"The system of ten thousand worlds
Is hushed to quiet and to peace;
These presages are seen to-day—
Surely a Buddha thou shalt be!

"The mighty winds then cease to blow,
Nor do the rivers onward glide;
These presages are seen to-day—
Surely a Buddha thou shalt be!

"All plants, be they of land or stream,
Do straightway put their blossoms forth;
Even so to-day they all have bloomed-
Surely a Buddha thou shalt be!

66 And every tree, and every vine,
Is straightway laden down with fruit';
Even so to-day they're laden down-
Surely a Buddha thou shalt be!

"In sky and earth doth straightway then
Full many a radiant gem appear;
Even so to-day they shine afar-
Surely a Buddha thou shalt be!

"Then straightway music's heard to play

'Mongst men on earth and gods in heaven; So all to-day in music join

Surely a Buddha thou shalt be!

"There falleth straightway down from heaven

A rain of many-colored flowers;

Even so to-day these flowers are seen

Surely a Buddha thou shalt be!

"The mighty ocean heaves and roars,

And all the worlds ten thousand quake;

Even so is now this tumult heard

Surely a Buddha thou shalt be!

66

Straightway throughout the whole of hell The fires ten thousand all die out; Even so to-day have all expiredSurely a Buddha thou shalt be!

66

'Unclouded then the sun shines forth,
And all the stars appear to view;

Even so to-day do they appear—
Surely a Buddha thou shalt be!

"Straightway, although no rain hath fallen,
Burst springs of water from the earth;
Even so to-day they gush in streams-
Surely a Buddha thou shalt be!

"And bright then shine the starry hosts
And constellations in the sky;

The moon in Libra now doth stand-
Surely a Buddha thou shalt be!

"All beasts that lurk in holes and clefts,
Then get them forth from out their lairs;
Even so to-day they've left their dens-
Surely a Buddha thou shalt be!

"Straightway content is all the world,
And no unhappiness is known;
Even so to-day are all content-
Surely a Buddha thou shalt be!

"Then every sickness vanishes,
And hunger likewise disappears;
These presages are seen to-day—
Surely a Buddha thou shalt be!

Then lust doth dwindle and grow weak,

And hate, infatuation too;

Even so to-day they disappear—

Surely a Buddha thou shalt be!

"No dust upwhirleth towards the sky;
Even so to-day this thing is seen;
And by this token we perceive-

66

Surely a Buddha thou shalt be!'

All noisome odors drift away,

And heavenly fragrance fills the air;

Even so the winds now sweetness waft-
Surely a Buddha thou shalt be!

66

Then all the gods appear to view,

Save those that hold the formless realm;
Even so to-day these all are seen-
Surely a Buddha thou shalt be!

"Then clearly seen are all the hells,

However many be their tale;

Even so to-day may all be seen

Surely a Buddha thou shalt be!

"Through walls, and doors, and mountain-rocks,

One finds an easy passage then;

Even so to-day they yield like air—
Surely a Buddha thou shalt be!

"Existence then forbears its round
Of death and rebirth for a time;
Even so to-day this thing is seen-
Surely a Buddha thou shalt be!

"Do thou a strenuous effort make!
Do not turn back! Go on! Advance!
Most certainly we know this thing:
'Surely a Buddha thou shalt be!'"

When I had heard The Buddha's speech,
And what the worlds ten thousand said,
Well-pleased, delighted, overjoyed,
I thus reflected to myself:

"The Buddhas never liars are;

A Conqueror's word ne'er yet was vain; Nothing but truth The Buddhas speakSurely a Buddha I shall be!

66

As clods thrown upward in the air
Fall surely back upon the earth,

So what the glorious Buddhas speak
Is sure and steadfast to the end.
Nothing but truth The Buddhas speak-
Surely a Buddha I shall be!

"As also for each living thing
The approach of death is ever sure,
So what the glorious Buddhas speak
Is sure and steadfast to the end.
Nothing but truth The Buddhas speak―
Surely a Buddha I shall be!

"As at the waning of the night
The rising of the sun is sure,

So what the glorious Buddhas speak
Is sure and steadfast to the end.
Nothing but truth, etc.

"As, when he issues from his den,
The roaring of the lion's sure,
So what the glorious Buddhas speak
Is sure and steadfast to the end.
Nothing but truth, etc.

'As when a female has conceived, Her bringing forth of young is sure, So what the glorious Buddhas speak Is sure and steadfast to the end. Nothing but truth The Buddhas speakSurely a Buddha I shall be!

66

Come now! I'll search that I may find
Conditions which a Buddha make-
Above, below, to all ten" points,

Where'er conditions hold their sway."

And then I searched, and saw the First
Perfection, which consists in Alms,
That highroad great whereon of old
The former seers had ever walked.

"Come now! This one as first adopt,
And practise it determinedly;
Acquire perfection in thine Alms,
If thou to Wisdom wouldst attain.

"As when a jar is brimming full,
And some one overturneth it,
The jar its water all gives forth,
And nothing for itself keeps back;

"So, when a suppliant thou dost see,
Of mean, or high, or middling rank,
Give all in Alms, in nothing stint,
E'en as the overturnèd jar.

"But now there must be more than these
Conditions which a Buddha make:
Still others will I seek to find
That shall in Buddhaship mature."

Perfection Second then I sought,
And lo! the Precepts came to view,
Which mighty seers of former times
Had practised and had follow'd.

"Come now! as second this adopt,
And practise it determinedly;
The Precepts to perfection keep,

If thou to Wisdom wouldst attain.

15 The four cardinal points of the compass, the four intermediate points, the zenith and nadir.