20 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 8o 



writes down their names, records them in the book of good and evil, to await 

 until, within a hundred years, life is ended, when they receive this bitter recom- 

 pense." Muh Lien was very compassionate, and quickly asked the Ruler of 

 Hades, " How can we reward the virtue of mothers in bearing children so that 

 they can escape from the hell of the bloody basin pool?" The Ruler of Hades 

 replied, " Only by carefully being filial, and men and women respectfully wor- 

 shipping the Three Precious Ones and by observing the three years bloody basin 

 fast, and assembling the festival for succeeding over the bloody basin, inviting 

 Buddhist priests to chant this classic once, and when the time is fulfilled the 

 repentance observances are completed, and then a boat of mercy will bear her 

 over the River of Purgatory to the shore, and it will be seen that five lotus 

 flowers appear in the bloody basin pool. The sinners will be glad, and will 

 develop shame in their hearts, and they will be able to rise to the Buddhistic 

 land. Then all the great gods and Muh Lien will inform and respectfully urge 

 the unbelievers and the men and women who believe righteousness to quickly 

 learn and cultivate virtue so as to remove the punishments and greatly alter 

 the future course of events. Do not lose this teaching, for in ten thousand years 

 you will not easily get it back." Buddha said, " If the people who believe in the 

 classic of the bloody bowl write it and keep its instructions, it will cause them 

 to secure the ascension to heaven of all their parents for three generations, 

 and their enjoying all blessings — clothing and food of course, long life, wealth, 

 and honor." Now, at this point (in the reading of this classic), the Heavenly 

 Dragon, the eight grades of men, and the non-human beings are all filled witli 

 great joy and believe, receive, and obey this book, give a salute, and depart. 



The Completion Of The Classic Of The Orthodox Tibetan Religion Explain- 

 ing The Faith Of The Bloody Basin. 



The Classic That Buddha Spoke Of The Great Grace Of Fathers And Mothers 

 And Of Bones Of Unborn Babes. 



I have heard thus, that once upon a time at Tsisou in the Kingdom of Shaewae, 

 Buddha spoke to the gods of Kuh Duh Uen and to the 1,250 priests of Dae Pi 

 Ch'iu, at which time the divine Ho Lan arose from his throne, with his hands 

 offered obeisance to Buddha, and spoke these words : " What is greatest in the 

 universe ? " Buddha replied, " In the universe that which is weightiest and of 

 most importance is the grace of fathers and mothers." Ho Lan asked Buddha, 

 " Will Buddha mercifully and kindly explain ? " Buddha said, " When the child 

 is in the womb of the mother for the first month, it is like pearls of dew on 

 blades of grass." Ho Lan asked Buddha, " Why do you say pearls of dew on 

 blades of grass ? " The Universally Honored One replied, " In the morning it 

 collects, but at noon it evaporates. It is present only in the morning. It is not 

 present in the afternoon. When the child is in the mother's womb for two 

 months, it changes like snow crystals." Ho Lan asked Buddha, " Why do you 

 say snow crystals?" The Universally Honored One replied, " Like snow crystals 

 in the air falling down. When the child has been in the womb for three months, 

 it changes into a lump of blood six and three-tenths inches long." Ho Lan asked 

 Buddha, " Why do you say a lump of blood ? " The Universally Honored One 

 said, " In the first place, it may be called a lump of blood. In the second place 

 it may be called a snow mountain. In the third place it may be called blood 

 collected together. When the child has been in the mother's womb four months, 

 it develops the four limbs." Ho Lan asked Buddha, " Why do you say four 



