The Flower Ornament Scripture

 

A Translation of the Avatamsaka Sutra

Thomas Cleary

BOOK TWENTY-FIVE

 

25. Ten Dedications

 

 

TH EN THE ENLIGHTENING HEING Diamond Banner, empowered by the Buddha, entered absorption in the light of knowledge of enlightening beings. When he had entered this absorption,  there appeared before him as many Buddhas as atoms in a hundred thousand buddha-lands from beyond as many worlds as atoms in a hundred thousand buddha-lands in each of the ten directions. Those Buddhas, who were all alike named Diamond Banner, praised him, saying, "Good! Good man,  it's  very good that you can enter this absorption in the light  of knowledge of enlightening bein gs. Good man, this is the spiritual power of Buddhas as numerous as atoms in a hundred thousand buddha-lands in each of the ten directions bolstering you, and also the spiritual power of the force of Vairocana Buddha's past vows,  and it is also due to the purity of your knowledge and wisdom, and to the growing supremacy of the bases of goodness of enlightening beings, enabling you to enter this absorption and expound the teaching, in order to enable enlightening beings to attain pure fearl essness, to have unimpeded powers of elucidation, to enter  the state of unobstructed  knowledge,  to abide in the great mind of omniscience, to perfect innumerable virtues, to ful fill unhindered pure ways, to enter into the all-sided realm of reality, to manifest the spiritual freed om of all Buddhas, to maintain previous awareness and knowledge, to gain all Buddhas' protection of all faculties, to extensivel y expound myriad principles by means of countless approaches, to understand and keep in memory the teachings heard, to embrace all the foundations of goodness of enlightening beings, to accomplish the aids to the path transcending the world, to prevent omniscient knowledge from dying out, to develop great vows,  to interpret true meanings, to know the realm of reality, to cause all enlightening beings  to rejoice, to cultivate the equal roots of goodness of all Buddhas, to protect and maintain the lineage of all enligh tened ones; that is, you expound the ten dedications of enlightening beings.

"Child of Buddha, you should receive the spiritual power of the Buddha and expound this teaching, to gain the protection of the Buddhas, to dwell in the house of the Buddhas, to increase transcendental virtues,

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to attain  the light  of concentration,  to enter the unobstructed state of the Buddha, to illumine the realm of reality with great light, to assem­ ble faultless pure ways, to abide in the realm  of great knowledge,  to attain the unimpeded light of truth. "

Then the Buddhas bestowed on Diamond Banner boundless knov,d­ edge and wisdom, unhalting, unimpeded eloquence, skill in distinguish­ ing expressions and meanings,  unhindered light of the teaching,  the equal body of wisdom of the enlightened, a pure voice with infinite distinct tones, the inconceivable concentration of enlightening beings' skill ful observation, the knowledge of dedication of indestructible foun­ dations of all goodness, consummate skill in analytic observation of all things,  and uninterrupted power of elucidation to explain all things in all places . Why? Because of the power of the virtue of entry into this absorption.

Then the Buddhas each patted the enlightening being Diamond Ban­ ncr on the head with their right hands, a fter which Diamond B anner rose from absorption and declared to the enlightening beings,  "Children of Buddhas, great en lightening beings have inconceivable great vows, filling the cosmos, able to save all sentient beings. That is, to learn and practice the dedications of all Buddhas of past,  present,  and future. How many kinds of dedication have the great enlightening  beings? Great enlightening beings have ten kinds of dedication, which arc expounded by the Buddhas of past, present, and future. What arc they?

(1 ) Dedication to saving all sentient beings without any mental image of

sentient beings . (2) Indestructible dedication. (3) Dedication equal to all Buddhas . (4) Dedication reaching all places. (5) Dedication ofinexhaust­ iblc treasuries of virtue. (6) Dedication causing all roots of goodness to endure. (7) Dedication equally adapting to all sentient beings . (8) Dedi­ cation with the character of true thusncss. (9) Unattached, unbound, liberated dedication. (1 0) Boundless dedication equal to the cosmos. These arc the ten kinds  of dedication  of great enlightening  beings, which the past, future, and present Buddhas have, will, and do expound.

"What is the great enlightening beings' dedication to saving all sen­ tient beings? Here the enlightening beings practice transcendent giving, purify transcendent discipline, cultivate transcendent forbearance, arouse transcendent energy, enter transcendent meditation, abide in transcen­ dent wisdom, great compassion, great kindness , great joy, and great equanimity.  Cultivating boundless roots of goodness such  as these, they form this thought:  'May these roots of goodness universally bene­ fit all sentient beings , causing them to be purified, to reach the ultimate, and to forever leave  the innumerable pains and afflictions of the realms of hells, ghosts, and animals, and so on. ' When the great enlightening beings plant these roots of goodness, they dedicate their own roots of goodness thus: 'I should be a hostel for all sentient beings, to let them escape from all painful things . I should be a protector for all sentient beings, to let them all be liberated from all afflictions. I should be a

 

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refuge for all sentient beings, to free them from all fears . I should be a goal for all sentient beings,  to cause them to reach universal knowledge. I should make a resting place for all sentient beings,  to enable them to find a place of peace and security. I should be a light for all sentient beings, to enable them to attain the light of knowledge to annihilate the darkness of ignorance. I should be a torch for all sentient beings, to destroy all darkness of nescience. I should be a lamp for all sentient beings, to cause them to abide in the realm of ultimate purity.  I should be a guide for all sentient beings, to lead them into the truth . I should be a great leader for all sentient beings, to give them great knowledge.' Enlightening beings dedicate all foundations of goodness in this way, to equally benefit all sentient beings and ultimately cause them all to attain universal knowledge.

"The enlightening beings' protection of and dedication to those who are not their relatives or friends arc equal to those for their relatives and friends. Why? Because enlightening beings enter the equal nature of all things , they do not conceive a single thought of not being relatives or friends . Even if there be sentient beings who have malicious or hostile intentions toward the enlightening beings, still the enlightening beings also regard them with the eye of compassion and arc never angered. They arc good friends to all sentient beings,  explaining the right teach­ ing for them, so that they may learn and practice it. Just as the ocean cannot be changed or destroyed by all poisons, so too arc enlightening beings-the various oppressive a fflictions of all the ignorant,  the unwise, the ungrateful, the wrathful, those poisoned by covetousness, the arro­ gant and conceited, the mentally  blind and deaf, those   who   do not know what is good,  and other such evil sentient beings,  cannot disturb the enlightening beings.

"Just as the sun, appearing in the world, is not concealed because those who arc born blind do not see it, and is not hidden by  the obstruction of such things as mirages, eclipses, trees , high mountains, deep ravines, dust, mist, smoke, or clouds, and is not concealed by the change of seasons, so also arc the enlightening beings-they have great virtues, their minds arc deep and broad, they observe with true mindfulness, without boredom; because they want ultimate virtue and knowledge their minds aspire to the supreme truth ; the light of truth illumines everywhere and they perceive the meanings of everything. Their knowledge freely commands all avenues of teaching, and in order to benefit all sentient beings they always practice virtuous ways, never mistakenly  conceiving the idea of abandoning sentient beings. They do not reject sentient beings and fail to cultivate dedication because of the meanness of character of sentient beings, or because their erroneous views, ill will, and confusion are hard to quell. The enligh tening beings just array themselves with the armor of great vows of enlightening beings, saving sentient beings without ever retreating; they do not withdraw from enlightening activity and abandon the path of enlighten-

 

 

ment just because sentient beings are ungrateful, they do not get sick of sentient beings just because ignoramuses altogether give up all the foundations of goodness which accord with reality, or because they repeatedly commit excesses and evils which arc hard to bear. Why? Just as the sun does not appear in the world for just one thing, so too the enlightening beings do not cultivate roots of goodness and dedicate them to complete perfect enlightenment just for the sake of one sentient being-it  is  in  order  to  save  and  safeguard  all  sentient  beings  every­ where that they cultivate roots of goodness and dedicate them to unexcelled complete perfect enlightenment. In  the same way, it is not to purify just one buddha-land, not because of belief in just one Buddha, not just to see one Buddha, not just to comprehend one doctrine, that they initiate the determination for great knowledge and dedicate it to unexcelled complete perfect enlightenment-it is to purify all buddha­ lands, out of faith in all Buddhas, to serve all Buddhas, to understand all Buddha teachings, that they initiate great vows, cultivate the founda­ tions of goodness, and dedicate them to unexcelled complete perfect enlightenment.

"Enlightening beings, focusing on all the Buddha teachings,  develop a broad mind and great determination, a determination never to retreat, and through measureless eons cultivate and collect rare, h ard to obtain mental jewels, all equal  to those of all Buddhas. Thus observing the bases of goodness, enlightening beings' mind of faith is pure, their great compassion is firm and enduring;  they truly and genuinely  dedicate them to sentient beings with a most profound intent,  a joyful mind,  a pure mind, a mind conquering all, a gentle mind, a kind, compassion­ ate mind, a mind  of pity and sympathy,  with  the intention to protect, to benefit,   and  to give peace and happiness  to all sentient beings-they do this sincerely and in reality, not just in words .

"When great enlightening beings dedicate roots of goodness,  they think in these terms: 'By my roots of goodness may all creatures,  all sentient beings, be purified, may they be filled with virtues  which cannot be ruined and are inexhaustible.  May they always gain respect. May they have right mindfulness and unfailing recollection. May they attain sure discernment. May they be replete with immeasurable knowledge. May all virtues of physical, verbal, and mental action fully adorn them. ' They also think, 'By these roots of goodness I 'll cause all sentient beings to serve all Buddhas, to their unfailing benefit. I'll cause their pure faith to be indestructible; I'll cause them to hear the true teaching, cut o ff all doubt and confusion, remember the teaching with­ out forgetting it and practice in accord with the teaching.  I will cause them to develop respect for the Enlightened, to act with purity, to rest securely  on innumerable great foundations of goodness,  to be forever free  of poverty,  to  be  fully  equipped  with  the  seven  kinds  of wealth­ faith, self-control, shame, conscience, learning, generosity, and wis­ dom-to always learn from the Buddhas, to perfect innumerable su-

 

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prcme roots of goodness, to attain impartial understanding, to abide in omniscience, to look upon all sentient beings equally with unobstructed eyes, to adorn their bodies with all marks of greatness,  without any tlaws, to have pure,  beautiful voices replete with all fine qualities, to have control over their senses, to accomplish the ten powers,  to be filled with good will, to dwell or depend on nothing,  to cause all sentient beings to attain the enjoyments of buddhahood, attain infinite spiritual stations, and abide in the abode of Buddhas.

" When enlightening beings see sentient beings doing all sorts of bad things and su ffering all sorts of misery and pain, and being hindered by this from seeing the Buddha, hearing the teaching, and recognizing the community, the enlightening beings think, 'I should, in those states of woe, take on the various miseries in place of the sentient beings, to liberate them. ' When enlightening beings suffer pain in this way, they become  even more determined-they do not   give up   or run  away,  are not shocked or frightened, arc not discouraged or intimidated, and arc unwearied. Why? Because according to their vows they arc determined to carry all sentient beings to liberation. At such a time, enlightening beings think in these terms: 'All sentient beings arc in the realm of the pains and troubles of birth, old age, sickness, and death, revolving in repeated routines according to the force of their acts, ignorant, with erroneous views , bereft of qualities  of goodncss-1 should  save  them and enable them to attain emancipation .'

"Also, sentient beings arc wrapped up in the web of attachments, covered by the shroud of ignorance, clinging to all existents, pursuing them unceasingly, entering the cage of su ffering, acting like maniacs, totally void of virtue or knowledge,   always  doubtful and  confused; they do not perceive the place of peace, they do not know the path of emancipation, they revolve in birth and death without rest, always submerged in the mire of su ffering. Enlightening beings, seeing this, conceive great compassion and desire to help them, wanting to enable sentient beings to all attain liberation; to this end they dedicate all their virtues, dedicating them with a great, magnanimous heart,  in confor­ mity with the dedication practiced by the enlightening  beings  of all times, in accord with dedication as explained in the scriptures, praying that all sentient beings be thoroughly purified and ultimately accom­ plish knowledge of all means of liberation . They also think, 'What I practice is in order to enable sentient beings to all become supreme sovereigns of knowledge; I am not seeking liberation for myself,  but only to serve all sentient beings, to cause them to all attain the omni­ scient mind, to cross over the flow of birth and death,  and be freed from all su ffering .'

"They also form this thought: 'I should accept all su fferings for the sake of all sentient beings, and enable them to escape from the abyss of immeasurable woes of birth and death. I should accept all su ffering for the sake of all sentient beings in all worlds, in all states of misery, fo r-

 

 

ever and ever, and still always cultivate foundations of goodness for the sake of all beings. Why? I would rather take all this su ffering on myself than to allow sentient beings to fall into hell . I should be a hostage in those perilous  places-hells,  animal  realms,  the nether  world,  etc.-as  a ransom to rescue all sentient beings in states of woe and enable them to gain liberation.'

"They also form this thought:  'I vow to protect all  sentient  beings and never abandon them. What I say is sincerely true, without falsehood. Why? Because I have set my mind on enlightenment in order to liberate all sentient beings; I do not seck the unexcelled Way for my own sake. Also I do not cultivate enlightening practice in search of pleasure or enjoyment. Why? Because mundane pleasures are all su ffering, the realm of maniacs , craved by ignorant people but scorned by Buddhas; all misery arises from them.  The anger,  fighting, mutual defamation, and other such evils of the realms of hells, ghosts, animals, and the nether world  are all caused  by greedy attachment to objects of desire. By addiction to desire one becomes estranged from the Buddhas and hindered from birth in heaven, to say nothing of unexcelled complete perfect enlightenment.' Observing thus how worldlings,  because  of greed for a little  taste  of what they desire,  experience  immeasurable su ffering, enlightening beings after all do not seck unexcelled enlighten­ ment and cultivate enlightening practice for the sake of those pleasures of the senses; it is only to bring peace and comfort to all sentient beings that they set their minds on enlightenment and practice to ful fill their great vows to cut sentient beings' halter of miseries and enable them to attain liberation .

"Great enlightening beings also form this thought: 'I should dedicate roots of goodness in this way to enable all sentient beings  to attain ultimate bliss, beneficial bliss, the bliss of nonreception, the bliss of dispassionate tranquility, the bliss of nondependence, the bliss of imperturbability, immeasurable bliss, the bliss of not rejecting birth and death yet not regressing from nirvana, undying bliss, and the bliss of universal knowledge. '

"They also think,  'I should be for all sentient beings as a charioteer, as a leader,  holding the torch of great knowledge and showing the way to sa fety and peace, freeing them from danger, using appropriate means to inform them of the truth;  and also,  in the ocean of birth  and death, be as a skillful ship's captain who knows all,  to deliver sentient beings to the other shore. '

"In this way do great enlightening beings dedicate all their basic virtues-that is, they save all sentient beings by employing means appropriate to the situation to cause them to emerge from birth and death, serve and provide for all the Buddhas, attain unhindered, omni­ scient knowledge, abandon all maniacs and bad associates, approach all enlightening beings and good associates, annihilate all error and

 

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wrongdoing, perfect pure behavior, and ful fill the great practical vows and innumerable virtues of enlightening beings.

"When great enlightening beings have properly dedicated their roots of goodness, they form this thought: 'Many suns do not appear because of the multitude of sentient beings in the four continents-only one sun appears, yet it can shine on all sentient beings. Also, sentient beings do not know the day and night, or travel, or see, or carry out their work by the light  of their  own bodies-the accomplishment  of these   things all depends on the emergence of the sun; yet the sun  is only one,  not two. ' In the same way, great enlightening beings, cultivating and amassing roots of goodness, thinking as they dedicate them, 'Sentient beings cannot save themselves-how can they save others? Only I alone have this unique determination, ' they cultivate and amass roots of goodness  and  dedicate  them  in  this  way-that  is  to  liberate  all  sentient beings, to illumine all sentient beings, to guide all sentient beings, to enlighten all sentient beings , to watch over and attend to all sentient beings, to take care of all sentient beings,  to perfect all sentient beings, to gladden all sentient beings, to bring happiness to all sentient beings, and to cause all sentient beings to become freed from doubt.

"Great enlightening beings also think, 'I should be like the sun,

shining universally on all without seeking thanks or reward, able to take care of all sentient beings even if they arc bad, never giving up my vows on this account, not abandoning all sentient beings because one sentient being is evil, just diligently practicing the dedication of roots of goodness to cause all sentient beings to attain peace and case.  Even if my roots of goodness be few, I embrace all sentient beings and make a great dedication with a joy ful heart. If one has roots of goodness but does not desire to benefit all sentient beings, that's not called dedication. When every single root of goodness is directed toward  all  sentient beings, that is called dedication.'

"They cultivate dedication to place sentient beings in the true nature of things where there is no attachment, dedication seeing that the intrinsic nature of sentient beings doesn't move or change, dedication without depending on or grasping dedication, dedication without attach­ ment to the appearances of roots of goodne'ss, dedication without fa lse ideas about the essential nature of consequences of actions, dedication without attachment to the characteristics of the five clusters of material and mental existence, dedication without destroying the characteristics of the five clusters, dedication without grasping action, dedication without seeking reward, dedication without attachment to causality, dedication without imagining what is produced by causality, dedication without attachment to reputation, without attachment to location, dedication without attachment to unreal things, dedication without attachment to images of sentient beings, the world, or mind, dedication without creating delusions of mind, delusions of concepts,  or delusions of views, dedication without attachment to verbal expression, dedica-

 

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tion observing  the real true nature of all things,  dedication observing the aspects in which all sentient beings are equal, dedication stamping all roots of goodness with the seal of the realm of truth, dedication observing all things dispassionately; they understand that all things have no propagation and that roots of goodness arc also thus; they observe that things arc nondual, unborn, and unpcrishing, and that so is dedication.

"Dedicating such roots of goodness, they cultivate and practice pure methods of curing spiritual ills . All of their roots of goodness arc in accord with transcendental principles, but they do not conceive of them dualistically: it is not in their deeds that they cultivate omniscience,  yet it is not apart from deeds that they arc dedicated to omniscience; omniscience is not identical to action, but omniscience is not attained apart from action either. Because their action is pure as light, the consequences arc also pure as light; because the consequences arc pure as light, omniscience is also pure as light. Detached from all confusions and thoughts  of self and possession,  they know perfectly in this way and skillfully dedicate all roots of goodness.

"When enlightening beings practice dedication in this way, liberating sentient beings ceaselessly, they do not dwell  on appearances;  but though they know that in all things there is no action and no consequence, yet they can skillfull y produce all deeds and consequences, without opposition or contention. In this way they expediently practice dedication. When enlightening beings practice dedication in this way, they arc free from all faults and arc praised by all Buddhas. This is called the great enlightening beings' first dedication, saving all sentient beings without any im age or concept of sentient beings."

Then the enlightening being Diamond Banner looked over all the assemblies in the ten directions,  throughout the cosmos; entering into the meanings and expressions of the profundities, cultivating supreme action with a boundless mind, covering all beings with great compassion, maintaining the lineage of the enlightened ones of past, present, and future, entering the treasury of virtuous qualities of all Buddhas, producing the verity body of all Buddhas, able to discern the mentalities of all sentient  beings,  knowing the roots of goodness he had planted were ripe, while abiding in the reality body he mani fested pure physical  embodiment for them and,  empowered  by the Buddha,  said m verse,

 

 

Cultivating the Way over inconceivable cons, Vigor fi rm, mind unobstructed,

Always seeking the virtuous qualities of Buddhas

To benefit living beings,

The peerless tamers of the world

 

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Thoroughly purify their minds;

Determining to save all conscious creatures,

They can enter well into the treasury of dedication.

 

Their courageous power of energy complete, Their knowledge  clear, their minds pure, They rescue all beings everywhere,

Their minds enduring, unperturbed.

 

Their hearts can rest peacefully, without compare; Their minds are ever pure and full ofjoy.

Earnestly striving thus for the sake of the living, They arc like earth, accepting all.

 

They  do  not  seck  pleasure  for  themselves:

They only  want to rescue sentient beings; Thus developing a heart of great compassion,

They quickly gain entry to the unhindered state.

 

They are able to accept all beings In all worlds in the ten directions;

They stabilize their minds to save those beings, This way cultivating the dedications.

 

They practice generosity most gladly

And preserve pure conduct, without transgression; Their intrepid, vigorous mind unstirrcd,

They dedicate this to enlightened omniscience.

 

Their  mind is boundlessly  broad, Their forbearance is stable, unshakable;

Their meditation is most profound , always illumining, Their wisdom's inconceivably subtle.

 

In all worlds in the ten directions They fully cultivate pure practices:

All these virtues they dedicate

To the peace and happiness of all conscious beings.

 

The great heroes diligently practice good works, Measureless, boundless, uncountable:

All these they usc to benefit sentient beings

And cause them to abide in inconceivable supreme knowledge.

 

To act for the benefit of all sentient beings They spend inconceivably many eons in hells;

 

Te11 Dedicatiot1S

 

This they do without wearying or shrinking back ,

Always practicing dedication with courage and decision.

 

They do not seck form, sound, smell or taste, And they do not seck nice feelings:

It is just to liberate all living beings

That they always seek supreme knowledge.

 

Their knowledge and wisdom are pure as space, They pratice boundless enlightening acts;

The practical methods the Buddhas carry out Those people always practice and learn .

 

The great heroes, traveling through all worlds, Arc able to give peace and safety to all beings, Causing all to rejoice,

Tirelessly cultivating enlightening practice.

 

Destroying all mental poisons,

Contemplating and cultivating highest knowledge, They  do  not  seck  com fort  for  themselves:

They only wish that sentient beings be freed from pain.

 

These  people's  dedication  is  ultimate-

Their hearts arc always pure and free from poison: Entrusted by the Buddhas of all times,

They dwell in the citadel of the lo ftiest teaching.

 

They're never attached to forms

Or to sensations, perceptions, habits, or consciousness; Their minds have forever transcended existence,

While all their virtues they dedicate to others.

 

All the sentient beings seen by the Buddhas They take into their care, without exception, Vowing to enable them all to be liberated; For them do they strive, with great joy.

 

Their minds arc constantly stable,

Their knowledge and wisdom 's incomparably vast. Truly mindful, free from ignorance, they're always calm, And all their deeds arc totally pure.

 

Those enlightening beings, while in the world,

Arc not attached to any internal or external phenomena;

 

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Like the wind traveling unhindered through the sky Is the function of the great beings' mind.

 

Their physical actions arc all pure, All their speech is without error;

Their minds always take refuge in the Buddha, And they can please all the Buddhas.

 

In the in finite worlds of the ten directions, Wherever there arc Buddhas, they go;

There, seeing the lords of great compassion, They all gaze with reverent respect.

 

Their minds arc always pure and faultless, Entering all worlds without fear;

Already in the Enlightened Ones ' unexcelled Path , They act as great reservoirs of truth for all beings .

 

Diligently observing and examining all phenomena,

They contemplate existence and nonexistence accordingly: Thus they pursue the tru th

And gain entry to the most profound realm of noncontention.

 

With this they cultivate the steadfast Way Which no sentient beings can break down;

Well able to comprehend the nature of all things, They have no attachments in any world.

 

Thus they arc dedicated to reaching the other shore, Enabling all beings to be free from defilements; Forever rid of all dependency,

They enter the realm of ultimate independence.

 

In the languages of all sentient beings

In accord with the differences in their types, Enlightening beings can distinctly explain

While their minds arc unattached and unhindered.

 

Thus  do  enlightening  beings  practice  dedication:

Unspeakably many arc their virtues and their methods; They earn the praise of all the Buddhas

In all worlds of the ten directions.

 

 

"What is the indestructible dedication of great enlightening beings? These great enlightening beings attain indestructible faith in the Enlight-

 

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cncd Ones of past, future, and present, because they serve all Buddhas . They attain indestructible faith in enlightening beings, even those who have just resolved on the search for omniscience  for the first time, because they vow to tirelessly cultivate all foundations  of goodness of enlightening beings. They attain indestructible faith in all the Buddha qualities, because they conceive profound aspiration . They attain inde­ structible faith in all Buddha teachings, because they abide by them and maintain them . They attain indestructible faith in all sentient beings, because they look upon them impartially with  the eye of compassion and dedicate roots of goodness to their universal benefit. They attain indestructible faith in all pure ways, because everywhere they amass boundless roots of goodness. They attain indestructible faith in the path of dedication of enlightening beings, because they ful fill their noble aspirations. They attain indestructible faith in all teachers of the ways of enlightening beings, because they think of the enlightening beings as Buddhas. They attain  indestructible  faith in the spiritual  powers  of all Buddhas, because they deeply believe in the inconceivability of the Buddhas.   They  attain   indestructible   faith   in   the   practice   of  skill   in expedient means exercised by all enlightening beings , because they include countless various realms of activity.

"When great enlightening beings abide in indestructible L1ith , they

plant roots of goodness, innumerable and boundless, in various realms, such as those of Buddhas, enlightening beings, disciples of Buddhas, individual illuminates , of Buddhist doctrines, and of sentient beings, causing the determination for enlightenment to grow more and more. Their kindness and compassion broad and great, they observe impartially. They accord with and practice the deeds of the Buddhas, embracing all pure foundations of goodness.  Entering the truth,  they assemble virtu­ ous practices, carry out great works of charity,  and cultivate meritori­ ous qualities, looking upon the past, present, and future as equal.

"Great enlightening beings dedicate such virtues to omniscience, aspiring to always sec the Buddhas . They associate with good compan­ ions and live among enlightening beings. Constantly keeping their minds on omniscience, they accept and hold the Buddhist teachings, conscien tiously protecting them , and educate and develop all sen­ tient beings, their minds always dedicated to the path of emancipation from the world . They provide for and serve all teachers of truth . Understanding the principles of the teachings, they retain them  in memory; they cultivate and practice great vows, caus ing them all to be fulfilled.

"Thus do en ligh tening beings am ass roots of goodness, accomplish roots of goodness, develop roots of goodness , contemplate roots of goodness, concentrate on roots of goodness, analyze roots of goodness, delight in roots of goodness, cultivate roots of goodness, and abide in roots of goodness.

"Once enlightening beings have amassed various roots of goodness

 

542  The Floll'cr Orna111ellt Scripture

 

in this way, they cultivate the practices of enlightening beings by means of the results of these roots of goodness.  In every successive  moment they sec innumerable lluddhas, and serve and provide for them in accordance with their needs. They provide innumerable jewels, flowers , garlands, garments, parasols, banners, pennants, adornments, servants, beautified places, perfumes, powdered incenses, mixed scents, burning incenses, profound fa ith, aspiration, pure minds, respect, praise, honor, jeweled scats, fl ower scats, incense scats , scats of garlands, sandalwood scats, cloth scats, diamond scats, crystal scats, precious streamer scats, jewel-colored scats,  bejeweled parks, flowered parks, perfumed parks, parks hung with garlands, parks spread with robes,  jewel-studded parks, parks decorated with streamers of all jewels,  parks with trees of all precious substances, parks with balustrades of all precious substances, parks covered with nets of chimes of all jewels, palaces with all precious substances, palaces with all kinds of flowers, palaces with all kinds of incenses, palaces with all kinds of garlands, palaces of all kinds of sandalwood, palaces \Vith stores of all kinds of aromatic resins, palaces of all kinds of dia monds ,   palaces of all kinds of crystal s, all extraordinar­ ily fine, surpassing those of the heavens; innumerable trees of mixed jewels, trees of various fragrances, trees of precious  raiment, trees of music, trees of fascinating jewels,  trees of gem-studded streamers,  trees of precious rings, trees adorned with banners, pennants,  and canopies with the fragrances of all flowers-such trees, with luxuriant foliage intcrrcflecting, adorn the palaces; the palaces also arc adorned with countless lattices , windows, doors, balconies, crescents, and drapes, countless nets ofgold covering them, countless perfumes wafting through­ out them scenting everything, and countless robes spread on the ground.

"Enlightening beings reverently present these offerings with pure­ minded respect to all Buddhas for countless, incalculable cons, never retreating, never ceasing; and after each lluddha dies they also respect­ fully  make  similar  o fferings  to  all  their  relics,   in  order  to  induce  all sentient beings to develop pure faith , to embody all foundations of goodness, to be freed from all su ffering, to have broad understanding, to be arrayed with great adornments, to be arrayed with infinite adornments, to consummate all their undertakings,  to know how rare it is to meet a lluddha in the world, to ful fill the immeasurable power of the  enlightened,  to  adorn  and  make  o fferin gs  to  the tombs  and  shrines of Buddhas, and to maintain the teachings of all Buddhas.

"Their  o fferings   to   living  Buddhas  and  to   their  relics  after  death could never be fully told of even in an incalculable period of time. Such cultivation and accumulation of immeasurable vi rtue is all to develop and mature sentient beings, without retreating, without ceasing, with­ out wearying, without clinging, free from all mental images, without stopping anywhere, forever beyond all dependence, detached from self and anything pertaining to a sel f. They seal all aspects of their activities with the stamp of truth, realize the birthlcssncss of things, abide in the

 

Ten Dedications     543

 

abode of buddhahood, and observe the nature of birthlessncss defini­ tively marking all objects . In the care of the Buddhas, they set their minds on dedication-dedication in accord with the essential nature of things, dedication entering into the uncrcated truth yet perfecting created expedient methods, dedication of techniques discarding attachments to concepts of phenomena, dedication abiding in countless enlightening skills , dedication forever departing from all realms of existence, dedica­ tion of expedient application of practices without sticking to forms, dedication embracing all foundations of goodness, great dedication purifying the acts of all enlightening beings, dedication rousing the will for enlightenment, dedication living with all bases of goodness, dedica­ tion ful filling supreme faith.

"When enlightening beings dedicate such roots of goodness, though they go along with birth and death they arc not changed: they seck omniscience without ever retreating; while being in the various realms of existence, their minds arc undisturbed; they arc able to liberate all sentient beings; they arc not stained  by compounded things;  they do not lose unimpeded knowledge; their ful fillment of causes and condi­ tions of enlightening beings' practices and stages is inexhaustible; worldly things cannot change or move them; they ful fill the pure ways of transcendence; they arc able to accomplish all knowledge and power. Thus do enlightening beings get rid of the darkness of ignorance and folly, develop the will for enlightenment and reveal its light,  increase pure ways, dedicated to the supreme Way, ful filling all its practices.

"With clear, pure intellect they arc able to skillfully analyze and comprehend all things as appearing according to the mind; they know deeds arc like illusions, results of deeds arc like paintings, all activities arc like magic tricks, things born of causes and conditions arc all like echoes, and the practices of enlightening beings arc all like reflections . They produce the clear, pure eye of reality, seeing the vast realm of the uncreatcd; realizing their null essence, they understand the nonduality of things and discover the true aspect of things. They ful fill the practices of enlightening beings  without attachment to any forms. They  are able to carry out all commonplace acts without ever abandoning pure princi­ ples and practices. Free from all attachments, they remain unattached in action.

"Thus do enlightening beings think flexibly, without confusion or delusion , without contradicting facts, without destroying active causes, dedicating as is appropriate, with clear perception of real truth. They know the inherent natu re of things, yet by the power of skill in means they accomplish results of action and reach the other shore. With knowledge and wisdom  they examine all things and attain knowledge of spiritual E1 culties . The virtues of their deeds arc carried out without striving, in accordance with their free will.

"Enlightening beings dedicate roots of goodness in this way because they want to liberate all sentient beings, keep the lineage of Buddhas

 

 

unbroken, be forever rid of demonic activity,  and see ommsCiencc. Their boundless aspiration is never discarded; they detach from mun­ dane objects and cut off all mixup and defilement. They also wish for sentient beings to attain pure knowledge,   enter deeply into   the   tech­ niques of liberation, depart from the state of birth and death, attain the bases of virtues of buddhahood,  forever end all delusive   activities, stamp all actions with the seal of equanimity, determine to enter knowl­ edge of all ways of liberation, and accomplish all transmundane qualities. This, 0 Child of Buddha, is called enlightening beings' second dedication, indestructible dedication.

"When enlightening beings abide in this dedication,  they get to sec all the countless Buddhas and master innumerable pure, sublime teachings. They attain impartiality toward all sentient beings, and have no doubt about  anything.   Strengthened by the spiritual power of all   Buddhas, they overcome all demons  and forever get rid of their influence. They achieve noble birth and fulfill the will for enlightenment. Attaining unhindered knowledge, they can expound the meanings of all doctrines without  relying on another for understanding. They   are   able,   following the power of imagination, to enter all lands; illumining sentient beings everywhere, they cause them all to become purified. Great enlightening beings , by the power of this indestructible dedication, embody all founda­ tions of goodness and dedicate them in this way. "

Then Diamond  Banner, spiritually empowered by   Buddha,  looked over the ten directions and said in verse,

 

 

 

Enlightening beings, having attained indestructible will, Carry out all good works;

Therefore they're able to make the Buddhas rejoice: Those who are wise dedicate this.

 

Making offerings to infinite Buddhas,

Giving charity, with self-control, they subdue  their senses, Out of desire to benefit all sentient beings,

To cause them all to be purified.

 

All sorts of beautiful, fragrant flowers, Innumerable different splendid robes, Jeweled   canopies   and   adornments, They present to all the Buddhas.

 

Thus do they make offerings to Buddhas For countless,  unthinkable cons; Reverent,  respectful,   always rejoicing, They never have a thought of weariness.

 

They concentrate their thought on the Buddhas, The Great Bright Lamps of all worlds:

All the Enlightened Ones of the ten directions

Appear before them, as though face to face .

 

For inconceivably infinite cons

They give in all ways,  their minds never weary: For hundreds of millions of cons

They practice good principles in the same way.

 

After the Buddhas become extinct,

They make offerings to their relics , tirelessly: With various fine adornments for each

They set up inconceivably many shrines.

Built in incomparably excellent forms, Adorned with jewels and gold,

The shrines arc magnificent, big as mountains, Their numbcr countless billions.

 

Having made o fferings with pure minds, with respect, They also conceive the will to gladden and benefit others; For inconceivable cons they stay in the world,

Rescuing sentient beings and liberating them .

 

They know that sentient beings arc illusory And do not discriminate among them,

Yet can differen tiate the faculties of beings And act for the benefit of all the living.

 

Enlightening beings cultivate and build up virtues Vast, extensive, incomparably supreme;

Understanding they're essentially not existent,

In this way they dedicate them all with certainty.

 

Observing all things with supreme knowledge, There's not a single thing that's born;

Thus do they provisionally cultivate dedication, Virtue infinite, inexhaustible.

 

By this means they puri fy the mind, Equal  to  all  the  lluddhas-

This power of skill in means is inexhaustible; Therefore felicitous results have no limit.

 

 

Initiating the will for unsurpassed enlightenment, Without depending on anything  in the world, They go to all worlds in the ten directions

And are not hindered by anything at all.

 

A ll Buddhas appear in the world

Because they want to guide beings'  minds; They examine the true natures of their minds And discover they ultimately cannot be found.

 

All phenomena, without exception,

Are included in thusness, with no essential nature; Dedicating with this pure eye

They open the prison of birth and death in the world.

 

Though they purify all existences,

Yet they do not have a notion of existences;

They know the nature of existents has no existence And purify the joy ful mind.

 

They depend on nothing in one buddha-land, Or in any buddha-lands,

And they are not attached to conditioned things, Knowing their phenomenality has no basis.

 

Hereby they cultivate omniscience; Hereby highest knowledge adorns them; Hereby the Buddhas all rejoice;

This is enlightening beings' work of dedication.

 

E nlightening beings focus their minds on the Buddhas, Their supreme knowledge, wisdom, and means .

Like Buddhas, they depend on nothing at all: May we accomplish these virtues.

 

Concentrating on saving all ,

They cause them to abandon evil deeds; Thus benefiting sentient beings,

They contemplate attentively without abandoning them .

 

Abiding in the state of knowledge and guarding the teaching, They  do  not  take nirvana by other vehicles-

They only vow to attain the Buddhas ' unexcelled Way; This is the dedication of enlightening beings.

 

 

They do not grasp the fabricated unrealities Spoken of by sentient beings,

But though they do not rely on speech Still they don't cling to wordlessness.

 

All the enlightened ones in the ten directions Comprehend all things without exception;

But though they know all things are empty, void, They don't produce a notion of voidness.

 

With one adornment they adorn all Yet don't discriminate phenomena­ They  enlighten  all  living  beings:

All is without inherent nature, without objectivity .

 

"What is great enlightening beings' dedication equal to all Buddhas? Here the enlightening beings follow and cultivate the path of dedication of the Buddhas of the past, future, and present. When they practice and learn the path of dedication in this way, when they perceive any objects of sense, whether pleasant or unpleasant, they do not conceive like or dislike-their minds arc free, without faults, broad, pure, joy ful, blissful, free from all sorrows and troubles. Their minds arc flexible, their senses arc pure and cool .

" When great enlightening beings gain such peace and bliss, they become even more determined, dedicating their determination to the Buddhas, with these thoughts: 'With the roots of goodness I am now planting I vow to cause the bliss of the Buddhas to increase more and more-that is, the bliss of the inconceivable abode of Buddhas, the bliss of the peerless concentration of Buddhas , the bliss of unlimited compassion, the bliss of liberation of all Buddhas, the bliss of vast, ultimate, immeasurable power, the bliss of tranquility detached from all cognition, the bliss of abiding in the state of nonobstruction, always rightly concentrated, the bliss of carrying out the practice of nondualism without change. '

"Once the great enlightening beings have dedicated their roots of goodness to the Buddhas, they also dedicate these virtues to the enlight­ ening beings: that is, to cause those who have not ful filled their vows to fulfill them, to cause those whose minds are not yet pure to attain purity, to cause those who have not ful filled the ways of transcendence to ful fill them, to settle them in the indestructible will for enlightenment, that  they not regress on the way to omniscience,  not give up great e ffort, preserve all the found ations of goodness of the gates of enlightenment, and be able to cause sentient beings to give up conceit, set their minds on enlightenment, ful fill their aspirations, abide in the

 

548  The Flower Omamerz t Scripture

 

abode of all enlightening beings, attain the clear, sharp senses of enlight­ ening beings, cultivate roots of goodness, and realize omniscience.

"Having thus dedicated their roots of goodness to enlightening beings, the great enlightening beings then dedicate them to all sentient beings, wishing that the roots of goodness of all sentient beings, even the slig-htest-even  seeing  a  Buddha,  hearing  teaching,  or  respecting  holy mendicants,  for but the time of a fingersnap-all be free from obstruction, that they reflect on the completeness of Buddhas,  on the techniques of the teaching,  and  on the nobility and importance of the community, that they not be separated  from vision  of the  Buddha,  that   their minds become pure, that they attain the qualities of buddhahood, build up immeasurable virtue, purify spiritual powers,  give up doubts about the truth and live according to the teaching.  As they make such dedica­ tion to sentient beings, they also make such dedication for the Buddhist disciples and the individual illuminates .

"Also they pray that all sentient beings forever leave all miserable places like hells, ghosthood, and animality, the nether world, and so on, that they further develop the supreme will for enlighten ment, concen­ trate their minds on the earnest search for knowledge of all means of liberation, never repudiate the true teaching of the Buddhas, attain the

peace of the Buddhas, be pure in body and mind, and realize omniscience. "The foundations of goodness of great enlightening  beings arc all correctly  initiated,  built up,   and developed  by great vows,   causing

them all to expand and to be completely ful filled.

"When great enlightening beings live at home with spouses and children, they never for a moment give up the determination for enlightenment; with correct mindfulness they meditate  on the realm  of all knowledge, liberating themselves and others, enabling them to reach the ultimate. Using appropriate means they trans form the members of their own households, causing them to enter the knowledge of enlight­ ening beings and causing them to develop to maturity and attain liberation. Though they live together,  their minds have no attachments. By their basic great great compassion they remain in home li fe, and because of their kindness they harmonize with their spouses and children, with no hindrance to the pure Way of enlightening beings.

"Though great enlightening beings be in home li fe and work at various occupations, they never for a moment give up the will for omniscience; that is, whether they arc dressing, eating, taking medicine, washing, looking around, walking, standing still, sitting, reclining, speaking, thinking, asleep or awake, whatever they are doing  their minds always dedicate it to the path of omniscience. They concentrate and contemplate unremittingly, because they want to aid all sentient beings and settle them in enlightenment; with immeasurable great vows they embody countless great roots of goodness, diligently cultivating virtues to save everyone. They forever divorce arrogance and indul­ gence and proceed surely toward the state of omniscience, never con-

 

Tetz Dedications    549

 

ceiving any intention of turning to another path. Always contemplating the enlightenment of all Buddhas, they forever abandon  all  impure ways. Cultivating practice of what all enlightening beings learn, they encounter no obstruction on the path of omniscience and stand on the ground of knowledge. They arc devoted to recitation and learning, and collect roots of goodness by means of immeasurable knowledge. Their minds have no a ffection for any mundane realm, nor arc they obsessed with what they practice. They wholeheartedly accept and hold the principles of the Buddhas' teachings. Thus enlightening beings living at home cultivate and internalize roots of goodness in every way,  cause them to grow, and dedicate them to the unsurpassed enlightenment, which is the essence of the Buddhas.

"At such a time, enlightening beings, even when they arc feeding domestic animals, all make this vow: 'I should cause these creatures to leave the realm of animality, to be helped and com forted and ultimately be liberated, having forever crossed over the ocean of suffering, eter­ nally annihilating painfid sensations, forever removing suffering physi­ cal and mental clements, eternally cutting off painful feeling, accumulation of pain, painful actions, the causes  of pain, the root of suffering, and painful situations . May these sentient beings all be able to leave these behind .' Thus do enlightening beings focus their thoughts on all sen­ tient beings; with their roots of goodness in the forefront, they dedicate them to knowledge of ways of liberation for all beings.

"When enlightening beings first engender the determination for enlightenment, they include all sentient beings, cultivating the founda­ tions of goodness and dedicating thcn1 to causing all sentient beings to leave the plain of birth and death forever, to attain  the unhindered bliss of the enlightened, emerge  from the ocean of afflictions, practice  the path of the Buddha teachings,  to fill everywhere with kindness, to have vast powers of compassion, cause all to attain pure bliss, preserve foundations of goodness,  draw ncar to the qualities  of Buddhahood, leave the realms of demons and enter the realm of Buddhas, to cut o ff the seeds of mundanity  and plant the seeds of enlightenment,  to abide in the truth which is equal in all times.

"Enlightening beings dedicate all the roots of goodness they have collected, will collect, and arc collecting in this way, and form this thought: 'As the Buddhas and enlightening beings of the past have practiced-respectfully serving all enlightened ones, liberating sentient beings so that they be forever emancipated, diligently cultivating and practicing all roots of goodness and dedicating them all without attachment, without depending on form, without attachment to sensation, without erroneous conceptions, without creating fixed patterns,  with­ out grasping consciousness, detached from the senses, not dwelling on things of the world, delighting  in transcendence,  knowing  that all things   arc   empty   as   space,  come  from   nowhere,   arc   unborn  and not perishing, and have no true reality; having no attach ments, they

 

550  The Flower Ornament Scrip ture

 

avoided all discriminatory views, were imperturbable and unaffected by anything,  never lost awareness  or calm,  abiding in reality without form , detached from all appearances, all being one; thus they entered deeply into the nature of all things, always happily practiced all-sided virtues,   and  saw   the   congregation  of  all  Buddhas-just   as   all   those enlightened ones of the past dedicated roots of goodness in this way,  I, too, should practice dedication in this way, understand these principles, actualize these principles, and, based on these principles determine to learn and act, not violating the specifics of the teachings, knowing that what is practiced is like illusions, like shadows, like the moon's image in the water,  like reflections in a mirror,  manifested by the combination of causes and conditions, proceeding thus up to the ultimate stage of enlightenment. '

"Great enlightening beings also form this thought: Just as the Bud­ dhas of the past, when cultivating enlightening practice, dedicated roots of goodness in this  way, and so do and will the Buddhas of the present and future, so too should I arouse my will and dedicate roots of goodness like those Buddhas-with foremost dedication, excellent dedication, supreme dedication, superior dedication, unexcelled dedication, peerless dedication, unequalled dedication, incomparable dedication, honorable dedication, sublime dedication, impartial dedication, straight­ forward dedication, virtuous dedication, far-reaching dedication, good dedication, pure dedication, dedication free from evil, dedication not

gomg wrong. '

"Once enlightening beings have dedicated roots of goodness in this way, they accomplish pure action of body, speech, and mind, and abide in the abode of enlightening beings without any faults. Practicing good works, they get rid of evils of action  and speech.  Their minds  arc without flaw or defilement; they cultivate omniscience, abide in an immeasurably broad mind, and know all phenomena create nothing. They abide in transmundane states and are not influenced by things of the world. They analyze and comprehend innumerable actions and fully develop  skill in means of dedication,  extirpating the root of grasping and attachment forever. This is the great enlightening beings' third dedication, dedication equal to all Buddhas.

"When great enlightening beings abide in this dedication, they enter deeply into the acts of all the enlightened ones, proceed toward the supremely wonderful qualities  of the enlightened,  enter into the pro­ found realm of pure knowledge, do not depart from the works of enlightening beings, arc able to distinguish skillful, subtle means of liberation, enter the profound realm of truth, know well the process of practice of enlightening beings,  enter the family of the Buddhas, and with skill in means analyze and comprehend all things. Though they appear physically, born in the world,  yet their minds have no attach­ ment to things of the world. "

 

 

 

Then the enlightening being Diamond Banner,  spiritually  empow­ ered by the Buddha, looked over the ten directions and said in verse,

 

Those great enlightening beings

Practice the ways of dedication of past Buddhas, And also cultivate the practices

Of all the Guides of future and present.

 

They attain peace and case in all realms, Praised by all the enlightened ones; Their expansive light and pure eyes

They dedicate all to the great Brilliant Sages.

 

Blissful are the bodies of enlightening beings, And so are all their senses;

Such immeasurable, supremely wonderful bliss They all dedicate to the Supreme.

 

A ll the good ways in the world

And those the Buddhas have accomplished, All they foster,  excepting none,

Whereby they joyfully benefit the living.

 

Their joys in the world are infinite:

These they dedicate to sentient beings, Vowing to cause them all to be filled With the bliss of the Human Lion.

 

The various raptures known and perceived By the Buddhas of all lands

They vow to foster in sentient beings

And become great lamps lighting the world.

 

The supremely refined pleasure of enlightening beings They dedicate to all sentient beings :

Though they are dedicated to the benefit of the living, Y ct they have no attachment to dedication.

 

Enlightening beings, practicing this dedication, Produce a mind of infinite compassion;

The virtues of dedication practiced by the Buddhas They vow to cultivate and ful fill the same way.

 

The subtle bliss of the vehicle of omniscience Such as attained by the Supreme,

 

552  Tlzc Flower Omament Scripture

 

As well as the infinite bliss of enlightening practice Carried out while they' re in the world,

The bliss of peace while appearing to be in the world, The bliss of tranquility, always guarding the senses, All they dedicate to sentient beings

To cause all to develop unexcelled knowledge.

 

Their work is not physical, verbal, or mental,

Yct docsn 't exist apart from this;

They just destroy ignorance by expedient means And thus develop supreme knowledge.

 

The deeds practiced by enlightening beings Build up im measurable excellent virtues;

Following the Enlightened, born in the fa mily of Buddhas, Dispassionate and calm, they dedicate aright.

 

They take care  of all beings there arc In all worlds of the ten directions,

Dedicating all roots of goodness to them, Vowing to fill them with the bliss of peace.

 

They do not seck benefit for themselves; They want to cause all to be at case.

They have never entertained  arbitrary conceptions: They only observe all things to be empty and selfless.

 

To all the true children of Buddhas

Seen by the innumerable Supreme Ones in the ten directions They dedicate all roots of goodness,

Vowing to hasten their ultimate enlightenment.

 

The conscious creatures in all worlds

They embrace impartially, without exception; With the good works they do themselves

They cause those beings to soon become Buddhas.

 

The countless, boundless great vows Expounded by the unexcelled Guides

Vow that all Buddha-children become pure And ful fill all their aspirations.

 

Observing all worlds in the ten directions, Donating all their virtues to them,

They vow to cause them all to be wonderfully adorned: Thus do enlightening beings practice dedication .

 

Their minds do not weigh dualistic things;

They only constantly realize the nonduality  of things. In all things, whether dual or nondual,

They ultimately have no attachments.

 

All   the worlds  in   the ten   directions Are sentient beings' conceptualizations;

Not  apprehending anything in conception or nonconception, Thus are conceptions understood.

 

The enlightening beings' bodies are purified, So their minds are pure, without blemish :

Their speech being already pure and faultless,

Know that their minds are pure, without attachment.

 

Single-mindedly they think of the past  Buddhas And also of the Guides of the future,

As well as the Honored Ones of the present: They study the teachings they all expound.

 

All enlightened ones of past,  present, and future

Have clear penetrating knowledge, their minds unobstructed; Because they want to help sentient beings

They dedicate myriad works to enlightenment.

 

Those of foremost wisdom, vast wisdom, Wisdom free from falsehood, without delusion, Impartial, true wisdom, pure wisdom,

And supreme wisdom, explain this way.

 

 

"What is the great enlightening beings' dedication reaching all places? Here when the enlightening beings cultivate all roots of goodness,  they think,   'May the power of virtue of these roots of good reach all places, just as reality extends everywhere without exception, reaching all things, all worlds,  all living beings,  all lands, all phenomena, all space, all time, all that is compounded and uncompounded, all speech and sound;  may these roots of goodness in the same way reach the abodes of all enlightened ones, and be as offerings to all those Buddhas,  the past Buddhas whose vows are all ful filled , the future Buddhas,  fully adorned, and the present Buddhas, their lands, sites of enlightenment, and congregations, filling all realms throughout the enti rety of space. I aspire, by virtue of the power of faith, by virtue of great knowledge without obstruction, by virtue of dedication of all roots of goodness,  to present offerings like those of the cclestials, filling infinite worlds. '

"Great  enlightening   beings   also   form   this   thought:  'The   Buddhas

 

554  The Flower OrnametJt Scripture

 

pervade all realms in space, the worlds of all the unspeakably many world   systems   in   the  ten  directions   produced   by  various   actions­ unspeakably many buddha-lands, buddha-spheres, all kinds of worlds, infinite worlds, worlds without boundaries, rotating worlds, sideways worlds, worlds facing upward and downward-in all worlds,  such as these, they manifest a span of li fe and display various spiritual powers and demonstrations. There are enlightening beings  there who by the power of resolution appear as Buddhas in all worlds for the sake of sentient beings who can be taught; with the knowledge of where  all paths lead, they reveal everywhere the boundless freedom and spiritual power of the enlightened, the body of reality extending everywhere without distinction, equally entering all realms of phenomena and principles, the body of inherent buddhahood neither  born nor perishing, yet by skill ful expedients appearing throughout the world, because of realizing the true nature of things, transcending all, because of attain­ ment of nonregressing power, because of birth among the people of vast power of unobstructed vision of the enlightened. '

"Great enlightening beings, by all the roots of goodness  that  they plant, vow to make offerings to all such Buddhas,  with myriad beauti­ ful flowers, myriad wonderful incenses, garlands, parasols, banners, pennants, clothing, lamps,  and all other articles of adornment,  and to do the same to effigies, tombs, and shrines of Buddhas. Their roots of goodness they dedicate in this way, with unconfused dedication, single­ minded dedication, autonomous dedication, respectful dedication, un­ shakable dedication, nonobsessive dedication, independent dedication, dedication without the mentality of worldly people, dedication without haste or struggle, dedication with a tranquil mind.

"They also think, 'Throughout the space of the cosmos, in all ages , past,  future, and present,  the Buddhas,  the World  Honored  Ones, attain omniscience and become enlightened; with innumerable different names, at various  times,  they manifest attainment  of true awakening, all abiding for a span of li fe, throughout the future, each adorning themselves with the adornments of the realm of reality, their sites of enlightenment and congregations pervading the cosmos;  in all  lands they appear according to the time and perform the work of buddhahood. To all these Buddhas I dedicate roots of goodness; I vow to o ffer respectfully countless canopies of fragrance, banners  of fragrance, pen­ nants of fragrance, drapes of fragrance, nets of fragrance, statues  of fragrance, lights of fragrance, flames of fragrance, clouds  of fragrance, thrones  of fragrance, parks of fragrance, shelters of fragran ce,   worlds   of fra grance, mountains of fragrance, seas of fragrance, rivers of fragrance, trees of fragrance, robes of fragrance, lotus  blossoms  of fragrance, palaces of fragrance, flowers of fragrance; infinite canopies  of flowers, and so on , up to infinite palaces of flowers; boundless canopies of garlands, and so on, up to boundless palaces of garlands; incomparably many canopies of powdered incense, and so on, up to incomparably

 

 

many palaces of powdered incense; uncountable  canopies  of perfume, and so on, up to uncountable palaces of perfu me; incalculable canopies of raiment, and so on, up to incalculable palaces of raiment; inconceiv­ able numbers of canopies of jewels, and so on, up to inconceivable numbers of palaces of jewels; immeasurable numbers of canopies of lamps, and so on, up to immeasurable numbers of palaces of lamps; unspeakable numbers of canopies of ornaments , and so on, up to unspeakable numbers of palaces of ornaments; unspeakably unspeakable numbers of canopies, banners, pennants, drapes, nets, statues, lights, flames, clouds, scats, parks, shelters, lands, mountains, seas, rivers, trees, robes, lotus blossoms, and palaces, all made ofjewel crystals, all unspeakably unspeakable in number: in each of these objects arc count­ less balustrades, palaces, bowers, doors, crescents, defensive barriers, windows,  pure jewels,  and  ornaments-all  such  o fferings  I  present  to those Buddhas, aspiring to cause all worlds to become purified and all sentient beings to attain emancipation, abide in the stage of the ten powers and attain unhindered understanding  of truth;  to cause all sen­ tient beings to be fully endowed with bases of goodness,   to gain complete self-mastery, to have minds as infinite as space,  going to all fields without going anywhere,  entering  all lands,  passing  on good ways, always able to sec Buddhas, planting roots of goodness, accomp­ lishing the great vehicle, not clinging to anything, replete with virtue, establishing innumerable practices, entering into all the boundless realms of reality, developing the spiritual faculties of the Buddhas, and attain­ ing the omniscient knowledge of the enlightened ones. Just as selfless­ ness includes all things, so also may my roots of goodness include all the Buddhas by making o fferings to them all; include all truths by understanding them without hindrance; include all enlightening beings by ultimately having the same roots of goodness; include all practices of enlightening beings by ful fillment through the power of my original vows; include all enlightening beings' understandings of things by com­ prehending all things without obstruction; include all the great spiritual powers of the Buddhas by perfecting innumerable roots of goodness; include all the powers and fearlessnesses of the Buddhas by developing immeasurable will and ful filling them all; include all the enlightening beings' methods of meditation, powers  of elucidation,  and concentra­ tion formulae by being able to illumine and comprehend nonduality; include the Buddhas' skill in means by manifesting the great spiritual powers of the enlightened; include all the past, present, and future Buddhas' birth in the world, attainment of enlightenment, turning the wheel of true teaching, taming sentient beings, and entering final decease, by respectfully presenting o fferings to all of them everywhere; include all worlds of the ten directions by adorning and purifying buddha-lands to the ultimate degree; include all ages by appearing therein and cultivat­ ing enlightening practice unceasingly; include all realms of being by appearing to be born therein; include all realms of sentient beings by

 

556  The Flower Ornament Scripture

 

ful filling the practice of the Universally Good enlightening being; in­ clude all delusive habit energy by using appropriate means to clean it all away; include the innumerable differences in faculties of sentient beings by knowing them all; include the understandings and inclinations of all sentient beings by causing them to get rid of confusion and defilement and attain purity; include all activities that edify sentient beings by appearing in forms appropriate to their needs; include all ways of adaptively responding to sentient beings by entering into all realms of sentient beings; and include the essence of knowledge of all enlightened ones by preserving the teachings of the Buddhas. '

"When great enlightening beings dedicate roots of goodness in this way,  they use the absence of object of attainment as a means: they do not distinguish consequences in actions,  they do not distinguish  actions in consequences; though they have no discrimination,  they  enter all realms of phenomena and principles; though they have no striving, yet they always abide in roots of goodness;  though  they initiate  nothing, yet they diligently practice excellent principles. They do not believe in things, yet can enter deeply into them; they do not consider things as existent, yet they know and see them all. Creation and noncreation are both ungraspable. They know that by nature all things are never independent. Though they sec all things, yet they are not seeing anything; they know everything without knowing anything.

"Thus do enlightening beings comprehend the objective world,  know­ ing that all things are based on causes and conditions. They see the reality-body of all Buddhas and arrive at the untainted ultimate reality of all things. They understand all worlds are like magical apparitions. They clearly realize that sentient beings are only one phenomenon and do not have two natures.  They do not give up the realm of action: with skill in expedient means they show the uncrcated in the midst of the realm of compounded things, without destroying the characteristics of compounded things; they show compounded things in the m idst of the realm of the uncompounded, without distinguishing marks of the uncompounded. Thus enlightening beings always observe all things as ultimately null and void. They develop all pure roots of goodness and arouse the will to save and protect sentient beings. Their knowledge clearly realizes the ocean of all truths. They always gladly cultivate practice to get rid of ignorance and folly. They have already fully accomplished transmundane virtues, and they no longer practice worldly ways. They have attained the pure eye of knowledge, stripped of the blinders  of ignorance,  and  with skill in means  they practice  the path of dedication.

"Great enlightening beings, dedicating roots of goodness in this way, accord with the will of all the Buddhas, beautify and puri fy all buddha­ lands, teach, edify, and mature all sentient beings, fully accept and maintain all principles of the Buddhas, become supreme fields of bless­ ings for all sentient beings, become wise guides for all caravans, be-

 

 

come pure suns for all worlds. Each of their roots of goodness fills the cosmos, able to rescue and safeguard all sentient beings and cause them to be filled with pure virtuous qualities.

"When the great enlightening beings p ractice dedication in this way, they are able to preserve the lineage of all Buddhas, to develop all sentient beings to maturity, to beautify and purify all lands, to avoid spoiling all works, to thoroughly understand all things, to impartially observe the nonduality of all things, to go to all lands in the ten directions, to comprehend the ultimate reality apart from desire, to achieve pure faith, and to have clear, sharp faculties .

"This is great enlightening beings' fourth dedication, dedication reach­ ing all places.  When great enlightening beings abide in this dedication, they achieve physical action reaching all places, being able to appear responsively in all worlds; they achieve verbal action reaching all places, expounding the truth in all places; they achieve mental action reaching all places,  accepting and holding the truth explained by all Buddhas; they attain the power of psychic travel reaching everywhere, going in response to beings' minds; they attain recollective  and explanatory powers reaching all places, able to please beings according to their mentalities; they gain entry into the realm of reality reaching all places, able to enter all worlds in a single pore; they attain entry into bodies reaching all places , able to enter the bodies of all beings in the body of one being; they attain universal perception  of the ages reaching  all places, in each age always seeing all the Buddhas; they attain instanta­ neous universal perception reaching all places, moment  to moment seeing all the Buddhas appear before them. When great enlightening beings attain dedication reaching all places,  they are able to dedicate roots of goodness in this way. ''

Then the enlightening being Diamond Banner, empowered by the Buddhas, looked over the ten directions and said,

 

To all internal and external worlds

Enlightening beings have no attachments at all,

Yet do not abandon works beneficial to sentient beings: The great ones cultivate this kind of knowledge.

 

In all lands in the ten directions

They do not depend  or dwell on anything; They do not grasp things, such as livelihood, And do not arbitrarily create distinctions.

 

They deal with all  sentient beings In all worlds in the ten directions;

Observing their essential nature has no existence, They practice dedication reaching everywhere.

 

558  Tlzc Flower Omammt Script11rc

 

Dealing with all compounded and uncompounded things, They do not entertain errant thoughts about them,

Or  in  regard  to  anything  in  the  world:

The Lamps that Illumine the World are aware in this way.

 

The works carried out by enlightening beings

Arc di fferent in superior, middling, and lower grades; In all of them they dedicate roots of goodness

To all the Buddhas of the ten directions.

 

Enlightening beings, by dedication, reach transcendence, Accomplishing what they learn from the Buddhas; They always think well based on subtle knowledge

And embody the best of human qualities .

 

Thei r pure roots of goodness they universally dedicate To help the deluded, never abandoning them:

They enable all sentient beings to become Unexcelled lamps that illumine the world.

 

They never conceptualize sentient beings Nor think of things with false imagination;

Though in the world, they have no attachments , Yet also do not abandon conscious creatures.

 

Enlightening beings always enjoy tranquil nullity

By following which they attain the realm  of nirvana; Yet they do not abandon the realm of sentient beings: They have attained such subtle knowledge.

 

Enlightening beings do not conceptualize actions And do not grasp their results :

All  worlds  arc  born  from  conditions­ Things cannot be seen apart from causality.

 

Deeply entering such realms ,

They do not create vain discriminations therein: The tamers of all sentient beings

Herein understand skilled dedication.

 

 

"What is great enlightening beings ' dedication of inexhaustible trea­ suries of virtue? Here they dedicate the roots of goodness produced by repentance and removal of hindrances caused by past actions, the roots of goodness produced by paying respect to all Buddhas, the roots of goodness produced by requesting all Buddhas to teach, the roots of

 

Te11 Dedications   559

goodness produced by listening to Buddhas' teaching, diligently practic­ ing it, and realizing the vast realm of the inconceivable, the roots of goodness produced by rejoicing at the virtues of all Buddhas  and  all sentient beings of the past, future, and present,  the roots of goodness of all Buddhas, the roots of goodness achieved by the dilligent practice of infinite enlightening beings, the roots of goodness produced by enlight­ ening beings knowing of and rejoicing in the Buddhas of all  times attaining true enlightenment, teaching the truth, and taming sentient beings, the roots of goodness in rejoicing at the Buddhas of all times cultivating enlightening practice from their first inspiration, attaining supreme true awakening, finally appearing to enter ultimate extinction , and, a fter their extinction, the true teaching remaining in the world until passing away; thus enlightening beings think of the inexplicable realm of the Buddhas as well as their own realm  and the unhindered realm  of enlightenment-such  tremendous,  innumerable  different roots of goodness, all they accumulate, all they believe in, all they rejoice in, all they ful fill, all they accomplish, all they practice, all they attain, all they arc aware o f, all they embody, all they develop, they dedicate to adorn all the buddha-lands, like the realm of action of all  the  Buddhas in all worlds in boundless cons of the past-that is, incalculable, innu­ merable systems of buddha-worlds, known to the knowledge of Buddhas, perceived by enlightening  beings,  sensed by the great mind, issuing from and drawn forth by pure actions adorning buddha-fields, arising in response to sentient beings, created by the sublime practices of the enlightening being Universally Good, in which all the Buddhas become enlightened  and manifest various  autonomous  spiritual  powers-and like the purely adorned buddha-lands which will be attained upon enlightenment by the Buddhas throughout the future, pervading the cosmos, boundless, borderless , endless, infinite, all born of the knowl­ edge of the Buddhas, adorned by innumerable beautiful treasures­ ornaments of all fragrances , all flowers, all raiment, all treasuries of worthy qualities, all powers of Buddhas, and the embellishments of all buddha-lands; the capitals of the enlightened ones, inhabited by incon­ ceivable pure communities of people with existing a ffinity through similar practices who will attain true enlightenment in the future, developed by all the Buddhas, imperceptible to the world,  visible only to the pure eyes of enlightening beings. These enlightening beings have great powers and have  planted roots of goodness in the past;  knowing all things arc like phantoms and illusions, they cultivate the pure deeds of enlightening beings , entering absorption in inconceivable freedom, and with skill in means can perform the work of Buddhas,  emanate the light of Buddhas and illumine the world everywhere without limit.  All the Buddhas of the present also adorn worlds in this way,  with  bound­ less forms, lights, and colors, all made by virtues: innumerable fragrances, innumerable jewels, innumerable trees, innumerable ornaments, innu­ merable palaces, innumerable sounds, associates in accord  with a ffinities

 

560  The Flower Ornament Scripture

 

from the past, manifesting adornments of all worthy qualities, without end-adornments of all fragrances, garlands, powdered incenses, jewels, pennants, multicolored streamers of precious silk, balustrades ofjewels, countless ornaments of gold nets, rivers, clouds and rain, and music, innumerable such embellishments adorning the buddha-lands in all worlds throughout space, created by various deeds, known to the Buddhas and told of by the Buddhas:  that is,  buddha-lands of adornments, buddha-lands of purity, buddha-lands of equanimity, buddha-lands of subtle  refinements, buddha-lands   of magnificent   virtue,   buddha-lands of immensity, buddha-lands of peace and bliss, buddha-lands of indestructibility, buddha-lands of inexhaustibility, buddha-lands of infinity, buddha-lands of imperturbability, buddha-lands of fearles sness, buddha-lands of light, buddha-lands free from opposition,  buddha­ lands of delight, buddha-lands of all-illumining brightness, buddha­ lands of splendor, buddha-lands of refined beauty, buddha-lands of wonderful skill, preeminent, excellent, extraordinary, supreme, abso­ lutely supreme, surpassing, unexcelled, peerless, incomparable, inde­ scribable buddha-lands. To emulate these adornments of all the buddha-lands of past, future, and present, the great enlightening beings willingly dedicate their own roots of goodness to adorn a world in the same way, with the pure  adornments  of the lands of all Buddhas  of past, future, and  present,  to  produce,  purify, gather,  manifest, array, and maintain all adornments like those of the lands of all Buddhas, and to do the same for all worlds throughout the space of the cosmos, that they be replete with the various adornments of the lands  of the Buddhas of all times.

"Great enlightening beings also dedicate roots of goodness  in this way: 'May all the buddha-lands I cultivate be filled with great enlighten­ ing beings who are truly genuine,  with comprehensive knowledge,  able to distinguish all worlds and  sentient beings, to enter deeply into the realm of reality as well as the realm of space, who cast o ff folly and perfect the recollection of the Buddhas, recollection of the truth of the teaching, recollection of the infinity of the community, omnipresent everywhere, and who also remember equanimity,  their sun of truth full and round, their light of knowledge illumining everywhere, seeing without obstruction, born from nonacquisition, producing all aspects of Buddhahood, possessed of myriad supreme roots of goodness, engen­ dering the determination of unexcelled enlightenment, abiding in the powers of Buddhas, heading for omniscience, destroying the works of demons, puri fying the realm of sentient beings, entering deeply into the essential nature  of things, forever getting rid of delusion,  bringing all roots of goodness and great vows  to fruition-may such enlightening beings fill those lands, born in such places, having such virtues, always performing the work of buddhahood, attaining the pure  light  of com­ plete enlightenment, possessed of knowledge of the realm  of reality, mani festing the power of spiritual faculties, filling all realms with one

 

Ten Dedications     561

 

body, attammg great knowledge and wisdom, entering the sphere of omniscience, able to distinguish infinite, boundless expressions and meanings of realms of phenomena and p rinciples, having no attach­ ments in any land, yet able to appear in all buddha-lands,  their minds like space, not relying on anything, yet able to distinguish all realms of phenom ena and principles, able to enter and emerge from inconceivable pro found concentrations, intent on omniscience, dwelling in the buddha­ fields, attaining the power of buddhahood, expounding countless truths without fear, conforming to the roots of goodness  of Buddhas  of all times, totally illumining the cos mos of truth of all enlightened ones, able to accept and hold all Buddhas ' teachings, knowing countless ways of speaking, able to enunciate inconceivably many different sounds, entering the unsurpassed stage of freedo m of the Buddhas, traveling throughout all worlds in the ten directions without hindrance, practicing noncontcntion and nonreliance, not falsely discriminating anything, cultivating, practicing, and enlarging the determination for enlightenment, attaining knowledge of skill in means, of expression and meanings , able to explain and expound them step-by-step. I vow to cause such enlight­ ening beings to adorn those lands, distributed throughout, living in peace and accord, well cultivated, extremely well cultivated, pure, extremely pure, calm and serene. May there be, in each and every region of one buddha-land infinitely many such great enlightening beings filling  it, and may all buddha-lands throughout space, throughout the cosmos, all be filled with great enlightening beings in the same way. '

"Great enlightening beings expediently dedicate all  roots  of good­ ness to all buddha-lands, to all enlightening beings, to all Buddhas, to the enlightenment of all Buddhas, to all great vows,  to all essential ways of emancipation, to purifying all realms of sentient beings,  to always seeing the Buddhas appear in all worlds,  to always seeing the life of the enlightened ones as infinite, and to always seeing the Buddhas pervading the cos mos turning the unimpeded, nonregressing wheel of teaching.

" When great enlightening beings dedicate roots of goodness in this way, because they enter all buddha-lands, all buddha-lands arc purified; because they reach all realms of sentient beings, all enlightening beings are purified; because they will the appearance of Buddhas in all buddha­ lands, in all buddha-lands in all universes the embodiments of the enlightened transcendentally manifest.

"By means of such peerless dedication great enlightening beings proceed toward omniscience, their minds broad and vast as space, without any limitations; entering inconceivability, they know all ac­ tions and the resulting consequences arc null, so their minds arc always equanimous. Having no bounds, they are able to enter all realms of reality.

" When great enlightening beings practice dedication in this way, they do not conceive of self or possessions, do  not conceive of Buddha or

 

562  Tlzc Flower Omamct1t Scripture

 

Buddha teaching, do not conceive of lands or adornment,  do not conceive of sentient beings or civilization, do not conceive of action or results of action ; they do not cling to thought or what is produced by thought, they do not deny cause and ctTect, they do not grasp things, they do not grasp principles, they do not say birth and death  has mentation, they do not say nirvana is eternal tranquility,  they do not say the enlightened realize buddhahood-therc is not the slightest thing that coexists with reality.

"When great enlightening beings practice dedication in this \vay, they give all roots of goodness over to sentient beings, to assure their development of maturation, teaching and edifying them impartially, without mental images, without objectification, without assessment, without falsehood, avoiding all vain discrimination and conceptual clinging.

"Once great enlightening beings have made this dedication,  they attain inexhaustible roots of goodness: that is, they attain inexhaustible roots of goodness because they keep all enlightening beings in mind; they attain inexhaustible roots of goodness because they purify the buddha-lands; they attain inexhaustible roots of goodness because they purify all realms of sentient beings; they attain inexhaustible roots of goodness because they delve deeply into the realm of reality; they attain inexhaustible roots of goodness because they cultivate immeasurable minds equal to the realm of space; they attain inexhaustible roots of goodness because they profoundly understand the realm of all Buddhas; they attain inexhaustible roots of goodness because they diligently cultivate the work of enlightening beings; they attain inexhaustible roots of goodness because they comprehend the past, present, and future.

"When great enlightening beings dedicate all  roots  of goodness in this way, they understand that all realms of sentient beings have no sentient beings; they understand that all things have no life; they know that all things have no creator; they realize all things have no personality; they comprehend that all things have no conflict; they sec that all things come from conditions and have no abode; they know all things have no basis; they know all lands have no location; they observe that enlighten­ ing beings' practices also have no locus; they sec that all objects have no existence.

"When great enlightening beings practice such dedication, their eyes ultimately never sec impure buddha-lands, nor do they sec sentient beings of differing characteristics; there is not the slightest thing entered by knowledge, nor the slightest knowledge entering things. They un­ derstand the body of the Enlightened is not like empty space, because it is perfected by all virtues and infinite sublime qualities,  and because in all places it causes sentient beings to accumulate a sufficiency of roots of goodness.

"These great enlightening beings moment to moment attain unspeak­ ably unspeakable numbers of stages of the ten powers, arc filled with all

 

Tm Dcdiwtions       563

 

virtues , fully develop pure roots of goodness, and arc fields of blessings t() r all sentient beings. These great enlightening beings develop treasur­ ies of vi rtues like wish-ful fill ing jcwcls,  obtaining all com forts  as  needed, able to ado rn all lands vvhcrevcr they go, purifying untold numbers of sentient bein gs wherever they go, because of embracing virtue, cultivat­ ing and mastering the practices.

"When great en lightening beings practice dedication in this way, they cultivate the practices of all enlightening beings, their virtues arc extraordinary, their appearance is incomparable,  their spiritual force and radiance surpass all \\'orldlings, so that demons and demonic people cannot look upon them . Their roots of goodness arc com pktc, their great vows arc accomplished, their minds ever broadening, equal to the omniscient. In a single moment of attention they can pervade innumera­ ble buddha-lands. The power of their knowledge is immeasurable, and they have  arrived  at the sphere  of all Buddhas.  They have  profound f1 ith in all Buddhas, and abide in boundless knowledge, the power of their will tor enlightenment Js vast as the cosmos, as ultimate as space.

"When great enlightening beings abide in this dedication, they attain ten inexhaustible treasuries: they attain an inexhaustible treasury of seeing Buddhas, because in a single pore they sec countless Buddhas appcJring in the world; they attain an inexhaustible treasury of entry into truth , because by the po\vcr of Bud dha-knowledge they sec all things in one truth; they attain an inexhaustible treasury of memory, because they retain the teachings expounded by all Buddhas without t(ngctting any; they attain an inexhaustible treasury of certain wisdom , because they know the secret techniques  in the teachings expounded by all Buddhas; they attain an inexhaustible  treasury  of understand­ ing mean in g and intent, because they know the distinctions of prin­ ciples of the teachings; they attain an inexhaustible treasury of boundless realization, because they comprehend  all things of all  times by means of spacelike kno vvl cdge; they attain an inexhaustible treasury of felicitous virtues, because they satisfy the wishes of all sentient beings without end; they attain an inexhaustible treasury of intrepid  know­ ledge and awareness, because they arc able to remove and destroy all sentient beings' blinders of ignorance and folly; they attain an inex­ haustible treasury of definitive powers of elucidation, because they expound the impartial teaching of all Buddhas so that all sentient beings understand; they attain an inexhaustible treasury of the ten powers and f(ni r fearlcss nesses, because they ful fill all practices of enlightening

beings. \v rap their heads in the turban of nondc filcment, and arrive at an unobstructed omniscience. When great enlightening beings dedicate all roots of goodness, they attain these ten inexhaustible

trcasunes .

Then the enlighten ing being Diamond Banner looked over the ten

di rections and said in verse,

 

564  The Flower Ornament Scripture

 

E nlightening beings perfect profound mental power, Attaining mastery of all the teachings;

The blessings of their petitions and appreciation They dedicate by unimpeded means.

 

The enlightened ones of past, present, and future Beautify buddha-lands throughout the cosmos: Enlightening beings, ful filling all virtues,

Dedicate them to purify lands the same way.

 

The teachings of Buddhas of all times Enlightening beings ponder carefully, Taking them all into their minds, Thereby adorning the buddha-lands.

 

Be the virtues of all buddha-lands extolled Throughout all eons of past, present, and future, The cons of all time may be exhausted

But the virtues of buddha-lands have no end.

 

All such buddha-lands

Do enlightening beings see:

Therewith is adorned one buddha-land And all buddha-lands, this way.

 

There are Buddha-children whose minds are pure,

All born by transformation from the enlightening teaching, With all virtues adorning their minds,

Who  fill  all  buddha-lands.

 

Those enlightening beings all are endowed

With bodies  adorned  with infinite signs of greatness; With powers of clarification their teaching fills the world, Inexhaustible as the ocean.

 

Enlightening beings s ojourn in many concentrations And have ful filled all necessary practices;

Their minds are pure beyond compare And their light illumines all worlds.

 

Thus arc all buddha-lands

Filled with such enlightening beings:

They've never thought of the listeners' vehicle Or sought the individual illuminates' way.

 

 

Thus arc enlightening beings pure of heart, Dedicating virtues to all living beings,

Wanting to cause all to become truly enlightened And fully know the Buddha's truths.

 

All demons and enemies in the ten directions

The enlightening beings' awesome power subdues; Their intrepid knowledge and wisdom arc invincible As they practice with certainty the ultimate way.

 

Due to enlightening beings' great will power Their dedications cannot be hindered;

They enter the inexhaustible treasury of virtue Which is forever endless, throughout all time.

 

Enlightening beings observe all conditioned things And understand their nature is not independent; Thus knowing  the nature of things  is like  this They don't wrongly grasp acts or results.

 

There arc no things with form, nor formless things; Nor arc there concepts of being or nonbeing; Existence and nonexistence-neither exist;

They realize all arc ungraspable.

 

All  things  arc  born  of causes  and  conditions-

Their essential nature is neither existent or nonexistent; And in causes and conditions, what they produce

They ultimately have no attachments at all.

 

Of what all sentient beings say

They ultimately don 't grasp anything;

They know names and signs arc all mentation And clearly understand things arc identityless.

 

As the nature of sentient beings is fundamentally null, So do they know all things arc null;

All things in past, present, and future, Lands  and  deeds-all  arc  equal.

 

Such knowledge do they dedicate,

Virtous action born according to their understanding: The signs of these virtues too they understand  thus, That there's nothing to grasp therein.

 

566  The Flower Omamcnt Scripture

 

Thus their mind of dedication 's unsullied; Never calculating the nature of things, Comprehending their nature is not a nature,

They do not dwell in the world yet do not leave it.

 

The good works which they do They dedicate to all living beings,

Not failing to realize their true nature, Abandoning discrimination.

 

All the false views there arc They abandon entirely;

Free from inflam ing afflictions,  always cool, They abide in the unobstructed state of liberation.

 

Enlightening beings do not destroy anything Or annihilate the nature of things:

They understand all things arc like echoes And have no attachment to them at  all .

 

They know all sentient beings of all times

Come from combinations of causes and conditions: They also know their inclinations and habits

And never annihilate anything.

 

They realize the nature of actions is not action

And yet do not contradict the characteristics of things, And they do not destroy the results of deeds,

But explain the nature of things as conditional.

 

They understand sentient beings have no birth And there arc no sentient beings to transmigrate: There arc no real sentient beings to speak to,

But according to conventional norms they provisionally teach.

 

"What is great enlightening beings' dedication causing all roots of goodness to endure? Here the cn1ightcning  beings  may  be rulers  of great nations, their virtue extending to all, their fa me shaking the world; their enemies all submit to them, and their commands  arc all based on correct principles . They hold a single canopy that gives shade to all quarters, and travel everywhere as leaders of the land,  unob­ structed  wherever  they turn, tying  on the turban  of nonddilemcnt. They arc sovereign masters of the law, and all  who sec them submit. They do not torture or punish people, yet all obey, moved by their virtue. They deal with sentient beings with liberality, kind words,

 

 

beneficial actions , and cooperation; as universal rulers , they provide for everyone.

"Enlightening beings, abiding in such sovereign virtues , have a great retinue; they cannot be undermined, they arc rid of all faults . No one ever tires of seeing them; adorned with felicitous virtues, their marks of greatness and embellishments are fully developed.  Their bodies and limbs are well proportioned, and they have robust,  healthy,  ideal hu­ man bodies . Their great strength is consummate and they cannot be constrained or overcome by anyone. They attain  pure action and are free from all barriers caused by actions.

"They fully practice all giving; sometimes they give food and drink, sometimes they give delicacies, sometimes they give conveyances, or clothing, or flower garlands, or incenses and perfumes , beds, scats, houses, lamps, medicines, precious vessels, jeweled carriages, trained elephants and horses, all magnificently adorned-they give all these gladly. If any come and ask for their throne, or canopies or parasols, banners, pennants, treasures, or other adornments, or the jeweled crowns on their heads, or the radiant jewels in their topknots, or even the rank of  ruler  itself,   they  begrudge  nothing.   If  they  sec  sentient  beings  in prison, they give up their treasures, their spouses, children, retinue, and even their own bodies, to rescue them and free them . If they see prisoners about to be executed, they give up their bodies in exchange for those prisoners ' lives . Then again, if they sec anyone come begging from them, begging for even their flesh or hair, they gladly give them ungrudgingly; their eyes, cars, noses, tongues, teeth, heads, hands, feet, blood, flesh, bones, marrow, internal organs, skin, fingers, toes, and nails, all they give with a joyful heart.

"In their quest for teachings they have never heard they would hurl themselves into pits of fire. In order to preserve the true teaching of the Buddhas they would endure all kinds of pain.  In seeking the teaching, for even one word of it they can  give up everything  within  the four seas. They continually civilize and guide sentient beings by means of right teaching, causing them to cultivate good practices and abandon evil . If they sec sentient beings physically harming others, they kindly rescue them and cause them to give up wrongdoing.

"If they sec Buddhas attain supreme enlightenment, they praise them ,

causing everyone to hear and know of them. They may donate land and provide for and attend  to them.  They may  give their own bodies  to those who ask, or they may give them to the Buddhas. Because of their quest for the truth they arc extremely joyful; they provide service and support fo r sentient beings. They might give up their kingship, their cities, towns, villages, palaces, gardens and groves , spouses, children , and retinues, ful filling all requests. Sometimes they give away all neces­

sities of li fe to establish great assemblies of giving, from which none arc prohibited,  and provide for the needs of all the sentient beings  who com e-all  kinds  of fields  of blessings-whether  they  come  from  a far  or

 

568  The Flower Ornament Scrip ture

 

nearby, whether they arc intelligent  or stupid,  no matter  what they look like, whether they arc male or female, whether human or nonhuman, their mental patterns different, their requirements each different; the enlightening give to all to satisfy everyone.

"When enlightening beings give in this way, they develop a mind of good control, with which they practice dedication: controlling the body well, controlling sensation, conception, action, and consciousness well, controlling sovereignty well, controlling followers well, controlling means of subsistence well, controlling generous giving well, they ac­ cordingly cause all roots of goodness to be firm and enduring.

"Whatever great enlightening beings give, their charity being boundless, they dedicate those roots of goodness in this way: when they give fine food to sentient beings,  their minds are pure and have no covetousness or attachment to what they give, nor do they begrudge anything; they practice giving fully, praying that all sentient beings gain the food of knowledge and wisdom, their minds unobstructed, comprehending the nature  of food and having no greed or attachment,  only enjoying the food of truth and the food of emancipation, filled with knowledge and wisdom, firmly abiding  by the truth,  embodying roots of goodness, with the body of reality and the body of knowledge traveling in purity; taking pity on sentient beings,  to be fields of blessing they appear to take solid food. This is great enlightening beings' dedication of good roots when they give food.

" When great enlightening beings give something to drink, they dedi­ cate these roots of goodness  in  this way:  they pray  that all sentient beings drink of the water of the flavor of truth, diligently cultivate the whole way of enlightening beings, cut off thirst for the world,  always seck enlightened knowledge,  leave the realm of desire, attain the joy and bliss of truth, produce their bodies from the pure teaching, always tune and control their minds by means of concentration, enter the ocean of knowledge, produce great clouds of teaching, shower great rain of teaching. This is great enlightening beings' dedication of roots of good­ ness when they give things to drink .

"Great enlightening beings give various flavors-pungent,  sour,  salty, bland, as well as sweet, various flavors, rich, able to cause the body's clements to be settled and harmonious, the skin and body well developed, the energy strong, the heart clear and pure and always joy ful; not causing vomiting when eaten, making the senses clear and sharp, the internal organs fully developed and impervious to poison and disease, without distress,  forever attaining  comfort. These roots  of goodness they  dedicate  in  this  way:   'May  all  sentient  beings  gain  the  supreme fl avor of ambrosia; may all sentient beings obtain the flavor of the knowledge of truth, and comprehend the function of all flavors; may all sentient beings obtain the flavor of infinite truths, know the realm of reality, and abide at peace in the great citadel of truth in ultimate reality; may all sentient beings produce great clouds of teachings throughout

 

the cosmos, shower the rain of truth everywhere,  teach,  edify, and civilize all sentient beings; may all sentient beings gain the flavor of supreme knowledge, that the unexcelled joy of truth fill their  minds and bodies; may all sentient beings obtain all the excellent flavors of nonattachmcnt, and not be addicted to mundane tastes, but always diligently cultivate and practice all aspects of buddhahood; may all sentient beings gain the flavor of one truth and realize that all Buddha teachings arc without difTerencc; may all sentient beings gain the flavor of supreme victory and ride on omniscience,  never turning back;  may all sentient beings gain the flavor of entry into the truth of the nondiffcrcnce of all Buddhas , and be able to distinguish all faculties; may all sentient beings attain increase of the savor of the teaching and ahvays be able to ful fill the Buddhas' teaching of nonobstruction. ' This is the great enlightening beings ' dedication of roots of goodness when giving flavorings, to cause all sentient beings to cultivate virtue and all be fully endowed with the body of unobstructed knowledge.

"When great enlightening beings give conveyances, they dedicate the roots of goodness in this way:  'May all sentient beings gain the vehicle of complete omniscience, and ride in the Great Vehicle, the indestructi­

ble vehicle, the supreme vehicle, the highest vehicle, the swift vehicle, the vehicle of great power, the vehicle replete with virtue, the vehicle leaving mundanity, the vehicle that produces the innumerable enlighten­ ing beings .' This is the great enlightening beings' dedication of roots of goodness when giving conveyances.

"When great enlightening beings give clothing, they dedicate the roots of goodness in this way: 'May all sentient beings gain the raiment of shame and conscience  wherewith  to cover their bodies;  may they give up the erroneous practice of heretics who expose their bodies; may their color be lustrous and their skin fine and soft; may they attain the foremost bliss of the Buddhas, and attain the most pure comprehensive knowledge of ways of liberation. ' This is great enlightening beings' dedication of roots of goodness when giving clothing.

"Great enlightening beings arc constantly giving out various fine flowers-flowers  of subtle  fragrance,   flowers  of various  colors,  innu­ merable extraordinary flowers, beautiful flowers, delightful flowers, flowers of all seasons, celestial flowers, flowers of the human world, highly   prized   flowers,   extremely   fragrant  and   delightful   flowers­ innumerable such fine flowers they offer to living Buddhas and to the shrines of extinct Buddhas, to those who expound the teaching, to mendicants, to all enlightening beings, to good teachers, to Buddhist disciples, to self-en lightened ones, to parents, relatives, even themselves, as well as to all the poor and destitute.  When they give,  they dedicate the roots of goodness in this way: 'May all sentient beings attain the flowers of concentration of the Buddhas, able to cause all the teachings to bloom; may all sentient beings become as pleasing and endlessly delightful to all they meet, as the Buddhas arc; may all sentient beings

 

570  Tlzc Flower Omamcnt Scripture

 

be satisfied by what they sec, and be free from disturbance and agitation; may all sentient beings fully carry out far-reaching pure works; may all sentient beings always remember good associates, their minds unchanging; may all sentient beings be like all-curing medicine, able to remove the toxins of all a fflictions; may all sentient beings fulfill great vows and all get to be rulers of unexcelled knowledge; may all sentient beings, with the light of the sun of knowledge and wisdom, destroy the darkness of ignorance and folly; may all sentient beings' pure moon of enlighten­ ment wax full; may all sentient beings enter the land of great treasures, meet true knowers, and fully develop all roots of goodness. ' This is the great enlightening beings ' dedication of roots of goodness when giving flowers, to cause sentient beings to all attain pure, unobstructed knowledge.

"When great enlightening beings give garlands, they dedicate the roots of goodness in this way: ' May all sentient beings be a pleasure for all people to behold, so that all who sec them admire them, all who sec them feel friendly toward them, all who see them like them,  all who sec them look up to them, all who sec them arc relieved of anxiety, all who sec them  become joyful, all who sec them give up  evil,  all who  sec them may always approach the Buddhas,  and all who sec them arc purified and attain omniscience. ' This is the great enlightening beings' dedication of roots of goodness when giving garlands.

"When great enlightening beings give incense,  they dedicate the roots of goodness in this way: 'May all sentient beings be filled with the fragrance of morality, and attain to the standards of not being heedless, not being impure, not being defiled , having nothing to regret, becom­ ing free from bondage, being unfrcnzicd, nontransgrcssion, noncxtrcm­ ism, emancipation from the world, and the transcendent ways of en­ lightening beings. May all sentient beings, by these precepts, all accom­ plish the body of morality of all Buddhas.' This is great enlightening beings' dedication of roots  of goodness when giving incense,  in order to cause sentient beings all to be able to complete the body of unob­ structed morality.

" When great enlightening beings give perfumes, they dedicate the roots of goodness  in this way: 'May all  sentient  beings  be perfumed with the  fragrance of generosity,  able to give whatever they have. May all sentient beings be perfumed with the fragrance of morality, attaining the ultimately pure morality of the enlightened. May all sentient beings be perfi.1mcd with the fragrance of tolerance, giving up all harm ful intentions. May all sentient beings be perfumed with the fragrance of energy, always wearing the armor of heroic e ffort of the great vehicle. May all sentient beings be perfumed with the fragrance of concentration, abiding peacefully in the concentration in which the Buddhas appear to them. May all sentient beings be perfumed with the fragrance of wisdom, in a single moment becoming sovereigns  of unexcelled  knowledge. May all sentient beings be perfumed with the fragrance of truth, attain-

 

Te11 Dedications   571

 

ing fearlessness in the highest teaching. May all sentient beings  be perfumed with the  fragrance of virtue,  developing  all knowledge  of great merit and virtue. May all sentient beings be perfumed with the fragrance of enlightenment, attain the ten powers of buddhahood,  and reach the other shore. May all sentient beings be perfumed with  the sublime fra grance of pure ways and forever annihilate all bad qualities .' This is great enlightening beings' dedication of roots of goodness when giving perfumes .

"When great enlightening beings give couches , they dedicate the roots of goodness in this way: 'May all sentient beings obtain celestial couches and realize great knowledge and wisdom;  may  all  sentient beings obtain the couch of sages, give up the mentality of ordinary men and abide in the aspiration for enlightenment; may all sentient  beings obtain the couch of peace  and happiness,  forever parting from all the pains and a fflictions of birth and death; may all sentient beings obtain the couch of the ultimate  and get to see the autonomous  spiritual powers of the Buddhas; may all sentient beings obtain the couch of equanimity, and always cultivate all good ways; may all sentient beings obtain the couch of supremacy and ful fill pure action which has no peer in the world; may all sentient beings obtain the couch of tranquility, realize the truth and reach ultimate reality; may all  sentient  beings obtain the couch of purity, and cultivate the Buddha's sphere of pure knowledge; may all sentient beings obtain the couch of security  and have the constant protection of good teachers; may all sentient beings obtain the couch of lions  and lie on their right sides the way  Buddhas do. ' This is the great enlightening beings ' dedication of roots of good­ ness when giving couches.

"When great enlightening beings give rooms and shelters, they dedi­

cate  the  roots  of  goodness  in  this  way:   'May  all  sentient  beings  gain peaceful residence in pure buddha-lands and diligently cultivate all virtues,  abide  peacefully in the realm of profound concentration  and give up all attachment to dwelling places, realize all dwelling places have no existence, detach from all worlds,  abide in omniscience,  take in the abodes of all Buddhas, live in the abode of peace and com fort of the ultimate path, always rest on supremely pure roots of goodness,  and never leave the unexcelled abode of the Buddhas. ' This is great enlight­ ening beings' dedication of roots of goodness when giving shelters, because they wish to benefit all sentient beings and think of how to help them out according to their needs.

"When great enlightening beings give places to live, they dedicate the roots of goodness in this way: 'May all sentient beings obtain what is really good for them, that their minds be happy and at peace; may all sentient beings live according to the Buddha, according to great knowledge, according to good teachers, according to what  is most worthy of respect, according to good actions, according to great kindness, according to great compassion, according to the six ways of transcen-

 

572  The Flower Ornametlf Scriptu re

 

dence, according to the great determination for enlightenment, and according to the path of all enlightening beings.' This is great enlighten­ ing beings' dedication of roots of goodness when giving places to live, because they want to cause everyone's virtue, ultimate state, knowledge, path, principles, morality, aspirations, faith, vows, and all qualities of spiritual faculties , to be pure.

" When great enlightening beings give lamps-butter lamps, oil lamps, jewel lamps, crystal lamps, lacquer lamps, fire lamps, aloe lamps, sandalwood lamps, lamps of all fragrances , lamps with lights of infinite colors-when they give innumerable such lamps, in order to benefit all sentient beings, to include a ll sentient beings, they dedicate the roots of goodness in this way: 'May all sentient beings attain infinite light and illumine the true teachings of all Buddhas; may all sentient beings attain pure light, and clearly perceive the most subtle and minute forms in the world; may all sentient beings attain unclouded  light,  and realize that the realms of sentient beings are empty, without existence; may all sentient beings attain boundless light, so their bodies emit subtle radi­ ance illumining everything; may all sentient beings attain all-illuminating light, and their minds never retreat from the teachings of the Buddhas; may all sentient beings attain the pure light of Buddhas, appearing in all lands; may all sentient beings attain unobstructed light, one light illumi­ ning everything in the cosmos; may all sentient beings attain uninter­ rupted light, illuminating the buddha-lands, the light unbroken; may all sentient beings attain the light of the banner of knowledge, illumining the world; may all sentient beings attain light of infinite colors, shining on all fields and manifesting spiritual powers .' Thus enlightening beings, when they give lamps, wishing to benefit all sentient beings,  to give peace and happiness to all sentient beings, follow all sentient beings by these roots of goodness, embrace all sentient beings by these roots of goodness, distribute to all sentient beings these roots of goodness, treat all sentient beings kindly by these roots of goodness, satisfy all sentient beings by these roots of goodness, take care of all  sentient  beings  by these roots of goodness, rescue all sentient beings by these roots of goodness, focus their minds on sentient beings by these roots of goodness, equally benefit all sentient beings by these roots of goodness,  and observe all sentient bein gs by these roots of goodness. This is great enlightening beings' dedication of roots of goodness when giving lamps. They dedicate thus without hindrance,  causing sentient beings to dwell on roots of goodness.

"When enlightening beings give medicines, they dedicate the roots of goodness in this way: 'May all sentient beings attain ultimate emancipa­ tion from all shrouds  and bonds;  may all sentient beings  forever be rid of the body of sickness and attain the body of the enlightened; may all sentient beings become great medicines themselves, annihilating the sickness of all that is not good; may all sentient beings  perfect the medicine that relieves all illness and abide securely in the enlightening

 

Ten Dedications     573

 

beings ' stage of non regression; may all sentient beings develop the medicines of enlightenment and be able to extract the poison arrows of all afflictions; may all sentient beings draw ncar to worthies and sages, annihilate a ffliction s, and cultivate pure practices; may all sentient beings become great physicians, forever eliminating all illnesses and not letting them recur; may all sentient beings be indestructible trees of medicine, able to cure all sentient beings; may all sentient beings attain the light of omniscience and remove the myriad arrows of sickness; may all sentient beings know how to formulate worldly medicines, to cure the illnesses there. ' When great enlightening beings give medicines,  they dedicate the roots of goodness  in this way to cause all sentient beings  to be forever free from sicknesses, to be ultimately at case,  to be ultimately pure, to be free from illusion like the Buddha, to remove the arrows of all sicknesses , to attain an inexhaustible, healthy body, to attain an indestructible body, to attain a strong body, to attain the complete comfort of Buddhahood, which cannot be taken away, and to attain the independent, strong body of all Buddhas.

"Great enlightening beings arc able to generously give all kinds of vessels-gold vessels filled with jewels, silver vessels filled with jewels, lapis lazuli vessels filled with various precious substances, glass vessels filled with innumerable jewel ornaments, mother-of-pearl vessels filled with red pearls, agate vessels tilled with coral, white jade vessels fil led with myriad delicacies, sandalwood vessels filled with celestial raiment, diamond vessels filled with myriad  sublime  fragrances-countless pre­ cious vessels of all kinds, filled with innumerable various treasures; they give them to Buddhas, because they believe the Buddhas'  field of blessings is inconceivable; they give to enlightening  beings,  because they know that wise teachers are hard to find; they give to holy mendicants, to cause the Buddha teachings to remain in the world; they give to disciples of Buddhas and to individual illuminates, because they have pure faith in the sages;  they give to their parents,  out  of respect; they give to their teachers  and predecessors,  that they may  always teach, to induce the cultivation of virtues in accord with the i njunctions of the sages; they give to the lowly, poor, and destitute,  because they regard all sentient beings equally with the loving eye of great benevo­ lence and compassion; they give out of devotion to ful fillment of the transcendent generosity of all enlightening beings of past, present, and future; they give everything to everyone, because  they never reject sentient beings.  When they give in this way, they have  no attachment to the gift or the receiver.

"When great enlightening beings give various precious vessels filled with innumerable precious things like this , they dedicate the roots of goodness in this way: 'May all sentient beings become vessels equal to the boundless receptacle of space, with vast rccollectivc power able to absorb and retain all worldly and transmundanc scriptures, without forgetting anything; may all sentient beings become vessels of purity,

 

574  The Flower Omament Scripture

able to understand the extremely profound true teaching of the Buddhas; may all sentien t beings become vessels of unexcelled jewels, able to receive and hold the teachings of Buddhas of all times; may all sentient beings become vast vessels of teaching of the enlightened, with inde­ structible faith taking in the methods of enlightenment of the Buddhas of all times; may all sentient bein gs become vessels adorned by supreme treasures, abiding in the most powerful will for enlightenment; may all sentient beings become vessels which arc receptacles of virtue, develop­ ing pure fa ith in the in f1n ite knowledge and wisdom of the enlightened; may all sentient beings become the vessel of approach and entry into omniscience and ultimatel y attain the unhindered liberation of the enlightened; rna y all sentient beings become vessels of enlightening practices throughout the future, able to cause sentient beings to all abide securely in the power of omniscience; may all sentient beings become vessels of the supreme qualities of the family of Buddhas of all times, able to receive and retain what is said by the Buddhas in their sublime

\'oi ces ; may all sentient beings become vessels containing the congrega­ tions and enlightenment scenes of all Buddhas of all worlds throughout the   space   of  the   cosmos ,   becoming  great  human   beings,   le:�ders   in praising the Buddhas and requesting them to turn the wheel of true teaching. ' This is great enlightening beings' dedication of roots of goodness when giving vessels, because they \vant to cause all sentient beings to be able to complete the vessel of the practice and vows of the Universally Good enlightening being.

"Great enlightening beings give various chariots, adorned with jewels, to the Buddhas, to enlightening beings, teachers, worthy companions, disciples of Buddhas and individual ill uminates, and innumerable vari­ ous  such  t1clds  of blessings,  including  the  poor  and  destitute.  Of these people, some come from afar, some come from nearby;  some come because they have heard of the enlightening beings, some come because of affinities with the enlightening beings, some come because they have heard of the vow of generosity which  the enlightening beings  made in the past, some come at the request of the enlightening beings themselves. At such a time, the enlightening beings may give jeweled chariots  or gold chariots, all beautifully adorned, covered with  nets  of chimes, with precious streamers trailing; they may give chariots  of the flncst lapis lazuli, decorated with countless rareties; they may give silver chariots, covered with golden  nets,  drawn  by swift horses;  they may give chariots adorned with countless mixed jewels, covered with jewel nets, drawn by elephants; they may give sandalwood  chariots,  with wheels of sublime jewels, canopies of mixed jewels, with lion scats of jewels set out in fine arrays with a hundred thousand  girls  sitting  in rows thereon, the carts driven  by a hundred  thousand  strong  men;  or they may give chariots of clear crystal, decorated with mixtures of gems, t1 lled with beautiful women, covered with jeweled curtains, with ban­ ners and pennants on the sides; they may give chariots of stores of

 

Te11 Dedicatio11s          575

 

agate, embellished with all precious substances, perfumed with various fragrances , adorned with all kinds of beautiful t1owers, with a hundred thousand girls holding jewel ornaments , the carts pulled by steeds equally well-trained, able to travel over dangerous places with case; or they   may  give   chariots  of solid  perfume,   with   wheels  of precious

substances, with massive, beautiful adornments, covered with jeweled drapes, trailing jewelled nets, the insides spread with various precious robes,  emitting fine, pure,  pleasing fragrances, attended by countless

celestials as they move along, providing all kinds of precious substances from time to time; they may present chariots of luminous jewels, the beautiful hues of the various jewels  thoroughly  translucent,  covered with nets of many wonderful jewels, with ornaments  of mixed jewels hangin g down on all sides , sprinkled with powdered incense, fragrant and clean inside and out,  with channing  men and women  riding  on them .

"When great enlightening beings present such chariots of myriad beauti ful gems to Buddhas, they dedicate the roots of goodness thus: "May all sentient beings be able to make o tTcrings to the highest field of blessings, give to Buddhas with deep faith, and attain infinite rewards; may all sentient beings turn their whole  minds  to the Buddha,  and always meet in finite pure fields of blessings; may all sentient beings begrudge nothing to the Buddhas, and fully perfect the mind of great relinquishment; may all sentient beings practice giving to the Buddhas, give up the aspirations of the two lesser vehicles, and attain the unob­ structed liberation and omniscient knowledge of the Buddhas; may all sentient beings practice endless giving to the Buddhas and enter the knowledge and wisdom of Buddhas, with infinite virtues; may  all sentient beings enter the supreme knowledge of Buddhas and be able to become sovereigns of pure, unexcelled knowledge; may all sentient beings attain the Buddhas' spiritual fa culty of reaching everywhere without obstruction, and go wherever they wish freely; may all sentient beings enter deeply into the Great Vehicle, attain immeasurable knowledge, and be stabilized therein, imperturbable; may all sentient beings be able to bring forth ways to omniscience and become supreme fields of blessings for humans and cclcstials; may all  sentient  beings have no antagonism toward the Buddhas , diligently plant roots of goodness, and happily seck enlightened knowledge; may all sentient beings spontaneously be able to go to all buddha-fields, going through­ out the cosmos in a single instant, without tiring;  may  all  sentient beings attain the free spiritual faculties of enlightening beings, distribute their bodies throughout space, approach and make ofTerings to all Buddhas; may all sentient beings attain the incomparable body, going everywhere in the ten directions, without wearying; may all sentient beings attain a vast  body  flying swiftly wherever  they want  to go, never flagging; may all sentient beings attain the ultimate power of freedom of all Buddhas, in a single instant manifesting the Buddhas'

 

576  The Flower Omament Scriptllre

 

spiritual powers and mystic displays throughout space; may all sentient beings cultivate peaceful, blissful practice, following the path of all enlightening beings; may all sentient beings attain speed in action, and consummate the knowledge and spiritual abilities of the ten powers; may all sentient beings enter all lands in the cosmos, annulling the boundaries so they arc equal and without distinction; may all sentient beings carry out the practice of universal goodness and wisdom, never retreating, reach the other shore, and attain omniscience; may all sen­ tient beings climb into the vehicle of peerless knowledge and, following the nature of things, see the truth as it really is .' This is the great enlightening beings' dedication of roots of goodness when presenting precious chariots to all Buddhas of the present or to the memorial shrines of Buddhas a fter they have passed away; this is to cause sentient beings to gain the unobstructed vehicle of ultimate emancipation of the enlightened.

"When great enlightening beings give precious chariots to good teachers such as enlightening beings, they dedicate the roots of good­ ness in this way: 'May all sentient beings always remember the teach­ ings of the wise and concentrate diligently on preserving them so they may not be lost; may all sentient beings share the same benefits as good teachers, all-inclusive, and have the same roots of goodness; may all sentient beings draw ncar to good teachers , respect and provide for them, giving up all they have to please them; may all sentient beings develop good aspirations and follow good associates, never leaving them; may all sentient beings always get to meet good teachers, wholeheartedly attend to them, and not oppose their instructions; may all sentient beings like good teachers and never reject them,  so there is no alienation,  no mixup,  and no error; may all sentient beings be able to give themselves to good teachers,  following their instructions with­ out opposition; may all sentient beings be accepted by good teachers, cultivate great compassion, and depart from all evils; may all sentient beings follow good teachers and listen to the truths spoken by the Buddhas; may all sentient beings have the same roots of goodness as the teachers, with pure results of action, and practice the same vows as the enlightening beings, ultimately accomplishing the ten powers; may all sentient beings be able  to accept and  apply  the methods of good teachers, and reach the realms of all concentrations, knowledge, wisdom, and spiritual powers; may all sentient beings be able to accept and hold all right teachings, put them into pra ctice, and reach the other shore; may all sentient beings ride in the Great V chicle, without any hindrance or obstruction, and ultimately com plete the path of omniscience; may all sentient beings manage to climb into the vehicle of all  knowledge and reach the abode of peace, without ever turning back;  may  all sentient beings know how to act according to reality, and  attain the ultimate of all the Buddha-teachings they hear,  never  forgetting; may all sentient beings be accepted by the Buddhas and attain unhindered

 

knowledge of ultimate truth; may all sentient beings attain autonomous spiritual powers which never fade away,  and be able to go wherever they want to in a single thought; may all sentient beings come and go freely, widely teaching and guiding,  causing others  to abide  in the Great Vehicle; may all sentient beings' acts be fruitful, borne by the vehicle of knowledge to the stage of the ultimate;  may all sentient beings gain the vehicle of nonobstruction and reach all places by unim­ peded knowledge. ' This is great enlightening beings ' dedication of roots of goodness when giving various  chariots  and  cars to good teachers ; it is to cause sentient beings to be fi lled with virtues equal to the Buddhas and enlightening beings.

"When great enlightening beings give precious chariots to mendicants, they engender the \viii to practice all giving, the will to comprehend thoroughly by knowledge, the will  to purify virtuous  qualities,  the mind which accords with relin quishment, the thought that true Bud­ dhist mendicants arc hard to meet, a mind of deep faith in the religious community, and the will to uphold right teaching. They abide  in supreme aspiration, to an unprecedented degree. They hold great assem­ blies of giving, producin g immeasurably great merit, with profound faith in the Buddha's teaching which cannot be undermined.  They dedicate the roots of goodness in this way:  'May  all  sentient  beings enter comprehensively into the Buddha-teachings and keep them in mind; may all sentient beings leave the state of ordinary ignorant people and enter the realm of sages; may all sentient beings quickly enter the ranks of the sages and be able to usc the Buddha-teachings to awaken and guide step-by-step;  may all sentient beings be respected and trusted by all the world; may all sentient beings enter into the  equality of all things and know that the inherent nature of things is nondual; may all sentient beings be born from the realm  of enlightened  knowledge  and be surrounded by docile harmonious people; may all sentient beings abide by the methods for removing defilement,  getting rid of the stains of all afflictions; may all sentient beings be able to form a supreme religious community, leave the state of ordinary people and enter the congregation of worthies and sages; may all sentient beings diligently practice good principles, attain unhindered knowledge, and be endowed with sagelike qualities; may all sentient beings attain wisdom, not be attached to the past, present, or future, and be free as kings among the masses; may all sentient beings ride the vehicle of knowledge and wisdom and turn the wheel of right teaching; may all sentient beings be endowed with spiritual fa culties and be able to go to innumerable worlds in a single thought; may all sentient beings ride the body of space, their k m) \vlcdge unobstructed in an y world; may all sentient beings enter all congregations of Buddhas  throughout cosmic  space, and accomplish the foremost practices of transcendence;  may all sen­ tient beings attain physical lightness and com fort and extraordinary knowledge and wisdom, and be able to enter all buddha-t1elds; may all

 

578  Tlzc Flotver Omament Scriptllrc

 

sentient beings attain unbounded skillful power of psychic travel, mani­ festing their bodies in all lands; may all sentient beings attain a body which relics on nothing  at all,  appearing everywhere  like  a rd1cction, by spiritual fa culties; may all sentient beings attain inconceivable autono­ mous spiritual powers, whereby they appear before those who may be taught, to edify and civilize them; may all sentient beings attain unhin­ dered means of entry into the reality realm,  in a single thought travel­ ing throughout all lands in the ten directions. ' This is great enlightening beings' dedication of roots of goodness  when giving  precious  chariots to mendicants; it is to cause sentient beings to all ride the vehicle of pure, unsurpassed knowledge, and in all worlds turn the unobstructed wheel of knowledge of truth.

"When great enlightening beings give precious chariots to Buddhist disciples and individual illuminates, they engender these  frames of mind: consciousness of fields of blessings; honor and respect; conscious­ ness of oceans of virtues; consciousness of ability to produce virtue and wisdom; consciousness of birth from the power of the virtues of the enlightened; consciousness of myriad cons of cultivation; consciousness of ability to cultivate enlightening practices over innumberablc cons; consciousness of escape from the bondage of all delusion; consciousness of destruction of all demons; consciousness of the light of wisdom illumining the unexcelled truth. The roots of goodness in this giving of chariots they dedicate in this way: 'May all sentient beings be supreme fields of blessings, believed in by the world, ful filling unexcelled transcendent generosity; may all sentient beings give up useless talk, always enjoy solitude, and have no second thoughts; may all sentient beings become most excellent pure fields of blessings, taking in all sentient beings and inducing them to cultivate acts which produce felicity; may all sentient beings become fonts of wisdom and be able to bestow on living beings immeasurable, innumerable rewards of roots of goodness; may all sentient beings persist in unhindered action, fully developing a pure, excellent field of blessings; may all sentient beings abide in non­ contention, realizing that all things do nothing and have cssencelcssness for their essence; may all sentient beings always get to be ncar the supreme field of blessings, fully cultivating immeasurable virtues; may all sentient beings be able to manifest immeasurable spiritual powers and include all conscious beings in a pure field of blessings; may all sentient beings be endowed with a field of blessings of inexhaustible virtues, able to bestow on beings the ten powers of the enlightened, the fruit of the foremost vehicle; may all sentient beings become fruitful, genuine fields of blessings, and develop the inexhaustible collection of blessings of all knowledge; may all sentient beings attain the way to extinguish wrongdoing, and be able to receive and hold the expressions  and meanings of Buddhas' teachings which they have never heard; may all sentient beings always diligently listen to and absorb all Buddha-teachings, and understand everything they hear, so that it is not in vain; may  all

 

sentient beings hear the principles of the Buddhas. comprehend their ultimate import, and be able to expound them according to what they have learned; may all sentient beings believe and practice the instruc­ tions of the enlightened, and forever give up all the false views of erroneous philosophies; may all sentient beings always sec worthies and sages and develop all the most excellent foundations of goodness;  may all sentient beings always trust people  who act wisely,  and associate with and respect the sages; may all sentient beings, hearing the names of Buddhas, not let it go to waste,  but all get to sec with their eyes those they  have  heard  o f;  may  all  sentient  beings  analyze  and  know  well  the right doctrines of the Buddhas.  and be able to protect  those  who hold the Buddha-teaching; may all sentient beings always enjoy listening to all Buddha-teachings, absorb and hold them. read and recite them, expound upon them, illumine them, and comprehend them; may all sentient beings believe and understand the true virtues of the Buddha's teachings, and give whatever they have in respectful o fferings .' This is the dedication of roots of goodness of great enlightening beings when giving various chariots and cars to disciples of Buddhas or individual illuminates, to cause all sentient beings to attain fulfillment of pure, supreme knowledge and spiritual powers, to cultivate practice diligently, and attain omniscience, power, and fearlessness.

"When great enlightening beings give precious chariots to fields of blessings including the poor,  the  destitute,  and the  orphaned,  they joy fully and tirelessly give whatever is needed, and even apologize to those people, 'I should have gone to o ffer you provisions, rather than trouble you to come so far and wear yourself out. ' Then they bow  and kneel before them. ask about their health, and give them whatever they need. Sometimes they give crystal  chariots  with  the finest women  in the land; sometimes they give gilded chariots with women prized in society; sometimes they give lapis lazuli chariots with dancing girls; sometimes they give chariots of various extraordinary jewels with maidens like goddesses; sometimes they give chariots adorned with innumerable jewels, with bejewelled women, gentle and bright, elo­ yucnt and intelligent; sometimes they give sandalwood chariots to ride; sometimes they give crystal chariots with bejewelled women in them, incomparably beautiful, dressed in sumptuous  robes,  a delight  to all who see; sometimes they give agate chariots, with crown princes riding in them; sometimes they give chariots of aromatic resins with all their sons and daughters in them; sometimes they give chariots adorned with all precious su bstances, with their relatives and good friends , so hard to give up, riding in them.

"Great enlightening beings respectfully give innumerable such pre­ cious chariots when they arc asked for, to satis fy all wishes and make people happy and content. They dedicate these roots of goodness in this way: 'May all sentient beings ride the universal vehicle, which rolls unimpeded and never turns back, to reach inconceivable trees of

 

580  The Flower Omament Scripture

 

enlightenment; may all sentient beings ride the vehicle of knowledge of the great teaching, based on pure causes, and cultivate enlightening practice throughout the future, never turning back; may  all  sentient beings ride the vehicle of the nonexistence of all things,  forever part from all conceptual clinging, and always practice the path of omniscience; may all sentient beings ride the vehicle of truthfulness and honesty, without flattery or deception,  and go to all buddha-fields freely, with­ out hindrance;  may all sentient  beings follow and abide by the vehicle of omniscience, pleasing each other with the principles of buddhahood; may all sentient beings all ride the vehicle of pure practices of enlighten­ ing beings and ful fill all the ways of emancipation and the bliss of concentration of enlightening beings; may all sentient beings ride a vehicle of four wheels-that is, living in a good land, staying with good people,  building up excellent virtues,  and making great vows-hereby ful filling the pure religious practice of all enlightening beings; may all sentient beings obtain the vehicle of the light of truth illumining every­ where throughout the ten directions,  and cultivate the power of knowl­ edge of all enlightened ones; may all sentient beings ride the vehicle of Buddha-teaching, and arrive at the other shore of all things; may all sentient beings ride the vehicle of the inconceivable teaching of myriad felicitous virtues, and show the right path of peace and serenity through­ out the ten directions; may all sentient beings ride the vehicle of great generosity,  sloughing off the dirt of stinginess; may all sentient beings ride the vehicle of pure morality,  maintaining pure precepts as bound­ less as the cosmos; may all sentient beings ride the vehicle of forbearance, and always be free of the  pollution of anger toward  sentient  beings; may all sentient beings ride the nonregressing vehicle of great diligence, steadfastly cultivate excellent practices, and proceed on the path of enlightenment; may all sentient beings ride the vehicle of meditation concentration, quickly reach the site of enlightenment, and realize en­ lightened knowledge; may all sentient beings ride the vehicle of wis­ dom and skill in means, and emanate bodies filling the realms of the Buddhas in all universes; may all sentient beings ride the vehicle of mastery of the teaching,  develop  fearlessness, and constantly distribute to all people teachings of methods to attain omniscience; may all sen­ tient beings ride the vehicle  of knowledge   without   attachment and  be able to enter everywhere in the ten directions  into the  real nature of things, and not be disturbed by anything; may all sentient beings ride the vehicle of the teachings of all Buddhas, appearing to be born in all lands throughout the ten directions,  without  losing  the path  of the Great Vchicle; may all sentient beings ride the vehicle of the supreme treasury of omniscience, and ful fill the practices and vows of the Uni­ versally Good enlightening being, without growing weary of it. ' This is the great enlightening beings' dedication of roots of goodness when giving precious chariots to fields of blessings,  including the poor and the orphaned, to cause sentient beings to have immeasurable knowledge,

 

 

to be joy ful and buoyant, and to all ultimately attain the vehicle of universal knowledge.

"Great enlightening beings give prize elephants, which arc docile, physically complete and in their prime years, with six tusks, pure and clean, lotuslike mouths red in color, bodies pure white, like mountains of snow; they arc ornamented with golden banners, covered with nets of jewels, with various exquisite gems adorning their trunks; all find endless delight in looking at them; they can walk thousands of miles without tiring. Also, enlightening beings give trained prize horses with all the characteristics of celestial steeds, with moonlike discs of exqui­ site jewels as luminous ornaments, covered with nets of gold bells, stepping evenly and straight so that the riders arc com fortable, going wherever wished as fast as the wind, traveling freely and unimpeded throughout  the  four  continents.   Enlightening  beings  give  these  prize elephants and horses to their parents , teachers , and to poor, suffering beings; their hearts arc broad and without regret or grudge, only increasing in joy and feeling more and more compassion and pity as they cultivate the virtues of enlightening beings and purify the enlightening mind. They dedicate these roots of goodness in this way: 'May all sentient beings abide in the vehicle of harmony and docility and in­ crease in all the virtuous qualities characteristic of enlightening beings; may all sentient beings attain the vehicle of libcrativc skills and be able to produce all enlightening teachings as necessary; may all sentient beings obtain the vehicle of resolute faith, universally illumining the power of unhindered knowledge of the enlightened; may all sentient beings attain the vehicle of inspiration, and be able to conceive all great vows; may all sentient beings ful fill the impartial vehicle of the ways of transcendence, and completely ful fill all impartial roots of goodness; may all sentient beings perfect the vehicle of treasures, bearing the unexcelled treasure of knowledge of all verities of l3uddhahood; may all sentient beings perfect the vehicle of adornment by the practices of enlightening beings, causing the flowers of the meditations of enlighten­ ing beings to bloom; may all sentient beings obtain the vehicle of unbounded swiftness, purifying the enlightening mind and earnestly contemplating for countless cons, comprehending all things; may all sentient beings perfect the great vehicle of supreme self-mastery, with skill in means ful filling the stages of enlightening beings; may all sentient beings perfect the highest, broadest, sturdiest Great Vchicle, able to carry all sentient beings to the state of all-knowledge.' This is great enlightening beings' dedication of roots of goodness when giving elephants and horses, to cause sentient beings to all ride the vehicle of unobstructed knowledge,  the vehicle to perfect completion  and arrival at Buddhahood.

"When great enlightening beings give scats or lion thrones to sit on,

those seats are high and wide and extremely beautiful, with lapis lazuli legs,  spread  with soft, supple raiment made of gold  thread,  arrayed

 

582  Tlz e Flower Ornament Scripture

 

with jeweled banners, perfumed with various delicate fragrances , decor­ ated with ornaments of innumerable various jewels, covered overhead with golden nets and jewel chimes rustling in the breeze and producing exquisite sounds, magnificently embellished all around with adorn­ ments of myriad unusual designs, looked up to l y all people, occupied only by crowned  monarchs   proclaiming  the law respectfully  followed by  all  states .  Those  monarchs  arc  also  adorned  with  beautiful jewels­ luminous jewels, sapphires, giant sapphires, jewel crystals from the finest mines, bright and clear as the sun, pure and cool as the moon; surrounding in profusion, like myriad stars, arc ornaments of supreme beauty, incomparable jewels of the sea,  solid banner-like treasures  of the sea, with extraordinary patterns and unusual appearances; their heads are crowned with turbans of finest gold and pure jewels,  they receive the rank of coronation, reign over the continent Jambu,  en­ dowed with immeasurable charismatic power, making kindness principal, conquering all those who arc hostile and inimical,  obeyed  wherever their commands reach . Great enlightening beings, becoming such monarchs, then give such jewel-adorned thrones to Buddhas,  the fore­ most fields of blessings, and to enlightening beings, genuine teachers, wise and holy mendicants, preachers of the teaching, parents, relatives, Buddhist disciples and individual illuminates, as well as those setting out on the vehicle of enlightening beings, and also to monuments of Buddhas,  and to all the poor and destitute,  the orphaned and homeless­ they give everything according to need. These roots of goodness they dedicate in this way: 'May all sentient beings sit on the scat of enlight­ enment and thoroughly awaken to the truth realized by all  Buddhas; may all sentient beings sit on the scat of freedom and attain indepen­ dence of things, which even diamond  mountains could  not break,  and be able to smash and conquer all the hordes of delusions;  may  all sentient beings gain the B uddha's lion throne of freedom, looked up to by all beings; may all sentient beings obtain chairs adorned with un­ speakably unspeakable numbers of various exquisite jewels, become masters of the teachings, and guide sentient beings; may a11 sentient beings attain the throne which is supreme in all worlds, adorned by extensive great foundations of goodness; may all sentient beings obtain scats which pervade unspeakably unspeakable numbers of worlds, such as could not be fully eulogized in immeasurable eons; may all sentient beings obtain the seat of profound mystic virtues , and their bodies fill all universes; may all sentient beings obtain scats of inconceivable numbers of all kinds of jewels, and extensively carry out the giving of teaching to whatever sentient beings arc considered in their past vows; may all sentient beings obtain scats of refined subtlety and manifest the spiritual powers of untold Buddhas; may all sentient beings obtain scats of all jewels, of all incenses, of all fl owers, of all robes, of all garlands, of all  crystals,  and  so  on-scats  of inconceivably  many various precious things, scats of innumerable worlds, pure scats of the adornments of all

 

worlds, seats of all diamonds, and manifest the powers and freedom of Buddhas, and ful fill most perfect enlightenment. ' This is great enlight­ ening beings' dedication of roots of goodness when giving seats of precious things, to cause sentient beings to obtain the seat of great enlightenment beyond the world and spontaneously become  aware  of the truths realized by all Buddhas.

"Great enlightening beings give various precious canopies, these cano­ pies extraordinary, used by nobles, adorned with various great jewels, most excellent among billions of fine canopies,  with supports  made of all precious substances, covered with fine meshes, with golden bells on jeweled strings hanging down all around and draped with crystal neck­ laces making elegant sounds in harmony with the stirring of the breeze, all decorated with treasuries of pearls and jades, filled with innumerable various rarcties, scented with sandalwood and aloe,  fully embellished with infinite precious substances like radiantly pure gold: such canopies they give with pure  hearts to Buddhas,  or to monuments  of Buddhas after their extinction, or, for the sake of the teaching, they give them to enlightening beings, good teachers, fJmous ministers of the teaching; or they give them to parents, or to mendicants, or to all the Buddhist teachings, or to various sentient beings as fields of blessings, or to religious leaders or venerable adepts, or those who have just  set their minds on enlightenment, and to all the poor, destitute, orphaned, and homeless-to all who seck, they give.  These roots of goodness  they dedicate in this way: 'May all sentient beings cultivate foundations of goodness whereby to cover their bodies,  and  always  be protected  by the Buddhas; may all sentient beings make virtue and wisdom their canopies and forever part from all the afflictions of the world; may all sentient beings shade  themselves  with virtues  and get rid of the dust and dirt and searing afflictions of the world;  may  all sentient  beings attain a treasury of knowledge and wisdom, causing everyone to always enjoy seeing them; may all sentient beings shade themselves  with the pure way of dispassionate tranquility, and all attain the indestructible state of Buddhahood; may all sentient beings shield their bodies with good and ultimately attain the pure body of reality of the Buddhas; may all sentient beings become universal canopies and cover  the  whole world with the knowledge of the ten powers; may all sentient  beings attain sublime wisdom, transcending the world, free from attachments; may all sentient beings gain the canopy of worthiness, become superla­ tive fields of blessings, and receive all o fferings; may all sentient beings obtain the supreme canopy, attain unsurpassed  knowledge,  and tutu­ rally realize enlightenment. ' This is great enlightening beings ' dedica­ tion of roots of goodness when giving canopies, umbrellas, and parasols, to cause all sentient beings to obtain  the canopy of freedom and be able to uphold all good ways; to cause all sentient beings to be able to cover all fields and lands in all realms in space, and manifest the free spiritual powers of the Buddhas, without regressing; to cause all sentient beings

 

584  Tlze  Flower  Ornament  Script11rc

 

to be able to adorn all worlds in the ten directions with one canopy, and offer it to the Buddha; to cause all sentient beings to offer beautiful banners, pennants, and jeweled canopies to all the enlightened ones; to cause all sentient beings to obtain a canopy of universal adornment and cover the lands of all the Buddhas; may all sentient beings obtain a vast canopy to cover sentient beings everywhere and cause them all  to engender fa ith in the Buddha; to cause all sentient beings to offer innumerable canopies of wonderful precious adornments to one Buddha, and to do the same for innumerable Buddhas;  to cause all sentient beings to attain the high, wide canopy of the enlightenment of Buddhas, covering all the enlightened ones; to cause all sentient beings to obtain canopies adorned with all jewels, canopies adorned with all jewelry, canopies adorned with all solid perfumes, canopies with pure  adorn­ ments of various jewels, canopies with pure adornments of innumerable jewels, im mense canopies with adornments of pure jewels, covered with jewel nets, hung with jewel bells waving in the breeze producing sublime sounds, covering the bodies of the Buddhas in all worlds in the space of the cosmos; to cause all sentient beings to obtain canopies adorned with unhindered, unimpeded knowledge, covering all the en­ lightened ones; also because they want to cause all sentient beings to attain the highest  knowledge and wisdom;  and because they want to cause all sentient beings to attain the adornment of the virtues of buddhahood; because they want to cause all sentient beings to attain the im measurable, boundless treasures of the free mind; because they want to cause all sentient beings to be filled with the independent knowledge of all truths; because they want to cause all sentient beings to cover all with virtues;  because they want to cause all sentient beings  to perfect the canopy of supreme knowledge;  because  they want to cause all sentient beings to perfect the all-covering  canopy of the ten powers; because they want to cause all sentient beings to be able to cover all buddha-fields in the cosmos; because they want to cause all sentient beings  to be masters  of all the enlightening teachings; because they want to cause all sentient beings to attain the free mind of great mystic power; because they want to cause all sentient beings to attain vast knowledge permanently; because they want to cause all sentient beings to attain im measurable ultimate virtues, covering all; because they want to cause all sentient beings to cover their minds with virtuous qualities; because they want to cause all sentient beings to shield all living creatures with an impartial mind; because they want to cause all sentient beings to attain skillful means of dedication; because they want to cause all sentient beings to attain pure minds of supreme aspiration; because they want  to cause  all  sentient beings  to attain  pure  wills  with good in tentions; and because they want to cause all sentient beings to attain great dedication covering all living beings .

"Great enlightening beings may give various splendid banners and pennants, their poles made of various jewels, pennants made of pre-

 

cious silk, banners of various mixed colors and patterns, draped with jeweled nets, shining colors filling everywhere, jewel bells gently stirring, ringing in harmony, with rare jewels  shaped  like  the half moon and gold more radiant than the sun placed atop each banner, decorated with various wonderful things caused to appear by  results  of actions  in various worlds-such marvelous banners and pennants, uncountable millions of billions of them, their radiance joining and highlighting each other, the light pure,  covering the ground,  filling  all buddha-lands  in the real ms in space in ten directions, the great enlightening beings, with pure-hearted faith give to Buddhas currently existing, or to their monu­ ments after death, or to the treasury of the teaching, or to the religious community, or to enlightening beings, or to Buddhist disciples, or to self-enlightened bein gs, or to good teachers, or to Buddhist disciples, or to self-enlightened ones,  or to the masses,  or to   particular  peo­ ple-to all who come seeking they give, and dedicate these roots of goodness in this way; 'May all sentient beings be able to set up banners of virtue on all fou ndations of goodness, so that they cannot be de­ stroyed; may all sentient beings set up the banner of mastery of all the teachings, respecting, admiring, and diligently preserving them; m ay all sentient beings write down the true teachings on precious  silk,  preserv­ ing the treasury of teachings of Buddhas  and enlightening  beings;  may all sentient beings set up high, outstanding banners, and li ght the lamp of wisdom, illuminating all the world; m ay all sentient beings set up the banner of steadfastness and  be able  to destroy all  delusive  actions and manias; may all sentient beings set up the b anner of the power of knowledge, which no delusion  can damage;  may all sentient  beings attain the b anner of great knowledge and wisdom, destroying all the flags of worldly pride; may all  sentient beings  gain the banner of great light of the sun of knowledge,  and illumine  the whole  realm  of reality with the light of the sun of knowledge; m ay all sentient beings be endowed with banners adorned with innumerable jewels, filling a ll worlds in the ten directions, and offer them to the Buddhas;  may all sentient beings obtain the b anner of realization of thusness, and destroy all the erroneous  views of misleading paths.'  This is great enlightening bei ngs' dedication of roots of goodness when giving banners and pen­ nants, to cause  all  sentient  beings  to attain the pure paths  of the banner of the extremely profound, lofty, and wide-ran ging practices of enlightening bei ngs, and the banner of the action of spiritual powers of enlightening bein gs.

"Great enlightening beings  open up storehouses of myriad treasures and hundreds of billions of trillions of fine, rare jewels  to all the countless sentient beings, giving whatever they wish unbegrudgingly. They dedicate the roots of goodness in this  way:  'May  all  sentient beings always see the treasure of the Buddha, give up folly and cultivate right mindfulness;  may all sentient beings  be fully endowed with the light of the treasure of the Teaching and preserve the treasury of

 

586  The Flower Omament Scripture

 

teachings of all Buddhas; may all sentient beings be able to support the entire treasure of the community, tirelessly providing for its needs; may all sentient beings attain the highest treasure of mind, omniscience, and may their pure aspiration tor enlightenment never recede; may  all sentient beings attain the treasure of knowledge, entering into all things without doubt or confusion; may all  sentient beings  be endowed  with the treasure of virtuous qualities of enlightening beings, reveal and expound immeasurable knowledge; may all sentient beings attain a treasure of immeasurable sublime qualities, cultivate and attain the knowledge of the ten powers of true awareness; may all sentient beings attain the treasure of the sixteen knowledges of refined meditation, and ultimately ful fill broad, great knowledge and wisdom; may all sentient beings develop the treasure of the supreme field of blessings,  and awaken to the unexcelled knowledge and wisdom of the enlightened; may all sentient beings become masters of the most excellent treasure, and expound all truths with inexhaustible discernment. ' This is great enlightening beings' dedication of roots of goodness when giving treasures, to cause all sentient beings to obtain the jewel of complete, supreme knowledge, the treasure of the unobstructed pure eye of the enlightened.

"Great  enlightening  beings  may  give  various  beautiful  decorations­ decorations for all bodies,  causing the body to be beautiful and pleasing to all . Great enlightening beings regard all creatures in the world equally, like an only child, and want to cause them all to have adorn­ ments purifying their bodies,  to attain supreme peace  and comfort, to attain the bliss of enlightened knowledge, abide by the Buddha-teachings and benefit living beings. With innumerable, various exquisite jewel ornaments such as these they diligently practice giving,  and when they arc giving they dedicate the roots of goodness in this way: 'May all sentient beings develop unexcelled, wonderful adornments and adorn humans and celestials with pure virtue and knowledge; may all sentient beings attain features of pure  adornment,  adorning  themselves  with pure felicitous virtues ; may all sentient beings attain features of most sublime adornment, and array themselves with all marks of virtue; may all sentient beings attain features of uncontused adornments, adorning themselves with all marks of Buddhahood; may  all sentient  beings attain  the features of adornment by good,  pure speech,  endowed with all kinds of unlimited intellectual powers; may all sentient beings attain the features of adornment by voices with all good qualities, their voices pure and clear, pleasing to all who hear; may all sentient beings attain the fea tu re of adornment by the delightful speech of the Buddhas, causing living beings to hear the teaching, rejoice in it, and cultivate pure practice; may all sentient beings attain the features of adornment of mind, entering deep meditative concentration and seeing the Buddhas; may all sentient beings attain the features of adornment by total mental command, illumining the true teachings of all Buddhas; may all sentient

 

Terz Dedicatim1s  58 7

 

beings attain the features of adornment by wisdom and knowledge, adorning their minds with the wisdom and knowledge of buddhahood.' This is great enlightening beings' dedication of roots of goodness when generously giving all kinds of ornaments, to cause sentient beings to be endowed with the adornments of the complete ful fillment of all the innumerable qualities of Buddhas, complete virtue and knowledge, and to forever shed all conceit and self-indulgence.

"Great enlightening beings give to all sentient beings the jeweled crowns and topknot jewels  they received when  crowned  as indepen­ dent kings, without regret in their hearts, always cultivating themselves diligently to be generous donors, learning the wisdom of giving, devel­ oping the faculty of relinquishment; with knowledge and skill in means, their minds broad and magnanimous,  they give to all,  and dedicate those roots of goodness in this way: 'May all sentient beings be crowned by the Buddha-teachings and achieve universal knowledge; may all sentient beings  attain  the foremost knowledge  and reach the other shore; may all sentient beings save living beings with the treasure of sublime knowledge and cause them all to fulfill the summit of virtue; may all sentient beings attain completion of the precious crown of knowledge  and  wisdom and be worthy of the honor of the world;  may all sentient beings' heads be graced with the crown of knowledge and become autonomous monarchs and masters of the law; may all sentient beings tie the clear jewel of knowledge to their heads, invisible to all worldlings; may all sentient beings be worthy of the obeisance of the world, perfect the peak of wisdom, and illumine the Buddha-teachings; may all sentient beings be crowned with the crown adorned by the ten powers, filled with the purity of the ocean ofjewels of knowledge and wisdom; may all sentient beings reach the summit of the great stages of enlightenment, attain omniscience, ful fill the ten powers, and destroy the bands of maniacs at the peak of the realm of desire; may all sentient beings  manage to attain the highest summit of sovereignty,  and attain the peak of radiance of omniscience, which cannot be outshone. ' This is great enlightening beings ' dedication of roots of goodness when giving jeweled crowns, to cause sentient beings to attain the realm of utmost purity of supreme knowledge, and the crown ofjewels of wisdom.

"When great enlightening beings sec sentient beings in prisons or

dungeons, dark and dim, shackled and chained, unable to rise or sit in comfort, assailed by myriad pains, without relatives or friends, without refuge or salvation, naked, hungry, emaciated, suffering unbearable torture, the enlightening beings, having seen this,  give what they have, all their wealth, their spouses, children, and households, and even their own bodies, to rescue those creatures in prison, like the enlightening being Great Compassion and the enlightening being King of Wondrous Eyes did;  and,  having rescued them,  they give them whatever they need, relieving their suffering,  enabling them to gain peace and comfort­ after that,  they give them the supreme treasure of the teaching,  cause

 

588  The Flower Ornament Scripture

 

them to give up indulgence, firmly establish roots of goodness, and not shrink away or withdraw from the Buddhist teaching. When great enlightening beings rescue sentient beings from prison, they dedicate the roots of goodness in this way: 'May all sentient beings be ultimately liberated from the bonds of covetousness and craving; may all sentient beings cut o ff the stream of birth and death and climb up onto the shore of wisdom; may all sentient beings do away with ignorance and folly, develop knowledge and wisdom, and shed the fetters of afflictions; may all sentient beings destroy the bonds of the worlds of desire, form, and formlessness, attain universal knowledge and be ultimately emancipated; may all sentient beings forever cut o ff all the bonds of a fflictions and reach the other shore of knowledge and wisdom, the ground of nonobstruction, where there are no a fflictions; may all sentient beings be free from stirring thoughts,  musing,  and  vain discrimination,  and enter the realm of equanimous, imperturbable knowledge;  may  all sentient beings shed the bonds of desires, forever leaving behind all mundane cravings, and have no attachments in the worlds  of desire, form, or formlessness; may all sentient beings attain supreme aspiration and always have the Buddhas teach them; may all sentient beings attain liberated minds, with no attachments  and no bondage,  broad and vast as the cosmos, comprehensive as space;  may  all sentient beings attain the spiritual powers of enlightening beings, taming sentient beings in all worlds , causing them to detach from the mundane and abide in the Great Vehicle. ' This is great enlightening beings' dedication of roots of goodness when saving sentient beings suffering in prison, to enable sentient beings to enter the realm of knowledge and wisdom of the enlightened.

"Great enlightening  beings,  seeing prisoners  bound hand  and  foot, su ffering all sorts of pain, beaten and oppressed by their jailers, on the brink of death,  having  given  up  all earthly comforts, forever parted from their relatives and friends, laid out on butchering blocks to be dismembered,  or impaled on wooden stakes,  or doused with oil and set a fire, the enlightening beings, having seen them oppressed by such tortures, give up their own bodies to take their places, as did the enlightening beings Invincible, King of Most Excellent Action,  and other great enlightening beings who gave up their own lives to spare others, bearing cruel su ffering in their stead. At that time the enlighten­ ing beings say to the wardens,  'I wish to give up my body in exchange for their lives . You may apply those tortures to me. Just as you are doing to those  people,  you may  do what you want,  even more,  to me-I will endure even incalculable times as much,  so that they may be freed . If I sec them about to be killed and do not give up my life to redeem them from their misery, then I cannot be said to be dwelling in the mind of an enlightening being. Why? Because I have made the determination  for omniscient enlightenment for the purpose of saving all beings.'

 

Ten Dedications     589

 

"When great enlightening beings give up their own lives  to save sentient beings,  they dedicate the roots of goodness in this way:  'May all sentient beings attain endless, ultimate life and be forever free from disaster, oppression, and a ffliction; may all sentient beings stay with the Buddhas, receive universal knowledge, ful fill the ten powers, and re­ ceive the prediction of enlightenment; may all sentient beings rescue conscious beings everywhere, cause them to be free from fear and to forever leave the states of woe; may all sentient beings attain  total life and enter the realm of undying knowledge; may all sentient beings be forever free from hostility and enmity, have no calamities,  and always be in the care of Buddhas and good teachers; may all sentient beings abandon all weapons and instruments of evil and suffering, and practice all kinds of pure,  good action; may all sentient beings be free from all fears and crush the armies of demons at the tree of enlightenment;  may all sentient beings be free from terrors, their hearts pure and fearless in regard to the highest teaching, and be able to make the supreme lion's roar; may all sentient beings attain unobstructed lionic knowledge and wisdom and cultivate right action in all worlds; may all sentient beings reach the realm of fearlessness and always attend to the salvation and protection of suffering sentient beings.' This is great enlightening beings; dedication of roots of goodness when giving up their own lives to save prisoners about to be executed,  to cause sentient beings to be free from the pains of birth and death and to attain the sublime bliss of the enlightened.

"Great enlightening beings give the knot of flesh on their heads to beggars as did the enlightening beings Jewel Topknot King, Supremely Wonderful Body, and countless others. At such a time, seeing a beggar come, the enlightening beings' hearts fill with joy and they say, 'If you need a flesh topknot,  take it from me-mine is   the best in the land. ' And when they say this, their minds are undisturbed, they do not think of other actions; they relinquish the world and seek dispassionate serenity; ultimately pure, diligent, straightforward, they are bent on omniscience. They then take a sharp knife and cut off the topknot of flesh on their heads; with their right knee kneeling on the ground, they join their palms and give their topknots away with a concentrated mind, thinking of the practices of all Buddhas and enlightening beings of the past, present, and future, conceiving great joy, increasing in determination. Intellectually they skillfully analyze and understand phenomena, and do not grasp pain, knowing that the sense of pain has  no  signs and  no origin, that all sensations occur relatively and none are permanent. Therefore they develop great blissful  faith  that  they  should practice great relinquishment like all enlightening beings of past, future, and present,  seeking   universal   knowledge without  retreating,   without rely­ ing on others' teaching or the power of a teacher.

"When great enlightening beings carry out this giving,  they dedicate the roots of goodness in this way: 'May all sentient beings attain the

 

590  The Flo u/Cr Omammt  Script11re

 

invisible crown and develop the pagodalike topknot of enlightening beings; may all sentient beings have hair like the Buddha, and be able to extinguish all afflictions of sentient beings; may all sentient beings have glossy hair, thick hair, hair which doesn't grow on the foreh ead; may all sentient beings have hair like the Buddha and f()rever be free from all afflictions and binding habits; may all sentient beings have radiant hair, shining with light that illumines all worlds in the ten directions; may all sentient beings have undisturbed hair, clean like the Buddha's; may all sentient beings develop the pagodalike hair of the saint, so that for all who see it it is like seeing the Buddha's hair; may all sentient beings have hair like the Buddha, without stain,  without attachment,  forever rid of all obscuring dust and dirt. ' This is great enlightening beings' dedication of roots of goodness  when giving  their flesh topknots,  to cause sentient beings to be dispassionate and serene of mind, ful fill all concentration formulae, and consummate the enlightened one's knowl­ edge of all ways of liberation and its ten powers.

"Great enlightening beings give their eyes to those  who  come and ask for them , just as the enlightening beings Gladdening Practice,

Moonlight King, and countless others gave theirs . When great enlight­ ening beings give their eyes, they arouse a pure mind to give eyes; they arouse the mind of the eye of pure knowledge, arouse a mind resting on the light of tru th; arouse the mind witnessing the unexcelled Buddha Way; awaken a mind dedicated to great knowledge; awaken a mind to give with equanimity equal to the enlightening beings of past, present, and fiJ ture; av/aken the unobstructed eye; arouse a mind of indestructi­ ble pure fa ith; arouse a mind of joy ful acceptance in regard to those who ask. To consummate all spiritual powers, to produce the enlight­ ened eye, to increase and broaden the great determination for enlight­ enment, to cultivate great compassion , and to master the senses , they set their minds on these things .

" When great enlightening beings give eyes, they conceive great love for those who ask,  and establish charity for them, increasing the power of the teaching, giving up mundane emotional views and indulgence, cutting o ff the bonds of desire, cultivating enlightenment, and oblig­ ingly satisfying their requests with unperturbed minds,  always in ac­ cord with the practice of nondualistic equanimity. These roots of goodness they dedicate thus : 'May all sentient beings attain the supreme eye and guide everyone; may all sentient beings attain the unobstructed eye and open up the treasury of universal knowledge;  may all sentient beings attain the pure physical eye, its light perceptively penetrating, impossi­ ble to block; may all sentient beings attain the pure celestial eye, seeing the births and deaths and fruits of actions of all sentient beings; may all sentient beings attain the pure objective eye and be able to enter the realm of those who realize thusness; may all sentient beings attain the eye of wisdom and abandon  all conceptual  grasping and attachment; may all sentient beings be endowed with the Buddha-eye, capable of

 

Te11 Dedicatio11s          591

 

total awareness and understanding of all things; may all sentient beings perfect the universal eye, comprehending all realms without hindrance; may all sentient beings attain the pure,  unclouded eye,  realizing the realm of sentient beings is empty and has no existence; may all sentient beings be fully endowed with the pure unobstructed eye and all be able to consummate the ten powers of the enlightened.' This is great enlighten­ ing beings' dedication of roots of goodness when giving eyes,  to cause all sentient beings to attain the pure eye of universal knowledge.

"Great enlightening beings are able to give ears and noses to those who ask, as did King of Superlative Action, Invincible, and countless other enlightening beings. When they give, they hand them over per­ sonally to those who ask, single-mindcdly cultivating the deeds of enlightening beings, endowed  with the seed nature  of buddhahood, born in the house of the enlightened. Recollecting the acts of giving practiced by the enlightening beings, they constantly strive to activate the pure faculties of enlightenment of Buddhas, their virtues and wisdom. Observing all realms of existence, they sec that not one thing endures. They aspire to always be able to sec the Buddhas and enlightening beings. They recollect all Buddha-teachings according to the situation. They know the body is illusory, empty, void of existence, with noth­ ing to cling to . Thus when enlightening beings give away cars and noses, their minds arc always dispassionate and peaceful; they have tamed their senses . They save sentient beings from the dangers of perversity and evil, develop all knowledge and virtues, enter the ocean of great generosity, comprehend the meanings of the teachings, fully cultivate the ways they point out, acting in accord with knowledge and wisdom , attaining mastery of truth, and substitute an indestructible body for the perishable body.

"When great enlightening beings give cars, they dedicate the roots of goodness in this way: 'May all sentient beings attain unobstructed ears and hear all sounds speaking the truth; may all sentient beings attain unblocked cars and be able to understand all sounds; may all sentient beings attain the cars of the enlightened and perceive all without hindrance; may all sentient beings attain pure ears, not producing false discrimina­ tions based on the medium of hearing;  may  all sentient beings  attain cars without deafness, causing ignorant consciousness not to arise;  may all sentient beings attain cars pervading the cosmos and know the voices of teachings of all Buddhas; may all sentient beings attain unobstructed cars and realize all ways of nonobstruction;  may all sentient beings attain indestructible ears, that no one be able to break down the  dis­ courses of good teachers; may all sentient beings attain all-hearing cars, far-reaching and pure, supreme of all ears; may all sentient beings be endowed with the celestial car and the enlightened car. ' This is great enlightening beings'  dedication of roots of goodness when giving cars, to cause all sentient beings to attain pure cars.

"When great enlightening beings give noses, they dedicate the roots

 

592  The Flower Ornament Scripture

 

of goodness in this way: 'May all sentient beings attain high,  straight noses, refined noses, well-formed noses, beautiful noses, pleasing noses, pure noses,  docile noses,  outstanding noses,  enemy-conquering noses, the noses of the enlightened; may all sentient beings attain faces free from anger, faces of all truths,   faces of nonobstruction,  faces good to sec, docile faces , pure clean faces , i mpeccable faces , round full faces like the Buddha, faces pervading all places, faces of immeasurable beauty.'  This is great enlightening beings'  dedication of roots   of goodness   when giving noses, to cause sentient beings to ultimately gain entry into the teachings of all Buddhas,  to cause sentient beings to ultimately  absorb the teachings of a11 Buddhas, to cause sentient beings to ultimately comprehend the teachings of the Buddhas, to cause sentient beings to ultimately  abide by the teachings of the Buddhas,  to   cause sentient beings to ultimately always sec the Buddha, to cause all sentient beings to attain realization  of the principles of Buddha,   to cause sentient beings to ultimately develop indestructible minds,  to cause sentient beings to adorn all buddha-lands, to cause sentient beings to all attain the body of great power of the enlightened ones . This is the dedication of roots of goodness of enlightening beings when giving cars and noses.

"Great enlightening beings,   abiding securely in the state of indestruc­ tible freedo m, are able to give teeth to sentient beings,  as did Flower Teeth King, Six Tusk Elephant King, and other enlightening beings of antiquity.  When great enlightening beings give teeth,   their minds   are pure, to a degree rarely found: that is,  they give with an inexhaustible mind, give with a mind of great faith, give with a mind at every step attaining immeasurable detachment, give with a mind in control of the senses, give with a mind relinquishing all , give with a mind aspiring to universal knowledge, give with a mind to comfort sentient beings,  give with great generosity, ultimate generosity, superb generosity, supreme generosity, give with a mind to relinquish their own physical necessities without  resentment.

"At  this time,   the enlightening beings dedicate the roots of goodness in this way: 'May all sentient beings have sharp, white teeth, becoming supreme reliquaries, receiving the offerings of humans  and celcstials; may all sentient beings have  even teeth, like  those of the  Buddha, without any gaps;  may all sentient beings  have well-controlled   minds and skillfully carry out the transcendental practices   of enlightening beings; may the mouths of all sentient beings be pure and clean, their teeth bright  white,   showing clearly; may all sentient beings have teeth with   memorable  adornments,  their mouths pure   and   clean,   with   no foul appearance; may all sentient beings have a full set of teeth, always producing  various rare, exquisite fragrances; may all sentient  beings have well-controlled intellects and their teeth be clean and bright,  like white lotuses, forming gammadion patterns; may all sentient beings' mouths and lips be fresh and clean, their teeth clean and white, shining with innumerable lights illuminating everywhere; may all sentient beings'

 

Ten Dedications     593

 

teeth be fine and sharp,  so there are no whole grains left in their food when they eat and they have no attachment  to taste and become excellent fields of blessings; may all sentient beings always radiate light from between their teeth, giving enlightening beings the foremost prediction of enlightenment.' This is great enlightening beings' dedica­ tion of roots of goodness  when giving teeth, to cause sentient beings  to be endowed with omniscience, their knowledge of all things clear and pure.

"If people come to great enlightening beings asking for their tongues, they compassionately speak kind and gentle words to them, as did Handsome K ing, Unregressing, and countless other enlightening beings of ancient times. When great enlightening beings are born in the vari­ ous realms of existence, when countless sentient beings  come to them asking for their tongues, they place those people on lion seats, and, with minds free from anger, malice, and resentment,  with minds  of great power, minds born of the essence of Buddhas,  minds  abiding in the abode of enlightening beings, minds never polluted or disturbed, minds abiding in great power, minds  with no attachment  to the body, and minds with no attachment to words,  they kneel on the ground,  open their mouths, show their tongue to the beggars,  and say to them with kind  and gentle words,  'This  body of mine is all yours-you may take my tongue and use it as you will, to ful fill your wishes.'

"At that time, the enlightening beings dedicate the roots of goodness in this way: 'May all sentient beings attain the universal tongue and be able to expound all principles of speech and language; may all sentient beings attain tongues that can cover their faces , and may their speech be nondual and all true to reality; may all sentient beings attain a tongue that covers all buddha-lands, demonstrating the autonomous spiritual powers of Buddhas; may all sentient beings have  soft, thin tongues, always tasting fine, pure flavors; may all sentient beings have eloquent tongues, able to cut through the net of doubts  of all beings;  may all sentient beings have luminous tongues,  able to radiate countless billions of light beams; may all sentient beings attain tongues of definite certainty, inexhaustibly explaining all things with discernment; may all sentient beings attain masterful tongues, able to unlock all essential mysteries, causing all to accept and believe what they say; may all sentient beings attain tongues of universal fluency, able to enter into the ocean of all languages;  may  all sentient beings attain tongues capable of explaining all aspects of the teachings, thoroughly attaining ultimate perfection of knowledge of words and speech.' This is enlightening beings' dedica­ tion of roots  of goodness   when giving   tongues,   to cause sentient beings to all attain complete unobstructed knowledge.

"Enlightening beings give their heads to those who come  ask  for them, as did Supreme Knowledge, Great Light, and other great enlightening   beings.   The   giving   that   the   great   enlightening   beings practice is because they want to develop the head of supreme knowl-

 

594  Tlzc Flower Omament Scripture

 

edge comprehending all truths, because they want to develop the head realizing great enlightenment and saving sentient beings, because they want to have the supreme head seeing all things, because they want to attain the head of pure knowledge which sees truly,  because they want to develop the head of nonobstruction,  free from hindrance,  because they want to realize the head attaining the highest states,  because they seck the head of knowledge supreme in the world, because they want to develop the head of pure   wisdom,  the crown of which   cannot   be seen by any in the realms of desire, form,   or formlessness,  because  they want to attain the head of sovereignty of knowledge appearing through­ out the ten directions, and because thcv want to ful fill the head of freedom which cannot be broken by anything at all.

"Great enlightening beings, abiding by this practice and diligently applying it, then, because they have already entered the family of the Buddhas, emulate the giving practiced by the Buddhas.  Conceiving pure fa ith in the Buddhas, they develop and mature roots of goodness, and cause those in need to all be happily satisfied . Their own minds arc pure and joy ful beyond measure; with pure faith and understanding they clearly illumine the Buddha teachings, activate the will for enlightenment, and abide in equanimity and resignation. All their senses arc blissful; their virtous qualities grow and develop and they give rise to good aspirations, and always like to practice magnanimous giving.

"At that time the enlightening  beings  dedicate the roots of goodness in this way: 'May all sentient beings attain the head of the enlightened, and attain the invisible crown, which none anywhere can surpass, the supreme head in all buddha-fields, hair curling to the right,  radiant, clean, lustrous,  adorned  with gammadions,  a wonder of the world; may they be endowed with the head of Buddhas,  the head of consum­ mate knowledge, the foremost head in the world, and be heads of completeness,  of purity,  and of comprehensive  knowledge sitting on the site of enlightenment. ' This is great enlightening beings ' dedication of roots of goodness when giving their heads away, to enable sentient beings to attain the highest truth and achieve unexcelled great wisdom.

"Great enlightening beings give their hands  and feet to sentient beings, like Always Diligent, Sorrowlcss King, and countless other enlightening beings and others gave their hands and feet in various places of birth in all realms of existence. Using faith for hands, they initiate beneficial works, coming and going, reaching everywhere, dili­ gently practicing the true teaching, aspiring to attain jewel-producing hands, giving their hands, fulfilling the path of enlightening beings without doing anything in vain. They always extend their hands to obtain great wisdom, and walk peacefully as they go, bold and fearless. By the power of pure faith they fulfill diligent ctTort, to destroy unwholesome states and to perfect enlightenment.

" When great enlightening beings give in this way, they open the gate of pure teaching with hearts of immeasurable magnanimity, enter the

 

Te11 Dedications   595

ocean of Buddhahood, perfect the hand of giving,  and provide for all in the ten directions . With the power of will they maintain the path of universal knowledge, and abide in the mind ultimately free of impurity, the body of reality, and the body of knowledge, endless and incorruptible. They cannot be shaken by any delusive influences; following good teachers, they make their minds firm and stable,  and cultivate  the practice of transcendence by giving, same as all enlightening beings.

"When great enlightening beings give their hands and feet, seeking omniscience for the sake of all sentient beings,  they dedicate the roots of goodness in this way: 'May all sentient beings be endowed  with spiritual powers, and all attain jewel-producing hands, and, having attained jewel-producing hands, respect each other as fields of blessings and give each other all kinds ofjewels, and also give myriad jewels to Buddhas, producing clouds of wonderful jewels covering  all buddha­ lands .' They cause sentient beings to be kind to each other and not harm each other. They roam the buddha-fields, secure in fearlessness, naturally endowed with ultimate spiritual powers . They also cause all to attain hands producing jC\vcls, h :mds producing flowers, hands pro­ ducing clothing, hands producing canopies, hands producing garlands, hands producing incense, hands producing ornaments, boundless hands, immeasurable hands, universal hands, and, having attained these hands, to always diligently travel to all buddha-lands by means of spiritual power.  They  can  touch  all  buddha-worlds  with  one  hand,  and  hold  all sentient beings with the hand of freedom . They attain hands of sublime features, emanating immeasurable light. They can cover all sentient beings with a single hand. They attain hands like the Buddha, with webbed fingers and copper fingernails. At this time the enlightening beings cover all sentient beings with the hand of great vows,  praying that all sentient beings set their minds on always gladly seeking unex­ celled enlightenment, producing the ocean of all virtues, rejoicing when they sec people come begging, never tiring of them, entering the ocean of buddhahood, with the same roots of goodness as the Buddha. This is enlightening beings' dedication of roots of goodness when giving hands and feet.

"Great enlightening beings wound themselves  and draw blood to

give to sentient beings like Principled Action, Benevolent King, and countless other enlightening beings in various  realms  of existence. When they give blood,  they arouse a mind to achieve omniscience, a mind of longing for great enlightenment, a mind of pleasure in cultivat­ ing the practices of enlightening beings, a mind not to grasp painful sensations, a mind of gladness to sec beggars, a mind not averse to beggars, a mind directed toward the path of all enlightening beings, a mind to preserve the equanimity of all enlightening beings, a mind to increase and broaden the benevolent giving of enlightening beings, an unregressing mind, an unremitting mind,  a mind free from self-love. The roots  of goodness  they dedicate in this way:  'May  all  sentient

 

596  The Flower Omament Scrip ture

 

beings attain fulfillment of the body of reality and the body of knowledge; may all sentient beings  attain an adamantine, indefatigable body; may all sentient beings attain an indestructible body that nothing can i njure; may all sentient beings attain a phantom-like body, appearing through­ out the world without limit; may all sentient beings attain a delightful body, clean,  beautiful, strong and healthy;  may all sentient beings attain a body born of the realm of reality,  same as the enlightened,  depending on nothing; may all sentient beings attain a body like the radiance of beauti ful jewels, which no worldly people can outshine; may all sen­ tient beings attain a body which is a treasury of knowledge, and realize freedom in the realm of immortality;  may all sentient beings  attain a body of an ocean of jewels, which is unfailingly beneficial to all who see it;  may all sentient beings attain the body of space,  which none of the troubles of the world can affect. ' This is great enlightening beings ' dedication of roots of goodness,  with the mind of the Great Vchicle,  a pure mind, a broad mind, a joyful mind, a happy mind, an enraptured mind, a mind in control, a peaceful mind, an unpolluted mind,  when giving blood from their bodies .

" When great enlightening beings sec people come and ask for their

bodies ' marrow and flesh, they arc joy ful and speak gently to them, telling them to take their bodies' marrow and flesh as they wish, just as Benefactor, All-Giving King, and innumerable other enlightening beings gave their marrow and flesh in various circumstances in various realms of being. When they give to those who ask, their joy is great, their generosity grows; they cultivate roots of goodness the same as all enlightening beings, depart from the dust and dirt of the world,  and attain  profound determination.  They give their bodies  to all,  their minds inexhaustible; endowed with immeasurable great roots of goodness, they embody the treasures of all virtues.  According with the principles of enlightening beings, they tirelessly put  them into practice,  their minds always delighting in the virtues of giving.  They give all without regret, clearly observing that all things  come from conditions and have no substance; they have  no greed for the act of giving or for the rewards of giving, and give impartially to whomever they meet.

"When great enlightening beings give in this way, all the Buddhas appear to them, because they think of them as parents and receive their protection; all sentient beings appear to them,  because they cause all to live in peace by the pure teaching; all worlds appear to them, because they adorn and purify all buddha-lands;  all living  beings  appear  to them, because they serve all with great compassion; all Buddha qualities appear to them, because they like to observe the ten powers of the enlightened ones; all enlightening beings of the past,  present,  and future appear  to   them,  because  they   share   the same  complete  roots of goodness;  all fearlessncsscs appear  to them,   because  they arc able to make the supreme lion roar;  all  the  past,  present,  and  future appear to them, because they have attained knowledge of equality

 

 

observing all; all worlds appear to them, because they initiate great, far-reach ing vows to cultivate enlightenment throughout the future; the tireless practices of enlightening beings all appear to them, because they develop infinite great aspirations.

"When great enlightening beings give marrow and flesh,  they dedi­ cate the roots of goodness  in this  way: 'May  all sentient  beings attain the indestructible body; may all sentient beings attain  the enduring mystic body, which never diminishes; may all sentient beings attain mentally produced bodies, adorned and pure like the Buddha's body; may all sentient beings attain bodies adorned with all marks of merit and signs of greatness; may all sentient beings attain bodies beautifully adorned with all kinds of embellishments, endowed with the ten powers, indestructible; may all sentient beings attain the body of those  who realize thusness, ultimately pure, impossible to delimit or measure; may all sentient beings attain the body of firmness and stability, which no demons or enemies can injure; may all sentient beings attain the body of oneness, and be one with the Buddhas of all times; may all  sentient beings attain the unobstructed body, pervading  space  with the pure body of reality; may all sentient beings attain the body of the matrix of enlightenment, able to contain all worlds . ' This is the dedication of roots of goodness of enlightening beings giving marrow and fl esh, seeking universal knowledge, to cause all sentient beings to attain the ultimately pure infinite body of those who realize thusness.

"Great enlightening beings give their hearts to those who come and ask for them, as did No Regret,  Unobstructed King,  and  countless other great enlightening beings. When they give their own hearts to beggars,  they cultivate  the mind of free giving,  develop the mind of total giving,  learn  the mind of carrying out transcedent giving,  perfect the mind of transcendent giving, cultivate the mind of giving of all enlightening beings, the inexhaustible mind relinquishing all, the mind accustomed to giving all, the mind taking on all enlightening beings' practice of giving,  the mind  correctly mindful of the manifestation  of all Buddhas, the mind presenting  gifts to all who come and  ask, without end.

"When great enlightening beings give in this way,  their minds arc

pure: in order to liberate all sentient beings, in order to attain the realm of enlightenment with the ten powers, in order to cultivate practice in accord with their great vows, because they want to abide in peace in the path of enlightening beings, because they want to develop omniscience, and because they do not give up their original vows , they dedicate the roots of goodness in this way: 'May all sentient beings attain diamond treasury hearts, which all diamond mountains cannot break; may all sentient beings attain diamond-realm hearts, adorned with the mystic gammadion; may they attain unshakable hearts, attain hearts that can­ not be fri ghtened; may they attain ever inexhaustible hearts benefit­ ing the world; may they attain hearts that arc treasuries of knowledge

 

 

and wisdom,  marked  by great courage; may they attain hearts marked by firm strength; may they attain hearts as infinite as the ocean of living beings; may they attain hearts which nothing can spoil; may they attain hearts destroying all delusive activities and armies of demons; may they attain fearless hearts; may they attain hearts of great spiritual force; may they attain hearts of constant energy; may they attain hearts of great courage; may they attain hearts that cannot be shocked; may they attain hearts with indestructible armor; may they attain the supreme hearts of enlightening beings; may they attain hearts full of the light of enlighten­ ment into  the Buddha teachings;  may they attain hearts sitting  under the tree of enlightenment, abiding by the true teachings of all Buddhas, divorcing all illusions and attaining omniscience; may they attain hearts accomplished in the ten powers .' This is great enlightening beings' dedication of roots of goodness when giving their hearts, to cause all sentient beings  to be unstained  by the world and to be endowed  with the ten-powered mind of the enlightened.

"If anyone comes to great enlightening beings asking for their inter­ nal organs, they give all, like Good Giver, Demon-Conquering Sovereign, and countless other great enlightening beings. When practicing this giving, they are glad to sec people come begging and look upon them lovingly; in the quest for enlightenment they give as they arc asked, without any regret in their hearts . They observe that this body has no permanence or stability, and reflect that they should give this body away and get an indestructible body.  They also arc mindful that this body will eventually decay, disgusting to all who sec, and will be eaten by animals, that this body is impermanent, eventually to be abandoned and eaten by others,  without awareness or cognition.  When enlighten­ ing beings make these observations,  they know that the body is tran­ sient and the height of impurity; understanding  the teaching,  they become very joyful.  With a respectful mind,  they sec those who come ask of them as good friends who have come to protect them, and generously give them whatever they ask,  substituting  the enduring body for the unstable one.

"When great enlightening beings  give in this way,  they dedicate all the roots of goodness, that all sentient beings  may  attain  the body  of the treasury of knowledge, inwardly and outwardly pure; that all sen­ tient beings may attain the body of the treasury  of virtue, able to preserve the vow for omniscience; that all sentient beings may attain a supremely wonderful body, inwardly full of sublime  fragrance, out­ wardly radiating light; that all sentient beings may attain a body with­ out a protruding belly, upper and lower body straight, limbs and joints well coordinated; that all sentient beings may attain the body of knowl­ edge and wisdom, fi lled with joy, enriched and nourished by the savor of the B 11ddha teaching; that all sentient beings attain an inexhaustible body and cultivate  peaceful abiding  in the most  profound nature  of truth ; that all sentient beings may attain the body of the pure treasury

 

 

of concentration spell formulae, and elucidate all truths with marvelous eloquence; that all sentient beings may attain the body of purity, body and mind both inwardly and outwardly clean; that all sentient beings may attain :he body of practice of deep contemplation with knowledge of realization of thusncss, filled with wisdom, showering the rain of truth; that all sentient beings may attain a body that is inwardly tranquil while outwardly being a supreme representation of knowledge for sentient beings, emanating great light universally illuminating everything. This is great enlightening beings ' dedication of roots of goodness when giving internal organs, to cause sentient beings to be inwardly and outwardly pure and to all achieve stability in unobstructed knowledge.

"Great enlightening beings give those who ask for them their limbs, joints, and bones, like Treasury of Truth, K ing of Light, and innumera­ ble other great enlightening beings. When they give their limbs, joints, and bones , upon seeing people come begging, they give rise to love, joy, pure faith , peace of mind, courage, kindness, an unobstructed mind, a pure mind, a mind to give whatever they are asked.  When the great enlightening beings give their limbs and bones, they dedicate the roots of goodness in this way: 'May  all sentient beings  attain  phantom­ like bodies, and receive bone, flesh, and blood bodies no more; may all sentient beings attain indestructible, invincible bodies; may all sentient beings attain the body  of reality,  replete with all  knowledge,  born in the realm where there arc no bounds, no attachments, no fetters ; may all sentient beings attain the body of powers of knowledge, all faculties complete, fully developed, uninterrupted and incorruptible; may all sentient beings attain the body of the power of truth, with independent power of knowledge reaching the other shore; may all sentient  beings attain a healthy, enduring body, upright and true, never decaying;  may all sentient beings attain a body able to respond to needs, to teach and civilize all beings; may all sentient beings attain a body perfumed by wisdom, with the great strength of limb of the mighty; may all sentient beings attain a permanent, enduring body, forever free from all fatigue; may all sentient beings  attain  a stable body of great strength,  able to ful fill  the  great  power  of  energy  and  effort;   may  all  sentient  beings attain the equally omnipresent body of reality and abide in the realm of im measurable supreme knowledge; may all sentient beings attain the body of the power of virtue,  beneficial  to all who see it, removed from all evil; may all sentient beings attain an independent body, which rests on nothing, and all be endowed with nonrcliant, unattached knowledge; may all sentient beings attain a body under the protection of  the Buddhas; may all sentient beings attain a body beneficial to all living beings, able to enter into all realms of existence; may all sentient beings attain a body of universal manifestation, able to reflect all the Buddha teachings; may all sentient beings attain a body endowed with vigor, concentrating on and diligently cultivating the practice  of the knowl­ edge of the Great Vchicle; may all sentient beings attain a pure body

 

 

free from pride and conceit, their knowledge always  stable and not shaken by anything; may all sentient beings attain a body  of firm action,  accomplishing  the work   of universal   knowledge   of the   Great V chicle; may all sentient beings attain a body of firm action, accomplish­ ing the work of universal knowledge of the Great Vchicle; may  all sentient beings attain a body in the house of Buddhas,  forever leaving all mundane birth and death. ' This is great enlightening beings' dedica­ tion of roots of goodness when giving limbs and bones, to cause all sentient beings to attain omniscience and be eternally pure.

" When great enlightening beings sec people come to them with knives and ask for their skin, their hearts become joyful, their senses delighted, just like someone who has been done a great favor; they welcome them, invite them in, set out a seat for them,  and bow to them respectfully, thinking, 'These seekers arc most rare; they come seeking aid from me, working to ful fill my vow for omniscience. ' Joyfully, with a m ild countenance, they say to them, 'This body of mine I relinquish entirely-take as much  of my skin  as you  need, ' just like Treasury of Purity, Golden-sided Deer King, and countless other great enlightening beings of the past. At that time,  the enlightening beings dedicate these roots of goodness in this way: 'May all  sentient beings have fine skin,  like that of the Buddha,  its color pure and clear, so that people never tire of seeing it; may all sentient beings have unbreakable skin, like diamond, which nothing can break; may all sentient beings have golden skin, like the finest real gold,  pure  and clear; may all sentient beings have clear,  lustrous  skin,  endowed with the so ftness and purity of the ascetic, characteristic of the Buddha; may all sentient beings attain skin of the finest color, inherently pure, its color and features incomparable; may all sentient beings develop the pure-colored skin of Buddha, adorned with the marks  and  embellish­ ments of greatness; may all sentient beings have skin of exquisite color, radiating great light, illuminating everything; may all sentient beings have skin like luminous mesh, like the lo fty banner of the world, radiating unspeakably many spheres of light; may all sentient beings have lustrous skin, its color and features all pure. ' This is great enlight­ ening beings' dedication of roots of goodness when giving their skin, to cause all sentient beings to reach all pure adorned buddha-fields and be endowed with the great virtues of Buddha.

"Great enlightening beings give their fingers and toes to those who ask for them, like Persevering, Sovereign King of Jambudvipa, and countless other great enlightening beings. At that time the countenance of the enlightening beings is peaceful and happy,  their minds arc stable and healthy, without any delusion. Riding the Great Vehicle, they do not seck satisfaction of sensual desires , nor do they prize name and fame; they only conceive the great determination ofenlightening beings, getting rid of all defilements of greed and jealousy, turning wholeheartedly to the supremely wonderful teaching of the enlightened ones.

 

Tm Dedications      601

 

"When great enlightening beings give in this way,  they concentrate the roots of goodness and dedicate them thus: 'May all sentient beings have slender, long fingers, no different from Buddha; may all sentient beings have fingers of even circumference, the upper and lower parts in proportion; may all sentient beings have  fingers with ruddy  copper nails, the nails rounded and shiny; may all sentient beings have the fingers of the omniscient supreme human,  able to hold all truths;  may all sentient beings have fingers with the refinements of Buddhas' fingers, and be adorned with the ten powers; may all sentient beings have the fingers of a great human, slender and even; may all sentient beings have fingers marked with lotus gammadions, adorned with marks and embellishments resulting from the working of the ten powers; may all sentient beings have fingers that arc mines of light, radiating great light beams illumining unspeakably many buddha-worlds; may all sentient beings have well-proportioned  fingers, adorned with the characteristics of Buddhas' fingers.' This is great enlightening beings ' dedication of roots of goodness in giving fingers and toes, to cause all sentient beings to attain purity of mind.

"When great enlightening beings arc seeking the teaching, if someone

says, 'If you can give me your fingernails, I'll give you the teaching, ' the enlightening beings reply, 'J ust give me the teaching, and you may take and usc my fingernails as you wish, ' as did Sovereign King Seeking Truth, Inexhaustible, and countless other great enlightening beings.  In their search for the true teaching,  and because of their desire to expound the true teaching for the benefit of sentient beings,  to cause all of them to be ful filled, they give their fingernails away to those who ask for them.  At that  time the enlightening beings dedicate these roots of goodness in this way: 'May all sentient beings have the ruddy copper nails that arc a mark of the Buddha; may all sentient beings have glossy nails, adorned with embellishments; may all sentient beings have shiny clean nails, clear as mirrors, finest of all; may all sentient beings have the nails of the omniscient, and be endowed with the marks  of great human beings; may all sentient beings have peerless nails,  not defiled by or attached to any world; may all sentient beings have nails with marvelous adornments, with light illumining all worlds; may all sen­ tient beings have unbreakable nails, pure, clean, and complete; may all sentient beings have nails marked by entry into the techniques of all Buddha-teachings, vast knowledge and wisdom thoroughly pure; may all sentient beings have well-formed nails, the fruit of enlightening actions, all sublimely pure; may all sentient beings have the nails of the great omniscient guide, radiating treasuries of beautiful lights of infinite hues. ' This is great enlightening beings' dedication of roots of goodness when giving their nails in their quest for the teaching, to cause sentient beings to be endowed with the unobstructed power of nails of omni­ science of all Buddhas.

"Great enlightening beings seck the treasury of Buddha teachings

 

 

with reverence and respect, considering it difficult to find. If someone who can expound it comes to them and says,  'If you can throw yourself into a pit of fire seventy feet deep I will give you the teaching, ' the enlightening beings, hearing this, jump  for joy and  reflect, 'I would stay forever even in miserable places like uninterrupted hell and experi­ ence immeasurable suffering for the sake of the truth;  how  much the more readily would I jump into the fire of the human world to hear the teaching. How wonderful it is that the true teaching  is so easy  to obtain; without suffering the infinite tortures of hell one gets to hear it merely by entering a pit of fire. Just explain  to me and I'll go into  the pit of fire, ' and like the enlightening beings K ing in Quest of the Good Teaching and Adamantine Meditation, they enter the pit of fire in quest of the teaching.

"At this time, the enlightening beings dedicate these roots of good­ ness in this way: 'May all sentient beings abide in the teaching  of universal knowledge, the abode of Buddhas, and  never  regress  or retreat from unexcelled enlightenment; may all sentient beings be free from all perils and experience the peace  and case of buddhahood;  may all sentient beings attain fearless minds and be free from all terrors; may all sentient beings always gladly seck truth, full of joy  and bliss, adorned by the teachings; may all sentient beings leave the courses of evil and extinguish the raging fires of the three poisons; may all sentient beings always be in peace and happiness, full of the supremely refined pleasures of the enlightened; may all sentient beings attain the mind of enlightening beings and forever part  from the  fires of craving,  anger, and delusion; may all sentient beings attain the pleasures of concentra­ tion of enlightening beings and see the Buddhas  everywhere,  their minds full of joy; may all sentient beings skill fully explain the true teaching, ultimately never forgetting its principles;  may  all sentient beings have the sublime bliss of spiritual powers of enlightening beings and ultimately abide in knowledge of all ways of enlightenment. ' This is great enlightening beings' dedication of roots of goodness when plunging into a pit of fire in quest of the true teaching, for the purpose of causing sentient beings to give up hindering actions and all attain the full endowment of the fire of wisdom.

"When  great  enlightening  beings,  in quest  of the true teaching,

analyze and expound the path of enlightening beings, point out the road of enlightenment, proceed toward highest knowledge,  diligently culti­ vate the ten powers, extend the mind of universal knowledge, attain the state of unobstructed knowledge, purify sentient beings, abide in the sphere of action of enlightening beings, earnestly cultivate great knowledge, and preserve complete enlightenment, they experience im­ measurable suffering and tribulation, as did Seeker of the Cood Teaching, Brave King, and countless other great enlightening beings.  To save even the most evil people,   who repudiate  the truth,   are shrouded  by evil deeds, arc in the grip of delusion, the enlightening beings, for the

 

Ten Dedications     603

 

sake of the truth, accept for those people all the torments they should su ffer. These roots of goodness they dedicate in this way: 'May all sentient beings be forever freed from all suffering and oppression,  and attain peace and happiness, freedom and spiritual power; may all sen­ tient beings be forever free from all miseries, and attain all happiness; may all sentient beings annihilate the body of accumulated suffering, attain the body of illumination, and always experience case and bliss; may all sentient beings escape from the prison of suffering and  perfect wise action; may all sentient  beings sec the path of peace and depart from all evil courses; may all sentient beings attain the joy and bliss of truth and forever end all misery; may all sentient beings extirpate all sufferin g, love one another, and have no malevolence; may all sentient beings attain the bliss of the Buddhas and leave the pains of birth and death; may all sentient beings attain pure,  peerless peace and ease, impervious to all pains and vexations; may all sentient beings attain all supreme bliss, ultimately filled with the unobstructed bliss of buddha­ hood. ' This is great enlightening beings'  dedication  of roots of good­ ness when accepting suffering for the sake  of the truth,  because  they want to rescue all beings and bring them to safety, free them from peril and difficulty and cause them to live in the realm  of omniscient, unhindered liberation .

"When great enlightening beings occupy the rank of ruler and seck true teaching, they consider even one sentence,  one word,  one phrase, one doctrine hard to obtain, and will give up everything within the seas, ncar or far-land, cities, towns, populace, storehouses, gardens, ponds, houses, forests , flowers , produce, including all rare and precious things,   palaces,   bowers,   spouses,   children,   retinues,   even  rulership­ thcy arc able to give up all, seeking  that  which endures  while  in the midst of the transient; because  they want to benefit all living  beings, they earnestly seck the Buddhas' path of unhindered liberation and ultimately pure universal knowledge, as did Great Moral Force, King of Supreme Virtue, and countless other great enlightening beings. They diligently seck true teaching, even a little bit; for every one word they prostrate themselves on the ground. Properly meditating on the teach­ ings of all Buddhas of past, present, and future, they devotedly practice them, never greedy for fame or fortune. They abandon the independent rulership of all worldly realms to seck autonomous  mastery  of truth. They have no attachment to worldly pleasures, and nourish their minds with transmundanc teachings, forever leaving behind all idle specula­ tions and inanities of the world, abiding in the truth of the B uddhas, which is free from inanity.

"At that time, enlightening beings dedicate the roots of goodness in this way: 'May all sentient beings always gladly give generously, relinquishing everything; may all sentient beings be able to give up whatever they have without regret; may all sentient beings always seck the truth without begrudging their lives or sustenance; may all sentient

 

604  The  Flower Orname11t  Scripture

 

beings gain the benefit of the teaching and be able to stop everyone's doubts and confusion; may all sentient beings be able to give up their lives and sovereignty in quest of the Buddha  teaching,  cultivating highest enlightenment with great determination; may all sentient beings honor and respect the true teaching with ever profound aspiration, not begrudging their bodily lives; may all sentient beings preserve the most difficult-to-find Buddha teaching,  always practicing it diligently;  may all sentient beings attain the Buddhas' light of enlightenment, accomp­ lishing the practice of enlightenment, awakening without relying on another for understanding; may all sentient beings always be able to analyze all Buddha teachings, pull out the arrow of doubt, and attain peace of mind. ' This is great enlightening beings' dedication of roots of goodness when giving up their countries and cities in quest of the true teaching, in order to cause sentient beings' knowledge and insight to be complete, and always to be able to remain in the path of peace.

"Great enlightening beings, becoming monarchs of great countries, masters of the law, promulgate commands to eliminate work involving killing: in all cities, towns, and villages, all butchery and slaughtering is prohibited-to all creatures, legless, two-legged, four-legged, or many­ legged,  they give freedom from fear and aggression. Extensively cultivat­ ing the practices of all enlightening beings, they treat beings with humanity and kindness, not acting in aggressive or harmful ways. They conceive the wonderfuL precious will to give peace to sentient beings, and establish profound determination for buddhahood; always abiding themselves by the three kinds of pure precepts, they also induce sentient beings to do the same.

"Great enlightening beings, causing sentient beings to abide by the five precepts and forever stop occupational killing, dedicate these roots of goodness in this way: 'May all sentient beings awaken the determina­ tion for enlightenment, be filled with knowledge and wisdom,  and preserve everlasting life; may sentient beings live for immeasurable ages, make offerings to all Buddhas, with reverence and respect dili­ gently cultivating to increase the lifespan even more; may all sentient beings fully practice the method of removing old age and death, so that calamities and poisons cannot threaten their lives; may all sentient beings fully develop bodies free from illness and a ffliction, so they may live as long as they wish; may all sentient beings attain inexhaustible life, and abide by the practice of enlightening forever and ever, teaching and taming all sentient beings; may all sentient beings be doors of life, wherein the good foundations of the ten powers grow; may all sentient beings be replete with roots of goodness,  attain  unlimited  life, and fulfill great vows; may all sentient beings sec all the Buddhas and serve them, and live indefinitely, cultivating and building up roots of goodness; may all sentient beings learn well what there is to learn from the enlightened, attain the joy of the way of sages and infinite life; may all sentient beings attain a permanent life-root, neither aging nor becoming

 

Tetz  Dedicatio11s          605

 

ill, progress with vigor and courage to enter the knowledge and wis­ dom of buddhahood.' This is great enlightening beings' dedication of roots of goodness when abiding by the three bodies  of pure precepts and forever stopping slaughter, to cause sentient beings to attain the complete ten-powered knowledge of Buddhas .

"When great enlightening beings see people cruelly castrating domes­ tic animals,  making their bodies incomplete and causing them pain, they are moved to compassion and save the animals out of pity, and order all the people in the land to stop this practice. The enlightening beings then say to those people, 'Why do you do such an evil thing? I have a treasury full of all kinds of conveniences which I will give to you according to your needs.  What you are doing is wrong and I urge you not  to  do  it.  This  occupation  of yours  is  not  right  or  reasonable-even if you gain something, what is the use? To harm others for your own profit a fter all isn't right. All bad actions like this arc not praised by the enlightened. ' And having spoken thus, they give them all their goods, and also explain the sublime teaching to them with  fine words  to gladden them : that is, they point out to them the way to peace and serenity, causing them to believe and accept,  to do away with what is not good, to practice pure deeds, to be kind to one another and not to harm each other. Those people hearing this, forever give up evil.

"At that time, the enlightening beings dedicate these roots of good­ ness in this way: 'May all sentient beings be physically complete; may all sentient beings be courageous and cultivate pure religious practices; may all sentient beings have brave, bold strength, always be leaders, and abide in unobstructed knowledge, never retreating; may all sentient beings forever abandon craving and have no attachments; may all sentient beings develop rectitude and intelligence, and their knowledge increase, worthy of the praise of the Buddhas; may all sentient beings be endowed with the strength of great people and always be able  to cultivate the roots of goodness of the ten powers;  may  all  sentient beings never be emasculated, always cultivating rare qualities of virtue and knowledge; may all sentient beings have no attachment or tics to sensual desires, attain mental  liberation, detach from the mundane and abide in enlightening practice; may all sentient beings become people of supreme knowledge and wisdom, trusted and obeyed by all; may all sentient beings fully possess the great knowledge and wisdom of en­ lightening beings, soon to become Buddhas.' This is enlightening beings' dedication of roots of goodness when prohibiting all castration, to cause sentient beings to have healthy bodies, and all be able to protect good human beings, to be born in the famil ies of worthies and sages, full of intelligence, always cultivating healthy practices, with healthy capabilities, endowed with the healthy seed of enlightenment, the true teaching, courage, vigor, wisdom, and purity of genuine humans.

"If great enlightening beings sec a Buddha appear in the world and expound the true teaching, they announce to all in a loud voice, 'A

 

606  The Flower Omammt Script11rc

 

Buddha has appeared in the world! A Buddha has appeared  in the world!' This is to cause sentient beings to hear the name of Buddha and give up all pride and inanity.  They also exhort and lead them to hasten to sec the Buddha,  to remember the Buddha,  to resort to the Buddha, to concentrate on the Buddha, to contem plate the Buddha, to laud the Buddha; also they extensively explain to them how rare it is to meet a Buddha, who appears but once in a quadrillion cons.  Due  to this, sentient beings get to sec the Buddha, give rise to pure faith, dance for joy, and respectfully attend the Buddha.  Also, from the Buddha they hear the names of many Buddhas and go on to meet countless Buddhas, plant roots of goodness, cultivate and develop them .

"Then , countless quadrillions of sentient beings, because of seeing the Buddha, all attain purity and ultimate pacification. Those sentient beings think of the enlightening beings as most excellent friends and benefactors, as due to the enlightening beings they achieve enlightened qualities and distribute the roots of goodness they have planted over countless cons throughout the world, thus performing Buddha-work.

"When great enl ightening beings teach sentient beings and induce them to sec Buddha, they dedicate the roots of goodness in this way: 'May all sentient beings go to sec Buddhas of their own accord,  with­ out being urged to do so, and may they serve, provide for. and gladden them all; may all sentient beings always enjoy seeing Buddhas, without any feeling of rejection; may all sentient beings always diligently culti­ vate vast knowledge, absorbing and retaining the treasury of all Buddha teachings; may all sentient beings understand all Buddha teachings they hear and cultivate enlightening practice for immeasurable cons; may all sentient beings abide in right mindfulness, and always sec the Buddhas' emergence with the eye of knowledge; may all sentient beings not think of different occupations, but always think of seeing Buddha and dili­ gently cultivate the ten powers; may all sentient beings always sec Buddhas in all pl aces, comprehending that the realization of thusncss pervades the realm of space; may all sentient beings become equipped with the free body of buddhahood, realizing enlightenment and ex­ pounding the truth throughout the ten directions; may  all  sentient beings meet good teachers, always hear the Buddha  teachings,  and attain unbreakable faith in the Buddhas; may all sentient beings be able to eulogize the emergence of Buddhas, and cause those who sec them to attain universal purity. ' This is enlightening beings' dedication of the roots of goodness of praising Buddhas' appearance in the world,  to cause sentient beings to sec all Buddhas,  provide for and serve them, and attain ultimate purity in the highest teaching.

"Great enlightening beings give away land-they may give it to Buddhas, building retreats, or they may give it to enlightening beings and teachers, to usc as they wish,  or they may give it to mendicant groups for a place of abode, or they may give it to their parents, or to other people, to Buddhist disciples, to individual illuminates, to various

 

Te11 Dcdicatio11s          60 7

 

fields of blessings, including the poor, orphaned, homeless, and others. They give whatever is wished, to ful fill their needs. They may build Buddhas' mausoleums, and provide all necessary articles for such places, so they may be used as wished, without fear or hesitation.

"Whenever great enlightening beings give land, they dedicate the roots of goodness in this way: 'May all sentient beings fully realize the pure stage of universal knowledge and arrive at the consummation of the practices of Universal Good; may all sentient beings attain the stage of total mental  command and receive and hold all Buddha  teachings with right recollection; may a ll sentient beings attain sustaining power and be able to preserve all Buddha teachings; may all sentient beings attain a mind like the earth, with intentions ever pure and free from evil thoughts toward sentient beings; may all sentient beings maintain the lineage of Buddhas, accomplishing the processes of the stages of enlight­ ening beings, without interruption; may all sentient beings become abodes of safety for all, causing all to be harmonized and pacified and to abide in the path of purity; may all sentient beings benefit the world the same  as  enlightene d  ones,  causing  all  to  diligen tly  cultivate  themselves and abide securely in the power of buddhahood; may all sentient beings be liked by all the world and cause everyone to abide in the highest happiness of Buddhahood; may all sentient beings attain  skill in means of liberation  and abide in the power and fearlessness of buddhahood; may all sentient beings attain knowledge like the earth and  freely practice all Buddha teachings.' This is great enlightening beings' dedica­ tion of roots of goodness  when giving  land, to cause sentient beings  to all attain ultimate consummation  of the pure  state of all enlightened ones .

"Great enlightening beings give servants as offerings to all Buddhas and enlightening beings,  genuine teachers;  or they may  give them to the religious community, or to their parents, honorable fields of blessings, or again they may give them to sentient beings suffering from illness, to ful fill their needs and preserve their lives, or they may give them to the poor and helpless and all others without attendants,  or they may give countless servants from time to time to look a fter the shrines and mausoleums of Buddhas or to transcribe the true teachings of the Buddhas. Those servants arc all intelligent and highly skilled, naturally obedient, always diligent and never lazy,  with honest minds, peaceful and happy minds, altruistic minds, humane and benevolent minds, respectful minds, minds free from resentment  and hostility,  able to adjust to the customs  of those  for whom  they work,  able  to be of bene fit   to   everyone.   Also,   from   the   in fluences   of  the   enl ightening beings' pure conduct, they have talent and artistry, and arc masters of crafts and mathematics. They arc skilled in service and able to please.

"At that time, the enlightening beings dedicate the roots of goodness in this way: 'May all sentient beings attain docile minds, cultivating roots of goodness with all Buddhas; may all sentient beings obediently

 

608  The Flower Ornament Scripture

 

provide o fferings to all Buddhas and be able to hear and absorb what the Buddhas teach; may all sentient beings be accepted by the Buddhas, always observe the enlightened ones,  without any other thought; may all sentient beings not spoil the seed of buddhahood, diligently cultivat­ ing all roots of goodness in accord with the Buddhas; may all sentient beings always diligently provide for all Buddhas, not wasting any time; may all sentient beings hold the sublime doctrines of the B uddhas, their words pure, traveling without fear; may all sentient beings always be happy to sec Buddhas, never tiring, not begrudging their lives to the Buddhas; may all sentient beings get to sec the Buddhas, their minds without indulgence or attachment,  free from worldly dependence; may all sentient beings only take refuge in Buddha and forever leave all false resorts; may all sentient beings follow the Buddha-way, their minds always blissfully contemplating the supreme Buddha teaching. ' This is great enlightening beings' dedication of roots of goodness when giving servants, to cause sentient beings to get rid of defilement, clear  the ground of buddhahood, and be able to manifest the free body of the enlightened .

"Great enlightening beings give their bodies  to those who come ask for them; when they give,  they engender a humble mind,  a mind like the earth,  a mind enduring all  suffering without changing or wavering, a mind to serve sentient beings tirelessly, a mind regarding all sentient beings  like a benevolent  mother, turning over all their virtues  to them, a mind of forgiveness for the various impositions and aggressions of ignorant evil beings, and rest on the foundations of goodness, diligently performing service.

"At that time enlightening beings dedicate all the roots of goodness in this way: 'May all sentient beings never lack what they need, culti­ vate the practices of enlightening beings unremittingly, not give up the just rewards of all enlightening beings, remain on the path traveled by enlightening beings, comprehend the equal real nature of enlightening beings, get to be of the number of the fa mily of Buddhas, abide by truthful speech, sustain enlightening practice, cause all worldlings to be able to clarify the Buddha-teaching, deeply believe in it, and realize the ultimate consummation of the teaching, and cause sentient beings to produce pure,  excellent  roots of goodness,  abide in great virtue,  and ful fill universal knowledge. Also with these roots of goodness I will cause all sentient beings to always get to attend all Buddhas, to under­ stand all their teachings, to bear the teachings,  reading and reciting them, never forgetting them or letting them be lost or scattered,  their minds well subdued. Those who arc not sel f-controlled I will tame, training them with the methods of stillness and serenity. I will cause sentient beings, in the presence of the Buddhas, to persevere in these things. Also,  by these roots of goodness I will cause all sentient beings to be the foremost monument,  worthy of receiving  the various  o ffer­ ings of the world. I will cause all sentient  beings to become supreme

 

Ten Dedications     609

 

fields of blessings, attain Buddha knowledge, and enlighten everyone. I will cause all sentient beings to become the best of recipients, able to benefit all living beings . I will cause all sentient beings to become the best of benefactors, able to foster the endowment of all roots of goodness. I will  cause all sentient beings to become the finest receivers of gifts, able to cause the givers to obtain infinite rewards. I will cause all sentient beings to attain emancipation from the realms of desire, form , and formlessness. I will cause all sentient beings to become the foremost of leaders, able to show the world the path that accords with truth . I will cause all sentient beings to attain marvelous total mental command, fully holding all the true teachings of the Buddhas. I will cause all sentient beings to attain realization of the in finite primary cosmos of reality, and ful fill the true path unobstructed as space. ' This is great enlightening beings' dedication of roots of goodness when giving their own bodies, to caus e all sentient beings to attain the body of infinite knowledge of the sanctified ones .

"Great enlightening beings arc joy ful when they hear the teaching;

they conceive pure fa ith , and arc able to offer their own bodies to the Buddha, raptly believing in the treasure of the unexcelled teaching. They think of the Buddhas as their parents, and read and recite, absorb and hold the teachings of the path of nonobstruction , entering into all the gates of countless teachings, jewels of wisdom, roots of goodness . Their minds always think of infinite Buddhas . They enter the sphere of buddhahood and attain to deep comprehension of its principles . They arc able, with the subtle, mysterious pure voice of the enlightened, to produce clouds of Buddha teachings and shower rain of Buddha teachings. Bravely and freely they arc able to analytically explain the supreme state of the omniscient.  Fully consummating the vehicle of all-knowledge, they ful fill all potentials with immeasurable hundreds of thousands of millions of great teachings .

"When great enlightening beings hear such teachings from Buddhas, their joy knows no bounds; they abide fi rmly by the truth, cut ofT their own doubt and confusion,  and also cause others' doubts to be removed as well. Their minds arc always light and happy,  full of virtuous qualities , replete with roots of goodness. Their attention is continuous, helping sentient beings without their minds ever being exhausted . They attain supreme knowledge and become treasuries of diamonds. They associate closely with Buddhas and purify buddha-fields, always dili­ gently attend all the enlightened ones. At that time the enlightening beings dedicate the roots of goodness in this way: 'May all sentient beings attain a fully developed, most excellent body, in the care of all Buddhas; may all sentient beings always be ncar the Buddhas, abide with the Buddhas, and always gaze upon them, never leaving; may all sentien t beings attain a pure indestructible body, endowed with all virtue and knowledge; may all sentient beings always diligently serve all Buddhas, and carry out the ultimate pure practice of nonassumption ;

 

610  The Flower Omamc11t Scripture

 

may all sentient beings attain the cgoless body, divorced from self and possession; may all sentient beings be able to distribute their bodies throughout the lands of the ten directions, like reflections appearing, without coming or going; may all sentient beings attain the body of freedom, going everywhere in the ten directions without self or reception; may all sentient beings attain the buddha-body, born in the home of the unexcelled embodiment of the realization of thusness; may all sentient beings attain the great power of forbearance of the body of power  of truth, which none can break down; may all sentient beings attain the incomparable body and realize the pure body of reality of the enlightened; may all sentient beings develop the body of transmundane virtues , born in the pure realm of reality where nothing is obtained.' This is the dedication of roots of goodness  of enlightening  beings  when offering their bodies to Buddhas, to cause sentient beings to dwell forever in the house of the Buddhas of past, present, and future.

"Great enlightening beings give their bodies to all sentient beings, because they want to cause them to develop roots of goodness, and to remember and think of roots of goodness.  Great enlightening beings wish their bodies to be great bright lamps able to illumine al l sentient beings, to be means of li fe supporting all beings, to be treasuries of wonderful teaching able to sustain all living beings, to be pure light to awaken all sentient beings, to be lights of the world causing all sentient beings to always sec, to be causes and conditions of roots of goodness causing sentient beings  to always get the opportunity to meet them,  to be genuine teachers causing all sentient beings to receive instruction and guidance, to be even paths on which all sentient beings may tread, to be unexcelled, complete comfort enabling all sentient beings to be freed from suffering and be purified, to be clear suns universally and impar­ tially benefiting the world.

At that time enlightening beings  dedicate  the roots of goodness  in this way: 'May all sentient beings always associate with the Buddhas and enter the realm of Buddha  knowledge;  may  all sentient  beings attain adaptable knowledge and abide in unexcelled awareness; may all sentient beings always be in the assemblies of Buddhas and their minds be well tuned; may all sentient beings always comport themselves with the dignity of Buddhas; may all sentient beings attain nirvana and profoundly understand the meaning of the teaching; may all sentient beings be complete in knowledge and conduct and be born in the house of the Buddhas; may all sentient beings give up ignorant craving and abide in the aspiration of buddhahood; may all sentient beings develop excellent roots of goodness and sit at the tree of enlightenment; may all sentient beings slay the brigands that arc the a fflictions and get rid of these enemies; may all sentient beings fully preserve all Buddha teachings .' This is great enlightening beings' dedication of roots of goodness when giving their bodies  to all sentient beings,  because they want to benefit all  sentient beings and cause them  to  reach  the realm  of supreme  peace.

 

Ten  Dedicatio11s 611

'' Great enlightening beings personally attend the Buddhas, wanting to requite their great benevolence,  thinking of them as like parents. They have deep faith in the Buddhas, and preserve  enlightenment, abiding by the principles of the Buddhas, detaching from mundane conceptions. Born in the house of the enlightened, they follow the Buddhas, leaving the realm of delusion. They arrive at the sphere of action of all Buddhas and become vessels of the teachings of all Buddhas. At that time the enlightening beings dedicate these roots of goodness in this way: 'May all sentient beings attain pure minds and adorn them­ selves \\'ith the jewel of universal knowledge; may all sentient beings abide in good sel f-control and avoid all bad actions; may all sentient beings gain indestructible, steadfast retinues, able to absorb the true teaching of the Buddhas; may all sentient beings become students of Buddhas and reach the enlightening beings' stage of coronation ; may all sentient beings always be in the keeping  of the Buddhas  and forever give up wh atever is not good; may all sentient beings follow the Buddhas and practice the su preme principle of enlightening beings; may all sentient bein gs enter the sphere of Buddhas and receive the p redic­ tion of omniscience; may all sentient beings be thoroughly equal to the Buddhas  and master all the Buddha teachings; may all sentient beings be in the care of the Buddhas  and always be able to practice acting without grasping or attach ment; may all sentient beings become the forem ost attendants of the Buddhas, and in the company of the Bud­ dhas cultivate the practice of knowledge and wisdom .' This is great enlightening beings' dedication of roots of goodness when attending Buddhas, because they want to actually realize the enlightenment of the Buddhas, because they want to save all sentient beings, because they want to transcend all in the triple world, because they want to perfect nonmalcvolcnce, because they want to attain immeasurably great enlightenment, because they want to develop knowledge illuminating the Buddha teachings, because they want to always receive acceptance by the Buddhas, because they want to gain  the protection  of the Buddhas, because they want to truly understand all Buddha teachings, because they want to develop roots of goodness equal to those of the Buddhas of all times, and because they want to fully develop an unembittcred mind and realize the teachings of all Buddhas.

"Great enlightening beings give up their countries, able to relinquish all things, including kingship; their minds attain freedom from all worldly concerns, and they have no tics, no bonds, no obsessions or attach ments. They avoid evil deeds and work for the benefit of sentient beings \vithout attachment to the results of their deeds.  They do not take pleasure in worldly things, and arc no longer attached to or eager for any realm of existence.  T'hough they live in the world,  they do not set their hearts on it. They do not cling to material, mental, or sense phenomena, and their minds do not rest on anything internal or external . They never f()rget the practices of enlightening beings, and never aban-

 

612  The Flower Ornament Scripture

 

don the wise; keeping the far-reaching practical commitments of enlight­ ening beings, they always gladly serve all good companions.

"At such times,  the enlightening beings dedicate these roots of good­ ness in this way: 'May all sentient beings become monarchs of truth, masters of truth, and reach the other shore; may all sentient beings become monarchs of the Buddha  teaching  and destroy  their enemies, the afflictions; may all sentient beings dwell in the sovereignty of buddhahood, attain enlightened knowledge, and expound the Buddha teachings; may all sentient beings live in the realm of buddhahood and be able to turn the wheel of the teaching of unexcelled freedom; may all sentient beings be born in the house of the enlightened ones, master the teachings, and preserve the family of Buddhas forever; may all sentient beings reveal innumerable true teachings of the king of truth, perfecting boundless great enlightening beings; may all sentient beings abide in the pure realm of reality, become monarchs of the great truth , and manifest the emergence of Buddhas, continuing unbroken; may all sentient beings be monarchs of knowledge and wisdom in all worlds, edi fying and guiding living beings without ever abandoning them ; may all sentient beings be donors of truth to all sentient beings in all worlds throughout the space of the cosmos, enabling them all to abide in the Great Vchicle; may all sentient beings manage to become monarchs replete with myr­ iad virtues, with roots of goodness equal to those  of the Buddhas of past, present, and future . ' This is great enlightening beings' dedication of roots of goodness when giving away kingship, because they want to cause all sentient beings to ultimately live in peace.

"When great enlightening beings sec people come asking for the magnificent buildings of the royal capital as well as the revenues from customs duties collected at the borders, they give it all ungrudgingly, wholeheartedly turning toward enlightenment, making great vows, abiding in great benevolence, practicing great compassion, their minds joyfully intent on helping sentient beings. By great knowledge they understand the profound truth and abide in the equal real  nature  of Buddhas . They practice giving because they are determined to find omniscience,  because they have profound longing for freedom, because they seck realization of independent knowledge, because they purify all virtues, because they abide in steadfast great knowledge, because they extensively gather all kinds of roots of goodness, because they carry out the undertakings of all the Buddha teachings, because they spontane­ ously awaken to the principle of great knowledge, because they abide in enlightenment without regressing, because they cultivate the practical vows of all enlightening beings, and because they thoroughly consum­ mate knowledge of methods of enlightenment.

"These roots of goodness they dedicate in this way: 'May all sentient

beings be able to purify infinite lands and present them to the Buddhas to live in ; may all sentient beings always enjoy living in forests, silent, peaceful, undisturbed; may all sentient beings not dwell in capitals or

 

Te11  Dedications 613

 

nt1cs, their hearts delighting in peace and quiet, forever attaining ulti­ mate serenity; may all sentient beings be forever unattached  to any world and always gladly avoid all mundane talk; may all sentient beings attain hearts free from covetousness,  giving whatever they have with­ out regret; may all sentient beings attain emancipated minds, giving up occupation with business; may all sentient beings be free from miserli­ ness and always practice generous giving; may all sentient beings have unattached minds, transcending the events of home li fe; may all sentient beings attain freedom from suffering and eliminate all fear of calamity; may all sentient beings purify all worlds in the  ten directions  and present them to the Buddhas. ' This is great enlightening beings' dedica­ tion of roots of goodness when giving away  royal  capitals.  to cause sentient beings to all be able to purify the buddha-fields.

"Great enlightening beings ' ladies-in-waiting arc all beautiful and talented, witty and graceful, skilled in conversation, dancing, and singing, adorned with various clothes, flowers, and perfumes, endlessly delight­ ful to all who sec them: such precious women,  countless numbers of them, arc all born of the good deeds of enlightening beings,  free to do as  they  will,  yet  impeccably  respectful  and  agreeable-all  of them  the enlightening beings  give to those who ask for them,  without longing for them,  without missing them, without obsession with them,  with­ out attachment to them, without clinging to them, without craving for them, without thinking about them, without pursuing them, without attachment to their appearance, without lust for them .

"At such a time the enlightening beings contemplate the roots of goodness and dedicate them to enabling all sentient beings to attain emancipation, to attain the joy of the Buddha teachings, to attain the enduring in the midst of the unenduring,  to attain  the incorruptible mind of adamantine knowledge, to enter the site of Buddha's enlighten­ ment, to reach the other  shore,  to attain  the supremely  enlightened mind, to be able to comprehend all things, to produce all  roots of goodness, to  enter the house of the  Buddhas of all times .

"Great enlightening beings, abiding by this principle, arc born in the house of the enlightened, develop the pure, supreme causal basis of the Buddhas, produce the supreme path of universal knowledge,  enter deeply into the far-reaching work of knowledge of enlightening beings, and  get  rid  of all  worldly  defilements  and  afflictions.  They  arc  always able to provide o fferings to the virtuous fields of blessings. They expound the wondrous teaching to sentient beings, skillfully arranging it, causing them to cultivate pure practices, always endeavoring to embody all roots of goodness.

"At such a time the enlightening beings dedicate the roots of good­ ness in this way: 'May all sentient beings always attain a retinue of innumerable concentrations, the supreme concentration of enlightening beings, continuing uninterrupted; may all sentient beings always delight in seeing Buddha and enter absorption in the adornments of Buddhas;

 

614  The FlouHr Ornament Scripture

 

may all sentient beings accomplish the inconceivable concentration of enlightening beings, sporting freely in immeasurable spiritual powers; may all sentient beings enter concentration in accord  with truth  and attain incorruptible minds; may all sentient beings thoroughly attain the most profound concentration of enlightening beings,  and realize free­ dom in all meditations and concentrations; may all sentient beings attain liberated minds and accomplish the group of all concentration states; may all sentient beings attain skill in all kinds of concentration, able to take in all aspects of concentration; may all sentient beings attain concen­ tration of supreme knowledge, able to learn and practice the various methods of concentration; may all sentient beings attain unobstructed concentration and enter into deep meditation concentration, never re­ gressing or losing it; may all sentient beings attain unattached concen­ tration, their minds always sensing truly and not grasping duality. ' This is great enlightening beings' dedication of roots of goodness  when giving away their retinues, because they want to cause  all  sentient beings to gain indestructible pure retinues,  because they want to cause all sentient beings to gain retinues of enlightening beings, because they want to cause all sentient beings to be able to ful fill the powers of omniscience, because they want to cause all sentient beings to realize supreme wisdom, because they want to cause all sentient beings to have amenable retinues, because they want to cause all sentient beings to attain the pure reality-body of the enlightened,  because they want to cause all sentient beings to attain orderly, reasonable powers of elucida­ tion and skill fully expound the inexhaustible treasury of the Buddha's teachings, because they want to cause all sentient beings to forever relinquish all conventional mundane virtues and equally cultivate pure transmundane virtues, because they want to cause all sentient beings' purifying work to be complete, and develop all pure qualities, and because they want to cause all Buddha teachings to be evident to all sentient beings, universally purified by the light of truth.

"Great enlightening beings can give away their beloved spouses and children, as did the Loving Prince, Adornment Mani festing King, and countless other great enlightening beings. At such a time, the enlighten­ ing beings  mount the mind of all-knowledge,  carry out total giving, and purely cultivate the path of giving of enlightening beings, their minds  clear and without regret.  They give up what they prize in quest of omniscience, to cause sentient beings to have profound, pure aspirations, accomplish the practice of enlightenment, observe the path of enlightening beings,  reflect on the enlightenment of the Buddhas, and abide in the fa mily of Buddhas .

"When great enlightening beings have developed such a giving mind, they determine  to seck the body of buddhahood;  they observe their own bodies to be bound to everything and unable to be independent. Still,  they help all sentient beings with their own bodies, like continents of treasure, giving all, causing the unfulfilled to be ful t!lled. Thus do

 

Ten Dedicatio115  615

 

enlightening beings care for sentient beings, wishing to cause their own bodies to be the best of monuments, to cause all to become joy ful. They want to create an egalitarian, equanimous attitude in the world. They want to be reservoirs of pure coolness for sentient beings.  They want to give all  peace and happiness to sentient beings.  They want  to be great donors to sentient beings. They are capable of such magnitl­ cent commitments because their knowledge is free and they know the practices carried out by enlightening beings. Proceeding toward omniscience, they vow to become supremely wise tlelds of blessings. They care for all sentient beings and always follow and protect them, while being able to accomplish their own salvation. Their light of knov.dcdge and wisdom illumines the whole world. They always consci­ entiously remember the generosity of enlightening beings and always raptly contemplate the sphere of realization of thusness.

"Great enlightening beings dedicate the roots of virtue collected by

giving away spouses and children with unbound, unattached, liberated minds in this way: 'May all sentient beings, abiding in the enlighten­ ment of Buddhahood , produce phantom bodies pervading the cosmos, tu rning the wheel of teaching that never turns back; may all sentient beings attain the body of nonattachment and go to all buddha-fields by the power of will; may all sentient beings give up the mind of love and hate and sever the knot of greed and anger; may all sentient beings be children of the Buddhas, following the course of the Buddhas; may all sentient beings steadfastly think of the Buddhas as themselves; may all sentient beings always be children of Buddha, born by transformation from the teaching; may all sentient beings reach the ultimate and accomplish the independent knowledge and wisdom of the enlightened; may all sentient beings realize the enlightenment of buddhahood and be forever free of aft1ictions; may all sentient beings  be able  to fully expound the way to enlighten ment, always blissfully practicing the giving of the unsurpassed teaching; may all sentient beings attain  a rightly concen trated mind, their concentration unbroken by any objects; may all sentient beings sit at the tree of enlightenment,  attain supreme true awakening, and teach innumerable good men and women born by transformation from the teaching. ' This is enlightening beings ' dedica­ tion of roots of goodness when giving spouses and children, to cause sentient beings to all realize the unattached knowledge of unhindered liberation.

"Great enlightening beings give houses and furniture to any who ask for them, practicing the principle of generosity,  having no attachments to home, leaving behind all thoughts of home li fe, fed up with family business,  having no craving or taste for comforts and conveniences. Thei r minds arc without tics or attachments; they know the household is fragile, and they disdain it, having no craving for it at all,  only wanting to leave home and cultivate the practices of enlightening beings, adorning themselves with the enlightening teachings and qualities of

 

616  The  Flower Omamc11t  Script11rc

 

buddhahood. They give up all without regret, always praised by the Buddhas,   generously   givin g  whatever  they   have-houses,   goods­ wherever they arc, without attachment in their minds. When they sec beggars come they arc joyful,  and the enlightening  beings dedicate these roots of goodness in this way: 'May all sentient beings be liber­ ated from the tics of householding, enter homclcssncss, and cultivate religious practice in Buddhism; may all sentient beings get rid of the taint of miserliness  and gladly give all, their  minds never shrinking back; may all sentient beings forever detach from householding, have few desires, be content, not storing anything; may all sentient beings leave the home of conventional society and live in the home of the enlightened; may all sentient beings be free from clinging to home and fa mily, and though they live at home have no attachment in their minds; may all sentient beings be skillful teachers and guides, expound­ ing enlightened wisdom without leaving lay life; may all sentient beings, while physically living at home, mentally always live in accord with Buddha-kncnvlcdgc; may all sentient beings, while in the state of lay home li fe. dwell in the state of buddhahood and cause infinite sentient beings to develop joyful minds. ' This is great enlightening beings' dedication of roots of goodness when giving houses, to cause sentient beings to accomplish the various practical vows and spiritual powers and knowledge of enlightening beings.

"Great enlightening beings give all kinds of gardens, groves, terraces, and pleasant  parks,  with this thought:  'I should make a fine grove for all sentient beings; I should show all sentient beings the pleasure of the teaching; I should give all sentient beings joy; I should show all sentient beings boundless enjoyment; I should open the gate of the teaching of purity for all sentient beings; I should cause all sentient beings' minds to swell with joy; I should cause all beings to attain complete enlightenment; I should cause all beings to ful fill the great vow; I should be like a benevolent fa ther to all sentient beings; I should cause all sentient beings to observe with knowledge and wisdom; I should give all beings the necessities of li fe; I should be like a loving mother to all sentient beings, nurturing all roots of goodness and great aspirations. '

"When great enlightening beings cultivate roots of goodness like this, they do not detest evil sentient beings and do not make the mistake of thinking to reject them; even if all the beings in the world arc ingrates, they never have any hatred or resentment, and never give a thought to revenge-they   only   want to annihilate  their innumerable  sufferi ngs  and a fflictions. In all  worlds  their  minds  arc like space, una ffected  and un attached; everywhere they observe the true character of all things. They take the great vow to extinguish the suffering of sentient beings, never vvearying of or abandoning the determination of the Great Vchicle. Annihilating all viC\vs, they cultivate the impartial practice and vows of enlightening beings.

 

Ten Dedications     61 7

 

"Great enlightening beings, having contemplated in this way,  unify all their roots of goodness and dedicate them all in this way: 'May all sentient beings richly produce innumerable good qualities moment to moment, and develop minds like supreme gardens and groves; may all sentient beings attain imperturbability, see all Buddhas, and make them happy; may all sentient beings enjoy the garden of truth and attain to sublime enjoyment of the gardens of the buddha-lands; may all sentient beings attain  pure minds  and always sec the garden of psychic powers of the enlightened ones; may all sentient beings attain the playful enjoyment of buddhahood,  always  sporting  in the realm of wisdom; may all sentient beings attain the pleasure of carefree roaming, traveling to the assemblies at enlightenment sites in buddha-fields everywhere; may all sentient beings  accomplish the liberated roaming of enlighten­ ing beings and  carry out the practices of enlightening  beings through­ out the future without ever tiring of it; may all sentient beings see all Buddhas filling the cosmos, develop vastly broad minds,  and abide in the groves of buddhahood; may all sentient beings be able to go to all buddha-fields and give o fferings to the buddhas in each and every field; may all sentient beings attain hearts of good desires, purifying and adorning all buddha-fields. ' This is great enlightening beings' dedica­ tion of roots of goodness when giving away all gardens, groves, and terraces.

"Great enlightening beings perform countless great charitable works, all pure, approved by the Buddhas, never i njuring a single sentient being, causing all sentient beings to avoid  all evils,  to purify their action, speech,  and thought,  and to achieve wisdom. They clear count­ less spheres of purity and pile  up therein countless  fine things  to support life; activating the most rarely attained spirit of enlightenment, they practice unlimited giving, causing sentient beings to abide in the path of purity, good in the beginning, the middle, and the end, and to engender pure  faith. They gladden  countless  sentient beings according to their hearts' desires; with great benevolence and  compassion  they bring all to safety. They serve and provide for the Buddhas of the past, present, and future. Because they want to develop the seed of Buddhahood, they practice giving without regret in their hearts, increas­ ing the development of the faculty of faith, fulfilling superlative conduct, moment to moment progressing to transcendence.

"At such times the enlightening beings dedicate the roots of goodness in this way: 'May all sentient beings develop the mind of the Great Vehicle and be able to accomplish the giving of the Great V ehicle; may all sentient beings be able to carry out giving to the masses,  total giving, good giving, supreme giving, unexcelled giving, most unsur­ passable giving, incomparable giving, giving transcending all worlds, giving praised by all the Buddhas; may all sentient beings become the best of donors, rescuing sentient beings from the various conditions of misery and enabling them to enter the path of unobstructed knowledge,

 

618  The  Flower  Omam et1 t  Scripture

 

cultivating impartial vows, roots of goodness in accord with truth, attaining nondiscrimination, realizing inherent knowledge; may all sen­ tient beings abide securely in the dispassionate, serene knowledge of meditation concentrations, enter the undying path, consummate knowl­ edge of all spiritual powers, persevere bravely to fulfill the enlightened qualities adorning all the stages and reach the other shore, never turning back; may all sentient beings set up great charities without ever wearying, providing for and helping sentient beings unceasingly,  consummating the unexcelled knowledge of all means of liberation; may all sentient beings always diligently plant all roots of goodness, and reach the other shore of myriad  virtues; may  all sentient  beings always be praised  by the Buddhas and  be great donors  in the world, replete with virtues, filling the cosmos, illumining the ten directions, giving unexcelled happiness; may all sentient beings establish great charities, widely gathering roots of goodness, equally including all sentient beings, and arrive at the other shore; may all sentient beings accomplish supreme giving, causing sentient beings everywhere to abide in the foremost vehicle; may all sentient beings give at appropriate times, forever avoid improper timing, and consummate great giving; may all sentient beings accomp lish good giving and reach the other shore of great giving of the Buddhas; may all sentient beings ultimately always carry on magnifi­ cent giving, considering all Buddhas their teachers, able  to approach them all and make great offerings; may all sentient beings abide in pure giving, gathering infinite virtues, equal to the cosmos, and reach the other shore; may all sentient beings be great donors  in all  worlds, vowing to liberate all creatures and live in the realm of the enlightened. ' This is great enlightening beings ' dedication of roots of goodness when establishing great charities, to cause sentient beings to practice supreme giving, giving to consummate buddhahood, giving to perfect goodness, incorruptible giving, giving of offerings to Buddhas, giving without resentment, giving to save sentient beings, giving to attain omniscience, giving to always see the Buddhas, giving with great pcrscverence, great giving to perfect the virtues of all enlightening beings  and the knowl­ edge and wisdom of buddhahood.

'' Great enlightening beings give all necessities of li fe unbegrudgingly, without seeking reward, without hoping for worldly prosperity or happiness.  They rid the mind of errant thought,  and meditate well on the truth, because they want to benefit all sentient beings and clearly perceive the true nature of all things. According to the various di fferent needs of sentient beings,  they prepare innumerable things  to support life, the embellishments of which arc all fine and beautiful. They carry out unbounded giving, total giving, and giving of everything internal and external. When they carry out  this giving,  they increase  their power  of determination,  gain great virtue,  perfect the jewel  of mind, and arc ever able to safeguard all sentient beings, causing them all to develop the most excellent aspirations, yet with never a thought  of

 

Ten Dedicatiotzs    619

 

seeking reward . Their roots of goodness arc equal to those of the Buddhas of past, present, and future, and by them they all fulfill the knowledge of all means of liberation.

"Great enlightening beings dedicate all the roots of goodness in this giving to sentient beings, that all sentient beings may be puri fied and master themselves; that all sentient beings may extinguish a fflictions and purify all buddha-fields; that all sentient beings, with a pure mind, may pervade the cosmos in a single moment  of  thought;  that  all sentient beings may fill the cosmos of space with knowledge; that all sentient beings attain  universal knowledge,  enter everywhere in the three realms of desire, form, and formlessness , and tame sentient beings, at all times turning the irreversible wheel of the pure teaching; that all sentient beings may be endowed with omniscience and be able  to manifest the techniques of spiritual powers to benefit sentient beings; that all sentient beings be able to awaken  to complete enlightenment and forever ceaselessly expound the true teaching in all regions,  causing all beings to get to hear and know of it; that all sentient beings may cultivate the practices of enlightening beings for countless cons and manage to ful fill them all ; that all sentient beings may cultivate the practices of enlightening beings in all worlds that may be accounted or spoken  o f,   be  they  defiled  or  pure  worlds,   small  or  large,   gross  or subtle, inverted or upright, uniformly or variously adorned, extending throughout them all; that all sentient beings may in every  passing moment perform the work of Buddhas of past, present,  and future, teaching and transforming sentient beings and turning them toward universal knowledge.

"Great enlightening beings provide sentient beings with everything they need, in order to cause the Buddha-teaching to continue unbroken. With great compassion they save all sentient beings . Abiding stably in great benevolence, they cultivate the practices of enlightening beings. They never violate the teachings of the Buddha; with skill in means, they practice whatever is good, not letting the lineage of Buddhas die out. They give whatever is required, without being troubled; they give all with never a regret, being always earnestly dedicated to the path of universal knowledge.

"At such times, the various  forms and species  of living  creatures from the lands of the ten directions, various fields of blessings, all come and gather around the enlightening beings, making various requests of them : the enlightening beings, seeing them, receive them all, their hearts becoming joyful, like seeing good friends ; with great compassion and mercy they want to satisfy their wishes. Their generosity increases unceasingly, and without weariness; they fulfill their requests,  satisfy­ ing them according to their needs, freeing them from the miseries of destitution. Then the seekers arc very happy and spread  the voice of praise of the virtue of the enlightening beings, so that their good repute becomes widespread and everyone comes to them . The joy of the

 

620  The Flower Ornament Scripture

 

enlightening beings upon seeing them has no measure-even if one experienced the pleasures of Indra,   king of gods,   for a trillion quadril­ lion eons, experienced the pleasures of the Suyama heaven for countless cons, experienced the pleasures of the Tushita heaven for immeasurable eons, experienced the pleasures of the heaven of good emanations for boundless cons, experienced the pleasures of the heaven  of free enjoyment   of others'  emanations   for   incomparable  eons,   experienced the   pleasures   of the   Brahma  kings   for uncountable   eons,   experienced the three thousand   royal   pleasures   of world   monarchs   for unaccount­ able   eons,    experienced   the pleasures of the   heaven   of universal purity for   unthinkable   eons,  and experienced the pleasures   of the heaven   of pure abodes for unspeakably many eons, none of it could equal the joy and delight of great enlightening beings upon seeing the needy come to them.  They are happy  and ebullient,   their faith grows,  their aspiration is pure, their faculties arc harmoniously tuned, their resolution is fully developed, and they progress toward complete enlightenment.

"The great enlightening beings  dedicate these  roots   of goodness  to the welfare of all sentient beings,  to the peace and happiness  of all sentient beings,  to the true benefit of all sentient beings,  to the purifica­ tion of all sentient beings, to induce all sentient beings to seek enlightenment, to cause all sentient beings to attain equality, to cause all sentient beings to attain intelligent, benevolent minds,  to cause  all sentient beings to enter the Great Vehicle, to cause all sentient beings to attain wisdom, and to cause all sentient beings to fulfill the practical undertakings of the Universally Good enlightening being,  fulfill the vehicle of the ten powers, and actually realize true awakening.

"When  great enlightening beings   dedicate   roots   of   goodness   this way, they are liberated in word, thought, and deed; they have no attachments  or bonds, no concept of sentient beings,  no concept of a life, no concept of a personality,  no   concept of a person,  no   concept of a youth, no concept of one born, no concept of an agent, no concept of a receiver, no concept of existence, no concept of nonexistence, no concept of present life or afterlife, no concept of dying here and being born there, no   concept   of permanence,  no   concept of impermanence, no concept of the three realms of existence, no concept of the nonexist­ ence of the three realms; they are not perceiving, nor are they not perceiving. Thus, they arc not practicing dedication bound,  not practic­ ing dedication liberated from bonds, not practicing dedication by action, not practicing dedication by the results of action, not practicing dedica­ tion with discrimination, not practicing dedication indiscriminately, not practicing dedication thinking,  not practicing   dedication   after   thought, not practicing dedication with mind, not practicing dedication mindlessly. "When  great enlightening   beings   practice dedication in  this   way,   they do not cling to inside or outside, subject or object, cause or effect, right or wrong, thought or nonthought, from the birth of form, the passing away of form, or to sensation, perception, patterning, or consciousness,

 

Ten Dedications     62 1

 

or to the birth or passing away of sensation, perception, patterning, or consciousness. If great enlightening beings are able to not be bound by these things, then they arc not  bound  by  form  or  by  the  birth  or passing away of form; they are not bound by sensation, perception, patterning, or consciousness, or by the birth or passing away of sensation, perception, patterning, or consciousness. If they are able  to  not  be bound  by  these  things,  then  they  also  arc  not  released  from  these things . Why? Because there does not exist the slightest thing being born, already born, or to be born-there is nothing that can be apprehended, nothing that can be clung to. All things are inherently like this-they have no intrinsic nature of their own: they are intrinsically incompatible with any characterization, neither one  nor two,  not many and not infinite, not small or large, not narrow or broad, not deep or shallow, not nullity and not  concepts,  not so  and not not so,  not truth and not not truth, not substantial and not insubstantial, not existent and not nonexistent. Enlightening beings thus sec  things as  not  things, while in  terms of speech  they follow  convention  in  defining  what arc not things as things: they do not cut  off the  paths  of action  and  do  not give up enlightening  practices; they  seek  omniscience without ever turning  back.  They know  that all  conditions  of action are like dreams, that sounds and voices are like echoes, that sentient beings arc like shadows, that all things arc like phantoms-yet  they  do  not  deny  the power of the  action of  causes and conditions; they  know that  the function of actions is far-reaching . They understand that all things do nothing, and traverse the path of nondoing without ever giving it up.

"These great enlightening beings abide in universal knowledge, dedi­ cating all, whether positive or negative, to omniscience-they practice dedication in all places without ever retreating. In what senses, by what meanings, is it called dedication? It is called  dedication because  of having crossed over the world forever and  arrived at the other shore.  It is called dedication because of crossing over  the path of speech and arriving at the other shore.  It is called dedication because of leaving behind all sorts of concepts and reaching the other shore.  It is called dedication because of having forever ended the idea of corporeality and arrived at the other shore. It is called dedication because of having left dependency behind forever and reached the other shore.  It is called dedication because of having ended contrivance forever and reached the other shore. It is called dedication because of having left all states of existence forever and arrived at the other shore.  It is called dedication because of having abandoned all grasping   forever   and   arrived   at   the other shore. It is ca1led dedication because of having left all worldly things forever and arrived at the other shore.

"When great enlightening beings practice dedication in this way,  then they are living in accord with the Buddha,  in accord with the Truth, in accord with knowledge,   in   accord   with   enlightenment,   in   accord   with its meaning, in accord with its sphere, in accord with its practice, in

 

622  'file Flower Omament Scripture

accord with reality, and in accord with purity. When great enlightening beings practice dedication in this way, then they comprehend all things; then they serve all Buddhas; there is not a single Buddha they do not attend, not a single thing they do not o tTer; there is not a single thing that can be destroyed,  not a single thing that can be turned away from, not a single thing that can be clung to, not a single thing that can be avoided. They do not sec anything at all, internal or external,  that has any disintegration or violates causality . They arc replete with the power of the teaching, and never cease.

'' This is the sixth of the great enlightening beings' dedications, fol­ lowing up and making permanent  all roots of goodness,  causing them to endure. When great enlightening beings abide in this dedication , they arc always m the care of the Buddhas; they firmly endure, unrcgrcssing, and enter the profound essence ofthings, cultivating universal knowledge. They accord with the meaning of the Tcaching,  accord with the nature of things, accord with all enduring roots of goodness, accord with all completely fulfilled great vows, and fully embody  the truth  which accords with perdurancc, which cannot be broken by even the adamant. In the midst of all things they attain independence. "

Then the enlightening being Diamond Banner, surveying the ten directions. looking over the assembled masses, and viewing the cosmos, entered into the most  profound meaning of verbal expression,  culti­ vated an immeasurably broad mind,  covered the whole world with the mind of great compassion,  developed  the mind of the family of Bud­ dhas of past, future, and present, entered into the virtues of all Buddhas, perfected the body of independent powers of the Buddhas, observed the mental inclinations of sentient beings, and, according to their roots of goodness that could be developed and matured, manifested physical bodies to them based on the body of the essence of things. Imbued with spiritual power from the Buddha, he said in verse,

 

Enlightening beings appear physically as  monarchs In the highest worldly ranks,

Their virtues and glory surpassing all, Providing benefit for all living creatures.

 

Their  minds  arc pure,  without attachment; They arc masters of the world, respected by all.

They promulgate true teaching to educate  people, And cause sentient beings everywhere to attain peace.

 

Manifesting birth among the noble, rising to monarchy, They always carry on the teaching according to the truth. Benevolent by nature, free from cruelty,

All in the ten directions look up to them and obey them.

 

Ten Dcdicatio11s

 

Their knowledge and discernment always clear, Their capacities arc fully complete.

As rulers and leaders they arc followed by all;

They crush the armies of demons and annihilate them.

 

They hold fast to pure morality, without transgression ;

\'(lith firm determination they forbear, unshakably. They vow to forever clear away anger from the mind And always gladly practice the teachings of Buddha.

 

Food and drink, perfumes and garlands, as well as clothes, V chides,  chairs,  cushions.  and  lamps-

Enlightening beings give these to people to help them, And give innumerable other kinds of things as well.

 

They practice giving to be of aid, Causing them to open their hearts.

In regard to the Supreme as well as others Their minds arc pure and full ofjoy.

 

Enlightening beings provide for all,

Able to give up everything they have, internal and external, Un failingly causing their minds to be forever pure

And never to be narrow or mean.

 

They may give their heads or eyes Or give their hands or feet,

Skin, f1csh, bones, marrow, and so on­ All they give up unbegrudgingly.

 

Enlightening beings, on the throne of royalty, Of the most noble of tribes,

Open their mouths and put forth their tongues to give living beings, Their hearts joy ful, without sorrow or attachment.

 

The virtues of giving their tongues They dedicate to all sentient beings,

Praying that based on this excellent cause

All may attain the universal tongue of the enlightened .

 

They may give their spouses and children,  or their royal rank, Or give themselves to be servants;

Their minds arc pure and always joy ful, Thus they have no remorse or regret.

 

 

They give whatever is required,

Aiding according to the time, unwearied; All they have they can disburse

So that all seekers be satisfied.

 

They give their bodies  to hear the teaching And practice austerities seeking enlightenment; And for the sake of the living they give up all ,

Seeking unexcelled knowledge without turning back.

 

By the true teaching heard from the Buddhas They give up their bodies to be servants, Because they want to save all living beings; They develop a mind of infinite joy.

 

They see the Wodd-Honored Guide

Can bring widespread weal with kindness; Then they dance with joy

And absorb the savor of the profound teaching of enlightenment.

 

Whatever roots of goodness enlightening beings have They dedicate all to sentient beings;

They rescue all without exception,

Forever liberating them, so they're eternally at peace.

 

Enlightening beings' retinues

Are attractive, talented, eloquent and intelligent, Adorned  with  all  manner  of embellishments­ Flower garlands, clothes, and perfumes :

These retinues, rare as they are,

E nlightening beings are able to give away,

Wholeheartedly seeking true enlightenment to liberate beings, Never for a moment giving up this determination.

 

Enlightening beings thus think clearly And fully carry out various great works, Dedicating all to conscious beings Without developing a grasping mind.

 

Enlightening beings give up their royal ranks As well as their land and cities,

Palaces, bowers, gardens, and groves, Servants and attendants, all ungrudgingly.

 

Over countless millions of eons They travel everywhere giving,

 

 

Whereby they teach and lead living beings, Causing them to ascend to the unexcelled shore.

 

Countless species, each different, Come and gather from all worlds;

Seeing them, enlightening beings arc joyful And satisfy them according to need .

 

Like the dedication of the Buddhas of all times Enlightening beings perform similar works; The course of the Human Taming Lords

They emulate to reach the other shore.

 

E nlightening beings examine all things:

Who can comprehend these things?

What is comprehension, what is comprehended? Thus their giving dwells nowhere.

 

The adaptive knowledge of enlightening beings' dedication , The expedient methods of enlightening beings' dedication, The true meaning of enlightening beings ' dedication:

They have no attachment to those things .

 

Their minds do not conceptualize actions arbitrarily, And they arc not obsessed with results of action;

They know the nature of enlightenment comes from conditions, And enter the profound realm of reality, without opposition .

 

They do not have action in their bodies, Nor docs it dwell in the mind.

By wisdom they realize there's no essence to action,

Yet due to causality action's not lost.

 

Their minds do not wrongly grasp things of the past, Nor crave for things of the future,

Nor dwell on aught in the present:

They know the three times are all void.

 

Enlightening beings have already reached the other shore of form A nd of sensation, perception , patternings, and consciousness; They go beyond the flow of birth and death in the world,

Their minds humble and always pure.

 

They clearl y analyze the five clusters, eighteen clements, Twelve sense media, and their own bodies,

 

 

Looking for enlightenment in each:

Their essential nature cannot be grasped.

 

They do not cling to appearances of permanence in things, Nor cling to the appearance of annihilation:

The nature of things is neither existent nor nonexistent,

While the process  of the principle of action  ultimately  never ends .

 

They do not dwell on anything at all,

Do not sec '' sentient beings" or "enlightenment": Throughout all lands in all times

They ultimately find they cannot be found.

 

If one can sec things in this way,

One will accord with the understanding of the Buddhas; Though one seck their essence, it cannot be found,

Y ct enlightening beings' practices arc not in vain.

 

Enlightening beings understand things exist due to conditions, And they do not deviate from the paths they should travel.

They clarify and explain the marks of all actions, Wanting to purify all sentient beings.

 

This is the path traversed by the wise, Taught by all the enlightened ones;

Following it reflectively, entering the true meaning, One will naturally awaken and become enlightened.

 

Phenomena have no birth or extinction, And they have  no coming  or going; Not dying here and reborn there-

Such people understand the Buddha teachings.

 

Comprehending  the true nature of things, Yet not conceptualizing the nature of things,

Knowing  things  have  no  essence  and  no  discrimination­ Such people can enter the Buddha's knowledge.

 

The nature of things is in all places,

All sentient beings and all lands,

In all times, past, present, and future, Yet has no apprehensible form .

 

That which the Buddhas all realize Is all-inclusive, omitting naught.

 

Though they explain all things in all times, A ll these things arc not existent.

 

As the nature of things pervades everywhere, So docs the dedication of enlightening beings: Thus dedicated to sentient beings,

They never retreat from the world.

 

"What is great enlightening beings' dedication equally adapting and according to all sentient beings? The enlightening beings accord with whatever roots of goodness they have accumulated-small roots of goodness, great roots of goodness, extensive roots of goodness, mani­ fold roots of goodness, measureless roots of goodness , various roots of goodness , roots of goodness as numerous as atoms, incalculable roots of goodness , boundless roots of goodness, inconceivable roots of goodness, immeasurable roots of goodness, roots of goodness of the sphere of buddhahood, roots of goodness of the sphere of the teaching, roots of goodness of the sphere of the religious community, roots of goodness of the sphere of teachers , roots of goodness of the spheres of all sentient beings, roots of goodness of the sphere of skill in means, roots of goodness of the sphere  of cultivation  of good states  of mind, inte rnal roots of goodness , external roots of goodness, roots of good­ ness of the sphere of boundless aids to the fostering  of enlightenment, roots of goodness of diligently cultivating universal  relinquishment, roots of goodness of establishing supreme determination and ultimately keeping pure precepts, roots of goodness of cquanimously enduring all, roots of goodness of constant, unrcgressing perscvcrcncc, roots of goodness of entering innumerable concentrations by great skill in means, roots of goodness of skill ful analysis by knowledge and wisdom, roots of goodness of knowing the differences in mental patterns of all sentient beings, roots of goodness of universally protecting and nurturing all worlds.

"Great enlightening beings cultivate and live by these roots of goodness, entering into them, absorbing them, accumulating them, fully develop­ ing them; their awareness and understanding clear,  they demonstrate and put them into action. Then they attain forbearance, close the doors of the courses of misery, skillfully embody roots of goodness, bear themselves with complete dignity, get rid of delusion, and ful fill correct action . They arc capable of being vessels of the Buddha teaching, and can be fertile fields of blessings and virtue for sentient beings.  In the care of the Buddhas, they develop the roots of goodness of buddhahood, live by the vows of Buddhas,  and carry out the works of the Buddhas. Their minds attain fi-ccdom equal to the Buddhas of past, present, and future; they proceed to the site of Buddhas' enlightenment, plunge into the power of the Enlightened, and arc endowed with the marks of

 

628  Tlzc Flower Omamctzt Scripture

 

Buddhas. Transcending all worlds, they do not desire birth in a heaven, do not covet wealth and pleasure, and do not cling to activities. Dedicat­ ing all roots of goodness, they arc mines of virtue for sentient beings. Abiding in the ultimate path, they envelop all. They remove sentient beings from the paths of delusion and cause them to live by all good principles. They reach all realms, uninterrupted and inexhaustible, open­ ing the gates of omniscient enlightenment, setting up the banner of knowledge, clarifying the Great Path, able to show it to all worldlings, causing them to get rid of impurity. Their minds well trained, they are born in the house of the enlightened and purify their buddha-nature. Replete with virtuous qualities, they are great fields of blessings;  a refuge for the world,  they firmly stabilize sentient beings,  purifying them all, diligently cultivating all roots of goodness.

"When great enlightening beings cultivate roots of goodness by the power of pure determination for enlightenment, they think in  these terms: 'These roots of goodness arc accumulated by the aspiration for enlightenment, thought of by the aspiration for enlightenment, initiated by the aspiration for enlightenment, willed by the aspiration  for enlighten ment, caused to grow by the aspiration for enlightenment: they are all due to pity for all sentient beings; they are for the quest for knowledge of all ways of liberation; they arc all for the sake of accomp­ lishing the ten powers of the enlightened.' While they thus reflect, their roots of goodness develop further, never regressing.

"Great enlightening beings also form this thought:  'May I practice the deeds of enlightening beings forever by these roots of goodness, giving them all to sentient beings, dedicating them all to all sentient beings,  including all, excepting none. May they cause countless worlds to be filled with treasures, countless worlds to be filled with raiment, countless worlds to be filled with fine fragrances , countless worlds to be filled with adornments, countless worlds to be filled with infinite jewels, countless worlds to be filled with exquisite flowers, countless worlds to be filled with fine flavorings, countless worlds to be filled with goods, countless worlds to be filled with chairs covered with jeweled screens and spread with fine fabrics , countless worlds to be filled with jeweled crowns  variously  adorned-even if one person  should be forever com­ ing seeking, I would give these things unceasingly; and as for one, so would I do for all sentient beings. '

"When great enlightening beings give in this way,  they have no mind of fa lsehood or artifice, no mind of seeking or expectation, no desire for name and fame, no regret,  no irritating afflictions in their minds; they only develop a mind solely intent on the path of universal knowledge, a mind to give away everything,  a mind of pity for sentient beings,  a mind to teach and perfect, a mind to cause all to abide  in the mind  of omniscient  knowledge.  Great  enlightening  beings  dedicate  the  roots  of goodness in this way, forever carrying out generous giving.

"Great enlightening beings also form this  thought: 'For the sake of

 

even one sentient being I would like to cause countless worlds to be filled with prize tame elephants, with gold banners, covered with gold mesh, adorned with all kinds of jewels, to usc as gifts; I would cause countless worlds to be filled with prize horses,  adorned with all kinds of precious ornaments,  to usc as gifts; I would cause countless worlds to be filled with female musicians capable of playing all sorts of beauti­ ful music, to use for giving; I would cause countless worlds to be filled with my own body, arousing the will for enlightenment,  to usc for giving; I would cause countless worlds to be filled with my own head, developing a nonindulgcnt mind, to usc for giving; I would cause countless worlds to be filled with my own eyes to usc for giving; I would cause countless worlds to be filled with my body's blood, flesh, bones and marrow, without feel ing any attachment, to usc for giving; I would cause countless worlds to be filled with the rank of sovereign to usc for giving; I would cause countless worlds to be filled with servants, to usc for giving. ' Great enlightening beings give various such things to one sentient being, abiding in a magnanimous, totally generous state of mind; and as to one, so do they give to all sentient beings in the whole realm of sentient beings.

"Great enlightening beings perform the acts of enlightening beings throughout the future in one world, giving such things to one and all, satisfying everyone; and as they do in one world,  so also do they do in all worlds in space throughout the cosmos. They cover all with great compassion, unremittingly, extending sympathy and mercy to all, pro­ viding them with what they need. They do not let conditions stop their practice of giving, and never grow weary of it, even for a  moment.

" When great enlightening beings give in this way, they give rise to these frames of mind: an unattached  mind,  an unfettered mind,  a liberated mind,  a mind of great strength,  an extremely profound mind, a well-concentrated mind, a nonclinging mind, a nonsubjective mind, a well-controlled mind, an undistractcd mind, a mind without arbitrary conceptions, a mind endowed with all kinds of precious essences,  a mind not seeking reward, a mind comprehending all things, a mind abiding in great dedication, a mind skillfully determining meanings, a mind to cause all sentient beings to abide in unexcelled knowledge, a mind producing the great light of truth, a mind entering omniscient knowledge.

"In every moment of thought great enlightening beings dedicate the roots of goodness they have gathered in this way:  'May all sentient beings have abundant wealth and lack nothing; may all sentient beings develop inexhaustible stores of great virtues;  may all sentient beings fully experience all peace and happiness; may all sentient beings develop and extend the work of great enlightening beings;  may  all sentient beings ful fill in finite supreme qualities; may all sentient beings gain the vehicle of universal knowledge, which never rolls back; may all sentient beings sec all the Buddhas of the ten directions; may all sentient beings be

 

630  Tlze Flower Omamo1t Scripture

 

forever rid of the dust  and dirt of con fusions and delusions  of the world; may all sentient beings attain pure, impartial minds; may all sentient beings be free from difficulties and attain omniscience. '

"When great enlightening beings practice dedication in this way, they arc inspired with joy: it is to cause all sentient beings to gain well-being and peace; to cause all sentient beings to attain impartial minds; to cause all sentient beings to live with a mind capable  of relinquishment; to cause all sentient beings to live with an al l-giving mind; to cause all sentient beings to live with a joyfully giving mind; to cause all beings to live with a mind to give to bring eternal freedom from destitution;  to cause all sentient beings to live with a mind to give all goods  and treasures; to cause all sentient beings to live with a mind of universal giving, immeasurable giving, total giving; to cause all sentient beings to live with a mind to unending giving; to cause all sentient beings to live with a mind giving away all without regret or affliction; to cause  all sentient beings to live with a mind to give away all things to support life; to cause all sentient beings to live with  a mind  to appropriate giving; to cause all sentient beings to live with a mind to inclusive giving; to cause all sentient beings to live with a mind of extensive, great giving; to cause all sentient beings to live with a mind to give away unlimited adornments as offerings; to cause all sentient beings to live with a mind of giving without attachment;  to cause all sentient beings to live with a mind of equanimous, impartial giving; to cause all sentient beings to live with a mind of giving with extremely great adamantine strength; to cause all sentient beings to live with a mind giving like the light of the sun; to cause all sentient beings to live with a giving mind embracing the wisdom of the enlightened; to cause  all sentient beings to be fully accompanied by roots of goodness; to cause all sentient beings to always be in the presence of roots of goodness, knowledge, and wisdom; to cause all sentient beings  to attain  the fullness of incorruptible pure minds; to cause all sentient beings  to develop the most pure roots of goodness; to cause all sentient beings to wake up from the stupefaction of afflictions; to cause all sentient  beings to annihilate all doubt and confusion; to cause all sentient beings to attain the pure virtues of equanimous knowledge; to cause all sentient beings' virtuous qualities to be fully developed and immune to deterioration or corruption; to cause all sentient beings to have pure, imperturbable concentration; to cause all sentient beings to abide in indestructible omniscience; to cause all sentient beings to fully accomplish the func­ tions of innumerable enlightening beings' pure  spiritual  powers;  to cause all sentient beings to accumulate roots of goodness free from attachment; to cause all sentient beings to think of all Buddhas of past, present, and future with pure minds; to cause  all  sentient beings  to produce superlative pure roots of goodness;  to cause all sentient beings to eliminate all hindrances to enlightenment produced by the action of demons; to cause all sentient beings to be fully endowed with

 

unobstructed, pure, equal virtuous qualities; to cause all sentient beings to open wide the doors of all roots of goodness and be able  to fully develop pure virtues; to cause all sentient beings to always recollect the Buddhas with a broad mind, never slacking or giving up; to cause  all sentient beings to always approach the Buddhas and diligently attend them; to cause all sentient beings to have immeasurable  minds,  broad and great minds, most excellent minds, thoroughly pure; to cause all sentient beings to develop minds of pure impartial generosity; to cause all sentient beings to keep the Buddhas' precepts equally and purely; to cause all sentient  beings to attain  great transcendent  forbearance; to cause all sentient beings to have transcendent energy,  never becoming lazy; to cause all sentient beings to abide in immeasurable concentration and be able to awaken all kinds of spiritual knowledge; to cause all sentient beings to attain transcendent wisdom knowing all phenomena have no inherent nature; to cause all sentient beings to ful fill the infinite pure realm of truth; to cause all sentient beings to fully develop the pure roots of goodness of all mystic powers; to cause all sentient beings to abide in the practice of impartiality, build up good qualities, and perfect them all; to cause all sentient  beings to be able to comprehensively enter the spheres of all Buddhas; to cause all sentient beings to be universally pure in thought, word, and deed; to cause the results of all sentient beings' good works to be universally pure; to cause all sentient beings' understanding of all things to be universally pure; to cause all sentient beings' realization of true meaning to be universally pure; to cause all sentient beings' cultivation of excellent practices to be univer­ sally pure; to cause all sentient beings to ful fill the great vows of all enlightening beings with universal purity; to cause all sentient beings to ful fill all roots of goodness based on unity of being and to dedicate them to the production  of the vehicle of universal  knowledge,  perfect­ ing them in every way; to cause all sentient beings to realize all virtues and knowledge with universal purity; to cause  all  sentient  beings  to fully develop vision of all Buddhas without attachment;  to cause all sentient beings to be endowed with Buddhas' marks and embellishments, their adornments of virtue fully complete; to cause all sentient beings to fully develop clear speech, thoroughly trustworthy, adorned with a hundred thousand qualities, repl ete with the unhindered subtle voice of the Buddhas; to cause all sentient beings to attain unobstructed, equani­ mous minds adorned by the ten powers; to cause all sentient beings to attain the inexhaustible light of truth of all Buddhas, with all powers of elucidation fully developed; to cause all sentient beings to manage the Lion 's Roar of the unexcelled fearless hero among humans; to cause all sentient beings to attain universal knowledge and turn the wheel of teaching which never rolls back ; to cause all sentient beings to have full comprehension of all the teachings and to reveal and expound them; to cause all sentient beings to cultivate pure ways appropriate to the times, fully developing them; to cause all sentient beings to equally and purely

 

632  The Flower Omament Scripture

 

perfect the unexcelled treasures of teachings of the Guide; to cause all sentient beings to fully perfect individual adornments, innumerable adornments, great adornments, the adornments of all Buddhas; to cause all sentient beings to equally penetrate all objects in all times, reaching them all; to cause all sentient beings to be able  to go to all buddha­ fields, listen to and absorb the true teachings; to cause  all  sentient beings' wisdom and altruism to be honored by the world, equal to the Buddhas '; to cause all sentient beings to know all things comprehen­ sively by means of universal knowledge; to cause all sentient  beings to carry out the practice of unshakability and realize the fruit of non­ obstruction, consummating these in every way; to cause all sentient beings' roots of goodness to evolve into spiritual powers, able to know the faculties of all living beings; to cause all sentient beings to attain nondiscriminatory, impartial knowledge, universally pure in regard to unity; to cause all sentient beings not to deviate from truth and to be endowed with all roots of goodness; to cause all sentient beings to clearly comprehend all the autonomous spiritual powers of enlightening beings; to cause all sentient beings to attain the inexhaustible virtues of all Buddhas, completely equal whether in terms of virtue or knowledge; to cause all sentient beings to arouse the determination  for enlighten­ ment and to understand perfectly the equality and unity of all things; to cause all sentient beings to comprehend  the truth and become  the highest fields of blessings for the world; to cause all sentient beings to develop impartial pure compassion and be fields of great power for all donors; to cause all sentient beings to be foremost in steadfastness, so that nothing can break them down; to  cause all sentient beings to be beneficial to all who see them, and to be invincible; to cause all sentient beings to be well able to comprehend all true principles and attain fearlessness; to cause all sentient beings to radiate a single light which illumines all worlds in the ten directions; to cause all sentient beings to cultivate all the enlightening beings' vigorous practices without shrink­ ing back; to cause all sentient beings to ful fill all practical vows by means of one practical vow; to cause all sentient beings to make all hearers attain understanding by means of one sublime voice;  to cause all sen­ tient beings to be able to fully develop the pure mind of all enlightening beings; to cause all sentient beings to get the opportunity to meet good teachers and serve them all; to cause all sentient beings to unremittingly cultivate the practices of enlightening beings and harmonize and paci fy living beings; to cause all sentient beings to teach according to potential, with inexhaustible powers of elucidation; to cause all sentient beings to be able to know all minds with one mind, and to impartially dedicate all roots of goodness; to cause all sentient beings to always gladly accumulate all sorts of goodness and establish sentient beings in  pure

knowledge; to cause all sentient beings to attain the pure body of virtue and knowledge of omniscience; to cause all sentient beings to know the roots of goodness of all living beings,  to practice dedication percep-

 

Tetz Dedications    633

 

tivcly and perfect them all; to cause all sentient beings to attain univer­ sal knowledge and realize true enlightenment,  complete in every way; to cause all sentient beings to attain full knowledge of spiritual powers , appearing in all places when appearing in one place; to cause all sentient beings to attain knowledge of universal adornment, all communities being adorned and purified when they adorn and purify one community; to cause all sentient beings to sec all buddha-lands in one buddha-land; to cause all sentient beings to adorn all buddha-lands throughout with all   adornments-unspeakably   many  adornments,   innumerable  adorn­ ments, infinite adornments; to cause all sentient beings to be able to understand with certainty the most profound meaning of all things; to cause all sentient beings to attain the foremost autonomous  spiritual powers of the enlightened ones; to cause all sentient beings to attain autonomous spiritual powers  which are not one,  not different, and replete with all virtuous qualities; to cause all sentient beings to ful fill all equal roots of goodness and be crowned by the Buddhas; to cause all sentient beings to fully realize the body of pure knowledge, supreme in all realms of existence.

"Thus do great enlightening beings compassionately aid and comfort all sentient beings, causing them all to be purified, to give up envy and jealousy, to experience the most wonderful bliss, to be endowed with great charisma, to develop  great resolute  faith, to forever abandon anger and other blinding pollutants, so their hearts arc pure, straight­ forward , and gentle, without deception or deviousness , confusion or folly, so they carry out emancipating practices, consolidating an incor­ ruptible mind of impartiality, never regressing, their power of pure conduct fully developed, without affliction or loss . They practice dedica­ tion skillfully, always cultivating right practices, civilizing sentient beings, destroying all bad actions, cultivating the roots of goodness of all austerities . They also induce sentient beings to cultivate themselves , accepting su ffering for the sake of all conscious creatures. Observing roots of goodness with the eye of great knowledge,  knowing  they all have knowledge and wisdom as their essence, they expediently dedicate them to all sentient beings. This is to cause all sentient beings to be able to abide in the realm of all pure virtues; to cause all sentient beings to be able to embody all roots of goodness,  to know the natures and mean­ ings of virtues; to cause all sentient beings to purify all roots of goodness; to cause all sentient beings to plant good qualities in fields of blessings, and have no regrets in their hearts; to cause all sentient beings to be able to embrace all living beings and cause everyone to head for universal knowledge; to cause all sentient beings to take in all roots of goodness, all in accord with impartial dedication .

"Also, they dedicate these roots of goodness in this way: 'May all sentient beings attain ultimate peace; may all sentient beings attain ultimate understanding; may all sentient beings ultimately live in pure ways; may all sentient beings attain unhindered insight; may all sentient

 

634  The Flower Omamcrlt Scripture

 

beings tunc their minds well; may all sentient beings be fully endowed with the ten powers and tame living beings .'

"When great enlightening beings practice dedication in this way, they do not become attached to actions, to consequences, to the body, to objects, to lands, to places, to sentient beings, to the nonexistence of sentient beings, to all things, or to the nonexistence of all things. When great enlightening beings make dedication in this way, they distribute these roots of goodness throughout the world, that all sentient beings may fully develop buddha-knowledge, attain pure minds with clear, comprehensive wisdom,  their inner minds silent and serene, unmoved by external  objects, as they extend  and develop  the family of Buddhas of past, present, and future.

"When great enlightening beings cultivate and practice such dedica­ tions they transcend all , so none can surpass them; all the words of

praise in the world would be insufficient to describe them.  They culti­ vate all the practices of enlightening beings and arc able to go to all buddha-lands and sec all the Buddhas without hindrance. Also they can see the courses of action of the enlighten ing beings of all worlds.  With expert skill in means they analyze the most profound statements and meanings of all the teachings; attaining total mental command, they endlessly expound the wondrous teaching. For the sake  of sentient beings, from moment to moment  they appear,  like  reflections,  in untold worlds, attending the Buddhas;  in every instant  they adorn untold worlds, causing all to be completely adorned and purified throughout. They cultivate the knowledge to adorn buddha-lands tirelessly.  Moment to moment they cause untold hundreds of thousands of billions of sentient beings to attain purity and complete impartiality. In those buddha-lands they diligently practice all ways of transcendence, save sentient beings, accomplish pure action, and attain unobstructed cars, hearing, absorbing, and retaining the teachings of each Buddha in untold worlds, energetically practicing them without even a thought of giving up. They abide in the spiritual powers of enlightening beings in which there is no acquisition, no dependence, no fabrication, and no attachment; in a single instant, in the time of a fingcrsnap,  they can project themselves to untold buddha-worlds.  They have the same in­ sight as all enlightening beings.

"When great enlightening beings cultivate the practice of enlighten­ ing beings in this way, they can fully develop  infinite pure  virtues, which could never be exhaustively recounted or extolled,  and accom­ plish unexcelled enlightenment, realizing the equality and purity of all buddha-fields, equality and purity of all sentient beings, equality and purity of all bodies, equality and purity of all faculties, equality and purity of all fruits of action, equality and purity of all congregations and sites of enlightenment, equality and purity of all completely ful filled practices, equality and purity of all knowledge of methods of the

 

Ten Dedications     635

 

teaching, equality and purity of the vows  and dedications of all Buddhas, and equality and purity of the realms of spiritual powers of all B uddhas. "When great enlightening beings practice dedication in this way, they attain the complete adornment of infinite virtues of gladdening teach­ ings of which all qualities are pure. In this dedication, sentient beings arc not at variance with all lands, lands are not at variance with all sentient beings; lands and sentient beings are not  at variance with actions, actions arc not at variance with lands and beings;  thought is not at variance with mind, mind is not at variance with thought; thought and mind are not at variance with objects , objects arc not at variance with thought and mind; actions are not at variance with consequences, consequences are not at variance with actions; practice is not at variance with the course of practice, the course of practice is not at variance with practice; the nature of things is not at variance with their characteristics, the characteristics of things are not at variance  with their nature;  the birth of things is not at variance with their nature, the nature of things is not at variance with their birth; the equality of lands is not at variance with the equality of living beings, the equality of living beings is not at variance with the equality of lands; the equality of all  living beings is not at variance with the equality of all things; the equality of all things is not at variance with the equality of all living beings; the equality of the realm of dispassion is not at variance with the equality of stability of all living beings, the equality of stability of all living beings is not at variance with the equality of the realm of dispassion; the past is not at variance with the future, the future is not at variance  with the past;  the past and future arc not at variance with the present, the present is not at variance with the past and future; the equality of worlds  is not  at variance with the equality of Buddhas, the equality of Buddhas is not at variance with the equality of worlds; the actions of enlightening beings arc not at variance with universal knowledge, universal knowledge is

not at variance with the actions of enlightening beings.

"When great enlightening beings  dedicate in this way,  they realize the equality of actions, the equality of consequences, the equality of bodies, the equality of expedients, the equality of vows, the equality of all sentient beings, the equality of all lands, the equality of all practices, the equality of all knowledge,  the equality of the Buddhas of all times; they get to serve all Buddhas, attend and provide for all enlightening beings, and plant all roots of goodness; they are able to ful fill all great vows, teach and transform all sentient beings, and know all actions comprehensively; they get to serve and provide for all good teachers, and enter all enlightenment sites with pure congregations; they manage to comprehend and master all true teachings, and fully develop all pure qualities .

"This is the great enlightening beings' seventh dedication, dedication equally adapting to all sentient beings, dedication in accord with all sentient beings. When great enlightening beings accomplish this

 

636  The Flower Ornament Scripture

 

dedication, then they can crush all demons; pulling out the thorns of craving, they attain the bliss of emancipation. Abiding in nonduality, they have great mystic powers; they rescue sentient beings and protect them, being monarchs of virtue. Their power of psychic travel is unhindered, and they go to all lands. They enter the realm of extinction, yet may assume any form. They accomplish the deeds of enlightening beings, and their minds attain autonomy in all practices and vows. They analyze and comprehend all things. They are able to be born in all buddha-fields . They attain unobstructed ears and can hear all sounds and voices in all lands. They attain the pure eye of wisdom and always sec all Buddhas. In all realms they develop roots of goodness, their minds without pride or obsequiousness. They attain nonacquisitiveness in regard to all things. Great enlightening beings dedicate all roots of goodness equally in accord with all sentient beings ."

Then the enlightening being Diamond Banner, spiritually  empow­ ered by the Buddha, looked over the ten directions and said in verse,

 

The virtues of what enlightening beings do Arc subtle,   great,  and  most profound; Their practice of even one moment

They can dedicate without bounds.

 

Enlightening beings ' accoutrements, Various, abundant, in limitless numbers­ Prize elephants and horses, drawing carts, Clothing, rare goods,  all especially fine, Or their heads, eyes, hands, and feet,

Or their bodies, flesh, bones, and marrow, They give to all in infinite worlds,

Filling the ten directions.

 

The virtues they've cultivated for countless cons They dedicate, all,

Wishing to rescue sentient beings,

Never retreating from this determination.

 

Enlightening beings, to serve the living, Always practice supreme dedication,

Causing all worlds to attain peace and happiness That everyone may attain the highest fruit.

 

Enlightening beings universally make impartial vows, And  whatever pure works  they have accumulated They dedicate to all living beings,

Never giving up this great commitment.

 

 

Enlightening beings' will power is unli mited and dauntless , Taking in all worlds,

Thus dedicated to living beings With never any discrimination.

 

They vow that sentient beings' knowledge be clear, Their generosity and self-control all pure,

Diligent in cultivation, indefatigable:

This great commitment they never give up.

 

Enlightening beings' dedication reaches the other shore­ They open the gates of the pure, sublime teaching;

Their knowledge the same as the Buddha,

They analyze the true meaning and attain the ultimate.

 

Enlightening beings arc masters of verbal expression And various kinds of knowledge;

They explain the teaching according to truth, without hindrance, And yet their minds are not attached to it.

They do not create duality in things, Nor do they create nonduality;

They arc free of duality and nonduality, Realizing they arc just manners of speaking.

 

They know all worlds arc equal,

Being naught but the doings of mental talk;

And sentient beings are phantoms, without reality, All results of conditions.

The various consequences in all worlds A re  each  different-

All  are made  from the power  of acts; If action is stopped, all come to an end.

Enlightening beings observe all worlds, Their words, deeds, and thoughts impartial;

And they induce sentient beings to be impartial Like the peerless great sage.

 

Enlightening beings' good works they dedicate all To the purification of beings;

They're fully endowed with virtue and skill in means, Same as the Supreme Tamer.

 

Enlightening beings aid all living creatures, Dedicating their whole ocean of virtues,

 

638  The Flower Omament Scripture

 

Vowing to cause their light to go beyond the world And attain the body of intrepid power.

 

The virtues they cultivate

They pray will purify the world,

That the purity of sentient beings be like The incomparable purity of Buddha .

 

Enlightening beings arc skilled in interpretation, And know the supreme teaching of the Buddhas; They equally dedicate all good works,

Vowing to make all beings the same as Buddha.

 

Enlightening beings know all things arc empty And all worlds have no existence;

There is no creation and no creator,

Yct the consequences of beings' actions remain.

 

All  things-null?  not  null?

They divorce this dualistic discriminating mind; They  know  all notions  arc  worldly  views:

Entering the absolute state, conceptualization ends.

 

Thus arc true children of Buddha

Born by transformation from the Enlightened One's teaching; They can practice such dedication well

To  remove  all  the  world's  confusion.

 

"What is great enlightening beings' dedication with the character of true thusness? Here enlightening beings' correct mindfulness  is clear and perfect, their mind is firm and stable,  they get beyond confusion, and cultivate practice single-mindedly, their profound mind unstirring, accomplishing indestructible works, proceeding toward omniscience without ever regressing. They arc determined to seek the Great Vchicle, bold and fearless; planting roots of virtue,  they bring  peace  to the world, producing excellent roots of goodness and cultivating pure qualities. Their great compassion grows, their mind-treasure develops; they always remember the Buddhas  and preserve  the true teaching. Their belief in the path of enlightening  beings  is firm and enduring, they perfect immeasurable pure roots of goodness, diligently cultivating all virtues and knowledge.  As spiritual guides they produce myriad good principles, dedicating their knowledge and skill in liberative means to the salvation of others.

"At  such  a   time  enlightening  beings  examine  all  roots  of goodness­ immeasurable, boundless-with the eye of wisdom: those roots of

 

goodness,  in the course of being cultivated and gathered, involve seek­ ing conditions, preparing instruments, purification, orientation and involvement, concentration and etTort, initiation and execution, clarifica­ tion and understanding, refined examination, and explanation; thus all have various fa cets, various spheres , various characteristics, various phenomena, various proportions, various acts, various names, various distinctions, various productions, various practices-all the roots of goodness therein arc established by the mind directed toward the vehi­ cle of the ten powers,  and arc all dedicated solely to the knowledge of all means and sciences of liberation.

"The roots of virtue they dedicate in this  way:  they vow to attain com plete, unobstructed action to carry out enlightening practices; they vow to attain pure unobstructed speech, to carry out enlightening practices; they vow to attain fully developed unobstructed mental ac­ tion and abide in the Great Vchicle; they vow to attain complete, unobstructed minds and purely cultivate all practices of enlightening beings; they vow to develop minds of infinitely magnanimous generosity and provide for all  sentient beings; they vow to master all the teachings and spread the light of the great teaching, which nothing can veil; they vow to arrive at the realm  of universal  knowledge,  illumining  the world with the will for enlightenment; they vow to always correctly remember the Buddhas of past, present, and future, always clearly picturing the Enlightened present  before them;  they vow to live  by fully developed powerful aspiration and get away from all demons and enemies; they vow to attain stabilization in the ten powers of knowl­ edge of Buddhas and teach all sentient beings ceaselessly; they vow to attain concentration and travel through the worlds without being a f­ fected by or attached to the worlds; they vow to live  in the world unwearied and always edify and in fluence sentient beings; they vow to activate innumerable liberative techniques of thought and wisdom and accomplish the inconceivable path of enlightening beings; they vow to attain knowledge never confused in any place, able to distinguish all worlds; they vow to attain the power  of knowledge  of autonomous spiritual capabilities, able to purify all lands in a single instant; they vow to penetrate the intrinsic nature of things and sec all worlds as pure; they vow to develop knowledge of nondifTercntiation , entering all fields in one field; they vow to reveal all the adornments of all fields to edify and influence   infinite   sentient  beings;   they   vow   to   show   the   boundless cosmos in a single buddha-field, and to do likewise in all buddha-fields; they vow to attain free psychic powers and spiritual knowledge and be able to travel to all buddha-lands.

"By means of roots of goodness great enlightening beings vow to accomplish the adornment of all buddha-lands; they vow to be able to pervade all worlds; they vow to accomplish contemplative investigation by knowledge.  As they thus dedicate roots of goodness for themselves in this way, so also do they do so for all sentient beings; that is, they

 

640  The Flower Omament Script11rc

 

vow that all sentient beings become forever free from hells, animality, and ghosthood; they vow that all sentient beings get rid of all hindering actions; they vow that all sentient beings attain universal minds with impartial knowledge and wisdom; they vow that all sentient beings deal with opponents and friends impartially,  causing them all to be secure and happy, their knowledge and wisdom pure; they vow that all sentient beings' knowledge become fully complete, with pure light illuminating everywhere; they vow that all sentient beings' wisdom  from reflection be fully developed and  that they understand  the real   truth;   they vow that all sentient beings seek enlightenment with pure  aspiration and attain immeasurable knowledge; they vow that  all sentient beings  will be able to reveal the abode of peace.

"Great enlightening beings always dedicate  their good  will in this way, to cause all sentient beings to encounter the cloud of pure coolness showering the rain of truth, to cause all sentient beings to always encounter the excellent environment of fields of virtue, to cause all sentient beings to be able to enter the treasury of the spirit of enlighten­ ment and preserve it themselves, to cause all sentient beings to shed all veils and live properly, to cause all sentient beings to attain knowledge of unhindered spiritual faculties, to cause all sentient beings to attain free bodies appearing everywhere, to cause all sentient beings to achieve supreme knowledge of all ways of liberation and bring about unfailing benefit, to cause all sentient beings to purify all creatures, to cause all sentient beings to be able to consummate universal knowledge, to cause all sentient beings to be unshakable and unobstructed in mind.

"Great enlightening beings, seeing delightful countries, gardens and

groves, p lants, trees, and fruits, distinguished scents and excellent clothing, rare jewels and goods, various decorations, or seeing delightful villages, towns, or hamlets,  or seeing the majesty of sovereigns,  or seeing abodes free from clamor, employ their knowledge of means and dili­ gently cultivate innumerable sublime virtues, earnestly  seeking  good for the sake of sentient beings,  never slacking off, widely gathering much good, vast as the ocean, and cover all with infinite good,  being bases of myriad good things, expediently dedicating roots of goodness without discrimination, pointing out infinite various roots of goodness, always knowingly observing all sentient beings, their minds always remembering the realms of roots of goodness. They ceaselessly dedicate to  sentient  beings  roots  of goodness  as  impartial  as  true  thusness.   At such a time, they dedicate the roots of goodness in this way: 'May all sentient beings attain the delightful visions of the enlightened, sec the true nature of things, equal and impartial, without any grasping or attachment, complete and pure; may all sentient beings sec the most delightful, perfect o fferings of the Enlightened Ones; may all sentient beings be reborn in all the most delightful pure buddha-lands, free of all a fflictions; may all sentient beings manage to perceive the most delight­ ful teaching of the Buddhas;  may all sentient beings  always happily

 

Tc11 Dedications   6.J  l

 

preserve the pleasing practices of all enlightening beings; may all sen­ tient beings acquire the enjoyable eyes of the wise and sec without obstruction; may all sentient beings always sec all pleasing things, nothing o tTcnsivc; may all sentient beings realize all delightful tru ths and diligently preserve them; may all sentient beings attain pure illumi­ nation in the pleasing teachings of all Huddhas; may all sentient beings cultivate all the delightful attitudes of generosity of enlightening beings; may all sentient beings attain fea rlessness and be able to expound all admirable teachings; may all sentient beings attain the enlightening beings' extremely delightful most profound concentration; may all sen­ tient beings attain the enlightening beings' most pleasant methods of mnemonic spells; may all sentient beings attain enlightening beings' most admirable analytic knowledge; may all sentient beings be able to mani fest enlightening beings' most delightful autonomous spiritual powers; may all sentient beings be able to expound the pleasing most profoundly wonderfttl teaching in the great congregations of the Buddhas; may all sentient beings be able to skill fully analyze and explain the most pleasing expressions of differentiati on; may all sentient beings always be able to activate most pleasant impartial great compassion; may all sentient beings in every thought activate the most admirable aspiration for enlightenment, always causing their senses to be joy ful and bliss ful; may all sentient beings be able to enter all the most pleasant houses of the enlightened ones; may all sentient beings achieve the admirable action whereby they arc able to harmonize and pacify, taming sentient beings unceasingly; may all sentient beings attain the most pleasing inexhaustible eloquence of enlightening beings , expounding all truths; may all sentient beings abide for unspeakably many unspeakable num­ bers of cons in all pleasant worlds, teaching and trans forming sentient beings without wearying; may all sentient beings, by means of innumera­ ble techniques, be able to understand and enter into a ll the most dclightttd teachings of the Buddhas; may all sentient beings attain delightful unobstructed libcrativc techniques and know all things  have no basis; may all sentient beings attain the dclightttd realm of freed om from greed and craving, know all things arc ultimately nondual , and cut through all barriers; may all sentient beings develop the delightful way of enlightening beings v/hich is free from inanity; may all sentient beings attain the diamond-mine mind of ctTort and accomplish the delightful path of universal knowledge; may a ll sentient beings be endowed with delightftil unobstructed roots of goodness and destroy all a fflictions ; may all sentient beings find the delightftil door of omni­ science and realize true awakening throughout the world.' When great enlightening beings cultivate such roots of goodness, they gain the light of knowledge; they arc taken into the care of good teachers ; the sun of wisdom of the Buddhas illumines their minds, t() rever annihilating the darkness of ignorance. They diligently practice the true teaching, enter into  works of knowledge,  and  learn the stages of knowledge.  They

 

642  The  Flower  Ornamc11t  Scripture

 

spread roots of goodness, filling the cosmos, dedicating them wisely. They plumb the depths of the source of enlightening beings' roots of goodness; by means of knowledge they enter deeply into the ocean of liberativc means and develop immeasurably great roots of goodness.

"Great enlightening beings dedicate these roots of goodness in this way: they do not cling to the world,  they do not grasp sentient beings; their minds arc pure,  not relying on anything; they arc correctly mind­ ful of all things and dismiss discriminatory views; they do not give up the independent wisdom of all Buddhas; they accord with all impartial truths, and do not destroy the Buddha's true characteristics; they do not deviate from the correct way of dedication of all Buddhas; they look upon the triple world equally, without any image of sentient beings; they follow the path  of Buddha  well and explain its principles  well, with profound understanding of their meaning; they enter the supreme stage and awaken to the real truth; their knowledge is complete,  their faith is firm; though they practice correct actions well, they know the nature of action is empty; they understand all things arc like phantoms, and know all things have no intrinsic essence of their own; they observe all meanings and all kinds of practices according to their conventional explanations and arc not attached to them; they abolish all causes and conditions of grasping and clinging; they know the truth and sec the nature of all things being null and void; they comprehend that all things have the same unique real character; they know the characteristics of things arc not mutually opposed; they live with enlightening beings and practice their path; taking all sentient beings into their care,  they enter the door of dedication of all enlightening beings of past, future, and present; their minds arc not startled or frightened by the Buddha's teachings; with minds of boundless kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity, they cause all sentient beings  to attain  purity;  in  the worlds of the ten directions, they do not develop selfish, possessive grasping and clinging; they do not conceive of anything in the world; they do not give rise to obsession with  any  objects; they diligently practice all ways to transcend  the world  and have  no attachments  to or reliance on any mundane realm; their insight into the profound, wonderful path is accurate and steady, and they arc rid of all erroneous views; they understand the real truth.

"just as true thusncss permeates all places,  without boundaries, so also docs their dedication of roots of goodness pervade everywhere unbounded; just as true thusness has reality as its essence, so likewise docs their dedication of roots of goodness have as its essence understand­ ing of the reality of all things; just as true thusncss always retains its original nature without change, so too docs their dedication of roots of goodness preserve  its original nature  unchanging  throughout; just  as true thusncss has as its nature the esscncclessness of all things, so also docs their dedication of roots of goodness have as its nature the under­ standing of the csscncelcssness of all things; just as the mark of true

 

Tc11 Dedications   643

thusness is signlessness,  so too is the mark of their dedication  of roots of goodness the signlessness of all things; just as those who realize true thusness never backslide, likewise those who attain this dedication of roots of goodness never retreat from the Buddha teachings; just as true thusncss is the sphere of action of all Buddhas, so too is this dedication of roots of goodness the sphere of action of all  Buddhas; just  as the realm of true thusncss is unconnected  to any mark  of boundary  or realm,  so also is the dedication  of roots of goodness free from any sign of boundary or realm, yet it is the realm of all Buddhas of past, present, and future; just as true thusness can have establishments, so too can the dedication of roots of goodness establish all sentient beings; just as the nature  of true thusness always  adapts, so also docs the dedication   of roots of goodness forever adapt ceaselessly; just as true thusncss cannot be measured, likewise  the dedication  of roots of goodness is equal  to the realm of space and the minds of all sentient beings cannot measure it; just as true thusness fills all, so also does the dedication of roots of goodness pervade the cosmos in a single instant; just as true thusness is eternal and inexhaustible, so also is the dedication of roots of goodness ultimately inexhaustible; just as true thusness has no compare, likewise the dedication of roots of goodness can ful fill all the Buddha teachings without compare; just as the essence of true thusncss is stable, so also is the essence of dedication of roots of goodness stable, impervious to delusions and a fflictions; just as true thusncss is indestructible, so too is the dedication of roots of goodness stable, impervious to delusions and afflictions; just as true thusness is indestructible, so too is the dedication of roots of goodness, which  no creatures  can damage; just  as the body of true thusness is illumination , so also the nature of the dedication of roots of goodness is universal illumination; just as true thusness is omnipresent, likewise the dedication of roots of goodness  is present in all places; just as true thusncss pervades all times, so also does the dedication of roots of goodness pervade all times; just as the nature  of true thusness is eternally pure, likewise the dedication of roots of goodness abides in the world yet is essentially pure; just as true thusncss is unhindered by things, so too the dedication  of roots of goodness extends everywhere unobstructed; just as true thusncss is the eye of all phenomena, likewise the dedication  of roots of goodness  is an eye for all sentient beings; just as the nature of true thusness has no fatigue, so also is the dedication of roots of goodness,  cultivating  all the practices of enlightening beings with never any fa tigue; just as the inherent nature of true thusncss is most profound, so too is the nature of dedication of roots of goodness most profound; just as there is not a single thing in true thusness, likewise there is not a single thing in the essence of dedication of roots of goodness; just as the nature of true thusncss is not manifestation, similarly the substance of dedication of roots of goodness is subtle and refined and hardly visible; just as true thusncss is apart from all defilements and obscurations, so too is dcdica-

 

644  The Flower Ornament Scripture

tion of roots of goodness, the eye of wisdom pure and unclouded by ignorance; just as the nature of true thusness has no equal, so also is the dedication ofroots of goodness, accomplishing all practices of enlightening beings, pecrlessly supreme; just as the essential nature of true thusness is absolutely quiescent, so also is dedication of roots of goodness well able to accord with the truth of quiescence; just as true thusness has no basis, likewise is dedication of roots of goodness able to penetrate all baseless phenomena; just as the inherent nature of true thusncss is boundless, similarly dedication of roots of goodness purifies boundless numbers of sentient beings; just as the essential nature of true thusness has no attach­ ments, likewise the dedication of roots of goodness is ultimately divorced from all attachments; just as true thusness has no obstructions, so also the dedication of roots of goodness eliminates  all barriers in the world; just as true thusness is not a mundane sphere,  so too the dedication of roots of goodness cannot be carried out by any worldling; just as the essential nature of the true thusncss has no abode,  so also is the dedication of roots of goodness not the dwelling place of any birth and death; just as true thusness by nature  has no fabrication, so too docs dedication  of roots of goodness  relinquish all  fabrication; just as the essential nature of true thusncss remains steady, so also docs dedication of roots of goodness abide steadily in truth; just as true thusness corresponds with all things, so too docs dedication of roots of goodness correspond with the learning and practice of the enlightening beings; just as true thusness is inherently always equal in all things, likewise does the dedication of roots of goodness practice impartiality in all worlds; just as true thusncss is not apart from all phenomena,  similarly dedication of roots of good­ ness never ever abandons the world; just as true thusness is ultimately inexhaustible in all things, so too is dedication of roots of goodness inexhaustibly  directed toward sentient beings; just as true thusness is not at variance with all things,  likewise dedication of roots of goodness is not at variance with the teachings of all Buddhas of past, present, and future; just as true thusncss universally includes all things, so too docs dedication of roots of goodness  completely include the roots of good­ ness of all sentient beings; just as true thusness is of the same essential nature as all things, so is dedication of roots of goodness of the same essential nature of the Buddhas of all times; just as true thusness is not divorced from all things. likewise dedication of roots of goodness holds all mundane and transmundane things; just as true thusness cannot be obscured,  similarly none in any world  can obscure dedication of roots of goodness; just as true thusncss cannot be stirred, in the same way dedication of roots of goodness cannot be disturbed by any demonic activity; just as the essence of true thusness has no pollution, so too is dedication of roots of goodness like this, cultivating the practices of enlightening beings without defilement; just as true thusness is without change, so also is dedication of roots of goodness, compassionately caring for sentient beings without change of mind; just as true thusncss

 

Ten Dedicatio11s   645

is  inexhaustible,   so  is  dedication  of  roots  of  goodness-it   cannot   be exhausted by mundane norms; just as the nature of true thusncss is always aware, likewise dedication of roots of goodness is able to be aware of all truths; just as true thusness cannot be lost or destroyed, dedication of roots of goodness is also like this, arousing great commit­ ment to sentient beings which is never lost or destroyed; just as true thusncss is able to greatly illumine, in the same way dedication of roots of goodness illumines all worlds with the light of great knowledge; just as true thusness cannot be explained in words, l ikewise all words and speech cannot explain dedication of roots of goodness; just as true thusness holds all worlds, likewise dedication  of roots of goodness holds all the practices of enlightening beings; just as true thusness goes along with conventional verbal expression, similarly dedication of roots of goodness goes along with all  verbal  expression  of wisdom; just as true thusncss pervades all phenomena, so docs dedication of roots of goodness pervade all buddha-fields in the ten directions, manifesting great spiritual powers and fulfilling true enlightenment; just as true thusncss has no discrimination, so too dedication  of roots of goodness has no discrimination in regard to all beings in all worlds; just as true thusness is in all bodies, so also is dedication of roots of goodness in the in finite bodies of the lands of the ten directions; just as the essential nature of true thusncss is birthless, so too is dedication of roots of goodness, expedientl y manifesting birth yet having no birth; just as true thusncss is omnipresent, in the same way dedication  of roots of good­ ness is omnipresent in the buddha-lands of all times and places, every­ where manifesting spiritual powers; just as true thusncss permeates the night, so also dedication of roots of goodness emits great light  in all nights, giving it to perform buddha-work ; just as true thusness perme­ ates the day, so docs dedication of roots of goodness cause all sentient beings in the day to see Buddha's spiritual displays expounding the nonrcgressive teaching, free from defilement, pure, beneficial to all; just as true thusness is omnipresent in the fortnight and month, the dedica­ tion of roots of goodness requires skill in dealing with the succession of seasons in all worlds, knowing all times in a single moment; just as true thusncss is present throughout the years, likewise docs dedication of roots of goodness abide for measureless cons, clarifying and maturing all faculties , developing them to completion; just as true thusness is omnipresent in ages of becoming and decay, so also dedication of roots of goodness abides in all ages, pure  and unaffected, educating  beings and purifying them; just as true thusncss extends throughout the future, dedication of roots of goodness cultivates the pure sublime practices of enlightening beings throughout the future, ful filling their great vows, never retreating; just as true thusness pervades past, present, and future, dedication of roots of goodness causes sentient beings to sec the  Bud­ dhas of past, present, and future in a single instant, never parting for a moment; just as true thusncss is in all places, so too dedication of roots

 

646  Tlzc Flower Omamnlt Scripture

of goodness transcends the triple world and reaches everywhere in complete freedom; just  as true thusness abides in existence and nonexistence, similarly dedication of roots of goodness comprehends all existent and nonexistent things, ultimately pure; just as the essential nature of true thusness is pure, dedication of roc ts of goodness is able to assemble aids to enlightenment  by means  of expedient  techniques and purify the practices of enlightening beings; just  as the essential nature of true thusness is immaculate, similarly dedication of roots of goodness causes enlightening beings to attain the immaculate mind of concentration; just as the essential nature of true thusness has no defilement, so too is dedication of roots of goodness beyond all defilements, ful filling all pure intentions; just as true thusness has no self or possessions, dedication of roots of goodness fills all  buddha­ lands in the ten directions with the selfless , nonpossessive pure mind; just as the essential nature of true thusness is impartial, likewise dedica­ tion of roots of goodness attains impartial universal knowledge, illumin­ ing all things, free from all clouds of ignorance; just as true thusness is beyond all calculations and measurements,  likewise dedication of roots of goodness abides together  with the treasury  of powerful teaching  of the vehicle of universal knowledge which is beyond all calculation and measurement, spreading  vast clouds of teaching throughout all  worlds in the ten directions; just as true thusness is poised in equality, so too is dedication of roots of goodness, initiating all enlightening practices, poised equanimously in the path of omniscience; just as true thusness subsists in all realms of sentient beings, similarly dedication of roots of goodness ful fills unhindered knowledge of all kinds of ways of libera­ tion and appears in all realms of sentient beings; just as true thusness has no discrimination and universally abides in knowledge of all sounds, so too the dedication of roots of goodness has in it knowledge  of all sounds of speech and can everywhere  manifest all  kinds  of speech sounds to teach sentient beings; just as true thusness is forever detached from the world, so also does dedication  of roots of goodness  cause sentient beings to be forever detached from the world;  just  as the essential nature of true thusncss  is immensely  vast,  so too dedication of roots of goodness can retain the extensive Buddha teachings of past, future, and present, never forgettin g, diligently cultivating all practices of enlightening beings; just as true thusness is uninterrupted, likewise dedication of roots of goodness, out of desire to place all sentient beings securely on the ground of great knowledge, cultivates enlightening practice unceasingly through all ages; just as the essential nature of true thusness is spacious ancl open, so too is the dedication of roots  of goodness, with pure mindfulness unobstructed, containing all spacious open doors to truth; just as true thusness embraces all kinds of creatures, similarly dedication of roots of goodness realizes knowledge of innumera­ ble types and species, and cultivates the genuine sublime practices of enlightening beings; just as true thusness has no grasping or attachment,

 

Ten Dedications     647

dedication of roots of goodness too has no clinging to anything,  de­ stroying all mundane grasping and attachment, purifying all worldings; just as the essential nature of true thusness is unmoving, likewise dedication of roots of goodness abides steadily in the perfect complete practical commitments of Universal  Good, ultimately  unmoving; just as true thusness is the sphere of Buddhas, so too dedication of roots of goodness causes sentient beings to ful fill all spheres of great knowledge and annihilate the spheres of a fflictions, causing them to be purified; just as true thusness cannot be ruled or conquered, so also dedication of roots of goodness is not ruled or conquered by any delusive actions or erroneous theories; just as true thusness is not something that can be cultivated yet not something that cannot be cultivated, similarly dedica­ tion of roots of goodness abandons all illusions and attachments and has no discrimination between cultivating and not cultivating; just as true thusness has no withdrawal, so also is dedication of roots  of goodness like this, always seeing Buddhas, rousing the aspiration for enlighten­ ment adorned with great vows, never withdrawing or giving  up; just as true thusness universally contains the sounds of all speech of all beings, similarly dedication of roots of goodness potentiates acquisition of superknowlcdge of all di fferent languages, producing all kinds of utterances; just as true thusness has no seeking in respect to anything, likewise dedication of roots of goodness causes sentient beings  to ride the vehicle of Universal Good to emancipation, having no craving for anything; just as true thusness abides in all stages, so too dedication of roots of goodness causes all sentient beings to give up the stages of mundanity and abide in the stages of knowledge and wisdom, adorning themselves with the practice  of Universal  Good; just  as true thusness has no end, dedication of roots of goodness is also like this, attaining fearlessness in all truths, expounding them everywhere according to the languages of the audience,  without  end;  just as true thusness  is free from all taints, so too dedication of roots of goodness causes all sentient beings  to develop  objective knowledge,  comprehend  the   truth,   and ful fill the untainted qualities of enlightenment; just as there is not the slightest thing that can damage or disturb true thusness and cause it to be even slightly unaware, likewise dedication  of roots of goodness causes universal awareness of all truths with a boundless mind pervad­ ing the cosmos; just as true thusness has no beginning  in the past,  no end in the future, and no variation in the present, likewise dedication of roots of goodness continually renews the vow of the aspiration for enlightenment for all sentient beings, enabling them all to be purified and forever freed from birth and death; just as true thusness has no discrimination among past, present, and future, dedication of roots of goodness is also like this, the mind always aware in each instant of the present, and totally pure in past and future; just as true thusness  devel­ ops all Buddhas and enlightening beings, likewise dedication of roots of goodness, initiating means of expediting all great vows, develops the

 

The Flor1;cr Omame11f Scripture

 

grea t knowledge of the Buddhas; just as true thusness  is ultimately pure and not concurrent with the a fflictions, so too dedication of roots  of goodness can extinguish all sentient beings' a ffliction s and fu l fill all pure knowledge and wisdom.

"When great enlightening beings  practice dedication  in this way,  they rea lize the equal ity of all  buddha-fields,  because they adorn and puri fy all worlds; they rea lize the equality  of all sentient beings,  because they turn the wheel of the teaching  of nonobstruction  fo r all  of them;  they rea lize the equality  of en lightening  beings , because  they  produce  all kno wledge and vows; they realize the equal ity of all  Buddhas,  because they observe the essence of the Buddhas is nondual;  they  realize  the equality of all things,  because they know the nature of things is invariable; they realize the equal ity of all  worlds,  because by means of knowledge of ex pedients they understand all man ners of speaking; they realize  the equality of all practices of enlightening bein gs, because they dedicate all roots  of goodness  as they  plant  them ; they  rea lize the equality  of all ti mes, because they diligently carry out buddha work at all times, never ceasing;  they rea lize the equality  of a ll   fruits of action,  because  they have no obsession  with  or attachment  to any mundane  or  transmun­ dane roots of goodness, while consummating them all; they realize the equality of spi ritual powers of Buddhas, because they mani fest buddha work ada pted to the world.

"This is great enlightening beings' eighth dedication, dedication with the cha ra cter of true thusncss.  When great enlightening  beings  abide in this dedication,  they attain rea lization  of innu merable  pure teachings, and arc able to make the lion roar of the enlightened,  free and without tear; with skill in mcms they teach and develop countless enlightening beings, never ceasing at any time; they  attain the infinite complete body of Buddhahood, one body filling all worlds; they attain the infinite complete voice of Buddhahood,  one  uttera nce en lightening  all beings; they attain the in fin ite complete power of Buddhahood, able to  contain all lands in a single pore; they attain the infinite complete occult abilities of Buddh ahood , pl acing sentient beings in a single atom; they attain the infinite complete li beration of l3uddhahood, mani festing all spheres of buddhahood in the body of a single being,  attaining true en lighten ment; they attain the infin ite com plete concen tration  of Huddhahood,  able  to mani fest all con cen tration s in one concentration ; they attain the in finite co m plctc pcl \vcrs of ana lysis and elucidation of Buddhahood, explaining a single statement of principle forever without exhausting it, removing th L' dou bts and con fusion of all sentient  beings;  they attain  the in fin ite com plctc being of Buddhahood, endowed with the ten powers of Buddhahood, mani festing the attainment of true enl ighten ment through­ out the rea lm of 'iCntient bein gs. This is great en li ghten ing  beings' dedication of all roots of good ness in accord with the character of true thusncss ."

 

Ten Dedicati01zs

 

Then the enlightening being Diamond Banner, invested with the awesome power of Buddha, looked over the ten directions and spoke these verses :

 

Enlightening beings' determination is stable,

With true mindfulness steadfast, free from ignorance and confusion. Their minds arc flexible, always cool;

They build up boundless virtuous practices.

 

Enlightening beings arc humble and inoffensive; Their aspirations arc all pure.

They have attained the great light of wisdom, Able to illum ine all acts .

 

Enlightening beings' meditations and works are great, Variously different, extremely rare;

They cultivate practice with determination, not retreating, Thereby to aid all living beings.

 

Their acts arc infinitely various;

Enlightening beings practice them all diligently, Adapting to sentient beings, not opposing their wishes, Causing all minds to be pure and joyous.

 

They have already ascended to the honored stage of the Human Tamer,

Freed from all burning a fflictions, their minds unobstructed; They know the meanings of all the teachings

And practice them ever more diligently for the benefit of the living.

 

The good practices cultivated by enlightening beings Arc measureless, countless, variously different;

They know the particulars of all of them, And dedicate them to help living beings.

 

With subtle knowledge they ever examine The ultimate, universal truth,

Cutting o ff all hypostases,

Dedicating in accord with true thusncss.

 

Just as true thusness pervades all, So do they embrace all worlds;

This mind do enlightening beings dedicate To freeing sentient beings from attachment.

 

650  The Flower OmamefJt Scr£pture

 

The power of enlightening beings' vows is all-pervasive, Just as true thusness is omnipresent;

Their mindfulness comprehends the seen and unseen, Whereby they dedicate virtues.

 

Subsisting in the night and the day, In the   fortnight and  the month, And in the year and the con:

As is true thusness, so is their practice.

 

In all times and all lands,

All  sentient  beings  and  all  phenomena­

Abiding therein yet without dwelling anywhere, They dedicate practice like this .

 

Like the funda mental essence of true thusncss, Such a great mind do enlightening beings awake: True   thusncss's  whereabouts  is   everywhere­ Such practice do they dedicate.

 

As in the fundamental essence of true thusncss There has never been a single thing, Ungraspablc essence the true essence,

Such work do they dedicate.

 

As is the character of true thusness, so is their work; As is the essence of true thusness,  so is their work: As the essence of true thusncss is basically real,

So is their work the same as true thusness.

 

Just as true thusness has no limits, So  too  is  their work  boundless­ And yet they have no tics therein, Therefore this work is pure.

 

Thus are brilliant true children of Buddha, Their will steadfast, unwavering;

By their power of knowledge they comprehend well And enter the treasury of Buddhas' techniques.

 

Awakening to the true teaching of Buddha, They arc  not  obsessed or bound by  it­ Thus  their  free  mind  is  unobstructed­

They've never seen anything to originate.

 

Ten  Dedications

 

The acts of the Buddhas' reality body, The features of all worlds as they arc,

The explanation of the signs of things as signless: Knowing such characteristics is knowing the teachings.

 

Enlightening beings abide in the inconceivable, In which thought is inexhaustible:

Entering  this inconceivable realm, Thought and nonthought arc both silenced.

 

Thus do they contemplate the nature of things, Comprehending all distinctions in acts;

Obliterating  all  attachment  to  self, They abide in virtue, immovable.

 

The fruits of the acts of enlightening  beings Arc all stamped by inexhaustible knowledge; This infinity's inherently null,

Therefore inexhaustible expedients vanish.

 

Enlightening beings observe the mind is not outside And also is not found within;

They know the nature of mind has no existence, Detached from self and things, forever extinct.

 

Thus do those buddha-children  know The nature of all things is eternally void,

And there's not a single thing that can create­ They realize selflessness, same as the Buddhas' .

 

They know that all worlds

Are equal to the nature and characteristics of true thusness; Seeing these inconceivable characteristics,

They can know the uncharactcrizcd.

 

If any abide in this profound truth,

Always happily cultivating enlightening practices, Desiring to aid all living beings,

Adorned with great vows, unregressing, They then transcend the mundane,

Not creating erroneous concepts of birth and death, Comprehending the mind is like a magical production,

Diligently cultivating practices to liberate sentient beings.

 

Enlightening beings observe the world with true awareness, Seeing that all comes from active conditions;

 

651

 

652  The Flower Ornarne11t Scripture

 

They cultivate practices in order to liberate, Including all in the triple world.

 

They know the various differences of sentient beings Are discriminations of mental imagery and action: This they observe with complete clarity,

Without destroying the nature of things.

 

The wise comprehend all Buddha teachings And dedicate such practices,

Taking pity on all living beings,

Causing them to contemplate rightly the truth.

 

"What is great enlightening beings' unattached, unbound, liberated dedication? Here they honor and respect all roots of goodness: that is to say, they honor and respect emancipation from birth and death, embodi­ ment of all roots of goodness, seeking all roots of goodness, repentance of past acts,  moral support of roots of goodness, expression of respect for Buddhas, making prostrations before tombs and shrines, and exhort­ ing Buddhas to expound the teaching-they honor  and respect  such various roots of goodness, recognizing and approving them all.

"When great enlightening beings honor, respect, recognize and ap­ prove these roots of goodness, they arc extremely delighted, and a ffirm their faith, attaining peace and stability themselves and also enabling others to attain peace and stability. They diligently cultivate roots of goodness without attachment, freely building them up, developing supreme determination, abiding in the realm of the enlightened, their power growing, able to see and know all. They dedicate the roots of goodness in this way: with unattached, unbound, liberated mind to accomplish the deeds of Universal Good; with unattached, unbound, liberated mind to puri fy the speech of Universal Good; with unattached, unbound, liberated mind to perfect the mental  action  of Universal Good; with unattached, unbound, liberated mind to arouse the vast energy of Universal Good; with unattached,  unbound,  liberated  mind to ful fill the methods of concentration formulae of unobstructed expres­ sion of Universal Good, their voices pervading the ten directions; with unattached, unbound, liberated mind to ful fill the method of concentra­ tion formulae for perception of all Buddhas of Universal Good, always seeing all Buddhas of the ten directions; with unattached, unbound, liberated mind to achieve and understand the method of concentration formulae of all sounds, the same as all sounds, expounding infinite principles; with unattached, unbound, liberated mind to accomplish Universal Good's  method  of concentration  formulae abiding  through all ages, cultivating enlightening practice everywhere in the ten directions; with unattached, unbound, liberated mind to accomplish the power of

 

Ten Dedicatiom      653

freedo m of Universal Good, in the body of one being showing the cultivation of the practices of all enlightening beings, eternally through­ out the future, ever unceasing, and as in the body of one being, so also in the bodies of all beings; with unattached, unbound, liberated mind to achieve the power of freedom of Universal Good to enter into the enlightenment sites of all congregations , appearing before all Buddhas, and cultivating the practices of enlightening beings; with unattached, unbound, liberated mind to accomplish the power of freedom of buddhahood of Universal Good, and appear to spend endless eons on various methods , causing all sentient beings to attain entry into enlightenment, appearing bodily before all Buddhas; with unattached, unbound, liberated mind to attain the power of freedom of Universal Good, and moment to moment enable untold beings to abide in the knowledge of the ten powers, without weariness of mind; with unattached, unbound, liberated mind to accomplish the power  of free­ dom of Universal  Good, in the bodies  of all sentient beings manifesting all Buddhas' autonomous spiritual powers, causing all sentient beings to live by the practice of Universal Good; with unattached, unbound, liberated mind to develop  the power of freedom of Universal  Good,  in the speech of one being producing the speech of all beings, causing each and every being to dwell in the stage of universal knowledge; with unattached, unbound, liberated minds to attain the power of freedom of Universal Good and contain the bodies of all beings in the body of each individual being, causing all to  think they have attained the buddha­ body; with unattached,  unbound,  liberated mind to achieve the power of freedom of Universal Good and be able to adorn all worlds of the ten directions with a single flower; with unattached,  unbound,  liberated minds  to accomplish  the power  of freedom of Universal  Good  and p roduce a great voice pervading the cosmos, heard in all buddha-lands, pacifying all beings; with unattached, unbound, liberated mind to attain the power of freedom of Universal Good, able to enter, in each passing instant of the endless future, all worlds everywhere, adorning them as they wish by the spiritual power of Buddha; with unattached, unbound, liberated mind to achieve the power of freedo m of Universal Good and through the ages of the future always  be able  to enter into  all  worlds and manifes t attainment of Buddhahood in the world; with unattached, unbound, liberated mind to accomplish the practice of Universal Good, with one light illumining all worlds in the realm of space; with unattached, unbound, liberated mind to achieve the practice  of Universal  Good, attain immeasurable knowledge, be endowed with all spiritual powers, and explain all kinds of truths; with unattached,  unbound,  liberated mind to accomplish the practice of Universal Good, and  enter the eternal immeasurable spiritual knowledge of the enlightened; with unattached , unbound, liberated mind to accomplish the practice of Universal Good,  abide in the realm of the enlightened ones throughout the cosmos, and by the spiritual power of the enlightened cultivate the

 

654  The Flower Omament Scripture

 

physical, verbal, and mental actions of the practices of enlightening beings, never flagging; with unattached, unbound, liberated mind to accomplish the practice of Universal Good, and be pure in speech, not deviating from the truth or corrupting the teaching, with inexhaustible eloquence teaching and pacifying all sentient beings so that they may attain the unexcelled enlightenment of all Buddhas; with unattached, unbound,  liberated mind to cultivate the practice of Universal Good, and when entering into a single aspect of the teaching emit immeasur­ able light illuminating inconceivably many aspects the  teaching, abide in the practices of enlightening beings, master of the teaching, arrive at the other shore adorned by Universal Good, and examine and gain understanding of every single object by means of universal knowledge, without universal knowledge bein g exhausted; with unattached, unbound, liberated mind to live by the practice of Univer­ sal Good from this life forever onward, never ceasing, attaining omni­ science and realizing innumerable truths, to be ultimately free from confusion and delusion in regard to truth; with unattached, unbound, liberated mind to cultivate  the work of Universal  Good,  with mastery of technique, attaining the light of truth and illumining the practices of enlightening beings without obstruction; with unattached, unbound, liberated mind to cultivate the practice of Universal Good and attain knowledge of all means of liberation-that is, innumerable means, inconceivable means, the means of enlightening beings, means of uni­ versal knowledge, all enlightening beings ' means of training, means of activating innumerable cycles of teachings, means appropriate to un­ speakably many times, means of explaining all kinds  of methods, means of the boundless treasury of fearlessness,  means  of explaining all truths; with unattached, unbound, liberated mind to live by the practice of Universal Good, accomplish actions that cause all witnesses to rejoice and not give rise to slander or repudiation and to set their minds on enlightenment with ultimate purity, never regressing; with unattached, unbound, liberated mind to cultivate the practice of Uni­ versal Good and attain pure  knowledge  of the  languages  of all  sen­ tient  beings,  fully   adorned  by   all verbal  expression  to   respond  to all sentient beings and gladden them; with unattached, unbound, liber­ ated mind  to abide  by the   practice  of Universal  Good  and   estab­ lish an extraordinary will, have a pure  mind,  attain  great spiritual powers and  vast knowledge  and  wisdom,  and  go   to   all vast worlds and vast lan ds, and to immense congregations of sentient beings ex­ pound unspeakably many far-reaching teachings of the Buddhas, their

treasuries   full    of vast  adornments;    with   unattached,    unbound,    liberated mind to fulfill the practice  and vows of dedication  of Universal Good and attain the pure body, pure mind, and pure understanding of all Buddhas, embody the virtues of buddhahood, abide in the realm of buddhahood, universally illumining with the seal of knowledge, reveal­ ing the pure deeds of enlightening beings, entering into the meanings of

 

Tw Dedications      655

all ditierent expressions , demonstrating the tremendous freedo m of the Buddhas and enlightening beings, and for the sake of all sentient beings manifest the attainment of true enlightenment; with unattached, unbound, liberated mind to diligently cultivate the practical commitments of the faculties of Universal Good and attain clear, sharp faculties , well-tuned faculties, faculties free in all ways, inexhaustible faculties , faculties diligently cultivating all roots of goodness, equanimous faculties of the range of all Buddhas, faculties of great vigor  giving  all enlightening beings the prediction of nonregrcssion, faculties knowing the realm of indestructibility of all Buddhas, faculties of adamantine flames of the illuminating light of knowledge of all Buddhas, faculties freely distin­ guishing all capacities, faculties for establishing all sentient beings in universal knowledge, boundlessly vast faculties , totally complete faculties, pure unhindered faculties ; with unattached, unbound, liberated mind to cultivate the practice of Universal Good and attain a ll enlightening beings'  spiritual powers-spiritual powers of boundlessly great strength, spiritual powers of immeasurable independent knowledge,  spiritual power to appear in all buddha-fields without physically moving, spiritual power of unhindered, uninterrupted freedom, spiritual power to con centrate all buddha-fields in one place, spiritual power to pervade all buddha­ fields with one body, spiritual power of unhindered, liberated roaming, spiritual power of instantaneous freedom without doing anything, spiri­ tual power abiding in essencclessness and nonreliance, and spiritual power to progressively set up untold worlds in a single pore,  traveling to all Buddhas' enlightenment sites throughout the cosmos to teach sentient beings and cause them all to enter the door of great knowledge; with unattached, unbound, liberated  mind  to enter the door of Univer­ sal Good, produce the practices of enlightening beings, and with inde­ pendent knowledge enter into innumerable buddha-lands in a single instant, contain immeasurable buddha-lands in one body, attain knowl­ edge of how to purify buddha-lands, and always observe boundless buddha-lands with knowledge and wisdom, never developing the men­ tality of individual salvation; with unattached, unbound, liberated mind to cultivate the practices of expedient means of Universal Good,  enter the realm of wisdom, be born in the house of the enlightened,  abide in the path of enlightening beings , ful fill infinite supreme aspirations , carry out infinite vows without ever ceasing, and know all realms  of reality of all times; with unattached, unbound, liberated mind to accom­ plish the pure teaching of Universal Good, able to contain the innumera­ ble worlds of the cosmos throughout all  space  in a spot as big  as a hairtip, causing all to be clearl y seen, with the same applying to every single point throughout the space of the cosmos; with unattached, unbound, libc:-ated mind to accomplish the profound mental techniques of Universal Good, able in a single  mental  moment  to manifest the states of mind of one sentient being over untold cons,  and in the same way manifest the states of mind of all sentient beings over untold eons;

 

656  The Flower Ornammt Scripture

with unattached, unbound, liberated mind to enter the stage of employ­ ment of techniques of dedication of Universal Good,  able to contain in one body the unspeakably  unspeakable numbers  of bodies throughout the cosmos, without there being any increase or decrease in the realm of sentient beings, and as of one body, so also of all bodies throughout the cosmos, so all contain all in the same way; with unattached, unbound, liberated mind to accomplish the means  of the vows  of Universal Good, abandon all delusions of thought, mind, and view, and enter the sphere of all Buddhas and always sec the pure Buddhas' reality-body, equal to space, to be adorned with the marks and embellishments of buddhahood, master spiritual powers, and always teach unimpcdcdly and uninterruptedly with a sublime voice, causing all who  hear  to absorb and retain what  they have been taught,  and to realize  the body of enlightenment has no acquisition; with unattached, unbound,  liber­ ated mind to cultivate the practice of Universal Good and abide in the stages of enlighenment,  in a single moment entering all worlds-upright worlds, inverted worlds, untold numbers of immense worlds in the ten directions enmeshing all locations-and with the means of distinction of the cosmic net of lndra, distinguish all reality-realms, having various worlds enter one world, having untold infinities of worlds enter one world, having the infinite worlds structured by all realms of phenomena and principles enter one world, having the infinite worlds established in all realms of space enter one world,  yet without destroying the features of their structures, causing all to be clearly seen; with unattached, unbound, liberated mind to cultivate Universal Good's practical vows of enlightening and be crowned by the Buddha,  instantly entering the stage of skill in means, fully developing the treasure of knowledge steadfastly living by enlightening practices, capable of comprehensive knowledge of all perceptions-perceptions of sentient beings,  percep­ tions of phenomena, perceptions of fields, perceptions of locations, perceptions of Buddha, perceptions of worlds, perceptions of action, perceptions of practices, perceptions of realms, perceptions of under­ standings, perceptions of faculties, perceptions of time, perceptions of continuity, perceptions of afflictions, perceptions of purity, perceptions of maturation, perceptions of seeing Buddha, perceptions of turning the wheel of teaching, perceptions of hearing the teaching and understanding, perceptions of training, perceptions of infinity, perceptions of emanci­ pation, perceptions of various stages, perceptions of innumerable stages, perceptions of knowledge of enlightening beings, perceptions of training of enlightening beings, perceptions of concentrations of enlightening beings, perceptions of enlightening beings emerging from concentration, perceptions of the becoming of enlightening beings, perceptions of disintegration of enlightening beings, perceptions of the demise of enlightening beings, perceptions of the birth of enlightening beings, perceptions of the liberation of enlightening beings, perceptions of the independence of enlightening beings, perceptions of the preservation of

 

Tm Dedications      657

enlightening beings, perceptions of the spheres of enlightening beings, perceptions of the formation and decay of ages, perceptions of light, perceptions of darkness, perceptions of day, perceptions of night, perceptions of changes of the fortnight, month, season, and year, perceptions of going, perceptions of coming, perceptions of standing still, perceptions of sitting, perceptions of sleeping, perceptions of waking-able  to  know  all  these  perceptions  in  an  instant  of thought, while at the same time detached from all perceptions, without arbitrary discrimination, cutting through all barriers,  without any attachments, the knowledge of all Buddhas filling their minds, all Buddha teachings developing their roots of goodness, having the same one body as all Buddhas, in the keeping of all Buddhas, free from defilement, thor­ oughly pure, cultivating all Buddha teachings as appropriate,  reaching the other shore; with unattached,  unbound,  liberated mind to cultivate the practice of Universal Good for the sake of all sentient beings and produce the jewel of great knowledge, knowing infinite minds in each individual mind, seeing clearly their various fixations, notions, various natures , doings, functions, features, thoughts, and awareness; with unattached, unbound, liberated mind to perfect the jewel of knowledge of the great vows of Universal Good, knowing infinite places  in  one place, and likewise in all places; with unattached, unbound,  liberated mind to cultivate the stage of knowledge of practice of Universal  Good, and in one action be able to know all actions, clearly seeing the various conditions making up those actions, and as of one action, so of all actions; with unattached, unbound, liberated mind  to cultivate  and learn Universal Good's knowledge of all things, knowing infinite things in one thing, knowing one thing in all things, these things each di fferent, without obstruction, without opposition or attachment; with unattached, unbound, liberated mind to live by the practice of enlightening  beings and acquire the unobstructed ear faculty of Universal  Good,  in the sound of one utterance knowing the boundless di fferentiations in  count­ less utterances, without clinging, and as of one utterance, so of all utterances; with unattached, unbound, liberated mind to cultivate the knowledge of Universal Good, initiate the practice of Universal Good, and abide in the state of Universal Good, in each individual principle expounding countless principles, those principles far-reaching, variously different, teaching, transforming, saving, in accord with inconceivable expedient means , at all times, in accord with the inclinations, under­ standings, and faculties of sentient beings, in accord with the time expounding the teaching for them with the voice of Buddha, with one marvelous voice gladdening innumerable sentient beings in the congre­ gations at unspeakably many sites of enlightenment, so the innumerable enlightening beings with all Buddhas fill the cosmos, making extraordi­ nary determinations, producing great insights, ultimately knowing all practices abiding in the state of Universal Good, according to the principles explained able to enter moment to moment into the space of a

 

658  The Flower Omament Scripture

single instant and develop and increase a store of in finite great knowl­ edge forever and ever-to teach this way, to cultivate in all fields great practices equal to space, fully perfectin g them; with unattached, unbound, liberated mind to cultivate the methods of operation of the faculties of Universal Good, becoming masters of great action, in each and every faculty able to know innumerable faculties, innumerable mental inclinations, and the sublime practice born of the realm of incon­ ceivability; with unattached, unbound, liberated mind to live by the heart  of great dedication practice  by Universal  Good and attain  the most subtle knowledge  of form,   the most  subtle   knowledge of bodies, the most subtle knowledge of lands,  the most  subtle  knowledge  of ages, the most subtle  knowledge of worlds,  the most subtle knowledge of places, the most subtle knowledge of times, the most subtle knowledge of numbers, the most subtle knowledge of consequences of actions, and the most subtle knowledge of purity, able to know all such subtleties instantly, without fear, confusion, distraction,  cloudiness,  or depression of mind, being single-minded, skilled in quiet concentration and discernment, the mind well stabilized; with unattached, unbound, liber­ ated mind to abide in the knowledge of enlightening beings and culti­ vate the practice of Universal Good  tirelessly,  able to know the details of the tendencies of sentient beings, the details of the deaths of sentient beings, the details of the births of sentient beings, the details of the subsistence of sentient beings, the details of the locations of sentient beings, the details of the types of sentient beings, the details  of the realms of sentient beings, the details of the acts of sentient beings, the details of the grasping of sentient beings, the details of sentient beings' clinging to objects, able to know all such details instantly; with unattached, unbound, liberated mind to establish profound determination, cultivate the practice  of Universal  Good, and be able to know the details of efforts of all enlightening beings for the sake  of living  creatures from their first inspiration-the details of cultivation of enlightening beings' practices, the details of enlightening beings' abodes, the details of enlight­ ening beings' spiritual powers, the details of enlightening beings' travels to innumerable buddha-lands, the details of enlightening beings' pure eyes, the details of enlightening beings' development of transcendent mentality, the details of enlightening beings' visits to congregations at enlightenment sites of all Buddhas, the details of enlightening beings' knowledge of methods of concentration spells, the details of enlighten­ ing beings' expositions of the treasury of all skills of analysis and elucidation of the stage of infinite fearlessness, the details of the charac­ teristics of innumerable concentrations of enlightening beings, the de­ tails of enlightening beings ' know ledge of concentration on vision of all Buddhas, the details of enlightening beings'  knowledge of extremely deep concentration, the details of enlightening beings' knowledge of concentration on great adornments, the details of enlightening beings' knowledge of concentration in great autonomous spiritual powers, the

 

details of enlightening beings' knowledge of concentration on preserva­ tion of great practices throughout the future, the details of enlightening beings' knowledge of production of innumerable different concentrations, the details of enlightening beings' knovvledge of concentration on being born in the presence of all Buddhas and diligent practice of service of the Buddhas, never leaving them, the details of enlightening beings' knowledge of cultivation of all profound, vast, unobstructed states of concentration, the details of enlightening beings' unobscured knowl­ edge of concentration of the stage of consummation of universal knowledge, the stage of knowledge and practice of preservation,  the stage of great spiritual powers, and the stage of certitude of meaning, able to know all such details completely; with unattached, unbound, liberated mind to cultivate the practice  of Universal  Good  and  know the details of all enlightening beings' knowledge of structures,  the details of enlightening beings' stages, the details of enlightening beings' innumerable activities, the details of enlightening beings' production of dedication, the details of enlightening beings' attainment of the treasuries of all Buddhas, the details  of enlightening beings' analytic knowledge, the details of enlightening beings ' spiritual capabilities and will power, the subtleties of enlightening  beings'  explanations  of concentration, the details of enlightening beings'  versatile skill  in means,  the details of the gestures of enlightening beings,  the details  of enlightening beings' li fe on the threshold of buddhahood, the details of enlightening beings ' birth in Tushita heavcn, the details of enlightening beings' sojourn in the celestial palace, the details of enlightening beings' purifica­ tion of a buddha-land, the details of enlightening beings' observation of the human world, the details of enlightening  beings  radiating  great light, the details of the excellence of fa milies of enlightening beings, the details of the congregations at the enlightenment sites of enlightening beings, the details of enlightening beings' birth  throughout all worlds, the details of enlightening beings' manifestation of the end of a li fe of all bodies in one body, the details of enlightening beings entering their mothers ' wombs, the details of enlightening beings' li fe in their mothers' wombs, the details of enlightening beings' free manifestation of the congre­ gations at the sites of enlightenment in all realms while  yet in their mothers ' wombs, the details of enlightening beings' manifestation of the spiritual powers of all Buddhas while in their mothers ' wombs, the details of enlightening beings' manifestation of birth, the details of the knowledge of enlightening beings walking seven steps like a lion, the details of enlightening beings' knowledge of skill in means, expediently appearing to abide in a royal palace, the details of enlightening beings leaving home and cultivating practices for self-mastery, the  details of enlightening beings sitting under trees of enlightenment at sites of enlightenment, the details of enlightening beings conquering armies of demons and attaining unexcelled complete perfect enlightenment, the details of the realized ones sitting on the scat of enlightenment and

 

emanating great light illumining the worlds of the ten directions, the details of the enlightened ones showing innumerable mystical trans­ figurations, the details of the enlightened ones' lion roar and great extinction, the details of the enlightened ones taming all sentient beings without hindrance, the details of the enlightened ones' inconceivable autonomous powers like the adamantine mind of enlightenment, the details of the enlightened ones minding all worlds, the details of the enlightened ones doing buddha  work in all worlds forever and ever without ceasing, the details of the enlightened ones' unobstructed spiri­ tual powers pervading the cosmos, the details of the enlightened ones appearing in all worlds throughout space to ful fill buddhahood and tame sentient beings, the details of the enlightened ones manifesting innumerable buddha-bodies in one buddha-body, the details of the enlightened ones' knowledge of the freedom to be at the site of enlight­ enment in the past, fttture, and present, completely knowing all such minute details with consummate clarity, able to manifest appearance in all worlds, moment to moment increasing in knowledge, perfecting nonregressive skill in liberative means, cultivating enlightening practice without ceasing, fulfilling the stage of dedication of Universal Good, attaining the virtues of all Buddhas, never tiring of or giving up what enlightening beings practice, producing the enlightening beings' state of presence, with innumerable means of enlightenment,  all pure,  wishing to pacify all sentient beings, cultivating the deeds of enlightening beings and accomplishing the enlightening beings' stage of great power, attain­ ing the aspiration of the enlightening mind, reaching the gate of dedica­ tion of Diamond Banner, producing  the treasury of qualities  of the realm of truth, always in the care of the Buddhas,  entering the doors  of the profound principles of enlightening beings, expounding all true meanings, flawlessly skilled in teaching, carrying out great vows, never abandoning sentient beings, thoroughly knowing the mine  of conceiv­ able and inconceivable realms, demonstrating the production of thought in the realm of inconceivability, detaching from verbal expression, abiding in knowledge, doing as all enlightening beings do, with the power of spiritual freedom demonstrating the path of attainment of Buddhahood forever and ever without cease, by spiritual power and the power of vows able to show all worlds, sentient beings, and ages, defined by illusory ideas and speech; with unattached, unbound, liber­ ated mind to cultivate the practice of Universal Good and attain knowl­ edge of the minute details of the realms of all sentient beings-knowledge of the details of distinctions of realms of sentient beings,  knowledge of the details of the verbal expression of realms of sentient beings, knowl­ edge of the details of the attachments in realms of sentient beings, knowledge of the details of the different species in the realms of sentient beings, knowledge of the details of similar species in the realms  of sentient beings, knowledge of the details of the innumerable tendencies in the realms of sentient beings, knowledge of the details of the incon-

 

ceivably many artifices of various conceptions in the realms of sentient beings , knowledge of the details of the immeasurable pollution in the realms of sentient beings, knowledge of the details of the immeasurable purity  in  the  realms  of  sentient  beings-able  to  instantly  know  such minute details as these of all realms of sentient beings, knowing them as they truly are, widely expounding the truth for sentient beings, showing them various kinds of pure teachings and practices to enable them to cultivate the vast knowledge and wisdom of enlightening beings, ema­ nating countless bodies, gladdening to all who sec, illumining enlighten­ ing beings' minds with the sun of knowledge, causing their understanding to open up and their wisdom to be freed; with unattached, unbound, liberated mind to cultivate the practices of Universal Good in all worlds for the sake of all beings,  attaining detailed  knowlcdge of all worlds in the cosmos of space-detailed knowledge of small worlds, detailed knowledge of large worlds, detailed knowledge of polluted worlds, detailed knowledge of pure worlds, detailed knowledge of incompara­ ble worlds, detailed knowledge of various  worlds,  detailed knowledge of broad worlds, detailed knowledge of narrow worlds, detailed knowl­ edge of worlds with unobstructed adornments, detailed knowledge of Buddhas' appearance throughout all worlds, detailed knowledge of explanation of truth throughout all worlds, detailed knowledge of bodily manifestation throughout all worlds, detailed knowledge of ema­ nation of great light throughout all worlds, detailed knowledge of manifestation of the Buddhas' autonomous spiritual powers throughout all worlds, detailed knowledge of entry into the congregations at en­ lightenment sites of buddha-fields in all worlds, detailed knowledge of demonstration of all tones with one voice throughout  all worlds,  de­ tailed knowledge of making all buddha-fields in the cosmos into one buddha-field, detailed knowledge of making one buddha-field into all buddha-fields in the cosmos, detailed knowledge of awareness that all worlds arc like dreams, detailed knowledge  of awareness  that  all worlds arc like reflections, detailed knowledge of awareness that all worlds are like illusions-knowing all this thoroughly,  producing the  path of all enlightening beings, en ter the knowledge and spiritual powers prac­ ticed by Universal Good, ful fill the meditation of Universal Good, cultivate enlightening practices unceasingly, attain the free mystic metamorphoses of all Buddhas, acquire unobstructed bodies, abide in nonreliant knowledge, be without grasping or attachment to anything, being nonacquisitive in all mental actions, developing detachment in all situations, thinking of enlightening practice as purification, having no thought of grasping or clinging to universal knowledge, adorning them­ selves with concentrations, their knowledge in accord with all realms of reality; with unattached, unbound, liberated mind to enter the door of practices of Universal Good and attain detailed knowledge of innumera­ ble realms of reality, detailed knowledge of explanations of all realms of reality, detailed knowledge of entry  into vast realms of reality, detail ed

 

knowledge of distinction of inconceivably many realms of reality, de­ tailed knowledge of distinction of all realms of reality,  detailed knowl­ edge of one thought pervading all realms of reality, detailed knowledge of entry into all realms of reality,  detailed knowledge of awareness  that all realms of reality are ungraspable, detailed knowledge of observation of all realms of reality without obstruction, detailed knowledge of awareness that all realms of reality have no birth, detailed knowledge of mani festation of miracles in all realms of reality, with vast knowledge knowing such minute details of all realms of reality as they truly arc, mastering the truth, demonstrating the practice of Universal Good, causing all sentient beings to be fully satisfied, not abandoning principle yet not clinging to doctrine, producing impartial, unobstructed knowledge, aware of the basis of nonobstruction, not dwelling on anything at all, not destroying the nature  of things  as it really  is, pure and spacelike, while producing verbal explanation adapted to the world, opening up the true meaning, pointing out the silent, null essence, not relying or dwelling on any object, without vain discrimination , clearly seeing the universal structure of the realm  of reality,  comprehending that all worlds and all things are equal and nondual, divorcing all attachments; with unattached, unbound, liberated mind to cultivate the practices of Universal Good and develop detailed knowledge of all eons-detailed   knowledge   of  making   unspeakably   many   cons   one moment, detailed knowledge of making one moment unspeakably many cons, detailed knowledge of fitting incalculable cons  into one  con, detailed knowledge of one eon entering incalculable eons, detailed knowl­ edge of long cons entering short eons, detailed knowledge of short cons entering long cons,  detailed knowledge  of entry into cons with Bud­ dhas and cons without Buddhas, detailed knowledge of the number of all eons, detailed knowledge of how all cons arc not eons, detailed knowledge of seeing all eons past,  present,  and  future in a single moment­ instantaneously knowing all such minute details of all cons as they truly arc by means  of enlightened knowledge,  attaining to the mind  master­ ing the completely ful filled practices of enlightening beings, the mind entering the practice of Universal Good, the mind free from all inane speculation and erroneous conceptualization, the mind tirelessly making great vows, the mind perceiving the network  of innumerable  worlds filled with Buddhas, the mind able to learn and remember the roots of goodness of the Buddhas and  the practices  of the enlightening beings, the mind which,  having  heard,  never  forgets the great  practices  for com forting all sentient beings, the mind which can manifest the appear­ ance of Buddha in the world in all ages, the mind which unceasingly practices unshakability and imperturbability in all worlds forever and ever, the mind which in all  worlds  fills the bodies  of enlightening beings with the behavior of the enlightened; with unattached, unbound, liberated mind to cultivate the practice of Universal Good, accomplish nonregression, and attain extremel y detailed knowledge of principles

 

Te11 Dedications   663

and  phenomena-detailed  knowledge  of the  principles  and  phenomena of mysticism, detailed knowledge of far-reaching principles  and exten­ sive phenomena, detailed knowledge of various principles and phenomena, detailed knowledge of principles and phenomena of  adornment,  de­ tailed knowledge of the immeasurability of all principles and phenomena, detailed knowledge of all principles entering one principle, all phenom­ ena entering one phenomena,  all principles entering one phenomenon, all phenomena entering one principle, detailed knowledge of one princi­ ple entering all principles , one phenomenon entering all phenomena, one principle entering all phenomena, one phenomenon entering all principles, detailed knowledge of all principles and phenomena entering what is not principle or phenomenon, detailed knowledge of dcf!ning all principles and phenomena where there arc none, without contradiction, detailed knowledge penetrating the techniques of all Buddha-teachings­ knowing as they truly arc all such things as defined by all speech in all worlds, with extremely detailed and subtle knowledge equal to all of them, that knowledge unobstructed,  attaining  the mind which  enters the boundless  realm of reality,  abiding  steadfastly with a profound mind in each sphere of reality, perfecting unobstructed practice, filling all faculties with universal knowledge, entering the knowledge of buddhahood, properly mindful of expedient means, accomplishing the great qualities of Buddhas, filling the entire cosmos, realizing all the bodies of the enlightened, manifesting all the physical actions of enlight­ ening beings, expounding the teaching in the terms of expression of all worlds, attaining the mental activity of knowledge spiritually empow­ ered by all Buddhas, producing omniscient knowledge skillfully distin­ guishing all things; with unattached, unbound,   liberated mind to cultivate the practice of Universal Good and produce detailed knowledge of all kinds-that is, detailed knowledge of all lands  and fields, detailed knowledge  of all sentient  beings,   detailed   knowledge  of the   fruits of all practices, detailed knowledge of the minds of all sentient beings, detailed knowledge of the proper timing of all expositions of the teaching, detailed knowledge of all realms of reality, detailed knowl­ edge of all past, present, and future worlds throughout space, detailed knowledge of all manners of verbal expression, detailed knowledge of all worldly activities, detailed knowledge of all transmundanc activities, and detailed knowledge of the paths of all Buddhas, the paths of all enlightening beings, and the paths of all sentient beings-cultivating enlightening practices , living by the path of Universal Good, knowing all expressions and meanings truly, bearing knowledge that all arc like reflections, like dreams, like illusions, like echoes, like phantoms, like space, bearing knowledge of nullity, bearing knowledge of all realms of reality, bearing independent knowledge, bearing knowledge of all prin­ ciples of Buddhahood .

"Enlightening beings dedicate their unattached, unbound, liberated minds, without forming arbitrary notions of worlds or worldly things,

 

 

of enlightenment or enlightening beings,  of the practices of enlighten­ ing beings or the paths of emancipation, of Buddhas or Buddha teachings, of taming or not taming sentient beings, of roots of goodness or dedication, of self or others, of gifts or recipients, of practices of enlightening beings or true enlightenment, of truth or knowledge.

"Great enlightening beings dedicate those roots of goodness in this way: that minds be unattached, unbound, liberated; that bodies be unattached, unbound, liberated; that speech be unattached, unbound, liberated; that actions be unattached, unbound, liberated; that rewards be unattached, unbound, liberated; that worlds be free from attachment and bondage and be liberated; that buddha-lands be free from attach­ ment and bondage and be liberated; that sentient beings be free from attachments and bondage and be liberated; that laws be free from attachment and bondage and be liberated; that knowledge be free from attachment and bondage and be liberated.

"When great enlightening beings practice dedication in this way, they do so as the Buddhas of past,  present,  and future during their enlightening: they study  the dedication  of Buddhas  of the past,  make the dedicttion of Buddhas of the future, and live by the dedication of Buddhas of the present; they remain on the path of dedication  of the Buddhas  of the past, do not give up the path of dedication of the Buddhas of the future, and follow the path of dedication of the Buddhas of the present; they diligently practice the teachings of the Buddhas of the past, accomplish the teachings of the Buddhas of the future, and know  the  teachings  of the Buddhas of the present; they ful fill the equanimity of the Buddhas of the past, achieve the equanimity of the Buddhas  of the  future, and abide in the equanimity of the Buddhas of the present; they traverse the ranges of the Buddhas of the past, abide in the ranges of the Buddhas of the future, and equal the ranges  of the Buddhas  of the present;  they attain the roots of goodness of the Buddhas of past, present, and future, are endowed with the essential nature  of all Buddhas  of past, present, and future, abide in the sphere of action of all Buddhas of past, present, and future, and accord with the realm of all Buddhas of past, present, and future.

"This is great enlightening beings' ninth dedication, dedication with unattached, unbound, liberated mind. When great enlightening beings live by this dedication,  they cannot be broken down even by adaman­ tine mountains; their physical characteristics arc supreme among all sentient beings; they can destroy all the evildoing  of demons; they appear in all worlds in the ten directions, cultivating the practices of enlightening beings; because they want to enlighten all sentient beings, they expound the Buddha-teachings to them in appropriate ways; attain­ ing great knowledge and wisdom,  they have  no confusion in their minds about the teachings of the Buddhas; wherever they live, whether they go or stay, they always encounter incorruptible company; they arc able to absorb and retain the teachings expounded by the Buddhas of all

 

 

times by means of pure mindfulness; they cultivate the practice of enlightening beings forever and ever, never ceasing,  developing and fulfil ling the practical vows of Universal Good, attaining universal knowledge, disbursing it as buddha-work, perfecting the autonomous spiritual powers of enlightening beings. "

Then the enlightening being Diamond Banner,  spiritually empow­ ered by Buddha, looked over the ten directions and said in verse,

 

The peerless honored ones of the ten directions Have never had a thought of pride;

Whatever virtuous works they perform, They arc still respectful and reverent.

 

All the virtues they cultivate

Arc not for themselves or others;

Always, with a mind of supreme resolve,

They dedicate them  to the benct1t of all  the living.

 

They have never developed pride or conceit, Yct they arc not self-demeaning;

The actions  of the enlightened  ones They inquire into and earnestly practice.

 

The various roots of goodness they cultivate Arc all for the benefit of conscious creatures;

They abide in profound will and broad understanding, Dedicated to the most honorable, virtuous human state.

 

The various skills and marvels

There arc in the world, beyond measure, Crude and fine, broad and deep,

They practice and master all.

 

All the various bodies in the world They enter by  equality of bodies;

Cultivating this, they attain understanding

And accom plish nonrcgression in the door of wisdom.

 

The lands in the worlds, innumerable kinds, Minute, immense, with different orientations,

En lightening beings can, via the door of knowledge, Sec all in a single pore.

 

Sentient beings' mental activities, without measure, They can caus e to equally enter one mind:

 

666  The Flower Omamcm Scripture

 

Through the door of knowledge they understand all, And do not regress in their practice.

 

Sentient beings ' fa culties and inclinations,

Superior, middling, and inferior, arc each unalike; All arc profoundly hard to know:

But enlightening beings can comprehend  them in accord  with their funda mental nature.

 

Sentient beings ' various actions,

Superior, middling, and inferior, arc each di fferen t:

Enlightening beings, deeply entering enlightened po \vcr, Clearly sec all through the door of knowledge.

 

Inconceivably innumerable cons

They can cause to equally enter one instant; Thus having seen, throughout the ten directions They cultivate all pure actions.

 

Past,  future,  and  present-

They know their characteristics, each different,

Yet without deviating  from the principle  of equality­ This is the great mind's practice of clear comprehension .

 

The actions  of the sentient beings  of the world  arc not the same­ Sometimes apparent, sometimes hidden, there arc innumerable kinds: Enlightening beings know all their different forms,

And know too their forms arc formless .

 

The autonomous spiritual power manifested

By all Buddhas in the worlds in the ten directions, Vast, extensive, inconceivable,

Enlightening beings arc able to distinctly know.

 

The naturally enlightened Human Lions In the Tushita heavens of all worlds,

Their virtues great, pure, beyond compare, All their features the enlightening can sec.

 

Sometimes they manifest spiritual descent into the mother's womb, Or innumerable autonomous miraculous displays-

Attaining Buddhahood, teaching, showing extinction, Throughout the world, unceasingly.

 

When the Human Lions arc first born,

All those of superior knowledge serve them :

 

 

The gods, such as Indra and Brahma, All respectfully attend to them.

 

In the infinite, boundless realms Throughout the  ten directions, Without beginning or end, far or near,

They manifest the powers of the enlightened.

 

A fter the Honored Human Leaders manifest birth, They walk seven steps in each direction:

Wishing to enlighten the living by the wondrous truth , The Buddhas therefore observe all.

 

They sec sentient beings sunk in the sea of cravings, Veiled by blindness and folly:

The Free Humans show a smile

And reflect that they should save beings from suffering.

 

The great Lion's Roar emits a wondrous voice: ''I am most honored in the world;

I should light the lamp of clear pure knowledge

And destroy the darkness of ignorance and folly 11  birth  and death ."

 

When the Human Lion Kings appear in the world They radiate infinite great beams of light

Causing an end to the courses of misery

And extinguishing the sufferings of the world.

 

Sometimes they manifest life in a royal palace,

Sometimes they manifest leaving home and cultivating enlighten­ ment;

Because they want to benefit sentient beings They demonstrate such powers of freedom.

 

When the Buddhas first sit on the enlightenment site, The whole earth trembles;

All worlds in the ten directions are bathed in light, And beings in all states arc relieved of pain.

 

Shaking the palaces of all demons,

A wakening the minds of all sentient beings,

Those who received the teaching and practiced it in the past They cause to know the true meaning.

 

668  The  Flower  Orname11t  ScrzjJture

 

All the lands in the ten directions Completely enter a pore;

The lands in all pores arc boundless :

Therein they manifest spiritual powers.

 

Enlightening beings understand the innumerable methods Expounded by all the Buddhas;

Even those the Buddhas have not explained Th ey  understand and diligently practice.

 

All the demon armies create conflicts Filling all  worlds  of the universe; The in finite varied ills they create

Unhindered knowledge can all destroy.

 

The Enlightened may be in buddha-fields , Or may appear to be in celestial palaces .

Sometimes they manifest their bodies in Brahma's palace­ Enlightening beings see all without obstruction.

 

Buddha manifests infinite, various bodies , Turning  the wheel of the pure teaching; No bounds to this can ever be found,

Even throughout all times.

 

Jeweled thrones, high and wide, without compare, Fill the intlnitc worlds of the ten directions , Adorned with various wondrous forms:

Buddhas sit on them, inconceivable,

Surrounded by crowds of enlightening beings Filling the whole of the cosmos,

Revealing infinite practices for enlightenment, The paths followed by all the Buddhas.

 

The appropriate  acts of the Buddhas A rc infinite, boundless as the cosmos; The wise arc able, by one technique, To know them all entirely.

 

The Buddha's spiritual powers Manifest  all  kinds  of bodies:

They may show infinite lives in all states of being, Or may appear surrounded by concubines,

Or else they may in countless worlds

Manifest leaving home and attaining buddhahood,

 

 

Add on the final demise,

Distribution of relics and setting up of shrines.

 

By these boundless varied actions

The guides explain the abode of buddhahood; The great virtues of the World Honored

Enlightening beings vow to cultivate and achieve.

 

When they dedicate those roots of goodness They abide in such expedient means,

Thus cultivating enlightening practice, Their minds never wearied or lazy.

 

The great spiritual powers of the Buddhas As well as their boundless supreme virtues And also wise acts in the mundane world: All they know exhaustively.

 

Thus all lordly humans

In whatever realms they may be Understand all at once

Yct don't give up enlightenment practice.

 

The subtle, refined practices of the Buddhas And the various laws of all fields,

They arc able to know as they encounter them, Ultimately dedicating them to transcendence.

 

Finite or infinite, all ages

Enlightening beings know arc the same as one instant: Herein they enter enlightenment practice,

Always cultivating it diligently, never regressing.

 

All the lands in the ten directions, Some polluted, some pure,

And all the Buddhas there

Enlightening beings can distinguish and know.

 

In every moment they clearly sec Inconceivably many cons;

Thus, throughout all times,

They cultivate enlightening practice.

 

Into all minds  they penetrate,

And penetrate all things equally too,

 

670  The Flower Omamc1lt Script11rc

The same for all buddha-fields throughout space, Comprehending all their excellent prac6ces.

 

They produce all kinds of knowledge Of sentient beings and phenomena

As \vcll as spiritual powers of enlightening beings : All of this inexhaustible.

 

Knowledge of all minute details, each distinct, Enlightening beings thoroughly absorb:

Similar and different aspects they all know well, Thus cultivating Llr-reaching practice.

 

Innumerable are the sentient beings in each

Of the innumerable buddha-lands in the ten di rections: Their conditions  and  types  arc  variously  ditTercn t-

By the power of their practice enlightening beings can know them all .

 

All the guides there arc

In  past,  present,  and  future  worlds-

If one has knowledge and dedication like them, One's practice is equal to those Buddhas.

 

If people can practice this dedication, This  is  learning  the  path  of the  Buddhas:

They'll attain the virtues of all Buddhas,

And the knowledge and wisdom of Buddhas. Invulnerable to all worldlings,

Accomplishing all that is to be learned,

They '11 always be able to recollect all Buddhas And sec all the Lamps of the World.

 

Enlightening beings' excellent practices arc immeasurable, And so arc their virtuous qualities:

Once living by the unexcelled practice of the Enlightened, Th ey kno\v all the spiritual powers of the Buddhas.

 

"What is great enlightening beings' boundless dedication equal to the cosmos ? Here they wrap their heads with the turban of nondcfilcment, dwell in the position of a teacher of truth, and extensively carry out the givin g of teaching, with great kindness and compassion establishing sentient beings in the aspiration for enlightenment. Always practicing charity, by the determination for enlightenment they nurture roots of goodness. Being directors for sentient beings, they point out to them

 

Te11 Dedicatio11s          671

 

the path of universal knowledge.  Being suns of truth for sentient beings,  the light of their roots of goodness illumines all.  Their minds arc impartial toward all sentient beings . They practice good works without rest. Their hearts are pure,  free from stain, and their knowl­ edge and  wisdom arc free. They never give up good works,  and, acting as wise caravan leaders for sentient beings, they bring them all into the right path of peace. Being leaders and guides for sentient beings, they have them cultivate the practices of all roots of goodness. Being incorruptible, steadfast, good friends to sentient beings, they cause their roots of goodness to develop and mature.

"These great enlightening beings make giving of teaching principal; developing all pure, good qualities, they embody the mind directed toward universal knowledge, their supreme will power ultimately enduring, developing, and growing. They arc endowed  with great powers and virtues.  They trust good spiritual friends, their minds have no deceit fulness. They contemplate and examine the boundless realms of the way into universal knowledge.

"These roots of goodness they dedicate in this way:  they vow  to become able to cultivate, perfect, and increase all perspectives of univer­ sal nonobstruction; they vow to become able to absorb, retain, and expound whatever they hear of the true teaching of the Buddhas, even a single line or verse; they vow to become able to recollect  all  the Buddhas, past, future, and present, of all worlds, innumerable, boundless, equal to the cosmos, and, having remembered them, to cultivate en­ lightening practices; they also vow to cultivate enlightening practice for one being in one world forever by this root of goodness  of remem­ brance of Buddhas,  and as in one world,  so in all worlds,  throughout the space of the cosmos,  and as for one being so for all sentient beings, in each case being eternally adorned with great vows for their sake, eradicating any thought of separation from the Buddhas and spiritual friends, always seeing the Buddhas before them,  able to draw ncar to every Buddha that appears in the world. The pure religious practices extolled and expounded by all  Buddhas and enlightening beings they vow  to  cultivate  and  completely  fulfill-religious  practice  of unbroken morality, flawless morality, unalloyed morality, spotless morality, im­ peccable morality; religious practice that cannot be shrouded, religious practice lauded by Buddhas, religious practice of nonreliance, religious practice of nonacquisitveness, religious practice of increasing the purity of the enlightening being, religious practice as carried out by the Bud­ dhas of all times, religious practice of nonobstruction, religious practice of nonattachment, religious practice of noncontention,  religious prac­ tice without extinction, religious practice of stabilization of good will, religious practice  of incomparable compassion,  religious  practice  of im mutable joy, religious practice of undisturbed equanimity, religious practice of freedom from anger.

"If great enlightening beings arc able to cultivate such pure religious

 

672  The Flower Omament Scrip ture

 

practices for their own sake,  then they will be able to do so for the sake of all sentient beings, enabling all sentient beings to attain stability, enabling all sentient beings to attain open understanding, enabling all sentient beings to attain completion, enabling all sentient beings to attain purity, enabling all sentient beings to attain nondefilcment, ena­ bling all sentient beings to attain illumination , enabling all sentient beings to be unstained by sense objects, enabling all sentient beings  to be free from blinding hindrances,  enabling  all sentient beings  to be freed from inflaming afflictions, enabling all sentient beings to be freed from all bonds, enabling all sentient beings to forever depart from all evils, enabling all sentient beings to be harmless and ultimately pure. Why? If great enlightening beings cannot themselves be pure in reli­ gious practice, they cannot cause others to attain purity; if they them­ selves regress from religious practice, they cannot cause others not to regress; if they themselves arc corrupt in religious practice, they cannot cause others to be free from corruption; if they themselves stray from religious practice, they cannot cause others not to stray; if they them­ selves arc lazy in religious practice, they cannot cause others not to slack o ff; if they themselves have no faith in religious practice, they cannot cause others to have faith; if they themselves do not live steadily by religious practice, they cannot cause others to live steadily; if they themselves have no realization of religious practice, they cannot cause others ' minds to attain realization; if they themselves give up religious practices, they cannot cause others to persevere;  if they themselves waver in religious  practice,  they cannot cause others not to waver. Great enlightening beings  act without delusion and teach doctrine that is free from delusion; what they say is truthful, and they practice what they preach. They puri fy their deeds, words, and thoughts, eliminating all dross and defilements. They abide in unobstructed action and annihi­ late all hindrances. Great enlightening beings themselves attain pure minds and explain to others ways to purify the mind; they themselves cultivate harmony and tolerance, taming their minds with roots of goodness, and cause others to be harmonious and tolerant, taming their minds with roots of goodness.  They themselves  get rid of doubt and regret, and also cause others to be forever rid of doubt and regret. They themselves attain pure faith and also cause others to attain indestructible pure faith. They themselves abide by the truth, and also cause others to live by the truth .

"Great enlightening beings also dedicate the roots of goodness arising from giving of teaching in this way: 'May I attain the infinite means of teaching of all Buddhas and analyze and explain them for all sentient beings,  causing them all to rejoice and be satisfied in mind,  shattering all fa lse philosophies; may I be able to expound the ocean of teachings of the Buddhas of past, present, and future for all sentient beings,  in terms of the upshot of each teaching,  the meanings and principles  of each teaching, the interpretation of each teaching, the revelation of

 

Ten Dedications     673

 

each teaching, the ways of access to each teaching,  the awakening  to each teaching, the contemplation and investigation  of each teaching, and the field and position of each teaching, attain infinite treasuries of truths, acquiring fearlessness, endowed with all powers of analysis and elucidation, extensively analyzing and explaining for sentient beings, throughout the future, inexhaustibly. ' Because they want to enable all sentient beings to establish transcendent will and develop unhindered, impeccable discernment; because they want to cause all sentient beings to be joyful; because they want to enable all sentient beings to develop the light of all pure principles, unceasingly expounding them in expres­ sions adapted to the type of audience; because they want to cause all sentient beings to be profoundly faith ful and joyful, they abide in universal knowledge, discern and comprehend all  things,  and cause them to be without confusion, thinking in these terms: 'I  should  ear­ nestly cultivate practice in all worlds for the sake of sentient beings, attain an infinite free body pervading the cosmos, attain an  in finite great mind pervading the cosmos, become endowed with infinite pure speech equal to the realms of the cosmos, appear in sites of enlightenment of infinite congregations throughout the extent of the cosmos, cultivate enlightening practices as infinite as the cosmos, attain stations of enlight­ ening beings as in finite as the cosmos, realize equanimity of enlighten­ ing beings as infinite as the cosmos, learn principles  of enlightening beings as infinite as the cosmos, live by practices of enlightening beings as infinite as the cosmos, and enter into dedications  of enlightening beings as in finite as the cosmos.' This is great enlightening beings' dedication of roots of goodness, to cause all sentient beings to be able to attain universal knowledge.

"Great enlightening beings also dedicate roots of goodness to their aspiration to sec Buddhas infinite as the cosmos, to tame sentient bein gs in finite as the cosmos, to maintain buddha-lands infinite as the cosmos, to realize enlightening knowledge infinite as the cosmos, to attain fearlessness infinite as the cosmos, to attain enlightening beings' incon­ ceivable abodes infinite as the cosmos, to be endowed  with virtues infinite as the cosmos, and to tl.d fill roots of goodness bend]cial to sentient beings as in tlnite as the cosmos. They also pray that by these roots of goodness they will be enabled to attain impartiality of virtue. impartiality of knowledge, impartiality of power, impartiality of fearlessness, impartiality of purity, impartiality of freedom , impartiality of true awakening, impartiality of teaching, impartiality of doctrine, impartiality of certitude, and impartiality of all spiritual powers , fully developing all these qualities and also vowing that all sentient beings shoul d attain them j ust as they have.

"Great enlightening beings also dedicate roots of goodness in this way: that is, as the cosmos is intlnite, so is the dedication of roots of goodness-the wisdom attained is ultimately infinite; as the cosmos is boundless, so is the dedication of roots of goodness, seeing all Buddhas

 

674  Tlzc Flower Omarnent Scripture

 

without any bounds; as the cosmos is unlimited, so is the dedication of roots of goodness, going to buddha-fields without limit; as the cosmos has no boundaries, so also is the dedication of roots of goodness, cultivating enlightening practices in all worlds, without boundaries; as the cosmos has no end, so too is the dedication  of roots of goodness, abiding in universal knowledge forever without end; as the cosmos is of one nature, so too is the dedication of roots of goodness  of the  same nature of knowledge as all bein gs; as the cosmos is inherently pure, so too is the dedication of roots of goodness, causing all sentient beings to ultimately  be pure;  as the cosmos is adaptive, so too is the dedication of roots of goodness, causing all sentient beings to accord with  the practical vows of Universal Good; as the cosmos is adorned,  so too is the dedication of roots of goodness, causing all sentient beings to be adorned with the practices of Universal Good; as the cosmos cannot be lost or destroyed, so too is the dedication of roots of goodness, causing all enlightening beings never to lose or destroy pure practices.

"Great enlightening beings also dedicate roots of goodness  in this way: 'By these roots of goodness may we serve all Buddhas and enlightening beings and gladden them all; by these roots of goodness may we quickly  attain  entry into  the essence of universal knowledge; by these roots of goodness may we cultivate omniscience in all places; by these roots of goodness may we cause all sentient beings to always get to go sec all the Buddhas; by these roots of goodness may we cause all sentient beings to always sec the Buddhas and be able to do buddha­ work; by these roots of goodness may we enable all sentient beings to always sec the Buddhas and never be lazy about buddha-work ; by these roots of goodness may we enable all sentient beings to always sec the Buddhas and be joy ful and pure in mind and never regress; by these roots of goodness may we enable all sentient beings to always get to sec the Buddhas and attain good understanding; by these roots of goodness may we cause all sentient beings to always see the Buddhas and not give rise to clinging attachments; by these roots of goodness may we cause all sentient beings to always see the Buddhas and comprehend without obstruction; by these roots of goodness may we enable sentient beings to always sec the Buddhas and accomplish the practices of Universal Good; by these roots of goodness may we cause all sentient beings to always sec the Buddhas appearing before them, never leaving them for moment; by these roots of goodness may we cause all sentient beings to always sec the Buddhas and produce the infinite powers of enlightening beings; by these roots of goodness may we enable  all sentient beings always to sec the Buddhas and never forget their teachings.'

"Great  enlightening  beings  also  dedicate the roots of goodness  in

these ways: they dedicate them in conformity with the nonoriginatcd nature of the cosmos; they dedicate them in conformity with the fundamental nature  of the cosmos;  they dedicate  them in conformity

 

Ten DcdiratiofiS     675

with the inherent essential nature of the cosmos; they dedicate them in conformity with the nonreliant nature  of the cosmos;  they dedicate them in conformity with the unforgetting nature of the cosmos;  they dedicate them in conformity with the empty nature of the cosmos; they dedicate them in conformity with the placeless  nature  of the cosmos; they dedicate them in conformity with the tranquil nature of the cosmos; they dedicate them in conformity with the immutable nature of the cosmos;  they dedicate  them in conformity with the undifferentiated nature of the cosmos.

"Great enlightening beings also dedicate the revelations and enlighten­ ment of the giving of teaching, as well as the roots of goodness arising therefrom, in this way: 'May all sentient beings become enlightening teachers , always in the care of the Buddhas; may all sentient beings become unsurpassed teachers, skillfully establishing all sentient beings in universal knowledge; may all sentient beings become indefatigable teachers. never stymied by challenging questions; may all sentient beings be unobstructed teachers , attaining the unobstructed light of all truths; may all sentient beings  be teachers with a treasury of knowledge,  able to skill fully explain all Buddha teachings; may all sentient beings be­ come teachers with the freedom of the enlightened ones and be able to skill fully analyze the knowledge of the enlightened; may all sentient beings be teachers with the eye of thusness,  explaining the truth with­ out depending on the instruction of another; may all sentient beings become teachers who remember all the teachings of Buddhas, expound­ ing them in accord with their principles,  not deviating from the mean­ ing of their expressions; may all sentient beings become teachers practicing the signless path, adorning themselves with subtle characteristics, ema­ nating im measurable light, skillfully entering into all truths; may all sentient beings become great-bodied teachers, their bodies pervading all lands, creating great clouds of teaching, showering the Buddha-teachings; may all sentient beings become teachers preserving the treasury of the teachings , setting up the banner of invincibility, preserving the Buddha­ teachings, causing the ocean of true teaching not to diminish; may all sentient beings become teachers who arc suns of all truths, attain the powers of analysis and elucidation of Buddhas, and skillfully explain all truths; may all sentient beings become teachers with skill in means of vocal expression, skillfully explaining the boundless treasury  of the realm of truth; may all sentient  beings  become  teachers who have arrived at the other shore of the doctrine, opening up the treasury of teaching with the spiritual powers of knowledge; may  all  sentient beings become teachers stably abiding by the true teaching,  and ex­ pound the ultimate knowledge of the enlightened; may  all  sentient beings become teachers who have thoroughly comprehended all the teachings, able to explain infinite, inexhaustible virtues; may all sentient beings become teachers who don't deceive the world, able with skill in means to enter reality; may all sentient beings become teachers destroy-

 

676  The Flower Omamcnt Scripture

 

ing the throngs of demons, able to be well aware of all workings of demons; may all sentient beings become teachers accepted by the Bud­ dhas and get rid of the mind taken in by ego and possessiveness; may all sentient beings become teachers pacifying all worlds , accomplishing the will power of teaching of truth of enlightening beings .'

"Great enlightening beings also  dedicate roots of goodness in this way: they do not dedicate them because of attachment to deeds,  they do not dedicate them because of attachment to rewards,  they do not dedicate  them because of attachment to mind,  they do not dedicate them because of attachment to things , they do not dedicate them because of attachment to events, they do not dedicate them because of attachment to cause,  they do not dedicate them because of attachment to words and speech,  they do not dedicate them because of attachment to names,  phrases,  and statements, they do not dedicate them because of attachment to dedication, they do not dedicate them because of attachment to benefiting sentient beings.

"Great enlightening beings also dedicate roots of goodness  in this way: they do not dedicate  them  because of involvement  in forms, they do not dedicate them because of involvement in sounds, smells, tastes, feelings, or things, they do not dedicate  them to seek birth  in  heaven, they do not dedicate them to seck pleasure, they do not dedicate them because of attachment to objects of desire, they do not dedicate them in hopes of getting followers, they do not dedicate  them  in  quest  of rulcrship , they do not dedicate them for the sake of mundane happiness, they do not dedicate them because of attachment to li fe, they do not dedicate them because of enjoyment of existences, they do not dedicate them in search of the pleasures of union, they do not dedicate  them because of seeking that which one may be fondly attached to, they do not dedicate them because of maliciousness, they do not dedicate them for that which would destroy  roots of goodness,  they do not  dedicate them because of dependence on the world, they do not dedicate them because of attachment to stages of meditation, liberation, or concentration, they do not dedicate them because of dwelling in the vehicles of Buddhas ' disciples and self-enlightened people-they only dedicate them to edify and pacify all sentient beings, to ful fill all-knowledge, to attain unobstructed knowledge,  to attain  unhindered  pure roots of goodness, to cause all sentient beings to transcend birth and death and realize great knowledge, to cause the great determination for enlightenment to be adamant and unbreakable, to accomplish the method of ultimate immortality, to adorn the lineage of Buddhas with infinite adornments, to reveal the freedom of universal  knowledge,  to seck enlightening beings' great spiritual superknowledge clari fying all things, to carry out the practice of Universal Good in all buddha-fields  throughout  the space of the cosmos, completely ful filling it without regressing, don the strong, durable armor of great vows and cause all  sentient  beings  to abide in the realm of Universal Good, to liberate sentient beings through-

 

Tetl Dedications     677

 

out the future without resting, and show the unobstructed  light  of the stage of universal knowledge, forever uninterrupted.

" When great enlightening beings dedicate these roots of goodness, they dedicate them in these frames of mind: they dedicate  roots of goodness with mindfulness of the equality of fundamental nature, with mindfulness of the equality of the essence of things, with mindfulness of the equality of the infinity of all sentient beings, with mindfulness of the equality of noncontradiction, with mindfulness of the equality of nonproduction of inherent nature, with a mind knowing all things without disturbance, with a mind entering into the equality of past, present, and future, with a mind producing the seed nature of Buddhas of all times, with a mind that has attained undiminishing spiritual powers, with a mind producing and maturing practical applications of universal knowledge.

"Also, they dedicate the roots  of goodness to cause all sentient beings to forever leave behind all hells, to cause all sentient beings not to enter into animalistic dispositions, to cause sentient beings not to go to the realm of ghosts, to cause all sentient beings to get rid of all  factors hindering enlightenment, to cause all sentient beings to ful fill all roots of goodness, to cause all sentient beings  to be able to expound the teaching in accord with the time  and bring joy to all,  to cause all sentient beings to enter the sphere of the ten powers,  to cause  all sentient beings to ful fill the boundless pure ways and vows of enlighten­ ing beings, to cause all sentient beings to follow the instructions of all good spiritual teachers so the vessel of the determination for enlighten­ ment may be ful filled, to cause all sentient beings to absorb, retain, and apply the most profound Buddha teachings and attain the light of knowledge of all Buddhas, to cause all sentient beings to cultivate the unobstructed practices of enlightening beings and always be in their presence, to cause all sentient beings to always sec the Buddhas appear­ ing before them, to cause  all  sentient beings  to always  be in the presence of the pure light of the truth , to cause the fearless great determination for enlightenment to always be present  in all sentient beings, to cause the inconceivable knowledge of enlightening beings to always occur to all sentient beings, to cause all sentient beings to everywhere rescue and safeguard living beings  and cause the pure mind of great compassion to always be present, to cause all sentient beings to adorn all buddha-fields with unspeakably many superb ornaments to cause all sentient beings to obliterate all ensnaring doings of conflict provoked by all demons , to cause all sentient beings to cultivate enlight­ ening practices in all buddha-fields  without  relying on anything,  to cause all sentient beings to develop knowledge of all means of liberation and enter the wide doors of all Buddha teachings.

"Great enlightening beings also dedicate these roots of goodness with

purity of right mindfulness;  with certainty of knowledge;  knowing  all the methods  and expedients  of the Buddhas'  teachings;  in order to

 

678  The FloLN'r Omamcnt Scrip ture

 

accomplish im measurable unobstructed knowledge; desiring to ful fill pure transcendent aspirations; by virtue of abiding kindness toward all sentient beings; by virtue of abiding compassion for all sentient beings; by virtue of abiding joy for all sentient beings; by virtue of abiding equanimity toward all sentient beings; in order to forever abandon attachment to duality and to live by supreme roots  of goodness;  in order to ponder, investigate, distinguish, and explain all aspects of interdependent origination ; in order to establish the mind marked by great courage; in order to establish the treasury of invincibility; in order to demolish the hordes of demons; in order to attain unobstructed mindfulness of the purity of all things; in order to cultivate all enlighten­ ing practices without regressing; in order to attain the mind that hap­ pily seeks the supreme truth; in order to attain the free pure omniscient mind happily seeking all virtuous qualities; in order to ful fill all wishes and remove all conflict, attain free, pure, unobstructed buddhahood and expound the nonregressive teaching for all sentient beings; in order to become adorned by the hundreds of thousands of light beams of the sun of knowledge of the supreme truth of the enlightened ones and illumine the sentient beings of all realms; in order to tame al l sentient beings, always satisfyin g them according to their pleasures, not giving up their original vows throughout all time, listening to the true teaching, culti­ vating its great practice, attaining the undefiled light of pure wisdom, getting rid of all conceit, dissolving all afflictions, breaking the net of craving, destroying the darkness of delusion, and ful filling the undefiled unobstructed teaching; in order to always cultivate the practice of univer­ sal knowledge through incalculable cons for the sake of all beings, without regressing, causing each to attain unobstructed wisdom, and manifest the autonomous spiritual powers  of the Buddhas   without cease.

"When great enlightening beings dedicate roots of goodness in this way, they should not greedily cling to objects of desire. Wh y? Great enlightening beings should dedicate roots of goodness free from greed, should dedicate roots of goodness  free from anger,  should  dedicate roots of goodness free from delusion, should dedicate roots of goodness free from malevolence, should dedicate roots of goodness  free from pride, should dedicate roots of goodness free from deceitfulness, should dedicate roots of goodness of honesty, should   dedicate   roots   of good­ ness of diligence, should dedicate roots of goodness of cultivation and practice.

"When great enlightening beings practice  dedication  in this  way, they attain minds of pure faith, joyful ly accepting the practices of enlightening beings, cultivating the pure great path of enlightening beings, endowed \Vith the essence of buddhahood, attaining enlightened knowledge and wisdom, abandoning all evil, getting rid of all manias, associating with good spiritual friends, and, ful filling their own great vows . they invite all sentient beings to partake of their charity .

 

"Great enlightening beings also dedicate the roots of goodness produced by this giving of teaching in this way: they cause all sentient beings to acquire clear beautiful voices, gentle voices, voices like celestial drums, voices capable of articulating innumerable sounds, pleasant voices, pure voices, voices pervading all buddha-fields, voices adorned by countless qualities, far-ranging voices, sonorous voices eliminating all distraction, voices filling the cosmos, voices able to pick up the languages of all sentient beings; and to acquire knowledge of the boundless sounds of all sentient beings, knowledge of all pure sounds of speech, knowledge of infinite sounds of speech, knowledge of the supremely free sound that enters all sounds; and to acquire all pure adorning speech tones , tones which all beings never tire of hearing,  speech  ultimately not bound to any world, joyful tones, pure tones of the speech  of Buddhas,  tones of speech expressing all Buddha teachings, unmuffled by delusion, fa med everywhere, tones that cause all sentient beings to acquire the adorn­ ment of concentration formulations of all the teachings, tones of speech expressing innumerable kinds of teachings, sounds of speech reaching the infinite congregations at enlightenment sites throughout the cosmos, tones of speech containing indestructible expressions of inconceivable truths, speech revealing all facts, speech able to expound the treasury of knowledge of differences in unspeakably many words and phrases, speech that explains all things without attachment or interruption, speech shining with the light of all truths, speech able to cause all worldlings to be purified and ultimately reach universal knowledge, speech that contains the expressions and meanings of all the teachings, free uninhibited speech maintained by spiritual powers, speech of the knowledge which reaches the other shore of all worlds.

"Also by these roots of goodness, they enable all sentient beings to acquire nongroveling speech, fearless speech, unobsessed speech, speech gladdening all congregations at sites of enlightenment, harmonious, beautiful speech , speech able to explain all the principles ofbuddhahood, speech cutting o tT the doubts of all sentient beings and causing them to awaken , speech endowed with all powers of analysis and elucidation , speech awakening all sentient beings from their slumber in the long night of ignorance.

"Great enlightening beings also dedicate the roots of goodness in this way: 'May all sentient beings attain the pure reality body free from all faults and ills; may all sentient beings attain pure sublime virtues free from all faults and ills; may all sentient beings attain pure sublime characteristics free from all  faults and ills;  may  all sentient beings attain the pure results of action free from all fa ults and ills; may all sentient beings attain the pure mind of universal knowledge  free from all faults and ills; may all sentient beings attain the infinite pure will for enlightenment free from all faults and ills; may all sentient beings attain impeccable skill in means of comprehending all faculties; may all sen­ tient beings attain impeccable pure faith, may all sentient beings attain

 

f)?)()         Th e FlotNr Omamn1t Scripture

 

impeccable pure diligence in carrying out commitments unimpeded; may all sentient beings attain impeccable pure right mindfulness, knowledge, and pov,Trs of analysis and elucidation .'

"Great enlightening beings also dedicate roots of goodness for the sake of all sentient beings to the attainment of various pure subtle bodies-the body of light,  the  body  of freedom tfom   pollution , the body of nonobsession, the body of purity, the body of extreme purity, the body of detach ment from objects of sense, the body of ultimate det.tchment from o bjects of sense, the body of freedom tfom ddl.lcment, the body of beauty, the body of nonobstruction-mani festing images of action in all \vorlds , manifesting  images of speech in all worlds, mani­   images of construction in all abodes, like a clear mirror in which all kinds of im ages of fo rms spontaneous ly appear, showing sentient beings the practices of enlightenment, showing sentient beings the most profound truths, showing sentient beings all kinds of virtuous qualities, showing sentient beings the path of practice, showing sentient beings developmental practices, showing sentient beings the undertakings of enlightening beings, showing sentient beings in all worlds the appear­ ance in the world of the Buddhas of all worlds,  showing sentient beings th L' spiritual powers and mystical transfigurations of all Buddhas, show­ ing sentient beings the awesome power of the inconceivable liberation of all enlightening beings, showing sentient beings the essence of omni­ science fu lfilling the practical vows of the enlightening being Univer­ sally  Good.  Great  enlightening  beings  skill tl.d ly  take  care  of all  sentient beings with such subtle pure bodies and enable them to attain the body of all-knowledge with pure qualities .

"Great enlightening beings also dedicate the roots of goodness gener­ ated by giving of the teaching to the aspiration to live in all worlds cultivating enlightening practices, so that sentient beings who sec them do not do so in vain, but develop the determination for enlightenment without ever regressing, follow the truth unshakably, and in all worlds, throughout all time, live undefatigably by the path  of enlightening beings, with great compassion, impartial and universal , as vast as the cosmos, knowing the faculties of sentient  beings  and ever explaining the truth to them according to the time, always  rightly  mindful of spiritual friends , never forgetting for an instant, all the Buddhas always appearing before them, their minds always truly aware, never fl agging, cultivatin g roots of goodness without any falsehood, placing all sentient beings in universal knowledge, causing them not to regress,  imbued with the light of all the Buddha  teachings,  holding  the clouds  of the great teachin g, receiving the rain of the great teaching, cu ltivating the practices of enlightening beings, entering in among all sentient beings, entering all buddha-fields, penetrating all phenomena and principles, penetrating all times, penetrating the knowledge of conseq uences of all sen tient beings, penetrating the knowledge of skillttd methods of all enlightening beings, penetrating the knowledge of production of all

 

enlightening beings, penetrating the knowledge of the pure realm of all sentient beings , penetrating the autonomous spiritual powers of all Buddhas, penetrating all the boundless realms of reality, and herein cultivating enlightening practice.

"Great enlightening beings also dedicate the roots of goodness culti­ vated by giving of teaching to the aspiration to purify all buddha-lands and adorn them with inexpressibly many embellishments, each buddha­ land as vast as the cosmos,  purely good,  without  obstructions,  with pure light, the Buddhas manifesting the attainment of true awakening therein, the pure realms in one buddha-land able to reveal all buddha­ lands, and as of one buddha-land, so of all buddha-lands, each of those lands adorned with arrays of pure exquisite treasures, as measureless as the cosmos-countless thrones of pure jewels  spread  with precious robes, countless jeweled curtains and jeweled nets draping, countless precious canopies with all kinds of jewels reflecting each other, count­ less jewel clouds raining jewels, countless jewel flowers all around, completely pure, countless pure arrays of balustrades made of jewels, countless jewel chimes always emitting the subtle tones of the Buddhas circulating throughout the cosmos, countless jewel lotuses of various jewel colors blooming with glorious radiance, countless jewel trees arrayed in rows all around,  with flowers and fruits of innumerable jewels, countless jewel palaces with innumerable enlightening beings living in them, countless jewel mansions, spacious, magnificent, long and wide, far and ncar, countless jewel ramparts with exquisite jewel ornaments, countless jewel gates hung all around with strings of beauti­ ful jewels, countless jewel windows with pure arrays of inconceivable numbers of jewels, and countless jewel palms, shaped like crescent moons,   made  of clusters  ofjewels-all  of these  embellished  with  myr­ iad jewels, spotlessly pure, inconceivable, all produced by the roots of goodness of the enlightened, replete with adornments of countless treasuries of jewels. There arc also countless jewel rivers from which flow all pure good principles;  countless jewel seas filled with the water of the teaching; countless jewel lotuses always emitting the sound of the lotus of the sublime teaching; countless jewel polar mountains,  mon­ archs of the mountains of wisdom, standing out completely pure; countless eight-faced jewels, strung on precious threads, incomparably beautiful and clear; countless jewels of pure light always emanating the unimpeded light of great knowledge illumining the entire cosmos; countless jewel chimes striking one another and producing wonderful tones; countless pure jewels filled with jewels of enlightening beings; countless jeweled streamers of many colors hung all around, with radiant, clear colors; countless jeweled banners adorned with jewel crescents; countless jeweled pennants, each one able to shower innumera­ ble jeweled pennants; countless jeweled sashes hanging in the sky, beauti­ fully adorned; countless precious mats able to produce various kinds of subtle pleasant feelings; countless jewel wreaths showing the enlighten-

 

682  Tlze Flower Ornament Scrip ture

 

ing beings' eye of universal knowledge; countless jewel garlands, each garland the superb adornment of a hundred thousand  enlightening beings; countless jewel palaces, absolutely peerless; countless jewel ornaments embellished with diamonds; countless ornaments of all kinds ofjcwcls always displaying all pure wonderful colors;  countless jewels with different shapes and colors, their lights reflecting with thorough clarity; countless jewel mountains surrounding like a fence all around, with unhindered purity; countless precious scents perfuming all worlds; countless p recious magical events, each one pervading the cosmos; countless jewel light beams, each beam manifesting all lights; there are also countless jewel lights , the lights of pure knowledge, comprehen­ sively illumining all things, and countless unimpeded jewel lights , each pervading the cosmos;  there are countless jewel  places  where there arc all kinds of precious substances, and countless jewel treasuries revealing all the treasuries of the true teaching;  countless jewel  banners emblem­ atic of the enlightened standing out on high; countless precious saints, images of saints of great knowledge, thoroughly  pure;  countless  gar­ dens ofjewcls producing the bliss of meditation of enlightening beings; countless precious sounds, the wondrous voice of the enlightened teach­ ing all the world; countless jewel forms, each one emanating countless lights of sublime doctrines ; countless precious marks , each one transcending common characteristics; countless precious modes ofbearing, all who sec which develop the joy and rapture of enlightening beings; countless collections of jewels, all who sec which develop a collection of jewels of wisdom; countless precious peaceful abodes, all who sec which develop a precious well-stabilized mind; countless precious garments, those who wear which develop the peerless concentration of enlightening beings; countless precious  vestments,  those who  wear which attain the spell of good vision as soon as they wish;  countless jewel practices, those who see which know that all 'jewels' are results of action, definitively pure; countless precious unhindered insights, those who perceive which can realize all pure objective vision; countless treasuries of jewel lights, those who sec which immediately can attain the treasury of great knowledge; countless jewel thrones with Buddhas sitting on them like great lions roaring; countless jewel lamps always radiating the light of pure knowledge; countless jewel trees arrayed in rows, wound with jewel ropes, their adornments thoroughly pure, also having countless jewel trunks, standing  high,  straight,  round,  and clean, countless jewel boughs, thick with adornments, with inconceiv­ able numbers of birds flying around and gathering  there, always  war­ bling beautiful songs expressing the true teachings, countless jewcl lcaves emitting the light of great knowledge pervading everywhere, countless jewel flowers, with innumerable enlightening beings sitting on each blossom, traveling throughout the cosmos, and countless jewel  fruits, those who sec which will attain the fruit of nonregrcssion from all­ knowledge; also there arc countless jewel villages, those who sec which

 

give up the ways of worldly habitats; countless jewel cities filled with free beings, countless palaces with monarchs in them who arc endowed with the godlike body of enlightening beings, courageous and steadfast, wearing the armor of the truth,  their  minds  unshrinking;  countless jewel houses, those who enter which can eliminate the mind of attach­ ment to house and home; countless jewel  garments,  those who wear which can foster the understanding of nonattachmcnt; countless jewel palaces filled with enlightening beings who have left home; countless jewel curios which bring immeasurable joy to those who sec them; countless jewel wheels emanating inconceivable lights of knowledge, turning the wheel that never turns back; countless jewel trees adorned with Indra nets, all pure; countless jeweled grounds, inlaid with incon­ ceivably many jewels; countless jewel pipes, their clear sounds filling the cosmos; countless jewel drums, their wondrous sounds beating in harmony unbroken throughout the cons; countless jewel sentient beings, all able to bear the jewel of the unexcelled  teaching,  with  countless jewel bodies replete with innumerable jewels of virtuous qualities, count­ less jewel mouths always uttering the voice of the jewels  of all  the sublime teachings, countless jewel  minds endowed with the jewel  of pure intention set on great knowledge, jewel mindfulness cutting o ff all folly and ultimately solidifying the jewel of universal knowledge, jewel superknowledgcs reciting and retaining the jewels of all Buddha teachings, jewel intellects understanding with certainty the treasure of all Buddha teachings, jewel knowledges attaining the jewel of great complete omniscience, jewel eyes mirroring the treasure of the ten powers  with­ out obstruction, jewel cars hearing the infinite sounds of the whole realm of reality clearly and without obstruction, jewel noses always smelling the pure jewel fragrance of harmony, jewel tongues able to enunciate countless rules of speech, jewel bodies traveling unhindered throughout the ten directions, jewel minds always diligently cultivating the practi­ cal vows of Universal Good, jewel voices, clear and beautiful,  pervad­ ing the worlds in the ten directions, jewel  acts guided by knowledge, jewel speech always explaining the cultivation of the jewel of unob­ structed knowledge, and jewel thought attaining the treasure of unim­ peded great knowledge, which is ultimately complete.

"The great enlightening beings vow that in all those buddha-lands, in each direction . of each buddha-land, in each and every place, even so minute as a hairtip, there be incalculable, boundless, unspeakable num­ bers of great enlightening beings , all accomplished in pure clear knowledge, filling everywhere, in every point of space in every place in every direction of every buddha-land throughout the cosmos . This is great enlightening beings'  dedication of roots of goodness  vowing that all the buddha-lands should be replete with all kinds of precious adornments, as extensively told of the jewel  ornaments,  that  they should have such adornments of fragrances, flowers, garlands, perfumes, incenses, aromatic powders, robes, parasols and canopies, banners,

 

684  The Flower Ornament ScrzjJ ture

 

pennants, crystals, and so on, a hundredfold more, all like the 'j ewel' ornaments.

"Great enlightening beings dedicate the roots of goodness amassed by such practices as the giving of teaching to nurturing all roots of goodness; to purifying all buddha-lands; to fully developing all sentient beings; to causing all sentient beings' minds to be pure and imperturbable; to causing all sentient beings to enter the most  profound Buddha teaching; to causing all sentient beings to attain unsurpassable pure qualities; to causing all sentient beings to attain indestructible power of pure virtue; to causing all sentient beings to attain inexhaustible power of knowledge, liberate all living beings, and enable them to enter buddhahood; to causing all sentient beings to attain impartial, inex­ haustible, pure speech; to causing all sentient beings to attain the equani­ mous unobstructed eye and achieve knowledge equal to the entire cosmos throughout space; to causing sentient beings to attain pure recollection and know all worlds of past ages; to causing all sentient beings to attain unobstructed great knowledge and be able to compre­ hend with certainty all treasuries of truths; to causing all sentient beings to attain unlimited, immeasurable great enlightenment, pervading the cosmos without any hindrance; to causing all sentient beings to attain impartial, nondiscriminatory, homogeneous roots of goodness; to caus­ ing all sentient beings to attain pure physical , verbal, and mental action adorned with all virtues; to causing all sentient beings to accomplish action the same as Universally Good; to causing all sentient beings to be able to enter all homogeneously pure buddha-fields; to causing all sentient beings to examine universal knowledge, penetrate it, and ful fill it; to causing all sentient beings to be able to avoid partial roots of goodness; to causing all sentient beings to attain equanimous, unvarying will, gradually fulfilling all-knowledge; to causing all sentient beings to be able to live steadily by all good principles; to causing all sentient beings to instantl y realize universal knowledge and reach the ultimate; to causing all sentient beings to be able to ful fill the pure path of omniscience-this is wherein they dedicate their roots of goodness.

"Once great enlightening beings have dedicated their roots of good­ ness in this way for the sake of all living beings, they also dedicate these roots of goodness because they want to ful fill and expound the power of all pure practical methods; because they want to achieve the spiritual power of pure practice and comprehend unspeakably many oceans of truths; because they want to be imbued with infinite lights of pure knowledge, equal to the cosmos, in each ocean of truths; because they want to analyze and explain the differen t expressions and meanings of all teachings; because they want to accomplish the boundless vast concen­ tration of the lights of all teachings; because they want to follow the powers of elucidation of the Buddhas of past, present,  and  future; because they want to develop the free body of all  Buddhas  of past, present, and future; because they respect the admirable unhindered state

 

of all Buddhas; in order to ful fill the heart of great compassion and rescue all sentient beings without ever retreating; because they want to achieve the mind of unobstructed knowledge of infinite differentiations, untainted purity of senses, and enter all congregations in all sites of enlightenment; because they want to always turn the wheel of the impartial, nonregrcssive teaching in all buddha-lands, whether inverted or upright, coarse or subtle, broad or narrow, small or large, tainted or pure; because they want to attain fearlessness in every moment, without end, all kinds of analytic and expository skills, and the light of the sublime teaching, to reveal and explain the truth; in order to happily seek all goodness, to learn and practice with determination, all faculties growing better, to attain the great spiritual knowledge of all truths; because they want to draw near to and provide o fferings at all congregations' enlightenment sites, and expound the teachings to all sentient beings to make them joyful .

"Great enlightening beings  also dedicate these roots of goodness  in this way: they dedicate them by  abiding  in abodes  infinite as the cosmos, by abiding in physical action infinite as the cosmos,  by abiding in verbal action infinite as the cosmos,  by abiding in mental action infinite as the cosmos,  by abiding  in the equality  of matter infinite as the cosmos, by abiding in the equality of sensation, perception, patterning, and consciousness infinite as the cosmos, by abiding in the equality of aggregates infinite as the cosmos, by abiding in the equality of clements infinite as the cosmos,  by abiding in the equality of sense media infinite as the cosmos, by abiding in internal equality infinite as the cosmos, by abiding in external equality infinite as the cosmos, by abiding in the equality of impulses infinite as the cosmos, by abiding in the equality of wills infinite as the cosmos, by abiding in the equality of means of liberation infinite as the cosmos, by abiding in equality of inclinations infinite as the cosmos,  by abiding in the equality of faculties infinite as the cosmos, by abiding in equality of beginnings, middles, and ends infinite as the cosmos, by abiding in the equality of acts and  conse­ quences infinite as the cosmos, by abiding in the equality of defilement and purity infinite as the cosmos, by abiding in the equality of living beings infinite as the cosmos,  by abiding in the equality of buddha­ fields infinite as the cosmos, by abiding in the equality of phenomena infinite as the cosmos,  by abiding in the equality of mundane lights infinite as the cosmos, by abiding in the equality of Buddhas and enlightening beings infinite as the cosmos, by abiding in the equality of practices and vows infinite as the cosmos, by abiding in the equality of emancipations of enlightening beings infinite as the cosmos, by abiding in the equality of teaching and training of enlightening beings infinite as the cosmos, by abiding in the equality of nonduality of realms of reality infinite as the cosmos,  by abiding in the equality of sites of enlighten­ ment and congregations of Buddhas, infinite as the cosmos.

"When great enlightening beings practice dedication in this way, they

 

686  The Flower Omamcnt Scripture

abide in equal pure embodiments infinite as the cosmos, they abide in equal pure speech in finite as the cosmos, they abide in equal pure minds infinite as the cosmos , they abide in equal pure commitments of enlight­ ening beings infinite as the cosmos, they abide in equal pure sites of enlightenment of congregations infinite as the cosmos,  they abide  in pure knowledge infinite as the cosmos equally explaining things for all enlightening beings, they abide in bodies infinite as the cosmos equally able to enter into all  worlds  in the cosmos,  they abide in equal  pure fea rlessness of the light of all truths able to cut away the nets of doubts of all sentient beings with one voice, gladdening them in accord with their fa culties and inclinations, abiding in the ways of emancipation, the great virtues and spiritual  powers  and fearlessness of knowledge  of all sciences of liberation. This is great enlightening beings ' tenth dedication, dedication as infinite as the cosmos.

"When great enlightening beings dedicate all roots of goodness, such

as giving of teaching, in this way, they ful fill the infinite, boundless commitment of Universal Good, arc able to purify all buddha-fields throughout the cosmos, equal to space, and cause all sentient beings to also attain such fully developed boundless knowledge, understand all truths, in every moment sec al l Buddhas appearing in the world, and in every moment sec all Buddhas' infinite boundless powers-vast powers, powers of nonattachmcnt, powers of unimpeded freedo m, powers  to purify all sentient beings, powers to structure all worlds, powers  to manifest all languages,  powers  to appear appropriately in accord  with the time,  powers dwelling in irreversible spiritual knowledge,  powers to explain all realms of reality exhaustively, powers producing the boundless eye of the enlightening being Universally Good, powers of hearing the true teachings of infinite Buddhas with unobstructed car consciousness, powers to pervade the infinite cosmos with one body while sitting still without crowding the sentient beings, powers of penetration of all the infinite phenomena of past, present, and future by means of complete knowledge.  They also realize infinite purities-purity of all sentient beings; purity of all buddha-fields; purity of all things; purity of comprehensive knowledge of all realms; purity of boundless knowledge pervading the realm of space; purity of knowledge of all different vocal sounds, using various kinds of verbal expression adapted to all sentient beings; purity of radiance of infinite spheres of light illuminating all the boundless worlds; purity of knowledge producing the practices of all enlightening beings of past,  present,  and future; purity of knowledge instantly entering the sites of enlighten ment of congregations  of all  Buddhas  of past,  present,  and future; purity  of en tering into all worlds, boundless though they be, and causing all sentient  beings  to  do  what  they   should  do-in  all   these  they  attain ful fillment, completion, accomplishment, equanimity, actualization, di­ rect knowledge, and true realization, having seen into all of them, attained purity in all respects, and reached the other shore. "

 

Te11 Dedications   687

 

At that point,  by the spiritual power of the Buddha,  in each  of the ten directions as many worlds as atoms  in  a million  buddha-lands quaked in six  ways-trembling,  trembling all  over,  trembling equally all over; rising, rising all over, rising equally all over; surging, surging all over, surging equally all over; shaking, shaking all over, shaking equally all over; roaring, roaring all over, roaring equally all over; crashing, crashing all over, crashing equally all over. Because of the Buddha's spiritual power, and by natural law, it rained celestial fl owers, celestial garlands, celestial incense powders , celestial mixed perfumes, celestial raiment, celestial gems, celestial ornaments, celestial crystals, celestial aloe wood, celestial sandalwood incense, celestial parasols of surpassing beauty, all kinds of celestial banners, multicolored celestial pennants, countless celestial bodies, innumerable billions of unspeakable numbers of celestial sounds of the wonderful teaching, inconceivably many celestial voices praising Buddha,  countless  celestial sounds  of joy ful eulogy. Innumerable celestials bowed in respect, countless celes­ tial children constantly remembranced the Buddhas and the immeasur­ able rare virtues of the Enlightened Ones, countless celestial children made music and sang hymns of praise to offer the Enlightened,  count­ less billions of celestials emanated great lights illuminating all buddha­ fields in the entire cosmos throughout space, revealing countless realms of Buddhas and disguised bodies of the Enlightened, surpassing all celestial beings.

As such a teaching was expounded in the palace  of the Tushita heaven of happiness and satisfaction in this world, so it was in  the celestial palaces  of the Tushita heavens in  all worlds  throughout the ten directions.

Then , again by the spiritual power of Buddha, there assembled as many enlightening beings as atoms in a million buddha-fields from beyond as many worlds as atoms in a million buddha-fields in each of the ten directions, filling all quarters, all saying "Good, good! Child of Buddha, you have ably explained these great dedications. We all have the same name-Diamond Banner-and all have come here from the presence of Diamond Banner Buddhas in worlds in Diamond Light. In those worlds we expound this teaching by the spiritual power of Buddha, and the congregations, the followings, the expressions and doctrines arc all like this , no more and no less: we have all come from those lands, empowered by the Buddhas, to stand as witnesses for you. And we have come to this assembly to be your witnesses, so also do the hosts of enlightening beings come to all the jewel-adorned ha11s of the palaces of the Tushita heavens in all worlds in the ten directions to be witnesses in the same way. "

Then the enlightening being Diamond Banner,  spiritually empow­ ered by Buddha, looked over all the congregations in the ten directions, reaching throughout the cosmos; knowing expression and  meaning well, he expanded his great mind, with great compassion covering all

 

 

beings, fixing his mind on the lineage of the Buddhas of past, present, and future and dwelling steadily thereon,  he entered into the ways  to the qualities of all Buddhas, and attained the body of freed om of the Buddhas.  He observed the inclinations of the minds of sentient beings as well as all the roots of goodness they had planted, knowing them all distinctly, and in accord with the body of reality he manifested for them bodies of pure sublime forms . Then at this time he uttered verses saying,

 

Enlightening beings accomplish knowledge of truth, Understanding boundless ways of right teaching: Becoming teachers with the light of truth,

They know the unobstructed genuine verity.

 

E nlightening beings are great guides to truth;

They reveal the most profound teaching, hard to attain: Leading the measureless masses of the ten directions, They cause them to abide securely in truth .

 

Enlightening beings have drunk the ocean of Buddha teachings; Their clouds of truth shower  the worlds  of the ten directions. The sun of truth appears in the world,

Revealing the sublime teaching for the benefit of the living.

 

They arc always rarely-met donors of teaching, Understand convenient means to enter truth.

The light of truth, pure, illumines their minds, And they teach in the world without fear.

 

They have cultivated a mind in command of the teachings, Able  to  understand  all  aspects  thereof;

Developing the deep deep ocean of wondrous teaching, They beat the drum of truth for all sentient beings.

 

They proclaim the most profound, rare teaching, With which are nurtured all virtues;

Endowed  with  the mind  of pure  joy in truth, They show the world the treasury of Buddhahood.

 

Anointed and crowned by the Buddhas, kings of truth,

Having developed the body of knowledge of the nature of things, They are able to understand the true character of all things,

And abide by all good ways .

 

Enlightening beings practice the foremost giving Praised by all the enlightened ones-

 

 

All their acts arc approved by Buddhas,

Thereby they perfect the most honorable humans.

 

Enlightening beings have attained the subtle truth body Personally born by transformation of the Buddha teachings. To benefit the living they arc lamps of truth,

Expounding countless supreme principles.

 

According to the giving of the wonderful teaching they practice, They also examine their roots of goodness;

The good deeds they do for sentient beings They dedicate all with knowledge.

 

The virtuous wavs to attain buddhahood They pass on to living beings,

Wishing that all may be pure

And reach the Buddhas' magnificent other shore.

 

The buddha-lands of the ten directions arc infinite, And all have infinite great adornments :

Such adornments , inconceivable, A rc al l used to adorn one land.

 

The pure knowledge of the enlightened They vow to enable all beings to have,

Like  Universally  Good,  the  true  o ff<>pring  of Buddha, Adorning themselves with all virtues.

 

Accomplishing vast spiritual power, They travel throughout all worlds, Causing all beings without exception To practice the enlightening path .

 

The countless sentient beings of the ten directions A wakened by the Buddhas

They cause to be like Universally Good, Full y carrying out the highest practice.

 

The various different virtues

Ach ieved by the Buddhas and enligh tening beings

They vow to have everyone tl.Il fill, Boundless though they be.

 

Enlightening beings arc endowed with the power of freedom And go to study wherever they should lea rn;

 

 

Manifesting all great psychic powers,

They go to the infinite lands of the ten directions.

 

Enlightening beings are able in one instant To see countless Buddhas, many as beings, And also in a single hairtip

Concentrate all things, seeing all clearly.

 

The sentient beings of the worlds, without measure, Enlightening beings can distinguish and know.

The Buddhas arc as infinite as living beings; They generously present o fferings to  them all.

 

All kinds of wonderfully scented flowers, Jewels, clothes, pennants , and parasols, They distribute throughout the cosmos, Determined to o ffer them to all Buddhas.

 

In a single pore they dearly sec

All  the  inconceivably  many  Buddhas­ And so it is in every pore:

They bow to all the lamps of the worlds.

 

With their whole bodies they successively bow In respect for those boundless Victors;

They also praise them with their words Forever and ever more.

 

Their o fferings to one Buddha

A rc as numberless as sentient beings;

Thus do they make offerings to one Buddha And to all Buddhas in the same way.

 

They provide for and laud the Buddhas Throughout all ages of the world;

The ages  of the world may  come to an end, But en lightening beings ' o fferings never cease.

 

In the various ages of all  worlds They cultivate practices there, Honoring and attending one Buddha Tirelessly throughout all ages.

 

As they provide for one Buddha for immeasurable cons, So do they also for all Buddhas;

 

 

Yct they do not think  of the  number of eons, Or ever tire of making offerings.

 

The cosmos is boundlessly vast:

Enlightening beings observe it with clear comprehension, Spreading great lotus blossoms throughout

As presents to Buddhas infinite as beings.

 

Jewel flowers of perfect color and scent, Pure ornaments, most delicate,

Beyond compare in any world,

They bring to offer the most noble of humans.

 

Infinite lands , many as sentient beings, They fill with precious canopies,

Which they o ffer to one Buddha And do the same for all Buddhas.

 

Perfumes, incomparable, most excellent, Never before found in any world,

They o ffer to the Guide of humans and divines Throughout cons as many as beings.

 

Powder and burning incense, exquisite flowers, Jewels, raiment, and ornaments,

They present to the Supreme Victors Joyfull y serving them tirelessly.

 

World-Illumining Lamps, as many as beings, Attain  great enlightenment every  moment, And boundless verses of eulogy and exposition They present to the Human Tamers.

 

To Buddhas numerous as living beings They  make  most excellent offerings; For cons countless as living beings, They praise them without end.

 

When they make o fferings to the Buddhas this way, By Buddhas' spiritual power they extend everywhere, Seeing all the infinite Buddhas of the ten directions,

Ahi c!ing    in     the    practice   of  the    Univcrc.,aJly   Cood   cn hghtcn 1n1� being .

 

All   the roots   of goodness Of past, future, and present,

 

 

Enable us to always carry out U niversal Good practice

And quickly gain the station of the realm of Universal Good.

 

May the infinite sentient beings of the worlds Seen by all the Buddhas

Become like Universally Good, Praised by the intelligent.

 

This is the practice of dedication Cultivated in common by all great beings; All the Buddhas explain for us

This unexcelled practice of dedication, To enable all living beings

In all worlds in the ten directions

To attain awakening and enlightenment

And to always act as Universally Good docs.

 

Practicing giving in accord with their dedication And also strictly maintaining the precepts, Persevering over the long run, unshrinking, Tolerant, gentle, minds unstirred,

In meditation keeping the mind on one point,

By wisdom comprehending objects, same as concentration, Penetrating past, future, and present,

To  which  none  in  the  world  can  find  any  bounds­

Enlightening beings' physical, verbal, and mental actions,

Like this practice,  are all pure; All they cultivate, omitting none,

All on a par with the enlightening being Universally Good.

 

Like the cosmos, free from false discrimination, The stain of inanity is forever gone;

And as nirvana has no obstructions,

Their minds likewise are free from all grasping.

 

The principles of dedication of the wise The Buddhas have revealed;

All kinds of roots of goodness they dedicate,

Therefore they can accomplish the enlightening path.

 

Offspring of Buddha learn this dedication wel1,

Fulfilling innumerable undertakings, Taking in the cosmos comprehensively;

Therefore they can attain the power of the Blissful Ones.

 

 

If you want to accomplish,  as the Buddha explains, The great, superlative practices of enlightening beings, You  should  live  by  this  dedication-

Such ofispring of Buddha arc called Universally Good.

 

All living beings may be counted,

And  the experience of past,  present,  and future minds  may  be known,

But the virtues  of such Universally  Good O ffspring of Buddha cannot be measured.

 

The bounds of space may be measured with a hair, The number of atoms in all  lands  may be known, But the practical vows by which these sages live Cannot be measured by anyone.