A Legend of Fugen-Bosatsu 



THERE was once a very pious and learned 

 priest, called Shoku Shonin, who lived in 

 the province of Harima. For many years 

 he meditated daily upon the chapter of Fugen- 

 Bosatsu [the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra] in the 

 Sutra of the Lotos of the Good Law; and he 

 used to pray, every morning and evening, that 

 he might at some time be permitted to behold 

 Fugen-Bosatsu as a living presence, and in the 

 form described in the holy text. 1 



1 The priest's desire was probably inspired by the 

 promises recorded in the chapter entitled " The Encourage 

 ment of Samantabhadra" (see Kern's translation of the 

 Saddharma Pundarika in the Sacred Books of ibe East, 

 pp. 433-434) : "Then the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Saman 

 tabhadra said to the Lord: . . . 'When a preacher who 

 applies himself to this Dharmaparyiya shall take a walk, 

 then, O Lord, will I mount a white elephant with six tusks, 

 and betake myself to the place where that preacher is 

 walking, in order to protect this Dharmaparyaya. And 



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