大寶積經

2. CHAPTER: KING ŚUDDHODANA COMES TO THE BUDDHA

At that time, after the Blessed One had finished his meal, washed his hands, and cleansed his bowl, he manifested the sign that he was about to speak. Immediately, the Heavenly King Vaiśravaṇa, surrounded by immeasurable nayutas of hundreds of thousands of koṭis of yakṣas, disappeared from his heavenly palace and appeared before the Buddha as swiftly as a strong man might bend or extend his arm. He bowed at the Buddha’s feet and then stood in the sky to the north. The host of yakṣas surrounded him before and behind, joining their palms and reverently honoring the Buddha and the Sangha.

The Heavenly King Dhṛtarāṣṭra, surrounded by immeasurable hundreds of thousands of koṭis of nayutas of gandharvas, disappeared from his heavenly palace and appeared before the Buddha. He bowed at the Buddha’s feet and then stood in the sky to the east. The host of gandharvas surrounded him before and behind, joining their palms and reverently honoring the Buddha and the Sangha.

The Heavenly King Virūḍhaka, surrounded by immeasurable hundreds of thousands of koṭis of nayutas of kumbhāṇḍas, disappeared from his heavenly palace and appeared before the Buddha. He bowed at the Buddha’s feet and then stood in the sky to the south. The host of kumbhāṇḍas surrounded him before and behind, joining their palms and reverently honoring the Buddha and the Sangha.

The Heavenly King Virūpākṣa, surrounded by immeasurable hundreds of thousands of koṭis of nayutas of dragons, disappeared from his heavenly palace and appeared before the Buddha. He bowed at the Buddha’s feet and then stood in the sky to the west. The dragons surrounded him before and behind, joining their palms and reverently honoring the Buddha and the Sangha of bhikṣus.

Śakra, Lord of the Devas, surrounded by immeasurable hundreds of thousands of koṭis of nayutas of devas, disappeared from his palace in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three and appeared before the Buddha. He bowed at the Buddha’s feet and then stood in the sky, joining his palms and reverently honoring the Tathagata and the Sangha of bhikṣus.

The Heavenly King of Yāma, the Heavenly King of Tuṣita, the Heavenly King of Enjoying Emanations, the Heavenly King of Mastery over Others’ Emanations, the Great Brahmā Heavenly King, the Heavenly King of Radiant Sound, the Heavenly King of Universal Purity, the Heavenly King of Abundant Fruit, and the Heavenly King of the Pure Abodes, each surrounded by immeasurable hundreds of thousands of koṭis of nayutas of devas, disappeared from their heavenly palaces and appeared before the Buddha. They bowed at the Buddha’s feet and then stood in the sky, joining their palms and reverently honoring the Tathagata and the Sangha of bhikṣus.

Vemacitrin, king of the asuras, surrounded by sixty nayutas of attendants, disappeared from his palace and appeared before the Buddha as swiftly as a strong man might bend or extend his arm. He bowed with his head at the Buddha’s feet and stood respectfully to one side.

The King of the Golden-Winged Birds, surrounded by eighty-six thousand garuḍa attendants, disappeared from his palace and appeared before the Buddha. He bowed with his head at the Buddha’s feet and stood respectfully to one side.

There were also eight hundred million followers of non-Buddhist paths who came from the four directions and spoke these verses:

At that time, King Śuddhodana said to the Śākyas, “Good sirs! Before the sun is about to rise, a beautiful radiance first appears. When the morning star rises, one knows that the sun will soon appear. In the same way, Udāyin has first manifested an auspicious sign concerning the Buddha-Tathagata’s wisdom of all modes. This bhikṣu’s description of the Tathagata’s virtues is itself a sign of omniscience. Quickly prepare fine carriages; I shall go to where the Buddha is dwelling.”

The Śākyas replied, “Excellent, Great King! Now is the proper time. Everything required has already been prepared.”

The king further commanded his officials to repair the road from the city of Kapilavastu to the Nyagrodha Grove, spreading fine sand upon the ground, scattering various flowers, hanging colored silk streamers, and arranging music, songs, and dances.

The king mounted a splendid carriage and departed from Kapilavastu, proceeding directly toward the Nyagrodha Grove. Behind the king’s carriage came eighty thousand white elephants, magnificently adorned with intermingled jewels. Upon each elephant was arranged an exceedingly rare and wondrous seat of the seven treasures. Behind the elephants came eighty thousand noble horses. Each noble horse bore a golden banner, and both the horses and banners were adorned with the seven treasures, exceedingly beautiful and unsurpassed.

Within the city were immeasurable people who had ornamented their conveyances: blue horses and blue carriages, blue parasols and blue swords, with clothing, saddles, and bridles all blue, and carrying blue banners. Behind each carriage followed one hundred people dressed in blue. The three companies of yellow, red, and white horses and riders were arranged in the same way.

There were also Śākyas who individually adorned various beautiful carriages in blue, yellow, red, and white: multicolored ornaments, multicolored horses and carriages, and multicolored adornments. Each horse and carriage was accompanied by one hundred people adorned in many colors.

Seeing King Śuddhodana approaching from afar, the Blessed One told the bhikṣus, “If you wish to see the devas of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three going forth on an excursion, behold the Śākyas departing from Kapilavastu. Why is this? The procession of the Śākyas is no different from that of the devas.”

The Blessed One then spoke these verses:

Elephants, horses, and carriages exceed a hundred thousand,
Adorned in many exceedingly wondrous ways;
They issue forth from Kapilavastu—
The human king, his precious stores, and his carriages.

Yellow horses, yellow carriages, yellow adornments;
The attendants’ garments are all yellow.
Their shoes and swords are wholly yellow,
Their whips, bridles, bells, and nets are yellow.
Yellow-clad people hold yellow banners and parasols;
People and horses, all yellow, are wondrously beautiful.

White horses, white carriages, white adornments;
The attendants’ garments are all white.
Their shoes and swords are wholly white,
Their whips, bridles, bells, and nets are white.
White-clad people hold white banners and parasols;
People and horses, all white, are wondrously beautiful.

Horses and carriages of four colors, adorned in four colors;
The attendants’ garments are all of four colors.
Their shoes and swords are also of four colors,
Their whips, bridles, bells, and nets contain all four colors.
The people, banners, and parasols are all of four colors;
People and horses in four colors are wondrously beautiful.

Behind those carriages come adorned elephants,
Their number fully eighty thousand.
Golden saddles and golden cushions, adorned with gold;
Upon each elephant’s back is a palace of seven treasures.

Then come noble steeds, dragons among horses, variously adorned,
Their number likewise fully eighty thousand;
Adorned with seven treasures, wondrously beautiful,
With finely arrayed attendants following behind the carriages.

King Śuddhodana and his retinue arrived at the Nyagrodha Grove, descended from their carriages, and entered on foot.

The Blessed One knew that the Royal Father had long harbored resentment. To guide him, the Buddha rose into the sky above the height of a man’s head and proceeded outward at ease. As the Buddha advanced, the Great Brahmā Heavenly King was at his right and Śakra, Lord of the Devas, at his left. The Heavenly King of Yāma, the Heavenly King of Tuṣita, the Heavenly King of Enjoying Emanations, and the Heavenly King of Mastery over Others’ Emanations each held various celestial parasols in worship of the Tathagata.

At that time, the Heavenly Kings Vaiśravaṇa and Dhṛtarāṣṭra knelt to the east of the Tathagata, joined their palms, and manifested signs of reverence.

The hosts of devas from the Heavens of the Four Great Kings, the Thirty-Three, Yāma, Tuṣita, Enjoying Emanations, and Mastery over Others’ Emanations rained celestial utpala and māndārava flowers and powdered sandalwood incense from the sky. They performed music, songs, and dances and also rained down fragrant water. Never before had such an offering to the Tathagata been seen.

The Tathagata further manifested spiritual powers. Through the Buddha’s spiritual might, everyone was enabled to see clearly the forms of the devas.

When King Śuddhodana saw the devaputras worshiping the Tathagata, a sense of unprecedented wonder arose in him. He also saw palaces adorned with the seven treasures filling the sky. The king said, “In former days, while still a youth, the Tathagata felt no attachment to the position of a wheel-turning sage king ruling the four continents. Now the Tathagata is the great Dharma King within the trichiliocosm, attended by innumerable devas and humans. Here today, I myself stand among those surrounding him.”

King Śuddhodana bared his right shoulder, placed his right knee on the ground, bowed with his head at the Buddha’s feet, joined his palms, and addressed the Buddha: “Blessed One, at the time of your birth, without anyone supporting you, you walked seven steps on your own, surveyed the ten directions, and then declared: ‘I am the most honored and supreme in the world. I shall attain liberation from the shore of aging, sickness, and death.’ At that time, I bowed my head at the Blessed One’s feet.

Later, when the Blessed One went to the farming village and sat in the cool shade beneath a jambu tree, although the sun had already declined toward the west, the tree’s shadow remained unmoved. Moreover, devaputras from the six heavens stood before the Blessed One, joining their palms and paying homage. At that time, I bowed my head at the Blessed One’s feet.

Today, for the third time, I again bow with my head at the Blessed One’s feet.”

King Śuddhodana then spoke these verses:

“When the Blessed One, Honored One among Bipeds, was newly born,
Without anyone’s support, he walked seven steps.
He himself declared, ‘I am supreme in the world’;
At that time, I bowed to the one of radiant wisdom.

The Blessed One left the city and went to the farming village;
The jambu tree’s shade covered him without moving.
Devaputras from the six heavens presented offerings;
At that time, I bowed to the Worthy One.

Now, for the third time, I bow down,
Revering the one who has compassion for the world,
Who is worthy of offerings from devas and humans;
In all the world, none surpasses the Buddha.

The Blessed One was formerly named Siddhārtha,
A name in which his parents rejoiced.
Only now do I know the Tathagata’s true appellation:
The One Whose Aspiration Is Fulfilled, Who Has Attained the Deathless.”

At that time, the devas of the desire realm arranged a lion throne for the Tathagata, covering it with wondrous celestial garments and spreading such garments throughout the Nyagrodha Grove. They also suspended celestial garments made of kalpa-tree cloth throughout the sky. The Blessed One descended from the sky and sat upon the lion throne. King Śuddhodana and his retinue bowed with their heads at the Buddha’s feet and withdrew to sit to one side. The devas of the desire realm and form realm likewise bowed with their heads to the Buddha and withdrew to sit to one side in the sky.

The Blessed One then spoke these verses:

Thus it is with the six heavens of the desire realm;
And in the form realm are Brahmā’s hosts and assistant Brahmā kings,
Radiant Sound, Universal Purity, and their retinues,
Extending to Abundant Fruit and the Pure-Abode Devas.

For the sake of all these assemblies,
The Tathagata uses wondrous words and excellent meanings.
With his intention directed toward King Śuddhodana,
The Tathagata displays many kinds of spiritual power.

The king originally would not allow the Buddha to renounce the household life,
For physiognomists had formerly predicted of the youth:
If he remained at home, he would surely become a wheel-turning king,
Attended by immeasurable multitudes of people,
Perfectly possessing the seven treasures of a sage king
And also endowed with the four spiritual powers.
He would rule the land rightly in accordance with the Dharma,
And his Golden Wheel would govern the four continents.

At that time, the bodhisattva spoke these words:
‘Throughout immeasurable nayutas of kalpas in the past,
At every time I have always spoken truthfully.
Royal Father, listen well to what I say.

The freshwater turtle again asked the sea turtle,
“Is there more water in the sea than in this well?
Could it truly be broader and greater than this?
Is it large or small? Please tell me quickly.”

In former days, Royal Father did not understand
My mighty spiritual powers, majesty, and virtue.
You wished to entice me with the four continents
And the worldly splendor of a wheel-turning king.

Now I have become the King Who Turns the Dharma Wheel,
Ruling over the trichiliocosm.
I govern rightly according to Dharma, apart from weapons,
And receive offerings from the eight classes of beings.

Now I recount the words of former days;
Therefore, I have come to appear before this great assembly.
With spiritual power I cultivate their minds,
And with thoughts of loving-kindness and compassion I summon the assembly.

Beings from all realms have gathered like clouds,
All wishing Royal Father to gain pure faith.’”

3. CHAPTER: PREDICTIONS FOR THE ASURA KINGS

At that time, the Blessed One manifested the sign that he was about to speak. Because of that sign, Vemacitrin, king of the asuras, thought, “Now I shall be the first to make offerings to the Buddha.”

Vemacitrin, king of the asuras, together with sixty nayutas of followers and sixty nayutas of female attendants, brought priceless jewels and precious objects from the ocean and presented them as offerings to the Buddha.

That asura king magically produced sixty nayutas of carriages made of the seven treasures. Those precious carriages were each accompanied by magically produced, well-trained horses, sixty nayutas in number. Upon the horses he magically produced nets of bells made of the seven treasures as ornaments.

The horses’ legs bore bell-bracelets of pure gold, and their manes and tails were bound and decorated with the seven treasures. Their reins were made of pure gold. The precious carriages were entirely adorned with the seven treasures, and their shafts and parasols were likewise made of the seven treasures.

Those parasols of seven treasures flew through the sky above the carriages. The strings of bells suspended within the parasols were also made of the seven treasures, and nets of the seven treasures were spread over them. When a gentle breeze stirred the horses, carriages, and parasols of seven treasures, they produced wondrous sounds like a hundred kinds of music harmoniously performed by skilled musicians.

Those who heard them became joyful; their eyes and ears were captivated, and their minds were enraptured.

Those carriages and horses of the seven treasures traveled through the sky sixty yojanas above the ground, with music performed behind the carriages. Upon every carriage were beautifully adorned asura maidens. Some of these asura maidens danced while standing, some danced while seated, some sang, and some swayed their bodies.

Some scattered powdered incense, some sprinkled fragrant water, and some rained down various fragrances, various flowers, or powdered gold. Others scattered golden flowers, silver flowers, beryl flowers, crystal flowers, red-pearl flowers, agate flowers, and mother-of-pearl flowers. Some scattered the seven treasures, while others scattered ornaments.

All these things were offered to the Blessed One. Some asura maidens shook their bell-bracelets so that they rang. Some wore garlands made of the seven treasures and adorned with pure gold, while others wore garlands of pure gold adorned with the seven treasures.

Some held nets of pure gold, some held banners of the seven treasures, some held parasols of the seven treasures, and some held standards of the seven treasures. All these were offered to the Blessed One.

Other asura maidens joined their palms and spoke these verses of praise:

Homage to the aggregate replete with merit.
Homage to the one who has utterly ended the afflictions.
Homage to the teacher who cultivates pure conduct.
Homage to the one whose pure conduct is uninterrupted.

Homage to the independent one, free from timidity.
Homage to the one free from indolence and distraction.
Homage to the one resolutely devoted to diligence.
Homage to the one perfect in resolution.”

The asura king further magically produced sixty nayutas of exceedingly wondrous canopies made of the seven treasures and adorned in many colors. Beneath each floating precious canopy, he magically produced sixty nayutas of vast lands made of the seven treasures. Upon each great land, he produced sixty nayutas of city walls made of the seven treasures.

Within each city wall, he produced sixty nayutas of towers and palaces made of the seven treasures. Each palace hall had sixty nayutas of great doors and windows, intermingled and adorned with the seven treasures. Within each hall were sixty nayutas of lion thrones made of the seven treasures and spread with precious garments.

At both ends of each lion throne were red cushions. Before each throne stood a table of the seven treasures upon which were placed six hundred million precious garments belonging to the asura king. Beside every lion throne stood two asura maidens adorned with the seven treasures, each holding a palm leaf made of the seven treasures and serving as an attendant with a fan.

Upon each throne sat a magically produced asura youth. All those palace halls had sixty nayutas of standards and parasols made of the seven treasures.

Those canopies and palace halls of the seven treasures floated in the sky, circumambulated the Buddha three times to the right, scattered various fragrances, and rained down many kinds of flowers as offerings to the Buddha.

At that time, the area outside each of Kapilavastu’s four gates extended for sixty yojanas. Through the majestic spiritual power of the asura king, light shone throughout those sixty yojanas and upward for sixty thousand yojanas, while offerings completely filled the surrounding space. The floating canopies circled the Buddha and then came to rest.

At that time, celestial māndārava flowers accumulated within Kapilavastu to a height of seven fathoms, while celestial fragrant water turned the ground to fragrant mud. Through the Buddha’s spiritual power, the fragrance pervaded the trichiliocosm. When practitioners of the Great Vehicle smelled this fragrance, even those who had only recently generated the bodhicitta attained non-retrogression, how much more those who had long practiced.

Vemacitrin, king of the asuras, rode in a carriage of the seven treasures and circumambulated the Buddha three times. He scattered celestial sandalwood powder over the Buddha and spoke these verses:

Now I take refuge in the Bhagavān.
Having taken refuge in the Buddha, I seek no further birth
In the exceedingly painful ocean oppressed by aging and death.
The Blessed One is the teacher of devas and humans.”

Having spoken these verses in praise of the Buddha, the asura king circumambulated the Buddha three times.

The precious horses adorned with necklaces, the precious carriages, the asuras, the asura maidens, the precious standards, banners, and parasols, and the bells and nets of the seven treasures were stirred by the wind and produced wondrous sounds that delighted the heart and pleased the mind, like a hundred kinds of music harmoniously performed with surpassing skill.

The asura king again circumambulated the Buddha three times. From the sky he rained down celestial sandalwood powder, utpala powder, agarwood powder, tamāla powder, and various kinds of asura incense powder. He also rained down celestial flowers: māndārava, mahāmāndārava, mañjūṣaka, mahāmañjūṣaka, pāruṣaka, mahāpāruṣaka, kākalava, mahākāsalava, pāṭalī, mahāpāṭalī, citrapāṭalī, and mahācitrapāṭalī. There were also various magically produced flowers—golden flowers, silver flowers, beryl flowers, crystal flowers, red-pearl flowers, mother-of-pearl flowers, and agate flowers—which rained down from the sky.

He further rained down celestial fragrant water and asura fragrant water. Because of this fragrant water, the entire area within and outside Kapilavastu for sixty yojanas became fragrant mud, and its perfume pervaded the trichiliocosm. Bodhisattvas who smelled this fragrance attained non-retrogression from unsurpassed bodhi.

The asura king circumambulated the Buddha three times. Through the Buddha’s spiritual power, celestial music and asura music arose in the sky. Because of the Buddha’s spiritual power, that music resounded throughout the trichiliocosm. Practitioners of the Great Vehicle who heard that music attained non-retrogression from unsurpassed bodhi.

Immeasurable hundreds of thousands of asura maidens sang, danced, performed music, or swayed their bodies.

The asura maidens also scattered various celestial incense powders, celestial flowers, magically produced flowers, and flowers of the seven treasures as offerings to the Buddha. They further scattered precious garments, ornaments of the seven treasures, various powdered fragrances, and many kinds of pearls as offerings to the Buddha.

Vemacitrin, king of the asuras, and all his attendants spoke together in verse:

The asura king Prahlāda gave offerings to the Buddha in the same manner as the asura king Vemacitrin. Riding in a carriage of the seven treasures, he circumambulated the Buddha three times and then spoke these verses:

“I bow to the one who truly attained the ten powers;
I also bow to the fearless and sovereign one,
Who has decisively attained the unique qualities of a Buddha.
Homage to the Guide of all worlds.

I bow to the one who has eradicated the fetters;
I also bow to the path of escape from birth and death,
The Guide who leads impoverished sentient beings.
I bow to the profound, inconceivable wisdom.

Harmonious with the assembly, he remains unmoved;
Among all classes of beings, his mind is liberated,
Like a lotus flower unstained by water.
The Blessed One formerly cultivated the Dharma of emptiness.

The asura king Subāhu arranged vast and immeasurable offerings like those of the asura king Vemacitrin. Riding in a carriage of the seven treasures, he circumambulated the Buddha three times, scattered grains of pure gold, and spoke these verses of praise:

“The Great Muni is peerless;
Above the heavens and below them, none can compare.
The Buddha knows sentient beings to be like mirages,
Not truly existent, but merely conceptions.

Those who gain faithful understanding of the Tathagata’s Dharma
And contemplate all dharmas as equal
Will become children of the Buddha,
Following the Buddha’s instruction as they would their parents.

The asura king Bali Vairocana arranged offerings like those of the asura king Vemacitrin. Riding in a carriage of the seven treasures, he circumambulated the Buddha three times, scattered citrapāṭalī flowers as offerings to the Buddha, and then spoke these verses of praise:

“The divine and wondrous body of the Tathagata, the Great Sage,
Surpasses all devas and humans.
They are like mustard seeds beside Mount Sumeru,
Or a cow’s hoofprint beside the great ocean.

The Blessed One is an aggregate of immeasurable majesty and virtue,
Causing all other splendors to disappear,
As the rising sun makes the firefly’s light grow dim.
The Greatly Sacred Blessed One is a vast ocean of wisdom.

He surpasses and overspreads the whole of the three realms,
Obscuring the non-Buddhist paths so they no longer appear,
As the brilliant sun conceals the moonlight.”

The asura king Jambāli arranged offerings like those of the asura king Vemacitrin. Riding in a carriage of the seven treasures, he circumambulated the Buddha three times, scattered mahāpāṭalī flowers as offerings to the Buddha, and then spoke these verses of praise:

“The Wise One delights in śamatha
And has removed the three poisons of greed, anger, and delusion.
He guides sentient beings beyond the world,
Like a downpour extinguishing fire and settling dust.

The Blessed One’s eye of the true Dharma blazes brilliantly,
As clarified butter poured upon a blazing fire.
He can utterly sever the net of afflictions and doubts,
Like fire consuming a vast wilderness.

The Tathagata gathers and holds all roots of goodness,
Immeasurable koṭis of myriads of nayutas.
He can remove afflictions and evil karma,
As ambrosia consumed removes poison from the body.

He blows away all the darkness of ignorance,
Like a bright torch illuminating the darkness of night.
The Tathagata reveals the eye of the true Dharma,
Like a jeweler who clearly knows the value of gems.”

The asura king Delight in Battle arranged offerings like those of the asura king Vemacitrin. Riding in a carriage of the seven treasures, he circumambulated the Buddha three times, scattered precious flowers, and spoke these verses of praise:

“The Buddha tames evil minds that are difficult to tame,
Like a mighty warrior subduing fierce enemies.
He has skillfully attained gentleness and mastery of mind;
I bow to the fearless one whose mind is tamed.

He has tamed the faculties and is free from enmity;
Freed from fear and fearlessness alike, he has attained peace.
The Blessed One’s afflictions will never arise again;
He has utterly removed all harmful poisons without remainder.

With the strength of Nārāyaṇa, he skillfully cultivates loving-kindness;
His mind is impartial toward affection and hatred.
The Tathagata knows the conceptions of sentient beings
And cannot be seized by the six paths.

Free from mental conceptions, he has ended craving;
He emits the light of wisdom and destroys darkness.
His mind clings to none of the dharmas;
The Blessed One transcends all and is peerless.”

The asura king Good Sun arranged offerings like those of the asura king Vemacitrin. Riding in a carriage of the seven treasures, he circumambulated the Buddha three times, presented precious treasuries to the Buddha, and spoke these verses of praise:

Apart from names and appellations, there is no essential nature;
All characteristics are likewise thus.
There is neither characteristic nor name;
Having departed from these three kinds of dharmas,

The asura king Subduer of the Three Realms arranged offerings like those of the asura king Vemacitrin. Riding in a carriage of the seven treasures, he circumambulated the Buddha three times, presented pearl necklaces to the Buddha, and spoke these verses of praise:

“Now I praise the Buddha, free from adversaries,
With noble countenance and the power of discipline and wisdom.
In all the world, none is like the Buddha;
With his peerless body he subdues his enemies.

His physical strength and radiance illumine the three realms;
By cultivating wholesome karma, he attained the excellent marks.
The eighty secondary characteristics are all pure and splendid;
Through the power of upholding pure discipline, he is unmoved.

Even the wise cannot fathom him,
For the Buddha’s mind is pure through keeping discipline.
Therefore, he became the Buddha, the Blessed One;
The power of the Buddha’s wisdom has no equal.

Because he is fearless, he surpasses the three realms,
Like a lion king roaring in the forest;
He surpasses all followers of non-Buddhist paths.”

The asura king Vairocana arranged offerings like those of the asura king Vemacitrin. Riding in a carriage of the seven treasures, he circumambulated the Buddha three times, scattered precious objects over the Buddha with his own hands, and praised him:

“The great assembly has gathered before the Muni,
Gazing with pure minds upon the Tathagata’s face.
All those present see the Blessed One;
This is a unique characteristic of the Buddha.

The Buddha expounds the Dharma with a single voice,
And every kind of being understands according to its mind.
The Buddha teaches the Dharma according to beings’ capacities;
This is a unique characteristic of the Buddha.

The Buddha expounds the Dharma with a single voice,
And sentient beings understand according to their kinds.
Their wishes are fulfilled, and they clearly know the meaning;
This is a unique characteristic of the Buddha.

The Buddha expounds the Dharma with a single voice;
Some diligently cultivate, while others are subdued,
And some attain the fruit beyond further training;
This is a unique characteristic of the Buddha.”

The asura king Mucilinda arranged offerings like those of the asura king Vemacitrin. Riding in a carriage of the seven treasures, he circumambulated the Buddha three times, scattered red pearls over the Buddha with his own hands, and spoke these verses of praise:

“With a pure and joyful mind, one reveres and trusts the Buddha,
Free from arrogance and without wrong views;
Following the Buddha’s Āgamas and remaining heedful—
Such a person is a peerless practitioner.

The intrinsic nature of all dharmas cannot be apprehended;
Like dreams, the pursuit of desires and all such things are empty.
They follow only from conception and have no true existence;
The Blessed One knows dharmas to be likewise.

Like autumn clouds and the moon reflected in water,
They delude foolish sentient beings without wisdom,
But cannot delude those with clear eyes,
Who diligently delight in the Buddha’s true Dharma.

The wondrous among the wondrous ones is never mistaken;
Within the Buddha-Dharma, he remains heedful.
He discerns that all dharmas are like dreams
And attains the wondrous samādhi of seeing things as they truly are.”

At that time, the asura kings Vemacitrin and the others, together with sixty nayutas of asuras, having arranged their offerings, all joined their palms, paid homage, and stood silently. They were delighted, elated, and filled with joy and satisfaction, while their aspiration for bodhi continued without interruption.

Knowing that the asuras had made offerings with faithful hearts, the Blessed One manifested a smile in accordance with the Dharma of all Buddhas. From the Buddha’s facial portal streamed immeasurable rays of blue, yellow, red, white, rose-purple, crystal, gold, silver, and variegated light. Having issued from his mouth, those colored rays circumambulated the Buddha three times and returned to enter the crown of his head.

The Venerable Bhikṣu Aśvajit rose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, placed his right knee on the ground, joined his palms in homage, and spoke these verses to question the Buddha:

“The valiant Muni manifests the sign of speech;
His compassion for the world is never without a cause.
Supreme Blessed One, please explain:
For what reason does the Great Sage manifest this sign?

Out of compassion for sentient beings, he displays this response,
Seeing the great offerings made by the asuras.
Does he wish to bestow predictions upon the asuras
And thereby cause our great assembly to rejoice?

Now there are those of superior mind who have faith without doubt;
Within this assembly, some have generated the aspiration.
Knowing the roots of faith within them,
The meditative Guide manifests this sign.

Who today has generated a pure mind?
Who in the great assembly has produced superior faith?
Knowing the roots of faith within them,
The Blessed One manifests this supremely wondrous smile.

The Blessed One replied to Bhikṣu Aśvajit in verse:

“Excellent is the bhikṣu’s meaningful question.
The Buddha manifests the sign of speech to benefit the world.
The Buddha declares karmic results without omission;
Now concentrate your mind and listen well.

Having made offerings to the Blessed One,
The minds of that assembly are wholly pure.
With great wisdom, they shall all abandon the asura path;
They have long delighted in birth among devas and humans.

In future ages,
They shall encounter great Guides as numerous as the sands of the Ganges.
During the kalpa called Good Renown, they shall become Buddhas,
And all those Buddhas shall bear the name Good Renown.

Their number shall be precisely sixty nayutas;
Their renown shall resound through the ten directions and illumine the world.
They shall expound the Dharma of non-dependence and non-attachment
And broadly liberate multitudes of devas and humans.

The buddha lands of those Buddhas shall be exceedingly pure and splendid.
The Buddhas shall know the world to be free from the five turbidities.
Their pure buddha lands throughout the three-thousandfold world-systems
Shall number precisely sixty nayutas.

Those lands shall contain none of the three evil paths,
Because joyful hearts have purified their fields.
Those Buddhas shall be valiant ones of the unsurpassed Great Vehicle.
The lifespan attained by those Tathagatas

Shall be sixty nayutas of kalpas in the world,
During which they shall expound the Dharma that has no basis of reliance.
Every one of those Tathagatas shall be likewise.
After those Tathagatas enter nirvana,

The wise people of their worlds shall also pass away.
For a full sixty nayutas of kalpas,
The true Dharma of those Buddhas shall remain in the world.
Each of those Tathagatas shall separately liberate

Sentient beings as numerous as the sands of the Ganges.
Those Tathagatas shall be immeasurable in number,
As shall the lands in which the true Dharma is received and abides.
Those Tathagatas shall bring to maturity

Sixty nayutas of sentient beings,
Causing them all to abide in the Great Vehicle
And perpetually continue the lineage of the Three Jewels.
Today, predictions are bestowed upon the asuras;