by Harvey Kraft
At that time Bountiful Treasures Buddha had made a vow that henceforth for all time to come he would appear whenever any Declarer of Truth expounded the Lotus Cosmology. As he readied to pass into Perfect Bliss (Skt. Parinirvana), he asked his followers to build a sacred tower for him so that he may honor his vow. Thereafter, when the Lotus Cosmology was unveiled anywhere in the Universe, he showed up in his tower to bear witness and testify to the verity of the unequalled power of deliverance embodied therein.
Further, he vowed to present those attending with evidence of the restorative powers of the Buddha-Dharma by displaying the renewal of his body, even after his extinction.
Upon his passing, his disciples built this great tower-repository to house his Dharma body. Then they loaded the immense treasure vault inside of this memorial tower with an infinite bounty of blessings.
Ever since that time, Sakamuni said, Bountiful Treasures Buddha resurrected his monument and arrived "whenever [any buddha] preached the Lotus Sutra."
"Within this precious tower you will see the whole body of the Declarer of Truth," Sakamuni announced.
The Treasure Tower in the Sky was the Sacred Place of Jewels, the ultimate destination of the Great Crossing, and the place where the Threefold Buddha-body would be revealed. The Threefold Buddha-body referred to the whole body—the complete body of Perfect Enlightenment— personified by the One-Who-Comes to Declare the Truth:
Now you are in the presence of the secret, mysterious, and boundlessly pervasive power of the Declarer of Truth . . . Discern and believe in his veracity.258
One of the celestial Bodhisattvas asked that the Treasure Tower be opened, so all may see the extinct Buddha within. But Sakamuni said that this could not be done immediately, because the extinct Buddha had made a stipulation. The Buddha now expounding this cosmology must first call forth all the Buddhas that ever emanated from him.
Sakamuni exclaimed: "I must now assemble the Buddhas who emanated from me and who now preach the Buddha-Dharma across innumerable worlds in every direction."
The concept of emanation originated in the Seven Tablets of Creation, the Enûma Elis. Its authors, the Amorite Babylonians, decreed that all the preceding Gods of Sumer/Akkad and surrounding regions had emanated from the body of Marduk, the Supreme Being. To illustrate this event many idols from all around the world honored Marduk's grand statue at the original Esagila temple rotunda of Old Babylon, the "Temple of the Seven Lights of the Earth." They were said to be his emanations, his divine progeny. Prior to Marduk the birth of gods came from sexual intercourse between male and female gods, but with the concept of emanation divine manifestations had been freed of sexual relationships.
Babylonian emanations connoted a divine hierarchy. But in Buddhism the emanations to come forth from Sakamuni would be no less important than the Buddha himself. All Buddhas were equal, and no Buddhas could be subordinated in any way to other Buddhas. However, as Sakamuni was the Buddha presently expounding the Lotus Cosmology in the human world of Saha, for the duration of this ceremony, the Buddhas of the Ten Directions would become his "emanations" to call forth. This status meant that Sakamuni in his present body now personified the Manifestation-body of all Buddhas.
From the tuft of white hair between his eyebrows Sakamuni projected a signal beacon in all directions of the cosmos. The ray of light from his Universal-Mind illuminated billions and billions of Buddha-star worlds across all Existence displaying the images of Buddhas teaching eager Bodhisattva students in every direction.
His signal brought immediate acknowledgment from countless Buddha-lands, all responding to his call to assembly. In perfect unison an infinite number of Buddhas turned their heads toward the beam. Instantly they resolved to attend. Numerous Buddhas and their respective aides fixed their minds on the Treasure Tower and entered the space of the Ceremony in the Air. However, this "second congregation" was much too large to be accommodated on Vulture Peak requiring Sakamuni to expand the space.
Invoking the power of non-relativity in the Perfectly Endowed Reality, first Sakamuni cleaned out the space surrounding Mount Vulture Peak by eliminating from it the Six Realms of Samsara. All living beings in the conditions of hellish chaos, ghostly hunger, demonic anger, animal fears, human absorption, or heavenly joy were temporarily moved to another space. Still, there would not be enough room to accommodate all the Buddhas desiring to attend. Eager to see the "whole Threefold Buddha-body revealed in the Treasure Tower," such large numbers of Buddhas converged from the ten directions of the Universe that Sakamuni had to temporarily relocate the entire Cosmos of Relativity and all beings in it to an alternate dimension. And yet, although they had been moved, not a single mortal being in the Field of Form, whether sentient or divine, was aware of, informed of, disturbed by, or inconvenienced by this change.
Nevertheless, even after the Universe had been emptied out in this way, the available space still could not accommodate the innumerable numbers of Buddhas wanting to attend. Consequently, Sakamuni had to expand the area to a size equal to the space of several Universes. When this expansion still fell short of the space needed, he brought down all the boundaries of Existence opening up multiple dimensions until all the Buddhas could be accommodated.
Everyone was now present in Sakamuni's pure Buddha-land. Its ground was paved with lapis lazuli. Giant jewel-bearing trees adorned the surrounding landscape. Golden ropes marked the eight paths in the four cardinal and four ordinal directions. Echoing the roles of Manjusri and Maitreya standing at Sakamuni's shoulders, innumerable pairs of Celestial Bodhisattva-Mahasattva similarly attended the "Buddhas of the Ten Directions.259 Two Celestial Bodhisattvas flanked each of the seated Buddhas facing the Treasure Tower, a symbol of Universal Truth.
Seated in eight evenly distributed directions, the countless Buddhas formed an eight-petal Lotus extending out from the tower, each petal encompassing a myriad of world-systems. Their purifying presence infused all Existence with a wondrous luminescence:
Each [arriving] Buddha . . . took his Lion-throne seat beneath a towering bejeweled tree . . . all the Sacred Trees were decorated with magnificent jewels. Then each of those Buddhas sat crosslegged on those thrones in their respective Buddha-lands . . . [so that] each direction was burgeoning with Perfectly Enlightened Declarers of Truth.260
The Flower Garland Sutra had described countless Buddha-stars as "duplicates" of Universal Radiance Buddha (Skt Vairochana), but these emanations defied even those numbers by an unimaginable multitude. Never before in any sutra did all the Buddhas appear together in a single assembly as if to form one composite body.
Could there be any greater proof of the importance of this vision than the congregation of all Buddhas paying homage to the Tower of Bountiful Treasures aloft in Sakamuni's domain?
The fragrant aromas of precious incense and flowers, and the lilting sounds of sweet chimes sewn into gently swaying netted curtains, illustrated the delightful sensations of Enlightenment in the air.
The polished smooth surface261 of lapis lazuli with its sumptuous royal color evoked a cosmic realm of absolute stability. The smoothness and flatness of the surface meant perfect stillness. The marble ground simulated dark blue space filled with stars. That it glistened beneath their feet meant that this event was taking place above and beyond the stars. In this "place" the winds of Transmigration had quieted, eliminating the characteristic erosion of age and health usually experienced in the mortal plane. Time stood still.
Sakamuni's Land of Tranquil Light encompassed all the Buddha- lands, and, simultaneously, occupied the same space where mortal Existence had manifested. Here the state of Perfect Enlightenment infused the here-and-now. A Buddha-land seen with the Eye of the Buddha existed in the same space-time where the Mortal-land can be seen with the Mortal-eye. This meant that Buddhahood existed in exactly the same time and place where humans endured suffering, but on a higher plane of consciousness.
The revelation sent a profound message about self-transformation: when mortals entered
the Lotus Cosmology, they would instantly gain the Eye of the Buddha. The present moment would turn into Real Nirvana, where bliss and wisdom reigned. This dramatic transformation portended that in a future Age humans will convert the survival mentality of Saha, Land of Enduring Suffering, into a creative, blissful, healthy, peaceful and stable Buddha-land of Tranquil Light.
This was the goal of all the Buddhas in attendance. Now that all the Buddhas that emanated from Sakamuni had taken their seats, the doors to the Treasure Tower could be opened. The presence of all Buddhas in the all-encompassing Buddha-land of the Lotus Cosmology represented a return to their "homeland."
Due to the mysterious power of the Perfectly Endowed Reality, all Buddhas must "return" to the awakening, renewing, and remembering of the state of Buddhahood from which they emanated. Therefore, the presence of all Buddhas also suggested that anyone attending the Lotus Cosmology must carry the essence of a Buddha within.
This time the Buddhas all emanated from Sakamuni, but it was also clear that they would emanate from whichever Buddha would host this event. By calling forth those who "emanated from him," Sakamuni showed that each Buddha embodied all Buddhas, revealing the power of the Perfectly Endowed Reality to fold Buddhahood infinitely into itself.
THE ASCENSIONS
To show their respect for Sakamuni's decision to unveil the Lotus Cosmology, the "Buddhas from the Ten Directions" dispatched aides with offerings, each bearing golden saucers filled with "jewels" made of open flower tops. Reverently bowing before Sakamuni, each aide petitioned him on behalf of one or another Buddha as follows:
"The honorable Buddha [known by such and such a name from such and such a place] reverently requests the opening of the treasure tower."
Beckoned thus by all the Buddhas, Sakamuni arose from his seat. He walked across the air, a metaphor for sheer wisdom, as if he was climbing a stairway like the central incline common to ziggurats. But in the Perfectly Endowed Reality, Sakamuni's path was invisible and unencumbered by physical laws such as gravity. Approaching the closed gate at the head of the tower, he stopped in front of its great doors. This was a mythic echo of the great Star Gate of Ishtar leading into the Esagila Tower-Temple in Babylon.262
Watching from the ground on Vulture Peak, the male and female followers and householders stood up, craned their necks, and reverently put their palms together. They heard the sound of a big iron bolt being withdrawn, like the kind used on walled-in city gates. Then they saw Sakamuni Buddha effortlessly pulling open the huge heavy gate of the temple atop the tower with only the fingertips of his right hand. In the Perfectly Endowed Reality, the weight and size of the doors seemed as meaningless as they would be in a dream.
At that instant, the seated figure of Bountiful Treasures Buddha came into view just as he emerged from a contemplative trance. The disciples gasped at the exalted image of an extinct Tathagata appearing with his body intact and visible. At once awed and puzzled, the assembly marveled at the unprecedented anomaly of a person raised from the dead. They wondered: How could the body of an extinct Buddha be seen? Was this a trick or some sort of supernatural power? His body was translucent, a phantom fully visible to all. Was there an explanation?
"How wonderful!" Bountiful Treasures cheerfully greeted Sakamuni. "Please proceed to preach the Lotus Cosmology that you gladly reveal, and which I have traveled far to hear."
As flowers fell from the Heavens, Bountiful Treasures invited Sakamuni Buddha to sit by his side. Entering the temple-room, Sakamuni sat cross-legged on one-half of the Lion-throne next to Bountiful Treasures.
The pellucid Buddha represented the Wisdom-body of the Threefold Buddha-body, embodying all the blessings ever accumulated by all the Buddhas and the inexhaustible wisdom inherent in their shared Perfect Enlightenment.
By sharing the seat the two Buddhas instantly forged the unprecedented unification of two of the three Buddha-bodies. Sakamuni Buddha, as he appeared in the flesh, was the Manifestation-body of all Buddhas. The apparition of Bountiful Treasures represented the Wisdom-body of all Buddhas. But to complete the Threefold Buddha-body, one more body was forthcoming—the Cosmic-body of all Buddhas ought to be present as well.
Who would that be?
Where would this Buddha come from?
Could the Cosmic-body be found in the Middle Path between the two Buddhas seated on the two halves of the Lion-throne?
From their vantage on Vulture Peak the disciples below could not get a good enough view. The two Buddhas sharing the Lion-throne were seated too high and far away. The audience would need to get closer for a better look.
Sensing their eagerness to see the Threefold Buddha-body, Sakamuni immediately elevated the first audience watching from below on Vulture Peak. As the ground faded away, they floated up to eye level with the temple at the top of the tower. There they remained suspended in the air, as if supported by an invisible platform. Reaching this higher plane, the four groups of disciples peered inside the giant tower-temple, as if they were looking into a stargate. The two radiant Buddhas smiled, but there was no third figure to be seen in the empty median between them.
Suddenly, as if he had decided to change the subject, Sakamuni wondered out loud about who might be best suited to teach the Lotus Cosmology to future generations.
Who should the Declarer of Truth entrust with the Lotus Cosmology, so that it would last forever after he has passed from this world? 263
Looking straight at the followers devoted to him these many years, Sakamuni asked:
Would any among you be able to convey the Lotus Cosmology in the mortal world when this Declarer of Truth is no longer? What do you recommend, as the Buddha [now] desires to bequeath this sutra so that it may always exist.264
Sakamuni's disciples, having received prophecies of their own future Buddhahood, now floating up in the air in front of the Buddhas in the treasure tower, eagerly offered to undertake the mission. Exhilarated by the prospect of being reborn in the mortal field at some future date with the mission to awaken future generations, they imagined themselves happily espousing the yet to unfold Vehicle of Buddhahood.
Although he appreciated their enthusiastic voluntary spirit, Sakamuni cautioned that those charged with this mission would be born in a fearful era at least two thousand years or more in the future. At that time during the "Age of Decaying Truth," he predicted, the people would be obsessed with self-engrossed appetites, characterized by intoxicating madness, haughtiness, decadence, insatiable consumption, compulsive jealousies, confusion between reality and fantasy, and the rationalization of violent actions.
At the very least, any proponents of the Lotus Cosmology in that era would find it exceedingly challenging to communicate its blessings to the people of that time. Nevertheless, even after hearing his warnings, Sakamuni's ascended disciples requested the honor of undertaking this challenge. Having trained in the perfections of a Bodhisattva and received the predictions of their future Buddhahood, they pledged in unison to uphold the Dharma of the Lotus Cosmology and share its power of deliverance with mortals in whatever conditions they may find them:
After the extinction of the Declarer of Truth we will travel throughout the worlds in all directions. We will encourage the living [no matter their condition] to embrace this sutra by copying, hearing, reading, reciting and expounding its meaning, by abiding in its cosmology, and by keeping it rightly in their minds.265
Here his disciplies described three ways in which individuals in the future could use the Lotus Cosmology to self-transform: embrace it, abide in it, and keep it in mind. They defined the "embracing of it" through five ways of practice—"copying, hearing, reading, reciting, and expounding its meaning." To "abide in it" meant to enter and immerse oneself inside the Lotus Cosmology vision, and "keeping it rightly" referred to embodying the Lotus Cosmology as it was intended, living an enlightened life as an exemplary mortal being.
But then Sakamuni continued to list the qualifications required of one ideally suited for its fu
ture dissemination. They must be unwavering devotees, free of fears of any kind, immune to distractions, undeterred by shallow preconceptions, or selfish expectations. They must cultivate a cheerful appearance, steadfast, reliable, trustworthy behavior, and the ability to engage people with a clear mind and compassionate intention.
Hearing his call for such impressive qualifications, the 80,000 Celestial Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas also offered their services. They pledged their willingness to diligently abide in, protect, and venerate this sutra, and to preach it everywhere in the mortal world to people living in various conditional states-of-being.
But both offers failed to garner Sakamuni's acquiessence, although he was grateful to both groups for their magnanimity and enthusiasm for the cause. At that time the Buddha disclosed his choice for the mission to be an exceptionally fearless group ideally suited for the task of transmitting the Lotus Cosmology revelation in future ages. He described them as Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas of a particularly tenacious and willful nature.
Suddenly, a light as bright as the sun appeared above the temple where the Buddhas were seated on the Lion-throne. The radiance shined down on the surface surrounding the Treasure Tower, illuminating the lapis lazuli paved landscape as far as the eye could see.
RESURRECTION
As soon as Sakamuni Buddha, the Declarer of Truth, uttered the following prophetic words, the ground trembled and quaked:
Below the mortal world there are in fact Bodhisattva- Mahasattvas . . . each one of them has a retinue [of followers]; these persons will be able, after my extinction, to protect and keep, read and recite, and preach abroad this Lotus Cosmology}266
Innumerable legions of shining, golden-hued beings issued from a dwelling space below the surface of Existence. Their numbers were so great that in relative time it would take the emerging Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas far longer than hundreds of millions of years to join the Ceremony in the Air. But in the context of the Perfectly Endowed Reality, it took only a half day for the immense arising of this "third congregation" to join the assembly. As the ceremonial procession of this imposing host emerged, the disciples, celestial beings, and Buddhas watched patiently with respectful silence until all the new arrivals took their place.
