Page:Sacred Books of the East - Volume 21.djvu/460

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412
SADDHARMA-PUNDARÎKA.
xxiv.

sattva Mah&sattva Avalokitervara endowed[1]. Therefore then, young man of good family, honour the Bodhisattva Mahisattva Avalokitejvara. The Bodhisattva Mahisattva Avalokitervara, young man of good family, affords safety to those who are in anxiety. On that account one calls him in this Saha-world Abhayandada (i. e. Giver of Safety).

Further, the Bodhisattva Mahdsattva Akshayamati said to the Lord: Shall we give a gift of piety, a decoration of piety, O Lord, {o the Bodhisattva Mah&sattva Avalokitexvara? The Lord replied: Do so, if thou thinkest it opportune. Then the Bodhisattva Mah&sattva Akshayamati took from his neck a pearl necklace, worth a hundred thousand (gold pieces), and presented it to the Bodhisattva Mahdsattva Avalokite^vara as a decoration of piety, with the words: Receive from me this decoration of piety, good man. But he would not accept it. Then the Bodhisattva Mahisattva Akshayamati said to the Bodhisattva Mahisattva Avalokite^vara : Out of compassion to us, young man of good family, accept this pearl necklace. Then the Bodhisattva Mah&sattva Avalokiteivara accepted the pearl necklace from the Bodhisattva Mahdsattva Akshayamati, out of compassion to the Bodhisattva Mahdsattva Akshayamati and the four classes, and out of compassion to the gods, N&gas, goblins, Gandharvas, demons, GarWas, Kinnaras, great serpents, men, and beings not human. Thereafter he divided (the necklace) into two parts, and offered one part to the Lord .S&kyamuni, and the other to the jewel Sttipa of the Lord Prabhtitaratna, the Tath&gata, &c, who had become completely extinct.


  1. Burnouf has followed another reading.