Ten Buddhas Who Once Entered This Palace
The heaven-king's hymn names ten buddhas of ages past, one by one, each entering a differently named palace within this same heaven — and closes as the Buddha himself takes his seat, the palace suddenly expanding to hold the entire heavenly assembly.
The Heaven-King's Hymn
Ten buddhas, each with their own epithet, each once entering their own differently named palace — and each couplet closing on the same refrain: this is why this place is the most auspicious of all.
「名稱如來聞十方，諸吉祥中最無上，
彼曾入此摩尼殿，是故此處最吉祥。
寶王如來世間燈，諸吉祥中最無上，
彼曾入此清淨殿，是故此處最吉祥。
喜目如來見無礙，諸吉祥中最無上，
彼曾入此莊嚴殿，是故此處最吉祥。
然燈如來照世間，諸吉祥中最無上，
彼曾入此殊勝殿，是故此處最吉祥。
饒益如來利世間，諸吉祥中最無上，
彼曾入此無垢殿，是故此處最吉祥。
善覺如來無有師，諸吉祥中最無上，
彼曾入此寶香殿，是故此處最吉祥。
勝天如來世中燈，諸吉祥中最無上，
彼曾入此妙香殿，是故此處最吉祥。
無去如來論中雄，諸吉祥中最無上，
彼曾入此普眼殿，是故此處最吉祥。
無勝如來具眾德，諸吉祥中最無上，
彼曾入此善嚴殿，是故此處最吉祥。
苦行如來利世間，諸吉祥中最無上，
彼曾入此普嚴殿，是故此處最吉祥。」
"Renowned Tathāgata, heard of throughout the ten directions, most supreme among every auspicious sign — he once entered this very maṇi-jewel palace, and for that reason this place is the most auspicious of all.
Jewel-King Tathāgata, the lamp of the world, most supreme among every auspicious sign — he once entered this very pure palace, and for that reason this place is the most auspicious of all.
Joyful-Eyed Tathāgata, whose sight meets no obstruction, most supreme among every auspicious sign — he once entered this very adorned palace, and for that reason this place is the most auspicious of all.
Dīpaṃkara Tathāgata, illumining the world, most supreme among every auspicious sign — he once entered this very supreme palace, and for that reason this place is the most auspicious of all.
Beneficent Tathāgata, benefiting the world, most supreme among every auspicious sign — he once entered this very stainless palace, and for that reason this place is the most auspicious of all.
Well-Awakened Tathāgata, who had no teacher, most supreme among every auspicious sign — he once entered this very jewel-fragrance palace, and for that reason this place is the most auspicious of all.
Supreme-Deva Tathāgata, the lamp within the world, most supreme among every auspicious sign — he once entered this very wondrous-fragrance palace, and for that reason this place is the most auspicious of all.
Never-Departing Tathāgata, the hero among debaters, most supreme among every auspicious sign — he once entered this very universal-eye palace, and for that reason this place is the most auspicious of all.
Unsurpassed Tathāgata, endowed with every virtue, most supreme among every auspicious sign — he once entered this very well-adorned palace, and for that reason this place is the most auspicious of all.
Ascetic-Practice Tathāgata, benefiting the world, most supreme among every auspicious sign — he once entered this very universally-adorned palace, and for that reason this place is the most auspicious of all."
The Buddha Takes His Seat
如此世界中夜摩天王，承佛神力，憶念往昔諸佛功德，稱揚讚歎；十方世界夜摩天王，悉亦如是，歎佛功德。爾時，世尊入摩尼莊嚴殿，於寶蓮華藏師子座上結跏趺坐。此殿忽然廣博寬容，如其天眾諸所住處；十方世界，悉亦如是。
Just as the King of the Yāma Heaven within this world, relying on the Buddha's own spiritual power, called to mind the merit of buddhas past and extolled and praised it, so too did the kings of the Yāma heaven throughout the worlds of the ten directions, every one of them likewise praising the Buddha's own merit. At that time, the World-Honored One entered the maṇi-jewel-adorned palace, and sat cross-legged upon the lion-throne of the treasury of jeweled lotus flowers. This palace suddenly became vast and spacious enough to hold every dwelling-place of that heavenly assembly; and throughout the worlds of the ten directions, it was likewise exactly so.
Naming ten past buddhas by ten different palaces within the same heaven is a way of layering time onto a single place: this Yāma-heaven palace is not new, but a site that has already received a whole lineage of buddhas, each welcomed the same way the current Buddha is being welcomed now. The chapter closes quietly and quickly — no earthquake, no witnessing buddhas — its brevity in keeping with how short this chapter has been from the start.
Chapter 19 Complete
This closes chapter nineteen, "Ascending to the Palace of the Yāma Heaven" (昇夜摩天宮品第十九). Fascicle nineteen continues in Part 119 with chapter twenty, "Hymns of Praise in the Yāma Palace" (夜摩宮中偈讚品第二十).