Lamenting the fate of the prince.
Then the buddha at the enlightenment tree,
Illumining Space with the Voice of Truth,
Realizing people’s faculties were ripe,
Went to that sacrificial ground out of compassion.
Going there, the buddha
Produced a miraculous display
And expounded a scripture,
The voice of the Teaching as myriad lamps of truth.
Countless people were edified,
And the buddha foretold their enlightenment;
The prince Conqueror, enraptured,
Set out for supreme enlightenment.
The prince gave the buddha
Many offerings and joyfully said,
“May I become a guide, savior, refuge,
And resort for the people of the land.”
He left home to join the buddha,
Seeking the path of perfect enlightenment;
He spent hundreds of eons
Thoroughly investigating the essence of thing.
Pitying all the helpless ones
Fallen into the sea of suffering,
Having cultivated the path of enlightenment,
He attained this liberation.
All the buddhas in that age
He propitiated with pure faith;
He made great offerings to them
And kept their teachings in mind.
After that, for eons numerous
As atoms in oceans of lands,
He propitiated and made offerings to
All the buddhas that arose.
I was the prince Conqueror,
Who, seeing people imprisoned,
Gave up my body to free them
And thus attained this liberation.
I cultivated it for eons as many
As atoms in oceans of lands,
Expanding it moment by moment
Through endless incomparable means.
From all the buddhas I saw
I gained some realization
And was shown this liberation
By a succession of means.
From them I learned the inconceivable
Reality of liberation over countless eons,
Imbibing all at once the multitude of teaching
Projected by the buddhas when established therein.
Those established therein
Go everywhere without attachment,
Instantly comprehending the countless
Names and groups of past, present, and future.
They appear before all the multitudes
Of buddhas of all times,
Manifesting themselves in the presence
Of those buddhas as reflected images.
They go everywhere and appear
Before all the buddhas,
Showering all kinds of ornaments
As offerings to the buddhas.
Then they ask the myriads of buddhas
Multitudes of questions
And remember the infinite teachings
Poured forth by the buddhas.
They go to the circles of buddhas everywhere,
As far as they can see,
Sitting on seats of many forms,
Manifesting various miracles.
With bodies of infinite appearances,
They fill all realms, by the thousands;
They show an endless, endless variety of forms,
And all those forms in one.
From each pore they emanate countless
Multitudes of light rays
And extinguish the fire of afflictions
Of all beings by various means.
In this state, emanating myriad projected bodies
From each and every pore,
They pervade all realms with them
And guide beings with rain from the ocean of truth.
This way of enlightenment, with inconceivable forms,
Is the resort of all enlightening beings;
Based on this they carry out practices
In all lands for all time.
Expounding the Teaching according to mentalities,
They remove the web of views;
Dwelling in ultimate felicity,
They show people the stage of omniscience.
With inconceivably many bodies of endless forms
In all states of existence,
They teach according to mentality,
Their forms reflections of all beings.
So many and infinitely more,
As inconceivably many as atoms in all lands,
Are the oceans of manifestations of the fearless ones
When they have attained this peaceful liberation.
The goddess continued, “I know only this enlightening liberation born of roots of goodness fostering the development of all beings according to their mentalities. How can I know the practice, or comprehend the oceans of virtues, or completely know the power of knowledge, or know the realm of thought, or understand the mastery of concentration, or recognize the miracle of liberation, of the enlightening beings who have transcended all worldly courses, who appear as reflections in all states of being, who are intent on shattering the mountains of barriers to omniscience, who know the nature and characteristics of all things, who are engaged in dispelling the darkness of all barriers caused by afflictions, who are skilled in carrying out a thorough investigation of all things, who actually realize the knowledge of selflessness, who ceaselessly develop and guide all sentient beings, who really know the principle of the nondual reality realm, whose intellects encompass the ocean of all manners of verbal expression?
“In the Lumbini grove, here on Jambudvipa, there lives a goddess of the Lumbini grove named Sutejomandalaratishri. Go ask her how enlightening beings are born in the family of buddhas, how they become light-makers for the world, and how they carry on the practice of enlightening beings forever without wearying.”
Then Sudhana paid his respects to the night goddess Sarvajagadrak-shapranidhanaviryaprabha and left.
Sutejomandalaratishri
Remembering the instruction of the night goddess Sarvajagadrak-shapranidhanaviryaprabha, cultivating and extending the enlightening liberation born of roots of goodness fostering the development of all beings according to their mentalities, Sudhana made his way to the Lumbini grove. When he got to the Lumbini grove he circled it, looking for the goddess Sutejomandalaratishri. Finally he saw her sitting on a jewel lotus calyx lion seat in a tower made of encircling branches of trees of all jewels in the Lumbini grove, surrounded by twenty million billion wood goddesses, teaching them, expounding to them a scripture called Exposition of the Ocean of Lives of All Enlightening Beings, born in the family of buddhas, increasing the flood of the ocean of virtues of enlightening beings. Seeing the goddess, Sudhana went up to her, paid his respects, and said, “I have set my mind on supreme perfect enlightenment, but I do not know how enlightening beings get to be born in the family of buddhas, or how, carrying out the practice of enlightening beings, they become light-makers for sentient beings.”
The goddess replied, “There are ten kinds of birth by which enlightening beings become born in the family of buddhas. Enlightening beings who have accomplished these develop correctly by means of the skills of enlightening beings, without stopping, without becoming exhausted, without regressing, without giving up, without wearying, without becoming discouraged, without becoming confused, without tarrying, without becoming afraid, without waning away. They follow the way to omniscience and remember the principle of the realm of reality; they become ripe for the enlightenment of buddhas and broaden the determination for enlightenment. They grow by means of all the transcendent ways, they withdraw from all worldly ways, and progress into the stage of those who realize Thusness. They refine mystic knowledge, become aware of all principles of enlightenment, and accord with the realm of omniscience. What are these ten kinds of birth of enlightening beings? The first is called the birth of enli
ghtening beings as offspring of the undertaking of the vow to serve all buddhas. The second is the birth of enlightening beings as offspring of consummation of all elements of the determination for enlightenment. The third is the birth of enlightening beings as offspring of meditation on the principles of the Teaching. The fourth is the birth of enlightening beings as offspring of purification of the intent in viewing past, present, and future. The fifth is the birth of enlightening beings as offspring of the light of universal awareness. The sixth is the birth as enlightening beings as offspring of the family of all buddhas. The seventh is the birth of enlightening beings as offspring of the array of lights of the manifestation of powers of buddhas. The eighth is the birth of enlightening beings as offspring of consummation of contemplation of the way to omniscience. The ninth is the birth of enlightening beings as offspring of manifestation of emanations throughout the cosmos. The tenth is the birth of enlightening beings as offspring of momentum going into the stage of the enlightened.
“What is the first birth of enlightening beings, as offspring of the undertaking of the vow to serve all buddhas? Here the enlightening beings, honoring, respecting, serving, attending, and pleasing all buddhas just as when they first made offerings in service of a buddha, never tire of seeing the enlightened; their minds expanded by floods of joy from the buddhas they honor, they are flooded with well-being by the sight of buddhas. Gaining virtue with unwavering faith, tireless, they ceaselessly work to bring offerings to all buddhas. This is enlightening beings’ first kind of birth, as offspring of the undertaking of the vow to serve all buddhas, which is conducive to the production and acquisition of roots of goodness in preparation for omniscience.
“What is enlightening beings’ birth as offspring of consummation of all elements of the determination for enlightenment? Here enlightening beings arouse the will for supreme perfect enlightenment: that involves the will of great compassion to save all beings; the will to please all buddhas ultimately; the will to seek all ways of enlightenment, to be equanimous toward all things; the will for the greatest of undertakings, to head for omniscience; the will of great kindness, to treat all beings with care; the will not to abandon any beings, to be firmly equipped for omniscience; the will to avoid deceit and falsehood, to attain the light of truthful knowledge; the will to act in accord with one’s speech, to carry out the path of enlightening beings; the will not to disappoint the buddhas, to keep the vows of all buddhas; the will for the great undertaking of omniscience, to ceaselessly guide and perfect all beings that will ever be. When enlightening beings have fulfilled as many such elements of the determination for enlightenment as atoms in a buddha-land, then they are born in the family of buddhas.
“What is enlightening beings’ birth as offspring of meditation on the principles of the Teaching? Here the enlightening beings’ minds are turned to meditation according all the principles of the teaching, dedicated to fulfilling all aspects of the path of omniscience, intent on practicing impeccable actions, bent on purification of the ocean of all concentration methods of enlightening beings, determined to practice and perfect all qualities of enlightening beings, intent on accomplishing all elements of the path of enlightening beings, energetically striving for omniscience, like the fire that burns ceaselessly through an eon of destruction, determined to accomplish the infinite variety of practices of enlightening beings aimed at guiding all sentient beings to perfection; in terms of all practical techniques and accomplishments of perfect qualities of enlightening beings they enter into the means of realization of all methods of cultivation and meditation.
“What is enlightening beings’ birth as offspring of purification of the intent in viewing past, present, and future? Here enlightening beings become pure in the element of intent; they come into the range of the enlightenment of buddhas; they enter the ocean of methods of enlightening beings; their minds are firm, governed by an intent as strong as steel; they are aloof from all forms of existence; they are attentive to the accomplishments of miracles of all buddhas; they gain higher direction so as to increase the keenness of awakening faculties; they become noble-minded, so that their will becomes clear; they become unshakable, so that they develop their firm great vows; they are kept in mind by the buddhas, so that they break through all barriers; they become refuges relied upon by all sentient beings.
“What is enlightening beings’ birth as offspring of the light of universal awareness? Here the enlightening beings become fully engaged in the effort to guide all sentient beings to perfection. They become free from any notion of things, having let go and relinquished all. They become perfectly pure and self-controlled, dwelling in the sphere of those who arrive at Thusness. They become tolerant, having attained the light of acceptance of all teachings of buddhas. They become greatly energetic, accomplishing right emancipation everywhere. They become released through meditation, having purified the sphere of knowledge of all-sided concentration. They become radiant with the energy of transcendent wisdom, having attained awareness of all truths. They become unimpeded in vision, perceiving the manifestations of the ocean of vision of buddhas. They manifest the total potential of the reality of all things, satisfying all beings. They become engrossed in the attainment of truth.
“What is enlightening beings’ birth as offspring of the family of all buddhas? Here the enlightening beings are born in the family of buddhas, born into the lineage of buddhas. They become accomplished in the methods of all buddha teaching and pure in the great vows of the buddhas of past, present, and future. Their roots of goodness become one with the roots of goodness of all buddhas, and they become one body with all buddhas. They go beyond the world by pure qualities. They come to abide in the state of a great being, in absorption in the sight of the power of buddhas. They carry out the means of purifying beings according to the time and are tireless in answering questions about the ways of enlightenment.
“What is enlightening beings’ birth as offspring of the array of lights of the manifestation of powers of buddhas? Here enlightening beings, within range of entry into the powers of buddhas, do not regress in their travels to buddha-lands, and do not backslide in their approach to the ocean of various virtues of enlightening beings. They are not frightened by the knowledge that all things are really illusory, and they know all worlds are like dreams. They effect the magical manifestation of all forms, like reflections, and they attain mastery of the miraculous effects of mystic knowledge, like emanations. They show their faces like shadows or reflected images in all states of being. They know all buddhas’ teachings are like echoes, and they attain supreme perfection of explanation of the principles of the reality realm, teaching through the use of various meanings and methods.
“What is enlightening beings’ birth as offspring of consummation of contemplation of the ways to omniscience? Here the enlightening beings, like children, become established in the state of enlightening beings, where they contemplate the way to omniscience. In each medium of the way of knowledge they will travel for measureless eons defining the infinite realm of enlightening beings, and they become masters of all concentrations of enlightening beings, attaining supreme perfection. In each and every moment of awareness they appear in the presence of the buddhas in untold buddha-lands in the ten directions. They attain holistic concentration on differentiated objects, and show mastery of distinct knowledge of inseparable things. They enter the realm of no object in boundless objects. They enter the stage of endless definition of minute objects, and they know the immeasurable nature of things as small or large. They realize all worlds are equally definitions of consciousness, and they understand all objects and all modes of making them known, by means of meditation.
“What is enlightening beings’ birth as offspring of manifestation of emanations throughout the universe? Here the enlightening beings set up variously arrayed buddha-lands everywhere in an instant of thought. They become perfectly expert in creating emanational beings, skilled in producing emanational buddhas, and expert in cre
ating projections of the Teaching. Their sphere of action is the unobstructed cosmos of realities; they become able to produce manifestations of all kinds of bodies according to the mentalities of those they are dealing with, and arrive at the skill to guide unthinkable numbers of sentient beings. They show enlightenment through various practices, are skilled in accomplishing the unobstructed path of omniscience, and thereupon demonstrate the ability to turn the wheel of the Teaching. They become skilled in accomplishing an infinite variety of means of guiding sentient beings; they are able to guide sentient beings with proper timing, and are always absorbed in the mother lode of illuminating knowledge.
“What is enlightening beings’ birth as offspring of momentum going into the stage of the enlightened? Here enlightening beings are initiated into the realm of oneness of all buddhas of all times, and they enter into the perspective of continuity of all worlds. They know the continuous generation of mind of all beings in their past and future goings and comings. They know the continuum of action and knowledge of all enlightening beings, they know the continuum of enlightenment of all past, future, and present buddhas, and they know the continuum of skill in use of all the teachings. They know the continuum of all past, future, and present ages of formation and disintegration, as well as their names and features. They effect the knowledge underlying showing sentient beings the realm of awakening to the manifestation of enlightenment according to their development, at the appropriate times, and they show the continuity of the means of turning the wheel of teaching leading to realization of enlightenment applied by all buddhas who appear in the world, by skill in carrying out techniques of guiding endless numbers of beings.
“These are enlightening beings’ ten births as enlightening beings, in which they are born, come into existence, form and develop, are fulfilled and completed; they magically produce offerings of adornments in a single array for awakening in all lands; they produce magical powers for endless eons to guide sentient beings ceaselessly; they awaken to the stream of the endless succession of teachings in the multifaceted succession of particularizations of the various objects of sense in the ocean of all actualities; they show the inconceivable majesty of buddhas throughout the space of the cosmos; they show the operation of the Teaching in the context of the immeasurable oceans of varieties of actions of sentient beings, to develop and guide and care for them; they cause all worlds never to be deprived of the presence of a buddha; they convey the multitudes of all teachings, the purity of the ocean of their innumerable utterances, in all objects of sense; having reached the state of unobstructed infinitude, they produce spheres of enlightening beings beautifully arrayed with all realities; they expound the infinitely various treasury of the Teaching, pursuant to infinite buddhahood, for the purpose of perfecting all beings, expounding it to all beings in accord with their mentalities.”
The Flower Ornament Scripture Page 190