XXVIII
Project Gutenberg EPUB edition
Soothill, William Edward and Kumārajīva
Then from the East comes the Bodhisattva, Universal-Virtue, with his unlimited, infinite, incalculable host. Countless realms are shaken by his passage, while jewel-lotuses rain down upon them, and numberless celestial instruments pour forth their exquisite music. He, too, has heard that the Lotus Sutra is being preached and has brought his host of Bodhisattvas to hear it.
The Buddha responds to him, announcing what may be considered as the equivalent in Mahayana for the Four Noble Truths of the Hinayana.
“If any good son or daughter acquires the four following requisites, such a one will possess this Law-Flower Sutra after the extinction of the Tathagata:
“First, place himself under the care of Buddhas:
Second, plant the roots of virtue:
Third, enter into correct concentration (or meditation):
Fourth, seek the salvation of all the living.
Any good son or good daughter, who attains to these four requisites, will assuredly possess this Sutra after the extinction of the Tathagata.”
Thereupon the Bodhisattva Universal-Virtue, whose title may be taken to indicate the moral basis and Catholicism of Mahayana, promises to protect those who keep this Truth, and to give ease of mind and freedom from the affliction of Mara, Mara-sons, Mara-daughters, Mara-people, Mara-satellites, yakshas and so on.
“Wherever such a one walks or stands, reading and reciting this Sutra, I will at once mount the royal six-tusked white elephant and, with a host of great Bodhisattvas, go to that place and, revealing myself, will serve and protect him, comforting his mind; also thereby serving the Law-Flower Sutra. Wherever such a one sits, pondering over this Sutra, I will at once again mount the royal white elephant and show myself to him. If such a one forgets, be it but a single word or verse of the Law-Flower Sutra, I will teach him it, read and recite it with him, and again cause him to master it. Thereupon he who receives and keeps, reads and recites the Law-Flower Sutra, on seeing me will greatly rejoice and renew his zeal. Through seeing me, he will at once attain to the samadhis and the dharanis.”
Wherever the followers of this Sutra meet together for three sevenfold days, then Universal Truth declares:
“I will mount my six-tusked white elephant, and accompanied by countless Bodhisattvas, appear before those people in the form the living delight to see, and preach to them, revealing, instructing, benefitting and rejoicing them. Moreover I will give them spells, so that no human or non-human beings can injure them, nor any woman beguile them.”
Such is the promise of the spiritual presence, power, and aid of Universal Virtue.
Those who keep, read, remember, apprehend, and practise the Sutra as preached are assured that they are “doing the works of Universal-Virtue, have deeply planted roots of goodness under numberless, countless Buddhas, and that their heads will be caressed by the hands of the Tathagatas”. If they merely copy this Sutra, they will be reborn in a heaven, where they will be welcomed with music by eighty-four thousand nymphs, and they, wearing jewelled crowns, will dwell among those nymphs, joyful and delighted. If such be the reward of a mere copyist, how much greater will be the reward of him who reads, remembers, and practises it. To him
“the hands of a thousand Buddhas will be offered, that he may fear not, neither fall into any evil destiny, but go straight to Maitreya’s heaven, where are hosts of Great Bodhisattvas and hundreds, thousands, myriads, kotis of nymph-followers; amongst these will he be re-born.”
“Therefore,” says Universal-Virtue, “the wise should with all their minds themselves copy it, or cause others to copy it, receive and keep, read and recite, rightly remember, and practise it as preached. World-honoured One! I now by my supernatural power will guard and protect this Sutra so that, after the extinction of the Tathagata, it may spread abroad without cease in the world.”
“Then Śakyamuni Buddha extols him, saying: ‘It is well, it is well, Universal Virtue, that you are able to protect and assist this Sutra, and bring happiness and weal to the living in so many places. You have already attained to inconceivable merits and profound benevolence and compassion. From a long distant past have you aspired to Perfect Enlightenment, and been able to make this supernatural vow to guard and protect this Sutra. And I, by supernatural power, will guard and protect those who are able to receive and keep the name of the Bodhisattva Universal-Virtue.
“Universal-Virtue! If there be any who receive and keep, read and recite, rightly remember, practise and copy this Law-Flower Sutra, know that such are attending on Śakyamuni Buddha, as if they were hearing this Sutra direct from the Buddha’s mouth; know that such are paying homage to Śakyamuni Buddha; know that the Buddha is praising them, ‘Well done!’ Know that the heads of such are being caressed by the hands of Śakyamuni Buddha. Know that such are covered by the robe of Śakyamuni Buddha. Such as these will not again be eager for worldly pleasure, nor be fond of heretical scriptures and writings; nor ever again take pleasure in intimacy with worldly men, or with evil persons, whether butchers, or herders of boars, sheep, fowls, and dogs, or hunters, and panderers. But such as these will be right-minded, have correct aims and be auspicious. Such will not be harassed by the Three Poisons, nor be harassed by envy, pride, haughtiness, and arrogance; such will be content with few desires, and able to do the works of Universal-Virtue.
“Universal-Virtue! After the extinction of the Tathagata, in the latter five hundred years (of decadence), if any one sees one who receives and keeps, reads and recites the Law-Flower Sutra, he must reflect thus: ‘This man will ere long go to the wisdom-plot, destroy the host of Mara, attain to Perfect Enlightenment, and rolling onward the Law-wheel, beating the Law-drum, blowing the Law-conch, and pouring the rain of the Law, will sit on the lion-throne of the Law amid a great assembly of gods and men.’
“Universal-Virtue! Whoever in future ages receive and keep, read and recite this Sutra, such persons will no longer be greedily attached to clothes, bedding, drink, food, and things for the support of life; whatever they wish will never be in vain, and in the present life they will obtain their blessed reward. Suppose any one slights and slanders them, saying: ‘You are only mad men, pursuing this course in vain, with never a thing to be gained’—the doom for such sin as this is blindness, generation after generation. If any one makes offerings to and praises them, he will obtain visible reward in the present world. Again, if any one sees those who receive and keep this Sutra, and proclaims their errors and sins, whether true or false, such a one in the present life will be smitten with leprosy. If he ridicules them, generation after generation his teeth will be sparse and missing, his lips vile, his nose flat, his hands and feet contorted, his eyes asquint, his body stinking and filthy with evil scabs and bloody pus, he will be dropsical and short of breath, and have every evil disease. Therefore, Universal-Virtue, if one sees those who receive and keep this Sutra, he should stand up and greet them from afar, just as if he were paying reverence to the Buddha.”
“While the chapter of the Encouragement of the Bodhisattva Universal-Virtue was being preached, innumerable, incalculable Bodhisattvas, equal to the sands of Ganges, attained to the dharani of the Hundreds, Thousands, Myriads, Kotis of Progress, and Bodhisattvas equal to the atoms of a Three-Thousand-Great-Thousandfold World became perfect in the Way of Enlightenment.
“When the Buddha preached this Sutra, Universal-Virtue and the other Bodhisattvas, Śariputra and the other sravakas, and the gods, dragons, human and non-human beings, and all others in the great assembly, greatly rejoiced together, and taking possession of the Buddha’s words, made salutation to him and withdrew.”