The Sanskrit Epics, page 936
38. ‘The organism which is sometimes called samgñâ or samdarsana, springs from this; and from this arises the six organs of the senses, including mind.
39. ‘The association of the six organs with their objects is called “contact;” and the consciousness of these different contacts is called “sensation;”
40. ‘By this is produced thirst, which is the desire of being troubled by worldly objects; “attachment to continued existence,” arising from this, sets itself in action towards pleasure and the rest;
41. ‘From attachment springs continued existence, which is sensual, possessing form, or formless; and from existence arises birth through a returning to various wombs.
42. ‘On birth is dependent the series of old age, death, sorrow and the like; by putting a stop to ignorance and what follows from it, all these successively surcease.
43. ‘This is the chain of causation, having many turns, and whose sphere of action is created by ignorance, — this is to be meditated upon by you who enjoy the calm of dwelling tranquilly in lonely woods; ‘He who knows it thoroughly reaches at last to absolute tenuity; and having become thus attenuated he becomes blissfully extinct.
44. ‘When you have thus learned this, in order to be freed from the bond of existence, you must cut down with all your efforts the root of pain, ignorance.
45. ‘Then, being set free from the bonds of the prison-house of existence, as Arhats, possessing natures perfectly pure, you shall attain Nirvâna.’
46. Having heard this lesson preached by the chief of saints, all the mendicants comprehended the course and the cessation of embodied existence.
47. As these five ascetics listened to his words, their intellectual eye was purified for the attainment of perfect wisdom:
48. The eye of dharma was purified in six hundred millions of gods, and the eye of wisdom in eight hundred millions of Brahmans.
49. The eye of dharma was purified in eighty thousand men, and even in all beings an ardour for the Law was made visible.
50. Everywhere all kinds of evil became tranquillised, and on every side an ardour for all that helps on the good Law manifested itself.
51. In the heavens everywhere the heavenly beings with troops of Apsarases uttered forth great shouts, Even so, O noble being of boundless energy!’
52. Then Maitreya addressed the holy one, ‘O great mendicant, in what form has the wheel been turned by thee?’
53. Having heard this question asked by the great-souled Maitreya, the holy one looked at him and thus addressed him:
54. ‘The profound subtil wheel of the Law, so hard to be seen, has been turned by me, into which the disputatious Tîrthikas cannot penetrate.
55. ‘The wheel of the Law has been turned, which has no extension, no origin, no birth, no home, isolated, and free from matter;
56. ‘Having many divisions, and not being without divisions, having no cause, and susceptible of no definition, — that wheel, which is described as possessing perfect equilibrium, has been proclaimed by the Buddha.
57. ‘Everything subject to successive causation is like a delusion, a mirage, or a dream like the moon seen in water or an echo, — it lies stretched out on the surface, not to be extirpated, but not eternal.
58. ‘The wheel of the Law has been described as that in which all false doctrines are extirpated; it is always like the pure ether, involving no doubts, ever bright.
59. ‘The wheel of the Law is described as without end or middle, existing apart from “it is” or “it is not,” separated from soul or soullessness.
60. ‘The wheel of the Law has been here set forth, with a description according to its real nature, — as it has a limit and as it has not a limit, in its actual quantity and quality.
61. ‘The wheel of the Law has been here set forth, described as possessing unique attributes, apart from the power of the eye and so too as regards the sense of hearing or smell;
62. ‘Apart from the tongue, the touch, or the mind, — without soul or exertion; ‘Such is this wheel of the Law which has been turned by me;
63. ‘He makes wise all the ignorant, — therefore is he called the Buddha; this knowledge of the laws of reality has been ascertained by me of myself,
64. ‘Apart from all teaching by another, therefore is he called the self-existent, — having, all laws under his control, therefore is he called the lord of Law.
65. ‘He knows what is right (naya) and wrong (anaya) in laws, therefore is he called Nâyaka; he teaches unnumbered beings as they become fit to be taught.
66. ‘He has reached the furthest limit of instruction, therefore is he called Vinâyaka, from his pointing out the best of good paths to beings who have lost their way.
67. ‘He has reached the furthest limit of good teaching, he is the guide to all the Law, — attracting all beings by his knowledge of all the means of conciliation;
68. ‘He has passed through the forest of mundane existence, therefore is he called the Leader of the Caravan; the absolute ruler over all law, therefore he is the Gina, the lord of Law.
69. ‘From his turning the wheel of the Law he is the lord of all the sovereigns of Law; the master-giver of the Law, the teacher, the master of the Law, the lord of the world;
70. ‘He who has offered the sacrifice, accomplished his end, fulfilled his hope, achieved his success, the consoler, the loving regarder, the hero, the champion, the victorious one in conflict;
71. ‘He has come out from all conflict, released himself and the releaser of all, — he is become the light of the world, the illuminator of the knowledge of true wisdom;
72. ‘The dispeller of the darkness of ignorance, the illuminer of the great torch, the great physician, the great seer, the healer of all evils,
73. ‘The extractor of the barb of evil from all those who are wounded by evil, — he who is possessed of all distinctive marks and adorned with all signs,
74. ‘With his body and limbs every way perfect, of pure conduct and perfectly clear mind, possessed of the ten powers, having great fortitude, learned with all learning,
75. ‘Endowed with all the independent states, he who has attained the great Yâna, the lord of all Dharma, the ruler, the monarch of all worlds, the sovereign,
76. ‘The lord of all wisdom, the wise, the destroyer of the pride of all disputers, the omniscient, the Arhat, possessed of the perfect knowledge, the great Buddha, the lord of saints;
77. ‘The victorious triumphant overthrower of the insolence and pride of the evil Mâra, the perfect Buddha, the Sugata, the wise one, he who brings the desired end to all beings,
78. ‘Ever cognisant of past acts, never speaking falsely, a mine of perfect excellence and of all good qualities, the destroyer of all evil ways, the guide in all good ways,
79. ‘The ruler of the world, the bearer of the world, the master of the world, the sovereign of the world, the teacher of the world, the preceptor of the world, he who brings to the world the Law, virtue, and its true end,
80. ‘The fount of an ambrosia which quenches the scorching of the flame of all pain, and the powerful luminary which dries up the great ocean of all pain,
81. ‘He who brings all virtue and all true wealth, the possessor of perfect excellence and all good qualities, the guide on the road of wisdom, he who shows the way to Nirvâna,
82. ‘The Tathâgata, without stain, without attachment, without uncertainty. — This is the compendious declaration in the turning of the wheel of the Law.
83. ‘A concise manifestation of a Tathâgata’s qualities is now declared by me; for a Buddha’s knowledge is endless, unlimited like the ether;
84. ‘A narrator might spend a Kalpa, but the virtues of the Buddha would not come to an end, — thus by me has the multitude of the virtues of the Buddha been described.
85. ‘Having heard this and welcomed it with joy go on ever in happiness; this, Sirs, is the Mahâyâna, the instrument of the Law of the perfect Buddha, which is the establisher of the welfare of all beings, set forth by all the Buddhas.
86. ‘In order that this methodical arrangement of the Law may be always spread abroad, do you yourselves always proclaim it and hand it on.
87. ‘Whosoever, Sirs, hears, sees, and welcomes with joy this methodical arrangement of the Law, which is a mine of happiness and prosperity, and honours it with folded hands,
88. ‘Shall attain pre-eminent strength with a glorious form and limbs, and a retinue of the holy, and an intelligence of the highest reach,
89. ‘And the happiness of perfect contemplation, with a deep calm of uninterrupted bliss, with his senses in their highest perfection, and illuminated by unclouded knowledge.
90. ‘He shall assuredly attain these eight preeminent perfections, who hears and sees this Law with a serene soul and worships it with folded hands.
91. ‘Whosoever in the midst of the assembly shall gladly offer a pulpit to the high-minded teacher of the great Law,
92. ‘That virtuous man shall assuredly attain the seat of the most excellent, and also the seat of a householder, and the throne of a universal monarch;
93. ‘He shall also attain the throne of one of the guardian-spirits of the world, and also the firm throne of Sakra, and also the throne of the Vasavartinah gods, aye, and the supreme throne of Brahman;
94. ‘And also with the permission of the Bodhisattva who is seated on the Bodhi throne he shall obtain the throne of a teacher of the good Law who has risen to perfect knowledge.
95. ‘These eight seats shall the pure-souled one attain who offers joyfully a seat to him who proclaims the Law.
96. ‘Whosoever with a believing heart, after examination, shall utter applause to the pious man who proclaims this carefully arranged Law;
97. ‘Shall become a truthful and pure speaker, and one whose words are to be accepted, — one whose utterances are welcome and delightful, whose voice is sweet and gentle;
98. ‘Having a voice like a Kalavinka bird, with a deep and sweet tone, having also a pure voice like Brahman’s, and a loud voice with a lion’s sound.
99. ‘He as an all-wise and truthful speaker shall obtain these eight excellences of speech, who utters applause to one who proclaims the good Law.
100. ‘And whosoever, after writing this method of the Law in a book, shall set it in his house and always worship it and honour it with all reverential observances,
101. ‘And uttering its praises shall hand the doctrine onward on every side, he, the very pious man, shall obtain a most excellent treasure of memory,
102. ‘And a treasure of insight, and a treasure of prudence, and a treasure of good spells, and a treasure full of intelligence,
103. ‘And a treasure of the highest wisdom, and the most excellent treasure of the Law, and a treasure of knowledge, the means to attain the excellences of the good Law, —
104. ‘These eight treasures shall that high-minded man attain who joyfully writes this down and sets it in a sure place and always worships it.
105. ‘And he who, himself holding this method of the Law in his mind, sets it going around him, shall obtain a complete supply for liberality for the good of the world,
106. ‘Next, a complete supply of virtuous dispositions, a most excellent supply of sacred knowledge, a supply of perfect calmness, and that which is called spiritual insight,
107. A supply of the merit caused by the good Law, a most excellent supply of knowledge, a supply of boundless compassion, which is the means to attain the virtues of the perfect Buddha.
108. ‘He, full of joy, shall obtain these eight supplies who himself holds this method of the Law in his mind and sets it going abroad.
109. ‘And he who shall declare this method of the Law to others, shall have himself purified by great merit and shall be prosperous and possessed of supernatural powers.
110. ‘He shall become a universal monarch, a king of kings, and even a ruler among the guardians of the world, an Indra ruler of the gods, and even the ruler of the Yâma heaven,
111. ‘Yea, the ruler of the Tushita heaven, and the ruler of the Sunirmitâh, and the king of the Vasavartinah, and the lord of the Brahmaloka;
112. ‘Yea, Mahâbrahman, the highest of Sages, and in the end he shall even become a Buddha, — he, possessing a thoroughly pure intelligence, shall obtain these eight sublime rewards of merit.
113. ‘And he who, thoroughly intent, with a believing heart, and filled with faith and devotion, shall hear this method of the Law as it is preached,
114. ‘He shall have his intellect made perfectly pure, his mind calmed with boundless charity, and his soul happy with boundless compassion, and he shall be filled with boundless joy;
115. ‘His soul constantly calm with universal indifference, rejoicing in the four contemplations, having reached the ecstatic state of absolute indifference, and with his senses abolished,
116. ‘With the five transcendent faculties attained, and destroying the aggregate of latent impressions, he, endowed with supernatural powers, will attain the samadhi called Sûramgama.
117. ‘He, having his soul pure, will attain these eight forms of absolute spotlessness; yea, wherever this method of the Law will prevail universally,
118. ‘There will be no fear of any disturbance in the kingdom, no fear of evil-minded thieves, nor fear of evil beasts;
119. ‘There will be no fear of plagues, famines, or wildernesses; and no alarm shall spread, caused by quarrel or war;
120. ‘There shall be no fear from the gods nor from Nâgas, Yakshas, and the like, nor shall there be anywhere any fear of any misfortune.
121. ‘These eight fears shall not be found there where this Law extends; it is all briefly explained, my friends, — all that arises from holding it stedfastly.
122. ‘A yet higher and most excellent merit is declared by all the Buddhas, even although all living beings were to practise complete self-restraint.
123. ‘Let a man worship the Buddhas, honouring them always with faith; from that comes this preeminent merit, as is declared by the Ginas.
124. ‘And whosoever joyfully worships a Pratyeka-Buddha, they shall become themselves Pratyeka-Buddhas; therefore let every one worship them.
125. ‘There is pre-eminent merit from the worship of one Bodhisattva, and they shall all themselves become Bodhisattvas, let every one worship them;
126. ‘Therefore there is pre-eminent merit from the worship of one Buddha, — they shall all themselves become Ginas, let every one devoutly worship them; and he too shall obtain this pre-eminent merit who hears this or causes others to hear it.
127. ‘And whosoever in days when the good Law is abolished abandons love for his own body and life and proclaims day and night these good words, — pre-eminent is his merit from this.
128. ‘He who wishes to worship constantly the lords of saints, the Pratyeka-Buddhas and the Arhats, let him resolutely produce in his mind the idea of true wisdom and proclaim these good words and the Law.
129. ‘This jewel of all good doctrines, which is uttered by the Buddhas for the good of all beings, — even one who lives in a house will be a Tathâgata for it, where this good doctrine prevails.
130. ‘He obtains a glorious and endless splendour who teaches even one word thereof; he will not miss one consonant nor the meaning who gives this Sûtra to others.
131. ‘He is the best of all guides of men, no other being is like unto him; he is like a jewel, of imperishable glory, who hears this Law with a pure heart.
132. ‘Therefore let those who are endowed with lofty ambitions, always hear this Law which causes transcendent merit; let them hear it and gladly welcome it and lay it up in their minds and continually worship the three jewels with faith.’
BOOK XVII.
1. WHEN THE heavenly beings with Brahman at their head and the Bodhisattvas intent on self-mortification heard this glorification of the Law uttered by the lion of the Sâkyas, they were desirous to hear again this which is so difficult to find, and they went to the city and worshipped him, propitiating his favour; in the dark fortnight of the month shadha on the lunar day sacred to Agni, with the moon in the constellation called Karna (?) and on an auspicious day, — he, remembering the Buddha worlds and being desirous to save all creatures, set off on his journey, longing for disciples with his father at their head.]
2. The associated Brâmans, accompanied by the inhabitants of Kâsî who had gone to the Deer Park, and the mendicants to the number of thirty, were rendered resplendent by the chief of saints; Kâsîkâ the harlot of Kâsî went to the heaven of the gods, after she had worshipped the Gina and attached her sons to the service of the glorious one; the conqueror of the world then made thirty rejoicing officiating priests of Kâsî his disciples, initiating them in the course of perfect wisdom; and the son of Maitrâyanî and Maitra, the preceptor of hosts of the twice-born, named Pûrna, obtained true wisdom from the chief of saints and became a noble mendicant.
3. The priest of the lord of the city Mârakata, a Brâhman named Agaya, and his son Nâlaka, well versed in sacred learning and full of answers to questions, and an ascetic named Dhriti, dwelling in the Vindhya, and an invincible Brâhman ascetic Samgayin with his disciples, — these all, dwellers in the Vindhya, — when they came to him for refuge, the chief of saints initiated as mendicants, touching them with his hand bearing the mark of a wheel; moreover the Nâga Elapatra came to the abode of the best of saints, and stood resplendent there, perfectly calm in his demeanour and worshipping him with his rosaries.
4. There was also a female ascetic of Mathurâ named Trikavyamgikâ, and a Brâhman named Vidyâkara, — their son was named Sabhya, a dweller in the district called Svetabâlârka, a wise ascetic, proud of his wisdom, — he went into the Deer Park, wearing the aspect of one perfectly illumined, and desiring the highest wisdom from the chief of mendicants; seeking from the omniscient admission to the noble life, he became renowned as the mendicant Sabhya in all assemblies.
