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སྡོང་པོས་བརྒྱན་པ།

The Stem Array
Gopā

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.

ac.

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.

40.

Chapter 40

Sarvavṛkṣpraphullanasukhasaṃvāsā

40.1

Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, further meditating on, believing in,1554 and increasing the bodhisattva liberation called the entry into beautiful sounds and profound manifestations, went to where the night goddess Sarvavṛkṣpraphullanasukhasaṃvāsā was. He saw the night goddess Sarvavṛkṣpraphullanasukhasaṃvāsā seated upon a lion throne consisting of the saplings of precious trees, inside a kūṭāgāra made from the branches of all perfumed precious trees and encircled by an entourage of ten thousand night goddesses. [F.159.b]

41.

Chapter 41

Sarvajagadrakṣāpraṇidhānavīryaprabhā

41.1

Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, went to where the night goddess Sarvajagadrakṣāpraṇidhānavīryaprabhā was. He saw the night goddess Sarvajagadrakṣāpraṇidhānavīryaprabhā in the center of her entourage, seated upon a throne that contained kings of jewels that illuminated the dwellings of all beings. She had a body covered completely in a net of jewels that illuminated the ways of the realm of phenomena. Her body revealed the images of the sun, the moon, and all the planets, stars, and constellations. She had a body that manifested to the perception of beings in accordance with their wishes. She had a body such that her own body was perceived by all beings as having the same form as their bodies. She had a body that manifested perceptions of a vast, centerless, edgeless ocean of skin colors. She had a body that manifested practicing all paths of the practice of conduct. She had a body that could be perceived from every kind of orientation.1627 She had a body that was present in all worlds, filling all directions with the sound of thunder from the cloud of the Dharma and with various miraculous manifestations. She had a body that reached throughout the realm of space, at all times looking at how to benefit all beings. She had a body that paid homage and bowed down at the feet of all tathāgatas. She had a body that came before all beings, aiding them in the accumulation of roots of merit. [F.180.a] She had a body that possessed the mindfulness of keeping and never deviating from the motivation to accomplish and fulfill the prayer to receive and possess clouds of Dharma directly from all the tathāgatas. She had a body that filled all principal and intermediate directions with light that had no edge or center. She had a body that manifested the illumination and the spreading light of the lamp of Dharma, dispelling the darkness in all beings. She had a body that manifested as a stainless body of the wisdom that phenomena are like illusions. She had a body that manifested as a Dharma body free of darkness and dust. She had a body that appeared with the nature of being an illusion. She had a mind free of darkness that had realized the true nature. She had attained the illumination in all aspects of the light of wisdom. She had a mental body that was completely free of illness and had no pain. She had appeared from the realm of the enduring and indestructible Dharma body. She had a body that was the pure body of the stainless true nature, the state completely without kleśas, and which had the nature of the unlocated blessing of the tathāgatas.

42.

Chapter 42

Sutejomaṇḍalaratiśrī

42.1

Then Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, remembering the instruction of the night goddess Sarvajagadrakṣāpraṇidhānavīryaprabhā and meditating on, comprehending, and augmenting the bodhisattva liberation called the origin of the roots of merit that inspire the ripening of all beings, eventually arrived at the Lumbinī Forest.

42.2

He circumambulated the Lumbinī Forest, keeping it to his right, and then searched for Sutejomaṇḍalaratiśrī, the Lumbinī Forest goddess.

43.

Chapter 43

Gopā

43.1

Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, left the presence of Sutejomaṇḍalaratiśrī, the Lumbinī Forest goddess, and went to the location of the great city of Kapilavastu. [F.219.b]

43.2

While meditating on, comprehending, increasing, practicing, purifying,1744 contemplating, and examining the bodhisattva liberation called the miraculous manifestations at the birth of bodhisattvas throughout all the perceptions of countless kalpas, he came to the assembly hall of the bodhisattvas called the Illuminating Light of the Realm of the Dharma.

43.3

When he arrived there, he was greeted by Aśokaśrī, the goddess of the assembly hall of the bodhisattvas, together with ten thousand house goddesses.

43.4

She said to Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, “We welcome you, great being who has the prowess of great wisdom and knowledge; whose mind has attained the meditation of inconceivable bodhisattva liberation; whose field of activity is the vast divine palace of the Dharma; who enters the city of the Dharma; who is continuously engaged in guiding beings through infinite bodhisattva methods; who has attained the illumination of the ocean of qualities of the tathāgatas; who has the manifest knowledge and illuminating eloquence for guiding all beings; who has the motivation to manifest the conduct of1745 a corresponding body and language1746 that knows the conduct of all beings; who prays to increase the power of an ocean of joy in the minds of all beings; and who follows the path to the comprehension of the Dharma of all the tathāgatas.

43.5

“I see that you have the field of activity of profound behavior with a steady1747 gaze, [F.220.a] and that therefore you are someone who will soon attain the unsurpassable pure adornments of the body, speech, and mind of the tathāgatas and will act in this world with a body adorned by the signs and features of a great being and with a mind adorned by the light of knowledge of the ten strengths.

43.6

“I see that you have diligence and prowess, and that therefore you are someone who soon will have the vision of the tathāgatas of the three times; will hold the clouds of Dharmas of all the tathāgatas; will experience the joy of the divine palace of the four qualities of bodhisattva dhyānas, liberations, samādhis, and samāpattis; and will enter the profound liberation of the buddhas.

43.7

“In that way, you go before kalyāṇamitras, gaze upon them, honor them, receive their teaching without error, and are dedicated to the practice of its qualities that is unwearied, irreversible, and never disheartened. You are unaffected by any hindrance, obstacle, or obscuration whatsoever. Neither Māra nor the māra class of deities are present before you, and therefore you will soon bring happiness to all beings.”

43.8

The head merchant’s son, Sudhana, said to Aśokaśrī, the goddess of the assembly hall of the bodhisattvas, “Goddess, I gain the highest delight in ending the torment of the kleśas for all beings. I gain the highest delight in repelling dreadful1748 karma for all beings, [F.220.b] in bringing happiness to all beings, and in making all beings practice faultless actions. Bodhisattvas become very unhappy when beings engage in the unhappiness of various kinds of karma and kleśas, which disturbs their minds and causes them to fall into the lower existences. Even if those beings remain in happier existences, they experience physical and mental sufferings and various kinds of unhappiness and remain in a state of sorrow.

43.9

“Goddess, it is like if a very loving father who has a beloved, beautiful son sees the limbs and smaller parts of his son’s body being cut off. Because he is so loving, he becomes extremely unhappy and sorrowful.

43.10

“Goddess, in the same way, when a bodhisattva who is engaged in bodhisattva conduct sees beings falling into the three lower existences through the power of their karma and kleśas, the bodhisattva becomes extremely unhappy and sorrowful.

43.11

“The bodhisattvas are happy, glad, joyful, delighted, and pleased when beings are reborn into happy existences when their bodies are destroyed, or when they experience physical and mental happiness in a divine or human existence as the result of their having adopted good physical, vocal, and mental conduct.

43.12

“Goddess, the bodhisattvas do not aspire to and are not dedicated to omniscience for their own sake or in order to experience the various joys and pleasures of saṃsāra. [F.221.a] It is not from dedication to the various different kinds of joys within the desire realm. It is not through the power of mistaken perception, motivation, or views. It is not through the power of involvement, bondage, predispositions, or being overwhelmed. It is not through the power of the view of craving. It is not through the increase of a mind that conceives of the joys of crowds and the gatherings of various beings. It is not through attachment to the experiences of the joy and bliss of dhyāna. It is not going around and around in the continuity of saṃsāra while being obscured by various obscurations.

43.13

“Goddess, the bodhisattvas have great compassion for beings who are in the ocean of saṃsāra and who are tormented by immeasurable sufferings. They make great prayers to gather to themselves all beings. Through the power of having made those prayers with great compassion, they are dedicated to ripening and guiding beings, and they appear carrying out bodhisattva conduct in saṃsāra. In order to eliminate all the obscurations of beings, they seek the unobscured wisdom of omniscience and make prayers to serve and make offerings to all the tathāgatas. Through the power of their prayers to serve and make offerings to all the tathāgatas, they are never disheartened in their practice of bodhisattva conduct. When they are practicing bodhisattva conduct and see a realm that is completely defiled, they make the prayer to purify all buddha realms. When they are purifying defiled realms [F.221.b] and see the various āyatanas of all beings, they make the prayer to purify the Dharma body that is undifferentiated and unsurpassable. When they see the defiled bodies, speech, and minds of beings, they make the prayer to purify the bodies, speech, and minds that adorn all beings. When they see the incomplete āyatanas and impure minds of beings, they purify the minds and conduct of all beings and are never disheartened in carrying out bodhisattva conduct.

43.14

“Goddess, in that way, with minds that are never disheartened, the bodhisattvas carry out vast bodhisattva conduct without end or middle. With that kind of conduct they are adornments of the world because they create the good fortune of devas and humans. They are like parents because they establish beings in the aspiration for enlightenment. They are like nurses because they bring beings onto the bodhisattva path. They are like connate deities, who are deities that always accompany a being because they protect beings from the terror of the abyss of the lower existences. They are like great ferrymen because they free beings from the ocean of saṃsāra. They are refuges because they repel all the terrors of the māras and kleśas. They are shelters because they bring beings to a state of complete tranquility.1749 They are bathing places because they bring beings into the ocean of all buddhas. They are protectors because they escort beings to the island of the jewels of the Dharma. They are flowers because their minds have blossomed with all the qualities of buddhahood. They are adornments because they radiate the light of merit and wisdom. [F.222.a] They bring the highest delight and happiness because they are beautiful. They are excellent to meet because they are dedicated to faultless actions. They are completely good because they possess bodies that are complete in having all aspects of excellent limbs. They have charming forms because the sight of them is without anything disagreeable. They bring light because they radiate the light rays of wisdom. They bring illumination because they hold the torch of the Dharma. They bring clarity because they purify the motivation for enlightenment. They are generals because they repel the activities of the māras. They are suns because they radiate a net of the light rays of wisdom. They are moons because they rise as moons of realization in the sky of the Dharma.1750 They are clouds because they send down rain from great clouds of Dharma onto all beings.

“Goddess, the bodhisattvas who practice in that way are a delight for all beings.”

43.15

Then Aśokaśrī, the goddess of the assembly hall of the bodhisattvas, together with ten thousand goddesses of the home, sent down onto Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, a rain of flowers, garlands, incense, powders, ointments, and precious jewelry that transcended divine materials. Encircling him and following him as he entered the assembly hall of the bodhisattvas, they praised him with these verses:

43.16

“Having developed the aspiration for enlightenment

Out of love for all beings,

The jinas, the suns of wisdom,

Sometimes appear in the world. {1}

43.17

“Even in many millions1751 of kalpas [F.222.b]

It is difficult to see your face.

Your wisdom is a great sun

In the world blinded by ignorance. {2}

43.18

“Great compassion arose in you

When you saw the world in error,

Obscured by the darkness of unknowing,

And you spontaneously appeared in it and remained. {3}

43.19

“With your pure motivation, you are dedicated

To attaining the enlightenment of buddhahood.

You serve and depend on kalyāṇamitras

Without regard for your own body and life. {4}

43.20

“You have no reliance on this world.

You have no location and no preoccupations.

You have no entanglements and no abode.

Your motivation is like space, without impediment. {5}

43.21

“As you practice bodhisattva conduct

With the brilliant light of a field of merit,

Your radiant torch of wisdom

Shines within countless worlds. {6}

43.22

“You are not above the world,

But you are unstained by worldly qualities.

You act in the world without impediment,

Like the breezes moving through the sky. {7}

43.23

“You are dedicated to constantly blazing

Like the burning at the kalpa’s end.

You practice the bodhisattva conduct

With the ardor of the fire that ends a kalpa. {8}

43.24

“You have great courage, like a lion.

With strong, diligent prowess

You have attained the prowess of wisdom

With a practice that is invincible. {9}

43.25

“Through honoring the kalyāṇamitras,

You, here, have entered into

The ocean of all the different ways

Within the ocean of the realm of the Dharma.” {10}

43.26

In that way, Aśokaśrī, the goddess of the assembly hall of the bodhisattvas, praised in verse Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, while following him out of a yearning for the Dharma.

43.27

Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, went into the assembly hall of the bodhisattvas called the Illuminating Light of the Realm of the Dharma. [F.223.a] When he had entered, wishing to find the Śākya maiden Gopā, he looked everywhere.

43.28

He saw the Śākya maiden Gopā in the center of the assembly hall of the bodhisattvas called the Illuminating Light of the Realm of the Dharma. She was seated upon a precious throne that had in its center a lotus with a form that illuminated all the abodes of bodhisattvas, and she was encircled by an entourage of eighty-four thousand women of royal families, who all had equally the roots of merit from the past practice of bodhisattva conduct; who in the past had attracted gatherings of beings through acts of generosity; who had a way of speaking with pleasant and gentle words; who cared for beings through causing them to focus on the goal of omniscience; who cared for beings in accord with the realizations of the buddhas and the bodhisattvas; who with all actions inspired by great compassion cared for beings as if they were their sons and daughters; who with great love followed and purified their spouses; and who in the past ripened beings through the inconceivable skillful methods of bodhisattvas.

43.29

Those eighty-four thousand women followed the way of the perfections of bodhisattvas who were progressing irreversibly toward the highest, complete enlightenment. They followed the bodhisattva training without expectation of reward from others. They had minds free from all attachment. They were disillusioned by all the delights of saṃsāra. They had purified without impediment all the ways in the realm of the Dharma. They had the power of the motivation directed toward omniscience. They were free from the net of obscurations and obstacles. [F.223.b] They had transcended all the paths of attachment. They were active through emanations of their Dharma bodies. They were focused on ripening and guiding all worlds. They had minds in which a stainless ocean of merit had arisen. They had become what they were because of their completely good bodhisattva prayers and conduct. They had increased the vast power of the strengths of bodhisattvas. And their minds had become illuminating like the disk of the sun.

43.30

Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, bowed his head to the feet of the Śākya maiden and then stood before her, his hands placed together in homage, and said, “Āryā, I have developed the aspiration for the highest, complete enlightenment, but I do not know how bodhisattvas continue within saṃsāra without being stained by saṃsāra; how they realize the equal nature of all phenomena but do not dwell on the level of the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas; how they attain the illumination of the Dharma of the buddhas and yet continue with their bodhisattva conduct; how they dwell on the level of a bodhisattva but teach the scope of knowledge of the tathāgatas; how they transcend all worldly existences but are active within all worldly existences; how they accomplish a body of the Dharma but also accomplish form bodies of infinite colors; how they attain the Dharma body that has no characteristics but manifest bodies with the colors and shapes of all beings; and how they realize that all Dharmas cannot be described but teach the Dharma to all beings, describing them with all ways of speaking and definitions. [F.224.a] They know that all beings1752 are without existence, but they do not turn away from the ways of guiding the realm of beings; they comprehend that all phenomena are unborn and unceasing, but they do not abandon engaging in making offerings to and venerating all the tathāgatas; and they realize that there is no karma and ripening within all phenomena, but they do not turn away from engagement in accomplishing good actions.”

43.31

Gopā, the Śākya maiden, said to Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, “Noble one, it is excellent, excellent, that you intended to ask in that way about the nature of bodhisattva conduct. Those questions are also the words of the completely good prayer and conduct.

“Therefore, noble one, listen carefully and remember, for I shall teach through the blessing of the Buddha.

43.32

“Noble one, the bodhisattvas who have ten qualities such as these fulfill the bodhisattva conduct that is like the appearance of magical illusions and gives rise to the light of wisdom.

43.33

“What are these ten? They are (1) reliance on sublime kalyāṇamitras, (2) the attainment of a vast aspiration, (3) a pure, sublime virtuous motivation, (4) a mind supported by a vast ocean of merit and wisdom, (5) being able to hear great teachings of the Dharma that has originated and arisen from the buddhas, [F.224.b] (6) the attainment of aspiration toward the tathāgatas of the three times, (7) the comprehension of the equality of all the fields of bodhisattva conduct, (8) the attainment of the blessing of all the tathāgatas, (9) the natural, pure, higher motivation of great compassion, and (10) that attainment of the strong power of the motivation to end the continuation of all the cycles of saṃsāra.

“Noble one, the bodhisattvas who have those ten qualities fulfill the bodhisattva conduct that is like the appearance of magical illusions and gives rise to the light of wisdom.1753

43.34

“Noble one, the bodhisattvas with nonregressing diligence who have obtained those ten qualities, in order to accomplish an inexhaustible way and practice an extremely vast meditation, serve the kalyāṇamitras and please them in ten ways.

43.35

“What are those ten ways? They are (1) having no concern for one’s own life and body, (2) having no interest in the requisites of saṃsāra, (3) having the comprehension of the equality of all phenomena, (4) having an irrevocable prayer for omniscience, (5) observing all the ways of the realm of the Dharma, (6) having a mind that rises above the entire ocean of existences, (7) having no dependence or location within the space of the locationless Dharma, (8) having all the unobscured prayers of a bodhisattva, (9) pervading the entire ocean of realms, and (10) having the purified unobscured field of the knowledge of a bodhisattva.

“Noble one, the bodhisattvas who have those ten qualities serve and please the kalyāṇamitras.” [F.225.a]

43.36

Then the Śākya maiden Gopā, in order to teach the meaning of that, through the blessing of the buddhas looked into the ten directions and recited these verses:

43.37

“Those sublime, stainless, wise ones engaged in benefiting others,

Dedicated without deceit or deception to serving excellent friends,

Recognizing them as teachers and having unflagging diligence‍—

They carry out in the world this conduct that is like a magical apparition. {11}

43.38

“There are those who have sublime motivation as vast as space

Within whom is contained the worlds of the three times,

Realms, beings, phenomena, and likewise the buddhas.

This is the conduct of those who shine with wisdom. {12}

43.39

“There are those whose motivation is like space, without end or middle,

Who are completely pure, unstained by the kleśas,

And who give rise to the qualities of all the tathāgatas.

Their conduct is like the appearance of magical apparitions. {13}

43.40

“There are those who have clear minds and an ocean of qualities

And are established in vast, limitless, inconceivable, omniscient wisdom.

They have bodies that have an ocean of merit and a pure essence

That is unstained by worldly impurities even though they act within the world. {14}

43.41

“There are those who never have enough of listening to the thunder of the Dharma

That has the aspects of the speech of the jinas and all the ways of languages

And who are lamps of the light of wisdom, which follow the way of the Dharma.

This is the conduct of those who bring illumination to beings. {15}

43.42

“There are those who comprehend in each instant of the mind

Each one of the countless tathāgatas in the ten directions,

And they see and know the entire ocean of sugatas.

This is the conduct of those who keep the buddhas in mind. {16}

43.43

“There are those who see the vast assemblies of followers of the jinas

And who comprehend the ocean of their ways of samādhi

And the ways of their vast ocean of prayers with no end or middle. [F.225.b]

This conduct of theirs is like the appearance of illusions. {17}

43.44

“There are those who have been blessed by every jina in the ten directions,

Who have the completely good conduct till the final kalpa,

And whose images appear throughout the vast extent of the realms.

This is the conduct of those who bring the light of the Dharma. {18}

43.45

“There are those who have the disk of the sun of compassion,

Who, seeing beings in distress, illuminate them with the Dharma’s light,

Clear away the darkness of beings, and cause the teachings to shine.

This is the conduct of those who are like the sun. {19}

43.46

“There are those who see beings circling through existences,

And those clear-minded ones remain, countering saṃsāra’s flow,

And everywhere they bring about the wheel of the Dharma.

They are practicing the wise, supreme, completely good conduct. {20}

43.47

“There are those who, training in this, manifest to beings,

In accord with aspirations, bodies without limit or middle,

Their countless bodies being like reflections or mirages,

And they ripen many beings within the ocean of existences. {21}

43.48

“There are those who are spreading among beings through the vast ways of love,

Manifesting conducts to beings with various dispositions,

And sending down a rain of Dharma in accordance with the aspirations of beings.

Those resolute ones guide billions of beings toward enlightenment.” {22}

43.49

Those are the verses that Gopā, the Śākya maiden, recited. She then said to Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, “Noble one, I have attained the bodhisattva liberation called the range of the view of all the ways of the ocean of the samādhis of the bodhisattvas.”

43.50

Sudhana asked, “Āryā, what is this bodhisattva liberation called the range of the view of all the ways of the ocean of the samādhis of the bodhisattvas like?”

Gopā answered, “Noble one, when I rest within this bodhisattva liberation, [F.226.a] I see and comprehend as many kalpas in this world realm as there are atoms in countless buddha realms. I know all the existences of beings who are within that kalpa. I also know all the gateways into death and rebirth of those beings. I know all their entrances into becoming, all their acquisition of created karma, and all the various ripenings of their karma. I know all the karma acquired through good actions. I know all the karma that is bad, that brings emancipation, that does not bring emancipation, that is definite, and that is indefinite; I know the definitely false, the latent, the nonlatent, the perfection of roots of merit, the loss of roots of merit, the retention of roots of merit, the retention of roots of demerit, the retention of roots of merit and demerit, the acquisition of good qualities, and the acquisition of bad qualities.

43.51

“I know and comprehend all the buddha bhagavats that appear in those kalpas as numerous as the atoms in countless buddha realms. I know and comprehend the ocean of their names. I know the ocean of the first developments of the aspiration to enlightenment by those buddha bhagavats. I know the ocean of their ways of undertaking the attainment of omniscience. I know the creation of their entire ocean of prayers. I know the ocean of their going into the presence of past buddhas. I know the ocean of their engagements in offering to and serving past buddhas. [F.226.b] I know the ocean of their perfecting bodhisattva conduct in the past. I know the ocean of their displays of setting forth. I know the ocean of the ripening and guiding of beings by those buddha bhagavats. I know the ocean of their attainment of buddhahood. I know miraculous manifestation and supremacy in turning the wheel of the Dharma. I know the entire ocean of the miracles of those buddhas. I know the categories of the assemblies of followers of those buddha bhagavats. I know all the śrāvakas present among those followers and their ways of setting forth. I know their past roots of merit. I know their various meditations on the path. I know the categories of their pure, perfect attainment of wisdom. I know all the beings that those tathāgatas established in the enlightenment of the pratyekabuddhas. I know all the past roots of merit of those pratyekabuddhas. I know all the realization of pratyekabuddha enlightenment by those pratyekabuddhas. I know all the entrances to the liberation of the play of the peaceful conduct of those pratyekabuddhas. I know all the various miraculous manifestations of those pratyekabuddhas. I know all the beings that are ripened by those pratyekabuddhas. I know all the Dharma teachings that are taught by those pratyekabuddhas. [F.227.a] I know all the infinite samādhis of the pratyekabuddhas that they practice and the various entrances to liberations that they play in. I know all the parinirvāṇas of those buddha bhagavats. I know the entire ocean of the assemblies of bodhisattva followers of those buddha bhagavats. I know the first development of roots of merit by those bodhisattvas. I know their first development of the aspiration to enlightenment. I know their different prayers. I know the different forms of their accomplishment of the displays of setting forth through bodhisattva conduct. I know the different forms of their pure accumulation of the aspect of the path of the perfections. I know the different forms of their display of practicing the bodhisattva path. I know the different forms of their accumulations of ascending the bodhisattva bhūmis. I know the different forms of the strong powers of ascending the bodhisattva bhūmis. I know the different forms of the fields of samādhis that have the power to cause one to progress1754 through the bodhisattva bhūmis. I know the miraculous displays on ascending the bodhisattva bhūmis. I know the conduct on ascending the bodhisattva bhūmis. I know being established on the bodhisattva bhūmis. I know the continuous meditation on the bodhisattva bhūmis. I know the ways of purification on the bodhisattva bhūmis. [F.227.b] I know dwelling on the bodhisattva bhūmis. I know the characteristics of the bodhisattva bhūmis. I know the powers of the bodhisattva bhūmis. I know the wisdoms that cause ascent through the bodhisattva bhūmis. I know the wisdom that gathers together the bodhisattva bhūmis.1755 I know the wisdom that ripens the bodhisattva bhūmis.1756 I know the established states of bodhisattvas. I know the vast field of conduct of bodhisattvas. I know the miraculous displays1757 of the conduct of bodhisattvas. I know the oceans of the samādhis of bodhisattvas. I know the oceans of the liberations of bodhisattvas. I know the attainment by bodhisattvas of various samādhis in each instant of mind. I know their attainments of the ways of the illumination of omniscience. I know the clouds of light from the lightning of omniscience. I know the ways of the attainment of the patience of bodhisattvas. I know the prowess of immersion in omniscience. I know the proceeding to oceans of realms by bodhisattvas. I know their entry into an ocean of the ways of the Dharma. I know the different characteristics of an ocean of beings. I know the miraculous manifestations of all the ways of the conduct1758 of bodhisattvas. [F.228.a] I know the oceans of the various ways of their prayers. I know the different forms of the ocean of their various miraculous manifestations.

43.52

“Noble one, in the same way that I know and comprehend the ocean of various kalpas in this Sahā realm in the past and in the present, I also know the ocean of the continuous succession of future kalpas.

43.53

“In the same way that I know the ocean of kalpas of the entire succession of world realms that are contained within the Sahā world realm, I also know the ocean of kalpas of the entire succession of world realms contained within the atoms of the Sahā world realm.

43.54

“In the same way that I know the ocean of kalpas of the entire succession of world realms contained within the atoms of the Sahā world realm, I also know the ocean of kalpas of all the world realms that surround the Sahā world realm in the ten directions.

43.55

“In the same way that I know the ocean of kalpas of all the world realms that surround the Sahā world realm in the ten directions, I also know the ocean of kalpas of all the successive world realms present in all the world realms that surround the Sahā world realm in the ten directions. [F.228.b]

43.56

“In the same way that I know the ocean of kalpas of all the successive world realms present in the world realms that surround the Sahā world realm in the ten directions, I also know the ocean of kalpas of all the world realms contained within the family of the Prabhāsavairocana world realms in all the ten directions.1759

43.57

“In the same way that I know the ocean of kalpas of all the world realms contained within the family of the Prabhāsavairocana world realms in all the ten directions, I also know the ocean of kalpas of all the successive world realms present in all the world realms that surround in the ten directions the family of the Prabhāsavairocana world realms.

43.58

“In the same way that I know the ocean of kalpas of all the successive world realms present in all the world realms that surround in the ten directions the family of the Prabhāsavairocana world realms, I also know the ocean of kalpas in the vast extent of the world realms contained in this ocean of world realms, Kusumatalagarbhavyūhālaṃkāra.

43.59

“In the same way, I know the ocean of kalpas in the ways of the world realms, in the circles of the world realms, in the field of the world realms, in the categories of the world realms, in the rivers of the world realms, in the vortexes of the world realms, in the revolving of the world realms, in the Sumerus of the world realms, [F.229.a] in the arising of the world realms, in the lotuses of the world realms, in the trees of the world realms, in the toraṇas 1760 of the world realms, and in the naming of the world realms.

43.60

“In the same way that I know the Kusumatalagarbhavyūhālaṃkāra ocean of world realms, I also know and remember the ocean of prayers made in the past by the Bhagavat Vairocana in the endless, limitless ocean of world realms in the ten directions throughout the extent of the realm of phenomena, up to the ends of space. I also know and comprehend the oceans of his past activities. I know and comprehend the oceans of his past accomplishments. I also know and comprehend his continuing in bodhisattva conduct during kalpas without end or middle. I also know and comprehend his ways of purifying realms. I also know and comprehend the ways of his methods for ripening beings. I also know and comprehend his miraculous manifestations of going to the past tathāgatas and serving them. I also know and comprehend his engagement in venerating and making offerings to the past tathāgatas. I also know and comprehend his ways of obtaining the Dharma teachings of the past tathāgatas. I also know and comprehend the ways of his attainment of bodhisattva samādhis. I also know and comprehend the ways of his practicing the ocean of the qualities of the past tathāgatas. [F.229.b] I also know and comprehend the oceans of his ways of the perfection of generosity. I also know and comprehend the ways of his accomplishment of the pure field of disciplines and the correct conduct of bodhisattvas. I also know and comprehend the ways of his attainment of bodhisattva patience. I also know and comprehend the ocean of his powerful bodhisattva diligence. I also know and comprehend the ocean of his perfecting the aspects of dhyāna. I also know and comprehend the ocean of his ways of purifying the field of wisdom. I also know and comprehend his ways of methods in manifesting the images of his body through births in all the world realms. I also know and comprehend his ways of purifying the field of the completely good conduct and prayer. I also know and comprehend his spreading through the ocean of realms. I also know and comprehend the ocean of his ways of purifying all buddha realms. I also know and comprehend the ocean of the illumination of wisdom from all the tathāgatas. I also know and comprehend the ocean of the miraculous manifestations of reaching1761 the enlightenment of all buddhas. I also know and comprehend his ways of attaining the illumination of the wisdom of all the tathāgatas. I also know and comprehend the ocean of his ways of comprehending the realization of omniscience. I also know and comprehend the ocean of the miraculous manifestation of the attainment of complete buddhahood. [F.230.a] I also know and comprehend the ways of displaying and the power of supremacy in turning the wheel of the Dharma. I also know and comprehend the ocean of the field of saṃsāra. I also know and comprehend the ocean of the past roots of merit of all bodhisattvas in the field of saṃsāra. I also know and comprehend the ocean of the ways of initial prayers. I also know and comprehend the ocean of the ways of the methods for ripening and guiding beings. I also know and comprehend the Bhagavat’s ripening of an ocean of beings when he was practicing bodhisattva conduct in the past. I also know and comprehend the ocean of the ways of methods that increase the roots of merit of those beings in each instant of their minds. I also know and comprehend the ocean of the ways of the attainment of samādhi. I also know and comprehend the ocean of the ways of the attainment of the power of mental retention. I also know and comprehend the ocean of the ways of the pure field of the wisdom of eloquence. I also know and comprehend the ocean of the ways of the miraculous manifestations of ascending all the bodhisattva bhūmis. I also know and comprehend the ocean of the ways of accomplishing the net of conduct. I also know and comprehend the ocean of the ways of the wisdom that enters the direction of final accomplishment. I also know and comprehend the ocean of his miraculous manifestations of the powers, strengths, aspects of enlightenment, dhyānas, liberations, samādhis, and samāpattis. [F.230.b]

43.61

“In the same way that I realize, know, and comprehend the ocean of the Bhagavat Vairocana’s buddha and bodhisattva conduct throughout the entire realm of phenomena, I also realize, know, and comprehend the ocean of buddha and bodhisattva conduct of all the tathāgatas and their entry into the infinite illusory net of wisdom, their pervasion of the infinite realm of phenomena, their teaching of infinite entrances, and their teaching through entering into remaining until the last of future kalpas, which appear distinctly within the ocean of the world realms of the ten directions, throughout the realm of phenomena up to the ends of space.

43.62

“Why is that? Noble one, it is because this purview is that of the bodhisattva liberation called the range of the view of all the ways of the ocean of the samādhis of the bodhisattvas. When I am resting in that, I know the minds and conduct of all beings.

43.63

“I know the accumulation of good actions of all beings. I know the defilement and the purification of all beings. I know the various kinds of karma of all beings. I know the entrances to samādhi of all śrāvakas. I know the levels of samādhi of all śrāvakas. I know and comprehend the miraculous manifestation through the peace of the liberations of all pratyekabuddhas. I know the ways of the ocean of samādhis of all bodhisattvas. [F.231.a] I know the ways of the ocean of the liberations of all bodhisattvas. I know the entry into the ocean of the liberations of all the tathāgatas.”

43.64

Then Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, asked the Śākya maiden Gopā, “Āryā, how long has it been since you attained this bodhisattva liberation called the range of the view of all the ways of the ocean of the samādhis of the bodhisattvas?”

She answered, “Noble one, in the past, in times gone by, beyond as many kalpas as there are atoms in a hundred buddha realms, there was a world realm called Abhayaṃkarā. In that world there was a kalpa called Gatipravara. In the center of that world realm there was a four-continent world called Kṣemāvatī. In the center of the Jambudvīpa of that four-continent world there was the royal capital called Drumameruśrī, the principal city from among eighty-four thousand1762 cities. In the royal capital Drumameruśrī and each of the eighty-four thousand towns, the ground was made of blue beryl. Walls made of the seven precious materials encircled them. And they were each encircled by seven moats that were filled with scented water and had bottoms covered in gold dust and surfaces covered with blue lotuses, red lotuses, night lotuses, and white lotuses that were the size of wagon wheels, shone with light rays of various colors, and had all-pervading lovely aromas. There were rows of seven promenades made of the seven precious materials and seven rows of palm trees. [F.231.b] They were encircled by seven successive planted forests of trees made of the seven precious materials. Above there was a canopy of a net of gold.1763 The ground was beautifully adorned by various jewels arranged in checkerboard patterns.1764 Groups of siddhas wandered around. From flocks of noble birds came the beautiful sound of their melodious songs. The towns were beautified by a trillion parks. They had abundant good fortune, and they were filled with crowds of hundreds of thousands of joyful men and women. Pleasant, delightful breezes blew, and rains of many flowers continuously fell. A hundred thousand kings dwelled among them. When all the precious trees, adornments of gold, and so on in the great towns were moved by the wind, there came from them the many sounds of music, and harmonious1765 voices arose saying these happy words: ‘Bathe! Drink! Eat! Practice the Dharma! Develop the aspiration for enlightenment! Attain the power of the level of irreversibility! Be happy!’

43.65

“In the royal city of Drumameruśrī there was the king of the realm whose name was Dhanapati. He had a harem of eighty-four thousand queens and five hundred ministers. King

The Stem Array Gopā

Toh 44-45

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The Stem Array
Gopā