“Good men! I met many Buddhas in my previous existence. At that time I saw the same good omen as this. Those Buddhas emitted the same ray of light as this, and then expounded a great teaching. Therefore, know this! I think that this Buddha also is emitting this ray of light, and showing this good omen, wishing to cause all living beings to hear and understand the most difficult teaching in the world to believe.

The second segment. [What happened in] the past is cited to explain [what happens in] the present. Even though the past and the present are distinguished, their Tao is not different. The past portents as such pointed to the fact that [the Buddha] would preach the great Dharma; [likewise] “it should be understood” that the present portents of Śākyamuni clearly signal that he is certain to preach the Dharma Blossom.

Thereupon Mañjuśrī said to Maitreya Bodhisattva-mahasattva and the other great men:

“Good men! I think that the Buddha, the World-Honored One, wishes to expound a great teaching, to send the rain of a great teaching, to blow the conch-shell horn of a great teaching, to beat the drum of a great teaching, and to explain the meaning of a great teaching.

The profound li is dark and deep beyond measurement. Not having realized for himself the deep li, how can [Maitreya] dare to explicate it? He has to rely on Mañjuśrī [as explicator, a role that requires expertise equal to that of] the famous artisan [Shih] of Ying (the capital of Ch’iu). The phrase I surmise that indicates that comprehension must lie in the Buddha [himself], in whom all have their faith deepened.

The subsequent part consisting of four sections in all serves as an indication that the [Buddha’s] preaching of the Dharma Blossom is imminent. [In] “the first segment,” Mañjuśrī, knowing that li is subtle and sublime, dare not pinpoint, substantiate, or explain it. Therefore, he says: “I surmise that [the Buddha] wishes to preach the great Dharma.”

Thereupon Maitreya Bodhisattva, wishing to repeat what he had said, asked him in gāthās:

Mañjuśrī!
Why is the Leading Teacher
Emitting a great ray of light
From the white curl between his eyebrows?

The composition of the gāthās is dictated generally by the following four aims: first, for the sake of those who will come later; second, for the sake of those who have not yet been enlightened (through the prose section); third, to expand in the gāthās what has been briefly touched on (or left out) in the long lines (of prose); fourth, to chant and dance in tune with intense emotion. Maitreya has asked only the essentials. Now he speaks about them in full detail. The appearance of Mañjuśrī’s name at the start is for the sake of drawing the congregation’s attention; they regarded him highly and when they were to hear him speak later their affection for him would be very intense.

Because what he has seen and heard is so vast, it will be difficult for him to tell them in complete detail.

Many lines that follow this chant are [the recounting of] what has appeared earlier [in prose], [including] “the various background causes and conditions [of the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas], and their various degrees of belief and understanding (adhimukti). [The word] various can refer to morality (śīla) or almsgiving (dāna). What it refers to is not limited to one kind. Listed next are various practices of the six perfections (pāramitās). But there is no set order for them. [The sequential order] can be arranged high or low (or early or late) as [the Buddha] wishes. Why then are they put together here on this occasion and why are the good and the bad [practitioners] of them shown here? Because it is [the Buddha’s] wish that [beings] are led to discard evil and cultivate good. Also illustrated there is the fact that there is no place the light of knowledge does not illuminate.

He thought again:

“This Mañjuśrī, the son of the King of the Dharma, has already met innumerable Buddhas and made offerings to them in his previous existence. He must have seen this rare thing before. Now I will ask him.”

The reason why earlier, when [the Buddha] first entered the samādhi, [the phenomena of] the raining flowers and shaking earth appeared, was that he was going to expound the One Vehicle. This indicates that the transformative teaching of the One Vehicle would follow later. However, [to preach] the One Vehicle was [the Buddha’s] original purpose for convening the meeting. Therefore, Maitreya now first questions the emission of the ray. The order in which [the questioners] are arranged represents some meaning and intention in each case. It seems proper that the question about the rain flowers and the shaking of the earth follow next. [Yet], it is omitted and not mentioned [in the prose section]. That question then must be included in the gāthās.

Thereupon Maitreya Bodhisattva thought:

“The World-Honored One is now displaying a wonder [, that is, a good omen]. Why is he displaying this good omen? The Buddha, the World-Honored One, has entered into a samadhi. Whom shall I ask why he is displaying this inconceivable, rare thing? Who can answer my question?”

Now that the congregation had been mired so long, emotionally at a standstill, it held hard on to the idea. When it saw all of a sudden the strange mark it had never seen before, it was at a loss, doubts arising within [each member]. Maitreya, who was in rank to become the next Buddha, saw that his mind was becoming inquisitive like those of the others. Sharing this [doubting] thought with the rest of the congregation, he availed himself of the opportunity (chi) (or the subtle triggering force in him) and became puzzled. As the doubts piled up inside to a great degree, enlightenment also could be incited quickly. Maitreya was the principal questioner because the one who sought to resolve these doubts would duly attain illumination.