The Lion's Roar

Then, there was amongst the congregated, a Bodhisattva called 'Lion's Roar'. He stood up, adjusted his robe, touched the feet of the Buddha, prostrated himself, joined his hands, and said to the Buddha: "Oh, World Honored One! I wish to ask. Please, let me to ask, oh Great Compassionate One!"

Then, the Buddha said to all in the congregation: "Oh, good men! Now, you should honor very, respect, and praise this Bodhisattva. Make offerings of incense and flowers, music, necklaces, banners, canopies, clothes, food, drinks, bedding, medicines, houses and palaces, and track their comings and goings. Why? Because this Bodhisattva, in the past, held nobly all the good deeds at the places of the Buddhas, and he is replete of virtues. Because of this, he now desires to issue a lion's roar before me. Oh, good men! He's like a lion-king. He knows his own power, has sharp teeth, and their four legs are firmly on the ground. He lives in a rocky grotto, he wags his tail, and gives a roar. When he presents himself thus, he knows that indeed issues a lion's roar. The real Lion-King emerges from his den early in the morning. It stretches his body and yawns. Look around, growls, and roars for eleven things. What are those eleven?

First, he wants to crush a person who, not being a lion, intends to present himself as a lion.
Second, he now wants to test his own physical strength.
Third, he wants to purify the place where he lives.
Fourth, he wants to know the places where all others are living.
Fifth, he does not fear anyone.
Sixth, he wants to wake up those who are asleep.
Seventh, he wants make all the indolent animals, non-indolent.
Eighth, he wants all the animals come and surrender [to him].
Ninth, he wants to subjugate the great gandhahastin.
Tenth, he wants to test all sons.
Eleventh, he wants adorn all those with whom he is related.

All birds and animals hear the lion's roar. Those of water hide themselves down in the depths, those on earth in grottoes and caves, those who fly fall to the ground, and all those great gandhahastins become frightened, and expel impurities. Oh, good men! A fox can pursue a lion for one hundred years, however, it can not roar. The situation is like that. The son of a lion, at the age of three full years, can truly roar like a Lion-King."

Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 33, on the Bodhisattva Lion's Roar 1.

roar of the lion.mp3