VI

Turning to the great audience, the Buddha predicts for Maha-Kaśyapa and the other three elders their future as Buddhas in worlds to come, and extends his prediction to other disciples.

Maha-Kaśyapa will be the Buddha Radiance, whose realm will be Radiant Virtue, and his kalpa Magnificent.

“His domain will be beautiful, free from dirt, shards, thorns and uncleanness; its land will be level and straight with no uneven places, neither hollows nor mounds; its ground will be lapis lazuli; it will have rows of jewel-trees, golden cords to set bounds to the ways, be strewn with precious flowers, and purity will reign everywhere.” Its bodhisattvas will be innumerable. “No Mara-deeds will be there, for, though Mara and Mara’s people dwell in that land, they will care for its Buddha-law.”

The elder Subhuti will be the Buddha Name-and-Form, in the domain Jewel-land, with crystal for its ground; his aeon will be Jewel-kalpa.

The elder Maha-Katyayana will be the Buddha Golden Light, his domain will have crystal for ground, but his kalpa and domains are described without name.

The fourth elder Maha-Maudgalyayana will be the Buddha Sandalwood Fragrance, in the domain 130Gladsome Mind, with crystal for ground, and his kalpa will be Joyful.

Each section is, as usual, done into verse, but there is nothing of outstanding interest or value. The chief feature worthy of note is, that the author makes all four of the leading disciples of Śakyamuni announce their rejection of the hinayana doctrines, in favour of mahayana teaching. They proclaim their realization, which they certainly never had in their lifetime, that the Buddha’s earlier teaching was temporary, awaiting the greater revelation presented in this Sutra.