The Teaching on the Great Compassion of the Tathāgata
The Great Assembly Chapter “Array of Ornaments”

[B1] [F.142.a]

Homage to all buddhas and bodhisattvas.

Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was dwelling on Vulture Peak, near Rājagṛha, a place blessed by tathāgatas, a great stūpa where previous victors dwelled. It is a Dharma seat praised by bodhisattvas and a place worshiped by gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, and asuras that inspires toward roots of virtue. It is a site where tathāgatas appear and where gateways to the Dharma are promulgated‍—a domain of tathāgatas where bodhisattvas appear and infinite qualities spring forth.

The Blessed One, residing there with a large saṅgha of sixty thousand monks, had fully realized the sameness of all phenomena. He had turned the wheel of the Dharma and now commanded a vast host of well-trained disciples. He had achieved mastery over all phenomena and knew well how to fulfill the intentions of all beings. He had attained the highest perfection of his faculties, and he had become skillful in terminating the karmic traces of all beings. His awakened activity was effortless and unceasing.

All of these monks were of noble lineage, mighty elephants who had done their duties and performed their tasks. They had laid down the burden of existence and attained their own goals for themselves. They had brought their entanglement in existence to an end.23 Their minds were liberated through perfect knowledge and insight, and they had brought all karmic traces of afflictive emotions to an end. These sons of the Dharma king, the Tathāgata, [F.142.b] were skillfully established in the profound Dharma. They were emancipated through the teaching on non-objectification. They had exquisite and elegant comportments, were great objects of veneration, and were eager to carry out the Tathāgata’s command.

The Blessed One was also residing among an immeasurable saṅgha of bodhisattvas. These bodhisattva mahāsattvas were all-knowing and had achieved perfection through dispassionate conduct. From a Dharma cloud of great benevolence and vast compassion, these bodhisattvas sent forth the lightning of special insight, knowledge, and liberation and rained down showers of divine nectar, through which they satisfied all beings. With a disposition that encompasses everyone, like the earth, they felt affection for all sentient beings and lacked hostility. They increased the crops of the diverse factors of awakening. By sending out rays of insight brighter than the sun, they revealed the attainment of the light of the path that clears away the darkness of ignorance. They opened sentient beings like lotus flowers, brought the roots of virtue to maturity, and dried up the rivers of craving. They rely on tranquil abiding24 and the powerful higher knowledges in their pursuit of knowledge.

Like the moon they were even-minded and of tranquil disposition towards all beings, yet appeared to wax and wane due to their skillful methods for pleasing them; with their noble intentions like Mount Meru, the jewels of the Brahmā abodes25 were firmly established. They illuminated and displayed all buddhafields, which were superior in quality to our world and never buffeted by gusts of wind from any of the four directions. Like a great ocean, they were vast containers of retention and mindfulness, filled with the water of Dharma, and their precious bodhisattva conduct nourished all beings. Like the king of beasts, they had the legs of truth, a full tail of loving kindness, and eyes of tranquil abiding and special insight, and, since they were unintimidated by the profound Dharma, they defeated all proponents of rival traditions. [F.143.a]

Their bodhisattva conduct remained undisrupted for countless eons, so they were endowed with all qualities. Thus the Blessed One dwelled in the company of countless bodhisattva mahāsattvas including the bodhisattva mahāsattva All-Illumining and Unobstructed Gaze, the bodhisattva mahāsattva Sarva­kṣetrālaṅkāra­vyūhasandarśaka,26 the bodhisattva mahāsattva Tathāgata­gotra­sambhavācāra­mati, the bodhisattva mahāsattva Displaying Unperturbed Discipline in All Conduct, the bodhisattva mahāsattva Ananta­pratibhāna­ketu­dhvaja­vikurvita­ghoṣa, the bodhisattva mahāsattva Śubha­kanaka­nicita­prabhā­tejoraśmi, the bodhisattva mahāsattva Prajñā­viniścaya­pada­pratibhāna, and the bodhisattva mahāsattva Aparimita­puṇya­jñāna­sambhāropastambhopacita.

The Blessed One proceeded to teach the Dharma discourse The Gateway to Unobstructed Deliverance through the Bodhisattva Way of Life. Sixteen years had passed since the Blessed One had become fully awakened, and he knew that the sacred conduct had unfolded. He beheld the great assembly of bodhisattvas. Once he had understood these assembled bodhisattvas to be holders of the treasury of tathāgata Dharma, he thought, “Because I care deeply for the bodhisattvas, [F.143.b] I shall teach the Dharma discourse The Gateway to Unobstructed Deliverance through the Bodhisattva Way of Life, drawing on the magic and miraculous displays of tathāgatas, in order to lead the bodhisattva mahāsattvas to the domain of the Tathāgata.”

Then the Blessed One entered the tathāgata absorption called display of the emanation of the buddha domain exactly as it is. As soon as he had entered that absorption, by his buddha power a pavilion, a veritable buddha abode, appeared in the atmosphere between the desire realm and the form realm. This occurred due to the roots of virtue of the Tathāgata. It purified the thinking of bodhisattvas, illuminated the realms of the worlds of the ten directions, fulfilled the aspirations of countless sentient beings, eclipsed the palaces of the gods, and inspired bodhisattvas everywhere.

This pavilion had a foundation shaped like a white beryl. It comprised mansions made of gold extracted from the Jambu River, archways of red gems, portals of emeralds, terraces constructed of jewels, and altars crafted from radiant gems. Its upper stories consisted of brightly glowing precious stones with coverings of all kinds of jewels and adorned with dangling pearl rosaries, parasols, victory banners, raised standards, and fluttering silk tassels. It was praised and as vast as the extent of the trichiliocosm.

The pavilion was anointed with rare and precious sandalwood. It was perfumed with the enchanting fragrance of superior sandalwood. [F.144.a] It was scented by the noble essence of aloeswood, the best of fragrances. It was strewn with precious flowers and nāga pearls. It was adorned with flower arrangements of scattered flower petals, fine trees, and gorgeous ornaments. The pavilion was everywhere aglitter with variegated arrangements of beautiful ornaments, as many as exist in all the world systems. It also featured many strikingly beautiful lion thrones‍—many tens of billions, countless, of all different kinds, alluring, lofty, superb, broad, and immense.

In this world system appeared four thousand staircases framed by terraces the height of seven men and half a mile across. They were fashioned from precious sapphire and deep blue sapphire and adorned with canopies of all other manner of gems. They were festooned with golden jewels and other precious stones and enveloped by the sound of filigrees of chimes. These stairways soared from the ground level all the way up to the pavilion. They were straight and steady. Just as in this world system, such great staircases rose in all the world systems of the trichiliocosm.

At this point the Blessed One mindfully and deliberately emerged from that state of meditative absorption. As soon as he did, the world systems of the trichiliocosm trembled six times and were brightly illuminated. Then the Blessed One was together with a host of bodhisattvas and a host of śrāvakas, the host of bodhisattvas surrounding him and the host of śrāvakas in front of and behind him. Gods and nāgas praised him and caused a great rain of flower petals. They bestowed many garments on him [F.144.b] and caused a great rain of copious powders, perfumes, and lotions, all to the sound of cymbals and various melodies. The entire universe shook and lit up brightly.

Thereupon the whole assembly departed from Vulture Peak through the might of the Buddha: his miraculous powers, miraculous displays, great leadership, blessing, splendor, benediction, and magical abilities. Many tens of millions of gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas followed in order to attend the Buddha, ascending the central jewel-encrusted staircase leading to the pavilion.

Aware that the Blessed One had proceeded to the staircase, the Catur­mahā­rājakāyika gods, such as the Catur­mahā­rājas, showered clouds of divine flower petals on him in worship. They joined their palms and praised him with the following words:

“The light of the sun, the moon, fire, and jewels, and the immaculate divine light of the heavenly realms, are all outshone by the light of the Capable One, which pacifies the three lower destinies. This light razes Mount Meru and the surrounding peaks, and it illuminates the buddhafields. Therefore, we joyously take refuge in the Victor who has accomplished all aims.”

After the Catur­mahā­rājakāyika gods had praised the Blessed One with this verse, they joined the procession to attend to him.

At this point, the gods of Trāyastriṃśa, such as Śakra, the lord of the gods, became aware that the Blessed One had proceeded to the staircase, and they showered clouds of divine perfume on him in worship. They joined their palms and [F.145.a] praised him with the following words:

After the gods of Trāyastriṃśa had praised the Blessed One with this verse, they joined the procession to attend to him.

At this point, the gods of Yāma, such as Suyāma, the king of the gods, noticed that the Blessed One was ascending the staircase, and they showered clouds of divine garments on him in worship. They joined their palms and praised him with the following words:

After the gods of Yāma had praised the Blessed One with this verse, they joined the procession to attend to him.

At this point, the gods of Tuṣita, such as Pramodita, the king of the gods, noticed that the Blessed One was ascending the staircase, and they showered clouds of divine jewels on him in worship. They joined their palms and praised him with the following words:

After the gods of Tuṣita had praised the Blessed One with this verse, they joined the procession to attend to him.

At this point, the gods of Nirmāṇarati, such as Sunirmāṇarati, the king of the gods, noticed that the Blessed One was ascending the staircase, and they showered clouds of divine ornaments on him in worship. They joined their palms and praised him with the following words:

After the gods of Nirmāṇarati had praised the Blessed One with this verse, they joined the procession to attend to him.

At this point, the gods of Para­nirmitavaśavartin, such as Vaśavartin, the king of the gods, noticed that the Blessed One had ascended the staircase and was now facing the pavilion, and they showered clouds of divine pearl garlands on him in worship. They joined their palms and praised him with the following words:

After the gods of Para­nirmitavaśavartin had praised the Blessed One with these verses, they joined the procession to attend to him.

After the many gods had thus praised the vast display of the buddha domain, the Buddha entered the pavilion called Jeweled Array. Just as they realized that the Blessed One had gone to the pavilion Jeweled Array via the staircase in this world system of Endurance, they realized that he had also done so in all the world systems of the trichiliocosm.

At this point, the Blessed One sat down on the lion throne that had been prepared in the pavilion Jeweled Array, encompassed by the trichiliocosm. [F.146.b] The bodhisattvas and the great śrāvakas also took their seats. At this time, the Blessed One entered a buddha absorption called buddha play in unveiled liberation. No sooner had he entered that absorption than as many light rays as there are grains of sand in the river Ganges shone forth from each and every pore of his body. They illuminated all the world systems in the eastern, southern, western, and northern directions. They illuminated the zenith and the nadir, and the intermediate directions as well.

As soon as all the world systems had been illuminated in this way, the suffering experienced by sentient beings tormented in the hell realms ceased. The suffering experienced by beings in the world of Yama and the suffering experienced by beings in the animal realm also ceased. In that instant, attachment, aversion, delusion, and all the other afflictive emotions ceased to afflict sentient beings, who all became kind and loving, and considered beings to be like their parents.

In order to invite the bodhisattvas through the Buddha’s might, the following verses emanated from the light rays streaming from the Tathāgata:

The light rays transmitted these words to all buddhafields. They invited all bodhisattvas, made all world systems tremble, made all sentient beings happy, and purified all elements of the afflictive emotions. The light rays illuminated Tamondha­kāra and obscured the dwelling places of Māra. They then returned to the immense circle of bodhisattvas and the world system of Endurance, where they disappeared into the top of the Blessed One’s head.

The light rays first invited the bodhisattva Puṣpaśrī­garbha­sarva­dharma­vaśavartin to come. He resided in a buddhafield situated in the east, called Endowed with the Vast Display of the Precious Merits of Endless Qualities, of the Tathāgata Immaculate Pure Precious Light, Sovereign of the Uninterrupted Luminous Display of Dharma Endowed with the Factors of Awakening. As soon as the light rays reached this bodhisattva, as many bodhisattvas as there are grains of sand in ten Ganges rivers surrounded and followed him in honor. [F.147.b] They all left that buddhafield together and arrived in an instant in this world system of Endurance. Once they had approached the Blessed One inside the pavilion Jeweled Array, they prostrated at his feet. They circumambulated him ten thousand times and in worship showered a multitude of divine gems and beryl upon him. Then they praised him with these words:

Once those bodhisattvas had praised the Blessed One with countless bodhisattva eulogies, they withdrew to the eastern corner of the pavilion and sat down upon seats created by their own miraculous power.

Then the light rays invited the bodhisattva Ratnayaṣṭi to come. He resided in a buddhafield situated in the south, called Buddha Courage, of the Tathāgata Countless Qualities Precious Courage. As the light rays reached him, as many bodhisattvas as there are grains of sand in ten Ganges rivers surrounded and followed him in honor. They all left that buddhafield together and arrived in an instant in this world system of Endurance. Once they had approached the Blessed One inside the pavilion Jeweled Array, they prostrated at his feet. They circumambulated him ten thousand times [F.148.a] and in worship draped the Blessed One with filigrees of gold. Then they praised him with these words:

Once the bodhisattvas had praised the Blessed One with countless bodhisattva eulogies, they withdrew to the southern corner of the pavilion and sat down upon seats created by their own miraculous power.

Then the light rays invited the bodhisattva Sovereign of Powerful Reverberating Sound to come. He resided in a buddhafield situated in the west, called Illuminated, of the Tathāgata Illuminator. As the light rays reached him, as many bodhisattvas as there are grains of sand in ten Ganges rivers surrounded and followed him in honor. They all left that buddhafield together and arrived in an instant in this world system of Endurance. Once they had approached the Blessed One inside the pavilion Jeweled Array, they prostrated at his feet. They circumambulated him ten thousand times and in worship draped the Blessed One with filigrees of pearl necklaces. Then they praised him with these words:

Once the bodhisattvas had praised the Blessed One with countless bodhisattva eulogies, they withdrew to the western corner of the pavilion and sat down upon seats created by their own miraculous power.

Then the light rays invited the bodhisattva Ocean of Supreme Intelligence to come. He resided in a buddhafield situated in the north, called Fully Adorned with Jewels, of the Tathāgata Countless Qualities Precious Courage. As the light rays reached him, as many bodhisattvas as there are grains of sand in ten Ganges rivers surrounded and followed him in honor. They all left that buddhafield together and arrived in an instant in this world system of Endurance. Once they had approached the Blessed One inside the pavilion Jeweled Array, they prostrated at his feet. They circumambulated him ten thousand times and in worship draped the Blessed One with filigrees of crystals and jewels. Then they praised him with these words:

Once the bodhisattvas had praised the Blessed One with countless bodhisattva eulogies, they withdrew to the northern corner of the pavilion and sat down upon seats created by their own miraculous power.

Then the light rays invited the bodhisattva Illuminator to come. He resided in a buddhafield situated in the southeast, called Sorrowless, of the Tathāgata Conqueror of All Sorrow. As the light rays reached him, as many bodhisattvas as there are grains of sand in ten Ganges rivers surrounded and followed him in honor. They all left that buddhafield together and arrived in an instant in this world system of Endurance. Once they had approached the Blessed One inside the pavilion Jeweled Array, they prostrated at his feet. They circumambulated him ten thousand times and in worship draped the Blessed One with filigrees of jewels. Then they praised him with these words:

Once the bodhisattvas had praised the Blessed One with countless bodhisattva eulogies, they withdrew to the southeastern area of the pavilion and sat down upon seats created by their own miraculous power.

Then the light rays invited the bodhisattva Mind of Great Compassion to come. He resided in a buddhafield situated it the southwest, called Virtuous Eye, of the Tathāgata Gazing at All Beings with Great Compassion. [F.149.b] As the light rays reached him, as many bodhisattvas as there are grains of sand in ten Ganges rivers surrounded and followed him in honor. They all left that buddhafield together and arrived in an instant in this world system of Endurance. Once they had approached the Blessed One inside the pavilion Jeweled Array, they prostrated at his feet. They circumambulated him ten thousand times and in worship draped the Blessed One with filigrees of fine robes. Then they praised him with these words:

Once the bodhisattvas had praised the Blessed One with countless bodhisattva eulogies, they withdrew to the southwestern area of the pavilion and sat down upon seats created by their own miraculous power.

Then the light rays invited the bodhisattva Light-Web Bearer to come. He resided in a buddhafield situated in the northwest, called Free of Darkness, of the Tathāgata Sovereign Light Display. As the light rays reached him, as many bodhisattvas as there are grains of sand in ten Ganges rivers surrounded and followed him in honor. [F.150.a] They all left that buddhafield together and arrived in an instant in this world system of Endurance. Once they had approached the Blessed One inside the pavilion Jeweled Array, they prostrated at his feet. They circumambulated him ten thousand times and in worship draped the Blessed One with filigrees of ornaments. Then they praised him with these words:

Once the bodhisattvas had praised the Blessed One with countless bodhisattva eulogies, they withdrew to the northwestern area of the pavilion and sat down upon seats created by their own miraculous power.

Then the light rays invited the bodhisattva Immaculate Limitless Intelligence to come. He resided in a buddhafield situated in the northeast, called Pure Immaculate Dwelling, of the Tathāgata Immaculate Center of the Sky. As the light rays reached him, as many bodhisattvas as there are grains of sand in ten Ganges rivers surrounded and followed him in honor. They all left that buddhafield together and arrived in an instant in this world system of Endurance. Once they had approached the Blessed One inside the pavilion Jeweled Array, they prostrated at his feet. [F.150.b] They circumambulated him ten thousand times and in worship draped the Blessed One with filigrees of continuously sounding cymbals. Then they praised him with these words:

Once the bodhisattvas had praised the Blessed One with countless bodhisattva eulogies, they withdrew to the northeastern area of the pavilion and sat down upon seats created by their own miraculous power.

Then the light rays invited the bodhisattva Ornamental Display of Courage to come. He resided in a buddhafield situated in the nadir, called Appearing as Illumination, of the Tathāgata Glory of the Precious Red Lotus. As the light rays reached him, bodhisattvas as numerous as sand grains in the ten Ganges rivers surrounded and followed him in honor. They all left that buddhafield together and arrived in an instant in this world system of Endurance. Once they had approached the Blessed One inside the pavilion Jeweled Array, they prostrated at his feet. They circumambulated him ten thousand times and in worship draped the Blessed One with filigrees of garlands from the isle of precious jewels. Then they praised him with these words:

Once the bodhisattvas had praised the Blessed One with countless bodhisattva eulogies, they withdrew to the lower part of the pavilion and sat down upon seats created by their own miraculous power.

Then the light rays invited the bodhisattva Sovereign Who Emanates All Phenomena to come. He resided in a buddhafield situated in the zenith, called Adorned by Ornaments, of the Tathāgata Sovereign of Supreme Reverberating Sound. As the light rays reached him, as many bodhisattvas as there are grains of sand in ten Ganges rivers surrounded and followed him in honor. They all left that buddhafield together and arrived in an instant in this world system of Endurance. Once they had approached the Blessed One inside the pavilion Jeweled Array, they prostrated at his feet. They circumambulated him ten thousand times and in worship draped the Blessed One with filigrees of all kinds of ornaments, precious bells, and tinkling bells. Then they praised him with these words:

Once the bodhisattvas had praised the Blessed One with countless bodhisattva eulogies, they withdrew into the space above the pavilion and sat down upon seats created by their own miraculous power.

Thus the light rays invited the ten bodhisattvas of the ten directions, together with their entourages of countless other bodhisattvas. They arrived in an instant in this world system of Endurance, and they sat before the Blessed One within the pavilion Jeweled Array.

As the Blessed One mindfully and deliberately rose from that absorption, he cleared his throat and produced a sound, a melodious sound heard throughout the entire trichiliocosm. Once all the faithful in the entire trichiliocosm, including the monks and nuns, the laymen and laywomen, and the humans and nonhumans, heard the sound of the Blessed One clearing his throat, they grew satisfied in body and mind. By the power of the Buddha, they also arrived at the pavilion Jeweled Array in an instant, that very moment, by means of the miraculously manifesting staircases. They prostrated at the Blessed One’s feet and took their designated seats off to the side.

The sound of the Blessed One clearing his throat also inspired the gods of the following realms: Brahmā, Brahmakāyika, Brahma­purohita, Brahma­pariṣadya, and Mahābrahmā; Mahāprabha, Parīttābha, Apramāṇābha, and Ābhāsvara; Parīttaśubha, Apramāṇaśubha, and Śubhakṛtsna; and Anabhraka, Puṇyaprasava, Bṛhatphala, Asaṃjñisattva, Avṛha, Atapa, Sudṛśa, [F.152.a] Sudarśana, and Akaniṣṭha. They too hastened in an instant, that very moment, to the pavilion Jeweled Array. They too prostrated at the Blessed One’s feet and took their seats.

Then, when the Blessed One had comprehended that this large retinue had assembled, a light called display of the strength of bodhisattvas sprang from his forehead. That light swirled around the whole group of bodhisattvas seven times and disappeared into the crowns of their heads. Then, as soon as the light had touched the bodhisattva Puṣpaśrī­garbha­sarva­dharma­vaśavartin, by the power of the Buddha he entered the bodhisattva absorption called array of all ornaments.

As soon as he had entered that absorption, a beautiful throne for the Blessed One appeared in the center of the pavilion Jeweled Array. It was a raised lion throne the height of a gigantic palmyra tree. It rested on different types of embellished supports and was decorated with all kinds of precious things. It was draped in various types of cotton cloth and sprinkled with a variety of flower petals. The bodhisattvas held up an incredibly attractive parasol above the seat, and the seat was visible to the entire assembly. It delighted and deeply gratified all sentient beings.

After the bodhisattva Puṣpaśrī­garbha­sarva­dharma­vaśavartin had conjured up the tathāgata seat, the great lion throne called limitless inspiring praise, he mindfully and deliberately emerged from that absorption. [F.152.b] He spoke to the Blessed One, his palms joined in reverence, and said the following:

Recognizing the determination of the bodhisattva Puṣpaśrī­garbha­sarva­dharma­vaśavartin, the Blessed One took his seat on the lion throne.

The Blessed One, who had attained unobstructed liberation, thus sat on the lion throne to teach the Dharma discourse The Gateway to Unobstructed Deliverance through the Bodhisattva Way of Life. This discourse focuses on setting out on the bodhisattva path that accomplishes all profound buddha qualities: the strengths and four types of fearlessness. It is the source of wisdom, the gateway to the dhāraṇī seal that grants mastery of all teachings.

It is a gateway that establishes the four types of discriminating knowledge. It is a gateway to the wisdom of great superknowledge. It teaches the Dharma of nonorigination to the retinue of those who will not be turned back from awakening. It condenses all vehicles into sameness, into a single vehicle. It enters the uncontaminated, unique realm of phenomena. It engages the dispositions and faculties of all sentient beings.

This discourse is an essential teaching. It is a Dharma of total certainty. It destroys the entire retinue of Māra. It leads to engagement in the appropriate Dharma methods. It overcomes all afflictive emotions and views. It accords with wisdom free of attachment. It teaches skill in means and the wisdom of unobstructed dedication to the roots of virtue. It leads to the wisdom of the sameness of all buddhas. It is the gateway to the blessings of nonattachment. It elaborates on the exact nature of all phenomena.

This discourse leads to sameness free of discursive thought and concepts. [F.153.b] It brings about understanding of the sameness of the twelve links of profound dependent arising due to accumulating all the collections of merit and wisdom.

It is furnished with the ornament of the sameness of the body, speech, and mind of the buddhas. It accomplishes inexhaustible mindfulness, intelligence, realization, devotion, and wisdom. It engages the method of the noble truths in order to tame beings through the vehicle of the śrāvakas. It knows the solitude of body, speech, and mind in order to tame beings through the vehicle of the pratyekabuddhas. It attains the consecration at the stage of the wisdom of omniscience in order to tame beings through the Great Vehicle. Such a Dharma discourse leads to the mastery of all teachings in order to express all the qualities of the Tathāgata.

The Blessed One took his seat on the lion throne so that this discourse could be taught, elucidated, explained, recited, memorized, and understood. He did this to satisfy all the hosts of bodhisattvas, to display the miraculous power of the Tathāgata, and to eliminate the doubts of the retinue. He did it to defeat the entire retinue of Māra, to allow the teaching of the Tathāgata blaze forth, and to perform great buddha activity. [B2]

Then, by the power of the Buddha, the following events occurred. The bodhisattva known as Ratnayaṣṭi entered the array of buddha ornaments absorption and magically adorned the entire retinue with buddha ornaments. Then the bodhisattva Sovereign of Powerful Reverberating Sound entered the lotus array absorption and conjured up flower garlands and bouquets and placed them in the hands of the entire retinue. [F.154.a] They proceeded to toss the flower garlands and the bouquets toward the Blessed One and the gathering of bodhisattvas.

The bodhisattva named Ocean of Supreme Intelligence entered the fragrance array absorption and magically infused the fragrance of sandalwood into all the pores of the entire retinue. The bodhisattva named Light-Web Bearer entered the light array absorption and magically imbued the entire retinue with limitless physical radiance. The bodhisattva named Mind of Great Compassion entered the unblinking gaze absorption and conjured upon the retinue an unblinking gaze when in the presence of the Tathāgata. The bodhisattva named Immaculate Limitless Intelligence entered the absorption supremely delighted by the Dharma and magically imbued the entire retinue with the zeal for righteousness and with delight in and devotion toward the Dharma.

The bodhisattva called Ornamental Display of Courage entered the completely peaceful absorption and magically imbued the entire retinue with the removal of the five obstructions. The bodhisattva called Sovereign Who Emanates All Phenomena entered the action devoid of forgetfulness absorption and magically imbued the entire retinue with mindfulness of the thought of awakening and with remembrance of the Tathāgata as the object of attention. [F.154.b] The bodhisattva mahāsattva Illuminator entered the undefeatable absorption and magically imbued the entire retinue with the conquest of Māra and all adversaries.

Then, at that time, by the power of the Buddha, the bodhisattva Māra­pramardaka entered the conquering the entire retinue of Māra absorption. At the very moment that the bodhisattva Māra­pramardaka entered that absorption, all the billion demons throughout the trichiliocosm, surrounded by their armies and retinues of servants, disappeared very swiftly and immediately from their individual residences. Appearing before the Blessed One in the pavilion Jeweled Array, they prostrated themselves at his feet. They offered the Blessed One many hundreds of thousands of divine gifts, and with their palms respectfully and reverently joined they asked the Blessed One, “If we beseech you, Blessed One, ‘Please explain the Dharma! Sugata, please explain the Dharma!’ then, through the blessing of the bodhisattva Māra­pramardaka, we will discard any demonic deeds and henceforth will not perform deeds that confuse sentient beings. O Blessed One! Please grant us relief so that we may listen to the Dharma in your presence.”

Thereupon, in order to grant relief to those demons, the Blessed One said, “Friends, very well, it is very good. Give up your demonic deeds and beseech the Tathāgata [F.155.a] to teach the Dharma! This will indeed become the cause for leaving behind all the ways of Māra. Why? It will do so because it generates the power that produces the roots of virtue for buddhahood.

“Friends, just as complete darkness that has prevailed for many years can be eliminated by a single lamp, in the same way, my friends, the complete darkness of the afflictive emotions that has prevailed for a hundred eons can be eliminated by a single generation of the power of wisdom. Friends, just as the moon, the sun, or a large precious jewel can dispel all darkness, in the same way, my friends, a single virtuous thought endowed with insight can eliminate all the darkness of unknowing. Friends, that is why, through this root of virtue, you will gradually remove all the darkness of unknowing and attain the great illumination of the Dharma.”

At this point, the bodhisattva Dharmeśvara­rāja, who was present among the members of the retinue, said, “Blessed One, the buddha domain blessed and revealed by the Tathāgata is inconceivable. I have no doubt that the Tathāgata will agree to teach the Dharma discourse of the Great Assembly chapter called The Gateway to Unobstructed Deliverance through the Bodhisattva Way of Life. Why is that? Blessed One, this assembly of outstanding bodhisattvas is great.

“Blessed One, they have donned the inconceivable bodhisattva armor. They sport with the great wisdom of the superknowledges. They resound in the ten directions. They are aware that stains do not exist when the mind has become purified. They are illuminated by [F.155.b] liberation. They are praised and commended by buddhas. They attain sovereign mastery over all phenomena. They bring all perfections to perfection. They emerge through all sorts of skillful methods. They dispel all demonic deeds, hostilities, and afflictive emotions. They tame all hosts of opponents and evil forces. They know how to analyze and teach all words. They attain perfect wisdom without attachment. They have obtained mindfulness, intelligence, realization, modesty, devotion, retention, and wisdom. They have unobstructed blessing and uninterrupted eloquence. They know how to distinguish the inferior and superior faculties of all beings. They teach the Dharma in accordance with the predispositions of all beings. They teach the flawless Dharma without mistake. They are skilled in the languages and dialects of all beings. They are endowed with the voices of kinnaras, kalaviṅka birds, and cranes and the melodious voice of Brahmā.

“They establish all beings in nirvāṇa by acting as their spiritual friends. They are motivated by great benevolence and vast compassion. They are stable, settled, and unwavering. They act on their words. They hoist the Dharma banner. They are firm like a vajra and indestructible like the ring of mountains. They make aspiration prayers free of any wishes. They are established in profound dependent arising, which is difficult to see and comprehend. They have cut off the two extremes of eternalism and nihilism, all views, and the karmic traces. They command a following that befits a great king. [F.156.a] They are great leaders who have for countless eons accomplished merit through the Jewel of the Dharma. They are great kings of physicians who cure the incorporeal disease of the afflictive emotions of all sentient beings. They are without fear of the resounding of the great lion’s roar, of all types nonsequential and inverted29 progression, and of the mystery of the Tathāgata. Their bodies will be well adorned by the excellent marks and signs. They make unstinting offerings. They are courageous in every respect. They defeat the army of all afflictive emotions and the four māras. They are like ferrymen. They thoroughly cultivate the spiritual faculties, the strengths, the factors of awakening, the concentrations, the liberations, and entering the absorptions.

“They exert themselves to fully liberate all sentient beings. They are like mountains. They turn away from the eight worldly dharmas: gain, loss, fame, ill repute, blame, praise, joy, and suffering. They are settled in the joyous, delightful, and rapturous Dharma. They bask in the radiance of the Jewel of the Dharma. They achieve contentment through wisdom. Like a lotus, they are unstained by any conditioned phenomena. They have pure halos that dim the light of the moon, the sun, Śakra, and Brahmā. They enter the ocean mudrā absorption. They engage in all aspects of the Jewel of the Dharma. They do not interrupt the lineage of the Three Jewels. They mature all beings. They perform subduing rituals. They maintain the treasury of all the jewels of the Buddhadharma. They are limitlessly praised. They accumulate infinite merit. [F.156.b] They approach the wisdom of omniscience, which is excellent in every respect. Such is this assembly, which could be praised until the end of time.

“This being so, Blessed One, I had the thought that you would agree to teach the Dharma discourse of the Great Assembly chapter called The Gateway to Unobstructed Deliverance through the Bodhisattva Way of Life.

“Blessed One, it is wonderful that the appearance of a present buddha benefits and appeases all sentient beings, generates the roots of virtue of future bodhisattvas, purifies the intentions of the bodhisattvas who have generated the first thought of awakening, uniquely engages bodhisattvas who have entered the bodhisattva way of life, empowers in the Buddhadharma bodhisattvas who are irreversible from awakening, does not let go to waste the causes and fruits of bodhisattvas who are kept back by one last birth, prepares conditions for sentient beings who are established on the path, causes the practice of great compassion for sentient beings who are not established on the path, and causes sentient beings who are definitely on a wrong path to be placed upon the true path. To sentient beings who aspire to the three vehicles, a buddha teaches their arrangements.

“The appearance of a buddha is an ornament of the world of gods, humans, and asuras, because when a buddha emerges, wonderful and marvelous Dharma teachings such as this will emerge in the world!

“Blessed One, such a display of blessings through a single instance of generating the thought of awakening, in this pavilion by these noble beings, is beyond the capacity of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas to teach, even for a hundred thousand eons. [F.157.a]

“This being so, I had the thought that it would be utterly astonishing were any beings, even after witnessing an amazing, miraculous, magical display such as this, to aspire for the vehicle of śrāvakas or vehicle of pratyekabuddhas with misguided understanding. Why is that so? Blessed One, the very first generation of the thought of awakening of a bodhisattva overpowers all śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas. When someone discards the Great Vehicle and thinks, ‘I will follow the vehicle of the śrāvakas or pratyekabuddhas,’ it is for me comparable to a person with misguided insight who discards a precious gem of beryl and thinks, ‘I prefer a semiprecious stone.’ Blessed One, those sons or daughters of noble family who have generated the thought of supreme perfect awakening with determination and all others who do so will, within a short while, attain such a teaching.”

When the bodhisattva Dharmeśvara­rāja had given this account, an immensely vast number of creatures among the retinue of many different beings, including gods and humans, generated the thought of supreme perfect awakening.