The Manifestations of the Thus Come One

Chapter Two

V. Acclamation of the Buddhas’ virtues
B. Bodhisattvas of the ten directions speak in praise
Lotus Contemplating All Supreme Dharmas Bodhisattva of the East

Sutra:

Then in the assembly’s midst, another Bodhisattva Mahasattva named King of Lotus Light Wisdom Contemplating All Supreme Dharmas received the Buddha’s awesome spiritual power, contemplated the ten directions, and spoke a verse.  

The Thus Come One’s profound wisdom
Pervasively enters the Dharma Realm.
Turning the wheel in the three periods of time,
He serves as a bright guide for the world.  

All Buddhas, sharing a common Dharma body,
Are independent, yet undifferentiated.
According with the mentalities of beings,
They lead them to see the Buddhas’ forms.  

Commentary:

Then in the assembly’s midst, another Bodhisattva Mahasattva among the assembly of Bodhisattvas who had come from the ten directions to gather in the bodhimanda, named King of Lotus Light Wisdom Contemplating All Supreme Dharmas received the Buddha’s awesome spiritual power, contemplated the ten directions, and spoke a verse.  

The Thus Come One’s profound , wondrous wisdom / Pervasively enters the Dharma Realm and manifests before all beings. Turning [the wheel] in the three periods of time, turning the great Dharma wheel to teach beings in the past, present, and future, he serves as a bright guide for the world. For beings in all worlds, he is the guiding teacher with the clearest understanding. 

All Buddhas, sharing a common Dharma body, / Are independent, yet undifferentiated. The Buddhas of the three periods of time and the ten directions all share the same Dharma body. They are one. There is no real difference between them. One Buddha doesn’t depend upon another. Although they don’t mutually depend on each other, they don’t differentiate among themselves either. Since there is no mutual dependence, there is no discrimination between them. And since there is no mutual discrimination, there is also no interdependence. According with the mentalities of beings, / They lead them to see the Buddhas’ forms.  

Sutra:

Possessed of All-Wisdom,
Buddhas universally understand all dharmas.
Throughout all lands,
There is nowhere they fail to manifest.  

A Buddha’s body and its radiant aura
Are inconceivable in color and form.
Beings with faith and joy
Are able to see as they should.  

The body of one Buddha
Can transform into limitless Buddhas.
His thundering voice fills all lands,
Proclaiming Dharma as deep as the sea.  

Commentary:

Possessed of All-Wisdom, there is nothing the Buddhas do not know or see. Since they are all-wise, Buddhas universally understand all dharmas. They know that all dharmas are created by the mind. Throughout all lands, / There is nowhere they fail to manifest. Beings in every land see the Buddha appear before them. 

The Buddha’s body and its radiant aura , the light emitted by his Dharma body, are inconceivable in color and form. Within the light, one sees various colors and various marks, such as the Thirty-two Hallmarks and Eighty Subsidiary Characteristics. These are inconceivable states that beings have never seen or heard of before.

Beings with faith and joy in the Buddha, are able to see as they should. They obtain a response in the Way and get to see the Buddha. Although the Buddha himself is impartial, only beings with good roots can see him. Beings lacking good roots may want to see the Buddha, but their conditions are insufficient. Only those who are meant to see the Buddha can see him. Those who are not meant to see the Buddha can also see him, but only at a later time.  

The body of one Buddha / Can transform into limitless and boundlessly many Buddhas.

His thundering voice fills all lands, / Proclaiming Dharma as deep as the sea. The Buddha’s speaking of Dharma resembles the roar of thunder. All beings can hear it. The Buddha speaks Dharma that is vast and profound, subtle and inconceivable, like a great sea. 

Sutra:

Light shines forth from each and every pore
Forming a radiant net across the ten directions.
It broadcasts the Buddhas’ wonderful sounds,
Taming those who are difficult to tame.  

The Thus Come One’s radiance
Pours forth constant sounds of deep wonder,
Extolling the Buddhas’ ocean of merit and virtue
And the practices of Bodhisattvas.  

Commentary:

Light shines forth from each and every pore, / Forming a radiant net across the ten directions. The light that emanates from each one of the Buddha’s pores forms a net in space, a brilliant net that illumine the worlds of the ten directions. It broadcasts the Buddhas’ wonderful sounds of Dharma. Within the light the Dharma is spoken, leading beings from confusion to enlightenment, from suffering to happiness. These Dharna sounds are equivalent to the Buddha’s voice, taming those who are difficult to tame. The Buddha speaks Dharma in order to teach and transform beings. Since beings are stubborn and hard to subdue, they must be taught with wonderful sounds. Those wonderful sounds influence all stubborn beings to renounce their evil ways and become good, and to make the bodhi resolve. 

The Thus Come One’s radiance / Pours forth constant sounds of deep wonder, Extolling the Buddhas’ ocean merit and virtue, / And the practices of Bodhisattvas. Within the light emanating from the Buddha, one constantly hears inconceivable sounds of wonderful Dharma, which praise the merit and virtue cultivated by the Buddhas. The sounds from the light also praise the Buddhas, the Dharma, the Sangha, and the Bodhisattvas who practice what is difficult to practice.

Sutra:

The Buddha turns the wheel of Proper Dharma,
Which surpasses all measures and bounds.
Without equal, the Dharma that he speaks
Cannot be fathomed by those of shallow wisdom.  

In each and every world,
A Buddha appears and realizes proper enlightenment.
Each performs spiritual transformations,
Completely filling the Dharma Realm.  

Each body of the Thus Come One
Manifests further Buddhas equal to the number of beings.
In lands as numerous as dustmotes,
Buddhas universally display their spiritual powers.  

Commentary:

Within the light that praises the Buddhas, the Dharma, the Sangha, and the Bodhisattvas who practice difficult dharma doors, the Buddha turns the wheel of Proper Dharma, leading beings to develop proper knowledge and views. The Proper Dharma differs from deviant dharma. Deviant dharma is selfish and self-benefiting, while the Proper Dharma teaches one to benefit others. It is public-spirited and unselfish, and it is that which surpasses all measures and bounds. / Without equal is the Dharma that he speaks. The teachings of other religions cannot compare to it. The Buddha’s Dharma surpasses the teachings of all the heterodox sects. It cannot be fathomed by those of shallow wisdom. Ignorant people cannot understand the Buddha’s Dharma, nor can they practice it.  

In each and every world throughout the ten directions, a Buddha appears—manifesting as a Buddha—and realizes proper enlightenment. / Each performs spiritual transformations, / Completely filling the Dharma realm. Each Buddha possesses spiritual powers and the ability to transform himself. With their spiritual powers and transformations, they pervade the Dharma Realm, enabling all beings to hear the Dharma. 

Each division body of the Thus Come One / Manifest s further Buddhas seated in bodhimandas, equal to the number of beings. However many beings there are, the Buddha manifests that many bodies to teach them. In lands as numerous as dustmotes, / They universally display their spiritual powers.  

V.B. 2. Luminous Wisdom of Rejoicing in Dharma Bodhisattva of the South

Sutra:

Then in the assembly’s midst, another Bodhisattva Mahasattva named Luminous Wisdom of Rejoicing in Dharma received the Buddhas’ awesome spiritual power, contemplated the ten directions, and spoke a verse.  

The Buddha’s body frequently appears,
Filling the entire Dharma Realm.
With a great voice, he constantly proclaims,
Causing the lands of the ten directions to tremble.  

Commentary:

Then in the great, sea-like assembly’s midst, another Bodhisattva Mahasattva named Luminous Wisdom of Rejoicing in Dharma, received the Buddha’s awesome spiritual power, contemplated the ten directions, and spoke a verse. Upon hearing the Dharma, this Bodhisattva would rejoice and give rise to the light of wisdom.  

The Buddha’s Dharma body frequently appears before beings, and in their minds. Filling the entire Dharma realm. There is no place in the Dharma realm where the Buddha does not appear. With a great voice, he constantly proclaims, / Causing the lands of the ten directions to tremble. The Buddha is always speaking magnificent Dharma, universally awakening the beings in the lands of the ten directions.  

Sutra :

The Thus Come One manifests everywhere,
Making his presence felt in all worlds.
In accordance with beings’ joys and desires,
He displays the strength of spiritual powers.  

Based upon the thoughts of beings,
The Buddha appears before them all.
Beings see what they see
By virtue of the Buddha’s spiritual power.  

Boundless is his light,
Measureless the Dharma he speaks.
Following his wisdom, disciples of the Buddha
May enter and contemplate.  

The Buddha’s body is beyond birth,
Yet he manifests being born.
Akin to space, the Dharma nature
Is where all Buddhas dwell.  

Neither staying nor departing,
The Buddha is seen in all places.
His illumination reaches everywhere,
And his name is heard afar.  

Commentary:

The Thus Come One manifests everywhere. The Thus Come One’s body is neither great nor small, and it neither comes nor goes. If you say, “It’s this big,” it’s even bigger. If you say, “It’s that small,” it’s even smaller. It’s as great as the Dharma realm, and as small as a mote of dust. If you say the Buddha is manifesting, when did he manifest? If you say the Buddha has disappeared, when did he disappear? He is all-pervasive, manifesting nowhere and yet everywhere, neither coming nor going. Making his presence felt in all worlds. He fills the entire Dharma Realm. In accordance with beings’ joys and desires, / He displays the strength of spiritual powers. The Buddha constantly complies with the wishes of beings, and manifests whatever they like to see. The Buddha uses his great spiritual powers to bestow blessings upon beings. 

Based upon the thoughts of beings, responding to their wishes and inclinations, the Buddha appears before them all. / Beings see what they see / By virtue of the Buddha’s spiritual power. It is the Buddha’s spiritual powers and transformations that allow beings to see the Buddha. 

Boundless is his light, / Limitless the Dharma he speaks. There is no limit to the Buddha’s light. The Buddha’s main duty is to speak Dharma. He speaks it constantly, and there is no way to know how much Dharma he has spoken. Following his wisdom, disciples of the Buddha / May enter and contemplate. Following the Buddha’s wisdom, they are able to enter the treasury of all the Dharma. They deeply enter the treasury of sutras and have wisdom like the sea. They fully achieve the wisdom of wonderful contemplation.  

The Buddha’s body is beyond birth, / Yet he manifests being born. The Buddha’s body neither comes into being nor passes out of existence. Yet, to accord with the state of mind of beings, he manifests birth. Akin to space, the Buddha’s Dharma nature / Is where all Buddhas dwell. They dwell in the Dharma nature, which is like dwelling in space. 

Neither staying , coming, nor departing, / The Buddha is seen everywhere. The Buddha is seen in every place, turning the Dharma wheel and teaching beings. His illumination reaches everywhere, / And his name is heard afar. The Buddha’s light is omnipresent, and his reputation is known everywhere. 

Sutra:

Lacking substance and location,
Not coming into being,
Devoid of shape or form,
All manifestations are but shadows.  

The Buddha, in accordance with beings’ minds,
Creates great Dharma clouds for them.
With sundry expedient methods,
He instructs, enlightens, and tames them.  

In the midst of every world,
A Buddha is seen sitting in a bodhimanda.
Surrounded by a great assembly,
He illumines the lands of the ten directions.  

The bodies of all Buddhas
Possess infinite hallmarks.
Limitless are their manifestations,
Yet their own physical form never perishes.

Commentary:

Lacking substance and location, / Not coming into being, / Devoid of shape or form, / All manifestations are but shadows. The Buddha’s Dharma-body has no substance or form. Since it has no form, it does not dwell anywhere. Things with form have a location, while formless things have no location. Since it is formless, like empty space, it neither comes into being nor ceases to exist. What the Buddha manifests is just like a bubble or a shadow. Bubbles and shadows are unreal, but the Buddha’s Dharma body is not. There actually is a Dharma body. 

The Buddha, in accordance with beings’ minds, / Creates great Dharma clouds for them. / With sundry expedient methods, / He instructs, enlightens, and tames them. He uses various skill-in-means to regulate and subdue obstinate beings.  

In the midst of every world throughout the ten directions, a Buddha is seen by all beings sitting in a bodhimanda. / Surrounded by a great assembly of Bodhisattvas and sages from the ten directions, he illumines the lands of the ten directions with his light. 

The bodies of all Buddhas of the past, present, and future, possess infinite and inexhaustible numbers of radiant hallmarks. / Limitless are their manifestations, / Yet their own physical form never perishes. Although the Buddha manifests innumerable bodies, his original reward body does not cease to exist.

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