The Ten Good Teachers of the Ten Dwellings
II. Bhikshu Sea Cloud, Kingdom Gate of the Sea
Dwelling of the Ground of Regulation
At that time, the Youth Good Wealth single-mindedly pondered the teaching of the good knowing advisor. With proper mindfulness he contemplated the door of wisdom light. With proper mindfulness he contemplated the Bodhisattva's door of liberation. With proper mindfulness he contemplated the Bodhisattva's door of samadhi. With proper mindfulness he contemplated the Bodhisattva's door to the great sea. With proper mindfulness he contemplated the door of all Buddhas' manifestations. With proper mindfulness he contemplated the door of all Buddhas' Way-places. With proper mindfulness he contemplated the door of all Buddhas' guiding rules. With proper mindfulness he contemplated the door of all Buddhas' equality with the realm of empty space. With proper mindfulness he contemplated the door of all Buddhas' successive appearances. With proper mindfulness he contemplated the door of all Buddhas' entries into expedients.
He gradually went south, until he arrived at the Kingdom, Gate of the Sea. At the place of the bhikshu Sea Cloud, he bowed at his feet. After circumambulating to the right, he put his palms together before him, and said, “Sagely One, I have already brought forth the resolve for anuttarasamyaksambodhi. I wish to enter all of the seas of unsurpassed wisdom, and yet I do not know how a Bodhisattva can renounce the mundane home of the world and be born in the Thus Come One’s household; or how one can cross over the sea of birth and death, and enter the Buddha's wisdom sea; or how one can leave the ground of an ordinary person and enter the Thus Come One’s grounds; how one can sever the flow of birth and death and enter the flow of the Bodhisattva's conduct; how one can smash the wheel of birth and death, and accomplish the Bodhisattva's wheel of vows; how one can destroy the demon's states and manifest the Buddhas' states; how one can dry up the sea of love and desire and increase the sea of great compassion; how one can close all the doors of all difficulties and evil destinies and open all the doors of great Nirvana; how one can leave the city of the Triple Realm and enter the city of All-Wisdom; how one can renounce all objects of delight and enjoyment, and benefit all living beings.”
At that time, the bhikshu Sea Cloud asked the Youth Good Wealth,
"Good man, have you already brought forth the resolve for anuttarasamyaksambodhi?"
Good Wealth answered, "Yes, I have brought forth the resolve for anuttarasamyaksambodhi.”
Sea Cloud said, "Good Man, if living beings have not planted good roots, they cannot bring forth the resolve for anuttarasamyaksambodhi. One must obtain the light of good roots of the door to universality, become replete with the samadhi wisdom-light of the true path, give rise to various vast and great seas of blessings, and nurture pristine and pure dharmas without laziness or resting. One must serve good knowing advisors without becoming tired or satiated. One must disregard one's body and life. One must not conceal or hoard. One's mind must be level, like the earth, without ups or downs. One's nature must always compassionately pity all living beings. With concentrated mindfulness, one must never forsake all destinies of existence. One must constantly take delight in contemplating the Thus Come Ones’ states. In such a way one can bring forth the Bodhi resolve.
"As for bringing forth the bodhi resolve:
It means one brings forth a great, compassionate mind, in order to universally save all beings. One brings forth a great kind mind, in order to equally protect all worlds. One brings forth a tranquil and happy mind, in order to cause all beings to destroy their sufferings. One brings forth a mind of beneficence, in order to cause all beings to separate from evil dharmas. One brings forth a sympathetic mind, in order to guard all those who are afraid. One brings forth an unobstructed mind, in order to leave behind all obstructions. One brings forth a vast, great mind, in order to pervade all Dharma realms. One brings forth a boundless mind, because one is equal to the realm of empty space, and there is nowhere one does not go. One brings forth a broad, extensive mind, because one sees all Thus Come Ones. One brings forth a pure mind, because one does not contradict the wisdom of the dharmas of the three periods of time. One brings forth the mind of All-Wisdom, because one universally enters the seas of All-Wisdom.
"Good man, I have lived in this country, Gate of the Sea, for twelve years.
I have always regarded the sea as my state. Specifically, I have pondered how the great sea is vast and extensive without measure. I have pondered how the great sea is profoundly deep and hard to fathom. I have pondered the gradual deepening and widening of the great sea. I have pondered the limitless, rare, wonderful and adorned jewels within the great sea. I have pondered the immeasurable amount of water that is gathered by the great sea. I have pondered the inconceivability of the different colors of the water in the great sea.
I have pondered the great sea as the dwelling place for limitless living creatures. I have pondered how the great sea encompasses the various beings with large bodies. I have pondered how the great sea receives the rain that the large clouds pour down. I have pondered how the great sea is without increase or decrease.
"Good man, when I was contemplating I also had this thought: Within this world, is there anything more broad and extensive than this sea? Is there anything more immeasurable than this sea? Is there anything deeper than this sea? Is there anything more rare and special than this sea?
"Good man, at the moment I was having that thought, suddenly from the depths of the sea, a large lotus flower emerged. Invincible indra-nila jewels made up the stem. Vaidurya gems formed its calyx. Jambunada gold made up its leaves. Sinking-in-water incense made up its platform. Carnelian formed its fine filaments. It bloomed with a lush fragrance that covered the sea.
"A million asura kings upheld its stem. A million nets adorned with mani jewels hovered above it. A million dragon kings rained down fragrant water upon it. A million garuda kings dangled from their beaks strings of beads and jeweled silk ribbons, which hung down all around it. A million rakshasa kings contemplated it with a mind of kindness. A million yaksha kings bowed to it with reverence. A million gandharva kings praised it with all sorts of music as offerings. A million heavenly kings rained down heavenly flowers, heavenly garlands, heavenly fragrances, heavenly burning incense, heavenly paste incense, heavenly powdered incense, wonderful heavenly robes, heavenly banners, streamers, and canopies. A million Brahma kings bowed in reverence. A million gods from the Pure Dwelling Heavens placed their palms together and made obeisance. A million wheel-turning kings each made offerings of adornments of the seven jewels.
“A million sea spirits appeared simultaneously, and respectfully bowed. A million light-flavor mani jewels universally illumined. A million pure blessings mani jewels formed an adornment. A million universal light mani jewels served as its pure treasury.
“There were a million supreme mani jewels, their light radiant and dazzling. There were a million wonderful treasury mani jewels, their light radiating infinitely. There were a million jambu banner mani jewels, successively arranged in rows. There were a million vajra lion mani jewels, indestructible, pure, and adorning.
There were a million sun treasury mani jewels, vast, great, and pure. There were a million delightful mani jewels, replete with various colors. There were a million as-you-will mani jewels, their adornments endless, their effulgence dazzling.
“This great lotus flower was born from the transcendental good roots of the Thus Come Ones’ appearances in the world, and was a source of faith and rejoicing for all Bodhisattvas. Within the ten directions’ worlds, there was no place where it did not appear. It was born from dharmas that are like an illusion. It was born from dharmas that are like a dream. It was born from pure karma. It was adorned by the dharma-door of non-contention. It entered the seal of the unconditioned.
It dwelt in the door of non-obstruction. It filled up all countries of the ten directions. It complied with the most profound states of the Buddhas. Throughout countless hundreds of thousands of kalpas, its merit and virtue could not be praised to exhaustion.
“At that time, I saw atop the lotus flower a Thus Come One seated in full lotus. His body extended all the way up to the Summit of Existence. His jeweled lotus flower throne was inconceivable. His Way-places and assembly were inconceivable. The accomplishment of his marks was inconceivable. The perfection of his minor characteristics was inconceivable. His spiritual penetrations and transformations were inconceivable. The purity of his physical characteristics was inconceivable. The mark of his invisible crown was inconceivable. His vast and long tongue was inconceivable. His good and clever speech was inconceivable. The full and resonant sounds of his voice were inconceivable. His boundless powers were inconceivable. His pure fearlessnesses were inconceivable. His vast, great eloquences were inconceivable.
“Moreover, I recollected that the conducts this Buddha had cultivated in the past were inconceivable; that his accomplishments of the Way with self-mastery were inconceivable; that the wonderful voices with which he proclaimed Dharma were inconceivable; that his universal door of manifesting all sorts of adornments was inconceivable; that everything around him was inconceivable, each singularly distinctive to look at; that his perfection of all benefits was inconceivable.
“At that time, the Thus Come One stretched out his right hand and rubbed me on the crown and spoke for me the Universal Eye dharma-door. It revealed the states of all Thus Come Ones. It disclosed and expounded all conducts of all Bodhisattvas. It explained the wonderful dharmas of all Buddhas. All wheels of dharma entered within it. It could purify all Buddha countries. It could defeat all heterodox ways and deviant theories. It could destroy all demon armies. It could cause all living beings to be happy. It could illuminate the workings of activity in all beings’ minds. It could understand the faculties of all beings. According to living beings’ hearts, it could cause them to become enlightened.
"From the place of that Thus Come One, I heard of this dharma-door. I received, upheld, and recited it. I mindfully recollected it, and held it in contemplation. If someone used as much ink as there is water in the great seas and a stack of pens as high as Mount Sumeru to write out this Universal Eye dharma-door, he would not express the slightest fraction of a single door within a single chapter, or a single dharma within a single door, or a single meaning within a single dharma, or a single phrase within a single meaning. How much the less would he be able to thoroughly exhaust it!
"Good man, I have lived at that Buddha's place for twelve hundred years, receiving and upholding this Universal Eye dharma-door. Day after day, through the dharanibrightness of Listening and Holding, I receive countless chapters, through the dharani brightness of the door of Quiet Stillness, I enter countless chapters. Through the dharani brightness of Boundless Revolvings, I universally enter countless chapters. Through the dharani brightness of Contemplation According to the Grounds, I discriminate countless chapters. Through the dharani brightness of Awesome Power, I universally gather in countless chapters. Through the dharani brightness of Lotus Flower Adornments, I discover countless chapters. Through the dharani brightness of the Sounds of Pure Words, I proclaim countless chapters. Through the dharani brightness of the Treasury of Empty Space, I manifest countless chapters. Through the dharani brightness of Accumulated Radiance, I increase and expand countless chapters. Through the dharani brightness of the Treasury of Seas, I expound and analyze countless chapters.
"If living beings arrive from the ten directions, whether gods or heavenly kings, dragons or dragon kings, yakshas or yaksha kings, gandharvas or gandharva kings, asuras or asura kings, garudas or garuda kings, kinnaras or kinnara kings, mahoragas or mahoraga kings, humans or human kings, brahmas or brahma kings—for all these beings who come to where I am, I give thorough instruction, explanation, exaltation, and praise. I cause them all to delight in, enter into, and dwell securely in this Universal Eye dharma-door of the light of all Buddhas’ and Bodhisattvas' conducts.
"Good man, I only know this Universal Eye dharma-door. But as to how all Bodhisattvas, Mahasattvas deeply enter the sea of all Bodhisattva conducts, in order to follow their vow power in cultivation; how they enter the sea of great vows, in order to dwell for limitless kalpas in the world; how they enter the sea of all living beings, in accord with their minds’ delights, so as vastly benefit them; how they enter the sea of all living beings’ hearts, in order to bring forth unobstructed wisdom light of the Ten Powers; how they enter the sea of all living beings' faculties, in order to teach and transform them at the opportune time and make them all tamed and subdued; how they enter the sea of all kshetras, in order to fulfill their original vows to adorn and purify Buddha kshetras; how they enter the sea of all Buddhas, because they have vowed to forever make offerings to all Thus Come Ones; how they enter the sea of all dharmas, because they can enlighten to all of them through wisdom; how they enter the sea of all merits and virtues, in order to cultivate each one of them to perfection; how they enter the sea of all living beings' languages and words, in order, within all kshetras, to turn the Proper Dharma Wheel—how could I possibly know or speak of such conduct of merit and virtue?
"Good man, travel to the south for sixty yojanas. Along the road to Lanka, there is a village called Seashore. There is a bhikshu there called Good Dwelling. Go there and ask him how one purifies the Bodhisattva conduct."
At that time, the Youth Good Wealth bowed at the feet of Sea Cloud, circumambulated him to the right, gazed up in admiration at him, bade farewell and took his leave.
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