The Flower Ornament Scripture

by Thomas Cleary

  “The Buddha’s upper right teeth have a mark of greatness called clouds of high banks of jewel flames, adorned with treasuries of jewels, emitting pure light of indestructible fragrant flames, each light ray filling the cosmos, showing the spiritual powers of all buddhas, and also showing the pure sites of enlightenment in all worlds in the ten directions. This is the forty-second.

  “The Buddha’s lower left teeth have a mark of greatness called clouds of radiant illumination from jewel lamps, adorned with all kinds of beautiful jewels emitting flowers and scents, emanating pure light from clouds of lamp flames, filling all oceans of worlds, revealing therein all buddhas sitting on lotus blossoms surrounded by enlightening beings. This is the forty-third.

  “The Buddha’s upper left teeth have a mark of greatness called cloud reflecting the enlightened ones, adorned with gold of pure brilliance, nets and flowers of jewels, emanating great spheres of flames filling the cosmos, revealing therein all the buddhas using their spiritual powers in space to distribute the milk of the Teaching, the lamps of the Teaching, the treasure of the Teaching, to educate all groups of enlightening beings. This is the forty-fourth.

  “The Buddha’s front teeth have a mark of greatness called cloud of omnipresent light; between each tooth are arrays of oceans of marks that all radiate light when the Buddha smiles, with crystal flames of the colors of all jewels, swirling to the right, circulating throughout the cosmos, uttering the voice of Buddha, explaining the practice of Universal Good. This is the forty-fifth.

  “The Buddha’s lips have a mark of greatness called cloud reflecting lights of all jewels, radiating immense beams of light the color of rose gold, of lotuses, and the colors of all jewels, illumining the cosmos and completely purifying it. This is the forty-sixth.

  “The Buddha’s neck has a mark of greatness called cloud shining on all worlds, adorned by diamonds. His neck is supple, soft, slender, and moist, and gives off radiant pure light filling all worlds in the ten directions, revealing all buddhas therein. This is the forty-seventh.

  “The Buddha’s right shoulder has a mark of greatness called Buddha’s immense cloud of all jewels, emanating lights of the colors of all jewels, gold, and lotus blossoms, forming a network of crystal flames, illuminating the cosmos, revealing all enlightening beings therein. This is the forty-eighth. The Buddha’s right shoulder has another mark of greatness, called cloud of supreme jewels shining radiantly, pure as gold in color, emanating crystal light filling the cosmos, revealing all enlightening beings therein. This is the forty-ninth.

  “The Buddha’s left shoulder has a mark of greatness called cloud of supreme light illuminating the cosmos, variously adorned like the marks on his crown and between his eyebrows, emitting golden, lotus-colored, and jewel-colored lights forming great networks of flames filling the cosmos, showing therein all occult powers. This is the fiftieth. The Buddha’s left shoulder has another mark of greatness, called cloud of light shining everywhere, whirling to the right, adorned with gold and diamonds, radiating lights of fragrant flames of flowers of jewels, filling the cosmos, showing all buddhas and all purified lands therein. This is the fifty-first. The Buddha’s left shoulder has another mark of greatness, called cloud of universal radiance, whirling to the right, with subtle mysterious adornments, emitting pure light from clouds of flames of buddhas’ lamps, filling the cosmos, revealing the various adornments of all enlightening beings therein, all superbly beautiful. This is the fifty-second.

  “The Buddha’s chest has a mark of greatness shaped like a gammadion called oceanic cluster of auspicious signs, adorned with crystal jewel flowers emitting all kinds of orbs of light flames of the colors of all jewels, filling the cosmos, making it all pure, and also producing marvelous sounds expressing the ocean of the teachings. This is the fifty-third.

  “To the right of the mark of auspicious signs is a mark of greatness called cloud of revelation of light, adorned by the cosmic net of Indra, radiating a vast circle of light filling the cosmos, revealing therein infinite buddhas. This is the fifty-fourth.

  “There is another mark of greatness to the right of the mark of auspicious signs, called cloud manifesting the Buddha everywhere, adorned by the jewel crowns of enlightening beings, emanating great lights shining on all worlds in the ten directions. Purifying them all, showing therein the buddhas of past, future, and present sitting on the sites of enlightenment, manifesting spiritual powers, and widely expounding the ocean of teachings. This is the fifty-fifth.

  “There is another mark of greatness to the right of the mark of auspicious signs, called cloud of blooming flowers, adorned by crystal jewel flowers, radiating pure light rays from precious lamps of fragrant flames, shaped like lotus blossoms, filling the world. This is the fifty-sixth.

  “There is another mark of greatness to the right of the mark of auspicious signs, called cloud of pleasant golden color, adorned by diamonds from the Mind King treasury of all jewels, emanating pure light illuminating the cosmos, revealing therein immensely radiant jewel treasuries like the eyes of Buddha. This is the fifty-seventh.

  “There is another mark of greatness to the right of the mark of auspicious signs, called cluster of oceans of buddhas, adorned by gems, fragrant lamps, and flower garlands, emanating the pure light of great flames of fragrant lamps of diamond, filling space, pervading all lands, showing the assemblies at the sites of enlightenment there. This is the fifty-eighth.

  “To the left of the mark of auspicious signs there is a mark of greatness called clouds of light of revelation, adorned with countless enlightening beings sitting on jewel lotus blossoms, emanating jewel-flame light beams, studded with diamonds, purifying all oceans of universes, revealing therein infinite buddhas and their sublime voices expounding all truths. This is the fifty-ninth.

  “There is another mark of greatness to the left of the mark of auspicious signs, called cloud of light appearing throughout the cosmos, adorned by an ocean of jewels, emitting great light pervading all worlds, showing the enlightening beings therein. This is the sixtieth.

  “There is another mark of greatness to the left of the mark of auspicious signs, called cloud of universal eminence, adorned with garlands of jewel orbs made of diamonds that shine like the sun, emanating great flames of light filling all oceans of worlds in the cosmos, showing therein all worlds, all buddhas, and all sentient beings. This is the sixty-first.

  “There is another mark of greatness to the left of the mark of auspicious signs, called cloud of the sublime sound of the turning of the wheel of the Teaching, adorned by lamps of all truths and flowers of pure fragrance, emitting great beams of light filling the cosmos, revealing therein the ocean of marks and ocean of mind of all the buddhas. This is the sixty-second.

  “There is another mark of greatness to the left of the mark of auspicious signs, called cloud of adornments, adorned by the ocean of all buddhas of past, future, and present, radiating immaculate light purifying all buddha-lands, showing therein all the buddhas and enlightening beings as well as the deeds they carry out. This is the sixty-third.

  “The Buddha’s right hand has a mark of greatness called cloud of oceanic illumination, adorned by myriad jewels, constantly emitting pure light like the aura of the moon, filling all worlds in space, emanating thunderous voices extolling all the practices of enlightening beings. This is the sixty-fourth.

  “Buddha’s right hand has another mark of greatness, called cloud or reflected radiance, adorned with flowers of lapis lazuli and sapphires, shedding great light illuminating all the worlds in the ten directions where enlightening beings abide, their troves of lotus blossoms, jewels and so on, therein showing the infinite buddhas sitting at the enlightenment tree with the pure body of reality, causing all the lands of the ten directions to quake. This is the sixty-fifth.

  “Buddha’s right hand has another mark of greatness, called cloud of lamp flame garlands adorning everywhere, arrayed with radiant jewels, emitting great beams of light forming networks of miracul
ous displays of mystical emanations, showing therein hosts of enlightening beings, all wearing jeweled crowns, expounding the ocean of enlightening practices. This is the sixty-sixth.

  “Buddha’s right hand has another mark of greatness, called cloud revealing all jewels, adorned with lamps with lotuslike flames, emitting oceanic treasuries of light pervading the cosmos, showing therein infinite buddhas sitting on lotus thrones. This is the sixty-seventh.

  “Buddha’s right hand has another mark of greatness, called cloud of light, adorned with oceans of crystal flames, emitting flames of all jewels and flames of flowers of fragrant fire, their pure light filling all networks of worlds, showing all buddhas’ sites of enlightenment therein. This is the sixty-eighth.

  “Buddha’s left hand has a mark of greatness called cloud of lamps of jewel-like purity, adorned with the colors of precious elements, radiating light of the golden hue of the Buddha, moment to moment constantly causing all the finest adornments to appear. This is the sixty-ninth.

  “Buddha’s left hand has another mark of greatness, called cloud of voices of the lamp of knowledge of all lands, adorned with diamond flowers in a cosmic net, radiating pure golden light illumining all worlds in the ten directions. This is the seventieth.

  “Buddha’s left hand has another mark of greatness, called cloud of light resting on a precious lotus, adorned with exquisite flowers of all precious substances, emanating great light, like a mountainous lamp, lighting all the worlds of the ten directions. This is the seventy-first.

  “Buddha’s left hand has another mark of greatness, called cloud of universal illumination of the cosmos, adorned with a cosmic net of jewel garlands, jewel discs, and jewel vases, as well as myriad sublime appearances, emitting great light illumining all lands in the ten directions, showing therein all buddhas of all oceans of worlds in all universes, sitting on lotus blossoms. This is the seventy-second.

  “Buddha’s right fingers have a mark of greatness called cloud showing the whirlpool of lands of all ages, adorned with flowers of all the finest jewels from treasuries of the glow of the moon reflected in the water, emanating great beams of light filling the cosmos, constantly producing therein subtle sound filling the lands of the ten directions. This is the seventy-third.

  “Buddha’s left fingers have a mark of greatness called cloud resting on all jewels, adorned with sapphires and diamonds, radiating the lights of all jewels, filling the cosmos, showing therein all buddhas and enlightening beings. This is the seventy-fourth.

  “Buddha’s right palm has a mark of greatness called cloud of radiance, adorned with a thousand-spoked diamond wheel, emanating jewel light whirling to the right filling the cosmos, showing therein all buddhas, each buddhas’ body blazing with flames of light, teaching the truth and liberating people, purifying worlds. This is the seventy-fifth.

  “Buddha’s left palm has a mark of greatness called cloud of flaming wheels, expanding and magically causing all the sites of enlightenment in the cosmos to appear, adorned with a thousand-spoked wheel of sunlike jewels, radiating great beams of light filling all oceans of worlds, revealing therein all enlightening beings, expounding the ocean of practices of Universal Good, entering into all buddhas’ lands, each enlightening innumerable sentient beings. This is the seventy-sixth.

  “Buddha’s genital organ has a mark of greatness called cloud emanating the voice of Buddha, adorned with all kinds of fine jewels, emitting flowery flame light from crystal lamps, the light refulgent, containing the colors of all jewels, illuminating all universes in space, showing therein all buddhas traveling, coming and going, reaching everywhere. This is the seventy-seventh.

  “Buddha’s right buttock has a mark of greatness called cloud of radiant garlands of jewel lamps, adorned with jewels, emitting inconceivable jewel flame rays of light spreading throughout all universes in the ten directions, being of the same one appearance as the cosmos of space, yet able to produce all appearances, manifesting in each appearance the autonomous mystical projections of the buddhas. This is the seventy-eighth.

  “Buddha’s left buttock has a mark of greatness called cloud of light covering the sky showing all oceans of universes like lotuses, adorned with pure jewels, emanating networks of light rays illumining all universes in the ten directions, revealing there clouds of all kinds of forms. This is the seventy-ninth.

  “Buddha’s right thigh has a mark of greatness called cloud of ubiquitous manifestation, adorned with crystals of many colors. The thigh is proportionate to the calf; it radiates lights of the true Teaching, like jewel flames, able to instantly reveal the ocean of forms of the striding of the king of all treasures. This is the eightieth.

  “Buddha’s left thigh has a mark of greatness called cloud showing the infinite oceans of features of all buddhas, adorned with an ocean of all jewels resting on each one, traveling vast distances, emanating pure light shining on all sentient beings, causing them all to seek the supreme state of buddhahood. This is the eighty-first.

  “Buddha’s deerlike right calf has a mark of greatness called cloud of all universes in space, adorned with sublime jewels of light. The calf is round and straight and walks well; it emanates pure golden light illuminating all buddhas’ worlds and emits great sounds causing them all to quake. It also shows all buddha-lands stationed in space, arrayed with jewel-like flames, from which countless enlightening beings magically appear. This is the eighty-second.

  “Buddha’s deerlike left calf has a mark of greatness called cloud of oceans of adornments. Golden-hued, it can walk through all buddha-lands, emitting the pure light of all jewels, filling the cosmos, given to perform buddha-works. This is the eighty-third.

  “The jewel hair on the Buddha’s lower legs has a mark of greatness called cloud of manifestations of reflected images of the cosmos. The hair curls to the right, and each hairtip radiates jewel light filling all universes in the ten directions, showing all buddhas’ spiritual powers. The hair pores all emit lights in which appear all buddha-lands. This is the eighty-fourth.

  “The soles of Buddha’s feet have a mark of greatness called cloud of arrangements of the ocean of all enlightening beings, diamond-colored, with pure lotus blossoms of gold, radiating jewel-like light illumining all oceans of worlds in the ten directions, with clouds of jewel-like fragrant flames reaching everywhere. When he lifts his foot to take a step, a fragrant air circulates, replete with the colors of all jewels, filling the cosmos. This is the eighty-fifth.

  “On Buddha’s right instep is a mark of greatness called cloud of light shining on everything, adorned with all kinds of jewels, radiating great lights filling the cosmos, showing all buddhas and enlightening beings. This is the eighty-sixth.

  “On Buddha’s left instep is a mark of greatness called cloud of manifestations of all buddhas, adorned with jewels, emanating jewel light moment to moment showing the miraculous displays of all buddhas, as well as their oceans of teachings, and the enlightenment sites they sit at, this continuing unbroken forever. This is the eighty-seventh.

  “Between Buddha’s right toes is a mark of greatness called cloud of light illuminating all oceans of universes, variously adorned with diamonds like mountainous lamps and thousand-spoked wheels of flames, radiating great beams of light filling the oceans of worlds in all universes in the ten directions, showing therein the various forms of precious adornments of all buddhas. This is the eighty-eighth.

  “Between Buddha’s left toes is a mark of greatness called cloud showing the ocean of all buddhas, adorned with jewel flowers, garlands of fragrant flaming lamps, and discs of all jewels, constantly emitting pure lights from an ocean of jewels, filling space, reaching all worlds in the ten directions, showing therein such features of all buddhas and enlightening beings as their universal voices and their mystic gammadion signs of felicity, benefiting all the infinite sentient beings. This is the eighty-ninth.

  “Buddha’s right heel has a mark of greatness called cloud of independent radiance, adorned with powdered s
apphires, always emanating the exquisite jewel light of the buddhas, the splendor of that light filling the cosmos, all the same one appearance, without any differences, therein showing all buddhas sitting at the site of enlightenment and expounding the sublime teaching. This is the ninetieth.

  “Buddha’s left heel has a mark of greatness called cloud manifesting sublime voices expounding the ocean of truths, adorned with jewels from the ocean of mystic projections, jewels from flowers of a polar mountain in an ocean of fragrant flames, as well as cat’s-eye gems, all radiating great beams of light filling the cosmos, showing therein the spiritual powers of the buddhas. This is the ninety-first.

  “Buddha’s right ankle has a mark of greatness called cloud shining with the light of all adornments, with extremely fine adornments made of all kinds of precious substances, radiating pure golden light, illumining all universes in the ten directions, the light appearing as an enormous cloud covering the sites of enlightenment of all buddhas. This is the ninety-second.

  “Buddha’s left ankle has a mark of greatness called cloud showing all colors, adorned with radiant jewels and sapphires containing the glow of all moons, moment to moment traveling through the ocean of universes, radiating crystal lamps’ fragrant flames’ light, that light pervading all universes. This is the ninety-third.

  “The circumference of Buddha’s right foot has a mark of greatness called universal treasury cloud, adorned with emeralds and diamonds, emanating jewel light filling space, therein showing all buddhas sitting on crystal lion thrones at the sites of enlightenment. This is the ninety-fourth.

  “The circumference of Buddha’s left foot has a mark of greatness called cloud of light illumining the whole cosmos, adorned with jewel flowers, radiating great lights filling the cosmos, all equal and uniform, therein showing the mystic power of all the buddhas and enlightening beings, with great wondrous voices expounding the endless ways of entry into truth there are in the cosmos. This is the ninety-fifth.