At that time, Celestial King Pure Wisdom’s Renown received the Buddha’s awesome spiritual power, universally contemplated the multitudes of the Heavens of Lesser Purity, the Heavens of Limitless Purity, and the Heavens of Pervasive Purity, and spoke the following verse:
The one who understands that the nature of dharmas is unobstructed
Appears everywhere in countless lands of the ten directions.
He explains the inconceivable realm of the Buddhas,
Bringing all beings back to the ocean of liberation.
The Thus Come One abides independently in the world,
Like a reflection of light, manifesting in many countries.
Dharmas ultimately do not come into being.
King Supreme Views enters this passage.
For countless oceans of eons he has cultivated skillful means,
That have purified lands everywhere in the ten directions.
The Dharma Realm abides in Thusness, forever unmoving.
The god Serene Virtue awakened thus.
Sentient beings, occluded by delusion,
Blindly remain in the throes of birth and death.
The Thus Come One shows them the path to purity.
Sumeru Sound is emancipated thus.
The unsurpassed path tread by all Buddhas
Cannot be fathomed by any sentient being.
They are shown various kinds of expedient doors.
Pure Eye understands this through careful observation.
The Thus Come One constantly uses methods of uniting and upholding,
Profuse as dust motes in oceans of lands,
To instruct and teach sentient beings everywhere.
Celestial King Universal Illumination enters thus.
A Thus Come One’s advent in the world is not easy to meet with.
It may happen only once in an ocean of uncountable eons.
Buddhas can inspire faith and understanding in beings.
The god Sovereign attains this realization.
The Buddha says that the nature of dharmas isn’t a nature at all,
And yet they are profound, vast, great, and inconceivable.
Thus he inspires pure faith in sentient beings everywhere.
Celestial King Blazing Light understands this well.
Thus Come Ones of the three times perfect meritorious virtues.
They transform the realms of sentient beings in incredible ways.
Reflection upon this brings exultant joy.
Thus proclaims Joy in Dharma.
Sentient beings are drowning in an ocean of afflictions.
Their delusion and turbid views are alarming indeed.
Out of sympathy, the Great Teacher helps them leave all that forever.
King Transformation Banner observes this state.
The Thus Come One’s light is forever bright.
Countless Buddhas appear in each and every ray.
One and all, they manifest and work at transforming sentient beings.
The god Wondrous Sounds enters this passage.
Moreover, Celestial King Winsome Light gained a passage into liberation of forever enjoying the bliss of quiescence, and yet being able to descend into the world and eradicate beings’ suffering. Celestial King Pure and Exquisite Light gained a passage into liberation of using an ocean of responses issuing from the heart of great compassion to bestow a treasury of happiness upon all sentient beings.
Celestial King Comfortable Sound gained a passage into liberation of universally manifesting, within a single thought, the power of blessings and virtue of all sentient beings throughout boundless eons. Celestial King Wisdom of Supreme Intent gained a passage into liberation of universally causing worlds undergoing the process of formation, dwelling, and decay to all become pure like space. Celestial King Pleasing, Pure, and Wonderful Sounds gained a passage into liberation of joyously and faithfully accepting all Sages’ Dharmas. Celestial King Sound of Wholesome Reflection gained a passage into liberation of proclaiming for the duration of eons the meaning of all grounds and skillful means.
Celestial King Proclaiming with Splendid Sound gained a passage into liberation of expediently making extensive offerings to all Bodhisattvas when they descend from the Tusita Heaven Palace to be born. Celestial King Most Profound Voice of Light gained a passage into liberation of contemplating the ocean of infinite spiritual powers and wisdom. Celestial King Vast Renown gained a passage into liberation of observing how the fulfillment of oceanic merit and virtue allows Buddhas to appear in the world and employ the power of expedients. Celestial King Supreme Pure Light gained a passage into liberation of giving rise to a treasury of profound faith and delight in the powerful past vows of Thus Come Ones.
At that time, Celestial King Winsome Light received the Buddha’s awesome spiritual power, universally contemplated the multitudes of the Heavens of Lesser Light, the Heavens of Limitless Light, and the Heavens of Utmost Light, and spoke the following verse:
I recall the past practices of the Thus Come One,
How he served and made offerings to innumerable Buddhas.
Relying on the Buddha’s awesome strength, I now perceive
All the pure karma stemming from his fundamental faith.
The Buddha’s body, devoid of form, is free of any defilement.
He dwells forever on the ground of compassion and pity,
Casting out all the woes of the world.
This is the liberation of Exquisite Light.
The Buddhadharma is vast and boundless;
The oceans of all lands appear within it.
The stages of formation and decay of each are different.
Such is the power of liberation of the god Comfortable Sound.
The Buddha, with his unequalled spiritual powers,
Appears everywhere in the vast lands of the ten directions,
Causing those lands to manifest eternally, adorned and pure.
Such is the expedient emancipation of Supreme Intent.
He rendered homage to all Thus Come Ones,
Numerous as dust motes in oceans of lands.
He lost no opportunity to hear the Dharma and leave defilement.
The dharma door of the god Wonderful Sounds functions thus.
The Buddha, throughout measureless oceans of great eons,
Expounded the grounds with peerless skill-in-means.
What he said remains infinite and unending.
The god Sound of Wholesome Reflection understands this meaning.
The Thus Come One’s spiritual transformations open infinite doors.
In a single thought he can appear in all places.
His spirit descended, and he realized the Way, enacting a great expedient.
Splendid Sound is liberated thus.
Sustained by awesome strength, he can discuss
And manifest incidents involving the Buddhas’ spiritual powers.
Beings are purified according to their faculties and desires.
This is the passage into liberation of the god Voice of Light.
The Thus Come One’s wisdom is boundless.
In the world he is peerless and without attachment.
Responding with a kind heart, he appears before all beings.
The god Vast Renown awakens to this truth.
In the past the Buddha practiced in quest of bodhi,
Making offerings to all Buddhas in the ten directions.
Before each and every Buddha, he made vows.
Upon hearing this, Supreme Light experiences great joy.
Moreover, Brahma King Shikhin gained a passage into liberation of universally dwelling in the bodhimandas of the ten directions, speaking Dharma there, and being pure and untainted in his actions. Brahma King Wisdom Light gained a passage into liberation of enabling all sentient beings to enter dhyana and remain in samadhi. Brahma King Light of Wholesome Reflective Wisdom gained a passage into liberation of universally entering all inconceivable dharmas. Brahma King Universal Cloud Sound gained a passage into liberation of entering all Buddhas’ oceans of sounds. Brahma King Freely Contemplating the Sounds and Speech in the World gained a passage into liberation of recollecting how the Bodhisattvas teach and transform all sentient beings with expedients.
Brahma King Still and Quiet Bright Eyes gained a passage into liberation of manifesting the different aspects of worldly karmic retributions. Brahma King Pervasive Light gained a passage into liberation of appearing before the different categories of sentient beings accordingly, so as to tame and subdue them. Brahma King Transforming Sounds gained a passage into liberation of residing in the purity of all dharmas and the state of quiescent practice. Brahma King Dazzling Eyes gained a passage into liberation of being unattached to anything, boundless, independent, and always manifesting with diligence. Brahma King Pleasing, Ocean-like Sounds gained a passage into liberation of constantly reflecting upon and contemplating inexhaustible dharmas.
At that time, Great Brahma King Shikhin received the Buddha’s awesome spiritual power, universally contemplated the multitudes of the Brahma Heavens—the Heavens of Brahma Ministers, the Heavens of Brahma Multitudes, and the Great Brahma Heavens—and spoke the following verse:
The Buddha’s body is pure and ever quiescent.
His radiance shines on everyone in all worlds.
Without form, without action, and without any image or reflection,
Like a cloud in the sky: Perceive him thus.
The state of concentration of the Buddha’s body,
Unfathomable by any sentient being,
Is revealed to them through inconceivable expedient methods.
King Wisdom Light enlightens thus.
Oceans of dharma doors, as many as motes of dust in Buddhalands,
Can be proclaimed completely in a single sentence.
Yet oceans of eons would not be time enough to describe them all.
Light of Wholesome Reflective Wisdom is liberated thus.
The Buddhas’ perfect voice reaches equally to all in the world.
Each being attains insight according to its kind,
And yet the sound causes no discriminations.
Brahma King Universal Sound awakens thus.
All Thus Come Ones in the three periods of time
Progress towards bodhi through expedient practices.
Everything culminates with the realization of Buddhahood.
The god Freedom with Sounds is liberated thus.
Sentient beings all have their own distinct karma.
According to their causes, various results occur.
The Buddhas make clear that this is the nature of the world.
The god Still and Quiet Brightness awakens thus.
At ease with countless dharma doors,
He tames sentient beings throughout the ten directions,
Without discriminating among them.
Such is the state of Pervasive Light.
The Buddha’s body is as infinite as the void.
Formless and unobstructed, it pervades the ten directions.
All his manifestations resemble illusions.
King Transforming Sounds enlightens to this path.
The Thus Come One’s physical form is boundless.
So, too, are his wisdom and the sound of his voice.
Abiding in the world and displaying his form, he has no attachments.
Celestial King Dazzling Light enters this passage.
The Dharma King settles in the Wondrous Dharma Palace.
The light of his Dharma body shines on all.
The Dharma nature is incomparable and devoid of form.
This is the liberation of King Ocean-like Sounds.
Moreover, Celestial King Self-Mastery gained a passage into liberation of making use of a treasure trove of freedom and ease in appearing before countless sentient beings and bringing them to maturation. Celestial King Lord Good Eyes gained a passage into liberation of contemplating the joys of all sentient beings and then helping them to experience the joy found in the realm of sages. Celestial King Crown like a Banner of Wonderful Jewels gained a passage into liberation of rousing sentient beings to action by complying with their various desires and understandings.
Celestial King Courageous Wisdom gained a passage into liberation of universally gathering in all sentient beings and explaining principles to them. Celestial King Phrases of Sublime Sounds gained a passage into liberation of advancing in his own practice by recollecting the Thus Come Ones’ vast kindness. Celestial King Banner of Splendid Light gained a passage into liberation of revealing the gate of great compassion that can subjugate the arrogance of some beings, who wear it like a banner. Celestial King Realm of Quiescence gained a passage into liberation of subduing all hatred and malice among beings in the world.
Celestial King Banner Embellished with Wonderful Wheels gained a passage into liberation of being able, by remembering countless Buddhas of the ten directions, tohave them come to where he is. Celestial King Flower Light Wisdom gained a passage into liberation of universally manifesting the realization of Proper Enlightenment according to the thoughts of sentient beings. Celestial King Indra’s Wonderful Brightness gained a passage into liberation of entering all worlds by means of great awesome strength and masterful methods.
At that time, Celestial King Self-Mastery received the Buddha’s awesome spiritual power, universally contemplated the multitudes of the Heavens of Self-Mastery, and spoke the following verse:
The Buddha’s body is pervasive and equal to the Dharma Realm.
Universally responding to beings, he appears before them all,
Offering various ways to enter the teachings as he transforms and guides them,
So that they will attain ease in the Dharma and reach enlightenment.
Among the different joys in the world,
The quiescent bliss of the sages is the most supreme.
Abiding in the profuse vastness of the Dharma nature,
Celestial King Wondrous Eyes perceives thus.
The Thus Come One appears throughout the ten directions.
He speaks Dharma by universally responding to the hearts of the masses.
All doubts are vanquished and severed:
This is the passage into liberation of Wonderful Banner-like Crown.
Buddhas throughout all worlds communicate with wondrous sounds.
The Dharma spoken throughout countless eons
Can be wholly expressed in a single sentence.
Courageous Wisdom god is liberated thus.
The immense kindness of all those in the world
Does not measure up to the tiniest fraction of the Thus Come One’s kindness.
Like space, the Buddha’s kindness is inexhaustible.
This is the achievement of the god Sublime Sounds.
The arrogance of sentient beings, towering as a mountain,
Is completely vanquished without residue by the Ten Powers.
This function of the Thus Come One’s great compassion
Is the way practiced by the King Banner of Splendid Light.
Pure light of wisdom fills beings in all worlds.
Those who see it cast out ignorance and darkness,
Which enables them to leave all evil paths.
Celestial King Quiescence awakens to this Dharma.
The light streaming from the Buddhas’ pores proclaims
Names of Buddhas as many as the number of beings.
Sentient beings may hear whatever they enjoy hearing.
Banner with Wonderful Wheels is liberated thus.
The Thus Come One’s freedom and ease cannot be measured.
It entirely fills space and the Dharma Realm.
The myriad assemblies behold it clearly:
Flower Wisdom enters this passage to liberation.
Throughout oceans of countless, boundless great eons,
Buddhas manifest everywhere in the ten directions to speak the Dharma,
Yet no one ever sees them come or go.
The god Wonderful Brightness enlightens to this.
Moreover, Celestial King Skilled at Transformations gained a passage into liberation of explaining the transformational power of all karma. Celestial King Silent Radiance gained a passage into liberation of renouncing all opportunistic tendencies. Celestial King Illumination of Powerful Transformations gained a passage into liberation of universally eradicating the dark and deluded thoughts of sentient beings, thus enabling them to perfect their wisdom. Celestial King Lord of Adornment gained a passage into liberation of bringing forth boundless, delightful sounds. Celestial King Light of Mindfulness gained a passage into liberation of understanding all Buddhas’ infinite attributes of blessings and virtue.
Celestial King Tremendous Thundercloud gained a passage into liberation of universally knowing the formation and decay of all past eons as well as their sequence. Celestial King Supreme Light gained a passage into liberation of awakening the wisdom of all sentient beings. Celestial King Wonderful Cowl gained a passage into liberation of releasing light that quickly fills the ten directions of space. Celestial King Joyful Wisdom gained a passage into liberation of maintaining a powerful vigor that makes it impossible to destroy his accomplishments. Celestial King Flower Light Cowl gained a passage into liberation of knowing the retributions undergone by all sentient beings due to their karma. Celestial King Universally Viewing the Ten Directions gained a passage into liberation of manifesting the different shapes of inconceivably many kinds of sentient beings.
previous next Contents
Chapter 1 pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
return to top
