The Ten Good Teachers of the Ten Dwellings
III. Bhikshu Good Dwelling, Kingdom of Seashore
Dwelling of Cultivation
At that time, the Youth Good Wealth singlemindedly recollected the teachings of his good knowing advisor. He singlemindedly recollected the Universal Eye dharma-door. He singlemindedly recollected the Buddhas' spiritual powers. He singlemindedly held the clouds of phrases of Dharma. He single mindedly entered the door of the sea of Dharma. He single mindedly pondered the differences in dharmas. He deeply entered the whirlpool of Dharma. He universally entered the emptiness of Dharma. He purified the cataract-like obstructions to Dharma. He contemplated the place of Dharma treasures.
He gradually proceeded south on the road to Lanka, and arrived at the village Seashore. He looked throughout the ten directions in search of Good Dwelling. He saw the bhikshu walking back and forth in empty space, while a countless number of gods surrounded him in veneration. Heavenly flowers were strewn while heavenly music played, and countless streamers, banners, silken fabrics and garments filled up empty space as offerings.
All the great dragon kings in empty space wrought inconceivable clouds of sinking-in-water fragrance, and aroused the thunder and stirred up the lightning as an offering. Kinnara kings played various kinds of music, praising him in accordance with Dharma, as an offering. Mahoraga kings twirled and billowed inconceivable, exquisitely fine garments, ornamenting empty space, and from their hearts bringing forth joyous delight as an offering.
Asura kings wrought inconceivable clouds of mani gems, which, with their measureless lights and all sorts of adornments, pervaded empty space as an offering. Garuda kings transformed themselves into the shapes of pure youths, surrounded by measureless heavenly maidens, and ultimately accomplished the mind of no killing or harming. In empty space they put their palms together as an offering. There were an inconceivable number of rakshasa ghost kings, surrounded by measureless rakshasas, their shapes tall, gigantic, and fearsome.
Upon seeing the compassionate ease and comfort of the bhikshu Good Dwelling, they bowed, put their palms together, and gazed up in admiration. An inconceivable number of yaksha ghost kings, each of them circumambulated by their retinues, were stationed on all four sides, respectfully guarding and protective.
An inconceivable number of Brahma Heaven kings bowed in empty space, put their palms together, and used human dharmas as praises and glorification. An inconceivable number of gods from the Pure Dwelling Heavens were in the empty space, replete with their palaces. They respectfully put their palms together and brought forth magnanimous vows.
When the Youth Good Wealth beheld all of these events, his heart grew joyous. Putting his palms together and respectfully making obeisance, he said, "Sagely One, I have already brought forth the resolve for anuttarasamyaksambodhi.
However, I still do not know how a Bodhisattva cultivates Buddhadharmas; how he accumulates Buddhadharmas; how he becomes endowed with Buddhadharmas; how he becomes saturated with Buddhadharmas; how he increases and grows in Buddhadharmas; how he unites and gathers in Buddhdharmas; how he brings Buddhadharmas to the ultimate; how he purifies and regulates Buddhadharmas; how he profoundly purifies Buddhadharmas; how he penetrates Buddhadharmas.
“I heard that the Sagely One is adept at guiding and teaching. I wish you will compassionately tell me how a Bodhisattva never gives up seeing the Buddhas, but forever diligently cultivates where they are; how a Bodhisattva never forsakes other Bodhisattvas, but shares with them the same good roots; how a Bodhisattva does not renounce Buddhadharmas, but obtains understanding and certification from wisdom; how a Bodhisattva does not renounce great vows, but can universally benefit all living beings; how a Bodhisattva does not renounce the multitude of conducts, but dwells throughout all kalpas without his mind becoming tired; how a bodhisattva does not renounce the Buddha kshetras, but universally adorns and purifies all worlds; how a Bodhisattva does not renounce the Buddhas' powers, but knows and sees the Thus Come Ones’ ease and comfort; how a Bodhisattva does not renounce conditioned existence and yet also does not dwell in it, but universally in all destinies of existence, just like transformations, makes appear the undergoing of birth and death and cultivates the Bodhisattva conduct; how a Bodhisattva does not renounce hearing the Dharma, but can completely comprehend and receive the proper teachings of all Buddhas; how a Bodhisattva does not renounce the light of wisdom, but universally enters the place of operation of wisdom of the three periods of time."
At that time, the bhikshu Good Dwelling said to Good Wealth, "Good Indeed! Good Indeed! Good man, you have already brought forth the resolve for anuttarasamyaksambodhi, and now you have furthermore brought forth the resolve to inquire about Buddhadharmas, the dharmas of All-Wisdom, and the dharmas of the self-produced.
“Good man, I have already accomplished an unobstructed liberation door of a Bodhisattva. Whether in coming or going, in moving or stopping, I can consider accordingly. I cultivate and contemplate and immediately obtain a wisdom-light, which is called ultimate non-obstruction. Because I have attained this wisdom-light, I know of the activities in the minds of all living beings without obstruction. I know of the deaths and births of all living beings without obstruction. I know of the past lives of all living beings without obstruction. I know all the events of living beings in future kalpas without obstruction. I know all the events of living beings in the present period, without obstruction. I know all the varieties of languages, speech, and sounds of all living beings, without obstruction. I resolve the doubts and questions of all living beings without obstruction. I know all the faculties of living beings without obstruction.
“According to when all living beings should be transformed, I can go and attend to them without obstruction. I know all kshanas, lapas, muhurtas, time periods of days and nights without obstruction. I know the successive flowing and turnings of the sea of the three periods of time, without obstruction. My body can travel everywhere to all Buddha kshetras of the ten directions without obstruction.
“Why is this? Because I have attained the psychic power of non-dwelling and non-doing. Good man, upon attaining the power of such spiritual penetrations, I can course in empty space, or walk, or stand, or sit, or recline. I can conceal or reveal myself. I can manifest one body or manifest many bodies. I can penetrate through walls as if through empty space. Within empty space, I sit in full lotus and come and go at ease, just like a bird in flight. I can enter into the earth, as though it were water. I can tread on water as though it were earth. From the upper and lower parts of my body, I can universally emit smoke and flames like a big burning fire Or at times I quake all of the great earth. At other times my hands touch the sun and moon. I manifest a body that is tall enough to reach the Brahma palaces; or manifest burning incense clouds; or manifest jeweled flaming clouds; or manifest transforming clouds; or manifest brightness net clouds—all of them vast and great, covering the ten directions.
“Or within one thought I can travel east through one world, two worlds, a hundred worlds, a thousand worlds, a hundred thousand worlds, to the extent of measureless worlds, to the extent of ineffably ineffable worlds; or I can traverse worlds in number like dust motes in Jambudvipa; or traverse worlds in number like dust motes within ineffably ineffable Buddha kshetras. And within all these Buddha countries, before the Buddhas, World Honored Ones, I listen to them speak the Dharma.
“Within each of those Buddhas’ places, I manifest as many different bodies as there are dust motes in limitless Buddha kshetras. From each body I rain down clouds of offerings in number like dust motes in limitless Buddha kshetras. Specifically, clouds of all flowers, clouds of all incense, clouds of all garlands, clouds of all powdered incense, clouds of all paste incense, clouds of all canopies, clouds of all garments, clouds of all banners, clouds of all streamers, and clouds of all curtains. I make these offerings with clouds of all bodies.
“I receive and uphold everything that each Thus Come One proclaims. I remember all the adornments in each country. As it is in the east, so too, in the south, west, north and four intermediate directions, above and below, it is the same way. Within all of these worlds, if there are any living beings who see my form, they all will certainly attain anuttarasamyaksambodhi. I can clearly see all the living beings in all of these worlds. According to whether they are large or small, superior or inferior, suffering or joyous, I manifest in a form similar to theirs to teach and transform them and bring them to accomplishment. If there are living beings who draw near to me, I will cause them all to dwell securely in this dharma-door.
“Good man, I only know this unobstructed liberation door of Universally and Swiftly Making Offerings to All Buddhas, and bringing all living beings to accomplishment. But as to how all Bodhisattvas hold the precepts of great compassion, the precepts of paramita, the precepts of the Great Vehicle, the precepts of connection with the Bodhisattva path, the precepts of non-obstruction, the precepts of not retreating and not falling, the precepts of not abandoning the Bodhi mind, the precepts of constantly using Buddhadharmas as one's basis, the precepts of being attentive to All-Wisdom, the precepts of being like empty space, the precepts of depending on nothing within all worlds, the precepts of no loss, the precepts of no difficiency, the precepts of no lack, the precepts of no admixture, the precepts of no turbidity, the precepts of no regret, the precepts of purity, the precepts of being apart from dust, the precepts of being apart from filth—how could I possibly know or speak of all of their merit and virtue?
“Good man, south of here in a country called Dramidapattana, in a city called Comfort and Ease, is a person known as Megha. Go to where he is and ask him how a Bodhisattva studies the Bodhisattva conduct, and how he cultivates the Bodhisattva path.”
At that time, the Youth Good Wealth bowed at his feet. He circumambulated him to the right, gazing up at him with longing admiration. Then he bade farewell and took his leave.
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