The Flower Ornament Scripture

by Thomas Cleary

  Sudhana said, “O sage, how does one practice so as to attain this liberation? Shilpabhijna replied, “If enlightening beings practice ten things and completely fulfill them, then they can attain this enlightening liberation of higher knowledge of the arts. What are the ten? Sufficiency of knowledge, diligently seeking good associates, intense vigor, removing obstructing delusions, purity of correct practice, respecting correct teaching, observation of the inherent emptiness of phenomena, destroying false views, practicing the right path, acquisition of true knowledge. If enlightening beings can fulfill these ten things, they can rapidly attain this liberation. Why? By sufficiency of knowledge, enlightening beings diligently seek good associates; seeing them, they approach them, happily respect them, and think of them as buddhas. By associating with them, they are constantly being taught, so they are able to apply intense vigor to difficult practices. Having attained vigor, they can use good qualities to destroy what is not good. By destroying what is not good, they enable all good qualities to reach fulfillment. Once goodness is fulfilled, then they can get rid of all obstructing delusions. By getting rid of obstructions, they cause body, speech, and mind to attain great purity, in accord with correct practice. By this purity, they are able to respect the teachings of all buddhas, enlightening beings, and spiritual benefactors. Because of this respect for the teaching, they diligently seek to observe the emptiness of all phenomena. Having realized that all phenomena are empty, their minds are unobstructed wherever they turn. Deeply realizing interdependent origination, they get rid of the notion of causelessness, extinguish the mind of false views, and practice the right path. Having entered the right path, they attain true knowledge. By attaining true knowledge, they attain this liberation and witness the profound reality realm.”

  Sudhana then said, “What is this truth called?”

  Shilpabhijna replied, “These words are called truth.”

  Sudhana said, “What words are called truth?”

  Shilpabhijna replied, “Words that do not deceive are called true.”

  “What are words that do not deceive?”

  “They speak of the eternal constancy of the essence of truth, it being ever of one nature.”

  “What is the unchanging nature?”

  “It is understood through personal realization of the essence of things.”

  “What is the essence of things like? Are that which understands and that which is understood one or two?”

  “The reality that is personally realized by enlightening beings is neither one nor two. By this power it is possible to equally benefit self and others. Just as the earth can produce everything without discrimination, so it is with the minds that benefit and are benefited. But the essence of things neither has form nor is formless. It is like space. It is hard to know, hard to understand. This truth is subtle, beyond verbalization. Why? Because it transcends the sphere of all verbal expression, it transcends all possible ranges of speech, it transcends the range of description, discrimination, and thought, it transcends the sphere of all reflection and assessment, it transcends all realms known to ignorant sentient beings, it transcends all realms of bedevilments connected with afflictions, it transcends all spheres of mind and consciousness. It has no ‘this’ or ‘that,’ no signs or signlessness; it is beyond all illusory realms. It abides in no abode, and is the sphere of tranquil sages. The realm of personal realization of those sages has no formal characteristics, no defilement or purity, no grasping or rejection, no pollution or confusion. Its clarity is supreme, its essence is eternal and unperishing. Whether or not buddhas appear in the world, the essence of the reality realm is always one and the same. It is for this truth that enlightening beings carry out countless difficult practices; having attained realization of this truth, they can benefit all sentient beings and enable sentient beings ultimately to abide in this truth. This is really true, this is unchanging, this is ultimate reality, this is the body of all knowledge, this is the inconceivable reality realm, this is the nondual reality realm.”

  Instructions of Suchandra

  Suchandra said, “If enlightening beings can practice ten things, they can fully attain this liberation. What ten? Never leaving spiritual benefactors; never giving up remembrance of vision of buddhas; never giving up listening to true teaching; never giving up honoring and serving buddhas, enlightening beings, and spiritual benefactors; never abandoning learned and wise companions and teachers who are able to expound the Teaching; never giving up listening to talk of all the practices of the transcendent ways; never giving up hearing about all the elements of enlightenment; never giving up the three doors of liberation; never giving up the four immeasurables; never giving up the body of all knowledge. If enlightening beings do not give up on these ten things, they can attain this liberation of light of undefiled knowledge.”

  Sudhana asked, “How can this liberation be experienced in the present?”

  Suchandra said, “In the present one should make transcendent wisdom and the mind unite as far as possible; then one can enter this liberation whatever one perceives and cognizes.”

  Sudhana asked, “Is it realized by hearing talk about transcendent wisdom?”

  Suchandra said, “No. Why not? Because transcendent wisdom is realized by seeing the true essence of things.”

  Sudhana asked, “Is it not a fact that hearing can produce knowledge, and then by thinking about the nature of knowledge one can get to see True Thusness and personally realize enlightenment?”

  Suchandra said, “No, it is not so. It is impossible to personally attain enlightenment by hearing and thinking. Let me give you a simile. Suppose someone is traveling from west to east through a desert in the summer heat, and he meets a man coming from the east and asks, ‘I am thirsty and hot—where is there water and shade? I want to quench my thirst and rest and cool off.’ The man knows, and tells him, ‘Go east. There will be two roads, one to the left, one to the right. Take the one to the right, and if you keep traveling on it, you will eventually reach a sweet spring and trees giving shade.’ Now, do you suppose that this person who is hot and thirsty can quench his thirst or cool off simply by hearing about the spring and trees and thinking about going there? Of course not. It is necessary to go by the road pointed out, to get to the oasis, bathe, and drink; only then will he be able to quench his thirst and cool off. So it is with enlightening beings: they cannot enter the doors of the Teaching only by the understanding that comes from hearing and thinking. In this simile, the desert is birth and death, the one coming from the west is sentient beings, the heat is delusions, and thirst is craving. The one from the east who knows the road is the buddhas and enlightening beings who abide in all knowledge and realize the equal real meaning of the true essence of things. Finding pure water and being free from heat and thirst stands for personally realizing real truth.

  “Let me give you another simile. Suppose the Buddha lived for an eon and in various ways eloquently told people on earth about heavenly ambrosia, its various qualities, its wonderful texture, its beautiful color and fragrance and wonderful flavors. Do you think the people would know what the celestial food tasted like when they heard about it and thought about it? Of course not. And in the same way, one cannot realize the essence of transcendent wisdom just by hearing and thinking about it.”

  Sudhana said, “How do enlightening beings skillfully explain so as to enable people to really attain experience?”

  Suchandra said, “The true essence of transcendent wisdom experienced by enlightening beings is the definitive, proper basis of their explanation. It is because of having attained this liberation that they can skillfully explain for people.

  “Furthermore, enlightening beings attain this liberation by fulfilling ten things: getting rid of all unwholesome qualities, not deviating from the precepts of Buddha, getting rid of all envy, serving all enlightened ones, diligently practicing all beneficial works, acquiring wisdom, acquiring skill in means, acquiring great determination, acquiring detachment, acq
uiring vigor. If enlightening beings fulfill these ten things, they will realize this liberation.”

  Instructions of Shivaragra

  Sudhana said, “Noble One, the true power of this liberation is called the speaking of a vow of truth; what does this mean?”

  The brahmin said, “Speaking a vow of truth means suchness as is, unchanging, nondual, ultimate truth, and the substance of the body of reality of the enlightened ones of past, present, and future.”

  Sudhana said, “How can all enlightening beings practice so as to attain this reality body?”

  He replied, “If enlightening beings can cultivate ten things to fulfillment, they will attain this reality body. What ten? The body of equality, the body of purity, the body of tranquillity, the body of space, the body of sublime knowledge, the body of infinity, the body of practice, the body of the essence of things, the body of detachment from rumination, the body of inconceivability. If enlightening beings have these ten bodies, they attain the pure reality body of the enlightened.”

  Sudhana said, “At what state do enlightening beings in this liberation attain these ten bodies?”

  The brahmin said, “Enlightening beings in the first stage who dwell in this liberation attain the body of equality, because they realize the essence of things, get rid of all deviation, and see the equality of phenomena. Enlightening beings in the second stage who dwell in this liberation attain the body of purity, because they get rid of the defilement of immorality and are always pure in respect to the essence of all the precepts. Enlightening beings in the third stage who dwell in this liberation attain the body of infinity, because they get rid of unwholesome elements such as craving, anger, and envy, and abide in higher concentrations. Enlightening beings in the fourth stage who dwell in this liberation attain the body of practice, because they always diligently practice to assemble all the elements of enlightenment. Enlightening beings in the fifth stage who dwell in this liberation attain the body of the essence of things, because they observe and become aware of all true principles and realize the essence of phenomena. Enlightening beings in the sixth stage who dwell in this liberation attain the body of freedom from rumination, because they observe the principle of interdependent origination, which is difficult to understand, difficult to know, not in the sphere of rumination. Enlightening beings in the seventh stage who dwell in this liberation attain the body of inconceivability, because they assemble the skillful techniques of the buddhas’ teachings and their knowledge and activity is fulfilled. Enlightening beings in the eighth stage who dwell in this liberation attain the body of tranquillity, because the afflictions are no longer active and they are detached from worldly descriptions. Enlightening beings in the ninth stage who dwell in this liberation attain the body of space, because their physical forms are boundless, pervading everything. Enlightening beings in the tenth stage who dwell in this liberation attain the body of sublime knowledge, because the sublime realm of omniscience is completely assembled.”

  Sudhana asked, “How is the spiritual body of buddhas different from these ten kinds of spiritual bodies of enlightening beings?”

  He replied, “The essence of the spiritual body is not different; the only difference is in the power.”

  Sudhana went on, “What does that mean?”

  He replied, “It means the spiritual reality-bodies of buddhas and enlightening beings are equal, without difference. Why? Because the essence and characteristics of all phenomena are equal, being one and the same body. So it is that ordinary people and sages, delusion and enlightenment, causes and effects of defilement and purity, going and coming, advancing and retreating, are all the same one form. Now, when I say there is a difference in power, I mean that the properties of the body of buddhas are completely developed and have superior power, unlike the enlightening beings. Let me give you a simile to illustrate this. Suppose there is a jewel that has not yet been cut and polished and so does not sparkle; the ordinary people would not care for it. Once it is cut and polished so that it sparkles and shines, people value it. There is no difference in the substance of the jewel, but the appearance is different. Although enlightening beings are the same as buddhas in essence, which is called the reality-body or spiritual body in both cases, it cannot be said that they are the same as buddhas in terms of inconceivable pure qualities such as knowledge and spiritual powers. Why? Because the buddhas have purified all sublime qualities over countless eons to ultimate perfection so that they are infinite as space, filling the worlds in the ten directions, sublimely pure, free from the stain of delusion, with immense light that illumines every place and extraordinary power that aids sentient beings everywhere. Though enlightening beings have the spiritual reality-body, its qualities are not yet perfected, and there is residual defilement; so they are like the waxing moon, which is the same in name and substance, but changes in light and appearance as it waxes because there is a difference in fullness. So it is with enlightening beings and buddhas in respect to their spiritual reality-bodies; in the former it is not full, whereas in the latter it is full. The body of enlightening beings is like the moon from the first to the fourteenth of the lunar month, when its light cannot shine around, whereas the reality-body of buddhas is like the moon on the fifteenth, when it is full, its light shining everywhere without boundary or obstruction. Yet the ten kinds of spiritual body of enlightening beings are the same in essence as the body of buddhas, without duality, though they cannot be said to be one because of the difference in their cultivated qualities. Therefore, if enlightening beings dwell in this liberation and fulfill the ten bodies, then they can realize the complete reality-body of buddhas in which all qualities are perfected.

  “Furthermore, enlightening beings attain an indestructible adamantine body in ten respects: they are invulnerable to the poison of all afflictions, craving, anger, and folly; they are invulnerable to pride, envy, false views, and delusions; they are invulnerable to the suffering and oppression of bad states; they are invulnerable to profit, loss, censure, praise, fame, slander, pain, and pleasure; they are invulnerable to birth, old age, sickness, death, grief, and lament; they are invulnerable to false philosophies; they are invulnerable to the demons of afflictions, the clusters, and death; they are invulnerable to celestial demons and their cohorts; they are invulnerable to all hearers and individual illuminates; they are invulnerable to all attractive objects in the world. If enlightening beings can embody these ten meanings, they will attain the indestructible adamantine body of buddhas.

  “Furthermore, there are ten kinds of correct path of skill by which one can know teaching that has no error in it. What are the ten? One is when the path of the vehicle of enlightening beings is taught to those who are to be harmonized with the Great Vehicle, rather than the path of the vehicle of hearers. Second is when the path of the vehicle of hearers is taught to those who are to be harmonized with the vehicle of hearers, rather than the path of the vehicle of enlightening beings. Third is when the path of omniscience of buddhas is taught to those who are to be harmonized with the buddha-vehicle, rather than the vehicle of individual illuminates. Fourth is when the vehicle of individual illuminates is taught to those who are to be harmonized with the vehicle of individual illuminates, rather than the path of omniscience. Fifth is when people who are attached to self and phenomena are taught selflessness and the emptiness of phenomena rather than the path of artificial self and phenomena, which deals with self, person, being, life, and personality. Sixth is when people who cling to being or nonbeing are taught the middle way beyond extremes, and are not taught doctrines of being and nonbeing that fall into extremes. Seventh is when people whose minds are scattered are taught calm cessation and observation, and are not taught methods that will distract them. Eighth is when people who are infatuated with mundane things are taught the path of knowledge of Thusness, which is beyond the world, and are not taught the paths of the ignorant and infantile. Ninth is when people who like to be in birth and death are taught the path to nirvana beyo
nd birth and death, and are not taught to stay in the world teaching people. Tenth is when people who cling to the emptiness of things and do not practice the right way are taught the right way, on which there are no brambles, and are not taught false and dangerous paths fraught with brambles. If enlightening beings enter the true path in these ten ways and are able to know how to teach without error, what they say is true.”

  APPENDIX 3

  Commentary on Book 39 by Li Tongxuan

  Translator’s Introduction

  ACCORDING TO BUDDHIST LEGEND, the fullest extent of consciousness available to humankind was rediscovered by Gautama Buddha thousands of years ago and summarized in the monumental discourse known as The Flower Ornament Scripture (Avatamsaka Sutra). Finding this statement of complete enlightenment beyond even the most advanced minds of his time, the Buddha spent the rest of his life teaching people how to prepare themselves for this comprehensive understanding. At every step of the way, there were those who succeeded in absorbing, utilizing, and finally superseding each stage of preparation, as well as those who took the part for the whole, assumed they had realized all there was to know, and fell by the wayside.

  After the disappearance of Gautama Buddha, those among his mendicant followers who had attained a certain stage of individual enlightenment gathered together to recite and systematize what they had learned from their teacher. Since the Buddha’s teachings were adapted to the specific needs of individuals and groups according to their stage of evolution, the result was a vast amount of material, a highly complex body of principles and practices.

  Not yet having reached the full consciousness of the Buddha, however, these mendicants were unaware of the teachings beyond their own range, and some of them assumed that they had recorded the full dispensation of their master, even though all of them refused to say they had attained all that the teacher had attained. Eventually the followers of the followers of these mendicants, imagining themselves to be the elite of a new religion holding the authentic teachings of the Buddha, not only rejected the more versatile and expansive teachings left among certain lay adepts and communities but even organized themselves into more than a dozen competing sects, each with its own proprietary interest in what it considered truth.