Smaller Sukhāvatīvyūha 7

musaragalva, coral, such arrays of excellences peculiar to a Buddha country is that Buddha country adorned.

4. ‘And again, O 6ariputra, in that world Sukhévatt there are lotus lakes, adorned with the seven gems, viz. gold, silver, beryl, crystal, red pearls, diamonds, and corals as the seventh. ‘They are full of water which possesses the eight good qualities, their waters rise as high as the fords and bathing-places, so that even crows? may drink there; they are

Julien (Pélerins Buddhistes, vol. ii, p. 482) gives the following list -—

1. sphatika, rock crystal.

2. vaiddrya, lapis lazuli.

3. asmagarbha, cornaline.

4. musaragalva, amber.

5. padmaraga, ruby.

Vaiddrya (or Vaidrya) is mentioned in the TathagataguaagñAanakintyavishayAvataranirdesa (Wassilief, p. 161) as a precious stone which, if placed on green cloth, looks green, if placed on red cloth, red. The fact that vaidfrya is often compared with the colour of the eyes of a cat would seem to point to the cat’s eye (see Borooah’s Engl.-Sanskrit Dictionary, vol. ii, preface, p. ix), certainly not to lapis lazuli, Cat’s eye is a kind of chalcedony. I see, however, that vaidfrya has been recognised as the original of the Greek BnpvAdos, a very ingenious conjecture, either of Weber’s or of Pott’s, considering that lingual d has a sound akin to r, and ry may be changed to ly and ll (Weber, Omina, p. 326). The Persian billaur or balltir, which Skeat gives as the etymon of BnpvAXos, is of Arabic origin, means crystal, and could hardly have found its way into Greek at so early a time. See ‘India, what can it teach us’ p. 267.

KakApeya. One text reads kakapeya, the other kakapeya. It is difficult to choose. The more usual word is kAkapeya, which is explained by PAzini, II, 1, 33. It is uncertain, however, whether kakapeya is meant as a laudatory or as strewn with golden sand. And in these lotus-lakes there are all around on the four sides four stairs, beautiful and brilliant with the four gems, viz. gold, silver, beryl, crystal. And on every side of these lotus-lakes gem-trees are growing, beautiful and brilliant with the seven gems, viz. gold, silver, beryl, crystal, red pearls, diamonds, and corals as the seventh. And in those lotus-lakes lotus-flowers are growing, blue, blue-coloured, of blue splendour, blue to behold; yellow, yellow-coloured, of, yellow splen- dour, yellow to behold; red, red-coloured, of red splendour, red to behold; white, white-coloured, of white splendour, white to behold; beautiful, beautifully-coloured, of beautiful splendour, beautiful to behold, and in circumference as large as the wheel of a chariot.

5. ‘Andagain, O Sériputra, in that Buddha country there are heavenly musical instruments always played on, and the earth is lovely and of golden colour. And in that Buddha country a flower-rain of heavenly Mandaérava blossoms pours down three times every day, and three times every night. And the beings who are born there worship before their morning meal! a hundred thousand kotts of Buddhas by going to other worlds; and having showered a hundred thousand kotis of flowers upon each Tathagata, they return to their own world in time for the afternoon rest. With such arrays of excellences peculiar toa Buddha country is that Buddha country adorned.

6. ‘And again, O Sâriputra, there are in that Buddha country swans, curlews’, and peacocks. Three times every night, and three times every day, they come together and perform a concert. each uttering his own note. And from them thus uttering proceeds a sound proclaiming the five virtues, the five powers, and the seven steps leading towards the highest knowledge! When the men there hear that sound, remembrance of Buddha, remembrance of the Law, remembrance of the Church, rises in their mind.

‘Now, do you think, O Sâriputra, that there are beings who have entered into the nature of animals (birds, &c.)? This is not to be thought of. The very name of hells is unknown in that Buddha country, and likewise that of (descent into) animal bodies and of the realm of Yama (the four apiyas)". No, these tribes of birds have been made on purpose by the Tathagata Amitayus, and they utter the sound of the Law. With such arrays of excellences, &c.

7. ‘And again, O Sâriputra, when those rows of palm-trees and strings of bells in that Buddha country are moved by the wind, a sweet and enrapturing sound proceeds from them. Yes, O Yariputra, as from a heavenly musical instrument consisting of a hundred thousand kotis of sounds, when played by Aryas, a sweet and enrapturing sound proceeds, a sweet and enrapturing sound proceeds from those rows of palm-trees and strings of bells moved by the wind. And when the men hear that sound, reflection on Buddha arises in them, reflection on the Law, reflection on the Church. With such arrays of excellences, &c.