Larger Sukhāvatīvyūha 31

Then at that time, the Bhagavat, in order to illustrate this matter in fuller measure, recited these verses:

1. ‘As there are Buddha countries equal to the sand of the river Gahgd in the eastern quarter, whence all the Bodhisattvas come to worship the Buddha, the lord Amitayu;

2. ‘And they having taken many bunches of flowers of different colours, sweetly-scented and delightful, shower them down on the best leader of men, on Amitayu, worshipped by gods and men;—

3. ‘In the same manner there are as many Buddha countries in the southern, western, and northern quarters, whence they come with the Bodhisattvas to worship the Buddha, the lord Amitayu.

4. ‘And they having taken many handfulls of scents of different colours, sweetly-scented and delightful, shower them down on the best leader of men, on Amitdyu, worshipped by gods and men. 5. ‘These many Bodhisattvas having worshipped and revered the feet of Amitaprabha, and having walked round him respectfully, speak thus: “Oh, the aay. ‘And they of Buddha cover him again with handfulls! of flowers, with thoughts jubilant, with incomparable joy, and proclaim their wish before that lord: “May our country also be such as this.”

7. ‘And what was thrown there as handfulls of flowers arose in the form of an umbrella extending over a hundred yoganas, and the beautiful country shines and is well adorned, and flowers cover the whole body of Buddha.

8. ‘These Bodhisattvas having thus honoured him, how do they act?—Delighted they pronounce this speech: “Gains by those people are well gained, by whom the name of the best man has been heard. 9. ‘“By us also all the gain has been well gained, because we have come to this Buddha country. See this dream-like country! how beautiful it is, which was made by the teacher during a hundred thousand kalpas.

10. ‘“Look, the Buddha possessed of a mass of the best virtues shines, surrounded by Bodhisattvas. Endless is his splendour, and endless the light, and endless the life, and endless the assembly.”

11. ‘And the lord Amitayu makes a smile of thirty-six niyutas of kotis of rays, which rays having issued from the circle of his mouth light up the thousand kotis of Buddha countries.

12. ‘And all these rays having returned there again settle on the head of the lord; gods and men produce (perceive) the delight, because they have seen there this light of him.

13. ‘There rises the Buddha-son, glorious, he indeed the mighty Avalokitesvara, and says: “What is the reason there, O Bhagavat, what is the cause, that thou smilest, O lord of the world?

14. ‘“Explain this, for thou knowest the sense, and art full of kind compassion, the deliverer of many living beings. All beings will be filled with joyful thoughts, when they have thus heard this excellent and delightful speech.

15. ‘“And the Bodhisattvas who have come from many worlds to Sukhavati in order to see the Buddha, having heard it and having perceived the great joy, will quickly inspect this country.

16, ‘““And beings, come to this noble country, (quickly) obtain miraculous power, divine eye and divine ear, they remember their former births, and know the highest wisdom.”

17. ‘Then Buddha Amitayu preaches: “This prayer was mine formerly, so that beings having in any way whatever heard my name should for ever go to my country.

18. ‘“And this my excellent prayer has been fulfilled, and beings having quickly come here from many worlds into my presence, never return from here, not even for one birth.”

19. ‘If a Bodhisattva wishes here that his country should be such as this, and that he also should deliver many beings, through his name, through his preaching, and through his sight,

20. ‘Let him quickly and with speed go to the world Sukhavati, and having gone near. Amitaprabha, let him worship a thousand kotis of Buddhas.

21. ‘Having worshipped many kotis of Buddhas, and having gone to many countries by means of their miraculous power, and having performed adoration in the presence of the Sugatas, they will go to Sukhavati with devotion '.