Page:Sacred Books of the East - Volume 21.djvu/459

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xxiv.
THE ALL-SIDED ONE.
411

in others he does so in the shape of a Bodhisattva. To some beings he shows the law in the shape of a Pratyekabuddha ; to others he does so in the shape of a disciple; to others again under that of Brahma, Indra, or a Gandharva. To those who are to be converted by a goblin, he preaches the law assuming the shape of a goblin; to those who are to be converted by l^vara, he preaches the law in the shape of 1-rvara ; to those who are to be converted by Mahesvara, he preaches assuming the shape of Mahesvara. To those who are to be converted by a Kakravartin[1], he shows the law after assuming the shape of a Kakravartin; to those who are to be converted by an imp, he shows the law under the shape of an imp; to those who are to be converted by Kubera, he shows the law by appearing in the shape of Kubera; to those who are to be converted by Sendpati[2], he preaches in the shape of Sendpati; to those who are to be converted by assuming a Br&hman[3], he preaches in the shape of a Brahman ; to those who are to be converted by Va^rapiwi 4 , he preaches in the shape of Va^rap&rci[4]. With such inconceivable qualities, young man of good family, is the Bodhi-

Va^Tapam is the name of one of the Dhyanibuddhas, and of certain geniuses, and an epithet of Indra.


  1. This term is ambiguous; it means both 'the mover of the wheel', i.e. Vishnu, and 'an emperor.'
  2. Ambiguous; the word denotes both 'the commander-in-chief of the army of the gods, Skanda,' and 'a commander-in-chief in general.'
  3. The Brahman may be Brihaspati.
  4. The functions of Avalokitesvara, as it appears from these passages, agree with those of Gadgadasvara mentioned in the foregoing chapter. Both beings have many qualities in common, just as Siva and Vishnu have.