On
to Verses 31-40
21 The Tathagata has said that of
The seven ranks of Pratimoksa,
The glorious Pure Life is highest;
By which he meant the vows
of a Monk.
22 According to the ritual given in the
Conduct Chapter of the Bodhisattva Levels,
One takes the Vow from any good Guru
Who has the proper characteristics.
23 One who is learned in the ritual of the Vow,
And himself lives the Vow he has taken,
And has the compassionate forbearance
To impart it -- know him
to be the good Guru.
24 But if, after trying, one cannot
Find just such a Guru as this,
I will explain another ritual
For taking the vow in a correct
way.
25 In this latter way, Manjusri in a former life
As Ambaraja begat the Enlightenment Thought;
And as told in the sutra called
The Ornament of Manjustri's Buddha-field,
I write it down clearly here
now:
26 "In the presence of the Lords, I beget
The Thought of Perfect Enlightenment,
And issuing invitation to all creatures,
I will save them all from
the cycle of rebirth."
27 "Beginning from this moment and henceforth,
Until I obtain the Highest Enlightenment,
I shall not permit ill-will or anger,
Avarice or envy, to occupy
my mind."
28 "I shall practice the Pure Life,
And renounce sin and base desire;
I shall imitate the Buddha
By rejoicing in the vow of
Conduct."
29 "Myself, I am not keen to reach
Enlightenment in some swift way;
I shall remain until the final end
For the sake of but a single
creature."
30 "I shall purify the innumerable [276a]
Inconceivable fields of the universe,
And from the taking of this [new] name, [henceforth]
I shall live in the ten directions."
