery and emotionality found on the path of existence traveled for countless thousands ol kalpas.

“ For the sake of the world,I have clearly understood what all the adversaries have not obtained: the Immortality that ends old age and death, sorrow and suffering.

“ I have arrived in the citadel of fearlessness where the suffering based on the aggregates and the suffering produced by sense desire will return no more.

“Here, I have understood all the great inner enemies, and having understood (hem,I have completely burned them up;in the realm of existencethey will no more find a dwelling place.

“ Here, T have understood Immortality, for the sake of which I have given up

many treasures, even my own eyes, and my own ilesh, for hundreds of millions of kalpas.

“Here, I have understoodwhat the countless preceding Buddhas understood— those whose soft and delightful language is renowned in the world.

“Any beings who arise through dependent origination are empty—thoughts pass in the blinking of an eye; all is like a mirage, like a city of the gandharvas: this I have understood.

“The eve with which I see all the world realms*

as clearly as I would a fruit held ill my hand, this eye has been truly purified.

“ Here, 1 obtained completelythe memory of preceding lives and the three knowledges; now 1 remember countless hundreds of kalpas as clearly as if awakening from sleep.

“ Gods and men burn fiercely with false ideas, with errors and mistaken views; but I have drunk the. essence of immortality which is free from error.

“ What purpose do the ten strengths serve?To radiate love to all sentient beings.Victorious through the strength of love,I have drunk of the essence of amrta.

“ What purpose do the ten strengths serve?To radiate compassion to all sentient beings.Victorious through the strength of compassion.I have drunk of the essence of amrta.

“What purpose do the ten strengths serve?To radiate joy to all sentient beings.Victorious through the strength of joy, f have drunk of the essence of amrta.

“ What purpose do the ten strengths serve?To radiate equanimity for hundreds of billions of kalp Victorious through the strength of equanimity,1 have drunk of the essence of amrta.

“The ten strengths were acquiredby all the preceding lion-like Jinas,more numerous than the sands of the Ganges.And so I also have drunk of the essence of amrta.

“ When the demon approached with his arinv,I uttered the vow: ‘l will not uncross my legs until I have obtained an end to old age and death.' 'That vow has been kept.

“ Having obtained the ten strengths,I have conquered even ignorancewith the solid and flaming lightning bolt of wisdom.And so 1 now uncross my legs.

“ 1 have obtained the quality of the Arhat;I have destroyed the defilements without a trace.The army of Mara has been conquered, and so I now uncross my legs.

“The live clouds of obscurities I have torn asunder;I have cut awav the ivv of desire.

* *

and so I now uncross my legs.”

Then this Moon of Men, arising from his seal, sat down upon the lion throne, having received the great consecration.

With thousands of jeweled vases full of scented water, the hosts of the gods bathed the Triend of the World, the possessor of the transcendent qualities of the ten strengths.

With thousands of musical instruments, hundreds of thousands of gods and apsarascs all joined together to render endless homage.

And so it happened with the devaputras in the seven days at Dharanlmanda, as there unfolded the cause and circumstance and basis for the Buddha sitting with his legs still crossed.

O monks, endowed with complete Enlightenment, the Tathagata dwelt at Bodhimanda for seven days. There I attained peerless, perfect, and complete Enlightenment, and put an end to the beginningless suffering of birth, old age, and death, which comes forth ceaselessly.

The second week the Tathagata strolled throughout the regions of the three thousand great thousands of worlds.

'The third week the Tathagata gazed upon Bodhimanda without even blinking. I had attained peerless, perfect, and complete Enlightenment, and had put an end to the begin- ningless sullering of birth, old age, and death, which comes forth ceaselessly.

5. *7/1

The fourth week the Tathagata took a short walk from the Eastern Sea to the Western Sea.

Now the demon PapTyan approached the Tathagata and addressed these words to him: “ May the Bhagavat enter into Parinirvana! May the Sugata enter into Parinirvana! It is lime now for the Bhagavat to pass into Parinirvana!”

O monks, the Tathagata replied to the petition of Mara Paplvan: “ No, Papiyan. I will not enter into Parinirvana so long as my monks are not firm, controlled, disciplined, clear-minded, confident, well-vcrscd, and abiding »n the Dhanna and what is connected with it. They must be able to teach the Dhanna, making their knowledge known, silencing their adversaries, and with the aid of the Dhanna causing them to have faith: they must be able to accompany their teaching of the Dhanna with miracles.

“ No, Papiyan, I will not enter into Parinirvana until the renown of the Buddha, the Dhanna, and the Sangha is sol­idly established in the world; until countless Bodhisattvas have been given prophecies foretelling their attainment of peerless, perfect, and complete Enlightenment. Until my four Sanghas are controlled, disciplined, clear-minded, pure, and aware, and are able to teach the Dhanna accompanied by miracles. I will not enter into Parinirvana.”

Hearing this reply, Mara PapTyan withdrew to one side and remained motionless. Miserable and defeated, his head low, tracing figures on the earth with a stick, he muttered: “ He has overcome my empire!”

Then three daughters of Mara, Ratt, AratT, and Trsna, addressed this verse lo PapTyan:

571

“Why arc you so disheartened, dear father? Pray, speak. If it is because of this man, wc will bind him with the chains of passion and control him like an elephant.Wc will quickly place him under your power. Take heart! You will obtain great satisfaction!”

Mara replied:“The Sugaia is the Arhat of the World; he could not fall into the power of passion.He has truly gone beyond my kingdom.This is the reason for my distress!”

Mara’s daughters-heedless women—ignored the words of their father oven though they knew about the previous actions of the Hodhisattva who had become a Tathagata. They took on the aspect of youth in its first llowcr, and blindly approached the Tathagata. The Tathagata paid them no heed except to bless them, at which they changed into decrepit old women. Returning to their father, they cried out to him:

“ What you said to us, O father, was true;he is not led by passion,and he has truly overcome our empire.I low greatly distressed we arc!

“To destroy Gautama, we magically transformed ourselves— had the Buddha but looked upon us,

his heart would have been broken!Good father, make these decrepit bodies go away!”

Mara said:“ Nowhere in any of the worlds do l secthe one who could reverse an action of the Buddha.Go quickly and confess your fault,and he will give you back your former bodies,just as you desire!”

Approaching the Taihagata, the daughters of Mara im­plored him: “ O Bhagavat. forgive us our fault! C) Sugata. it was the fault of ignorant women deprived of light, the action of fools. Wo were confused and misinformed, for wo thought the Bhagavat could be moved! Fray, forgive us!”

The Taihagata replied to them with this verse:

“ Seeking to test what is beyond being tested.you wish to hollow out the mountain with your fingernails;to work iron with your teeth;to pierce mountains with your hands.

“For this reason, young girls, I pardon your fault.It is progress in the discipline of the Dharrna to see and acknowledge a fault as a fault, and then to succeed in abstaining from it.”

573

During the fifth week, O monks, there came forth a great tempest, and the Tathagata stayed with the king of the nagas, Mucilinda. iMucilinda wrapped his coils around the Taihagata’s body seven times, making a shelter with his crest, saying: “Cold winds must not touch the Tathagata.”

From the cast came other naga kings in great number to wrap the body of the Tathagata seven times with their coils and shelter him with their crests, saying: “ The cold winds must not touch the Tathagata.”

From the south, the west, and the north, just as from the cast, came naga kings to wrap the body of the Tathagata with their coils and shelter him with their crests, saying: “The cold winds must not touch the Tathagata.” Just like Mount Meru, the king of mountains, this group of naga kings stood fast, raised erect.

And never had these naga kings experienced such well­being as that which was theirs for seven days and seven nights because of their close contact with the body of the Tathagata.

When the seven days had passed and the tempest had abated, the naga kings unwound their coils from the body of the Tathagata. After bowing with their heads at his feet and circumambulating three times, each returned to his abode. Mucilinda, too. the king of the nagas, bowed at the feet of the Tathagata, circumambulated him three times, and returned to his dwelling.

The sixth week, the Tathagata traveled from the home of Mucilinda to the foot of the nyagrodha tree. Between the abode of Mucilinda and the nyagrodha tree, on the bank

574

of the river Nairanjana, the carakas, the parivrajakas, the old Sravakas, the gautamas, the nirgranthas, the ajlvikas, and others saw the Tathagata and asked if he had spent the week of the tempest pleasantly.

And. monks, the Tathagata solemnly spoke this joyous discourse:

“ Sweet is solitude for the one well-satisfied, who has seen and heard the Dharrna; sweet is gentleness in the world and care for living creatures!

“ Sweet is the absence of desire,and sweet the victory over the defilements.Control of conceit and pride— these are the supreme happiness!”

O monks, having seen the world tormented, consumed by birlh, old age, illnesses, death, sulfering. lamentation, worry, and tribulation, the Tathagata solemnly spoke this discourse:

“This world is aflliclcd on all sides by sound, touch, taste, sight, and smell; though all are terrified by existence, thev desire it still; thev seek it still.”

5 7 5

During the seventh week, the Tathagata remained at the foot of the tree of liberation.

At that time, two brothers from the north, clever and learned merchants of great wealth, named Trapusa and Bhallika, were traveling from south to north carrying vari­ous kinds of merchandise in a great caravan of a hundred fullv-laden carts. Thcv had two very clever bullocks, known as Sujata and Klrii, both fearless: where other bullocks caused trouble or became afraid as they progressed, these two remained firm, as though tethered to a stake. Neither needed the goad of a spur; they were enticed to motion with handfuls of lotuses or with garlands of sumana flowers.

When the merchants approached the tree of liberation, a goddess of the forest halted the carts by means of a charm. The wheels sank in the earth up to the axle; the harness straps came loose, and all of the parts came undone. Despite all efforts, the carts would not move. The travelers were amazed and frightened: why did these obstacles prevent the carts from moving when the way was flat and smooth?

They attempted to lead the bullocks, Sujata and KTrti, with a handful of lotuses and a garland of sumana flowers, but the bullocks would not advance. Then it occurred to the travelers that if these two would not move, surely there must be danger ahead. Messengers on horseback were sent ahead, but they returned saying they could see no cause at all for alarm.

To reassure them, the goddess made herself visible, say­ing: “There is nothing to Icar.” And so the two bullocks pulled the cart close by the Tathagata. Catching sight of the Tathagata shining like fire, adorned with the thirty- two signs of a great man, resplendent with the majesty of

576

the rising sun, the travelers were struck with astonishment “Who can this be? Is it Brahma come to earth? Or Sakra master of the gods? Is it Vaisravana, Surya, or Gandra? Oi is it some god of the mountain or the god of t ho wind?”

The Tathagata indicated his saffron garments, and thev said: “ Since he wears saffron robes, he must be a wandering monk. We have nothing to fear from him.” Faith in the monk having arisen, they counseled with each other: “This must be close to the holy man’s meal time. We have a little food.” So they said to him: ‘'We have some honey, some cakes, and some peeled sugar cane.” These they brought to the Tathagata, bowing to his feet, and circumambulating him three times. Standing to one side, they spoke to him thus: “ May the Bhagavat look upon us with kindness. May the Bhagavat take and accept this food.”

At this moment, O monks, the Tathagata thought thus: “Truly, it would not be fitting if 1 look the food in my hands. How did the former perfect and complete Tathagata Buddhas accept food?” And he recognized very well dial it was in an alms howl.

Knowing that the time had come for the Tathagata to obtain the alms bowl, al that very instant the Four Great Kings approached from the four directions. Bringing four golden bowls, they offered them to the Tathagata: “ May the Bhagavat look upon us with kindness: may he accept these four golden bowls.”

But considering the bowls unsuitable for a sramana, the Tathagata did not accept them. Nor did he accept other sets of bowls made of silver, lapis lazuli, crystal, diamond, and emerald.

Then the Guardians offered four bowls of all sorts of precious materials to the Tathagata. But considering them unsuitable for a sramana, the Tathagala did not accept them.

O monks, this came to the mind of the Tathagala: “What kind of bowl was accepted by the former Tathagatas, the true Arhats, the perfect and complete Buddhas?” And he recognized very clearly that it was a bow! of stone. Such was the thought which occurred to the Tathagala.

Then the Guardian, the Great King Vaisravana, said to the three other Great Kings: “ Friends! The blue-bodicd devapulras gave us four stone bowls, and when wc thought to use these bowls, the devaputra named Vairocana said:

“ ‘Do not use these bowls, but keep them, for they will be the object of a famous caitya. There will come a Jina named Sakyanmni, and you will offer these bowls to him.’

“ Friends, now is the time, now is the moment*

to offer these vessels to Sakyainuni;amidst songs and music,we will bow to him and give him the bowls.

“These stone vessels are indestructible like the nature of the Dharma; they are suitable as offerings to him.Before another takes them, let us retrieve them.”

5 7 8

The Four Great Kings approached the Tathagata, each carrying a bowl. Each was surrounded by his followers and servants, carrying flowers, cassolettes, garlands, perfumes, and scented ointments, singing and playing musical instru­ments. After rendering homage to the Tathagata, they offered him the bowls, each filled with heavenly flowers.

O monks, this came to the mind of the Tathagata: “These four great and pure kings, filled with faith, have offered four stone bowls to me; but to have four bowls is not fitting. II' I accept only one bowl, the other kings will be discontent. But if I take all four bowls, I can bless only one for use."

And extending his right hand, the Tathagata addressed this verse to the Great King Vaisravana:

“ By offering a vessel to the Sugata,you will become a vessel of the most excellent teaching.I laving given a bowl to one such as I am,your mindfulness and judgment will never slacken."

O monks, with great kindness, the Tathagata took the bowl from Vaisravana. Then the Tathagata addressed this verse to the Great King Dhrtarastra:

“ By offering a bowl to the Tathagata,your wisdom and mindfulness will never slacken.After traversing from happiness to happiness, you will obtain the exalted clarity of a Buddha."

579

O monks, with great kindness, the Tathagata took the bowl from Dhrtarastra. Then the Tathagata addressed this verse to the Great King Virudhaka:

“ Hv offering a pure bowl to the perfectly pure Tathagata,you will quickly obtain a pure mindand become worthy of praise from gods and men.”

O monks, with great kindness, the Tathagata took the bowl from VirficUmka. Then the Tathagata addressed this verse to the Cheat King Virupaksa:

“ By giving a faultless vessel with faith and faultless intent to the Tathagata whose conduct and actions arc faultless, the merit of your pure offering is faultless as well.”

O monks, with great kindness, the Tat hagai a took the bowl from the hands of Virupaksa. Having received these bowls, he blessed them, and by the strength of his good will, he made them one bowl. And solemnly he pronounced this joyous discourse:

“ In a former existence,I gave vessels filled with beautiful fruit, so now the lour gods, the great magicians, give me four handsome bowls.”

Concerning tins it is said:

After realizing the meaning of Knlightenmom,and gazing on the great tree for a week.the Lion of Men arises;moving with the lion's gait.he causes the earth to shake in six ways.

With the deliberate pace of the lord of elephants, he walks with measured steps to the foot of the tree of liberation.The Muni scats himself, unshakable as Mount Mcru. and devotes himself to meditation, to contemplation.

At that lime. Trapusa and Bhallika, two brothers traveling with a group of merchants, and five hundred ox carts filled with goods, enter the sala wood which is in full bloom.

Because of the splendor of the Rsi.the cart wheels sink instantly into the earth, up to the axle.A great fear seizes the merchants.and they take up swords, arrows, and spears.T hey wonder who this could be -this one living like a gazelle in the forest.And they gaze upon the victorious Jina, whose face is like an autumn moon come from behind the clouds.

Putting aside pride and anger, they bow and ask:'‘Who can this be?’*And from the middle of the sky,

f rt i

a god pronounces these words:“ He is, in truth, a Buddha, acting for the sake of the world.

“ For seven days and seven nights,the Merciful One has taken neither food nor drink.If you wish to calm all fettering passions, offer food to him— this one who meditates with body and mind.”

I laving heard these sweet words,the merchants give homage to the Victorious Oneand circumambulate three limes around him.Full of contentment,the merchants and their companions prepare food to give to the Victorious One.

O monks, the cowherds then milked their cows, which had been milling about the outskirts of the clearing, and the essence of butter came forth. The cowherds carried this essence to the two merchants, Trapusa and Bhallika. saying: “ Lord, know that w'hen the cows were milked, they gave forth (he essence of butter. Is this a lucky sign or not?”

Some greedy brahmins at once replied: “This is no lucky sign. You must make a great sacrifice to the brahmins.”

O monks, then a brahmin known as Sikhandin, who in a preceding birth had been a relative of the two merchants Trapusa and Bhallika, and had been born again into the realm of Brahma, now showed himself in the form of a brahmin and addressed these verses to the merchants:

“ You made a prayer in former limes:‘After becoming enlightened,may the Taihagata obtain a meal offered by us,and then turn the Wheel of the Dharma.

“This prayer has been fulfilled.The Taihagata has obtained supreme Enlightenment. Offer him food, and after he has eaten it. he will turn the Wheel of the Dharma.

“ It is through a great blessing, it is under a favorable star,that the cows have given forth the essence of butter.It is through the powerof this great rsi?s meritorious works.”

After thus commanding the merchants,Sikhandin returns to his abode,and Trapu$a and all the others are filled with joy.

Collecting the milk from all thousand cows, they extract the cream to prepare a proper meal.

They wash and purify the precious bowl Abucandra, capable of holding a hundred thousand palas, and fill it to the rim with food.

With honey and the precious bowl, they approach the foot of the tree of liberation, and say to the Teacher: "Pray, accept this offering; accept from us this nourishing food.”

Out of kindness for the two brothers, and knowing their former prayer.

383

the supremely enlightened Teacher accepts the offering; lie eats and then tosses the bowl into the sky.

The devaputra Subrahma catches the most precious of bowls, and even today in the realm of Brahma, he honors it in company with the gods.

Then thcTathagata brought joy to Trapusa and Bhallika by saying:

“ May the blessing of the gods be with you!May success follow you always!May all your affairs go smoothly and according to your desire!

“ May well-being surround you like a garland around your head.May glory stand at your right hand; may glory stand at your left hand; may glory surround you,

“ Whenever business takes you to the East, may the eastern stars guard you:Krttika, Rohiijt, Mrgasrardra, Andra,Punarvasu and Pim a, as well as ASlesa.

“ May these seven bright constellations, guardians of the world presiding over t he East, protect you always!

“ May their famous king named DhrUirastra,master of all the gandharvas,may he, together with the *un. nroteet vou!

584

“ May his ninety-one sons,strong and learned, all bearing the name Indra, protect you with health and well-being!

“ May the eight daughters of the gods who reside in the East:Jayantt, Vijayanu, Siddhartha, Aparajiia,Nandoltara, Nandisena, Nandinl, and NandavardhanI, protect you with health and well-being.

“ May the caitya named Chapala, located in the East,abode of the Jinas, the Arhat Protectors,and well-known by them,protect you with health and well-being!

“ May the eastern regions be favorable to you. and may no evil befall you!May the gods protect you,and may you return with great wealth!

“Whenever business takes you to the South, may the constellations presiding there protect you. Magha and the two Phalguni, Hasla, Citra the fifth, as well as Svall and Visakha.

“ May these seven bright constellations, guardians of the world presiding over the South, protect you always!

“ May their king named Yirudhaka.master of all the kumbhandas,may he, together with Yama, protect you!

“ May his ninety-one sons,strong and learned, all bearing the name Indra,protect you with health and well-being!

585

“May the eight daughters of the gods residing in the South: isriyamatl, Yasamatl, Yasaprapta, Yasodhara,Su-utlhita, Suprathama, Suprabuddha, and Sukhavaha, protect you with health and well-being!

“ May the caitya named Padma, located in the South, ceaselessly shining with splendor, and bathing everything in light, protect you with health and well-being!

“ May the southern regions be favorable to you, and may no evil befall you!May the gods protect you,and may you return with great wealth!

“ Whenever business takes you to the West, may the constellations presiding there protect you! Anuradha and Jyestha, Mula and Dhrthavtryata, the two Asathas. Abhijit and Sravana,

“ May these seven bright constellations, guardians of the world presiding over the West, protect you always!

“ May their king named Yirupaksa, the lord of the nagas,may he, together with Yaruna, protect you!

“ May his ninety-one sons,strong and learned, all bearing the name Indra, protect you with health and well-being!

“ May the eight daughters of the gods residing in the West: Alatnbusa, Mistakes!, Pundanka, Aruna. as well as Pkiidasa, Navanatnika.

586

f

Si la, Krsna and DraupadIprotect you with health and well-being!

“ May the western mountain Astahga, abode of the sun and moon, grant you the results you desire, and protect you with health and well-being!

“ May the western regions be favorable to you, and may no evil befall you!May the gods protect you,and may you return with great wealth!

“ Whenever business takes you to the North, may the constellations presiding there protect you! Dhanistha and Saiabhisan, as well as the two Bhadrapadas, Revatl, AsvinI, and Bharanl.

“ May these seven bright constellations, guardians of the world presiding over the North, protect you always!

“ May Kubera the king who commands them,Naravahana, the king of all the yaksas,may he, together with Manibhadra, protect you!

“ May his ninety-one sons,strong and learned, all bearing the name Indra,protect you with health and well-being!

“ May the eight daughters of the gods residing in the North: Iladcvl, Suradevi, PrthvI, as well as Padmavati,Upasthita, Maharaja, Asa, Sraddha, Hiri, and Sri, protect you with health and well-being!

“ May the northern mountain called Gandhamadana, and the beautiful mountain Citrakula

587

which is the abode of the yaksas and bhutas, protect you with health and well-being!

“ May the northern regions be favorable to you, and may no evil befall you!May the gods protect you.and may you return with great wealth!

“ May the twenty-eight constellations, seven in each of the four regions, and the thirty-two daughters of the gods, eight in each of the four regions;

“ May the eight .Siam anas and the eight brahmins, in the eight types of villages, and the eight gods who accompany India, protect you everywhere!

“ May good fortune be with you as you depart!May good fortune be with you when you return!May you have the fortune to see your relatives again; and may they be happy to sec you!

“ May the yaksas, the Great Kings, and the Arhats, together with India, be kind to you.May good fortune follow you everywhere,and may you obtain the happiness of Immortality!

“ Protected by brahma and by V'asiva,by those who are completely delivered,and by those who are without fault,always treated with kindness by the nagas and yaksas,may you live for a hundred autumns!"

The peerless Guide, Protector of the World, praises their respectful offerings:

“ By this virtuous work, in a future existence, you will each be a Jina named Madhusambhava.”

This is the first predictionby the Jina, the Guide of the World.Henceforth, he will predictthat an endless number of Bodhisativaswill arrive at wisdomand reach the stage of irreversibility.

After hearing this prediction of the Jina, well-satisfied and filled with the greatest joy. the two brothers and their companions, take refuge in the Buddha and the Dharma.

The Twenty-fourth Chaffer Trafum mui Hhallika

5 0 9

Exhortation^MONKS, WHILE THE TATH AG AT A WAS DWELLING at tllC fool

\K\." of the tree of deliverance after his Enlightenment, he withdrew into solitude. Absorbed in this introspection, he thought upon those who live according to the world: “Alas for their condition. The Dharma I have obtained is pro­found; it is the Dharma of a perfect and complete Buddha. It is peaceful, very peaceful, completely peaceful, full of contentment, but difficult to see, difficult to understand.

“ It escapes investigation and is not in the realm of rea­soning; it is venerable and can be known only by Arhats, the learned, and the very intelligent.

“ It puts aside every aggregate; it clearly sees everything; it has a sure knowledge; it cuts off all sensations; it is abso­lute and without ground. It has a cool nature, free of all grasping; it does not rise up again.

“ It has not been communicated, and it cannot be com­municated; it has completely surpassed the six objects of the senses; it is not subject to rules, not particularized, inexpressible; it is ineffable and beyond sound or speech; it

cannot be articulated or demonstrated; it cannot be pene­trated; it has completely surpassed all imagining.

“ It cuts off all emotionality by the path of calm abiding; it is imageless emptiness; it destroys desire and is free from grasping; it is cessation free from attachment; it is Nirvana.

“ If I were to teach this Dharma to others, and they did not understand it, how useless and wearisome it would be; having no reason to teach, 1 will therefore remain silent, and keep it to my heart.” At this moment he recited these verses:

“ Deep, peaceful, perfectly pure, luminous, uncompounded, and like nectar is the Dharma I have obtained.Even if I were to teach it, it could not be known by another.Certainly, I must remain silent in the forest.

“When there are no words, speech is immaculate; the Dharma is by its nature like space. Completely free from the meanderings of the mind and thoughts,I know how truly amazing, truly wonderful and superior it is.

“ Not with words and letters,not by language is it understood;it is understood by those with sharp minds.The beings who came to the previous Buddhas heard tltis Teaching and attained certainty.

5 9 4

“At this place, the Dharma does not even exist; existence and non-existence do not exist.For whoever knows successive cause and action, existence and non-existence do not exist.

“ For hundreds of thousands of immeasurable kalpas,I lived near the former Jinas;but until there was no self, no sentient being, no existent, I did not obtain patience.

“ It was in the lifetime that I obtained true patience— when I understood the nature of all dharmas to be without birth and death, to be self-less— that the Buddha Dlpamkara gave forth my prophecy.

“ My compassion for the world is boundless.and I do not hesitate to satisfy the requests of others.This multitude has faith in Brahma— if he requests it, l will turn the Wheel.

“ If Brahma supports me, like a lotus at my feet, and implores me to teach the Dharma; if his request is unreserved and deeply felt; if beings are well-disposed toward the Dharma and desire to know it;then they are ready to grasp this Teaching.”

O monks, from the tuft of hair in the middle of his eyebrows, the Tathagata sent forth a shining ray of light which filled the expanse of the three thousand great thou­sand worlds with a great golden brightness.

5 9 5

Then the great Brahma with his crown of hair, knowing through the power of the Buddha the thoughts in the mind of the Tathagata, realized that the Bhagavat, in his lack of urgency, was inclined not to teach the Dharma, and he thought: “ I must approach the Tathagata and ask him to turn the Wheel of the Dharma.”

At once, O monks, the great Brahma with his crown of hair addressed himself to the devaputras of the Brahma realm: “ Friends, though the Tathagata has become a per­fect and completely accomplished Buddha, he is inclined not to teach the Dharma. Alas! This world is lost! Friends, this world is lost! VVc must approach the Tathagata Arhat, the truly perfect and complete Buddha, and implore him to turn the Wheel of the Dharma.”

O monks, the great Brahma with his crown of hair, sur­rounded and preceded by sixty-eight million gods of the Brahma realm, then approached the Tathagata. Bowing at his feci, they joined their palms and spoke thus to him: “Alas! O Bhagavat, since the Tathagata who has become a perfect and complete Buddha is inclined not to teach the Dharma, this world is completely lost! Alas! May the Bhagavat have the goodness to teach the Dharma! May the Sugata teach the Dharma! Beings arc well-disposed, easy to teach, sincere, and strong; they are capable of under­standing the meaning of the'l caching of the Buddha.” And at this point, Brahma recited these verses:

*3$ r'-* ' ■..

“ Having attained the great and sublime mandala of wisdomand poured forth light in all directions,

5 9 6

O Teacher, Light of Wisdom, Lotus of Men, you remain in equipose,O Bright Sun of Orators!

“After inviting beings to share your noble riches, and encouraging tens of millions of living beings, it is not worthy of you, Friend of the World, to show indifference to sentient beings through silence

“ Beat loudly the drum of the peerless Dharma! Ouicklv blow the conch shell of the holv Dharma! Raise the offering pillar of the peerless Dharma!Light the great torch of the Dharma!

“ May the excellent rain of the Dharma pour down!Mav those on the ocean of existence cross over!*May those sick with emotionality be cured!May peace come to those burned by the passions!

“ Fray, point out clearly the path of peace, happiness, and prosperity, free of sickness and far from sorrow.Without a protector, beings stray from the path of Nirvana.O Guide, have pity upon them!

“Open wide the gates of complete deliverance; uphold the way of the Dharma free ol confusion.For the multitude blind from birth,O Protector, purify the holy eye of the Dharma!

“ In the world of Brahma, in the world of the gods, in the world of the vaksas, gandharvas, and men, truly you alone can end birth and old age,O Protector, O Moon of Men.

5 9 7

“Together with all the gods* I am your petitioner, O King of the Dharma; through this meritorious action, may 1, too* soon turn the Wheel of the excellent Dharma.”

O monks, in his concern for the welfare of the worlds of gods, men. and asuras, the Tathagaia consented with com­passion to Brahma's request by remaining silent.

The great Brahma with his crown of hair, understanding the silent consent of the Tathagaia, sprinkled heavenly powders of sandalwood arid aloes around the Tathagaia, and filled with great gladness, disappeared.

O monks, because of Brahma's repeated requests, and because of the increasing respect for the Dharma in the world, the Tathagaia withdrew into solitude to consider the extremely profound greatness of the Dharma, and the increase in the root of virtue for the world. Deep within his contemplation, the Tathagaia reasoned thus: “ Profound in­deed is the Dharma which as Buddha I possess; subtle, clear, and difficult to understand, it escapes analytical inves­tigation. It lies outside the domain of reasoning; it is known by wise inen and sages; it does not accord with the worldly dharinasand isdilficull to sec. Ii puts aside all the aggregates and calms every karmic inclination; it resolves everything by the path of calm abiding. It is imagelcxs emptiness; it destroys desire and is free from desire. It is cessation, it is Nirvana, (he perfect and complete Buddhahood.

.W8

“ If I were to teach this Dharma, others would not under­stand it, and would make of it a mockery. So I am left with little sense of urgency to teach.”

Then. () monks, the great Brahma with his crown of hair, knowing through the power of the Buddha the reasoning of the Tathagata, approached Sakra. master of the gods, and spoke thus: “ Kausika, you must know this. The Tathagata Arhat, the perfect and complete Buddha, in his lack of ur­gency, is not inclined lo teach the Dharma. Alas, Kausika. this world is lost! This world is completely lost! Alas, Kausika! This world will be plunged into the deep, deep shadows of ignorance; it will be plunged into darkness be­cause the Tathagata Arhat, the truly perfect and complete Buddha, in his lack of urgency, is not inclined to teach the Dharma.

“ Must we not go and urge the Tathagata Arhat. the truly perfect and complete Buddha, to turn the Wheel of the Dharma? For without being so exhorted, Tathagatas do not turn the Wheel of the Dharma."

“ Friend, you are right!" Sakra replied. And when they had spoken thus, many gods went with Sakra and Brahma: the gods who preside over the earth, the gods of the sky, the gods of the realm of the Four Great Kings, the Thirty- three gods, the gods of the Yama realm, the gods of Tusita, the gods of the Nirmanarati realm, those of the Pariuiruiila vasavartin realm, and the gods of the Brahma realm, those of the Abhasvara realm, those of the Brhatphala realm,those of the Suhhakrtsiia realm, and several hundreds of* * /thousands of devaputras of the Suddhavasa realm, all mani­festing in brilliant colors. Appearing at the end of the night, they shed a shimmering light upon the foot of the tree

of liberation. Approaching the Tathagata, they bowed at his feet, circumambulated him three times, and stood to one side.

Sakra, the lord of the gods, approached the Tathagata, placed his joined palms to his head, and bowed before him, praising him with this verse:

“Arise, Conquering Ilero.Bring forth the light of wisdom into the world which acts in darkness, for indeed, your mind is freed,

just like the full moon delivered from eclipse.”

'1'hus he spoke, and the Tathagata remained silent. Then the great Brahma with the crown of hair spoke thus to Sakra, master of the gods:

“ Kausika, this is not the way that Tathagata Arhats,truly perfect and complete Buddhas,arc urged to turn the Wheel of the Dharma.”

And then the great Brahma with the crown of hairthrew his robe over one shoulder,placed his right knee on the ground, and bowed.Joining his palms in from of his forehead,he prayed to the Tathagata:

“Arise, Conquering Hero!Bring forth the light of wisdom into the world which acts in darkness.'leach the Dharma, O Muni,the Dharma which is sought for everywhere.”

6 0 0

Thus he spoke, O monks, and then the Tathagata gave this reply to the great Brahma: “ Profound indeed, O great Brahma, is the Dharma which as Buddha I possess; subtle, clear, and difficult to understand, the Dharma es­capes analytical investigation. It lies outside the domain of reasoning; it is known by wise men and sages; it does not accord with the worldly dharmas and is difficult to see. It puts aside all the aggregates and calms every' karmic incli­nation; it resolves everything by the path of calm abiding. It is imagclcss emptiness; it destroys desire and is free from desire. It is cessation, Nirvana, the perfect and complete Buddhahood.

“ If I were to teach this Dharma, others would not com­prehend it, and would make of it a mockery. And so, O Brahma, these two verses constantly recur to me:

“ My profound path goes against the current; it is difficult to see.Those blind with passion will not sec it;

even hearing it, they would gain no benefit.

“ Fallen into the torrent of desire, beings arc swept along by the current.I underwent great hardships to obtain this Dharma— how could it help only to teach it?”

O monks, the great Brahma with his crown of hair, and Sakra, the master of the gods, recognizing that the Buddha would remain silent, disappeared, together with the deva- putras, all afflicted and sorrowful.

Three times the Tat ha gat a had shown his hesitation to leach.

O monks, in the country of Magadha many false, unvir- luous views had been circulating: no longer, they said, would winds blow or fire burn; no more, they said, would the rain fall or the rivers flow. Some said that the harvest would no longer ripen, that birds would fly no more in the air, and that pregnant women would henceforth not give healthy birth.

Then, O monks, the great Brahma with his crown of hair, knowing the nature of the Tathagata’s thoughts, knowing also these views of the men of Magadha, illuminated the foot of the tree of liberation with a beautifully colored light, and at the close of the night, approached the 7'athagata. Brahma bowed his head at the feet of the Tathagata and then threw back his robe on one shoulder and placed his right knee on the earth. Bowing to the Buddha with his hands joined in front of his forehead, he addressed these verses to the Tathagata:

“ Until now among the men of Magadhawrong teachings, an impure Dharma, has prevailed.O Muni, you must open wide the door of immortality,for they are ready to listento the stainless Dharma of a Buddha.

“ You have done what must be done to arrive at independence; you have abandoned defilement, the manifestation of suffering; your virtue increases without fail;you have arrived at the summit of the supreme Dharma.

“Not one in the world, O Muni, is equal to you; where would one find your superior?O Great Rsi, you shine in the three worlds like the mountain abode of the suras.

“ Have pity for the miserable beings!Never are those such as you indifferent;O Bhagavat, endowed with the strength of fearlessness, only you arc capable of delivering beings.

“ May you free all beings, including gods,including sramanas and brahmins,from sickness, plagues, and lingering torments.For them there is no other refuge!

“ May the King of the Dharma keep this before his mind— to teach the Doctrine undiminished, as it is.With virtuous mind, intent on Immortality, gods and men have served you for a long time.

“And so 1 implore you,you whose skillful effort is beautiful!Train those whose path has long gone astray.O great Muni, this multitude, tormented by desire, aspires to hear what they have not heard; they seek to extend their understanding.

“ Fray, pour forth the rain of the Dharma.Like a cloud for a parched earth, O Guide,

produce the rain of the Dharma, which quenches thirst! Long have men been led astray!

“They are traveling through dense brambles of false views. Pray, show them the clear path, the path free of thorns; having meditated upon it, they will be able to obtain Immortality!

“The blind who have stumbled into the abysscan only find their way to safety with you as their guide—you, the keeper of the Hock, the one with wisdom.1 beseech you to rescue the blind from the deep abyss of craving.

“ How rare the good fortune to be with you, O Muni.Like the (lower of the udumbara, a Jina who is the Guide seldom appears on the earth.The moment has come, O Protector.1 pray that you will liberate sentient beings.

“ In previous existences you thought:‘When 1 mvsclf have crossed over, then will 1 free others.’✓You have surely arrived at the other shore.Make true your promise,you with the skillful strength of truth.O Muni, dispel the shadows with the torch of the Dharma; unfurl the banner of a Tathagata.It is the moment to make your sweet words heard— roar like the king of the beasts whose voice resounds like a drum!”

O monks, the Tathagata, gazing upon the entire world with the eye of a Buddha, saw beings of different aptitude

604

and types: lowly, ordinary, and intelligent; exalted or base and inferior; acting well or acting badly; easy to purify or difficult to purify; beings with acute intelligence and with sympathetic natures; and he saw them divided into three categories: one set in the condition of error, one set in the condition of truth, and one uncertain. () monks, just as a man at the edge of a pond sees some lotuses under the sur­face, some at the water level, and some above the water, likewise, O monks, when the Tathagata examines the entire world with the eye of a Buddha, he sees beings divided into three categories.

O monks, it occurred to the Tathagata: “Whether I teach the Dharma or not, those set in the condition of error will surely not be able to understand the Dharma. Whether I leach or not, those set in the condition of truth will surely understand the Dharma. As for those not certain, if I teach the Dharma, they will understand it; if I do not teach, they will not understand it.” This was his thought.

O monks, gazing upon beings who belong to the third group, the beings of uncertain outcome, the Tathagata began to generate great compassion. With complete wisdom and self-mastery, the Tathagata, knowing the request the great Brahma would make, addressed these verses to him:

“O Brahma, for those beings of Magadha who have cars, the doors of immortality are open!They will listen to the Dharma with faith and without thought of doing harm.”

60f>

The great Brahma with his crown of hair, realizing that the Tathagata had given his consent, was pleased and de­lighted. Elated, his heart filled with joy, he bowed at the feet of the Tathagata and disappeared.

C) monks, the gods of the earth called out to the gods of the air: “Today, friends, the Tathagata Arhat, the perfect and complete Buddha, has promised to turn the Wheel of the Dhanna. Out of compassion for the world, to aid and benefit the great multitude of beings, for the salvation and happiness of gods and men, he will turn the Wheel. Friends, the number of asuras will certainly diminish; the gods will arrive at perfection, and many in the world will then reach complete Nirvana.”

Having learned this from the gods of the earth, the gods of the air repeated it to the gods of the realm of the Four Great Kings; they repeated it to the Thirty-three gods; and these to the Yamas, who repeated it to the gods of the Tusita realm. 'I’he gods of the Nirmanarati realm told the gods of the Parinirmita vasavarlin realm, and they finally repeated it to the gods of the Brahma realm. And those last called out: “ ’Today, friends, the Tathagata Arhat, the perfect and complete Buddha, has promised to turn the Wheel of the Dhanna. Out of compassion for the world, for the benefit, aid, and happiness of the great multitude of men and gods, he will turn the Wheel. Assuredly, friends, the numbers of the asuras will diminish; the gods will increase, and many in the world will attain complete Nirvana.”

O monks, at once, at that moment, from the gods of the earth all the wav up to the realm of Brahma, a single sound, a single proclamation traveled in just an instant: “’Today,

(i06

my friends, the Talhagata Arhat, the perfect and complete Buddha, has made the promise to turn the Wheel of the Dharma.”

O monks, the four gods of the tree of wisdom named Dharmaruci, Dharmakaya, Dharmamati, and Dharmacari, bowed at the feet of the Talhagata and spoke: “ Where will the Bhagaval turn the Wheel of the Dharma?” Questioned in this way, C> monks, the Talhagata replied: “At the city of Varanasi, in the Deer Park in the grove of Rsipatana.”

The gods replied: “ Meager is the population of the great city of Varanasi, and meager the shade of the trees of the Deer Park. There are large and rich cities, opulent, happy, prosperous, and pleasant, filled with men and numerous creatures, embellished with gardens, thickets, and woods. May the Bhagaval turn the Wheel of the Dharma in one or another of these cities.”

“ Do not speak in this way, O fair-faced ones,” replied the Talhagata. “And why not?”

“ Because in Varanasi I previously made sixty thousand niyutas of koi is of offerings.There I have honoredsixty thousand niyutas ol'kotis of Buddhas.There in the great city of Varanasi the rsis of old have dwell.It is a place always praised by the gods and the nagas, where people are constantly striving for the Dharma.

6 0 7

“ I remember this most beautiful wood, named by the r$is, where ninety-one thousand kotis of Buddhas formerly turned the Wheel.This place is matchless, calm, perfectly calm, contemplative, always frequented by deer.In this most beautiful of parks, whose name was given by the rsis,I will turn the holy Wheel.”

The Twenty-fifth Chapter Exhortation

I U \ o

M i V . _ «

S VS.Bju .Jr.-J* ' ■ * ' Vlif *-. WL1 ^ . y

Plate 26

r t* ^ f* I

I OJOVOT ala, |

"Turning the cWheel of the ‘Dharm a

R ,: ow, o m o n k s , the Tathagata had completed what he needed to accomplish, what he had to do. He had

cut every bond, cleared away all emotionality, purified the defilements and the fettering passions; he had overcome the opposition of the demon Mara and followed all the ways of the Buddhadharma. Knowing all, seeing all, endowed with the ten strengths, he had obtained the four fearlessnesses and accomplished the eighteen pure Buddhadharmas.

Endowed with the five eyes, having looked over the entire world with the completely unobscured eye of a Buddha, he began to reflect: “To whom should I first teach the Dharma? Pure beings, of good nature, easy to train, easy to teach, easy to purify, with little desire, hatred, and igno­rance, beings whose consciousness is not obscured, have been greatly deprived because they have not heard the Dharma. To such beings will I first teach the Dharma. And having heard the Dharma, they will understand it and not make of it a mockery.”

O monks, then the Tathagata reflected: “Truly, Rudraka, the son of Rama, is pure, of good nature, easy to train,

easy to instruct, easy to purify; he has little desire, hatred, or ignorance; his consciousness is unobscured; and for lack of having heard the Dharma, he has been greatly deprived. He is teaching his students the ascetic practices which lead to the stage where there is neither perception nor non­perception. Where is he now?” And with this thought, he knew that Rudraka had been dead for seven days.

Bowing at the feet of the Tathagata, the gods spoke thus: “ So it is, Bhagavat; so it is, Sugata. It has been seven days today since Rudraka, the son of Rama, lias died.”

O monks, there came to my thought: “ It is a great loss for Rudraka, the son of Rama, that he died without having heard the good Dharma. Had he heard this Dharma, he would have understood it. I would have taught it first to him, and he would not have made of it a mockery.”

O monks, the Tathagata thought again: “What other pure beings arc there, easy to train, easy to teach, easy to purify, with little desire, hatred, or ignorance, beings whose consciousness is not obscured, and who have been greatly deprived because they have not heard the Dharma? To such beings will 1 first teach the Dharma. And having taught them the Dharma, they will understand it and will not make a mockery of the Teaching.”

O monks, the Tathagata thought again: “Truly, Arada Kit lama is pure, of good nature, easy to train, easy to instruct, easy to purify; he has little desire, hatred, or ignorance; his consciousness is unobscured; and for lack of having heard the Dharma, lie has been greatly deprived. If he hears the Dharma, lie will understand it and will not make of it a mockery.”

6 1 2

The Tathagata reflected: “Where is he now?” And upon reflecting, he knew that Arada Kalama had been dead for three days.

The gods of Suddhavasa themselves announced this news respectfully to the Tathagata: “ So it is, Bhagavat; so it is, Sugata. It has been three days today since Arada Kalama has died.”

Then the Tathagata thought: “Alas, this is a great loss for Aracja Kalama—to have died without having heard the good Dharma.”

The Tathagata thought again: “ What other pure beings are there, pure, of good nature, easy to train, easy to in­struct, easy to purify; who have little desire, hatred, or ignorance; whose consciousness is unobscured, and for lack of having heard the Dharma, have been greatly deprived? If they hear the Dharma, they will understand it and will not make of it a mockery.” The Tathagata considered: “The five who were my disciples were pure, of good nature, easy to train, easy to teach, easy to purify; they had little desire, hatred, or ignorance; their consciousness was not obscured, and for lack of hearing the Dharma, they were greatly deprived. During the time that 1 was practicing austerities, they surrounded me with solicitude; they will understand the Dharma 1 teach, and they will not make a mockery of the l eaching.”

And so, O monks, it occurred to the Tathagata to teach the Dharma first to the five disciples.

The Tathagata reflected: “ Where arc (hose five of good family now living?” And the Tathagata, examining ihe cn-

6 1 3

tire world with the eye of the Buddha, saw them all in the city of Varanasi in the Deer Park at Rsipatana.

And once he saw them, the Taihagata considered: “ I can certainly teach the five disciples the Dharma, and they will quickly understand it.” O monks, why is that? Because they arc endowed with good conduct and have gathered pure teachings; they arc turned toward the path of deliverance and arc free from all hindrances.

O monks, having so reflected, the Tathagata arose from Bodhimaruja and, traveling through the expanse of the three thousand great thousands of worlds in succession, he passed through the country of Magadha and arrived finally at the country of the Kasikas.

4

While traveling on Mount Gaya near Bodhimanda, the Taihagata was seen at a distance by another mendicant. As soon as he had seen the Taihagata, he approached him and stood to one side. O monks, this mendicant engaged the Tathagata in conversation on several pleasant subjects, and then said: “ Ayusmat Gautama, you shine with the splendor of brilliant gold, like the color of the autumn berry. How clear arc your features, so smooth and pure your radiant complexion! The mandala of your face is perfectly pure and clear, like the golden shine loft by the ripe fruit of the tala when it falls from the stem. So pure and smooth are your features, Gautama! So golden the mandala of your face! Like the pure, clear, and radiant color of gold from the Jambu river when fired by the skillful son of a goldsmith, fashioned into a necklace, and wrapped in a cloth of white wool. So clear are your features, Gautama, so pure is the color of your skin, so smooth and golden is the manqlala

of your face! With whom did you practice brahmacarya, Ayusmat Gautama?”

O monks, the Tathagata replied to the mendicant with this verse:

• - y

“ In truth, I have no teacher, and there is no one like me.I alone am the perfect Buddha, cool and clear, free from defilements.”

The mendicant said:“Gautama, do you attest that you arc an Arhat?”

The Tathagata replied:“ 1 am indeed the Arhat of the World.I am truly the peerless Teacher.Among the gods, the asuras, and the gandharvas, there is no one to equal me.”

The mendicant then asked:“ Gautama, do you affirm that you are a Jina?”

The Tathagata replied:“Whoever has destroyed the defilementsis understood to be a Jina, just as I am,for I have conquered all the teachings that arc wrong.1 am truly the Conqueror, O Upaga.”

The other said:“ Ayusmat Gautama, where then are you going?”

615

The Tathagata replied:“ 1 am on my way to Varanasi, and there in the city of the Kasikas,I shall emit a light without equal for the world which is as though blind.

“ I am on my way to Varanasi, and there in the city of the Kasikas,I shall beat the great drum of immortality for the world which is as though deaf.

“ I am on my way to Varanasi, and there in the city of the Kasikas,I shall turn the Wheel of the Dhanna,which has never before been tur ned in the world."

The mendicant replied: “ So be it, Gautama. May it be so.” And speaking thus, he went toward the south, while the Tathagata went toward the north.

O monks. Swlarsana. the king of the nagas, then invited the Tathagata to take refreshment and to stay at Mount Gaya. Afterward, the Tathagata traveled to Rohitavastu. and from there to Uruvilvakalpa; from there to Anala. and then to the city of Saraihi; and in all of those places. O monks, the Tathagata was invited to partake of a meal and to remain. Finally, the Tathagata arrived at (he bank of the Ganges which, at that time. O monks, was overflowing its banks.

O monks, the Tathagata approached the ferryman in order to cross to the other shore. "Gautama must pay the

price of passage,” said the ferryman. “ Friend, I have no money for passage,” the Tathagata replied, and speaking thus, the Tathagata crossed from one shore to the other through the sky. Seeing this, the ferryman was full of regret and said to himself: “ O why did I not carry over one so worthy of honor! Ah! What a misfortune!” And so speaking, he fell senseless to the earth.

Later, the ferryman reported what had happened to King Bimbisara, saying: “O King, the Sramana Gautama from whom I asked toll said that he had nothing with which to pay the price of passage. And then he went from one shore to the other through the sky.” Hearing those words, King Bimbisara abolished the toll for all mendicant monks from that time on.

Thus, O monks, after traveling through several lands, the l’athagata arrived finally at the great city of Varanasi. On his arrival, he pul on the outer robes of a monk, took his begging bowl, and entered the city in order to ask alms. After acquiring what he needed for food, after eating what he had received, he went toward the Deer Park of Rsipatana where the five disciples were staying.

When the five disciples saw the Tathagata approaching from afar, thev said to each other: “ 'The Sramana Avusmat Gautama approaches—the lax one. the glutton, the one who has neglected his practice. Practicing mortifications, he was formerly unable to manifest superior knowledge above hu­man teachings; how much less possible for him to manifest special and exalted wisdom now that he takes alms and cats nourishing food. What a lax person; what a glutton! We should not welcome this unfortunate person or rise in his presence; we will not take his monk’s cloak or his begging

617

bowl; it is not appropriate to give him a seat, to give him food or drink or a place to rest his feet. Wc will say: ‘There arc no other seats than these, Ayusmat Gautama. These are the only seats there are.’ If he desires to sit down, very well, let him sit." This was their agreement.

The Avusmat Ajnanta Kaundinya did not approve of this in his mind, but he did not speak his disapproval.

O monks, the closer the Tathagata advanced toward the five disciples, the more ill at case they felt. Wanting to arise from their scats, they were like caged birds singed by a fire beneath the cage—like birds desiring to fly quickly away to escape the torment of the fire. And so, the five disciples were increasingly ill at ease on their seats. Why? Because there is no person anywhere who, on seeing the Tathagata, would not arise from his seat. The closer the Tathagata came, the less the five were able to endure his splendor and majesty; they became agitated on their seats, and breaking their agreement, each arose to honor him. One stepped forward to lake his begging bowl and his robe; one prepared his seat; another brought water for washing his feet: and another brought him something on which to rest his feet. “ You arc welcome, Ayusmat Gautama! You are welcome! Pray, sit down, Ayusmat Gautama, on this scat prepared for you!"

O monks, the Tathagata sat down upon the scat. Then the five disciples, after engaging him in conversation on various pleasant and interesting subjects, stood to one side. And together, the five spoke to the Tathagata: “Ayusmat Gautama, your features are perfectly clear. Your complex­ion is perfectly pure.” And so on. “Avusmat Gautama, have you manifested the superior vision of saintly exalted wis­dom above human knowledge?"

618

Thus questioned, C) monks, the Tathagata said to the five disciples: “ Monks, do not call the Tathagata ‘Ayusmat’, meaning ‘long-lived’; for a long time now, this state has brought you neither profit, help, nor well-being. Monks, I have made manifest amrta and the path which leads to Immortality. I am a Buddha, O monks, omniscient, all- seeing, clear and free from the defilements. Master of all the Dharma, O monks, I myself will explain the Dharrna.

“ Come, listen. Be zealous and listen carefully. I myself will speak and teach: 1 will instruct and counsel you. When I indicate the true Teaching and instruct you in the true Teaching, you will destroy the defilements and free the mind of these afllictions. You will liberate your under­standing within this very lifetime and manifest complete self-knowledge. You will destroy birth and achieve the state of brahmacarya, doing what must be done. You will know no further births. You will have true understanding.

“ O monks, did this not come into your thoughts: ‘ There is the Ayusmat Gautama approaching, the lax one, the glutton, the one who has neglected his practice,’ and so on. Did you not think: ‘If he desires to sit down, then just let him sit’?”

And the instant he spoke, O monks, every mark, every sign marking the five monks as lirthikas, disappeared, and they found themselves clothed in the three garments of a monk, holding begging bowls, and their heads shaved clean. It was as if they took on the honorable conduct of one who has been a monk for a hundred years: they became quin­tessential monks, perfect in renunciation.

O monks, bowing at the feel of the Tathagata, the live monks at once confessed their mistake; recognizing the

Tathagata as Teacher, they gave him their full iove, faith, regard, and respect.

Tilled with devotion, surrounding him with attentions, they prepared a beautiful pond of clear and pure water for the Tathagata.

C) monks, when the Tathagata came forth from the clear water, he thought: “Wherever the Tathagata Arhats, the perfect and complete Buddhas of former times, have dwelt, they have turned the Wheel of the Dharma.” And monks, at the spot where the Tathagata Arhats, perfect and com­plete Buddhas had turned the Wheel of the Dharma, a thousand jeweled thrones appeared.

The Tathagata, out of respect for the former Tat hagatas, circumambulated three of these thrones, and then like a fearless lion, sat down upon the fourth, with his legs crossed. At once, the five monks bowed their heads to the feet of the Tathagata and sat down before him.

At that moment, O monks, the Tathagata radiated such a light from his body that all the three thousand great thou­sands of worlds were enveloped in splendor, and the world which had been coveted with the darkness of evil, was bathed in light. He appeared in the world like the sun and moon, which are renowned for their great strength, power, and energy; he appeared like a great magical apparition, outshining the light of the sun and moon, outshining their color, and outshining their glory. Everywhere was wrapped in the splendor of this brilliant flash of light, even those places so dark that beings born there could never even sec their hands before their faces. Now, wrapped in this splen­dor. they saw and recognized each other. And they spoke

6 2 0

thus: “Ah! Other beings have been born here. Ah! Other beings have indeed been born here!”

And this region of the three thousand great thousands of worlds trembled in six ways with the eighteen great signs: it trembled, trembled strongly, trembled strongly on all sides: it was shaken, shaken strongly, shaken strongly on all sides; it was jolted, jolted strongly, jolted strongly on all sides; it undulated, undulated strongly, undulated strongly on all sides; it resounded, resounded strongly, resound­ed strongly on all sides; it echoed, echoed strongly, echoed strongly on all sides; it was lowered on the edge, raised in the middle: it was lowered in the middle, raised at the edge; it was lowered in the east and raised in the west; it was low­ered in the west and raised in the east: it was lowered in the north and raised in the south; it was lowered in the south and raised in the north.

At this moment, joyful sounds were heard: fascinating, praise-worthy sounds producing contentment and delight; sounds of which one cannot hear enough, harmonious and soothing. At this moment, not a single being was afflicted, frightened, or upset. The splendor of the sun and the moon disappeared, the splendor of Sakra, Brahma, and the Guardians of the World disappeared. At that moment, all the beings of the lower realms, born either as animals or in die world of Yarna, were delivered from suffering and filled with happiness. No being fell attachment, hatred, or ignorance, jealousy, greed, vanity, or hypocrisy, anger, malevolence, or meanness. At that moment, all beings had for each other benevolent thoughts, loving thoughts like those of parents toward their children. And from the net­work of light radiating from (he body of the Tathagata, these verses came forth:

(V2I

After he had left the Tusita heaven,he entered his mother’s womb;after he was born in the LumbinT garden,f 4 ( >he was taken up in the arms of Sakra, husband of SacI

He took seven firm stepswith the proud gait of a lion,and spoke with a melodious voice like Brahma’s:“ I am the Principal Being in the world!”

To aid all beings, he gave up the four continents and became a wandering monk.And after difficult ascetic practices, he approached the place called Mahimanda.

After he overcame the demon and his army, he gained Enlightenment for the good of the world.And then he came to Varanasi to turn the Wheel of the Dharma.

Brahma and the gods exhorted him to turn the Wheel of Serenity; seized with compassion lor the world, the Muni gave his consent.

Behold the one who, faithful to his promise,has come to Varanasi, come to Mrgadava, the Deer Park:here the Tathagata, the Glorious One,will turn the matchless Wheel.

Those who wish to hear the Dharma won by the jina through hundreds of millions of kalpas, let them come in haste.

6 2 2

Very difficult 10 obtain is the human state, and the state of a Buddha, even harder; faith, too, is difficult to obtain.The eight worldly influences are hard to set aside. Most important is the opportunity to listen to the Dharma.

Should you obtain all these conditions:leisure as well as faith.the opportunity to listen to the Dharma,and the coming of a Buddha,throw off all hesitation!

For hundreds of thousands of kalpas you have lived in conditions where the Dharma has not been heard; today, you have obtained the opportunity; so abandon all hindrances!

From tlu* earth realm up to the Brahma realm, this voice exhorts the hosts of gods:“ Come quickly, everyone!The Guide of the Worldwill turn the Wheel of Immortality!"

And exhorted by this great divine voice,the gods abandon their prosperous circumstancesin an instant,to come before the Buddha.

O monks, in preparation for the turning of the Wheel of the Dharma at Deer Park, the gods of (he earih at Varanasi

traced the great Tathagata Wheel at Rsipatana in a super­natural manner; it was beautiful and wonderful to sec, wide, extensive, spreading to the distance of seven hundred yojanas. The vault of the sky was decorated by the gods with parasols, victory banners, standards, and tapestries; the devaputras of the desire and the form realms offered eighty-four thousand thrones to the Tathagata, saying: “After having seated yourself here, may the Bhagavat, in kindness to us, turn the Wheel of the Dharma!”

O monks, at that moment, from the East, the South, the Wrest, the North, from the zenith and the nadir, from all the ten directions, tens of millions of Bodhisattvas who had formerly made Bodhisaitva aspirations came and bowed to the feet of the Tathagata, asking him to turn the Wheel of the Dharma.

And all of those renowned in the three thousand great thousands of worlds for their great power, &akra, Brahma, and the Guardians of the World, all bowed at the feet of (he Tathagata and begged him to turn the Wheel of the Dharma: “ May the Bhagavat turn (he Wheel of the Dharma! May the Sugata turn the Wheel of the Dharma for the benefit of the great multitude of sentient beings. For the happi­ness of gods and men, and out of kindness for the world, O Bhagavat, pray make the offering of the Dharma! Let fall the great rain of the Dharma! Unfurl the great banner of the Dharma! Blow' the great conch shell of the Dharma! Beal the groat drum of the Dharma!” Thus did they exhort the Tathagata to turn the Wheel of the Dharma.

Concerning this it is said:

<,■(«£ «£ * fA

0 2 4

From the three thousand worlds,Brahma and Sakra and the Guardians of the World come in great number;they bow to the feet of the Victorious One, saving: “ Remember your former vow, O Great Muni:‘As the first and the holiest,1 will destroy the suffering of all living beings.’

“O Muni, before the king of treesyou conquered Mara with his army;you attained Knlightcnmcnt and the calm of a Buddha.and the trees of the lettering passions were felled.The purpose you envisioned for a hundred kalpas is completely fulfilled.Looking upon beings who lack a protector, pray, turn the great Wheel of the Dharma!”

Hundreds of thousands of Buddha-lields are illumined by the Sugata's splendor; hundreds of Buddha sons arrive through (he force of supernatural power.With great quantities of offerings to the Sugata, they praise the Tathagata for his great virtues and implore the one full of compassion:

“ Cloud of compassion, lightning boh of wisdom, whose intense insight is like the wind, for thousands of kalpasbeings have been welcomed with a voice of thunder.The stream of ihc eight attributespours down to quench the thirst of the world.You who are powerful and steeped in meditation increase the harvest of liberation.

6 2 5

“ For many thousands ofkalpas well-instructed, abiding in That ness, you have obtained the remedy which comes from the Dharma.You know the conduct of beings,how the hundreds of sicknesses of emotionalitytorment all living beings.Possessing the remedy of the Jinas,O Liberator, turn the Wheel of the holy Dharma!

“ You have long developed the six Paramitas;uncqualed, immutable, and complete,you have accumulated the wealth of the Dharma.Seeing the unfortunate ones without protector or guide,share the seven precious things, O Guide,and turn the Wheel of the Dharma!

“Joyfully you have given up worldly goods: fortunes of gold and silver, all your beautiful clothes, flowers, ointments, and cassolettes, marvelously perfumed powders,the most beautiful palaces, the most beautiful women, your kingdom, and your cherished son, to search for the Enlightenment of the Jinas.So turn the excellent Wheel of the Buddha.

“ Your conduct you have kept intact, spotless for hundreds of kalpas; always patient and zealously brave,Muni, you are well-acquainted with the best of contemplations, with omniscience and with insight!Your desire is perfectly fulfilled; you who are untrammeled by miser)-, pray, turn the Best of Wheels!”

6 2 6

O monks, as soon as this thought was generated, the Bodhisatlva Mahasaltva Cakravartin offered a Wheel of the Dharma adorned with precious things from the golden river of Jambu. It was embellished with gems and various ornaments; from its thousand spokes radiated a thousand beams of light; its hub and circumference were decorated with garlands ol flowers, nets of gold, a network of tiny bells, a gandhahasia, a full urn, a nandikavarta, and a svastika. Colored in different hues, it was draped with gossamer cloth. Flowers and divine garlands covered it, and perfumes and aloes scented it. Everything most precious belonged to it, by virtue of a former prayer by the Tathagata to turn the Wheel of the Dharma. Totally pure, in keeping with the pure mind of the Bodhisatlva, it was a fitting offering for the Tathagata. Well-understood by all the Tathagatas, this Wheel had perfect balance through the blessings of all the Buddhas. This is the Wheel turned previously by other 'Tathagata Arhats, truly complete Buddhas, who offered it now to the Tathagata.

Then the Bodhisattva Cakravartin, bowing with his palms joined, praised the Tathagata with these verses:

“ When Djpamkara made the prediction for the Pure Being: ‘You will be a Buddha, Lion among the lions of men,’ at that moment, this was my prayer:‘When he attains perfect Enlightenment, may I urge him to preach the Dharma!’

627

“Countless beings have come here, holy beings from all ten directions.Bowing at his feet, with their palms joined, they urge the son of the Sakya clan to turn the Wheel of the Dharma.

“All the displays produced at Bodhimanda bv the gods and the sons of the Jinas have been set forthfor the sake of turning the Wheel of the Dharma.The good fortune cannot be measured or expressed.

“ The heavens of the three thousand worlds are filled with gods;the earth is covered with a suras, kinnaras, and men;nowhere can the slightest murmur now be heard:calm and still, all turn complete attention toward thejina.”

O monks, during the first watch of the clear night, the Tathagata did not say anything. At the midnight watch, he spoke of many things. At the Iasi watch of the night, after summoning the five disciples, he said to them:

“O monks, there are two extremes to be avoided by one who becomes a wandering monk. As a monk, whatever you want can be obtained just by asking, so do not ask for the unnecessary and useless things desired by ordinary people. Your needs are very different. Should you possess harmful things, in the next life you will not develop the state of brahmacarya or interest in the Teachings. You will not attain the absence of desire; you will not be able to stop

6 2 8

such negativities; you will not obtain wisdom or perfect Enlightenment or Nirvana. For this is not the Midtile Way.

“And then there arc those who would mistreat their bodies. By this extreme, one suffers and is filled with distress. And the misery in this life ripens into misery in luture lives.

“ O monks, having abandoned these two extremes, the Talhagata will teach (hr Dharma by means of the path of the Middle Way: right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right meditative concentration.

“ O monks, here are the Four Noble Truths. What are these four? They are suffering, the source of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the way that leads to the cessai ion of suffering.

“And what is suffering? Suffering is the suffering of birth, the suffering of old age. sickness, death, separation from what one desires, and union with what one docs not desire. This is suffering. When one desires something and docs not obtain what is desired even after zealously seeking it, that indeed is suffering. In short, the taking up of the five aggre­gates is sulfering. This is suffering.

“Anti now, what is the source of suffering? It is desire for pleasure; it is pleasure which conics only now and again. This is the source of suffering.

“ What is the cessation of suffering? The cessation of suffering is being free from all desire—free from the desire which comes forth ceaselessly, the desire for pleasure, the desire which manifests itself again and again, the desire which is always generated, anti even desire which is at­tained. This is the cessation of suffering.

“ What is the way which leads to the cessation of suffer­ing? The way is the Eightfold Noble Path itself: right view up through right meditative concentration. This is the truth of the Noble Path which leads to the cessation of suffering.0 monks, these are the Four Noble Truths.

“ O monks, concerning this Teaching not heard before, by setting my mind on the nature of suffering, I produced knowledge, 1 produced vision, I produced realization, I pro­duced abundant knowledge, I produced deep humility, and wisdom—and light came forth.

“ O monks, concerning this Teaching not heard before, by setting my mind on the nature of the source of suffering,1 produced knowledge, vision, and realization; l produced abundant knowledge, deep humility, and wisdom—and light came forth.

“ O monks, concerning this Teaching not heard before, by setting my mind on the nature of the cessation of suffering,I produced knowledge, vision, and realization; I produced abundant knowledge, deep humility, and wisdom—and light came forth.

“ O monks, concerning this Teaching not heard before, by setting my mind on the path which leads to the cessation of suffering, I produced knowledge, vision, and realization;I produced abundant knowledge, deep humility, and wis- dom—and light came forth.

“O monks, suffering must surely be understood. By set­ting my mind on this, f produced knowledge, vision, and realization; 1 produced abundant knowledge, deep humil­ity, and wisdom—and light came forth.

6 3 0

“ O monks, concerning this Teaching not heard before, the source of suffering must surely be forsaken. And by setting my mind on this, I produced knowledge, vision, and realization; I produced abundant knowledge, deep humil­ity, and w'isdom—and light came forth.

“O monks, this cessation of suffering must surely be made manifest. And by setting my mind on this, I produced knowledge, vision, and realization; I produced abundant knowledge, deep humility, and wisdom—and light came forth.

“ O monks, the path which leads to the cessation of suffering must surely be cultivated. And by setting my mind on this, I produced knowledge, vision, and realization; I produced abundant knowledge, deep humility, and wisdom —and light came forth.

“ O monks, concerning this Teaching not heard before, suffering is completely understood. And by setting my mind on this, I produced knowledge, vision, and realization; 1 produced abundant knowledge, deep humility, and wisdom —and light came forth.

“O monks, concerning this 'leaching not heard before, (he source of suffering is abandoned. And by setting my mind on this, 1 produced knowledge, vision, and realiza­tion; I produced abundant know ledge, deep humility, and wisdom—and light came forth.

“O monks, concerning this Teaching not heard before, the cessation of suffering is made manifest. And by setting my mind on this, 1 produced knowledge, vision, and reali­zation; 1 produced abundant knowledge, deep humility, and wisdom—and light came forth.

631

“O monks, concerning this Teaching not heard before, by practicing the path which leads to the cessation of suffering, I produced knowledge, vision, and realization; I produced abundant knowledge, produced deep humility, and wisdom —and light came forth.

“O monks, in this way, I set my mind on the Four Noble Truths, repealing this three times until I had produced true comprehension of this twelvefold cycle.

“O monks, 1 did not declare that I had accomplished Buddhahood, which is perfect, complete, and unexcelled Enlightenment, until I had repeated the Four Noble Truths three times and had gained true comprehension of the twelve aspects. When I arrived at knowledge, then I attained the truly balanced liberation of wisdom. Having manifested the truly unswerving liberation of wisdom, then O monks, I made this declaration: 'I have attained the perfect and complete Enlightenment of a Buddha. 1 have generated the vision of wisdom; for me, birth is exhausted. I have prac­ticed brahmacarya. I have done what must be done, and I will know no further existence/ ”

Concerning this it is said:

The one with the sweet melodious voice of Brahma,with the voice like the song of the kimiaras,the one exalted by attributesnumbering hundreds of thousands.the one who for hundreds of millions of kalpasmeditated without pause on truth,Sakyamuni, self-arising, speaks to Kaundinya:

6 3 2

“The eye is impermanent and non-enduring;likewise, the car and nose;also the tongue, the body, and the mind.They are by nature suffering, self-less, empty and hollow;they arc like grass or a wall, non-independent.They do not even have a self, a name, or life.

“All these dharmas come forth in dependence on causes; they are free from the two extremes of existence and non-existence.Tliev are like the skv.i •There is neither a creator nor one who feels; only the karma of virtuous and nonvirtuous ac tions carries on.

“ In this way, suffering arisesin dependence on the aggregates,and watered by desire, it increases greatly.By means of the path, one sees all dharmas as equal, and by means of the Dharrna, which cleanses and purifies, one puts an end to suffering.

“ When delusive mental activity is understood, this complex of production is no more.The ignorance which brings it forth docs not arise; there is nothing for it to come from.When the cause of karmic dispositions is removed, there is no driving influence drawing one thing after another.It is in dependence on this driving influence that consciousness comes forth.

“ From consciousness comes forth name and form; from name and form come forth the six senses.Contact arises in connection with the six senses; from the six senses come forth the three forms of feeling.

“ Even the smallest feeling, whatever it may be, proceeds to craving.From craving and its wake come forth the mass of sufferings;from remembered attachment comes forth all that exists; from the circumstances around existence birth comes forth.

“ Old age, sickness, and suffering have birth as their basis; as with this net of existence, the forms of production are many.Thus for every living being,through causes and circumstances all things come about. There is no self or person that is moving from life to life—

“There is no conceptual activity, no conceptualization; there is only the expression of the way things are.Knowing the way things are. there is no more ignorance.When there is no more ignorance.all the branches of existence are extinguished;they do not arise.

“This succession of connected circumstances the Tathagata has understood; therefore, self-arising, he taught himself.The heap of senses and aggregates is not ‘the Buddha':Buddha is the understanding of causes, only that.

634

‘‘The paratlrthikas have no chance to see this. Debate is empty concerning the Dharma.It is the perfectly pure beings—those who have formerly accomplishedthe work of a Buddha—who are the fortunate onesable to understand this Dharma.”

Thus, the Wheel of the Dharma with twelve aspects has been turned.It has been understood by Kaunclinya,and so the Three Jewels have been made manifest.

The Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha, these are the Three Jewels.From being to being the news spreads up to the abode of Brahma:

“The spotless Wheel has been turned by the Protector, the Guide of the World.The Three Jewels, so difficult to obtain, have appeared in the world!”

Kaundinva and the other four monks, as well as sixty kotis of gods, purified the Dharma eve.

At the turning of the Wheel of the Dharma. eighty kotis of gods from (he realm of form perfectly purified their vision.

Eighty thousand men approached;their vision was thoroughly purified.and they were delivered from all wrong paths.

6 3 5

At that instant,to the farthest reaches of all the ten directions,there sounds the voice of the Buddha,sweet and melodious, beautiful and heart-touching.These words are heard everywhere:“The One who possesses the ten strengths, the great leader of the Siikyas, has come to R§ipatana, and there at Varanasi has turned the Wheel of the Dharma.”

In the ten directions, all the Buddhas become silent.The attendants of these Munis ask the Jinas:“Having heard this great voice,O you who possess the ten strengths of the Buddhas, your discourse of the Dharma is interrupted.Please, quickly tell us why you are silent!”

The Jinas reply: “ Through great effort,in hundreds of previous existences,many hundreds of thousands of Bodhisattvashave obtained Enlightenment,but now they stand aside,for this one who is the Great Benefactor,the one most purified,has obtained the final blessed Enlightenment.He will turn the Wheel of the Dharma three times— therefore, we remain silent.”

Hearing this discourse of the Munis,hundreds of kotis of beings generate the power of great love and enter into blessed supreme Enlightenment, saying:“ By the effect of the power of the great effort of that Muni, even we can learn the Noble Way.Pray, quickly grant the world the Dharma vision."

6 3 6

Then Maitrcya Bodhisattva spoke thus 10 the Bhagaval: “ Bhagavat, these Bodhisattvas who have assembled from the ten directions wish to hear from the Bhagavat in detail concerning the turning ol the Wheel of the Dharma. May the Bhagavat Tathagala Arhat, the perfect and complete Buddha explain in what form the Wheel of the Dharma Ls turned by the Tathagala.”

The Bhagavat replied: “ O Maitreya, this Wheel of the Dharma is profound, for its depth cannot be imagined. Being non-dual, it is difficult to sec.

“ Ungraspable by any action of the mind, it is hard to understand. Because it realizes the sameness of conscious­ness and wisdom, it is difficult to discern.

“ Possessing complete unobscurcd deliverance, it is free of disruption. Because it is free from employing examples, it is subtle. Obtained by vajra-like wisdom, it is quintessential.

“ Because what is previous has no ending, it is indivisible. Rid of all error of conditions, causes, and conceptualization, it is difficult to reflect upon. Being the ultimate absolute, it cannot be confused. Like space, it is everywhere.

“Truly, Maitreya, this Wheel of the Dharma is the Wheel of the World, revealing completely its essence and the nature of all dharmas.

637

“ It is the Wheel without birth, without cessation, without origin. It is the Wheel without ground of being; it realizes the way of the Dharma free from delusive mental activity, free from conceptualization.

“ It is the Wheel of emptiness, signlessness, and wish less ness; Wheel without ideation; Wheel of solitude; Wheel free from desire; Wheel of cessation.

“ It is the Wheel understood by the Tathagata; Wheel of the pristine Dharmadhatu; Wheel not confusing the absolute; Wheel without attachment, without obscurity; the Wheel which goes beyond the two extreme views linking with what went before; the Wheel clarifying the Dharmadhatu as having no middle or end; the Wheel which does not inter­rupt the spontaneous action of a Buddha; the Wheel which has no entrance and no final achievement.

“ Wheel most imperceptible; not accepting, not rejecting; inexpressible Wheel; Wheel in harmony with its nature; Wheel which penetrates the sameness of all dharmas as one realm.

“ Wheel of training all sentient beings, undiverted and con­stantly blessed; Wheel which is the entrance to the wisdom of the highest truth; Wheel without conceptualization and without duality; Wheel which gathers everything into the Dharmadhatu.

“This Wheel is immeasurable, surpassing every measure; incalculable, outside every calculation; it is inconceivable, unencompassable by the mind; inconceivable, ineffable, completely unequaled.

“ Free from all spoken language, it is inexpressible; immeas­urable. inconiDarable. incommensurable, it is like soacc.

6 3 8

“ It is not nihilistic, not etcrnalistic, not contradicting what went before; calm, extremely calm, Thatness, having its own nature; without error, that itself; not other, not becoming other; speaking the language of all beings.

“'This Wheel destroys all of the demons and conquers the tlrthikas; transcends the realm of rebirth and enters the Buddha-realm; it is perfectly known by the venerable Arvas; understood by the Praiyckabuddhas; grasped by the Bodhisattvas; praised by all the Buddhas; indivisible from all the Tathagatas.

“ O Maiireya, such is the Wheel of the Dharma turned by the Talhagata, and because of this turning, he is called the Tathagata; he is called the perfect and complete Buddha; Svayambhu, self-arising; Lord of the Dharma; the Guide and the Leader; Guide in all things; Driver of the caravan; Master over all dharmas: Master of the Dharma.

“ He is the one who turns the Wheel of the Dharma; the Benefactor of the Dharma; the Lord of offerings; one who makes the best offerings; being whose practices arc fulfilled; being whose intentions are carried out.

“ lie is the Teacher; the one who consoles; the one who reassures; the Hero; the one who has abandoned emotion­ality; the complete Victor in battle; the one who opens the parasol and unfurls the standard and the banner.

“ He is the One who creates light; the being bringing forth clarity; the one who dispels obscurity; the Torch-bcarer.

“ 1 Ie is known as the Great King of Physicians; the genuine Healer; the one who withdraws the arrow of misery.

“ He has the unobscurcd vision of wisdom; he sees all; he sees everything; his eyes see everywhere; he illuminates everything.

“ He is called the Gate to Kverything; and the Completely Good.

“ He is known as the one in all ways like the moon: all- gracious, rejecting nothing and accepting nothing in the unstable world.

“ lie is known as the one like the earth, because his mind is never inflated, never depressed.

“ He is known as the Lord like a mountain, because he is unshakable. He is known as the most glorious in all the world, because he is endowed with every good quality. He is known as the one whose head disappears from sight, be­cause he is the most exalted in all the worlds.

“ He is known as the one like the ocean, because his depth cannot be fathomed. 1 le is known as the source of the jewels of the Dharma, because he has perfected all the facets of Enlightenment.

“ He is known as the one like the wind, because he has no abode. 11c is known as the one whose thought is unattached, because his wisdom is unbound and free from limitations. He is known as the unswerving Dharma. because he has completely understood all dharmas.

“ He is known as the one like a flame, because lie has burned away all fetters, abandoned all pride, and reached a state difficult to attain.

“ He is known as the one like water, because he is free from all conceptions, spotless in body and mind, and clear of all defilements.

040

“ He is known as the one like the sky, because he has obtained omniscient understanding and knowledge of the sphere of action of the Dharmadhatu —without center and without limits—boundless sphere of wisdom.

“ He is called the one who dwells in complete deliverance and unhindered knowledge, because he has abandoned obscured teachings. FIc is called the one with the body which has completely entered the Dharmadhatu. because he lias passed from sight and is the same as space.

“ He is called the Highest of Beings, because he is untouched bv the fettering passions of the world.

“ He is known as the Being of immeasurable intelligence; Teacher of a Dhartna beyond the world; Teacher of the World; Gaitya of the World; Physician of the World; raised above the world; not clothed in worldly dharmas; Pro­tector of the World; Finest of the World; Most Perfect of the World; Lord of the World; Honored One of the World; the Friend of the World; the one who has reached the shore beyond the world; Lamp of the World; the one who has passed from the world; Spiritual Teacher of the World; the one who renders service to the world; the one who knows the world; the one who has attained mastery over the world.

“ He is known as the one worthy of great offerings; worthy of homage; the great Field of Merit; the Great Being; the I loly Being; the Excellent Being; (lie Highest Being; Unequalcd Being; without superior; the Impartial Being; with no like­ness; the one always settled in equanimity; dwelling in the equality of all tilings.

“ lie is called the one who has obtained the Path; teaching the Path; showing the Path; well-established on the Path;

641

the one who has gone beyond the demon’s domain; who has overcome ihc sphere of Mara.

“ He is called the one who has obtained clarity and the cool quality by passing beyond old age and death; the one deliv­ered from darkness and shadows; delivered from doubt; delivered from hesitation; delivered from the fettering pas­sions; conqueror of doubt and uncertainty; conqueror of hesitation.

“ He is called the one free from attachment; the Liberated One; the one entirely pure; he is called the one delivered from desire: from hatred; from ignorance; the one who has destroyed all defilement; the one with no emotionality.

“ He is known as the one possessing power; the one whose mind is completely delivered; whose wisdom is very free; who knows all; the Great blephant: the one who acts; the performer of action; the one who carries the burden; the one who attains his goal; the one who has exhausted all bonds in the round of rebirth; the one who is completely liberated by the wisdom of equality.

“ He is called the one who has reached the transcendence of the heroic mind; the one who has attained the transcen­dence of giving; the one exalted by good conduct; he is known as the one who has reached the transcendence of patience; exalted by cflbri: the one who has obtained the clear knowledge and contemplation and transcendence of wisdom.

“ He is called lhe one whose prayers are fulfilled; he who dwells in great love; he who dwells in great compassion; he who dwells in great joy; he who dwells in great equanimity.

642

“He makes full effort to convert beings; he is possessor of unobstructed knowledge of all things; full of confidence; replete with great merit; endowed with great wisdom.

“ He is known as the one who possesses pure attentiveness, realization, intelligence; the one who possesses mindfulness; complete renunciation; the degrees of supernatural abil­ities; the powers and strengths; the branches of awakening; the path; calm abiding and intense insight; he is called the one who has crossed the sea of rebirth; the one who has arrived at the other shore: the one who stands on firm ground; the one who is full of joy; the one who has obtained fearlessness.

“ I Ic is known as the one who has cut through the brambles of emotionality; the Purusa; the Great Purusa: the Lion of Purusas; the one who has set aside fear and exasperation; he is called the Klcphant; the one without blemish; the one who has abandoned the three defilements; the Sage; the possessor of the three knowledges; the one who has crossed (he four currents.

“ He is called the Ksatriya, the kingly one, because he is the only one to carry the precious parasol. He is called the Brahmin because he has abandoned the wrong teachings. He is called the Bhiksu because he has broken the shell ol the egg of ignorance. He is called the Sramana because he has overcome all the ways of desire.

“ He is known as the Pure One because he sees the lettering passions. He is known as the one endowed with strength; possessor of the ten strengths. He is known as Bhagaval; the one who has reflected on the body; King of Kings; King of the Dharma.

“ He is called the Teacher who turns the most excellent Wheel of the Dharma; Teacher who shows the unconfuscd Dharma; the one consecrated with all-knowing wisdom; possessor of the means of highest liberation; and the diadem of spotless great knowledge without defilement.

“ He is called the one endowed with the seven sparkling facets of Knlighienmeni; and the one who has obtained the excellence of all the precious Dharma. He is known as the one who is gazed upon by the circle of noble Sravakas and counselors; the one who is attended by the Bodhisatlva Mahasattvas; the possessor of the good discipline; the one well-announced by prophecies.

“ He is known as the one like Vaisravana; distributor of the treasure of the seven noble jewels; the one who gives liber­ally; the one endowed with the highesi happiness; giver of all that is hoped for; Comforter, Aid, and Refuge for the entire world.

“ He is known as the one like Indra; the one who bears the vajra of great wisdom; the all-seeing one. He is known as the one whose eyes see everywhere, unimpeded; thoroughly transformed by knowledge, he enters completely into the Teaching, the flowing dance of the Dharma.

“ He is known as the one like Gandra, the Moon; the one whom beings never tire of seeing; the one whose most pure splendor extends everywhere; the one whose light brings forth joy and delight; the one who seems to gaze upon all beings; the one who appears as a vessel for the thought and intention of every being; the one called the Great Display; followed bv hosts of stars—the learners and those finishedilearning.

“ He is known as the one like Siirya, the sun; the one who clears away darkness and shadows; king of the great banner; immeasurable, infinite, splendid one; shedding great light everywhere; explaining all questions and predictions with­out confusion.

“ He is known as the destroyer of dark ignorance; the one who sees distinctly with the great light of knowledge; the one free of conceptualization; the one illuminating an immeasurable domain with love, kindness, and great com­passion; the one shining equally for each living being; the possessor of the mandala difficult to envision, difficult to attain, and profound in transcendent wisdom.

“ He is known as the one like Br ahma; traveler on I he path of complete calm; the one endowed with all that is needed for great action. He is known as the possessor of the excellent path of activity and wise conduct; possessor of the most holy form; the one who gives unending pleasure to the eye. He is known as the one with senses calm; whose mind is calm; the one who fulfills all the conditions of calm abiding; the one with the eminent abiding calm; the sclf-comrolled one endowed with calm abiding; the possessor of perfect calm and insight.

“ He is called the Hidden One; the one well-practiced, with senses subdued; well-trained like an elephant; clear and untroubled like a limpid lake; he who has completely aban­doned all obscuring inclinations of (he fettering passions.

“ 1 le is known as the one endowed with the thirty-two signs of a great man; the Great Being; the one endowed with the eighty secondary marks; the Leader of Men; the one en­dowed with the ten strengths; possessor of the four fearless affirmations; the eminent Guide of those to be trained; the

Teacher; ihc one who is replete with all the eighteen Buddhadharmas; the one above reproach in body, speech, and mind. He is called the possessor of the mandala of com­pletely purified knowledge because he is endowed with the best of signs.

“ Because he understands the connections and balance of dependent origination, he is called the dweller in emptiness. Because he realizes absolute truth, he is called the dweller in signlcssncss. Because he is unsullied by emotional entangle­ments, he is called the dweller in wishlcssncss.

“ Because he halts the stream of conditionality, he is called the one who docs not manifest conditioned responses. Be­cause he is unconfused about the wisdom of true reality, he is called the speaker of the genuine reality. Because he abides in the domain of knowledge, described as the sky, the Dharmadhatu, having the nature of Thatness as its characteristic, he is called the speaker of the essence of the nonmistaken.

“ Because he regards all things like illusion, mirage, dream, like the reflection of the moon in water, like an echo or double vision, he is called the one who knows the unfettered Dharma.

“ Because he causes complete deliverance to arise, he is called the one meaningful to hear and see. Because he strives to train living beings, he is called the one with the meaningful stride.

“ Because he has ended the thirst for existence, cutting off ignorance completely, he is called the one who has crossed the fire pit of hell. Because he points out the path to the certain exit, he is called the solid bridge. Because he is

6 4 6

unsullied b y the deeds o f the demon, and has s u r m o u n t e d the obstacles of Mara, and the fetters of passion, he is called Jina, Victorious.

“ Because he has gone beyond the realm of desire, he is called the one who has crossed the swamp of desire. Because he has gone beyond the realm of form, he is known as the one who has overturned the banner of pride. Because he has gone beyond the realm of the formless, he is known as the one who has unfurled the banner of wisdom. Because he possesses the Body of the Dharma, and the Body of Wisdom, he is called the one who has gone beyond all the realms of the world.

“ He is called the great tree, because he is laden with the fruit of complete deliverance and covered with endless flowers of precious knowledge. I le is called flower of the udumbara, the rarely blooming lotus, because such come forth but rarely and are seldom seen. Having perfected renunciation according to the Wav, he is called cintamani, the king of precious gems.

“ He is called the one with the fine stance, because he has long been firm in renunciation, good conduct, and vows, in austerity and bralunacarya, never being diverted from observances, never confused, possessing true firmness.

“ He is called the one whose foot is marked with the thou­sand-spoked wheel, the nandyavarta, and the svasiika, because he has long been a refuge for living beings, not deserting those who have gone to hint for refuge, giving complete shelter to parents and teachers, sramanas and brahmins, to the deserving, and to the followers of the Dharma.

647

“ He is called the one with the wide foot, because he has long renounced the taking oflife.

“ He is called the one with long fingers, because he has long sustained Jiving beings.

“ He is called the one with the tall, upright body, because he has long praised the virtues of those who renounced taking life, and has given many beings refuge.

“ He is called the one with the soft hands and feet, because he has long honored and served those deserving offerings, never wearying to act for parents, srarnanas, brahmins, and teachers, giving baths and massages, giving ointments, oils, and liniments.

“ lie is called the one with the membrane between his fingers and toes, because he has long skillfully gathered beings with the net of conversion, with giving, kind speech, and helpfulness, with deeds dial match words.

“ He is called the one who raises his foot, because he has long aimed at noble action, climbing ever higher in virtue.

“ He is called the one whose hair on the upper body curls to the right, because he has long circumambulated to the right around parents and teachers, around srarnanas and brahmins, and those worthy of offerings, around caityas of the Taihagaias, applying himself to the Teaching of the Dharma, sharing with others his astonishment and de­light, and trembling with joy when he hears the Dharma.

“ I le is called the one with the limbs of the gazelle, because he has long shown respect, listening to the Dharma, retain­ing it, reciting it, and skillfully making it known, carefully penetrating it. realizing its letter and its meaning, never

6 4 8

showing contempt for a teacher of Dharma, always giving refuge to beings faced with old age, disease, and death.

“ He is called the one with private parts enclosed in a sheath, because he has long given all that he could to followers of brahmacarya, to sramanas, brahmins, and others, giving clothing to the naked, never approaching others’ wives, praising the qualities of brahmacarya, guarding his mod­esty and chastity, and following observances.

“ He is called the one with long arms, because he has long guarded his hands and feet, acting in body, speech, and mind with love, intent on never harming beings.

“ He is called the one like the nyagrodha tree, because he has long followed moderation, being restrained in his eating, distributing medicine to the sick, never harming (lie un­protected, never scorning ordinary people, giving security to those tormented by fear, repairing ruined caityas of the Tathagalas and building new caityas.

“ He is called the one with the fine, smooth skin, because he has long given to parents, sramanas, brahmins, teachers, and to others worthy of offerings: baths and ointments and clarified butter, liniments of sesame oil, warm water in cold weather, cool water and shade in the heat, soothing amuse­ments, good clothing smooth to the touch, soft beds and soft chairs, offering to the caityas of the Tathagalas silken ban­ners and cords, and sprinklings of perfumed oil.

“ He is called the Golden One. because he has long made a practice of love, setting aside harshness, taking up patience, encouraging all to endure, praising and encouraging those free from malice, adorning the caityas of the Tathagalas with golden objects of all kinds, golden flowers and vases,

6 4 9

inlaid carvings, banners and golden vestments, sprinkling gold dust all around.

“ He is called the one with each hair rising distinctly, because he has long attended on panditas. asking about virtue and non-virtue, about failings in practice and what to depend on, examining what is bad or fair or fulfilling, weighing the teachings with unconfused care, clearing away debris from the caiivas of the Tathagatas, removing the spiders and worms, the dirt and faded Mowers, the cobwebs and weeds.

“ He is called the one with the seven lofty parts, because he has long shown respect to parents and teachers, to masters and superiors, to sramanas and brahmins, to those worthy of respect, to unfortunate beggars, and to all who ap­proached, giving enjoyment to all, offering whatever they desired: food and drink, bedding, clothes, lamps, shelter, utensils, and medicine, and ponds and wells of fresh wrater.

“ lie is called the one whose upper body resembles the lion, because he has long offered obedience, speaking words of welcome and security, and words of peace to parents and teachers, to sramanas, brahmins, and all deserving offer­ings, upholding the weak, sheltering those seeking refuge, and never scorning or abandoning them.

“ He is called the one with broad shoulders, because he has long weighed his own faults carefully, not seeing weakness in others as failings, giving up the source of divisivencss and argument, reciting mantras, and guarding well against extremes of speech and action.

“ I le is called the one with the well-turned shoulder, because he has long offered welcome and peace, rising in the pres­ence of those deserving offerings, parents and teachers,

sramanas and brahmins. Assured in the Sastras, he cuts short debate; completely trained, he sets ministers and kings on the path of virtue; through meditation, he has compre­hended and upheld all the precepts of the Tathagatas; he has total grasp of all virtuous action.

“ Me is called the one with the lion’s jaw, because he has long given up everything, like a beggar, addressing sweet words to all who approach, despising none, deceiving none, turning none away, fulfilling their desires with gifts and firm support.

“ He is called the one with forty even teeth because he has long given up harsh words, and chants which foster divi- siveness, eager to bring all into accord, speaking against slander and argument, reciting rnantras of conciliation.

"He is called the one with the white teeth, because he has long abandoned (he dark side and accumulated the white roots of virtue, giving up the growth of dark deeds while encouraging the white, painting the cailyas of the Tathagatas with a mixture of chalk and milk, giving milk, cooked food, white garments, garlands of sumana, varsika, and dhanuskan (lowers, and beautilul bouquets of white llowers.

“ Me is called the one with firm and good teeth, because he has long left off mocking and teasing, giving only joy, guarding his speech, using words which delight, not looking for the weakness and faults of others, greeting all with impartiality and cquanimilv, teaching the Dharma to the sick, giving firm support for all beings, and never giving them up.

“ He is called the possessor of the best elixir, because he has long harmed no sentient being, never scoffing at anyone, caring for the sick, caring for travelers, the deprived, and the weak, giving medicines and remedies, never sad to give, giving all he can.

“ He is called the one with the voice like Brahma’s, because he has long given up false speech: cruel, sharp words that wound others, as well as biting and disparaging words. His words are loving and compassionate, joyous, pleasant, sweet, and sympathetic, welcoming and encouraging; they go straight to the heart, delighting all the senses.

“ He is called the one with (he blue-black eyes, because he has long gazed upon beings benevolently, like a father, giving love to beggars as to an only son. regarding all with compassion, completely free of jealousy, having gazed at the cailvas of the Tathagatas without blinking, with the power of faith, having shown the Tathagatas to others, welcoming them, upholding them firmly.

“ 1 le is called the one with the eyelashes of a heifer, because he has long abandoned base thoughts and feelings, his brow never wrinkled, his face ever smiling, concerned with ac­complishing generous intentions, guiding all beings with faith in the besi Dharma, seeking continually the presence of Teachers, never hesitating to accumulate virtue.

“ He is called the one with the very long tongue, because he has long abandoned erroneous speech, singing instead the praises of the Sravakas, the Pratyekabuddhas, and the Teachers of the Dharma, requesting the Sutras taught by the Tathagatas, reciting and reading and comprehending them, skillfully conveying the meaning of the Dharma to all beings.

6 5 2

“ He is called the one with the unseen diadem, because he has long bowed his head to the feet of his parents, to the feet of sramanas, brahmins, and spiritual teachers, to all worthy of offerings. To the wandering monks he has spoken with just words, giving sweet-smelling oils and shaving their heads, giving beggars colored powders, garlands, and head ornaments.

“ He is called the one who has between his brows the circle of hair curling to the right, and the one with the pure and brilliant complexion, because he has long given offerings of all sorts, guiding beings in virtue, not obscuring the rules, and following the teachings of the friends of virtue, en­couraging the traveling teachers of the Dharma, honoring the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas. and Pratvekabuddhas, noble

0 *

Sravakas, Dharma Teachers, parents and all worthy of homage, honoring and giving gifts of sweet-smelling oils and butter, lamps and torches to dispel darkness, adorning the images of the Tathagatas with all the most beautiful things.

“ He bears the tuft of milk-white hair between his eyebrows; distinguished by his immense accumulation of virtue, he has encouraged beings to manifest the Thought of Enlight­enment.

“He is called the one who has obtained great strength, for he possesses the great strength of Narayana.

“ He is called the one with the strength of Narayana, for he possesses the strength sufficient to rout a hundred kotis of demons.

“ He is called the one who subdues all adversaries, for he possesses the ten powers of a Tathagata.

6 5 3

“ He is called the one with the ten powers of a Tathagata, for he has the power of knowing what is possible and what is impossible; and having abandoned the ephemeral and lowest vehicle, he possesses and uses untiringly the power acquired from the great vehicle.

“ He is called the one who knows what is possible and what is impossible, the one who has given up the ephemeral and lowest vehicle, who possesses and uses untiringly the pow­er acquired from the great vehicle, for he has the power of knowing the complete results and causes of all actions in the past, present, and future.

“ He is called the one with the power of knowing the com­plete results and causes of actions in the past, present, and future, for he has the power of knowing in detail the differ­ent degrees of development in the capacities and faculties of beings.

“ He is called the one with the power of knowing the differ­ent degrees of development in the capacities and faculties of beings, for he has the power of knowing the various dispositions of beings.

“ He is called the one with the power of knowing the various dispositions of beings, for he lias the power of knowing both complete deliverance and the aspirations of beings without exception.

“ He is called the one with the power of knowing both complete deliverance and the aspirations of beings without exception, for he has the power of knowing the paths which lead to various realms of rebirth.

“ He is called the one with the power of knowing the paths which lead to various realms of rebirth, for he has the power

(>f)4

of knowing the levels of meditation, the deliverances, the samadhis, and the states of calm abiding, as well as the pervasive emotional hindrances, their complete purifica­tion, and the total establishment of purity.

“ He is called the one with the power of knowing the medi­tations, deliverances, samadhis, the states of calm abiding, as well as the pervasive emotional hindrances, their com­plete purification, and the total establishment of purity, for he has the unoriginaicd knowledge of all past lives.

“ lie is called the one with the power of knowing all past lives, for he has the power of ihe divine eye which sees without obstruction the death and rebirth of all beings.

“ He is called the one with the power of the divine eye which secs without obstruction the death and rebirth of all beings, for he has the power of knowing that all the defilements without exception have been expelled, as well as all the propensities which lead u> rebirth.

“ I le is called the one with the power of knowing that all the defilements without exception have been expelled, as well as all the propensities which lead to rebirth, for he has ob­tained the fearless affirmation which cannot be suppressed by heaven or earth, the affirmation that states: ‘1 am truly a perfect Buddha, manifesting all things.'

“ 1 le is called the one of fearless affirmation which cannot be opposed by heaven or earth, the affirmation stating : ‘ I am truly a perfect Buddha, manifesting all things,' for he has obtained the fearless affirmation which cannot be sup­pressed by heaven or earth, the affirmation which states: ‘I will demonstrate the Dharma which shows the obstacles to Nirvana to be the fettering passions of the grasping mind.’

“ He is called ihe one of fearless affirmation which cannot be opposed by heaven or earth, the affirmation stating: *1 will demonstrate the Dharma which shows the obstacles to Nirvana to be the fettering passions of the grasping mind,’ for he has obtained l lie fearless affirmation which cannot be suppressed by heaven or earth, the affirmation which stales: ‘Nirvana is obtained by achieving the path of renunciation.’

“ He is called the one of fearless affirmation which cannot be opposed by heaven or by earth, the affirmation stating: ‘Nirvana is obtained by achieving (he path of renuncia­tion,’ for he has obtained the fearless affirmation, which cannot bo suppressed by heaven or earth, the affirmation concerning the abandonment of all defilements.

“ lie is called the one of fearless affirmation which cannot be suppressed by heaven or by earth, the affirmation which concerns the knowledge of abandoning all defilements, for he has taught the Dharma with no mistaken words.

“ lie is called the 'readier of the Dharma with no mistaken words, for he understands the nature of the Dharma, which is inexpressible and without sound.

“ He is called the one who understands the nature of the Dharma, which is inexpressible and without sound, for he is indivisible.

“ He is called indivisible, for he is able to give blessings in the voice of a Buddha, not bound by the logic of ordinary beings.

“ He is called the one able to give blessings in the voice of a Buddha, not bound by the logic of ordinary beings, for he is not forgetful.

“ He is called the one who is not forgetful, for he perceives no difference.

“ He is known as the one who perceives no difference, for he abides in equanimity, calming the minds of all beings.

“ He is known as the one who abides in equanimity, calm­ing the minds of all beings, for he has the evenmindedness which is non-discriminating.

“ He is known as the one whose even minded ness is non- discriminating, for he does not lapse from the samadhi composed of devotion.

“ He is known as the one who docs not lapse from the samadhi composed of devotion, for he does not shy from effort or break the stream of samadhi composed of effort.

“ He is called the one with no diminishing of effort, for he does not turn away from mindfulness.

“ He is called the one with no diminishing of mindfulness, for he does not turn away from understanding.

“ He is called the one w’ith no diminishing of understanding, for he docs not turn back from complete liberation.

“ lie is called the one with no diminishing of liberation, for he does not turn back from the wisdom vision of liberation.

“ He is called the one with no diminishing of the wisdom vision of liberation, for he is endowed with the wisdom that follows wisdom, and all his actions are preceded by wisdom.

“ He is called the one whose actions of body, speech, and mind arc preceded by wisdom, and who is endowed with the wisdom which follows wisdom, for he possesses the

657

wisdom vision which sees past, present, and future with unobstructed, unoriginated knowledge.

“ He is called the one whose wisdom vision of the three times is unobstructed, for he has obtained the complete and un­blemished liberation.

“ He is called the one who has obtained unblemished liber­ation, because of his steady skill in influencing the actions of all beings.

“ He is called the one with the steady skill in influencing the actions of all beings, for he has skill in teaching the Dharma according to individual understanding.

“ lie is called the one skilled in teaching the Dharma ac­cording to individual understanding, for he has perfected the holy rnandala of all the various melodious voices.

“ He is called the one who has perfected the holy mandala of all the branches of melody, because he has obtained skill in producing the echo of all voices.

“ He is called the one with the voice like a god, a naga, a yaksa, a gandharva, an asura, a garuda, a kinnara. and a mahoraga; he is called the one who has the melodious tones of Brahma, sweet as the nightingale, like a song, like a great drum; resounding like the earth, reverberating like the thunderous voice of the naga king Sagara; roaring like a lion; trumpeting like the first of the herd; the voice that harmonizes with the voice of all beings; the voice which delights all the pure and vast circles of attendants; the single voice making all voices understood.

“ He is called the one honored bv the lord of the Brahma» *realm; venerated by Sakra. lord of gods; bowed to by the

(558

chief of the nagas; respected by the chief of the yak^as; celebrated by the songs of the chief of the g a n d h a r v a s . He is called the one whom the chief of the raksasas regards with­out blinking; the one to whom the asuras make prostrations; the one regarded without malice by the chief of the garuejas; the one praised by the chief of the kinnaras; the one whom the chief of the mahoragas longs to see: the one who is surrounded with homage by the lord of men; the one sur­rounded with care and concern by the assemblies of Arhats.

“ He is called the one who welcomes the Bodhisativas, the one who causes the Bodhisativas to celebrate, who makes them happy: the harmonious Teacher of the Dharma: the Teacher of the Dharma which bears fruit. lie is known as the one who wastes not a single word, who teaches theDharma which is alwavs timclv.* •

“ Maitreva, this is the turning of the Wheel of the Dharma. The teaching of the shortened form of the Praise of the Qualities of the Talhagata is finished. Maitreya, to present it in its extensive form, the Talhagata would need a kalpa or more, lor t here is no end to his teaching.’1

Then the Bhagavat uttered these verses:

“ Profound, difficult to see, and subtle, is this Wheel of the Dharma;

neither demons nor parattrihikaspenetrate its meaning,

“Without ground of being, without activity, without birth, without origin, empty and solitary by nature; without acceptance, without rejection is this Wheel of’ the Dharrna, which has now been turned.

“ Without sign or characteristicis this teaching of the Dharrna of equanimity;this Wheel turned by the Buddha.

“ Like magic, like a mirage, like a dream,like the moon reflected in water, like an echo;such is the Wheel turned by the Protector of the World.

“ For one who cnicrs into the teaching of dependence, there is neither cternalism nor nihilism; there is the cessation of all view's.This is how the Wheel of the Dharrna is expressed.

“ Like the eternal expanse of space, incomprehensible, shining with clear light, the doctrine has neither middle nor end.This is called the Wheel of the Dharrna.

“ Completely free front existence and non-existence,without self and without non-self,the Teaching show's uncreated self-nature.This is how the Wheel of the Dharrna is expressed.

“The absolute expanse is limitless;its very nature is its very nature;the Teaching of the Dharrna is non-dual.This is how the Wheel of the Dharrna is expressed.

6 6 0

“The eye by its nature is empty; likewise the ear, the nose, the tongue, the body and the mind.They are themselves empty and devoid or activity.

“ Such is the turning of the Wheel of the Pharma; all sentient beings as they have realization are called Buddha.

“The characteristic of the Pharma, this self-nature, has not been shown by others; by myself have I become a Buddha, thus, self-arising, and endowed with the divine eye.

“ He who has obtained power over all dharmas is called the Lord of the Dharma; he who knows what is the way o( the Dharma, and what is not, is known as the Guide.

“As many countless beings as there are to be trained,with perfect discipline, he trains them,as he himself is trained;because of this, he is known as the Guide.

“To beings who arc lost, he shows the best way; he leads them to the other shore; because of this, he is the spiritual Guide.

“ Having crossed over the desert of saiiisara,1 know the ways of gathering beings; thus am 1 called the Leader of the caravan.

“ With masters' in all the dharmas,*

I am called the Jina;turning the Wheel of the Dharma,I am called the King of the Dharma.

661

“The great Donor of the Dharma,the 'leaching and unexcelled Lord of the Dharma,has indeed made good the sacrifice;the goal is achieved, the aim accomplished,and all the blessings are fulfilled.

“ Consoler who sees well-being,Hero who has given up great emotionality,Victor in all struggles,the One who is free thus frees all beings.

“ Light of the World, shining with knowledge of wisdom, bearer of the brilliant torch, destroyer of ihe darkness of ignorance,

“Great Physician endowed with peerless wisdom, who cures all emotionality, skillfully withdrawing the arrow from the wound of the fettering passions.

“ Endowed with all the signs of a Great Man, adorned with all the secondary marks, with perfectly beautiful body, he comforts the miserable.

“ Endowed with the ten strengths.and with total fearlessness.possessor of the eighteen pure Buddhadharmas,the great Muni turns the Wheel of the Dharmaof the Great Vehicle.

“ It is he who has expressed this Sutra in short, and this praise has expressed only a small portion of the cjualilies of the Taihagala.

6(»2

“ For the knowledge of the Buddhais unending like the vast expanse of space.One could speak for a kalpaand not come to the endof the qualities of the Buddha.”

The Twenty-sixth Chapter Turning the Wheel of the Dkarma

663

W'WMficM:

Conclusion^££■ MEN THE TATHAOATA TURNED THE DHARMA WHEEL

explaining the Lalitavistara. the eighteen thousand devaputrasof the Suddhavasa realm who had asked him for (his teaching, those led by Isvara, Xlahesvara, Nandana, Sunandana, Candana, Mahita. Prasanta, and Vinltesvara, once more assembled. At that moment, the Bhagavat spoke to these devaputras led by Mahesvara and the others:

“ Friends, this is the exposition of the extensive Sutra called the Lalitavistara, the Sutra which relates the play of the Bodhisaitva, the entry into the sport in the domain oi the Buddha. It has been related by the Tathagata lor the sake of all; carry it, memorize it, repeat it, teach it carefully and in detail to the Sangha. In this way it will spread the Buddhadharma. Bodhisattvas of the Great Vehicle, upon hearing this aspect of the Dharma, will develop the firmest effort for peerless, perfect, and complete Enlightenment. Beings greatly devoted if) this teaching will make fall the torrential rain of the Dharma, and the armies ol Mara the demon will be completely overcome. The adversaries will find no further occasion to contend; and, for your pan, the virtue that will result from urging others to teach this Dharma will produce great benefit, great fruit, great help.

“ Friends, whoever bows with joined hands toward the Lalitavistara, this exposition of the Dharma, will obtain the eight excellent dharmas. Which eight are these? He will obtain an excellent form and great strength, a faithful fol­lowing, exuberant eloquence, an excellent departure from home, purity of mind, and perfection of samadhi. Above all, he will obtain the great light of wisdom. These are the eight excellent dharmas which he will obtain.

“ Friends, whoever procures a position for the teacher of the Dharma desiring to leach the Lalitavistara will obtain eight desirable positions as soon as the teacher’s position is procured. What are the eight positions? He will become the chief of merchants and master of the house. lie will gain the position of Clakravartin; the position of Guardian of the World; the position of Sakra; the position of VaSavartin. He will gain the position of Brahma, and will obtain the lion throne of the one who. as an irreversible Bodhisativa, went to Bodhimancja, the most excellent of places. Having obtained the perfect and complete purity of a Buddha, he will gain the throne of the one who destroyed the opposition of Mara, the throne of the one who turns the Wheel of the peerless Dharrna. These are the eight desirable positions he will obtain.

“ Friends, whoever gives his approval, saying: ‘Wonder­ful!’ to the one who teaches this exposition of the Dharma, the Lalitavistara, will obtain the eight complete purities of karma with relation ro speech. What are these eight purities? By the pure speech which conforms to the truth, one's actions arc always in accordance with one’s speech. By not opposing the Sangha. one’s words are worthy of being followed. By not contradicting appropriate words, one’s speech is pleasing. By not being harsh, one's words arc sweet

and soft. By satisfying body and mind, one’s voice is like that of the nightingale. By gathering beings to the Dharma, one’s voice is like poetry, overwhelming all sound like the voice of Brahma. By not giving in to opposition, one’s voice resounds like the roar of the lion. By satisfying completely the senses of all beings, one has the speech of a Buddha. These are the eight complete purities of karma with rela­tion to speech.

“ Friends, whoever puts this exposition of the Dharma, the Lalitavistara, into writing, takes it up, reads it, honors it. venerates it, renders homage to it, and with thought free from envy, repeats its praises to the. four directions, saying: ‘Come! Take this aspect of the Dharma. put it into writing, read it, recite it, meditate on it, study it,' this one will obtain the eight great treasures. What are the eight great treasures? By being without forgetfulness, one gains the treasure of mindfulness. By analyzing things well, one gains the treas­ure of understanding. By understanding the meaning of all the Sutras, one has the treasure of realization. By compre­hending everything one hears, one has the treasure of the Dharanls. By satisfying all beings with elegant sayings, one has the treasure of eloquence. By guarding the Teachings, one has the treasure of the Dharma. By preventing the in­terruption of the family of die Three Jewels, one has the treasure of the Thought of Enlightenment. By obtaining patience concerning the uncreated Dharma. otic has the treasure of achievement. These are the eight treasures.

“ Friends, whoever takes up this exposition of the Dharma, the Lalitavistara, after teaching it well, will complete the eight accumulations. What are these eight? By freeing his mind from greed, one completes perfectly the accumulation of giving. By fulfilling all virt uous intentions, one completes the accumulation of morality. By acquiring unimpeded

669

wisdom, one completes the accumulation of learning the Dharma. By manifesting all the quietudes and samadhis, one completes the accumulation of calm abiding. By at­taining realization of the three knowledges, one completes the accumulation of intense insight. By entirely purifying the principal signs, the secondary signs, and the ornaments of the Buddha-field, one completes the accumulation of merit. By satisfying all beings in accord with their desires, one completes the accumulation of wisdom. By not waver­ing in aiding the complete maturation of all beings, one completes the accumulation of great compassion. These are the eight accumulations.

“ Friends, whoever, after reflecting on the way other be­ings could possess virtues such as these, explains clearly to others this exposition of the Dharma, I he Lalitavistara, will obtain by this root of virtue the eight great pure merits. What are these eight? The first of these great merits is that lie will become a Cakravartin king. The second of the great merits is that he will exercise control over the realm of the Four Great Kings. The third great merit is that he will he like Sakra, the master of the gods. The fourth great merit is that he will be like the devapmra Suyama. The fifth great merit Is that he will be like Santusita. The sixth of the great merits is that lie will he like Sunirtniia. The seventh great merit is that he will he a Vasavartin king of the gods. The eighth great merit is that lie will be like Brahma, great Brahma. Finally, he will become a Tathagaia Arhat Buddha, perfect and complete, having abandoned all the non-virtuous qualities, possessing all the good qualities. These are the eight great merits which he will obtain.

“ Friends, whoever listens attentively to this exposition of the Dharma, the Lalitavistara, will gain the eight purities

67t)

of mind. VVhal are the eight? By destroying all anger, he will obtain love. By giving up all harmfulness, he will ob­tain compassion. By clearing away all displeasure, he will obtain pleasure. By abandoning desire as well as hatred, he will obtain equanimity. By gaining mastery over all the de­sire realms, he will obtain the four stages of meditation. By gaining mastery over the mind, he will obtain the four formless stages of meditation. By corning and going in other Buddha-fields, he will obtain the five superior knowl­edges. By obtaining the hero’s samadhi, he will obtain the destruction of all subtle karmic residues. These arc the eight purities of mind.

“ Friends, wherever this exposition of rhe Dharma, the Lalitavisiara, is found, in village or city, walled city or countryside, in deserted region, courtyard, or vihara, the eight fears will no longer exist, except through the complete maturation of previous actions. What arc the eight (cars? The fear of difficulties caused by the king: the fear of difficulties caused by robbers; the fear of difficulties caused by snakes and the fear of starving in a wilderness; the fear of difficulties arising from feuds, disputes, and brawls; the fear of difficulties caused by the gods, and the fear of difficulties caused by the nagas, the yaksas, and others. The fear of all harm will no longer exist. These, friends, arc the eight fears. They will no longer exist, except through the complete maturation of previous actions.

“ In a word, friends, even if the Tathagaia lived for im­measurable kalpas and spoke the praises of this exposition of the Dharma day and night, there would be no end to the praise of the Teaching, as there would be no end to the energy of the Tathagaia.

671

“And still more, friends—for so great is the morality of the Tathagata, his meditation, his wisdom, his complete liber­ation, his immeasurable vision, unlimited in its knowledge of liberation—that whoever understands this exposition of the Dharma, takes it up, reads it, puts it into writing, has it written, penetrates it, teaches it, explains it clearly in detail in the midst of a Sangha with the thought that beings can thus possess the most excellent Dharma, for him and for those he teaches, the increase in merit will know no limits.”

Then the Bhagavat addressed these words to the Ayusmat Mahakasvapa, to the Ayusmat Arvanda, arid to the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Maitreya: “ Friends, I place in your hands the Enlightenment, perfect and complete, which I have acquired completely in the immeasurable space of a hundred thousand niyulas of kotis of kalpas. I convey it to you bv a supreme trust, 'l ake up this exposition of the Dharma yourselves and teach it in detail to others.”

Then the Bhagavat, in order to give fuller measure to this exposition of the Dharma, uttered these verses:

“With the vision of the Buddha,I have seen all living beings.Whoever pays homage to beingswho have become Arhats like Sariputragains much m e r it —but even if they honored themTor kalpas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges,the merit would not equal that of whoeverfor one day and night pays joyful homagewith garlands and the like to a Pratyekabuddha.

6 7 2

“ If ail living beings were to become Pratyekabuddhas, and one made offerings to them with great awareness for many kalpas, giving offerings of food and drink, raiment,(lowers, perfumes, and ointments,the merit would not equal that of whoeverwith a serene mind makes a single bowto a single Tathagaia, saying:kI make obeisance to the ArhatfFrom this, one gains the greatest merit.

“ If all living beings obtained Buddha hood, and one worshipped themwith the most beautiful of human and divine Bowel'sfor several hundreds ofkalpas,the merit would not equal that of whoever,at the time of the degeneration of the Dharma,meditates on this Sutra day and night,having renounced his body and even his life.‘Truly great merit comes from this.

“ Whoever desires to render homage to the Guides, to the Pratyekabuddhas, as well as to the Sravakas, after having produced the firm Thought of Enlightenment, will alwavs firmly retain this best of Sutras.

4 i

“ For this Sutra which is manifested by all the Tathagatas, is the king of all elegant teachings.The house in which this precious Sutra is found is the dwelling of the Tathagaia.

“ Whoever gives this transcendent Sutra,whoever speaks a single word of it,will obtain a fine and infinite energy lor kolis ofkalpasand will not stray beyond the letter and the meaning.

673

“ He will be without a superior among the Guides of men, this being, whoever he may be; there will be no one like him. The one who, hearing this Dharma, would master it, will be like the imperishable ocean.”

Thus spoke the Bhagavat. All of the devaputras of the Suddhavasa realm led by Mahesvara. all the Bodhisattva Ylahasatlvas led by Maitreya, all the great Sravakas led by Mahakasvapa, together with Ananda, and gods, men, asuras, gandharvas, and everyone rejoiced at the words of the Bhagavat.

The Sutra of the Great Vehicle, the king of the jewels named Lalitavistara, containing the sacred course of events ol all those who practice the stale of Bodhisattva. is finished.

The Twenty-seventh Chapter Conclusion

6 7 4

g lo ssa ryTerms

aggregate

Akanistha

arnrta

apsarascs

see skandha.

the highest heaven of the form realm, a very pure abode.

magical nectar that can heal, nourish, and trans­form: nectar of immortality.

goddesses residing in the realm of the Four Great Kings.

Arhat

Ary a

as uras

Avici

ayalana

one who has conquered the enemy, emotionality, thus attaining liberation from suffering and rebirth.

worthy, noble, exalted, saintly; those who have ad­vanced on the path.

demi-gods o f the desire realm characterized by in­tense striving for the prerogatives of the gods; the envious or jealous gods.

the hell of uninterrupted pain; the lowest and most dreaded of the hells.

category used for investigating experience; there are twelve ayatanas. two for each of the six sense functions; eye-visible form; ear-sound; nose-scent; longue-taste; body-tangibles; mind-menial events.

Ayusmal

Bodhi

Bodhimanda

Bodhisattva

Brahma

brahmacarya

brahmavihara

brahmin

Buddha-eye

Buddha-field

cailva

Cakravartinking

continents

desire realm

lit. ‘long-lived’ ; title of great respect.

Enlightenment.

seat of Enlightenment; the place where the Buddha attained perfect Enlightenment.

one who seeks Enlightenment for the sake of bene- fitting all beings; the ideal of the Cheat Vehicle.

chief of the gods residing in the lowest heaven in the realm of form; often described 3S the creator of world-systems.

intense involvement in spiritual training, including the practice o f continence, chastity, and various austerities.

see Numerical L ists-four unlimited*;.

a member of the highest o f the four traditional Indian varnas: the educated, priestly class.

the unobstructed knowledge of the Buddha: sec Numerical Lists—live eyes.

the sphere of influence of a particular Buddha: may include one or more vast universes, each containing three thousand great thousands of worlds.

a monument containing holy relics, built in one of many traditional shapes representing the enlight­ened mind of a Buddha.

a great ruler reigning with righteousness over all kingdoms in the work!.

four regions inhabited by humans in the desire realm of a world-system: Ptirvavidcha in the cast: Jam budvipa in the south: Aparagodana in the west: I'ttarakuru in the north; sec world-system.

the lowest o f the three realms that make tip a world-system; inhabited by hell beings, pretas. ani­mals, humans, nsuras. and the lower gods.

67 tt

dcvaputra

dharma

dharmadhatu

dharartl

d hat u

Dhrtarasira

divine car

divine eye

emptiness

form realm

formlessrealm

fourassembliesFour Great Kings

FourGuardians

individual things, elements, or phenomena; the truth, the true law, the 'reaching of the Buddha is ealled ‘Dharma.*

the realm of llu- Dharma.

lit. ‘that which bears the meaning’; formulas ihai enable us to remember essential points of doctrine; meant to be memorized and recited.

category used for investigating experience; there are eighteen dhatus. three for each one of the sense functions: eye-visible form-seeing consciousness, etc.; ef. aval ana.

one of the Four Great Kings; ruler of the Hast and lord of the gandharvas.

capacity to hear sounds both human and divine, near and far; see Numerical Lists—six superior knowledges.

capacity to see the death and rebirth of all beings; see Numerical Lists five eyes and six superior knowledges.

the absence of any inherent self or entity; sunyata,

one of the three realms that make up a world-system; inhabited by the higher gods; the realm between the desire realm and the formless realm.

the highest o f the three realms that make up a world-system; inhabited by the highest gods.

the communities of monks, nuns, laymen, and lay- women that practice the Dharma.

rulers of die lowest heaven itt the desire realm and guardians of the world; the four are Dhrtarasira, Viriidhaka. Viriipak$a. and Vaisravana.

see Four Great Kings.

a g o d r e s i d i n g i n o n e o f t h e s i x h e a v e n s i n t h e d e s i r er e a l m .

(379

gandharvas

gods

gam da

Great Vehicle

Indra

Jam bu River

jina

kalpa

karma

kinnaras

koti

krosa

ksatriya

K ubera

kumbhandas

land of Jam bn

lit. ‘scent eaters’; celestial musicians residing in the heavens of the desire realm.

beings residing in one of the heavens in the three realms; a form of existence characterized by increas­ingly refined pleasure and happiness that last a great length of time but are impermanent.

a great bird, eneinv of the nagas.

the M ahavana, the wav of life which leads to the realization of Buddhahood for the benefit of all liv­ing beings.

see Sakra.

river of rose-apple nectar, whose source is Mount .Vferu, the center of a world-system.

conqueror; a title of the Buddha.

a very long period of time; the creation, evolution, anil destruction of a world-system each require twenty kalpas, and are followed by twenty kalpas nf emptiness; a great kalpa is the entire period of one such world-system's arising and passing away.

any action of body, speech, or mind of ordinary beings; former actions which condition present and future experience.

beings with bodies partly human and partly animal, residing in the desire realm.

a very large number.

a distance of approximately 2.5 miles.

a member of the second of the four traditional In­dian varnas; the warrior class.

see Vaisravana.

vampire-like beings residing in the desire realm.

Jam budvlpa. the 'rose-apple' or southern continent; the region of a world-system where the Buddha takes his final birth.

(580

LesserVehicle

Mahasattva

mahoraga

inandala

Mara

merit

Mount Mem

Muni

nirvana

niyuta

nagas

Pratycka-huddha

prcias

pure Buddha- dhannas

the Hinayana, the way of life which focuses exclu­sively on one’s own liberation from suffering.

lit. ‘great being’ ; refers to great Bodhisatlvas or to the Buddha.

a scrpciu-like being residing in the desire realm.

a symbolic diagram: a meaningful configuration of elements related to a center.

chief of the gods of the highest heaven in the desire realm, and so lord of the whole realm of desire; also known as Namuci, Papiyan, or the demon M ara: the tempter of the Buddha.

the momentum generated by wholesome thought, speech, anti action, which accumulates to support spiritual development.

the mountain at the center of a world-systetn, ringed by chains of lesser mountains and lakes: sec world- system.

a sage; a title of the Buddha,

final liberation from suffering,

a large, number.

powerful serpcnt-likc beings residing in the desire realm, inhabiting bodies of water and often guard­ing great treasure.

a follower of the Dhantm who attains his liberation without a teacher; Pratyckabuddhasonly appear in a period when there is no Buddha.

miserable ghost-like beings residing in the desire realm; also called hungry ghosts: sec six realms.

(1) eighteen Buddhadharmas, special characteristics of the fully F.nlightened Buddha; (2) the collection of Buddha qualities which includes the ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, the three equanimities, and great compassion; see Numerical Lists.

681

raksasas

renunciations

rsi

Sakra

samsara

Sangha

Saslra

siddha

six realms

ska nd It a

lira m ana

Sravaka

*

Suddhavasa

a sei of four intentions: to prevent chat which is non-virtuous from arising; to leave behind all that is noil-virtuous; to produce that which is virtuous; to maintain and perfect virtues which have arisen.

seer; practitioner o f traditional Indian disciplines who has gained psychic powers; the Buddha is often called the Great Rsi.

chief of the Thirty-three gods; also known as Indra or Kausika.

the eyrie of birth, death, and rebirth within the six realms of existence, characterized by suffering, im­permanence, and confusion.

see the Three Jewels.

a commentary which explains religious teachings; a Buddhist Sastra is a commentary on the Teachings of the Buddha.

lit. ‘accomplished one’ ; a master oT psychic powers or siddhis; in the Buddhist tradition, the highest siddhi is Enlightenment.

destinies or kinds of existence into which sentient beings arc born.according to their past actions: they include: gods, humans, asuras. animals, pretas, and hell lx*ings; the last three arc especially miserable and arc known as the three unfortunate realms or the three lower realms.

lit. ‘heap*: aggregate; category used for investigating experience; the five skandhas are form, feeling-tones, perceptions, karmic dispositions, and consciousness.

a monk or religious mendicant.

lit. ‘ listener’ ; a disciple of the Buddha; a follower of the lesser Vehicle.

the highest level o f the form realm, having live heav­ens. characterized by great purity.

m a l i c i o u s d e m o n s r e s i d i n g i n t h e d e s i r e r e a l m .

sudra

Sugata

•Sutra

Tathagata

tendirections

ten |x>\vcrs

1'hrcc Jewels

three lower realms

three realms

three thousand great thousands of worlds

three milor- Uiuate realms

a member of the fourth and lowest o f the four tra­ditional Indian varnas. or classes.

lit. 'well-gone*; one of the titles of the Buddha.

a discourse spoken |>v the Buddha.

lit. ‘ thus-gone’1 or 'thus-come1’: one of the titles of the Buddha.

the four cardinal directions, plus the four inter­mediate directions, plus the zenith and nadir: often used to mean everywhere.

ten special powers of the Buddha: knowing the pos- sibleand the impossible: knowing the<-ons<(|uences of actions: knowing theca paciticsofheings: knowing the dispositions of brings: knowing the aspirations of beings; knowing the paths that lead to various realms: knowing (be obscuration and purification o f all the contemplations, meditations, deliverances, concen­trations, and absorptions: knowing former lives: knowing death and rebirth of beings: knowing ihe dclilcmciits are exhausted. Bodliisailvas have a dif­ferent set o f powers also known as the ten powers.

the Buddha, the Dharma (the BuddhaVTeaching), and the Sangha ( the community ol those who follow his Teaching); the Three Jewels are the refuge for those aspiring to Knlightcmucitl.

see six realms.

the desire realm, the form realm, and tin- formless realm; together these three comprise a world-system: see world-system.

I.IHK) X | .0(10 X 1.(KM) worlds, i.e.. a billion (a thou­sand million) worlds: each world is an entire Mount Mcru system: see wor ld-system.

sit six realms.

BB3

tirthika

Tusita

twoaccumulationstirt.ia

Vaisravana

vaiiya

Veda

\'iriidhakii

Virupaksa

world

world-system

ynksas

an adherent of extreme views such as nihilism or eternal ism, not according with the Middle Way of the Buddha.

the most pleasing of all the heavens in (he desire realm; abode o f the Bodhisattva before his final birth into the human realm; the present abode of the future Buddha Maitrcya.

the growth of merit and wisdom which lead one to the path and ripen into Buddhahood.

a small tuft of hair between the eyebrows; one of the thirty-two marks of a great man.

one of the Four Cheat Kings; ruler o f the North and lord of vaksas; also known as Kubrra.

a member of the third of the four traditional Indian vatnas; the agricultural and mercantile class.

the ancient sacred scriptures of traditional Indian culture.

one of the Four Cheat Kings; ruler of the South and lord of kurnbhandns.

one of the Four Great Kings; ruler of the West and lord of nagas.

see world-system.

the environment of the six realms o f beings: includes the four continents where humans and animals re­side, arrayed around a central axis known as Mount Mcru: most of the hell realms are beneath the con­tinents; upon the peak of Mount Mcru dwell the Thirty-three gods and the Four Great Kings; above Mcru range the heavens of the rest of the desire realm and those of the form realm; the formless realm has no specific location.

beings of the desire realm, inhabiting trees and mountains; usually benevolent.

(584

Yama gods celestial beings residing in a desire realm heaven, characterized by their freedom from strife; ruled by the devaputra Suyama.

yojana a distance of approximately ten miles, equal 10 fourkronas.

Cosmological Lists

tridhatu khants gsutn three realmskaniadhatu dod-pa’i khams desire realmrupadhatu gzugs-kyi khams form realmarupyadhatu gztigs-med khams formless realm

sad gat i 'gro-ba rigs drug six realms of beingsdeva lha godsmanusya mi humansas uras !ha-ma-yin jealous godstirvayoni dud-’gro animalspretabhuta yi-dvags hungry ghostsnnrakayika dmyal-ba hell beings

kamadeva Mod-khatns-kvi lha desire realm godscaturmaharaja rgyal-chcn bzhi the Kour Great Kingsiraya-strirhsa sum-eu-ma-gsum-pa (he Thirty-threevama thab-bral the Yamastusita dga'-Jdan the Tusitasnirmanarati ‘phrul-dga’ the Xirmanarattsparinirmita gzhan-’phrul the Parinirmitavasavartin dbang-bved vasavanins

6 8 5

nlpa- gzugs-kyidhatti khaim-kvi lha form realm godshrahmakayska tshangs-ris gods o f ihehrahmapurnhita tshangs-'khor first levelmahabraluna ishangs-pa chcn-pu of meditation

pariuabha 'od-cluing gods of t heapramnnabha tshad-med 'od second levelabh as vara “od-gsal of meditation

paritiasubha dgc-chung gods of theaprainanasublia tshad-med dgc third levelsubhakrtsna dge-rgvas of meditation

anabhraka sprin-iuedgods of the

pituyaprasava bsod-nams skves fourth levelbrhatphala ’bras-bu die of meditationsuddhavasa gnas gtsang-mn

--- -

arupyadhatu gzugs-mcd-pa'i khams formless realm

akasauantya nant-mklta’ mtha'-yas endless sparevtjnananamva rnam-shrs mtha*-vas * infinite

consciousness

akirhcanya ci yang med nothing whatsoevernaivasaiiijnanasaihjna ‘du-shes med neither jiereeplion

'tln-shcs med min nor non-perccp t ion

(rvakusala three defilementsmu lan i duy-gsum or three poisons

ra.ua ’dod-chags dexirr-attaehmenl

rlvcsa khong-khro hatred-aversion

moha ma-rig-pa ignorance

travahvimoksadvara

rnain-par thar-pa’i sgo gsum

three doors to deliverance

^unyata stong-pa-nyid emptiness

animitla mtshan-ma med-pa signlessncss

apranihita smon-pa med-pa wishlessness

trividya rig-pa gsum three knowledges

The fourth, fifth and sixth of the six superior knowledges; see six superior knowledges.

catuhsmrtyupaslhana

dran-pa nyc-bar- b/. hag* pa

four applications of mindfulness

kaya lus body and physical world

vedana tshor-ba feelingcitta sems mind

dharma clios dharmas,Dharma

caturogha chu-bo bzhi four currents

kamaraga 'dod-pa la ’dod-chags-pa

desire for sense-objects

bhavaraga srid-pa'i"dod-ehags-pa

desire for existence

avidva ma-rrg-pa ignorance

dt'Sti log-par Ita-ba wrong views

687

catuh so-so yang-dag four exactpratisatnvid par rig-pa knowledgesdharma chos all forms

of the Dharmaart ha don characteristics

and intentionnirukti nges-pa’i tshig regional usage

of language and interpretations

pratibhana spobs-pa eloquence

caturvaisaradya nia ’jigs-pa bzhi four fearlessnessesdharmabhisainbodhi chos t ha ms-cad due to having fully

m ngon-pa r- rd zogs- par hyaitg-chitb-pa

known all dhartnas

as ra va k sa y aj n a na zag*pa lhams-cad due to knowing allzad par mkhyen-pa impurities have been

extinguishedantarayikadhurma bar-du-gcod-pa’i due to having

chos-rnams gzhan-du- correctly describedmi-’gynr-bar ngcs- obstacles lo emartci*pa’i lung-bstan-pa pation for others

nairyanikapratipada ngcs-par-’byung-ba’i due io having shownlam df-bzhin-du how to enter the’gyur-ba path which leads to

deliverance

catur idzu-’phriil four foundations forfddhipada rkang-pa bzhi supernatural power

chanda ‘dun-pa willingnessvlrya bit son-pa effortcitta scms-pa intentivenessmimamsa dpvod-pa investigation

catur bsam-gtan four levelsdhyana bzhi of meditationThe first level is accompanied by:vitarka rtog-pa observationvicara dpyod-pa reflectionprili dga’-ba pleasuresukha bde-ba jovThe second level is accompanied by:priti dga*-ba pleasuresukha bde-ba j«yThe third level is accompanied by:sukha bde-ba joyThe fourth level is accompanied by:upeksa btang-snyoms equanimity

catuh bsdu-ba'i four meanssaritgrahavaslu dngos-po bzhi of conversion

dana sbyin-pa givingpriyaradita snyan-par smra-ba kind wordsarthacarya donspyod-pa helpfulnesssamanarihata cion nuhun-pa consistency between

words and deeds

catur ’phags-pa’i fouraryasatyani bden-pa bzhi noble truths

duhkha sdug-bsngal sufferingsamudaya kun-’byung-ba source of suffering

nirodba gog-pa cessation of suffering

uiarga lam path dial leads to the cessation of suffering

6 8 9

samyak yang-dag-par fourprahana spong-ba bzhi renunciations

see Terms renunciations

apramana tshad-med-pa bzhi four unlimitcds

mailri byarns-pa lovekaruna thug-rje compassionimidita dga’-ba sympathetic joyupeksa btang-snyoms equanimity

pancaskandha phung-po Inga five aggregates

rupa g/.ugs formvedana eshor-ba feelingsathjna 'du-shes perceptionsamskara du-byed karmic dispositionsvijnana rnam-par-shes-pa consciousness

pancacaksus mig Inga five eyes

maiiisacaksus sha’i mig physical eyedivvacaksus lha’i mig divine eyeprajriacaksus shes-rab-kyi mig wisdom eyedharmacaksus chos-kyi mig D harm a eyebuddhacaksus sangs-rgyas-kvi mig Buddha eye

panca mngon-shes five superiorabhijna Inga knowledges

The first five of the knowledges.

six superior knowledges see the six superior

6 9 0

pahccndriya,pancabala

dbang-po Inga, thobsInga

five powers, five strengths

6raddhaviryasmrtisamadhiprajna

dad-pabrtson-’grusdran-pating-nge-’dzinshcs-rab

faitheffortmindfulnessconcentrationwisdom

sat plia-rol-iu sixpa rami la phyin-pa drug perfections

dana sbyin-pa givingsi la istiul-khrims moral conductksanti bzod-pa patiencevirya brison-’griis effortsamadhi bsam-gtan concentrationprajna shcs-rab wisdom

sal mngon-shcs six superiorabhijna drug knowledges

rddhyabhijna rdzu-’phrul-gyibya-ba

supernaturalabilities

divyasrotrabhijnn rna-ha shcs-pa divine earcet a h pa rvayabh ij ha pha-rol-gyi gzhan

scms sites-papower of penetrating the thoughts of another

purvanivasamismrti- sngon-gyi gnas rjes- knowledge ofabhijna su-dran-pa sltcs-pa former livesdivyacaksus Iha'i mig divine eyeas ra vaksav a b h i j fi a zag-pa zad-pa shcs-pa knowledge that

the impurities and defilements are extinct

691

saptabodhyanga

byang-chub yan-lag bdun

seven branches of awakening

smrii dran-pa mindfulness

dharmapravicaya chos rab-tu investigationrnam-par-'byed-pa into dharmas

virya brison-’grus eflori

prlii dga'-ba joyprasrabdhi shin-tu sbvangs-pa refinement

and serenitysamadhi ting-ngc-*dzin concentrationupoksa btang-snyoms equanimity

asia ’phags-pa’i lain eightfoldaryamarga van-lag brgyad_______ noble pat It

samyagdrsii yang-dag-pa’ ilta-ba

right view

samyaksamkalpa yang-dag-pa’i r logs-pa

right intention

samvagvak yang-dag-pa’ingag

right speech

samyakkarmama yang-dag-pa'i las-kyi mi ha’

right conduct

samyakajiva yang-dag-pa’i’tsho-ba

right livelihood

samyagvyavama vang-dag-pa'irtsol-ba

right effort

satnvaksmrti yang-dag-pa'idran-pa

right mindfulness

samyaksaniadhi yang-dag-pa'iting-ngc-'dzin

right concentration

&<v>

astalokadharma ’jig-rtcn chos brgyad eight worldly dharmas

labha. alabha rnycd, mi-rayed gain and losssukha, dulikha bdc, mi-bde happiness and sadnessprasamsa, ninda bstod, smad praise and blameyasa, aya&i snyan. mi-snyan fame and disgrace

dasiikusala-karmapatha

mi-dgr-ba'i rtsa-ba bcu

ten bad paths o f action

trtni lus-kyi nyes-par- three faultskayaduscariiani spvod-pa gsum of body

pranatipata srog-gcod killingadattadana ina-bvin-len stealingkaiiiamithvacara ’dod-pas log-par-

g-yem-pasexual misconduct

catvari ngag-gi nyes-par- four faultsvagduscaritani spvod-pa bzhi of speech

mrsavada i-dzun-du smras ba lying

paisunya phra-ma slander

parnsya ishig-rtsub harsh speech

sanihhinnapralapa ngag-’cbal idle talk

tripi yid-kyi nyes-par- three faultsnianoduscariiani spvod-pa gsum of mind

abhidhya brnab-sems cravingvvapada gnod-seins ill-willmithvadrsti log-1 ta wrong views

W3

cia&abhumibodhisattvasya

pramudita vim a la prabhakari arcisrnau sudurjaya

abltirnukhldurarngamaacalasadhumatldhannamegha

pratttyasamutpadanidana

avidva*

saritskaravijnananamarupasatjayatanani

sparsavcdanatrsttaupadanabliavaja i ijaramarana

bvang-chub- scms-dpa’i sa bcu

rab-iu-dga’-ba dri-ma mcd-pa 'od byed-pa ’«d ’phro-ranshin-tu sbyang dka’-bamngon-tu gyur-pa ring-du song-ba mi g.yo-ba legs-pa’i blo-gros chos-kyi sprin

rten-cing-'brel-bar van-lag beu-gnyis

ma-rig-pa'du-bvedrnam-par-shcs-paming dang g/.ugsskye-mchcd drugreg-paishor-basrcd-panye-bar-lrn-pasrid-paskye-barga-shi

ten stages of the Bodhisattva

the Joyous the Immaculate the Light-giving the Radiant the Invincible

the Realizing the Far-reaching the Immovable the Beneficial the Cloud o f Dharma

twelve links of dependent origination

ignorance karmic dispositionsconsciousnessname and formsix sensescontactfeelingcravinggraspingexistencebirthold age and death

6 9 4

saptatrirhsadbodliipaksa

byang-chub kyi sum-cu-risa-bdun

thirty-seven wings of Enlightenment

catuhsmrtyupasthana dran-pa nye-bar* bzhag-pa bzhi

four mindfulnesses

caiuhsamyakprahaha yang-dag-par sp)ong-ba bzhi

four renunciations

catuhrddhipada rdzu-’phrul rkang-pa bzhi

four foundations for supernatural power

pancendriya dbang-po Inga five powerspancabala ihobsInga five strengthshodhyaiiga byang-chub

van-lag bdunseven branches of awakening

aryatnarga ’phags-pa’i lam van-lag brgvad

eightfold noble path

6 9 5

cAcknowledgements

Dliarma Publishing acknowledges tlu* kind permission granted by die following museums and individuals to reprint thangkas of tlie Buddha from their collections.

Plate A Courtesy of the St. Louis Art Museum: YV. K. Bixby Fund.

Plate B Copyright ©1971 by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Mrs. YV. Murray Crane Gift Fund.

Plate I Courtesy of the Freer Gallery of Art, Smithsonian Institu­tion, Washington, D.C.

Plate 2 Copyright ©1971 by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York: Mrs. W. Murray Crane Gift Fund.

Plate 3 Copyright ©1971 by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Mrs. YV. Murray Crane Gift Fund.

Plate •} Cliche Musces Nalionaux, Paris.

Plate f> Dudjom Rinpoche.

Plate 6 Courtesy of the Brooklvn Museum, New York; gift of Mr. Arthur Wiesenberger.

Plate 7 Copyright ©1979 by tlu- Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York; gift of Joseph FI. Hril.

Plate 8 Courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum. New York; gilt of Mr. Art hut Wiesei iberger.

Plait 9

Plate 10

Plate 11

P lait 12

Plate 13

Plate M

Plate 15

Plate 16

Plate 17

Plate IS

P la t e 1.9

Plate 20

Plate 2 l

Plate 22

Plate 23

Plate 24

Plate 25

Plate 26

Plate 27

John Gilmore Ford.

Clichi Musccs Nationaux. Paris.

Cliche Musics Nationaux. Paris.

Copyright ©1971 by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York: Mrs. \V. Murray Crane Gift Fund.

Courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum. New York; gift o f Mr. Arthur Wicsenberger.

Cliche Musccs Nationaux. Paris.

IXidjom Rinpoche..

Courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum, New York; gift of Mr. Arthur Wicsenberger.

Copyright ©1970 by the Metropolitan Museum o f Art. New York: gift o f Joseph H. ! Icil.

Copyright ©1971 by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Mrs. VV. Murray Crane Gift Fund.

C l ic h e M usics Nationaux, Paris.

Copyright ©1970 by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; gift o f Joseph H. I Icil.

Tibetan Nyingma Meditation Center.

Dudjom Rinpoche.

Courtesy of the St. Louis An .Museum; W. E. Hixby Fund.

Cliche Musccs Nationaux. Paris.

•Sergei DaikoD.

Cliche Musees Nationaux. Paris.

I)r. Frederick Adler.

6 9 8

"Indexalphabet ID I 194 Anauda 6. 1113. 115-11 6.

135-138.2*29.231.672apsarases

visit MayadevI 84-87, 144-145

praise the Bodhisaitva 89-92, 336-338

Arada Kalam a 361-363, 612-613

Arjuita 223-228 Asita 150-163 asoka wood 96 austerities

Bndhjsattva’s 382IF foolish 379 382.391 392 with Arabia K alam a 362

Avici 136, 425

Bhalliku 576. 581.581 -589 Bimbisara, King 364-369, 617 Bodhi tree 423-424,437

Buddha remains seated under 559-570

goddesses of 497 gods nf 607

Bodhitnai.tda 403.413-439. 443-454.45711'. 560-570

vow made at 439 Bodhisaitva (Siddarlha)

birth into human realm 130-131

enlightenment 51511' four prayers o f the past

308-309heroic actions o f 271 IT light from 87, 109-1II , 116,

301-302,424,427-428, 443fT. 458

previous attainments of 17-26,242-245

previous existences of 249-258,324-325

qualities of 418fT Bodhisativas

assembling in Tusita 29, 53 attainments of 6 qualities of 18-20 request the Dharmn 624-626

bowls, four offered to Buddha 577-580

Brahma 103B. 112. 130. 140, 176. 334. 5961V

brahmacarya 362 brahmin

class 36predictions by 98-99

Buddhadescriptions of 639-659 nature of 135- 136,634 play of 532-533

Buddha-ficlds, names of -14311' Buddhahood. attainment of

524 Buddhas

of the ten directions 4 13fi; 636

previous 10,256 258.427

caitva 339, 409-410 Cakravarlin king 30-34, 99,

150-151. 153,209, 318,324

seven precious treasures30-34. 151. 153

causes and conditions 263-266 Chandaka 142. 143. 183,205.

316ir. 339. 34211*. 350-353.361

constellations 584-588 contests with &akyas

archery 231 IT feats of strength 2290' mathematics 223ff writing 22 Ilf

Cyut yakarapravoga, teach itig of 53

Dandapani 21 off, 231 Deer Bark 35. 607-608. 614,

617.622demons, army of 463ff. 5060' de|x*ndent origination

518-524. 633 634

desirefaults o f 259-260, 487-490,

492-495like poison 366ff objects of desire 320-321 three examples concerning

376-378Devadaita 219-220, 229-230 devaputras

decorate road to Bodhimancja 417ff*

discourage M ara 500-502 guarding Bodhimanda 4221f helping the Bodhisatlva

depart 306-308,329ff praise Buddha after

Enlightenment 537-555 request teaching of

Lalitavistara 9-11, 12, 667 serving the Bodhisatlva,

77-83wishing to nourish the

Bodhisatlva 403Dharanimanda. sec Bodhimanda Dhanua

Bhaga vat's lack of urgency to leach 593-596,599. 601

consent to teach (303 floors o f 5 5 64 four gates of 273-274 of a perfect and complete

Buddha 593-595, 598, 601 Dipamkara 258, 267. 279.539.

595. 627divine eye 131,5160" dream

Bodhisattva’s 297 Gopa’s 293-296 M ara’s 459-461 M avadevl’s, sec MayadevT Stiddhodana's 283

700

drop of elixir 107, 11 7 Du$karacarya 382

earth, as witness to Bodhisattva 481-483,508

eight accumulations 669-670 eight excellent d harm as (568 eight fears 671 eight great pure merits 670 eight great treasures 669 eight positions 668 eight precursory signs 72-74 eight purities of mind 671 eight purities of speech 668-669 eighteen great signs 87-88. 621 eighteen pure Kuddhadharmas

242,611,662 Eightfold Path 630 eighty secondary marks

156-157,410Exhortation o f the Bodhisattva

44311

ferryman on the Ganges 616-617

five aggregates 289 five men of good family 375.

404,613,617 620!628-632

four desires o f Bodhisattva302 303

four fearlessnesses 20,242, 611. 655 656

Four Great Kings 327-328,551 552.577-580,584 588

four great visions 36Four Noble Truths 19,(529 (532four sights 285-291friends of the Tat ha gat a 13711*

Gate of Benediction 284 Gopa 215ft*. 235-238, 34311',

347-353 dream 293-296

I Irideva 276

ignorance, results o f 312- 3 14

jatnhu tree 199, 2030'Jet a Grove 5

Katika. king of the nagas 427-431

Kanthaka 142, 144, 323flf, 333-334, 338-339,342

Kapilavastn 46, 90. 123, 147.185,215.335

Kaundinya 5, 618, 632IT Kosala 37 ksatriya 30-34, 37

Lalitavistara Sutra 9-13, 136, 667-674

light 87, 109-111, 116, 301-302, 424,458

Exhortation of the Bodhisattva 443AT

Lumbini garden 125fl’, 284

Magatlha 363-369,375-376 Mahakasyapa 5, 672 M ahaprajnapati Gautam i 149,

174,182. 304-306,341.342

Mahesvara 711*. 16411*Maitreya 6, 69-71 ,637ff,

659, 672 man. dead 288 man, old 284man stricken with disease 287

701

M ara Paplvan 399-402,457IT, 309-511,533,571-573

army of demons 463fT, 506ff attempts to dissuade 499-502 daughters of 483-497

571-573 dream 459-461 sons o f 469-479, 541-543

M atanga 35 mathematics 221-228 M athura 39Mayadevt 44-45,47, 74-77.

84 85.93-98, 102,112- 115, 117-119. 125ff, 139-140,144 145,147, 385-386

death of 147 dream of 93-96,98-99,

113- 114healing by 114, 118

meditations of the Buddha Asphiinaka 382 -395 Budd ha I a m kara v y ii ha 7 Lalitavyuha 438 levels of 199-200, 515-516 Prityadharavyuha,

Adaptation of the Food of Joy 560

Middle Way 628miracles accompanying birth 132 Mithila 39 monk 289-290 Mourn ("Java 376.614

naga kings 574 Nairanjana river 378, 406ff Nanaratnavyuha 149 Nanda 6. 229 Naradatta 150-151. 158

Padma, the brahmin 361 palaces built for Bodhisattva

100-102, 148-149, 183 Parhsukulaslvana, Sewing of the

Dust-Covered Cloth 406 Panihata. Struck with the

Hands 406passions, complete destruction

o f 561-567 plaksa tree 129-130 Pratyekabuddhas 35, 672, 673 prayers. Bodhisatt va’s previous

‘ 308-309prediction, first 589 premonitory signs

at time of birth 123-124 at time of departure from

home 292Pujfva 93, 124, 181,316,

'327,330

Rad ha 405Raivata, the brahmarsi 361 Rajagrha 363-364 Rajaka 361Ratnavyuha 103-108,

115-116. 130 rei 145. 200ITRsipatana 35, 607-608, 614.

617. 636Rudraka 373- 375, 611-612

Sakyas 43,46. 1828', 292. 304 samadhi

limited 373-375 of neither perception nor

non-perception 375 Samantakusuma 56011’Sarakiipa. Spring of the Arrow-

233

702

Sarthavaha 462-463. 469 Sarvarlh aside! ha 144 Satasahasravyiiha 108 seven precious treasures 30-34 sixty-four kinds of desire 494 sixty-four scripts 189-190 Sthavara, goddess of the

earth 482stride of the Bodhisattva

415-416 siidra 36Suddhavasa, gods of 711', 29,

16411’, 339. 407-108,433 Suddhodana, king 43.46.

96 101. 119. 12.V 128. 112, 144, I52ff, 246. 237 238. 283 284. 291.301-304. 341.343IT. 389

sull'cring 2591V, 629 Sujata 404, 406-109 ,411412 -Sundarananda 219-220,231 Svastika 433-437 Sveiaketu 22

Tathagata 639-659 Taihagatns. past 10 ten powers of a Taihagata 242 ten strengths 20,527, 568-569,

61 U 654-655. 662 thirtv-tvvo precursory signs

123 124ihirtv-two signs of a great man

30. 152. 153. I351f.410.647 653

three categories of beings 605 three eyes of purity 540 three fires 169 Three Jewels 635 three knowledges 540 three realizations 527

time 242Trapusa and Bhallika 5761V,

581,583,584 589 Tusita heaven

palace 22palace Dltarmoccaya 29 palace Uccadhvaja 53 departure front 87 teaching the Dharma in

65-68twelvefold cycle of dependent

origination 19,518 524. 633 634

I'dayana 181 Ujjayini 38

V aidehi37VaUakha, month of 93 Vaisali 38Varanasi 607-608, 614,

616ir,636 Vimalavyuha 182 visions, Bodhisattva’s four

great 36Visvamilra 188,221

Wheel of the Dharma 596, 598. 620, 624. 627

consent to teach 605 exhortations 599-604 request that the Buddha

teach 596 598 turning the wheel 628-635.

637-663wisdom, vision of 516 524 woman endowed with thirty-

two kinds of good qualities 12-13

703

woman to delight the Bodhisattva, qualities of 2 13-214

womb, Bodhisattva teaching from 109 IT

women’s apartments 245fr.309IT

analysis of 311 ff description o f 246 diversions in 304-305 exhortations in 243-269 laments in 3401T practice of Dharma in

269-270, 274-276

704

Sri Vaisr<t\wui