The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines

Through that light all beings, as many as there were in this great billionfold world system, beheld the many tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas of the world systems in the direction of the zenith, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, along with their communities of śrāvakas and their assemblies of bodhisattvas. And in these world systems in the direction of the zenith, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, those beings dwelling there, as many as there were, also beheld in this great billionfold world system the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni, residing together with the community of monks and the assembly of bodhisattvas.

Now then, beyond all the world systems in the eastern direction, more numerous than the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, there is the world system called Ratnavatī. There the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha called Ratnākara resides and maintains himself, teaching this very perfection of wisdom to bodhisattva great beings. Now then, in that world system there was a bodhisattva great being named Samantaraśmi who, on beholding that great light, the great trembling of the earth, and the body of the Tathāgata, looked upon him insatiably, and set out for the place where the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Ratnākara was residing. Going there, he inquired of the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Ratnākara, “Blessed Lord, what are the causes and what are the conditions for such a great light to manifest in the world, for the earth to tremble in this manner, and for the body of a tathāgata, such as this, to be present?”

The bodhisattva great being Samantaraśmi having thus inquired, the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Ratnākara, replied to him, “Child of a good family, in the western direction, beyond world systems numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, there is a world system called Patient Endurance. There a tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha named Śākyamuni resides and maintains himself at present. He is teaching the perfection of wisdom to bodhisattva great beings. Such is his power.”

Then the bodhisattva great being Samantaraśmi said to the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Ratnākara, “Blessed Lord, I too will go to that world system of Patient Endurance to behold the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni, to pay homage and respect to him, and also to see all those bodhisattva great beings, most of whom are crown princes¹⁰⁹ who have acquired the dhāraṇīs and exact knowledges, and have mastered all the meditative stabilities and absorptions.”

The Blessed One, the Tathāgata Ratnākara, then replied, “Go then to that world system of Patient Endurance, child of a good family, if you think it is timely.”

Then the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Ratnākara, gave the bodhisattva great being Samantaraśmi a thousand lotus flowers, made of diverse jewels, golden in color, each with a thousand petals, and instructed him, “Child of a good family, strew these over the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni, and inquire of the Blessed One in my words, ‘I trust you are free from sickness, free from all harms, in good spirits, have your physical strength, and are comfortable and well?’ Child of a good family, you should conduct yourself with care in that buddhafield. If you ask why, it is because bodhisattva great beings who are born in that world system are hard to satisfy. So, beware of harm there.”¹¹⁰

Then the bodhisattva great being Samantaraśmi received from the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Ratnākara, those golden thousand-petaled lotuses. Accompanied by many hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of bodhisattvas in the form of householders, those gone forth, young men, and young women, he vanished from that buddhafield. After serving, respecting, honoring, and worshiping all the blessed lord buddhas residing and maintaining themselves in the eastern direction, as many as there were, with flowers, perfumes, incense, garlands, unguents, powders, robes, ornaments, parasols, victory banners, and flags, through the bodhisattvas’ great miraculous ability and the bodhisattvas’ great power he set out for the place where the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni resided.

Arriving there, he bowed his head toward the feet of the Blessed One and took a place to one side. Having taken a place to one side, the bodhisattva great being Samantaraśmi then addressed the Blessed One as follows: “The Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Ratnākara, has inquired of the Blessed One, ‘I trust you are free from sickness, free from all harms, in good spirits, have your physical strength, and are comfortable and well?’ And the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Ratnākara, has sent these golden-colored, thousand-petaled lotuses as an offering to you, Blessed Lord.”

The Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni, took those lotuses and scattered them into the world systems of the eastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, where the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas resided. Then those lotuses fully covered all those world systems, and upon those lotuses many bodies of the tathāgatas were seated, teaching the doctrine that takes these very six perfections as its point of departure. All the beings who heard that teaching of the Dharma also became assured of reaching unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment. And those bodhisattva great beings in the form of householders, those gone forth, young men, and young women also served, respected, honored, and worshiped the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni, through the roots of their respective virtuous actions.

Now then, beyond all the world systems in the southern direction, more numerous than the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, there is the world system called Sarvaśokāpagata. There the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha called Aśokaśrī resides and maintains himself, teaching this very perfection of wisdom to bodhisattva great beings. Now then, in that world system there was a bodhisattva great being named Vigataśoka who, on beholding that great light, the great trembling of the earth, and the body of the Tathāgata, looked upon him insatiably, and set out for the place where the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Aśokaśrī, was residing. Going there, he inquired of the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Aśokaśrī, “Blessed Lord, what are the causes and what are the conditions for such a great light to manifest in the world, for the earth to tremble in this manner, and for the body of a tathāgata, such as this, to be present?”

The bodhisattva great being Vigataśoka having thus inquired, the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Aśokaśrī, replied to him, “Child of a good family, in the northern direction, beyond world systems numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, there is a world system called Patient Endurance. There a tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha named Śākyamuni resides and maintains himself at present. He is teaching the perfection of wisdom to bodhisattva great beings. Such is his power.”

Then the bodhisattva great being Vigataśoka said to the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Aśokaśrī, “Blessed Lord, I too will go to that world system of Patient Endurance to behold the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni, to pay homage and respect to him, and also to see all those bodhisattva great beings, most of whom are crown princes who have acquired the dhāraṇīs and exact knowledges, and have mastered all the meditative stabilities and absorptions.”

The Blessed One, the Tathāgata Aśokaśrī, then replied, “Go then to that world system of Patient Endurance, child of a good family, if you think it is timely.”

Then the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Aśokaśrī, gave the bodhisattva great being Vigataśoka a thousand lotus flowers, made of diverse jewels, golden in color, each with a thousand petals, and instructed him, “Child of a good family, strew these over the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni, and inquire of the Blessed One in my words, ‘I trust you are free from sickness, free from all harms, in good spirits, have your physical strength, and are comfortable and well?’ Child of a good family, you should conduct yourself with care in that buddhafield. If you ask why, it is because bodhisattva great beings who are born in that world system are hard to satisfy. So, beware of harm there.”

Then the bodhisattva great being Vigataśoka received from the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Aśokaśrī, those golden thousand-petaled lotuses. Accompanied by many hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of bodhisattvas in the form of householders, those gone forth, young men, and young women, he vanished from that buddhafield. After serving, respecting, honoring, and worshiping all the blessed lord buddhas residing and maintaining themselves in the southern direction, as many as there were, with flowers, perfumes, incense, garlands, unguents, powders, robes, ornaments, parasols, victory banners, and flags, through the bodhisattvas’ great miraculous ability and the bodhisattvas’ great power he set out for the place where the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni resided.

Arriving there, he bowed his head toward the feet of the Blessed One and took a place to one side. Having taken a place to one side, the bodhisattva great being Vigataśoka then addressed the Blessed One as follows: “The Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Aśokaśrī, has inquired of the Blessed One, ‘I trust you are free from sickness, free from all harms, in good spirits, have your physical strength, and are comfortable and well?’ And the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Aśokaśrī, has sent these golden-colored, thousand-petaled lotuses as an offering to you, Blessed Lord.”

The Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni, took those lotuses and scattered them into the world systems of the southern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, where the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas resided. Then those lotuses fully covered all those world systems, and upon those lotuses many bodies of the tathāgatas were seated, teaching the doctrine that takes these very six perfections as its point of departure. All the beings who heard that teaching of the Dharma also became assured of reaching unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment. And those bodhisattva great beings in the form of householders, those gone forth, young men, and young women also served, respected, honored, and worshiped the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni, through the roots of their respective virtuous actions.

Now then, beyond all the world systems in the western direction, more numerous than the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, there is the world system called Upaśāntā. There the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha called Ratnārcis resides and maintains himself, teaching this very perfection of wisdom to bodhisattva great beings. Now then, in that world system there was a bodhisattva great being named Cāritramati who, on beholding that great light, the great trembling of the earth, and the body of the Tathāgata, looked upon him insatiably, and set out for the place where the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Ratnārcis, was residing. Going there, he inquired of the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Ratnārcis, “Blessed Lord, what are the causes and what are the conditions for such a great light to manifest in the world, for the earth to tremble in this manner, and for the body of a tathāgata, such as this, to be present?”

The bodhisattva great being Cāritramati having thus inquired, the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Ratnārcis, replied to him, “Child of a good family, in the eastern direction, beyond world systems numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, there is a world system called Patient Endurance. There a tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha named Śākyamuni resides and maintains himself at present. He is teaching the perfection of wisdom to bodhisattva great beings. Such is his power.”

Then the bodhisattva great being Cāritramati said to the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Ratnārcis, “Blessed Lord, I too will go to that world system of Patient Endurance to behold the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni, to pay homage and respect to him, and also to see all those bodhisattva great beings, most of whom are crown princes who have acquired the dhāraṇīs and exact knowledges, and have mastered all the meditative stabilities and absorptions.”

The Blessed One, the Tathāgata Ratnārcis, then replied, “Go then to that world system of Patient Endurance, child of a good family, if you think it is timely.”

Then the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Ratnārcis, gave the bodhisattva great being Cāritramati a thousand lotus flowers, made of diverse jewels, golden in color, each with a thousand petals, and instructed him, “Child of a good family, strew these over the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni, and inquire of the Blessed One in my words, ‘I trust you are free from sickness, free from all harms, in good spirits, have your physical strength, and are comfortable and well?’ Child of a good family, you should conduct yourself with care in that buddhafield. If you ask why, it is because bodhisattva great beings who are born in that world system are hard to satisfy. So, beware of harm there.”

Then the bodhisattva great being Cāritramati received from the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Ratnārcis, those golden thousand-petaled lotuses. Accompanied by many hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of bodhisattvas in the form of householders, those gone forth, young men, and young women, he vanished from that buddhafield. After serving, respecting, honoring, and worshiping all the blessed lord buddhas residing and maintaining themselves in the eastern direction, as many as there were, with flowers, perfumes, incense, garlands, unguents, powders, robes, ornaments, parasols, victory banners, and flags, through the bodhisattvas’ great miraculous ability and the bodhisattvas’ great power he arrived at the place where the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni resided.

Arriving there, he bowed his head toward the feet of the Blessed One and took a place to one side. Having taken a place to one side, the bodhisattva great being Cāritramati then addressed the Blessed One as follows: “The Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Ratnārcis, has inquired of the Blessed One, ‘I trust you are free from sickness, free from all harms, in good spirits, have your physical strength, and are comfortable and well?’ And the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Ratnārcis, has sent these golden-colored, thousand-petaled lotuses as an offering to you, Blessed Lord.”

The Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni, took those lotuses and scattered them into the world systems of the western direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, where the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas resided. Then those lotuses fully covered all those world systems, and upon those lotuses many bodies of the tathāgatas were seated, teaching the doctrine that takes these very six perfections as its point of departure. All the beings who heard that teaching of the Dharma also became assured of reaching unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment. And those bodhisattva great beings in the form of householders, those gone forth, young men, and young women also served, respected, honored, and worshiped the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni, through the roots of their respective virtuous actions.

Now then, beyond all the world systems in the northern direction, more numerous than the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, there is the world system called Jayā. There the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha called Jayendra resides and maintains himself, teaching this very perfection of wisdom to bodhisattva great beings. Now then, in that world system there was a bodhisattva great being named Jayadatta who, on beholding that great light, the great trembling of the earth, and the body of the Tathāgata, looked upon him insatiably, and set out for the place where the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Jayendra, was residing. Going there, he inquired of the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Jayendra, “Blessed Lord, what are the causes and what are the conditions for such a great light to manifest in the world, for the earth to tremble in this manner, and for the body of a tathāgata, such as this, to be present?”

The bodhisattva great being Jayadatta having thus inquired, the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Jayendra, replied to him, “Child of a good family, in the southern direction, beyond world systems numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, there is a world system called Patient Endurance. There a tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha named Śākyamuni resides and maintains himself at present. He is teaching the perfection of wisdom to bodhisattva great beings. Such is his power.”

Then the bodhisattva great being Jayadatta said to the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Jayendra, “Blessed Lord, I too will go to that world system of Patient Endurance to behold the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni, to pay homage and respect to him, and also to see all those bodhisattva great beings, most of whom are crown princes who have acquired the dhāraṇīs and exact knowledges, and have mastered all the meditative stabilities and absorptions.”

The Blessed One, the Tathāgata Jayendra, then replied, “Go then to that world system of Patient Endurance, child of a good family, if you think it is timely.”

Then the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Jayendra, gave the bodhisattva great being Jayadatta a thousand lotus flowers, made of diverse jewels, golden in color, each with a thousand petals, and instructed him, “Child of a good family, strew these over the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni, and inquire of the Blessed One in my words, ‘I trust you are free from sickness, free from all harms, in good spirits, have your physical strength, and are comfortable and well?’ Child of a good family, you should conduct yourself with care in that buddhafield. If you ask why, it is because bodhisattva great beings who are born in that world system are hard to satisfy. So, beware of harm there.”

Then the bodhisattva great being Jayadatta received from the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Jayendra, those golden thousand-petaled lotuses. Accompanied by many hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of bodhisattvas in the form of householders, those gone forth, young men, and young women, he vanished from that buddhafield. After serving, respecting, honoring, and worshiping all the blessed lord buddhas residing and maintaining themselves in the northern direction, as many as there were, with flowers, perfumes, incense, garlands, unguents, powders, robes, ornaments, parasols, victory banners, and flags, through the bodhisattvas’ great miraculous ability and the bodhisattvas’ great power he arrived at the place where the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni resided.

Arriving there, he bowed his head toward the feet of the Blessed One and took a place to one side. Having taken a place to one side, the bodhisattva great being Jayadatta then addressed the Blessed One as follows: “The Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Jayendra, has inquired of the Blessed One, ‘I trust you are free from sickness, free from all harms, in good spirits, have your physical strength, and are comfortable and well?’ And the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Jayendra, has sent these golden-colored, thousand-petaled lotuses as an offering to you, Blessed Lord.”

The Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni, took those lotuses and scattered them into the world systems of the northern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, where the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas resided. Then those lotuses fully covered all those world systems, and upon those lotuses many bodies of the tathāgatas were seated, teaching the doctrine that takes these very six perfections as its point of departure. All the beings who heard that teaching of the Dharma also became assured of reaching unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment. And those bodhisattva great beings in the form of householders, those gone forth, young men, and young women also served, respected, honored, and worshiped the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni, through the roots of their respective virtuous actions.

Now then, beyond all the world systems in the intermediate northeastern direction, more numerous than the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, there is the world system called Samādhyalaṅkṛta. There the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha called Samādhihastyuttaraśrī resides and maintains himself, teaching this very perfection of wisdom to bodhisattva great beings. Now then, in that world system there was a bodhisattva great being named Vijayavikrāmin who, on beholding that great light, the great trembling of the earth, and the body of the Tathāgata, looked upon him insatiably, and set out for the place where the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Samādhihastyuttaraśrī, was residing. Going there, he inquired of the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Samādhihastyuttaraśrī, “Blessed Lord, what are the causes and what are the conditions for such a great light to manifest in the world, for the earth to tremble in this manner, and for the body of a tathāgata, such as this, to be present?”

The bodhisattva great being Vijayavikrāmin having thus inquired, the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Samādhihastyuttaraśrī, replied to him, “Child of a good family, in the intermediate southwestern direction, beyond world systems numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, there is a world system called Patient Endurance. There a tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha named Śākyamuni resides and maintains himself at present. He is teaching the perfection of wisdom to bodhisattva great beings. Such is his power.”

Then the bodhisattva great being Vijayavikrāmin said to the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Samādhihastyuttaraśrī, “Blessed Lord, I too will go to that world system of Patient Endurance to behold the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni, to pay homage and respect to him, and also to see all those bodhisattva great beings, most of whom are crown princes who have acquired the dhāraṇīs and exact knowledges, and have mastered all the meditative stabilities and absorptions.”

The Blessed One, the Tathāgata Samādhihastyuttaraśrī, then replied, “Go then to that world system of Patient Endurance, child of a good family, if you think it is timely.”

Then the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Samādhihastyuttaraśrī, gave the bodhisattva great being Vijayavikrāmin a thousand lotus flowers, made of diverse jewels, golden in color, each with a thousand petals, and instructed him, “Child of a good family, strew these over the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni, and inquire of the Blessed One in my words, ‘I trust you are free from sickness, free from all harms, in good spirits, have your physical strength, and are comfortable and well?’ Child of a good family, you should conduct yourself with care in that buddhafield. If you ask why, it is because bodhisattva great beings who are born in that world system are hard to satisfy. So, beware of harm there.”

Then the bodhisattva great being Vijayavikrāmin received from the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Samādhihastyuttaraśrī, those golden thousand-petaled lotuses. Accompanied by many hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of bodhisattvas in the form of householders, those gone forth, young men, and young women, he vanished from that buddhafield. After serving, respecting, honoring, and worshiping all the blessed lord buddhas residing and maintaining themselves in the intermediate northeastern direction, as many as there were, with flowers, perfumes, incense, garlands, unguents, powders, robes, ornaments, parasols, victory banners, and flags, through the bodhisattvas’ great miraculous ability and the bodhisattvas’ great power he arrived at the place where the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni resided.

Arriving there, he bowed his head toward the feet of the Blessed One and took a place to one side. Having taken a place to one side, the bodhisattva great being Vijayavikrāmin then addressed the Blessed One as follows: “The Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Samādhihastyuttaraśrī, has inquired of the Blessed One, ‘I trust you are free from sickness, free from all harms, in good spirits, have your physical strength, and are comfortable and well?’ And the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Samādhihastyuttaraśrī, has sent these golden-colored, thousand-petaled lotuses as an offering to you, Blessed Lord.”

The Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni, took those lotuses and scattered them into the world systems of the intermediate northeastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, where the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas resided. Then those lotuses fully covered all those world systems, and upon those lotuses many bodies of the tathāgatas were seated, teaching the doctrine that takes these very six perfections as its point of departure. All the beings who heard that teaching of the Dharma also became assured of reaching unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment. And those bodhisattva great beings in the form of householders, those gone forth, young men, and young women also served, respected, honored, and worshiped the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni, through the roots of their respective virtuous actions.

Now then, beyond all the world systems in the intermediate southeastern direction, more numerous than the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, there is the world system called Bodhi­maṇḍalālaṃkāra­surucitā. There the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha called Padmottaraśrī resides and maintains himself, teaching this very perfection of wisdom to bodhisattva great beings. Now then, in that world system there was a bodhisattva great being named Padmahasta who, on beholding that great light, the great trembling of the earth, and the body of the Tathāgata, looked upon him insatiably, and set out for the place where the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Padmottaraśrī, was residing. Going there, he inquired of the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Padmottaraśrī, “Blessed Lord, what are the causes and what are the conditions for such a great light to manifest in the world, for the earth to tremble in this manner, and for the body of a tathāgata, such as this, to be present?”

The bodhisattva great being Padmahasta having thus inquired, the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, completely perfect Buddha Padmottaraśrī, replied to him, “Child of a good family, in the intermediate northwestern direction, beyond world systems numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, there is a world system called Patient Endurance. There a tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha named Śākyamuni resides and maintains himself at present. He is teaching the perfection of wisdom to bodhisattva great beings. Such is his power.”

Then the bodhisattva great being Padmahasta said to the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Padmottaraśrī, “Blessed Lord, I too will go to that world system of Patient Endurance to behold the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni, to pay homage and respect to him, and also to see all those bodhisattva great beings, most of whom are crown princes who have acquired the dhāraṇīs and exact knowledges, and have mastered all the meditative stabilities and absorptions.”

The Blessed One, the Tathāgata Padmottaraśrī, then replied, “Go then to that world system of Patient Endurance, child of a good family, if you think it is timely.”

Then the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Padmottaraśrī, gave the bodhisattva great being Padmahasta a thousand lotus flowers, made of diverse jewels, golden in color, each with a thousand petals, and instructed him, “Child of a good family, strew these over the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni, and inquire of the Blessed One in my words, ‘I trust you are free from sickness, free from all harms, in good spirits, have your physical strength, and are comfortable and well?’ Child of a good family, you should conduct yourself with care in that buddhafield. If you ask why, it is because bodhisattva great beings who are born in that world system are hard to satisfy. So, beware of harm there.”

Then the bodhisattva great being Padmahasta received from the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Padmottaraśrī, those golden thousand-petaled lotuses. Accompanied by many hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of bodhisattvas in the form of householders, those gone forth, young men, and young women, he vanished from that buddhafield. After serving, respecting, honoring, and worshiping all the blessed lord buddhas residing and maintaining themselves in the northern direction, as many as there were, with flowers, perfumes, incense, garlands, unguents, powders, robes, ornaments, parasols, victory banners, and flags, through the bodhisattvas’ great miraculous ability and the bodhisattvas’ great power he arrived at the place where the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni resided.

Arriving there, he bowed his head toward the feet of the Blessed One and took a place to one side. Having taken a place to one side, the bodhisattva great being Padmahasta then addressed the Blessed One as follows: “The Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Padmottaraśrī, has inquired of the Blessed One, ‘I trust you are free from sickness, free from all harms, in good spirits, have your physical strength, and are comfortable and well?’ And the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Padmottaraśrī, has sent these golden-colored, thousand-petaled lotuses as an offering to you, Blessed Lord.”

The Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni, took those lotuses and scattered them into all the world systems of the intermediate southeastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, where the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas resided. Then those lotuses fully covered those world systems, and upon those lotuses many bodies of the tathāgatas were seated, teaching the doctrine that takes these very six perfections as its point of departure. All the beings who heard that teaching of the Dharma also became assured of reaching unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment. And those bodhisattva great beings in the form of householders, those gone forth, young men, and young women also served, respected, honored, and worshiped the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni, through the roots of their respective virtuous actions.

Now then, beyond all the world systems in the intermediate southwestern direction, more numerous than the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, there is the world system called Vigatarajaḥsañcayā. There the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha called Sūryamaṇḍalaprabhāsottamaśrī resides and maintains himself, teaching this very perfection of wisdom to bodhisattva great beings. Now then, in that world system there was a bodhisattva great being named Sūryaprabhāsa who, on beholding that great light, the great trembling of the earth, and the body of the Tathāgata, looked upon him insatiably, and set out for the place where the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Sūryamaṇḍalaprabhāsottamaśrī, was residing. Going there, he inquired of the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Sūryamaṇḍalaprabhāsottamaśrī, “Blessed Lord, what are the causes and what are the conditions for such a great light to manifest in the world, for the earth to tremble in this manner, and for the body of a tathāgata, such as this, to be present?”

The bodhisattva great being Sūryaprabhāsa having thus inquired, the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Sūryamaṇḍalaprabhāsottamaśrī, replied to him, “Child of a good family, in the intermediate northeastern direction, beyond world systems numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, there is a world system called Patient Endurance. There a tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha named Śākyamuni resides and maintains himself at present. He is teaching the perfection of wisdom to bodhisattva great beings. Such is his power.”

Then the bodhisattva great being Sūryaprabhāsa said to the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Sūryamaṇḍalaprabhāsottamaśrī, “Blessed Lord, I too will go to that world system of Patient Endurance to behold the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni, to pay homage and respect to him, and also to see all those bodhisattva great beings, most of whom are crown princes who have acquired the dhāraṇīs and exact knowledges, and have mastered all the meditative stabilities and absorptions.”

The Blessed One, the Tathāgata Sūryamaṇḍalaprabhāsottamaśrī, then replied, “Go then to that world system of Patient Endurance, child of a good family, if you think it is timely.”

Then the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete Buddha Sūryamaṇḍalaprabhāsottamaśrī gave the bodhisattva great being Sūryaprabhāsa a thousand lotus flowers, made of diverse jewels, golden in color, each with a thousand petals, and instructed him, “Child of a good family, strew these over the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni, and inquire of the Blessed One in my words, ‘I trust you are free from sickness, free from all harms, in good spirits, have your physical strength, and are comfortable and well?’ Child of a good family, you should conduct yourself with care in that buddhafield. If you ask why, it is because bodhisattva great beings who are born in that world system are hard to satisfy. So, beware of harm there.”

Then the bodhisattva great being Sūryaprabhāsa received from the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Sūryamaṇḍalaprabhāsottamaśrī, those golden thousand-petaled lotuses. Accompanied by many hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of bodhisattvas in the form of householders, those gone forth, young men, and young women, he vanished from that buddhafield. After serving, respecting, honoring, and worshiping all the blessed lord buddhas residing and maintaining themselves in the intermediate southwestern direction, as many as there were, with flowers, perfumes, incense, garlands, unguents, powders, robes, ornaments, parasols, victory banners, and flags, through the bodhisattvas’ great miraculous ability and the bodhisattvas’ great power he arrived at the place where the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni resided.

Arriving there, he bowed his head toward the feet of the Blessed One and took a place to one side. Having taken a place to one side, the bodhisattva great being Sūryaprabhāsa then addressed the Blessed One as follows: “The Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Sūryamaṇḍalaprabhāsottamaśrī, has inquired of the Blessed One, ‘I trust you are free from sickness, free from all harms, in good spirits, have your physical strength, and are comfortable and well?’ And the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Sūryamaṇḍalaprabhāsottamaśrī, has sent these golden-colored, thousand-petaled lotuses as an offering to you, Blessed Lord.”

The Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni, took those lotuses and scattered them into all the world systems of the intermediate southwestern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, where the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas resided. Then those lotuses fully covered those world systems, and upon those lotuses many bodies of the tathāgatas were seated, teaching the doctrine that takes the six perfections as its point of departure. All the beings who heard that teaching of the Dharma also became assured of reaching unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment. And those bodhisattva great beings in the form of householders, those gone forth, young men, and young women also served, respected, honored, and worshiped the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni, through the roots of their respective virtuous actions.

Now then, beyond all the world systems in the intermediate northwestern direction, more numerous than the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, there is the world system called Vaśībhūtā. There the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha called Ekacchatra resides and maintains himself, teaching this very perfection of wisdom to bodhisattva great beings. Now then, in that world system there was a bodhisattva great being named Ratnottama who, on beholding that great light, the great trembling of the earth, and the body of the Tathāgata, looked upon him insatiably, and set out for the place where the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Ekacchatra, was residing. Going there, he inquired of the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Ekacchatra, “Blessed Lord, what are the causes and what are the conditions for such a great light to manifest in the world, for the earth to tremble in this manner, and for the body of a tathāgata, such as this, to be present?”

The bodhisattva great being Ratnottama having thus inquired, the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Ekacchatra, replied to him, “Child of a good family, in the intermediate southeastern direction, beyond world systems numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, there is a world system called Patient Endurance. There a tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha named Śākyamuni resides and maintains himself at present. He is teaching the perfection of wisdom to bodhisattva great beings. Such is his power.”

Then the bodhisattva great being Ratnottama said to the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Ekacchatra, “Blessed Lord, I too will go to that world system of Patient Endurance to behold the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni, to pay homage and respect to him, and also to see all those bodhisattva great beings, most of whom are crown princes who have acquired the dhāraṇīs and exact knowledges, and have mastered all the meditative stabilities and absorptions.”

The Blessed One, the Tathāgata Ekacchatra, then replied, “Go then to that world system of Patient Endurance, child of a good family, if you think it is timely.”

Then the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete Buddha Ekacchatra, gave the bodhisattva great being Ratnottama a thousand lotus flowers, made of diverse jewels, golden in color, each with a thousand petals, and instructed him, “Child of a good family, strew these over the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni, and inquire of the Blessed One in my words, ‘I trust you are free from sickness, free from all harms, in good spirits, have your physical strength, and are comfortable and well?’ Child of a good family, you should conduct yourself with care in that buddhafield. If you ask why, it is because bodhisattva great beings who are born in that world system are hard to satisfy. So, beware of harm there.”

Then the bodhisattva great being Ratnottama received from the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Ekacchatra, those golden thousand-petaled lotuses. Accompanied by many hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of bodhisattvas in the form of householders, those gone forth, young men, and young women, he vanished from that buddhafield. After serving, respecting, honoring, and worshiping all the blessed lord buddhas residing and maintaining themselves in the intermediate northwestern direction, as many as there were, with flowers, perfumes, incense, garlands, unguents, powders, robes, ornaments, parasols, victory banners, and flags, through the bodhisattvas’ great miraculous ability and the bodhisattvas’ great power he arrived at the place where the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni resided.

Arriving there, he bowed his head toward the feet of the Blessed One and took a place to one side. Having taken a place to one side, the bodhisattva great being Ratnottama then addressed the Blessed One as follows: “The Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Ekacchatra, has inquired of the Blessed One, ‘I trust you are free from sickness, free from all harms, in good spirits, have your physical strength, and are comfortable and well?’ And the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Ekacchatra, has sent these golden-colored, thousand-petaled lotuses as an offering to you, Blessed Lord.”

The Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni, took those lotuses and scattered them into all the world systems of the intermediate northwestern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, where the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas resided. Then those lotuses fully covered those world systems, and upon those lotuses many bodies of the tathāgatas were seated, teaching the doctrine that takes these very six perfections as its point of departure. All the beings who heard that teaching of the Dharma also became assured of reaching unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment. And those bodhisattva great beings in the form of householders, those gone forth, young men, and young women also served, respected, honored, and worshiped the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Śākyamuni, through the roots of their respective virtuous actions.

Now then, beyond all the world systems in the direction of the nadir, more numerous than the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, there is the world system called Padmā. There the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha called Padmaśrī resides and maintains himself, teaching this very perfection of wisdom to bodhisattva great beings. Now then, in that world system there was a bodhisattva great being named Padmottara who, on beholding that great light, the great trembling of the earth, and the body of the Tathāgata, looked upon him insatiably, and set out for the place where the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Padmaśrī, was residing. Going there, he inquired of the Blessed One, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha Padmaśrī, “Blessed Lord, what are the causes and what are the conditions for such a great light to manifest in the world, for the earth to tremble in this manner, and for the body of a tathāgata, such as this, to be present?”