Buddhism: The Lotus Sutra
CHAPTER XXVII.
THE PERIOD [OF THE LAW, DHARMAPARYaYA].
Thereupon the Lord (Buddha) Sakyamuni, the Tathagata, &c., rose from his
pulpit, collected the Bodhisattvas, took their right hands with his
own right hand, which had become strong by the exercise of magic,
and spoke on that occasion as follows: Into your hands, young men of
good family, I transfer and transmit, entrust and deposit this
supreme and perfect enlightenment arrived at by me after hundred
thousands of myriads of kotis of incalculable Æons. Ye, young men of
good family, do your best that it may grow and spread.
A second time, a third time the Lord (Buddha) spoke to the host of
Bodhisattvas after taking them by the right hands: Into your hands,
young men of good family, I transfer and transmit, entrust and
deposit this supreme and perfect enlightenment arrived at by me
after hundred thousands of myriads of kotis of incalculable Æons.
Receive it, young men of good family, keep, read, fathom, teach,
promulgate, and preach it to all beings. I am not avaricious, young
men of good family, nor narrow-minded; I am confident and willing to
impart Buddha-knowledge, to impart the knowledge of the Tathagata,
the knowledge of the Self-born. I am a bountiful giver, young men of
good family, and ye, young men of good family, follow my example;
imitate me in liberally showing this knowledge of the Tathagata, and
in skilfulness, and preach this Dharmaparyaya to the young men and
young ladies of good family who successively shall gather round you.
And as to unbelieving persons, rouse them to accept this law. By so
doing, young men of good family, you will acquit your debt to the
Tathagatas.
So addressed by the Lord (Buddha) Sakyamuni, the Tathagata, &c., the
Bodhisattvas filled with delight and joy, and with a feeling of
great respect they lowered, bent, and bowed their body towards the Lord (Buddha), and, the head inclined and the joined hands stretched out,
they spoke in one voice to the Lord (Buddha) Sakyamuni, the Tathagata, &c.,
the following words: We shall do, O Lord, what the Tathagata
commands; we shall fulfil the command of all Tathagatas. Let the Lord (Buddha) be at ease as to this, and perfectly quiet. A second time, a
third time the entire host of Bodhisattvas spoke in, one voice the
same words: Let the Lord (Buddha) be at ease as to this, and perfectly quiet.
We shall do, O Lord, what the Tathagata commands us; we shall fulfil
the command of all Tathagatas.
Thereupon the Lord (Buddha) Sakyamuni, the Tathagata, &c., dismissed all
those Tathagatas, &c., who had come to the gathering from other
worlds, and wished them a happy existence, with the words: May the
Tathagatas, &c., live happy. Then he restored the Stupa of precious
substances of the Lord (Buddha) Prabhutaratna, the Tathagata, &c., to its
place, and wished him also a happy existence.
Thus spoke the Lord (Buddha). The incalculable, innumerable Tathagatas, &c.,
who had come from other worlds and were sitting on their thrones at
the foot of jewel trees, as well as Prabhutaratna, the Tathagata,
&c., and the whole host of Bodhisattvas headed by Visishtakaritra,
the innumerable, incalculable Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas who had
issued from the gaps of the earth, the great disciples, the four
classes, the world, including gods, men, demons, and Gandharvas, in
ecstasy applauded the words of the Lord (Buddha).
from Buddhism: The
Lotus Sutra