Page:Sacred Books of the East - Volume 21.djvu/434

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386
SADDHARMA-PUNDARÎKA.
xxii.

dom, sons, daughters, and wives, the whole triple world with its woods, oceans, mountains, springs, streams, tanks, wells, and gardens. And, Nakshatrarâgasaṅkusumitâbhia, the young man or young lady of good family, striving in the Bodhisattva- vehicle for the goal, who after filling with the seven precious substances this whole triple world should give it in alms to all Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, disciples, Pratyekabuddhas, that young man or young lady of good family, Nakshatrarâgasaṅkusumitâbhia, does not produce so much pious merit as a young man or young lady of good family who shall keep, were it but a single verse from this Dharmapary&ya of the Lotus of the True Law. I positively declare that the accumulation of merit of the latter is greater than if a person, after filling the whole triple world with the seven precious substances, bestows it in alms on all Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, disciples, or Pratyekabuddhas.

Just as the great ocean, Nakshatrarâgasaṅkusumitâbhia, surpasses all springs, streams, and tanks, so, Nakshatrarâgasaṅkusumitâbhia, this Dharmaparyiya of the Lotus of the True Law surpasses all Stitras spoken by the Tathigata. Just as the Sumeru, the king of mountains, Nakshatrarâgasaṅkusumitâbhia, all elevations at the cardinal points 2 , horizon circles and great horizons[1], so,

Or, the Tathdgatas. The same alternative in the sequel. All Sutras in the world have their source in the Tathdgata, of course: ; just as all Vedas, ItMsas, &c. are the breathing out, the uttering of the sentient principle, the dtman ; »Satapatha-Br&hma»aXIV, 5, 4,1 3.

Kdlaparvata, literally, 'time mountain,' because the points of rising and setting are called parvata, giri, &c, mountain in Sanskrit.


  1. The whole horizon is also an apparent elevation and therefore likewise called parvata, &c.