great hell Avîki. Thereafter released from the ban, they by the instrumentality of that Bodhisattva Mahâsattva were all brought to full ripeness for supreme, perfect enlightenment. Perhaps, Mahâsthâmaprâpta, thou wilt have some doubt, uncertainty, or misgiving as to who at that time, at that juncture were the persons hooting and laughing at the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva. They are, in this very assembly, the five hundred Bodhisattvas headed by Bhadrapâla, the five hundred nuns following Simhakandrâ, the five hundred lay devotees[1] following Sugataketanâ, who all of them have been rendered inflexible in supreme, perfect enlightenment. So greatly useful it is to keep and preach this Dharmaparyâya, as it tends to result for Bodhisattvas Mahâsattvas in supreme, perfect enlightenment. Hence, Mahâsthâmaprâpta, the Bodhisattvas Mahâsattvas should, after the complete extinction of the Tathâgata, constantly keep, read, and promulgate this Dharmaparyâya.
And on that occasion the Lord uttered the following stanzas :
1. I remember a past period, when king Bhîshmasvara[2], the Gina, lived, very mighty, and revered by gods and men, the leader of men, gods, goblins, and giants.
2. At the time succeeding the complete extinction of that Gina, when the decay of the true law
- ↑ Upâsaka, the masculine; this does not suit, but on the other hand it must be admitted that the omission of male devotees is not to be accounted for. Not unlikely some words have been left out by inadvertence, not only in the Cambridge MS., but also in the MSS. known to Burnouf. Cf., however, st. 9.
- ↑ Bhîshmasvaro râga gino yadâsi.
