The Dharani Sutra of The Buddha on Longevity, The Extinction of Offences and The Protection of Young Children: 11 of 33

At that time, the Heavenly King Shakra transformed himself into forty-nine men who came to the home of the woman, Confusion. They said, “We wish to write the Sutra for you. After you have seen the Sutra only will you sell your eyes. What do you think?”

The woman Confusion was genuinely happy and grateful for their help. Immediately she cut her body and took out a piece of bone. Then she sharpened it to become the shape of a pen. She offered her blood as ink for them to write the Sutra.

After seven days, they managed to finish writing The Sutra. They men who were the transformation bodies of The Shakra Heavenly King told Confusion, “We hope that you will keep your promise. As we have already finished writing The Sutra, you should dig out your eyes for us after you have read them. Then we will sell to the Brahman.”

Then the woman Confusion ordered a man by the surname Chandera to dig out both her eyes. She also asked the forty-nine men to give Chandera a share of the money for selling her eyes.

When Chandera was about to dig out her eyes, the forty-nine men cried together to prevent him from doing so. They praised thus,

“Rare indeed! Rare indeed! It is inconceivable! This woman, Confusion who cares not for her body or life, was able to sharpen her bone as pen, to squeeze out her blood as ink, and endure great pain and injuries, just for the sake of writing down this Sutra. How could we have the heart to dig out her eyes?”

So, with kindness and compassion, they told the woman, Confusion, “Now, we do not need to sell your eyes to the Brahman. But we hope that after you have accomplished The Way, please come first to rescue and cross us over!”

“In life after life, wherever you are born, we hope to come together to you, to become good knowing advisers and widely proclaim this Sutra in order to rescue and cross over all sinful living beings.”

At that time, the Dragon King Nanda by using his spiritual penetration power, performed magical transformations, stole the Sutra of the woman Confusion and kept it at the Dragon Palace. He accepted, upheld and made offerings to The Sutra. The woman, Confusion who suddenly lost the Sutra in such a short space of time, was greatly disturbed. She cried tearfully and ran to see The Buddha. She said,

“World Honored One, I , who care not for body nor lifespan, cut the flesh and dug out the bone to write the Sutra of Longevity, only hope to widely circulate it among all living beings. But now I have lost the Sutra. I feel extremely sad, just as though my body was pierced by the poisonous arrow. Such pain is difficult to bear.”

The Thus Come One Pervasive Lights told Confusion, “You Sutra was taken by the eight-fold Dragon King, who accepts, upholds and makes offering to it in the Dragon Palace. In fact, you should be happy about it. Don’t be so worried and sorrowful.”