The Flower Ornament Scripture

by Thomas Cleary

  “Great enlightening beings, becoming monarchs of great countries, masters of the law, promulgate commands to eliminate work involving killing: in all cities, towns, and villages, all butchery and slaughtering is prohibited—to all creatures, legless, two-legged, four-legged, or many-legged, they give freedom from fear and aggression. Extensively cultivating the practices of all enlightening beings, they treat beings with humanity and kindness, not acting in aggressive or harmful ways. They conceive the wonderful, precious will to give peace to sentient beings, and establish profound determination for buddhahood; always abiding themselves by the three kinds of pure precepts, they also induce sentient beings to do the same.

  “Great enlightening beings, causing sentient beings to abide by the five precepts and forever stop occupational killing, dedicate these roots of goodness in this way: ‘May all sentient beings awaken the determination for enlightenment, be filled with knowledge and wisdom, and preserve everlasting life; may sentient beings live for immeasurable ages, make offerings to all Buddhas, with reverence and respect diligently cultivating to increase the lifespan even more; may all sentient beings fully practice the method of removing old age and death, so that calamities and poisons cannot threaten their lives; may all sentient beings fully develop bodies free from illness and affliction, so they may live as long as they wish; may all sentient beings attain inexhaustible life, and abide by the practice of enlightening forever and ever, teaching and taming all sentient beings; may all sentient beings be doors of life, wherein the good foundations of the ten powers grow; may all sentient beings be replete with roots of goodness, attain unlimited life, and fulfill great vows; may all sentient beings see all the Buddhas and serve them, and live indefinitely, cultivating and building up roots of goodness; may all sentient beings learn well what there is to learn from the enlightened, attain the joy of the way of sages and infinite life; may all sentient beings attain a permanent life-root, neither aging nor becoming ill, progress with vigor and courage to enter the knowledge and wisdom of buddhahood.’ This is great enlightening beings’ dedication of roots of goodness when abiding by the three bodies of pure precepts and forever stopping slaughter, to cause sentient beings to attain the complete ten-powered knowledge of Buddhas.

  “When great enlightening beings see people cruelly castrating domestic animals, making their bodies incomplete and causing them pain, they are moved to compassion and save the animals out of pity, and order all the people in the land to stop this practice. The enlightening beings then say to those people, ‘Why do you do such an evil thing? I have a treasury full of all kinds of conveniences which I will give to you according to your needs. What you are doing is wrong and I urge you not to do it. This occupation of yours is not right or reasonable—even if you gain something, what is the use? To harm others for your own profit after all isn’t right. All bad actions like this are not praised by the enlightened.’ And having spoken thus, they give them all their goods, and also explain the sublime teaching to them with fine words to gladden them: that is, they point out to them the way to peace and serenity, causing them to believe and accept, to do away with what is not good, to practice pure deeds, to be kind to one another and not to harm each other. Those people hearing this, forever give up evil.

  “At that time, the enlightening beings dedicate these roots of goodness in this way: ‘May all sentient beings be physically complete; may all sentient beings be courageous and cultivate pure religious practices, may all sentient beings have brave, bold strength, always be leaders, and abide in unobstructed knowledge, never retreating; may all sentient beings forever abandon craving and have no attachments; may all sentient beings develop rectitude and intelligence, and their knowledge increase, worthy of the praise of the Buddhas; may all sentient beings be endowed with the strength of great people and always be able to cultivate the roots of goodness of the ten powers; may all sentient beings never be emasculated, always cultivating rare qualities of virtue and knowledge; may all sentient beings have no attachment or ties to sensual desires, attain mental liberation, detach from the mundane and abide in enlightening practice; may all sentient beings become people of supreme knowledge and wisdom, trusted and obeyed by all; may all sentient beings fully possess the great knowledge and wisdom of enlightening beings, soon to become Buddhas.’ This is enlightening beings’ dedication of roots of goodness when prohibiting all castration, to cause sentient beings to have healthy bodies, and all be able to protect good human beings, to be born in the families of worthies and sages, full of intelligence, always cultivating healthy practices, with healthy capabilities, endowed with the healthy seed of enlightenment, the true teaching, courage, vigor, wisdom, and purity of genuine humans.

  “If great enlightening beings see a Buddha appear in the world and expound the true teaching, they announce to all in a loud voice, ‘A Buddha has appeared in the world! A Buddha has appeared in the world!’ This is to cause sentient beings to hear the name of Buddha and give up all pride and inanity. They also exhort and lead them to hasten to see the Buddha, to remember the Buddha, to resort to the Buddha, to concentrate on the Buddha, to contemplate the Buddha, to laud the Buddha; also they extensively explain to them how rare it is to meet a Buddha, who appears but once in a quadrillion eons. Due to this, sentient beings get to see the Buddha, give rise to pure faith, dance for joy, and respectfully attend the Buddha. Also, from the Buddha they hear the names of many Buddhas and go on to meet countless Buddhas, plant roots of goodness, cultivate and develop them.

  “Then, countless quadrillions of sentient beings, because of seeing the Buddha, all attain purity and ultimate pacification. Those sentient beings think of the enlightening beings as most excellent friends and benefactors, as due to the enlightening beings they achieve enlightened qualities and distribute the roots of goodness they have planted over countless eons throughout the world, thus performing Buddha-work.

  “When great enlightening beings teach sentient beings and induce them to see Buddha, they dedicate the roots of goodness in this way: ‘May all sentient beings go to see Buddhas of their own accord, without being urged to do so, and may they serve, provide for, and gladden them all; may all sentient beings always enjoy seeing Buddhas, without any feeling of rejection; may all sentient beings always diligently cultivate vast knowledge, absorbing and retaining the treasury of all Buddha teachings; may all sentient beings understand all Buddha teachings they hear and cultivate enlightening practice for immeasurable eons; may all sentient beings abide in right mindfulness, and always see the Buddhas’ emergence with the eye of knowledge; may all sentient beings not think of different occupations, but always think of seeing Buddha and diligently cultivate the ten powers; may all sentient beings always see Buddhas in all places, comprehending that the realization of thusness pervades the realm of space; may all sentient beings become equipped with the free body of buddhahood, realizing enlightenment and expounding the truth throughout the ten directions; may all sentient beings meet good teachers, always hear the Buddha teachings, and attain unbreakable faith in the Buddhas; may all sentient beings be able to eulogize the emergence of Buddhas, and cause those who see them to attain universal purity.’ This is enlightening beings’ dedication of the roots of goodness of praising Buddhas’ appearance in the world, to cause sentient beings to see all Buddhas, provide for and serve them, and attain ultimate purity in the highest teaching.

  “Great enlightening beings give away land—they may give it to Buddhas, building retreats, or they may give it to enlightening beings and teachers, to use as they wish, or they may give it to mendicant groups for a place of abode, or they may give it to their parents, or to other people, to Buddhist disciples, to individual illuminates, to various fields of blessings, including the poor, orphaned, homeless, and others. They give whatever is wished, to fulfill their needs. They may build Buddhas’ mausoleums, and provide all necessary articles for such places, so they may be used as wished, without fear or hesitation.

  “Whene
ver great enlightening beings give land, they dedicate the roots of goodness in this way: ‘May all sentient beings fully realize the pure stage of universal knowledge and arrive at the consummation of the practices of Universal Good; may all sentient beings attain the stage of total mental command and receive and hold all Buddha teachings with right recollection; may all sentient beings attain sustaining power and be able to preserve all Buddha teachings; may all sentient beings attain a mind like the earth, with intentions ever pure and free from evil thoughts toward sentient beings; may all sentient beings maintain the lineage of Buddhas, accomplishing the processes of the stages of enlightening beings, without interruption; may all sentient beings become abodes of safety for all, causing all to be harmonized and pacified and to abide in the path of purity; may all sentient beings benefit the world the same as enlightened ones, causing all to diligently cultivate themselves and abide securely in the power of buddhahood; may all sentient beings be liked by all the world and cause everyone to abide in the highest happiness of Buddhahood; may all sentient beings attain skill in means of liberation and abide in the power and fearlessness of buddhahood; may all sentient beings attain knowledge like the earth and freely practice all Buddha teachings.’ This is great enlightening beings’ dedication of roots of goodness when giving land, to cause sentient beings to all attain ultimate consummation of the pure state of all enlightened ones.

  “Great enlightening beings give servants as offerings to all Buddhas and enlightening beings, genuine teachers; or they may give them to the religious community, or to their parents, honorable fields of blessings, or again they may give them to sentient beings suffering from illness, to fulfill their needs and preserve their lives, or they may give them to the poor and helpless and all others without attendants, or they may give countless servants from time to time to look after the shrines and mausoleums of Buddhas or to transcribe the true teachings of the Buddhas. Those servants are all intelligent and highly skilled, naturally obedient, always diligent and never lazy, with honest minds, peaceful and happy minds, altruistic minds, humane and benevolent minds, respectful minds, minds free from resentment and hostility, able to adjust to the customs of those for whom they work, able to be of benefit to everyone. Also, from the influences of the enlightening beings’ pure conduct, they have talent and artistry, and are masters of crafts and mathematics. They are skilled in service and able to please.

  “At that time, the enlightening beings dedicate the roots of goodness in this way: ‘May all sentient beings attain docile minds, cultivating roots of goodness with all Buddhas; may all sentient beings obediently provide offerings to all Buddhas and be able to hear and absorb what the Buddhas teach; may all sentient beings be accepted by the Buddhas, always observe the enlightened ones, without any other thought; may all sentient beings not spoil the seed of buddhahood, diligently cultivating all roots of goodness in accord with the Buddhas; may all sentient beings always diligently provide for all Buddhas, not wasting any time; may all sentient beings hold the sublime doctrines of the Buddhas, their words pure, traveling without fear; may all sentient beings always be happy to see Buddhas, never tiring, not begrudging their lives to the Buddhas; may all sentient beings get to see the Buddhas, their minds without indulgence or attachment, free from worldly dependence; may all sentient beings only take refuge in Buddha and forever leave all false resorts; may all sentient beings follow the Buddha-way, their minds always blissfully contemplating the supreme Buddha teaching.’ This is great enlightening beings’ dedication of roots of goodness when giving servants, to cause sentient beings to get rid of defilement, clear the ground of buddhahood, and be able to manifest the free body of the enlightened.

  “Great enlightening beings give their bodies to those who come ask for them; when they give, they engender a humble mind, a mind like the earth, a mind enduring all suffering without changing or wavering, a mind to serve sentient beings tirelessly, a mind regarding all sentient beings like a benevolent mother, turning over all their virtues to them, a mind of forgiveness for the various impositions and aggressions of ignorant evil beings, and rest on the foundations of goodness, diligently performing service.

  “At that time enlightening beings dedicate all the roots of goodness in this way: ‘May all sentient beings never lack what they need, cultivate the practices of enlightening beings unremittingly, not give up the just rewards of all enlightening beings, remain on the path traveled by enlightening beings, comprehend the equal real nature of enlightening beings, get to be of the number of the family of Buddhas, abide by truthful speech, sustain enlightening practice, cause all worldlings to be able to clarify the Buddha-teaching, deeply believe in it, and realize the ultimate consummation of the teaching, and cause sentient beings to produce pure, excellent roots of goodness, abide in great virtue, and fulfill universal knowledge. Also with these roots of goodness I will cause all sentient beings to always get to attend all Buddhas, to understand all their teachings, to bear the teachings, reading and reciting them, never forgetting them or letting them be lost or scattered, their minds well subdued. Those who are not self-controlled I will tame, training them with the methods of stillness and serenity. I will cause sentient beings, in the presence of the Buddhas, to persevere in these things. Also, by these roots of goodness I will cause all sentient beings to be the foremost monument, worthy of receiving the various offerings of the world. I will cause all sentient beings to become supreme fields of blessings, attain Buddha knowledge, and enlighten everyone. I will cause all sentient beings to become the best of recipients, able to benefit all living beings. I will cause all sentient beings to become the best of benefactors, able to foster the endowment of all roots of goodness. I will cause all sentient beings to become the finest receivers of gifts, able to cause the givers to obtain infinite rewards. I will cause all sentient beings to attain emancipation from the realms of desire, form, and formlessness. I will cause all sentient beings to become the foremost of leaders, able to show the world the path that accords with truth. I will cause all sentient beings to attain marvelous total mental command, fully holding all the true teachings of the Buddhas. I will cause all sentient beings to attain realization of the infinite primary cosmos of reality, and fulfill the true path unobstructed as space.’ This is great enlightening beings’ dedication of roots of goodness when giving their own bodies, to cause all sentient beings to attain the body of infinite knowledge of the sanctified ones.

  “Great enlightening beings are joyful when they hear the teaching; they conceive pure faith, and are able to offer their own bodies to the Buddha, raptly believing in the treasure of the unexcelled teaching. They think of the Buddhas as their parents, and read and recite, absorb and hold the teachings of the path of nonobstruction, entering into all the gates of countless teachings, jewels of wisdom, roots of goodness. Their minds always think of infinite Buddhas. They enter the sphere of buddhahood and attain to deep comprehension of its principles. They are able, with the subtle, mysterious pure voice of the enlightened, to produce clouds of Buddha teachings and shower rain of Buddha teachings. Bravely and freely they are able to analytically explain the supreme state of the omniscient. Fully consummating the vehicle of all-knowledge, they fulfill all potentials with immeasurable hundreds of thousands of millions of great teachings.

  “When great enlightening beings hear such teachings from Buddhas, their joy knows no bounds; they abide firmly by the truth, cut off their own doubt and confusion, and also cause others’ doubts to be removed as well. Their minds are always light and happy, full of virtuous qualities, replete with roots of goodness. Their attention is continuous, helping sentient beings without their minds ever being exhausted. They attain supreme knowledge and become treasuries of diamonds. They associate closely with Buddhas and purify buddha-fields, always diligently attend all the enlightened ones. At that time the enlightening beings dedicate the roots of goodness in this way: ‘May all sentient beings attain a fully developed, most excellent body, in the care
of all Buddhas; may all sentient beings always be near the Buddhas, abide with the Buddhas, and always gaze upon them, never leaving; may all sentient beings attain a pure indestructible body, endowed with all virtue and knowledge; may all sentient beings always diligently serve all Buddhas, and carry out the ultimate pure practice of nonassumption; may all sentient beings attain the egoless body, divorced from self and possession; may all sentient beings be able to distribute their bodies throughout the lands of the ten directions, like reflections appearing, without coming or going; may all sentient beings attain the body of freedom, going everywhere in the ten directions without self or reception; may all sentient beings attain the buddha-body, born in the home of the unexcelled embodiment of the realization of thusness; may all sentient beings attain the great power of forbearance of the body of power of truth, which none can break down; may all sentient beings attain the incomparable body and realize the pure body of reality of the enlightened; may all sentient beings develop the body of transmundane virtues, born in the pure realm of reality where nothing is obtained.’ This is the dedication of roots of goodness of enlightening beings when offering their bodies to Buddhas, to cause sentient beings to dwell forever in the house of the Buddhas of past, present, and future.

  “Great enlightening beings give their bodies to all sentient beings, because they want to cause them to develop roots of goodness, and to remember and think of roots of goodness. Great enlightening beings wish their bodies to be great bright lamps able to illumine all sentient beings, to be means of life supporting all beings, to be treasuries of wonderful teaching able to sustain all living beings, to be pure light to awaken all sentient beings, to be lights of the world causing all sentient beings to always see, to be causes and conditions of roots of goodness causing sentient beings to always get the opportunity to meet them, to be genuine teachers causing all sentient beings to receive instruction and guidance, to be even paths on which all sentient beings may tread, to be unexcelled, complete comfort enabling all sentient beings to be freed from suffering and be purified, to be clear suns universally and impartially benefiting the world.