PRAJÑĀPĀRAMITĀ SUTRA
VOLUME 10
Chapter 5: PRAISING THE EXCEPTIONAL MERITS
At that time, the Venerable Śāriputra, the Venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana, the Venerable Mahākāśyapa, the Venerable Subhūti… these were persons widely known and respected, together with the great Bhikṣus and Bhikṣuṇīs, as well as the assembly of Great Bodhisattvas, Upāsakas, and Upāsikās. All rose from their seats, joined their palms respectfully, and together addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, the Prajñāpāramitā attained by Great Bodhisattvas is a great perfection, profound and vast, foremost, supreme, deeply wondrous, marvelous, venerable, exalted, highest, ultimate, superior, unsurpassed, most supreme, beyond comparison, peerless, incomparable, absolute, like space, without own-characteristic, without common-characteristic, not located in all dharmas, not something that cannot be grasped, without emptiness, without own-nature, without the own-nature of emptiness, without alteration, unborn, undying, undefiled, cutting off all disputation and conceptual elaboration, tranquil, separated from all, completely silent and still, able to subdue and control all, a dhāraṇī, truthful, able to unfold and develop all merits, able to accomplish all merits, capable of destroying all, and impossible to overcome.
“World-Honored One, Great Bodhisattvas who cultivate Prajñāpāramitā possess great power, most honored, most victorious, most supreme, most wondrous. They are able to cultivate the supreme practice of giving; able to perfect supreme giving; able to fully practice the supreme Perfection of Giving; able to realize the supreme essence of self, namely a body adorned with wondrous, excellent, immeasurable characteristics; able to realize the supreme marvelous Dharma, namely the highest state of Enlightenment.
“World-Honored One, Great Bodhisattvas who cultivate Prajñāpāramitā possess great power, most honored, most victorious, most supreme, most wondrous. They are able to cultivate supreme pure morality; able to perfect supreme pure morality; able to fully practice the supreme Perfection of Pure Morality; able to realize the supreme essence of self, namely a body adorned with wondrous, excellent, immeasurable characteristics; able to realize the supreme marvelous Dharma, namely the highest state of Enlightenment.
“World-Honored One, Great Bodhisattvas who cultivate Prajñāpāramitā possess great power, most honored, most victorious, most supreme, most wondrous. They are able to cultivate supreme patience; able to perfect supreme patience; able to fully practice the supreme Perfection of Patience; able to realize the supreme essence of self, namely a body adorned with wondrous, excellent, immeasurable characteristics; able to realize the supreme marvelous Dharma, namely the highest state of Enlightenment.
“World-Honored One, Great Bodhisattvas who cultivate Prajñāpāramitā possess great power, most honored, most victorious, most supreme, most wondrous. They are able to cultivate supreme diligence; able to perfect supreme diligence; able to fully practice the supreme Perfection of Diligence; able to realize the supreme essence of self, namely a body adorned with wondrous, excellent, immeasurable characteristics; able to realize the supreme marvelous Dharma, namely the highest state of Enlightenment.
“World-Honored One, Great Bodhisattvas who cultivate Prajñāpāramitā possess great power, most honored, most victorious, most supreme, most wondrous. They are able to cultivate supreme meditative concentration; able to perfect supreme meditative concentration; able to fully practice the supreme Perfection of Meditation; able to realize the supreme essence of self, namely a body adorned with wondrous, excellent, immeasurable characteristics; able to realize the supreme marvelous Dharma, namely the highest state of Enlightenment.
“World-Honored One, Great Bodhisattvas who cultivate Prajñāpāramitā possess great power, most honored, most victorious, most supreme, most wondrous. They are able to cultivate supreme Prajñā; able to perfect supreme Prajñā; able to fully practice the supreme Perfection of Prajñā; able to realize the supreme essence of self, namely a body adorned with wondrous, excellent, immeasurable characteristics; able to realize the supreme marvelous Dharma, namely the highest state of Enlightenment.
“World-Honored One, Great Bodhisattvas who cultivate Prajñāpāramitā possess great power, most honored, most victorious, most supreme, most wondrous. They are able to abide in the supreme perfection of inner emptiness, outer emptiness, inner-and-outer emptiness, emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, emptiness of ultimate meaning, emptiness of conditioned phenomena, emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, ultimate emptiness, emptiness without boundaries, scattered emptiness, emptiness of non-change, emptiness of inherent nature, emptiness of own-characteristic, emptiness of common-characteristic, emptiness in all dharmas, emptiness of what cannot be grasped, emptiness of emptiness, emptiness of own-nature, and emptiness of the own-nature of emptiness; able to perfect inner emptiness… up to emptiness of the own-nature of emptiness; able to fully practice inner emptiness… up to emptiness of the own-nature of emptiness; able to realize the supreme essence of self, namely a body adorned with wondrous, excellent, immeasurable characteristics; able to realize the supreme marvelous Dharma, namely the highest state of Enlightenment.
“World-Honored One, Great Bodhisattvas who cultivate Prajñāpāramitā possess great power, most honored, most victorious, most supreme, most wondrous. They are able to abide in suchness, Dharma realm, Dharma nature, the nature of non-delusion, the nature of non-alteration, the nature of equality, the nature of being free from arising, the fixed Dharma, the abiding Dharma, ultimate reality, the realm of space, and the supreme inconceivable realm; able to perfect suchness… up to the supreme inconceivable realm; able to fully practice suchness… up to the supreme inconceivable realm; able to realize the supreme essence of self, namely a body adorned with wondrous, excellent, immeasurable characteristics; able to realize the supreme marvelous Dharma, namely the highest state of Enlightenment.
“World-Honored One, Great Bodhisattvas who cultivate Prajñāpāramitā possess great power, most honored, most victorious, most supreme, most wondrous. They are able to cultivate the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of miraculous powers, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, and the eightfold noble path to perfection; able to perfect the four foundations of mindfulness… up to the eightfold noble path; able to fully practice the four foundations of mindfulness… up to the eightfold noble path; able to realize the supreme essence of self, namely a body adorned with wondrous, excellent, immeasurable characteristics; able to realize the supreme marvelous Dharma, namely the highest state of Enlightenment.
“World-Honored One, Great Bodhisattvas who cultivate Prajñāpāramitā possess great power, most honored, most victorious, most supreme, most wondrous. They are able to abide in the supreme noble truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and path; able to perfect the supreme noble truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and path; able to fully practice the supreme noble truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and path; able to realize the supreme essence of self, namely a body adorned with wondrous, excellent, immeasurable characteristics; able to realize the supreme marvelous Dharma, namely the highest state of Enlightenment.
“World-Honored One, Great Bodhisattvas who cultivate Prajñāpāramitā possess great power, most honored, most victorious, most supreme, most wondrous. They are able to cultivate the four meditations, the four immeasurables, and the four formless absorptions to perfection; able to perfect the four meditations, the four immeasurables, and the four formless absorptions; able to fully practice the four meditations, the four immeasurables, and the four formless absorptions; able to realize the supreme essence of self, namely a body adorned with wondrous, excellent, immeasurable characteristics; able to realize the supreme marvelous Dharma, namely the highest state of Enlightenment.
“World-Honored One, Great Bodhisattvas who cultivate Prajñāpāramitā possess great power, most honored, most victorious, most supreme, most wondrous. They are able to cultivate the eight liberations, the eight bases of mastery, the nine successive concentrations, and the ten universal bases to perfection; able to perfect the eight liberations, the eight bases of mastery, the nine successive concentrations, and the ten universal bases; able to fully practice the eight liberations, the eight bases of mastery, the nine successive concentrations, and the ten universal bases; able to realize the supreme essence of self, namely a body adorned with wondrous, excellent, immeasurable characteristics; able to realize the supreme marvelous Dharma, namely the highest state of Enlightenment.
“World-Honored One, Great Bodhisattvas who cultivate Prajñāpāramitā possess great power, most honored, most victorious, most supreme, most wondrous. They are able to cultivate the supreme liberations of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; able to perfect the supreme liberations of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; able to fully practice the supreme liberations of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; able to realize the supreme essence of self, namely a body adorned with wondrous, excellent, immeasurable characteristics; able to realize the supreme marvelous Dharma, namely the highest state of Enlightenment.
“World-Honored One, Great Bodhisattvas who cultivate Prajñāpāramitā possess great power, most honored, most victorious, most supreme, most wondrous. They are able to cultivate the supreme Dharma doors of dhāraṇī and samādhi; able to perfect the supreme Dharma doors of dhāraṇī and samādhi; able to fully practice the supreme Dharma doors of dhāraṇī and samādhi; able to realize the supreme essence of self, namely a body adorned with wondrous, excellent, immeasurable characteristics; able to realize the supreme marvelous Dharma, namely the highest state of Enlightenment.
“World-Honored One, Great Bodhisattvas who cultivate Prajñāpāramitā possess great power, most honored, most victorious, most supreme, most wondrous. They are able to cultivate the supreme state of Great Bodhisattva; able to perfect the supreme state of Great Bodhisattva; able to fully practice the supreme state of Great Bodhisattva; able to realize the supreme essence of self, namely a body adorned with wondrous, excellent, immeasurable characteristics; able to realize the supreme marvelous Dharma, namely the highest state of Enlightenment.
“World-Honored One, Great Bodhisattvas who cultivate Prajñāpāramitā possess great power, most honored, most victorious, most supreme, most wondrous. They are able to cultivate the five kinds of eyes and the six supernatural powers to perfection; able to perfect the five kinds of eyes and the six supernatural powers; able to fully practice the five kinds of eyes and the six supernatural powers; able to realize the supreme essence of self, namely a body adorned with wondrous, excellent, immeasurable characteristics; able to realize the supreme marvelous Dharma, namely the highest state of Enlightenment.
“World-Honored One, Great Bodhisattvas who cultivate Prajñāpāramitā possess great power, most honored, most victorious, most supreme, most wondrous. They are able to cultivate the Buddha’s ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, the great Loving-kindness, great Compassion, great Joy, great Equanimity, and the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha to perfection; able to perfect the Buddha’s ten powers up to the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha; able to fully practice the Buddha’s ten powers up to the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha; able to realize the supreme essence of self, namely a body adorned with wondrous, excellent, immeasurable characteristics; able to realize the supreme marvelous Dharma, namely the highest state of Enlightenment.
“World-Honored One, Great Bodhisattvas who cultivate Prajñāpāramitā possess great power, most honored, most victorious, most supreme, most wondrous. They are able to cultivate the supreme Dharma of non-forgetfulness and the nature of constant equanimity; able to perfect the supreme Dharma of non-forgetfulness and the nature of constant equanimity; able to fully practice the supreme Dharma of non-forgetfulness and the nature of constant equanimity; able to realize the supreme essence of self, namely a body adorned with wondrous, excellent, immeasurable characteristics; able to realize the supreme marvelous Dharma, namely the highest state of Enlightenment.
“World-Honored One, Great Bodhisattvas who cultivate Prajñāpāramitā possess great power, most honored, most victorious, most supreme, most wondrous. They are able to cultivate the wisdom of all, the wisdom of the paths, and the wisdom of all aspects to perfection; able to perfect the wisdom of all, the wisdom of the paths, and the wisdom of all aspects; able to fully practice the wisdom of all, the wisdom of the paths, and the wisdom of all aspects; able to realize the supreme essence of self, namely a body adorned with wondrous, excellent, immeasurable characteristics; able to realize the supreme marvelous Dharma, namely the highest state of Enlightenment.
“World-Honored One, the Tathāgata also, through cultivating Prajñāpāramitā, is able to cultivate and abide in complete perfection, possessing all kinds of merits; realize the supreme perfection of form; realize the supreme perfection of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness; attain the supreme state of Enlightenment; turn the supreme Dharma wheel; liberate immeasurable kinds of sentient beings, causing all to receive supreme benefit and happiness.
“The Buddhas of the past, present, and future also, through diligently cultivating and learning Prajñāpāramitā, have perfected all kinds of merits, have attained the highest Enlightenment, will attain the highest Enlightenment, and are presently attaining the highest Enlightenment; they turn the wondrous Dharma wheel and liberate immeasurable sentient beings, causing all to receive supreme benefit and happiness.
“Therefore, World-Honored One, if any Great Bodhisattva wishes to reach the shore of Enlightenment, then regarding all dharmas, they should learn Prajñāpāramitā.
“World-Honored One, Great Bodhisattvas who cultivate Prajñāpāramitā should all be respectfully honored, worshiped, praised, and protected by all worldly beings, whether gods, humans, or asuras, so that their diligent cultivation of Prajñāpāramitā will never encounter obstacles.”
The World-Honored One said to the Śrāvakas and Great Bodhisattvas:
“Indeed, indeed, just as you have said! Great Bodhisattvas who cultivate Prajñāpāramitā should all be respectfully honored, worshiped, praised, and protected by all worldly beings, whether gods, humans, or asuras, so that their diligent cultivation of Prajñāpāramitā will never encounter obstacles.
“Why is this? Because of these Great Bodhisattvas, the world obtains the appearance of humans and gods: the great clans of Kṣatriyas, the great clans of Brāhmaṇas, the great clans of elders, and the great clans of householders; or Wheel-turning Kings; or the gods of the Four Great Kings, the Thirty-three Gods, Yāma Heaven, Tuṣita Heaven, Heaven of Enjoying Transformations, Heaven of Freely Enjoying Others’ Creations, Brahmā’s Assembly, Brahmā’s Ministers, Brahmā’s Retinue, Great Brahmā Heaven, Radiant Heaven, Lesser Radiance Heaven, Infinite Radiance Heaven, Pure Radiance Heaven, Pure Heaven, Lesser Purity Heaven, Infinite Purity Heaven, Universal Purity Heaven, Vast Heaven, Lesser Vast Heaven, Infinite Vast Heaven, Vast Fruit Heaven, Non-afflicted Heaven, Non-heated Heaven, Well Appearing Heaven, Well Seeing Heaven, and Ultimate Form Heaven; or the heavens of Infinite Space, Infinite Consciousness, Nothingness, and Neither Perception nor Non-perception appear in the world.
“Because of these Great Bodhisattvas, the fruits of Stream-entry, Once-returning, Non-returning, Arhatship, Pratyekabuddhahood, Great Bodhisattvahood, and Tathāgata, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One appear in the world. Because of these Great Bodhisattvas, the Three Jewels appear in the world, benefiting all kinds of sentient beings.
“Because of these Great Bodhisattvas, the necessities for livelihood and enjoyment appear in the world, namely food and drink, clothing, bedding, dwellings, lamps, mani jewels, pearls, lapis lazuli, conch shells, jade, coral, gold, silver, and other precious things appearing in the world.
“In summary, all worldly happiness of gods and humans, and the happiness of Nirvāṇa, all arise because of those Great Bodhisattvas.
“Why is this so? Because those Great Bodhisattvas themselves cultivate and also teach others to cultivate Giving, Pure Morality, Patience, Diligence, Meditation, and Prajñāpāramitā; they themselves abide and also teach others to abide in inner emptiness, outer emptiness, inner-and-outer emptiness, emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, emptiness of ultimate meaning, emptiness of conditioned phenomena, emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, ultimate emptiness, emptiness without boundaries, scattered emptiness, emptiness of non-change, emptiness of inherent nature, emptiness of own-characteristic, emptiness of common-characteristic, emptiness in all dharmas, emptiness of what cannot be grasped, emptiness of emptiness, emptiness of own-nature, and emptiness of the own-nature of emptiness.
“They themselves abide and also teach others to abide in suchness, Dharma realm, Dharma nature, the nature of non-delusion, the nature of non-alteration, the nature of equality, the nature of being free from arising, the fixed Dharma, the abiding Dharma, ultimate reality, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm.
“They themselves cultivate and also teach others to cultivate the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of miraculous powers, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, and the eightfold noble path.
“They themselves abide and also teach others to abide in the noble truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and path.
“They themselves cultivate and also teach others to cultivate the four meditations, the four immeasurables, and the four formless absorptions.
“They themselves cultivate and also teach others to cultivate the eight liberations, the eight bases of mastery, the nine successive concentrations, and the ten universal bases.
“They themselves cultivate and also teach others to cultivate the liberations of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness.
“They themselves cultivate and also teach others to cultivate the Dharma doors of dhāraṇī and samādhi.
“They themselves cultivate and also teach others to cultivate the various stages of Bodhisattvas.
“They themselves cultivate and also teach others to cultivate the five kinds of eyes and the six supernatural powers.
“They themselves cultivate and also teach others to cultivate the Buddha’s ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, the great Loving-kindness, great Compassion, great Joy, great Equanimity, and the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha.
“They themselves cultivate and also teach others to cultivate the Dharma of non-forgetfulness and the nature of constant equanimity.
“They themselves cultivate and also teach others to cultivate the wisdom of all, the wisdom of the paths, and the wisdom of all aspects.
“Therefore, through the cultivation of Prajñāpāramitā by these Bodhisattvas, all sentient beings receive supreme benefit and happiness.”
Chapter 6: THE MANIFESTATION OF THE TONGUE
At that time, the World-Honored One manifested the mark of a broad and long tongue, covering the entire three-thousandfold great thousand world-system; furthermore, from that mark of the tongue, he emitted immeasurable, innumerable kinds of multicolored rays of light, illuminating countless Buddha-worlds throughout the ten directions.
At that moment, in the countless Buddha realms in the eastern direction, each realm having immeasurable, innumerable Great Bodhisattvas, upon seeing those rays of light, they all came before the Buddhas, paid homage, and respectfully asked: “World-Honored One, whose spiritual power is this? And for what reason has this auspicious sign appeared?” At the same time, the Buddhas in those realms all said to the Great Bodhisattvas: “Good sons, to the west of this realm there is a Buddha realm called Endurance, where the Buddha is named Shakyamuni Tathagata, Arhat, Fully and Perfectly Enlightened One, Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, Well-Gone One, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed One, Tamer of Beings, Teacher of Gods and Humans, Buddha, Bhagavan. Now, for the assembly of Great Bodhisattvas, he is expounding the Great Perfection of Wisdom Paramita. He has manifested the mark of his broad and long tongue, covering the entire three-thousandfold great thousand world-system; and from that mark of the tongue, he emits immeasurable, innumerable kinds of multicolored rays of light, illuminating countless Buddha-worlds throughout the ten directions. The rays of light you now see are the manifestation of that Buddha’s tongue.”
Having heard this, all the Great Bodhisattvas were greatly delighted and said to the Buddhas: “We wish to go to the world of Endurance to behold, pay homage to, and make offerings to Buddha Shakyamuni, the assembly of Great Bodhisattvas, and to hear the Dharma of the Perfection of Wisdom Paramita. We respectfully request the World-Honored One’s compassion and permission!” The Buddhas of those realms all said: “Now is the proper time; you may go.”
The immeasurable, innumerable assemblies of Great Bodhisattvas in those Buddha realms all bowed at the feet of the Buddhas, circumambulated them clockwise seven times, respectfully carried countless banners, jeweled canopies, incense, flower garlands, necklaces, gold, silver, and various flowers; they played many kinds of beautiful music; and in a moment they arrived before Buddha Shakyamuni, respectfully making offerings, honoring and praising him, bowing at the Buddha’s feet, and withdrawing to stand to one side.
At that time, in the countless Buddha realms in the southern direction, each realm having immeasurable, innumerable Great Bodhisattvas, upon seeing those rays of light, they all came before the Buddhas, paid homage, and respectfully asked: “World-Honored One, whose spiritual power is this? And for what reason has this auspicious sign appeared?” At the same time, the Buddhas in those realms all said to the Great Bodhisattvas: “Good sons, to the north of this realm there is a Buddha realm called Endurance, where the Buddha is named Shakyamuni Tathagata, Arhat, Fully and Perfectly Enlightened One, Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, Well-Gone One, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed One, Tamer of Beings, Teacher of Gods and Humans, Buddha, Bhagavan. Now, for the assembly of Great Bodhisattvas, he is expounding the Great Perfection of Wisdom Paramita, manifesting the mark of his broad and long tongue, covering the entire three-thousandfold great thousand world-system; and from that mark of the tongue, he emits immeasurable, innumerable kinds of multicolored rays of light, illuminating countless Buddha-worlds throughout the ten directions. The rays of light you now see are the manifestation of that Buddha’s tongue.”
Having heard this, all the Great Bodhisattvas were greatly delighted and said to the Buddhas: “We wish to go to the world of Endurance to behold, pay homage to, and make offerings to Buddha Shakyamuni, the assembly of Great Bodhisattvas, and to hear the Dharma of the Perfection of Wisdom Paramita. We respectfully request the World-Honored One’s compassion and permission!” The Buddhas of those realms all said: “Now is the proper time; you may go.”
The immeasurable, innumerable assemblies of Great Bodhisattvas in those Buddha realms all bowed at the feet of the Buddhas, circumambulated them clockwise seven times, respectfully carried countless banners, jeweled canopies, incense, flower garlands, necklaces, gold, silver, and various flowers; they played many kinds of beautiful music; and in a moment they arrived before Buddha Shakyamuni, respectfully making offerings, honoring and praising him, bowing at the Buddha’s feet, and withdrawing to stand to one side.
At that time, in the countless Buddha realms in the western direction, each realm having immeasurable, innumerable Great Bodhisattvas, upon seeing those rays of light, they all came before the Buddhas, paid homage, and respectfully asked: “World-Honored One, whose spiritual power is this? And for what reason has this auspicious sign appeared?” The Buddhas of those realms all said to the Great Bodhisattvas: “Good sons, to the east of this realm there is a Buddha realm called Endurance, where the Buddha is named Shakyamuni Tathagata, Arhat, Fully and Perfectly Enlightened One, Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, Well-Gone One, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed One, Tamer of Beings, Teacher of Gods and Humans, Buddha, Bhagavan. Now, for the assembly of Great Bodhisattvas, he is expounding the Great Perfection of Wisdom Paramita, manifesting the mark of his broad and long tongue, covering the entire three-thousandfold great thousand world-system; and from that mark of the tongue, he emits immeasurable, innumerable kinds of multicolored rays of light, illuminating countless Buddha-worlds throughout the ten directions. The rays of light you now see are the manifestation of that Buddha’s tongue.”
Having heard this, all the Great Bodhisattvas were greatly delighted and said to the Buddhas: “We wish to go to the world of Endurance to behold, pay homage to, and make offerings to Buddha Shakyamuni, the assembly of Great Bodhisattvas, and to hear the Dharma of the Perfection of Wisdom Paramita. We respectfully request the World-Honored One’s compassion and permission!” The Buddhas of those realms all said: “Now is the proper time; you may go.”
The immeasurable, innumerable assemblies of Great Bodhisattvas in those Buddha realms all bowed at the feet of the Buddhas, circumambulated them clockwise seven times, respectfully carried countless banners, jeweled canopies, incense, flower garlands, necklaces, gold, silver, and various flowers; they played many kinds of beautiful music; and in a moment they arrived before Buddha Shakyamuni, respectfully making offerings, honoring and praising him, bowing at the Buddha’s feet, and withdrawing to stand to one side.
At that time, in the countless Buddha realms in the northern direction, each realm having immeasurable, innumerable Great Bodhisattvas, upon seeing those rays of light, they all came before the Buddhas, paid homage, and respectfully asked: “World-Honored One, whose spiritual power is this? And for what reason has this auspicious sign appeared?” The Buddhas of those realms all said to the Great Bodhisattvas: “Good sons, to the south of this realm there is a Buddha realm called Endurance, where the Buddha is named Shakyamuni Tathagata, Arhat, Fully and Perfectly Enlightened One, Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, Well-Gone One, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed One, Tamer of Beings, Teacher of Gods and Humans, Buddha, Bhagavan. Now, for the assembly of Great Bodhisattvas, he is expounding the Great Perfection of Wisdom Paramita, manifesting the mark of his broad and long tongue, covering the entire three-thousandfold great thousand world-system; and from that mark of the tongue, he emits immeasurable, innumerable kinds of multicolored rays of light, illuminating countless Buddha-worlds throughout the ten directions. The rays of light you now see are the manifestation of that Buddha’s tongue.”
Having heard this, all the Great Bodhisattvas were greatly delighted and said to the Buddhas: “We wish to go to the world of Endurance to behold, pay homage to, and make offerings to Buddha Shakyamuni, the assembly of Great Bodhisattvas, and to hear the Dharma of the Perfection of Wisdom Paramita. We respectfully request the World-Honored One’s compassion and permission!” The Buddhas of those realms all said: “Now is the proper time; you may go.”
The immeasurable, innumerable assemblies of Great Bodhisattvas in those Buddha realms all bowed at the feet of the Buddhas, circumambulated them clockwise seven times, respectfully carried countless banners, jeweled canopies, incense, flower garlands, necklaces, gold, silver, and various flowers; they played many kinds of beautiful music; and in a moment they arrived before Buddha Shakyamuni, respectfully making offerings, honoring and praising him, bowing at the Buddha’s feet, and withdrawing to stand to one side.
At that time, all the gods in the realm of the Four Great Heavenly Kings, up to the Heaven of Freely Enjoying Others’ Transformations; and the Brahma Assembly Heaven, up to the Heaven of Ultimate Form, all carried immeasurable varieties of incense and garlands. These included paste incense, powdered incense, burning incense, tree incense, leaf incense, and various mixed incenses; the garlands of Delightful Intent, the garlands of Living Beings, the garlands of Dragon Front, and countless interwoven kinds of garlands. They also brought immeasurable heavenly flowers, such as utpala flowers, padma flowers, kumuda flowers, puṇḍarīka flowers, wondrous sound flowers, great wondrous sound flowers, and countless other heavenly flowers. They came before the Buddha Śākyamuni, respectfully making offerings, honoring and praising him, bowing at the Buddha’s feet, and then withdrew to stand to one side.
At this time, the assemblies of great Bodhisattvas from the ten directions and countless gods from other heavens in the Desire Realm and Form Realm came to make offerings of various banners, precious canopies, jewels, wonderful music, and fragrant flowers. Through the Buddha’s spiritual power, all these offerings rose into the sky and formed a canopy-like pavilion, covering the entire Buddha-land of the trichiliocosm. At the four corners of the top of this pavilion were precious banners, jeweled canopies, and hanging jeweled necklaces; beautiful banners, fine silk, precious gems, rare flowers, and all kinds of adornments were present, truly delightful and pleasing to behold.
At that time, within this assembly, countless hundreds of thousands of millions of sentient beings all rose from their seats, joined their palms, and respectfully addressed the Buddha, saying: “World-Honored One, we vow that in future lives we will attain Buddhahood, with all the marks, excellent features, and majestic virtues just like the Buddha today; our lands will be adorned, and our assemblies of Śrāvakas, Bodhisattvas, gods, and humans, as well as the places where the Dharma wheel is turned, will all be the same as those of the Buddha today.”
At that time, the World-Honored One, knowing their aspirations, saw that regarding all phenomena they had already realized the Patience with the Non-Arising of Dharmas, understanding completely that all things are unborn, undying, uncreated, and unconditioned. He then smiled; from the space between his eyebrows, he again emitted many-colored rays of light.
The Venerable Ānanda immediately rose from his seat, joined his palms, and respectfully said: “World-Honored One, for what reason do you smile in this way?”
The Buddha said to Ānanda: “The countless hundreds of thousands of millions of sentient beings who have just risen from their seats have already realized the Patience with the Non-Arising of Dharmas. In future ages, after passing through sixty-eight countless great kalpas and cultivating the practices of Bodhisattvas, during the Flower Accumulation Kalpa they will attain Buddhahood. They will all share the same name: Flower of Enlightened Branches Tathāgata, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One, One Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, Well-Gone One, Knower of the World, Supreme Man, Tamer and Trainer, Teacher of Gods and Humans, Buddha, Bhagavān.”