Ten Signs Before a Birth
Sudhana asks the scope of this Dharma-gate. The deva answers that she was born in this very forest by the power of her own root vow, in anticipation of a bodhisattva's descent from Tuṣita Heaven a hundred years hence — and names ten miraculous signs that will appear in the forest itself the moment that descent occurs.
Born in This Forest by Her Own Root Vow
爾時，善財白言：「天神！此法門者，境界云何？」
答言：「佛子！我已具足一切菩薩受生大願，是故，我來生此林中本願力故，正念菩薩受生之法。於後百年，菩薩從彼兜率陀天降神下生，時，此林中有十種瑞相。
At that time, Sudhana said: "Divine one, as for this Dharma-gate, what is its scope?"
She answered, saying: "Child of the Buddha, I have already become fully endowed with the great vow of every bodhisattva's own rebirth; it is for this reason that I came to be born within this forest, through the power of that very root vow, and rightly recollect the bodhisattva's own dharma of rebirth. A hundred years later, a bodhisattva will descend in spirit from that very Tuṣita Heaven and take rebirth, and, at that time, ten miraculous signs will appear within this forest."
Fazang divides the deva's whole answer into three sections, each keyed to a set of ten: 先明下生有十瑞應、二明生時有十光明、三明受生有十自在 — "first, revealing ten miraculous signs at the descent into the womb; second, revealing ten lights at the moment of birth; third, revealing ten forms of sovereign mastery in taking rebirth." This part opens the first of the three, and, within it, Fazang marks a further threefold structure, of which this passage is the first step: 先天神自顯本願生此 — "first, the deva herself reveals that she was born here through her own root vow." Note the tense of her own account: she speaks of the bodhisattva's descent as still a hundred years away. She is not recalling a birth already past, but living, in this forest, in direct anticipation of the one this whole episode is building toward — the Buddha's own birth, at this same Lumbinī.
Ten Signs in the Forest
「何等為十？一者、此林忽然廣博，地平如掌。二者、土石雜穢變為金剛，眾妙莊嚴。三者、寶娑羅樹周匝行列。四者、時，此林中沈水末香，出過諸天種種莊嚴。五者、諸妙華鬘寶莊嚴具，皆悉充滿。六者、諸寶樹中，自然流出種種妙寶。七者、諸池水中，出芙蓉華。八者、時此林中娑婆世界，欲、色、諸天、龍、夜叉、乾闥婆、阿修羅、迦樓羅、緊那羅、摩睺羅伽，恭敬作禮，合掌而住。九者、天女乃至摩睺羅伽女齎供養具，合掌恭敬，於一面住。十者、十方一切佛臍中放光明，名曰菩薩受生，自在燈普照此林，於彼一一諸光明中，現一切佛受生自在，出家自在，一切菩薩功德自在，又出如來微妙音聲。佛子！是為林中十種瑞相。此相現時，諸天王等知必當有菩薩下生，我見此瑞，歡喜無量。」
"What are these ten? First, this forest will suddenly become vast and expansive, its ground level as the palm of a hand. Second, the mixed soil and stone and every impurity will transform into vajra, adorned with every kind of sublime ornament. Third, jeweled sāla trees will stand in ranks all around. Fourth, at that time, within this forest, aloeswood incense powder will arise, surpassing every kind of adornment of the devas themselves. Fifth, every kind of sublime flower-garland and jeweled ornament will be entirely full throughout. Sixth, from within every jeweled tree, every kind of sublime jewel will flow forth of its own accord. Seventh, from within every pool of water, lotus flowers will emerge. Eighth, at that time, within this forest, the beings of this Sahā world — of the realms of desire and form, devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas — will reverently bow in homage, and stand with palms joined. Ninth, heavenly maidens, down to the very maidens of the mahoragas, will bring offerings, and, with palms joined in reverence, will stand to one side. Tenth, from the navel of every buddha of the ten directions, light will be sent forth, named the Lamp of a Bodhisattva's Own Sovereign Rebirth, universally illumining this forest; and within each and every one of those lights, there will appear every buddha's own sovereign mastery in taking rebirth, sovereign mastery in leaving the household life, and every bodhisattva's own sovereign mastery of merit, and, further, the tathāgata's own sublime, subtle voice will issue forth. Child of the Buddha, these are the ten miraculous signs within the forest. When these signs appear, every deva-king and the rest will know that a bodhisattva must certainly be about to take rebirth here; and I, beholding these signs, shall rejoice without measure."
Fazang names the remaining two steps of his threefold division: 二菩薩下生所現十瑞相、三此相現時見瑞知菩薩生 — "second, the ten miraculous signs manifested at the bodhisattva's descent; third, when these signs appear, seeing them, one knows the bodhisattva is being born." The list moves from the ground itself (leveled, transmuted to vajra) outward through vegetation, incense, and jewels, then to water, then to every class of nonhuman being in the eightfold assembly bowing in homage, then finally to light issuing from the navel of every buddha of the ten directions — a sign whose own content is itself a compressed preview of everything a buddha's life will contain: rebirth, going forth, and the bodhisattva's own merit, all three shown at once within a single light before the birth itself has even occurred.
Part 126 In Progress
The first ten signs — at the moment of descent — are now complete. Part 127 turns to the second set of ten: the lights that will appear at the moment of birth itself, as Māyā gives birth to the prince in this very garden.
Continue to Part 127 →