The Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara was seated in full lotus upon a vajra jeweled stone. Limitless Bodhisattvas, also seated on jeweled rocks, respectively surrounded him. He proclaimed for them the Dharma of Great Kindness and Compassion, and caused them to gather in and receive all living beings.
Upon seeing this, Good Wealth was delighted and leapt with joy. He put his palms together and attentively regarded that Bodhisattva, never even blinking his eyes. He had the following thought:
The good knowing advisor is just the Thus Come One.
The good knowing advisor is the cloud of all Dharmas.
The good knowing advisor is treasury of all merits and virtues.
The good knowing advisor is difficult to get to encounter.
The good knowing advisor is the precious cause of the ten powers.
The good knowing advisor is the torch of unending wisdom.
The good knowing advisor is the roots and sprouts of blessings and virtue.
The good knowing advisor is the gateway to all wisdom.
The good knowing advisor is the guiding master in the sea of wisdom.
The good knowing advisor is the provider of aids to the path to reach all wisdom.
Thereupon he went to where the great Bodhisattva was. When Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara saw Good Wealth from a distance, he spoke to him, saying, “You have come well! You have brought forth the resolve for the Great Vehicle, to universally gather in all living beings. You have given rise to a proper and straight mind, to intently seek the Buddha-dharma. With great compassion profound and deep, you save and protect all. The wonderful conduct of Universal Worthy continually appears before you. The profound mind of great vows is perfected and purified in you.
“You diligently seek the Buddhadharmas and can completely accept them. You amass good roots, forever without repugnance or satiation. You accord with good knowing advisors and do not oppose their teachings. You are born from the great seas of merit and virtue of Manjushri’s wisdom. Your mind has come to maturity. You have attained the Buddhas’ might. You have already attained the light of vast great samadhi. You intently aspire toward and seek the most profound, wonderful Dharma. You forever see all Buddhas and bring forth great happiness. Your wisdom is purified, like the empty space. And moreover, once you yourself have understood, you explain it to others. And you securely dwell in the Thus Come Ones’ wisdom light.”
At that time, the youth Good Wealth bowed at the feet of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, and circumambulated him countless times. With his palms placed together, he stood 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 teaching and guiding. I wish you would explain this for me.”
The Bodhisattva said, "Good indeed, good indeed, good man, that you have already brought for the resolve for anuttarasamyaksambodhi! Good man, I have accomplished a Bodhisattva's liberation door of the Conduct of Great Compassion. Good man, by means of this Bodhisattva conduct door of Great Compassion, with impartiality I teach and transform all living beings continually without stop. Good man, when I abide in this door of Conduct of Great Compassion, I am always in the presence of all Thus Come Ones, as well as universally manifesting before all living beings.
“Perhaps with giving, I gather in living beings, or with kind words, or with beneficial conduct, or with similar work, I gather in living beings. Or I make appear a physical body to gather in living beings. Or I manifest nets of pure lights of various inconceivable colors, to gather in living beings. Or I use sounds, or awesome comportment, or speak Dharma for them, or manifest spiritual transformations, so as to enlighten their minds and bring them to maturation. Or I transformationally manifest a shape similar to their own, dwell with them, and bring them to maturity.
“Good man, as I cultivate this conduct door of Great Compassion, I vow to forever save and protect all living beings. I vow to enable all living beings to separate from the fear of treacherous paths, to separate from the fear of hot afflictions, to separate from the fear of confused delusion, to separate from the fear of being bound and fettered, to separate from the fear of being killed and harmed, to separate from the fear of poverty and destitution, to separate from the fear of not living, to separate from the fear of evil reputation, to separate from the fear of death, to separate from the fear of the great assembly, to separate from the fear of evil destinies, to separate from the fear of darkness, to separate from the fear of wandering and drifting, to separate from the fear of parting from that which one loves, to separate from the fear of encountering that which one hates, to separate from the fear of that which oppresses the body, to separate from the fear of that which oppresses to the mind, and to separate from the fear of worry and anxiety.
“Moreover, I make the following vow: I vow that all living beings who are mindful of me, or recite my name, or see my person, will be completely spared and removed from all apprehension and terror. Good man, once I have, with those expedients, caused all living beings to separate from apprehension and terror, I further teach them to bring forth the resolve for anuttarasamyaksambodhi.
“Good man, I have only attained this Bodhisattva Conduct door of Great Compassion. But as to how Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas have already purified all of Universal Worthy's vows; how they already abide in all of Universal Worthy's conducts; how they forever practice all wholesome Dharmas; how they forever enter all samadhis; how they forever dwell throughout all boundless kalpas; how they forever know the Dharmas of all the three periods of time; how they forever travel to all boundless kshetras; how they forever put to rest the evils of all living beings; how they forever make grow the goodness of all living beings; how they forever cut off the flow of birth and death of all living beings—how could I possibly know or speak of their conducts of merit and virtue?”
At that time to the east was a Bodhisattva named Proper Inclination who, from empty space, arrived at the summit of the Wheel Ring Mountain of the Saha world. At the mere touch of his foot on the earth, the Saha world shook in six ways. Everything became adorned with multitudes of jewels. Proper Inclination Bodhisattva emitted effulgence from his body that overshadowed everything: the brilliance of the sun, the moon, stars, lightning; the gods, dragons, the rest of the eightfold division; Shakra, Brahma and world protecting kings—all became like a mass of ink.
That light universally illumined all the regions of hells, animals, hungry ghosts and King Yama. It completely extinguished the multitudes of suffering within all those evil destinies, so that their afflictions did not arise, and they were completely separated from anxiety and grief.
Moreover, in all Buddhalands, he universally rained down all flowers, incense, beads, ropes, banners, and canopies, and with all those objects of adornment, he made offerings to the Buddhas.
Furthermore, according to that which living beings like, he universally manifested a body in all palaces, and caused all those who beheld his body to be completely happy. And then he came to where Avalokiteshvara was.
At that time, the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara said to Good Wealth, “Good man, have you not seen Proper Inclination Bodhisattva arrive at this assembly?”
Good Wealth said, "Yes, I have seen him."
The Bodhisattva said, "Good man, you can go and ask him how a Bodhisattva studies the Bodhisattva conduct and cultivates the Bodhisattva Way.
XXVIII. Proper Inclination Bodhisattva, The Iron Ring Mountains
The Transference of the Mark of True Suchness
At that time, respectfully heeding his instructions, the youth Good Wealth quickly went to where the Bodhisattva was. He bowed at the Bodhisattva’s feet, placed his palms together, stood and said, “Sagely one, I have already brought forth the resolve for anuttarasamyaksambodhi, but I still do hot 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 teaching and guiding. I wish that you would explain this for me.”
Proper Inclination Bodhisattva said, “Good man, I have attained a Bodhisattva’s liberation called Universal Door of Swift Conduct.”
Good Wealth said, “Sagely One, from which Buddha’s place did you obtain this Dharma door? How far is that kshetra away from here? And how long has it been since you set forth?”
Proper Inclination said, "Good man, this matter is difficult to know; it is something that gods, people, asuras, shramanas, brahmans, and so forth of all the worlds cannot understand. Only those Bodhisattva multitudes, who are courageous and vigorous, non-retreating and without timidity; who have already been gathered in by all good friends; of whom all Buddhas are mindful; whose good roots are complete and full; whose resolve and aspirations are purified; who have attained Bodhisattva faculties; and who possess the wisdom eye—only they are able to hear and uphold it, and able to understand and explain it.”
Good Wealth said, "Sagely One, relying on the spiritual power of the Buddhas, and the strength of good knowing advisors, I am able to believe in and receive it. I pray you would explain it for me.”
Proper Inclination Bodhisattva said, "Good man, I originate from the Wonderful Treasury World in the east. I have come to this region from the place of Universal Buddha. I have attained this Dharma door at that Buddha's place. Since setting forth, I have passed through kalpas many as dust motes in ineffably ineffable Buddha kshetras. In thought after thought, I take steps as many as dust motes in ineffably ineffable Buddha kshetras. In every step, I traverse Buddha kshetras as many as dust motes in ineffably ineffable worlds. I pervasively enter every Buddha kshetra. Upon arriving at those Buddhas’ places, I present them with offerings of wonderful articles. All of those offerings are accomplished by the unsurpassed mind. Sealed by the Dharma of Non-doing, acknowledged by all Thus Come Ones, and lauded by all Bodhisattvas.
“Good man, I also universally see all the living beings within those worlds. I completely know their minds, and completely know their faculties. According to their wishes and understanding, I manifest a body to speak the Dharma. Perhaps I emit light or dispense wealth and jewels. With various different expedients, I teach, transform, tame, and subdue them, never pausing to rest. As it is in the east, so too, in the south, west, north, the four intermediary directions, above and below, it is the same way.
“Good man, I have only attained this liberation of Universal and Swift Conduct of a Bodhisattva. I can swiftly pervade and arrive at all places. But as to how all Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas universally arrive everywhere throughout the ten directions without exception; how their states of wisdom are equal and without discrimination; how they skillfully extend their bodies to completely fill the Dharma Realm; how they arrive at all places; how they enter all kshetras; how they know all Dharmas; how they arrive at all worlds; how they proclaim all Dharma doors with level impartiality; how they simultaneously illuminate all living beings; how toward all Buddhas’ places, they do not give rise to discrimination; how with regards to all places, they are without obstruction—how could I possibly know or speak of their conduct of merit and virtue?
“Good man, south of here in a city called Dvaravati is a spirit called Great Deva. Go to where he is and ask him how a Bodhisattva studies the Bodhisattva conduct and cultivates the Bodhisattva Way.”
At that time, the youth Good Wealth bowed at his feet, circumambulated him countless times, and gazed up at him in longing admiration. Then he bade farewell and took his leave.
