The Preacher's Mission

And the Blessed One said to his disciples:



"When I have passed away and can no longer address you and edify

your minds with religious discourse, select from among you men of

good family and education to preach the truth in my stead. And

let those men be invested with the robes of the Tathagata, let

them enter into the abode of the Tathagata, and occupy the pulpit

of the Tathagata.



"The robe of the Tathagata is sublime forbearance and patience.

The abode of the Tathagata is charity and love of all beings. The

pulpit of the Tathagata is the comprehension of the good law in

its abstract meaning as well as in its particular application.



"The preacher must propound the truth with unshrinking mind. He

must have the power of persuasion rooted in virtue and in strict

fidelity to his vows.



"The preacher must keep in his proper sphere and be steady in his

course. He must not flatter his vanity by seeking the company of

the great, nor must he keep company with persons who are

frivolous and immoral. When in temptation, he should constantly

think of the Buddha and he will conquer.



"All who come to hear the doctrine, the preacher must receive

with benevolence, and his sermon must be without invidiousness.



"The preacher must not be prone to carp at others, or to blame

other preachers; nor speak scandal, nor propagate bitter words.

He must not mention by name other disciples to vituperate them

and reproach their demeanor.



"Clad in a clean robe, dyed with good color, with appropriate

undergarments, he must ascend the pulpit with a mind free from

blame and at peace with the whole world.



"He must not take delight in quarrelous disputations or engage in

controversies so as to show the superiority of his talents, but

be calm and composed.



"No hostile feelings shall reside in his heart, and he must never

abandon the disposition of charity toward all beings. His sole

aim must be that all beings become Buddhas.



"Let the preacher apply himself with zeal to his work, and the

Tathagata will show to him the body of the holy law in its

transcendent glory. He shall be honored as one whom the Tathagata

has blessed. The Tathagata blesses the preacher and also those

who reverently listen to him and joyfully accept the doctrine.



"All those who receive the truth will find perfect enlightenment.

And, verily, such is the power of the doctrine that even by the

reading of a single stanza, or by reciting, copying, and keeping

in mind a single sentence of the good law, persons may be

converted to the truth and enter the path of righteousness which

leads to deliverance from evil.



"Creatures that are swayed by impure passions, when they listen

to the voice, will be purified. The ignorant who are infatuated

with the follies of the world will, when pondering on the

profundity of the doctrine, acquire wisdom. Those who act under

the impulse of hatred will, when taking refuge in the Buddha, be

filled with good-will and love.



"A preacher must be full of energy and cheerful hope, never

tiring and never despairing of final success.



"A preacher must be like a man in quest of water who digs a well

in an arid tract of land. So long as he sees that the sand is dry

and white, he knows that the water is still far off. But let him

not be troubled or give up the task as hopeless. The work of

removing the dry sand must be done so that he can dig down deeper

into the ground. And often the deeper he has to dig, the cooler

and purer and more refreshing will the water be.



"When after some time of digging he sees that the sand becomes

moist, he accepts it as a token that the water is near.



"So long as the people do not listen to the words of truth, the

preacher knows that he has to dig deeper into their hearts; but

when they begin to heed his words he apprehends that they will

soon attain enlightenment.



"Into your hands, O ye men of good family and education who take

the vow of preaching the words of the Tathagata, the Blessed One

transfers, intrusts, and commends the good law of truth.



"Receive the good law of truth, keep it, read and reread it,

fathom it, promulgate it, and preach it to all beings in all the

quarters of the universe.



"The Tathagata is not avaricious, nor narrow-minded, and he is

willing to impart the perfect Buddha-knowledge unto all who are

ready and willing to receive it. Be ye like unto him. Imitate him

and follow his example in bounteously giving, showing, and

bestowing the truth.



"Gather round you hearers who love to listen to the benign and

comforting words of the law; rouse the unbelievers to accept the

truth and fill them with delight and joy. Quicken them, edify

them, and lift them higher and higher until they see the truth

face to face in all its splendor and infinite glory."



When the Blessed One had thus spoken, the disciples said:



"O thou who rejoicest in kindness having its source in

compassion, thou great cloud of good qualities and of benevolent

mind, thou quenchest the fire that vexeth living beings, thou

pourest out nectar, the rain of the law!



"We shall do, O Lord, what the Tathagata commands. We shall

fulfil his behest; the Lord shall find us obedient to his words."



And this vow of the disciples resounded through the universe, and

like an echo it came back from all the Bodhisattas who are to be

and will come to preach the good law of Truth to future

generations.



And the Blessed One said: "The Tathagata is like unto a powerful

king who rules his kingdom with righteousness, but being attacked

by envious enemies goes out to wage war against his foes. When

the king sees his soldiers fight he is delighted with their

gallantry and will bestow upon them donations of all kinds. Ye

are the soldiers of the Tathagata, while Mara, the Evil One, is

the enemy who must be conquered. And the Tathagata will give to

his soldiers the city of Nirvana, the great capital of the good

law. And when the enemy is overcome, the Dharma-raja, the great

king of truth, will bestow upon all his disciples the most

precious crown which jewel brings perfect enlightenment, supreme

wisdom, and undisturbed peace."