Buddhist Psalms Part 2

For when sorrow and sighing are fled away, the Holy Land shall rejoice with joy and singing. Therefore is it called Paradise.

45. The Buddhas of the Three Ages and the Ten Regions, they in whom the Dual Wisdom is perfect and their illumination entire, lead all the worlds marvellously into the way of Salvation, the Truth being their Vehicle.

46. He that seeketh refuge in the Kingdom of the Infinite One is a citizen of the Kingdom of every Buddha.

Let him that is set free, with single heart give praises unto One Buddha, for in so doing he praiseth all.

47. The faithful believer at that moment when he rejoiceth in the sound of the name of the Infinite One hath revealed unto his very eyes the Buddha of Light.

48. Let him that hath faith praise the Virtue of the Divine Wisdom.

Let him strive to declare it unto all men that he may offer his thankfulness for the grace of the Buddha.

CONCERNING THE GREAT SUTRA

49. The Venerable Ananda, rising from his seat, and looking upwards to the World-Honoured Gautama Buddha, his eyes being opened, marvelled greatly, seeing the glory of his Lord so transfigured.

50. The Venerable Ananda asked the Cause of that glory, for the Lord, s.h.i.+ning in the Light that was. .h.i.therto unseen of the world, taught openly, for the first time, that Truth for which He came into the world.

51. In the meditation of the Great Calm the Buddha whose countenance is glorious, commendeth the most excellent wisdom of Ananda for that he asked the way of knowledge, desiring to be instructed.

52. That Buddha that was made flesh in India was in this world manifested that he might preach the Divine Promise of Him who is Infinite.

Hard is it to see the hidden blossom of the myriad-century-blooming Lotus, so hard also is it for a man's understanding to receive the message of that Blessed One.

53. Ten Kalpas of Ages have rolled away since He who is Infinite attained unto the Wisdom, yet before the myriads of the Kalpas He _was_.

54. He who is of the Light Ineffable, Holiest Refuge of men, ordaining that His saving grace should be made manifest, duly considered all the worlds of the Ten Regions, under the guidance of the holy Buddha of Loka-is-Vara-Raja.

55. Purity, Rejoicing, Wisdom, these three are the Supernal Essence of the light of the Infinite One that enlighteneth all things, communicating good to all the worlds of the Ten Regions.

56. Teaching all that have life in the Ten Regions, that they might, with sincerity, faith, and hope, be born again into Paradise, He set forth that promise infinite and divine-the true seed of birth within the Kingdom of Truth.

57. Whoso attaineth unto the True Faith is in unity with them that return no more to birth and death, for having thus attained, they pa.s.s onward into Nirvana, their lives being ended.

58. In His great compa.s.sion the Blessed One accomplished His infinite wisdom in His divine promise, ordaining that womanhood shall be raised into manhood.

59. Instructing all that have life in the Ten Regions how they should through sincerity, effort, and hope be born into the Temporal Paradise, He faithfully promiseth to manifest Himself unto the eyes of the dying, opening wide the gate of all righteousness before them.

60. By the divine promise to the dying of His consoling presence our Lord instructeth men that they shall make to grow all righteousness revealed in the Sutra of Meditation upon the Buddha of Infinite Life.

61. All righteous deeds done of men in true obedience to the holy Doctrine of Sincerity and right-doing, are but the seed of merit that shall be born within the Temporal Paradise.

62. Instructing All that have life in the Ten Regions how that they may through sincerity, merit, and hope be born into the Temporal Paradise, He promiseth that no man shall lose salvation, for He hath opened the Gate of Truth.

63. By the Divine Promise of the final salvation hath our Lord instructed the men of the Single Vehicle to recite His Holy Name that is the Essence of all the merit revealed in the Lesser Sutra of the Buddha of Infinite Life.

64. He that reciteth the Holy name by his own effort and in the mind of meditation or of dispersing, being led by the virtue of the divine promise of final salvation, turneth naturally in at the Gate of Truth.

65. He that holds not the True Faith, even though he desire to be born into the Pure Paradise of Joy, must go unto his own place, and it shall be in the border of the Outermost Places, for this is the fruit of doubting the mystery of the Supreme Wisdom.

66. That a man should be a Buddha, made manifest in this world, is a rare thing and difficult. So difficult is it also to hear the excellent doctrine of all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. In all the myriads of Kalpas such a way comes seldom.

67. Difficult is it for men to find a wise Teacher; so is it also for them to be instructed and to hear the Holy Law. More difficult still is it to receive the True Faith.

68. More difficult is it for men to receive the Divine Promise made unto men than to receive all other teachings.

The Lord Buddha teacheth that this is of all hard things most difficult and yet again more difficult.

69. The true Doctrine teacheth men that they may become Buddhas in reciting the Holy Name, and so therefore is it that all other faiths and moralities are but transitory doorways unto the Truth. Man comprehendeth not that Pure Land of Peace unless he holdeth fast the true Doctrine, casting aside that which is transitory.

70. Seek refuge in the Sole Vehicle of merciful promise. For the transitory teachings have let and hindered men in the Way of Enlightenment so that they must needs pa.s.s through the long weariness of births and deaths.

CONCERNING THE SUTRA OF THE MEDITATION

71. That Lord that was made flesh in India, the Lord of great pity, showing unto Vaidehi, Queen of Magadha, the golden mirror created by his marvellous power, commanded her to choose the Land of Pure Joy among all the worlds therein appearing.

72. Binbisara, he who commanded that an ascetic should be slain before his pre-ordained time was come, by his own son was imprisoned in a seven-walled prison as the due recompense of his violence.

73. Ajata-atru, prince and heir of Magadha, denouncing his mother as a traitor, with drawn sword ran furiously upon her.

74. Then said Jivaka the minister and another with him: "This act is worthy only of an outcast. For the fame of our race unworthy art thou to dwell in the Palace." And earnestly did they counsel him to change his evil purpose.

75. Laying his hand on his sword-hilt, Jivaka, the minister, drew backwards a few steps, steadfastly regarding the prince, that he might avert this great sin. And so it was that the prince laid down his sword, and secluded his mother in a palace.

76. Certain is it that Ananda with Vaidehi, Devadatta and yet others, bearing their part in this great sorrow of the royal palace of Magadha, must needs so suffer that they might know the infinite pity of the Blessed One, that Lord who in this world made manifest the true teaching.

77. And all these wise ones having so received instruction revealed unto us, who are of all evil-doers worst, the true way, the refuge of His divine promise that absolveth all the sins of men.

78. For when the full time was come that by the will of our Lord and of Vaidehi the teaching of the Pure Land should be made known here on Earth, Ajata-atru, her son, sinned this sin, Varshakara his minister bearing testimony against it.

79. It is needful that the heart of a man be opened unto the Faith universal which He who is Blessed hath shown us, forsaking the belief that his own works shall save him, for in every man the power to perform righteous deeds is differing.

CONCERNING THE LESSER SUTRA

80. The Eternal Father is called the Buddha of Infinite Light, because very mightily He holdeth in safety all beings dwelling in the Ten Regions of the world who, by His merciful enlightenment, recite His Holy Name.

81. The myriad Buddhas, unnumbered as the sands of Ganges, counsel all having life to trust in the Supernal Virtue of the Holy Name, declaring that weighed against this even righteous deeds are the lesser good.

82. The innumerable Buddhas, countless as the sands of Ganges, are a testimony and a s.h.i.+eld to all that have life in this sorrowful and sinful world, declaring unto them that teaching most high and difficult of acceptance, which is the true faith.

83. Whoso attaineth unto a Soul clear and enduring as diamond shall testify unto his thankfulness for the limitless grace of the Blessed One, for even the testimony and the safeguarding that he hath of all the Buddhas proceed only from the fulfilment of His most merciful promise.

84. The innumerable Buddhas, countless as the sands of Ganges, guide into a sure trust in the Holy Name those sinful creatures and evil-hearted that wander in the darkness of this wicked world bearing the five signs of degeneration upon it.