大方廣佛華嚴經

What is the bodhisattva’s Practice of Good Manifestation?

Children of the Buddhas! With a mind free from attachment, this bodhisattva enters countless worlds in each thought and adorns and purifies countless worlds, yet his mind does not grasp at those worlds.

This bodhisattva goes before countless Tathagatas and reverently pays homage to their virtues. He makes offerings to the Tathagatas of countless flowers, flower garlands, incense, powdered incense, fragrant ointments, garments, precious treasures, banners, streamers, beautiful canopies, and all manner of adornments, each countless in number.

He makes such offerings in order to perfect the unconditioned Dharma and abide in the inconceivable Dharma. In each thought, he sees countless Buddhas, yet his mind does not cling to the Buddhas. Nor does he cling to the Buddha lands, the excellent marks of the Buddhas, the light of the Buddhas, or hearing the Buddhas teach the Dharma. Nor does he cling to the worlds of the ten directions or to the assemblies of Buddhas and bodhisattvas. Having heard the Buddha-Dharma, his heart rejoices and the power of his resolve becomes vast. He is able to receive and uphold it and to practice the bodhisattva practices, yet he still does not cling to the Buddha-Dharma.

Throughout ineffable kalpas, this bodhisattva sees ineffably many Buddhas appear in the world. He reveres and makes offerings to each Buddha for a full ineffable number of kalpas without his mind ever becoming weary or satisfied. He does not cling to seeing the Buddhas, hearing the Dharma, or beholding the magnificently adorned assemblies of bodhisattvas. Nor does he become disgusted or weary upon seeing defiled and turbid worlds. Why is this? Because this bodhisattva contemplates in accordance with the Buddha-Dharma. Within the Buddha-Dharma there is neither defilement nor purity, neither darkness nor light, neither difference nor sameness, neither reality nor falsehood, neither security nor danger, neither the right path nor a wrong path.

Having thus deeply entered the Dharma realm, the bodhisattva teaches and transforms sentient beings without becoming attached to them. He receives and upholds all dharmas without clinging to any dharma. He arouses the mind of bodhi and abides in the Buddha’s abiding, yet does not become attached to the Buddha’s abiding. Although he speaks, he does not cling to speech. He enters the paths of sentient beings without clinging to those paths. He clearly understands samadhis and is able to enter and abide in them, yet his mind does not cling to samadhi. He travels to immeasurable Buddha lands, entering, seeing, or abiding in them, yet his mind does not cling to those lands; and when he departs, he feels no regret or longing.

Because this bodhisattva is thus able to remain unattached, his mind encounters no obstruction with regard to the Buddha-Dharma. He comprehends the Buddha’s bodhi, realizes the Dharma of the Vinaya, abides in the Buddha’s perfect enlightenment, accomplishes the bodhisattva practices, abides in the bodhisattva mind, and contemplates the bodhisattva’s Dharma of liberation. His mind is not defiled by attachment to the bodhisattva’s dwelling places, nor does he cling to the bodhisattva’s deeds.

He purifies the bodhisattva path and receives the bodhisattva’s prediction. Having received the prediction, he reflects: “Ignorant ordinary beings neither know nor see, neither believe nor understand, and do not practice with clarity. Stubbornly grasping and craving, they wander through birth and death without seeking to see the Buddha.

They do not follow those who illuminate the Way and do not trust the Tamer. Deluded, they enter dangerous paths. They do not revere the King of the Ten Powers and do not recognize the kindness of bodhisattvas.

They covetously cling to their dwelling places and become exceedingly frightened upon hearing the Dharma of emptiness. They distance themselves from the true Dharma and draw near to false teachings; they abandon the level road and enter dangerous paths; they turn against the Buddha’s intent and follow the intent of Mara. They firmly cling to the conditioned realms and refuse to relinquish them.”

Contemplating sentient beings in this way, this bodhisattva increases his mind of great impartiality and produces roots of goodness without becoming attached to them.

The bodhisattva then further reflects: “For the sake of a single sentient being in each land throughout the worlds of the ten directions, I shall spend ineffable, ineffably many kalpas teaching, transforming, and bringing that being to maturity. As I do for one sentient being, so shall I do for all sentient beings. I shall never grow weary of this and abandon them to go elsewhere.

“Furthermore, at every hair-tip throughout the extent of the Dharma realm, I shall spend a full ineffable, ineffably many kalpas teaching, transforming, taming, and guiding all sentient beings. As at one hair-tip, so shall I do at every hair-tip. I shall not cling to a self, nor give rise to perceptions of self or what belongs to a self. At each hair-tip, I shall accomplish the bodhisattva practices until the end of future kalpas, without clinging to the body, dharmas, thoughts, vows, samadhis, contemplation, quiescent concentration, objects of cognition, or the work of teaching, transforming, taming, and guiding sentient beings. Nor shall I cling to entering the Dharma realm.”

Why is this? Because this bodhisattva reflects: “I must contemplate all dharmas as illusions, all Buddhas as reflections, the bodhisattva practices as dreams, the Buddha’s teaching of the Dharma as an echo, and all worlds as magical transformations sustained through karmic retribution. Distinct bodies are like illusions, arising through the power of volitional activity. All sentient beings are like the mind because of their various defilements. All dharmas are like ultimate reality because they cannot be altered.”

This bodhisattva further reflects: “I shall practice the bodhisattva practices in all lands throughout the ten directions. Thought after thought, I shall clearly comprehend all Buddha-Dharmas, with right mindfulness ever present, without grasping at them.”

When the bodhisattva thus contemplates the body as selfless, he sees the Buddhas without obstruction. To teach and transform sentient beings, he expounds all dharmas, causing them to give rise to immeasurable joy and pure faith in the Buddha-Dharma. He rescues and protects all sentient beings without ever becoming weary.

Because he does not become weary, wherever in any world there are sentient beings who have not yet matured or been tamed, he immediately goes there and uses skillful means to transform and liberate them. Among those sentient beings are various languages, various karmas, various attachments, various activities, various combinations, various courses of transmigration, various deeds, various spheres of experience, various kinds of birth, and various kinds of death.

Through his great vows, this bodhisattva teaches and transforms them amid all these conditions, never allowing his mind to waver or retreat and never giving rise to even a single thought of defiled attachment.

Why is this? Because this bodhisattva has attained non-attachment and non-reliance, and has completely purified and perfected both benefit for himself and benefit for others.

This is called the bodhisattva’s seventh practice, the Practice of Non-Attachment.

What is the bodhisattva’s Practice Difficult to Attain?

This bodhisattva accomplishes roots of goodness that are difficult to attain, roots of goodness difficult to subdue, supreme roots of goodness, indestructible roots of goodness, unsurpassable roots of goodness, inconceivable roots of goodness, inexhaustible roots of goodness, roots of goodness endowed with the power of mastery, roots of goodness of great majestic virtue, and roots of goodness sharing the same nature as all Buddhas.

When this bodhisattva cultivates these practices, he attains supreme understanding of the Buddha-Dharma and vast understanding of the Buddha’s bodhi. He never ceases to be mindful of the bodhisattva vows. Throughout all kalpas, his mind never grows weary. He never gives rise to aversion toward any suffering. He cannot be shaken by any Mara. He is kept in the mindful protection of all Buddhas. He fulfills all the bodhisattva’s ascetic practices, diligently accomplishes the bodhisattva practices without indolence, and never retreats from his vows concerning the Great Vehicle.

Having become established in the Practice Difficult to Attain, this bodhisattva is able, in each thought, to pass through countless kalpas of birth and death without abandoning his great bodhisattva vows.

Any sentient being who reveres and makes offerings to this bodhisattva, or even merely sees or hears him, attains non-retrogression from unsurpassed bodhi.

Although this bodhisattva knows that sentient beings do not truly exist, he does not abandon the realm of any sentient being. He is like a shipmaster who does not remain on this shore, does not dock at the other shore, and does not stop in midstream, yet is able to carry beings from this shore to the other shore because he journeys back and forth without rest.

This bodhisattva is likewise. He does not abide in birth and death, does not abide in nirvana, and does not abide in the midst of the stream of birth and death. Yet he is able to ferry sentient beings from this shore of birth and death and establish them on the other shore of nirvana, in a place of peace and security, free from fear, sorrow, and affliction.

This bodhisattva neither clings to sentient beings nor abandons a single sentient being to approach the multitude, nor abandons the multitude to approach one. With regard to the realm of sentient beings, he neither increases nor diminishes it; neither causes it to arise nor cease; neither exhausts nor augments it; neither discriminates within it nor regards its members as separate and different.

Why is this? Because this bodhisattva deeply enters the realm of sentient beings as the Dharma-realm. The realm of sentient beings and the Dharma-realm are nondual. Within the nondual Dharma there is neither increase nor decrease, neither arising nor cessation, neither existence nor nonexistence, neither grasping nor reliance; nor does he cling to nonduality. This is because the bodhisattva clearly knows that the Dharma-realm of all dharmas is nondual.

Through such skillful means, this bodhisattva deeply enters the Dharma-realm and abides in signlessness, while adorning his own body with pure marks. He understands that dharmas have no intrinsic nature, yet he can distinguish all the characteristics of dharmas. He does not grasp at sentient beings, yet he can clearly know their number.

He does not cling to worlds, yet he can manifest bodies throughout all Buddha-lands. He does not discriminate among dharmas, yet he skillfully enters the Buddha-Dharma. He deeply penetrates meanings and principles, yet extensively expounds verbal teachings.

He understands the true limit of all dharmas, which is free from desire, yet does not sever the bodhisattva path or retreat from bodhisattva practices. He constantly and diligently cultivates inexhaustible practices and freely enters the pure Dharma-realm.

It is like rubbing pieces of wood together to obtain fire: the fire burns immeasurably, yet is not extinguished.

So too, the bodhisattva’s work of teaching and transforming sentient beings is inexhaustible, while he perpetually abides in the world without passing away. It is neither ultimate nor not ultimate; neither grasping nor not grasping; neither having a basis of reliance nor lacking a basis of reliance; neither a worldly dharma nor a Buddha-dharma; neither ordinary nor noble.

Having accomplished such a difficult-to-attain mind, when this bodhisattva cultivates bodhisattva practices, he does not teach the Dharma of the Two Vehicles; does not speak of the Buddha; does not speak of the world; does not speak of worldly dharmas; does not speak of sentient beings; does not speak of the absence of sentient beings; does not speak of defilement; and does not speak of purity.

Why is this? Because this bodhisattva knows that all dharmas are without defilement or grasping, and neither turn nor retreat.

When this bodhisattva cultivates within such a most profound, supreme, subtle, and wondrous Dharma of quiescence, he does not conceive, “I am now accomplishing, have already cultivated, or will cultivate these practices.” He does not cling to the skandhas, ayatanas, or dhatus; to the inner world, the outer world, or the inner-and-outer world. Nor does he cling to his great vows, his paramitas, or any of his dharmas.

Why is this? Because within the Dharma-realm there is no dharma called proceeding toward the Sravaka Vehicle, proceeding toward the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle, proceeding toward the Bodhisattva Vehicle, or proceeding toward unsurpassed bodhi. There is no dharma called proceeding toward the realm of ordinary beings, proceeding toward defilement, proceeding toward purity, proceeding toward samsara, or proceeding toward nirvana. This is because all dharmas are fundamentally neither dual nor nondual.

It is like empty space: though sought throughout the ten directions and the three periods of time, it can never be found; yet this does not mean that empty space does not exist.

In the same way, the bodhisattva contemplates: all dharmas are unobtainable, yet it is not that all dharmas do not exist. True reality is without difference, and he does not neglect what must be done. He universally manifests the cultivation of bodhisattva practices; does not abandon his great vows to tame sentient beings; and turns the wheel of the true Dharma.

He neither destroys cause and effect nor contradicts the wondrous Dharma of equality. He is universally identical with the Tathagatas of the three periods, does not sever the lineage of the Buddhas, and does not falsify the true mark of reality. He deeply enters the Dharma and possesses inexhaustible eloquence.

Hearing the Dharma, he does not cling to it. He reaches the profound depths of the Dharma, skillfully reveals and expounds it, and is without fear. He does not depart from the Buddha’s abiding and does not oppose worldly dharmas.

He manifests throughout the world yet is not defiled by or attached to the world.

Having accomplished such a difficult-to-attain mind of wisdom, this bodhisattva cultivates all practices, rescues sentient beings from the three evil destinies, teaches, transforms, and tames them, and establishes them immovably upon the path of the Buddhas of the three periods.

This bodhisattva further reflects: “Sentient beings in the world do not recognize or repay kindness. Instead, they bear enmity toward one another. With wrong views and attachments, they are deluded, inverted, foolish, and devoid of wisdom.

They lack faith, follow evil companions, and give rise to evil thoughts. Craving, ignorance, and all manner of afflictions fill them completely. It is precisely among such beings that I shall accomplish bodhisattva practices.

Suppose this entire world were filled with people who recognized kindness and righteousness, who were intelligent and wise, and who were good spiritual friends; then I would not practice bodhisattva conduct among them. Why is this? Because I have absolutely no expectations of sentient beings and seek nothing from them.

I cultivate bodhisattva practices throughout all future kalpas and have never entertained a single self-serving thought. I wish only to liberate sentient beings, enabling them to become pure and attain everlasting liberation. Since I am an enlightened guide for sentient beings, it accords with the Dharma that I should neither grasp nor seek, but should cultivate the bodhisattva path solely for the sake of sentient beings, enabling them to reach the other shore of peace and security and attain unsurpassed bodhi.”

This is called the bodhisattva’s eighth practice, the Difficult-to-Attain Practice.

What is the bodhisattva’s Practice of Good Dharma?

For all the worlds—the devas, humans, maras, Brahmas, sramanas, brahmins, gandharvas, and others—this bodhisattva serves as a cool and refreshing pool of Dharma. He upholds and preserves the true Dharma and does not sever the lineage of the Buddhas. Because he has attained the dharani of pure radiance, his eloquence in teaching the Dharma and bestowing predictions is inexhaustible.

Because he has attained the dharani of complete meaning, his eloquence in meaning is inexhaustible. Because he has attained the dharani of awakening to the true Dharma, his eloquence in Dharma is inexhaustible. Because he has attained the dharani of explaining words and expressions, his eloquence in phrasing is inexhaustible.

Because he has attained the dharani of the unobstructed gateway of boundless words and phrases and inexhaustible meanings, his unobstructed eloquence is inexhaustible. Because he has attained the dharani of anointment by the Buddha, his joy is inexhaustible. Because he has attained the dharani gateway of awakening without reliance upon others, his eloquence of radiance is inexhaustible.

Because he has attained the dharani gateway of identical eloquence, his identical eloquence is inexhaustible. Because he has attained the dharani gateway of explaining the manifold bodies of meanings, bodies of phrases, and bodies of syllables, his eloquence in explanation is inexhaustible. Because he has attained boundless dharanis, his boundless eloquence is inexhaustible.

This bodhisattva’s mind of great compassion is steadfast and universally embraces sentient beings. Throughout the great trichiliocosm, he manifests a golden-hued body and performs Buddha-work. In accordance with the faculties, dispositions, and inclinations of sentient beings, he uses his broad and long tongue to manifest immeasurable voices within a single sound. He teaches the Dharma according to what is timely and appropriate, causing all sentient beings to rejoice.

Suppose an inexpressible number of sentient beings, each bearing their own karmic retributions, assembled together in one place, and that this vast assembly extended throughout inexpressibly many worlds. This bodhisattva would sit within that assembly. Each sentient being in that gathering would possess innumerable mouths, and each mouth would utter hundreds of thousands of kotis of nayutas of sounds. They would all speak simultaneously, each using different words. Yet in a single thought, this bodhisattva would be able to understand them all and answer every one of them, completely dispelling all their doubts and delusions. Just as he would do in this one great assembly, so would he do in inexpressibly many assemblies.

Suppose further that at the tip of a single hair, in each thought, there appeared inexpressibly many times inexpressibly many assemblies at sites of enlightenment; and that the same occurred at inexpressibly many times inexpressibly many hair-tips throughout all future kalpas. Although the number of those kalpas might be exhausted, the assemblies would remain inexhaustible. In every thought, the beings in these assemblies would use distinct words and pose distinct questions.

In a single thought, this bodhisattva would be able to comprehend them all, without fear or trepidation, doubt or confusion. He would think: “Even if all sentient beings came simultaneously to question me, I would teach the Dharma for them without interruption or exhaustion, causing them all to rejoice, abide upon the good path, and skillfully understand every form of language.”

This bodhisattva is able to expound all dharmas for sentient beings, yet remains free from discrimination regarding the five modes of speech. Even if ineffably ineffable varieties of expressions were simultaneously posed as questions, this bodhisattva would receive them all in a single thought and answer them all with a single utterance, enabling all to awaken and understand without omission. This is because he has received the anointment of all-knowledge, has attained the treasury of unobstructed wisdom, has attained the perfect radiance of all dharmas, and is endowed with all-knowledge.

Having established himself in the Practice of Good Dharma, this bodhisattva is able to purify himself and, through skillful means free from attachment, universally benefit all sentient beings, without perceiving any sentient being who attains liberation.

Just as he does so in this great trichiliocosm, so too throughout ineffably many great trichiliocosms he manifests a golden-colored body, endowed with wondrous speech, and freely performs the work of the Buddhas without obstruction.

This bodhisattva accomplishes ten kinds of bodies: a body that belongs to no class of beings, entering the boundless Dharma-realm, because it extinguishes all worlds; a body belonging to all classes of beings, entering the boundless Dharma-realm, because it gives rise to all worlds; an unborn body, because it abides in the equality of the unborn nature of dharmas; an undying body, because when all things cease, language cannot apprehend it; an unreal body, because it has attained suchness as it truly is; a body that is not false, because it manifests in response to what is appropriate; a body that does not move, though it dies here and is born there; an indestructible body, because the nature of the Dharma-realm is indestructible;

a body of a single characteristic, because, at the stage of the bodhisattva, speech has ceased; and a signless body, because it is well able to contemplate the characteristics of dharmas.

Having accomplished these ten kinds of bodies, this bodhisattva is a home for all sentient beings, because he increases their roots of goodness; a refuge that rescues all sentient beings, because he enables them to attain utmost peace and security; a place of return for all sentient beings, because he serves as their great support; a guiding home for all sentient beings, because he enables them to attain unsurpassed liberation; a teacher of all sentient beings, because he enables them to enter the true Dharma; a lamp for all sentient beings, because he enables them to see karmic retribution clearly; a radiance for all sentient beings, because he enables them to illuminate and understand the wondrous and exceedingly profound Dharma;

a torch for all three times, because he enables beings to understand and awaken to true Dharma; an illumination for all worlds, because he enables beings to enter the stage of radiance; and a light for all classes of beings, because he reveals the Tathagata’s sovereign mastery.

This is called the bodhisattva’s ninth practice, the Practice of Good Dharma. A bodhisattva who abides in this practice becomes a cool Dharma pool for all sentient beings, because he is able to reach the very source of all Buddha-Dharmas.

What is the bodhisattva’s Practice of Truthfulness?

This bodhisattva accomplishes speech of supreme truthfulness: he is able to act exactly as he speaks and to speak exactly as he acts.

This bodhisattva learns the truthful speech of the Buddhas of the three times, enters the lineage of the Buddhas of the three times, shares the same roots of goodness as the Buddhas of the three times, attains the nondual speech of the Buddhas of the three times, and follows the Tathagatas in learning and accomplishing wisdom.

This bodhisattva accomplishes the wisdom that knows what is possible and what is impossible for sentient beings; the wisdom that knows karmic retribution throughout the three times; the wisdom that knows whether faculties and dispositions are keen or dull; the wisdom that knows all worlds; the wisdom that knows all forms of understanding; the wisdom that knows the destinations of all paths; the wisdom that knows the defilement and purity of all dhyanas, samadhis, and liberations, and whether they arise at the proper or improper time; the wisdom that recollects all former abodes in all worlds; the wisdom of the divine eye; and the wisdom of the exhaustion of the outflows—all without departing from any bodhisattva practice.

Why is this? Because he wishes to teach and transform all sentient beings, enabling them all to become purified.

This bodhisattva further gives rise to this supreme resolve: “If I do not first cause all sentient beings to abide in the path of unsurpassed liberation, yet I myself attain unsurpassed bodhi before them, I will have violated my original vow. This must not be so. Therefore, I must first enable all sentient beings to attain unsurpassed bodhi and enter nirvana without remainder; only afterward shall I attain Buddhahood.

Sentient beings did not request me to arouse this resolve; rather, for their sake, I voluntarily became an uninvited friend, wishing first to enable all sentient beings to perfect their roots of goodness and realize all-knowledge. Thus, I am most excellent because I am not defiled by or attached to the world; I am supreme because I abide in the unsurpassed stage of the Tamer; I am free from blindness because I understand that sentient beings are boundless; my work has been completed because I have fulfilled my original vow; I am a bodhisattva skilled in transformation because I am adorned with merit; and I have found an excellent reliance because I am gathered in and protected by the Buddhas of the three times.”

Because this bodhisattva does not abandon his original vow, he enters the unsurpassed stage adorned with wisdom, fully accomplishes the benefiting of sentient beings, and brings every original vow to ultimate fulfillment. He attains sovereign wisdom with regard to all dharmas and enables all sentient beings everywhere to become purified. Thought after thought, he travels throughout the worlds of the ten directions; thought after thought, he reaches ineffably ineffable Buddha-lands everywhere; thought after thought, he sees ineffably ineffable Buddhas and the pure adornments of their Buddha-lands; and throughout the Dharma-realm and the realm of empty space, he universally reveals the Tathagata’s sovereign spiritual powers.

This bodhisattva manifests immeasurable bodies and enters all worlds, yet has no dependence. Within his own body, he manifests all lands, all sentient beings, all dharmas, and all Buddhas.

This bodhisattva knows the various thoughts, various desires and inclinations, various understandings, various karmic retributions, and various roots of goodness of sentient beings. In accordance with their faculties and what is appropriate, he manifests bodies to tame and guide them.

This bodhisattva contemplates all bodhisattvas as illusions, all dharmas as transformations, the appearance of Buddhas in the world as reflections, and all worlds as dreams. He attains the treasury of inexhaustible bodies of meaning and bodies of words, mastery of right mindfulness, and supreme wisdom that decisively and clearly knows all dharmas. He enters the true nature of all samadhis and abides in the one nature, free from duality.

Because sentient beings are all attached to duality, this bodhisattva abides in great equality and accomplishes such practices of the quiescent Dharma. He attains the ten powers of a Buddha, enters the Dharma-realm of Indra’s net, and accomplishes the Tathagata’s unobstructed liberation. Heroic among humankind, he utters the great lion’s roar, attains fearlessness, and turns the unobstructed and pure Dharma wheel. He attains the wisdom of liberation that clearly knows every realm of the world, severs the stream of birth and death, and enters the great ocean of wisdom. For the sake of all sentient beings, he preserves and protects the true Dharma of the Buddhas of the three times and reaches the deepest source of the true characteristics of the great ocean of all dharmas.

Once a bodhisattva abides in this Practice of Truthfulness, whoever in all worlds—devas, humans, Maras, Brahmas, sramanas, brahmins, gandharvas, asuras, and others—draws near to him is enabled to awaken, understand, rejoice, and become purified.

This is called the bodhisattva’s tenth practice, the Practice of Truthfulness.

At that time, through the Buddha’s spiritual power, worlds throughout the ten directions, as numerous as the dust motes in Buddha-lands, quaked in six ways. Everywhere, devas rained down heavenly flowers, heavenly incense, heavenly flower garlands, heavenly garments, heavenly jewels, and heavenly adornments; played heavenly music; emitted heavenly radiance; and displayed penetrating spiritual transformations. It was the same throughout the worlds of the ten directions.

Again, through the Buddha’s spiritual power, beyond worlds throughout the ten directions as numerous as the dust motes in one hundred thousand Buddha-lands, bodhisattvas as numerous as the dust motes in one hundred thousand Buddha-lands assembled together and spoke in unison to the bodhisattva Forest of Merits: “Excellent, O Buddha’s disciple! You have skillfully expounded the practices of bodhisattvas. We are all likewise named Forest of Merits. The worlds in which we dwell are all likewise named Banner of Merits, and the Tathagatas in our lands are all likewise named Universal Merit. They too expound this Dharma. Their assemblies, retinues, words, meanings, and principles are all just as they are here, without increase or decrease.

“O Buddha’s disciple! Relying upon the Buddha’s awesome power, we have come here to bear witness for you.”

Bodhisattva Forest of Merit, empowered by the Buddha’s spiritual might, surveyed all the assemblies throughout the ten directions, extending to the limits of the Dharma realm. Wishing to ensure that the Buddha lineage would never be severed; to purify the lineage of bodhisattvas; to ensure that the lineage of vows would never regress; to ensure that the lineage of practices would always continue; to make the lineages of the three periods of time entirely equal; to gather all Buddha lineages of the three periods of time; to expound the roots of goodness he himself had cultivated; to observe every faculty and disposition; to understand afflictions, habitual tendencies, mental activities, and deeds; and to illuminate the Buddha’s bodhi, he spoke these verses:

Single-mindedly, I reverently bow to the One of Ten Powers,

Free from defilement, pure, whose vision is unobstructed;

Whose realm is profound, with none to equal it,

Abiding like empty space within the path.

The Supremely Victorious Ones among humans of the past,

Of measureless merit and without attachment,

Foremost in courage, beyond compare—

Those who have left the dust behind practiced this path.

Throughout the lands of the ten directions in the present,

They skillfully expound the ultimate truth;

Free from every evil fault, utterly pure—

Those without dependence practice this path.

All the Teachers of Humans who shall appear in the future

Will journey everywhere throughout the Dharma realm;

Having awakened the Buddha’s mind of great compassion,

Those who benefit beings practice this path.

All the peerless ones of the three periods of time

Naturally dispel the darkness of delusion;

Toward all dharmas they remain entirely impartial—

Those of great power practice this path.

They behold everywhere measureless and boundless lands,

All those lands and all the kinds of beings;

Having seen them, their minds make no distinctions—

Those who are unmoving practice this path.

All those lands and all the kinds of beings;

Having seen them, their minds make no distinctions—

Those who are unmoving practice this path.

The entire Dharma realm is perfectly illuminated;

In the ultimate truth, they are utterly pure;

They completely destroy anger, pride, and delusion—

Those endowed with merit practice this path.

They skillfully discern among all sentient beings

And enter completely the true nature of the Dharma realm;

Naturally awakening, not through another—

Those equal to empty space practice this path.

To all the lands throughout empty space

They journey, widely expounding the Dharma with explanations;

Their pure words can never be destroyed—

Those victorious sages practice this path.

Perfect, steadfast, and never regressing,

They accomplish and honor the supremely victorious Dharma;

Through inexhaustible power of vows, they reach the other shore—

Those well cultivated practice this path.

All the measureless and boundless stages,

Their vast, exceedingly profound and wondrous realms,

They see and know entirely, leaving nothing unseen—

Those Teachers of Humans practice this path.

Far removed from all the faults and perils of the world,

They bestow peaceful joy upon all sentient beings;

They can serve as unequaled great guides—

Those of supreme virtue practice this path.

They constantly bestow fearlessness upon sentient beings,

Causing everyone everywhere to rejoice;

Their minds are pure and free from defiling turbidity—

Those without equal practice this path.

Their mental karma is pure and thoroughly well disciplined;

Free from frivolous discourse, their speech is faultless;

Their majestic radiance is perfect, and the assembly reveres them—

Those supremely victorious ones practice this path.

Entering the true meaning, they reach the other shore;

Abiding in merit, their minds are tranquil and still;

The Buddhas remain ever mindful of and protect them—

Those who extinguish existence practice this path.

Far removed from selfhood, causing no distress or harm,

They constantly proclaim the true Dharma with a mighty voice;

It extends everywhere throughout the lands of the ten directions—

Those beyond all analogy practice this path.

The dana paramita has been perfected;

Adorned with the excellent marks born of a hundred blessings,

All sentient beings who behold them rejoice—

Those of supreme wisdom practice this path.

The ground of wisdom is exceedingly profound and difficult to enter;

With wondrous wisdom they skillfully abide therein;

Their minds ultimately never waver—

Those of steadfast practice follow this path.

They can enter the entire Dharma realm,

And wherever they enter, they reach consummation;

Their sovereign spiritual powers encompass everything—

Those radiant with the Dharma practice this path.

The great, unequaled among equals, Muni,

Diligently cultivates samadhi free from dual characteristics;

His mind constantly rests in concentration, delighting in tranquil stillness—

Those of universal vision practice this path.

Lands subtle and vast

Interpenetrate one another, each remaining distinct;

They clearly know all such realms—

Those whose wisdom is the king of mountains practice this path.

Their minds are always luminous and pure, free from stains;

Within the three realms they harbor no craving or attachment;

Guarding moral discipline, they reach the other shore—

Those of purified mind practice this path.

Their boundless wisdom cannot be described;

It pervades the Dharma realm and the realm of empty space;

They skillfully train and abide within it—

Those of vajra wisdom practice this path.

The realms of all Buddhas of the three periods of time

Their wisdom skillfully enters and pervades completely;

Never for even a moment do they become weary—

Those supremely victorious ones practice this path.

They can skillfully discern the Dharma of the Ten Powers

And clearly know every destination to which paths lead;

Their bodily karma is unobstructed and sovereign—

Those whose bodies are endowed with merit practice this path.

Throughout the measureless and boundless lands of the ten directions,

All the sentient beings who dwell therein,

I shall rescue and protect, abandoning none—

Those who are fearless practice this path.

They diligently study and cultivate all Buddha Dharmas;

Their minds are always vigorous, never indolent or weary;

They set all worlds in order—

Those great dragon kings practice this path.

They clearly know that sentient beings’ faculties are not alike,

And that their aspirations and understandings differ in measureless ways;

They thoroughly comprehend every kind of being and every realm—

Those who enter universally practice this path.

In the measureless lands of the worlds of the ten directions,

They undergo birth in places beyond all reckoning;

Never in a single thought do they become weary—

Those who rejoice practice this path.

They universally emit measureless nets of light,

Illuminating measureless worlds;

Wherever that radiance shines, beings enter the Dharma nature—

Those of excellent wisdom practice this path.

They cause the lands throughout the ten directions to tremble,

Measureless hundreds of millions of nayutas in number,

Yet do not cause any sentient being to become frightened—

Those who benefit the world practice this path.

They skillfully understand every language;

Their questions, challenges, and replies are all consummate;

They know all forms of penetrating eloquence and discerning wisdom—

Those who are fearless practice this path.

They skillfully know which lands face upward or downward;

Their discerning contemplation of them is entirely consummate;

They cause all to abide in the inexhaustible state—

Those of supreme wisdom practice this path.

Measureless nayutas of meritorious qualities

They cultivate in seeking the Buddha path;

They bring them all to the other shore—

Those of inexhaustible practice follow this path.

Surpassing the great worldly masters of discourse,

With foremost eloquence they roar the lion’s roar;

They lead all multitudes of beings to the other shore—

Those of purified mind practice this path.

The Dharma of anointment by the Buddhas is foremost;

Having had this Dharma poured upon their crowns,

Their minds always abide in the gateway of the true Dharma—

Those of vast and mighty voice practice this path.

Sentient beings are measureless in their differences;

They thoroughly comprehend the minds of all without exception;

Resolutely preserving the treasury of the Buddha Dharma—

Those who are like Mount Sumeru practice this path.

Within each and every language,

They can universally manifest measureless voices,

Enabling beings of every kind to understand—

Those of unobstructed vision practice this path.

All dharmas expressed through written words and spoken language

Their wisdom skillfully enters without discrimination;

They abide within all realms of truth—

Those who behold the nature practice this path.

They abide securely in the exceedingly profound and vast ocean of Dharma

And skillfully authenticate all dharmas;

They understand the signless gateway of the true Dharma—

Those who see reality practice this path.

They journey to each and every Buddha land

Throughout measureless and boundless kalpas;

Observing and contemplating without pausing for even a moment—

Those who are never indolent practice this path.

Measureless and innumerable Tathagatas,

Whose various names are each distinct,

They clearly behold upon the tip of a single hair—

Those of pure blessings practice this path.

Upon the tip of a single hair they behold the Buddhas,

Measureless and ineffable in number;

Throughout the entire Dharma realm it is likewise—

Those disciples of the Buddhas practice this path.

Measureless, boundless, and innumerable kalpas

They clearly behold within a single thought;

They know that the characteristics of long and short duration are unfixed—

Those who practice liberation follow this path.

They ensure that none who behold them do so in vain,

For all thereby plant causes and conditions within the Buddha Dharma;

Yet their minds remain unattached to all that they accomplish—

Those supremely victorious ones practice this path.

For nayutas of kalpas they constantly encounter Buddhas,

Yet never for a single thought do they become weary.

That joyful mind grows ever greater;

The one of unfailing transformation practices this path.

Throughout immeasurable, boundless kalpas,

Contemplating the realms of all sentient beings,

Never has such a one seen even a single sentient being;

This steadfast one practices this path.

Cultivating boundless treasuries of merit and wisdom,

Universally becoming a cool pond of virtue,

Benefiting all multitudes of beings;

That foremost one practices this path.

All the various categories found within the Dharma-realm,

Pervading space in measureless numbers,

Are clearly known to depend upon verbal designation for their existence;

The one who roars like a lion practices this path.

Within each and every samadhi,

One can universally enter countless samadhis

And reach every deeply hidden Dharma-gate;

This moon of discourse practices this path.

Diligently cultivating the power of patience to the further shore,

Able to endure the supreme Dharma of quiescent cessation,

With a mind impartial and unmoving;

The one of boundless wisdom practices this path.

In one world, upon a single seat,

The Buddha-bodies, each distinct, remain ever serene,

Yet bodies are manifested in every place;

The one of boundless bodies practices this path.

Immeasurable and boundless lands

Are all caused to enter together into a single mote of dust,

Universally contained without obstruction;

The one of boundless contemplation practices this path.

Completely understanding what is possible and what is impossible,

Able to enter universally into all domains of the powers,

Accomplishing the supreme powers of the Tathagata;

The one of foremost power practices this path.

The past, the future, and the present,

And the immeasurable, boundless karmic results—

Through wisdom, one always clearly knows them all;

That thoroughly comprehending one practices this path.

Clearly understanding the proper and improper times in the world,

Taming sentient beings as appropriate,

Always according with their capacities without error;

The one of excellent understanding practices this path.

Skillfully guarding the karma of body, speech, and mind,

Always causing practice to accord with the Dharma,

Free from all attachments and subduing the maras;

That one of the wisdom-mind practices this path.

Attaining skillful mastery of all dharmas,

Able to enter the equality of true suchness,

Expounding with inexhaustible eloquence;

This practitioner of the Buddha’s conduct practices this path.

Having perfected the dharani gates,

Skillfully abiding in the treasury of non-obstruction,

Thoroughly comprehending all Dharma-realms;

That one of profound penetration practices this path.

All Buddhas throughout the three periods of time

Are equal in mind and share the same wisdom,

Of one nature and one characteristic, without difference;

The one of unobstructed lineage practices this path.

Having rent apart every veil of delusion,

Profoundly entering the vast ocean of wisdom,

Universally bestowing pure eyes upon sentient beings;

That one possessed of vision practices this path.

Having fully attained the nondual conduct

Of equal spiritual powers of all guiding teachers,

And attaining the sovereign power of the Tathagata;

This one of excellent accomplishment practices this path.

Traveling throughout all worlds,

Universally showering the boundless rain of wondrous Dharma,

Causing all to gain firm understanding of its meaning;

That Dharma-cloud practices this path.

Attaining the wisdom and liberation of the Buddhas,

With profound, pure faith that never retreats,

And through faith giving rise to the roots of wisdom;

This excellent student practices this path.

Able, in a single thought, to know clearly

Every sentient being without exception,

And to understand the intrinsic nature of sentient beings’ minds;

The one who realizes non-nature practices this path.

Throughout all lands of the Dharma-realm,

One emanates countless bodies and travels to them all;

Those bodies are supremely wondrous and beyond compare;

The one of incomparable conduct practices this path.

Within boundless Buddha-fields beyond all measure,

Immeasurable Buddhas dwell;

The bodhisattva appears before them all,

Drawing near, making offerings, and paying reverence.

The bodhisattva can, with a single body,

Enter samadhi and rest in quiescent concentration,

Causing limitless numbers of bodies to be seen,

Each one arising from samadhi.

The bodhisattva’s dwelling is supremely wondrous;

All conduct and deeds transcend conceptual proliferation.

With a pure mind, the bodhisattva is always joyful

And can cause all sentient beings to rejoice.

Faculties, dispositions, and skillful means all differ;

Through wisdom, one can clearly perceive them all,

Yet understands that faculties and dispositions have no basis;

The tamer of those difficult to tame practices this path.

Able, through skillful means, to discern well,

Attaining mastery over all dharmas;

Although the worlds of the ten directions are all different,

One performs the works of the Buddha within them all.

Subtle faculties and dispositions, and practices as well,

Enable one to expound the Dharma extensively for sentient beings;

Who among those who hear it would not rejoice?

The one equal to space practices this path.

With pure wisdom-eyes unequaled by any,

One clearly sees all dharmas

And skillfully distinguishes them through such wisdom;

This peerless one practices this path.

All inexhaustible and vast merit

Is cultivated in full to ultimate perfection,

Causing all sentient beings to become pure;

This incomparable one practices this path.

Universally exhorting all to cultivate and accomplish the aids to the path,

Causing them all to abide in skillful means,

Liberating limitless numbers of sentient beings,

Yet never even briefly giving rise to the perception of sentient beings.

Observing all capacities and conditions,

First protecting their minds so that they remain free from contention,

Universally teaching sentient beings the place of peace and security;

This one of skillful means practices this path.

Accomplishing the foremost and supreme wisdom,

Fully endowed with immeasurable, boundless wisdom,

Fearless among the four assemblies;

This one of skillful means practices this path.

All worlds and all dharmas

Can be universally entered with sovereign mastery;

One also enters every assembly

And liberates limitless numbers of sentient beings.

Throughout all lands in the ten directions,

Beating the great Dharma drum to awaken multitudes of beings,

One becomes the unsurpassed master of the gift of Dharma;

This imperishable one practices this path.

One body sits upright in the full lotus posture,

Filling immeasurable realms throughout the ten directions,

Yet that body causes no crowding or constriction;

This one of the Dharma-body practices this path.

Within a single meaning or a single word,

One can expound immeasurable, boundless dharmas,

Yet even at the furthest limit they are never exhausted;

The one of boundless wisdom practices this path.

Skillfully cultivating and studying the Buddha’s liberation,

Attaining the unobstructed wisdom of the Buddha,

Accomplishing fearlessness and becoming a hero of the world;

This one of skillful means practices this path.

Clearly knowing the oceans of worlds in the ten directions,

Also knowing all oceans of Buddha-fields,

And clearly knowing the ocean of wisdom and the ocean of Dharma;

All sentient beings who behold this one rejoice.

At times manifesting entry into the womb and birth,

At times manifesting at the place of awakening and attaining perfect enlightenment,

In this way causing the world to behold all these deeds;

This boundless one practices this path.

Within immeasurable hundreds of millions of lands,

Manifesting one’s body entering nirvana,

Yet in truth never abandoning the vow by entering quiescent cessation;

This heroic expounder practices this path.

One wondrous body, steadfast, subtle, and mysterious,

Equal to the Buddha and without difference,

Yet seen differently according to each sentient being;

The one of the true single body practices this path.

The Dharma-realm is equal and without difference,

Fully endowed with immeasurable, boundless meanings;

Delighting in contemplating its single characteristic with an unwavering mind;

The one of wisdom spanning the three periods practices this path.

With regard to sentient beings and the Buddhadharma,

Establishing and sustaining them to ultimate completion,

With powers of sustaining support equal to those of the Buddha;

The one of supreme sustaining power practices this path.

Spiritual powers are unobstructed and supremely pure;

With a purified faculty of hearing, one listens skillfully;

The one of unobstructed mind practices this path.

Fully endowed with every spiritual power,

Bringing them to complete accomplishment in accordance with wisdom,

Skillfully knowing all things, unequaled by any;

This worthy and wise one practices this path.

With the mind unmoving in right concentration,

And wisdom vast and without boundary,

One thoroughly understands every sphere of experience;

The all-seeing one practices this path.

Having reached the further shore of all virtues,

Able to liberate sentient beings in proper sequence,

With a mind that ultimately never wearies or becomes content;

The one of constant diligence practices this path.

All Buddhadharmas throughout the three periods of time

Are entirely known and seen here;

Born from the Buddha-nature,

Those disciples of the Buddha practice this path.

Having mastered speech that accords with beings,

Skillfully subduing all schools of heterodox doctrine,

Always able to advance toward the Buddha’s bodhi;

The one of boundless wisdom practices this path.

Emitting a single ray of light that shines without end,

Pervading all lands throughout the ten directions,

Causing the entire world to become brilliantly illuminated;

This dispeller of darkness practices this path.

According to what each being should behold and venerate,

One manifests for them the pure body of the Tathagata,

Teaching and transforming sentient beings by the hundreds of thousands of millions

The adornment of Buddha-lands is likewise thus.

In order to lead sentient beings beyond the world,

They cultivate all wondrous practices;

These practices are vast and boundless—

How could anyone fathom them?

Even if they manifested ineffably many bodies,

Equal in extent to the Dharma realm and to empty space,

And all alike praised those merits and virtues,

They could not exhaust them in hundreds of thousands of myriads of kalpas.

The merits and virtues of bodhisattvas are measureless and boundless;

All their practices are brought to complete fulfillment.

Even if measureless and boundless Buddhas

Spoke throughout measureless kalpas, they could not exhaust them.

How much less could the devas and humans of the world,

Together with all shravakas and pratyekabuddhas,

Throughout measureless and boundless kalpas,

Praise and proclaim them to the utmost!