Chapter 1 : Introduction

Thus have I translated.

Once the Buddha was dwelling in Ragagriha on Mount Grdhrakuta with a great assemblage of bhikshus, twelve thousands in all; all were arhats, faultless, never again subject to anguish, they had achieved their own advantage, emancipated from all bonds of existence, and free in mind. Their names were Ajnata Kaundinya, Maha Kasyapa, Uruvilva Kasyapa, Gaya Kasyapa, Nadi Kasyapa, Sariputra, Maha Maudgalyayana, Maha Katyayana, Aniruddha, Kapphina, Gavampati, Revata, Pilingavatsa, Vakkula, Maha Kaushthila, Nanda, Sundarananda, Purna Maitrayani Putra, Subhuti, Ananda, Rahula - and other well-known arhats as these. In addition, there were two thousand learners of adepts and the Bhikshuni Mahaprajapati, with six thousand followers; Rahula's mother, the Bhikshuni Yasodhara also with her followers. There were eighty thousand bodhisattva-mahasattvas, all non-backsliding in Anuttarasamyaksambodhi, all having mastered the dharanis, and the knowledge of eloquent discourse, and rolling the never-retrogressing Dharma-wheel; having paid homage to countless hundreds of thousands of Buddhas, under whom they had planted all the roots of virtue, constantly being extolled by the Buddhas; cultivating themselves with compassion; having entered well into the wisdom of the Buddha, having penetrated great wisdom, having reached the yonder shore; their fame bruited widely in innumerable worlds; able to save numberless hundreds of thousands of living beings. Their names were Manjusri Bodhisattva, the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World (Avalokitesvara), the Bodhisattva Gainer of Great Strength (Mahasthamaprapta), the Bodhisattva Ever Zealous (Nityodyukta), the Bodhisattva He Who Does Not Rest (Aniksiptadhura), the Bodhisattva of the Jewelled Palm (Ratnapani), the Bodhisattva Medicine King (Bhaisajyaraja), the Bodhisattva Bold Donor (Pradanasura), the Bodhisattva of the Jewelled Moon (Ratnacandra), the Bodhisattva of Moon Glow (Ratnaprobha), the Bodhisattva of the Full Moon (Purnacandra), the Bodhisattva of Great Strength (Mahavikramin), the Bodhisattva of Infinite Strength (Anantavikramin), the Bodhisattva He Who Transcends the Triple Realm (Trailokyavikramin), the Bodhisattva Bhadrapala, the Bodhisattva Maitreya, the Bodhisattva of the Heap of Jewels (Ratnakara), the Bodhisattva He Who Leads the Multitude (Susarthavaha) - such bodhisattva-mahasattvas as these, eighty thousands in all.

At that time, Sakro Devanam Indrah was there with his followers, consisting of twenty thousand heaven sons; there were also the Heaven Son of the Moon (Candra), the Heaven Son of All-pervading Fragrance (Samantagandha), and the Heaven Son of Glow of Jewels (Ratnaprabha). There were the four great Heaven Kings, together with their retinue of ten thousand heaven sons. There were the Heaven Son of Self-mastery (Isvara) and the Heaven Son of Great Self-mastery (Mahesvara), together with their retinue of thirty thousand heaven sons. There were the Lord of Saha World, the Brahma, the king of the gods; the great Brahma Sikhin; and the great Brahma Bright Luster (Jyotisprabha) and others, together with their retinue of twelve thousand heaven sons. There were eight Dragon Kings (Nagaraja), namely the Dragon King Nanda, the Dragon King Upananda, the Dragon King Sagara, the Dragon King Vasuki, the Dragon King Taksaka, the Dragon King Anavatapta, the Dragon King Manasvin, and the Dragon King Utpalaka, each with several hundreds of thousands of followers. There were four Kinnara Kings, namely, the Kinnara King of Dharma, the Kinnara King of Wonderful Dharma (Sudharma), the Kinnara King of Great Dharma (Mahadharma), and the Kinnara King Dharma-holder (Dharmadhara), each with several hundreds of thousands of followers. There were four Gandharva Kings, namely, the Gandharva King Pleasant (Manojna), the Gandharva King Pleasant Sound (Manojnasvara), the Gandharva King Beauty (Madhura), and the Gandharva King Beautiful Sound (Madhurasvara), each with several hundreds of thousands of followers. There were four Asura Kings, namely, the Asura King Balin, the Asura King Kharaskandha, the Asura King Vemacitrin, and the Asura King Rahu, each with several hundreds of thousands of followers. There were four Garuda Kings, namely, the Garuda King Great Majesty (Mahatejas), the Garuda King Great Body (Mahakaya), the Garuda King Great Full (Mahapurna), and the Garuda King He Who Has His Wish (Maharddhiprapta), each with several hundreds of thousands of followers. There was Vaidehi's son, King Ajatasatru, with several hundreds of thousands of his followers. Each, having worshipped at the Buddha's feet, withdrew and sat to one side.

At that time, the World-honoured One, surrounded, showered with offerings, revered, honoured, and extolled by the fourfold multitude, for the sake of the bodhisattvas, preached the Mahayana sutra called Innumerable Doctrines (Anantanirdesa), the Dharma by which Bodhisattvas are instructed and which the Buddhas watch over and keep in mind. After preaching the sutra, the Buddha sat cross-legged and entered into the Samadhi of the Abode of the Innumerable Doctrines (Anantanirdesapratisthanasamadhi), in which his body and mind were motionless. At this time, Heaven rained down mandarava flowers, maha-mandarava flowers, manjusaka flowers, maha-manjusaka flowers over the Buddha and all the great assembly. The whole Buddha-world trembled in six different ways.

At that time, in the congregation of bhikshus, bhikshunis, upasakas, upasikas, gods, dragons, yaksas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, mahoragas, human-like beings (manusyamanusya) as well as minor kings and the Holy Wheel-rolling Kings - these great assemblies felt that this had never happened before, and, joyously folding their palms, single-mindedly they beheld the Buddha.

At that time the Buddha emitted a glow from the tuft of white hair between his brows that illuminated eighteen thousand worlds to the east, omitting none of them, reaching downward as far as the Avici Hell and upward as far as the Akanistha Heaven. In this world, there could be fully seen in those lands all the living beings in the six existence. There could also be seen the Buddhas present in those lands, and there could be heard the sutra-dharma being preached by the Buddhas. There could also be seen those fourfold multitude who through various practices had attained the Path. Further were seen the bodhisattva-mahasattvas, with various causes, various believes and discernment, and various appearances treading the Bodhisattva Path. Likewise were seen those Buddhas who had entered Parinirvana. Further, there could be seen the stupas of seven jewels for Buddha-sarira erected after the Buddhas had entered Parinirvana.

At that time Maitreya Bodhisattva reflected thus, “Now that the World-honoured One shows an appearance so extraordinary. For what cause and reason of this auspicious sign? Now that the Buddha, the World-honoured One has entered into Samadhi and for an inconceivable he shows unprecedented wonders. Of whom shall I ask, and who will be able to answer?” Further he thought, “Here is Manjusri, the son of the Dharma King, who has approached and paid homage to innumerable Buddhas in the past, and who must have witnessed such unprecedented signs as these. Let me now ask him.”

At that time the fourfold multitude, as well as the gods, dragons, ghosts, and the like, reflected thus, “Of whom shall we now inquire concerning this shining transcendental sign of the Buddha?”

At that time, Maitreya Bodhisattva, desiring to resolve his own doubts and observing the thoughts arising in all the assembly of the fourfold multitude, gods, dragons, ghosts, and the like, asked Manjusri, “Manjusri Bodhisattva-mahasattva, what is the reason for the World-honoured One to have this auspicious and transcendental sign, shedding so great a luminous ray, illuminating eighteen thousand lands to the east, revealing in detail the splendour of those Buddha-realms?

“O, Manjusri!
Why does our Master
From the tuft of white hair between his eyebrows
Universally radiate so great a ray?
The rain of mandarava
And manjusaka flowers
And fragrant breezes of sandalwood
Delight many hearts.
By reason of this
The earth is replete with splendour
While this world
Trembles in six different ways.
At this moment the fourfold multitude
Are all full of joy,
Glad in body and in mind
To obtain a sign so unprecedented.
The ray between his brows
Illuminates the east quarter
Of the eighteen thousand lands,
Colouring them all with gold.
From the Avici Hell
Up to the Pinnacle of Existence (Bhavagra),
In the various worlds
The living beings on the six courses,
The progress of those being born and of the dying,
Their good and evil karma and environment,
The retribution, pleasant or unpleasant,
All are seen herein.
I see also the Buddhas,
The Lions among Saintly Lords,
Expounding the sutra,
Mystic and supreme;
Their voices clear and pure
Send forth softly sounding tones,
Teaching the bodhisattvas
In numberless myriad kotis;
Their brahman-sound, subtle and profound,
Cause men to desire to hear it.
Each in his own world
Preaches the True Dharma,
By various causes and conditions
And by resort to numberless parables,
Clarifying the Buddha-dharma
And enlightening the living beings.
If a man, encountering woe,
Sickens of old age, illness, and death,
For his sake they preach Nirvana,
Bringing to an end the uttermost vestige of woe.
If a man has merit,
Formerly having paid homage to Buddhas,
Devoted to seeking the superior dharma,
For these they preach Cause Enlightenment.
If any Buddha-sons
Cultivating many kinds of conduct,
Seeking after the supreme wisdom,
For those they preach the Pure Path.
O, Manjusri!
I, abiding here,
Have seen and heard such things as these
And thousands of kotis of things;
These things so numerous
Let me now briefly describe:
I see in those lands
Bodhisattvas as numerous as the sand of the Ganges,
Through various causes and conditions,
Seeking the Buddha Path.
Some perform the act of giving, presenting
Gold, silver, coral,
Pearls, mani (jewels)
Precious seashells, agate,
Diamonds and other treasures,
Bondmen and bondwomen, wagons and chariots,
Hand-drawn carriages and palanquins ornamented with jewels,
These in joy they give,
Applying them to the Buddha Path
And wishing to attain the Yana,
The supreme in the Triple Realm,
Extolled by the Buddhas.
Besides, there are bodhisattvas by whom
Jewelled four-horse carriages,
With rails and flowered canopies
Arrayed on their seats, are presented.
Also I see bodhisattvas by whom
Bodily flesh, hands and feet,
Even wives and children are presented
To seek after the Supreme Path.
Again, I see bodhisattvas by whom
Heads, eyes, and bodies,
Are joyously presented
To seek after the wisdom of the Buddha.
O, Manjusri!
I see many kings
Going before the Buddhas
To inquire of the Supreme Path.
Then abandoning pleasant lands,
Palaces and halls, courtiers and concubines,
Shaving their beards and hair,
And donning the Dharma-garb.
I see also bodhisattvas
Who become bhikshus,
Dwelling alone in serenity,
Taking pleasure in reciting the sutras.
And I see bodhisattvas
Who in their zeal and earnestness
Entering deep into the mountains
To ponder the Buddha Path.
Again I see them renouncing all desires,
Constantly dwell in desolation and serenity,
Profoundly cultivating Dhyana-concentration
And attaining the five transcendental faculties.
Then again I see bodhisattvas
Secure in Dhyana, their palms joined,
With thousands of myriads of gathas
Extolling the Dharma Kings.
Yet again, I see bodhisattvas,
Profound in wisdom, firm in will,
Able to ask the Buddhas,
Receive and retain all that they hear.
I also see Buddha-sons
Fully endowed with concentration and wisdom
By resort to incalculable parables,
Proclaming the dharma to the multitude,
Taking pleasure in preaching the dharma,
Converting the bodhisattvas,
Smashing Mara's host
And beating the dharma-drum.
Further, I see bodhisattvas,
Calm and silent in their quietude,
Revered by gods and dragons,
Yet taking no pleasure therein.
Again, I see bodhisattvas
Dwelling in forests and emitting radiance
That saves the sufferers from the pains of hell
And cause them to enter the Buddha Path.
Again, I see Buddha-sons
Who have never slept,
Walking about in forest
In earnest quest of the Buddha Path.
I see further those perfect in disciplined conduct,
Faultless in bearing,
Pure as precious pearls,
With these attributes seeking the Buddha Path.
Again, I see Buddha-sons
Dwelling in the strength of forbearance, who,
Though men of the utmost arrogance
Hatefully revile and beat them,
Can bear all, without exception,
Thus seeking the Buddha Path.
Again, I see bodhisattvas
Who have separated themselves from all manner of frivolity,
And from deluded followers,
Single-mindedly removing distractions,
Personally approaching those of wisdom,
On mountain and in forest composing their thoughts
For myriads of kotis of years,
Thereby seeking the Buddha Path.
Also I see bodhisattvas by whom
Delicacies of food and drink
And a hundred varieties of broth and herbs
Are offered to the Buddha and his sangha;
By whom famous robes and superior garments,
Their value in the thousands of myriads,
Or utterly priceless robes
Are presented to the Buddha and his sangha;
By whom thousands of myriads of millions of kinds
Of houses of jewelled sandalwood,
As well as much fine bedding,
Are presented to the Buddha and his sangha;
By whom immaculate gardens and groves,
Their blossoms and fruits in full bloom,
With running springs and bathing ponds,
Are presented to the Buddha and his sangha;
With offerings such as these,
Supremely fine in many ways,
Joyfully without grudging
Seeking after the Supreme Path.
Also there are bodhisattvas
Who preach the Dharma of Nirvana
In various ways instructing
Numberless living beings.
Also I see bodhisattvas
Who view the nature of the dharmas
As unmarked by duality,
Just like the space.
Then I see Buddha-sons,
With minds free from attachments,
By this mystic wisdom
Seeking the Supreme Path.
O, Manjusri,
There are bodhisattvas
Who, after the Buddha's passage into extinction,
Make offerings to his sariras.
Further, I see Buddha-sons
Making stupa-shrines
Innumerable as the sand of the Ganges,
Splendidly adorn the domains,
Jewelled stupas to the wonderful height
Of five thousand yojanas,
Their height and breadth proportionate
Two thousand yojanas,
Each of the stupa-shrines
Having on it a thousand banners and flags,
Curtains with jewels like intermingled dewdrops,
Their jewelled bells chiming in harmony;
Gods, dragons, and other spirits,
Humans and human-like beings
With sweet flowers and skilfully played music
Constantly paying homage.
O, Mansjusri,
The Buddha-sons,
In order to make offerings to the sarira,
So splendidly adorn the stupa-shrines,
That the domains are thereby
Made extraordinary wonderful and fine,
Like the King of Divine Trees
When its blossoms bloom.
The Buddha has emitted a ray whereby
The assembled multitude and I
See this domains and territories,
Variously and peculiarly fine.
The Buddha's supernatural power,
His wisdom, is so rare
That, by emission of a single pure ray,
It illuminates incalculable domains.
We, behold this,
Which has never happened before.
Buddha-son, O, Manju,
Pray resolve the multitude's doubts.
The fourfold multitude, in joyous supplication,
Looks up to you and me.
Why has the World-honoured One
Emitted this ray?
O, Buddha-son, make timely answer
And, resolving doubts, cause joy.
What profit is there
In sending forth this ray?
When the Buddha sat on the Platform of the Path (Bodhimanda),
What subtle dharma he gained,
Because he wished to set them forth,
And in order to confer prophecy (vyakarana),
Emitting this great radiance,
Showing the Buddha-lands,
Adorned and purified with many jewels,
And seeing the Buddhas,
Hearing the dharma being preached.
The reason for all this is not a trifling one.
O, Manju, you must know.
The fourfold multitude, the dragons, and the spirits
Looking up to you,
Wondering what you will say.”

At that time, Manjusri said to Maitreya Bodhisattva-mahasattva and the sundry great worthies, “O, good men! I surmise that now the Buddha, the World-honoured One, intending to preach the great Dharma, to pour down the great Dharma-rain, to blow the great Dharma-conch, to beat the great Dharma-drum, to expound the great Dharma-doctrine. All of you, good men, once before, in the presence of the ancient Buddha, I saw this portent. When the Buddha had emitted this light, straightaway he preached the great Dharma. Because of this, know that now the Buddha, having displayed this ray, is also like this. He intends to cause all living beings to hear and know the Dharma which all the worlds will find it hard to believe. That is why he displays this portent.

“O, good men! It was just like in time of yore, infinite, boundless, inconceivable asamkhyeya kalpas ago. At that time there was a Buddha styled Sun Moon Glow, who expounded the True Dharma of the commencement period, middle period and end period; which is profound in meaning, subtle and refined in the words, pure and unadulterated, fully endowed with the marks of pure, white brahman-conduct (brahmacarya). For those who sought to be sravakas he preached with respect to the Dharma of the Four Noble Truths for the overcoming of birth, old age, illness, and death, and attaining nirvana; for those who sought pratyekabuddhahood, he preached with respect to the Dharma of the Twelve Causes and Conditions; for the bodhisattvas he preached with respect to the Six Paramitas to cause them to attain Anuttarasamyaksambodhi and to perfect the Wisdom of All Modes.

“Next again there was a Buddha, also named Sun Moon Glow. Next again there was a Buddha, also named Sun Moon Glow. And in like manner there were twenty thousand Buddhas all bearing the same name, to wit Sun Moon Glow, all belonging as well to the same class, namely, that of Bharadvaja. Know, O, Maitreya! All these Buddhas, from the first to the last, bore the same name, to wit, Sun Moon Glow. The Dharma which they preached was of comencement, middle and end period.

“Before the last of these Buddhas left his household, he had eight royal sons. These eight princes in their honourable estate were independent, each having dominant over four continents. All these princes, hearing that their father after leaving the household had attained Anuttarasamyaksambodhi, renounced the royal position and, following him, left household, resolute on the Mahayana. They were constantly cultivating brahman-conduct and all became Dharma-masters, having planted all roots of goodness under thousands of myriads of Buddhas.

“At that time the Buddha Sun Moon Glow, after preaching the Dharma for a long time, amidst the great assembly, preached the Mahayana sutra called the Innumerable Doctrines, the Dharma by which the Bodhisattvas are instructed and which the Buddhas watch over and keep in mind. Having preached this sutra, he at once, amidst the great assembly, sat cross-legged and entered into the Samadhi of the Abode of Innumerable Doctrines, in which his body and mind were motionless. At this moment the rain of mandarava, maha-mandarava, manjusaka, and maha-manjusaka flowers from the sky covered the Buddha and all the great assembly, while the universal Buddha-world trembled in six different ways.

“At that time, the fourfold multitude, gods, dragons, yaksas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, and mahoragas, human-like beings, as well as minor kings and the Holy Whell-rolling Kings - these multitudes, having gained something they had never had before, folded their hands in joy and single-mindedly beheld the Buddha.

“At that time, the Tathagata emitted a glow from the tuft of white hair between his brows that illuminated eighteen thousand Buddha-lands to the east, omitting none of them, just like the Buddha-lands being seen now.

“Know, O, Maitreya! At that time in the assembly there were twenty kotis of bodhisattvas who joyfully desired to hear the Dharma. All these bodhisattvas, beholding this ray of light illuminating the Buddha-lands universally, and obtaining that which they had never had before, desired to know the causes of and reasons for that ray.

“At that time there was a bodhisattva named Mystic Light (Varaprabha), who had eight hundred disciples. When the Buddha Sun Moon Glow arose from his Samadhi, for the sake of the Bodhisattva Mystic Light, he preached the Mahayana sutra called the Lotus Blossom of the Wonderful Dharma, the Dharma by which Bodhisattvas are instructed and which the Buddhas watch over and keep in mind. During sixty minor kalpas he rose not from his seat. The hearers in that assembly remained seated in their places, for sixty minor kalpas, motionless in body and mind, listening to the Buddha's preaching and deeming it but the length of a meal. During that time there was no one in the assembly who felt fatigue in either body or mind.

“The Buddha Sun Moon Glow, for sixty minor kalpas having preached this sutra, in the midst of the multitudes of Brahmas, Maras, Sramanas, Brahmans, as well as gods, men and asuras, declared, ‘Today, at midnight, will the Tathagata enter the Nirvana of No Remains.’

“At that time, there was a bodhisattva name Virtue Treasury. The Buddha Sun Moon Glow straightaway conferred upon him a prophecy, announcing to the great assembly, ‘This Bodhisattva Virtue Treasury shall next become a Buddha named Pure Body, Tathagata, Arhat, Samyaksambuddha.’

“When the Buddha had conferred this prophecy, he then, at midnight, entered Nirvana of No Remains. After the Buddha's passage into extinction, the Bodhisattva Mystic Light kept the Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Dharma, which for full eighty minor kalpas he expounded to others. The eight sons of the Buddha Sun Moon Glow all took Mystic Light as their teacher. Mystic Light taught and instructed them to solidify their Anuttarasamyaksambodhi. These princes, having paid homage to innumerable hundreds of thousands of myriads of millions of Buddhas, all achieved the Buddha Path. The last to achieve Buddhahood was named Torch-burner (Dipamkara).

“Among the eight hundred disciples was one named Seeker of Fame (Yasaskama), who craved advantage and profit. Though he read and recited many sutras, none of them penetrated and stuck, completely forgetting most - for which reason he was called Seeker of Fame. This man also, since he had planted roots of goodness, was able to meet incalculable hundreds of thousands of myriads of millions of Buddhas, to pay homage, to revere and honour them, and to extol them. Know, O, Maitreya! The Bodhisattva Mystic Light of that time, was it for other person? It was I myself. You yourself were the Bodhisattva Seeker of Fame. Now we see this portent, is no difference from the former one. For this reason I surmise that the Tathagata will today preach the Mahayana sutra named the Lotus Blossom of the Wonderful Dharma, the Dharma by which Bodhisattvas are instructed and which the Buddhas watch over and keep in mind.

“I remember a past age,
Infinite and numberless kalpas ago;
There was a Buddha, the most honoured of men,
Named Sun Moon Glow.
That World-honoured One preached the Dharma
To save innumerable living beings
Incalculable millions of bodhisattvas
And cause them to enter the Buddha-wisdom.
Before the Buddha left his household
The eight princes born to him,
Having seen the Great Saint leave his household,
Also followed him in cultivation of Brahman-conduct.
At that time that Buddha preached the Mahayana,
The sutra called Innumerable Doctrines,
Amongst the hosts of great multitudes,
And in detail defined it to them.
Having preached this sutra, the Buddha,
Straightaway, atop the Dharma-throne,
Crossing his legs, sat in a Samadhi
Named the Place of the Innumerable Doctrines.
The Heaven rained down mandarava flowers,
The heavenly drums resounded of their own accord,
All the gods, dragons, ghosts and spirits
Worshipped the supreme among men.
All of the Buddha-lands
At that moment trembled greatly.
The ray sent forth from the Buddha's brows
Revealed unprecedented wonders.
This ray, illuminating the eastern quarter
Of eighteen thousand Buddha-lands,
Showed everywhere all living beings
In the state of birth, death, and retribution for deeds.
Some of the Buddha-lands were seen
Adorned with various jewels,
Many hued with lapis lazuli and crystal,
From the shining of the Buddha's ray.
Besides, I saw gods, men,
Dragons, spirits and yaksas,
Gandharvas and kinnaras,
Each of them worshipping that Buddha.
Further I saw Tathagatas
Who of themselves had accomplished the Buddha Path,
Their appearance like mountains of gold,
Very wonderful in their majesty.
As within pure lapis lazuli
A real golden image is made apparent,
So the World-honoured One in the great assembly
Expounded the meaning of the profound Dharma.
In each of the Buddha-lands
Were sravakas innumerable;
By the shining of the Buddha's ray
Their great host was completely visible.
Besides, there were the bodhisattvas
Who, having dwelt in the mountains and forests,
Had zealously advanced and kept the pure commandments
As if they were protecting bright jewels.
And I also saw bodhisattvas
Who practised donations and perseverance,
As the sand of the Ganges in number,
By the radiance of the Buddha's ray.
I also saw bodhisattvas
Who, deeply entering into various dhyana-concentrations
Were at rest, motionless in body and mind,
Seeking the Unexcelled Path.
Again, I saw bodhisattvas
Who, knowing the nirvana-nature of the dharmas,
Each in his own domain
Preached the dharma and sought the Buddha Path.
Thereupon all of the fourfold assembly
Seeing the Buddha Sun Moon Glow
Demonstrate great transcendental powers,
With joy in all their minds
Each asked one another,
‘For what reason are these things?’
He who is honoured by gods and men
Soon rose from his Samadhi,
Extolling the Bodhisattva Mystic Light,
‘You are the eyes of the world,
Believed by all,
Are able to keep the dharma-treasury.
Such a Dharma as I preach,
Only you alone are able to bear it witness.’
The World-honoured One had thus praised him,
Buddha knew his mind
Was able to keep the treasury of the Wonderful Dharma.
To cause Mystic Light to rejoice,
He preached this Dharma Blossom Sutra
During full sixty minor kalpas,
Never rising from his seat.
The supreme and wonderful Dharma so preached,
This Mystic Light, Teacher of the Dharma,
Was wholly able to receive and retain.
When the Buddha had preached this Dharma Blossom
And caused all of the multitude to rejoice,
Then, he, on that very day,
Announce to the hosts of gods and men:
‘The Truth of the Reality of the Wonderful Dharma
Has just been preached for all of you.
I now, at midnight,
Must enter into Nirvana.
Do you, with all your mind, advance zealously
And depart from all slackness;
Buddhas are too rarely to be encountered;
In kotis of kalpas but one is met.’
The sons of the World-honoured One,
Hearing that the Buddha was entering Nirvana,
Every one felt grieved and distressed:
‘How sudden is the Buddha's extinction!’
The Holy Lord, the King of the Dharma,
Comforted the countless multitude:
‘Even when I am extinct,
Be not sad and afraid!
This Bodhisattva Virtue Treasury,
In the realization of faultlessness,
Has gained complete understanding.
He will become the next Buddha,
Whose name will be called Pure Body;
He, too, will save innumerable multitude.’
That night the Buddha crossed to extinction,
As when firewood is finished the fire dies out.
His sariras were distributed
And innumerable stupas erected.
Those great multitude who received prophecy,
Numerous as the sand of the Ganges,
Doubled their exertions,
Seeking the Supreme Path.
This Mystic Light, Teacher of the Dharma,
Reverently kept the treasury of the Buddha's Dharma,
During eighty minor kalpas
Widely proclaimed the Dharma Blossom Sutra.
All these eight princes,
Enlightened and converted by Mystic Light,
Solidified the Supreme Path
And would see countless Buddhas.
Having paid homage to the Buddhas
And followed them, walking the Great Path,
In succession they could become Buddhas,
And one by one they received prophecies.
The last, the god of gods,
Was called the Buddha Torch-burner.
He, the leader of all the seers,
Saved innumerable living beings.
This Mystic Light, Teacher of the Dharma,
At that time had a disciple
Who was always of a lazy spirit,
Greedily attached to fame and gain,
Tireless in seeking fame and gain,
Who often frequented the homes of the great clans,
Casting aside what he had learned,
Forgetting everything and dull of apprehension.
For this reason
He was called Fame Seeker.
He also by performing good deeds
Was able to see numberless Buddhas
Also to pay homage to Buddhas
And to follow them, walking the Great Path,
Perfecting the deeds of bodhisattvas,
And now has seen Sakya, the Lion,
He will become the next Buddha,
He will be named Maitreya,
Who shall widely save living beings
Countless in number.
After the extinction of that Buddha,
The slothful one was yourself.
And Mystic Light, Teacher of the Dharma,
Was I myself who now am here.
Having seen the Buddha of Glow
Of the same sort of light and portent,
I therefore know that the present Buddha
Desires to preach the Dharma Blossom Sutra.
The present sign is like the former portent;
It is the tactful method of Buddhas.
Now the Buddha sent forth a ray
To help reveal the Truth of Reality.
Be aware, all of you!
Fold your hands and with all your mind await!
The Buddha will pour the rain of Dharma
To satisfy those who seek the Path.
If those who seek after the Triple Yana,
Have any doubts or regrets,
The Buddha will rid them of them
So that none whatever shall remain.”