The Flower Ornament Scripture

by Thomas Cleary

  Then, to repeat, Universally Good, imbued with the power of the Buddha, looked over the ten directions and said,

  The vast oceans of lands are boundless;

  All are made from pure action,

  With various adornments and various abodes,

  They fill all ten directions.

  Clouds of jewel flames of boundless forms,

  Vast arrays of adornments, not the same,

  Always appear in all oceans of lands,

  Radiating subtle sounds expounding the truth.

  Adorned by the various great vows

  Of the enlightening beings’ boundless sea of virtues,

  These lands simultaneously produce sublime sounds

  Shaking the network of the lands of the ten directions.

  The ocean of beings’ acts is vast, immeasurable;

  According to the results they effect, the lands are each different.

  The adornments in all places

  Can tell of this, by the Buddha’s powers.

  The spiritual powers of Buddhas past, present, and future

  Appear throughout the oceans of lands;

  In each phenomenon all the Buddhas appear:

  Thus do they purify—you should observe.

  Past, future, and present eons,

  All lands in the ten directions,

  And all the adornments therein,

  All appear in each land.

  In all phenomena are countless Buddhas:

  As many as beings, filling the world;

  In order to teach they produce mystic effects

  Whereby they adorn the oceans of lands.

  All the adornments emit beautiful clouds

  Of various flowers and fragrant flames,

  With clouds of jewels appearing as well:

  The oceans of worlds are embellished with these.

  All sites of enlightenment in the ten directions

  Are complete with all kinds of adornment;

  Flowing lights spread afar, like clouds of color:

  All are shown in this ocean of lands.

  The practice of the vows of the universally good

  Buddha children have practiced for eons as many as beings;

  Boundless lands have they all adorned,

  All appearing in all places.

  Then Universally Good also said to the congregation, “Know that in the oceans of worlds there are oceans of purifying techniques as many as atoms in an ocean of worlds. That is to say, the enlightening beings associate with all good teachers to cultivate the same roots of goodness; they cause great clouds of virtues to grow, extending throughout the universe; they clarify all their great beliefs; they contemplate the spheres of all enlightening beings and abide therein; they cultivate all means of transcendence and fulfill them; they contemplate all stages of enlightenment and enter them; they produce the ocean of all pure aspirations; they cultivate all practices essential for emancipation; they enter into the ocean of all adornments; they perfect the power of purifying methods. There are as many of these and others as there are atoms in an ocean of worlds.”

  Then, to reiterate, Universally Good looked over the ten directions by the power of the Buddha invested in him, and said,

  The adornments of all oceans of worlds

  Are born from countless techniques, vows, and powers;

  All the oceans of lands always shine,

  Produced by the power of countless pure deeds.

  Forever associating with good teachers,

  Together doing good works, all pure,

  With great compassion extending to all beings,

  Thereby are world-oceans adorned.

  Concentration on all the teachings,

  Meditation, liberation, and skill in means

  Are all purified with the Buddha:

  Thus are the world-oceans born.

  Developing boundless certainty,

  Able to understand like the Buddha,

  Having purified patience and skill in means,

  Thus can boundless lands be purified.

  Cultivating supreme practices to aid sentient beings,

  Virtue great and always growing,

  Like clouds spreading as far as space:

  Thus are world-oceans perfected.

  The transcending means are infinite, many as beings;

  All have the Buddhas practiced to perfection;

  Transcendent vow-taking has no end:

  Pure world-oceans are born from here.

  Purely practicing all peerless truths,

  Developing boundless liberating practices,

  Edifying beings by various means:

  Thus are beautified oceans of worlds.

  Practicing techniques of adornment,

  Entering the ocean of teachings of enlightened virtues,

  Causing all beings to dry up the source of suffering:

  Thus are vast lands perfected.

  The ocean of powers is peerlessly great,

  Causing all beings to plant roots of good,

  Making offerings to all the enlightened:

  Thus are boundless lands all purified.

  Then Universally Good addressed the masses again: “Buddha children, know that in each ocean of worlds there are differences in the manifestation of the Buddhas, as many as atomic particles in an ocean of worlds. That is, some manifest small bodies, some large bodies, some manifest short lives, some long lives, some only adorn and purify a single buddha-land, some adorn and purify innumerable buddha-lands, some only reveal one vehicle of teaching, some reveal inconceivably many vehicles of teaching, some appear to tame a few sentient beings, some tame boundless sentient beings. Such differences as these are as many as atomic particles in an ocean of worlds.”

  Then Universally Good, to review, looked over the ten directions by the power he received from the Buddha, and said,

  Various accommodating methods of the Buddhas

  Appear in all the oceans of worlds,

  All adapted to the inclinations of sentient beings:

  This is the Buddhas’ power of skillful expedients.

  The reality-body of the Buddhas is inconceivable:

  Colorless, formless, beyond any image,

  Yet able to manifest myriad forms for sentient beings,

  Causing them to see, according to their inclinations.

  Some manifest short lives for beings,

  Some appear to live for countless eons;

  The reality-body manifests throughout the ten directions,

  Appearing in the world according to suitability.

  Some there are who beautify and purify all

  The inconceivable oceans of worlds in all directions;

  And some only purify one single land,

  Yet showing all within that one.

  Some, according to the mentalities of sentient beings,

  Reveal inconceivably many various vehicles of liberation;

  Some only expound one vehicle of teaching,

  Yet within that one are revealed innumerable methods.

  Some there are who, naturally enlightened,

  Cause a few beings to abide in the Way;

  Some can in a single instant

  Awaken countless deluded ones.

  Some produce mystical clouds from their pores

  Which manifest countless, boundless Buddhas

  Appearing in all worlds,

  Liberating beings by various means.

  Some there are whose spoken sounds pervade everywhere

  Explaining truth in accord with mental inclinations of beings,

  Through inconceivably many eons

  Taming oceans of countless beings.

  Some have infinite beautified worlds,

  Their congregations pure, sitting solemnly,

  Buddhas like clouds spreading over,

  Filling the oceans of worlds in the ten directions.

  The techniques of the Buddhas are inconceivable,

  All appearing in accord with beings’ min
ds,

  Abiding in various beautified fields,

  Extending throughout all lands.

  Then Universally Good again addressed the great assembly: “Buddha-children, know that the oceans of worlds have as many spans of existence as there are atoms in an ocean of worlds. That is, some abide for an incalculable eon, some abide for an infinite eon, some abide for a boundless eon, some abide for an incomparable eon, some abide for an uncountable eon, some abide for an unspeakable eon, some abide for an inconceivable eon, some abide for an immeasurable eon, some abide for an inexplicable eon. There are as many such spans as atoms in an ocean of worlds.”

  Then, to review, Universally Good, looking over the ten directions by the power received from the Buddha, said,

  Among the oceans of worlds are various ages,

  Adorned by vast, extensive technical skills;

  Observing all the lands in the ten directions,

  The differences in the measures of their ages become clear.

  I see that the eon lengths in the world-oceans of the ten directions

  Are innumerable, same as sentient beings:

  Some long, some short, some are without bounds;

  I now tell of them, by the Buddha’s voice.

  I see the oceans of lands in the ten directions:

  Some abide for eons numerous as atoms,

  Some for one eon, some for numberless;

  Each is different, due to the variety of vows.

  Some are wholly pure, some wholly defiled;

  Then again, in some purity and defilement are mixed.

  The structures of the oceans of vows vary,

  Abiding in the conceptions of sentient beings.

  Having cultivated practices for eons as many as atoms in a land

  And attained vast and pure oceans of worlds,

  The Buddhas’ realm is fully adorned,

  Abiding forever, through boundless eons.

  Some eons are called Light of Various Jewels,

  Some, Mind of Radiant Eyes, or Equal Sound,

  Undefiled Light, or Eon of Virtue;

  These pure eons contain all eons.

  There are pure eons where one Buddha appears,

  Or in one eon countless Buddhas may appear.

  With inexhaustible skill in means and great will power,

  They enter into all the various ages.

  Infinite eons may enter one eon,

  Or one eon may enter many eons:

  The various aspects of the ocean of all eons

  Clearly appear in the lands of the ten directions.

  The adornments of all eons

  May all appear in one eon;

  Or the adornments of one eon

  May enter all boundless eons.

  From the first moment to the completion of the eon,

  All is born from the conceptions of beings’ minds.

  All oceans of lands, their eons boundless,

  Are purified by one technique.

  Then Universally Good also said to the masses, “Children of Buddha, you should know that the oceans of worlds have as many differences in changes in the ages as there are atoms in an ocean of worlds. That is, as a consequence of natural law, the oceans of worlds have innumerable changes of the ages, forming and disintegrating; because defiled beings live in them, the oceans of worlds have changes in the ages, becoming defiled; as a result of having sentient beings who cultivate great virtues living in them, the oceans of worlds have changes in the ages coming to have some purity in the midst of their defilements; as a result of enlightening beings with faith and understanding living there, world oceans have changes in the ages, coming to have more purity than defilement; as a result of innumerable beings there conceiving the will for enlightenment, the oceans of worlds have changes in their ages, becoming totally pure; as a result of enlightening beings traveling in the various worlds, the oceans of worlds have changes in the ages, becoming beautified with boundless adornment; as a result of the enlightening beings of all the world-oceans in the ten directions gathering, world-oceans have changes in the ages, becoming beautified with infinite great adornments; because of the Buddhas passing away into nirvana, world oceans have changes in the ages, their adornments dying out; because of Buddhas appearing in the worlds, oceans of worlds have changes in the ages, becoming extensively beautified and purified; because of the mystic powers and edifying miracles of the Buddhas, world-oceans have changes in the ages, becoming pure all over. There are as many such changes as atoms in an ocean of worlds.”

  Then, to reiterate, the enlightening being Universally Good, looking over the ten directions by the power received from the Buddha, said in verse,

  All lands are born

  According to the power of actions;

  You all should observe

  The forms of changes as they are.

  Defiled sentient beings are bound

  By habitual confusions, to be feared;

  Their minds cause oceans of worlds

  To all become defiled.

  If any have pure hearts

  And cultivate virtuous deeds,

  Their minds will cause oceans of worlds

  To have purity mixed with defilement.

  If enlightening beings of faith and understanding

  Are born in the age,

  According to what’s in their minds

  Purity mixed with defilement will show.

  When infinite sentient beings

  Determine on enlightenment,

  Their minds will cause world-oceans

  To be pure for that age.

  When boundless billions of enlightening beings

  Travel to all quarters,

  Adornments, all of them equal,

  Are variously seen through the age.

  When in each and every atom

  Of Buddha-lands as many as atoms

  Enlightening beings gather together,

  All the lands are pure.

  When a Buddha passes away

  That land’s adornments perish;

  If no beings are vessels of truth,

  That land becomes defiled.

  If a Buddha appears in the world

  Everything is marvelous;

  In accord with the purity of mind,

  All adornments are complete.

  The spiritual powers of the Buddhas

  Are shown in inconceivable numbers;

  Then the ocean of lands

  Are all totally pure.

  Then Universally Good again addressed the assembly: “Children of Buddha, know that there are many ways in which the oceans of worlds are not different, as many as atoms in an ocean of worlds. That is, there is no difference in the number of worlds in each ocean of worlds, being as many as atoms in an ocean of worlds; there is no difference in the powers of the Buddhas appearing in each ocean of worlds; there is no difference in that all enlightenment sites in each ocean of worlds pervade the cosmos in all directions; there is no difference in the assemblies at the enlightenment sites of all the Buddhas in each ocean of worlds; there is no difference in the auras of all the Buddhas in each ocean of worlds pervading the cosmos; there is no difference in the miracles and epithets of all Buddhas in each ocean of worlds; there is no difference in the voices of all the Buddhas in each ocean of worlds pervading the ocean of worlds and abiding forever. There is no difference in the techniques of the teaching cycles in each ocean of worlds; there is no difference in that in each ocean of worlds all oceans of worlds everywhere enter into the individual atom; there is no difference in that in each and every atom of each ocean of worlds are manifest the vast realms of all the Buddhas of the past, present, and future. The aspects of the oceans of worlds which are not different are, briefly stated, thus; if they are fully told, there are as many as atoms in an ocean of worlds.”

  Then the enlightening being Universally Good, to recapitulate, looked over the ten directions by the power of the Buddha and said in verse,

  In each atom are many oceans of worl
ds,

  Their locations each different, all beautifully pure;

  Thus does infinity enter into one,

  Yet each unit’s distinct, with no overlap.

  Within each atom are inconceivably many Buddhas

  Appearing everywhere in accord with beings’ minds,

  Reaching everywhere in all oceans of worlds:

  This technique of theirs is the same for all.

  In each and every atom are enlightenment trees,

  All draped with various adornments

  In which all lands alike appear;

  In this all are no different.

  In each atom are congregations numerous as atoms,

  All surrounding the leader of humanity,

  Going beyond all, pervading the worlds,

  Yet with no crowding or confusion.

  In each atom are innumerable lights

  Pervading the lands of the ten directions,

  All showing the Buddhas’ enlightening practices,

  The same in all oceans of worlds.

  In each atom are infinite bodies

  Transforming like clouds, circulating everywhere;

  By mystic buddha-powers they guide all beings,

  No different in all ten directions’ lands.

  In each atom are expounded many teachings;

  Those teachings are pure and revolve like wheels.

  The gates of freedom by various means

  Are all told of, without discrimination.

  One atom emanates all Buddhas’ voices,

  Filling those beings who are receptors of truth;

  Omnipresent in the oceans of worlds for countless eons,

  These voices too have no difference.

  The countless beautiful adornments of oceans of worlds

  All enter inside a single atom;

  Such mystic powers of the Buddhas

  All arise from the nature of action.

  In each atom the Buddhas of all times

  Appear, according to inclinations;

  While their essential nature neither comes nor goes,

  By their vow power they pervade the worlds.

  BOOK FIVE

  The Flower Bank World

  THEN THE ENLIGHTENING BEING Universally Good again addressed the great assembly, saying, “Children of Buddha, this Flower Bank Array ocean of worlds was adorned and purified by Vairocana Buddha as in the remote past he cultivated enlightening practices for as many eons as atoms in an ocean of worlds, in each eon associating with as many Buddhas as there are atoms in an ocean of worlds, in the presence of each Buddha purely practicing great vows as numerous as atoms in an ocean of worlds.