Larger Sukhāvatīvyūha 44

Then at that time, the Bhagavat spoke these Verses. verses:

1. ‘Such hearings of me will not be for people who have not done good; but those who are heroes and perfect, they will hear this speech.

2. ‘And those by whom the Lord of the world, the enlightened and the light-giver, has been seen, and the law been heard reverentially, will obtain the highest joy.

3. ‘Low people of slothful minds cannot find any delight in the laws of Buddha; those who have worshipped in the Buddha countries learn the service of the Lords of the three worlds.

4. ‘As a blind man in darkness does not know the way, and much less can show it, so also he who is (only) a Sravaka! in the knowledge of Buddha; how then should beings who are ignorant 5. ‘The Buddha only knows the virtues of a Buddha; but not gods, Nagas, Asuras, Yakshas, and Sravakas (disciples); even for Anekabuddhas? there is no such way, as when the knowledge of a Buddha is being manifested.

6. ‘If all beings had attained bliss, knowing the highest meaning in pure wisdom, they would not in koṭis of kalpas or even in a longer time tell all the virtues of one Buddha.

7. ‘Thereupon they would attain Nirvâza, preaching for many kotis of kalpas, and yet the measure of the knowledge of a Buddha would not be reached, for such is the wonderfulness of the knowledge of the Ginas.

8. ‘Therefore a learned man of an intelligent race who believes my words, after having perceived sci ESS hel Seen Si ae a I all paths of the knowledge of the Ginas, should utter speech, saying, “Buddha is wise.”

9. Now and then a man is found, now and then a Buddha appears, knowledge of the object of faith is acquired after a long time,—therefore one should Strive to acquire (the knowledge of) the object (of faith).’

. 45. And while this treatise of the Law was being delivered, twelve kotis of niyutas of beings obtained the pure and spotless eye of the Law with regard to Laws. Twenty-four hundred thousand niyutas of kotis of beings obtained the Anâgâmin? reward. Eight hundred Bhikshus had their thoughts delivered from faults so as to cling no more to anything. Twenty-five kotts of Bodhisattvas obtained resignation to things to come. And by forty hundred thousand niyutas of kotis of the human and divine race, thoughts such as had never risen before were turned toward the highest perfect knowledge, and their stocks of merit were made to grow toward their being born in the world Sukhavatl, from a desire to see the Tathagata, the blessed Amitabha. And all of them having been born there, will in proper order be born in other worlds, as Tathagatas, called Mazigusvara (sweet-voiced). And eighty kotis of niyutas having acquired resignation under the Tathagata Dipankara, never turning back again from the highest perfect knowledge, rendered perfect by the Tathagata Amitayus, practising the duties of former Bodhisattvas, will carry out, after they are born in the world Sukhâvatt, the duties enjoined in the former PrazidhAnas (prayers).