Chapter 21: Excellent Manifestation (legs par byung ba’i le’u)
(Volume Nine)
Then, at that moment, the Bhagavān gave teaching in these verses:
Whenever I became a world-turning king, At those times I offered the earth with its oceans, And even its four continents, filled with precious things, To all Victorious Ones of the past.
In all-encompassing search for the Dharmakāya, There were no things, not previously dear and treasured, Which I did not give away; During numerous eons, I even gave away my treasured body.
Once I did this inconceivable eons in the past. During the teaching-dispensation of the Sugata Jeweled Crest; After that Sugata had passed into Nirvāṇa, There arose a king called Excellent Manifestation.
He was a world-turning king ruling with mastery over the four continents, Reigning mightily with a reach as far as the oceans, Therefore he was said to be a sovereign king: And once, in his royal palace, that transcendent king fell asleep.
In his dream, he heard the qualities of the Buddha, And dreamt of the Dharma teacher Jewel Abundance. He saw him, distinctly lucid; As he sat and expounded this King of Sūtras.
The king awoke from his sleep, His whole body filled with joy. Ecstatic, he excitedly came out of the royal quarters; And went to the dwelling of the supreme Saṅgha of disciples.
There he made offerings to the disciples of the Victorious One, Saying, “In this noble Saṅgha is there one ‘Jewel Abundance’, A monk imbued with good qualities?”; He asked everywhere after the Dharma teacher “Jewel Abundance”.
At that time, Jewel Abundance Was staying in another hermitage, Contemplating in detail this King of Sūtras; While reciting it, and living in total happiness.
The monk Dharma teacher Jewel Abundance Was powerfully blazing with brilliance, majesty and glory. And as he sat there in that other hermitage, At that time, he was shown to the king.
There the Dharma teacher Jewel Abundance, Upheld the profound sphere of royal activity, For he always taught what is known as Transcendent Golden Light: The Sovereign King of Sūtras.
Bowing down to the feet of Jewel Abundance, King Excellent Manifestation spoke these words:
“Transcendent Golden Light, the Sovereign King of Sūtras, O one with face like full moon, I request you to explain.” And thus to King Excellent Manifestation himself, Jewel Abundance agreed to teach.
When this occurred, in all the three thousand worlds, All the gods became intensely joyous. At that time, the ruler of humans, there upon that earthen ground, Which was clean, eminently special and unusual, Sprinkled gem water and incense water; Spread down loose flowers, and set up a throne.
Then the king exquisitely adorned the throne with parasols and victory banners, And thousands of tassels. The king also thoroughly sprinkled upon that throne transcendent sandalwoods; In all sorts of varieties.
Devas and nāgas, asuras and centaurs, Yakṣas and great serpents too, Brought down a rain of divine coral tree flowers, Powerfully and expansively upon that throne.
Those who had arrived, a thousand million billion gods wishing for the Dharma, Beyond the reaches of thought, As Jewel Abundance was appearing to leave; Strewed sāl flowers with joy.
The Dharma teacher Jewel Abundance himself, Washed thoroughly his body and dressed in clean clothes, And proceeded to go close to that throne; Pressed his palms together, and bowed down to it as well.
The god kings, gods and goddesses Sat in the sky above, and brought down a rain of coral tree flowers, And hundreds of thousands of cymbals; Beyond the reaches of thought, which resounded with power.
Then Jewel Abundance, the monk Dharma teacher, Being mindful of the thousand million Buddhas of the ten directions, Beyond the reaches of thought; Ascended the throne with concentration, and sat upon it.
He generated heartfelt love for all sentient beings, And then also generated, authentically, the mind of compassion; And then to the king Excellent Manifestation, At that time taught this Sūtra.
And as the king sat with joined palms, He rejoiced in every single word. Through the force of the Dharma, tears shed from his eyes; And his body was filled with joy.
In order to venerate this Sūtra, At that time King Excellent Manifestation Picked up the Wish-Fulfilling Gem, the king of jewels, And for the sake of sentient beings, made this prayer:
“May a rain of ornaments endowed with the seven gems, And precious jewels which bring well-being To the sentient beings in this world Descend upon this Earth.”
At that time, the seven kinds of gems Armlets, necklaces and superb earrings, And likewise food, clothing and drink also showered down, Over the four continents comprehensively.
King Excellent Manifestation beheld this cascade of precious things, Raining down upon the world, And offered the gem-filled four continents; For the Teachings of Jeweled Crest.
The Tathāgata Śākyamuni Was the one known as King Excellent Manifestation. It was I who, at that time, completely gave away the earth; With its four continents, filled with precious things therein.
The one who to King Excellent Manifestation At that time extensively taught this Sūtra, Jewel Abundance, the Dharma teacher monk, Became the Tathāgata Akṣobhya.
At the time I heard this Sūtra, And rejoiced in every single word. I, due to that very virtuous deed itself: Listening to the Dharma and rejoicing,
Have permanently gained this body of golden hue and marks of hundredfold merit, Lovely to behold and deeply beautiful to the eye, Which gives strong delight to thousands of millions of gods; And is joyful for living beings to behold.
During ninety-nine hundreds of thousands of millions of eons, I became a world-turning king. During many myriads of hundreds of thousands of eons, I had the experience of being a regional king.
For inconceivable eons I was an Indra; And likewise a lord Brahmā, the wish-fulfiller. I have rendered service to that which never has limit: The unfathomable Tenfold Power.
From my listening to and rejoicing in this Sūtra, The mass of positive potential was thus most limitless; For in accordance with my wish, I have attained Awakening: And the transcendent Dharmakāya have I gained.
FROM THE SOVEREIGN KING OF SŪTRAS, THE TRANSCENDENT GOLDEN LIGHT, THIS WAS THE TWENTY-FIRST CHAPTER: ‘EXCELLENT MANIFESTATION’.
Translated from the Tibetan by Erick Tsiknopoulos and the Sugatagarbha Translation Group.
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