by Andy Rotman
“Yes, my lord,” the powerful fighter replied, consenting to the king’s request, and then he departed. Having departed, he spoke to those brahmans as follows: [244] “Listen, gentlemen. I am one of the king’s men, and he has given me to the great guildmaster with the following orders—‘If anyone prevents the great guildmaster from renovating the stūpa, you should punish that person severely.’ So if you make any trouble here, I will punish you severely.”
Hearing such words from the man who was a powerful fighter, those brahmans were afraid.
Now the great guildmaster, thinking that the gold should be placed in the inner chamber of the stūpa,48 began to build four stairways, one at each of the four sides of the stūpa, [leading to the level] where the upper circumambulatory terrace would surround the stūpa’s dome.49 And so, in succession, a first terrace was built, and this was followed by a second and a third terrace, until they reached the domed top. Accordingly, a larger domed top was then built, and into it was placed a shaft for a central post.50 Then above this brand-new dome,51 a top enclosure was built. Following this, the central post was erected. And then precious jewels and treasures were mounted on the stūpa’s rain receptacle.
While this was being done, it occurred to the powerful fighter, “Now no one will attack this place.” Then, confidently, he went out into the countryside on some business.
Meanwhile the great guildmaster constructed four gateways on the four sides of the stūpa, and on those four sides he built four great shrines, marking the Blessed One’s birth, perfect awakening, setting in motion the wheel of dharma, and final nirvāṇa. The courtyard of the stūpa was also covered with slabs of stone inlaid with jewels, and four adjacent compounds were constructed in the four directions. Also in the four directions, along the sides of the stūpa, lotus pools were constructed, and in them were planted various aquatic flowers, such as blue, red, and white waterlilies, white lotuses,52 the [sweet-smelling] saugandhika, and the [fragrant] mṛdugandhika. And in the ground on the banks of the lotus pools, various kinds of flowers were likewise planted, such as the atimuktaka, campaka, pāṭalā, vārṣikā, Arabian jasmine, sumanā, needle-nose jasmine, and dhānuṣkārī.53 Trees perennially filled with flowers and fruit were also planted there to honor the stūpa.54 Furthermore, permanent arrangements were made for its upkeep.55 Stūpa attendants were appointed.56 Conch, drums, and other musical instruments were presented. And at the shrine, offerings began to be made of perfume, incense, [245] flowers, and aromatic powders.
People came from the town and region to offer perfume, garlands, incense, and aromatic powders at the shrine. When the wind was blowing from the south, that southerly wind suffused the shrine and its courtyard with the smells of all the varieties of flowers that were there. And it was the same with a westerly wind, as well as with winds from the other directions. As those winds would blow, the shrine and its courtyard would become suffused with the smells of various kinds of flowers.
When everything to be done at the stūpa was done, the powerful fighter approached. Seeing that everything to be done at the stūpa was done, he said, “What does one get from making offerings at this shrine?”
Then the guildmaster began to offer an account of buddhas. “Straining valiantly in this way for three incalculable ages,” he explained, “one obtains unsurpassed awakening.”57
Hearing this, the powerful fighter was dejected, for he lacked perserverance. “I can’t attain unsurpassed perfect awakening,” he said.
Then the guildmaster offered an account of solitary buddhas. When the powerful fighter heard an account of their glory as well, he became depressed and said, “I can’t attain awakening as a solitary buddha either.”
Then the great guildmaster offered an account of the glory of disciples. “At least for now,” he said, “make a fervent aspiration in your mind for this.”
“Great guildmaster,” the powerful fighter said, “for which awakening have you made a fervent aspiration?”
“I have set my mind on attaining unsurpassed awakening,” the great guildmaster said.
“If you have set your mind on attaining unsurpassed awakening,” the powerful fighter said, “then I shall be your disciple. You’ll look after me.”
“But you’ve done many terrible things!” the guildmaster said to him. “Nevertheless, when you hear that a buddha has arisen in the world, you must remain mindful of this.”58 Then the guildmaster, who had built the shrine, regarded it, fell before it, and made this fervent aspiration:
By virtue of this gift to a great one,
may I become a buddha, a sugata,59 a self-made one.
Having crossed, may I help multitudes of people to cross,
those not taken to the other shore by previous great victors.
Then the Blessed One said, “That guildmaster in the past was none other than me, following the path of the bodhisattva at that time. That powerful fighter was none other than Dharmaruci [246] at that time and at that juncture. I saw Dharmaruci in that first incalculable age. It is with reference to this that I said, “It’s been a long time [since we met], Dharmaruci.” And when Dharmaruci came to understand, he said, “Yes, it’s been a long time, Blessed One.”
Dīpaṅkara Buddha and the Wise Brahmans Sumati and Mati
In the second incalculable age, there arose in the world a perfectly awakened buddha named Dīpaṅkara (Illuminator),
who was perfect in knowledge and conduct,60
a sugata,
a knower of the world,
an unsurpassed guide for those in need of training,
a teacher of gods and humans,
a buddha,
and a blessed one.
After traveling through the countryside, the perfectly awakened Dīpaṅkara arrived in the capital Dīpāvatī (Full of Light). In the capital Dīpāvatī, a king named Dīpa (Light) ruled a kingdom that was thriving, prosperous, and safe, with plenty of food and throngs of people. Following the proper formalities,61 King Dīpa invited the perfectly awakened Dīpaṅkara to enter the city.
Now there was a neighboring king62 of King Dīpa named Vāsava. King Dīpa sent a messenger to him with the following message: “Please come. Following the proper formalities, I have invited the perfectly awakened Dīpaṅkara to enter the city so that I can honor him with offerings.”
Then King Vāsava, who had just finished performing a twelve-year sacrifice, arranged for five great gifts to be given at the sacrificial site—a golden water-pitcher, a golden food-bowl, a four-jeweled bed, five hundred kārṣāpaṇa coins, and a girl adorned with all kinds of ornaments.
Meanwhile two young brahmans were living at that time in another region. They had completed their study of the Veda under an instructor and were pondering the fact that one should give a gift to one’s teacher that is appropriate for a teacher and a gift to one’s instructor that is appropriate for an instructor. They heard that King Vāsava had collected five great gifts at the sacrificial site and that whichever brahman was most adept at Vedic recitation would receive them. It occurred to them, “Let’s go there and receive those gifts. Who there will be more learned and more capable of reciting the Veda than we are?” With this in mind, they set out for the great city of King Vāsava.
In the meantime, a deity informed the king, [247] “Two young brahmans are coming, Sumati (Very Wise) and Mati (Wise). Of these two, give the gifts to Sumati. Your majesty, you have performed a twelve-year sacrifice. As a result of the merit from this sacrifice, you should give these great gifts to the young brahman Sumati, for he is of the highest standing.”
“Surely these two must be great souls,” the king reflected, “if even deities speak on their behalf.” Then the king saw the two young brahmans coming from a distance.63 They were attractive and handsome. The two went to the sacrificial site, climbed up to the highest seat among the rows of seats reserved for brahmans, and sat down.
When King Vāsava saw the two young brahmans, he thought, “The one named Sumati, the one the dei
ties told me about, that must be him.” The king approached the highest seat and asked the young brahman Sumati, “Are you Sumati?”
“Yes, I am,” he said.
Then King Vāsava fed the young brahman Sumati while he sat in the highest seat and offered him the five gifts. The young brahman Sumati accepted the first four of the great gifts, beginning with the water pitcher, but he didn’t accept the final gift of a girl. “I am a celibate follower of the religious life,” he said. When the girl saw the young brahman Sumati, who was attractive and handsome, she felt full of desire and love.
“Accept me, brahman,” she said to the young brahman Sumati.
“I can’t accept you,” he said.
Since the king had surrendered the girl with the intention of giving her away as a gift, he wouldn’t take her back again. And since the young brahman Sumati wouldn’t accept her either, she went to King Dīpa’s city of Dīpāvatī. Once there, she removed the jewelry from her body and offered it to a garland-maker. “Against the value of this jewelry,” she said, “give me blue waterlilies every day for honoring the Lord.” With that agreement, she gave him her golden ornaments and became a devotee of the Lord.
Meanwhile the young brahman Sumati took those four great gifts and went to his instructor. Having gone to his instructor, he offered him those four great gifts. The instructor accepted three of those gifts but gave the five hundred kārṣāpaṇacoins back to Sumati. That night, Sumati had ten dreams—he saw himself (1) drinking the great ocean; (2) flying through the air; (3) touching and stroking with his hand the sun and the moon, which are full of magic and power;64 [248] (4) harnessing a royal chariot; and he also saw (5–10) sages, white elephants, geese, lions, a great rock, and mountains. After having these dreams, he woke up. And when he woke up, it occurred to him, “Who can interpret these dreams for me?”
Not far from there lived a seer who possessed the five superhuman faculties. To clear away his doubts, the young brahman Sumati went to the seer. Once there he greeted the seer, described his dreams to him, and then said, “Interpret these dreams for me.”
“I can’t interpret these dreams,” the seer said. “Go to the capital Dīpāvatī. There King Dīpa, following the proper formalities, has invited a perfectly awakened buddha named Dīpaṅkara to enter the city. He will interpret these dreams for you.”
In the meantime, King Vāsava, having accepted King Dīpa’s invitation, arrived at the capital Dīpāvatī surrounded by eighty thousand ministers. At the same time, King Dīpa had this thought: “Following the proper formalities, I will arrange for the perfectly awakened Dīpaṅkara to enter the city after seven days.” Then he began to gather all the flowers from every town and region. On the same day that King Dīpa, following the proper formalities, began to arrange for the perfectly awakened Dīpaṅkara to enter the city, Sumati also arrived there. Soon the king had all the available flowers gathered together in the city.
Meanwhile the girl, now an attendant of the Lord, went to the garland-maker. “Give me some blue waterlilies. I will honor the Lord.”
“The king has gathered all the available flowers for Dīpaṅkara’s entrance into the city today,” the garland-maker said.
“Go,” she said. “If, because of my meritorious deeds, there are once again blue waterlilies65 in the lotus pond that haven’t been plucked, then get them for me.”
By the power of Sumati’s merit,66 seven blue waterlilies appeared in the lotus pond. The garland-maker went there and saw them. After he saw them, the girl said to him, “Pick those waterlilies.”
“I’m not going to pick them,” the garland-maker said. “The king’s men will punish me.” [249]
“No,” she said. “You already picked all the flowers and gave them to the king.”
“Yes, I did,” the garland-maker said.
“Well, it’s because of my meritorious deeds that they have appeared,” the girl said. “So give whatever you pick to me.”
“How will they be taken away67 without the king’s men noticing?” the garland-maker asked.
“You just pluck them,” the girl said. “I’ll take them away hidden in a water pot.”
After the garland-maker heard all this, he plucked those waterlilies and gave them to the girl. She took them, hid them in a water pot, filled the pot with water, and then set out for the city.
Meanwhile Sumati also arrived at that place, and it occurred to him, “How can I see the Lord Buddha and not honor him with an offering?” He wandered around the garland-makers’ homes, searching diligently for any flowers, but he didn’t come across even a single flower. Then he went to the outskirts of town and wandered from garden to garden in search of flowers, but still he didn’t come across a single flower. As he was wandering about, he arrived at that park. Just then the girl left the park and came face to face with the young brahman. By the power of his merit, those blue waterlilies rose up out of her water pot. When Sumati saw them, he said to the girl, “Give me those waterlilies. And take these five hundred kārṣāpaṇacoins from me as a reward.”
“Back then you didn’t want to accept me,” the girl said to Sumati, “and now you’re begging me for waterlilies. I won’t give them to you!” With that, she then said to the young brahman Sumati, “What will you do with them?”
“I will honor the Lord Buddha,” Sumati said.
“But what use are kārṣāpaṇa coins to me?” the girl asked. “I’ll give these waterlilies to the Buddha, unless as a result of giving them to you, you’ll seek me68 as your wife in every rebirth to come—that is, at the time of giving this gift to the Buddha, you make the following fervent aspiration: ‘May she be my wife in every rebirth to come.’”
“We’re both intent on giving. Both of us would sacrifice our own family members, even our own flesh,” Sumati said.
“Make the fervent aspiration!” the girl said to Sumati. “Afterward, you may offer me to whomever you wish.”69 [250] After the girl had said this, she gave five waterlilies to Sumati and took two herself. Then she uttered this verse:
Wherever you make a fervent aspiration,
having accepted the Buddha as your guide,
there, always, I shall be your wife,
helping you perform religious rites.
In town, following the king’s orders, all the pebbles, stones, and potsherds were removed; flags, banners, and welcoming arches were raised; silk banners were hung up; and fragrant water and powder were sprinkled about. And from the main gate of the city, along the span between the monastery and the city, pebbles, stones, and potsherds were removed; flags, banners, and welcoming arches were raised; silk banners were hung up; and fragrant water and powder were sprinkled about.
Then King Dīpa took a hundred-ribbed umbrella and went out to meet the perfectly awakened Dīpaṅkara. His ministers did likewise, as did King Vāsava, who went out to meet him accompanied by his own ministers. King Dīpa fell prostrate at the Lord Buddha’s feet and made this request: “Blessed One, please enter the city.”
Then the Blessed One, leading the community of monks, set out toward the entrance to the city. King Dīpa held up his hundred-ribbed umbrella for the perfectly awakened Dīpaṅkara. His ministers did likewise, as did King Vāsava, accompanied by his own ministers. Making use of his magical powers, the Blessed One exercised his power so that each one reflected, “I am carrying the Blessed One’s umbrella!”
Then the Blessed One, in all his splendor, entered among the people. And there, with his mind focused,70 the Blessed One put his foot down on the threshold to the city. At that moment when the Blessed One put his foot down on the threshold to the city, the earth began to move in six different ways: it quivered, quavered, and quaked; it shifted, shuddered, and shook.
It is a law of nature that whenever lord buddhas, with their minds focused, put their feet down on a threshold, various wonderful and fantastic things occur:
the mad recover their senses;
the blind recover their sight;
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sp; the deaf can hear;
the mute can speak;
the crippled can walk;
breech babies of pregnant women are straightened out;
the bonds of those beings bound with wooden fetters and iron shackles are loosened;
those who are filled with enmity in birth after birth immediately regain thoughts of loving-kindness; [251]
calves break their tethers and reunite with their mothers;
elephants trumpet;
horses neigh;
bulls bellow;
parrots, mynahs, cuckoos, and peacock pheasants coo sweetly;
musical instruments make sweet music without being played;
jewelry boxes make sweet music as well;
raised portions of the earth sink down, and sunken ones rise up;
pebbles, stones, and potsherds disappear;
deities throw divine blue waterlilies from the sky;
they also throw red waterlilies, white waterlilies, and white lotuses; pounded agarwood, sandalwood, and tagara; tamāla leaves and flowers from the divine coral tree;
the east rises up and the west sinks down;
the west rises up and the east sinks down;
the south rises up and the north sinks down;
the north rises up and the south sinks down;
the middle rises up and the ends sink down;
and the ends rise up and the middle sinks down.
And there in the capital Dīpāvatī, many hundreds of thousands of beings made offerings of flowers, incense, and perfume. Sumati and the girl, holding their waterlilies, also followed the perfectly awakened Dīpaṅkara. But they were engulfed by a great mass of people who wanted to honor him with offerings, and they couldn’t get close to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One reflected, “The young brahman Sumati will earn more merit than this great mass of people.” With this in mind, he magically created a great tempest of wind and rain. The crowd began to disperse.
