24 



"Sagara Naga-raja, assuming the appearance of Maheshvara, 

 exerting his great strength, mightily assists all sentient creatures. 

 His influence extends from the four continents up to the Para- 

 nirmita VaQavartin Heaven. He spreads out the clouds diversified 

 vsrith every colour, excites the varied brightness of the lightning, 

 causes the changing peals of thunder, raises propitious breezes, 

 distils fertilizing showers. But though this Naga-raja is well affected 

 towards men, the good principles which prevail in the world 

 are the real source of propitious rain falling. Again it is said 

 that Anavataptd Naga-raja raises the widespreading vapoury clouds 

 which cover Jambudvipa and distil soft and nourishing rain, 

 causing- the various herbs and grains to spring up and flourish, 

 and the fountains and rivers to swell with refreshing streams". 



Beside in this passage translated by Beal the same sutra often 

 mentions Sagara and the other Naga-kings as givers of rain. In 

 the Chinese translation of the -end of the seventh century A. D. 

 (Nanjo, nr 88) we read e. g. : "Further, there are innumerable 

 Great Naga-kings, called Virupaksha, Sagara, etc. etc. . . . , who 

 by raising the clouds and diffusing the rain put an end to the 

 vexations caused to all living beings by burning heat" \ 



"When the Great Sea-Naga-king (Sagara) sends down the rain, 

 He (the Enlightened One) can separately count the drops, and 

 in one thought make out (their number)" ^. 



Comparisons especially, mostly in stanzas, of the rain -giving 

 Naga kings to Buddha and his Law, are very numerous I 



"The Supreme Naga king Sagara, when raising the clouds- 

 covers the whole earth and distributes the rain over all places, 

 and in his heart there is but one thought — so do also the 

 Buddhas, the Kings of the Law: great clouds of compassion 

 spread everywhere, and, on behalf of all those who practise 

 religious austerities, rain down on each and on all without 

 distinction" *. 



"Like Anavatapta Nagaraja sends down the rain everywhere 

 on Jambudvipa and thus can cause all the plants and trees to 

 shoot up and grow, and it (the rain) does not con^e forth from 

 his body but from his heart — in the same way also the 



mm^ mmifim^m^^mmmi^.^^-^'P- 



18a, 6. 2 Ch. XV, p. 18&. 



3 Cf. Ch. XV, p. 216; XVII, 19a; XXXVIII, 226;'xLII, 6b, 156; LI, 116; LII, 16- 

 LII, 36; LXXX, 22a. 



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