 THE SAGELY CITY OF TEN THOUSAND BUDDHAS |
| THE SAGELY CITY OF TEN THOUSAND BUDDHAS |
“Further, Manjushri, the Bodhisattva Mahasattva who in the Latter Ending Age, when the Dharma is about to become extinct, upholds the Dharma Flower Sutra, should give rise to thoughts of great kindness for those at home and those who have left home. He should give rise to thoughts of great compassion for those who are not Bodhisattvas.”
“He should think, ‘People like this are missing a great deal. Although the Thus Come One speaks the Dharma expediently and appropriately, they do not hear, know, or awaken to it. They do not inquire into it, believe it, or understand it.’”
“Although these people do not inquire into, believe, or understand this Sutra, still, when I obtain anuttarasamyaksambodhi, wherever they happen to be, I will use the power of spiritual penetrations and the power of wisdom to lead them to abide within this Dharma.”
“Manjushri, the Bodhisattva, Mahasattva, who, after the tranquility of the Thus Come One, accomplishes this, the fourth dharma, shall be free from error when he speaks this dharma.”
“He will always receive offerings from and be revered, honored, and praised by Bhikshus, Bhikshunis, Upasakas, Upasika, kings princes, great ministers, common people, Brahmans, lay people and so on. The gods in empty space will always follow and serve him in order to hear the Dharma. If, in villages and cities or in the wilds or forests, someone approaches him wishing to pose difficult questions, all the gods, for the sake of the Dharma, will surround and protect him day and night, and he will cause the listeners to be joyful.”
“Why is this? This Sutra is protected by the spiritual powers of all the Thus Come Ones of the past, present, and future.”
“Manjushri, throughout countless eons, it is not possible even to hear the name of the Dharma Flower Sutra, much less to see, receive, uphold, read, or recite it.”
“Manjushri, it is like a powerful wheel-turning sage king who wishes by force to subdue other countries. But all the lesser kings do not follow his commands. The wheel-turning king then mobilizes his various troops and goes to punish them. Seeing his troops successful in warfare, he is greatly delighted and, according to their merits, he rewards them, giving them fields, houses, villages, cities, or else clothing, personal ornaments, or various precious gems of gold, silver, lapis lazuli, mother-of-pearl, carnelian, coral, or agate: or elephants, horses, carriages, servants, or subjects.”
“Only the bright pearl on his cowl, that alone, he does not give away. Why not? Only the king can wear this jewel on his crown. If he gave it away, the king's retinue would surely be greatly alarmed.”
“Manjushri, the Thus Come One is also like this. Through the use of the powers of Dhyana samadhi and wisdom, he has gained the country of the Dharma and is king of the three realms. Still, the demon kings refuse to submit. The Thus Come One's generals, the worthy ones and sages, do battle with them. With those who are successful, he is delighted at heart. For the four assemblies, he speaks the Sutras, causing their hearts to rejoice. He confers upon them the wealth of Dharma, the Dhyana concentrations, liberations, non-outflow roots, and the powers. He further bestows upon them the city of Nirvana, telling them that they shall attain tranquility. He guides their thoughts, causing them all to rejoice.”
“But he does not speak the Dharma Flower Sutra.”
“Manjushri, eventually the Wheel-turning king, seeing among his troops those who have been greatly successful, is overjoyed, and at last gives them the incredible pearl which he has long worn in his top-knot, and which he would never casually give away.”
“So too is it with the Thus Come One. As king of the Dharma within the three realms, he uses Dharma to teach and transforms all living beings. Seeing the army of worthy ones and sages doing battle with the demons of the five skandhas, the demons of afflictions, and the demons of death, and being greatly successful extinguishing the three poisons, escaping the three realms, and rending the nets of the demons, the Thus Come One is greatly pleased. He then speaks to them this Dharma Flower Sutra which can lead living beings to All-Wisdom, which meets with resentment and disbelief in all the world, and which he has never spoken of before.”
“Manjushri, the Dharma Flower Sutra is the foremost among the Thus Come One's teachings. Among all the teachings it is the most extremely profound, and it is only bestowed at the very end, just like that bright pearl which the powerful king long kept and then gave away. Manjushri, the Dharma Flower Sutra is the secret treasury of all the Buddhas, Thus Come Ones. Among all the Sutras it is the highest. In the long night of time it has been guarded and never recklessly spoken. Today, for the first time, I am speaking it for you.”
At that time the World Honored One, wishing to restate this meaning, spoke verses saying,
“Always practicing patience,
And being merciful to all,
One will then be able to proclaim
This Sutra praised by the Buddhas.
In the Latter Ending Age,
Those who uphold this Sutra,
Be they at home, left home,
Or those who are not Bodhisattvas,
Should give rise to kindness and compassion.
Thinking, “Those who do not hear
Or believe this Sutra
Suffer a great loss.
When I have gained the Buddha Path
I will use expedients
To speak this Dharma for them
So they may abide within it.”
It is like a powerful
Wheel-turning king
Who bestows rewards
Upon soldiers successful in battle:
Elephants, horses, carriages,
Personal ornaments,
As well as fields, houses,
Villages and cities.
Or he may give clothing
Or various precious jewels,
Servants or other valuables,
Giving them joyfully.
Should there be a hero
Who can do difficult deeds,
The king will take from his top-kno t w
His bright pearl, and give it to him.
The Thus Come One is also thus.
As king of all the Dharmas,
With patience, great power
And the precious store of wisdom,
With great kindness and compassion,
He transforms the world according to the Dharma.
He sees all people
Suffering pain and agony,
Seeking liberation,
And battling with the demons.
For these living beings
He speaks various Dharmas.
Using great expedients,
He teaches them the Sutras.
Once he knows that living beings
Have become strong,
Then at the very end
He speaks the Dharma Flower for them.
This is like the king who unties his top-knot
And gives away his bright pearl.
Highest among the host of Sutras,
This Sutra is venerable.
I always guard and protect it,
And never speak it recklessly.
But now the time is exactly right
To speak it for all of you.
After my extinction,
One who seeks the Buddha path,
Who wishes to gain peace and ease,
In proclaiming this Sutra
Should draw near
Four Dharmas such as these.
One who reads this Sutra
Will have no cares or worries;
One will be free from the pain of sickness,
And one's countenance will be fresh and clear.
One won't be born poor,
Lowly, or ugly.
Living beings will be happy to see one,
As if one were a longed-for sage.
All the children of the gods
Will act as one's messengers.
Knives and staves will not make contact,
Poisons will not harm one,
And should someone revile one,
That person's mouth will be stopped up.
One shall roam fearlessly
Like the lion king.
The light of one's wisdom
Will shine like the sun.
In dreams
One will see only wonderful things.
One will see the Thus Come Ones
Seated on their lion thrones,
Surrounded by a host of Bhikshus
As they speak the Dharma.
One will also see the dragons, spirits,
Asuras, and so forth,
In number like the Ganges' sands
Reverent, with palms joined.
One will see oneself
Speaking Dharma for them.
Further, one will see all the Buddhas,
Their bodies of golden hue
Emitting countless lights,
Illumining all,
And proclaiming all the Dharmas
With the Brahma sound.
The Buddhas, for the four-fold host,
Will speak the supreme Dharma.
One shall see oneself there, too,
With palms joined, praising the Buddhas.
Hearing the Dharma, one will rejoice
And make offerings.
One will gain the Dharanis,
And certify to non-retreating wisdom.
The Buddhas, knowing one's mind
Will know that one has deeply entered the Buddha Path,
And will then bestow upon one a prediction
For the realization of the most proper enlightenment.
Saying, “You, Good Man,
Shall in the future age,
Attain limitless wisdom,
And the Great Way of the Buddha.
Your land shall be adorned and pure,
Vast and incomparable,
And the four assemblies there
Will listen to the Dharma with palms joined.”
One will also see oneself
Dwelling in the mountain forests,
Practicing wholesome dharmas,
Certifying to the Real Mark,
Deeply entering Dhyana concentration,
And seeing the Buddhas of the ten directions.
The Buddhas, with golden bodies,
Will be adorned with the marks of a hundred blessings.
Hearing their Dharma, one will speak it to others.
One will always have good dreams like these.
One will also dream that one is a king
Who, forsaking one's palace and retinue,
As well as fine objects of the five desires,
Enters a Bodhimanda.
There, beneath the Bodhi tree,
One sits upon the lion throne,
Seeking the Way for seven days,
And gaining the Buddha's wisdom.
After realizing the supreme Way,
One rises and turns the Dharma wheel,
And speaks the Dharma for the four-fold host.
Throughout thousands of myriads of millions of eons,
One speaks the non-outflow wondrous Dharma,
And saves limitless living beings.
Later one enters Nirvana,
As a lamp goes out when its fuel is gone.
If, in the latter evil age,
One can speak this foremost Dharma,
This person shall gain great benefit,
Merit, and virtue as told above.”