The Wondrous Adornments of the Rulers of the Worlds

Chapter One, Part Four and Five

 

Sutra:

I recollect how the Thus Come One, in ages past,
Cultivated throughout limitless eons.
Making offerings to every Buddha appearing in the world,
He accrued merit and virtue as great as space.  

Commentary:

Bodhimanda Spirit Banner of Pure Adornment spoke the following verse: I recollect and think about how the Thus Come One, in ages past, at the level of planting causes, cultivated throughout limitless eons. What Dharma door did he cultivate? He cultivated the Dharma door of extensively making offerings, which is the third of Universal Worthy Bodhisattva’s Ten Kings of Vows.

Making offerings to every Buddha appearing in the world, / He accrued merit and virtue as great as space. When each Buddha throughout the ten directions appeared in the world, Shakyamuni Buddha would be sure to make offerings to him. In this way, he earned indescribably great merit and virtue.  

Sutra:

The Buddha did practice infinite acts of giving,
Equal in number to fine dust motes in measureless lands.
The Bodhi Spirit named Sumeru Brilliant Illumination
Recollects the Well Gone One with jubilation.  

Commentary:

The Buddha did practice infinite acts of giving. The Buddha cultivated not only the giving of wealth, Dharma, and fearlessness, but infinitely many kinds of giving—too many to speak of. His deeds of giving were equal in number to fine dust motes in measureless lands.

The Bodhi Spirit, that is, the Bodhimanda Spirit, named Sumeru Brilliant Illumination / Recollects the Well Gone One with jubilation. The thought of the Buddha’s past practices inspired in her tremendous joy, praise, and the wish to emulate the Buddha.

Sutra:

The Thus Come One’s forms are endless.
His transformations circulate through all lands.
Even in dreams he makes constant appearances.
Thunder Banner is delighted to see this.  

Commentary:

The Thus Come One’s forms are endless. The Buddha’s Dharma body, Reward body, and transformation bodies are all inexhaustible. His transformations circulate through all lands. The Buddha’s spiritual penetrations are ineffably wonderful. Like swirling water, they circulate everywhere, going from one country to the next, teaching and transforming sentient beings. Even in dreams he makes constant appearances. The Buddha teaches and rescues sentient beings not only when they are awake, but even in their sleep. He often appears in their dreams to teach sentient beings, inspiring them to bring forth the resolve for bodhi and make great vows to cultivate the Bodhisattva Path and realize the supreme Buddha fruit.

Bodhimanda Spirit Thunder Banner is very delighted to see this state.  

Sutra:

In the practice of giving during measureless eons in the past,
The Buddha gave an oceanic quantity of eyes, which are so hard to give.
He practiced giving in this manner for the sake of sentient beings.
Wondrous Eyes spirit awakens thus and rejoices.  

Commentary:

In the Buddha Shakyamuni’s practice of giving during measureless eons in the past, when he was planting causes, he was able to give what other people could not part with. The Buddha gave an oceanic quantity of eyes, which are so hard to give. Just the eyes that he gave away were as profuse as an ocean. People cherish their eyes above all other faculties, but the Buddha gave away a limitless, ocean-vast amount of them. He was able to renounce what others could not. He practiced giving in this manner for the sake of teaching and transforming all sentient beings. / Wondrous Eyes Spirit awakens thus state and rejoices.  

Sutra:

His boundless forms, like precious, resplendent clouds,
Appear in Bodhi places throughout all worlds.
Bodhimanda Spirit Pure Blazing Form
Happily observes the Buddha’s self-mastery.  

Commentary:

His boundless forms refer to the Buddha’s special marks and adornments. The Buddha’s forms travel through numerous lands, like precious, resplendent clouds, and appear in Bodhi Way-places throughout all worlds. / Bodhimanda Spirit Pure Blazing Form /

Happily observes the Buddha’s self-mastery. Observing the Buddha’s wonderful use of spiritual powers and transformations, and his inconceivable self-mastery, she is delighted and full of praise. 

Sutra:

Boundless is the ocean of sentient beings’ deeds.
The Buddha rains the Dharma rain everywhere,
Dispelling delusions according to their faculties and understanding.
Flower Garlands awakens thus with delight.  

Commentary:

The karma created by sentient beings resembles a huge ocean. Thus the text says: Boundless is the ocean of sentient beings’ deeds. The ocean of deeds is just the ocean of karma. The karma that sentient beings create and the retribution they receive are boundless like a vast ocean. The Buddha rains the great Dharma rain everywhere, extinguishing sentient beings’ karmic hindrances, teaching and transforming them all, and dispelling delusions according to their faculties and understanding. Bodhima{#aSpirit Flower Garlands awakens thus with delight. She understands this principle and is very happy. 

Sutra:

Measureless Dharma doors, each distinct in meaning,
The Buddha can enter with eloquence like a vast ocean.
Bodhimanda Spirit Raining Down Jeweled Ornaments
Always recollects thus in thought after thought.  

Throughout all lands, unspeakable in number,
The Buddha used the epitome of praises to laud all Buddhas,
Thus achieving renown and great merit.
The Spirit Heroic Vision thus recalls.  

Boundless trees of various shapes and forms
All appear beneath the Bodhi tree, the king of trees.
Vajra-colored Cloud awakened and made this passage
And joyfully, constantly beholds the Tree of the Way.  

Just as the boundaries of the ten directions are beyond our grasp,
So, too, is the wisdom of the Buddha seated in the bodhimanda.
Lotus Flower Step Brilliance gives rise to pure faith
And enters this liberation with deep delight.  

Marvelous sounds issue from everything in the bodhimanda,
Praising the Buddhas’ inconceivable pure strength
And bringing to success all practices at the level of planting causes.
Wondrous Light spirit hears and receives thus.  

Commentary:

Measureless Dharma doors, each distinct in meaning, / The Buddha can enter…Since there are limitless Dharma doors, there are also limitless meanings, which makes for limitlessly many distinctions. To enter all Dharma doors and the wondrous meaning of all dharmas, one must be endowed with eloquence like a vast ocean. Since the Buddha possesses an eloquence of oceanic scope, he is able to enter the ocean of all Dharma doors. Bodhimanda SpiritRaining Down Jeweled Ornaments / Always recollects thus and understandsthis passage into liberation in thought after thought.

Throughout all lands, unspeakable in number, as numerous as motes of dust, when the Buddha was at the level of planting causes, he exhausted and used all worldly phrases and languages in praise of the Buddhas, / Thus obtaining the reward of great renown and great merit. BodhimandaSpirit Heroic Vision thus recalls and understand this passage into liberation.

Boundless trees of various distinct shapes and forms / All appear beneath the Bodhi tree, the king of trees. Bodhimanda Spirit Vajra-colored Cloud awakened and made this passage into liberation and joyfully, constantly beholds the Tree of the Way. She observes the King of Trees with perpetual delight.

Just as the boundaries of the ten directions are beyond our grasp, / So, too, is the wisdom of the Buddha seated in the bodhimanda. Just as the worlds of the ten directions have no boundaries, the Buddha’s wisdom is the same. Bodhimanda Spirit Lotus Flower Step Brilliance understands this passage into liberation and gives rise to pure faith / And enters this liberation with deep delight. Entering this passage into liberation gave her profound joy.

Marvelous sounds issue from everything in the bodhimanda. All Way-places broadcast wondrous sounds, praising the Buddhas’ inconceivable pure strength / And bringing to success all practices of sentient beings as well as her own practices at the level of planting causes. Wondrous Light spirit, this Bodhimanda Spirit, hears and receives thus and understands this principle. 

Sutra:

Moreover, Spirit of Foot Travel Jeweled Seal Hand gained a passage into liberation of raining down myriad treasures everywhere and producing vast happiness. Spirit of Foot Travel Lotus Light gained a passage into liberation of manifesting a Buddha’s body seated upon the throne of lotuses of all colors and lights, delighting all beholders. Spirit of Foot Travel Supreme Floral Cowl gained a passage into liberation of establishing bodhimandas in thought after thought for the assemblies of all Thus Come Ones. Spirit of Foot Travel Gathering In Good Views gained a passage into liberation of completely subduing boundless sentient beings each time one lifts one’s foot to take a step.  

Commentary:

Moreover, to continue the discussion, Spirit of Foot Travel Jeweled Seal Hand has a precious seal which can subdue all adherents of outside ways. Spirits of Foot Travel have many legs, like centipedes and millipedes. People also walk on their legs, but these spirits also include such beings as those in the eightfold division. Mahoragas, for example, are Spirits of Foot Travel. Beings who possess any number of feet—not necessarily two, four, six, eight, ten, or a hundred—are considered Spirits of Foot Travel. These are spirits that walk on their feet. This particular spirit gained a state of the Buddha, a passage into liberation, of raining down myriad treasures everywhere and producing vast happiness. This spirit is skilled at giving. She makes all kinds of precious things rain down, and sentient beings are delighted to obtain them. This one gets a piece of gold, that one a 100 karat diamond. They are all happy.

The next Spirit of Foot Travel is named Lotus Light because she radiates that kind of light. She gained a passage into liberation of manifesting a Buddha’s body seated upon the throne of lotuses of all colors and radiating assorted lights, delighting all beholders. Everyone is delighted to see her. She attained this passage into liberation.

Spirit of Foot Travel Supreme Floral Cowl gained a passage into liberation of establishing bodhimandas in thought after thought for the assemblies of all Thus Come Ones In every thought, she sets up bodhimandas for the Buddhas’ Dharma assemblies in lands throughout the ten directions. She attained this passage into liberation.

Spirit of Foot Travel Gathering In Good Views collects all the wholesome views that sentient beings have. She gained a state of the Buddha, a passage into liberation, of completely subduing boundless sentient beings each time one lifts one’s foot to take a step. Every time the Buddha raises his hand or lifts his foot, his intention is to tame and subdue sentient beings and make them happy. Not only does he tame one sentient being, he tames limitlessly many of them and makes them happy.

Sutra:

Spirit of Foot Travel Star Banner of Wondrous Jewels gained a passage into liberation of in every thought manifesting all kinds of radiant nets of lotuses that rain down a multitude of treasures out of which come wondrous sounds.  

Commentary:

Spirit of Foot Travel Star Banner of Wondrous Jewels gained a passage into liberation of in every thought manifesting all kinds of radiant nets of lotuses that rain down a multitude of treasures out of which come wondrous sounds. Her every thought is a treasury of Dharma. Therefore she can conjure up various kinds of nets of lotuses, not just one kind. These beautiful lotuses woven into nets release boundless light, within which boundless Dharma treasures rain down. From within the lotus nets, the lights, and the treasures, wondrous sounds come forth that proclaim the profound, unsurpassed, wonderful Dharma in order to teach and transform all sentient beings. This Spirit of Foot Travel attained this passage into liberation. 

Sutra:

Spirit of Foot Travel Happily Making Wondrous Sounds gained a passage into liberation of producing a boundless sea of happiness. Spirit of Foot Travel Radiant Candana Tree gained a passage into liberation of using fragrant breezes to universally enlighten the assemblies in all bodhimandas.  

Commentary:

The next Spirit of Foot Travel is named Happily Making Wondrous Sounds. This spirit likes to sing songs and express Dharma by means of sounds. She gained a state of the Buddha and a passage into liberation of producinga boundless sea of happiness. She emits innumerable wondrous sounds, and when sentient beings hear them, they feel tremendous happiness as vast as the sea. She attained this passage into liberation. Spirit of Foot Travel Radiant Candana Tree gives off a fragrance like that of the candana tree. She gained a passage into liberation of using fragrant breezes to universally enlighten the assemblies in bodhimandas. She uses her fragrant breezes to speak the Dharma. When sentient beings get a whiff of her fragrance, they bring forth the bodhi resolve—the resolve to seek enlightenment. All the assemblies in every bodhimanda bring forth the resolve for enlightenment. She gained this passage into liberation. 

Sutra:

Spirit of Foot Travel Lotus Brilliance gained a passage into liberation of radiating light from every pore, broadcasting the wonderful sounds of Dharma. Spirit of Foot Travel Subtle Radiance gained a passage into liberation of having her whole body radiate various nets of light that illumine everything. Spirit of Foot Travel Gathering Lovely Flowers gained a passage into liberation of enlightening all sentient beings so that they bring forth an ocean of good roots.

At that time, Spirit of Foot Travel Jeweled Seal Hand received the Buddha’s awesome spiritual power, universally contemplated the multitudes of Spirits of Foot Travel, and spoke the following verse.  

Commentary:

Spirit of Foot Travel Lotus Brilliance gained a passage into liberation , a state of the Buddha, of radiating light from every pore, broadcasting the wonderful sounds of Dharma. Within the light, the unsurpassed, profound Dharma is proclaimed. She attained this passage into liberation. Spirit of Foot Travel Wondrous Radiance gained a state of the Buddha, a passage into liberation of having her whole body radiate various nets of light that illumine everything in the trichiliocosm. Those nets of light shine upon all sentient beings throughout the ten directions of the Dharma Realm, dispelling the darkness so that they experience light.

Spirit of Foot Travel Gathering Lovely Flowers gained a passage into liberation of enlightening all sentient beings so that they bring forth an ocean of good roots. Not only did she enlighten sentient beings, she enabled those without good roots to develop extensive good roots. That was her passage into liberation.

At that time, Spirit of Foot Travel Jeweled Seal Hand received the Buddha’s awesome spiritual power, universally contemplated the multitudes of Spirits of Foot Travel, and spoke the following verse.

Sutra:

The Buddha cultivated for measureless eons,
Making offerings to every Thus Come One.
He constantly rejoiced, never growing weary.
His practice of joy was deep and vast like an ocean.  

Commentary:

The Buddha cultivated all kinds of practices for measureless eons in the past, but his main practice was making offerings to every Thus Come One. He extensively practiced the giving of offerings to all Buddhas. He constantly rejoiced, never growing weary. In making offerings to all Buddhas at the level of planting causes, he never grew weary and said, “I’ve had enough. There are too many Buddhas to make offerings to.” The more Buddhas he made offerings to, the happier he was. He never got tired of doing this. His practice of joy and giving was extremely deep and vast like an ocean.  

Sutra:

In every thought, immeasurable spiritual powers
Bring into being lotuses of various fragrances.
Buddhas seated upon them travel everywhere.
Scarlet Light spirit observes all of this.  

Commentary:

Spirit of Foot Travel Scarlet Lotus Light attained the following state of the Buddha: In every thought, she thinks of the Buddha’s immeasurable spiritual powers, which bring into being marvelous lotuses of various fragrances. / Buddhas seated upon them travel everywhere to all lands in the ten directions of the Dharma Realm, in order to teach and transform sentient beings. Scarlet Light spirit observes all of this. That Spirit of Foot Travel understands this state and enters this passage into liberation. 

Sutra:

Thus is the Dharma of each Buddha, Thus Come One
His extensive assemblies pervade the ten directions.
He displays inconceivable spiritual powers everywhere.
Supreme Floral Cowl spirit completely sees and understands all of this.  

In every place throughout the lands of the ten directions,
Whether raising his foot or setting it down,
He brings all beings to accomplishment.
Good Views spirit realizes this with joy.  

The Buddha displays as many bodies as there are sentient beings.
Each and every body fills up the Dharma Realm.
All of them radiate pure light and rain down a myriad treasures.
Star Banner enters this liberation.  

The realm of the Thus Come One is boundless.
He sends down Dharma rain that fills all places.
The assembled multitudes behold the Buddha in delight.
Wondrous Sound thus observes.  

Commentary:

Thus is the Dharma of each Buddha, Thus Come One. The Buddhadharma of all Buddhas throughout the ten directions is this way. What way? His extensive assemblies pervade the ten directions. Each Buddha manifests a vast assembly in a great Way-place. These vast, great Way-places are everywhere throughout the ten directions. He displays inconceivable spiritual powers everywhere. / Supreme Floral Cowl spirit completely sees this kind of state and understands this passage into liberation.

In every place throughout the lands of the ten directions, / Whether raising his foot or setting it down, he brings all beings to accomplishment. Every move the Buddha makes and every word he says is for the sake of teaching and transforming sentient beings and bringing them to accomplishment. Good Views spirit, that Spirit of Foot Travel, realizes this principle with joy.

The Buddha displays as many bodies as there are sentient beings. / Each and every body fills up the Dharma Realm. / All of them radiate pure light and rain down a myriad treasures. Spirit of Foot Travel Star Banner enters and understands this passage into liberation.

The realm of the Thus Come One is boundless. / He sends down Dharma rain that fills all places. This universal Dharma rain fills up the Dharma Realm. The assembled multitudes in all Way-places throughout the ten directions behold the Buddha in delight. Spirit of Foot Travel Wondrous Sound thus observes. She understands this state. 

Sutra:

The range of the Buddha’s voice equals the void.
Every kind of sound is encompassed therein.
It subdues all sentient beings without exception.
Candana hears and accepts this.  

Transformed sounds come out of every pore,
Proclaiming the names of all Buddhas of the three time periods.
Those who hear are filled with happiness.
Lotus Brilliance spirit thus perceives.  

The Buddha’s body undergoes inconceivable transformations.
In every step his forms are like the ocean.
He shows himself according to sentient beings’ wishes.
This is the attainment of Subtle Radiance.  

Displaying great spiritual powers throughout the ten directions,
The Buddha brings all beings to enlightenment.
Myriads of Lovely Flowers spirit sees this Dharma,
And having seen it, feels tremendous delight.  

Commentary:

The state of the Flower Adornment Sutra completely fills the Dharma Realm. Not to speak of hearing it explained, simply reciting it or listening to the way it sounds will enable one to plant measureless good roots. If one can understand its meanings, one will further increase in measureless good roots. The Flower Adornment Sutra is wonderful beyond words.

You should not think, “The sutra is being lectured every day, but I already understand it. There’s not much point in this.” You have these idle thoughts all day long. “Wouldn’t I be better off spending my time doing something else?” You ought to know that if you do something else instead of listening to the sutra, you will do even more idle thinking. For that reason, every day at this time, we lecture the sutra and speak Dharma. We get up early to do morning recitation and sit in meditation. These daily practices are to help you eliminate our bad habits and faults and prevent you from engaging in false thinking. However, you insist on indulging in your fantasies. What a pity!

The range of the Buddha’s voice equals the void. The Buddha’s sound pervades empty space and the Dharma realm. There is not a single place where the Buddha’s sound is absent. The measure of the Buddha’s sound is as great as empty space.

Every kind of sound is encompassed therein. The Buddha’s sound is such that,

With one sound he proclaims the Dharma,
And sentient beings each understand it according to their kind.

Although the Buddha has only one sound, every sentient being hears it in that sentient being’s own language. Asians hear it and interpret it as being an Asian language. Westerners perceive the Buddha’s sound as being in a Western language. Without need for translation, the Buddha’s sound is transformed into every language. And this happens faster than could be done with any advanced scientific technology.

It subdues all sentient beings without exception. The Buddha’s voice subdues every stubborn being. When tigers hear the Buddha’s sound, they take refuge with the Triple Jewel and faithfully accept and practice the teachings. When lions hear it, they do the same. Every kind of creature can be tamed. The Buddha speaks the Dharma for all creatures in the realm of sentient beings. Spirit of Foot Travel Candana Tree Light hears and accepts this state and passage into liberation, and understand it.

Transformed sounds of wonderful Dharma come out of every pore of the Buddha’s body, proclaiming the names of all Buddhas of the three time periods—past, present, and future—and praising all Buddhas. Those who hear are filled with happiness. Every sentient being who hears these sounds is delighted. Lotus Brilliance spirit, that Spirit of Foot Travel, thus perceives. This is what she sees.

The Buddha’s body undergoes infinite and inconceivable transformations. In every step his forms are like the ocean. The wonderful forms manifested by the Buddha are as vast and inconceivable as an ocean. He shows himself according to sentient beings’ wishes. The Buddha appears to sentient beings according to their thoughts. This is the attainment of Spirit of Foot Travel Subtle Radiance. She understands this state.

Constantly displaying great spiritual powers everywhere throughout the ten directions, he brings all beings to enlightenment, leading them from ignorance to wisdom. Myriads of Lovely Flowers spirit, that Spirit of Foot Travel, sees this wonderful Dharma, / And having seen it, feels tremendous delight, being filled with the joy of Dharma.

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