The Flower Ornament Scripture

 

A Translation of the Avatamsaka Sutra

Thomas Cleary

BOOK TWENTY-FOUR

 

24. Eulogies in the Tushita Palace

 

 

THEN,  DUE TO THE  SPIRITUAL  FORCE of the   Buddha,   a great enlight­ening being from each of the ten directions,  each accompanied  by as many enlightening beings as atoms in ten thousand buddha-lands, came to where the Buddha was,  from worlds beyond lands as numerous as atoms in ten thousand buddha-lands. Their names were Diamond Banner, Banner of Steadfastness, Banner of Bravery, Banner of Light, Banner of Knowledge, Jewel Banner, Banner of Energy, Banner of Purification, Constellation   Banner,   and   Banner  of  Truth.   The  worlds  they  came from were called Fine Jewel World, Fine Music World, Fine  Silver World, Fine Gold World,  Fine Crystal World,  Fine Diamond World, Fine Lotus World,  Fine Blue Lotus World,  Fine Sandalwood World, and Fine Fragrance World. They each purified and cultivated religious practice with Buddhas, the names of which Buddhas were Banner of Inexhaustibility, Wind Banner, Banner of Liberation, Banner of Dignity, Banner of Understanding  of Characteristics , Banner of Eternity,  Ban­ ncr of Supreme Excellence, Banner of Freedom, Banner of Purity, and Banner of Observation .

When those enlightening beings arrived at the Buddha's spot, they prostrated themselves before the Buddha; then, by the Buddha's mystic power he magically produced lion scats of masses of beautiful jewels covered with nets of jewels all around, and the hosts  of enlightening beings, according to the direction from which they had come,  sat  on those scats,  Their bodies all emanated countless beams of pure light. This boundless light all came from the enlightening beings' pure mind­ jewels,  their great vows which were free from all evils.  They revealed the pure phenomena of the powers of all Buddhas . By the power of the impartial vision of all en lightening beings they were able to universally save all sentient beings. They were a gladdening sight in all worlds; those  who  saw  them  did  not  do  so  in  vain-all  attained  harmony  and tranquility.

Those en lightening beings had all already perfected innumerable virtues:

516

 

Eulo,\?ies  in  the  Tuslzita  Pa lace       51 7

 

for example, they traveled to all buddha-lands without hindrance; they savv the pure body of reality which rests on nothing; with the body of knowledge they manifes ted countless bodies  going everywhere in the ten directions to serve the Buddhas; they entered into the Buddhas' innumerable, boundless, inconceivable powers; they dwelt in the me­ dium of omniscience; by the light of knowledge they comprehended all things; they had attained fearlessness in all respects; they taught wher­ ever they were, their powers of elucidation forever inexhaustible; with great knowledge and wisdom they opened the gate of concentration spells; with the eye of wisdom they entered the profound realm of truth; the realm of their knowledge was boundless and ultimately pure.  like space itsel f.

As in the palace of the Tushita heaven in this world the hosts of enlightening beings gathered like this,  the same thing transpired in all the Tushita heavens in the ten directions; the names of the enlightening beings who gathered,  the names of their countries,  and the Buddhas there were all the same.

Then the World  Honored  One emanated  countless beams of light from the wheel marks on his knees, illuminating the entire space of the cosmos in the ten directions. The enlightening beings in all worlds all saw this miraculous display of the Buddha, and the enlightening beings here saw the miraculous displays of all the Buddhas in other worlds. These enlightening beings had all similarly planted roots of goodness in the distant past along with Vairocana Buddha, cultivating enlightening practice; they all had awakened to and entered the free, extremely profound liberation  of the Buddhas,  and had attained the undifferenti­ ated cosmic body, entering all lands without dwelling anywhere. They saw countless Buddhas and went to serve them all. In a single mental instant they traversed the cosmos, freely and without hindrance.  Their minds and intellects were pure, like priceless jewels. Innumerable Bud­ dhas always guarded them mindfully, sharing their power with them . They reached the ultimate,  supreme other shore;  by pure mindfulness they continually dwelt in highest awareness; in every moment of thought they continually entered into the realm of omniscience;  they put the small in the large and the large in the small, free in all ways, with no obstruction   whatsoever.   They  had  already  attained  the  buddha-body and dwelt in the same abode as the Buddhas; they had attained omni­ science and produced their bodies from omniscience. They were able to enter the spheres of action of all enlightened ones. They opened up innumerable gates of knowledge and wisdom. They reached the other shore of indestructible great knowledge, attained adamantine concentra­ tion , and cut off all doubts and confusion. They had attained the autonomous spiritual powers of Buddhas,  teaching and taming count­ less numbers of sentient beings  in the lands  of the ten directions. Though they had no attachments to any categories or phenomena, they

 

51 8 The Flower Omament Scrip ture

 

were were able to learn and develop   ultimate   skill in use of doctrines and to establish all teachings conducive to enlightenment.

Hosts of enlightening beings with such infinite treasuries of all inex­ haustible pure virtues of past, present,  and future all came and assem­ bled at the Buddha's place; the same thing occur.. ed at the places of all the Buddhas revealed by the light.

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

 

 

The Buddha does not appear in the world And has no extinction either:

By the power of his great original vow He demonstrates his freedom.

 

This   truth   is   incon ceivable­

It is not in the sphere of mind:

When knowledge reaches the other shore One then sees the realm of the Buddhas.

 

The physical body is not the Buddha, Neither is the audible voice:

Yet not apart from  form and sound

Can  Buddha's  mystic  power  be  perceived.

 

Those of little knowledge cannot  know The true realm of the Buddhas;

A fter long cultivation of purifying action Will one be able to comprehend.

 

The Truly Awake comes from nowhere And also goes nowhere:

The pure, refined physical body Appears through spiritual power.

 

Manifesting the body   of an   enlightened one In innumerable worlds,

Widely expounding the subtle teachings, His  mind  has  no  attachments.

 

His knowledge, being boundless, Comprehends all things ;

Entering everywhere in the universe, He  manifests  autonomous  powers.

 

Eulo/<,ies  i11  the  Tushita  Pa lace

 

Sentient beings and all phenomena He comprehends unhindered;

Everywhere mani festing physical forms, He is omnipresent in all lands.

 

If you want  to sec omniscience And soon attain highest awareness, You should, with pure clear mind, Cultivate enlightening practice.

 

If any see such mystic powers Of the Enlightened One,

They should serve the Supreme Honored One And not give rise to doubt.

 

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Then the enlightening being Banner of Steadfastness, empowered by the Buddha , looked over the ten directions and said in verse,

 

 

The Enlightened One is incomparable, Most profound, inexplicable,

Beyond all manner of speech, Pure as space itself.

 

Behold the Human Lion's Autonomous mystic power, Beyond discrimination,

Y ct causing distinct perceptions.

 

In order to expound

The profound and subtle teaching The Guide, for this reason,

Mani fests this peerless body.

 

This is great knowledge,

The realm of all the Buddhas; If any want to know,

Let them approach the Enlightened.

 

With mental action always pure, Making o fferings to the Buddhas With never any weariness,

One can enter the Buddha Way.

 

520  Tlze Flower Omamc11t Scripture

 

Filled with endless virtues,

Steadfast in the will for enlightenment, Thereb y the net of doubt  is removed And one gazes ti relessly on the Buddha.

 

By comprehending all things

Docs one become a true child of Buddha:

Such a person can know

The Buddhas' autonomous power.

 

As explained by those of vast knowledge, Will is the root of the teachings;

One must develop supreme aspiration, Determined to seck highest awakening.

 

If any respect the Buddha

And want to requite the Buddha 's grace, They will never leave

The abode of all the Buddhas.

 

How can intelligent people

Who've seen and heard the Buddha Not carry out pure vows

And tread the path the Buddha traversed?

 

 

Then Banner of Bravery, empowered  by the Buddha,  looked  over the ten directions and said in verse,

 

 

Just as a clear eye

Can sec colors due to the sun, So too can a pure heart

Sec the Enlightened by Buddha's power.

 

As by the power of effort

One can plumb the depths of the sea , So too can the power  of knowledge Sec innumerable Buddhas.

 

As in a fertile, watered field Whatever's planted will grow,

So docs the ground of a pure mind Produce enlightened qualities .

 

Eulo,r,zies  in  the  Tushita  Palace

 

As a man who's found a jewel mine Is forever freed from poverty,

An enlightening being finding the Buddha teaching Is free from defilement, pure in mind.

 

Just as a true panacea Can eliminate all toxins,

Buddha's teaching too is like this : It annihilates all afflictions .

 

Truly genuine teachers

A re praised by the enlightened: Through their spiritual power

We get to hear the Buddha teachings.

 

Even if for countless cons

One gave precious things to Buddha,

If one doesn't know the real nature of Buddha This is not called 

 

Infinite physical characteristics Adorn  the Buddha's body; Yet it is not in physical form That the Buddha can be seen.

 

The Enlightened One, Truly Awake, Is peaceful, never moving,

Yct can manifest his body

Throughout all worlds in the ten directions.

 

Just as space itself

Is unborn and unperishing,

So is the truth of the Buddhas Ultimately birthless and deathless.

 

52 1

 

 

 

Then Banner of Light, empowered  by the Buddha,  looked  over the ten directions and said in verse,

 

 

In the human and celestial realms In all the worlds there arc

They sec everywhere the Enlightened One's Body of pure wondrous form.

 

522  The Flotver Omament Scrip ture

 

Just as the power of one mind Can produce various minds , So can one buddha-body

Mani fest all Buddhas everywhere.

 

Enlightenment is nondual And also has no marks:

Yet in the realm  of duality He mani fests a glorified body.

 

Comprehending the nature of things is empty, Their origination like apparitions,

His realm of action's inexhaustible: Thus does the Guide appear.

 

Pure is the reality-body

Of all Buddhas of all times;

They manifest sublime physical forms

Wherever and however people need to be taught.

 

The enlightened do not think ''I'll produce such a body" :

They manifest spontaneously Without discriminating.

 

The realm of reality is undifferentiated And also has no basis:

And yet in the world

It manifests countless bodies .

 

The Buddha's bodies arc not emanations And yet not other than emanations:

In the reality where there are no emanations He appears to have emanated forms.

 

True awareness cannot be n1easured, The reality-realm 's equal to space;

Profound, vast, without bound or bottom, Utterly beyond the power of speech.

 

The Enlightened One has mastered The road leading everywhere:

Through the myriad lands of the cosmos He goes without obstruction.

 

Eulo,l!,ies  in  the  Tushita  Palace         523

 

Then Banner of Knowledge, empowered by the Buddha,  looked over the ten directions and said in verse,

 

If one can believe and accept Omniscience without obstruction, And practice enlightening ways, One's mind will be immeasurable.

 

In all lands

Buddha manifests countless bodies, Yet the bodies stay in no place, And he dwells not in the real.

 

Each one of the Enlightened

Manifest bodies by spiritual powers : Even in unthinkable cons

They never could be fully counted.

 

The number of all living beings Of all times may be known,

But the number of Buddhas' manifestations Cannot ever be found.

 

Sometimes they show one or two, Up  to  countless  bodies­

Appearing everywhere, in all lands, Yct really with no duality.

 

Just as the clear full moon Appears in all bodies of water

And while the reflections are numberless The real moon is not two,

So docs the  one  of unimpeded knowledge With perfect true enlightenment Universally appear in all lands:

Yct the Buddha-body is nondual.

 

It is not one, and yet not two, And also not immeasurable:

According to the needs of the taught Do countless bodies appear.

 

The buddha-body is not past And also not future:

 

 

In a single instant he appears to be born, To become enlightened, and pass away.

 

As  forms produced by magic Have no birth and no origination, So  too is  the buddha-body  thus­ Appearing without any birth.

 

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

 

The buddha-body  is infinite Yet  can  manifest  finite  bodies:

According to what needs to be seen Docs the Guide appropriately appear.

 

The buddha-body has no location, Yet fills all places;

Like space, it's boundless:

Such is its inconceivability.

 

It is not in the province of mental function, And mind docs not arise therein:

In the realm of the Buddhas

Ultimately there's no birth or death.

 

Like what is seen by clouded eyes Is  neither internal  nor external, So also, you should know,

Is the worlds' vision of the Buddhas.

 

In order to benefit living beings

Do the E nlightened Ones appear in the world: Sentient beings sec them as coming forth,

But in reality there is no such thing.

 

A Buddha cannot be seen

In terms of a land, or day or night, Nor indeed can one be seen

In terms of years, months, or moments.

 

Sentient beings say

Buddha was enlightened on a certain day;

 

Eulogies in the Tushita Palace

 

But enlightenment in reality Is not bound to time.

 

The Enlightened are beyond discrimination: Not  of the  world,  they transcend  all  accounts­ All Guides of past, present, and future

Appear in this way.

 

Just as the pure orb of the sun Doesn't conjoin with the dark night,

Yet we speak of such and such a day and night, So is the principle of the Buddhas;

Though the ages of past, present, and  future Do not conjoin with the Enlightened,

Yet we speak of the Buddhas of past, present, and future: Such is the principle of the Guides.

 

525

 

 

Then Banner of Energy, empowered by the Buddha,  looked over the ten directions and said in verse,

 

All the Guides'

Bodies are the same, as are their meanings; Throughout the lands of the ten directions They appear variously according to needs.

 

Observe the Honored Sage:

His activity is most unique; He fills the entire cosmos And everything that's in it.

 

The buddha-body is not within And also not outside:

It manifests by spiritual power; Such is the teaching of the Guide.

 

According to deeds accumulated in former times By the various species of living beings,

Such various different bodies Appear, each one dissimi1ar.

 

Thus the bodies of the Buddhas A re infinite, uncountable:

Except for the great enlightened one No one can conceive of them.

 

 

Just as the scl( being inconceivable, Cannot be grasped by mentation,

So too the inconceivability of Buddhas Is not manifested by mentation.

 

Just as all things

Originate due to multiple conditions, So also docs seeing Buddha

Necessarily depend on many good works.

 

Just as the wish-ful filling jewel Can satisfy beings '  hearts,

So can the teachings of the Buddhas Completely  ful fill  all  aspirations.

 

In  infinite  lands

The Guides appear in the world;

In accord with the power of their vows They respond in every place.

 

 

Then Danner of Purification, empowered by the Buddha, looked over the ten directions and said in verse,

 

 

The light of great knowledge of the Enlightened Universally  purifies  all  worlds;

Once the worlds arc purified,

He reveals the enlightening teachings.

 

Even if people want to sec

Buddhas as numerous as sentient beings, The Buddha  responds  to   their wishes­ y ct really comes from nowhere.

 

With Buddha as the object, Concentrating continuously, One can sec Buddhas

As many as thoughts.

 

Carrying out pure \vays, Fult1lling VJrtucs,

One can concentrate unremittingly On omniscience.

 

Eulo,�?ies  in  the  Tuslzita  Palace

 

The Guides expound teachings

To beings in accord with their needs; Wherever any can be taught

He manifests the supreme incarnation.

 

The bodies of Buddha and the worlds' beings Are all without self:

Realizing this, he attains true awakening And also explains it to others.

 

All the Human Lions,

With boundless powers of freedom, Manifest bodies equal to thoughts, Those bodies each being different.

 

As arc the bodies of the beings of the worlds, So too arc the bodies of Buddhas:

When one really knows their inherent nature, That is called Buddhahood.

 

The Enlightened sec and know all, Clearly comprehending all things: Buddhahood and enlightenment

A rc both ungraspable.

 

The Guide has no coming or going And also no place of abode:

Departing from all delusions

Is called true perfect enlightenment.

 

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

 

 

The Realizer of Thusness, without dwelling anywhere, A bides in all lands,

Going to all lands, Seen in all places.

 

Uuddha manifests all bodies

According to sentient beings ' minds, Attaining the Way, teaching the truth, And finally passing utterly away.

 

 

The Buddhas are inconceivable:

Who can conceive of the Buddhas? Who can see the Truly Awake?

Who can manifest the Supreme?

 

All things arc thus,

And so are the states of the Buddhas; There's not a single thing in thusness That has birth or death.

 

Sentient beings erroneously discriminate:

"This is Buddha, " " this is the world." For one realizing the true nature of things There's no Buddha and no world.

 

The Realizer of Thusness appears before all Causing sentient beings to believe and rejoice. But  the essence of Buddha  is ungraspable, And they are not seeing anything either.

 

If one can,   in the world, Depart from all attachments, With unimpeded mind, joyful, One will awaken to the truth.

 

That manifested by  spiritual   power Is what is called Buddha:

Though one search in all times, past,  present, or future, It has no existence at all.

 

If one can know in this way The mind  and all things, One will know and see all

And soon become enlightened.

 

In words are expressed The powers of Buddhas;

But true enlightenment  transcends words, Though it  be provisionally explained  by  words.

 

 

Then Banner of Truth, empowered by  the Buddha,  looked over the ten directions and said in verse,

 

 

It's better to always experience All the pains of the world

 

EuloJ;ies in the Tushita Palace

 

Than to be apart from the Buddha And not sec Buddha's mystic powers.

 

If there arc any sentient beings

Who have not yet set their minds on enlightenment, If they once hear the name of Buddha

They'll surely attain enlightenment.

 

People with knowledge and wisdom,

Once they set their minds on enlightenment, Will surely become supreme Buddhas:

Have no doubt of that.

 

The mystic power of the enlightened

Is rarely encountered even in countless ages; If you engender a single  thought  of faith You'll soon ascend to the highest path.

 

E vcn if in every instant

You give offerings to countless Buddhas, If you don't know the real truth

This is not  to be called offering.

 

If you hear such a teaching,

The Buddhas are  born from this; Though you experience countless pains You'll not quit enlightening practices .

 

Once having heard of great knowledge, The state entered by the Buddhas, Everywhere in the universe

You'll become a guide of all times.

 

Though one pass the whole future Traveling to all buddha-lands,

If one doesn't seek this wondrous  truth One will  never become enlightened.

 

Sentient beings, from beginningless past, Have long revolved in birth and death; They do not know the real truth,

So Buddhas come forth in the world.

 

Truths cannot be destroyed, And no one can destroy  them: The great light of mystic power

Is revealed throughout the world.