Page:Sacred Books of the East - Volume 21.djvu/372

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.
324
SADDHARMA-PUNDARÎKA.
xvi.

abstract meditation, frequently engaging in abstract meditation, able in solving questions and in avoiding hundred thousands of myriads of ko/is of questions. Any Bodhisattva Mah&sattva, A^ita, who, after the Tathigata's complete extinction, shall keep this Dharmapary&ya, will have the good qualities I have described. Such a young man or young lady of good family, A^ita, must be considered to make for the terrace of enlightenment ; that young man or young lady of good family steps towards the foot of the tree of enlightenment in order to reach enlightenment. And where that young man or young lady of good family, A^ita, stands, sits, or walks, there one should make a shrine dedicated to the Tath&gata, and the world, including the gods, should say : This is a Stdpa of relics of the Tath&gata.

And on that occasion the Lord uttered the following stanzas:

37. An immense mass of merit, as I have repeatedly mentioned, shall be his who, after the complete extinction of the Leader of men, shall keep this Stitra.

38. He will have paid worship to me, and built Stflpas of relics, made of precious substances, variegated, beautiful, and splendid ;

39. In height coming up to the Brahma-world, with rows of umbrellas, great in circumference 2 , gorgeous, and decorated with triumphal streamers ;

40. Resounding with the clear ring of bells, and decorated with silk bands, while jingles moved by

One would rather expect, that place one should consider to be a shrine.

Pari»dhavanta^. There is no word for Burnoufs ' proportion^ ' (anupurva) in the text.