法苑珠林 35.41

35.41

"Furthermore, in the twenty-first year after the Tathāgata attained awakening, the Buddha told Mahāmaudgalyāyana: 'Go to the north of the ordination platform at Jetavana and strike the bell to summon the saṃgha of the ten directions, such as the bodhisattvas Samantabhadra and Avalokiteśvara, and assemble my emanated hundred billion Śākyamuni Buddhas, each riding a pavilion to the ordination platform.' When they had assembled according to the instruction, the Buddha told Samantabhadra Bodhisattva: 'Go to the Monkey Pond; at the place where I constantly walk, there is a torn saṃghārāṭī robe, and in its corner there is a small jewel tower; you may take it and bring it here.' Samantabhadra, following the instruction, brought it to Jetavana. When the World-Honoured One had received this tower, he told the great assembly: 'When I first vaulted over the city wall and reached atop the city gate tower, the city deity praised me, saying: "I have been the deity of this city for thirteen kalpas now, and have seen that all the past Buddhas vaulted over the city wall to learn the path, breaking the net of affectionate attachment, slaying the thieves of defilement, attaining the unsurpassed path, and liberating all beings. You are now also like this; do not allow any turning back." In the time of Kāśyapa Buddha, he entrusted to me a small jewel tower, telling me to wait until Siddhārtha vaulted over the city wall to give it to you. This is the tower of the four tooth-seals of Krakucchanda, passed on in succession down to Ruci Buddha.' After the prince received it, he bowed to the tower; when finished, it emitted a great radiance and the gate of the tower opened by itself, whereupon he saw the four teeth and that Buddha's bequeathed teachings. There were gold and silver pavilions, eighty thousand in number, all containing the sūtras and vinaya; there were also pavilions of mani jewels, above which offerings of lamps and incense were constantly made; and beside them was an inscription in silver characters telling Śākyamuni Buddha: 'When you first attain awakening, you should take one tooth-seal and stamp your feet, and the thousand-spoked wheel will appear beneath your soles. Next, take one tooth-seal and stamp the palms of your hands, and the svastika will appear. Next, take one tooth-seal and stamp your chest, and the mark of virtue will appear. Next, take one tooth-seal and stamp the crown of your head, and you will obtain the appearance of a great circular nimbus.' When I later attained awakening, I followed these four seals, and following each seal the signs appeared, all as described before. When the stamping was finished, the door inside the tower closed naturally. The base of the tower had an inscription ordering it to be placed in the corner of the kāṣāya; ever since I attained awakening, I placed it on my left shoulder. I also told the Buddhas who had arrived, as well as the assembly of humans and devas, to each offer a jewel tower to remain and await the future. The Buddhas gave them according to my words, and all were entrusted to Samantabhadra for protection, waiting until the Tathāgata's nirvāṇa to be sent to Jetavana and placed north of the ordination platform. When the cremation of the śarīra is completed, Samantabhadra will be ordered to protect it; after staying for twenty years, it will be entrusted to Mañjuśrī to open the tower and take out these four teeth, and at the end of the Saddharma, he will be ordered to transmit them to maintain the Buddha-Dharma in the various kingdoms of Jambudvīpa; furthermore, after one thousand one hundred years, he will take these four teeth to stamp the images of a hundred billion worlds, and they will all have light and give rise to a rare mind. Thereafter, he will circulate them to bring transformation and benefit to the four continents, the six heavens of desire, and beyond. Afterwards, Mañjuśrī will take them and entrust them to Maitreya Buddha."