..續本文上一頁ngs, they made haste to the Buddha, prostrated themselves at his feet, and circled him one hundred thousand times. With their palms together in reverence, they withdrew to sit at one side.

　　And among the bhiksunis, there were bhiksunis who were like Nagas among the bodhisattvas. They were seated and peacefully dwelt at the level of imperturbability among the ten bodhisattva stages. It was in order to transform sentient beings that they manifested female bodes and constantly practiced the four immeasurable minds. Having attained the power of freedom, they could transform themselves into Buddhas [if they so chose].

　　At that time, there were bodhisattva-mahasattvas whose number were like the sands of the Ganges River. Nagas among men, they were seated and peacefully dwelt at the level of imperturbability among the ten bodhisattva stages, and could expediently manifest their bodies [freely]. Their names were Bodhisattva Oceanic Virtue and Bodhisattva Inexhaustible Mind. They were the foremost leaders among the bodhisattva-mahasattvas. Their thoughts were reverent of the Mahayana, peacefully dwelt in the Mahayana, deeply understood the Mahayana, delighted in the Mahayana, and protected the Mahayana. They were skilled in conforming themselves [to the circumstances of] all worldly beings, making the vow, "I shall lead those who have not yet been liberated to the attainment of liberation." They had in the distant past of infinite kalpas cultivated and kept the precepts purely, skillfully maintained the practice of understanding what is not yet understood, and assisted the three jewels, being certain that they did not perish. And in future lives they would turn the Dharma wheel, adorning themselves with the great armor. Consummating thus such infinitely virtuous deeds, they regarded sentient beings equally as they would an only child.

　　In the early morning just as the sun was rising, they encountered the Buddha”s light and arose, hands and body. When they stood the side of their bodies upon which they had lain was red like the Palasa blossom. Tears filled their eyes, and there arose in them a great anguish. They, too, hoping that sentient beings might receive the blessing of peaceful happiness, had consummated the Mahayana”s supreme and practice of emptiness, manifesting the inception of the expediency of the Tathagata”s esoteric teachings. In order to prevent the disappearance of the spoken Dharmas and bring about the circumstances leading to the pacification of sentient beings, they made haste to the Buddha, prostrated themselves at his feet, and circled him one hundred thousand times. With their palms together in reverence, they withdrew to sit at one side.

　　And at that time, there were upasakas whose number were like the sands of two Ganges Rivers. They had taken and kept the precepts, perfect was their majestic deportment. They were the upasaka King Majestic Virtue of Undefiled Speech and upasaka Good Virtue. They were the foremost leaders. They deeply delighted in the contemplation of the ways of correcting oneself. The subjects of contemplation were suffering and happiness, permanence and impermanence, purity and impurity, self and non-self, the real and the unreal, taking refuge and not taking refuge, sentient beings and what is not sentient beings, the continuous and non-continuous, peace and non-peace, the conditioned and the unconditioned, the ending and the unending, Nirvana and what is not Nirvana, as well as advancement and what is not advancement. They always delighted deeply in the contemplation of ways of correcting themselves. They, too, longed to and delighted in listening to the unsurpassed Mahayana. And having heard it, they could explain it to others. They were skilled in keeping the precepts purely, which quenched th…

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