At that time then, .SSriputra, the Buddha-field of that Lord, the Tath&gata Padmaprabha, to be called Virata, will be level, pleasant, delightful, extremely beautiful to see, pure, prosperous, rich, quiet, abounding with food, replete with many races of men 1 ; it will consist of lapis lazuli, and contain a checker-board of eight compartments distinguished by gold threads, each compartment having its jewel tree always and perpetually filled with blossoms and fruits of seven precious substances.
Now that Tathâgata Padmaprabha, &c, *S$riputra, will preach the law by the instrumentality of three vehicles 2 . Further, .Siriputra, that Tath&gata will not appear at the decay of the Æon, but preach the law by virtue of a vow.
That Æon t .S&riputra, will be named Mahâratnapratimandita (i. e. ornamented with magnificent jewels). Knowest thou, *S$riputra, why that Æon is named Mahâratnapratimandita? The Bodhisattvas of a Buddha-field, .SSriputra, are called ratnas (jewels), and at that time there will be many Bodhisattvas in that sphere (called) Virata; innumerable, incalculable, beyond computation, abstraction made from their being computed by the Tathâgatas. On that account is that Æon called Mahâratnapratimandita.
Now, to proceed, .S&riputra, at that period the
difficult to make out which pair of twins is meant in any particular case. The sun himself appears in the function of Yama, because it is he who makes twilight.
One MS. reads bahuganamanushy&kirna, the other bahuganamaruprakirna.
Cf. the threefold vehicle, trivrit ratha, of the Asvins, Rigveda I, 34, 9.12, 47, 2.
