..续本文上一页as the last. And they brought flowers as before, which perfumed the air in a marvelous and most lovely way. They also brought excellent shrines and smaller shrines with them. They went to the Buddha, prostrated themselves at his feet, and said to him, "World Honored One, we deeply delight in, cherish, and defend the Mahayana. Our only wish is for the Tathagata to mercifully receive our offerings." The Tathagata remained silent when he saw this and did not accept their offerings. And so, the indra gods” wish going unfulfilled, their minds were grieved and anguished as they withdrew to sit at one side.

　　Up to the sixth heaven, the gods gathered together offerings, each greater than the last. They gathered precious pennants, flags, and canopies. The smallest of the canopies covered the four heavens. The shortest of the flags enwrapped the four oceans. The lowest of the pennants reached up to the Paranirmita-vasa-vartin heaven. And the flags and pennants fluttering in the wind produced a wondrous sound. The gods also brought the sweetest delicacies. They went to the Buddha, prostrated themselves at his feet, and said to him, "World Honored One, our only wish is for the Tathagata to mercifully receive our offerings." The Tathagata remained silent when he saw this and did not accept their offerings. The gods” wish going unfulfilled, their minds were grieved and anguished as they withdrew to sit at one side.

　　Above them, the remaining brahma congregations all came and gathered together.

　　And at that time, there was the great Brahma and his congregation of brahma gods. Their bodies emitted a brilliance that pervaded everything under the four heavens, so much so that the light of the sun and moon in the desire realm were outshone. The brahma gods brought precious pennants, silk embroideries, flags, and canopies. The very shortest of the flags were hung from Brahma”s palace and extended down to the Sala trees below. They went to the Buddha, prostrated themselves at his feet, and said to him, "World Honored One, our only wish is for the Tathagata to mercifully receive our offerings." The Tathagata remained silent when he saw this and did not accept the offerings. The brahmas” wish going unfulfilled, their minds were grieved and anguished as they withdrew to sit at one side.

　　And at that time, there was the asura king Vimalacitra, who was accompanied by an infinite number of asuras is a great retinue. Their bodies emitted lights that surpassed that of the brahma gods. The asuras brought precious pennants, silk embroideries, flags, and canopies. The smallest of their canopies could cover a chiliocosm. With the sweetest delicacies, they went to the Buddha, prostrated themselves at his feet, and said to him, "Our only wish is for the Tathagata to mercifully receive our very last offerings." The Tathagata remained silent when he saw this and did not accept their offerings. The asuras” wish going unfulfilled, their minds were grieved and anguished as they withdrew to sit at one side.

　　And at that time, there was the mara king of the desire realm, Papiyan. He was accompanied by his retinue of gods and gorgeous women, a congregation of infinite and limitless asankhyas. He opened the gates to Hell and gave [the demons there] pure ice water. This caused him to say, "Now, there is nothing that you can do but turn your thoughts to the Tathagata, the Arhat, the perfectly enlightened one. Let us put together the very last offerings to bring him happiness. This will lead you old demons to find peace." Then the mara Papiyan went into the Hell where all were put to death with blades coated with an infinite variety of excruciating poisons. He poured into that Hell a rain to extinguish the raging flames there. And with the Buddha”s spiritual power, he engender…

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