འཕགས་པ་རྒྱ་ཆར་རལ་པ་ཞས་བྱ་བ་ཐག་པ་ཆན་པའ་མད 4
The Play in Full 4
- Language
- English
4.2
Dhvajavatī, and Prabhāvatī serve him. When these four goddesses knew that the Bodhisattva had entered the womb of his mother, they kept a constant guard over him. In addition, when Śakra, lord of the gods, discovered that the Bodhisattva had entered the womb of his mother, he brought along five hundred gods to constantly follow the Bodhisattva.
The body of a bodhisattva who has entered the womb of his mother develops certain features. For example, it is like a great fire burning on a mountaintop during the darkest night, visible from a league or even five leagues away. The body of the Bodhisattva as he entered the womb of his mother was just this way. It was radiant, well formed, handsome, and pleasing to see. As he sat with crossed legs inside that peaked structure, he was exceedingly beautiful. He appeared to have a golden hue, shining like refined gold adorned with precious beryl. The mother of the Bodhisattva could also see the Bodhisattva within her womb.
In the same way that a lightning bolt illumines everything as it emerges from a mass of clouds, so the Bodhisattva dwelling in his mother’s womb also illuminated the innermost chamber of the precious temple through his splendor, brilliance, and color. When that was illuminated, he illuminated the middle chamber of the fragrant temple. When the second level of the fragrant temple was illuminated, the light went farther and illuminated the outer chamber of the fragrant temple. Then, as the third level of the fragrant temple was bathed in light, his mother’s entire body became filled with light. The light then went farther and illuminated the seat upon which his mother was seated. Gradually the light streamed forth and brightened the entire palace. The light rays rose beyond the palace and illuminated the east. Likewise, while the Bodhisattva was residing in the womb of his mother, the glory, brilliance, and color of the Bodhisattva illuminated the south, the west, and the north, below and above. In fact all the ten directions
4.3
were bathed in light for several miles in each direction.
Monks, in the early morning the Four Great Kings and the twenty-eight great commanders of the yakṣas together with five hundred yakṣas arrived to meet the Bodhisattva and to offer him their respect and veneration, and also to listen to the Dharma. At that time the Bodhisattva, who was aware of their arrival, extended his right hand and pointed out their seats. The guardians of the world and the other guests sat down on the arranged seats. They perceived the Bodhisattva, who was in the womb of his mother, in the form of a child who has already taken birth, extending his hand and moving it in various positions. Upon seeing this they prostrated to the Bodhisattva and were filled with joy, devotion, and well-being.
When the Bodhisattva saw that they were settled, he taught them a Dharma teaching and instructed them, inspired them, and delighted them. When they wished to go, the Bodhisattva, who knew full well their thoughts, extended his right hand as a farewell greeting. As he retracted his hand, there was no harm done to his mother. The Four Great Kings understood the greeting and thought, “We have been dismissed by the Bodhisattva.” Then they circled around the Bodhisattva and his mother three times before departing. This was the circumstance and the reason why the Bodhisattva, in the quiet of the night, would extend his right hand and draw it back. Finally he would let the hand rest while maintaining mindfulness and carefulness.
At other times when people came to see the Bodhisattva, be they women or men,
4.4
boys or girls, he would first joyfully welcome them, and then his mother would do the same. Monks, in this way the Bodhisattva became very skilled at initiating delightful salutations as he dwelt in his mother’s womb. There was no one, whether god, nāga, yakṣa, human, or nonhuman, who was ever able to greet the Bodhisattva first with a delightful salutation. Instead the Bodhisattva would initiate the salutations, and afterward the mother of the Bodhisattva would joyfully welcome the guests.
When the morning had passed and the noon hour arrived, Śakra, the lord of the gods, along with the most eminent gods of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, came to meet the Bodhisattva and to offer him their respect and veneration, and also to listen to the Dharma. The Bodhisattva, who saw them coming from a distance, extended his golden-colored right hand and, to the delight of Śakra, lord of the gods, and the gods of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, pointed out their seats. Monks, at that moment Śakra, lord of the gods, was unable to resist the Bodhisattva’s request, and so he and the gods all settled down on the seats that had been arranged for them.
When the Bodhisattva knew that they were settled, he taught them a Dharma teaching and instructed them, inspired them, and delighted them. In whichever direction the Bodhisattva would extend his hand, the mother of the Bodhisattva would turn to face that way. Then the gods reflected, “The Bodhisattva is having a heartwarming conversation with us.” And each one of them thought, “The Bodhisattva is speaking directly to me; to me alone he extends a friendly welcome.” All the while the images of Śakra, lord of the gods,
4.5
and those of the gods of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three were reflected within the temple. Thus nowhere else were the Bodhisattva’s enjoyments as perfectly pure as in the womb of his mother.
Monks, when Śakra, lord of the gods, and the other gods wished to depart, the Bodhisattva, who knew full well their thoughts, extended his right hand as a farewell greeting. As he retracted his hand, there was no harm done to his mother. At that time Śakra, lord of the gods, and the other gods of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three reflected, “We have been dismissed by the Bodhisattva.” Then they circled around the Bodhisattva and his mother three times before departing.
Monks, noontime passed, and it was now evening when Brahmā, lord of the Sahā World, surrounded by many hundreds of thousands of gods, approached the Bodhisattva carrying a drop of the vital force of the divine realms. They came to meet the Bodhisattva and to offer him their respect and veneration, and also to listen to the Dharma.
Monks, the Bodhisattva knew that Brahmā, lord of the Sahā World, was arriving together with his retinue, and again he raised his golden-colored right hand. He cordially greeted Brahmā, lord of the Sahā World, and those gods of the pure realms, and pointed out their seats to them. Monks, again it was not possible for Brahmā, lord of the Sahā World, to resist the Bodhisattva’s command. Thus Brahmā, lord of the Sahā World, as well as the other gods of the pure realms, settled on those seats that had been arranged. When the Bodhisattva knew that they were settled, he taught them a Dharma teaching and instructed them,
4.6
inspired them, and delighted them. In whichever direction the Bodhisattva would extend his hand, the mother of the Bodhisattva would turn to face that way. Then the gods reflected, “The Bodhisattva is having a heartwarming conversation with us.” And each one of them thought, “The Bodhisattva is speaking directly to me; to me alone he extends a friendly welcome.”
Monks, when Brahmā, lord of the Sahā World, and those gods of the pure realms wished to depart, the Bodhisattva, who knew full well their thoughts, extended his right hand as a farewell greeting. As he retracted his hand with mindfulness and carefulness, there was no harm done to his mother. Then Brahmā, lord of the Sahā World, and those gods of the pure realms reflected, “We have been dismissed by the Bodhisattva.” Then they circled around the Bodhisattva and his mother three times before departing. Finally the Bodhisattva let his hand rest while maintaining mindfulness and carefulness.
Monks, from everywhere, such as the east, the south, the west, the north, above and below, many hundreds of thousands of bodhisattvas came to meet the Bodhisattva and to offer him their respect and veneration, and also to listen to the Dharma and correctly proclaim that Dharma. Once they had arrived, the Bodhisattva’s body began emitting light, which manifested into lion thrones. The Bodhisattva then indicated to the bodhisattvas to take their seat on these thrones. When he knew that they were settled, the Bodhisattva questioned and examined the bodhisattvas regarding the divisions pertaining to the Great Vehicle. However, with the exception of the gods who were of equal fortune, no one else perceived this.
4.7
Monks, this was the circumstance and the reason why the Bodhisattva projected light from his body in the quiet of the night.
Monks, while the Bodhisattva was dwelling in the womb of his mother, Queen Māyā did not feel any heaviness in her body. On the contrary she felt light, supple, and happy, and she did not experience any uncomfortable pains in her belly. She was not afflicted by attachment, anger, or delusion. She did not entertain any desirous thoughts, nor any thoughts of ill will or harm. She neither experienced nor witnessed any heat, cold, hunger, thirst, gloom, uncleanliness, or fatigue. No unpleasant forms, sounds, smells, tastes, or textures appeared to her, and she also had no bad dreams. There was no female deception, guile, envy, or feminine disturbing emotions to trouble her.
At that time the mother of the Bodhisattva observed the five basic precepts. She was disciplined and followed the path of the ten virtuous actions. The mother of the Bodhisattva never desired any man whomsoever, and neither did any man feel lust in the presence of the mother of the Bodhisattva.
Merely by seeing the mother of the Bodhisattva, any woman, man, boy, or girl in the city of Kapilavastu and its surrounding areas who had been possessed was cured and regained consciousness immediately, regardless of whether they had been possessed by gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, demigods, garuḍas, or bhūtas. Those nonhuman beings quickly departed for other places.
All those who had been struck by illness were freed from their disease as soon as the mother of the Bodhisattva placed her right hand on the top of their head. In this way she would cure those who suffered from any illness or ailment that arises from disharmony among wind, bile, or phlegm.
4.8
She would cure illnesses related to the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and lips, as well as toothaches, throat diseases, goiters, lumps, various forms of leprosy, tuberculosis, madness, dementia, fevers, swellings, boils, rashes, scabs, and other illnesses. Once they were freed from their disease, these people could then return to their homes. Queen Māyā would also pick herbs and distribute them to the sick, who would immediately regain their health and vigor.
When Queen Māyā looked inside her belly, she saw the Bodhisattva resting on the right side of her womb. She could see this as clearly as if she was looking at her own face in a spotless mirror. Seeing him in that way, she was satisfied, elated, and delighted. She felt extremely happy, buoyant, and joyful.
Monks, through the blessings of the Bodhisattva staying in his mother’s womb, the sounds of divine musical instruments arose constantly without interruption both day and night, and a rain of divine flowers fell. The gods sent timely rains, and the winds blew at appropriate moments. The seasons and the stars all moved in a balanced manner. The kingdom was joyful and the harvests were bountiful. There were no disturbances or animosity anywhere.
In the city of Kapilavastu, the clan of the Śākyas and everyone else had plenty to eat and drink, and they enjoyed themselves with various amusements. They were generous and created merit. They happily amused themselves just as one does during the autumn festival at the end of the fourth month. King Śuddhodana devoted himself purely to religious practice. Setting aside all his kingly work, he lived in complete purity as if he had entered an ascetic’s grove.
4.9
With great delight, he followed the Dharma. Monks, such were the miraculous marvels that occurred while the Bodhisattva remained in his mother’s womb.
At this time the Blessed One asked venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, would you like to see the jeweled structure that delighted the Bodhisattva when he stayed in his mother’s womb?”
Ānanda replied, “Yes, Blessed One. I would love to, Well-Gone One!”
The Blessed One then showed the jeweled structure to venerable Ānanda as well as to Śakra, lord of the gods; the four guardians of the world; and many other gods and humans. As they saw the structure, they were satisfied, uplifted, and full of rejoicing. In a joyful mood, they were happy and delighted.
Then once again, Brahmā, lord of the Sahā World, lifted up the jeweled structure and brought it with him to the Brahma realm, where he installed it as an object of worship.
Then the Blessed One again addressed the monks: “Monks, in this way, while the Bodhisattva dwelt in his mother’s womb, he ripened 36 million gods and humans within the Three Vehicles.”
On this topic, it is said:
When the Victors’ Son, the Great Being, settled in his mother’s womb,
The earth with its forests shook in six ways.
Golden light shone forth and all the lower realms were purified;
All the gods joyfully proclaimed, “He will be a Dharma king!”
Well shaped and resplendent with many jewels is the great mansion
Where the Hero, the Perfect Guide, has ascended and remains.
It is resplendent, filled with exquisitely fragrant sandalwood,
A few grams of which is worth the whole trichiliocosm filled with jewels.
Bursting forth from beneath the great trichiliocosm,
A lotus, which is a mine of good qualities, emerged with a drop of vital energy.
4.10
Within seven days, it reached the world of Brahmā through the power of merit;
Brahmā collected the vital drop and offered it to the Victors’ Son.
Apart from the Bodhisattva, a mighty hero,
No being anywhere could digest the drop.
This drop of vital energy is imbued with the merit of many eons;
Whoever consumes it becomes pure in body, mind, and consciousness.
Śakra, Brahmā, and the guardians of the world paid the Bodhisattva three visits
In order to make offerings to the Guide.
They prostrated, made offerings, and listened to the sublime Dharma,
Then they circled around him and returned to their abodes.
From all worlds and realms came bodhisattvas desiring the Dharma;
Sitting on seats of light, they illumined each other.
Because they heard the sacred Dharma of the Supreme Vehicle,
They all could leave with joy, proclaiming songs of praise.
Any woman or child afflicted by suffering,
Possessed by spirits, with troubled mind, naked and covered with dust,
Recovered their senses upon seeing Queen Māyā.
With intelligence and mindfulness restored, they returned to their homes.
Those afflicted by illness caused by disorders of wind, bile, or phlegm,
And those with body and mind tormented by diseases of the eyes and ears,
And all those stricken by many different kinds of ailments,
Were freed from illness when Queen Māyā placed her hand on their heads.
Moreover, gathering herbs from the ground,
Māyā gave them to the sick, who all became cured.
Happy and healthy, they returned to their homes,
While the King of Physicians, the remedy itself, dwelt in the womb.
Whenever Queen Māyā examined her body,
She saw the Bodhisattva in her womb.
Like the moon in the sky encircled by stars,
The Bodhisattva
4.11
was ornamented by marks.
She was untroubled by attachment, anger, or delusion,
Had no sexual desires, nor envy or ill will.
With a joyful and elated mind, she was blissful,
Never bothered by hunger and thirst, or heat and cold.
The sounds of divine instruments constantly arose without being played.
Excellent sublime flowers, fragrant with divine perfumes, fell like rain.
Gods and humans beheld this, and none of them
Felt any resentment or ill will toward one another.
Beings rejoiced and played, and made offerings of food and drink;
They uttered cries of joy, content and delighted as they were.
The kingdom was at peace, undisturbed and with well-timed rain;
Grasses, medicinal herbs, and flowers grew in a timely manner.
Over the royal palace, a rain of jewels fell for seven days;
Impoverished beings brought them home and enjoyed the bounty.
At that time there were no impoverished or suffering beings;
Everyone was as joyful as the beings in the pleasure grove atop Mount Meru.
The king of the Śākyas observed the mending and purification ritual;
Leaving his royal duties, he only practiced the Dharma.
He went into the grove of the ascetics and said to Māyādevī,
“How blissful your body must be, bearing the Perfect Being!”
Chapter 7
The Birth
Monks, in this way ten months passed, and the time came for the Bodhisattva to take birth. At that time thirty-two omens occurred in King Śuddhodana’s parks:
All flowers budded and blossomed. In the ponds, all the blue, red, and white lotus flowers also budded and blossomed. New fruit and flower trees sprung from the earth, budded, and came into blossom. Eight trees of precious gems appeared. Twenty thousand great treasures emerged and remained on the grounds.
4.12
Inside the women’s quarters, jeweled shoots sprouted forth. Scented water, saturated with fragrant oils, flowed forth. Lion cubs descended from the snow mountains. They joyfully circled the sublime city of Kapilavastu and then rested by the gates without harming anyone. Five hundred young white elephants arrived, stroking King Śuddhodana’s feet with the tips of their trunks, and then settling down next to him. Divine children, wearing sashes, were seen moving back and forth between the laps of the women in the retinue of King Śuddhodana’s queen.
Nāga girls could be seen holding aloft various offerings, revealing the upper half of their bodies as they moved about in the sky. Ten thousand celestial maidens were seen hovering in the sky, holding up peacock feathers. Ten thousand full vases appeared in a ring around the city of Kapilavastu. Ten thousand celestial maidens appeared with vases of scented water on their heads. Ten thousand celestial maidens appeared holding up parasols, flags, and banners. Many hundreds of thousands of celestial maidens appeared holding conch shells, drums, clay drums, and cymbals adorned with bells.
The winds became still and ceased to blow. All streams and rivers stopped their flow. The sun, the moon, the celestial chariots, the planets, and the stars all stood still. The constellation of Puṣya appeared. King Śuddhodana’s residence became adorned with a net of jewels. All fires were extinguished. The palace, temples, gateways, and doorways were decorated with tassels of jewels and gems. The doors to the storehouses of cloths and gems appeared wide open.
4.13
The calls of crows, owls, vultures, wolves, and jackals ceased to be heard. Instead many delightful sounds were heard. All people stopped their work. The ground became level without any bumps or hollows. All crossroads, junctions, roads, and marketplaces became as even and smooth as the palm of a hand and were beautifully bestrewn with flower petals. All pregnant women birthed their babies with comfort and ease. All the gods in the sāl forest revealed half their bodies from among the trees’ leaves and remained there, bowing. Such were the thirty-two omens that occurred.
Then Māyādevī, due to the magnificence and strength of the Bodhisattva, knew that it was time for her to give birth. During the first watch of the night, she came to King Śuddhodana and spoke these words:
“Lord, please listen to what is on my mind:
For a long time now, I have thought about the pleasure grove.
If you will not be upset, displeased, or envious,
I should quickly go to that pleasure grove.
“You are also weary from austerities and diligently contemplating the Dharma;
I myself have carried a pure being within me for a long time now.
The sāl, that most wonderful of trees, is now in blossom.
O Lord, it is therefore fitting for us to go to the pleasure grove!
“Spring, that excellent season, is a joyous time for women;
The bees are humming and the cuckoos singing.
Fresh and sweet, the fragrance of flowers drifts through the air—
Please issue an order, and let us go there right away!”
The king heard Māyādevī’s words, and then,
Delighted and elated, he spoke to his retinue:
4.14
“Arrange my horses, elephants, and chariots!
Decorate the excellent garden at Lumbinī!
“Quick, prepare twenty thousand elephants,
Dark blue like mountains or storm clouds.
Ornament the lordly six-tusked elephants with bells attached to their flanks;
Decorate them with gold and gems and cover them with lattices of gold.
“Quick, harness twenty thousand royal steeds,
Fast as the wind, strong and excellent steeds,
With silvery snow-colored tails, manes that are beautifully plaited,
And lattices of golden bells hung on their flanks.
“Quick, gather twenty thousand brave men,
Heroes who long for the battlefield and combat.
Let them brandish sharp weapons—bows and arrows, swords, spears, and lassos—
To carefully guard Māyādevī and her retinue.
“Have Lumbinī bestrewn with gold and jewels;
Adorn all the trees with many types of cloths and jewels.
Quick, plant many flowers, like in the gardens of the gods.
Arrange all of this, and then swiftly report to me.”
Hearing this, the retinue immediately arranged
All the conveyances and ornamented Lumbinī.
They then called out, “Victory! Victory! Long live the king!
Your command is fulfilled and all is ready. Please look, O lord!”
The sublime lord of men, with a joyous mind,
Entered the palace and spoke thus to the women:
“Those of you to whom I am dear and who would like to bring me joy,
Follow my command and adorn yourselves.
“With colorful clothes, beautiful and soft,
And fragrant with enchanting perfume,
Adorn your chests with necklaces of pearls;
Today everyone should wear all their ornaments!
4.15
“Bring hundreds of thousands of delightful instruments:
Hand drums, flutes, lutes, clay drums, and cymbals.
Hearing the melodious sound of these instruments, even the gods will be pleased!
You make the goddesses similarly joyful!
“In the supreme chariot, only Māyādevī shall sit;
None of the ladies nor the men shall join her.
This chariot shall be led by a host of bright young women;
No one shall mention anything unpleasant or unfitting!”
Māyādevī then left her palace and went to the door of the king.
When she arrived, the divisions of horses, elephants, chariots, and foot soldiers
All called out with a deafening roar,
As loud as the waves on a great turbulent ocean.
At this moment, auspiciously, a hundred thousand bells rang out.
The king himself decorated the chariot,
And a thousand gods prepared a divine throne.
The four precious trees were complete with flowers and leaves.
Peacocks, cranes, and swans sounded their delightful calls;
Parasols, flags, and banners of all sizes were hoisted;
The chariot was covered with a beautiful lattice of tinkling bells and divine cloth.
From up in the heavens, celestial maidens looked down at the chariot;
They called out in divine melodious tones, offering words of praise.
When Māyādevī sat upon the lion throne,
The earth of the trichiliocosm trembled in six ways.
The gods waved cloths and scattered a rain of flowers:
“Today at Lumbinī, a sublime being is to be born!”
The four guardians of the world led the supreme chariot;
Śakra himself, lord of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, cleared its path.
Brahmā, going ahead, expelled all untamed creatures;
Hundreds of thousands of gods joined their hands and bowed down.
The king, with a joyful heart, surveyed what had been prepared,
4.16
Thinking, “This child must be the god of gods!
When the four guardians, Brahmā, and the gods, led by Śakra, make such offerings,
He will surely become a buddha!
“None of the gods, nor the nāgas, Śakra, Brahmā, or the guardians of the world,
Nor any other being in the trichiliocosm could accept such offerings as these,
For their heads would burst asunder or their lives be lost.
Yet he, supreme among gods, can accept all offerings.”
Monks, Māyādevī now set forth, surrounded and protected by 84,000 richly ornamented horse-drawn chariots, 84,000 richly ornamented elephant-drawn chariots, and 84,000 brave, heroic, and handsome foot soldiers wearing excellent and solid armor. She was escorted by 60,000 Śākya maidens. She was guarded by 40,000 elders, youths, and middle-aged men from King Śuddhodana’s Śākya clan. She was also surrounded by 60,000 women from King Śuddhodana’s retinue, who sang songs and played music, bells, and cymbals. Some 84,000 celestial maidens followed her, as did 84,000 nāga maidens, 84,000 gandharva maidens, 84,000 kinnara maidens, and 84,000 female demigods. All of them were lavishly ornamented and sang her praise in melodic voices accompanied by music.
All of Lumbinī Grove was sprinkled with droplets of perfumed water and strewn with celestial flowers. Every tree in that perfect grove had leaves, flowers, and fruits, even though it was out of season. Even the gods had done their best to decorate the forest. They had, in fact, made it appear like the gods’ Miśraka Garden.
4.17
When Māyādevī arrived at the Lumbinī Grove, she stepped down from her fine chariot. As human and divine maidens encircled her, she wandered from tree to tree and from grove to grove. She looked among all the trees and eventually arrived beneath a very special and exquisite fig tree. Its branches spread out, full of lush leaves and clusters of blossoms, and further adorned with numerous flowers from the realms of both humans and gods. Richly scented cloths of many colors were draped across its branches. It was sparkling with the light of many gems and jewels. Its roots, trunk, branches, and leaves were all adorned with jewels. Its branches were long and spread out spaciously. The ground where the fig tree stood was smooth like the palm of a hand, beautiful and open, and it was full of dark blue grass, the color of a peacock’s neck. The earth was pleasant to the touch, like soft kācilindika cloth. This tree had supported the mothers of previous victorious ones, and it had been praised in the poetry of the gods. It was a tree to which the wholesome and peaceful gods of the pure realms would bow down and touch with their heads, including their topknots and diadems. Now the queen and her retinue had arrived at this pure and stainless fig tree.
However, at this moment the Bodhisattva’s magnificence and power caused the fig tree itself to bow down and pay homage to him. Māyādevī stretched out her right arm, like a flash of lightning appearing in the middle of the sky, and grasped a branch of the tree. She auspiciously directed her gaze into the open sky and stretched her body. At that point sixty thousand goddesses from the desire realm approached Māyādevī to assist and venerate her.
Such were the miracles that occurred while the Bodhisattva was in his mother’s womb. Now, as the ten months had been completed,
4.18
he emerged from his mother’s right side, fully aware and mindful. In this way he was unstained by any impurities of the womb, which otherwise are said to stain everyone else.
Monks, at that time Śakra, lord of the gods, and Brahmā, lord of the Sahā World, appeared before the Bodhisattva. As they remembered and recognized who he was, they were full of veneration for the Bodhisattva and wrapped him up in divine silk. The temple in which the Bodhisattva had dwelt while in his mother’s womb was carried off by Brahmā, lord of the Sahā World, and the other gods of the Brahma realm up into their realm, where they enshrined the temple in a memorial and made it an object of worship. Thus the Bodhisattva was first received by the gods rather than by any humans.
As soon as he was born, the Bodhisattva stepped onto the ground. Wherever his feet touched the ground, a large lotus immediately sprung from the earth. Then the great nāga kings Nanda and Upananda revealed their upper bodies in the sky and produced two streams of cool and warm water to rinse the Bodhisattva’s body. Śakra, Brahmā, the guardians of the world, and many hundreds of thousands of gods then bathed the Bodhisattva in perfumed water and scattered flower petals over him. A parasol of precious gems and two yak-tail whisks also appeared from midair.
The Bodhisattva stood on a large lotus and surveyed the four directions with his lion’s gaze, the gaze of a great being. At that time the Bodhisattva, with unhindered higher knowledge, which he manifested due to the ripening of previous roots of virtue, saw the entire great trichiliocosm. He saw all the cities, towns,
4.19
estates, kingdoms, royal cities, and lands, as well as all gods and humans. He also perfectly knew the minds of all sentient beings and carefully surveyed them, looking to see if there was anyone similar to himself in terms of virtuous conduct, discipline, meditative absorption, or knowledge. However, in the entire great trichiliocosm, the Bodhisattva did not see anyone like himself.
At that point the Bodhisattva felt a lion-like fearlessness, free of anxiety or apprehension. Without any hesitation or wavering, he reminded himself of his good motivations. Because he had examined the minds of all sentient beings, he now knew their thoughts. Unsupported, he took seven steps toward the east and declared, “I will be the cause of all virtuous practices.”
Wherever the Bodhisattva took a step, a lotus sprouted forth. He then took seven steps toward the south and said, “I am worthy of the offerings of gods and humans.” Next he took seven steps toward the west and, pausing on the seventh step, he proclaimed these satisfying words in lion-like fashion: “I am the Supreme Being on this earth. This is my last birth, where I shall uproot birth, old age, sickness, and death!” He then took seven steps toward the north and said, “I will be supreme among all sentient beings!” Next he took seven steps downhill, saying, “I will subjugate Māra and his army! I will cause great rain clouds of the Dharma to shower down on all hell beings, extinguishing the fires of hell and filling the beings there with happiness.” Finally he took seven steps uphill, lifted his gaze, and said, “All sentient beings will look up to me.”
4.20
As the Bodhisattva spoke in this way, his words were immediately heard throughout the entire great trichiliocosm. Such was the nature of the foreknowledge that sprang from the ripening of the Bodhisattva’s previous actions. Whenever a bodhisattva takes birth into his final existence, and as he awakens to perfect and complete buddhahood, various miracles unfold.
Monks, at that time all beings were so delighted that the hairs on their bodies shivered. There was also a terrifying quaking of the earth, which caused the hairs on their bodies to stand on end. The cymbals and musical instruments of gods and humans sounded without being played by anyone. At that time all the trees in the great trichiliocosm—whether in season or not—blossomed and bore fruit. From the expanse of pure space, the sound of thunder rang out, and from the cloudless sky, a fine mist of rain showered down ever so gently, mixed with divinely colored flowers, cloths, ornaments, and powdered incense. Deliciously scented breezes blew, delightful and cooling. In all directions there was no darkness, dust, smoke, or mist to be seen, and everything appeared bright and beautiful.
Also, from the empty space above, the great melodious and profound sounds of the realm of Brahmā were heard. All the light of the sun, the moon, Brahmā, Śakra, and the guardians of the world was eclipsed by an otherworldly light of a hundred thousand colors, which filled the entire great trichiliocosm and brought pleasure and happiness, both physical and mental, to everyone that it touched. At the very moment when the Bodhisattva was born, all beings became filled with bliss. All types of attachment, anger, delusion, pride,
4.21
dislike, dejection, fear, greed, jealousy, and stinginess subsided, and everyone abandoned all forms of unwholesome conduct.
The illnesses of the sick were cured. The hungry and the thirsty were relieved of their hunger and thirst. The drunk and intoxicated were freed from their intoxication. The mad had their sanity restored. The blind could see. The deaf could hear. The crippled had their capacities restored. The destitute gained wealth. The imprisoned were freed. All ailments and sufferings of those in the hell realms, starting with the Hell of Ultimate Torment, ceased at that moment. The suffering of those born into the animal realm, such as the fear of being eaten by one another, was also pacified. Likewise the sufferings experienced by beings in the realm of the lord of death, such as hunger and thirst, were also pacified.
The newborn Bodhisattva had already practiced good conduct for countless trillions of eons, and he possessed great diligence and strength. As such, when he took his first seven steps, he had already attained the state of reality. Therefore all the buddhas, the blessed ones, in all the realms in the ten directions blessed the earth at that spot of vajra nature so that it would not be destroyed by his steps. Monks, such was the awesome strength of the newborn Bodhisattva’s first seven steps.
At that time the entire world was filled with a bright light, and the sounds of singing and dancing were heard. A rain of flowers, powders, incense, garlands, jewels, ornaments, and cloths
4.22
showered down from innumerable clouds. All beings were filled with perfect joy. In short, when the Bodhisattva, who is more exalted than anyone in all the worlds, came into this world, many inconceivable events took place.
Venerable Ānanda now stood up from his seat, removed his robe from one shoulder, and kneeled, placing his right knee on the ground. He joined his palms in the direction of the Blessed One, bowed, and addressed these words to him:
“The Blessed One, the Thus-Gone One, is truly more amazing than anyone else. The Bodhisattva possessed incredible qualities, but how much more so the One Who Has Awakened to Perfect and Complete Buddhahood? O Blessed One, I therefore take refuge in Lord Buddha four times, five times, ten times, fifty times, a hundred times, or rather many hundreds of thousands of times!”
The Blessed One responded to these words from Ānanda by proclaiming:
“In the future there will be some monks who do not train their bodies and minds and do not acquaint themselves with discipline and knowledge. Like unskilled children, they will be highly proud, wild, arrogant, unrestrained, distracted, hesitant, doubting, and without trust. They will bring stains on the monastic order and not live like proper monks. When they hear about the Bodhisattva entering his mother’s womb in such a pure way, they will not believe it. Instead they will gather and gossip, saying, ‘Listen, all of you, just listen to this nonsense! The Bodhisattva supposedly entered into his mother’s womb, where he mixed with impure fluids. And yet he is said to have had such enjoyments. Moreover, it is said that when he was born, he emerged from his mother’s right side without being sullied by any stains of the womb.
4.23
But how could this be possible?’
“Such fools will not understand that the bodies of those who have engaged in excellent actions are not begotten from unclean fluids. Monks, such sublime beings enter into and abide in the womb in the finest manner. It is due to their love and compassion for sentient beings that bodhisattvas are born into the world of humans, since gods do not turn the wheel of Dharma. Why is this? Ānanda, it is because beings would otherwise have been discouraged, thinking, ‘The Blessed One, the Thus-Gone One, the Worthy One, the completely perfect Buddha is a god. We are just human beings, so we are not able to achieve that state.’
“It will not occur to these foolish beings, such thieves of the Dharma, to think, ‘This being is inconceivable and we cannot judge him.’ Ānanda, these future people will also not believe in the Buddha’s miracles, let alone the miracles displayed by the Thus-Gone Bodhisattva. Ānanda, these foolish beings will be overcome with desire for wealth, respect, and praise. They will sink into filth and be overcome with their lust for honor. In this way these impertinent beings will abandon the Buddha’s teachings. Just consider how much nonvirtue they will accumulate!”
Ānanda asked, “Blessed One! In the future will there really be such monks who reject excellent sūtras like this one, and who speak poorly of them?”
“Ānanda,” replied the Blessed One, “not only will there be those who reject the sūtras and speak poorly of them,
Linked texts (1)
- འཕགས་པ་རྒྱ་ཆེར་རོལ་པ་ཞེས་བྱ་བ་ཐེག་པ་ཆེན་པོའི་མདོ — Classical Tibetan