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CHAPTER SIX
World's preaching. Purifying by his foot-steps the nine golden lotuses which were moved in succession by the gods, the Lord entered it by the east door. Observing the Arhats' custom, the Lord circumambulated the caitya-tree which was eighteen hundred bows high. The Lord said aloud, “Homage to the congregation," and seated himself, facing the east, on the jeweled lion-throne. The fourfold congregation with gods, asuras, and humans entered by their proper doors, and stayed in their proper places.
Jambhāri (Śakra) bowed to the Supreme Lord so he touched the ground with the five members and began a hymn of praise with passionate devotion.
Stuti (81-88) “O Lord, this teaching of yours--of you who are the. cakravartin of the three worlds-borne on the head by gods, asuras, and men, is victorious. By good fortune you have been seen, first possessing three kinds of knowledge, then mind-reading knowledge, now omniscience, each one superior to the other. May this knowledge of yours called 'omniscience,' brilliant, beneficial to all, like the shade of a tree on the road, prevail. There is darkness so long as there is no sun. There are rutting elephants so long as there is no lion. There is poverty so long as there is no kalpa-tree. There is scarcity of water so long as there is no rain-cloud. There is heat of the day so long as there is no full moon. There are people here with wrong belief so long as you are not seen. Even though I. am always negligent, O Lord, I applaud those by whom you are constantly seen and served. Now by your favor may the highest right-belief, immovable throughout life, result from the sight of you."
After this hymn of praise, Sunāśīra became silent and the Teacher of the World began a sermon in a voice deep as thunder.
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