Chapter 70: An Omen for Mara

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

[0774c22] "Upon hearing this gatha (偈 [ji]), the Bodhisattva (菩薩 [pu sa]) calmly walked towards the Bodhi Tree (菩提樹 [pu ti shu]). In the middle of his journey, he thought: 'The desire realm (欲界 [yu jie]) is ruled by Mara (魔王波旬 [mo wang bo xun]). He is the master and leader. I should let him know. If I attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi (阿耨多羅三藐三菩提 [a nou duo luo san miao san pu ti]) without telling him, I will not be called the great enlightened one. Why? To subdue Mara (魔波旬 [mo bo xun]) and to accept him, and to also accept and subdue all the devas (諸天 [zhu tian]) of the desire realm (欲界 [yu jie]). In the demon palace (魔宮殿 [mo gong dian]) of Mara's (魔 [mo]) multitude, there are countless and boundless devas (諸魔眷屬諸天 [zhu mo juan shu zhu tian]) who have planted good roots in the past. If they hear my lion's roar or see me attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi (阿耨多羅三藐三菩提 [a nou duo luo san miao san pu ti]), they will all come to me and make the vow for Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi (阿耨多羅三藐三菩提 [a nou duo luo san miao san pu ti]).'

[0774c22] “ěr shí pú sà wén shì jì yǐ, ān xiáng ér xíng, xiàng pú tí shù, yú qí zhōng jiān, xīn rú shì niàn: ‘cǐ yù jiè nèi, shì bǐ mó wáng bō xún wèi zhǔ zì zài tǒng lǐng, wǒ jīn yīng dāng yǔ bǐ lìng zhī, ruò bù gào bǐ ér qǔ zhèng yú ā nòu duō luó sān miǎo sān pú tí zhě, wǒ zé bù chéng míng wèi dà jué. suǒ yǐ zhě hé? wèi yù jiàng fú mó bō xún gù, shè shòu bǐ gù, yì jiān shè shòu jiàng fú yī qiè yù jiè zhū tiān. bǐ zhī mó zhòng, mó gōng diàn zhōng, fù yǒu wú liàng wú biān zhū mó juàn shǔ zhū tiān, yǐ yú wǎng xī, zhǒng zhū shàn gēn. ruò wén wǒ zuò shī zi hǒu shēng, ruò jiàn wǒ zhèng ā nòu duō luó sān miǎo sān pú tí shí, zé bǐ xī lái xiàng yú wǒ biān, dāng fā ā nòu duō luó sān miǎo sān pú tí xīn.’

[0774c22] "er shi pu sa wen shi ji yi, an xiang er xing, xiang pu ti shu, yu qi zhong jian, xin ru shi nian: 'ci yu jie nei, shi bi mo wang bo xun wei zhu zi zai tong ling, wo jin ying dang yu bi ling zhi, ruo bu gao bi er qu zheng yu a nou duo luo san miao san pu ti zhe, wo ze bu cheng ming wei da jue. suo yi zhe he? wei yu jiang fu mo bo xun gu, she shou bi gu, yi jian she shou jiang fu yi qie yu jie zhu tian. bi zhi mo zhong, mo gong dian zhong, fu you wu liang wu bian zhu mo juan shu zhu tian, yi yu wang xi, zhong zhu shan gen. ruo wen wo zuo shi zi hou sheng, ruo jian wo zheng a nou duo luo san miao san pu ti shi, ze bi xi lai xiang yu wo bian, dang fa a nou duo luo san miao san pu ti xin.'

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

[0775a04] "After the Bodhisattva (菩薩 [pu sa]) had this thought, a ray of light, named 'Subduing and Scattering Mara's (魔軍 [mo jun]) Army,' was emitted from the white hair between his eyebrows. When this light was emitted, it immediately reached Mara's (魔 [mo]) palace and overshadowed the original light of all the demons' (諸魔 [zhu mo]) palaces. This light also spread throughout the Three-Thousand Great-Thousand World (三千大千世界 [san qian da qian shi jie]), creating a great and full illumination. From the light emitted by the Bodhisattva (菩薩 [pu sa]), Mara (魔王波旬 [mo wang bo xun]) heard this gatha (偈 [ji]) all on his own:

'There is a great being in the world,
Who has fulfilled his practice over many eons.
The prince of King Suddhodana (淨飯大王 [jing fan da wang]),
Has abandoned his throne and become a renunciant.
He wishes to open the gate of nectar,
And has now come to the Bodhi Tree (菩提樹 [pu ti shu]).
If you have great strength,
You can go to the tree and have a contest.
He has already reached the other shore,
And he also wishes to help others get there.
The Bodhisattva (菩薩 [pu sa]) has already realized it for himself,
And now he wishes to enlighten others.
He has also obtained the tranquil samadhi (寂定禪 [ji ding chan]) for himself,
And he now wishes to teach others to become tranquil.
He has walked the path of non-attachment himself,
And wishes to teach others to go to the city of liberation.
He will break and empty the three evil paths,
And fill the paths of humans and devas (人天道 [ren tian dao]).
He will demonstrate the five supernatural powers of samadhi (禪定 [chan ding]),
And establish and teach people about the palace of nectar.
He will soon attain great enlightenment,
And will surely empty your realm.
He will harm your friends, the companions of ignorance and anger,
And not one will be left.
When you are crushed and have nowhere to run,
What will you do at that time?
If he attains the Dharma of nectar (甘露法 [gan lu fa]),
He will be in permanent, joyful, self-sufficient, pure, and tranquil state.'

[0775a04] “ěr shí pú sà sī wéi shì yǐ, cóng yú méi jiān bái háo xiāng zhōng, fàng yī guāng míng, míng néng jiàng fú sàn mó jūn zhòng. fàng cǐ guāng yǐ, yīng shí jí zhì mó zhī gōng diàn, yì bǐ yī qiè zhū mó jiù gōng běn yè zhī guāng. yòu fù sī guāng bàng biàn sān qiān dà qiān shì jiè, zuò dà guāng míng, yī qiè jiē mǎn. shí pú sà fàng bǐ guāng míng zhōng, mó wáng bō xún, zì rán ér wén rú shì jì shēng:

“ ‘shì jiān yǒu yī dà zhòng shēng,　　jīng lì duō jié xíng xíng mǎn,
　　jìng fàn dà wáng zhī tài zi,　　qì shě wáng wèi ér chū jiā.
　　bǐ yù kāi fā gān lù mén,　　jīn lái qù xiàng pú tí shù,
　　rǔ shēn ruò yǒu dà qì lì,　　kě yì shù xià gòng shì kàn.
　　qí jīn yǐ dá bǐ àn biān,　　fù yù dù tā lìng dào bǐ,
　　pú sà jì yǐ zì jué le,　　jīn fù gèng yù jué yú tā.
　　yòu zì dé bǐ jì dìng chán,　　gèng yù jiào rén lìng jì jìng,
　　jì zì xíng wú xì fù lù,　　yù jiào tā qù jiě tuō chéng.
　　pò sàn sān è xī shǐ kōng,　　chōng yì rén tiān dào lìng mǎn,
　　shì xiàn chán dìng wǔ tōng lì,　　ān zhì lìng zhī gān lù gōng.
　　qí jīn bù jiǔ zhèng dà míng,　　bì dāng xū kōng rǔ jìng jiè,
　　yú chī hēi àn chēn huì lǚ,　　sǔn rǔ péng dǎng xī wú yú.
　　jì bèi cuī suì zǒu wú fāng,　　dāng ěr shí xīn zuò hé jì?
　　bǐ ruò zhèng yú gān lù fǎ,　　cháng lè wǒ jìng zhàn rán ān.’

[0775a04] "er shi pu sa si wei shi yi, cong yu mei jian bai hao xiang zhong, fang yi guang ming, ming neng jiang fu san mo jun zhong. fang ci guang yi, ying shi ji zhi mo zhi gong dian, yi bi yi qie zhu mo jiu gong ben ye zhi guang. you fu si guang bang bian san qian da qian shi jie, zuo da guang ming, yi qie jie man. shi pu sa fang bi guang ming zhong, mo wang bo xun, zi ran er wen ru shi ji sheng:

" 'shi jian you yi da zhong sheng, jing li duo jie xing xing man,
jing fan da wang zhi tai zi, qi she wang wei er chu jia.
bi yu kai fa gan lu men, jin lai qu xiang pu ti shu,
ru shen ruo you da qi li, ke yi shu xia gong shi kan.
qi jin yi da bi an bian, fu yu du ta ling dao bi,
pu sa ji yi zi jue le, jin fu geng yu jue yu ta.
you zi de bi ji ding chan, geng yu jiao ren ling ji jing,
ji zi xing wu xi fu lu, yu jiao ta qu jie tuo cheng.
po san san e xi shi kong, chong yi ren tian dao ling man,
shi xian chan ding wu tong li, an zhi ling zhi gan lu gong.
qi jin bu jiu zheng da ming, bi dang xu kong ru jing jie,
yu chi hei an chen hui lu, sun ru peng dang xi wu yu.
ji bei cui sui zou wu fang, dang er shi xin zuo he ji?
bi ruo zheng yu gan lu fa, chang le wo jing zhan ran an.'