Читать книгу Garland of the Buddha’s Past Lives (Volume 1) - Aryashura - Страница 21

Gods gathered with troops of nymphs,

their eyes blooming with wonder.

A delightful breeze began to blow.

Joy expanded in the hearts of every being.(2.78 [40])

The natural surroundings are also influenced by the Bodhi·sattva’s virtue, resulting in earthquakes, flowers falling from the sky, and oceans breaking over their shores (2.76 [38]).

This emphasis on devotion is tied up with the Bodhi·sattva’s role as a savior. Often described with images such as father, relative, protector, guide, teacher, or doctor,¹⁹ the Bodhi·sattva repeatedly acts out of compassion for beings in distress or provides refuge for the wicked he converts. The response of his disciple Ajita in “The Birth-Story on the Tigress” is typical (1.54): “I pay homage in every manner to this illustrious being, a refuge for all living creatures, a source of immense compassion and boundless goodness, a true Bodhi·sattva.” The Bodhi·sattva’s tactics as savior and instructor vary, depending on the situation. In some stories he seeks to instill fear, whether by admonishing a king who is addicted to liquor with an aggressive sermon as in “The Birth-Story on the Jar” (17) or by enforcing virtue through a police state as in “The Birth-Story on the Sacrifice” (10). In other stories the Bodhi·sattva’s techniques take on a more directly physical, and corporeal, form of salvation, as he sacrifices his body to be eaten by a hungry tigress (story 1) or allows demons to drink his blood (story 8).

The importance of the Bodhi·sattva’s role as savior is linked to his frequent portrayal as a virtuous king who protects society. As Meadows has noted (1986: 9), numerous _________