大方廣佛華嚴經

22. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: THE INEXHAUSTIBLE TREASURIES

(Complete Chinese Canon, Volume 21)

At that time, the bodhisattva Forest of Merit again addressed the bodhisattvas, saying:

Children of the Buddha! Great bodhisattvas possess the following ten treasuries, which the Buddhas of the three times have taught, are teaching, and will teach:

The treasury of faith, the treasury of precepts, the treasury of moral shame, the treasury of moral dread, the treasury of learning, the treasury of giving, the treasury of wisdom, the treasury of mindfulness, the treasury of retention, and the treasury of eloquence.

What is the great bodhisattva's treasury of faith?

This bodhisattva believes that all dharmas are empty, signless, wishless, uncreated, free from discrimination, without dependence, immeasurable, unsurpassed, difficult to transcend, and unborn.

Once a bodhisattva is able to accord with all dharmas and thus give rise to faith, upon hearing of the inconceivability of the Buddha-Dharma, he feels no fear. Upon hearing of the inconceivability of all Buddhas, the inconceivability of the realm of sentient beings, the inconceivability of the Dharma realm, the inconceivability of the realm of space, the inconceivability of the realm of nirvana, the inconceivability of the past, the inconceivability of the future, the inconceivability of the present, and the inconceivability of entering all kalpas, he feels no fear.

Why is this? Because this bodhisattva has unwavering faith in all Buddhas. He knows that the wisdom of the Buddhas is boundless and inexhaustible. Throughout the immeasurable worlds of the ten directions, in each and every world there are immeasurable Buddhas who have attained, are attaining, and will attain unsurpassed bodhi; who have appeared, are appearing, and will appear in the world; and who have entered, are entering, and will enter nirvana.

The wisdom of the Buddhas neither increases nor decreases, is neither born nor extinguished, neither advances nor retreats, is neither near nor far, neither knows nor abandons.

This bodhisattva enters the wisdom of the Buddhas and perfects boundless and inexhaustible faith.

Having attained this faith, his mind does not retreat, does not become confused, cannot be destroyed, and is not defiled by attachment. It always possesses a firm foundation, accords with the sages, dwells in the house of the Tathagata, preserves the lineage of all Buddhas, increases the faithful understanding of all bodhisattvas, accords with the roots of goodness of all Buddhas, and gives rise to the skillful means of all Buddhas.

This is called the great bodhisattva's treasury of faith. A bodhisattva who abides in this treasury of faith can hear and retain all Buddha-Dharma and expound it to sentient beings, enabling them all to awaken.

Children of the Buddha! What is the great bodhisattva's treasury of precepts?

This bodhisattva perfects the precepts of universal benefit, the precepts of nonacceptance, the precepts of nonabiding, the precepts free from regret, the precepts free from contention, the precepts of noninjury, the precepts free from impurity, the precepts free from seeking, the precepts free from error, and the precepts free from transgression.

What are the precepts of universal benefit?

This bodhisattva receives and upholds the pure precepts solely for the benefit of all sentient beings.

What are the precepts of nonacceptance? This bodhisattva does not accept or practice the precepts of non-Buddhist paths. By his own intrinsic nature, he diligently upholds only the impartial, pure precepts of the Buddhas of the three times.

What are the precepts of nonabiding? When this bodhisattva upholds the precepts, his mind does not abide in the desire realm, the form realm, or the formless realm, for he does not observe the precepts in pursuit of rebirth in those realms.

What are the precepts free from regret? This bodhisattva always abides in a mind free from regret, because he commits no grave offenses, practices no deception, and does not violate the pure precepts.

What are the precepts free from contention? This bodhisattva neither rejects the precepts established by the Buddha nor establishes new ones. His mind always accords with the precepts that lead toward nirvana. He receives and upholds them completely without transgression. Because of his observance of the precepts, he does not trouble other sentient beings or cause them suffering; he wishes only that all sentient beings may always joyfully uphold the precepts.

What are the precepts of noninjury? Because of the precepts, this bodhisattva does not study spells or compound medicines in order to harm sentient beings. He upholds the precepts solely to rescue and protect sentient beings.

What are the precepts free from impurity? This bodhisattva does not cling to extreme views and does not uphold adulterated precepts. He contemplates dependent origination and upholds the precepts of liberation.

What are the precepts free from covetous seeking? This bodhisattva does not display unusual appearances to advertise his own virtue. He upholds the precepts solely to perfect the Dharma of liberation.

What are the precepts free from error? This bodhisattva does not arrogantly proclaim, “I uphold the precepts.” When he sees those who violate the precepts, he does not scorn or disparage them and thereby cause them shame. He simply upholds the precepts with single-minded resolve.

What are the precepts free from transgression? This bodhisattva completely abandons the ten unwholesome actions and fully observes the ten wholesome actions. While upholding the precepts without transgression, the bodhisattva reflects: “All who violate the precepts do so because of delusion. Only a Buddha knows the causes and conditions through which sentient beings become deluded and violate the pure precepts. I shall attain unsurpassed bodhi and extensively teach the true Dharma to sentient beings, enabling them to leave delusion behind.”

This is called the second treasury, the great bodhisattva's treasury of precepts.

Children of the Buddha! What is the great bodhisattva's treasury of moral shame?

This bodhisattva remembers the evil deeds he committed in the past and feels shame within himself, thinking: “Since beginningless time, sentient beings and I have been one another's parents, children, elder and younger brothers, and elder and younger sisters. Filled with greed, anger, delusion, arrogance, flattery, deceit, and every affliction, we have harmed one another, plundered one another, engaged in sexual misconduct with one another, and killed one another.

There is no evil we have not committed. All sentient beings are likewise: driven by afflictions, they commit every kind of evil. Therefore, they neither revere nor respect one another, neither accord with nor yield to one another, neither instruct nor protect one another.

Instead, they kill and harm one another and become one another's enemies.”

He reflects that all the offenses which he and other sentient beings have committed, will commit, and are presently committing are seen and known by all Buddhas of the three times. If he does not now put a complete end to sinful conduct, the Buddhas of the three times will also clearly see those offenses. If he continues committing them without cease, this is utterly improper. Therefore, he must single-mindedly abandon them, attain unsurpassed bodhi, and extensively teach the true Dharma to sentient beings.

This is called the third treasury, the great bodhisattva's treasury of moral shame.

Children of the Buddha! What is the great bodhisattva's treasury of moral dread?

This bodhisattva feels ashamed, thinking: “From the distant past until now, I have ceaselessly pursued the five desires without ever being satisfied, thereby causing the afflictions to increase. I must not commit this fault again.”

This bodhisattva further reflects: “Because sentient beings lack wisdom, they give rise to afflictions and commit every kind of evil. They do not revere or respect one another and even become one another's enemies. They commit all manner of offenses and, having committed them, rejoice and praise themselves.

They are truly blind, without the eye of wisdom, neither seeing nor knowing. They enter the womb, are born from their mothers, and form impure bodies, continuing thus until their hair turns white and their faces wrinkle. Those with wisdom contemplate and know that this impure thing is born only from sexual desire.

All Buddhas of the three times clearly see and know this. If I continue committing this fault, I shall truly be deceiving the Buddhas of the three times. I must therefore cultivate the Dharma of moral dread so that I may quickly attain unsurpassed bodhi and then universally teach the true Dharma to sentient beings.”

This is called the fourth treasury, the great bodhisattva's treasury of moral dread.

Children of the Buddha! What is the great bodhisattva's treasury of learning?

This bodhisattva knows: because this exists, that exists; because this does not exist, that does not exist; because this arises, that arises; because this ceases, that ceases. He knows what is worldly Dharma and what is supramundane Dharma, what is conditioned Dharma and what is unconditioned Dharma, what is determinate Dharma and what is indeterminate Dharma.

What does it mean that because this exists, that exists? It means that because ignorance exists, formations exist.

What does it mean that because this does not exist, that does not exist? It means that because consciousness does not exist, name-and-form does not exist.

What does it mean that because this arises, that arises? It means that because craving arises, suffering arises.

What does it mean that because this ceases, that ceases? It means that because becoming ceases, birth ceases.

What is worldly Dharma? It is form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness.

What is supramundane Dharma? It is precepts, samadhi, wisdom, liberation, and the knowledge and vision of liberation.

What is conditioned Dharma? It is the desire realm, the form realm, the formless realm, and the realm of sentient beings.

What is unconditioned Dharma? It is space, nirvana, cessation through discernment, cessation independent of discernment, dependent origination, and the abiding nature of dharmas.

What is determinate Dharma? It is the Four Noble Truths, the four fruits of the renunciant, the four unobstructed eloquences, the four fearlessnesses, the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, and the Noble Eightfold Path.

What is indeterminate Dharma? It concerns whether the world is finite, infinite, both finite and infinite, or neither finite nor infinite; whether the world is eternal, noneternal, both eternal and noneternal, or neither eternal nor noneternal; whether after passing into cessation the Tathagata exists, does not exist, both exists and does not exist, or neither exists nor does not exist; whether a self and sentient beings exist, do not exist, both exist and do not exist, or neither exist nor do not exist; how many Tathagatas entered nirvana in the past and how many shravakas and pratyekabuddhas entered nirvana; how many Buddhas, shravakas, pratyekabuddhas, and sentient beings will exist in the future;

which Tathagatas appeared first, which shravakas and pratyekabuddhas appeared first, and which sentient beings appeared first; which Tathagatas appeared last, which shravakas and pratyekabuddhas appeared last, and which sentient beings appeared last; which Dharma came first and which Dharma came last; whence the world comes and whither it goes; how many worlds come into being and how many worlds perish, whence worlds come and whither they go; what is the earliest limit of samsara and what is the final limit of samsara.

This is called indeterminate Dharma.

The great bodhisattva reflects: “All sentient beings in samsara lack extensive learning and do not understand all dharmas. I must resolve to retain the treasury of extensive learning, attain unsurpassed bodhi, and then teach the true Dharma to sentient beings.”

This is called the fifth treasury, the great bodhisattva's treasury of extensive learning.

Children of the Buddha! What is the great bodhisattva's treasury of giving?

This bodhisattva practices ten kinds of giving: giving by sharing, giving everything, inward giving, outward giving, inward-and-outward giving, giving all things, giving the past, giving the future, giving the present, and ultimate giving.

What is the bodhisattva's giving by sharing? This bodhisattva is naturally benevolent and delights in giving. If he obtains delicious food, he does not keep it solely for himself but first shares it with sentient beings and eats only afterward.

He does likewise with everything he receives. When he himself eats, this bodhisattva reflects: “Within my body are eighty thousand kinds of corpse-worms. When my body is nourished, they are nourished; when my body suffers hunger, they also suffer hunger.

As I now consume this food and drink, may all sentient beings everywhere be fully satisfied. I eat and drink for the sake of these creatures and do not covet flavors.” This bodhisattva further reflects: “For a long time, because I cherished and clung to this body and wished to satisfy it, I consumed food and drink. I now give this food to sentient beings.

May I completely abandon attachment to my body.” This is giving by sharing.

What is the bodhisattva's giving everything? This bodhisattva obtains food and drink of the finest flavors, fragrances, flowers, clothing, and other necessities of life. If he uses them himself, he will live comfortably and long; if he gives them to others, he will suffer deprivation and die prematurely.

At that time, someone comes and asks for everything. The bodhisattva reflects: “Since beginningless time, I have lost innumerable bodies to hunger and thirst, without ever bringing the slightest benefit to sentient beings or thereby gaining merit. I must eventually relinquish this body and life just as in times past.

Therefore, I should now benefit sentient beings, giving away everything I possess, even at the cost of my life, without the slightest miserliness.” This is called giving everything.

What is the bodhisattva's inward giving? While still young, strong, and handsome, this bodhisattva receives the consecration and ascends the throne as a wheel-turning king, possessing the seven treasures and ruling the four continents. At that time, someone approaches the king and says that he is old, weak, and afflicted by many illnesses, but if he could obtain the king's hands, feet, blood, flesh, head, eyes, bones, and marrow, he would surely recover his health and survive. This bodhisattva reflects: “My body will inevitably die in the future without serving any purpose. I should quickly give it away to rescue sentient beings from suffering.” Having reflected thus, this bodhisattva immediately gives away his body without regret. This is called inward giving.

What is the bodhisattva's outward giving? This bodhisattva, young and handsome, ascends the throne as a wheel-turning king, possesses the seven treasures, and rules the four continents. At that time, someone may approach and say: “I am now poor and distressed. I ask the king to yield the throne to me so that I may enjoy the king's wealth and happiness.” The bodhisattva reflects: “All wealth and honor must eventually decline and perish. When they perish, they bring no benefit to sentient beings. I should now fulfill this person's request.” Having reflected thus, the bodhisattva immediately yields the throne to that person without regret. This is called outward giving.

What is the bodhisattva's inward-and-outward giving? This bodhisattva is a wheel-turning king, as described above. Someone comes and asks the king to yield the throne and also become his servant. The bodhisattva reflects: “My body, possessions, and royal throne are all impermanent and subject to decay. Now that someone has come to ask for them, I should use these unstable things to seek the steadfast fruit.” Having reflected thus, the bodhisattva immediately fulfills the supplicant's wish without regret. This is called inward-and-outward giving.

What is the bodhisattva's giving of all things? This bodhisattva is a wheel-turning king, as described above. At that time, many impoverished people come together to make requests: some ask for his throne, some for his wife and children, and others for his hands, feet, blood, flesh, heart, lungs, head, eyes, marrow, and brain. The bodhisattva reflects: “Every gathering of loved ones must end in separation and brings no ultimate benefit. I should now abandon craving and use these things destined for separation to fulfill sentient beings' wishes.” Having reflected thus, he gives each person whatever is requested, without regret and without scorning or becoming weary of sentient beings. This is called giving all things.

What is the bodhisattva's giving of the past? This bodhisattva hears of the merits of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas of the past. Having heard them, he does not become attached, but fully understands that they have no intrinsic existence.

He does not give rise to discrimination, covet them, cling to them, or seek to acquire them, and he does not depend upon them. He sees dharmas as dreams, without solidity. Regarding roots of goodness, he neither conceives of them as existent nor depends upon them.

Only to teach sentient beings who cling to things and to mature them in the Buddha-Dharma does he expound these matters. He further contemplates all dharmas of the past and, searching throughout the ten directions, finds none that can be apprehended. Having reflected thus, he relinquishes all dharmas of the past.

This is called giving the past.

What is the bodhisattva's giving of the future? This bodhisattva hears of the practices cultivated by the Buddhas of the future and fully understands that they have no intrinsic existence. He does not cling to their characteristics, take exclusive delight in seeking rebirth in the lands of those Buddhas, crave or become attached to them, or grow weary of them.

He does not dedicate his roots of goodness toward them, nor does he allow his roots of goodness to retreat because of them. He always cultivates diligently and never neglects his practice. He wishes only to use those states as a means of gathering in sentient beings, teaching them the truth and maturing them in the Buddha-Dharma.

Yet this Dharma is neither located anywhere nor located nowhere; it is neither within nor without, neither near nor far. The bodhisattva further reflects: “If a dharma has no intrinsic existence, it can be neither acquired nor relinquished.” This is called giving the future.

What is the bodhisattva's giving of the present? This bodhisattva hears of the heavenly realms of the Four Heavenly Kings, the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, Yama, Tushita, Delight in Transformations, Mastery over Others' Transformations, the Multitudes of Brahma, Ministers of Brahma, Great Brahma, Lesser Light, Immeasurable Light, Light-Sound, Lesser Purity, Immeasurable Purity, Universal Purity, Birth of Merit, Love of Merit, Abundant Fruit, No-Perception, Free from Affliction, Free from Heat, Excellent Vision, Excellent Manifestation, and the Ultimate Form Heaven.

He also hears of the complete merits of shravakas and pratyekabuddhas. Having heard these things, the bodhisattva's mind is neither deluded nor lost, neither gathered nor dispersed. He simply contemplates all conditioned dharmas as dreams, unreal, and his mind does not become attached.

To enable sentient beings to leave the lower destinies, cultivate the bodhisattva path with a nondiscriminating mind, and perfect the Buddha-Dharma, he reveals and expounds these things to them. This is called giving the present.

What is the bodhisattva's ultimate giving? Suppose immeasurable sentient beings, some lacking eyes, some lacking ears, some lacking noses or tongues, and some lacking hands or feet, all come together and ask this bodhisattva to give them the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, hands, and feet of his own body so that they may become whole and free from disability. This bodhisattva immediately gives them whatever they desire.

Even if he himself must endure disability for innumerable kalpas, he has no regret. He merely contemplates how the body, from its entry into the womb and formation onward, is wholly impure and confined within birth, aging, illness, and death. He further contemplates that the body is unreal, without moral shame or dread, unworthy of sages, foul and impure, with bones and joints supporting one another, blood and flesh bound together, and the nine apertures constantly discharging foul impurities that everyone finds repulsive.

Through this contemplation, he does not entertain even a single thought of attachment to the body. He further reflects: “This body is fragile and unstable. I should not cherish it but should give it to others so that their requests may be fulfilled.

Through this deed of mine, I shall reveal the way and guide sentient beings, enabling them not to crave or cling to their bodies and causing them all to perfect the pure body of wisdom.” This is called ultimate giving.

This is the sixth treasury, the great bodhisattva's treasury of giving.

Children of the Buddha! What is the great bodhisattva's treasury of wisdom?

This bodhisattva knows form, the arising of form, the cessation of form, and the path to the cessation of form exactly as they truly are. Regarding the other four skandhas—feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness—he knows the four skandhas, the arising of the four skandhas, the cessation of the four skandhas, and the path to the cessation of the four skandhas exactly as they truly are. He knows ignorance and craving, the arising of ignorance and craving, the cessation of ignorance and craving, and the path to the cessation of ignorance and craving exactly as they truly are.

This bodhisattva knows shravakas, pratyekabuddhas, and bodhisattvas exactly as they truly are. He knows the arising of shravakas, the arising of pratyekabuddhas, and the arising of bodhisattvas exactly as they truly are. He knows the nirvana of shravakas, the nirvana of pratyekabuddhas, and the nirvana of bodhisattvas exactly as they truly are.

How does he know them?

He knows that they arise from the causes and conditions of karmic retribution; that all are false, empty, and unreal; that they are not a self and are not solid; and that not even the slightest dharma can be established.

Wishing sentient beings to know the true nature of all dharmas, he extensively expounds it to them. He teaches the indestructibility of all dharmas. Which dharmas are indestructible? Form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are indestructible; ignorance is indestructible; and the dharmas of shravakas, pratyekabuddhas, and bodhisattvas are all indestructible.

Why is this? Because all dharmas are uncreated, have no location, do not arise, neither give nor take, do not move, and perform no function.

This bodhisattva perfects such an immeasurable treasury of wisdom. With but few skillful means, he comprehends all dharmas, naturally understanding them without relying upon another for awakening.

This inexhaustible treasury of wisdom possesses ten kinds of inexhaustibility and is therefore called inexhaustible:

Skill in extensive learning is inexhaustible; drawing near to good spiritual friends is inexhaustible; skillfully distinguishing phrases and meanings is inexhaustible; entering deeply into the Dharma realm is inexhaustible; adornment with the wisdom of the single flavor is inexhaustible; gathering all merit without weariness of mind is inexhaustible; entering all doors of dharani is inexhaustible; skillfully distinguishing the sounds, speech, and languages of all sentient beings is inexhaustible; skillfully resolving the doubts and delusions of all sentient beings is inexhaustible; and manifesting the Buddha's spiritual powers for all sentient beings in order to teach, tame, and cause them to practice without interruption is inexhaustible.

This is the seventh treasury, the great bodhisattva's treasury of wisdom.

One who abides in this treasury of wisdom attains inexhaustible wisdom and can universally awaken all sentient beings.

What is the great bodhisattva's treasury of mindfulness?

Children of the Buddha! This bodhisattva abandons delusion and fully attains the power of mindfulness.

He remembers one past life, two lives, and so forth through ten lives, hundreds of thousands of lives, and immeasurable lives. He remembers kalpas of formation and kalpas of destruction, through hundreds of thousands of kotis of kalpas and even ineffable numbers of ineffable kalpas. He remembers the honored name of one Buddha, through ineffable numbers of ineffable Buddhas.

He remembers one Buddha appearing in the world and bestowing predictions, through ineffable numbers of ineffable Buddhas appearing in the world and bestowing predictions. He remembers one Buddha appearing in the world and teaching the twelve divisions of scripture, through ineffable numbers of ineffable Buddhas appearing in the world and teaching the twelve divisions of scripture. He remembers one assembly, through ineffable numbers of ineffable assemblies.

He remembers one Dharma being expounded, through ineffable numbers of ineffable assemblies in which Dharma was expounded. He remembers one Dharma being expounded, through ineffable numbers of dharmas being expounded. He remembers one faculty and disposition, through ineffable numbers of ineffable faculties and dispositions.

He remembers the natures of one affliction, through the natures of ineffable numbers of ineffable afflictions. He remembers the natures of one samadhi, through the natures of ineffable numbers of ineffable samadhis.

This treasury of mindfulness has ten kinds:

Mindfulness of quiescence, mindfulness of purity, mindfulness free from turbidity, clear and penetrating mindfulness, mindfulness free from defilement, mindfulness free from manifold defilements, stainless mindfulness, radiant mindfulness, delightful mindfulness, and unobstructed mindfulness.

When a bodhisattva abides in this treasury of mindfulness, no world can disturb him, and no heterodox doctrine can sway him. His roots of goodness from past lives are all purified. He does not become attached to worldly dharmas. Maras and non-Buddhists cannot destroy him. When changing bodies and undergoing rebirth, he does not forget. His teaching of the Dharma of the past, present, and future is inexhaustible. While dwelling with sentient beings in all worlds, he never commits any error. He enters all assemblies and bodhimandas of the Buddhas without obstruction and is able to draw near to all Buddhas.

This is called the eighth treasury, the great bodhisattva's treasury of mindfulness.

What is the great bodhisattva's treasury of retention? This bodhisattva receives and retains without omission the words, phrases, meanings, and principles of the sutras taught by the Buddhas. He retains them throughout one life, through ineffable numbers of ineffable lives.

He retains the name of one Buddha, through ineffable numbers of ineffable names of Buddhas. He retains the numerical measure of one kalpa, through ineffable numbers of ineffable measures of kalpas. He retains one Buddha's prediction, through ineffable numbers of ineffable Buddhas' predictions.

He retains one sutra, through ineffable numbers of ineffable sutras. He retains one assembly, through ineffable numbers of ineffable assemblies. He retains one Dharma teaching, through the teaching of ineffable numbers of ineffable Buddha-Dharmas.

He retains the immeasurable varieties of one faculty, through the immeasurable varieties of ineffable numbers of ineffable faculties. He retains the many natures of one affliction, through ineffable numbers of manifold natures. He retains the various natures of one samadhi, through the various natures of ineffable numbers of ineffable samadhis.

This treasury of retention is boundless, difficult to fill, difficult to fathom, difficult to approach, and impossible to subdue. It is immeasurable and inexhaustible, possesses great awesome power, is the realm of the Buddhas, and can be fully understood only by a Buddha.

This is called the ninth treasury, the great bodhisattva's treasury of retention.

What is the great bodhisattva's treasury of eloquence? This bodhisattva possesses extremely profound retention and wisdom, clearly knows true reality, and extensively expounds all dharmas to sentient beings without contradicting the scriptures of the Buddhas. He expounds one division of Dharma, through ineffable numbers of ineffable divisions of Dharma.

He expounds one Buddha's name, through ineffable numbers of Buddha names. In the same way, when expounding worlds, predictions by Buddhas, sutras, assemblies, Dharma teachings, the natures of faculties, the natures of afflictions, and the natures of samadhis, in every case he proceeds from one through ineffable numbers of ineffable instances. He may expound for one day, half a month, one month, one hundred years, one thousand years, and even ineffable numbers of ineffable kalpas.

Though the number of kalpas may be exhausted, the meanings and principles of a single word or sentence are difficult to exhaust.

Why is this? Because this bodhisattva perfects ten kinds of inexhaustible treasuries and has attained the previously named dharani door that encompasses all dharmas, accompanied by countless millions of dharanis. Having attained this dharani, he uses the light of Dharma to expound all dharmas extensively to sentient beings.

When teaching the Dharma, he extends his broad and long tongue and utters a wondrous voice that reaches all worlds throughout the ten directions. In accordance with sentient beings' faculties and dispositions, he causes them all to be fulfilled and joyful and to eliminate every affliction. He skillfully enters all sounds, speech, languages, written words, and eloquences, enabling all sentient beings to preserve the Buddha's lineage without interruption and allowing their pure minds to continue.

By means of the light of Dharma, he also teaches the Dharma inexhaustibly and without weariness.

Why is this? Because this bodhisattva perfects a boundless body coextensive with space and the Dharma realm.

This is the tenth treasury, the great bodhisattva's treasury of eloquence. This treasury is endless, undivided, uninterrupted, unchanging, unobstructed, and irreversible. It is extremely profound, bottomless, and difficult to enter, yet it universally enters all doors of the Buddha-Dharma.

Children of the Buddha! These ten inexhaustible treasuries possess ten inexhaustible dharmas that enable bodhisattvas ultimately to attain unsurpassed bodhi.

These are the ten dharmas: benefiting all sentient beings; skillfully dedicating merit in accordance with one's original vows; remaining uninterrupted throughout all kalpas; awakening all beings throughout the realm of space with an unlimited mind; dedicating conditioned merit without attachment; realizing the inexhaustibility of all dharmas within the realm of a single thought; maintaining a mind of great vows without change; skillfully embracing all dharanis; being kept in mind and protected by all Buddhas; and understanding that all dharmas are like illusions.

These ten inexhaustible dharmas can enable all practices undertaken in every world ultimately to attain the great inexhaustible treasury.