Flower Adornment Sutra
(Avatamsaka Sutra)
Commentary: 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 5
Wondrous Adornments of the World Rulers
At that time, the Auspicious Medicine Lord Spirit, by the Buddha’s mighty power, surveyed all the Medicine Lord Spirits and spoke these verses: At that time, the Auspicious Medicine-Lord Spirit, relying on the Buddha’s majestic power, surveyed the entire assembly of Medicine-Lord Spirits and spoke this verse.
Commentary: At that time, the Auspicious Medicine Spirit Lord, relying on the Buddha’s majestic spiritual power, surveyed all the Medicine Spirit Lords and spoke this verse to praise the Buddha’s merits and virtues.
The Tathagata’s wisdom is inconceivable;
Knows the minds of all sentient beings;
Can, with various powers of skillful means,
Extinguish the immeasurable suffering of that deluded multitude.
Commentary: “The Tathagata’s wisdom is inconceivable.” The Buddha’s perfect wisdom is inconceivable. We sentient beings also have something inconceivable: our foolishness. We cannot distinguish right from wrong, do not know what is correct and what is deviant, and cannot tell black from white. We cannot distinguish good from evil: we call black white and white black; we call good evil and evil good. These are the thoughts of foolish people. There is another kind of foolish person, too: they regard what is not good as good, and what is good as not good. They say that the Dharma transcending the world, which we should practice, is mistaken and incorrect, while they stubbornly cling to worldly dharmas, which they should let go of. This is what is inconceivable about sentient beings.
Do sentient beings have wisdom? Yes. Do they have the Buddha’s wisdom? Yes, too. It is merely obscured by ignorance, so for the time being it does not manifest. If we cultivate, it will manifest immediately. It is like sunlight obscured by clouds: the sunlight is the wisdom that sentient beings inherently possess, while the clouds are foolishness. Foolishness arises from greed, anger, and delusion, so we must cultivate morality, concentration, and wisdom to eliminate greed, anger, and delusion.
All sentient beings, if they wish to restore their inherent wisdom, must cultivate precepts, concentration, and wisdom. Precepts mean preventing oneself from doing evil and doing good. When you do no evil, concentration arises. When you are able to do good, you gain merit. Concentration must have inner cultivation and external results. Externally, one must cultivate the Six Perfections. Once one has some foundation in cultivating the Six Perfections, one will have concentration. Therefore, one must use the merit of giving, the merit of upholding precepts, the merit of patience, and the merit of diligence to support meditative concentration. When meditative concentration is sufficient, wisdom will arise. Without these four kinds of merit, it is very easy to stray onto a wrong path, because these Six Perfections are the most important Dharma-gates for cultivation.
Those who cultivate the Way should remember not to be greedy or miserly, but to have a spirit of giving. You must let go—let go; only by letting go can you attain anything. If you do not let go, you cannot attain anything. Therefore, you must cultivate giving, upholding the precepts, patience, and diligence. These practices all help give rise to concentration, and then wisdom arises from concentration. When the practice of concentration is deep and strong, wisdom will arise. Deep and strong concentration is like reading books: the more you read, the more cultivated you become. Thus it is said: “The deeper one’s learning, the calmer one’s temperament.” Cultivation means having no greed, anger, or delusion, and no ignorance. Ignorance is not easy to eliminate, but you can make it diminish more and more. As it keeps diminishing, it will eventually disappear, and success will come naturally. What method can be used to diminish ignorance? The Dharma gate of Prajna wisdom. With Prajna wisdom, you can dispel the darkness of ignorance and bring forth light.
This inconceivable state is, by its very nature, impossible to describe, because it is inconceivable. Now I am adding a head on top of a head by saying a few words. Don’t be like me, putting one head on top of another and then adding yet another, until you end up with three heads. Two heads are already plenty; add a third, and you become a three-headed, six-armed being. Look! The image of Bodhisattva Guanyin has not only three heads and six arms, but also eleven faces, a thousand hands, and a thousand eyes. Bodhisattva Cundi also has many arms like that, but those figures really do have three heads. If you attach three heads to yourself, you’ll die; it won’t do you any good.
“They know all the minds of sentient beings.” The Buddha’s wisdom knows the minds of all sentient beings. The Diamond Sutra says: “All sentient beings—
however many kinds of minds there are,
the Tathagata knows and sees them all.” There are as many kinds of minds as there are sentient beings. How does the Buddha know the minds of us sentient beings? It’s truly amazing! So does the Buddha know everything we do? That’s right. The Buddha clearly knows whatever sentient beings do and think. The Buddha not only knows the minds of sentient beings, but also sees what they do.
Someone just asked, “How does the Buddha know the minds of sentient beings?” Let’s set that question aside for now and use two scientific examples to explain it. These examples are not really accurate, but since I have no accurate example to use, I can only give inaccurate ones. What are these inaccurate examples? One is radar: whatever the number of radio waves, the radar can receive them and display images on its screen. Another is a radio: as long as you tune it to the right frequency, you can receive news from countries around the world.
The Buddha is a great scientist. Not only does he have a visible radar, but he also has an invisible radar. This invisible radar manifests naturally. The Buddha-nature exists within the inherent nature of every living being; the Buddha-nature is the invisible radar. However, living beings cannot observe it, and therefore do not know of it. The Buddha can see the invisible radar, and so he is called a great scientist.
What is the Buddha’s invisible radar? It is the eye of wisdom. Because the eye of wisdom is fully developed, it can observe causes and conditions beyond eighty thousand great kalpas, and so it surpasses visible radar. Anyone who has opened the five eyes is like a radar station and knows the causes and conditions of the three lifetimes. Someone says, “This example is wrong, completely inaccurate.” Another says, “If you know it’s wrong, why use it as an example?” Because I can’t find a second example; I can only use this one. I hope you can give me a correct example to tell me about. In the future, when I Commentary on the sutras, I’ll use your correct example. Right now, I don’t know what example would be right to illustrate this, so I’m just giving an example that isn’t right.
“[The Buddha] often uses all kinds of skillful means.” After the Buddha knows the minds of sentient beings, he then uses skillful means to teach and transform them, enabling them to leave suffering and attain joy, understand birth and death and transcend them, and quickly attain the Buddha Way. The Buddha knows that the minds of sentient beings are locked tight by ignorance, so he uses the key of wisdom to unlock them. Once the door of wisdom in sentient beings opens, the door of ignorance closes. We practitioners are seeking the key of wisdom. When we find it, the door will open. Therefore, we must strive to recite the Buddha’s name and diligently practice seated meditation—these are ways of seeking the key.
“Completely eradicate the immeasurable suffering of the deluded multitude.” The deluded multitude means you, me, them—all sentient beings. Anyone who has not realized a spiritual attainment and has not left the Three Realms is a deluded being. What is suffering? Suffering is not understanding the truth. If you understand the truth, suffering will no longer exist. How can you gain a clear understanding of the truth? You must study the Buddhadharma. How should you study the Buddhadharma? You must make a long-lasting resolve, vowing to study the Buddhadharma throughout all future time: “I wish, in lifetime after lifetime, to leave home and cultivate, becoming a bhikshu or bhikshuni. I wish, in lifetime after lifetime, to be a male or female lay practitioner. I wish, in lifetime after lifetime, to cultivate within the Buddhadharma and never depart from it. After I clearly understand the Buddhadharma, I must propagate it so that everyone understands its true meaning.” You must make this vow in order to accomplish your goal. If you cultivate without making a vow, it is like a flower that blooms but bears no fruit; it is of no benefit.
“To eliminate immeasurable suffering”—how easy it is to say! The Buddha was always intent on eliminating the suffering of sentient beings. Yet once the suffering of some sentient beings is eliminated, the suffering of others appears. Once that suffering is eliminated, the suffering of still others emerges—like waves: when one wave subsides, the next arises, arising continuously without end. Sentient beings are just like the waves; they never cease. Yet the immeasurable suffering of sentient beings must still be eliminated. Although it cannot all be eliminated, it must nevertheless be eliminated. Because the Buddha knew that the suffering of sentient beings was not easy to eliminate, he wished to undertake this difficult task in order to teach and transform them.
At present, some people have resolved to save the world. This great calamity (a major disaster in the human world) cannot be averted by one person’s strength; everyone’s efforts must be brought together before it can be turned back. Yet you wait for me, and I wait for them. We keep waiting on one another, and no one resolves to cultivate the bodhi mind and save all sentient beings. If this continues, the world will soon reach its end. Everyone has a responsibility to save the world. Regardless of whether anyone else takes up this work, I must first fulfill my own responsibility rather than wait for others. Only then is there hope of turning the world around. Otherwise, people will have no chance of survival.
The Great Hero’s skillful means are beyond measure
Whatever is done is never in vain
He surely brings all the sufferings of sentient beings to an end;
The Spirit of the Sandalwood Grove understands this;
Commentary: “The Great Hero is skillful and unfathomable.” The Great Hero means the Buddha, because the Buddha is a great hero, a great man, and a great teacher. Only the Buddha is qualified to receive these three titles. Some of us sentient beings consider ourselves heroes, great men, and teachers, but in truth, we are not qualified. Only the Buddha can truly bear these titles.
What is meant by a great hero? A hero here does not mean brandishing a saber and wielding a sword, or subduing others by force. Rather, it means cultivating virtues that others cannot cultivate, enduring what others cannot endure, and bearing suffering that others cannot bear. In short, whatever others cannot do, you can do. If you can do what others can do, but cannot do what others cannot do, then you are not a great hero.
Like Shakyamuni Buddha, he cultivated merit and wisdom for three asamkhyeya kalpas and planted the seeds of his auspicious marks for a hundred kalpas. Throughout that long period, he was always diligent and never slackened. In the past, the Buddha practiced all kinds of ascetic austerities. Though they were painful, he never developed a mind of retreat, and ultimately attained Buddhahood. This is cultivating a practice that others cannot undertake.
What does it mean to endure what others cannot? In a past life, while the Buddha was cultivating the path, King Kalinga cut off his limbs. This was something some people could not bear, but he was able to endure it. Not only did he endure it, he also vowed, “When I become a Buddha, I will liberate you first.” Why did the Buddha make this vow? Because King Kalinga was his spiritual friend, helping him develop his bodhi mind and bring the fruition of the path to maturity. His compassion was truly great! Not only did he feel no hatred toward King Kalinga; on the contrary, he would liberate him first.
What does it mean to endure hardships that others cannot? We do not know how to repent. We think that eating only one meal a day and sleeping sitting up means we are practicing, and that this makes us “the most honored in all the heavens and beneath them.” Look at the Buddha practicing in the Snow Mountains: he ate only one sesame seed each day and did not feel that it was hardship, because he forgot himself for the sake of the Dharma. We have cow’s milk to drink, rice to eat, bread, and fresh vegetables. If we want savory food, we can add a little salt; if we want it to taste good, we can add some seasoning. Every day, our minds are preoccupied with food: “Will there be tofu to eat today?” If we keep indulging in thoughts about food and drink, how can we practice? Right now we are doing a Buddha-recitation retreat: our bodies are circumambulating the Buddha, our mouths are reciting the Buddha’s name, but our minds have gone down to the kitchen, wondering, “What will lunch be like today? Will anyone come to make offerings?” That is not a Buddha-recitation retreat; it is a “food retreat.”
We should reflect: the Buddha endured all kinds of suffering that others could not endure. That is what made him a great hero, a great man, and a great spiritual teacher worthy of being our teacher. Having such a heroic teacher, we should rejoice; we are truly fortunate. We should be disciples of this great hero and strive to take first place alongside the Buddha. The Buddha endured such hardship in the past—why can’t we endure it? We must become disciples of this great hero, so that we will not be ashamed before our own conscience.
The Buddha’s skillful means in teaching the Dharma consist of observing the capacities of sentient beings and guiding them accordingly; this Dharma-gate is difficult to fathom. The Buddha’s Dharma-gate of skillful means is not like the skillful means we sentient beings use. When the Buddha uses skillful means, sentient beings accept his teaching; when we sentient beings use skillful means, they do not accept our teaching. Why? It is a matter of “affinities”: the Buddha has formed affinities with sentient beings, so they are willing to accept his teaching. We have not formed affinities with them, so they are not happy to hear our teaching. From this perspective, we should form affinities with all beings far and wide and open the gate of skillful means widely—not add to their afflictions.
Over three asamkhyeya kalpas, the Buddha cultivated merit and wisdom; over a hundred kalpas, he cultivated the thirty-two marks of excellence and eighty auspicious characteristics. With his virtues and merits perfected, he transformed people through moral virtue, rather than coercing them into submission by force. Thus, in their hearts, sentient beings admired him, all respected him and placed their faith in him. Confucianism also says:
“If you use force to make people submit,
their hearts will not submit;
force is not virtuous.
If you use virtue to win people over,
their hearts will gladly and sincerely submit.”
From this, we can see that we must cultivate merit and wisdom in order to win people over. How should we cultivate them? Simply benefit everyone; that is cultivating merit. Cultivate your practice for your own benefit; that is cultivating wisdom. In other words, use Prajna wisdom to help yourself, and loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity to help others.
So, which expedient Dharma method should ultimately be used to suit the capacities of sentient beings? Only the Buddha knows. We sentient beings lack wisdom: what we think is right may turn out to be wrong, and what we think is wrong may turn out to be right. Therefore, skillful expedient Dharma methods are very difficult to fathom.
“Whatever is done is never in vain.” Every movement of the Buddha, down to his words and deeds, benefits sentient beings. Therefore, whatever he does is never in vain or useless. We sentient beings, however, do everything in vain, wasting our efforts, yet we ourselves do not realize it.
“[They] all enable sentient beings to extinguish their sufferings.” The Buddha’s only hope is to guide and transform sentient beings so they may leave suffering and attain happiness. The Buddha’s sole purpose is to save sentient beings and help them transcend birth and death. In this way, all the suffering and distress of sentient beings will cease.
“The Sandalwood Grove Medicine Lord Spirit understood it in this way.” Such principles, such realms—the Medicine Lord Spirit Sandalwood Grove clearly understood them and was therefore able to enter this liberation-gate.
You contemplate the Buddhas’ Dharma thus;
In times past, you diligently practiced for countless kalpas;
Yet in all realms, you cling to nothing;
This is the gateway entered by Radiance Apart from Dust;
Commentary: “Contemplate all the Buddha-Dharmas in this way.” Now, all sentient beings are being told to contemplate, to contemplate the Buddhas of the past, present, and future. The Dharma of all Buddhas of the three times is just like this. What does “just like this” mean? Put briefly, it means the three bodies, the four wisdoms, the five eyes, and the six supernatural powers. The Buddha’s miraculous transformations and the eighty-four thousand Dharma-doors are all just like this. And what does “just like this” mean? It means: “The path of words is cut off; the place where the mind functions is extinguished.” Hence the saying: “When the mouth would speak, the words scatter; when the mind would engage, thoughts vanish.” That is, there is nothing worth saying—this too is what “just like this” means. So, as for these Buddha-Dharmas, how can one attain such a Dharma? And how can one attain the Dharma of thusness, unmoving and ever clearly luminous? The sentence below explains it very clearly.
“In the past, they diligently cultivated for countless kalpas.” How did they attain such a Dharma? It was by diligently cultivating precepts, concentration, and wisdom, and eliminating greed, anger, and delusion, throughout countless kalpas in the past. From countless kalpas ago until the present, over such a long time, they diligently cultivated the various Dharmas, diligently cultivated this Dharma, and diligently cultivated this path. Therefore, only now have they attained such Buddhahood. Such attainment of Buddhahood is achieved through the two words “diligently cultivate.” When the Buddha cultivated the Way, he was diligent not only by day but also by night. In seeking the Dharma and attaining Buddhahood, he gave away everything, put the teachings reverently into practice, kept his feet firmly on the ground, and cultivated with utmost sincerity and earnestness.
“But does not cling to any of the realms.” The realms refer to the realms of the three planes of existence: the desire realm, the form realm, and the formless realm. The desire realm has fourteen realms: the four unfortunate destinies, the four great continents, and the six heavens. The form realm has seven realms: the four meditative heavens, the Heaven of No Thought, the Heaven of Pure Abode, and the Brahma Heaven. The formless realm has four realms: the Heaven of the Sphere of Infinite Space, the Heaven of the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness, the Heaven of the Sphere of Nothingness, and the Heaven of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception. Together, these make twenty-five realms. Not clinging means clinging neither to persons nor to phenomena; both forms of clinging are absent. If one clings to a self and to phenomena, one cannot attain liberation. Therefore, one clings to nothing at all.
“The Radiant Spirit of Freedom from Defilement enters this gate.” The Chief Medicine Spirit, Light of Freedom from Defilement, realized this gate of liberation.
The Buddha is difficult to encounter even in a hundred thousand kalpas;
If anyone can see him and hear his name,
All will surely gain benefit; none will pass by in vain.
This is what the Spirit of Universal Praise understands.
Commentary: “A Buddha is difficult to encounter even once in a hundred thousand kalpas.” The Buddha’s teachings are difficult to hear, a human body is difficult to obtain, and a virtuous spiritual friend is difficult to meet; therefore: “The Dharma, wondrous, profound, and unsurpassed,
Is difficult to encounter in hundreds of thousands of myriad kalpas.
Now that I have seen, heard, received, and upheld it,
May I understand the Tathāgata’s true meaning.” This Dharma is difficult to encounter even once in hundreds of thousands of myriad kalpas; it is not easy to meet a Buddha in hundreds of thousands of myriad kalpas. Sometimes we meet a Buddha and still do not recognize it, because our roots of goodness are not fully developed and our causes and conditions have not matured. Thus, we see as though we do not see, and hear as though we do not hear, and miss the opportunity. That is why it is said to be difficult to encounter. We only realize it after it has passed, but at the time, we do not know. Therefore: “Those involved are blind to it; impartial observers see clearly.” “If anyone is able to see the Buddha and hear his name.” If they encounter the Buddha or hear his name, those sentient beings will all obtain immeasurable benefits.
“All are beneficial; none are in vain.” All beings who see the Buddha or hear his name will not do so in vain. They will certainly receive benefits, enabling all beings to leave behind afflictions and attain liberation.
“This Dharma-door is understood by the Spirit of Universal Renown.” The Medicine-Ruling Spirit named Universally Heard Renown understood this liberation-door.
In every pore of the Tathagata,
Light shines forth, dispelling all calamities.
All worldly afflictions are made to vanish;
This is the gateway entered by the Manifest Light Spirit.
Commentary: “In every pore of the Tathagata.” From every pore of the Buddha, rays of wisdom light shine forth to expound the Dharma.
“[They] all emit radiant light to dispel every calamity.” When the Buddha raises a hand, lifts a foot, emits light, or causes the earth to tremble, there is always a cause and purpose: to benefit sentient beings and dispel their calamities. Calamities are inauspicious. The Buddha enables all sentient beings to attain auspiciousness and completely eradicate every calamity. The Buddha emits a great radiant light that shines upon all sentient beings. Every kind of sentient being can thereby benefit, be delivered from the Three Realms, understand birth and death and transcend them, and forever escape the suffering of cyclic existence.
“All worldly afflictions are purified.” There are many afflictions in the world, and they are not easily eliminated. However, the Buddha manifests great spiritual powers and dispels all the affliction-obstructions of sentient beings. When the affliction-obstructions are eliminated, wisdom will grow.
“The Benevolent Light God can enter this gate.” This realm was attained by the Lord of Medicine Gods, Mao Kong Xian Guang.
All sentient beings are blinded by delusion
Their confused karma brings sufferings innumerable and diverse
The Buddha removes them all and illumines wisdom
Thus the Darkness-Dispelling Deity is able to see.
Commentary: “All sentient beings are foolish and blind.” Sentient beings are truly pitiful: they think they have wisdom, when in fact they are the most foolish and confused of all. They enter the pit of birth and death without even realizing it. Why do they fall into the pit of birth and death? Because they are so foolish—foolish like blind people. A blind person can easily fall into a river or a well while walking, unaware of the danger of dying at any moment. We foolish sentient beings want to put an end to birth and death, yet we cannot find a way out. We do not know how we can realize birth and death and escape from it, or escape the six paths of rebirth.
“Delusion, karma, and suffering are infinitely diverse.” Delusion means ignorance. Because sentient beings give rise to delusion, create karma, and undergo retribution, they remain within the cycle of birth and death and cannot escape it. They turn round and round within it, not knowing what to do; therefore, the various sufferings are infinite and boundless.
“The Buddhas completely eradicate and open up wisdom.” Seeing how pitiable sentient beings are, the Buddhas therefore eradicate all their delusions, karma, suffering, and dark ignorance, like sunlight shining everywhere, enabling sentient beings to awaken great wisdom.
“Then the God of Breaking Darkness can see it.” This realm can be observed and seen by the Medicine Lord God Phá Ám Thanh Tịnh.
The Tathāgata’s single sound is immeasurable
It can open all seas of Dharma-gates
All sentient beings who hear it understand completely
This is the liberation of Great Sound, the liberation of Great Sound.
Commentary: “The Tathagata’s voice is immeasurable.” The Buddha expounds the Dharma with a single sound, and sentient beings of every kind can understand it; therefore, it is said to be without limit.
“Opens all the oceans of Dharma-doors.” This one sound contains all sounds, all dharmas, and all meanings; therefore, it is said to open all the oceans of Dharma-doors.
“All sentient beings who hear it understand clearly.” All sentient beings hear the Buddha’s voice as if seeing the sun and feeling its light shine upon them. They feel that the Buddha is preaching the Dharma just for them, and understand it completely and clearly.
“This liberation gate of Great Sound.” This realm was attained by the Medicine Lord Spirit Universally Uttering Roaring Sounds.
You contemplate the Buddha’s wisdom, inconceivable;
He manifests throughout all realms to save sentient beings;
He can transform everyone who sees him;
This is what Banner of the Sun has deeply realized;
Commentary: “Contemplate the Buddha’s wisdom, which is inconceivable.” You should contemplate how, from countless kalpas up to the present, the Buddha has continually cultivated great wisdom and great insight. His mind cannot be conceived or described. Our wisdom cannot reach this realm, which is why it is called inconceivable.
“Manifesting throughout the realms to save multitudes of beings.” The realms refer to the four evil destinies, that is, beings burdened with profoundly heavy karmic offenses. Moved by profound compassion, the Buddha sees the beings in these realms lost in delusion, and therefore uses his great spiritual power to manifest in all kinds of forms among them in order to teach and transform them.
In the asura realm, the Buddha manifests as an asura—stubborn and difficult to tame—and uses a form like theirs to teach and transform them, leading them to abandon evil and turn toward good. The same applies to the hell realms. In short, in whichever realm he is, the Buddha manifests in a form suited to that realm to teach and transform its beings, because this makes them easier to guide.
“Causing those who see him to be transformed.” The Buddha uses his spiritual powers to teach and transform sentient beings, so all sentient beings are moved by the Buddha to practice in accordance with the Dharma and not give rise to evil thoughts.
“This is the realization of Tế Nhật Tràng.” In this realm, the Medicine Lord deity Tế Nhật Tràng attained profound awakening.
The Tathagata’s great-compassion ocean of skillful means,
Appearing for the benefit of the world,
Broadly opening the right path and teaching sentient beings,
This is fully understood by the Deva Who Sees the Ten Directions.
Commentary: “The Tathagata’s great compassion is an ocean of skillful means.” The Buddha uses the Dharma-gate of great compassion and skillful means to save and deliver sentient beings. This Dharma-gate of skillful means is as vast as the ocean; hence it is called an ocean of skillful means.
“For the benefit of the world, he appears.” The Buddha appears in the world for the benefit of sentient beings, widely expounding the Dharma of skillful means and leading them onto the path of awakening to bodhi.
“Open wide the right path to teach sentient beings.” The right path means the true Dharma. The Buddha opens wide the true Dharma to show sentient beings the way to escape the Three Realms—that is, the way to the Pure Land of Eternal Quiescent Light.
“Attainment of the supernatural powers of seeing the ten directions.” This realm is fully comprehended and clearly understood by Minh Kiến Thập Phương, the Chief of the Medicine Gods.
The Tathagata universally emits great radiance;
There is nowhere in all ten directions that is not illuminated;
Causing those who recollect the Buddha to generate merit;
This is the liberation-gate of Manifesting Majestic Light.
Commentary: “The Tathagata universally emits great light.” The Buddha abides within the treasury of great light. All throughout empty space and the entire Dharma realm are within the Buddha’s treasury of great light; therefore, it is said that the Tathagata universally emits great light.
I explain this principle to you, but some people don’t believe it; demons will believe it, and gods will believe it too. Why? Because people are too intelligent—or you could say, too foolish. Those who are too intelligent go too far and don’t believe; those who are too foolish fall short and don’t believe either. What principle is this? It is the principle of a “library.” Libraries are everywhere in our human world. A library needs someone to manage and maintain it, to keep insects from infesting it and damaging it, and to keep it clean and beautiful. But some people take maintenance too far: they even take books from the library home and put them beside their beds to keep them safe. That, too, results in loss.
Someone says, “Dharma Master! The principles you teach aren’t profound at all. Everyone knows them; they’re very shallow.” Don’t be so quick to judge. Now I’ll talk about a profound principle. Take the Tripitaka, for example: it must be preserved intact. If this country is not at peace, it should be moved to another country for safekeeping. If that country is also not at peace, it should be moved to a peaceful country for safekeeping. If it is moved from place to place until one dies, who knows who will preserve that Tripitaka then?
At that point, someone might think, “What kind of principle is this? The more he talks, the more ordinary it sounds.” Right now, I’m talking about a library that is anything but ordinary. If you open your Dharma Eye, you will see libraries filling empty space throughout the Dharma Realm—who knows how many there are? Yet those libraries need no one to preserve them, and nothing is lost. Every day, countless Arhats and Bodhisattvas are there, reading the immeasurable Dharma treasuries. Every sage is there, reading sutras without ever finishing them. Yet those sutras need no preserving.
If a person does not have the Buddha Eye, Dharma Eye, or Wisdom Eye, they cannot know this realm. So if I speak of this realm, no one will believe me. I know you don’t believe it, but I cannot leave it unsaid. When the time comes to speak, I must speak.
So where are these scriptures? They are said to extend throughout all of space and the Dharma realm. Yet there is nothing at all in space—how can there be so many scriptures? You say there is nothing in space, but everything is also present in space; it is only that the blind cannot see the realm of wondrous existence. It is like the Tathagata radiating great light everywhere, while those without eyes cannot see it.
“Shining throughout all ten directions.” All sentient beings in the worlds of the ten directions are reached by the Buddha’s great light. Hence, “The Buddha’s light shines everywhere.” The Buddha’s radiance surpasses sunlight by tens of thousands of times. Sunlight illuminates the yang but not the yin, whereas the Buddha’s radiance illuminates not only the yang but also the yin. That is why it is said to shine everywhere.
“Cause them to recite the Buddha’s name and generate merit.” The Buddha can inspire all sentient beings to aspire to recite the Buddha’s name; reciting the Buddha’s name can eradicate all illnesses, all sins, and all karmic obstructions. Once the sins are eradicated and the illnesses are gone, merit will arise. When merit arises, they will develop the mind of bodhi, cultivate the unsurpassed path, and ultimately attain Buddhahood.
We cultivators of the Way should not set our sights too high or chase after what is too far away—once we reach high, we want to go higher; once we go far, we want to go even farther. We still do not clearly understand the matters right in front of us, yet from morning till night we keep wanting to know what the rocks on the moon are like. But we do not yet know the origin, composition, or structure of the rocks on Earth, so why must we know about the rocks on the moon? This is to abandon what is near in pursuit of what is distant, to abandon the root and seek the branches. The Buddha can do nothing for beings of this kind. What can be done? These beings have forgotten themselves and rely on others—in other words, they abandon their own land and cultivate someone else’s.
“This liberation of Universal Manifestation of Might.” This state was attained by the Medicine Spirit Lord Universal Manifestation of Might. Great Master Tiantai Zhiyi, while reciting the Lotus Sutra, came to the chapter “The Past Deeds of the Medicine King Bodhisattva” and recited: “This is true diligence; it is called making a true offering of the Dharma to the Tathagata.” At that moment, his body and mind suddenly opened up, and he entered samadhi, seeing that the Dharma assembly on Vulture Peak had still not dispersed. Great Master Zhiyi then went to Great Master Huisi to ask him to confirm his experience. The Master said: “Were it not for you, who would understand? Were it not for me, who would attest?”
It means:
It’s not that you haven’t awakened,
It’s not that I haven’t realized it.
He then transmitted the essential teachings of the school to him, who later became the third patriarch of the Tiantai school.
Furthermore, the Forest Spirit Who Spreads Flowers Like Clouds attained the liberation gate of the vast, boundless treasury of the ocean of wisdom.
Commentary: The Forest Lord Deity Who Spreads Flowers Like Clouds distributes seas of lotus flowers like clouds. He is the deity who commands and oversees the trees and forests. In Buddhism, large trees are called trees of ghosts and spirits, because ghosts and spirits all dwell in large trees. Therefore, whenever you encounter a large tree, you must be especially careful. This Tree Deity attained the liberation-door of the vast, boundless ocean treasury of wisdom. What is the ocean treasury of wisdom? Because wisdom is as vast as the sea, and within this ocean of wisdom are contained merits and virtues, which also radiate light, it is called the ocean treasury of wisdom.
The Forest Spirit Trạc Càn Thư Quang attained the liberation-gate of vast cultivation and universal purity.
Commentary: The Forest-Governing Deity Wondrous Stem, Radiant Tree Light can cause all the divine trees to grow ever larger and emit pure light. He cultivates the vast and pure Dharma method. Purity means having no defiled thoughts. What are defiled thoughts? They are impure thoughts about romantic love. Therefore, those who cultivate the Way must first practice cutting off desire and casting aside attachment to love. When this practice is perfected, everything is pure. The Forest-Governing Deity Wondrous Stem, Radiant Tree Light can enable all sentient beings everywhere to attain the undefiled, pure Dharma method. He has attained this liberation.
The Forest Spirit Who Causes Sprouts to Grow and Shine attained the liberation gate of increasing the sprouts of various kinds of pure faith.
Commentary: The Forest Lord Deity Who Brings Forth Radiant Sprouts can produce pure sprouts and radiate the light of wisdom. This radiance can nurture the sprout of pure faith in bodhi, enabling beings in the future to attain the fruit of bodhi. He attained this gateway to liberation.
The Auspicious Pure-Leaf Forest-Lord Deity, who attained the liberation gate of the treasury of adornments of all pure merits.
Commentary: The Forest-Lord Deity Auspicious Pure Leaf keeps the forest trees under his care both pure and dignified. In particular, he makes their leaves very clean—one could say they are untouched by even a speck of dust. He attained this liberation through the combined accumulation of three things: purity, merit, and dignity.
The Forest Spirit Who Spreads the Treasury of Flames attained the liberation gate of universally accessible pure wisdom, which constantly surveys the Dharma realm.
The Forest Spirit Flame Treasury of Hanging Draperies attained the liberation gate of universally pure wisdom, cultivated and perfected everywhere, and constantly roamed throughout the entire Dharma realm.
Teaching: The Forest Lord Spirit, Thùy Bố Diễm Tạng, has a treasury of flames that spreads forth. This blazing light shines throughout the ten directions, purifying all the trees and forests, as though they had attained wisdom. He is able to roam throughout the Dharma Realm. He has attained this liberation door.
The Forest-Lord Spirit Wondrous Adornment Light attained the liberation-gate of universally knowing the ocean of practices of all sentient beings and thereby raising clouds of Dharma.
Commentary: The Forest Lord Spirit Wondrous Adornment Light possesses subtly wondrous, adornment-radiating light. He knows all the oceans of practices and Dharma-gates cultivated by every sentient being, and spreads all the Dharma like clouds, enabling sentient beings to attain coolness. He attained this liberation.
The Forest Spirit King Pleasing Thunder Sound attained the liberation gate of patiently enduring all unpleasant sounds and proclaiming pure sounds.
Commentary: The Forest Spirit Chief, Pleasant Thunder Sound. “Pleasant” means having one’s wishes fulfilled. Although his voice is like thunder, it makes all beings who hear it feel joyful. He is able to patiently endure all unpleasant sounds. Pleasant sounds are agreeable sounds; unpleasant sounds are contrary sounds. Agreeable sounds bring joy, while contrary sounds are slanderous. Whether the sounds are pleasant or unpleasant, he can endure them all. He can also expound wondrous, pure sounds, enabling beings to understand the benefits of the Buddhadharma. He attained this liberation.
The Forest-Lord Spirit Incense Light Pervading attained the liberation gate of the realm of vast practices cultivated by manifesting traces throughout the ten directions.
Commentary: The Forest Spirit named Pervasive Fragrant Light has a faint fragrance and the radiance of wisdom that shines throughout the ten directions. Throughout the ten directions, he manifests all the practice-gates cultivated in the past. These realms of practice-gates are vast and boundless, inconceivable and indescribable. All habitual tendencies and faults have been completely remedied, leaving nothing behind; everything is pure and clear. He has attained this liberation-gate.
The Forest Spirit Wondrous Light Returning Its Radiance attained the liberation gate of benefiting the world through all meritorious Dharmas.
Commentary: The Forest Spirit Lord Wonderful Light Facing the Wonderful possesses wisdom-light that shines upon all the trees and forests of the great earth—which is also to shine upon all sentient beings. He uses all virtuous Dharma to benefit every sentient being in the world, enabling them all to gain benefit. He has attained this liberation.
The Flower-Fruit Radiance Forest-Lord Deva attained the liberation-gate of adorning the treasury of merits by enabling all beings to see Buddhas appear and to remain constantly reverent and mindful, never forgetting.
Commentary: The Forest-Lord Spirit Flower-Fruit Light Flavor can cause the Prajna of sentient beings to blossom, enabling them to bear the fruit of bodhi. He can radiate the light of Prajna and manifest the flavor of ghee. He has attained the realm of the Buddhas and can cause all sentient beings to encounter Buddhas appearing in this world. He is also always reverently mindful of the Buddhas, never forgetting them. Because he possesses merit and virtue, he is especially adorned; his accumulated merit and virtue has become a treasury. “Treasury” means that his merit and virtue encompass adornment, subtlety, and supremacy. He has attained this door of liberation.
When we study the Buddhadharma, we benefit only if we put even a little of what we learn into practice. If we study but do not practice, it is as though we had not studied at all. When we listen to sutras and teachings of the Dharma, we should put them into practice and faithfully follow the teachings. Do not fear knowing little; fear failing to practice. Knowing a great deal but not practicing is of no benefit either. Therefore, we must practice sincerely and diligently. Only then can we make progress; by gathering grains of sand, we can build a pagoda, and little by little attain the right fruition.
At Kim Son Monastery, sutras are explained and the Dharma is taught every day. You listen to the sutras and the Dharma every day, undeterred by wind or rain, and have never missed a session. Thus, the Buddhadharma at Kim Son Monastery is like the blood vessels in the human body—it must never be severed. I hope that after listening, all of you will practice in accordance with the principles of the Buddhadharma. Only by applying yourselves in this way will you avoid wasting your precious time. You are all young people, and it is truly rare for you to come here to study the Buddhadharma. If you do not practice earnestly, then it will have no value at all.
Whether one is a bhikshu, bhikshuni, novice monk, novice nun, layman, or laywoman, one should arouse great diligence and great courage to study the Buddhadharma, so as not to disappoint the resolve and vows one made at the outset. Look at the world today: there is nowhere that is peaceful, and everyone is apprehensive about a third world war. Everyone is filled with fear and wants to escape this calamity. People should turn the light inward and reflect, and reform their own minds. Then there may be a chance to avert disaster.
So, is the world in chaos? The world is not in chaos. Are people in chaos? People are not in chaos either. It is only people’s minds that are in chaos, making the world unsafe. We who study the Buddhadharma must awaken a genuine sense of responsibility and treat the sickness of the mind: greed, anger, and delusion. If everyone were free of these three poisons, families would be happy, society would be secure, our nation would be prosperous and strong, and the world would be at peace. Then the world would become one of great unity.
At present, Buddhism in Asia is declining more and more, while Buddhism in America is flourishing more and more. If we want Buddhism to flourish, we must truly devote ourselves to cultivation. Therefore, we who are monastics and laypeople at Gold Mountain Monastery should not be lax or lazy. Let us all cultivate together: when there is work to do, let everyone do it; when there is Dharma to study, let everyone study it. Do not be jealous or obstructive. Otherwise, there is little meaning in living here. We eat only one meal a day and sleep sitting up; if we do not truly devote ourselves to cultivation, then this has no value. Good and wise friends! Time is precious and must not be allowed to slip away carelessly. We must constantly alert ourselves and ask: What am I doing here?
At that time, the Forest Spirit Who Spread Flowers Like Clouds, empowered by the Buddha’s might, gazed upon all the assemblies of Forest Spirits and spoke these verses:
Commentary: At that time, the Forest Spirit Lord Flowers Spread Like Clouds, relying on the Buddha’s great majestic spiritual power, surveyed the entire assembly of Forest Spirit Lords and again used verses to explain the foregoing principles that had not yet been fully expounded.
The Buddha in the past cultivated the practices of Bodhi.
Merit and wisdom were all brought to completion;
All powers were fully possessed
Great light radiated, appearing in the world.
Commentary: “In the past, the Buddha cultivated the bodhi practices.” In the past, the Buddha practiced and accumulated bodhi practices, progressing from near to far, from shallow to deep. In the past, the Buddha and all of us were ordinary beings; the difference was that the Buddha diligently and vigorously cultivated all kinds of practices. Before the Buddha began practicing, there were no bodhi practices. But gradually, he accumulated and cultivated them, and so they “came to exist from nonexistence.” Later, he cultivated all kinds of bodhi practices, and so they “multiplied from one into many.” With one bodhi practice, many bodhi practices gathered together. When the Buddha practiced, he did not neglect even a small good deed. Even a good deed as small as a hair’s breadth was something he would do to create merit. Thus, the little accumulated into much. The ascetic practices the Buddha undertook were not something everyone could endure. Some people could not practice them, but he could; thus, his bodhi practices accumulated and grew numerous.
“Merit and wisdom are both perfected.” The Buddha cultivated complete merit, and his wisdom was also complete; this is called having both merit and wisdom complete. Merit is perfected, and wisdom is also perfected; this is called the perfection of both merit and wisdom.
“All the powers are complete.” The Buddha has fully and perfectly cultivated the ten powers; only a Buddha can fully cultivate all ten powers. These ten powers have already been explained earlier.
“Emitting great radiance, he appeared in the world.” After the Buddha practiced and attained Buddhahood, he immediately emitted great radiance and appeared in the world to teach and transform sentient beings, telling them: “The sea of suffering is vast; turn back, and you will reach the shore.”
The gate of compassion is immeasurable, equal to sentient beings,
In former times, the Tathāgata universally purified and upheld [it],
Therefore, the Tathāgata can benefit the world
This is what the Trạc Cán Spirit has realized.
“The gates of compassion are as innumerable as sentient beings.” Compassion relieves the suffering of all sentient beings. The gates of compassion are countless and boundless; that is, however many sentient beings there are, there are that many gates of compassion.
“In the past, the Tathagata universally purified and regulated.” “Tathagata” means “one who follows the true and real path and comes to attain right enlightenment.” In the past, the Buddha cultivated all manner of practices, thereby purifying and regulating every practice.
“Therefore, [he] can benefit the world.” For this reason, the Buddha, while in the world, benefits all sentient beings. What benefit? He enables sentient beings to leave suffering and attain happiness.
If sentient beings behold the Buddha even once,
They are all made to enter the ocean of profound faith.
He universally reveals the path of all Tathāgatas.
This is the liberation of the Spirit of Wondrous Teeth.
Commentary: “If there are sentient beings who encounter the Buddha.” It is not easy for sentient beings to encounter the Buddha; it is even harder to hear the Buddha’s teachings. Wherever there is a stupa or temple and one sees an image of the Buddha, those who do so are people with great roots of goodness. Those without roots of goodness have no opportunity to encounter the Buddha, hear the Dharma, or see the Sangha. The Three Jewels—the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha—are not easy to encounter. If sentient beings encounter the Buddha or an image of the Buddha, it is thanks to the roots of goodness they planted in previous lives.
“They all lead them into the ocean of deep faith.” They are sure to enable those sentient beings to clearly understand the Buddhadharma and have deep faith in it, with faith as vast as the ocean, never regressing or drying up.
“To open up and reveal all the paths of the Tathagata.” The Buddha compassionately instructs all sentient beings, enabling them to understand the path of Buddhist practice and attain Buddhahood.
“This liberation belongs to the Wondrous Sprout Spirit.” This gateway of liberation was attained by the Forest Spirit Who Causes Sprouts to Emerge and Radiance to Shine.
All the merits gathered in a single hair,
Proclaimed through an ocean of kalpas, they can never be exhausted;
The skillful means of all Buddhas are inconceivable;
Auspicious Pure Leaf can illuminate this profound meaning;
Commentary: “A pore gathers all merits.” Within a single pore of the Buddha, the lands of the ten directions are manifested. This realm is not something ordinary beings can comprehend; within a single pore of the Buddha, all merits can be gathered.
“Even an ocean of kalpas would not suffice to extol it.” One cannot speak of kalpas as numerous as the ocean; even extolling the merit of a single pore of the Buddha could never be exhausted. Why can it not be exhausted? Because it is immeasurable and boundless.
“The Buddhas’ skillful means are inconceivable.” Therefore, the realm of the Buddha’s Dharma gate of skillful means is inconceivable.
“Tịnh Diệp understands this principle.” The Forest Lord Deity, Auspicious Pure Leaf, understood this profound principle.
I recall the Tathagata in times past,
Making offerings to countless Buddhas, as numerous as dust motes in the worlds.
In the presence of each Buddha, wisdom gradually grew clear:
This is what the Flame Treasury God realized.
Commentary: “I remember the Tathāgata from the past.” The Forest Lord Deity, Hanging Banner of the Flame Treasury, said, “I remember the Tathāgata from immeasurable kalpas ago.” “Making offerings to countless Buddhas, as numerous as dust particles.” I once used all kinds of things as gifts to make offerings to Buddhas as numerous as the dust particles in the lands.
“At every place, the Buddha’s wisdom gradually shines brighter.” At each place where the Buddha has made offerings, merit is adorned, and wisdom is adorned; merit and wisdom are both complete, and the radiance of wisdom grows brighter and brighter.
“This is what the Flame Treasury God has realized.” This realm is clearly understood by the Forest Lord God, Hanging Banner of Flame Treasury.
The oceans of practices of all sentient beings—
The World-Honored One knows them all in a single thought.
Such vast, unobstructed wisdom—
The Spirit of Wondrous Adornment can realize and enter.
Commentary: “The oceans of practices of all sentient beings.” “All sentient beings” means those born from wombs, eggs, moisture, and transformation; all are included therein. “Oceans of practices” means all the actions of each sentient being, the karma created by each sentient being, and the thoughts of each sentient being. Thus, “giving rise to delusion, creating karma, and receiving retribution”: because they create immeasurable and boundless karma, they therefore receive immeasurable and boundless karmic retribution.
“The World-Honored One knows all things clearly in a single thought.” In a single thought, the Buddha fully knows the minds of sentient beings; therefore: “All the minds of all sentient beings, however many kinds there may be, the Tathagata knows and sees.” Therefore, there is nothing the Buddha does not know or see.
“Such vast unobstructed wisdom.” Wisdom unobstructed, vast and boundless like that.
“The Deity of Wondrous Adornment realized and entered.” This gate of liberation was clearly understood and entered by the Forest Lord Deity Wondrous Adornment Light.
Ever proclaiming the Tathagata’s serene, wondrous sound,
Universally giving rise to unsurpassed great joy,
According to their understanding and desires, leading them all to awakening
This is the Dharma practiced by Thunder Sound.
Commentary: “Constantly proclaiming the Tathagata’s tranquil, wondrous sound.” Constant and unchanging, it proclaims the Tathagata’s tranquil, wondrous sound. The Tathagata’s sound is tranquil and wondrous.
“It brings forth incomparable joy in all.” Or, it causes all sentient beings to experience a great joy beyond compare.
“According to their preferences, all are made to understand and awaken.” Sentient beings hear the Tathagata’s tranquil, wondrous voice; following its sound, they rejoice, and all understand this profound principle and attain awakening. Therefore: “The Buddha expounds the Dharma with a single voice;
Sentient beings of every kind understand it.” “This is Lei Yin’s cultivation method.” This method was practiced by the Forest God Lord, Ke Yi Lei Yin.
The Tathagata manifests great spiritual powers;
The lands of the ten directions are all pervaded
The Buddha’s former practices are all made visible
This is the gateway entered by Universal Fragrance Light
Commentary: “The Thus Come One manifests great spiritual powers.” The Thus Come One is the Buddha, the Buddha is the World-Honored One, and the World-Honored One is the Thus Come One. These are three names for one essence; though the titles are many, in truth they all refer to the Buddha. “Buddha” is half a Sanskrit word; its full form is Buddhaya, meaning “the awakened one,” that is, one who is enlightened. The Buddha is the wisest person in the world and beyond the world. Yet, having wisdom himself, he also teaches sentient beings to have wisdom; having become a Buddha himself, he also teaches sentient beings to become Buddhas. Therefore, it is said that Buddhism is a teaching for humanity, a teaching for sentient beings. Because the Buddha Dharma is vast and boundless, whether or not you believe in the Buddha, you are still within Buddhism; you cannot go beyond its bounds. Thus, all sentient beings have the opportunity to become Buddhas—it is only a matter of sooner or later.
Buddhism is the most egalitarian and impartial. Whoever practices in accordance with the Buddhadharma will attain wisdom. Those who do not practice will not attain true wisdom. Those who attain true wisdom will attain true liberation, and those who attain true liberation will leave suffering and find joy.
Why are we sentient beings still sentient beings? Because we are upside down and confused, taking right for wrong and wrong for right. When we cannot clearly distinguish right from wrong, it is very easy to do things in a confused, upside-down way. When we study the Buddhadharma, we are learning not to be upside down. Not being upside down means attaining purity; attaining purity means peace and joy.
The Buddha, without moving from the place of enlightenment, manifests great spiritual powers: transforming emptiness into existence and existence into emptiness, with transformations without end and concealment and manifestation difficult to fathom.
“Throughout all the worlds in the ten directions.” The Buddha manifests the Dharma Body everywhere in all the worlds of the ten directions.
“In the past, all the Buddha’s practices of cultivation enabled [beings] to see.” The practices the Buddha cultivated in former times enabled all sentient beings to see them fully.
“The Spirit of Universal Fragrance and Light entered this gate.” This liberation gate was entered by the Forest Spirit Fragrance Light Pervading Everywhere.
Sentient beings are deceitful and secretive, and do not cultivate virtue;
Deluded, they sink and drift in the midst of birth and death;
For their sake, he clearly expounds the paths of wisdom;
This is what the Deity of Wondrous Light sees;
Commentary: “Living beings who are sycophantic do not cultivate virtue.” The sycophantic do not speak truthfully; the minds of living beings are not upright, and they like to speak falsely, so they do not cultivate virtue. Teach them to be upright in mind and cultivate the right path, but they cannot learn it easily. If you teach them to be crooked in mind and cultivate a heretical path, they will understand it thoroughly. Why? Because everyone has a crooked mind. Hence it is said, “Living beings who are sycophantic do not cultivate virtue.” “Deluded and sunk in the cycle of birth and death.” Delusion means not clearly understanding principle and phenomena. Delusion and doubt regarding principle are view-delusions; delusion and doubt regarding phenomena are thought-delusions. Because one does not understand clearly and is deluded, one sinks into the sea of suffering in birth and death.
“Because they elucidate the paths of wisdom.” For the sake of those deluded sentient beings, the Buddha expounds and clearly explains all the principles of the path of wisdom, enabling them to awaken and understand, and attain the path to bodhi.
“This is what the Deva of Wondrous Light sees.” This realm was seen by the Forest-Lord Deva Wondrous Light Turning to Radiance.
The Buddha, for sentient beings burdened by karmic obstructions
Endures for a hundred million kalpas before appearing;
Thereafter, moment after moment, he continually enables them to see him
This is what the Radiance Deity observed.
Commentary: “The Buddha is here because sentient beings’ karmic obstacles are heavy.” The Buddha never forgets, even for a moment, sentient beings whose karmic obstacles are profound and heavy. At every moment, he wishes to save them from the sea of suffering. However, sentient beings’ karmic obstacles are so profound and heavy that they cannot form a spiritual communion through mutual response.
“Only after hundreds of millions of kalpas does a Buddha appear.” Because sentient beings’ karmic obstructions are so heavy, it takes a long time—even hundreds of millions of kalpas—before a Buddha appears in the world.
“Cause them to often encounter the Buddha.” All sentient beings wish, in every thought, to encounter the Buddha, and the Buddha, too, in every thought, causes sentient beings to continually see him.
“This is what the Light Deity observed.” The Flower-Fruit Radiance Forest-Lord Deity observed this principle, this realm.
Furthermore, the Jeweled Peak Flower-Opening Mountain Spirit attained the liberation gate of the light of great stillness and meditation.
Commentary: The Mountain-Lord Spirit Treasure Peak Blossoms Open can cause great lotus flowers to bloom on the jeweled mountain peak where he lives. They are not only fresh and beautiful, but also majestic. He is the spirit who governs the mountain. Without a spirit to govern it, the mountain would shift; now that it has one, it does not dare to move. Most Mountain-Lord Spirits are the rulers of the beasts in the mountains, such as tigers, who are called mountain gods. This Mountain-Lord Spirit attained the radiance of great stillness and concentration. Great stillness and concentration means being peacefully still and unmoving. He radiates light while in concentration to watch over the mountain, and he attained this liberation-door.
Flower Grove Wondrous Topknot, the Mountain Spirit, attained the liberation-gate of cultivating loving-kindness to ripen the wholesome roots of an inconceivable number of sentient beings.
Commentary: The Forest Lord Spirit Flower Grove Wondrous Topknot: All the mountains under his care bloom with splendid flowers. On his head is a wondrous, dignified topknot. He practices and learns from roots of goodness, bringing wholesome roots to maturity. He can rescue an inconceivable number of sentient beings from the sea of suffering, and he has attained this liberation.
The Mountain Spirit, High Banner of Universal Illumination, attained the liberation gate of observing what all sentient beings delight in and adorning and purifying their faculties.
Commentary: The Mountain Spirit Chief, Lofty Banner Universally Shining: His lofty banner radiates light, illuminating the bodies of all sentient beings. He observes the minds of all sentient beings and joyfully provides them with whatever they desire. Then he also adorns and purifies the six faculties—the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind. The six faculties are made pure and dignified by upholding the precepts: the eyes do not casually look at beautiful forms, the ears do not casually listen to sounds, the nose does not casually smell fragrances, the tongue does not casually taste flavors, the body does not casually make contact with sensations, and the mind does not casually cognize phenomena. He attained this liberation.
The Mountain Spirit Chief Immaculate Jewel Topknot attained the liberation gate of tireless diligence throughout boundless oceans of eons.
Commentary: Lord of the Mountain Spirit, Jewel Crown Beyond the Dust, has left the mundane world and attained a cool, serene realm. Adorned with a topknot of seven treasures, He is untouched by even a speck of dust, pure and radiant. He saw that throughout the boundless ocean of kalpas, the Buddha was always diligently cultivating the path, never growing weary, advancing with vigorous diligence at every moment. Through this, He attained this liberation.
The Mountain Spirit Who Illuminates the Ten Directions attained the liberation gate of universal awakening through the light of boundless merit.
Commentary: The Mountain Spirit Lord, Radiance Illuminating the Ten Directions—his wisdom light shines throughout the worlds in the ten directions. He uses boundless, immeasurable light of merit and virtue to illuminate all sentient beings. When all beings see this radiance, they can awaken. They awaken to the fact that the Saha world has much suffering and little joy, while the Land of Ultimate Bliss has only joy and no suffering. He attained this liberation Dharma door.
The Mountain-Lord Spirit of Great Power and Radiance attained the liberation gate of being able to mature himself and further cause sentient beings to abandon ignorance and delusion.
Commentary: The Mountain-Lord Spirit Great Strength Radiant Light has the power to move mountains and emits an intensely brilliant light, causing the demons, ghosts, and goblins in the mountains, as well as all manner of spirits, to dare not cause trouble. He himself perfected the unsurpassed, complete fruit of enlightenment, and also enables all sentient beings to abandon foolish, deluded conduct, awaken great wisdom, and clearly discern right from wrong. He attained this liberation gate.
The Mountain Spirit Lord of Majestic Light and Universal Victory attained the liberation gate of eliminating all suffering without remainder.
Commentary: The Mountain Spirit Chief Awe-Inspiring Light Universally Supreme: His great awe-inspiring light pervades everywhere and is supreme. He attained the state of understanding that the Buddha relieves all the suffering of sentient beings and enables them all to attain peace and happiness. He can cause sentient beings to suffer no more, completely eradicating their suffering. He attained this liberation-door.
The Mountain Spirit, Master of the Secret Light Wheel, attained the liberation gate of expounding the Dharma whose radiance reveals the virtues of all Tathagatas.
Commentary: The Mountain Spirit Lord of the Subtle and Secret Light Wheel has a wondrous, closely woven wheel of light. This wheel of light emits immeasurable rays of wisdom, illuminating the sentient and insentient beings in the mountains, all of whom can hear the Buddha’s Dharma. He expounds all the teachings, the Tripiṭaka, and all the scriptures in the twelve divisions. He uses light to teach the Dharma and to reveal all the virtues the Tathāgata cultivated in the past. He attained this gateway to liberation.
We ordinary people have not attained supernatural powers, and so we cannot understand this realm. If we were to attain the five eyes and six spiritual powers, we would see that within the light there are Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Sound Hearers, and Pratyekabuddhas, as well as all kinds of sentient beings. There are sages within it expounding the Dharma, and sentient beings there listening to the Dharma. This is an inconceivable realm.
All the eminent monks of ancient times possessed wondrous spiritual powers. During the Jin dynasty, an eminent monk named Tripitaka Master Fotucheng manifested all kinds of spiritual powers in order to transform the murderers Shi Le and Shi Hu. This led the two men to sincerely embrace Buddhism and reform their cruel, evil natures. In modern times, Venerable Master Xuyun also possessed wondrous spiritual powers. Those who wish to know more may read Venerable Master Xuyun’s autobiography.
The Mountain Spirit of Universal-Eye Manifestation has attained the liberation-gate of causing all sentient beings, even in dreams, to increase their roots of goodness.
Commentary: The Mountain-Ruling Spirit Universal Eye Manifesting in Sight can observe all realms that appear, whether near or far. He has attained the realm of the Buddhas, enabling all sentient beings not only to do good while awake, increase their roots of goodness, cultivate merit and wisdom, give alms, teach the Dharma, and benefit sentient beings, but also to receive the benefits of the Dharma in their dreams. He teaches sentient beings about suffering, emptiness, impermanence, non-self, and so on. When they awaken, they immediately realize the path and its fruits. This is the liberation he has attained.
Sometimes Buddhas and Bodhisattvas appear in sentient beings’ dreams as terrifying yakshas or rakshasas to threaten them. The person who is threatened becomes afraid and thinks, “I must quickly begin cultivating. This is the demon of impermanence come to disturb me; I have no way to deal with it.” Thus, they develop the resolve to cultivate the Way.
Do not think that being frightened in a dream is an inauspicious omen. In fact, it is most auspicious, because it teaches you to bring forth the bodhi resolve and clearly understand that human life is illusory. In this way, it enables you to increase your roots of goodness, bring forth the bodhi mind, seek the unsurpassed Way, and attain the fruit of bodhi. This is a skillful means of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
The Mountain Spirit Vajra Firm Eye Lord attained the liberation gate of manifesting an infinite ocean of great meanings.
Commentary: The Mountain-Lord Spirit Vajra Firm Eye—his eyes shine like vajra and are exceedingly firm; nothing can break them. With these vajra-firm eyes, he clearly perceives all demon kings, yakshas, rakshasas, ghosts, and monsters. Because he has this kind of power, the mountains under his charge are all very peaceful and secure. He manifests the great Dharma’s immeasurable and boundless meanings, profound and vast as the ocean, and attained this gate of liberation.
At that time, the Flower-Opening, Earth-Adorning Mountain Spirit, relying on the Buddha’s majestic power, surveyed the entire assembly of mountain-lord spirits and spoke this verse: At that time, the Mountain Lord Spirit Jewel Peak Blossoming Flowers, relying on the Buddha’s majestic power, surveyed all the Mountain Lord Spirits and spoke this verse: Commentary: At that time, the Mountain Spirit Chief Jewel Peak in Bloom, relying on the Buddha Shakyamuni’s great awesome spiritual power, surveyed all the Mountain Spirit Chiefs in the Flower Garland assembly. Why does it not say that it was through his own strength or his own spiritual powers? Because Shakyamuni Buddha was the Dharma assembly’s presiding teacher, it was said this way out of respect. These ten Mountain Spirit Chiefs represented the boundless, innumerable assembly of Mountain Spirit Chiefs and served as their leaders. If every one of them were to speak, it would probably never come to an end, even throughout the ages to come. This verse was spoken by the Mountain Spirit Chief Jewel Peak in Bloom, while each of the other Mountain Spirit Chiefs spoke a verse praising the Buddha’s realm.
The excellent practices cultivated in the past were boundless;
Now the spiritual powers attained are likewise immeasurable.
The Dharma gates are vast in number, like dust motes;
May all sentient beings deeply awaken and rejoice.
Commentary: “In the past, he cultivated superior practices without limit.” Long ago, the Buddha cultivated all kinds of superior practices. Yet these superior practices had no bounds and were beyond number.
“Therefore, the supernatural powers he attained are also immeasurable.” Because in the past the Buddha cultivated boundless superior practices, the supernatural powers he attained were likewise immeasurable and impossible to fathom.
“The Dharma doors are as numerous as dust motes.” The Dharma doors are opened up on a vast scale, as numerous as dust motes. Why must there be so many Dharma doors? Because sentient beings are as numerous as dust motes, Dharma doors as numerous as dust motes are used to teach and transform sentient beings as numerous as dust motes.
“They all cause sentient beings to deeply realize and rejoice.” Although the Dharma methods are as numerous as dust particles, they enable all sentient beings to fully understand the true meaning of the Buddha-Dharma, deeply realize it, and give rise to joy.
All the marks adorning the body pervade the world,
The radiance of every pore is entirely pure,
Great compassion and skillful means reveal everything,
Flower Grove Wondrous Topknot realized this Dharma-gate.
Commentary: “The marks adorn the body throughout all the worlds.” The marks refer to the thirty-two auspicious marks and eighty features of beauty. To adorn the body means to adorn the Buddha’s body; throughout all the worlds means pervading every world. The Buddha’s body is radiant with incomparable auspicious marks; it is nowhere absent and nowhere not present, and thus extends throughout all the worlds.
“The light from every pore is pure.” Each pore of the Buddha emits immeasurable light. Within those immeasurable lights, immeasurable lights are emitted again, in endless varieties. The lights shine upon one another, illuminating all worlds and making them pure.
“Great compassion and skillful means reveal all.” The Buddha uses the mind of great loving-kindness and compassion to bestow every kind of joy on sentient beings and free them from all suffering. The Buddha uses various skillful means and Dharma practices to inspire sentient beings to give rise to faith, vows, and practice. He also uses various skillful means and Dharma practices to instruct and reveal the truth to sentient beings, enabling them to awaken to the worldly dharmas of impermanence, suffering, emptiness, no-self, and impurity, and to the transcendent dharmas of permanence, bliss, self, purity, and non-emptiness.
“Flower-Grove Wonderful Topknot realized this gate.” The Mountain-Lord Spirit Flower-Grove Wonderful Topknot realized this gate of liberation.
The Buddha’s body appears universally, without bounds;
It fills all the worlds in the ten directions;
His faculties are adorned and pure; those who see him rejoice;
This Dharma of the High Banner can be realized and entered;
Commentary: “The Buddha’s body manifests everywhere, without bounds.” The Buddha’s Dharma body extends throughout all of space and pervades the entire Dharma realm. There is not even a speck of dust anywhere where the Buddha’s Dharma body is not present; hence it is said that the Buddha’s body manifests everywhere, without bounds.
“The worlds in the ten directions are all fully pervaded.” The Buddha’s Dharma Body does not appear in just one world; rather, all the worlds in the ten directions are pervaded by the Buddha’s Dharma Body.
“His faculties are adorned and pure, a delight to behold.” The Buddha’s thirty-two major marks and eighty minor characteristics are all majestic and pure. Any sentient being who sees the Buddha gives rise to joy.
“This Dharma is one that High Banner can realize and enter.” The Mountain Spirit Lord High Banner Universal Illumination has thoroughly understood and entered this realm of liberation.
Through kalpas, diligently cultivate without weariness;
Be undefiled by worldly dharmas, like space;
By every kind of skillful means, transform sentient beings
Realize this Dharma-door, named Jeweled Topknot.
Commentary: “For many kalpas, he diligently cultivated without becoming indolent.” Many kalpas means immeasurable great kalpas, that is, from beginningless kalpas until now. To cultivate diligently means not to become indolent, but to practice diligently at every moment. The Buddha passed through immeasurable great kalpas, diligently practicing without becoming indolent, growing ever more diligent.
During a Buddha-recitation retreat, we begin at four in the morning and do not stop until ten at night. There is no time to rest throughout the day; we devote ourselves to reciting the Buddha’s name. That is diligent cultivation. Diligently cultivating precepts, concentration, and wisdom will eliminate greed, anger, and delusion. This is a fundamental Dharma practice in Buddhism.
During a Chan meditation retreat, we do not let even a single second go to waste. You may attain enlightenment in that single second, so you must be even more diligent. We begin as early as half past two in the morning and do not go to bed until midnight. Each day, we sleep only a little over two hours. That is diligent cultivation. Why endure such hardship? Because austere practice is the key to attaining enlightenment; it can open the door to wisdom.
Our periods of diligent cultivation have set durations: a Buddha-recitation retreat lasts one week, while a Chan meditation retreat lasts two weeks (later extended to three weeks). But the Buddha has no fixed schedule; he is diligent day after day, month after month, year after year—in other words, diligent at every moment, without the slightest slackening.
“Not defiled by worldly phenomena, like empty space.” Worldly phenomena are wealth, sex, fame, food, and sleep—the five desires. Empty space is pure and undefiled. The Buddha knows only to diligently cultivate supramundane Dharma; therefore, he is not defiled by worldly phenomena, just like empty space.
We worldly people like to eat delicious food, wear beautiful clothes, and live in good houses. Because we are attached to such defiled things, our practice of the supramundane Dharma does not succeed. If we regard worldly Dharma as important, then supramundane Dharma becomes less important; if we regard supramundane Dharma as important, then worldly Dharma becomes less important. This principle is very simple: as long as we can let go of the five desires, every problem can be resolved.
“Using all kinds of skillful means to transform the multitudes of beings.” Because the Buddha diligently cultivated the unsurpassed Way and was not tainted by worldly dharmas, he attained Buddhahood. After becoming a Buddha, he used all kinds of skillful Dharma methods to teach and transform living beings. Why did he use all kinds of skillful Dharma methods? Because living beings are so numerous and diverse: there are the four forms of birth, the nine kinds of existence, and twelve different categories. Therefore, he used all kinds of skillful Dharma methods to teach and transform living beings.
“I have realized this Dharma-gate called Precious Topknot.” The Mountain-Lord Spirit who realized this liberation-gate is named Mountain-Lord Spirit Dust-Free Precious Topknot. He clearly understood this realm.
Sentient beings, blind and deluded, enter the perilous path;
The Buddha, taking pity on them, spreads light to shine upon them;
He causes all the world to awaken from sleep;
Uy Quang, upon encountering this, feels joy in his heart;
Commentary: “Sentient beings, blind in darkness, enter a perilous path.” Sentient beings means all creatures with blood and breath—you, me, and them; it encompasses them all. Blind in darkness means having no eyes and being unable to see the light. A perilous path is a dangerous, narrow, uneven road. Sentient beings are extremely ignorant. Although they want to walk on a level road, because they have no eyes, they walk along a road shrouded in darkness. That perilous path is not only full of pits and holes, but also rocks; there may be jackals, wolves, tigers, and leopards, or demons and ghosts. Yakshas and rakshasas may also be waiting for you along the perilous path.
All sentient beings in the world originally wish to seek wholesome teachings to cultivate and attain liberation. However, because they are so ignorant, they do not even recognize good teachings, and so they easily stray onto deviant paths and fall into heterodox schools and false ways without realizing it. They believe that the teachings they practice are the true Dharma and that the path they follow is the true path. As a result, after death they fall into hell, still unaware that they have taken a perilous road. Therefore, those who cultivate the Way must have the discernment to choose the Dharma, so that they can proceed along the right path and go straight to Nirvana.
“The Buddha, out of compassion for them, emits rays of light.” The Buddha takes pity on sentient beings who are blind and in darkness, so he emits light to shine upon them, enabling them to open the eye of wisdom. Do not take right for wrong or wrong for right; still less should you take black for white or white for black. Leave behind inverted, deluded thoughts and attain ultimate Nirvana.
“Awaken all who sleep throughout the world.” The Buddha radiates light that shines upon sentient beings, so that beings in the world may awaken from their dreams and clearly understand that the world is suffering and impermanent.
“Majestic Radiance gives rise to joy upon realization.” In this realm, the Mountain-Lord Deity Radiance Illuminating the Ten Directions clearly understands and realizes it, and therefore gives rise to great joy.
Of old, he practiced extensively among all realms of existence;
He made offerings to countless Buddhas, as numerous as the dust of worlds;
He caused the sentient beings who saw him to make great vows;
This ground, Great Strength can clearly enter;
Commentary: “Long ago, he practiced throughout the vast realms.” In the past, before the Buddha became a Buddha, he was just like us. In the twenty-five realms within the Three Realms, the Buddha aroused vast aspirations and vows and cultivated extensive practices; thus he became a Buddha.
“Making offerings to Buddhas as numerous as the dust particles in countless worlds.” How did the Buddha practice in ancient times? He made offerings to many Buddhas, as numerous as the dust particles. Why must we make offerings to the Buddha? Because the Buddha is the most virtuous of all beings, both in the world and beyond it; he is the most accomplished in spiritual practice and the wisest. The Buddha is the great sage, the Honored One Perfect in Both Blessings and Wisdom, fully enlightened. His blessings are complete, and his wisdom is complete; he attained the fruition of perfect, supreme enlightenment. Therefore, we must make offerings to the Buddha.
Someone said, “I want to make offerings to sentient beings. Is that all right?” Yes! Feeding a dog or a cat is also making an offering, but it brings no merit. The Sutra in Forty-Two Sections explains this very clearly: Making offerings to one hundred evil people is not as meritorious as making an offering to one good person; making offerings to one thousand good people is not as meritorious as making an offering to one person who observes the five precepts; making offerings to ten thousand people who observe the five precepts is not as meritorious as making an offering to one Bhikshu or Bhikshuni; making offerings to one million Bhikshus or Bhikshunis is not as meritorious as making an offering to one sage who has attained the first fruition; making offerings to ten million sages who have attained the first fruition is not as meritorious as making an offering to one sage who has attained the second fruition; making offerings to one hundred million sages who have attained the second fruition is not as meritorious as making an offering to one sage who has attained the third fruition; making offerings to ten billion sages who have attained the third fruition is not as meritorious as making an offering to one sage who has attained the fourth fruition, an Arhat; making offerings to innumerable Arhats who have attained the fourth fruition is not as meritorious as making an offering to one who neither cultivates nor attains (that is, a Buddha, who has no need to cultivate or attain). This is because the Buddha has completed all that there is to do and will no longer take on a future body. The Three Awakenings are complete, and the myriad virtues are perfected; therefore, one should make offerings to the Buddha.
Therefore, when the Buddha cultivated the path at the causal stage, he did not make offerings to just one Buddha, but to immeasurable Buddhas, as numerous as dust particles in the realms. By making offerings to so many Buddhas, he increased immeasurable roots of goodness and adorned himself with auspicious marks.
“Cause sentient beings to make great vows.” Cause sentient beings to see the Buddha and all make great vows. A vow is like a boat for crossing a river; without making a vow, one cannot cross the river of birth and death and reach the other shore. Therefore, the rules of our Jinshan Monastery state that anyone who leaves home as a novice monk or novice nun must make great vows before attaining a great fruition. Without making vows, one cannot attain fruition. Bodhisattva Samantabhadra made ten great vows of practice; Bodhisattva Guanyin made twelve great vows; and Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha made eighteen great vows. At the very least, one must make the Four Great Vows:
1). Sentient beings are boundless; I vow to liberate them all.
2). Afflictions are endless; I vow to eradicate them all.
3). Dharma teachings are immeasurable; I vow to learn them all.
4). The Buddha Way is unsurpassed; I vow to attain it.
Those of us who have renounced the household life at Kim Sơn Temple must, at the very least, attain the fourth fruit of Arhatship, so as not to disappoint the sincere devotion of the faithful from the ten directions who come to make offerings. Therefore, we must all make great vows and become great Bodhisattvas.
“This Dharma-door was realized by Earth Great Strength.” This Dharma-door, this realm, this gate of liberation—the Mountain-Ruling Spirit Great Strength Light clearly understood and entered into it.
Beholding all sentient beings revolving in suffering,
All karmic obstructions constantly bind and obscure them,
With the light of wisdom, they are completely dispelled,
This is the liberation of the Spirit of Universal Victory,
Commentary: “Seeing sentient beings adrift in suffering.” The Buddha sees all sentient beings drifting back and forth endlessly through the six realms of cyclic existence.
“All karmic obstructions constantly bind and obscure.” Why do sentient beings drift through birth and death? Because they have all these karmic obstructions. Where do these karmic obstructions come from? They come from delusion. When there is delusion, one cannot cultivate the Way; when one does not cultivate the Way, one is forever bound and obscured by karma and delusion.
“Use the light of wisdom to eradicate them completely.” The Buddha uses the radiant light of wisdom to dispel sentient beings’ ignorance and eliminate the darkness of their folly and obstructions, so that all obstacles are completely extinguished and removed.
“This liberation of the Deity Universal Victory.” The Mountain Spirit Majestic Light Universal Victory clearly understands this door of liberation.
From each and every pore emerge wondrous sounds;
In accordance with sentient beings’ minds, he praises the Buddhas;
Pervading the ten directions throughout immeasurable kalpas;
This is the gateway entered by the Light-Wheel Spirit;
Commentary: “Wondrous sounds resound in every pore.” In every pore of the Buddha, wondrous sounds beyond thought and description resound, expounding wondrous Dharma beyond thought and description for sentient beings to hear.
“Praise the Buddhas in accordance with the wishes of sentient beings.” Or, follow the minds of sentient beings in order to praise all the Buddhas.
“Throughout the ten directions for immeasurable kalpas.” It is not only that the Buddha emits wondrous sounds within a single world to teach sentient beings; rather, throughout all the worlds in the ten directions, the Dharma is expounded for sentient beings. Nor is it that wondrous sounds are proclaimed for only a short time; instead, sentient beings are taught over the long span of immeasurable kalpas.
“The Radiant Wheel Spirit entered this gateway.” The Mountain-Lord Spirit Vi Mật Quang Luân understood this realm and entered this liberation-gate.
Buddhas throughout the ten directions universally appear before us;
With various expedient means, they expound the wondrous Dharma
They broadly benefit sentient beings through the oceans of practices
This is what the Spirit Who Sees the Present has realized.
Commentary: “The Buddhas throughout the ten directions are all present before us.” The Buddha’s Dharma body extends throughout empty space and pervades the entire Dharma realm, so it fills the ten directions and manifests everywhere before sentient beings.
“Using every kind of means to expound the wondrous Dharma.” The Buddha employs all kinds of skillful expedient methods to expound the wondrous Dharma and teach living beings. Even when living beings are dreaming, the Buddha enters their dreams to expound the wondrous Dharma to them. How much more, then, when they are awake does the Buddha employ all kinds of expedient Dharma methods to teach ignorant living beings.
“The oceans of practices that greatly benefit sentient beings.” The Buddha, wishing to benefit sentient beings greatly, cultivates all kinds of practice-gates. The practice-gates he cultivates are boundless, like the ocean; hence they are called “oceans of practices.” “This is the realization of the Deity Manifestly Seeing.” This liberation-gate was realized and understood by the Mountain Lord Deity Universal Eye Manifest Seeing.
The Dharma gates are like an ocean, boundless and immeasurable,
With a single sound, all are made to understand,
Throughout all kalpas, the exposition is inexhaustible,
Vajra Eye entered this skillful means.
Commentary: “Dharma doors are as boundless as the ocean.” The Buddha’s Dharma doors are like the ocean, immeasurable and boundless, with no shores and no limits.
“One sound is spoken, and all understand clearly.” The Buddha expounds the Dharma with a single sound, and sentient beings of every kind understand it clearly. Heavenly beings hear it in the language of heaven, humans hear it in the language of the human world, animals hear it in the language of animals, and all beings in the six realms hear and understand it clearly.
“Even if spoken of throughout all kalpas, it could never be fully told.” The Buddha teaches the Dharma without weariness or fatigue, constantly expounding the Dharma for sentient beings and constantly teaching and transforming them. This wondrous Dharma could be spoken of throughout all great kalpas without ever being exhausted.
“Vajra Eye enters this skillful means.” The Mountain-Lord Spirit Vajra Firm Eye clearly understood this realm and was able to enter this gateway to liberation through skillful means.
Furthermore, the Earth Spirit Lord of Pure Flowers of Universal Virtue attained the liberation gate of universally contemplating all sentient beings, thought after thought, with a compassionate mind.
Commentary: The meaning above has not yet been fully explained, so the text continues. The Earth-Ruling Spirit Universal Virtue Pure Flower can cause merit to arise in the minds of all beings and pure, adorned flowers to bloom. He is the spirit who governs the land. If no spirit came to govern the land, the dust and earth would scatter away, and the globe would no longer exist. He attained this state: within the Buddhadharma, he understood that the Buddha, with a compassionate mind, observes all beings in every moment, relieves their suffering, and brings them joy. He attained this liberation.
The Earth Spirit Firm Merit Adornment attained the liberation gate of universally revealing the power of the merits and virtues of all sentient beings.
Commentary: The Earth Spirit Lord Firm Merit Adornment is able to cause all sentient beings to bring forth the bodhi mind and enter the ocean of merit, attaining the adornment of steadfast merit. He universally causes sentient beings to increase their power of merit and virtue—that is, to cultivate blessings, wisdom, and virtue. When their cultivation reaches perfection, they will be liberated. He has attained this liberation-gate.
The Earth Spirit Fragrant-Aura-Adorned Tree Lord attained the liberation-gate of universally entering all dharmas that give rise to the adornments of all Buddha-lands.
Commentary: The Earth Spirit Wondrous Flower Adornment Tree. The trees of this spirit grow in great splendor, and their blossoms are wondrously pure. This spirit can enter all dharmas and bring forth all the Buddha-realms throughout the ten directions, which are supremely splendid and wondrous. This spirit attained this gateway to liberation.
The Earth Spirit Universal Scatterer of All Treasures attained the liberation-gate of cultivating various samādhis to enable sentient beings to remove hindrances and defilements.
Commentary: This Earth Spirit, the One Who Universally Scatters All Treasures, knows that sentient beings delight in precious things. Therefore, she scatters gold, silver, lapis lazuli, crystal, mother-of-pearl, red pearls, agate, and the seven treasures everywhere, giving them to sentient beings. She clearly understands that the Buddhas of the past, when they were at the causal stage, cultivated all kinds of samādhis and, while in samādhi, could enable all sentient beings to eliminate their hindrances and defilements, leaving no defiled thoughts. She attained this door of liberation.
The Pure-Eyed, Time-Observing Earth Lord Deity attained the liberation door of enabling all sentient beings to constantly delight in joyful play.
Commentary: The Earth Spirit Lord Pure-Eyed Contemplation of Time has pure eyes and can observe the causes and conditions of the three periods of time. He often observes the capacities of living beings and knows that they enjoy playing and taking pleasure. He uses this samadhi to teach and transform living beings, enabling them to play and take pleasure continually. He attained this liberation.
The Golden-Colored Wondrous-Eyed Earth Spirit attained the liberation gate of manifesting all kinds of pure bodies to subdue sentient beings.
Commentary: The Lord Earth Deity of Golden Radiance and Wondrous Eyes emits a golden light from his body. With his wondrous eyes, he observes the faculties of sentient beings throughout the ten directions. He manifests everywhere in all pure, wondrous Dharma bodies in order to subdue all sentient beings who are difficult to subdue, causing obstinate beings to become gentle and angry beings to give rise to joy. He attained this liberation door.
The Fragrant-Haired Radiant-Light Earth-Ruling Spirit attained the liberation gate of clearly knowing the great awesome power of the ocean of all Buddhas’ virtues.
Commentary: The Earth Spirit Chief Fragrant Hair Radiating Light has fragrance emanating from every pore because he observes the precepts with utmost rigor. If we uphold the precepts purely, our bodies will give off a fragrance. Those who do not uphold the precepts purely will have foul-smelling bodies. This Earth Spirit Chief not only gives off a fragrant scent, but also radiates light. This fragrant light shines upon all sentient beings, causing them to rejoice in learning the Buddhadharma. He clearly understands the ocean of merit cultivated by the Buddhas and possesses great awesome virtue. If we cultivate, we too will be able to attain this great awesome virtue. He attained this liberation.
The Earth Spirit Silent Sound, Delightful to the Mind, attained the liberation gate of universally embracing and sustaining the ocean of speech sounds of all sentient beings.
Commentary: The Earth Deity Lord Silent Sound Delightful Mind: Although His sound cannot be heard, it causes people to feel joy. He universally gathers and sustains the ocean of speech and sound of all sentient beings, collecting all their speech and sound. This is using silent, still sound to gather the active sounds of sentient beings. He attained this liberation.
The Earth Spirit Lord Fragrant Topknot attained the liberation gate of the immaculate nature that pervades the Buddha-fields.
Commentary: The Earth Spirit Lord Wonderful Flower Whirling Topknot possesses wondrous, inconceivable floral fragrances. These floral fragrances circle to the right and form a jeweled topknot. He has attained the realm of the Buddha and perceives the Buddha as fragrance-light shining everywhere. Every pore emits clouds of floral fragrance that fill the worlds of the ten directions, thus pervading the Buddha-lands. When all sentient beings see these clouds, they leave behind all defiled thoughts and attain their inherently pure nature. He has attained this door of liberation.
Vajra Universal-Sustaining Lord of the Earth Spirits attained the liberation gate of universal manifestation, upheld by all the Buddhas’ Dharma wheels.
Commentary: The Earth Spirit Lord Vajra Universal Sustainer governs land that is as firm as vajra, impossible to destroy. He has attained the liberation-door of the Dharma wheel upheld by all Buddhas of the ten directions and three times.
Although we are now in the Dharma-ending Age, the Dharma we teach at present is just like the Dharma taught by Buddhas of the past. These teachings uphold one another: this Dharma connects with that Dharma, and that Dharma also connects with this Dharma. They are perfectly interfused and mutually unobstructed. Because all Buddhas follow the same path, the Buddha’s Dharma wheel also revolves without ceasing, coming to an end only to begin again. When the Buddha turns the Dharma wheel, it embraces and upholds all living beings, enabling them to practice in accordance with the Dharma and to manifest the Buddha Way everywhere. He has attained this liberation-door.
At that time, the Earth Spirit Universal Virtue Pure Flower, relying on the Buddha’s power, surveyed the entire assembly of Earth Spirits and spoke these verses:
Commentary: At that time, the Earth Spirit Chief Universal Virtue Pure Flower, relying on the Buddha’s great majestic spiritual power, surveyed the entire assembly of Earth Spirit Chiefs and spoke a four-line verse praising the Buddha’s realm.
In every thought of the Tathagata’s past,
The gate of great compassion is beyond words;
Practicing in this way without end,
Therefore he attained a firm, indestructible body.
Commentary: “In ages past, the Tathagata, in every thought.” In the past, while at the causal stage, the Buddha cultivated all kinds of practices and never forgot sentient beings, not even for a moment. The Buddha constantly cultivated the four immeasurable minds of loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity, and continually practiced the samadhi of loving-kindness and compassion, in order to save sentient beings from the sea of suffering and bring them to liberation.
“The Dharma-door of great loving-kindness and compassion is beyond words.” The Dharma-door of great loving-kindness and compassion means using the mind of great loving-kindness and the mind of great compassion to treat all sentient beings equally. It is also great loving-kindness without conditions and great compassion based on shared identity. The Dharma-door of great loving-kindness and compassion also manifests no anger. It is like Bodhisattva Never Disparaging: when he practiced the Bodhisattva path, he would bow to sentient beings he met and say, “I would never dare to look down on you; you will all become Buddhas.” Yet some people scolded him, calling him extremely foolish, while others beat him, calling him utterly crazy. But no matter how disrespectfully they treated him, he still used a compassionate mind to forgive them and never gave rise to anger. Likewise, the sage who practiced the way of patience in the mountains had his limbs cut off by King Kali, yet he too did not give rise to anger. These are all manifestations of practicing the Dharma-door of great loving-kindness and compassion.
“Cultivation of this kind is without cessation.” It is like cultivating the samadhi of loving-kindness: that is, generating a mind of great loving-kindness and compassion toward all sentient beings. This practice, even if cultivated for immeasurable and boundless great kalpas, would never be completed; hence it is called “without cessation.” In short, even upon attaining Buddhahood, one must continue cultivating the four immeasurable states of mind—loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity—without cessation.
“[One] should attain a strong, indestructible body.” Because the Buddha never takes the lives of sentient beings, his body is as strong as vajra and is never harmed. Why are our bodies not strong, and why do we suffer from so many illnesses? It is because we have not perfected the practice of refraining from killing. We must understand cause and effect: Why are we killed by others? Because in the past, we killed others. Why are we beaten and scolded by others? Because in the past, we beat and scolded others. When the causes and conditions come together, we must undergo the karmic retribution. Therefore: “Plant melons and you’ll get melons; plant beans and you’ll get beans.” If we cultivate the samadhi of loving-kindness, refrain from killing, and harbor no anger, then in the future our bodies, too, will be firm and indestructible, free from illness and healthy.
All sentient beings and Bodhisattvas of the three times,
All their accumulated merits,
Are seen within the Tathāgata’s pores;
Merit Adornment, seeing them, rejoices.
Commentary: “Sentient Beings and Bodhisattvas of the Three Times.” The three times are the past, present, and future. The Buddha sees all sentient beings and Bodhisattvas of the three times very clearly, because the Buddha can observe the causes and conditions of immeasurable great kalpas.
“Every single accumulation of merit.” The Buddha knows every single accumulation of merit of the sentient beings and bodhisattvas of the three times.
“All are seen in the pores of the Tathagata.” They all appear within the Buddha’s pores.
“Phước Nghiêm saw it and rejoiced.” The Earth Spirit Chief Kiên Phước Trang Nghiêm, upon seeing this realm, immediately felt great joy in his heart.
Some people develop doubts about these four verses, wondering whether the Buddha can see only sentient beings and Bodhisattvas of the past, together with those of the present, but cannot see sentient beings and Bodhisattvas of the future. Since the future has not yet arrived, how could it appear? You should know that the Buddha’s realm is inconceivable. The Buddha can move the past into the present, move the present into the future, and move the future into the past. This is the principle that three are one and one is three. Thus, the merits and virtues of future sentient beings and Bodhisattvas are all made manifest within a single pore.
It is like a television, which displays events and films from the three periods of time all together. It brings past events into the present to unfold, and likewise brings future events into the present to unfold, making the three periods of time into one. If a television has this ability, how much more inconceivable must the realms within the Buddha’s pores be! Each pore of the Buddha is just like a television.
Again, someone says, “I still don’t believe in this principle.” So I’ll give another example. It is like dreaming: in a dream, you see something that will happen in the future—something ten or more years from now—and it appears in the present within the dream. You may also dream of something from the past, something that happened ten or more years ago, and it appears in the present within the dream. That is moving the past into the present and moving the future into the present. Everyone has experienced this in a dream; there is nothing mysterious about it. You should believe it, then! I still remember, forty years ago, having an inconceivable dream. I dreamed that I was sitting on a Dharma throne, expounding sutras and teaching the Dharma to many foreigners, teaching the Great and Vast Buddha Flower Adornment Sutra. At the time, I did not find it particularly remarkable; I still thought it was just a dream. Now that very scene has indeed become reality. I dreamed not only of that scene, but of many others as well. Thinking back now, I see that this is how it was.
Even a person in a dream can know the past, present, and future, let alone a Buddha. A Buddha can encompass the entire Dharma realm within a single pore, causing all the merit and virtue of sentient beings and Bodhisattvas throughout the three times—past, present, and future—to appear within that one pore. Anyone who has opened the five eyes can see everything that happened in the three times. They can even clearly see how they crawled on the ground or where they sat when they died. There is nothing strange about it.
Vast, tranquil samādhi,
Neither arising nor ceasing, neither coming nor going,
Adorning and purifying the lands, revealing them to sentient beings,
This is the liberation of the Tree-Flower Spirit.
Commentary: “Vast and silent samadhi.” Samadhi means meditative concentration. Silent means there is no sound; it means quiet and still. Vast is a descriptive term meaning both broad and great. This samadhi is quiet, still, and vast, beyond conception.
“Neither arising nor ceasing, neither coming nor going.” Samādhi is precisely that which neither arises nor ceases, neither comes nor goes. This describes the Buddha’s samādhi as a state of this kind.
“Adorn and purify the lands of the Buddhas, and reveal the Dharma to sentient beings.” Adorn all the lands of the Buddhas and purify them, in order to reveal to sentient beings the Dharma-gate to liberation from birth and death.
“This liberation of the Flower-Tree Deity.” This gateway to liberation was attained by the Earth Lord Deity Wondrous Flower-Adorned Tree.
In ages past, the Buddha cultivated all practices,
To enable sentient beings to remove grave obstacles.
The Earth Spirit Who Universally Scatters Many Treasures,
Seeing this liberation, rejoiced.
Commentary: “In the past, the Buddha cultivated various practices.” The Buddha practiced for the sake of sentient beings. Seeing that their karmic obstructions were so heavy, the Buddha cultivated all kinds of practices in the past to save and liberate them, enabling them to eliminate their karmic obstructions and attain liberation.
“To help sentient beings eliminate their heavy karmic obstacles.” Sentient beings do not know how to eliminate their heavy karmic obstacles, but the compassionate Buddha helps them do so and attain purity.
“Lord of the Earth Spirits, Universal Scatterer of Many Treasures.” The Lord of the Earth Spirits, Universal Scatterer of Many Treasures, was able to see this realm of the Buddha.
“Seeing this Liberation, joy arises.” This Earth Lord Deity, having seen this liberation gate, was greatly joyful.
The Tathagata’s realm is boundless,
Thought after thought, it manifests throughout the world;
The Earth Spirit Lord Pure-Eyed Contemplation of the Times,
Saw the Buddha’s practice and rejoiced in his heart.
Commentary: “The Tathagata’s realm has no boundaries.” The realm cultivated by the Tathagata has no boundaries.
“Manifesting everywhere in the worlds with every thought.” The Buddha thinks of sentient beings in every moment, and therefore manifests throughout the worlds of the ten directions.
“Lord Earth Spirit Pure-Eyed Contemplating Time.” The Lord Earth Spirit Pure-Eyed Contemplating Time attained the realm of the Buddha.
“Seeing the Buddha’s practice, one’s mind rejoices.” He saw the Buddha’s practices in the past and the Dharma methods he currently uses to teach sentient beings, and so his heart was filled with great joy.
Wondrous Sound is infinite and inconceivable,
Universally extinguishing afflictions for sentient beings.
The Golden-Eyed Deity can fully comprehend,
And see the Buddha’s boundless supreme merit.
Commentary: “Wondrous sounds are limitless and inconceivable.” The Buddha expounded that wondrous sounds are without limit and inconceivable.
“Everywhere, for the sake of sentient beings, afflictions are eliminated.” The Buddha’s wondrous voice speaks to eliminate the affliction-obstacles of sentient beings.
“The Golden-Hued Eye Earth Spirit has realized it.” The Earth Lord Deity Golden Wonderful Eye realized this principle.
“Seeing the Buddha’s boundless supreme merits.” He perceived the Buddha’s immeasurable, boundless supreme merits.
All forms and appearances are manifested
The Dharma realms in the ten directions are all completely filled
Fragrant hair radiates light, and one constantly sees the Buddha
In this way, all sentient beings are universally transformed
Commentary: “All forms and appearances are manifested.” The Buddha manifests in a form suited to each kind of sentient being with form and appearance in order to teach and guide them.
“The Dharma realms in the ten directions are completely filled.” The Buddha manifests not only in one world, but also throughout the Dharma realms in the ten directions, thereby completely pervading the entire Dharma realm.
“Fragrant Hair Radiating Light Often Sees the Buddha.” All grains and fruits that grow on the earth have fragrance. This Lord Earth Spirit, Fragrant Hair Radiating Light, constantly sees this realm of the Buddha.
“Thus, he transforms all beings.” The Buddha, with great loving-kindness and great compassion, teaches and transforms all beings—not only sentient beings, but also insentient beings.
Wonderful Sound pervades the ten directions
Throughout immeasurable kalpas, he preaches for beings
The Joyful Intent Earth Spirit fully understands
Having heard from the Buddha, [the spirit] is deeply reverent and joyful
Commentary: “Wondrous sound pervades the ten directions.” The Buddha’s wondrous words resound throughout the ten directions.
“Throughout immeasurable kalpas, he speaks for them.” The Buddha’s wondrous voice resounds throughout the ten directions. His preaching of the Dharma spans the three periods of time, and throughout immeasurable kalpas he expounds the wondrous Dharma for sentient beings.
“Joyful Intent, the Earth Spirit, has comprehended it in his mind.” The Chief Earth Spirit, Silent Sound Joyful Intent, has comprehended this state in his mind.
“Upon hearing the Buddha’s words, one is filled with reverence and joy.” In the Buddha’s presence, having heard this wondrous Dharma, he was therefore profoundly reverent and joyful.
From the Buddha’s pores emerge clouds of fragrant flames;
The worlds transform according to the minds of sentient beings;
All who see them attain maturity;
This is the realm observed by Flower-Whirl;
Commentary: “Clouds of fragrant flames arise from the Buddha’s pores.” In each of the Buddha’s pores, clouds of fragrant flames arise.
“According to the minds of sentient beings throughout the world.” In accordance with the minds of sentient beings, one travels throughout the world.
“Everything that is seen becomes mature.” Causing all sentient beings, when they see the Buddha’s realm, to have their roots of goodness mature.
“This Dharma-door was observed by Flower Whirl.” The Earth Spirit Lord Wondrous Flower Whirling Topknot clearly observed this principle.
Firm and indestructible like a diamond,
Unshakable as Mount Sumeru,
The Buddha’s body is thus in the world
Seeing it, Puchi gives rise to joy.
Commentary: “Firm and indestructible like vajra.” The Buddha’s body is firm and cannot be destroyed, like vajra. Why is the Buddha’s body so firm? Because the Buddha cultivated the practices of great loving-kindness and great compassion and cultivated the samādhi of loving-kindness; thus he attained a firm, indestructible body. The Buddha also aroused the resolve to protect the Dharma, and so he perfected an indestructible vajra body. To protect and uphold the true Dharma, preserve the precepts, and cultivate dignified conduct, he held swords, bows, and arrows in his hands to protect bhikshus who upheld the precepts in purity.
Long ago, there was a Bhikshu named Jue De who kept the precepts purely. Whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, he maintained all four major deportments with great dignity. However, some Bhikshus who did not observe the precepts opposed and looked down on him. The king at that time, named You De, protected the Dharma on his behalf. The king and those Bhikshus who did not observe the precepts fought one another, and, unfortunately, the king was beaten and seriously wounded. Bhikshu Jue De greatly praised the king. After hearing the Dharma, the king passed away. Because he had the merit of protecting the Dharma, after death he was reborn in the eastern world, in the realm of Buddha Akshobhya, as Akshobhya Buddha’s second foremost disciple. From this, one can know that the merit of protecting the Dharma is greater than that of the person being protected.
“Cannot be shaken like Mount Sumeru.” The Buddha’s vajra body is like Mount Sumeru; it cannot be shaken at all.
“The Buddha’s body is like that in the world.” The Buddha’s body is like Mount Sumeru in the world, very stable and firm.
“Universal Sustainer rejoiced upon seeing it.” The Earth Spirit Lord Vajra Universal Sustainer, having seen this realm of the Buddha, therefore gave rise to great joy.