The Parable of the Magic City The Buddha addressed the bhikshus, [saying]: "Of yore in the past, infinite, boundless, and inconceivable asamkhyeya kalpas ago, there was then a buddha named Universal Surpassing Wisdom1 Tathagata, Worshipful, All Wise, Perfectly Enlightened in Conduct, Well Departed, Understander of the World, Peerless Leader, Controller, Teacher of Gods and Men, Buddha, World-honored One, whose domain was named Well Completed,2 and whose kalpa was named Great Form. Bhikshus!
Since that buddha became extinct, a very long time has passed. For instance, suppose the earth element in a three-thousand-great-thousandfold world were by someone ground into ink, and he were to pass through a thousand countries in an eastern direction, and then let fall one drop as large as a grain of dust; again, passing through [another] thousand countries, again let fall one drop; [suppose] he thus proceeds until he has finished the ink [made] of the earth element--what is your opinion? All these countries--is it possible for mathematicians or their disciples to find their end or confines so as to know their number?"
"No, World-honored One!"
"Bhikshus! [Suppose] all those countries which that man has passed, where he has dropped [a drop] and where he has not, ground to dust, and let one grain of the dust be a kalpa--[the time] since that buddha became extinct till now still exceeds those numbers by innumerable, unlimited hundred thousand myriad kotis of asamkhyeya kalpas. By the power of my Tathagata-wisdom, I observe that length of time as if it were only today."
At that time the World-honored One, desiring to proclaim this teaching over again, spoke thus in verse:
"I remember in a past world,
Immeasurable infinite kalpas ago,
A buddha, a [most] honored man,
Named Universal Surpassing Wisdom.
Suppose someone by his power
Ground a three-thousand-great-thousandfold world
With its entire earth element
Entirely into ink,
And, passing a thousand countries,
Then lets fall one drop;
Proceeding in a like manner
He drops all this atomized ink;
[Suppose] all such countries as these,
Those ink-dropped and those undropped,
Again are entirely ground to dust,
And a grain be as a kalpa -
The number of those grains
Are exceeded by his kalpas.
Since that buddha became extinct,
Such are the measureless kalpas.
[I,] the Tathagata, by unhindered wisdom
Know the extinction of that buddha
And his shravakas and bodhisattvas
As if it were now occurring.
Know, bhikshus!
The Buddha-wisdom is pure and minute,
Faultless and unhindered,
Penetrating through infinite kalpas."
The Buddha [then] addressed all the bhikshus, [saying]: "The life-time of the Buddha Universal Surpassing Wisdom is five hundred and forty myriad kotis of nayutas of kalpas. At the beginning when that buddha, seated on the wisdom throne, had destroyed the army of Mara, [though] he was on the point of attaining Perfect Enlightenment, the Buddha-laws were not yet revealed to him. So for a minor kalpa and then onward for ten minor kalpas he sat cross-legged with body and mind motionless; but the Buddha-laws were not yet revealed to him.
"Then the gods of the thirty-three heavens3 spread for that buddha a lion throne a yojana high under a Bodhi tree so that the buddha on this throne should attain Perfect Enlightenment. No sooner had he sat on that throne than the Brahma heavenly kings rained down celestial flowers over an area of a hundred yojanas. A fragrant wind from time to time arose, sweeping away the withered flowers and raining fresh ones. Thus incessantly during full ten minor kalpas they paid honor to the buddha and even till his extinction they constantly rained those flowers, while the gods [belonging to] the four [heavenly] kings to honor the buddha constantly beat celestial drums and other gods performed celestial music during fully ten minor kalpas and continued so to do until his extinction.
"Bhikshus! After the lapse of ten minor kalpas, the Buddha Universal Surpassing Wisdom attained the Buddha-laws, and Perfect Enlightenment was revealed to him. Before that buddha left home he had sixteen sons, the eldest of whom was named Wisdom Store. Each of his sons had various kinds of valued amusements, [but] on hearing that their father had accomplished Perfect Enlightenment, they all gave up the things they valued and went to pay their regards to the buddha, their weeping mothers escorting them. Their grandfather, Sacred Wheel-rolling King, with his one hundred ministers and also a hundred thousand myriad kotis of his people, all surrounded and followed them to the terrace of enlightenment, all desiring to draw near to the Tathagata Universal Surpassing Wisdom and to serve, revere, honor, and extol him.
After their arrival they did homage before his feet with their heads, and after making procession around him, with folded hands and in one mind, they gazed up to the world-honored one and praised him in verse, saying:"The World-honored One of Great Might,
To save all living beings,
After measureless kotis of years
Thou hast now become a buddha
And perfected all thy vows.
Good indeed is our fortune unsurpassed,
For rarely do world-honored ones appear.
At one sitting ten minor kalpas have passed,
Thy body and limbs
Still, peaceful, and motionless,
And with mind ever tranquil,
Never distracted;
Thou hast completed eternal nirvana
And dost calmly dwell in the faultless Law.
Now, seeing the world-honored one
Who has calmly accomplished the Buddha-way,
We have attained good fortune
And congratulate ourselves with great joy.
All the living are ever suffering,
Blind and without a leader,
Unaware of the way to end pain,
Knowing not to seek deliverance.
Through the long night evil ways have increased,
Diminishing the heavenly throng;
[The world] has passed from darkness into darkness,
Never hearing a buddha's name.
[But] now the Buddha has attained the supreme,
Pacific, faultless Law,
And we as well as gods and men
Gain the great fortune.
Therefore we all prostrate ourselves
And offer our lives to the peerless honored one.'
"Thereupon all these sixteen royal sons, when they had extolled the buddha in verse, entreated the world-honored one to roll the Law-wheel on, saying: 'World-honored One! Preach the Law, and abundantly comfort, have compassion for, and benefit both gods and men!' Repeating it in verse, they said:
'Hero of the world! Incomparable!
Adorned with a hundred auspicious signs!
Who has attained to supreme wisdom:
Be pleased to preach to the world,
For deliverance to us
And to all classes of the living;
Discriminate and reveal it
So that we may obtain this wisdom!
If we attain buddhahood,
All other living beings will also [attain it].
World-honored One! Thou knowest what the living
In their deepest minds are thinking,
The ways in which they walk,
Their capacities for wisdom,
Their pleasures and past good works,
The karma their former lives produced.
World-honored One! Thou knowest all these;
[Pray] roll along the peerless wheel.'"
The Buddha [then] said to the bhikshus: "When the Buddha Universal Surpassing Wisdom attained Perfect Enlightenment, the five hundred myriad kotis of buddha-worlds in all directions were each shaken in [different] ways; [even] the dark places between those realms, where the august light of the sun and moon could not shine, all became brilliant.
All the living beings in their midst could see each other and unitedly exclaimed: 'From where have all these living beings suddenly come?' Moreover, the palaces of the gods in all those regions, even Brahma palaces, shook in six [different] ways and a great light universally shone, filling all the worlds, surpassing the light of heaven.
"Then eastward, all the palaces of the Brahma heavens in five hundred myriad kotis of domains were brilliantly illuminated with double their normal brightness. And each of those Brahma heavenly kings reflected thus: 'For what reason does this sign appear, that our palaces are now illuminated as never of yore?' Then those Brahma heavenly kings all visited each other to discuss this affair. Meanwhile, amongst those assembled there was a great Brahma heavenly king named Savior of All, who addressed the host of Brahmas in verse:
'In all our palaces
Never has there been such shining;
What can be its cause?
Let us together investigate it.
Is it that a great virtuous god is born,
Is it that a buddha appears in the world,
That this great shining
Everywhere illuminates the universe?'
"Thereupon the Brahma heavenly kings in five hundred myriad kotis of domains, with all their palace train,4 each taking a sack filled with celestial flowers, went together to visit the western quarter to investigate this sign. [There] they saw the Tathagata Universal Surpassing Wisdom on the wisdom terrace under the Bodhi tree, seated on the lion throne, surrounded and revered by gods, dragon kings, gandharvas, kimnaras, mahoragas, human and nonhuman beings, and others. And they saw his sixteen royal sons entreating the buddha to roll along the Law-wheel.
Then all the Brahma heavenly kings bowed to the ground before the buddha, made procession around him hundreds and thousands of times, and then strewed the celestial flowers upon him. The flowers they strewed [rose] like Mount Sumeru and were offered also to the buddha's Bodhi tree. That Bodhi tree was ten yojanas in height. When they had offered the flowers, each of them presented his palace to the buddha and spoke thus: 'Out of compassion for us and for our good, condescend to accept the palaces we offer!'
"Thereupon all the Brahma heavenly kings, before the buddha, with one mind and voice praised him in verse, saying:
'Rare is a world-honored one,
Hard it is to meet him,
Perfect in infinite merit,
Able to save all.
Great teachers of gods and men,
He has compassion for the world.
All the living in the universe
Everywhere receive his aid.
The [distance] we have come
Is five hundred myriad kotis of domains,
Leaving deep meditative joys
For the sake of serving the buddha.
As rewards for our former lives
Our palaces are magnificently adorned;
Now we offer them to the world-honored one
And beg him in mercy to accept.'
"Then, when the Brahma heavenly kings had extolled the buddha in verse, each spoke thus: 'Be pleased, World-honored One, to roll the Law-wheel, deliver all the living, and open the nirvana-way!'
"Then the Brahma heavenly kings with one mind and voice spoke in verse, saying:
'Hero of the world! Honored of men!
Be pleased to proclaim the Law!
By the power of thy great compassion,
Save wretched living beings!'
"Then the Tathagata Universal Surpassing Wisdom silently gave assent.
"Again, bhikshus! The great Brahma kings in the southeastern quarter of five hundred myriad kotis of domains, each seeing his own palace radiant with light as never before, were ecstatic with joy and amazed. And instantly all visited each other to discuss together this affair. Meanwhile amongst those assembled there was a great Brahma heavenly king whose name was Most Merciful, who addressed the host of Brahmas in verse:
'What is the cause of this affair,
That such a sign should appear?
In all our palaces
Never has there been such shining.
Is it that a great virtuous god is born?
Is it that a buddha appears in the world?
We have never yet seen such a sign.
Let us with one mind investigate it.
Let us pass through a thousand myriad kotis of lands
In search of the light and together explain it.
It must be that a buddha has appeared
In the world to save suffering beings.'
"Thereupon the five hundred myriad kotis of Brahma heavenly kings, with all their palace train, each taking a sack filled with celestial flowers, went together to visit the northwestern quarter to investigate this sign. There they saw the Tathagata Universal Surpassing Wisdom on the wisdom terrace under the Bodhi tree, seated on the lion throne, surrounded and revered by gods, dragons kings, gandharvas, kimnaras, mahoragas, human and nonhuman beings, and others. And they saw the sixteen royal sons entreating the buddha to roll along the Law-wheel.
Then all the Brahma heavenly kings bowed to the ground before the buddha, made procession around him hundreds and thousands of times, and then strewed the celestial flowers upon him. The flowers they strewed [rose] like Mount Sumeru and were offered also to the buddha's Bodhi tree. When they had offered the flowers, each of them presented his palace to the buddha and spoke thus: 'Out of compassion to us and for our good, condescend to accept the palaces we offer!' Thereupon all the Brahma heavenly kings, before the buddha, with one mind and voice praised him in verse, saying:
'Holy lord, king among gods,
With voice [sweet as] the kalavinka's,
Who has compassion for all living beings!
We now respectfully salute thee.
Rarely does a world-honored one appear,
But once in long ages;
One hundred and eighty kalpas
Have passed away empty, with never a buddha,
The three evil regions becoming replete,
While heavenly beings decreased.
Now the buddha has appeared in the world
To become the eye of all living beings,
The resort of all the world,
Savior of all,
Father of all the living,
Who has compassion for and does good [to all].
Happy through our former destinies,
We now meet the world-honored one.'
"Then, when the Brahma heavenly kings had extolled the buddha in verse, each spoke thus: 'Be pleased, World-honored One, to have compassion for all [beings], roll the Law-wheel, and deliver the living!'
"Then the Brahma heavenly kings with one mind and voice spoke in verse, saying:
'Most holy! Roll on the Law-wheel;
Reveal the nature of thy laws;
Deliver suffering beings,
That they may obtain great joy.
All the living, hearing this Law,
Obtain the Way as if born in heaven;
Evil processes [of karma] decrease,
While endurers of goodness5 increase.'
"Then the Tathagata Universal Surpassing Wisdom silently gave assent.
"Again, bhikshus! The great Brahma kings in the southern quarter of five hundred myriad kotis of domains, each seeing his own palace radiant with light such as never was before, were ecstatic with joy and amazed. And instantly all visited each other to discuss together this affair, [asking]: 'What is the cause of this radiant light in our palaces?' In that assembly there was a great Brahma heavenly king whose name was Wonderful Law, who addressed the host of Brahmas in verse:
'That all our palaces
Scintillate with brilliant rays
Cannot be without reason.
Let us investigate this sign!
Through hundreds of thousands of kalpas,
Never has such a sign been seen.
Is it that a great virtuous god is born?
Is it that a buddha appears in the world?'
"Thereupon the five hundred myriad kotis of Brahma heavenly kings, with all their palace train, each taking a sack filled with celestial flowers, went together to visit the northern quarter to investigate this sign. [There] they saw the Tathagata Universal Surpassing Wisdom on the wisdom terrace under the Bodhi tree, seated on the lion throne, surrounded and revered by gods, dragon kings, gandharvas, kimnaras, mahoragas, human and nonhuman beings, and others. And they saw [his] sixteen royal sons entreating the buddha to roll along the Law-wheel. The all the Brahma heavenly kings bowed to the ground before the buddha, made procession around him hundreds and thousands of times, and then strewed the celestial flowers upon him. The flowers they strewed [rose] like Mount Sumeru and were offered also to the buddha's Bodhi tree. When they had offered the flowers, each of them presented his palace to the buddha and spoke thus: 'Out of compassion to us and for our good, condescend to accept the palaces we offer!'
"Thereupon all the Brahma heavenly kings, before the buddha, with one mind and voice praised [him] in verse, saying:
'How hard it is to get sight of a world-honored one,
Who destroys all earthly cares!
After a hundred and thirty kalpas,
Now at length we have obtained the sight.
To hungry and thirsty creatures
He pours forth the rain of the Law.
He whom we have never seen before,
The possessor of infinite wisdom,
Rare as the udumbara flower,
Today has been met by us.
All our palaces are
Made beautiful by [thy] light,
World-honored One! In thy great mercy,
We pray thou wilt condescend to accept [them].'
"Thereupon, when the Brahma heavenly kings had extolled the buddha in verse, each spoke thus: 'Be pleased, World-honored One, to roll the Law-wheel, and cause all the worlds of gods, Maras, Brahmas, monks, and Brahmans to be comforted and delivered!'
"Then all the Brahma heavenly kings with one mind and voice praised him in verse, saying:
'Be pleased, honored of gods and men,
To roll the supreme Law-wheel,
To beat the drum of the Great Law,
To blow the conch of the Great Law,
Universally to pour the rain of the Great Law,
And save innumerable creatures!
We all devote ourselves to thee.
Proclaim the reverberating news!'6
"Then the Tathagata Universal Surpassing Wisdom silently gave assent.
"The southwestern quarter down to the nadir also [responded] in like fashion.
"Then, in the upper quarter, the great Brahma kings of five hundred myriad kotis of domains, all beholding the palaces in which they rested become augustly radiant with light such as never was before, were ecstatic with joy and amazed. At once they visited each other to discuss together this affair, [asking]: 'What is the cause of this light in our palaces?' In that assembly there was a great Brahma heavenly king whose name was Shikhin, who addressed the host of Brahmas in verse:
'What is now the cause
That all our palaces
Are radiant with such august light
And made beautiful as never before?
Such a wonderful sign as this
Of old we have never heard nor seen.
Is it that a great virtuous god is born?
Is it that a buddha appears in the world?'
"Thereupon the five hundred myriad kotis of Brahma heavenly kings, with all their palace train, each taking a sack filled with celestial flowers, went together to visit the nadir quarter to investigate this sign. [There] they saw the Tathagata Universal Surpassing Wisdom on the wisdom terrace under the Bodhi tree, seated on the lion throne, surrounded and revered by gods, dragon kings, gandharvas, kimnaras, mahoragas, human and nonhuman beings, and others. And they saw [his] sixteen royal sons entreating the buddha to roll along the Law-wheel.
Then all the Brahma heavenly kings bowed to the ground before buddha, made procession around him hundreds and thousands of times, and then strewed the celestial flowers upon him. The flowers they strewed [rose] like Mount Sumeru and were also offered to the buddha's Bodhi tree. When they had offered the flowers, each of them presented his palace to the buddha and spoke thus: 'Out of compassion to us and for our good, condescend to accept the palaces we offer!'
"Thereupon all the Brahma heavenly kings, before the buddha, with one mind and voice praised [him] in verse, saying:
'How good it is to see the buddhas,
Holy honored ones who save the world,
Who can compel the hells of the triple world
To deliver up the living.
The all-wise, honored of gods and men,
Out of compassion for the crowds of young buds
Can open the doors of the sweet dews
For the extensive relief of all.
Innumerable kalpas of yore
Have emptily passed without buddhas;
While world-honored ones did not appear,
Darkness has everywhere reigned.
Thriving were the three evil states,
Flourishing also the asuras,
While the heavenly host dwindled,
And dying, fell into evil estates;
Not hearing the law from buddhas,
Ever following improper ways,
Their bodies, strength, and wisdom,
These all dwindled away;
Because of sinful karma
They lost their joy and joyful thoughts;
Fixed in heretical views,
Unconscious of the rules of goodness,
Not receiving the correction of buddhas,
They ever fell into evil ways.
The buddha is the eye of the world,
[And] after long ages appears.
Through pity for the living
He is revealed in the world,
Surpassing in his Perfect Enlightenment.
Great is our felicity,
And all other beings
Rejoice as never before.
All our palaces,
Made beautiful through this light,
Now we offer the World-honored One.
Condescend in compassion to accept them!
May this [deed of] merit
Extend to all [creatures]
That we with all the living
May together accomplish the Buddha-way!'
"Thereupon, when the five hundred myriad kotis of the Brahma heavenly kings had extolled the buddha in verse, each said to him: 'Be pleased, World-honored One, to roll the Law-wheel; abundantly comfort; abundantly deliver!'
"Then all the Brahma heavenly kings spoke in verse, saying:
'World-honored One, roll the law-wheel,
Beat the drum of the Law, sweet as dew,
Save the suffering living,
Reveal the nirvana-way!
Be pleased to receive our entreaty
And with thy great, mystic voice,
Out of compassion spread abroad
The Law thou hast practiced for infinite kalpas.'
"At that time the Tathagata Universal Surpassing Wisdom, receiving the entreaty of the Brahma heavenly kings of the ten regions and of [his] sixteen royal sons, at once thrice rolled the Law-wheel7 of twelve divisions,8 which neither shramanas, Brahmans, gods, Maras, Brahmas, nor other beings of the world are able to roll. His discourse was: 'This [is] suffering; this the accumulation of suffering; this the extinction of suffering; this the way to extinction of suffering'; and he extensively set forth the Law of the Twelve Causes, namely: 'Ignorance causes action; action causes consciousness; consciousness causes name and form; name and form cause the six entrances [or sense organs]; the six entrances cause contact; contact causes sensation; sensation causes desire [or love];
desire causes clinging; clinging causes existence; existence causes birth; birth causes old age and death, grief, lamentation, suffering, and distress. Ignorance annihilated, then action is annihilated; action annihilated, then consciousness is annihilated; consciousness annihilated, then name and form are annihilated; name and form annihilated, then the six entrances are annihilated; the six entrances annihilated, then contact is annihilated; contact annihilated, then sensation is annihilated; sensation annihilated, then desire is annihilated; desire annihilated, then clinging is annihilated; clinging annihilated, then existence is annihilated; existence annihilated, then birth is annihilated; birth being annihilated, then are annihilated old age and death, grief, lamentation, suffering, and distress.'
"When the buddha preached this law amidst the gods, men, and the great host, six hundred myriad kotis of nayutas of people, without being subject to all the [temporary] laws, had their minds freed from faults, all obtaining the profound, mystic mediations, the three clear [views], and the six transcendent [faculties], and accomplishing the eight emancipations.
Likewise at a second, a third, and a fourth time of preaching the Law, thousands of myriads of kotis of nayutas of living beings, [numerous] as the sands of the Ganges, without being subject to all the [temporary] laws, had their minds freed from all faults. From this time forth the host of [his] shravakas was immeasurable and boundless, beyond expression in numbers.
"Meanwhile the sixteen royal sons, all being youths, left their home and became shramaneras of keen natural powers, wise and intelligent. They had already served hundreds of thousands of myriads of kotis of buddhas, purely practiced brahma-conduct, and sought Perfect Enlightenment. Together they addressed the buddha, saying: 'World-honored One! All these innumerable thousand myriad kotis of great virtuous shravakas have already become perfect.
World-honored One! Preach also to us the Law of Perfect Enlightenment! And when we have heard it we will all put the lesson into practice. World-honored One! We are longing for the tathagata's knowledge. The thought of our inmost hearts thou dost prove and know.'
"Then amongst the throng whom the holy wheel-rolling king led, eight myriad kotis of people, seeing that the sixteen royal sons had gone forth from their home, also sought to leave their homes, whereupon the king permitted them.
"Then that buddha, on the entreaty of the shramaneras, when two myriad kalpas had passed, in [the presence of] the four groups preached this Great-vehicle Sutra named the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Law, the Law by which bodhisattvas are instructed and which the buddhas watch over and keep in mind. When he had preached this sutra, the sixteen shramaneras, for the sake of Perfect Enlightenment, all received, kept, recited, and penetrated it.
"While this sutra was being preached, the sixteen bodhisattva-shramaneras all received it in faith, and amongst the host of shravakas there were also [those who] believed and discerned it, but the other living beings of thousands of myriad kotis of kinds all cherished doubts and perplexities.9
"The buddha preached this sutra for eight thousand kalpas without cessation. When he had finished preaching it, he then entered a quiet room and remained in meditation for eighty-four thousand kalpas.
"Thereupon the sixteen bodhisattva-shramaneras, knowing that the buddha had entered the room and was absorbed in meditation, each ascended a Law throne and also for eighty-four thousand kalpas extensively preached and expounded to the four groups the Sutra of the Flower of the Wonderful Law. Each of them saved six hundred myriad kotis of nayutas of living beings, [as many] as the sands of the Ganges, showing, teaching, benefiting, and gladdening them, and leading them to develop a mind of Perfect Enlightenment.
"The Buddha Universal Surpassing Wisdom, after eighty-four thousand kalpas had passed, arose from his meditation, went up to the Law throne, and quietly sat down on it.
"Universally addressing the great assembly, [he said]: 'Rare are such bodhisattva-shramaneras as these sixteen, keen in their natural powers and clear in their wisdom, who have paid homage to infinite thousand myriad kotis of buddhas, constantly practiced brahma-conduct under those buddhas, received and kept the Buddha-wisdom, and revealed it to living beings, leading them to enter into it. Do you all, again and again, draw nigh and worship them. Wherefore? Because if shravakas, pratyekabuddhas, and bodhisattvas are able to believe the Law of the sutra preached by these sixteen bodhisattvas, and receive and keep it without spoiling it, all those people will attain the Tathagata-wisdom of Perfect Enlightenment.'"
The Buddha addressed all the bhikshus, [saying]: "These sixteen bodhisattvas ever take delight in preaching this Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Law. The six hundred myriad kotis of nayutas of living beings, like the sands of the Ganges, whom each of these bodhisattvas converted, born generation by generation, all following [these] bodhisattvas, heard the Law from them and all believed and discerned it. For this cause they succeeded in meeting four myriad kotis of buddhas, world-honored ones, and at the present time have not ceased [to do so].
"Bhikshus! I tell you now: that buddha's disciples, the sixteen shramaneras, have all attained Perfect Enlightenment, and in all countries in every direction are at the present time preaching the Law and have infinite hundred thousand myriad kotis of bodhisattvas and shravakas as their followers. Two of those shramaneras became buddhas in the eastern quarter, one named Akshobhya in the Kingdom of Joy, the other named Sumeru Peak; of the two buddhas in the southeastern quarter, one is named Lion Voice, the other Lion Ensign; of the two buddhas in the southern quarter, one is named Space Dweller, the other Eternal Extinction; of the two buddhas in the southwestern quarter, one is named Imperial Ensign,
the other Brahma Ensign; of the two buddhas in the western quarter one is named Amita, the other He Who Has Passed Through All the Sufferings of the World; of the two buddhas in the northwestern quarter, one is named Tamalapattra Spiritually Pervading Sandal Odor, the other Sumeru Sign; of the two buddhas in the northern quarter, one is named Sovereign Cloud, the other named Sovereign Cloud King; the buddha in the northeastern quarter is named Destroyer of All the World's Fear; and the sixteenth is I myself, Shakyamuni Buddha, who have accomplished Perfect Enlightenment in the saha-domain.
"Bhikshus! When we were shramaneras, each of us taught and converted infinite hundred thousand myriad kotis of living beings, [numerous] as the sands of the Ganges; and those who heard the Law from me [attained] Perfect Enlightenment. Amongst these living beings down to the present there are some who [still] remain in the stage of shravakas. I constantly instruct them in Perfect Enlightenment, so that all these people will through this Law gradually enter the Way of buddhahood.
Wherefore? Because the Tathagata-wisdom is hard to believe and hard to understand. All those living beings, innumerable as the sands of the Ganges, whom I converted at that time are yourselves, bhikshus, and will be my shravaka-disciples in future worlds after my extinction.
"After my extinction there will also be disciples of mine who, not hearing this sutra, nor knowing nor apprehending the course which bodhisattvas pursue, will by their own merits conceive the idea of extinction and enter [what they think is] nirvana. [But] in other domains [wherever they may go] I shall [still] be Buddha though under different names. These people, though they conceive the idea of extinction and enter [what they call] nirvana, yet in those lands will seek after the Buddha-wisdom and succeed in hearing this sutra. Only by the Buddha-vehicle will they attain [real] extinction. There is no other vehicle except the tactful teachings of the Tathagata. Bhikshus! If the Tathagata himself knows that the time of nirvana has arrived and the assembly is pure, firm in faith and discernment, penetrated with the Law of the Void, profound in meditation,then he will gather together all bodhisattvas and shravakas to preach this sutra to them. In the world there is no second vehicle to attain extinction; there is only the One Buddha-vehicle for attaining extinction. Know, bhikshus! The tact of the Tathagata reaches deeply into the natures of all living beings and knows that they are bent on the pleasures of trifling things and deeply attached to the five desires. For the sake of these he preaches nirvana. If they hear it, they will receive it in faith.
"Suppose there is a fearful region, five hundred yojanas [in extent], through which lies a perilous and difficult road, far from the abodes of men. [Suppose] there is a large company wishing to pass along that road to the Place of Jewels, and they have a guide, wise and astute, who knows well the perilous road, where it is open and where closed, and who leads the company that wish to cross this arduous [region]. [Suppose] the company he leads become tired on the way and say to the leader: 'We are utterly exhausted and moreover afraid and cannot go any farther; the road before us stretches far; let us turn back.' The leader, [a man] of much tact, reflects thus:
'These [people] are to be pitied. How can they give up such great treasure and want to turn back?' Reflecting thus, by a device, in the midst of the perilous road, he mystically makes a city over three hundred yojanas in extent and says to the company: 'Do not fear, and do not turn back. Here is this great city in which you may rest and follow your own desires. If you enter this city, you will speedily be at rest; and if you [then] are able to go forward to the Place of Jewels, you proceed.'
"Thereupon the exhausted company greatly rejoice in their minds and praise [their] unexampled [fortune]: 'Now indeed we escape this evil way; let us speedily be at ease.' Then the company proceed into the magic city, imagining they have arrived at their destination, and are settled in comfort. When the leader perceives that the company are rested and are no longer fatigued, he makes the magic city disappear, and says to the company: 'Come along, all of you, the Place of Jewels is at hand. I [only] created this past large city for you to rest in.'
"Bhikshus! So is it with the Tathagata. At present he is your great leader acquainted with all the distresses, the evils, the perils, and the long-continued [processes of] mortality, from which you must be rid and removed. If living beings only hear of One Buddha-vehicle, they will not desire to see the Buddha nor wish to approach him, but think thus: 'The Buddha-way is long and far; only after the long suffering of arduous labor can the end be reached.' The Buddha, knowing that their minds are feeble and low, by his tact, when they are on the way, to give them rest, preaches the two [stages] of nirvana.10 If [those] beings dwell in [these] two stages, then the Tathagata proceeds to tell them: 'You have not yet accomplished your task. The place where you are dwelling is near the Buddha-wisdom.
Take note and ponder that the nirvana which you have attained is not the real [one]! It is only that the Tathagata, through his tactfulness, in the One Buddha-vehicle discriminates and speaks of three.' It is just as when that leader, in order to give rest [to his company], magically makes a great city and after they are rested informs them, saying: 'The Place of Jewels is at hand; this city is not real, but only my magic production.'"
At that time the World-honored One, desiring to proclaim this teaching over again, spoke thus in verse:
"The Buddha Universal Surpassing Wisdom
For ten kalpas sat on the wisdom throne,
The Buddha-law still unrevealed,
Still unaccomplished the Buddha-way.
Heavenly gods and dragon kings,
Asuras and other beings
Constantly rained celestial flowers
To pay homage to that buddha.
The gods beat their celestial drums
And made all kinds of music.
Fragrant breezes sweep away the faded flowers,
While raining others of fresh beauty.
When ten minor kalpas had passed,
Then he accomplished the Buddha-way.
Gods and men in the world
All were ecstatic in mind.
The sixteen sons of that buddha,
All with their followers,
Thousands of myriads of kotis around them,
All went to the buddha,
Bending low at the buddha's feet,
They begged him to roll the Law-wheel:
'Holy Lion! With rain of the Law,
Fill us and all others!'
Hard it is to meet a world-honored one;
He appears but once in long ages,
And [then] to awaken the living
He shakes all things.
In the worlds of the eastern quarter,
Five hundred myriad kotis of domains,
Brahma palaces shone with light
Such as never was before.
All the Brahmas, seeing this sign,
Sought till they reached the buddha.
They honored him, strewing flowers,
And offered him their palaces,
Entreating him to roll the Law-wheel
And extolling him in verse.
The buddha, knowing the time had not yet come,
Received their entreaty but sat in silence.
From three [other] quarters11 and four directions,12
The zenith and the nadir [they] likewise [came],
Strewing flowers, offering their palaces,
And begging the buddha to roll the Law-wheel:
'Hard it is to meet a world-honored one;
Be pleased, in thy great13 compassion,
Widely to open the gates of the sweet dew
And roll the supreme Law-wheel!'
The world-honored one of infinite wisdom,
Receiving the entreaty of that throng,
Proclaimed for them the various laws of
The Four Noble Truths and Twelve Causes:
'Ignorance on to age and death,
All exist because of birth.
All such distresses as these,
All of you must know.'
While this law was being proclaimed,
Six hundred myriad kotis of nayutas
[Of beings] ended all their distresses,
All becoming arhats.
The second time he preached the Law
Thousands of myriads, as the sands of the Ganges,
Not following ordinary methods,
Also became arhats.
From that time forth the Way-attainers
Were incalculable in number;
To count them for myriads of kotis of kalpas
Would not reach their end.
Then the sixteen royal sons
Who left home as shramaneras
Unitedly entreated the buddha:
'Proclaim the Law of the Great-vehicle!
We and our companies of followers
Would all accomplish the Buddha-way.
We would be like the World-honored One,
With wise and perfectly pure eyes.'
The Buddha, knowing his sons' mind
And the doings of their former lives,
By countless reasonings
And various parables
Preached the Six Paramitas
And the supernatural things,
Discriminated the real Law of
The way bodhisattvas walk,
And preached this Law-Flower Sutra
In verses [numerous] as the sands of the Ganges.
When the buddha had preached the sutra,
In a quiet room he entered meditation;
With concentrated mind he sat in one place
For eighty-four thousand kalpas.
All those shramaneras,
Perceiving he would not yet emerge from meditation,
To infinite kotis of beings
Expounded the buddha's wisdom,
Each sitting on a Law throne,
Preaching this Great-vehicle sutra;
And, after the buddha's rest,
Proclaimed and aided his teaching of the Law.
The number of living saved by
Each of those shramaneras was
Six hundred myriad kotis of beings,
As [many as] the sands of the Ganges.
After that buddha was extinct,
Those hearers of the Law,
In every one of the Buddha-lands,
Were [re]born along with their teachers.14
These sixteen shramaneras,
Perfectly practicing the Buddha-way,
Now dwell in the ten directions,
Each having attained Perfect Enlightenment.
Those who then heard the Law
All dwell with the buddhas.
Those who [still] remain shravakas
Are gradually taught in the Buddha-way.
I was amongst the sixteen
And formerly preached to you.
Therefore, by my tactfulness,
I lead you on to Buddha-wisdom.
Because of this former connection,
I now preach the Law-Flower Sutra
To cause you to enter the Buddha-way.
Be careful not to harbor fear!
Suppose there be a perilous way,
Cut off and full of venomous beasts,
Without either water or grass,
A region of terror to men.
An innumerable multitude, thousands of myriads,
Wish to pass along this perilous way,
A road indeed far-reaching,
Through five hundred yojanas.
Then appears a leader
Of strong sense and wise,
Clear-headed and of resolute mind,
Who in peril saves from all danger.
[But] those people all become exhausted
And speak to the leader, saying:
'We now are weary and worn
And want to turn back from here.'
The leader reflects [thus]:
'These fellows are much to be pitied.
How can they want to turn back
And miss such great treasure?'
At that instant he thinks of a device:
'Let me exert supernatural power
And make a great magic city
Splendidly adorned with houses,
Surrounded with gardens and groves,
Streamlets and bathing pools,
Massive gates and lofty towers,
Full of both men and women.'
Having made this transformation,
He pacifies them, saying: 'Do not fear!
Enter all of you into this city,
And let each enjoy himself at will.'
When those people had entered the city,
Their hearts were full of joy;
All thought [only] of rest and ease
And considered they had been saved.
When the leader knew they were rested,
He assembled and addressed them, saying:
'Let all of you push forward!
This was only an illusory city.
Seeing you all worn out
And wanting to turn back midway,
I therefore by a device
Temporarily made this city.
Do you now diligently advance
Together to the Place of Jewels.'
I, too, in like manner,
Am the leader of all [beings].
Seeing the seekers of the Way
Midway becoming wearied
And unable to cross the perilous ways
Of mortality and earthly cares,
So I by my tactful powers
For their relief preached nirvana, saying:
'Your sufferings are ended;
You have finished your work.'
When I knew you had reached nirvana
And all become arhats,
Then I gathered you all together
And preached to you the real Law.
Buddhas by their tactful powers
Separately preach the three vehicles;
[But] there is only the One Buddha-vehicle;
It is for the resting-place that two are preached.15
Now I preach to you the truth;
What you have reached is not the [real] extinction.
For the sake of [obtaining] the Buddha's perfect knowledge,
Exert yourselves with the utmost zeal!
[When] you have proved the perfect knowledge,
The ten powers, and so on of the Buddha-laws,
And perfected the thirty-two signs,
Then that is real extinction.
The buddhas, the leaders,
For the sake of giving rest call it nirvana,
But perceiving this rest [should be] ended,
They lead them [on] into Buddha-wisdom."
HERE ENDS
THE THIRD FASCICLE
