Page:Sacred Books of the East - Volume 21.djvu/361

 No sooner had the Lord given this exposition determining the duration and periods of the law, than there fell from the upper sky a great rain of Mandirava and great Mand&rava flowers that covered and overwhelmed all the hundred thousand myriads of ko/is of Buddhas who were seated on their thrones at the foot of the jewel trees in hundred thousands of myriads of ko/is of worlds. It also covered and overwhelmed the Lord kyamuni, the Tathigata, &c, and the Lord Prabhdtaratna, the Tathigata, &c, the latter sitting fully extinct on his throne, as well as that entire host of Bodhisattvas and the four classes of the audience. A rain of celestial powder of sandal and agallochum trickled down from the sky, whilst higher up in the firmament the great drums resounded, without being struck, with a pleasant, sweet, and deep sound. Double pieces of fine heavenly cloth fell down by hundreds and thousands from the upper sky ; necklaces, half-necklaces, pearl necklaces, gems, jewels, noble gems, and noble jewels were seen high in the firmament, hanging down from every side in all directions of space, while all around thousands of jewel censers, containing priceless, exquisite incense, were moving of their own accord. Bodhisattvas Mahisattvas were seen holding above each TathAgata, high aloft, a row of jewel umbrellas stretching as high as the Brahma-world. So acted the Bodhisattvas Mahsattvas in respect to all the innumerable hundred

whole circle, it may be inferred that the description in the text alludes to the stars of that half of the sphere which is at the time below the horizon. Those stars then have reached Nirvana, though not the immortal one.