The Awakening of Faith
In the Mahayana Doctrine
The New Buddhism
by the Patriarch Ashvagosha
TRANSLATOR'S SUPPLEMENTARY MATTER
THE GREAT PHYSICIAN'S TWELVE DESIRES (VOWS)
NOTE
THE first Buddhist temple in or around Nara in Japan was built by
Koreans, at the invitation of the Japanese rulers in the sixth
century of the Christian era.
One of the most remarkable sights I have seen in Japan is a temple
at Horiyuji, near Nara, to the Great Physician (Yakushi they call
him). It is filled with innumerable votive offerings, to show that
the sick were healed by prayers to him. The zeal of modern Christian
scientists is far more than eclipsed by this wonderful record of
fifteen centuries there.
By bringing the highest ideals of the East and the West together for
comparison, it is hoped that special attention should be called to
this rather than to the failings and low practices of either East or
West.
The Scripture which describes this Great Physician has one very
striking passage on his twelve Vows or Purpose in coming to the
world. These twelve Vows I translate below--
1. I come from Heaven with the highest wisdom to shine on infinite
innumerable worlds accompanied by thirty-two great angels, different
forms of Kwanyin, and glorious legions, it will be for the purpose
of delivering all beings, to be godlike like myself.
2. I come with my body within and without pure as crystal, without a
flaw, with great light and profound virtue living in peace with a
glory surpassing that of sun and moon, it will be to enlighten all
who are living in darkness.
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3. I come again with wisdom bringing infinite knowledge and goodness
so that no living creature may suffer from any want but have all
they need.
4. I come in order that those who are in evil ways may find peace in
the way of wisdom, and in order that those who only know the old
Buddhism, may know the new Buddhism.
5. I come in order that the multitudes who study religion may
discover the perfect way, and if they have erred on hearing my name
may be delivered from hell, and also attain to holiness.
6. I come so that all beings who are cripples, ugly and foolish,
blind, deaf and dumb, hunchback, leprous and mad, and all sorts of
suffering, on hearing my name may be healed of all their diseases.
7. I come so that the incurables, the homeless, those without
doctors or medicine, without friends or relatives, the poor and the
sorrowful, on hearing my name shall be delivered from all their
troubles and live in peace of mind and body, have their families
flourish in abundance and attain the highest wisdom.
8. I come so that women driven by all sorts of trials to hate their
lives, and no longer desire to be women, on hearing my name may be
changed to men, and attain the highest wisdom.
9. I come so that those who are in the bonds of evil spirits, or of
heresies fallen into all sorts of evil, on hearing my name may be
led to right knowledge, and gradually practise goodness and attain
to the highest wisdom.
10. I come so that those who have fallen to the clutches of the law,
are bound and beaten and imprisoned, or are about
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to be executed or have endless calamities, insults, sorrows burning
both body and soul, on hearing my name may secure my grace and
power, and be delivered from all their sorrows.
11. I come so that those driven by hunger and thirst to do wrong, on
hearing my name shall be fed and satisfied with wisdom and find
perfect rest.
12. I come so that all the poor and naked, and those suffering from
heat and cold, and divers flies and secret creepers night and day,
on hearing my name may turn to practise religion, according to their
bent, will receive the garments of highest wisdom, glorious
treasures and best music, and be fully satisfied with all.
THE CREED OF HALF ASIA
TO SIN KING
THIS Creed deserves to rank among the sublimest literary productions
of the human mind, from Job to Kant, together with those of the best
thinkers of India and China.
Many devout people of the Confucian and Taoist schools, as well as
Buddhists, recite it daily just as Christians sing a choice hymn.
It states the solid fundamental principles of religion which commend
themselves, not merely to the majority of Asiatics, but also to the
majority of men universally. It includes the need of Divine Power to
save men, the great At-One-ment, Divine Inspiration, Divinest
Miracles, past, present, and to come, and Immortality.
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When this best Eastern thought is united to the best Western
thought, whatever may be deficient in definition in either singly,
may meet the approval of that conscience which God has given to
mankind collectively.
The Creed is as follows--
Hail self-existent Illuminator. Who in exercising deepest Wisdom
seest the unreality of all that is reached by the five senses, and
canst save from all troubles and dangers.
O Sariputra (the Divine Seed?), the Manifested is not different from
the Eternal, and the Eternal is not different from the Manifested.
Thought and Action are also thus mutually related.
The Divine Seed (?) is the Eternal in all laws of the Universe. He
was never born, nor will ever die.
He is neither clean nor unclean, is neither added to nor subtracted
from. He is without sorrow, and will not perish. He is without
acquired Wisdom, because he has received none.
The Illuminators depending on this Eternal Wisdom are without
anxiety. Having no anxiety, they have no fear and are far from
impossible dreams and thoughts. They are eventually immortals.
All the Illuminated past, present, and to come, depending on this
Divine Wisdom, obtain the Highest Wisdom.
Therefore know that this Divine Wisdom is a great Divine Magic, a
great brilliant magic, the greatest magic, and a magic without a
peer.
It can deliver you from all kinds of troubles. This is a real truth
without any falsehood. Therefore in repeating this magic
Incantation, sum up and say--
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Praise, Praise,
Praise God.
Praise His eternal wisdom (Law)
Praise the students of this Law
The Illumined!
(Translated from the Buddhist Tripitaka, Nanjio's Catalogue, No 20)
from: Mahayana Buddhism:
The Awakening of
Faith