Literary History of Sanskrit Buddhism

Mahāyānasūtras – 90
even on other grounds to be rather accretions. These chapters, from
xxi to xxvi, are more devoted to the panegyric of the Bodhisattvas
while the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka in the rest of the texts sings the
glorification of the Buddha Śākyamuni. One of these Bodhisattvas is
Bhaiṣajyarāja, the prince of the Physician’s art who, in xxi chapter
reveals magical formulæ and exorcisms (Dhāraṇīs) and in chapter
xxii, after he has for twelve years fed on fragrant substance and
drunk oil, covers himself in finest clothing, has an oil bath and burns
himself. For twelve thousand years his body burns without cessation,
and this grand sacrifice and glorious fire work has the only object of
showing respect to the Buddha and to the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka! The
xxivth chapter is devoted to the Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara, a great
redeemer. He who invokes him is free from every danger. The sword
of the executioner breaks to pieces when the person condemned to
death offers supplication to him. All fetters are loosened, only if his
name is pronounced. He saves the shipwrecked and the caravans
overtaken by robbers. A woman who desires a son or a beautiful
daughter has only to invoke Avalokiteśvara and her wish is fulfilled.
This chapter also contains a large gāthā extract to the glorification
of Avalokiteśvara, but this too is a late addition. For all the gāthās
are not older than the prose, many being interpolated at subsequent
periods. (Kern Sacred Books of the East 21 p. xviii f). The ancient
Chinese translation [73] contains doubtless chapters xxi-xxvi, but in
an order different from that of our Sanskrit text. This shows that the
pariśiṣṭas or appendices were not appertaining originally to the
work.