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LALITA-VISTARA. ment of the) Yána for his friends. Even those who travel a dig. tance of a hundred yojanas towards him are gratified even without seeing that friend of theirs ; what wonder then that they should be so by seeing him, and beholding these thoroughly established roots of welfare, and becoming Tatbágatas, Arhats and perfect Sambaddhas, for they well know their former friends. Such men are friends of the Tathagatas as well as of mc.
“ JTow so?”
" Because, Anandit, such a person becomes a dear friend and affectionate to the friend. A friend of such a friend becomes a dear one, and affectionate. Therefore, Ananda, I enlighten you and inform yon. Enlivening our faith we should take delight in unborn Tathagatas, Arhats and thorough Buddhas (samyak santbuddhux) Bobit, knowing us to be friends, they may fulfil our desires. Suppose, Anani, for evanple, that a man of gooil speech, of youd cadut, and possessed of many friends, has an only son. When that person passes away, the son does not suffer, for his father's friends ascept him as a friend. Even so, those who eviure faith in me, are accepted as friends by me, for they ure ander my protection. And I say unto yon, that the Tathagata bas many friends, and those friends of the Tathagata arc speakers of truth and no of Calsehood. The truth-spraking friends of the Tathagata are Arhats and thorongh Buddhas. Therefore, Ananda, 1 say unto you that the Yoga should be performed with reverence"
Then, when the Bodhisattva was born, hundreds of thousands of millions of tens of inillions of Apsarases, coming under the sky, rained on Máyásleví excellent flowers and pastiles, and aromatics and garland: anil unguents, and clothes and ornaments. On this subject these (Gáthás may be quoted).
"At that time sixty fold ten thousands of celestial Apsarases of auspicious, spotless, pure, golden effulgence, resplendent as the sun and the moon, and of delightful voice, arrived at the Lumbini garden, and addressed Máyádeví, saying,'be not dejected, . we shall make you comfortable. (1).
