法苑珠林 30.29

30.29

In the sea to the north beyond Jambudvīpa, there is a golden mountain named Meritorious Marks. In it is a cave named Bright Star, also a place where a bodhisattva once dwelt. There is a lion (called tiger in this land) cultivating the loving-kindness of the śrāvakas. There is another cave named Pure Path, also a place where a bodhisattva once dwelt; inside is a hare cultivating the loving-kindness of the śrāvakas. There is another cave named Joy and Bliss, also a place where a bodhisattva once dwelt; inside is a dragon cultivating the loving-kindness of the śrāvakas. The mountain has a water deity named Varuṇa, and a rākṣasī named Cultivating Shame, each surrounded by a retinue of five hundred. These two women constantly make offerings together to these three animals. These twelve animals constantly travel through Jambudvīpa day and night; they are revered by humans and devas, accomplished in merit, and have already made deep and weighty vows before the Buddhas. Over one day and one night, one animal is constantly made to travel about teaching and transforming, while the remaining eleven animals abide peacefully cultivating loving-kindness, cycling through and beginning again. On the first day of the seventh month, the rat first travels about, using the śrāvaka vehicle to teach and transform all those with the bodies of rats, causing them to abandon evil karma and encouraging them to cultivate good deeds. Proceeding in this order until the twelfth day, the rat travels again. It continues like this until the twelve months are complete, and through twelve years it is also like this, because they constantly tame all sentient beings. This land has much merit, such that even beasts and animals are able to teach, transform, and expound the path of unexcelled bodhi. Therefore, all the bodhisattvas of other lands should always revere this Buddha-world. (The compiler notes: These twelve beasts are all the merciful transformations of bodhisattvas; thus they take on various human and animal forms, maintaining the world so that it is never cut off. Therefore, when human beings are first born, they correspond to the cave where this bodhisattva abides, and thus belong to this animal, gaining benefit through its protection. Hence the twelve zodiacal animals of the Han lands proceed according to this, which does not differ from the sūtra.)