勝鬘寶窟 2.7

2.7

"Embracing the saddharma is truly the great vow" onwards is, third, the concluding praise. If one awakens to and comprehends the saddharma, one's realization of the principle is not empty; hence it says it is "truly the great vow." As the Daśabhūmika-śāstra says: "That the vow is well determined is because it is embraced by genuine wisdom." Question: Why are the sands of the Ganges cited? Answer: Among all rivers, the sand in the Ganges is the most abundant; hence it is taken as a metaphor. Moreover, it is the greatest among the four rivers. Moreover, the names of other rivers are prone to change, but the name of this river does not change from generation to generation. Moreover, worldly people consider it an auspicious river; those who enter it to bathe have their sinful defilements purified. Moreover, this river is near the Buddha's birthplace, and the Buddha's disciples saw it with their own eyes; hence it is cited as a metaphor. Moreover, this river is forty li wide, and elephants and horses sink completely when entering it.