..续本文上一页th to the shore of liberation, but the realm of living beings does not expand or shrink. Bhagavan, why are living beings still coming into being and vanishing uninterruptedly

　　"

　　At that time, in order to light up a great Dharma Torch -- to ask about a great thing, Medicine King Army (Bhaisajya-sena) Bodhisattva Mahasattva, who was sublimed by his great vows, said to the Buddha: "Bhagavan, in the future there will be no young living beings or old living beings who come into being and vanish."

　　The Buddha said to Medicine King Army: "Living beings become old, and then become young again, it is in this way that they come into being and vanish. Virtuous man, for example, a person washed his hair and came out from his house wearing a new cloth, when others saw him, they said: ”How nice it is, that he washed his hair and is wearing a new clean cloth! ” And, another person also washed his hair, and wore an old but washed cloth. Although his old cloth was washed, others said: ”It is nice that his hair is washed, but his cloth is not good.” Likewise, Medicine King Army, being old is considered not good in Jambudvipa, but being young, though it is considered good, it is also in births and deaths."

　　Then the Brahmans and Nirgranthas asked the Buddha: "Bhagavan, who are called old, and who are young

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　　The Buddha told those Exterior-path practitioners: "Those who frequently fall into the categories of hungry ghosts, animals, hell beings, and so forth, and suffer from that, but never feel tired of it, are called old beings."

　　Then all the Brahmans, heavenly gods, dragons, and great kings said to the Buddha: "Bhagavan, we can no longer bear to suffer from births and deaths."

　　At that time, the Nirgranthas said: "Then there is no young living being at all."

　　Then Medicine King Army said to the Buddha: "Bhagavan, see how difficult it is to ferry these living beings (to the shore of liberation)!"

　　The Buddha said to Medicine King Army Bodhisattva: "The Tathagata will analyze and explain it today, you should listen attentively. Now there are 9400 billion youths (Manavaka) in the presence of the Tathagata, they did not pay obeisance to, and did not inquire after the Tathagata."

　　Medicine King Army Bodhisattva asked the Buddha: "Bhagavan, why is it that these living beings did not pay obeisance to, and did not inquire after the Tathagata, and did not request the Buddha to solve their doubts

　　"

　　The Buddha told Medicine King Army Bodhisattva: "Virtuous man, listen attentively and I will tell you. Virtuous man, if someone says that there is no young living being at all, he should know that these youths are young living beings."

　　Those youths then said: "We are young living beings, Bhagavan, we are young living beings."

　　The Buddha said: "Yes, yes, you are young living beings. You are just born, like the rising sun, whose light universally illuminate all things, who is looked up to by innumerable living beings. You have been in the Buddha-Way for long time, your hearts are matured, and you had mastered myriads of Bodhisattva-Dharmas. Although you are called ”young”, you have been cultivating and practicing for eons."

　　At that time, those 9400 billion youths all gained the tenth stage (of Bodhisattva), they flied upward and stayed in the sky.

　　Medicine King Army Bodhisattva then said to the Buddha: "Bhagavan, these living beings are joyful that they have gained the great benefit and have terminated their births and deaths. Bhagavan, these living beings are free from births and deaths and are staying at the tenth stage."

　　At that time, the dragons, kings, demons and their followers, and the Exterior-path practitioners -- the Brahmans and Nirgranthas, came close to the Buddha and said to the Buddha: "Bhagavan, we have come to where the Buddha is, to listen …

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