""""""""""""""" "

I
11))
l-
Studies ,BUKKY KENKY)
,March 1982
1L H1!H11HLLo C `H!LH1C
Ratna Ianduruande, Ph. D.
(University OI Peradeniya, Sri Lanka)
Published by
!nternationaI uddhist ssociation
CKOKUSAI-BUKKYO-TO-KYOKAI)
c/ oKamoe-ji Temple
111, 4 chome, Kamoe, Hamamatsu, Japan
>

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H1I11I` C 1`HLH1lA
Hat1l3 lIanciurukallcie, Ph. D.
'\:J\t18)!) O! c)udn10. 11 u:u


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,_
Five advantages to bc gained by making a.,c,

. t he Buddha
81c enumera ted (lnd descri bed in the Tath{igataratithanusarsa.
luIpuHu nama dharrnaparyaya, a short Buddhist text, U palm-leaf
manu
script of which is kept in the Asiatic Society of Bengal. Tbis
man
uscript, listed U> No. <1758 by Haraprasad Shastri, on page 127
of
A
Descriptive Catalogue of Sanskrit Manuscripts in the Govern
ment Collection under the care of the Asia tic Society of Bengal,
ValL Calcutta lUl is wri t ten in t he Newari character, and da ted
385 of the Nepalese Samva t era (-1265A. D.). The text appears to
have been contained in seven folios, but folios 2-5 are mlss111g II
the manuscript. However, the section Vhich describes the meri t
acquired by a person responsible for having images made is gIven
in full.
A preamble describes the incident which led the Buddha to preach
U sermon on the beneft of setting up images. Once, when the
Buddha was residing in the monastery of AnathapiI.qada, at Jetava
DU in Sravasti, Ananda approached him, paid reverence to him, and
a-sked what meri t accrued from the act of anointing and washing
of images, the ofer of a cirCulal spot, rarcal aka, prepared for U
sacred rite, the taking of refuge in the Three Jewels, the practice O1
1cCc|\o the act of saluting the Buddha respectfully, and the making
of images of the Tathagata. give below: (A) the text, and (B)
the translation, of a part of the introductory section of the dis
course, and the section describing the advantages of image-making.])
1) For an enumeration of the advantages of image-making elsewhere, ce
Richard F. Gombrich' Kosala-Bimba-Val.ll.1<lni, Buddhism in Ceylon uu
Studies on Religious Syncretism i: Buddhist Countries. Heinz Bechert
Gottingen 1978, ],YoiJUJ,
-_[
, l.I
THE ADVANTAGES OF IMAGE-MAKING 1uDUUIukuDUC
A
amo `su !uddba. IVa ma sruam cRasmn samacbayav_
>tVas Vbatat sma ]caVauc `nbai)qadastmc. .t,_.
mu uando cna LbayaV)s tcuousa)Iruta u:Sa:Rramu Ghag.
aVaa| dau >rasLbVada cRnc `stbd cRuI Stbtu Hlt

L
naudo IbayaVaitam ctad aVocat. I:,+ LbayaVau IusaIa\ularn
sammt)auataduasa R) maIi)aIaRaraduasn Ii\ sata)a
^+
nasRdu) I) |abyaara
.
imjaIRarm,
.
rIi R) Lbuuu|
RisaIamIa| sastc na R)atc ua bac `Raa| ca nrV._
tIanaat R)p tatbyata sa; rat; LmaRara)c. `
Ke b auusuqs I!adaua daRaudaIv atbalasa rabi I l
Rara)c VcdaV|. !bayaVn ba. dbu sdbu bRaVo abu]a
bta a| raann abujanasuRba IoRnuRama art
ba suRba dcVamanu))i c am cam cVtba) at!
am arbanta:p samaRsauddba: ar)a{aVa manasc` t
b bRaVa] s|I)u sdbaVo madVaca;; manas Rutu. !bt.
!accmc Ib:RaVo nusa;s daRaudyaJc abyaasa
mLaRataI)c. Iatamc aca. NabVmno baVamabcsRbO.
2) c!lu!luS CDUSCU W1lH1D IuLkclS 1C O11llCU 1: lHC iDUSI1]l
;; Hu lCXl CODl1DUCS uS OlU\S ul Oi1O !O 1DC 4!. He muDUSI1]l !
11S uIu 1\CD 1D ]u1CDlHCS1S, \HCIC ulCIul1ODS Hu\C OCCD 1uUC.
DHuuVD uHu. !uJCuDt|u)Su su1DuI}uDu]IuUuDC. Katame ]u0. `
C1t ul ClCl1u, C1!lu1 prasicati UC\ulu> Cullu1uDuSO OHu\uDl1 ]IuS
cikal11 Su11Nu1luD1}u11 kuI1uk|l11 k|llu1 OHu\ul u11 C1llu|\ ko(
Su Cu bHCUul SUulutt S'u1uOkC deveipapacyate. `u| kuc1U :Du1
|IuSuDDuC1llS luJHaulu1 uUU1u culU1U1u11 1u)i_uuku) kUIU1 'Ja
kulC luS}0 1 DuDU6 CulUIuDluku1 ] HlU` U\1]u11 \uUuD
UH1]ul}u} k0}uS}u HuUul IIu}SlI111>C 1U11U UDC CDUS HC1C. 1O1O;
1C 11SS1:. 1U1U 1CSUDCS lHt text) \ukuI1j uD1). u: UU YU}S
Clu C\1lH11 lu11 OHuu\uDl}1 lulHu_ulu1 uIHuDlu!1 SuD]k8
DO1UUH11 Su I\]Ju!1 S I\ulu11 Du!|T Su!NuS1}CcHclluI01 usI:Iu
|I1]CHu1u) \C5u:[ 1Okj u)1 OHu_\u: \kuI1jul1 lulHu \u]u11 ]Bl
1u1u).. ' CVuDuYu OIuH1u)iu|Hu]ul1Du)1 \1SluIC)u \1OHujya vy
kuI1u1u|. C \uu[ OHuUuDlu OHuu\uDlu1 Clu1 C\uIlHu} ]uI1]'
Hu1u|.
4) 1uDCC
5) . 10D8l)C
-_[[

1 1b
!Y
^1
Jc 1 J1 CHandurukande)
*
mato
tstI
drytuasasrIsutaatuIO` `a) t\avaJ
`nusa)so
daa
udyaIc tattyatasa rat\\mIaara)tc.
_

I
ara
_
It\ava qto Itavat\ matdtano matIoqa|
t
vttoaara)ia) raIttasattvas catca[ rattnna
osaoJ
rasann\caa[t rattatastasvayavcqaadsd
araaurucaJ raIttam\ trm ta)t\sIot\ taJ. /a)
hsy
t dvtIo `nusa:so daaudyaIc tattatasa rat\\mIa
|unar aara:p II\a vo `It\o ltava\ darsanJaJ rs
\ guravar)iaJ anava;)a_s cta ttrras\r[ raIamIaItvr

|
a
aJ sa)qa taItrs tunqansa) sarvngara tagoctaJ
a
^
J
_
bara
av\It\to `a t\avc tto `nusa)so daauda
C

ya tasa ra t\\mIaara:,c. unar aaram hLikavo r)

; / ti
saar\vras caravartJ satara_tna,samnnvqataJ utrnsn-
.a

par
vto c cs a IIa vant\ utro v dro v It;o v ua
V

v tc sarvc `sa susrantc )\tam" vasttaant\.

\t
t\avas ca turto `nusamso daaudqaIc ta tta tasa
r
mu
uara)c. !unar aara) It\avaJ asa Itcd t suatau
v:a
|oc dcvcaadatc. a tatroaanno `moto" dcvn:
evajutrava:n dcvaan\nm asdIra)o dasaI\| sttna\r at\rocatc
ivjeuayua d\vcna va))cna d\vcna aIcna d\vcna sutcna
.\yen
asvardI\atcna. !\vyadtaras sa sarvasa muta).
\Q

t It\avaJ acamo `nusa)so daaudyac ta ttqa tasa

irat:bmaara)c vcd\tavaJ. Idam avo cad tayavn. ttamanasas
t bbavo Itayavato It\tam atanandann \t\ attyatara
\bmtara\[tnusa)savar)tano n5ma dtarmaarVa) samtaJ.
B
Iomayc Ic to ttc !uddIa. tus tavc I tcard. |ncc ttc !Icsscd
DC vas rcs\d\ny at >rvasJ \n tc monastcr oI /ntta\)qada
h; srimukhyabahulo
7) for an occurrence of this word elsewhere, see MaJicuQavadana ed. Ratna
Handurukande London JUo1 p.1G.
8) aupa
9) `
ajiavilam
0) anogho
-145-
.d11 ."111` |1 1M!J1`C (Hanclurukande '
I1 the JetavanCl. Then the venerable Ananda approached
Blessed '1c. Having approached him, he >alutCd him respectfulL
his head (pl<lcedi nt |11c feet of the Blessed One, and stood t1
H side. The venernble nanda, who stood on H side, said this |
the Blessed One. vVhat stock of merit is there, \ Blessed lD
the act of c t nOirlling and washing (of images), in the offer of
malcJabkall}, in taking refuge (ill the Three Je'Nels), (in the Pr<ll
tice) of the lrtt;11- i1 bowing nnd making U respectful snlut<lti()
to the Tnlhfgnt,,? \Vha! stock of merit, \ reverend sir, d!es Ii:
perish, does ! diminish in the l'ycle of cxistcnc:f', (hut) leads '
the imperishnble Nirvfl)Cl? What (stock of merit) is ther(' in l!.
making of image's G |1 Tathfig8!8 ? ...
Reverend Sir, vhll [lclv:lnt:!g<.'s g8ined hy th:' l.'..1J) of I1.
should )(' kIloVl1 H: fnlling tl1 sbnre of the donor'"
The Blessed |! said, is 1]1 0 monks, it is right, thnt \i
who helVe resort{'d (to t he path), for the welfare of mUny peopJ.
for the happiness of mnny people, for compassion on the world, fo
the good, 1U Vl| f re, (lnd hnppiness of gods and HUJ think t h:l
the uthagn tn, the Arahant, the Perfectl V Engllghtened On , shoull
be asked about this very matter. Therefore, 0 munks, list !. All<
reflect \ I wIrds, good sir:.. sha 1 speak.
There are t hese five 8dvantages gained by making images of tb
Tathagata, which fall to the sharC of the donor. What ar( (thest
fve? He becomes U possessor of l aJe man3ions, .l1 exal ted person -
exceedingly powerful, grea t in strCnyth, a bounding in long l11
fa me, prosperi ty and happiness. This, ! monks, l: the first advantn _`
gnined hy the mnking of imngcs of the Tathfgntn. which fals tl
the shnre of tbe donor. Yet apa in, I Ionks, he hecomes prosperous
very Vt!1 thy, rich in enjoyments, endowCd wi th means of a bundnn
weal tb, H possessor of HJD men and descendants, \bounding il
heaps of f ood, drink, gold, treasures, and treasuries, |wni1g man'
elephants, horSe, CUttle, she(p, ma Ie and fema le Httendants, !0bourer
|| ^ i:1:i|,l:lu l .:1+u: O1 nu:c O11 n+ t:::+:1u!l\ [:c|a:c
!G: c s::i r1.
1!

"
. ... `-__ ,& gq % .. .=*'

11!
.
!Y/
J
JC '1 1.CL11C 1d\1DJDO}
d
Van
ts h
aving
many friends, ministers, relatives, and kinsmen.
bl1
:
.
rb
is,
\
m
o
nks, is the second advantage gained b
y
the making of
of
the
Tath
agata, which falls to the share of the donor.
mage
s
re
t ag
ain,
\
monks, he becomes handsome, good-looking, pleasant,

o
Dpl<`ionLd gold-complexioned, with a head chHped like U
alr-C
'
)aras
o1,
a
rms
hanging down, ha Vilg a broad forehead, thi _l C
a
nd a
long nose, end'owed with all the major and minor limbs
Jr
o
- ,
:
:
w
d
ado
y
n
Qd with eer
y
ornament. This, 0 monks, is the third
advant
age
gai
ned by the making of images of ihe Tath[lgild, vv-hich
f ails to the share of te donor. Yet again, 0 monks, he becomes :
king attended by U !11l U universal monarch, provided with the
SCUi
,c
wc:-, and surounded by O !h!u>OUd cLic. They vhu Ldong
O hiD
be
i t H son, wife, servant, or dependants, all of them obey
him, and thL c

lrry L1! his commands. This, 0 IonkS is the fourth

advantage gained.by the making of images of the TUthaga\a which
falls \O the share of the donor. `:1 aUin \ monks, he, after the
dissol \tioU of his bod
y
, is born UIon gods, in a happy condition,
ID
the
world of heaven. Born there, unfailing, eminent among C
les
t
i
al
beings, gods, and goddesses, he outshines them in ten points,
,sach a-)
divinc lifetime, divine complexion, divine -*1_t1 r++)
'happiness, and divine supremacy and sovereignty. Bearing U divine
body, he is foremost among all. This, \ monks, i th2 ffth advan
tage yained by making images of !he Tathagata, which fals ! the
share of the donor. The Blessed One said this. Delighted, the -monl,s
rejoiced in the words of the Blessed One. Thus Cnds the I.ligious
discourse called The Description of the advantages of setting up
images of the Tathagata.
[(-