XIV
Project Gutenberg EPUB edition
Soothill, William Edward and Kumārajīva
“As the Great Law-King of the triple world, teaching and converting the living by his Law, when he sees his wise and holy army fighting with the Mara of the five mental processes, the Mara of earthly ills, and the Mara of death, and doing so with great exploits and merits, exterminating the three poisons, escaping from the triple world, and breaking through the nets of the Maras, then the Tathagata also is greatly pleased. Now at last he preaches this Law-Flower Sutra which has never before been preached, and which is able to cause all the living to reach perfect knowledge, though the world greatly resents and has difficulty in believing it. Manjuśri! This Law-Flower Sutra is the supreme teaching of the Tathagatas and the most profound of all discourses. I give it to you last, just as that powerful king at last gives the brilliant jewel he has guarded for long. Manjuśri! This Law-Flower Sutra is the mysterious treasury of the Buddha-Tathagatas, which is supreme above all Sutras. For long has it been guarded and not prematurely declared; to-day for the first time I proclaim it to you.”
“It is like to a powerful
Wheel-rolling King
Who, to his war-distinguished soldiers,
Makes presents of many rewards,
Elephants, horses, carriages,
Litters, personal ornaments,
As well as fields and houses,
Villages and cities;
Or bestows garments,
Various kinds of jewels,
Slaves and other wealth,
Bestowing all with joy;
But only for one, heroic
And of rare exploits,
Does the king take from his head
The crown-jewel to give him.
Thus also is it with the Tathagata;
He is the king of the laws,
Possessing great powers of endurance
And the treasury of wisdom;
With great benevolence,
He transforms the world with his Law.
Seeing every human being
Suffering from pains and distresses,
Seeking for deliverance,
Fighting against the Maras,
To these living beings,
He has preached various laws
And, in great tactfulness,
Has preached these numerous Sutras;
Finally knowing the living
Have attained developed powers,
At the very last he to them
Preaches this Law-Flower,
As the king takes from his head
The jewel and bestows it.
So this Sutra is pre-eminent
Among all the Sutras.
I have always carefully guarded