Larger Sukhāvatīvyūha 18

‘In that world SukhAvatt, O Ananda, there flow different kinds of rivers; there are great rivers there, one yona in breadth; there are rivers up to twenty, thirty, forty, fifty yoganas in breadth, and up to twelve yoganas in depth. All these rivers are delightful, carrying water of different sweet odour, carrying bunches of flowers adorned with various DESCRIPTION OF SUKHAVATt, 18. gems, resounding with sweet voices. ‘And, O Ananda, there proceeds from an instrument which consists of hundred thousand kois of parts, which embodies heavenly music and is played by clever people, the same delightful sound which proceeds from those great rivers, the sound which is deep, unknown, incomprehensible, clear, pleasant to the ear, touching the heart, beloved, sweet, delightful, never tiring, never disagreeable, pleasant to hear, as if it always said, “Non-eternal, peaceful, unreal.” Such a sound comes to be heard by these beings.

‘And again, O Ananda, the borders of those great rivers on both sides are filled with jewel trees of various scents, from which bunches of flowers, leaves, and branches of all kinds hang down. And if the beings, who are on the borders of those rivers, wish to enjoy sport full of heavenly delights, the water rises to the ankle only after they have stepped into the rivers, if they wish it to be so; or if they wish it, the water rises to their knees, to their hips, to their sides, and to their ears. And heavenly pleasures arise. Again, if the beings then wish the water to be cold, it is cold; if they wish it to be hot, it is hot; if they wish it to be hot and cold, it is hot and cold, according to their pleasure.

‘And those great rivers flow along, full of water scented with the best perfumes of the Uragasara sandal-wood, of Tagaras, KâlAnusdrin (dark, fragrant sandal-wood) trees, Agarus, and heavenly TamAlapattras; covered with flowers of the white water-lilies, and heavenly Utpalas, Padmas, Kumudas, and Pumdarikas; full of delightful sounds of peacocks, sparrows, kuzdlas, cuckoos, sârikas, parrots, ducks, geese, herons, cranes, swans! and others; with small islands inhabited by flocks of birds, created by the Tathagata; adorned with fields, full of metals; with fords on which it is easy to drink, free from mud, and covered with gold dust. And when these beings there desire, thinking what kind of wishes should be fulfilled for them, then exactly such wishes are fulfilled for them according to the Law *.

‘And, O Ananda, the sound which rises from that water is delightful, and the whole Buddha country is aroused by it. And if beings, who stand on the borders of the river, wish that the sound should not come within their ear-shot, then it does not come within their ear-shot, even if they are possessed of the heavenly ear. And whatever sound a man wishes to hear, exactly that delightful sound he hears, as for instance, the sound “Buddha, Dharma (the Law), Sangha (the Church), the Paramitâs (highest perfections), the Bhimis (stages), the Balas (powers), Vaisdradya (perfections), Avevikabuddhadharma (freedom from attachment), Pratisamvit (consciousness); Sdnyata (emptiness), Animitta (unconditioned), A pramihita (free from desire), Anabhisamskara (not made), Aata (not born), Anutpada (without origin), Abhâva (not being), and Nirodha (cessation); Santa, prasdnta,and upasanta (peace); Mahdmaitri (great love), Mahakaruwa (great pity), Mahâmudita (great rejoicing), and Mahopeksha (great forgiveness); Anutpattikadharmakshanti a eeretee eee (resignation to consequences which have not yet arisen), and Abhishekabhimipratilambha (attainment of the royal stage).”

‘And having heard these sounds, everybody feels the highest delight and pleasure accompanied by retirement, passionlessness, quiet, cessation, law, and a stock of merit leading to the perfect knowledge.

And, O Ananda, there is nowhere in that Sukhdvati world any sound of sin, obstacle, misfortune, distress, and destruction; there is nowhere any sound of pain, even the sound of perceiving what is neither pain nor pleasure is. not there, O Ananda, how much less the sound of pain. For that reason, O Ananda, that world is called Sukhâvatt, shortly, but not in full, For, O Ananda, the whole kalpa would come to an end, while the different causes of the pleasure of the world Sukhavatt are being praised, and even then the end of those causes of happiness could not be reached.