Issue5_art10

-AHA MAUDGALYAYANA 6ISITS A !NOTHER 0LANET ! 3ELECTION FROM THE 3CRIPTURE 7HICH )S A 2EPOSITORY OF 'REAT *EWELS 4RANSLATED BY 2ONALD " %PSTEIN 4RANSLATOR S )NTRODUCTION

4HE FOLLOWING STORY IS ABOUT THE 6ENERABLE -AHA MAUDGALYAYANA

A AN EN

| LIGHTENED DISCIPLE OF THE HISTORICAL "UDDHA 3AKYAMUNI -AHA MAUDGALYA YANA TRAVELS TO A DISTANT SOLAR SYSTEM TO A PLANET WHICH IS INHABITED BY GI ANT PEOPLE AND ON WHICH THERE IS ALSO A "UDDHA WITH DISCIPLES PRACTICING UNDER HIS GUIDANCE 4HE STORY WHICH BRINGS TO MIND 3WIFT S 'ULLIVER IN THE LAND OF THE GIANTS IS REMARKABLE IN MANY RESPECTS 4HE "UDDHA AND -AHA MAUDGALYAYANA BOTH PROBABLY LIVED DURING THE l A FTH AND SIXTH CENTU RIES " # % )N THE %UROPEAN 7EST UNTIL THE TIME OF 'ALILEO n MOST EDUCATED PEOPLE THOUGHT THE WHOLE COSMOS ROTATED AROUND THE %ARTH AND CONSISTED OF THE SUN AND SEVEN PLANETS 4HEY DID NOT REALIZE THAT THE STARS WERE OTHER SUNS 4HIS STORY HERE RELATED SHOWS THAT YEARS AGO "UD DHISTS WERE AWARE OF A VAST COSMOS l LLED WITH SUNS AND PLANETS AND SENTIENT LIFE #ONTEMPORARY SCIENTIl CALLY ORIENTED PEOPLE OFTEN HAVE A TENDENCY TO DISMISS NON 7ESTERN COSMOLOGIES AS LIMITED PRIMITIVE AND DISTORTED MYTHS

IN THE NEGATIVE SENSE OF THAT WORD )N THIS STORY WE ARE PRESENTED WITH A COSMOLOGY THAT SEEMS MUCH CLOSER THAN THE 7ESTERN PRE 'ALILEAN VIEW TO THE CONTEMPORARY SCIENTIl C VIEW OF THE PHYSICAL UNIVERSE /F COURSE THE ASSERTIONS ABOUT THE SPIRITUAL POWERS OF THE "UDDHA AND -AHA MAUDGALYA YANA AND THE SIZE OF THE PEOPLE ON THE DISTANT PLANET DO NOT MERGE SO EASILY WITH CONTEMPORARY SCIENTIl C MATERIALIST MINDSETS )N THE STORY -AHA MAUDGALYAYANA TRIES TO l A ND THE SPATIAL LIMIT OF THE

VOICE OF THE "UDDHA AS HE PROCLAIMS THE $HARMA !T ISSUE IS NOT THE PHYSICAL

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2ONALD " %PSTEIN

VOICE THAT TRAVELS IN SOUND WAVES THROUGH AIR -AHA MAUDGALYAYANA S INTER A EST IS IN THE REACH OF WHAT WE MIGHT TODAY CALL A TELEPATHIC VOICEˆA VOICE WHICH IF WE HAVE THE PROPER TRAINING WE HEAR DIRECTLY IN OUR MINDS 4HIS IS ALSO A CAUTIONARY TALE /N THE ONE HAND IT WARNS US OF THE DANGER OF ARROGANCE ABOUT OUR OWN ABILITIES AND UNDERSTANDINGS )N THE COURSE OF EVENTS -AHA MAUDGALYAYANA COMES TO REALIZE BOTH HIS OWN LIMITATIONS AND A THE EXTENT OF THE "UDDHAgS COMPASSION WISDOM AND POWER /N THE OTHER HAND THE "UDDHA OF THAT OTHER WORLD TEACHES HIS DISCIPLES THAT ALTHOUGH -AHA MAUDGALYAYANA SEEMS RIDICULOUSLY TINY AND INCONSEQUENTIAL TO THEM

A THERE IS MUCH TO HIM THAT DOES NOT IMMEDIATELY MEET THEIR EYES HE IS REALLY WORTHY OF THEIR GREAT RESPECT 4HUS THE STORY ALSO DECRIES SUPERl CIAL PREJU DICE AND RIDICULE OF THOSE WHO APPEAR TO BE DIFFERENT THAN OURSELVES (ERE WE HAVE A LESSON THOUSANDS OF YEARS OLD THAT PEOPLE OF OTHER CULTURES AND ETHNIC GROUPS DESERVE OUR RESPECT AND NOT ONLY THEM BUT EVEN ALIENS FROM OTHER WORLDS ) AM EMPHASIZING THOSE THEMES NOT BECAUSE THEY CONSTITUTE THE CORE MESSAGE OF THE STORY WHICH IS ABOUT THE INCONCEIVABLE RANGE OF THE VOICE OF THE "UDDHA BUT BECAUSE THEY MIGHT EASILY BE OVERLOOKED WHILE CONSIDERING THE RAMIl CATIONS OF THE MAIN TOPIC 4HE TRANSLATION BELOW IS OF A SMALL SECTION OF THE 3CRIPTURE 7HICH )S A 2EPOSITORY OF 'REAT *EWELS A COLLECTION OF DIVERSE -AHAYANA "UDDHIST TEACH INGS WHICH WAS l RST TRANSLATED INTO #HINESE IN # % AND WHICH WAS ALSO LATER TRANSLATED INTO 4IBETAN 4HE )NDIAN LANGUAGE VERSIONS ARE NO LONGER EXTANT 4HE SELECTION TRANSLATED HERE FROM THE #HINESE TEXT IS PART OF A SEC TION ENTITLED h4HE !SSEMBLY ;4AUGHT BY= 6AJRAPAN I v WHICH ALSO CIRCULATED AS A SEPARATE SCRIPTURE 4HE MAIN THEME OF THE SECTION IS THE INCONCEIVABLE HIDDEN QUALITIES OF THE BODIES THE VOICES AND THE MINDS OF THE "UDDHAS 4EXT 6AJRAPAN I AGAIN SPOKE TO THE "ODHISATTVA 1UIET 2ESOLVE h) AM NOW OBSERVING EVERYWHERE ALL THE CELESTIAL DEMONS AND BRAHMA GODS IN THE WORLDS OF THE HEAVENS THE "UDDHIST MONKS AND "RAHMINS AND ALL THE OTHER GODS AND HUMANS .ONE IS ABLE TO l ND ANY LIMIT TO HOW FAR AWAY THE WORDS PROCLAIMED BY THE 4HUS #OME /NE CAN BE HEARD 7HY ) MYSELF RECALL AN INCIDENT THAT TOOK PLACE WHEN THE 7ORLD (ONORED /NE WAS ON 6ULTURE 0EAK SURROUNDED BY A RETINUE OF ALL THE "ODHISATTVAS AND WAS PROMULGATING FOR THE SAKE OF VAST NUMBERS OF LIVING BEINGS A SCRIPTURE OF $HARMA CALLED @4HE 2ANGE OF THE 0URE 6OICE h!T THAT TIME AFTER THE "ODHISATTVA -AITREYA HAD MADE AN ASSERTION ABOUT THAT RANGE THE WORTHY -AHA MAUDGALYAYANA HAD THIS THOUGHT

A @) WISH TO TEST HOW FAR THE VOICE OF THE 4HUS #OME /NE CARRIES 4HEN -AHA

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-AHA MAUDGALYAYANA A 6ISITS !NOTHER 0LANET MAUDGALYAYANA SUDDENLY DISAPPEARED FROM HIS SEAT 2EAPPEARING ON THE A SUMMIT OF -OUNT 3UMERU HE HEARD THE VOICE OF THE "UDDHA AS IF HE WERE RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM (E THEN USED HIS SPIRITUAL POWER OF UNIMPEDED FUNC TIONING OF THE BODY TO JOURNEY TO THE VERY EDGE OF THIS 'REAT 7ORLD 3YSTEM OF A "ILLION 7ORLDS (E PASSED THROUGH MYRIADS OF WORLDS EACH WITH ITS -OUNT 3UMERU FOUR CONTINENTS AND ALL THE RINGS OF )RON -OUNTAIN 2ANGES /N THE SUMMIT OF THE VERY FARTHEST RING OF )RON -OUNTAINS HE STILL HEARD THE VOICE OF THE "UDDHA )T WAS JUST AS BEFORE WITHOUT ANY DIFFERENCE AS IF IT WERE NEAR AND NOT FAR AWAY h4HE "UDDHA THOUGHT TO HIMSELF @3INCE -AUDGALYAYANA WISHES TO TEST A THE RANGE OF PURE VOICE OF THE 4HUS #OME /NE ) SHOULD NOW ALLOW HIM TO DO SO 4HEN THE 7ORLD (ONORED /NE GENERATED SPIRITUAL POWER !T THAT TIME -AUDGALYAYANA ACKNOWLEDGED THE NOBLE PURPOSE OF THE "UDDHA IN A DOING SO AND -AUDGALYAYANA ACCEPTED THAT SPIRITUAL POWER FROM HIM SO A THAT HE WAS ABLE TO GO TO A LOCATION IN A WESTERLY DIRECTION THAT WAS EVEN FARTHER AWAY )N DOING SO HE PASSED THROUGH "UDDHALANDS AS NUMEROUS AS THE GRAINS OF SAND IN NINETY NINE 'ANGES 2IVERS TO A WORLD SYSTEM CALLED "ANNER OF ,IGHT IN WHICH A "UDDHA RESIDED )N THAT "UDDHALAND A "UDDHA NAMED +ING OF ,IGHT A 4HUS #OME /NE AN !RHAT A 3AMYAKSAMBUDDHA

WAS RIGHT THEN SPEAKING THE $HARMA -AUDGALYAYANA WENT THERE AND IN THAT A "UDDHALAND AS BEFORE HEARD THE "UDDHA S VOICE JUST AS A PERSON STANDING BEFORE HIM WOULD HEAR HIS WORDS h)N THE "UDDHALAND "ANNER OF ,IGHT THE LIGHT IS VERY BRIGHT 4HE BODY OF THE "UDDHA OF THAT LAND IS EIGHT MILES TALL AND THE BODIES OF ALL THE "ODHISATTVAS ARE FOUR MILES TALL 4HE BOWLS FROM WHICH THE "ODHISATTVAS EAT ARE A l FTH OF A MILE HIGH h!FTER -AUDGALYAYANA ALIGHTED ATOP THE RIM OF A BOWL ALL THE "ODHISAT A TVAS ASKED THAT 7ORLD (ONORED /NE @'REAT 3AGE PLEASE TELL US WHERE THIS BUG WHO IS WEARING THE CLOTHES OF A "UDDHIST MONK AND HAS ALIGHTED ON THE RIM OF THIS BOWL CAME FROM h4HEN THAT "UDDHA SAID @!LL OF YOU SONS OF GOOD FAMILIES BE CAREFUL NOT TO BE PURPOSELY DISRESPECTFUL TOWARDS THIS WORTHY ONE 7HY 4HIS ELDER S NAME IS -AHA MAUDGALYAYANA !MONG ALL THE GREAT DISCIPLES OF THE "UDDHA A 3|A KYAMUNI WHO WERE ENLIGHTENED DIRECTLY FROM HEARING HIS TEACHINGS HE IS FOREMOST IN SPIRITUAL POWERS h4HEN THE "UDDHA +ING OF ,IGHT SAID TO -AHA MAUDGALYAYANA @4HE A "ODHISATTVAS AND ALL THE %NLIGHTENED (EARERS IN MY LAND SAW THAT YOUR ES TEEMED BODY IS SMALL AND ALL BECAME DISRESPECTFUL )F YOU HAVE RECEIVED THE NOBLE PERMISSION OF THE "UDDHA 3|A KYAMUNI WHOSE VIRTUE IS AWE INSPIRING

YOU HUMANE ONE SHOULD DISPLAY YOUR SPIRITUAL POWERS

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h!T THAT TIME -AHA MAUDGALYAYANA WENT TO WHERE THE "UDDHA +ING A OF ,IGHT WAS AND BOWED AT HIS FEET 4HEN AFTER CIRCUMAMBULATING THAT "UDDHA IN A CLOCKWISE DIRECTION SEVEN TIMES HE STOOD IN FRONT OF HIM AND SAID @7ITH THIS VERY BODY ) WISH TO SIT IN FULL LOTUS POSITION 7ILL THIS PLACE BE LARGE ENOUGH FOR MY BODY TO l T IN h4HAT "UDDHA SAID @7HATEVER WILL PLEASE YOU h4HEN -AHA MAUDGALYAYANA LEAPT EIGHTY MILLION FEET UP INTO THE SKY A 4HERE IN THAT TREASURED REALM HE THEN CREATED A COUCH AND SAT IN FULL LOTUS POSITION UPON IT &ROM THAT LOCATION SITTING UPON THE COUCH HE SUSPENDED TEN BILLION NAYUTAS OF PRECIOUS PEARL NECKLACES ALL VARIOUSLY NAMED %ACH PEARL OF EACH NECKLACE EMITTED A HUNDRED THOUSAND RAYS OF LIGHT )N EACH RAY OF LIGHT WAS A LOTUS m OWER !ND A BODY OF THE "UDDHA 3|A KYAMUNI APPEARED SITTING ATOP EACH ONE OF THOSE LOTUS m OWERS 4HEIR VOICES SOUNDED LIKE THAT OF 3|A KYAMUNI 7ITH CLARITY AND PURITY THEY PROCLAIMED THE 3UTRAS IN JUST THE SAME WAY AS HE PROCLAIMS THEM WITHOUT ANY DIFFERENCE h4HEN -AHA MAUDGALYAYANA HAVING l A NISHED DISPLAYING HIS SPIRITUAL POWERS RETURNED TO HIS PLACE IN FRONT OF THAT "UDDHA !T THAT TIME ALL THOSE "ODHISATTVAS OBTAINED WHAT THEY NEVER HAD BEFORE 4HEY WONDERED ABOUT IT AND SO THEY SAID TO THAT "UDDHA @7HY HAS -AHA MAUDGALYAYANA COME A TO THIS WORLD h4HAT 7ORLD (ONORED /NE SAID TO THEM @(E CAME TO THIS LAND BECAUSE HE WISHED TO TEST HOW FAR THE VOICE OF THE "UDDHA 3|A KYAMUNI TRAVELS h4HEN THE "UDDHA +ING OF ,IGHT SAID TO THE WORTHY -AHA MAUDGALYA YANA @(UMANE ONE IT IS NOT l TTING TO TEST HOW FAR THE VOICE OF THE 4HUS #OME /NE THE !RHAT TRAVELS IT HAS NO LIMIT NO FAR OR NEAR (OW COULD YOU WISH TO KNOW ITS LIMITS 9OU EMINENT ONE ARE MAKING AN EXTREMELY GREAT ERROR -AUDGALYAYANA IF YOU HUMANE ONE WERE TO USE YOUR SPIRITUAL POW A ERS TO PASS THROUGH EONS AS NUMEROUS AS THE GRAINS OF SANDS IN THE RIVER AND TRAVEL IN A WESTERLY DIRECTION WITHOUT RESTING YOU WOULD STILL NOT GET TO KNOW ALL THE PLACES WHERE THE VOICE OF THE 4HUS #OME /NE IS HEARD 4HE VAST RANGE OF THE VOICES OF THE "UDDHAS THE 4HUS #OME /NES ABSOLUTELY TRANSCENDS ANY LIMITS 4HEIR VOICES ARE MAJESTIC AND INl NITE AND CANNOT BE UNDERSTOOD EVEN BY MEANS OF ANALOGY h!T THAT TIME -AHA MAUDGALYAYANA PROSTRATED HIMSELF AT THE FEET OF A THAT 7ORLD (ONORED /NE AND REPENTED OF HIS TRANSGRESSIONS @9ES 7ORLD (ONORED /NE BECAUSE ) MYSELF WAS NOT INTELLIGENT ENOUGH TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE VOICE OF THE "UDDHAS HAS NO LIMIT ) UNFORTUNATELY WISHED TO KNOW WHAT WAS THE FARTHEST DISTANCE AT WHICH IT COULD STILL BE HEARD h4HE "UDDHA +ING OF ,IGHT THEN SAID TO -AUDGALYAYANA @%VEN SO YOU A CAME FROM FAR AWAY AND PASSED THROUGH "UDDHA WORLDS AS NUMEROUS AS THE SANDS IN NINETY NINE RIVERS TO GET TO THIS "UDDHALAND

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-AHA MAUDGALYAYANA A 6ISITS !NOTHER 0LANET h-AUDGALYAYANA AGAIN SPOKE TO THAT "UDDHA @/ 'OD AMONG GODS ) A HAVE COME EXTREMELY FAR EXTREMELY FAR INDEED -Y BODY IS SO EXTREMELY FATIGUED THAT ) CANNOT RETURN TO MY HOMELAND h4HAT 7ORLD (ONORED /NE SAID TO HIM @-AUDGALYAYANA WHAT IS YOUR A OPINION $ID YOU USE YOUR OWN SPIRITUAL POWER TO GET TO THIS WORLD $O NOT TAKE THAT VIEW 9OU ARE HERE IN THIS WORLD BECAUSE OF THE AWESOME VIRTU OUS POWER OF THE 7ORLD (ONORED /NE 3|A KYAMUNI &ROM AFAR YOU SHOULD TAKE REFUGE WITH THE "UDDHA 3|A KYAMUNI AND BOW YOUR HEAD IN WORSHIP OF HIM 4HEN THAT "UDDHA CAN

BY ACTIVATING HIS NOBLE INTENT RETURN YOU

HUMANE ONE TO YOUR HOMELAND %STEEMED ONE IF YOU WISHED TO USE YOUR OWN SPIRITUAL POWER TO RETURN TO YOUR HOMELAND EVEN AFTER AN EON YOU WOULD STILL NOT HAVE ARRIVED THERE %STEEMED ONE SINCE YOU WOULD NOT HAVE ARRIVED YOU WOULD NOT BE THERE IN TIME TO SEE THE "UDDHA 3|A KYAMUNI ENTER NIRVANA -AUDGALYAYANA WHAT IS YOUR OPINION 7HAT REGION AM ) IN A EAST SOUTH WEST OR NORTH h-AUDGALYAYANA ANSWERED @) DO NOT KNOW WHAT REGION "ECAUSE ) AM A NOW DISORIENTED ) DON T KNOW WHERE MY HOMELAND IS OR IN WHAT DIRECTION IT IS h4HAT 7ORLD (ONORED /NE SAID TO -AUDGALYAYANA @4HE "UDDHA 3|A KYAMUNI IS EAST OF HERE h4HEN -AHA MAUDGALYAYANA PUT HIS RIGHT KNEE ON THE GROUND AND A PLACED HIS PALMS TOGETHER TAKING REFUGE TOWARDS THE EAST WHERE THE "UDDHA 3|A KYAMUNI WAS !T THAT TIME HE SPOKE THESE VERSES 4HE /NE WHO ALONE IS HONORED BY BOTH GODS AND HUMANS

7HO IS SEEN TO BESTOW HIS STRENGTH AND THOUGHTS OF COMPASSION

7HOSE AWESOME POWER OF VIRTUE REACHES GREAT AND MAJESTIC HEIGHTS 4HE /NE WHOM BOTH GODS AND HUMANS REVERE

7HOSE VOICE TRAVELS INl NITELY

!ND WHOSE WISDOM IS WITHOUT BOUND @(IS IS THE LAND IN WHICH ) WISH TO REAPPEAR !ND SO ) NOW DESIRE TO RETURN THERE v 6AJRAPAN I SAID h3O IT IS 1UIET 2ESOLVE THAT THE VOICE OF ALL "UDDHAS

7ORLD (ONORED /NES IS WITHOUT BOUNDARY OR LIMIT h!S THE "UDDHA 3|A KYAMUNI WAS STROLLING ATOP 6ULTURE 0EAK 3|A RIPUTRA HEARD THAT LOUD VOICE TRANSMITTED BY THE WORTHY -AHA MAUDGALYAYANA AND A

WONDERED ABOUT THE REASON FOR IT BUT IT WAS THE WORTHY ! !NANDA WHO l RST ASKED THE "UDDHA @7HO IS IT WHO IS NOW ASKING FOR REFUGE IN SUCH A LOUD VOICE SO THAT HE CAN RETURN FROM SO FAR AWAY

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h4HE "UDDHA SAID TO !NANDA @-AHA MAUDGALYAYANA HAS BEEN IN THE WESTERN REGIONS FOR MANY YEARS (E TRAVELED THROUGH "UDDHALANDS AS NUMEROUS AS THE GRAINS OF SAND IN NINETY NINE RIVERS AND REACHED A WORLD CALLED "ANNER OF ,IGHT 4HE "UDDHA OF THAT LAND IS CALLED +ING OF ,IGHT 4HUS #OME /NE AN !RHAT WHO IS RIGHT NOW SPEAKING THE $HARMA THERE )T HAS BEEN MANY YEARS SINCE -AHA MAUDGALYAYANA A REACHED THAT "UDDHALAND

AND BECAUSE HE NOW DESIRES TO RETURN TO THIS LAND HE HAS TRANSMITTED HIS STRONG AND CLEAR VOICE FROM THAT FARAWAY PLACE

h! !NANDA ASKED FURTHER @7HY DID HE GO TO THAT "UDDHALAND

h4HE "UDDHA TOLD ! !NANDA @7HEN -AHA MAUDGALYAYANA ARRIVES YOU A CAN ASK HIM WHAT HIS INTENTIONS WERE h4HEN EVERYONE IN THE GREAT ASSEMBLY SAID TO THE "UDDHA @7E WOULD BE PLEASED IF WE COULD GET TO SEE THE "ANNER OF ,IGHT WORLD AND THE "UD DHA +ING OF ,IGHT A 4HUS #OME /NE AN !RHAT AN %QUALLY AND 0ROPERLY %NLIGHTENED /NE AND TO OBSERVE WHAT -AHA MAUDGALYAYANA IS DOING IN A HIS LAND h!T THAT TIME THE 7ORLD (ONORED /NE SEEING THAT ALL IN THE ASSEMBLY WERE EXHORTING HIM TO AID THEM IN FULl LLING THEIR WISH EMITTED FROM THE "UDDHA (ALLMARK BETWEEN THE EYEBROWS A GREAT LIGHT CALLED @0ERCEIVED BY !LL )T ILLUMINATED ALL THE "UDDHA WORLDS AS NUMEROUS AS THE GRAINS OF SAND IN NINETY NINE RIVERS AND REACHED ALL THE WAY TO THE "UDDHALAND "ANNER OF ,IGHT 7HAT THAT GREAT LIGHT ILLUMINATED WAS SEEN BY ALL THOSE IN THE ASSEMBLY SO THAT EVERYONE OBSERVED +ING OF ,IGHT THE "UDDHA OF THAT LAND A 4HUS #OME /NE AN !RHAT 7HEN -AHA MAUDGALYAYANA SAW THE A LIGHT HE BOWED TO THE GROUND AND CALLED OUT IN A LOUD VOICE h!T THAT TIME THE 7ORLD (ONORED /NE THE "UDDHA 3|A KYAMUNI TOLD THE WORTHY -AHA MAUDGALYAYANA TO RIDE THAT LIGHT BACK TO HIS OWN LAND 4HEN

A RELYING ON THE "UDDHA LIGHT -AUDGALYAYANA IN THE SPACE OF A THOUGHT

A RETURNED TO THIS LAND (E BOWED AT THE "UDDHA S FEET AND CIRCUMAMBULATED HIM SEVEN TIMES IN A CLOCKWISE DIRECTION !FTERWARDS HE STOOD BEFORE THE "UDDHA REPENTED AND TOOK REFUGE (E REPROACHED HIMSELF ONCE AGAIN SAY ING @) WAS EXTREMELY CONFUSED 4HE VOICE OF THE 4HUS #OME /NE HAS NO LIMITS YET ) WANTED TO TEST ITS RANGE 4HE MOST DISTANT POINT ) REACHED WAS EXCEEDINGLY FAR AWAY YET THE VOICE THAT ) HEARD THERE WAS THE SAME AS IT IS NOW ) PERCEIVED IT AS IF IT WERE NEAR AND NOT FAR AWAY 4HE VOICE OF THE 4HUS #OME /NE IS MAJESTIC AND ITS RANGE IS BOUNDLESS h4HE "UDDHA SAID @3O IT IS -AUDGALYAYANA JUST AS YOU SAY 4HE VOICE A OF THE 4HUS #OME /NE EXTENDS FAR EVEN BEYOND WHAT CAN BE UNDERSTOOD

BY ANALOGY 7ISHING TO KNOW THE RANGE OF THE VOICE OF THE 4HUS #OME /NE IS LIKE WANTING TO MAKE BOUNDARIES BY PLACING LIMITS ON SPACE 7HY ,IKE

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-AHA MAUDGALYAYANA A 6ISITS !NOTHER 0LANET SPACE WHICH PERVADES EVERYWHERE AND IS BOUNDLESS THE RANGE OF THE WORDS PROCLAIMED BY THE 4HUS #OME /NE IS BOUNDLESS IN ITS EXTENT v s .OTES $A "AO *I *INGG OR -AHA RATNAKUT A SU TRA A 4AISHO 4RIPIT AKA ROLL C C A /THER SELECTIONS FROM THE SUTRA HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED IN ! 4REASURY OF -AHAYANA 3UTRAS 3ELECTIONS FROM THE -AHA RATNAKUT A SU TRA ED 'ARMA # # #HANG 5NIVERSITY 0ARK 0! 0ENNSYLVANIA 3TATE 5NIVERSITY 0RESS 4HE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION INTO #HINESE WAS MADE BY 4RIPIT AKA -ASTER $HARMARAKSA IN # % ) WOULD LIKE TO THANK $HARMA -ASTER (ENG 3HUN AND $HARMA -ASTER (ENG 3URE FOR REVIEWING AN EARLY VERSION OF MY %NGLISH TRANSLATION 4HE h-AHA v IN HIS NAME MEANS GREAT HE IS THE 'REAT -AUDGALYA YANA TO DISTINGUISH HIM FROM OTHERS OF THE SAME NAME AND TO HONOR HIS LEVEL OF ENLIGHTENMENT AND THE SPIRITUAL POWERS HE POSSESSED AS A BYPRODUCT OF THAT ENLIGHTENMENT $HARMA CONSISTS OF THE METHODS TAUGHT FOR BECOMING ENLIGHTENED 4ATHA GATA CINTYAGUHYANIRDES|A 6AJRAPA N I IS A "ODHISATTVA PROTECTOR OF THE $HARMA WHO IS OFTEN IDENTIl ED WITH THE "ODHISATTVA -AHA STHAMAPRA PTA #H $ASHIZHI -A RA 3|RA MAN AS 4ATHA GATAA CAN BE INTERPRETED AS MEANING BOTH hTHUS COMEv AND hTHUS GONE v )T IS AN EPITHET OF THE "UDDHAS 7ORLD (ONORED /NE IS ALSO AN EPITHET OF THE "UDDHA 'R DHRAKUTA 2 DDHI PRA TIHA RYA (ERE !RHATT IS USED AS AN EPITHET OF THE "UDDHAS ,ITERALLY h%QUALLY AND 2IGHTLY %NLIGHTENED /NE v ANOTHER EPITHET OF THE "UDDHAS 4HE LENGTH OF THE MEASURE USED HERE IS UNCERTAIN 4HE #HINESE TEXT LITERALLY SAYS hFORTY LI v ! LI IS USUALLY CONSIDERED TO BE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN AND OF A MILE )N ANCIENT #HINA A LI WAS DEl NED AS PACES BU ! PACE WAS ABOUT SIX ANCIENT #HINESE FEET CHI (OWEVER WE DO NOT KNOW FOR SURE WHAT 3ANSKRIT TERM OF MEASURE IT IS A TRANSLATION FOR &ORTUNATELY KNOWING THE EXACT HEIGHTS IS NOT ESSENTIAL TO THE MEANING OF THE STORY 3|RA MAN A 3|RA VAKA ,ITERALLY h(EARER v I E !RHAT IN THE SENSE OF THOSE ENLIGHTENED DISCIPLES OF THE "UDDHA WHO HAVE TRANSCENDED REBIRTH AND NO LONGER HAVE ANY OUTm OWS OF PSYCHIC ENERGY RELATED TO ATTACHMENT TO THE OBJECTS OF THE SENSES ! NAYUTAA IS A VERY LARGE NUMBER THE EXACT SIZE OF WHICH IS NOT CLEARLY l XED +ALPAS 4HE TEXT LITERALLY SAYS NENG REN h-IGHTY IN LOVINGKINDNESS AN INCORRECT INTERPRETATION OF 3|A KYAMUNI BUT PROBABLY INDICATING HIS CHARACTER v 3OOTHILL AND (OODUS ! $ICTIONARY OF #HINESE "UDDHISM QUOTED BY #HARLES -ULLER $IGITAL $ICTIONARY OF "UDDHISM HTTP WWW ACMULLER NET DDB !LL "UDDHAS HAVE THIRTY TWO DISTINCTIVE PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES OF WHICH ONE IS A TUFT OF WHITE HAIR THAT EMITS LIGHT AND IS LOCATED BETWEEN THE EYEBROWS

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