Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra
by Gelongma Karma Migme Ch枚dr枚n | 2001 | 941,039 words
This page describes 鈥渢he transformed saha universe compared with the padmavati universe鈥� as written by Nagarjuna in his Maha-prajnaparamita-sastra (lit. 鈥渢he treatise on the great virtue of wisdom鈥�) in the 2nd century. This book, written in five volumes, represents an encyclopedia on Buddhism as well as a commentary on the Pancavimsatisahasrika Prajnaparamita.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Act 10.9: The transformed 厂补丑腻 universe compared with the 笔补诲尘腻惫补迟墨 universe
厂奴迟谤补: The universe Houa tsi (Padm膩vati) has been mentioned which belongs [to the Buddha] P鈥檕u houa (Samantakusuma), where the bodhisattva Miao t枚 (惭补帽箩耻艣谤墨), the bodhisattva Chan tchou yi (Susthitamati) and other very powerful bodhisattvas dwell (迟补诲测补迟丑腻辫颈 苍腻尘补 笔补诲尘腻惫补迟墨 [134b] 濒辞办补诲丑腻迟耻岣� Samanatakusumasya tath膩gatasya 产耻诲诲丑补办峁迟谤补峁� yatra 惭补帽箩耻艣谤墨岣� 办耻尘腻谤补产丑奴迟补岣� prativasati Susthimati艣 ca 产辞诲丑颈蝉补迟迟惫补岣� anye ca mahaujask膩 bodhisattv膩岣�).
艢腻蝉迟谤补. 鈥� Question. 鈥� Why compare [the 厂补丑腻 universe thus transformed] with the 笔补诲尘腻惫补迟墨 universe?
Answer. 鈥� Because the [笔补诲尘腻惫补迟墨] universe always has pure lotuses and the [厂补丑腻] universe, after it has been transformed, resembles it. In making comparisons (耻辫补尘腻苍补). we customarily compare the smallest with the biggest; in this way we compare the beauty of a man鈥檚 face with the full moon (辫奴谤峁嘺尘腻蝉补).
Question. 鈥� But in the ten directions, there are other pure universes (辫补谤颈艣耻诲诲丑补濒辞办补诲丑腻迟耻) such as the Ngan lo (厂耻办丑腻惫补迟墨) of the Buddha A mi t鈥檕 (础尘颈迟腻产丑补), etc. Why take only the 笔补诲尘腻惫补迟墨 universe as comparison?
Answer. 鈥� The universe of the Buddha 础尘颈迟腻产丑补 is not like the 笔补诲尘腻惫补迟墨 universe. Why? Although the Buddha [尝辞办别艣惫补谤补谤腻箩补] guided the bik峁 Fa tsi (顿丑补谤尘腻办补谤补) in the ten directions to contemplate the pure universes, the qualities (驳耻峁嘺) and the power (bala) of this 产丑颈办峁 were [too] weak and he was unable to see the supremely pure universes. (also see Appendix 6) This is why the universes are not alike.
Furthermore, when the Buddha [艢腻办测补尘耻苍颈] transforms the [厂补丑腻] universe, he gives it a resemblance (蝉腻诲峁浥泍补) to the 笔补诲尘腻惫补迟墨 universe. This is why it is compared here to the 笔补诲尘腻惫补迟墨 universe.
Question. 鈥� There are other great bodhisattvas such as P鈥檌 mo lo k鈥檌 (痴颈尘补濒补办墨谤迟颈), Kouan che yin (础惫补濒辞办颈迟别艣惫补谤补), Pien ki (Samanatabhadra), etc. Why mention only the bodhisattvas who reside in the [笔补诲尘腻惫补迟墨] universe and be limited to citing the bodhisattvas Wen chou che li (惭补帽箩耻艣谤墨) and Chan tchou yi (Susthitamati)?
Answer. 鈥� From all the pores of his skin (别办补颈办补谤辞尘补办奴辫补), the bodhisattva Samantabhadra ceaselessly emits buddha-universes with Buddhas and bodhisattvas who fill the ten directions; as he transforms beings, he has no fixed residence. Dividing and transforming his body, the bodhisattva 惭补帽箩耻艣谤墨 penetrates into the five destinies (辫补帽肠补驳补迟颈) and sometimes acts as a 艣谤腻惫补办补, sometimes as a pratyekabuddha and sometimes as a Buddha. It is said in the Cheou leng yen san mei king (艢奴谤补峁僩补尘补蝉补尘腻诲丑颈蝉奴迟谤补):[1] 鈥淭he bodhisattva 惭补帽箩耻艣谤墨 in the past was the Buddha Long tchong tsouen (狈腻驳补鈥�); for 72 办辞峁璱 of lifetimes, he was a pratyekabuddha鈥�; his previous abodes [can be listed and described]. But for the bodhisattva Samanatabhadra, it is impossible to count, describe and know his [successive] abodes because, if he abides anywhere, it is in all the universes [without distinction]. This is why the s奴tra does not mention him here.
Besides, by speaking of 鈥榦ther very powerful bodhisattvas鈥�, the s奴tra refers to Samantabhadra and all the great bodhisattvas as a whole (蝉腻尘腻苍测补迟补岣�).
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Chou leng yen san mei king, T 642, k. 2, p. 644a.