The Flower Ornament Scripture

by Thomas Cleary

  Then Achala emerged from concentration and said to Sudhana, “Did you see? Did you hear? Did you understand?”

  Sudhana said, “I saw, I heard, I understood.”

  Achala said, “In this way, learning enlightening beings’ practice of firm resolve, absorbed in tireless search for all truths, established in enlightening beings’ way of liberation by invincible knowledge, I satisfy all sentient beings with good explanation by following mental command of the stage of equanimity in all things, using the skill of the light of knowledge of how to elucidate the basis of all things. How can I know the practice or tell the virtues of the enlightening beings who are imbued with inconceivable, measureless virtues, who are like eagles soaring independently through the sky, who plunge into the sea of sentient beings to take out the mature enlightening beings, who search the treasure island of omniscience for the jewels of knowledge of the ten powers, who go like strong fishers into the sea of the mundane whirl with the net of the Teaching to mature beings born amid craving and pull them out of it, who go like titan kings throughout all realms of existence quelling the titanic disturbances and agitations of afflictions, who rise like the sun in the sky of the reality realm to evaporate the water of beings’ cravings and dry up the mud of afflictions, who rise like the full moon in the sky to awaken the water lilies of the minds of the teachable, who support all beings equally, whether friendly or hostile, high or low, to plant and grow the sprouts of roots of goodness in all sentient beings, who go everywhere unhindered like the wind to uproot the afflictions and views of all sentient beings, who go through the world like sovereigns uniting all beings with generosity, kindness, assistance, and cooperation?

  “South of here is a city called Tosala in a land called Amitatosala. There is a mendicant named Sarvagamin living there. Go ask him how to learn and carry out the practice of enlightening beings.”

  So then Sudhana paid his respects to Achala and left.

  Sarvagamin

  His mind on the devotee Achala, remembering her teaching, absorbing what she had shown him, what she had told him, what she had described to him, what she had enjoined on him, what she had shared with him, what she had disclosed to him, what she had set forth to him, following it, reflecting on it, entering into it, cultivating it, embodying it, contemplating it, clarifying it, living up to it, Sudhana made his way from place to place, finally reaching the land of Amitatosala. There he sought out and found the city of Tosala.

  Entering the city at sunset, he went from block to block, street to street, looking for the mendicant Sarvagamin. In the still of the night, he saw a mountain called Sulabha, north of the city. The mountain peak was adorned with thickets and groves of various plants and trees and was as bright as the sun. Seeing that light, Sudhana was ecstatic: he thought to himself, “I will undoubtedly see the spiritual benefactor on this mountaintop.”

  Sudhana went out of the city to the mountain and climbed to the shining peak, where he saw the mendicant Sarvagamin from afar. The appearance of the mendicant was superior to that of the great god Brahma, glorious and radiant; he was walking around surrounded by ten thousand brahmic gods.

  Sudhana went up to Sarvagamin, paid his respects, and said, “Noble one, I have set my mind on supreme perfect enlightenment, but I do not know how an enlightening being is to learn and carry out the practice of enlightening beings. I hear that you give enlightening beings instruction, so please tell me how to learn and carry out the practice of enlightening beings.”

  Sarvagamin said, “It is good that you have set out for supreme perfect enlightenment. I am established in the enlightening practice of going everywhere, I have attained concentration of all-observing vision, and I am imbued with the light of knowledge of transcendent wisdom which distinguishes all planes of the cosmos without effort, based on nonbeing. In wandering through all worlds of living beings and inanimate objects, in wandering through the realms of existence of all beings, in the occasions of death of all sentient beings, in the occasions of birth of all sentient beings, in all kinds of conditions of existence, in the various places of birth, the worlds and abodes, of sentient beings of various appearances, forms, and sizes, bound to various kinds of existence, with various aims, wedded to various views and courses of action, believing in various forms of religion, I work for the benefit of sentient beings by various means and various applications of knowledge. Some I help by teaching various worldly arts, by means of the light of mental command of all kinds of arts. Some I help by charity, kindness, assistance, and cooperation, to lead them to omniscient knowledge. Some I help by describing the ways of transcendence, generating the light of knowledge of dedication to omniscience. Some I help by praising the aspiration for enlightenment, producing a basis for preservation of the seed of enlightenment. Some I help by describing all facets of the practices of enlightening beings, fostering the commitment to purify all buddha-lands and perfect all beings. Some I help by frightening them, showing them the misery and pain resulting from evil actions. Some I help by delighting them, telling them about the fruit of omniscience ultimately developing from giving gifts to all buddhas. Some I help by describing the virtues and qualities of all buddhas, to generate desire for the qualities of buddhas and determination for omniscience. Some I help by eulogizing the greatness of buddhas, to generate the desire to embody buddhahood and be constantly engaged in spontaneous, ceaseless buddha-work. Some I help by showing the mastery of buddhas, to generate the desire to attain supreme buddhahood.

  “Furthermore, in every street, every block, every house, every district, every family and group, I assume forms like the men and women, boys and girls, and expound the Teaching to them according to their dispositions, aims, powers, and thoughts; they do not know who is teaching them or where I am from; they just practice truthfully what they have heard. And I go everywhere on this continent to those who are immersed in the views of false doctrines, in order to mature those who cling to various views. And just as I do so throughout the continent, so also do I work for the benefit of all beings on earth, in the galaxy, in the universe, in infinite worlds, in the paths of all beings, in the abodes of all beings, in the thoughts in which all beings rest, in the groups of all beings, in the masses of all beings, in all races of beings, among all types of beings, wherever they be, helping them according to their mentalities and inclinations, through various means, various methods, various approaches, various efforts, various devices, various expedients, various activities, assuming various forms, and speaking in various languages.

  “I know this enlightening practice of going everywhere. How can I know the practice or tell of the virtues of the enlightening beings with bodies equal to all beings, who have attained concentration in which their own bodies and all bodies are indivisible, whose vast sphere of emanation adapts to all states of existence, who pass through existence in all worlds in their own bodies, who are intent on mystical projections pleasing to the sight of all beings, who appear to be born in all races, who carry out their vows unimpeded in all ages, who can manifest the interrelated cosmic network of practices, who are devoted to working for the welfare of all beings while living together with them without becoming defiled, who realize the basic equality of the worlds of past, present, and future, who are imbued with endless great compassion appearing in the realm of selfless knowledge, who aim to foster good in all beings?

  “South of here is a land called Prthurashtra, where there lives an eminent perfumer named Utpalabhuti. Go ask him how to learn and carry out the practice of enlightening beings.”

  So Sudhana paid his respects to the mendicant Sarvagamin and left.

  Utpalabhuti

  Unconcerned with body and life, unconcerned with any material things, unconcerned with enjoyment of any people or places, unconcerned with objects of the senses, unconcerned with enjoying the experiences that go along with having followers, unconcerned with kingship, dominion, or power, concerned with developing, guiding, and purifying all sentient beings, with achieving sup
reme purity of a buddha-land, with tirelessly attending and serving all buddhas, with knowing and according with the inherent nature of all things, with permanently attaining the virtues of all enlightening beings, with carrying out the vows of enlightening beings through all ages, with entering the ocean of congregations of all buddhas, with entering all concentrations of enlightening beings in each particular mode of concentration by mystic transformation, with tirelessly receiving the light of knowledge of all truths through the cycles of teachings of all buddhas, pondering these and other virtues of all enlightening beings, Sudhana made his way to Prthurashtra, where he sought and found the eminent perfumer Utpalabhuti.

  Seeing the perfumer, Sudhana went up to him, paid his respects, and said, “Noble one, I have set out for supreme perfect enlightenment, seeking the knowledge common to all buddhas, wishing to fulfill the vows fulfilled by all buddhas, wishing to see the embodiments of all buddhas, wishing to attain the reality body of all buddhas, wishing to know the body of knowledge of truths of all buddhas, wishing to purify all enlightening practices, wishing to manifest the sphere of concentration of all enlightening beings, wishing to master the sphere of mental command of all enlightening beings, wishing to disperse all obstructions, wishing to travel through all lands. But I do not know how an enlightening being is to learn and carry out the practice of enlightening beings. How does an enlightening being gain access to omniscience?”

  Utpalabhuti said, “It is good that you aspire to supreme perfect enlightenment. I know about all fragrances—perfumes, incenses, ointments, and aromatic powders—and how they are compounded and used. I also know the sources of all fragrances. I know celestial fragrances, and I also know the fragrances of other types of beings, human and nonhuman. Indeed, I know various kinds of fragrances. I know fragrances that cure illness, I know fragrances that remove depression, I know fragrances that produce mundane joy, I know fragrances that incite passions, I know fragrances that extinguish passions, I know fragrances that produce pleasure in enjoyment of various created things, I know fragrances that produce rejection of all created things, I know fragrances that remove arrogance and heedlessness, I know fragrances that produce thoughts of Buddha, I know fragrances that accord with the principles of the Teaching, fragrances enjoyable to sages, the variety of fragrances of enlightening beings, and the fragrances of the arrangement of all stages of enlightening beings. I also know the external appearance of all these fragrances, as well as their source, production, manifestation, perfection, purification, removal, application, use, sphere of action, efficacy, nature, and root.

  “In the human world there is a fragrance said to come from the agitation of water spirits: one grain the size of a sesame seed will cause this whole country to be covered with fragrant clouds that shower fine fragrant rain for seven days. Those on whose bodies or clothing that fragrant water falls become as brilliant as golden flowers, and any houses or buildings on which it falls become as brilliant as golden flowers. And any who smell the scent of that fragrant water wafting in on the breeze become ecstatic for seven days and experience many kinds of physical and mental pleasure and delight. Furthermore, no illness—whether due to constitutional upset or external trauma—occurs in their bodies, nor do they suffer any mental distress or depression, nor do they have any fear, anxiety, fright, agitation, or ill will. They become kind to one another, happy, and joyful. When they have become happy and joyful, I begin to purify their minds and teach them in such a way that they become certain of supreme enlightenment.

  “There is a kind of sandalwood that comes from the mountains which will protect those anointed with its essence from burning even if they fall into a fire. The sound of kettledrums or conches smeared with it will drive away all enemy armies. There is a kind of aloe called ‘lotus calyx’ from the banks of the lake Heatless; a grain of it the size of a sesame seed will fill the whole continent with fragrance such that all who smell it gain a disciplined mind rejecting evil. There is a kind of fragrance from the Himalaya Mountains which is such that all who smell it become dispassionate; then I teach them in such a way that they attain a concentration called ‘sphere of dispassion.’ There is a kind of fragrance from the world of spirits called ‘ocean storehouse’ which is produced for the use of sovereign rulers; perfumed by it, the ruler and the ruler’s armies stand in the sky. There is a kind of incense called ‘beautiful array’ originating in the celestial hall of the good doctrine; when it is burned, celestial beings gain awareness of the scent of enlightenment. There is a kind of incense from the pure treasuries in the palace of the heaven of timely portion; when it is burned, inhabitants of that heaven all go to the ruler of the heaven of timely portion, who then talks to them about the Teaching. There is a kind of incense in the heaven of satisfaction which, when burned before an enlightened being destined to become a buddha in one lifetime who is sitting on the throne of the Teaching, fills the whole cosmos at once with a great fragrant cloud and causes rain from the great cloud of the Teaching to shower in many arrays on the audiences of all buddhas. There is a kind of incense called ‘fascinating’ in the palace of the king of the heaven of beautiful emanations which, when burned, causes rain to shower from the cloud of the inconceivable Teaching for seven days.

  “I know this art of perfuming. How can I know the practice, tell of the virtues, elucidate the method of purification of conduct, convey the irreproachable action, or explain the malice-free words, thoughts, and deeds of the enlightening beings who are free from foulness, who are void of lusts, who are free from the snares of the demon of afflictions, who have transcended all conditions of existence, who proceed with material form as being something in the magic of knowing, who are unstained by any world, whose way of life is free from attachment, who have purified the sphere of unobstructed knowledge, who are in the realm of unimpeded knowledge, who do not take refuge in any abode or rely on anything in existence?

  “South of here is a city called Kutagara, where there lives a mariner named Vaira. Go ask him how to learn and carry out the practice of enlightening beings.”

  So then Sudhana paid his respects to Utpalabhuti and left.

  Vaira

  On the way to the city Kutagara, Sudhana observed where the road was variously low and high, even and uneven, dusty and dust-free, safe and perilous, impassable and unobstructed, crooked and straight. As he went along he thought, “My going to that spiritual benefactor will be a means of accomplishment of the path of enlightening beings, a means of accomplishment of the path of knowledge to assist sentient beings; it will be a means of accomplishment of the path of transcendence, a means of accomplishment of the path of knowledge to assist sentient beings. It will become a means of stopping all beings from falling into attachment and rejection, arrogance and servility; a means of turning all beings away from bad inclinations; a means of ridding all beings of the dust of afflictions; a means of removing the thorns and grit of wrong views from all sentient beings; a means of absorption in the unobstructed reality realm; a means of leading to the eternal citadel of omniscience. Why is that? Spiritual benefactors are mines of all that is good, sources of omniscience.”

  With these thoughts in mind, with a purpose rarely encountered, he made his way to Kutagara city looking for the mariner Vaira. When he got there, he saw the mariner surrounded by hundreds of thousands of merchants and hundreds of thousands of other people who wished to hear him talk, explaining to them the oceans of virtues of buddhas by talking about the ocean.

  Sudhana went up to Vaira, paid his respects, and said, “Noble one, I have set my mind on supreme perfect enlightenment, but I do not know how to learn and carry out the practice of enlightening beings. I hear that you give enlightening beings instruction, and I hope you will tell me how one is to learn and carry out the practice of enlightening beings.”

  Vaira said, “It is good that you aspire to supreme perfect enlightenment and ask about the means of attaining great knowledge, about the cause of the various miseries of the mundane wh
irl, about the means of arriving at the island of omniscience, about the means of producing the indestructible vehicle of universal salvation, about the means of attaining the path leading away from the danger of falling into the state of individual liberation, about the source of the path of knowledge of the way to attain all kinds of tranquil concentrations, about the source of the unobstructed path of the chariot of vows carrying the practice of enlightening beings which goes everywhere, about the means of development and purification of the path guided by the nature of enlightening practice adorned with all waves of energy, about the means of development and purification of the endless path facing all things, the means of development and purification of the path into the ocean of omniscience.

  “I live in this coastal metropolis of Kutagara, purifying enlightening practice characterized by great compassion. Observing those on this continent who are poor, I practice such spiritual exercises as will cause their wishes to be fulfilled: I will take care of their mundane needs, and I will satisfy them with spiritual enjoyments; I will teach them the way to accumulate virtue, I will foster knowledge in them, I will promote the growth of the power of roots of goodness, I will inspire them to seek enlightenment, I will purify their aspiration for enlightenment, I will firmly establish their power of great compassion, I will get them to extinguish the misery of the mundane whirl, I will firmly establish their power to act in the mundane world without tiring, and I will get them to care for all living beings. I will set them at the gate of entry into the ocean of virtue, I will produce in them the light of knowledge of the ocean of truths, I will turn them toward the ocean of all buddhas, and I will plunge them into the ocean of omniscience.