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TRIRATNABHAJANAN USA MSi\

RATNA HANDURUKANDE

-------------------- --------

The advantage;; gained by revering the Three Jewels (triratna), viz. the

Enlightened One (Buddha), the doctrine (Dharma) and the community

of monks (Sarytgha) are liste� frequently in the class of narrative Literature

called the avadanamala, whIch are mostly metrical adaptations of older

works. The period of composition of the GJladanamillas is said to be about

the sixth century A.C. and later. 1 While emphasizing the value of paying

homage to the Three Jewels, the avadanamfila texts set forth quite dearly

the ideaL of th� Mahayana Buddhist, which is the attainment of Buddhahood

for the emancipation of all beings. I give below (f) a selection from an avadanamalfi describing the advantages

gained by those who pay homage to the Three Jewcis, followed by (1I) a synopsis in English of its contents, in this speciaL volume _issued to honour a 'sarpgharatna ' . The text quoted from is the Triratnabhajananusarpsa­vadana, a Sanskrit text written in the Newari script, a microfilm copy of which is available in The [nstituie for Advanced Studies of World Retigions at Stony Brook, New York.2 The king addressed to in the text is Asoka, and the speaker, a celestial dei ty. A group of merchants approach the king and inform him that their ship was shattered, an.d the wealth destroyed, by nagas living in the ocean. The king is distressed as he cannot counteract the destructive activities of the ni:igas. Then a deity appears and advises hirn to take recourse to the Buddha, detailing the advantages resulting from paying homage to the Buddha, f)harma and SUlpgha, in the following

- verses:

yc pujayanti saqlbuddhe satkrtya sraddhaya muda te�am ajiiakaral) sarve lraidhatukadhipa spi tatha brahmadayas capi prarak�anti subhaqlkara1)3 Sakradayal) surendras ca Iokapata maharddhikab Dhrtara$tradayas capi gandharvas taddhitarpkarai) prarak$anti sada nityarp dadallti ca yathepsitam tathJ ca palayanty eva Vaisvananldayo 'gnayal). dahotpatarp na kurvanti grhadi$u kadacana tatha pretJdhipal) kala!), kumbhJIJ-Qas ca mahabalab Viru<;lhakadayo naiva vighnanty api katharpcana Naiq-tyadi mahavIra rak$asas ca sadanugal) palayanti sada dU$ti'in hatva nityaI11 samantatah

104 FESTSCHRIFT FOR HAMMALAVA SADDHATISSA

tatha nagadhipa bhlma}:l sarve ca VanLl).adaya}:l Virupak$adayas capi rak$anty ahlSvar�, sada

sarve 'pi marutas caivarp. te�arp nityarp. sadanugaJ). utpatak�obhatal}l kvapi na kurvanti cyavanty5 api

. . . . . . . . 6 mahayak$a VajrapaDyadayo 'pi ca te$arp nityarp prarak$anto dadanty evarp yathepsitam

mahesanadayas capi sarvr bhutadhipas tatha te$alp rak$arp. prakurvanta}:l pradadanti yathepsitam

tatha suryadayab sarve graha vira maharddhikal) viruddharp.7 naiva7il' kurvanti7D:te$arn patlty eva sarvatha

Candradayas ca tareSal). sarvas ca taraka api re$arp bhadral11 sada loke kurvanty eva na vighnaUilll

Vemacitradidaityendra maha vlra maharddhika�1 sadanuga ripurp hanty eteSam ajiiarp vahanti ca

sarvas ca matrka durga bhairavas ca gal}idhipaQ mahakal�l). kumaras ca rak$anty evepsitarthadab

tatha vidyadharas capi siddha/:l sadhyas ca kinnarab Vasa val) putana raudra maral) kamadayo 'pi ca

rasatalacaras capi bhucaral) khecara api sarve traidhatukasthas ca rak$anty ajnaka,ra,l) sada

Manvadimunayas capi cakravartyadayo nrpal) sarve 'pi manttD-o 'matya jan�ainyadhipadayal.1

�, sahayal). saciva i$tabandhumitrasurtsakha/:l bhrtya/:l parijanas capi jiiativargas ca bandhavab

tathanye 'pi janas te$a.rp. ajiiavah'a h.itakaral) viruddha na bhavanty eva bhajanty eva priyarthadab

tasmad rajan sado, buddharp. satkrtya sraddhaya bhaja tatha te mangalarp. nityarp sam.nhitaql phaled api

buddhe$u yat krtarp. karma subharp vapy asubhal11 tatha naiva k$iDoti tatpake phalanty eva mahattaram

iti matva maharaja Buddharp bhaja sucetasa etat pUl).yam asall1khyeyam aprameyarp mahattaram anena sugatal) sarve prasidanty anumodita]:l

l..'

yenatra sa?-gataTIl dharmaI11 satkrtya sn-lyate muda renaiva sugatal) sarve piijital) parito$ital)

.RATNA HANDURUKANDE

tasyaiva te jinaD. sarve paritu�tal). prasadital). bodhicaryabaiarp datva palayanti sadadarat

evarp buddhaprasadena sarvamaran vinirjayan

sarvaklesavinirmuktal). sarpbodhirp samavapnuyat

iti mat va maharaja sadgural). samupasrayan saddharma:rp sangataT)1 nityalp satkrtya sraddhaya SP)U

srutva GaiVafjl rl1unindrasya sarpghanam arhatarp saUim satkrtya sraddhayabhyarcya bhojanais ca sada bhaja

etat pUDyaphala:rp rajann asarpkhyeyaI11 mahattaram etena durgatirp naiti sadgatim evam apnuyat

kra 1n5d bodhic.arirp pra pya pari suddhatrima T,H,ialah

:)ak�ad arhatpadaql prapya nirv!,!ipadClm apnuyat

iti matva maharaja yady asti sadgata� rucil).

satkrtya sraddhay[t blu.ktya sarp.ghasya bhaJa sadaral11 ,

yavantai). praJ}inal) santi traidh:i.tubhuvane�iI api,.

tan sarvan pujayed yas tat pUl.1yaI11 tasya mahattararn

tato bahutara111 pUl.1yarp prapnuyat sa mahamatil). satkrtya sraddhaya yas ca bhik�um ekarp praplljayer

te sarve pral.1ino 'rhantvi.l bhaveYllr bhik�avo yadl

satkrtya sraddhaya nitya:rp tan sarvan api pujayet

tato 'dhikataraql pUl.1yalp prapnuyat sa na sarpsayal) pratyekabuddham ekarp yai). ckavara:rp praplljayet

bhaveyul) praJ)inab sarve rratyekasugata yadi tan sarvan plijayed yas ca satkrtya sraddh"ya sadii.

tato 'dhi katara:rp pUJ.1yal11 p rapn II yilt sa Sll bhasayal) bodh isattvar]l mahaprajnam ekaT}1 yas ca samarcayet

bhaveyul) praJ)inal} sarve bodhisattva gUl,lakaral). satkrtya sraddhaya nityafjl tan sarvan yal). prapujayct

tato bahutararp sre�thal11 pUI)yar)1 sa prapnuyat dhruvaI11 ckarp yab sugatal11 smrtva tathaikarll yal). samarcayet

bhaveyub praninal} sarvc sllr]1buddha\:l sugata yadi

satkrtya sradda,I\ya nityarp sarvams tal�' prapujayet ...

tato mahattaral)1 punyarp prapnuyat sa sudhIS ca ya\:l

k�ayakale munTndrasya sP.1oti dharmam adaraT

105

106 FESTSCHRIFT FOR HAMMALAVA SADDHATiSSA

tenaiva sugata b- sarve pujitas tu�tim agaUib prabha�ate manayanasutraf!1 Y$ bodhayan naran

tasyaiva hi triratnani paritu$tani sarvada yathepsitaIP- varaIP- dadyub saIP-bodhipadasadhane

ili matva mahlpala satkrtya sraddhaya mudi]

triratnani samabhyar€i.ya prabhajasva samadarat

: J 1J

Even the lords of the tnree worLds carl'y out the commands of those wh worship the Buddhas, perfectly enlightened Ones, with faith and joy. Brahm; Sakra, the world-protectors like Dhrtaragra, and the gandharvas proteI them at aU times, granting them thei r de:;j res. The Fire-deities led by Vaisv� !lara guard them. never causing the calamity of' burning ill their 11.0 mes an the like. �or do Kala, the lord of ihe dead, or the kumbhilndas who hal; Viruc;ihaka as their head, hinder them in any way. The rak�asas such as Naif{ take care of them, following them constantly and destroying the wick� The naga-lords, VaruQa, Virupak$a and others keep watch over them whi the Maruts, the gods of the winds, refrain from causi ng them any misfortUfil

. VajrapaI).i (Indra), MaheSana (Siva), the sun, the moon, the stars, neve hostile, afford them protection, white the lords of the daityas like Vemacitr follow them, killing their enemies. MahakaIa, Kumara, and groups of beifil like the divine mothers, bhairavas, vidyu.dharas , siddhas, sadhyas, kinnara

vasus, putanas, beings moving in the air, Oil earth, and icgions under tt earth, beings of all the three worlds follow their command and protect ther

So do sages like Manu, universal monarchs and other kings, minister leaders of armies, friends, kinsmen, servants and atten.dants. Therefor o king, honour the Buddhas at all times, for you will be blessed and yO! desires will be fulfilled. The LUprit gained by honouri ng the Buddhas innumerable, immeasurable and very great.

They who listen to the doctrine of the Buddhas with reverence, reve rhe Buddhas themselves. Pleased with them the Buddhas protect ther

conferring upon them the power of the cours� of conduct leading to enlighte

ment. Favoured by the Buddhas, they overcome aU obstacles and atta

perfect enlightenment free of aU defilements. Bearing this in mind, 0 gre king, listen to the good doctrine of the Blessed Ones, with reverence, ar

with faith. Likewise, honour the commun ity of monks, the venerable ones, oiferil

them alms with devotion and paying homage to them at aU times. The me

resulting therefrom is innumerable and very great. They who honour t

' saIPgha ' are never born in evil states. Born in happy states, reaching t

course of conduct leading to enlightenment, they become arhants and atta

the state of bliss. Bear this in mind, 0 king, and pay homage tOihe COl

munity of monks, with faith and with devotion.

RATNA HANDURUKANDE 107

Th . rit gained by honouring a s ingle monk is greater than that gained e �i

eng as many people as there are in the three worlds; the merit

b�in�':�� honouring a single 'pra�yekabuddha' j�st once is �ndo�bte�ly g than that gai ned by honourIng all arhats ahve; the ment gamed by areater .

h h . d b h . ::> ring a single bodhisattva IS greater t an t at game y onounng all honoU

. . d b h . . d , ratyekabuddhas ' ; and. the ment game y onou nng a smgle Bu dha is

(T�eater than that gained by honouring all extant bodhisattvas. A wise person, o,ho listens to the doctrine 'vvith respect when there are no Buddhas gains \\ 'I·t greater than that of h01louring all livi ng Buddhas. The Buddhas , mCI . . .

honoured by that act of listenmg, become pleased with him. In l i ke manner, the Three Jewels become pleased with him who recites a text belonging

to the Great Vehicle awakening the minds of meo. Being pleased, the Three

Jewels confer upon him desired boons leading to the goal of Perfect Enlighten­

I Il\::ill. Bear this in mind, 0 king, and pay homage to the Three Jewels, with faith, jo y and zeal.

NOTES

!'vi. Winternitz, A History of Sanskrit Literature II, Ca lcutta 1933, p. 291. MBB II 94 in: Buddhist Sanskrit Manuscripts. A Title List of the Micro/i1m CoI­h'dion of The Institute for Advanced Studies of World Religions. 1975. MBB II 94 forms folios 98 b1-103 a2 of a manuscript of 125 folios, classified as MBB IT 90-95, in this list. The selection quoted in this paper occurs on folios 99 b-}()()b. m�. subhakara� ms? ahlvaha m�. jyavanty ms? sradadayo filS. smudged here