“Furthermore, it is like the moon, with four special extraordinary qualities: first, it outshines all the stars; second, as time passes it shows waning and waxing; third, its reflection appears in all clear waters; fourth, all who see it see it right before them, yet the moon has no discrimination and no arbitrary conceptions. The moon of the body of Buddha similarly has four special extraordinary qualities: it outshines all hearers and individual illuminates, whether they are in the stage of learning or beyond learning; according to the needs of the situation, it manifests different life spans, yet without increase or decrease in the Buddha-body; its reflection appears in all vessels of enlightenment, sentient beings with pure minds, in all worlds; all sentient beings who behold it think the Buddha is in their presence alone. According to their inclinations, Buddha teaches them, liberating them according to their states, causing them to perceive the Buddha-body according to their needs and potentials for edification, yet the Buddha-body has no discrimination, no arbitrary conceptions; all benefits it renders reach the ultimate end. This is the sixth characteristic of the body of Buddha; great enlightening beings should see it thus.
“Furthermore, just as the supreme Brahma god of a billion-world universe simply manifests its body in the billion worlds, and all beings see Brahma before them, yet Brahma does not divide its body and does not have multiple bodies, in the same way the buddhas have no discrimination, no false representations, and do not divide their bodies or have multiple bodies, yet they manifest their bodies in accord with the inclinations of all sentient beings, without thinking that they manifest so many bodies. This is the seventh characteristic of the body of Buddha; great enlightening beings should see it this way.
“A master physician is well versed in all medications and the science of hypnosis, fully uses all the medicines in the land, and, also because of the power of the physician’s past roots of goodness, and because of using hypnotic spells as an expedient, all those who see the physician recover from illness. That master physician, sensing impending death, thinks, ‘After I die, sentient beings will have no one to rely on; I should manifest an expedient for them.’ Then the master physician compounds drugs, which he smears on his body, and supports his body by spell power, so that it will not decay or shrivel after death, so its bearing, seeing, and hearing will be no different from before, and all cures will be effected. The Buddha, the Truly Enlightened One, the unexcelled master physician, is also like this, having developed and perfected the medicines of the Teaching over countless eons, having cultivated and learned all skills in application of means and fully consummated the power of illuminating spells, is able to quell all sentient beings’ afflictions. Buddha’s life spans measureless eons, the body pure, without any cogitation, without activity, never ceasing the works of buddhas; the afflictions of all sentient beings who see Buddha dissolve away. This is the eighth characteristic of the body of Buddha; great enlightening beings should see it in this way.
“In the ocean there is a great jewel called radiant repository, in which are assembled all lights: if any sentient beings touch its light, they become assimilated to its color; if any see it, their eyes are purified; whenever the light shines it rains jewels called felicity that soothe and comfort beings. The body of Buddha is also like this, being a treasury of knowledge in which are collected all virtues: if any sentient beings come in contact with the light of precious knowledge of the body of Buddha, they become the same as Buddha in appearance; if any see it their eye of reality is purified; wherever that light shines, it frees sentient beings from the miseries of poverty and ultimately imbues them with the bliss of enlightenment. The body of Buddha has no discrimination and no false conceptions, but can perform great buddha-works for all sentient beings. This is the ninth characteristic of the body of Buddha; great enlightening beings should see it in this way.
“In the ocean is a great wish-fulfilling jewel called treasury of adornments of all worlds, fully endowed with a million qualities, eliminating calamities and fulfilling wishes of beings wherever it is. However, this jewel cannot be seen by beings of little merit. The supreme wish-fulfilling jewel of the body of Buddha is also like this; called able to gladden all beings, if any sentient beings see the body of Buddha, hear the name, and praise the virtues, they will all be enabled to escape forever the pains and ills of birth and death. Even if all beings in all worlds focus their minds all at once on the desire to see Buddha, they will all be enabled to see and their wish will be fulfilled. The Buddha-body cannot be seen by sentient beings of little merit unless they can be tamed by the spiritual power of Buddha; if sentient beings, because of seeing the body of Buddha, plant roots of goodness and develop them, they are enabled to see the body of Buddha for their development. This is the tenth characteristic of the body of Buddha; great enlightening beings should see it thus, because their minds are measureless, pervading the ten directions, because their actions are as unhindered as space, because they penetrate everywhere in the realm of reality, because they abide in absolute truth, because they have no birth or death, because they remain equal throughout past, present, and future, because they are forever rid of all false discriminations, because they continue their eternal vows, because they purify all worlds, because they adorn each buddha-body.”
Then the great enlightening being Universally Good, in order to again clarify what he meant, said in verse,
Just as space pervades the ten directions,
Like form but not a form, existent but not existent,
Omnipresent, without bounds,
In beings’ bodies and lands, in all times,
So does the true body of buddhas
Pervade all phenomena,
Invisible, ungraspable,
Yet manifesting bodies to teach beings.
Just as space cannot be grasped
Yet lets all beings do their work
Without thinking what it does,
How it does it, or for whom,
The physical action of buddhas is also thus,
Causing beings to practice good ways,
Yet the buddha never has any notion
Of acting on them variously.
When the sun comes up over the land
It completely removes the darkness.
Mountains, trees, lakes, flowers, earth, and all beings,
All the various species receive benefit.
The sun of Buddha emerging too is thus,
Causing human and celestial good actions to grow,
Obliterating the darkness of ignorance so they gain the light of knowledge
And always experience all glorious bliss.
When the sun first comes up
It shines first on the high mountains, then the others,
Then shines on the high plains, then the whole land,
Yet the sun never has any discrimination.
The light of Buddha is also thus,
First illumining the enlightening beings, then the self-enlightened,
Then last the listeners and all sentient beings,
Yet the Buddha basically has no stirring thoughts.
Just as the blind cannot see the sun,
Yet sunlight still benefits them,
Enabling them to know time and season and receive food and drink,
To be freed from troubles and gain physical ease,
In the same way faithless beings do not see Buddha,
Yet Buddha benefits them as well;
By hearing Buddha’s name or being touched by Buddha’s light
They can even reach enlightenment.
Just as the moon in the sky
Outshines the stars and appears to wax and wane,
Shows its reflection in all waters,
And appears face to face with those who behold it,
The clear moon of Buddha is also thus,
Outshining other vehicles, showing length and brevity,
Appearing in the clear mind-water of humans and gods,
Seeming to be present to e
veryone.
Just as the god Brahma, while in its own palace,
Appears in all the Brahma abodes in the universe
So all humans and celestials can see it,
Yet does not actually divide its body to go to them,
Likewise does the Buddha’s manifestation of bodies
Pervade everywhere in the ten directions,
Those bodies countless, incalculable in number,
Yet without dividing bodies, without discrimination.
Like a physician skilled in his arts,
Seeing whom all are cured,
And though his life is ended he embalms his body
So that it will work as before,
So also does the Supreme Healer
Have all knowledge of techniques,
Manifesting embodiment as Buddha by excellent practices of yore,
So the afflictions of all who see are destroyed.
In the ocean is a superb jewel
Which radiates countless beams of light;
Those who come in contact with it become the same color,
And the eyes of those who see it are purified:
The Supreme Jewel is also thus;
Those whom its light touches become the same in appearance,
In those who get to see it the five eyes open;
They break through the darkness of the senses and dwell in buddhahood.
The wish-fulfilling jewel
Satisfies all desires;
Those of little virtue cannot see it,
Though this is not by the jewel’s discrimination:
The jewel of Buddha is also thus,
Fulfilling all desires;
Faithless beings cannot see it,
But not because Buddha abandons them.
“How should great enlightening beings know the voice of Buddha? They should know Buddha’s voice is omnipresent, because it pervades all sounds. They should know Buddha’s voice pleases all according to their mentalities, because its explanation of truth is clear and comprehensive. They should know Buddha’s voice gladdens all according to their resolve, because their minds gain clarity and coolness. They should know Buddha’s voice teaches without error in timing, because all who need and are able to hear it do. They should know Buddha’s voice has no birth or death, because it is like the echo of a call. They should know Buddha’s voice has no owner, because it is produced by cultivation of all appropriate practices. They should know Buddha’s voice is extremely profound, because it cannot be measured. They should know Buddha’s voice has no falsehood or deviousness, because it is born of the realm of truth. They should know Buddha’s voice has no end, because it permeates the cosmos. They should know Buddha’s voice has no change, because it reaches the ultimate.
“Great enlightening beings should know that Buddha’s voice is neither quantified nor unquantified, neither has a master nor lacks a master, neither communicates nor does not communicate. Why? It is as when the world is about to disintegrate, there is no master, no maker, yet it spontaneously emits four voices. One says, ‘You all should know that the well-being of the first meditation stage, free from the ills of desire, surpasses the realm of desire.’ The sentient beings hearing this are naturally able to accomplish the first meditation stage, relinquish the body of the realm of desire and be born in Brahma heaven. The second voice says, ‘You should know that the well-being of the second meditation stage, without reflection and rumination, surpasses the Brahma heaven.’ The sentient beings hearing this naturally manage to accomplish the second meditation stage, relinquish the body of Brahma heaven, and are born in the light-sound heaven. The third voice says, ‘You should know that the well-being of the third meditation stage has no flaws and surpasses the light-sound heaven.’ Hearing this, the sentient beings are naturally able to achieve the third meditation stage, relinquish the body of the light-sound heaven, and are born in the heaven of universal purity. The fourth voice says, ‘You should know that the tranquillity of the fourth meditation stage surpasses the heaven of universal purity.’ Hearing this, the sentient beings are naturally able to achieve the fourth meditation stage, relinquish the body of the heaven of universal purity, and are born in the heaven of vast results. These voices have no master or maker—they are just produced by the power of good practices of sentient beings.
“The voice of Buddha is also like this, without master or maker, without discrimination, not entering, not emerging, yet producing four great voices from the power of the virtuous qualities of Buddha. One voice says, ‘You all should know that all conditioned states are miserable. There is the misery of hells, the misery of animality, the misery of hungry ghosthood, the misery of lack of virtue, the misery of clinging to self and possessions, the misery of evildoing. If you want to be born human or divine, you should plant roots of goodness. Born in the human world or in a heaven, you will leave all situations in which enlightenment is difficult.’ Sentient beings, having heard this, give up error and perversity, practice good actions, leave all difficulties behind, and are born in the human world or in heaven. The second voice says, ‘You should know that the myriad pains of all conditioned states are as searing as balls of hot iron. Conditioned states are impermanent and pass away. Nirvana is tranquil, unfabricated well-being, beyond all burning, extinguishing all inflaming afflictions.’ Having heard this, sentient beings diligently practice good principles, and in the vehicle of listeners to Buddha’s voice attain the tolerance of conformity to the message. The third voice says, ‘You should know that those in the vehicle of listeners follow the words of another to understand; their knowledge and wisdom is narrow and inferior. There is a higher vehicle called the vehicle of the individually awakened, whose enlightenment does not depend on a teacher. You should learn it.’ Those inclined to a superior path, having heard this voice, give up the path of listeners and cultivate the vehicle of the individually awakened. The fourth voice says, ‘You should know that there is an even higher path beyond the ranks of these two vehicles, which is called the great vehicle, practiced by enlightening beings, following the six transcendent ways, not stopping enlightening practice, not relinquishing the determination for enlightenment, being in the midst of infinite birth and death without getting sick of it. Going beyond the two vehicles of individual liberation, it is called the Great Vehicle, the foremost vehicle, the preeminent vehicle, the supreme vehicle, the highest vehicle, the unexcelled vehicle, the vehicle of benefiting all sentient beings.’ If there are any sentient beings whose resolve is very great, whose faculties are strong and keen, who have planted roots of goodness in the past, who are spiritually empowered by the buddhas, who have superior inclinations and seek buddhahood, once they have heard this voice they arouse the determination for enlightenment. Buddha’s voice does not come from the body or from the mind, yet it can benefit infinite sentient beings. This is the first characteristic of Buddha’s voice; great enlightening beings should know it thus.
“Furthermore, just as an echo arises due to mountains, valley, and sound, and has no form, cannot be seen, and though it has no discrimination can follow all words, so also is the voice of Buddha—it has no form, cannot be seen, has no direction or location yet is not without direction and location; it just emerges according to the conditions of sentient beings’ inclinations and understandings. Its nature ultimately has no words, no information, and cannot be explained. This is the second characteristic of the voice of Buddha; great enlightening beings should know it thus.
“Furthermore, it is like the heavens’ great drum of law, called awakener: when the celestials act without restraint, the drum produces a voice in the sky saying, ‘You should know that all pleasures are impermanent, unreal, illusory, changing and disintegrating in a moment. They only fool the ignorant, causing attachment. Don’t be indulgent, for the unrestrained fall into bad ways, and it is of no use to regret afterward.’ The indulgent celestials, having heard this voice, are greatly distressed and frightened; they leave the pleasures in their own abodes
, go to the king of gods, seek the truth and practice the way. The sound of that drum has no master, no maker, no origin, no destruction, yet it can benefit infinite sentient beings. Know that Buddha likewise utters the voice of infinite sublime truths in order to awaken indulgent beings: the voice of non-attachment, the voice of nonindulgence, the voice of impermanence, the voice of suffering, the voice of selflessness, the voice of impurity, the voice of annulment, the voice of nirvana, the voice of measureless spontaneous knowledge, the voice of incorruptible enlightening practices, the voice of all-pervasive effortless knowledge of buddhas. These voices pervade the cosmos, awakening the beings therein; countless sentient beings, having heard them, all become joyful and diligently cultivate good ways, each seeking emancipation by their respective vehicles of emancipation—that is, some practice the vehicle of listeners, some practice the vehicle of individual awakening, and some practice the unsurpassed Great Vehicle of enlightening beings. Yet the voice of Buddha does not remain in any place; it has no speech. This is the third characteristic of the voice of Buddha; great enlightening beings should know it thus.
“Again, it is like the case of the celestial concubine of the great lord god, named Beautiful Mouth, whose voice corresponds to a hundred thousand kinds of music, within each of which are also a hundred thousand different tones. Just as that goddess Beautiful Mouth produces countless sounds in one utterance, in the same way Buddha produces innumerable voices in one utterance, according to the differences in mentalities of sentient beings, reaching them all and enabling them to gain understanding. This is the fourth characteristic of the voice of Buddha; great enlightening beings should know it thus.
“Also it is like the case of the great god Brahma, abiding in the Brahma palace, uttering the voice of Brahma, which all the Brahma masses hear, while the sound of the voice does not go outside that group; the Brahma divinities all think Brahma is speaking to them alone. The sublime voice of Buddha is also like this; all in the congregation at the site of enlightenment hear it, while the sound does not go outside that group. Why? Because those whose faculties are not yet mature cannot hear it. Those who hear the voice each think Buddha is talking to them alone. The voice of Buddha neither emerges nor remains, yet can accomplish all works. This is the fifth characteristic of the voice of Buddha; great enlightening beings should know it thus.
The Flower Ornament Scripture Page 130