To Sing It Once Again
The night-spirit resings her own story as verse — the world Jewel Light, the kalpa Wholesome Light, ten thousand buddhas served, a nameless capital of the prose now finally named, and the prince's plea for the condemned, sung through to the moment the crowd weeps and a buddha arrives at the assembly.
To Sing It Once Again
Wishing to proclaim the same liberation's meaning once more, the night-spirit turns the whole story just told in prose into verse, beginning again from the world where it started.
」爾時，救護一切眾生主夜神，欲重宣此解脫義，即為善財而說頌言：「汝以歡喜信樂心，
問此難思解脫法；
我承如來護念力，
為汝宣說應聽受。
過去無邊廣大劫，
過於剎海微塵數，
時有世界名寶光，
其中有劫號善光。
於此善光大劫中，
一萬如來出興世，
我皆親近而供養，
從其修學此解脫。
時有王都名喜嚴，
縱廣寬平極殊麗，
雜業眾生所居住，
或心清淨或作惡。
爾時有王名勝光，
恒以正法御群生；
其王太子名善伏，
形體端正備眾相。
時有無量諸罪人，
繫身牢獄當受戮；
太子見已生悲愍，
上啟於王請寬宥。
爾時諸臣共白王：
『今此太子危王國，
如是罪人應受戮，
如何悉救令除免？』
時勝光王語太子：
『汝救彼罪自當受！』
太子哀念情轉深，
誓救眾生無退怯。
時王夫人采女等，
俱來王所白王言：
『願放太子半月中，
布施眾生作功德。』
時王聞已即聽許，
設大施會濟貧乏，
一切眾生靡不臻，
隨有所求咸給與。
如是半月日云滿，
太子就戮時將至，
大眾百千萬億人，
同時瞻仰俱號泣。
彼佛知眾根將熟，
而來此會化群生，
顯現神變大莊嚴，
靡不親近而恭敬。
"At that time, the night-spirit, wishing to proclaim this liberation's meaning once more, spoke in verse for Good-Wealth's sake, saying: "With a mind of joy and glad faith,
you have asked of this inconceivable liberation-dharma;
sustained by the power of the tathāgata's own mindful protection,
I shall now expound it for you — you should listen and receive it.
In an age long past, kalpas boundless and vast,
surpassing in number the fine motes of dust in an ocean of lands,
there was then a world named Jewel Light,
and within it, a kalpa called Wholesome Light.
Within this great kalpa of Wholesome Light,
ten thousand tathāgatas arose in the world;
I drew near to every one of them and made offerings,
and from them cultivated and learned this liberation.
At that time there was a royal capital named Joyful Adornment,
vast and broad, level and exceedingly fine;
beings of every mixed karma dwelt there,
some with minds pure, and some doing evil.
At that time there was a king named Victorious Light,
who forever governed the multitude of beings by the true dharma;
that king's crown prince was named Well-Subdued,
his body and form upright, complete with every excellent mark.
At that time there were measureless condemned people,
their bodies bound in prison, soon to be put to death;
the prince, having seen them, gave rise to compassion,
and went up to petition the king, asking for clemency.
At that time the ministers all together said to the king:
'This very prince now endangers the kingdom —
condemned such as these deserve to be put to death;
how could they all be rescued and let off entirely?'
At that time King Victorious Light said to the prince:
'If you would save their crime, you yourself shall bear it!'
The prince's grieving thought only grew the deeper,
and he vowed to save these beings, without retreat or fear.
At that time the king's consort, together with her court ladies,
all came to where the king was, and said to the king:
'We beg you, release the prince for half a month,
to give to beings and make merit.'
At that time, the king, having heard this, at once granted it;
a great assembly of giving was held to relieve the poor and needy,
and every being came without exception,
each receiving whatever they asked for.
So the half-month's days at last drew to their close,
and the time for the prince's execution was at hand;
the great assembly, a hundred thousand myriad koṭis of people,
looked up at him together, all of them weeping aloud.
That buddha, knowing the multitude's faculties were about to ripen,
came to this very assembly to transform the throng of beings,
manifesting spiritual transformations of great splendour,
so that none among them failed to draw near in reverence.
時有王都名喜嚴 — there was then a royal capital named Joyful Adornment. This name appears nowhere in this translation's earlier, prose telling of the very same story — there, the capital was simply left unnamed throughout. Verse retellings elsewhere in this pilgrimage have added such details before; here, a place the prose passed over in silence finally receives a name.
Part 1178 Complete
This continues chapter thirty-nine, 入法界品, in fascicle seventy-three. Part 1179 continues the verse retelling — the condemned prince led toward the execution ground, and the moment a buddha's arrival turns the crowd's grief toward hope.