The Flower Ornament Scripture

 

A Translation of the Avatamsaka Sutra

Thomas Cleary

BOOK THREE

 

3. The Meditation of the Enlightening Being Universally Good

 

 

THE ENLIGHTENING BEING Universally Good, the great being,  sat  on a lion throne made of a bank of lotus flowers, and, imbued with the psychic power  of  the Enlightened One, entered  into concentration. This concentration is called the immanent body of the illuminator of thusness, which is in all enlightened ones . It enters everywhere into the equal essence of all  enlightened ones, and is capable of  manifesting myriad images in the cosmos, vastly and immensely, without obstruction, equal to space. All the whirling oceans of universes flow along into it; it produces all states of concentration, and can contain all worlds in all directions . The oceans of lights   of knowledge   of   all   the   enlightened ones come from here; it can reveal all the oceans of all conditions everywhere. It contains within it all the pow'ers and liberations of the enlightened ones and the knowledge of the enlightening beings. It  can cause the particles of all lands to  be  universally able  to  contain  bound­ less universes. It develops the ocean of virtuous qualities of all Buddhas, and reveals the ocean of great vows of these enlightened ones. All the cycles of teaching of the Buddhas flow through it and arc guarded and maintained by it, and kept without interruption or end.

As in this workl the enlightening being Univcrs Jlly Good ClltcrcJ this concentration in the presence of the   World   Honored   One,   thus   in the same way throughout the realm of space of the cosmos,  in all directions and all times, in a subtle, unhindered, vastly expansive light,

in all lands visible to the Buddha's  eye, within reach of the Buddha's power, manifested by the Buddha's body, and in each atom of all those lands, there were Buddhas as numerous as atoms in an ocean of worlds, and  in front of each Buddha were   Universally  Good  enlightening beings numerous   as   atoms   in an ocean of worlds,  each   also   entering into this concentration in the immanent body of the illuminator  of thusness in enlightened ones .

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The  Meditation  of the  Enlightmin,\?  Being  Un iversally  Good     177

 

At that time each of the Universally Good ones saw the Buddhas  of the ten directions appearing before them; those  Buddhas  praised Univer­ sally Good in the same voice: "Good!  You are able to enter this enlightening beings' concentration in the immanent  body of the illumi­ nator of thusness in all Buddhas;  this is fostered in you by all the Buddhas  everywhere together, by means of the power   of the   original vow of the illuminating realized one Vairocana Buddha, and it is also because you cultivate the power of the practices and vows of all Buddhas: that is to say, because you can activate all the cycles of the enlightening teaching,  revealing the ocean of knowledge and   wisdom   of all enlight­ ened ones, universally illumine all the oceans of distinctions everywhere, without exception, cause sentient beings to clear away confusion and affliction and attain purity, universally accept all lands without attachment, deeply enter the sphere of all   enlightened ones   without impediment, and universally expound the virtues and qualities of all enlightened ones; because you are able to enter into the true character of all   things and develop knowledge and wisdom, analyze all the media of the teachings,  comprehend the faculties   of all   living   beings,   and   because you are able to hold the ocean of written teachings of all the Buddhas ."

At that time all the Buddhas  of the ten directions   then bestowed on the   great   enlightening   being   Universally   Good   the   knowledge   that enters into the   power   inherent   in   omniscience,   the   knowledge   that enters into the infinity of the cosmos, the knowledge that perfects the realization of the sphere of all enlightened ones, the knowledge of the becoming and decay of all oceans of worlds,  the knowledge of the full extent of the worlds of all   sentient beings,   the knowledge that abides in the extremely profound liberation of all enlightened ones and the nondiscriminating  knowledge of all meditation   states,   the knowledge that enters into the ocean of all faculties of enlightening beings, the knowledge  of elocution   to   turn the wheel of the teaching in   the ocean of languages of all sentient beings, the knowledge that enters in all ways into the bodies of all oceans of worlds in the cosmos,  and the knowl­ edge that comprehends the voices of all Buddhas.

As in this world in the presence of the Buddha the enlightening being Universally  Good experienced the Buddhas bestowing such knowledge, so in all oceans of worlds, as well as in each atom of all those worlds, so did all the enlightening beings Universally Good there experience this . Why? Because they had realized that state of mental focus in this way.

Then the   Buddhas  of the   ten   directions   each   extended   his   right hand and patted Universally Good on the head. Their hands were each adorned with the marks of greatness,  being finely webbed, emanating light, fragrance, and flames.  They also produced the various wondrous tones of all Buddhas. And within it were manifested the phenomena of mystical powers, the ocean of vows of universal goodness of all enlight­ ening beings of past, present, and future, the cycles of pure teachings of

 

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all enlightened ones, as well as the images  of the Buddhas  of past, present,  and  future.

As in this world Universally Good was patted on the head by all the Buddhas  of the ten directions,   so in all the oceans of worlds,  and in each atom of those worlds, the enlightening beings Universally  Good there were patted on the head by the Buddhas of the ten  directions.

Then the enlightening being Universally Good arose from this concentration; when he did so, he rose from media of oceans of concen­ trations numerous as   atoms   in all oceans of worlds.  For example,  he rose from   the   medium   of concentration   of skillful knowledge realizing that the worlds of past, present, and future have no distinction in the succession of instants; he rose from the medium of concentration of knowledge of all the subtlest  and most minute constituents of all universes in all times; he rose from the medium of concentration on the manifestation of all buddha-fields of past,  present,   and future; he rose from the medium of concentration revealing the dwelling  places of all living   beings;  he rose   from the   medium of concentration   of knowledge of various differences in locations of the universes of the ten directions; he rose from the medium of concentration of knowledge of boundlessly vast clouds of buddha-bodies existing in every atom; he rose from the medium of concentration   of explanations   of the   ocean   of inner   princi­ ples in all things.

When the  enlightening being Universally Good rose  from such  media of concentration, all the enlightening beings   each   found   oceanic   clouds of concentrations, numerous as atoms in an ocean of worlds,  found oceanic clouds of spells, oceanic clouds of techniques to teach everything, oceanic clouds ofways of felicitous expression, oceanic clouds of practices, oceanic clouds of lights  from   the knowledge   of the   treasury   of virtues of all who realize thusness,  oceanic clouds of nondiscriminating  tech­ niques of the powers, knowledges, and wisdom of all enlightened ones, oceanic clouds of Buddhas  each manifesting myriad lands in each and every pore, oceanic clouds of enlightening beings   one by   one   manifest­ ing descent from the   palace of the   Tushita heaven to be born on earth and become an enlightened Buddha, turn the wheel of the teaching, and enter into ultimate extinction, all as numerous as atoms in an ocean of worlds.

As when in this world the enlightening being Universally Good rose from concentration all the hosts of enlightening beings received such blessings, so in all the oceans of worlds, as well as in each atom of each world, the same thing occurred.

At that time, by the spiritual power of all the  Buddhas and the power of Universally Good's concentration, all oceans of worlds in the ten directions trembled. Each   world   was   arrayed   with   precious   clements and gave forth wondrous sound, explaining all things.  And  on each Buddha, in the ocean of sites of enlightenment  where the masses gathered, everywhere there rained ten kinds of clouds of regal jewels:

 

The Meditation of the Enl(f!htening Being Universally Good    1 79

 

clouds of beautiful gold star jewels, jewels like precious discs descending, shining light jewels, jewels of the treasury manifesting the images of enlightening beings, jewels extolling the names of Buddhas,  jewels  of brilliant light illuminating the sites of enlightenment in buddha-fields everywhere, jewels whose light reflects the various miracles everywhere, jewels praising the virtues of all enlightening beings,  jewels with a light that shines like the sun, jewels whose delightful music is heard everywhere.

A fter the universal rain of these ten kinds of clouds ofjewels, all the Buddhas emitted lights from their pores, and in the light  rays spoke verses:

 

 

Universally Good is present in all lands

Sitting on a jeweled lotus throne, beheld by all; He manifests all psychic powers

And is able to enter infinite meditations.

 

The Universally Good always fill the universe With various bodies flowing everywhere,

With concentration,   psychic power,   skill and strength,

In a universal voice teaching extensively without hindrance.

 

In every land,  in the presence of all the Buddhas, Various states of concentration revealing psychic powers, Each psychic power pervades everywhere

In all lands of the ten directions.

 

As with the Buddhas of all lands,

So it is in all the atoms of the lands as well;

The phenomena of concentration and mystic  powers Arc the will power of the illuminator.

 

Universally Good physically is like space, Abiding by reality, not a land,

According to the heart's desires of all beings Manifesting all kinds of embodiments, equal to all.

 

Universally Good, abiding at peace in great determination, Thus attained these infinite spiritual powers,

In any lands of all buddha bodies Manifesting his form going there.

 

All the myriad oceans are boundless:

He  reproduces his body infinitely and dwells there; All lands of his manifestation are purified,

And in an instant arc seen many cons.

 

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Universally Good lives peacefully in all lands:

The spiritual powers he displays are incomparable; The trembling extending everywhere

Causes those who look to be able to  see.

 

The knowledge, virtue, and powers of all Buddhas, Their various great qualities, he has all fulfilled;

By  the medium of techniques of all   meditations He shows his past enlightening acts .

 

Such   independence,   inconceivable,

Is manifest in the lands of the ten directions

To reveal the universal entrance of all   meditations; In the clouds of buddha light his praises are sung.

 

 

Then all the hosts of enlightening beings turned to Universally Good, joined their palms and gazed respectfully at Universally Good; imbued with the psychic power of the Enlightened, they sang in praise with the same voice,

 

 

Born from the teachings of the Enlightened,

Also originating from the will power of the Buddha, The womb of space,   the equality   of real thusness: You have purified this body of reality.

 

In the congregations of all buddha-fields Universally Good is omnipresent there;

The light of the oceans of universal virtue and wisdom Equally illumine everywhere, so all arc visible.

 

The immensely vast oceans of virtues of Universally Good Goes everywhere to approach the enlightened;

To the lands within all atoms

He can travel and clearly appear there.

 

0 Child of Buddha, we always sec you Associating with all the enlightened ones, Abiding in the real state of concentration For cons numerous as atoms in all lands.

 

The child of Buddha, with an all-pervading body, Can go to the lands in all directions,

Liberating all the oceans of living beings, Entering into all the parts of the cosmos.

 

The  Meditation  of the  Enl(�thten irig  Being  Ur1iversally  Good          181

 

Entering into all particles of the cosmos, The  body  is endless and  undifferentiated; Omnipresent as space,

It expounds the great teaching of the realization of thusness.

 

The light of all virtue,

Immense like clouds, power surpassing, Traveling to all oceans of living beings

Expounding the incomparable way practiced by all Buddhas.

 

Cultivating and learning the   supreme practice of universal goodness In order to liberate sentient beings for oceans of cons,

Expounding  all truths, like a great cloud, The voice is tremendous, none do not hear.

 

How can the land be established? How do the Buddhas appear?

And how about beings?

Please explain truthfully the truth as it is.