The Flower Ornament Scripture
Page 89
And boundless verses of eulogy and exposition
They present to the Human Tamers.
To Buddhas numerous as living beings
They make most excellent offerings;
For eons countless as living beings,
They praise them without end.
When they make offerings to the Buddhas this way,
By Buddhas’ spiritual power they extend everywhere,
Seeing all the infinite Buddhas of the ten directions,
Abiding in the practice of the Universally Good enlightening being.
All the roots of goodness
Of past, future, and present,
Enable us to always carry out Universal Good practice
And quickly gain the station of the realm of Universal Good.
May the infinite sentient beings of the worlds
Seen by all the Buddhas
Become like Universally Good,
Praised by the intelligent.
This is the practice of dedication
Cultivated in common by all great beings;
All the Buddhas explain for us
This unexcelled practice of dedication,
To enable all living beings
In all worlds in the ten directions
To attain awakening and enlightenment
And to always act as Universally Good does.
Practicing giving in accord with their dedication
And also strictly maintaining the precepts,
Persevering over the long run, unshrinking,
Tolerant, gentle, minds unstirred,
In meditation keeping the mind on one point,
By wisdom comprehending objects, same as concentration,
Penetrating past, future, and present,
To which none in the world can find any bounds—
Enlightening beings’ physical, verbal, and mental actions,
Like this practice, are all pure;
All they cultivate, omitting none,
All on a par with the enlightening being Universally Good.
Like the cosmos, free from false discrimination,
The stain of inanity is forever gone;
And as nirvana has no obstructions,
Their minds likewise are free from all grasping.
The principles of dedication of the wise
The Buddhas have revealed;
All kinds of roots of goodness they dedicate,
Therefore they can accomplish the enlightening path.
Offspring of Buddha learn this dedication well,
Fulfilling innumerable undertakings,
Taking in the cosmos comprehensively;
Therefore they can attain the power of the Blissful Ones.
If you want to accomplish, as the Buddha explains,
The great, superlative practices of enlightening beings,
You should live by this dedication—
Such offspring of Buddha are called Universally Good.
All living beings may be counted,
And the experience of past, present, and future minds may be known,
But the virtues of such Universally Good
Offspring of Buddha cannot be measured.
The bounds of space may be measured with a hair,
The number of atoms in all lands may be known,
But the practical vows by which these sages live
Cannot be measured by anyone.
BOOK TWENTY-SIX
The Ten Stages
THUS HAVE I HEARD. Once the Blessed One was sojourning in the heaven of control of others’ emanations. Not long after his perfect enlightenment—the second week—he was in the palace of the king of that heaven, a shining, radiantly pure treasury of jewels, together with a large group of enlightening beings, all of them beyond regression and bound to become perfectly enlightened in one lifetime, who had come from different worlds. Those enlightening beings were abiding in the sphere of knowledge of all enlightening beings; their sphere of action was that of ceaseless penetration into the entries of the realm of knowledge of all enlightened ones; they were skilled in showing all feats of power appropriately timed for the development and liberating guidance of all sentient beings; in order to fulfill all the great vows of enlightening beings, in all worlds and times, all ages, and all lands they diligently cultivated practices unceasingly; they had fulfilled the inexhaustible stores of virtue, knowledge, and occult powers of all enlightening beings, for the benefit of all worldly beings; having attained the highest ultimate reaches of transcendental knowledge and expedient liberative means of enlightening beings, they showed entries into mundane existence and nirvana, while not interrupting the application of means of practices of enlightening beings; sporting freely in the meditations, liberations, concentrations, attainments, and mystic knowledges of enlightening beings, they were skilled in the demonstration of all feats of mystic knowledge; having attained the occult powers and command of enlightening beings, going without effort in a single mental instant to the circles of all buddhas, they acted as leading interlocutors; holding the wheels of teachings of all buddhas, they had gone to make offerings to and wait on many buddhas; they had realized the manifestation of bodies in all worlds engaged in the undertaking of the deeds of all enlightening beings; their voices sounded in all realms without obstruction, and the sphere of knowledge of the mind unobstructed in all places and times was revealed to them; they had thoroughly fulfilled the attainments of qualities of all enlightening beings, and their qualities could never be exhaustively explained even in untold eons. Their names were Diamond Matrix, Jewel Matrix, Lotus Matrix, Matrix of Glory, Matrix of Lotuslike Splendor, Solar Matrix, Sun Matrix, Earth Matrix, Matrix of Lunar Purity, Matrix of Manifestation of All Arrays of Adornments, Matrix of Illumination of Knowledge, Matrix of Radiance, Matrix of Blossoming Glory, Matrix of Blue Lotus Splendor, Matrix of Celestial Qualities, Matrix of Splendor of Virtue, Matrix of Purity of Unobstructed Knowledge, Matrix of Godlike Majesty, Matrix of Purity, Matrix of Nondefilement, Matrix of Adornment of Varied Eloquence, Matrix of Radiance of Great Webs of Light Beams, Matrix of Radiance of Power of Splendor of Undefiled Light, Matrix of Pure Radiance of Accumulated Gold, Matrix of Pure Splendor Adorned by All Characteristics of Enlightening Beings, Matrix of Glorious Adornments of Diamond Flames, Matrix of Beauty of Flames of Light, Matrix of Light of Majesty of the Stars, Matrix of Unhindered Knowledge of the Treasury of the Sky, Matrix of Sweet Sounds with Unobstructed Spheres of Resonance, Matrix of Spells Supporting the Aspirations of All Beings, Matrix of Adornments of the Ocean, Matrix of Majesty of the Polar Mountain, Matrix of Purity of All Qualities, Matrix of Splendor of Those Who Realize Thusness, Matrix of Majesty of the Enlightened, and Moon of Liberation. The Buddha was with innumerable enlightening beings assembled from various buddha-lands, led by Diamond Matrix, these being the main ones.
At that time Diamond Matrix, by the power of Buddha, entered the concentration called Light of the Great Vehicle, and as soon as he had done so there appeared to him as many buddhas as atoms in ten billion buddha-lands from beyond as many worlds as atoms in ten buddha-lands in each of the ten directions, all of whom were alike named Diamond Matrix. Those buddhas said, “It is good that you have entered this concentration of enlightening beings’ Light of the Great Vehicle. In this you are supported by the Buddhas numerous as atoms in ten billion buddha-lands beyond worlds as numerous as atoms in ten billion buddha-lands in the ten directions, and by the power of the ancient vow of Vairocana Buddha, and it is also due to the excellence of your virtue and knowledge, so that all enlightening beings may enter the stages of knowledge of the illuminating power of the inconceivable Buddha teachings, to attain all roots of goodness, for skill in analyzing all Buddha teachings, for breadth of knowledge of things, for the exposition of well-constructed teachings, for the purification of holistic knowledge, so as to be unstained by worldly things, for the purification of supramundane roots of goodness, for the discovery of particulars of the sphere of inco
nceivable knowledge, and for the realization of the sphere of omniscient knowledge: that is to say, it is for the sake of the undertaking and attainment of the ten stages of enlightening beings, for the sake of correct explanation of skill in setting up the stages of enlightening beings, for the sake of proper focusing on the teachings of the buddhas, to distinguish undefiled phenomena, for skill with the light of great wisdom with knowing discernment, for entry into complete definitive adaptive knowledge, for the light of eloquence to explain without hesitation or obstruction in accord with differences in capability and station, to fulfill the stage of great discursive knowledge, to never forget the determination for enlightenment, to develop all beings to perfection, and to attain skill in discernment in all situations. Furthermore, you should explain this teaching, skill in differentiation of means of revealing truth, by the power of the Buddha, by the aid of the light of knowledge of the Buddha, for the perfect purification of your own roots of goodness, for the thorough purification of the cosmos, for the protection of sentient beings, for the body of knowledge of the body of reality, to receive the anointment of all buddhas, for the manifestation of the most exalted being in all worlds, to completely transcend all worldly paths, to purify the path to the supramundane, to fulfill omniscience.”
Then those buddhas gave the enlightening being Diamond Matrix physical invincibility, the ability to teach with unhindered presence of mind, pure knowledge of differentiation, the power of unfailing recollection, skill with certain intellect, unfailing understanding in all situations, the invincible power of the perfectly enlightened, indomitability of power and expertise of a buddha, attainment of discernment and teaching by the discursive knowledge of the omniscient, and gave him the well-arrayed physical, verbal, and mental adornments of all buddhas. Why? Because of his attainment of the reality of this concentration in accord with its name; because of the upshot of his past vows; because of his thoroughly pure determination; because of his purification of his sphere of knowledge; because of his having stored well the provisions for the Path; because of his having accomplished well what he had to do; because of his being an immeasurable vessel of remembrance; because of his having purified clear faith; because of his having mastered the method of concentration spells without corruption; because of his being perfectly stamped with the seal of self-knowledge; and because of his being perfectly stamped with the seal of knowledge of the realm of reality.
Then those buddhas, by their occult power, extended their right hands from where they were and rubbed the head of Diamond Matrix, at which point the enlightening being arose from that concentration and said to the other enlightening beings, “Perfectly sure, O blessed offspring of the Victorious, is the vow of enlightening beings, unadulterated, impossible to see in its entirety, vast as the cosmos, including all space, eternal, rescuing all beings, wherein alone the blessed enlightening beings enter the stage of knowledge of the past buddhas, enter the stage of knowledge of the future buddhas, and enter the stage of knowledge of the present buddhas. There are ten stages of enlightening beings that enter into the stage of knowledge of the buddhas. And what are these ten stages of enlightening beings that have been, will be, and are being explained by the buddhas of the past, future, and present? Having meditated on them, I will now tell you. They are the enlightening beings’ stage called Extreme Joy, that called Purity, that called Refulgence, that called Blazing, that called Difficult to Conquer, that called Presence, that called Far-Going, that called Immovable, that called Good Mind, and the stage of enlightening beings called Cloud of Teaching. These are the ten stages of enlightening beings that have been, will be, and are expounded by the buddhas of the past, future, and present. I have never seen any buddha-land where the buddhas do not elucidate these ten stages of enlightening beings. Why? This is the supreme light of teaching method to purify the path of enlightening being—that is the definition of the specifics of the ten stages. Inconceivable is this realm of knowledge of the ten stages.”
Then Diamond Matrix, having mentioned the names of these ten stages, fell silent and gave no further definitions.
Thereupon the assembly of enlightening beings became anxious, having heard only the names of the stages, their definition not having been explained. They wondered why Diamond Matrix remained silent after mentioning only the names of the ten stages and did not analyze them further.
At that time there was among the assembly of enlightening beings an enlightening being named Moon of Liberation who knew what was on the minds of the assembly of enlightening beings and who asked Diamond Matrix in verse,
O ye of pure intent, mindfulness, knowledge, and virtue,
Having mentioned the supreme stages, why do you not explain them?
All these honored enlightening beings are sure in mind;
Why, having mentioned the stages, do you not define them?
These experienced offspring of buddhas want to hear—
Please explain the meanings and ways of the correct stages.
This assembly is quiet, free from sloth, pure;
Purified, steadfast, full of virtue and knowledge.
All stand there gazing respectfully,
Desirous, as bees for honey, for the ultimate ambrosia.
Having heard this, the wise, experienced Diamond Matrix spoke to please the assembly:
Difficult, supreme is this, rare, the revelation of enlightening beings’ practice.
Supreme is the discernment of the practices of the stages whence buddhahood is attained.
Subtle, hard to see, beyond thought, beyond the ground of mind, hard to approach,
It is the realm of the wise with untainted minds, hearing which confuses the worldly.
Keeping the mind as stable as diamond, believe in the supremacy of buddha-knowledge:
Knowing the mind-ground is selfless, then one can hear this subtle knowledge.
Like colors painted in the sky, like the wind in space—
So is this undefiled knowledge of Buddha hard to see, though it be defined.
Such is my understanding of that—it’s hard to find anyone in the world who knows it,
Or even believes in it—thus I cannot explain this ultimate.
This having been said, the enlightening being Moon of Liberation said to Diamond Matrix, “Pure is this assembly that has gathered, enlightening beings with thoroughly purified aspiration, thoroughly purified will, who have done their work well, who have attended hundreds of thousands of billions of buddhas, who have thoroughly gathered the provisions for the Path, who have attained immeasurable knowledge and virtue, who are free from folly and confusion, free from affliction, impurity, and attachment, who are firm in determination and faith, whose undivided attention is on these buddhas’ teachings. Speak, therefore, for the enlightening beings directly witness this realm.”
Diamond Matrix said, “What though this assembly of enlightening beings is pure, with thoroughly purified aspirations and will, having done their work well, having well attended countless buddhas, having attained immeasurable virtue and knowledge, free from folly and delusion, undefiled, with well-established determination and zeal, with undivided attention on these teachings of buddhas, yet because of the lack of benefit and the suffering in the long night of ignorance for those others who would give rise to dissent and doubt upon hearing of such inconceivable states, it is out of compassion for them that I want to remain silent.”
Then Moon of Liberation again asked Diamond Matrix for this doctrine: “Very well, explain by the power of the Enlightened—these inconceivable stations will be well protected and believed in. Why? Because that naturally occurs when these stages are being explained: this is what all buddhas keep in mind, and all enlightening beings are intent on the protection of this knowledge. Why? This is the fundamental practice, and this is the fulfillment of the Buddha teachings. It is like the instruction of combinations of letters—it begins and ends with the basic characters; there is nothing expressed by combinations of letters without indicat
ion of the basic characters. In the same way all the Buddha teachings are based on the stages and their practices are fulfilled thereby. The consummations of the stages lead to the attainment of the knowledge of the independent. Therefore speak; the realized ones, the saints, the perfectly enlightened ones will protect and support you.”
At this point those enlightening beings uttered verses in one voice asking Diamond Matrix for this teaching:
O ye of supreme wisdom and boundless eloquence,
Speak the finest words, in accord with ultimate truth.
With recollection, steadfastness, pure knowledge, pure resolve to attain the ten powers,
And discerning intellect, explain these ten supreme stages.
Tranquil, disciplined, with accumulated goodwill, free from afflictions, delusion, pride, and views,
Free from doubt, this assembly hopes for your explanation.
As the thirsty desire cool water, the hungry food, the sick medicine,
And bees honey, so does this assembly desire your words.
Therefore, ye of pure knowledge, speak of the exalted stages, free from taint,
Joined to the ten powers, unobstructed, producing all good states.
At that time a radiance called “light of power of enlightening beings” emanated from the circle of hair between the eyebrows of Shakyamuni Buddha, accompanied by innumerable rays of light, illuminating all worlds in all ten directions, stopping all evils and suffering, eclipsing all realms of demons, illuminating the circles of innumerable buddhas, revealing the features, occult powers, and mystic transfigurations in the inconceivable realm of the buddhas, illuminating the enlightening beings empowered to teach in the circles of all buddhas in all worlds in the ten directions; having shown the inconceivable mystical power of the Buddha, it formed a great tower of networks of clouds of light up in the sky and remained there.
In the same way, lights called “light of power of enlightening beings” emanated from the circle of hair between the eyebrows of the other buddhas, accompanied by innumerable beams of light, illuminating all worlds in the ten directions, stopping all evils and suffering, eclipsing all realms of demons, illuminating the circles of innumerable buddhas, revealing the features, occult powers, and mystic transfigurations in the inconceivable realm of buddhas, illuminating the enlightening beings empowered to teach in the circles of all buddhas in all worlds in the ten directions; having revealed this inconceivable mystic power of buddhas, and having illuminated the circle of Shakyamuni Buddha and the body of the enlightening being Diamond Matrix, in the same way the beams formed a great tower of webs of clouds of light up in the sky and remained there.