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སྡོང་པོས་བརྒྱན་པ།

The Stem Array
Sarvanagararakṣāsaṃbhavatejaḥśrī

Gaṇḍavyūha

ཤིན་ཏུ་རྒྱས་པ་ཆེན་པོའི་མདོ་སངས་རྒྱས་ཕལ་པོ་ཆེ་ཞེས་བྱ་བ་ལས་སྡོང་པོས་བརྒྱན་པའི་ལེའུ་སྟེ་བཞི་བཅུ་རྩ་ལྔ་པའོ།

shin tu rgyas pa chen po’i mdo sangs rgyas phal po che zhes bya ba las sdong pos brgyan pa’i le’u ste bzhi bcu rtsa lnga pa’o

“The Stem Array” Chapter from the Mahāvaipulya Sūtra “A Multitude of Buddhas”

Buddhāvataṃsakanāmamahāvaipulyasūtrāt gaṇḍavyūhasūtraḥ paṭalaḥ

Toh 44-45

Degé Kangyur, vol. 37 (phal chen, ga), folios 274.b–396.a; vol. 38 (phal chen, a), folios 1.b–363.a

ᴛʀᴀɴsʟᴀᴛᴇᴅ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛɪʙᴇᴛᴀɴ ʙʏ

Surendrabodhi
Vairocanarakṣita
Bandé Yeshé Dé
Jinamitra

Translated by Peter Alan Roberts
under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha

First published 2021

Current version v 1.0.29 (2024)

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co.

Summary

s.1

In this lengthy final chapter of the Avataṃsaka Sūtra, while the Buddha Śākyamuni is in meditation in Śrāvastī, Mañjuśrī leaves for South India, where he meets the young layman Sudhana and instructs him to go to a certain kalyāṇamitra or “good friend,” who then directs Sudhana to another such friend. In this way, Sudhana successively meets and receives teachings from fifty male and female, child and adult, human and divine, and monastic and lay kalyāṇamitras, including night goddesses surrounding the Buddha and the Buddha’s wife and mother. The final three in the succession of kalyāṇamitras are the three bodhisattvas Maitreya, Mañjuśrī, and Samantabhadra. Samantabhadra’s recitation of the Samantabhadracaryāpraṇidhāna (“The Prayer for Completely Good Conduct”) concludes the sūtra.

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Acknowledgements

ac.1

Translated by Peter Alan Roberts and edited by Emily Bower, who was also the project manager. Ling Lung Chen was consultant for the Chinese, and Tracy Davis copyedited the final draft. The translator would like to thank Patrick Carré and Douglas Osto, who have both spent decades studying and translating this sūtra, for their advice and help.

The translation was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.

ac.2

The generous sponsorship of Richard and Carol Weingarten; of Jamyang Sun, Manju Chandra Sun and Siqi Sun; and of an anonymous donor, which helped make the work on this translation possible, is most gratefully acknowledged.

Introduction

i.1

The Stem Array (Gaṇḍavyūha) is a unique sūtra in that most of its narrative takes place in South India, far from the presence of the Buddha. It follows the journey of the young Sudhana from teacher to teacher, or kalyāṇamitra (literally “good friend”), beginning with his meeting Mañjuśrī when that bodhisattva came to South India. Another unique characteristic is that Sudhana’s teachers include children, non-Buddhists, a courtesan, merchants, and so on, among them a number of women. His teachers are both humans and deities, including eight night goddesses around the Bodhi tree and the forest goddess of Lumbinī, the birthplace of the Buddha. These teachers are often described as having received teachings from numerous other buddhas. For example, the bhikṣu Sāgaramegha describes how he received, from a buddha who appeared out of the ocean, teachings that would take more than a kalpa to write out. The kalyāṇamitras are described as having realizations and miraculous powers that test the limits of the imagination.

Indian Origins of the Sūtra

The Gaṇḍavyūha Sūtra in China

Gaṇḍavyūha and Borobudur

The Gaṇḍavyūha Sūtra in Tibet

Translations into Western Languages

The Meaning of the Title as Translated into Tibetan

The Meaning of the Title Buddhāvataṃsaka Sūtra

Who Is Sudhana and What Is a Śreṣthin?

The Numbers

Challenges in the Translation

Detailed Summary of The Stem Array Sūtra

The Translation

The Noble Mahāvaipulya Sūtra “A Multitude of Buddhas”
Chapter 45: The Stem Array

Chapter 2

Samantabhadra

2.1

Then the bodhisattva mahāsattva Samantabhadra looked upon the great assembly of bodhisattvas, and in order to categorize, teach extensively, clarify, illuminate, and give instructions on the Tathāgata’s samādhi called the gaping lion, he taught those bodhisattvas in ten ways the Tathāgata’s samādhi called the gaping lion through the equality of the nature of the realm of phenomena with the element of space, the equality of the three times, the equality of the realm of phenomena, the equality of the realms of beings, the equality of all worlds, the equality of the continuum of karma, the equality of the thoughts of all beings, the equality of the aspirations of beings, the equality of the appearances of phenomena, the equality of the times for ripening beings, and the equality of the faculties of all beings. [F.301.b]

Chapter 3

Mañjuśrī

3.1

Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta was residing270 in his kūṭāgāra together with bodhisattvas who had the same conduct; vajrapāṇis who constantly followed him; devas with physical bodies whose minds aspired to serve all the buddhas and were dedicated to bringing power to the entire world; devas who walked on foot following their past aspirations; devas of the earth who aspired to hear the Dharma; devas of pools, lakes, ponds, reservoirs, wells, and rivers who were dedicated to great compassion; [F.314.a] devas of fire who brought illumination through the light of wisdom; devas of the air who wore precious crowns; devas of the directions who illuminated the directions with wisdom; devas of the night who were dedicated to eliminating the darkness of ignorance; devas of the day who were dedicated to producing the daylight of the tathāgatas; devas of the sky who were dedicated to orbiting271 in the sky of the entire realm of phenomena; devas of the ocean272 who were dedicated to rescuing beings from the ocean of existence; devas of mountains who were dedicated to gathering the accumulation of omniscience and whose minds had ascended to the summit273 of the roots of merit; devas of rivers who were dedicated to adorning all beings and who were dedicated to aspiring to the characteristics and supernatural power of all the buddhas; devas of towns who were dedicated to caring for the towns that are the minds of all beings; nāga lords who were devoted to and longed for the town of the omniscient Dharma;274 yakṣa lords who were engaged in protecting all beings; gandharva lords who were dedicated to increasing the power of joy in all beings; kumbhāṇḍa lords who were dedicated to preventing rebirth as pretas; garuḍa lords who were engaged in aspiring to bring all beings out of the ocean of existence; asura lords who had the aspiration to attain the body and power of the Tathāgata, which have transcended the entire world; mahoraga lords [F.314.b] who rejoiced in seeing the Tathāgata and bowed down to him; deva lords who had been saddened by saṃsāra and gazed with admiration; and lords of Brahmakāyika devas who bowed down with great respect.

Chapter 4

Meghaśrī

4.1

Then Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, eventually arrived at the land called Rāmāvarānta. Having arrived there, he traveled through the land of Rāmāvarānta. Enjoying the delightful pleasures that arose from his past roots of merit and through the power of vast karma, he came to Sugrīva Mountain. He climbed Sugrīva Mountain and, seeking the bhikṣu Meghaśrī, he went to its eastern side. In the same way, he went to its southern, western, northern, northeastern, southeastern, southwestern, and northwestern sides, looking up and down for the bhikṣu Meghaśrī.

Chapter 5

Sāgaramegha

5.1

Then Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, contemplated the instruction of that kalyāṇamitra. He remembered the radiance of his wisdom.352 He analyzed that bodhisattva’s liberation. He reflected on353 the bodhisattva’s way of samādhi. He looked at the way of an ocean of bodhisattvas. He aspired toward the domain of buddhahood. He delighted in the direction of the vision of the buddhas. He contemplated the ocean of buddhas. He remembered the succession of buddhas. He comprehended that which is understood in the way of the buddhas.354 He looked into the sky of the buddhas.

Chapter 6

Supratiṣṭhita

6.1

Then Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, remembering the instructions of the kalyāṇamitra and the Dharma teaching called All-Seeing Eyes, contemplating the miracles of that tathāgata, keeping in his mind the clouds of the words and terms of that Dharma, [F.333.a] comprehending that ocean of Dharma gateways, observing the precepts of that Dharma, entering377 those ways of turning toward378 the Dharma, absorbed into the sky of that Dharma, purifying the range of that Dharma, and meditating on the precious continent379 of that Dharma, eventually arrived at Sāgaratīra in the Laṅka region.380 Wishing to see the bhikṣu Supratiṣṭhita, he looked for him in the eastern direction. In the same way, wishing to see the bhikṣu Supratiṣṭhita, he looked for him everywhere: in the southern direction, in the western direction, in the northern direction, in the northeastern direction, in the southeastern direction, in the southwestern direction, in the northwestern direction, above, and below.

Chapter 7

Megha

7.1

Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, was filled with the power and might of faith in the Dharma. He was focused on the idea of following the Buddha; he was sincerely dedicated to the lineage of the Three Jewels; his mind illuminated the worlds of the three times;399 he was focused on following the great aspiration; he was continuously dedicated400 to saving all the realms of beings; his mind did not dwell on composite pleasures;401 he was devoted to contemplating the nature of all phenomena; he never deviated from the aspiration to purify all world realms; he dwelled without attachment in the circles of the assemblies of all the buddhas; he remembered the light of the Dharma;402 he remembered his kalyāṇamitras;403 and he proclaimed the lineage of freedom from desire.404

Chapter 8

Muktaka

8.1

Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, then contemplated that power of retention of the bodhisattvas called the light that is the display of Sarasvatī, remembered that particular entry by the bodhisattvas into an ocean of languages, remembered that particular entry by the bodhisattvas into the way of subtlety,417 remembered that particular purity of the bodhisattvas through purification of the mind, accomplished that particular accomplishment by the bodhisattvas of creating the predispositions for roots of merit, purified that particular bodhisattva gateway for ripening, refined that particular bodhisattva wisdom that attracts beings, made firmer that particular pure strength of bodhisattva motivation, stabilized that particular strength of the superior motivation of the bodhisattvas, purified that lineage of bodhisattva aspiration, developed418 that particular goodness that is in the minds of the bodhisattvas, and entered into that particular commitment of the bodhisattvas.

Chapter 9

Sāgaradhvaja

9.1

Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, contemplated the teaching of the head merchant Muktaka and dedicated himself to the instructions of the head merchant Muktaka. He followed the inconceivable bodhisattva liberations. He called to mind the inconceivable radiance of bodhisattva wisdom. He practiced entering and comprehending the inconceivable realm of the Dharma. He comprehended the inconceivable bodhisattva methods of gathering pupils. He reflected on the inconceivable miracles of the tathāgatas. He aspired to the inconceivable aggregation of buddha realms. He contemplated the display of the blessings of the buddhas. He examined the inconceivable majestic power of the display of samādhis and liberations. He was dedicated to entering inconceivable separate, unobscured world realms. He developed the aspiration for inconceivable, enduring bodhisattva activity. And he adopted the inconceivable continuum of bodhisattva activity and prayer.

10.

Chapter 10

Āśā

10.1

Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, delighted by the qualities of the kalyāṇamitra, [F.364.b] sent forth by the kalyāṇamitra, empowered by the sight of the kalyāṇamitra, practicing the instructions of the kalyāṇamitra, remembering the words of the kalyāṇamitra,526 and contemplating the kalyāṇamitra with affection, saw kalyāṇamitras as the source of the Buddhadharma, saw kalyāṇamitras as the teachers of the Buddhadharma, saw kalyāṇamitras as masters527 in the Dharma of omniscience, and saw the kalyāṇamitras as eyes that look into the sky of buddhahood.

11.

Chapter 11

Bhīṣmottaranirghoṣa

11.1

Then Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, thinking of following the bodhisattva instructions, thinking of following the pure conduct of bodhisattvas, thinking of increasing the strength of the merit of bodhisattvas, thinking of the illumination of the power of seeing the buddhas, thinking of developing the power to attain the treasure of the Dharma, [F.376.a] thinking of increasing the power of accomplishing the great prayers, thinking of facing every direction in the realm of the Dharma, thinking of the illumination of the nature of the Dharma, thinking of the dispersal of all obscurations, thinking of looking at the realm of Dharma free of darkness, thinking of the motivation703 that is stainless and unbreakable like Nārāyaṇa’s704 precious vajra, and thinking of invincibility and unassailability in the face of all the māra armies, eventually arrived in the land of Nālayu.

12.

Chapter 12

Jayoṣmāyatana

12.1

Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, was illuminated by the wisdom of the bodhisattva liberation called the banner of being invincible to others. He dwelled in the direct experience of the inconceivable range of the miraculous manifestations of the buddhas. He perceived the direct knowledge of inconceivable bodhisattva liberations. His mind was illuminated by the wisdom of inconceivable bodhisattva samādhis. He had attained the radiance of the wisdom of samādhi that is present at all times. He was illuminated by the range of samādhi, in which all perceptions are present and included. He had obtained the light of the wisdom that transcends all worlds. He had the direct perception of dwelling in the entire range of the three times.718 He was devoted to the wisdom that teaches equality without dualistic conceptions. He had the light of wisdom that pervaded719 throughout all objects of perception. He had mastered the treasury of aspiration for pure patience toward all that is heard.720 He had attained the definitive wisdom721 of patience for natural phenomena. His mind was never apart from meditation on the nature of the bodhisattva conduct722 of higher cognition. His mind was irreversibly progressing toward the power of omniscience. He had attained the illumination of the knowledge723 of the ten strengths. His mind was never content in its aspiration to hear the sound of the words of the realm of Dharma. [F.380.b] His mind had gained entry into the field of dwelling in omniscience. His mind had attained the infinite display of bodhisattva conduct. His mind was purified724 by the infinite domain of great725 bodhisattva prayers. He had the mind with direct perception of the limitless knowledge without limit or center of the unceasing network726 of world realms. He had the mind that never wearies in ripening and guiding the infinite ocean of beings. He saw the infinite range of bodhisattva conduct. He saw the infinite diversity of the different world realms. He saw the small and the vast objects of perception included within the infinite world realms. He saw the various networks of names that are the bases for infinite world realms. He saw the various infinite, differing relative designations and terms for infinite world realms. He saw the infinite, differing aspirations of beings. He saw the infinite, differing categories of beings. He saw the infinite practices for guiding and ripening beings. He saw the various infinite perceptions727 of the directions and times of beings. [F.381.a]

13.

Chapter 13

Maitrayaṇī

13.1

Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, with inconceivable respect754 for kalyāṇamitras, with a pure, vast755 aspiration, intent on the Mahāyāna, aspiring to the wisdom of buddhahood, [F.388.a] following the Buddhadharma, longing to follow the kalyāṇamitras, practicing veneration of the Dharma,756 intent on unimpeded wisdom, with conviction in the highest goal, being within the range of the apogee of wisdom, comprehending the three times in a fraction of an instant, intent on the nondual apogee of space, having attained certainty in the apogee of nonduality, dwelling in the nonconceptual apogee of the realm of the Dharma, having entered the comprehension of the way that is the apogee of being free of obscurations, dedicated to the harmony that is the apogee of action,757 realizing that the apogee of the tathāgatas is without an apogee, dwelling in the nonconceptuality that is the apogee of the buddhas,758 and dedicated to the wisdom that disperses the network of conceptualizations of all beings, had a mind free from all attachment to realms, free from attachment to all the circles of followers of the buddhas, and practiced, without dwelling in any location, the purification of all buddha realms; he had the recognition that there is no self and no beings within all beings, comprehended that all sounds are like echoes,759 and was dedicated to the realization that all forms are the same as reflections of forms.

14.

Chapter 14

Sudarśana

14.1

Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, contemplated the profound conduct of wisdom of the bodhisattvas, contemplated reaching the profound basis of the realm of phenomena, contemplated all773 profound subtle wisdom, contemplated the profound aspect of worldly conceptualization, contemplated the profound ground774 that is without creation, contemplated the profound ground of the stream of the mind, contemplated the profound ground of dependent origination, contemplated the profound true775 ground of nature, contemplated the profound true ground of the terminology776 of beings, contemplated the profound ground of the adorning array of the realm of phenomena, contemplated the profound ground of dependence on the processes of the body, and contemplated the profound ground of the various transformations of the body.

15.

Chapter 15

Indriyeśvara

15.1

Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, recited,798 promulgated, presented,799 investigated, elucidated, reflected on, described, taught, contemplated, bestowed, understood, was immersed in, repeated again and again, realized, propounded, illuminated, and surveyed the teaching of the bhikṣu Sudarśana.

15.2

He eventually, with an entourage of devas, nāgas, yakṣas, and gandharvas, arrived at the city of Sumukha in the land called Śramaṇamaṇḍala.

16.

Chapter 16

Prabhūtā

16.1

Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, had obtained the rain from the cloud of the instructions of the kalyāṇamitras.

16.2

He was like the ocean that never has too much rain from the clouds. The light from the sun of the wisdom of the kalyāṇamitras had caused the seedling of his powers to sprout from the ground of his ripened good karma.

16.3

The net of light rays from the full moon of the instructions of the kalyāṇamitras had brought ease to his mind and body.

17.

Chapter 17

Vidvān

17.1

Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, had obtained the light of the liberation called the unceasing display of the treasure of merit. He contemplated that ocean of merit. He viewed that sky of merit. He obtained that heap of merit. He climbed that mountain of merit. He accumulated that store964 of merit. He immersed himself in that river of merit. [F.11.b] He descended the steps into the bathing place of that merit. He purified that field of merit. He looked at that treasure of merit. He thought of that way of merit. He paid attention965 to that tradition966 of merit. He purified that lineage of merit.

18.

Chapter 18

Ratnacūḍa

18.1

Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, had conviction in that river of merit. He viewed that field of merit. He purified that mountain984 of merit. He climbed down that stairway to the bathing place of merit. He opened that treasury of merit. He viewed that treasure of merit. He purified that domain of merit. He carried away that heap of merit. He developed that strength of merit. He increased that power of merit.

19.

Chapter 19

Samantanetra

19.1

Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, had perceived the visions of infinite buddhas. He had attained the companionship of infinite bodhisattvas. [F.19.b] He had been illuminated by the infinite ways of the paths of the bodhisattvas. His mind had certainty through being saturated by the infinite ways of the Dharma of the bodhisattvas.997 He purified the path of the infinite motivations of the bodhisattvas. He had attained the brilliance of the infinite faculties of the bodhisattvas. He dwelled in the infinite aspirations of the bodhisattvas. His mind followed the example of the infinite conduct of the bodhisattvas. He possessed the banner of the infinite invincibility of the bodhisattvas. He possessed the movement of the infinite light of wisdom of the bodhisattvas. He had attained the infinite illumination of the Dharma of the bodhisattvas.

20.

Chapter 20

Anala

20.1

Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, remembered the succession of his kalyāṇamitras. He thought about the gateways of their instructions. He was content in his mind, thinking, “I have been accepted as a pupil by the kalyāṇamitras.” He observed in his mind, “I am under the protection of the kalyāṇamitras, and I will never regress in my progress toward the highest, complete enlightenment.” Thinking this, his mind was happy, his mind was serene, his mind was pleased, his mind was gladdened, his mind was delighted, his mind was joyful,1000 his mind was strong,1001 his mind was soothed, his mind was vast, his mind was adorned, his mind was unimpeded, his mind was unobscured, his mind was clear, his mind was composed, his mind had power, his mind had supremacy, his mind comprehended the Dharma, his mind pervaded the realms, his mind was adorned by the vision of the buddhas, and his mind never stopped focusing on the ten strengths.

21.

Chapter 21

Mahāprabha

21.1

Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, remembered that illusion of wisdom. He contemplated the bodhisattva’s liberation that had the form of illusion. He examined the illusory aspect of the nature of phenomena. He comprehended the equality of the illusions of actions. He reflected on the equality of the illusions of phenomena. He comprehended the equality of the emanations that are ripened by the Dharma. He followed the inconceivable appearances that arise from wisdom. He accomplished the accomplishment of the illusions of infinite prayer. He purified the unimpeded conduct that has the true nature of an illusory manifestation. He analyzed the three times as having the characteristics of being composed of illusions.

22.

Chapter 22

Acalā

22.1

Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, left the city of Suprabha, and having followed the road for a little while, he contemplated the instruction given to him by King Mahāprabha: he remembered the way of bodhisattva conduct called the banner of great love; he meditated on the light of the great samādhi called exercising power over the world; he realized1052 the variegated display of the lion throne and adornments of the pure bodhisattva body; he increased the inconceivable power and strength of bodhisattva aspiration and merit; [F.36.a] he made firm1053 the inconceivable way of bodhisattva wisdom that ripens beings; he reflected upon the inconceivable greatness of the general enjoyments of the bodhisattvas; he considered the inconceivable different aspects1054 of the bodhisattvas; he remembered the inconceivable pure ripening of beings by bodhisattvas; he thought about the inconceivable pure and perfect bodhisattva assembly of pupils; he had conviction in the inconceivable radiance of the bodhisattvas’ dedication to their duty to beings; and he attained happiness, powerful attraction, delight, contentment, deep joy, clarity of mind, brightness of mind, stability of mind, vastness of mind, and inexhaustibility of mind. He was in that way dedicated to remembering and thinking of the kalyāṇamitra.

23.

Chapter 23

Sarvagamin

23.1

Then Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, visualizing in his mind the upāsikā Acalā, remembering the instruction of the upāsikā Acalā, with conviction in and no doubt about what the upāsikā Acalā had taught, proclaimed, instructed, described,1080 sanctioned, established, explicated, stated, and elaborated upon it; he followed it, contemplated it, comprehended it, meditated on it, was absorbed in it,1081 was fixed upon it, understood it, illuminated it, and became equal to it.1082

24.

Chapter 24

Utpalabhūti

24.1

Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, had no regard for his life or body; he had no regard for engaging in dedication to obtaining and possessing the pleasures of existence; [F.46.a] he had no regard for the objects of perception that beings delight in; he had no regard for forms, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures; he had no concern for enjoying retinues and pleasures; he had no regard for any of the pleasures of the power of kingship and sovereignty; he was focused on attaining the highest purification of a buddha realm for the pure ripening and guiding of all beings; he was focused on never being satisfied with the extent of his offering to, honoring, and serving all the tathāgatas; he was focused on all phenomena with the wisdom that knows their nature;1090 he was focused on the qualities of bodhisattvas so that there would be no decline in his practice, which had the entire ocean of those qualities as its goal; he was focused on the great prayers of all bodhisattvas so as to maintain bodhisattva conduct throughout all kalpas; he was focused on entering the ocean of the circles of the followers of all tathāgatas; he was focused on all gateways of bodhisattva samādhis so as to manifest the attainment of all countless bodhisattva samādhis through each samādhi gateway; he was focused on all the light of wisdom of all Dharma wheels so as to never be satisfied with the extent of his obtaining Dharma wheels from all the tathāgatas; and he was focused on the kalyāṇamitras, who are the source of qualities, because the kalyāṇamitras are the source of the qualities of the buddhas, the bodhisattvas, and others.

25.

Chapter 25

Vaira

25.1

When Sudhana set out on the path to Kūṭāgāra, he observed and contemplated how the path could be upward or downward, even or uneven,1096 dusty or free of dust, safe or hazardous,1097 difficult or unobstructed, and crooked or straight. He thought, “This journey to a kalyāṇamitra will be a cause for the practice of the bodhisattva path, will be a cause of the practice of the path of the perfections, and will be a cause of the path of benefiting all beings,1098 which will be a cause for turning all beings away from the precipice of attachment1099 and aversion, [F.49.a] of elation and depression;1100 will be a cause for turning all beings away from a perception1101 of inequality; will be a cause for removing the dust of the kleśas from all beings; will be a cause for clearing away the tree trunks, thorns, pebbles, and gravel of the various bad views of all beings; and, through their entering the unobscured realm of the Dharma, will be a cause for bringing them without hindrance to the palace of omniscience.

26.

Chapter 26

Jayottama

26.1

Then Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, whose mind spread great love throughout the immeasurable realm of beings; whose being was saturated with the tenderness1129 of great compassion; who had accumulated a vast array of the accumulations of merit and wisdom; who had become free of all the dust, darkness, dirt, and mire of the kleśas; who had realized the equality of all phenomena; [F.51.b] who was devoted to the path that leads1130 upward to omniscience; who had chosen1131 the gateway for entering into immeasurable good qualities; who had the exertion1132 of firm diligence that is unimpaired by any bad quality; who was filled1133 with the vast calmness1134 of inconceivable bodhisattva samādhis; who shone with the light of the sun of wisdom that eliminated all the darkness of ignorance; who scattered flowers of wisdom brought by the pleasant, cool breezes of methods; who followed the way of wisdom that emerged from an ocean of great aspirations; and who possessed the wisdom that permeated without impediment the entire realm of the Dharma‍—he had approached entry into the city1135 of faultless1136 omniscience, and he yearned for the bodhisattva path.

27.

Chapter 27

Siṃhavijṛmbhitā

27.1

Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, set out for the town of Kaliṅgavana in the land of Śroṇāparānta and then arrived there. Searching for the bhikṣuṇī Siṃhavijṛmbhitā, as he roamed here and there he questioned the people he met. There were many hundreds of young men1154 and many hundreds of young women assembling and following in the streets, crossroads, and street junctions, together with many hundreds of men and many hundreds of women.

28.

Chapter 28

Vasumitrā

28.1

Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, with his mind illuminated by that great light of wisdom, focusing upon the light of omniscience, regarding the light of the power of the true nature, strengthening the way of retention that is the treasure of what was known from the voices of all beings, increasing the way of retention that possesses the Dharma wheels of all the tathāgatas, supporting1204 the power of the great compassion that is a refuge for all beings, realizing the strength of the omniscience that comes from the gateway of the light of the way of all Dharmas, following the pure aspiration that pervades the domain of the vast realm of phenomena, shining with the light of wisdom that illuminates all the directions of phenomena, accomplishing the power of the higher knowledge that pervades the array of world realms in the ten directions of all phenomena, and fulfilling the aspirations of accomplishing undertaking all the practices, memories, and actions1205 of the bodhisattvas, eventually arrived at the city of Ratnavyūha in the land of Durga and searched for the courtesan Vasumitrā.

29.

Chapter 29

Veṣṭhila

29.1

Then Sudhana went to the town of Śubhapāraṃgama [F.66.a] and approached the householder Veṣṭhila. He bowed his head to his feet, stood before him, and, with his hands placed together in homage, said, “Ārya, I have developed the aspiration for the highest, complete enlightenment, but I do not know how bodhisattvas should train in bodhisattva conduct and in what way they should practice it.

29.2

“Ārya, I have heard that you give instruction and teachings to bodhisattvas! Explain to me how bodhisattvas should train in bodhisattva conduct and how they should practice it!”

30.

Chapter 30

Avalokiteśvara

30.1

Then Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, contemplating the instruction of the householder Veṣṭhila, knowing that treasury of bodhisattva aspiration, remembering that power of bodhisattva memory, keeping in his mind the power of that successive lineage of the way of the buddhas, comprehending the continuous succession of the lineage of the buddhas, remembering the names of the buddhas that he had heard,1245 being in accord with the way of the Dharma taught by the buddhas, comprehending the array of attainments through the Dharma1246 of the buddhas, having confidence in the proclamation1247 of complete buddhahood by the buddhas, and focused on the inconceivable activity of the tathāgatas, eventually came to the Potalaka Mountain. [F.69.a] He ascended the Potalaka Mountain and searched and searched for the bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara.

31.

Chapter 31

Ananyagāmin

31.1

Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, his mind having acquired Avalokiteśvara’s verses of wisdom,1267 had not had enough of gazing on the bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara, but so as not to disobey his instruction, Sudhana went to where the bodhisattva Ananyagāmin was.

31.2

He bowed his head to the feet of the bodhisattva Ananyagāmin. Then he stood before him and, with his hands placed together in homage, said, “Ārya, I have developed the aspiration for the highest, complete enlightenment, but I do not know how bodhisattvas should train in bodhisattva conduct and in what way they should practice it.

32.

Chapter 32

Mahādeva

32.1

Sudhana had a mind that followed the vast conduct of bodhisattvas. He had the nature of longing for the scope of the wisdom of the bodhisattva Ananyagāmin. He saw the special qualities of accomplishing great higher cognition. He had attained joy in the armor of stable diligence. He had the aspiration to follow the displays1270 of inconceivable liberations. He practiced the qualities of the bodhisattva level. He analyzed on the level of samādhi. He was established on the level of the power of retention. He engaged in the level of prayer. He trained in the level of discernment. He was accomplishing the level of power.

33.

Chapter 33

Sthāvarā

33.1

Then Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, eventually reached the goddess of the earth, Sthāvarā, in the land of Magadha’s bodhimaṇḍa. When he arrived there, one million earth goddesses proclaimed to one another, “Someone who will be a refuge for all beings is coming here! Someone who has the essence of the tathāgatas and who will break open the enclosing egg of ignorance of all beings is coming here! Someone who is in the family of the kings of Dharma and will attain the state of an unimpeded, stainless king of the Dharma is coming here! Someone who is a hero with the thunderbolt weapon that has the great power of wisdom and who will subdue the circle of opponents is coming here!”

34.

Chapter 34

Vāsantī

34.1

Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, remembering the teaching of the earth goddess Sthāvarā, remembering the bodhisattva liberation called the essence of invincible wisdom, becoming adept in the meditation of bodhisattva samādhi, contemplating the way of the bodhisattva Dharma, analyzing the displays of bodhisattva liberation, viewing the very subtle wisdom of bodhisattva liberation, entering the ocean of the wisdom of bodhisattva liberation, with faith in the different wisdoms of bodhisattva liberation, realizing the mastery of the wisdom of bodhisattva liberation, and descending into the ocean of the wisdom of bodhisattva liberation, arrived at the location of the town of Kapilavastu.

35.

Chapter 35

Samantagambhīraśrīvimalaprabhā

35.1

Then Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, contemplating the night goddess Vāsantī’s first entry into the pure domain of aspiration to enlightenment, analyzing the arising of the essence of a bodhisattva, comprehending the ocean of bodhisattva prayer, purifying the bodhisattva path of perfections, overcoming the domain of the bodhisattva levels, augmenting the domain of bodhisattva conduct, following1324 an ocean of the setting-forth of bodhisattvas, looking at the ocean of the great illumination of omniscience, increasing the bodhisattva clouds of great compassion intent on saving all beings, and attaining the blessing of the completely good bodhisattva conduct and prayer of the night goddess Vāsantī that extends to the limits of all realms, went to the location of the night goddess Samantagambhīraśrīvimalaprabhā. Having reached her, he bowed his head to the feet of the night goddess Samantagambhīraśrīvimalaprabhā, circumambulated the night goddess Samantagambhīraśrīvimalaprabhā many hundreds of thousands of times, keeping her to his right, and then stood before her and, with palms together, said, “Āryā, I have developed the aspiration for the highest, complete enlightenment. However, I do not know how a bodhisattva practices on the level of a bodhisattva, how a bodhisattva sets forth, how a bodhisattva accomplishes.” [F.92.a]

36.

Chapter 36

Pramuditanayanajagadvirocanā

36.1

Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, was blessed by the instruction of the kalyāṇamitra; his mind practiced the words of the kalyāṇamitra; his mind had the perception of the kalyāṇamitra as a physician and himself as a patient; [F.96.a] his mind was contented by focusing on the vision of the kalyāṇamitra; his mind had obtained the opportunity to disperse the mountain of obscurations to the vision of the kalyāṇamitra; his mind had attained, through seeing the kalyāṇamitra, entry into the ocean of the ways of the great compassion that saves all the realms of beings; his mind had attained, through seeing the kalyāṇamitra, the illumination by wisdom of the ocean of the ways of the realm of phenomena.

37.

Chapter 37

Samantasattvatrāṇojaḥśrī

37.1

Then Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, aspiring to the night goddess Pramuditanayanajagadvirocanā’s samādhi of the bodhisattva liberation called the banner of the power1431 of vast, stainless, completely good joy, comprehending it, understanding it, knowing it, believing in it, undertaking it, pervading it, recollecting it, remembering it, and meditating on it,1432 practicing the instruction of the kalyāṇamitra and memorizing the instruction given by the night goddess Pramuditanayanajagadvirocanā in order to maintain the continuity of the teaching of instruction, approached the night goddess Samantasattvatrāṇojaḥśrī. Through contemplating1433 seeing a kalyāṇamitra, through the domain of all his faculties,1434 by going from place to place1435 to obtain the sight of a kalyāṇamitra, through looking in all directions, through being intent on searching for a kalyāṇamitra, through being free from all pride, [F.113.b] through the prowess1436 of pleasing a kalyāṇamitra, through being resolved to create a great accumulation of merit, through having become single-mindedly intent upon a kalyāṇamitra,1437 and through all his roots of merit,1438 he had gained the unwavering motivation for a kalyāṇamitra’s conduct of skillful methods, had developed an ocean of the power of diligence for increasing reliance on a kalyāṇamitra, and had prayed to dwell with and follow kalyāṇamitras equally in all kalpas.

38.

Chapter 38

Praśantarutasāgaravatī

38.1

Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, meditating on the night goddess Samantasattvatrāṇojaḥśrī’s bodhisattva liberation called the manifestations that guide beings that appear in all worlds, and contemplating it, having faith in it, engaging in it, increasing it, expanding it, augmenting it,1497 gaining power over it, illuminating it, and being absorbed in it, approached the night goddess Praśantarutasāgaravatī.

39.

Chapter 39

Sarvanagararakṣāsaṃbhavatejaḥśrī

39.1

Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, was meditating on, familiarizing himself with,1529 and cultivating the bodhisattva liberation called the display in each instant of mind of the arising of the power of vast delight. He was following, remembering, [F.148.a] and comprehending the instruction and teachings of the night goddess Praśantarutasāgaravatī, remembering each word and letter, the numerous countless aspects, the knowledge of the aspects of the nature of phenomena, and he was relying on it through his memory, analyzing it with his intelligence, comprehending it with his understanding,1530 increasing it with his intellect, feeling it with his body, practicing it, and engaging in it, and eventually he arrived where the night goddess Sarvanagararakṣāsaṃbhavatejaḥśrī was.

39.2

He saw the night goddess Sarvanagararakṣāsaṃbhavatejaḥśrī seated upon a great lotus throne containing the kings of precious jewels that illuminate towns and dwellings, with an entourage of countless night goddesses, with a body that appeared in all directions to all beings, with a body that had the forms of those of all beings, with a body that appeared before all beings, with a body that was unstained by all beings, with a body that had the same nature as that of all beings, with a body that was superior to those of all beings, with a body of the kind that could ripen and guide all beings, with a body through which she spoke to all beings, with a body that did not pass away among all beings, with a body that had vanquished all obscurations, with a body that had the nature of the ultimate nature of things,1531 with a body that had reached the conclusion of guiding all beings.

39.3

When Sudhana saw her, he was filled with joy, delighted, elated, pleased, and happy. He bowed his head to the night goddess Sarvanagararakṣāsaṃbhavatejaḥśrī’s feet, circumambulated the night goddess Sarvanagararakṣāsaṃbhavatejaḥśrī many hundreds of thousands of times, and then stood before the night goddess Sarvanagararakṣāsaṃbhavatejaḥśrī.

39.4

With his hands placed together in homage, [F.148.b] he said, “Goddess! I have entered upon the highest, complete enlightenment. Goddess, I pray that you explain to me how bodhisattvas should train in bodhisattva conduct so that they will be a medicine1532 for beings. How do bodhisattvas gather beings into the highest gathering? How do bodhisattvas, authorized by the tathāgatas, dedicate themselves to bodhisattva conduct so that, having become dedicated, they become kings of the Dharma.

39.5

The night goddess Sarvanagararakṣāsaṃbhavatejaḥśrī said to Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, “Noble one, it is excellent, excellent, that you ask about conduct that is a rain from clouds of Dharma that accords with the aspiration of the entire ocean of beings, so as to reach the conclusion of ripening and guiding all beings; so as to reach the conclusion of joining and maintaining the family of the tathāgatas; so as to conjoin with the wisdom that pervades throughout the extent of the directions; so as to focus on comprehending the entire ocean of the ways of the realm of the Dharma; so as to pervade the infinity of all that can be known, which is as vast as the extent of space; and so as to obtain and possess the wheels of Dharma of all the tathāgatas.

39.6

“Noble one, I have attained the bodhisattva liberation called the entry into beautiful sounds and profound manifestations.

39.7

“Noble one, through this liberation I undertake being on the unimpeded level of a dharmabhāṇaka. I have the aspiration to make a gift of the Dharma treasure of all the tathāgatas. I have attained the power of great love and compassion. [F.149.a] I am dedicated to activities that benefit all beings in order to bring all beings to the aspiration for enlightenment. I remain on the level of a guide for beings so that they will continuously gather the accumulation of the roots of merit of the aspiration for enlightenment. In order to bring all beings onto the path to omniscience, I engage in causing the sun of the Dharma to appear out of the clouds of the Dharma in the world. I continuously engage in a motivation that regards all beings as equal in order to illuminate all worlds with countless roots of merit. I am conjoined with a pure motivation so that all beings will know the accomplishment of accumulating roots of merit. I engage in being a leader of the caravan of all beings so that they will appropriately accomplish all the paths of good actions; I am engaged in the activity of causing all beings to reject all paths of bad actions and be established in the Dharma of good actions. I am engaged in teaching the path to happiness to all beings. I bring all beings to the beginning of the array of the yānas. I am engaged in establishing all beings in all virtuous Dharma practices. I am engaged in providing unceasing service and veneration to all kalyāṇamitras. I am engaged in establishing all beings in the teaching of the tathāgatas. I am engaged in causing all beings to commence upon good qualities through receiving the very first gift of the Dharma. I cause the arising of an aspiration for omniscience that is enduring and indestructible. I have the vast domain of the aspiration focused on the strengths of the Buddha, which is as enduring and solid as the most powerful vajra, [F.149.b] and I practice by relying on a kalyāṇamitra.

39.8

“I have a mind that shatters the mountain of all the obscurations from karma and kleśas. I am dedicated to the accumulation of omniscience. I am engaged in accomplishing all good qualities. I am dedicated to being engaged in a mind that is focused on and aspires for omniscience that has no end or center.

39.9

“Noble one, in that way, I am purifying the revelation to all beings of the gateway to the light of the Dharma, and I am establishing them in gathering the accumulation of roots of merit.

39.10

“I look upon, comprehend, and fathom the realm of phenomena in ten ways. What are those ten? (1) I comprehend the realm of phenomena because I have attained the vast light of wisdom. (2) I comprehend the realm of phenomena as having no end and no center in order to perceive the miraculous manifestations of all the tathāgatas. (3) I comprehend the realm of phenomena as limitless in order to reach all buddha realms and to make offerings and show veneration to the tathāgatas. (4) I comprehend the realm of phenomena as having no boundary in order to have the vision of bodhisattva activities within the ocean of all worlds. (5) I comprehend the realm of phenomena as being without division in order to enter the undivided domain of wisdom of the tathāgatas. (6) I comprehend the realm of phenomena as singleness [F.150.a] in order to enter the domain of speech of the tathāgatas, which is perceived by all beings in accordance with their aspirations. (7) I comprehend the realm of phenomena as having a nature of vastness1533 in order to realize the ultimate conclusion of the past prayers of the tathāgatas to reach the conclusion of guiding all beings. (8) I comprehend the realm of phenomena as having the equality of all beings in order to realize the vast extent of completely good bodhisattva conduct. (9) I comprehend the realm of phenomena as a single adornment in order to comprehend the adornment of the miraculous manifestations of completely good conduct. (10) I comprehend the realm of phenomena as being indestructible1534 in order for the pure pervasion of the realm of phenomena by all good actions to have the nature of indestructibility.

39.11

“Noble one, I look upon, comprehend, and fathom the entire realm of phenomena in those ten ways in order to gather all the accumulations of good karma, in order to comprehend the greatness of the buddhas, and in order to realize the inconceivable scope of the buddhas.

39.12

“Moreover, noble one, I teach the Dharma to beings with my mind fixed upon the greatness of the tathāgatas and through ten-thousandfold domains of the activity of mental retention. What are those ten? They are (1) the domain of mental retention called the gathering of the entire ocean of the Dharma, (2) the domain of mental retention called the blessing of all dharmas, (3) the domain of mental retention called the holding of all dharmas, (4) the domain of mental retention called the lamp of the intention of all the tathāgatas, (5) the domain of mental retention called the essence that illuminates the ocean of the karma of all beings, [F.150.b] (6) the domain of mental retention called the fathoming of the entire stainless ocean of the ways of the yānas,1535 (7) the domain of mental retention called the proclamation of the turning1536 of the wheel of the names of all the buddhas, (8) the domain of mental retention called the fathoming of the teaching of the ocean of the past prayers of the buddhas in the three times, (9) the domain of mental retention called the intense power of the gathering of all dharmas, and (10) the domain of mental retention called the arising of the power of omniscience.

39.13

“Noble one, I teach the Dharma to beings through these ten domains of mental retention and the rest of the ten thousand domains of mental retention.

39.14

“Moreover, noble one, I teach the Dharma to beings through the wisdom that comes from hearing the Dharma. I teach the Dharma to beings through the wisdom from contemplation and the wisdom from meditation.

39.15

“I teach the Dharma to beings beginning with one existence. I teach the Dharma to beings beginning with all existences.

39.16

“I teach the Dharma to beings beginning with the ocean of the wheel of names of one tathāgata. I teach the Dharma to beings beginning with the ocean of the wheel of names of all tathāgatas.

39.17

“I teach the Dharma to beings beginning with one ocean of world realms. I teach the Dharma to beings beginning with all oceans of world realms.

39.18

“I teach the Dharma to beings beginning with the ocean of prophecies of one buddha. I teach the Dharma to beings beginning with the ocean of prophecies of all tathāgatas.

39.19

“I teach the Dharma to beings beginning with the ocean of the community of the followers of one tathāgata. [F.151.a] I teach the Dharma to beings beginning with the ocean of the communities of the followers of all tathāgatas.

39.20

“I teach the Dharma to beings beginning with the Dharma wheel of one tathāgata. I teach the Dharma to beings beginning with the ocean of the Dharma wheels of all tathāgatas.

39.21

“I teach the Dharma to beings beginning with one sūtra. I teach the Dharma to beings beginning with the sūtras that are present within the Dharma wheels of all tathāgatas.

39.22

“I teach the Dharma to beings beginning with the gathering of the community of followers of one tathāgata. I teach the Dharma to beings beginning with the ocean of the gatherings of the communities of followers of all tathāgatas.

39.23

“I teach the Dharma to beings beginning with one aspiration to omniscience. I teach the Dharma to beings beginning with the entire ocean of the aspects of the aspiration to enlightenment.

39.24

“I teach the Dharma to beings beginning with one yāna. I teach the Dharma to beings beginning with the ocean of the arising of all yānas.

39.25

“Noble one, in that way, I teach the Dharma to beings through comprehending that in the way of the realm of the Dharma there is no differentiation in the ocean of the tathāgatas. Thereby I create an unsurpassable accumulation of the Dharma, continue with the bodhisattva’s completely good conduct throughout all future kalpas, and meditate on this bodhisattva liberation called the entry into beautiful sounds and profound manifestations, expanding with each instant of mind the way of meditation on the vista of this liberation, with each instant of mind expanding throughout the entire realm of phenomena the way of meditation on the vista of this liberation.” [F.151.b]

39.26

Sudhana said, “Goddess, it is wonderful that this bodhisattva liberation is so profound. Āryā, how long has it been since you attained this bodhisattva liberation?”

She replied, “Noble one, in the past, in time gone by, beyond as many kalpas as there are atoms in a world realm, there was a world realm called Dharmārcinagarameghā, which had as many clouds of perfumed jewels as there are atoms in a four-continent world realm. It was bordered with lotuses that had been proclaimed in the past prayers of all the tathāgatas. Its body was formed from the ocean as the king of precious jewels, having arisen from the ocean of the karma of all beings. It had the shape of a great lotus. It was both pure and defiled.1537 It had as many encircling Cakravāla mountain ranges of lotuses as there are atoms in Sumeru. It was adorned by as many risen Sumerus of perfumed jewels as there are atoms in Sumeru. It was adorned by as many great four-continent worlds as there are atoms in Sumeru. In each four-continent world there was an anabhilāpyānabhilāpya of quintillions of cities.

39.27

“Noble one, there was in that world realm a kalpa called Vimalābha.1538 During that kalpa there appeared as many tathāgatas as there are atoms in Sumeru. In the center of that world realm called Dharmārcinagarameghā there was a four-continent world called Vicitradhvaja, in the center of which was the royal capital called Samantaratnakusumaprabhā.

39.28

“Not far from that royal capital was a bodhimaṇḍa called Dharmarājabhavanapratibhāsa. [F.152.a] At that bodhimaṇḍa there appeared the Tathāgata Sarvadharmasāgaranirghoṣaprabharāja, the first of the tathāgatas of that kalpa, who were as numerous as the atoms in Sumeru.

39.29

“At that time there was a cakravartin king by the name of Vimalavakrabhānuprabha, who received from the Tathāgata Sarvadharmasāgaranirghoṣaprabharāja the sūtra called The Ocean of All Dharmas. After he had received it, after the Dharma wheel was turned, and after the passing into nirvāṇa, the king entered homelessness and possessed all the teaching.

39.30

“At the time when the teaching was reaching its end, it divided into a thousand teachings, and in each teaching there was a division into a thousand ways of teaching. During the intermediate kalpa of deterioration, beings were obscured by the obscurations of karma and kleśas, and they were engaged in fighting, quarreling, and disruption. Bhikṣus were not concerned with the good qualities of the Buddha’s teachings but were dedicated to delighting in the objects of the senses, engaged in conversations about kings and thieves, were interested in stories about women and countries and oceans, and used the words of the Lokāyatas.

39.31

“The follower of the Dharma cried out, ‘Oh! The great lamp of the Dharma, which has been established for many kalpas, is close to being extinguished!’ Having said these sad words, he rose into the air to the height of seven palm trees and emanated clouds of light of infinite colors. When he had emanated that great display of a net of light rays of various colors, [F.152.b] those multicolored lights pacified the torment of the kleśas in the world and established beings without end or center in enlightenment, which revived the teachings of the tathāgata so that it remained for a further sixty thousand years.

39.32

“At that time, the cakravartin king Vimalavakrabhānuprabha’s daughter, a bhikṣuṇī by the name of Dharmacakranirmāṇaprabhā, had an entourage of a hundred thousand bhikṣuṇīs. When she heard those sad words and saw that miraculous manifestation, she and her entourage developed the aspiration for enlightenment, and the hundred thousand bhikṣuṇīs became irreversible on the path to the highest, complete enlightenment and attained the samādhi called the manifest presence of the tathāgatas. They also obtained the power of mental retention called the light emanated from the Dharma wheel of all the tathāgatas. They also attained the perfection of wisdom called the entry into all the ways of the ocean of the Dharma. The bhikṣuṇī Dharmacakranirmāṇaprabhā attained the samādhi called the lamp of the light that arises from the teachings of all the tathāgatas, and she attained in a subtle and gentle way this bodhisattva liberation called the entry into beautiful sounds and profound manifestations. When she had attained that, she directly perceived all the miraculous manifestations of the Tathāgata Sarvadharmasāgaranirghoṣaprabharāja.

39.33

“Noble one, what do you think? At that time, in that time, who do you think was the cakravartin king Vimalavakrabhānuprabha, who entered homelessness in the teaching of the Tathāgata Sarvadharmasāgaranirghoṣaprabharāja [F.153.a] and, after the turning of the wheel of the Dharma and the passing into nirvāṇa, when the teachings were coming to an end, lit the Dharma lamp of holding the teaching? Noble one, do not think that he was anyone else; at that time, in that time, the bodhisattva Samantabhadra was the cakravartin king Vimalavakrabhānuprabha.

39.34

“Noble one, what do you think? At that time, in that time, who do you think was the bhikṣuṇī Dharmacakranirmāṇaprabhā, the daughter of the cakravartin king Vimalavakrabhānuprabha, who had an entourage of a hundred thousand bhikṣuṇīs? Noble one, do not think that she was anyone else; at that time, in that time, I was the bhikṣuṇī Dharmacakranirmāṇaprabhā. In that way, I held the teaching of the Tathāgata Sarvadharmasāgaranirghoṣaprabharāja. I caused those hundred thousand bhikṣuṇīs to progress irreversibly toward the highest, complete enlightenment. I established them in the samādhi called the manifest presence of the tathāgatas. I also established them in the power of mental retention called the light emanated from the Dharma wheel of all tathāgatas and the perfection of wisdom called the entry into all the ways of the ocean of the Dharma.

39.35

39.36

“In that way, noble one, there were these hundred buddhas and the other tathāgatas, as numerous as the atoms in Sumeru, who appeared in the kalpa called Vimalābha.

39.37

“Noble one, the last of those tathāgatas as numerous as the atoms in Sumeru was a tathāgata by the name of Dharmadhātunagarābhajñānapradīparāja. [F.156.b]

39.38

“In that way, noble one, I made offerings to those tathāgatas as numerous as the atoms in Sumeru, beginning with Sarvadharmasāgaranirghoṣaprabharāja and ending with Dharmadhātunagarābhajñānapradīparāja. I attended to all those tathāgatas. I heard the Dharma taught by them all. I entered homelessness in the teachings of all those tathāgatas. I possessed the teachings of all those tathāgatas. I obtained the bodhisattva liberation called the entry into beautiful sounds and profound manifestations from all those tathāgatas, obtaining it in various ways. At the feet of all those tathāgatas I ripened an ocean of beings without edge or center.

39.39

“Since then, in practicing the Dharma I have made offerings to as many buddhas as have appeared throughout as many kalpas as there are atoms in a buddha realm.

39.40

“Noble one, during that time, I have watched over beings as they slept in ignorance in the darkness of saṃsāra. I have guarded the cities of their minds. I have brought them up out of the city of the three realms and brought them into the city of omniscience.

39.41

“Noble one, I know only this bodhisattva liberation called the entry into beautiful sounds and profound manifestations, which prevents meaningless worldly talk, establishes speech that is not dishonest, and concludes with it being firmly established in truth. [F.157.a] How could I know the conduct or describe the qualities of bodhisattvas who know without impediment all languages,1541 who understand all Dharma in each instant of mind, who comprehend all the words and languages of all beings, who are skilled in accumulating the entire ocean of languages, who are skilled in the ways and practices of an ocean of numbers and terms in all Dharmas, who have the power of an ocean of mental retention that engages with all the Dharma, who are skilled in creating clouds of Dharma that accord with the dispositions of all beings, and who have fully attained ripening and guiding all beings? How could I know their practice of gathering all beings, their application to undertaking supreme bodhisattva activity,1542 their comprehension of very subtle bodhisattva knowledge, their power of supremacy in opening the treasures and treasuries of bodhisattva Dharma, or their ascending the lion throne for teaching the bodhisattva Dharma?

39.42

“Why is that? It is because those excellent beings have all attained the retention of the domain of the level of the entire Dharma.

39.43

“Depart, noble one. Here at the feet of the Bhagavat Vairocana, there is the goddess of the night who has the name Sarvavṛkṣpraphullanasukhasaṃvāsā. She is not far from me, so go to her and ask her, ‘How should bodhisattvas1543 train in omniscience? How should they practice it so as to bring all beings to omniscience?’ ” [F.157.b]

39.44

Then at that time, the night goddess Sarvanagararakṣāsaṃbhavatejaḥśrī, in order to teach further the bodhisattva liberation called the entry into beautiful sounds and profound manifestations, recited these verses to Sudhana, the head merchant’s son:

39.45

“Profound and difficult to see is the bodhisattvas’ liberation

By which they know every jina in the three times,

The entire realm of phenomena without edge or center,

And the complete extent of the characteristics of all cognition.1544 {1}

39.46

“The ways of the liberation that arise from the accumulations are infinite.

They are inconceivable and immeasurable, for they attain1545 the true nature.

You should enter into the paths of the ways of love in the three times

That completely increase power that is unimpeded. {2}

39.47

“There was a realm in the past, beyond as many kalpas

As there are atoms that exist in a buddha realm;

That glorious1546 world realm was Dharmārcimeghanagara,

And there was a very bright kalpa called Vimalābha. {3}

39.48

“In that one kalpa there appeared an unbroken succession of jinas,

As many buddhas as there are atoms in Sumeru.

First to appear, the first in that kalpa,

Was the Sugata Dharmasamudraprabhagarjitarāja. {4}

39.49

“The last of those tathāgatas to appear in the world

Was the Jina Dharmameghanagarābhapradīparāja.

I came before them all and made offerings to them.

From them all I heard the Dharma with great joy. {5}

39.50

“First I saw, having a golden light,

Dharmasamudraprabhagarjitarāja,

Adorned with the thirty-two signs and resembling Meru,

And seeing him I thought, ‘I shall become a sugata!’ {6}

39.51

“The very moment I saw that tathāgata,

There arose the powerful first aspiration to become a jina

Who had the character of the true nature, as vast1547 as space, [F.158.a]

Because of the all-pervading arising of omniscience. {7}

39.52

“All of the sugatas within the three times,

Encircled by oceans of all the bodhisattvas,

The extensive ocean of realms with their oceans of beings,

Have arisen from the great ocean of the amrita of compassion. {8}

39.53

“I also aspired that in order to ripen beings

I would pervade every single realm with my body,

Manifest a body to beings in accordance with their aspirations,

And illuminate and shake every single realm. {9}

39.54

“I also came before the second buddha

And saw jina lords in ten oceans of realms.

I saw the last jina within an ocean of realms

As numerous as the atoms in an ocean of realms. {10}

39.55

“Since then, during kalpas as numerous as a realm’s atoms,

I have gone before and made offerings to

All of the jinas, the lamps of the world, who appeared

And purified an ocean of ways of liberation.” {11}

39.56

Then Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, attained this bodhisattva liberation called the entry into beautiful sounds and profound manifestations, attained an endless, centerless ocean of samādhis, gained an understanding that arose from a vast ocean of gateways to retention, attained the great illumination of a bodhisattva’s higher cognitions, and entered an ocean of great discernment,1548 and in his mind spread a vast ocean of powerful delight.

39.57

He then praised the night goddess Sarvanagararakṣāsaṃbhavatejaḥśrī by reciting these appropriate verses:

39.58

“Your wisdom is active in a vast ocean of the Dharma.

You practice in the centerless, endless ocean of existences.

The essence of your perfect wisdom body lives long without illness. [F.158.b]

Goddess, you have come and beautified this assembly. {12}

39.59

“You have realized the nature of phenomena to be like space.

You realize without impediment the ways of all three times.

In each instant of mind there are inconceivable, countless

Perceptions, all of which are without conceptualization. {13}

39.60

“With your wisdom eyes you see the true nature in which there are no beings,

Yet you perceive with compassion the infinite ocean of beings.

You enter the very vast1549 liberation of your mind,

And you guide and ripen countless beings. {14}

39.61

“You know through analyzing the field of phenomena.

You have realized the way of knowing the nature of phenomena.

You meditate on all the stainless paths of the āryas.

You purify all beings without exception and liberate them. {15}

39.62

“You have realized the stainless wisdom of omniscience.

Goddess, you have become the supreme guide1550 of beings.

You pervade all beings within the realm of phenomena

And teach them the Dharma and end all fear in the world. {16}

39.63

“Goddess, through the way of the prayers of Vairocana,

You have a va

The Stem Array Sarva­nagara­rakṣā­saṃbhava­tejaḥ­śrī

Toh 44-45

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The Stem Array
Sarvanagararakṣāsaṃbhavatejaḥśrī