大乘寶要義論

As the Avataṃsaka Sūtra says: The Dharmadhātu's section on conduct and vows proclaims that the Bodhisattva has, inexhaustibly, those resembling the Buddha throughout many worlds. The World-Honored One employed the voice of the Tathāgata to disseminate that wisdom to all the realms. From that buddha-land they came before Śākyamuni Tathāgata, manifesting and assuming the bodily form of a Bodhisattva's majestic virtue.

Therefore all the divided bodies, all the marks of excellence, all the pores of the body, all the adornments, all the garments and accompanying implements, and so forth—all the retinue of the Bodhisattva is complete within the World-Honored One, the Great Vairocana Tathāgata. First there are all the Buddhas of the past. Behind them are those who have received prediction and those who have not yet received prediction—all together coming to the Tathāgata.

In the present, throughout the ten directions, all the buddha-fields universally abide in all the Bodhisattvas. They have ever cultivated the Perfection of Giving (dāna-pāramitā), and in accord therewith have done so abundantly. All the recipients and all the objects given are reflected and made to appear.

All the bodily marks, all the pores of the body, and the other excellent marks, and so forth, again all appear clearly and all are made manifest.

Furthermore, that body divides and, in accord with the words spoken, all the garments and the various ornaments, and so forth, also appear, each one clearly.

Furthermore, there are also those who have cultivated the Perfection of Upholding Precepts (śīla-pāramitā) and, in accord therewith, the deeds they have done before are as vast as the ocean.

Again, those who cultivate the Perfection of Forbearance (kṣānti-pāramitā) manifest the cutting away of their bodies part by part, in accord with those deeds, as vast as the ocean.

Again, there are Bodhisattvas who exert the auxiliary practice of vigor (vīrya), in accord with their deeds, as vast as the ocean. Again, there are the Tathāgatas who extensively cultivate quiescent contemplation (dhyāna, meditative concentration), through accord with their former deeds, as vast as the ocean.

Again, the Tathāgatas turn the great Dharma-wheel, accomplishing the Dharma-task, relinquishing the place of sovereign mastery in bodily form, the gates of which are reflected and made manifest, each one displayed in accord with their former deeds, as vast as the ocean.

Again, the Tathāgatas delight in beholding the paths of the Bodhisattvas in all the worlds, the supreme delight, in accord with their former deeds, as vast as the ocean.

Again, there are the Bodhisattvas, with their excellent vows and the superior Dharma-gates, the vast and great adornments, in accord with their former deeds, as vast as the ocean.

Again, the Bodhisattvas' Perfection of Power (bala-pāramitā), all their practices matured and purified, in accord with their former deeds, as vast as the ocean.

Again, the Bodhisattvas' vast and great Dharmadhātu, all the clouds of spiritual transformations, the vast and great realm of activity. The Bodhisattvas know the realm in accord with their former deeds.

In this way, all the ten Perfections are reflected and made manifest. Throughout the breadth of the Dharmadhātu, all the vast and great clouds of spiritual transformations come and arrive before the Buddha. Then the Bodhisattvas together with their retinue bow in homage to the Buddha and forthwith, in the empty sky, conjure forth all the Vajra Platforms, the precious treasury adorned by the mind, and the great storied pavilions; in the midst of that Vajra Platform there is a blue lotus and a lion throne.

Upon it one sits in the cross-legged posture. There appear the Jeweled-Face Maṇi Kings, like a chain of garlands, shielding from above. Again, together with all the Tathāgatas of the three times, the precious-king sounds and the strings of jewels, beautifully adorned, are used to crown the head.

Manifesting the body of a Bodhisattva, one then abides through empowerment. Those Bodhisattvas together with their retinue all arise from the conduct and vows of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva. Among all the Tathāgatas, at the gate of the faculty of faith, they manifest purity.

The eye of wisdom, at the place where it contemplates and hears all the Tathāgatas' Dharma-wheel sutras, within the principle of the supreme ocean of sound, universally embraces all the Bodhisattvas and attains sovereign mastery. Again they attain the supreme Perfection. All the Tathāgatas assemble like clouds.

In each and every kṣaṇa-moment they extensively manifest spiritual transformations, bringing forth the vast and great realms of the bodies of sentient beings. All the Tathāgatas convene at the seat of awakening (bodhimaṇḍa), where the light of their bodies illumines all the worlds. Throughout all the worlds it universally embraces and is reflected.

The marks of the realms gather like fine motes of dust. Therefore the wholesome roots of all sentient beings are matured. Those who ought to be liberated, all of them too can be responded to by appearing before them.

All the Tathāgatas turn the Dharma-wheel within the clouds. From all the pores of the body come forth sounds of all the realms. All the worlds are universally pervaded.

All wholesome roots are brought forth, and once born, instantly the bodies of all the kinds of sentient beings all attain equality. In all those directions, within the ocean of clouds, in a single mind, in a single kṣaṇa, they extensively manifest spiritual transformations.

This sutra also says: The Bodhisattva possesses great and mighty virtue. At that time the Youth Sudhana then contemplated the bodily marks of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva. He even saw that each and every one of the Bodhisattva's bodies divided, and each and every body was clearly distinguished.

Each single bodily field, each single minute and subtle bodily field, was also clearly divided. Each single divided body had its own distinct station. Each single divided body, each division separately, was clearly distinguished.

Each single basis of support, each one was distinctly clear. Each single hair, each and every hair was clear. There appeared, throughout the three-thousandfold great-thousand world, the wind, fire, and earth.

Within the great oceans, rivers and streams, ponds and lakes, and precious mountains. Even Mount Sumeru, the Cakravāḍa (Iron-Encircling) Mountains, and so forth—the lands, cities and towns, villages, locales, forests, dwellings, and even the people, the hells, hungry ghosts, animals, the realm of the asuras, the realm of the dragons (nāgas), the realm of the garuḍas. The realm of humans, of devas, and the realm of Brahmā.

The desire realm, the form realm, the formless realm. These are the various realms, all abiding through the empowerment of spiritual power. Even the shape-colors and display-colors, the clouds, the lightning, the stars and constellations.

Day and night, the full and half moon, then the five divisions. The kalpa of abiding and the kalpa of destruction—appearing thus—these are the marks of the worlds. Again, throughout all the worlds of the Eastern Direction one contemplates likewise.

In the South, West, and North directions, throughout all the worlds of the four continents beneath the heavens, contemplating each opposite, what appears before one is again likewise.

Furthermore, the Buddhas descend and are born, the assembled congregations at the seat of awakening, together with the kinds of sentient beings who are the possession of this Sahā world. From the place of the past first, in all the worlds, all mutually, all behold Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, each and every body bearing the marks of a great person. When the Buddhas descend and are born, all the Bodhisattvas sit at the seat of awakening.

And the dwellings of the sentient beings, day and night, kalpas in number, in such a manner thereafter, even into the future, all the worlds and buddha-fields are universally pervaded, all of them again likewise. All is seen as in this Sahā world—before, after, and in between, throughout all the worlds, all mutually beholding the reflected marks. In this way, throughout the ten directions, before, after, and in between, throughout all the worlds—all of them behold Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, each and every body bearing the marks of a great person.

Each and every hair, each and every one distinctly clear, mutually without confusion. All of them behold Samantabhadra Bodhisattva seated before the World-Honored One, Vairocana Tathāgata, upon the great lotus, atop the lion throne, manifesting the sporting of spiritual penetrations. At that time, in the Eastern direction, in the world Lotus Auspiciousness of the Tathāgata Worthy-Auspicious, it is seen that here he manifests the sporting of spiritual penetrations.

As in the Eastern direction, so universally throughout the ten directions, in all the worlds it is again likewise. What is seen of all the Tathāgatas is according to the past roots of each person, whereby Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, seated upon the great lotus, upon the lion throne, is manifesting the sporting of spiritual penetrations. Thus throughout the ten directions, in all the worlds, all behold all the Tathāgatas complete, and there too is Samantabhadra Bodhisattva seated upon the lion throne of the great lotus, manifesting and exercising the sporting of spiritual penetrations.

In this very way it spreads out throughout the ten directions, throughout all the buddha-fields as numerous as motes of dust. Each and every mote of dust is itself a vast and great Dharmadhātu, where at the seat of awakening the Buddhas gather and assemble. All behold all the Tathāgatas complete, with Samantabhadra seated upon the lion throne, upon the great lotus, manifesting and exercising the sporting of spiritual penetrations.

At that time, each single bodily mark attains, of the three times, all the conditioned objects and reflected marks made manifest. Even to all the buddha-lands, all the kinds of sentient beings, the Buddhas descend and are born, and then the assembled congregations of Bodhisattvas, at the seat of awakening, display and reflect. At that time all hear the speech of all the kinds of sentient beings.

All the sounds of the Buddhas, all the Tathāgatas turning the great Dharma-wheel, all the proclamations, the displays of the transformations of spiritual penetrations, all the assemblies of Bodhisattvas, the Buddhas' sporting—the sounds of the realms and marks. These matters, summarized in brief, are thus spoken. One should know that all are Bodhisattva-Mahāsattvas, possessing great and mighty virtue.

Herein it is asked: What is the Tathāgata's power of great and mighty virtue?

As the Sūtra of the Bodhisattva's Ten Grounds (Daśabhūmika) says: The Bodhisattva Moon-of-Liberation (Vimukticandra) asked the Bodhisattva Vajragarbha, saying: O Son of the Buddha! The Bodhisattvas practice the realms in such a manner. Their empowerment by spiritual power is also very abundant. Then why must one enter into the realm of the conduct of the Tathāgata?

The Bodhisattva Vajragarbha replied: O Son of the Buddha! It is just as if there were a person who, in the four continents of a world, took from there a single small stone, or two, or three, the size of a bean, and spoke thus: "Does the great earth of the world surpass what is here, or not? Or is it immeasurably more?" Speaking thus is like, in your present comparison, comparing the immeasurable wisdom-dharmas of the Tathāgatas, the Worthy-of-Offerings, the Perfectly and Completely Enlightened, together with the dharmas of the Bodhisattvas.

O Son of the Buddha! The world of the four great continents, as compared with what one has taken—the stone matched against the bean—is far too small to amount to anything at all. The realm of the Tathāgata is again likewise. For instance, at the Bodhisattva's Ground of the Cloud of Dharma (Dharmamegha-bhūmi) there is merit that passes through immeasurable kalpas, and yet one cannot speak of even the smallest portion of it—how much less the immeasurable realm of wisdom of the Tathāgata.

O Son of the Buddha! I now speak true words to you: Before all the Tathāgatas, let them bear witness for me. Suppose that, throughout the boundless worlds of the ten directions as numerous as motes of dust, together with all the buddha-fields, there were those who realized the grounds of the Bodhisattva. This number is truly as abundant as fields of bamboo stalks, as groves of sugarcane. Those Bodhisattvas, passing through boundless kalpas, proclaim and reveal a single realm of wisdom possessed by the Tathāgata. A hundred parts of their realization do not equal one; even a koṭi-nayuta hundred-thousand parts do not equal one. The Sūtra of Entering the Inconceivable Realm of the Tathāgata's Merit and Wisdom says:

The Buddha said: O Mañjuśrī (Wondrous Auspicious One)! Now within this assembly there may be a kind of sentient being. That is to say: the Buddha-Tathāgata first goes forth into homelessness; or has long since gone forth; or cultivates austerities; or sits beneath the Bodhi tree and accomplishes perfect enlightenment.

Or destroys the hosts of Māra; or Brahmā-king and Śakra, the world-protectors, exhort and invite him to turn the great Dharma-wheel. Or one hears the proclamation of the Dharma of the Śrāvaka-vehicle. Or he speaks the Dharma of the Pratyekabuddha-vehicle; or he speaks the Dharma of the Great Vehicle (Mahāyāna).

Or one beholds the Buddha's body the height of a single fathom. Or one sees the Buddha's body the height of a single krośa (about five hundred bow-lengths, or five li). Or one sees the Buddha's body towering and displayed beyond the measure of a hundred-thousand yojanas.

Or one sees the Buddha's body like the color of true gold. Even to seeing it like the color of a maṇi jewel. Or one sees the bodily marks of the Tathāgata in quiescent stillness.

Or one sees the Tathāgata's mark of entering Nirvāṇa. Or one sees the Tathāgata's mark of gathering into a single place. Or one sees the Tathāgata's relics (śarīra) distributed and dispersed.

Or after ten years he accomplishes perfect enlightenment. Or after ten years he enters Great Nirvāṇa. Or in the place of the World-Honored One, Śākyamuni Tathāgata, the cultivation and nurturing is brought to fullness.

Or it is hidden away. Or after ten, twenty, thirty, forty, even a hundred-thousand koṭi-nayuta kalpas he enters Great Nirvāṇa. Or the World-Honored One, Śākyamuni Tathāgata, after inexpressibly, inexpressibly many kalpas accomplishes perfect and complete enlightenment.

Mañjuśrī! Thus, with regard to the differentiated marks of the Tathāgata, he neither discriminates nor departs from discrimination, while the Buddha-Tathāgata neither gives rise to awareness nor gives rise to discrimination. Ever in accord with the minds of sentient beings he acts, producing the marks of his conduct.

The Sūtra of the Bodhisattva's Ten Abodes (Daśavihāra) says: The Buddha said—O Mañjuśrī! There are many ways to speak of it: Suppose there were a great pond, broad and long, of some five hundred thousand yojanas. The shores of that pond are level and even; the water of that pond is clear and sweet; and there are lotus flowers growing all around within the lake.

Suppose someone took iron and fashioned it into the axle of a chariot, and then, with a fine horse, swift as the victorious garuḍa, mounted the horse running at speed. This chariot proceeds without being obstructed by the water of the lake. The horse's hooves, moreover, do not trample upon the lotus flowers.

O Mañjuśrī! The Tathāgata is again likewise. Mounting the great chariot, he roams and sports upon that lake, where there are venomous serpents, water-creatures, and so forth.

In an instant the venomous serpent follows behind the chariot wheel. This chariot at once turns back seven times to the right. If again a venomous serpent should follow, then the waves will cause the great chariot once to recoil to the right.

That chariot then forthwith turns to the right countless times. Just so, when Ānanda and the great bhikṣus expound the Dharma, it is again likewise. At times Ānanda speaks ten kinds of Dharma to display this meaning.

Or Ānanda again speaks one kind of Dharma, and then Śāriputra speaks a thousand kinds of Dharma, displaying this meaning. Furthermore, Śāriputra speaks one kind of Dharma, and forthwith Mahāmaudgalyāyana passes beyond eighty-thousand worlds. If Mahāmaudgalyāyana passes beyond a single world, then forthwith the Tathāgata, in the worlds of the ten directions, supremely sovereign, passes beyond empty space, universally pervading all the oceans of worlds.

In each and every world, in each and every continent, in each and every path of the ordinary worldling, he manifests—from the Tuṣita Heaven Palace not yet descended to be born among humankind, entering the womb, abiding in the womb, and emerging from the womb. Brahmā-king and Śakra support and bathe him in solemn adornment. Walking around in seven steps, contemplating the ten directions, he then speaks like the lion's roar.

He studies all the crafts, arts, sciences of treatises, and undertakings, manifesting the assuming of the station of a Crown Prince. Within the inner palace he sports in joyful revelry, taking pleasure in the gardens and groves. He goes forth into homelessness and cultivates austerities.

Having finished the milk-rice gruel, he then comes to the Bodhi Seat of Awakening and accomplishes perfect enlightenment, subduing the hosts of Māra, walking in meditation beneath the tree. The Great Brahmā Heaven King invites him to turn the Dharma-wheel; he enters the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven Palace and then divides the lands into kalpa-numbers, before and after. His majestic virtue, bodily marks, and lifespan—be it little or much.

The assembled congregations, the adornment, the buddha-field purified. The Dharma-teaching adorned, the giving rise to the mind of Bodhi. Cultivating all the conducts and vows, accomplishing the Perfections.

Complete in all the grounds, the spiritual penetrations, the wisdom, and the forbearances. Complete in the Dhāraṇī-Samādhis and all the gates of liberation. The Tathāgatas are immeasurable; the offerings made are also very abundant.

The Tathāgata's and the Bodhisattvas' dharma-realms, the immeasurable clouds of Dharma, vast and great, are divided and distributed. Maturing sentient beings, the skillful means, the stations and divisions, the differentiations of the various measures. He arouses the great sporting of the transformations of spiritual penetrations.

He manifests the Single Vehicle's Great Parinirvāṇa. He distributes the relics, distinguishes the Dharma-teaching. Preserving it long, and at the time when the Dharma perishes—all of these emerge from this great pond of water.

Furthermore, in the places where the heterodox cultivate their practices, even to all the kinds of sentient beings, one ought to do the work. The Tathāgata neither gives rise to awareness nor has a discriminating mind. Simultaneously he wholly manifests, and thereafter, in the ultimate stations, diligently he manifests.

In just such a way, within a single kṣaṇa, complete—then throughout the ten directions, all, from each and every hair-pore of his own body, transform into all the directions, dividing into the three times' all Tathāgatas and the assembled congregations of Bodhisattvas, as vast as the ocean. Vast and great, all the buddha-fields, their merit and adornment.

The kinds of sentient beings gather in dwellings and palatial chambers, vast and great in adornment. Those sentient beings gather at the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind, all extensively giving and bestowing. All the conducts of the Bodhisattva are wholly amassed and accumulated, vast and great in adornment.

All the realms of the Tathāgata are vast and great in adornment. Thus, when all the marks of the Tathāgata are complete, he neither gives rise to awareness nor brings forth a discriminating mind, and yet universally manifests. At the ultimate, final boundary, valiant and courageous, in a single kṣaṇa complete, then he universally embraces all the worlds of the ten directions.

Even to the path of the ordinary worldling, whether ending or unending, again it is not far beyond. The realms of all the kinds of sentient beings—each and every sentient being, each and every bodily mark, shape-color, display-color, sound, speech, and the parables and teaching of the Dharma; such matters as these, divided and differentiated—the Tathāgata, having completed them, neither gives rise to awareness nor brings forth a differentiating mind, and yet universally manifests.

In accord with the kinds of sentient beings, each and every mind-and-intention being differentiated, at the ultimate, final boundary, valiant and courageous. In accord with what is made manifest, in accord with what is bestowed.

O Mañjuśrī! It is just like the bright moon on the night of the fifteenth. At that time, throughout the ocean of Jambudvīpa, all the men and women, the boys and girls, each one present beholds the mark of the moon, while that full moon discriminates nothing at all.

The Tathāgata is again likewise. He gives rise to no awareness, nor again has a discriminating mind, in producing the various forms and marks. Through hesitation he does not accomplish, since it is not the Buddha-Dharma.

In accord with the mind-and-intention of the kinds of sentient beings he liberates them. All the kinds of sentient beings, each one present, universally contemplate the Tathāgata, and yet there is no discrimination. Therefore one should know!

Whether there is discrimination or there is no discrimination, the Buddha-Tathāgatas wholly give rise to no awareness, and yet accomplish the uncommon Buddha-Dharma. In accord with the act of giving, they perform all the marks of conduct. Herein one should know it to be vast, great, profound, and far-reaching to pass through, and within it singularly lofty and exalted.

This speaks of the power of the great and mighty virtue of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. If there be a person who can deeply give rise to faith, expounding it, transcribing it, reciting it, revering and making offerings to it, then that person attains vast and great merit and virtue.

This sutra also says: The Buddha said—O Mañjuśrī! It is just as Mount Sumeru, the King of Mountains, surpasses all the other mountains, shining forth surpassingly wondrous, again lofty and again broad, and is also higher than all.

Mañjuśrī! If a Bodhisattva has faith and understanding in this right Dharma, it is again likewise. He surpasses all the Bodhisattva-Mahāsattvas in the ten directions, throughout all the worlds as numerous as motes of dust, among the multitude of Bodhisattvas. If, with regard to this right Dharma, one gives rise to faith and understanding, then with regard to the five Perfections one brings forth wholesome roots. Throughout asaṃkhyeya kalpas one can amass and accumulate them. Shining forth surpassingly wondrous, ever loftier and ever broader, and again the highest.

O Mañjuśrī! If there be a good man or good woman who, throughout all the worlds of the ten directions, exhorts all the kinds of sentient beings to give rise to the mind of Bodhi, and again there be a good man or good woman who, with faith and joy, trusts in the Nirvāṇa Without Residual Support (anupadhiśeṣa-nirvāṇa), then herein the blessings are great. These blessings, double those before, cannot be reckoned.

O Mañjuśrī! Cause the good men and good women, universally reaching all the kinds of sentient beings, to take joy and faith in the Nirvāṇa Without Residual Support. If there be any good man or good woman who, with regard to this right Dharma, can give rise to joy and faith—whether he himself transcribes it, or causes another to transcribe it; whether he himself recites it, or causes another to recite it. Even to being able, with joy and faith, to receive and uphold it, using incense, flowers, and sandalwood oil in full to make offerings to it. This is a most great blessing and reward. These blessings, double the blessings before, cannot be reckoned or counted.

The Treatise on the Essential Meaning of the Mahāyāna Jewel. End of Scroll Ten.