gods of paradise, and at that birth shall eighty^four thousand heavenly nymphs immediately come near them. Adorned with a high crown, they shall as angels dwell amongst those nymphs. Such is the mass of merit resulting from writing this Dharmapary&ya; how much greater will be the mass of merit reaped by those who recite, study, meditate, remember it ! Therefore, young men of good family 1 , one ought to honour this Dharmapary&ya of the Lotus of the True Law, and write it with the utmost attention. He who writes it with undistracted attention shall be supported by the hands of a thousand Buddhas, and at the moment of his death he shall see another thousand of Buddhas from face to face. He shall not sink down into a state of wretchedness, and after disappearing from this world he shall enter the company of the Tushita-gods, where the Bodhi- sattva Mah&sattva Maitreya is residing, and where, marked by the thirty-two sublime characteristics, surrounded by a host of Bodhisattvas, and waited upon by hundred thousands of myriads of ko/is of heavenly nymphs he is preaching the law. Therefore, then, young men of good family, a wise young man or young lady of good family should respectfully write this Dharmapary&ya of the Lotus of the True Law, respectfully recite it, respectfully study it, respect- fully treasure it up in his (or her) mind. By writing, reciting, studying this Dharmapary&ya, and by trea- suring it up in ones mind, young men of good family, one is to acquire innumerable good qualities. Hence a wise young man or young lady of good
Burnoufs reading has, O Lord. The reading of the Cambridge MS. is no mere mistake, for we find it repeated in the sequel.
