Larger Sukhāvatīvyūha 2

Then the blessed Ananda, having risen from his seat, having put his cloak on one shoulder, and knelt on the earth with his right knee, making obeisance with folded hands in the direction of the Bhagavat, spoke thus to the Bhagavat: Thy organs of sense, O Bhagavat, are serene, the colour of thy skin is clear, the colour of thy face bright and yellowish. As an autumn cloud is pale, clear, bright and yellowish, thus the organs of sense of the Bhagavat are serene, the colour of his face is clear, the colour of his skin bright and yellowish. And as, O Bhagavat, a piece of gold coming from the Gambf river, having been thrown into a furnace by a clever smith or by his apprentice, and well fashioned, when thrown on a pale cloth, looks extremely clear, bright and yellowish, thus the organs of sense of the Bhagavat are serene, the colour of his face is clear, and the colour of his skin bright and yellowish. Moreover, I do not know, O Bhagavat, that I have ever seen the organs of sense of the Tathagata so serene, the colour of his face so clear, and the colour of his skin so bright and yellowish before now. This thought occurs to me, O Bhagavat: probably, the Tathagata? dwells to-day in the state of a Buddha, probably the Tathagata dwells to-day in the state of a Gina, in the state of omniscience, in the state of a MahAnâga; and he contemplates the holy and fully enlightened Tathâgatas of the past, future, and present.’

After these words, the Bhagavat thus spoke to the blessed Ananda: ‘Well said! well said! Ananda. Did the gods suggest this matter to you? or the blessed Buddhas? Or do you know this through - the philosophical knowledge which you possess’

After these words the blessed Ananda spoke thus to the Bhagavat: ‘The gods, O Bhagavat, do not suggest this matter to me, nor the blessed Buddhas, but this thought occurs to me by my own philosophy alone, viz. that probably the Tathagata dwells to-day in the state of a Buddha, probably the Tathagata dwells to-day in the state of a Gina, in the state of omniscience, [in the state of a Mahiniga]'; or he contemplates [the venerable Buddhas] of the past, future, and presént.’

After these words the Bhagavat spoke thus to the blessed Ananda: ‘Well said! well said! Ananda; excellent indeed is your question, good your philosophy, and beautiful your understanding! You, O Ananda, have arrived for the benefit and happiness of many people, out of compassion for the world, for the sake of the great body of men, for the benefit and happiness of gods and men, as you think it, right to ask the might pile up intellectual: know-, ledge under immeasurable and innumerable blessed, holy, and fully enlightened Tathagatas, and yet the knowledge of the Tathagata would not be exceeded thereby. And why? Because, O Ananda, one who possesses the knowledge of a Tathâgata possesses an intellectual knowledge of causes that cannot be exceeded’. If? the Tathdgata wished, O Ananda, he could live for a whole kalpa (age) on one alms-gift, or for a hundred kalpas, or for a thousand kalpas, or for a hundred thousand kalpas, to a hundred thousand niyutas of kotts of kalpas, nay, he could live beyond, and yet the organs of nature of the Tathagata would not perish, the colour of his face would not be altered, nor would the colour of his skin be injured. And why? Because, O Ananda, the Tathagata has so fully obtained the Paramitds which arise from Samadhi. The appearance of fully enlightened Buddhas is very difficult to be obtained in this world, O Ananda. As the appearance of Audumbara-flowers is very difficult to be obtained in this world; thus, O Ananda, the appearance of Tathâgatas who desire welfare, wish for what is beneficial, are compassionate, and have arrived at the highest compassion, is very difficult to be obtained. But, O Ananda, it is (owing to) the grace of the Tathagata himself that you think that the Tathâgata should be asked this question, so that there may arise in this world beings who can be teachers of all the world, for the sake of noble-minded Bodhisattvas. Therefore, O Ananda, listen, and take it well and rightly to heart! I shall tell you.’

‘Yes, O Bhagavat, so did the blessed Ananda answer the Bhagavat.