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The Lotus Sutra
Translated by Burton Watson
- Chapter One
- Introduction
This is what I heard:
At one time the Buddha was in Rajagriha, staying on Mount Gridhrakuta.
Accompanying him were a multitude of leading monks numbering twelve thousand persons. All
were arhats whose outflows had come to an end, who had no more earthly desires, who had
attained what was to their advantage and had put an end to the bonds of existence, and
whose minds had achieved a state of freedom.
Their names were Ajnata Kaundinya, Mahakashyapa, Uruvilvakashyapa,
Gayakashyapa, Nadikashyapa, Shariputra, Great Maudgaly~yana, Mahakatyayana, Aniruddha,
Kapphina, Gavampati, Revata, Pilindavatsa, Bakkula, Mahakaushthila, Nanda, Sundarananda,
Purna Maitrayaniputra, Subhuti, Ananda, and Rahula. All were like these, great Arhats who
were well known to others.
There were also two thousand persons, some of whom were still learning
and some who had completed their learning.
There was the nun Mahaprajapati with her six thousand followers. And
there was Rahula's mother, the nun Yashodhara, with her followers.
There were bodhisattvas and mahasattvas, eighty thousand of them, none
of them ever regressing in their search for anuttara-samyaksambodhi. All had gained
dharanis, delighted in preaching, were eloquent, and turned the wheel of the Law that
knows no regression. They had made offerings to immeasurable hundreds and thousands of
Buddhas, in the presence of various Buddhas had planted numerous roots of virtue, had been
constantly praised by the Buddhas, had trained themselves in compassion, were good at
entering the Buddha wisdom, and had fully penetrated the great wisdom and reached the
farther shore. Their fame had spread throughout immeasurable worlds and they were able to
save countless hundreds of thousands of living beings.
Their names were Bodhisattva Manjushri, Bodhisattva Perceiver of the
World's Sounds, Bodhisattva Gainer of Great Authority, Bodhisattva Constant Exertion,
Bodhisattva Never Resting, Bodhisattva Jeweled Palm, Bodhisattva Medicine King,
Bodhisattva Brave Donor, Bodhisattva Jeweled Moon, Bodhisattva Moonlight, Bodhisattva Full
Moon, Bodhisattva Great Strength, Bodhisattva Immeasurable Strength, Bodhisattva
Transcending the Threefold World, Bodhisattva Bhadrapala, Bodhisattva Maitreya,
Bodhisattva Jeweled Accumulation, and Bodhisattva Guiding Leader. Bodhisattvas and
mahasattvas such as these numbering eighty thousand were in attendance.
At that time Shakra Devanam Indra with his followers, twenty thousand
sons of gods, also attended. There were also the sons of gods Rare Moon, Pervading
Fragrance, Jeweled Glow, and the Four Great Heavenly Kings, along with their followers,
ten thousand sons of gods.
Present were the sons of gods Freedom and Great Freedom and their
followers, thirty thousand sons of gods, Present were King Brahma, lord of the saha world,
the great Brahma Shikhin, and the great Brahma Light Bright, and their followers, twelve
thousand sons of gods.
There were eight dragon kings, the dragon king Nanda, the dragon king
Upananda, the dragon king Sagara, the dragon king Vasuki, the dragon king Takshaka, the
dragon king Anavatapta, the dragon king Manasvin, the dragon king Utpalaka, each with
several hundreds of thousands of followers.
There were four kimnara kings, the kimnara king Great Law, and the
kimnara king Upholding the Law, each with several hundreds of thousands of followers.
There were four gandharva kings, and gandharva king Pleasant, the
gandharva king Pleasant Sound, the gandharva Beautiful Sound, each with several hundreds
of thousands of followers.
There were four asura kings, the asura king Balin, the asura king
Kharaskandha, the asura king Vemachitrin, and the asura king Rahu, each with several
hundreds of thousands of followers.
There were four garuda kings, the garuda king Great Majesty, the garuda
king Great Body, the garuda king Great Fullness, and the garuda king As One Wishes, each
with several hundreds of thousands of followers. And there was King Ajatashatru, the son
of Vaidehi, with several hundreds of thousands of followers.
Each of these, after bowing in obeisance before the Buddha's feet,
withdrew and took a seat to one side.
At that time the World-Honored One, surrounded by the four kinds of
believers, received offerings and tokens of respect and was honored and praised. And for
the sake of the bodhisattvas he preached the Great Vehicle sutra entitle Immeasurable
Meanings, a Law to instruct the bodhisattvas, one that is guarded and kept in mind by the
Buddhas.
When the Buddha had finished preaching this Sutra, he sat with his legs
crossed in lotus position and entered into the samadhi of the place of immeasurable
meanings, his body and mind never moving. At that time heaven rained down mandarava
flowers, great mandarava flowers, manjushaka flowers, and great manjushaka flowers,
scattering them over the Buddha and over the great assembly, and everywhere the Buddha
world quaked and trembled in six different ways.
At that time the monks, nuns, laymen, laywomen, heavenly beings,
dragons, yakshas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kimnaras, mahoragas, human and nonhuman
beings in the assembly, as well as the petty kings and wheel-turning sage kings - all
those in the great assembly, having gained what they had never had before, were filled
with joy and, pressing their palms together, gazed at the Buddha with a single mind.
At that time the Buddha emitted a ray of light from the tuft of white
hair between his eyebrows, one of his characteristic features, lighting up eighteen
thousand worlds in the eastern direction. There was no place that the light did not
penetrate, reaching downward as far as the Avichi hell and upward to the Akanishtha
heaven.
From this world one could see the living beings in the six paths of
existence in all of those other lands. One could likewise see the Buddhas present at that
time in those other lands and could hear the sutra teachings which those Buddhas were
expounding. At the same time one could see the monks, nuns laymen, and laywomen who had
carried out religious practices and attained the way. One could also see the bodhisattvas
and mahasattvas who, through various causes and conditions and various types of faith and
understanding and in various forms and aspects were carrying out the way of the
bodhisattva. And one could also see the Buddhas who had entered parinirvana, towers
adorned with the seven treasures were erected for the Buddha relics.
At that time the Bodhisattva Maitreya had this thought: Now the
World-Honored One has manifested these miraculous signs. But what is the cause of these
auspicious portents? Now the Buddha, the World Honored One, has entered into samadhi. An
unfathomable event such as this is seldom to be met with. Whom shall I question about
this? Who can give me an answer?
And again he had this thought: this Manjushri, son of a Dharma King,
has already personally attended and given offerings to immeasurable numbers of Buddhas in
the past. Surely he must see these rare signs. I will now question him.
At this time the monks, nuns, laymen and laywomen, as well as the
heavenly beings, dragons, spirits, and the others all had this thought: this beam of
brightness from the Buddha, these signs of transcendental powers - now whom shall we
question about them?
At that time Bodhisattva Maitreya wished to settle his doubts
concerning the matter. And in addition he could see what was in the minds of the four
kinds of believers, the monks, nuns, laymen and laywomen, as well as the heavenly beings,
dragons, spirits and the others who made up the assembly. So he questioned Manjushri,
saying, "What is the cause of these auspicious portents, these signs of
transcendental powers, this emitting of a great beam of brightness that illumines the
eighteen thousand lands in the eastern direction so we can see all the adornments of the
Buddha worlds there?"
Then Bodhisattva Maitreya, wishing to state his meaning once more,
asked the question in verse form:
Manjushri,
Why from the white tuft between the eyebrows
of our leader and teacher
does this great light shine all around?
Why do mandarava
and manjushaka flowers rain down
and breezes scented with sandalwood
delight the hearts of the assembly?
Because of these
the earth is everywhere adorned and purified
and this world
quakes and trembles in six different ways.
At this time the four kinds of believers
are all filled with joy and delight,
they rejoice in body and mind,
having gained what they never had before.
The beam of brightness from between the eyebrows
illumines the eastern direction
and eighteen thousand lands
are all the color of gold.
From the Avichi hell
upward to the Summit of Being,
throughout the various worlds
the living beings in the six paths,
the realm to which their births and deaths are tending,
their good and bad deeds,
and the pleasing or ugly recompense they receive -
all these can be seen from here.
We can also see Buddhas,
those sage lords, lions,
expounding and preaching sutras
that are subtle, wonderful and foremost.
Their voices are clear and pure,
issuing in soft and gentle sounds,
as they teach bodhisattvas
in numberless millions.
Their Brahma sounds are profound and wonderful,
making people delight in hearing them.
Each in his own world
preaches the correct Law,
following various causes and conditions
and employing immeasurable similes,
illuminating the Law of the Buddha,
guiding living beings to enlightenment.
If a person should encounter troubles,
loathing old age, sickness and death,
the Buddhas preach to him on nirvana,
explaining how he may put an end to all troubles.
If a person should have good fortune,
having in the past made offerings to the Buddhas,
determined to seek a superior Law,
the Buddhas preach the way of the pratyekabuddha.
If there should be Buddha sons
who carry out various religious practices,
seeking to attain the unsurpassed wisdom,
the Buddhas preach the way of purity.
Manjushri,
I have been dwelling here,
seeing and hearing in this manner
many things numbering in the thousands of millions.
Numerous as they are,
I will now speak of them in brief.
I see in these lands
bodhisattvas numerous as Ganges sands,
according with various causes and conditions
and seeking the way of the Buddha.
Some of them give alms,
gold, silver, coral,
pears, mani jewels,
seashell, agate,
diamonds and other rarities,
men and women servants, carriages,
jeweled hand carriages and palanquins,
gladly presenting these donations.
Such gifts they give to the Buddha way,
desiring to achieve the vehicle
that is foremost in the threefold world
and praised by the Buddhas.
There are some bodhisattvas
who give jeweled carriages drawn by teams of four,
with railings and flowered canopies
adorning their top and sides.
Again I see bodhisattvas
who give their own flesh, hands and feet,
or their wives and children,
seeking the unsurpassed way.
I also see bodhisattvas
who happily give
heads, eyes, bodies and limbs
in their search for the Buddha wisdom.
Manjushri,
I see kings
going to visit the place of the Buddha
to ask him about the unsurpassed way.
They put aside their happy lands,
their palaces, their men and women attendants,
shave their hair and beard
and don the clothes of the Dharma.
Or I see bodhisattvas
who become monks,
living alone in quietude,
delighting in chanting the sutras.
Again I see bodhisattvas
bravely and vigorously exerting themselves,
entering the deep mountains,
their thoughts on the Buddha way.
And I see them removing themselves from desire,
constantly dwelling in emptiness and stillness,
advancing deep into the practice of mediation
until they have gained the five transcendental powers.
And I see bodhisattvas
resting in meditation, palms pressed together,
with a thousand, ten thousand verses
praising the king of the doctrines.
Again I see bodhisattvas,
profound in wisdom, firm in purpose,
who know how to question the Buddhas
and accept and abide by all they hear.
I see Buddha sons
proficient in both meditation and wisdom,
who use immeasurable numbers of similes
to expound the Law to the assembly,
delighting in preaching the Law,
converting the bodhisattvas,
defeating the legions of the devil
and beating the Dharma drum.
And I see bodhisattvas
profoundly still and silent,
honored by heavenly beings and dragons
but not counting that a joy.
And I see bodhisattvas
living in forests, emitting light,
saving those who suffer in hell,
causing them to enter the Buddha way.
And I see Buddha sons
who have never once slept,
who keep circling through the forest
diligently seeking the Buddha way.
And I see those who observe the precepts,
no flaw in their conduct,
pure as jewels and gems,
and in that manner seeking the Buddha way.
And I see Buddha sons
abiding in the strength of fortitude,
taking the abuse and blows
of persons of overbearing arrogance,
willing to suffer all these,
and in that manner seeking the Buddha way.
I see bodhisattvas
removing themselves form frivolity and laughter
and from foolish companions,
befriending persons of wisdom,
unifying their minds, dispelling confusion,
ordering their thoughts in mountain and forest
for a million, a thousand, ten thousand years
in that manner seeking the Buddha way.
Or I see bodhisattvas
with delicious things to eat and drink
and a hundred kinds of medicinal potions,
offering them to the Buddha and his monks;
fine robes and superior garments
costing in the thousands or ten thousands,
or robes that are beyond cast,
offering them to the Buddha and his monks;
a thousand, ten thousand, a million kinds
of jeweled dwellings made of sandalwood
and numerous wonderful articles of bedding,
offering them to the Buddha and his monks;
immaculate gardens and groves
where flowers and fruit abound,
flowing springs and bathing pools,
offering them to the Buddha and his monks;
offerings of this kind,
or many different wonderful varieties
presented gladly and without regret
as they seek the unsurpassed way.
Or there are bodhisattvas
who expound the Law of tranquil extinction,
giving different types of instruction
to numberless living beings.
Or I see bodhisattvas
viewing the nature of all phenomena
as having no dual characteristics,
as being like empty space.
And I see Buddha sons
whose minds have no attachments,
who use this wonderful wisdom
to seek the unsurpassed way.
Manjushri,
there are also bodhisattvas
who after the Buddha has passed into extinction
make offerings to his relics.
I see Buddha sons
building memorial towers
as numberless as Ganges sands,
ornamenting each land with them,
jeweled towers lofty and wonderful,
five thousand yojanas high,
their width and depth
exactly two thousand yojanas,
each of these memorial towers
with its thousand banners and streamers,
with curtains laced with gems like dewdrops
and jeweled bells chiming harmoniously.
There heavenly beings, dragons, spirits,
human and nonhuman beings,
with incense, flowers and music
constantly making offerings.
Manjushri,
these Buddha sons
in order to make offerings to the relics
adorn the memorial towers
so that each land, just as it is,
is as outstandingly wonderful and lovely
as the heavenly king of trees
when its flowers open and unfold.
When the Buddha emits a beam of light
I and the other members of the assembly
can see these lands
in all their various outstanding wonders.
The supernatural powers of the Buddhas
and their wisdom are rare indeed;
by emitting one pure beam of light,
the Buddhas illuminate countless lands.
I and the others have seen this,
have gained something never known before.
Buddha son, Manjushri,
I beg you to settle the doubts of the assembly.
The four kinds of believers look up in happy anticipation,
gazing at you and me.
Why does the World-Honored One
emit this beam of brightness?
Buddha son, give a timely answer,
settle these doubts and occasion joy!
What rich benefits will come
from the projecting of this beam of brightness?
It must be that the Buddha wishes to expound
the wonderful Law he gained
when he sat in the place of practice.
He must have prophecies to bestow.
He has showed us Buddha lands
with their adornment and purity of manifold treasures,
and we have seen their Buddhas -
this is not done for petty reasons.
Manjushri, you must know.
The four kinds of believers, the dragons and spirits
gaze at you in surmise,
wondering what explanation you will give.
At that time Manjushri said to the bodhisattva and mahasattva Maitreya
and the other great men: "Good men, I suppose that the Buddha, the World Honored One,
wishes now to expound the great Law, to rain down the rain of the great Law, to blow the
conch of the great Law, to beat the drum of the great Law, to elucidate the meaning of the
great Law. Good men, in the past I have seen this auspicious portent among the Buddhas.
They emitted a beam of light like this, and after that they expounded the great Law.
Therefore we should know that now, when the present Buddha manifests this light, we will
do likewise. He wishes to cause all living beings to hear and understand the Law, which is
difficult for all the world to believe. Therefore he has manifested this auspicious
portent.
"Good men, once, at a time that was an immeasurable, boundless,
inconceivable number of asamkhya kalpas in the past, there was a Buddha named Sun Moon
Bright, Thus Come One, worthy of offerings, of right and universal knowledge, perfect
clarity and conduct, well gone, understanding the world, unexcelled worthy, trainer of
people, teacher of heavenly and human beings, Buddha, World-Honored One, who expounded the
correct Law. His exposition was good at the beginning, good in the middle, good at the
end. The meaning was profound and far-reaching, the words were skillful and wondrous. It
was pure and without alloy, complete, clean and spotless, and bore the marks of Brahma
practice."
"For the sake of those seeking to become voice-hearers he
responded by expounding the Law of the four noble truths, so that they could transcend
birth, old age, sickness and death and attain nirvana. For the sake of those seeking to
become pratyekabuddhas he responded by expounding the Law of the twelve-linked chain of
causation. For the sake of the bodhisattvas he responded by expounding the six paramitas,
causing them to gain anuttara-samyak-sambodhi and to acquire the wisdom that embraces all
species."
"Then there was another Buddha who was also named Sun Moon Bright,
and then another Buddha also named Sun Moon Bright. There were twenty thousand Buddhas
like this, all with the same appellation, all named Sun Moon Bright. And all had the same
surname, the surname Bharadvaja. Maitreya, you should understand that from the first
Buddha to the last, all had the same appellation, all were named Sun Moon Bright. They
were worthy of all the ten epithets and the Law they expounded was good at the beginning,
in the middle, and at the end."
"The last Buddha, when he had not yet left family life, had eight
princely sons. The first was named Having Intention, the second Good Intention, the third
Immeasurable intention, the fourth jeweled intention, the fifth Increased Intention, the
sixth Cleansed of Doubt Intention, the seventh Echoing Intention, and the eighth Law
Intention. Dignity and virtue came easily to them, and each presided over a four-continent
realm."
"When these princes heard that their father had left family life
and had gained anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, they all cast aside their princely positions and
followed him by leaving family life. Conceiving a desire for the Great Vehicle, the
constantly carried out Brahma practices, and all became teachers of the Law. They had
already planted good roots in the company of a thousand, ten thousand Buddhas."
"At that time the Buddha Sun Moon Bright preached the Great
Vehicle sutra entitled Immeasurable Meanings, a Law to instruct the Bodhisattvas, one that
is guarded and kept in mind by the Buddhas. When he had finished preaching the sutra, he
sat cross-legged in the midst of the great assembly and entered into the samadhi of the
place of immeasurable meanings, his body and mind never moving. At this time heaven rained
down mandarava flowers, great mandarava flowers, manjushaka flowers, and great manjushaka
flowers, scattering them over the Buddha and the great assembly, and everywhere the Buddha
world quaked and trembled in six different ways."
"At that time the monks, nuns, laymen and laywomen , heavenly
beings, dragons, yakshas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kimnaras, and mahoragas, the human
and nonhuman beings in the assembly, as well as the petty kings and wheel-turning sage
kings - all those in this great assembly gained what they had never had before and, filled
with joy, pressed their palms together and gazed at the Buddha with a single mind.
"At that time the Thus Come One emitted a ray of light from the
tuft of white hair between his eyebrows, one of his characteristic features, lighting up
eighteen thousand Buddha lands in the eastern direction. There was no place that the light
did not penetrate, just as you have seen it light up these Buddha lands now."
"Maitreya, you should understand this. At that time in the
assembly there were twenty million bodhisattvas who were happy and eager to hear the Law.
When these bodhisattvas saw this beam of light that illuminated the Buddha lands
everywhere, they gained what they had never had before. They wished to know the causes and
conditions that had occasioned this light."
"At that time there was a bodhisattva named Wonderfully Bright who
had eight hundred disciples. At this time the Buddha Sun Moon Bright arose from his
samadhi and, because of the bodhisattva Wonderfully Bright, preached the Great Vehicle
sutra called the Lotus of the Wonderful Law, a Law to instruct the bodhisattvas, one that
is guarded and kept in mind by the Buddhas. For sixty small kalpas the Buddha remained in
his seat without rising, and the listeners in the assembly at that time also remained
seated there for sixty small kalpas, their bodies and minds never moving. And yet it
seemed to them that they had been listening to the Buddha peach for no more than the space
of a meal. At this time in the assembly there was not a single person who in body or mind
had the least feeling of weariness."
"When the Buddha Sun Moon Bright had finished preaching this sutra
over a period of sixty small kalpas, he spoke these words to the Brahmas, devils,
shramanas and Brahmans, as well as to the heavenly and human beings and asuras in the
assembly, saying, 'tonight at midnight the Thus Come One will enter the nirvana of no
remainder."
"At this time there was a bodhisattva named Virtue Storehouse. The
Buddha Sun Moon Bright bestowed a prophecy on him, announcing to the monks, "This
bodhisattva Virtue Storehouse will be the next to become a Buddha. He will be called Pure
Body, tathagata, arhat, samyak-sambuddha."
"After the Buddha had finished bestowing this prophecy, at
midnight he entered the nirvana of no remainder."
"After the Buddha had passed away, Bodhisattva Wonderfully Bright
upheld the Sutra of the Lotus of the Wonderful Law, for a period of fully eighty small
kalpas expounding it for others. The eight sons of the Buddha Sun Moon Bright all
acknowledged Wonderfully Bright as their teacher. Wonderfully Bright taught and converted
them and roused in them a firm determination to gain anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. Those
princely sons gave offerings to immeasurable hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, millions
of Buddhas, and after that all were able to achieve the Buddha way. The last to become a
Buddha was named Burning Torch."
"Among the eight hundred disciples of Wonderfully Bright was one
named Seeker of Fame. He was greedy for gain and support, and though he read and recited
numerous sutras, he could not understand them, but for the most part forgot them. Hence he
was called Seeker of Fame. Because this man had in addition planted various good roots,
however, he was able to encounter immeasurable hundreds, thousands, ten thousands,
millions of Buddhas, to make offerings to them, revere, honor and praise them."
"Maitreya, you should understand this. Bodhisattva Wonderfully
Bright who lived then-could he be known to you? He was no other than I myself. And
Bodhisattva Seeker of Fame was you."
"Now when I see this auspicious portent, it is no different from
what I saw before. Therefore I suppose that now the Thus Come One is about to preach the
Great Vehicle sutra called the Lotus of the Wonderful Law, a Law to instruct the
bodhisattvas, one that is guarded and kept in mind by the Buddhas."
At that time Manjushri, wishing in the presence of the great assembly
to state his meaning once more, spoke in verse form, saying:
I recall that in a past age
immeasurable, innumerable kalpas ago
there was a Buddha, most honored of men,
named Sun Moon Bright.
This World-Honored One expounded the Law,
saving immeasurable living beings
and numberless millions of bodhisattvas,
causing them to enter the Buddha wisdom.
The eight princely sons whom this Buddha sired
before taking leave of family life,
when they saw that the great sage had left his family
did likewise, carrying out brahma practices.
At that time the Buddha preached the Great Vehicle,
a sutra named Immeasurable Meanings,
and in the midst of a great assembly
for the sake of the people established broad distinctions.
When the Buddha had finished preaching this sutra
he sat in the seat of the Law,
sitting cross-legged in the samadhi
called the place of immeasurable meanings.
The heavens rained mandarava flowers,
heavenly drums sounded of themselves,
and the heavenly beings, dragons and spirits
made offerings to the most honored of men.
All the Buddha lands
immediately quaked and trembled greatly.
The Buddha emitted a light from between his eyebrows,
manifesting signs that are rarely seen.
This light illumined the eastern direction,
eighteen thousand Buddha lands,
showing how all the living beings there
were recompensed in birth and death for their past deed.
That one could see how these Buddha lands,
adorned with numerous jewels,
shone with hues of lapis lazuli and crystal
was due to the illumination of the Buddha's light.
One could also see the heavenly and human beings,
dragons, spirits, many yakshas,
gandharvas and kimnaras,
each making offerings to his respective Buddha.
One could also see Thus Come Ones
naturally attaining the Buddha way,
their bodies the color of golden mountains,
upright, imposing, very subtle and wonderful.
It was as though in the midst of pure lapis lazuli
there should appear statues of real gold.
In the midst of the great assembly the World-Honored Ones
expounded the principles of the profound Law.
In one after another of the Buddha lands
the voice-hearers in countless multitudes
through the illumination of the Buddha's light
all became visible with their great assemblies.
There were also monks
residing in the midst of forests,
exerting themselves and keeping the pure precepts
as though they were guarding a bright jewel.
One could also see bodhisattvas
carrying out almsgiving, forbearances, and so forth,
their number like Ganges sands,
due to the illumination of the Buddha's light.
One could also see bodhisattvas
entering deep into meditation practices,
their bodies and minds still and unmoving,
in that manner seeking the unsurpassed way.
One could also see bodhisattvas
who knew that phenomena are marked by tranquility and extinction,
each in his respective land
preaching the Law and seeking the Buddha way.
At that time the four kinds of believers
seeing the Buddha Sun Moon Bright
manifest his great transcendental powers,
all rejoiced in their hearts,
and each one asked his neighbor
what had caused these events.
The one honored by heavenly and human beings
just then arose from his samadhi
and praised Bodhisattva Wonderfully Bright, saying,
"You are the eyes of the world,
one whom all can take faith in and believe,
able to honor and uphold the storehouse of the Dharma.
The law that I preach-
you alone know how to testify to it."
The World-Honored One, having bestowed this praise,
causing Wonderfully Bright to rejoice,
preached the Lotus Sutra
for fully sixty small kalpas.
He never rose from this seat,
and the supreme and wonderful Law that he preached
was accepted and upheld in its entirety
by the Dharma teacher Wonderfully Bright.
After the Buddha had preached the Lotus,
causing all the assembly to rejoice,
on that very same day
he announced to the assembly of heavenly and human beings,
"I have already expounded for you
the meaning of the true entity of all phenomena.
Now when midnight comes
I will enter nirvana.
You must strive with all your hearts
and remove yourselves from indulgence and laxity,
it is very difficult to encounter a Buddha-
you meet one once in a million kalpas."
When the children of the World-Honored One
heard that the Buddha was to enter nirvana,
each one was filled with sorrow and distress,
wondering why the Buddha should so quickly seek extinction.
The sage lord, king of the Law,
comforted and reassured the countless multitude,
saying, "When I enter extinction
you must not be concerned or fearful!
This bodhisattva Virtue Storehouse
has already fully understood in his mind
the true entity that is without outflows.
He will be next to become a Buddha,
bearing the name Pure Body,
and he too will save immeasurable multitudes."
That night the Buddha entered extinction,
as a fire dies out when the firewood is exhausted.
They divided and apportioned his relics
and built immeasurable numbers of towers,
and the monks and nuns
whose number was like Ganges sands
redoubled their exertions,
thereby seeking the unsurpassed way.
This Dharma teacher Wonderfully Bright
honored and upheld the Buddha's storehouse of the Dharma
throughout eighty small kalpas,
broadly propagating the Lotus Sutra.
These eight princely sons
whom Wonderfully Bright converted
held firmly to the unsurpassed way
and were thus able to encounter innumerable Buddhas.
And after they had made offerings to these Buddhas
they followed them in practicing the great way
and one after the other succeeded in becoming a Buddha,
each in turn bestowing a prophecy on his successor.
The last to become a heavenly being among heavenly beings
was named the Buddha Burning Torch.
As leader and teacher of seers
he saved immeasurable multitudes.
This Dharma teacher Wonderfully Bright
at that time had a disciple
whose mind was forever occupied with laziness and sloth,
who was greedy for fame and profit.
He sought fame and profit insatiably,
often amusing himself among clansmen and those of other surnames.
He threw away what he had studied and memorized,
neglected and forgot it, failed to understand it.
Because of this
he was named Seeker of Fame.
But he had also carried out many good actions
and thus was able to meet with innumerable Buddhas.
He made offerings to the Buddhas
and followed them in practicing the great way,
carrying out all the six paramitas,
and now he has met the lion of the Shakyas.
Hereafter he will become a Buddha
whose name will be Maitreya,
who will save living beings extensively
in numbers beyond calculation.
After that Buddha passed into extinction,
that lazy and slothful one-he was you,
and the Dharma teacher Wonderfully Bright-
that was the person who is now I myself.
I saw how the Buddha Torch Bright (Sun Moon Bright)
earlier manifested an auspicious portent like this.
And so I know that now this present Buddha
is about to preach the Lotus Sutra.
The signs now are like those of the earlier auspicious portent,
this is an expedient means used by the Buddhas.
Now when the Buddha emits this beam of brightness
he is helping to reveal the meaning of the true entity of
phenomena.
Human beings now will come to know it.
Let us press our palms together and wait with a single mind.
The Buddha will rain down the rain of the Law
to fully satisfy all seekers of the way.
You who seek the three vehicles,
if you have doubts and regrets,
the Buddha will resolve them for you,
bringing them to an end so that nothing remains.
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