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。
善财得到善友喜目的法力开导，运用禅功，身现金色祥光，去寻妙德夜神。
妙德夜神早算到善财要来，为了显示自己的威德。穿戴整齐，挂满缨络诸庄严具，身放金光。眉间两道白光灌善财顶，善财感到遍身清凉，得清净三昧。入此三昧，则见妙德夜神示现种种善行。有人的善行扶老携幼，有天人的善行入寂静定；畜生善行，互相亲爱而不食瞰；恶鬼善行没有饥渴；修罗善行不生嗔恨；地狱善行不受刑具之苦。
又见菩萨为众生说法，声闻在林中静坐。三世诸佛放出金光照善财身。
善财从来没有看到这些景象，心生欢喜，即向妙德夜神顶礼，妙德夜神还复本形，受善财参拜。
善财见妙德夜神有如此神力，好不高兴，向妙德夜神道：“圣者，我已发菩提心，愿求菩萨行，造福人间。前来参拜，请慈悲教诲。”
妙德夜神道：“我一个夜神，有什么可以教你呢？”
善财道：“圣者勿谦，你刚才的神变是怎么得来的呢？”
妙德夜神道：“此事一般二乘人都不知道，只有菩萨利根方知。这是普贤菩萨的大行成就的。”
善财道：“你能说出成就因缘吗？”
妙德道：“在若干千劫前，有一个圆满清净世界，那个世界的人们都诚实、善良、奉行十善，没有勾心斗角，尔虞我诈的事，没有自私，损人利己的恶作剧也没有。因此那个世界不但风调雨顺，而且稻麦不种自生，宫殿楼阁雄伟壮丽自然而有。花草自然生香，宝树自然发音，其音清雅，其香清净。那是一个美好庄严的世界。其中有一个国家名宝华灯，国王名妙宝莲花。王妃名圆满面，端正殊胜，皮肤细嫩，美妙非常，身上自然生香。王有一女名普知焰妙德眼，色相美好胜过王妃。如是求婚者多，王女持此骄傲，瞧不起别的国家，别的王子，别国的百姓。因此之故，宝华灯国就变了，五谷也不丰登，百姓也不长寿，花也不香，水也不甜，一切的一切，都便成了罪恶的世界，苦难的世界。这时人们怨声载道，叫苦连天，悲声惊动了普贤菩萨。”
普贤菩萨来到这个国土，将贫困的原因告诉了妙宝莲花王。王自负骄傲，不听普贤菩萨劝告。十分横蛮，国库空虚，欲加赋税。普贤化作宫女，入宫劝化王妃，要王妃劝告大王。勿生骄慢。王仍不听劝，还想兵伐邻国，抢夺财宝、粮食、土地。这一念嗔心，更加重了罪恶，惨遭天干水淹之苦。
这时城北有一菩提树，枝叶繁茂，忽然放出光明。大地震动，天雨妙花，雨妙香，花香飘舞，震动王宫。王与群臣皆不知为何有此震动。
尔时普贤菩萨对王女普智妙德公主道：“大王骄横，不听劝阻，国事衰危，百姓有灾。如今大地震动。普智宝焰佛已坐于城北菩提树下，即将成正觉。善劝大王前往皈依，免除苦难，百姓方得安乐。”
普智公主即来金銮宝殿，王正与群臣商议金光闪灿，大地震动之事。公主跪下奏道：“父王，时才大地震动，天雨香花，是城北菩提树下有佛成正觉。父王前去皈依，百姓可免遭灾难。”
国王不信，责怪女儿不守宫规，有乱朝纲，命责打五十大板。群臣跪奏：“大王息怒，公主年幼无知，宽恕一次。”
正在此时，宫人奏报导：“城北菩提树下，有佛成道，百姓都拥去皈依。”
王虽信女儿之话，但要强作威严，道：“恕你一次，今后少管朝事！”
公主与王妃商议，次日早朝，请王出外游猎，拥王至菩提树下皈依。
翌日早晨，王妃请奏大王出猎。大王欢喜，早朝后，国王骑马，王妃公主乘舆，众军簇拥至城北猎场。
国王见一大鹿，便一箭射去，大鹿含箭逃跑，国王追至菩提树下，忽然不见。但见一人跏趺坐树下。王忆昨日上朝女儿之事，心中恼怒，对准那人一箭，正中身上。箭并未伤著那人，却变成一朵莲花。国王连发数箭，箭箭如此。王令众军齐射，箭箭变成莲花。
这时公主赶到，请求前去观看。国王不允，命美色彩女上前献媚，娇声娇气，妖娆起舞直扑那人身上。彩女变成丑恶夜叉。国王想：那人一定成佛，领率公主上前去。
此时佛陀又放金光，光照王身，王及嫔妃公主，都感到遍身清凉，恶意顿消。万念俱寂。佛陀为授与三皈。
从此风调雨顺，国泰民安，国人向善，恢复如初。
夜神道：“那妙宝莲花王就是现在的弥勒菩萨，普智妙德公主就是我，圆满面王妃就是寂静音海夜神，你可以去参拜他。”
善财从此以后，对拜善知识的意志更坚，不管是男人还是女人，是转轮圣王，还是庶民百姓，是贵族，是妓女，都以至诚心虔诚供养，倍受奉行，以此所有功德，回向一切众生，为众生解除烦恼。
此时，已是夜深，妙德夜神要忙其他的事，善财又去寻找寂静音海夜神。
尔时，善财童子于喜目观察众生夜神所，闻普喜幢解脱门，信解趣入，了知随顺，思惟修习，念善知识所有教诲，心无暂舍，诸根不散，一心愿得见善知识，普于十方勤求匪懈，愿常亲近生诸功德，与善知识同一善根，得善知识巧方便行，依善知识入精进海，于无量劫常不远离。作是愿已，往诣普救众生妙德夜神所。
时，彼夜神为善财童子示现菩萨调伏众生解脱神力，以诸相好庄严其身，于两眉间放大光明，名：智灯普照清净幢，无量光明以为眷属，其光普照一切世间。照世间已，入善财顶，充满其身。善财尔时即得究竟清净轮三昧。
得此三昧已，悉见二神两处中间，所有一切地尘、水尘及以火尘，金刚摩尼众宝微尘，华香、璎珞、诸庄严具，如是一切所有微尘，一一尘中各见佛刹微尘数世界成坏。及见一切地、水、火、风诸大积聚。亦见一切世界接连，皆以地轮任持而住。种种山海、种种河池、种种树林、种种宫殿，所谓：天宫殿、龙宫殿、夜叉宫殿，乃至摩睺罗伽、人、非人等宫殿屋宅，地狱、畜生、阎罗王界一切住处，诸趣轮转，生死往来，随业受报，各各差别，靡不悉见。
又见一切世界差别。所谓：或有世界杂秽，或有世界清净，或有世界趣杂秽，或有世界趣清净，或有世界杂秽清净，或有世界清净杂秽，或有世界一向清净，或有世界其形平正，或有覆住，或有侧住。如是等一切世界一切趣中，悉见此普救众生夜神，于一切时一切处，随诸众生形貌、言辞、行解差别，以方便力普现其前，随宜化度，令地狱众生免诸苦毒，令畜生众生不相食啖，令饿鬼众生无有饥渴，令诸龙等离一切怖，令欲界众生离欲界苦，令人趣众生离暗夜怖、毁呰怖、恶名怖、大众怖、不活怖、死怖、恶道怖、断善根怖、退菩提心怖、遇恶知识怖、离善知识怖、堕二乘地怖、种种生死怖、异类众生同住怖、恶时受生怖、恶种族中受生怖、造恶业怖、业烦恼障怖、执著诸想系缚怖，如是等怖悉令舍离。
又见一切众生，卵生、胎生、湿生、化生，有色、无色，有想、无想，非有想、非无想，普现其前，常勤救护，为成就菩萨大愿力故，深入菩萨三昧力故，坚固菩萨神通力故，出生普贤行愿力故，增广菩萨大悲海故，得普覆众生无碍大慈故，得普与众生无量喜乐故，得普摄一切众生智慧方便故，得菩萨广大解脱自在神通故，严净一切佛刹故，觉了一切诸法故，供养一切诸佛故，受持一切佛教故，积集一切善根修一切妙行故，入一切众生心海而无障碍故，知一切众生诸根教化成熟故，净一切众生信解除其恶障故，破一切众生无知黑暗故，令得一切智清净光明故。
时，善财童子见此夜神如是神力不可思议甚深境界，普现调伏一切众生菩萨解脱已，欢喜无量，头面作礼，一心瞻仰。时，彼夜神即舍菩萨庄严之相，还复本形，而不舍其自在神力。
尔时，善财童子恭敬合掌，却住一面，以偈赞曰：
“我善财得见，如是大神力，其心生欢喜，说偈而赞叹。我见尊妙身，众相以庄严；譬如空中星，一切悉严净。所放殊胜光，无量刹尘数；种种微妙色，普照于十方。一一毛孔放，众生心数光；一一光明端，皆出宝莲华；华中出化身，能灭众生苦；光中出妙香，普熏于众生；复雨种种华，供养一切佛。两眉放妙光，量与须弥等，普触诸含识，令灭愚痴暗。口放清净光，譬如无量日，普照于广大，毗卢舍那境。眼放清净光，譬如无量月，普照十方刹，悉灭世痴翳。现化种种身，相状等众生，充满十方界，度脱三有海。妙身遍十方，普现众生前，灭除水火贼，王等一切怖。我承喜目教，今得诣尊所，见尊眉间相，放大清净光，普照十方海，悉灭一切暗，显现神通力，而来入我身。我遇圆满光，心生大欢喜，得总持三昧，普见十方佛。我于所经处，悉见诸微尘，一一微尘中，各见尘数刹。或有无量刹，一切咸浊秽，众生受诸苦，常悲叹号泣。或有染净刹，少乐多忧苦；示现三乘像，往彼而救度。或有净染刹，众生所乐见，菩萨常充满，住持诸佛法。一一微尘中，无量净刹海；毗卢遮那佛，往劫所严净。佛于一切刹，悉坐菩提树，成道转法轮，度脱诸群生。我见普救天，于彼无量刹，一切诸佛所，普皆往供养。”
尔时，善财童子说此颂已，白普救众生妙德夜神言：“天神！今此解脱甚深希有！其名何等？得此解脱其已久如？修何等行而得清净？”
夜神言：
“善男子！是处难知，诸天及人、一切二乘所不能测。何以故？此是住普贤菩萨行者境界故，住大悲藏者境界故，救护一切众生者境界故，能净一切三恶八难者境界故，能于一切佛刹中绍隆佛种不断者境界故，能住持一切佛法者境界故，能于一切劫修菩萨行成满大愿海者境界故，能于一切法界海以清净智光灭无明暗障者境界故，能以一念智慧光明普照一切三世方便海者境界故。我承佛力，今为汝说。
“善男子！乃往古世，过佛刹微尘数劫，尔时有劫，名：圆满清净，世界名：毗卢遮那大威德，有须弥山微尘数如来于中出现。其佛世界，以一切香王摩尼宝为体，众宝庄严，住无垢光明摩尼王海上。其形正圆，净秽合成，一切严具帐云而覆其上，一切庄严摩尼轮山千匝围绕。有十万亿那由他四天下皆妙庄严，或有四天下恶业众生于中止住，或有四天下杂业众生于中止住，或有四天下善根众生于中止住，或有四天下一向清净诸大菩萨之所止住。
“此界东际轮围山侧，有四天下，名：宝灯华幢。国界清净，饮食丰足，不藉耕耘而生稻粱；宫殿楼阁悉皆奇妙；诸如意树处处行列，种种香树恒出香云，种种鬘树恒出鬘云，种种华树常雨妙华；种种宝树出诸奇宝，无量色光周匝照耀；诸音乐树出诸音乐，随风吹动演妙音声；日月光明摩尼宝王普照一切，昼夜受乐无时间断。
“此四天下有百万亿那由他诸王国土，一一国土有千大河周匝围绕，一一皆以妙华覆上，随流漂动，出天乐音，一切宝树列植其岸，种种珍奇以为严饰，舟船来往称情戏乐。一一河间有百万亿城，一一城有百万亿那由他聚落；如是一切城邑、聚落，各有无量百千亿那由他宫殿园林周匝围绕。
“此四天下阎浮提内，有一国土，名：宝华灯，安隐丰乐，人民炽盛；其中众生，具行十善。有转轮王于中出现，名：毗卢遮那妙宝莲华髻，于莲华中忽然化生，三十二相以为严好，七宝具足，王四天下，恒以正法教导群生。王有千子，端正勇健，能伏冤敌；百万亿那由他宫人、采女，皆悉与王同种善根、同修诸行、同时诞生，端正姝妙犹如天女，身真金色常放光明，诸毛孔中恒出妙香；良臣、猛将，具足十亿。王有正妃，名：圆满面，是王女宝，端正殊特，皮肤金色，目发绀青，言同梵音，身有天香，常放光明照千由旬。其有一女，名：普智焰妙德眼，形体端严，色相殊美，众生见者情无厌足。尔时，众生寿命无量，或有不定而中夭者；种种形色、种种音声、种种名字、种种族姓，愚、智、勇、怯、贫、富、苦、乐，无量品类皆悉不同。时，或有人语余人言：‘我身端正，汝形鄙陋。’作是语已，递相毁辱，集不善业；以是业故，寿命、色力、一切乐事悉皆损减。
“时，彼城北有菩提树，名：普光法云音幢，以念念出现一切如来道场庄严坚固摩尼王而为其根，一切摩尼以为其干，众杂妙宝以为其叶，次第分布，并相称可，四方上下，圆满庄严；放宝光明，出妙音声，说一切如来甚深境界。于彼树前，有一香池，名：宝华光明，演法雷音；妙宝为岸，百万亿那由他宝树围绕，一一树形如菩提树，众宝璎珞周匝垂下，无量楼阁皆宝所成，周遍道场以为严饰。彼香池内出大莲华，名：普现三世一切如来庄严境界云，须弥山微尘数佛于中出现。其第一佛，名：普智宝焰妙德幢，于此华上，最初得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提，无量千岁演说正法成熟众生。
“其彼如来未成佛时，十千年前，此大莲华放净光明，名：现诸神通成熟众生；若有众生遇斯光者，心自开悟，无所不了，知十千年后佛当出现。九千年前，放净光明，名：一切众生离垢灯；若有众生遇斯光者，得清净眼，见一切色，知九千年后佛当出现。八千年前，放大光明，名：一切众生业果音；若有众生遇斯光者，悉得自知诸业果报，知八千年后佛当出现。七千年前，放大光明，名：生一切善根音；若有众生遇斯光者，一切诸根悉得圆满，知七千年后佛当出现。六千年前，放大光明，名：佛不思议境界音；若有众生遇斯光者，其心广大，普得自在，知六千年后佛当出现。五千年前，放大光明，名：严净一切佛刹音；若有众生遇斯光者，悉见一切清净佛土，知五千年后佛当出现。四千年前，放大光明，名：一切如来境界无差别灯；若有众生遇斯光者，悉能往觐一切诸佛，知四千年后佛当出现。三千年前，放大光明，名：三世明灯；若有众生遇斯光者，悉能现见一切如来诸本事海，知三千年后佛当出现。二千年前，放大光明，名：如来离翳智慧灯；若有众生遇斯光者，则得普眼见一切如来神变、一切诸佛国土、一切世界众生，知二千年后佛当出现。一千年前，放大光明，名：令一切众生见佛集诸善根；若有众生遇斯光者，则得成就见佛三昧，知一千年后佛当出现。次七日前，放大光明，名：一切众生欢喜音；若有众生遇斯光者，得普见诸佛生大欢喜，知七日后佛当出现。满七日已，一切世界悉皆震动，纯净无染，念念普现十方一切清净佛刹，亦现彼刹种种庄严；若有众生根性淳熟，应见佛者，咸诣道场。
“尔时，彼世界中一切轮围、一切须弥、一切诸山、一切大海、一切地、一切城、一切垣墙、一切宫殿、一切音乐、一切语言，皆出音声，赞说一切诸佛如来神力境界；又出一切香云、一切烧香云、一切末香云、一切香摩尼形像云、一切宝焰云、一切焰藏云、一切摩尼衣云、一切璎珞云、一切妙华云、一切如来光明云、一切如来圆光云、一切音乐云、一切如来愿声云、一切如来言音海云、一切如来相好云，显示如来出现世间不思议相。
“善男子！此普照三世一切如来庄严境界大宝莲华王，有十佛刹微尘数莲华周匝围绕，诸莲华内悉有摩尼宝藏师子之座，一一座上皆有菩萨结跏趺坐。
“善男子！彼普智宝焰妙德幢王如来，于此成阿耨多罗三藐三菩提时，即于十方一切世界中成阿耨多罗三藐三菩提；随众生心，悉现其前为转法轮。于一一世界，令无量众生离恶道苦，令无量众生得生天中，令无量众生住于声闻、辟支佛地，令无量众生成就出离菩提之行，令无量众生成就勇猛幢菩提之行，令无量众生成就法光明菩提之行，令无量众生成就清净根菩提之行，令无量众生成就平等力菩提之行，令无量众生成就入法城菩提之行，令无量众生成就遍至一切处不可坏神通力菩提之行，令无量众生入普门方便道菩提之行，令无量众生安住三昧门菩提之行，令无量众生成就缘一切清净境界菩提之行，令无量众生发菩提心，令无量众生住菩萨道，令无量众生安住清净波罗蜜道，令无量众生住菩萨初地，令无量众生住菩萨二地乃至十地，令无量众生入于菩萨殊胜行愿，令无量众生安住普贤清净行愿。
“善男子！彼普智宝焰妙德幢如来，现如是不思议自在神力转法轮时，于彼一一诸世界中，随其所应，念念调伏无量众生。
“时，普贤菩萨知宝华灯王城中众生，自恃色貌及诸境界，而生憍慢陵蔑他人；化现妙身，端正殊特，往诣彼城，放大光明，普照一切，令彼圣王及诸妙宝、日月星宿、众生身等一切光明悉皆不现，譬如日出众景夺曜，亦如聚墨对阎浮金。时，诸众生咸作是言：‘此为是谁？为天？为梵？今放此光，令我等身所有光色皆不显现。’种种思惟，无能解了。
“尔时，普贤菩萨在彼轮王宝宫殿上虚空中住，而告之言：‘大王当知，今汝国中，有佛兴世，在普光明法云音幢菩提树下。’时，圣王女──莲华妙眼，见普贤菩萨所现色身光明自在，及闻身上诸庄严具所出妙音，心生欢喜，作如是念：‘愿我所有一切善根，得如是身、如是庄严、如是相好、如是威仪、如是自在。今此大圣，能于众生生死长夜黑暗之中放大光明，开示如来出兴于世；愿令于我亦得如是，为诸众生作智光明，破彼所有无知黑暗。愿我所在受生之处，常得不离此善知识。’
“善男子！时，转轮王与其宝女、千子、眷属、大臣、辅佐、四种兵众，及其城内无量人民，前后围绕；以王神力，俱升虚空，高一由旬，放大光明照四天下，普使一切咸得瞻仰，欲令众生俱往见佛，以偈赞曰：
‘如来出世间，普救诸群生，汝等应速起，往诣导师所。无量无数劫，乃有佛兴世，演说深妙法，饶益一切众。佛观诸世间，颠倒常痴惑，轮回生死苦，而起大悲心。无数亿千劫，修习菩提行，为欲度众生，斯由大悲力。头目手足等，一切悉能舍，为求菩提故，如是无量劫。无量亿千劫，导师难可遇；见闻若承事，一切无空过。今当共汝等，往观调御尊，坐于如来座，降魔成正觉。瞻仰如来身，放演无量光，种种微妙色，除灭一切暗。一一毛孔中，放光不思议，普照诸群生，咸令大欢喜。汝等咸应发，广大精进心，诣彼如来所，恭敬而供养。’
“尔时，转轮圣王说偈赞佛，开悟一切众生已，从轮王善根，出十千种大供养云，往诣道场，向如来所。所谓：一切宝盖云、一切华帐云、一切宝衣云、一切宝铃网云、一切香海云、一切宝座云、一切宝幢云、一切宫殿云、一切妙华云、一切诸庄严具云，于虚空中周遍严饰。到已，顶礼普智宝焰妙德幢王如来足，绕无量百千匝，即于佛前坐普照十方宝莲华座。
“时，转轮王女──普智焰妙德眼，即解身上诸庄严具，持以散佛。时，庄严具于虚空中变成宝盖，宝网垂下，龙王执持，一切宫殿于中间列；十种宝盖周匝围绕，形如楼阁，内外清净，诸璎珞云及诸宝树、香海摩尼以为庄严。于此盖中，有菩提树，枝叶荣茂，普覆法界，念念示现无量庄严。毗卢遮那如来坐此树下，有不可说佛刹微尘数菩萨前后围绕，皆从普贤行愿出生，住诸菩萨无差别住，亦见有一切诸世间主，亦见如来自在神力，又见一切诸劫次第世界成坏，又亦见彼一切世界一切诸佛出兴次第，又亦见彼一切世界一一皆有普贤菩萨供养于佛、调伏众生，又亦见彼一切菩萨莫不皆在普贤身中，亦见自身在其身内，亦见其身在一切如来前、一切普贤前、一切菩萨前、一切众生前，又亦见彼一切世界一一各有佛刹微尘数世界种种际畔、种种任持、种种形状、种种体性、种种安布、种种庄严、种种清净、种种庄严云而覆其上、种种劫名、种种佛兴、种种三世、种种方处、种种住法界、种种入法界、种种住虚空、种种如来菩提场、种种如来神通力、种种如来师子座、种种如来大众海、种种如来众差别、种种如来巧方便、种种如来转法轮、种种如来妙音声、种种如来言说海、种种如来契经云；既见是已，其心清净，生大欢喜。普智宝焰妙德幢王如来，为说修多罗，名：一切如来转法轮，十佛刹微尘数修多罗而为眷属。
“时，彼女人闻此经已，则得成就十千三昧门，其心柔软，无有粗强，如初受胎，如始诞生，如娑罗树初始生芽。彼三昧心亦复如是，所谓：现见一切佛三昧、普照一切刹三昧、入一切三世门三昧、说一切佛法轮三昧、知一切佛愿海三昧、开悟一切众生令出生死苦三昧、常愿破一切众生暗三昧、常愿灭一切众生苦三昧、常愿生一切众生乐三昧、教化一切众生不生疲厌三昧、一切菩萨无障碍幢三昧、普诣一切清净佛刹三昧……。得如是等十千三昧已，复得妙定心、不动心、欢喜心、安慰心、广大心、顺善知识心、缘甚深一切智心、住广大方便海心、舍离一切执著心、不住一切世间境界心、入如来境界心、普照一切色海心、无恼害心，无高倨心、无疲倦心、无退转心、无懈怠心、思惟诸法自性心、安住一切法门海心、观察一切法门海心、了知一切众生海心、救护一切众生海心、普照一切世界海心、普生一切佛愿海心、悉破一切障山心、积集福德助道心、现见诸佛十力心、普照菩萨境界心、增长菩萨助道心、遍缘一切方海心。一心思惟普贤大愿，发一切如来十佛刹微尘数愿海：愿严净一切佛国，愿调伏一切众生，愿遍知一切法界，愿普入一切法界海，愿于一切佛刹尽未来际劫修菩萨行，愿尽未来际劫不舍一切菩萨行，愿得亲近一切如来，愿得承事一切善友，愿得供养一切诸佛，愿于念念中修菩萨行增一切智无有间断……。发如是等十佛刹微尘数愿海，成就普贤所有大愿。
“时，彼如来复为其女开示演说发心已来所集善根、所修妙行、所得大果，令其开悟成就如来所有愿海，一心趣向一切智位。
“善男子！复于此前，过十大劫，有世界，名：日轮光摩尼，佛号：因陀罗幢妙相。此妙眼女，于彼如来遗法之中，普贤菩萨劝其修补莲华座上故坏佛像；既修补已而复彩画，既彩画已复宝庄严，发阿耨多罗三藐三菩提心。
“善男子！我念过去，由普贤菩萨善知识故，种此善根。从是已来，不堕恶趣，常于一切天王、人王种族中生，端正可喜，众相圆满，令人乐见，常见于佛，常得亲近普贤菩萨；乃至于今，示导开悟，成熟于我，令生欢喜。
“善男子！于意云何？尔时毗卢遮那藏妙宝莲华髻转轮圣王者，岂异人乎？今弥勒菩萨是。时王妃圆满面者，寂静音海夜神是，今所住处去此不远。时妙德眼童女者，即我身是。我于彼时，身为童女，普贤菩萨劝我修补莲华座像，以为无上菩提因缘，令我发于阿耨多罗三藐三菩提心。我于彼时，初始发心；次复引导，令我得见妙德幢佛，解身璎珞，散佛供养，见佛神力，闻佛说法，即得菩萨普现一切世间调伏众生解脱门。于念念中，见须弥山微尘数佛，亦见彼佛道场、众会、清净国土；我皆尊重，恭敬供养，听闻说法，依教修行。
“善男子！过彼毗卢遮那大威德世界圆满清净劫已，次有世界，名：宝轮妙庄严，劫名：大光，有五百佛于中出现，我皆承事恭敬供养。其最初佛，名：大悲幢；初出家时，我为夜神，恭敬供养。次有佛出，名：金刚那罗延幢；我为转轮王，恭敬供养；其佛为我说修多罗，名：一切佛出现，十佛刹微尘数修多罗以为眷属。次有佛出，名：金刚无碍德；我于彼时为转轮王，恭敬供养；其佛为我说修多罗，名：普照一切众生根，须弥山微尘数修多罗而为眷属；我皆受持。次有佛出，名：火焰山妙庄严；我于彼时为长者女；其佛为我说修多罗，名：普照三世藏，阎浮提微尘数修多罗而为眷属；我皆听闻，如法受持。次有佛出，名：一切法海高胜王；我为阿修罗王，恭敬供养；其佛为我说修多罗，名：分别一切法界，五百修多罗而为眷属；我皆听闻，如法受持。次有佛出，名：海岳法光明；我为龙王女，雨如意摩尼宝云而为供养；其佛为我说修多罗，名：增长欢喜海，百万亿修多罗而为眷属；我皆听闻，如法受持。次有佛出，名：宝焰山灯；我为海神，雨宝莲华云恭敬供养；其佛为我说修多罗，名：法界方便海光明，佛刹微尘数修多罗而为眷属；我皆听闻，如法受持。次有佛出，名：功德海光明轮；我于彼时为五通仙，现大神通，六万诸仙前后围绕，雨香华云而为供养；其佛为我说修多罗，名：无著法灯，六万修多罗而为眷属；我皆听闻，如法受持。次有佛出，名：毗卢遮那功德藏；我于彼时，为主地神，名：出生平等义，与无量地神俱，雨一切宝树、一切摩尼藏、一切宝璎珞云而为供养；其佛为我说修多罗，名：出生一切如来智藏，无量修多罗而为眷属；我皆听闻，受持不忘。善男子！如是次第，其最后佛，名：充满虚空法界妙德灯；我为妓女，名曰：美颜，见佛入城，歌舞供养；承佛神力，踊在空中，以千偈颂赞叹于佛；佛为于我，放眉间光，名：庄严法界大光明，遍触我身；我蒙光已，即得解脱门，名：法界方便不退藏。
“善男子！此世界中，有如是等佛刹微尘数劫，一切如来于中出现；我皆承事，恭敬供养；彼诸如来所说正法，我皆忆念，乃至不忘一文一句。于彼一一诸如来所，称扬赞叹一切佛法，为无量众生广作利益；于彼一一诸如来所，得一切智光明，现三世法界海，入一切普贤行。
“善男子！我依一切智光明故，于念念中见无量佛；既见佛已，先所未得、先所未见普贤诸行，悉得成满。何以故？以得一切智光明故。”
尔时，普救众生夜神，欲重明此解脱义，承佛神力，为善财童子而说颂言：
“善财听我说，甚深难见法，普照于三世，一切差别门。如我初发心，专求佛功德，所入诸解脱，汝今应谛听。我念过去世，过刹微尘劫，次前有一劫，名圆满清净。是时有世界，名为遍照灯，须弥尘数佛，于中出兴世：初佛名智焰，次佛名法幢，第三法须弥，第四德师子，第五寂静王，第六灭诸见，第七高名称，第八大功德，第九名胜日，第十名月面。于此十佛所，最初悟法门。从此后次第，复有十佛出：初名虚空处，第二名普光，三名住诸方，四名正念海，五名高胜光，六名须弥云，七名法焰佛，八名山胜佛，九名大悲华，十名法界华。此十出现时，第二悟法门。从此后次第，复有十佛出：第一光幢佛，第二智慧佛，第三心义佛，第四德主佛，第五天慧佛，第六慧王佛，第七胜智佛，第八光王佛，第九勇猛佛，第十莲华佛。于此十佛所，第三悟法门。从此后次第，复有十佛出：第一宝焰山，第二功德海，第三法光明，第四莲华藏，第五众生眼，第六香光宝，七须弥功德，八乾闼婆王，第九摩尼藏，第十寂静色。从此后次第，复有十佛出：初佛广大智，次佛宝光明，第三虚空云，第四殊胜相，第五圆满戒，第六那罗延，第七须弥德，第八功德轮，第九无胜幢，第十大树山。从此后次第，复有十佛出：第一娑罗藏，第二世主身，第三高显光，第四金刚照，第五地威力，第六甚深法，第七法慧音，第八须弥幢，第九胜光明，第十妙宝光。从此后次第，复有十佛出：第一梵光明，第二虚空音，第三法界身，第四光明轮，第五智慧幢，第六虚空灯，第七微妙德，第八遍照光，第九胜福光，第十大悲云。从此后次第，复有十佛出：第一力光慧，第二普现前，第三高显光，第四光明身，第五法起佛，第六宝相佛，第七速疾风，第八勇猛幢，第九妙宝盖，第十照三世。从此后次第，复有十佛出：第一愿海光，第二金刚身，第三须弥德，第四念幢王，第五功德慧，第六智慧灯，第七光明幢，第八广大智，第九法界智，第十法海智。从此后次第，复有十佛出：初名布施法，次名功德轮，三名胜妙云，四名忍智灯，五名寂静音，六名寂静幢，七名世间灯，八名深大愿，九名无胜幢，十名智焰海。从此后次第，复有十佛出：初佛法自在，二佛无碍慧，三名意海慧，四名众妙音，五名自在施，六名普现前，七名随乐身，八名住胜德，第九本性佛，第十贤德佛。须弥尘数劫，此中所有佛，普作世间灯，我悉曾供养。佛刹微尘劫，所有佛出现，我皆曾供养，入此解脱门。我于无量劫，修行得此道；汝若能修行，不久亦当得。
“善男子！我唯知此菩萨普现一切世间调伏众生解脱。如诸菩萨摩诃萨，集无边行，生种种解，现种种身，具种种根，满种种愿，入种种三昧，起种种神变，能种种观察法，入种种智慧门，得种种法光明；而我云何能知能说彼功德行？
“善男子！去此不远，有主夜神，名：寂静音海，坐摩尼光幢庄严莲华座，百万阿僧祇主夜神前后围绕。汝诣彼问：菩萨云何学菩萨行、修菩萨道？”
时，善财童子顶礼其足，绕无数匝，殷勤瞻仰，辞退而去。
Samantasattvatranojahshri
Entering with intense absorption into the night goddess Pramuditanayanajagadvirocana’s liberation of immense pure energy of the joy of universal good, understanding it, plunging into it, penetrating it, following it throughout its full range, going along with it, cultivating it, accomplishing it, encompassing it, carrying out the instructions of the spiritual benefactors, recollecting the teachings projected by the night goddess Pramuditanayanajagadvirocana for the continuity of teaching and instruction, with all faculties turned in all directions following the sight of spiritual benefactors, with the intention to get to see spiritual benefactors, free from all conceits, with attention focused on seeking spiritual benefactors, with determination to develop the great provisions of virtue and knowledge, with vigorous initiative to harmonize with spiritual benefactors, with all roots of goodness one with those of spiritual benefactors, firmly intent on the practice of all skill in means of spiritual benefactors, having generated an ocean of energy fostered by spiritual benefactors, Sudhana went to the night goddess Samantasattvatranojahshri.
When Sudhana came to her, the night goddess, in order to show him the majesty of the endless enlightening liberation manifesting guidance for sentient beings in all works, showed him a body replete with beautiful features and embellishments, and emanated a light from the circle of hair between her brows called “emblem of pure stars of the lamp of flames of universal knowledge,” with infinite light beams; the light illumined the whole world, then descended into Sudhana and pervaded his entire body. As soon as Sudhana was touched by the light, he attained a concentration called “sphere of ultimate dispassion,” whereby he saw as many worlds as atoms in a buddha-land forming and dissolving in each particle of fire, water, earth, diamond, various jewels, flowers, perfumes, incenses, arrays of gems, and all objects in between the night goddess Pramuditanayanajagadvirocana and the night goddess Samantasattvatranojahshri. He also saw clusters of water, fire, air, and earth, and the sentient beings in all the worlds, with the various abodes they dwell in and the various arrays of the lands—various mountain ranges, rivers, lakes, oceans, heavens, trees, adornments of the skies, adornments of the habitations of all kinds of beings, the realms of hells, animals, ghosts, the realms of death and birth among humans, all the various conditions of existence being interconnected, infinite different courses of being interrelated. He also saw the difference in those worlds—he saw some worlds to be defiled, some pure, some wholly defiled, some with purified states of being, some with purity in the midst of defilement, some with defilement in the midst of purity, some wholly pure, some level, some inverted, some askew.
He saw the night goddess Samantasattvatranojahshri in all realms of being in those worlds, facing every sentient being capable of being guided; by seeing all worlds together at once, he saw her standing, without division, before all sentient beings, adapting to their life spans, their various spheres of belief, their physical forms, their conventions of verbal communication, and their mastery, in order to guide them to full development. That is to say, he saw her standing before all sentient beings without division to free beings in hells from the pains and fears of hell, to free beings in brutish states from the perils of mutual predation, to free beings in the realm of ghosts from the pains and perils of hunger and thirst, to free beings in the realm of dragons from all the pains and perils of the dragon realm, to free all beings in the realm of desire from all the pains and perils of the realm of desire, to free all beings in the human realm from all the fears and perils of darkness, to free beings from all fear of ill repute, to free beings from intimidation by groups, to free beings from fear of death, to free beings from fear of falling into states of misery, to free beings from fear of not being able to make a living, to free beings from fear of loss of virtue, to free beings from fear of loss of the determination for enlightenment, to free beings from the danger of association with bad companions, to free beings from fear of separation from spiritual benefactors, to free beings from fear of falling into the stages of individual salvation, to free beings from fear of suffering the pains of the various mundane states, to free beings from fear of all association with the uncongenial, to free beings from fear of coming on bad times, to free beings from fear of being born among bad people, to free beings from fear of doing evil, to free beings from fear of obstruction by deeds, to free beings from fear of bondage by attachment to various notions.
That is to say, he saw her confronting the purification of all lands by undertaking the vow to save all beings, whether corporeal or incorporeal, thinking, nonthinking, and neither thinking nor nonthinking, by the immense power of the vigorous exercise of the energy of concentration of enlightening beings, by exertion of the power of the great mystic knowledges of enlightening beings, by the power of execution of the vow to practice the conduct of universally good enlightening beings, by having generated the energy of the ocean of means of great compassion, to suffuse all beings with desireless universal love, to increase the energy of joy, which is the origin of happiness for all beings, to apply the knowledge of how to take care of all beings, by embodiment of the vast spiritual power of enlightening liberation. He saw her confronting realization of knowledge of all things, attendance of all buddhas, preservation of the teachings of all buddhas, accumulation of all roots of goodness, development of all enlightening practices, unhindered penetration of the minds of all beings, maturation of the faculties of all beings, purification of the ocean of interests of all beings, removal of obstructing elements for all beings, dispersal of the darkness of nescience of all beings, and the implementation of all good, to generate the light of omniscience.
Then Sudhana, having seen this inconceivable manifestation of the night goddess’s enlightening liberation showing guidance for beings in all worlds, prostrated himself before her, enraptured. At that point the night goddess stopped assuming the adornments of the forms of enlightening beings and continued to produce all the mystical manifestations by means of the form of a night goddess. Then Sudhana stood respectfully before her and spoke these verses to her:
I have seen your immense body,
Of excellent appearance, adorned with jewels,
Variously beautified by embellishments
As the sky is by the stars.
Your aura of light, the sublime radiance of your body,
Is equal to the atoms in endless lands;
Like various kinds of matchless colors,
It pervades everywhere endlessly.
From every pore you radiate nets of light,
As many as minds of beings;
On a beautiful lotus in each ray of light
Stands an emanation of you, extinguishing pain in the world.
You emit fragrant clouds of light
In the forms of all beings, all pure,
Showering flowers everywhere,
On all the buddhas in the cosmos.
Your multitude of lights, vast and pure,
Is like a mountain radiant with jewels;
With it you illumine all worlds
And remove the darkness of delusion.
Myriad pure suns emerge
From your mouth;
Your sunlight shines throughout
The vast realm of Vairocana.
Pure moon and star lights
Radiate from your eyes in great numbers
And pervade the ten directions,
Illumining the world and destroying darkness.
From your features come myriad emanations
In the forms of all beings;
They go throughout the cosmos
Developing the countless masses.
Your body appears before all beings
Everywhere, creating joy;
You put an end to measureless dangers—
From kings, brigands, fire, and floods—guiding beings.
As directed, I have come to you,
Observing your qualities;
A pure aura of light beams
Emanated from between your brows,
Illuminating all places,
Producing great light in the world;
Having shown many various wonders,
It descended into my body.
When the light descended on me,
I experienced a marvelous, supreme happiness;
I was imbued with mental command, a hundred concentrations,
And I saw the infinite buddhas everywhere.
I knew the number of atoms
In the ground where I walked,
And saw in each atom
As many lands as atoms in lands.
In an atom are hundreds
Of various mixed-up, defiled lands,
Where the beings suffer pains
And weep and wail.
There are also many lands with purity amid defilement,
Where the happiness is little and the suffering much,
Where the compassionate buddhas,
Their disciples, and the self-enlightened gather.
There are also lands with defilement amid purity,
Where many enlightening beings are assembled,
Beautiful lands graced with men and women,
Where the family of buddhas abides.
Oceans of lands, vast and pure,
Are in an atom, or an even plane,
Purified over long eons past
By the action of Vairocana.
In every land buddhas appear
At the enlightenment tree;
Having attained enlightenment,
They teach and guide the world.
I see you in the vast realm of Vairocana,Honoring all the infinite buddhas.
Then Sudhana said to the night goddess, “It is wonderful how deep your enlightening liberation is. What is this liberation called? How long ago did you attain it? How does an enlightening being practice so as to purify this liberation?”
She replied, “This state is hard for celestials, Buddhist disciples, and individual illuminates to arrive at. Why? Because this is the realm of enlightening beings who follow the commitment to the practice of universally good enlightening beings; it is the sphere of enlightening beings imbued with great compassion who have undertaken the salvation of all sentient beings, who have undertaken the purgation of all unfavorable and unhappy states, who have undertaken the perpetuation of the lineage of buddhas in all buddha-lands, who have undertaken to preserve the teachings of all buddhas, who have plunged into the ocean of great vows to continue enlightening practice through all ages, who have undertaken to clarify the light of unobscured knowledge of the ocean of all phenomena, who have attained the state of the light of instantaneous knowledge of the ocean of wisdom of past, present, and future.
“Now, then, by the empowerment of Buddha I will tell you: in the past, as many eons ago as atoms in a buddha-land, there was an age called Sphere of Dispassion in a world called Sunny Brilliance; as many buddhas as atoms in the polar mountain arose in that age. That world, furthermore, was arrayed with multitudes of all kinds of jewels and adorned with palaces and mansions made of diamond. Now, that world rested on an ocean of all kinds of jewels of pure light and was itself made of all kinds of fragrant jewels. It was perfectly round and pure, with some defilement. It was covered with canopies of all kinds of ornaments, and surrounded by a thousand peripheral mountain ranges, circles of jewels in all arrays. It had millions of sets of four continents, some of which were inhabited by beings whose actions were defiled and beings whose actions were undefiled, some of which were inhabited by beings whose actions were a mixture of defilement and purity, some of which were inhabited by beings who were mostly pure with some defilement, beings of refined virtues, beings with little in them that is blameworthy; and some were inhabited by wholly pure enlightening beings.
“In the eastern part of that world, at the border of the peripheral mountains, was a set of four continents called Jewel Flower Lamp Banner. The land was pure, with some defilement. There was an abundance of food without plowing or sowing, and there were dwelling places resulting
from the maturation of past deeds. There were wish-fulfilling trees everywhere, trees of various fragrances always emitting clouds of perfume, various garland trees constantly showering garlands, various flower trees raining multitudes of flowers of inconceivable colors and scents, trees of aromatic powders of various qualities continually giving forth a rain of powder of fragrant jewels, various jewel trees shining with light from their jewel buds, and trees of various celestial instruments that filled the air with beautiful sounds produced when stirred by the breeze. The sun and moon shined pleasantly day and night, and jewels shone everywhere.
“At that time there were millions of capital cities on those four continents, each of which was surrounded by a thousand rivers. Each of those rivers carried various celestial flowers and produced celestial music; the banks were lined with trees of various jewels, and those who traveled by boat on the rivers enjoyed various delights to their hearts’ content. Between the river were built millions of cities, each surrounded by millions of towns. In all the cities and towns were many heavenly parks, palaces, and mansions.
“In the middle of the southernmost of those four continents was a central capital city called Jewel Flower Lamp Banner, which was prosperous and peaceful, with a large population of virtuous people. The king in that city ruled the four continents; spontaneously born in the calyx of a lotus, he had the thirty-two marks of a great man and was a just ruler. He had a thousand sons, valiant, strong, destroyers of enemy armies. He also had millions of concubines who were products of the same virtues as was the king, carried out the same practices, and were noble-minded. They were as beautiful as goddesses, with golden complexions, celestial fragrances and auras of pure light emanating from their bodies. He also had millions of ministers, superlative advisers.
“The king also had a beautiful wife, whose aura constantly suffused a thousand leagues all around her with multicolored light of celestial fragrance. That queen had a daughter by the king who was so beautiful that no one ever tired of looking at her. Just as no one was ever tired of the sight of the sovereign, in the same way no one was ever sated with the sight of the princess, except those sated with wisdom.
“At that time the life span of the beings in that world was measureless—there were none with fixed life spans and no untimely deaths. Also at that time the variety of forms of sentient beings was known, as was the variety of their colors, voices, names, families, life spans, physical sizes, abilities and strengths, agreeable and unpleasant affairs, and higher and lower inclinations. There, those with better appearances and more confidence, who were physically perfect and good-looking, proclaimed their superiority to others; and those with well-formed bodies looked down on all those with ill-formed bodies. Then, because of the evil of mutual contempt, they lost their span of life, physical appearance, strength, and happiness—all was lost.
“There was an enlightenment tree north of the city called Sound of Clouds of Teachings Illumining All. Its strong roots were made of indestructible diamonds that showed the arrays of the enlightenment sites of all buddhas in every moment; its trunk was a mass of all kinds of jewels, high and wide; its foliage, flowers, and fruits were made of all kinds of jewels. It was perfectly formed, well proportioned everywhere, its foliage equally distributed, with endless adornments throughout, flashing with all kinds of jewel lights radiating in all directions, producing sounds of magical displays of the spheres of all buddhas.
“In front of that enlightenment site there was a pond of fragrant water called Sound of Clouds Thundering Teachings with Jewel Flower Lightning, surrounded by millions of jewel trees. Each of those trees was formed like the enlightenment tree. The banks of the pond were made of well-distributed collections of all kinds of gems, hung with strings of all kinds of jewels, graced with arrays of mansions made of pure jewels, adorned with pure arrays of all kinds of ornaments. The whole enlightenment site was also surrounded by countless jewel towers in lotus calyxes with inconceivable adornments. In the middle of the pond appeared a great ruby lotus called Array of Clouds of Light Rays Flashing Lightning from Between the Leaves Illumining the Sphere of the Buddhas of Past, Present, and Future.
“In that lotus appeared a buddha named Paragon of Virtue Radiant with the Light of Universal Knowledge, who was the first of as many buddhas as atoms in the polar mountain to attain supreme perfect enlightenment in that eon. Having developed sentient beings for thousands of years by hearing the Teaching, he prepared them by manifestation of lights for ten thousand years for the appearance of the buddha in ten thousand years: there emanated from that great lotus a light called ‘spotless lamp of all beings,’ and the beings touched by that light became aware that the buddha would emerge in ten thousand years. They realized that the buddha would emerge in nine thousand years as a light called ‘full of undefiled radiance’ emanated from the enlightenment tree, and the beings touched by the light perceived all subtle forms. Realizing that the buddha would emerge in eight thousand years as a light called ‘voice of the results of the deeds of all beings’ emanated from the enlightenment tree, the beings touched by the light comprehended the oceans of their own doings and gained recollection and knowledge of their deeds. Realizing that the buddha would emerge in seven thousand years as a light called ‘voice produced by all roots of goodness’ emanated from the enlightenment tree, the beings touched by the light gained completeness of all their faculties. Realizing that the buddha would emerge in six thousand years as a light called ‘sound of revelation of the inconceivable sphere of buddhas’ emanated from the enlightenment tree, the beings touched by the light were transformed into higher states. Realizing that the buddha would emerge in five thousand years as a light called ‘conveying the dramatic mental impression of the purity of all buddha-lands’ emanated from the enlightenment tree, the beings touched by the light saw all aspects of the purity of buddha-lands. Realizing the buddha would emerge in four thousand years as a light called ‘lamp of the unity of the realm of buddhas’ emanated from the enlightenment tree, the beings touched by the light comprehended the omnipresent miracle of the buddha. Realizing the buddha would emerge in three thousand years as a light called ‘lamp in the presence of all beings’ emanated from the enlightenment tree, the beings touched by the light were engrossed in the sight of the buddha right before them. Realizing the buddha would emerge in two thousand years as a light called ‘lamp of lightning of knowledge of past, present, and future’ emanated from the tree of enlightenment along with the voice of the past efforts of the buddha, the beings touched by the light put faith in and entered into the oceans of past efforts of the buddha. Realizing the buddha would emerge in a thousand years as a light called ‘lamp of realization of suchness of unobscured knowledge’ emanated from the enlightenment tree, the beings touched by the light gained the power of the universal eye to see the miracles of all buddhas, the buddha-lands, and all sentient beings. Realizing the buddha would emerge in a hundred years as a light called ‘product of virtues of all beings resulting from seeing buddhas’ emanated from the enlightenment tree, the beings touched by the light got an impression of the emergence of Buddha. Realizing the buddha would appear in seven days as a light called ‘sound producing happiness and joy in all sentient beings’ emanated from the enlightenment tree, the beings touched by the light developed the energy of the great joy of seeing Buddha.
“Having thus developed beings for ten thousand years by means of such measureless lights, when the seven days were up he shook that whole world with infinite means of shaking it and made it completely pure, as the buddha-lands of all buddhas in the ten directions are pure—and in each moment of thought he showed the various inconceivable arrays of all those buddha-lands. And in those final seven days all the beings in that world who were ripe for the sight of Buddha stood facing the site of enlightenment.
“Then the supremacy of the realm of all buddhas was proclaimed from every single object in that world—from all the peripheral mountains, all the polar mountains, all the other mountains, all the rivers, all the seas, all the trees, all the land masses, all the cities, all the walls, all the buildings, all the clothing, ornaments, and paraphernalia, all the music and song, and all the created adornments—emanating clouds of all kinds of fragrant smoke, clouds of lusters of all jewels, clouds of all kinds of precious clothing and jewelry, clouds of mountains of all kinds of jewel flowers, clouds of all kinds of aromatic powders, clouds of light rays of all buddhas flashing, clouds of auras of all buddhas, clouds of oceans of sayings of all buddhas, clouds of glorious manifestations of the marks and embellishments of all buddhas, manifesting the signs that a buddha is about to appear in the world. Around the great ruby lotus Array of Clouds of Light Rays Flashing Lightning from Between the Leaves Illumining the Sphere of the Buddhas of Past, Present, and Future, there stood as many ruby lotuses as atoms in ten buddha-lands, on which appeared as many jewel lion seats, on which appeared as many enlightening beings sitting cross-legged.
“As soon as that buddha, Paragon of Virtue Radiant with the Light of Universal Knowledge, had realized supreme perfect enlightenment, the buddhas in all worlds in the ten directions attained supreme perfect enlightenment and set in motion the wheel of teaching for sentient beings in accordance with their mentalities: thereby innumerable sentient beings in that world were thenceforth freed from the calamities of all states of misery, innumerable sentient beings were led to heaven, innumerable beings were led to the stage of saints, innumerable beings were led to the stage of individual enlightenment, innumerable beings were developed to the point of enlightenment in which emancipation is realized by way of intense illumination, innumerable sentient beings were developed to the point of enlightenment characterized by pure exertion, innumerable sentient beings were developed to the point of enlightenment in which emancipation is realized through the efficacy of purification of the senses, innumerable sentient beings were developed to the point of enlightenment in which emancipation is realized through pursuing conduct consonant with the powers of knowledge, innumerable sentient beings were led to enlightenment in which emancipation is made possible by conveyance to the precincts of the citadel of truth, innumerable sentient beings were led to enlightenment in which emancipation is realized by means of integration of efforts in practice, innumerable sentient beings were led to enlightenment in which emancipation is realized through methods of concentration, innumerable sentient beings were led to enlightenment in which emancipation is realized through means of purifying all objects, innumerable sentient beings were inspired to the enlightenment of enlightening beings, innumerable sentient beings were set in the path of enlightening beings, innumerable sentient beings were led to the purification of the path of transcendent ways, innumerable sentient beings were led to the first stage of enlightening beings; in the same way, as the buddha turned the wheel of teaching by his inconceivable spiritual power, in each moment of consciousness innumerable sentient beings were led to the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth stages; innumerable sentient beings were introduced to the practice of enlightening beings based on the most excellent vows; innumerable sentient beings were led to the purification of commitment to the conduct of universally good enlightening beings. Thus, as the buddha turned the wheel of teaching by his inconceivable spiritual power, he succeeded in guiding innumerable sentient beings in each moment of consciousness, and all the sentient beings in that world, according to their mentalities, perceived the Teaching through various bodies expediently projected by the buddha.
“At that time, furthermore, in order to discipline the beings in the city who were intoxicated with enjoyment of forms and colors and who were contemptuous of each other, the enlightening being Universally Good magically assumed a body of superlative appearance and went to the city. His glorious light illumined the city so that the lights of the king and queen, the lights of the jewel trees and the precious stones, even the lights of the sun, moon, planets, and stars, and all the lights of the whole continent, could not be perceived. Just as when the sun rises the darkness disappears and the moon, planets, and stars cannot be seen, in the same way all the lights of the continent, overwhelmed by the light of Universal Good, could not be seen. Just as a mass of carbon black does not look beautiful or shine or seem bright or lustrous in the presence of pure gold, in the same way the bodies of those beings did not look beautiful or shine or seem bright or lustrous in the presence of the universally good enlightening being Samantabhadra. They thought, ‘Who might this be, a god, or Brahma, before whom we do not appear beautiful, do not shine, do not glow, have no radiance or luster? We cannot grasp his appearance.’
“Then Universally Good stood in the sky above the palace of the king in the middle of the city and said to the king, ‘Know, O king, that a buddha, a perfectly enlightened one, has arisen in the world. He is in this very realm of yours, at the enlightenment site Emblem of the Sound of Clouds of Teaching Revealing Universal Truth.’
“Now, the daughter of the king, seeing the form-body and the supernal manifestation of light of the enlightening being Universally Good, and hearing the sound of his ornaments, was enraptured and was inspired with this thought: ‘Whatever basic goodness I have accumulated, may I thereby attain such a body, such adornment, such features, such deportment, such mystic power. Just as he generates light in the dark night of sentient beings and announces the emergence of a buddha, in the same way may I also dispel the darkness of nescience in sentient beings and produce the light of great knowledge. Wherever I may be born, may I never be apart from this spiritual benefactor.’
“Then the king, along with his armies, his concubines, his sons, his ministers, and the inhabitants of the city, left the city and rose a league in the air by the magic power of the king, who filled the four continents with a great light, and who, in order to get all sentient beings to see the buddha, manifested his reflection in all the jewel mountains, stood before all the sentient beings in the four continents, and praised the sight of buddha in verse:
Buddha has appeared in the world,
Savior of all living beings;
All should get up and go
To see the guide of the world.
Buddhas appear once
In millions of eons
And teach the truth
For the benefit of all beings.
Seeing the world in error,
Shrouded by the darkness of nescience,
And oppressed by the pains of life and death,
Buddhas conceive great compassion.
For countless millions of eons
They have practiced enlightenment
To perfect sentient beings
And extinguish all suffering.
They have given up
Their hands and feet, ears, noses, and heads
For endless eons, to attain
The immortality of enlightenment.
It is hard to find a guide of the world,
Even in millions of eons;
To listen to them, meet them, and associate with them
Cannot but be fruitful.
This supreme teacher is to be seen
Sitting on the seat of enlightenment,
Having conquered the demon armies
And realized the highest awakening.
Behold the body of Buddha,
With an endless array of lights,
Emanating various glows
Which soothe the world.
Countless multitudes of light beams
Emanate from the Buddha’s pores;
Those on whom they shine
Feel incomparable joy.
Honor the guide of your own will—
Muster great energy and go to him.
“Then the king, having exhorted the inhabitants of his domain with these verses, showering the whole enlightenment site with offerings from ten thousand clouds of offerings developed from the roots of goodness of the ruler, went to the buddha, covering the sky with clouds of parasols of all jewels and canopies of clouds of all kinds of flowers, adorning the sky with cloud covers of all kinds of robes, clouds of nets of jewel bells, clouds of fragrant flames given off by an ocean of all kinds of scents, clouds of chairs made of all kinds of jewels, magically adorning the sky with clouds raining all kinds of presents. Having gone to the buddha and paid his respects, the king sat before the buddha in a throne of great jewels flashing light in all directions.
“At that point the daughter of the king took off all her jewelry and scattered it over the buddha; the jewelry formed a parasol over the buddha’s head and stayed there, covered all around with nets of various jewels, held by the chief water spirits, the whole body of jewelry forming a perfect circle surrounded by ten jewel parasols, all completely pure, in the shape of a tower, variously arrayed, covered by clouds of all kinds of jewel ornaments, covered by arrays of diamond trees, adorned with the finest pearls from all the fragrant seas. In the middle of that she saw a great enlightenment tree called ‘draped with foliage of all jewels produced by the cosmos of realities,’ with infinitely various adornments, displaying various auspicious supernal manifestations. There she saw a buddha named Vairocana surrounded by as many enlightening beings as atoms in untold buddha-lands, all of whom had undertaken the vows of practice of universally good enlightening beings and dwelt in the inconceivably various total unity of all enlightening beings. She also saw the leaders of all worlds in the presence of the buddha.
She saw the infinitely various projections of Vairocana Buddha and perceived the successive ages of his past enlightening practice. She also perceived that world’s ages of formation and disintegration, and the succession of past buddhas in that world. She also saw the universally good enlightening being Samantabhadra in that world, and saw him in the presence of all buddhas, honoring the buddhas and guiding all sentient beings to full development. She also saw all the enlightening beings reflected in the body of Universal Good, and saw herself there too in the presence of all the buddhas, in the presence of all the enlightening beings reflected in the body of Universal Good, in the abodes of all sentient beings. In each of those worlds she also saw as many worlds as atoms in a buddha-land, with their boundaries, bases, forms, masses, and various purities of adornment, covered by clouds of various supernal manifestations, with various names and numbers of ages, various lineages of buddhas appearing, various temporal locations, various spatial locations, belonging to various phenomenal realms within various planes of the cosmos, situated in various planes of space, with various arrays of enlightenment sites, various lights projected by buddhas, various buddhas’ lion thrones, various oceanic audiences of buddhas, various circulations of the audiences of buddhas, various clarifications by the skill in means of buddhas, various buddhas’ ways of turning the wheel of teaching, various sayings of buddhas, various indications of oceans of ways of expressing thought, and enunciations of multitudes of various scriptures.
“Seeing all these, she was all the more enraptured. The buddha expounded to her in her rapture a scripture called Voice of the Cycles of Teaching of All Buddhas, along with as many accompanying scriptures as atoms in ten buddha-lands. When she had heard these scriptures, ten hundred thousand kinds of concentration entered into her, subtle and pleasant, like the consciousness of an embryo on the first day in the mother’s womb, like the commencement of activity in beings, like the impulse of the sprout in the seed of a tree on the day it is planted—this is how subtle and full of potential those concentrations were. Ten hundred thousand concentrations descended into her, beginning with such concentrations as one called ‘face-to-face communication with all buddhas,’ one called ‘illumination of all lands,’ one called ‘penetrating the principles of all pasts, presents, and futures,’ one called ‘voice of the teaching activity of all buddhas,’ one called ‘communicating the ocean of vows of all buddhas,’ one called ‘communicating the voice of all means of emancipation from all suffering and torture of the mundane whirl,’ one called ‘manifestation of the vow to dispel the darkness of all sentient beings,’ one called ‘determination to release all sentient beings from suffering’ one called ‘source of achievement of happiness for all sentient beings,’ one called ‘source of tireless developmental guidance for all sentient beings,’ one called ‘characterized by entry into the path of all enlightening beings,’ and one called ‘supernal manifestation produced by entry into the stages of all enlightening beings.’
“With her mind subtly concentrated, unwavering, joyful, refreshed, unpreoccupied, in harmony with the wise, focused on profound omniscience, swelling with oceanic love, free from all attachments, not dwelling on any worldly objects, entering the sphere of those who arrive at Thusness, aware of the appearances of all buddhas, unperturbed, unagitated, unobstructed, unfragmented, neither excited nor depressed, tireless, unretreating, undiscouraged, meditating on the inherent nature of all things, realizing the ocean of principles based on the inherent nature of all things, following the principles of investigation of all things, plunging into the ocean of all sentient beings, determined to save all worldlings, illumined by the vast ocean of buddhas, plunging into the ocean of vows of all buddhas, breaking through all obstructions to enlightenment, gathering great stores of virtue, on the verge of attainment of the ten powers of buddhas, aware of the realms of all enlightening beings, amassing the provisions of all enlightening beings for
the path of enlightenment, her mind reaching everywhere to take up the great vow of universal good, by as many oceans of vows as atoms in ten buddha-lands she undertook the past vow of all buddhas for the purification of their own buddha-lands. That is, by guiding all sentient beings to perfection, to know all ways to the realm of reality, to enter the ocean of all ways to the realm of reality, to enter enlightening practice in all buddha-lands forever, to live in the sphere of the practices of all enlightening beings forever, to visit all buddhas, to associate with all spiritual benefactors, to fully honor and serve all buddhas, to continue with each moment of consciousness the practice of enlightening beings which increasingly becomes aware of omniscient knowledge. She undertook the vow of universally good enlightening practice by means of as many oceans of ways of undertaking vows as atoms in ten buddha-lands, beginning with such vows as these.
“Then the buddha Paragon of Virtue Radiant with the Light of Universal Knowledge made her aware of his past roots of goodness and inspired her to achieve them—he made them clear to her, revealed them, described them, analyzed them, and explained them; he strengthened them to endure without perishing, extended them to great range, and firmly established them so as to make them equal to the measure of omniscience, so she would apprehend, from the first determination for enlightenment, the incalculable past vows of the enlightened.
“Ten eons before that, in the world Light Shining from a Jewel Sun and Moon, in which the teaching of the buddha Moonlike Brilliance was preserved, that same woman, instructed by the enlightening being Universally Good, repaired a ruined image of the Buddha seated on a lotus, painted it, and adorned it, having gone to Universally Good with the aspiration for enlightenment. Because of that root of goodness, she never fell into misfortune and always was born in celestial or human families and was always beautiful. She always saw buddhas and associated with the enlightening being Universally Good, and in every life was developed, inspired, and caused to be mindful by that spiritual benefactor. At this time, furthermore, Universally Good was thoroughly pleased with her.
“Who do you think the king of that time was? It was none other than the enlightening being Manjushri, the Glorious One, who was the king. And do not suppose that it was anyone else but the night goddess Prashantarutasagaravati, who is seated here near me, who was the queen. And do not think it was anyone but I who was the daughter of the king and queen, who in the time of the teaching left by the buddha Moonlike Brilliance repaired a ruined image of the Buddha on a lotus. That became a determining factor for me all the way to supreme enlightenment. And when I was directed by the enlightening being Universally Good toward supreme perfect enlightenment, I first aroused the determination for enlightenment. Then, when I went to the buddha Paragon of Virtue Radiant with the Light of Universal Knowledge and cast my jewelry over him, saw the buddha’s miraculous power, and heard the Teaching from him, I attained this enlightening liberation showing guidance to all sentient beings. And I propitiated all those buddhas, numerous as atoms in the polar mountain, and honored them with all kinds of offerings. And I listened to all their teachings, and put their instructions into practice; and I gained such intense respect for those buddhas that in a single moment of thought I would see all those buddhas, their circles of enlightening beings, and their buddha-lands.
“When that world Radiant Brilliance had passed away and the age Sphere of Dispassion was over, there followed a world called Magnificent Array Brilliantly Adorned with Jewel Discs, and an age called Great Light; five hundred buddhas emerged therein, and I propitiated them all. The first buddha in that age was named Representative of Great Compassion; when he was leaving home, I, who had become a night goddess, made offerings to him. After him, a buddha named Adamantine Paragon of Man arose; I, at that time a ruler, made offerings to him, and he expounded to me a scripture called Source of All Buddhas, accompanied by as many scriptures as atoms in ten buddha-lands, which I listened to and took up. After that a buddha named Magnificent Array of Lights of a Mountain of Blazing Fire appeared; at that time the daughter of a grandee, I made offerings to him, and he expounded to me a scripture called Containing the Manifestations of Past, Present, and Future, accompanied by as many scriptures as atoms in the continent, which I listened to and took up. After that a buddha named King of Energy Risen Above the Ocean of All Phenomena appeared in the world; at that time a titan chieftain, I made offerings to him, and he expounded to me a scripture called Analysis of Knowledge of the Planes of All Reality Realms, accompanied by five hundred scriptures, which I listened to and took up. After that a buddha named Light of the Ocean of Splendor of the Profound Doctrine appeared; at that time the daughter of a chief water spirit, I honored him with a shower of wish-fulfilling jewels, and he expounded to me a scripture called Light of Reason in the Ocean of Reality Realms, accompanied by as many scriptures as atoms in ten buddha-lands, which I listened to, took up, and memorized. After that a buddha named Splendor of the Multitude of Manifestations of the Ocean of Virtue appeared; at that time a seer with five kinds of occult knowledge, I went to him by magical power with a company of six thousand seers and honored him with incense and flowers. He expounded to me a scripture called Lamp of Independence, accompanied by six thousand scriptures, which I listened to and took up. After that a buddha named Imbued with Sunny Radiance appeared. At that time I was an earth goddess named Source of Common Weal; accompanied by countless earth goddesses, I went to that buddha showering jewel flowers and garlands from trees of all jewels as tokens of honor. He expounded a scripture called Womb of Knowledge from Which All Buddhas Are Born, along with countless scriptures, which I listened to and remembered permanently.
“The last of those five hundred buddhas was named Lamp Radiant As a Mountain Peak of Jewels Filling the Space of the Cosmos. At that time I was a dancing girl named Radiantly Beautiful Face. When the buddha came into the city, I began to dance and by the power of the buddha rose into the air and went to the buddha, praising him with a thousand verses. He illumined my whole body with a light called Array of Cosmic Lightning, which emanated from the circle of hair between his brows; and as soon as that light touched me I attained a liberation called ‘offspring of contemplation of the principles of the reality realm.’
“Thus I associated with and honored all the five hundred buddhas of that age in that world, and I remember everything they taught me, forgetting nothing, not even a line or letter. Also, as I went to each buddha, I benefited innumerable beings by describing the ways of buddhas. Also, from each buddha I obtained illumination by the lightning of omniscience, called ‘womb of knowledge of past, present, and future, extensive as the cosmos,’ which is the oceanic body of the reality realm, containing at once all the practices of universal good. Now I perceive infinite buddhas in each mental moment, and from seeing those buddhas, flashes of light of omniscience which I have not previously apprehended or seen enter into my mind, and I do not fall away from the practice of universally good enlightening beings. Why? Because apprehending these flashes of light of omniscience is endlessly and infinitely revealing and instructive.”
Then the night goddess Samantasattvatranojahshri spoke these verses to Sudhana, further elucidating the enlightening liberation showing guidance for beings in all worlds:
Listen, Sudhana, as I tell
Of what is deep, hard to see, hard to fathom:
Means of distinction of the planes of all times,
Total illumination of the appearances of things.
Listen to me explain how I first aspired to enlightenment
In quest of the qualities of buddhas,
And how I attained
This liberation of awareness.
More eons ago than atoms in a buddha-land,
There was a land called Radiant Brilliance, vast and pure,
Where there was an age called Sphere of Dispassion,
During which there was an unbroken succession of buddhas.
As many buddhas as atoms in the polar mountain, free from evil, appeared:
The first was Paragon of Virtue Radiant with the Light of Universal Knowledge;
Then Banner of Truth, Polar Mountain of Light, and Lion of Virtue;
King of Peace, Continual Life, Lofty Renown, Glory of Supreme Virtue,
Light Maker, Moon Face—these were the first ten buddhas there.
Vault of the Sky, Universal Light, Omnipresent, Source of the Sea of Mindfulness,
Exalted, Summit of Glory, Light of Lofty Flames of Truth,
Lotus Born, The Compassionate, and Flower of the Cosmos—
These were the second ten, lighting the ocean of buddhas.
Mind of Foremost Light, Mind of Knowledge, Manifold Benefits, Glory of Indra,
Celestial Intellect, Mind of Supreme Energy, Splendor of Knowledge,
Brilliance of the Best of Lights, Mighty Celestial Stride, Lotus of the Cosmos—
These were the third ten buddhas, revealing this vast teaching.
Splendor of a Mountain of Jewel Lights, then Radiant Ocean of Virtues,
Light of Truth, Lotus-Born Glory, Moonlike Eye of the World, Fragrant Light,
Brilliant As a Mountain of Jewels, Radiant King in the Form of a Celestial Musician,
Full of Glorious Light of the Finest of Jewels, and tenth was Physically Calm.
After that were Vast Awareness, Jewel Luster, Splendor of Clouds in the Sky,
Superb Appearance, magnificent, and Sphere of Holy Practices, radiant,
Living Like Primeval Man, Splendid As the Polar Mountain, King Resplendent with Virtue,
Paragon of Invincible Resolve, and Lofty Tree the tenth of them.
Imbued with the Splendor of the King of Trees, Reflection of the Bodies of the
Leaders of the Worlds, Superlative Radiance, Spotless Light, Brilliance of the
Energy of Earth, Glory of the Supreme Virtues of the Profound Teaching,
Knowledge of the Sound of the Ocean of Truths, Pole of the World, Radiant Mind, Diamond Light.
Light of Brahma, Sound of Space, Splendor of Reflection of the Cosmos, Sphere
Of Lights, Brilliant Mind with the Ten Powers of Knowledge, Lamp of Space,
Beautiful Splendor, Glory of Sunlight, Light of Virtue, Tranquil Radiance, and
Beauty of Clouds of Compassion, were the next ten buddhas.
Mindful of the Light of Power Born of Thusness, Appearing to All Beings,
Exalted Light, Embodiment of Impartiality, Born of Truth, Swift As the Wind,
Paragon of Heroism, Jewel Body Luster, Light Appearing in All Times—
These were the next ten buddhas.
Shining Light of the Ocean of Vows, Splendor of the Mountain of Adamantine Will,
Exalted Brilliance, Paragon of Mindfulness, Aware of Truth, Lamp of Wisdom,
Radiance of the Most Excellent Light, then Vast Intellect,
Following the Course of Knowledge of the Principles of the Cosmos, and Light of Knowledge of Oceanic Awareness.
Sublime Giver of Jewels of Truth, Clouds of Glory of Mountains of Virtue,
Light of the Lamp of Peace, Light of Fiery Energy, Voice of Cessation,
Paragon of Tranquillity, Radiant Lamp of the World, Energy of Great Vows,
Invincible Power, Radiant Sea of Lights of Knowledge.
Spiritual Master, Unattached Mind, Understanding the Speech of All Beings,
Articulate in All Languages, Resolved to Sacrifice Willingly, Appearing to All
Beings Everywhere, Adopting Forms Congenial to All Beings, Living Together
for the Benefit of Others, Embodiment of Nature, and the Buddha Good:
Beginning with these, I served as many buddhas, light-makers,
As atoms in the polar mountain.
And I served all the buddhas who appeared
In as many eons as atoms in the buddha-lands,
And entered this ocean of liberation.
I have practiced and developed this liberation for infinite eons;
Having heard it and put it into practice,
You will accomplish this teaching soon.
“I know only this enlightening liberation showing guidance to beings in all worlds. How can I know the practice on tell the virtues of the enlightening beings who live by various resolutions in the infinitely varied ocean of enlightening practices, who manifest various minds and bodies, who have perfected oceans of various faculties, who have carried through the various vows of enlightening beings?
“In this same enlightenment site is a night goddess named Prashantarutasagaravati, who sits next to me on a lotus seat, in a calyx adorned with starry diamonds, surrounded by countless tens of hundreds of thousands of night goddesses—go ask her how to learn and carry out the practice of enlightening beings.”
So Sudhana paid his respects to the night goddess Samantasattvatranojahshri and left her.
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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