The Flower Ornament Scripture

by Thomas Cleary

  From the southeast, beyond as many oceans of worlds as atoms in untold buddha-lands, from the land of the buddha Dragon King, in the world Banner of Arrays of Clouds of Fragrance, an enlightening being named King of Fiery Energy of Truth, together with as many enlightening beings as atoms in untold oceans of worlds, given leave by that buddha and having disappeared from that assembly, came to this world Endurance, covering the whole sky with clouds of spheres of golden light, clouds of spheres of light of jewels of infinite colors, clouds of spheres of light the color of the curl of hair between the Buddha’s eyebrows, clouds of spheres of light of various jewel colors, clouds of spheres of light the color of the inside of lotuses, clouds of spheres of light the color of superb jewels like circles of branches of jewel trees, clouds of spheres of light like the knot on the head of Buddha, clouds of spheres of light the color of fine gold, clouds of spheres of light the color of the sun, and clouds of forms of the discs of the sun and moon and stars. The great enlightening being and company brought and presented these to the Buddha, then went to the southeast and magically produced towers of flowers of coolly shining pearly radiance, and lion thrones in lotuses of excellent diamonds, and sat there, having covered their bodies with the finest pearls blazing with jewel light.

  From the southwest, beyond as many oceans of worlds as atoms in untold buddha-lands, from the land of the buddha King of Universal Light of Knowledge of the Moon of Truth, in the world Filled with Jewel Sunlight, a great enlightening being named Standard of Knowledge Scattering All Bands of Demons, together with a company of as many enlightening beings as atoms in untold oceans of worlds, given leave by that buddha and having disappeared from that world, came to this world Endurance, from every pore issuing, to the farthest reaches of space, shining clouds of flowers, shining clouds of all kinds of music, shining clouds of jewels, shining clouds of precious robes emitting aromatic vapors of various scents, shining clouds of lightning produced by water spirits, shining clouds of radiant jewels, shining clouds of blazing gold jewels, shining clouds of the blaze of diamonds from splendorous mines, and shining clouds of eye-jewels illumining the seeds of events of past, present, and future, like the ocean of memory of the enlightened. The great enlightening being and company presented these to the Buddha, then withdrew to the southwest and magically produced towers of great jewels illumining the cosmos, particles of a web of light beams radiating in all directions, and lion thrones in lotuses of shining jewels like fragrant lamps, whereon they sat, having covered their bodies with nets of the finest jewels from pure mines and put on crowns of the finest jewels reverberating with the sounds of the abodes of all beings.

  From the northwest, beyond as many oceans of worlds as atoms in untold buddha-lands, from the land of the buddha Majestic King of Radiant Splendor, in the world Containing Vows of Illumination, a great enlightening being named Flame of Knowledge of Vows of Illumination, together with a company of as many enlightening beings as atoms in untold oceans of worlds, given leave by that buddha and having disappeared from that assembly, came to this world Endurance, emanating from every physical characteristic, every pore, every part of the body, clouds of physical images of the buddhas of past, present, and future, clouds of physical images of the enlightening beings of past, present, and future, clouds of physical images of the audiences of the buddhas of past, present, and future, clouds of images of the spheres of emanations of the buddhas of past, present, and future, clouds of embodiments of images of the past efforts of the buddhas of past, present, and future, clouds of physical images of all hearers and individual illuminates of past, present, and future, clouds of images of the bodies of the buddhas of all times and the forms of the trees at their sites of enlightenment, clouds of embodiments of images of the miracles of the buddhas of past, present, and future, clouds of physical images of the rulers of the worlds of past, present, and future, and clouds of all the purified buddha-lands of past, present, and future, these all pervading space from moment to moment. The great enlightening being and company came to the Buddha, presented these, then withdrew to the northwest and magically produced towers containing the finest jewels illumining all quarters and lion thrones in lotuses made of jewels illuminating the world, and sat thereon, having covered their bodies with nets emanating unstoppable light and put on crowns of jewels whose radiance illumined everywhere.

  From the nadir, beyond as many oceans of worlds as atoms in untold buddha-lands, from the land of the buddha King of the Banner of the Torch of Unobstructed Knowledge, in the world Radiance of the Halos of All Buddhas, a great enlightening being named Valiant One with Knowledge to Dissolve All Barriers, together with a company of as many enlightening beings as atoms in untold oceans of worlds, given leave by that buddha and having disappeared from that assembly, came to this world Endurance, emitting from every pore the sounds of utterances of the ocean of all incantations in the world, the sounds of the clouds of the oceans of instruction of the enlightening beings of past, present, and future, sounds of the ocean of vows, undertakings, and methods of all enlightening beings, sounds of the ocean of enlightening beings’ means of pervading all lands with their spheres of action, sounds of the clouds of the oceans of all enlightening beings’ means of purification and fulfillment of the ways of transcendence, sounds of the ocean of means of the accomplishments and spiritual effects of all enlightening beings, oceans of expressions of the spiritual transformations by means of which all buddhas go to the summit of enlightenment, disperse the opposition of demons, and realize enlightenment, clouds of sounds of the ocean of words used by all buddhas in turning the wheel of the teaching, expressions of the expedient means of teaching and training used to guide all people at the appropriate times, sounds of the ocean of means of teaching using methods appropriate to the aspiration, excellence of roots of goodness, and time, in order to lead to all-knowledge. Emanating these sounds, the great enlightening being and company came to the Buddha and offered them in respect, then withdrew to the nadir, magically produced towers of various mines of all kinds of jewels from the matrix of light of the palaces of all buddhas, as well as lion thrones in spaces held by lotuses inset with all jewels, upon which they sat, having put on crests of jewel emblems reflecting images of all sites of enlightenment and covered their bodies with nets of the finest jewels illumining all lands.

  From the zenith, beyond as many oceans of worlds as atoms in untold buddha-lands, from the land of the buddha Voice Revealing the Sphere of Universal Knowledge, in the world Description of the Inexhaustible Lineage of Buddhas, a great enlightening being named Revealing the Base of Cosmic Aspiration, together with a company of as many enlightening beings as atoms in untold oceans of worlds, given leave by that buddha and having disappeared from that assembly, came to this world Endurance, from every physical feature, every pore, every part of the body, every limb and joint, every utterance, every article of clothing and adornment, showing images of the oceans of past efforts of all buddhas past, present, and future connected with transcendent giving which took place in all lands of the ten directions, as well as images of the receivers and the gifts, reflected in every mark and embellishment, every pore, every part of the body, every limb and joint, every utterance, every article of clothing and adornment of the company of enlightening beings as well as the buddha Vairocana; showing reflections of the oceans of their past efforts involved in transcendent morality, in transcendent tolerance—even involving showing amputation of limbs, in the transcendent energy of all enlightening beings, surging boldly forward, in the seeking and attainment of the ocean of meditations of all buddhas, in the seeking of the ultimate truth to which the wheel of teaching of all buddhas leads, in the manifestation of the embodiment of great determination which relinquishes all there is, in the joy of the vision of all buddhas, the path of all enlightening beings, and pleasing all beings, in the arrangements of purification of means of accomplishment of the ocean of vows of all enlightening beings, in the purification of the strength of the attainment of tr
anscendent power of all enlightening beings; and showing images of the oceans of past efforts involved in the sphere of knowledge of all enlightening beings—all these reflected images bursting into plain view by clouds of all kinds of miraculous displays throughout the cosmos. The great enlightening being and company offered these to the Buddha, then went to the zenith, magically produced towers of various arrays of diamonds as well as lion thrones of the universally good enlightening being inside emerald lotuses, and sat thereon, having covered their bodies with nets of fiery jewels and put on crowns of jewels with crests of trailing strings of diamonds vibrating with the names of the buddhas of past, present, and future.

  All those enlightening beings, with their retinues, were born of the practices and vows of the Universally Good enlightening being; they had the pure eye of knowledge to see all buddhas face to face; they were endowed with the acute ears to hear the ocean of teachings of all buddhas; they had reached the ultimate transcendent attainment of the masteries of all enlightening beings; from moment to moment they issued manifestations of going to all buddhas; they were in the range of pervading all worlds with one body; they had luminous bodies appearing in the circles of the congregations of all buddhas; they were in the realm of showing the reflections of all worlds and one world contained in each other in a single atom; they had the power to guide and develop all people with appropriate timing; they were in the realm of emitting clouds of teachings of all buddhas from every pore; they had attained the knowledge that all realms of beings are like illusions; they had realized that all buddhas are like reflections; they knew that all existence, states of beings, and births are like dreams; they had pure knowledge that all developments of actions are like images in a mirror; they were intensely aware that all becoming is like a mirage; they perceived that all worlds are like emanations; they had attained the illumination of the knowledges of the ten powers of buddhas; they were fearless and mighty, able to roar the lion’s roar; they had entered the inexhaustible ocean of analytic knowledge; they had attained knowledge of expressions of principles of the ocean of instruments of thought of all people; they coursed in the knowledge of the unobstructed space of the reality realm; they had attained unimpeded knowledge of all things; they had purified the spheres of superknowledges of all enlightening beings; they had the rigor to roust out all bands of demons; they stood firm in the power of knowledge of past, present, and future; they had attained unobstructed omniscience; they coursed in the space of independence; they were powerful in the space of the effortless stage of omniscience; they coursed in knowledge of the ungraspability of all existence; they had exposed the knowledge of the ocean of principles of all realms of reality; they had entered the door of nondiscriminatory knowledge of all worlds; they demonstrated the mutual interpenetration of all worlds; they manifested incarnation in all realms of being; they knew the various forms of all worlds, subtle and gross, broad and narrow; they had attained knowledge of the interpenetration of minute objects and immense lands; they could reach all buddhas in a single moment of thought; they had the body of knowledge of all buddhas; they had attained unconfused knowledge of all regions; they could pervade the ocean of all locations in a single moment of thought by mystic metamorphosis. The whole Jeta grove became filled with enlightening beings of such immeasurable attainments, by the power of the buddhas.

  The great disciples, however—Shariputra, Maudgalyayana, Mahkashyapa, Revata, Subhuti, Aniruddha, Nandika, Kapphina, Katyayana, Purnamaitrayaniputra, and so so—did not see the transfiguration of the Buddha in the Jeta grove, the adornments of the Buddha, the majesty of the Buddha, the freedom of the Buddha, the magic of the Buddha, the mastery of the Buddha, the miracle performed by the Buddha, the light of the Buddha, the power of the Buddha, or the Buddha’s purification of the land; nor did they see the inconceivable sphere of the enlightening beings, the descent of the enlightening beings, the gathering of the enlightening beings, the descent of the enlightening beings, the approach of the enlightening beings, the miracle of the enlightening beings, the magic of the enlightening beings, the circles of the enlightening beings, the locations of the enlightening beings, the array of lion thrones of the enlightening beings, the mansions of the enlightening beings, the deportment of the enlightening beings, the enlightening beings’ mastery of concentration, the enlightening beings’ observation, the enlightening beings’ emergence, the enlightening beings’ vigor, the enlightening beings’ offerings to the Buddha, the enlightening beings’ bequest of enlightenment, the enlightening beings’ development, the enlightening beings’ strength, the enlightening beings’ clarification of the reality-body, the enlightening beings’ fulfillment of the body of knowledge, the enlightening beings’ manifestation of the body of vows, the enlightening beings’ perfection of the physical body, the enlightening beings’ purification of excellence of attributes, the enlightening beings’ array of spheres of light of eternal power, the enlightening beings’ radiation of networks of light beams, the enlightening beings’ emission of clouds of emanations, the enlightening beings’ pervasion of the network of all regions, or the transfiguration of the sphere of actions of enlightening beings.

  Why didn’t the disciples see any of this? Because of lack of corresponding roots of goodness. For they had not accumulated the roots of goodness conducive to vision of the transfiguration of all buddhas, and they had not had the purifications of the arrays of qualities of all buddha-lands in the ten directions described to them, and they had not had the various wonders of all buddhas described to them by the buddhas, and they had not established beings in supreme perfect enlightenment while they were involved in the world, and they had not instilled in others’ minds the determination for enlightenment, and they were not capable of perpetuating the lineage of buddhas, and they were not engaged in the salvation of all beings, and they had not exhorted enlightening beings to practice transcendent ways, and while they were involved in the world they had not focused their minds on the stage of knowledge superior to all worldlings, and they had not developed the foundations of goodness conducive to omniscience, and they had not perfected the transmundane roots of goodness of buddhas, and they had not realized the miraculous superknowledge to purify all buddha-lands, and they did not know the source of the great vow of enlightening beings, which is the good root of concentration on unique world-transcending enlightenment that represents the range of vision of enlightening beings, and they were not born of the magical essence emanating from the power of the enlightened, and because hearers and individual illuminates do not share in the knowledge of enlightening beings’ control over holding various perceptions as in dreams, the growth of the current of joy of enlightening beings, and the manifestations of the range of the eye of knowledge of the universally good enlightening being.

  Because of that, those great disciples, who were the best of the best, did not see the miracle of the Buddha, did not hear it, know it, realize it, penetrate it, did not fix their minds on it, did not notice it, did not focus their attention on it, did not observe it, did not examine it, did not reflect on it, did not contemplate it. Why? Because that is the sphere of buddhas, not the sphere of disciples.

  Therefore even though the disciples were in the very same Jeta grove, they did not see those miracles of the Buddha. For indeed they did not have the corresponding roots of goodness, they did not have that purity of the eye of knowledge, whereby they could have seen the miracles of Buddha. They did not know the concentration whose minute point of focus would have given them access to those vast magical manifestations. They did not know that liberation or that spiritual capacity or that might or that power or that mastery or that state or that perception or that power of vision whereby they might recognize or see or penetrate or approach or discover or head for or observe or experience or reveal to others or explain or show or describe or make visible or arrive at or produce or lead beings into the cultivation and realization of the realities of the miracles of Buddha. That knowledge did not belong to them.<
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  Why? Because they were emancipated by the vehicle of hearers, they had realized the path of hearers, they had fulfilled the sphere of practices of hearers, they were fixed in the fruit of hearers; they rested on the knowledge of the light of truth, they were fixed at the limit of reality, they had gone to the state of eternal peace, they had no thought of great compassion and had no pity for the beings of the world; they had accomplished what they had to do for themselves.

  They had gathered in the Jeta grove and were sitting there, in front of, behind, and to the left and right of the Buddha, in his presence, yet they did not see the miracles of the Buddha in the Jeta grove. Why? It is not possible for those who have not developed omniscient knowledge, have not accomplished omniscient knowledge, have not set out for omniscient knowledge, have not resolved on omniscient knowledge, have not undertaken omniscient knowledge, have not penetrated omniscient knowledge, have not purified omniscient knowledge, to understand or become aware of or see or discover the miraculous manifestation of the concentration of the Buddha. Why? Because that is discernible only to the range of the vision of developed enlightening beings, not to the range of the vision of hearers. That is why the great disciples, the great hearers, though in the Jeta grove, did not see the transfiguration of the Buddha, the magical appearances of the Buddha, the purifications of the buddha-land, the gathering of the enlightening beings.