Chapter 12 Foremost Worthy At that time, when Manjushri Bodhisattva had finished speaking of the great meritorious qualities of pure conduct free of turbidity and confusion, because she wished to reveal the meritorious qualities of the resolve to attain Bodhi, she used a verse to make a request of Foremost Worthy Bodhisattva, saying, For the benefit of the Bodhisattvas, I have now already spoken of the Buddha's past cultivation of pure conduct. In the midst of this congregation, the worthy one should also freely expound on the supreme meritorious qualities of cultivation. Foremost Worthy Bodhisattva then replied in verses, saying, This is good indeed. May the worthy ones listen closely. Those meritorious qualities are immeasurable.

[01:07]

As befits my powers, I shall now describe only a small portion comparable to but a single drop of water from an ocean. Whenever a Bodhisattva first makes the resolve by which she vows to seek and realize the Bodhi of a Buddha, the meritorious qualities she acquires are boundless, immeasurable, and incomparable. How much the more so when, for countless and boundless kalpas, she fully cultivates the qualities of the grounds and the perfections. Even if all Tathagatas of the ten directions joined in praising this, they could never reach the end of it. I shall now describe but a small portion among such boundlessly great meritorious qualities as these, comparable only to the tracks left in the sky by a bird, or to but a single mote

[02:10]

of dust compared to the great earth. When the Bodhisattva arouses the will to seek Bodhi, this is not something without causes and without conditions. Developing pure faith in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha, it is due to this that she produces the vast resolve. She does not seek the five desires, the position of a monarch, wealth, personal pleasure, or great fame. It is solely in order to forever extinguish beings' sufferings and benefit those in the world that she makes this resolve. She always aspires to benefit beings and make them happy, to adorn the lands, to make offerings to the Buddhas, to take on and uphold right Dharma, and to cultivate wisdom. It is to realize Bodhi that she makes this resolve.

[03:14]

With profound intentions, resolute faith, and constant purity, she reverently honors and esteems all Buddhas as well as, in the same way, the Dharma and the Sangha. With utmost sincerity, she makes offerings and makes this resolve. She has deep faith in the Buddha and the Buddha's Dharma, also has faith in the path practiced by the children of the Buddha, and she has faith, too, in the unexcelled great Bodhi. It is because of this that the Bodhisattva makes the initial resolve. Faith is the source of the path and the mother of meritorious qualities. It brings about the growth and nourishment of all good Dharmas, cuts away the net of doubts, enables escape from the river of cravings, and reveals

[04:15]

the unsurpassed path to nirvana. Whenever faith is free of defilement and turbidity, the mind becomes pure. It extinguishes arrogance and constitutes the root of reverence. It is also the foremost form of wealth in the treasury of Dharma and the pure hands with which one takes on the many practices. It is due to faith that one gives with kindness free of miserliness. Due to faith, one is able to joyfully enter the Buddha's Dharma. Due to faith, one is able to increase wisdom and meritorious qualities. Due to faith, one is able to certainly reach the ground of the Tathagata. Faith enables the faculties to become pure, bright, and sharp. Solid power of faith is indestructible. Faith enables

[05:19]

one to forever destroy the roots of the afflictions. Faith enables one to progress especially toward a Buddha's qualities. Through faith, one remains free of attachment to the sense realms, leaves the difficulties far behind, and becomes free of the difficulties. Faith enables one to step beyond the paths of the many maras and reveals the path to the unsurpassed liberation. Faith is the indestructible seed of meritorious qualities. Faith enables the growth of one's tree of Bodhi. Faith enables the growth of the most supreme wisdom. Faith is able to reveal all Buddhas. Therefore, to speak of the sequence in relying on the practices, faithful aspiration is the most supreme and extremely rare. It is analogous to having

[06:25]

in all worlds a marvelous wish-fulfilling jewel. If one always has faith as one serves the Buddhas, one is able to uphold the precepts and cultivate the bases of training. If one always upholds the precepts and cultivates the bases of training, then one is able to completely fulfill all the meritorious qualities. Precepts are able to develop the roots of Bodhi. Training is the ground for diligent cultivation of meritorious qualities. Whoever always follows the practice of both precepts and training is praised by all Tathagatas. If one always has faith as one serves the Buddhas, then she is able to gather together great offerings. If one is able to gather together great offerings, then such a person's

[07:29]

faith in the Buddha becomes inconceivably great. If one always has faith as one serves the venerable Dharma, then one becomes insatiable in listening to the Buddha's Dharma. If one becomes insatiable in listening to the Buddha's Dharma, then such a person's faith in the Dharma grows inconceivably great. If one always has faith in the pure Sangha, then one acquires irreversible faith. If one acquires irreversible faith, then such a person's power of faith becomes unshakable. If one acquires unshakable power of faith, then one acquires purity, radiance, and acuity of all faculties. If one acquires purity, radiance, and acuity of all faculties, then one is able to avoid bad spiritual guides. If one is able to avoid

[08:34]

bad spiritual guides, then one becomes able to draw close to good spiritual guides. If one is able to draw close to good spiritual guides, then one is able to cultivate and accumulate great goodness. If one is able to cultivate and accumulate great goodness, then one becomes able to perfect great causal power. If one becomes able to perfect great causal power, then one acquires especially supreme and decisive understanding. If one acquires especially supreme and decisive understanding, then one becomes protected and born in mind by the Buddhas. If one becomes protected and born in mind by the Buddhas, then one becomes able to arouse the resolve to attain Bodhi. If one becomes able to arouse the resolve to attain Bodhi, then one is able to diligently

[09:42]

cultivate the Buddha's qualities. If one is able to diligently cultivate the Buddha's qualities, then one succeeds in being born into the clan of the Tathagatas. If one succeeds in being born into the clan of the Tathagatas, then one cultivates well skillful, expedient means. If one cultivates well skillful, expedient means, then one acquires faithful aspiration that is pure. If one acquires faithful aspiration that is pure, then one is able to develop an evermore supreme resolve. If one is able to develop an evermore supreme resolve, then one forever cultivates the Paramitas. If one forever cultivates the Paramitas, then one is able to completely fulfill the practice

[10:42]

of the Mahayana. If one is able to completely fulfill the practice of the Mahayana, then one is able to make offerings to the Buddha according to Dharma. If one is able to make offerings to the Buddha according to Dharma, then one is able with unwavering mind to be mindful of the Buddha. If one is able with unwavering mind to be mindful of the Buddha, then one will always see countless Buddhas. If one always sees countless Buddhas, then one will see that the essence of the Tathagata abides forever. If one sees that the essence of the Tathagata abides forever, then one is able to realize that the Dharma is never destroyed. If one is able to realize that the Dharma is never destroyed, then one acquires unimpeded

[11:43]

eloquence. If one acquires unimpeded eloquence, one is able to expound on infinitely many Dharmas. If one is able to expound on infinitely many Dharmas, then one becomes able to liberate beings with kindness and sympathy. If one becomes able to liberate beings with kindness and sympathy, then one attains a solid mind of great compassion. If one attains a solid mind of great compassion, then one is able to love the extremely profound Dharma. If one is able to love the extremely profound Dharma, then one is able to abandon the faults of conditioned existence. If one is able to abandon the faults of conditioned existence, then one leaves behind arrogance

[12:44]

and neglectfulness. If one leaves behind arrogance and neglectfulness, then one becomes able to also benefit everyone else. If one becomes able to also benefit everyone else, then one dwells in samsara without becoming weary of it. If one dwells in samsara without becoming weary of it, then one is able to become an invincibly valiant stalwart. If one is able to become an invincibly valiant stalwart, then one becomes able to generate great spiritual superknowledges. If one becomes able to generate great spiritual superknowledges, then one knows the actions of all beings. If one knows the actions of all beings, then one can enable the complete development of the many beings. If one can enable the complete development of the many beings, then one acquires the wisdom

[13:52]

that skillfully attracts beings. If one acquires the wisdom that skillfully attracts beings, then one is able to perfect the four means of attraction. If one is able to perfect the four means of attraction, then one is able to provide limitless benefit to beings. If one is able to provide limitless benefit to beings, then one perfects the most supremely wise skillful means. If one perfects the most supremely wise skillful means, then one abides in the courageous and unexcelled path. If one abides in the courageous and unexcelled path, then one is able to demolish the power of all Maras. If one is able to demolish the power of all Maras, then one is able to step beyond the

[14:54]

realms of the four Maras. If one is able to step beyond the realms of the four Maras, then one succeeds in reaching the ground of irreversibility. If one succeeds in reaching the ground of irreversibility, then one is able to gain the deep unproduced Dharma's patience. If one is able to gain the deep unproduced Dharma's patience, then one receives the prediction bestowed by all Buddhas. If one receives the prediction bestowed by all Buddhas, then all Buddhas appear directly before one. If all Buddhas appear directly before one, then one fully understands the deeply secret uses of spiritual powers. If one fully understands the deeply secret uses of spiritual powers, then one is born

[15:57]

in mind by all Buddhas. If one is born in mind by all Buddhas, then one becomes adorned with the qualities of the Buddha. If one becomes adorned with the qualities of the Buddha, then one acquires the majestic body possessed of marvelous merit. If one gains the majestic body possessed of marvelous merit, then one's body shines with dazzling light like a mountain of gold. If one's body shines with dazzling light like a mountain of gold, then one acquires the adornment of the thirty-two marks. If one acquires the adornment of the thirty-two marks, then one gains the fine subsidiary signs as one's adornments. If one gains the fine subsidiary signs as one's adornments, then the light emanated

[16:59]

by one's body is limitless. If the light emanated by one's body is limitless, then one becomes adorned with inconceivable radiance. If one becomes adorned with inconceivable radiance, one's light then emanates lotus flowers. If one's light emanates lotus flowers, then countless Buddhas appear sitting atop the flowers, manifesting throughout all ten directions without exception, with all of them able to train all beings. If one is able to train all beings in this way, one manifests the power of measureless spiritual super-knowledges. If one manifests the power of measureless spiritual super-knowledges, then one dwells in inconceivably many lands, expounding on the inconceivable Dharma, causing joyous delight

[18:03]

in inconceivably many beings. If one expounds on the inconceivable Dharma, causing joyous delight in inconceivably many beings, then one uses the power of wisdom and eloquence to adapt to beings' minds and thus teach and guide them forth. If one uses the power of wisdom and eloquence to adapt to beings' minds and thus teach and guide them forth, then one takes wisdom as one's guide, and one is forever free of error in deeds of body, mouth, and mind. If one takes wisdom as one's guide, and one is forever free of error in deeds of body, mouth, and mind, then one achieves sovereign mastery in one's power of vows, and everywhere

[19:04]

adapts to the various destinies manifesting bodies. If one achieves sovereign mastery in one's power of vows, and everywhere adapts to the various destinies manifesting bodies, then one is able, when speaking Dharma for the multitude, to be inconceivably skillful in making her language adapt to each type. If one is able, when speaking Dharma for the multitude, to be inconceivably skillful in making her language adapt to each type, then one is able in but a single mind moment to completely know the thoughts of all beings without exception. If one is able in but a single mind moment to completely know the thoughts of all beings without exception, then one realizes the afflictions have no place from which they arise, and thus

[20:10]

never again sinks and drowns within samsara. If one realizes the afflictions have no place from which they arise, and thus never sinks and drowns within samsara, then one acquires the Dharma-nature body possessed of the qualities and manifests in the world through Dharma's awesome power. If one acquires the Dharma-nature body possessed of the qualities and manifests in the world through Dharma's awesome power, then one acquires the ten grounds and ten types of sovereign mastery and cultivates the perfections and the supreme liberations. If one acquires the ten grounds and ten types of sovereign mastery and cultivates the perfections and the supreme liberations, then one gains the anointing of the crown and great super-knowledges

[21:15]

and abides in the most supreme samadhis. If one gains the anointing of the crown and great super-knowledges and abides in the most supreme samadhis, then in the presence of all Buddhas in the ten directions, one receives the anointing of the crown and ascends to that position. If in the presence of all Buddhas in the ten directions, one receives the anointing of the crown and ascends to that position, then she experiences the hands of all Buddhas of the ten directions anointing the crown of her head with the elixir of immortality. If one experiences the hands of all Buddhas in the ten directions anointing the crown of her head with the elixir of immortality, then her body pervades all places like empty

[22:20]

space and she abides peacefully, unmoving, filling the ten directions. If her body pervades all places like empty space and she abides peacefully, unmoving, filling the ten directions, then her sphere of action is beyond compare and unknowable by any deva or person of the world. The Bodhisattva diligently cultivates the practice of great compassion and vows to liberate all beings so that no one fails to gain the fruits. If anyone sees, hears, listens, accepts, or makes an offering, none fail to thus be caused to attain happiness. Those great eminences, awesome spiritual powers, and Dharma eyes are always complete, free of defect and undiminishing.

[23:22]

The ten good deeds, the sublime practices, and other path aspects, they cause all these unsurpassably supreme jewels to appear. In this they are analogous to the great ocean's mass of Vajra that, due to its awesome power, gives birth to the many gems while neither diminishing, increasing, or ever coming to an end. The Bodhisattva's accumulation of meritorious qualities is also just so. Where there are Kshatras with no Buddhas, they manifest the realization of right enlightenment there. Where there are lands where beings are unaware of the Dharma, they proclaim the treasury of wondrous Dharma for their sakes. They are free of discriminations and free of all effortful endeavors even as, in a single

[24:23]

mind moment, they pervade the ten directions just as moonlight's shining has no place it fails to completely reach. Just so, they use countless skillful means to teach the many beings. Throughout those worlds of the ten directions, they appear in every mind moment, achieving Buddhahood, turning the wheel of right Dharma, entering Nirvana, and so forth, concluding with the widespread distribution of their Sharira. They may manifest as Anashravaka disciple or Pratyekabuddha paths, or manifest as achieving Buddhahood with its pervasive adornments, thus revealing and explaining the teaching of the three vehicles as they extensively liberate beings for countless Kalpas. Sometimes they appear in the form of chaste youths or maidens, or as Devas, Dragons, Asuras,

[25:27]

and so forth, including as Maharagas and such, adapting to their preferences, thus allowing all to behold them. The forms and appearances of beings are each different. Their karma actions and their languages are also countless. They are able to appear in ways conforming to all such beings as these, with the awesome spiritual power of the oceanic imprint Samadhi. They purify inconceivably many Kshatras and make offerings to all the Tathagatas. They emanate great and boundless radiance, and the beings they liberate are also limitlessly numerous. With inconceivable wisdom and sovereign mastery, they are unimpeded in the phrasings used in speaking Dharma, in giving moral virtue, patience, vigor, dhyana absorption, wisdom, skillful

[26:31]

means, spiritual super-knowledges, and such. They possess sovereign mastery in all practices such as these through the power of the Buddha's flower adornment, Samadhi. They enter Samadhi within but a single atom and perfect meditative absorption within all atoms, and yet those atoms still do not increase in size, even as in each one of them there appear inconceivably many Kshatras. In the many Kshatras present inside of each of those atoms, some contain Buddhas, whereas in others there are no Buddhas. Some are defiled, whereas others are pure, and some are vast and large, while others are narrow and small. Some are being created, whereas others are being destroyed. Some of them are upright, while others are turned sideways.

[27:31]

Some resemble hot-season mirages in a vast wilderness, whereas others are like the net of Indra in the heavens. What appears as manifest in any single atom likewise appears in the same way in all other atoms. This occurs as a consequence of these greatly famous Aryas, powers of Samadhis, liberations, and the spiritual super-knowledges. If they wish to make offerings to all Buddhas, they enter Samadhi and bring forth spiritual transformations, enabling one hand to reach throughout the entire tri-kiliocosm, everywhere making offerings to all the Tathagatas. All the supremely marvelous flowers from all the ten directions, perfumed lotions, powdered incenses, and priceless jewels, all sorts of gifts such as these come forth from their

[28:34]

hands as offerings to the most supreme ones beneath their Bodhi trees. Ropes adorned with priceless gems, various kinds of fine incense, jeweled banners, pennants and canopies, all nicely adorned, flowers made of real gold, and curtains made of jewels, none of these do not come forth and rain down from their palms. All the marvelous things from throughout the ten directions that are suitable to offer up to the unexcelled Bhagavats, they all rain down from their palms, none not in abundance, then are held up as offerings to the Buddhas before their Bodhi trees. All types of musical performances from throughout the ten directions, including bells, drums, zithers, and zitherns, none of but a single sort, are all played in refined harmonies

[29:40]

together with wondrous voices. None of these do not come forth from within their palms. All of the praise verses from throughout the ten directions, extolling the Tathagata's genuine meritorious qualities, all different sorts of marvelous phrasings such as these are all intoned from within their palms. The right hands of those Bodhisattvas emanate pure light. From amidst that light, perfumed waters rain down from the sky, everywhere sprinkling the lands of the Buddhas of the ten directions as offerings to all those lamps who illuminate the worlds. They also emanate marvelously adorned light that sends forth countless jeweled lotus flowers. In their color and appearance, the flowers are all especially marvelous.

[30:43]

It is with these that they make offerings to the Buddhas. They also emanate light that is adorned with flowers, from which all kinds of marvelous flowers join together into curtains that everywhere spread out to the lands of the ten directions as offerings to all the greatly virtuous ones, the Bhagavats. They also emanate light adorned with incense, from which all kinds of marvelous incense join together into curtains that everywhere spread out to the lands of the ten directions as offerings to all the greatly virtuous ones, the Bhagavats. They also emanate light adorned with types of powdered incense, from which all kinds of powdered incense join together into curtains that everywhere spread out to the lands of the ten directions as offerings to all the greatly virtuous ones, the Bhagavats.

[31:44]

They also emanate light adorned with robes, from which all kinds of fine robes join together into curtains that everywhere spread out to the lands of the ten directions as offerings to all the greatly virtuous ones, the Bhagavats. They also emanate light adorned with jewels, from which all kinds of marvelous jewels join together into curtains that everywhere spread out to the lands of the ten directions as offerings to all the greatly virtuous ones, the Bhagavats. They also emanate light adorned with lotuses, from which all kinds of lotus flowers join together into curtains that everywhere spread out to the lands of the ten directions as offerings to all the greatly virtuous ones, the Bhagavats. They also emanate light adorned with jewel garlands, from which all kinds of marvelous

[32:47]

garlands join together into curtains that everywhere spread out to the lands of the ten directions as offerings to all the greatly virtuous ones, the Bhagavats. They also emanate light adorned with banners. Those banners are beautiful, dazzling, replete with many colors, and of countless different kinds, all of which are especially fine. They use these as adornments in all lands of the Buddhas. Many different kinds of the various jewels form adorning canopies, from which hang many marvelous silken decorative pennants, and Mani jewel bells ringing forth the sounds of the Buddhas. All of these are held forth as offerings to all the Tathagatas. Their hands send forth inconceivable offering gifts. Just as they make offerings in this way to a single master guide, so too do they do so

[33:53]

in the same way wherever all Buddhas dwell through the samadhis and spiritual powers of these great eminences. As the Bodhisattvas abide in samadhi, they use many different kinds of sovereign mastery to attract beings, in all cases using the dharmas of meritorious qualities they practice, along with countless skillful means to guide and gather them in. They may use the gateway of making offerings to the Tathagatas, or may use the gateway of inconceivable sorts of giving, or may use the gateway of dhuta austerities and moral precepts, or may use the gateway of unshakable patience, or may use the gateway of vigor in the practice of austerities, or may use the gateway of quiescent dhyana absorption, or may use the gateway of decisively understanding wisdom, or may use the gateway of the expedience

[35:00]

they practice, or may use the gateway of the Brahma-viharas and spiritual powers, or may use the gateway of the four means of attraction's benefits, or may use the gateway of adornment with merit and wisdom, or may use the gateway of liberation by causes and conditions, or may use the gateway of the roots, the powers, and the right path, or may use the gateway of the Sravaka disciples' liberations, or may use the gateway of the Pratyekabuddha's purification, or may use the gateway of the great vehicle's sovereign masteries, or may use the gateway of the many sufferings of impermanence, or may use the gateway of nonexistence of self or one with a lifespan, or may use the gateway of abandoning desire through

[36:00]

unloveliness, or may use the gateway of the complete cessation samadhi. In accordance with the different illnesses of beings, they in all cases use the medicine of Dharma to counteract them. In accordance with the mental dispositions of beings, they in all cases use skillful means, thus thoroughly satisfying them. In accordance with the differences in the behaviors of beings, they in all cases use skillful means to enable their development. Such aspects of samadhi and spiritual super-knowledges as these are such that no deva or human could ever fathom them. There is a marvelous samadhi known as adapted to preferences. Bodhisattvas abiding in it engage in a universal contemplation by which, adapting to what is

[37:02]

fitting, they manifest to liberate beings, thus enabling them all to happily follow the Dharma teachings. During the course of the kalpa, in seasons of famine and disaster, they always provide those in the world with whatever pleases them, adapting to whatever they desire, and causing all to be satisfied, thus creating benefit for all beings. Sometimes they provide food and drink of supremely fine flavor, bejeweled robes, adornments, the many kinds of marvelous things, and so forth, even being able to give up their positions as monarchs, thus causing those pleased by such giving to follow the teachings. Sometimes they use a body adorned with the marks and signs that is dressed in supremely marvelous robes and jeweled garlands, using this body graced with floral chaplets,

[38:07]

anointed with perfumes, and perfect in the awesome deportment they liberate beings. With a physical appearance, countenance, and robes that everyone in the world will admire and esteem, adapting appropriately, appearing everywhere, pleasing their minds, they enable all those fond of physical appearance to follow the path. Using the exquisitely marvelous sounds of the Kalavinka bird and the marvelous voicings of the Kokila bird and others, all of which are replete with various sorts of pure sounds, they adapt to beings' mental dispositions and speak Dharma for them. There are 84,000 Dharma gateways, all Buddhas use these to liberate beings. They also use different Dharmas that accord with them, adapting to whatever suits the world as they teach and liberate beings.

[39:09]

In beings' pain and pleasure, gain and loss, and so forth, and in all Dharmas in which all those in the world engage, they are able to respond and appear, joining them in their endeavors, thus everywhere liberating beings by these means. The many sufferings and troubles of those in all worlds are as deep and boundlessly vast as the great ocean. They join them in their endeavors, always being able to be patient, thus enabling them to benefit and thus gain happiness. Where there are those who do not know the Dharmas of emancipation and do not seek liberation and separation from chaotic confusion, Bodhisattvas appear for them, relinquishing the throne and wealth, and always wishing to leave the home life and gain mental quiescence. The household is the place in which one is bound up by desires, wishing to enable all

[40:18]

beings to entirely avoid this. They therefore show how to leave the home life and gain liberation through having none of the types of desire that they deign to adopt. The Bodhisattvas show them how to practice ten types of actions and also how to practice all the Dharmas of great persons, as well as all without exception of the practices of rishis and others, doing so because they wish to benefit beings. Wherever there are beings with measureless lifespans in whom afflictions are only subtle and who enjoy complete bliss, the Bodhisattvas, having achieved sovereign mastery over them, reveal the many disastrous aspects of aging, sickness, and death. Where there are those beset by greed, hatred, and delusion, who are ever ablaze with the

[41:21]

fierce flames of the afflictions, the Bodhisattvas reveal for them aging, sickness, and death, thus enabling those beings to all take up the training. The Tathagata's ten powers, fearlessnesses, eighteen exclusive dharmas, and all their countless meritorious qualities are all manifested to bring about the liberation of beings. Predictions, remonstrances, as well as travel by spiritual power, all of these are freely used by the Tathagatas. All of those great eminences reveal them all, thus becoming able to cause all beings to take on the training. The Bodhisattvas use all kinds of different expedient gateways adapted to the dharmas of the world as means to liberate beings. Just as the lotus flower is not attached to the waters, so too do they reside in the world

[42:28]

inspiring deep faith. Using the refined thought and deep talents of the kings of literati, using song, dance, and discussions pleasing the many, and using the many forms of worldly arts and skills, they are like master conjurers with nothing they do not manifest. They may become elders serving as leaders in villages, may become guides who lead merchants and business people, may become monarchs of countries or great officials, or may become fine physicians or those skilled in many doctrines. They may appear as large trees in the midst of a vast plain, may become fine medicine or a trove of many jewels, may become precious wish-fulfilling gems, or may show the right path to beings. If they observe a world that is but newly established, in which beings do not yet have

[43:34]

life-sustaining tools, the bodhisattvas will become skilled artisans in these times in order to manifest all kinds of different trades for them. They do not invent things that may serve to torment beings, but rather only speak of endeavors benefiting the world. As for the many teachings on mantra techniques, medicines, and such, they are able to provide instruction on all such matters as these. The extraordinary practices of all the rishis, inspiring faith and admiration in all humans, devas, and others, as appropriate, these bodhisattvas are freely able to perform all such difficult to practice dharmas related to the austerities. They may become renouncers of the home life from other traditions, may abide in mountains

[44:36]

and forests, diligent in solitary asceticism, or may become naked ascetics who have no clothes, thus serving within those groups as teachers and elders. They may appear as engaged in various practices of wrong livelihood, becoming supreme in the practice of what is not dharma. They may manifest all types of awesome deportment of brahmacharyans and thus become supreme leaders within those congregations. They may endure the five-fold heat or always turn to face the sun, may observe prohibitions by which they emulate cows, dogs, or deer, or may wear ruined robes and practice fire worship, doing so to become guiding teachers teaching people such as these. They may manifest as paying respects at temples of deities or may manifest as entering the

[45:44]

waters of the Ganges River, as eating roots and fruits and such, displaying all such practices even as they are always contemplating their own supreme dharma. They may appear as cultivating squatting or standing on one foot, may appear lying down on beds of thorns or embers, or may appear lying down on beds of spikes seeking emancipation, thus becoming the head teachers among those groups. With all such types of non-Buddhist traditions as these, they assess their understanding, join them in the same endeavors, and then display austerities none in the world could endure, thus causing them all to submit to their training after witnessing this. Being confused and deluded, beings accept erroneous teachings, abide in evil views,

[46:45]

and undergo manifold sufferings. They create expedience by which to teach them the wondrous dharma so that they are all enabled to comprehend the genuine truths. They may use words of remote land spells to teach the Four Truths, may skillfully use esoteric language to teach the Four Truths, may use direct human language to teach the Four Truths, or may use the esoteric languages of the devas to teach the Four Truths. They may analyze words of texts to teach the Four Truths, decisively determine principles to teach the Four Truths, skillfully refute others' claims to teach the Four Truths, or may use ideas outsiders cannot shake to teach the Four Truths. They may use speech of eight kinds of beings to teach the Four Truths, may use all sorts

[47:52]

of languages to teach the Four Truths, or may adapt to the sounds of whatever language beings understand to teach the Four Truths for them, thereby enabling their liberation. All dharmas of all buddhas are all proclaimed in these ways, none of them not exhaustively. Their sphere of language comprehension is inconceivable. This is what exemplifies the power of the dharma-teaching samadhi. There is a supreme samadhi known as happiness, able to everywhere rescue and liberate the many types of beings, in which one emanates a great and inconceivable radiance that enables all those seeing it take up the training. The light it emanates is known as good to behold. If any being encounters this light, she will certainly be enabled to gain benefit not meeting

[48:58]

it in vain. Due to this, she will succeed in perfecting unexcelled wisdom. That light shows the buddhas, shows the dharma, shows the sangha, shows the right path, and also shows the stupas and images of the buddhas. It is for this reason that this light is produced. It also emanates a light known as dazzling illumination that even outshines all the light of the devas. Of all the kinds of obscuring darkness, none are not dispelled by it, as it shining everywhere produces abundant benefit for beings. This light awakens all beings and causes them to raise up offerings of lamp light to the buddhas. Then, because they make offerings of lamps to the buddhas, they succeed in becoming unexcelled

[50:00]

lamps for the world. From lighting all kinds of oil lamps and ghee lamps, from lighting all kinds of bright torches, and also from giving many kinds of scents, wondrous herbs, and fine bejeweled candles, it is due to offering these to buddhas that one acquires this light. It also emanates a light known as salvation. This light is able to awaken all beings and cause them to make the great universal vow to liberate all the many kinds of beings from the ocean of desires. If one is able to make the great universal vow to liberate all the many sorts of beings from the ocean of desires, then one becomes able to cross beyond the four floods and show beings the way to the sorrowless city of liberation.

[51:00]

It is due to building bridges, ferries, and rafts in all places where roads encounter great rivers, and due to criticizing conditioned existence while praising quiescence, that one is therefore able to produce this light. It also emanates a light known as extinguishing craving. This light is able to awaken all beings and cause them to abandon the five types of desires and exclusively reflect upon the sublime dharma flavor of liberation. If one is able to abandon the five types of desires and exclusively reflect upon the sublime dharma flavor of liberation, then one is able to use the reign of the Buddha's elixir of immortality to everywhere extinguish the cravings of those in the world. It is due to kindly making gifts of ponds, wells, and flowing springs, being exclusively

[52:10]

devoted to seeking the path to unexcelled bodhi, criticizing the five desires, and praising the dhyana absorptions, that one is therefore able to produce this light. It also emanates a light known as joyous delight. This light is able to awaken all beings and cause them to feel fond admiration for the bodhi of the Buddha and resolve to realize the path not reliant on a teacher. It is by making images of the greatly compassionate Tathagata, adorned with the many marks and sitting on a lotus throne, and by forever praising the most supreme one's meritorious qualities, that one is therefore able to produce this light. It also emanates a light known as fond delight. This light is able to awaken all beings and cause their minds to delight in the Buddhas

[53:15]

and also delight in the Dharma and delight in the Sangha. If one's mind forever delights in the Buddhas and also delights in the Dharma and delights in the Sangha, then in the midst of the Tathagata's assembled congregation, one becomes able to realize the unexcelled deep Dharma's patience. It is due to awakening countless beings everywhere, inspiring mindfulness of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha jewels, and showing others how to make the resolve and do meritorious practices, that one is therefore able to produce this light. It also emanates a light known as accumulation of merit. This light is able to awaken all beings and cause them to practice all kinds of measureless giving, whereupon, because of this aspiration, they seek the unexcelled path.

[54:19]

It is due to arranging great assemblies dedicated to limitless giving, in which all who come seeking help are completely satisfied and not allowed to feel as if they have a shortage of anything, that one is therefore able to produce this light. It also emanates a light known as complete in wisdom. This light is able to awaken all beings and enable them in but one Dharma in a single mind moment to entirely understand all the countless gateways to the Dharma. It is due to distinguishing aspects of Dharma for beings, and then using the definitive genuine meaning to skillfully teach the meaning of the Dharma without omission, that one is therefore able to produce this light. It also emanates a light known as lamp of wisdom.

[55:21]

This light is able to awaken all beings and enable them to realize the empty and quiescent nature of beings, and realize that all Dharmas are devoid of any inherent existence. It is by expounding on Dharmas as empty, free of any agent of actions, like a conjuration, like a mirage, like the moon reflected in the water, and so forth, up to their being like images in a dream, that one is therefore able to produce this light. It also emanates a light known as sovereign mastery of Dharma. This light is able to awaken all beings and enable them to acquire Dharmanis of inexhaustible capacity by which they are able to retain all of the Buddha's Dharmas. It is due to respectful offerings to those who uphold the Dharma, due to providing for,

[56:25]

serving, and protecting worthies and Aryas, and due to giving all kinds of Dharma to beings, that one is therefore able to produce this light. It also emanates a light known as able to relinquish. This light awakens miserly beings and enables them to realize wealth and jewels are all impermanent, and to always delight in kindly giving with an unattached mind. It is by being able to subdue miserly thoughts that are hard to subdue, by understanding wealth is like a dream and like floating clouds, and by growth in the pure mind inclined to kindly giving, that one is therefore able to produce this light. It also emanates a light known as dispelling heat. This light is able to awaken those who break the prohibitions and enable them all to accept

[57:31]

and uphold the pure precepts and then resolve to realize the path not reliant on a teacher. It is by exhorting and leading beings to accept and uphold precepts and purely practice the ten courses of good karmic action, while also enabling them to resolve to progress toward Bodhi, that one is therefore able to produce this light. It also emanates a light known as adornment with patience. This light awakens those inclined toward hatred and enables them to rid themselves of hatred, abandon arrogance, and always delight in the dharmas of patience and gentleness. When one is confronted with beings intolerable violence and evil for the sake of Bodhi, one prevents one's mind from moving at all, and one always wishes to praise the meritorious

[58:34]

qualities of patience. It is because of this that one is therefore able to produce this light. It also emanates a light known as courageous. This light awakens the indolent and enables them to be forever tireless in reverently making offerings to the three jewels. If one is forever tireless in reverently making offerings to the three jewels, then one is able to step beyond the spheres of the four Maras and swiftly realize the Buddha's unexcelled Bodhi. It is by urging and teaching beings to be goaded by vigor, by being forever diligent in making offerings to the three jewels, and by devotion to protecting the Dharma when it is about to end, that one is therefore able to produce this light. It also emanates a light known as quiescence.

[59:37]

This light is able to awaken those with chaotic minds and enable them to abandon greed, hatred and stupidity and maintain unwavering minds that then attain right concentration. It is due to giving up all bad spiritual guides, meaningless conversations and defiled actions while also praising dhyana absorption and dwelling in an aranya, a forest dwelling, that one is therefore able to produce this light. It also emanates a light known as wisdom adornment. This light awakens those who are deluded and confused and causes them to realize the truths, understand conditioned arising and develop penetrating wisdom in all their faculties. If one is able to realize the truths, understand conditioned arising and develop penetrating

[60:42]

wisdom in all one's faculties, then one acquires the Dharma of the solar lamp samadhi, wisdom light and success in attaining the fruit of Buddhahood. It is due to being able to sacrifice the throne, wealth and one's life in seeking right Dharma, doing so for the sake of Bodhi and then having learned it, being diligently devoted to teaching it for the many that one is therefore able to produce this light. It also emanates a light known as wisdom of the Buddha. This light awakens all sentient beings and enables them to see countlessly and boundlessly many Buddhas, each of whom sits atop a jeweled lotus flower. It is due to praising the Buddha's awesome virtue and liberations, proclaiming Buddha's

[61:43]

measureless sovereign masteries and revealing the Buddha's powers and spiritual supernatural knowledges, that one is therefore able to produce this light. It also emanates a light known as fearless. When this light's illumination falls on those who are frightened, even the means of poisonous injury possessed by nonhumans are all caused to be swiftly and completely eliminated. It is due to being able to bestow fearlessness on beings, due to urging those inflicting torment and injury to cease doing so, and due to rescuing those in dangerous straits, orphans and the poor, that one is therefore able to produce this light. It also emanates a light known as peaceful security. This light is able to illuminate those who are sick, enable them to become free of all

[62:47]

suffering and pain, and enable them all to gain the bliss of right concentration samadhi. It is by giving fine medicines to rescue beings from the many illnesses, using wondrous jewels to prolong life, giving perfumed body salves, ghee, milk and honey, and by satisfying needs for drink and food, that one is therefore able to produce this light. It also emanates a light known as seeing the Buddha. This light awakens those on the verge of death and enables them to see whichever Tathagata they bear in mind and succeed in being reborn in her pure land when their lives end. It is due to urging mindfulness of the Buddha on those about to die, while showing the Bhagavata's image, enabling its respectful viewing, thus engendering deep longing in them toward the Buddha,

[63:52]

that one is therefore able to produce this light. It also emanates a light known as delight in Dharma. This light is able to awaken all beings and enable them to always feel delight in right Dharma, listen to its teaching, expound on it for others, and transcribe it. It is due to being able to expound Dharma in the Dharma-ending age, due to enabling the minds of those seeking the Dharma to be satisfied, and due to delighting in diligently cultivating the Dharma, that one is therefore able to produce this light. It also emanates a light known as sublime sound. This light awakens Bodhisattvas and it is able to cause all sounds within the three realms to be heard as the voice of the Tathagata. It is due to using a grand voice to praise the Buddha, and due to providing all kinds of music

[64:59]

from chimes and bells to cause sounds of the Buddha to be heard throughout the world, that one is therefore able to produce this light. It also emanates a light known as giver of the elixir of immortality. This light awakens all beings and enables them to relinquish all neglectful conduct and completely cultivate every kind of meritorious quality. It is by warning that conditioned Dharmas are not peaceful and secure, and are pervasively beset by measureless suffering and anguish, while forever delighting in praising the bliss of quiescence, that one is therefore able to produce this light. It also emanates a light known as most excellent. This light awakens all the multitudes and enables them to everywhere hear from the Buddhas

[66:02]

the supreme Dharmas of moral virtue, concentration, and wisdom. It is due to always delighting in praising the supreme precepts, supreme samadhi, and especially supreme wisdom of all Buddhas, doing so for the sake of the quest to gain the unexcelled path, that one is therefore able to produce this light. It also emanates a light known as jewel adornment. This light is able to awaken all beings and enable them to acquire an inexhaustible treasury of jewels with which to make offerings to the Tathagatas. It is due to using all kinds of supremely marvelous jewels to offer up as gifts to the Buddha and the Buddha's stupas, while also practicing kindly giving to the poor and destitute, that one is therefore able to produce this light. It also emanates a light known as fragrant adornment.

[67:07]

This light is able to awaken all Buddhas and enable those smelling it to be pleased, satisfied in mind, and definitely bound to develop a Buddha's meritorious qualities. It is by sprinkling the earth with fine perfumes of humans and Devas as an offering to all the supreme Lords, and also by making stupas and Buddha images, that one is therefore able to produce this light. It also emanates a light known as various adornments that contains countless jewel banners, pendants, canopies, burning incenses, scattering flowers, and many types of playing music that all fill every place within and beyond the city walls. It is by having formerly used sounds of sublime singing and dancing, and many sorts of scents, fine flowers, banners, canopies, and such,

[68:13]

as well as all sorts of adornments, all as offerings to the Buddha, that one is therefore able to produce this light. It also emanates a light known as majestic purity that causes the ground to become as flat as one's palm. It is due to having adorned Buddha stupas and their surroundings that one is therefore able to produce this light. It also emanates a light known as great cloud that is able to produce fragrant clouds raining perfumed waters. It is due to having sprinkled the grounds of stupas and courtyards that one is therefore able to produce this light. It also emanates a light known as adornments that enables the naked to obtain fine clothes. It is due to having given marvelous physical adornments that one is therefore able to produce this light.

[69:16]

It also emanates a light known as supreme flavors that is able to cause the hungry to obtain fine food. It is due to having given all kinds of exquisitely fine cuisine that one is therefore able to produce this light. It also emanates a light known as great wealth that enables the poor and destitute to obtain jewel treasuries. It is due to having given endless gifts to the three jewels that one is therefore able to produce this light. It also emanates a light known as purified vision that is able to cause the blind to see the many forms. It is due to having given lamps to Buddha's or Buddha's stupas that one is therefore able to produce this light. It also emanates a light known as purified sense of smell

[70:19]

that enables one to smell scents one has never smelled before. It is due to having given incense to Buddha's or Buddha's stupas that one is therefore able to produce this light. It also emanates a light known as purified tongue by which one is able to use a beautiful voice in praising the Buddha. It is due to forever banishing coarse, foul, and unwholesome speech that one is therefore able to produce this light. It also emanates a light known as purified body that enables those of defective faculties to have them fully restored. It is due to revering Buddha's or Buddha's stupas with one's body that one is therefore able to produce this light. It also emanates a light known as purified mind

[71:20]

that enables those who lost their minds to gain right mindfulness. It is due to developing sovereign mastery in cultivating all samadhis that one is therefore able to produce this light. It also emanates a light known as purified forms that enables one to see an inconceivable number of Buddha's forms. It is due to having used many marvelous forms to adorn stupas that one is therefore able to produce this light. It also emanates a light known as purified sounds that enables one to realize the nature of sound is originally quiescent. It is due to contemplating sound's origination as like echoes in a valley that one is therefore able to produce this light. It also emanates a light known as purified fragrances

[72:21]

that causes all rank filth to attain a purified fragrance. It is due to using fragrant water in washing stupas and bodhi trees that one is therefore able to produce this light. It also emanates a light known as purified tastes that is able to remove all toxins from whatever one tastes. It is due to constant offerings to the Buddha, Sangha, and parents that one is therefore able to produce this light. It also emanates a light known as purified tangibles that is able to cause all unpleasant tangibles to become soft so that when spears, spikes, swords, and lances rain from the sky it causes them all to be transformed into marvelous floral chaplets. It is because in the past in greeting and escorting Tathagatas

[73:24]

one sprinkled fragrant water, scattered flowers, and spread out robes on the roads to enable them to step there that one is therefore able to produce this light. It also emanates a light known as purified dharmas that is able to cause all pores to expound the inconceivable sublime dharma and cause all beings who hear it to become pleased and awakened. Whatever arises from causes and conditions is unproduced. The dharma body of the Buddhas is not a body. The nature of dharmas abides forever like empty space. It is by having taught such ideas that one produces light like this. Comparable sorts of gateways of light rays such as these are as limitless in number as the sands of the Ganges.

[74:25]

They all stream forth from the pores of the great Rishi. The works that are performed by each one of them are different. Just as the lights emanated by each single pore are as incalculable and innumerable as the sands of the Ganges so too is this true of all those pores. This is all due to the samadhi power of the great Rishi. The lights encountered accord with original conduct and correspond to their past lives' affinities and partners in practice. For these reasons, the lights now emanated are of these kinds. This is all due to the great Rishi's wisdom and sovereign mastery. Due to joint cultivation of meritorious karma in the past, due to feeling fond admiration and being able to rejoice in it,

[75:25]

or in the same way, due to merely having seen what was done, they are all able thereby to succeed in seeing these lights. Where one cultivated many meritorious deeds on one's own, made offerings to countless Buddhas, or always sought to acquire the Buddha's meritorious qualities, these are the ones whom these lights awaken. Just as when those who are born blind fail to see the sun, this is not because there is no sun that rises in the world, for everyone with eyes is still able to clearly see it, and each of them pursues their work according to their occupations. So too it is with the lights emanated by the great eminences. Those possessed of wisdom are all able to see them, whereas common people of erroneous faith or inferior understanding

[76:29]

will never be able to witness these lights. Just as palaces and carriages made of Mani jewels, adorned with marvelous gems, magical scents, and lustrous finishes, are naturally and abundantly owned by those possessed of merit, yet are places in which those bereft of merit could not live, so too it is with the lights emanated by these great eminences. Those having deep wisdom are all touched by their illumination. Among foolish common people of wrong faith and inferior insight, there are none at all who would even be able to see these lights. Where there are those who, on learning of these different lights, are able to develop pure and profound, resolute faith, they will forever cut away the entire net of doubts and swiftly perfect the banner of unexcelled meritorious qualities.

[77:33]

There is a Samadhi known as Able to Manifest that manifests retinues and adornments, all of them freely. It has no peer among any of the congregations of Buddha's children anywhere throughout the lands of the ten directions. It has a marvelous lotus flower adorned with radiance equal in size to a great trichiliocosm on which her body sits upright, completely filling it. This is due to the power of this Samadhi's spiritual super-knowledges. There are in addition, in number equal to the atoms in ten kshatras, marvelously fine lotus flowers that surround it, on each of which members of the congregation of Buddha's children sit, abiding in the awesome spiritual power of this Samadhi. In previous lives, they perfected good causes and conditions

[78:39]

and completely cultivated a Buddha's meritorious qualities. Beings such as these surround the Bodhisattva, all united in tirelessly gazing up at her with palms pressed together. Just as a bright moon shines in the midst of the stars, so too does the Bodhisattva abide within this congregation. The dharmas practiced by the great eminences are of this sort when they enter the awesome spiritual power of this Samadhi. Just as they manifest this appearance in one of the directions as surrounded by a congregation of Buddha's children, so too is this also so in all the other directions as well as they abide in the awesome spiritual power of this Samadhi. There is a supreme Samadhi known as Network of Directions.

[79:40]

The Bodhisattva abiding within it teaches on a vast scale, manifesting her body's appearance everywhere in all directions, sometimes as immersed in concentration or else as having emerged. Sometimes she enters right concentration in the east and then emerges from right concentration in the west. Sometimes she enters right concentration in the west and then emerges from right concentration in the east. Sometimes she enters right concentration in the other directions and then emerges from right concentration in yet other directions. In this way, she enters and emerges throughout the ten directions. This is what is known as the Bodhisattva's power of Samadhi. Throughout all lands of the East, among all the countless Tathagatas beyond measure,

[80:42]

she appears before them all, everywhere drawing near to them, while still abiding in Samadhi, quiescent and unmoving. And then, throughout all the worlds of the West, where all Buddhas, the Tathagatas, dwell, she appears in all cases as having emerged from Samadhi, engaged in the vast cultivation of making countless offerings. Throughout all the lands of the West, among all the countless Tathagatas beyond measure, she appears before them all, everywhere drawing near to them, while still abiding in Samadhi, quiescent and unmoving. And then, throughout all the worlds of the East, where all Buddhas, the Tathagatas, dwell, she appears in all cases as having emerged from Samadhi, engaged in the vast cultivation of making countless offerings. In this manner, throughout all worlds of the ten directions,

[81:47]

the Bodhisattva goes into them all without exception, sometimes appearing as unmoving in the quiescence of Samadhi, and sometimes appearing as respectfully making offerings to the Buddhas.

[82:02]

@Transcribed_v004ct2
@Text_v005
@Score_95.2