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66
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SADDHARMA-PUNDARÍKA.
III.
At that time then, Sâriputra, the Buddha-field of that Lord, the Tathagata Padmaprabha, to be called Viraga, will be level, pleasant, delightful, extremely beautiful to see, pure, prosperous, rich, quiet, abounding with food, replete with many races of men'; it will consist of lapis lazuli, and contain a checker-board of eight compartments distinguished by gold threads, each compartment having its jewel tree always and perpetually filled with blossoms and fruits of seven precious substances.
Now that Tathagata Padmaprabha, &c., Sâriputra, will preach the law by the instrumentality of three vehicles? Further, Sâriputra, that Tathagata will not appear at the decay of the Æon, but preach the law by virtue of a vow.
That Æon, Sâriputra, will be named Maharatnapratimandita (i. e. ornamented with magnificent jewels). Knowest thou, Sâriputra, why that Æon is named Maharatnapratimandita ? The Bodhisattvas of a Buddha-field, Sariputra, are called ratnas (jewels), and at that time there will be many Bodhisattvas in that sphere (called) Viraga; innumerable, incalculable, beyond computation, abstraction made from their being computed by the Tathagatas. On that account is that Æon called Mahâratna pratimandita.
Now, to proceed, Säriputra, at that period the
difficult to make out which pair of twins is meant in any particular case. The sun himself appears in the function of Yama, because it is he who makes twilight.
"One MS. reads bahuga namanushyâkîrna, the other bahuganamaruprakirna.
. Cf. the threefold vehicle, trivrit ratha, of the Asvins, Rigveda I, 34, 9. 12, 47, 2.
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| SR No. | 007677 |
| Book Title | Saddharma Pundarika |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | H Kern |
| Publisher | Oxford |
| Publication Year | 1884 |
| Total Pages | 2546 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English |
| File Size | 46 MB |