38. 'And again, O Ananda, all those beings who have been
born in that Buddha country recite the story of the Law, which is accompanied
by omniscience. And for the beings in that Buddha country there exists no idea
of property whatever. And all those going and walking through that Buddha
country feel neither pleasure nor pain; stepping forward they have no desire,
and with desire they do not step forward. They give no thought to any beings.
And again, O Ananda, for those beings who have been born in that world
Sukhavati, there is no idea of others, no idea of self, no idea of inequality,
no strife, no dispute, no opposition. Full of equanimity, of benevolent thought,
of tender thought, of affectionate thought, of useful thought, of serene
thought, of firm thought, of unbiassed thought, of undisturbed thought, of
unagitated thought, of thought (fixed on) the practice of discipline and
transcendent wisdom, having entered on knowledge which is a firm support to all
thoughts, equal to the ocean in wisdom, equal to the mountain Meru in
knowledge, rich in many good qualities, delighting in the music of the
Bodhyangas, devoted to the music of Buddha, they discard the eye of flesh, and
assume the heavenly eye. And having approached the eye of wisdom, having
reached the eye of the Law, producing the eye of Buddha, showing it, lighting
it, and fully exhibiting it, they attain perfect wisdom. And being bent on the
equilibrium of the three elements, having subdued and calmed their thoughts,
endowed with a perception of the causes of all things, clever in explanation of
causes, endowed with the power of explaining the Law (or things such as they
really are), clever in taking and refusing, clever in leading and not leading,
clever in resting, they, being regardless of worldly stories, derive true
pleasures from stories transcending the world. They are clever in examining all
things, familiar with the knowledge of the cessation of the working of all
things, perceiving even what cannot be seen, caring for nothing, attached to
nothing, without cares, without pain, free without clinging to anything, free
from impurity, of blameless behaviour, not clinging to anything, intent on the
deep or profound laws, they do not sink, elevated to the entrance into the
knowledge of Buddha difficult to comprehend, having obtained the path of one
vehicle, free from doubt, beyond the reach of questionings, knowing the
thoughts of others, free from self-confidence. Being elevated in knowledge,
they are like the Sumeru; being imperturbable in thought, they are like the
ocean; they surpass the light of the sun and moon, by the light of wisdom, and
by the whiteness, brilliancy, purity, and beauty of their knowledge; by their
light and splendour, they are like the colour of molten gold ; by their
patiently bearing the good and evil deeds of all beings, they are like the
earth; by their cleaning and carrying off the taint of all sins, they are like
water; by their burning the evil of pride, in anything, they are like the king
of fire; by not clinging to anything, they are like the wind; by pervading all
things and yet not caring for anything, they are like the ether; by not being
tainted by the whole world, they are like lotuses; by their shouting forth the
Law, they are like the great cloud at the rainy season; by showering down the
whole ocean of the Law, they are like the great rain; by overpowering great
troops, they are like bulls; by the highest restraint of their thoughts, they
are like great elephants ; by being well trained, they are like noble horses;
by their fearlessness, confidence, and heroism, they are like the lion, the
king of beasts ; by affording protection to all beings, they are like the Nyagrodha
(fig-tree), the king of trees; by not being shaken by any calumniators, they
are like the (Sumeru), the king of mountains; by their feeling of unlimited
love, they are like the sky; by their precedence, owing to their command of the
Law, and their stock of all merit, they are like the great Brahman; by their
not dwelling in what they have accumulated, they are like birds; by their
scattering all calumniators, they are like Garuda, king of birds; by their not
being averse to our obtaining difficult things, they are like the Udumbara
flowers; calm like elephants, because their senses are neither crooked nor
shaken; clever in decision, full of the sweet flavour of patience; without
envy, because they do not hanker after the happiness of others; wise, because
in their search after the Law, never tired of discussions on the Law; like the
precious beryl, through their value; (like) jewel-mines, by their sacred
knowledge; sweet-sounding by the noise of the great drum of the Law, striking
the great kettledrum of the Law, blowing the great trumpet-shell of the Law,
raising the great banner of the Law, lighting the torch of the Law, looking for
wisdom, not foolish, faultless, passionless, pure, refined, not greedy, fond of
distributing, generous, open-handed, fond of distributing gifts, not stingy in
giving instruction and food, not attached, without fear, without desires, wise,
patient, energetic, bashful, orderly, fearless, full of knowledge, happy,
pleasant to live with, obliging, enlightening the world, free from sorrow, free
from taint, having left off the winking of the eye, possessing lightly acquired
knowledge, strong in reasoning, strong in prayer, not crooked, not perverse;
then, having accumulated a hundred thousand niyutas of kotis of lakshas of
virtue, delivered from the thorns of pride, free from illusion, hatred, and
passion; pure, devoted to what is pure, famous by the Gina-power, learned in
the world, elevated by their purified knowledge, sons of the Gina, endowed with
the vigour of thought, heroes, firm, unselfish, free from faults, unequalled,
free from anger, collected, noble, heroes, bashful, energetic, possessed of
memory, understanding, and prudence; sending forth the weapons of knowledge,
possessed of purity, shining, free from faults and taints, endowed with memory,
resting on serene knowledge. And such, O Ananda, are the beings in that Buddha
country, stated briefly. But if the Tathagatas should describe them fully, even
in a length of life that should last for a hundred thousand niyutas of kotis of
kalpas, yet the end of the virtues of those good people would not be reached,
and yet there would be no failure of the self-confidence of the Tathagata. And
why? Because, O Ananda, both are indeed inconceivable and incomparable, viz.
first, the virtues of those Bodhisattvas, and secondly, the unsurpassed light
of knowledge of the Tathagata.
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