The White Lotus of the Good Dharma
The Past of Bhaiṣajyarāja
Toh 113
Degé Kangyur, vol. 51 (mdo sde, ja), folios 1.b–180.b
- Surendrabodhi
- Yeshé De
Imprint
Translated by Peter Alan Roberts
under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha
First published 2018
Current version v 1.2.19 (2024)
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84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha is a global non-profit initiative to translate all the Buddha’s words into modern languages, and to make them available to everyone.
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Table of Contents
Summary
The White Lotus of the Good Dharma, popularly known as the Lotus Sūtra, is taught by Buddha Śākyamuni on Vulture Peak to an audience that includes bodhisattvas from countless realms, as well as bodhisattvas who emerge from under the ground, from the space below this world. Buddha Prabhūtaratna, who has long since passed into nirvāṇa, appears within a floating stūpa to hear the sūtra, and Śākyamuni enters the stūpa and sits beside him. The Lotus Sūtra is celebrated, particularly in East Asia, for its presentation of crucial elements of the Mahāyāna tradition, such as the doctrine that there is only one yāna, or “vehicle”; the distinction between expedient and definite teachings; and the notion that the Buddha’s life, enlightenment, and parinirvāṇa were simply manifestations of his transcendent buddhahood, while he continues to teach eternally. A recurring theme in the sūtra is its own significance in teaching these points during past and future eons, with many passages in which the Buddha and bodhisattvas such as Samantabhadra describe the great benefits that come from devotion to it, the history of its past devotees, and how it is the Buddha’s ultimate teaching, supreme over all other sūtras.
Acknowledgements
The White Lotus of the Good Dharma Sūtra was translated from Tibetan with reference to the Sanskrit by Peter Alan Roberts. Ling Lung Chen was the consultant for the Chinese versions. Emily Bower was the project manager and editor. Ben Gleason was the proofreader.
The translation was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.
The generous sponsorship of May & George Gu, which helped make the work on this translation possible, is most gratefully acknowledged.
Text Body
The White Lotus of the Good Dharma
The Past of Bhaiṣajyarāja
Then the bodhisattva mahāsattva Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña said to the Bhagavān, “Bhagavān, through what cause is the bodhisattva mahāsattva Bhaiṣajyarāja active in this Sahā world realm? Bhagavān, he must have undergone many hundred thousands of quintillions of hardships. I request the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the perfectly enlightened Buddha to speak of just a fraction of what the bodhisattva mahāsattva Bhaiṣajyarāja has practiced, so that those who have heard the Bhagavān—the devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans and nonhumans, and the bodhisattva mahāsattvas who have arrived here from other world realms and these great śrāvakas—will all be pleased, delighted, and happy.”
The Bhagavān, knowing the request made by the bodhisattva mahāsattva Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, then said to the bodhisattva mahāsattva Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, “Noble one, in the past, in a time gone by, as many eons ago as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River, at that time there appeared in the world the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha, the one with perfect wisdom and conduct, the sugata, the knower of the world, the unsurpassable guide who tamed beings, the teacher of gods and humans, the buddha, the bhagavān named Candrasūryavimalaprabhāsaśrī.
“Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, the tathāgata, the arhat [F.150.a], perfectly enlightened buddha Candrasūryavimalaprabhāsaśrī had a great following of eighty million bodhisattvas. He had a following of as many śrāvakas as there are grains of sand in seventy-two Ganges Rivers. In the time of his teaching there were no women, there were no beings in hell, there were no births as animals, there were no pretas, and no asuras. His buddha realm was delightful, as flat as the palm of a hand, its ground made of divine beryl, which was adorned by precious sandalwood trees. It was beautified by nets of jewels, hung with silk streamers, and perfumed by incense from precious censers. At an arrow-shot distance from the foot of all the precious trees there were precious high platforms. Upon each of those precious high platforms there were billions of devas playing musical instruments and cymbals, and singing songs in order to make offerings to the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Candrasūryavimalaprabhāsaśrī.
“The Bhagavān taught those śrāvakas and bodhisattva mahāsattvas extensively this Dharma teaching, The White Lotus of the Good Dharma, commencing with the bodhisattva mahāsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarśana.
“Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Candrasūryavimalaprabhāsaśrī’s lifespan was forty-two thousand eons. The lifespans of those bodhisattva mahāsattvas and those śrāvakas were the same. The bodhisattva mahāsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarśana was dedicated to hardship in following the teaching of that Bhagavān. For twelve thousand years he progressed574 [F.150.b] with great diligence in his practice. After twelve thousand years had passed he attained the samādhi called manifestation of all forms. As soon as he attained that samādhi, the bodhisattva mahāsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarśana was pleased and delighted, joyous and happy.
“At that time, he thought, ‘I have attained the samādhi called manifestation of all forms through this Dharma teaching, The White Lotus of the Good Dharma.’ Also at that time, the bodhisattva mahāsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarśana thought, ‘In this way, I shall make an offering to the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Candrasūryavimalaprabhāsaśrī and to this Dharma teaching, The White Lotus of the Good Dharma.’
“He then entered that samādhi, and as soon as the bodhisattva mahāsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarśana entered that samādhi, at that moment, there fell from the sky above a great rain of divine coral tree flowers and great coral tree flowers. Clouds of benzoin resin and sandalwood formed, and there fell a great rain of uragasāra sandalwood.
“Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, this entire Sahā world realm would not be enough for the price of two karṣa of that kind of perfume.575
“Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, then the bodhisattva mahāsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarśana mindfully and knowingly arose from that samādhi. After arising from that samādhi, he thought, ‘This manifestation of miraculous events cannot serve as an offering to the Bhagavān in the way that giving my own body would be.’ [F.151.a]
“Then at that time, Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, the bodhisattva mahāsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarśana ate agarwood, frankincense, and mastic resin, and drank magnolia oil.
“Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, in this way the bodhisattva mahāsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarśana continually ate incenses and drank magnolia oil for twelve years.
“Then, Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, after twelve years had passed, the bodhisattva mahāsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarśana wrapped his body in divine cotton and soaked it with sesame oil, and, having made his firm resolve,576 he burned his own body as an offering to the Tathāgata and to this Dharma teaching, The White Lotus of the Good Dharma.
“Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, the light from the burning body of the bodhisattva mahāsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarśana shone throughout as many world realms as there are grains of sand in eighty Ganges Rivers. The buddha bhagavāns, as numerous as the grains of sand in eighty Ganges Rivers, who were in those world realms exclaimed, ‘Excellent, noble one! Excellent! This is the true application of the diligence of the bodhisattva mahāsattvas. This is the true offering to a tathāgata and to the Dharma. The offering of flowers, incense, perfume, garlands, ointments, powders, clothing, parasols, banners, and divine flags, and the offering of other material gifts, and the offering of uragasāra sandalwood does not compare. Noble one, this is the supreme gift. [F.151.b] Giving away one’s kingdom does not compare. Giving away one’s beloved children and spouses does not compare. Noble one, this Dharma offering of giving away your own body is the preeminent, the highest offering—the best, the most excellent offering.’
“Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, those buddha bhagavāns spoke those words and then were silent.
“Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, the bodhisattva mahāsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarśana’s body burned without going out for twelve years. Afterward, when twelve years had passed, the fire went out.
“Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, the bodhisattva mahāsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarśana made that kind of offering to the Tathāgata and to the Dharma. Then after he had died, during the time of the teaching of the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Candrasūryavimalaprabhāsaśrī, he was reborn into the family of King Vimaladatta. He was miraculously born sitting cross-legged on his mother’s lap. As soon as the bodhisattva mahāsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarśana was born, at that time he recited this verse to his parents:
“After the bodhisattva mahāsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarśana had recited that verse, he said to his parents, ‘Father and Mother, the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Candrasūryavimalaprabhāsaśrī is now alive, present, and continues to remain in this world. He is the Bhagavān to whom I made this offering and attained the power of retention that is skill in all words. He is the Bhagavān from whom I heard this Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma [F.152.a] taught in eighty times577 a hundred thousand quintillion verses, a thousand trillion verses,578 a hundred thousand trillion579 verses, and ten quintillion580 verses. Therefore, Father, Mother, it would be excellent for me to go before the Bhagavān. Then when I am there I will make offerings to the Bhagavān.’
“Then, Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, at that time the bodhisattva mahāsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarśana rose into the air to the height of seven palm trees and, sitting cross-legged in a kūṭāgāra made of the seven precious materials, he went into the presence of the Bhagavān. Having arrived there he bowed his head to the Bhagavān’s feet, circumambulated the Bhagavān seven times, and with his hands together in homage he bowed toward the Bhagavān and, paying homage to the Bhagavān, he praised him by reciting this verse:
“Then he said to the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Candrasūryavimalaprabhāsaśrī, ‘Bhagavān, will you continue to remain?’
“Then, Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Candrasūryavimalaprabhāsaśrī [F.152.b] replied to the bodhisattva mahāsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarśana, ‘Noble one, the time for me to pass into nirvāṇa has come. Noble one, the time when my life is to end has come. Noble one, go and prepare my dais, for I will pass into nirvāṇa.’
“Then, Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Candrasūryavimalaprabhāsaśrī said to the bodhisattva mahāsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarśana, ‘Noble one, I entrust this teaching to you. I entrust to you these bodhisattva mahāsattvas, these great śrāvakas, this enlightenment of buddhahood, this world realm, these precious platforms, these precious trees, and these devas who are honoring me. Noble one, I also entrust to you whatever relics there will be from my passing into nirvāṇa. Noble one, make vast offerings to my relics, distribute my relics widely, and construct many thousands of stūpas.’
“Then, Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Candrasūryavimalaprabhāsaśrī having thus instructed the bodhisattva mahāsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarśana, in the last division of that night he passed into nirvāṇa, into the realm of nirvāṇa that has no remainder.
“Then, Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, when the bodhisattva mahāsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarśana saw that the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Candrasūryavimalaprabhāsaśrī had passed into nirvāṇa, [F.153.a] he made a heap of uragasāra sandalwood and cremated the body of the Tathāgata. When he saw that the cremation fire of the Tathāgata had gone out, he collected the relics, weeping, wailing, and lamenting.
“Then, Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, the bodhisattva mahāsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarśana, weeping, wailing, and lamenting, had eighty-four thousand vases made of the seven precious materials, and he placed the relics of the Tathāgata inside them. He had eighty-four thousand stūpas constructed that were also made of the seven precious materials and were so high they reached the realm of Brahmā. They were adorned by a tier of parasols and were hung with streamers and bells. Having had these stūpas constructed he thought, ‘I have made an offering to the relics of Bhagavān Candrasūryavimalaprabhāsaśrī, of the Tathāgata, but I shall make a far greater and higher offering than that to the relics of the Tathāgata.’
“Then, Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, the bodhisattva mahāsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarśana said to the all-inclusive assembly of bodhisattvas, and the assembly of the great śrāvakas, and the devas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, and nonhumans, ‘Noble ones, think of making offerings to the relics of the Bhagavān!’
“Then, Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, at that time the bodhisattva mahāsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarśana, in front of the eighty-four thousand stūpas, burned his arm that was adorned by a hundred merits. Burning his arm, he made an offering to those stūpas of the Tathāgata for seventy-two thousand years. [F.153.b] Through making that offering, he guided countless hundred thousands of quintillions of śrāvakas. Also all the bodhisattvas attained the samādhi called manifestation of all forms.
“Then, Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, the all-inclusive assembly of bodhisattvas, and the great śrāvakas, seeing that the bodhisattva mahāsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarśana had lost a limb, wept, wailed, lamented, and cried out to each other, ‘Our master and teacher, the bodhisattva mahāsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarśana, does not now have all his limbs; he has lost an arm!’
“Then, Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, the bodhisattva mahāsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarśana said to those bodhisattva mahāsattvas, great śrāvakas, and devas, ‘Noble ones, do not weep on seeing that I have lost a limb. Do not wail! Do not lament! Noble ones, I take as my witness all the buddha bhagavāns that live, are present, and remain in the endless infinite world realms in the ten directions, and before them I make this resolution of the truth. Through the truth, through true words, through having given up my arm as an offering to the Tathāgata, may my body become golden. Through the truth, the true words of that, may my arm be restored as it was before. May this great earth shake six times, and may a great rain of flowers be cast down by the devas who dwell in the sky.’ [F.154.a]
“Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, as soon as the bodhisattva mahāsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarśana had made that resolution of the truth, the world realm of a thousand million worlds shook in six ways, a rain of flowers fell from the sky, and the bodhisattva mahāsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarśana’s arm was restored as it was before, which was due to the bodhisattva mahāsattva’s having gained the power of wisdom and having gained the power of merit.
“Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, are you uncertain, unsure, undecided, thinking that the bodhisattva mahāsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarśana at that time, on that occasion, was anyone else? Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, do not have that view. Why is that? Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, this bodhisattva mahāsattva Bhaiṣajyarāja was at that time, on that occasion, the bodhisattva mahāsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarśana.
“Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, the bodhisattva mahāsattva Bhaiṣajyarāja accomplished those hundred thousand quintillion hardships, and he gave up his body.
“Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, the noble man or noble woman who enters the Bodhisattvayāna, through wishing for this highest, complete enlightenment, should burn the big toe of a foot for the caityas of the Tathāgata—they should burn a finger or a toe or a limb or an arm. That noble man or noble woman who has entered the Bodhisattvayāna [F.154.b] will thus create a much greater amount of merit. Giving up a kingdom is not comparable. Giving up a beloved spouse, son, or daughter is not comparable. Giving up a world realm of a billion worlds with its forests, oceans, mountains, rivers, lakes, ponds, wells, and parks is not comparable.
“Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, if a noble man or noble woman who has entered the Bodhisattvayāna were to give this world realm of a billion worlds filled with the seven precious materials to all the buddhas, bodhisattvas, śrāvakas, and pratyekabuddhas, Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, that noble man or noble woman would not create as much merit as that created by the noble man or noble woman who possesses just one four-line verse from this Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma. It is taught that their merit would be much greater. Giving this world realm of a billion worlds filled with the seven precious materials to all the buddhas, bodhisattvas, śrāvakas, and pratyekabuddhas is not comparable.
“Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, it is like the way that the ocean is supreme over all rivers, lakes, and ponds.
“Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, in that same way, this Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma is supreme over all the sūtras taught by all the tathāgatas.
“Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, [F.155.a] it is like the way that Sumeru, the king of mountains, is supreme over the Kāla, Cakravāla, and Mahācakravāla mountains.
“Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, in that same way, this Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma is supreme over all the sūtras taught by all the tathāgatas.
“Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, it is like the way that the moon is supreme in brightness over the stars.
“Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, in that same way, the bright light of this Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma is supreme over that of a hundred thousand quintillion moons.
“Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, it is like the way that the disk of the sun eliminates all darkness.
“Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, in that same way, this Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma eliminates all the darkness of bad actions.
“Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, it is like the way that Śakra is the lord of devas among the devas of Trāyastriṃśa.
“Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, in that same way, this Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma is the lord of all the sūtras taught by the tathāgatas.
“Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, it is like the way that Brahmā, lord of Sahā, is the king over all the Brahmakāyika devas and acts as their father in the Brahmā paradise.
“Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, in that same way, this Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma is the father of all beings, both those in training and those who have transcended training, and all who have entered the Śrāvakayāna, Pratyekabuddhayāna,581 or Bodhisattvayāna. [F.155.b]
“Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, it is like the way that the stream entrants, the once-returners, the nonreturners, the arhats, and pratyekabuddhas have transcended all ordinary, foolish beings.
“Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, in that same way, this Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma has transcended all the other sūtras taught by the tathāgatas, is superior to them, and is supreme among them.
“Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, know that those who possess this king of the sūtras are supreme among all beings.
“Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, it is like the way that the bodhisattva is supreme over all the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas.
“Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, in that same way, this Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma is supreme over all the sūtras taught by the tathāgatas.
“Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, it is like the way that the Tathāgata is crowned King of the Dharma among all the śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, and bodhisattvas.
“Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, in the same way, this Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma is like the Tathāgata for all those who have entered the Bodhisattvayāna.
“Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, this Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma protects beings from all fear, and frees them from all suffering. It is like a pond for those who are thirsty. It is like clothing for the naked. [F.156.a] It is like a caravan leader for merchants. It is like a mother for children. It is like a boat for those crossing to the opposite shore. It is like medicine for the sick. It is like a lamp for those in the obscuration of darkness. It is like jewels for those wishing for wealth. It is like a cakravartin for all minor kings. It is like the ocean for rivers. It is like a torch for dispelling all darkness.
“Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, in the same way, this Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma frees from all suffering. It ends all illness. It frees from all the distress of the bondage of saṃsāra.
“Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, for the person who hears this Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma, writes it down, or has someone write it, and who, Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, possesses this Dharma teaching, or teaches it, hears it, writes it down or has someone write it, makes a volume of it, honors it, venerates it, worships it, and makes offerings to it—makes many kinds of offerings to it, such as flowers, incense, perfume, garlands, ointments, powders, cloth, parasols, banners, flags, music, clothing, the act of placing hands together in homage, lamps of ghee, lamps of sesame oil, lamps of perfumed sesame oil, lamps of magnolia oil, and lamps of royal jasmine, bignonia, gardenia, and shrubby jasmine oils—even the wisdom of the buddhas is unable to know the limits of the merit created by such honoring, venerating, worshiping, and offering. [F.156.b]
“Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, the noble man or noble woman who has entered the Bodhisattvayāna and possesses this chapter, ‘The Past of Bhaiṣajyarāja,’ teaches it, or listens to it will generate much merit. If a woman hears and possesses this Dharma teaching, that will be her last life as a woman.
“Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, a woman who, in the final five hundred years, hears and practices this chapter, ‘The Past of Bhaiṣajyarāja,’ when she dies will be reborn in the world realm Sukhāvatī. There he582 will be born upon a lion throne in the center of a lotus where the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Amitāyus, encircled by an assembly of bodhisattvas, lives, is present, and remains. There he will not be afflicted by desire, anger, ignorance, pride, envy, rage, or malice. As soon as he is born there he will possess the five higher knowledges. He will also attain receptivity to the birthlessness of phenomena.
“Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, that bodhisattva mahāsattva, having attained receptivity to the birthlessness of phenomena, will see tathāgatas as numerous as the grains of sand in seventy-two Ganges Rivers. With his purified eyes he will see those buddha bhagavāns. In that way the faculty of his eyes will be purified. Also those buddha bhagavāns will congratulate him, saying, ‘Noble one, it is excellent that you have heard this Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma, [F.157.a] and had bestowed upon you, recited, meditated on, and contemplated the words of Buddha Śākyamuni. Noble one, the merit you have created cannot be burned by fire or swept away by water. Noble one, the merit you have created cannot be described even by a hundred thousand buddhas. Noble one, you have defeated the opposing forces of the māras, you have crossed the ocean of existence, you have crushed the assault of the enemy. You have been empowered by a hundred thousand buddhas. Noble one, there is no one like you in the world with its devas. Other than the Tathāgata, no śrāvaka, pratyekabuddha, or bodhisattva can outshine your merit, knowledge, wisdom, or samādhi.’
“Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, that bodhisattva mahāsattva will attain that kind of development of knowledge.
“Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, if someone hears the teaching of this chapter, ‘The Past of Bhaiṣajyarāja,’ and says, ‘It is excellent! Excellent!’ the scent of the blue lotus will come from their mouth, and their body will have the aroma of sandalwood. One who, when this Dharma teaching is being taught, says, ‘This is excellent!’ gains these kinds of evident qualities that I have taught.
“Therefore, Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, I entrust you with this chapter on the history of the bodhisattva mahāsattva Sarvasattvapriyadarśana so that in the future, in the later times, during the final five hundred years, it will be practiced in Jambudvīpa and will not vanish; so that Māra, the evil one, will find no opportunity to attack it; and so that the devas, nāgas, [F.157.b] yakṣas, gandharvas, and mahoragas who belong to the class of māras will find no opportunity to attack it.
“Therefore, Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, this Dharma teaching is blessed to be like medicine for those beings in Jambudvīpa who are sick, who are afflicted by illness. When one has heard this Dharma teaching, the body will not be afflicted by illness, and there will no aging or premature death.
“Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, if someone who has entered the Bodhisattvayāna sees a bhikṣu who possesses this sūtra, they should sprinkle him with sandalwood powder and with blue lotuses. And having scattered those, they should have the thought, ‘This noble man is going to the Bodhimaṇḍa, he will obtain grass, he will lay out the grass at the Bodhimaṇḍa, he will defeat the māras, he will blow the conch of the Dharma, he will beat the drum of the Dharma, and he will cross the ocean of saṃsāra.’
“Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, a noble man or noble woman who has entered the Bodhisattvayāna should develop that thought when they see a bhikṣu who possesses this kind of sūtra. In that way there will be those qualities that are the qualities that have been described by the Tathāgata.”
When the chapter “The Past of Bhaiṣajyarāja” was taught, eighty-four thousand bodhisattvas attained the power of retention that possesses skill in words.
The bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Prabhūtaratna also commended Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, saying, “It is excellent, excellent that you have asked the Tathāgata about the Dharma that has inconceivable qualities.” [F.158.a]
This concludes “The Past of Bhaiṣajyarāja,” the twenty-second chapter of the Dharma teaching of “The White Lotus of the Good Dharma.”
Colophon
Translated, revised, and finalized by the Indian Upādhyāya Surendrabodhi and the chief editor Lotsawa Bandé Nanam Yeshé Dé.
Bibliography
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phal po che’i mdo (Avataṁsakasūtra) [A Multitude of Buddhas Sūtra]. Toh 44, Degé Kangyur vols. 35–38 (phal chen, ka–a), folios ka 1a–nga 363a.
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