“What is enlightening beings’ present giving? When the enlightening beings hear of the virtues of all the beings of various heavenly states, of Buddhist disciples and individual illuminates, their minds are not confused or absorbed, not concentrated or scattered: they only observe all actions as like dreams, unreal—they have no craving or attachment, but in order to cause sentient beings to divorce evil dispositions, they practice the enlightening path without discrimination, fulfill the Buddha teachings, and expound them. This is called present giving.
“What is enlightening beings’ ultimate giving? If innumerable sentient beings, some lacking eyes, some lacking ears, some lacking noses or tongues, or hands or feet, should come and say to the enlightening beings, ‘We are unfortunate, physically handicapped—please be so kind as to give up your organs so as to make us complete,’ the enlightening beings, hearing this, immediately give them; even if because of this they should be physically handicapped for incalculable eons, they would never have a single throught of regret. They just observe this body from its first conception, its various organs an unclean little mass of cells, which is born, ages, gets sick, and dies. They also contemplate this body as having no true reality, being shameless, lacking in sagacity, foul and unclean, held up by bones and joints, covered with blood and flesh, with nine apertures constantly flowing, despised by people. Having thus contemplated, they do not conceive a single thought of attachment. They also reflect that this body is fragile and unstable and not to be clung to, that it should be given to satisfy the wishes of others, and that this deed will guide all sentient beings and cause them to be unattached to body or mind, enabling them to develop the pure body of knowledge. This is called ultimate giving. This is the enlightening beings’ sixth treasury, of generosity.
“What is the great enlightening beings’ treasury of wisdom? The enlightening beings know form as it really is, know the assemblage of form as it really is, know the extinction of form as it really is, know the path to extinction of form as it really is; they know sensation, perception, conditioning, and consciousness as they really are, know the assemblage of sensation, perception, conditioning, and consciousness as it really is, know the extinction of sensation, perception, conditioning, and consciousness as it really is, and know the path to extinction of sensation, perception, conditioning, and consciousness as it really is. They know ignorance as it really is, know the accumulation of ignorance as it really is, know the extinction of ignorance as it really is, know the path to extinction of ignorance as it really is. They know craving as it really is, they know the accumulation of craving as it really is, they know the extinction of craving as it really is, they know the path to the extinction of craving as it really is. They know Buddhist discipleship as it really is, they know the principles of discipleship as they really are, they know the development of discipleship as it really is, they know the nirvana of Buddhist disciples as it really is. They know individual enlightenment as it really is, they know the principles of individual enlightenment as they really are, they know the development of individual enlightenment as it really is, they know the nirvana of individual illuminates as it really is. They know enlightening beings as they really are, they know the principles of enlightening beings as they really are, they know the development of enlightening beings as it really is, they know the nirvana of enlightening beings as it really is.
“In what way do they know these things? They know that actions resulting from past deeds, productions of causes and conditions, are all unreal and empty, are not self, are not substantial—there is not a single thing that can be established. Wishing to cause sentient beings to know their true nature, they explain it extensively for them. What do they explain to them? They explain that all things cannot be destroyed What things cannot be destroyed? Material form cannot be destroyed, sensation, perception, conditioning, and consciousness cannot be destroyed; ignorance cannot be destroyed; the principles of discipleship, self-enlightenment, and universal enlightenment cannot be destroyed. Why? Because all things are uncreated, have no creator, have no explanation and no location, are unborn and unoriginated, not given and not taken, have no motion and no function.
“Enlightening beings developing such a measureless treasury of wisdom, understand all things by a minimum of devices, spontaneously comprehending them clearly and not depending on another for enlightenment.
“This inexhaustible treasury of wisdom is said to be inexhaustible because it has ten kinds of inexhaustibility: because the skills of learned enlightening beings are inexhaustible; because association with wise people is inexhaustible; because appropriate analysis of expressions and meanings is inexhaustible; because entry into the profound realm of reality is inexhaustible; because adornment with uniform knowledge is inexhaustible; because indefatigably accumulating all virtues is inexhaustible; because entering the gates of all concentration formulae is inexhaustible; because ability to distinguish the sounds of languages of all sentient beings is inexhaustible; because the ability to cut off the doubt and confusion of all sentient beings is inexhaustible; because manifesting all spiritual powers of Buddhas for all sentient beings to teach and civilize them and cause them to practice the teaching without interruption is inexhaustible.
“This is called the great enlightening beings’ seventh treasury, of wisdom: those who abide in this treasury attain inexhaustible knowledge and wisdom, and are able to enlighten all sentient beings.”
“What is great enlightening beings’ inexhaustible treasury of recollection? The enlightening beings cast off ignorance and confusion and attain full mindfulness. They remember one lifetime, two lifetimes, even ten lifetimes, a hundred, a thousand, a hundred thousand, countless hundreds of thousands of lifetimes in the past, their ages of formation, ages of decay, and ages of both formation and decay. And not just one age of formation, not just one age of decay, not just one age of formation and decay—a hundred ages, a thousand ages, a hundred thousand trillion ages, even up to countless, measureless, boundless, incomparable, uncountable, incalculable, unthinkable, immeasurable, inexplicable, unspeakably unspeakable numbers of Buddhas’ names. They remember the appearance in the world and forecasting of one Buddha up to an unspeakably unspeakable number of Buddhas. They remember the emergence in the world and discourses of one up to an unspeakably unspeakable number of Buddhas—as they remember the discourses, so also they remember the recapitulative verses, predictions, poems, stories, extemporaneous expositions, tales of past events, tales of past lives, extensive and universal teachings, miracles, metaphors, and analytic philosophy of the Buddhas. They remember one assembly, up to an unspeakably unspeakable number of assemblies. They remember the exposition of one teaching, up to an unspeakably unspeakable number of teachings. They remember the various natures of one faculty, up the various natures of an unspeakably unspeakable number of faculties. They remember the innumerable various natures of one up to an unspeakably unspeakable number of faculties. They remember the various natures of one affliction, up to the various natures of an unspeakably unspeakable number of afflictions. They remember the various natures of one up to an unspeakably unspeakable number of afflictions. This recollection is of ten kinds: dispassionate, serene recollection; pure, clear recollection; unmuddled recollection; thoroughly lucid recollection; recollection apart from defilement; recollection apart from various defilements; untainted recollection; radiant recollection; pleasant recollection; unhindered recollection.
“When enlightening beings dwell in this recollection, no one from any world can disturb them, no different philosophies or arguments can change or move them. Their roots of goodness from the past are all purified. They are not influenced by or attached to mundane things. Demons and outsiders cannot harm them. They can be reborn in different forms without forgetting anything. Their teaching in past and future is inexhaustible. They live together with sentient beings in all worlds with never any faults or misdeeds. They enter the congregation at the sites of enlightenment of all Buddhas with
out impediment, and are able to associate with all Buddhas. This is called the great enlightening beings’ eighth treasury, of recollection.
“What is great enlightening beings’ treasury of preservation? The enlightening beings preserve the discourses of the Buddhas, their expressions, meanings, and principles, without forgetting or losing them, for one lifetime, up to an unspeakably unspeakable number of lifetimes. They hold the name of one Buddha up to an unspeakably unspeakable number of Buddhas. They preserve the reckoning of one age up to an unspeakably unspeakable number of ages. They preserve the predictions of one Buddha up to an unspeakably unspeakable number of Buddhas. They preserve one scripture, up to an unspeakably unspeakable number of scriptures. They hold one assembly, up to an unspeakably unspeakable number of assemblies. They preserve the explanation of one doctrine, up to the explanations of an unspeakably unspeakable number of doctrines. They keep in mind the countless various natures of one up to an unspeakably unspeakable number of faculties. They keep in mind the countless various natures of one, up to an unspeakably unspeakable number of afflictions. They keep in mind the countless various natures of one, up to an unspeakably unspeakable number of concentrations. This treasury of preservation is boundless and hard to fill; it is hard to reach its depths, hard to approach. No one can conquer it. It is measureless and boundless, inexhaustible, and has great power. This is in the realm of Buddhas and can only be completely comprehended by a Buddha. This is called the great enlightening beings’ ninth treasury, of preservation.
“What is great enlightening beings’ treasury of elocution? The enlightening beings have profound knowledge and wisdom and know reality. They extensively explain all things for sentient beings without contradicting the scriptures of all the Buddhas. They explain one doctrine, up to an unspeakably unspeakable number of doctrines. They explain one Buddha-name, up to an unspeakably unspeakable number of Buddha-names. In this way they explain one world, one Buddha’s predictions, one scripture, one assembly, one teaching, countless various natures of one faculty, countless various natures of one affliction, countless various natures of one concentration, up to an unspeakably unspeakable number of all of these. They may speak for a day, for a fortnight, for a month, for a century, for a millennium, a hundred millennia, an eon, a hundred eons, a thousand eons, a hundred thousand eons, a hundred thousand billion trillion eons, or for countless, innumerable eons, up to unspeakably unspeakable numbers of eons—the number of eons might be exhausted, but the meanings and principles in a single sentence or phrase can hardly be exhausted. Why? Because the enlightening beings have developed these ten inexhaustible treasuries, and can comprehend all things; the method of concentration formulae is obvious to them, containing incalculable millions of concentration spells. Once they have attained mental command of this concentration formula, they can extensively explain things to sentient beings by the light of truth. When they preach, with a universal tongue they produce marvelous sounds which fill all worlds in the ten directions, satisfying all according to their faculties and natures, so that their minds are happy and freed from the entangling taints of all afflictions.
“The intellectual and interpretative powers of the enlightening beings, able to enter into all linguistic expression, spoken and written, causes all sentient beings to continue the lineage of Buddhas. Their purity of mind is continuous, and they expound the truth endlessly by the light of the teaching, without becoming weary. Why? Because these enlightening beings have developed boundless bodies as extensive as space, pervading the cosmos.
“This is called the enlightening beings’ tenth treasury, of elocution. This treasury is inexhaustible, unbroken, uninterrupted, unchanging, unhindered, never receding. It is extremely deep, and indeed bottomless. It is hard to enter. It goes into the doors of all the Buddha teachings.
“These ten inexhaustible treasuries have ten kinds of inexhaustibility which enable enlightening beings to ultimately achieve unexcelled enlightenment. What are they? They benefit all sentient beings; they skillfully dedicate their original vows; they have no end throughout all time; throughout the realm of space all become enlightened, their minds unbounded; their dedication involves striving but they are not attached; the phenomena in the realm of an instant of thought are infinite; the mind of great vows never changes; they skillfully take in all concentration formulae; they are guarded by all the Buddhas; they comprehend all things are like phantoms. These are the ten inexhaustible things which can enable deeds in all worlds to attain the ultimate inexhaustible great treasuries.”
BOOK TWENTY-THREE
Ascent to the Palace of the Tushita Heaven
THEN, BY THE SPIRITUAL POWER of the Buddha, in each continent Jambu of every world in the ten directions was seen the Buddha sitting under a tree, at each of which were enlightening beings imbued with spiritual power from the Buddha expounding the teaching, each thinking themselves to be always face to face with the Buddha.
At that time the Buddha, again by spiritual power, went to the palace adorned by all exquisite jewels in the Tushita heaven of satisfaction and happiness, yet without leaving the foot of the enlightenment tree and the palace of the Suyama heaven on the peak of Mt. Sumeru. The celestial king of the Tushita heaven, seeing from afar the Buddha’s advent, set up a jewel mine lion seat in the palace; that lion throne was made of a collection of celestial jewels obtained from roots of goodness cultivated in the past, made manifest by the spiritual powers of all Buddhas, born of countless hundreds of thousands of millions of billions of roots of goodness, created by the pure teachings of all enlightened ones, adorned by the power of infinite virtue. Resulting from pure actions, it was indestructible, endlessly delightful to all beholders. Its transcendental qualities were not influenced by the world. Though all sentient beings come to gaze on it, none could exhaustively fathom its glories. There were a hundred trillion tiers all around it, with a hundred trillion gold webs, a hundred trillion flower curtains, a hundred trillion jewel curtains, a hundred trillion garland curtains, and a hundred trillion incense curtains hung above it. Garlands of flowers hung down, their scent perfuming everywhere. A hundred trillion canopies of flowers, a hundred trillion canopies of garlands, and a hundred trillion canopies of jewels were held by various celestial beings arrayed in rows on all four sides. A hundred trillion precious robes were spread on it. A hundred trillion balconies radiantly adorned it, with a hundred trillion nets of pearls and a hundred trillion nets of jewels covering above, while a hundred trillion nets of necklaces hung down on all four sides. A hundred trillion nets of ornaments, a hundred trillion nets of canopies, a hundred trillion nets of robes, and a hundred trillion nets of jewel tapestries were hung above. A hundred trillion nets of jewel lotuses in full bloom with glorious light, a hundred trillion nets of incense with exquisite fragrance delighting everyone, a hundred trillion curtains of jewel chimes moving gently producing harmonious elegant sounds, a hundred trillion curtains of precious sandalwood, its fragrance perfuming the air, a hundred trillion curtains of precious flowers in full bloom, a hundred trillion curtains of raiment of various subtle hues, rare in the world, a hundred trillion curtains showing enlightening beings, a hundred trillion multicolored curtains, a hundred trillion gold curtains, a hundred trillion lapis lazuli curtains, and a hundred trillion curtains of various jewels, were all hung above.
A hundred trillion curtains of all jewels, adorned by huge wish-fulfilling gems, and a hundred trillion flowers of exquisite jewels surrounded in glorious arrays. A hundred trillion reflecting hangings, of superb beauty, were placed at intervals. A hundred trillion garlands of jewels and a hundred trillion garlands of fragrances hung down on all four sides. A hundred trillion celestial fragrant resins perfumed everywhere. A hundred trillion ornaments of celestial decorations, a hundred trillion ornaments of jewel flowers, a hundred trillion ornaments of jewels from the finest mines, a hundred trillion ornaments of wish-fulfilling jewels, and a hundred trillion ornaments of wish-fulfilling pearls from the ocean, adorned the
body of the throne. A hundred trillion embroidered tapestries of exquisite jewels trailed down like streamers. A hundred trillion cosmic nets of diamonds, a hundred trillion wish-fulfilling jewels, and a hundred trillion beautiful gold treasure troves were placed at intervals as embellishments.
A hundred trillion luminous jewels and a hundred trillion sapphires blazing with light and a hundred trillion indestructible celestial gems formed the windows: a hundred trillion jewels of pure qualities, giving forth sublime colors, and a hundred trillion jewels from pure beautiful mines formed the doorways. A hundred trillion crescent jewels, finest in the world, a hundred trillion mind-king wish-fulfilling jewels, a hundred trillion rose gold jewels, a hundred trillion jewels from pure troves, and a hundred trillion jewels symbolic of sovereignty, all radiating light, covered the top. A hundred trillion jewels set in pure silver and a hundred trillion jewels emblematic of the polar mountain adorned its lotus blossom bank.
A hundred trillion pearl ornaments, a hundred trillion lapis lazuli ornaments, a hundred trillion ruby ornaments, a hundred trillion wish-fulfilling jewel ornaments, a hundred trillion ornaments of jewel lights, a hundred trillion ornaments of jewels of various mines, a hundred trillion red pearls, extremely pleasing to the sight, a hundred trillion ornaments of jewels from treasuries of boundless colors and forms, a hundred trillion ornaments of incomparable jewels of extreme purity, and a hundred trillion ornaments of jewels of superlative brilliance were hung all around as adornments.
The Flower Ornament Scripture Page 61