Then Banner of Truth, Polar Mountain of Light, and Lion of Virtue;
King of Peace, Continual Life, Lofty Renown, Glory of Supreme Virtue,
Light Maker, Moon Face—these were the first ten buddhas there.
Vault of the Sky, Universal Light, Omnipresent, Source of the Sea of Mindfulness,
Exalted, Summit of Glory, Light of Lofty Flames of Truth,
Lotus Born, The Compassionate, and Flower of the Cosmos—
These were the second ten, lighting the ocean of buddhas.
Mind of Foremost Light, Mind of Knowledge, Manifold Benefits, Glory of Indra,
Celestial Intellect, Mind of Supreme Energy, Splendor of Knowledge,
Brilliance of the Best of Lights, Mighty Celestial Stride, Lotus of the Cosmos—
These were the third ten buddhas, revealing this vast teaching.
Splendor of a Mountain of Jewel Lights, then Radiant Ocean of Virtues,
Light of Truth, Lotus-Born Glory, Moonlike Eye of the World, Fragrant Light,
Brilliant As a Mountain of Jewels, Radiant King in the Form of a Celestial Musician,
Full of Glorious Light of the Finest of Jewels, and tenth was Physically Calm.
After that were Vast Awareness, Jewel Luster, Splendor of Clouds in the Sky,
Superb Appearance, magnificent, and Sphere of Holy Practices, radiant,
Living Like Primeval Man, Splendid As the Polar Mountain, King Resplendent with Virtue,
Paragon of Invincible Resolve, and Lofty Tree the tenth of them.
Imbued with the Splendor of the King of Trees, Reflection of the Bodies of the
Leaders of the Worlds, Superlative Radiance, Spotless Light, Brilliance of the
Energy of Earth, Glory of the Supreme Virtues of the Profound Teaching,
Knowledge of the Sound of the Ocean of Truths, Pole of the World, Radiant Mind, Diamond Light.
Light of Brahma, Sound of Space, Splendor of Reflection of the Cosmos, Sphere
Of Lights, Brilliant Mind with the Ten Powers of Knowledge, Lamp of Space,
Beautiful Splendor, Glory of Sunlight, Light of Virtue, Tranquil Radiance, and
Beauty of Clouds of Compassion, were the next ten buddhas.
Mindful of the Light of Power Born of Thusness, Appearing to All Beings,
Exalted Light, Embodiment of Impartiality, Born of Truth, Swift As the Wind,
Paragon of Heroism, Jewel Body Luster, Light Appearing in All Times—
These were the next ten buddhas.
Shining Light of the Ocean of Vows, Splendor of the Mountain of Adamantine Will,
Exalted Brilliance, Paragon of Mindfulness, Aware of Truth, Lamp of Wisdom,
Radiance of the Most Excellent Light, then Vast Intellect,
Following the Course of Knowledge of the Principles of the Cosmos, and Light of Knowledge of Oceanic Awareness.
Sublime Giver of Jewels of Truth, Clouds of Glory of Mountains of Virtue,
Light of the Lamp of Peace, Light of Fiery Energy, Voice of Cessation,
Paragon of Tranquillity, Radiant Lamp of the World, Energy of Great Vows,
Invincible Power, Radiant Sea of Lights of Knowledge.
Spiritual Master, Unattached Mind, Understanding the Speech of All Beings,
Articulate in All Languages, Resolved to Sacrifice Willingly, Appearing to All
Beings Everywhere, Adopting Forms Congenial to All Beings, Living Together
for the Benefit of Others, Embodiment of Nature, and the Buddha Good:
Beginning with these, I served as many buddhas, light-makers,
As atoms in the polar mountain.
And I served all the buddhas who appeared
In as many eons as atoms in the buddha-lands,
And entered this ocean of liberation.
I have practiced and developed this liberation for infinite eons;
Having heard it and put it into practice,
You will accomplish this teaching soon.
“I know only this enlightening liberation showing guidance to beings in all worlds. How can I know the practice on tell the virtues of the enlightening beings who live by various resolutions in the infinitely varied ocean of enlightening practices, who manifest various minds and bodies, who have perfected oceans of various faculties, who have carried through the various vows of enlightening beings?
“In this same enlightenment site is a night goddess named Prashantarutasagaravati, who sits next to me on a lotus seat, in a calyx adorned with starry diamonds, surrounded by countless tens of hundreds of thousands of night goddesses—go ask her how to learn and carry out the practice of enlightening beings.”
So Sudhana paid his respects to the night goddess Samantasattvatranojahshri and left her.
Prashantarutasagaravati
Then Sudhana, cultivating that enlightening liberation of the night goddess Samantasattvatranojahshri, showing guidance to beings in all worlds, entering into it, becoming absorbed in it, plunging into it, expanding it, spreading it, extending it, mastering it, making it manifest, attaining it, went to the night goddess Prashantarutasagaravati. He paid his respects to her and said, “With the help of spiritual benefactors I am learning the practice of enlightening beings, entering into the practice of enlightening beings, carrying out the practice of enlightening beings; having undertaken the practice of enlightening beings, I want to become thoroughly familiar with omniscience. So please tell me, noble goddess, how an enlightening being is to learn and carry out the practice of enlightening beings.”
The goddess said, “It is good that you seek the ocean of practices of enlightening beings by relying on spiritual benefactors. I have attained an enlightening liberation of supernal manifestations of a moment of consciousness producing floods of immense joy.”
Sudhana said, “What is your activity, your sphere of action, your means of practice, your contemplation? What is the scope of this liberation?”
She said, “I have attained equanimity through purification of the ocean of mind. I have attained indestructible adornment undefiled by the taint of all worldly passion. My mind is unregressing and unswerving from its object. My mind is unshakable, adorned with virtues like a mountain of jewels. My mind is not fixed on anything, not dependent on anything. My mind is intent on serving all beings. My mind is tireless in seeing all buddhas. My desire for the powers of all enlightening beings is pure. My mind dwells in the ocean of mindfulness of the manifestations of great knowledge. I have set out to overcome the sorrows of all beings and am devoted to removing the suffering and sadness of all beings. I have undertaken to stop all beings’ preoccupation with objects of sense. I have undertaken to extinguish beings’ suffering caused by separation from loved ones and contact with the uncongenial. I am intent on stopping all the sufferings of beings that come from delusion arising from their relations to objects. I am a refuge for all fallen beings and am engaged in showing all beings means of emancipation from the miseries of the mundane whirl. I have undertaken to stop all sentient beings’ sadness, lamentation, suffering, depression, and mental disturbance occasioned by birth, old age, and death. I have undertaken to produce the supreme felicity of the enlightened in all beings. I find satisfaction in presenting my services for the happiness of beings in all abodes, and I see to their spiritual protection, and I gradually develop them to omniscience. That is to say, I produce detachment in beings who live in great palaces and mansions, and I remove their various melancholies, and in order to put an end to all attachments, I teach them to realize the intrinsic nature of all things. I teach those who have long-standing ties of affection with their families and relatives in such a way that they may get to meet and associate with buddhas and enlightening beings. Those who are involved with their spouses and children I teach in such a way as to extinguish their craving for mundane enjoyments and so that they will become impartial toward all and will come to have great compassion. Those in the marketplaces I teach in such a way that they will enter into association with the com
munity of sages and get to meet enlightened people. Those who are obsessed with consumer goods I teach in such a way that they acquire transcendent forbearance. Those who take pleasure in music, song, and dance, I teach the way to enjoy spiritual pleasures. Those eagerly desirous of enjoyment of sense objects I teach in such a way that they may arrive at the realm of the enlightened. Those who are filled with anger I teach in such a way as to lead them to transcendent tolerance. Those who are lazy I teach in such a way as to purify transcendent vigor. Those whose minds are confused I teach to attain the transcendent meditation of those who arrive at Thusness. Those lost in a tangle of views, fallen into the darkness of ignorance, I teach in such a way as to lead them out of the tangle of views and the darkness of ignorance. Those who are stupid I teach in such a way that they may acquire transcendent wisdom. Those attached to the realms of desire, form, or formlessness, I teach in such a way that they may escape from the sufferings of the mundane whirl. Those with low aspirations I teach in such a way that they may fulfill the vow of enlightenment. Those intent on their own benefit I teach in such a way that they may fulfill the vow to bring benefit to all beings. Those with weak wills I teach in such a way that they may perfect the transcendent power of enlightening beings. Those in misery I teach in such a way as to enable them to attain the felicity of omniscience. Those who are sick I teach in such a way that they may develop the reflectionlike bodies characteristic of enlightening beings. Those attached to various pleasures I teach in such a way that they may acquire delight in the practices of enlightening beings. Those who are destitute I teach in such a way that they may obtain the spiritual treasury of enlightening beings. Those who resort to parks and gardens I teach in such a way that they are motivated to seek the way to enlightenment. Those who are on the road I teach in such a way that they set out on the road to omniscience. Those in villages I teach in such a way that they may be emancipated from everything in the realms of desire, form, and formlessness. Those in communities I teach in such a way as to lead them beyond the paths of those who strive for individual salvation and set them on the way to buddhahood. Those in cities I teach in such a way as to reveal the city of the supreme truth. Those in the intermediate directions I teach in such a way that they may attain knowledge of the equality of past, present, and future. Those in the four quarters I teach in such a way that they may realize higher knowledge of all things. Those whose behavior is governed solely by lust I teach to stop their craving for all mundane pleasures by means of contemplation of impurity. Those who act on hatred I teach in such a way that they many enter the ocean of universal love. Those who act on delusion I teach in such a way that they may realize higher knowledge with analytic comprehension of all things. Those who act equally on lust, hatred, and delusion I teach in such a way that they may rise above them through the ocean of means of the undertakings of all vehicles of emancipation. Those who are inclined to enjoyment of evanescent mundane objects I teach in such a way as to lead them away from attachment to transient mundane objects. Those who are touched by all the miseries of the mundane whirl I teach in such a way that they may be unaffected by the woes of life and death. Those who are susceptible to guidance by the enlightened I teach in such a way as to elucidate unborn birth. Those who are attached to physical and mental elements I teach in such a way that they may abide in nonreliance. Those who are cowardly I teach in such a way as to reveal the excellence of the adornments of the path of enlightenment. To those who are conceited I elucidate acceptance of the equality of all things. To those who are prone to deceit and guile I explain the purity of intention of enlightening beings.
“In this way I take care of all sentient beings by giving teaching. Leading them away from all miseries and paths leading to unhappiness, showing them the happiness of human and celestial states, freeing them from the dominion of the realms of desire, form, and formlessness, leading them to omniscience, developing them to maturity by various means, I rejoice, exult, become glad at heart, having achieved manifestation of the ocean of energy of great joy.
“Furthermore, as I observe the oceans of assemblies of enlightening beings in all directions, I generate oceans of energy of various joys in the enlightening beings carrying out various vows, enlightening beings with variously purified bodies, with various auras of light, radiating auras of light beams of infinite colors, illumined by knowledge penetrating oceans of various ways to omniscience, plunged into oceans of various concentrations, manifesting various occult powers, speaking in various languages, variously adorned, plunged into various principles of buddhahood, gone to various lands, seeing various multitudes of buddhas, imbued with oceans of various intellectual capacities, aware of the sphere of knowledge of various liberations of buddhas, encompassing oceans of various knowledges, dwelling in various methods of concentration, freely employing various doctrines, liberations, and disciplines, entering various doors to omniscience, variously adorning the sky of the cosmos, filling the sky with clouds of various supernal manifestations, observing various communities, gathered joyfully in various worlds, gone to various buddha-lands, assembled in various places, sent forth by buddhas, leaving the presence of various buddhas in company with groups of enlightening beings, showering rain from clouds of various adornments, entering into the systems of various buddhas, contemplating the oceans of teachings of various buddhas, plunged into various oceans of knowledge, sitting in the midst of various magnificent arrays. Those enlightening beings, filled with various joys, enter the oceans of assemblies of buddhas, see them, and contemplate them; as they meditate on the infinity of the powers of buddhas, floods of great joy arise in them.
“Furthermore, perceiving the inconceivable purity of the form body of Vairocana Buddha, adorned by the marks of greatness, I experience exalted joy and serenity. Observing his array of lights, vast as the cosmos, moment to moment manifesting an infinitely varied ocean of colors, in each moment of consciousness I experience floods of great joy.
“Also, seeing as many oceans of great beams of light as atoms in infinite buddha-lands emanate from each pore of Vairocana Buddha’s body, each beam of light accompanied by as many oceans of light beams as atoms in infinite buddha-lands, pervading all buddha-universes and extinguishing the suffering of all beings, in each moment of consciousness I experience floods of great joy.
“Also, seeing massive clouds of lights the color of all jewels, as many as atoms in all buddha-lands, emerging from Vairocana’s head moment to moment, pervading all universes, I experience great floods of joy.
“Also, seeing multitudes of various fragrant lights, as numerous as atoms in all buddha-lands, emanating from each pore of Vairocana’s body in each moment of thought, I experience great floods of joy.
“Also, as I observe Vairocana’s body, seeing multitudes of images of Buddha, adorned with the marks of greatness, as numerous as atoms in all buddha-lands, emanating from each of the Buddha’s marks of greatness in each moment of thought, I experience great floods of joy.
“Also, seeing multitudes of mystically projected bodies of Buddha, shining with the eighty embellishments of greatness, as numerous as atoms in all buddha-lands, emanating from each of the Buddha’s physical embellishments in each moment of thought, I experience great floods of joy.
“Also, as I observe Vairocana’s body, seeing multitudes of Buddha’s spiritual manifestations, as numerous as atoms in untold buddha-lands, emanate from each pore in each moment of thought, including manifestations of the Buddha’s first inspiration, purification of the six transcendent ways, and progress through the stages of enlightenment, I experience great floods of joy.
“Also, as I watch Vairocana’s body, seeing multitudes of all kinds of beings, celestial, preternatural, and human, as numerous as atoms in untold buddha-lands, emanating from each of Vairocana’s pores in each moment of thought, along with their characteristic atmospheres of projected auras, going throughout all worlds, appearing to those sentient beings who are suited to being guided by manifestations
of such and such particular forms of being, and expounding the Teaching to them, I experience great floods of joy.
“And as I watch Vairocana’s body, seeing multitudes of Brahma gods, as numerous as atoms in untold buddha-lands, emanating from each pore in each moment of thought, along with the miraculous projections of Brahma gods, appearing to sentient beings in all universes who are suited to being guided by manifestations in the form of Brahma gods and expounding the Teaching to them with the voice of Brahma, in each moment of awareness I experience great floods of joy of cosmic dimensions concomitant with all-knowledge.
“And so I attain what I have never attained before, understand what I have never understood before, penetrate what I have never penetrated before, pervade what I have never pervaded before, see what I have never seen before, and hear what I have never heard before. Why? All things are to be completely known by the nature of things as being of one characteristic at all times, while yet manifest in an endless variety as all things.
“This is the range of the ocean of means of the enlightening liberation of supernal manifestations of a moment of thought producing immense floods of joy. This liberation is infinite because it goes into the ocean of principles of the cosmos. This liberation is inexhaustible because it is inseparable from the determination for omniscience. This liberation is endless because it is perceived by the eye of enlightening beings. This liberation is peerless, because it pervades the total cosmos. This liberation is all-sided, because it encompasses all miracles in a single object. This liberation is unfailing, because of practicing the nonduality of all bodies of reality. This liberation is unborn, because its practice is like magic. This liberation is like a reflection, because it arises as a reflection of the vow for omniscience. This liberation is like an emanation, because it emanates the practices of enlightening beings. This liberation is like earth, because it is the refuge of all sentient beings. This liberation is like water, because it rains great compassion on all sentient beings. This liberation is like fire, because it ends the cravings of all sentient beings. This liberation is like wind, because it directs all sentient beings to omniscience. This liberation is like the ocean, because it is a repository of ornaments of virtues for all sentient beings. This liberation is like the polar mountain, because it rises out of the ocean of jewels of knowledge of all things. This liberation is like the sky, being the space in which the miracles of the buddhas of past, present, and future take place. This liberation is like a great cloud, showering the rain of the cloud of the Teaching on all sentient beings. This liberation is like the sun, dispelling the darkness of nescience of all sentient beings. This liberation is like the moon, imbued with an ocean of goodness and knowledge. This liberation is like arrival at Thusness, reaching everywhere. This liberation is like one’s own reflection, being produced by rightness of action. This liberation is like an echo, thundering the voice of all truths in accord with inclinations. This liberation is like a reflection, communicating to all sentient beings according to their mentalities. This liberation is like a great tree, flowering with the miracles of all buddhas. This liberation is like diamond, its nature unbreakable. This liberation is like a wish-fulfilling jewel, accomplishing an endless variety of miracles. This liberation is like a flawless jewel, showing the miracles of the buddhas of past, present, and future without interference. This liberation is like a jewel of happiness, equally producing the voice of the teachings of all buddhas. This liberation is illustrated by countless such similes.”
The Flower Ornament Scripture Page 182