English
delighted with joy; filled with rapture, I then sat on the cushion. 79. Having sat on the cushion, I then thought thus: "I am master of jhāna, I have reached the perfection in supernormal powers. 80. "In this thousand-fold world, there are no ascetics equal to me; unequalled in psychic powers, I attained such happiness. 81. "When I sat on the cushion, the ten thousand inhabitants raised a great shout, 'Surely you will be a Buddha. 82. "'The signs that appear when Bodhisattas of the past sat on the excellent cushion, those appear today. 83. "'Cold departs, and heat subsides; those appear today, surely you will be a Buddha. 84. "'The ten-thousand-fold world-system becomes silent and undisturbed; those appear today, surely you will be a Buddha. 85. "'Great winds do not blow, rivers do not flow; those appear today, surely you will be a Buddha. 86. "'Land-born and water-born flowers, all bloom at once; they all bloom today, surely you will be a Buddha. 87. "'Creepers or trees, become laden with fruit at once; they all bear fruit today, surely you will be a Buddha. 88. "'Jewels in the sky and on the ground, shine at once; those jewels shine today, surely you will be a Buddha. 89. "'Human and divine, musical instruments play at once; they both resound today, surely you will be a Buddha. 90. "'Variegated flowers from the sky, rain down at once; they rain down today, surely you will be a Buddha. 91. "'The great ocean embraces, the ten thousand The earth trembles; Today they roar, Surely you will be a Buddha. 92. Even in ten thousand hells, fires are extinguished at once; Today those fires are extinguished, Surely you will be a Buddha. 93. The sun becomes pure, all stars are seen; Today they are seen, Surely you will be a Buddha. 94. Water without rain, bursts forth from the earth at once; Today it bursts forth from the earth, Surely you will be a Buddha. 95. Star clusters shine, constellations in the sky; Visākhā is joined with the moon, Surely you will be a Buddha. 96. Those dwelling in holes, those dwelling in caves, come out from their abodes; Today their abodes are cleared, Surely you will be a Buddha. 97. There is no discontent for beings, they become content at once; Today all are content, Surely you will be a Buddha. 98. Then diseases subside, and hunger vanishes; Today these are seen, Surely you will be a Buddha. 99. Then passion becomes subtle, hatred and delusion vanish; Today all these are gone, Surely you will be a Buddha. 100. Then fear does not exist, today this is seen; By this sign we know, Surely you will be a Buddha. 101. Dust rises upwards, today this is seen; By this sign we know, Surely you will be a Buddha. 102. Unpleasant smell departs, divine smell wafts; Today that smell wafts, Surely you will be a Buddha. 103. All devas are seen, except the formless ones; Today all of them are seen, Surely you will be a Buddha. 104. As far as the hells are named, all are seen at once; Today all of them are seen, Surely you will be a Buddha. 105. Walls, doors, and rocks, are not obstructions then; Today they are like space, Surely you will be a Buddha. 106. Passing away and reappearing, in that moment, not... ...is born; Those now will appear, surely you will be a Buddha. 107. “Firmly grasp your energy, do not turn back, advance; We too know this, surely you will be a Buddha.” 108. Hearing the Buddha's word, the ten thousand, both, joyful, delighted, elated, I then thought thus. 109. “Buddhas' words are not twofold, Victors' words are not in vain; There is no falsehood in Buddhas, surely I will be a Buddha. 110. “Just as a clod thrown into the sky, surely falls to the ground; So too the words of the best of Buddhas, are sure and eternal; There is no falsehood in Buddhas, surely I will be a Buddha. 111. “Just as for all beings, death is sure and eternal; So too the words of the best of Buddhas, are sure and eternal; There is no falsehood in Buddhas, surely I will be a Buddha. 112. “Just as when night ends, the rising of the sun is sure; So too the words of the best of Buddhas, are sure and eternal; There is no falsehood in Buddhas, surely I will be a Buddha. 113. “Just as for a lion leaving its lair, its roar is sure; So too the words of the best of Buddhas, are sure and eternal; There is no falsehood in Buddhas, surely I will be a Buddha. 114. “Just as for those who are burdened, the laying down of the burden is sure; So too the words of the best of Buddhas, are sure and eternal; There is no falsehood in Buddhas, surely I will be a Buddha. 115. “Come, the qualities that make a Buddha, I will search for them here and there; Up, down, the ten directions, as far as the realm of phenomena extends.” 116. Searching, I then saw, the first perfection of giving; by former great sages, a great path practiced. 117. “This first, then, having firmly undertaken it; Go to the perfection of giving, if you wish to attain enlightenment. 118. “Just as a full pot, for whosoever it is turned upside down; it pours out all its water, it does not retain any there. 119. “So too Seeing beggars, low, high, and middling; Give gifts without remainder, like a pot turned upside down. 120. “These are not all, the qualities of a Buddha; I will seek out others, qualities that ripen for awakening.” 121. Seeking then, I saw the second perfection, of virtue; Practiced and cultivated by former great sages. 122. “This second, firmly undertake; Go to the perfection of virtue, if you wish to attain awakening. 123. “Just as a yak, whose tail is caught somewhere; Goes to death there, but does not damage its tail. 124. “Even so, you, in the four planes of existence, fulfill the virtues; Always protect virtue, like a yak its tail. 125. “These are not all, the qualities of a Buddha; I will seek out others, qualities that ripen for awakening.” 126. Seeking then, I saw the third perfection, of renunciation; Practiced and cultivated by former great sages. 127. “This third, firmly undertake; Go to the perfection of renunciation, if you wish to attain awakening. 128. “Just as a man in a prison, long confined and suffering; Does not generate desire there, but seeks only release. 129. “Even so, you, in all existences, see them like a prison; Be inclined towards renunciation, for liberation from existence. 130. “These are not all, the qualities of a Buddha; I will seek out others, qualities that ripen for awakening.” 131. Seeking then, I saw the fourth perfection, of wisdom; Practiced and cultivated by former great sages. 132. “This fourth, firmly undertake; Go to the perfection of wisdom, if you wish to attain awakening. 133. “Just as a bhikkhu on alms round, among low, high, and middling; Not avoiding families, thus obtains sustenance. 134. “Even so, you, always, questioning the wise; Having gone to the perfection of wisdom, attain complete awakening.” You will exhale. 135. “Not only these will be the qualities of a Buddha; I will seek out others too, which are qualities ripening for enlightenment.” 136. Searching then I saw the fifth perfection of energy; By former great sages practiced and cultivated. 137. “This fifth one you now, having made firm, undertake; Go to the perfection of energy, if you wish to attain enlightenment. 138. “Just as a lion, king of beasts, whether sitting, standing, or walking, is unflagging in energy, always with mind uplifted. 139. “So too you, in all existences, hold firm to energy; Having gone to the perfection of energy, you will attain full enlightenment. 140. “Not only these will be the qualities of a Buddha; I will seek out others too, which are qualities ripening for enlightenment.” 141. Searching then I saw the sixth perfection of patience; By former great sages practiced and cultivated. 142. “This sixth one you now, having made firm, undertake; There, with an unwavering mind, you will attain full enlightenment. 143. “Just as the earth, indeed, both pure and impure, endures all deposits, and shows no aversion to them. 144. “So too you, for all, endure honor and dishonor; Having gone to the perfection of patience, you will attain full enlightenment. 145. “Not only these will be the qualities of a Buddha; I will seek out others too, which are qualities ripening for enlightenment.” 146. Searching then I saw the seventh perfection of truth; By former great sages practiced and cultivated. 147. “This seventh one you now, having made firm, undertake; There, with unwavering speech, you will attain full enlightenment. 148. “Just as a star, indeed, (the constellation Libra) among the gods, in its season or time, does not deviate from its path. 149. “So too you, in truths, do not deviate from the path; Having gone to the perfection of truth, you will attain full enlightenment. 150. “Not only these will be the qualities of a Buddha; I will seek out others too, which qualities that ripen for enlightenment." 151. Searching then I saw, the eighth, the perfection of determination; practiced and cultivated by former great sages. 152. "This eighth, you should, firmly undertake; there, being unshaken, you will attain full enlightenment. 153. "Just as a rocky mountain, unshaken, well-established; does not tremble in fierce winds, but stands in its own place. 154. "So too you, in determination, always be unshaken; having gone to the perfection of determination, you will attain full enlightenment. 155. "Not only these, will be the Buddha-qualities; I will search for others, qualities that ripen for enlightenment." 156. Searching then I saw, the ninth, the perfection of loving-kindness; practiced and cultivated by former great sages. 157. "This ninth, you should, firmly undertake; be unequalled in loving-kindness, if you wish to attain enlightenment. 158. "Just as water, on good and bad people; equally spreads coolness, and washes away dust and dirt. 159. "So too you, towards friends and foes, equally cultivate loving-kindness;