The Flower Ornament Scripture

by Thomas Cleary

  “In the arising of a thought they go throughout the ten directions, in each moment of thought causing the appearance of infinite sets of the process of attainment of enlightenment up to great ultimate nirvana. They also manifest infinite embodiments in all times, and also cause to appear in their own bodies the immeasurable arrays of qualities of lands of infinite buddhas. They also cause the appearance of all worlds becoming and disintegrating in their own bodies. They also emit all whirlwinds from a single pore, yet without hurting or troubling sentient beings. And, if they wish, they can make endless worlds a single body of water and set a great lotus thereon; the array of lights of that great lotus pervades endless worlds, showing therein the branches of the trees of enlightenment and all aspects of omniscience.

  “In their own bodies they manifest the lights of the ten directions, including the lusters of jewels, lightning, the lights of the sun and moon, and the lights of all deities of light. With each breath they shake endless worlds, yet without frightening the sentient beings therein. They also manifest the destruction by gales, fires, and floods in the ten directions. Also they cause the appearance of physical adornments according to the wishes of beings: they manifest the body of Buddha in their own body; they manifest their own body in the body of Buddha; they manifest their own buddha-land in the body of Buddha; they manifest the body of Buddha in their own buddha-land.

  “Thus do enlightening beings in this stage of Cloud of Teaching show these and infinitely more magical transformations.”

  At that point it occurred to the enlightening beings in the assembly, as well as to the spirits, goblins, nymphs, titans, and various gods, “If the range of performances of mystical powers of enlightening beings is thus measureless, what must that of the buddhas be like?”

  Then Moon of Liberation, knowing what was going on in the minds of the congregation, said to Diamond Matrix, “This assembly is in doubt; show something of the miracles of enlightening beings to stop their doubts.”

  Then Diamond Matrix entered the concentration of enlightening beings called “revelation of the essence of the body of all buddha-lands,” whereupon all the beings in the assembly perceived themselves being within the body of the enlightening being Diamond Matrix, and there they perceived the formation of a buddha-land, the array of features within which could not be all told of in millions of eons. There the tree of enlightenment was as broad as a million billion-world universes, the lofty tops of its innumerable branches wide enough to fill ten million billion-world universes. On the terrace of enlightenment there was a broad lion seat, with characteristics corresponding to the tree, on which was seen a buddha named King with a Mind Endowed with All Mystic Knowledges, on the supreme place of enlightenment. Thus they saw such magnificent arrays of adornments as could not be all told in a million eons. Then, having displayed this great miracle, Diamond Matrix put all the enlightening beings, gods, dragons, goblins, nymphs, titans, fairies, and other creatures back in their respective places. At that point they all fell silent in unprecedented wonder and stood there looking at Diamond Matrix.

  Then Moon of Liberation said to Diamond Matrix, “The range of production of magnificent arrays of this well-nigh inconceivable concentration is most extraordinary—what is the name of this concentration?”

  Diamond Matrix said, “It is called ‘revelation of the essence of the body of all buddha-lands.’”

  Moon of Liberation said, “What is the arrangement of the sphere of action of this concentration?”

  Diamond Matrix said, “By successful cultivation of this concentration, enlightening beings can, at will, show in their own bodies as many buddha-lands as atoms in as many worlds as grains of sand in the Ganges River, and even more. You know, enlightening beings in the stage of Cloud of Teaching attain many hundreds of thousands of enlightening concentrations like this. Because of this, enlightening beings who have reached even the stage of ‘crown prince of the teaching’ and are established in the ninth stage, Good Mind, cannot know the body or physical action of enlightening beings in the tenth stage, cannot know their speech or verbal action, cannot know their mind or mental action, cannot know their spiritual powers, cannot know their observation of past, present, and future, cannot know their entry into the state of concentration, cannot know their sphere of knowledge, cannot know their liberation and freedom, cannot know their acts of emanation, mystical power, and radiance, cannot even know, to sum up, even the raising and lowering of their feet as they walk. This is how infinite the enlightening beings’ stage of Cloud of Teaching is. This is a brief summary explanation; the full details could never be all told.”

  Moon of Liberation said, “What is the entrance into the range of the sphere of buddhas like, if the realm and power of the practice of enlightening beings is so infinite?”

  Diamond Matrix said, “Your question seems to me like that of a man who picks up a few pebbles and says, ‘Which is bigger, the endless realms of the earth or these pebbles?’ How can you compare the state of enlightening beings to that of the buddhas, the completely enlightened, who have measureless knowledge? That which can be picked up off the ground by hand is small, while the rest of the earth is immeasurable: in the same way, even this Cloud of Teaching stage of enlightening beings would only be told to a small extent even if it were explained for countless eons—how much the more so of the stage of buddhahood!

  “I will now tell you about buddhahood, so you will know; and the buddhas stand before me to bear me witness. Suppose in each of the ten directions as many buddha-lands as atoms in infinite worlds were filled with enlightening beings who had reached this stage: the accomplishments of those enlightening beings effected over endless eons do not amount to the minutest fraction, do not compare at all, to the scope of one moment of knowledge of Buddha. Following this knowledge, enlightening beings, with body, speech, and mind not other than those of Buddha, do not abandon the power of concentration of enlightening beings, yet they visit and attend buddhas, and pay each one honor in all kinds of undertakings for endless eons. Because of their extensive service they receive from the buddhas the illumination of empowerment, and become all the more unfazed in answering questions as variegated as the cosmos, for millions and millions of eons.

  “Just as a great ornament, inlaid with great jewels, fashioned by a celestial craftsman, fastened on the head or neck of the king of the gods of controlling power, cannot be outshone by the ornaments of other gods or humans, in the same way the ornament of knowledge gained by enlightening beings in this tenth stage of Cloud of Teaching cannot be outshone by all sentient beings, Buddhist followers, solitary illuminates, or enlightening beings from the first to the ninth stages. The light of knowledge of the enlightening beings in this stage is conducive to the introduction of sentient beings into omniscience, and cannot be outshone by other lights of knowledge. Just as the light of the great lord god is beyond all realms of birth and delights the bodies of living beings, in the same way the light of enlightening beings in the stage of Cloud of Teaching cannot be eclipsed by all followers, solitary illuminates, and enlightening beings from the first to the ninth stages, and even ultimately leads beings to the state of omniscience.

  “Furthermore, enlightening beings following this knowledge are told by the buddhas knowledge of past, present, and future, knowledge of the differentiations of the cosmos, knowledge of pervasion of all worlds, knowledge of the power of the illumination of all worlds, thorough knowledge of all beings, lands, and phenomena, knowledge of the mental behaviors of all beings, knowledge of how to develop all beings to maturity according to the time, with impeccable discipline and skill in analytic knowledge of all things; in sum they are told infinite revelations of omniscient knowledge. In these enlightening beings the transcendent way of knowledge is paramount, while they practice the other transcendent ways according to their power and their lot.

  “This is a summary of the tenth stage of enlightening beings, called Cloud of Teaching; it would take forever to tell the full de
tails. Most of the enlightening beings in this stage are great lord gods, capable, mighty in teaching beings the ways of transcendence of disciples, solitary illuminates, and enlightening beings, unfazed in answering questions on the differentiations of the cosmos. Whatever acts they undertake, whether through giving, or kind speech, or beneficial action, or cooperation, it is all never apart from thoughts of Buddha, the Teaching, the Community, enlightening beings, the practice of enlightening beings, the transcendent ways, the stages, the powers, expertises, and unique qualities of buddhahood, and ultimately of omniscience in all its aspects. Why? Because they would become the best of beings, unexcelled leaders and guides, and ultimately omniscient refuges.

  Accordingly, they initiate such effort, by which burst of energy they instantly attain as many concentrations as atoms in ten quintillion unspeakable numbers of buddha-lands, see that many buddhas and realize their power, shake that many worlds, go to that many buddha-lands, illumine that many worlds, mature that many beings, abide for that many eons, penetrate that many eons past and future, ascertain that many ways of access to truth, and show that many bodies, each body surrounded by that many enlightening beings. Beyond that, enlightening beings with the power of vows perform, by the excellence of their vows, countless transformations of their bodies, auras, mystic powers, vision, spheres of action, voices, conduct, adornments, powers, resolutions, and performances.”

  Bequest

  These, in sum, are the stages of enlightening beings, the details of which would take forever to tell. These are the stages which have been, will be, and are expounded by the buddhas of past, future, and present.

  Furthermore, these ten stages of enlightening beings are to be seen in accord with omniscience in all its aspects, as it gradually becomes manifest.

  It is like the water flowing from the lake Heatless; by four great river currents it suffices the continent, inexhaustible, ever increasing, benefiting infinite beings, and finally pours into the great ocean: that water from the very beginning is headed for the ocean. In the same way, the water of roots of goodness flowing from the great lake of the will for enlightenment, by the currents of four great vows and integrative methods of salvation, suffices all realms of beings, inexhaustible, ever increasing, benefiting infinite beings, and finally pours into the great ocean of complete omniscience: that water of roots of goodness from the very beginning is headed for the ocean of omniscience.

  Furthermore, those ten stages of enlightening beings are manifested based on enlightened knowledge. It is as the ten great mountains are manifested based on the earth. They are like the Snowy Mountains, Intoxicating with Fragrance Mountain, Crystal Mountain, Wizard Mountain, Yoke-Bearing Mountain, Horse Ear Mountain, Fish-Holding Mountain, the Circular Enclosure Mountains, Endowed with Brightness Mountain, and the polar mountain Wonderfully High. Just as the Snowy Mountains are mines of all kinds of medicinal plants, which may be collected without exhausting them, in the same way an enlightening being in the stage of Joy becomes a mine of all worldly poetry, writing, and the science of magic spells, which may be applied endlessly. Just as the mountain Intoxicating with Fragrance is a mine of all kinds of fragrances, whence all kinds of fragrances may be collected inexhaustibly, an enlightening being in the stage of Purity becomes a mine of the fragrance of all the ethical conduct of enlightening beings, whence the fragrance of all ethical conduct of enlightening beings may be collected inexhaustibly. Just as Crystal Mountain is a mine composed of pure jewels, from which all kinds of jewels may be taken inexhaustibly, in the same way an enlightening being in the stage of Refulgence becomes a mine of all worldly meditations, mystic knowledges, liberations, concentrations, and attainments, inexhaustible in answering questions about all meditations, mystic knowledges, liberations, concentrations, and attainments in the world. Just as Wizard Mountain is a pure jewel abode of wizards with five mystic knowledges, where there are countless such wizards, in the same way an enlightening being in the stage of Blazing becomes a mine of higher knowledges of penetration and explanation of all paths to liberation and paths that do not lead to liberation, inexhaustible in answering questions with higher knowledge of the disparity between liberative paths and nonliberative paths. Just as Yoke-Bearing Mountain is a pure jewel abode of spirits of great magical powers, where there are countless such spirits, in the same way an enlightening being in the stage Difficult to Conquer becomes a mine of mystic knowledges, spiritual powers, occult transformations, and miraculous effects, able to answer questions about these phenomena inexhaustibly. Just as Horse Ear Mountain is a pure jewel mine of all kinds of fruits, from which all kinds of fruits may be gathered inexhaustibly, an enlightening being in the stage of Presence becomes a mine of penetration and explanation of interdependent origination, inexhaustible in answering questions about realization of the fruits of Buddhist discipleship. Just as Fish-Holding Mountain is a pure jewel abode of all water spirits of great magical powers, where there are countless water spirits, similarly an enlightening being in the stage of Far-Going becomes a mine of teaching of means and wisdom, inexhaustible in answering questions about the realization of the fruits of individual illumination. Just as the Circular Enclosure Mountains are a pure jewel abode of those imbued with power, where there are countless powerful beings, similarly an enlightening being in the stage of Immovability becomes a mine of effects of powers of enlightening beings, inexhaustible in answering questions about the differentiations of worlds. Just as the mountain Endowed with Brightness is a pure jewel home of titans with great magical powers, where there are countless titans, similarly an enlightening being in the stage of Good Mind becomes a mine of application of knowledge of the becoming and passing away of all beings, inexhaustible in answering questions about the formation and disintegration of all worlds. Just as the mountain Wonderfully High is the pure jewel home of divinities of great power, where the divinities are countless, similarly an enlightening being in the stage of Cloud of Teaching becomes a mine of the powers, expertises, and unique qualities of buddhas, inexhaustible in answering questions about the manifestation of the works of buddhas. Just as these ten great mountains exist in the ocean and appear from the ocean, in the same way these ten stages of enlightening beings exist in omniscience and appear from omniscience.

  Just as an ocean undeniably counts as an ocean because of ten characteristics—that is, because of progressively becoming deeper, because of not lodging a corpse, because other waters lose their identity in the ocean, because of uniform flavor, because of containing many valuables, because its depths are hard to reach, because it is immeasurably vast, because it is the abode of giant creatures, because the tides do not exceed their bounds, and because it receives all the rains of the clouds without being filled—in the same way the practice of enlightening beings is undeniably counted as such because of ten characteristics: because of gradual deepening of accomplishment of vows, in the stage of Joy; because of not lodging the corpse of bad conduct, in the stage of Purity; because of relinquishment of worldly designations, in the stage of Refulgence; because of the uniform flavor of unbreakable pure faith in Buddha, in the stage of Blazing; because of innumerably many valuable accomplishments of works in the world by higher knowledge and expedient means, in the stage Difficult to Conquer; because of the hard-to-fathom profundity of examination of interdependent origination, in the stage of Presence; because of immeasurable vastness of skill in discernment, in the stage of Far-Going; because of being the abode of colossal displays of production of supernal manifestations, in the stage of Immovability; because of accurate comprehension of profound liberation and worldly actions without going over the boundary, in the stage of Good Mind; because of receiving the water of the great clouds of revelations of teachings of all buddhas without being sated, in the stage of Cloud of Teaching.

  When a great jewel, surpassing the ten classes of jewels, is picked up, fired by a skillful craftsman, well rounded, purified, well polished, skillfully pierced, strung on a precious thread, mounted abo
ve a banner on a jewel pole, emanates all kinds of light and becomes recognized by a king, then it serves as a basis for the gathering of all precious things by all beings. In the same way, when enlightening beings’ determination for omniscience, surpassing the ten religious groups, is aroused, fired by austerity, frugality, discipline, and training, well rounded by meditation and concentration and absorption, purified by the practices of the Path, polished by expedient means and higher knowledge, pierced by interdependent origination, strung on the variegated precious thread of means and wisdom, mounted atop a banner on a great jewel pole of spiritual power, emanates the light of knowledge of observation of the conduct of living beings, and arrives at coronation with enlightened knowledge by the Buddha; then it becomes a basis for all beings’ collection of the jewels of all Buddha works.