The Lotus Sūtra 4.18

4.18

妙法蓮華經授學無學人記品第九

We were self-satisfied,

Just like ignorant fools!

Suppose there were a poor man

Who went to the house of a close friend Whose family was very wealthy. He was entertained with a feast And had a priceless jewel sewn To the inside of his garment. The wealthy friend made him this gift Without saying anything, and went away. The poor man had fallen asleep And did not know of this. Shortly afterward this man gets up, And after wandering around Arrives in another country. He manages to seek out Enough food and clothing to live But has great difficulty in supporting himself. Yet he is satisfied to obtain a little And does not desire anything better. He is still unaware of the priceless jewel Sewn inside his garment. The intimate friend who gave him the jewel Meets this poor man later And bitterly reproaches him, Showing him the jewel That had been sewn into his garment. The poor man, seeing this jewel, rejoices greatly And with this rich treasure he enjoys To his satisfaction the desires of the five senses. We are exactly like this. For a long time, the Bhagavat Has led and inspired us Through his compassion, And planted in us the highest aspiration. Because we were ignorant We neither noticed nor knew; We were satisfied with attaining

Only a small measure of nirvana And did not seek for the rest. Now the Buddha has enlightened us, saying:

This is not the real nirvana.

Attaining the highest wisdom of the buddhas

Is indeed the only real nirvana.

Now, having heard the predictions from the Buddha And of the adorned lands, And the subsequent predictions, We universally rejoice in body and mind!

The Predictions for Those

Who Still Have More to Learn

and for Those Who Do Not

At that time Ānanda and Rāhula thought this: “The delight we would feel if we were to receive our predictions is constantly before our minds!”

Then arising from their seats and going into the presence of the Buddha, they bowed until their foreheads touched his feet, and spoke to him in unison, saying: “O Bhagavat! We should also be qualified to receive our predictions! Both of us take refuge only in the Tathāgata. Moreover we are well known by the devas, humans, and asuras throughout the entire world! Ānanda has always attended the Tathāgata, preserving the treasure house of the Dharma; and Rāhula is the son of the Buddha. If the Buddha would bestow upon us the prediction of highest, complete enlightenment then our vows would be fulfilled and our wishes also realized!”