The
29 Chapter Version
Chapter
11: The Meticulous Observation of Gods and Humans By the Four Great
Kings
Then, the
Great King Vaishravana, the Great King Dhritarashta, the Great King
Virudhaka, and the Great King Virupaksha rose from their seats, put
their upper robes over one shoulder, kneeled placing their right knee
on the ground, bowed with joined palms in the direction of the
Transcendent and Accomplished Conqueror, and spoke the following
words to the Transcendent and Accomplished Conqueror:
“Lord
Bhagavan, as for this Sovereign
King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light,
it is spoken by all Tathāgatas. It is seen by all Tathāgatas. It is
ruminated upon by all Tathāgatas. All the assemblies of bodhisattvas
completely embrace it. All the assemblies of gods bow to it. All the
assemblies of gods make offerings to it. All the assemblies of
god-kings deeply praise it. All the protectors of the universe
venerate it and praise it, and speaking those praises, they intensely
worship it. It illuminates all the castles of the gods. It fully
bestows all supreme bliss upon all sentient beings. It dries up all
the suffering of sentient beings in the hells, the animal world, and
the world of Yama. It cuts off the flow of all fear. It totally wards
off all foreign armies. It exhaustively pacifies all the terrors of
famine. It utterly neutralizes all the horrors of sickness. It
dispels all harm from planets. It activates absolute peace. It
completely calms all agony and disturbing emotions. It powerfully
soothes a variety of harmful factors. It vigorously subdues one
hundred thousand kinds of harm. Indeed it does!”
“Lord
Bhagavan, if this Sovereign
King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light is
extensively, authentically, and thoroughly explained to a retinue,
then through the essential juice of ambrosial Dharma nectar that
comes from listening to this Dharma, for us along with our four-fold
retinue of troops and servants, our divine bodies will greatly expand
in majesty. In our bodies, endurance, strength, and power will grow.
Brilliance, resplendence, and vitality will be infused into our
bodies.”
“Lord
Bhagavan, we, the Four Great Kings, are imbued with the Dharma. We
are orators of Dharma, kings of Dharma indeed. Lord Bhagavan, through
the Dharma, we work as the kings of gods, nagas, yakshas, ashuras,
garudas, gandharvas, kinnaras, mahoragas. We counteract the
inexhaustible hordes of bhutas who are without compassion and steal
others’ luster.”
“Lord
Bhagavan, we, the Four Great Kings, simultaneously with the
twenty-eight great generals of the yakshas and many hundreds of
thousands of yakshas, always continuously observe the entire world
with our perfectly pure divine eyes that surpass those of humans. We
guard it. We powerfully protect it.”
“Lord
Bhagavan, for this reason, we, the Four Great Kings, have come to be
named ‘The Protectors of the Universe’.”
“Lord
Bhagavan, when any place in this world is endangered by the invasion
of foreign armies, the terrors of poverty, the horrors of sickness,
hundreds of different kinds of harm, thousands of different kinds of
harm, or hundreds of thousands of different kinds of harm, then, Lord
Bhagavan, we, the Four Great Kings, will inspire the
Dharma-expounding monks who uphold this Sovereign
King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light.”
“Lord
Bhagavan, when we, the Four Great Kings, have inspired those
Dharma-expounding monks through miracles and blessings, then in
whatever lands they go to, we will cause them to extensively and
authentically teach this Sovereign
King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light in
those very lands. In whatever lands where things such as hundreds of
different kinds of harm and thousands of different kinds of harm
occur, we will completely pacify.”
“Lord
Bhagavan, in whatever lands the Dharma-expounding monk who upholds
this Sovereign King of Sūtras,
the Sublime Golden Light
travels in, we will cause the human king of those very lands to
render service to this Sovereign
King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light.”
“Lord
Bhagavan, the human king, having listened to and reflected upon this
Sovereign King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light,
will in all ways protect those monks who uphold this Sovereign of
Sūtras from all attacks. If he thoroughly guards, thoroughly cares
for, and thoroughly looks after them, then, Lord Bhagavan, we, the
Four Great Kings, will in all ways protect the sentient beings who
live all over the land of that human king. We will thoroughly guard,
thoroughly take care of, and thoroughly look after them, causing them
to be peaceful and happy.”
“Lord
Bhagavan, if the human king makes the upholder of this Sovereign of
Sūtras happy with all that brings happiness, whether they be a monk,
nun, layman, or laywoman, then, Lord Bhagavan, we, the Four Great
Kings, will cause the sentient beings living all over the land of
that human king to have an abundance of bliss and all useful things,
with all implements of happiness.”
“Lord
Bhagavan, when the human king respects, treats as a guru, renders
service, and makes offerings to the upholder of this Sovereign of
Sūtras, whether they be a monk, nun, layman, or laywoman, then, Lord
Bhagavan, we, the Four Great Kings, will cause all kings to greatly
honor, greatly venerate, greatly attend to, and greatly offer to that
human king. In all lands, he will be copiously praised.”
FROM
THE SOVEREIGN KING OF SŪTRAS, THE SUBLIME GOLDEN LIGHT, THIS WAS THE
ELEVENTH CHAPTER: THE METICULOUS OBSERVATION OF GODS AND HUMANS BY
THE FOUR GREAT KINGS.
Translated
by the Sugatagarbha Translation Group.
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