大方廣佛華嚴經

O children of the Buddha! The Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, perform ten vast, immeasurable, boundless, and inconceivable Buddha-works that no deva or human can know. Nor can any shravaka or pratyekabuddha of the three times know them. They are known only through the spiritual power of the Tathagatas:

All Buddhas, throughout all worlds extending to the limits of space and pervading the Dharma Realm, manifest birth in the palaces of the Tushita Heaven, cultivate the practices of bodhisattvas, and perform great Buddha-works. With immeasurable physical marks, immeasurable awe-inspiring virtue, immeasurable light, immeasurable voices, immeasurable words, immeasurable samadhis, immeasurable wisdom, and the spheres of their practice, they gather in all devas, humans, maras, brahmas, shramanas, brahmins, asuras, and others.

With unobstructed great loving-kindness and ultimate great compassion, they equally benefit all sentient beings. They may cause them to be born in the heavenly or human realms; they may purify their faculties or discipline their minds. At times they expound the distinctions among the Three Vehicles for their sake, or teach the complete One Vehicle, universally delivering them all beyond birth and death.

This is the first vast Buddha-work.

All Buddhas descend in spirit from the Tushita Heaven into their mothers’ wombs and, through ultimate samadhi, contemplate the dharma of taking birth as being like an illusion, like a magical transformation, like a shadow, like empty space, and like a mirage. In accordance with what beings delight in, they assume immeasurable, unobstructed forms, enter the Dharma of noncontention, give rise to unattached wisdom, attain purity free from desire, accomplish the vast treasury of wondrous adornments, assume their final bodies, and dwell within great, jewel-adorned pavilions while performing Buddha-works.

They may perform Buddha-works through spiritual power; through right mindfulness; by manifesting spiritual penetrations; by manifesting the sun of wisdom; by manifesting the vast spheres of the Buddhas; by manifesting the immeasurable light of the Buddhas; by entering countless vast samadhis; or by manifesting their emergence from those samadhis.

At that time, while dwelling within the mother’s womb, the Tathagata, wishing to benefit all worlds, manifests in many ways to perform Buddha-works. He may manifest initial birth, manifest as a young child, manifest dwelling in the palace, manifest leaving the household life, manifest attaining Perfect, Complete Enlightenment, or manifest entering Great Nirvana. In this way, by employing various skillful means throughout all directions, all networks, all cycles, all categories, and all worlds, he performs Buddha-works. This is the second vast Buddha-work.

All Buddhas have completely purified all wholesome karma, and all wisdom arising from birth has become luminous and pure. Yet they employ the dharma of birth to teach and guide the multitudes of deluded beings, enabling them to awaken and fully practice every wholesome deed. For the sake of sentient beings, they manifest birth in royal palaces.

All Buddhas have already abandoned the palaces, music, and entertainments of sensual pleasure, without craving or attachment. They constantly contemplate all realms as empty and devoid of intrinsic nature, and all delightful things as unreal, while observing the pure precepts of the Buddhas to ultimate perfection. Contemplating their wives, consorts, and attendants within the inner palace, they give rise to great compassion.

Contemplating sentient beings as false and unreal, they give rise to great loving-kindness. Contemplating that nothing in any world is worthy of delight, they give rise to great joy. Their minds sovereign over all dharmas, they give rise to great equanimity.

Endowed with the merits and virtues of a Buddha, they manifest birth within the Dharma Realm, with perfectly complete bodily marks and a pure retinue, yet remain unattached to anything. Using voices suited to each kind of being, they expound the Dharma for them, causing them to become disenchanted with worldly dharmas, and manifest the attainment of fruits in accordance with their courses of practice. Furthermore, they teach through skillful means according to what is appropriate: they bring those not yet mature to maturity and enable those already mature to attain liberation.

They perform Buddha-works for them, causing them never to regress. Moreover, with vast minds of loving-kindness and compassion, they constantly expound the Dharma for sentient beings and manifest the three kinds of mastery for them, enabling them to awaken and purify their minds. Although dwelling in the inner palace where everyone can see them, they perform Buddha-works throughout all worlds.

With great wisdom and great vigor, they manifest the unobstructed and inexhaustible spiritual powers of the Buddhas, constantly abiding in the three kinds of skillful activity: bodily activity that is ultimately pure, verbal activity that issues forth in accord with wisdom, and mental activity that is profound and unobstructed. Through these skillful means, they benefit sentient beings. This is the third vast Buddha-work.

All Buddhas manifest dwelling in magnificently adorned palaces, yet, contemplating them with disenchantment, renounce them and leave the household life. They wish sentient beings to understand clearly that worldly dharmas are all delusive, impermanent, and subject to decay, so that they may become deeply disenchanted and unattached, forever sever the afflictions of craving and attachment, and cultivate pure practices that benefit sentient beings.

At the time they leave the household life, they relinquish worldly deportment and abide in the Dharma of noncontention, fully endowed with the immeasurable merits and virtues of their original vows. With the radiance of great wisdom, they dispel the world’s darkness of delusion. They become the unsurpassed field of merit for all worlds.

They constantly praise the merits and virtues of the Buddhas for sentient beings, causing them to plant roots of goodness in the presence of the Buddhas and to behold true meaning with the eye of wisdom. They also praise and proclaim for sentient beings the merits and virtues of leaving the household life—pure and faultless, bringing eternal deliverance, and forever serving as the lofty banner of wisdom for the world. This is the fourth vast Buddha-work.

All Buddhas possess omniscience and have seen and known immeasurable dharmas. Beneath the Bodhi tree, they attain Perfect, Complete Enlightenment, subdue the armies of Mara, and become uniquely honored in awe-inspiring virtue. Their Buddha-bodies fill all worlds, and the workings of their spiritual power are boundless and inexhaustible.

They attain mastery over the true meaning and sphere of practice of omniscience, and all merits and virtues they have cultivated are perfectly complete. Their Bodhi seats, fully and magnificently adorned, extend throughout all worlds in the ten directions. Seated upon these thrones, the Buddhas turn the wondrous Dharma Wheel, proclaim all the practices and vows of bodhisattvas, and reveal immeasurable spheres of Buddhahood, enabling all bodhisattvas to awaken and enter them and to cultivate wondrous, pure practices.

They are also able to teach and transform all sentient beings, causing them to plant roots of goodness, be born upon the Tathagatas’ ground of equality, abide in the boundless wondrous practices of bodhisattvas, and accomplish all supremely excellent dharmas of merit and virtue. They skillfully know and understand all worlds, all sentient beings, all Buddha-lands, all dharmas, all bodhisattvas, all teachings and transformations, all three times, all methods of taming beings, all spiritual transformations, and every inclination in the minds of all sentient beings, and thus perform Buddha-works.

This is the fifth vast Buddha-work.

All Buddhas turn the nonregressing Dharma Wheel in order to cause all bodhisattvas never to regress. They turn immeasurable Dharma Wheels in order to enable all worlds to understand clearly. They turn the Dharma Wheel that awakens beings to all things, thereby uttering the great, fearless lion’s roar.

They turn the Dharma Wheel of the wisdom treasury of all dharmas, thereby opening the gate to the Dharma treasury and dispelling the obstructions of darkness. They turn the unobstructed Dharma Wheel, for it is like empty space. They turn the unattached Dharma Wheel, for they contemplate all dharmas as neither existent nor nonexistent.

They turn the Dharma Wheel that illuminates the world, thereby enabling all sentient beings to attain the pure Dharma eye. They turn the Dharma Wheel that reveals omniscience, for it pervades all dharmas of the three times. They turn the single, identical Dharma Wheel of all Buddhas, for all Buddha-Dharmas do not contradict one another.

With immeasurable and innumerable hundreds of thousands of kotis of nayutas of Dharma Wheels such as these, all Buddhas perform inconceivable Buddha-works in accordance with the differing minds of sentient beings. This is the sixth vast Buddha-work.

All Buddhas enter every royal capital, city, and settlement and perform Buddha-work for sentient beings. These include the cities and settlements of human kings, heavenly kings, dragon kings, yaksha kings, gandharva kings, asura kings, garuda kings, kinnara kings, mahoraga kings, rakshasa kings, and pishacha kings. When a Buddha enters the gates of any such city or settlement of these kings, the great earth trembles and radiant light shines everywhere.

The blind gain sight, the deaf gain hearing, the deranged regain their sanity, and the poor, deprived, and distressed obtain food, clothing, peace, and happiness. All musical instruments sound of themselves. Ornaments, whether worn or unworn, spontaneously produce wondrous sounds, and all who hear them rejoice.

The physical bodies of all Buddhas are pure and fully endowed with the excellent marks; those who behold them never tire of doing so. They are able to perform Buddha-work for sentient beings. Whether they look back, observe, move, bend or stretch, walk, stand, sit, or lie down; whether they remain silent or speak, manifest spiritual powers, expound the Dharma, or offer instruction—all such acts are performed for the sake of sentient beings as Buddha-work.

Throughout innumerable worlds, all Buddhas enter the ocean of the inclinations in the minds of beings of every kind and encourage them to recollect the Buddha, constantly and diligently contemplate, plant roots of goodness, cultivate the practices of bodhisattvas, and praise the supremely wondrous physical marks of the Buddha, whom all sentient beings find difficult to encounter. If anyone sees the Buddha and gives rise to reverence and faith, that person brings forth immeasurable wholesome dharmas and accumulates the Buddha’s virtues, becoming universally pure.

Having thus praised the virtues of the Buddha, they emanate bodies throughout the worlds of the ten directions, enabling all sentient beings to behold and serve them, reflect upon and contemplate them, respectfully make offerings, plant roots of goodness, delight the Buddha, increase the seed of Buddhahood, and all attain Buddhahood. Through such practices they perform Buddha-work. For sentient beings, they may manifest physical bodies, utter wondrous sounds, or simply smile, causing beings to have faith and devotion, bow their heads in homage, incline their bodies, join their palms, chant praises and commendations, and offer greetings and inquiries.

In these ways they perform Buddha-work. Through immeasurable, innumerable, ineffable, and inconceivable Buddha-works such as these, all Buddhas, in all worlds, accord with the inclinations of sentient beings and, through the power of their original vows, the power of great loving-kindness and compassion, the power of all-knowledge, and skillful means of teaching and transformation, enable them all to be tamed. This is the seventh vast Buddha-work.

All Buddhas may abide in an aranya and perform Buddha-work. They may dwell in a tranquil place and perform Buddha-work. They may dwell in a place of ease and perform Buddha-work.

They may dwell in a Buddha’s abode and perform Buddha-work. They may abide in samadhi and perform Buddha-work. They may dwell alone in a grove and perform Buddha-work.

They may conceal their bodies without appearing and perform Buddha-work. They may abide in extremely profound wisdom and perform Buddha-work. They may abide in the incomparable realm of the Buddha and perform Buddha-work.

They may abide in various invisible bodily activities, ceaselessly teaching and transforming sentient beings through skillful means in accordance with the inclinations and aspirations of their minds, and thereby perform Buddha-work. They may assume the body of a deva seeking all-knowledge and perform Buddha-work. They may assume the body of a dragon or yaksha, or even the body of a human or nonhuman seeking all-knowledge, and perform Buddha-work.

They may assume the body of a shravaka, pratyekabuddha, or bodhisattva seeking all-knowledge and perform Buddha-work. At times they expound the Dharma, and at times they remain silent, thereby performing Buddha-work. They may speak of one Buddha or many Buddhas and thereby perform Buddha-work.

They may teach that all the practices and all the vows of the bodhisattvas constitute a single practice and vow, and thereby perform Buddha-work. They may teach that the realm of the Buddha is the realm of the world and thereby perform Buddha-work. They may teach that the realm of the world is the realm of the Buddha and thereby perform Buddha-work.

They may teach that the realm of the Buddha is no realm at all and thereby perform Buddha-work. They may abide for one day, one night, half a month, one month, one year, or even ineffably many kalpas, performing Buddha-work for sentient beings. This is the eighth vast Buddha-work.

All Buddhas are treasuries from which pure roots of goodness arise. They cause sentient beings to give rise to pure faith and understanding in the Buddhadharma, tame their faculties, and forever transcend the world. They cause bodhisattvas on the path to bodhi to possess luminous wisdom in full, without relying upon others for awakening.

They may reveal that everything in the world is impermanent and thereby perform Buddha-work. They may declare that all that had to be done has been accomplished and thereby perform Buddha-work. They may declare that their virtues are perfect and complete, lacking nothing, and thereby perform Buddha-work.

They may declare that the fundamental roots have been forever severed and thereby perform Buddha-work. They may cause sentient beings to become disenchanted with and leave the world, following the mind of the Buddha, and thereby perform Buddha-work. They may declare that their lifespan has reached its end and thereby perform Buddha-work.

They may declare that there is not a single thing in the world worthy of delight and thereby perform Buddha-work. They may proclaim that offerings should be made to all Buddhas until the farthest reaches of the future and thereby perform Buddha-work. They may declare that all Buddhas turn the pure Dharma wheel, causing those who hear it to rejoice greatly, and thereby perform Buddha-work.

They may proclaim the realms of all Buddhas, causing beings to resolve to cultivate practice, and thereby perform Buddha-work. They may proclaim the samadhi of recollecting the Buddha, causing beings to resolve always to delight in seeing the Buddha, and thereby perform Buddha-work. They may proclaim the purification of the faculties, causing beings diligently to seek the path of Buddhahood with minds free from indolence, and thereby perform Buddha-work.

They may reveal all Buddha-lands and contemplate the various realms and their many kinds of causes and conditions, thereby performing Buddha-work. They may gather all the bodies of sentient beings and make them all bodies of the Buddha, causing indolent and heedless sentient beings to abide in the Tathagata’s pure precepts, and thereby perform Buddha-work. This is the ninth vast Buddha-work.

When all Buddhas enter nirvana, immeasurable sentient beings are overwhelmed by grief and anguish; they wail, weep, and lament, looking at one another and saying: “The Tathagata, the Blessed One, possesses great loving-kindness and compassion. He has pity upon and benefits the entire world, serving as the savior and refuge of all sentient beings. It is extremely difficult to encounter the Tathagata’s appearance in the world.

Now the unsurpassed field of merit has vanished forever.” Through such circumstances, they cause sentient beings to feel yearning and sorrow and to weep, and thereby perform Buddha-work. Moreover, in order to teach and transform all devas, humans, and beings of the eight classes, they accord with their desires and divide the Buddha’s body into immeasurable, innumerable, and inconceivable jewel-like sharira, causing sentient beings to give rise to pure faith, show reverence and honor, joyfully make offerings, and cultivate every virtue to perfect completion.

They also build stupas adorned in many ways and place them within the palaces of devas, humans, and beings of the eight classes as objects of offering. Stupas are likewise erected for the Buddha’s teeth, nails, and hair, so that all who see them recollect the Buddha, recollect the Dharma, and recollect the Sangha; maintain unceasing faith and devotion; show sincere reverence and honor; practice generosity and make offerings everywhere; and cultivate every virtue.

By virtue of this merit, they are born in the heavens or among humans, into honored families, fully endowed with wealth and possessions, and surrounded by pure retinues. They do not fall into the unwholesome destinies but are always born in wholesome realms. They constantly behold the Buddha, perfect every wholesome dharma, quickly escape the three realms, and, according to their aspirations, attain the fruit of the vehicle they have cultivated.

They recognize the Tathagata’s kindness and repay it, ultimately becoming a refuge for the world. Although the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, enter great nirvana, they remain inconceivably pure fields of merit for sentient beings—the supreme fields of merit whose virtues are inexhaustible—causing all sentient beings to perfect their roots of goodness and bring their merit and virtue to complete fulfillment. This is the tenth vast Buddha-work of all Buddhas.

Disciples of the Buddha! These Buddha-works are vast, immeasurable, and inconceivable. No devas or humans in all worlds, nor even shravakas and pratyekabuddhas of the three times, can comprehend them, except when empowered by the awesome spiritual might of the Tathagata.

Buddha’s children! The Buddha-Blessed Ones have ten kinds of sovereign conduct in the Dharma that are truly nondual:

First, all Buddhas are able to skillfully bestow predictions, decisively and without duality.

Second, all Buddhas are able to accord with the thoughts of sentient beings and fulfill their wishes, decisively and without duality.

Third, all Buddhas are able to directly awaken to all dharmas and expound their meanings, decisively and without duality.

Fourth, all Buddhas are able to fully possess the wisdom of the Buddhas of the three times, decisively and without duality.

Fifth, all Buddhas know that all the kshanas of the three times are a single kshana, decisively and without duality.

Sixth, all Buddhas know that all Buddha lands of the three times enter into a single Buddha land, decisively and without duality.

Seventh, all Buddhas know that all the words of the Buddhas of the three times are a single word of the Buddha, decisively and without duality.

Eighth, all Buddhas know that all Buddhas of the three times and all sentient beings whom they teach and transform are equal in essential nature, decisively and without duality.

Ninth, all Buddhas know that the nature of worldly dharmas and the nature of the Buddha-Dharma are not different, decisively and without duality.

Tenth, all Buddhas know that however many roots of goodness the Buddhas of the three times possess, they are all the same single root of goodness, decisively and without duality.

Buddha’s children! The Buddha-Blessed Ones have ten abiding dharmas by which they abide in all dharmas:

First, all Buddhas abide in awakening to the entire Dharma Realm.

Second, all Buddhas abide in the speech of great compassion.

Third, all Buddhas abide in their original great vows.

Fourth, all Buddhas abide in never abandoning the taming of sentient beings.

Fifth, all Buddhas abide in the selflessness of all dharmas.

Sixth, all Buddhas abide in benefiting all equally.

Seventh, all Buddhas abide in the Dharma of never forgetting.

Eighth, all Buddhas abide in an unobstructed mind.

Ninth, all Buddhas abide with minds perpetually in right concentration.

Tenth, all Buddhas abide in universally entering all dharmas without contradicting the marks of ultimate reality.

Buddha’s children! The Buddha-Blessed Ones have ten kinds of knowledge whereby they know all dharmas exhaustively, without omission:

First, they know all dharmas of the past exhaustively, without omission.

Second, they know all dharmas of the future exhaustively, without omission.

Third, they know all dharmas of the present exhaustively, without omission.

Fourth, they know all the languages of all dharmas exhaustively, without omission.

Fifth, they know all paths of the world exhaustively, without omission.

Sixth, they know the minds of all sentient beings exhaustively, without omission.

Seventh, they know exhaustively, without omission, all the superior, middling, and inferior levels of bodhisattvas’ roots of goodness.

Eighth, they know exhaustively, without omission, that the Buddhas’ perfect wisdom and roots of goodness neither increase nor diminish.

Ninth, they know exhaustively, without omission, that all dharmas arise through conditions.

Tenth, they know exhaustively, without omission, all the distinctions within every world-seed and throughout the entire Dharma Realm, like Indra’s Net.

Buddha’s children! The Buddha-Blessed Ones possess ten kinds of power. They are: vast power, supreme power, immeasurable power, power of great awesome virtue, power difficult to attain, power of non-retrogression, steadfast power, indestructible power, power inconceivable to all worlds, and power that no sentient being can move.

Buddha’s children! The Buddha-Blessed Ones possess ten great vajra banners of heroic and mighty dharmas:

The bodies of all Buddhas cannot be damaged, and their lives cannot be cut short. The poisons of the world cannot harm them, and none of the calamities of water, fire, or wind in any world can injure a Buddha’s body. Even if all maras, devas, nagas, the eight classes of beings, ghosts, and spirits were to exert their full power and rain down vajras as large as Mount Sumeru and the Iron Ring Mountains throughout the entire great trichiliocosm, all falling simultaneously, they could not cause a Buddha’s mind to become fearful or even move a single hair.

The Buddha would continue walking, standing, sitting, and lying down as usual, without change. If, throughout the four directions both near and far from the place where the Buddha dwells, he did not permit them to fall, then the rain could not descend. Even if the Buddha did not prevent it and freely allowed it to rain down, he would still never suffer harm.

If even sentient beings protected by the Buddha or carrying out the Buddha’s commands cannot be harmed, how much less could the body of the Tathagata be harmed? This is the Buddha’s first great Narayana banner of heroic and mighty Dharma.

Buddha’s children! All Buddhas can place all Mount Sumerus, Iron Ring Mountains, Great Iron Ring Mountains, great oceans, mountains, forests, palaces, and dwellings in all worlds throughout the Dharma Realm into a single pore and keep them there until the end of future kalpas, without sentient beings perceiving or knowing it, except those sustained by the Tathagata’s spiritual power. At that time, within a single pore, the Buddhas hold all worlds until the end of future kalpas; whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, they never experience fatigue.

Just as empty space universally contains all worlds throughout the Dharma Realm without weariness, so too do the Buddhas hold all worlds within a single pore until the end of future kalpas without weariness. This is the Buddhas’ second great vajra banner of heroic and mighty Dharma.

Buddha’s children! In the space of a single thought, all Buddhas can take steps numbering as many as the dust motes in ineffably ineffable worlds. Each step crosses lands numbering as many as the dust motes in ineffably ineffable Buddha lands.

They continue traveling in this way for kalpas as numerous as all dust motes. Suppose there were a great vajra mountain as vast as all the lands crossed by the Buddha in those steps, and that there were as many such great vajra mountains as the dust motes in ineffably ineffable Buddha lands. The Buddhas could place all of them within a single pore.

The number of pores on a Buddha’s body equals the combined number of pores on the bodies of all sentient beings throughout the Dharma Realm. Within each pore on the Buddha’s body, they place the aforementioned number of great vajra mountains, hold them there, and journey throughout all worlds in the ten directions, without rest, through all kalpas from the limit of the past to the limit of the future. The Buddha’s body is neither harmed nor wearied.

The Buddha’s mind perpetually abides in great concentration and is never scattered. This is the Buddhas’ third great vajra banner of heroic and mighty Dharma.

Buddha’s children! After all Buddhas have sat down and eaten a single meal, they remain seated in full lotus posture for ineffable kalpas extending through the limits of the past and future, entering and experiencing the inconceivable peace and bliss of the Buddhas. Their bodies abide peacefully in quiescence, unmoving, yet they never abandon or neglect the work of teaching and transforming sentient beings.

Buddha’s children! Suppose that throughout all worlds filling empty space, a person used the tip of a hair to measure each and every place. The Buddhas could sit in full lotus posture at the place marked by a single hair tip until the end of future kalpas; and just as at the place of that single hair tip, so too could they sit at the places of all hair tips.

Buddha’s children! Suppose that throughout the worlds of the ten directions, the bodies of all sentient beings therein were each as large as worlds numbering as many as the dust motes in all Buddha lands, and their weight were equal to their size. The Buddhas could place all those sentient beings upon the tip of a single finger, and likewise upon every fingertip, and, throughout all future kalpas, carry all those sentient beings into each and every world throughout empty space and the Dharma Realm, without omitting any. Yet the Buddhas’ bodies and minds would never become weary. This is the Buddhas’ fourth great vajra banner of heroic and mighty Dharma.

Children of the Buddha! All Buddhas can manifest, upon a single body, heads as numerous as the dust motes in ineffably ineffable Buddha-lands. Each head manifests tongues as numerous as the dust motes in ineffably ineffable Buddha-lands.

Each tongue produces distinct sounds as numerous as the dust motes in ineffably ineffable Buddha-lands, and there is no being in the Dharma-realm who does not hear them. Each sound expounds sutra treasuries as numerous as the dust motes in ineffably ineffable Buddha-lands. Each treasury of sutras expounds teachings as numerous as the dust motes in ineffably ineffable Buddha-lands.

Each teaching contains words, phrases, and meanings as numerous as the dust motes in ineffably ineffable Buddha-lands. Thus they expound continuously for kalpas as numerous as the dust motes in ineffably ineffable Buddha-lands. When that number of kalpas has elapsed, they again expound continuously for kalpas as numerous as the dust motes in ineffably ineffable Buddha-lands.

Continuing in this sequence until the number of dust motes in all worlds and the number of thoughts of all beings have been exhausted—even if the kalpas of the reaches of the future could come to an end, the turning of the Dharma wheel by the Tathagatas’ transformation bodies would never come to an end. These are: the Dharma wheel of wisdom that expounds the teachings; the Dharma wheel that severs all doubts and delusions; the Dharma wheel that illuminates all dharmas; the Dharma wheel that opens the treasury of unobstructed wisdom; the Dharma wheel that causes immeasurable beings to rejoice and become disciplined; the Dharma wheel that reveals all bodhisattva practices; the Dharma wheel that raises on high the perfectly full sun of great wisdom;

the Dharma wheel that universally kindles the radiant lamp of wisdom illuminating the world; and the Dharma wheel adorned with all forms of eloquence and fearlessness.

Just as a single Buddha-body, through the power of spiritual mastery, turns such diverse Dharma wheels, beyond all comparison in worldly phenomena, so throughout the realm of space, at every place the size of a hair tip, there are worlds as numerous as the dust motes in ineffably ineffable Buddha-lands. In each world, in every thought-moment, transformation bodies as numerous as the dust motes in ineffably ineffable Buddha-lands appear, and every transformation body likewise turns the Dharma wheel in this way.

The sounds of the teachings, their words, phrases, and meanings each fill the entire Dharma-realm. All beings therein can clearly understand them, while the Buddha’s speech neither changes nor ceases and is never exhausted. This is the fifth great adamantine banner of heroic and steadfast qualities of the Buddhas.

Children of the Buddha! All Buddhas adorn their chests with the marks of virtue, indestructible as vajra. Seated in the lotus posture beneath the Bodhi tree, they are surrounded by boundless multitudes of mara armies, assuming various terrifying forms.

No being who sees them fails to become frightened; beings are horrified and distraught, or even faint and die. Such maras completely fill the expanse of space. Seeing them, the Tathagata’s mind is fearless; his countenance does not change, nor does a single hair move.

Free from all discriminations of joy and anger, he remains tranquil and pure, abides where Buddhas abide, is endowed with the power of loving-kindness and compassion, has disciplined faculties and a fearless mind, and is able to subdue all mara armies. He causes the maras to turn their minds around, bow their heads, and take refuge. Thereafter, the Buddha teaches and transforms them through the three modes of action, causing them all to arouse the aspiration for unsurpassed bodhi and never again regress.

This is the sixth great adamantine banner of heroic and steadfast qualities of the Buddhas.

Children of the Buddha! All Buddhas possess unobstructed voices. Those voices pervade all worlds throughout the ten directions, and beings who hear them naturally become disciplined. When the voices of the Tathagatas issue forth, even all great mountains such as Mount Sumeru cannot obstruct them. The palaces of devas, the palaces of dragons, and the palaces of the spirits of the eight classes cannot obstruct them. Nor can the loud sounds of all worlds drown them out. All beings who are ready to be taught and transformed hear them according to their capacities and clearly understand their words, phrases, and meanings. This is the seventh great adamantine banner of heroic and steadfast qualities of the Buddhas.

Children of the Buddha! The minds of all Buddhas are without obstruction. Throughout hundreds of thousands of kotis of nayutas of ineffably ineffable kalpas, they have always been skillfully purified.

All Buddhas of the three times share one essential nature: neither turbid nor obscured, without self or possessions of self, neither within nor without. Clearly perceiving that objects are empty and quiescent, they give rise to no deluded thoughts. They have no reliance and no activity, abide in no characteristics, and have forever ended discrimination.

Their original nature is pure, and they have abandoned all conditioned grasping and recollection. Toward all dharmas they are perpetually without opposition. They abide in the ultimate reality, free from desire and pure, and enter the true Dharma-realm.

Their exposition is inexhaustible, transcending both measure and non-measure; all deluded conceptions of the conditioned and the unconditioned are extinguished. They have thoroughly comprehended all speech and the boundless realms of the inexpressible. Their unobstructed and inexhaustible wisdom and skillful means perfect the Ten Powers.

All their meritorious qualities and adornments are pure. Though they expound immeasurable teachings, none contradict the true characteristic of reality. Regarding all dharmas of the past, future, and present within the Dharma-realm, they are equal and nondual, and ultimately sovereign.

They enter the supreme treasury of all dharmas. Their right mindfulness concerning every Dharma gateway is never mistaken. They abide throughout all Buddha-lands in the ten directions without moving.

They attain uninterrupted wisdom and know all dharmas completely, without omission. Having exhausted all outflows, they are well liberated in mind and well liberated through wisdom. Abiding in ultimate reality, they comprehend without obstruction, and their minds perpetually remain in right concentration.

In a single thought-moment, they fully comprehend, without any obstruction, all dharmas of the three times and all the mental activities of every being. This is the eighth great adamantine banner of heroic and steadfast qualities of the Buddhas.

Children of the Buddha! All Buddhas share one Dharma-body: a body whose sphere is immeasurable; a body of boundless merit; a body inexhaustible throughout the worlds; a body undefiled by the three realms; a body manifested according to beings’ thoughts; a body neither real nor unreal, equal and pure; an unconditioned, indestructible body that neither comes nor goes; a body of the essential nature of dharmas, of one characteristic and no characteristic; a body without location or direction that pervades everything; a body of infinitely varied forms and marks, sovereign in spiritual transformations; a body that enters everywhere and manifests in every way; a body of wondrous teachings and skillful means; a body that is the treasury of wisdom illuminating all;

a body that reveals the equality of dharmas; a body that pervades the Dharma-realm; an unmoving and nondiscriminating body, neither existent nor nonexistent and perpetually pure; and a body manifested in accordance with the faith and understanding of all beings ready to be taught and transformed, neither involving skillful means nor lacking skillful means, neither ceasing nor not ceasing.

It is a body born from all meritorious qualities; a body of true suchness complete with all Buddha-Dharmas; a body whose original nature is quiescent and unobstructed; a Dharma-body that has perfected all unobstructed qualities; a pure body abiding everywhere throughout the Dharma-realm; a body whose forms are divided and pervade all worlds; and a body without conditioned grasping or regression, fully liberated, complete in all-knowledge, and comprehending everything universally.

This is the ninth great adamantine banner of heroic and steadfast qualities of the Buddhas.

Buddha’s children! All Buddhas equally awaken to all the Dharmas of the Tathagatas and equally cultivate all bodhisattva practices. Their vows and wisdom are pure and equal, and, like the great ocean, are all complete.

Their supreme power of practice has never regressed throughout the kalpas. They abide in the boundless domains of the various samadhis, reveal all paths, encourage goodness and restrain evil, and possess foremost wisdom-power. They expound the Dharma fearlessly, skillfully answering whatever questions may be asked.

Their wisdom in teaching the Dharma is equal and pure, and their conduct of body, speech, and mind is entirely unmixed. They abide in the Buddha lineage in which all Buddhas have abided. With the wisdom of a Buddha, they perform the work of Buddhas.

Abiding in all-knowledge, they expound immeasurable Dharmas that have neither root nor boundary. Their spiritual powers and wisdom are inconceivable, and no one in any world can understand them. Their wisdom penetrates deeply, seeing that all Dharmas are subtle, vast, immeasurable, and boundless.

They skillfully comprehend all Dharma gates of the three periods of time and can awaken all worlds to understanding. With transcendent wisdom, they perform ineffable Buddha-work throughout all worlds. They attain nonregressing wisdom and enter the ranks of the Buddhas.

Although they have realized the Dharma that cannot be expressed in words and transcends written language, they can nevertheless reveal it through many forms of speech. With the wisdom of Samantabhadra, they gather together all wholesome practices. They accomplish wondrous wisdom that accords within a single thought and can clearly know all Dharmas.

For all sentient beings whom they have previously kept in mind, they teach the Dharma appropriate to each being’s own vehicle. All Dharmas, all worlds, all sentient beings, and all three periods of time are immeasurable and boundless within the domain of the Dharma realm; yet, through unobstructed wisdom, they see and know them all. In a single thought, all Buddhas appear in the world wherever beings should be transformed, attain Perfect and Complete Awakening in pure lands, manifest the power of spiritual penetration, and awaken all sentient beings of the three periods of time, never mistiming the workings of their minds, thoughts, or consciousness.

Sentient beings are boundless, worlds are boundless, the Dharma realm is boundless, and the three periods of time are boundless. The most excellent Buddhas are likewise boundless; they manifest within them and attain Perfect Awakening, ceaselessly awakening beings through the skillful means of Buddha-wisdom. All Buddhas use the power of spiritual penetration to manifest supremely wondrous bodies and abide in boundless places.

With great compassion and skillful means, their minds are unobstructed, and at all times they constantly teach the Dharma for sentient beings without cessation. This is the tenth great, adamantine, heroic banner-Dharma of the Buddhas.

Buddha’s children! The great, adamantine, heroic banner-Dharmas of all Buddhas are immeasurable, boundless, and inconceivable. No sentient being or follower of the Two Vehicles can understand them, except those whom the Tathagata supports through spiritual power.

Buddha’s children! The Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, possess ten certainties:

All Buddhas certainly descend from Tusita Heaven when their celestial lifespan is fulfilled.

All Buddhas certainly manifest taking birth after dwelling in the womb for ten months.

All Buddhas certainly become disenchanted with worldly life, delight in seeking the path, and leave the household life.

All Buddhas certainly sit beneath the bodhi tree, awaken to the Dharmas of the Buddhas, and attain Perfect and Complete Awakening.

All Buddhas certainly awaken to all Dharmas in a single thought and manifest spiritual power throughout all worlds.

All Buddhas certainly turn the wondrous Dharma wheel at the appropriate time.

All Buddhas certainly teach the Dharma at the appropriate time according to the wholesome roots beings have planted and bestow predictions of awakening upon them.

All Buddhas certainly perform Buddha-work for beings at the appropriate time.

All Buddhas certainly bestow predictions of awakening upon bodhisattvas who have attained accomplishment.

All Buddhas certainly answer the questions of all sentient beings universally in a single thought.

Buddha’s children! The Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, possess ten swift Dharmas:

First, if anyone sees any Buddha, that person swiftly becomes forever separated from all evil destinies.

Second, if anyone sees any Buddha, that person swiftly perfects supreme merit and virtue.

Third, if anyone sees any Buddha, that person swiftly accomplishes vast wholesome roots.

Fourth, if anyone sees any Buddha, that person swiftly takes birth in a pure and wondrous heaven.

Fifth, if anyone sees any Buddha, that person swiftly eliminates all doubts and delusions.

Sixth, if one who has generated the bodhi mind sees a Buddha, that person swiftly accomplishes vast faith and understanding, never again regresses, and can teach and transform sentient beings according to those who should be liberated. If one who has not yet generated the bodhi mind sees a Buddha, that person swiftly generates the mind directed toward unsurpassed, perfect, and complete awakening.

Seventh, if one who has not yet entered the stage of certainty sees a Buddha, that person swiftly enters the stage of certainty.

Eighth, if anyone sees a Buddha, that person swiftly purifies all worldly and transcendent faculties.

Ninth, if anyone sees a Buddha, that person swiftly eliminates all obstructions.

Tenth, if anyone sees a Buddha, that person swiftly attains fearless eloquence.

Buddha’s children! The Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, possess ten pure Dharmas that must always be kept in mind:

First, all bodhisattvas must always keep in mind the past causes and conditions of all Buddhas.

Second, all bodhisattvas must always keep in mind the supreme and pure practices of all Buddhas.

Third, all bodhisattvas must always keep in mind that all Buddhas have perfected the paramitas.

Fourth, all bodhisattvas must always keep in mind that all Buddhas have accomplished their great vows.

Fifth, all bodhisattvas must always keep in mind the wholesome roots accumulated by all Buddhas.

Sixth, all bodhisattvas must always keep in mind that all Buddhas have perfected pure conduct.

Seventh, all bodhisattvas must always keep in mind the manifestation of all Buddhas’ attainment of Perfect Awakening.

Eighth, all bodhisattvas must always keep in mind the immeasurable form-bodies of all Buddhas.

Ninth, all bodhisattvas must always keep in mind the immeasurable spiritual powers of all Buddhas.

Tenth, all bodhisattvas must always keep in mind the Ten Powers and Four Fearlessnesses of all Buddhas.

Buddha’s children! The Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, possess ten ways of abiding in all-knowledge:

First, in a single thought, all Buddhas know the minds and mental activities of all sentient beings throughout the three periods of time.

Second, in a single thought, all Buddhas know all the karma accumulated by all sentient beings throughout the three periods of time and all its resulting retributions.

Third, in a single thought, all Buddhas know how to teach, transform, and subdue all sentient beings through the three wheels of action according to what is appropriate for each.

Fourth, in a single thought, all Buddhas completely know every mental characteristic possessed by all sentient beings throughout the Dharma realm. In every place they universally manifest Buddhas appearing in the world, enabling all beings to be gathered in through skillful means.

Fifth, in a single thought, all Buddhas universally accord with the inclinations, desires, and understandings of all sentient beings throughout the Dharma realm, manifesting and teaching the Dharma to subdue them.

Sixth, in a single thought, all Buddhas know the mental inclinations of all sentient beings throughout the Dharma realm and manifest spiritual power for their sake.

Seventh, in a single thought, all Buddhas universally manifest appearing in the world, in all places, according to the needs of every sentient being who should be transformed, and teach them that the Buddha-body should not be grasped or attached to.

Eighth, in a single thought, all Buddhas reach every place throughout the Dharma realm, all sentient beings, and all six paths of existence.

Ninth, in a single thought, all Buddhas respond to every sentient being who recollects or contemplates them; there is no place to which a Buddha does not come in response.

Tenth, in a single thought, all Buddhas know the understanding, aspirations, and inclinations of all sentient beings and manifest immeasurable form-bodies for their sake.

Buddha’s children! The Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, possess ten immeasurable and inconceivable Buddha-samadhis:

First, all Buddhas constantly abide in samadhi and, within a single thought, pervade all places, extensively expounding the wondrous Dharma for all beings.

Second, all Buddhas constantly abide in samadhi and, within a single thought, pervade all places, teaching all beings the ultimate reality of non-self.

Third, all Buddhas constantly abide in samadhi and, within a single thought, pervade all places, penetrating the three times.

Fourth, all Buddhas constantly abide in samadhi and, within a single thought, pervade all places, universally entering the vast Buddha-lands of the ten directions.

Fifth, all Buddhas constantly abide in samadhi and, within a single thought, pervade all places, universally manifesting immeasurable Buddha-bodies.

Sixth, all Buddhas constantly abide in samadhi and, within a single thought, pervade all places, manifesting body, speech, and mind in accordance with the minds and understandings of all beings.

Seventh, all Buddhas constantly abide in samadhi and, within a single thought, pervade all places, teaching the true reality of all dharmas, free from desire.

Eighth, all Buddhas constantly abide in samadhi and, within a single thought, pervade all places, expounding the intrinsic nature of all dependent origination.

Ninth, all Buddhas constantly abide in samadhi and, within a single thought, pervade all places, universally manifesting the immeasurable, vast adornments of the mundane and supramundane realms, enabling all beings always to behold the Buddha.

Tenth, all Buddhas constantly abide in samadhi and, within a single thought, pervade all places, enabling all beings to comprehend fully all the immeasurable liberations of the Buddha-Dharma and ultimately reach the unsurpassed other shore.

Children of the Buddha! All Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, possess ten unobstructed liberations:

First, all Buddhas can manifest, within a single mote of dust, ineffably ineffable Buddhas appearing in the world.

Second, all Buddhas can manifest, within a single mote of dust, ineffably ineffable Buddhas turning the pure Dharma wheel.

Third, all Buddhas can manifest, within a single mote of dust, ineffably ineffable beings being taught, transformed, and subdued.

Fourth, all Buddhas can manifest, within a single mote of dust, ineffably ineffable Buddha-lands.

Fifth, all Buddhas can manifest, within a single mote of dust, ineffably ineffable bodhisattvas receiving predictions of Buddhahood.

Sixth, all Buddhas can manifest, within a single mote of dust, all Buddhas of the three times.

Seventh, all Buddhas can manifest, within a single mote of dust, all world-seeds of the three times.

Eighth, all Buddhas can manifest, within a single mote of dust, all spiritual powers of the three times.

Ninth, all Buddhas can manifest, within a single mote of dust, all beings of the three times.

Tenth, all Buddhas can manifest, within a single mote of dust, all Buddha-works of the three times.