The Flower Ornament Scripture

by Thomas Cleary

  It was like the case of a dying man hovering in his final mental state, on the brink of the mental state immediately preceding rebirth, faced with the state of being which is caused by his actions, as a result of the accumulation of whatever actions he has done; he will see hell if he has done evil, or the state of animals, ghosts, or the underworld, and may see angry, abusive henchmen of the underworld carrying weapons, and hear the cries of lament and anger of the beings in hell. He will also see the great hells burning, blazing masses of flames, and will see the copper cauldrons and the tortures being carried out, and will perceive those undergoing them. He will also see and feel the pains of the burning of the fires of hell. But by accumulation of good actions one will see heaven, and will see the assemblies of gods and goddesses and all the magnificent arrays of heaven; one will see and experience the enjoyments of the parks, palaces, rivers, lotus ponds, mountains of jewels, and wish-fulfilling trees. At the end of one’s life one will feel one has passed away from this world and been reborn in the next, even though one has not yet died; thus by the wonder of the mental realms caused by actions one will see and experience these events. In the same way Sudhana, by the wonder of the states caused by the actions of an enlightening being, saw that whole supernal manifestation of the tower of Vairocana.

  Just as a man possessed by a spirit sees various things, and tells of what he is asked about, in the same way Sudhana, by the power of knowledge of an enlightening being, saw all those arrays.

  Just as a man who has entered the abode of water spirits, by entering into the perception of water spirits, thinks a day or a week or a fortnight or a month or a year or a century has passed, merely in his perception, and when leaving the perception of water spirits for the perception of humans sees that it was only a short time, in the same way, with the mindfulness of the perception of an enlightening being, by the power of Maitreya, in that short time Sudhana had the sense of the passage of billions of eons.

  There is a celestial mansion called “chamber of the finest ornaments of all worlds,” wherein the whole universe is seen by reflection, with all objects clearly defined; in the same way Sudhana saw all those arrays, unconfused, reflected in all the objects.

  Just as a monk in the trance of absorption in one of the points of totality is single-minded and undivided whether walking, standing still, sitting, or reclining, and sees and experiences the whole world through entry into the sphere of total absorption in whatever point of totality he is focused on, by the marvel of meditation, in the same way Sudhana saw all those arrays whatever object he immersed himself in.

  Just as all the adornments of the cities of celestial musicians are visible in the sky, without constituting a barrier to anyone, just as human abodes within demonic abodes, each distinct within the demonic abodes, are visible according to the purity of the objects of desire, just as reflections of the worlds of the universe are seen in the ocean, just as a magician sees all forms and activities by the power of spells and drugs, in the same way Sudhana, by the inconceivable direction of the magic of the enlightening mystic knowledge of Maitreya, saw all those miraculous displays, by bringing forth the power of magic of knowledge of truth, by the power of mystic knowledge mastered by the enlightening being.

  Then the enlightening being Maitreya, entering the tower and relaxing his magical force, snapped his fingers and said to Sudhana, “Arise. This is the nature of things; characterized by nonfixity, all things are stabilized by the knowledge of enlightening beings, thus they are inherently unreal, and are like illusions, dreams, reflections.”

  Then, at a finger snap, Sudhana emerged from that trance and Maitreya said to him, “Did you see the miraculous display of the magical power of enlightening beings? Did you see the results of the power of enlightening beings’ preparations for enlightenment? Did you see the creations of the vows and knowledge of enlightening beings? Did you see the practices and attainments of enlightening beings? Did you hear the enlightening beings’ ways of emancipation? Did you see the infinity of adornments of buddha-lands? Did you see the excellence of the vows and expertise of buddhas? Did you realize the inconceivability of the liberation of enlightening beings? Did you experience enlightening beings’ bliss of absorption?”

  Sudhana said, “I saw, noble one, by the empowerment and spiritual force of the benefactor. And what is this liberation called?”

  Maitreya said, “This liberation is called the sanctum of supernal manifestations of unconfused recollection entering into knowledge of all objects of past, present, and future. And an enlightening being assured of enlightenment in one lifetime attains untold liberations like this.”

  Sudhana said, “Where has that magnificent display gone?”

  Maitreya said, “Where it came from.”

  Sudhana said, “Where did it come from?”

  Maitreya said, “It came from the effectuation of the magical power of knowledge of enlightening beings, and it resides in that very magical power. It does not go or come at all, it is not an aggregate or an accumulation, it is not uniform and unchangeable, it is not abiding or fixed in existence, it is not located in any place. It is like the network of clouds of the water spirits which do not appear from body or mind and yet are indeed seen in masses; by the mental power of the water spirits measureless clouds emerge, by the wonder of the realm of the water spirits. In the same way, those supernal manifestations are not internal or external, yet it is not that they are not seen, by the magical power of the enlightening being, and because of your own capacity.

  “Just as the illusions of a magician manifesting illusory objects do not come from anywhere or go away, nor are they in transit, yet they appear by the power of spells and drugs, in the same way those supernal arrays have never gone or come, nor accumulated, but they appear by proper learning of the inconceivable magic of knowledge of enlightening beings, by mastery of knowledge empowered by past vows.”

  Sudhana said, “From how far away do you come?”

  Maitreya said, “In the state where there is no coming; the state of enlightening beings is the state of neither motion nor stasis, the state of no support or abode, the state of no passing away or rebirth, the state neither static nor transient, the state of no stirring or arising, the state of no concern or attachment, the state of no deeds or fruition, the state of no origination or destruction, the state of no annihilation or eternity. Furthermore, great compassion is the state of enlightening beings, as they attend to sentient beings who can be guided; great kindness is the state of enlightening beings, as they rescue suffering beings; discipline is the state of enlightening beings, as they become reconstituted according to will; commitment is the state of enlightening beings, based on past vows; spiritual power is the state of enlightening beings, as they manifest all that is pleasant; nondoing is the state of enlightening beings, as they do not leave the presence of all buddhas; neither grasping nor rejecting is the state of enlightening beings, as they are not obsessed with body or mind; wisdom and means is the state of enlightening beings, as they adapt to sentient beings, manifesting emanations is the state of enlightening beings, their bodies being equivalent to reflected images.

  “And you ask how far away I come from—I come here from the village of Kuti in the territories of the Malada people, land of my birth. There is a gentleman there named Gopalaka, who guides people into the buddha-teachings, teaches the native people according to their capacities, and establishes family and relatives, priests and householders, in the Great Vehicle.”

  Sudhana asked, “What are the native lands of enlightening beings?”

  Maitreya said, “There are ten native lands of enlightening beings. What are they? The arousal of the aspiration for enlightenment is a native land of enlightening beings, causing one to be born in the family of enlightening beings. Strong will is a native land of enlightening beings, causing one to be born in the family of spiritual friends. The stages are a native land of enlightening beings, causing one to be born in the family of the transcenden
t ways. Carrying out vows is a native land of enlightening beings, causing one to be born in the family of sublime acts. Universal compassion is a native land of enlightening beings, causing one to be born in the house of means of salvation. Profound contemplation is a native land of enlightening beings, causing one to be born in the house of transcendent wisdom. The Great Vehicle is a native land of enlightening beings, causing one to be born in the house of skill in means. Educating sentient beings is a native land of enlightening beings, causing one to be born in the house of buddhas. Knowledge and means is a native land of enlightening beings, causing one to be born in the house of tolerance of things as unoriginated. Practicing and realizing all truths is a native land of enlightening beings, causing one to be born in the house of all buddhas of past, future, and present.

  “Transcendent wisdom is the mother of enlightening beings, skill in means is the father of enlightening beings, transcendent generosity is the milk of enlightening beings, transcendent discipline is their nurse, transcendent tolerance is their adornment, transcendent vigor is what makes them grow, transcendent meditation purifies their practice, spiritual friends teach them, the elements of enlightenment are their companions, all enlightening beings are their siblings, the determination for enlightenment is their family, practice is the rule of their family, the stages are their residence, attainment of tolerance is birth in the family, carrying out vows is acquisition of the knowledge of the family, purity of conduct is following the rule of the family, promoting the Great Vehicle is preserving the continuity of the family, consecration as one bound to attain buddhahood in one life is princehood among spiritual kings, and the attainment of all who arrive at Thusness is complete purification of the family.

  “Thus the enlightening being has gone beyond the stage of the ignorant and has entered the certainty of enlightening beings, has been born in the family of buddhas, has been established in the lineage of buddhas, has become capable of perpetuating the three treasures, has become involved in protecting the family of enlightening beings, has become socially pure and impeccable, blameless among all people, has become well born in the highest family of buddhas, the body a repository of great vows.

  “Enlightening beings who have succeeded in being born in the family this way do not shrink away from existence in any world, because they realize all things are like reflections; they are not defiled by life in any state of existence, because they realize birth in all states of being is phantomlike; they are tireless in guiding and perfecting all beings, because they are aware all is selfless; they never cease taking care of all beings, because they embody universal love and compassion; they do not fear living through all ages, because they believe the mundane whirl is like a dream; they are not afflicted by the appearance of birth and death, because they realize the clusters of mental and physical elements are illusory; they are not injured in the midst of all objects, because they realize they are of the nature of the reality realm; they are not deluded by any of the states of the mundane whirl, because they have thoroughly realized they are like mirages; they are unaffected by any bedeviling objects because they are familiar with the illusoriness of all things; they are incapable of being deceived by any afflictions, because they have mastered the spiritual body; they reach their goal in all states of being, because they have attained control over becoming.

  “With a body existing in all worlds, in forms like all beings, with different powers, with distinct forms of speech like those of all beings, with modes of conduct like those approved by all beings, with adaptations to the world as extensive as the precepts of all beings, appearing to be born in families consonant with all kinds of purity, by entries into the perceptions and ideas of all beings through engagement in activity, by powers of physical manifestation equal to the creations of vows of all enlightening beings, I pervade all universes, and arrived here in the south, in the village of Kuta in the Malada region, in order to develop to maturity those who carried out the same practices as I in the past but have lost the aspiration for enlightenment, and to manifest birth on this continent, to guide parents and relatives born in the priestly caste, and to generate the family of enlightened ones so as to free them from the pride and conceit of the superiority of the priestly caste.

  “Here in the south, by that means guiding beings according to their mentalities and according to their capacity for being taught, I live in this tower containing the adornments of Vairocana. When I have passed away from here, I will manifest birth in Tushita, the celestial abode of happiness and contentment, in order to adapt to beings according to mentality, and to mature the celestials of that heaven engaged in the same practice, to manifest supernal arrays of emanations of the virtue and knowledge of enlightening beings beyond all realms of desire, to dispel all craving for sensual enjoyment, to make it clear that all mundane routines are impermanent, to show that all celestial existence ultimately declines and passes away, to join with the enlightening beings bound for buddhahood in one life in proclaiming the teaching of great knowledge called ‘appearance of descent from heaven into rebirth on earth,’ to take care of those matured together in that state of existence, and to enlighten those sent forth by Shakyamuni when the time comes to be guided. At that time I will realize omniscience, the fulfillment of my aspiration; and when I have attained enlightenment, you will see me again, with the spiritual benefactor Manjushri.

  “Now go back to Manjushri and ask him how an enlightening being is to learn and carry out the practice of enlightening beings, enter the sphere of universally good practice, undertake and carry it out, expand it, follow it, purify it, enter fully into it, and fulfill it. He will show you the real benefactor. Why? The best of vows of decillions of enlightening beings is Manjushri’s; vast is the outcome of the practice of Manjushri; measureless is the accomplishment of vows of Manjushri; ceaseless is Manjushri’s achievement of the best of virtues of all enlightening beings; Manjushri is the mother of decillions of buddhas; Manjushri is the teacher of decillions of enlightening beings; Manjushri is engaged in the perfection of all beings; widespread is the name of Manjushri in all worlds of the ten directions; Manjushri is the interlocutor in the assemblies of untold buddhas; Manjushri is praised by all buddhas; abiding in the knowledge of profound truth, Manjushri sees all things according to their true significance; Manjushri has ranged far into all modes of liberation; he is immersed in the practice of universally good enlightening beings. He is the progenitor of spiritual benefactors, who makes you grow in the family of the enlightened, causes you to establish roots of goodness, shows you the provisions for enlightenment, introduces you to true benefactors, immerses you in all virtues, establishes you in the network of universal vows, causes you to hear of the accomplishment of all vows, shows the secrets of all enlightening beings, and has similarly practiced the wonder of all enlightening beings together with you in past lives.

  “Therefore when you go to Manjushri, do not be faint-hearted, do not become weary in receiving instruction in all virtues. Why? All the spiritual benefactors you have seen, all the ways of practice you have heard, all the modes of liberation you have entered, all the vows you have plunged into, should all be looked upon as the empowerment of Manjushri; and Manjushri has reached the ultimate perfection.”

  Then Sudhana paid his respects to Maitreya the enlightening being and went on.

  Manjushri

  Then Sudhana, passing more than one hundred and ten cities, went to Sumanamukha and stayed there thinking about Manjushri, wishing to see and meet with Manjushri. Then Manjushri extended his hand over a hundred and ten leagues and laid it on the head of Sudhana, who was standing in the city of Sumanamukha, and said, “Good, good! Those without the faculty of faith, those who are weary or sluggish in mind, those who have not accumulated efforts, those whose vigor recedes, those who are satisfied with meager virtues, those imbued with only one root of goodness, those unskilled in carrying out practical vows, those who are not in the care of spiritual benefactors, those who are not min
ded by the buddhas, cannot know this true nature, this principle, this sphere, this abode—they are unable to know, to fathom, to penetrate, to believe, to conceive, to know exactly, or to attain.”

  Having caused Sudhana to see by means of his spiritual talk, having directed him, inspired him, gladdened him, imbued him with countless facets of truth, illumined him with the great light of infinite knowledge, led him into the endless mental command, presence of mind, concentration, and superknowledge of enlightening beings, plunged him into the sphere of universally good practice, and established him in his own place, Manjushri left the presence of Sudhana.

  The Vow of Practice of Universal Good

  Then Sudhana, attending as many spiritual benefactors as atoms in a billion-world universe, his mind having accumulated the provisions for omniscience, acting on the instructions of all spiritual benefactors with correct understanding, his mind equally attentive to all spiritual friends, his intellect in harmony with all spiritual friends without emotion, following the ocean of principles of the advice and instruction of all spiritual friends, filled with universal compassion, illumining all beings with universal love, physically blissful, abiding at peace in the vast liberation of enlightening beings, his equanimous vision attentive to all dimensions, having accomplished the ocean of virtues of all buddhas, on the path of resolve of all buddhas, strengthened by the energy of vigor of preparation for omniscience, his mind thoroughly dedicated to the will of all enlightening beings, comprehending the succession of all buddhas of past, present, and future, awake to the ocean of principles of all enlightened teachings, following the ocean of principles of the wheels of teaching of all buddhas, in the realm of manifesting reflections of life in all worlds, immersed in the principles of the vows of all enlightening beings, set out to carry on enlightening practice throughout all ages, seeing the realm of omniscience, having developed all the faculties of enlightening beings, aware of the path of omniscience, his intellect focused on all the principles of the reality realm, illumining the principles of all lands, following the course of beneficial action extending to all beings, shattering the precipitous mountains of spiritual impediments, according with the unimpeded nature of reality, abiding at peace in the liberation of enlightening beings containing the universal reality realm, investigating the realm of all buddhas, empowered by all buddhas, stood contemplating the realm of the enlightening being Universally Good.