Divine Stories by Andy Rotman

Author:Andy Rotman
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Wisdom Publications

The Buddha’s Smile and a Rain of Dirt

Now it is a law of nature that whenever lord buddhas manifest their smiles, rays of blue, yellow, red, and white light emerge from their mouths, some going downward and some going upward. Those that go downward enter the various hells1087—Sañjīva (Reviving), Kālasūtra (Black Thread), Saṃghāta (Crushing), Raurava (Shrieking), Mahāraurava (Loud Shrieking), Tapana (Heat), Pratāpana (Extreme Heat), Avīci (Ceaseless Torture), Arbuda (Blistering), Nirarbuda (Blisters Bursting), Aṭaṭa (Chattering Teeth), Hahava (Ugh!), Huhuva (Brrr!), Utpala (Blue Waterlily), Padma (Lotus), and Mahāpadma (Great Lotus). Becoming cold, they descend into the hot hells, and becoming hot, they descend into the cold hells. In this way, those rays of light alleviate the particular torments of those beings who dwell in these various hells. And so they think, “Friends, have we died and passed away from this place? Have we been reborn somewhere else?”

Then, in order to engender their faith, the Blessed One manifests a magical image of himself. Seeing this magical image, they think, “Friends, we haven’t died and passed away from this place, nor have we been born someplace else. Instead, it’s this person who we’ve never seen before; it’s by his power that our particular torments are alleviated.” Cultivating faith in their hearts toward this magical image, they then cast off that karma still to be suffered in these hells and take rebirth among gods and humans, where they become vessels for the [four noble] truths.

Those rays of light that go upward enter the various divine realms1088—Cāturmahārājika (Four Groups of the Great Kings), Trāyatriṃśa (Thirty-Three), Yāma (Free from Conflict), Tuṣita (Content), Nirmāṇarati (Delighting in Creation), Paranirmitavaśavartin (Masters of Others’ Creations), Brahmakāyika (Brahmā’s Assembly), Brahmapurohita (Brahmā’s Priests), Brahmapārṣadya (Brahmā’s Retinue),1089 Mahābrahmaṇa (Great Brahmā), Parīttābha (Limited Splendor), Apramāṇābha (Immeasurable Splendor), Ābhāsvara (Radiant), Parīttaśubha (Limited Beauty), Apramāṇaśubha (Immeasurable Beauty), Śubhakṛtsna (Complete Beauty), Anabhraka (Unclouded), Puṇyaprasava (Merit Born), Bṛhatphala (Great Result), Abṛha (Not Great), Atapa (Serene), Sudṛśa (Clear Sighted), Sudarśa (Good-Looking), and finally Akaniṣṭha (Supreme). There they proclaim the truth of impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and no-self. And they utter these two verses: [569]

Strive! Go forth!

Apply yourselves to the teachings of the Buddha!

Destroy the army of death

as an elephant would a house of reeds.

Whoever diligently follows

this dharma and monastic discipline

will abandon the endless cycle of rebirth

and put an end to suffering.

Then those rays of light, having circulated through the billionfold world-system, come together directly behind the Blessed One.

If the Blessed One wants to reveal the past, they vanish into the Blessed One from behind.

If he wants to predict the future, they vanish into him from the front.1090

If he wants to predict a rebirth in hell, they vanish into the sole of a foot.

If he wants to predict a rebirth as an animal, they vanish into a heel.

If he wants to predict a rebirth as a hungry ghost, they vanish into a big toe.

If he wants to predict a rebirth as a human, they vanish into his knees.

If he wants to predict a reign of an armed wheel-turning king, they vanish into his left palm.

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