The Ten Good Teachers of the Ten Transferences
XXIV. The Bhikshuni Lion Sprint - The Kingdom Shronaparanta, the Kalinga Grove
The Transference of Reaching All Places
At that time, the youth Good Wealth traveled progressively until he arrived at the city of that kingdom. He searched everywhere for the whereabouts of that bhikshuni. Limitless people told him, “Good man, that bhikshuni speaks Dharma at the Sunlight Garden, donated by Raja Victorious Light. She benefits limitless beings.”
When the youth Good Wealth arrived at that garden, he looked all around it. In the middle of that garden, he saw a big tree, which was called Full Moon. It was shaped like a pavilion and emitted great light that shone for a distance of one yojana. He saw a leafy tree, which was named Universal Covering. It was shaped like a canopy and emitted purple-blue light of vaidurya. He saw a flowering tree named Flower Treasury, whose shape was lofty and vast, like a regal snow mountain. It rained down a multitude of wondrous flowers without end, and was like the parijata tree of the Trayastrimsha Heaven.
Moreover, he saw a tree bearing fruits of sweet dew, which was shaped like a mountain of gold, and which constantly emitted light. It abounded with various different fruits. Moreover, he saw a tree of mani gems called Vairochana Treasury. Its shape was inconceivable. A mind king mani jewel was perched on its top, and asamkhyeyas of colored mani gems adorned it all around.
Moreover, there was a tree of garments named Purity. Various colored robes hung down as ornaments. Moreover, there was a tree of musical sounds, called Happiness. Its sounds were wondrously fine, and excelled all the music of the gods. Moreover, there was a tree of fragrance, called Universal Adornment. It constantly emitted a marvelous perfume, which universally permeated the ten directions without obstruction.
Moreover, in the midst of that garden were springs and streams, pools and reservoirs, all of which were adorned with the seven gems. The silt of black chandana congealed in their midst, while superior wondrous golden sand paved the bottom of those pools. Waters of the eight meritorious virtues abounded and filled them to the brim. Utpala flowers, padma flowers, kumuda flowers, and pundarika flowers covered them on top.
Limitless trees of jewels were arranged in rows everywhere. Underneath those trees of jewels were lion thrones, which were decorated with various kinds of wondrous gems. Heavenly fabric covered them over, while myriads of wondrous incenses permeated them. Jeweled silks were hung, precious tents were erected, while a net of jambu gold draped over them. Jeweled bells swayed gently and gave off wondrous sounds.
Beneath some trees were installed lotus treasury lion thrones. Beneath some trees were installed incense king mani treasury lion thrones. Beneath some trees were installed dragon adornment mani king treasury lion thrones. Beneath some trees were installed clustered lion gems mani king treasury lion thrones. Beneath some trees were installed Vairochana mani king treasury lion thrones. Beneath some trees were installed ten-direction Vairochana mani king treasury lion thrones. Each of those thrones was surrounded by a hundred thousand jeweled lion thrones. Each one of them was replete with limitless adornments.
In the midst of this great garden was filled with multitudes of treasures, as if upon a jeweled island in the great sea. Kachilindika fabric covered the ground. It was soft and wondrously fine, and produced a delightful sensation. Upon stepping on it, one's foot would disappear into it. Upon picking up one's foot, the fabric would spring back.
Moreover, there were limitless birds, which sang forth harmonious and elegant sounds. Chandana jeweled groves were superior, marvelous, and adorned, and they constantly rained down various kinds of wondrous blossoms without end. It was like Lord Shakra's garden of assorted blooms.
Incomparable kings of incense universally permeated everything. It was like Lord Shakra's hall of good Dharma. All the trees of musical sounds and jeweled tala trees had nets of multitudes of precious bells, which gave forth marvelous sounds. They were like the chants and melodies emitted by the goddess Good Mouth in the Heaven of Comfort and Ease. All the wish-fulfilling trees were draped with adornments, like a great sea.
There were limitless hundreds of thousands of towers and pavilions of limitless variations, adorned with multitudes of gems, which were, like the great city Good View of the Trayastrimsha Heavenly Palace. Jeweled canopies were hoisted over a long distance, like the peak of Sumeru. Bright light universally illumined, like the Brahma Heavenly Palace.
At that time, the youth Good Wealth saw that the limitless merit and virtue and the various different adornments within this great garden, were all accomplished as a Bodhisattva's karmic reward. They were brought forth by transcendental good roots. They flowed forth from the merits and virtues of making offerings to all Buddhas. In all worlds, they were equaled by none. All of this was brought to accomplishment by the good karma of the Bhikshuni Lion Sprint, who understood that dharmas are like illusions, and who amassed vast, great pure blessings and virtues.
The gods, dragons, and others of the eightfold division and measureless living beings of the three thousand great thousand worlds all entered that garden, yet it was not cramped.
Why is this? It is because of the inconceivable awesome spiritual power of that bhikshuni.
At that time, the youth Good Wealth saw the Bhikshuni Lion Sprint pervasively seated beneath all the trees of myriad jewels, upon great lion thrones. Her physical characteristics were upright and adorned, her awesome comportment still and quiet. She was like a great elephant king in that her various faculties were subdued and compliant. She was like a clear pure pool in that her mind was without filth or turbidity. She was like a wish-fulfilling gem in that she universally dispensed to all who sought from her.
She was like a lotus flower in that she was undefiled by worldly dharmas. She was like a lion king in that her mind was fearless. She was unmoving like Mount Sumeru in that she protected and upheld pure precepts and could not be moved.
She was like a king of wondrous incense in that she could cause those who saw her to obtain clear coolness in their minds. She was like the wonderful chandana incense in the snow mountain in that she could dispel the afflictions of living beings. She was like the medicine king Good View in that living beings who saw her were relieved of their myriad torments. She was like the god Varuna in that those who beheld her did not do so in vain. She was like a fertile field in that she could make all living beings’ good roots sprout and grow. As the multitudes and assemblies surrounding every throne were different, so too, the Dharma doors she proclaimed were different for every one of them.
Perhaps he saw her seated on a throne, circumambulated by multitudes from the Pure Dwelling Heavens, with the god Great Comfort and Ease as their leader. The bhikshuni spoke for them a Dharma door called Inexhaustible Liberation.
Perhaps he saw her seated on a throne, circumambulated by all the Brahma Heaven multitudes, with Joyous Delight Brahma king as leader. The bhikshuni spoke for them a Dharma door called Universal Door Differentiation, Wheel of Pure Speech and Clear Sounds.
Perhaps he saw her seated on a throne, circumambulated by gods and goddesses of the Heaven of Comfort from Others' Transformations, with Comfortable Heavenly King as their leader. The bhikshuni spoke for them a Dharma door called A Bodhisattva's Pure Mind.
Perhaps he saw her seated on a throne, circumambulated by gods and goddesses of the Heaven of Skillfulness at Transformation, with Skilled at Transformation Heavenly King as their leader. The bhikshuni spoke for them a Dharma door called Wholesome Adornment of all Dharmas.
Perhaps he saw her seated on a throne, circumambulated by gods and goddesses of the Tushita Heaven, with Tushita Heavenly King as their leader. The bhikshuni spoke for them a Dharma door called Revolvings of the Mind Treasury.
Perhaps he saw her seated on a throne, circumambulated by gods and goddesses of the Suyama Heaven, with Suyama Heavenly King as their leader. The bhikshuni spoke for them a Dharma door called Boundless Adornment.
Perhaps he saw her seated on a throne circumambulated by gods and goddesses of the heaven of the Thirty-Three, with Shakra Devanam Indra as their leader. The bhikshuni spoke for them a Dharma door called Repulsion and Separation.
Perhaps he saw her seated on a throne, circumambulated by Dragon King Hundred Lights, Dragon King Nanda, Dragon King Upananda, Dragon King Manasvin, Dragon King Airavana, Dragon King Anavatapta and so forth, together with dragon sons and dragon daughters, with Dragon King Sagara as their leader. The bhikshuni spoke for them a Dharma door called Adorned with the Brightness of the Buddha's State of Spiritual Penetrations.
Perhaps he saw her seated on a throne, circumambulated by a myriad of yaksha multitudes, with Vaishravana Heavenly King as their leader. The bhikshuni spoke for them a Dharma door called Treasury of Rescuing and Protecting Beings.
Perhaps he saw her seated on a throne, circumambulated by gandharva multitudes, with Maintaining the Country Gandharva King as their leader. The bhikshuni spoke for them a Dharma door called Inexhaustible Bliss.
Perhaps he saw her seated on a throne, circumambulated by asura multitudes, with Rahu Asura King as their leader. The bhikshuni spoke for them a Dharma door called Wisdom That Swiftly Adorns the Dharma Realm.
Perhaps he saw her seated on a throne, circumambulated by garuda multitudes, with Swiftly Maintaining Garuda King as their leader. The bhikshuni spoke for them a Dharma door called Terrifying and Stirring Up the Myriad Seas of Existence.
Perhaps he saw her seated on a throne, circumambulated by kinnara multitudes, with Great Tree Kinnara King as their leader. The bhikshuni spoke for them a Dharma door called Bright Light of Buddhas’ Conduct.
Perhaps he saw her seated on a throne, circumambulated by mahoraga multitudes, with Bhrikutimukha Mahoraga King as their leader. The bhikshuni spoke for them a Dharma door called Bringing Forth the Mind of Happiness of a Buddha.
Perhaps he saw her seated on a throne, circumambulated by limitless hundreds of thousands of men and women. The bhikshuni spoke for them a Dharma door called Supreme Conduct.
Perhaps he saw her seated on a throne, circumambulated by rakshasa multitudes, with Constantly Robbing Essence and Energy Great Tree Rakshasa King as their leader. The bhikshuni spoke for them a Dharma door called Bringing Forth a Mind of Compassion and Sympathy.
Perhaps he saw her seated on a throne, circumambulated by living beings who believed and delighted in the Sound Hearers Vehicle. The bhikshuni spoke for them a Dharma door called Supreme Wisdom Light.
Perhaps he saw her seated on a throne, circumambulated by living beings who believed and delighted in the Vehicle of Those Enlightened to Conditions. The bhikshuni spoke for them a Dharma door called Vast Great Light of the Buddha's Merit and Virtue.
Perhaps he saw her seated on a throne, circumambulated by living beings who believed and delighted in the Great Vehicle. The bhikshuni spoke for them a Dharma door called Door of Wisdom Light of Universal Door Samadhi.
Perhaps he saw her seated on a throne, circumambulated by all Bodhisattvas who have brought forth the initial resolve. The bhikshuni spoke for them a Dharma door called The Collection of All Buddhas’ Vows.
Perhaps he saw her seated on a throne, circumambulated by all Bodhisattvas of the Second Ground. The bhikshuni spoke for them a Dharma door called Wheel of Leaving Filth.
Perhaps he saw her seated on a throne circumambulated by all Bodhisattvas of the Third Ground. The bhikshuni spoke for them a Dharma door called The Adornment of Still Quiescence.
Perhaps he saw her seated on a throne, circumambulated by all Bodhisattvas of the fourth ground. The bhikshuni spoke for them a Dharma door called Giving Rise to the States of All Wisdom.
Perhaps he saw her seated on a throne, circumambulated by all Bodhisattvas of the Fifth Ground. The bhikshuni spoke for them a Dharma door called Wonderful Flower Treasury.
Perhaps he saw her seated on a throne, circumambulated by all Bodhisattvas of the Sixth Ground. The bhikshuni spoke for them a Dharma door called Vairochana Treasury.
Perhaps he saw her seated on a throne, circumambulated by all Bodhisattvas of the Seventh Ground. The bhikshuni spoke for them a Dharma door called Ground of Universal Adornment.
Perhaps he saw her seated on a throne, circumambulated by all Bodhisattvas of the eighth ground. The bhikshuni spoke for them a Dharma door called The Body of the State of Pervading the Dharma Realm.
Perhaps he saw her seated on a throne, circumambulated by all Bodhisattvas of the Ninth Ground. The bhikshuni spoke for them a Dharma door called Adornment of the Power of Non-attainment.
Perhaps he saw her seated on a throne, circumambulated by all Bodhisattvas of the Tenth Ground. The bhikshuni spoke for them a Dharma door called The Wheel of Non-obstruction.
Perhaps he saw her seated on a throne, circumambulated by vajra-wielding spirits. The bhikshuni spoke for them a Dharma door called Vajra Wisdom Narayana Adornment.
The youth Good Wealth saw all living beings of the above destinies, those who had already come to maturity, those who had already been tamed and subdued, and those who were worthy Dharma vessels, enter the garden. Each of them sat beneath the bhikshuni’s throne, surrounding it on all sides. According to the relative levels of their desires and understandings, the Bhikshuni Lion Sprint spoke different Dharmas for them, and caused them to attain irreversibility from anuttarasamyaksambodhi. Why is this? It is because this bhikshuni entered the prajna-paramita door of Universal Eye Renouncing and Attaining.
She spoke the prajna-paramita door of all Buddhadharmas; the prajna-paramita door of differentiations in Dharma realms; the prajna-paramita door of dispersing and destroying the wheel of all obstructions; the prajna-paramita door of giving rise to all living beings’ minds of goodness; the prajna-paramita door of supreme adornment; the prajna-paramita door of the non-obstruction of the treasury of true actuality; the prajna-paramita door of perfection of the Dharma realm; the prajna-paramita door of the mind treasury, and the prajna-paramita door of the treasury of universal production.
These ten prajna-paramita doors were foremost among the countless millions of prajna-paramita doors she entered.
The Bodhisattvas and all living beings within that Sunlight Garden were all exhorted by the Bhikshuni Lion Sprint to bring forth their initial resolve, to receive and uphold the proper Dharma, and to reflect upon, cultivate, practice, and attain irreversibility from anuttarasamyaksambodhi.
At that time, the youth Good Wealth, upon seeing such a garden as that of the Bhikshuni Lion Sprint, such couches and thrones, such activities, such multitudes of assemblies, such spiritual powers, such eloquences; and upon hearing such inconceivable Dharma doors, his mind became enriched and nourished by a vast great cloud of Dharmas, and he gave rise to the following thought: I should circumambulate her to the right limitless hundreds of thousands of times!
At that time, the bhikshuni emitted great light that universally illumined the garden and the adornments of the multitudes of assemblies. The youth Good Wealth immediately saw his own body, together with the myriad trees in that grove, all circumambulating with the bhikshuni to their right, revolving around her limitless hundreds of thousands of millions of times.
After the circumambulation was completed, the youth Good Wealth stood with his palms placed together, and said, “Sagely one, I have already brought forth the resolve for anuttarasamyaksambodhi. But I still do not know how a Bodhisattva studies the Bodhisattva conduct, and how he cultivates the Bodhisattva Way. I have heard that the sagely one is skilled at guiding and teaching. I hope you will explain this for me.”
The bhikshuni said, “Good man, I have attained a liberation called Accomplishing All Wisdom.”
Good Wealth said, “Sagely one, for what reasons is it called Accomplishing All Wisdom?”
The bhikshuni said, “Good man, this wisdom light can, within a single thought, universally illumines all Dharmas of the three periods of time.”
Good Wealth said, “Sagely One, what is the state of this wisdom light like?”
The bhikshuni said, “Good man, upon entering this door of wisdom light, I attain the samadhi king of giving rise to all Dharmas. Because of this samadhi, I attain a body born from intent. I travel to Tushita heavenly palaces of all worlds of the ten directions, to the places of Bodhisattvas bound by their very last rebirth.
“Before each one of those Bodhisattvas, I manifest bodies many as dust motes in ineffable Buddha kshetras, and each one of those bodies makes offerings as many as dust motes in ineffable Buddha kshetras. Specifically, I manifest the bodies of heavenly kings, up to and including the bodies of human kings.
“Holding clouds of flowers, holding clouds of garlands, also burning incense, paste incense, and powdered incense; garments, necklaces, banners, streamers, silk ribbons and canopies; jeweled nets, jeweled tents, jeweled treasuries and jeweled lamps—all of these myriad objects of adornment, I hold up and use as offerings.
“As it is in the Tushita palaces where the Bodhisattvas live, so also, in their dwellings in the womb, leaving the womb, being at home, leaving the home life, going to the Way place, accomplishing Equal and Proper Enlightenment, turning the wheel of proper Dharma, and entering Nirvana. In the midst of this, perhaps dwelling in heavenly palaces, or dwelling in dragon palaces, up to and including dwelling in human palaces—at the places of each one of those Buddhas, I make such offerings to them in this way.
“If there are living beings who know that I make offerings to all Buddhas in this way, they will all attain irreversibility from anuttarasamyaksambodhi. If there are living beings who come to where I am, I proclaim prajna-paramita for them.
“Good man, when I regard living beings, I do not discriminate the marks of living beings, because my wisdom eye sees clearly. In hearing all languages and speech, I do not discriminate the marks of language and speech, because my mind has no attachment.
“In seeing all Thus Come Ones, I do not discriminate the marks of Thus Come Ones, because I have understood and penetrated the Dharma body. I make abide and maintain all Dharma wheels, and yet I do not discriminate the marks of Dharma wheels, because I have enlightened to the self-nature of all dharmas. In a single thought I pervasively know all dharmas and yet I do not discriminate the marks of all Dharmas, because I know that dharmas are all like illusions.
“Good man, I only know this liberation door of accomplishing all wisdom. But as to how all Bodhisattva Mahasattvas have minds that are without discrimination, and yet universally know all dharmas; how with one body sitting upright, they fill the Dharma realm; how within their own bodies they manifest all kshetras; how in one thought they completely arrive at all Buddhas’ places; how within their own bodies, they universally manifest the spiritual powers of all Buddhas; how within one hair, they can pervasively accommodate ineffable worlds of all Buddhas; how within a single hair pore on their own bodies, they manifest the formation and decay of ineffable worlds; how in a single thought, they dwell together with ineffably ineffable living beings; how in a single thought, they enter into all ineffably ineffable kalpas—how could I possibly know or speak of their conduct of merit and virtue?”
“Good man, south of here is a kingdom called Dangerous Difficulty. In this kingdom is a city called Jeweled Adornment, and within it is a woman by the name of Vasumitra. Go to where she is and ask her how a Bodhisattva studies the Bodhisattva conduct, and how he cultivates the Bodhisattva Way.”
At that time, the youth Good Wealth bowed at her feet, circumambulated her countless times, and gazed up at her in longing admiration. Then he bade farewell and took his leave.
