大方廣佛華嚴經

Children of the Buddhas! What is the great bodhisattva’s dedication of merit with liberation free from attachment and bondage?

Children of the Buddhas! This great bodhisattva gives rise to a mind of reverence toward all roots of goodness, namely:

Reverence for liberation from birth and death. Reverence for gathering all roots of goodness. Reverence for seeking all roots of goodness. Reverence for repentance of transgressions. Reverence for rejoicing in roots of goodness. Reverence for paying homage to all Buddhas. Reverence for respectfully joining the palms. Reverence for bowing one’s head before stupas and shrines. Reverence for entreating the Buddha to expound the Dharma. The bodhisattva reveres, willingly follows, and accords with roots of goodness such as these.

Children of the Buddhas! When the great bodhisattva gives rise to a mind of reverence toward these roots of goodness, his faith and understanding become firm, and he experiences the utmost joy. He himself abides securely and enables others to abide securely. He diligently cultivates without attachment, freely accumulates merit and virtue, fulfills his supreme aspirations, increases his power within the realm of the Tathagatas, and attains complete vision and knowledge.

The great bodhisattva dedicates these roots of goodness in the following manner.

With a mind of liberation free from attachment and bondage, he perfects Samantabhadra’s bodily, verbal, and mental karma. With this same mind, he also initiates Samantabhadra’s vast practice of diligence; fully attains Samantabhadra’s dharani gateway of unobstructed sounds, whose great resonance reaches universally throughout the ten directions; and fully attains Samantabhadra’s dharani gateway of beholding all Buddhas, constantly seeing all Buddhas throughout the ten directions.

With a mind of liberation free from attachment and bondage, he perfects the dharani gateway that clearly comprehends all sounds and expounds immeasurable Dharma teachings in every kind of voice. With this mind, he perfects Samantabhadra’s dharani gateway of abiding throughout all kalpas and practices the bodhisattva conduct universally throughout the ten directions.

With this mind, he perfects Samantabhadra’s power of mastery, manifesting within the body of a single sentient being the cultivation of all bodhisattva practices continuously until the end of future kalpas. As it is within the body of one sentient being, so it is within the bodies of all sentient beings.

With this mind, he perfects Samantabhadra’s power of mastery to enter universally all places of enlightenment, appearing everywhere before all Buddhas and cultivating the bodhisattva conduct.

With this mind, he perfects Samantabhadra’s sovereign power of a Buddha, manifesting within a single manifestation the passage of ineffably ineffable kalpas without ever coming to an end and enabling all sentient beings to awaken and enter. As it is within one gateway, so it is likewise manifested within all gateways, and he manifests bodies everywhere before all Buddhas.

With this mind, he perfects Samantabhadra’s power of mastery, enabling ineffably ineffable sentient beings in every thought to abide in the ten powers of wisdom, without ever becoming weary.

With this mind, he perfects Samantabhadra’s power of mastery, manifesting within the bodies of all sentient beings all the Buddhas’ sovereign spiritual powers and enabling all sentient beings to abide in the practices of Samantabhadra. He also perfects Samantabhadra’s power of mastery, producing every kind of speech within the speech of all sentient beings and enabling all sentient beings to abide at the stage of omniscience. He also perfects Samantabhadra’s power of mastery, containing within the body of each sentient being the bodies of all sentient beings, causing each of them to regard themselves as having perfected the body of a Buddha.

With this mind of liberation free from attachment and bondage, he perfects Samantabhadra’s power of mastery, being able to adorn all worlds throughout the ten directions with a single flower.

With this mind, he perfects Samantabhadra’s power of a spiritual friend, uttering a great sound heard throughout the Dharma realm in all Buddha lands and gathering, accepting, training, and subduing all sentient beings.

With a mind of liberation free from attachment and bondage, he perfects Samantabhadra’s power of mastery. Throughout ineffably ineffable kalpas until the end of future time, in every thought he can enter all worlds universally and adorn them at will through the Buddhas’ spiritual power. By means of this, he also manifests the attainment of Buddhahood and appearance in the world. By means of this, he also perfects Samantabhadra’s single ray of light that universally illuminates all worlds. With this mind, he also perfects the practices of Samantabhadra, attains immeasurable wisdom and all spiritual powers, and expounds all Dharma teachings.

With a mind of liberation free from attachment and bondage, he perfects the practices of Samantabhadra and enters the Buddhas’ immeasurable, inconceivable spiritual powers and wisdom throughout all kalpas. With this mind, he also perfects the practices of Samantabhadra, cultivating all bodhisattva practices everywhere throughout the Dharma realm, in the presence of all Buddhas and through the Buddhas’ spiritual power, without ever tiring in body, speech, or mind. With this mind, he also perfects the practices of Samantabhadra: never contradicting the meaning, never impairing the Dharma, possessing inexhaustible eloquence, speaking words that are entirely pure, teaching, training, and subduing all sentient beings, and enabling them all to attain unsurpassed bodhi.

With a mind of liberation free from attachment and bondage, he cultivates the practices of Samantabhadra. Upon realizing and entering a single Dharma gateway, he immediately emits immeasurable rays of light that illuminate and penetrate all inconceivable Dharma gateways. As it is with the realization and entry into one Dharma gateway, so it is with all Dharma gateways: he comprehends them all without obstruction and will ultimately attain the stage of omniscience.

With a mind of liberation free from attachment and bondage, he abides in the bodhisattva conduct, possesses mastery over all dharmas, and reaches Samantabhadra’s magnificently adorned realm of mastery. Within every realm, he observes and realizes entry by means of omniscience, yet his omniscience remains inexhaustible. With a mind of liberation free from attachment and bondage, from this life until the end of future time, he abides continuously in the practices of Samantabhadra, attains omniscience, awakens to ineffably ineffable true dharmas, and ultimately remains free from all delusion concerning every dharma.

With a mind of liberation free from attachment and bondage, he cultivates the practices of Samantabhadra, gains mastery of skillful means, attains the illumination of Dharma, and clearly comprehends without obstruction all the practices cultivated by bodhisattvas. With this mind, he also cultivates the practices of Samantabhadra and attains the wisdom of skillful means that knows all skillful means, namely: immeasurable skillful means, inconceivable skillful means, the skillful means of bodhisattvas, the skillful means of omniscience, the skillful means by which all bodhisattvas train and subdue beings, the skillful means of turning immeasurable Dharma wheels, ineffable skillful means, the skillful means of expounding all dharmas,

the skillful means of the boundless treasury of fearlessness, and the skillful means of fully expounding all dharmas.

With a mind of liberation free from attachment and bondage, he abides in the practices of Samantabhadra and perfects bodily karma, causing all sentient beings who behold him to rejoice and never give rise to disparagement. Thereby they arouse the mind of bodhi, never retreat, and ultimately attain purity. With this mind, he also cultivates the practices of Samantabhadra and attains pure wisdom that clearly understands every language of sentient beings.

Everything he says is complete and adorned, universally accords with all sentient beings, and causes them all to rejoice. With this mind, he also abides in the practices of Samantabhadra, establishes supreme resolve, possesses a pure mind, attains vast spiritual powers and vast wisdom, reaches universally all vast worlds, vast lands, and vast assemblies of sentient beings, and expounds immeasurable and vast Dharma teachings and the Tathagatas’ perfectly complete treasury of adornments.

With a mind of liberation free from attachment and bondage, he perfectly fulfills Samantabhadra’s practices, vows, and dedications of merit; attains the pure body of a Buddha, a pure mind, pure understanding, and pure merit and virtue within the realm of the Buddhas; possesses wisdom that illuminates universally; manifests the pure deeds of bodhisattvas; skillfully enters all distinctions among phrases and meanings; and manifests the attainment of perfect enlightenment for all sentient beings.

With a mind liberated from attachment and bondage, diligently cultivating the wholesome roots, practices, and vows of Samantabhadra, they attain keen and penetrating wholesome faculties; well-regulated faculties; faculties sovereign over all dharmas; inexhaustible faculties; faculties that diligently cultivate all wholesome roots; faculties equal to the sphere of all Buddhas; faculties of great vigor, receiving the prediction of all bodhisattvas’ non-retrogression; faculties of the vajra realm, clearly knowing all Buddha-Dharmas; faculties of vajra-blazing wisdom and the radiance of all Buddhas; faculties sovereign in discerning all faculties; faculties that establish immeasurable sentient beings in omniscience; vast and boundless faculties; faculties complete in all respects;

and pure, unobstructed faculties.

With a mind liberated from attachment and bondage, cultivating the practices of Samantabhadra, they attain all the spiritual powers of a bodhisattva. These are: the spiritual power of immeasurable, vast might; the spiritual power of immeasurable, sovereign wisdom; the spiritual power of appearing throughout all Buddha-lands without moving the body; the spiritual power of uninterrupted, sovereign unobstructedness; the spiritual power of gathering all Buddha-lands universally into a single place; the spiritual power of filling all Buddha-lands with a single body; the spiritual power of unobstructed, liberative play; the spiritual power of effortless sovereignty in a single thought; the spiritual power of abiding without intrinsic nature or dependence;

and the spiritual power of successively placing ineffable worlds within a single pore, journeying throughout the bodhimandas of all Buddhas in the Dharma-realm, teaching and transforming sentient beings, and enabling them all to enter the gateway of wisdom.

With a mind liberated from attachment and bondage, entering the gateway of Samantabhadra and giving rise to bodhisattva practices, through sovereign wisdom they enter immeasurable Buddha-lands universally within a single thought. One body contains immeasurable Buddha-lands. They attain wisdom capable of adorning and purifying immeasurable Buddha-realms, constantly behold boundless Buddha-lands with wisdom, and never again give rise to the mind of the Two Vehicles.

With a mind liberated from attachment and bondage, cultivating the skillful practices of Samantabhadra, they enter the sphere of wisdom, are born into the family of the Buddhas, abide in the bodhisattva path, and fully possess ineffable, ineffably immeasurable, supreme, inconceivable states of mind. They carry out immeasurable vows without interruption and clearly know the entire Dharma-realm throughout the three periods of time.

With a mind liberated from attachment and bondage, accomplishing the pure Dharma-gateway of Samantabhadra, they contain within a single pore all the ineffable, ineffable worlds extending throughout empty space and pervading the Dharma-realm, enabling everyone to see them clearly. As it is within one pore, so too is it within each and every pore.

With a mind liberated from attachment and bondage, accomplishing Samantabhadra’s skillful means of profound resolve, within a single thought they reveal the thoughts arising throughout ineffable, ineffable kalpas in the mind of one sentient being; and even so do they reveal the thoughts arising throughout that many kalpas in the minds of all sentient beings.

With a mind liberated from attachment and bondage, entering Samantabhadra’s stage of skillful dedication of merit, within a single body they can contain ineffable, ineffable bodies extending throughout the Dharma-realm, yet the realm of sentient beings suffers no diminution. Even so, each of all bodies throughout the Dharma-realm contains them in the same way.

With a mind liberated from attachment and bondage, accomplishing the skillful means of Samantabhadra’s great vows, they abandon all inverted perceptions, inverted thoughts, and inverted views, and enter universally the spheres of all Buddhas. They constantly behold the pure Dharma-body of all Buddhas, coextensive with the realm of empty space, adorned with excellent marks and sovereign in spiritual powers. They constantly employ wondrous voices to reveal and expound the Dharma without obstruction or interruption, enabling those who hear it to receive and uphold it in accordance with the Dharma. Regarding the body of the Tathagata, they clearly know that nothing whatsoever can be apprehended.

With a mind liberated from attachment and bondage, cultivating the practices of Samantabhadra and abiding on the bodhisattva stages, within a single thought they enter all worlds. These include upright worlds, inverted worlds, and ineffable, ineffably vast worlds spread throughout the ten directions like a net. Through the skillful discernment of Indra’s net, they universally discern the entire Dharma-realm.

They bring many worlds into a single world; bring ineffable, ineffably immeasurable worlds into a single world; bring the immeasurable worlds established throughout the entire Dharma-realm into a single world; and bring the immeasurable worlds established throughout the entire realm of empty space into a single world. Yet they do not destroy the characteristics of their established arrangement and enable them all to be clearly seen.

With a mind liberated from attachment and bondage, cultivating the practices and vows of Samantabhadra, they receive the Buddhas’ consecration. Within a single thought, they enter the stage of skillful means in which the wisdom that abides in all practices is completely perfected. They can clearly know every kind of mental conception, namely: conceptions of sentient beings, conceptions of dharmas, conceptions of realms, conceptions of directions, conceptions of Buddhas, conceptions of worlds, conceptions of karma, conceptions of practices, conceptions of precepts, conceptions of understanding, conceptions of faculties, conceptions of time, conceptions of preservation, conceptions of afflictions, conceptions of purity, conceptions of maturation, conceptions of seeing the Buddha,

conceptions of turning the Dharma-wheel, conceptions of hearing and understanding the Dharma, conceptions of discipline and subjugation, conceptions of the immeasurable, conceptions of deliverance, conceptions of the various stages, conceptions of immeasurable stages, conceptions of bodhisattvas’ clear knowledge, conceptions of bodhisattvas’ cultivation, conceptions of bodhisattvas’ samadhis, conceptions of the arising of bodhisattvas’ samadhis, conceptions of bodhisattvas’ formation, conceptions of bodhisattvas’ dissolution, conceptions of bodhisattvas’ arising, conceptions of bodhisattvas’ cessation, conceptions of bodhisattvas’ liberation, conceptions of bodhisattvas’ sovereignty, conceptions of bodhisattvas’ sustaining presence, conceptions of bodhisattvas’ spheres,

conceptions of the formation and dissolution of kalpas, conceptions of light, conceptions of darkness, conceptions of day, conceptions of night, conceptions of half a month, a month, an hour, and the changes of a year, conceptions of departing, conceptions of arriving, conceptions of standing, conceptions of sitting, conceptions of sleeping, and conceptions of waking.

Within a single thought, they can clearly know all such various conceptions. Yet they remain free from all conceptions and make no distinctions. They put an end to all obstructions and harbor no attachments.

The wisdom of the Buddhas fills their minds, and the Buddha-Dharma increases their wholesome roots. They share a single body with all Buddhas, are accepted and sustained by all Buddhas, become stainless and pure, and cultivate and study all Buddha-Dharmas until they reach the shore of great awakening.

With a mind liberated from attachment and bondage, cultivating the practices of Samantabhadra for the sake of all sentient beings, they give rise to great wisdom. Within each mind they know immeasurable minds, clearly perceiving their bases of reliance, their discriminations, their various dispositions, their activities, their karmic functions, the characteristics stored within them, their reflections and discernments, and all the different kinds of mind.

With a mind liberated from attachment and bondage, accomplishing Samantabhadra’s great wisdom of vows, they know ineffably immeasurable places within a single place, and likewise clearly know this within all places.

With a mind liberated from attachment and bondage, cultivating the practices and activities of Samantabhadra’s ground of wisdom, within a single karma they can know ineffably immeasurable karmas. They clearly perceive that these karmas are all produced through various causes and conditions. Likewise, they clearly know this within all karmas.

With a mind liberated from attachment and bondage, cultivating Samantabhadra’s knowledge of all dharmas, within one dharma they know ineffably immeasurable dharmas, and within immeasurable dharmas they know one dharma. Those dharmas are all distinct, yet are without obstruction, conflict, or attachment.

With a mind liberated from attachment and bondage, abiding in bodhisattva practices, they completely attain Samantabhadra’s unobstructed faculty of hearing. Within a single utterance are many different kinds of speech, yet they remain unattached. The same is true of all utterances.

With the unattached, unfettered mind of liberation, they cultivate the wisdom of Samantabhadra, undertake the practices of Samantabhadra, and abide on the stage of Samantabhadra. Within each and every dharma, they expound inexpressibly many immeasurable teachings. These teachings are vast and immeasurable, with manifold distinctions, and their instruction, guidance, and acceptance of beings accord with inconceivable skillful means.

Throughout immeasurable periods of time and at all times, in accordance with beings’ inclinations, understanding, faculties, and circumstances, they employ the Buddha’s voice to teach them the Dharma. With a wondrous voice, they cause immeasurable beings in immeasurable places of enlightenment to rejoice. In the presence of the Buddhas and immeasurable bodhisattvas who fill the Dharma realm, they establish a supreme resolve, give rise to vast knowledge and vision, fully understand all practices, and abide on the stage of Samantabhadra.

Whatever Dharma is taught, they realize and enter it completely in every thought. Within a single instant, they increase immeasurable, inexpressibly inexpressible great wisdom and expound the Dharma without exhaustion throughout all future time. In all lands, they cultivate practices as vast as space and bring them all to complete fulfillment.

With the unattached, unfettered mind of liberation, they cultivate the faculties and practices of Samantabhadra and become sovereigns of Great Practice. Within each faculty, they can fully understand immeasurable faculties, immeasurable mental inclinations, and wondrous practices arising from inconceivable realms.

With the unattached, unfettered mind of liberation, they abide in the mind of great dedication of merit of the practices of Samantabhadra and attain the wisdom that thoroughly understands the extreme subtlety of form, the extreme subtlety of bodies, the extreme subtlety of lands, the extreme subtlety of worlds, the extreme subtlety of directions, the extreme subtlety of times, the extreme subtlety of numbers, the extreme subtlety of karmic retribution, and the extreme subtlety of purity. All such extremely subtle matters are fully understood within a single thought, without fear, confusion, distraction, defilement, or feelings of inferiority. Their minds remain focused on one object, well established in tranquil concentration, discerning clearly, and abiding securely.

With the unattached, unfettered mind of liberation, they abide in bodhisattva wisdom and cultivate the practices of Samantabhadra without ever growing weary. They can fully understand the extreme subtlety of all beings’ destinies, the extreme subtlety of beings’ deaths, the extreme subtlety of beings’ births, the extreme subtlety of beings’ abiding, the extreme subtlety of beings’ dwelling places, the extreme subtlety of beings’ classes and kinds, the extreme subtlety of beings’ realms, the extreme subtlety of beings’ conduct, the extreme subtlety of beings’ attachments, and the extreme subtlety of the objects to which beings cling. The realm of beings, in all such extreme subtlety, is fully understood by them within a single thought.

With the unattached, unfettered mind of liberation, they establish profound vows and cultivate the practices of Samantabhadra. They can know the extreme subtlety of all bodhisattvas’ cultivation of bodhisattva practices for the sake of all beings from the moment they first awaken the aspiration for enlightenment; the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ dwelling places; the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ spiritual powers; the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ journeys throughout immeasurable Buddha-lands; the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ illumination of the Dharma; the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ pure vision; the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ attainment of supreme resolve; the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ arrival at the places of enlightenment of the Buddhas;

the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ wisdom of the gateways of dharani; the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ fearless eloquence in expounding the Dharma; the extreme subtlety of the characteristics of bodhisattvas’ immeasurable samadhis; the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ wisdom that beholds the samadhis of the Buddhas; the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ wisdom of profound samadhi; the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ wisdom of the samadhi of great adornment; the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ wisdom of the samadhi of the Dharma realm; the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ wisdom of samadhi, spiritual powers, and mastery; the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ wisdom of the samadhi that sustains vast practices throughout all future time;

the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ wisdom that gives rise to immeasurable distinct samadhis; the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ wisdom of the samadhi that manifests before the Buddhas, diligently cultivating and making offerings without ever departing from them; the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ cultivation of the profound and vast samadhi of all-wisdom, free from obstruction and hindrance; and the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ ultimate wisdom of samadhi, which transcends the obstructions concealing the ground of all-wisdom and sustains the practices of the ground of wisdom, the ground of great spiritual powers, and the ground of definitive meaning.

They can fully understand all such subtle matters.

With the unattached, unfettered mind of liberation, they cultivate the practices of Samantabhadra and know the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ wisdom of establishment; the extreme subtlety of the bodhisattva stages; the extreme subtlety of bodhisattva practices; the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ generation of dedications of merit; the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ attainment of the treasury of the Buddhas; the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ wisdom of contemplation; the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ spiritual powers and the power of their vows; the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ exposition of samadhi; the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ mastery of skillful means; the extreme subtlety of bodhisattva seals;

the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas who are to attain Buddhahood in one more life; the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ birth in Tushita Heaven; the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ dwelling in the celestial palace; the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ adornment and purification of Buddha-lands; the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ contemplation of the human world; the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ emission of great radiance; the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ supreme lineage; the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ assemblies at the place of enlightenment; the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ universal birth in all worlds; the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ manifestation, in a single body, of the deaths of all bodies;

the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ entry into their mothers’ wombs; the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ abiding in their mothers’ wombs; the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ freely manifesting, while within their mothers’ wombs, assemblies at places of enlightenment throughout the Dharma realm; the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ manifestation of the Buddha’s spiritual powers while within their mothers’ wombs; the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ manifestation of birth; the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ courageous wisdom in taking seven lion-like steps; the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ wisdom and skillful means in manifesting residence in royal palaces; the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ renunciation of household life and cultivation of disciplinary practices;

the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ sitting at the place of enlightenment beneath the Bodhi tree; the extreme subtlety of bodhisattvas’ vanquishing of the armies of Mara and attainment of unsurpassed perfect enlightenment; the extreme subtlety of the Tathagata’s sitting upon the seat of enlightenment and emitting great radiance that universally illuminates the lands of the ten directions; the extreme subtlety of the Tathagata’s manifestation of immeasurable miraculous transformations; the extreme subtlety of the Tathagata’s lion’s roar of great nirvana; the extreme subtlety of the Tathagata’s unobstructed guidance and taming of all beings; the extreme subtlety of the Tathagata’s inconceivable power of mastery and diamond-like bodhi-mind;

the extreme subtlety of the Tathagata’s universal care and mindfulness for all worlds; the extreme subtlety of the Tathagata’s performance of Buddha-work throughout all worlds without rest until the end of future kalpas; the extreme subtlety of the Tathagata’s unobstructed spiritual power pervading the Dharma realm; the extreme subtlety of the Tathagata’s manifestation of Buddhahood throughout the Dharma realm and the realm of space in order to guide and tame beings; the extreme subtlety of the Tathagata’s manifestation of immeasurable Buddha-bodies within a single Buddha-body; and the extreme subtlety of the Tathagata’s wisdom and mastery in presiding over places of enlightenment throughout the past, future, and present.

Such subtle matters as these the bodhisattva is able to know and understand completely, and in all of them attain purity. The bodhisattva can manifest universally throughout all worlds, increasing wisdom with every thought, perfecting skillful means without retrogression, and cultivating the bodhisattva practices without ever resting; accomplishes the dedication of Samantabhadra; fully possesses all the merits and virtues of the Tathagata; never grows weary of or abandons the bodhisattva practices; brings forth the realms of immeasurable skillful means; and all states appearing before the bodhisattva are entirely pure.

Wishing to bring peace and security universally to all sentient beings, the bodhisattva cultivates the bodhisattva practices, attains the stage of a bodhisattva endowed with great awe-inspiring virtue, realizes the aspirations of a bodhisattva, attains the Vajra Banner gateway of dedication, brings forth the treasury of merits and virtues of the Dharma-realm, is constantly protected and kept in mind by all Buddhas, enters the profound and wondrous Dharma gateways of the bodhisattvas, and skillfully expounds all true meanings without ever erring with regard to any dharma.

The bodhisattva makes great vows and never abandons sentient beings; within a single thought, completely knows all treasuries of realms—whether grounded in mind or not grounded in mind; where there is no mind, manifests the arising of mind; transcends language and abides in wisdom; practices together with all bodhisattvas; and through the power of mastery manifests the attainment of Buddhahood, never resting throughout all future time.

All the numbers of kalpas of sentient beings throughout the worlds, established through verbal expression, false thought, and views, can all be manifested by the bodhisattva through the powers of spiritual realization and vows.

With a mind of unattached, unfettered liberation, the bodhisattva cultivates the practices of Samantabhadra and attains extremely subtle wisdom that knows the entire realm of sentient beings. Namely:

Extremely subtle wisdom that knows the discriminations within the realm of sentient beings; extremely subtle wisdom that knows the speech of the realm of sentient beings; extremely subtle wisdom that knows the attachments of the realm of sentient beings; extremely subtle wisdom that knows the different classes within the realm of sentient beings; extremely subtle wisdom that knows the similar classes within the realm of sentient beings; extremely subtle wisdom that knows the immeasurable destinies of the realm of sentient beings; extremely subtle wisdom that knows the inconceivable varieties of discrimination and activity within the realm of sentient beings; extremely subtle wisdom that knows the immeasurable defilements within the realm of sentient beings;

and extremely subtle wisdom that knows the immeasurable purity within the realm of sentient beings.

All such extremely subtle states within the realm of sentient beings the bodhisattva, in the space of a single thought, is able to know as they truly are through wisdom. Universally gathering in sentient beings, the bodhisattva teaches them the Dharma, reveals gateways of pure Dharma, and enables them to cultivate the vast wisdom of a bodhisattva. The bodhisattva manifests immeasurable transformation bodies, and all who behold them rejoice. With the sunlight of wisdom, the bodhisattva illuminates their minds and enables them to awaken to sovereign wisdom.

With a mind of unattached, unfettered liberation, and for the sake of all sentient beings, the bodhisattva cultivates the practices of Samantabhadra throughout all worlds and attains extremely subtle wisdom that knows all worlds extending to the limits of the realm of space and the Dharma-realm. Namely:

Extremely subtle wisdom that knows small worlds; extremely subtle wisdom that knows great worlds; extremely subtle wisdom that knows defiled worlds; extremely subtle wisdom that knows pure worlds; extremely subtle wisdom that knows incomparable worlds; extremely subtle wisdom that knows the various kinds of worlds; extremely subtle wisdom that knows vast worlds; extremely subtle wisdom that knows narrow worlds; extremely subtle wisdom that knows worlds adorned without obstruction; extremely subtle wisdom that knows the universal appearance of Buddhas throughout all worlds; extremely subtle wisdom that expounds the true Dharma throughout all worlds; extremely subtle wisdom that manifests bodies throughout all worlds; extremely subtle wisdom that emits great light illuminating all worlds;

extremely subtle wisdom that manifests the Buddhas’ sovereign spiritual powers throughout all worlds; extremely subtle wisdom that, with a single sound, reveals all sounds throughout all worlds; extremely subtle wisdom that enters all the bodhimandas of all Buddhas throughout all worlds; extremely subtle wisdom that makes all Buddha-lands in the Dharma-realm into a single Buddha-land; extremely subtle wisdom that makes a single Buddha-land into all the Buddha-lands in the Dharma-realm; extremely subtle wisdom that knows all worlds to be like dreams; extremely subtle wisdom that knows all worlds to be like reflected images; and extremely subtle wisdom that knows all worlds to be like magical illusions.

Having thus clearly understood all paths that bring forth the bodhisattva way, the bodhisattva realizes and enters the practices, wisdom, and spiritual powers of Samantabhadra; attains the contemplation of Samantabhadra; cultivates the bodhisattva practices without ever resting; attains mastery of all the Buddhas’ spiritual transformations; attains an unobstructed body abiding in wisdom that depends on nothing; does not grasp or cling to any wholesome dharma; and, whenever thoughts arise, finds nothing whatsoever to be attained.

All recollections are transcended everywhere. Regarding the bodhisattva practices, the bodhisattva holds the intention of cultivating them purely; regarding all-wisdom, the bodhisattva entertains no notion of grasping; adorns the self with gateways of samadhi; and possesses wisdom that accords with the entire Dharma-realm.

With a mind of unattached, unfettered liberation, the bodhisattva enters the gateway of Samantabhadra’s practices and attains extremely subtle wisdom that knows immeasurable Dharma-realms; extremely subtle wisdom that expounds all Dharma-realms; extremely subtle wisdom that enters the vast Dharma-realm; extremely subtle wisdom that discerns the inconceivable Dharma-realm; extremely subtle wisdom that discerns all Dharma-realms; extremely subtle wisdom that, within a single thought, pervades all Dharma-realms; extremely subtle wisdom that universally enters all Dharma-realms; extremely subtle wisdom that knows all Dharma-realms to be devoid of anything attainable; extremely subtle wisdom that contemplates all Dharma-realms without obstruction;

extremely subtle wisdom that knows all Dharma-realms to be unborn; and extremely subtle wisdom that manifests spiritual transformations throughout all Dharma-realms.

All such extremely subtle Dharma-realms the bodhisattva knows as they truly are through vast wisdom. The bodhisattva attains mastery over all dharmas, reveals the practices of Samantabhadra, and enables all sentient beings to fulfill them completely; neither abandons meaning nor clings to dharmas; brings forth impartial and unobstructed wisdom; knows the unobstructed fundamental source; does not abide in any dharma; does not destroy the nature of any dharma; remains truly undefiled like space; and, in accord with the world, gives rise to speech that expounds the true meaning and reveals the nature of quiescent cessation.

In relation to all objects, the bodhisattva neither relies upon nor abides in them and makes no discriminations; clearly perceives the vast establishment of the Dharma-realm; understands that all worlds and all dharmas are equal and nondual; and transcends every attachment.

With a mind of unattached, unfettered liberation, the bodhisattva cultivates the practices of Samantabhadra and brings forth extremely subtle wisdom that knows all kalpas. Namely:

Extremely subtle wisdom that makes ineffably many kalpas into a single thought; extremely subtle wisdom that makes a single thought into ineffably many kalpas; extremely subtle wisdom that places innumerable kalpas within a single kalpa; extremely subtle wisdom that places a single kalpa within innumerable kalpas; extremely subtle wisdom that places a long kalpa within a short kalpa; extremely subtle wisdom that places a short kalpa within a long kalpa; extremely subtle wisdom that enters kalpas in which Buddhas appear and kalpas in which no Buddha appears; extremely subtle wisdom that knows the number of all kalpas; extremely subtle wisdom that knows all kalpas and non-kalpas;

and extremely subtle wisdom that, within a single thought, sees all kalpas throughout the past, future, and present.

All such extremely subtle kalpas the bodhisattva, through the wisdom of the Buddhas, clearly knows as they truly are within a single thought. The bodhisattva attains the minds that perfect the king of bodhisattva practices: a mind that enters the practices of Samantabhadra; a mind that transcends every path of discrimination and conceptual proliferation; a mind that makes great vows without weariness or rest; a mind that universally beholds immeasurable Buddhas filling immeasurable worlds; a mind capable of hearing and retaining the wholesome roots of the Buddhas and the practices of the bodhisattvas; a mind that, upon hearing the vast practices that comfort all sentient beings, never forgets them; a mind capable of manifesting the appearance of Buddhas in the world throughout all kalpas;

a mind that, in every world throughout all future kalpas, practices the immovable conduct without ever resting; and a mind that, throughout all worlds, fills the bodhisattva’s body with the bodily actions of the Tathagata.

With a mind of liberation free from attachment and bondage, they cultivate the practices of Samantabhadra, attain non-retrogression, and acquire exceedingly subtle wisdom that knows all dharmas. Namely:

The exceedingly subtle wisdom that knows the profound depths of dharmas; the exceedingly subtle wisdom that knows the vastness of dharmas; the exceedingly subtle wisdom that knows the various kinds of dharmas; the exceedingly subtle wisdom that knows the adornments of dharmas; the exceedingly subtle wisdom that knows the immeasurability of dharmas; the exceedingly subtle wisdom that knows all dharmas entering into one dharma; the exceedingly subtle wisdom that knows one dharma entering into all dharmas; the exceedingly subtle wisdom that knows all dharmas entering into what is not a dharma; the exceedingly subtle wisdom that establishes all dharmas where no dharma is established, without their conflicting with one another;

and the exceedingly subtle wisdom that enters all skillful means of the Buddha-Dharma without omission.

The same is true of the subtle wisdom concerning all dharmas established by every form of discourse throughout all worlds. They know all these kinds of wisdom without obstruction and in accord with reality, and enter the mind of the boundless Dharma-realm. Within each and every Dharma-realm, they abide firmly with a profound mind and accomplish unobstructed practices.

With the faculties wholly pervaded by omniscience, they enter the wisdom of the Buddhas; through right mindfulness and skillful means, they perfect the vast merit of all Buddhas; they fill the Dharma-realm and universally enter the bodies of all Tathagatas; they manifest the various bodily actions of all bodhisattvas; conforming to the languages of all worlds, they expound the true Dharma; through the empowering spiritual might of all Buddhas, they acquire the wisdom of mental action; and they bring forth immeasurable skillful means and the prajna-wisdom that discerns all dharmas.

With a mind of liberation free from attachment and bondage, they cultivate the practices of Samantabhadra and bring forth all exceedingly subtle wisdom. Namely:

The exceedingly subtle wisdom that knows all lands; the exceedingly subtle wisdom that knows all sentient beings; the exceedingly subtle wisdom that knows the karmic results of all dharmas; the subtle wisdom that knows the minds of all sentient beings; the exceedingly subtle wisdom that knows every occasion for teaching the Dharma; the exceedingly subtle wisdom that knows all Dharma-realms; the exceedingly subtle wisdom that knows all reaches of space throughout all time; the exceedingly subtle wisdom that knows all modes of language; the exceedingly subtle wisdom that knows all worldly practices; the exceedingly subtle wisdom that knows all world-transcending practices;

and even the exceedingly subtle wisdom that knows all paths of the Tathagatas, all paths of bodhisattvas, and all paths of sentient beings.

Cultivating the practices of Samantabhadra and abiding in the path of Samantabhadra, they know both the words and the meanings in accord with reality. They bring forth wisdom that perceives things as shadows, dreams, illusions, echoes, conjurations, and empty space; they bring forth the wisdom of quiescent cessation, the wisdom of all Dharma-realms, wisdom that relies on nothing, and the wisdom of all Buddha-Dharmas.

Disciples of the Buddha! When a great bodhisattva dedicates merit with a mind of liberation free from attachment and bondage, they do not discriminate between the world and worldly dharmas; between bodhi and a bodhisattva; between bodhisattva practices and the path of liberation; between the Buddha and all Buddha-Dharmas; between sentient beings who have been tamed and those who have not been tamed; between roots of goodness and dedication of merit; between self and others; between the gift and its recipient; between bodhisattva practices and Perfect Enlightenment; or between dharmas and wisdom.

Disciples of the Buddha! The great bodhisattva dedicates these roots of goodness in this manner:

The mind is liberated, free from attachment and bondage; the body is liberated, free from attachment and bondage; speech is liberated, free from attachment and bondage; karma is liberated, free from attachment and bondage; karmic retribution is liberated, free from attachment and bondage; the world is liberated, free from attachment and bondage; Buddha-lands are liberated, free from attachment and bondage; sentient beings are liberated, free from attachment and bondage; dharmas are liberated, free from attachment and bondage; and wisdom is liberated, free from attachment and bondage.

When the great bodhisattva dedicates merit in this way, they accord with the dedications made by the Buddhas of the three times while those Buddhas were cultivating bodhisattva practices: they learn the dedications of the Buddhas of the past, accomplish the dedications of the Buddhas of the future, and abide in the dedications of the Buddhas of the present; they securely abide in the path of dedication of the Buddhas of the past, never abandon the path of dedication of the Buddhas of the future, and follow the path of dedication of the Buddhas of the present; they diligently cultivate the teachings of the Buddhas of the future and clearly know the teachings of the Buddhas of the present;

they fully possess the equality of the Buddhas of the past, accomplish the equality of the Buddhas of the future, and abide in the equality of the Buddhas of the present; they journey through the realms of the Buddhas of the past, abide in the realms of the Buddhas of the future, and are identical with the realms of the Buddhas of the present; they acquire the roots of goodness of the Buddhas of the three times, fully possess the lineage of the Buddhas of the three times, abide in the meritorious practices of the Buddhas of the three times, and accord with the realms of the Buddhas of the three times.

Disciples of the Buddha! This is the great bodhisattva's ninth dedication: the Dedication with a Mind of Liberation Free from Attachment and Bondage.

When a great bodhisattva abides at this stage of dedication, not even all the vajra-ring mountains can obstruct or destroy them. Among all sentient beings, they attain the foremost physical marks, unequaled by anyone. They can vanquish all maras and all perverse karma.

They manifest the cultivation of bodhisattva practices throughout all worlds in the ten directions. Wishing to awaken all sentient beings, they skillfully expound the Buddha-Dharma through skillful means and attain great wisdom. Their minds are no longer confused regarding the Buddha-Dharma.

Wherever they manifest birth, whether traveling or remaining in one place, they always encounter steadfast companions. With pure mindfulness, they are able to receive and retain the true Dharma proclaimed by the Buddhas of the three times. They cultivate bodhisattva practices throughout all future kalpas without ever ceasing, relying on nothing and grasping at nothing.

They increase and completely fulfill Samantabhadra's practices and vows, attain omniscience, perform the works of a Buddha, and accomplish the bodhisattva's mastery of spiritual powers.

At that time, through the spiritual might of the Buddha, the Bodhisattva Vajra Banner surveyed the ten directions and spoke these verses:

To the Unsurpassed Ones throughout the ten directions,

They never dare give rise to a scornful or arrogant mind;

They cultivate in accordance with the Buddhas' merit,

And also reverently bring forth esteem.

All the merit they have cultivated

Is not for themselves or for others;

Always with the supreme mind of resolute faith,

They dedicate it to benefit sentient beings.

Never for a moment do they give rise to pride,

Nor do they conceive thoughts of inferiority;

All the practices of the Tathagatas,

Bodhisattvas diligently study and cultivate.

All the roots of goodness they have cultivated

Are entirely for the benefit of all beings;

Abiding in a profound mind of vast wisdom,

They dedicate them toward unsurpassed merit and wisdom.

The immeasurable distinctions within the world,

Its skillful methods and wondrous, extraordinary matters,

Whether coarse or subtle, vast or most profound—

By cultivating them all, they comprehend them clearly.

Whatever bodily forms exist in the world,

They enter them all with an impartial body;

Cultivating therein, they attain clear awakening

And accomplish wisdom that never regresses.

Worlds and lands are of immeasurable kinds,

Small or large, broad or narrow, each distinct;

Through the gateway of wisdom, the bodhisattva

Clearly beholds them all within a single pore.

The mental activities of sentient beings are many and immeasurable,

Yet they can equally cause them to enter a single mind;

Through the gateway of wisdom, they awaken them all,

And never regress from the practices they cultivate.

The faculties, dispositions, and inclinations of sentient beings,

High or low, differ in category and grade;

All are exceedingly profound and difficult to know,

Yet they clearly know each according to its inherent nature.

All the karmic practices of sentient beings,

Low or high, divided into differing grades and kinds—

The bodhisattva deeply enters the Tathagata's wisdom

And, through the power of wisdom, clearly sees them all.

Immeasurable billions of inconceivable kalpas

They can equally cause to enter a single thought;

Having thus seen throughout the ten directions,

They cultivate every form of pure karma.

Past, future, and present—

They clearly know that their characteristics are all distinct,

Yet they do not contradict the principle of equality:

Such is the lucid practice of the great-minded ones.

The practices of sentient beings in the world differ,

Whether concealed or manifest, in immeasurable ways;

Bodhisattvas know all their distinguishing characteristics.

They also know that all those characteristics are without characteristics.

All Buddhas throughout the worlds of the ten directions,

The Buddha’s sovereign spiritual powers manifested—

Vast, difficult to know, inconceivable—

Bodhisattvas are able to discern and know them all.

Within the Tushita Palace throughout all worlds,

The Teacher of Humans naturally attains awakening;

His vast merit is supremely honored—

Such manifestations as these they are all able to see.

At times he manifests descending in spirit into his mother’s womb,

Sovereignly displaying great spiritual powers;

Attaining Buddhahood, teaching the Dharma, and manifesting final nirvana,

Throughout the entire world, never pausing for an instant.

When the Teacher of Devas and Humans is newly born,

All those endowed with supreme wisdom honor him;

The devas, Shakra, Brahma Kings, and the rest

All attend upon him with utmost reverence.

Immeasurable and boundless throughout the Dharma realm,

Leaving nothing anywhere in all ten directions,

Neither before nor after, neither near nor far,

The Tathagata manifests his sovereign power.

After the World-Honored Guiding Teacher is born,

He walks seven steps in every direction;

Wishing to teach sentient beings the wondrous Dharma,

The Tathagata therefore surveys all around.

He sees sentient beings submerged in the ocean of desire,

Shrouded and obscured by the darkness of delusion;

The Sovereign One manifests a smile,

Thinking, “I must save suffering sentient beings.”

The Great Lion utters a wondrous voice:

“I am the most honored in the world.

With the bright, pure lamp of wisdom,

I shall dispel the delusion and darkness of all beings.”

When the Blessed One manifests his appearance in the world,

He radiates great light throughout immeasurable realms,

Causing all evil destinies to cease

And utterly ending the world’s sufferings and calamities.

At times he manifests dwelling in the royal palace,

Or manifests renouncing home to seek and learn the Way;

Wishing to benefit all sentient beings,

He displays such sovereign skillful means.

When the Buddha first sits at the seat of awakening,

The entire great earth trembles;

His light shines throughout all ten directions,

And all beings illuminated by it are freed from suffering.

He shakes all the palaces of Mara

And awakens the minds of sentient beings in the ten directions;

Those formerly taught and engaged in cultivation

Are all enabled to understand clearly the true meaning.

All lands throughout the ten directions

He brings into a single pore, leaving none outside.

Within every pore are boundless realms,

And throughout them all he manifests spiritual powers.

All that the Buddhas have taught,

Their immeasurable skillful means, they fully comprehend;

Even what the Tathagata has not expounded,

They are able to understand and diligently cultivate.

Throughout the trichiliocosm,

All the armies of Mara arise to wage battle,

Creating immeasurable evil deeds,

Yet unobstructed wisdom can utterly vanquish them.

The Tathagata may dwell in various Buddha realms,

Or again manifest in the celestial palaces,

Or manifest a body within the Brahma Palace;

Bodhisattvas see them all without obstruction.

The Buddha manifests immeasurable kinds of bodies

And constantly turns the pure, wondrous Dharma wheel;

Even throughout the number of kalpas of the three times,

Its limits cannot be found.

The jeweled throne, lofty, vast, and supremely honored,

Extends throughout immeasurable realms in the ten directions;

It is adorned with every kind of excellent mark,

And the Buddha seated upon it is inconceivable.

All the Buddha’s children together surround him,

Universally pervading the entire Dharma realm;

He reveals immeasurable practices of bodhi,

The path cultivated by those of the unsurpassed rank.

The Buddhas manifest their deeds according to what is fitting,

Immeasurable, boundless, equal to the Dharma realm;

The wise, by means of a single skillful means,

Clearly know them all without exception.

Through the sovereign power of the Buddhas’ spiritual faculties,

They manifest all kinds of bodies;

They may manifest beings of immeasurable generations,

Or manifest court ladies attending together,

Or, within immeasurable worlds,

Manifest renouncing home and attaining the Buddha Way,

Even to finally entering nirvana,

Dividing their relics and erecting jeweled stupas.

Such boundless deeds as these

The Guiding Teacher expounds wherever the Buddhas dwell;

All the merits of the Blessed One

And his vows and practices are fulfilled in their entirety.

When dedicating roots of goodness,

They abide securely in such skillful means and Dharma.

Cultivating the practices of bodhi in this way,

Their resolve remains steadfast to the end, without weariness.

All the Tathagata’s spiritual powers,

Together with his boundless, great merits,

And even the wisdom and practices of the world—

They know them all, completely and exhaustively.

All the inconceivable realms

Manifested by the Buddha in such ways

They fully comprehend within a single thought,

Yet they never relinquish the practices of bodhi.

The subtle practices of all the Buddhas,

All realms, and all dharmas,

Bodhisattvas are able to know in accord with them,

Ultimately dedicating all toward the shore of awakening.

Whether numbered or unnumbered, all kalpas

The Bodhisattva clearly knows as a single thought;

Thus skillfully entering the practices of bodhi,

They constantly cultivate with diligence and never regress.

The immeasurable lands throughout the ten directions,

Whether defiled or pure,

Together with all the Tathagatas,

Bodhisattvas are able to discern and know them all.

Within every thought they clearly behold

Immeasurable, inconceivable numbers of kalpas;

Thus, omitting nothing throughout the three times,

They fully cultivate the bodhisattva practices.

They equally enter all minds

And equally enter all dharmas;

They also universally enter empty space and Buddha lands,

Clearly knowing all the practices described above.

They give rise to wisdom that knows sentient beings,

And wisdom that knows dharmas also arises;

The Bodhisattva’s spiritual powers are likewise,

And all powers of wisdom are inexhaustible.

All subtle wisdoms, each distinct from the others,

The Bodhisattva gathers entirely, leaving none behind;

They skillfully know both common and differing characteristics,

And thus cultivate great deeds.

In the immeasurable Buddha realms of the ten directions,

The sentient beings therein are also immeasurable;

Their destinies, births, and kinds are all distinct—

Abiding in the power of wisdom, they clearly know them all.

In the past, future, and present,

All Tathagatas in every realm—

Whoever knows this and dedicates the merit

Makes their own practices equal to the practices of the Buddhas.

Whoever is able to cultivate the practice of dedication

Is thereby learning the Way practiced by the Buddhas;

They shall attain all the Buddhas’ merits

And attain all the Buddhas’ wisdom.

No world can destroy them;

All their practices are brought to fulfillment.

They are constantly able to recollect all Buddhas

And constantly behold all the Blessed Ones.

The Bodhisattva’s supreme practices are immeasurable,

And the merits of all dharmas are likewise.

Having realized the Tathagata’s unsurpassed practices,

They know all the Buddhas’ sovereign powers.