Chapter 23
Chapter Xxiii.
Gadgadasvara.
At that moment the Lord Skyamuni, the Tathgata, &c., darted a flash of light from the circle of hair between his eyebrows, one of the characteristic signs of a great man, by which flash of light hundred thousands of myriads of kotis of Buddha-fields, equal to the sands of eighteen rivers Ganges, became illuminated. Beyond those Buddha-fields, equal, &c., is the world called Vairokanarasmipratimandita (i.e. embellished by the rays of the sun). There dwells, lives, exists the Tathgata named Kamaladalavimalanakshatrargasankusumitbhiga, who, surrounded and attended by a large and immense assembly of Bodhisattvas, preached the law. Immediately the ray of light flashing from the circle of hair between the eyebrows of the Lord Skyamuni, the Tathgata, &c., filled the world Vairokanarasmipratimandita with a great lustre. In that world Vairokanarasmipratimandita there was a Bodhisattva Mahsattva called Gadgadasvara, who had planted roots of goodness, who had before seen similar luminous flashes emitted by many Tathgatas, &c., and who had acquired many Samdhis, such as the Samdhi Dhvaggrakeyra (i. e. bracelet at the upper end of the banner staff), Saddharma-pundarka (i. e. the Lotus of the True Law), Vimaladatta (i.e. given by Vimala), Nakshatraragvikrdita (i.e. sport of the king of asterisms, the moon god), Anilambha [Of uncertain meaning], Gnamudr (i.e. the seal of science), Kandrapradpa (i.e. moon-light), Sarvarutakausalya (i.e. skill in all sounds), Sarvapunyasamukkaya (i.e. compendium or collection of all piety), Prasdavat (i.e. the favourably-disposed lady), Riddhivikrdita (i.e. sport of magic), Ganolk (i.e. torch of knowledge), Vyharga (i.e. king of expansions or speculations), Vimalaprabh (i.e. spotless lustre), Vimalagarbha (i.e. of spotless interior part), Apkritsna [I.e. belonging to the mystic rite, called pokasina in Pali], Sryvarta (i.e. sun-turn); in short, he had acquired many hundred thousand myriads of kotis of Samdhis equal to the sands of the river Ganges. Now, the flash of light came down upon that Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara. Then the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara rose from his seat, put his upper robe upon one shoulder, fixed his right knee on the ground, stretched his joined hands towards the Lord Buddha, and said to the Tathgata Kamaladalavimalanakshatrargasankusumitbhiga: O Lord, I would resort to the Saha-world to see, salute, wait upon the Lord Skyamuni, the Tathgata, to see and salute Magusr, the prince royal; to see the Bodhisattvas Bhaishagyarga, Pradnasra, Nakshatrargasankusumitbhiga,Visishtakritra,Vyharga, Bhaishagyargasamudgata.
Then the Lord Kamaladalavimalanakshatrargasankusumitbhiga, the Tathgata, &c., said to the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara: On coming to the Saha-world, young man of good family, thou must not conceive a low opinion of it. That world, young man of good family, has ups and downs, consists of earth, is replete with mountains of Kla, filled with gutters. The Lord Skyamuni, the Tathgata, &c., is short of stature, and so are the Bodhisattvas Mahsattvas, whereas thou, young man of good family, hast got a body forty-two hundred thousand yoganas high, and myself have got a body sixty-eight hundred thousand yoganas high. And, young man of good family, thou art lovely, handsome, of pleasant appearance, endowed with a full bloom of extremely fine colour, and abundantly blest with hundred thousands of holy signs. Therefore then, young man of good family, when you have come to the Saha-world, do not conceive a low opinion of the Tathgata, nor of the Bodhisattvas, nor of that Buddha-field.
Thus addressed, the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara said to the Lord Kamaladalavimalanakshatrargasankusumitbhiga, the Tathgata, I shall go to that Saha-world by virtue of the Lord's resolution, of the Lord's power, of the Lord's might, of the Lord's disposal, of the Lord's foresight. Whereon the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara, without leaving that Buddha-field and without leaving his seat, plunged into so deep a meditation that immediately after, on a sudden, there appeared before the Tathgata on the Gridhrakta-mountains in the Saha-world eighty-four hundred thousand myriads of kotis of lotuses on gold stalks with silver leaves and with cups of the hue of rosy lotuses and Butea Frondosa.
On seeing the appearance of this mass of lotuses the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Magusr, the prince royal, asked the Lord Sakyamun, the Tathgata, Whereon the Lord replied to Magusr, the prince royal: It is, Magusr, the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara, who accompanied and attended by eighty-four hundred thousand myriads of kotis of Bodhisattvas arrives from the east, from the world Vairokanarasmipratimandita, the Buddha-field of the Lord Kamaladalavimalanakshatrargasankusumitbhiga, the Tathgata, &c., at this Saha-world to see, salute, wait upon me, and to hear this Dharmaparyya of the Lotus of the True Law. Then Magusr, the prince royal, said to the Lord: What mass of roots of goodness, O Lord, has that young man of good family collected, that he has deserved to obtain such a distinction? And what meditation is it, O Lord, that the Bodhisattva practises; Let us also learn that meditation, O Lord, and practise that meditation. And let us see that Bodhisattva, Lord; see how the colour, outward shape, character, figure, and behaviour of that Bodhisattva is. May the Lord deign to produce such a token that the Bodhisattva Mahsattva be admonished by it to come to this Saha-world.
Then the Lord Skyamuni, the Tathgata, &c., said to the Lord Prabhtaratna, the Tathgata, &c., who was completely extinct: Produce such a token, Lord, that the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara be admonished by it to come to this Saha-world. And the Lord Prabhtaratna, the Tathgata, &c., who was completely extinct, instantly produced a token in order to admonish the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara (and said): Come, young man of good family, to this Saha-world; Magusr, the prince royal, will hail thy coming. And the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara, after humbly saluting the feet of the Lord Kamaladalavimalanakshatrargasankusumitbhiga, the Tathgata, he sparkled with lustre, glowed with radiance, had limbs marked by the characteristic signs, and a body compact as Nryana's. Mounted on a tower made of seven precious substances, he moved through the sky to a height of seven Tlas [Or spans]. There are seven regions of winds. Vyu, the god of wind or air, is nearly akin to Indra and Vishnu], surrounded by a host of Bodhisattvas, in the direction of this Saha-world, and approached the Gridhrakta, the king of mountains. At his arrival, he alighted from the tower, and went, with a necklace of pearls worth a hundred thousands, to the place where the Lord was sitting. After humbly saluting the feet of the Lord, and circumambulating him seven times from left to right, he offered him the necklace of pearls in token of homage, whereafter he said to the Lord: The Lord Kamaladalavimalanakshatrargasankusumitbhiga, the Tathgata, whether he feels free from affliction and at ease. That Lord has also charged me to ask: Is there something thou hast to suffer or allow? the humours of the body are not in an unfavourable state; thy creatures are decent in manners, tractable, and easy to be healed; their bodies are clean; They are not too passionate, I hope, not too irascible, not too unwise in their doings? They are not jealous, Lord, not envious, not ungrateful to their father and mother, not impious, not heterodox, not unsubdued in mind, not unrestrained in sexual desires; Are the creatures able to resist the Evil One; Has the Lord Prabhtaratna, the Tathgata, &c., who is completely extinct, come to the Saha-world in order to hear the law, sitting in the centre of a Stpa made of seven precious substances; And as to that, Lord Prabhtaratna, the Tathgata, &c., the Lord Kamaladalavimalanakshatrargasankusumitbhiga, inquires: Is there something that the Lord Prabhtaratna, Is the Lord Prabhtaratna, We also, O Lord, are desirous of seeing the rudimentary frame [Dhtuvigraha, the frame of the elementary parts, or the bone relics.] of that Lord Prabhtaratna, the Tathgata, &c. May the Lord therefore please to show us the rudimentary frame of the Lord Prabhtaratna, the Tathgata, &c.
Then the Lord Skyamuni, the Tathgata, &c., said to the Lord Prabhtaratna, the Tathgata, &c., who was completely extinct: Lord, the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara here wishes to see the Lord Prabtaratna, the Tathgata, &c., who is completely extinct. Whereon the Lord Prabhtaratna, the Tathgata, &c., spoke to the Bodhisattva Maliasattva Gadgadasvara in this strain: Well done, well done, young gentleman, that thou hast come hither in the desire to see the Lord Skyamuni, the Tathgata, to hear this Dharmaparyya of the Lotus of the True Law, and see Magusr, the prince royal.
Subsequently the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Padmasr said to the Lord: What root of goodness has the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara formerly planted; And in presence of which Tathgata; And the Lord Skyamuni, the Tathgata, &c., said to the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Padmasr: In the days of yore, young man of good family, at a past period there appeared in the world a Tathgata called Meghadundubhisvararga (i.e. the king of the drum-sound of the clouds), perfectly enlightened, endowed with science and conduct, a Sugata, &c., in the world Sarvabuddhasandarsana (i. e. sight or display of all Buddhas), in the on Priyadarsana. To that Lord Meghadundubhisvararga the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara paid homage by making resound hundred thousands of musical instruments during twelve thousand years. He presented to him also eighty-four thousand vessels of seven precious substances. Under the preaching of the Tathgata Meghadundubhisvararga, young man of good family, has the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara obtained such a beauty as he now displays. Perhaps, young man of good family, thou hast some doubt, uncertainty or misgiving, (and thinkest) that at that time, that epoch, there was another Bodhisattva Mahsattva called Gadgadasvara, who paid that homage to the Lord Meghadundubhisvararga, the Tathgata, and presented him the eighty-four thousand vessels. But, young man of good family, do not think so. For it was the very same Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara, young man of good family, who paid that homage to the Lord Meghadundubhisvararga, the Tathgata, and presented to him the eighty-four thousand vessels. So, young man of good family, the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara has waited upon many Buddhas, has planted good roots under many Buddhas, and prepared the soil under each of them. And this Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara had previously seen Lords Buddhas similar to the sands of the river Ganges. Dost thou see, Padmasr, how the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara now looks; Padmasr replied: I do, Lord; I do, Sugata. The Lord said: Now, Padmasr, this Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara preaches this Dharmaparyya of the Lotus of the True Law under many shapes he assumes; sometimes [or somewhere] under the shape of Brahma, sometimes under that of Indra, sometimes under that of Shiva, sometimes under that of Kubera, sometimes under that of a sovereign, sometimes under that of a duke, sometimes under that of a chief merchant, sometimes under that of a citizen, sometimes under that of a villager, sometimes under that of a Brhman. Sometimes again the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara preaches this Dharmaparyya of the Lotus of the True Law under a monk's shape, sometimes under a nun's, sometimes under a male lay devotee's, sometimes under a female lay devotee's, sometimes under that of a chief merchant's wife, sometimes under that of a citizen's wife, sometimes under a boy's, sometimes under a girl's shape. With so many variations in the manner to show himself, the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara preaches this Dharmaparyya of the Lotus of the True Law to creatures. He has even assumed the shape of a goblin to preach this Dharmaparyya to such as were to be converted by a goblin. To some he has preached this Dharmaparyya of the Lotus of the True Law under the shape of a demon, to some under a Garuda's, to some under a Kinnara's, to some under a great serpent's shape. Even to the beings in any of the wretched states, in the hells, the brute creation, Yama's realm, the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara is a supporter. Even to the creatures in the gynceums of this Saha-world has the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara, after metamorphosing himself into a woman, preached this Dharmaparyya of the Lotus of the True Law. Verily, Padmasr, the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara is the supporter of the creatures living in this Saha-world. Under so many shapes, assumed at will, has the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara preached this Dharmaparyya of the Lotus of the True Law to creatures. Yet, there is no diminution of wisdom, nor diminution of magic power in that good man. So many, young man of good family, are the manifestations of knowledge by which this Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara has made himself known in this Saha-world. In other worlds also, similar to the sands of the river Ganges, he preaches the law, under the shape of a Bodhisattva to such as must be converted by a Bodhisattva; under the shape of a disciple to such as must be converted by a disciple; under the shape of a Pratyekabuddha to such as must be converted by a Pratyekabuddha; under the shape of a Tathgata to such as must be converted by a Tathgata. Nay, he will show to those who must be converted by a relic of the Tathgata himself such a relic, and to those who must be converted by complete extinction he will show himself completely extinct. Such is the powerful knowledge, Padmasr, the Bodhisattva Mahsattva is possessed of.
Thereafter the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Padmasr said to the Lord: The Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara then has planted good roots, Lord. What meditation is it, Lord, whereby the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara, with unshaken firmness, has converted (or educated) so many creatures; Whereupon the Lord Skyamuni, the Tathgata. &c.. replied to the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Padmasr: It is, young man of good family, the meditation termed Sarvarpasandarsana. By steadiness in it has the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara so immensely promoted the weal of creatures.
While this chapter of Gadgadasvara was being expounded, all the eighty-four hundred thousand myriads of kotis of Bodhisattvas Mahsattvas who, along with the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara, had come to the Saha-world, obtained the meditation Sarvarpasandarsana, and as to the number of Bodhisattvas Mahsattvas of this Saha-world obtaining the meditation Sarvarpasandarsana, it was beyond calculation.
Then the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara, after having paid great and ample worship to the Lord Skyamuni, the Tathgata, &c., and at the Stpa of relics of the Lord Prabhtaratna, the Tathgata, &c., again mounted the tower made of seven precious substances, among the stir of the fields, the rain of lotuses, the noise of hundred thousands of myriads of kotis of musical instruments [After a last effort the storm subsides], and with the eighty-four hundred thousand myriads of kotis of Bodhisattvas surrounding and following him, returned to his own Buddha-field. At his arrival there he said to the Lord Kamaladalavimalanakshatrargasankusumitbhiga, the Tathgata, I have seen and saluted the Stilpa of relics of the Lord Prabhtaratna, the Tathgata, I have seen and saluted the Lord Skyamuni, the Tathgata, I have seen Magusri, the prince royal, as well as the Bodhisattva Bhaishagyarga, who is possessed of mighty knowledge and impetuosity, and the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Pradnasra; and these eightyfour hundred thousand myriads of kotis of Bodhisattvas Mahsattvas have all obtained the meditation termed Sarvarpasandarsana.
And while this relation of the going and coming of the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara was being delivered, forty-two thousand Bodhisattvas acquired the facultyof acquiescence in future things, and the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Padmasr acquired the meditation called the Lotus of the True Law.
Gadgadasvara.
At that moment the Lord Skyamuni, the Tathgata, &c., darted a flash of light from the circle of hair between his eyebrows, one of the characteristic signs of a great man, by which flash of light hundred thousands of myriads of kotis of Buddha-fields, equal to the sands of eighteen rivers Ganges, became illuminated. Beyond those Buddha-fields, equal, &c., is the world called Vairokanarasmipratimandita (i.e. embellished by the rays of the sun). There dwells, lives, exists the Tathgata named Kamaladalavimalanakshatrargasankusumitbhiga, who, surrounded and attended by a large and immense assembly of Bodhisattvas, preached the law. Immediately the ray of light flashing from the circle of hair between the eyebrows of the Lord Skyamuni, the Tathgata, &c., filled the world Vairokanarasmipratimandita with a great lustre. In that world Vairokanarasmipratimandita there was a Bodhisattva Mahsattva called Gadgadasvara, who had planted roots of goodness, who had before seen similar luminous flashes emitted by many Tathgatas, &c., and who had acquired many Samdhis, such as the Samdhi Dhvaggrakeyra (i. e. bracelet at the upper end of the banner staff), Saddharma-pundarka (i. e. the Lotus of the True Law), Vimaladatta (i.e. given by Vimala), Nakshatraragvikrdita (i.e. sport of the king of asterisms, the moon god), Anilambha [Of uncertain meaning], Gnamudr (i.e. the seal of science), Kandrapradpa (i.e. moon-light), Sarvarutakausalya (i.e. skill in all sounds), Sarvapunyasamukkaya (i.e. compendium or collection of all piety), Prasdavat (i.e. the favourably-disposed lady), Riddhivikrdita (i.e. sport of magic), Ganolk (i.e. torch of knowledge), Vyharga (i.e. king of expansions or speculations), Vimalaprabh (i.e. spotless lustre), Vimalagarbha (i.e. of spotless interior part), Apkritsna [I.e. belonging to the mystic rite, called pokasina in Pali], Sryvarta (i.e. sun-turn); in short, he had acquired many hundred thousand myriads of kotis of Samdhis equal to the sands of the river Ganges. Now, the flash of light came down upon that Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara. Then the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara rose from his seat, put his upper robe upon one shoulder, fixed his right knee on the ground, stretched his joined hands towards the Lord Buddha, and said to the Tathgata Kamaladalavimalanakshatrargasankusumitbhiga: O Lord, I would resort to the Saha-world to see, salute, wait upon the Lord Skyamuni, the Tathgata, to see and salute Magusr, the prince royal; to see the Bodhisattvas Bhaishagyarga, Pradnasra, Nakshatrargasankusumitbhiga,Visishtakritra,Vyharga, Bhaishagyargasamudgata.
Then the Lord Kamaladalavimalanakshatrargasankusumitbhiga, the Tathgata, &c., said to the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara: On coming to the Saha-world, young man of good family, thou must not conceive a low opinion of it. That world, young man of good family, has ups and downs, consists of earth, is replete with mountains of Kla, filled with gutters. The Lord Skyamuni, the Tathgata, &c., is short of stature, and so are the Bodhisattvas Mahsattvas, whereas thou, young man of good family, hast got a body forty-two hundred thousand yoganas high, and myself have got a body sixty-eight hundred thousand yoganas high. And, young man of good family, thou art lovely, handsome, of pleasant appearance, endowed with a full bloom of extremely fine colour, and abundantly blest with hundred thousands of holy signs. Therefore then, young man of good family, when you have come to the Saha-world, do not conceive a low opinion of the Tathgata, nor of the Bodhisattvas, nor of that Buddha-field.
Thus addressed, the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara said to the Lord Kamaladalavimalanakshatrargasankusumitbhiga, the Tathgata, I shall go to that Saha-world by virtue of the Lord's resolution, of the Lord's power, of the Lord's might, of the Lord's disposal, of the Lord's foresight. Whereon the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara, without leaving that Buddha-field and without leaving his seat, plunged into so deep a meditation that immediately after, on a sudden, there appeared before the Tathgata on the Gridhrakta-mountains in the Saha-world eighty-four hundred thousand myriads of kotis of lotuses on gold stalks with silver leaves and with cups of the hue of rosy lotuses and Butea Frondosa.
On seeing the appearance of this mass of lotuses the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Magusr, the prince royal, asked the Lord Sakyamun, the Tathgata, Whereon the Lord replied to Magusr, the prince royal: It is, Magusr, the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara, who accompanied and attended by eighty-four hundred thousand myriads of kotis of Bodhisattvas arrives from the east, from the world Vairokanarasmipratimandita, the Buddha-field of the Lord Kamaladalavimalanakshatrargasankusumitbhiga, the Tathgata, &c., at this Saha-world to see, salute, wait upon me, and to hear this Dharmaparyya of the Lotus of the True Law. Then Magusr, the prince royal, said to the Lord: What mass of roots of goodness, O Lord, has that young man of good family collected, that he has deserved to obtain such a distinction? And what meditation is it, O Lord, that the Bodhisattva practises; Let us also learn that meditation, O Lord, and practise that meditation. And let us see that Bodhisattva, Lord; see how the colour, outward shape, character, figure, and behaviour of that Bodhisattva is. May the Lord deign to produce such a token that the Bodhisattva Mahsattva be admonished by it to come to this Saha-world.
Then the Lord Skyamuni, the Tathgata, &c., said to the Lord Prabhtaratna, the Tathgata, &c., who was completely extinct: Produce such a token, Lord, that the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara be admonished by it to come to this Saha-world. And the Lord Prabhtaratna, the Tathgata, &c., who was completely extinct, instantly produced a token in order to admonish the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara (and said): Come, young man of good family, to this Saha-world; Magusr, the prince royal, will hail thy coming. And the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara, after humbly saluting the feet of the Lord Kamaladalavimalanakshatrargasankusumitbhiga, the Tathgata, he sparkled with lustre, glowed with radiance, had limbs marked by the characteristic signs, and a body compact as Nryana's. Mounted on a tower made of seven precious substances, he moved through the sky to a height of seven Tlas [Or spans]. There are seven regions of winds. Vyu, the god of wind or air, is nearly akin to Indra and Vishnu], surrounded by a host of Bodhisattvas, in the direction of this Saha-world, and approached the Gridhrakta, the king of mountains. At his arrival, he alighted from the tower, and went, with a necklace of pearls worth a hundred thousands, to the place where the Lord was sitting. After humbly saluting the feet of the Lord, and circumambulating him seven times from left to right, he offered him the necklace of pearls in token of homage, whereafter he said to the Lord: The Lord Kamaladalavimalanakshatrargasankusumitbhiga, the Tathgata, whether he feels free from affliction and at ease. That Lord has also charged me to ask: Is there something thou hast to suffer or allow? the humours of the body are not in an unfavourable state; thy creatures are decent in manners, tractable, and easy to be healed; their bodies are clean; They are not too passionate, I hope, not too irascible, not too unwise in their doings? They are not jealous, Lord, not envious, not ungrateful to their father and mother, not impious, not heterodox, not unsubdued in mind, not unrestrained in sexual desires; Are the creatures able to resist the Evil One; Has the Lord Prabhtaratna, the Tathgata, &c., who is completely extinct, come to the Saha-world in order to hear the law, sitting in the centre of a Stpa made of seven precious substances; And as to that, Lord Prabhtaratna, the Tathgata, &c., the Lord Kamaladalavimalanakshatrargasankusumitbhiga, inquires: Is there something that the Lord Prabhtaratna, Is the Lord Prabhtaratna, We also, O Lord, are desirous of seeing the rudimentary frame [Dhtuvigraha, the frame of the elementary parts, or the bone relics.] of that Lord Prabhtaratna, the Tathgata, &c. May the Lord therefore please to show us the rudimentary frame of the Lord Prabhtaratna, the Tathgata, &c.
Then the Lord Skyamuni, the Tathgata, &c., said to the Lord Prabhtaratna, the Tathgata, &c., who was completely extinct: Lord, the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara here wishes to see the Lord Prabtaratna, the Tathgata, &c., who is completely extinct. Whereon the Lord Prabhtaratna, the Tathgata, &c., spoke to the Bodhisattva Maliasattva Gadgadasvara in this strain: Well done, well done, young gentleman, that thou hast come hither in the desire to see the Lord Skyamuni, the Tathgata, to hear this Dharmaparyya of the Lotus of the True Law, and see Magusr, the prince royal.
Subsequently the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Padmasr said to the Lord: What root of goodness has the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara formerly planted; And in presence of which Tathgata; And the Lord Skyamuni, the Tathgata, &c., said to the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Padmasr: In the days of yore, young man of good family, at a past period there appeared in the world a Tathgata called Meghadundubhisvararga (i.e. the king of the drum-sound of the clouds), perfectly enlightened, endowed with science and conduct, a Sugata, &c., in the world Sarvabuddhasandarsana (i. e. sight or display of all Buddhas), in the on Priyadarsana. To that Lord Meghadundubhisvararga the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara paid homage by making resound hundred thousands of musical instruments during twelve thousand years. He presented to him also eighty-four thousand vessels of seven precious substances. Under the preaching of the Tathgata Meghadundubhisvararga, young man of good family, has the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara obtained such a beauty as he now displays. Perhaps, young man of good family, thou hast some doubt, uncertainty or misgiving, (and thinkest) that at that time, that epoch, there was another Bodhisattva Mahsattva called Gadgadasvara, who paid that homage to the Lord Meghadundubhisvararga, the Tathgata, and presented him the eighty-four thousand vessels. But, young man of good family, do not think so. For it was the very same Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara, young man of good family, who paid that homage to the Lord Meghadundubhisvararga, the Tathgata, and presented to him the eighty-four thousand vessels. So, young man of good family, the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara has waited upon many Buddhas, has planted good roots under many Buddhas, and prepared the soil under each of them. And this Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara had previously seen Lords Buddhas similar to the sands of the river Ganges. Dost thou see, Padmasr, how the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara now looks; Padmasr replied: I do, Lord; I do, Sugata. The Lord said: Now, Padmasr, this Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara preaches this Dharmaparyya of the Lotus of the True Law under many shapes he assumes; sometimes [or somewhere] under the shape of Brahma, sometimes under that of Indra, sometimes under that of Shiva, sometimes under that of Kubera, sometimes under that of a sovereign, sometimes under that of a duke, sometimes under that of a chief merchant, sometimes under that of a citizen, sometimes under that of a villager, sometimes under that of a Brhman. Sometimes again the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara preaches this Dharmaparyya of the Lotus of the True Law under a monk's shape, sometimes under a nun's, sometimes under a male lay devotee's, sometimes under a female lay devotee's, sometimes under that of a chief merchant's wife, sometimes under that of a citizen's wife, sometimes under a boy's, sometimes under a girl's shape. With so many variations in the manner to show himself, the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara preaches this Dharmaparyya of the Lotus of the True Law to creatures. He has even assumed the shape of a goblin to preach this Dharmaparyya to such as were to be converted by a goblin. To some he has preached this Dharmaparyya of the Lotus of the True Law under the shape of a demon, to some under a Garuda's, to some under a Kinnara's, to some under a great serpent's shape. Even to the beings in any of the wretched states, in the hells, the brute creation, Yama's realm, the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara is a supporter. Even to the creatures in the gynceums of this Saha-world has the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara, after metamorphosing himself into a woman, preached this Dharmaparyya of the Lotus of the True Law. Verily, Padmasr, the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara is the supporter of the creatures living in this Saha-world. Under so many shapes, assumed at will, has the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara preached this Dharmaparyya of the Lotus of the True Law to creatures. Yet, there is no diminution of wisdom, nor diminution of magic power in that good man. So many, young man of good family, are the manifestations of knowledge by which this Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara has made himself known in this Saha-world. In other worlds also, similar to the sands of the river Ganges, he preaches the law, under the shape of a Bodhisattva to such as must be converted by a Bodhisattva; under the shape of a disciple to such as must be converted by a disciple; under the shape of a Pratyekabuddha to such as must be converted by a Pratyekabuddha; under the shape of a Tathgata to such as must be converted by a Tathgata. Nay, he will show to those who must be converted by a relic of the Tathgata himself such a relic, and to those who must be converted by complete extinction he will show himself completely extinct. Such is the powerful knowledge, Padmasr, the Bodhisattva Mahsattva is possessed of.
Thereafter the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Padmasr said to the Lord: The Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara then has planted good roots, Lord. What meditation is it, Lord, whereby the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara, with unshaken firmness, has converted (or educated) so many creatures; Whereupon the Lord Skyamuni, the Tathgata. &c.. replied to the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Padmasr: It is, young man of good family, the meditation termed Sarvarpasandarsana. By steadiness in it has the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara so immensely promoted the weal of creatures.
While this chapter of Gadgadasvara was being expounded, all the eighty-four hundred thousand myriads of kotis of Bodhisattvas Mahsattvas who, along with the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara, had come to the Saha-world, obtained the meditation Sarvarpasandarsana, and as to the number of Bodhisattvas Mahsattvas of this Saha-world obtaining the meditation Sarvarpasandarsana, it was beyond calculation.
Then the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara, after having paid great and ample worship to the Lord Skyamuni, the Tathgata, &c., and at the Stpa of relics of the Lord Prabhtaratna, the Tathgata, &c., again mounted the tower made of seven precious substances, among the stir of the fields, the rain of lotuses, the noise of hundred thousands of myriads of kotis of musical instruments [After a last effort the storm subsides], and with the eighty-four hundred thousand myriads of kotis of Bodhisattvas surrounding and following him, returned to his own Buddha-field. At his arrival there he said to the Lord Kamaladalavimalanakshatrargasankusumitbhiga, the Tathgata, I have seen and saluted the Stilpa of relics of the Lord Prabhtaratna, the Tathgata, I have seen and saluted the Lord Skyamuni, the Tathgata, I have seen Magusri, the prince royal, as well as the Bodhisattva Bhaishagyarga, who is possessed of mighty knowledge and impetuosity, and the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Pradnasra; and these eightyfour hundred thousand myriads of kotis of Bodhisattvas Mahsattvas have all obtained the meditation termed Sarvarpasandarsana.
And while this relation of the going and coming of the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Gadgadasvara was being delivered, forty-two thousand Bodhisattvas acquired the facultyof acquiescence in future things, and the Bodhisattva Mahsattva Padmasr acquired the meditation called the Lotus of the True Law.
