The Flower Ornament Scripture

by Thomas Cleary

  Then the enlightening being Wondrous Qualities of Natural Origination of Buddha asked the great enlightening being Universally Good, “This vast miraculous display manifested by the Buddha, causing all the enlightening beings joy, is inconceivable, incomprehensible to the world—what is this auspicious sign?” Universally Good replied, “In the past when I saw buddhas show such tremendous mystic displays, they expounded the teaching of the manifestation of Buddha. I think that now since he has displayed this sign, he is going to expound this teaching. When this teaching is expounded, the whole earth quakes and immeasurable lights asking about the teaching are produced.”

  Then the enlightening being Wondrous Qualities of Natural Origination of Buddha asked the enlightening being Universally Good, “How should great enlightening beings know the principle of the manifestation of the buddhas, those who realize Thusness, those who are truly awake? Please tell us; these countless trillions of enlightening beings have all cultivated purifying practice for a long time, their recollection and precise awareness is fully developed, they embody the dignity of all buddhas, they have reached the consummation of ultimate great adornment, they correctly remember all buddhas without forgetting, they observe all sentient beings with great compassion, they know with certainty the spheres of spiritual powers of great enlightening beings, they have already received the support of the spiritual power of buddhas, they are able to receive the sublime teachings of all buddhas: imbued with immeasurable such virtues, they have all come and gathered here. You have already attended and served countless quintillions of buddhas, accomplished the supreme practice of enlightening beings, have attained mastery of all modes of concentration, have penetrated the esoteric secrets of all buddhas, know all ways of enlightenment, have put an end to all doubt, are supported by the spiritual power of the buddhas, know the faculties of sentient beings and explain ways of genuine liberation to them according to their inclinations, follow the knowledge of Buddha, expound the Buddha teachings, and have reached the Other Shore. You have infinite such virtues, worthy of praise. Please explain the phenomena of the manifestation of the buddhas, those who realize Thusness, the truly awake—their physical forms, utterances, states of mind, practices, enlightenment, and preaching, until their manifestation of entry into ultimate extinction, and the roots of goodness generated by seeing, hearing, and associating with them. Please tell us about all these things.” Then the enlightening being Wondrous Qualities of Natural Origin of Buddha, desiring to reiterate his point, spoke these verses to the enlightening being Universally Good:

  Excellent sage of unimpeded wisdom,

  You are well aware of the boundless realm of equality.

  Please explain the practices of infinite buddhas;

  The enlightening beings will be happy to hear them.

  How can enlightening beings follow and comprehend

  The buddhas’ emergence in the world?

  What are their spheres of body, speech, and mind?

  Tell us this, and their spheres of action too.

  How do buddhas attain true enlightenment?

  How do buddhas turn the wheel of the Teaching?

  How do the Blissful Ones pass away?

  The masses will be happy to hear.

  Of those who see the buddhas, great spiritual sovereigns,

  Attend them and develop roots of goodness,

  Please tell us the stores of virtue

  And what the beings who see them attain.

  If any hear of buddhas’ names,

  Whether present in the world or extinct,

  And deeply believe in their treasury of merit,

  Tell us how they will benefit.

  These enlightening beings, all in an attitude of respect,

  Are gazing at the Buddha, and at you and me;

  Please tell them of the ocean of virtues

  Which purifies living beings.

  Please explain the meanings in the wondrous teaching

  With stories and examples;

  When beings hear, they will be greatly inspired,

  Their doubts will end and their knowledge will be clear as space.

  Like the glorified bodies manifested

  By buddhas throughout all lands,

  By marvelous speech, stories, and examples

  Please show the enlightenment of buddhas like them.

  In millions of buddha-lands in the ten directions,

  In countless billions of eons,

  It is hard to see such enlightening beings

  As have gathered here now.

  These enlightening beings are all reverent,

  Eager for the subtle doctrine;

  Please expound with pure mind

  The great phenomena of Buddha’s manifestation.

  Then the enlightening being Universally Good said to the great congregation of enlightening beings, “This matter is inconceivable. The Buddha, the one who realizes Thusness, the worthy, the truly awake, becomes manifest by means of infinite phenomena. Why? It is not by one condition, by one phenomenon, that the manifestation of Buddha can be accomplished. It is accomplished by ten infinities of things. What are the ten? It is accomplished by the mind of enlightenment that took care of infinite sentient beings in the past. It is accomplished by the infinite supreme aspirations of the past. It is accomplished by great benevolence and compassion, which infinitely saved all sentient beings in the past. It is accomplished by infinite continuous commitments of the past. It is accomplished by infinite cultivation of virtues and knowledge tirelessly in the past. It is accomplished by infinite service of buddhas and education of sentient beings in the past. It is accomplished by infinite pure paths of wisdom and means in the past. It is accomplished by infinite pure virtues of the past. It is accomplished by infinite ways of adornment in the past. It is accomplished by infinite comprehensions of principles and meanings in the past. When these infinite, incalculable aspects of the Teaching are fulfilled, one becomes a buddha.

  “It is as a billion-world universe is not formed just by one condition, not by one phenomenon—it can be formed only by innumerable conditions, innumerable things. That is to say, the rising and spreading of great clouds and showering of great rain produce four kinds of atmosphere, continuously making a basis. What are those four? One is called the holder, because it can hold the great waters. Second is called the evaporator, because it can evaporate the great waters. Third is called structure, because it sets up all places. Fourth is called arrangement, because the arrangement and distribution are all functional. These are all produced by the joint actions of sentient beings and by the roots of goodness of enlightening beings, enabling all sentient beings to get the use of what they need. Innumerable such causes and conditions form the universe. It is such by the nature of things—there is no producer or maker, no knower or creator, yet the worlds come to be.

  “The manifestation of Buddha is also like this—it does not come about through just one condition or thing, but by innumerable causes and conditions, innumerable phenomena. That is, having heard, received, and held the clouds and rain of the great Teaching from past buddhas, by this can be produced the four kinds of atmosphere of great knowledge of the enlightened. What are these four? One is the atmosphere of great knowledge of mental command able to retain memory without forgetting, being able to hold the great clouds and rain of teachings of all buddhas. Second is the atmosphere of great knowledge producing tranquillity and insight, being able to evaporate all afflictions. Third is the atmosphere of great knowledge of skillful dedication, being able to perfect all roots of goodness. Fourth is the atmosphere of great knowledge producing undefiled, variegated, magnificent arrays of adornments, causing the roots of goodness of all beings taught in the past to be purified, and consummating the power of the untainted roots of goodness of the enlightened. The buddhas’ attainment of enlightenment in this way is thus by the nature of things—without production or creation, it nevertheless takes place. This is the first characteristic of the manifestation of
the completely enlightened, the truly awake. Great enlightening beings should know it as such.

  “Furthermore, just as when a billion-world universe is about to form, the rain falling from the great clouds, called ‘the deluge,’ cannot be absorbed or held by any place except the universe when it is about to form, in the same way when the Buddha rouses the clouds of the great Teaching and showers the rain of the great Teaching, those of the two lesser vehicles, whose minds and wills are narrow and weak, cannot absorb or hold it—this is possible only for the great enlightening beings with the power of mental continuity. This is the second characteristic of the manifestation of Buddha—great enlightening beings should know it as such.

  “Furthermore, just as sentient beings, by the force of their acts, shower rain from great clouds, which do not come from anywhere or go anywhere, in the same way great enlightening beings, by the power of their roots of goodness, rouse the clouds of the great Teaching and shower the rain of the great Teaching, yet it comes from nowhere and goes nowhere. This is the third characteristic of the manifestation of Buddha—great enlightening beings should know it as such.

  “Furthermore, just as no beings in the universe can count the drops of rain pouring from great clouds, and would go crazy if they tried, for only the overlord god of the universe, by the power of roots of goodness cultivated in the past, is aware of every single drop, in the same way the Buddha produces great clouds of teachings and showers great rain of teachings that all sentient beings, seekers of personal salvation, and self-enlightened ones cannot know, and they would surely go mad if they tried to assess them in thought; only the great enlightening beings, lords of all worlds, by the power of awareness and intellect cultivated in the past, comprehend every single expression and phrase, and how they enter beings’ minds. This is the fourth characteristic of the manifestation of Buddha—great enlightening beings should know it as such.

  “Furthermore, it is as when great clouds shower rain, there is a great cloud raining called the extinguisher, because it can extinguish fires, there is a great cloud raining called producer, because it can produce floods; there is a great cloud raining called stopper, because it can stop floods; there is a great cloud raining called maker, because it can make all kinds of jewels; there is a great cloud raining called distinguisher, because it can distinguish the billion worlds of the universe. The Buddha manifesting is also like this, producing great clouds of teaching, showering great rains of teaching: there is a great rain of teaching called extinguisher because it can extinguish all sentient beings’ afflictions; there is a great rain of teaching called producer because it can produce all sentient beings’ roots of goodness; there is a great rain of teaching called stopper because it can stop all sentient beings’ delusions of views; there is a great rain of teaching called maker because it can make all jewels of wisdom; there is a great rain of teaching called distinguisher because it distinguishes the inclinations of all sentient beings. This is the fifth characteristic of the manifestation of Buddha—great enlightening beings should know it as such.

  “Furthermore, just as the great clouds rain water of one flavor, yet there are innumerable differences according to where it rains, in the same way Buddha appearing in the world rains water of teaching of one flavor of great compassion, yet his sermons according to the needs of the situation are infinitely variegated. This is the sixth characteristic of the manifestation of Buddha—great enlightening beings should know it as such.

  “Furthermore, as when a billion-world universe first forms, the abodes of the heavens in the realm of form are made first, then the abodes of the heavens in the realm of desire, and then the abodes of human and other beings, similarly Buddha appearing in the world first produces the knowledge of practices of enlightening beings, then the knowledge of practices of individual illuminates, then the knowledge of practices of listeners, then the knowledge of practices of the conditional roots of goodness of other sentient beings. Just as the great clouds rain water of one flavor while the abodes created are variously dissimilar according to the differences in roots of goodness of the sentient beings, Buddha’s spiritual rain of the one flavor of compassion has differences according to the vessels, or capacitites of sentient beings. This is the seventh characteristic of the manifestation of Buddha—great enlightening beings should know it as such.

  “Furthermore, when the worlds are beginning, there is a great flood filling the billion-world universe, producing enormous lotus flowers, called array of jewels of virtues of the manifestation of Buddha, which cover the surface of the waters, their radiance illumining all worlds in the ten directions. Then the overlord god, the gods of the pure abodes, and so on, seeing these flowers, know for certain that in this eon there will be that many buddhas appearing in the world. At that time there arises an atmosphere called highly purified light which makes the mansions of the heavens of the realm of form. There arises an atmosphere called array of pure lights which makes the mansions of the heavens of the world of desire. There arises an atmosphere called firm, dense, and indestructible, which makes the great and small peripheral mountains and the iron mountains. There arises an atmosphere called supremely high which makes the polar mountains. There arises an atmosphere called immovable which makes the ten great mountains. There arises an atmosphere called stabilization which makes the earth. There arises an atmosphere called adornment which makes the palaces of the earth and sky, of the water and sound spirits. There arises an atmosphere called inexhaustible treasury which makes all the oceans of the billion worlds. There arises an atmosphere called treasury of universal light which makes all the jewels of the billion worlds. There arises an atmosphere called steadfast root which makes all the wish-fulfilling trees of the billion worlds. The one-flavored water rained by the great clouds has no distinctions, but because the roots of goodness of sentient beings are not the same, the atmospheres are not the same, and because of the differences of the atmospheres, the worlds are different. The manifestation of Buddha is also like this, replete with the virtues of all roots of goodness, emitting the light of unexcelled great knowledge, called inconceivable knowledge perpetuating the lineage of buddhas, illumining all worlds in the ten directions, giving the enlightening beings the prediction that they will be coronated by all buddhas, attain true enlightenment, and appear in the world. The Buddha manifesting has another light of unexcelled great knowledge, called pure and undefiled, which makes the untainted inexhaustible knowledge of the enlightened. There is another light of unexcelled great knowledge, called universal illumination, which makes the Buddha’s inconceivable knowledge universally penetrate the realm of reality. There is another light of unexcelled great knowledge, called sustaining the nature of buddhahood, which makes the insuperable power of Buddha. There is another light of unexcelled great knowledge, called outstanding and incorruptible, which makes Buddha’s fearless and incorruptible knowledge. There is another light of unexcelled great knowledge, called all spiritual powers, which makes Buddha’s unique qualities and omniscience. There is another light of unexcelled great knowledge, called producing mystic transformation, which makes Buddha’s knowledge of how to cause the roots of goodness produced by seeing, hearing, and attending Buddha to not be lost or decay. There is another light of unexcelled great knowledge, called universal accord, which makes Buddha’s body of endless virtue and knowledge, doing what is beneficial for all beings. There is another light of unexcelled great knowledge, called inexhaustible, which makes Buddha’s extremely profound, subtle knowledge causing the lineage of the three treasures not to die out, according to those who are enlightened by it. There is another light of unexcelled great knowledge, called various adornments, which makes the glorified body of Buddha, gladdening all sentient beings. There is another light of unexcelled great knowledge, called indestructible, which makes the inexhaustible, supreme life span of Buddha equal to the cosmos and the realm of space. Buddha’s water of the one flavor of compassion has no distinction, but because sentient beings’ inclina
tions are not the same and their faculties and characters are different, it produces various atmospheres of great knowledge, enabling the sentient beings to accomplish the actual manifestation of buddhahood. All buddhas are one and the same in essence; from the sphere of great knowledge they produce various kinds of lights of knowledge. You should know that Buddha, from the single flavor of liberation, produces infinite, inconceivable qualities of various kinds, which sentient beings think are products of the Buddha’s supernormal powers, but which actually are not created by the supernormal powers of Buddha. There is not a single enlightening being who can ever attain even a little bit of the knowledge and wisdom of buddhas without having planted roots of goodness in the company of buddhas. It is just that by the spiritual power of the buddhas sentient beings are enabled to embody the qualities of buddhahood; yet the buddhas have no discrimination. There is no creation, no destruction, no creator, and nothing created. This is the eighth characteristic of the manifestation of Buddha—great enlightening beings should know it as such.

  “Furthermore, it is like the arising of four atmospheres in space that can sustain the sphere of water. Of these four, one is called stability, the second permanence, the third ultimacy, and the fourth firmness. These four atmospheres can sustain the sphere of water; the sphere of water can sustain the earth and prevent it from falling apart—therefore it is said that the sphere of earth rests on the sphere of water, the sphere of water rests on the atmosphere, the atmosphere rests on space, and space does not rest on anything; but though space does not rest on anything, it enables the universe to abide. The manifestation of Buddha is also like this, producing Buddha’s four kinds of atmosphere of great knowledge based on the unimpeded light of wisdom, able to sustain the roots of goodness of all sentient beings. What are those four? The atmosphere of great knowledge taking care of all sentient beings and inspiring joy in them; the atmosphere of great knowledge setting up right teaching and causing sentient beings to take to it; the atmosphere of great knowledge preserving all sentient beings’ roots of goodness; the atmosphere of great knowledge containing all appropriate means, arriving at the realm where there are no taints or contaminations. The buddhas benevolently rescue all living beings, compassionately liberate all living beings, their great benevolence and compassion universally aiding all: however, great benevolence and great compassion rest on great skill in means; great skill in means rests on the manifestation of Buddha; the manifestation of Buddha rests on the light of unimpeded wisdom; the light of unimpeded wisdom does not rest on anything. This is the ninth characteristic of the manifestation of Buddha—great enlightening beings should know it as such.