Part 5

Cast back their radiance the one to the other.

39. Bring homage to the perfect Righteousness.

As the pure wind blows over the trees glorious with jewels,

It draweth from them a noble music with five-fold strains of harmony.

40. In all the world is no place hidden from the glory shed by hundreds of myriad rays from the heart of every flower of Paradise.

41. Like unto a golden mountain reflecting the myriad rays of these heavenly blossoms, so is the form of the Infinite One.

42. From His Sacred Body, as from a well-spring, floweth this light over the Ten Regions of the world.

By His Sacred teaching He leadeth all having life into the way of light.

43. Seek refuge in the Treasury of Righteousness.

For in Paradise is that holy lake, with its waters of eightfold Virtue, all-glorious with the seven jewels. And all this is the inconceivable handiwork of Purity.

44. Seek refuge in the All-Honoured.

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, shining in the Light that was hitherto 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.