“Thereupon the last Sun-Moon-Light Buddha expounded a Sūtra of the Great Vehicle called the ‘Innumerable Teachings, the Dharma for Bodhisattvas, the Dharma Upheld by the Buddhas.’ “

This is cited now in order to corroborate that the present portents are identical with [those in the past].

He had eight sons born to him before he renounced the world.

The reason why the eight sons appear is twofold. First, to prove what Mañjuśrī says about what happened in the remote past, namely, that he was none other than the master of Torch Burner (Dīpaṃkara), [that is, Fine Luster (Varaprabha)], and that Torch Burner was in turn the master of Śākyamuni. As such, there cannot be anything false in what Mañjuśrī has said. Second, speaking in reverse, [it suggests that] one’s longevity [makes one] gradually open up one’s eyes.

“After his extinction there appeared a Buddha also called Sun-Moon-Light. After his extinction there appeared another Buddha also called Sun-Moon-Light. In the same manner, seventy thousand Buddhas appeared in succession, all of them being called Sun-Moon-Light with the surname Bharadvaja.”

The purpose underlying the description of twenty thousand buddhas as witnesses for Śākyamuni Buddha is to describe the transformative teaching of the two vehicles, and thus to expound the beauty of the One Vehicle. Thus he must describe a wide variety of Buddhas. Although there are many [of these buddhas,] their path (tao) is in the end one.

He expounded the right teachings. His expounding of the right teachings was good at the beginning, good in the middle, and good at the end.

[The true Dharma] that is good at beginning refers to the voice hearers (Śrāvakas); good at middle refers to the pratyekabuddhas; and good at end refers to the bodhisattvas. Listed next are those who belong to the three vehicles, and that is followed by a description of the events involved. The three kinds of transformative teaching (hua) also were preached earlier; what was said there remains true in the present case, as well.

“Good men! Innumerable, inconceivable, asamkya kalpas ago, there lived a Buddha called Sun-Moon-Light, the Tathagata, the Deserver of Offerings, the Perfectly Enlightened One, the Man of Wisdom and Practice, the Well-Gone, the Knower of the World, the Unsurpassed Man, the Controller of Men, the Teacher of Gods and Men, the Buddha, the World-Honored One.

What will be plainly spoken of from now on is simply what happened in the remote past, [Mañjuśrī] is going to describe what really happened. It is the story of the Buddha Sun-and-Moon Glow.

The Thus Come One (Tathāgata) preached freely in accordance with his aims; thus it is referred to as Immeasurable. But here just “ten” attributes are mentioned. Why [ten]? Ten represents the full and ultimate number (or infinity), with the implication that the li of the Thus Come One is perfect and faultless and that the Tao is omnipresent; hence, [the word] ten is employed.

What does [the title] “Thus Come One” (Tathāgata) mean? Although the myriad dharmas are different from each other, they are one and in a [mysterious] way the same. [Why did] the coming of the Sagely body [take place]? He has come [in incarnated form] to transform the myriad creatures; hence, the title Thus Come One.

[Deserver of Offerings] The fertile fields of ‘the utmost Tao’ can produce wonderful fruits. With both external marks (laḳṣaṇa) and ties (saṁyojana?) dispelled, he can be called [worthy of] offerings.

[Perfectly Enlightened One] There is no place that knowledge does not permeate: it is “universal.” This knowledge is not depraved; it is “right” (or correct).

[Man of Wisdom and Practice] When the actions (karman) of body, mouth, and mind are in conformity with knowledge, there is what can be called enlightenment and conduct. [The word] perfect means that as his wisdom is universal, his knowledge and conduct, too, must be complete and perfect.

[Well-Gone ] [The Buddha’s] existence and disappearance provided beings with immeasurable benefits. His trace was exhausted under ‘the twin trees.’ He was then “gone” for [the good of] beings, and beings benefited from this. How can it not be “well”?

[Knower of the World] What does [the title] [the one who] understands the world (lokavid) mean? The five aggregates (pañcaskanda) are what make up the World. The Thus Come One came to the world and untied the bonds and knots.

[Unsurpassed Man] The man is lofty; the path [to him] is cut off (or [his] Tao is absolute). No one can stand equal with him.

[Controller of Men] It is hard to regulate evils, and the immature and woeful [deeds caused by] body and mouth. The Buddha can suppress them and regulate beings. He thus can be called regulator.

[Teacher of Gods and Men] Having completely mastered the wondrous technique of regulation, he can be the teacher of gods (devas) and men.

[Buddha, the World-Honored One] Buddha refers to awakening. He was awakened and enlightened to [the truth of] birth and death. Armed with the previous ten virtues, his general title [representing all his virtues] is Buddha, World-Honored One.

“Good men! I met many Buddhas in my previous existence. At that time I saw the same good omen as this. Those Buddhas emitted the same ray of light as this, and then expounded a great teaching. Therefore, know this! I think that this Buddha also is emitting this ray of light, and showing this good omen, wishing to cause all living beings to hear and understand the most difficult teaching in the world to believe.

The second segment. [What happened in] the past is cited to explain [what happens in] the present. Even though the past and the present are distinguished, their Tao is not different. The past portents as such pointed to the fact that [the Buddha] would preach the great Dharma; [likewise] “it should be understood” that the present portents of Śākyamuni clearly signal that he is certain to preach the Dharma Blossom.

Thereupon Mañjuśrī said to Maitreya Bodhisattva-mahasattva and the other great men:

“Good men! I think that the Buddha, the World-Honored One, wishes to expound a great teaching, to send the rain of a great teaching, to blow the conch-shell horn of a great teaching, to beat the drum of a great teaching, and to explain the meaning of a great teaching.

The profound li is dark and deep beyond measurement. Not having realized for himself the deep li, how can [Maitreya] dare to explicate it? He has to rely on Mañjuśrī [as explicator, a role that requires expertise equal to that of] the famous artisan [Shih] of Ying (the capital of Ch’iu). The phrase I surmise that indicates that comprehension must lie in the Buddha [himself], in whom all have their faith deepened.

The subsequent part consisting of four sections in all serves as an indication that the [Buddha’s] preaching of the Dharma Blossom is imminent. [In] “the first segment,” Mañjuśrī, knowing that li is subtle and sublime, dare not pinpoint, substantiate, or explain it. Therefore, he says: “I surmise that [the Buddha] wishes to preach the great Dharma.”

Thereupon Maitreya Bodhisattva, wishing to repeat what he had said, asked him in gāthās:

Mañjuśrī!
Why is the Leading Teacher
Emitting a great ray of light
From the white curl between his eyebrows?

The composition of the gāthās is dictated generally by the following four aims: first, for the sake of those who will come later; second, for the sake of those who have not yet been enlightened (through the prose section); third, to expand in the gāthās what has been briefly touched on (or left out) in the long lines (of prose); fourth, to chant and dance in tune with intense emotion. Maitreya has asked only the essentials. Now he speaks about them in full detail. The appearance of Mañjuśrī’s name at the start is for the sake of drawing the congregation’s attention; they regarded him highly and when they were to hear him speak later their affection for him would be very intense.

Because what he has seen and heard is so vast, it will be difficult for him to tell them in complete detail.

Many lines that follow this chant are [the recounting of] what has appeared earlier [in prose], [including] “the various background causes and conditions [of the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas], and their various degrees of belief and understanding (adhimukti). [The word] various can refer to morality (śīla) or almsgiving (dāna). What it refers to is not limited to one kind. Listed next are various practices of the six perfections (pāramitās). But there is no set order for them. [The sequential order] can be arranged high or low (or early or late) as [the Buddha] wishes. Why then are they put together here on this occasion and why are the good and the bad [practitioners] of them shown here? Because it is [the Buddha’s] wish that [beings] are led to discard evil and cultivate good. Also illustrated there is the fact that there is no place the light of knowledge does not illuminate.

He thought again:

“This Mañjuśrī, the son of the King of the Dharma, has already met innumerable Buddhas and made offerings to them in his previous existence. He must have seen this rare thing before. Now I will ask him.”

The reason why earlier, when [the Buddha] first entered the samādhi, [the phenomena of] the raining flowers and shaking earth appeared, was that he was going to expound the One Vehicle. This indicates that the transformative teaching of the One Vehicle would follow later. However, [to preach] the One Vehicle was [the Buddha’s] original purpose for convening the meeting. Therefore, Maitreya now first questions the emission of the ray. The order in which [the questioners] are arranged represents some meaning and intention in each case. It seems proper that the question about the rain flowers and the shaking of the earth follow next. [Yet], it is omitted and not mentioned [in the prose section]. That question then must be included in the gāthās.