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སྡོང་པོས་བརྒྱན་པ།

The Stem Array
Māyādevī

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.

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.

44.

Chapter 44

Māyādevī

44.1

Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, on the way to Māyādevī, undertaking the wisdom of practicing the scope of the activity of the buddhas, thought, “By what means can I see the kalyāṇamitras, honor them, meet them,1846 accompany them,1847 learn their qualities, know the field of their speech, understand the succession of their words, and possess the teachings of the kalyāṇamitras who have six āyatanas that have risen above all worlds; who have bodies that have transcended all attachments; who follow the path of unimpeded movement; who have pure Dharma bodies; who have bodies that are manifestations of illusory physical activities; who perform conducts in the world that are the illusions of wisdom; who have forms and bodies1848 from prayer;1849 who have bodies that are not born and do not cease; who have bodies that are neither true nor false; who have bodies that do not pass away or perish; who have bodies that do not originate and are not destroyed; who have bodies that have the single characteristic of having no characteristics; who have bodies that have no attachment to duality; who have bodies that are based on having no basis; who have bodies that do not decay1850 or diminish; [F.256.a] who have bodies without thoughts, like reflections; who have active bodies that are like dreams; who have bodies that do not depart, like the surface of a mirror; who have bodies that are established in peace, like the absence of directions; who have bodies that pervade all directions; who have bodies that have no differentiation between the three times; who have bodiless bodies of mind that are bodies without thought; who have bodies that have transcended the path of sight in all worlds; who have bodies that have been tamed through the path of completely good vision; and who have the unimpeded field of activity of space?”

44.2

While he was dedicated to contemplating and pondering this, Ratnanetrā, the goddess of the city, appeared in the sky encircled by a crowd of sky goddesses. Her body was adorned by varieties of jewelry, her body was covered in adornments, and she scattered handfuls of divine flowers of many shapes and colors.

44.3

She said to Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, “Noble one, you should be dedicated to protecting the city of the mind by not dwelling in delight in saṃsāra’s field of perception. [F.256.b]

44.4

“Noble one, you should be dedicated to adorning the city of the mind through focusing on the ten strengths of the tathāgatas.

“Noble one, you should be dedicated to purifying the city of the mind through being free of envy, greed, and deception.

44.5

“Noble one, you should be dedicated to pacifying the torment of the city of the mind through realizing the nature of all phenomena.

“Noble one, you should be dedicated to increasing the city of the mind through increasing the power of great dedication to the accumulation of omniscience.

44.6

“Noble one, you should be dedicated to protecting the city of the mind’s treasury of buildings through gaining power over dwelling in the vast divine palaces of the samādhis, samāpattis, dhyānas, liberations, and the Dharma.

“Noble one, you should be dedicated to illuminating the city of the mind through seeking the attainment of the perfection of wisdom of all the levels of the established circles of followers of all the tathāgatas. [F.257.a]

44.7

“Noble one, you should be dedicated to strengthening the city of the mind through entering the city of your own mind through the path of the method of the arising of all the tathāgatas.

“Noble one, you should be dedicated to creating the strong walls of the city of the mind through a pure mind that accomplishes the completely good conduct and prayers of the bodhisattvas.

44.8

“Noble one, you should be dedicated to accomplishing the inapproachability and indestructibility of the city of the mind through crushing the army of the māras, the friends of wickedness, who are on the side of the māras and the kleśas.

“Noble one, you should be dedicated to illuminating the city of the mind through enlightening all beings with the illumination from the knowledge of the tathāgatas.

44.9

“Noble one, you should be dedicated to moistening the city of the mind through acquiring the rain from the clouds of the Dharma of all the tathāgatas.

“Noble one, you should be dedicated to strengthening the city of the mind through your mind’s acquisition of the ocean of merit of all the tathāgatas.

44.10

“Noble one, you should be dedicated to increasing the city of the mind through great love pervading all beings.

“Noble one, you should be dedicated to purifying1851 the city of the mind through establishing the vast parasol of the Dharma as the remedy for bad qualities.

44.11

“Noble one, you should be dedicated to making the city of the mind tremble1852 through the mind trembling with vast, great compassion for the sake of all beings.

“Noble one, you should be dedicated to opening the gates to the city of the mind through1853 providing1854 all beings with outer and inner things.

44.12

“Noble one, you should be dedicated to purifying the city of the mind through turning away1855 from delighting in the sensory range of all of saṃsāra.

“Noble one, you should be dedicated to strengthening the heart1856 of the city of the mind through making the continuity of bad actions impossible.

44.13

“Noble one, you should be dedicated to making the city of the mind strong through never lapsing from the diligence that accomplishes the accumulation of omniscience.

“Noble one, you should be dedicated to illuminating the city of the mind through the illumination of remembering the field of all the tathāgatas of the three times.

44.14

“Noble one, you should be dedicated to being skilled in the ways of analyzing the city of the mind through being skilled in the wisdom that analyzes the Dharma gateways of the various sūtras of the Dharma wheel of all the tathāgatas. [F.257.b]

“Noble one, you should be dedicated to the perception of the city of the mind through teaching the way of the path and gateways to omniscience that are directly perceivable by all beings.

44.15

“Noble one, you should be dedicated to being skilled in the ways of blessing the city of the mind through the pure accomplishment of the ocean of prayers of all the tathāgatas in the three times within your own prayer.

“Noble one, you should be dedicated to increasing the power of the accumulations of the city of the mind through increasing the great, vast accumulations of merit and wisdom in the entire realm of the Dharma.

44.16

“Noble one, you should be dedicated to being skilled in the method for emitting light from the city of the mind through knowing the minds, thoughts, faculties, aspirations, defilements, and purification of all beings.

“Noble one, you should be dedicated to being skilled in the way of gaining power over the city of the mind through gathering all the ways of the realm of the Dharma.

44.17

“Noble one, you should be dedicated to illuminating the city of the mind through remembering and illuminating all the tathāgatas.

“Noble one, you should be dedicated to knowing the nature of the city of the mind through realizing all the ways of the bodyless Dharma.

44.18

“Noble one, you should be dedicated to examining as an illusion the city of the mind through going to the city of the Dharma of omniscience.

“Noble one, in that way the bodhisattva who is dedicated to the purification of the city of the mind will be able to attain the accomplishment of all roots of merit.

44.19

“Why is that? [F.258.a] Because bodhisattvas who thus purify the city of the mind have before them no obscurations: there are no obscurations to seeing the buddhas, no obscurations to hearing the Dharma, no obscurations to venerating and making offerings to the tathāgatas, no obscurations to engaging in gathering beings, and no obscurations to purifying buddha realms.

44.20

“Noble one, bodhisattvas who are dedicated to seeing kalyāṇamitras with a mind free of all obscurations and with a higher motivation will with little difficulty see a kalyāṇamitra.

“Noble one, the omniscience of bodhisattvas depends on the kalyāṇamitras.”

44.21

Then two of the family of goddesses of the body, who were named Dharmapadmaśrīkuśalā and Hrīśrīmañjariprabhāvā,1857 encircled by an innumerable assembly of goddesses, emerged from the bodhimaṇḍa, uttering praises of Māyādevī. They arranged themselves in the sky before Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, and emitted from their precious earrings1858 a net of many light rays the colors of jewels; many pure perfumes and incenses the colors of shining lights; colors attractive to mind and thought; colors that increased the power of joy in the mind; colors that eased the pains of the body; colors that revealed pure bodies; and nets of light rays that were a field of perception that gave rise to an unimpeded prowess of the body and illuminated vast realms.

44.22

They revealed to Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, all the bodies of all tathāgatas, which are present everywhere and facing everywhere. [F.258.b] Then they completely circled, to their right, the entire world, and then shone upon the crown of the head of Sudhana, the head merchant’s son. They completely pervaded him, from the crown of his head to the pores of his body.

44.23

As soon as the light rays from those goddesses touched Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, in that instant he attained the eyesight called the dust-free illuminations, which was free from all blinding darkness. He attained the eyesight called free from the obscuration of sight, through which he perceived the nature of beings. He attained the eyesight called the lord of freedom from dust, through which he looked at the field of the nature of all phenomena. He attained the eyesight called lord of purity, through which he looked at the character1859 of all realms. He attained the eyesight called shining light, through which he looked upon the Dharma bodies of all tathāgatas. He attained the eyesight called pure intelligence,1860 through which he looked upon the countless categories of the created form bodies of the tathāgatas.1861 He attained the eyesight called unimpeded light, through which he looked upon the categories of the origination and destruction of world realms throughout the vast extent of the ocean of realms. He attained the eyesight called complete light, through which he looked upon the aspect of the creation of the way of the sūtras in the Dharma wheel of all the tathāgatas. He attained the eyesight called the complete field of perception, through which he looked upon the miracles of the buddhas and their blessings that guide beings. He attained the eyesight called complete sight, through which he looked upon the births of buddhas that occurred in all buddha realms. [F.259.a]

44.24

Then the guardian at the door of the meeting hall of the bodhisattvas, the leader of ten thousand rākṣasas, whose name was Sunetra, with his wives, children, relatives, and entourage, threw flowers of many beautiful colors over Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, and said to him, “Noble one, a bodhisattva who has ten qualities will be near to all kalyāṇamitras. What are these ten? They are (1) a pure motivation without deception or guile, (2) a compassion that gathers all beings without discrimination, (3) the insight that realizes that the nature of all beings is that there are no beings, (4) a superior motivation for proceeding irreversibly toward omniscience, (5) the strength of the aspiration that is directed toward the field of the tathāgatas, (6) the vision of the purity of the stainlessness of the nature of all phenomena, (7) the great love without discrimination for the field of beings, (8) the light of wisdom, which dispels all obscurations, (9) the great cloud of the Dharma, which is a parasol that counters all the suffering of saṃsāra, and (10) the eyes of wisdom that are focused on following the kalyāṇamitras and enter into all the streams within the realm of the Dharma.

“Noble one, the bodhisattva who has these ten qualities will be near to all kalyāṇamitras.

44.25

“The bodhisattva who sees the ten entryways to resting in samādhi will attain the direct perception of all kalyāṇamitras. What are those ten? They are (1) the entryway to resting in the samādhi of the field of analyzing all phenomena as being like dust-free space, [F.259.b] (2) the entryway to resting in the samādhi of the vision that directly perceives the ocean of all directions, (3) the entryway to resting in the samādhi of the nonexamination and nonanalysis of all perception, (4) the entryway to resting in the samādhi of the arising of the clouds of tathāgatas in all directions, (5) the entryway to resting in the samādhi of the essence of the accumulation of an ocean of omniscient wisdom and merit, (6) the entryway to resting in the samādhi of the development of all aspirations to be inseparably near to the occurrence of kalyāṇamitras, (7) the entryway to resting in the samādhi of all the qualities of the tathāgatas originating from the mouths1862 of the kalyāṇamitras, (8) the entryway to resting in the samādhi of inseparability from all the tathāgatas, (9) the entryway to resting in the samādhi of being engaged in being near, always and equally, to all kalyāṇamitras, and (10) the entryway to resting in the samādhi of engaging without weariness in all the conduct of methods of the kalyāṇamitras.

44.26

“Noble one, the bodhisattva who has those ten qualities will attain the direct perception of all kalyāṇamitras. The bodhisattva who attains the liberation of the samādhi called the Dharma wheels of all the tathāgatas proclaimed from the mouth of the kalyāṇamitra will, by entering it, attain the undifferentiated equality of all buddhas and the undifferentiated omnipresence of the kalyāṇamitras.”

That is what Sunetra, the lord of the rākṣasas, said. [F.260.a]

44.27

Then Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, stared into the sky and said, “Ārya,1863 you have regarded me with compassion and without error taught1864 the kalyāṇamitras in order to benefit1865 me. In addition, I pray that you teach me without error the entrance ways to methods concerning how to apply myself to seeing the kalyāṇamitras, in what direction I should go, in what places I should search, and upon what goal I should focus my thoughts.”

44.28

Sunetra, the lord of the rākṣasas, replied, “Noble one, you should go to the kalyāṇamitras by going with a body that bows down in every direction, with thoughts that are fastened on remembering the kalyāṇamitras as their object, following the samādhi that goes everywhere, with strength of mind that is like a dream, and traveling with a body of the mind that is like a reflection.”

44.29

Then Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, practicing as he had been told by Sunetra, the lord of the rākṣasas, saw rising from the ground before him a great lotus with a stem made entirely from diamond jewels, with sepals made from a variety of kings of jewels of the world’s1866 oceans, with a circle of petals formed from all kings of jewels, with a pericarp made of shining kings of jewels, with filaments the colors and aromas of all the precious kings of jewels, and covered by a net of countless jewels.1867

44.30

He saw on the pericarp of that great lotus made of the kings of jewels a kūṭāgāra called Dharmadhātudiksamavasaraṇagarbha, which was well adorned and beautiful, with a base that was the shape of a shining vajra.1868 A full thousand pillars made from the kings of jewels beautifully adorned it. [F.260.b] Every kind of jewel was displayed as every kind of adornment. Its floor was made of divine Jambu River gold. Countless nets of various strings of pearls were spread upon it. It was adorned by a beautifying blend of various kings of jewels. It had a complete array1869 of the precious jewels of Jambudhvaja.1870 It was encircled by countless precious balconies. On all sides, stairways made of kings of jewels were beautifully arranged.

44.31

He saw in the center of the kūṭāgāra a throne of wish-fulfilling jewels with a lotus on its center. It was composed of precious jewels, and its base had the representations of all1871 the lords of the world. It had the colors of all gems of precious jewels. It had the shape of Indra’s radiant banner. It was set upon the surface of a ground that was a circle of precious diamonds. It had an array of rows of various kings of jewels. It was encircled by many precious platforms. It was decorated by shining banners of kings of jewels. It was beautified by an array of various jewels. Upon it was placed a cushion that was superior to divine material. Its surface was covered with precious cloths of various infinite colors. Decorative canopies of all kinds of precious cloth adorned the sky. It was draped in nets of all jewels. In all directions there was the sound of the flapping of arrayed precious banners. Banners of cloth made of all jewels fluttered. It was adorned by an arrangement of banners of all precious aromatic jewels. Banners made of all flowers emitted a rain of showers of various flowers. [F.261.a] Banners of precious bells emitted melodious, beautiful sounds. All the entrances1872 of the building were decorated1873 with strings of various jewels. From various precious jewels in the form of spouts issued a rain of scented water in many different colors. From the mouths of elephant lords formed from shining kings of precious jewels came1874 networks of lotuses. From the mouths of lions made of a variety of diamonds came1875 clouds of incense in endless colors. From the mouths of statues of Brahmā made from shining kings of jewels there resounded in a loving manner the sound of the voice of Brahmā. From the mouths of beautiful statues made of various jewels resounded the beautiful sounds of praises of goodness. From strings of golden bells were emitted the pleasant sounds of the names of the buddhas in the three times. From strings of bells made of excellent precious jewels came the beautiful sounds of the Dharma wheels of all the buddhas. From a variety of diamond bells came the sounds of all bodhisattva prayers. Various voices resounded from the images of all the buddhas that arose from strings of moonstone1876 kings of jewels. From strings of emerald1877 kings of precious jewels came manifestations of images of the successive lives of all the tathāgatas in the three times. From strings of sunstone 1878 kings of jewels appeared light rays of the range of various buddha realms throughout the ten directions as far as the limits of the realm of space. From strings of avabhāsadhvaja kings of jewels shone the illumination of the halos of light of all the tathāgatas. [F.261.b] From strings of vairocana kings of jewels radiated light rays in the forms of emanated clouds of all the lords of worlds, who made offerings to and venerated the tathāgatas. From strings of wish-fulfilling kings of jewels there spread throughout the realm of phenomena in each instant the completely good miraculous manifestations of the bodhisattvas. From strings of vairocana kings of jewels resounded the sound of the voices of all the apsarases in the palaces of all the lords of devas emitting clouds of praises of all perceived tathāgatas, describing their inconceivable good qualities. The throne was encircled by an array of seats made of countless jewels.

44.32

He saw upon that throne Māyādevī. She had a form that transcended the three worlds. She had a form that resided in all worlds and was above all existences. She had a form that was perceived by all beings according to their aspirations1879 but was unstained by any world. She had a form that originated from vast merit and could resemble that of all beings. She had a form that appeared to all beings but in a way that would accord with ripening and guiding all beings. She had a form that was directly perceived by all beings but was at all times1880 no different from beings’ perception of space. She had a form that had the power to be present1881 as perceivable throughout the extent of all beings without going anywhere. She had a form that neither ceased nor came into existence within worlds. She had a form that did not originate in and was not born in any world. She had a form that was dedicated to having a quality the same as birthlessness but was also unceasing. [F.262.a] She had a form that engaged in all conducts within the world and was truly perceived.1882 She had a form that was not real but was perceived by the world.1883 She had a form that was not false and did not pass away.1884 She had a form that transcended death and birth and was indestructible. She had a form that had the indestructible nature of the realm of the Dharma and had no characteristics. She had a form that mastered the languages of the three times and had a single characteristic. She had a form that came forth with the excellent characteristic1885 of the absence of characteristics and was like a reflection. She had a form that was perceived by all beings in accordance with their motivations and aspirations and was like an illusion. She had a form that was created by the illusion of wisdom and was like a mirage. She had a form that was intent on being present1886 in the perception of beings in each instant1887 and was like a shadow. She had a form that followed beings in accordance with her past prayers and was like a dream. She had a form that was perceived separately by beings according to their dispositions and was active in the entire realm of phenomena. She had a form that had a pure nature like the realm of space and arose from great compassion. She had a form that was dedicated to protecting all the classes of beings and arose through the gateway of the absence of attachment. She had a form that pervaded in each instant the entire realm of phenomena and had no end or middle. She had a form that was dependent on all beings without being polluted by them and was immeasurable. She had a form that transcended all words and had no location. She had a form that was an accomplished presence1888 that guided all beings and had no presence.1889 She had a form that through its presence was dedicated to benefiting beings and did not occur.1890 She had a form that was created through the conjured illusion of prayer and was unsurpassable. She had a form that was above all worlds and was not what it seemed to be. [F.262.b] She had a form that was perceived through the light of śamatha and was without origin. She had a form that followed beings in accordance with their karma and accomplished the prayers to fulfill the wishes of all beings like the king of wish-fulfilling jewels, without thought. She had a form that was present in accordance with the conceptions of all beings and, having no thought, was nonconceptual. She had a form that was perceived by all beings and was without impediment. She had a form that was dedicated to turning beings away from saṃsāra and was completely pure. She had a form that, like the true nature, was without conceptualization and had that kind of mode. She had a form that appeared as form without having form and was without sensation. She had a form that was dedicated to the cessation of the sensations of worldly suffering and was above all the conceptualizations of beings. She had a form that was perceived by the perceptions of all beings and arose through the nature of not being formed. She had a form that occurred through the quality of illusory conjuration and transcended being an object of consciousness. She had a form that arose from the wisdom of bodhisattva prayer and had no nature of its own. She had a form that engaged in the languages of all beings and dispelled pain.

44.33

Through possessing the supreme coolness of the Dharma body, Māyādevī revealed a form body in accordance with the aspirations of beings. In accordance with the aspirations of beings, she manifested bodies that resembled those of all beings and were superior to the form bodies of all beings.

44.34

Some beings saw Māyādevī in the form of a daughter of Māra but superior to the form of a daughter of Māra. [F.263.a]

44.35

Some saw her as superior through having the form of one of Vaśavartin’s apsarases.

Some saw her as superior through having the form of one of Sunirmita’s apsarases.

Some saw her as superior through having the form of one of Saṃtuṣita’s apsarases.

44.36

Some saw her as superior through having the form of one of Suyāma’s apsarases.

Some saw her as superior through having the form of a Trāyastriṃśa apsaras.

Some saw her as superior through having the form of a Caturmahārājika apsaras.

44.37

Some saw her as superior through having the form of a daughter of a lord of kumbhāṇḍas.

Some saw her as superior through having the form of a daughter of a lord of mahoragas.

Some beings saw her as superior through having the form of a daughter of a lord of humans.

44.38

Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, although devoid of the concepts of the forms of all beings, was comprehending the thoughts of other beings, and he saw that in the thoughts of all beings Māyādevī had the merit to care for all beings; she had a body created by the merit of omniscience; she was inseparable from the practice of the perfection of generosity; she engaged equally with all beings; she gathered all beings into the enclosure of great compassion; she manifested from the practice of all the qualities of the tathāgatas; she had entered an ocean of all the ways of patience; she increased mentation1891 through the power of the diligence of omniscience; she possessed the constant diligence that purified the entire field of phenomena; she had arisen from the realization of the nature of phenomena; she possessed a mind that had accomplished all the ways of the branches of dhyāna; [F.263.b] she had attained the illumination of the field of dhyāna of the tathāgatas that possesses the undifferentiated range of the branches of dhyāna; she dwelled in various realizations of how to definitively dry up the ocean of the kleśas of all beings; she had skill in the way of differentiating the Dharma wheels of all tathāgatas; she had the wisdom to analyze the ocean of all the ways of the Dharma; she never had enough of seeing all the tathāgatas; she had the continuous vision of the successions of the tathāgatas in the three times; she faced the gateway to seeing all the buddhas; she was skilled in the different ways of purifying the path accomplished by all the tathāgatas; she had the field of activity of the tathāgatas, which is as extensive as space; she was skilled in the ways of the method of gathering all beings; she had appearances that ripened and guided the vast extent of beings, without end or middle, in accordance with their aspirations; she comprehended the different pure bodies of all buddhas; she had the prayer to purify the ocean of all realms; she had the pure prayer to reach the conclusion of having the presence with the power to guide all realms of beings; she had a mind that fills with offering the field of all buddhas; she had arisen from dedication to all the miraculous manifestations of bodhisattvas; she possessed the pure, unsurpassable Dharma body; she manifested endless form bodies; she defeated all the armies of Māra; [F.264.a] she possessed the strength of vast roots of merit; she had a mind that generated the strength of the Dharma; she had attained the illumination of the strengths of the buddhas; she had perfected the strength of all the powers of a bodhisattva; she had developed the strength of the power of omniscience; she had illuminated wisdom with the lightning of the wisdom of the tathāgatas; she was skilled in examining the ocean of the minds of the vast, centerless, endless extent of beings; she comprehended the aspirations of the multitudes of beings; she was skilled in the ways of knowing the different capabilities of other beings; she had realized the skill in knowing the various aspirations of infinite beings; she filled the measureless ocean of realms in the ten directions with her bodies; she was skilled in the aspects and ways of knowing all the different world realms; she had acquired skill in the ways of knowing all the modes of different realms; she spread the view of wisdom throughout the ocean of all directions; she had the understanding that pervades all the ocean of all time; she had bodies that bow down directly to the ocean of all buddhas; she had a mind that directly acquired all the rain from the ocean of the clouds of the Dharma; she was dedicated to coming forth through the practice of completing the qualities of all the tathāgatas; she had the understanding that engaged in accomplishing all the accumulations of the bodhisattvas; she possessed the power of analyzing the progress of all bodhisattvas; she accomplished all the aspects of the aspiration to enlightenment; she was engaged in protecting all bodhisattvas; she manifested the light of the clouds of the goodness of all buddhas; [F.264.b] and she had arisen from the prayers that give birth to all bodhisattvas and jinas.

44.39

Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, saw Māyādevī in those ways and in other ways as numerous as the atoms in Jambudvīpa.

44.40

Having seen that, he blessed his own body to be as numerous as those of Māyādevī and bowed down to them with bodies that spread among them all.

44.41

The instant he bowed down, he attained a vast extent, without middle or end, of entrances to samādhi. He looked upon those entrances to samādhi, identified their characteristics, meditated on them, devoted himself to them, remembered them, pervaded them, made them vast, viewed them, increased them, accomplished them, and sealed them.

44.42

He arose from those entrances to samādhi and circumambulated Māyādevī and her entourage, keeping her to his right, and their residence and seats. Then he stood before her with hands together in homage and said, “Āryā, through Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta I have developed the aspiration for the highest, complete enlightenment and was inspired to honor the kalyāṇamitras. In that way, I have honored one kalyāṇamitra after another and have finally come to your feet.

44.43

“Āryā, how does a bodhisattva train in bodhisattva conduct and accomplish omniscience?”

Māyādevī answered, “Noble one, I have attained the bodhisattva liberation called the display of the illusory conjurations of wisdom of the great prayers.

44.44

“Noble one, through possessing that liberation, I have become the mother of each one of all the bodhisattvas in their final existences who are the Bhagavat Vairocana’s miraculous manifestations of being born into the final existences of a bodhisattva in all the Jambudvīpas in all the world realms in this ocean of world realms. [F.265.a] All those bodhisattvas have resided in my belly and emerged from the right side of my belly.

44.45

“Noble one, in the location of the great city of Kapilavastu in this fortunate four-continent world, as a queen in the family of King Śuddhodana, I gave birth to the bodhisattva Siddhārtha in an inconceivable, vast, miraculous manifestation of a bodhisattva’s birth.

44.46

“Noble one, while I was living in the palace of King Śuddhodana, the time came for the bodhisattva to leave Tuṣita. From all his pores, from each of his pores, shone many light rays, as numerous as the atoms in countless buddha realms, called the illumination that comes from the field of the qualities of the mothers of all tathāgatas, which were a display of the qualities of the mothers of all bodhisattvas. They illuminated all world realms and shone upon me, spreading through me from the crown of my head to all the pores of my body.

44.47

“Noble one, in that way, the bodhisattva light rays with one name1892 radiated various miraculous manifestations, displays, and liberations of the mothers of bodhisattvas. The instant that they entered my body, I perceived in my body the displays and modes of the miraculous births of all bodhisattvas, visible in the fields of the tips1893 of the light rays from the bodhisattva. Their residences and their entourages also appeared in that way. [F.265.b]

44.48

“Noble one, in that way, the instant those light rays from the bodhisattva entered my body, the field of the tips of the light rays from the bodhisattva made visible to me the miracles and modes of the lives of bodhisattvas, and I saw them all. I saw them all going to their bodhimaṇḍas, sitting on their lion thrones encircled by assembled entourages of bodhisattvas, encircled by lords of the world, and turning the wheel of the Dharma.

44.49

“I also saw those tathāgatas performing bodhisattva conduct in the past, all their service to tathāgatas, their first development of aspiration to enlightenment, the miracles of their birth, their complete enlightenment, their turning the wheel of the Dharma, the miraculous manifestation of their passing into nirvāṇa, and the display of their pure buddha realms.

44.50

“I also saw all the field of the emanations of those tathāgatas filling all the realms of phenomena in each instant.

44.51

“Noble one, in that way, the instant those light rays from the bodhisattva entered my body, my own body became superior to those of all beings. My womb became as vast as space, but my body did not appear to transcend being a human body.

44.52

“All the displays and residences of the wombs in which dwelled bodhisattvas in the ten directions appeared contained within my body.

44.53

“Noble one, in that way, there appeared in my body the wombs in which the bodhisattvas resided, together with their residences and their enjoyments. [F.266.a] In that instant, the bodhisattva and bodhisattvas as numerous as the atoms in ten buddha realms who had the same prayer, the same practice of conduct, the same roots of merit, the same displays; who were dwelling in the same liberation, residing on the same level of wisdom, coming forth through the same miraculous manifestations, accomplishing the same prayers, coming forth through the same conduct; having purified Dharma bodies and the powerful presence of a vast, centerless, endless extent, of form bodies coming forth through the completely good bodhisattva conduct, prayers, and miraculous manifestations, were seated in the center of the precious kūṭāgāras of the lords of nāgas. The nāga king Sāgara and eighty thousand other nāga kings and all lords of the world made offerings to them.

44.54

“They displayed the miraculous manifestations of passing away from all the Tuṣita palaces, displayed taking birth from each Tuṣita into a four-continent world throughout all the world realms, acted in accordance with their skill in the inconceivable methods for ripening beings, inspired beings who were careless, brought them up out of all attachments, spread a great network of light rays that dispelled the darkness in all worlds, ended the sufferings in all lower existences, prevented all existences in hells, invoked the past karma of all beings, [F.266.b] protected all realms of beings, and displayed their bodies to all beings.

44.55

“Together they departed from their Tuṣita palaces and with their entourages entered my body. All of them moved and walked within my body, their steps ranging from being as wide as a great world realm of a thousand million worlds up to being as wide as world realms as numerous as the atoms in countless buddha realms.

44.56

“The countless assembled entourages of bodhisattvas at the feet of tathāgatas in all the vast extent of world realms in the ten directions in each instant came into my body in order to see the miraculous manifestation of the bodhisattva’s residence in the womb.

44.57

“The Four Mahārājas, Śakra, Suyāma, Saṃtuṣita, Sunirmita, Vaśavartin, the lords of the devas, and the lords of Brahmā devas also entered in order to see the bodhisattva dwelling in a womb, to pay homage to him, honor him, and hear him speak the Dharma. My womb, although it held all those assembled entourages, did not become vast. My body was not different from an ordinary human body, and yet it held all those assembled entourages.

44.58

“All those devas and humans saw the bodhisattva’s various pure enjoyments and displays. Why is that? Because I meditated on this bodhisattva liberation called the illusory conjurations of the wisdom of great prayer.

44.59

“Noble one, just as I held in my body the bodhisattva in the Jambudvīpa of this fortunate four-continent world, [F.267.a] in the same way I have held him in this miraculous manner in all the four-continent worlds of the great world realm of a thousand million worlds. Because I have meditated on this bodhisattva liberation called the illusory conjurations of the wisdom of great prayer, my body is neither dual nor nondual, and it is neither single nor multiple.

44.60

“Noble one, just as I have been the mother of this Buddha Vairocana, in the same way I have been the mother of a vast extent, without middle or end, of past tathāgatas. If a bodhisattva was born miraculously from the center of a lotus, I was a goddess of that lotus bed, I acquired that bodhisattva, and I was known in the world as being the bodhisattva’s mother. If a bodhisattva was born upon my lap, I acquired them from my lap and was the bodhisattva’s mother. If a bodhisattva were in that way born spontaneously in a buddha realm, I would be living there as the goddess of the bodhimaṇḍa.

44.61

“Noble one, through various methods I became the mother of the bodhisattvas when they appeared in various ways in the world as their last existence as bodhisattvas.

44.62

“Noble one, in this world realm I have been the mother who manifested the miraculous bodhisattva birth of the Bhagavat Vairocana. In the same way, I was the mother of the tathāgatas Krakucchanda, Kanakamuni, and Kāśyapa. In the same way, I will be the mother of all the future tathāgatas in this Bhadra kalpa. [F.267.b] Thus, when the time comes for the bodhisattva Maitreya, who dwells in the Tuṣita palace, to manifest passing away, he will radiate the light ray of the lights that reveal the miraculous event of the birth, appearance, and dwelling in a womb of all bodhisattvas. The light will go throughout the lands and ways of the entire realm of phenomena and will manifest as that bodhisattva Maitreya who will be born in a human world in the family of a lord of humans in all the lands and ways of the entire realm of phenomena in order to guide beings, and I will be the mother of all those bodhisattvas.

44.63

“Just as I will be the mother of the bodhisattva Maitreya, in the same way, after Maitreya’s attainment of the highest, complete enlightenment of buddhahood, I will be the mother of Siṃha, Pradyota, Ketu, Sunetra, Kusuma, Kusumaśrī, Tiṣya, Puṣya, Sumanas, Vajra, Viraja, Candrolkādhārin, Yaśas, Vajraśuddha, Ekārthadarśin, Sitāṅga, Pāraṃgata, Ratnārciḥparvata, Maholkādhārin, Padmottara, Vighuṣṭaśabda, Aparimitaguṇadharma, Dīpaśrī, Vibhūṣitāṅga, Suprayāṇa, Maitraśrī, Nirmita, Aniketa, Jvalitatejas, Anantaghoṣa, Aninetra, Aninema,1894 Vimativikiraṇa, Pariśuddha, Suviśālābha, Yaśaḥśuddhodita, Meghaśrī, Vicitrabhūta,

The Stem Array Māyādevī

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The Stem Array
Māyādevī