XIV
Project Gutenberg EPUB edition
Soothill, William Edward and Kumārajīva
Enters his quiet room,
And, in perfect meditation,
Sees things in their true meaning,
And, rising from his meditation,
Whether to kings or nations,
Or princes, ministers and people,
To Brahmans or to others,
Opens up, expounds,
And preaches to them this Sutra,
His mind shall be at ease
And free from timid weakness.
Manjuśri!
This is the Bodhisattva’s
First Law of Steadfastness,
By which he is able, in future ages,
To preach the Law-Flower Sutra.”
The second Sphere is that of Serenity. In preaching he has no pleasure in exposing the errors of others, or of the Sutras; he despises not other preachers, nor speaks of their good or evil, their merits or demerits; nor does he single out disciples by name and expose their sins, nor by name praise their virtues; nor does he cherish dislike. By keeping well such a serene heart, those who hear will not oppose him. “To those who ask difficult questions, he does not give answer after the manner of the Hinayanists, but in Mahayana fashion, explaining in such manner that they may obtain Perfect Knowledge.”
“The wise man in ways such as these,
Rightly cultivates his mind,
And is able to abide serene.
The merit of such a man,
Thousands, myriads, kotis of kalpas
Spent in reckoning and comparison
Would not suffice for the telling.”
The Third Sphere is that of his attitude of mind towards others; but it is not easy to distinguish this Sphere from the last. He “does not cherish an envious, suspicious and deceitful mind; nor does he slight and abase the learners of the Buddha-Way and seek out their excesses and shortcomings”. He does not distress any seekers, causing them doubts and regrets. He does not indulge in disputations. He is reverent to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and preaches the Law, neither more nor less. Nothing can perturb such a monk and multitudes will flock to hear him.
“Let him who would preach the Sutra
Renounce an envious, angry, proud,
Deceitful or false mind,
And ever do upright deeds;
He should disparage none,
Never argue over the Law,
Nor cause others doubts or regret,
. . . . .
But ever be gentle, patient,
And compassionate to all.”
The Fourth Sphere of Action is that of Charity towards laymen and friars, and Compassion for those not yet bodhisattvas. He should remember that these people are great losers, for they have never learnt the true Way. “Though they have not sought, nor believed, nor understood this Sutra”, yet, says the Buddha, “when I have attained to my Perfect Enlightenment, wherever I am, by my transcendent powers and powers of wisdom, I will lead them to take up their abode in this Law.”
The disciple who reaches and accomplishes the Fourth Sphere, when he preaches will be free from error, and will ever be revered by all disciples, kings and princes, ministers and people, brahmans and citizens. The gods will protect him and will reveal to him the answer to those who confront him with hard questions; because this Sutra is that which all Buddhas, past, present, and to come, watch over by their divine powers.
Then follows a parable to show that it is the very jewel of jewels, the crown-jewel of the Buddhas.
“It is like a powerful sacred Wheel-rolling King who desires by force to conquer other domains. When minor kings do not obey his command, the Wheel-rolling King calls up his various armies and goes to punish them. The King, seeing his soldiers distinguish themselves in the war, is greatly pleased and, according to their merit, bestows rewards, either giving fields, houses, villages or cities, or giving garments or personal ornaments, or giving all kinds of treasures, gold, silver, lapis lazuli, moon-stones, agates, coral, amber, elephants, horses, carriages, litters, male and female slaves, and people; only the crown-jewel on his head he gives to none. Wherefore? Because only on the head of a king may this sole jewel be worn, and, if he were to give it, his retinue would be amazed. Manjuśri! The Tathagata is also like this. By his powers of meditation and wisdom, he has taken possession of the domain of the Law and rules as King over the triple world. But the Mara-kings are unwilling to submit. The Tathagata’s wise and holy generals fight against them. With those who distinguish themselves he, too, is pleased, and in the midst of his four hosts preaches the Sutras to them, causing them to rejoice, bestowing on them the meditations, the emancipations, the faultless roots and powers, and all the wealth of the Law. In addition, he gives them the city of Nirvana, saying that they have attained to extinction, and attracts their minds so that they all rejoice; yet he does not yet preach to them this Law-Flower Sutra. Manjuśri!
Just as the Wheel-rolling King, seeing his soldiers distinguish themselves, is so extremely pleased that now at last he gives them the incredible jewel so long worn on his head, which may not wantonly be given to any one, so also is it with the Tathagata.