Flower Adornment Sutra
(Avatamsaka Sutra)
Lectures on the Great and Vast Buddha Flower Adornment Sutra
Lecturer: Venerable Master Hsuan Hua (宣化)
Chinese translation: Tang Dynasty by the Tripitaka Master Shramana Shikshananda of Khotan
Vietnamese translation: Bhikshu Thích Minh Định
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Chapter 1 – part 3
Wondrous Adornments of the World Rulers
Next, the Gandharva King Dhṛtarāṣṭra attained the liberation-gate of skillful means, freely embracing all sentient beings.
Commentary: We will continue the explanation. This is the Gandharva King Dhṛtarāṣṭra. “Gandharva” is translated as “fragrance spirit” or “music spirit.” He attained the Dharma-gate of skillful means exercised freely—that is, the liberation-gate of embracing and receiving all sentient beings.
“自在” (freedom) means being free and at ease, without any coercion. “Skillful means” means observing the capacities and circumstances of those being taught, explaining the Dharma according to the person, and prescribing the right remedy for the particular ailment. “Embracing” means receiving and drawing beings in, like a magnet attracting iron. There are two ways to explain this kind of embracing:
– **Subduing through firm means:** using forceful Dharma methods to subdue sentient beings who are difficult to guide or tame.
– **Embracing through compassion:** using a compassionate heart to draw beings in, so that they willingly come to believe in and understand the Buddhadharma, put it into practice, and attain Buddhahood.
The Gandharva King Radiant Tree attained the liberation-gate of universally seeing the adornments of all virtues.
Commentary: The Gandharva King Radiant Tree sees all the Buddhas, who use every virtue cultivated through practice to adorn the Dharma body. The Dharma body is the Buddha’s body, without form or appearance and impossible to see; it is the opposite of the physical body. This is the liberation-gate he attained.
The Gandharva King Pure Eyes attained the liberation-gate of bringing forth a treasury of joy by forever ending the worries and suffering of all sentient beings.
Commentary: The Gandharva King Pure Eyes forever ends the worries and suffering of all sentient beings. What worries and suffering do sentient beings have? Fundamentally, there need not be any; because of their own afflictions, they look for trouble where there is none. This king not only helps beings put an end to their worries and suffering, but also causes them to give rise to joy. This is the liberation-gate he attained.
The Gandharva King Flower Crown attained the liberation-gate of forever eliminating the delusions of wrong views held by all sentient beings.
Commentary: The Gandharva King Flower Crown forever eliminates the wrong views and doubts of sentient beings. All sentient beings have mistaken understanding and wrong views. What are mistaken understanding and wrong views? They include holding the position that one need not cultivate the three non-outflow studies of morality, concentration, and wisdom. Having this kind of thinking is mistaken understanding and wrong view.
Many educated people in this world also hold mistaken understanding and wrong views. Right understanding and right views require someone to teach and guide us; wrong understanding and wrong views arise even without anyone teaching them. People may think their own cultivation is correct when it is actually mistaken. Their views mislead not only themselves but also others.
The Gandharva King Flower Crown understood this principle and attained the liberation-gate of forever eliminating the wrong views and doubts of sentient beings.
The Gandharva King Joyful Steps Universal Sound attained the liberation-gate of spreading a vast, cloud-like shelter that nourishes all sentient beings with the Dharma.
Commentary: The Gandharva King Joyful Steps Universal Sound enjoys walking and physical exercise and also enjoys composing music. He is not only an athletic champion but also a musician, accomplished in both civil and martial pursuits. He attained a liberation-gate like a vast cloud covering the three-thousand great-thousand world system and spreading the rain of the Dharma to benefit all sentient beings. This Dharma rain moistens their roots of goodness, enabling them to grow, mature, and attain liberation.
The Gandharva King Delightful, Moving, Beautiful Eyes attained the liberation-gate of manifesting a vast, wondrous, excellent body that enables all sentient beings to obtain happiness and peace.
Commentary: The Gandharva King Delightful, Moving, Beautiful Eyes attained a vast, wondrous, excellent body. Not only are his eyes beautiful, but his body is also very graceful. All sentient beings feel reverence, admiration, and peace when they encounter him. He enables all sentient beings to attain happiness and peace; this is the liberation-gate he attained.
The Gandharva King Wondrous Sound Lion Banner attained the liberation-gate of spreading the precious fame and great renown of all directions throughout the ten directions.
Commentary: The Gandharva King Wondrous Sound Lion Banner has a wondrous, melodious voice that carries throughout the ten directions. All sentient beings in the ten directions know of his great renown. Hearing his name can bring them to awakening, open their wisdom, help them understand birth and death and transcend them, and enable them to reach the other shore.
The Gandharva King Universally Emitting Precious Light attained the liberation-gate of manifesting a pure, luminous body that brings great joy to all.
Commentary: The Gandharva King Universally Emitting Precious Light possesses precious radiance that shines upon all sentient beings and enables them to attain wisdom. Light represents wisdom and causes all sentient beings to give rise to great joy. This king attained the liberation-gate of a pure and luminous Dharma body.
The Gandharva King Vajra Tree Flower Banner attained the liberation-gate of universally nourishing all trees and making those who see them joyful.
Commentary: The Gandharva King Vajra Tree Flower Banner attained the state of nourishing all trees everywhere, causing their branches and leaves to flourish. He also makes sentient beings joyful and free from sorrow when they see these trees. These trees have the function of transforming suffering into joy. This is the liberation-gate he attained.
The Gandharva King Universally Manifesting Adornments attained the liberation-gate of skillfully entering the realm of all Buddhas and bringing peace and happiness to sentient beings.
The Gandharva King Universally Manifesting Adornments attained the liberation-gate of skillfully entering the realms of all Buddhas and bringing peace and happiness to sentient beings.
Commentary: The Gandharva King Universally Manifesting Adornments is skilled at manifesting many kinds of adornments to beautify Buddha-lands and places of practice. He is also skilled at entering all the realms of the Buddhas and manifesting those realms, making them both adorned and pure. He brings peace and happiness to all sentient beings and removes their worries and suffering. He has great loving-kindness and great compassion: loving-kindness gives happiness, while compassion relieves suffering. This is the liberation-gate he attained.
At that time, the Gandharva King Dhṛtarāṣṭra, relying on the Buddha’s spiritual power, surveyed all the Gandharvas and spoke these verses.
Commentary: After the Gandharva King Universally Manifesting Adornments had explained the liberation-gate he attained, the Gandharva King Dhṛtarāṣṭra—one of the Gandharva Kings governed by the Heavenly King Dhṛtarāṣṭra of the East—relied on the Buddha’s great spiritual power and surveyed all the Gandharvas. He then spoke verses praising the Buddha’s virtues.
There are two kinds of contemplation:
– **Contemplation in meditation:** While in samādhi, one contemplates the causes and conditions of the Gandharvas and considers what Dharma should be taught to benefit them.
– **Contemplation after emerging from meditation:** One uses wisdom to consider what skillful means should be used to teach and guide the Gandharvas, and then applies those means.
First, one contemplates through spiritual power; afterward, one contemplates through wisdom. Only those who have realized a spiritual stage can carry out these two kinds of contemplation.
The realms of all Buddhas have immeasurable gateways;
No sentient being can enter them.
The Well-Gone One is pure in nature like space;
For the world, he opens the right path.
Commentary: “The realms of all Buddhas have immeasurable gateways.” While in meditation, the Gandharva King Dhṛtarāṣṭra contemplated the results experienced by sentient beings in the past; after emerging from meditation, he contemplated the results experienced by beings in the present. By seeing results, one can understand causes; by contemplating causes, one can understand results. He also knew that the Buddhas of the three times have immeasurable Dharma-gates.
“No sentient being can enter them.” The realms of sentient beings and the realms of Buddhas are alike in their fundamental nature. But the realm of sentient beings is troubled by afflictions, agitation, and delusion, whereas the realm of Buddhas is pure, unconditioned yet capable of all activity: it appears to have nothing, yet contains everything. Sentient beings do not understand this realm and therefore cannot reach it. How can they reach it? By learning the Buddhadharma and putting it into practice.
“The Well-Gone One is pure in nature like space.” “Well-Gone One” is one of the Buddha’s ten epithets. The Buddha practiced the Noble Eightfold Path and realized ultimate nirvāṇa; his nature is pure like empty space.
“For the world, he opens the right path.” For all beings in the world, the Buddha opens a bright and upright path, enabling them to travel along a broad, level road directly to the Buddha-land.
Within each pore of the Tathāgata,
An ocean of virtues is completely present.
All worlds receive benefit and joy;
This is what the Gandharva King Radiant Tree can see.
Commentary: “Within each pore of the Tathāgata.” Each pore of the Buddha contains immeasurable virtue.
“An ocean of virtues is completely present.” These virtues are greater than the ocean. The virtues contained in every pore cannot be measured or conceived.
“All worlds receive benefit and joy.” The Buddha’s virtues benefit and bring joy not only to himself, but wholly to sentient beings throughout the world.
“This is what the Gandharva King Radiant Tree can see.” The Gandharva King Radiant Tree awakened to and perceived this realm.
The world is a vast ocean of worry and suffering;
The Buddha can completely drain it without remainder.
The Tathāgata, compassionate, uses many skillful means;
The Gandharva King Pure Eyes deeply understands this.
Commentary: “The world is a vast ocean of worry and suffering.” The worries and distress of sentient beings are as numerous as the waters of a great ocean—vast and deep. Thus it is said, “The sea of suffering is boundless; turn around and there is the shore.” How can one turn around? By awakening; awakening means reaching the other shore, the Buddha’s realm, where the ocean of worry and suffering no longer exists.
How does one turn around? By letting go of everything. When one can let go, one attains freedom. Why is there worry and suffering? Because one cannot let go. Why can one not let go? Because one does not see things clearly. Why does one not see clearly? Because one lacks wisdom. Why does one lack wisdom? Because one does not cultivate the Way. Therefore, one must first cultivate the Way; then wisdom can arise. With wisdom, one sees things clearly, and once one sees clearly, one can let go. When one lets go, worry, sorrow, and distress come to an end.
“The Buddha can completely drain it without remainder.” The Buddha entirely eliminates the ocean of sentient beings’ suffering, leaving not even the slightest worry or distress.
“The Tathāgata, compassionate, uses many skillful means.” The Buddha teaches sentient beings with loving-kindness and compassion, seeks to deliver them all, and uses many different skillful methods to help them.
Those who cultivate the Way should have compassion for all sentient beings, give them happiness, relieve their suffering, and empathize with their pain. They should seek ways to end the suffering of others. Cultivators must first develop loving-kindness and compassion; without them, no matter what practice they undertake, they cannot accomplish it and will only waste their efforts.
“The Gandharva King Pure Eyes deeply understands this.” The Gandharva King Pure Eyes thoroughly understands this realm of the Buddha.
The lands of the ten directions have no boundary;
The Buddha’s light of wisdom shines upon them all.
He universally dispels wrong and evil views;
This is the gateway realized by the Gandharva King Flower Crown.
Commentary: “The lands of the ten directions have no boundary.” The Buddha-lands in the ten directions have no limits. Not only are the lands in the ten directions boundless, but even the land in a single direction is boundless. More than that, a single land is itself boundless. The lands associated with each person’s body interconnect with the lands of the ten directions. One’s body is one’s own land, while others’ bodies are lands of the ten directions. Examined in detail, they are infinite and boundless; hence it is said that the lands of the ten directions have no boundaries.
“The Buddha’s light of wisdom shines upon them all.” Ordinary people do not know how many oceans of worlds there are, because they lack the light of wisdom. If the eye of wisdom were opened, one could count the thoughts as numerous as the dust particles in all lands. The Buddha, fully awakened, uses the light of wisdom to illuminate all the oceans of worlds in the ten directions; thus the Buddha’s light shines everywhere.
“He universally dispels wrong and evil views.” He clears away the wrong knowledge and views of all sentient beings throughout the oceans of worlds in the ten directions. Wrong views mislead others as well as oneself.
“This is the gateway realized by the Gandharva King Flower Crown.” The Gandharva King Flower Crown understood this liberation-gate.
Throughout immeasurable eons in the past,
The Buddha cultivated great loving-kindness and skillful means.
All worlds were brought to peace and happiness;
The Gandharva King Universal Sound realized this path.
Commentary: “Throughout immeasurable eons in the past.” During countless eons in the past, the Buddha listened to the Dharma with sincere respect and without the slightest arrogance. At Dharma assemblies, he observed proper conduct, did not laugh or talk carelessly, listened attentively, and understood the meaning of the teachings.
“The Buddha cultivated great loving-kindness and skillful means.” The Buddha cultivated great compassion, an equal mind, and a mind free from distinctions between self and others, along with skillful methods. He taught according to the capacities of his listeners, so that the more they heard the Dharma, the more joyful they became. They accepted it with joy and faith, paid their respects, and withdrew.
“All worlds were brought to peace and happiness.” Peace and happiness mean well-being and ease. For example, when someone feels troubled or suffers a misfortune, another person may comfort and encourage them, helping them transform sorrow into joy. The Buddha brings peace and happiness to all sentient beings in the world, freeing them from worry and distress. He never rests in his efforts to bring them happiness; this is great loving-kindness and great compassion.
“The Gandharva King Universal Sound realized this path.” The Gandharva King Joyful Steps Universal Sound understood and awakened to this liberation-gate.
The Buddha’s pure body is a joy to behold;
It gives rise to inexhaustible joy in the world.
Liberation’s causes and results mature in sequence;
The Gandharva King Beautiful Eyes skillfully reveals this.
Commentary: “The Buddha’s pure body is a joy to behold.” The Buddha’s body is unsurpassed in purity. He has eliminated all defilements, including greed, anger, and ignorance; only morality, concentration, and wisdom remain. Therefore, the Buddha’s body is pure, and sentient beings rejoice in seeing his pure Dharma body.
Sentient beings’ bodies are impure because they have not eliminated the three poisons of greed, anger, and ignorance. The Buddha’s body is pure, so beings not only delight in seeing his Dharma body but also respectfully venerate and make offerings to him.
The Buddha cultivated the Way for immeasurable eons, while sentient beings created karma for immeasurable eons. From beginningless time until now, they have continued creating karma without knowing when to stop; therefore, their bodies remain impure. People do not want to see what is impure. Why? Because it is impure!
“It gives rise to inexhaustible joy in the world.” The Buddha gives rise to endless happiness among sentient beings. At the end of a Dharma assembly, those who have heard the sutra are described as rejoicing greatly and practicing according to the teaching. This is because the Buddha brings forth inexhaustible peace and joy in the world.
“Liberation’s causes and results mature in sequence.” Liberation takes time to attain; it does not happen instantly. The stages proceed as follows: those who have not planted roots of goodness are led to plant them; those who have planted roots of goodness are helped to increase them; those whose roots have increased are helped to bring them to maturity; and those whose roots have matured are led to liberation. A cause of liberation must precede the result of liberation. In short, one plants the cause of liberation at the causal stage, and in time the result will ripen. These four stages are accomplished step by step, not suddenly.
“The Gandharva King Beautiful Eyes skillfully reveals this.” The Gandharva King Delightful, Moving, Beautiful Eyes skillfully explains this principle to sentient beings so that they understand it and can practice according to the Dharma.
Deluded beings continually transmigrate;
The covering of ignorance is extremely strong.
The Tathāgata teaches the vast and great Dharma;
The Gandharva King Lion Banner can proclaim it.
Commentary: “Deluded and confused sentient beings are constantly transmigrating.” Delusion means being unenlightened; confusion means not seeing clearly. To be deluded and confused is not to clearly understand oneself. It also means feeling that one has wisdom, feeling that one is better than others—that is delusion. Sentient beings are so deeply and gravely deluded that they will not even admit it themselves. They do not know that delusion means being unenlightened, and that confusion means not being clear-minded. Once deluded, one does not understand the truth. When someone is explaining the Buddhadharma, some people think, “Is this really true? Is there a Buddha? Is there a Dharma?” They give rise to doubts, thinking that this is impossible.
If someone teaches them a deviant doctrine, they will have no doubts; on the contrary, they will regard it as a wondrous doctrine, an indescribably wondrous teaching. If someone teaches them a wholesome doctrine, they will raise doubts and will not believe it is the true teaching. That is delusion. Bound by karmic obstructions, they transmigrate through the six realms of rebirth. Driven by karma, the more they transmigrate, the farther they drift; the farther they drift, the more deluded they become. Transmigrating again and again, where will they end up? They will end up in ignorance.
“The veil of ignorance is very firmly entrenched.” The veil of ignorance is extraordinarily firmly entrenched; there is no way to break through it, no way to loosen it. It obscures wisdom and turns people ignorant. Because they are so ignorant, even when someone tells them to learn a little wisdom, they refuse to admit that they have any. Everyone thinks they are clever and wiser than others. But if they get caught in a net or trapped in a pit, they don’t know how to get out. So, is that wisdom or ignorance? “The Tathāgata expounds the vast Dharma for them.” For this kind of sentient being, the Buddha expounds the vast Dharma, dispelling delusion and revealing the right path for their sake, so that they may end their ignorance and attain the prajñā wisdom they inherently possess.
“The Lion Banner King can expound.” The Wonderful-Sound Lion-Banner Gandharva King can expound this Dharma-door.
The Tathāgata universally manifests wondrous-colored bodies,
Countless diverse forms, matching sentient beings,
With all kinds of skillful means, he illuminates the world;
He universally emits jeweled light—seen in this way;
Commentary: “The Tathāgata’s wondrous form-body manifests everywhere.” Tathāgata is one of the ten epithets of the Buddha. He comes from nowhere and goes nowhere; therefore, he is called Tathāgata. Or, following the path of thusness, he comes to attain perfect enlightenment. “Manifests everywhere” means that there is no place he does not come to—this is called “everywhere”; there is no place he does not go to—this is called “manifests.” From the Heaven of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception above, down to the hells, the Buddha’s wondrous form-body is present everywhere. “Wondrous form-body” means a form-body of wondrous beauty, namely, the thirty-two auspicious marks and eighty characteristics. This wondrous form-body pervades the entire Dharma realm.
“Countless differences, like sentient beings.” Sentient beings have innumerable and boundless kinds; generally, they are divided into four kinds: womb-born, egg-born, moisture-born, and transformation-born.
- Womb-born: Womb-born beings come into being through desire. Among womb-born beings, there are boundless and innumerable differences.
- Egg-born: Egg-born beings arise from thought. Among egg-born beings, there are boundless and innumerable differences.
- Moisture-born: Moisture-born beings are brought forth through union. Among moisture-born beings, there are boundless and innumerable differences.
- Transformation-born: Transformation-born beings manifest through the power of transformation. Among transformation-born beings, there are boundless and innumerable differences. All these innumerably different sentient beings can see the Thus Come One’s wondrous form-body.
“Various expedient means illuminate the world.” The Buddha uses various expedient teachings to guide all sentient beings, enabling them all to attain the light of prajna wisdom. This light of wisdom shines throughout the world of sentient beings.
“Universal Emission of Precious Light sees it this way.” The Gandharva King Universal Emission of Precious Light clearly perceives this realm.
Great wisdom, skillful means, immeasurable gates,
The Buddha widely expounds for all beings;
Entering the supreme, true practice of Bodhi,
This Vajra Banner skillfully observes.
Commentary: “Great wisdom and immeasurable gateways of skillful means.” Great wisdom is the wisdom of prajna. Skillful means is also the wisdom of prajna. The Dharma-gates of skillful means are immeasurable and boundless. Although there are many Dharma-gates, each one is suited to the faculties of a particular kind of sentient being. However many kinds of sentient beings there are, there are just as many kinds of Dharma-gates. These Dharma-gates of skillful means are the means by which all sentient beings are taught and guided. To teach and guide sentient beings, one must take their causes and conditions into account. For whatever kind of sentient being, one uses the corresponding Dharma-gate of skillful means to teach and guide them. Thus, “prescribing medicine according to the illness” is what makes it effective.
“Expounding the Dharma according to the person”: The Dharma is originally no Dharma; fundamentally, there is no Dharma to expound. Yet in the end, there is not a single Dharma that is not expounded—everything must be expounded. One need only expound all the Dharmas without becoming attached to them. That is why it is said that there is no Dharma to expound. Sentient beings’ thoughts and ideas are all different, so the Dharma expounded is different as well.
“The Buddha widely expounds [the Dharma] for all beings.” For the sake of all sentient beings, the Buddha expounds the Dharma-gate of skillful means of great wisdom and opens up immeasurable gates, enabling sentient beings to enter the Buddha’s great wisdom.
“Enter the supreme Bodhi and truly practice the path.” This enables sentient beings to enter the supreme path of awakening and cultivate the true practices. It is not merely something said with one’s lips, but something genuinely put into practice. Some people can explain a few sutras, or sit in meditation, or translate sutras, and then become arrogant and conceited, thinking that they are practicing the Way! This way of thinking is mistaken. You should understand that genuine practice requires genuine virtue and genuine learning. Therefore, when your character and learning are both excellent and you remain humble, people will admire and respect you. Otherwise, if you lack virtue, no one will listen to your Dharma talks, and no one will admire you. If you have virtue, wherever you go, people will know you. Even without publicizing yourself, everyone will know, and everyone will tell others about you.
“King Vajra Banner skillfully observes.” This principle was skillfully observed and clearly understood by the Gandharva King Vajra Flower Tree Banner.
Within a single instant, a hundred thousand kalpas;
The Buddha’s power can manifest them without moving;
Equally bestowing peace and happiness upon all sentient beings—
This is the liberation of Adornment of Bliss.
Commentary: “In a single ksana, a hundred thousand kalpas.” A ksana refers to an exceedingly short span of time. The Renwang Sutra says: “Ninety ksanas make one thought-moment; one ksana contains nine hundred births and deaths.” A hundred thousand kalpas can be compressed into one ksana, and one ksana can in turn stretch into a hundred thousand kalpas. For ordinary people, time can be long or short; at the level of Buddhahood, it is neither long nor short. The long can be short, and the short can be long; long and short are not two, but one and the same.
In a lifetime, time feels very long to us: from childhood to adulthood, from maturity to old age, and from old age to death. Birth, aging, sickness, and death; arising, abiding, changing, and ceasing; formation, abiding, destruction, and emptiness—all take place over several decades. But from the Buddha’s perspective, it is only a single moment. During this moment, we take the joys and sorrows, partings and reunions, very seriously. Yet when we finally close our eyes, there is nothing at all. Is that not like a spring dream? “The Buddha’s power manifests without moving.” The Buddha’s great majestic spiritual power can compress hundreds of thousands of kalpas into a single instant and stretch a single instant into immeasurable kalpas. Though it has such wondrous functions, it remains unmoving in suchness.
“Together, bestow peace and bliss upon all sentient beings.” The Buddha uses his great, awe-inspiring spiritual power to bestow peace and bliss upon sentient beings, enabling all sentient beings to attain incomparable joy.
“This liberation of Bliss Adornment.” This liberation-door of bliss was attained by the Gandharva King Universal Manifestation Adornment.
Furthermore, the Kumbhāṇḍa King Growth attained the liberation gate of the power to eliminate all enmity and harm.
Commentary: Continuing from the previous passage of the sutra. The Kumbhāṇḍa King Virūḍhaka (Kumbhāṇḍa is the name of a kind of ghost, translated as “swollen-form ghost” or “winter-melon ghost”) attained the liberation-gate of eliminating the power of all enmity and harm.
This kind of demon specializes in running rampant and acting tyrannically, obeying no rules. They especially seek out and harass people whose yin is strong and yang weak; if they do not suffer a serious illness, they will meet with calamity. The Southern Heavenly King of Growth is in charge of them. The kings of the eight groups are all emanations of bodhisattvas who have come to rule them. Otherwise, the consequences would be unimaginable, and all sentient beings would have to suffer calamities.
“Resentment” means resentment, and “pity” means compassion. Because there is resentment, there is pity. If there is no resentment, there is no pity either. How can we be free of resentment? We must practice the Dharma-door of compassion—not only showing compassion toward people, but also toward animals. We must cherish the lives of even mosquitoes and insects.
The Dragon Lord Kumbhanda King attained the liberation gate of cultivating the ocean of boundless practices.
Commentary: This Dragon King, Cưu Bàn Trà Vương, cultivated immeasurable and boundless Dharma-doors, because the Dharma-doors are as numerous as the great sea. There is no way to measure the great sea’s vastness or fathom its depth. Therefore, Buddhist sutras often use the word “sea” to describe how vast and profound the meaning of the sutras is. This Heavenly King attained this Dharma-door of liberation.
The Kumbhanda King Ornamented Banner attained the liberation-gate of knowing what pleases the minds of all sentient beings.
Commentary: The Kumbhāṇḍa King Adornment Banner constantly adorns the Buddha-lands, all the bodhimaṇḍas, and the lands of the ten directions. He attained the state of knowing what Dharma brings joy to the minds of sentient beings, and then, in accordance with their thoughts and wishes, expounds that Dharma. This is the liberation gate he attained.
The Kumbhanda King Beneficial Conduct attained the liberation-gate of the actions that universally accomplish pure great light.
Commentary: The Kumbhanda King of Beneficial Conduct constantly benefits sentient beings. Whatever sentient beings need, he is never stingy, but willingly gives and helps them resolve their hardships. He fulfills the needs of all sentient beings, enabling them all to attain the great treasury of radiant Prajna and to accomplish all the wholesome deeds they undertake. This is the gateway to liberation that he attained.
The Fearsome Kumbhāṇḍa King attained the liberation gate of revealing to all beings the path of safety and fearlessness.
Commentary: The Fearsome Kumbhāṇḍa King has a very terrifying appearance. All sentient beings who see him feel afraid. Although his appearance is terrifying, his heart is very compassionate. He is devoted to helping and teaching sentient beings, hoping they will leave suffering and attain happiness, and understand birth and transcend death. He also enables sentient beings to dispel their fears and attain peace and security. This is the gateway to liberation that he has attained.
King Kumbhanda Wondrous Adornment attained the liberation gate of drying up the ocean of craving and desire in all sentient beings.
Commentary: The King Kumbhanda of Wondrous Adornment can eradicate the desires and cravings of all beings, enabling them to cut off desire and cast out attachment. Cutting off desire and casting out attachment is how one resolves the problem of birth and death. The first of the twelve links of dependent origination is ignorance. When a single thought of ignorance arises, one falls. Where does one fall? Into the six paths of cyclic existence.
When one is ignorant, one knows nothing. Not knowing, one acts recklessly and fails to observe the rules, and so one’s mind gives rise to thoughts of desire. Desire is what one imagines, and this in turn gives rise to thoughts of affection. Affection is whatever one likes. The mind’s desires and feelings of love are like the ocean: there is no way to fill it completely or to make it overflow. If one completely eradicates desire and affection, one will put an end to birth and death and attain liberation. This King of Kumbhāṇḍas dries up the ocean of all beings’ minds of desire and affection, enabling them to realize the pure Dharma body. He attained this liberation.
King Kumbhanda High-Peak Wisdom attained the liberation gate of the cloud of light that universally appears in all realms of existence.
Commentary: The King of Kumbhandas, High-Peak Wisdom, has wisdom of immeasurable height and reaches the highest summit. Having attained a certain state, he manifests throughout the Dharma realms of Bodhisattvas, Pratyekabuddhas, Hearers, gods, humans, asuras, animals, hungry ghosts, and hell beings. He manifests all kinds of clouds of radiant light in the nine Dharma realms, enabling all sentient beings in those realms to receive the illumination of these radiant clouds and open up great wisdom. This is the liberation-door that this king has attained.
The Kumbhanda King Valiant Arm attained the liberation gate of universally radiating light that destroys heavy obstructions as vast as mountains.
Commentary: The Cưu Bàn Trà King named Mighty and Courageous is not only extraordinarily brave, but also skilled in combat. His arms are so strong and sturdy that even a blade cannot sever them. Thus, as a Cưu Bàn Trà King, he attained the state of radiating light everywhere. The light shines everywhere, causing all karmic obstructions, heavy as mountains, to be completely eradicated without a trace. This is the liberation he attained.
Why are our minds, as cultivators of the Way, not steadfast? Because our karmic hindrances are too heavy, and so they obstruct our minds from cultivating the Way. There are four kinds of hindrances:
1. Karmic obstacles.
2. Retribution obstacles.
3. Afflictive obstacles.
4. Cognitive obstacles.
Karmic obstacles are: evil karma created that obscures and obstructs wisdom. Karmic-retribution obstacles are: karma created in the past whose retribution must be experienced in this life. Afflictive obstacles are: becoming angry, lacking patience, and having no power of concentration. Why do you fail to attain enlightenment? Why can you not be liberated? Because you have afflictive obstacles. Cognitive obstacles are: feeling that your understanding is greater than other people’s and that everything you do is more correct than what others do—these are cognitive obstacles.
Whether the afflictive hindrances or the cognitive hindrances, both are as heavy as mountains, obscuring and obstructing enlightenment, so liberation cannot be attained. This King Kumbhāṇḍa understood this principle and attained this gate of liberation.
King Kumbhāṇḍa with Boundless Pure Flower Eyes attained the liberation gate of revealing the nonretrogressive treasury of great compassion.
Commentary: The King of Kumbhandas, Boundless Pure Flower Eye, constantly instructs sentient beings, enabling them to attain the state of the non-retreating mind of great compassion. The mind of great compassion means universally saving sentient beings and enabling all sentient beings to leave suffering and attain happiness. Therefore, it is called the treasury of great compassion. This is the gate of liberation that this king has attained.
King Broad-Faced Kumbhāṇḍa attained the liberation gate of universally manifesting bodies transmigrating through all realms of existence.
Commentary: The Broad-Faced Kumbhanda King governs an extremely vast area. Whenever a Kumbhanda does not follow the rules and acts in ways that harm people, he forgives them and goes to counsel them not to harm people anymore. He has attained the state of bodily transmigration—that is, being born and then dying, dying and then being born; birth and death again and again, transmigrating without pause and flowing on without end. He has attained the Dharma door of manifesting throughout all the Dharma realms, delivering and transforming sentient beings throughout those realms and enabling them to attain liberation.
At that time, King Virūḍhaka of the Kumbhaṇḍas, relying on the Buddha’s power, surveyed all the Kumbhaṇḍas and spoke these verses: At that time, King Growth of the Kumbhāṇḍas, relying on the Buddha’s majestic power, surveyed all the Kumbhāṇḍas and spoke this verse.
Commentary: At that time, the Kumbhanda King of the Retinue (the Kumbhandas are under the governance of the King of Growth of the Southern Heaven), relying on the Buddha’s great majestic spiritual power and blessing, surveyed all the Kumbhandas and spoke these verses in praise of the Buddha’s virtues.
The World-Teacher perfected the power of patience;
For the sake of beings, he practiced for countless eons;
Forever free from the worldly delusion of pride,
Therefore, his body is supremely dignified and pure;
Commentary: “Accomplished in the strength of patience, the Teacher of the World.” The Buddha attained the strength of patience, and thus became the Teacher of the world and the Teacher of the gods. The lord of the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven grew weary of life in his heavenly palace, so he contemplated what causes and conditions in his past had enabled him to become its lord. Upon reflection, he saw that in a past life he had heard the Buddha’s teachings and performed meritorious deeds; therefore, he had become the lord of heaven. He was moved by compassion and hoped that both gods and humans would hear the Buddha’s teachings and plant roots of goodness, so that in the future they could be reborn in the heavens and no longer wander endlessly through the six realms of rebirth. He then invited the Buddha to the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven to teach the gods. In response to the invitation, the Buddha went there and expounded the wondrous Dharma at length. Eighty-four thousand beings benefited and all attained the state of non-retrogression. For this reason, the Buddha is called the teacher of gods and humans. The Buddha not only went to the heavens to teach sentient beings, but also descended to the dragon palace to teach them.
“For the sake of sentient beings, the Buddha cultivated for countless kalpas.” The Buddha saw that sentient beings were very pitiful, spending their days amid fame and wealth and endlessly circling through the cycle of birth and death. He loved sentient beings like his own children, and so made a great vow: he must cultivate, attain enlightenment, and only then would he have wisdom and be able to end birth and death. Once he had attained spiritual powers, he would use the Dharma methods he had realized to teach sentient beings, enabling them too to end birth and death—that is, to cultivate the Buddha’s Dharma. But the Dharma method for ending birth and death is not easy to understand. The Buddha wanted to understand this Dharma method clearly, and so, throughout countless kalpas up to the present, he never shunned suffering or feared any hardship, practicing all kinds of austerities to help sentient beings leave suffering and attain happiness.
“Forever leave behind arrogance and worldly delusion.” Forever distance ourselves from all pride, arrogance, delusion, and so on. We who practice the Way, if we can eradicate the three evil habits, will accomplish our spiritual practice.
“Therefore, the Buddha’s body is the most majestic and pure.” Because it is free from arrogance, conceit, delusion, and these other defilements, the Buddha’s body is the most majestic and pure.
In the past, the Buddha universally cultivated the ocean of all practices;
He taught and transformed the countless multitudes in the ten directions;
With various expedient means, He benefited sentient beings;
This liberation gate was attained by the Dragon King.
Commentary: “In the past, the Buddha cultivated oceans of practices.” Throughout countless eons in the distant past, the Buddha cultivated every kind of practice and every practice gate. Whatever the Dharma, he practiced it. He never overlooked any Dharma, no matter how small—even one as fine as a hair—let alone the great Dharma of the Six Perfections. In one lifetime, the Buddha practiced the Perfection of Giving; in the next, the Perfection of Discipline; in the one after that, the Perfection of Patience; in a later lifetime, the Perfection of Diligence; in the next, the Perfection of Meditation; and in another, the Perfection of Prajna Wisdom. Although he focused on one Perfection in each lifetime, he also practiced the other five, though only as secondary practices. The Dharma gates of the Six Perfections and myriad practices are too numerous, so he would first focus on one Perfection while also practicing the other practices. Hence they are called oceans of practices.
“Teaching and transforming the infinite beings in the ten directions.” Having cultivated and perfected oceans of practices, the Buddha then used the Dharma methods he had realized to teach and transform boundless sentient beings in the ten directions, enabling them to cultivate oceans of practices accordingly. The Buddha’s Dharma is a compass, a map for finding treasure. What treasure are we seeking? The Three Jewels: the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha.
“All kinds of skillful means to benefit sentient beings.” The Buddha used every kind of skillful means to benefit all sentient beings. Every gesture and action, every word, every practice of the Buddha is Dharma, serving as a model for sentient beings to follow in their cultivation. Through a thousand practices and myriad hardships, the Buddha cultivated and attained the Way. He kept nothing for himself, but revealed everything fully to teach and transform sentient beings and bring them benefit.
The Buddha had a disciple named Cūḷapanthaka. In a past life, he had been a great spiritual benefactor with five hundred disciples, but he was very stingy with the Dharma and unwilling to teach it. Because he did not share the Dharma he had understood with his disciples, when he was reborn as Cūḷapanthaka, he became extremely foolish. This was the karmic result of not teaching the Dharma.
To gain wisdom, one must explain to sentient beings the Dharma one knows—not wrong views, but right understanding and right views. Even teaching a single sentence brings immeasurable merit. Thus, “One word can make a state flourish; one word can bring it to ruin.” The same is true of the Buddha’s teachings: a single sentence of true Dharma can help someone who has lost their way return to the right path.
“This liberation gate was attained by the Dragon Lord.” This liberation gate was attained by the Dragon Lord, King Cưu Bàn Trà.
The Buddha saves sentient beings with great wisdom,
He clearly understands the minds of all,
In every way, freely and skillfully, he subdues them,
Nghiêm Tràng sees this and rejoices,
Commentary: “The Buddha uses great wisdom to save sentient beings.” The Buddha is a being of great enlightenment; there is nothing he does not know and nothing he cannot do. Therefore, the Buddha uses great wisdom to save sentient beings. To save whatever kind of sentient beings, he uses the corresponding Dharma method. Whatever form can be used to liberate sentient beings, he manifests that form to expound the Dharma for them. Thus, he observes their capacities and teaches the Dharma accordingly, expounding it to each person in a way suited to them. Since sentient beings have different capacities, the Dharma methods used are also different. One who possesses great wisdom can protect and save sentient beings.
“Knowing clearly all the minds of sentient beings.” The Buddha knows the thoughts and minds of sentient beings completely; therefore, “Whatever kinds of minds sentient beings may have, the Tathagata knows and sees them all.” The Buddha uses this method to teach and transform them, enabling sentient beings to be complete in their faith and acceptance.
“Using every kind of sovereign power to subdue.” The Buddha uses all kinds of spiritual powers to subdue living beings. When there are living beings who are difficult to subdue, the Buddha expounds all kinds of Dharma practices, causing stubborn living beings to give rise to faith and conviction, and to believe that the Buddha Dharma saves the world and helps people cross over. When he encounters living beings who are greedy and stingy, he expounds the Dharma practice of giving for them, causing them to develop compassion. When he encounters living beings who do not observe the rules, he expounds the Dharma practice of upholding precepts for them, causing them to observe the rules, eliminate all evil habits, and cultivate all wholesome Dharmas. Thus: “Do no evil; do all good.” When he encounters living beings who are prone to anger, he teaches them the Dharma practice of patience, teaching them that the fire of ignorance destroys all merit and virtue. He causes them to cultivate patience, live in harmony with others, forgive everything, and let everything go. Thus: “If you can be patient, you’ll find peace;
if you know contentment, you’ll find joy.” Therefore, diligence, meditation, and prajna are all the same. One must observe all sentient beings and use whichever Dharma can liberate them, employing all kinds of spiritual powers and wondrous abilities to subdue them, so that they correct their faults and become new people.
“Adorned Banner rejoiced upon seeing it.” When King Adorned Banner of the Kumbhandas attained this realm, he gave rise to a joyful mind.
Spiritual powers manifest responsively like light and reflections;
The true Dharma wheel is one with empty space.
Thus abiding in the world for countless eons
This is what King Beneficial Increase has realized.
Commentary: “Spiritual powers manifest in response like light and reflections.” The Buddha’s spiritual powers respond to beings’ capacities and manifest everywhere. The Buddha’s wisdom shines upon all sentient beings. Because the Buddha possesses great wisdom and great spiritual powers, he manifests in forms suited to each kind in order to teach and transform sentient beings.
Like light and reflections, the sentient beings’ karmic obstructions are the forms, and the Buddha’s spiritual powers and wisdom are the light. For example, the sentient beings’ karmic obstructions are like ice, and the light of the Buddha’s spiritual powers and wisdom is like the sun. When sunlight shines on ice, the ice immediately melts into water or evaporates into vapor. The melting of ice is a return to the original source (a return to one’s roots). Although sentient beings have karmic obstructions, when they are illuminated by the light of the Buddha’s spiritual powers and wisdom, those obstructions are completely eradicated. The purpose of our study of the Buddhadharma is to eliminate karmic obstructions.
“The true Dharma wheel is equal to empty space.” Turning the great Dharma wheel is real, but do not cling to the idea that there is a Dharma wheel to turn or sentient beings to save. If there is attachment, it becomes attachment to the Dharma. The Dharma wheel is indeed real, yet, like empty space, it cannot be attained.
“Thus engaging with the world for immeasurable kalpas.” Whatever the Buddha does, he does without attachment. In this way, he comes to this world to deal with worldly affairs and teach and transform sentient beings. For immeasurable, countless great kalpas, the Buddha performs Buddha-work without attachment.
“The King of Beneficial Conduct attained this Dharma-door.” This state was attained by the King of Kumbhandas named Beneficial Conduct. Because he clearly understood this principle, he was able to attain this Dharma-door of liberation.
Sentient beings, foolish and blind, are often deluded;
The Buddha’s light shines forth upon the path of peace and safety;
To provide protection and bring suffering to an end;
The Fearless One can contemplate this Dharma-gate;
Commentary: “Foolish sentient beings are often deluded.” Why do we become sentient beings? Because of a single thought of ignorance. Since that single thought of ignorance is unenlightened, we fall into the state of sentient beings. Although sentient beings are unenlightened, they still possess their originally inherent Buddha-nature; they are simply unenlightened. To be unenlightened is to be foolish, and this obscures wisdom. Foolishness is like a veil over the eyes, making things appear unclear. Because we cannot see clearly, we do foolish, upside-down things. From this muddled, upside-down behavior, many delusions arise. We doubt the Buddha and do not believe in the Buddha; doubt the Dharma and do not study the Dharma; doubt the Sangha and do not believe in the Sangha. Because we do not believe in, study, or revere the Three Jewels, we are called “constantly deluded.” “The Buddha’s light shines everywhere, bringing peace.” Because its radiance shines everywhere, there are no calamities or dangers, enabling sentient beings to place their faith in the Three Jewels in peace, revere the Three Jewels, protect and uphold the Three Jewels, and make offerings to the Three Jewels.
“To save sentient beings and free them from suffering.” The Buddha is the compassionate father of sentient beings, their teacher and protector, removing all their suffering. Once suffering is removed, they attain peace and happiness.
“Fearsome contemplated this Dharma-door.” The King Fearsome Kumbhanda contemplated this Dharma-door and understood it clearly; therefore, he attained this door of liberation.
The sea of desire, where beings drift and revolve, is filled with suffering;
The light of wisdom shines everywhere, extinguishing it without remainder.
Having ended suffering, he then teaches the Dharma;
This is the realization of King Wondrous Adornment.
Commentary: “The sea of desire drifts, full of suffering.” The desires of sentient beings are as countless as the great sea. Some want to be leaders; this is the desire for leadership. Some want to be wealthy men; this is the desire to be wealthy. These two desires are desires for wealth and status. Some want to have a good reputation; this is the desire for a good reputation. When someone praises them, they feel sweeter inside than honey; when someone slanders them, they feel more bitter inside than huanglian. Some want to have a good life; this is the desire for a good life. They want good clothes to wear, delicious food to eat, a good house to live in, and a new car to drive. In short, all forms of wanting are desires for pleasure. There is another kind of desire that is not easy to cut off: sexual desire. Thus they drift and drift in the sea of desire, drifting from here to there, and from there back here. They drift from this shore of birth and death into the current of afflictions, and become lost at the bottom of the sea, where it is not easy to reach the other shore of Nirvana.
For example, these living beings originally dwelt in the heavens. Because their thoughts of desire were so strong, they drifted down from the heavens into the human realm, from the human realm into the Asura realm, and eventually into the hells. With each fall, they sank deeper and wandered farther away—that is, they strayed farther from their own nature and farther from the Buddhadharma. They drift in the sea of desire, enduring immeasurable suffering.
When we cultivate the Way, we cut off the five desires: wealth, sex, fame, food, and sleep. If our cultivation is perfected, we ascend; if it is not perfected, we descend. There can be not the slightest error in this. It takes no account of human feelings; it is utterly impartial, treating everyone equally. Thus it is said that wealth, sex, fame, food, and sleep are the five levels of hell.
“The light of wisdom shines everywhere, extinguishing suffering without remainder.” The Buddha’s radiant wisdom illuminates all the Dharma realms, causing the suffering of sentient beings to be completely extinguished and enabling them all to attain peace and happiness.
“Having eradicated suffering, [he] then expounds the Dharma.” The Buddha not only removes all suffering for sentient beings, but also expounds the wondrous Dharma.
“The King of the Banner of Wondrous Adornment has realized this gateway.” This realm, this gateway of liberation, was realized by the Kumbhanda King of Wondrous Adornment.
The Buddha’s body responds universally; none fails to see it.
By countless skillful means, it transforms sentient beings.
Its voice, like thunder, shakes the heavens and rains down the Dharma.
Through this Dharma gate, one enters with supreme wisdom.
Commentary: “The Buddha’s body manifests everywhere and is seen by all.” The Buddha’s body is like the cool moon, always suspended in the sky. If the water of sentient beings’ minds is pure, then the Buddha’s moonlight will shine into the bodhi image in their minds. It is like a thousand ponds, each with a moon. Wherever the water is clear and still, the moon’s reflection will appear. The moon has no discriminating mind: it appears in water that is abundant, and it also appears in water that is scarce. Therefore: One moon appears in all waters;
All the moons in the waters are encompassed by one moon.
That means: One moon appears wherever there is water; in every place where there is water, the moon is reflected from that one moon alone. Sentient beings see the Buddha’s body everywhere, because the Buddha’s body pervades all places. Here, someone may wonder: “Why don’t I see the Buddha’s body?” It is because the water of your mind is not pure and contains defiled thoughts, so the light of the Buddha-moon does not appear.
“Various means to transform sentient beings.” The Buddha uses all kinds of skillful means and methods of Dharma to teach sentient beings. When giving the Dharma, he teaches the Dharma of true emptiness and wondrous existence to those with sharp faculties, and the Dharma of cause and effect and karmic retribution to those with dull faculties. He prescribes medicine according to the illness: for a heat illness, he uses cooling medicine to dispel the heat; for a cold illness, he uses warming medicine. Only then will it be effective, and the medicine will have the power to cure the illness completely.
When the Buddha taught the Dharma, he adapted his teachings to the person, the time, and the place. Therefore, a single teaching can have all kinds of different explanations. For example, at the elementary-school level, one teaches principles; at the middle-school level, knowledge; and at the university level, theories. The Buddha is the teacher of the world and understands the minds of sentient beings. The Buddha’s teachings have been completely and thoroughly successful in guiding and transforming people. Only Confucius and the Buddha are called educators and exemplary teachers for all generations, but Confucius was not a religious figure.
“Sound like thunder and lightning, and rain down the Dharma.” The sound of the Buddha teaching the Dharma is like thunder: wherever sentient beings may be, they can all hear it clearly. The Dharma rain also moistens all things everywhere. The Buddha teaches the Dharma for sentient beings, enabling them to benefit from the Dharma rain. Those with keen faculties gain much benefit from the Dharma; those with dull faculties gain less. In short, all receive benefit. As long as they sincerely believe and accept it, they will surely attain its wondrous efficacy. This wondrous efficacy is indescribable, like drinking water: each person knows for themselves whether it is hot or cold. Buddhadharma lies not in words, but in practice. Those who put it into practice gain merit, and through merit they will attain realization.
“Cao Huệ has entered this Dharma-gate.” This Dharma-gate was deeply penetrated by the King Huệ Cưu Bàn Trà of Cao Phong.
Pure, clear light does not manifest in vain
If encountered, it surely dispels grave obstacles
To expound the Buddha’s boundless merits
Yongbi can understand this profound principle
Commentary: “Pure, radiant light illuminates everything.” The Buddha’s wisdom is pure, radiant light, but it does not shine indiscriminately. If it does not shine, so be it; but when it does, it hits its mark and has this kind of power. What power? The power to eliminate the karmic obstructions caused by the five rebellious acts and the ten evils.
“If anyone encounters it, even grave karmic obstructions are eliminated.” If anyone is illuminated by the Buddha’s pure, radiant wisdom light, then no matter how heavy their karmic obstructions are, they are all eliminated.
Grave obstructions refer to killing one’s father, killing one’s mother, killing an Arhat, causing a schism in the Sangha, and making a Buddha bleed. These are the five gravest offenses. Ordinarily, they cannot be eliminated through repentance. But when the Buddha’s light shines upon them, they are all eliminated. For example, grave obstructions are like a mountain of ice, and the Buddha’s radiance is like the sun. When the sun shines upon it, even the mountain of ice melts away.
“The Buddha’s merits are boundless.” If one were to speak in detail about the Buddha’s merits, there would be no way to express them, because the Buddha’s merits have no bounds. Therefore: Space may be measured, the wind may be bound; no one can fully describe the Buddha’s virtues. That is to say:
Space can be measured, the wind can be bound,
but the Buddha’s merits cannot be fully expressed.
“Brave Arm penetrates this Dharma-door.” The King Kumbhanda Strong and Valiant Arm clearly understood this profound and wondrous principle.
For the sake of bringing happiness to all sentient beings,
Cultivated great compassion for immeasurable kalpas,
With various skillful means, removed their sufferings,
Thus, this was the Dharma-gate seen by Pure Flower,
Commentary: “Because he wished to bring peace and happiness to sentient beings.” Sentient beings are immersed in sorrow, grief, suffering, and distress; their attachments and delusions are so deep and heavy that they do not wish to leave the sea of suffering. In order to save sentient beings and enable them to attain peace and happiness, the Buddha sacrificed his own comfort and joy, turned his boat around, and came to this Saha world to deliver all sentient beings.
“Cultivating Great Compassion for Countless Kalpas.” The Buddha himself endured suffering, wishing for all sentient beings to be free from suffering. Thus, countless kalpas ago, he made great vows and practiced all kinds of austerities. Why practice austerities? Because austerity can lead to enlightenment; enlightenment brings wisdom, and only with wisdom can one save sentient beings and help them leave the sea of suffering in the Three Realms. Throughout countless kalpas, the Buddha cultivated a heart of great compassion, making the universal salvation of sentient beings his fundamental aspiration.
“All manner of skillful means to eliminate suffering.” The Buddha cultivates the practice of great compassion and uses skillful expedient methods to remove the suffering and afflictions of sentient beings. When all their suffering has been eradicated, they will naturally attain peace and bliss.
“Pure Flower saw this Dharma-door.” This realm was clearly seen and understood by the Kumbhāṇḍa King Boundless Pure Flower Eye.
Inconceivable are his unhindered supernatural powers
His body appears everywhere throughout the ten directions
Yet, in all places, there is neither coming nor going
This is what King Broad-Faced understood
Commentary: “Freely exercised spiritual powers are inconceivable.” The Buddha’s power to exercise spiritual powers freely is immeasurable and boundless, a realm beyond conception. Spiritual powers are a very natural attainment of wisdom. Freedom and mastery come from attaining the power of concentration. How can one cultivate spiritual powers and freedom? They are attained through ascetic practice and meditation. With genuine wisdom, one will have spiritual powers. With genuine concentration, one will attain freedom and mastery. Both spiritual powers and freedom are wondrous beyond description.
“The Buddha’s body manifests throughout the ten directions.” Because the Buddha possesses inconceivable spiritual powers and freedom, the Buddha’s body manifests throughout the worlds of the ten directions, thus “filling all of space and pervading the entire Dharma realm.” The Buddha’s Dharma body is omnipresent (there is no place where it is not).
“And it is everywhere, yet neither comes nor goes.” The Buddha neither comes nor goes in the ten directions; therefore, it is said that there is no coming and no going. Because there is a realm in which “one manifests as many, and many manifest as one,” one and many mutually interpenetrate without obstruction. In short, one is many, many is one; one and many are not two.
In the Diamond Sutra, it says:
“The Tathagata
comes from nowhere,
and goes nowhere.” Meaning:
“The Tathagata!
Comes from nowhere
And goes nowhere.”
Unlike us, if we are in this place, we cannot be in that place; if we are in that place, we cannot be in this one. Through the Buddha’s freely wielded spiritual powers and wondrous functions, he can remain in the Dharma assembly without moving from his seat, yet reach the worlds of the ten directions to expound the Flower Adornment Sutra. All sentient beings throughout the ten directions can see the Buddha and hear the Dharma.
“The King of Vast and Great Countenance has realized this gateway.” This realm of the gateway of liberation was attained and clearly perceived by the King Kumbhanda of Vast and Great Countenance.
Furthermore, the Dragon King Virūpākṣa attained the liberation gate of extinguishing the blazing suffering of all beings in the dragon realm.
Commentary: Continuing from the preceding passage of the sutra. The Virupaksha Dragon King (the dragon is one of the four sacred creatures; it has supernatural powers, can transform and fly, and raise clouds and bring rain). This king attained the realm of being able to eliminate all the suffering of the dragon kind. What sufferings do dragons have? There are four kinds of suffering, agonizing like fire. The four kinds of suffering are:
- The suffering of being food for the Golden-Winged Bird (the great eagle): The Golden-Winged Bird specializes in catching and eating dragons. When dragons are near death, they are caught and eaten by the bird.
- The suffering of transforming their bodies during sexual intercourse: When a male and female dragon mate, they must take the form of snakes. This transformation is immeasurably painful.
- The suffering of insects gnawing inside their scales: There are many tiny worms inside their scales. They gnaw all over the body, making it unbearably itchy and causing indescribable suffering.
- The suffering of heat burning their bodies: Because their whole bodies itch, they climb ashore and roll on hot ground. But the sunlight heats them as fiercely as fire, scalding them and causing pain.
Why are beings reborn as dragons? If one’s anger is too strong, if one likes to lose one’s temper and has not cultivated self-restraint, one will be transformed into a dragon. If one’s jealousy is too strong and one has no compassion, one will be reborn as a python. If one’s sycophancy is too strong and one has no compassion, one will be reborn as a snake. Dragons have very intense tempers and like to spew poison to harm living beings. They lose their temper over everything. But dragons who cultivate the Way are very diligent in their practice, courageous and vigorous, and unafraid of hardship or difficulty. However, they do not keep the precepts or give them importance; because they do not keep the precepts, they are reborn as animals. This Dragon King attained the liberation that extinguishes the burning anguish of the dragon kind.
The Sāgara Dragon King attained the liberation gate of transforming his own dragon form in a single thought and manifesting the bodies of countless sentient beings.
Commentary: Sāgara Dragon King is the Dragon King who lives in the saltwater ocean. In a single thought, he transforms from his dragon form and manifests the bodies of all kinds of sentient beings. When he encounters flying beings, he manifests the form of flying beings. When he encounters beings that hide and emerge, he manifests their form; when he encounters womb-born beings, he manifests their form; and when he encounters egg-born beings, he manifests their form. In short, whatever form of body sentient beings have, he manifests that form in order to teach and transform them. This is the gate of liberation attained by this Dragon King.
Cloud-Sound Banner Dragon King attained the liberation gate of proclaiming, with pure sounds in all realms of existence, the ocean of the Buddha’s boundless names.
Commentary: The Cloud-Sound Banner Dragon King has majestic sounds that pervade everywhere like clouds and banners. He has attained the state of proclaiming the names of the Buddhas for all kinds of sentient beings.
The realms refer to the three realms and the twenty-five planes of existence. This one dwells within the three realms and uses a pure voice to expound the Dharma. Each Buddha has ten thousand names, and ten thousand Buddhas have ten thousand times ten thousand names; therefore, it is called an ocean of names.
In the past, each Buddha had ten thousand names. Because sentient beings could not remember them all, the number was later reduced to one thousand. But sentient beings still could not remember them all, so it was later reduced to one hundred. They still could not remember them all, and finally the number was reduced to ten. Only then could they remember them all.
The ten titles are: Tathāgata, Worthy of Offerings, Rightly and Fully Enlightened One, Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, Well-Gone One, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed One, Tamer of Men to Be Tamed, Teacher of Gods and Humans, Buddha, and World-Honored One. Among these, “Well-Gone One, Knower of the World” should properly be two titles. Only when all ten titles are complete is one called the World-Honored One. “World-Honored One” is the collective designation representing all ten titles. This Dragon King attained the liberation gate of the ocean of the Buddhas’ titles.
The Flame-Mouth Dragon King attained the liberation gate of universally manifesting the distinctions in the establishment of boundless Buddha-worlds.
Commentary: The Flaming-Mouth Dragon King can spew fire from his mouth and transform into a volcano. He attained the Dharma Door of pervading the worlds of the Buddhas throughout the ten directions. The worlds established and brought to completion by the Buddhas are all different. The Saha World was established by Shakyamuni Buddha, who propagates the Buddhadharma in this world. The Land of Ultimate Bliss was established by Amitabha Buddha, who expounds the Buddhadharma there. The Lapis Lazuli World was established by Medicine Master Buddha, who is teaching sutras and expounding the Dharma there. Because the Buddhas establish different worlds, each world is different; therefore, it is said that the Dharma Doors of liberation are different.
The worlds established by the Buddhas—whether their establishment takes a little longer or shorter, or the worlds are splendidly adorned—are all manifested by the Buddhas of the ten directions in response to sentient beings’ capacities. They manifest this kind of world to save this kind of sentient being. This is the gateway to liberation attained by this Dragon King.
The Flame Dragon King attained the liberation gate by which the Tathāgata, out of compassion, causes the hindrances and fetters of anger and delusion in all sentient beings to be eradicated.
Commentary: The Flame-Eyed Dragon King emits fiery light from his eyes. What he knows is this: all sentient beings have anger, ignorance, afflictions, and hot tempers. But the Tathāgata compassionately pities sentient beings and causes all the bonds of anger and delusion that obscure them to be eradicated.
When anger is too strong, it obscures compassion. When ignorance is too strong, it obscures wisdom. Being deeply obscured by anger and ignorance is called bondage: one is not free. The anger and ignorance that bind sentient beings obstruct their cultivation of the Way. The Buddha aroused great compassion to help sentient beings eradicate the anger and ignorance that obscure and bind them. He enabled those who cultivate the Way to eliminate the three poisons of greed, anger, and ignorance, and to cultivate the three trainings of precepts, concentration, and wisdom, which are free from outflows. Only then can they attain realization.
Cloud Banner Dragon King attained the liberation gate of revealing to all beings the ocean of merit and virtue of great bliss.
Commentary: The Cloud Banner Dragon King has attained the state of revealing and teaching all sentient beings. When sentient beings do not understand, this one reveals and teaches, and they understand. When sentient beings are obstructed by ignorance, this one reveals and teaches, and the ignorance is dispelled. When sentient beings are troubled by worry and suffering, after this one reveals and teaches them, they are no longer troubled. This one’s revealing and teaching brings all kinds of benefits. When sentient beings hear this one reveal and teach, they give rise to great joy and great happiness. Why? Because they attain merit and wisdom. This joy and happiness of merit is immeasurable, boundless, and vast like the great ocean; therefore, they give rise to great joy and happiness. This is the Dharma door of liberation that this Dragon King has attained.
The Dragon King Takṣaka attained the liberation gate of dispelling all fear through the pure sound of protection.
Commentary: Dragon King Takṣaka attained a kind of sound: a pure sound of deliverance and protection. Any sentient being who hears this sound will eliminate all fearful thoughts. This is the gateway to liberation that he attained.
The Boundless-Step Dragon King attained the liberation gate of manifesting the physical forms of all Buddhas and the successive stages of kalpas abiding.
Commentary: The spiritual powers and transformations of the Dragon King Boundless Steps are inconceivable: suddenly becoming large, suddenly becoming small, suddenly existing, suddenly not existing. This Dragon King has attained the state of being able to manifest all the Buddha’s forms and the eight successive events of the Buddha’s life in the world. This is the gateway to liberation attained by this Dragon King.
The Eight Stages are:
1. **Descent:** He descended from Tusita Heaven to the human realm on a great white elephant with six tusks.
2. **Conception:** He chose King Suddhodana as his father and Queen Maya as his mother.
3. **Birth:** He was born beneath an Ashoka tree in the Lumbini Garden. Pointing his left hand to the sky and his right hand to the earth, he said, “In heaven above and on earth below, I alone am the Honored One.”
4. **Renunciation:** He cultivated the Way in search of a Dharma method to end birth and escape death.
5. **Subduing the Demons:** As he was about to attain perfect enlightenment beneath the Bodhi tree, demonesses appeared in thirty-two beautiful forms. But the Buddha remained unmoved, and they withdrew.
6. **Attaining Perfect Enlightenment:** One night, seeing the morning star rise, he realized the path to awakening.
7. **Turning the Wheel of Dharma:** First, at Deer Park, he turned the Wheel of Dharma of the Four Noble Truths; finally, he preached the Nirvana Sutra in the Sala Long Thọ forest.
8. **Entering Nirvana:** He entered final Nirvana beneath the twin Sala trees in the city of Kusinara.
The Dragon King of Pure Color and Swift Speed attained the liberation gate of giving rise to the ocean of great loving delight and joy in all sentient beings.
Commentary: The Dragon King Pure and Swift in Form flies and transforms with great speed. He has attained the realm of enabling all sentient beings to attain great delight and great joy. What do they delight in? The Buddhadharma. What brings them joy? The Buddhadharma. This delight and joy are as vast as the sea and inexhaustible. This is his Dharma door of liberation.
The Dragon King Universal Practice Great Sound attained the liberation-gate of manifesting all sounds as equal, pleasing, and unobstructed.
Commentary: The Dragon King of Universal Conduct and Great Sound pervades the entire Dharma realm and emits great Dharma sounds, manifesting all equal and pleasing Dharma sounds without obstruction. Whatever kind of sentient being hears these Dharma sounds gives rise to a joyful mind and dispels all sorrow, grief, and suffering. This is the liberation gate that he has attained.
The Dragon King Anavatapta attained the liberation gate of the cloud of great compassion that universally covers and extinguishes all suffering in the world.
Commentary: King Anavatapta of the Nāgas, through the power of his great-compassion vows, has perfected a cloud of great compassion that covers all sentient beings throughout space and eradicates all suffering in the world. This is the gateway to liberation that he has attained.
At that time, the Dragon King Virūpākṣa, relying on the Buddha’s majestic power, surveyed all the dragon assemblies and then spoke these verses, saying:
Commentary: At that time, the Dragon King Virūpākṣa (the dragons under the administration of the Heavenly King of Broad Eyes in the west), relying on the great awe-inspiring spiritual power bestowed by the Buddhas, surveyed all the dragon beings and praised the Buddha’s virtues.
You behold the Dharma of the Tathagata, ever thus;
All sentient beings benefit from it;
Through the power of great compassion and pity,
It rescues those who fall into the fearful paths of the three evil destinies.
Commentary: “Contemplate and see that the Buddha-Dharma is always thus.” Observe that the Buddha-Dharma is always like this: adapting to conditions without changing, and not changing while adapting to conditions.
“All sentient beings benefit.” The purpose of the Buddha’s teaching the Dharma is to benefit all sentient beings, so that they may all be nourished by the flavor of the Dharma, benefiting their Dharma bodies and wisdom-lives.
“Constantly use the power of loving-kindness and compassion.” The Buddha regards all sentient beings with great loving-kindness and compassion, never forgetting their suffering, and always rescues them from the sea of suffering.
“Rescue them from the suffering of the three lower realms.” With the power of great compassion, rescue them from the suffering of the three lower realms (animals, hungry ghosts, and hell beings). The three lower realms are terrifying places, without peace or freedom. The Buddha enables them all to leave suffering and attain peace and happiness.
All sentient beings are distinct in countless ways,
At the tip of a single hair, all are manifested,
Supernatural powers and transformations fill the world,
Sa Kiet thus contemplates the Buddha,
Commentary: “All sentient beings are different.” Sentient beings include the four types of birth: womb-born, egg-born, moisture-born, and transformation-born. Their karmic retributions vary in all kinds of ways. Some karmic retributions bring much suffering, some bring much happiness, and some bring neither suffering nor happiness. How do these kinds of karmic retribution come about? They come about through becoming confused, creating karma, and receiving retribution. What is becoming confused? It is seeing a situation and then becoming doubtful or confused, unable to distinguish clearly whether it is good or evil. What is creating karma? Because they are deluded, when the six faculties encounter the six sense objects, they give rise to greed and desire and proceed to create karma. What is receiving retribution? It is because there is a law that causes precede effects: whatever cause you plant, that is the fruit you reap. Good deeds bring happy results. Evil actions bring painful results. This is the natural principle, without the slightest error.
“Within a single hair, all is manifested.” In a single hair of the Buddha, all the various karmic retributions of all sentient beings are manifested.
“Miraculous transformations fill the world.” Because the Buddha has miraculous powers, he can manifest all kinds of realms. The one manifests the many, the many manifest the one; the great contains the small, and the small contains the great. They are mutually unobstructed, with contemplation and inclusion perfectly interfused. The wondrous functioning of these miraculous powers transforms without end, filling all the lands throughout the three-thousand great thousand worlds.
“Sāgara contemplated the Buddha in this way.” The Sāgara Dragon King clearly understood that the Buddha possessed this state, this samādhi.
The Buddha, with immeasurable supernatural powers,
Widely proclaims names as numerous as sentient beings,
According to their wishes, causes all to hear,
Through such cloud-like sounds, one can realize and understand.
Commentary: “The Buddha uses immeasurable supernatural powers.” The Buddha possesses inconceivable supernatural powers. These powers are limitless and can move mountains, fill in seas, and create worlds.
“Broadly speaking, the names are as numerous as sentient beings.” The Buddha has an immeasurable number of titles. There are at least ten thousand titles; later, this was reduced to one thousand, then to one hundred, and finally to ten. Thus, all Buddhas have these ten titles. But to speak in detail, the Buddhas’ titles are as numerous as sentient beings. These titles enable sentient beings to awaken: when they hear a Buddha’s name, they then resolve to attain bodhi and plant roots of goodness.
“Adapting to their preferences so that they all listen.” In accordance with the dispositions of sentient beings, he teaches the Dharma they wish to hear, giving every sentient being the opportunity to hear the Buddha expound the Dharma.
“Cloud-Sound Banner King realizes this gateway.” This realm, this gateway of liberation, was realized by the Cloud-Sound Banner Dragon King.
Immeasurable, boundless multitudes of lands,
The Buddha can cause them to enter a single pore,
The Tathagata sits serenely in that assembly
This is the Dharma-gate seen by the Flaming-Mouth Dragon King.
Commentary: “Innumerable and boundless Buddha-lands.” The sentient beings in the Buddha-lands are innumerable and boundless; the thoughts of sentient beings in the Buddha-lands are likewise innumerable and boundless; and the sentient beings who bring the Buddha-lands to fruition are likewise innumerable and boundless.
“The Buddha enables [them] to enter a single pore.” The Buddha enables all these sentient beings to enter a single pore. Through the Buddha’s power of spiritual penetration and sustaining, wisdom permeates sentient beings.
“The Tathagata sat still in that assembly.” The Buddha can accommodate an infinite, boundless number of sentient beings in a single pore, yet remains serene and at ease, sitting in the Buddha-lands of the ten directions without moving from his seat, while still going to the Buddha-lands of the ten directions to expound the wondrous Dharma.
“The Flaming-Mouth Dragon King sees this gate.” The realm of this liberation gate is something the Flaming-Mouth Dragon King can see and understand. This realm is inconceivable; ordinary beings cannot fully comprehend it.
All sentient beings have minds filled with anger;
The hindrance of delusion runs deep as the sea;
The Tathāgata, in compassion, dispels it all;
The Flame-Eyed One contemplates this and sees it clearly;
Commentary: “All sentient beings have angry minds.” All sentient beings in the world are filled with anger and rage. Why? Because they cannot be patient or endure hardship, they like to lose their temper.
“Ignorance binds and obscures as deeply as the sea.” A mind filled with hatred and anger is a binding and an obscuration. Binding and obscuration conceal the luminous nature of one’s own true self. It is like tying oneself up with a rope, making oneself unfree—like a silkworm spinning a cocoon and trapping itself inside.
Sentient beings use the three poisons of greed, anger, and delusion to bind their own bodies tightly. Why are they bound tightly by the three poisons? Because of ignorance, they are bound by the three poisons, sunk as deep as the great sea, with no opportunity for liberation.
“The Tathagata compassionately eradicates them all.” The Buddha, with a compassionate and merciful heart, saves and liberates all sentient beings, completely eliminating greed, anger, and ignorance.
“Diễm Nhãn observes this clearly.” The Flaming-Eyed Dragon King can see and understand this state.
All sentient beings who see through greed, anger, and delusion and let them go attain freedom. If they cannot see through greed, anger, and delusion or let them go, they cannot attain freedom. In cultivating the Way, we must clearly recognize that the three poisons are stones shackling the feet of spiritual cultivation. Thoughts of the three poisons make the path a dangerous, uneven stretch full of deep chasms; without thoughts of the three poisons, it is a broad, level road. What broad road? The path of wisdom and right awakening.
The power of merit and virtue of all sentient beings,
Are manifested within the Buddha’s pores.
Once manifested, they are led into the great ocean of merit.
This is what King High Cloud Banner observes.
Commentary: “All the merit and virtue of sentient beings” All sentient beings have both merit and sin. Merit comes from wholesome deeds. Sin comes from evil and wrongful actions. If one performs wholesome deeds, one receives blessings, or is born in the heavenly realm, the human realm, or the Asura realm; these are travelers on the three good paths. If one commits wrongs, one receives evil retribution, or falls into hell, becomes a hungry ghost, or becomes an animal; these are travelers on the three evil paths. However, those who cycle through the six realms are not masters.
Blessings come from accumulated wholesome merit. Virtue also comes from accumulated wholesome merit. The Buddha is complete in both blessings and wisdom, and is therefore called the Two-Footed Honored One. Blessings come from cultivation, and wisdom comes from listening. Only by cultivating both blessings and wisdom can one’s merit be perfected. If one cultivates blessings but not wisdom, or wisdom but not blessings, one is practicing in an unbalanced way, and the merit attained will also be unbalanced. Having many blessings does not mean having much wisdom; that is still not perfection.
When one has cultivated a great deal of merit and virtue, one gains a certain power. The more one cultivates, the greater one’s power. If one cultivates little, one’s power is small. If one does not cultivate, one has none. Whether it is the power of merit or the power of virtue, it can only be attained through cultivation.
“All are manifested in the Buddha’s pores.” Within a single pore of the Buddha, all the merit and virtue of sentient beings throughout the reaches of empty space and the entire Dharma realm are completely manifested.
“Having manifested, they all enter the ocean of great blessings.” Within the Buddha’s pores, beings from the Dharma realms of the ten directions appear, causing them all to enter the ocean of great blessings.
“Observed by the High Cloud Banner King.” This realm of liberation is one that the High Cloud Banner Dragon King can observe and attain.
From every pore of the Buddha’s body, the light of wisdom shines forth;
Wherever this light reaches, it proclaims wondrous sounds;
Sentient beings who hear them are freed from sorrow and fear.
The dragon Takṣaka has realized this path.
Commentary: “The pores of the Buddha’s body emit the light of wisdom.” Pure light of wisdom radiates from every pore of the Buddha.
“This light proclaims wondrous sounds everywhere.” Within the Buddha’s treasury of wisdom and light, the Buddha turns the great Dharma wheel, teaching and transforming sentient beings. Everywhere is illuminated by the Buddha’s wisdom-light, and all hear the inconceivable wondrous Dharma.
“Sentient beings who hear it are freed from fear.” When sentient beings hear this wondrous sound and wondrous Dharma, all anxiety and fear are completely dispelled.
“Takṣaka has awakened to this Dharma-door.” The Dragon King Takṣaka understood and awakened to this principle, and clearly comprehended this samādhi.
All the Tathāgatas of the three times,
The lands adorned through successive kalpas,
All these appear within the Buddha’s body;
Quang Bu sees this miraculous power.
Commentary: “All the Tathagatas of the Three Ages”: In the past, there were immeasurable, boundless Buddhas; in the present, there are also immeasurable, boundless Buddhas; and in the future, there will likewise be immeasurable, boundless Buddhas.
“The adornment of Buddha-lands and the ordered sequence of kalpas.” Each Buddha’s land is adorned with precious jewels. Our Saha World is adorned with tiles, stones, earth, and wood. In the eastern world of Lapis Lazuli Light, lapis lazuli is used as adornment. In the Western World of Ultimate Bliss, the seven treasures are used as adornment. All the bodhimandas are adorned with various treasures. Whenever a Buddha becomes a Buddha, the True Dharma remains in that world for a certain number of great kalpas or small kalpas. What comes first and what comes later are all in orderly succession, without confusion.
“Thus, all of this appears in the Buddha’s body.” Such realms do not appear anywhere else; they manifest only within the pores of the Buddha.
“Quảng Bộ saw this supernatural power.” The Quảng Bộ Dragon King saw this wondrous supernatural manifestation of the Buddha; this realm is inconceivable.
I contemplate the Tathagata’s practices of old
Making offerings to the ocean of all Buddhas
There, all increase their minds of wholesome joy
This is the entry realized by Swift Dragon King.
Commentary: “I contemplate the Buddha’s former practices.” The Pure Form Swift Dragon King said, “I contemplate the practices the Buddha cultivated in the past: making offerings to the Buddhas and increasing the mind of joy.” “Making offerings to the entire ocean of Buddhas.” The practice of a Buddha cultivator is to make offerings to the Buddhas of the ten directions and the three times. The Buddhas are as numerous as the sea, so they are called the ocean of Buddhas.
“There, all increase their minds of delight.” In the past, the Buddha made offerings to the Buddhas, and before each Buddha, he further increased his joyful and delighted mind.
“The Swift Dragon King entered this gate.” This state was clearly realized and attained by the Swift Dragon King.
The Buddha, by skillful means, adapts his voice to each kind,
For them he expounds the Dharma, bringing them joy,
His voice is refined and pleasing to all,
Universal Conduct hears it and his mind opens to awakening,
Commentary: “The Buddha employs expedient means according to the various kinds of sounds.” The Buddha uses skillful expedient methods to teach and transform sentient beings. To reveal the true, he employs the provisional: he expounds the Mahayana Dharma for Bodhisattvas and the Hinayana Dharma for Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas. Therefore: “The Buddha expounds the Dharma in a single voice;
All sentient beings understand it according to their kind.” That is the compassionate Buddha expounding the Dharma through skillful means.
“Because they teach the Dharma that brings joy.” The Buddha teaches the Dharma for all sentient beings, enabling them all to attain the fullness of Dharma joy, awaken to the mind, and see their nature.
“They delight in hearing that refined sound.” Not only does hearing the Buddha’s words lead to enlightenment; even hearing the Buddha’s voice can do so. The Buddha’s voice is not only clear but carries far; it is not only beautiful but refined, inspiring delight in all who hear it.
“Universal Practice heard it, and his mind opened to awakening.” The Great Sound Dragon King Universal Practice, upon hearing this wondrous sound, felt peaceful and joyful in his heart and awakened to understanding. He attained this gateway to liberation.
Beings are tormented amid the realms of existence
Swept adrift by karma and delusion, with no one to save them
The Buddha, through great compassion, brings them to liberation
The Great Dragon Anavatapta realizes this
Commentary: “Beings are oppressed by the realms.” The realms are the Realm of Desire, the Realm of Form, and the Formless Realm. All beings arise through the provisional conjunction of conditions and transmigrate throughout the three realms, drifting and wandering without ever stopping; therefore, they are oppressed by the realms.
“Deluded by karma, adrift with no one to save them.” Sentient beings endure the sea of karma, drifting aimlessly through the Three Realms. Thus, they “emerge from a horse’s womb and enter a donkey’s womb.” Why? Because they give rise to delusion, create karma, and undergo retribution. This is the unchanging law of the cyclical cause and effect.
Giving rise to delusion: There are three kinds of delusion, which lead one to create karma: **View-and-thought delusions:** View delusions are incorrect views. Thus, “seeing an object gives rise to craving”: those who crave wealth take pleasure in wealth; those who crave beauty take pleasure in beauty; and those who crave fame and gain take pleasure in fame and gain. Thought delusions are afflictive thoughts. Thus, “being confused about principle gives rise to discrimination”: when one does not clearly understand principle, a discriminating mind arises.
**Dust-and-sand delusions:** Not understanding phenomena and principle, and not knowing right from wrong, is delusion. These delusions are as numerous as motes of dust and grains of sand, so they are called dust-and-sand delusions.
**Delusion of ignorance:** Delusion arises because of ignorance. This delusion obstructs the true principle; the delusion of ignorance is the fundamental delusion.
Creating karma: Because one does not clearly understand the principles, one kills, steals, engages in sexual misconduct, lies, and drinks alcohol. Having thus broken the precepts against killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, and drinking alcohol, one has created the three karmas of body, speech, and mind, and has also created the karma of the ten evil deeds.
Receiving retribution: If one creates the karma of killing, one must suffer the retribution for killing; if one creates the karma of stealing, one must suffer the retribution for stealing; and if one creates the karma of sexual misconduct, lying, or drinking alcohol, one must suffer the corresponding retribution. In short, whatever karma one creates, one must suffer its corresponding retribution, without the slightest error.
The karma each person creates in a single lifetime is as complex and vast as the ocean. Thus, swept back and forth by the storms of karma in the sea of karma, they drift east and west, sometimes becoming hungry ghosts, sometimes animals, and sometimes falling into hell, moving again and again through the three evil paths. At such a time, no one can save them from the sea of karma, nor rescue them from the three realms.
“The Buddha uses great compassion to bring about liberation.” Only the boat of the Buddha’s great compassion and wisdom can rescue sentient beings from the sea of karma and enable them to attain liberation.
“The Nāga King Anavatapta realized this Dharma-door.” The Nāga King Anavatapta clearly understood this realm.
Furthermore, the Yaksha King Vaiśravaṇa attained the liberation gate of rescuing and protecting evil sentient beings through boundless skillful means.
Commentary: The Vaisravana Yaksha King (Yaksha is translated as “nimble and swift”; they act very quickly and are violent by nature). This king has attained the state of observing the faculties and dispositions of all sentient beings, and using all kinds of expedient means and Dharma methods to rescue and protect them. If there are sentient beings who are evil, he enables them to turn away from evil and toward good, reform their faults, and repent. His voice in expounding the Dharma is exceedingly wondrous, enabling those who hear it to attain freedom. This is the liberation that he has attained.
Yakshas are of three kinds: those who travel through the heavens, those who travel through the air, and those who travel on the earth. Yakshas and Rakshasas are evil demons, and female Rakshasas are very beautiful. Men whose meditative concentration is not strong enough will be harmed and become food for them. Now I will tell a story as a cautionary example.
In southeastern India, there is an island called the Land of the Lions, namely Ceylon (Sri Lanka). The entire country believes in Theravada Buddhism. In ancient times, it was often called the Land of the Du. Once, five merchants went in search of jewels in the sea, but a black gale blew their ship to the land of the Rakshasas. The queen of that land saw that one of the five merchants was named Lion and wanted to marry him. But the merchant had the roots of wisdom and was not beguiled by feminine charms. Through the Bodhisattva’s arrangements, he managed to escape back to his homeland in South India. The other four merchants all married Rakshasa women. Out of greed for their beauty, they forgot their homeland, and were later eaten by the Rakshasa women.
After the merchant named Lion returned to his country, this female rakshasi also arrived. She told the king that the merchant named Lion had abandoned her, and asked the king to make him return and live with her. This king was also a lecher. Seeing that the rakshasi woman was beautiful, he was overcome with lust and decided to marry her. The merchant named Lion tried to dissuade the king, saying, “This woman is a demon. Though beautiful in appearance, she is evil at heart and specializes in eating people. You should not get close to her!” But the king, bewitched by her beauty, did not heed the warning. He held the wedding ceremony, and that very night the rakshasi woman ate him.
On the second day, the court ministers learned that the king had been eaten by a demon. They therefore enthroned a merchant named Sư Tử as king and sent soldiers to destroy the demon kingdom of La Sát. They renamed it Sư Tử Quốc—present-day Sri Lanka—and ordered everyone in the country to follow Buddhism, making it the state religion; this was Theravada Buddhism. It is a cautionary tale for those who lust after beauty: do not lose your life for it.
The Yaksha King Sound of Sovereign Freedom attained the liberation-gate of skillfully rescuing and protecting sentient beings through universal observation.
Commentary: The Yaksha King of Sovereign Freedom has a voice that expounds the Dharma, enabling sentient beings to attain liberation. He can also observe the faculties and dispositions of all sentient beings. For each set of faculties, he uses the appropriate expedient Dharma gate to rescue and protect them, enabling them to attain peace and happiness. This is the liberation gate he has attained.
The Yaksha King Who Solemnly Holds Weapons attained the liberation gate of being able to nourish and benefit all sentient beings who are exceedingly weak and wicked.
Commentary: The Yaksha King Who Adorns and Holds Weapons often gives gold, silver, or material goods to help sentient beings in poverty; this is called the gift of material goods. He also gives sentient beings wisdom and knowledge; this is called the gift of the Dharma. And he uses his strength or abilities to eliminate all the hardships and calamities of sentient beings; this is called the gift of fearlessness. He always has these three kinds of giving.
This Yaksha King protects sentient beings who are poor and wicked. “Poor” means destitute. These sentient beings are both poor and frail, and they also commit evil deeds. They need someone to help them, so this king is always helping them, enabling them to turn from evil toward goodness and leave delusion for enlightenment. This is the liberation-gate that he attained.
The Great Wisdom Yaksha King attained the liberation-gate of extolling the ocean of virtues of all the holy ones.
Commentary: This Great Wisdom Yaksha King has great wisdom and governs yaksha demons who do not follow the rules. Because they possess a little supernatural power, these yaksha demons are always doing things that are unlawful: if they are not lying, they are cheating people.
This Yaksha King always accords with sentient beings and expounds the Dharma to them, enabling them to attain happiness and prompting them to praise and extol the ocean of merit of all Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Pratyekabuddhas, Śrāvakas, and all practitioners. This is the liberation-gate attained by this Yaksha King.
The Flame-Eyed Yaksha King attained the liberation-gate of the great-compassionate wisdom that universally observes all sentient beings.
Commentary: The commentary says: The Flame-Eyed Yaksha Lord observes all the minds of sentient beings, all their bodies, and all their natures. Because he uses the wisdom of great compassion to observe them, he attains this Dharma gate of liberation.
The Vajra-Eyed Yaksha King attained the liberation gate of benefiting and bringing bliss to all sentient beings through various skillful means.
Commentary: This Vajra-Eyed Yaksha King constantly emits vajra light from his eyes, illuminating all sentient beings. He also uses all kinds of expedient Dharma methods to benefit sentient beings and bring them peace and happiness, enabling all sentient beings to obtain the benefits of the Buddhadharma. This is the gateway to liberation that he has attained.
The Yaksha King Valiant and Strong Arm attained the liberation gate of universally entering the meaning of all dharmas.
Commentary: This Yaksha King, Dũng Kiện Tí, has a strong and valiant body. He clearly understands the meaning of all dharmas and penetrates the treasury of sutras, attaining wisdom as vast as the ocean. This is the gateway to liberation he attained.
The Yaksha King Valiant Adversary Great Army attained the liberation-gate of protecting all beings, causing them to abide in the Way, and letting none pass by without benefit.
Commentary: The Yaksha King Who Bravely Opposes Great Armies is exceedingly courageous; alone, he can face ten thousand troops. Therefore, he protects all living beings and keeps them safe. He also guides living beings who hold false views and wrong ideas onto the proper path, so that they contemplate the wondrous Dharma and always walk the right way, never straying into heterodox paths to study bizarre, false teachings. This is the Dharma-door of liberation that he has attained.
The Yaksha King of Wealth and Treasure attained the liberation gate of increasing the store of merit of all sentient beings, enabling them always to enjoy bliss.
Commentary: This Yaksha King, Wealth and Treasure, has great wealth. Yet despite having so much wealth, he is not stingy. He often gives alms to help sentient beings who are poor, destitute, and have nowhere to turn for support. He is unlike some miserly people who refuse to help and have no compassion for others. You should know that wealth is something external to us: we do not bring it with us when we are born, and we cannot take it with us when we die. Therefore, “Doing good is the greatest joy.” If you want to carry out a charitable project that benefits society, the happiness you feel in your heart will be beyond words. Don’t hesitate—give it a try. Helping others is the source of joy and delight.
This Yaksha King enables all sentient beings to cultivate merit and attain boundless bliss. He has realized this door of liberation.
Now let me tell a story about a wealthy man who begrudged his possessions but not his blessings. When the Buddha was still alive, in the city of Sravasti, there was a treasurer named Lu Zhi. He was stingy not only with outsiders, but also with his own wife and children. One day, wanting to treat himself for once, he went and bought two cakes. He thought to himself, “I can’t take them home to eat, because if my wife and children see them, I’ll have to share.” So he went into the forest and ate them all by himself. When the birds in the forest saw him coming, they flew away. He thought they had come to share his cakes, so he went to the riverbank to eat them all by himself. Suddenly, the mice on the riverbank were startled and scattered. He thought they wanted to come and share his food too. Afraid that someone else might come to share it, he immediately stuffed the cakes into his mouth and swallowed them. This is what stinginess looks like.
At that time, Lord Indra saw that this man was extremely foolish. Feeling compassion for him, he sought a way to change his thinking. He transformed himself to look like Lu Chi and went to Lu Chi’s house. He said to Lu Chi’s wife, “I used to be very stingy with you and the children, but now I have come to my senses. A rich person must put his wealth to meaningful use; otherwise, he is showing contempt for money. Today we must eat and drink our fill.”
After swallowing two cakes by the river, the real Lu Chi returned home feeling very pleased with himself. When he entered the house, he saw what was going on! The real and the false Lu Chi quarreled, each insisting that he was right. There was no way to resolve the matter, and everyone was at a loss, unable to tell which one was real and which was false. So they went together to the Buddha.
The Buddha said to Lord Indra, “This man is excessively miserly and refuses to perform meritorious deeds. Before long, he will fall into hell. No matter how you try to admonish him, he will not heed your teachings. Why waste your efforts? He is a miser by nature.”
Anyone who clings to family wealth as though it were his life and will not give even a single hair to help others must reflect on himself, do more things that benefit society, and become a great philanthropist.
The Yaksha King Power to Shatter High Mountains attained the liberation gate of the wisdom light of Buddha-power arising from compliant recollection.
Commentary: The Yaksha King of Strength to Topple High Mountains has great power and can bring mountains crashing down; this is also thanks to the Buddha’s blessing. He always accommodates sentient beings and recollects past events, thereby giving rise to the power of the Buddha’s radiant wisdom. This is the gate to liberation that he has attained.
At that time, the Great Yaksha King Much-Hearing, relying on the Buddha’s mighty power, surveyed the entire assembly of yakshas and spoke these verses:
Commentary: Then the Great Yaksha King Much-Hearing, relying on the Buddha’s majestic power, surveyed all the assemblies of yakshas and spoke this verse: Explanation: At that time, the Great Yaksha King Vaishravana (the yakshas under the rule of the Heavenly King Vaishravana in the north), relying on the great majestic power bestowed by all the Buddhas, surveyed all the yakshas and spoke these verses praising the Buddha’s virtues.
The sins of sentient beings are deeply frightening
For hundreds of thousands of kalpas, they do not see the Buddha
Adrift in birth and death, they endure many sufferings
To save such beings, the Buddha appears in the world
Commentary: “The offenses of sentient beings are deep and terrifying.” Sentient beings create so much karma that they do not see the Buddha, hear the Dharma, or see the Sangha. They drift in the ocean of birth and death, undergoing all kinds of karmic retributions. Wishing to save sentient beings from the sea of suffering, the Buddha appeared in the world. Because sentient beings are ignorant, they give rise to delusion, create karma, and undergo retribution. The karmic offenses of sentient beings are both numerous and profound, truly alarming and frightening.
“For hundreds of thousands of kalpas, they do not see the Buddha.” Because the karmic entanglements of sentient beings are so heavy and so deep, they cannot see the Buddha; therefore: A human birth is difficult to attain, the Buddha’s Dharma is difficult to hear, and a virtuous spiritual friend is difficult to meet.
Now we are very fortunate: we have all encountered things that are difficult to encounter in this world. We have also seen the Buddha, heard the Dharma, and seen the Sangha. This is the result of wholesome causes planted in the past.
“Drifting through birth and death, they endure much suffering.” These sentient beings, unable to see the Buddha, hear the Dharma, or encounter the Sangha, all drift in the ocean of birth and death, wandering through the six realms of cyclic existence. At times they become heavenly beings, asuras, or humans, and may even fall into hell, where they must endure all kinds of suffering.
“To save sentient beings, the Buddha appears in the world.” It is to save sentient beings from suffering and bring them happiness that the Buddha appeared in the world.
The Tathagata rescues all worlds
All-Manifesting before all sentient beings
Immediately ending their fear and the suffering of transmigration
Such a Dharma-gate was entered by the King of Sound.
Commentary: “The Tathagata saves and protects the worlds.” The Buddha appeared in the world to save all sentient beings. The Lotus Sutra says: The Buddha appeared in the world for one great cause and condition. What great cause and condition? It is birth and death.
“[They] all appear before all sentient beings.” The Buddha is like the moon in the sky. You see the moon above your head, and I see the moon above mine. No matter how many thousands of miles one travels, the moon is always above one’s head. The Buddha is the same; that is why it is said that the Buddha is before all sentient beings.
“Put an end to the fear and suffering of samsara.” Why must the Buddha appear before sentient beings? To put an end to suffering in the six realms of samsara. Believe in the Buddha’s Dharma, understand it, practice it, and realize it; if you can practice in this way, you will surely transcend the three realms and attain Nirvana.
“The Sound King realized this gate of liberation.” This gate of liberation was clearly understood and realized by the Yaksha King Sovereign Sound.
Sentient beings’ evil karma is a grave obstruction
The Buddha reveals the wondrous principle, enabling them to understand
As with a bright lamp illuminating the world
This Dharma can be contemplated and seen by Yaksha King Adorned with Weapons
Commentary: “The evil karma of sentient beings is a grave obstruction.” Why do sentient beings not awaken? Why do they not become Buddhas? Because their karmic obstructions are too heavy and too deep. Where do karmic obstructions come from? From the three karmas of body, speech, and mind. The body has three evil karmas: killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct. The mouth has four evils: lying, embellishing, cursing and abusive speech, and divisive speech. The mind has three evil karmas: greed, anger, and delusion.
**Killing:** This means taking the lives of sentient beings, thereby creating karma that leads to the three evil paths. If one is born as a human, one’s life will be very short, and one will die young.
**Stealing:** Taking someone’s possessions without their consent creates karma that leads to the three evil paths. If one is born as a human, one will always be poor and wretched.
**Sexual misconduct:** This means improper conduct outside the marriage relationship, creating karma that leads to the three evil paths. If one is born as a human, one’s daughters will not be chaste and virtuous, and one’s wife will lack fidelity.
**Lying:** This means speaking untruthfully—saying that something did not happen when it did, or that it happened when it did not—creating karma that leads to the three evil paths. If one is born as a human, one will meet people who slander or deceive one.
**Fanciful and improper speech:** This means using foul language and speaking about improper relations between men and women, causing people to entertain all sorts of wild thoughts. It creates karma that leads to the three evil paths. If one is born as a human, one’s speech will be unclear, or one will be mute.
**Abusive speech:** This means verbally abusing others, or using clever means to insult them so that they cannot respond in kind. It creates karma that leads to the three evil paths. If one is born as a human, one will spend one’s whole life embroiled in disputes and lawsuits.
**Divisive speech:** This means speaking ill of one person to another, and ill of the other to the first, causing them to fall out. It creates the cause for rebirth in the three evil paths. If one is born as a human, one’s relatives will be at odds with one another.
**Greed:** This means being miserly and insatiable—always wanting more, and absolutely refusing to give alms or do anything to benefit others. It creates karma that leads to the three evil paths. If one is born as a human, one’s mind will always be discontented: getting an inch, one will want a foot.
**Anger:** This means being resentful and becoming angry, seeing everyone as being in the wrong. It creates karma that leads to the three evil paths. If one is born as a human, one will often be harmed by others.
**Ignorance:** This means being foolish and unable to distinguish right from wrong, taking what is false as true, and habitually doing confused and upside-down things. It creates karma that leads to the three evil paths. If one is born as a human, one’s mind will be devious and crooked.
“The Buddha expounds wondrous principles to bring about awakening.” Because sentient beings commit the ten evil deeds, they drift in the ocean of birth and death and cannot reach the other shore. The Buddha, with compassion as his original intention and expedient means as his foundation, expounds wondrous principles beyond description. These wondrous principles are methods for counteracting all evil karma, enabling all sentient beings to awaken and understand clearly.
“Like using a bright lamp to illuminate the world.” This wondrous teaching is like a bright lamp, illuminating dark places and making them bright. The Buddha’s appearance in the world is like the sun, illuminating a world shrouded in darkness.
“The Dharma Gate Contemplated by the Yaksha King Adorned with Weapons.” The realm of this liberation-gate was contemplated and understood by the Yaksha King Adorned with Weapons.
Buddhas of old cultivated all practices through an ocean of kalpas
They praised all Buddhas in the ten directions
Thus they attained lofty, far-reaching renown
This is what the Wisdom King has understood
Commentary: “The Buddhas of old cultivated all practices through an ocean of kalpas.” The Buddha, throughout immeasurable past kalpas, practiced the six perfections and myriad practices. Among the six perfections, generosity overcomes greed, observance of precepts overcomes transgression, patience overcomes anger, diligence overcomes laziness, meditation overcomes distraction, and prajna overcomes ignorance. The myriad practices are all practices that benefit sentient beings.
“Praise all Buddhas in the ten directions.” In the past, when the Buddha cultivated the practices, he praised and extolled all the Buddhas in the ten directions and the three periods of time, using all kinds of verses to praise the Buddhas and all kinds of songs to sing their praises.
“Therefore, the name resounds far and wide, lofty and far-reaching.” Because the Buddha praises and extols all the Buddhas of the ten directions, and praises the names of all the Buddhas of the ten directions, the Buddha’s own name also resounds far and wide, lofty and far-reaching. It reaches so high that all the heavenly beings hear the Buddha’s name, and so far that it extends throughout the emptiness of space and the entire Dharma realm, where all hear the Buddha’s name.
“The Wisdom King fully understands this Dharma gate.” This realm is clearly understood by the Great Wisdom Yaksha King.
Wisdom, like space, is without bounds
The Dharma body is vast and inconceivable
Therefore it appears throughout the ten directions
Flame-Eye can observe this
Commentary: “Wisdom is like space, without boundaries.” What form does wisdom have? Wisdom has no form, like empty space. Empty space has no boundaries, so wisdom too has no boundaries.
“The vast Dharma body is inconceivable.” The Buddha’s Dharma body is vast and boundless, inconceivable, like space; there is no way to measure how vast space is.
“Thus it appears throughout the ten directions.” Because the Buddha’s body is vast and boundless, the Buddha’s Dharma body appears in all the worlds of the ten directions. The Buddha’s Dharma body is nowhere and yet everywhere.
“Flame-Eyed observed this Dharma-door.” The Flame-Eyed Yaksha King deeply contemplated this principle.
In every realm, the Wondrous Sound is proclaimed
The Dharma is taught for the benefit of all sentient beings
Where its sound reaches, all suffering ceases
Enter this skillful means, Vajra Eye
Commentary: “In all realms, wondrous sounds are expounded.” The Buddha expounds the wondrous sounds of the Dharma in the six realms of cyclic existence. All sentient beings who hear these wondrous sounds attain benefit.
“Expounding the Dharma for the benefit of all beings.” The Buddha expounds the Dharma according to their capacities, enabling all sentient beings to benefit. What benefit? Escaping the suffering of the three realms and six destinies, and attaining permanence, bliss, true self, and purity.
“Wherever one hears of the elimination of all suffering.” Wherever the Buddha’s wondrous voice expounding the Dharma reaches, the suffering of the sentient beings there is entirely extinguished. In short, those who hear the Buddha’s voice are liberated.
“Vajra Eye enters this expedient means.” The Vajra-Eye Yaksha King was able to enter this expedient means, this gateway to liberation.
All meanings profoundly deep and vast,
The Tathagata can expound in a single phrase,
Such teachings are equal to the world,
What King Valiant Wisdom realized,
Commentary: “All meanings are profound and vast.” The Dharma has immeasurable, boundless meanings; therefore, “the Dharma is supremely profound and wondrous.” This Dharma is supremely lofty and unsurpassed: the less it can be compared with anything, the deeper it is; the less it can be compared with anything, the more wondrous it is. “Difficult to encounter in hundreds, thousands, and tens of thousands of kalpas.” This Dharma is encountered only after a long time; it is not easy to encounter. Just like in the Western countries, for so many years no one truly heard the Buddha-Dharma, saw the Buddha, or saw the Sangha; only now is it beginning. Therefore, it is said that after a long time, it is not easy to encounter. “I now see and hear it, and receive and uphold it.” Now I have seen the Buddha-Dharma, heard the Buddha-Dharma, and received and upheld it. I am truly fortunate! In a previous life, we planted wholesome roots; only in this life have we been able to receive and uphold the teachings. This is no easy thing. Therefore, we must pay reverence to the Three Jewels and make offerings to them. The human body is difficult to obtain, yet now we have obtained it; the Buddha Dharma is difficult to hear, yet now we have heard it. “May we understand the true meaning of the Tathagata.” The Buddha taught the Tripitaka (sutras, vinaya, and treatises) and the twelve divisions of scripture (prose, repeated verses, independent verses, parables, causes and conditions, spontaneous teachings, stories of past events, birth stories, wondrous events, extensive teachings, analytical discussions, and predictions). These meanings and principles are truly vast and profound, beyond description. We must clearly understand the true and actual principles of the Tathagata’s teaching.
“The Tathāgata can say it all in a single sentence.” In a single sentence of Dharma, the Buddha can expound all Dharmas and express all profound and vast meanings. This means that the one becomes the immeasurable and the immeasurable becomes the one; it is also the principle that one root branches into myriad differences, and myriad differences return to one root.
“Thus, the teachings are one with the world.” Above, we spoke of their profound and vast meaning: the Buddha can express it all in a single sentence. These teachings pervade the entire world, and so Buddhist teachings are perfectly encompassing and unobstructed. They make no distinction between races or nationalities; everyone is a Buddhist. Whether you believe in the Buddha or not, you are still a Buddhist. Why? Because Buddhism extends throughout all of space and the Dharma realm, and all living beings possess Buddha-nature and can become Buddhas. If you do not believe in the Buddha now, you will believe in the Buddha in the future. If you do not believe in the Buddha in the future, you will believe in the Buddha in a later life. Not only will you certainly believe in the Buddha, you can also become a Buddha. The Dharma gates of Buddhism encompass myriad things; not a single living being lies outside Buddhism. That is why we say that the teachings are one with the world.
“The King of Heroic Vows has realized this gateway.” The Yaksha King Heroic Wisdom understood and clearly discerned the principle of this gateway to liberation.
All sentient beings dwell on mistaken paths;
The Buddha reveals the inconceivable right path,
And universally makes the world a vessel of the Dharma.
King Dũng Địch Quân can understand and realize this.
Commentary: “All sentient beings follow the deviant path.” All sentient beings means the twelve classes of beings: womb-born, egg-born, moisture-born, and transformation-born. Sentient beings have very strange dispositions. If the proper Dharma is taught to them, they are doubtful and do not believe; if the deviant Dharma is taught to them, they believe it without doubt. This is because the proper Dharma requires keeping the precepts: one must not kill, steal, engage in sexual misconduct, lie, or drink alcohol. The deviant Dharma, on the other hand, does not require keeping the precepts, and one may kill, steal, engage in sexual misconduct, lie, and drink alcohol. Thus, when it comes to the proper path, sentient beings do not know whether it is true or false and become doubtful; but when it comes to the deviant path, they take it to be true and have no doubts. So they follow the deviant path.
“The Buddha reveals the inconceivable Right Path.” Wishing to save sentient beings, the Buddha is not bound by prescribed rules; rather, he points out the realm of the Right Path and enables sentient beings to cultivate and study it. What is the realm of the Right Path? It is taking refuge in the Three Jewels and arousing the aspiration for bodhi (seeking the Buddha’s Way above and guiding all beings below). This realm is inconceivable, enabling sins to be extinguished and blessings to arise, karma to be purified and feelings to be emptied. It has such wondrous efficacy.
“Make the whole world into Dharma vessels.” A Dharma vessel is a person of talent. The Sixth Patriarch attained the status of a Dharma vessel. Great Master Hanshan also attained the status of a Dharma vessel. Through their practice, they attained indestructible vajra bodies. After they entered nirvana, their physical bodies neither decayed nor rotted, becoming the flesh bodies of Bodhisattvas—that is a Dharma vessel.
The Buddha enables all beings in the world to become vessels of the Dharma. Thus, we “borrow the false to cultivate the true.” This stinking skin-bag is a temporary room; we live in this room to cultivate the Way. That is, we borrow the false body—the form body—to cultivate the true body—the Dharma body. Do not regard the room as too important, but do not deliberately damage it either. If anything is damaged, we must repair it; otherwise, there will be no room to live in and no place to cultivate. Everyone living in the room is sick. What are they sick with? The sicknesses of greed, anger, delusion, jealousy, and selfishness. We must invite a doctor to treat us. The doctor has good medicine, and when the medicine arrives, the sickness is cured. This good medicine is to diligently cultivate precepts, concentration, and wisdom, and eradicate greed, anger, and delusion. Therefore, the Buddhadharma is a “panacea.” “The Valiant Enemy-Subduing King has realized this gate.” The Valiant Enemy-Subduing Great Army Yaksha King attained and understood this Dharma gate.
All the meritorious deeds possessed by the world,
Are illuminated by the Buddha’s light;
The Buddha’s ocean of wisdom is immeasurable;
Such is Sudhana’s liberation.
Commentary: “All worldly merit and blessings.” The Buddha attained Buddhahood by performing wholesome deeds. Therefore, “accumulate good deeds and reap splendid results; accumulate evil deeds and reap calamity.” This is a self-evident principle, an eternal law that never changes. We who practice the Way must engrave in our hearts: “Endure hardship, and hardship will end; enjoy blessings, and blessings will be exhausted.” “Everything is illuminated by the Buddha’s light.” The Buddha’s light shining everywhere means bestowing blessings. Where do blessings come from? Such meritorious karma comes about only through the Buddha’s blessing, which is why it is said that everything is illuminated by the Buddha’s light.
“The ocean of the Buddha’s wisdom is difficult to fathom.” The Buddha’s wisdom is like the ocean. The ocean is vast and boundless, difficult to fathom or measure; there is no way to know how vast it is.
“Yaksha King Meritorious deeds attained this liberation.” This gateway to liberation was attained by the Yaksha King Meritorious deeds.
Recalling numberless past kalpas,
The Buddhas cultivated the ten powers therein;
They brought all the powers to perfection
This is what King High Banner understands.
Commentary: “Recollecting the countless past kalpas.” When recalling the Buddhas’ practice in the past, we see that they all persevered for innumerable kalpas. Although such a long time had passed, the Buddhas were exceedingly courageous and diligent, without the slightest laziness or heedlessness. That is how they achieved what they have today.
“The Buddhas all cultivate the ten powers.” Throughout countless eons, the Buddhas diligently cultivate the ten kinds of powers:
1. The power of knowing what is possible and impossible.
2. The power of knowing the karmic effects of the three times.
3. The power of knowing the various meditations, liberations, and samādhis.
4. The power of knowing which faculties are superior and inferior.
5. The power of knowing the various inclinations.
6. The power of knowing the various realms.
7. The power of knowing the paths leading to all destinations.
8. The power of unobstructed divine vision.
9. The power of knowing past lives and the absence of outflows.
10. The power of knowing the permanent eradication of habitual tendencies.
“May all the powers of knowledge become complete.” When these ten powers of knowledge are perfected, all powers are accomplished.
“King Cao Tràng clearly understands this Dharma-gate.” This realm is clearly understood by the Yaksha King Cao Tràng.
Furthermore, the Good Wisdom Mahoraga King attained the liberation-gate of using all spiritual powers and skillful means to lead sentient beings to accumulate merit.
Commentary: King Benevolent Wisdom Mahoraga (Mahoraga is translated as “great crawling creature”; it is a python deity, also called an earth dragon, though dragons do not possess spiritual powers). He attained the state of understanding that the Buddha uses skillful means and Dharma methods involving spiritual powers to enable sentient beings to accumulate merit, growing from little to much and from small to great. Once their merit has accumulated in abundance, they attain liberation. This is the gateway to liberation that he attained.
There are six kinds of supernatural powers:
1. The divine eye.
2. The divine ear.
3. Knowledge of past lives.
4. Knowledge of others’ minds.
5. Supernatural powers.
6. Knowledge of the extinction of the taints.
The spiritual powers of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Arhats are all different. For example, an Arhat’s spiritual powers can observe cause and effect only within eighty thousand great kalpas, but cannot observe causes and conditions beyond eighty thousand great kalpas. A Bodhisattva’s spiritual powers can observe cause and effect beyond eighty thousand great kalpas, but cannot observe causes and conditions across a million great kalpas. A Buddha’s spiritual powers can observe cause and effect over immeasurable great kalpas.
The Mahoraga King Pure Majestic Sound attained the liberation-gate of enabling all sentient beings to eliminate afflictions and attain coolness, joy, and liberation.
Commentary: The Mahoraga King of Pure Majestic Voice, knowing the Buddha’s realm, enables all living beings to dispel the heat of afflictions. What is the heat of afflictions? It is delusive thinking that vexes the body and troubles the mind. There are great afflictions, moderate afflictions, and minor afflictions. There are eight kinds of great afflictions, two kinds of moderate afflictions, and ten kinds of minor afflictions. This Mahoraga King enables all living beings to feel cool and peaceful, and to practice diligently and make strenuous efforts. This is the liberation door he attained.
The Mahoraga King Adorned with the Topknot of Supreme Wisdom attained the liberation-gate of universally leading all sentient beings with wholesome and unwholesome thoughts to enter the pure Dharma.
Commentary: The King Mahoraga with a Crest Adorned with Victorious Wisdom causes all beings’ thoughts of good and evil to become pure. These beings understand many principles very clearly; they understand the principles of goodness and the principles of evil. But beings of this kind are very likely to take the wrong path, because they feel that they already understand. In truth, they do not genuinely understand, so they are very likely to go astray. This king enables all beings to enter the pure, unconditioned Dharma and walk the right path. This is the liberation gate he attained.
King Wonderful-Eyed, Chief of the Mahoragas, attained the liberation-gate of fully realizing the equal nature of the merits and virtues that are free from attachment to all things.
Commentary: King Great-Eyed Mahoraga saw clearly and understood that the Buddha had no attachment to any realm, was attached to no marks, and did not depart from any marks. He was attached neither to merit and virtue, nor to sovereignty, nor to equality; therefore, it is said that he had no attachment whatsoever. The Buddha is a field of blessings for sentient beings, and the Sangha is also a field of blessings for sentient beings. Hence:
“Although dragons cannot bring rain,
To pray for rain, one must rely on dragons;
Although ordinary monks cannot cultivate merit,
To seek blessings, one must rely on the Sangha.”
One who cultivates merit must always cherish it, so that it will not diminish. With merit and virtue, one attains freedom; with freedom, one attains equality. This is the gate of liberation that this person has attained.
The Lamp-Banner Mahoraga King attained the liberation-gate of revealing to all beings the path that frees them from darkness and fear.
Commentary: The Light Banner Mahoraga King constantly manifests radiance. This radiance emerges from wisdom, like a lamp-banner, with five lights and ten colors, brilliantly dazzling to the eye. This king has attained the realm of the Buddha and opens and shows it to all sentient beings. “Opening” means opening the Buddha’s knowledge and vision; “showing” means showing the Buddha’s knowledge and vision, enabling sentient beings to realize the Buddha’s knowledge and vision and enter the Buddha’s knowledge and vision. This king enables all sentient beings to leave the dark, fear-filled paths—that is, the three evil paths of hell beings, hungry ghosts, and animals. The three evil paths are filled with darkness and fear. Darkness represents the absence of wisdom. Once one encounters the radiant wisdom lamp-banner, there is no longer any fear. This is the liberation gate that this king has attained.
The Mahoraga King, Supreme Victorious Banner of Light, attained the liberation of knowing all the Buddhas’ qualities and rejoicing in them.
Commentary: The Supreme Victorious Light Banner Mahoraga King clearly understands all the Buddha’s merits and virtues, and that Buddhahood is attained through being adorned with myriad virtues. He understands this realm and also enables all sentient beings to understand it clearly. Once they understand it, they too give rise to a joyful mind. This is the liberation gate he has attained.
The Lion-Chested Mahoraga King attained the liberation gate of the mighty power to rescue and protect all sentient beings.
Commentary: The Lion-Chest Mahoraga King. “Chest” means the breast. This one is the mightiest and most courageous, and has become the guardian who rescues all sentient beings. If even one sentient being has not become a Buddha, this one vows not to rest. Whatever calamity befalls a sentient being, this one goes to rescue and protect them. This is the gateway to liberation that this one has attained.
The King of Mahoragas Adorned with Various Wondrous Sounds attained the liberation gate of causing all sentient beings to give rise to boundless wholesome bliss according to their recollections.
Commentary: King Mahoraga Whose Sounds Are Adorned with All Wonders. Because his sounds are adorned with all wonders, they are exceptionally beautiful and pleasing to the ear, causing those who hear them to forget all their sorrow and afflictions. In accordance with the thoughts and recollections of sentient beings, he causes them to give rise to boundless delight. This is the liberation-gate attained by this king.
The Sumeru-Chested Mahoraga King attained the liberation gate of being unwaveringly resolute regarding all objects of contemplation and reaching the other shore in complete fulfillment.
Commentary: The Sumeru-Chested Mahoraga King attained the realm of all objects of cognition: he is certainly not shaken by any realm, but reaches the ultimate other shore and attains complete fulfillment. This is the realm he has attained.
The Mahoraga King of Lovely, Joyful Light attained the liberation gate of revealing the path of equality to all unequal sentient beings.
The Mahoraga King Lovely Joyful Light attained the liberation of revealing the path of equality to all beings who are unequal.
Lecture: The Mahoraga King of Lovely, Joyful Light attained the state of expounding the equal Dharma because all sentient beings are unequal. The ultimate principle of attaining Buddhahood is equality, without distinction; this is the liberation gate attained by this king.
At that time, the Mahoraga King named Good Wisdom Majestic Radiance, relying on the Buddha’s power, surveyed all the Mahoragas and spoke in verse, saying: At that time, the Mahoraga King Good Wisdom Majestic Light, relying on the Buddha’s majestic power, surveyed all the Mahoragas and spoke this verse.
Explanation: At that time, King Mahoraga Good Wisdom Majestic Light, relying on the great majestic spiritual power bestowed by all the Buddhas, surveyed the entire assembly of Mahoragas and spoke these verses in praise of the Buddha’s virtues.
You contemplate the Tathāgata’s pure nature;
His majestic radiance shines everywhere, benefiting multitudes of beings.
He reveals the path of nectar, bringing coolness;
All suffering is forever extinguished, with nothing left to rely upon.
You contemplate the Tathāgata’s pure nature;
His majestic radiance shines everywhere, benefiting multitudes of beings.
He reveals the nectar, bringing coolness;
All suffering is forever extinguished, with nowhere to take refuge.
“You contemplate the Tathagata’s nature as pure.” King Good Wisdom Majestic Radiance said to his Mahoraga retinue, “You should see Buddha-nature as pure and undefiled, pure like space.” “Majestic light shines everywhere, benefiting all living beings.” Out of compassion, the Buddha emits a great, majestic radiance, enabling sentient beings to receive benefits through the illumination of the Buddha’s light. These benefits can open the wisdom of understanding.
“Revealing the nectar brings coolness.” This one teaches all sentient beings, enabling them to obtain the delicious taste of nectar. When hungry sentient beings obtain nectar, they are immediately satisfied. When sentient beings burdened with heavy karmic offenses obtain nectar, their karmic offenses are eradicated. Even if sentient beings are in hell, if they obtain nectar, the cauldron of boiling oil and glowing coals will turn into a lotus pond. Whatever is unsatisfactory becomes cool and refreshing when it receives nectar.
“All sufferings are forever extinguished, with nowhere to rely on.” No matter how much karmic suffering there is, if one receives the radiance of the Buddha shining upon them, all karmic suffering is extinguished. Since karmic obstructions have been eliminated, all suffering is gone as well. Suffering comes from karmic obstructions. When there is suffering caused by karmic obstructions, there is something to rely on; when there are no karmic obstructions causing suffering, there is nothing to rely on.
All sentient beings dwell in the ocean of existence,
Bound by their evil karma and their own entanglements.
He shows them the tranquil Dharma to practice;
The Dust-Free King of Majestic Sound understands this well.
“All sentient beings in the ocean of realms.” Sentient beings in the Three Realms are in the great ocean of the twenty-five realms, which is also the Three Realms. What are the Three Realms? Because all sentient beings in the Three Realms have karmic causes and karmic retributions, they are called the Three Realms.
“Evil karma and delusion conceal.” Sentient beings in the twenty-five realms of the Three Realms have different kinds of evil karma. The Desire Realm has the karma of the Desire Realm, the Form Realm has the karma of the Form Realm, and the Formless Realm has the karma of the Formless Realm. Through evil deeds, they create karma; once they have karma, delusion grows ever deeper. Karma and delusion are like chains that bind people, leaving them unable to attain liberation. They also conceal sentient beings in the sea of karma, so they do not see the light. Not seeing the light, they give rise to ignorance; with ignorance, they have no wisdom; without wisdom, they engage in deluded and inverted actions.
Sentient beings who create evil karma must repent in order to eradicate it. Hence:
“Even sins as vast as the sky can be completely erased through repentance.” However, the evil karma of sentient beings is so profound that they still do not know to give rise to a mind of repentance. The ancients said:
“Sin arises from the mind; repent with the mind.
If the mind is extinguished, sin too is gone.
When the mind is gone and sin is extinguished, both are empty.
This is what is called true repentance.” That is, as long as one repents with utmost sincerity and earnestness, the karmic offenses one has already committed will certainly be eradicated. But this does not mean repenting before the Buddha today and then committing the same offenses again tomorrow. If one does not genuinely correct one’s faults, it will not only do no good but add to one’s offenses, because knowingly and deliberately doing wrong makes the offense greater.
“Teach them to practice the Dharma of quiescence.” Instruct and guide sentient beings with evil karma, teaching them the quiescent Dharma practiced by the Buddha; then they will no longer have afflictions, and will abandon evil karma and choose wholesome karma.
“King Pure Majestic Sound has penetrated this gateway.” The realm of this gateway of liberation is clearly understood by King Mahoraga Pure Majestic Sound.
The Buddha’s wisdom is peerless, inconceivable;
The Buddha’s wisdom is like an ocean, beyond thought and speech.
He knows the minds of sentient beings without end;
He knows the minds of sentient beings without limit.
For their sake, he expounds and elucidates the pure Dharma;
For their sake, he makes the pure Dharma clear.
Thus, Adorned Topknot’s mind can understand;
Victorious Wisdom Adorned Topknot understands this gateway.
“The Buddha’s wisdom is inconceivable, like the ocean.” The Buddha’s wisdom is like the vast ocean, boundless, immeasurable, and inconceivable; therefore, there is nothing it does not know and no place it does not see.
“Knowing that the minds of sentient beings are inexhaustible.” For this reason, the Buddha knows and sees the minds of all sentient beings. Whatever deluded thoughts sentient beings give rise to, the Buddha understands clearly.
“Because they expound the pure Dharma.” The minds of sentient beings are bound and obscured by fame and gain, giving rise to ignorance. To teach and liberate them so they may leave suffering and attain happiness, the Buddha expounds the pure Dharma for them to hear. He teaches them how to cultivate the three trainings free from outflows—precepts, concentration, and wisdom—and how to eliminate the three poisons of greed, anger, and delusion.
“Victorious Wisdom Adorned Crown realizes this Dharma-gate.” This Dharma-gate was understood and realized by the Mahoraga King Victorious Wisdom Adorned Crown.
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| Immeasurable Buddhas appear in the world, | Immeasurable Buddhas appear in the world, |
| Universally making fields of merit for sentient beings; | Making fields of merit for all sentient beings; |
| The ocean of merit is vast and deep, difficult to fathom; | The ocean of merit is vast and deep, difficult to fathom; |
| Great King Wonderful-Eye can see them all. | Great King Wonderful-Eye sees this gateway. | “Innumerable Buddhas appear in the world.” There are innumerable Buddhas in the ten directions and throughout the three periods of time. Thus, their number is “equal to the number of sentient beings”: however many sentient beings there are, there are just as many Buddhas. This is the Buddhist view, because everyone has Buddha-nature and will become a Buddha. As long as one practices, one has the opportunity to become a Buddha. It is like how some people are qualified to become president or chairperson, but they must meet certain conditions: have a wealth of knowledge, the ability to work, a spirit of service, and a strong, healthy body. Then they will have the opportunity to become president or chairperson.
“Universally serve as fields of merit for sentient beings.” Infinite and boundless Buddhas all appear throughout the world to serve as fields of merit for sentient beings, giving all sentient beings the opportunity to cultivate merit. Making offerings to the Three Jewels brings inconceivable merit, but one must do so without ulterior motives in order to gain great merit. Offering a single fruit or a branch of flowers with a pure mind brings merit beyond measure.
“The ocean of blessings is vast and unfathomably deep.” If we make offerings to the Three Jewels with a sincere mind, seeking nothing in return, the ocean of blessings we accumulate will be both vast and deep, beyond measure. The more merit we accrue, the deeper the ocean of blessings becomes. All Buddhas cultivate blessings and wisdom throughout three asamkhyeya kalpas, making offerings to all Buddhas. Only when blessings and wisdom are complete can they attain realization.
“King Wonderful-Eyed sees this Dharma-door.” This realm is fully perceived by the Wonderful-Eyed King, Lord of the Mahoragas.
All sentient beings are distressed and fearful of suffering; all beings fear suffering.
The Buddha appears before them everywhere to rescue and protect them; the Buddha manifests before them to save and protect them.
Throughout the Dharma-realm and empty space, there is nowhere he does not pervade; throughout the entire Dharma-realm and empty space.
This is the realm of practice of Lamp Banner; this is the liberation-gate realized by Lamp Banner.
“All sentient beings fear suffering.” The anxiety and fear of all sentient beings are the result of suffering. Because they crave temporary pleasure and sow evil causes, they certainly cannot escape painful karmic retribution. Bodhisattvas fear causes, not effects. When sowing causes, they are especially careful and do not give rise to the slightest deluded thought. But when they undergo painful karmic retribution, their minds remain calm as they accept it; they blame neither Heaven nor other people. Everything is governed by cause and effect; there are no mistakes.
“The Buddha appears first to rescue and protect.” All the Buddhas of the ten directions and the three periods of time appear before all sentient beings to rescue them along the way. Because ignorance wreaks havoc, obscuring their pure minds and causing them to lose wisdom, they abandon the true path and take a narrow, dangerous one. The Buddha has compassion for these sentient beings, and so rides the boat of compassion to this world to rescue them from the sea of suffering.
“Throughout all of empty space and the Dharma realm.” The Buddha’s Dharma body is everywhere; therefore, it is said to pervade all of empty space and the entire Dharma realm. Wherever there are sentient beings—whether they are obstinate or difficult to tame—they are all rescued and protected, so that they may leave suffering and attain peace and happiness.
“This gate of liberation was realized by Lamp Banner.” The realm of this gate of liberation was attained by the King Lamp Banner Mahoraga.
All the merits in a single pore of the Buddha,
The merits within one pore of the Buddha;
The whole world cannot fathom them,
The world cannot measure or know them.
Boundless and inexhaustible, like space,
Immeasurable and boundless, like space.
Thus does Vast Great Light Banner see,
Vast Great Light Banner sees it thus.
“The merit in a single pore of the Buddha.” Within a single pore of the Buddha are immeasurable, boundless merits. Where do these merits come from? When the Buddha, on the causal ground, first aroused the bodhi mind, he continually did things that benefited sentient beings. By benefiting sentient beings, he thereby accumulated merit.
How does one cultivate merit? First, one must support the Three Jewels, make offerings to the Three Jewels, and revere the Three Jewels. The Three Jewels are the field of merit for sentient beings. To make merit is to sow seeds in this field of merit. All Buddhists should do their utmost to make merit; when their merit is complete, they will certainly obtain blessings.
When the Buddha was on the causal ground, he drew near to the Three Jewels, took refuge in the Three Jewels, and protected and upheld the Three Jewels. He performed every kind of merit, great or small. Therefore, every pore of the Buddha is endowed with all merits. Within a single pore of the Buddha, immeasurable sentient beings can be accommodated, filling all of empty space and the entire Dharma realm; and within that pore, the great Dharma wheel is turned to teach and transform sentient beings.
“The world cannot measure or know.” Even if all the beings in the world came together to study this matter, they still could not measure how many merits and virtues the Buddha possesses, nor could they possibly know how many there are in the ultimate sense.
“Boundless and inexhaustible, like empty space.” The Buddha’s merit can only be described as boundless and inexhaustible, like the vastness of empty space, which is impossible to conceive. The virtuous sages of old said: The dust particles may be counted in a thought,
The waters of the great ocean may be drunk dry,
Space may be measured, the wind bound—
But the Buddha’s merits can never be fully told.
That is the most appropriate explanation.
“Vast and Great Light Banner sees it thus.” Only the King Mahoraga Vast and Great Light Banner has the merit to see this realm.
The Tathāgata comprehends all dharmas; the Tathāgata understands every dharma.
In that nature of dharmas, all is clearly illumined; that nature of dharmas is clearly illumined.
Like Mount Sumeru, unmoving; like Mount Sumeru, unwavering.
King Lion-Remembrance enters this Dharma-gate; King Lion-Remembrance enters this Dharma-gate.
“The Tathagata comprehends all dharmas.” The Buddha wishes to benefit sentient beings and protect them, so he cultivates all kinds of merit and virtue. Once each and every merit is perfected, he can enter deeply into the treasury of the sutras, with wisdom as vast as the sea, and thereby comprehend and understand all dharmas.
“The Dharma-nature there is all clearly illuminated.” Within the eighty-four thousand Dharma-gates, the Dharma-nature of each gate is thoroughly penetrated and understood without obstruction, and is known without obstruction. In short, it is the radiant wisdom that illuminates the true aspect of all dharmas.
“Like Mount Sumeru, it does not move.” The Dharma-nature is like Mount Meru, the Wonderful High Mountain, and does not move. The Four Heavenly Kings dwell halfway up Mount Sumeru (translated as “Wonderful High”), and Trāyastriṃśa Heaven is at its summit. The Buddha uses the power of courageous diligence to rescue and protect all sentient beings, and is therefore called the lord who rescues and protects all sentient beings. The Buddha’s Dharma-nature has the power of concentration, like Mount Sumeru.
“The Lion King of a Hundred Million entered this gate.” The Lion King of a Hundred Million was able to understand clearly and realize this Dharma gate of liberation.
The Buddha, in the distant past through vast eons,
Cultivated an ocean of joy, deep and boundless.
Therefore, all who see him rejoice;
This is the Dharma realized by Nghiêm Âm.
“The Buddha in the distant past kalpas.” When the Buddha was in the immeasurable, boundless great kalpas of the distant past, not once did even the slightest affliction arise.
“The ocean of accumulated joy is infinitely deep.” Over immeasurable eons, the Buddha accumulated joy, deep and vast, without shore or boundary like the ocean. When the Buddha was at the causal stage, whenever he saw anyone, he would give rise to a joyful mind. He aspired to deliver all sentient beings.
“Therefore, all who see him rejoice.” Because of this connection, when sentient beings see the Buddha, not a single one fails to give rise to a joyful mind.
“This Dharma was realized by Adorned Sound.” This liberation door was realized by the King Mahoraga of Multitudes of Wondrous Adorned Sounds.
Fully comprehending that the Dharma Realm has no form or characteristics,
Knowing clearly that the Dharma Realm has no form or characteristics;
The ocean of pāramitās is entirely perfected,
The ocean of perfections is entirely perfected;
Great Light universally saves all sentient beings,
Great Light saves all sentient beings everywhere;
Mountain Recollection can know this skillful means,
Mountain Recollection knows this skillful means.
“Know clearly that the Dharma Realm has no form.” See and know clearly that the Dharma Realm has no form. The Dharma Realm is the true mind of sentient beings. The true mind pervades the entire Dharma Realm, and the Dharma Realm likewise does not lie apart from our true mind. Therefore, it is said: “ “If anyone wishes to know clearly
all the Buddhas of the three times,
let them contemplate the nature of the Dharma realm:
all is created by mind.” As with writing an essay, one must first clearly understand the subject. The true mind has no form; it is all of empty space and pervades the entire Dharma realm. Hence: “The ten Dharma realms do not depart from a single thought.” The Dharma realm is a realm formed through the transformation of dharmas. The Buddha realm contains immeasurable Buddhas and is formed through the Buddha Dharma. The Bodhisattva, Pratyekabuddha, and Śrāvaka realms, and so on, are all formed through various kinds of dharmas; that is why they are called Dharma realms. If we distinguish them, there are ten Dharma realms; taken together, there is one Dharma realm, which is also a single thought of the true mind.
“The ocean of the pāramitās is fully perfected.” Knowing that the Dharma realm is without attributes, one penetrates the fundamental essence: it is suchness, unmoving, clear and luminous. This is clearly understanding the fundamental essence of one’s own nature.
All the oceans of pāramitās comprise six pāramitās, ten pāramitās, a hundred pāramitās, a thousand pāramitās, and ten thousand pāramitās; one can also say there are eighty-four thousand pāramitās. If one clearly understands that the Dharma realm is without characteristics, then all pāramitās are perfectly and fully complete.
“Great light saves all sentient beings.” Great light means the great treasury of luminous light. The great light shines everywhere upon all sentient beings, rescuing and protecting them. Any sentient being reached by the great treasury of luminous light is saved and freed from suffering. Great light comes from cultivating the light of wisdom. This light of wisdom is immeasurable and boundless; there is nowhere it does not reach. It shines throughout the Dharma Realm, layer upon layer without end, endlessly layer upon layer.
“Mountain Memory knows this skillful means.” The Sumeru Memory Mahoraga King knows this skillful Dharma-gate.
You behold the Tathāgata’s sovereign power;
His manifestations in the ten directions are all equal.
All sentient beings are illuminated and awaken;
This King of Wondrous Light can enter skillfully.
“Contemplate the Tathagata’s sovereign power.” Behold the Buddha’s sovereign power—it is wondrous beyond description. Sovereign power is the power of supernatural abilities. The Buddha’s supernatural powers are inconceivable and beyond discussion.
“Manifestations throughout the ten directions are all equal.” The Buddha manifests the Dharma body throughout the Dharma realms of the ten directions; there is nowhere it is not present. Therefore, all sentient beings receive different degrees of benefit: those of great capacity are greatly nourished, while those of lesser capacity are nourished less.
“All sentient beings who are illuminated attain enlightenment.” All sentient beings touched by the Buddha’s great treasury of radiant light attain enlightenment and obtain the wisdom of liberation.
“What the King of Wondrous Light has penetrated.” This is the realm that the King Mahoraga of Lovely Joyful Light has penetrated: he clearly sees the Buddha’s light shining upon sentient beings, thereby extinguishing all their karmic offenses.
Furthermore, the King of Kinnaras named Good Wisdom Light Heaven attained the liberation gateway of universally generating all wholesome and joyful deeds.
Again, the Heavenly Kinnara King Good Wisdom Light attained the liberation gate of universally giving rise to all joyful activities.
Lecture: Continuing the sutra passage above. The King of the Kinnaras, Good Wisdom Light (Kinnara is translated as “Doubtful Deity”; this deity is skilled at singing and chanting majestic Dharma melodies, causing those who hear them to bring to mind the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha), causes all sentient beings to give rise to the karma of joy and delight. This is the gateway to liberation that he has attained.
The Kinnara King Fragrant Banner attained the liberation-gate of giving rise to unsurpassed joy in the Dharma and enabling all beings to experience peace and happiness.
King Wonderful Flower Banner Kinnara attained the gate of liberation, gave rise to unsurpassed joy in the Dharma, and enabled all sentient beings to attain peace and happiness.
Lecture: The King Kinnara Wonderful Flower Banner clearly understands the realm of the Buddhas, causing all sentient beings to give rise to unsurpassed Dharma joy. When they hear the Sutra, their hearts rejoice; even if they do not eat, they do not feel hungry. Therefore, it is said that their Dharma joy is full. The state of Dharma joy is to be so inspired that one forgets to eat, and so happy that one forgets one’s worries. This king has attained Dharma joy and also enables sentient beings to attain the peace and happiness of Dharma joy. This way of thinking is benefiting oneself and benefiting others, awakening oneself and awakening others. In short, one’s own joy also brings joy to others; this is the liberation door that this king has attained.
The Kinnara King Various Adornments attained the liberation-gate of the vast, pure treasury of faith and understanding, complete with all virtues.
The Kinnara King Various Adornments attained the liberation-gate of the vast, pure treasury of faith and understanding, fully endowed with all merits.
Lecture: The Kinnara King Various Adornments is endowed with all kinds of adornments. These adornments represent the goodness, excellence, and distinction that adorn a Buddha-land. Only by cultivating all kinds of blessings can one have all kinds of merit and virtue. Once one has merit and virtue, all merit and virtue are complete and perfect, both vast and pure. From this arises a treasury of pure faith and understanding. This king attained this liberation.
Purity means not going mad; going mad is not purity. Purity also means having no defiled thoughts. The mind does not cling to the objects it encounters—in other words: “The eyes see forms, but there is nothing in the mind;
The ears hear sounds, but the mind does not know.” The Treasury of Faith and Understanding: First, let us explain the word “faith.” Faith causes the forest of merit to grow. Therefore:
“Faith is the root of the Way, the mother of merit,
Nurturing and growing all wholesome dharmas.” “Icchantika” is translated as “insufficient faith”; it refers to a person who does not believe in the Buddha-Dharma. Even so, they still have Buddha-nature, but for the time being they cannot attain Buddhahood, because they do not believe in cause and effect. “Understanding” means clear understanding—the true meaning of the scriptures. When faith and understanding accumulate in abundance, they form a treasury. For example, the Three Baskets: the Sutra Basket, the Vinaya Basket, and the Treatise Basket.
The teachings of the Huayan Sutra are divided into four stages: faith, understanding, practice, and realization. First, one must have faith; one must certainly give rise to a mind of faith. Only after having faith does one become interested in the Buddhadharma. Second, one must understand: one must study the teachings and understand them clearly. Third, one must practice: after understanding, one must cultivate according to the Dharma. Otherwise, merely believing in and clearly understanding the Buddhadharma without practicing it is of no benefit. Fourth, one must attain realization. Only through practice can one attain the fruits of realization; only by attaining those fruits can one be liberated—freed from the bondage of karmic obstacles and delusion, and from suffering in the Three Realms.
The Kinnara King Delightful Roar attained the liberation gate of constantly producing all delightful sounds that free those who hear them from sorrow and fear.
The Kinnara King Joyful-Minded Roaring Sound attained the liberation door of constantly producing every sound in a most pleasing way, causing those who hear them to be free from fear.
Explanation: The Kinnara King Joyful Roar Sound constantly causes your mind to feel joy. His roar is very pleasant to the ear and brings joy to those who hear it. He always emits sounds that sentient beings enjoy hearing. Those who hear this roar are all freed from every anxiety and fear. This is the liberation he has attained.
The Kinnara King Jewel Tree Radiance attained the liberation gate of great compassion, which establishes all sentient beings and causes them to awaken to their objects of contemplation.
The Kinnara King Precious Tree Radiance attained the liberation of great compassion, which firmly establishes all beings and leads them to awaken to causes and conditions.
Teaching: The King Kinnara Precious Tree Radiance clearly understood that the Buddha enables all sentient beings to hear the Dharma and thereby awaken and understand the origins of causes and conditions, and that the self-nature of all sentient beings is pure. This is the liberation gate he attained.
Universal Joy saw the Kinnara King and attained the liberation gate of manifesting bodies of every wondrous form.
King Kinnara Universally Joyful to Behold, who attained the liberation gate of manifesting all beautiful forms.
Explanation: The Kinnara King Universally Joyful Vision clearly understands that the Buddha manifests all kinds of beautiful forms to teach and transform all sentient beings, causing them all to give rise to joyful minds and attain pure minds. This is the liberation gate attained by this king.
The Kinnara King Adorned with Supreme Light attained the liberation gate of knowing the karma from which all excellent adornments arise.
The Kinnara King Supreme Victory Light Adornment attained the liberation-gate and clearly understood all the excellent, splendid results that arise from karma.
Commentary: The Kinnara King Supreme Victory Light Adornment clearly understood that all the supreme, splendid adornments of the Buddha-fruit arise from karma and are brought to completion. This is the gate of liberation he attained.
The Kinnara King Wondrous Flower Banner attained the liberation gate of skillfully observing the karmic retributions produced by the actions of all worlds.
The Kinnara King Wondrous Flower Garland attained the liberation gate of skillfully contemplating all the karmic results and retributions of the world.
Explanation: The Wondrous Flower Banner Kinnara King attained the state of skillfully contemplating all the karmic results and retributions in the world. Whatever causes sentient beings plant, those are the results they reap. Plant wholesome causes and reap wholesome results; plant evil causes and reap evil results. In short, wholesome results bring wholesome retribution, and evil results bring evil retribution. This is the principle of the law of cause and effect.
Beings in the nine Dharma realms: Bodhisattvas practice the six perfections and myriad practices, and so become Bodhisattvas. Pratyekabuddhas practice the Twelve Nidānas, and so become Pratyekabuddhas. Śrāvakas practice the Four Noble Truths, and so become Śrāvakas. Thus, each cause produces its corresponding result. If you cultivate wholesome merit, you will be reborn in the three wholesome realms. If you commit evil deeds, you will fall into the three evil realms. The retribution of one’s rebirth is the karmic result one undergoes. Therefore: “Plant melons and you’ll get melons; plant beans and you’ll get beans.” This one has attained this liberation.
The Kinnara King Earth-Moving Power attained the liberation-gate of constantly undertaking all actions that benefit sentient beings.
The Kinnara King Earth-Moving Power attained the liberation-gate and constantly initiates all activities that benefit sentient beings.
Commentary: The King of Kinnaras with the Power to Shake the Earth possesses the strength to shake the great earth. He can cause the earth to tremble. He has the power to benefit sentient beings, enabling them all to attain peace, happiness, and joy. This is the door of liberation he has attained.
The Mighty Lord, King of the Kinnaras, attained the liberation gate of skillfully knowing and guiding the minds of all Kinnaras.
The Mighty Lord, King of the Kinnaras, has attained the gate of liberation, clearly understands and skillfully subdues the minds of all Kinnaras.
Lecture: The Majestic and Mighty Kinnara King is very majestic in virtue and valiant, and so became the Kinnara King. He skillfully understands the thoughts of the Kinnaras. If any Kinnaras fail to observe the rules, he skillfully uses expedient means to govern them, causing them to observe the rules and keep to their proper place. There are two methods for teaching and transforming sentient beings: subduing and gathering them in. Subduing means using the Dharma to overcome and tame stubborn, unruly sentient beings. Gathering them in means drawing all sentient beings into the Buddha’s Dharma. This is the door of liberation that he attained.
At that time, the Kinnara King Good Wisdom Light, relying on the Buddha’s majestic power, surveyed the entire assembly of kinnaras and spoke in verse, saying: At that time, the Kinnara King Heavenly Good Wisdom Radiant Light, relying on the Buddha’s majestic power, surveyed all the Kinnaras and spoke this verse.
Lecture: At that time, the Heavenly Kinnara King Good Wisdom Radiant Light, relying on the awesome power of the Buddhas’ blessings, observed the entire assembly of Kinnaras and spoke in verse: All the blissful things the world possesses, All worldly happiness
All arise from seeing the Buddha appear; All are due to seeing the Buddha come into the world.
The Teacher benefits all sentient beings, The Teacher benefits all multitudes of beings,
Universally serving as a place of rescue and refuge. Everywhere serving as a place of rescue and refuge.
“All worldly happiness.” Sentient beings in the world experience joy and suffering. Now we are speaking of all the ways to attain happiness. How can happiness be attained? By drawing near to the Three Jewels, taking refuge in the Three Jewels, making offerings to the Three Jewels, and venerating the Three Jewels.
“It is all because of seeing the Buddha appear in the world.” Sentient beings not only attain peace but also feel joy. This peace and happiness come from seeing the Buddha, hearing the Dharma, and seeing the Sangha.
“Teacher who benefits all beings.” The Buddha always benefits sentient beings, enabling them to attain wondrous benefits. What are these wondrous benefits? They are freedom from worldly suffering and the attainment of the bliss of transcending the world.
“Universally serving as a source of rescue and refuge.” The Buddha rescues all sentient beings everywhere. Whatever calamities sentient beings face, He does not fear hardship but goes to their rescue. Therefore, the Buddha is the true refuge of all sentient beings.
It gives rise to every wholesome joy;
All the worlds receive it without end;
It ensures that those who behold it do not come in vain;
This is what Flower Banner has realized.
“Giving rise to all joy.” The Buddha enables sentient beings to attain the fullness of Dharma joy; when they hear the Buddha’s teachings, they give rise to joyful delight.
“All the worlds attain it without end.” All sentient beings in the world attain this Dharma joy. This Dharma joy is like flowing water; it never runs dry.
“Those who see him do not see him in vain.” The Buddha ensures that all sentient beings who see him gain merit; it is impossible to see the Buddha and gain no benefit. In short, whoever sees the Buddha gains benefit from the Dharma. Whoever gains benefit from the Dharma practices in accordance with the Dharma, and whoever practices in accordance with the Dharma attains Buddhahood.
“This is what Flower Banner has realized.” The Kinnara King Wonderful Flower Banner clearly understood this realm of liberation.
The Buddha’s ocean of merit has no end;
The Buddha’s ocean of merit is boundless.
Its boundaries cannot be found;
To seek its limits is impossible.
Its light shines universally throughout the ten directions;
Its light shines everywhere in the ten directions.
This is King Adornment’s liberation;
This is the liberation of King Adornment.
“The ocean of the Buddha’s merits is inexhaustible.” The Buddha’s merits are like the ocean, immeasurable, boundless, and inexhaustible. There is no need to speak of all the merits of the Buddha’s entire body; even the merits of a single pore of the Buddha are infinite and inexhaustible. Therefore:” Above the heavens and below, none is like the Buddha;
In the worlds of the ten directions, none is his equal.
All that exists, I have seen;
Among all things, there is none like the Buddha.
Above the heavens and in the human realm, none is equal to the Buddha.
In the worlds of the ten directions, none can compare.
The Buddha sees all things, everything.
There is no one like the Buddha.
That is speaking of the Buddha’s inconceivability.
“It is impossible to find the limits.” Because the Buddha’s merit and virtue are so vast, it is impossible to find their limits. The Buddha’s realm is lofty and profound, difficult to fathom: it is higher than Mount Sumeru and deeper than the Sea of Fragrant Waters.
“Radiance shines throughout the ten directions.” The Buddha’s light shines throughout the worlds of the ten directions. All sentient beings throughout the ten directions who receive the Buddha’s light and blessings abandon delusion and return to awakening, forsake evil and return to the right path.
“This liberation of the Adornment King.” This realm of liberation was attained by the Kinnara King of Various Adornments.
The Tathāgata’s great voice constantly expounds,
Revealing the true Dharma that is free from sorrow.
Sentient beings who hear it are all delighted;
Such a roaring voice can be believed and accepted.
The Tathāgata’s voice constantly proclaims,
Revealing the true Dharma that is free from suffering.
All sentient beings who hear it rejoice;
Such a roaring voice can be believed and accepted.
“The Tathagata’s voice is constantly expounding the Dharma.” The Buddha uses a vast voice to teach the Dharma. This sound is continuous and unceasing, always expounding the Dharma. Great Master Zhiyi recited the Lotus Sutra continuously and thereby attained the Lotus Samādhi. He saw that the Dharma assembly on Vulture Peak was still there, with Śākyamuni Buddha still teaching the Dharma.
This demonstrates the Buddha-Dharma: one can bring the infinite kalpas of the past into the present, and one can also bring the infinite kalpas of the future into the present. Therefore, the past is not the past, the future is not the future, and the present is likewise unattainable. Hence it is said: the mind of the past cannot be grasped, the mind of the present cannot be grasped, and the mind of the future cannot be grasped. To expound and proclaim means that when one wishes to teach the Dharma, one teaches it; when one wishes to explain a principle, one explains it, flowing like water without ever stopping.
“Expound the true Dharma for leaving suffering.” The Buddha expounds it to all living beings, teaching them how to leave behind sorrow, worry, suffering, and distress, and how to leave suffering and attain joy. The Buddha teaches all living beings that they must cultivate precepts, concentration, and wisdom. Once they have precepts, concentration, and wisdom, they will no longer worry or be obstructed. The true Dharma is the Dharma-door of precepts, concentration, and wisdom. Thus: “Diligently cultivate precepts, concentration, and wisdom; eradicate greed, anger, and delusion.” Although I often say this, not many people are able to do it.
“All sentient beings who hear it rejoice.” Sentient beings who hear the true Dharma spoken by the Buddha all give rise to joy. Therefore, they all rejoice greatly, believe, accept, and practice it accordingly. Only then can the Buddha-Dharma circulate.
“Thus, Roaring Sound was able to believe and accept.” The Dharma is truly thus; the Kinnara King Delightful-Intent Roaring Sound was able to believe and accept this liberation.
I contemplate the Tathāgata’s sovereign power;
I contemplate the Buddha’s sovereign power.
All of it is due to practices cultivated in the past;
All of it is due to practices cultivated in the past.
Great compassion saves beings and makes them pure;
Great compassion saves and purifies beings.
This Jewel Tree King is able to realize and enter it;
The King of Jewel Tree Radiance is able to realize and enter it.
“I contemplate the Buddha’s power of sovereign mastery.” The King of Kinnaras Precious Tree Radiance said, “I observe that the Tathagata attained this sovereign spiritual power; it was not easily attained without undergoing a period of ascetic practice.” “It is all because of having practiced in the past.” The Buddha attained his accomplishments through practicing in the past. If he had not practiced, he would not have such supernatural powers and freedom.
“Great compassion and deliverance bring purification.” The Buddha is endowed with great compassion and saves all sentient beings, enabling them all to return to their source and turn from evil to follow the righteous path.
“The King of Jeweled Tree Light was able to awaken to and enter.” The Kinnara King Bright Light of Jeweled Trees clearly understood and realized this gateway to liberation.
The Tathagata is exceedingly difficult to see and hear,
The Tathagata is hard to see and hear.
Living beings encounter him only after countless eons,
Living beings meet him only after countless eons.
All his majestic marks are fully complete,
All his majestic marks are fully complete.
This is what King Joyful Seeing beholds,
This is what King Joyful Seeing beholds.
“It is difficult to see or hear the Tathagata.” It is no easy matter to see a Buddha. One does not know how many great kalpas must pass before one can meet a Buddha, hear the Dharma, and see the Sangha. Although the Buddha’s Dharmakaya pervades everywhere, sentient beings who have not attained the five eyes—the Buddha eye, Dharma eye, wisdom eye, heavenly eye, and physical eye—cannot see the Buddha’s Dharmakaya. The Buddha’s form body is also not easy to see. Even hearing the name of Shakyamuni Buddha is no easy matter. Therefore, it is said that it is difficult to see or hear the Tathagata.
“Sentient beings may meet the Buddha only after countless kalpas.” Even if sentient beings have a karmic affinity with the Buddha, they must still pass through countless kalpas before they can meet him—and even then, it is not easy. To see the Buddha, one must cultivate. The Dharma method of Chan meditation opens the five eyes.
“All the marks are complete and majestic.” The marks refer to the thirty-two major marks and eighty excellent characteristics; each is complete and majestic. Sentient beings can see the Buddha’s beautiful physical marks, which are both perfect and majestic.
“This realm is seen by King Joyful Vision.” The Kinnara King Universal Joyful Vision saw and clearly understood this realm of the liberation gate.
You behold the Tathagata’s great wisdom,
You contemplate the Tathagata’s wisdom.
It universally accords with the wishes of sentient beings,
It accords with the desires of all sentient beings.
There is no path of omniscience that is not proclaimed,
All paths of omniscience are fully expounded.
The Most Victorious Adornment can understand this,
The Most Victorious Adornment understands this teaching.
“Contemplate the wisdom of the Tathagata.” The Kinnara King Supreme Victorious Light Adornment said, “You should contemplate the Buddha’s great wisdom, which is like the ocean, immeasurable and inconceivable.” “Responding to the wishes of all sentient beings.” Whatever sentient beings think of or seek, the Buddha enables them to attain in full. This desire is not one of the five desires (wealth, sensual pleasure, fame, food, and sleep), but a desire for wisdom.
“All paths to wisdom are fully expounded.” All the principles that enable sentient beings to give rise to wisdom are explained; nothing is left unsaid. What is explained? The principle of the true nature of all dharmas. The true nature never changes. The appearance of the five aggregates combined is illusory and unreal. The Diamond Sutra says: “Whatever has an appearance is false.” “The Most Victorious Adornment understands this gateway.” The Kinnara King Most Victorious Light Adornment understands this gate of liberation.
The ocean of karma is vast and inconceivable; the vast ocean of karma is beyond thought.
The suffering and joy of sentient beings all arise from karma; sentient beings’ suffering and happiness arise from creating karma.
All of this can thus be revealed; the Buddha expounds it for everyone.
This is what King Flower Banner understands; King Flower Banner clearly understands this teaching.
“The vast ocean of karma is inconceivable.” Karma is what is created by the body, speech, and mind—the three karmic actions. The cause of creating karma is delusion: when one sees an object, craving and attachment arise. Karma consists of wholesome karma and unwholesome karma. Performing wholesome deeds brings pleasant results; performing unwholesome deeds brings painful results. Wholesome karma is a pure condition, while unwholesome karma is a defiled condition. Karma is like a shadow following a form: it always follows you and never separates from you. Wholesome karma follows you, and unwholesome karma follows you; neither ever leaves you.
For example, if you create the karma of killing, then in the future you will receive the retribution of being killed by others and suffer in the hells, with knife mountains above and oil cauldrons below. If you commit theft, your two hands will be cut off in hell. If you commit sexual misconduct, you will be roasted in hell. One instrument of torture is a round copper tube. A fire inside heats it until it glows red, and then those who have committed sexual misconduct embrace it—those who desire women and those who desire men. In an instant, they are roasted black as charcoal. If you commit the karma of lying, you will suffer in the tongue-pulling hell, where the hell wardens pull out the tongues of the sinful; in your next life, you will be mute. If you commit the karma of drinking alcohol, you will be cast into a pool of liquor, where the liquor’s fire burns your body. These are the realms where karma is created and its retribution is experienced. That is why it is said that the vast ocean of karma is inconceivable.
“Sentient beings’ suffering and happiness arise from the karma they create.” Whether sentient beings enjoy pleasure or endure suffering, it all comes about through the karma they create. To be attached to appearances is to create karma; to be unattached to appearances is liberation. This principle is very simple and easy to understand, but the wisdom of ordinary people is obscured by ignorance and delusion. Whatever we do, or whatever Dharma we practice, constitutes the creation of karma, whereas when sages do it, it is liberation. This is because we act with a deluded thought arising—we act with a mind. Sages act with a pure, undivided mind, without acting from deluded thoughts.
“The Buddha gives teachings for the sake of all.” On this matter, the Buddha teaches sentient beings so that they may all clearly understand cause and effect. First comes the cause, and then the effect. Cause and effect cycle through retribution, without the slightest deviation.
“The King of Flower Banner knows this teaching well.” This principle is known and clearly understood by the Kinnara King Hoa Tràng.
The supernatural powers of all Buddhas never cease;
The Buddhas’ supernatural powers never rest.
The great earth in the ten directions is constantly shaken;
All sentient beings are unable to know.
Great Vast Power clearly sees this Dharma door.
“The spiritual powers of all Buddhas never cease.” The Buddhas of the ten directions possess great awe-inspiring virtue and spiritual power. They turn the great Dharma wheel throughout the worlds of the ten directions, teaching and transforming sentient beings. The Buddhas use all kinds of wisdom to enable sentient beings to attain enlightenment, yet they never rest. This is the spirit of great loving-kindness and great compassion.
“The great earth in the ten directions often trembles.” The great earth in the ten directions trembles constantly. At times, the Buddhas manifest supernatural powers, causing sentient beings to awaken and know that the three realms are suffering, and that leaving the three realms is bliss. Worldly dharmas are impermanent, suffering, empty, and without self. Supramundane dharmas are eternal, blissful, self, and pure. At times, demons manifest supernatural powers and radiate light, causing sentient beings to become confused and deluded, to remain deluded in birth and death, and to depart from the path of Bodhi.
“All sentient beings are unable to know.” All sentient beings cannot know this realm, this principle. However, the Buddhas are always benefiting sentient beings, but sentient beings do not recognize the Buddhas’ compassionate hearts.
“Vast Strength clearly perceives this.” The Kinnara King Vast Strength understands the realm of this liberation gate.
Dwelling in the assembly, he manifests spiritual powers; The Buddha in the assembly manifests spiritual powers
Emitting great light to bring about awakening; Emitting great light to bring about awakening
Revealing all the realms of the Tathagata; Revealing all the realms of the Tathagata
This Mighty Lord is able to observe. The King, Lord of Might, observes.
“The Buddha in the assembly manifests supernatural powers.” In the Buddha-lands throughout the ten directions, Buddhas are all turning the Dharma wheel and teaching and transforming sentient beings. All the oceanic assemblies of sentient beings are listening to the Dharma there. In the Dharma assembly, the Buddha manifests all kinds of supernatural powers, enabling sentient beings to awaken and realize for themselves.
“Emit great radiant light, bringing about awakening.” The Buddha emits the light of Prajñā wisdom, illuminating all sentient beings and enabling them all to attain the great light of wisdom and right understanding and right views, so that they all become enlightened.
“Display all the scenes of the Tathagata.” The Buddha used all kinds of supernatural powers to manifest the Buddha’s realm. The Buddha’s realm is like empty space, difficult to fathom.
“Observable by the Mighty Lord King.” This realm can be observed and understood by the Mighty Lord Kinnara King.
Next, the Garuḍa King Great Swift Speed and Power attained the liberation gate of the unattached, unobstructed eye that universally observes the realm of sentient beings.
Again, the Great Garuda King Swift and Mighty Strength attained the liberation gate of unobstructed, unattached eyes that observe all sentient beings everywhere.
Lecture: Continuing from above. The Great Swift and Powerful Garuḍa King (Garuḍa means “Great Golden-Winged Bird”; its wings are three hundred and thirty yojanas long). This king attained the Buddha’s unobstructed and unhindered eyes, with which he can observe all the way to the limits of empty space and throughout the Dharma Realm. He can observe the causes and conditions of all living beings in the worlds of the ten directions. This is the Dharma gate of liberation that he attained.
The Golden-Winged Great Peng subdues dragons. When dragons see the Great Peng, they have nowhere to escape and can only wait to be caught and eaten. In this world, one thing subdues another. When a lion roars, all the beasts are afraid. When the Great Peng appears, dragons tremble with fear. The Great Peng’s wings are not only enormous but also powerful. With just one flap, the sea parts in two. When a dragon’s time is up, it reveals its true form; the Great Peng gulps it down, and it slips straight into its belly. Every day, the Great Peng eats one large dragon and a hundred small ones. This went on day after day, so the dragons were soon in danger of becoming extinct. At that time, the Dragon King grew afraid. “If this continues, won’t all my relatives be eaten? How will our lineage continue? The dragon children and grandchildren will have no way to carry it on for long.” So the Dragon King went to the Buddha for help and begged for his compassion. The Buddha gave him a kasaya robe and said, “Take this robe back and pull out its threads. Tie one around each dragon, and the Great Peng will no longer catch and eat them.” It worked just as he had said. The Dragon King was delighted, took refuge in the Three Jewels, and became a Dharma-protecting deity.
Thus, the dragons were able to survive, but the great eagles went hungry. They, too, went to the Buddha for help and said to him, “World-Honored One! You are compassionate toward the dragons, but not toward the great eagles. Now we have nothing to eat; we will surely die soon.” The Buddha said, “You must make a vow not to eat dragons anymore. When you eat rice each day, I will teach my disciples to give your household a little rice.” So now, when taking a meal in the dining hall, one must offer a little rice to the great eagles and recite: “The great golden-winged bird,
the hosts of spirits and demons in the wilderness,
the Rakshasas, ghosts, and the Mother of Ghosts—
may all be completely filled with ambrosia.”
That is the account of the causes and conditions concerning the Garuda.
The Garuda King Indestructible Jewel Topknot attained the liberation door of universally abiding in the Dharma realm to teach and transform sentient beings.
The Garuda King of the Indestructible Jewel Topknot attained the liberation of abiding throughout the Dharma Realm to teach and transform sentient beings.
Lecture: The Garuda King with the Indestructible Jeweled Crest enables all sentient beings throughout the Dharma realms to attain peace and happiness, free from the slightest affliction or worry. This is the Buddha, beneath the Bodhi tree at the site of enlightenment, teaching and transforming sentient beings throughout the Dharma realms of the ten directions, so that all sentient beings may attain the state of leaving suffering and finding joy. The purpose of the sages in establishing teachings is to save sentient beings. They explain to sentient beings the principles they themselves have realized, enabling them to cultivate in accordance with the Dharma and thereby certainly attain liberation. This Garuda King has attained this Dharma door of liberation.
The Pure and Swift Garuda King attained the liberation gate of the power of diligence that universally accomplishes the pāramitās.
The Garuda King Pure Swift-Speed attained the liberation-gate of universally perfecting the power of the Perfection of Diligence.
The Pure and Swift Garuda King causes all sentient beings to attain accomplishment. He is not selfish or intent on benefiting himself, nor does he think like a person of the Lesser Vehicle. Rather, he wishes to use the liberation gate of the power of diligence that accomplishes the pāramitā, which he himself has attained, to teach sentient beings, so that all sentient beings may also attain this accomplishment.
Pāramitā is translated as “reaching the other shore.” What is the other shore? It is crossing the stream of afflictions from this shore of birth and death to reach the other shore of Nirvana. Or, put another way, according to Indian custom, whenever any task is completed, it is called Pāramitā.
A practitioner who successfully completes the practice is also said to have attained Pāramitā. One who originally had afflictions but now no longer has any is also said to have attained Pāramitā. To attain this Pāramitā, one must be aided by the strength of diligent effort; otherwise, one cannot attain it. Do you wish to attain Pāramitā? Do you wish to succeed? Then you must practice with courage and diligence. How did this King Garuḍa attain this liberation? He attained it by seeing the Buddha, hearing the Dharma, and practicing.
After hearing each sentence of the Avatamsaka Sutra, we should turn the light inward and reflect, examining ourselves: Do we accord with this Dharma-door? Can we cultivate this Dharma-door? Can cultivating it bring us liberation? Do we want the door to liberation, or the door to afflictions? We should not spend all day opening the door to afflictions and closing the door to liberation. If we do, we will never attain liberation.
When listening to the Dharma and hearing the sutras, you must practice in accordance with the Dharma. If you do not practice in accordance with the Dharma, then listening to the sutras and hearing the Dharma are of no benefit. You do not need to hear a great deal of Dharma; hearing too much can instead keep you from focusing. You must have the discernment to choose the Dharma and select a practice that suits you, then cultivate that path to liberation. Hence, “When you devote yourself to one thing, it becomes effective; when you divide your attention, it becomes scattered.” Many paths to liberation have already been explained above. The more you hear, the less you want liberation—that is entirely mistaken, and it betrays the purpose for which the Buddhas expounded the Flower Adornment Great Expansive Buddha Sutra.
The Garuda King Adorned with the Nonretrogressive Mind attained the liberation gate of entering the Tathagata’s realm through the power of courage.
The Garuda King Adorned with the Nonretrogressing Mind attained the liberation-gate of the mighty power to enter the realm of the Tathāgata.
Lecture: This King Kinnara Adorned with the Non-Retrogressing Mind never regresses, no matter what circumstances he encounters. Even when people treat him badly, he does not become afflicted; even when he is slandered, he does not regress from his Bodhi resolve. Not only does he never regress, he instead advances courageously and diligently, adorning the lands of the Buddhas. He has attained the power of courage and might. If heavenly demons or externalists come to contend with him, he will certainly prevail. With his non-retrogressing mind, he fulfills his wishes and enters the realm of the Buddhas. This is the liberation he has attained.
The Garuda King Great Ocean Abiding in the Power of Retention attained the liberation gate of entering the vast ocean of wisdom of the Buddha’s practices.
The Garuda King Great Ocean Abode, Sustaining Power, attained the liberation gate of entering the vast ocean of the Buddha’s wisdom and practice.
Explanation: This Garuda King, Great Ocean Abode, Seizing and Sustaining Power, has wisdom like the great ocean and gathers sentient beings into the Buddha’s Dharma realm. Because he deeply enters the gateways of the Buddha’s practices and cultivates the Dharma door of the vast ocean of wisdom and practice, he attains the liberation that exhausts the ocean of sentient beings’ afflictions.
The Garuda King Firm Dharma Pure Light attained the liberation gate of accomplishing the wisdom that distinguishes the boundless sentient beings.
The Garuda King Firm Dharma Pure Light attained the liberation gate and perfected boundless wisdom of the distinctions among sentient beings.
Explanation: This King Garuda, Firm Dharma Pure Light, had a very steadfast mind in seeking the Dharma at the causal stage. Therefore, he accomplished what was difficult to practice and endured what was difficult to endure. With a steadfast mind, he sought the Buddha Dharma and attained pure light; hence the name Firm Dharma Pure Light. He attained the realm in which, whenever any kind of sentient being makes a request, it is always fulfilled. He does not merely bring one sentient being to accomplishment, but all sentient beings.
What is discriminating wisdom? It means that each kind of sentient being has its own wisdom. Since different kinds of sentient beings are different, their wisdom is different as well. Or we can say that each kind of sentient being can attain the particular wisdom appropriate to it—that is, each kind of sentient being attains the understanding of its own kind. We can also say that discriminating wisdom is the eye that discerns the Dharma: using this wisdom to choose the Dharma practice one prefers and the practice that accords with oneself. In short, discriminating wisdom means different kinds of wisdom. This Garuda King attained this liberation.
The Garuda King Wondrously Adorned Crown and Topknot attained the liberation gate of adorning the city of the Buddha-Dharma.
The Garuda King Wondrous Adornment Crown-Tuft attained the liberation-gate of adorning the Buddha’s Dharma-city.
Dharma teaching: This Kinnara King, Wonderful Adornment Crown Topknot, wears a crown that is not only beautiful but also magnificent, inspiring joy in those who see him. Therefore, all beings wish to see him wearing his crown. He skillfully adorns all the Buddhas’ bodhimandas, which come in many different forms. There are places for teaching sutras, reciting sutras, translating sutras, distributing sutra books, and so on. In short, every place where the Buddhas dwell is a Dharma city of the Buddhas. This Kinnara King adorns the Buddha’s Dharma city in a way that is especially pure, especially magnificent, and especially sublime. This is the liberation-gate he has attained.
The Garuda King Who Universally and Swiftly Manifests attained the liberation gate of accomplishing indestructible, equal power.
The Garuda King Universal Swift Manifestation attained the liberation-gate and perfected the indestructible power of equality.
Teaching: The King of Garudas, Universal Swift Manifestation, has attained the power of impartial great compassion, indestructible and firm as a vajra. He embodies unconditioned great loving-kindness and the great compassion of all beings as one body. Wherever he goes, he teaches sentient beings that in the future they will all become Buddhas. This is the liberation-gate he has attained.
The Garuḍa King Universal Sea attained the liberation gate of thoroughly knowing the bodies of all sentient beings and manifesting forms for them.
King Garuda of Universal Ocean Contemplation, who attained the liberation gate of knowing all sentient beings’ bodies and manifesting forms for them.
Explanation: The Garuda King Who Universally Contemplates the Oceans observes the oceans of sentient beings’ afflictions, wisdom, karmic power, and blessings—in other words, he also observes all the oceans of sentient beings.
This one also clearly knows the forms of all sentient beings and manifests a form according to their kind in order to teach them. For example, seeing the form of a deva, this one manifests the form of a deva and teaches the Dharma to them. Seeing the form of a human, this one manifests the form of a human and teaches the Dharma to them. Seeing the form of an asura, this one manifests the form of an asura and teaches the Dharma to them. And so on, even when seeing the form of a being in hell, this one manifests the form of a being in hell and teaches the Dharma to them. In short, seeing the form of any sentient being, this one manifests that form and teaches the Dharma to them, enabling all sentient beings to leave suffering and attain joy, abandon delusion and return to awakening, and cultivate the Bodhi path. This is the liberation-gate that this one has attained.
The Garuḍa King Dragon-Sound Great-Eyed attained the liberation gate of wisdom that universally enters the birth-and-death practices of all sentient beings.
The Dragon-Sound Great-Eyed Garuḍa King attained the liberation gate of wisdom and conduct that pervades the births and deaths of all sentient beings.
Lecture: This Garuda King, Dragon-Sound Great-Eyed, ate so many dragons that his voice changed into a dragon’s voice, and therefore became very resonant. His eyes also changed into dragon eyes. A dragon’s pupils grow on the outside, so he is called Dragon-Sound Great-Eyed.
This one clearly knows all sentient beings: what karma they create while alive and what results they receive after death. This one attains the wisdom of contemplation and knows the causes and conditions, as well as the karmic results, of all sentient beings. Because this one understands this principle, this one skillfully expounds the Dharma for sentient beings, enabling them all to attain at the same time the liberation-gate that this one has attained.
At that time, the Great Swift and Powerful Garuḍa King, relying on the Buddha’s might, surveyed the entire assembly of Garuḍas and recited these verses: At that time, the Great Swift and Powerful Garuda King, relying on the Buddha’s majestic power, surveyed all the Garudas and spoke this verse: Explanation: When the Dragon-Sound Great-Eyed Garuda King had finished speaking about the liberation he had attained, the Great Swift-Power Garuda King, relying on the Buddha’s great majestic spiritual power, surveyed the entire assembly of Garudas and spoke these verses: The Buddha’s eye is vast and boundless,
The Buddha’s eye is vast, with no limits.
It beholds all the lands of the ten directions,
It sees throughout the worlds of the ten directions.
The sentient beings within them are beyond measure,
The beings within them cannot be numbered.
It manifests great spiritual powers to subdue them all,
It manifests great spiritual powers to bring them all under control.
“The Buddha’s eyes are vast and boundless.” The Buddha’s eyes are vast, with no limits. In a hymn praising Amitābha, it says, “His deep-blue eyes are clear as the four great seas.” This means that Amitābha Buddha’s eyes are blue and clear, seeing through the waters of the four seas. It can also be said that vast as the four seas are, the Buddha’s eyes are even larger than them; in truth, no limits can be found.
“Present throughout the lands of the ten directions.” Because the Buddha’s vision is vast, he sees throughout all the Buddha-lands in the ten directions. He clearly sees what the sentient beings in each land are doing.
“Sentient beings therein are beyond measure.” The sentient beings in the Buddha-fields of the ten directions are countless and cannot be numbered.
“Manifest great spiritual powers to subdue.” Although they are innumerable, the Buddha uses great spiritual powers to subdue all sentient beings, leading them all to take refuge in the Three Jewels and arouse the Bodhi mind, so that in the future they will attain the fruit of Bodhi.
The Buddha’s spiritual powers are unobstructed;
The Buddha’s spiritual powers meet no hindrance.
He sits beneath awakening trees throughout the ten directions;
He expounds the Dharma like clouds, filling all completely.
Baoji listened, and his heart did not resist.
“The Buddha’s supernatural powers are unobstructed.” The wondrous workings of the supernatural powers of all Buddhas in the ten directions encounter not the slightest hindrance; they operate freely according to their wishes.
“Sitting beneath the Bodhi tree throughout the ten directions.” The Buddha sat beneath the Bodhi tree in the Buddha realms throughout the ten directions and realized the Way, awakening to the true meaning of all dharmas: that they arise through causes and conditions and cease through causes and conditions, thereby attaining Buddhahood.
“Expounding the Dharma like clouds, evenly filling all space.” The Buddha expounds the wondrous Dharma like clouds in the sky, filling the entire Dharma realm, so that all sentient beings are moistened by the Dharma clouds and attain coolness, peace, joy, and freedom. Whatever Dharma sentient beings are meant to attain, they all attain.
“Jewel Crest heard this and was freed of doubt.” The Garuda King Indestructible Jewel Crest, having heard this, no longer had any doubt in his mind. He did not reject this principle, but clearly understood this Dharma-door.
The Buddha in the past cultivated all practices, The Buddha in the past cultivated all practices
Universally purified the vast pāramitās, Purified the vast pāramitās everywhere
Made offerings to all the Tathāgatas, Made offerings to all the Tathāgatas
This Swift King deeply believes and understands. The Pure Swift King deeply believes and understands.
“The Buddhas of the past practiced various practices.” The Buddha in ancient times practiced all kinds of austerities—that is, he practiced what was difficult to practice, endured what was difficult to endure, bore what was difficult to bear, and ate what was difficult to eat. He was able to practice all these Dharma practices.
“Vast, Universally Pure Pāramitās.” The Buddha cultivates all the vast, pure pāramitā practices. When the pāramitās have been perfected and brought to completion, one attains the vast, universally pure other shore.
“Making offerings to all the Tathāgatas.” The Buddha makes offerings to all the Buddhas of the ten directions, offering them his body, mind, very nature, and life. When the Buddha was on the causal ground, he cultivated all kinds of merit through making offerings.
“Deep Faith and Understanding of the Pure Swift Garuda King.” The Pure Swift Garuda King has deep faith in and understanding of this liberation Dharma-door.
In each and every pore of the Tathāgata,
In every pore of the Tathāgata,
In a single thought, all boundless practices are universally manifested,
In one thought, boundless practices are manifested everywhere.
Such are the Buddha’s inconceivable realms,
Such are the Buddha’s realms, difficult to conceive.
The adornments of nonretrogression are all clearly seen.
The adornments of nonretrogression are all clearly seen.
“In every pore of the Tathagata.” In every pore of the Tathagata, immeasurable and boundless worlds of the ten directions can be contained. This is the principle of the great appearing within the small and the small appearing within the great.
“A single thought manifests throughout boundless practices.” That is, in a single instant, it manifests throughout the worlds of the ten directions. The Buddha’s boundless practice-gates all appear.
“Thus, the Buddha’s realm is inconceivable.” As mentioned above, the small can contain the large, the large can contain the small, and large and small are mutually unobstructed; many and few are mutually unobstructed, and long and short periods of time are mutually unobstructed. These are all principles that are inconceivable, and so they are called difficult to conceive. This realm is inconceivable, wondrous beyond description. This subtle and wondrous realm, difficult to conceive, is the realm of the Buddha.
“Adorned with Nonretrogression, all is seen clearly.” This Garuda King Adorned with the Nonretrogressing Mind fully sees this realm and fully enters this liberation gate.
The Buddha’s conduct is vast and inconceivable;
The Buddha’s conduct is vast, beyond thought.
All sentient beings are unable to fathom it;
All sentient beings cannot probe it.
The Teacher is an ocean of merit and wisdom;
The Teacher is an ocean of merit and wisdom.
This is the place where King Upholder practices;
This is the place of practice of Upholder.
“The Buddha’s practice is vast and inconceivable.” The Buddha cultivated all kinds of practices, including the eighty-four thousand Dharma gates, and perfected them all. Thus it is said: Throughout the entire earth, there is not a single speck of dust that has not been a place where the Buddhas relinquished their lives; it is also a place where the Buddhas practiced the Bodhisattva path. Practicing the Bodhisattva path means benefiting sentient beings. Even when sentient beings are evil, the Buddha still vows to save and benefit them.
When the Buddha was practicing the Bodhisattva path in a past life, he encountered a hawk chasing a dove. The dove flew to the practitioner and begged him for protection. (That practitioner was Śākyamuni Buddha in a former life, when he was following the Bodhisattva path.) Out of compassion, the Buddha hid and sheltered the dove.
Just then, the hawk flew up in front of the Buddha and said, “You have saved the dove’s life, but I have no meat to eat and will surely starve to death. Is what you are doing truly equal compassion?”
Hearing the hawk’s words, the practitioner replied, “Do you want meat to eat? Very well. I will cut flesh from my own body for you.” With that, he took a knife and cut flesh from his body for the hawk to eat. He kept feeding it piece after piece, but even after it had eaten all the flesh from his body, the hawk still was not full. The practitioner had cut away all the flesh from his entire body, yet he did not change his mind in the slightest. When there was no more flesh left to cut, the hawk suddenly flew up into the sky, revealed himself in the form of the god Indra, and departed. It turned out that Indra had come to test the practitioner’s virtue! At that time, the old practitioner was following the Bodhisattva path and cut flesh from his body to feed an eagle. He had not the slightest selfish thought or intent to benefit himself, so the flesh he cut away was restored as before. We who practice the Way must learn the Buddha’s spirit of sacrificing ourselves for the sake of others. Following the Bodhisattva path means benefiting sentient beings, not ourselves. In short, benefiting sentient beings makes one a Bodhisattva, while benefiting oneself makes one a demon.
There is another story. Long ago, when the Buddha was practicing the Bodhisattva path, he gave up his body to save a starving tigress. This spirit of forgetting himself for the sake of the Dharma inspires immeasurable reverence! The story goes like this: One day, snow fell from the sky and blanketed everything in white. The animals were suffering because of the snow and had no way to find anything to eat. At that time, Shakyamuni Buddha was sitting in meditation beneath a tree. In the distance, he saw a tigress leading her two cubs around at the foot of the mountain, searching everywhere for food. They were so hungry they were exhausted, and could barely walk. The two cubs following their mother were truly pitiful! Seeing their plight, the Buddha aroused compassion and vowed to offer his own body as food for the tigress and her cubs. Without another thought, he ran up to them and offered himself. For this reason, it is said that the Buddha’s practices are vast and inconceivable.
“All sentient beings cannot fathom.” No sentient being can measure or understand how the Buddha cultivated his practice. Because sentient beings have not opened the eye of wisdom, they cannot fully understand the past. If anyone opens the Five Eyes, they will know clearly and see clearly.
“The Guiding Master, an Ocean of Merit and Wisdom.” The Buddha is the great spiritual guide who leads and receives sentient beings. He is not only the guide of human beings, but also the guide of beings in the heavenly realms; therefore, he is called the Teacher of Gods and Humans. The Buddha’s merit and wisdom are vast and boundless like the ocean.
“‘The place of practice of Upholder.’ This realm is the place of practice of the Garuḍa King Upholding Strength, Dwelling in the Great Ocean, who realized this liberation gate.” The Tathagata, light of immeasurable wisdom,
The Tathagata, light of immeasurable wisdom,
Can destroy the net of ignorance and delusion of sentient beings,
Destroys the net of ignorance and delusion of sentient beings,
Rescues all the worlds,
Rescues all the worlds,
This is the teaching upheld and expounded by Firm Dharma.
Firm Dharma Pure Light attained this Dharma-gate.
“The Tathagata’s immeasurable wisdom-light.” The Buddha’s wisdom-light is immeasurable and boundless, illuminating everything. Therefore: “The Buddha’s light shines universally.” The Buddha’s wisdom-light surpasses the light of the sun. The Buddha’s radiance shines everywhere; there is no place it does not reach, no place where it is absent. It fills all of space and pervades the entire Dharma realm.
“Destroy the nets of ignorance and delusion of sentient beings.” The Buddha uses the immeasurable light of wisdom to destroy the nets of ignorance and delusive karma of sentient beings. Sentient beings in the world are tightly bound by the nets of ignorance, the nets of afflictions, and the nets of karmic creation, with no way to escape the Three Realms.
“Rescuing all the worlds.” The Buddha, in great compassion, uses immeasurable wisdom and light to save all sentient beings in the worlds, enabling them all to attain liberation and forever leave behind the net of birth and death.
“Firm Dharma Pure Light has attained this gate.” This realm of the gate of liberation was attained by Firm Dharma Pure Light.
The Dharma-city is vast beyond all measure;
The Dharma-city is vast without end.
Its gateways are manifold and numberless;
The Tathagata, dwelling in the world, widely proclaims it.
This Wondrous Crown-Knot clearly understands and enters it.
“The Dharma city is vast and boundless.” The Dharma city is a city for propagating the Buddhadharma. This Dharma city refers to all places of practice. All places of practice are the Buddha’s Dharma cities. The Buddha taught the Dharma for forty-nine years and expounded sutras at more than three hundred assemblies. He established Dharma cities everywhere, sounding great Dharma conches everywhere, beating great Dharma drums, raising great Dharma banners, and turning the great Dharma wheel. “Raising Dharma banners everywhere, breaking through nets of doubt layer upon layer.” Therefore, it is said that the Dharma city is vast and boundless.
“Dharma gates of every kind are numberless.” Ultimately, how many gates does this Dharma-city have? There is no number. Generally speaking, there are 84,000 Dharma gates, and every one leads directly to Buddhahood.
“The Buddha, while in the world, greatly proclaims the Dharma.” The Buddha, while in this world, establishes the great Dharma city and broadly expounds the essential Dharma, enabling sentient beings to resolve birth and death and ultimately attain Buddhahood.
“Wondrously Adorned Crest understands this Dharma-door.” The realm of this liberation-door is clearly perceived by the Garuḍa King Wondrously Adorned Crest.
All Buddhas have one Dharma Body; all Buddhas share one Dharma Body.
Suchness is equal, without distinction; True Suchness is equal, without distinction.
The Buddha abides constantly by this power; the Buddha uses this power to abide constantly.
The King of Universal Swift Manifestation fully expounds this; Phổ Tiệp fully expounds this teaching.
“All Buddhas have one Dharma body.” All the Buddhas of the ten directions and the three periods of time share the same Dharma body. The Buddha’s Dharma body has no distinctions. It is like the light of every lamp, all called by the same name. There is no distinction between one lamp’s name and another’s. In short, your lamp’s name is my lamp’s name, and my lamp’s name is your lamp’s name. That is why it is said that all Buddhas have one Dharma body.
The Buddha’s Dharma body is like the lamps, no different from one another. The Buddha’s light of wisdom is all one, and the Buddhas’ voices are also one. Therefore, among the Buddhas, there is no distinction between one and another.
“True suchness is equal and without distinction.” The Buddha’s nature is true suchness, and it is also equality. True suchness is equal and without distinction; all is one. The Buddha is not like us, making distinctions between this and that, with notions of a person, a self, sentient beings, and a life span. For the Buddha, everything is equal.
“The Buddha, using this power, constantly abides.” The Buddha employs the power of the equality of suchness, which has no distinctions among realms, and constantly abides within this realm.
“Universal Swift expounds this teaching fully.” The King of the Garuḍas, Universal Swift Manifestation, expounded this liberation gate in full.
The Buddha’s deeds in all realms gather sentient beings;
The Buddha in all worlds gathers sentient beings.
He universally radiates light throughout the world;
Manifold skillful means are shown to guide and subdue.
Ocean-Contemplation has realized this supreme Dharma-gate.
“Buddhas in the realms gather and transform sentient beings.” Buddhas of the past also used the realms of desire, form, and formlessness, as well as the expedient Dharma of the realms, to gather and transform sentient beings.
“Radiating light everywhere, illuminating the world.” The Buddha radiates great light everywhere, illuminating all the worlds. Why? Because the Buddha wishes to deliver all sentient beings from the sea of suffering and enable them to attain everlasting peace and happiness.
“Manifesting the taming of beings through all kinds of expedient means.” The Buddha uses all kinds of expedient means and Dharma-gates to tame all sentient beings, causing them to abandon the deviant and return to the proper, dispel the false and preserve the true, leave delusion and return to awakening, and together return to the great path of Bodhi.
“Contemplating the Sea realized this supreme Dharma.” This especially excellent and extraordinary Dharma-door was realized and entered by the King of Garuḍas, Universal Sea Contemplation.
The Buddha contemplates all the lands of the worlds;
The Buddha contemplates all the realms and lands.
All abide, relying on the ocean of karma;
They all abide, relying on the ocean of karma.
He universally rains the Dharma rain within them;
He rains the Dharma rain throughout them.
The liberation of Dragon Sound King is thus;
This is the liberation of Dragon Sound King.
“The Buddha contemplates all the lands.” The Buddha uses the eye of wisdom to observe all the lands of the Buddhas in the ten directions. All sentient beings in these lands drift in the sea of birth and death, unaware of the principle: “The sea of suffering is boundless; turn back, and you will find the shore.” “All abide in dependence on the ocean of karma.” All worlds abide in dependence on the ocean of karma; they are all formed by the karma created by sentient beings. Sentient beings drift unpredictably in the ocean of karma, drifting along with their karma and undergoing birth and death. They are born and then die, die and then are born again. In one life, one is born with the surname Zhang; in a later life, with the surname Li. There is never an end: they continually revolve back and forth in the cycle of rebirth. Doing good deeds, one is born in the three good paths. Doing evil deeds, one is born in the three evil paths.
“Everywhere within it, the Dharma rain falls.” The Buddha preaches the Dharma everywhere for the sake of sentient beings, like rain, so that all sentient beings may be nourished by the Dharma rain; or, when the ocean of karma is like fire, the rain of the Buddha-Dharma enables sentient beings to attain coolness.
“This liberation of the Dragon-Sound King.” The Dragon-Sound Great-Eyed Star Garuda King clearly understands and knows the realm of this liberation gate.
Furthermore, the Rahu Asura King attained the liberation-gate of manifesting as the revered supreme lord of the great assembly.
Moreover, Rahu, King of the Asuras, having attained the liberation gate, appears as the most honored lord in the great assembly.
Lecture: This Asura King Rahu—Rahu means “seizing and afflicting.” He covers the sun and moon with his hands, causing the gods distress. He clearly understands that the Buddha manifests as the one who expounds the Dharma. At all Dharma assemblies, he attains this state and also enters this gateway to liberation.
The Dharma gate of liberation is just an example: it is as if there were a Dharma gate of liberation, when in fact no such Dharma gate truly exists. If there is a gate, then it is not liberation, because there is attachment. Therefore, to enter the Dharma gate of liberation is to enter without entering, and not to enter while entering. The Dharma gate of liberation means having nothing to cling to; only when one clings to nothing at all is it truly the Dharma gate of liberation. If you enter the gate of liberation, you must also leave it. If you can enter but cannot leave, then you are trapped again and cannot attain liberation.
“Asura” has several meanings in translation. Sometimes it is translated as “non-heavenly,” because they have the blessings of the gods but not their virtues. Another explanation is that “non-heavenly” means they are neither gods nor demons. Sometimes it is translated as “without wine”—not because they have no wine to drink, but because they can never get enough; no matter how much they drink, it is never enough. Sometimes it is translated as “lacking proper features,” because male Asuras are very ugly in appearance: their noses are two and a half feet long, their mouths are very small, and their eyes are very large. In short, they are exceedingly ugly, so much so that people are frightened when they see them. Anyone who sees them is terrified, trembling, with their soul and spirit scattered; therefore, no one dares look upon their venerable faces. Female Asuras, on the other hand, are exceedingly beautiful. Indra, the lord of the gods in the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven, sought to marry the daughter of the Asura king because he coveted her beauty. The Asura king did not want to give his daughter to Indra, since wars often broke out between them, and so he opposed the match. But his daughter wanted to live with Indra, so the Asura king had no choice but to give her to Indra as his wife.
After they married, the husband and wife were very happy together, but Śakra often went to various places to listen to sutra teachings and Dharma talks. A spiritual practitioner in the mountains gave Dharma talks, and Śakra often went to listen. He would come home a little late. His wife suspected that her husband was not being faithful, so she pressed him: “Where do you go every day?” Śakra said, “A spiritual practitioner gives Dharma talks, and I go to listen.” His wife did not believe him. “You’re not going to listen to Dharma talks. You must have a girlfriend and be meeting her, right? Next time you go, I’m coming with you to see what’s really going on.” Śakra said, “Don’t go! You’re so beautiful that you could easily distract the people listening to the Dharma.” His words only made his wife more suspicious. She said, “You must have a girlfriend. Otherwise, why won’t you let me go?” So Śakra’s wife resolved to go and see for herself what was happening.
On the second day, Indra still came to the mountain to hear the Dharma. His wife, a female Asura with supernatural powers, used a spell of invisibility to join the Dharma assembly, and Indra did not know. When his wife arrived at the monastery, she saw that there were both men and women, but more women than men, and they were all beautiful! So Indra’s wife grew jealous and revealed her true form. Indra turned around and saw that his wife had followed him there. Very annoyed, he asked her, “Why did you come here? I told you not to come here.” The female Asura said angrily, “Of course I had to come. There are so many beautiful women here, and I didn’t feel at ease, so I had to come and see for myself.” At that, Indra flew into a rage and lost all reason. He picked up a few lotus stems and struck her with them. Unexpectedly, that incident sparked a great war.
After Indra’s wife was beaten, she returned to the Asura king’s palace in tears and told him what had happened. The Asura king flew into a rage, mobilized his troops, and attacked Indra to avenge his daughter. Because the Asura troops were skilled in warfare, Indra’s heavenly troops and generals were defeated. Indra then sought the Buddha’s help, and the Buddha taught him to recite the phrase, “Mahā Prajñāpāramitā.” Indra returned and instructed his entire army to recite this phrase. Sure enough, they defeated the Asuras, and the Asura king surrendered and brought his daughter back to Indra’s palace.
There are many kinds of Asuras: there are Asuras in the heavens, Asuras among humans, Asuras among animals, and Asuras among hungry ghosts. Asuras are born in four ways: Asuras in the heavenly realm are transformation-born, Asuras in the human realm are womb-born, Asuras in the animal realm are egg-born, and Asuras in the hungry-ghost realm are moisture-born.
Sometimes Asuras are classified among the three good destinies, because they practice the lower grade of the five precepts and ten wholesome deeds, and therefore have roots of goodness. Sometimes they are classified among the four evil destinies, because their jealousy is too strong and their spirit of contention too powerful. Asuras in heaven are thieves in heaven; Asuras among humans are bullies and tyrants among humans. Asuras in the animal realm are horses that harm the herd—the kind of Asura horse that follows no rules and specializes in harming other horses: if it does not bite, it kicks, leaving the herd unable to live in peace. In short, all those who like to fight are Asuras.
The Asura King Vemacitra attained the liberation gate of manifesting innumerable kalpas.
The Asura King Vemacitra, who attained the liberation gate of manifesting countless kalpas.
Lecture: This Asura King Vimalacitra: “Vima” is translated as “thread,” and “Citra” is translated as “various kinds.” This Asura King uses a single silk thread to conjure all kinds of realms. He has attained the liberation gate of manifesting immeasurable and boundless kalpas. In short, through however many kalpas, this liberation gate is always free and unobstructed; to be without obstruction is liberation.
The Asura King of Skillful Illusion attained the liberation gate of eliminating the suffering of all sentient beings and purifying them.
The Asura King of Skillful Illusionary Arts attained the liberation-gate of eliminating all the suffering of sentient beings and enabling them to attain purity.
Lecture: The Asura King Skilled in Illusionary Arts is adept at magically transforming and conjuring all kinds of realms in order to eliminate all the suffering of sentient beings and enable them to attain purity, peace, and joy. This is the liberation gate attained by this one.
The great retinue of the Asura King attained the liberation gate of cultivating all austerities to adorn themselves.
The Asura King Great Retinue attained the liberation gate and practices all austerities to adorn himself.
The Great Retinue Asura King has many merits and virtues and saves beings throughout the world. Therefore, he has a great many retinue members, and all beings wish to follow him and be protected by him. When he was on the causal ground, he practiced all kinds of austerities and followed every kind of Bodhisattva path. Whatever others could not endure, he could endure. He has such merits and virtues that he not only adorns himself but also adorns everyone. This is the liberation gate that he attained.
The Asura King Vemacitra attained the liberation gate of causing the boundless realms of the ten directions to tremble.
The Asura King Bà Trĩ, having attained the gate of liberation, shook the boundless worlds in the ten directions.
Lecture: Asura King Vemacitra possesses great power and can shake the ten directions, causing sentient beings who are dreaming to awaken and no longer engage in deluded, confused actions. This is the liberation gate that he attained.
Asura King Universal Illumination attained the liberation gateway of establishing all sentient beings through various skillful means.
The Asura King Universal Illumination attained the liberation-gate of establishing all sentient beings through various means.
Explanation: This Asura King, Universal Radiance, has wisdom that shines throughout all things. He has attained various Dharma-gates of expedient means and establishes all sentient beings. Because he possesses the wisdom of the Buddha, the provisional (skillful expedient means) and the real (the truth) are not deluded. This is the liberation-gate he has attained.
The Asura King Wondrously Adorned with Firm Practice attained the liberation gate of universally gathering indestructible roots of goodness and purifying all defiling attachments.
The Asura King Firm in Practice and Wonderfully Adorned attained the liberation gate of skillful means that universally cultivates roots of goodness and indestructibly purifies all defilements and attachments.
Lecture: The Asura King Wondrously Adorned with Firm Practice. Firm practice means devotedly cultivating a single Dharma practice and never regressing. To be firm means adapting to conditions without changing, and remaining unchanged while adapting to conditions. It means that no matter what attacks or adverse circumstances you face, you do not regress. Circumstances are there to test the concentration of those who cultivate the Way. You must keep moving forward; under no circumstances should you be diligent for one day and slack off for ten. Otherwise, you will never accomplish anything—let alone attain firm practice.
Only when there is steadfast practice can there be wondrous adornment; without steadfast practice, there is no wondrous adornment. This wondrous adornment is brought to fruition through the adornment of steadfast practice.
This Asura King has attained the indestructible, universally accumulated roots of goodness. “Universally accumulated” means widely accumulating steadfast practices. Because he cultivates steadfast practices, his roots of goodness cannot be destroyed. He practices every day and at all times, never abandoning them for even a moment. In this way, his roots of goodness grow and eliminate the roots of evil.
What is an evil root? It is defilement and attachment. “Defilement” means being tainted; “attachment” means clinging. With impure thoughts, one cannot let go of attachment. One clings to the six sense objects: form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and phenomena. Why cling to the six sense objects? Because the six faculties—the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind—are defiled: inwardly there is defilement, and outwardly there is attachment. Now, if one purifies defilement and attachment and lets them go, one can attain the gate of liberation.
The Asura King Vast Human Wisdom attained the liberation gate of the power of great compassion, which is free from doubt and confusion.
The Asura King of Vast and Great Causal Wisdom, who attained the liberation-gate of the doubt-free power of great compassion.
Lecture: The King Asura Vast Great Benevolence and Wisdom is endowed with the power of great compassion and has right and decisive insight into all phenomena and principles, without doubt. This king has wisdom; therefore, “Compassion is the mother of the Buddhas, and wisdom is the father of the Buddhas. The Buddhas of the past, present, and future are all born from great compassion.”
When we study the Buddhadharma, we must first learn compassion, then learn wisdom. Only when compassion and wisdom are complete can we attain realization. Compassion is a sympathetic heart; wisdom is skill. For example, if someone falls into a river, having a sympathetic heart but no skill—knowing not how to swim—and shouting from the bank for someone to save them is of no use. One must know how to swim in order to save someone who has fallen into the water. Some people have no compassionate heart, but know how to swim and are unmoved. Such an attitude accomplishes nothing. Therefore, we must have both compassion and wisdom in order to benefit others.
Remember! In the future, you must propagate the Dharma and benefit living beings. Do not greedily pursue fame, reputation, profit, and offerings.
The Asura King Manifesting Superior Virtue attained the liberation-gate of universally enabling beings to see the Buddhas, attend upon and make offerings to them, and cultivate all roots of goodness.
The Asura King Victorious Virtue attained the liberation that enables all beings to see the Buddhas, serve and make offerings to them, and cultivate roots of goodness.
Explanation: The King of Asuras, Manifesting Supreme Victory, practiced the Dharma-gate of making offerings and cultivating goodness, and thus attained supreme merit. In the past, he often enabled sentient beings to see the Buddha and to make vows to serve and make offerings to all the Buddhas of the three ages and ten directions, cultivate all wholesome roots, and perform all meritorious deeds. The more they cultivated wholesome roots, the deeper those roots became; the more meritorious deeds they performed, the greater their merit became. With deep roots and abundant merit, they attain Buddhahood. Understanding this principle, he entered this gate of liberation.
The Asura King Good Sound attained the liberation gate of universally entering all destinies through the practice of definitive equality.
The Asura King Good Sound attained the liberation-gate of the practice of decisively and equally entering all realms.
Explanation: The Asura King Good Sound skillfully expounds the Dharma and has a very pleasing voice, causing those who hear him to rejoice and practice in accordance with the Dharma. Therefore, he can enter all realms. Since all sentient beings possess Buddha-nature, they are all equal. By practicing this gateway to liberation, he attained liberation.
At that time, Rahu, the Asura King, relying on the Buddha’s mighty power, gazed upon all the Asuras and spoke these verses, saying: Then Rāhu, King of the Asuras, relying on the Buddha’s majestic power, surveyed all the assembled Asuras and spoke in verse.
At that time, the Asura King Nhiếp Não, relying on the great majestic spiritual power bestowed by all the Buddhas, surveyed the entire assembly of Asuras and spoke verses praising the Buddha’s virtues.
All the vast assemblies in the ten directions — All the great assemblies throughout the ten directions
The Buddha, among them, is most wondrous — The Buddha is the most wondrous among them
His light shines everywhere, equal to empty space — His light shines everywhere, filling all of space
Manifesting universally before all sentient beings — Appearing before all sentient beings everywhere “All the vast beings of the ten directions.” The ten directions are east, west, south, north, southeast, southwest, northeast, northwest, above, and below, making ten directions in all. The vast beings of all ten directions encompass those born from wombs, eggs, moisture, and transformation; those that fly, dwell beneath the surface, move, and grow as plants; and all sentient and insentient beings. Sentient beings are animals with blood and breath; insentient beings are mountains, rivers, the great earth, flowers, grasses, and trees.
“The Buddha is the most extraordinary among them.” Among all sentient beings throughout the vast ten directions, the Buddha is supreme and uniquely wondrous, because only the Buddha can clearly understand the ultimate truth of the true nature of all dharmas.
“Radiance shines everywhere, as boundless as empty space.” The Buddha’s radiance shines throughout the worlds of the ten directions. The Buddha’s radiance is impartial; the Buddha has no discriminating mind. Whether sentient beings are good or evil, or neither good nor evil, the Buddha forsakes none and shines upon them all. Thus the Buddha’s light shines universally, rescuing and protecting sentient beings. The Buddha’s radiance is as vast as empty space, for empty space encompasses the myriad forms: there is nothing it does not contain, nothing it does not encompass, nothing it does not accommodate, and nothing it does not receive.
“Manifesting everywhere before all sentient beings.” The Buddha’s light manifests everywhere before all sentient beings. When sentient beings see the Buddha’s light, they give rise to the bodhi mind and are liberated. Guided by the Buddha’s light, they leave suffering and attain joy, proceed straight to the other shore, and attain liberation.
The lands of all Buddhas through hundreds of thousands of myriad kalpas,
All clearly manifest in a single instant.
Light shines forth to transform and liberate all beings everywhere;
Thus Vima rejoices and praises this realm.
“Hundreds of thousands of myriad kalpas in the Buddha realms.” The span of hundreds of thousands of myriad kalpas is extremely long. The Buddha is in immeasurable Buddha realms, attaining Buddhahood and teaching and guiding sentient beings without ceasing.
“Everything is clearly manifested in a single instant.” The time in a single instant is extremely brief, yet the Buddha makes it last for innumerable kalpas, and innumerable Buddha realms all appear; therefore: “Gather immeasurable kalpas into a single thought,
Extend a single thought into immeasurable kalpas.” The Buddha realms of the ten directions, present within a single particle of dust—this is the realm of:
“Small contains the large,
The large enters the small,
Large and small are unobstructed,
One and many are unobstructed.” This principle is not something ordinary people can understand. Once a person has opened the five eyes, they see things clearly; it is a realm of equality, with nothing strange about it.
“Radiating light to transform and liberate all beings everywhere.” The Buddha emits radiant light, illuminating all sentient beings and transforming and liberating them, enabling them to receive the blessings of the Buddha’s light and leave delusion behind for awakening. The Buddha’s light reaches throughout the ten directions; there is nowhere it does not shine.
“Vīma joyfully praises this realm.” The Asura King Vīma joyfully praises this realm of the liberation gate.
The realm of the Tathāgata has no equal;
The realm of the Tathāgata is unequaled.
Varied Dharma teachings always bring benefit;
All kinds of Dharma teachings always bring benefit.
All suffering of sentient beings is made to cease;
The suffering of sentient beings is made to cease.
King Khumadla can perceive this;
The King of Skillful Arts sees this teaching.
“The Realm of the Tathagata Has No Equal.” The realm of the Tathagata and the realm of anyone else are completely different. The Tathagata’s realm cannot be conceived by the mind or discussed in words. No one else’s realm can compare with it or be equal to it. The Buddha’s realm is unique, the most supreme, and the most extraordinary.
“All kinds of Dharma doors are always beneficial.” The Buddha uses all kinds of skillful means and Dharma doors to benefit all sentient beings, enabling them to abandon evil and return to the right path. The Buddha sees all sentient beings as no different from himself. Why? Because all sentient beings have Buddha-nature and can all become Buddhas. If they did not become Buddhas in the past, they can become Buddhas in the present. If they cannot become Buddhas in the present, they will become Buddhas in the future. In short, one day they will become Buddhas; it is only a matter of sooner or later.
Buddhism is a religion of humanity, a religion for all people. Buddhism is also a religion of sentient beings, a religion for all sentient beings. Therefore, the Buddha said: “All sentient beings possess Buddha-nature; all can become Buddhas.” All living beings endowed with blood and vital energy are called sentient beings. Since they are sentient beings, they all have Buddha-nature. Buddha-nature is self-nature: the self-nature of true suchness, the nature of the Tathāgatagarbha, the nature of the great luminous treasury, and the true nature of perfect completion. In short, it is the self-nature of the pure mind, the nature of enlightenment. Some people say, “I don’t need this Buddha-nature; I might as well get rid of it,” but they cannot. Because you are a sentient being, there is no way to separate Buddha-nature from you, so you cannot get rid of the Buddha-nature that is already inherently present.
As for Buddhism, whether you believe in the Buddha or not, you are a Buddhist; it is only that if you believe in the Buddha, you are a little closer to the Buddha, and if you do not believe in the Buddha, you are a little farther from the Buddha. It is not that the Buddha is close to you and therefore you are close to the Buddha, nor that the Buddha is far from you and therefore you are far from the Buddha. So, whether you believe or do not believe, you are a Buddhist, you all have Buddha-nature, and sooner or later you will all become Buddhas.
Buddhism encompasses the nature of the Dharma Realm, all of humanity, and every kind of sentient being; absolutely everything is within Buddhism. Even if you do not believe in Buddhism, you are still a Buddhist, because you cannot get outside the Dharma Realm. Buddhism extends throughout all of empty space and the entire Dharma Realm, boundless and without limit. Whether you curse or revile the Buddha, you are still a Buddhist. Therefore, it is said that the Buddha’s realm is inconceivable, and that it uses all kinds of Dharma methods to benefit sentient beings continually.
“Sentient beings have suffering that must be eradicated.” The Buddha takes pity on sentient beings and causes all their suffering to be extinguished, because he teaches them to cultivate the Dharma method of understanding birth and transcending death, which is also the Dharma of the Twelve Nidānas.
“The King of Asuras of Cunning Arts sees this gate.” The Asura King of Skillful Illusory Arts clearly sees this realm.
Throughout immeasurable kalpas, he practiced austerities, | The Buddha practiced austerities for immeasurable kalpas,
Benefiting sentient beings and purifying the world, | Benefiting sentient beings and purifying the world,
Thereby the Muni’s wisdom was fully perfected, | Thus the Buddha’s wisdom was completely perfected,
The Great Retinue King saw the Buddha thus. | The Great Retinue King saw it this way.
“The Buddha practiced austerities for immeasurable kalpas.” When Shakyamuni Buddha was at the causal stage, he practiced all kinds of austerities throughout immeasurable kalpas, only then perfecting his merit and becoming a Buddha. Therefore: “For three asamkhyeya kalpas, cultivate merit and wisdom;
for a hundred kalpas, cultivate the auspicious marks.” The Buddha practiced asceticism for countless eons, striving diligently without ever retreating. We are not like that: we meditate for a few days, then our resolve falters, and we feel that lying down is more comfortable. Or, when practicing by eating one meal a day, we feel that eating several meals is better for our bodies. We act as our own defense lawyers. With thoughts like these, how can we set our minds at ease and cultivate the Way? Practicing asceticism means cultivating the Way with our feet firmly planted on the ground; merely talking about it will not do. Therefore: “Without enduring a cold that chills to the bone,
how could the plum blossoms give off such a lovely fragrance?” “Benefit sentient beings, purify the world.” The Buddha practiced asceticism for the benefit of sentient beings. As long as it benefited sentient beings, He could endure any kind of suffering. The Buddha’s ascetic practice benefited sentient beings and purified the world, so that sentient beings would have no impure thoughts or defiled conduct. In this way, the world would be pure and undefiled.
“Thus the Buddha’s wisdom is fully perfected.” It is through this that, over immeasurable kalpas, the Buddha practiced austerities, benefited sentient beings, purified the world, performed all kinds of meritorious deeds, and undertook all kinds of ascetic practices: the Buddha’s wisdom was perfected throughout.
“The Great Retinue King saw it thus.” That Great Retinue Asura King understood and saw the Buddha’s realm, practiced asceticism, and benefited sentient beings.
Unimpeded, unequaled great supernatural powers, Unimpeded, unequaled great supernatural powers,
Cause all lands in the ten directions to quake, Move throughout all lands in the ten directions,
Do not cause sentient beings to feel afraid, Do not make sentient beings feel fear.
Great Strength can clearly understand this. Great Strength fully understands this Dharma-gate.
“Unobstructed, Unequaled Great Spiritual Powers.” Unobstructed means that nothing can obstruct them; it also means penetrating and understanding without hindrance. Unequaled means that nothing can compare with them—in other words, nothing can match them. Spiritual powers may be great or small, and they differ from one another. Lesser spiritual powers are those of heterodox sects and unorthodox paths. They, too, possess a kind of precognition. If something on their body twitches, they think, “Who will come today?” If their eye twitches, they wonder, “What is going to happen today?” Sometimes their predictions even come true a little. These are the spiritual powers of those who have not opened the Five Eyes and Six Spiritual Powers.
Great supernatural powers are the powers of those who have opened the five eyes and attained the six spiritual powers. They do not need to think or form an intention; they immediately know what events are about to arise or what states are about to occur. They see everything clearly and know causes and effects beyond eighty thousand great kalpas.
“Shaking all the realms throughout the ten directions.” The Buddha’s supernatural powers are vast and incomparable. They can cause all the realms throughout the ten directions to shake, without causing any damage or harm.
“It does not cause sentient beings to feel frightened.” However, in a certain land there are upheavals and tremors; even the worlds of the ten directions are shaken and tremble. Yet this does not make sentient beings feel terror or fear. Although there is movement, it is not dangerous, because the Buddha’s spiritual power causes the upheaval.
“Great Strength thoroughly understands this Dharma door.” The Great Strength Asura King clearly perceives this realm, because he can see the realm of the Buddha.
The Buddha appears in the world to save sentient beings;
The Buddha comes into the world to save sentient beings.
The paths of all wisdom are opened and revealed;
All the paths of wisdom are taught and revealed.
All are caused to leave suffering and attain peace and bliss;
They are made to abandon suffering and attain peace and happiness.
This is the meaning that Universal Illumination widely proclaims;
Universal Illumination has widely expounded this meaning.
“The Buddhas appear in the world to save sentient beings.” The Buddhas abide in the Pure Land of Eternal Tranquil Light, which is both pure and joyful. So why must they manifest in this world of the five turbidities? Seeing sentient beings adrift in the sea of desire, the Buddha feels deep compassion and therefore turns compassionately toward this Saha World to save them from the sea of suffering.
“The path to all wisdom is revealed.” The Buddha uses all wisdom to expound principles that transcend the mundane world—that is, the Dharma-gate for liberation from the Three Realms. Seeing people of inferior capacity, the Buddha teaches them the Dharma of cause and effect and karmic conditions; to those of middling capacity, he teaches the Thirty-Seven Factors of Enlightenment; and to those of superior capacity, he teaches the Bodhisattva path of the Six Perfections and myriad practices. This is teaching the Dharma according to the person: the Dharma equally liberates people of all three capacities, without distinguishing among them. This is what makes Buddhism great, and this is also where it surpasses other religions.
“Enable them to leave suffering and attain peace and happiness.” The Buddha appeared in the world for one purpose alone: “To enable all sentient beings to leave suffering and attain peace and happiness.” Hence: “When the body is at ease, there is no danger; when the mind is clear, there is no worry.” That is, “When the body is at ease, it is not in danger; when the mind is clear, it is free of sorrow and worry”—in other words, the body and mind are healthy. Buddhism emphasizes spiritual cultivation rather than material enjoyment. Thus, those who leave home renounce the five desires: 1. They do not covet wealth. 2. They do not marry. 3. They do not seek fame. 4. They do not eat meat. 5. They do not sleep excessively. To live simply in this way—to keep the mind pure and desires few—is not something ordinary people can do. Emperor Taizong of the Tang dynasty once said, “Leaving home is the work of a truly great man.” Therefore, Buddhism advocates the supremacy of the spiritual over the material: the spirit is the provisions for cultivating the Way, while material things are the source of creating karma.
“Universal Radiance can expound this meaning.” This principle was expounded and clarified by the Asura King Universal Radiance.
The world possesses an ocean of blessings; all the oceans of blessings in the world.
The Buddha’s power can bring them forth and make all things pure; the Buddha’s power can bring them forth everywhere and make them pure.
The Buddha can reveal the place of liberation; the Buddha can reveal the place of liberation.
Adorned with steadfast practice, enter this gate; Adorned with Steadfast Practice enters this gate.
“All the oceans of blessings of the world.” The world means all worldly beings, that is, the sentient world. Blessings come from cultivation: cultivating wholesome karma, performing meritorious deeds, and accumulating merit to build stupas. Once one has all kinds of merit, one then receives all kinds of karmic rewards, vast as the ocean. Therefore, the Buddha is called the Honored One Complete in Both Blessings and Wisdom. One must cultivate both blessings and wisdom. Hence: “Cultivate merit without cultivating wisdom, and you’ll be an elephant adorned with jeweled ornaments; cultivate wisdom without cultivating merit, and you’ll be an Arhat holding an empty bowl.” Merit is accumulated little by little, like the ocean. Water from every river, large or small, flows into the ocean, and so it becomes an ocean. Cultivating merit is the same: whatever the amount, merit must be cultivated. Even merit as small as a speck of dust should not be overlooked. In this way, merit is not lost; little accumulates into much, and an ocean of merit is ultimately attained.
“The Buddha’s power can give rise to purity everywhere.” The Buddha’s power is inconceivable; it gives rise to all pure merit, enabling all sentient beings everywhere to attain pure karmic rewards.
“The Buddha reveals the place of liberation.” The Buddha reveals this principle to all sentient beings, enabling them to understand it and attain liberation.
“Entering this Dharma-door of Adornment through Firm Conduct.” The Asura King Wondrous Adornment of Firm and Resolute Conduct clearly understood this principle and thus entered this liberation-gate. Those who enter this gate are inside; those who cannot enter it are outside.
The Buddha’s body of great compassion has no equal;
It travels everywhere unobstructed, enabling all to see;
Like images appearing in the world,
Human wisdom can proclaim this merit.
“The Buddha’s body of great compassion is unsurpassed.” Great compassion means relieving suffering and dispelling all the suffering of sentient beings. Thus, through the great compassion that sees all as one, one regards the suffering of others as one’s own suffering, and their joy as one’s own joy. No one in the world can compare with the Buddha’s body of great compassion. The Buddha is unsurpassed; therefore, when he was born beneath the Ashoka tree, he said, “Above the heavens and below the heavens, I alone am the honored one.” “It goes everywhere without obstruction, causing all to see.” All sentient beings in the worlds of the ten directions can see the Buddha’s body of great compassion, because it pervades the Dharma realm without obstruction.
“Like form and shadow manifesting in the world.” The Buddha’s body of great compassion is like form and shadow: they are inseparable; form does not part from shadow. In short, wherever a person’s body goes, its shadow follows, never separating from it. The form and shadow of the body of great compassion manifest throughout the world of sentient beings.
“Humaneness and Wisdom can speak of this merit.” The Asura King Vast and Great Humaneness and Wisdom expounded this merit and entered this gate of liberation.
Rare and peerless great supernatural powers, Rare and peerless great supernatural powers
Manifesting bodies everywhere, filling the Dharma Realm, Manifesting bodies everywhere throughout the Dharma Realm
All seated beneath the Bodhi tree, All seated beneath the Bodhi tree
This meaning can be expounded by Superior Virtue. Superior Virtue can expound this meaning.
“Rare, incomparable great supernatural powers.” “Rare” means extraordinary and uncommon. “Incomparable” means that nothing can match them. These are extraordinary, rare supernatural powers without compare; only the Buddha possesses powers that are inconceivable and indescribable.
“Manifesting bodies everywhere throughout the Dharma Realm.” The Buddha’s Dharma Body pervades empty space and the entire Dharma Realm, manifesting everywhere. This Dharma Body is incomparable and unobstructed.
“All of them sit beneath the bodhi tree.” Each Buddha sits beneath a bodhi tree in their own world. For what purpose? To meditate in stillness and contemplate the Dharma that liberates one from birth and death.
We have planted the seeds of the Bodhi tree and are waiting for it to grow, hoping that a Buddha will also sit beneath it and attain perfect enlightenment. The Buddha-Dharma has spread from the East to the West. In the East, it is the age of the Decline of the Dharma; in the West, it is the age of the True Dharma, because the Buddha-Dharma has only just begun in the West. Therefore, you who study the Buddha-Dharma must practice diligently and strive to study it. The responsibility of continuing the Buddha’s wisdom-life rests on your shoulders, young people. You must take up this mission and make the Buddha-Dharma flourish and spread throughout the world. Your responsibility is immense—do not let Buddhism down! “This meaning can be expounded by Victorious Virtue.” The meaning and principle of this realm of the liberation gate can be expounded by the Asura King Manifesting Superior Virtue. This realm is the Buddha’s realm. The Buddha’s realm is infinite and boundless, inconceivable, and wondrous beyond description. This Asura King clearly understands this realm, but does not know the Buddha’s other realms.
The Tathagata cultivated the practices of the three times;
He traversed every realm of samsara;
He freed all sentient beings from suffering, leaving none behind—
This is what King Wonderful Sound praises.
“The Tathagatas of the three times cultivate all practices.” The Tathagata is the Buddha, and the Buddha is the Tathagata. In the past, throughout immeasurable kalpas, the Buddhas of the three times cultivated all practices. The three times are the past, present, and future. For example, one had to cultivate last year, must cultivate this year, and must also cultivate next year. One had to cultivate last month, must cultivate this month, and must cultivate even more next month. Just like us who cultivate the Way: yesterday we cultivated like this, today we cultivate like this, tomorrow we will cultivate like this, and the day after tomorrow we will cultivate like this too. We must cultivate every day without interruption; only then can we achieve success.
When the Buddha practiced the Way, he did every good deed, no matter how small, and refrained from every evil deed, no matter how small. Thus, by accumulating small good deeds, he built up great goodness. In the past, the Buddha perfected the practice of the eighty-four thousand Dharma practices.
“All the realms of cyclic existence are traversed.” The realms are the heavenly realm, the human realm, the asura realm, the animal realm, the hungry ghost realm, and the hell realm. In the six paths of cyclic existence, the Buddha equally takes birth in each. In each realm, he equally teaches and transforms the sentient beings there; hence it is said that all the realms of cyclic existence are traversed.
The cycle of rebirth is divided into six realms. Beings enter a realm according to the force of their karma: those who cultivate wholesome karma are reborn in one of the three good realms, while those who cultivate evil karma are reborn in one of the three evil realms. There is no judge deciding this; it happens automatically. Some sentient beings wander through birth and death, being born and then dying, dying and then being born again, endlessly, drifting in the sea of suffering without liberation.
To save sentient beings from the sea of suffering of birth and death, the Buddha comes to the various realms to teach and guide them—the realms of gods, humans, asuras, animals, hungry ghosts, and hell beings. The Buddha manifests in all manner of sentient beings’ forms to teach the Dharma, enabling them to realize and escape birth and death.
“Deliver sentient beings from suffering, leaving none behind.” How does the Buddha teach and transform sentient beings? He enters the various realms and manifests as sentient beings to teach them the Dharma, enabling them to leave suffering and attain happiness. When he encounters sentient beings who do not understand the Buddha’s Dharma, he uses patience and forbearance to teach and transform them, enabling them to practice. Once they know how to practice, the Buddha helps them bring their spiritual cultivation to fruition. Once they have done so, he helps them attain liberation. He enables sentient beings to seek the Way, cultivate the Way, understand the Way, and realize the Way, attaining the inherently perfect fruit of enlightenment. He relieves all sentient beings of suffering, leaving not even a little behind.
“Good Sound praises this Dharma-gate.” The Asura King Good Sound praised and extolled this wondrous realm, this liberation-gate of the Buddha. We have now finished explaining the attainments of the liberation-gates and the verses of the eight groups among the assembly of nonhuman beings. Below, we continue with an explanation of the nineteen groups of gods.