Almighty and beyond man's measure, being made perfect in inconceivable Holiness.

20. The Sravakas, the Bodhisattvas, the Heavenly Beings and Souls in Paradise, they in whom wisdom is made equal unto beauty, declare their attributes in order, according to their former birth.

21. Seek refuge in Him in whom all strengths are equal.

Nought is there to compare with the excellent beauty of the Souls in Paradise, for their being is infinite as space, and far are they above celestials and mortal man.

22. Whoso would be born into Paradise shall in this life be made one with those men that return no more unto birth and death.

In that Pure Land is none who hath stood among doubting men, and none also who hath trusted in his own deeds for Salvation. To this do all the Buddhas witness.

23. If all having life in the Ten Regions hear this Holiest Name of Him that is Infinite, and attain unto the true faith, they shall obtain joy and gladness.

24. For when a man with joy accepteth the sacred vow of Him that is infinite who saith, "I will not attain unto perfect Enlightenment unless in Me shall all the world be made whole," at that very time he shall assuredly be born into Paradise.

25. Seek refuge in the Almighty Spirit.

By the divine might of His promise, by the Infinite One was Paradise created; yea, and the Souls of men that dwell therein. And there is nought that may compare with them.

26. Seek refuge in the unutterable Wisdom.

Of His Land of Peace the half cannot be told. Even the word of the Buddha himself could not utter it.

27. Myriads of happy souls were born, are born and shall be born into that Land of Purity, not from this world alone, but from the hidden worlds also, and the Ten Regions.

28. So soon as man heareth the holy name of the Infinite One and with great gladness praiseth him, he shall attain to the reward of the holy Treasury of Merit.

29. Go forward, O Valiant Souls, seeking the Law though all the worlds fall into flame and ruin, for ye shall have passed beyond birth and death!

30. The innumerable Buddhas praise the triumphant divinity of the Bringer of Light. To Him do gather the myriad Bodhisattvas, unnumbered as the Sands of Ganges in worship from the Eastern world.

31. As from the East, so gather also to the Infinite One the Bodhisattvas from the Nine Regions of the worlds.

With Sacred Psalms the Gautama Buddha himself laudeth the boundless glory of the Infinite One.

32. Seek refuge in the World-Honoured.

To Him do the myriad Buddhas of the ten Regions bring homage with songs and praises, that they may sow the seeds of merit.

33. Bring homage to the Hall of Great Teaching and to the living Bo tree that is in Paradise! Yet this land, glorious with the Holy Tree, radiant with the Hall of Great Teaching that shineth with the Seven Jewels, where innumerable souls hastening from all the ends of the Earth shall be born, is but the temporal Paradise.

34. In awful reverence seek refuge in the purity of Him that welcometh. For by His Divine Promise was this glorious land, great beyond human measurement, made to be.

35. Seek refuge in the wisdom inconceivable. For the perfection of His Virtue--that Virtue availing for all the world, and the perfect way by which He willeth that man shall take refuge in Him, are past all human speech or thought.

36. Take refuge in the wisdom that is most truly infinite. For He is faithful, having promised in His Divine Might, and on his perfect clear promise that cannot be shaken is the merciful way of salvation builded.

OF PARADISE

37. Seek refuge in the heavenly harmony.

For the jewel groves and gem trees of Paradise give forth a sweet and most excellent melody in pure and ordered unison.

38. Seek refuge in the Divine Promise, the Treasury of Merit,

For the seven jewel trees are fragrant in Paradise where the flowers, the fruits, the branches and the leaves thereof

Cast back their radiance the one to the other.

39. Bring homage to the perfect Righteousness.

As the pure wind blows over the trees glorious with jewels,

It draweth from them a noble music with five-fold strains of harmony.

40. In all the world is no place hidden from the glory shed by hundreds of myriad rays from the heart of every flower of Paradise.

41. Like unto a golden mountain reflecting the myriad rays of these heavenly blossoms, so is the form of the Infinite One.

42. From His Sacred Body, as from a well-spring, floweth this light over the Ten Regions of the world.

By His Sacred teaching He leadeth all having life into the way of light.

43. Seek refuge in the Treasury of Righteousness.

For in Paradise is that holy lake, with its waters of eightfold Virtue, all-glorious with the seven jewels. And all this is the inconceivable handiwork of Purity.

44. Seek refuge in the All-Honoured.

For when sorrow and sighing are fled away, the Holy Land shall rejoice with joy and singing. Therefore is it called Paradise.

45. The Buddhas of the Three Ages and the Ten Regions, they in whom the Dual Wisdom is perfect and their illumination entire, lead all the worlds marvellously into the way of Salvation, the Truth being their Vehicle.

46. He that seeketh refuge in the Kingdom of the Infinite One is a citizen of the Kingdom of every Buddha.

Let him that is set free, with single heart give praises unto One Buddha, for in so doing he praiseth all.

47. The faithful believer at that moment when he rejoiceth in the sound of the name of the Infinite One hath revealed unto his very eyes the Buddha of Light.

48. Let him that hath faith praise the Virtue of the Divine Wisdom.

Let him strive to declare it unto all men that he may offer his thankfulness for the grace of the Buddha.

CONCERNING THE GREAT SUTRA

49. The Venerable Ananda, rising from his seat, and looking upwards to the World-Honoured Gautama Buddha, his eyes being opened, marvelled greatly, seeing the glory of his Lord so transfigured.

50. The Venerable Ananda asked the Cause of that glory, for the Lord, shining in the Light that was hitherto unseen of the world, taught openly, for the first time, that Truth for which He came into the world.

51. In the meditation of the Great Calm the Buddha whose countenance is glorious, commendeth the most excellent wisdom of Ananda for that he asked the way of knowledge, desiring to be instructed.

52. That Buddha that was made flesh in India was in this world manifested that he might preach the Divine Promise of Him who is Infinite.

Hard is it to see the hidden blossom of the myriad-century-blooming Lotus, so hard also is it for a man's understanding to receive the message of that Blessed One.

53. Ten Kalpas of Ages have rolled away since He who is Infinite attained unto the Wisdom, yet before the myriads of the Kalpas He _was_.

54. He who is of the Light Ineffable, Holiest Refuge of men, ordaining that His saving grace should be made manifest, duly considered all the worlds of the Ten Regions, under the guidance of the holy Buddha of Loka-is-Vara-Raja.

55. Purity, Rejoicing, Wisdom, these three are the Supernal Essence of the light of the Infinite One that enlighteneth all things, communicating good to all the worlds of the Ten Regions.

56. Teaching all that have life in the Ten Regions, that they might, with sincerity, faith, and hope, be born again into Paradise, He set forth that promise infinite and divine--the true seed of birth within the Kingdom of Truth.

57. Whoso attaineth unto the True Faith is in unity with them that return no more to birth and death, for having thus attained, they pass onward into Nirvana, their lives being ended.

58. In His great compassion the Blessed One accomplished His infinite wisdom in His divine promise, ordaining that womanhood