The Flower Ornament Scripture

 

A Translation of the Avatamsaka Sutra

Thomas Cleary

BOOK TWENTY-ONE

 

                                            21. Ten Practices                                           

 

 

THEN THE ENLIGHTENING BEING Forest of Virtues, imbued with the Buddha's power, entered into absorption in the skillful meditation of enlightening beings; when he had en tered this absorption, there ap­ peared before him Buddhas from beyond as many lands as atoms in ten thousand buddha-lands  from each direction,   and all were named  Forest of Virtues. They said to the enlightening being Forest of Virtues,  "Vcry good it is, 0 Child of Buddha,  that you arc able to enter this concentra­ tion in skillful meditation . Good man, it is the collective empowerment of the Buddhas of the same name, as many as atoms in ten thousand buddha-lands from each of the ten directions,  and also the power of the past vows and the spiritual  force of Vairocana Buddha,  as well as the power of the virtues   of the enlightening   beings,  that enables   you   to enter this concentration and expound the teaching,  for the sake of increasing in enlightened knowledge,   deep   entry   into   the   realm   of reality,   comprehension  of th e realms of sentient beings,   nonobstruction in   what is   entered into,   nonhindrancc in the realm of activity,   attain­ ment of infinite skill in means, embracing of the essence of all knowledge, conscious realization of all truths,  knowledge of all faculties,  and ability to uphold and explain all the teachings; in   other   words,   it   is   for initiating ten kinds of practice of enlightening beings . Good man,  you should  receive the spiritual power of the Buddhas to expound   this teaching ."

Then the Buddhas  bestowed on the enlightening being Forest   of Virtues unobstructed knowledge, unattached knowledge, uninterrupted knowledge, tcacherless knowledge, knowledge without folly, unvarying knowledge, unerring knowledge, immeasurable knowledge, invincible knowledge, unflagging knowledge, and knowledge that cannot be taken away. Why? Because the power of this concentration is naturally thus.

Then the Buddhas each extended their right hands and patted the enlightening being Forest  of Virtues  on  the  head,  whereupon  he  rose from concentration and addressed the enlightening beings, saying,  " () Buddha Children, the practice of enlightening beings is inconceivable, equal to the space of the cosmos . Why? Because enlightening beings

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cultivate practice in emulation of the Buddhas  of past,  present,  and future . Buddha-Children, great enlightening beings have ten kinds of practices, which are expounded by the Buddhas  of past, present,  and future. What are the ten? (1) The practice of giving joy;  (2) beneficial practice; (3) the practice of nonopposition; (4) the practice of indomita­ bility; (5) the practice of nonconfusion; (6) the practice of good manifes­ tation;   (7)   the practice of nonattachment;  (8) the practice of that which is difficult to attain; (9) the practice of good teachings; (1 0) the practice of truth .

"What  is   the great enlightening being's  practice of giving joy?  Here the enlightening  beings are magnanimous  givers, bestowing whatever they have  with   an   equanimous   mind , without regret,   without hoping for reward,   without seeking honor,  without coveting   material benefits, but only to rescue and safeguard all living beings, to include all living beings in their care, to benefit all living  beings,  and to emulate the original practice ofall Buddhas, recall the original practice of all Buddhas, delight in the original practice of all Buddhas,  purify the original practice of all Buddhas, further develop the original practice of all Buddhas, make manifest the original practice of all Buddhas,  and ex­ pound the original practice of all   Buddhas,  to cause all sentient beings to be relieved of pain and suffering and attain comfort and happiness .

"When great enlightening beings cultivate this practice, they cause all living beings joy and delight.  In  any place there is poverty  and  want, they  go  there by  the power of will  to  be born  noble  and  wealthy,  so that even if every single moment countless beings come to the enlighten­ ing beings and  say,  '0  benevolent   one,   we  are  poor  and  in  need, with out sustenance, hungry and weak, worn out and miserable, on the brink  of death; please pity us  and  give us your flesh to  cat  so  that we may live, ' the enlightening  beings would immediately  give it to them, to gladden and satisfy them. Even  should  countless hundreds of thou­ sands of beings  come begging  this  way,  the enlightening beings would not shrink back, but would rather increase even more in kindness and compassion. Indeed, because sentient beings all come seeking, the en­ lightening beings,  seeing them,  would become more joyful, and think, 'I have gained a  fine boon; these beings  arc  my  field  of blessings, they arc my good friends and  benefactors-with out  my  asking  them, they come to cause me to enter into the Buddha's teaching. I should now cultivate learning in this way, not controverting  the wishes of sentient beings .' They also form this thought: 'May all the good that I have done, do, and will do, cause me in the future, in all worlds, among all beings, to receive an immense body, so as to satisfy all starving beings with the  flesh  of this body,  and  may I not die so long as  even a single tiny creature is still not filled , and may the flesh I cut off be inexhaustible. By  this  virtue may  I attain unexcelled complete perfect enlightenment, and experience great nirvana;  and  may  those who  eat  my  flesh  also attain perfect enlightenment, attain impartial knowledge, fulfill all Bud-

 

456  The Flou/er Ornament Scripture

 

dha teachings,  extensively perform Buddha  work until entering extinc­ tion without remainder. If the heart of even one sentient being is unfulfilled, I will not attain unexcelled perfect enlightenment. '

"Thus  do enlightening beings benefit the living, yet without  any concept of self or any concept of sentient beings,  or any concept of existence,  or any   concept   of life,   without   various   concepts-no   concept of personality, no concept of person, no concept of human  being, no concept of doer   or   receiver-they   only   observe   the infinity   of the   realm of reality and the realm of sentient beings, their emptiness, absence of existents, signlcssncss, insubstantiality, indeterminacy, nondepcndcncc, and noncrcation.

" When they perform this contemplation, they do not see themselves, they do not sec anything given , they do not sec a receiver, they do not sec a field of blessings, they do not see a deed, they do not sec any reward, they do not see any result,  they do not sec a great result, they do not sec a small result.

"Then the enlightening beings observe that all the bodies taken on by living beings in   the past,  future,   and present eventually perish;  then they form this thought: 'How remarkable it is how foolish and ignorant sentient beings arc; within birth and death they receive countless bodies, which arc perishable and transient, soon returning to decay and extinction: having already passed away,  now passing away, and yet to pass away, they still cannot  usc the destructible body to seck  the   indestructible body. I should learn all that the Buddhas learn, to realize omniscience, know all truths,  and explain to   sentient beings   the indestructible nature of reality, which is equal in past, present, and future, and which accords with utmost  tranquility and serenity, to cause them   to   permanently attain peace and happiness .'

"This  is called the great enlightening beings'  first practice,  of giving j Oy.

"What  is the   great enlightening beings'  beneficial   practice?  Here

enlightening beings maintain pure self-control, and their minds have no attachment to color or form, sound,  fragrance, flavor, or feeling. Also they preach this to sentient beings.  They do not seck power,  social status, wealth, appearance, or dominions . They have no attachment to anything, but just firmly uphold pure conduct, thinking,  'As I maintain pure discipline, I shall surely get rid of all bondage,  the torment of craving, oppression, slander, and disturbance,  and will attain the impar­ tial truth praised by the Buddhas .'

"When  enlightening  beings maintain pure discipline in this way, even if countless devils should come to them in a single day, each bringing countless goddesses all well versed in the arts of pleasure, beautiful and

:-dluring, with various amusing things, in order to disturb the enlighten­ ing beings' attention on the Way, the enlightening beings think, 'These desires arc hindrances to the Way and obstruct unexcelled enlightenment. ' Therefore they   do   not   conceive   even   a single thought  of lust;  their

 

 

minds are as pure as Buddha.  The only exception is in terms   of expedient   means   to   teach   and   transform   sentient beings-yet   they   still do not relinquish the determination for omniscience.

"Enlightening  beings   do not afflict a single sentient being in   pursuit of their own desires; they would rather die themselves than to   do anything which would afflict a single being.

"A fter enlightening beings have gotten to see the Buddha, they never arouse a single thought of desire, much less act upon desire.

"At this point,  enlightening beings think, 'All sentient beings, through­ out the long night of ignorance, think of desires, pursue desires, and are attached to desires;  their minds are set in their ways and they arc addicted to   desires,   whirling   along with them,   not having  any   freedom. I should  cause these devils and these goddesses, and all sentient beings, to abide by the unexcelled precepts; once they abide in pure discipline, their minds will never turn back from the direction of universal knowledge, and eventually they will attain unexcelled complete perfect enlightenment, and finally enter complete extinction with no remainder. Why? This is the work we ought to do. We should follow the Buddhas in cultivating this learning, and having done so,  divorce all bad actions and   get  rid   of  the  ignorance  of  the  idea  of  self,   enter  all   Buddha­ teachings   by   means   of knowledge,   and explain them to sentient beings, to rid them  of delusion,  all the while  knowing,  however, that there is no delusion apart from sentient beings and there are no sentient beings apart  from delusion,  that there are no sentient beings   within delusion and no delusion within sentient  beings, and also that it is not that delusion is sentient beings  or that sentient beings are a delusion-delusion is not something  inside or outside, and sentient beings arc not some­ thing inside or outside. They know all   things   are   unreal,   suddenly arising and suddenly perishing, having no solidity or stability,  like dreams, like reflections, like phantoms, like illusions, fooling the ignorant. Those who understand in this way will be able to comprehend  all actions, to master birth and death as well as nirvana, to realize enlightenment, to save themselves and cause others to gain salvation, to liberate themselves and enable others to gain liberation, to conquer themselves and cause others to be tamed,   to   become   tranquil   them­ selves and enable   others   to   become   tranquil,   to   be   secure   them­ selves and enable others to be secure, to be free from defilement themselves and cause others to be free from defilement, to be pure themselves and cause others to be pure, to be dispassionate themselves and cause others to be dispassionate, to be happy themselves and cause others to be happy.

"Here enlightening beings also form this thought:  'I should follow all the  enlightened ones, detach from all worldly actions,  fulfill all qualities of buddhahood, abide in supreme equanimity, be impartial toward all beings,  clearly   understand the objective realm,   get rid of all   error,   cut off all conceptualizations, abandon all attachments, and skillfully engi-

 

 

neer emancipation, to ever abide mentally in unexcelled, inexplicable, independent, immutable, measureless, boundless, inexhaustible, formless, most profound wisdom. '

"This is called the great enlightening beings' second practice,  of beneficial action.

"Wh:H is the great enlightening beings'  practice of nonopposition? Here enlightening  beings  always  practice tolerance and forbearance, being humble and respectful , not harming  self, others, or both ; not stealing or causing others to steal, not being attached to themselves,  to others, or to both;  not seeking fame or profit. They only think,  'I should always  expound the Teaching to sentient beings,  to cause them to divorce all evils , to cut off greed, anger, folly , pride, hypocrisy, stinginess, jealousy, obsequiousness, and dishonesty, and cause them to always abide peacefully in forbearance and harmony. '

"When enlightening beings achieve this forbearance, even if countless beings should come to them and each being should produce  countless mouths and utter countless words-unpleasant   words,   unwholesome words,  displeasing  words,  undesirable words, words which arc   not those of the benevolent or the virtuous, words which arc not those  of wisdom, words which arc not in  accord with sagacity,  words which sages do   not   approach,   detestable   words,   and   unbearable   words-even if they abuse and revile the enlightening beings with such speech, and, furthermore, if they all had countless hands,  bearing countless cudgels, with which they attacked and injured the enlightening beings , without relenting, for immeasurable cons, should enlightening beings encounter such torture,  their hair standing on end,   their life about to end,  they form this  thought:  'If my  mind is disturbed  by this suffering, then I have  not  mastered  myself,  I  am  not self-possessed,  I  do  not  understand myself, I am uncultivated, I am not properly stabilized, I am   not  at peace,  I am careless, I give rise to attachments-how can I enable others to attain purity of mind ?'

"Then the enlightening beings also think, 'Since beginningless time I have dwelt in birth and death and experienced its pains and vexations,' and thus reflecting, they redouble their efforts, purify their minds,  and attain joy. They skillfully tunc and concentrate themselves,  and, them­ selves able to abide in the Buddha-teaching,  they also enable sentient beings to attain the same condition. They further reflect, 'This body is empty and null, it has no self or possessions,  it has no reality-it is void by nature, with no duality. Neither pain nor pleasure has any existence, because  all things arc empty. I should expound this teaching for people, to enable all sentient beings to do away with their views.  Therefore, though  I meet with suffering today,  I should  accept it with patience, out of compassion for beings, to benefit beings,  to pacify beings,  out of pity for beings, to take care of beings and not abandon them, to attain enlightenment myself and also to enable others to attain enlightenment, so

 

 

that my mind will never regress,  and so that I may progress on the \vay of Buddhahood .'

"This is called the enlightening beings' third practice, of nonopposition. "What is great en lightening beings' practice of indomitability? Here the   enlightening   beings  cultivate  various   forms  of  energy-foremost energy, great energy, excellent energy, outstanding energy, supreme energy , sublime energy, exalted energy, unsurpassed energy, unequalled energy, comprehensive energy. They become naturally free from the three poisons of greed, hatred, and delusion , naturally  free from pride and conceit, naturally not hypocritical, naturally not stingy or jealous, naturally not deceitful, naturally conscientious . Ultimately they do not make any effort that would afflict  a  single  living being.  They only make efforts to cut off all afflictions, to pull out the roots of  all confusion , to get rid of all force of habit, to know all realms of living beings, to know where all beings die and arc born, to know the afflictions of all sentient beings, to know the inclinations of all sentient beings, to know the perspectives of all sentient beings, to know the superiority and inferiority of faculties of all sentient beings, to know the mental activities of all sentient beings, to know all realms of phenomena, to know the basic nature of all Buddha qualities, to know  the  equal nature of all Buddha qualities, to know the equal nature of all time frames, to attain the light of knowledge of all B uddha-teachings, to experience the knowledge of all Buddha-teachings, to know the unique true character of all Buddha-teachings, to know the infinity of all Buddha-teachings, to attain far-reaching decisive knowledge of tech­ niques of all Buddha-teachings, and to attain  the knowledge to analyze

and expound the expressions and meanings of all Buddha-teachings.

" Once enlightening beings have perfected these practices of energetic effort, if someone should say to them, 'Can you pass countless cons enduring the pains of uninterrupted hell for the sake of each and every being in countless worlds, cause those beings to each meet countless Buddhas in the world, and through seeing Buddhas attain felicity and finally  enter extinction without  remainder, after which   you   yourself attain unexcelled  complete  perfect enlightenment?'  They would  answer 'I  can. '  Then again if someone  should  say,  'There arc countless  oceans­ you should drain them drop by drop with a hairtip; there arc countless worlds-you should shatter  them to atoms,  and count each  and every drop of the oceans   and atoms of the worlds,  and   for that number of cons endure incessant suffering for the sake of living beings, ' the enlightening  beings would not have a moment of regret or   resentment on hearing such words-they would only be more joyful, feeli ng pro­

foundly happy  and fortunate that they had attained such a great benefit

that they could by their power enable sentient beings to be forever liberated from suffering. Enlightening  beings,   by these   means which they employ, enable all beings in all worlds to eventually reach ultimate release without remainder.

 

 

"This is called the enlightening beings' practice of indomitability. "What is great enlightening beings' practice of nonconfusion? Here

enlightening beings perfect right mindfulness, their minds free from distraction  and  disturbance, firm  and  imperturbable, consummately pure, immeasurably  vast, without any delusion or confusion . By virtue of this right  mindfulness  they  well  understand  all  worldly  speech  and are  able  to  remember  the  verbal  explanations  of transmundane  laws. That is to say, they can remember the explanations  of material  and immaterial phenomena; they can remember the explanations of the defi­ nition  of  the  intrinsic  nature  of  sensation,  perception,  conditioning, and consciousness, without any confusion in their minds. In the world they die in one place and are born in another without confusion in their minds . They enter the womb and leave the womb without confusion in their minds.  They  arouse  the  will  for  enlightenment  without  confusion in their minds.  They attend teachers without confusion in  their  minds. They earnestly  practice  the  Buddhas'  teachings  without  confusion  in their minds . They notice the   doings   of demons   without   confusion in their minds. They divorce demonic activity  without  confusion  in  their minds. They cultivate enlightening practice for countless cons without confusion in their minds.  The enlightening  beings,  having developed this immeasurable right mindfulness, spend countless eons listening to truthful teachings from enlightened and enlightening guides-profound teachings relating to emptiness, vast teachings relating to activity in the relative world, teachings relating to adornment by virtuous qualities, teachings of all kinds of arrays of the qualities of the cosmos, all interrelated,   teachings  expounding  various  bodies  of words,  phrases, and sentences, teachings of the embellishments of enlightening beings, teachings of the supremacy of the spiritual power and radiance of the Buddhas, teachings of the purity of correct seeking of certain under­ standing, teachings of nonattachment to  any  world,  teachings  which define all worlds, teachings of extremely broad scope, teachings of removing the blinders of ignorance and understanding all   beings,   teach­ ings of what is common and what is not, teachings of the excellence of enlightening  knowledge,  teachings  of the independence of omniscience.

"Having heard these teachings, enlightening beings keep them con­ stantly in mind for an incalculable period of time. Why? When great enlightening beings cultivate practices over  countless  eons,  they  never afflict a single sentient being, which would cause loss of right mindfulness; they do not ruin the right teaching, and do not cut off  roots of goodness-their minds are always expanding knowledge. Furthermore, these  enlightening  beings  cannot  be  confused  or disturbed  by  any  kind of sound-loud sounds, coarse and garbled sounds, terrifying sounds, pleasing sounds, displeasing sounds, car-shattering sounds, sense­ debilitating  sounds.  When  the  cnlightenings  hear  such  countless  good or bad  sounds, even though the sounds fill countless worlds,  they arc never disturbed or distracted for a moment. That is to say, their right

 

 

mindfulness is undisturbed,   their  state is undisturbed,   their  concentra­ tion is undisturbed, their entry into emptiness  is undisturbed,  their practice of enlightening acts is undisturbed, their determination for enlightenment is undisturbed, their recollection of the Buddhas is undisturbed,  their contemplation  of truth is undisturbed,   their knowl­ edge to civilize sentient beings   is   undisturbed,   their   knowledge   to purify sentient beings is undisturbed, their certain understanding of the meaning of profundity is undisturbed.

"Because they do no evil, they have no obstruction of evil habits; because they do not produce afflictions , they have no obstruction by afflictions; because they do not slight  the teaching,   they have no barrier to   the   teaching;   because they do not slander and repudiate the truth, they have no obstruction by retribution .

"Even if the aforementioned sounds should each fill countless worlds ceaselessly for countless eons, each able to devastate the faculties, bodies and minds of sentient beings, they still could not damage the minds of these  enlightening   beings.   Enlightening beings enter concentration,   abide in the teaching of the Sage, and meditate on and investigate all sounds, becoming thoroughly familiar with the characteristics oforigin,  existence, and disappearance of all sounds, and come to know the  nature  of the origin, existence, and disappearance of all sounds:  having heard them, they do not give rise to covetousness or aversion, and don't lose mindfulness-they apprehend their characteristics precisely without being influenced by or attached to them. They know all sounds have no existence and are  in  reality ungraspable, that  they  have  no  creator  and no origin, that they arc equal to nirvana and have no differentiations .

"Thus do enlightening beings perfect tranquil,  peaceful physical, verbal, and mental action, never regressing, till they reach omniscience.

They skillfully enter all   manner of meditative concentrations   and   know that all concentrations are of the same  one essence.   They comprehend that all things have no bounds and attain true knowledge of all things. They attain profound concentration detached from   all  sounds.   They attain countless kinds of concentration. They increasingly develop a boundlessly vast mind of great compassion.

"At this point enlightening beings attain countless concentrations in a single  instant,  and,  hearing  such  sounds ,  are  not  disturbed-they  grad­ ually increase and broaden their concentration.  They form this thought: 'I should get all beings to abide peacefully in unsurpassed pure mindfulness, so they may attain nonregrcssion on the way to omniscience, and ultimately attain to nirvana without remainder.'

"This is called the enlightening beings'  fifth practice, leaving confu­ sion behind.

"What is the great enlightening beings' practice of good manifestation? Here the enlightening beings arc pure in thought, word, and deed; they abide in nonacquisition, and demonstrate nonacquisitive  thought,   word, and deed . They know that physical, verbal, and mental actions have no

 

462  The  Flotl'er Omamc11 f Scripture

 

absolute  existence.  Because  they-   arc  free  from  falsehood,  they  arc  free

from bondage. What they demonstrate is without inherent nature and depends on nothing. They abide in mental accord with reality.  They

know  the  intrinsic  natu re  of  infinite  minds.   They  know  the  inherent nature of all things is ungraspablc, formless, exceedingly profound and difficult to penetrate. They abide in the absolute state, true thusness, the essence of things; they appear in life by way of expedien ts , yet have no retribution tor action s. Unborn and undying, they abide in the dis­ passionate, tranquil nature of the realm of nirvana. They abide in the nature of true reality,  absence of inherent reality or own-being.  They arc beyond the power  of speech to fully describe, they transcend  all worlds and do not depend on an ything. They enter into the truth that is free from dis crimin ation. bondage, and attachment. They enter the true principle of supreme knowledge. They enter the transccndcntJl  truth which cannot be understood or known by any worldlings . Such arc the characteristics of the enlightening  beings'  expedient nJJnifestations  of li te.

"These  enlightening  beings  form ulate this  thou ght:  'The  natu re  of all sentient beings is naturclcssncss; the natu re ofall phenomena is uncrcatcd; the form of :tll bnds  of formlessness-in  all worlds  there only exists verbal expression . and verbal expression has no basis in facts . Further­ more. facts have no basis in words.' Thus do enlightening beings understand that all things arc void, and all worlds arc silent: all the Buddha teachings add nothing-the  Buddha teachings  arc no different from the phenomena of the world, and the phenomena of the world  arc no different from the Buddha teachings. The Buddha teachings  and worldly phenomena arc neither mixed up nor differentiated . Knowing that the nature of clements is equal, entering everywhere into the triple world, never giving up the  determination  for great enlightenment, never retreating from the will to transform sentient beings,  ever expanding and increasing the heart of great compassion,  they arc a relian ce for all living beings.

"Then enlightening beings also form this thought: 'If I do not de­ velop and mature sentient beings, who will? If I do not pacify and civilize sentient beings, who will? If I do not teach and renew sentient beings, \vho will? If I do not awaken sentient beings, who will? If I do not purify sentient beings, who will? This is my duty,  my task. ' They also form this thought: 'If I alone understand this profound teaching, then only [ will attain li beration in unexcelled complete perfect en lighten ment. while all sentient beings, being blind, will enter perilous paths, bound by a fflictions, like people seriously ill constantly sutlcring pai ns .    In the prison of cra ving and attachment, they arc unable to get out by themsel ves. They will not leave the realms of hells, hungry ghosts, animals, or the netherworld; they cannot extinguish su ffering or abandon evil deeds.  Forever in the darkness of ignorance, they do not sec reality. Revol ving in birth and death , they have no means of

 

emancipation. Living in the eight difficult situations,  encrusted by all sorts of defilements,  all manner of afflictions cover their minds.  De­ luded by false views , they do not travel the right path. ' Thus observing sentient beings,  enlightening beings think,  'It would not be proper for me to abandon these sentient beings while they are still undeveloped, immature, and unruly, and myself attain unexcelled complete perfect enlightenment. I should first transform these sentient beings, practicing enlightening deeds for unspeakably many cons, first developing the undeveloped, and taming the unruly.'

"When these enlightening beings abide by this practice, if gods, demons, ascetics, priests, or inhabitants of any worlds-cherubim, titans, etc.-should get to see  them , or sojourn with them  for awhile,  and honor and respect them,  serve  them  and give  them  offerings,  or even hear of them, once having crossed their minds these deeds will not be in vain-they shall surely attain perfect enlightenment.

"This is called the great enlightening beings' sixth practice, the prac­ tice of good manifestation .

"What is the great enlightening beings' practice of nonattachment? These great enlightening beings,  with minds free from attachment,  can in every successive  instant enter into countless worlds and adorn  and purify these countless worlds,  their minds free from attachment  to anything   in   these   worlds.   They   visit   countless   Buddhas,   pay   their respects, wait on them, and present them with offerings of countless t1owcrs, perfumes, garlands, fragrant ointments,  powdered incenses, clothes , jewels , banners , parasols, and various other adornments, all without number. These offerings arc for the sake of the ultimate uncrcatcd truth,  for the  sake  of abiding in the inconceivable truth.  In  every  instant they sec countless Buddhas; their minds are free from attachment to the l3 uddha 's places, and they have no attachment to the buddha-lands either. They also have no attachment to the distinguishing marks of the Buddhas, and while they sec the Buddhas' auras of light and hear the Buddha's sermons, yet they have no attachment. They also have no attachment to the congregations of the Buddhas and enlightening beings of the worlds of the ten directions.

"Having  heard the Buddhas'  teachings,  their minds are joyful,   and the power of their will is greatly increased, so that they arc able  to encompass and carry out the practices of enlightening beings;  yet they have no attachments.

"These enlightening beings, through unspeakably many cons , sec untold Buddhas appear  in the world; they attend and supply  cJch Buddha for untold cons, never wearying of this . Seeing the Buddhas. hearing their teachings, and seeing the magnificent arrays of the assem­ blies of enlightening beings,  they arc unattached to any of them . And when they sec impure worlds,  they have no aversion.  Why? Because these enlightening  beings observe according  to the l3uddha teachings. In the teaching of the Buddhas, there is neither defilement nor purity ,

 

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neither   darkness   nor light,   neither   difference nor unity,  neither   truth nor falsehood, neither security nor danger,  no right path and no wrong path.

"Thus do enlightening beings enter deeply into the realm of reality, teaching  and transforming sentient beings  without  forming attachments to sentient beings.  They accept and hold the teaching, yet they do not form attachments   to the teaching.  They arouse the will for enlighten­ ment and abide in the abode of the Buddhas, yet they do not form attachments to the abode of Buddhas. Though they speak,  their minds have no   attachment to   speech.  They enter the various   realms   of life with minds   unattached to those realms.   They comprehend concentration, can enter and can dwell in concentration,  but they have no attachment to concentration.  Going to visit countless buddha-lands,  they   may enter, sec, or sojourn therein, but their minds have no attachment to buddha-lands, and when they leave they do not miss them.

"Because great enlightening  beings are able  to be without  attachment in this way, their minds have no barriers to the Buddha teaching. They comprehend the  enlightenment of Buddhas,  they realize  the  discipline of the teaching, they abide by the right teaching of the Buddhas and cultivate the practices of enlightening beings, they contemplate the enlightening beings' methods of liberation. Their minds are free from attachment to the dwelling places of enlightening beings,  and they also have no attachments  to the practices of enlightening beings.  They clear the way of enlightening beings and receive the prediction of enlightenment which is given to enlightening beings . Having received the prediction, they reflect,   'Sentient beings are foolish and ignorant,   without knowledge or vision, without faith or understanding, lacking in intelligent action, greedy and dishonest, covetous  and  grasping, revolving in the flow of birth  and  death-they  do  not  seek  to  sec  the  Buddha,  they  do  not follow enlightened  guides,  they  do  not  trust  the  Buddha; they  arc  lost in error, mistakenly entering dangerous paths; they do not respect the Soviereign of the  Ten  Powers,  they  do  not  realize  the  benevolence  of the enlightening beings. They are attached to their dwelling places,  and when they hear that  all  things  are empty,  their minds  are  startled  and frigh tened, and they shy away from the true teaching and abide in false teachings; they abandon the level, even path and enter perilous, difficult paths. They reject the ideas of the Buddha and  pursue  the  ideas  of demons. They arc firmly and relentlessly attached to existents'. Thus observing sentient beings, enlightening beings increase in great compas­ sion and develop roots of goodness-and yet they are unattached.

"At this point enlightening beings  also think,  'I  should,  for the sake of a single sentient being, in each land in the worlds in the ten directions, spend countless eons teaching and developing,  and should do the same for all sentient beings, without on this account wearying or giving up. ' "Furthermore,  measuring the entire universe with   a hairtip,  at   a single point they pass unspeakably many unspeakable numbers of eons

 

 

teaching, edifying, and civilizing all beings , and also do likewise at each and every point  in the universe.   Never for a moment do they cling to self or entertain any conception of self or possession. At each point they cultivate enlightening practice throughout the eons of the future, not attached to the body, not attached to phenomena, not attached to recollection, not attached to vows, not attached to concentration, not attached to contemplation, not attached to tranquil stabilization,  not attached to spheres or objects , not attached to teaching and training sentient beings, and not attached to entering the realm of reality.

"Why? The enlightening beings form this  thought:  'I  should look upon all objective realms as like phantoms, all Buddhas as like reflections, enlightening practices as l ike dreams, Buddhas' sermons as like echoes; all worlds are like illusions,  because they are upheld by the conse­ quences of actions;  differentiated bodies   are like apparitions,  because they are produced by  the power of deeds; all sentient beings   are like mind,   because they are defiled by various influences; all things   are like the limit of reality, because they cannot change. '

"They  also form this thought:  'I  should carry on enlightening prac­ tices in all lands, in all worlds throughout space,  moment after moment clearly realizing all truths taught by the Buddha, with precise presence of mind, free from attachments. '

"Thus  do  enlightening  beings  observe  that  the  body  has  no  self,  and they see the Buddha without hindrance. In order to transform sentient beings,  they expound various teachings, to cause them to have  unlim­ ited joy  and pure faith in the Buddha's  teaching . They   rescue   all without   weariness   of mind.   Because   they   are unwearied,   if there   are any sentient beings in any world who are not mature or unruly in any way, they go there and employ  expedient methods to transform and liberate them. By virtue of great commitment  and   will   they remain secure among those beings' various kinds of speech, deeds, attachments, devices, associations, routines, activities, perspectives , births, and deaths, and  teach them,  not  letting   their minds be  disturbed or discouraged, and never for a moment  forming any thought of attachment.  Why? Because they   have   attained   nonattachment   and  independence.   Their own benefit and the benefit of others is fulfilled with purity.

"This is called the great enlightening beings' seventh practice, of nonattachment.

"What is the great enlightening beings'  practice of that which  is difficult to attain?   Here the  enlightening beings   perfect roots of good­ ness which are difficult to attain, invincible roots of goodness,  supreme roots of goodness,  indestructible roots of goodness,  unsurpassable  roots of goodness, inconceivable roots of goodness, inexhaustible roots of goodness,  independently   powered   roots   of goodness,   greatly   influen­ tial roots of goodness,  roots of goodness which arc of the same essence as all Buddhas.

"When these enlightening beings carry out their practice,  they attain

 

supreme understanding of the Buddha-teaching, they attain broad un­ derstanding  of the Buddhas'  enlightenment.  They never give up the vows of enlightening beings, and for all ages their minds never weary. They do not shrink from suffering, and they cannot be moved by any demons. Under the care of all Buddhas, they fully carry  out all the difficult undertakings of enlightening beings . In cultivating enlighten­ ing practices, they are diligent and energetic, never lazy.  They never retreat from the vow of universal salvation.

"Once the enlightening beings abide in these difficult to accomplish practices,  they are able to transmute immeasurable ages of birth and death in every instant, without giving up the great vow of enli ghtening beings . If any sentient beings serve and support them, or even see or hear of them,  they all will attain  nonregression on the way to unex­ celled complete perfect enlightenment.

"Though the enlightening beings understand that sentient beings are not existent, yet they do  not  abandon  the  realms of sentient  beings. They arc like ship captains, not staying on this shore, not staying on the other shore, not staying midway, yet able to ferry sentient  beings  from this shore over to the other shore,  because  they arc always traveling back   and forth . In the same way enlightening  beings do not stay in birth and death , do not stay in nirvana, and also do not stay in midstream of birth and death, while they arc able  to  deliver  sentient beings  from this shore to the other shore, where it is safe and secure, without sorrow or  trouble.  And  they  have no  attachment  to  the  num­ bers  of sentient  beings-they  do  not abandon one  being  for  attachment to many beings, and  do  not abandon many  beings for attachment to one being. They neither increase nor decrease the realms of sentient beings; they neither exhaust nor perpetuate the realms ofsentient beings; they neither discriminate nor bifurcate the realms of sentient beings. Why? Enlightening beings enter deeply into the  realms  of sentient beings as the realm  of truth; the realms of sentient beings and the realm of truth arc nondual. In the nondual there is no increase or decrease, no origination or destruction, no existence or nonexistence, no  grasping and no reliance, no attachment and no duality.  Why? Because enlight­ ening beings realize that all things and the realm of truth arc  nondual.

"Thus do enlightening beings, by means of appropriate techniques ,

enter into the profound realm of truth and abide in formlessness while adorning  their bodies  with pure forms . They understand   that things have no intrinsic nature, yet they are able to distinguish the characteris­ tics of all things.  They do not grasp sentient beings,  yet they arc able to know the numbers of sentient beings.  They arc not attached to worlds, yet they appear physically in Buddha-lands . They do not discriminate principles, yet they enter skillfully into the Buddha teachings;  they profoundly understand their meanings and principles and extensivel y expound the verbal teachings . They comprehend the dispassionate real­ ity of all things,  yet do not cease the path of enlightening.  They do not

 

withdraw from enlightening, they always diligently cultivate inexhaust­ ible practice. They freely enter the pure realm of reality.

"It may be likened to drilling wood to produce fire: fires may be unlimited but the fire doesn't go out. In the same way do enlightening beings liberate people without end, yet they remain  in  the  world forever without becoming extinct. They neither do nor do not reach an ultimate end; neither do nor do not grasp, neither do nor do not rely, arc neither worldlings or Buddhists, neither ordinary people nor real­ ized people.

'" When enlightening beings accomplish this difficult-to-attain state of mind, and cultivate enlightening practice, they do not preach the doc­ trines of the two vehicles , they do not preach buddhism, they do not talk about the world, they do not expound worldly doctrines,  they don't explain sentient beings, they don't say there  arc no sentient beings,   they   don't   talk   about   purity   or   defilement.   Why?   Because enlightening beings know all things have no defilement and no grasping, do not proceed and do not recede.

"When enlightening beings practice this dispassionate, subtle, ex­ tremely deep and all-surpassing teaching, they do not think 'I am cultivating this practice, have cultivated this practice, will cultivate this practice. ' They arc not attached to physical or mental clements, or to sense faculties , sense consciousness, or sense data , or to inner or outer worlds. The great  vows they undertake,  their transcendent ways,  and all th eir methods arc without attachments. Why? Because in the realm of truth there arc no names corresponding to reality; in the vehicle of listeners and the vehicle of the self-awakened there arc no real names; in the vehicle of enlightening beings there arc no real names; in perfect enlightenment there arc no real names; in the world  of ordinary people there arc no real names, nor in purity or impurity, in birth and death or nirvana. Why? B ecause all things arc nondual , yet none arc not dual. They are like space, which anywhere in the universe, whether past, present, or future, cannot be apprehended, yet it is not that there is no space. Thus do enlightening beings observe all things to be ungraspable, yet not nonexistent. They sec things as they arc, without  neglecting their tasks, everywhere demonstrating the practices of enlightening activities ; they do not give up their great vows, civilizing sentient beings, turning the wheel of true teaching. They do not violate cause and e ffect and do not deny it, and do not deviate from the impartial truth . Equal to the Buddhas of all times, they do not cut o ff the lineage of buddhahood, they do not violate the character of reality. Entering deeply into the reaching, their expository ability is endless. They hear the teaching without attach ment; reaching the profound depths of the teaching, they a rc able to expound it skill fully, hearts without fear. They do not give up the abode of Buddhas, but they do not violate natural laws; they appear throughout the world, yet arc not attached to the world.

 

"Thus do enlightening beings achieve the mind of wisdom  which is difficult to attain. Cultivating various practices, they free sentient beings from the three woeful states of hell, ghosthood,  and animality, teaching and enlightening,  taming  and civilizing,   placing   them on the Way  of the Buddhas of all times , making them unshakable.

"Furthermore, they form this thought: 'Beings in the world are ungrateful and even hostile  to  one  another;  with  false  views  and  cling­ ing attachments, illusions and delusions, they are ignorant and unwise; having no faith , they follow bad associates, and develop various kinds of perverse cleverness. They are full of various afflictions, like craving and ignorance. This is where I am to cultivate the practice of enlighten­ ing beings. If people who are grateful, intelligent, wise  and  knowing filled the world, I would not cultivate the practices of enlightening beings therein. Why? I have no attraction or opposition to sentient beings, I seck nothing from them, I do not seek even  so  much  as  a single  word of praise. ' Cultivating enlightening practices forever and ever, they never have a single thought  of doing  it  for  themselves-they only want to liberate all sentient beings, to  purify  them  so  that  they attain eternal emancipation. Why? Because those who would be enlight­ ened guides must  be  thus-not  grasping,  not seeking,  just  practicing the enlightening Way for the sake of bcings, to enable them to reach the peaceful , secure other shore and attain complete perfect enlightenment. "This is called the great enlightening beings' eighth practice, that

which is difficult to attain.

"What is the great enlightening beings' practice of good teachings? Here the enlightening beings act as pure, cool  reservoirs of truth  for the sake of beings of all worlds-celestial and human beings,  devils and gods,  ascetics and priests,  etc. Maintaining true teaching,   they do   not let the seed of buddhahood be cut off. Because they attain the spell of pure light, in teaching and predicting enlightenment their  intellectual powers arc inexhuastible.  Because they attain the spell of complete meaning their comprehension of meanings is inexhaustible. Because they attain the spell of realization of true principles, their comprehension of principles is inexhaustible. Because they attain the spell of explanatory expression , their comprehension of words is inexhaustible. Because they attain the spell of nonobstruction of inexhaustible meanings of boundless words and phrases, their unimpeded comprehension is inexhaustible. Because they attain the spell of nonobstruction of inex­ haustible meanings of boundless words and phrases, their unimpeded comprehension is inexhaustible.  Because they arc anointed by the spell of the Buddhas' coronation, their delightful eloquence is inexhaustible. Because they attain the spell of enlightenment without relying on another, their illuminating  discourse is inexhaustible.  Because they   attain   the spell of adaptive explanation, their adaptive discourse is inexhaustible. Because they attain the spell of elucidation and analysis of all kinds of bodies of words, phrases, and sentences, their explanatory eloquence is

 

inexhaustible. Because they attain the spell of boundless versatility, their boundless elucidation is inexhaustible.

" The great compassion of these enlightening beings is strong and steadfast, extending to all creatures. Throughout the universe  they change their bodies to a golden color and carry  out  the deeds  of Buddhas time and time again; adapting to the fa culties, natures, and inclinations of sentient beings, with a universal tongue within one voice they manifest unlimited sounds, teaching as appropriate to the occasion, bringing joy to all. Even if there were countless beings in innumerable conditions, all in the same assembly,  that assembly so vast  it fills untold worlds , and each had innumerable mouths each capable of producing billions of sounds, and each should ask the enlightening beings different questions all at once, the enlightening beings would be able to take on all the questions instantly and reply to them and cause their doubts to be removed. As this is true of one assembly, so it is also of countless assemblies .

"Furthermore, even if every single spot as big as a hairtip should in every successive moment produce unspeakably many unspeakable num­ bers of congregations,  throughout  the cons of the future-those cons may  be  exhausted,  but  the  congregations  are  infinite-and  all  of them should every moment ask different questions in different words, enlight­ ening beings could receive them all in a single instant, without fear or timidity, without doubt or error, thinking, 'Even if all sentient beings come and question me, I will expound the truth to them ceaselessly, endlessly,  causing them all to rejoice and dwell in the path of virtue, and also cause them to understand all words  and expressions and be able to explain various principles to sentient beings, yet without discrimi­ nation in regard to language. Even if they come and  ask  difficult questions in countless various ways of speaking, I will receive them all at once and answer them all in one voice, causing them all to understand, without omitting anything. ' This is because they have been anointed with  omniscience,  because they have found the unobstructed treasury of the potential of enlightenment, because they have attained the sphere of light of all truths, and because they arc replete with universal knowledge.

"Once the enlightening beings abide in the practice of good teachings, they can purify themselves, and also can benefit all sentient beings by appropriate means without attachments, not seeing that there arc any sentient beings that attain emancipation.

"As they do in this universe, so in countless universes do they turn golden,  and, fully equipped with the wondrous  voice,  with no barrier to any truth , perform Buddha work.

"These enlightening beings develop ten kinds of body: the transcen­ dent body which enters into boundless realms, due to annihilating all worldliness; the immanent body which enters into boundless realms, due to birth in all worlds; the unborn body, due to abiding in the

 

470  The Flower Ornament Scripture

 

impartiality of birthlessness; the undying body, due to all expression of extinction being ungraspable; the nonreal body, due to attainment of accord with reality; the nonfalse body, due to adaptive appearance; the unchanging body,  being  removed  from death in one place and  rebirth in another; the nondisintegrating body, the natu re of the realm of reality being indestructible; the uniform body, being beyond all manner of speaking, past,  present,  or future; the formless body,  due to ability to observe the characteristics of things.

"Developing these ten bodies, enlightening beings arc a house for all sentient beings, because they raise all roots of goodness; they arc saviors for all sentient beings, because they enable them to attain great peace; they are a refuge for all sentient beings, because they act as a great reliance for them; they arc guides for all sentient beings, because they enable them to attain unsurpassed emancipation; they are teachers of all sentient  beings,  because  they   cause  them  to enter into  the   truth; they are lamps  for all  sentient  beings,  because  they cause them   to sec clearly the consequences of actions; they arc lights for all sentient beings,  because  they cause the extremely profound wondrous  truth to be illuminated; they arc a torch for all in all times, because they cause them to clearly understand the truth; they are illumination for all worlds, because they cause them to enter the state of radiant light; they are clarifiers for all realms of being, because they reveal the powers of the enlightened.

"This is called the great enlightening beings' ninth practice, of good teachings. When enlightening beings abide in this practice, they are a pure cool reservoir of truth for all sentient beings, because they can plumb the source of all the Buddha teachings.

" What is the great enlightening beings ' practice of truth? Here the enlightening  beings perfect true speech-they can act in   accord  with what they say, and can speak according to what they do. These enlight­ ening beings study the true words of the Buddhas  of all times,  they enter the nature of the lineage of the Buddhas of all times,  they equal the roots of goodness of the Buddhas of all times, they apprehend the nondual speech of the Buddhas of all times. Learning from the enlight­ ened ones, their knowledge and wisdom is consummate.

"These enlightening beings develop the knowledge of what is so and what is not so in regard to sentient beings, the knowledge of conse­ quences of past, future, and present actions, the knowledge of sharpness and dullness of all faculties , the knowledge of various realms, the knowledge of various understandings, the knowledge of where all paths lead, the knowledge of dct11cmcnt or purity and proper or improper timing of all meditations, liberations, and concentrations, the knowl­ edge of past abodes in all worlds,  the knowledge of clairvoyance,  and the knowledge  of the end of all taints-yet they don 't give  up carrying out all the practices of enlightening beings. Why? Because they want to teach and enlighten all living beings and purify them .

 

 

"The enlightening beings also conceive this overwhelming determina­ tion: 'If I attain complete perfect enlightenment first without having established all sentient beings on the path of unsurpassed liberation, I would be violating my original vow-that would never do,  so I should first cause all sentient beings to attain unexcelled enlightenment and nirvana without remainder, and then a fter that ful fill buddhahood. Why? Sentient beings have not asked me to set my mind on enlighten­ ment-!   of  my   own   accord   act   as   an   unsolicited   friend   to   sentient beings, wishing to first cause all beings to fully develop their good potential  and  attain  omniscience.  This  is  why  I  am  supreme-because  I am not attached to any world. I am highest, because I dwell in the state of unsurpassed self-control. I am free from all blindness, because I understand that sentient beings are boundless. I am done, because my original vow is accomplished. I am versatile, because of the adornment of virtues of enlightening beings. I am reliable, because of the accep­ tance of the Buddhas of all times. '

"Because the enlightening beings do not give up their fundamental

vow, they gain entry to the adornment of unexcelled knowledge and wisdom. They benct!t living beings, causing them all to be ful filled; they attain final consum mation of their original vow. Their knowledge has free access to all truths . They cause all sentient beings to attain to purity. Instant to instant they travel throughout the worlds of the ten directions , instant to instant visiting countless buddha-lands, instant to instant seeing countless Buddhas and the pure lands the Buddhas adorned. They show the independent spiritual power of the Enlightened pervad­ ing the space of the cosmos .

"These enlightening beings manifest innumerable bodies, entering all worlds without relying on anything. In their bodies they manifest all lands, all beings, all phenomena, and all Buddhas. These enlightening beings know the various thoughts, desires, understandings, results of actions,  and roots of goodness of all living beings,  and appear to them in accordance with their needs, in order to civilize and tame them. They look upon the enlightening beings as like phantoms, all things as like magic tricks, the appearance of Buddhas in the world as like reflections, all worlds as like dreams. They attain the inexhaustible treasury of bodies of meanings and expressions. They arc in com mand of right mind fulness , and they have certain knowledge of all truths. Their wisdom is supreme and they enter into the true character of all concentrations, and abide in the state of nonduality of one essence.

"Because sentient beings all cling to duality, great enlightening beings abide in great compassion; cultivating this teaching to annihilate afllictions, they attain the ten powers  of buddahood and enter the reality  realm which is like the net of Indra. Accomplishing the unhindered liberation of the enlightened, they arc valiants among humans; roaring the lion's roar, they attain fearlessness, and arc able to turn the wheel of the unimpeded pure teaching. Attaining liberation of intellect, they know

 

4 72 The Flower Omament Scrip tllre

 

thoroughly all objects in the world. Stopping the whirlpool of birth and death,  they enter the ocean of wisdom.  Preserving the right  teachings of the Buddhas of past, present, and future for the sake of all sentient beings,  they reach the fountainhead of the real character of the ocean of all Buddha teachings .

"Once enlightening beings dwell in this practice of truth, any beings who associate with them are caused to open up in understanding,  be full of joy and completely pure. This is called the great enlightening beings ' tenth practice, of truth. "

Then , because of the spiritual power of the Buddha, in each of the ten directions as many worlds as atoms in a buddha-land quaked in six ways, moving, moving everywhere, moving equally everywhere, rising, rising everywhere, rising equally everywhere, surging, surging every­ where, surging equally everywhere, shaking, shaking everywhere, shak­ ing equally everywhere, roaring, roaring everywhere, roaring equally everywhere, crashing,  crashing everywhere,   crashing equally  everywhere. It rained beautiful celestial flowers, celestial perfumes and incense, celestial garlands and raiment, celestial jewels and ornaments. Heavenly music played and celestial lights shone, conveying the subtle voices of all celestial beings. The miracles that appeared when the ten practices were expounded in the Suyama heaven of this world also appeared likewise in all the worlds of the ten directions.

Also, due to the spiritual power of the Buddha, from each of the ten directions as many enlightening beings as atoms in a hundred thousand buddha-lands came to this world from beyond worlds as numerous as atoms in a hundred thousand buddha-lands; filling the ten directions, they said to the enlightening being Forest of Virtue, "Excellent, 0 Child of Buddha; you can skillfully expound the practices of enlighten­ ing beings. We arc all similarly named Forest of Virtues and the worlds we live in are all called Banner of Virtue, and the Buddhas of those lands arc all named Universal Virtue. At our Buddhas ' places this teaching is also expounded-the assembly, words, and principles arc all the same, nothing more and nothing less. Child of Buddha, we have all come to this assembly through the power of the Buddhas to be witnesses for you. This is also true of all the worlds in the ten directions ."

Then the enlightening being Forest of Virtues,  by the spiritual power of the Buddha, looked over all the congregations in the ten directions, throughout the cosmos. Because he wanted to cause the lineage  of

Buddhas to continue, to cause the family of enlightening beings to be pure, to cause those who undertake  vows not to regress, to cause practitioners to persevere, to cause all peoples in all times to be equal, to contact all the strains of Buddhas of all times, to expound  roots of goodness that have been cultivated, to observe and analyze all faculties , inclinations, understandings, afflictions, habits, and mental activities, and to clarify the enlightenment of all Buddhas, said in verse:

 

Tetz Practices

 

Wholehearted honor to the Lords of Ten Powers, Undefiled, totally pure, the unobstructed seers;

Their realm is profound and far-reaching, beyond compare, They abide in the spacelike Path.

 

The supreme a mong humans in the past,

With immeasurable virtue, free from attachments, Foremost in valor, without any peer:

Those beyond the dusts travel this Path.

 

Now in the lands of the ten directions The ultimate truth is ably explained:

Free from all faults, utterly pure, The independent travel this path .

 

The future lions among humans

Travel everywhere  throughout  the cosmos; Having evoked the Buddhas' mind of compassion, The benefactors travel this path.

 

The incomparable honored ones of all times Naturally destroy the darkness of ignorance, Equanimous toward all things;

Those of great power travel this path.

 

They see countless, boundless worlds everywhere, All their beings and conditions,

Yet having seen do not discriminate falsely; The impertubable travel this path.

 

Understanding everything in the cosmos, Most clear about the ultimate truth,

They forever destroy anger, pride, and folly: The virtuous travel this path.

 

Accurately distinguishing sentient beings,

They enter into the true nature of all phenomena,

Spontaneously understanding without relying on others; The spacclikc travel this path.

 

To all lands throughout space

They go and teach, through many examples, What they teach pure and irrefutable;

The supreme sages travel this path.

 

473

 

 

Throughly stable, unregressing,

They accomplish the noble, supreme teaching;

Will power inexhaustible, they reach the other shore: Good practitioners travel this path.

 

All stages, infinitely boundless,

Their vast, most deep and subtle realms, All they know and sec, without exception; The lions of philosophy travel this path .

 

Understanding the meanings of all expressions, Crushing all disputes,

They are certain of the truth, without a doubt; The great sages travel this path.

 

Getting rid of the errors and ills of the world, Giving peace and happiness to all beings, They can be peerless great guides;

Those of excellent virtue travel this path.

 

They always give impartially to beings, Causing them all to rejoice,

Their minds pure, free from all taint; The peerless ones travel this path.

 

Their mental actions are pure and well tuned; Divorcing sophistry, they speak without fault. Their magnificent aura's admired by all;

The supreme travel this path .

 

Entering truth , reaching the other shore, Abiding in virtue, minds forever at rest, The Buddhas always protect them;

Those who extinguish being travel this path .

 

Detached from self, free from a ffliction, Always  proclaiming the truth  aloud, They reach all lands in the ten directions; The incomparable travel this path .

 

Having  fulfilled  transcendent  generosity. Adorned by a hundred marks of blessing, All who see them are joy ful;

The supremely wise travel this path.

 

The state of knowledge, hard to enter, They can abide in by subtle wisdom, Their minds ultimately impertubablc; Those firm in practice travel this path.

 

Able to enter all realms of being in the cosmos And find the ultimate  wherever they enter, Their spiritual powers free and all-embracing; Those illumined by truth travel this path.

 

The incomparably great sages

Cultivate the nonduality of concentration,

Their minds always in equipoise, enjoying tranquility; The all-seers travel this path.

 

The interpenetration and distinction Of minute and great lands

They know all in their proper spheres;

The mountain-kings of knowledge travel this path.

 

Their intellects arc always clear and clean, Without attachments in the world;

Keeping the precepts, they reach the other shore: The pure-minded travel this path.

 

Knowledge and wisdom boundless, inexpressible, Pervading the space of the cosmos,

They ably learn to abide therein;

Those of indestructible wisdom travel this path.

 

Their knowledge enters and pervades The realms of all Buddhas of all times,

Never for a moment growing tired or wearied: The supreme travel this path.

 

Well able to discern the elements of the ten powers, They know where all paths lead;

Their actions are unhindered and they are free: Those embodying virtue travel this path.

 

All the sentient beings there are

In the infinite worlds in the ten directions They will rescue without forsaking:

The fearless travel this path.

 

 

Earnestly practicing the Buddha teachings, Their minds ever vigorous and indefatigable, They purify all the worlds:

The great dragon kings travel this path.

 

Knowing the dissimilarities in beings' faculties

And the countless differences in inclination and understanding, They clearly comprehend all kinds of realms:

Those who go everywhere travel this path.

 

To infinite lands in the worlds of the ten directions They go and are born, countless times ,

With never a thought of weariness or disdain: The joyful ones travel this path.

 

H.adiating nets of countless lights Illuminating all worlds,

They enter the nature of reality wherever the light shines: The good-minded travel this path.

 

Causing  the  lands  of the  ten  directions  to  tremble­ Countless billions of trillions,

They do not cause the beings to fear:

This is the path traveled by benefactors of the world.

 

Understanding all principles of language, They arc consummately skilled in dialogue, Their brilliant discursive intellect knowing all : This is the path traveled by the fearless.

 

They understand the various lands with various orientations, Discerning, thinking, finding the ultimate,

Causing all to abide in the state of inexhaustibility: This is the path traveled by those of superior intellect.

 

Their  virtues  arc  infinitely  numerous-

They cultivate them all in search of the Buddha way, And reach the other shore of them all:

This  is  the path  traveled  by  the inexhaustible  workers.

 

The world-transcending philosophers

With supreme eloquence roar the lion's roar, Causing all living beings to reach the other shore; This  is  the  path  traveled  by  the  pure-minded.

 

 

They have already been crowned

With the supreme teaching of the Buddhas; Their minds always dwell in the truth:

The broadminded travel this path.

 

Sentient beings have innumerable differences; They comprehend their minds thoroughly,

Maintaining with certainty the treasury of Buddha teachings: Those like polar mountains travel this path .

 

They arc able to reveal countless sounds In each and every word

Enabling beings to understand in accord with their kind: The unhindered seers travel this path.

 

Their knowledge has impartial access To all rules of language,

While they dwell in the realm of real truth;

This is the path traveled by those who see the essence.

 

Abiding at peace in the deep ocean of truth, Able to verify all actualities

They understand the true aspect of signlessncss of things: This is the path traveled by those who sec the truth.

 

They travel to every buddha-land Over countless, boundless eons,

Observing and meditating ceaselessly:

This is the path traveled by the indefatigable.

 

Infinite, countless Buddhas, Their names each different,

They clearly see in the space of a point:

This is the path traveled by those of pure virtue.

 

They see Buddhas in the space of a point, Their number beyond measure or speech, The   same   true for every phenomenon: The children of Buddhas travel this path.

 

Measureless, boundless, countless eons They clearly sec in an instant,

And know their length has no fixed characteristics: This is the path traveled by the liberated.

 

4 78 The  Flower  Orname11t  Scripture

Thcv can cause all who sec them to benefit,

All  planting  affinities  with  the  Buddha-tcaching­

yct they have no attachment to their deeds:

This is the path traveled by the most excellent.

 

Meeting Buddhas for billions of eons With never a thought of weariness,

The joy in their hearts increases more and more:

This is the path traveled by those who don't sec in vain.

 

Observing the realms of all beings Over countless, boundless eons,

They've never seen that a single being exists:

This is the path of the steadfast heroes.

 

Cultivating boundless stores of virtue and knowledge, They arc pure, cool universal reservoirs of virtue Benctlting all beings:

The foremost of humans travel this path.

 

The various species in the universe, Filling space, uncountable,

They know all exist in terms of words:

This is the path traveled by lion roarers.

 

Able in each individual concentration To enter countless concentrations,

They arrive at the recondite depths of the teaching: The expounders of the moon travel this path.

 

With the power of acceptance they practice earnestly and reach the other shore,

Able to accept the supreme teaching of dispassionate extinction, Their minds equanimous and imperturbable:

This is the path traveled by those of boundless knowledge.

 

At one scat in one world

Their bodies arc unmoving,  ever tranquil, Yet they manifest their bodies in everything; Those of boundless bodies travel this path.

 

Countless, boundless lands

They cause to enter at once into one atom, Which is able to contain all unhindered: Those of boundless thought travel this path .

 

Tetl Practices

 

Comprehending what is so and what is not,

They are able to enter the realm  of all  the ten powers And accomplish the supreme powers of the enlightened: This is the path traveled by the foremost in power.

 

479

 

 

Countless, boundless consequences of acts In past, future, and present ages,

They always comprehend by knowledge:

This is the path traveled by those of consummate understanding.

 

Understanding right and wrong timing in the world, They civilize beings according to necessity,

In every case adapting to their needs;

This is the path traveled by those who comprehend.

 

Guarding well their action, speech, and thought, Always making them apply the teaching in practice,

They divorce all attachments and conquer all demons; This is the path traveled by the wise.

 

Able to skillfully adapt the teachings,

And able to enter the impartiality of true thusness, Their eloquent exposition is inexhaustible:

This is the path of Buddha practice.

 

Having ful filled the method of mental command, Able to rest in the treasury of nonobstruction, They comprehend all realms of reality:

This is the path of those who delve deeply.

 

Equal in mind, same in knowledge As all Buddhas of all times,

They arc of one nature and one character:

This is the path of the unimpeded.

 

Having removed all veils of ignorance

And entered deeply into the ocean of knowledge, They bestow pure eyes on all sentient beings:

This is the path of those with eyes.

 

Having ful filled the impartial , nondual practice of spiritual powers Of all the Guides,

They attain the independent power of the Enlightened: This is the path of the well-cultivated.

 

480  The Flower Ornament Scripture

 

They travel through all worlds

Showering everywhere the boundless rain of wondrous teaching, Causing all to gain certain understanding of the meaning:

This is the path of the Clouds of Teaching.

 

Able to produce  nonregressing pure  faith In the Buddhas' knowledge and liberation,

They produce the roots of knowledge and wisdom by faith : This is the path traveled by those who learn well.

 

Able to know in a single instant

All living beings, without exception,

They comprehend the intrinsic nature of beings' minds: This is the path of those who realize naturclessness.

 

To all lands in the cosmos, countless, They can travel by projection,

Their  bodies  most  subtle,  beyond  comparison: This is the path of peerless action.

 

Buddha-lands are boundless and countless; There are infinite Buddhas therein:

Enlightening beings appear before them all, Attending, providing, engendering respect.

 

Enlightening beings can, with a single body, Enter concentration, become poised in stillness,

And cause that body to appear as countless bodies Each rising from concentration.

 

The abode of enlightening beings is most profound and subtle; Their practices and deeds arc free from nonsense,

Their minds are pure, always happy, Able to cause all beings joy.

 

The differences in faculties and expedients A re clearly apparent to their knowledge, Yet they realize all faculties have no basis:

This is the path of the tamers of the intractable.

 

Able to expediently distinguish with skill They are versatile masters of all teachings.

The worlds of the ten directions are each different: They live therein and perform Buddha work.

 

 

Their facu lties arc subtle, so arc their deeds;

They arc able to expound the truth broadly to beings: Who would not rejoice on hearing them?

This is the path traveled by those equal to space.

 

Their eye of knowledge is pure, without peer, They sec all things clearly,

This knowledge expediently distinguishing them: This is the path traveled by the peerless.

 

All inexhaustible great virtues

They have cultivated to consummation, To cause all beings to be pure:

This is the path traveled by the incomparable.

 

Urging all to cultivate the aids to the Path, Causing all to dwell on the ground of method, They liberate beings without number

Without ever forming a concept of beings.

 

They observe all opportunities and affinities ,

First protecting others' minds, making them noncontentious, Showing all sentient beings the place of peace;

This is the path traveled by the skillful.

 

Perfecting highest, ultimate knowledge,

Replete with measureless, boundless knowledge, They arc fearless among all groups  of people: This is the path of the knowers of means.

 

All worlds  and all phenomena They can enter into with freedo m; They also enter all congregations And liberate countless beings.

 

In all lands in the ten directions

They beat the great drum  of truth and awaken  the  living; As givers of teaching they arc unsurpassed:

This is the path traveled by the unperishing.

 

With  one body sitting crosslcgged upright They fi ll countless worlds in the ten directions Yct cause their bodies not to be crowded:

This is the path of those with the body of reality.

 

482  The Flower Omame11t Scripture

In one doctrine, one statement,

They can explain boundless principles, And no limit to them can be found:

This is the path traveled by those of boundless knowledge.

 

They learn the B uddhas' liberations well,

Attain Buddha-knowledge without obstruction,

Develop fearlessness and become valiants of the world: This is the path traveled by the skillful.

 

The v,   know  the  oceans  of worlds  in  the  ten  directions

And also know the oceans of all buddha-lands,

And comprehend the oceans of knowledge and truth; All who sec them are filled with joy.

 

Sometimes they show entering the womb, sometimes birth, Sometimes  the  attainment  of enlightenment-

Thus they cause all worldlings to sec:

This is the path traveled by the unbounded.

 

In countless billions of lands

They manifest themselves entering nirvana

But really they don't give up their vows for extinction: This is the path of the heroic philosophers .

 

The indestructible, esoteric unique subtle body Is equal to the Buddhas', no different,

But all sentient beings each see it differently: This is the path of the one true body.

 

The real cosmos is all equal, without distinction, Containing infinite, boundless meanings;

They enjoy contemplating oneness, minds unmoving: This is the path of knowers of all times.

 

In terms of sentient beings and enlightening teachings, Their constructions and empowerments arc consummate; Their supporting power is the same as the Buddhas:

The supreme upholders of tea ching travel this pa th .

Their power of psychic travel is unimpeded, like Buddhas ', Their clairvoyance is unhindered and utterly pure,

Their auditory faculties , unobstructed, can hear well: This is the path of those with unhindered minds.

 

 

All their spiritual powers arc fully complete, All developed according to their knowledge; They know all, without peer:

This is the path traveled by the wise.

 

Their minds arc rightly concentrated, unwavering, Their knowledge is boundlessly vast,

They comprehend all realms:

This is the path traveled by the all-seers.

 

Having already arrived at the shore of all virtue They  can deliver beings  one after another, Their minds ultimately never wearying:

This is the path traveled by the constantly diligent.

 

They know and see the teachings Of the Buddhas of all times,

And  arc  born  in  the  family  of the  enlightened: The Buddha-children travel this path.

 

They have fully developed adaptive speech And skillfully refute all opposition,

And always can proceed toward enlightenment: This is the path of those with boundless wisdom.

 

One light illumines boundlessly, Filling all lands in the ten directions,

Causing all worlds to gain great brightness: This is the path of the darkness destroyers.

 

According to what should be seen and supported They manifest the pure body of the enlightened, Tcaching and edifying billions of beings

And adorning buddha-lands the same way.

 

In order to enable sentient beings to transcend the world They cultivate all the sublime practices;

This activity is boundlessly great:

How could anyone be able to know?

 

Even if the body were reproduced to an unspeakable number, Equal to the space of the cosmos,

And all should together laud their virtues, They could not finish them in a billion cons. Enlightening beings' virtues have no bounds; They have fulfilled all cultivation:

 

484  The Flower Ornament Scripture

 

Even countless, boundless Buddhas

Could not tell of them all in  measureless cons, How much less could mundane gods and humans, Listeners and self-illumined ones,

Be able in unlimited eons

To sing their praises exhaustively.