"O thou who rejoicest in kindness having its source in
compassion, thou great cloud of good qualities and of benevolent
mind, thou quenchest the fire that vexeth living beings, thou
pourest out nectar, the rain of the law! 23
"We shall do, O Lord, what the Tathāgata commands. We shall
fulfil his behest; the Lord shall find us obedient to his words." 24
And this vow of the disciples resounded through the universe, and
like an echo it came back from all the Bodhisattas who are to be
and will come to preach the good law of Truth to future
generations. 25
And the Blessed One said: "The Tathāgata is like unto a powerful
king who rules his kingdom with righteousness, but being attacked
by envious enemies goes out to wage war against his foes. When
the king sees his soldiers fight he is delighted with their
gallantry and will bestow upon them donations of all kinds. Ye
are the soldiers of the Tathāgata, while Māra, the Evil One, is
the enemy who must be conquered. And the Tathāgata will give to
his soldiers the city of Nirvāna, the great capital of the good
law. And when the enemy is overcome, the Dharma-rāja, the great
king of truth, will bestow upon all his disciples the most
precious crown which jewel brings perfect enlightenment, supreme
wisdom, and undisturbed peace." 26