“Just as the four great rivers emerge from the lake Heatless, and having streamed forth are ultimately inexhaustible and enter the ocean, similarly great enlightening beings cultivate enlightening practice by the power of great vows, their independent knowledge and insight inexhaustible, ultimately entering the ocean of omniscience.
“Just as nothing can prevent the four great rivers from entering the ocean, similarly great enlightening beings always diligently carry out the practical vows of universal good, perfect the light of all knowledge and wisdom, abide in the way of enlightenment of all buddhas, and enter the knowledge of those who realize Thusness, without any hindrance.
“Just as the four great rivers rush into the ocean, never tiring eon after eon, similarly enlightening beings carry out the deeds of enlightening beings forever by the practical vows of universal good, entering the ocean of realization of Thusness, never giving rise to weariness.
“Just as when the sun comes out, the golden, silver, diamond, and lapis lazuli sands in Heatless Lake, as well as all the other jewels and treasures, are imbued with sunlight and reflect the golden sands and other treasures, each reflection also containing reflections of all the others, everything mutually reflecting and rereflecting ad infinitum without obstruction, so is the experience of enlightening beings in this concentration: in each pore of their own bodies they see as many buddhas as atoms in untold buddha-lands, and also see those buddhas’ lands, enlightenment sites, and audiences; they listen to the teaching of each buddha, absorb and retain it, believe and understand it, and pay honor for untold billions of eons each, without any notion of length or brevity of time; also, those audiences are not cramped therein. Why? Because with a subtle mind they enter into boundless realms of the cosmos, because they enter into peerless fruits of distinct actions, because they enter the sphere of inconceivable concentration, because they enter the sphere of inconceivable meditation, because they enter the sphere of fluidity of all buddhas, because they gain the protection of all buddhas, because they have acquired the great miraculous capacities of all buddhas, because they have attained the ten powers of enlightened ones, which are difficult to attain and difficult to know, because they have entered the realm of fulfillment of the practical undertakings of universally good enlightening beings, and because they have attained the indefatigable spiritual power of all buddhas.
“Though great enlightening beings can enter and leave concentration instantly, still they don’t give it up; even though remaining in concentration for a long time, they still have no attachment. Though they do not dwell on any object, yet they do not abandon all points of attention. Though they can enter into the realm of a single instant, yet to benefit all beings they manifest enlightening spiritual powers tirelessly. Though they enter equally into all phenomenal realms, they do not apprehend their boundaries; though they have no abode and no location, yet they are always proceeding into the path of all-knowledge. By the power of mystical projection they enter everywhere into countless groups of beings and fully adorn all worlds. Though they are free from the erroneous conceptions of the world and are beyond the realm of all discriminations, yet they do not abandon forms in all their variety. Though they are capable of fully equipping themselves with expedient skills, yet they are ultimately pure. Though they do not distinguish the various stages of enlightenment, yet they have already entered them all.
Just as space, though containing all things, is apart from existence and nonexistence, in the same way, great enlightening beings, though entering all worldly realms, are free from conceptions of the world. Though they strive to liberate all beings, yet they are free from conceptions of beings. Though they have profound knowledge of all phenomena, yet they are free from conceptions of phenomena. Though they enjoy seeing all buddhas, yet they are free from conceptions of buddhas. Though they skillfully enter various concentrations, yet they know all things are inherently thus, and have no attachment. Though they expound inexhaustible statements of the Teaching with boundless intelligence, yet their minds always dwell on the truth beyond words. Though they enjoy contemplating the wordless teaching, yet they always manifest pure voices. Though they abide in the realm of all things beyond words, yet they always manifest various forms. Though they teach beings, yet they know all things are ultimately inherently empty. Though they diligently cultivate universal compassion and liberate beings, they know the realm of sentient beings is inexhaustible and has no dissolution. Though they realize the realm of reality is everlasting and invariable, yet they ceaselessly guide beings by reading their minds and giving them appropriate instruction. Though they always rest in the abode of the enlightened, yet they always ceaselessly turn the wheel of the Teaching, analytically expounding all kinds of truths with purity of knowledge and unhesitating expertise.
“This is the technical knowledge of the great enlightening beings’ ninth great concentration, the concentration of freedom in the elemental cosmos.
“What is the great enlightening beings’ unimpeded wheel concentration? When great enlightening beings enter this concentration, they abide in unobstructed physical, verbal, and mental action, live in buddha-lands free from obstruction, attain unobstructed knowledge of how to develop and perfect beings, acquire unobstructed knowledge of how to tame beings, radiate unobstructed light, cause networks of unobstructed light beams to appear, demonstrate unobstructed miracles on a vast scale, turn the unobstructed wheel of the pure Teaching, and attain the unobstructed freedom of enlightening beings. They enter into the powers of buddhas, abide in the knowledges of buddhas, perform the deeds of buddhas, purify what buddhas purify, manifest the spiritual powers of buddhas, gladden the buddhas, carry out actions of buddhas, abide in the path of buddhas, associate with innumerable buddhas, perform the works of buddhas, and succeed to the lineage of buddhas.
“Once great enlightening beings are in this concentration, they investigate omniscience, contemplating it in general and in particulars; they accord with omniscience, reveal omniscience, concentrate on omniscience, see omniscience, see omniscience as a whole, and see omniscience in particulars. They forever advance and constantly continue the great vow, great will, great practice, great aim, great experience, great light, great manifestation, great care, great miracle, and great path of the Universally Good enlightening being, without interruption, without retreating, without stopping, without changing, without wearying, without giving up, without distraction, without confusion. Why? These great enlightening beings, in the midst of all things, accomplish great undertakings, activate the Great Vehicle of universal enlightenment, and enter into the ocean of enlightening techniques of the Buddha teaching; by means of extraordinary willpower they illumine the practices carried out by enlightening beings with their knowledge and wisdom, and achieve skill in all of them; they fully accomplish enlightening beings’ spiritual powers and miracles; they are able care for and guard living beings, as do all the buddhas of past, future, and present; they always arouse great compassion for all living beings, and they attain the unchanging truth of the realization of Thusness.
“Just as when someone puts a clear crystal on a colored robe, the crystal assumes the color of the robe without losing its own nature, in the same way great enlightening beings, perfecting knowledge and wisdom as the jewel of the mind, observe all-knowledge and all appears clearly, yet they do not abandon the practices of enlightening beings. Why? Great enlightening beings undertake great vows to benefit all beings, to liberate all beings, to serve all buddhas, to purify all worlds, to comfort all beings; they enter deeply into the ocean of truth, and to purify the realm of sentient beings they manifest great mastery, provide for sentient beings, illumine the world, and enter the boundless gate of teaching by phanton emanations, without backsliding or growing wearied.
“Just as space holds myriad worlds, be they in the process of becoming or subsisting, without aversion or weariness, without wearing out or perishing, without dissolving or breaking down, without changing or varying, without dif
ferentiation, not giving up its own nature, because the inherent nature of space is to be thus, in the same way, great enlightening beings establish infinite great vows to liberate all sentient beings, without their minds wearying.
“Just as infinite beings past, future, and present pass away into nirvana without its ever rejecting or wearying, because the essential purity of all phenomena is called nirvana, in the same way, great enlightening beings appear in the world because they want to liberate all beings and enable them to be emancipated—how could they become wearied in mind?
“Just as universal knowledge, omniscience, can enable all enlightening beings of all times to be born in the family of buddhas, and eventually enable them to attain supreme enlightenment, without ever tiring, because omniscience is none other than the cosmos of realities and is not attached to anything at all, in the same way, great enlightening beings’ minds abide equanimously in universal knowledge—how could they have any weariness of mind?
“These great enlightening beings have a lotus blossom that is as vast as the whole extent of the ten directions, adorned with untold numbers of petals, jewels, and fragrances. Those untold numbers of jewels each also reflect all kinds of jewels, pure, exquisite, extremely fine, resting on the blossom, emanating light beams of many colors, illumining all worlds of the ten directions without obstruction. Webs of pure gold cover it, while jewel chimes gently swaying produce subtle tones that bespeak the elements of omniscience. This great lotus blossom incorporates the pure adornments of those who realize Thusness, produced by all foundations of goodness, with an auspicious sign as its emblem, manifested by spiritual power, with myriad infinities of pure qualities, perfected by the wondrous path of enlightening beings, flowing forth from the omniscient mind; the reflections of the buddhas of the ten directions appear in it, and the worlds gaze on it as on a monument of Buddha, and all beings who see it bow in respect. It is born of the true teaching of ability to comprehend illusion and is actually beyond any worldly comparison.
“When an enlightening being sits on this blossom, the size of the enlightening being’s body corresponds to the blossom. The miraculous empowerment of all buddhas causes each pore of the enlightening being’s body to emanate rays of light as numerous as atoms in untold billions of buddha-lands, each ray of light revealing jewels as numerous as atoms in untold billions of buddha-lands. Those jewels are all called treasuries of universal light and are adorned with various colors and characteristics, made of infinite virtues. Nets of jewels and flowers cover them above, scattering billions of superb fragrances. The arrays of innumerable various colors and forms also manifest ornamental canopies of inconceivable arrays of jewels. Each jewel reflects pavilions as numerous as atoms in untold billions of buddha-lands, and each pavilion reveals as many lion thrones, each lion throne manifesting as many light beams, each light beam showing as many colors, each color showing as many orbs of light, each orb of light showing as many radiant jewel flowers, each flower showing as many pedestals, on each pedestal there appearing as many buddhas, each buddha displaying as many miracles, each miracle purifying as many congregations, with as many freedoms of buddhahood appearing in each congregation, each freedom showing as many Buddha teachings, each Buddha teaching having as many scriptures, each scripture expounding as many doctrines, each doctrine having as many spheres of truth penetrated by adamantine knowledge, different words each explaining each sphere of truth, maturing as many realms of sentient beings as atoms in untold billions of buddha-lands, each realm having as many beings as atoms in untold billions of buddha-lands achieving peace in the Buddha teaching.
“Great enlightening beings in this concentration, causing infinite emanations of such miraculous scenes to appear, know they are all like mirages and are not obsessed by them or attached to them. They abide in the unimpeded realm of extremelessness, the unspeakable reality, inherent purity, the realm of reality, the true form, the nature of realization of thusness, which has no coming or going, which is not before or after, is infinitely profound, is realized by direct experience and spontaneously entered by knowledge and not understood from another. Their minds are free from confusion and discriminatory conceptualization; they are lauded by all buddhas; they flow forth from the power of the buddhas and enter into the realm of all buddhas; they directly witness essential nature as it really is with pure eyes, and see everywhere with the eye of wisdom; they develop the enlightened eye and become bright lamps for the world; they course in the realm known to the eye of knowledge and are able to widely expound subtle truths. They develop the will for enlightenment and head for the highest humanity. They are not obstructed by any objects. They enter the seed nature of knowledge and produce all kinds of knowledge. They are detached from worldly things, yet they appear to live in the world, transforming beings through spiritual powers and taming them by appropriate means. They are skilled in all such matters. Their virtues, understanding, and will are all thoroughly pure, extremely refined and thoroughly developed. Their knowledge and wisdom are vast as space, and they are adept at observing the realms of the sages. Their faith, practice, and willpower are firm and steadfast, immovable. Their virtues are inexhaustible, admired by the world. In the ocean of omniscience, the place of great enlightenment, the treasury watched by all buddhas, they collect myriad sublime jewels and become great sages. Just like lotus blossoms, they are inherently pure and clean, a delight and benefit to all who see them. The light of their knowledge illumines everywhere, and they see infinite buddhas and clarify all truths. Their actions are dispassionate and calm, and they are ultimately without impediment in realization of the teaching of buddhas. By means of appropriate techniques they always live by the virtuous action of enlightenment, in which they are born. They embody the knowledge of enlightening beings and are leaders of enlightening beings, protected by all the buddhas together. They attain the spiritual force of buddhas and develop the spiritual body of buddhas. Their mental powers are inconceivable; they are one-pointed on the objective realm, yet objectless. Their activity is far-reaching, signless, unimpeded, infinite as the cosmos. The enlightenment they realize is like space, boundless, without binding attachment. They work for the universal weal of all in the world, flowing from the foundations of goodness of the ocean of omniscience. They are able to comprehend infinite objective realms. They have perfected the practice of pure generosity, live by the heart of enlightening, purify the seed of enlightening beings, and are able accordingly to give birth to the enlightenment of the buddhas. They are well versed in all the Buddha teachings and can employ them skillfully; they embody their subtle practices and achieve stable, enduring power.
“The autonomous spiritual powers of all buddhas, which sentient beings can hardly hear of, the enlightening beings know entirely; they enter the gate of nonduality, abide in the formless truth, and though they have forever relinquished all forms, they are able to explain extensively all kinds of things according to the mentalities, inclinations, and understandings of sentient beings, pacifying and satisfying them. The cosmos is their body; they are free from discriminatory thinking; the sphere of their knowledge is inexhaustible. Their will is always powerful; their mind is always equanimous. They see the extent of the virtues of all buddhas. They know the differences and order of all ages.
“They expose all truths, live peacefully in all lands, beautify all buddha-lands, manifest the light of all true principles, and expound the teachings of all buddhas of past, future, and present. They point out the dwelling places of the enlightening beings, serve as lamps illumining the world, produce all roots of goodness, eternally detach from the world, and are forever born where the buddhas are. They acquire the knowledge and wisdom of buddhas, which is supreme: they are in the care of all the buddhas and have already entered the ranks of buddhas of the future. They grow from association with good companions, and whatever they set their wills on bears fruit. They have great power and abide in lofty determination and are able to explain whatever they hear.
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�Also, to show the roots of goodness of hearing the Teaching, they abide in the sphere of reality, their minds unobstructed in the midst of all things; they do not abandon their practices, but divorce discriminatory thought. Their minds have no stirring thoughts in the midst of all things; they acquire the illumination of knowledge and wisdom, and destroy the darkness of ignorance. They are able to clearly reflect all Buddha teachings. Not destroying the various realms of existence, they are born therein, and comprehend that all realms of existence fundamentally are inert. Their physical, verbal, and mental activities are all without extremes.
“Though they say all kinds of things by way of explanation in accord with local usage, they never destroy the truth which is beyond words. They enter deeply into the ocean of the enlightened, know that all things only have names, and have no bonds or attachments to objects. They understand that all things are empty, without existence; the practices they cultivate are born from the realm of reality. Like space, they are signless and formless; entering deeply into the realm of reality, they explain everything, producing universal knowledge through a single object.
“They contemplate the stage of the ten powers and cultivate it by knowledge. Knowledge is their bridge to omniscience; by the eye of knowledge they see things without obstruction and ably enter the various stages of enlightening. They know all kinds of principles, attain clear understanding of each and every facet of doctrine, and accomplish all their great undertakings.
The Flower Ornament Scripture Page 111