眾許摩訶帝經

Volume 7

At that time, in the palace of the Brahma Heaven, two Brahma sons reflected thus: "Now in the continent of Jambudvīpa, a Buddha, the World-Honored One, has appeared in the world, having just attained the Way on the bank of the Nairañjanā River, near Lake Uruvilvā. That World-Honored One is sitting cross-legged beneath the Bodhi tree, and for seven days and seven nights has entered into right concentration." Then those two Brahmas said to one another:

"We possess great spiritual power; in the time it takes to bend or stretch out an arm we are able to reach that place. So let us now go there swiftly, praise the Buddha with verses, and beseech Him to turn the Wheel of the Dharma and rescue sentient beings."

Having said this, the two of them went at once to the place of the Buddha, reverently circumambulated Him, paid homage, and then stood before the Buddha. One of them spoke a verse in request:

The other Brahma also spoke a verse in request:

When those two Brahmas had finished speaking their verses, they vanished. When the World-Honored One came out of concentration, He observed the whole world and then spoke a verse:

He then spoke a further verse:

The World-Honored One then spoke further:

Throughout the seven days and nights, the World-Honored One sat cross-legged in concentration, and during that time He neither ate nor drank anything. Just as He came out of concentration and finished speaking the verses, there happened to be a merchant named Puṣpavalīka who was transporting five hundred carts of goods to another country to sell, passing near the place where the Buddha was meditating. Because he possessed wholesome roots, he often reflected: "How may I obtain good friends and good kinsfolk?" Suddenly he heard someone say:

"The World-Honored One has been in concentration for seven days without eating or drinking, sitting beneath the Bodhi tree on the bank of the Nairañjanā River, near Lake Uruvilvā. He has realized Supreme Perfect Enlightenment (Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi)."

The merchant thought to himself that the Buddha was indeed the Good Friend who would bring him benefit, and so he hastened to that place to offer the finest and most nourishing foods to the Buddha.

At that time a certain deva, knowing the heart's aspiration of Puṣpavalīka, examined the merchant and the goods he was carrying to sell. Having observed this, the deva went and addressed the Buddha:

"Today there will be a merchant named Puṣpavalīka who, knowing that the World-Honored One has practiced and attained the Way here, will come to make offerings, seeking the merit of peace, joy, and benefit."

Having said this, the deva vanished.

At that time Puṣpavalīka, together with the close companions who traveled in his caravan, with his own hands prepared fragrant, delicious, and pure foods, and with a sincere heart brought them to offer to the Buddha. Before he had reached the place, he thought again: "Now that I bring these foods to offer up, surely I shall get to hear the Buddha expound the supreme Dharma. By planting this cause, we shall surely obtain a good fruit." Arriving there, the merchant reverently bowed his head, paid homage at the feet of the Buddha, then rose and gazed upon Him, saying:

"World-Honored One, my companions and I have prepared these foods and brought them to offer. We pray that You, out of compassion, accept them."

The Buddha consented, but had not yet partaken. For at the time He had just attained the Way, He had no bowl with which to receive food, and He thought: "If I do not use a bowl to receive these offerings, Māra and the heretics will scoff and say: How could it be that in the past the Perfectly Enlightened Ones, for the benefit of all sentient beings, accepted offerings in such a manner?"

As soon as the Buddha gave rise to this thought, a Brahma addressed the Buddha:

"World-Honored One, the Perfectly Enlightened Ones of the past, for the benefit of sentient beings, all used a bowl to receive the food offerings of the faithful donors."

At that time, when the World-Honored One gave rise to the thought of wishing to have a bowl, the Four Great Heavenly Kings knew the intention of His mind, and so each one used precious stones, directing skilled craftsmen, and in a short time fashioned bowls of utmost purity, fine and beautiful beyond compare. After they had finished, the four Heavenly Kings together took up the bowls and brought them to offer to the Buddha. Arriving there, the four bowed their heads and paid homage to the Buddha, then stood to one side gazing upon Him, and together addressed the Buddha:

"Each of us has used precious stones to fashion a bowl, and now together we bring them to offer up to the Buddha. We humbly pray that the World-Honored One, out of pity for us, accept them."

Having said this, they all stood waiting for the Buddha's instruction. Then the Buddha thought to Himself: "The four Heavenly Kings have each offered a bowl. If I accept the bowl of one, the other three will not be pleased; therefore I shall now accept all four." After accepting the offering of the four bowls, He thought again: "I use only a single bowl; now which bowl should I use first?" Having thought thus, the Buddha then used His spiritual power to merge the four bowls into one; though merged together, it still retained the form of a single bowl. For the benefit of all beings, the Buddha took up the bowl and received the food offering of the merchant Puṣpavalīka. After partaking of the food, the Buddha said to the merchant:

"Today, for your sake, I shall expound the Dharma of the Three Refuges; you should listen attentively."

Puṣpavalīka obeyed, standing still to receive the teaching. The World-Honored One taught:

"The Three Refuges consist of taking refuge in the Buddha, taking refuge in the Dharma, and taking refuge in the Saṃgha that is to come. For your whole life you must wholeheartedly uphold them and never transgress."

Puṣpavalīka said:

"World-Honored One, I now take refuge in the Buddha, take refuge in the Dharma, and take refuge in the Saṃgha that is to come, and for my whole life I shall not dare to transgress."

The World-Honored One said to Puṣpavalīka:

"Giving with sympathetic joy will surely reap the fruit of merit. As you have given of your own free will, you will certainly attain peace and joy; all that you seek will be accomplished, and in the future you will also realize the fruit of Nirvāṇa. Puṣpavalīka, you have practiced the virtue of giving and performed deeds of merit and benefit; neither devas, nor humans, nor even Māra can delude you. If you further cultivate meditative concentration and wisdom, you will eradicate the very source of suffering and realize the holy fruit."

When Puṣpavalīka had heard the Buddha's teaching, his heart and mind were exceedingly joyful, and he vowed that even in lives to come he would always remember it and never forget. After making this vow, he then paid homage to the Buddha and withdrew.

At that time, after the Buddha had received the offering of the merchant Puṣpavalīka, He then took the food to the bank of the Nairañjanā River, spread grass for a seat, and partook of the food. Having eaten and washed the bowl, the World-Honored One suddenly felt unwell in His body. Why was this? It was precisely because He wished to let sentient beings clearly understand that this body is illusory that He manifested this.

At that time Māra feared that if the Buddha appeared in the world and taught sentient beings to escape the suffering and affliction of the three realms, then his own domain would become deserted; therefore he constantly awaited a favorable opportunity to come and disturb the Buddha. Now, knowing that the Buddha was unwell in His body, Māra left the demon palace and came to the place of the Buddha, saying:

"O Well-Gone One (Sugata), You have now fallen ill, and the time for entering Nirvāṇa is at hand. Now I have come to invite the Buddha to enter Great Nirvāṇa."

The Buddha knew that Māra wished to disturb His mind, and so He said to Māra:

"The time of My Nirvāṇa has not yet come. I am still waiting for My disciples who realize the fruit of the Śrāvaka to possess bright and clear wisdom, to understand the Buddha's Dharma well, and to expound widely the characteristics of the Dharma, together with the bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, and upāsikās all practicing the holy life; and for many sentient beings throughout the world, even unto the devas, all to realize the fruit of liberation. Only then will I enter Nirvāṇa."

When Māra heard the Buddha speak thus and knew that He had not yet entered Nirvāṇa, he was sorrowful and ashamed in his heart, and went away.

Then Śakra, knowing that the Buddha was unwell in His body, came down in person from his heavenly palace to the continent of Jambudvīpa, to the great Harītakī Grove not far from the Bodhi tree, and gathered the finest Harītakī fruits, bringing them to the place of the Buddha. He bowed his head, paid homage, gazed upon Him, and said: "World-Honored One, having learned that the sacred body of the World-Honored One is unwell, I have come to this continent of Jambudvīpa and gathered Harītakī fruits of fine color and the most fragrant flavor, which can cure this illness, and have brought them here. I pray the Buddha, out of compassion, accept them."

When the World-Honored One had accepted and eaten those fruits, His body became healthy as before. The Buddha then consoled and praised Śakra. The heavenly king took his leave and returned to his heavenly palace.

At that time the World-Honored One left the Bodhi tree and went to the palace of the Dragon King Mucilinda. Arriving there, He sat cross-legged in concentration beside a tree. Throughout the seven days and nights that the Buddha was in concentration, there was constant rain.

The Dragon King, seeing the rain pouring down and the wind blowing, knew that the Buddha was meditating, knew clearly about this weather, and feared that the wind and rain might harm the Buddha's body, and further feared that insects and creeping things might disturb His sacred body; therefore he wrapped his own body around the Buddha, and his head transformed into a canopy sheltering the Buddha, throughout the seven days and nights without leaving.

When the Buddha came out of concentration, the Dragon King withdrew his form and returned to the dragon palace, adorned his body with various flowers and incense, then came to the place of the Buddha, paid homage, and said:

"World-Honored One, did the wind and rain of these past seven days, and the various insects, disturb Your body at all? Has Your sacred body been at peace and joy?"

The Buddha then replied with a verse:

After speaking the verse in reply to the Dragon King, the Buddha then returned to the Bodhi tree, and for seven days and nights sat cross-legged in concentration, contemplating the principle of the twelve links of dependent origination. He inwardly contemplated: "From what fundamental cause does birth arise? It is because ignorance conditions formations, formations condition consciousness, consciousness conditions name-and-form, name-and-form conditions the six sense-bases, the six sense-bases condition contact, contact conditions feeling, feeling conditions craving, craving conditions clinging, clinging conditions becoming, becoming conditions birth, and birth conditions aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, distress, and despair.

By these causes, all such great suffering is accumulated. If the fundamental afflictions do not arise, then all twelve links of dependent origination are extinguished. That is: when ignorance is extinguished, formations are extinguished; when formations are extinguished, consciousness is extinguished; when consciousness is extinguished, name-and-form is extinguished; when name-and-form is extinguished, the six sense-bases are extinguished; when the six sense-bases are extinguished, contact is extinguished; when contact is extinguished, feeling is extinguished; when feeling is extinguished, craving is extinguished; when craving is extinguished, clinging is extinguished; when clinging is extinguished, becoming is extinguished; when becoming is extinguished, birth is extinguished;

when birth is extinguished, aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, distress, and despair are also extinguished.

Understanding clearly this process of arising and ceasing, one extinguishes the great accumulated sufferings."

During the seven days and nights of concentration, the Buddha clearly observed the principle of the twelve links of dependent origination. As soon as He came out of right concentration, He spoke a verse:

Stilling the mind, I contemplate the characteristics of suffering,
And know clearly that all dharmas have a cause.
If one knows that the characteristic of suffering does not arise,
Then naturally all craving and desire cease.

Stilling the mind, I contemplate craving and the conditioned,
And know that conditioned dharmas are without end.
If one knows that conditioned dharmas do not arise,
Then naturally all craving and desire are removed.

Stilling the mind, I contemplate causes and conditions of arising,
And know that dependently-arisen dharmas are inexhaustible.
If one knows that dependent arising does not occur,
Then naturally all craving and desire cease.

Stilling the mind, I contemplate dharmas with outflows (sāsrava),
And only then know that dharmas with outflows are without end.
If one knows that dharmas with outflows do not arise,
Then naturally all craving and desire cease.

Stilling the mind, I contemplate dharmas as they truly are,
And know that dharmas as they truly are do not arise.
Like the sun shining over the whole world,
Walking and standing in the void without obstruction.

Having spoken the verse, the Buddha continued:

"If there are any sentient beings who can cut off the cycle of birth and death, who know the profound dharmas, and who comprehend all subtle and wondrous words—such people are the wise. For such people I shall speak, and for such people I shall teach so that they may understand. Now I dwell alone in the mountains and forests, relying on this Dharma to practice, finding joy in cultivation."

When the World-Honored One had finished speaking, He walked and stood at ease, bound by nothing, neither expounding the Dharma nor having any intention to expound the Dharma.

At that time the heavenly king who governs the Sahā world, the Great Brahma Heavenly King, knowing that the World-Honored One was not expounding the Dharma and had no intention of expounding the Dharma, reflected thus: "If it is so, then the world will fall into ruin! Why? Because the appearance of a Tathāgata in the world is like the udumbara flower, which blooms but once after a very long time.

Now the Buddha does not expound the Dharma but takes pleasure alone in the Dharma He has just attained; this will cause all those given to craving and desire to delight in following false dharmas, never to attain enlightenment—so how then will the world not be destroyed? I must now go in person to the place of the Buddha and wholeheartedly exhort and beseech the Buddha to expound the Dharma and liberate beings." Having thought thus, the Great Brahma Heavenly King left the Brahma realm, and in the moment it takes to bend or stretch out an arm reached the place of the Buddha.

Standing before the Buddha, he spoke a verse:

Appearing in the land of Magadha,
The Stainless One of olden times
All opened the gate of the nectar of immortality (amṛta),
Expounding the Dharma to liberate sentient beings.

The World-Honored One said:

"My Dharma is very profound, hard to encounter and hard to understand. If I were to speak it hastily, it would surely be destroyed. Why? Because all those who delight in false dharmas, those of much craving and desire in the world, will not be pleased to listen and follow, and so cannot become enlightened. Why is this? Because the inner minds of those given to craving and desire are constantly covered over by a veil of darkness."

The Great Brahma King said:

"World-Honored One, the sentient beings of the world have birth and have aging. There are those of sharp and clever faculties, those of dull and slow faculties, and those of middling faculties; in appearance there are the ugly and the beautiful, but there are also those easy to transform, and ordinary people who have but little affliction and defilement. World-Honored One, just as the blue or white lotus flowers are born, grow, and wither within the water—some flowers rise above the surface of the water, some do not rise above the surface of the water—even so, World-Honored One, if the World-Honored One does not expound the subtle, wondrous Dharma for the sake of all beings, then they will all fall into the evil destinies.

We humbly pray that the Well-Gone One bestow the Dharma-treasure and sprinkle the nectar of immortality!"

At that time the World-Honored One silently accepted the exhortation and request of the Great Brahma Heavenly King. He used the Buddha-eye to observe the sentient beings of the world—there were the young and the old, those of sharp faculties and those of dull faculties, even down to those of the middling rank or the lower rank, of beautiful or ugly appearance, easy to transform or hard to transform, those with little affliction or with very little affliction—and then He contemplated: "For these sentient beings, if I do not expound the subtle, wondrous dharmas, they will not know the source of suffering and will easily fall into the evil destinies."

After observing this clearly, the World-Honored One gave rise to a mind of compassion and wished to expound the wondrous Dharma. First He spoke a verse:

I now pour down the rain of the Dharma's nectar,
Saturating sentient beings, those who delight to hear.
From now on the world shall have the wondrous Dharma;
Should one meet an evil Māra, do not expound it widely.

Then the Great Brahma Heavenly King, hearing the Buddha speak this verse and knowing clearly that the Buddha would expound the wondrous Dharma, was filled with boundless joy in his heart. He bowed his head, paid homage at the feet of the Buddha, circumambulated the Buddha three times, and then took his leave.

At that time the Buddha reflected: "Who shall first hear Me expound the wondrous Dharma?" He then recalled: "In days past, the sage Ārāḍa Kālāma once made offerings and offered blessings to Me when I passed by the place where he was practicing. So let Me go and expound the Dharma to that one first."

Suddenly a Brahma came and addressed the Buddha:

"The sage Ārāḍa Kālāma and his companions died exactly seven days ago."

Hearing these words, the Buddha at once raised His voice and lamented:

"The law of impermanence in the world is truly to be feared."

He thought again: "Those sages are indeed lacking in merit, for they were not able to hear the true Dharma."

At that time the Buddha recalled Rudraka Rāmaputra, who had also once made offerings and offered praises to Him. As soon as the Buddha thought of this, a certain Rāḍha came and addressed the Buddha:

"Rudraka Rāmaputra has also passed away."

When the World-Honored One heard this report, He lamented:

"The Buddha-Dharma is hard to hear; he is truly lacking in merit!"

The Buddha thought again of the five men who, when the Buddha had first left the royal palace and entered the forest to practice ascetic austerities, had sought Him out to make offerings and render assistance; therefore He wished to expound the Dharma to them first. At that time the World-Honored One used the pure heavenly eye to observe where those five men were at present, and saw that the five men were in the Deer Park (Mṛgadāva) in the land of Vārāṇasī.

He then left the Bodhi tree and went to that place. Along the way, the Buddha encountered a sage named Upaga coming from the opposite direction. Seeing the World-Honored One, whose bodily form was sixteen feet tall, His body the color of shining gold, His features truly upright, dignified, and extraordinary, far surpassing the people of the world, the sage was astonished for a moment, and then said:

"O Gautama, You have a most beautiful bodily form, clear and pure, radiating a light like pure gold, such as does not exist in the world. For what reason did You go forth into homelessness? According to which Dharma-gate do You practice? Who is Your teacher? Where are You now going?"

The World-Honored One then replied with a verse:

The sage Upaga said:

"O Gautama, if it is truly as You have just said, then that is indeed the fruit of Buddhahood."

The Buddha said:

"Because I have realized the truth, all the outflows and afflictions are utterly extinguished, and I have subdued all karmic hindrances and the retributions of transgressions; therefore I bear the title of Buddha."

The sage asked again:

"O Gautama, where are You now going?"

The Buddha said:

"I am going to the city of Vārāṇasī to sound the drum of the Dharma, to turn the great Wheel of the Dharma—things that the people of the world have never spoken—and also to expound the teachings of the Buddhas of the past, so that the world may know them and depart far from desire."

When the Buddha had spoken thus, the sage Upaga paid homage to the Buddha and continued on his way.

When the Buddha arrived at the Deer Park, the five ascetics there—Sāthelika, Mahānāmika, Mahānāmika, Vāṣpa, and Aśvajit—had just finished bathing, anointed their bodies with oil, laid out the food, and sat together preparing to take their meal. Suddenly the five men saw the World-Honored One approaching from afar, and recognizing Him, they were all astonished and said to one another:

"The prince practiced ascetic austerities in the forest, hoping to attain Buddhahood, but then lost heart, and now comes again seeking us out. Let us just remain seated and not rise to receive Him."

From afar, the Buddha already knew their attitude, yet He still came forward calmly. The Buddha's form stood towering like a golden mountain; the noble features and auspicious marks appeared in full, and His great majestic virtue was beyond compare.

When the five men saw the Buddha approaching, His majestic virtue even greater than before, none of them could remain seated, and they hastily stood up to receive Him. The five men said together:

"Excellent! We invite You to be seated."

Then one prepared a seat, one fetched water to wash His feet, one offered a robe, and one stood attending with palms joined. The five men served the Buddha just as they had before.

After the World-Honored One had taken His seat, He calmly said to the five men:

"When you five first saw Me, you discussed among yourselves that you should show contempt for Me. You understand nothing at all! You are all of My clan and must heed the words I teach. You should not slight the Tathāgata. Why? If you slight the Tathāgata, you will gain no benefit at all, but afterward will forever meet with suffering."

The five men addressed the Buddha:

"Formerly the Buddha was a person of supreme dignity in the world, and possessed a most wondrous practice; afterward, through ascetic austerities, You attained supreme wisdom and the most excellent purity, penetrating the wondrous Dharma. Formerly You often dwelt alone in cultivation; where do You now cultivate?"

The Buddha said:

"O you five, if I now accept all the offerings and gifts of sentient beings—precious foods and drinks such as milk-rice—and after eating and drinking I bathe, anoint my body with fragrant oil, my faculties pure, my bodily form majestic and beautiful, gazing upon my fine appearance front and back, exceedingly cheerful—then would you say that you have seen Me, or that you have not seen Me?"

Sāthelika said:

"It is exactly so. Formerly we five often went begging for alms; when the World-Honored One came, three would go begging while two served Him, or two would go begging while three served, ever taking turns to serve diligently without weariness."

Thereupon the Buddha taught:

"There are two things that a practitioner must not do. What are these two things? They are: the mind that is attached to and craves sensual desire—this is the very root of the cycle of birth and death, and is not the Dharma of a superior person.

And if there is anyone who, by his own effort, abides in uprightness and practices ascetic austerities—such a person likewise becomes deludedly attached to the dharmas of the five aggregates and the three poisons. Using the eye of wisdom to observe, one cuts off the cycle of birth and death, departs from both suffering and pleasure, and follows the Middle Way. Furthermore, one must cultivate according to the Eightfold Right Path, namely Right View, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration; then one will attain the spiritual powers and realize the fruit of Nirvāṇa.

By cultivating in accord with the Middle Way one will attain Supreme Perfect Enlightenment. These things I have already carried out fully and completely."

At that time the World-Honored One observed further that these five men were capable of receiving the Dharma, and so He said to them:

"This is Suffering; you must understand it."

The five men then contemplated, using the eye of wisdom to observe this dharma, and clearly saw that in past lives they had once heard and seen it; the mind of bodhi arose, and so they came to understand it completely.

The Buddha said further:

"This is the Origin (the cause that gives rise to suffering); you should eradicate it."

The five men again contemplated this second truth, using the eye of wisdom to examine it, seeing that in past lives they had all once heard and seen it; therefore the mind of bodhi arose and they came to understand it clearly.

The Buddha taught further:

"This is Cessation, the truth that you must realize."

The five men reflected, using the eye of wisdom to observe this truth, seeing that in the past they had once heard and known it; the wisdom of awakening arose, and so they came to understand it completely.

Finally the Buddha taught:

"O you, this is the Path, that is, the road leading to liberation, which you must cultivate."

The five men reflected, using the eye of wisdom to examine this path of cultivation, also seeing that in past lives they had once heard and known it; therefore the wisdom of awakening arose, and so they came to fully comprehend it.

The World-Honored One taught further:

"The first truth is Suffering, which I have clearly understood. The Origin, the cause of suffering, I have eradicated. Cessation is the truth that I have realized.

The Path is the road that I have cultivated. It is precisely by discovering these truths and cultivating accordingly that I have accomplished the Buddha-Way. You must train yourselves.

I have known suffering, eradicated the causes that give rise to suffering (the Origin), and realized the state of peace and joy (Cessation) by cultivating according to the right roads (the Path). If you become enlightened to the true road of the Four Noble Truths, then you will naturally understand clearly the principle of the Middle Way—without affliction, without liberation, without knowledge, without wisdom, without bodhi; neither non-arising, nor abiding in the mark of a śramaṇa or brāhmaṇa, even unto the realms of the Brahma Heavens, Māra, devas, and humans; departing far from inverted notions, with mind and intent at peace and joy—and you will certainly realize the fruit of Supreme Perfect Enlightenment."

After this, the Buddha turned the Wheel of the Dharma three times, expounding the twelve aspects, whereupon the Venerable Kauṇḍinya cast off the dust and defilement and attained the pure Dharma-eye. At that time eighty thousand devas and humans also attained the pure Dharma-eye.

After they had realized the Way, those five then addressed the Buddha:

"We wish to go forth into homelessness and practice according to the Buddha-Dharma; we pray the Buddha, out of compassion, accept us."

The Tathāgata then said joyfully:

"Excellent! O bhikṣus."

The five men then shaved off their hair and beards, donned the kāṣāya robes, and became śramaṇas. At that time the Buddha taught the group of the Venerable Kauṇḍinya:

"O you, is the aggregate of form permanent or impermanent, is it suffering or not suffering, is it empty or not empty, does it have a self or is it without self? And are the other four aggregates—feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness—likewise so?"

The Venerable Kauṇḍinya said:

"World-Honored One, I examine the five aggregates—form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness—and they are all dharmas that are impermanent, suffering, empty, and without self."

Then, when the five bhikṣus heard the Buddha expound upon the five aggregates, they at once cut off the outflows and realized the stage of the One Beyond Training (Arhat). The Buddha said further:

"O you, the task I had to do is now done; the holy life is fulfilled. I have utterly ended rebirth and will never again be subject to the cycle of birth and death. I and you—the six of us—shall be the foremost field of merit in the world. The Three Jewels are now complete this day."

When the World-Honored One had spoken the Dharma in this way, a yakṣa named Bhūma then loudly proclaimed:

"Today in the land of Vārāṇasī, in the Deer Park, the dwelling place of the sages, the Buddha, out of compassionate kindness, has three times turned the Wheel of the Dharma, expounding the Four Noble Truths and the twelve aspects, so as to bring benefit to both the worldly and the transcendent realms, the Brahma Heavens, the realm of Māra, the devas, humans, śramaṇas, and brāhmaṇas."

At that time the Four Heavenly Kings of the Heaven of the Thirty-three (Trāyastriṃśa) and the multitude of devas together proclaimed it abroad, causing the devas of the Brahma Heavens all to hear and know clearly that the World-Honored One had, in the land of Vārāṇasī, in the Deer Park, the dwelling place of the sages, turned the Wheel of the Dharma three times, and that the Three Jewels had appeared in the world, bringing benefit and joy to all devas and humans and all sentient beings.

Then the great earth quaked, the sky blazed with light, and the Brahmas, Śakra, and the devas—each holding banners, pennants, and jeweled canopies—came together to the place of the Buddha. They scattered down various subtle, wondrous celestial flowers like rain; the heavens resounded, and they sang music in praise, to make offerings to the Buddha. Afterward they all joyfully and reverently paid homage to the Buddha and withdrew.