Chapter 11: The Four Mahārājas Look Upon Devas and Humans
EN
Then Mahārāja Vaiśravaṇa, Mahārāja Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Mahārāja Virūḍhaka, and Mahārāja Virūpākṣa rose from their seats, and with their upper robes over one shoulder, knelt on their right knees and, with palms together in homage, bowed toward the Bhagavat and said, “Venerable Bhagavat, this Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light is taught by all tathāgatas; it is viewed by all the tathāgatas; it is thought of by all the tathāgatas; it is possessed by all the assemblies of bodhisattvas; it is paid homage to by all the hosts of devas; it is offered to by all the hosts of devas; it is praised by all the hosts of the lords of devas; it is offered to, praised, and honored by all the protectors of the world; it illuminates all the divine mansions; it brings supreme happiness to all beings; it extinguishes all the suffering in the hells, in the lives of animals, and in the realm of Yama; it brings fears to an end; it repels all the armies of enemies; it brings the calamity of famines to an end; it brings the calamity of disease to an end; it dispels all planetary influences; it brings perfect peace; it ends misery and troubles; and it brings to an end various kinds of calamities—it overcomes a hundred thousand calamities.
EN
“Venerable Bhagavat, if you extensively elucidate this Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light through hearing the Dharma, through the liquid of the amṛta of the Dharma, then the divine bodies of we Four Mahārājas and our armies and attendants will increase in their great magnificence; diligence, strength, and power will arise in our bodies; and magnificence, splendor, and good fortune will enter our bodies.
EN
“Venerable Bhagavat, we Four Mahārājas possess the Dharma, teach the Dharma, and are Dharma kings.
EN
“Venerable Bhagavat, through the Dharma we are the kings of devas, nāgas, asuras, garuḍas, gandharvas, kinnaras, and mahoragas. We repel the terrible hosts of cruel bhūtas who steal the vitality of others.
EN
“Venerable Bhagavat, we Four Mahārājas, and the twenty-eight great generals of the yakṣas and many hundreds of thousands of yakṣas, are continually looking at all of Jambudvīpa with our pure divine vision, which transcends that of humans, and we defend it and protect it.
EN
“Venerable Bhagavat, for that reason we Four Mahārājas are given the name world protectors.
EN
“Venerable Bhagavat, wherever in this Jambudvīpa a country is defeated by an enemy army—or is stricken by the calamity of famine, or the calamity of disease, or a hundred various calamities, a thousand calamities, or a hundred thousand calamities— then, venerable Bhagavat, we Four Mahārājas will inspire the bhikṣus who possess this Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light.”
EN
“Venerable Bhagavat, when we Four Mahārājas inspire dharmabhāṇaka bhikṣus through miracles and blessings, they will teach this Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light in whatever land they are in, and all the various calamities—a hundred calamites, a thousand calamities—that have appeared in that land will cease.
EN
“Venerable Bhagavat, in whatever lands there are dharmabhāṇaka bhikṣus who possess this Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light, then in those lands The Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light will be heard.
EN
“Venerable Bhagavat, when a human king listens to and hears this Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light, he will guard those bhikṣus who possess this lord of sūtras from all adversaries; he will defend them, keep them in his care, and protect them.
EN
“Venerable Bhagavat, we Four Mahārājas will guard all the beings who dwell in the domain of that human king; we will guard them, defend them, keep them in our care, protect them, and bring them peace and well-being.
EN
“Venerable Bhagavat, if a human king were to make happy, through whatever brings happiness, the bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, and upāsikās who possess this lord of sūtras, then, venerable Bhagavat, we Four Mahārājas will, through the requisites for happiness, bring the perfection of happiness and requisites to the beings who dwell in all the dominions of those human kings.
EN
“Venerable Bhagavat, when human kings honor, revere, attend upon, and make offerings to the bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, and upāsikās who possess this lord of sūtras, then, venerable Bhagavat, we Four Mahārājas will cause all kings to greatly honor, revere, attend upon, and make offerings to those human kings, and they will be praised in all their dominions.”
Chapter 11: The Four Mahārājas Look Upon Devas and Humans
EN
Then Mahārāja Vaiśravaṇa, Mahārāja Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Mahārāja Virūḍhaka, and Mahārāja Virūpākṣa rose from their seats, and with their upper robes over one shoulder, knelt on their right knees and, with palms together in homage, bowed toward the Bhagavat and said, “Venerable Bhagavat, this Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light is taught by all tathāgatas; it is viewed by all the tathāgatas; it is thought of by all the tathāgatas; it is possessed by all the assemblies of bodhisattvas; it is paid homage to by all the hosts of devas; it is offered to by all the hosts of devas; it is praised by all the hosts of the lords of devas; it is offered to, praised, and honored by all the protectors of the world; it illuminates all the divine mansions; it brings supreme happiness to all beings; it extinguishes all the suffering in the hells, in the lives of animals, and in the realm of Yama; it brings fears to an end; it repels all the armies of enemies; it brings the calamity of famines to an end; it brings the calamity of disease to an end; it dispels all planetary influences; it brings perfect peace; it ends misery and troubles; and it brings to an end various kinds of calamities—it overcomes a hundred thousand calamities.
EN
“Venerable Bhagavat, if you extensively elucidate this Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light through hearing the Dharma, through the liquid of the amṛta of the Dharma, then the divine bodies of we Four Mahārājas and our armies and attendants will increase in their great magnificence; diligence, strength, and power will arise in our bodies; and magnificence, splendor, and good fortune will enter our bodies.
EN
“Venerable Bhagavat, we Four Mahārājas possess the Dharma, teach the Dharma, and are Dharma kings.
EN
“Venerable Bhagavat, through the Dharma we are the kings of devas, nāgas, asuras, garuḍas, gandharvas, kinnaras, and mahoragas. We repel the terrible hosts of cruel bhūtas who steal the vitality of others.
EN
“Venerable Bhagavat, we Four Mahārājas, and the twenty-eight great generals of the yakṣas and many hundreds of thousands of yakṣas, are continually looking at all of Jambudvīpa with our pure divine vision, which transcends that of humans, and we defend it and protect it.
EN
“Venerable Bhagavat, for that reason we Four Mahārājas are given the name world protectors.
EN
“Venerable Bhagavat, wherever in this Jambudvīpa a country is defeated by an enemy army—or is stricken by the calamity of famine, or the calamity of disease, or a hundred various calamities, a thousand calamities, or a hundred thousand calamities— then, venerable Bhagavat, we Four Mahārājas will inspire the bhikṣus who possess this Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light.”
EN
“Venerable Bhagavat, when we Four Mahārājas inspire dharmabhāṇaka bhikṣus through miracles and blessings, they will teach this Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light in whatever land they are in, and all the various calamities—a hundred calamites, a thousand calamities—that have appeared in that land will cease.
EN
“Venerable Bhagavat, in whatever lands there are dharmabhāṇaka bhikṣus who possess this Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light, then in those lands The Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light will be heard.
EN
“Venerable Bhagavat, when a human king listens to and hears this Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light, he will guard those bhikṣus who possess this lord of sūtras from all adversaries; he will defend them, keep them in his care, and protect them.
EN
“Venerable Bhagavat, we Four Mahārājas will guard all the beings who dwell in the domain of that human king; we will guard them, defend them, keep them in our care, protect them, and bring them peace and well-being.
EN
“Venerable Bhagavat, if a human king were to make happy, through whatever brings happiness, the bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, and upāsikās who possess this lord of sūtras, then, venerable Bhagavat, we Four Mahārājas will, through the requisites for happiness, bring the perfection of happiness and requisites to the beings who dwell in all the dominions of those human kings.
EN
“Venerable Bhagavat, when human kings honor, revere, attend upon, and make offerings to the bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, and upāsikās who possess this lord of sūtras, then, venerable Bhagavat, we Four Mahārājas will cause all kings to greatly honor, revere, attend upon, and make offerings to those human kings, and they will be praised in all their dominions.”
Sutraya