方廣大莊嚴經

Chapter 7: THE BIRTH

At that time, the Buddha said to the bhiksus:

“The bodhisattva had remained in the womb for the full ten months. As the time of his birth approached, thirty-two auspicious signs appeared beforehand in the palace of King Suddhodana: first, nearly all the great trees put forth flower buds that were about to bloom; second, in all the ponds and lakes, precious flowers such as utpala, kumuda, padma, and pundarika flowers all formed stamens; third, all the flowers in the royal garden blossomed profusely without withering; fourth, eight rows of jeweled trees spontaneously sprang up; fifth, twenty thousand treasure stores emerged from beneath the earth; sixth, precious elephant tusks spontaneously appeared within the royal palace; seventh, innumerable precious vessels likewise emerged from the earth, each filled with fragrant oil;

eighth, countless lion cubs came from the Snow Mountains and gathered in the city of Kapilavastu, roaming all around the city, joyfully leaping and roaring, and together guarding its gates; ninth, those lions did not harm or disturb any of the people; tenth, five hundred white elephant calves also came down from the Snow Mountains and arrived directly before the king’s palace; eleventh, innumerable celestial children suddenly appeared and were tenderly held in the arms of the palace women as they wandered and played everywhere; twelfth, many naga maidens appeared standing in the sky, showing the upper halves of their bodies and holding wondrous, precious jeweled necklaces in their hands;

thirteenth, as many as ten thousand celestial maidens appeared in the air, each holding a fan made of peacock feathers; fourteenth, ten thousand precious vessels appeared, each filled with fragrant water in which beautiful flower petals floated.

They all emerged from the sky and flew in circles throughout the city of Kapilavastu; fifteenth, ten thousand celestial maidens appeared in the air, each bearing a precious vessel; sixteenth, another ten thousand celestial maidens appeared in the air, all holding precious banners, canopies, streamers, and parasols; seventeenth, innumerable celestial maidens appeared in the air holding various heavenly musical instruments, though they had not yet begun to play; eighteenth, all the fragrant breezes ceased to blow strongly and gathered only as gentle warmth; nineteenth, the waters of all the rivers, large and small, became perfectly clear but ceased to flow; twentieth, the sun and moon shining above the palace, as well as all the stars, ceased their courses;

twenty-first, the star Pusya was about to conjoin with the moon; twenty-second, precious nets suddenly appeared, suspended high above all the palaces of the royal compound; twentieth, all the lamps and torches that were lit gave forth no color; twenty-fourth, all the towers, palaces, terraces, and great trees were suddenly adorned overhead with all kinds of precious gems and mani jewels, adding to their majestic beauty; twenty-fifth, all the treasure houses opened of themselves; twenty-sixth, all ill-omened birds and strange beasts ceased their cries and calls; twenty-seventh, a wondrous voice resounded in the sky, clearly proclaiming, ‘Excellent birth!

Excellent birth!’; twenty-eighth, all human activities came to a halt; twenty-ninth, all high and low ground became level; thirtieth, all the main roads, smaller roads, lanes, and alleys throughout the city spontaneously became orderly and spacious and were strewn with many beautiful flowers; thirty-first, all women in labor gave birth safely and with ease; thirty-second, the sala-tree deities appeared with the upper halves of their bodies visible, reverently joining their palms and bowing in homage.

Such were the thirty-two auspicious signs that appeared before the bodhisattva was born into the world.

At that time, the noble Queen Maya, through the bodhisattva’s spiritual power, knew clearly that the bodhisattva was about to be born. Early that evening, she went before King Suddhodana and spoke these verses:

May the Great King hear the words I speak:

For long have I thought of Lumbini Garden.

My heart holds neither doubt nor aversion;

I pray to go there and delight in an excursion.

Great King, devoted wholly to the path of Dharma,

You have cultivated arduous practices with great diligence.

Since I conceived this Pure One,

I too have long remained within the palace.

The grove now puts forth lush green foliage;

This is indeed the proper time to visit.

The springtime scenery is pure and serene;

With my attendants I would take great delight.

Myriad birds sing aloud as though in praise;

Everywhere, in every place, flowers vie in bloom.

I humbly beg the Great King swiftly to command

That we go in time to enjoy the flower garden.

The king heard what the noble queen had said

And joyfully summoned his closest ministers:

Prepare at once fine carriages and flowered palanquins,

And Lumbini Garden must also be made ready.

Twenty thousand elephants must stand prepared,

Their bodies white as snow, immense and strong,

With mani and precious gems adorning their forms,

And nets of pure gold spread over their heads.

Let there also be a lordly elephant with all six tusks,

With jeweled bells on either side sounding together.

Select as well a full twenty thousand noble steeds,

With dark manes and bodies white as silver snow,

With bridles and saddles of gold and nets of precious bells,

Their speed in running like a rushing wind.

Twenty thousand elite soldiers, all valiant,

Able to repel foes and guard the noble queen,

Clad in armor and helmets and bearing spears,

Each holding a shield for battle, must stand ready.

Let the noble queen ride in a palanquin carriage

Embellished afar with treasures and mani jewels.

Use one carriage to carry precious articles,

Covered above with curtains of silken gauze.

Let mighty warriors escort and propel the carriage,

Wearing armor, with their weapons held ready.

Add innumerable carriages in succession,

Carrying countless additional jewels and treasures.

Use immeasurable other precious gems

To adorn the entirety of Lumbini Garden.

Take brocade, silk, and precious jewels as well

To decorate the trees throughout the grove.

Strew every place with multitudes of rare flowers,

Making it like Sakra’s Garden of Delight.

All of you, swiftly complete every task,

Then quickly return and report clearly to me.

The ministers all obeyed the king’s command;

Every required object was obtained and made ready.

They reported, wishing the king greater merit and long life:

Everything is complete according to your decree.

Hearing their report, the king’s heart rejoiced.

He entered the inner palace and carefully instructed:

Strive now to increase my joy;

All of you must adorn yourselves with utmost care.

Use fragrant incense, silk garments, and attire

Soft and wondrous, according to your wishes.

Wear jeweled necklaces upon your bodies,

And each of you bring many musical instruments:

Lutes, zithers, konghou harps, flutes, and pipes,

And play sounds wondrous and exquisite.

Should men and women, devas and humans, hear them,

They must all rejoice and feel delight.

The noble queen shall ride upon the jeweled carriage;

No stranger shall be permitted to approach.

Carefully select the attendant palace women;

Those whose features are inauspicious must be excluded.

The fourfold army assembled before the royal gate,

Its mighty clamor resounding like a surging sea.

As the noble queen departed through the palace gate,

All offered blessings and auspicious praise.

Carriages, palanquins, and litters followed behind,

Their precious bells ringing together in harmony.

Then hundreds of thousands of celestial beings arrived,

Sheltering the lion throne from high above.

On the four sides within the carriage stood jeweled trees,

Their branches, leaves, flowers, and fruits all flourishing.

There were also wondrous birds whose songs were sweet,

Gracefully dancing, fluttering, and soaring about.

Banners, streamers, curtains, canopies, and celestial robes

Surrounded it, rising aloft in majestic adornment.

Celestial maidens filled the whole expanse of space,

Their hearts joyful as they joined in praise.

The moment the noble queen stepped onto the jeweled carriage,

The trichiliocosm quaked in six different ways.

Sakra bowed at the side of the great road;

The Four Guardian Kings attended on either side,

And Great Brahma, the Heavenly King, led the way

To dispel every inauspicious sign.

Hundreds of thousands of immeasurable celestial hosts

Reverently bowed their heads in homage and gazed upon her.

Seeing the vast celestial assembly in attendance,

The royal father’s heart was truly filled with joy.

Thinking that the Holy Queen who bears this child

Must give birth to the Lord of all devas,

For the Four Heavenly Kings, Protectors of the World,

Brahma, Sakra, and the devas

Have prepared boundless offerings;

Thus, he will surely become a Buddha.

No being within the three realms

Would dare accept such offerings.

What Sakra, Brahma, or Dragon King could be

The equal of the Four World-Protecting Kings?

Their merit is insufficient to receive these offerings,

Or, upon accepting them, their lives would end.

Only the Supreme Victor, Lord of the Devas,

Can receive the offerings of devas and humans.

The Buddha told the bhiksus:

“At that time, there were eighty-four thousand elephant troops, cavalry troops, chariot troops, and infantry troops. All were arrayed in orderly ranks, unmatched in valor, fully equipped with armor and helmets, their formations magnificent, and holding every kind of weapon in readiness as they escorted the Holy Queen. There were as many as sixty thousand ladies-in-waiting of the Sakya clan, who joyfully surrounded and attended her, while all the king’s relatives, both elder and younger, respectfully accompanied her.

There were also sixty thousand of the king’s ladies-in-waiting performing instrumental music, songs, and dances. Celestial maidens, dragon maidens, gandharva maidens, kinnara maidens, and asura maidens—each group numbering as many as eighty-four thousand—adorned themselves with precious ornaments and likewise performed many kinds of music, songs, and dances, offering praises. All followed the Holy Queen with delight to Lumbini Grove.

They sprinkled the ground everywhere with various kinds of scented water and scattered innumerable celestial flowers. In Lumbini Grove, the trees, grasses, branches, leaves, flowers, and fruits were perpetually fresh and luxuriant, blooming profusely and weighing down the boughs. It was exceedingly beautiful and magnificent, no different from Sakra’s Garden of Delight.

“At that time, the Holy Queen Maya arrived at Lumbini Grove. After strolling about and viewing every place, she came to the precious plaksa tree. The branches and leaves of that plaksa tree were lush and verdant. All around it, celestial and human flowers bloomed profusely; a gentle breeze blew, carrying a pervasive fragrance. The tree was further adorned with precious silks, gems, and pearls. The ground around its base was as level as the palm of a hand. Every kind of grass grew evenly there, deep green and smooth like a peacock’s tail; touching it brought delight like touching kalinda cloth. Immeasurable mothers of Buddhas of the past had likewise come and seated themselves beneath this precious tree.

“At that time, hundreds of thousands of devas from the Pure Abodes, whose minds were ever serene—some with braided hair hanging down and others wearing jeweled crowns—came together beneath the tree. They circumambulated the Holy Queen, joyfully bowed in homage, and then performed celestial music in her praise. At that very moment, through his spiritual power, the bodhisattva appeared upon a current of wind beneath the precious tree, faced the Holy Queen, and bowed at her feet.

“The Holy Queen Maya then emitted from her body a ray of light like a flash of lightning, illuminating the entire expanse of space. Looking up at the canopy of the tree, she quickly raised her right hand and grasped an eastern branch. She slightly furrowed her brow and then calmly stood upright as usual.

“As many as six billion ladies-in-waiting from the heavens of the desire realm came before the Holy Queen and respectfully obeyed her commands in making offerings. Bhiksus, you should know that while dwelling in his mother’s womb, the bodhisattva manifested such spiritual transformations and fully accomplished all these kinds of merit. After the full passage of ten months, he now emerged peacefully from his mother’s right side, ever maintaining right mindfulness and clear comprehension, entirely undefiled.

“The Buddha told the bhiksus:

“At that time, Sakra and Brahma, lord of the Saha world, came before the bodhisattva with utmost reverence and respect. With one-pointed right mindfulness, they held in both hands a kausaya robe, covered the bodhisattva with it, and lifted him up when all had been completed. They then conveyed the jeweled palace in which the bodhisattva had dwelt while in his mother’s womb back to Brahma’s palace.

“After the bodhisattva had been born, bearing the dignified deportment of a lion king or a Great Man, he immediately surveyed the four directions, looking about calmly. Bhiksus, you should know that because the bodhisattva had accumulated roots of virtue throughout many lifetimes, at birth he attained the divine eye. He saw throughout the trichiliocosm, perceiving its lands, cities, and settlements, and clearly comprehended every mental state and action of sentient beings. Having understood all this, the bodhisattva further examined sentient beings’ capacities concerning morality, concentration, wisdom, and roots of virtue. Comparing them with his own, he saw that nowhere throughout the ten directions of the trichiliocosm was there any sentient being equal to him.

“At that time, the bodhisattva reflected well within himself and, maintaining right mindfulness, needed no one to support him. By himself he took seven steps toward the east, and beneath each footstep a lotus appeared. Entirely fearless and unaffected by the cold air, the bodhisattva declared: ‘I have attained all wholesome dharmas and shall expound these wholesome dharmas for sentient beings.’ The bodhisattva then took seven steps toward the south and declared: ‘I shall be honored and receive offerings from devas and humans.’ He next took seven steps toward the west and declared: ‘In the world, I am the Most Honored and the Supreme Victor.

This is indeed my final body, for I have brought all birth, aging, sickness, and death to an end.’ He then took seven steps toward the north and said: ‘Among all sentient beings, I am the foremost, the Unsurpassed One.’ He next took seven steps downward and said: ‘I shall subdue all the armies of Mara and extinguish every raging fire of suffering in the hells. I shall manifest great clouds of Dharma and pour down a great rain of Dharma, enabling all sentient beings to attain peace and happiness.’ He then took seven steps upward and said: ‘For the sake of all sentient beings, I shall become the Supreme One whom they may behold, revere, and worship.’

“When the bodhisattva spoke these words, his voice resounded throughout the trichiliocosm. Bhiksus, you should understand that because the bodhisattva had accumulated roots of virtue throughout many kalpas, in his final life he would attain the fruit of unsurpassed, complete and perfect enlightenment; his spiritual powers, transformations, and all dharmas accorded in this manner.

“Bhiksus, you should know that at that time the great earth trembled, and all sentient beings rejoiced exceedingly, freed from every fear. Throughout the trichiliocosm, wherever medicinal plants grew, they flourished luxuriantly even though it was not their season. Wondrous sounds arose in the sky, while a fine rain fell together with layer upon layer of celestial flowers, celestial fragrances, jeweled necklaces, and splendid, exquisite garments, all slowly descending to the earth.

Wondrous fragrant breezes also blew coolly everywhere, bringing sensations of softness, purity, peace, and joy. The sky became completely clear, without a trace of cloud, mist, smoke, or dust to darken it. Throughout space, the gentle and lucid sound of Brahma’s voice could be clearly heard praising the bodhisattva’s virtues.

At that time, the bodhisattva emitted a great radiance of immeasurable hundreds of thousands of different colors, illuminating the entire trichiliocosm. All sentient beings who beheld that light became peaceful and secure in body and mind and were filled with immeasurable joy. The light of the sun and moon, and all the radiance of the great Brahma kings, Sakra, the Four World-Protecting Kings, devas, and humans, were utterly eclipsed before the bodhisattva’s splendor.”

At the same time, all sentient beings abandoned greed, hatred, delusion, sorrow, distress, and fear, and also became free from unwholesome actions, evil karma, and karmic obstructions. Sentient beings afflicted by illness and suffering were all cured; those tormented by hunger and thirst were fully satisfied; those who were deranged and confused regained clarity and composure; those whose faculties were impaired became whole; the poor obtained wealth; and those in bondage were liberated. Sentient beings in the hell realms, through this beneficent grace, gained respite from every kind of extreme torment; sentient beings in the animal realm ceased harboring thoughts of harming one another; and sentient beings in the realm of hungry ghosts were all fully satisfied.

The Buddha told the bhiksus:

“For hundreds of thousands of kotis of nayutas of asamkhya kalpas, the bodhisattva cultivated wholesome practices and exerted himself diligently. Therefore, immediately after his birth, he surveyed all ten directions and, facing each direction, took seven steps. All the Buddhas, the Tathagatas, wholeheartedly blessed and sustained him with their inherent powers.

Wherever the bodhisattva’s feet trod, the earth became vajra, no longer subject to cracking or destruction. At the same time, the bodhisattva’s light illuminated worlds shrouded in profound darkness, and the sentient beings there also beheld that great radiance. At that moment, the devas played music in harmony, producing wondrous sounds, and scattered celestial flowers, powdered incense, fragrant incense, precious garlands that enhanced the splendor, and garments of the finest quality; all descended from above like clouds.

Every sentient being became peaceful and joyful. Appearing in the world, the bodhisattva was the Most Honored, the Supreme; his merit was inconceivable. Even if one wished to describe it fully, an entire kalpa would not suffice.”

At that time, the Venerable Ananda rose from his seat, drew back one side of his robe to bare his right shoulder, knelt with his right knee upon the ground, joined his palms respectfully, and addressed the Buddha:

“World-Honored One, even while the Tathagata was still a bodhisattva, he was already able to accomplish so many supreme and rare deeds. How much more must this be so after he attained unsurpassed awakening!”

The Buddha told the Venerable Ananda:

“In the future, there will be bhiksus whose bodies and minds are unwilling to cultivate discipline and wisdom. Ignorant and devoid of understanding, yet conceited and arrogant, their minds will remain distracted and agitated. They will not follow the precepts, their hearts will be filled with greed, and they will not believe in the true Dharma.

Clearly, they will be defiled sramanas, retaining merely the outward appearance of sramanas. When such bhiksus hear that the bodhisattva entered his mother’s womb in purity, not only will they refuse to accept it with faith, but they will also gather into groups, give rise to malicious thoughts, disparage it, and reject it, saying: ‘Although the bodhisattva dwelt on the right side within his mother’s womb and was not defiled by blood or bodily fluids, how could he possibly have possessed such great merits?’ Such fools cannot understand that the bodhisattva had cultivated over many kalpas and accumulated vast merit.

Nor can they comprehend that the bodhisattva manifested the act of entering the womb and thereby possessed immeasurable, pure, supreme merits. It was solely out of compassion for sentient beings that the bodhisattva appeared in the world. Ananda, when the Buddhas, the Tathagatas, appear in the world, they do not attain perfect awakening and turn the wondrous Dharma wheel in the heavenly realms; they manifest the attainment of Buddhahood only in the human realm.

Why is this? If I had attained unsurpassed awakening in a heavenly realm, sentient beings in the human realm would have thought, ‘We are not devas; how could we cultivate and attain Buddhahood?’ They would therefore have become discouraged and withdrawn. For this reason, I attained unsurpassed awakening only in the human realm.

“Yet those ignorant thieves of the Dharma cannot comprehend the bodhisattva’s inconceivable deeds. They therefore give rise to evil thoughts and slander them, mistakenly believing their own conjectures to be correct. Ananda, those ignorant people do not believe even in the Buddha’s immeasurable merit; how could they possibly believe in the bodhisattva’s spiritual powers? Such bhiksus are merely people attached to material gain and reputation.”

The Venerable Ananda said to the Buddha:

“World-Honored One, if in the future such base and ignorant people slander this sutra, what will be the gravity of their offense, and what karmic retribution will they undergo?”

The Buddha told the Venerable Ananda:

“If, in the future, evil bhiksus slander this sutra, they will thereby abandon the proper conduct of a sramana and accumulate many kinds of offenses. Ananda, suppose someone were to destroy the Buddha’s teaching and annihilate all the Buddhas of the ten directions and the three periods of time. Would that person’s evil karma be great?”

The Venerable Ananda replied:

“World-Honored One, it would be exceedingly great.”

The Buddha told the Venerable Ananda:

“If any sentient being slanders the Mahayana scriptures, that person’s evil karma will equal the evil karma of one who has annihilated all the Buddhas of the ten directions and the three periods of time.”

As soon as the Venerable Ananda heard the Buddha teach this, the hair on his entire body stood on end. He quickly joined his palms and proclaimed aloud, “Namo Buddhaya! Namo Buddhaya!” Then he said:

“When I hear of people committing such extremely evil deeds, my heart is filled with terror.”

The Buddha told the Venerable Ananda:

“If any sentient being destroys the Buddha’s teaching, then because that person has created an extremely evil cause, that person will fall into the great Avici hell.

“Ananda, if in the future there are bhiksus, bhiksunis, upasakas, or upasikas who slander this Mahayana scripture, then upon the end of their lives, those people will certainly fall into the great Avici hell.

“Ananda, you should understand that the Tathagata’s merit is boundless and immeasurable. Why is this? Because the Tathagata’s merit is vast, profound, and wondrous, transcending every measure of thought.

“Ananda, if there is also anyone who, upon hearing this sutra, gives rise to joy, cherishes it, and accepts it with faith, such a person has attained purity of life and person and has gained great benefit. Throughout that person’s life, that person will not fall into erroneous paths, has cultivated wholesome practices, has drawn near to the truth, has left behind the three evil destinies, and is worthy of being called a child of the Buddha.

Having acquired profound faith, that person will diligently make offerings to the sages and noble ones. Giving rise to a pure mind, that person will also destroy every snare of Mara, thereby crossing beyond the realm of birth and death, completely severing all fetters of affliction, knowing well where to turn for refuge, and attaining supreme and wondrous peace and joy. Such people are truly rare and can become an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.

Why is this? Because the teaching of the Buddhas is profound and wondrous and difficult to believe, yet these people have placed their wholehearted and profound faith in it.

“Ananda, only because that person possesses many roots of virtue can such profound faith be accomplished. Why is this? Because throughout many kalpas, the Buddhas, the Tathagatas, have been that person’s spiritual friends.”

O Ananda, there are sentient beings who, though they have not seen the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, give rise to joy, faith, and acceptance merely upon hearing their names. There are others who have not heard the names of the Buddhas but, upon seeing the Tathagata, immediately give rise to joy, faith, and acceptance. There are also some who, though they both see the Buddha and hear the Buddha’s name, do not give rise to joy, faith, and acceptance.

And there are still others who, upon seeing or hearing the Buddha, immediately give rise to joy, faith, and acceptance. O Ananda, apart from those who do not accept in faith, all the others are people for whom, throughout many kalpas, the Tathagata has formerly served as a good spiritual friend. Their merit is associated with the merit of the Tathagata; that is, when the Tathagata attains the Way of liberation and awakening, he will gather them in.

O Ananda, the Tathagata recalls that formerly, while cultivating the bodhisattva path, many sentient beings constantly drew near to the Tathagata. The Tathagata gathered them all in and bestowed upon them the spiritual gift of fearlessness. Today, you should give rise to purity, faith, and acceptance, and diligently cultivate. Whatever needed to be done for you, the Tathagata has already clearly explained, in order to help you and the bhiksus completely eradicate all arrogance.

O Ananda, suppose a person had long been separated from a close friend and searched with all his strength, even traveling hundreds of yojanas. When at last they met again, each would speak of their long separation and how deeply they had missed the other. In such a case, they would rejoice beyond measure.

How much more, then, should those whose roots of virtue were personally nurtured by the Buddha in the past rejoice when they may now draw near to the Buddha and regard him as a good friend? Ananda, you should know that all Buddhas of the future will think: “These people formerly had the Tathagatas of the past as their good spiritual friends, and now they have encountered me. Thus, they and I are also close friends, and so I should give rise to joy.” It is just as a person immediately gives rise to joy upon seeing a close friend.

O Ananda, if any sentient being gives rise to even a single measure of faith and acceptance toward this scripture, the Tathagata entrusts that person to the Buddhas of the future. Those Buddhas will also think: “These sentient beings are my close friends. I shall bring all their aspirations to complete fulfillment.” It is just as a person who associates with many close friends but has only one child cherishes and constantly thinks of that child.

Before long, that person becomes gravely ill and is unlikely to survive. As death approaches, he summons his close friends and entrusts his beloved child to them, asking them to offer their aid; those close friends then regard the child as their own. The Buddhas are likewise.

Because the Buddhas of the future are all close friends, the Tathagata has entrusted the sentient beings of this age to those Buddhas.

O Ananda, today the Tathagata has awakened and instructed you. You should accordingly give rise to pure and profound faith and devote yourself diligently to cultivation.

The Buddha said to the bhiksus:

“When the bodhisattva was born, immeasurable hundreds of thousands of kotis of nayutas of celestial maidens adorned themselves with wondrous heavenly flowers, many kinds of precious incense, fresh garlands, and garments, and scattered them over the noble Queen Maya like clouds slowly descending.” At that time, the Blessed One, wishing to restate the meanings already given, recited the following verses:

The stainless light was about to appear;

Sixty thousand celestial maidens

Sang sublime and wondrous words,

Praising the bodhisattva’s mother.

They all came before the noble queen

And joyfully offered songs, saying:

“Please do not be troubled by sorrow;

With all our hearts, we shall honor

The One who transcends the three realms,

The unsurpassed King of Physicians.

Trees, grasses, flowers, and leaves bloom;

Gods and humans all pay reverence.

The earth trembles in six ways;

His fame resounds throughout the ten directions.

Such is the Most Victorious One

Whom the noble queen now brings forth.

Musical instruments in empty space,

Though unplayed, sound spontaneously.

Hundreds of thousands of Suddhavasa gods

Pay homage and give rise to joy.

Now the Noble One has appeared

To serve as a model for the world.

Sakra, Brahma, and the Four Kings,

Together with countless celestial hosts,

Reverently gather all around,

And all give rise to joyful hearts.

The Lion among humankind

Is born from his mother’s right side,

Radiant and utterly pure,

Resplendent like a mountain of gold.

Sakra and Brahma extend their hands to receive him,

Shaking hundreds of thousands of worlds.

Sentient beings in the three evil realms

Are freed from suffering and all find peace and joy.

Heavenly flowers and celestial garments

Are scattered throughout empty space.

Through the diligent power of the Buddhas,

The earth at once becomes vajra.

Beneath the feet of the Guiding Teacher,

Lotus flowers appear with every step.

After walking seven steps,

He proclaims in wondrous Brahma tones:

‘I am the Great King of Physicians,

Able to end the illness of birth and death.

Within this world,

I am the Most Honored, the Most Victorious.’

Brahma, Sakra, and the gods

Manifest in the midst of empty space,

Holding vessels of fragrant water

And sprinkling it upon the bodhisattva.

Two streams of water from the naga kings,

One cool and one warm, are perfectly balanced;

The gods use fragrant water

To bathe the bodhisattva.

The entire trichiliocosm

Trembles in every part.

The gods hold white parasols

And wave streamers of fine silk,

Filling the whole expanse of empty space,

All adorned with precious objects.

They bring every kind of requisite

As offerings to the Lion King.

Through the blessed reward of King Suddhodana,

A son endowed with all the marks is born.

The royal clan becomes still more prosperous;

He is born from a lineage of kings.

Should he become a wheel-turning king,

He will rule the four continents.

At that same time within the Sakya clan,

Five hundred more people are born.

All of them are valiant and strong,

With the might of Narayana.

It was further reported to the king:

‘Eight hundred attendants have been born;

Twenty thousand foals have been born to the mares;

Sixty thousand calves have been born to the cows;

And twenty thousand elephant calves have been born.

Kings from throughout the four directions

Have come at the same time to offer congratulations,

Their number reaching twenty thousand.

All those kings submit themselves,

Bow their heads, and say:

“Well done, O Most Victorious King!

We ask to become your subjects.”

Elephant kings marked with vajras

Eagerly approach the royal city.

Oxen of every hue and color

Are majestic and truly delightful.

Noble steeds, white as precious jade,

Have manes and tails that gleam like gold.

The lineage of Suddhodana grows more prosperous;

The king should come and see for himself.

All things have become auspicious,

Entirely through the power of the bodhisattva.’

Gods and humans, seeing his merit,

Immediately give rise to joyful hearts,

Vow to follow the path of awakening,

And swiftly attain the unsurpassed fruit.”

The Buddha told the bhiksus:

“After the bodhisattva was born, King Suddhodana became even more devoted to carrying out the virtuous practices he had formerly observed; all who needed assistance received the king’s wholehearted support. Among the clans, twenty thousand girls were born at the same time as the bodhisattva, and among them Yasodhara was the most distinguished. Among the attendants, eight hundred boys and girls were born at the same time; among the boys, Chandaka was particularly noteworthy.

Twenty thousand foals were born among the noble steeds, of which the horse Kanthaka was the most beautiful and powerful. Twenty thousand white elephant calves were also born. Among four hundred kotis of great trees, the Bodhi tree that sprouted at the time of the bodhisattva’s birth was called Asvattha.

Numerous sandalwood forests appeared throughout the four continents; in the four directions around the city of Kapilavastu, five hundred luxuriant pleasure groves appeared spontaneously. Five thousand treasure stores also suddenly emerged from beneath the earth, together with all the other phenomena mentioned previously. All government offices and public establishments likewise turned their attention to the birth of the bodhisattva.

At that time, King Suddhodana assembled with all his relatives and reflected: ‘Since the birth of my son, everything around us has increased, prospered, and come to excellent fulfillment. I should therefore name my son Sarvasiddhartha.’ The king then held a celebration for the naming of the bodhisattva, providing every kind of garment and food.

The Buddha said to the bhiksus:

-After the bodhisattva was born, the right side of the sacred Queen Maya’s body was restored to its former state. Three wondrous springs appeared in a well, and the sacred queen used that water to bathe. A marvelous fragrant oil also appeared in the lotus pond, and the sacred queen anointed her body with it.

Five hundred thousand celestial maidens each took up a precious vessel filled with fragrant oil and came to inquire after the sacred queen, saying: “Congratulations to the sacred queen on safely giving birth to the Crown Prince. May the Unsurpassed One be at peace.” Another five hundred thousand maidens from the celestial palaces each brought a superb fragrant ointment, came to anoint the sacred queen’s body and inquire after her, saying: “Congratulations to the queen on safely giving birth to the Crown Prince.

May the Unsurpassed One be at peace.” Another five hundred thousand celestial maidens each brought sublime celestial garments as offerings to the bodhisattva, inquired after the sacred queen, and said: “Congratulations to the royal consort on safely giving birth to the Crown Prince. May the Unsurpassed One be at peace.” Five hundred thousand celestial maidens brought various precious ornaments as offerings to the bodhisattva, inquired after the sacred queen, and said: “Congratulations to the sacred queen on safely giving birth to the Crown Prince.

May the Unsurpassed One be at peace.” Another five hundred thousand celestial maidens each brought a kind of sublime celestial music, playing instruments and singing together as an offering to the bodhisattva. They inquired after the sacred queen and said: “Congratulations to the sacred queen on safely giving birth to the Crown Prince. May the Unsurpassed One be at peace.”

All the non-Buddhist ascetics throughout Jambudvipa who were seers possessing the five superknowledges also flew through the sky to the palace of King Suddhodana and said to the king:

-The king has fathered a Crown Prince endowed with merit and virtue. His clan will enjoy immeasurable blessings and prosper ever more greatly.

The Buddha told the bhiksus:

-After the bodhisattva was born in Lumbini Garden, for seven days and seven nights devas and humans together performed innumerable kinds of wondrous music in reverent offering and praise to the bodhisattva. They also set out innumerable kinds of sublime food everywhere. The relatives of the Sakya clan all assembled to discuss and praise these auspicious events. They resolved to practice generosity, performed every kind of meritorious deed, and made offerings to thirty-two thousand renowned brahmins of surpassing wisdom, fully providing each of them with whatever he required. Brahma and Sakra transformed themselves into a Namaba of majestic bearing, sat at the head of the assembly, and proclaimed praises in wondrous words of auspiciousness.

The Buddha said to the bhiksus:

-After the bodhisattva’s birth, the celestial lord Mahesvara said to the devas of the Pure Abodes:

-Throughout hundreds of thousands of asamkhyeyas of kotis of nayutas of kalpas, the bodhisattva cultivated the six liberating practices—generosity, moral discipline, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom—together with skillful means. His learning and insight are extensive, and he has perfected the four immeasurable states of mind: great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity.

His mind has always sought to benefit all living beings, and he planted roots of goodness in the presence of the Buddhas of the past. Therefore, at his birth his body was adorned with the marks produced by a hundred merits. Courageous and resolute, he practices wholesome deeds and subdues the hostile forces of Mara.

He is already capable of fulfilling every profound and wondrous power of aspiration. Renowned as the One of Great Wisdom, he is the spiritual guide of the trichiliocosm and receives offerings from devas and humans. Having accumulated abundant merit and virtue, his inner peace and joy continually increase.

He is far removed from birth, old age, sickness, and death and possesses the power to reach the other shore. Born into a noble and illustrious clan, before long he will attain unsurpassed wisdom and awaken to the truth of every realm in the world. Let us go together to that bodhisattva, reverently honor him, make offerings to him, and praise him.

We shall also dispel the devas’ proud and self-satisfied thoughts, enabling them to gain abundant benefit and peace within samsara and advance toward the realization of awakening. We shall go to King Suddhodana, congratulate his clan, praise these auspicious events, and affirm to them that the bodhisattva will become a Buddha.

At that time the deva Mahesvara assembled together with twelve hundred thousand (1,200,000) devas, and their radiance brilliantly illuminated the entire city of Kapilavastu. They all went to King Suddhodana’s palace, bowed at the feet of the bodhisattva, circumambulated him hundreds of thousands of times, and then reverently lifted and supported him. They congratulated King Suddhodana, saying: “Great King, you should rejoice beyond measure. Why is this? Your Crown Prince is adorned with excellent marks such as no deva or human anywhere in the world possesses. His radiant appearance, noble virtue, and every other quality are all surpassing. Great King, such a bodhisattva will certainly attain unsurpassed perfect awakening.

Bhiksus, the celestial lord Mahesvara and the devas of the Pure Abodes arranged such magnificent offerings and clearly declared that the bodhisattva would certainly become a Buddha. When they had finished, they all returned to their own celestial realms.

The Buddha told the bhiksus:

-Exactly seven days after the bodhisattva’s birth, the sacred Queen Maya passed away and was reborn in the Trayastrimsa Heaven. After seven days had elapsed, the bodhisattva was brought back to the capital city of Kapilavastu. The ceremonies accompanying his return were exceedingly magnificent, surpassing even those held when the sacred Queen Maya journeyed to Lumbini Garden.

Hundreds of thousands of kotis and five hundred thousand celestial maidens all carried precious vessels filled with fragrant water. Another five hundred thousand maidens, each holding a fan made of peacock feathers, walked in procession. Five hundred thousand maidens went ahead, sprinkling fragrant water over the entire road; another five hundred thousand celestial maidens preceded them, using various brooms to sweep and prepare the way; and yet another five hundred thousand maidens, adorned with precious necklaces, walked together in ordered ranks.

The celestial maidens and other maidens, five hundred thousand of each group, either held precious flower garlands or carried various kinds of jewels; all proceeded in succession and proper order. Another five hundred thousand brahmins, holding precious bells that rang forth myriad auspicious sounds, walked in ordered ranks. Twenty thousand great elephants, all majestic in appearance, followed in procession.

Eighty thousand precious chariots, decorated with brilliantly beautiful banners, pennants, and parasols fluttering in the wind, advanced together rank by rank. The infantry numbered eighty thousand, fully equipped with armor and helmets, their weapons imposing and their formations orderly as they marched one after another. Moreover, the most honored devas of the form realm appeared in the sky, holding kotis of nayutas of banners, pennants, canopies, and parasols, and accompanied the procession as offerings to the bodhisattva.

Devas from the heavens of the desire realm also appeared in midair, bearing banners, pennants, canopies, and parasols as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, and followed along in offering to the bodhisattva. Other devas of the desire realm brought every kind of jewel to enhance the splendor of the bodhisattva’s chariot. There were also twenty thousand celestial maidens attending upon the bodhisattva.

Devas, humans, and maidens proceeded in row after row and rank after rank. The devas were free from doubt, while the people’s hearts were filled with delight and joy. All of this came about through the bodhisattva’s majestic spiritual power.

The Buddha told the bhiksus:

At that same time, in the city of Kapilavastu, five hundred members of the Sakya clan each arranged for the construction of a great palace. Together they went before King Suddhodana, joined their palms, bowed their heads, and respectfully addressed the king:

“Excellent, excellent! All endeavors have been accomplished, and every auspicious benefit has been attained.”

Then one said:

“May the Lord of the heavenly realms graciously come to my palace.”

Another said:

“May the Supreme Teacher graciously come to my palace.”

Another said:

“May the Joyful and Blissful One graciously come to my palace.”

Another said:

“May the One of Honored Renown graciously come to my palace.”

Another said:

“May the One Whose Light Shines Everywhere graciously come to my palace.”

Another entreated:

“May the Most Honored, Supreme One graciously come to my palace.”

Still another earnestly said:

“May the One of Radiant Merit, fully adorned with the excellent marks, graciously come to my palace.”

Because, through these causes and conditions, all endeavors were accomplished, every auspicious benefit was attained, and everyone praised him without reserve, the bodhisattva was named Sarvarthasiddha.

King Suddhodana was moved by the devotion of his clansmen and therefore consented to let the bodhisattva reside in their palaces. For four months he stayed in all the palaces of the clansmen, after which he returned to the royal palace and took up residence in the great hall called Jeweled Adornment, the largest palace within the royal compound.

The king summoned the venerable elders of the clan. Senior members of his maternal relatives who had participated in affairs of state were also invited, and when all had assembled, he said to them:

“My son is still very young, yet his mother has died prematurely. To whom should all the duties of caring for him be entrusted? Who can protect and attend upon the Crown Prince until he reaches adulthood? Who, out of loving-kindness toward me, will care for the Crown Prince? Who can nurture him until he grows to maturity? Who can cherish, comfort, and love the Crown Prince as her own child?”

At that time, five hundred women of the Sakya clan came before the king one after another and said:

“I can undertake the task of nurturing and caring for the Crown Prince.”

However, the clan elders considered most of these women too young, beautiful, and impetuous to attend fully and properly to the task of nurturing and caring for the Crown Prince. Only Mahaprajapati, the Crown Prince’s maternal aunt, possessed both loving-kindness and wisdom and was therefore capable of bearing this important responsibility. Thus, everyone in the clan agreed to invite Mahaprajapati to assume the duty of chief nurse.

King Suddhodana personally took the bodhisattva in his arms, handed him to his maternal aunt, and said:

“Blessings upon you, noble lady. From this day forth, you shall be the Crown Prince’s mother.”

Obeying the king’s command, Mahaprajapati supervised thirty-two nurses who jointly cared for the Crown Prince: eight were responsible for carrying and attending upon him, eight for nursing him and providing drink, eight for bathing him and washing his garments, and eight for raising, instructing, and playing with him. Thus, the bodhisattva received the fullest possible nurture and care. He was like the bright, full moon, which waxes from the first day of the month until the fifteenth, when its radiance becomes perfectly complete; and like a lofty nyagrodha tree that takes root in fertile soil and gradually grows into a mighty tree.

The Buddha said to the bhiksus:

“At that time, King Suddhodana assembled with the members of the clan to deliberate, and together they said: ‘If our Crown Prince succeeds his father upon the throne, he will become a holy wheel-turning king. If he renounces the household life and cultivates the path, he will certainly become a Buddha.’

“At that time, in the Himalayas, there lived a great seer named Asita, who had attained the five supernormal powers. Living with him was a young boy of another clan named Nalaka. The great seer observed that, when the bodhisattva was born, innumerable wondrous auspicious signs appeared.

He also heard the devas in the sky repeatedly proclaim that a Buddha had manifested in the world. He further saw countless fragrant flowers and precious garments descending from the sky, while devas and humans rejoiced beyond measure. The great seer therefore used his divine eye to survey every place.

He saw that the Crown Prince, the son of King Suddhodana in the city of Kapilavastu, possessed radiant merit that illuminated the entire world and was fully endowed with the thirty-two excellent marks of a Great Man. Having seen this, the great seer immediately said to Nalaka:

“‘You should know that in Jambudvipa, in the city of Kapilavastu ruled by King Suddhodana, the king’s Crown Prince possesses radiant merit that illuminates the ten directions throughout the world. His body is fully adorned with the thirty-two excellent marks. He is the most precious being in the world.

If he succeeds his father upon the throne, he will become a holy wheel-turning king ruling the four continents. He will possess the seven treasures and have a thousand sons. He will govern all lands as far as the distant shores of the seas, bringing peace to all beings through the Dharma.

Without raising weapons of war, he will naturally bring all beings into willing allegiance. But if he renounces the household life, he will become a Buddha, attaining enlightenment through his own cultivation. He will become the Teacher of all devas and humans; his renown will resound everywhere, and he will bring benefit to all beings.

You and I must now go there together to behold and pay homage to him.’

“At that time, the great seer Asita and the youth Nalaka employed their supernormal powers and flew through the clouds toward the city of Kapilavastu like two wild geese gliding upon their wings. Upon arriving, they withdrew their miraculous powers and entered the royal city on foot. They proceeded directly to the palace of King Suddhodana, stood at the gate, and said to the gatekeeper:

“‘Go inside and report that the great seer Asita has come to speak with the king.’

“The gatekeeper entered and reported the matter. When King Suddhodana heard this, he immediately ordered attendants to sweep and cleanse the palace, prepare an ornate seat, and invite the great seer inside. The seer Asita entered the royal palace, pronounced blessings upon the king, and said:

“‘May Your Majesty enjoy peace and nobility. May the king live long and govern the realm in accordance with the Dharma.’

“At the same time, the king ordered his attendants to present countless fragrant flowers as offerings to the great seer. Flowers were scattered all the way to the seer’s seat. After the seer Asita had taken his seat, the king said:

“‘Great Seer, I have always thought of you and wished to come pay homage, but my desire has not yet been fulfilled. I do not know for what reason the great seer has come here today.’

“The great seer Asita replied:

“‘Great King, I heard that a Crown Prince has just been born to you, and so I have come hoping to behold the marks of his body.’

“The king said:

“‘My son has only just awakened. Great Seer, please wait for a short while.’

“The great seer replied:

“‘Such is the awakened nature of this True Being: fundamentally, he neither sleeps nor rests.’

Monks, you should know that the bodhisattva then perceived in thought that a great seer had arrived, and so awoke. At that time, the king personally lifted the Prince and placed him in the arms of the great seer Asita. The great seer immediately knelt down to receive him and examined him thoroughly.

He saw that the bodhisattva’s body was endowed with all the excellent marks, surpassing even Brahma kings, Shakra Devendra, and the Four Guardian Kings of the World. The radiance emanating from the bodhisattva’s bodily marks shone more brilliantly than the light of hundreds of thousands of suns. Having completed his examination, the great seer stood up, joined his palms, reverently bowed before the bodhisattva, and praised him without reserve, declaring that he was an unprecedented being, a Great Man appearing in the world.

The great seer then circumambulated him three times to the right, tenderly cradled the bodhisattva, and thought: “Now a Buddha is about to appear and bring flourishing prosperity to the world. I grieve that I am already old and feeble and shall not live to encounter the Tathagata’s awakening. I must remain throughout the long night of birth and death, deluded and unable to behold the true Dharma.” Having reflected in this way, the seer Asita became filled with sorrow and anguish.

He wept with sobs, his voice choked with emotion. When King Shuddhodana saw the great seer so overwhelmed by grief and unable to restrain himself, the king, together with the Prince’s foster mother and all their retinue, also shed tears and wept.

The king said to the great seer:

“When my son was newly born, I invited physiognomists to examine his marks and inquire about his destiny. They were all delighted and declared that the Prince possessed extraordinary and distinctive marks. Yet today, Great Seer, you weep in such bitter sorrow, causing me and all my family to feel utterly ill at ease. Whether the signs are auspicious or inauspicious, I beseech you to explain the truth clearly to me.”

The great seer Asita then wiped away his tears and said:

“Great King, please do not be distressed or anxious. Just now I was lamenting only my own old age and frailty; there was no other reason. I grieve over my advancing years, for only a few years of my life remain.

I shall be unable to hear the true Dharma or behold the Buddha delivering the world. Great King, you should know that immeasurable sentient beings are burned and tormented by the various fires of affliction, and only a Buddha can extinguish them with the rain of ambrosia. Immeasurable sentient beings are swept along by the vast darkness of wrong views, and only a Buddha can clearly reveal the pure, tranquil, peaceful, and blissful path of awakening.

Immeasurable sentient beings are bound within the prison of afflictions, and only a Buddha can provide them with the skillful means to cast off their bonds and attain liberation. Moreover, immeasurable sentient beings are confined within the realm of birth and death and cannot escape by themselves; only a Buddha can open the gates of cultivation through which liberation may be attained. Again, immeasurable sentient beings have been deeply pierced and wounded by the poisoned arrows of affliction, and only a Buddha can help them extract those arrows and remove all such suffering.

“Great King, just as the udumbara flower blooms only once in many thousands of years, so too is the appearance of Buddhas, Tathagatas, in the world. I truly have cause for regret, for because of my old age I shall not live to behold the Buddha. Thinking that I have been deprived of this blessing, I became sorrowful.

“Great King, if anyone should encounter the Buddha seated upon the seat of awakening, subduing the hosts of Mara and turning the Dharma wheel, you should know that such a person will certainly attain supreme merit and its reward. Great King, immeasurable sentient beings will encounter the Buddha after he appears in the world, uphold the true Dharma, and attain the fruit of arhatship. I regret that by then I shall no longer be alive to take part in these events; therefore I grieve.

“Great King, as recorded in the Vedas, your Prince will certainly not occupy the position of a wheel-turning sage king. Why is this? It is because the thirty-two marks of a Great Man are manifested upon the Prince with exceptional clarity.”

The king asked:

“What marks are called the thirty-two marks?”

The great seer Asita replied:

“The thirty-two marks are as follows: First, there is an ushnisha upon the crown of his head; second, his dark blue hair curls clockwise like conch shells; third, his forehead is broad, high, and even; fourth, between his eyebrows is a tuft of white hair that shines like a jewel; fifth, his eyelashes are like those of the king of bulls; sixth, his eyes are deep blue; seventh, he has forty teeth, all perfectly white and even; eighth, his teeth fit closely together without gaps; ninth, his teeth are as white as the kunda flower; tenth, his refined voice carries far like the voice of a Brahma king; eleventh, his saliva possesses every sweet fragrance and flavor; twelfth, his tongue is exceedingly soft and slender; thirteenth, his two cheeks are prominent like the two jowls of a lion;

fourteenth, his two shoulders are rounded and well proportioned; fifteenth, his body is tall and upright; sixteenth, the front of his torso resembles the chest of a lion king; seventeenth, his four incisors are exceedingly white; eighteenth, the skin of his body is soft, smooth, and fine, always gleaming with a purplish-golden hue; nineteenth, his body is upright and well proportioned; twentieth, when standing, his two hands extend below his knees; twenty-first, his body is full and rounded like the nyagrodha tree; twenty-second, fine hairs grow from all the pores of his body; twenty-third, all the hairs upon his body curl toward the right; twenty-fourth, his male organ is concealed; twenty-fifth, his two thighs are long and rounded;

twenty-sixth, his knees are slender and rounded like those of the king of deer; twenty-seventh, his heels are rounded and straight, and his fingers and toes are slender and long; twenty-eighth, the tops of his feet are full and arched; twenty-ninth, his hands and feet are all soft and delicate; thirtieth, the spaces between his fingers and toes are joined by fine skin like netting; thirty-first, the lines upon the palms of his hands and soles of his feet form a thousand circular patterns like the thousand spokes of a wheel, from which brilliant light constantly shines; thirty-second, the soles of his feet are perfectly flat, and when he walks, the entirety of each sole touches the ground.

“Great King, your Prince is endowed with all thirty-two marks of a Great Man, manifested with such clarity that only Buddhas possess them; even a wheel-turning sage king does not possess them in this manner.

“Great King, the Prince also possesses the eighty excellent characteristics. Therefore, he cannot succeed to the throne as a wheel-turning sage king but will certainly renounce the household life and attain Buddhahood.”

The king asked:

“Great Seer, what are those eighty excellent characteristics?”

The great seer Asita replied:

—Those eighty beautiful characteristics are as follows: First, the nails of the hands and feet are raised; second, the nails are the color of red copper; third, the nails are exceedingly lustrous; fourth, the lines of the hands are lustrous; fifth, the lines of the hands are deeply impressed; sixth, the lines of the hands are very clearly defined; seventh, the lines of the hands are straight and fine; eighth, the hands and feet are straight and not crooked; ninth, the fingers are slender and long; tenth, all the fingers are rounded; eleventh, the fingers are straight and taper toward their tips; twelfth, the fingers are not bent or crooked; thirteenth, the veins and sinews are not visible; fourteenth, the ankles are concealed; fifteenth, the soles of the feet are even and level;

sixteenth, the heels are round and even; seventeenth, the lips are bright red like the bimba fruit; eighteenth, the voice is neither coarse nor harsh; nineteenth, the tongue is soft and the color of red copper; twentieth, the voice resounds like thunder, clear and harmonious; twenty-first, all the faculties are complete; twenty-second, the arms are slender and long; twenty-third, the body is pure, majestic, and beautiful; twenty-fourth, the body is soft and supple; twenty-fifth, the body is upright, firm, and well-proportioned; twenty-sixth, the body is free from defects; twenty-seventh, the bodily form is smooth and firm; twenty-eighth, the bodily bearing is always composed and never agitated; twenty-ninth, every part of the body is proportionate; thirtieth, both knees are rounded;

thirty-first, the body is light and graceful; thirty-second, the body constantly emits light; thirty-third, the body is not crooked; thirty-fourth, the navel is deep; thirty-fifth, the navel does not protrude; thirty-sixth, the navel is round and well-proportioned; thirty-seventh, the navel is clean; thirty-eighth, the body manifests a majestic and venerable appearance; thirty-ninth, the body is always pure and radiates brilliant light that dispels all obscurity and darkness; fortieth, the gait is like that of a king of elephants; forty-first, the stride is like that of a lion king; forty-second, the manner of walking is like that of a king of bulls; forty-third, the gait is like that of a king of geese; forty-fourth, when walking, he always turns toward the right;

forty-fifth, the abdomen is rounded and slender; forty-sixth, the abdomen is smooth and beautiful; forty-seventh, the abdomen is symmetrical and not uneven; forty-eighth, the form of the abdomen is not conspicuous; forty-ninth, dust does not adhere to the body; fiftieth, the incisors are rounded; fifty-first, all the teeth are white and close-set; fifty-second, the four incisors are perfectly even; fifty-third, the nose is high and straight; fifty-fourth, both eyes are bright and clear; fifty-fifth, the eyes are entirely free from impurities; fifty-sixth, the eyes are radiant and beautiful; fifty-seventh, the eyes are long, broad, and keen; fifty-eighth, the eyes convey majesty and uprightness; fifty-ninth, the eyes resemble two blue lotus buds; sixtieth, the eyebrows are fine and long;

sixty-first, all who behold him give rise to joyful minds; sixty-second, the eyebrows are dark blue; sixty-third, the eyebrows are even, fine, and beautiful; sixty-fourth, the inner tips of the eyebrows meet; sixty-fifth, both cheeks are full; sixty-sixth, both cheeks are neither sunken nor protruding and are without defect; sixty-seventh, both cheeks are beautiful and inspire affection and reverence; sixty-eighth, the body is perfect, without any mark that might occasion doubt or disparagement; sixty-ninth, all the faculties manifest serenity and composure; seventieth, the tuft of hair between the eyebrows constantly emits clear and pure light; seventy-first, the forehead is broad and even; seventy-second, the crown of the head is rounded and full;

seventy-third, the hair is black and beautiful; seventy-fourth, the hair is exceedingly soft and fine; seventy-fifth, the hair is never tangled; seventy-sixth, the hair constantly emits a pure fragrance; seventy-seventh, the hair is smooth and glossy; seventy-eighth, the hair bears the form of a svastika; seventy-ninth, the hair curls smoothly like a conch shell; eightieth, the hair bears the sacred emblem Nan-da-viet-da-cat-luan-ngu.

Your Majesty, these are the eighty beautiful characteristics of the Crown Prince. Anyone fully endowed with these thirty-two excellent marks and eighty beautiful characteristics cannot remain in the household life, but will certainly renounce the household life, cultivate the path, and attain unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment.

At that time, when King Suddhodana heard the great seer Asita explain this so clearly, his body and mind became exceedingly joyful and at ease. He immediately rose from his seat, bowed at the feet of the bodhisattva, and recited this verse:

My son, before whom devas, humans, and Sakra

All reverently bow their heads,

Before whom all the seers as well

Come with reverence and esteem,

Is like a shrine throughout the world;

Therefore I bow to the Lord of Self-Mastery.

The Buddha said to the bhiksus:

—King Suddhodana then bestowed abundant food and precious garments upon the great seer Asita and the youth Narada. He circumambulated them clockwise and bowed at their feet. At that time, the great seer Asita gently draped the youth Narada over his left shoulder, mounted a cloud, and flew away. The great seer said to the youth:

—Before long, a Buddha will appear and teach beings in this world. You should seek him out and request ordination; you will thereby attain immense benefit within this realm of birth and death.