The Lotus Sutra Part 17

CHAPTER SIXTEEN: THE LIFE SPAN OF THE TATHAGATA.

At that time the Buddha spoke to the Bodhisattvas and all the great a.s.sembly: "Good men, you must believe and understand the truthful words of the Thus Come One." And again he said to the great a.s.sembly: You must believe and understand the truthful words of the Thus Come One." And once more he said to the great a.s.sembly: "You must believe and understand the truthful words of the Thus Come One."

At that time the bodhisattvas and the great a.s.sembly, with Maitreya as their leader, pressed their palms together and addressed the Buddha, saying: "World-Honored One, we beg you to explain. We will believe and accept the Buddha's words." They spoke in this manner three times, and then said once more: "We beg you to explain it. We will believe and accept the Buddha's words."

At that time the World-Honored One, seeing that the bodhisattvas repeated their request three times and more, spoke to them, saying: "You must listen carefully and hear of the Thus Come One's secret and his transcendental powers. In all the worlds the heavenly and human beings and asuras all believe that the present Shakyamuni Buddha, after leaving the palace of the Shakyas, seated himself in the place of practice not far from the city of Gaya and there attained annuttara-samyak-sambodhi. But good men, it has been immeasurable, boundless hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, millions of nayutas of kalpas since I in fact attained Buddhahood.

"Suppose a person were to take five hundred, a thousand, ten thousand, a million nayuta asamkhya thousand-million-fold worlds and grind them to dust. Then, moving eastward, each time he pa.s.ses five hundred, a thousand, ten thousand, a million nayuta asamkhya worlds he drops a particle of dust. He continues eastward in this way until he has finished dropping all the particles. Good men, what is your opinion? Can the total number of all these worlds be imagined or calculated?"

The bodhisattva Maitreya and the others said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One, these worlds are immeasurable, boundless--one cannot calculate their number, nor does the mind have the power to encompa.s.s them. Even all the voice-hearers and pratyekabuddhas with their wisdom free of outflows could not imagine or understand how many there are.

Although we abide in the stage of avivartika, we cannot comprehend such a matter. World-Honored One, these worlds are immeasurable and boundless."

At that time the Buddha said to the mult.i.tude of great bodhisattvas: "Good men, now I will state this to you clearly. Suppose all these worlds, whether they received a particle of dust or not, are once more reduced to dust. Let one particle represent one kalpa. The time that has pa.s.sed since I attained Buddhahood surpa.s.ses this by a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand, a million nayuta asamkhya kalpas.

"Ever since then I have been constantly in this saha world, preaching the Law, teaching and converting, and elsewhere I have led and benefited living beings in hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, millions of nayutas and asamkhyas of lands.

"Good men, during that time I have spoken about the Buddha Burning Torch and others, and described how they entered nirvana. All this I employed as an expedient means to make distinctions.

"Good men, if there are living beings who come to me, I employ my Buddha eye to observe their faith and to see if their other faculties are keen or dull, and then depending upon how receptive they are to salvation, I appear in different places and preach to them under different names, and describe the length of time during which my teachings will be effective. Sometimes when I make my appearance I say that I am about to enter nirvana, and also employ different expedient means to preach the subtle and wonderful Law, thus causing living beings to awaken joyful minds.

"Good men, the Thus Come One observes how among living beings there are those who delight in a little Law, meager in virtue and heavy with defilement. For such persons I describe how in my youth I left my household and attained anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. But in truth the time since I attained Buddhahood is extremely long, as I have told you. It is simply that I use this expedient means to teach and convert living beings and cause them to enter the Buddha way. That is why I speak in this manner.

"Good men, the scriptures expounded by the Thus Come One are all for the purpose of saving and emanc.i.p.ating living beings. Sometimes I speak of myself, sometimes of others: sometimes I present myself, sometimes others; sometimes I show my own actions, sometimes those of others. All that I preach is true and not false.

Why do I do this? The Thus Come One perceives the true aspect of the threefold world exactly as it is. There is no ebb or flow of birth and death, and there is no existing in this world and later entering extinction. It is neither substantial nor empty, neither consistent nor diverse. Nor is it what those who dwell in the threefold world perceive it to be. All such things the Thus Come One sees clearly and without error.

"Because living beings have different natures, different desires, different actions, and different ways of thinking and making distinctions, and because I want to enable them to put down good roots, I employ a variety of causes and conditions, similes, parables, and phrases and preach different doctrines. This, the Buddha's work, I have never for a moment neglected.

"Thus, since I attained Buddhahood, an extremely long period of time has pa.s.sed. My life span is an immeasurable number of asamkhya kalpas, and during that time I have constantly abided here without ever entering extinction. Good men, originally I practiced the bodhisattva way, and the life span that I acquired then has yet to come to an end but will last twice the number of years that have already pa.s.sed. Now, however, although in fact I do not actually enter extinction, I announce that I am going to adopt the course of extinction. This is an expedient means which the Thus Come One uses to teach and convert living beings.

"Why do I do this? Because if the Buddha remains in the world for a long time, those persons with shallow virtue will fail to plant good roots but, living in poverty and lowliness, will become attached to the five desires and be caught in the net of deluded thoughts and imaginings. If they see that the Thus Come One is constantly in the world and never enters extinction, they will grow arrogant and selfish, or become discouraged and neglectful. They will fail to realize how difficult it is to encounter the Buddha and will not approach him with a respectful and reverent mind. will become attached to the five desires and be caught in the net of deluded thoughts and imaginings. If they see that the Thus Come One is constantly in the world and never enters extinction, they will grow arrogant and selfish, or become discouraged and neglectful. They will fail to realize how difficult it is to encounter the Buddha and will not approach him with a respectful and reverent mind.

"Therefore as an expedient means the Thus Come One says: 'Monks, you should know that it is a rare thing to live at a time when one of the Buddhas appears in the world.' Why does he do this? Because persons of shallow virtue may pa.s.s immeasurable hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, millions of kalpas with some of them chancing to see a Buddha and others never seeing one at all. For this reason I say to them: 'Monks, the Thus Come One is hard to get to see.' When living beings hear these words, they are certain to realize how difficult it is to encounter the Buddha. In their minds they will harbor a longing and will thirst to gaze upon the Buddha, and then they will work to plant good roots. Therefore the Thus Come One, though in truth he does not enter extinction, speaks of pa.s.sing into extinction.

"Good men, the Buddhas and Thus Come Ones all preach a Law such as this. They act in order to save all living beings, so what they do is true and not false.

"Suppose, for example, that there is a skilled physician who is wise and understanding and knows how to compound medicines to effectively cure all kinds of diseases. He has many sons, perhaps ten, twenty, or even a hundred. He goes off to some other land far away to see about a certain affair. After he has gone, the children drink some kind of poison that make them distraught with pain and they fall writhing to the ground.

"At that time the father returns to his home and finds that his children have drunk poison.

Some are completely out of their minds, while others are not. Seeing their father from far off, all are overjoyed and kneel down and entreat him, saying: 'How fine that you have returned safely. We were stupid and by mistake drank some poison. We beg you to cure us and let us live out our lives!'

"The father, seeing his children suffering like this, follows various prescriptions. Gathering fine medicinal herbs that meet all the requirements of color, fragrance and flavor, he grinds, sifts and mixes them together. Giving a dose of these to his children, he tells them: 'This is a highly effective medicine, meeting all the requirements of color, fragrance and flavor.

Take it and you will quickly be relieved of your sufferings and will be free of all illness.'

"Those children who have not lost their senses can see that this is good medicine, outstanding in both color and fragrance, so they take it immediately and are completely cured of their sickness. Those who are out of their minds are equally delighted to see their father return and beg him to cure their sickness, but when they are given the medicine, they refuse to take it. Why? Because the poison has penetrated deeply and their minds no longer function as before. So although the medicine is of excellent color and fragrance, they do not perceive it as good.

"The father thinks to himself: My poor children! Because of the poison in them, their minds are completely befuddled. Although they are happy to see me and ask me to cure them, they refuse to take this excellent medicine. I must now resort to some expedient means to induce them to take the medicine. So he says to them: 'You should know that I am now old and worn out, and the time of my death has come. I will leave this good medicine here. You should take it and not worry that it will not cure you.' Having given these instructions, he then goes off to another land where he sends a messenger home to announce, 'Your father is dead.' they refuse to take this excellent medicine. I must now resort to some expedient means to induce them to take the medicine. So he says to them: 'You should know that I am now old and worn out, and the time of my death has come. I will leave this good medicine here. You should take it and not worry that it will not cure you.' Having given these instructions, he then goes off to another land where he sends a messenger home to announce, 'Your father is dead.'

"At that time the children, hearing that their father has deserted them and died, are filled with great grief and consternation and think to themselves: If our father were alive he would have pity on us and see that we are protected. But now he has abandoned us and died in some other country far away. We are shelter-less orphans with no one to rely on!

"Constantly harboring such feelings of grief, they at last come to their senses and realize that the medicine is in fact excellent in color and fragrance and flavor, and so they take it and are healed of all the effects of the poison. The father, hearing that his children are all cured, immediately returns home and appears to them all once more.

"Good men, what is your opinion? Can anyone say that this skilled physician is guilty of lying?"

"No, World-Honored One."

The Buddha said: "It is the same with me. It has been immeasurable, boundless hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, millions of nayuta and asamkhya kalpas since I attained Buddhahood. But for the sake of living beings I employ the power of expedient means and say that I am about to pa.s.s into extinction. In view of the circ.u.mstances, however, no one can say that I have been guilty of lies or falsehoods."

At that time the World-Honored One, wishing to state his meaning once more, spoke in verse form, saying: Since I attained Buddhahood the number of kalpas that have pa.s.sed is an immeasurable hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, millions, trillions, asamkhyas.

Constantly I have preached the Law, teaching, converting countless millions of living beings, causing them to enter the Buddha way, all this for immeasurable kalpas.

In order to save living beings, as an expedient means I appear to enter nirvana but in truth I do not pa.s.s into extinction.

I am always here preaching the Law.

I am always here, but through my transcendental powers I make it so that living beings in their befuddlement do not see me even when close by.

When the mult.i.tude see that I have pa.s.sed into extinction, far and wide they offer alms to my relics.

All harbor thoughts of yearning and in their minds thirst to gaze at me.

When living beings have become truly faithful, honest and upright, gentle in intent, single-mindedly desiring to see the Buddha not hesitating even if it costs them their lives, then I and the a.s.sembly of monks appear together on Holy Eagle Peak.

At that time I tell the living beings that I am always here, never entering extinction, but that because of the power of an expedient means at times I appear to be extinct, at other times not, and that if there are living beings in other lands who are reverent and sincere in their wish to believe, then among them too I will preach the unsurpa.s.sed Law.

But you have not heard of this, so you suppose that I enter extinction.

When I look at living beings I see them drowned in a sea of suffering; therefore I do not show myself, causing them to thirst for me.

Then when their minds are filled with yearning, at last I appear and preach the Law for them.

Such are my transcendental powers.

For asamkhya kalpas constantly I have dwelled on Holy Eagle Peak and in various other places.

When living beings witness the end of a kalpa and all is consumed in a great fire, this, my land, remains safe and tranquil, constantly filled with heavenly and human beings.

The halls and pavilions in its gardens and groves are adorned with various kinds of gems.

Jeweled trees abound in flowers and fruit where living beings enjoy themselves at ease.

The G.o.ds strike heavenly drums, constantly making many kinds of music.

Mandarava blossoms rain down, scattering over the Buddha and the great a.s.sembly.

My pure land is not destroyed, yet the mult.i.tude see it as consumed in fire, with anxiety, fear and other sufferings filling it everywhere.

These living beings with their various offenses, through causes arising from their evil actions, spend asamkhya kalpas without hearing the name of the Three Treasures.

But those who practice meritorious ways, who are gentle, peaceful, honest and upright, all of them will see me here in person, preaching the Law.

At times for this mult.i.tude I describe the Buddha's life span as immeasurable, and to those who see the Buddha only after a long time I explain how difficult it is to meet the Buddha.

Such is the power of my wisdom that its sagacious beams shine without measure.

This life span of countless kalpas I gained as the result of lengthy practice.

You who are possessed of wisdom, entertain no doubts on this point!

Cast them off, end them forever, for the Buddha's words are true, not false.

He is like a skilled physician who uses an expedient means to cure his deranged sons.

Though in fact alive, he gives out word he is dead, yet no one can say he speaks falsely.

I am the father of this world, saving those who suffer and are afflicted.

Because of the befuddlement of ordinary people, though I live, I give out word I have entered extinction.

For if they see me constantly, arrogance and selfishness arise in their minds.

Abandoning restraint, they give themselves up to the five desires and fall into the evil paths of existence.

Always I am aware of which living beings practice the way, and which do not, and in response to their needs for salvation I preach various doctrines for them.

At all times I think to myself: How can I cause living beings to gain entry into the unsurpa.s.sed way and quickly acquire the body of a Buddha?

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: DISTINCTION OF BENEFITS.

At that time, when the great a.s.sembly heard the Buddha describe how his life span lasted such a very long number of kalpas, immeasurable, boundless asamkhayas of living beings gained a great many rich benefits.

At that time the World-Honored One said to the bodhisattva and mahasattva Maitreya: "Ajita, when I described how the life span of the Thus Come One lasts for such an exceedingly long time, living beings numerous as the sands of six hundred and eighty ten thousands, millions, nayutas of Ganges attained the truth of birthlessness. And bodhisattvas and mahasattvas a thousand times more in number gained the dharani teaching that allows them to retain all that they hear. And bodhisattvas and mahasattvas numerous as the dust particles of entire world gained the eloquence that allows them to speak pleasingly and without hindrance. And bodhisattvas and mahasattvas numerous as the dust particles of entire world gained dharanis that allow them to retain hundreds, thousands, then thousands, millions, immeasurable repet.i.tions of the teachings. And bodhisattvas and mahasattvas numerous as the dust particles of a thousand-millionfold world were able to turn the unregressing wheel of a Law. And bodhisattvas and mahasattvas numerous as dust particles of two thousand middle sized lands were able to turn the pure wheel of a Law. And bodhisattvas and mahasattvas numerous as the dust particles of a thousand small lands gained a.s.surance that they would attain anuttara-samyak-sambodhi after eight rebirths. And bodhisattvas and mahasattvas numerous as a dust particles of four four-continent worlds gained a.s.surance that they would attain anuttara-samyak-sambodhi after four rebirths. And bodhisattvas and mahasattvas numerous as the dust particles of three four-continent worlds gained a.s.surance that they would attain anuttara-samyak-sambodhi after two rebirths. And bodhisattvas and mahasattvas numerous as the dust particles of two four-continent worlds gained a.s.surance that they will attain anuttara-samyak-sambodhi after two rebirths. And bodhisattvas and mahasattvas numerous as the dust particles of one four-continent world gained a.s.surance that they would attain anuttara-samyak-sambodhi after one rebirth. And living beings numerous as the dust particles of eight worlds were all moved to set their minds upon anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.

When the Buddha announced that these bodhisattvas and mahasattvas had gained the great benefits of the Law, from the midst of the air mandarava flowers and great mandarava flowers rained down, scattering over the immeasurable hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, millions of Buddhas who were seated on lion seats under jeweled trees, and also scattering over Shakyamuni Buddha, and over Many Treasures Thus Come One who long ago entered extinction, both of whom were seated on lion seats in the tower of seven treasures. They also scattered over all the great bodhisattvas and the four kinds of believers. In addition, finely powdered sandalwood and aloes rained down, and in the midst of the air heavenly drums sounded of their own accord, wonderful notes deep and far-reaching. And a thousand varieties of heavenly robes rained down, draped with various necklaces, pearl necklaces, mani jewel necklaces, necklaces of wish-granting jewels, spreading everywhere in nine directions. In jewel-encrusted censers priceless incenses burned, their fragrance of their own accord permeating everywhere as an offering to the great a.s.sembly. Above each one of the Buddhas there appeared bodhisattvas holding banners and canopies, in rows reaching up to the Brahma heaven. These bodhisattvas employed their wonderful voices in singing immeasurable hymns of praise to the Buddhas.

At that time the bodhisattva Maitreya rose from his seat, bared his right shoulder and, pressing his palms together and facing the Buddha, spoke in verse form, saying: The Buddha preaches a rarely encountered Law, one never heard from past times.

The World-Honored One possesses great powers and his life span cannot be measured.

The countless sons of the Buddha, hearing the World-Honored One make distinctions and describe the benefits of the Law they will gain, find their whole bodies filled with joy.

Some abide in this stage of no regression, some have acquired dharanis, some can speak pleasingly and without hindrance or retain ten thousand, a million repet.i.tions of the teachings.

Some bodhisattvas numerous as the dust particles of a thousand major worlds are all able to turn the unregressing wheel of the Law.

Some Bodhisattvas numerous as the dust particles of a thousand intermediate worlds are all able to turn the pure wheel of the Law.

And some bodhisattvas numerous as the dust particles of a thousand minor worlds are a.s.sured that after eight more rebirths they will be able to complete the Buddha way.

Some bodhisattvas numerous as the dust particles of four, three, two times the four continents after a corresponding number of rebirths will become Buddhas; some bodhisattvas numerous as the dust particles of one set of the four continents after one more rebirth will attain comprehensive wisdom.

Thus when living beings hear of the great length of the Buddha's life, they gain pure fruits and rewards that are immeasurable and free of outflows.

Again living beings numerous as the dust particles of eight worlds, hearing the Buddha describe his life span, all set their minds on the unsurpa.s.sed way.

The World-Honored One preaches a Law that is immeasurable and cannot be fathomed, and those who benefit from it are many, as boundless as the open air.

Heavenly mandarava flowers and great mandarava flowers rain down; Shakyas and Brahmas like Ganges sands.

Arrive from countless Buddha lands.

Sandalwood and aloes in the jumble of fine powder rain down; like birds flying down from the sky they scatter as an offering over the Buddhas.

In the midst of the air heavenly drums of their own accord emit wonderful sounds; heavenly robes by the thousand, ten thousand, million come whirling and fluttering down; wonderful jewel-encrusted censers burn priceless incense which of his own accord permeates everywhere, an offering to all the World-Honored Ones.

The mult.i.tude of great bodhisattvas hold banners and canopies adorned with the seven treasures, ten thousand, a million in kind, lofty, wonderful, in rows reaching up to the Brahma heaven.

Before each one of the Buddhas hang jeweled streamers and superlative banners, while in thousands, ten thousands of verses the praises of the Thus Come One are sung.

All these many things have never been known in the past.

Hearing that the Buddha's life is immeasurable, all beings are filled with joy.

The Buddha's name is heard in ten directions, widely benefiting living beings, and all are endowed with good roots to help them set their minds on the unsurpa.s.sed way.

At that time the Buddha said to the bodhisattva in mahasattva Maitreya: "Ajita, if there are living beings who, on hearing that the life span of the Buddha is of such long duration, are able to believe and understand it even for a moment, the benefits they gain thereby will be without limit or measure. Suppose there are good men or good women who, for the sake of anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, over a period of eight hundred thousand million nayutas of kalpas practice the five paramitas - the paramitas of dana (almsgiving), shila (keeping of the precepts), kshanti (forbearance), virya (a.s.siduousness) and dhyana (meditation), the paramita of prajna being omitted - the benefits they obtain will now measure up to even a hundred part, the thousandth part, a hundred, thousand, ten thousand, millionth part of the benefits mentioned previously. Indeed, it is beyond the power of calculation, simile or parable to convey the comparison. For good men who have gained such benefits as those [mentioned previously] to fall back without reaching the goal of anuttara-samyak-sambodhi is utterly unimaginable." [mentioned previously] to fall back without reaching the goal of anuttara-samyak-sambodhi is utterly unimaginable."

At that time the World-Honored One, wishing to state his meaning once more, spoke in verse form, saying: If someone seeking the Buddha wisdom for a period of eight hundred thousand million nayutas of kalpas should practice the five paramitas, during all those kalpas distributing alms to the Buddhas and to the pratyekabuddhas and disciples and the mult.i.tude of bodhisattvas, rare delicacies of food and drink, fine garments and articles of bedding, or building religious retreats of sandalwood adorned with gardens and grows if he should distribute alms of many varieties, all refined and wonderful, and do this for the entire number of kalpas to express his devotion to the Buddha away; and if moreover he should keep the precepts, in purity and without omission or outflow, seeking the unsurpa.s.sed way, praised by the Buddhas; and if he should practice forbearance, remaining in a posture of submission and gentleness, even when various evils are visited on him, not allowing his mind to be roused or swayed; when others, convinced they have gained the Law, harbor thoughts of overbearing arrogance and he is treated with contempt and vexed by them, if he can still endure it with patience; and if he is diligent and a.s.siduous, ever firm in intent and thought, for immeasurable millions of kalpas single-minded, and never lax or neglectful, for countless kalpas dwelling in a deserted and quiet place; and if he practices sitting and walking exercises, banishing drowsiness, constantly regulating his mind, and as a result of such actions is able to produce states of meditation, for eighty million ten thousand kalpas remaining calm, his mind never deranged; and if he holds to the blessings of this single-mindedness and with it seeks the unsurpa.s.sed way, saying, "I will gain comprehensive wisdom and exhaust all the states of meditation!"

If this person for a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand, a million kalpas should carry out these meritorious practices as I have described above, still those good men and women who hear me describe my life span and believe it for even a moment win blessings that surpa.s.s those of such a person.

If a person is completely free of all doubt and regret, if in the depths of this mind he believes for one instant, his blessings will be such as this.