Therefore, having relied upon an excellent protector, solidify your certainty about the way that all the scriptures are causal factors for one person to become a buddha.
【◎ 是故应当依善依怙，于其一切正言，皆是一数取趣，成佛支缘。所有道理，令起定解。】
LAM RIM CHEN MO 《菩提道次第广论》
然后呢进入大乘，虽然有很多经典，我们现在《华严》做代表，或者你们自己可以想，各式各样的经典上面都这么说。这个文殊菩萨一再开示善财童子，以及他善财童子不断地参访善知识，随处随地那个善知识也一再开示他，说：“你要成佛啊，要成就一切智智，总要依靠善知识。”那么这个详细的情况到后面说，到后面说。这个是我们修学佛法第一步。
善财在菩提场中转来转去，没有找到开树花夜神。最后走到一个众花簇拥的花坛，看见一个女神。坐在宝香楼阁内，头戴花冠，身著花衣，众宝缨络庄严其身，身放红光，光中散出清香，前面众花神围绕。善财想：这一定是开树花夜神，即上前施礼。
花神早知善财要来，不等善财开口，便说道：“善男子，你来得正好，请这里坐坐吧。”
善财在花神指的花凳上坐下。看看天色正晚，明月东升，池内莲花复合，众花无光，游人各归住所，大地一片寂静。开树花夜神说：“你随我来，给我当个助手吧。”
善财随著花神，察看园中所有的花树、花草。当浇水的浇水，当整枝的整枝，当覆盖的覆盖，当施肥的施肥。有被恶人践踏折损的，当去就去，当顺就顺，当折就折，就这样细心的，慢慢的，查遍了所有的花树。
这些花草、花树、看见花神来，无不喜笑颜开，象儿子见了母亲，恋恋依偎，不肯舍离。花神也象爱护自己儿子一样，小心爱抚，无微不至。
花神察看完毕，已是三更时分，又去过道、走廊、路径、四处察看一遍，有损坏处即修补。这时已是四更时分。
花神并不少懈，带著善财，走出菩提场，凡是所有花树，所有花草，都一一察看。
最不幸的是在一个路边花圃里，一朵硕大的牡丹，被恶人无辜摘去，空留花茎，花神痛心地说：“人心不善，这牡丹就无辜送命了！”
走到一个茅屋处，屋前屋后满种各种花。芍药、牡丹、月季、玫瑰、茶花、鞭蓉不下数千。遗恨的是一只黄牛在牡丹花地践踏。一只猪在芍药地里乱拱，花根遭踏。一老者拉开猪和黄牛，将牛狠打，牛痛极又跑到花地践踏，老者虽然驱开了牛，可是看见这一片被践踏的花地，踏碎的花朵，内心难过，放生大哭。
花神走过去对老者说：“长者不必悲伤，那花不是好好的吗？”
老者举头一看，花枝招展，恢复如故，一点也未损伤。知道是花神救了受难的花朵，即忙向花神顶礼，说不尽的感激话，道尽了恩德之情，又五体投地地顶礼。花神即忙扶起说道：“不用谢，这时我应该做的事。”这时已是五更时分，花神带著善财回到菩提场，又把各处的花察看一遍，花开时有无障碍。
旭日东昇，阳光初放，满园百花盛开，万花竞艳，好一派锦绣山河，花的世界。香风佛面，令人陶醉
花神看著这满园春色，对善财说：“我日日夜夜守护著花，花与我是一体。花好我也好，花健我也健，花美我也美。花病花灾，我感受更难过。花给众生美的享受，快乐的享受。没有花，就不能生存；没有花，便不好过，人若没有花，就是阴沉沉的一潭死水，没有灵魂，没有生命的象征。”
要是人们只追求花，日日夜夜沉醉在花里，就变成花天花地，花花世界，花花公子，花花小姐，寻欢作乐，无所事事，那就太可怕了。
给众生各种美的享受，这个美是正道的美，神圣的美，是美的美。所以我的花，鲜艳而不妖，芬芳而不邪，甜蜜而不秽。人们看见我的花，眼根清净；嗅到我的花香，鼻根清净。蜜蜂采去酿成蜜，人尝了免饥渴之苦，生清净之心。
每天千百万人来菩提场欣赏我的花，消除一百零八种烦恼，身心清净，增长智慧。因此我日以继夜，没有休息。
善财问道：“圣者，你是如何修来的呢？”
花神道：“在无量劫前，有佛名普照法界，在普庄严世界成佛。当时有王名法音圆满，威德被于世界，没有怨敌。后来劫尽，天灾人祸，民不聊生。王就命所有国库仓库的宝藏，衣物、粮食都施与民，民皆欢喜。时有民女，名宝光童女，感王之德，将自己的缨络敬献于王。王观此女能知他人功德，为世稀有，就把自己的无价之宝亲手送童女。童女又将王所施众宝，送给贫苦百姓。这个童女就是我，因为我无贪无著，有此美德，故为菩提场花神。善男子，你要求造福人间的菩萨行，就在这个场内，有个大愿精进夜神，你可以去请教他。”
善财于此事实中受益不少，离开树花神，去寻大愿精进神。
尔时，善财童子入菩萨甚深自在妙音解脱门，修行增进。
往诣开敷一切树华夜神所，见其身在众宝香树楼阁之内妙宝所成师子座上，百万夜神所共围绕。时，善财童子顶礼其足，于前合掌而作是言：“圣者！我已先发阿耨多罗三藐三菩提心，而未知菩萨云何学菩萨行？云何得一切智？唯愿垂慈，为我宣说！”
夜神言：
“善男子！我于此娑婆世界，日光已没，莲华覆合，诸人众等罢游观时，见其一切若山、若水、若城、若野，如是等处种种众生，咸悉发心欲还所住；我皆密护，令得正道，达其处所，宿夜安乐。
“善男子！若有众生，盛年好色，憍慢放逸，五欲自恣。我为示现老、病、死相，令生恐怖，舍离诸恶。复为称叹种种善根，使其修习：为悭吝者，赞叹布施；为破戒者，称扬净戒；有瞋恚者，教住大慈；怀恼害者，令行忍辱；若懈怠者，令起精进；若散乱者，令修禅定；住恶慧者，令学般若；乐小乘者，令住大乘；乐著三界诸趣中者，令住菩萨愿波罗蜜；若有众生，福智微劣，为诸结业之所逼迫多留碍者，令住菩萨力波罗蜜；若有众生，其心暗昧，无有智慧，令住菩萨智波罗蜜。
“善男子！我已成就菩萨出生广大喜光明解脱门。”
善财言：“大圣！此解脱门境界云何？”
夜神言：
“善男子！入此解脱，能知如来普摄众生巧方便智。云何普摄？善男子！一切众生所受诸乐，皆是如来威德力故，顺如来教故，行如来语故，学如来行故，得如来所护力故，修如来所印道故，种如来所行善故，依如来所说法故，如来智慧日光之所照故，如来性净业力之所摄故。云何知然？善男子！我入此出生广大喜光明解脱，忆念毗卢遮那如来、应、正等觉往昔所修菩萨行海，悉皆明见。
“善男子！世尊往昔为菩萨时，见一切众生，著我、我所，住无明暗室，入诸见稠林，为贪爱所缚、忿怒所坏、愚痴所乱、悭嫉所缠，生死轮回，贫穷困苦，不得值遇诸佛菩萨。见如是已，起大悲心利益众生。所谓：起愿得一切妙宝资具摄众生心；愿一切众生，皆悉具足资生之物无所乏心，于一切众事离执著心，于一切境界无贪染心，于一切所有无悭吝心，于一切果报无希望心，于一切荣好无羡慕心，于一切因缘无迷惑心；起观察真实法性心；起救护一切众生心；起深入一切法漩澓心；起于一切众生住平等大慈心；起于一切众生行方便大悲心；起为大法盖普覆众生心；起以大智金刚杵破一切众生烦恼障山心；起令一切众生增长喜乐心；起愿一切众生究竟安乐心；起随众生所欲雨一切财宝心；起以平等方便成熟一切众生心；起令一切众生满足圣财心；起愿一切众生究竟皆得十力智果心。
“起如是心已，得菩萨力，现大神变；遍法界、虚空界，于一切众生前，普雨一切资生之物，随其所欲悉满其意皆令欢喜，不悔不吝，无间无断。以是方便，普摄众生，教化成熟，皆令得出生死苦难，不求其报；净治一切众生心宝，令其生起一切诸佛同一善根，增一切智福德大海。
“菩萨如是念念成熟一切众生，念念严净一切佛刹，念念普入一切法界，念念皆悉遍虚空界，念念普入一切三世，念念成就调伏一切诸众生智，念念恒转一切法轮，念念恒以一切智道利益众生，念念普于一切世界种种差别诸众生前尽未来劫现一切佛成等正觉，念念普于一切世界、一切诸劫修菩萨行不生二想。所谓：普入一切广大世界海一切世界种中，种种际畔诸世界，种种庄严诸世界，种种体性诸世界，种种形状诸世界，种种分布诸世界，或有世界秽而兼净，或有世界净而兼秽，或有世界一向杂秽，或有世界一向清净，或小或大，或粗或细，或正或侧，或覆或仰；如是一切诸世界中，念念修行诸菩萨行，入菩萨位，现菩萨力，亦现三世一切佛身，随众生心普使知见。
“善男子！毗卢遮那如来，于过去世，如是修行菩萨行时，见诸众生──不修功德，无有智慧，著我、我所，无明翳障，不正思惟，入诸邪见，不识因果，顺烦恼业，堕于生死险难深坑，具受种种无量诸苦。──起大悲心，具修一切波罗蜜行，为诸众生称扬赞叹坚固善根，令其安住远离生死、贫穷之苦，勤修福智助道之法；为说种种诸因果门，为说业报不相违反，为说于法证入之处，为说一切众生欲解，及说一切受生国土，令其不断一切佛种，令其守护一切佛教，令其舍离一切诸恶；又为称赞趣一切智助道之法，令诸众生心生欢喜，令行法施普摄一切，令其发起一切智行，令其修学诸大菩萨波罗蜜道，令其增长成一切智诸善根海，令其满足一切圣财，令其得入佛自在门，令其摄取无量方便，令其观见如来威德，令其安住菩萨智慧。”
善财童子言：“圣者发阿耨多罗三藐三菩提心，其已久如？”
夜神言：
“善男子！此处难信、难知、难解、难入、难说，一切世间及以二乘皆不能知。唯除诸佛神力所护，善友所摄，集胜功德，欲乐清净，无下劣心，无杂染心，无谄曲心，得普照耀智光明心，发普饶益诸众生心、一切烦恼及以众魔无能坏心，起必成就一切智心，不乐一切生死乐心，能求一切诸佛妙乐，能灭一切众生苦恼，能修一切佛功德海，能观一切诸法实性，能具一切清净信解，能超一切生死暴流，能入一切如来智海，能决定到无上法城，能勇猛入如来境界，能速疾趣诸佛地位，能即成就一切智力，能于十力已得究竟；如是之人，于此能持、能入、能了。何以故？此是如来智慧境界，一切菩萨尚不能知，况余众生！然我今者，以佛威力，欲令调顺可化众生意速清净，欲令修习善根众生心得自在，随汝所问，为汝宣说。”
尔时，开敷一切树华夜神，欲重明其义，观察三世如来境界而说颂言：
“佛子汝所问，甚深佛境界，难思刹尘劫，说之不可尽。非是贪恚痴，憍慢惑所覆，如是众生等，能知佛妙法。非是住悭嫉，谄诳诸浊意，烦恼业所覆，能知佛境界。非著蕴界处，及计于有身，见倒想倒人，能知佛所觉。佛境界寂静，性净离分别，非著诸有者，能知此法性。生于诸佛家，为佛所守护，持佛法藏者，智眼之境界。亲近善知识，爱乐白净法，勤求诸佛力，闻此法欢喜。心净无分别，犹如太虚空，慧灯破诸暗，是彼之境界。以大慈悲意，普覆诸世间，一切皆平等，是彼之境界。欢喜心无著，一切皆能舍，平等施众生，是彼之境界。心净离诸恶，究竟无所悔，顺行诸佛教，是彼之境界。了知法自性，及以诸业种，其心无动乱，是彼之境界。勇猛勤精进，安住心不退，勤修一切智，是彼之境界。其心寂静住三昧，究竟清凉无热恼，已修一切智海因，此证悟者之解脱。善知一切真实相，深入无边法界门，普度群生靡有余，此慧灯者之解脱。了达众生真实性，不著一切诸有海，如影普现心水中，此正道者之解脱。从于一切三世佛，方便愿种而出生，尽诸劫刹勤修行，此普贤者之解脱。普入一切法界门，悉见十方诸刹海，亦见其中劫成坏，而心毕竟无分别。法界所有微尘中，悉见如来坐道树，成就菩提化群品，此无碍眼之解脱。汝于无量大劫海，亲近供养善知识，为利群生求正法，闻已忆念无遗忘。毗卢遮那广大境，无量无边不可思，我承佛力为汝说，令汝深心转清净。
“善男子！乃往古世，过世界海微尘数劫，有世界海，名：普光明真金摩尼山；其世界海中，有佛出现，名：普照法界智慧山寂静威德王。善男子！其佛往修菩萨行时，净彼世界海。其世界海中，有世界微尘数世界种；一一世界种，有世界微尘数世界；一一世界，皆有如来出兴于世；一一如来，说世界海微尘数修多罗；一一修多罗，授佛刹微尘数诸菩萨记，现种种神力，说种种法门，度无量众生。
“善男子！彼普光明真金摩尼山世界海中，有世界种，名：普庄严幢。此世界种中，有世界，名：一切宝色普光明，以现一切化佛影摩尼王为体，形如天城；以现一切如来道场影像摩尼王为其下际，住一切宝华海上，净秽相杂。此世界中，有须弥山微尘数四天下，有一四天下最处其中，名：一切宝山幢。其四天下，一一纵广十万由旬，一一各有一万大城。其阎浮提中，有一王都，名：坚固妙宝庄严云灯，一万大城周匝围绕。阎浮提人寿万岁时，其中有王，名：一切法音圆满盖，有五百大臣、六万采女、七百王子；其诸王子皆端正勇健，有大威力。尔时，彼王威德普被阎浮提内，无有怨敌。
“时，彼世界劫欲尽时，有五浊起。一切人众，寿命短促，资财乏少，形色鄙陋，多苦少乐，不修十善，专作恶业，更相忿诤，互相毁辱，离他眷属，妒他荣好，任情起见，非法贪求。以是因缘，风雨不时，苗稼不登，园林、草树一切枯藁，人民匮乏，多诸疫病，驰走四方，靡所依怙，咸来共绕王都大城，无量无边百千万亿，四面周匝高声大呼；或举其手，或合其掌，或以头扣地，或以手捶胸，或屈膝长号，或踊身大叫；头发蓬乱，衣裳弊恶，皮肤皴裂，面目无光，而向王言：‘大王！大王！我等今者，贫穷孤露，饥渴寒冻，疾病衰羸，众苦所逼，命将不久，无依无救，无所控告。我等今者来归大王，我观大王仁慈智慧，于大王所生得安乐想、得所爱想、得活命想、得摄受想、得宝藏想、遇津梁想、逢道路想、值船筏想、见宝洲想、获财利想、升天宫想。’
“尔时，大王闻此语已，得百万阿僧祇大悲门，一心思惟，发十种大悲语。其十者何？所谓：‘哀哉众生！堕于无底生死大坑；我当云何而速勉济，令其得住一切智地？哀哉众生！为诸烦恼之所逼迫；我当云何而作救护，令其安住一切善业？哀哉众生！生老病死之所恐怖；我当云何为作归依，令其永得身心安隐？哀哉众生！常为世间众怖所逼；我当云何而为佑助，令其得住一切智道？哀哉众生！无有智眼，常为身见疑惑所覆；我当云何为作方便，令其得决疑见翳膜？哀哉众生！常为痴暗之所迷惑；我当云何为作明炬，令其照见一切智城？哀哉众生！常为悭嫉谄诳所浊；我当云何而为开晓，令其证得清净法身？哀哉众生！长时漂没生死大海；我当云何而普运度，令其得上菩提彼岸？哀哉众生！诸根刚强，难可调伏；我当云何而为调御，令其具足诸佛神力？哀哉众生！犹如盲瞽，不见道路；我当云何而为引导，令其得入一切智门？’
“作是语已，击鼓宣令：‘我今普施一切众生，随有所须悉令充足。’即时颁下阎浮提内大小诸城及诸聚落，悉开库藏，出种种物，置四衢道。所谓：金、银、琉璃、摩尼等宝；衣服、饮食、华香、璎珞、宫殿、屋宅、床榻、敷具；建大光明摩尼宝幢，其光触身，悉使安隐；亦施一切病缘汤药；种种宝器盛众杂宝，金刚器中盛种种香，宝香器中盛种种衣；辇舆、车乘、幢幡、缯盖。如是一切资生之物，悉开库藏而以给施。亦施一切村营、城邑、山泽、林薮、妻子、眷属及以王位，头、目、耳、鼻、唇、舌、牙、齿、手、足、皮、肉、心、肾、肝、肺，内外所有，悉皆能舍。
“其坚固妙宝庄严云灯城，东面有门，名：摩尼山光明。于其门外，有施会处。其地广博，清净平坦，无诸坑坎、荆棘、沙砾，一切皆以妙宝所成，散众宝华，熏诸妙香，然诸宝灯，一切香云充满虚空，无量宝树次第行列，无量华网、无量香网弥覆其上，无量百千亿那由他诸音乐器恒出妙音。如是一切，皆以妙宝而为庄严，悉是菩萨净业果报。
“于彼会中，置师子座，十宝为地，十宝栏楯，十种宝树周匝围绕，金刚宝轮以承其下，以一切宝为龙神像而共捧持，种种宝物以为严饰，幢幡间列，众网覆上，无量宝香常出香云，种种宝衣处处分布，百千种乐恒奏美音。复于其上张施宝盖，常放无量宝焰光明，如阎浮金炽然清净；覆以宝网，垂诸璎珞，摩尼宝带周回间列，种种宝铃恒出妙音，劝诸众生修行善业。时，彼大王处师子座，形容端正，人相具足，光明妙宝以为其冠，那罗延身不可沮坏，一一肢分悉皆圆满，性普贤善，王种中生，于财及法悉得自在，辩才无碍，智慧明达，以政治国，无违命者。
“尔时，阎浮提无量无数百千万亿那由他众生──种种国土、种种族类、种种形貌、种种衣服、种种言辞、种种欲乐，俱来此会，观察彼王，咸言：‘此王是大智人、是福须弥、是功德月，住菩萨愿，行广大施。’时，王见彼诸来乞者，生悲愍心，生欢喜心，生尊重心，生善友心，生广大心，生相续心，生精进心，生不退心，生舍施心，生周遍心。
“善男子！尔时，彼王见诸乞者，心大欢喜经须臾顷；假使忉利天王、夜摩天王、兜率陀天王，尽百千亿那由他劫所受快乐，亦不能及。善化天王于无数劫所受快乐，自在天王于无量劫所受快乐，大梵天王于无边劫所受梵乐，光音天王于难思劫所受天乐，遍净天王于无尽劫所受天乐，净居天王不可说劫住寂静乐，悉不能及。
“善男子！譬如有人仁慈孝友，遭逢世难，父母、妻息、兄弟、姊妹并皆散失，忽于旷野道路之间而相值遇，瞻奉抚对，情无厌足。时，彼大王见来求者，心生欢喜，亦复如是。
“善男子！其王尔时，因善知识，于佛菩提，解欲增长，诸根成就，信心清净，欢喜圆满。何以故？此菩萨勤修诸行，求一切智，愿得利益一切众生，愿获菩提无量妙乐，舍离一切诸不善心，常乐积集一切善根，常愿救护一切众生，常乐观察萨婆若道，常乐修行一切智法，满足一切众生所愿，入一切佛功德大海，破一切魔业惑障山，随顺一切如来教行，行一切智无障碍道，已能深入一切智流，一切法流常现在前，大愿无尽，为大丈夫，住大人法，积集一切普门善藏，离一切著，不染一切世间境界，知诸法性犹如虚空。
“于来乞者，生一子想，生父母想，生福田想，生难得想，生恩益想，生坚固想、师想、佛想。不简方处，不择族类，不选形貌，随有来至，如其所欲，以大慈心，平等无碍，一切普施，皆令满足：求饮食者，施与饮食；求衣服者，施与衣服；求香华者，施与香华；求鬘盖者，施与鬘盖；幢幡、璎珞、宫殿、园苑、象马、车乘、床座、被褥、金、银、摩尼、诸珍宝物、一切库藏，及诸眷属、城邑、聚落，皆悉如是普施众生。“时，此会中有长者女，名：宝光明，与六十童女俱，端正殊妙，人所喜见，皮肤金色，目发绀青，身出妙香；口演梵音，上妙宝衣以为庄严，常怀惭愧，正念不乱，具足威仪，恭敬师长，常念顺行、甚深妙行，所闻之法忆持不忘，宿世善根流润其心，清净广大犹如虚空，等安众生，常见诸佛，求一切智。
“时，宝光明女去王不远，合掌顶礼，作如是念：‘我获善利！我获善利！我今得见大善知识。”于彼王所，生大师想、善知识想、具慈悲想、能摄受想。其心正直，生大欢喜，脱身璎珞，持奉彼王，作是愿言：‘今此大王为无量无边无明众生作所依处，愿我未来亦复如是。如彼大王所知之法、所载之乘、所修之道、所具色相、所有财产、所摄众会，无边无尽，难胜难坏，愿我未来悉得如是。随所生处，皆随往生。’
“尔时，大王知此童女发如是心，而告之言：‘童女！随汝所欲，我皆与汝。我今所有，一切皆舍；令诸众生，普得满足。’时，宝光明女，信心清净，生大欢喜，即以偈颂而赞王言：
‘往昔此城邑，大王未出时，一切不可乐，犹如饿鬼处。众生相杀害，窃盗纵淫佚，两舌不实语，无义粗恶言，贪爱他财物，瞋恚怀毒心，邪见不善行，命终堕恶道。以是等众生，愚痴所覆蔽，住于颠倒见，天旱不降泽。以无时雨故，百谷悉不生，草木皆枯藁，泉流亦干竭。大王未兴世，津池悉枯涸，园苑多骸骨，望之如旷野。大王升宝位，广济诸群生，油云被八方，普雨皆充洽。大王临庶品，普断诸暴虐，刑狱皆止措，惸独悉安隐。往昔诸众生，各各相残害，饮血而啖肉，今悉起慈心。往昔诸众生，贫穷少衣服，以草自遮蔽，饥羸如饿鬼。大王既兴世，粳米自然生，树中出妙衣，男女皆严饰。昔日竞微利，非法相陵夺；今时并丰足，如游帝释园。昔时人作恶，非分生贪染，他妻及童女，种种相侵逼。今见他妇人，端正妙严饰，而心无染著，犹如知足天。昔日诸众生，妄言不真实，非法无利益，谄曲取人意。今日群生类，悉离诸恶言，其心既柔软，发语亦调顺。昔日诸众生，种种行邪法，合掌恭敬礼，牛羊犬豚类。今闻王正法，悟解除邪见，了知苦乐报，悉从因缘起。大王演妙音，闻者皆欣乐；梵释音声等，一切无能及。大王众宝盖，迥处虚空中，擎以琉璃干，覆以摩尼网。金铃自然出，如来和雅音，宣扬微妙法，除灭众生惑。次复广演说，十方诸佛刹，一切诸劫中，如来并眷属。又复次第说，过去十方刹，及彼国土中，一切诸如来。又出微妙音，普遍阎浮界，广说人天等，种种业差别。众生听闻已，自知诸业藏，离恶勤修行，回向佛菩提。王父净光明，王母莲华光，五浊出现时，处位治天下。时有广大园，园有五百池，一一千树绕，各各华弥覆。于其池岸上，建立千柱堂，栏楯等庄严，一切无不备。末世恶法起，积年不降雨，池流悉干竭，草树皆枯藁。王生七日前，先现灵瑞相；见者咸心念：救世今当出。尔时于中夜，大地六种动；有一宝华池，光明犹日现。五百诸池内，功德水充满，枯树悉生枝，华叶皆荣茂。池水既盈满，流演一切处，普及阎浮地，靡不皆沾洽。药草及诸树，百谷苗稼等，枝叶华果实，一切皆繁盛。沟坑及塠阜，种种高下处，如是一切地，莫不皆平坦。荆棘沙砾等，所有诸杂秽，皆于一念中，变成众宝玉。众生见是已，欢喜而赞叹，咸言得善利，如渴饮美水。时彼光明王，眷属无量众，佥然备法驾，游观诸园苑。五百诸池内，有池名庆喜，池上有法堂，父王于此住。先王语夫人：我念七夜前，中宵地震动，此中有光现。时彼华池内，千叶莲华出，光如千日照，上彻须弥顶。金刚以为茎，阎浮金为台，众宝为华叶，妙香作须蕊。王生彼华上，端身结跏坐，相好以庄严，天神所恭敬。先王大欢喜，入池自抚鞠，持以授夫人：汝子应欣庆。宝藏皆涌出，宝树生妙衣，天乐奏美声，充满虚空中。一切诸众生，皆生大欢喜，合掌称希有：善哉救护世！王时放身光，普照于一切，能令四天下，暗尽病除灭。夜叉毗舍阇，毒虫诸恶兽，所欲害人者，一切自藏匿。恶名失善利，横事病所持，如是众苦灭，一切皆欢喜。凡是众生类，相视如父母，离恶起慈心，专求一切智。关闭诸恶趣，开示人天路，宣扬萨婆若，度脱诸群生。我等见大王，普获于善利，无归无导者，一切悉安乐。’
“尔时，宝光明童女，以偈赞叹一切法音圆满盖王已，绕无量匝，合掌顶礼，曲躬恭敬，却住一面。时，彼大王告童女言：‘善哉！童女！汝能信知他人功德，是为希有。童女！一切众生，不能信知他人功德。童女！一切众生，不知报恩，无有智慧，其心浊乱，性不明了，本无志力，又退修行；如是之人，不信不知菩萨如来所有功德神通智慧。童女！汝今决定求趣菩提，能知菩萨如是功德。汝今生此阎浮提中，发勇猛心，普摄众生，功不唐捐，亦当成就如是功德。’王赞女已，以无价宝衣，手自授与宝光童女并其眷属，一一告言：‘汝著此衣。’时，诸童女双膝著地，两手承捧，置于顶上，然后而著；既著衣已，右绕于王，诸宝衣中普出一切星宿光明。众人见之，咸作是言：‘此诸女等，皆悉端正，如净夜天星宿庄严。’
“善男子！尔时一切法音圆满盖王者，岂异人乎？今毗卢遮那如来、应、正等觉是也。光明王者，净饭王是。莲华光夫人者，摩耶夫人是。宝光童女者，即我身是。其王尔时以四摄法所摄众生，即此会中一切菩萨是，皆于阿耨多罗三藐三菩提得不退转，或住初地乃至十地，具种种大愿，集种种助道，修种种妙行，备种种庄严，得种种神通，住种种解脱，于此会中处于种种妙法宫殿。”
尔时，开敷一切树华主夜神，为善财童子，欲重宣此解脱义而说颂言：
“我有广大眼，普见于十方，一切刹海中，五趣轮回者。亦见彼诸佛，菩提树下坐，神通遍十方，说法度众生。我有清净耳，普闻一切声，亦闻佛说法，欢喜而信受。我有他心智，无二无所碍，能于一念中，悉了诸心海。我得宿命智，能知一切劫，自身及他人，分别悉明了。我于一念知，刹海微尘劫，诸佛及菩萨，五道众生类。忆知彼诸佛，始发菩提愿，乃至修诸行，一一悉圆满。亦知彼诸佛，成就菩提道，以种种方便，为众转法轮。亦知彼诸佛，所有诸乘海，正法住久近，众生度多少。我于无量劫，修习此法门；我今为汝说，佛子汝应学。
“善男子！我唯知此菩萨出生广大喜光明解脱门。如诸菩萨摩诃萨，亲近供养一切诸佛，入一切智大愿海，满一切佛诸愿海；得勇猛智，于一菩萨地，普入一切菩萨地海；得清净愿，于一菩萨行，普入一切菩萨行海；得自在力，于一菩萨解脱门，普入一切菩萨解脱门海。而我云何能知能说彼功德行？
“善男子！此道场中，有一夜神，名：大愿精进力救护一切众生。汝诣彼问：菩萨云何教化众生，令趣阿耨多罗三藐三菩提？云何严净一切佛刹？云何承事一切如来？云何修行一切佛法？”
时，善财童子顶礼其足，绕无数匝，殷勤瞻仰，辞退而去。
Sarvavrikshapraphullanasukhasamvasa
Then Sudhana, further cultivating, fostering, and expanding the enlightening liberation of entry into the profound miracle of pleasing sound, went to the night goddess Sarvavrikshapraphullanasukhasamvasa. He saw her sitting on a lion throne of jewel tree shoots inside a tower of branches of jewel trees of all fragrances, surrounded by ten thousand night goddesses. He went up to her, paid his respects, and said, “Noble goddess, I have set my mind on supreme perfect enlightenment, but I do not know how an enlightening being is to carry out and learn the practice of enlightening beings. Please tell me how to perform and learn the practice of enlightening beings, and how to act and learn so as to arrive at omniscience.”
The goddess said to Sudhana, “By my power, when the sun goes down, the blooming lotuses become highly fragrant; all the men and women sporting in the parks decide to go home; the highly conscious beings on the roads and paths in the night head for the protection of all beings: those who live in mountain caves go into the mountain caves, those who lie in trees head for the trees, those who live in caves go into their caves, those who live in villages, cities, or towns go into their villages, cities, and towns, those who live in water go down in the water, those who live in other abodes go to their respective dwelling places, to spend the night comfortably.
“Furthermore, to the young men and women intoxicated with the joy of youth, reveling in music and song and intent on sensual pleasures, I praise the effort to produce roots of goodness as an antidote to the fears of the darkness of birth, old age, and death. I enjoin giving on those who are greedy and lead the ill-behaved to discipline. To those who are hostile I praise kindness, and I lead those agitated in mind to patience. I lead the lazy to undertake the vigorous effort of enlightening beings. Those whose minds wander I establish in meditation. I furnish the stupid with transcendent wisdom. Those who are interested in the Lesser Vehicle I establish in the Great Vehicle. Those who are attached to the world, who act within the sphere of attachment to the conditions of existence, I lead to the transcendent commitment of enlightening beings. Those who are overcome by obstructions, tormented by afflictions in their actions, lacking in the power of virtue and knowledge, I lead to the transcendent power of enlightening beings. Those bound up in the darkness of nescience, in the darkness of the ignorance characterized by egoism and possessiveness, I lead to the transcendent knowledge of enlightening beings.
“Furthermore, I have attained the enlightening liberation ‘manifestation of contentment with the treasure produced from great joy.’”
Sudhana said, “What is the sphere of this liberation?”
The goddess said, “The scope of this liberation is the knowledge and means to take care of sentient beings by the goodness of those who arrive at Thusness. How is that? Whatever well-being sentient beings experience is all due to the power of the goodness of the enlightened, due to the path of the teaching of the enlightened, due to putting the word of the enlightened into practice, due to learning from the enlightened, due to the support of the enlightened, due to practicing the path of knowledge of the enlightened, due to planting roots of goodness like the enlightened, due to the true teaching of the enlightened, due to the illumination of the sun of knowledge of the enlightened.
“Indeed, the happiness of beings comes from the light of the sphere of pure deeds of the family of the enlightened. How do I know? As I enter into this enlightening liberation of the manifestation of contentment with the treasure produced from great joy, and recall and plunge into the ocean of Vairocana Buddha’s past practices as an enlightening being, thus do I know and understand—as the Buddha was concentrating on the stages of enlightenment in the past, seeing sentient beings caught up in egoism and possessiveness, in the darkness of ignorance, gone into a tangle of views, dominated by craving, bound by the fetters of desire, hostile and malevolent, continuously pursuing delusions, wrapped up in envy and jealousy, their minds crowded with afflictions, experiencing the great misery of the mundane whirl, tormented by the pains of poverty in the mundane whirl, deprived of the sight of the enlightened, there appeared in the Buddha a mind of great compassion, a mind to take care of all sentient beings materially for their benefit, a mind to produce means of worldly support for all sentient beings, a mind free from attachment to all things, a mind without acquisitiveness for any objects, a mind not dwelling on any pleasures, a mind free from grasping for any material goods, a mind not seeking rewards for giving, a mind not eager for existence in any world, a mind not confused about causal relations, a mind contemplating the truth after thorough investigation, a mind to provide refuge for the welfare of all living beings.
“Having comprehended the essence of all things as it really is, having impartial goodwill toward all sentient beings, working to fill all worlds with great compassion, covering all worlds with the canopy of the great Teaching, holding the thunderbolt of great knowledge, which shatters the mountain of afflictions of all sentient beings, his mind growing in satisfaction through the welfare of all sentient beings, determined to effect the ultimate happiness of all sentient beings, wishing to provide all sentient beings with everything they need, working impartially without abandoning any sentient beings, wishing to satisfy all sentient beings with the wealth of sages, determined to attain the jewel of knowledge of the supreme ten powers, empowered with the mystic knowledges of enlightening beings, pervading all worlds throughout the space of the entire cosmos with a multitude of various enlightening manifestations, appearing before all sentient beings, swirling a great cloud of all manner of objects and showering a rain of all kinds of precious ornaments, he undertook to give infinite various articles to all sentient beings for their use as appropriate, to perform innumerable services, to strive to provide care by all sorts of charity, giving away many kinds of things, to construct arrangements of myriad benefits, services, and useful articles, to practice various forms of giving, satisfying sentient beings according to their mentalities by endless giving, to make uninterrupted effort to save all beings from the miseries of the mundane world, without desiring the gratitude of anyone, impartial toward all beings, purifying the mind-jewel of all beings, increasing the flood of the ocean of wealth of all-knowledge for all beings produced from the ocean of roots of goodness at one with those of all buddhas, engaged in taking care of all beings by providing for their needs, undertaking all this continuously, from moment to moment, to develop and guide all sentient beings and gradually purify them.
“He undertook to adorn every land as a supreme pure buddha-land in every moment of thought, to purify the practice of the ocean of methods of the Teaching in every moment of thought, to fulfill the means of knowledge pervading all of space in every moment of thought, to purify the means of knowledge of how to tame all sentient beings in every moment of thought, to bring to light the knowledge of how to guide all worldlings in every moment of thought, to always teach in a manner appropriate to the time in every moment of thought, to be a benefactor to all beings by showing the skillfulness to support all knowledge in each moment of thought, carrying out the practice of enlightening beings in each moment of thought in all kinds of worlds, in various forms, by various means, having entered the way of enlightening beings, to suffuse the worlds with various manifestations of the practice of enlightening beings, to show the bodies of all the buddhas of past, present, and future to other beings according to their mentalities in each moment of thought, increasing the flood of the ocean of wealth of all-knowledge for all beings.
“Thus as Vairocana Buddha was carrying out the practice of enlightening beings in the past, he aroused great compassion for those without virtue or knowledge, those attached to the world, ungrateful, wrapped up in the darkness of nescience, egotistical and possessive, shrouded by the darkness of ignorance, immersed in unreasonable thought, lost in the wilderness of views, heedless of cause and effect, dominated by afflictions in action, fallen into a pit of suffering in the wasteland of the mundane whirl, experiencing the misery of various kinds of want; producing vast multitudes of practices of the ways of transcendence, praising the firm foundation of roots of goodness, removing the pain of mundane want from all sentient beings, fostering the growth of great stores of virtue and knowledge, clarifying the realm of causes, enlightening them on the consistency of deeds and states, showing the origin of all beings and lands, involving them in the continuation of the family of buddhas, getting them to remember the teachings of all buddhas, turning them away from all evil, describing the preparations for omniscience, producing a great multitude of transcendent practices filling all realms of beings, he established sentient beings in the care of the ultimate Teaching, satisfying them according to their mentalities. He directed them in preparation for omniscience, he introduced them to the great transcendent ways of enlightening beings, he got them to support themselves on the wealth of sages, he got them to increase their roots of goodness by the momentum of the joy of omniscience. Introducing them to the miracles of all buddhas, taking them into ultimate unattached bliss, showing them the greatness of the enlightened, he led them to enlightening beings’ knowledge of means of salvation.”
Sudhana said, “How long ago did you set out for supreme perfect enlightenment?”
The goddess said, “This is hard to reach, hard to know, hard to believe, hard to penetrate, hard to say, hard to understand. Neither celestial nor human beings can comprehend it, nor can any listeners or individual illuminates comprehend it, except those who, by the empowerment of Buddha, by the help of spiritual benefactors, by the mind being stabilized on great stores of virtue and knowledge, by purity of intention, by the mind being buoyant, undisturbed, straightforward, unimpaired, open, unobscured, by the mind being illumined by the light of universal knowledge, by the mind being dedicated to the welfare and happiness of all beings, by the mind being invulnerable to the afflictions of all demons, by the mind being within range of attainment of omniscience, thus do not seek any mundane pleasures, are focused on the pleasure of the enlightened, have undertaken to put an end to the suffering and misery of all beings, are headed into the ocean of virtues of the enlightened, are in the realm of the space of meditation on the intrinsic nature of things, have purified the path of higher aspirations, have turned away from the flow of the mundane whirl, are turned toward the ocean of knowledge of the enlightened, are certain to arrive at the citadel of omniscience, proceed energetically into the sphere of those who arrive at Thusness, advance boldly toward buddhahood, are headed toward complete fulfillment of the powers of omniscience, and will ultimately attain the ten powers—such people can penetrate, believe in, grasp, follow, and know this matter. Why? Because this matter is the sphere of buddhas—not even enlightening beings can reach it, much less others. Now, with the support of the Buddha I will tell you, for the sake of the correct purification of the minds of those capable of learning, so that those who practice good can master their minds, and so that you may have an explanation of what is on your mind.”
Then the goddess, further elucidating what she meant, looked over the realm of the buddhas of past, present, and future and spoke these verses:
Profound, infinite, is the sphere of buddhas,
Of which you now ask, O child of Buddha.
Even in eons as many as atoms in inconceivable lands
It could not be fully told.
The peaceful nature of the buddhas cannot be known
By the covetous or the malevolent,
Or by those shrouded in the darkness of delusion,
Or those whose minds are defiled by hypocrisy and conceit.
This sphere of buddhas cannot be known
By those ruled by envy and jealousy,
Or those whose minds are polluted by guile and deceit,
Or those enshrouded by barriers of action based on afflictions.
Buddhahood cannot be known
By those who depend on mental or material elements,
Or those attached to the body as real,
Or those with false views and ideas.
Hard to know is the tranquil realm of buddhas,
Which is inherently pure and nonconceptual—
This reality cannot be truly known
By those attached to life and being.
Those who are born in the family of buddhas,
Who are empowered by all the buddhas,
Who preserve the lineage of the enlightened,
Are the knowers of this sphere.
Those who are tireless in good practices
And are helped by spiritual benefactors,
With their minds focused on the powers of sages,
They attain peace on perceiving this.
This is the sphere of the undefiled
Whose minds are pure, without false ideas,
Like the sky in all directions,
Lamps of wisdom who have dispelled darkness.
Those who pervade all worlds
Of all times with compassion
And are benevolent to all beings
Enter the way of the buddhas.
This is the stage of those without grasping,
The happy ones without attachment
Who always gladly give all there is
Impartially to all beings.
This is the sphere of the undefiled,
Whose minds are unafflicted and conduct impeccable,
Whose minds are ultimately free from regret,
Who apply themselves to practice of Buddha’s teaching.
This is the liberation of the inexhaustible
Whose minds are unshakable, imperturbable,
Whose minds are focused on the essence of things,
Whose minds are unhindered by the oceans of actions.
This is the sphere of the disciplined,
With indefatigable and nonregressing minds,
With strength, vigor, and control,
With endless energy in preparing for omniscience.
This is known to those gone to peace,
With tranquil minds, concentrated,
Ultimately calm and cool,
Practitioners of all the branches of meditation.
This is known to the lamps of wisdom,
Whose minds are liberated from all attachments
And have penetrated the essence of things,
Who have gone the way into the reality realm of the enlightened.
This is the liberation of those who know the path,
Whose minds have penetrated the essence of beings,
Whose minds are not imprisoned in the sea of existence,
Who are moons reflected in the minds of beings.
This is known to the universally good,
Who are born from the ocean of vows
Of the buddhas past, present, and future,
And carry them out forever in all lands.
This is the liberation of those who penetrate all oceans of worlds
By means of the oceans of principles of the reality realm
And see their ages of becoming and decay without discrimination.
This is known to those of unobstructed vision
Who see the buddhas under the enlightenment trees,
As many as atoms in all lands,
Teaching after having realized enlightenment.
You have come after many eons
Of serving spiritual benefactors
In quest of the Teaching, seeking tirelessly;
Having heard it, you can remember it.
To purify your mind
I will tell you freely
Of the infinite realm of Vairocana
By the inconceivable power of Buddha.
The goddess continued, “Long ago, past eons as many as atoms in an ocean of worlds, there was an ocean of worlds called Sun on the Summit of a Mountain of Gold and Jewels. Therein, furthermore, was a buddha called Supreme Light Illumining the Realm of Truth at the Summit of Knowledge, who purified that ocean of worlds while carrying out the practice of enlightening beings in the past. In that ocean of worlds were as many world systems as atoms in all the mountains on earth, each system containing as many worlds as atoms in a galaxy. In each world there were as many sets of eons as atoms in a world, each containing many eons, in each of which there were many events, including buddhas appearing in the world and displaying miracles. Each buddha that appeared expounded as many scriptures as atoms in a world, in each of which scriptures were outlined as many instructions for enlightening beings as atoms in the world, with infinitely various indications of how to guide sentient beings, operated by the principles of various vehicles of liberation, guided by the buddhas’ various mystic powers of perception and prescription.
“Within that ocean of worlds was a central world-system called Array of Markers of Doors Facing All Directions, in which there was a world called Ubiquitous Light the Color of All Jewels. The borders of that world were arrayed with jewels reflecting images of the enlightenment sites of all buddhas; it rested on an ocean of flowers made of all kinds of jewels, it was composed of jewels showing the appearances of emanations of all buddhas, it was shaped like a celestial palace, and it was pure with an admixture of defilement. Furthermore, in that world there were as many world-regions with four continents as atoms in the polar mountain; at the center was a set of four continents called Mountain Peak of All Jewels, whose four continents were innumerable hundreds of thousands of leagues in extent. On each continent were ten thousand great cities. In the middle of the southern continent was a great metropolis called the Light of Myriad Arrays of Jewel Trees, surrounded by ten thousand cities. On that continent, furthermore, the life span of the people was ten thousand years. The king in that metropolis was named Encompassing Sound of the Proclamation of All Laws, a sovereign ruler. The king had five hundred ministers, six thousand concubines, and seven hundred sons all of whom were brave and manly, well built and handsome, dignified and strong. The whole continent was under the protection of that king, and he had no enemies or opponents.
“At that time the end of the eon was approaching in that world; the five corruptions were in evidence, people had stopped acting virtuously and had taken to bad ways, most of them were headed for misery. Because of their wrongdoings their lives were short, they had scanty means of subsistence, they were ugly, they experienced little pleasure and much pain, they were in the habit of argument and dissent, they were given to foul and incoherent speech, they were overcome by acquisitiveness, they were corrupt in mind and thought, they were lost in the jungle of various views. As they were obsessed with unreasonable desires and dominated by unwholesome acquisitiveness, the rain that would cause the crops to grow did not fall in the proper season. For that reason, furthermore, with all the vegetation withered, the people suffered from various diseases and scattered to the eight directions, without resort. They all went to the capital city Light of Myriad Arrays of Jewel Trees, surrounded it, and with various gestures of supplication raised a great outcry to the king—‘We are oppressed, abandoned, tormented by hunger and thirst, dismayed and distressed, without any savior, without refuge or resort, in a cage of suffering; our livelihood is threatened, and we are on the brink of death.’ The people in the city who were suffering from hunger and thirst, who were naked and homeless, who were in misery, despondent, and depressed, also were sick and tired of suffering. They betook themselves to the king as a man of great knowledge and a protector, thinking they had found a source of comfort, happiness, and livelihood, a guide to the way out, a great ship, an island of jewels of knowledge, a great benefit, thinking they had found all the delights of heaven.
“The king, hearing their outcry, was filled with countless tens of hundreds of thousands of facets of great compassion. Meditating on the principle of great compassion, in a moment he became single-minded and uttered ten statements of great compassion: ‘Alas, these people, without support, have fallen into the great pitfall of the mundane whirl—how can I be a refuge for them, leading them to the state of repose of the enlightened? Alas, these people have no savior and are oppressed by all kinds of afflictions—how can I become their savior, leading them to impeccable behavior? Alas, these people have no refuge in the world and are terrorized by old age and death—how can I become a refuge for them, removing all their fears of life and death? Alas, these people have no resort and are oppressed by various kinds of worldly distress—how can I become a resort for them, leading them to ultimate safety on the path of omniscience? Alas, everyone is in the darkness of ignorance, shrouded in the darkness of uncertainty and doubt—how can I become a light, dispelling the darkness of ignorance for them? Alas, these people are without illumination—how can I spread the light of great knowledge, showing them all the way into unobscured knowledge? Alas, the world of these people lacks the light of knowledge, and their minds are polluted by envy, jealousy, guile, and deceit—how can I produce the light of supreme knowledge, leading them all to cultivate purity? Alas, the world is without a guide and has plunged into a dangerous current in the ocean of the mundane whirl—how can I become a guide, to show them what to do? Alas, everyone lacks a teacher, all are misguided—how can I become a teacher for everyone, with the proper timing commanded by a buddha to guide people to complete maturity in all qualities? Alas, everyone lacks a leader, all are as though blind—how can I become a leader, to lead everyone on the way to unobstructed omniscience?’
“Having made these expressions of compassion, the king announced that he would undertake a great sacrifice, that he would satisfy everyone, giving them whatever they needed. With that the storehouses in every city and town on the continent were opened and all kinds of goods were placed on the streets, all the necessities of life were set out, all treasuries were opened, all stores of valuables were displayed; and the king projected a likeness of himself to every house to fulfill their wishes.
“Having arranged this act of giving things away, he had a great place of sacrifice prepared east of the city, in front of the city gate called Jewel Mountain Light. That place was equal in length and width, covering a most extensive area. It was level and clean, without potholes, clear of brambles, dust, and gravel. It was made of all precious elements, and the surface was spread with jewels. It was adorned with many arrays of jewels and strewn with flowers of various jewels. There was an abundance of all the finest aromatic powders, and it was perfumed with all kinds of scents. There were lamps giving off jewel lights, and the sky was covered with radiant clouds of incense. The place was adorned with orderly rows of trees of all kinds of jewels as well as various mansions, palaces, and towers. Overhead were parasols, banners, and pennants, flashing with trailing strings of various jewels. It was covered with nets of various jewel flowers, encircled with parasols made of webs of fragrant jewels. Jewel bells on nets of gold rang. It was shaded by canopies shining with various jewels, spread with aromatic powders of all the finest fragrances, and beautifully strewn with flowers made of all kinds of jewels, while pleasant music sounded from innumerable instruments. It was purified with arrays of various ornaments of all kinds of jewels, produced as a result of the deeds of enlightening beings.
“In the middle was a great lion throne, standing on a surface made of a variegated collection of ten kinds of jewels, surrounded by shining railings made of ten kinds of jewels, beautified with trees of ten kinds of jewels arrayed evenly between the railings, its feet firmly set on unbreakable diamond. The throne was set with jewel figurines and was adorned with hundreds of jewel protuberances. It was embellished with variegated arrays of jewels, jewel banners and streamers were raised all around it, and it was covered with nets of jewel bells, nets of celestial jewels, and nets of jewel flowers. It gave off clouds of fragrance and was arrayed with many-colored cloths of pleasant texture, finer than those of the heavens. Sweet music and song were heard all around. There were stairs of various jewels, arrayed with banners and railings, and shining jewel statues depicting various spiritual transfigurations. Here the king sat, handsome, serene, endowed with the pure marks of a great man, strong, robust, good, kind, and virtuous in all ways, endowed with all the best qualities, born of a line of great rulers, in command of all goods, pure in control of the law, master of his own mind, eloquent, endowed with unshakable knowledge, correctly applying well-constructed laws, showing endless virtues.
“Furthermore, as the king sat there, in the sky above him there appeared a great parasol, on a long, brilliant jewel pole, its hundred thousand ribs made of all kinds of jewels, brilliantly adorned with blazing lights, covered with lustrous gold, arrayed with nets of jewels, hung with bells of gold and jewels on strings of jewels, adorned with garlands of jewels twirling all around, producing sweet heavenly sounds, the ringing of the bells urging all beings to act virtuously. The king, moreover, fanned with jewel wisp fans, shone with a splendor surpassing that of the king of gods. As soon as the king sat on this throne, all the people stood before him with their palms joined and paid their respects.
“Then, seeing the assembly of countless petitioners, with various needs and desires, from various places, speaking various languages, all looking up to the king as the pole of prosperity, each thinking of him as a man of great knowledge, looking up to him as a great man of goodness and charity, considering him to have undertaken the vows of enlightening beings, the king felt as if he were seeing good friends and was flooded with immense compassion. There arose in him the dauntless energy to satisfy all petitioners forever and the all-pervasive will to give to everyone impartially.
“Furthermore, when the king saw all those petitioners, he became happier than if he had acquired rule over the galaxy for boundless eons, more than if he had acquired the throne of lordship over the gods for countless eons. His joy upon seeing those petitioners was as that of someone in the wilderness, long separated from family and friends, upon being united with them. His mind was filled with happiness, he was uplifted with joy and flooded with delight. The power of his faith in the enlightenment of buddhas increased, his budding faith in omniscience grew, the power of his purity of determination for all the qualities of buddhahood swelled, his faculties as an enlightening being became fit for use, he was flooded with a feeling of contentment and well-being, and by the force of great joy his senses and will as a benefactor became flexible. Why? Because the king, who was intent on omniscience, had betaken himself to the nature of omniscience, stood before the door to the path of omniscience, had engaged his attention on the satisfaction of all living beings, was on the verge of entry into the ocean of all enlightened virtues, was intent on shattering the mountains of obstructions caused by demons, actions, and afflictions, was absorbed in properly taking up the instructions of all buddhas, was endeavoring to embody all roots of goodness, was free from all attachments, was unattached to any objects in the world, and realized that all things are in essence like space, thought of all those petitioners as like an only son, as like his parents, as worthy of gifts, as spiritual benefactors, as precious, as doers of what is difficult, as useful in many ways, as supreme benefactors, as supporting the path of enlightenment, as guides and teachers.
“The king then fulfilled the needs and wishes of all the petitioners with unmitigated kindness, without turning his back on anyone, giving impartially to everyone, according to their needs. He gave away whatever he had to whoever required it, impartial toward all living beings.
“At that time, in that gathering at the sacrificial ground, there was a grandee’s daughter, named Jewel Light, with a retinue of sixty girls. She was beautiful, with a clear, healthy complexion, dark hair and eyes, a pleasant scent, and a clear voice. She was well dressed and wore fine ornaments. She was alert and intelligent, modest, stable, and well behaved. She was respectful to the worthy, most circumspect and clear-headed in conduct, profound in action, endowed with wisdom. She had already accomplished basic skills involved in grasping, practicing, and realizing enlightening teachings, and she had attained clarity and serenity through the teachings. Her intentions were pure and good, and she was dedicated to the welfare of others. She was aiming for the vision of Buddha and was seeking omniscient knowledge. She stood near the king’s throne in an attitude of respect, but she did not take anything from among the goods the king was distributing. Just standing there, she thought, ‘I have gained a true boon in getting to see such a spiritual friend as this.’ Thinking of the king as a spiritual friend, a sympathizer, a protector, and an enlightened one, with a mind free from deceit or guile, flooded with supreme joy and happiness, she took off her jewelry and tossed it before the king, so that it lay on the ground between the railings around the throne. Having scattered her jewelry, she made these vows: ‘Just as the king Encompassing Sound of the Proclamation of All Laws is a refuge for leaderless people in the dark, so may I also become one such in the future. The reality he knows, may I also know. By the means through which he attains emancipation, may I also be emancipated. The path he practices, may I also practice. Just as he is fair to behold, has endless wealth and assistants, and is invulnerable and invincible, may I also become like this. Wherever he is born, may I also be born.’
“Perceiving her involved in such thoughts, the king looked at her and said, ‘Take what you need. I am giving away all I have to satisfy everyone.’ Made this offer by the king, she gained even more faith; with a serene mind, energized by lofty, far-reaching virtue, she spoke these verses to the king:
Before you were here in this city, great king,
It was joyless, lifeless, horrible as the realm of ghosts.
People were murderous, thieving, unrestrained,
Deceitful, harsh, and foul in speech.
They were covetous, malicious, and opinionated;
By their wrongdoing they fell into states of woe.
Because of the ills of the views of these unjust, ignorant people,
For many years there was no rain.
Because of drought the seeds died, crops and trees did not grow:
Lakes and streams dried up, plants and forests withered.
The rivers all went dry, the parks were like deserts;
Before you appeared, clear-eyed, the earth was strewn with bleached bones.
Now you have joined with the needy, and all are satisfied—
Coming forth, you shower gifts on the four quarters, fulfilling all, low and high.
There are no more thieves, mercenaries, or frauds—no one is killed or injured;
None go hopelessly to death, the world is leaderless no more.
People who like to kill used to drink the blood of their victims—
Those who used to eat each other’s flesh have become kindly due to your charities.
People used to wear rags and leaves,
And were hungry and homeless.
With you here, the grains grow by themselves and the trees give forth their bounty;
Wise women and men appear too, now that you have been born, leader of the world.
Those who were formerly all on wrong paths
Are now well adorned and dressed, sporting like gods in paradise.
Men were wrongly obsessed with desires, delighting in unruly passion,
Given to raping women and girls in their own care and the care of others.
Now, though others’ wives be like goddesses, well dressed, adorned, and perfumed,
When men see them they are satisfied with their own wives, as in the heaven of content.
People used to be deceitful, cruel, coarse, and dishonest in speech;
Having given this up, now they act justly, freed from wrong views.
No music or celestial song, nor even the voice of Brahma or the singing of birds
Can match your voice, O leader.
Above you stands a jewel parasol with webs of gold,
On a jewel cane, radiant, with nets of jewelry all around.
The notes of its bells surpass all sounds in the world:
Like the tones of Buddha’s voice, they intone the tranquil sound of truth.
Those in all lands who hear this put an end to afflictions,
Hearing the names of the buddhas over the ages and the oceans of the wise.
By your power the bells bespeak the successive lands since the past,
The names of the lands, and the cycles of true teaching everywhere.
The sound of the bells, liquid, free-flowing, rings throughout the continent,
Telling of the manners of action of the gods and the lords of the worlds.
Hearing the bells tell of the accumulations of their deeds, gods and people
Give up evil, practice good, and rely on the enlightenment of the buddhas.
Your father was Starlight, the king, your mother queen Lotus Light;
You were born in a corrupt age and acquired the rulership.
There was a large park, arrayed with flowers and precious lamps,
Adorned with five hundred lotus ponds, and surrounded with hundreds of trees.
On the bank of each pond was a villa, with a thousand pillars,
Resplendent with a thousand balustrades, with radiant nets and crescents all around.
When it had not rained for years, with lawlessness prevailing everywhere,
The water in the ponds evaporated and the trees withered.
Seven nights before your birth there were innumerable wonders,
Convincing all who saw them that a savior was surely to be born.
In the middle of the night the earth quaked,
And a light like the sun appeared in the pond called Impeccable.
Thereupon the five hundred ponds were filled with pure water,
The trees flourished, and flowers and fruits were filled with life.
The ponds, filled with water, refreshed the whole grove;
By the streams flowing from them the whole continent was replenished with moisture.
The herbs, crops, and greenery growing, the trees flowered and fruited;
All the seeds in the earth sprouted, moistened by the water.
Every place on earth was equally watered then,
And all places low and high became level.
Ravines and rugged terrain then became instantly level;
Brambles, gravel, and the like disappeared, replaced by beautiful jewels.
All the people exulted, like the thirsty drinking water,
And celebrated this park, saying, “By whose power is this felicity?”
Then the king Starlight, with his wife, son, and ministers,
Surrounded by millions of people, went to enjoy the park.
In the middle was the pond Impeccable, filled with fragrant water;
There the king stood, up in its villa, a temple of truth.
It had been seven nights since the water had appeared;
Again the whole earth trembled, with all its mountains and abodes.
In the middle of the pond a thousand-petaled lotus appeared,
Shining like a thousand suns, suffusing the peak of the polar mountain with light.
Its stem was diamond, its calyx the essence of beauty, its clean broad leaves
Diamond, its pericarp of finest gold, its filaments radiant, with superb fragrance.
On that pericarp the Guide was born, sitting up straight, cross-legged;
You shone, your body resplendent with the marks of greatness, attended by celestial beings.
Descending from the temple, the king took you in his arms, delighted,
And handed you to the queen, saying “This is your son—be of good cheer.”
Millions of hidden treasuries appeared, the trees of plenty released
Their goods, and the air was filled with music as you were born, leader of the world.
All those living on the continent looked up to you, trusting—
Respectfully they said, “This is the leader of the leaderless.”
The light emanating from your body illumined the whole earth;
Dispelling the darkness of the world, it put an end to all ailments.
All malevolent creatures, the venomous and harmful,
Became inactive then.
Frustration, censure, ill-fame, pain, misfortunes, illness, accidents—
These all ended, fortune came, and everyone became joyful.
Everyone loved one another, and all became kind;
Free from animosity, nonviolent, they set out on the path of knowledge.
The righteous king shut off the evil ways, opened the way to heaven,
And showed the way to omniscience—you have done a great service to the world.
We benefit further from seeing you, oceanic giver; after long absence,
A leader of the helpless is born in the world—you are a rare guide.
“Having thus eulogized the king, the girl Jewel Light then paid her respects to him and stood there reverently. Looking at her, the king said,
‘Rare are those who appreciate the virtues of others. For the ignorant, the ungrateful, the undiscerning, the agitated, the disturbed, the muddled thinkers, the deranged, the backsliders, those who do not realize the excellence of others’ virtues, it is impossible to comprehend or even conceive of the virtues of the enlightened, or to realize the excellence of knowledge of all virtues. Without a doubt you have set out for enlightenment, since you have understood such virtues of enlightening beings. Our efforts for the care of beings have not been fruitless, as you, endowed with such knowledge, have appeared in our kingdom, by virtue of the higher knowledge of superior people.’
“Then with his own hand the king gave her a priceless robe, radiant with sparkling jewels, and also gave a precious robe to each of her companions. He said, ‘Take this and put it on.’ Jewel Light then knelt on the ground, picked up the robe in both hands, lifted it to her head, and put it on. Her companions likewise each put on their robes. Having put on the robes, the girl and her companions circled the king in respect, with the reflections of all the stars glittering in their robes. Seeing this, the people said, ‘You are beautiful, young lady, with your companions, adorned with stars like a night goddess; surrounded by them, you sparkle most brightly.’”
Then the night goddess Sarvavrikshapraphullanasukhasamvasa said to Sudhana, “You should realize that it was none other than the buddha Vairocana, who at that time was the king Encompassing Sound of the Proclamation of All Laws, and the queen Lotus Light, wife of the king Starlight and mother of the king Encompassing Sound of the Proclamation of All Laws, was none other than Queen Maya; Maya was the queen Lotus Light at that time, by whom the spontaneously born child was carried at the hip. And the king father, the elder king Starlight, was none other than King Shuddhodana. And you may think the girl Jewel Light of that time was someone else, but you should realize that she was none other than I—I myself was that girl Jewel Light in that time. As for the people of that time who were taken care of by the king Encompassing Sound of the Proclamation of All Laws by means of generosity, kindness, charitable works, and sympathy, you might think they were other people, but you should not see it that way—they are now the enlightening beings gathered here in the audience of the Buddha, standing on the ground of enlightening beings, irreversibly determined to reach supreme perfect enlightenment, some in the first stage, some in the second, some in the third, some in the fourth, some in the fifth, some in the sixth, some in the seventh, some in the eighth, some in the ninth, some in the tenth stage, who have attained by various different vows, various approaches to omniscience, various preparations, various accomplishments, various ways of emancipation, various purifications of manifestations of the path, various mystic powers, and various manifestations of the path, and, by various states of liberation, abide in various spiritual abodes in this assembly.”
Then the night goddess spoke these verses to Sudhana, further revealing the enlightening liberation of manifestation of satisfaction by treasure produced from great joy:
Broad is my vision, with which I observe everywhere, vast oceans
Of lands of many kings, and oceans of beings in a whirl.
In all lands buddhas sit at enlightenment trees, dispassionate,
Pervading everywhere by mystic powers and always teaching and guiding beings.
My hearing is perfectly clear, and I hear all sounds thereby;
I hear all the teachings of the buddhas and am extremely joyful.
My knowledge, nondualistic, unhindered, penetrates the spheres of others’ minds;
The vast ocean of minds of the world I comprehend in an instant.
I remember the past by the power of recollection and concentration,
Know oceans of eons, the many hundreds of oceans of lives of myself and others.
I know in an instant as many eons as atoms in an ocean of lands,
The beings transmigrating, the buddhas and their projections.
I also remember the initial vow of the buddhas, and those who attained,
Having accomplished their practice, by many means appropriate to their undertaking.
The attainments to the stage of coronation of the oceans of lofty virtue,
And their many ways of awakening, I comprehend in an instant.
I know the methods by which they taught in the world, their measureless virtues
In nirvana, and how long their teachings remained.
The pure principles of their myriad vehicles and extensive guidance of beings
Shown in the world, I know in particular, in countless various ways.
This way of liberation, witnessing the wealth of satisfaction produced from the treasury of joy,
I have cultivated over many hundreds of eons, and you too should enter this way.
I know only this enlightening liberation of manifestation of satisfaction by treasure produced from great joy. How can I know the practice or tell of the virtues of the enlightening beings in the presence of all buddhas who have plunged into the ocean of commitment to omniscience, who have fulfilled the vow to accomplish the myriad past vows of all buddhas, who have the mighty knowledge to enter all stages of enlightening upon entering one stage of enlightening, who have purified the practice of the vow to comprehend all practices of enlightening beings in one practice, who are masters of the state of comprehension of the whole ocean of all enlightening liberations in each enlightening liberation?
“In this same enlightenment site there is a night goddess named Sarvajagadrakshapranidhanaviryaprabha, in the presence of the Buddha; go ask her how an enlightening being is to develop sentient beings to supreme perfect enlightenment, purify all buddha-lands, serve all buddhas, and practice all buddhas’ teachings.”
Then Sudhana paid his respects to the night goddess Sarvavrikshapraphullanasukhasamvasa and went on.
References 参考资料:
- 《华严经》 Avatamsaka Sūtra
- 善财童子五十三参原文、白话故事、图片 – 弘善佛教网
- The Flower Ornament Scripture A Translation Of The Avatamsaka Sutra By Thomas Cleary : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
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