2. The bodhisattva protected by the gods, and against Mara
Subhuti: So it is.
If a Bodhisattva courses thus, then he courses in perfect wisdom.
And the Gods round Indra, round Brahman, round Prajapati, round Ishana, and the crowds of men and women round the Rishis will from a distance pay homage with folded hands to a Bodhisattva who courses thus.
(447) The Lord: And not only they, but also all the other Gods, up to the Akanishta Gods, shall pay homage to him.
And with their Buddha-eye the Tathagatas who at present reside in countless world systems behold the Bodhisattva who thus courses in perfect wisdom,
and they help him, and bring him to mind.
It is quite certain, Subhuti, that the Bodhisattvas who course in perfect wisdom, and who are helped and brought to mind by the Tathagatas, should be borne in mind as irreversible from full enlightenment.
No obstacle put up by Mara or anyone else can stop them.
Even if all beings in the great trichiliocosm should become evil Maras,
and if each one of them would conjure up just as many diabolic armies, (448,1)
then even they all together would not have the strength to obstruct on his way to full enlightenment that Bodhisattva who is brought to mind by the Buddhas, and who courses in perfect wisdom.
And that would remain true even if all the beings in all the countless trichiliocosms should become evil Maras, and if each one of them should conjure up just as many diabolic armies.
The endowment with two dharmas safeguards a Bodhisattva against all attacks from the Maras, or their hosts:
He does not abandon any being, and he surveys all dharmas from emptiness.
Two other dharmas have the same effect: As he speaks so he acts, and he is brought to mind by the Buddhas, the Lords.
When a Bodhisattva courses thus, the Gods also will decide to go up to him.
They will decide to ask questions and counter-questions, (449) to honour him, and to strengthen his determination by saying to him: “Soon, son of good family, shall you know full enlightenment!
Therefore go on dwelling in this dwelling of perfect wisdom!
For thereby you shall become a saviour of the helpless, a defender of the defenceless, a refuge to those without refuge, a place of rest to those without resting place, the final relief of those who are without it, an island to those without one, a light to the blind, a guide to the guideless, a resort to those without one, and you shall guide to the path those who have lost it, and you shall become a support to those who are without support.”