The Flower Ornament Scripture

by Thomas Cleary

  “Below this world Endurance is a world called Door Bolt: there the Buddha may be called Producing Flames, or Poison Queller, or Bow of the King of Gods, or No Constant Location, or Aware of the Fundamental, or Stopping Increase, or Great Speed, or Always Gladly Giving, or Discerning the Way, or Banner of Victory; there are a million billion such names, letting beings know and see in various ways.

  “Above this world Endurance is a world called Shaking Sound: there the Buddha may be called Banner of Courage, or Infinite Treasure, or Glad Magnanimity, or Celestial Light, or Appearance of Good Omen, or Transcending Objects, or Master of All, or Nonregressing Wheel, or Beyond All Evil, or Omniscient; there are a million billion such names, letting beings know and see in various ways.

  “As in this world Endurance, so in the eastern direction, in hundreds of thousands of billions, countlessly, innumerably, boundlessly, incomparably, incalculably, unrecountably, unthinkably, immeasurably, unspeakably many worlds, throughout the entire space of the cosmos, the names and epithets of the Buddhas are variously different; the same is true of the South, West, and North, the four intermediate directions, and the zenith and the nadir. Just as when the Buddha was an enlightening being, by means of various discussions, various speeches, various words, various actions, various consequences, various situations, various techniques, various faculties, various beliefs, and various stations, attained maturity, so he causes sentient beings to perceive in this way, teaching them thus.”

  BOOK EIGHT

  The Four Holy Truths

  THEN THE GREAT ENLIGHTENING BEING Manjushri said to the enlightening beings, “Children of Buddhas, the holy truth of suffering, in this world Endurance, is sometimes called wrongdoing, or oppression, or change, or clinging to objects, or accumulation, or thorns stabbing, or dependence on the senses, or deceit, or the place of cancer, or ignorant action.

  “The holy truth of the (cause of) the accumulation of suffering, in this world Endurance, may be called bondage, or disintegration, or attachment to goods, or false consciousness, or pursuit and involvement, or conviction, or the web, or fancified conceptualizing, or following, or awry faculties.

  “The holy truth of the extinction of suffering, in this world Endurance, may be called noncontention, or freedom from defilement, or tranquility and dispassion, or signlessness, or deathlessness, or absence of inherent nature, or absence of hindrance, or extinction, or essential reality, or abiding in one’s own essence.

  “The holy truth of the path to the extinction of suffering, in this world Endurance, may be called the one vehicle, or progress toward serenity, or guidance, or ultimate freedom from discrimination, or equanimity, or putting down the burden, or having no object of pursuit, or following the intent of the saint, or the practice of sages, or ten treasuries.

  “In this world there are four quadrillion such names to express the four holy truths in accord with the mentalities of sentient beings, to cause them all to be harmonized and pacified.

  “What in this world is called the holy truth of suffering is, in that world Secret Teaching, called the sense of striving and seeking, or not being emancipated, or the root of bondage, or doing what shouldn’t be done, or contending and struggling in all manner of situations, or total lack of power to analyze, or being depended on, or extreme pain, or hyperactivity, or things with form. What is called the holy truth of the accumulation of suffering is, in that world Secret Teaching, called following birth and death, or habitual attachment, or burning, or continuous revolving, or corrupt senses, or continuing existences, or evil behavior, or emotional attachment, or the source of illness or categorization. What is called the holy truth of the extinction of suffering is, in that world Secret Teaching, also called the ultimate truth, or emancipation, or praiseworthy, or peace, or the place good to enter, or docility, or singleness, or faultlessness, or freedom from greed, or resolution. What is called the holy truth of the path to extinction of suffering is, in that world Secret Teaching, also called bold generalship, or superior action, or transcendence, or having skill in means, or impartial eye, or detachment from extremes, or comprehensive understanding, or inclusion, or supreme eye, or contemplating the four truths. In the world Secret Teaching, there are four quadrillion such names to explain the four holy truths, to cause sentient beings to be harmonized and pacified according to their mentalities.

  “What is, in this world Endurance, called the holy truth of suffering, is, in the world Abundance, also called fear, or individual mortality, or disgusting, or what should be worked on, or change, or ensnaring enemy, or deceptive usurper, or hard to work with, or false discrimination, or possessor of power. What is called the holy truth of the accumulation of suffering is, in that world Abundance, called corruption, or ignorance, or great enemy, or sharp blade, or taste of destruction or revenge, or not one’s own thing, or bad guidance, or increasing darkness, or ruining goodness. What is called the holy truth of the extinction of suffering is, in that world Abundance, called great meaning, or benefit, or goal of goals, or infinity, or what should be seen, or detachment from discrimination, or supreme pacification, or constant equanimity, or worthy of living together, or nonfabrication. What is called the holy truth of the path to extinction of suffering is, in that world Abundance, called able to burn up, or the highest class, or certitude, or unbreakable, or profound techniques, or emancipation, or not mean or base, or mastery, or essence of liberation, or capable of setting free. In that world Abundance there are four quadrillion such names to explain the tour holy truths, to cause sentient beings to be harmonized and pacified according to their mentalities.

  “What is, in this world Endurance, called the holy truth of suffering, is, in the world Undefiled, also called regret, or dependency, or aggravation, or dwelling within walls, or one flavor, or untruth, or living at home, or abode of deluded attachment, or false views, or innumerable. What is called the holy truth of the accumulation of suffering is, in the world Undefiled, also called no real thing, or only having words, or not pure, or place of birth, or grasping, or baseness, or increase, or heavy burden, or producer, or roughness. What is called the holy truth of the extinction of suffering is, in the world Undefiled, also called incomparable, or thoroughly cleared, or removal of defilement, or supreme faculties, or harmony, or independence, or extinction of confusion, or most excellent, or the ultimate, or breaking the seal. What is called the holy truth of the path to the extinction of suffering is, in that world Undefiled, called something indestructible, or the part of appropriate means, or the basis of liberation, or reality of basic nature, or the blameless, or the most pure, or the boundary of all existences, or maintaining what is received complete, or producing the ultimate, or pure discernment. In the world Undefiled there are four quadrillion such names to explain the four holy truths, to cause all sentient beings to be harmonized and pacified according to their mentalities.

  “What is, in this world Endurance, called the holy truth of suffering, is, in the world Rich Pleasure, also called the place of emotional attachment, or root of danger and harm, or the sectors of the ocean of existence, or made by accumulation, or discriminating senses, or aggravation, or origination and destruction, or hindrance, or base of sword blades, or made of sets. What is called the holy truth of the accumulation of suffering is, in the world Rich Pleasure, called detestable, or names, or endless, or different sets, or not to be loved, or able to grab and bite, or crude things, or emotional attachment, or receptacle, or stirring. What is called the holy truth of the extinction of suffering is, in that world Rich Pleasure, called end of continuation, or revelation, or no label, or nothing to practice, or no object of vision, or nondoing, or extinction, or already burnt out, or casting off the heavy burden, or purged. What is called the holy truth of the path to extinction of suffering is, in that world Rich Pleasure, called serene action, or emancipating action, or diligent practice and experience, or gone to tranquility, or infinite life, or comprehensive knowledge, or the ultimate path, or difficult to practice, o
r reaching the other shore, or invincible. In the world Rich Pleasure there are four quadrillion such names to explain the four holy truths, to cause all sentient beings to be harmonized and pacified according to their mentalities.

  “What is in this world Endurance, called the holy truth of suffering, is, in the world Inclusion, also called able to plunder and usurp, or not a good friend, or full of fear, or various fancies, or the nature of hell, or untruth, or the burden of covetousness, or roots of deep gravity, or changing with moods, or fundamental vanity. What is called the holy truth of the accumulation of suffering is called, in that world Inclusion, greedy attachment, or wrong accomplishment, or the evil of excess, or nothing that can be explained, or nothing that can be apprehended, or continuous revolving in circles. What is called the holy truth of the extinction of suffering is, in the world Inclusion, called nonregression, or beyond speech, or formlessness, or enjoyable, or stability, or supreme wonder, or freedom from folly, or extinction, or detachment from evil, or escape. What is called the holy truth of the path to extinction of suffering is, in the world Inclusion, called beyond words, or noncontention, or teaching and guidance, or good dedication, or great skill, or a variety of techniques, or spacelike, or serene action, or supreme knowledge, or ability to understand truth. In the world Inclusion there are four quadrillion such names to explain the four holy truths, to cause sentient beings to be harmonized and pacified according to their mentalities.

  “What is, in this world Endurance, called the holy truth of suffering, is, in the world Beneficial, also called the heavy burden, or instability, or like a robber, or aging and death, or made of craving, or transmigration, or fatigue, or bad condition, or growth, or the sharp blade. What is called the holy truth of the accumulation of suffering is, in the world Beneficial, called decay, or confusion, or regression, or powerlessness, or loss, or opposition, or disharmony, or doing, or grasping, or wishing. What is called the holy truth of the extinction of suffering is, in the world Beneficial, also called escape from prison, or real truth, or freedom from troubles, or protection, or detachment from ill, or docility, or the fundamental, or abandoning the cause, or nonstriving, or noncontinuation. What is called the holy truth of the path to the extinction of suffering is, in that world Beneficial, also called arriving at nonexistence, or the seal of the totality, or the treasury of meditation, or attainment of light, or the nonregressive state, or ability to put an end to being, or the wide great road, or ability to tame, or having peace and security, or nonroutinized faculties. In the world Beneficial there are four quadrillion such names to explain the four holy truths, to cause sentient beings to be harmonized and pacified according to their mentalities.

  “What is, in this world Endurance, called the holy truth of suffering, is, in the world Rarefied, also called dangerous desires, or place of bondage, or misguided action, or receptivity, or shamelessness, or rooted in greed, or the ever-flowing river, or constant disintegration, or of the nature of torch fire, or full of stress and anxiety. What is called the holy truth of the accumulation of suffering is, in that world, called broad ground, or tendency, or distance from wisdom, or obstruction, or fear, or laxity, or taking in, or attachment, or ignorance being master of the house, or continuous bonds. What is called the holy truth of the extinction of suffering is, in that world, also called fulfillment, or immortality, or selflessness, or absence of inherent nature, or end of discrimination, or abode of peace and happiness, or infinitude, or cutting off transmigration, or cutting off compulsive mental activity, or nonduality. What is called the holy truth of the path to extinction of suffering is, in that world, also called great light, or ocean of explanation, or analyzing meaning, or the way of harmony, or freedom from attachment, or breaking the continuum, or the broad highway, or the basis of impartiality, or pure methods, or supreme insight. In that world Rarefied are four quadrillion such names to explain the four holy truths, to cause sentient beings to be harmonized and pacified according to their mentalities.

  “What is, in this world Endurance, called the holy truth of suffering, is, in the world Joy, called continuous revolving, or birth, or loss of benefit, or habitual attachment, or the heavy load, or discrimination, or inward danger, or gathering, or wrong abode, or of the nature of misery and affliction. What is called the holy truth of the accumulation of suffering is, in that world, also called the ground, or conveniences, or wrong timing, or untruth, or bottomless, or possessiveness, or departure from morality, or afflictions, or narrow views, or accumulation of defilement. What is called the holy truth of the extinction of suffering is, in that world, called destroying dependency, or not indulging, or truth, or equality, or purity, or freedom from sickness, or undistorted, or formless, or free, or birthless. What is called the holy truth of the path to extinction of suffering is, in that world, called entering the supreme realm, or cutting off accumulation, or transcending comparison, or vast nature, or end of discrimination, or the path of spiritual power, or multitude of appropriate techniques, or practice of right mindfulness, or the ever quiet road, or embracing liberation. In that world Joy there are four quadrillion such names to explain the four holy truths, to cause beings to be harmonized and pacified according to their mentalities.

  “What is, in this world Endurance, called the holy truth of suffering, is, in the world Door Bolt, also called decaying form, or like a broken vessel, or the product of ego, or embodiment of various tendencies, or numerous routines, or the gate of the multitude of ills, or inherent pain, or that which should be abandoned, or flavorlessness, or coming and going. What is called the holy truth of the accumulation of suffering is in that world called activity, or the poison of anger, or conglomeration, or sensation, or selfishness, or mixed poison, or empty names, or opposition, or imitation, or astonishment. What is called the holy truth of the extinction of suffering is in that world called no accumulation, or ungraspable, or wonder medicine, or incorruptible, or nonattachment, or immeasurable, or vast, or the sphere of awakening, or freedom from addiction, or absence of obstruction. What is called the holy truth of the path to extinction of suffering is in that world called peaceful action, or detachment from craving, or ultimate reality, or entry into truth, or the essential ultimate, or manifestation of purity, or concentration, or heading for liberation, or salvation, or supreme action. In that world Door Bolt there are four quadrillion such names to express the four holy truths, to cause sentient beings to be harmonized and pacified according to their mentalities.

  “What is, in this world Endurance, called the holy truth of suffering, is, in the world Shaking Sound, also called hidden sickness, or the mundane, or the dwelling place, or conceit, or the nature of habitual attachment, or the torrent, or unenjoyable, or hypocrisy, or the evanescent, or difficult to control. What is called the holy truth of the accumulation of suffering is in that world called that which must be controlled, or mental tendencies, or that which binds, or arising in every thought, or extending to the future, or combination, or discrimination, or the gateway, or blown by the wind, or concealment. What is called the holy truth of the extinction of suffering is in that world called no reliance, or ungraspable, or returning, or freedom from conflict or small, or great, or pure, or inexhaustible, or broad, or priceless. What is called the holy truth of the path to extinction of suffering is in that world called analytic observation, or ability to destroy the enemy, or seal of knowledge, or ability to enter the essence, or unopposable, or limitless meaning, or able to enter knowledge, or the path of harmony, or eternal imperturbability, or the highest truth. In that world Shaking Sound there are four quadrillion such names to explain the four holy truths, to cause sentient beings to be harmonized and pacified according to their mentalities.

  “Just as in this world Endurance there are four quadrillion names to express the four holy truths, so in all the worlds to the east—hundreds of thousands of billions, countlessly, innumerably, boundlessly, imcomparably, incalculably, unspeakably, inconceivably, immeasurably, inexplicably many worlds
, in each there are an equal number of names to express the four holy truths, to cause the sentient beings there to all be harmonized and pacified in accordance with their mentalities. And just as this is so of the worlds to the east, so it is with all the infinite worlds in the ten directions.”

  BOOK NINE

  Awakening by Light

  THEN THE BUDDHA, from beneath the wheel-marks on his feet, emitted a hundred billion light beams, illuminating this billion-world universe, with its four hundred billion continents, hundred billion oceans, hundred billion surrounding mountain ranges, hundred billion enlightening beings being born, hundred billion enlightening beings leaving home, hundred billion Buddhas realizing true enlightenment, hundred billion Buddhas teaching, hundred billion Buddhas passing away, a hundred billion polar mountain kings, a hundred billion heavens of hosts of celestial kings, a hundred billion heavens of thirty-three celestial realms, a hundred billion heavens of timely portion, a hundred billion heavens of satisfaction, a hundred billion heavens of enjoyment of emanations, a hundred billion heavens of free enjoyment of others’ emanations, a hundred billion heavens of pure hosts, a hundred billion light-sound heavens, a hundred billion heavens of purity, a hundred billion heavens of vast rewards, a hundred billion heavens of the ultimate of form; everything therein was all clearly manifest.

  As in this place the Buddha, the World Honored One, was seen sitting on a lotus bank lion throne, surrounded by as many enlightening beings as atoms in ten buddha-lands, so also sat the hundred billion Buddhas in a hundred billion continents. In each case, because of the spiritual force of the Buddhas, in each of the ten directions was a great enlightening being, each with a company of as many enlightening beings as atoms in ten buddha-lands, who came to the Buddha. Their names were Manjushri, Chief of the Awakened, Chief in Riches of Truth, Chief of the Precious, Chief of the Virtuous, Chief in Vision, Chief in Effort, Chief in Doctrine, Chief in Knowledge, and Chief in Goodness. The lands from whence these enlightening beings came were respectively called Golden World, Sublime Color World, Lotus Color World, Saffron Flower Color World, Blue Lotus Color World, Gold Color World, Jewel Color World, Diamond Color World, Crystal Color World, and Equal Color World. These enlightening beings had each cultivated pure practice in the company of Buddhas—the Buddha of Immutable Knowledge, the Buddha of Unhindered Knowledge, the Buddha of Knowledge of Liberation, the Buddha of Knowledge of Dignified Conduct, the Buddha of Knowledge of Characteristics, the Buddha of Ultimate Knowledge, the Buddha of Supreme Knowledge the Buddha of Independent Knowledge, the Buddha of Pure Knowledge, and the Buddha of Observing Knowledge.