VIII

Leaving his seat, the disciple Purna now prostrates himself before the Buddha, then rises and gazes transfixed upon his honoured countenance. Thereupon the Buddha praises Purna as the greatest of his preachers, not only in this world, but in many previous existences under many Buddhas. He foretells that when he has accomplished his course he will become the Buddha Radiance-of-the-Law, whose land will consist of “the seven precious things”, “its ground level as the palm of the hand, free from hills and valleys, runnels and ditches”. In its sky, “men and gods will meet and behold each other. There will be no evil ways, and no womankind, for all living beings will be born by transformation and have no carnal passion. They will attain to great transcendent powers; their bodies will emit rays of light; they will fly anywhere at will”. Their food will be Joy-in-the-Law, and Gladness-in-Meditation. His domain will be Excellent-Purity and his kalpa Jewel-Radiance.

In the verse section occur the following lines:

“Bhikshus! Attentively listen to me! The Way my Buddha-son has walked, Through studying well expediency, Surpasses all conception far. Knowing all beings enjoy mere trifles 143And are afraid of the greater wisdom, The Bodhisattvas, therefore, become Sravakas or Pratyekabuddhas. By numberless expedient methods All kinds of beings they then convert, Saying: ‘We are only Sravakas, Far removed from Buddhahood.’ Innumerable beings they thus release, Each completing his varied course; Even the lax and low-disposed Become Buddhas by gradual stage. Hiding their Bodhisattva-deeds, Externally they are as Sravakas; With few desires, disliking mortal life, They truly purify their Buddha-land, Appearing possessed of human passions And seeming to hold heretical views. Thus do my disciples Tactfully save all beings. If I fully explained Their varied transformations, Beings who heard of them Would be perplexed and puzzled. . . . . . Their meat is joy in the Law And pleasure in meditation, With never a thought of other; No womankind will be there, Nor any evil ways. My disciple Bhikshu Purna, 144His merits all complete, Shall gain this pure land Where the wise and the sage abound. Such are the measureless things I have now but briefly hinted.”

After this the Buddha predicts the future of five hundred other disciples, each of whom, when he has served sixty-two thousand kotis of Buddhas, will themselves, one after another, become Buddhas, each of whom will be called Universal-Light. These five hundred disciples,

“ecstatic with joy, instantly rise from their seats, go before the Buddha, make obeisance at his feet, repent of their errors, and rebuke themselves, saying: ‘World-honoured One! We have constantly been thinking we had attained to final Nirvana. Now we know that we were just as the foolish ones. Wherefore? Because we ought to have obtained the Tathagata-wisdom, and yet were content with the inferior knowledge.

“World-honoured One! It is as if some man goes to an intimate friend’s house, gets drunk, and falls asleep. Meanwhile his friend, having to go forth on official duty, ties a priceless jewel within the man’s garment as a present, and departs. The man being drunk and asleep knows nothing of this. On arising he travels onwards till he reaches some other country where, striving for food and clothing, he labours diligently, undergoes exceeding great hardship, and is content even if he can obtain but a little. Later, his friend happens to meet him and speaks thus—‘Tut! 145Sir! How is it you have come down to this, merely for the sake of food and clothing? Wishing you to be in comfort and able to satisfy your five senses, I formerly in such a year and month and on such a day, tied a priceless jewel within your garment. Now as of old it is present there, yet you in ignorance are slaving and worrying to keep yourself alive. How very stupid! Go you now and exchange that jewel for what you need, and for ever hereafter live as you will, free from poverty and shortage.’”

“Like this also were we. For long has the One World-honoured Always pitied and taught us To cultivate supreme aspiration; But, because of our ignorance, We neither perceived nor knew it; Gaining but a trifle of Nirvana, Contented we sought no more. Now the Buddha awakens us, Saying this is not real Nirvana; In attaining supreme Buddha-wisdom, Does real Nirvana lie. Now we, having heard from the Buddha Our prediction and its glory, And the command we receive in turn, Full of joy are we, body and soul.’