華嚴經 白話全本 · 冊12Avataṃsaka Sūtra · Complete Vernacular · Vol. 12

The Prologue (Chengguan’s outline): The World-Honored One Is in the Jeta Grove, the Garden of the Benefactor of the Orphaned and Solitary, Together with Five Hundred Bodhisattvas

(narrated by the compilers of the sūtra)

At that time the World-Honored One was in the storeyed pavilion of Great Adornment (a pavilion of stacked storeys, the place where the Dharma is expounded) in the Jeta Grove, the Garden of the Benefactor of the Orphaned and Solitary (this garden was a place of the Way accomplished by two men together: Prince Jeta gave the trees, and the Elder Benefactor of the Orphaned and Solitary bought the ground), in the country of Śrāvastī (a city of central India; the name means “one who hears”, and also “that which is heard”, because the city produced many persons of quick intelligence, broad learning, and renown), together with five hundred bodhisattva-mahāsattvas (great bodhisattvas).

The Prologue (Chengguan’s outline): With the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra and the Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī as the Foremost

The bodhisattva Samantabhadra and the bodhisattva Mañjuśrī were the foremost among these five hundred bodhisattvas.

The Prologue (Chengguan’s outline): Their Names — Ten Named with “Banner”

Their names were —

the bodhisattva Light-Flame Banner, the bodhisattva Sumeru Banner (Sumeru is the wondrously high mountain, the king of all mountains), the bodhisattva Jewel Banner, the bodhisattva Unobstructed Banner, the bodhisattva Flower Banner, the bodhisattva Stainless Banner, the bodhisattva Sun Banner, the bodhisattva Wondrous Banner, the bodhisattva Dust-Free Banner, the bodhisattva Universal Light Banner.

The Prologue (Chengguan’s outline): Nine Named with “Majestic Power”

The bodhisattva Earth Majestic Power, the bodhisattva Jewel Majestic Power, the bodhisattva Great Majestic Power, the bodhisattva Adamantine Wisdom Majestic Power, the bodhisattva Majestic Power Free of Dust and Defilement, the bodhisattva True Dharma Sun Majestic Power, the bodhisattva Merit Mountain Majestic Power, the bodhisattva Wisdom Light Reflection Majestic Power, the bodhisattva Universal Auspiciousness Majestic Power.

The Prologue (Chengguan’s outline): Ten Named with “Treasury”

The bodhisattva Earth Treasury, the bodhisattva Empty Space Treasury, the bodhisattva Lotus Treasury, the bodhisattva Jewel Treasury, the bodhisattva Sun Treasury, the bodhisattva Pure Virtue Treasury, the bodhisattva Dharma-Seal Treasury, the bodhisattva Radiance Treasury, the bodhisattva Navel Treasury (the navel is the centre of the body; the sense taken is that of holding within at the centre), the bodhisattva Lotus Virtue Treasury.

The Prologue (Chengguan’s outline): Twelve Named with “Eye”

The bodhisattva Good Eye, the bodhisattva Pure Eye, the bodhisattva Stainless Eye, the bodhisattva Unobstructed Eye, the bodhisattva Universal Seeing Eye, the bodhisattva Good Contemplating Eye, the bodhisattva Blue Lotus Eye, the bodhisattva Adamantine Eye, the bodhisattva Jewel Eye, the bodhisattva Empty Space Eye, the bodhisattva Joyful Eye, the bodhisattva Universal Eye.

The Prologue (Chengguan’s outline): Ten Named with “Crown”

The bodhisattva Deva Crown, the bodhisattva Crown of Wisdom Universally Illumining the Dharma Realm, the bodhisattva Crown of the Place of Awakening, the bodhisattva Crown Universally Illumining the Ten Directions, the bodhisattva Crown of the Treasury of All Buddhas, the bodhisattva Crown Surpassing All Worlds, the bodhisattva Universally Illumining Crown, the bodhisattva Indestructible Crown, the bodhisattva Crown Upholding the Lion Seats of All Tathāgatas, the bodhisattva Crown Universally Illumining the Dharma Realm and Empty Space.

The Prologue (Chengguan’s outline): Ten Named with “Topknot”

The bodhisattva Brahmā King Topknot (the Brahmā King is the great king of the Brahmā heaven; a topknot is the knot of hair bound at the crown of the head), the bodhisattva dragon King Topknot, the bodhisattva Topknot of the Radiance of All Transformation Buddhas, the bodhisattva Topknot of All Places of Awakening, the bodhisattva Topknot of the Jewel King of the Sound of the Ocean of All Vows, the bodhisattva Maṇi Topknot of the Radiance of All Buddhas (a maṇi is a wish-fulfilling jewel), the bodhisattva Topknot Adorned with the Maṇi King That Displays the Mark of the Evenness of All Empty Space, the bodhisattva Topknot Covered Over by the Net of Maṇi King Banners That Displays the Spiritual Transformations of All Tathāgatas, the bodhisattva Topknot Sending Forth the Sound of All Buddhas Turning the Dharma Wheel, the bodhisattva Topknot of the Sound That Utters All the Names of the Three Times.

The Prologue (Chengguan’s outline): Ten Named with “Light”

The bodhisattva Great Light, the bodhisattva Stainless Light, the bodhisattva Jewel Light, the bodhisattva Dust-Free Light, the bodhisattva Flame Light, the bodhisattva Dharma Light, the bodhisattva Tranquil Light, the bodhisattva Sun Light, the bodhisattva Sovereign Light, the bodhisattva Deva Light.

The Prologue (Chengguan’s outline): Ten More Named with “Banner”

The bodhisattva Merit Banner, the bodhisattva Wisdom Banner, the bodhisattva Dharma Banner, the bodhisattva Spiritual Power Banner, the bodhisattva Light Banner, the bodhisattva Flower Banner, the bodhisattva Maṇi Banner, the bodhisattva Awakening Banner, the bodhisattva Brahmā Banner, the bodhisattva Universal Light Banner.

The Prologue (Chengguan’s outline): Ten Named with “Voice”

The bodhisattva Brahmā Voice, the bodhisattva Ocean Voice, the bodhisattva Great Earth Voice, the bodhisattva World-Lord Voice, the bodhisattva Voice of Mountains Striking Together (the vast sound of two mountains colliding), the bodhisattva Voice Pervading the Whole Dharma Realm, the bodhisattva Thunder Voice Shaking the Whole Ocean of Dharma, the bodhisattva Māra-Subduing Voice, the bodhisattva Cloud-Thunder Voice of Great Compassion and Skillful Means, the bodhisattva Consoling Voice That Stills All the Suffering of the World.

The Prologue (Chengguan’s outline): Ten Named with “Supreme”

The bodhisattva Dharma Supreme, the bodhisattva Excellent Supreme, the bodhisattva Wisdom Supreme, the bodhisattva Merit Sumeru Supreme, the bodhisattva Virtue Coral Supreme, the bodhisattva Renown Supreme, the bodhisattva Universal Light Supreme, the bodhisattva Great Loving-Kindness Supreme, the bodhisattva Wisdom Ocean Supreme, the bodhisattva Buddha-Lineage Supreme.

The Prologue (Chengguan’s outline): Ten Named with “Excellent”

The bodhisattva Light Excellent, the bodhisattva Virtue Excellent, the bodhisattva Supreme Excellent, the bodhisattva Universal Brightness Excellent, the bodhisattva Dharma Excellent, the bodhisattva Moon Excellent, the bodhisattva Empty Space Excellent, the bodhisattva Jewel Excellent, the bodhisattva Banner Excellent, the bodhisattva Wisdom Excellent.

The Prologue (Chengguan’s outline): Eleven Named with “Sovereign King”

The bodhisattva Sāla Sovereign King (the sāla is a kind of tall tree), the bodhisattva Dharma Sovereign King, the bodhisattva Elephant Sovereign King, the bodhisattva Brahmā Sovereign King, the bodhisattva Mountain Sovereign King, the bodhisattva Multitude Sovereign King, the bodhisattva Swift Sovereign King, the bodhisattva Tranquil Sovereign King, the bodhisattva Immovable Sovereign King, the bodhisattva Might Sovereign King, the bodhisattva Most Excellent Sovereign King.

The Prologue (Chengguan’s outline): Ten More Named with “Voice”

The bodhisattva Tranquil Voice, the bodhisattva Unobstructed Voice, the bodhisattva Earth-Quaking Voice, the bodhisattva Ocean-Quaking Voice, the bodhisattva Cloud Voice, the bodhisattva Dharma Light Voice, the bodhisattva Empty Space Voice, the bodhisattva Voice That Utters the Roots of Goodness of All Beings, the bodhisattva Voice That Shows All the Great Vows, the bodhisattva Voice of the Place of Awakening.

The Prologue (Chengguan’s outline): Nine Named with “Awakening”

The bodhisattva Sumeru Light Awakening, the bodhisattva Empty Space Awakening, the bodhisattva Undefiled Awakening, the bodhisattva Unobstructed Awakening, the bodhisattva Good Awakening, the bodhisattva Awakening Universally Illumining the Three Times, the bodhisattva Vast Awakening, the bodhisattva Universal Brightness Awakening, the bodhisattva Dharma Realm Radiance Awakening —

Here the scripture itself closes off with an ellipsis mark, and does not go on setting them out one by one.

The Prologue (Chengguan’s outline): Concluding the Number — Bodhisattva-Mahāsattvas of This Sort, Five Hundred Persons in All

Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas of this sort, five hundred persons in all, were present here.

The Prologue (Chengguan’s outline): Eleven Clauses Praising Their Virtue — What Kind of Persons These Five Hundred Are

These bodhisattvas had all of them accomplished the practices and vows of Samantabhadra:

their states are without obstruction, because they universally reach the lands of all the buddhas;

the bodies they manifest are measureless, because they draw near to all the buddhas, the tathāgatas;

their pure eyes are without screen, because they are able to see the affairs of the spiritual transformations of all the buddhas;

the places they reach are without limit, because wherever there is a tathāgata accomplishing right awakening, they go there universally and always;

their radiance is without border, because with the light of wisdom they universally illumine the whole ocean of the dharmas that are real;

their expounding of Dharma is without exhaustion, because their pure eloquence cannot be used up even through borderless long kalpas;

they are equal to the realm of empty space, because all that their wisdom practises is entirely pure;

they have nowhere they rest upon, because following the minds of beings they manifest bodies of every kind of form;

they have extinguished the cataract of delusion, because they know that within the realm of beings there is not one being that is truly there;

their wisdom is equal to empty space, because with a great net of radiance they illumine the whole Dharma realm through and through.

The Prologue (Chengguan’s outline): Five Hundred Śrāvakas Were Also Present

There were also five hundred śrāvakas (disciples who hear the Buddha’s teaching and cultivate and realize by it) present together —

they had all of them awakened to the true truth, all of them realized the real limit, entered deeply into the nature of dharmas, and forever come out of the ocean of the three kinds of existence;

relying upon the merit of a buddha, they had left behind the fetters, the servants, and the bonds (all of these are other names for the afflictions: a fetter binds, a servant follows and drives, a bond ties fast), and abided in the place where there is no obstruction;

their minds were as tranquil as empty space; toward the places of the buddhas they had forever cut off doubt, and toward the ocean of a buddha’s wisdom they believed deeply and proceeded to enter.

The Prologue (Chengguan’s outline): Measureless World-Lords Were Also Present

There were also measureless world-lords (the deva kings, human kings, and the like who hold sway over a quarter) present together —

they had all of them made offerings to measureless buddhas, and were constantly able to benefit all beings;

though beings did not request it, they came of themselves to be their friends, guarding them constantly and diligently, and never abandoning the vows they had made;

they had entered the gate of the most surpassing wisdom of the world, were born from the Buddha’s teaching, and guarded the right Dharma of the Buddha;

they gave rise to great vows, did not let the lineage of the buddhas be cut off, were born in the house of the Tathāgata, and sought after all-knowing wisdom.

The Request (Chengguan’s outline): In the Hearts of the Assembly a Single Thought Arose All at Once — Ten Clauses of “the Tathāgata”

At that time the bodhisattvas, the śrāvakas of great virtue, the kings of the world, and their retinues raised in their hearts, all at once, this one thought — it was not a question put aloud, it was a thought of the mind:

“The state of the Tathāgata, the wisdom-practice of the Tathāgata, the empowering of the Tathāgata, the power of the Tathāgata, the fearlessness of the Tathāgata, the samādhi of the Tathāgata, the abiding of the Tathāgata, the self-mastery of the Tathāgata, the body of the Tathāgata, the wisdom of the Tathāgata —

The Request (Chengguan’s outline): Ten Clauses of “None Able”

“all the gods and men of the world are none of them able to penetrate them, none able to proceed into them, none able to believe and understand them, none able to know them, none able to bear them, none able to contemplate them, none able to select among them, none able to open them and show them, none able to proclaim and clarify them, nor is there anyone able to make beings understand them.

The Request (Chengguan’s outline): Only Excepting — Ten Kinds of Power

“Only excepting the power of the buddhas’ blessing, the power of the Buddha’s spiritual penetration, the power of the Buddha’s majestic virtue, the power of the Buddha’s original vow, together with the power of one’s own roots of goodness from former lives, the power of the good friends’ gathering one in, the power of deep and pure faith, the power of great clear understanding, the power of the pure mind that heads toward awakening, and the power of the vast vow that seeks all-knowing wisdom — where there are these ten powers, then it becomes possible.

The Request (Chengguan’s outline): We Pray the World-Honored One Will Accord — Eleven Kinds of “Every Kind”

“We pray only that the World-Honored One will accord with our and all beings’ every kind of wish and delight, every kind of understanding, every kind of wisdom, every kind of speech, every kind of self-mastery, every kind of ground abided in, every kind of purity of faculty, every kind of skillful means of thought, every kind of state of mind, every kind of way of relying upon the merit of the Tathāgata, and every kind of way of hearing and receiving the various dharmas expounded —

The Request (Chengguan’s outline): Show Us What Was Formerly — Ten Clauses

“We pray that you will show the Tathāgata’s mind that formerly sought after all-knowing wisdom, the great bodhisattva vows he formerly gave rise to, the perfections he formerly purified, the bodhisattva grounds he formerly entered, the bodhisattva practices he formerly fulfilled, the skillful means he formerly accomplished, the paths he formerly cultivated, the dharmas of coming out that he formerly gained, the affairs of spiritual penetration he formerly performed, and the past deeds and their causes and conditions that he formerly had (the various traces and the causes and conditions of past lives);

The Request (Chengguan’s outline): And Since Accomplishing Right Awakening — Ten Clauses, We Pray That All Be Expounded

“and his accomplishing right and equal awakening, turning the wondrous Dharma wheel, purifying buddha-lands, taming beings, opening the Dharma-citadel of all-knowing wisdom, showing the road to all beings, entering the dwelling places of all beings, receiving what all beings offer, expounding for all beings the merit of giving, and manifesting for all beings the reflected images of the buddhas — dharmas of this sort, we pray that the World-Honored One will expound them all for us!”

The Manifestation in Samādhi (Chengguan’s outline): The World-Honored One Knew This Thought and Entered the Samādhi of the Lion’s Stretching

(narrated by the compilers of the sūtra)

At that time the World-Honored One knew what the bodhisattvas were thinking in their hearts — with great compassion for his body, with great compassion for his gate, with great compassion for his head, taking the dharma of great compassion as his skillful means, he filled and pervaded the whole of empty space, and entered the samādhi of the Lion’s Stretching (the manner of a lion stretching out its four limbs, sovereign and without fear, is what gives this concentration its name).

The Manifestation in Samādhi (Chengguan’s outline): After He Entered, the Pavilion of a Sudden Grew Vast

After he entered this samādhi, all the worlds were universally adorned and purified.

At this time the great pavilion of Great Adornment of a sudden grew vast, without any border: with adamant for its ground, jewel-kings covering it above, measureless jewelled flowers and maṇi jewels universally scattered throughout, everywhere full. With beryl for its pillars, made of many jewels combined, adorned with great-light maṇi, and jambūnada gold (a gold of the finest lustre) wish-fulfilling jewel-kings set upon it for ornament. High towers stretch away one linked to another, and passageways branch out from the sides; ridgepoles and roof-beams carry one another; windows and doorways shine one upon another; stairs, courtyards, galleries, and balustrades are provided of every kind, all adorned with wondrous jewels; and those jewels are further made into the forms of men and gods, firm and fine, first in the world, with maṇi jewel-nets spread over all. On both sides of every gate banners and pennants are all raised up, releasing their radiance together so that it universally reaches throughout the Dharma realm. The steps and railings outside the place of awakening are measureless beyond telling in their number, and there is not one of them that is not made of maṇi jewels.

The Manifestation in Samādhi (Chengguan’s outline): The Jeta Grove Too of a Sudden Grew Vast

At that time, again by the Buddha’s spiritual power, this Jeta Grove of a sudden grew vast, as large as buddha-lands as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands (grinding one buddha’s land into dust-motes and taking the number of those motes — an exceedingly great number).

All wondrous jewels are interlaced in adornment, and jewels unspeakably many are spread over the ground; with asaṃkhyeya (beyond number) jewels for its walls, and jewelled tāla trees adorning both sides of the roads. Within it again are measureless fragrant rivers, filled with fragrant water, swirling in swift eddies; all the jewelled flowers turn to the right as they follow the current, and of themselves send forth the sound of the Buddha’s Dharma; inconceivably many jewelled puṇḍarīka flowers (white lotuses), their buds opened wide, are spread over the water; trees of many jewelled flowers are planted in rows along the banks; terraces and pavilions of every kind, inconceivable, are ranged in order upon the banks, with maṇi jewel-nets spread over them. Asaṃkhyeya jewels release great radiance; asaṃkhyeya jewels adorn the great earth. Wondrous incense of every kind is burnt, and its fragrance rises thick. Again measureless jewelled banners of every kind are raised, that is to say: banners of jewelled incense, banners of jewelled robes, banners of jewelled pennants, banners of jewelled silk, banners of jewelled flowers, banners of jewelled necklaces, banners of jewelled garlands, banners of jewelled bells, banners of maṇi jewel-canopies, banners of great maṇi jewels, banners of maṇi jewels whose radiance universally illumines, banners of maṇi kings sending forth the sound of the names of all the tathāgatas, banners of lion maṇi kings, banners of maṇi kings uttering the ocean of the past deeds of all the tathāgatas, and banners of maṇi kings manifesting the reflected images of the whole Dharma realm, everywhere throughout the ten directions, ranged in rows in adornment.

The Manifestation in Samādhi (Chengguan’s outline): In the Empty Sky above the Jeta Grove There Are Ten Kinds of Cloud

At this time, in the empty sky above the Jeta Grove, there were inconceivably many clouds of heavenly palaces, clouds of fragrant trees beyond number, unspeakably many clouds of Sumeru mountains, unspeakably many clouds of music, unspeakably many clouds of jewelled lotus flowers sending forth wondrous sounds that sang the praise of the Tathāgata, unspeakably many clouds of jewelled seats, unspeakably many clouds of maṇi jewels in the forms of the deva kings, spread with heavenly robes and with bodhisattvas seated upon them praising the merit of the Buddha, unspeakably many clouds of white true pearls, unspeakably many clouds of ornaments of red-pearl pavilions, and unspeakably many clouds raining down adamantine firm pearls — all of them abiding in the empty sky, filling it all round about, as adornment.

The Manifestation in Samādhi (Chengguan’s outline): For What Reason — Ten Clauses of “Inconceivable”

Why should it be so?

Because the Tathāgata’s roots of goodness are inconceivable; because the Tathāgata’s white dharmas (the dharmas that are pure and wholly good) are inconceivable; because the Tathāgata’s majestic power is inconceivable; because the Tathāgata is able with a single body to transform himself sovereignly and pervade all worlds, which is inconceivable; because the Tathāgata is able by spiritual power to make all the buddhas and the adornments of buddha-lands enter entirely into his body, which is inconceivable; because the Tathāgata is able within a single dust-mote to manifest universally the reflected images of the whole Dharma realm, which is inconceivable; because the Tathāgata is able within a single pore to display all the buddhas of the past, which is inconceivable; because every single ray of radiance the Tathāgata releases at will is able to illumine all worlds throughout, which is inconceivable; because the Tathāgata is able within a single pore to bring forth clouds of transformation as many as the dust-motes of all buddha-lands and fill all the lands of the buddhas, which is inconceivable; because the Tathāgata is able within a single pore to manifest universally the kalpas of forming, abiding, and decaying of all the worlds of the ten directions, which is inconceivable.

The Manifestation in Samādhi (Chengguan’s outline): All the Worlds of the Ten Directions Are Seen Thus As Well — Fifteen Clauses of “Seeing”

Just as within this Jeta Grove, the Garden of the Benefactor of the Orphaned and Solitary, the buddha-land is seen pure and adorned, so too in all the worlds of the ten directions, to the ends of the Dharma realm and the realm of empty space, it is seen in this same way.

That is to say: seeing the body of the Tathāgata abiding in the Jeta Grove, with the assembly of bodhisattvas filling it entirely; seeing clouds that universally rain down every adornment; seeing clouds that universally rain down the shining of every jewelled radiance; seeing clouds that universally rain down every maṇi jewel; seeing clouds that universally rain down every adorning jewelled canopy covering the buddha-lands; seeing clouds that universally rain down every heavenly body; seeing clouds that universally rain down every flowering tree; seeing clouds that universally rain down every robe-tree; seeing clouds that universally rain down every jewelled garland and necklace, unbroken and continuous, spread throughout the whole earth; seeing clouds that universally rain down every ornament; seeing clouds that universally rain down every kind of incense in the shapes of beings; seeing clouds that universally rain down every net of subtle and wondrous jewelled flowers, continuous and unbroken; seeing clouds that universally rain down all the heavenly women who hold jewelled banners and pennants and circle to and fro in the empty sky; seeing clouds that universally rain down all the jewelled lotus flowers from among whose petals the sounds of music arise of themselves; seeing clouds that universally rain down all the lion seats adorned with jewelled nets and necklaces.

The Gathering of the New Assembly (Chengguan’s outline): The East — The Bodhisattva Vairocana Vow-Radiance

At that time, beyond world-oceans as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands to the east, there was a world named Golden Lamp Cloud Banner, and the buddha there was styled Vairocana Excellent-Virtue King. Among that buddha’s assembly there was a bodhisattva named Vairocana Vow-Radiance, who together with bodhisattvas as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands came to the Buddha’s place; and all of them by spiritual power raised up clouds of every kind, that is to say: clouds of heavenly flowers, clouds of heavenly incense, clouds of heavenly powdered incense, clouds of heavenly garlands, clouds of heavenly jewels, clouds of heavenly ornaments, clouds of heavenly jewelled canopies, clouds of heavenly subtle and wondrous robes, clouds of heavenly jewelled banners and pennants, and clouds of every heavenly wondrous jewel and every adornment, filling the empty sky. Having come to the Buddha’s place, he bowed his head to the Buddha’s feet, and then in the east conjured up a jewel-adorned pavilion together with a lion seat of the jewelled lotus treasury that universally illumines the ten directions, drew a net of wish-fulfilling jewels over his body, and together with his retinue sat down cross-legged.

The Gathering of the New Assembly (Chengguan’s outline): The South — The Bodhisattva Indestructible Vigour King

Beyond world-oceans as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands to the south, there was a world named Adamantine Treasury, and the buddha there was styled Universal Radiance Unsurpassed-Treasury King. Among that buddha’s assembly there was a bodhisattva named Indestructible Vigour King, who together with bodhisattvas as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands came to the Buddha’s place, holding every jewelled incense-net, holding every jewelled necklace, holding every jewelled flower-sash, holding every jewelled garland-sash, holding every adamantine necklace, holding every maṇi jewel-net, holding every jewelled robe-sash, holding every jewelled necklace-sash, holding every sash of maṇi of the most surpassing radiance, holding every lion-maṇi jewelled necklace, and all of them by spiritual power filling and pervading all the world-oceans. Having come to the Buddha’s place, he bowed his head to the Buddha’s feet, and then in the south conjured up a maṇi-jewel-adorned pavilion that illumines the world throughout, together with a lion seat of the jewelled lotus treasury that universally illumines the ten directions, drew a net of every jewelled flower over his body, and together with his retinue sat down cross-legged.

The Gathering of the New Assembly (Chengguan’s outline): The West — The Bodhisattva Universally Excellent Unsurpassed Majestic-Virtue King

Beyond world-oceans as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands to the west, there was a world named Maṇi Jewel Lamp Sumeru Mountain Banner, and the buddha there was styled Dharma Realm Wisdom Lamp. Among that buddha’s assembly there was a bodhisattva named Universally Excellent Unsurpassed Majestic-Virtue King, who together with bodhisattvas as many as the dust-motes of world-oceans came to the Buddha’s place; and all of them by spiritual power raised up Sumeru-mountain clouds of every kind of unguent incense and burning incense as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands, Sumeru-mountain clouds of every kind of coloured fragrant water as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands, Sumeru-mountain clouds of maṇi jewel-kings of radiance equal to the dust-motes of the whole earth as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands, Sumeru-mountain clouds of every kind of adorning banner of wheels of light-flame as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands, Sumeru-mountain clouds adorned with maṇi kings of every kind of coloured adamantine treasury as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands, Sumeru-mountain clouds of jambūnada maṇi jewel banners that universally illumine all worlds as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands, Sumeru-mountain clouds of maṇi jewels manifesting the whole Dharma realm as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands, Sumeru-mountain clouds of maṇi jewel-kings manifesting the marks and signs of all the buddhas as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands, Sumeru-mountain clouds of maṇi jewel-kings manifesting the past deeds and the causes and conditions of all the tathāgatas and uttering the practices practised by the bodhisattvas as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands, and Sumeru-mountain clouds of maṇi jewel-kings manifesting all the buddhas seated at the place of awakening as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands, filling the whole Dharma realm. Having come to the Buddha’s place, he bowed his head to the Buddha’s feet, and then in the west conjured up a pavilion of every incense-king, with nets of true pearl jewels spread over it, and conjured up further a lion seat of the jewelled lotus treasury of Śakra’s reflected banner, drew a net of maṇi of wondrous colour over his body, adorned his head with a jewelled crown of mind-kings, and together with his retinue sat down cross-legged.

The Gathering of the New Assembly (Chengguan’s outline): The North — The Bodhisattva Unobstructed Excellent-Treasury King

Beyond world-oceans as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands to the north, there was a world named Jewelled Robe Radiance Banner, and the buddha there was styled Great Radiance Illumining Empty Space and the Dharma Realm. Among that buddha’s assembly there was a bodhisattva named Unobstructed Excellent-Treasury King, who together with bodhisattvas as many as the dust-motes of world-oceans came to the Buddha’s place; and all of them by spiritual power raised up clouds of every jewelled robe, that is to say: clouds of robes of yellow jewelled radiance, clouds of robes perfumed with every kind of incense, clouds of robes of sun-banner maṇi kings, clouds of robes of gold-coloured blazing maṇi, clouds of robes of every jewelled light-flame, clouds of robes of surpassing wondrous maṇi in the images of all the stars, clouds of robes of white-jade-light maṇi, clouds of robes of maṇi whose radiance universally illumines, surpassing and resplendent, clouds of robes of maṇi whose radiance universally illumines, of majestic force and blazing abundance, and clouds of robes of maṇi of the ocean of adornment, filling and pervading the empty sky. Having come to the Buddha’s place, he bowed his head to the Buddha’s feet, and then in the north conjured up a pavilion adorned with an ocean of maṇi jewels together with a lion seat of the jewelled lotus treasury of beryl, drew a net of maṇi kings of lion majestic virtue over his body, took a pure jewel-king for the bright pearl upon his topknot, and together with his retinue sat down cross-legged.

The Gathering of the New Assembly (Chengguan’s outline): The Northeast — The Bodhisattva Transformation-Manifesting Dharma Realm Vow-Moon King

Beyond world-oceans as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands to the northeast, there was a world named Net of the Pure Radiance of Universal Joy, and the buddha there was styled Unobstructed Eye. Among that buddha’s assembly there was a bodhisattva named Transformation-Manifesting Dharma Realm Vow-Moon King, who together with bodhisattvas as many as the dust-motes of world-oceans came to the Buddha’s place; and all of them by spiritual power raised up clouds of jewelled pavilions, clouds of incense pavilions, clouds of burning-incense pavilions, clouds of flower pavilions, clouds of sandalwood pavilions, clouds of adamantine pavilions, clouds of maṇi pavilions, clouds of golden pavilions, clouds of robe pavilions, and clouds of lotus pavilions, covering over all the worlds of the ten directions. Having come to the Buddha’s place, he bowed his head to the Buddha’s feet, and then in the northeast conjured up a great maṇi pavilion of the gates of the whole Dharma realm together with a lion seat of the lotus treasury of the unequalled incense-king, drew a net of maṇi flowers over his body, wore a crown of maṇi kings of the treasury of wondrous jewels, and together with his retinue sat down cross-legged.

The Gathering of the New Assembly (Chengguan’s outline): The Southeast — The Bodhisattva Dharma-Wisdom Light-Flame King

Beyond world-oceans as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands to the southeast, there was a world named Fragrant Cloud Adornment Banner, and the buddha there was styled dragon Sovereign King. Among that buddha’s assembly there was a bodhisattva named Dharma-Wisdom Light-Flame King, who together with bodhisattvas as many as the dust-motes of world-oceans came to the Buddha’s place; and all of them by spiritual power raised up clouds of the full radiance of golden colour, clouds of the full radiance of measureless jewelled colours, clouds of the full radiance of the Tathāgata’s tuft-mark, clouds of the full radiance of every kind of jewelled colour, clouds of the full radiance of the lotus treasury, clouds of the full radiance of the branches of trees of many jewels, clouds of the full radiance of the Tathāgata’s crown-topknot, clouds of the full radiance of the colour of jambūnada gold, clouds of the full radiance of the colour of the sun, and clouds of the full radiance of the colours of the stars and the moon, all of them pervading the empty sky. Having come to the Buddha’s place, he bowed his head to the Buddha’s feet, and then in the southeast conjured up a pavilion of the supreme jewelled radiance of Vairocana and a lion seat of the lotus treasury of adamantine maṇi, drew a net of maṇi kings of the light-flames of many jewels over his body, and together with his retinue sat down cross-legged.

The Gathering of the New Assembly (Chengguan’s outline): The Southwest — The Bodhisattva Wisdom-Banner King Crushing All the Armies of Māra

Beyond world-oceans as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands to the southwest, there was a world named Sun-Radiance Maṇi Treasury, and the buddha there was styled Universally Illumining Wisdom-Moon King of All Dharmas. Among that buddha’s assembly there was a bodhisattva named Wisdom-Banner King Crushing All the Armies of Māra, who together with bodhisattvas as many as the dust-motes of world-oceans came to the Buddha’s place, bringing forth from all his pores clouds of flower-flames equal to the realm of empty space, clouds of incense-flames, clouds of jewel-flames, clouds of adamantine flames, clouds of burning-incense flames, clouds of lightning flames, clouds of Vairocana maṇi jewel-flames, clouds of every golden light-flame, clouds of the light-flames of excellent-treasury maṇi kings, and clouds of the light-flames of the ocean of the tathāgatas of the three times, each and every one of them coming forth from his pores and pervading the realm of empty space. Having come to the Buddha’s place, he bowed his head to the Buddha’s feet, and then in the southwest conjured up a great maṇi jewel pavilion of the net of radiance manifesting the Dharma realm of the ten directions throughout together with a lion seat of the jewelled lotus treasury of incense-lamp flames, drew a net of maṇi of the stainless treasury over his body, wore an adorning crown of maṇi kings sending forth the sound that sets all beings going forth, and together with his retinue sat down cross-legged.

The Gathering of the New Assembly (Chengguan’s outline): The Northwest — The Bodhisattva Vow-Wisdom Radiance Banner

Beyond world-oceans as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands to the northwest, there was a world named Vairocana Vow Maṇi King Treasury, and the buddha there was styled Universal Radiance Most Excellent Sumeru King. Among that buddha’s assembly there was a bodhisattva named Vow-Wisdom Radiance Banner, who together with bodhisattvas as many as the dust-motes of world-oceans came to the Buddha’s place, and in thought after thought, from all his marks and signs, all his pores, and all the parts of his body, brought forth clouds of the forms of all the tathāgatas of the three times, clouds of the forms of all bodhisattvas, clouds of the forms of the assemblies of all the tathāgatas, clouds of the forms of the transformation bodies of all the tathāgatas, clouds of the forms of the bodies of the past births of all the tathāgatas, clouds of the forms of all śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, clouds of the forms of the places of awakening of all the tathāgatas, clouds of the forms of the spiritual transformations of all the tathāgatas, clouds of the forms of all the world-lords, and clouds of the forms of all the pure lands, filling the empty sky. Having come to the Buddha’s place, he bowed his head to the Buddha’s feet, and then in the northwest conjured up a maṇi-jewel-adorned pavilion that universally illumines the ten directions together with a lion seat of the jewelled lotus treasury that universally illumines the world, drew a net of true pearls of unconquerable radiance over his body, wore a crown of maṇi jewels of universal radiance, and together with his retinue sat down cross-legged.

The Gathering of the New Assembly (Chengguan’s outline): The Nadir — The Bodhisattva Valorous Wisdom-King Breaking Every Obstruction

Beyond world-oceans as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands in the nadir, there was a world named Full Radiance of All the Tathāgatas Universally Illumining, and the buddha there was styled Wisdom-Banner King of the Mark of the Unobstructedness of Empty Space. Among that buddha’s assembly there was a bodhisattva named Valorous Wisdom-King Breaking Every Obstruction, who together with bodhisattvas as many as the dust-motes of world-oceans came to the Buddha’s place, bringing forth from all his pores clouds of sound uttering the ocean of the speech of all beings, clouds of sound uttering the ocean of the skillful means of the practice of all the bodhisattvas of the three times, clouds of sound uttering the ocean of the skillful means of the vows raised by all bodhisattvas, clouds of sound uttering the ocean of the skillful means by which all bodhisattvas fulfil and purify the perfections, clouds of sound uttering the fulfilled practice of all bodhisattvas pervading every land, clouds of sound uttering the sovereign functioning accomplished by all bodhisattvas, clouds of sound uttering the sovereign functioning of all the tathāgatas going to the place of awakening, breaking the hosts of Māra, and accomplishing right and equal awakening, clouds of sound uttering the ocean of the names of the gates of the sūtras in which all the tathāgatas turn the Dharma wheel, clouds of sound uttering the ocean of the skillful means of the dharmas that in every case accord in teaching and taming beings, and clouds of sound uttering the ocean of the skillful means that, according to the time, according to the roots of goodness, and according to the power of vows, universally cause beings to realize and attain wisdom. Having come to the Buddha’s place, he bowed his head to the Buddha’s feet, and then in the nadir conjured up a pavilion adorned with many jewels manifesting the forms of the palaces of all the tathāgatas together with a lion seat of the lotus treasury of every jewel, wore a crown of maṇi jewels manifesting universally the reflections of the place of awakening, and together with his retinue sat down cross-legged.

The Gathering of the New Assembly (Chengguan’s outline): The Zenith — The Bodhisattva Vow of the Distinctions of the Dharma Realm

Beyond world-oceans as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands in the zenith, there was a world named Uttering the Lineage of the Buddhas without End, and the buddha there was styled Universal Wisdom-Wheel Radiance Sound. Among that buddha’s assembly there was a bodhisattva named Vow of the Distinctions of the Dharma Realm, who together with bodhisattvas as many as the dust-motes of world-oceans set out from that place of awakening and came to the place of Śākyamuni Buddha in this Sahā world — and within all his marks and signs, all his pores, all the parts of his body, all his limbs and joints, all his ornaments, and all his garments, he manifested Vairocana and all the other buddhas of the past, all the buddhas of the future, both those who have already received the prediction and those who have not yet received it, and manifested all the lands, all the buddhas, and their assemblies in the ten directions of the present; and he manifested too the oceans of past deeds of those buddhas’ cultivating in the past the dāna-pāramitā (giving that goes to the further shore) together with all who received that giving, and manifested the oceans of past deeds of those buddhas’ cultivating in the past the śīla-pāramitā (moral discipline that goes to the further shore), and manifested the oceans of past deeds of those buddhas’ cultivating in the past the kṣānti-pāramitā (patient endurance that goes to the further shore), their limbs cut apart and their minds unstirred, and manifested the oceans of past deeds of those buddhas’ cultivating in the past the vīrya-pāramitā, valorous and never retreating, and manifested the oceans of past deeds of those buddhas’ seeking in the past the ocean of the dhyāna-pāramitā of all the tathāgatas and gaining its accomplishment, and manifested the oceans of past deeds of theirs in the past, for the sake of seeking the dharmas accomplished in the Dharma wheel turned by all the buddhas, raising a valorous mind and giving up everything whatsoever, and manifested the oceans of past deeds of theirs in the past delighting to see all the buddhas, delighting to practise all the bodhisattva paths, and delighting to transform and deliver the whole realm of beings, and manifested the oceans of past deeds of the purity and adornment of all the great bodhisattva vows those buddhas raised in the past, and manifested the oceans of past deeds of the valour and purity of the bala-pāramitā accomplished by bodhisattvas in the past, and manifested the oceans of past deeds of the fulfilled jñāna-pāramitā cultivated by all bodhisattvas in the past — and all such oceans of past deeds as these filled the vast Dharma realm entirely. Having come to the Buddha’s place, he bowed his head to the Buddha’s feet, and then in the zenith conjured up a pavilion adorned with every adamantine treasury together with a lion seat of the lotus treasury of the sapphire adamantine king, drew a net of maṇi kings of every jewelled radiance over his body, took as the bright pearl upon his topknot a maṇi jewel-king that utters the names of the tathāgatas of the three times, and together with his retinue sat down cross-legged.

The Gathering of the New Assembly (Chengguan’s outline): The Bodhisattvas Who Came from the Ten Directions — What Kind of Persons They Are

All such bodhisattvas of the ten directions as these, together with their retinues, were born out of the practices and vows of the bodhisattva Samantabhadra —

with pure wisdom-eyes they see the buddhas of the three times, and universally hear the Dharma wheels and the ocean of sūtras (the scriptures that thread the teaching) turned by all the buddhas, the tathāgatas; they have already reached the further shore of all the bodhisattvas’ self-mastery;

in thought after thought they manifest great spiritual transformations and draw near to all the buddhas, the tathāgatas; a single body of theirs fills all worlds and all the assemblies at the places of awakening of the tathāgatas; within a single dust-mote they manifest universally the states of all the worlds; they teach and ripen all beings, never missing the time; from within a single pore they bring forth the sounds in which all the tathāgatas expound the Dharma;

they know that all beings are entirely as an illusion, know that all the buddhas are entirely as a reflection, know that the births taken in all the destinies are entirely as a dream, know that all karmic recompense is like an image in a mirror, know that the arising of all existence is like a shimmering mirage in the heat, know that all worlds are as a conjuring;

they have accomplished the ten powers and the fearlessnesses of a tathāgata, valorous and sovereign, able to give the lion’s roar; they have entered deeply into the ocean of inexhaustible eloquence, and gained the wisdom of the dharmas of the ocean of the speech of all beings;

in empty space and the Dharma realm what they practise is unobstructed, and they know that all dharmas are without obstruction; all the states of the bodhisattvas’ spiritual penetrations are already entirely pure; valorous and vigorous, they crush the armies of Māra;

constantly with wisdom they penetrate the three times; they know that all dharmas are like empty space, without going against, without disputing, and without grasping and attachment; though they add diligence and vigour, they know that all-knowing wisdom in the end comes from nowhere; though they contemplate states, they know that all existence is entirely unobtainable;

with the wisdom of skillful means they enter the whole Dharma realm; with the wisdom of evenness they enter all lands; by the power of self-mastery they cause all worlds to enter one another in turn; in all worlds they take birth everywhere and see the forms of every kind of all the worlds; upon a fine and subtle object they manifest vast lands, and upon a vast object they manifest fine and subtle lands; at the place of a single buddha and within a single thought they gain the majestic spiritual blessing of all the buddhas, and see the ten directions universally without any confusion, and within an instant they are able to go to them all.

All such bodhisattvas as these filled the whole Jeta Grove — and this was by the majestic spiritual power of the Tathāgata.

The Showing of Loss and Gain (Chengguan’s outline): Ten Great Śrāvakas Were in the Grove and Yet Saw Nothing

At this time the foremost among the great śrāvakas — Śāriputra, Mahāmaudgalyāyana, Mahākāśyapa, Revata, Subhūti, Aniruddha, Nanda, Kapphiṇa, Kātyāyana, Pūrṇa, and the rest of the great śrāvakas — were persons within the Jeta Grove itself, and yet none of them saw the spiritual power of the Tathāgata, the fine adornment of the Tathāgata, the state of the Tathāgata, the sporting of the Tathāgata, the spiritual transformations of the Tathāgata, the honour and eminence of the Tathāgata, the wondrous practice of the Tathāgata, the majestic virtue of the Tathāgata, the upholding of the Tathāgata, or the pure land of the Tathāgata.

The Showing of Loss and Gain (Chengguan’s outline): Nor Did They See the Thirty Clauses concerning the Bodhisattvas

Neither in the same way did they see the inconceivable states of the bodhisattvas, the great assembly of the bodhisattvas, the universal entering of the bodhisattvas, the universal arriving of the bodhisattvas, the universal going-forth of the bodhisattvas, the spiritual transformations of the bodhisattvas, the sporting of the bodhisattvas, the retinues of the bodhisattvas, the quarters of the bodhisattvas, the adorned lion seats of the bodhisattvas, the palaces of the bodhisattvas, the dwelling places of the bodhisattvas, the sovereign samādhis the bodhisattvas had entered, the contemplating of the bodhisattvas, the stretching of the bodhisattvas, the valour of the bodhisattvas, the offerings of the bodhisattvas, the predictions received by the bodhisattvas, the ripening of the bodhisattvas, the bold strength of the bodhisattvas, the purity of the bodhisattvas’ dharma-body, the fullness of the bodhisattvas’ wisdom-body, the displaying of the bodhisattvas’ vow-body, the accomplishment of the bodhisattvas’ form-body, the entire purity of all the bodhisattvas’ marks, the adornment of the many colours of the bodhisattvas’ constant light, the bodhisattvas’ releasing of great nets of radiance, the bodhisattvas’ raising of clouds of transformation, the bodhisattvas’ bodies pervading the ten directions, or the fullness of all the bodhisattvas’ practices.

All such things as these none of the śrāvakas, the great disciples, saw at all.

The Showing of Loss and Gain (Chengguan’s outline): For What Reason — Eighteen Clauses of “Because They Formerly …”

Why should it be so?

Because their roots of goodness were not the same; because they had formerly not cultivated the roots of goodness for seeing the Buddha’s self-mastery; because they had formerly not praised and told of the pure merit of all the buddha-lands of the worlds of the ten directions; because they had formerly not extolled the various spiritual transformations of the buddhas, the world-honored ones; because they had formerly not, in the midst of turning in birth and death, raised the mind of unsurpassed perfect awakening (anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi, the mind of unsurpassed right and equal awakening); because they had formerly not caused others to abide in the mind of awakening; because they had formerly not been able to keep the lineage of the Tathāgata from being cut off; because they had formerly not gathered in beings; because they had formerly not exhorted others to cultivate the bodhisattva perfections; because they had formerly, while turning in birth and death, not exhorted beings to seek after the most surpassing great wisdom-eye; because they had formerly not cultivated the roots of goodness that can give birth to all-knowing wisdom; because they had formerly not accomplished the roots of goodness for a tathāgata’s coming forth in the world; because they had formerly not gained the wisdom of the spiritual penetration that adorns and purifies buddha-lands; because they had formerly not gained the states known to the eyes of the bodhisattvas; because they had formerly not sought the roots of goodness of the awakening that surpasses the world and is not shared in common; because they had formerly not raised all the great vows of the bodhisattvas; because they had formerly not been born from the Tathāgata’s blessing; because they had formerly not known that dharmas are as an illusion and bodhisattvas as a dream; because they had formerly not gained the vast joy of the great bodhisattvas.

All such things as these are the states of the wisdom-eye of the bodhisattva Samantabhadra, and are not shared in common with any of the two vehicles (śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas).

For this cause and condition the great śrāvakas were unable to see, unable to know, unable to hear, unable to enter, unable to gain, unable to hold in mind, unable to contemplate, unable to reckon, unable to ponder, and unable to discriminate — and so, though they were persons within the Jeta Grove, they did not see the great spiritual transformations of the Tathāgata.

The Showing of Loss and Gain (Chengguan’s outline): Furthermore — Ten Clauses of “Not Having Such” and Ten Clauses of “Unable”

Furthermore, because the great śrāvakas did not have such roots of goodness, did not have such a wisdom-eye, did not have such samādhis, did not have such liberations, did not have such spiritual penetrations, did not have such majestic virtue, did not have such might, did not have such self-mastery, did not have such a dwelling place, and did not have such states — therefore concerning these they were unable to know, unable to see, unable to enter, unable to realize, unable to abide, unable to understand, unable to contemplate, unable to bear, unable to head toward, and unable to travel;

and they were likewise unable to open out and explain them at length for others, to extol and display them, to lead and exhort others onward, to make others head toward them, to make others cultivate them, to make others abide in them, or to make others realize and enter them.

The Showing of Loss and Gain (Chengguan’s outline): For What Reason — They Abide within the Śrāvaka Vehicle

Why should it be so? Because those great disciples had come out by relying upon the śrāvaka vehicle — they had accomplished the śrāvakas’ path, fulfilled the śrāvakas’ practice, and abided upon the śrāvakas’ fruit; concerning the truth of there being nothing there they had gained a decisive wisdom; they abided constantly within the real limit, ultimately tranquil, far apart from great compassion, having cast beings aside and abiding only upon their own affair;

and concerning wisdom of that other kind they were unable to accumulate it, unable to cultivate it, unable to abide in it, unable to vow for it, unable to accomplish it, unable to purify it, unable to proceed into it, unable to penetrate it, unable to know and see it, and unable to realize and gain it.

Therefore, though they were persons within the Jeta Grove facing the Tathāgata, they did not see spiritual transformations so vast as these.

The Showing of Loss and Gain (Chengguan’s outline): Simile One — The Hungry Ghosts on the Bank of the Ganges

Sons of the Buddha! It is like the hundreds of thousands of koṭis of measureless hungry ghosts on the bank of the Ganges, naked of body, hungry and thirsty, their whole bodies scorched as though burnt by fire, with crows, vultures, and jackals vying to come and seize upon them; pressed by thirst, they wish to seek water to drink, and though they dwell right at the river’s edge they do not see the river; and even if there are some who do see it, what they see is a river dried up. Why should it be so? Because the deep and heavy obstruction of their deeds covers them over.

Those great śrāvakas are just so: though they dwell right within the Jeta Grove, they do not see the vast spiritual power of the Tathāgata — because, having cast aside all-knowing wisdom, the cataract of ignorance covers their eyes; because they had not formerly planted the roots of goodness of the ground of sarvajñā (all-knowing wisdom).

The Showing of Loss and Gain (Chengguan’s outline): Simile Two — A Man Dreaming in a Great Assembly

It is as when a man in the midst of a great assembly falls into a heavy sleep, and of a sudden dreams that he sees, on the summit of Mount Sumeru, the great city Sudarśana where Śakra dwells: its palaces and parks fine in every kind of way, its gods and goddesses hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis, heavenly flowers universally scattered filling the ground, robe-trees of every kind bringing forth fine and wondrous robes, flower-trees of every kind opening out fine and wondrous flowers, trees of music sounding heavenly music, heavenly serving-women singing wondrous voices, and measureless gods sporting and making merry within it; and that man sees that he himself too is wearing heavenly robes, and dwells and moves about in that very place. And of all the men within that great assembly, though they are together in one place, not one knows it or sees it. Why should it be so? Because what is seen within a dream is not what those in the assembly are able to see.

All the bodhisattvas and the kings of the world are just so: because for long they had accumulated the power of the roots of goodness; because they had raised the vast vow for all-knowing wisdom; because they had studied the merit of all the buddhas; because they had cultivated the adorning path of a bodhisattva; because they had fulfilled the dharmas of the wisdom of all-knowing wisdom; because they had fulfilled all the practices and vows of Samantabhadra; because they had proceeded into the wisdom-grounds of all the bodhisattvas; because they sported in all the samādhis in which the bodhisattvas abide; because they were already able to contemplate the states of the bodhisattvas’ wisdom without any obstruction — therefore all of them saw the inconceivable sovereign spiritual transformations of the Tathāgata, the World-Honored One. And none of the śrāvakas, the great disciples, was able to see them, and none was able to know them, because they did not have the pure eye of a bodhisattva.

The Showing of Loss and Gain (Chengguan’s outline): Simile Three — The Medicinal Herbs on the Snow Mountain

It is as when the Snow Mountain is furnished with a multitude of medicinal herbs, and a good physician coming there is able to distinguish them all; while those who hunt and those who herd, though they dwell constantly upon that mountain, do not see those medicines.

Here too it is just so: because the bodhisattvas have entered the state of wisdom and are furnished with the power of self-mastery, they are able to see the vast spiritual transformations of the Tathāgata; while the great disciples seek only their own benefit and do not wish to benefit others, seek only their own peace and do not wish to give peace to others, and so, though they are right within the grove, they neither know nor see.

The Showing of Loss and Gain (Chengguan’s outline): Simile Four — The Treasure Hoards within the Earth

It is as when within the earth there are hoards of treasure, filled entirely with rare and marvellous jewels of every kind, and there is a man, clever and penetrating, well able to distinguish every buried hoard; and this man has besides the power of great merit, and is able according to his wish to take and use them sovereignly, to support his father and mother, to relieve his kinsfolk, so that of the aged, the sick, and the poor and destitute there is not one he does not succour; while those who have no wisdom and no merit, though they too walk to the place where the treasure hoard lies, neither know it nor see it, and gain no benefit from it.

Here too it is just so: the great bodhisattvas have the pure wisdom-eye, and are able to enter the inconceivable and deeply profound states of the Tathāgata, able to see the spiritual power of the Buddha, able to enter the gates of dharmas, able to roam the ocean of samādhis, able to make offerings to the buddhas, able by the right Dharma to open and awaken beings, able by the four means of gathering (giving, kind speech, beneficial conduct, and working alongside them) to gather beings in; while the great śrāvakas are unable to see the spiritual power of the Tathāgata, and unable to see the assembly of bodhisattvas either.

The Showing of Loss and Gain (Chengguan’s outline): Simile Five — A Blind Man Arriving at an Island of Jewels

It is as when a blind man arrives at a great island of jewels, and whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, is unable to see any of the many jewels; and because he does not see them, he cannot gather them, and does not gain the use of them.

Here too it is just so: the great disciples, though within the grove and drawing near to the World-Honored One, do not see the sovereign spiritual power of the Tathāgata, and do not see the great assembly of bodhisattvas either. Why should it be so? Because they do not have the unobstructed pure eye of a bodhisattva, and are unable to awaken to and enter the Dharma realm in due order and so to see the sovereign power of the Tathāgata.

The Showing of Loss and Gain (Chengguan’s outline): Simile Six — A Man Who Has Gained the Pure Eye of Stainless Radiance

It is as when a man gains a pure eye named Stainless Radiance, and no colour of any darkness can be an obstruction to it. At that time that man is in the darkness of night, in the midst of measureless hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of people, and whether those people are walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, there is not one of their forms and bearings that this clear-eyed man does not see clear and plain; while as for this clear-eyed man’s own bearing, his advancing and withdrawing, that multitude of people are none of them able to see it.

The Buddha is just so: he has accomplished the wisdom-eye, pure and unobstructed, and is able to see clearly the whole of every world; and the spiritual penetrations and transformations that he displays have a great assembly of bodhisattvas circling round about them together, while the great disciples are none of them able to see.

The Showing of Loss and Gain (Chengguan’s outline): Simile Seven — A Monk Who Has Entered the Concentration of Universal Bases

It is as when a monk in the midst of a great assembly enters the concentration of the universal bases (the concentration that contemplates one base universally throughout, without any gap), that is to say: the concentration of the universal base of earth, the concentration of the universal base of water, the concentration of the universal base of fire, the concentration of the universal base of wind, the concentration of the universal base of blue, the concentration of the universal base of yellow, the concentration of the universal base of red, the concentration of the universal base of white, the concentration of the universal base of the gods, the concentration of the universal base of the bodies of beings of every kind, the concentration of the universal base of all speech and sound, and the concentration of the universal base of all objects taken as condition; the one who has entered this concentration sees the objects he takes as his condition, while the rest of the great assembly are none of them able to see them, only excepting those who abide in this same samādhi.

The inconceivable states of the buddhas that the Tathāgata manifests are just so: the bodhisattvas are all able to see them, while the śrāvakas do not see them.

The Showing of Loss and Gain (Chengguan’s outline): Simile Eight — A Man Who Has Smeared Himself with the Medicine That Screens the Form

It is as when a man takes the medicine that screens the form (a medicine able to make the body’s shape vanish away) and smears it upon his own eyes, and coming and going, sitting and standing in the midst of an assembly, no one is able to see him, while he for his part is able to see fully the affairs within that assembly.

It should be known that the Tathāgata is just so: he has passed beyond the world and universally sees the world, and yet is not what any of the śrāvakas is able to see, only excepting the great bodhisattvas who head toward the state of all-knowing wisdom.

The Showing of Loss and Gain (Chengguan’s outline): Simile Nine — The God Born Together and the God of the Same Name

It is as when a man has just been born, and there are at once two gods who constantly accompany and follow him, one called Born Together, the other called of the Same Name; the gods constantly see the man, while the man does not see the gods.

It should be known that the Tathāgata is just so: in the great gathering of the bodhisattvas he manifests great spiritual penetrations, while the great śrāvakas are none of them able to see them.

The Showing of Loss and Gain (Chengguan’s outline): Simile Ten — A Monk Who Has Entered the Samādhi of Cessation

It is as when a monk gains mastery of mind and enters the samādhi of cessation, and the working of the six faculties is entirely stopped, and of all speech he neither knows nor perceives anything; and because the power of the concentration sustains him, he does not on that account pass into parinirvāṇa.

All the śrāvakas are just so: though they dwell right within the Jeta Grove, with the six faculties entire, they do not know, do not see, do not understand, and do not enter the self-mastery of the Tathāgata and the various doings of the assembly of bodhisattvas.

The Showing of Loss and Gain (Chengguan’s outline): The Concluding Praise — It Is Not What Their Capacity Can Bear

Why should it be so? Because the states of the Tathāgata are deeply profound and vast, hard to see and hard to know, hard to fathom and hard to measure, surpassing all the worlds, inconceivable, and there is none able to destroy them; they are not the states of any of the two vehicles.

Therefore the sovereign spiritual power of the Tathāgata, the assembly of bodhisattvas, and the Jeta Grove pervading all the pure worlds — of all such things as these the great śrāvakas neither knew nor saw anything, because it is not what their capacity can bear.

The East (Chengguan's outline) — Ten Verses of the Bodhisattva Vairocana Vow-Light: What Appears in This Grove Is the Way of the Buddha, Beyond Thinking

At that time the bodhisattva Vairocana Vow-Light, sustained by the majestic spiritual power of the Buddha, contemplated the ten directions and spoke these verses:

“You should all contemplate well: the way of the Buddha is beyond thinking — right here within this Jeta Grove he has displayed the power of the spiritual penetrations.

“The majestic spiritual power of the Well-Gone One (one of the epithets of the Buddha, meaning gone well, gone and not returning) — what it displays is without number (the ‘yang’ of ‘wu yang shu’ means an end, so ‘without end’; ‘wu yang shu’ is a set phrase of the ancient translations, and means numberless); all the worlds are bewildered by it and cannot make it out.

“The deep and subtle dharmas that belong to the Dharma king (the Buddha) are measureless and hard to think of; the various spiritual penetrations that he displays, no one in the whole world can fathom.

“Because he has penetrated that all dharmas are of themselves without form, therefore he is called a buddha; and because he is furnished besides with every kind of mark and adornment, however one extols him it cannot be extolled to the end.

“Today, inside this grove, he has displayed spiritual power as great as this, deep to where there is no limit, and no words at all can argue it out.

“Look upon those bodhisattva hosts, of great majestic virtue and measureless — they have come from every kind of land in the ten directions, come to see this World-Honored One.

“The vows they have made are all of them furnished complete, the practices they cultivate are without obstruction; in all the worlds there is not one who can take their measure.

“All the pratyekabuddhas (sages who awaken alone and not by another's teaching), and those great śrāvakas (disciples who heard the Buddha's voice and awakened to the way), are none of them able to know the realm in which the bodhisattvas walk.

“The great wisdom of the bodhisattvas has reached the end of every one of the grounds; high have they raised the banner of valor, hard to break down and hard to shake.

“These men of great renown have the power of measureless samādhi (the mind concentrated upon one object and not scattered); the various spiritual changes that they display have filled the whole Dharma realm.”

The South (Chengguan's outline) — Ten Verses of the Bodhisattva Indestructible Exertion King: No Coming and No Abiding, and Yet They Can Gather Together at One Time

At that time the bodhisattva Indestructible Exertion King, sustained by the majestic spiritual power of the Buddha, contemplated the ten directions and spoke these verses:

“Look upon these sons of the Buddha — they are the treasury of wisdom and of merit, they have cultivated the practice of awakening to its end, and cause the worlds to gain peace and ease.

“Their minds are of themselves clear and penetrating, and they enter well into every kind of samādhi; their wisdom is without limit, and their realm cannot be fathomed.

“Today this Jeta Grove has been adorned and dressed in every kind of way; the great host of bodhisattvas has gathered like clouds, and abides drawn near to the Tathāgata.

“Look upon that ocean of a great host, measureless and clinging to nothing at all — they have come here from the ten directions and sit upon seats of jeweled lotus flowers.

“There is not one place they come from, nor one place where they abide; they lean upon nothing, and make no idle argument (talk and dispute that has no real meaning); parted from dust and stain, their minds are unobstructed, and in the Dharma realm they have reached the end.

“They have set up the banner of wisdom, firm and unshaken; knowing plainly that there is no dharma of transformation to be got, they yet bring forth every kind of matter of transformation.

“To the measureless lands of the ten directions, to the places of all the buddhas, they go at one and the same time and all of them, and yet neither do they divide their bodies.

“Look upon the sovereign power of the spiritual penetrations of the Śākya lion (the Tathāgata Śākyamuni; a buddha is as a lion among men) — he can cause the great host of bodhisattvas to come and gather together, all of them at one time.

“All the dharmas of all the buddhas are in the Dharma realm all of them even; it is only for the sake of speech that they seem to differ, and this whole host has penetrated it.

“The buddhas abide constantly upon the limit of the evenness of the Dharma realm, and set forth every kind of differentiated dharma, and their words have no end.”

The West (Chengguan's outline) — Ten Verses of the Bodhisattva Universally Victorious Unsurpassed Majestic Virtue King: First Three Verses Speaking by the Dharma, Then Seven Made Manifest by Simile (also Chengguan's outline)

At that time the bodhisattva Universally Victorious Unsurpassed Majestic Virtue King, sustained by the majestic spiritual power of the Buddha, contemplated the ten directions and spoke these verses:

“Look upon this Unsurpassed One (an epithet of the Buddha: among all beings the highest, with none to surpass him): his vast wisdom is round and complete, he penetrates well the time and the not-time for the speaking of the Dharma, and for the great host he sets forth the essentials of the Dharma;

“he crushes down all the outsiders' ways, all the divergent arguments, and universally, in accord with the minds of beings, displays for them the power of the spiritual penetrations.

“The Rightly Awakened One (the Buddha) is not one that has measure, nor yet is he one that is measureless; whether one speaks of measure or of the measureless, the Muni (the silent one; an epithet of the Buddha) has passed clean beyond them both.

“Like the sun within empty space, which shines down upon every place; the wisdom of the Buddha is just so, penetrating the dharmas of the three times.

“It is as with the disc of the moon on the fifteenth night, which has not a fraction lacking; the Tathāgata is just so, his white and pure dharmas all of them complete.

“It is as with the sun in the sky, which runs on and does not stop for a moment; the Tathāgata is just so, his spiritual changes constantly continuing on.

“It is as with the lands of the ten directions, which within empty space have nothing to hinder them; the lamp of the world (the Buddha) displays his transformations, and it is so likewise in the world.

“It is as with the great earth of the world, which is that upon which the flocks of the living depend; and the wheel of the Dharma that the lamp lighting the world turns, in being that upon which they depend, is just so.

“It is as with a fierce and swift wind, which where it goes has no obstruction; the Dharma of the Buddha is just so, spreading swiftly throughout the world.

“It is as with the great wheel of water, which is that upon which the worlds depend and abide; the wheel of wisdom is likewise so, that upon which the buddhas of the three times depend.”

The North (Chengguan's outline) — Ten Verses of the Bodhisattva Unobstructed Victorious Treasury King: Nine Jewel Similes One After Another

At that time the bodhisattva Unobstructed Victorious Treasury King, sustained by the majestic spiritual power of the Buddha, contemplated the ten directions and spoke these verses:

“It is as with a great jewel mountain, which enriches all that bear consciousness (beings that have feeling and consciousness); this mountain that is the Buddha is just so, universally benefiting the world.

“It is as with the water of the great ocean, clear and pure and without stain or turbidity; seeing the Buddha is just so, and is able to take away every kind of thirsting craving.

“It is as with Mount Sumeru, which wells up out of the midst of the great ocean; the lamp of the world is likewise so, and has come forth out of the ocean of the Dharma.

“As the great ocean is furnished with a multitude of jewels, and those who come seeking are all satisfied; the wisdom that has no teacher (the wisdom of a buddha, awakened to not by another) is just so, and those who see it are all awakened.

“The deep wisdom of the Tathāgata is measureless and without number; and therefore the power of his spiritual penetrations, when he displays it, is hard to think of.

“It is as with a skilled illusionist, who displays every kind of matter; the wisdom of the Buddha is just so, bringing forth every kind of sovereign power.

“It is as with a wish-fulfilling gem, which can satisfy every wish; the Most Victorious Honored One is likewise so, and can satisfy every pure vow.

“It is as with a bright and clear gem, which reflects universally all things; the wisdom of the Buddha is just so, reflecting universally the minds of the flocks of the living.

“It is as with an eight-faced jewel, which mirrors the several quarters evenly; the unobstructed lamp is likewise so, universally shining upon the whole Dharma realm.

“It is as with a water-clearing pearl, which can clear every kind of turbid water; seeing the Buddha is just so, and all the faculties become pure.”

The Northeast (Chengguan's outline) — Ten Verses of the Bodhisattva Manifesting-the-Dharma-Realm Vow Moon King: Of Those Who See the Buddha There Is None Who Does Not Gain Benefit

At that time the bodhisattva Manifesting-the-Dharma-Realm Vow Moon King, sustained by the majestic spiritual power of the Buddha, contemplated the ten directions and spoke these verses:

“It is as with the emperor-blue jewel, which can dye every color blue; those who see the Buddha are so likewise, and all of them give rise to the practice of awakening.

“Within each and every mote of dust the Buddha displays the power of the spiritual penetrations, causing measureless and boundless bodhisattvas all to become pure.

“This deep and subtle power is boundless and cannot be known; this is the realm of the bodhisattvas, and in the world there is not one who can fathom it.

“The bodies that the Tathāgata displays are adorned with pure marks, and enter universally into the Dharma realm, bringing all bodhisattvas to accomplishment.

“Those buddha-lands that are hard to think of — within them he accomplishes right awakening; and all the bodhisattvas and the lords of the world fill them full.

“Śākya, this unsurpassed Honored One, is sovereign over all dharmas; he displays the power of the spiritual penetrations, boundless and not to be fathomed.

“The various practices of the bodhisattvas are measureless and have no end; and the sovereign power of the Tathāgata displays them for them all.

“The sons of the Buddha cultivate well and learn those deep and various Dharma realms, accomplish unobstructed wisdom, and understand all dharmas.

“By the majestic spiritual power of the Well-Gone One, for the great host the wheel of the Dharma is turned; his spiritual changes universally fill all, and cause the worlds all to be pure.

“The wisdom of the Tathāgata is round and complete, and his realm too is pure; it is as with a great dragon king (one that can raise clouds and send down rain), universally saving all the flocks of the living.”

The Southeast (Chengguan's outline) — Ten Verses of the Bodhisattva Dharma Wisdom Flame-of-Light King: Not Even the Raising and the Setting Down of a Foot Can Anyone Know

At that time the bodhisattva Dharma Wisdom Flame-of-Light King, sustained by the majestic spiritual power of the Buddha, contemplated the ten directions and spoke these verses:

“The great śrāvaka disciples at the feet of the tathāgatas of the three times are none of them able to know this one matter, the Buddha's raising of a foot and setting down of a foot.

“All the pratyekabuddhas of the three times — past, future, and present — likewise do not know the Tathāgata's raising of a foot and setting down of a foot.

“How much less those ordinary persons, bound and tangled by the fetters (another name for the afflictions, which can bind beings fast), their consciousness covered over by ignorance — how could they ever know the Guide!

“The unobstructed wisdom of the Rightly Awakened One has passed beyond the road of words; its measure cannot be fathomed, and who is there able to know it, able to see it!

“It is as with the light of the bright moon, of which no one can fathom the limit; the spiritual penetrations of the Buddha are likewise so, and one does not see the place where they come to an end.

“Each and every one of his skillful means, the transformations he works from thought to thought — though one used up measureless kalpas in pondering them, one would not make them out.

“Pondering all-knowing wisdom, this dharma beyond thinking — of each and every gate of skillful means one can find no limit.

“Suppose that there were a person who toward a dharma such as this raised up a vast vow; then for him, as to this realm, to know it and to see it would not be hard.

“Valiantly and diligently he cultivates that great ocean of the Dharma that is hard to think of; his mind is without obstruction, and he can enter this gate of skillful means.

“His mind and thought are tamed already, and his aspiration too is broad; he will assuredly obtain the great awakening, that most surpassing realm.”

The Southwest (Chengguan's outline) — Ten Verses of the Bodhisattva Wisdom Banner King Who Destroys All the Armies of Māra: The Body of Wisdom Is Not a Body

At that time the bodhisattva Wisdom Banner King Who Destroys All the Armies of Māra, sustained by the majestic spiritual power of the Buddha, contemplated the ten directions and spoke these verses:

“The body of wisdom is not a body in the ordinary way of speaking; it has nothing to obstruct it and is hard to think of; and even if someone should think of it, all persons alike fall short.

“Out of karma that is beyond thinking there arises this pure body, singular and wondrously adorned, not attached to the three realms.

“Its light shines upon all, and the Dharma realm is wholly pure; he opens the gate of the awakening of a buddha, and brings forth every kind of wisdom.

“It is as with the sun of the world, which universally sends forth the light of wisdom, parting from every kind of dust and stain and extinguishing every obstruction,

“universally purifying the places of the three kinds of existence (existence in the realm of desire · in the realm of form · in the formless realm, that is, the three realms), forever cutting off the flood of birth-and-death, accomplishing the way of a bodhisattva, and bringing forth the unsurpassed awakening.

“He displays boundless forms, and these forms have no place they depend on; and though what he displays is measureless, all of it is beyond thinking.

“In a single thought of awakening he can be aware of all dharmas; and how then would one go on to take the measure of the limit of a tathāgata's wisdom?

“In a single thought he understands them all clear through, all the dharmas of the three times; and therefore it is said that the wisdom of a buddha has no end and cannot be broken.

“One who has wisdom should be thus, and single-mindedly ponder the awakening of a buddha; and this pondering itself is hard to think of — pondered after, it is not to be got.

“Awakening cannot be spoken of, it has passed beyond the road of words; the buddhas are born out of it, and this dharma is hard to think of.”

The Northwest (Chengguan's outline) — Ten Verses of the Bodhisattva Vow Wisdom Light Banner King: From Contemplating Well All the Way to Delivering Beings

At that time the bodhisattva Vow Wisdom Light Banner King, sustained by the majestic spiritual power of the Buddha, contemplated the ten directions and spoke these verses:

“If one can contemplate well this inexhaustible ocean of awakening, then one can leave behind the thoughts of folly and settledly uphold the right Dharma.

“Gaining a settled mind, one can then cultivate wondrous practice; and in the stillness of meditative concentration one takes thought for oneself, and forever cuts off every kind of doubt.

“His mind does not weary, nor is there any slackness; turning ever forward he cultivates, and in the dharmas of the buddhas he reaches the end.

“Faith and wisdom being accomplished, from thought to thought he causes them to increase; he is constantly glad to contemplate constantly that dharma in which nothing is got and nothing is leaned upon.

“The practices of merit cultivated through measureless koṭis and thousands of kalpas, all of them he dedicates and directs to the way that the buddhas seek.

“Though he is yet within birth-and-death, his mind is not stained by it; he abides in the dharmas of the buddhas, and is constantly glad in the practice of a tathāgata.

“All that the world has of the aggregates, the elements, and the rest of the dharmas, all of them he casts away and leaves behind, and single-mindedly seeks after the merit of a buddha.

“Ordinary persons are wrapped about by falsity and delusion, and in the world they constantly turn round and round; the mind of a bodhisattva is without obstruction, and he rescues them and causes them to be freed.

“The practice of a bodhisattva is hard to reckon, and in all the world there is no one who can think it out; he takes away all suffering everywhere, and universally gives peace and joy to the flocks of the living.

“Having obtained the wisdom of awakening already, he pities besides all the flocks of the living; his light shines upon the world, and he delivers all beings.”

The Nether Direction (Chengguan's outline) — Ten Verses of the Bodhisattva Valiant Wisdom King Who Destroys All Obstructions: The Buddha's Name Is Hard to Hear, How Much More to Draw Near Him

At that time the bodhisattva Valiant Wisdom King Who Destroys All Obstructions, sustained by the majestic spiritual power of the Buddha, contemplated the ten directions and spoke these verses:

“Through measureless koṭis and thousands of kalpas even the name of a buddha is hard to hear; how much more to be able to draw near to him and forever cut off every kind of doubt!

“The Tathāgata is the lamp of the world, and penetrates all dharmas; he universally brings forth the merit of the three times, and causes the great host all to be pure.

“The wondrous form-body of the Tathāgata is what all men look up to and praise; through a koṭi of kalpas they constantly gaze up at it, and their minds are not satisfied.

“If there are any sons of the Buddha who contemplate the wondrous form-body of the Buddha, they will assuredly cast away their attachment to the kinds of existence and dedicate and direct themselves to the way of awakening.

“The wondrous form-body of the Tathāgata constantly sends forth a vast sound; his eloquence is without obstruction, and he opens the gate of the awakening of a buddha;

“he awakens measureless beings that are beyond thinking, causes them to enter the gate of wisdom, and gives to them the prediction of awakening.

“The Tathāgata appears in the world and acts as the great field of merit for the world; he universally leads all that bear consciousness and causes them to heap up practices of merit.

“If there is one who makes offerings to a buddha, he forever takes away the dread of the evil destinies, extinguishes all suffering, and accomplishes the body of wisdom.

“If one sees the Honored One of Two Legs (the honored one among those that have two legs, an epithet of the Buddha), one can raise up a vast mind; and this person will then constantly meet with buddhas and increase the power of his wisdom.

“If one sees the most victorious among men and settles his intent upon heading toward awakening, this person can then know of himself that he will assuredly accomplish right awakening.”

The Upper Direction (Chengguan's outline) — Eleven Verses of the Bodhisattva Dharma-Realm Differentiation Vow Wisdom Spiritual Penetration King: Rather Suffer in the Evil Destinies Than Ever Forsake the Tathāgata

At that time the bodhisattva Dharma-Realm Differentiation Vow Wisdom Spiritual Penetration King, sustained by the majestic spiritual power of the Buddha, contemplated the ten directions and spoke these verses:

“Śākya, this unsurpassed Honored One, is furnished with all merit; those who see him gain purity of mind and dedicate and direct themselves to great wisdom.

“The great kindness and great compassion of the Tathāgata appear in the world, and universally for all the flocks of the living he turns the unsurpassed wheel of the Dharma.

“The Tathāgata through numberless kalpas has toiled and suffered for the sake of beings; how are the people of the world ever to requite the kindness of the great teacher?

“Rather, through measureless kalpas, would one undergo every kind of suffering in the evil destinies, than ever be willing to forsake the Tathāgata and seek only one's own going forth.

“Rather would one in the place of all beings undergo every kind of suffering in full, than ever be willing to forsake the Buddha and seek only one's own peace and ease.

“Rather would one, within the evil destinies, constantly get to hear the name of a buddha, than wish to be born into the good destinies and there for a time not hear of a buddha.

“Rather would one be born within the hells, and in each of them pass numberless kalpas, than ever be willing to go far from the Buddha and seek only to go forth from the evil destinies.

“And why is one willing to dwell long within all the evil destinies? Because it is there that one gets to see the Tathāgata and to increase in wisdom.

“If one can see the Buddha, then all suffering is extinguished; and one can enter the realm of the great wisdom of the tathāgatas.

“If one can see the Buddha, then one casts off and leaves behind every obstruction; one nourishes inexhaustible merit and accomplishes the way of awakening.

“The Tathāgata is able forever to cut off the doubts of all beings, and in accord with what their minds delight in, universally to satisfy them all.”

Samantabhadra's Opening (1): By Eleven Kinds of Skillful Means That Are Equal to the Dharma Realm, This Samādhi Is Opened Out

At that time the bodhisattva-mahāsattva Samantabhadra universally contemplated all the assemblies of bodhisattvas, and with skillful means equal to the Dharma realm, skillful means equal to the realm of empty space, skillful means equal to the realm of beings, equal to the three times, equal to all kalpas, equal to the karma of all beings, equal to the wishes of all beings, equal to the understandings of all beings, equal to the faculties of all beings, equal to the times of ripening of all beings, and equal to the light and shadow of all dharmas, for the bodhisattvas, by ten Dharma clauses (units of speech that can open out the meaning of the Dharma), he opened out, made manifest, lit up, and set forth this samādhi of the lion's stretching (the name of the concentration the Buddha had entered, in which, as a lion stretches out and extends its body, its awesome force is of itself apparent). Which ten? They are these —

Samantabhadra's Opening (2): The Ten Dharma Clauses, Clause by Clause

“Setting forth the Dharma clause that can display, within the dust-motes of all the buddha-lands equal to the Dharma realm, the order in which the buddhas arise and the order in which the lands are formed and destroyed;

“setting forth the Dharma clause that can display, within all the buddha-lands equal to the realm of empty space, the sound of the praising of the merit of the tathāgatas to the exhaustion of kalpas to come;

“setting forth the Dharma clause that can display, within all the buddha-lands equal to the realm of empty space, the gates of the tathāgatas' appearing in the world and of their measureless and boundless accomplishing of right awakening;

“setting forth the Dharma clause that can display, within all the buddha-lands equal to the realm of empty space, the Buddha seated at the place of the way and the assemblies of bodhisattvas;

“setting forth the Dharma clause of the bringing forth, within all the pores, from thought to thought, of the transformation bodies of all the buddhas equal to the three times, filling the Dharma realm;

“setting forth the Dharma clause that can cause a single body to fill all the oceans of lands of the ten directions and to appear there evenly;

“setting forth the Dharma clause that can cause the spiritual changes of the buddhas of the three times to appear universally within all realms;

“setting forth the Dharma clause that can cause, within the dust-motes of all the buddha-lands, the various spiritual changes of buddhas as many as the dust-motes of all the buddha-lands of the three times to appear universally and to pass through measureless kalpas;

“setting forth the Dharma clause that can cause all the pores to bring forth the sound of the ocean of the great vows of all the buddhas of the three times, and to the exhaustion of kalpas to come to open out and guide all bodhisattvas;

“setting forth the Dharma clause that can cause the lion seat of a buddha to be in its measure equal to the Dharma realm, the assemblies of bodhisattvas and the adornment of the place of the way to be equal and without difference, and to the exhaustion of kalpas to come to turn every kind of subtle and wondrous wheel of the Dharma.

“Son of the Buddha! These ten are only the foremost; there are besides Dharma clauses as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands, and all of them are the realm of the wisdom of the Tathāgata.”

Samantabhadra's Ten Verses of Repetition: Within Each and Every Pore, Oceans of Lands as Many as Dust-Motes

At that time the bodhisattva Samantabhadra, wishing to set forth this meaning over again, sustained by the majestic spiritual power of the Buddha, contemplated the Tathāgata, contemplated the assemblies, contemplated the realms of the buddhas that are hard to think of, contemplated the boundless samādhis of the buddhas, contemplated the various oceans of worlds that are beyond thinking, contemplated the wisdom of the dharma that is as an illusion and is beyond thinking, contemplated that the buddhas of the three times are all of them even and that this is beyond thinking, and contemplated all the measureless and boundless dharmas of speech and word, and spoke these verses:

“Within each and every pore there are oceans of lands as many as dust-motes; within them all there sit tathāgatas, and all of them are furnished with hosts of bodhisattvas.

“Within each and every pore there are measureless oceans of lands of every kind; the Buddha dwells upon the seat of awakening, and in just this way pervades the Dharma realm.

“Within each and every pore there are buddhas as many as the dust of all lands; the great host of bodhisattvas surrounds them, and the Buddha sets forth for them the practice of Samantabhadra.

“The Buddha sits within one land, and yet fills the worlds of the ten directions; measureless clouds of bodhisattvas all come and gather at his place.

“Oceans of the merit of bodhisattvas as many as the dust-motes of a koṭi of lands rise up together from within the assembly, and fill the worlds of the ten directions.

“All of them abide in the practice of Samantabhadra, and all of them roam the ocean of the Dharma realm; they appear bodily in all lands universally, and evenly enter the assemblies of all buddhas.

“They sit at ease in all lands and hear all dharmas; within each and every land they cultivate every kind of practice for a koṭi of kalpas.

“The practice that the bodhisattvas cultivate is the practice that universally penetrates clear through the ocean of the Dharma; they enter the ocean of great vows, and abide upon the ground of the realm of the buddhas.

“They have penetrated the practice of Samantabhadra, bring forth the dharmas of the buddhas, are furnished with the ocean of the merit of a buddha, and widely bring forth the matters of spiritual penetration.

“Their clouds of bodies are equal to the number of dust-motes, and fill and pervade all lands; universally they rain down the Dharma of sweet dew, and cause the great host to abide in the way of the Buddha.”

The World-Honored One Sends Forth a Ray: From the Mark of the White Hair Between the Brows He Sends Forth the Ray Named the Gate That Universally Illumines the Dharma Realm of the Three Times

At that time the World-Honored One, wishing to cause the bodhisattvas to abide in the Tathāgata's vast samādhi of the lion's stretching, thereupon sent forth from the mark of the white hair between his brows a great ray of light, and this ray was named “the gate that universally illumines the Dharma realm of the three times”, and had besides rays of light as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands as its retinue (the attendant rays that go along with the chief one), and it universally shone upon the buddha-lands within all the oceans of worlds of the ten directions.

Seeing the Dharma by the Ray (1): The Lands within Dust-Motes That the Great Host of the Jeta Grove Saw

At that time the great host of bodhisattvas of the Jeta Grove all saw that within all the buddha-lands to the exhaustion of the Dharma realm and to the exhaustion of the realm of empty space, within each and every mote of dust, there were each of them buddha-lands as many as the dust-motes of all the buddha-lands, with every kind of name, every kind of color, every kind of purity, every kind of dwelling place, and every kind of shape and mark. And within all such lands as these there were great bodhisattvas sitting upon lion seats at the place of the way and accomplishing right and equal awakening, with great hosts of bodhisattvas surrounding them before and behind, and the lords of the several worlds making offerings at their side.

Seeing the Dharma by the Ray (2): The Five Matters That Were Seen (Chengguan outlines them as the gathering in and transforming of many kinds pervading the whole Dharma realm)

“Or they saw that within assemblies as many as unspeakably many buddha-lands, a subtle and wondrous sound was sent forth filling the Dharma realm, and the wheel of the right Dharma was turned;

“or they saw that within the palaces of the gods, the palaces of the dragons, the palaces of the yakṣas, and the various palaces of the gandharvas (the music-gods that feed upon scents), the asuras, the garuḍas (the golden-winged birds), the kiṃnaras (the singing spirits that seem to be men and are not), the mahoragas (the great serpent-spirits), men, and nonmen, and the rest,

“or in the villages, hamlets, royal capitals, and great places among men, there appeared every kind of clan, every kind of name, every kind of body, every kind of mark, and every kind of light, abiding in every kind of deportment, entering every kind of samādhi, and bringing forth every kind of spiritual change,

“or at times, with every kind of speech and sound, of himself,

“or he caused bodhisattvas of every kind, within assemblies of every kind, to set forth dharmas of every kind with words of every kind.

The Kind Extended to the Ten Directions: What Was Seen in This One Assembly, All the Assemblies of the Ten Directions Saw Likewise

Just as, within this one assembly, the great host of bodhisattvas saw in this way the great power of the spiritual penetrations of the deep samādhi of the buddhas and tathāgatas; so, to the exhaustion of the Dharma realm and to the exhaustion of the realm of empty space, within all the oceans of the quarters — east, west, south, north, the four intermediate quarters, above, and below — abiding in accord with the thoughts in the minds of beings, from the former limit down to the present, in all the bodies of the lands, all the bodies of beings, and all the roads of empty space, within each place of the size of a hair-tip, there were each of them lands as many as dust-motes abiding in order according to the arising of the various kinds of karma, and in all of them likewise there were assemblies of bodhisattvas at the place of the way, and all of them likewise saw in this way the spiritual power of the Buddha — not destroying the three times, not destroying the world, appearing as an image within the minds of all beings, in accord with what the minds of all beings delight in sending forth subtle and wondrous speech and sound, entering universally into all assemblies, appearing universally before all beings, his form and marks each of them differentiated while his wisdom is without difference, in accord with what each of them is fit for revealing the Dharma of the Buddha, teaching and taming all beings and never once resting.

The Causes of Their Seeing: Those Who Can See This Spiritual Power Are None of Them Without Cause

All those who are able to see this spiritual power of the Buddha have been gathered in by the roots of goodness of the Tathāgata Vairocana in times long past; whether they were gathered in of old by the four means of gathering (giving, kind speech, beneficial conduct, and shared endeavour), or were ripened by seeing, hearing, remembering, and drawing near, or were of old taught to give rise to the mind of unsurpassed right and equal awakening, or of old planted roots of goodness together with them in the presence of the buddhas, or were in the past taught and ripened by the skillful means of all-knowing wisdom.

The Benefit Gained (1): The Ten Gates That Were Entered

And therefore all of them got to enter the Tathāgata's deep samādhi that is beyond thinking, and the great power of the spiritual penetrations to the exhaustion of the Dharma realm and the exhaustion of the realm of empty space —

“Or they entered into the dharma-body, or entered into the form-body, or entered into the practices accomplished of old, or entered into the perfections made complete, or entered into the adorned and pure wheel of practice, or entered into the grounds of the bodhisattvas, or entered into the power of accomplishing right awakening, or entered into the great spiritual changes wherein the samādhis in which the buddhas abide are without difference, or entered into the powers of the Tathāgata and the wisdom of his fearlessnesses, or entered into the ocean of the Buddha's unobstructed eloquence.

The Benefit Gained (2): The Ten Gates by Which They Entered

Those bodhisattvas, with every kind of understanding, every kind of way, every kind of gate, every kind of entering, every kind of tenor of meaning, every kind of according, every kind of wisdom, every kind of aid to the way, every kind of skillful means, and every kind of samādhi, entered into gates of skillful means of the ocean of the spiritual changes of the buddhas such as these, ten of them, as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands.

The Benefit Gained (3): What Is Meant by Every Kind of Samādhi — The Hundred and One Gates Set Out

What is meant by every kind of samādhi? They are these: the samādhi of universally adorning the Dharma realm; the samādhi of universally illumining the unobstructed realm of all the three times; the samādhi of the light of the wisdom of the Dharma realm's non-differentiation; the samādhi of entering the realm of the Tathāgata without moving or turning; the samādhi of universally illumining boundless empty space; the samādhi of entering the powers of the Tathāgata; the samādhi of the adornment of the Buddha's fearless, valiant, and swift rousing; the samādhi of the revolving treasury of the whole Dharma realm; the samādhi of appearing universally throughout the whole Dharma realm like the moon and expounding greatly with unobstructed sound; the samādhi of the universally pure light of the Dharma; the samādhi of the unobstructed silk banner of the Dharma king; the samādhi of seeing within each and every realm the ocean of all the buddhas; the samādhi of appearing bodily within all the worlds; the samādhi of entering the realm of the Tathāgata's undifferentiated body; the samādhi of the treasury of great compassion that turns in accord with all the worlds; the samādhi of knowing that all dharmas have no track; the samādhi of knowing that all dharmas are ultimately still and extinguished; the samādhi wherein, though nothing is got, one can yet transform and appear universally in the world; the samādhi of universally entering all lands; the samādhi of adorning all buddha-lands and accomplishing right awakening; the samādhi of contemplating the differences of form and mark among all the lords of the world; the samādhi of contemplating the realms of all beings without obstruction; the samādhi that can bring forth the mother of all the tathāgatas; the samādhi that can cultivate and enter the way of the merit of the ocean of all the buddhas; the samādhi of bringing forth spiritual changes within each and every realm to the exhaustion of the future; the samādhi of entering the ocean of the former deeds of all the tathāgatas; the samādhi of guarding and upholding the lineage of all the tathāgatas to the exhaustion of the future; the samādhi that by the power of settled understanding causes all the oceans of buddha-lands of the ten directions in the present to be pure; the samādhi of universally illumining in a single thought the places where all the buddhas abide; the samādhi of entering the unobstructed limit of all realms; the samādhi of causing all worlds to be one buddha-land; the samādhi of bringing forth the transformation bodies of all the buddhas; the samādhi of knowing by the wisdom of the vajra king the ocean of all the faculties; the samādhi of knowing that all the tathāgatas are one and the same body; the samādhi of knowing that all that is set up in the Dharma realm abides wholly within the limit of mental thought; the samādhi of displaying nirvāṇa within the vast lands of the whole Dharma realm; the samādhi of causing beings to abide in the highest place; the samādhi of displaying within all buddha-lands the differentiated bodies of every kind of being; the samādhi of universally entering the wisdom of all the buddhas; the samādhi of knowing the nature and the marks of all dharmas; the samādhi of universally knowing in a single thought the dharmas of the three times; the samādhi of universally displaying in thought after thought the body of the Dharma realm; the samādhi of knowing by the lion's valiant wisdom the order in which all the tathāgatas arise; the samādhi of the fullness of the eye of wisdom within the realms of the whole Dharma realm; the samādhi of valiantly heading toward the ten powers; the samādhi of sending forth the light of the fullness of all merit and universally illumining the world; the samādhi of the unmoving treasury; the samādhi of setting forth one dharma and universally entering all dharmas; the samādhi of glossing one dharma with all the differences of speech and sound; the samādhi of setting forth the nondual dharma of all the buddhas; the samādhi of knowing the unobstructed limit of the three times; the samādhi of knowing that all kalpas are without difference; the samādhi of entering the subtle skillful means of the ten powers; the samādhi of accomplishing all the practices of a bodhisattva throughout all kalpas without breaking off; the samādhi of appearing bodily universally in the ten directions; the samādhi of accomplishing right awakening sovereignly within the Dharma realm; the samādhi of bringing forth every feeling of peace and ease; the samādhi of bringing forth all articles of adornment and adorning the realm of empty space; the samādhi of bringing forth in thought after thought clouds of transformation bodies equal in number to beings; the samādhi of the light of the moon in the pure sky of the Tathāgata; the samādhi of constantly seeing all the tathāgatas abiding in empty space; the samādhi of revealing the adornments of all the buddhas; the samādhi of the lamp that lights up the meaning of all dharmas; the samādhi of illumining the realm of the ten powers; the samādhi of the banner-mark of all the buddhas of the three times; the samādhi of the one secret treasury of all the buddhas; the samādhi wherein all that is done in thought after thought reaches its end; the samādhi of the inexhaustible treasury of merit; the samādhi of seeing the boundless realm of the buddhas; the samādhi of abiding firmly in all dharmas; the samādhi of displaying the transformations of all the tathāgatas and causing them all to be known and seen; the samādhi wherein in thought after thought the sun of the Buddha constantly appears; the samādhi of knowing within a single day all the dharmas of the three times; the samādhi of setting forth with universal sound the still extinction of the nature of all dharmas; the samādhi of seeing the sovereign power of all the buddhas; the samādhi of the lotus that opens out in the Dharma realm; the samādhi of contemplating all dharmas as being like empty space and having no place of abiding; the samādhi of the oceans of the ten directions universally entering one direction; the samādhi of entering the whole Dharma realm, which has no source and no bottom; the samādhi of the ocean of all dharmas; the samādhi of sending forth all light with a still and quiet body; the samādhi of displaying in a single thought all the spiritual penetrations and great vows; the samādhi of accomplishing right awakening at all times and in all places; the samādhi of entering the whole Dharma realm by a single adornment; the samādhi of universally displaying the bodies of all the buddhas; the samādhi of the wisdom of the vast and surpassing spiritual penetration that knows all beings; the samādhi wherein in a single thought his body pervades the Dharma realm; the samādhi of displaying the pure Dharma realm of the One Vehicle; the samādhi of entering the Dharma realm of the universal gate and displaying great adornment; the samādhi of upholding the wheel of the Dharma of all the buddhas; the samādhi of adorning one Dharma gate with all the Dharma gates; the samādhi of gathering in the whole realm of beings by the vows and practices of Indra's net; the samādhi of the gate that differentiates all worlds; the samādhi of riding a lotus flower and roaming with sovereign ease; the samādhi of the wisdom of spiritual penetration that knows the various differences among all beings; the samādhi that causes his body constantly to appear before all beings; the samādhi of knowing the ocean of the differentiated sounds and words of all beings; the samādhi of the spiritual penetration of the wisdom that knows the differences among all beings; the samādhi of the treasury of the evenness of great compassion; the samādhi of all the buddhas entering the limit of the Tathāgata; the samādhi of the lion's stretching that contemplates the place of liberation of all the tathāgatas. With samādhis such as these, as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands, the bodhisattvas entered into the ocean of the spiritual changes of the samādhi of the Tathāgata Vairocana that from thought to thought fills the whole Dharma realm.

What Was Entered, Set Out at Length (1): The Wisdom and the Virtue with Which These Bodhisattvas Are Furnished

Those bodhisattvas were all furnished with the great wisdom and the spiritual penetrations, clear and keen and sovereign, abiding in the grounds, and with vast wisdom universally contemplating all things; they were born of the lineage of the wisdoms, and the wisdom of all-knowing wisdom (the buddha-wisdom within the buddha-wisdom) was constantly present before them; they had gained the pure eye of wisdom that is parted from the film of folly, and acted as tamers and drivers for all beings; they abided in the evenness of the buddhas and had no discrimination as to any dharma; they had penetrated the realms, and knew that the very substance of the worlds is all of it still and extinguished and has no place it depends on; they went universally to all the buddha-lands and were attached to nothing, and were all able to contemplate all dharmas and to dwell attached to nothing, and entered universally into all the palaces of the wondrous Dharma while there was no place from which they came.

What Was Entered, Set Out at Length (2): Teaching the World, and Abiding in Samādhi Unmoved

They taught and tamed all the worlds, and universally for beings displayed a place of peace and ease; they took the liberation of wisdom as what they themselves practised; they constantly with a body of wisdom abided upon the limit that is parted from greed, went forth beyond the ocean of the kinds of existence, and displayed the limit of the real; their light of wisdom was round and complete, and they saw all dharmas universally; they abided in samādhi, firm and unmoved; toward all beings they constantly gave rise to great compassion, and knew that the Dharma gates of every kind are all of them as an illusion, that all beings are all of them as a dream, that all tathāgatas are all of them as a shadow, that all speech and sound is all of it as an echo, and that all dharmas are all of them as a transformation.

What Was Entered, Set Out at Length (3): From the Heaping Up of Practices and Vows to the Perfections

They were well able to heap up surpassing practices and vows; their wisdom was round and complete, pure and skillful, and their minds were utterly still; they entered well into the realms of all total retention (that which can wholly gather in and hold in mind without forgetting), and were furnished with the power of samādhi, valiant and with nothing that made them timid; they gained the eye of clear wisdom, abided upon the limit of the Dharma realm, and reached the place where all dharmas are not to be got; they cultivated the great ocean of wisdom that has no shore, arrived at the far shore where the perfection of wisdom reaches its end, and were held and sustained by the perfection of prajñā; by the perfection of spiritual penetration they entered universally into the world, and in dependence upon the perfection of samādhi they gained sovereignty of mind.

What Was Entered, Set Out at Length (4): The Four Kinds of Wisdom, and the Setting Forth of the Dharma without End

With the wisdom that is not upside down they knew all meanings; with the wisdom of skillful discrimination they revealed the treasury of the Dharma; with the wisdom that makes plain they glossed the words of the text; with the power of great vows they set forth the Dharma without end; and with fearlessness they made the great lion's roar; they were constantly glad to contemplate the dharma that has no place it depends on; with the pure eye of the Dharma they contemplated all things universally; with the pure moon of wisdom they saw the forming and the destroying of the world; with the light of wisdom they saw the truth of the real; their merit and wisdom were as a mountain of vajra, and no simile at all can match them; they contemplated the dharmas well, and the root of their wisdom increased; they were valiant and exerted themselves, and crushed down the multitudes of māras; their wisdom was measureless, and their majestic light blazed.

What Was Entered, Set Out at Length (5): Their Bodies Passing beyond the World, Going Everywhere to the Buddha-Lands

Their bodies went forth beyond all the worlds; they gained the unobstructed wisdom of all dharmas, and were well able to awaken to and understand the limit of what is exhaustible and what is inexhaustible; they abided upon the universal limit and entered the limit of the real, and the contemplating wisdom that is without marks was constantly present before them; they skillfully accomplished the practices of the bodhisattvas, with the nondual wisdom knew the realms of every kind, saw universally all the destinies of the world, and went everywhere to all the buddha-lands; their lamp of wisdom was round and complete, and as to all dharmas they had no darkness or obscuration of any kind, and they sent forth the pure light of the Dharma illumining the worlds of the ten directions.

What Was Entered, Set Out at Length (6): Being a Field of Merit for the World, and Appearing Bodily in Answer to Beings

They acted as the true field of merit for the worlds, and whether seen or heard they caused what was wished for to be satisfied; their merit was high and great and surpassed the worlds, and valiant and fearless they crushed down the outsiders' ways; they sent forth a subtle and wondrous sound pervading all lands, and universally saw the buddhas with a mind that was never sated; as to the dharma-body of the Buddha they had gained sovereignty already, and in accord with those who were to be taught they appeared bodily for their sake, one body filling all the buddha-lands; they had gained already the sovereign and pure spiritual penetrations, rode the ship of great wisdom, and where they went there was no obstruction, their wisdom round and complete and pervading the Dharma realm; it is as when the sun comes forth and universally illumines the world, and in accord with the minds of beings it displays its form and image.

What Was Entered, Set Out at Length (7): Knowing Faculties and Speaking the Dharma, Setting Forth in One Clause the Ocean of All Sūtras

They knew the faculties and the wishes and delights of the beings, and entered into the realm wherein all dharmas are without contention; they knew that the nature of the dharmas is without birth and without arising, and could cause the small and the great to enter into one another with sovereign ease; they settled and understood the deep purport of the ground of a buddha, and with clauses that have no end set forth the deep meaning, and within a single clause set forth the ocean of all the sūtras (the scriptures that the Buddha spoke); they gained the body of the dhāraṇī (the total retention) of great wisdom, and whatever they received and upheld they would never forget; within a single thought they could call to mind the matters of measureless kalpas, and within a single thought they knew entire the wisdom of all beings of the three times.

What Was Entered, Set Out at Length (8): Constantly Turning the Wheel of the Dharma, and within Each and Every Dust-Mote Displaying the Accomplishing of Right Awakening

They constantly, with all the gates of dhāraṇī, set forth the boundless ocean of the dharmas of the buddhas, and constantly turned the pure wheel of the Dharma that does not turn back, causing all beings to give rise to wisdom; they gained the light of the wisdom of the realm of a buddha, and entered the deep samādhi of seeing well; they entered the unobstructed limit of all dharmas, were sovereign in the surpassing wisdom of all dharmas, and all realms were pure and adorned; they entered universally into all the Dharma realms of the ten directions, and in accord with the quarters there was none they did not wholly reach; within each and every mote of dust they displayed the accomplishing of right awakening, within the nature that is without form they displayed all forms, and with all the quarters they entered universally into one quarter. Those bodhisattvas were furnished with a boundless treasury of merit, wisdom, and virtue such as this, and were constantly praised by the buddhas, and though one set forth their merit with words of every kind it could not be set forth to the end; and there were none of them that were not within the Jeta Grove, deeply entered into the great ocean of the merit of the Tathāgata, and all of them saw the realm that the light of the Buddha illumined.

Bearing His Kindness and Raising Up Offerings: Ten Kinds of Great Clouds of Adornment Are Displayed

At that time the bodhisattvas gained the light of the right Dharma that is beyond thinking, and their minds were greatly glad, and each of them upon his own body, and upon the towered halls and the articles of adornment of every kind, together with the lion seats upon which they themselves sat, throughout all the things of the Jeta Grove displayed clouds of great adornment of every kind, filling the whole Dharma realm of the ten directions. They are these —

“In thought after thought sending forth clouds of great light, filling the ten directions, and all of them able to awaken all beings;

“bringing forth clouds of all maṇi jewel bells, filling the ten directions, sending forth a subtle and wondrous sound, extolling and praising all the merit of the buddhas of the three times;

“bringing forth clouds of all music, filling the ten directions, and within the sound setting forth the fruits and retributions of the various kinds of karma of all beings;

“bringing forth clouds of the forms and marks of the vows and practices of every kind of all the bodhisattvas, filling the ten directions, and setting forth all the great vows that the bodhisattvas have;

“bringing forth clouds of the sovereign transformations of all the tathāgatas, filling the ten directions, and sending forth the speech and sound of all the buddhas and tathāgatas;

“bringing forth clouds of the bodies of all the bodhisattvas adorned with the marks and signs, filling the ten directions, and setting forth the order in which the tathāgatas arise in all the lands;

“bringing forth clouds of the places of the way of the tathāgatas of the three times, filling the ten directions, and displaying the merit and adornment of the accomplishing of right and equal awakening of all the tathāgatas;

“bringing forth clouds of all the dragon kings, filling the ten directions, and raining down all the scents;

“bringing forth clouds of the bodies of all the lords of the world, filling the ten directions, and setting forth the practice of the bodhisattva Samantabhadra;

“bringing forth clouds of all the jewel-adorned and pure buddha-lands, filling the ten directions, and displaying the turning of the wheel of the right Dharma by all the tathāgatas.

These bodhisattvas, because they had gained the light of the Dharma that is beyond thinking, and because as to the Dharma it ought to be so, therefore brought forth clouds of adornment of great spiritual change such as these, as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands.

Mañjuśrī's Thirteen Verses Telling of the Virtues: You Should Contemplate This Jeta Grove

At that time the bodhisattva Mañjuśrī, sustained by the majestic spiritual power of the Buddha, wishing to set forth over again these matters of the spiritual changes of every kind within this Jeta Grove, contemplated the ten directions and spoke these verses:

“You should contemplate this Jeta Grove — by the majestic spiritual power of the Buddha it is vast and without limit; all adornments are displayed within it, and the Dharma realms of the ten directions are all of them filled.

“All the lands of the ten directions, and the great adornments of boundless kinds, within those seats and the rest of the realms, their forms and images are plainly and wholly made manifest.

“Out of the pores of the sons of the Buddha there come forth clouds of jewel-flames of every kind of adornment, and there is sent forth besides the subtle and wondrous sound of the Tathāgata, filling and pervading all the lands of the ten directions.

“Within the flowers of the jeweled trees there appear wondrous bodies, and the form and marks of those bodies are equal to those of the Brahmā king; they rise up out of meditative concentration and walk about, and their deportment in going forward and drawing back is constantly still.

“Within each and every pore of the Tathāgata there constantly appear transformation bodies that are hard to think of, and all of them are like the great bodhisattva Samantabhadra, with every kind of mark for their comeliness.

“Within the empty space above the Jeta Grove, all the adornments send forth a wondrous sound, universally setting forth the ocean of the accomplishing of all merit by the bodhisattvas of the three times.

“The jeweled trees within the Jeta Grove likewise send forth measureless sounds that are wondrous, setting forth how the oceans of the various kinds of karma of all the flocks of the living are each of them different.

“Within the grove, all the realms there are display wholly the tathāgatas of the three times; each and every one of them raises up great spiritual penetrations, and their number is as the dust-motes of the oceans of lands of the ten directions.

“All the lands there are in the ten directions, as many as the dust-motes of all the oceans of lands, wholly enter within the pores of the Tathāgata, and their adornments in order are all made manifest to be seen.

“Within all the adornments there appear buddhas, whose number is equal to that of beings and who pervade the world; each and every one of them sends forth a great light, and in every kind of way, as is fitting, teaches the flocks and kinds.

“Flames of scent, multitudes of flowers, and treasuries of jewels, all the clouds of adornment surpassing and wondrous, there is none of them that is not vast and equal to empty space, filling and pervading the lands of the ten directions.

“All the buddhas of the ten directions and the three times, and all the wondrous places of the way that are adorned, within the realm of this park and grove, each and every form and image is plainly made manifest.

“All the sons of the Buddha that are as Samantabhadra, and the lands they have adorned throughout oceans of a hundred thousand kalpas, their number is measureless and equal to beings, and there is none that is not seen within this grove.”

The Boundless Great Function (1): Gaining Samādhi and Raising Up the Gates of Great Compassion

At that time those bodhisattvas, because they were shone upon by the light of the samādhi of the Buddha, thereupon got to enter samādhi such as this, and each and every one of them gained gates of great compassion as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands, benefiting and gladdening all beings; and from each and every pore upon their bodies they sent forth rays of light as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands; and each and every ray of light displayed bodhisattvas as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands. Their bodily shapes and features were as the lords of the world, and they appeared universally before all beings, filling and pervading the Dharma realms of the ten directions all around, and taught and tamed them with skillful means of every kind —

The Boundless Great Function (2): The Twenty-Five Gates Displayed, Gate by Gate

“Or they displayed gates, as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands, of the impermanence of the palaces of the gods,

“or they displayed gates, as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands, of the taking of birth by all beings,

“or they displayed gates, as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands, of the cultivation and practice of all bodhisattvas,

“or they displayed gates, as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands, of the realms of dreams,

“or they displayed gates, as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands, of the great vows of a bodhisattva,

“or they displayed gates, as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands, of the quaking of the worlds,

“or they displayed gates, as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands, of the differentiating of the worlds,

“or they displayed gates, as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands, of the displaying of the arising of the worlds,

“or they displayed gates, as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands, of the dāna-pāramitā (the perfection of giving),

“or they displayed gates, as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands, of the śī-pāramitā (the perfection of keeping the precepts), wherein all the tathāgatas cultivated merit and austerities of every kind,

“or they displayed gates, as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands, of the kṣānti-pāramitā (the perfection of patience) of the cutting up of the limbs and members,

“or they displayed gates, as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands, of the diligent cultivation of the vīrya-pāramitā (the perfection of exertion),

“or they displayed gates, as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands, of the cultivation by all bodhisattvas of the samādhis, the meditative concentrations, and the liberations,

“or they displayed gates, as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands, of the light of the wisdom wherein the way of the Buddha is round and complete,

“or they displayed gates, as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands, of the diligent seeking after the Dharma of the Buddha and, for the sake of a single word and a single clause, the casting away of numberless bodies and lives,

“or they displayed gates, as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands, of drawing near to all the buddhas and inquiring after all the dharmas with a mind that never wearies,

“or they displayed gates, as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands, of going, in accord with the seasons and the wishes and delights of all beings, to where they are, and by skillful means ripening them and causing them to abide in the light of the ocean of all-knowing wisdom,

“or they displayed gates, as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands, of subduing the multitudes of māras, holding down the outsiders' ways, and displaying the power of the merit and wisdom of a bodhisattva,

“or they displayed gates, as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands, of the clear wisdom that knows all crafts and skills,

“or they displayed gates, as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands, of the clear wisdom that knows the differences among all beings,

“or they displayed gates, as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands, of the clear wisdom that knows the differences among all dharmas,

“or they displayed gates, as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands, of the clear wisdom that knows the differences in what the minds of all beings delight in,

“or they displayed gates, as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands, of the clear wisdom that knows the faculties and conduct, the afflictions, and the habit-energies of all beings,

“or they displayed gates, as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands, of the clear wisdom that knows the various kinds of karma of all beings,

“or they displayed gates, as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands, of the awakening of all beings.

The Boundless Great Function (3): The Places Where They Taught and the Benefit of Their Teaching

With gates of skillful means such as these, as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many buddha-lands, they went to the dwelling places of all beings and ripened them. That is: or they went to the palaces of the gods, or they went to the palaces of the dragons, or they went among the palaces of the yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, and mahoragas, or they went to the palace of the Brahmā king, or they went to the palaces of the kings of men, or they went to the palace of King Yama, or they went to the dwelling places of the animals, the hungry ghosts, and the hells, and with even great compassion, even great vows, even wisdom, and even skillful means they gathered in all beings.

There were some who, having seen, were thereupon tamed; some who, having heard, were thereupon tamed; some who, having called to mind, were thereupon tamed; some who, having heard the sound, were thereupon tamed; some who, having heard the name, were thereupon tamed; some who, having seen the round halo, were thereupon tamed; some who, having seen the net of light, were thereupon tamed; and in accord with what the minds of the beings delighted in, they went to their places, all of them, and caused them to gain benefit.

The Transformations of Many Kinds Set Forth in Common (1): Dwelling amid Palaces and Towered Halls, and Yet Not Leaving the Jeta Grove

“Son of the Buddha! All the bodhisattvas within this Jeta Grove, for the sake of ripening the beings, at times dwell amid palaces of every kind that are adorned and decked out, or at times display themselves abiding upon the jeweled lion seats of their own towered halls, surrounded together by the assemblies at the place of the way, and pervading the ten directions cause themselves to be seen; however neither have they left this Jeta Grove and the place of the Tathāgata.

The Transformations of Many Kinds Set Forth in Common (2): The Twelve Kinds of Bodily Form

“Son of the Buddha! These bodhisattvas at times display measureless clouds of transformation bodies, or display their own bodies as one alone and without companion. That is: or they display the body of a śramaṇa (one who has left the home life and cultivates the way), or display the body of a brahmin, or display the body of one practising austerities, or display the body of one in abundance (abounding in goods and wealth), or display the body of a king of physicians, or display the body of a caravan leader, or display the body of one of pure livelihood (one who keeps himself alive by right livelihood), or display the body of a musician, or display the body of one who serves the gods, or display the body of one of crafts and skills.

The Transformations of Many Kinds Set Forth in Common (3): The Places to Which They Go and the Dharma They Speak

“They go to all the encampments and the villages, the walled towns, the royal capitals and the hamlets, and the dwelling places of the beings, and in accord with what each of them is fit for, with forms of every kind, deportments of every kind, sounds of every kind, discourses of every kind, and dwelling places of every kind, throughout all the worlds they practise the practice of a bodhisattva just as the net of Śakra (the jeweled net of the palace of Śakra, wherein gem reflects gem).

“Or they set forth all the crafts and undertakings of the world, or they set forth the bright lamp of all wisdom that lights the world, or they set forth what is adorned by the power of the karma of all beings, or they set forth the ranks and stages wherein the lands of the ten directions set up the vehicles, or they set forth the realms of all the dharmas that the lamp of wisdom shines upon, teaching and bringing to accomplishment all beings; and yet neither have they left this Jeta Grove and the place of the Tathāgata.

Coming Out of the Tower (Chengguan's Outline): Mañjuśrī Comes Out of the Tower of Good Abiding

At that time, the youth Mañjuśrī came out of the Tower of Good Abiding, and walked together with measureless bodhisattvas who walk the same practice; and there were also the many kinds of spirit kings who constantly follow at his side to guard him. They were these —

The Retinue, Part One (Chengguan's Outline): The Fourteen Presiding Spirits, Each Named from the Virtue of What He Practices

The vajra spirits who constantly follow at his side to guard him; the body-multitude spirits who universally make offerings to the Buddhas for the sake of beings; the foot-going spirits who long ago gave rise to firm vows and constantly follow him without parting; the earth-presiding spirit who loves to hear the wondrous Dharma; the water-presiding spirit who constantly cultivates great compassion; the fire-presiding spirit whose light of wisdom shines out; the wind-presiding spirit whose head-crown is made of maṇi jewels (wish-fulfilling gems); the direction-presiding spirit who understands and is practiced in all the ceremonies of the ten directions; the night-presiding spirit who single-mindedly and diligently wipes out the darkness of ignorance; the day-presiding spirit who is single-minded and unremitting in setting forth the sun of the Buddha; the space-presiding spirit who adorns all of empty space in the Dharma realm; the sea-presiding spirit who universally delivers beings and comes out beyond the great sea of the many kinds of existence; the mountain-presiding spirit who constantly and diligently gathers up the roots of goodness that assist the path and tend toward omniscience, and who is tall and great as a mountain is; the city-presiding spirit who constantly and diligently guards the city of the mind of awakening of all beings.

The Retinue, Part Two (Chengguan's Outline): The Nine Kings, Each Named from the Matter He Vows

The great nāga kings who constantly and diligently guard the unsurpassed Dharma-city of the wisdom of omniscience; the yakṣa kings who constantly and diligently guard all beings; the gandharva kings who constantly cause beings to increase in delight; the kumbhāṇḍa kings who constantly and diligently wipe out the destinies of the hungry ghosts; the garuḍa kings who ever vow to draw out and rescue all beings and cause them to come forth from the great sea of the many kinds of existence; the asura kings who vow to accomplish the body of a Tathāgata and who tower high above the world; the mahoraga kings who rejoice when they see a Buddha and bend their bodies in reverence; the great god-kings who constantly turn away in weariness from birth-and-death and ever delight to see a Buddha; the great Brahmā kings who hold the Buddha in esteem and praise him and make offerings.

The Manner of Departure (Chengguan's Outline): Taking Leave of the Buddha and Going South

Mañjuśrī, together with such a company of bodhisattvas as this, adorned with merit, came out from his own dwelling place, came to where the Buddha was, circled the World-Honored One to the right, circling him measureless times, and with the many kinds of offering-articles made the many kinds of offering; and when the offering was finished, he took his leave and withdrew, and journeyed toward the south, walking off among human beings.

Śāriputra: Sustained by the Buddha's Spiritual Power, He Gives Rise to a Thought

At that time, the venerable Śāriputra, sustained by the Buddha's spiritual power, saw the bodhisattva Mañjuśrī, together with the adorned assembly of bodhisattvas, come out of the Jeta Grove and go toward the south, journeying among human beings; and he gave rise to a thought in this manner — “I ought now to go south together with Mañjuśrī.”

At that time, the venerable Śāriputra, with six thousand monks surrounding him before and behind, came out from his own dwelling place, came to where the Buddha was, bowed his head to the Buddha's feet, and set this matter forth to the World-Honored One in full; the World-Honored One allowed it, and they circled to the right three times, took their leave and withdrew and went off, and made their way to where Mañjuśrī was.

The Six Thousand Monks, Part One: Not Long Gone Forth · Ten Named

These six thousand monks were those who dwelt together with Śāriputra himself, and they had not long gone forth from the household life. They were these — the monk Ocean-Awakening, the monk Well-Born, the monk Light of Merit, the monk Great Youth, the monk Lightning-Born, the monk Pure Conduct, the monk Virtue of the Gods, the monk Wisdom of the Ruler, the monk Brahmā-Surpassing, the monk Tranquil Wisdom — a company such as this, six thousand in number altogether.

The Six Thousand Monks, Part Two: Ten Sentences Praising Their Virtue

They had all of them made offerings to measureless Buddhas, had planted roots of goodness deeply, their power of understanding was vast, the eye of their faith was bright and clear through and through, their minds were wide and broad, they were able to contemplate the realm of a Buddha, they had penetrated to the original nature of dharmas, they benefited beings, and they constantly delighted to seek diligently after the merits of the Buddhas — and all of this was what Mañjuśrī's telling of the Dharma and teaching and transforming had brought to accomplishment.

Śāriputra Tells Ocean-Awakening, Part One: The Bodily Marks · The Constant Halo · The Net of Light · The Assembly

At that time, the venerable Śāriputra, on the road as they walked, contemplated the monks and said to Ocean-Awakening —

“Ocean-Awakening! You may contemplate the pure body of the bodhisattva Mañjuśrī, adorned with the marks and signs, which not one among the gods or among human beings can conceive.

“You may contemplate the round halo of Mañjuśrī, shining clear through and through, able to cause measureless beings to give rise to a mind of joy.

“You may contemplate the adornment of Mañjuśrī's net of light, able to wipe out the measureless suffering and vexation of beings.

“You may contemplate the fullness of Mañjuśrī's assembly: these are all persons drawn in and gathered by the roots of goodness of the bodhisattva in former times.

Śāriputra Tells Ocean-Awakening, Part Two: The Road · The Dwelling Place · The Adornment of Merit · The Trees of the Grove

“You may contemplate the road that Mañjuśrī walks: eight paces to the left and to the right, level and adorned.

“You may contemplate the place where Mañjuśrī dwells: on all four sides, in the ten directions, there are constantly seats of awakening that turn along with him.

“You may contemplate the road that Mañjuśrī walks: it is full of measureless adornment of merit, and on either side, left and right, there are great hidden treasuries out of which the many kinds of precious things well up of themselves.

“You may contemplate how Mañjuśrī made offerings to the Buddhas in former times, and how the reward that flows out from those roots of goodness causes an adorned treasury to appear among all the trees.

Śāriputra Tells Ocean-Awakening, Part Three: Sovereign Mastery · Gathered In from Above

“You may contemplate how, upon Mañjuśrī, the lords of the worlds send down clouds of offering-articles and bow their heads in reverence, and take this as their offering.

“You may contemplate how, when all the Buddhas, the Tathāgatas of the ten directions, are about to tell the Dharma, they all send out the mark-light of the white hair-tuft between the brows to shine upon his body, and the light enters in from the crown of his head.”

The Monks Gain the Benefit: Hearing the Praise, Their Minds Become Pure

At that time, the venerable Śāriputra, for the monks, extolled and praised, disclosed and set forth how the youth Mañjuśrī had such measureless merits, full and adorned, as these.

When those monks had heard these words, their minds became pure, their faith and understanding became firm, they rejoiced so that they could not hold themselves, their whole bodies leapt up, their forms became supple, their faculties were glad, their sorrow and suffering were all removed, their defilement and obstruction were all exhausted; they constantly saw the Buddhas, sought deeply after the right Dharma, were furnished with the faculties of a bodhisattva, obtained the powers of a bodhisattva, and great compassion and great vows were born in them of themselves; they entered the profound realm of the many pāramitās (the practices that go to the far shore), the seas of Buddhas of the ten directions were constantly present before them, and toward omniscience they gave rise to deep faith and delight.

Going to the Surpassing Person (Chengguan's Outline): Asking Śāriputra to Present Them

They then set it forth to the venerable Śāriputra, saying — “We only wish that the great master would take us and lead us, and go to where that surpassing person is.”

At that time, Śāriputra then went along with them, and when they had arrived, he set it forth, saying — “Benevolent one! These monks wish that they may be received in audience.”

Being Gathered In by the Surpassing One (Chengguan's Outline): Like an Elephant King Turning to Look Back

At that time, the youth Mañjuśrī, with measureless bodhisattvas of sovereign mastery surrounding him, together with his great multitude, looked back upon the monks as an elephant king turns his body around.

At that time, the monks bowed their heads to his feet, joined their palms in reverence, and spoke in this manner — “The seeing and the reverent bowing we have this day, together with all the other roots of goodness we have, we only wish that the benevolent Mañjuśrī, and the preceptor Śāriputra, and the World-Honored One Śākyamuni may all bear witness and know! Such a form-body as the benevolent one has, such a voice, such marks and signs, such sovereign mastery — may I too obtain them, complete in every part.”

The Ten Freedoms from Weariness, Part One: The Marking Sentence and the First Five Sentences

At that time, the bodhisattva Mañjuśrī said to the monks —

“Monks! If a good man or a good woman brings to accomplishment ten kinds of dharma that tend toward the Great Vehicle, then he is able swiftly to enter the ground of a Tathāgata, how much more the ground of a bodhisattva! Which are the ten? They are these —

“To gather up all roots of goodness, with no weariness or vexation in the mind.

“To see all the Buddhas, to serve them and make offerings to them, with no weariness or vexation in the mind.

“To seek after all the Buddha-dharmas, with no weariness or vexation in the mind.

“To practice all the pāramitās, with no weariness or vexation in the mind.

“To bring to accomplishment all the samādhis of a bodhisattva, with no weariness or vexation in the mind.

The Ten Freedoms from Weariness, Part Two: The Last Five Sentences

“To enter all the three times in due order, with no weariness or vexation in the mind.

“Universally to adorn and purify the Buddha-lands of the ten directions, with no weariness or vexation in the mind.

“To teach, transform, and tame all beings, with no weariness or vexation in the mind.

“In all lands and in all kalpas to bring the practice of a bodhisattva to accomplishment, with no weariness or vexation in the mind.

“For the sake of ripening a single being, to cultivate pāramitās as many as the dust-motes of all Buddha-lands, and to bring the ten powers of a Tathāgata to accomplishment; and so on in due order, for the sake of ripening the whole realm of beings, to bring all the powers of a Tathāgata to accomplishment, with no weariness or vexation in the mind.

Raising Up the Benefit and Urging Cultivation: What Is Gained by Giving Rise to These Ten Minds

“Monks! If a good man or a good woman brings deep faith to accomplishment and gives rise to these ten minds free of weariness and vexation, then he is able to nourish and grow all roots of goodness, to leave behind and let go of all the destinies of birth-and-death, to pass beyond all the lineages of the world, not to fall into the ground of the śrāvakas or the pratyekabuddhas, to be born in the house of all the Tathāgatas, to be furnished with all the vows of a bodhisattva, to study all the merits of a Tathāgata, to practice all the many practices of a bodhisattva, to obtain the powers of a Tathāgata, to crush down the hosts of Māra and the non-Buddhist paths, and to be able also to wipe out all afflictions, to enter the ground of a bodhisattva, and to draw near to the ground of a Tathāgata.”

Obtaining the Samādhi, Part One: What the Eye Sees

At that time, when the monks had heard this Dharma, they obtained a samādhi (a concentration of the mind that is gathered and steady) named Seeing the Realm of All Buddhas with the Unobstructed Eye.

Because they had obtained this samādhi, they all saw the Buddhas, the Tathāgatas, of all the measureless and boundless worlds of the ten directions, together with all the assemblies at the seats of awakening there; they all saw as well the beings of all the destinies in those worlds of the ten directions; they all saw as well the many kinds of difference among all those worlds; they all saw as well all the dust-motes of all those worlds; they all saw as well, within those worlds, the palaces in which all beings dwell, adorned with the many kinds of precious things.

Obtaining the Samādhi, Part Two: The Three Uses of the Ear, of Others' Minds, and of Former Abodes

They heard as well those Buddhas, those Tathāgatas, setting forth the dharmas with the many kinds of speech and sound, with wording and glossing, and they understood it all;

they were able as well to contemplate the faculties of all beings within those worlds and what their minds desired;

they were able as well to call to mind the matters of the ten births before and after of all beings within those worlds; they were able as well to call to mind the matters of the ten kalpas past and the ten kalpas to come within those worlds; they were able as well to call to mind the ten matters of the former births of those Tathāgatas, their ten attainments of right awakening, their ten turnings of the Dharma wheel, their ten spiritual penetrations, their ten tellings of the Dharma, their ten instructions and admonishments, their ten kinds of eloquence.

Obtaining the Samādhi, Part Three: The Benefit of Many Gates

They then also brought to accomplishment ten thousand minds of awakening, ten thousand samādhis, ten thousand pāramitās, all of them pure; they obtained the light of the fullness of great wisdom, they obtained the ten spiritual penetrations of a bodhisattva, supple and subtle, abiding upon the mind of awakening, firm and unshaken.

Receiving the Dharma of Advancement (Chengguan's Outline): Urging Them to Abide in the Practice of Samantabhadra

At that time, the bodhisattva Mañjuśrī urged the monks to abide in the practice of Samantabhadra; and having abided in the practice of Samantabhadra, they entered the sea of great vows; and having entered the sea of great vows, they brought the sea of great vows to accomplishment.

Because they had brought the sea of great vows to accomplishment, their minds were pure; because their minds were pure, their bodies were pure; because their bodies were pure, their bodies were light and nimble; because their bodies were pure and light and nimble, they obtained the great spiritual penetrations with no turning back; because they had obtained these spiritual penetrations, they did not depart from beneath Mañjuśrī's feet, and yet universally, in the presence of all the Buddhas of the ten directions, they manifested their own bodies, and brought all the Buddha-dharmas to accomplishment, complete in every part.

Arriving at the City of Blessings: The Provenance of the Place of Transforming

At that time, the bodhisattva Mañjuśrī, having urged the monks to give rise to the mind of unsurpassed right and perfect awakening, journeyed on southward in due order, passing through the human realm, and reached the east of the City of Blessings, and dwelt in the Grove of Śāla Trees of the Banner of Adornment, at the place of the great stūpa-shrine where the Buddhas of former times had stayed and had taught and transformed beings. This was also the place where the World-Honored One, when he cultivated the practice of a bodhisattva in former times, had been able to give away measureless things hard to give away; and for this reason the name of this grove was heard universally throughout measureless Buddha-lands. This place constantly received the offerings of gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, mahoragas, human beings and nonhuman beings.

Telling the Dharma and Delivering the Nāgas: The Sūtra of the Universal Illumining of the Dharma Realm

At that time, when Mañjuśrī and his retinue had reached this place, he then set forth here the Sūtra of the Universal Illumining of the Dharma Realm, together with a million koṭis of nayutas of sūtras as its retinue scriptures.

While he was telling this scripture, measureless hundreds of thousands of koṭis of nāgas within the great sea came to where he was; and when they had heard this Dharma, they turned away deeply in weariness from the destiny of nāgas, sought squarely after the Buddha's path, and all of them cast off their nāga bodies and were born among gods and human beings. Ten thousand nāgas obtained non-retrogression with regard to unsurpassed right and perfect awakening; and measureless and countless beings besides were each of them tamed within the three vehicles.

The Four Assemblies Rushing Like Clouds, Part One (Chengguan's Outline): Five Hundred Laymen

At that time, the people of the City of Blessings heard that the youth Mañjuśrī was at the place of the great stūpa-shrine in the Grove of Śāla Trees of the Banner of Adornment, and a measureless great multitude came out from the city and came to where he was.

At that time, there was a layman named Great Wisdom, who came together with five hundred laymen as his retinue. They were these — the layman Sudatta, the layman Vasudatta, the layman Light of Merit, the layman Possessed of Renown, the layman Bestower of Renown, the layman Virtue of the Moon, the layman Good Wisdom, the layman Great Wisdom, the layman Worthy Protector, the layman Worthy and Surpassing — five hundred laymen such as these came together to where the youth Mañjuśrī was, bowed their heads to his feet, circled him to the right three times, and withdrew and sat to one side.

The Four Assemblies Rushing Like Clouds, Part Two (Chengguan's Outline): Five Hundred Laywomen

There were also five hundred laywomen. They were these — the laywoman Great Wisdom, the laywoman Good Light, the laywoman Wondrous Body, the laywoman Body That Delights, the laywoman Worthy, the laywoman Worthy Virtue, the laywoman Worthy Light, the laywoman Light of the Banner, the laywoman Light of Virtue, the laywoman Good Eyes — five hundred laywomen such as these came to where the youth Mañjuśrī was, bowed their heads to his feet, circled him to the right three times, and withdrew and sat to one side.

The Four Assemblies Rushing Like Clouds, Part Three (Chengguan's Outline): Five Hundred Boys

There were also five hundred boys. They were these — the youth Sudhana, the youth Good Practice, the youth Good Precepts, the youth Good Deportment, the youth Good Valor, the youth Good Thought, the youth Good Wisdom, the youth Good Awakening, the youth Good Eyes, the youth Good Arms, the youth Good Light — five hundred boys such as these came to where the youth Mañjuśrī was, bowed their heads to his feet, circled him to the right three times, and withdrew and sat to one side.

The Four Assemblies Rushing Like Clouds, Part Four (Chengguan's Outline): Five Hundred Girls

There were also five hundred girls. They were these — the girl Good and Worthy, the girl Daughter of the Householder Great Wisdom, the girl Worthy Renown, the girl Beautiful of Face, the girl Firm Wisdom, the girl Worthy Virtue, the girl Possessed of Virtue, the girl Bestowed by Brahmā, the girl Light of Virtue, the girl Good Light — five hundred girls such as these came to where the youth Mañjuśrī was, bowed their heads to his feet, circled him to the right three times, and withdrew and sat to one side.

Taming and Transforming by the Three Kinds of Action (Chengguan's Outline): Manifesting the Body of Sovereign Mastery and About to Tell the Dharma

At that time, the youth Mañjuśrī, knowing that the people of the City of Blessings had all now gathered and come, then, according to what their minds delighted in, manifested the body of sovereign mastery, whose awesome light blazed forth and outshone the great multitudes; with sovereign great kindness he made them cool, with sovereign great compassion he gave rise to the mind to tell the Dharma, with sovereign wisdom he knew what their minds delighted in, and with vast eloquence he was about to tell them the Dharma.

Contemplating Sudhana, Part One: The Tower of Seven Jewels and the Seven Hidden Treasuries

Again at this time, Mañjuśrī contemplated by what cause and condition it was that Sudhana had this name. He knew that when this youth first entered the womb, within the house of his family there welled up of itself a tower of seven jewels, and beneath that tower were seven places of hidden treasure; and above those treasuries the ground split open of itself, and there grew forth sprouts of the seven jewels, which are these — gold, silver, lapis lazuli, crystal, true pearl, giant clam shell, and carnelian.

The youth Sudhana was within the womb for ten months and only then was born, his form and his limbs and joints upright and complete; and his seven places of great treasure, each of them full seven cubits in length, in breadth, in height, and in depth, welled up out of the ground, their brightness shining out.

Contemplating Sudhana, Part Two: Five Hundred Jeweled Vessels · Thirteen Sentences of What Filled Them

Again, within the house there appeared of themselves five hundred jeweled vessels, and the many kinds of things filled them of themselves. They are these — the vajra vessel was filled with every kind of incense, within the incense vessel were the many kinds of clothing, the fine jade vessel was filled with the many kinds of food and drink of choice flavor, the maṇi vessel was filled with the many kinds of rare and precious things, the golden vessel held silver, the silver vessel held gold, the vessel of gold and silver was filled with lapis lazuli and maṇi jewels, the crystal vessel was filled with giant clam shell, the giant clam shell vessel was filled with crystal, the carnelian vessel was filled with true pearls, the true pearl vessel was filled with carnelian, the fire-maṇi vessel was filled with water-maṇi, the water-maṇi vessel was filled with fire-maṇi — five hundred jeweled vessels such as these appeared of themselves. And there rained down the many precious things and the many kinds of goods and wealth, and all the storehouses were caused to be filled.

The Giving of the Name: Parents and Physiognomists Together Called Him Sudhana

Because of this matter, his parents and his kin, together with those skilled in reading the marks of the body, together called this child by the name Sudhana.

Contemplating Sudhana, Part Three: Ten Sentences of the Inward Cause

Mañjuśrī knew as well that this youth had already made offerings to the Buddhas of the past, had planted roots of goodness deeply, that his faith and his understanding were vast, that he constantly delighted to draw near to the good friends, that in the actions of his body, of his speech, and of his mind he was without fault, that he purified the path of a bodhisattva, that he sought after omniscience, that he was a vessel for the dharma of becoming a Buddha, that his mind was pure as empty space is, and that he dedicated and directed himself toward awakening without any obstruction at all.

The Dharma Given to the One at Hand: Ten Sentences of the Buddha-Dharma

At that time, the bodhisattva Mañjuśrī, having contemplated the youth Sudhana in this manner, comforted and instructed him, and set forth for him all the Buddha-dharmas. They are these — he told of the dharma of the gathering up of all Buddhas, he told of the dharma of the continuing on of all Buddhas, he told of the dharma of the due order of all Buddhas, he told of the dharma of the purity of the assemblies of all Buddhas, he told of the dharma of the transforming and guiding by the Dharma wheel of all Buddhas, he told of the dharma of the marks and signs of the form-body of all Buddhas, he told of the dharma of the accomplishment of the dharma-body of all Buddhas, he told of the dharma of the wording and eloquence of all Buddhas, he told of the dharma of the shining illumination of all Buddhas, he told of the dharma of the equality and non-duality of all Buddhas.

Concluding the Telling and Urging Him Onward: Giving Rise to the Mind of Awakening and Then Departing

At that time, the youth Mañjuśrī, having told this Dharma for the youth Sudhana and for the great multitudes, earnestly urged and instructed them, increased and grew their strength, caused them to rejoice, and caused them to give rise to the mind of unsurpassed right and perfect awakening; and he caused them as well to call to mind their roots of goodness in the past. Having done these things, then, in that very place, he told the Dharma again for beings according to what suited them, and only then departed.

Sudhana's Verses, Part One: The Three Kinds of Existence as a Walled City (The First Four Verses · Grieving over His Own Sinking and Drowning)

At that time, the youth Sudhana, having heard from Mañjuśrī the many kinds of merit of a Buddha such as these, single-mindedly and diligently sought after unsurpassed right and perfect awakening, and following after Mañjuśrī he spoke these verses —

“The three kinds of existence are a walled city, and arrogance is its rampart wall, the destinies are its gates and doors, and the water of craving is the moat that guards it.

“The darkness of delusion covers it over, the fire of greed and of anger blazes and burns within, Māra the king plays the sovereign within it, and benighted children take their dwelling there.

“Craving is the rope that binds a man, flattery and deceit are the reins and bridle that drive him, doubt has covered over his eyes, and so he walks into the many kinds of wrong paths.

“Because of stinginess, envy, and arrogant self-satisfaction, he falls into the three evil places, or else he falls into the many kinds of destinies, and undergoes the suffering of birth, old age, sickness, and death.

Sudhana's Verses, Part Two: The Sun and Moon and the King of the Dharma Realm (Praising the Person and Seeking the Dharma · Facing Suffering and Its Origin)

“You are the pure sun of wondrous wisdom, the full orb of great compassion, able to dry up the sea of the afflictions — I pray you grant me one glance of contemplation!

“You are the pure moon of wondrous wisdom, the stainless orb of great kindness, who bestow peace and joy upon all — I pray you look down and behold me!

“You are the king of the whole Dharma realm, and take the Dharma-jewel as your forerunner, you journey through empty space without obstruction — I pray you look down and give me your command!

“You are the great caravan leader of blessings and of wisdom, valorously seeking awakening, universally benefiting the multitudes of the living — I pray you look down and guard me!

Sudhana's Verses, Part Three: The Armor of Patience, the Sword of Wisdom, and Śakra (Praising the Person and Seeking the Dharma · Continued)

“Upon your body you wear the armor of patience, and in your hand you hold the sword of wisdom, sovereignly you subdue the armies of Māra — I pray you look down and draw me out and rescue me!

“You dwell upon the summit of the Sumeru of the Dharma, and the goddesses of concentration constantly stand in reverent attendance, you destroy the asuras of confusion — O Śakra, I pray you shine upon me!

“The three kinds of existence are the dwelling house of the ordinary and the foolish, and confusion and karma are the cause of falling into the many grounds and destinies; you, benevolent one, are able to tame them all — I pray you show me the road as a lamp does!

“You are able to leave behind and let go of the many kinds of evil destinies, and to purify the many kinds of good paths; you who have come out beyond the worlds, I pray you show me the gate of liberation!

Sudhana's Verses, Part Four: Inversion and the Right Path (Facing Cessation and the Path · Hoping to Accomplish the Practice and Its Fruit)

“The inverted grasping of the world is the false imagining of permanence, bliss, self, and purity; your eye of wisdom is able to leave them all behind — I pray you open for me the gate of liberation!

“You know well the wrong paths and the right path, and when you distinguish them there is no timidity in your mind; you who decide and understand it all, I pray you show me the road to awakening!

“You dwell upon the ground of the Buddha's right view, you nourish and grow the tree of the Buddha's merits, you rain down the flowers of the Buddha's wondrous Dharma — I pray you show me the path to awakening!

“The Buddhas of the past, of the future, and of the present are everywhere entirely pervading, like the sun appearing in the world — I pray you proclaim that road for me!

“You know well all karma, and have penetrated deeply the practice of the many vehicles; you whose wisdom is settled, I pray you show me the Mahāyāna!

Sudhana's Verses, Part Five: The Simile of the Carriage · Compassion, Wisdom, and Concentration (Praising the Dharma and Seeking the Vehicle · The First Four)

“With vows for its wheels and great compassion for its hubs, with faith for its axle and firm patience for its linchpins, with the jewels of merit for its ornament — pray let me mount this carriage!

“With total holding for its broad carriage-box, with kindly pity for the adorning canopy, with eloquence for the bells that sound out — pray allow me to mount this carriage!

“With the practice of brahmacarya for its cushions, with samādhis for its serving women, with the Dharma-drum sounding out its wondrous tones — I pray you give me this carriage!

“With the four means of gathering for its inexhaustible treasury, with the adornment of merit for its jewels, with shame and conscience for its harness-straps — I pray you give me this carriage!

Sudhana's Verses, Part Six: The Simile of the Carriage · The Ten Perfections as Practice for Oneself (The Next Three)

“Constantly turning the wheel of giving, ever anointing it with the incense of pure precepts, with patience for its firm adornment — pray let me mount this carriage!

“With the samādhis of meditative concentration for its carriage-box, with wisdom and skillful means for its yoke, tamed and not turning back — pray let me mount this carriage!

“With great vows for its pure wheels, with total holding for its firm strength, brought to accomplishment by wisdom — pray let me mount this carriage!

Sudhana's Verses, Part Seven: The Simile of the Carriage · The Twofold Benefit and the Wiping Out of Obstructions (The Next Four)

“With the practice of Samantabhadra for its all-pervading ornament, with the mind of compassion for its unhurried motion, so that wherever it goes there is no timidity — pray let me mount this carriage!

“Firm as vajra is, skillful as a conjuring is, without obstruction of any kind — pray let me mount this carriage!

“Vast and utterly pure, universally bestowing peace and joy upon beings, equal to empty space and to the Dharma realm — pray let me mount this carriage!

“Purifying the many kinds of wheels of karma and of confusion, cutting off the many kinds of suffering of the round of rebirth, crushing down Māra and the non-Buddhist paths — pray let me mount this carriage!

Sudhana's Verses, Part Eight: The Simile of the Carriage · The Vastness of What It Carries (The Last Four)

“Wisdom filling the ten directions, adornment pervading the Dharma realm, universally moistening the kinds of beings — pray let me mount this carriage!

“Pure as empty space is, craving and views all wiped away, benefiting all beings — pray let me mount this carriage!

“By the power of vows going swiftly, by the concentrated mind abiding at ease, universally carrying the sentient beings — pray let me mount this carriage!

“Unshaken as the great earth is, universally benefiting as water is, carrying beings in just this way — pray let me mount this carriage!

Sudhana's Verses, Part Nine: Drawing Together Both the Person and the Dharma (The Last Two Verses)

“The four means of gathering are its full orb, total holding is its pure light; such a sun of wisdom as this — I pray you show me and let me see it!

“You have already entered the city of the Dharma-king, you have already put on the crown of the wisdom-king, you have already bound on the silk band of the wondrous Dharma — I pray you may look upon me with kindness!”

Brief Praise and Brief Teaching (Chengguan's Outline): The Elephant King Turns to Look Back and Praises the Giving Rise to the Mind

At that time, the bodhisattva Mañjuśrī, as an elephant king turns his body around, looked back upon the youth Sudhana and spoke in this manner —

“Good indeed, good indeed! Good man! You have already given rise to the mind of unsurpassed right and perfect awakening, and you wish further to draw near to the good friends, to ask about the practice of a bodhisattva, and to cultivate the path of a bodhisattva. Good man! To draw near to the good friends and make offerings to them is the first cause and condition of being furnished with omniscience; therefore in this matter do not give rise to weariness or vexation.”

The Broad Asking (Chengguan's Outline): Sudhana's Eleven Sentences of Question

Sudhana set it forth, saying — “I only wish that the holy one would tell me at large: how should a bodhisattva study the practice of a bodhisattva? How should he cultivate the practice of a bodhisattva? How should he tend toward the practice of a bodhisattva? How should he carry out the practice of a bodhisattva? How should he purify the practice of a bodhisattva? How should he enter the practice of a bodhisattva? How should he bring the practice of a bodhisattva to accomplishment? How should he accord with the practice of a bodhisattva? How should he call to mind the practice of a bodhisattva? How should he broaden and increase the practice of a bodhisattva? How should he cause the practice of Samantabhadra swiftly to reach fullness?”

Mañjuśrī's Verses in Answer, Part One: Praising His Giving Rise to the Mind (Two Verses)

At that time, the bodhisattva Mañjuśrī spoke these verses for the youth Sudhana —

“Good indeed! Treasury of merit, you have been able to come to where I am, having given rise to the mind of great compassion, diligently seeking the unsurpassed awakening.

“You have already given rise to the vast vow to wipe away the suffering of beings, and universally, for the sake of the worlds, to cultivate the practice of a bodhisattva.

Mañjuśrī's Verses in Answer, Part Two: Brief Teaching and Renewed Praise (Two Verses)

“If there are bodhisattvas who are not wearied by the suffering of birth-and-death, then they are furnished with the path of Samantabhadra, and nothing at all can break it.

“The light of blessings, the awesome power of blessings, the place of blessings, the pure sea of blessings; you, for the sake of the many beings, vow to cultivate the practice of Samantabhadra.

Mañjuśrī's Verses in Answer, Part Three: The Broad Teaching in Five Verses (The First Two)

“You see all the Buddhas of the ten directions, who have no bound or limit, and hear them all telling the Dharma, and hold it and do not forget or lose it.

“You, within the worlds of the ten directions, universally see measureless Buddhas, bring to accomplishment the many kinds of seas of vows, and are furnished with the practice of a bodhisattva.

Mañjuśrī's Verses in Answer, Part Four: The Broad Teaching in Five Verses (The Last Three)

“If you enter the sea of skillful means and abide upon the awakening of a Buddha, and are able to study following the guiding master, then in time to come you will bring omniscience to accomplishment.

“You pass through all the lands, and within kalpas as many as the dust-motes, cultivate the practice of Samantabhadra and bring the path of awakening to accomplishment.

“You, within measureless lands and within the boundless seas of the many kalpas, cultivate the practice of Samantabhadra and fully bring the many kinds of great vows to accomplishment.

Mañjuśrī's Verses in Answer, Part Five: Drawing Together the Benefit (One Verse)

“These measureless beings, hearing your vows and rejoicing, all give rise to the intent for awakening and vow to study the vehicle of Samantabhadra.”

The Prose Passage of General Praise (Chengguan's Outline): Having Given Rise to the Mind and Then Seeking the Practice Is Harder Still

At that time, the bodhisattva Mañjuśrī, having spoken these verses, said to the youth Sudhana —

“Good indeed, good indeed! Good man! You have already given rise to the mind of unsurpassed right and perfect awakening and are seeking the practice of a bodhisattva. Good man! If there are beings who are able to give rise to the mind of unsurpassed right and perfect awakening, that matter is already hard; and having given rise to the mind, then to be able further to seek the practice of a bodhisattva, that is harder still by twice as much.

The General Teaching (Chengguan's Outline): Four Sentences of Warning and Urging on Seeking the Good Friend

“Good man! If you wish to bring the wisdom of omniscience to accomplishment, you should with settled determination seek out a true good friend. Good man! In seeking the good friend do not give rise to weariness or indolence, in seeing the good friend do not give rise to satiety, toward all the instruction that the good friend has you should be compliant, and toward the good friend's skillfulness in means do not look for his faults.

Pointing Out the Next Friend (Chengguan's Outline): The Land of Surpassing Joy · Mount Wondrous Peak · The Monk Cloud of Virtue

“Good man! Here to the south there is a land named Surpassing Joy; in that land there is a mountain named Wondrous Peak; within that mountain there is a monk named Cloud of Virtue. You may go and ask him — how does a bodhisattva study the practice of a bodhisattva? How does a bodhisattva cultivate the practice of a bodhisattva? And so on, down to: how does a bodhisattva cause the practice of Samantabhadra swiftly to reach fullness? The monk Cloud of Virtue will explain it for you.”

Calling the Kindness to Mind and Taking Leave (Chengguan's Outline): Rejoicing and Leaping Up, and Weeping and Shedding Tears

At that time, when the youth Sudhana had heard these words, he rejoiced and leapt up, bowed his head to his feet, circled him measureless times, gazed up at him earnestly, and wept and shed tears.

Seeking in Accord with the Teaching (Chengguan's outline): Taking Leave of Mañjuśrī, Journeying South, Climbing the Mountain, Searching for Seven Days

Sudhana took his leave and went, journeying toward the south, going to the land of Surpassing Joy, and climbing Wondrous Peak Mountain. Upon that mountain he looked toward the east, toward the west, toward the south, toward the north, toward the four intermediate directions (the four corners: southeast, southwest, northeast, and northwest), upward and downward, observing and searching everywhere, longing with all his heart to see the monk Cloud of Virtue. In this way seven days passed, and only then did he see that monk upon another mountain, walking slowly back and forth (walking meditation).

Seeing, Paying Respect, and Inquiring (Chengguan's outline): Bowing His Head, Circling to the Right, and Then Setting Out What He Asks

Having seen him, he went forward to call upon him, bowed his head and face to the monk's feet, circled around him to the right three times, and then stood before him and spoke in this way—

“Holy one! I have already given rise, before this, to the mind of anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi (the mind that seeks unsurpassed perfect awakening), yet I still do not know: how is a bodhisattva to study the practice that a bodhisattva practices? How is he to cultivate the practice that a bodhisattva practices? And so on, up to: how should he bring the practice of Samantabhadra swiftly to fullness?

“I have heard that the holy one is skilled at drawing others on and instructing them. I only pray that you will let down your kindness and expound for me: how is a bodhisattva to accomplish anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi?”

Praising and Conferring the Dharma (one · Chengguan's outline): The Praise ‘It Is Good’—What He Asks Is the Hardest of Hard Things

At that time, the monk Cloud of Virtue told Sudhana, saying—

“It is good! It is good! Son of good family! You have already been able to give rise to the mind of anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi, and you are further able to ask about the practice that the bodhisattvas practice. A thing such as this is the hardest of hard things.

Praising and Conferring the Dharma (two · Chengguan's outline): The Eleven Things Sought

“These eleven are: to seek the practice that a bodhisattva practices, to seek the realm that a bodhisattva realizes, to seek the path by which a bodhisattva comes forth and away from birth-and-death, to seek the pure path of a bodhisattva, to seek the pure and vast mind of a bodhisattva, to seek a bodhisattva's accomplishing of spiritual powers, to seek the gate of liberation that a bodhisattva displays, to seek the works in the world that a bodhisattva displays and performs, to seek a bodhisattva's according with the minds of beings, to seek a bodhisattva's gate upon birth-and-death and nirvāṇa, to seek a bodhisattva's contemplating of conditioned and unconditioned dharmas with a mind that clings to nothing.

Directly Showing the Dharma Realm (one · Chengguan's outline): The Substance and the Marks of the Dharma Gate Obtained

“Son of good family! I have obtained the power of sovereign and decisive understanding (sovereign both over the objective realm observed and in functioning, decisive both in wisdom's decision and in faith, the settled understanding that accepts the objective realm)—the eye of faith is pure, the light of wisdom shines, all objective realms are observed universally, all obstructions are left behind, observing is done with skill, the universal eye is clear and penetrating, and pure practice is complete; I am able to go to all the lands of the ten directions, to revere and make offerings to all the Buddhas, constantly to be mindful of all the Buddhas, the Tathāgatas, to hold entire (gathering wholly and holding in mindfulness without loss) the right Dharma of all the Buddhas, and constantly to see all the Buddhas of the ten directions.

Directly Showing the Dharma Realm (two · Chengguan's outline): The Number of Buddhas Seen, from One Buddha to Buddhas as Many as the Dust Motes of Unspeakably Unspeakable Buddha-Fields

“That is to say: seeing in the east one Buddha, two Buddhas, ten Buddhas, a hundred Buddhas, a thousand Buddhas, a hundred thousand Buddhas, a koṭi of Buddhas, a hundred koṭis of Buddhas, a thousand koṭis of Buddhas, a hundred thousand koṭis of Buddhas, a nayuta of koṭis of Buddhas (a nayuta is an exceedingly great number), a hundred nayutas of koṭis of Buddhas, a thousand nayutas of koṭis of Buddhas, a hundred thousand nayutas of koṭis of Buddhas; and so on up to seeing Buddhas as many as are numberless, measureless, boundless, incomparable, uncountable, unaccountable, unthinkable, unweighable, unspeakable, and unspeakably unspeakable;

“and so on up to seeing Buddhas as many as the dust motes of Jambudvīpa (this great earth on which we dwell) ground to dust; Buddhas as many as the dust motes of the four continents ground to dust; Buddhas as many as the dust motes of the thousandfold world ground to dust; Buddhas as many as the dust motes of the twofold-thousand world ground to dust; Buddhas as many as the dust motes of the threefold-thousand world ground to dust; Buddhas as many as the dust motes of one Buddha-field ground to dust; and so on up to Buddhas as many as the dust motes of unspeakably unspeakable Buddha-fields ground to dust.

“As it is in the east, so it is in the south, the west, and the north, in the four intermediate directions, above, and below—all of them likewise.

Directly Showing the Dharma Realm (three · Chengguan's outline): How the Buddhas in Each Single Direction Differ One from Another

“All the Buddhas in each single direction have every sort of color and mark, every sort of shape and appearance, every sort of spiritual power, every sort of sport (sovereign and unobstructed functioning), every sort of great assembly gathered and adorning the place of awakening, every sort of light shining boundlessly, every sort of land, every sort of life span; and, in accord with the various delights in the minds of the various beings, they display every sort of gate of accomplishing right awakening, and give the lion's roar in the midst of the great assembly.

Humbling Himself and Deferring to the Superior (Chengguan's outline): I Have Obtained Only This One Gate

“Son of good family! I have obtained only this one ‘dharma gate of universal seeing by the light of the wisdom of the realm of all the Buddhas held in mindfulness’—how could I know the boundless wisdom and the pure gates of practice of the great bodhisattvas?

The Twenty-One Gates of Mindfulness of the Buddha (one): the Light of Wisdom Shining Everywhere · Causing All Beings · Causing Secure Abiding in the Powers · Causing Secure Abiding in the Dharma · Illumining All Quarters

“What they practice is this—

“the gate of mindfulness of the Buddha in which the light of wisdom shines everywhere: because he constantly sees all the lands of all the Buddhas, and every sort of palace within them wholly adorned and pure;

“the gate of mindfulness of the Buddha that causes all beings: because, in accord with what the minds of the various beings delight in, he causes them all to see the Buddha and to obtain purity;

“the gate of mindfulness of the Buddha that causes secure abiding in the powers: because he causes one to enter into the ten powers of the Tathāgata (the ten powers of wisdom that the Tathāgata alone possesses);

“the gate of mindfulness of the Buddha that causes secure abiding in the Dharma: because he sees measureless Buddhas and hears their Dharma;

“the gate of mindfulness of the Buddha that illumines all quarters: because he wholly sees, within all the various world-systems, the oceans of Buddhas who are equal and without difference;

The Twenty-One Gates of Mindfulness of the Buddha (two): Entering the Places That Cannot Be Seen · Abiding in All Kalpas · Abiding in All Times · Abiding in All Lands · Abiding in All Ages

“the gate of mindfulness of the Buddha that enters the places that cannot be seen: because he wholly sees, within all the minutely fine objective realms, the sovereign spiritual-power deeds of the Buddhas;

“the gate of mindfulness of the Buddha that abides in all kalpas: because within all kalpas he constantly sees everything the Tathāgata sets up and does, without letting go of it for a moment;

“the gate of mindfulness of the Buddha that abides in all times: because at all times he constantly sees the Tathāgata, drawing near and dwelling together with him without parting;

“the gate of mindfulness of the Buddha that abides in all lands: because within all lands he sees the body of the Buddha, surpassing all and having none that can be its equal;

“the gate of mindfulness of the Buddha that abides in all ages: because, in accord with what his own mind desires and delights in, he universally sees the Tathāgatas of the three times;

The Twenty-One Gates of Mindfulness of the Buddha (three): Abiding in All Objective Realms · Abiding in Quiescent Cessation · Abiding in Leaving Far Behind · Abiding in Vastness · Abiding in the Minutely Fine

“the gate of mindfulness of the Buddha that abides in all objective realms: because universally, within all the various objective realms, he sees the Tathāgatas appearing in succession;

“the gate of mindfulness of the Buddha that abides in quiescent cessation: because within a single thought he sees all lands and all the Buddhas displaying nirvāṇa;

“the gate of mindfulness of the Buddha that abides in leaving far behind: because within a single day he sees all the Buddhas going forth from the places where they dwell;

“the gate of mindfulness of the Buddha that abides in vastness: because his mind constantly observes that the body of each single Buddha fills and pervades all the various Dharma realms;

“the gate of mindfulness of the Buddha that abides in the minutely fine: because at the tip of a single hair there appear Tathāgatas as many as are unspeakable, and he goes to the place of every one of those Tathāgatas to attend upon them;

The Twenty-One Gates of Mindfulness of the Buddha (four): Abiding in Adornment · Abiding in the Accomplishing of Deeds · Abiding in the Sovereign Mind · Abiding in One's Own Karma · Abiding in Spiritual Transformation · Abiding in Empty Space

“the gate of mindfulness of the Buddha that abides in adornment: because within a single thought he sees that in all lands there are Buddhas accomplishing equal right awakening and displaying spiritual transformations;

“the gate of mindfulness of the Buddha that abides in the accomplishing of deeds: because he sees all the Buddhas appearing in the world, sending forth the light of wisdom and turning the wheel of the Dharma;

“the gate of mindfulness of the Buddha that abides in the sovereign mind: because he knows that, in accord with whatever his own mind desires and delights in, all the Buddhas manifest their forms;

“the gate of mindfulness of the Buddha that abides in one's own karma: because he knows that, in accord with the karma that beings have accumulated, there is manifested a reflected image answering to it, so as to make them awaken;

“the gate of mindfulness of the Buddha that abides in spiritual transformation: because he sees that the vast lotus flower upon which the Buddha sits pervades the Dharma realm and opens wide;

“the gate of mindfulness of the Buddha that abides in empty space: because he observes that all the body-clouds the Tathāgata has adorn the Dharma realm and the realm of empty space.

Concluding the Humbling of Himself: How Could I Know or Tell of Their Practice of Merit

“And how, then, could I know, or be able to tell of, their practice of merit such as that?

Pointing to the Next Friend (Chengguan's outline): In the South, in the Land of Sea Gate, There Is a Monk Named Ocean Cloud

“Son of good family! In the south there is a land named Sea Gate; there is a monk there named Ocean Cloud. Go there and ask him: how is a bodhisattva to study the practice that a bodhisattva practices and to cultivate the path of a bodhisattva? The monk Ocean Cloud is able to distinguish and explain the causes and conditions for giving rise to vast roots of goodness.

Praising the Surpassing Virtues of the Friend (Chengguan's outline): The Nine Things He Will Do for You

“Son of good family! The monk Ocean Cloud will cause you to enter the vast stage of the aids to the path, will cause you to give rise to the power of vast roots of goodness, will explain for you the cause of giving rise to the mind of awakening, will cause you to give rise to the light of the vast vehicle, will cause you to cultivate the vast pāramitās, the practices that carry across to the far shore, will cause you to enter the vast ocean of the various practices, will cause you to fulfill the vast wheel of vows, will cause you to purify the vast gate of adornment, will cause you to give rise to the power of vast kindness and compassion.”

Cherishing His Virtue, Bowing, and Taking Leave (Chengguan's outline): Bowing, Circling to the Right and Beholding Him, and Then Departing

At that time, the youth Sudhana bowed his head to the feet of the monk Cloud of Virtue, circled around him to the right, gazed up and beheld him, and then took his leave and went.

Right Contemplation in Accord with the Teaching (Chengguan's outline): Before Departing, Reciting the Ten Gates Over Once More

At that time, the youth Sudhana single-mindedly pondered the dharma taught by the good friend before him, rightly holding in mindfulness and observing the gate of the light of wisdom, rightly holding in mindfulness and observing the gate of the bodhisattva's liberation, rightly holding in mindfulness and observing the gate of the bodhisattva's samādhi, rightly holding in mindfulness and observing the gate of the bodhisattva's great ocean, rightly holding in mindfulness and observing the gate of the Buddhas appearing before one, rightly holding in mindfulness and observing the gate of the quarters and places of the Buddhas, rightly holding in mindfulness and observing the gate of the rules and standards of the Buddhas, rightly holding in mindfulness and observing the gate of the Buddhas being equal to the realm of empty space, rightly holding in mindfulness and observing the gate of the order in which the Buddhas come forth, rightly holding in mindfulness and observing the gate of the skillful means the Buddhas enter by.

Journeying South by Stages: Reaching the Land of the Sea Gate and Seeing the Monk Ocean Cloud

In this way he went on southward, and reached the land of the Sea Gate, and came to the dwelling place of the monk Ocean Cloud, and bowed his head and face to his feet, and when he had finished circling around him to the right, he then joined his palms before him and spoke in this way—

The Ten Questions of Sudhana (one): I Have Already Given Rise to the Mind, Yet I Do Not Know How to Walk

“Holy one! I have already given rise, before this, to the mind of anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi (the mind of unsurpassed perfect awakening), and I wish to enter the ocean of all unsurpassed wisdom, yet I still do not know: how is a bodhisattva to be able to leave behind the household of the world and be born into the household of the Tathāgata?

The Ten Questions of Sudhana (two): Crossing the Ocean of Birth-and-Death · Leaving the Ground of the Ordinary Person

“How is he to be able to cross over the great ocean of birth-and-death and enter the ocean of the Buddha's wisdom?

“How is he to be able to leave the standing of the ordinary person and enter the standing of the Tathāgata?

The Ten Questions of Sudhana (three): Cutting Off the Stream of Birth-and-Death · Breaking the Wheel of Birth-and-Death

“How is he to be able to cut off the stream of birth-and-death and turn instead to enter the stream of the bodhisattva's practice?

“How is he to be able to break the wheel that is birth-and-death and turn instead to accomplish the wheel of the bodhisattva's great vows?

The Ten Questions of Sudhana (four): Extinguishing the Realm of Māra · Drying Up the Ocean of Craving

“How is he to be able to extinguish the realm of Māra and bring the realm of the Buddha to light?

“How is he to be able to drain dry the great ocean of craving and desire, and to nourish and grow the great ocean of great compassion?

The Ten Questions of Sudhana (five): Shutting the Gate of the Evil Destinies · Coming Out of the City of the Three Realms · Giving Up Things of Delight

“How is he to be able to shut the gate of the many calamities and the evil destinies, and to open the gate of the heavens and of nirvāṇa?

“How is he to be able to come out of this city of the three realms and enter that city of all-knowing wisdom?

“How is he to be able to give up all the things he delights in and is fond of, and to take them all to benefit all beings?”

Ocean Cloud's Question Back: Have You Given Rise to the Mind?

At that time, the monk Ocean Cloud told Sudhana, saying: “Son of good family! Have you already given rise to the mind of anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi?”

Sudhana said: “Just so! I have already given rise, before this, to the mind of anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi.”

Ten Things: Without Planting Roots of Good, This Mind Cannot Be Given Rise To

Ocean Cloud said—

“Son of good family! If beings do not plant roots of good, they cannot give rise to the mind of anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi. One must be able to obtain the light of the roots of good of the universal gate; one must be complete in the wisdom-light of the samādhi of the true and real path; one must bring forth every sort of vast ocean of merit; one must nourish and grow pure and white dharmas without slackening or resting; one must serve good friends without giving rise to weariness or aversion; one must not care for body or life and have nothing hidden away or hoarded up; one's mind must be level like the earth, with no high and no low; one's nature must constantly be kind and pitying toward all beings; one must, in the various destinies where sentient beings go, be single in mindfulness and not abandon them; one must constantly delight in observing the realm of the Tathāgata—in this way, one is then able to give rise to the mind of awakening.

Giving Rise to the Mind of Awakening: Eleven Sentences

“As for what is called giving rise to the mind of awakening, it is to say:

“to give rise to the mind of great compassion, because one is to rescue all beings everywhere;

“to give rise to the mind of great kindness, because one is to guard and bless all the worlds equally;

“to give rise to the mind of ease and joy, because one is to make all beings extinguish every sort of suffering;

“to give rise to the mind of benefiting, because one is to make all beings leave behind evil dharmas;

“to give rise to the mind of pity, because whatever has fear is to be guarded;

“to give rise to the mind without obstruction, because one is to leave behind and let go of all manner of obstacles;

“to give rise to the mind that is vast, because one is to fill the whole Dharma realm everywhere;

“to give rise to the mind that is boundless, because one is to be equal to the realm of empty space and reach everywhere without exception;

“to give rise to the mind that is broad and wide, because one is to see all the Tathāgatas;

“to give rise to the mind that is pure, because toward the wisdom of the dharmas of the three times there is nothing that goes against;

“to give rise to the mind of wisdom, because one is to enter everywhere into the ocean of all wisdom.

Twelve Years: Constantly Taking the Great Ocean as One's Objective Realm

“Son of good family! I have dwelt in this land of the Sea Gate a full twelve years, constantly taking the great ocean as the objective realm upon which my mind is set.

Ten Ponderings of the Great Ocean (one): Vast · Deep · By Stages · The Many Jewels · Water Gathered

“That is to say: pondering that the great ocean is vast beyond all measuring, pondering that the great ocean is deep beyond fathoming, pondering that the great ocean goes deeper and wider little by little the further one goes, pondering that the great ocean has measureless jewels of many kinds wondrously adorning it, pondering that the great ocean gathers up measureless water,

Ten Ponderings of the Great Ocean (two): The Colors of the Water · Beings · Great Bodies · Cloud and Rain · Neither Increasing nor Decreasing

“pondering that the colors of the water of the great ocean are each different and inconceivable, pondering that the great ocean is the dwelling place of measureless beings, pondering that the great ocean can hold and receive beings of every sort whose bodies are vast in size, pondering that the great ocean is able to receive the rain that the great clouds send down, pondering that the great ocean neither increases nor decreases.

Four Questions: Is There Anything Greater Than This Ocean?

“Son of good family! When I pondered in this way, there arose in me this further thought: ‘Within the world, is there anything more broad and wide than this ocean? Is there anything more measureless than this ocean? Is there anything more deep than this ocean? Is there anything more rare and outstanding than this ocean?’

A Great Lotus Flower Suddenly Appears: The Five Parts of Jewels

“Son of good family! When I gave rise to this thought, below this ocean a great lotus flower suddenly appeared: it had for its stalk the unconquerable indranīla jewel (a kind of blue jewel), for its calyx the vaiḍūrya jewel, for its leaves jāmbūnada gold, for its dais aloeswood, and for its filaments agate. It spread open and scattered wide, and covered the whole great ocean over.

The Retinue (one): From the Asura Kings to the Gandharva Kings

“A million asura kings held up its stalk, a million nets of adornment made of maṇi jewels covered it above, a million nāga kings watered it with fragrant water, a million garuḍa kings held in their beaks every sort of necklace and jeweled ribbon that hung down on all four sides, a million rākṣasa kings observed it with minds of kindness, a million yakṣa kings reverently bowed to it, a million gandharva kings praised it and made offerings with every sort of music.

The Retinue (two): From the Kings of the Gods to the Ocean Spirits

“A million kings of the gods rained down every kind of heavenly flower, and heavenly garlands, heavenly fragrance, heavenly incense for burning, heavenly ointment-fragrance, heavenly powdered fragrance, heavenly fine and wondrous garments, and heavenly banners, streamers, and jeweled canopies; a million Brahmā kings bowed their heads in reverence, a million gods of the Pure Abodes joined their palms and paid respect, a million wheel-turning kings each made offerings with adornments of the seven jewels, a million ocean spirits appeared at once and reverently bowed their heads.

The Retinue (three): Ten Kinds of Maṇi Jewels

“The light sent forth by a million maṇi jewels of the light of savor shone everywhere, a million maṇi jewels of pure merit served as adornments, a million maṇi jewels of universal light formed a pure treasury, the light of a million surpassing maṇi jewels blazed up brilliantly, a million maṇi jewels of the wondrous treasury shone with a light without bound, a million jambū-banner maṇi jewels were ranged in rows in their order, a million vajra-lion maṇi jewels could not be broken and were pure and adorning, a million sun-treasury maṇi jewels were vast and pure, a million delightful maṇi jewels had colors of every sort, a million wish-fulfilling maṇi jewels adorned it endlessly and shone with light.

Where This Flower Came From: Raising the Cause to Show Its Surpassingness

“This great lotus flower was given rise to by the roots of good of the Tathāgata's coming forth into the world; all the bodhisattvas, seeing it, gave rise to faith and delight; and in the worlds of the ten directions there was not one place where it was not present. It is born from dharmas that are like an illusion, born from dharmas that are like a dream, born from pure karma; it is adorned by the dharma gate free of contention, it enters the seal of the unconditioned, it abides in the gate without obstruction, it fills all the lands of the ten directions, and it accords with the deep realm of the Buddhas—even if one were to praise its merits through measureless hundreds of thousands of kalpas, the praising could not be finished.

The Tathāgata Upon the Flower (one): Thirteen Sentences of the Inconceivable

“At that time I saw that upon that lotus flower there was a Tathāgata seated with legs crossed, and his body reached from here up to the Summit of Existence. That jeweled lotus-flower seat was inconceivable, the assembly of the place of the way was inconceivable, the accomplishing of the marks was inconceivable, the fullness of the signs that follow the form was inconceivable, the spiritual powers and transformations were inconceivable, the purity of form and mark was inconceivable, the mark of the crown that cannot be seen was inconceivable, the mark of the broad and long tongue was inconceivable, the skillful telling was inconceivable, the fullness of the voice was inconceivable, the strength that has no bound was inconceivable, the pure fearlessness was inconceivable, the vast eloquence was inconceivable.

The Tathāgata Upon the Flower (two): Six Further Sentences of Calling That Buddha to Mind

“I further called to mind: the practices of every sort that that Buddha had cultivated in the past were inconceivable, his accomplishing the Buddha-way with sovereign ease was inconceivable, his telling of the essentials of the Dharma with a wondrous voice was inconceivable, his displaying every sort of adornment by the universal gate was inconceivable, the differences in what was seen by each of those on his left and on his right were inconceivable, his being able to bring every benefit to fullness was inconceivable.

Stroking the Crown of My Head: Expounding for Me the Dharma Gate of the Universal Eye

“At that time this Tathāgata stretched out his right hand and stroked the crown of my head, and expounded for me the dharma gate of the universal eye: it opens up and shows the realm of all the Tathāgatas, it brings to light all the practices of the bodhisattvas, it makes clear the wondrous dharmas of all the Buddhas; all the wheels of the Dharma are gathered without exception into this dharma gate; it is able to purify all the lands of the Buddhas, it is able to crush all the false doctrines of those outside the way, it is able to extinguish all the armies of the Māras, it is able to make beings all give rise to gladness, it is able to shine upon and see the workings of the minds of all beings, it is able to know completely the faculties of all beings, and, following the minds of beings, it makes them all awaken.

Ocean of Ink and a Brush of Sumeru: Even Writing, One Could Not Write It Out

“I heard this dharma gate from that Tathāgata, and received and held it, recited it, and called it to mind and observed it. Suppose there were someone who took as much ink as the whole great ocean and heaped up a brush as great as Mount Sumeru, and wrote out this dharma gate of the universal eye—of one gate within one chapter, of one dharma within one gate, of one meaning within one dharma, of one sentence within one meaning—he could not set down even the smallest part of it, how much less be able to write it out to the end!

A Thousand Two Hundred Years (one): The First Five Lights of Dhāraṇī

“Son of good family! I was at the place of that Buddha a thousand two hundred years, receiving and holding this dharma gate of the universal eye. Within each single day, with the light of the dhāraṇī of hearing and holding, I received measureless chapters; with the light of the dhāraṇī of the gate of stillness, I went into measureless chapters; with the light of the dhāraṇī of boundless turning, I entered everywhere into measureless chapters; with the light of the dhāraṇī of observing ground after ground, I distinguished measureless chapters; with the light of the dhāraṇī of majestic strength, I gathered in everywhere measureless chapters;

A Thousand Two Hundred Years (two): The Latter Five Lights of Dhāraṇī

“with the light of the dhāraṇī of the adornment of the lotus flower, I drew forth measureless chapters; with the light of the dhāraṇī of pure speech and sound, I opened up and set out measureless chapters; with the light of the dhāraṇī of the treasury of empty space, I displayed measureless chapters; with the light of the dhāraṇī of the gathering of light, I broadened measureless chapters; with the light of the dhāraṇī of the treasury of the ocean, I sorted out and analyzed measureless chapters.

Beings of the Ten Directions Come to Hear: The Ten Kinds and Their Kings

“If there were beings who came from the ten directions—whether gods or kings of the gods, whether nāgas or nāga kings, whether yakṣas or yakṣa kings, whether gandharvas or gandharva kings, whether asuras or asura kings, whether garuḍas or garuḍa kings, whether kiṃnaras or kiṃnara kings, whether mahoragas or mahoraga kings, whether human beings or kings of human beings, whether Brahmās or Brahmā kings—all such as these, coming to my dwelling place, I opened up and explained for them, extolled and praised for them, and made them all delight in, go into, and abide securely within this dharma gate of the universal eye of the light of the practice of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas.

Humbling Himself (Chengguan's outline): I Know Only This One Dharma Gate

“Son of good family! I know only this dharma gate of the universal eye.

Deferring to the Superior (one · Chengguan's outline): The Five Oceans the Bodhisattvas Enter

“As for the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, they enter deeply into the ocean of all the practices of the bodhisattvas, because they cultivate in accord with the power of their own vows; they enter the ocean of great vows, because they are to dwell in the world through measureless kalpas; they enter the ocean of all beings, because they are to follow what the minds of those beings delight in and benefit them vastly; they enter the ocean of the minds of all beings, because they are to bring forth the light of the unobstructed wisdom of the ten powers; they enter the ocean of the faculties of all beings, because they are to teach and transform them as the occasion fits and make them all be tamed;

Deferring to the Superior (two · Chengguan's outline): The Latter Five Oceans the Bodhisattvas Enter

“they enter the ocean of all lands, because they are to fulfill their original vows and adorn and purify the Buddha-lands; they enter the ocean of all the Buddhas, because they are willing constantly to make offerings to the Tathāgatas; they enter the ocean of all dharmas, because they are able with wisdom to enter into and awaken to them all; they enter the ocean of all merits, because they are to cultivate them one by one and make them complete; they enter the ocean of the words and speech of all beings, because they are to turn the wheel of the right Dharma in all lands—and how could I know, or be able to tell of, their merits and their practice?

Pointing to the Next Friend (Chengguan's outline): Going Sixty Yojanas South to Ask the Monk Well-Abiding

“Son of good family! Going south from here sixty yojanas, beside the Laṅkā road there is a settlement named Ocean Shore; there is a monk there named Well-Abiding. Go to him and ask: how is a bodhisattva to purify the practice of a bodhisattva?”

Cherishing His Virtue, Bowing, and Taking Leave (Chengguan's outline)

At that time, the youth Sudhana bowed to the feet of Ocean Cloud, circled around him to the right, gazed up and beheld him, and then took his leave and went.

Seeking in Accord with the Teaching (one · Chengguan's outline): Ten Sentences of Being Focused in Mindfulness of the Teaching Conferred by the Previous Good Friend

At that time, the youth Sudhana was focused in mindfulness of the teaching conferred by the good friend, focused in mindfulness of the dharma gate of the universal eye (the name of the dharma gate conferred by the previous good friend, the monk Ocean Cloud), focused in mindfulness of the spiritual power of the Buddha, focused in holding to the cloud of the sentences of the Dharma (sentences of the Dharma inexhaustible as a cloud), focused in entering the gate of the sea of the Dharma, focused in pondering the manifold differences of the Dharma, entering deeply into the swirling depths of the Dharma (the place within the sea of the Dharma where it whirls and turns down deep), entering universally into the empty space of the Dharma, cleansing away and governing the cataracts upon the Dharma (the film that veils the eye), and observing the place where the treasure of the Dharma lies.

Seeking in Accord with the Teaching (two · Chengguan's outline): Journeying South by Stages, Searching Out Well-Abiding

By stages he journeyed toward the south, and reached the village on the sea-shore of the Laṅkā road; he observed the ten directions, searching and seeking out Well-Abiding.

Seeing, Paying Respect, and Inquiring (one · Chengguan's outline): He Sees Well-Abiding Walking Back and Forth in Empty Space, the Gods Scattering Flowers and Making Music

He saw this monk in empty space, walking back and forth, coming and going; numberless gods reverently surrounded him, scattering down every sort of heavenly flower and making heavenly music; banners, standards, silks, and figured stuffs, of each there were numberless, filling empty space everywhere, and these they made into offerings.

Seeing, Paying Respect, and Inquiring (two · Chengguan's outline): The Eight Classes and the Gods, Each with Its Own Mark of Offering

The great dragon kings, in empty space, raised up inconceivable clouds of aloeswood incense, shaking out thunder and striking forth lightning, and these they made into offerings;

the kiṃnara kings played every sort of musical note, praising him in accord with the Dharma, and this they made into an offering;

the mahoraga kings took inconceivable garments of the utmost fineness and spread them out in empty space, circling all around, and gave rise to gladness in their hearts, and this they made into an offering;

the asura kings raised up inconceivable clouds of maṇi jewels, having measureless light and every sort of adornment, filling empty space everywhere, and these they made into offerings;

the garuḍa kings appeared in the shape of youths, with measureless attendant maidens surrounding them, having brought to final accomplishment the mind that does no killing, and in empty space they joined their palms in offering;

the rākṣasa kings, of an inconceivable number, with measureless rākṣasas surrounding them, whose shapes were tall and great and very much to be feared, when they saw that the monk Well-Abiding was sovereign in a mind of kindness, bent their bodies and joined their palms, gazing up in offering;

the yakṣa kings, of an inconceivable number, each with his own retinue surrounding him, on all four sides guarded him reverently, all around;

the Brahmā kings, of an inconceivable number, in empty space bent their bodies and joined their palms, praising him in the manner of men;

the gods of the Pure Abodes, of an inconceivable number, in empty space came together with their palaces, joined their palms reverently, and gave rise to vast vows.

Seeing, Paying Respect, and Inquiring (three · Chengguan's outline): Sudhana Pays Respect and States That He Has Already Given Rise to the Mind of Awakening

At that time, the youth Sudhana, having seen these things, gave rise to gladness in his heart, joined his palms and reverently bowed, and spoke in this way—

“Holy one! I have already given rise, before this, to the mind of anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi (the mind of unsurpassed perfect awakening),

Seeing, Paying Respect, and Inquiring (four · Chengguan's outline): Ten Sentences of General Question—How Is a Bodhisattva to Deal with the Buddha-Dharma

“yet I do not know: how is a bodhisattva to cultivate and practice the Buddha-Dharma? How to gather and accumulate the Buddha-Dharma? How to be furnished with the Buddha-Dharma? How to perfume himself with the Buddha-Dharma? How to increase and grow the Buddha-Dharma? How to gather up the Buddha-Dharma entire? How to bring the Buddha-Dharma to its end? How to cleanse and govern the Buddha-Dharma? How to purify the Buddha-Dharma deeply? How to penetrate through to the Buddha-Dharma?

Seeing, Paying Respect, and Inquiring (five · Chengguan's outline): Concluding What Precedes and Requesting What Follows

“I have heard that the holy one is well able to draw others on and instruct them. I only pray that you will be kind and take pity, and expound for me:

Seeing, Paying Respect, and Inquiring (six · Chengguan's outline): Ten Sentences of Particular Question—How Is a Bodhisattva to ‘Not Forsake’ Ten Things

“How is a bodhisattva to not forsake the seeing of the Buddhas, constantly and diligently cultivating in their presence?

“How is a bodhisattva to not forsake the bodhisattvas, being of one and the same root of good with all the bodhisattvas?

“How is a bodhisattva to not forsake the Buddha-Dharma, gaining clear witness to all of it by wisdom?

“How is a bodhisattva to not forsake the great vows, being able to benefit all beings universally?

“How is a bodhisattva to not forsake the manifold practices, abiding within all the kalpas with a mind that does not weary?

“How is a bodhisattva to not forsake the Buddha-fields, being universally able to adorn and purify all the worlds?

“How is a bodhisattva to not forsake the powers of the Buddhas, being wholly able to know and see the sovereignty of the Tathāgatas?

“How is a bodhisattva to not forsake the conditioned and yet not abide within it either, being, universally within all the destinies of existence (the destinies toward which beings go), as it were a transformation, displaying the undergoing of birth-and-death and cultivating the practice of a bodhisattva?

“How is a bodhisattva to not forsake the hearing of the Dharma, being wholly able to receive the right teaching of all the Buddhas?

“How is a bodhisattva to not forsake the light of wisdom, entering universally into the ground where the wisdom of the three times ranges?”

Praising and Conferring the Dharma (one · Chengguan's outline): Well-Abiding Praises What Sudhana Has Asked

At that time, the monk Well-Abiding told Sudhana, saying—

“It is good! It is good! Son of good family! You have already been able to give rise to the mind of anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi, and now you have further given rise to the mind to come and ask about the Buddha-Dharma, the Dharma of the wisdom of all things, and the Dharma of that which is of itself so (the Dharma that is thus of itself, not by anything made).

Praising and Conferring the Dharma (two · Chengguan's outline): The General Marking of What He Has Obtained—the Bodhisattva's Gate of Liberation Without Obstruction, and the Light of Wisdom Called Ultimate Freedom from Obstruction

“Son of good family! I have already accomplished the bodhisattva's gate of liberation without obstruction. Whether coming or going, whether walking or halting, I ponder in accord with it, cultivate it and observe it; and at that very moment I obtained the light of wisdom named Ultimate Freedom from Obstruction.

Praising and Conferring the Dharma (three · Chengguan's outline): Twelve Sentences on the Working of Wisdom—Nowhere Any Obstruction

“Because I obtained this light of wisdom:

I know the ranging of the minds of all beings, without any obstruction; I know the passing away (the ending of life in one place) and the birth (the taking of birth in another place) of all beings, without any obstruction; I know the past lives of all beings (their affairs in former lives), without any obstruction; I know the affairs of all beings in the kalpas to come, without any obstruction; I know the affairs of all beings in the present age, without any obstruction; I know the manifold differences of the speech and the sounds of the voices of all beings, without any obstruction; I settle and decide whatever questions of doubt all beings have, without any obstruction; I know the faculties of all beings (their capacities, keen or dull), without any obstruction; in accord with the seasons at which all beings ought to be transformed, I am wholly able to go and reach them, without any obstruction; I know the time-divisions of every kṣaṇa, lava, and muhūrta (all of them names of time, from the very shortest growing longer by degrees), and of day and night, without any obstruction; I know the sequence in which the sea of the three times turns in its flowing, without any obstruction; I am able, with this body of mine, to go everywhere to all the Buddha-fields of the ten directions, without any obstruction.

Praising and Conferring the Dharma (four · Chengguan's outline): The Question and Its Answer—It Is Without Obstruction Because It Neither Abides nor Acts

“Why is this? Because I have obtained the power of spiritual penetration that does not abide and does not act.

Praising and Conferring the Dharma (five · Chengguan's outline): Manifesting Transformations in Empty Space—Walking, Standing, Sitting, and Lying Down · Passing Through Walls · Entering the Ground and Treading on Water · Smoke and Flames Coming Forth from the Body

“Son of good family! Because I have obtained this power of spiritual penetration, in empty space I now walk, now stand, now sit, now lie down, now am hidden, now am displayed; now I manifest one body, now I manifest many bodies; I pass through walls just as through empty space; in empty space I sit cross-legged, coming and going at my ease just as a flying bird does; I enter the ground as though it were water, and tread on water as though it were the ground; from my whole body, above and below, smoke and flames come forth everywhere, like one great mass of fire.

Or at times I shake all the great earth; or at times I touch the sun and the moon with my hand; or I make this body of mine so tall that it reaches to the palaces of Brahmā.

Or I manifest clouds of burning incense, or I manifest clouds of jeweled flames, or I manifest clouds of transformations, or I manifest clouds of nets of light—all of them vast and wide, covering over the ten directions.

Praising and Conferring the Dharma (six · Chengguan's outline): Offerings Everywhere in the Ten Directions—Passing Measureless Worlds in a Single Thought, Making Offerings with Ten Clouds

“Or within a single thought I pass beyond, in the east, one world, two worlds, a hundred worlds, a thousand worlds, a hundred thousand worlds, and on to measureless worlds, and on to unspeakably unspeakable worlds; or I pass beyond worlds as many as the dust motes of Jambudvīpa, or I pass beyond worlds as many as the dust motes of unspeakably unspeakable Buddha-fields.

Before the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, in all those Buddha-lands, I hear the Dharma told; in the presence of each single Buddha I manifest differentiated bodies as many as the dust motes of measureless Buddha-fields; each single body rains down clouds of offering as many as the dust motes of measureless Buddha-fields, that is to say: clouds of all flowers, clouds of all incense, clouds of all garlands, clouds of all powdered incense, clouds of all ointment incense, clouds of all canopies, clouds of all garments, clouds of all standards, clouds of all banners, clouds of all curtains; and with clouds of all bodies I make offerings.

Praising and Conferring the Dharma (seven · Chengguan's outline): Manifesting Forms and Benefiting Beings—He Holds and Is Mindful; Those Who See the Form Assuredly Obtain Awakening

“Whatever each single Tathāgata tells, I hold it all; whatever adornment each single land has, I am mindful of it all. As it is in the east, so it is in the south, the west, and the north, in the four intermediate directions, above, and below—all of them likewise.

“Thus among all the beings in all the worlds, if any see this form of mine, they all assuredly obtain anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi. All the beings of those worlds I see clearly and distinctly; and in accord with their being great or small, superior or inferior, in suffering or in joy, I display a form the same as theirs and transform them to accomplishment. If there are beings who draw near to me, I cause them all to abide securely in a dharma gate such as this.

Humbling Oneself and Deferring to the Superior (one · Chengguan's outline): I Know Only This One Gate

“Son of good family! I know only this gate of liberation without obstruction, of universally swift making of offerings to the Buddhas and bringing beings to accomplishment.

Humbling Oneself and Deferring to the Superior (two · Chengguan's outline): Deferring Upward to the Twenty Sentences of Discipline Held by the Bodhisattvas

“As for the discipline of great compassion held by the bodhisattvas, the discipline of the perfections, the discipline of the Great Vehicle, the discipline that answers to the bodhisattva path, the discipline without obstruction, the discipline that does not fall back, the discipline that does not forsake the mind of awakening, the discipline of constantly taking the Buddha-Dharma as its object, the discipline of constantly directing the mind to the wisdom of all things, the discipline that is like empty space, the discipline that relies upon nothing in all the world, the discipline without failing, the discipline without harm, the discipline without lack, the discipline without mixture, the discipline without turbidity, the discipline without regret, the pure discipline, the discipline that leaves dust behind, the discipline that leaves defilement behind—merits such as these, how could I know them, or be able to tell of them?

Pointing to the Next Friend (Chengguan's outline): Megha, in the City of Sovereignty in the Land of Draviḍa in the South

“Son of good family! Going from here toward the south, there is a land named Draviḍa; there is a city named Sovereignty; and within it there is a man named Megha. Go to him and ask: how is a bodhisattva to study the practice that a bodhisattva practices and cultivate the path of a bodhisattva?”

Cherishing His Virtue, Bowing, and Taking Leave (Chengguan's outline)

At that time, the youth Sudhana bowed to the two feet of the monk Well-Abiding, circled around him to the right, gazing up without ceasing, and took his leave and departed.

Seeking in Accord with the Teaching (Chengguan's outline): Making Familiar the Dharma Gate Conferred by the Previous Good Friend

At that time, the youth Sudhana was single-mindedly and rightly mindful of “the dharma gate of the light of the Dharma”—this is the dharma gate conferred by the previous good friend; he deeply believed in it and went toward entering it, he was single-mindedly mindful of the Buddha, he did not let the Three Jewels of Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha be cut off within his own mind, he praised the nature of freedom from craving, he was mindful of how good friends see everywhere throughout the three times of past, present, and future, he was mindful of how the great vows universally deliver beings, he did not cling to any of the dharmas that are made and that arise and cease, he pondered to the utmost the own-nature of all dharmas, he was wholly able to adorn and purify all worlds, and toward the assemblies and places of awakening of all the Buddhas his mind had not the least clinging.

In this way, stretch by stretch, he journeyed south, and came to the city of Sovereignty, searching for Megha.

Seeing, Paying Respect, and Inquiring (Chengguan's outline · one): Seeing Him in the Marketplace

Then he saw that man among the shops of the marketplace, seated upon the lion seat for telling the Dharma—the lion seat is the seat upon which one who tells the Dharma sits—with an assembly of ten thousand persons together surrounding him, and he was expounding “the dharma gate of the adornment of the wheel of letters.”

At that time, the youth Sudhana bowed his head to his feet, circled him measureless times, went before him and joined his palms, and spoke in this way—

Seeing, Paying Respect, and Inquiring (two): The Twelve Sentences of the Question—First Stating His Own Giving Rise to the Mind, Then Asking Directly

“Holy one! I have already given rise, before this, to the mind of anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi—that is, the mind of unsurpassed perfect awakening; yet I still do not know: how is a bodhisattva to study the practice of a bodhisattva?

“How is he to cultivate the path of a bodhisattva?

“How, while turning about among the various destinies of beings, is he constantly not to forget and not to let fall the mind of awakening?

“How is he to obtain a mind of equality, firm and unmoving?

“How is he to gain a pure mind that nothing whatever can ruin?

“How is he to give rise to the power of great compassion, constantly without toil or weariness?

“How is he to enter the dhāraṇī—that is, the gate that holds all dharmas together and does not forget them—and universally to obtain purity?

“How is he to give rise to the vast light of wisdom, leaving behind every sort of dark obstruction upon all dharmas?

“How is he to be complete in the power of unobstructed understanding and eloquence, deciding and knowing all the storehouses of the most profound meaning?

“How is he to obtain the power of right mindfulness, holding in memory all the differing wheels of the Dharma?

“How is he to obtain the power of pure entering, universally expounding the dharmas among all the destinies of beings?

“How is he to obtain the power of wisdom, being able upon all dharmas decisively to distinguish their meaning?”

Praising and Conferring the Dharma (Chengguan's outline · one): First Determining Whether He Has Truly Given Rise to the Mind

At that time, Megha told Sudhana, saying, “Son of good family! Have you already given rise to the mind of anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi?”

Sudhana said, “Yes! I have already given rise, before this, to the mind of anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi.”

Praising and Conferring the Dharma (two): Megha Comes Down from the Seat and Bows to Sudhana

Megha at once came down from the lion seat and, before Sudhana, cast his five limbs to the ground—both knees, both elbows, and the crown of the head touching the ground, which is the weightiest of bows—and scattered golden flowers, silver flowers, and priceless jewels, together with finest and most wondrous powdered candana incense and measureless kinds of robes, using them to cover Sudhana's body; and he further scattered measureless kinds of incense and flowers and every sort of article of offering, using them to make offering.

Then he rose to his feet and praised him in this way—

Praising and Conferring the Dharma (three): Praising the Giving Rise of the Mind (one) The First Ten Sentences—What the Giving Rise of the Mind Itself Accomplishes

“It is good, it is good! Son of good family! You have actually been able to give rise to the mind of anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi.

“Son of good family! If someone is able to give rise to the mind of anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi, then that is to let the lineage of all the Buddhas not be cut off, then that is to adorn and purify all Buddha-fields, then that is to ripen all beings, then that is to penetrate and know the nature of all dharmas, then that is to awaken to and understand the seeds of all karma,

“then that is to fulfill all practices, then that is to let all great vows not be cut off, then that is to understand as it truly is the lineage of freedom from craving, then that is to be able clearly to see the differences of the three times of past, present, and future, then that is to make his own faith and understanding forever firm,

Praising and Conferring the Dharma (four): Praising the Giving Rise of the Mind (two) The Eleven Sentences of the Reverence and Guarding of the Ten Kings—Revered and Guarded by the Holy Ones and the Kings

“then that is to be upheld by all the Tathāgatas, then that is to be held in mind by all the Buddhas, then that is to be equal to all the bodhisattvas, then that is to be praised and delighted in by all the worthy and holy ones, then that is to be bowed to and called upon by all the Brahmā kings,

“then that is to be made offering to by all the lords of the gods, then that is to be guarded by all the yakṣas, then that is to be attended and defended by all the rākṣasas, then that is to be welcomed by all the nāga kings, then that is to be sung of and praised by all the kiṃnara kings,

“then that is to be extolled and rejoiced over by all the lords of the various worlds.

Praising and Conferring the Dharma (five): Praising the Giving Rise of the Mind (three) The One Sentence of Outward Benefit to Beings—Causing the Realms of Beings All to Obtain Peace and Ease

“then that is to cause all the realms of beings wholly to obtain peace and ease.

Praising and Conferring the Dharma (six): The Eleven Sentences of ‘That Is to Say’—What the Giving Rise of the Mind Accomplishes in the Realms of Beings

“That is to say: because it makes them leave behind the evil destinies, because it makes them come forth from the places of the eight difficulties, because it cuts off the root of all poverty,

“because it gives rise to the happiness of all gods and humans, because it lets them meet good friends and draw near to them, because it lets them hear the vast Dharma and hold it entire,

“because it gives rise to the mind of awakening, because it purifies the mind of awakening, because it illumines the path of a bodhisattva, because it enters the wisdom of a bodhisattva, because it abides in the grounds of a bodhisattva.

Praising and Conferring the Dharma (seven): Praising the Bodhisattva at Length—The Four Sentences on What Is Hard to Have

“Son of good family! You should know that what a bodhisattva does is exceedingly hard, hard to appear and hard to meet with, and those who see a bodhisattva are twice again as rare.

“The bodhisattva is for all beings a support and a refuge, because he raises them up and brings them to accomplishment;

“he is for all beings a rescue and a relief, because he draws out their every suffering and hardship;

“he is for all beings a place to rely upon, because he guards and protects the world;

“he is for all beings a saving protection, because he lets beings be free of dread.

Praising and Conferring the Dharma (eight): The Thirteen Similes

“The bodhisattva is like the wind-wheel, because it upholds the various worlds and does not let them fall down into the evil destinies;

“like the great earth, because it makes the roots of goodness of beings increase and grow;

“like the great ocean, because his merit is full and has no exhausting;

“like the pure sun, because the light of his wisdom shines everywhere;

“like Mount Sumeru, because his roots of goodness stand high above all;

“like the bright moon, because the light of his wisdom appears;

“like a fierce general, because he crushes and subdues the armies of Māra;

“like a sovereign lord, because within the city of the Buddha's Dharma he obtains sovereignty;

“like a fierce fire, because it burns up entirely the mind of self-love in beings;

“like a great cloud, because it sends down measureless and wondrous rain of the Dharma;

“like timely rain, because it makes the sprouts of every root of faith increase and grow;

“like a ship's master, because he points out and leads to the fords and crossings of the ocean of the Dharma;

“like a bridge, because it lets them cross over the great ocean of birth-and-death.”

Conferring His Own Dharma Gate (Chengguan's outline · one): Sending Forth Light to Gather the Assembly, and Telling Them the Dharma

When Megha had praised Sudhana in this way and had made all the bodhisattvas rejoice, he then sent forth from the gate of his face every sort of light, which shone everywhere throughout the three-thousandfold great-thousand world-system.

The beings within it, having met with this light, the nāgas and the spirits and the rest, on up to the Brahmā gods, all came to the place of Megha. Megha, the great being, then by every sort of skillful means opened up, expounded, distinguished, and explained for them “the dharma gate of the adornment of the chapter on the wheel of letters.”

Those beings, having heard this dharma gate, all obtained non-retrogression in anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi.

Conferring His Own Dharma Gate (two): Ascending Again to His Own Seat and Telling of the Wondrous-Sound Dhāraṇī He Has Obtained

Megha thereupon ascended again to his own former seat and told Sudhana, saying—

“Son of good family! I have already obtained the ‘wondrous-sound dhāraṇī,’ and am able to distinguish and know the speech of the gods within the three-thousandfold great-thousand world-system, and the speech of the nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, mahoragas, humans and nonhumans, and of all the Brahmā gods.

“And just as it is with this one three-thousandfold great-thousand world-system, so also is it with numberless worlds of the ten directions, on up to unspeakably unspeakable worlds—all of them are likewise.

Humbling Himself and Deferring to the Superior (Chengguan's outline): I Know Only This One Gate

“Son of good family! I know only this bodhisattva's ‘dharma gate of the light of the wondrous-sound dhāraṇī.’

“As for the bodhisattvas, the great beings, they are able universally to enter deeply into the ocean of every sort of notion of all beings, the ocean of every sort of designation, the ocean of every sort of name, the ocean of every sort of speech;

“they are able universally to enter deeply into the expounding of the ocean of all profound and secret dharma-phrases, the expounding of the ocean of all ultimate dharma-phrases, the expounding of the ocean of dharma-phrases wherein within one object there are contained all the objects of the three times, the expounding of the ocean of higher dharma-phrases, the expounding of the ocean of higher-than-higher dharma-phrases, the expounding of the ocean of differing dharma-phrases, the expounding of the ocean of all differing dharma-phrases;

“they are able universally to enter deeply into the ocean of the spells and arts of all the worlds, the wheel of the adornment of all sounds, the utmost bound of all the differing wheels of letters—merits such as these, how could I now know them, how could I expound them?

Pointing to the Next Friend (Chengguan's outline): Going South to the Village of Abiding Grove to Find the Elder Liberation

“Son of good family! Journeying south from here, there is a village named Abiding Grove; there is an elder there named Liberation. Go to him and ask: how is a bodhisattva to cultivate the practice of a bodhisattva? How is a bodhisattva to accomplish the practice of a bodhisattva? How is a bodhisattva to gather the practice of a bodhisattva? How is a bodhisattva to ponder the practice of a bodhisattva?”

Cherishing His Virtue, Bowing, and Taking Leave (Chengguan's outline): Weeping and Sobbing as He Departs

At that time, the youth Sudhana, on account of the good friend, gave rise deeply to reverence toward the dharma of all-knowing wisdom, deeply planted pure faith, and deeply increased his own benefit; he bowed to the feet of Megha, wept and sobbed, circled him measureless times, and cherished and gazed up at him, then took his leave, withdrew, and went on.

Pondering and Cultivating the Former Dharma: Sudhana Carries with Him the Eleven Dharma Gates Taught by the Previous Good Friend

At this time, the youth Sudhana pondered the bodhisattvas' gate of adornment by the light of the dhāraṇī of unobstructed analytic understanding (unobstructed analytic understanding is the wisdom of the four kinds of penetrating and unimpeded explanation; a dhāraṇī is a holding-entire—it holds all that has been heard and lets none of it leak away), entered deeply into the bodhisattvas' gate of the ocean of speech (all speech is measureless as an ocean, and a bodhisattva is able to enter into every part of it), held in mind the bodhisattvas' gate of knowing the minutely fine skillful means for all beings (knowing the fineness of the mind-conduct of beings, and having a skillfulness that answers to it), observed the bodhisattvas' gate of the pure mind, accomplished the bodhisattvas' gate of the light of roots of goodness, purified the bodhisattvas' gate of transforming beings, made bright and keen the bodhisattvas' gate of the wisdom that gathers beings in (making bright and keen is making it clear and sharp), made firm the bodhisattvas' gate of vast aspiration and delight (aspiration and delight is what the mind turns toward and takes delight in), held and maintained the bodhisattvas' gate of surpassing aspiration and delight, purified the bodhisattvas' gate of the various kinds of faith and understanding (faith and understanding is to have faith and be able to understand, and to understand and be able to have faith), and pondered the bodhisattvas' gate of the measureless good mind.

Displaying the Benefit of the Cultivation: What Sort of Person He Became by Cultivating in This Way

His vows were firm and his mind knew no weariness; he adorned himself with every sort of armor (armor is a coat of mail, and here it is a likeness for the guarding of oneself by vigor), the deep mind of his vigor could not be turned back, and he was complete in a faith that cannot be broken; his mind was firm as the vajra and as Nārāyaṇa (Nārāyaṇa is the name of a strong man, a likeness for what is firm and cannot be broken), and there was nothing that could break it; he kept and maintained the instructions of all the good friends, and toward every sort of objective realm he obtained an unbreakable wisdom; he was pure in the universal gate (the universal gate is that all gates are passable), and what he practiced had no obstruction; the light of his wisdom was full and shone everywhere upon all; he was complete in the light of the holding-entire of the grounds, and knew the various differences of the Dharma realm, and yet had nothing to rely on and nowhere to abide, being equal and without duality; his own nature was pure and adorned everywhere, and in every sort of practice he obtained the ultimate, his wisdom pure and far from every sort of clinging;

he knew the differing dharmas of the ten directions, and his wisdom had no obstruction; he went to the differing places of the ten directions, and his body was neither weary nor slack; toward the differing karmas of the ten directions he obtained a full understanding of them all; among the differing Buddhas of the ten directions there was not one he did not see appear; into the differing times of the ten directions he obtained entrance deeply into them all; the pure and wondrous Dharma filled his mind, the samādhi of universal wisdom brightly illumined his mind, and his mind constantly and universally entered the realm of equality; he was touched by the shining of the Tathāgata's wisdom, the stream of all-knowledge continued unbroken in him, and neither in body nor in mind was he apart from the Buddha-dharma; he was sustained by the spiritual power of all the Buddhas and shone upon by the light of all the Tathāgatas; he accomplished the great vow that his own body should pervade all the nets of Buddha-fields (the nets of Buddha-fields is that the lands of the Buddhas interlace like a net), and that all the Dharma realm should universally enter into his body.

Going On to Seek the Next Friend: Twelve Years of Walking, and He Came to the City of Abiding Grove

Little by little he journeyed on in this way, and after twelve years he came to the city of Abiding Grove, and searched everywhere for the Elder Liberation.

Seeing and Paying Respect: Having Seen Him, He Cast the Five Parts of His Body to the Ground

Having seen him, he cast the five parts of his body to the ground, rose and stood, joined his palms, and spoke, saying—

Praising How Hard a Good Friend Is to Meet: Ten Words for ‘Hard’

“Holy one! Today I have been able to meet with a good friend, and this is a vast good gain that I have obtained. Why so? Because such a one as a good friend is hard to get sight of, hard to get hearing of, hard to appear in the world, hard to obtain the chance to serve, hard to obtain nearness to, hard to obtain the receiving of (receiving is to be received and drawn along), hard to meet with, hard to obtain dwelling together with, hard to gladden, hard to obtain the following after without parting. That today I am able to meet with him—this is to have obtained a good gain.

The Marks of Giving Rise to the Mind (One): In Order to Exhaust the Realm of the Buddhas

“Holy one! I have already given rise, before this, to the mind of anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi (that is, the mind of unsurpassed perfect awakening), and it was for the sake of serving all the Buddhas, for the sake of meeting with all the Buddhas, for the sake of seeing all the Buddhas, for the sake of observing all the Buddhas, for the sake of knowing all the Buddhas, for the sake of realizing the equality of all the Buddhas, for the sake of giving rise to the great vows of all the Buddhas, for the sake of fulfilling the great vows of all the Buddhas, for the sake of being complete in the light of the wisdom of all the Buddhas, for the sake of accomplishing the many practices of all the Buddhas, for the sake of obtaining the spiritual powers of all the Buddhas, for the sake of being complete in the powers of all the Buddhas, for the sake of gaining the fearlessnesses of all the Buddhas,

The Marks of Giving Rise to the Mind (Two): In Order to Exhaust the Source of the Dharma

“for the sake of hearing all the Buddha-dharma, for the sake of receiving all the Buddha-dharma, for the sake of holding and maintaining all the Buddha-dharma, for the sake of understanding all the Buddha-dharma, for the sake of guarding all the Buddha-dharma,

The Marks of Giving Rise to the Mind (Three): In Order to Be Equal to the Practice of the Bodhisattvas

“for the sake of being of one substance with all the assemblies of bodhisattvas, for the sake of being equal to and no different from the roots of goodness of all bodhisattvas, for the sake of fulfilling the pāramitās of all bodhisattvas, for the sake of accomplishing the practices cultivated by all bodhisattvas, for the sake of bringing forth the pure vows of all bodhisattvas, for the sake of obtaining the treasury of the majestic spiritual power of all Buddhas and bodhisattvas, for the sake of obtaining the great light of the inexhaustible wisdom of the treasury of the Dharma of all bodhisattvas, for the sake of obtaining the vast treasury of the samādhis of all bodhisattvas, for the sake of accomplishing the measureless and numberless treasury of spiritual powers of all bodhisattvas, for the sake of transforming and taming all beings with the treasury of great compassion and causing them all to reach the ultimate limit, for the sake of manifesting the treasury of spiritual transformations, for the sake of obtaining sovereignty by my own mind within all the treasuries of sovereignty, for the sake of entering into the pure treasury and adorning it with all marks.

Concluding What Precedes and Giving Rise to What Follows: It Is with Such a Mind That I Have Come to You

“Holy one! Today it is with such a mind, such an intent, such a delight, such a desire, such a hope and seeking, such a pondering, such a reverence, such a skillful means, such an ultimate, and such a humbling of myself that I have come here to the holy one.

Praising His Skill in Drawing On and Instructing: I Have Heard That You Are Well Able to Draw On and Instruct

“I have heard that the holy one is well able to draw on and instruct the bodhisattvas, being able by skillful means to make clear the Dharma he has himself obtained, to show them the road, to give them a ford and a bridge (a ford is a crossing place and a bridge is a span, a likeness for the means of getting across), and to confer upon them a dharma gate; to make them take away the obstruction of confusion and inversion, to draw out the arrow of hesitancy, to cut through the net of doubt, to light up the dense forest within the mind (the dense forest is a likeness for the afflictions, which are thick and hard to come out of), to wash the filth and turbidity of the mind, to make the mind clean and white, to make the mind cool, to make a fawning and crooked mind straight, to cut off the mind's birth-and-death, to stop the mind's unwholesomeness, to loosen the mind's clinging; to make the mind liberated in the very place of clinging, and to make the mind turn about in the very place of defiled love; to make them swiftly enter the realm of all-knowledge, to make them come quickly to the unsurpassed city of the Dharma; to make them abide securely in great compassion, to abide securely in great kindness, to make them enter the practice of a bodhisattva, to make them cultivate the gates of samādhi, to make them enter the stage of realization, to make them observe the nature of dharmas, to make them increase their power, to make them cultivate and practice; and universally, toward all, that their minds should be equal.

Requesting the Telling of What He Doubts: How Is a Bodhisattva to Study and to Cultivate

“I only pray that the holy one will expound for me—how is a bodhisattva to study the practice of a bodhisattva and to cultivate the path of a bodhisattva? And in accord with what he cultivates, how may he swiftly obtain purity and swiftly obtain clear understanding?”

The Cause and Condition of Entering the Concentration, and the Name of the Concentration: He Does Not Speak First; He First Enters Concentration

At this time, the Elder Liberation, by the power of roots of goodness in the past, by the power of the majestic spiritual power of the Buddha, and by the power of the mindfulness of the youth Mañjuśrī, at once entered a bodhisattva's gate of samādhi, named “the dhāraṇī of the boundless whirling that universally gathers in all the Buddha-fields” (universally gathering in all the lands of the Buddhas within his body, boundless and whirling and holding entire).

What Appeared Within the Concentration (One): There Appeared in His Body Buddhas as Many as the Dust Motes of Ten Buddha-Fields in Each of the Ten Directions

Having entered this samādhi, he obtained a pure body. Within his body there appeared Buddhas as many as the dust motes of ten Buddha-fields in each of the ten directions, together with the lands of those Buddhas, their assemblies, their places of awakening, their every sort of light, and their many adornments; there appeared as well the spiritual transformations those Buddhas had practiced in the past, all their great vows, their dharmas that aid the path, their every sort of practice of coming forth and away, and their pure adornments; and there was seen as well the Buddhas' accomplishing of equal right awakening, turning of the wondrous wheel of the Dharma, and transforming of beings. All such things as these appeared wholly within his body without obstruction; every sort of form and mark, every sort of sequence, abode as it originally was, without confusion among them.

What Appeared Within the Concentration (Two): Every Sort of Land · Every Sort of Place of Awakening · From Dwelling in the Tuṣita Palace On to the Raising of Stūpas and Temples

That is to say: every sort of land, every sort of assembly, every sort of place of awakening, every sort of adorning. Among them the Buddhas manifested every sort of spiritual power, set up every sort of vehicle and path, and showed every sort of gate of vows. Whether in a certain world dwelling in the Tuṣita palace and doing the work of a Buddha, or in a certain world passing away from the Tuṣita palace and doing the work of a Buddha; and so likewise, some dwelling in the womb, some being born, some dwelling within the palace, some going forth from the household, some going to the place of awakening, some breaking the armies of Māra, some being reverenced and surrounded by the gods and the nāgas, some being requested by the lords of the world to tell the Dharma, some turning the wheel of the Dharma, some entering parinirvāṇa, some dividing the relics, some raising stūpas and temples.

What Appeared Within the Concentration (Three): To Every Sort of Being · In Every Sort of Place of Awakening · Telling Every Sort of Dharma

Those Tathāgatas, in the midst of beings of every sort of assembly, of every sort of world, of every sort of destiny of birth (a destiny of birth is one of the six destinies into which one is born), of every sort of family, of every sort of desire and delight, of every sort of karmic conduct, of every sort of speech, of every sort of faculty, of every sort of affliction, latent tendency, and habit-energy (a latent tendency is an affliction that lies dormant and follows after without letting go), whether dwelling in a minutely fine place of awakening, or dwelling in a vast place of awakening, or dwelling in a place of awakening measuring one yojana (a yojana is an Indian name for a measure of road), or dwelling in a place of awakening measuring ten yojanas, or dwelling in a place of awakening measuring as many yojanas as the dust motes of unspeakably unspeakable Buddha-fields; with every sort of spiritual power, every sort of wording, every sort of voice, every sort of dharma gate, every sort of gate of holding-entire, every sort of gate of eloquence, with every sort of ocean of the holy truths and every sort of fearless great lion's roar, told of the beings' every sort of root of goodness and every sort of holding in mind, conferred every sort of prediction upon the bodhisattvas, and told of every sort of dharma of the Buddhas.

Displaying the Benefit He Obtained: Within the Concentration Sudhana Both Heard and Saw It All

Of all the words those Tathāgatas spoke, the youth Sudhana was wholly able to hear and receive them; and he saw as well the inconceivable samādhis and spiritual transformations of the Buddhas and of the bodhisattvas.

Rising from the Concentration and Raising the Substance of the Dharma Gate: Only After Coming Out of the Concentration Does He Say the Name of the Dharma Gate

At this time, the Elder Liberation rose from the samādhi and told the youth Sudhana, saying—

“Son of good family! I have entered and come out of the Tathāgatas' gate of liberation of unobstructed adornment.

The Ten Buddhas of the Ten Directions (One): The East · The South · The West

“Son of good family! When I enter and come out of this gate of liberation, I see in the east the world Jambū-River Gold Light, and the Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Awakened One Dragon Sovereign King, surrounded by the assembly of the place of awakening, with the bodhisattva Vairocana Treasury as foremost among them;

“and I see in the south the world Swift Power, and the Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Awakened One Universal Fragrance, surrounded by the assembly of the place of awakening, with the bodhisattva Mind King as foremost among them;

“and I see in the west the world Fragrant Light, and the Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Awakened One Sumeru Lamp King, surrounded by the assembly of the place of awakening, with the bodhisattva Unobstructed Mind as foremost among them;

The Ten Buddhas of the Ten Directions (Two): The North · The Northeast · The Southeast

“and I see in the north the world Kāṣāya Banner, and the Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Awakened One Unbreakable Vajra, surrounded by the assembly of the place of awakening, with the bodhisattva Vajra Stride Valiant as foremost among them;

“and I see in the northeast the world All Supreme and Wondrous Jewels, and the Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Awakened One Eye of the Realm of Nothing Obtained, surrounded by the assembly of the place of awakening, with the bodhisattva Good Transformation of Nothing Obtained as foremost among them;

“and I see in the southeast the world Fragrant Flame Light and Sound, and the Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Awakened One Fragrant Lamp, surrounded by the assembly of the place of awakening, with the bodhisattva Vajra Flame Wisdom as foremost among them;

The Ten Buddhas of the Ten Directions (Three): The Southwest · The Northwest · Above · Below

“and I see in the southwest the world Sun of Wisdom Universal Light, and the Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Awakened One Dharma-Realm Wheel Banner, surrounded by the assembly of the place of awakening, with the bodhisattva Manifesting All Transformations Banner as foremost among them;

“and I see in the northwest the world Universally Pure, and the Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Awakened One Banner Lofty and Surpassing among All Buddha-Jewels, surrounded by the assembly of the place of awakening, with the bodhisattva Dharma Banner King as foremost among them;

“and I see above the world Buddhas Appearing in Succession Without End, and the Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Awakened One Full Banner of Boundless Light of Wisdom, surrounded by the assembly of the place of awakening, with the bodhisattva Dharma-Realm Gate Banner King as foremost among them;

“and I see below the world Buddha Light, and the Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Awakened One Unobstructed Wisdom Banner, surrounded by the assembly of the place of awakening, with the bodhisattva Banner King of All the Fields of the World as foremost among them.

Taking Up What Precedes and Marking It in General: They Did Not Come, and I Did Not Go

“Son of good family! I see Tathāgatas such as these, as many as the dust motes of ten Buddha-fields in each of the ten directions. Those Tathāgatas did not come here, and I did not go there.

Seeing Widely at Will: I Have Only to Wish to See, and I See

“If I wish to see the Tathāgata Amitābha of the world Peace and Bliss, then according with my intent I see him; if I wish to see the Tathāgata Vajra Light of the world Sandalwood, the Tathāgata Jewel Light of the world Wondrous Fragrance, the Tathāgata Jewel Lotus Flower Light of the world Lotus Flower, the Tathāgata Quiescent Light of the world Wondrous Gold, the Tathāgata Unmoving of the world Wondrous Joy, the Tathāgata Lion of the world Well Abiding, the Tathāgata Moon Awakening of the world Mirror Light, the Tathāgata Vairocana of the world Jewel Lion Adornment—all such as these I see at once, then and there. And yet those Tathāgatas did not come here, and my body did not go there.

The Four Similes: Dream · Reflected Image · Illusion · Echo

“I know that all the Buddhas and my own mind are wholly like a dream; I know that all the Buddhas are like a reflected image and that my own mind is like water; I know that all the color and mark the Buddhas have, and my own mind as well, are wholly like an illusion; I know that all the Buddhas and my own mind are wholly like an echo (an echo is the sound that returns in a valley). Knowing thus and holding it in mind thus—the Buddhas that are seen are all by one's own mind.

Concluding in General the Working of It: Not the One Matter of Mindfulness of the Buddha Only, but the Myriad Practices and the Myriad Fruits Are All by One's Own Mind

“Son of good family! You should know that a bodhisattva's cultivating of the dharmas of the Buddhas, purifying of the fields of the Buddhas, gathering up of wondrous practices, taming of beings, giving rise to great vows, entering into the inconceivable gate of liberation of sovereign sporting in all-knowledge, obtaining of the Buddha's awakening, manifesting of great spiritual powers, going everywhere throughout all the Dharma realm of the ten directions, and universal entering into all the kalpas with a minutely fine wisdom—all such things as these are wholly by one's own mind.

Ten Dharmas for the Governing of the Mind: Therefore One Must Take Ten Things to Govern This Mind

“Therefore, son of good family, one should aid one's own mind with good dharmas, one should moisten one's own mind with the water of the Dharma, one should purify and govern one's own mind upon objective realms, one should make one's own mind firm with vigor, one should make one's own mind level and open with patience, one should make one's own mind clean and white with the realization of wisdom, one should make one's own mind bright and keen with wisdom, one should open out one's own mind with the sovereignty of the Buddhas, one should make one's own mind vast with the equality of the Buddhas, one should illumine and examine one's own mind with the ten powers of the Buddhas.

Humbling Himself and Deferring to the Superior: I Know Only This One Gate

“Son of good family! I have obtained entering and coming out only upon this gate of liberation of the Tathāgatas' unobstructed adornment. As for the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, they obtain unobstructed wisdom and abide in unobstructed practice, they obtain the samādhi of constantly seeing all the Buddhas, they obtain the samādhi of not abiding in the limit of nirvāṇa, they fully understand the universal-gate realm of samādhi, they are wholly equal toward the dharmas of the three times, they are able with skill to divide their bodies throughout all the fields, they abide in the realm of the equality of the Buddhas, the realms of the ten directions are all present before them, they observe with wisdom and there is nothing they do not clearly understand, and within their own bodies they wholly manifest the forming and the breaking up of all the worlds, and yet toward their own bodies and the worlds they do not give rise to a thought of two—of such wondrous practices as these, how could I know or tell?

Pointing to the Next Friend: Go South and Look for the Monk Ocean Banner

“Son of good family! From here journey south, to the shore of Jambudvīpa, where there is a land named Marigala; there is a monk there named Ocean Banner. Go there and ask him—how is a bodhisattva to study the practice of a bodhisattva and to cultivate the path of a bodhisattva?”

Cherishing His Virtue, Bowing, and Taking Leave: Walking On and Holding the Good Friend in Mind as He Walked

At this time, the youth Sudhana bowed to the feet of the Elder Liberation, circled him to the right and beheld him, extolled and praised him, pondered and gazed up with longing, and wept and shed tears—with a single mind he held in mind: to rely upon the good friend, to serve the good friend, to revere the good friend, and by the good friend to get sight of all-knowledge; toward the good friend to give rise to no going against him, toward the good friend to have no fawning or deceit in mind, toward the good friend to have a mind that constantly accords; toward the good friend to give rise to the thought of a kind mother, for the sake of leaving behind all dharmas without benefit; toward the good friend to give rise to the thought of a kind father, for the sake of bringing forth all good dharmas.—And then he took his leave and went.

Holding in Mind the Teaching of the Previous Good Friend: Eleven Layers of the Inconceivable

At that time, the youth Sudhana with a single mind rightly held in mind the teaching that the elder had given, observed that elder's teaching, held in mind that inconceivable gate of a bodhisattva's liberation, pondered that inconceivable light of a bodhisattva's wisdom, entered deeply into that inconceivable gate of the Dharma realm, turned toward that inconceivable gate of a bodhisattva's universal entering, saw plainly and clearly that inconceivable spiritual transformation of the Tathāgatas, understood that inconceivable universal entering into all Buddha-fields, distinguished that inconceivable adornment of the powers of the Buddhas, pondered that inconceivable division and station of the objective realm of a bodhisattva's samādhi and liberation, fully understood that among those inconceivable differing worlds there is in the end no obstruction, cultivated that inconceivable firm and deep mind of a bodhisattva, and gave rise to that inconceivable pure work of a bodhisattva's great vows.

Seeking On and the Mark of Seeing Him in Concentration (Chengguan's Outline): When He Arrived, the Man Was Already in Concentration

So he journeyed on little by little toward the south, came to the village of Mari at the shore of Jambudvīpa (Jambudvīpa is the continent in which we dwell), and searched everywhere for the monk Ocean Banner. Only then did he see him, seated cross-legged at the side of the walking ground (the walking ground is the place where one paces to and fro), entered within samādhi, the breathing out and in already cut off, without any separate thought or awareness, his body settled and unmoving.

The Fourteen Places from Which Assemblies Come Forth (Chengguan's Outline) (One) The Soles of the Feet: Elders · Householders · Brahmins

From the soles of his feet there came forth numberless hundreds of thousands of koṭis of elders, householders, and brahmins, a great assembly, all of them adorning their bodies with every sort of implement of adornment, all of them wearing jewel crowns with bright pearls bound upon the crowns of their heads; they went everywhere to all the worlds of the ten directions, raining down all jewels, all necklaces, all garments, all food and drink of the finest and most wondrous savor that accords with the Dharma, all flowers, all garlands, all incense, all anointing perfume, and all the implements of livelihood that can be desired and delighted in; in every place they rescued and gathered in all beings who were poor, and comforted all beings who were suffering and afflicted, causing them all to rejoice and to be pure in mind and intent, and to accomplish the path of unsurpassed awakening.

The Fourteen Places (Two) The Two Knees: Kṣatriyas · Brahmins

From his two knees there came forth numberless hundreds of thousands of koṭis of kṣatriyas (the royal caste) and brahmins, a great assembly, all of them clever and possessed of wisdom, with every sort of color and mark, every sort of form and appearance, and every sort of garment finely and wondrously adorned; they went everywhere to all the worlds of the ten directions, and with kindly speech and with shared work they gathered beings in. That is to say: those who were poor they caused to be rich and full, those who were sick they caused to be healed, those in danger they caused to be settled and secure, those in fear they caused to be stilled, and those who had grief and suffering they all caused to be happy; and with every sort of skillful means they exhorted and led them, causing them all to cast off evil and to abide securely within good dharmas.

The Fourteen Places (Three) The Waist: Seers

From his waist there came forth measureless seers equal in number to beings, some wearing garments of grass and some garments of bark, all of them holding washing-pitchers, their bearing quiet and still; they went to and fro and turned about among the worlds of the ten directions, and in the open sky, with the subtle and wondrous voice of a Buddha, they praised the Tathāgatas and expounded the dharmas; some told of the path of pure brahmacarya (brahmacarya is the practice of purity), causing them to cultivate it and to tame their faculties; some told that the dharmas are all without intrinsic nature, causing them to observe this and to bring forth wisdom; some told of the rules of the world's discourse, and some again opened up and showed the essential skillful means by which the knowledge of all-knowledge comes forth and away, causing them, according with the sequence, each to cultivate his own work.

The Fourteen Places (Four) The Two Sides: Dragons and Dragon Maidens

From his two sides there came forth inconceivable dragons and inconceivable dragon maidens (the dragon here is a spirit that has power over rain), manifesting the inconceivable spiritual transformations of the dragons. That is to say: they rained down inconceivable clouds of incense, inconceivable clouds of flowers, inconceivable clouds of garlands, inconceivable clouds of jeweled canopies, inconceivable clouds of jeweled banners, inconceivable clouds of implements of adornment of wondrous jewels, inconceivable clouds of great maṇi jewels (a maṇi is a wish-granting jewel), inconceivable clouds of jeweled necklaces, inconceivable clouds of jeweled seats, inconceivable clouds of jeweled palaces, inconceivable clouds of jeweled lotus flowers, inconceivable clouds of jeweled crowns, inconceivable clouds of the bodies of gods, and inconceivable clouds of serving women, and all of them filled the open sky and made adornment there, filling all the worlds of the ten directions, and made offering within the places of awakening of the Buddhas, causing all beings to give rise to joy.

The Fourteen Places (Five) The Svastika Mark upon the Breast: Asura Kings

From the svastika mark upon his breast there came forth numberless hundreds of thousands of koṭis of asura kings (an asura is a class of beings given to fighting), all of them manifesting inconceivable sovereign powers of illusion, causing a hundred worlds all to quake greatly, all the waters of the seas of themselves to well up and boil, and all the mountain kings to strike one against another; of the palaces of the gods there was none that was not shaken, of the lights of the Māras there was none that was not hidden away, of the armies of the Māras there was none that was not crushed and subdued; and everywhere they caused beings to cast off the mind of pride and arrogance, to take away the mind of anger and of vexing and harming, to break the mountain of the afflictions, to still the dharmas of the many evils, long to be without quarrel and strife, and forever together to be harmonious and good; and again with the power of illusion they awakened beings, causing them to extinguish and take away offenses and evils, causing them to dread birth-and-death, causing them to come forth and away from the destinies of birth, causing them to be far from defilement and clinging, causing them to abide securely in the mind of unsurpassed awakening, causing them to cultivate all the practices of the bodhisattvas, causing them to abide securely in all the pāramitās, causing them to enter all the grounds of the bodhisattvas, causing them to observe all the subtle and wondrous dharma gates, and causing them to fully know the skillful means of all the Buddhas. The work done in this way pervaded the Dharma realm.

The Fourteen Places (Six) The Back: Śrāvakas · Pratyekabuddhas, the Eight Counteractings

From his back, for the sake of those who ought to be delivered by the two vehicles, there came forth numberless hundreds of thousands of koṭis of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas; for those who cling to there being a self, they told that there is no self; for those who cling to permanence, they told that all formations are wholly impermanent; for those in whom the conduct of greed is heavy, they told the contemplation of impurity; for those in whom the conduct of hatred is heavy, they told the contemplation of the mind of kindness; for those in whom the conduct of delusion is heavy, they told the contemplation of dependent origination; for those in whom greed, hatred, and delusion are in equal portion, they told the dharma of the objective realm that answers to wisdom; for those who love and cling to objective realms, they told the dharma in which there is nothing at all; for those who love and cling to places of quiet stillness, they told the dharma of giving rise to great vows and universally benefiting all beings. The work done in this way pervaded the Dharma realm.

The Fourteen Places (Seven) The Two Shoulders: Yakṣas · Rākṣasa Kings

From his two shoulders there came forth numberless hundreds of thousands of koṭis of yakṣas and rākṣasa kings (yakṣas and rākṣasas are spirits of dreadful shape), of every sort of form and appearance and every sort of color and mark, some tall and some short, all of them dreadful and to be feared, with measureless retinues surrounding them; they guarded all beings who cultivate good dharmas, and the worthies and sages and the assemblies of bodhisattvas, whether those turning toward right abiding or those already rightly abiding; and at times they appeared again as vajra-holding spirits, guarding the Buddhas and the places where the Buddhas dwell, or guarding everywhere all the worlds. Those who had fear they caused to obtain peace and security; those who had sickness they caused to obtain healing; those who had suffering and affliction they caused to be spared and set free; those who had faults and evils they caused to weary of them and to repent; those who had calamity and mishap they caused to be stilled and extinguished. Benefiting all beings in this way, they caused them all to cast off the wheel of birth-and-death and to turn the wheel of the right Dharma.

The Fourteen Places (Eight) The Belly: Kiṃnara Kings · Gandharva Kings

From his belly there came forth numberless hundreds of thousands of koṭis of kiṃnara kings (kiṃnaras and gandharvas are the musician spirits of the gods), each with numberless kiṃnara women surrounding him before and behind; and there came forth as well numberless hundreds of thousands of koṭis of gandharva kings, each with numberless gandharva women surrounding him before and behind. Each of them played numberless hundreds of thousands of kinds of heavenly music, singing in praise of the real nature of the dharmas, singing in praise of all the Buddhas, singing in praise of giving rise to the mind of awakening, singing in praise of cultivating the practice of a bodhisattva, singing in praise of the gate by which all the Buddhas accomplish right awakening, singing in praise of the gate by which all the Buddhas turn the wheel of the Dharma, singing in praise of the gate by which all the Buddhas manifest spiritual transformation, opening up and expounding the gate of the parinirvāṇa of all the Buddhas, opening up and expounding the gate of guarding the teaching of all the Buddhas, opening up and expounding the gate of causing all beings to rejoice, opening up and expounding the gate of adorning and purifying all the fields of the Buddhas, opening up and expounding the gate of displaying all the subtle and wondrous dharmas, opening up and expounding the gate of casting off and leaving all obstructions, and opening up and expounding the gate of bringing forth all roots of goodness. In this way they pervaded the Dharma realm of the ten directions.

The Fourteen Places (Nine) The Face-Gate: Wheel-Turning Sage Kings, the Spreading of the Ten Good Deeds

From his face-gate (the face-gate is the mouth) there came forth numberless hundreds of thousands of koṭis of wheel-turning sage kings, complete in the seven jewels and surrounded by the four kinds of army, sending forth the light of great giving and raining down measureless jewels; they made all who were poor and lacking to be wholly filled, and caused them forever to cut off the conduct of taking what is not given (that is, stealing); with numberless hundreds of thousands of comely serving women they gave all of these away with a mind that clings to nothing, and caused them forever to cut off the conduct of wrong sexual conduct; they caused them to give rise to the mind of kindness and not to cut off life; they caused them in the end always to speak words that are real, and not to make empty and deceiving talk that has no benefit; they caused them to gather up and guard the words of others, and not to practice division; they caused them to speak gentle and soft words, without coarseness or harshness; they caused them always to expound a sense that is deep, decisive, and clear, and not to make ornamented speech that has no sense in it; for them they told of having few desires, causing them to take away greed and love, so that in their minds there was no flaw or filth; for them they told of great compassion, causing them to take away anger, so that their intent became pure; for them they told of the real sense, causing them to observe all dharmas, to enter deeply into causes and conditions, to be skilled at understanding the truths, to draw out the thorn of wrong views, to break down the mountain of doubt, so that all obstructions were wholly taken away and extinguished. The work done in this way filled the Dharma realm.

The Fourteen Places (Ten) The Two Eyes: Sun-Orbs, and the Lands Sending Forth Colored Light One to Another

From his two eyes there came forth numberless hundreds of thousands of koṭis of sun-orbs, universally shining upon all the great hells and upon the evil destinies of birth, and causing them all to leave suffering behind; shining as well upon the spaces between all the worlds, causing the darkness there to be taken away; shining as well upon all beings of the ten directions, causing them all to cast off the film of delusion; upon lands filthy and turbid they sent forth pure light, upon lands of white silver they sent forth light of the color of yellow gold, upon lands of yellow gold they sent forth light of the color of white silver, upon lands of lapis lazuli they sent forth light of the color of crystal, upon lands of crystal they sent forth light of the color of lapis lazuli, upon lands of tridacna they sent forth light of the color of agate, upon lands of agate they sent forth light of the color of tridacna, upon lands of Indra-blue they sent forth light of the color of the maṇi king Sun Treasury, upon lands of the maṇi king Sun Treasury they sent forth light of the color of Indra-blue, upon lands of red pearl they sent forth light of the color of the maṇi king Moonlight Net Treasury, upon lands of the maṇi king Moonlight Net Treasury they sent forth light of the color of red pearl, upon lands made of one jewel they sent forth light of the colors of every sort of jewel, and upon lands made of every sort of jewel they sent forth light of the color of one jewel; they shone upon the dense forest within the minds of beings, brought to completion the measureless work of beings, adorned the objective realms of all the worlds, and caused the minds of beings to become cool and to give rise to great joy. The work done in this way filled the Dharma realm.

The Fourteen Places (Eleven) The White Hair Between the Brows: Śakras

From the mark of the white hair between his brows there came forth numberless hundreds of thousands of koṭis of Śakras (Śakra is the lord of the gods of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three), all of them sovereign over objective realms, with maṇi jewels bound upon the crowns of their heads; their light shone upon all the palaces of the gods, shook all the mountain kings of Sumeru, and awakened all the great assemblies of the gods; they praised the power of merit, proclaimed the power of wisdom, gave rise to their power of delight and desire, upheld their power of aspiration and vow, purified their power of right mindfulness, and made firm the power of the mind of awakening they had given rise to; they praised the delight of seeing the Buddha, causing them to take away the desires of the world; they praised the delight of hearing the Dharma, causing them to weary of the objective realms of the world; they praised the delight of contemplating knowledge, causing them to cut off the defilements of the world; they stilled the wars of the asuras, cut off the quarrels and strife of the afflictions, extinguished the mind that fears death, gave rise to the vow to subdue the Māras, raised up the Sumeru mountain king of the right Dharma, and brought to completion all the work of beings. The work done in this way pervaded the Dharma realm.

The Fourteen Places (Twelve) The Forehead: Brahmās

From his forehead there came forth numberless hundreds of thousands of koṭis of Brahmās, their color and marks upright and adorned, beyond compare in the world, their bearing quiet and still, their words and sounds beautiful and wondrous; they exhorted and requested the Buddhas to tell the Dharma, praised the merits of the Buddhas, caused the bodhisattvas all to rejoice, were able to bring to completion the measureless work of beings, and went everywhere to all the worlds of the ten directions.

The Fourteen Places (Thirteen) The Head: Assemblies of Bodhisattvas, Telling the Practice of the Ten Perfections

From his head there came forth assemblies of bodhisattvas as many as the dust motes of measureless Buddha-fields, all of them adorning their bodies with the marks and signs, sending forth boundless light and proclaiming every sort of practice. That is to say: they praised giving, causing men to cast off stinginess and greed and to obtain worlds adorned with many wondrous jewels; they extolled and praised the merit of keeping the precepts, causing beings forever to cut off the many evils and to abide securely within a bodhisattva's precepts of great kindness and compassion; they told that all existence is like a dream and that the many desires and delights have no savor, causing beings to leave behind the bonds of the afflictions; they told of the power of patience, causing them to be sovereign in mind toward the dharmas; they praised the body of golden color, causing beings to leave behind the filth of hatred, to give rise to the practice that counteracts it, and to cut off the destiny of animals; they praised the practice of vigor, causing them to be far from the heedlessness of the world and all of them to cultivate diligently the measureless wondrous dharmas; and for them again they praised the pāramitā of dhyāna, causing them to be sovereign in every mind; and for them again they expounded the prajñā-pāramitā, opening up and showing right view, causing beings to delight in a sovereign knowledge and to draw out the poison of the many views; and for them again they expounded the every sort of work that accords with the world, causing beings, though they leave birth-and-death behind, to be able to take birth sovereignly within the destinies of birth; and for them again they manifested spiritual powers and transformations and proclaimed sovereignty over the span of life, causing beings to give rise to great vows; and for them again they expounded the accomplishing of the power of holding-entire, the bringing forth of the power of great vows, the purifying and governing of the power of samādhi, and the power of sovereign birth; and for them again they expounded every sort of knowledge, that is to say: the knowledge that universally understands the faculties of beings, the knowledge that universally understands all mind-conduct, the knowledge that universally understands the ten powers of the Tathāgatas, and the knowledge that universally understands the sovereignty of the Buddhas. The work done in this way pervaded the Dharma realm.

The Fourteen Places (Fourteen) The Crown of the Head: The Body of a Tathāgata (the General Mark)

From the crown of his head there came forth numberless hundreds of thousands of koṭis of bodies of Tathāgatas, and those bodies had no equal, the marks and the accompanying signs pure and adorned, their majestic light blazing like a mountain of true gold; measureless light shone everywhere upon the ten directions, a subtle and wondrous voice came forth filling the Dharma realm, and they manifested measureless great spiritual power, raining down the rain of Dharma everywhere for all the worlds.

The Rain of Dharma from the Crown (One): Twelve for Those Who Are Bodhisattvas (Chengguan's Outline)

That is to say: for the bodhisattvas seated at the place of awakening, they rained down the rain of Dharma of universal knowing and equality; for the bodhisattvas of the station of consecration, they rained down the rain of Dharma of entering the universal gate; for the bodhisattvas of the station of the prince of the Dharma King, they rained down the rain of Dharma of universal adornment; for the bodhisattvas of the station of the youth, they rained down the rain of Dharma of the firm mountain; for the bodhisattvas of the station of non-retrogression, they rained down the rain of Dharma of the ocean treasury; for the bodhisattvas of the station of accomplishing the rectified mind, they rained down the rain of Dharma of the universal objective realm; for the bodhisattvas of the station of skillful means fully endowed, they rained down the rain of Dharma of the gate of self-nature; for the bodhisattvas of the station of noble birth, they rained down the rain of Dharma of according with the world; for the bodhisattvas of the station of cultivation, they rained down the rain of Dharma of universal compassion and pity; for the bodhisattvas newly in study, they rained down the rain of Dharma of the treasury that gathers and accumulates; for the bodhisattvas who have first given rise to the mind, they rained down the rain of Dharma of gathering beings in; for the bodhisattvas of faith and understanding, they rained down the rain of Dharma of the inexhaustible objective realm universally appearing before them.

The Rain of Dharma from the Crown (Two): Twenty for the Mixed Classes

For the beings of the form realm, they rained down the rain of Dharma of the universal gate; for the Brahmās, they rained down the rain of Dharma of the universal treasury; for the Sovereign gods, they rained down the rain of Dharma of bringing forth power; for the hosts of Māras, they rained down the rain of Dharma of the banner of the mind; for the gods of the Delight in Emanations, they rained down the rain of Dharma of pure mindfulness; for the gods of Tuṣita, they rained down the rain of Dharma of bringing forth intent; for the gods of Yāma, they rained down the rain of Dharma of joy; for the gods of the Thirty-Three, they rained down the rain of Dharma of swiftly adorning the realm of open space; for the yakṣa kings, they rained down the rain of Dharma of joy; for the gandharva kings, they rained down the rain of Dharma of the vajra wheel; for the asura kings, they rained down the rain of Dharma of the great objective realm; for the garuḍa kings, they rained down the rain of Dharma of boundless light; for the kiṃnara kings, they rained down the rain of Dharma of the surpassing knowledge of all the worlds; for the human kings, they rained down the rain of Dharma of taking no delight and clinging to nothing; for the dragon kings, they rained down the rain of Dharma of the banner of joy; for the mahoraga kings, they rained down the rain of Dharma of great rest; for the beings of the hells, they rained down the rain of Dharma of the adornment of right mindfulness; for the animals, they rained down the rain of Dharma of the treasury of wisdom; for the beings of the realm of King Yama, they rained down the rain of Dharma of fearlessness; and for the beings in places of distress and hardship, they rained down the rain of Dharma of universal comforting. They caused them all to obtain entrance into the assemblies of the worthies and sages. The work done in this way filled the Dharma realm.

The Nets of Light from the Pores: The General Gathering Up of the Fourteen Places Before (Chengguan's Outline)

The monk Ocean Banner again, from all the pores upon his body, sent forth from each and every one of them nets of light as many as the dust motes of asaṃkhyeya (that is, numberless) Buddha-fields, and each and every net of light was possessed of asaṃkhyeya colors and marks, asaṃkhyeya adornments, asaṃkhyeya objective realms, and asaṃkhyeya works, and they filled all the Dharma realm of the ten directions.

The Ten Sentences of Gazing with Reverence and Entering by Realization, and the Passage of Time (Chengguan's Outline)

At that time, the youth Sudhana with a single mind observed the monk Ocean Banner, and there arose in him a deep thirsting and longing; he held in mind his samādhi and liberation, pondered that inconceivable samādhi of a bodhisattva of his, pondered that inconceivable ocean of skillful means for benefiting beings of his, pondered that inconceivable gate of universal adornment without any making of his, pondered that pure knowledge of his that adorns the Dharma realm, pondered that knowledge of his that receives the sustaining of the Buddhas, pondered that bringing forth of a bodhisattva's power of sovereignty of his, pondered that firm power of a bodhisattva's great vows of his, and pondered that power of increasing and broadening a bodhisattva's practices of his. Standing in this way, pondering and observing, he passed one day and one night, and on to seven days and seven nights, half a month, one month, and on to six months, and passed six days more.

Coming Out of Concentration, and the Ten Sentences of General Praise

After these times had passed, the monk Ocean Banner came out of the samādhi. The youth Sudhana praised him, saying—

“Holy one! How rare and how extraordinary! Such a samādhi as this is the most deep; such a samādhi as this is the most vast; such a samādhi as this has a measureless objective realm; such a samādhi as this has a spiritual power hard to fathom; such a samādhi as this has a light without equal; such a samādhi as this has numberless adornments; such a samādhi as this has a majestic power hard to master; such a samādhi as this has an equal objective realm; such a samādhi as this shines everywhere upon the ten directions; such a samādhi as this has benefit without limit—because it is able to extinguish and take away the measureless suffering of all beings.

The Grounds of the Praise (Chengguan's Outline): Twenty Sentences, and the Asking of the Name

“That is to say: because it is able to cause all beings to leave the suffering of poverty behind; because it makes them come forth from the hells; because it spares them from being animals; because it shuts the gates of the many distresses; because it opens the paths of men and of gods; because it makes the beings of the human and the heavenly realms glad; because it makes them love and delight in the objective realms of dhyāna; because it is able to make the pleasures of the conditioned increase; because it is able to display for them the pleasure of coming forth from the three kinds of existence; because it is able to draw forth in them the mind of awakening; because it is able to make the practice of merit and of wisdom increase in them; because it is able to make the mind of great compassion increase; because it is able to make the power of great vows arise; because it is able to make the path of a bodhisattva clear to them; because it is able to make the ultimate knowledge adorned; because it is able to make them turn toward and enter the objective realm of the Great Vehicle; because it is able to make them understand and illumine the practice of Samantabhadra; because it is able to make them realize the light of the wisdom of the grounds of the bodhisattvas; because it is able to make them accomplish the practice of all the vows of the bodhisattvas; because it is able to make them abide securely within the objective realm of the knowledge of all-knowledge. Holy one! This samādhi—by what name is it called?”

The Answer: The Three Names of the Samādhi

The monk Ocean Banner said—

“Son of good family! This samādhi is named ‘Universal Eye Relinquishing and Obtaining’; it is named as well ‘Prajñā-pāramitā Objective Realm Pure Light’; it is named as well ‘Universal Adornment Pure Gate.’ Son of good family! Because I have cultivated the prajñā-pāramitā (the perfection of wisdom), I have obtained a million asaṃkhyeya samādhis beginning with this samādhi of universal adornment and purity.”

Sudhana Asks Again: Is the Objective Realm of This Samādhi in the End Only Thus

The youth Sudhana said—

“Holy one! Is the objective realm of this samādhi in the end only thus?”

The Answer upon Its Working, in Twenty-Two Sentences: There Is No Obstruction

Ocean Banner said—

“Son of good family! When one enters this samādhi, he fully knows all worlds, and there is no obstruction; he goes to all worlds, and there is no obstruction; he passes beyond all worlds, and there is no obstruction; he adorns all worlds, and there is no obstruction; he cultivates and governs all worlds, and there is no obstruction; he adorns and purifies all worlds, and there is no obstruction; he sees all the Buddhas, and there is no obstruction; he observes the vast majestic virtue of all the Buddhas, and there is no obstruction; he knows the sovereign spiritual power of all the Buddhas, and there is no obstruction; he realizes the many vast powers of all the Buddhas, and there is no obstruction; he enters the ocean of the many merits of all the Buddhas, and there is no obstruction; he receives the measureless wondrous Dharma of all the Buddhas, and there is no obstruction; he cultivates wondrous practice within the Dharma of all the Buddhas, and there is no obstruction; he realizes the equal knowledge by which all the Buddhas turn the wheel of the Dharma, and there is no obstruction; he enters the ocean of the assemblies and places of awakening of all the Buddhas, and there is no obstruction; he observes the Dharma of the Buddhas of the ten directions, and there is no obstruction; he gathers in the beings of the ten directions with great compassion, and there is no obstruction; he constantly gives rise to great kindness filling the ten directions, and there is no obstruction; he sees the Buddhas of the ten directions and in his mind is never satiated, and there is no obstruction; he enters the ocean of all beings, and there is no obstruction; he fully knows the ocean of the faculties of all beings, and there is no obstruction; he fully knows the knowledge of the differences among the faculties of all beings, and there is no obstruction.

Humbling Himself and Deferring to the Superior (Chengguan's Outline)

“Son of good family! I know only this one light of the samādhi of prajñā-pāramitā. As for the bodhisattvas, they enter the ocean of wisdom, are pure in the objective realm of the Dharma realm, penetrate all the destinies of birth, fill measureless lands, are sovereign in holding-entire, pure in samādhi, vast in spiritual powers, inexhaustible in eloquence, telling the grounds with skill, and are a place of reliance for beings—how then could I know their wondrous practices, distinguish their merits, fully know what they practice, understand their objective realms, exhaust their power of vows, enter deeply into their essential gates, penetrate what they have realized, proclaim the portions of their path, abide in their samādhis, get sight of the objective realms of their minds, or obtain that equal wisdom which they possess?

Pointing to the Next Friend (Chengguan's Outline): Ocean Tide · Universal Adornment · Fulfilled Vow

“Son of good family! From here journey south, and there is a dwelling place named ‘Ocean Tide’; there is a grove there named ‘Universal Adornment’; and within that grove there is a laywoman named ‘Fulfilled Vow.’ Go there and ask her: how is a bodhisattva to study the practice of a bodhisattva and to cultivate the path of a bodhisattva?”

Cherishing His Virtue, Bowing, and Taking Leave (Chengguan's Outline)

At that time, the youth Sudhana, at the place of the monk Ocean Banner, obtained a firm body, gained the wealth of the wondrous Dharma, entered deep objective realms, his wisdom bright and clear, his samādhi shining, abiding in a pure and superior understanding, getting sight of the deep Dharma, his mind abiding securely in the many pure gates, and the light of his wisdom filling the ten directions; his mind gave rise to joy, and he leapt up with measureless gladness; he cast the five parts of his body to the ground, bowed to his feet, circled him measureless times, gazed up with reverence, pondered and observed, extolled him and cherished him with longing, holding his name, calling to mind his bearing, holding in mind his voice, pondering his samādhi and the objective realm practiced by his great vows, and receiving the pure light of his wisdom; and only then did he take his leave and go.

Seeking in Accord with the Teaching (one): Sudhana Calls to Mind the Three Likenesses Taught by the Previous Good Friend

At that time the youth Sudhana, receiving the power of the good friend, following the teaching of the good friend, calling to mind the words of the good friend, and delighting deeply in the good friend, thought in his heart in this way—

“It is because there is a good friend that I am made to see the Buddha; it is because there is a good friend that I am made to hear the Dharma.

“The good friend is my teacher, because for me he opens up and guides me into every sort of dharma of the Buddhas;

“The good friend is my eyes, because he causes me to see the Buddha, and to see him as boundless as empty space;

“The good friend is my ford and ferry (the boat-crossing at a ford), because he enables me to enter the lotus pool of the Buddhas, the Tathāgatas.”

Seeking in Accord with the Teaching (two): Journeying South Little by Little, and Seeing the Jewel Trees Standing in Rows and Ranks in the Garden of Universal Adornment

He journeyed south little by little, and coming to the place called Sea Tide, he saw a garden named Universal Adornment. Walls made of many jewels encircled it all around; all the jewel trees, standing in rows and ranks, adorned it.

All the jewel flower trees rained down every sort of wondrous flower, scattering them over that ground;

all the jewel incense trees, their fragrance dense and rising, perfumed the ten directions everywhere;

all the jewel garland trees rained down great jewel garlands, which hung down everywhere;

all the maṇi-jewel-king trees rained down great maṇi jewels, spread full over the whole ground;

all the jewel garment trees rained down garments of every sort of color, spread all around, each according to the way it ought to be in that place;

all the music trees, when the wind stirred them, became the sound of music, and that sound was wondrous, surpassing the music of the heavens;

all the trees of adorning things each rained down precious and marvelous playthings, distributed everywhere as adornment.

Seeing, Paying Respect, and Inquiring (one): The Ground of the Garden, the Halls and Pavilions, the Bathing Pools, the Water of Eight Virtues, the Jewel Canopies, and the Ponds

That ground was pure, with no unevenness of high and low. In the garden there were a million halls, all of them composed of great maṇi jewels; a million storied pavilions, covered over above with Jambūnada gold; a million palaces, adorned with Vairocana maṇi jewels set in among one another.

Ten thousand bathing pools, composed of many jewels; railings of the seven jewels encircling them all around; stairways of the seven jewels distributed on the four sides; water of the eight virtues, brimming full and clear within them, the fragrance of that water like the sandalwood of the heavens, golden sand spread over the bottom of the pools, and water-clearing jewels (a kind of jewel that makes water become clear) set in among one another everywhere.

Wild ducks, geese, peacocks, and kokila birds (birds of fine voice) sported within them, sending forth harmonious and refined sounds; jewel tāla trees stood in rows and ranks all around, covered above with jewel nets and hung with every sort of golden bell, which a slight breeze stirred gently, so that they constantly sent forth wondrous sounds.

Great jewel canopies too were set up, with jewel trees encircling them; and measureless maṇi jewel banners were raised up, their light shining everywhere as far as a hundred thousand yojanas.

In the garden there were also a million ponds, with black sandalwood mud settled thick over the bottom of the ponds, all the wondrous jewels spread out as lotus flowers upon the surface of the water, and the flowers made of great maṇi shining with light and color.

Seeing, Paying Respect, and Inquiring (two): The Great Palace Banner of Adornment, and the Ten Kinds of Jewel Lotus Seats

In the garden there was also a vast palace named Banner of Adornment. Wondrous jewels of the ocean treasury made its ground, beryl jewels made its pillars, Jambūnada gold covered it over above, and light-treasury maṇi made its adornment; the light-flames of measureless jewel kings blazed, and storied halls layer upon layer, with pavilions set between them, were adorned in every sort of way. The incense king Aruṇa and the incense king Awakening both sent forth wondrous fragrance, perfuming everything everywhere.

Within that palace there were also measureless jewel lotus seats laid out all around, namely—

the maṇi-jewel lotus seat Shining upon the Ten Directions, the Vairocana maṇi-jewel lotus seat, the maṇi-jewel lotus seat Shining upon the World, the maṇi-jewel lotus seat Wondrous Treasury, the maṇi-jewel lotus seat Lion Treasury, the maṇi-jewel lotus seat Treasury Free from Defilement, the maṇi-jewel lotus seat Universal Gate, the maṇi-jewel lotus seat Light Adornment, the pure maṇi-king jewel lotus seat Securely Abiding in the Great Ocean Treasury, and the maṇi-jewel lotus seat Vajra Lion.

Seeing, Paying Respect, and Inquiring (three): A Million Kinds of Canopy, a Million Jewel Nets, a Million Lights

In the garden there were also a million kinds of canopy, namely—garment canopies, garland canopies, incense canopies, flower canopies, branch canopies, maṇi canopies, true-gold canopies, canopies of adorning things, music canopies, canopies of the spiritual transformations of the elephant king, canopies of the spiritual transformations of the horse king, the maṇi-jewel canopy worn by Śakra—canopies of every sort such as these, their number a million.

There were also a million great jewel nets covering it over above, namely—jewel-bell nets, jewel-canopy nets, jewel-body nets, ocean-treasury pearl nets, dark-blue beryl maṇi-jewel nets, lion maṇi nets, moonlight maṇi nets, nets of many fragrances in every sort of form and image, jewel-crown nets, jewel-necklace nets—nets of every sort such as these, their number a million.

There were also a million great lights shining there, namely—the light of flame-light maṇi jewels, the light of sun-treasury maṇi jewels, the light of moon-banner maṇi jewels, the light of incense-flame maṇi jewels, the light of surpassing-treasury maṇi jewels, the light of lotus-treasury maṇi jewels, the light of flame-banner maṇi jewels, the light of great-lamp maṇi jewels, the light of maṇi jewels shining everywhere upon the ten directions, the light of incense-light maṇi jewels—lights of every sort such as these, their number a million.

Seeing, Paying Respect, and Inquiring (four): The Ten Kinds of Offering Things Constantly Rained Down

There a million kinds of adorning things were constantly rained down;

a million kinds of black sandalwood incense, sending forth wondrous sounds;

a million kinds of mandārava flowers surpassing those of the heavens, scattered about;

a million kinds of necklaces surpassing those of the heavens, used as adornment;

a million kinds of wondrous jewel garland-sashes surpassing those of the heavens, hanging down everywhere;

a million kinds of wondrous garments of every sort of color, surpassing those of the heavens;

the wondrous light of a million kinds of variously colored maṇi jewels, shining everywhere;

a million sons of the gods gazing up in gladness and delight, bowing with head and face to the ground;

a million palace women casting their bodies down out of empty space;

a million bodhisattvas reverently drawing near, constantly delighting to hear the Dharma.

Seeing, Paying Respect, and Inquiring (five): The Bodily Marks of the Laywoman Fulfilled Vow, and Her Retinue

At that time the laywoman Fulfilled Vow was sitting upon a seat of true gold, wearing a crown made of ocean-treasury pearl nets, wearing bracelets of true gold and jewels surpassing those of the heavens, her hair hanging down dark blue, her head adorned with a great maṇi net, maṇi jewels of the lion's mouth for her earrings, wish-fulfilling maṇi jewel kings for her necklace, and all the jewel nets hanging down and covering her body; a hundred thousand koṭis of nayutas of beings bent their bodies in reverence.

From the east measureless beings came to where she was, namely—Brahmā gods, gods of Brahmā's Multitude, Great Brahmā gods, gods of Brahmā's Ministers, and Sovereign gods, and so on up to all humans and nonhumans; and from the south, the west, and the north, from the four intermediate directions, from above and from below, it was all just so.

Seeing, Paying Respect, and Inquiring (six): The Benefit Obtained by All Who See Her

For all who see this laywoman—

all their sicknesses and pains are wholly removed and extinguished, they leave far behind the defilement of the afflictions, the thorns of the various views are pulled out, the mountain of obstruction is broken down, and they enter the pure objective realm where there is no obstruction;

all the roots of good they have are increased and made bright, and the various faculties are nourished and grown;

they enter every gate of wisdom and enter every gate of dhāraṇī (the holding and bearing of all dharmas); every gate of samādhi, every gate of great vows, every gate of wondrous practice, and every gate of merit are all made to appear before them;

their minds are vast, they are complete in spiritual penetrations, their bodies are without obstruction, and they can reach every place.

Seeing, Paying Respect, and Inquiring (seven): Sudhana Enters the Garden, Pays Respect, and Asks His Question

At that time the youth Sudhana entered the garden Universal Adornment and observed it everywhere, and saw the laywoman Fulfilled Vow sitting upon a wondrous seat; he went forward to where she was, bowed to her feet, circled her measureless times, and then said to her—

“Holy one! I have already given rise, before this, to the mind of anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi (the mind that seeks unsurpassed perfect awakening), yet I still do not know how a bodhisattva is to study the practice of a bodhisattva, and how he is to cultivate the path of a bodhisattva. I have heard that the holy one is well able to draw others on and instruct them; I pray that you will tell it for me!”

Praising and Conferring the Dharma (one): I Have Obtained Only One Gate of Liberation

Fulfilled Vow told him, saying—

“Son of good family! I have obtained only one gate of liberation of the bodhisattvas. If there are those who see me, who hear of me, who call me to mind, who dwell together with me, or who provide for me, none of it will be wasted.

Praising and Conferring the Dharma (two): Those Who Cannot See Me, and Those Who Do See Me

“Son of good family! If there are beings who do not plant roots of good, who are not gathered in by good friends, and who are not held in mind and guarded by the Buddhas, such a person can never in the end see me.

“Son of good family! All beings who are able to see me obtain non-retrogression in anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi.

Praising and Conferring the Dharma (three): The Buddhas of the Ten Directions Constantly Come Here and Tell Me the Dharma

“Son of good family! The Buddhas of the east constantly come here and, seated upon jewel seats, tell me the Dharma; and from the south, the west, and the north, from the four intermediate directions, from above and from below, all the Buddhas likewise come here and, seated upon jewel seats, tell me the Dharma.

“Son of good family! I am constantly not apart from seeing the Buddhas and hearing the Dharma, and I dwell together with the bodhisattvas.

Praising and Conferring the Dharma (four): The Great Assembly in the Garden, Eighty-Four Thousand Koṭis of Nayutas

“Son of good family! The great assembly here with me numbers eighty-four thousand koṭis of nayutas, and all of them practice together with me in this garden, and all of them have obtained non-retrogression in anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi; and the remaining beings who dwell in this garden have all likewise entered everywhere into the stage of non-retrogression.”

Exhausting the Shallowness and Depth of the Cause (one): Sudhana Asks How Long Ago She Gave Rise to the Mind

Sudhana said to her—

“Holy one, is it long ago, or lately, that you gave rise to the mind of anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi?”

Exhausting the Shallowness and Depth of the Cause (two): The Ten Buddhas She Has Served, and Buddhas as Many as the Sands of Thirty-Six Gaṅgā Rivers

She answered, saying—

“Son of good family! I call to mind that in the past, in the presence of the Buddha Lamp Lighter, I cultivated the practice of purity (brahmacarya), reverently made offerings, and heard the Dharma and upheld it;

“and before him, in the presence of the Buddha Free from Defilement, I left the household life and studied the way, and upheld the true Dharma;

“and before him, in the presence of the Buddha Wondrous Banner; and before him, in the presence of the Buddha Surpassing Sumeru; and before him, in the presence of the Buddha Treasury of Lotus Virtue; and before him, in the presence of the Buddha Vairocana; and before him, in the presence of the Buddha Universal Eye; and before him, in the presence of the Buddha Brahmā Life Span; and before him, in the presence of the Buddha Vajra Qi; and before him, in the presence of the Buddha Poluona Deva.

“Son of good family! I call to mind that in the past, within measureless kalpas and measureless births, in this way one after another, in the presence of Buddhas as many as the sands of thirty-six Gaṅgā rivers, I served them all, reverently made offerings, heard the Dharma and upheld it, and purely cultivated the practice of purity. What lies before that is what the knowledge of a Buddha knows, and is not what I am able to fathom.

Exhausting the Shallowness and Depth of the Cause (three): The Eleven Kinds of ‘Without Measure’

“Son of good family! The bodhisattva's first giving rise of the mind is without measure, because it fills the whole Dharma realm;

“the bodhisattva's gate of great compassion is without measure, because it enters everywhere into all the worlds;

“the bodhisattva's gate of great vows is without measure, because it reaches ultimately to the Dharma realm of the ten directions;

“the bodhisattva's gate of great kindness is without measure, because it covers all beings everywhere;

“the practice the bodhisattva cultivates is without measure, because he cultivates it in all lands and in all kalpas;

“the bodhisattva's power of samādhi is without measure, because it makes the path of the bodhisattva non-retrogressive;

“the bodhisattva's power of dhāraṇī is without measure, because it is able to hold and bear all the worlds;

“the bodhisattva's power of the light of knowledge is without measure, because it is able to enter and realize the three times everywhere;

“the bodhisattva's power of spiritual penetration is without measure, because it manifests everywhere all the nets of lands;

“the bodhisattva's power of eloquence is without measure, because with one single sound all beings alike understand;

“the bodhisattva's pure body is without measure, because it wholly pervades all the Buddha-fields.”

Showing Forth Whether the Fruit Is Far or Near (one): Sudhana Asks How Long Until She Becomes a Buddha

The youth Sudhana said—

“Holy one, how long will it yet be before you obtain anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi?”

Showing Forth Whether the Fruit Is Far or Near (two): Showing It in Reverse—It Is Not for Any One Thing That One Gives Rise to the Mind of Awakening

She answered, saying—

“Son of good family! It is not for the sake of teaching, transforming, and taming one being that a bodhisattva gives rise to the mind of awakening, nor for the sake of teaching, transforming, and taming a hundred beings that he gives rise to the mind of awakening, and so on up to: it is not for the sake of teaching, transforming, and taming beings as many as unspeakably unspeakable turnings that he gives rise to the mind of awakening;

“it is not for the sake of teaching and transforming the beings of one world that he gives rise to the mind of awakening, and so on up to: it is not for the sake of teaching and transforming the beings of worlds as many as unspeakably unspeakable turnings that he gives rise to the mind of awakening;

“it is not for the sake of teaching and transforming the beings of worlds as many as the dust motes of one Jambudvīpa that he gives rise to the mind of awakening, nor for the sake of teaching and transforming the beings of worlds as many as the dust motes of a three-thousandfold great-thousand world-system that he gives rise to the mind of awakening, and so on up to: it is not for the sake of teaching and transforming the beings of worlds as many as the dust motes of unspeakably unspeakable turnings of three-thousandfold great-thousand world-systems that he gives rise to the mind of awakening;

“it is not for the sake of making offerings to one Tathāgata that he gives rise to the mind of awakening, and so on up to: it is not for the sake of making offerings to Tathāgatas as many as unspeakably unspeakable turnings that he gives rise to the mind of awakening;

“it is not for the sake of making offerings to the Tathāgatas who appear in the world one after another within one world that he gives rise to the mind of awakening, and so on up to: it is not for the sake of making offerings to the Tathāgatas who appear in the world one after another within worlds as many as unspeakably unspeakable turnings that he gives rise to the mind of awakening;

“it is not for the sake of making offerings to the Tathāgatas who appear in the world one after another within worlds as many as the dust motes of one three-thousandfold great-thousand world-system that he gives rise to the mind of awakening, and so on up to: it is not for the sake of making offerings to the Tathāgatas who appear in the world one after another within worlds as many as the dust motes of unspeakably unspeakable turnings of Buddha-fields that he gives rise to the mind of awakening;

“it is not for the sake of adorning and purifying one world that he gives rise to the mind of awakening, and so on up to: it is not for the sake of adorning and purifying worlds as many as unspeakably unspeakable turnings that he gives rise to the mind of awakening;

“it is not for the sake of adorning and purifying worlds as many as the dust motes of one three-thousandfold great-thousand world-system that he gives rise to the mind of awakening, and so on up to: it is not for the sake of adorning and purifying worlds as many as the dust motes of unspeakably unspeakable turnings of three-thousandfold great-thousand world-systems that he gives rise to the mind of awakening;

“it is not for the sake of abiding in and upholding the Dharma left behind by one Tathāgata that he gives rise to the mind of awakening, and so on up to: it is not for the sake of abiding in and upholding the Dharma left behind by Tathāgatas as many as unspeakably unspeakable turnings that he gives rise to the mind of awakening;

“it is not for the sake of abiding in and upholding the Dharma left behind by the Tathāgatas of one world that he gives rise to the mind of awakening, and so on up to: it is not for the sake of abiding in and upholding the Dharma left behind by the Tathāgatas of worlds as many as unspeakably unspeakable turnings that he gives rise to the mind of awakening;

“it is not for the sake of abiding in and upholding the Dharma left behind by the Tathāgatas of worlds as many as the dust motes of one Jambudvīpa that he gives rise to the mind of awakening, and so on up to: it is not for the sake of abiding in and upholding the Dharma left behind by the Tathāgatas of worlds as many as the dust motes of unspeakably unspeakable turnings of Buddha-fields that he gives rise to the mind of awakening.

Showing Forth Whether the Fruit Is Far or Near (three): The Twelve Sentences That Gather Up the Reverse Showing

“To speak of it in brief in this way—

“it is not for the sake of fulfilling the vow of one Buddha, not for the sake of going to the land of one Buddha, not for the sake of entering the assembly of one Buddha, not for the sake of holding and bearing the Dharma eye of one Buddha, not for the sake of turning the Dharma wheel of one Buddha;

“not for the sake of knowing the sequence of the kalpas within one world, not for the sake of knowing the mind-ocean of one being, not for the sake of knowing the faculty-ocean of one being, not for the sake of knowing the karma-ocean of one being, not for the sake of knowing the practice-ocean of one being, not for the sake of knowing the affliction-ocean of one being, not for the sake of knowing the ocean of the habit-energies of the afflictions of one being—and so on up to: not for the sake of knowing the ocean of the habit-energies of the afflictions of beings as many as the dust motes of unspeakably unspeakable turnings of Buddha-fields, that he gives rise to the mind of awakening.

Showing Forth Whether the Fruit Is Far or Near (four): Explaining It in Order—Fourteen Sentences of ‘Wholly Without Remainder’

“It is because he wishes to teach, transform, and tame all beings, wholly without remainder, that he gives rise to the mind of awakening;

“because he wishes to serve and make offerings to all the Buddhas, wholly without remainder, that he gives rise to the mind of awakening;

“because he wishes to adorn and purify the lands of all the Buddhas, wholly without remainder, that he gives rise to the mind of awakening;

“because he wishes to guard and uphold the true teaching of all the Buddhas, wholly without remainder, that he gives rise to the mind of awakening;

“because he wishes to accomplish and fulfill the vows of all the Tathāgatas, wholly without remainder, that he gives rise to the mind of awakening;

“because he wishes to go to the lands of all the Buddhas, wholly without remainder, that he gives rise to the mind of awakening;

“because he wishes to enter the assemblies of all the Buddhas, wholly without remainder, that he gives rise to the mind of awakening;

“because he wishes to know the sequence of the kalpas within all the worlds, wholly without remainder, that he gives rise to the mind of awakening;

“because he wishes to know the mind-ocean of all beings, wholly without remainder, that he gives rise to the mind of awakening;

“because he wishes to know the faculty-ocean of all beings, wholly without remainder, that he gives rise to the mind of awakening;

“because he wishes to know the karma-ocean of all beings, wholly without remainder, that he gives rise to the mind of awakening;

“because he wishes to know the practice-ocean of all beings, wholly without remainder, that he gives rise to the mind of awakening;

“because he wishes to extinguish the various affliction-oceans of all beings, wholly without remainder, that he gives rise to the mind of awakening;

“because he wishes to pull out the ocean of the habit-energies of the afflictions of all beings, wholly without remainder, that he gives rise to the mind of awakening.

“Son of good family! To take up what is essential and speak of it: it is by such practices of skillful means as these, a million asaṃkhyeyas of them (numbers beyond counting), that the bodhisattva gives rise to the mind of awakening.

Showing Forth Whether the Fruit Is Far or Near (five): The Conclusion—When Will My Vow Be Exhausted

“Son of good family! The practice of the bodhisattva enters everywhere into all dharmas, because he realizes them all; and it enters everywhere into all lands, because he adorns and purifies them all.

“Therefore it is said, son of good family: only when all worlds have been adorned and purified to exhaustion will my vow be exhausted; only when the habit-energies of the afflictions of all beings have been pulled out to exhaustion will my vow be fulfilled.”

Making Plain the Name of the Dharma (one): Sudhana Asks What This Liberation Is Named

The youth Sudhana said—

“Holy one, what is this liberation named?”

Making Plain the Name of the Dharma (two): The Banner of Freedom from Sorrow and Security, and the Ten Likenesses by Which She Defers to the Great Bodhisattvas

She answered, saying—

“Son of good family! This liberation is named the Banner of Freedom from Sorrow and Security.

“Son of good family! I know only this one gate of liberation. As for those bodhisattva-mahāsattvas—

“their minds are like the great ocean, for they are all able to receive and hold all the Buddha-dharmas;

“like Mount Sumeru, their aim and intent firm and not to be shaken;

“like the medicine Well Seen, able to remove the heavy sickness of the afflictions of beings;

“like the bright and pure sun, able to break the dark obstruction of the ignorance of beings;

“like the great earth, able to be the place of reliance for all beings;

“like a good wind, able to work the benefit and welfare of all beings;

“like a bright lamp, able to give rise to the light of wisdom for beings;

“like a great cloud, able to rain down for beings the dharma of quiescent cessation;

“like the pure moon, able to send forth for beings the light of merit;

“like Śakra, all of them able to guard and protect all beings.

“And how could I know, or be able to tell of, their practice of merit?

Pointing to the Next Friend: Go South to the Land of Narasu and Ask the Seer Supreme Fearless Voice

“Son of good family! To the south of here, at the place called Sea Tide, there is a land named Narasu; there is a seer there named Supreme Fearless Voice. Go to him and ask—how is a bodhisattva to study the practice of a bodhisattva, and to cultivate the path of a bodhisattva?”

Cherishing Her Virtue, Bowing, and Taking Leave: The Ten Hard Things Sudhana Pondered as He Wept

At that time the youth Sudhana bowed to her feet, circled her measureless times, gazed up at her with earnest devotion, wept and shed tears, and pondered in his heart in this way—

“It is hard to obtain awakening; hard to draw near to a good friend; hard to meet with a good friend; hard to obtain the faculties of a bodhisattva; hard to purify the faculties of a bodhisattva; hard to meet with a good friend who practices together with one; hard to observe in accord with principle; hard to cultivate in accord with the teaching; hard to meet with the skillful means that give birth to a good mind; hard to meet with the light of the dharma that increases all-knowledge.”

Having had these thoughts, he took his leave, withdrew, and went on his way.

Being Mindful of the Teaching of the Friend Before (Chengguan's outline): Twelve Kinds of Mind

At that time, the youth Sudhana, pondering in accord with the right teaching of the bodhisattvas, pondering in accord with the pure practice of the bodhisattvas, gave rise to the mind that increases the power of a bodhisattva's merit, gave rise to the mind that sees all the Buddhas clearly, gave rise to the mind that brings forth all the Buddhas, gave rise to the mind that increases all the great vows, gave rise to the mind that sees universally all dharmas in the ten directions, gave rise to the mind that shines clearly upon the true substance and nature of dharmas, gave rise to the mind that sweeps away universally all obstructions, gave rise to the mind that observes the Dharma realm without any dimness, gave rise to the mind that adorns with the pure jewel of the will, and gave rise to the mind that crushes all the hosts of Māra.

Seeking in Accord with the Teaching (Chengguan's outline): Going to the Land of Narasu to Search Him Out

Stretch by stretch he journeyed slowly on, until he came to the land of Narasu, and everywhere all around he sought and searched for the one named Supreme Fearless Voice.

Seeing the Dependent Recompense (Chengguan's outline): The Adornment of a Great Forest

He saw a great forest, adorned with trees beyond counting—that is to say: every sort of leafy tree, its branches and leaves spreading wide and covering all; every sort of flowering tree, its blossoms open, fresh and flourishing; every sort of fruit tree, its fruits ripening crop upon crop; every sort of jewel tree, raining down maṇi fruits; tall sandalwood trees, ranged in rows place upon place; those aloeswood trees, constantly sending out a pleasing fragrance; delight-giving fragrant trees, adorned with a wondrous scent; pāṭala trees, encircling on all four sides; nyagrodha trees, their trunks rising high and drawn upward; jambūnada trees, constantly letting fall sweet fruits; blue utpala flowers and red padma flowers, adorning those pools.

Seeing the Proper Recompense (Chengguan's outline): The Seer Beneath the Sandalwood Tree and His Ten Thousand Followers

At that time, the youth Sudhana saw that seer beneath a sandalwood tree, seated upon spread grass, leading ten thousand followers; some of them wore deerskin, some wore bark, and some again plaited grass to make their clothing, their hair bound into coiled knots that hung down beside their temples, and they surrounded the seer before and behind.

Setting Up Reverence and Praising (Chengguan's outline): Ten Similes for the Good Friend

Having seen him, Sudhana went forward to the place where he was and cast his five limbs to the ground (the two elbows, the two knees, and the crown of the head, all five touching the earth), and spoke in this way—

“Today I have been able to meet with a true good friend. The good friend is the gate that goes toward all-knowledge, because he is able to make me enter the true and real path;

“the good friend is the vehicle that goes toward all-knowledge, because he is able to make me arrive at the ground of the Tathāgata;

“the good friend is the boat that goes toward all-knowledge, because he is able to make me arrive at the jewel isle of wisdom;

“the good friend is the torch that goes toward all-knowledge, because he is able to make me bring forth the light of the ten powers (the Tathāgata's ten kinds of power of knowledge);

“the good friend is the road that goes toward all-knowledge, because he is able to make me enter the city of nirvāṇa;

“the good friend is the lamp that goes toward all-knowledge, because he is able to make me see where the way is level and where it is perilous;

“the good friend is the bridge that goes toward all-knowledge, because he is able to make me cross over the places of peril and evil;

“the good friend is the canopy that goes toward all-knowledge, because he is able to make me bring forth the coolness of great kindness;

“the good friend is the eye that goes toward all-knowledge, because he is able to make me see the gate of the nature of dharmas;

“the good friend is the tide that goes toward all-knowledge, because he is able to make me fill full the water of great compassion.”

Again Making Clear Bodily Reverence and Inquiring After the Essentials of the Dharma (Chengguan's outline): Sudhana's Request

Having spoken in this way, he rose from the ground, circled around him measureless times, joined his palms together and stood before the seer, and stated to him—

“Holy one! I have already given rise, before this, to the mind of anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi (the mind that seeks unsurpassed perfect awakening), yet I still do not know: how is a bodhisattva to study the practice that a bodhisattva practices? How is he to cultivate the path that a bodhisattva walks? I have heard that the holy one is skilled at drawing others on and instructing them—I pray that you will expound it for me!”

Praising the Giving Rise to the Mind in General (Chengguan's outline): The Seer Looks Back at His Followers

At that time, Supreme Fearless Voice looked back at his followers and spoke in this way—

“Sons of good family! This youth has already given rise to the mind of anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi.

Praising in Particular the Marks of His Giving Rise to the Mind (Chengguan's outline): Eleven Sentences of ‘This Youth’

“Sons of good family! This youth universally gives fearlessness to all beings; this youth universally raises up benefit for all beings; this youth constantly contemplates the ocean of wisdom of all the Buddhas; this youth wishes to drink dry the whole rain of Dharma that is like sweet nectar; this youth wishes to fathom and know the whole vast ocean of Dharma; this youth wishes to make beings abide securely within the ocean of wisdom; this youth wishes to raise up universally the vast cloud of compassion; this youth wishes to rain down universally the vast rain of Dharma; this youth wishes to shine upon the world universally with the moon of wisdom; this youth wishes to put out the poisonous heat of the afflictions of the world; this youth wishes to nourish and grow all the roots of goodness of the beings that bear consciousness.”

The Reverent Praise of the Retinue (Chengguan's outline): Fourteen Sentences of Praise by the Ten Thousand Seers

At that time, the company of seers, having heard these words, each took every sort of surpassing and wondrous incense and flowers and scattered them upon Sudhana, cast their bodies down and made obeisance, circled around him in reverence, and spoke in this way—

“This youth today will surely guard and protect all beings, will surely wipe away the sufferings of the hells, will surely cut off forever the paths of the animals, will surely make people turn away from the realm of Yama, will surely shut fast the gates of the places of peril, will surely dry up the oceans of craving and desire, will surely make beings put an end forever to the aggregate of suffering, will surely break forever the darkness of ignorance, will surely cut off forever the bonds of greed and craving, will surely surround the world with the great encircling-wheel mountain of merit, will surely display to the world the great jewel Sumeru of wisdom, will surely bring forth the pure sun of wisdom, will surely open and show the Dharma treasury of the roots of goodness, and will surely make the world know clearly where it is perilous and where it is level.”

Stating the Result of the Praise (Chengguan's outline): One Who Gives Rise to the Mind Will Surely Accomplish the Path of All-Knowledge

At that time, Supreme Fearless Voice told the company of seers, saying—

“Sons of good family! If there be any who can give rise to the mind of anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi, he will surely accomplish the path of all-knowledge. This son of good family has already given rise to the mind of anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi, and he will purify the ground of the merit of all the Buddhas.”

Showing the Name and Substance of the Dharma (Chengguan's outline): I Have Obtained the Bodhisattva's Liberation of the Unvanquished Banner

At that time, Supreme Fearless Voice told the youth Sudhana, saying—

“Son of good family! I have obtained the bodhisattva's liberation of the unvanquished banner.”

Inquiring After Its Realm (Chengguan's outline): Sudhana Asks What This Liberation Is Like

Sudhana stated to him—

“Holy one! What is the realm of the liberation of the unvanquished banner like?”

Conferring It So That He May Realize and Know (Chengguan's outline): Stroking His Head and Taking His Hand

At that time, the seer Pimu at once stretched out his right hand, stroked the head of Sudhana, and took the hand of Sudhana.

In that very instant, Sudhana saw his own body going into worlds as many as the dust motes of ten Buddha-fields in the ten directions, arriving at the places of Buddhas as many as the dust motes of ten Buddha-fields, and seeing the lands of those Buddhas and the great assemblies gathered within them, the marks and signs of the Buddhas, and every sort of adornment;

and he heard also how those Buddhas expounded the Dharma in accord with what the minds of the various beings loved and delighted in, and every single word and every single sentence he wholly penetrated, and held each one apart without any confusion;

and he knew also how those Buddhas purified and cultivated their vows with every sort of resolved understanding;

and he knew also how those Buddhas accomplished the powers by their pure vows;

and he saw also the forms and marks those Buddhas manifested in accord with the minds of beings;

and he saw also the great nets of light of those Buddhas, every sort of color pure and full;

and he knew also the power of the great light of the unobstructed wisdom of those Buddhas;

and he saw further his own body in the places of the Buddhas, passing one day and one night, or seven days and seven nights, half a month, one month, one year, ten years, a hundred years, a thousand years, or passing a koṭi of years, or an ayuta of koṭis of years, or a nayuta of koṭis of years, or passing half a kalpa, or passing one kalpa, a hundred kalpas, a thousand kalpas, or a hundred thousand koṭis of kalpas, and so on up to kalpas as many as the dust motes of unspeakably unspeakable Buddha-fields.

Obtaining the Benefit of the Liberation (Chengguan's outline): Five Pairs and Ten Sentences Shining One upon Another in Turn

At that time, the youth Sudhana, because he was shone upon by the light of the knowledge of the bodhisattva's liberation of the unvanquished banner, obtained the light of the Vairocana-treasury (Vairocana: the light that shines everywhere) samādhi;

because he was shone upon by the light of the samādhi of the liberation of inexhaustible knowledge, he obtained the light of the dhāraṇī (the all-holding) that gathers in universally all the quarters;

because he was shone upon by the light of the gate of the vajra-wheel dhāraṇī, he obtained the light of the samādhi of the utterly pure mind of wisdom;

because he was shone upon by the light of the prajñā-pāramitā (wisdom gone to the further shore) of the universal-gate treasury of adornment, he obtained the light of the samādhi of the Buddhas' empty-space-treasury wheel;

because he was shone upon by the light of the samādhi of the Dharma wheel of all the Buddhas, he obtained the light of the samādhi of the inexhaustible knowledge of the three times.

Making Clear the Letting Go of the Sustaining Power (Chengguan's outline): The Hand Is Released, and He Is Where He Was

At that time, that seer released the hand of Sudhana, and the youth Sudhana at once saw his own body back in the place where it had been.

Making Clear the Acknowledging in Words of What Was Received (Chengguan's outline): One Question and One Answer

At that time, that seer told Sudhana, saying—

“Son of good family! Do you keep it in mind?”

Sudhana said—

“Yes! This is the power of the holy one, the good friend.”

Humbling Himself and Deferring to the Superior (Chengguan's outline): I Know Only This One Gate

The seer said—

“Son of good family! I know only this bodhisattva's liberation of the unvanquished banner. As for the bodhisattvas, the great beings, they have accomplished all the surpassing samādhis, and at all times they obtain sovereignty; within a single thought they bring forth the measureless wisdom of the Buddhas; they take the lamp of the Buddhas' wisdom as their adornment and shine upon the world universally; within a single thought they enter universally the realms of the three times; they divide their bodily forms and go everywhere to the lands of the ten directions; their bodies of wisdom enter universally the whole Dharma realm; in accord with the minds of beings they appear universally before them, and they observe their faculties and their conduct and bestow benefit upon them; they send forth pure light that is greatly to be loved and delighted in—a realm such as this, and how then could I know, or be able to tell of, their practice of merit, their surpassing vows, the lands they adorn, the realms of their wisdom, the ranging of their samādhis, their spiritual powers and transformations, the sporting of their liberation, the differences among the marks of their bodies, the purity of their voices, and the light of their wisdom?

Pointing to the Next Friend (Chengguan's outline): The Brahmin Victorious Heat at Īṣāṇa in the South

“Son of good family! Going from here toward the south there is a hamlet named Īṣāṇa; there is a brahmin there named Victorious Heat. Go to him and ask—how is a bodhisattva to study the practice that a bodhisattva practices and to cultivate the path that a bodhisattva walks?”

Cherishing His Virtue, Bowing, and Taking Leave: Journeying South

At that time, the youth Sudhana leapt up with joy, bowed to the feet of the seer, circled around him numberless times, gazed up and beheld him with earnest care, and then took his leave and withdrew, and journeyed toward the south.

Benefit Carried Over from Before (one): What Was Illumined at the Place of the Previous Good Friend

At that time, the youth Sudhana, because he was illumined by the bodhisattva liberation of the Unsurpassed Banner, abided within the inconceivable spiritual power of all the Buddhas, realized the bodhisattva's inconceivable knowledge of liberation and of spiritual penetration, obtained the bodhisattva's inconceivable light of the knowledge of samādhi (samādhi is the settled state in which the mind is concentrated and does not scatter), obtained the light of the knowledge of the samādhi that at all times perfumes and cultivates, obtained the light of the knowledge of the samādhi that knows all objective realms to abide in dependence upon what is thought within the mind, obtained the surpassing light of knowledge that illumines and sees all the worlds;

in all places he was able to manifest his own body; with ultimate knowledge he expounded the equal Dharma that has no duality and no discrimination; with bright and pure knowledge he universally illumined and saw all objective realms; whatever Dharma he heard he was able to bear up under, his faith and understanding were pure, and as to the own-nature of dharmas he was decided and plain; in his mind he constantly did not let go of the wondrous practice of a bodhisattva, he sought all-knowledge and never retrogressed, he obtained the light of the wisdom of the ten powers, he diligently sought the wondrous Dharma and was constantly without satiety, by right cultivation he entered the realm of the Buddha, he brought forth the measureless adornments of a bodhisattva, and his boundless great vows were all of them already pure.

Benefit Carried Over from Before (two): The Boundless Realms Known and Seen, and Being Mindful of the Good Friend

With knowledge that is inexhaustible and without end he knew the boundless net of worlds (the worlds are interwoven layer upon layer like a net); with a mind not in the least faint-hearted he delivered the measureless ocean of beings; he penetrated the realm of the boundless practices of the bodhisattvas, saw the various differences of boundless worlds, saw the various adornments of boundless worlds, entered deeply into the minutely fine realms of boundless worlds, knew the various names of boundless worlds, knew the various sayings of boundless worlds, knew the various surpassing understandings of boundless beings (surpassing understanding is an understanding that is settled and does not shift), saw the various practices of boundless beings, saw the ripening practices of boundless beings, saw the differing thoughts of boundless beings;

and after that, he was mindful of the good friend.

Coming to the Village of Yishana: The Marks of Ascetic Practice That He Saw

Journeying on in due order, he came to the village of Yishana, and saw that Victorious Heat cultivating every sort of ascetic practice, seeking all-knowledge.

There, on all four sides, were masses of fire, like a great mountain; within the fire was a mountain of knives, so high that it had no end; and Victorious Heat climbed up upon that mountain and cast his body into the fire.

Seeing, Paying Respect, and Inquiring (Chengguan's outline): Sudhana's Request

At that time, the youth Sudhana bowed to the feet of that one, joined his palms and stood, and spoke in this way—

“Holy one! I have already given rise, before this, to the mind of anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi (that is, the mind of unsurpassed perfect awakening), yet I still do not know: how is a bodhisattva to study the practice that a bodhisattva practices? How is he to cultivate the path that a bodhisattva cultivates? I have heard that the holy one is skilled at instructing and drawing others on; I pray that you will expound it for me!”

Showing the Dharma and Exhorting to Cultivation (Chengguan's outline): The Brahmin's Answer

The brahmin said—

“Son of good family! If you are now able to climb this mountain of knives and cast your body into the mass of fire, the practices of the bodhisattvas will all of them be made pure.”

Doubting and Shrinking Back, Not Accepting (Chengguan's outline): The Thought That Arose in Sudhana's Mind

At that time, the youth Sudhana thought within his mind in this way—

“To obtain a human body is hard; to leave the difficulties behind is hard; to obtain the state in which there is no difficulty is hard; to obtain the pure Dharma is hard; to get to meet a Buddha is hard; to be complete in the faculties is hard; to hear the Buddha's Dharma is hard; to meet with a good person is hard; to come upon a true good friend is hard; to receive the right teaching that accords with principle is hard; to obtain right livelihood (a right way of making one's living) is hard; to practice in accord with the Dharma is hard.

“Could this one not be a Māra, or one sent by Māra? Could he not be an evil and dangerous partisan of Māra, falsely displaying the marks of a bodhisattva good friend, and wishing to make for me a difficulty as to my roots of goodness and a difficulty as to my life span, to obstruct my cultivating of the path of all-knowledge, to draw me on and make me fall into the evil destinies, wishing to obstruct my dharma gate and to obstruct my Buddha-dharma?”

The Surpassing Conditions Exhorting and Drawing Him On (Chengguan's outline · one): Ten Thousand Brahmā Gods

Just as he was giving rise to this thought, ten thousand Brahmā gods, in the midst of empty space, spoke in this way—

“Son of good family! Do not give rise to this thought! Do not give rise to this thought! This holy one has now obtained the light of the samādhi of the vajra flame; he has given rise to great vigor, delivers beings, and his mind does not retrogress; he would dry up the ocean of all craving, would cut through the net of all wrong views, would burn up the firewood of all afflictions, would illumine and break open the dense thicket of all delusion, would sever the dread of all old age and death, would destroy the obstructions of all three times, and would send forth the light of all dharmas.

“Son of good family! We Brahmā gods are for the most part attached to wrong views, and all of us hold ourselves to be the sovereign one and the one who is able to make, and hold that in the midst of the world I am the most surpassing. But when we saw this brahmin scorching his body with the five heats, our minds no longer delighted in and clung to our own palaces, and in the various concentrations we could taste no savor either; and so we all together came to the brahmin's place. At that time, the brahmin, by the power of spiritual penetration, displayed a great ascetic practice and taught the Dharma for us, and was able to make us extinguish all wrong views, remove all arrogance, abide in great kindness, practice great compassion, give rise to a vast mind, give rise to the intent toward awakening, constantly see all the Buddhas, constantly hear the wondrous Dharma, and in all places have no obstruction in our minds.”

The Surpassing Conditions Exhorting and Drawing Him On (Chengguan's outline · two): Ten Thousand Māras

Again there were ten thousand Māras, who in the midst of empty space scattered heavenly maṇi jewels upon the brahmin's body and told Sudhana, saying—

“Son of good family! When this brahmin scorched his body with the five heats, the light of that fire outshone and took away all the various adornments of my palaces, so that they were all like a heap of ink, and made me no longer give rise to delight and clinging toward them; and I, together with my retinue, came to his place. This brahmin taught the Dharma for me, and made me, and the rest of the measureless sons of gods and the daughters of gods, all obtain non-retrogression in anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi.”

The Surpassing Conditions Exhorting and Drawing Him On (Chengguan's outline · three): Ten Thousand Kings of the Sovereign Gods

Again there were ten thousand kings of the Sovereign Gods, who in the midst of empty space each scattered heavenly flowers and spoke in this way—

“Son of good family! When this brahmin scorched his body with the five heats, the light of that fire outshone and took away all the various adornments of our palaces, so that they were all like a heap of ink, and made me no longer give rise to love and clinging toward them; and I forthwith, together with my retinue, came to his place. This brahmin taught the Dharma for me, and made me obtain sovereignty over the mind, obtain sovereignty in the midst of the afflictions, obtain sovereignty in the midst of taking birth, obtain sovereignty over the various obstructions of karma, obtain sovereignty over the various samādhis, obtain sovereignty over the adornments, obtain sovereignty in the midst of the life span, and even to obtain sovereignty over all the Buddha-dharmas.”

The Surpassing Conditions Exhorting and Drawing Him On (Chengguan's outline · four): Ten Thousand Kings of the Gods Who Delight in Emanations

Again there were ten thousand kings of the Gods Who Delight in Emanations, who in the midst of empty space struck up heavenly music, revered him and made offerings, and spoke in this way—

“Son of good family! When this brahmin scorched his body with the five heats, the light of that fire shone upon my palaces, the various adornments, and the courtesans, and was able to make us no longer receive the pleasures of desire and no longer seek the pleasures of desire, and our bodies and minds became supple; and I, together with the great assembly, came to his place. At that time, the brahmin taught the Dharma for us, and was able to make our minds obtain purity, our minds obtain brightness and cleanness, our minds obtain unmixed goodness, our minds obtain suppleness, and our minds give rise to joy; and even to make us obtain the pure body of the pure ten powers, bring forth measureless bodies, and even to make us obtain the body of a Buddha, the speech of a Buddha, the voice of a Buddha, and the mind of a Buddha, and be complete in and accomplish the knowledge of all-knowledge (that is, the knowledge of a Buddha).”

The Surpassing Conditions Exhorting and Drawing Him On (Chengguan's outline · five): Ten Thousand Kings of the Tuṣita Gods

Again there were ten thousand kings of the Tuṣita gods, with the sons of gods, the daughters of gods, and a measureless retinue, who in the midst of empty space rained down the various wondrous fragrances, revered him and bowed their heads, and spoke in this way—

“Son of good family! When this brahmin scorched his body with the five heats, he made us gods and their retinues have no more delight and clinging toward our own palaces, and we came together to his place. Having heard him teach the Dharma, he was able to make us not covet objective realms, to have few desires and know contentment, to have our minds give rise to joy, to have our minds obtain fullness, to bring forth the various roots of goodness, to give rise to the mind of awakening, and even to fulfill all the Buddha-dharmas.”

The Surpassing Conditions Exhorting and Drawing Him On (Chengguan's outline · six): Ten Thousand Thirty-Three Gods

Again there were ten thousand Thirty-Three Gods together with their retinues, the sons of gods and the daughters of gods, encircling him before and behind, who in the midst of empty space rained down heavenly mandārava flowers, revered him and made offerings, and spoke in this way—

“Son of good family! When this brahmin scorched his body with the five heats, he made us gods give rise no more to delight and clinging toward heavenly music, and we came together to his place. At that time, the brahmin expounded for us that all dharmas are impermanent and come to ruin, and made me cast away and leave behind all the pleasures of desire, made me cut off arrogance and heedlessness, and made me love and delight in unsurpassed awakening.

“Further, son of good family! At the time when I saw this brahmin, the summit of Mount Sumeru quaked in six ways, and our minds gave rise to terror, and we all gave rise to the mind of awakening, firm and unmoving.”

The Surpassing Conditions Exhorting and Drawing Him On (Chengguan's outline · seven): Ten Thousand Nāga Kings

Again there were ten thousand nāga kings, namely: the nāga king Yinabaluo, the nāga king Nantuo-Youbonantuo, and the rest, who in the midst of empty space rained down black candana; and measureless nāga women struck up heavenly music and rained down heavenly wondrous flowers and heavenly fragrant water, revering him and making offerings, and spoke in this way—

“Son of good family! When this brahmin scorched his body with the five heats, the light of that fire universally shone upon the palaces of all the nāgas, and made the nāga hosts leave behind the dread of the burning sand and the dread of the golden-winged bird, extinguish anger, have their bodies obtain coolness, have their minds without stain and turbidity, hear the Dharma and have faith and understanding, loathe the destiny of a nāga, with a mind of utmost sincerity repent and remove the obstructions of karma, and even to give rise to the intent toward anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi and to abide in all-knowledge.”

The Surpassing Conditions Exhorting and Drawing Him On (Chengguan's outline · eight): Ten Thousand Yakṣa Kings

Again there were ten thousand yakṣa kings, who in the midst of empty space with the various articles of offering revered and made offerings to this brahmin and to Sudhana, and spoke in this way—

“Son of good family! When this brahmin scorched his body with the five heats, I and my retinue all gave rise to a mind of kindness and pity toward beings, and all the rākṣasas, kumbhāṇḍas, and the rest also gave rise to a mind of kindness; and because there was a mind of kindness, toward the various beings there was nothing of vexing and harming, and they came to see me. I and they had no more delight and clinging toward our own palaces, and so we came together, coming to his place. At that time, the brahmin then taught the Dharma for us according to what each was fit for, and all of us obtained ease and joy of body and mind; and he further made measureless yakṣas, rākṣasas, kumbhāṇḍas, and the rest give rise to the unsurpassed mind of awakening.”

The Surpassing Conditions Exhorting and Drawing Him On (Chengguan's outline · nine): Ten Thousand Gandharva Kings

Again there were ten thousand gandharva kings, who in the midst of empty space spoke in this way—

“Son of good family! When this brahmin scorched his body with the five heats, the light of that fire shone upon my palaces, and made us all receive inconceivable and measureless pleasure, and for that reason we came to his place. This brahmin taught the Dharma for me, and was able to make us obtain non-retrogression in anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi.”

The Surpassing Conditions Exhorting and Drawing Him On (Chengguan's outline · ten): Ten Thousand Asura Kings

Again there were ten thousand asura kings, who came forth from the midst of the great sea and abided in the midst of empty space, bared the wheel of their right knees, joined their palms and made obeisance before him, and spoke in this way—

“Son of good family! When this brahmin scorched his body with the five heats, all the palaces of us asuras, the great sea, and the great earth all quaked, and made us cast away arrogance and heedlessness, and for that reason we came to his place. Having heard the Dharma from him, we cast off and left behind flattery and deceit, abided upon the ground of forbearance, firm and unmoving, and fulfilled the ten powers.”

The Surpassing Conditions Exhorting and Drawing Him On (Chengguan's outline · eleven): Ten Thousand Garuḍa Kings

Again there were ten thousand garuḍa kings, with the king Brave Strength Holding as their head, who transformed themselves into the shape of non-Buddhist youths and in the midst of empty space called out in this way—

“Son of good family! When this brahmin scorched his body with the five heats, the light of that fire shone upon my palaces, and all of them quaked and all were in terror, and for that reason we came to his place. At that time, the brahmin then taught the Dharma for us according to what each was fit for, and made us cultivate great kindness, praise great compassion, cross over the sea of birth-and-death, rescue and deliver beings from the midst of the mire of desire, extol the mind of awakening, give rise to the knowledge of skillful means, and tame beings in accord with what is fitting for them.”

The Surpassing Conditions Exhorting and Drawing Him On (Chengguan's outline · twelve): Ten Thousand Kiṃnara Kings

Again there were ten thousand kiṃnara kings, who in the midst of empty space called out in this way—

“Son of good family! When this brahmin scorched his body with the five heats, in the palaces where we dwell the many tāla trees, the nets of jeweled bells, the jeweled ribbons of silk, the music trees, the wondrous jewel trees, and the various instruments of music of themselves sent forth the voice of the Buddha, the voice of the Dharma, and the voice of the saṃgha of non-retrogressive bodhisattvas, and the voice of vowing and seeking unsurpassed awakening, saying: ‘In such a quarter, in such a land, there is such a bodhisattva who has given rise to the mind of awakening; in such a quarter, in such a land, there is such a bodhisattva who cultivates ascetic practice, giving up what is hard to give up, and even to purifying the practice of all-knowledge; in such a quarter, in such a land, there is such a bodhisattva who goes to the place of awakening; and even to: in such a quarter, in such a land, there is such a Tathāgata who, having finished the work of a Buddha, enters parinirvāṇa.’

“Son of good family! Suppose a person were to grind all the grasses and trees of Jambudvīpa into dust motes: the number of those dust motes could still be known to its limit; but as for the names of bodhisattvas, the names of Tathāgatas, the great vows made and the practices cultivated, and the rest, that the jeweled tāla trees and even the instruments of music within my palaces expound—there is none who can know their limit.

“Son of good family! We, because we heard the voice of the Buddha, the voice of the Dharma, and the voice of the saṃgha of bodhisattvas, gave rise to great joy and came to his place. At that time, the brahmin then taught the Dharma for us according to what each was fit for, and made me and the rest of the measureless beings obtain non-retrogression in anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi.”

The Surpassing Conditions Exhorting and Drawing Him On (Chengguan's outline · thirteen): Measureless Gods of the Realm of Desire

Again there were measureless gods of the realm of desire, who in the midst of empty space with subtle and wondrous articles of offering revered him and made offerings, and called out in this way—

“Son of good family! When this brahmin scorched his body with the five heats, the light of that fire shone upon Avīci and all the hells, and the various sufferings undergone there were all made to cease. We, because we saw this light of fire, gave rise in our minds to pure faith; and because there was the mind of faith, when we passed away from there we were born among the gods; and for the sake of acknowledging his kindness we have come to his place, revering and gazing up at him without ever having enough. At that time, the brahmin taught the Dharma for me, and made measureless beings give rise to the mind of awakening.”

The Doubt Exhausted, Repenting the Fault (Chengguan's outline): Sudhana Asks to Be Allowed to Repent

At that time, the youth Sudhana, having heard Dharma such as this, was greatly joyful in his mind, and at the brahmin's place gave rise to the mind that here was a true good friend, bowed his head in reverence, and called out in this way—

“Toward the great and holy good friend I have given rise to an unwholesome mind; I only pray that the holy one will allow me to repent my fault!”

Admonishing and Exhorting, and Granting Him Pardon (Chengguan's outline): The Brahmin Speaks a Verse

At that time, the brahmin then spoke a verse for Sudhana, saying—

“If there be bodhisattvas who follow the teaching of a good friend, in all things without doubt and dread, abiding with unmoving minds—

“know that a person such as this will surely obtain vast benefit, will sit beneath the tree of awakening, and accomplish unsurpassed awakening.”

Cultivating and Realizing in Accord with the Teaching (Chengguan's outline): Climbing the Mountain of Knives, Casting Himself into the Mass of Fire, Obtaining Two Samādhis

At that time, the youth Sudhana forthwith climbed the mountain of knives and cast himself into the mass of fire; and before he had reached the middle, he obtained the bodhisattva samādhi of Dwelling Well; and as soon as he touched the flames, he further obtained the bodhisattva samādhi of the Spiritual Penetration of the Bliss of Quiescence.

Sudhana said—

“How very wonderful, holy one! A mountain of knives and a great mass of fire such as these—when my body touches them, they are secure and pleasant.”

Humbling Himself and Deferring to the Superior (Chengguan's outline): I Have Obtained Only This Bodhisattva Liberation of the Inexhaustible Wheel

At that time, the brahmin told Sudhana, saying—

“Son of good family! I have obtained only this bodhisattva liberation of the inexhaustible wheel. But as for the great flame of merit of the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, which is able to burn up the view-delusions of all beings and leave no remainder; the inexhaustible mind that surely does not retrogress, the mind without indolence, the mind without faint-heartedness; the giving rise to a mind like Vajragarbha and Nārāyaṇa; the mind that swiftly cultivates the various practices and is without slowness; the vow that, like the wheel of wind, universally upholds all the great oaths of vigor so that none of them retrogress—how could I know or be able to tell of their practice of merit?

Pointing to the Next Friend (Chengguan's outline): The Maiden Kindly Conduct in the City of the Lion's Swift Rousing

“Son of good family! Here, in the south, there is a city named: Lion's Swift Rousing; and within that city there is a maiden named: Kindly Conduct. Go there and ask her: how is a bodhisattva to study the practice that a bodhisattva practices and to cultivate the path that a bodhisattva cultivates?”

Cherishing His Virtue, Bowing, and Taking Leave (Chengguan's outline)

At that time, the youth Sudhana bowed to the feet of that one, circled around him numberless times, took his leave, and departed.

Entering in Accord with the Teaching (Chengguan's outline) (one): After Leaving the Previous Good Friend, Sudhana Put His Mind in Order Once Through

At that time, the youth Sudhana, at the place of the good friend, gave rise to a mind of the utmost esteem, gave rise to a vast and pure understanding, was constantly mindful of the Great Vehicle, single-mindedly sought the knowledge of a Buddha, longed to see all the Buddhas, observed the objective realm of all dharmas, and the knowledge that is without obstruction was constantly present before his eyes.

Entering in Accord with the Teaching (Chengguan's outline) (two): The Nine Kinds of 'Limit' That He Knew with Decision (a limit is a boundary, an ultimate point)

He knew with decision the true limit of dharmas (the ultimate point at which all dharmas are real and not false), the limit of constant abiding (the ultimate point of abiding constantly), the limit of every single instant of all three times (the ultimate point of each shortest division of time, past, present, and future), the limit that is like empty space (the ultimate point that is boundless as empty space is), the limit of non-duality (the ultimate point where there is no opposition of grasper and grasped), the limit in which all dharmas are without discrimination (the ultimate point at which there is no discrimination upon any dharma), the limit in which every meaning is without obstruction (the ultimate point at which nothing obstructs in any meaning), the limit in which through all kalpas nothing is lost or destroyed (the ultimate point at which, through all the long times, nothing is lost and nothing decays), and the limitless limit of all the Tathāgatas (that ultimate point of the Buddhas of which no boundary can be spoken).

Entering in Accord with the Teaching (Chengguan's outline) (three): Sovereign Freedom in Leaving Obstruction Behind

Toward all the Buddhas he was without discrimination in his mind; he broke through the nets woven of every sort of deluded thought and left every sort of attachment behind; he did not grasp at the assemblies and places of enlightenment of the Buddhas, nor did he grasp at the pure lands of a Buddha.

Entering in Accord with the Teaching (Chengguan's outline) (four): The Three Sentences of Contemplating Suchness

He knew that all beings are without a self, knew that all sounds are wholly like the echo in an empty valley, and knew that all forms are wholly like a shadow cast under a light.

Seeking Out the Next Friend (Chengguan's outline): Coming to the City of the Lion's Bold Stride and Asking Everywhere for the Maiden Kindly Conduct

He journeyed on toward the south, came to the city of the Lion's Bold Stride, and sought and asked everywhere for the maiden Kindly Conduct. He heard that this maiden was the daughter of King Lion Banner, that she had five hundred maidens as her attendants, that she dwelt in the Vairocana Treasury Palace, and that upon a seat with feet of dragon-surpassing sandalwood, netted with golden thread and spread with heavenly cloth, she expounded the wondrous Dharma.

Seeing, Paying Respect, and Inquiring (Chengguan's outline) (one): Asking the Way

Sudhana, having heard this, went to the gate of the royal palace and asked to see this maiden. He saw measureless crowds of people going into the palace, and Sudhana asked them, “Where are all of you going now?” They all answered him, “We are going to the maiden Kindly Conduct, to hear and receive the wondrous Dharma.”

The youth Sudhana then thought in this way: “Since the gate of this royal palace has no limit or hindrance to it, I too ought to go in.”

Seeing, Paying Respect, and Inquiring (Chengguan's outline) (two): The Adornment of the Palace as Seen upon Entering

Sudhana, having entered, saw the Vairocana Treasury Palace—with crystal (a jewel of the kind of rock crystal) for its ground, with beryl for its pillars, with vajra for its walls, with Jambū-river gold for its encircling wall, with a hundred thousand rays of light for its windows, decked and set out with asaṃkhyeya (beyond counting) maṇi jewels, adorned all around by a ring of jeweled-treasury maṇi mirrors, made splendid with the finest maṇi jewels of the world, with numberless jeweled nets spread over the top of it, and with a hundred thousand golden bells sending forth wondrous sounds—it held every sort of inconceivable adornment of the host of jewels such as this.

Seeing, Paying Respect, and Inquiring (Chengguan's outline) (three): The Marks of the Maiden

That maiden Kindly Conduct: her skin was of the color of gold, her eyes were of a violet-blue color, her hair was of a dark-blue color, and with the sound of a pure Brahmā voice she expounded the essentials of the Dharma.

Seeing, Paying Respect, and Inquiring (Chengguan's outline) (four): Sudhana's Request

Sudhana, having seen her, bowed to her feet, circled her numberless times, joined his palms and stood before her, and spoke in this way: “Holy one! I have already brought forth beforehand the mind of anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi (the mind of unsurpassed, perfect, and complete awakening), but I do not yet know how a bodhisattva is to study the practice of a bodhisattva, how a bodhisattva is to cultivate the path of a bodhisattva. I have heard that the holy one is well able to draw others on and to instruct them; I pray that you will expound it for me!”

Directly Showing the Dharma Realm (Chengguan's outline) (one): The First Answer Is One Sentence Only—Look

At that time, the maiden Kindly Conduct told Sudhana, “Son of good family! You should observe the adornment of my palace.”

Directly Showing the Dharma Realm (Chengguan's outline) (two): Observing Everywhere, and Within Each Single One Seeing All the Tathāgatas

Sudhana, having bowed, observed everywhere, and he saw: within each single wall, within each single pillar, within each single mirror, within each single mark, within each single figure, within each single maṇi jewel, within each single implement of adornment, within each single golden bell, within each single jeweled tree, within each single jeweled image, within each single jeweled necklace—within all of them he saw all the Tathāgatas of the Dharma realm, from the first arousing of the mind, cultivating the practice of a bodhisattva, fulfilling the great vows, holding merit complete, accomplishing perfect awakening, turning the wondrous Dharma wheel, and on to the display of entering nirvāṇa.

Directly Showing the Dharma Realm (Chengguan's outline) (three): Concluding the Dharma by Attaching It to a Person—Whose Roots of Goodness Are All These Images

Reflected images such as these were, not one of them but appeared, just as in pure water one universally sees the whole host of images of the sun, the moon, and the constellations in empty space. All of this is the power of the roots of goodness of the maiden Kindly Conduct in ages past.

Bringing It Forth in Words (Chengguan's outline) (one): Sudhana Is Mindful of What He Has Seen, and Gazes Up with Palms Joined

At that time, the youth Sudhana was mindful of the marks of the Buddhas he had just seen, and with palms joined he gazed up at the maiden Kindly Conduct.

Bringing It Forth in Words (Chengguan's outline) (two): The Name of the Dharma Gate

At that time, the maiden told Sudhana, “Son of good family! This is the gate of the universal adornment of prajñā-pāramitā. At the places of as many Buddhas as thirty-six Gaṅgā-sands I sought and obtained this Dharma. Those Tathāgatas, each by a different gate, caused me to enter this gate of the universal adornment of prajñā-pāramitā; what one Buddha had expounded, the rest did not expound again.”

Bringing It Forth in Words (Chengguan's outline) (three): Sudhana Asks Again About the Objective Realm

Sudhana said to her, “Holy one! What is the objective realm of this gate of the universal adornment of prajñā-pāramitā?”

Manifesting the Surpassing Function of the Dharma (Chengguan's outline) (one): The General Answer—Obtaining the Dhāraṇī of the Universal Gate

The maiden answered:

“Son of good family! When I entered this gate of the universal adornment of prajñā-pāramitā, complying with it and turning toward it, thinking upon it and observing it, bearing it in mind and discriminating it—at such a time I obtained the dhāraṇī of the universal gate (a total retention that is universal), and a million asaṃkhyeya dhāraṇī gates were all of them present before my eyes. That is to say:

Manifesting the Surpassing Function of the Dharma (two): The Several Manifesting of Eight Gates—The Retention That Knows in General the Dependent and Proper Recompense, Principle and Phenomena (Chengguan's outline)

“the dhāraṇī gate of the Buddha-fields, the dhāraṇī gate of the Buddhas, the dhāraṇī gate of the Dharma, the dhāraṇī gate of beings, the dhāraṇī gate of the past, the dhāraṇī gate of the future, the dhāraṇī gate of the present, the dhāraṇī gate of the limit of constant abiding;

Manifesting the Surpassing Function of the Dharma (three): The Several Manifesting of Nine Gates—The Retention of Vow and Practice (Chengguan's outline)

“the dhāraṇī gate of merit, the dhāraṇī gate of the provisions that aid the path of merit, the dhāraṇī gate of wisdom, the dhāraṇī gate of the provisions that aid the path of wisdom, the dhāraṇī gate of every sort of vow, the dhāraṇī gate of discriminating every sort of vow, the dhāraṇī gate of accumulating every sort of practice, the dhāraṇī gate of pure practice, the dhāraṇī gate of practice fulfilled;

Manifesting the Surpassing Function of the Dharma (four): The Several Manifesting of Nine Gates—The Retention of Karma (Chengguan's outline)

“the dhāraṇī gate of karma, the dhāraṇī gate of karma that is not lost or destroyed, the dhāraṇī gate of karma continuing on like flowing water, the dhāraṇī gate of what karma does, the dhāraṇī gate of forsaking evil karma, the dhāraṇī gate of cultivating right karma, the dhāraṇī gate of gaining sovereign freedom over karma, the dhāraṇī gate of good conduct, the dhāraṇī gate of keeping to good conduct;

Manifesting the Surpassing Function of the Dharma (five): The Several Manifesting of Six Gates—The Retention of the Substance and Function of Right Reception (Chengguan's outline)

“the dhāraṇī gate of samādhi (concentration), the dhāraṇī gate of complying with samādhi, the dhāraṇī gate of observing samādhi, the dhāraṇī gate of the objective realm of samādhi, the dhāraṇī gate of rising out of samādhi, the dhāraṇī gate of spiritual penetration;

Manifesting the Surpassing Function of the Dharma (six): The Several Manifesting of Five Gates—The Retention of the Defiled and Pure Minds (Chengguan's outline)

“the dhāraṇī gate of the ocean of mind, the dhāraṇī gate of every sort of mind, the dhāraṇī gate of the upright mind, the dhāraṇī gate of illumining through the dense forest of the mind (thoughts as thick as a forest), the dhāraṇī gate of taming the mind and making it pure;

Manifesting the Surpassing Function of the Dharma (seven): The Several Manifesting of Ten Gates—The Retention That Knows the Beings to Be Transformed (Chengguan's outline)

“the dhāraṇī gate of knowing whence beings are born, the dhāraṇī gate of knowing the workings of beings' afflictions, the dhāraṇī gate of knowing the habit-energies of the afflictions, the dhāraṇī gate of knowing the skillful means that counter the afflictions, the dhāraṇī gate of knowing beings' surpassing understandings, the dhāraṇī gate of knowing what beings practice, the dhāraṇī gate of knowing that what beings practice is not the same in each, the dhāraṇī gate of knowing the very nature of beings, the dhāraṇī gate of knowing beings' desires and delights, the dhāraṇī gate of knowing beings' thoughts;

Manifesting the Surpassing Function of the Dharma (eight): The Several Manifesting of Seventeen Gates—The Retention That Knows What Is Able to Transform (Chengguan's outline)

“the dhāraṇī gate of universally seeing the ten directions, the dhāraṇī gate of expounding the Dharma, the dhāraṇī gate of great compassion, the dhāraṇī gate of great kindness, the dhāraṇī gate of quiescence, the dhāraṇī gate of the way of speech, the dhāraṇī gate of what is skillful means and what is not skillful means, the dhāraṇī gate of complying, the dhāraṇī gate of difference, the dhāraṇī gate of universally entering, the dhāraṇī gate of the ultimate point that is without obstruction, the dhāraṇī gate of universally pervading, the dhāraṇī gate of the Dharma of a Buddha, the dhāraṇī gate of the Dharma of a bodhisattva, the dhāraṇī gate of the Dharma of a śrāvaka, the dhāraṇī gate of the Dharma of a pratyekabuddha, the dhāraṇī gate of the dharmas of the world;

Manifesting the Surpassing Function of the Dharma (nine): The Several Manifesting of Seventeen Gates—The Retention That Is Sovereign Freedom in Knowing the Ocean of Fields (Chengguan's outline)

“the dhāraṇī gate of the establishing of worlds, the dhāraṇī gate of the destruction of worlds, the dhāraṇī gate of the abiding of worlds, the dhāraṇī gate of pure worlds, the dhāraṇī gate of defiled worlds, the dhāraṇī gate of manifesting the pure within a defiled world, the dhāraṇī gate of manifesting the defiled within a pure world, the dhāraṇī gate of worlds that are purely defiled, the dhāraṇī gate of worlds that are purely pure, the dhāraṇī gate of level worlds, the dhāraṇī gate of worlds that are not level, the dhāraṇī gate of worlds that abide overturned, the dhāraṇī gate of worlds like the net of Indra (the net of the palace of Śakra, whose every mesh-jewel mirrors every other), the dhāraṇī gate of the turning of worlds, the dhāraṇī gate of knowing upon what thought a world abides, the dhāraṇī gate of the fine entering into the coarse, the dhāraṇī gate of the coarse entering into the fine;

Manifesting the Surpassing Function of the Dharma (ten): The Several Manifesting of Twenty-Five Gates—The Retention That Is Sovereign Freedom in Knowing the Ocean of Buddhas (Chengguan's outline)

“the dhāraṇī gate of seeing the Buddhas, the dhāraṇī gate of discriminating the bodies of a Buddha, the dhāraṇī gate of the net of the adornment of a Buddha's light, the dhāraṇī gate of the full sound of a Buddha, the dhāraṇī gate of a Buddha's Dharma wheel, the dhāraṇī gate of accomplishing a Buddha's Dharma wheel, the dhāraṇī gate of difference in a Buddha's Dharma wheel, the dhāraṇī gate of the absence of difference in a Buddha's Dharma wheel, the dhāraṇī gate of explaining a Buddha's Dharma wheel, the dhāraṇī gate of turning a Buddha's Dharma wheel, the dhāraṇī gate of being able to do a Buddha's work, the dhāraṇī gate of discriminating a Buddha's assemblies, the dhāraṇī gate of entering the ocean of a Buddha's assemblies, the dhāraṇī gate of universally illumining and seeing the powers of a Buddha, the dhāraṇī gate of the samādhis of the Buddhas, the dhāraṇī gate of the sovereign enjoyment of the samādhis of the Buddhas, the dhāraṇī gate of that in which the Buddhas abide, the dhāraṇī gate of that which the Buddhas sustain, the dhāraṇī gate of the transformations of the Buddhas, the dhāraṇī gate of a Buddha's knowing the workings of beings' minds, the dhāraṇī gate of the Buddhas' spiritual penetrations and transforming manifestations, the dhāraṇī gate of dwelling in the Tuṣita palace and on to the display of entering nirvāṇa, the dhāraṇī gate of benefiting measureless beings, the dhāraṇī gate of entering the very deep Dharma, the dhāraṇī gate of entering the subtle and wondrous Dharma;

Manifesting the Surpassing Function of the Dharma (eleven): The Several Manifesting of Twelve Gates—The Retention of the Cause and Fruit of Awakening (Chengguan's outline)

“the dhāraṇī gate of the mind of awakening, the dhāraṇī gate of arousing the mind of awakening, the dhāraṇī gate of aiding the accomplishment of the mind of awakening, the dhāraṇī gate of every sort of vow, the dhāraṇī gate of every sort of practice, the dhāraṇī gate of spiritual penetration, the dhāraṇī gate of going forth, the dhāraṇī gate of the purity of total retention, the dhāraṇī gate of the purity of the wheel of knowledge, the dhāraṇī gate of the purity of wisdom, the dhāraṇī gate of the measurelessness of awakening, the dhāraṇī gate of the purity of one's own mind.

Humbling Herself and Deferring to the Superior (Chengguan's outline): I Know Only This One Gate

“Son of good family! I know only this gate of the universal adornment of prajñā-pāramitā. As for those bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, their minds are vast, equal to the realm of empty space; they enter into the Dharma realm; their merit is accomplished and complete; they abide in the dharmas that go beyond the world and leave the practices of the world behind; their eye of wisdom is without the covering of a film, and they universally observe the Dharma realm; their mind of wisdom is vast as empty space, and every objective realm is seen by them plainly and clearly; they have gained the great treasury of light of the ground that is without obstruction; they are skilled in discriminating the meaning of all dharmas; they practice the practices of the world and yet are not stained by the dharmas of the world; they are able to benefit the world and yet are not destroyed by the world; they universally act as a place of reliance for all the world; they universally know the workings of the minds of all beings, and expound the Dharma for them according to what suits each; and at all times they are constantly sovereignly free—but how am I able to know or to tell of their conduct of merit?

Pointing to the Next Friend (Chengguan's outline): The Monk Well-Seeing in the Land of Three Eyes to the South

“Son of good family! To the south of this place there is a land named Three Eyes; there is a monk there named Well-Seeing. Go to him and ask: how is a bodhisattva to study the practice of a bodhisattva, and to cultivate the path of a bodhisattva?”

Cherishing Her Virtue and Taking Leave (Chengguan's outline)

Then the youth Sudhana bowed to her feet, circled her numberless times, gazed up in cherishing longing, and took his leave and departed.

Being Mindful of the Teaching of the Previous Friend (Chengguan's outline): Thirteen Sentences of “Profound”

At that time, the youth Sudhana was pondering that the practice in which a bodhisattva abides is profound, pondering that the Dharma a bodhisattva realizes is profound, pondering that the place a bodhisattva enters is profound, pondering that the subtle knowledge of beings is profound, pondering that the world abides in dependence upon thinking is profound, pondering that the practices beings perform are profound, pondering that the thoughts of beings pour on like a stream without ceasing is profound, pondering that beings are like light and shadow is profound, pondering that the names of beings are profound, pondering that the speech of beings is profound, pondering that the adorning of the Dharma realm is profound, pondering that the planting of every sort of deed and practice is profound, pondering that the world adorned by deeds is profound.

Going On to Seek (Chengguan's outline): Walking Every Place, to Look for One Man

He then journeyed on little by little until he came to the land of Three Eyes, and in walled towns, in settlements, in villages, in neighbourhoods, in markets and shops, on the river plains and in the mountain valleys, in every place, he searched everywhere for the monk Well-Seeing.

Seeing the Surpassing Marks of His Body (Chengguan's outline): A Man Walking Back and Forth in a Wood

Only then did he see him in a wood, walking back and forth. He was in the prime of his years, fair of countenance, upright and pleasing to see. His hair was deep blue-black, curling to the right and not disordered; on the crown of his head was a fleshy cowl (the bone and flesh on the crown rising of themselves into the shape of a topknot, one of the marks of a Buddha); his skin was the colour of gold; on his neck were three lines; his brow was broad and level; his eyes were long and wide, like a blue lotus flower; his lips and mouth were red and fresh, like a bimba fruit (a fruit of red colour); on his chest was set the mark of the svastika; the seven places were all of them full and level; his arms were slender and long; between his fingers there was a webbing (a thin membrane joining the fingers like a net, one of the marks of a Buddha); in the palms of his hands and the soles of his feet were vajra wheels. His body was wondrous, like the gods of the Pure Abode (the five Pure Abodes of the fourth dhyāna of the form realm, where the noble ones dwell—Without Affliction, Without Heat, Well-Appearing, Well-Seeing, and Highest of Form); upright and straight from top to bottom, like a nyagrodha tree (a great tree whose height and breadth answer to each other); the various marks and the signs that follow upon them were all of them complete, like the king of the snowy mountains adorned with every sort of thing; his eyes gazed and did not blink; and the round light upon his body was a fathom in breadth (about the length of two arms outstretched).

The Marks of His Mind (Chengguan's outline): Even “Unmoving” Has Come to Rest

His wisdom was vast, like a great sea; toward the various objective realms there was not a trace of stirring within his mind. Whether sinking (the force of the mind sunk low) or lifting (the force of the mind floating up), whether knowledge or not knowledge, every stirring and every bit of frivolous talk had wholly come to rest. He had obtained the equal realm of what a Buddha practises, and with great compassion he taught and transformed all beings, never for one moment letting go within his mind. Because he wished to benefit and give ease to all beings, because he wished to open and show the Dharma eye of the Tathāgata, because he wished to tread the road along which the Tathāgata has gone—he walked back and forth, neither slow nor swift, with careful discernment.

The Circumstantial Reward: Eleven Ranks of Gods, Each Doing One Thing

Measureless gods, dragons, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, and mahoragas, together with Śakra, Brahmā, the four world-protecting kings, humans and non-humans, surrounded him before and behind. The gods of the directions turned with the directions and led the way before him; the gods that walk at the feet held up jewelled lotus flowers to receive his feet; the god Inexhaustible Light spread out light and broke up the darkness; the wood god Jambu Banner rained down every sort of mingled flower; the earth god Unmoving Treasury brought forth every sort of jewel treasury; the space god Universal Light adorned empty space; the god Ocean of Accomplished Virtue rained down maṇi jewels; the Sumeru mountain god Stainless Treasury bowed his head in reverence and bent his body with palms joined; the wind god Unobstructed Power rained down fine and fragrant flowers; the night goddess Spring Harmony adorned her own body and cast her whole body to the ground; the day goddess Ever Awake held a maṇi banner that illumines every quarter and, dwelling in empty space, sent forth a great light.

Seeing Him, Paying Respect, and Inquiring (Chengguan's outline): Sudhana's Question

At that time, the youth Sudhana came to where the monk was, bowed to the feet of him, bent his body with palms joined, and said:

“Holy one! I have already brought forth the mind of anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi (the mind of unsurpassed perfect awakening), and am now seeking the practice of a bodhisattva. I have heard that the holy one is well able to open and show the various paths of a bodhisattva. Would you explain for me: how is a bodhisattva to study the practice of a bodhisattva? How is he to cultivate the path of a bodhisattva?”

The Answer (one): I Am Young in Years, and I Went Forth from the Household Not Long Ago

Well-Seeing answered, saying:

“Son of good family! I am young in years, and I went forth from the household not long ago. Within this one life of mine, I have cultivated pure conduct (the pure practice of one who has left desire behind) at the places of Buddhas as many as thirty-eight Gaṅgā's sands—

The Answer (two): From One Day and One Night to Unspeakably Unspeakable Great Kalpas

“At the places of some Buddhas it was for one day and one night that I cultivated pure conduct, at the places of some Buddhas it was for seven days and seven nights that I cultivated pure conduct, at the places of some Buddhas it was for half a month, a month, a year, a hundred years, ten thousand years, a koṭi of years, a nayuta of years, and on to unspeakably unspeakable years; at some it was one small kalpa, at some half a great kalpa, at some one great kalpa, at some a hundred great kalpas, and on to unspeakably unspeakable great kalpas.

The Answer (three): What Was Heard · What Was Practised · What Was Fulfilled

“There I heard the wondrous Dharma, received and carried out their teaching, adorned every sort of great vow, entered the place that is realized, purely cultivated every sort of practice, and fulfilled the ocean of the six kinds of pāramitā (giving, keeping the precepts, patience, vigour, meditation, and wisdom—the six perfections).

The Answer (four): I Also See Their Fruit, and I Also Know Their Cause

“I also saw those Buddhas accomplish the path and expound the Dharma, each and every one distinct and without confusion, upholding the teaching they left behind, on to its coming to an end. I also know the great vows those Buddhas originally raised: with the vow-power of samādhi (the mind settled upon one object without straying) to adorn and purify all the buddha-lands, with the power of the samādhi that enters into all practices to purely cultivate all the practices of a bodhisattva, with the power of going forth of the Samantabhadra vehicle to purify all the pāramitās of the Buddhas.

The Work of the Dharma (Chengguan's outline · one): The Ten Directions · Worlds · Buddha-Lands · The Practices of Beings

“Again, son of good family! When I am walking back and forth—

“within a single thought, all of the ten directions present themselves entirely, by reason of the purity of wisdom;

“within a single thought, all worlds present themselves entirely, by reason of my having passed through unspeakably unspeakable worlds;

“within a single thought, unspeakably unspeakable buddha-lands are entirely adorned and made pure, by reason of the power of accomplishing great vows;

“within a single thought, the differing practices of unspeakably unspeakable beings present themselves entirely, by reason of fulfilling the knowledge of the ten powers (the ten powers of knowing that a Buddha alone has, by which what is and is not the case, the recompense of deeds, the faculties of beings and the rest are known exhaustively);

The Work of the Dharma (Chengguan's outline · two): The Bodies of Buddhas · Making Offerings · Receiving the Dharma · The Ocean of Practices

“within a single thought, the pure bodies of unspeakably unspeakable Buddhas present themselves entirely, by reason of the power of accomplishing the practices and vows of Samantabhadra;

“within a single thought, I reverently make offerings to Tathāgatas as many as the dust motes of unspeakably unspeakable buddha-lands, by reason of accomplishing the vow-power of making offerings to the Tathāgatas with a pliant mind;

“within a single thought, I receive unspeakably unspeakable dharmas of the Tathāgatas, by reason of obtaining the power of the dhāraṇī (the total retention that does not lose what it holds) that enters into and realizes asaṃkhyeya distinct dharmas and upholds the wheel of the Dharma;

“within a single thought, the unspeakably unspeakable oceans of the practices of bodhisattvas present themselves entirely, by reason of obtaining the vow-power that is able to purify all practices, like the net of Indra (the jewelled net upon the palace of Śakra, in which jewel reflects jewel);

The Work of the Dharma (Chengguan's outline · three): The Oceans of Samādhi · The Oceans of the Faculties · Times · The Oceans of the Three Times

“within a single thought, the unspeakably unspeakable oceans of samādhi present themselves entirely, by reason of obtaining the vow-power of entering from one gate of samādhi into all the gates of samādhi and causing them all to be pure;

“within a single thought, the unspeakably unspeakable oceans of the faculties present themselves entirely, by reason of obtaining the vow-power of knowing the utmost bound of the faculties and of seeing all the faculties within a single faculty;

“within a single thought, times as many as the dust motes of unspeakably unspeakable buddha-lands present themselves entirely, by reason of obtaining the vow-power of turning the wheel of the Dharma at all times, though the realm of beings may come to an end, yet the wheel of the Dharma has no end;

“within a single thought, the unspeakably unspeakable oceans of all three times present themselves entirely, by reason of obtaining the vow-power of the light of the knowledge that knows all the divisions of the three times within all worlds.

Humbling Himself and Deferring to the Superior (Chengguan's outline · one): I Know Only This One Lamp That Accords

“Son of good family! I know only this one bodhisattva liberation of the Lamp That Accords. As for the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, they are like a vajra lamp, truly taking birth within the household of the Tathāgata, complete in the accomplishment of the deathless life-faculty, ever burning the lamp of knowledge without its ever coming to an end and being put out, their bodies firm and not to be broken down—

Humbling Himself and Deferring to the Superior (Chengguan's outline · two): Manifesting a Body Like an Illusion, Breaking the Great Mountain of Every Obstruction

“They manifest bodies of form and appearance like an illusion, having measureless distinctions like the dharmas of dependent origination, appearing to each severally according to the minds of beings; in shape and form and appearance the world has nothing to set beside them, poison, blade, and fire cannot harm them, like a mountain of vajra there is none who can break them, and they subdue all the Māras and the outside ways. Their bodies are wondrous, like a mountain of true gold; among gods and humans they are the most singular; their fame is vast, and there is none who does not hear and know of them; they look upon every sort of world, and all of it is present before their eyes; they expound the deep treasury of the Dharma, which like the great sea has no end; they send forth a great light that universally illumines the ten directions. If there be any who see them, he will surely break the great mountain of every obstruction, will surely pull out the root of all that is not good, will surely be made to plant vast roots of goodness. Such people as these are hard to get sight of, and hard to have appear in the world—and how then should I be able to know or to tell of their meritorious practice?

Pointing to the Next Friend (Chengguan's outline): The Land of Renown · The Boy Sovereign Master

“Son of good family! Going south from here, there is a land named ‘Renown’; and there, upon an islet in the river (an island in the midst of the water), there is a boy named ‘Sovereign Master.’ Go to him and ask: how is a bodhisattva to study the practice of a bodhisattva and to cultivate the path of a bodhisattva?”

Cherishing His Virtue and Taking Leave (Chengguan's outline): Why He Must Still Walk On

At that time, the youth Sudhana, because he wished to bring to completion the brave and pure practice of a bodhisattva, to obtain the light of a bodhisattva's great strength, to cultivate the various meritorious practices of a bodhisattva that none surpasses and that have no end, to fulfil the firm great vows of a bodhisattva, to accomplish the vast and deep mind of a bodhisattva, to hold fast the measureless surpassing practices of a bodhisattva; because toward the dharmas of a bodhisattva there was no satiety within his mind, because he was willing to enter into all the merit of the bodhisattvas, because he wished ever to gather in and govern all beings, because he wished to pass beyond the dense forest and the wilderness of birth-and-death; and because toward the good friend he ever delighted to see and to hear, serving and making offerings without weariness—thereupon he bowed to the feet of Well-Seeing, circled him measureless times, gazed up at him with earnest heart, and only then took his leave and withdrew.

Seeking in Accord with the Teaching (Chengguan's outline): Having Received the Teaching of the Previous Good Friend, Sudhana Goes to the Land of Renown

At that time, the youth Sudhana, having received the teaching of the monk Well-Seeing, held it in mind and recited and retained it, thought upon it and cultivated it, made it clear and settled it with decision, and so he was able to enter into that dharma gate. The hosts of gods, the hosts of dragons, the hosts of yakṣas, and the hosts of gandharvas (a kind of god who feeds upon fragrance and is skilled at making music) surrounded him before and behind, and he walked toward the land of Renown, seeking everywhere and searching all around for the boy Sovereign Master.

The Gods and Dragons Announce: The Boy Is upon an Islet in the River

At that time there were hosts of gods, hosts of dragons, gandharvas and the rest, who in the midst of empty space told Sudhana, “Son of good family! This boy is now upon an islet in the river (an island of sand in the midst of the water of a river).”

Seeing, Paying Respect, and Inquiring (one · Chengguan's outline): He Sees a Boy at Play Heaping Up Sand

At that time Sudhana came to the place where he was, and saw this boy, with ten thousand boys surrounding him together, heaping up sand at play.

Seeing, Paying Respect, and Inquiring (two · Chengguan's outline): Sudhana's Request

Sudhana, having seen him, bowed to the feet beneath him, circled him measureless times, joined his palms in reverence, withdrew and stood to one side, and spoke thus: “Holy One! I have already given rise beforehand to the mind of unsurpassed perfect awakening (the mind set upon unsurpassed, right, and universal awakening), and yet I do not know how a bodhisattva is to study the practice of a bodhisattva, nor how a bodhisattva is to cultivate the path of a bodhisattva. Would you explain it for me!”

Directly Showing the Dharma Realm (one · Chengguan's outline): Where the Dharma Gate Came From and What It Is Called—the Writing, Number, Calculation, and Seals Learned from Mañjuśrī

Sovereign Master said:

“Son of good family! I formerly, at the place of the youth Mañjuśrī, studied writing (the writing of letters), number (the counting of numbers), calculation (the reckoning of quantities), seals (seal-impressions and tokens of proof), and dharmas of that sort, and thereupon I entered into ‘the dharma gate of the knowledge of all craft and supernormal power.’

Directly Showing the Dharma Realm (two · Chengguan's outline): The General Statement of the Working—Through This Dharma Gate He Penetrates the Writing, Number, Calculation, and Seals of the World

“Son of good family! Because of this dharma gate, I am able to know the writing, the number, the calculation, and the seals of the world, and the elements (the eighteen elements, that is, the six faculties—eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind—together with the six objects—form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharmas—and the six consciousnesses, eighteen classes in all) and the sense-bases (the twelve sense-bases, that is, the six faculties together with the six objects, twelve classes in all) and dharmas of that sort;

Directly Showing the Dharma Realm (three · Chengguan's outline): The Miscellaneous Setting Out of the Working—Healing Illness

“I am also able to heal wind-epilepsy (the falling sickness that arises from wind-disorder), wasting (the illness in which the body is worn thin), and possession by goblins and sprites—all diseases whatsoever such as these I am able to heal;

Directly Showing the Dharma Realm (four · Chengguan's outline): The Miscellaneous Setting Out of the Working—Building

“I am also able to build cities and towns, villages and hamlets, gardens and groves, terraces and towers, palaces and dwelling houses, places of every sort;

Directly Showing the Dharma Realm (five · Chengguan's outline): The Miscellaneous Setting Out of the Working—Compounding Elixirs, and Farming and Trade

“I am also skilled at compounding and refining elixirs of every sort; I am also skilled at managing and ordering field-work, farming, trading and dealing, and all occupations whatsoever, so that what should be taken is taken, what should be let go is let go, what should be advanced is advanced, and what should be withdrawn is withdrawn, and all of it comes to be in its proper place;

Directly Showing the Dharma Realm (six · Chengguan's outline): The Miscellaneous Setting Out of the Working—Knowing the Marks of Beings and the Path Each Should Take

“I am further skilled at discerning and knowing the bodily marks of beings, at knowing whether what a being does is good or evil, whether he is about to be born in a good destiny or about to be born in an evil destiny; that this person should obtain the path of the vehicle of the śrāvakas (those who hear the Buddha's spoken teaching and cultivate it, seeking release from birth-and-death for themselves), that this person should obtain the path of the vehicle of the pratyekabuddhas (those who awaken by contemplating the arising and ceasing of conditions on their own, without a teacher's instruction), that this person should enter the ground of omniscience (the station of a Buddha, whose knowing leaves nothing out)—matters of every sort such as these I am wholly able to know.

Directly Showing the Dharma Realm (seven · Chengguan's outline): He Also Causes Beings to Study This Dharma

“I am also able to cause beings to study this dharma, to cause them to increase, and to be decided and ultimately pure.

Directly Showing the Dharma Realm (eight · Chengguan's outline): The Extensive Manifesting of the Knowledge of Calculation, One—The Position Names of the Bodhisattva's Method of Calculation

“Son of good family! I am also able to know the bodhisattva's method of calculation. That is to say: a hundred Lakṣas make one Koṭi; a Koṭi multiplied by a Koṭi makes one Ayuduo; an Ayuduo multiplied by an Ayuduo makes one Nayuta; a Nayuta multiplied by a Nayuta makes one Pinpoluo; a Pinpoluo multiplied by a Pinpoluo makes one Jinjieluo; and setting it out at length in this manner, on and on, until a Blue Lotus multiplied by a Blue Lotus makes one Padma; a Padma multiplied by a Padma makes one Sengqi; a Sengqi multiplied by a Sengqi makes one Going; a Going multiplied by a Going makes one Telling; a Telling multiplied by a Telling makes one Numberless; a Numberless multiplied by a Numberless makes one Numberless-turned; a Numberless-turned multiplied by a Numberless-turned makes one Measureless; a Measureless multiplied by a Measureless makes one Measureless-turned; a Measureless-turned multiplied by a Measureless-turned makes one Boundless; a Boundless multiplied by a Boundless makes one Boundless-turned; a Boundless-turned multiplied by a Boundless-turned makes one Unequalled; an Unequalled multiplied by an Unequalled makes one Unequalled-turned; an Unequalled-turned multiplied by an Unequalled-turned makes one Uncountable; an Uncountable multiplied by an Uncountable makes one Uncountable-turned; an Uncountable-turned multiplied by an Uncountable-turned makes one Unnameable; an Unnameable multiplied by an Unnameable makes one Unnameable-turned; an Unnameable-turned multiplied by an Unnameable-turned makes one Unthinkable; an Unthinkable multiplied by an Unthinkable makes one Unthinkable-turned; an Unthinkable-turned multiplied by an Unthinkable-turned makes one Immeasurable; an Immeasurable multiplied by an Immeasurable makes one Immeasurable-turned; an Immeasurable-turned multiplied by an Immeasurable-turned makes one Unspeakable; an Unspeakable multiplied by an Unspeakable makes one Unspeakable-turned; an Unspeakable-turned multiplied by an Unspeakable-turned makes one Unspeakably Unspeakable; and this Unspeakably Unspeakable multiplied again by an Unspeakably Unspeakable makes one Unspeakably Unspeakable-turned.

Directly Showing the Dharma Realm (nine · Chengguan's outline): The Extensive Manifesting of the Knowledge of Calculation, Two—Calculating a Heap of Sand

“Son of good family! With this bodhisattva's method of calculation I calculate a vast heap of sand measureless yojanas across (a yojana is the Indian unit of road-measure), and I am able to know in full how many grains are within it;

Directly Showing the Dharma Realm (ten · Chengguan's outline): The Extensive Manifesting of the Knowledge of Calculation, Three—Calculating the Worlds of the Ten Directions

“I am also able to calculate and know all the worlds whatsoever in the eastern direction, their differences of every sort and the manner in which they abide according to their sequence; and it is likewise with the southern direction, the western direction, the northern direction, and with the four intermediate directions (southeast · southwest · northeast · northwest), the upward direction, and the downward direction;

Directly Showing the Dharma Realm (eleven · Chengguan's outline): The Extensive Manifesting of the Knowledge of Calculation, Four—Calculating the Breadth and Narrowness and the Names of the Worlds, and the Seven Names Within Them

“I am also able to calculate and know all the worlds whatsoever in the ten directions, their breadth and narrowness, their greatness and smallness, and their names, and further all the names of kalpas, all the names of Buddhas, all the names of dharmas, all the names of beings, all the names of deeds, all the names of bodhisattvas, and all the names of truths that are within them—all of it I know clearly and completely.

Humbling Himself and Deferring to the Superior (one · Chengguan's outline): I Know Only This One Gate

“Son of good family! I know only this ‘dharma gate of the light of the knowledge of all craft and great supernormal power.’ As for those bodhisattva-mahāsattvas (the great bodhisattvas), they are able to know the number of all beings whatsoever, able to know the number of the classes and kinds of all dharmas whatsoever, able to know the number of the differences among all dharmas whatsoever, able to know the number of all the three times whatsoever, able to know the number of the names of all beings whatsoever, able to know the number of the names of all dharmas whatsoever, able to know the number of all the Tathāgatas whatsoever, able to know the number of the names of all Buddhas whatsoever, able to know the number of all bodhisattvas whatsoever, able to know the number of the names of all bodhisattvas whatsoever—

Humbling Himself and Deferring to the Superior (two · Chengguan's outline): And How Could I Tell Out Their Merit

“And how could I be able to tell out their merit, to show what they practice, to make manifest their objective realm, to praise their surpassing power, to set out their aspiration and delight (the aim they set themselves and take joy in), to proclaim their aids to the path (the dharmas that assist the work of the path), to make plain their great vows, to extol their wondrous practice, to expound their perfections (the six perfections), to set forth their purity, and to bring out that surpassing light of their wisdom?

Pointing to the Next Friend (Chengguan's outline): The Laywoman Fully Endowed in the City of Ocean Abiding to the South

“Son of good family! Here, to the south, there is a great city named Ocean Abiding; and there is a laywoman there (a woman who lives at home and has received the precepts) named Fully Endowed. Go to her and ask: how is a bodhisattva to study the practice of a bodhisattva and to cultivate the path of a bodhisattva?”

Cherishing His Virtue and Taking Leave (one · Chengguan's outline): The Joy After Hearing the Dharma

At this time the youth Sudhana, having heard these words, felt the hairs of his whole body stand up; he was so joyful that he leapt without ceasing; he obtained a mind of rare faith and delight, precious as a jewel; and he accomplished a vast mind that benefits beings,

Cherishing His Virtue and Taking Leave (two · Chengguan's outline): The Seven Benefits Obtained

being able to see in full clarity the sequence in which all Buddhas whatsoever arise in the world, being able to penetrate in full the pure Dharma-wheel of profound wisdom, appearing in his body wherever he might be within all the destinies (the places to which beings go), knowing the objective realm in which the three times are equal, bringing forth an inexhaustible ocean of merit, sending forth the sovereign light of great wisdom, and opening all the bolts and locks of the city of the three kinds of existence (existence in the realm of desire · existence in the realm of form · existence in the formless realm);

Cherishing His Virtue and Taking Leave (three · Chengguan's outline): He Pays Respect, Takes Leave, and Departs

He bowed to the feet beneath the boy Sovereign Master, circled him measureless times, gazed up at him with earnest devotion, took his leave, and departed.

Being Mindful of the Teaching of the Previous Friend: What the Teaching of a Good Friend Is Like

At that time, the youth Sudhana contemplated and thought upon the teaching given by the previous good friend, as the vast ocean receives the rain sent down by the great clouds—however much it receives, it is never satisfied and never wearied. And in his heart he thought in this way—

“The teaching of a good friend is like the sun of spring, which is able to grow the roots and the sprouts of every wholesome dharma;

“The teaching of a good friend is like the full moon: wherever its light falls, that place becomes cool;

“The teaching of a good friend is like the snow mountains in summer, which are able to take away the heat and the thirst of every bird and beast;

“The teaching of a good friend is like the sun shining upon a fragrant pool, which is able to open the lotuses of every wholesome mind;

“The teaching of a good friend is like a great island of jewels (an island filled with precious things), for the dharma-jewels of every kind fill his mind;

“The teaching of a good friend is like the Jambu tree (the great tree upon the southern continent), which heaps up the flowers and the fruits of all merit and all wisdom;

“The teaching of a good friend is like a great dragon king, who sports in the midst of empty space, sovereign and unobstructed;

“The teaching of a good friend is like Mount Sumeru, which has measureless wholesome dharmas, and the gods of the Thirty-Three dwell within it;

“The teaching of a good friend is like Śakra, lord of the gods: the great assembly gathers and surrounds him, none is able to overshadow his brilliance, and he is able to subdue the hosts of the outsiders and of the asuras.”

Thus did he think.

Entering in Accord with the Teaching (Chengguan's outline): Coming to the City of Ocean Abiding to Seek Out This Laywoman

Stage by stage he walked slowly on, until he came to the city of Ocean Abiding, and he searched from place to place for this laywoman.

At that time, the people of that city all told him—

“Son of good family! This laywoman is here within this city, inside the house where she dwells.”

Sudhana, having heard this, went before her gate and stood with his palms joined.

Seeing the Outer Circumstantial Reward (Chengguan's outline): That House

That house was vast and broad, adorned in every kind of way, with walls of massed jewels encircling it round about, and on all four sides were gates adorned with jewels.

Seeing the Direct Reward of the Friend (Chengguan's outline): The Laywoman Seated upon a Jeweled Seat

Sudhana, having entered, saw the laywoman seated upon a jeweled seat, in the fullness of her years and fair of complexion, upright and delightful to see, wearing plain garments, her hair hanging loose, with no strings of jewels upon her body; and as for the majestic light of the form and marks of her body, apart from the Buddhas and the bodhisattvas there was none who could match it.

Seeing the Inner Circumstantial Reward (Chengguan's outline): Ten Koṭis of Seats and One Small Vessel

Within her house were spread ten koṭis of seats, surpassing all the seats there are among men and among gods, and all of them were brought to completion by the power of a bodhisattva's deeds.

In the house there were no garments, no food and drink, nor any of the other things whatever that sustain life; there was only, set down before her seat, one small vessel (a small container).

Seeing the Retinue: Ten Thousand Maidens and Their Fragrance

There were also ten thousand maidens surrounding her, whose bearing and complexion were like those of the maidens of the heavens, who adorned their bodies with ornaments made of marvelous jewels, and whose voices in speaking were lovely, so that all who heard them rejoiced; they were always at the laywoman's left and right, drawing near, gazing up and looking to her, thinking upon her and contemplating her, bending their bodies and lowering their heads, acting in accord with her instruction.

Those maidens sent forth a marvelous fragrance from their bodies, which perfumed every place everywhere; and if any being met with that fragrance, all such were made able to turn back no more, and were without any mind of angry harming, without any mind of nursing enmity, without any mind of stinginess and envy, without any mind of flattery and deceit, without any mind of treachery and crookedness, without any mind of hatred and attachment, without any mind of wrathful anger, without any mind of lowness and self-abasement, without any mind of raising oneself up in arrogance; they gave rise to a mind of equality, gave rise to a mind of great kindness, brought forth a mind of benefiting beings, abided in a mind of the rules of restraint, and left behind the mind of greedy seeking.

Those who heard their voices rejoiced and leapt for joy; those who saw the forms of their bodies were all set far from greedy defilement.

Seeing, Paying Respect, and Inquiring (Chengguan's outline): Sudhana's Request

At that time Sudhana, having now seen the laywoman Fully Endowed, bowed to her feet, circled her with reverence, stood with his palms joined, and said—

“Holy one! I have already given rise beforehand to the mind of unsurpassed perfect awakening, and yet I do not know how a bodhisattva is to study the practice of a bodhisattva, nor how a bodhisattva is to cultivate the path of a bodhisattva. I have heard that the holy one is well able to draw others on and to instruct them; I pray that you will expound it for me!”

Bringing Forward the Name and Substance of the Dharma Gate (Chengguan's outline): The Liberation Gate of the Inexhaustible Treasury of Merit

She then told Sudhana—

“Son of good family! I have obtained the bodhisattva's liberation gate of the inexhaustible treasury of merit.

The First Working, Benefiting Beings (Chengguan's outline): One Small Vessel Brings Forth All Food and Drink

“Within just such a small vessel as this I am able, according to the various desires and delights of every being, to bring forth food and drink of every kind and of fine savor, and to let them all eat their fill.

“Suppose there be a hundred beings, a thousand beings, a hundred thousand beings, a koṭi of beings, a hundred koṭis of beings, a thousand koṭis of beings, a hundred thousand koṭis of Nayutas of beings (an exceedingly great number), on up to unspeakably unspeakably many beings;

“Suppose there be beings as many as the dust motes of Jambudvīpa (the southern continent where we dwell), beings as many as the dust motes of one set of four continents, of the small thousand world, of the middling thousand world, of the great thousand world, on up to beings as many as the dust motes of unspeakably unspeakably many Buddha-lands;

“Suppose there be all the beings of the worlds of the ten directions—these too, according to their desires and delights, I let eat their fill, and yet that food and drink comes to no end, nor does it grow less.

“And as it is with food and drink, so is it with all the various fine savors, the various beds and seats, the various garments, the various bedding, the various carriages, the various flowers, the various flower garlands, the various perfumes, the various perfumes for anointing the body, the various perfumes for burning, the various powdered perfumes (perfumes ground into powder), the various precious things, the various strings of jewels, the various banners, the various pennants, the various canopies, and the various finest things that sustain life—all of these too, according to what their hearts love and delight in, I let them have in full.

The Second Working, Benefiting the Two Vehicles (Chengguan's outline): Having Eaten My Food, They All Realize Their Fruit

“Further, son of good family! Suppose that within one world in the eastern quarter, those śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, having eaten my food, all realize the fruit of a śrāvaka and of a pratyekabuddha, and abide in the last body (the body that will receive no further existence);

“And as it is within one world, so is it within a hundred worlds, a thousand worlds, a hundred thousand worlds, a koṭi of worlds, a hundred koṭis of worlds, a thousand koṭis of worlds, a hundred thousand koṭis of worlds, worlds as many as a hundred thousand koṭis of Nayutas, worlds as many as the dust motes of Jambudvīpa, worlds as many as the dust motes of one set of four continents, worlds as many as the dust motes of the small thousand land, worlds as many as the dust motes of the middling thousand land, worlds as many as the dust motes of the three-thousandfold great-thousand land, on up to worlds as many as the dust motes of unspeakably unspeakably many Buddha-lands: within them all the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas whatsoever, having eaten my food, all realize the fruit of a śrāvaka and of a pratyekabuddha, and abide in the last body.

“And as it is in the eastern quarter, so is it in the southern, the western, and the northern quarters, in the four intermediate directions (southeast, southwest, northeast, northwest), above and below.

The Third Working, Benefiting the Bodhisattvas (Chengguan's outline): Having Eaten My Food, They All Attain Perfect Awakening

“Further, son of good family! Within one world in the eastern quarter, on up to worlds as many as the dust motes of unspeakably unspeakably many Buddha-lands, all the bodhisattvas there who are bound to one more birth before becoming Buddhas, having eaten my food, all sit upon the seat of awakening beneath the tree of awakening, subdue the armies of Māra, and attain unsurpassed perfect awakening;

“And as it is in the eastern quarter, so is it in the southern, the western, and the northern quarters, in the four intermediate directions, above and below.

Letting Him See That the Benefit Is Shared (Chengguan's outline): Do You See These Ten Thousand Maidens of My Retinue?

“Son of good family! Do you see these ten thousand maidens of my retinue?”

Sudhana answered—

“I have seen them.”

The laywoman said—

“Son of good family! These ten thousand maidens are the foremost among them; of a retinue such as this there are a million asaṃkhyeyas (a number beyond counting), and they are all of them the same as I am—

“The same in practice, the same in vow, the same in roots of goodness, the same in the path of going forth, the same in pure resolve, the same in pure mindfulness, the same in pure inclination, the same in measureless awakening, the same in the faculties they have obtained, the same in vastness of mind, the same in the realm wherein they act, the same in principle, the same in meaning, the same in clear understanding of the dharmas, the same in purity of form and marks, the same in measureless power, the same in the highest energy, the same in the voice of the right Dharma, the same in the voice that goes forth according to the kinds of beings, the same in the pure and foremost voice, the same in praising measureless pure merit and virtue, the same in pure deeds, the same in pure recompense, the same in guarding and rescuing all beings everywhere with great kindness, the same in bringing beings everywhere to ripeness with great compassion, the same in pure bodily deeds that arise according to conditions and gladden those who see them, the same in pure verbal deeds that accord with the speech of the world and proclaim the transformation of the Dharma, the same in going to the seats of awakening where all the Buddhas hold their assemblies, the same in going to all Buddha-lands to make offerings to the Buddhas, the same in being able to see all the dharma gates manifest before them, the same in abiding in the pure ground of a bodhisattva's practice.

Letting Him Verify It with His Own Eyes (Chengguan's outline): Wait a Little While, and You Will See for Yourself

“Son of good family! These ten thousand maidens are able to take fine food and drink out of this vessel and, in the space of a single instant, to reach everywhere throughout the ten directions and make offerings to all the bodhisattvas in their last body, to the śrāvakas and the pratyekabuddhas, on down to giving universally to the destiny of the hungry ghosts, and to let them all eat their fill.

“Son of good family! These ten thousand women, using this vessel of mine, are able in the heavens to let the gods eat their fill of the food of the gods, and on down to letting men in the world of men eat their fill of the food of men.

“Son of good family! Wait a little while, and you will see it for yourself.”

Just as she was saying this, Sudhana saw measureless beings entering by the gates on the four sides, all of them summoned by the original vow of this laywoman. And when they had gathered, the laywoman spread out seats and let them sit down, and according to what each of them needed she gave and bestowed food and drink, and let them all eat their fill.

Humbling Herself and Deferring to the Superior (Chengguan's outline): I Know Only This One Gate

She told Sudhana—

“Son of good family! I know only this liberation gate of the inexhaustible treasury of merit. As for all the merit and virtue of the bodhisattvas, the great beings—it is like the great ocean, profound and inexhaustible; like empty space, vast and without bound; like a wish-fulfilling jewel that satisfies the wishes of beings; like a great settlement where whatever is sought can be had; like Mount Sumeru, where the massed jewels are gathered everywhere; like a deep-hidden storehouse where the wealth of the Dharma is laid up always; like a bright lamp that breaks up all darkness; like a high canopy that shelters the multitude of the living everywhere—how then should I be able to know or to expound their practice of merit and virtue?

Pointing to the Next Friend (Chengguan's outline): The Householder Bright Knowledge in the City of Great Prosperity to the South

“Son of good family! To the south there is a city named Great Prosperity; there is a householder there named Bright Knowledge. Go to him and ask—how is a bodhisattva to study the practice of a bodhisattva, and to cultivate the path of a bodhisattva?”

Cherishing Her Virtue and Taking Leave (Chengguan's outline): He Withdrew and Departed

At that time the youth Sudhana bowed to her feet, circled her measureless times, gazed up and looked to her without wearying, and then took his leave, withdrew, and departed.

What He Carried Over from Before: All Along the Road He Was Thinking About That Merit

At that time Sudhana the youth had already obtained the light of the liberation of the treasury of merit of inexhaustible adornment, which the previous good friend had conferred on him; and so he contemplated that great ocean of merit, observed that space of merit, went toward that accumulation of merit, climbed that mountain of merit, gathered in that treasury of merit, entered that deep water of merit, roamed in that pool of merit, cleansed that wheel of merit, saw that store of merit, entered that gate of merit, walked that road of merit, and cultivated that seed of merit.

Going in Search (Chengguan’s Outline): He Reached the City of Great Flourishing, with Nothing in His Mind but the Good Friend

Traveling on by stages, he came to the city of Great Flourishing, and everywhere he searched for the householder Bright Wisdom.

Toward the good friend he gave rise to thirst and longing in his mind; with the teaching of the good friend he perfumed his own mind; toward the good friend his resolve and desire were firm and unmoved; by every kind of means he sought to see the good friends, and his mind did not turn back; he was willing to serve the good friends, and in his mind there was no sloth or weariness. He knew that because one relies upon the good friend one can bring every kind of goodness to fullness; he knew that because one relies upon the good friend one can give birth to every kind of merit; he knew that because one relies upon the good friend one can make every kind of practice grow; he knew that because one relies upon the good friend one need not wait for another to teach one, but can oneself serve all good friends.

When he contemplated in this way, he made his own roots of goodness grow, purified his own deep mind, advanced his own faculties, increased his own store of virtue, enlarged his own great vow, opened wide his own great compassion, drew near to omniscience, became fully endowed with the path of Samantabhadra, illuminated the true Dharma of all the buddhas, and made the light of the Tathāgata’s ten powers grow.

Seeing the Householder: At the Market Crossroads Where Four Roads Meet, upon a Terrace of the Seven Jewels

At that time Sudhana saw that householder inside the city, at the market crossroads where four roads meet and run out in every direction, seated upon a terrace of the seven jewels, upon a seat adorned with numberless jewels.

That seat was exquisite and lovely: pure maṇi jewels formed its body, and adamantine sapphire formed its feet; jeweled cords were laced across one another, and five hundred kinds of exquisite jewels formed its ornament. Above it were spread heavenly jeweled garments, heavenly banners and pennants were raised over it, a net made of great jewels was drawn above it, and a canopy made of great jewels was set over it; Jambū-river gold formed its parasol, and beryl formed the parasol’s shaft, and someone was made to hold it so that it covered the seat; the plumage of a goose king, pure and immaculate, formed its fan. Every kind of exquisite incense perfumed it, and every kind of heavenly flower rained down upon it; to left and right five hundred kinds of music were constantly played, and the sound of it was so lovely that it surpassed the music of the heavens, and not one being who heard it failed to rejoice.

Ten thousand attendants surrounded him before and behind, every one of them upright and dignified in form and appearance, so that all who saw them rejoiced. Adorned with heavenly ornaments, they were the most excellent and beyond compare among gods and human beings; all of them had already brought to accomplishment the resolve and desire of a bodhisattva, and all of them had planted roots of goodness together with this householder in the past; and they stood at his side, gazing up and looking toward him, receiving his instructions.

Sudhana’s Question: Twelve Times ‘So That All Beings May …’

At that time Sudhana bowed to his feet, circumambulated him measureless times, joined his palms, stood, and said:

“Holy one! For the sake of benefiting all beings, so that all beings may come out of every kind of suffering and hardship, so that all beings may be ultimately at peace and at ease, so that all beings may come out of the great ocean of birth and death, so that all beings may dwell on the island of the jewel of Dharma, so that all beings may dry up the river of craving, so that all beings may give rise to great kindness and compassion, so that all beings may cast off desire and craving, so that all beings may thirst and long for the wisdom of a buddha, so that all beings may come out of the wilderness of birth and death, so that all beings may love and delight in the merits of the buddhas, so that all beings may come out of this city of the three realms, so that all beings may enter this city of omniscience — for these reasons I have raised the mind of anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi. But I do not yet know how a bodhisattva is to study the bodhisattva practice, how he is to cultivate the bodhisattva path, so as to be able to act as a place of reliance for all beings.”

The Householder Praises the Raising of the Mind: Rare Is the Person Who Raises This Mind

The householder said to him:

“It is good, it is good! Son of good family! That you are able to raise the mind of anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi!

“Son of good family! To raise the mind of anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi — such a person is hard to find. If one is able to raise this mind, then that person is able to seek the practice of a bodhisattva —

The Ten Clauses on Serving the Good Friend

“Meeting with the good friend, he never feels he has had enough; drawing near to the good friend, he never feels it toilsome; making offerings to the good friend, he never grows weary or slack; waiting upon the good friend, he gives rise to no sorrow or displeasure; searching for the good friend, he never turns back; cherishing the good friend, he never lets go; serving the good friend, he takes not a moment’s rest; gazing up at the good friend, he never once pauses; practicing the good friend’s teaching, he has never been slothful; receiving the good friend’s intent, he makes no mistake.

Do You See These People of My Assembly?

“Son of good family! Do you see these people of my assembly?”

Sudhana answered: “Yes! I have seen them.”

The householder said:

“Son of good family! I have caused them to raise the mind of anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi, to be born into the family of the Tathāgata, to make the pure white dharmas grow, to abide in measureless perfections, to study the ten powers of a buddha, to leave the lineage of the world, to abide in the lineage of the Tathāgata, to cast off the wheel of birth and death, to turn the wheel of the true Dharma, to put an end to the three evil destinies, and to abide in the destiny of the true Dharma — so that, like all the bodhisattvas, they are able to rescue and protect all beings.

The Name of the Gate: The Liberation Gate of the Treasury of Merit Brought Forth at Will

“Son of good family! I have obtained a liberation gate named the treasury of merit brought forth at will; whatever anyone has need of, it can fulfill his wish. That is to say: clothing, necklaces, elephants and horses, carriages, flowers and incense, banners and canopies, food and drink, medicines, houses, dwellings, beds and seats, lamps and torches, servants and maids, oxen and sheep, together with every kind of attendant and servitor — all such goods as support life, whatever anyone has need of, I cause him to have in full; and even beyond this, I expound for him the true and exquisite Dharma. Son of good family! Wait a little while, and you will see it for yourself.”

Beings Come Together from Every Quarter into the Assembly

While he was saying this, measureless beings came from every kind of quarter, every kind of world, every kind of land, and every kind of city and town, differing in form and kind, differing too in what they loved and desired; all of them came by the power of the bodhisattva’s vow of old, boundless in number, gathering together in this one place, and each of them made his request according to what he himself wanted.

Gathering His Mindfulness and Looking Up into Space: The Things Needed All Come Down out of the Sky

At that time the householder, knowing that the great assembly had all gathered, for a moment gathered his mindfulness and looked up into space; and in accordance with what they needed, all of it came down out of the sky, and everyone in the assembly was universally satisfied. Then he further expounded for them every kind of Dharma.

Those Satisfied by Obtaining Fine Food: He Speaks of Eight Practices

That is to say: for those who were satisfied by obtaining fine food, he expounded every kind of practice — the practice of amassing merit, the practice of leaving poverty behind, the practice of knowing all things, the practice of accomplishing the food of the joy of Dharma and the bliss of meditation, the practice of cultivating the full endowment of every mark and sign, the practice of increasing and accomplishing what is hard to subdue, the practice of penetrating well the unsurpassed food, and the practice of accomplishing the inexhaustible power of great majestic virtue that subdues Māra the foe.

The Four Kinds: Fine Drink, Choice Flavors, Carriages, Clothing

For those who were satisfied by obtaining fine drink, he expounded the Dharma for them, causing them, in the midst of birth and death, to cast off craving and attachment and to enter into the flavor of the Buddha’s Dharma;

for those who obtained every kind of choice flavor, he expounded the Dharma for them, causing all of them to obtain the mark of the choicest flavor that belongs to the buddhas, the tathāgatas;

for those who were satisfied by obtaining carriages, he expounded every kind of Dharma gate for them, causing all of them to be carried in the vehicle of the Great Vehicle;

for those who were satisfied by obtaining clothing, he expounded the Dharma for them, causing them to obtain the pure garment of shame and conscience, and even beyond this to obtain the pure and exquisite color of a tathāgata.

In this way there was not one of them whom he did not universally relieve; and after that he expounded the Dharma for all of them, each according to what suited him. And when they had finished hearing the Dharma, each of them returned to the place from which he had come.

Humbling Himself and Pointing to the Superior (Chengguan’s Outline): I Know This One Gate Only

At that time the householder, having shown Sudhana the youth the inconceivable liberated state of a bodhisattva, said to him:

“Son of good family! I know only this liberation gate of the treasury of merit brought forth at will. But as for the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, they have accomplished the jeweled hand that covers over all the lands of the ten directions, and with sovereign power they universally rain down all the goods that support life — that is to say: they rain down jewels of every color, necklaces of every color, jeweled crowns of every color, clothing of every color, music of every color, flowers of every color, incense of every color, powdered incense of every color, incense for burning of every color, jeweled parasols of every color, banners and pennants of every color, filling every place where beings dwell and every site of awakening where the tathāgatas and their assemblies gather, whether to ripen all beings or to make offerings to all the buddhas — how then could I know or expound their merits and their sovereign and spiritual power?

Pointing to the Next Friend (Chengguan’s Outline): South of Here, the City of the Lion’s Palace, the Elder Dharma-Jewel Topknot

“Son of good family! South of here there is a great city named the Lion’s Palace; there is an elder there named Dharma-Jewel Topknot. You may go and ask him: how is a bodhisattva to study the bodhisattva practice and cultivate the bodhisattva path?”

Cherishing His Virtue and Taking Leave (Chengguan’s Outline): Five Clauses on Holding the Good Friend in Mind

At that time Sudhana the youth, joyful and exultant, reverent and honoring him, behaving as a disciple should behave, thought in his mind in this way:

“Because this householder has been mindful of me and protected me, I have been able to see the path of omniscience, and I do not break off the seeing that cherishes the good friend, do not spoil the mind that honors the good friend, am always able to accord with the good friend’s teaching, decisively and deeply believe the good friend’s words, and constantly give rise to a deep mind that serves the good friend.”

Then he bowed to his feet, circumambulated him measureless times, gazed up at him earnestly, took his leave, and departed.