Book 36, The Practice of Universal Good. At that time, the great enlightening being Universal Good also said to the great congregation of enlightening beings, offspring of Buddha, what has been expounded up till now is just a brief exposition of a little bit of the realm of Buddhas. Adapt it so as to be appropriate to the faculties and capacities of sentient beings. Why? The Buddhas emerge in the world because sentient beings are ignorant and do what is bad. They conceive of self and possessions. They cling to the body. They are deluded and confused. They discriminate on the basis of false views and are always in bondage, following the flow of birth and death away from the path of enlightenment. I do not see anything that is a bigger mistake than for enlightening beings to become angry at other enlightening beings.

[01:06]

Why? Because if enlightening beings become angry at other enlightening beings, that creates a million obstacles. What are those million obstacles? They are the obstacle of not seeing enlightenment, the obstacle of not hearing the true teaching, the obstacle of being born in an impure world, the obstacle of being born in miserable states, the obstacle of being born in places where it is difficult to become enlightened, the obstacle of sickliness, the obstacle of being the object of much slander, the obstacle of being born stupid, the obstacle of loss of right mindfulness and recollection, the obstacle of lack of intelligence, obstacles of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind, the obstacle of bad advisors, the obstacle of bad companions, the obstacle of inclination toward practice of individualistic liberation,

[02:14]

the obstacle of inclination toward associating with the vulgar, the obstacle of not believing in people of great spiritual power, the obstacle of living with people who have strayed from correct perception, the obstacle of being born in a family of heretics, the obstacle of dwelling in the realm of demons, the obstacle of being estranged from the right teaching of Buddha, the obstacle of not seeing good companions, the obstacle of blockage of roots of goodness, the obstacle of increase of bad conditions, the obstacle of meanness, the obstacle of being born in a remote area, the obstacle of being born in a family of evil people, the obstacle of being born among evil spirits, evil ghosts, hobgoblins, demons, titans, vipers, and so on, the obstacle of not caring for the Buddha teachings, the obstacle of habituation to infantile behavior, the obstacle of clinging to the small vehicle of individual salvation,

[03:35]

the obstacle of not liking the great vehicle of universal salvation, the obstacle of fearfulness, the obstacle of anxiety, the obstacle of clinging to mundane routines, the obstacle of not concentrating on the way to enlightenment, the obstacle of not liking to see or hear of the spiritual powers of Buddha. the obstacle of not acquiring the faculties of enlightening beings, the obstacle of not applying the purifying practices of enlightening beings, the obstacle of shrinking from the determination of enlightening beings. The obstacle of not making the great vow of enlightening beings, the obstacle of not developing the determination for omniscience, the obstacle of slacking off from the practice of enlightening beings, the obstacle of not being able to purify acts, the obstacle of not being able to incorporate great virtues, the obstacle of the power of knowledge not being clear and keen,

[04:51]

the obstacle of shutting off great wisdom and knowledge, the obstacle of not preserving the practices of enlightening beings, the obstacle of inclination to repudiate all words of wisdom, the obstacle of estrangement from the enlightenment of the Buddhas, the obstacle of inclination to abide in the realms of demons, the obstacle of not concentrating on cultivating the realm of Buddhahood, the obstacle of not definitively making the universal commitment of enlightening beings, the obstacle of not liking to live with enlightening beings, the obstacle of not seeking the roots of goodness of enlightening beings, the obstacle of being opinionated and suspicious, the obstacle of the continual befuddlement of the mind the obstacle of being unwilling to give because of inability to practice the impartial generosity of enlightening beings, the obstacle of transgression of precepts by being unable to maintain the precepts of the Buddha, the obstacle of foolish malevolence and anger due to inability to achieve tolerance and forbearance, the obstacle of the defilement of laziness

[06:19]

due to inability to act with the great vigor of enlightening beings, the obstacle of distraction and confusion due to inability to attain concentration, the obstacle of misused intellect due to failure to cultivate transcendent wisdom, the obstacle of lack of familiarity with what is so and what is not so, the obstacle of having no means to liberate beings, the obstacle of inability to contemplate the knowledge of enlightening beings, the obstacle of not knowing enlightening beings' means of emancipation, the obstacle of failure to develop the ten great eyes of enlightening beings and therefore being as if blind, the obstacle of being dumb as an animal due to not hearing the teaching of non-obstruction, the obstacle of destruction of the nose due to not having the marks and embellishments of Buddhahood,

[07:28]

the obstacle of inability to understand speech and the consequent inability to speak, the obstacle of physical problems due to demeaning sentient beings, the obstacle of mental problems due to lack of control of mind, the obstacle of physical actions due to not keeping the precepts. the obstacle of verbal actions due to continually committing faults of speech, the obstacle of mental actions due to conceiving much covetousness, anger, and erroneous views, the obstacle of seeking the teaching with a thieving mind, the obstacle of cutting off the perspective of enlightening beings, the obstacle of shrinking from the effort of enlightening beings. The obstacle of laziness of mind on the enlightening being's way to emancipation.

[08:33]

The obstacle of the mind stopping at the entry of the light of knowledge of enlightening beings. The obstacle of becoming weak-minded and incapable of the recollective power of enlightening beings. The obstacle of being unable to retain the teachings of the Buddhas. the obstacle of being unable to approach enlightening beings' path of detachment from birth, the obstacle of inability to cultivate the incorruptible path of enlightening beings, the obstacle of following the absolute state of one-sided detachment, the obstacle of estrangement from the family of the Buddhas and enlightening beings of all times. If an enlightening being conceives a single feeling of anger toward enlightening beings, that produces a million obstacles such as these. Why?

[09:34]

I do not see anything that is as big a mistake as for enlightening beings to become angry at other enlightening beings. Therefore, if great enlightening beings want to quickly fulfill the practices of enlightening beings, they should diligently practice ten principles. In their minds they should not abandon sentient beings. They should think of enlightening beings as Buddhas. They should never slander any teachings of the Buddhas. They should know that there is no end to different lands. They should be profoundly devoted to enlightening practices. They should not give up the cosmic, space-like, impartial mind of enlightenment. They should contemplate enlightenment and enter the power of Buddhas. They should cultivate unobstructed intellectual and expository powers. They should teach and enlighten beings tirelessly.

[10:37]

They should live in all worlds without attachment in their minds. When great enlightening beings are living by these ten principles, they are able to embody ten kinds of purity. What are these ten? Purity of comprehension of the most profound truth, purity of association with good associates, purity of preserving the Buddha teachings, purity of comprehension of the realm of space, purity of profound penetration of the realm of reality, purity of observation of infinite minds, purity of having the same roots of goodness as all enlightening beings, purity of non-attachment to the various ages, purity of observation of past, present, and future, purity of practice of all enlightening teachings. When great enlightening beings persist in these ten things, they become imbued with ten kinds of broad knowledge, that is, knowledge of all sentient beings' mental behavior,

[11:52]

knowledge of the consequences of actions of all sentient beings, knowledge of all Buddha teachings, knowledge of the profound occult import of all Buddha teachings, knowledge of all methods of concentration spells, knowledge of interpretation of all writings, knowledge of the language and speech of all sentient beings, knowledge of manifestation of their bodies in all worlds, knowledge of manifestation of their reflections in all assemblies, knowledge of embodying omniscience in all realms of being, Once great enlightening beings are established in this knowledge, they realize ten kinds of universal entry. All worlds enter one point. One point enters all worlds. All beings' bodies enter one body. One body enters all beings' bodies.

[12:56]

Untold eons enter one instant. One instant enters untold eons. All Buddhist principles enter one principle. One principle enters all Buddhist principles. Untold places enter one place. One place enters all places. Untold faculties enter one faculty. One faculty enters untold faculties. All faculties enter non-faculty. Non-faculty enters all faculties. All perceptions enter one perception. One perception enters all perceptions. One utterance enters all utterances. All utterances enter one utterance. All pasts, presents, and futures enter one timeframe. One timeframe enters all pasts, presents, and futures.

[13:58]

Once great enlightening beings have contemplated in this way, they abide in ten kinds of sublime mind, the sublime mind in which none of the perceptions and thoughts of sentient beings can abide. the sublime mind of the ultimate realm of space, the sublime mind of the boundless cosmos, the sublime mind of all the profound esoteric principles of Buddhahood, the sublime mind of the extremely profound state of non-differentiation, the sublime mind annihilating all doubt and confusion, the sublime mind of the non-differentiated equality of all worlds, the sublime mind of the equality of all Buddhas of past, present, and future, the sublime mind of the infinity of the power of all Buddhas.

[15:02]

Once great enlightening beings abide in these ten kinds of sublime mind, they acquire ten kinds of technical knowledge of the Buddha teachings, technical knowledge comprehending the most profound Buddha teaching, technical knowledge of the production of far-reaching Buddha teachings. technical knowledge of exposition of all kinds of Buddha teachings, technical knowledge of realizing the Buddha teaching of equality, technical knowledge of understanding the Buddha teaching of differentiation, technical knowledge of understanding the Buddha teaching of non-differentiation, technical knowledge of profound penetration of the Buddha teaching of adornment, technical knowledge of penetrating the Buddha teachings by one means, technical knowledge of penetrating the Buddha teachings by innumerable means, technical knowledge of non-differentiation of the boundless Buddha teachings,

[16:13]

technical knowledge of non-regression in the Buddha teachings by one's own mind and one's own power. When great enlightening beings have heard this teaching, they should all be inspired and respectfully accept and hold it. Why? Great enlightening beings who hold this teaching quickly attain unexcelled, complete, perfect enlightenment with a minimum of effort, and all are enabled to embody all qualities of Buddhahood equal to the qualities of the Buddhas of all times. Then by the spiritual power of the Buddha, as well as by natural law, in each of the ten directions, as many worlds as atoms and ten unspeakable numbers of tens of quintillions of Buddha lands all quaked in six ways and rained showers

[17:15]

from clouds of all flowers surpassing those of the heavens, as well as clouds of perfumes, incenses, robes, canopies, banners, pennants, jewels, and all kinds of decorations. There rained clouds of music, clouds of enlightening beings, clouds of physical forms of untold Buddhas, clouds of infinite praises of the Buddhas, clouds of voices of Buddhas filling all universes, untold clouds of magically arrayed worlds, untold clouds developing enlightenment, untold clouds of light shining, and untold clouds of mystic manifestations expounding the teaching. As in this world, at the site of enlightenment, under the tree of enlightenment, in the palace of the enlightening being, the Buddha, the completely enlightened one, was seen expounding this teaching, so it was in all worlds in the ten directions.

[18:24]

Then, owing to the spiritual power of the Buddha, as well as by natural law, there came to this land as many great enlightening beings as atoms in ten Buddha lands from each of the ten directions, from beyond as many worlds as atoms in ten infinities of Buddha lands. Filling the ten directions, they spoke these words to universal good. It is very good, offspring of Buddha, that you can explain this profound teaching of the giving of the prophecy of enlightenment, the greatest promise of the Buddhas. We are all named universal good, the same as you, and each have come to this land from a world called universal excellence, from the company of Buddhas called freedom representative of universality. all by the spiritual power of Buddha, expound this teaching with such assemblies and such utterances, all equal, with neither increase nor decrease.

[19:32]

We have all come to this enlightenment site by the Buddha's spiritual power to be witnesses for you. as we innumerable enlightening beings serve as witnesses at this site of enlightenment, the same as so in all worlds in the ten directions. Then the great enlightening being Universal Good, by the spiritual power of the Buddha and by the power of her own roots of goodness, looked over the ten directions throughout the cosmos, wishing to elucidate the practice of enlightening beings to tell of the realm of enlightenment of the Buddhas, to explain the realm of great vows, to explain the reckoning of ages of all worlds, to clarify the timely appearance of the Buddhas, to explain how the Buddhas develop beings according to their faculties, appearing to let them attend them, to make it clear that the effort of the Buddha's appearance in the world is not wasted, to make it clear that roots of goodness that are planted will surely bear fruit, and to clarify how enlightening beings of great spiritual power manifest forms for all sentient beings to teach and enlighten them, spoke these verses.

[20:57]

you should rejoice, get rid of all veils, and single-mindedly listen with respect to the vows and acts of enlightening beings. The enlightening beings of the past were supreme lions of humanity. The practices they carried out I shall tell in order. I will also tell the numbers of ages, the worlds and acts, and the peerless honored ones who emerged therein. As for those past Buddhas who appeared in the world by their vows, how did they destroy afflictions for all sentient beings? All the lions of philosophy continue practice to fulfillment, attaining the state of equality of Buddhas, the realm of omniscience. Seeing all the human lions of past ages emanating from great networks of lights, illumining the worlds of the ten directions,

[22:01]

They reflected and made their vows. I should be a lamp for the world, replete with the virtues of Buddhahood, their ten powers, their omniscience. All sentient beings burn with greed, anger, and folly. I should save and free them, have them extinguish the pains of the states of woe. They make such vows, steadfast, unregressing, to cultivate all enlightening practices and gain the unimpeded ten powers. Having made such vows, they cultivate practice without shrinking back. None of their actions are in vain. Thus they are called lions of philosophy." In one aeon of virtue, a thousand Buddhas emerged in the world. Their universal eyes I will explain in order. As in one aeon of virtue, so too in measureless aeons. Those future Buddhas' practices I will explain distinctly.

[23:07]

As in one type of Buddha land, so in numberless lands. The practices of future Buddhas I will now explain. Buddha's successive emergence in the world, what were their vows, what their names, what were the prophecies they received, what were their lifespans, what were the true principles they practiced, solely seeking the unobstructed path, who were the beings they taught, how long their right teaching remained in the world, what were the Buddha lands they purified, the sentient beings there and the cycles of teaching, their explanation of proper and improper timing, progressively purifying beings, what were the actions of the beings, their patterns and inclinations, high, middling, low, not the same, how they influenced them to practice, penetrating such knowledge,

[24:09]

the future Buddhas cultivated the supreme practice, always doing the work of universal good, widely freeing the living. Physical actions unimpeded, verbal actions all pure, mental actions also thus, always like this at all times. Enlightening beings acting thus consummate the path of universal good, producing the sun of pure knowledge, illuminating the cosmos. The lands of future eons are unspeakably many in number. They know them all in an instant without discrimination among them. Those who practice can enter into such a supreme state. Of these principles of enlightening beings I shall tell a little. Knowledge and wisdom boundless, they realize the scope of Buddhahood. Entering completely therein, their practice does not regress.

[25:11]

Replete with universally good wisdom, they fulfill universally good vows and enter the peerless knowledge. I shall tell of their practice. In a single atom, they see all worlds. If sentient beings should hear of this, they'd go mad in confusion. As in one atom, so in all atoms. All worlds enter therein. So inconceivable is it. In every single atom are all things of all places and times, the states and lands innumerable, the enlightening discern and know. In every single atom are countless kinds of Buddha lands, and each kind is also countless. They know all in one. All the various different features that there are in the cosmos, the types of beings, each different, they can discern and know.

[26:14]

Deeply entering subtle knowledge, they distinguish the worlds, the becoming and decay of all ages they can clearly explain. They know the length and brevity of all ages and that past, present, and future are one moment. The sameness and difference of myriad practices they all distinctly note. They penetrate all worlds, vast and small, one body, countless lands, one land, countless bodies. The innumerable features of the worlds of different species in the 10 directions they know entirely. Those of most profound knowledge comprehend the becoming and decay of the numberless lands of past, present, and future. Of the worlds in the ten directions, some are forming, some decaying. Infinite though they be, the virtuous comprehend them all.

[27:18]

There are some lands with variously adorned ground, and the beings are also adorned. This is due to purity of action. Then again, some lands have countless kinds of pollution. This is due to beings experiencing everything according to their acts. Infinite, boundless worlds, the enlightening know, are one land. Thus do they enter all lands, whose number cannot be known. All worlds enter one land. The worlds do not become one, yet there is no mix-up. Worlds are inverted and upright, some high, some low. All are the perceptions of beings. The enlightening discern them all. The wide worlds are infinite, boundless. They know all kinds are one and know that one is various. The universally good offspring of Buddha can, by universally good knowledge, know the number of lands, though the number is boundless.

[28:30]

They know the projections of worlds, the projections of lands and beings, the projections of teachings and Buddhas, all to the ultimate point. All worlds, micro and macrocosmic, various different arrays, all arise from action. Infinite enlightening beings learn to enter the reality realm. Their spiritual powers free, they reach everywhere in the ten directions. If the names of those worlds were spoken for eons as many as beings, they still could not be all told. Only Buddha can reveal them. The various names of the worlds and Buddhas could not be fully told even in countless eons. The most excellent wisdom, the teachings of Buddhas of all times, are born from the realm of reality and fill the state of enlightenment.

[29:34]

With pure, unobstructed mindfulness, boundless, unimpeded wisdom, they analyze the reality realm to reach the other shore. The worlds of the past, great and small, the arrangements they have developed, Buddhas know in an instant. The human lions therein cultivate the various practices of Buddhas, attain to true awakening and manifest their freedoms. Enlightening beings know all such Buddhas of the future, the most noble of humans in boundless ages to come, all their undertakings, all their various states, how they strive and practice and therein attain enlightenment. They know their congregations, their lifespans, and the beings they teach, by what means they teach, turning the wheel of truth for the masses. Knowing this, enlightening beings abide in the stage of universally good practice, their knowledge and wisdom thoroughly clear, giving birth to all the Buddhas.

[30:47]

They enter deeply into all the Buddha lands there are in the present and arrive at the reality realm. All the present Buddhas in all those worlds are masters of teaching unhindered in discourse. They also know their congregations, pure lands, and adaptive powers. For countless million eons, they always ponder these things. The awesome psychic powers and endless stores of knowledge of the noble tamers of the world, the enlightening beings know all. Producing unobstructed eyes, unobstructed ears, noses, bodies, and unobstructed universal tongues, they can gladden sentient beings. Their supreme unobstructed minds are broad and totally pure. their knowledge pervading all, they know all things of all times. They study all projections, projections of lands and beings, of worlds and civilizations, and finally reach the other shore of projections.

[32:00]

The various distinctions of all worlds All are there due to perceptions and thoughts. Entering Buddha's knowledge of means, they clearly understand all this. For each of untold groups, they manifest embodiment, causing all to see the Buddha and liberating boundless beings. The profound knowledge of Buddhas is like the sun coming out in the world, ever appearing everywhere in all lands. They realize all worlds are provisional names without reality. Sentient beings and worlds are like dreams, like shadows. They do not produce false discriminatory views about the things of the world. Those free from false discrimination do not even see false discriminations. Measureless, countless eons they understand are one moment, and they know a moment has no moment.

[33:06]

Thus do they see the world. Innumerable lands they cross over in an instant, yet through measureless eons they don't move from their original place. Untold eons are the space of a moment. Not seeing long or short, they find ultimate instantaneousness. Mind is in the world. World is in the mind. About this, they do not wrongly create discriminations of duality and non-duality. beings, worlds, ages, Buddhas and Buddha teachings, all are like illusory projections. In the reality realm, all is equal. Throughout the lands of the Ten Directions, they manifest infinite bodies. Knowing bodies arise from conditions, they have no attachments at all. Based on non-dual knowledge, they manifest the Buddhas without attachment to non-duality, knowing there is no duality or non-duality.

[34:16]

They realize that all worlds are like flames, like lights, like echoes, like dreams, like illusions, like emanations. Thus they accordingly enter the sphere of action of the Buddhas and achieve universally good knowledge, illumining all the profound realm of truth. Attachments to beings and lands they completely give up, yet rouse minds of great compassion and purify all worlds. Enlightening beings always rightly remember the marvelous teachings of the Buddhas, pure and clear as space, yet producing great expedient means. Seeing the world always deluded, they determined to save and liberate all. Their undertakings are all pure, extending throughout all universes. Buddha's and enlightening beings, Buddhist principles and things of the world, if you see their reality, all are no different from one another.

[35:28]

Buddha's reality body matrix is in all worlds, yet while being in the world, has no attachment to the world. Just as in clear water reflections have no coming or going, the reality body's being in the world is also like this. Thus freed from attachment, body and world are both pure. Clear and still is space. There is no birth at all. Knowing the body has no end, no birth, and no destruction, being neither eternal nor impermanent, they show it in all worlds. Destroying false views, they point out correct insight. The essence of things has no coming or going, is uninvolved with self or possession. As when a skilled magician causes various things to appear, their coming is from nowhere and they go nowhere, the nature of illusions is not finite nor is it infinite.

[36:37]

But in the midst of the crowd, she manifests the finite and infinite. Similarly, by the mind in silent concentration cultivating roots of goodness, produces all Buddhas, neither finite nor infinite, Finiteness and infinity are diluted notions. Comprehending all states of being, the enlightening do not cling to finiteness or infinity. The Buddha's most profound truth is vast, deep, ultimate quiescence. Their profound, measureless knowledge knows the deepest states. Enlightening beings are freed from delusion. Their purity of mind is continuous. By means of spiritual powers, they skillfully liberate numberless beings. To those not at rest, they bring rest. To those at peace, they show the sight of enlightenment. Thus do they go throughout the cosmos, their minds without attachment.

[37:43]

Not dwelling on ultimate reality and not entering nirvana, thus they go throughout the world's enlightening living beings. The classes of phenomena and beings they know without being attached. Everywhere showering the rain of truth, they fill and enrich all worlds. In all worlds they realize true awakening moment to moment, yet cultivate the practice of enlightening beings without ever retreating. The various bodies in the world they know all completely. Thus knowing physical phenomena, they realize the body of Buddhas. They know all sentient beings, all ages and lands, throughout the ten directions, boundless, entering fully into the ocean of knowledge. Beings' forms are infinite. For each, the Buddhas manifest a body. The Buddhas' bodies are boundless.

[38:46]

The wise observe them all. What they know in one moment manifests the Buddhas, impossible to fully tell even in measureless eons. The Buddhas can manifest their bodies passing finally away in any place. In an instant, innumerable relics are individually divided. Thus, those of certain knowledge know the infinite will for enlightenment of the seekers of Buddhahood in the ages to come. Ability to know in this way all the enlightened ones of past, present, and future is called maintaining the practice of universal good. Thus distinctly knowing countless stages of practice, entering the abode of wisdom, the cycle never rolls back. Subtle extensive knowledge entering deeply into the sphere of Buddhahood and having entered not regressing is called universally good wisdom.

[39:51]

All the supremely noble ones enter the realm of Buddhahood, their practice never regressing. They attain unexcelled enlightenment. The different individual actions of infinitely many minds all come from accumulations of conceptions. The economists know them all. Defiled or undefiled, learners' minds, non-learners' minds, untold numbers of minds, they know at every moment. They know they are not one or two, not defiled and not pure, and also without mixture. All arise from one's own notions. Thus they clearly see all living beings with minds and thoughts, each different, creating various worlds. By such means, cultivating supreme practice and being reborn from the teaching, they can be called universally good."

[40:52]

Sentient beings all wrongly produce the conceptions of the good and bad states. Because of this, they may be born in heaven or then again fall into hell. Enlightening beings see the worlds as produced by the action of false ideas. Because false ideas are boundless, infinite too are the worlds. All lands are manifestations of the network of conceptions. By the means of the net of illusion, one can instantly enter them all. Eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and the intellect, too, are thus. Conceptions of the world are different. All can be equally contained therein. In each object of the eye there are infinite eyes imminent. There are various natures different, measureless, unspeakable. What is seen has no difference and also no mix-up.

[41:56]

Everyone, according to her own acts, experiences the resulting consequences. The power of universal good is infinite. Knowing them all completely, in all objects of eyes there is great knowledge imminent. Thus, enlightening beings know distinctly every worldly realm and cultivate all enlightening practices without ever turning back. Buddhas teach, beings teach, and lands teach too. Everything in all times teaches thus. The enlightening ones know every particular. The future is the past. The present is the future. The three times look to each other. The enlightening understand each. Thus in infinite ways they awaken the worlds. No boundaries can be found to the means of total knowledge.

[42:56]

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