The Flower Ornament Scripture

by Thomas Cleary

  The lands, beings, and buddhas

  Have infinite distinctions in individuality;

  As such, past, present, and future worlds are boundless:

  Enlightening beings can see them all.

  BOOK THIRTY-ONE

  Life Span

  THEN THE ENLIGHTENING BEING Mind King, in the congregation, said to all the enlightening beings, “Offspring of Buddha, one eon in this world Endurance, the field of Shakyamuni Buddha, is a day and a night in the world Bliss, the field of Amitabha Buddha; one eon in the world of Bliss is a day and night in the world Vestment Banner, the field of the Buddha Adamant; one eon in the world Vestment Banner is a day and night in the world Wheel of Speech Which Does Not Roll Back, the field of the Buddha Lotus Blossoms of Sublime Light Blooming; one eon in the world Wheel of Speech Which Does Not Roll Back is a day and night in the world Free from Defilement, the field of the Buddha Banner of Truth; an eon in the world Free from Defilement is a day and night in the world Good Lamp, the field of the Buddha Lion; an eon in the world Good Lamp is a day and night in the world Subtle Light, the field of the Buddha Treasury of Light; an eon in the world Subtle Light is a day and night in the world Hard to Surpass, the field of the Buddha Blooming Lotus of Light of Truth; an eon in the world Hard to Surpass is a day and night in the world Adorning Wisdom, the field of the Buddha Light of All Spiritual Powers; an eon in the world Adorning Wisdom is a day and night in the world Mirror Light, the field of the Buddha Moon Knowledge: this succession goes on past a million zillion worlds; an eon in the last of these worlds is a day and a night in the world Supreme Lotus, the field of the Buddha Supreme in Goodness, which is filled by the enlightening being Universally Good and the great enlightening beings engaged in the same practice.”

  BOOK THIRTY-TWO

  Dwelling Places of Enlightening Beings

  THEN THE GREAT ENLIGHTENING BEING Mind King said to the enlightening beings, “In the east there is a place called Wizard Mountain where enlightening beings have lived since ancient times. At present there is an enlightening being named Best of Diamonds there with a group of followers, three hundred enlightening beings, always there expounding the Teaching. In the south there is a place called Outstanding Peak, where enlightening beings have dwelled since ancient times. Now there is an enlightening being named Spiritual Wisdom there with a group of followers, five hundred enlightening beings, always there expounding the Teaching. In the west there is a place called Diamond Flame Mountain, where enlightening beings have lived since ancient times. Now there is an enlightening being named Vigorous Fearless Action there with a following of three hundred enlightening beings, always expounding the Teaching. In the north there is a place called Mass of Fragrance Mountain, where enlightening beings have lived since ancient times; now there is an enlightening being named Musky Elephant there with a following of three thousand enlightening beings, always expounding the Teaching. In the northeast there is a place called Clear, Cool Mountain, where enlightening beings have lived since ancient times; now there is an enlightening being there named Manjushri, with a following of ten thousand enlightening beings, always expounding the Teaching. In the ocean there is a place called Diamond Mountain, where enlightening beings have lived since ancient times; now there is an enlightening being named Born of Truth there with a following of twelve hundred enlightening beings, always expounding the Teaching. In the southeast there is a place called Monument Mountain, where enlightening beings have lived since ancient times; now there is an enlightening being named Celestial Crown there with a following of a thousand enlightening beings, always expounding the Teaching. In the southwest there is a place called Mountain of Light, where enlightening beings have lived since ancient times; now there is an enlightening being named Best of Sages there with a following of three thousand enlightening beings, always expounding the Teaching. In the northwest there is a place called Fragrant Breeze Mountain, where enlightening beings have lived since ancient times; now there is an enlightening being named Fragrant Light there with a following of five thousand enlightening beings, always expounding the Teaching.

  “In the ocean there is also a dwelling place called Cave of Adornments, where enlightening beings have lived since ancient times. South of Vaishali there is a dwelling place called Stable Roots, where enlightening beings have stayed since ancient times. In the city of Mathura there is a dwelling place called Cave of Satisfaction, where enlightening beings have lived since ancient times. In the city of Kuchana there is a dwelling place called Seat of the Law, where enlightening beings have lived since ancient times. In the city Pure Other Shore there is a dwelling place called Mucilinda, where enlightening beings have lived since ancient times. In the state of Maratha there is a dwelling place called Built by the Uninhibited Dragon King, where enlightening beings have lived since ancient times. In Afghanistan there is a dwelling place called Producing Compassion, where enlightening beings have lived since ancient times. In China there is a dwelling place called Cave of Original Man, where enlightening beings have lived since ancient times. In Kashgar there is a dwelling place called Oxhead Mountain, where enlightening beings have lived since ancient times. In Kashmir there is a dwelling place called Process, where enlightening beings have lived since ancient times. In the city of Increasing Joy there is a dwelling place called Seeing a Hundred Million Treasuries of Light, where enlightening beings have lived since ancient times. In the state of Gandhara there is a place called Shangrila Cavern, where enlightening beings have lived since ancient times.”

  BOOK THIRTY-THREE

  Inconceivable Qualities of Buddhas

  AT THAT TIME there were in the assembly enlightening beings who were thinking, “How are the buddhas’ lands inconceivable? How are the buddhas’ original vows inconceivable? How are the families of buddhas inconceivable? How are the manifestations of buddhas inconceivable? How are the bodies of buddhas inconceivable? How are the voices of buddhas inconceivable? How are the knowledge and wisdom of buddhas inconceivable? How are the freedoms of buddhas inconceivable? How is the nonobstruction of buddhas inconceivable? How is the liberation of buddhas inconceivable?”

  The Buddha, knowing what the enlightening beings were thinking, used the support of spiritual power, the embrace of knowledge, the radiance of light, and the fulfillment of occult force to cause the enlightening being Blue Lotus Blossom Trove to abide in the nonhesitation of buddhas, enter the reality realm of buddhas, acquire the mystic power and psychic freedom of buddhas, attain the unimpeded, immensely broad insight of buddhas, know the succession of all lineages of buddhas, and abide by the untold means of buddhas’ teachings. Thereupon that enlightening being was able to commune with the unobstructed realm of reality, thus was able calmly to sustain profound practice free from impediments, thus was able to fulfill the great vow of universal good, thus was able to know and perceive all aspects of buddhahood. With great compassion he observed sentient beings, wishing to cause them to be pure and diligent in self-cultivation, to accept and apply all the principles of enlightening beings. In a single mental instant he produced enlightened knowledge and understood all the inexhaustible means of knowledge, his mnemonic command and intellectual powers complete.

  By the power of Buddha he said to the enlightening being Lotus Blossom Calyx, “The buddhas, World Honored Ones, have innumerable abodes—the abode of eternity, the abode of great compassion, the abode of various bodies performing buddha-work, the abode of equanimously turning the wheel of the pure Teaching, the abode of explaining innumerable principles by means of analytic knowledge, the abode of the inconceivable qualities of all buddhas, the abode of the sound of purity pervading infinite lands, the abode of the inexpressibly profound realm of reality, the abode of manifesting all supreme spiritual powers—and are able to reveal the ultimate truth that has no barrier.

  “The buddhas have ten things that pervade the infinite cosmos. What are these ten? All buddhas have unbounded bodies, with pure forms, entering into all states of being without
defilement or attachment. All buddhas have unbounded, unobstructed eyes that can clearly see all things. All buddhas have unbounded, unobstructed ears that can understand all sounds and utterances. All buddhas have unbounded, unobstructed noses that can reach the other shore of freedom of the buddhas. All buddhas have universal tongues that utter sublime sounds pervading the cosmos. All buddhas have unbounded bodies that appear to sentient beings in accord with their minds. All buddhas have unbounded minds that dwell on the unobstructed impartial body of reality. All buddhas have unbounded, unobstructed liberation, manifesting inexhaustible great spiritual powers. All buddhas have unbounded pure worlds, manifesting buddha-lands according to the pleasures of sentient beings, replete with infinite adornments, yet without giving rise to any obsession or attachment to them. All buddhas have unbounded practical undertakings of enlightening beings, having complete knowledge, spiritual freedom, and ability to master all elements of buddhahood. These are the ten phenomena of buddhahood that pervade the cosmos without bound, which are in the perfectly enlightened ones.

  “The buddhas have ten kinds of instantly creative knowledge. What are these ten? All buddhas can, in a single instant, appear to descend from heaven in infinite worlds. All buddhas can, in a single instant, manifest birth as enlightening beings in infinite worlds. All buddhas can, in a single instant, manifest renunciation of the mundane and study of the way to liberation in infinite worlds. All buddhas can, in a single instant, manifest attainment of true enlightenment under enlightenment trees in infinite worlds. All buddhas can, in a single instant, manifest turning the wheel of the Teaching in infinite worlds. All buddhas can, in a single instant, manifest education of sentient beings and service of the enlightened in infinite worlds. All buddhas can, in a single instant, manifest untold variety of buddha-bodies in infinite worlds. All buddhas can, in a single instant, manifest all kinds of adornments in infinite worlds, innumerable adornments, the freedoms of the enlightened, and the treasury of omniscience. All buddhas can, in a single instant, manifest countless pure beings in infinite worlds. All buddhas can, in a single instant, manifest the buddhas of past, present, and future in infinite worlds, with various faculties and characters, various energies, and various practical understandings, attaining true enlightenment in the past, present, and future.

  “The buddhas have ten kinds of proper timing. What are these ten? All buddhas develop and mature those with affinity at the appropriate time. All buddhas give enlightening beings instructions for the future at the proper time. All buddhas show spiritual powers in accord with sentient beings’ minds at the proper time. All buddhas show buddha-bodies in accord with sentient beings’ understandings at the proper time. All buddhas persist in great relinquishment at the proper time. All buddhas go into inhabited places at the appropriate time. All buddhas receive the pure and faithful at the proper time. All buddhas tame evil sentient beings at the appropriate time. All buddhas reveal the inconceivable occult powers of the enlightened at the proper time.

  “The buddhas have ten peerless inconceivable realms. What are they? All buddhas, once sitting, pervade infinite worlds in the ten directions. All buddhas, uttering one logical statement, can express all Buddha teachings. All buddhas, emanating one light, can illumine all worlds. All buddhas, in one body, can manifest all bodies. All buddhas can show all worlds in one place. All buddhas can ascertain all things within one knowledge without any impediment. All buddhas can travel to all worlds in the ten directions in a single moment of thought. All buddhas can manifest the infinite spiritual powers of the enlightened in a single instant. All buddhas can focus on all the buddhas and sentient beings of past, present, and future in a single instant without confusion of mind. All buddhas are in one instant essentially the same as all buddhas of past, future, and present.

  “The buddhas can produce ten kinds of knowledge. What are they? All buddhas know all things have no aim, yet they can produce knowledge of dedicated undertaking. All buddhas know all things have no body, yet they can produce knowledge of pure bodies. All buddhas know all things are fundamentally nondual, yet they can produce knowledge capable of awareness and understanding. All buddhas know all things have no self and no being, yet they can produce knowledge to civilize beings. All buddhas know all things fundamentally have no marks, yet they can produce knowledge of all marks. All buddhas know all worlds have no becoming or decay, yet they can produce knowledge of becoming and decay. All buddhas know all things have no creation, yet they can produce knowledge of the effects of action. All buddhas know all things have no verbal explanation, yet they can produce knowledge of verbal explanation. All buddhas know all things have no defilement or purity, yet they can produce knowledge of defilement and purity. All buddhas know all things have no birth or extinction, yet they can produce knowledge of birth and extinction.

  “The buddhas have ten kinds of ways of entry into universality. What are they? All buddhas have immaculate bodies that penetrate past, present, and future. All buddhas are endowed with three kinds of mastery—of diagnosis, prescription, and occult powers—by which they edify beings everywhere. All buddhas are endowed with mnemonic powers able to receive and hold all Buddha teachings. All buddhas are endowed with four special knowledges—of principles, meanings, expressions, and elocution—and operate all cycles of pure teaching everywhere. All buddhas have impartial great compassion and never abandon all sentient beings. All buddhas have profound meditation concentration and always observe all sentient beings everywhere. All buddhas have roots of goodness beneficial to others, and civilize sentient beings unceasingly. All buddhas have unobstructed minds, able to abide calmly in all universes. All buddhas have unimpeded spiritual powers and are able to manifest the buddhas of past, present, and future in one instant. All buddhas have unobstructed intellect, in a single instant defining sets of ages of past, present, and future.

  “Buddhas have ten great qualities that are hard to believe in. What are they? All buddhas can destroy all demons. All buddhas can overcome all false teachers. All buddhas can tame all sentient beings and make them all happy. All buddhas can go to all worlds and guide the myriad types of beings there. All buddhas can knowingly experience the most profound realm of reality. All buddhas can, by means of a nondual body, manifest various bodies, filling the world. All buddhas can, with pure voices, produce the special knowledges of principle, meaning, expression, and elocution, and expound truths endlessly, to the unfailing benefit of those who accept. All buddhas can manifest buddhas as numerous as atoms in all worlds in a single pore, without end. All buddhas can manifest in a single atom as many lands as atoms in all worlds, replete with all kinds of fine adornments, and continuously turn the wheel of the sublime Teaching therein for the edification of sentient beings—yet the atom is not enlarged and the worlds are not small; they always abide in the realm of reality by realizational knowledge. All buddhas arrive at the pure realm of reality, shatter the darkness of ignorance of the world by means of the light of knowledge, cause all to gain understanding of the Buddha teachings, follow the enlightened, and dwell in the ten powers.

  “The buddhas have ten kinds of great virtue that are impeccably pure. What are they? All buddhas are endowed with great spiritual power, impeccably pure. All buddhas are born in the families of the enlightened ones of past, present, and future, of people harmonious and good, impeccably pure. All buddhas’ minds are free from obsession forever, impeccably pure. All buddhas are free from attachment to anything in the past, present, or future, impeccably pure. All buddhas know all kinds of natures are one nature, coming from nowhere, impeccably pure. All buddhas’ virtues, past, present, and future, are inexhaustible, equal to the cosmos, impeccably pure. All buddhas’ boundless physical forms pervade all lands of the ten directions, teaching all sentient beings at the appropriate times, with impeccable purity. All buddhas acquire the fourfold fearlessness, are freed from all fears, and roar the great lion’s roar among the masses, clearly discerning all things, impeccably pure. All the buddhas
enter final nirvana in untold ages, and when sentient beings hear their names they gain immeasurable benefit, same as if the buddhas were presently existing, impeccably pure. All buddhas, though in untold distant worlds, can be seen by sentient beings who correctly meditate on them single-mindedly, impeccably pure.

  “The buddhas have ten kinds of ultimate purity. What are they? All buddhas’ past great vows are ultimately pure. The religious conduct maintained by all buddhas is ultimately pure. All buddhas’ separation from the confusions of worldly beings is ultimately pure. All buddhas’ adorned lands are ultimately pure. All buddhas’ followings are ultimately pure. All buddhas’ families are ultimately pure. All buddhas’ physical characteristics and refinements are ultimately pure. The non-defilement of the reality-body of all buddhas is ultimately pure. All buddhas’ omniscient knowledge, without obstruction, is ultimately pure. All buddhas’ liberation, freedom, accomplishment of their tasks, and arrival at completion are ultimately pure.

  “Buddhas have ten kinds of buddha-work in all worlds in all times. What are they? If there are sentient beings who think of them single-mindedly, the buddhas appear before them. If there are sentient beings whose minds are unruly, they explain the Teaching to them. If there are sentient beings able to develop pure faith, they will surely cause them to acquire immeasurable roots of goodness. If there are sentient beings able to enter the ranks of truth, they will appear to testify to it, so that they know all. They teach and influence sentient beings tirelessly. They travel to all buddha-lands, coming and going without impediment. With great compassion they do not abandon sentient beings. They manifest transfigured emanation bodies, continuing forever. Their exercise of spiritual powers is ceaseless. They abide in the cosmos of reality, able to observe everywhere.