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。
善财得了如幻三昧，众善妙乐，有说不出来的心情舒畅。这种妙乐，只有善财一人才能享受。他想到：善知识者真是伟大，善知识入慈母，谆谆教诲。如明师指引方向，如船师渡过深海，如大地生长万物，如医士除诸病苦，如甘露滋润身田，如桥梁度济行人，如春雨润育苗稼，如明灯照破黑暗。我参拜了这么多善知识者，每一个都给我无穷的力量，使我心胸宽广，知识丰富，智慧广博，精神焕发，意志坚强。学会了众多技艺，得证广大神通。即来到海岸国大庄严园，见到广大宝楼阁。上不见顶，下不见底，四方广大不可思议。弥勒菩萨住此楼阁内。善财右绕楼阁，自是思维，往昔身心不净作诸恶孽，不求正果。如今因善知识，曾怀正见。一心趣求菩提，利乐有情，造福人间，何等美妙？但愿一切众生都如我一样，发如是心，得如是智，证如是果。
善财右绕楼阁，难尽边际。想到这楼阁如此广大，不是一点福德智慧能够证得。我又如何能见到弥勒菩萨呢？右绕不成，干脆五体投地，礼拜弥勒菩萨，以至诚心，便礼拜数拜。
忽然一声巨响，天空闪出祥光，远远望见弥勒菩萨，足踏祥云，无量弟子随后，天龙八部拥护，来至楼阁前。善财看得欢喜，即上前顶礼。
弥勒菩萨仔细观看善财，对众人道：“此童子善根广大，智慧清净，慈悲为怀，发无上菩提心，利乐有情造福人间。不辞千辛万苦，爬山涉水，渡海穿洋，参拜众多善知识者，学得一身好本事。已具三十二像雏形，当生如来家，住灌顶位，是成佛的种子。不过还不够，如今重要的是行，要学普贤菩萨的大行，如何行？还需要善知识的教诲。”
善财听了欢喜，手上忽然堆满香花缨络。弥勒菩萨手摸善财头顶说：“佛子，你已发无上菩提心，其心坚固如金刚，如明灯照破痴暗，如大海容纳百川，如宝剑能降众魔，如妙香能除诸秽，如智慧水能息烦恼。所以能勇猛精进，参礼善知识，誓求造福人间利乐有情的大志，这个门径你已经走到了，快进去看吧！”用手指将楼阁门一弹，阁门洞开。善财欢喜，跳跃而进，门复自闭。
善财入得楼阁，举眼一看，哪里是在楼阁内？简直望不尽，看不完。无量无边的世界，无量无边的虚空。三千大千世界无不包含其中。数不尽的奇珍异宝，看不完的瑞草鲜花，望不到边的亭台楼阁，听不够的清净妙音。芬芳馥郁，景色长青，金沙为地，池水澄清。七宝栏循，白玉砌阶。层层楼阁，无边无际。善财沿阶入一楼阁，其中与大楼阁无异，广大无边。善财又入一小楼阁，亦复如是，与大楼阁无异，广大无边。善财望不尽，看不完。
善财又看各种图像，都是弥勒菩萨的往事，有助人为乐的，有舍己为人的，有参拜善知识的。
又看各处的欢乐歌舞，人们之间的善良谦爱，你尊我敬。真是说不完的美好，道不尽的喜悦。善财看得心旷神怡，不想离去。
忽然，弥勒又弹指一下，只听得一声巨响，路阁竟不见了。善财却站在一块巨石上，弥勒菩萨又用手摸善财头顶说道：“善男子，这美好的楼阁，是用自己最大的智慧、最大的精进、最大的劳动和不懈的愿行得来的。你现在该回到文殊菩萨那儿修学大行了。”
善财感谢弥勒菩萨的教诲，正要作礼，菩萨却不见了。四处寻看，只见大石上留下一首诗：
楼阁门前立片时，龙华师主远方归。
不唯弹指观深妙，又听慈音语细微。
理智行为身日月，菩提心是道枢机，
许多境界何去来，万里无边一雁飞。
善财读罢，感到身心轻快，四肢柔和，已不见是原来粗秽的善财。欢喜跳跃而去。
尔时，善财童子闻善知识教，润泽其心，正念思惟诸菩萨行，向海岸国。自忆往世不修礼敬，即时发意勤力而行；复忆往世身心不净，即时发意专自治洁；复忆往世作诸恶业，即时发意专自防断；复忆往世起诸妄想，即时发意恒正思惟；复忆往世所修诸行但为自身，即时发意令心广大普及含识；复忆往世追求欲境常自损耗无有滋味，即时发意修行佛法长养诸根以自安隐；复忆往世起邪思念颠倒相应，即时发意生正见心起菩萨愿；复忆往世日夜劬劳作诸恶事，即时发意起大精进成就佛法；复忆往世受五趣生于自他身皆无利益，即时发意愿以其身饶益众生成就佛法承事一切诸善知识。如是思惟，生大欢喜。复观此身是生、老、病、死众苦之宅，愿尽未来劫，修菩萨道教化众生，见诸如来成就佛法，游行一切佛刹，承事一切法师，住持一切佛教，寻求一切法侣，见一切善知识，集一切诸佛法，与一切菩萨愿智身而作因缘。
作是念时，长不思议无量善根，即于一切菩萨深信尊重，生希有想，生大师想；诸根清净，善法增益，起一切菩萨恭敬供养，作一切菩萨曲躬合掌，生一切菩萨普见世间眼，起一切菩萨普念众生想，现一切菩萨无量愿化身，出一切菩萨清净赞说音；想见过、现一切诸佛及诸菩萨，于一切处示现成道神通变化，乃至无有一毛端处而不周遍；又得清净智光明眼，见一切菩萨所行境界；其心普入十方刹网，其愿普遍虚空法界，三世平等，无有休息。如是一切，皆以信受善知识教之所致耳。
善财童子以如是尊重、如是供养、如是称赞、如是观察、如是愿力、如是想念、如是无量智慧境界，于毗卢遮那庄严藏大楼阁前，五体投地，暂时敛念，思惟观察。以深信解、大愿力故，入遍一切处智慧身平等门，普现其身在于一切如来前、一切菩萨前、一切善知识前、一切如来塔庙前、一切如来形像前、一切诸佛诸菩萨住处前、一切法宝前、一切声闻辟支佛及其塔庙前、一切圣众福田前、一切父母尊者前、一切十方众生前，皆如上说，尊重礼赞，尽未来际无有休息。等虚空，无边量故；等法界，无障碍故；等实际，遍一切故；等如来，无分别故。犹如影，随智现故；犹如梦，从思起故；犹如像，示一切故；犹如响，缘所发故；无有生，递兴谢故；无有性，随缘转故。
又决定知一切诸报皆从业起，一切诸果皆从因起，一切诸业皆从习起，一切佛兴皆从信起，一切化现诸供养事皆悉从于决定解起，一切化佛从敬心起，一切佛法从善根起，一切化身从方便起，一切佛事从大愿起，一切菩萨所修诸行从回向起，一切法界广大庄严从一切智境界而起。离于断见，知回向故；离于常见，知无生故；离无因见，知正因故；离颠倒见，知如实理故；离自在见，知不由他故；离自他见，知从缘起故；离边执见，知法界无边故；离往来见，知如影像故；离有无见，知不生灭故；离一切法见，知空无生故，知不自在故，知愿力出生故；离一切相见，入无相际故。知一切法如种生芽故，如印生文故。知质如像故，知声如响故，知境如梦故，知业如幻故。了世心现故，了果因起故，了报业集故，了知一切诸功德法皆从菩萨善巧方便所流出故。
善财童子入如是智，端心洁念；于楼观前，举体投地，殷勤顶礼；不思议善根流注身心，清凉悦怿。从地而起，一心瞻仰，目不暂舍，合掌围绕，经无量匝，作是念言：
“此大楼阁，是解空、无相、无愿者之所住处；是于一切法无分别者之所住处；是了法界无差别者之所住处；是知一切众生不可得者之所住处；是知一切法无生者之所住处；是不著一切世间者之所住处；是不著一切窟宅者之所住处；是不乐一切聚落者之所住处；是不依一切境界者之所住处；是离一切想者之所住处；是知一切法无自性者之所住处；是断一切分别业者之所住处；是离一切想心、意、识者之所住处；是不入不出一切道者之所住处；是入一切甚深般若波罗蜜者之所住处；是能以方便住普门法界者之所住处；是息灭一切烦恼火者之所住处；是以增上慧除断一切见、爱、慢者之所住处；是出生一切诸禅解脱三昧通明而游戏者之所住处；是观察一切菩萨三昧境界者之所住处；是安住一切如来所者之所住处；是以一劫入一切劫，以一切劫入一劫，而不坏其相者之所住处；是以一刹入一切刹，以一切刹入一刹，而不坏其相者之所住处；是以一法入一切法，以一切法入一法，而不坏其相者之所住处；是以一众生入一切众生，以一切众生入一众生，而不坏其相者之所住处；是以一佛入一切佛，以一切佛入一佛，而不坏其相者之所住处；是于一念中而知一切三世者之所住处；是于一念中往诣一切国土者之所住处；是于一切众生前悉现其身者之所住处；是心常利益一切世间者之所住处；是能遍至一切处者之所住处；是虽已出一切世间，为化众生故而恒于中现身者之所住处；是不著一切刹，为供养诸佛故而游一切刹者之所住处；是不动本处，能普诣一切佛刹而庄严者之所住处；是亲近一切佛而不起佛想者之所住处；是依止一切善知识而不起善知识想者之所住处；是住一切魔宫而不耽著欲境界者之所住处；是永离一切心想者之所住处；是虽于一切众生中而现其身，然于自他不生二想者之所住处；是能普入一切世界而于法界无差别想者之所住处；是愿住未来一切劫而于诸劫无长短想者之所住处；是不离一毛端处而普现身一切世界者之所住处；是能演说难遭遇法者之所住处；是能住难知法、甚深法、无二法、无相法、无对治法、无所得法、无戏论法者之所住处；是住大慈大悲者之所住处；是已度一切二乘智、已超一切魔境界、已于世法无所染、已到菩萨所到岸、已住如来所住处者之所住处；是虽离一切诸相而亦不入声闻正位，虽了一切法无生而亦不住无生法性者之所住处；是虽观不净而不证离贪法亦不与贪欲俱，虽修于慈而不证离瞋法亦不与瞋垢俱，虽观缘起而不证离痴法亦不与痴惑俱者之所住处；是虽住四禅而不随禅生，虽行四无量为化众生故而不生色界，虽修四无色定以大悲故而不住无色界者之所住处；是虽勤修止观为化众生故而不证明脱，虽行于舍而不舍化众生事者之所住处；是虽观于空而不起空见，虽行无相而常化著相众生，虽行无愿而不舍菩提行愿者之所住处；是虽于一切业烦恼中而得自在为化众生故而现随顺诸业烦恼，虽无生死为化众生故示受生死，虽已离一切趣为化众生故示入诸趣者之所住处；是虽行于慈而于诸众生无所爱恋，虽行于悲而于诸众生无所取著，虽行于喜而观苦众生心常哀愍，虽行于舍而不废舍利益他事者之所住处；是虽行九次第定而不厌离欲界受生，虽知一切法无生无灭而不于实际作证，虽入三解脱门而不取声闻解脱，虽观四圣谛而不住小乘圣果，虽观甚深缘起而不住究竟寂灭，虽修八圣道而不求永出世间，虽超凡夫地而不堕声闻、辟支佛地，虽观五取蕴而不永灭诸蕴，虽超出四魔而不分别诸魔，虽不著六处而不永灭六处，虽安住真如而不堕实际，虽说一切乘而不舍大乘。此大楼阁，是住如是等一切诸功德者之所住处。”
尔时，善财童子而说颂言：
“此是大悲清净智，利益世间慈氏尊，灌顶地中佛长子，入如来境之住处。一切名闻诸佛子，已入大乘解脱门，游行法界心无著，此无等者之住处。施戒忍进禅智慧，方便愿力及神通，如是大乘诸度法，悉具足者之住处。智慧广大如虚空，普知三世一切法，无碍无依无所取，了诸有者之住处。善能解了一切法，无性无生无所依，如鸟飞空得自在，此大智者之住处。了知三毒真实性，分别因缘虚妄起，亦不厌彼而求出，此寂静人之住处。三解脱门八圣道，诸蕴处界及缘起，悉能观察不趣寂，此善巧人之住处。十方国土及众生，以无碍智咸观察，了性皆空不分别，此寂灭人之住处。普行法界悉无碍，而求行性不可得，如风行空无所行，此无依者之住处。普见恶道群生类，受诸楚毒无所归，放大慈光悉除灭，此哀愍者之住处。见诸众生失正道，譬如生盲践畏途，引其令入解脱城，此大导师之住处。见诸众生入魔网，生老病死常逼迫，令其解脱得慰安，此勇健人之住处。见诸众生婴惑病，而兴广大悲愍心，以智慧药悉除灭，此大医王之住处。见诸群生没有海，沉沦忧迫受众苦，悉以法船而救之，此善度者之住处。见诸众生在惑海，能发菩提妙宝心，悉入其中而济拔，此善渔人之住处。恒以大愿慈悲眼，普观一切诸众生，从诸有海而拔出，此金翅王之住处。譬如日月在虚空，一切世间靡不烛，智慧光明亦如是，此照世者之住处。菩萨为化一众生，普尽未来无量劫，如为一人一切尔，此救世者之住处。于一国土化众生，尽未来劫无休息，一一国土咸如是，此坚固意之住处。十方诸佛所说法，一座普受咸令尽，尽未来劫恒悉然，此智海人之住处。遍游一切世界海，普入一切道场海，供养一切如来海，此修行者之住处。修行一切妙行海，发起无边大愿海，如是经于众劫海，此功德者之住处。一毛端处无量刹，佛众生劫不可说，如是明见靡不周，此无碍眼之住处。一念普摄无边劫，国土诸佛及众生，智慧无碍悉正知，此具德人之住处。十方国土碎为尘，一切大海以毛滴，菩萨发愿数如是，此无碍者之住处。成就总持三昧门，大愿诸禅及解脱，一一皆住无边劫，此真佛子之住处。无量无边诸佛子，种种说法度众生，亦说世间众技术，此修行者之住处。成就神通方便智，修行如幻妙法门，十方五趣悉现生，此无碍者之住处。菩萨始从初发心，具足修行一切行，化身无量遍法界，此神力者之住处。一念成就菩提道，普作无边智慧业，世情思虑悉发狂，此难量者之住处。成就神通无障碍，游行法界靡不周，其心未尝有所得，此净慧者之住处。菩萨修行无碍慧，入诸国土无所著，以无二智普照明，此无我者之住处。了知诸法无依止，本性寂灭同虚空，常行如是境界中，此离垢人之住处。普见群生受诸苦，发大仁慈智慧心，愿常利益诸世间，此悲愍者之住处。佛子住于此，普现众生前，犹如日月轮，遍除生死暗。佛子住于此，普顺众生心，变现无量身，充满十方刹。佛子住于此，遍游诸世界，一切如来所，无量无数劫。佛子住于此，思量诸佛法，无量无数劫，其心无厌倦。佛子住于此，念念入三昧，一一三昧门，阐明诸佛境。佛子住于此，悉知一切刹，无量无数劫，众生佛名号。佛子住于此，一念摄诸劫，但随众生心，而无分别想。佛子住于此，修习诸三昧，一一心念中，了知三世法。佛子住于此，结跏身不动，普现一切刹，一切诸趣中。佛子住于此，饮诸佛法海，深入智慧海，具足功德海。佛子住于此，悉知诸刹数，世数众生数，佛名数亦然。佛子住于此，一念悉能了，一切三世中，国土之成坏。佛子住于此，普知佛行愿，菩萨所修行，众生根性欲。佛子住于此，见一微尘中，无量刹道场，众生及诸劫。如一微尘内，一切尘亦然，种种咸具足，处处皆无碍。佛子住于此，普观一切法，众生刹及世，无起无所有。观察众生等，法等如来等，刹等诸愿等，三世悉平等。佛子住于此，教化诸群生，供养诸如来，思惟诸法性。无量千万劫，所修愿智行，广大不可量，称扬莫能尽。彼诸大勇猛，所行无障碍，安住于此中，我合掌敬礼。诸佛之长子，圣德慈氏尊；我今恭敬礼，愿垂顾念我！”
尔时，善财童子以如是等一切菩萨无量称扬赞叹法，而赞毗卢遮那庄严藏大楼阁中诸菩萨已，曲躬合掌，恭敬顶礼，一心愿见弥勒菩萨亲近供养；乃见弥勒菩萨摩诃萨从别处来，无量天、龙、夜叉、乾闼婆、阿修罗、迦楼罗、紧那罗、摩睺罗伽王，释、梵、护世，及本生处无量眷属、婆罗门众，及余无数百千众生，前后围绕而共来向庄严藏大楼观所。善财见已，欢喜踊跃，五体投地。时，弥勒菩萨观察善财，指示大众，叹其功德，而说颂曰：
“汝等观善财，智慧心清净，为求菩提行，而来至我所。善来圆满慈，善来清净悲，善来寂灭眼，修行无懈倦。善来清净意，善来广大心，善来不退根，修行无懈倦。善来不动行，常求善知识，了达一切法，调伏诸群生。善来行妙道，善来住功德，善来趣佛果，未曾有疲倦。善来德为体，善来法所滋，善来无边行，世间难可见。善来离迷惑，世法不能染，利衰毁誉等，一切无分别。善来施安乐，调柔堪受化；谄诳瞋慢心，一切悉除灭。善来真佛子，普诣于十方，增长诸功德，调柔无懈惓。善来三世智，遍知一切法，普生功德藏，修行不疲厌。文殊德云等，一切诸佛子，令汝至我所，示汝无碍处。具修菩萨行，普摄诸群生；如是广大人，今来至我所。为求诸如来，清净之境界，问诸广大愿，而来至我所。去来现在佛，所成诸行业，汝欲皆修学，而来至我所。汝于善知识，欲求微妙法，欲受菩萨行，而来至我所。汝念善知识，诸佛所称叹，令汝成菩提，而来至我所。汝念善知识，生我如父母，养我如乳母，增我菩提分，如医疗众疾，如天洒甘露，如日示正道，如月转净轮，如山不动摇，如海无增减，如船师济渡，而来至我所。汝观善知识，犹如大猛将，亦如大商主，又如大导师，能建正法幢，能示佛功德，能灭诸恶道，能开善趣门，能显诸佛身，能守诸佛藏，能持诸佛法，是故愿瞻奉。欲满清净智，欲具端正身，欲生尊贵家，而来至我所。汝等观此人，亲近善知识，随其所修学，一切应顺行。以昔福因缘，文殊令发心，随顺无违逆，修行不懈倦。父母与亲属，宫殿及财产，一切皆舍离，谦下求知识。净治如是意，永离世间身，当生佛国土，受诸胜果报。善财见众生，生老病死苦，为发大悲意，勤修无上道。善财见众生，五趣常流转，为求金刚智，破彼诸苦轮。善财见众生，心田甚荒秽，为除三毒刺，专求利智犁。众生处痴暗，盲冥失正道；善财为导师，示其安隐处。忍铠解脱乘，智慧为利剑，能于三有内，破诸烦恼贼。善财法船师，普济诸含识，令过尔焰海，疾至净宝洲。善财正觉日，智光大愿轮，周行法界空，普照群迷宅。善财正觉月，白法悉圆满，慈定清凉光，等照众生心。善财胜智海，依于直心住，菩提行渐深，出生众法宝。善财大心龙，升于法界空，兴云霔甘泽，生成一切果。善财然法灯，信炷慈悲油，念器功德光，灭除三毒暗。觉心迦罗逻，悲胞慈为肉，菩提分肢节，长于如来藏。增长福德藏，清净智慧藏，开显方便藏，出生大愿藏。如是大庄严，救护诸群生；一切天人中，难闻难可见。如是智慧树，根深不可动，众行渐增长，普荫诸群生。欲生一切德，欲问一切法，欲断一切疑，专求善知识。欲破诸惑魔，欲除诸见垢，欲解众生缚，专求善知识。当灭诸恶道，当示人天路，令修功德行，疾入涅槃城。当度诸见难，当截诸见网，当枯爱欲水，当示三有道。当为世依怙，当作世光明，当成三界师，示其解脱处。亦当令世间，普离诸想著，普觉烦恼睡，普出爱欲泥。当了种种法，当净种种刹；一切咸究竟，其心大欢喜。汝行极调柔，汝心甚清净，所欲修功德，一切当圆满。不久见诸佛，了达一切法，严净众刹海，成就大菩提。当满诸行海，当知诸法海，当度众生海，如是修诸行。当到功德岸，当生诸善品，当与佛子等，如是心决定。当断一切惑，当净一切业，当伏一切魔，满足如是愿。当生妙智道，当开正法道，不久当舍离，惑业诸苦道。一切众生轮，沉迷诸有轮；汝当转法轮，令其断苦轮。汝当持佛种，汝当净法种，汝能集僧种，三世悉周遍。当断众爱网，当裂众见网，当救众苦网，当成此愿网。当度众生界，当净国土界，当集智慧界，当成此心界。当令众生喜，当令菩萨喜，当令诸佛喜，当成此欢喜。当见一切趣，当见一切刹，当见一切法，当成此佛见。当放破暗光，当放息热光，当放灭恶光，涤除三有苦。当开天趣门，当开佛道门，当示解脱门，普使众生入。当示于正道，当绝于邪道；如是勤修行，成就菩提道。当修功德海，当度三有海；普使群生海，出于众苦海。当于众生海，消竭烦恼海，令修诸行海，疾入大智海。汝当增智海，汝当修行海；诸佛大愿海，汝当咸满足。汝当入刹海，汝当观众海；汝当以智力，普饮诸法海。当觐诸佛云，当起供养云，当听妙法云，当兴此愿云。普游三有室，普坏众惑室，普入如来室，当行如是道。普入三昧门，普游解脱门，普住神通门，周行于法界。普现众生前，普对诸佛前，譬如日月光，当成如是力。所行无动乱，所行无染著，如鸟行虚空，当成此妙用。譬如因陀网，刹网如是住；汝当悉往诣，如风无所碍。汝当入法界，遍往诸世界，普见三世佛，心生大欢喜。汝于诸法门，已得及当得，应生大喜跃，无贪亦无厌。汝是功德器，能随诸佛教，能修菩萨行，得见此奇特。如是诸佛子，亿劫难可遇；况见其功德，所修诸妙道！汝生于人中，大获诸善利，得见文殊等，无量诸功德。已离诸恶道，已出诸难处，已超众苦患，善哉勿懈怠。已离凡夫地，已住菩萨地，当满智慧地，速入如来地。菩萨行如海，佛智同虚空，汝愿亦复然，应生大欣庆。诸根不懈倦，志愿恒决定，亲近善知识，不久悉成满。菩萨种种行，皆为调众生，普行诸法门，慎勿生疑惑。汝具难思福，及以真实信；是故于今日，得见诸佛子。汝见诸佛子，悉获广大利，一一诸大愿，一切咸信受。汝于三有中，能修菩萨行；是故诸佛子，示汝解脱门。非是法器人，与佛子同住，设经无量劫，莫知其境界。汝见诸菩萨，得闻如是法，世间甚难有，应生大喜庆。诸佛护念汝，菩萨摄受汝，能顺其教行，善哉住寿命。已生菩萨家，已具菩萨德，已长如来种，当升灌顶位。不久汝当得，与诸佛子等，见苦恼众生，悉置安隐处。如下如是种，必获如是果，我今庆慰汝，汝应大欣悦。无量诸菩萨，无量劫行道，未能成此行，今汝皆获得。信乐坚进力，善财成此行；若有敬慕心，亦当如是学。一切功德行，皆从愿欲生；善财已了知，常乐勤修习。如龙布密云，必当霔大雨；菩萨起愿智，决定修诸行。若有善知识，示汝普贤行；汝当好承事，慎勿生疑惑。汝于无量劫，为欲妄舍身；今为求菩提，此舍方为善。汝于无量劫，具受生死苦，不曾事诸佛，未闻如是行。汝今得人身，值佛善知识，听受菩提行，云何不欢喜！虽遇佛兴世，亦值善知识；其心不清净，不闻如是法。若于善知识，信乐心尊重，离疑不疲厌，乃闻如是法。若有闻此法，而兴誓愿心；当知如是人，已获广大利。如是心清净，常得近诸佛，亦近诸菩萨，决定成菩提。若入此法门，则具诸功德，永离众恶趣，不受一切苦。不久舍此身，往生佛国土，常见十方佛，及以诸菩萨。往因今净解，及事善友力，增长诸功德，如水生莲华。乐事善知识，勤供一切佛，专心听闻法，常行勿懈倦。汝是真法器，当具一切法，当修一切道，当满一切愿。汝以信解心，而来礼敬我，不久当普入，一切诸佛会。善哉真佛子，恭敬一切佛，不久具诸行，到佛功德岸。汝当往大智，文殊师利所；彼当令汝得，普贤深妙行。”
尔时，弥勒菩萨摩诃萨在众会前，称赞善财大功德藏。善财闻已，欢喜踊跃，身毛皆竖，悲泣哽噎；起立合掌，恭敬瞻仰，绕无量匝。以文殊师利心念力故，众华、璎珞、种种妙宝不觉忽然自盈其手；善财欢喜，即以奉散弥勒菩萨摩诃萨上。
时，弥勒菩萨摩善财顶，为说颂言：
“善哉善哉真佛子！普策诸根无懈倦，不久当具诸功德，犹如文殊及与我。”
时，善财童子以颂答曰：
“我念善知识，亿劫难值遇；今得咸亲近，而来诣尊所。我以文殊故，见诸难见者；彼大功德尊，愿速还瞻觐。”
尔时，善财童子合掌恭敬，重白弥勒菩萨摩诃萨言：
“大圣！我已先发阿耨多罗三藐三菩提心，而我未知菩萨云何学菩萨行？云何修菩萨道？
“大圣！一切如来授尊者记，一生当得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提；若一生当得无上菩提，则已超越一切菩萨所住处，则已出过一切菩萨离生位，则已圆满一切波罗蜜，则已深入一切诸忍门，则已具足一切菩萨地，则已游戏一切解脱门，则已成就一切三昧法，则已通达一切菩萨行，则已证得一切陀罗尼辩才，则已于一切菩萨自在中而得自在，则已积集一切菩萨助道法，则已游戏智慧方便，则已出生大神通智，则已成就一切学处，则已圆满一切妙行，则已满足一切大愿，则已领受一切佛所记，则已了知一切诸乘门，则已堪受一切如来所护念，则已能摄一切佛菩提，则已能持一切佛法藏，则已能持一切诸佛菩萨秘密藏，则已能于一切菩萨众中为上首，则已能为破烦恼魔军大勇将，则已能作出生死旷野大导师，则已能作治诸惑重病大医王，则已能于一切众生中为最胜，则已能于一切世主中得自在，则已能于一切圣人中最第一，则已能于一切声闻、独觉中最增上，则已能于生死海中为船师，则已能布调伏一切众生网，则已能观一切众生根，则已能摄一切众生界，则已能守护一切菩萨众，则已能谈议一切菩萨事，则已能往诣一切如来所，则已能住止一切如来会，则已能现身一切众生前，则已能于一切世法无所染，则已能超越一切魔境界，则已能安住一切佛境界，则已能到一切菩萨无碍境，则已能精勤供养一切佛，则已与一切诸佛法同体性，已系妙法缯，已受佛灌顶，已住一切智，已能普生一切佛法，已能速践一切智位。
“大圣！菩萨云何学菩萨行？云何修菩萨道？随所修学，疾得具足一切佛法，悉能度脱所念众生，普能成满所发大愿，普能究竟所起诸行，普能安慰一切天人，不负自身，不断三宝，不虚一切佛菩萨种，能持一切诸佛法眼。如是等事，愿皆为说！”
尔时，弥勒菩萨摩诃萨观察一切道场众会，指示善财而作是言：
“诸仁者！汝等见此长者子，今于我所问菩萨行诸功德不？诸仁者！此长者子，勇猛精进，志愿无杂，深心坚固，恒不退转；具胜希望，如救头然，无有厌足；乐善知识，亲近供养，处处寻求，承事请法。诸仁者！此长者子，曩于福城受文殊教，展转南行求善知识，经由一百一十善知识已，然后而来至于我所，未曾暂起一念疲懈。
“诸仁者！此长者子甚为难有，趣向大乘，乘于大慧，发大勇猛，擐大悲甲，以大慈心救护众生，起大精进波罗蜜行，作大商主护诸众生，为大法船度诸有海，住于大道，集大法宝，修诸广大助道之法；如是之人，难可得闻，难可得见，难得亲近、同居、共行。何以故？此长者子发心救护一切众生，令一切众生，解脱诸苦，超诸恶趣，离诸险难，破无明暗，出生死野，息诸趣轮，度魔境界，不著世法，出欲淤泥，断贪鞅，解见缚，坏想宅，绝迷道，摧慢幢，拔惑箭，撤睡盖，裂爱网，灭无明，度有流，离谄幻，净心垢，断痴惑，出生死。
“诸仁者！此长者子，为被四流漂泊者，造大法船；为被见泥没溺者，立大法桥；为被痴暗昏迷者，然大智灯；为行生死旷野者，开示圣道；为婴烦恼重病者，调和法药；为遭生、老、死苦者，饮以甘露，令其安隐；为入贪、恚、痴火者，沃以定水，使得清凉；多忧恼者，慰喻使安；系有狱者，晓诲令出；入见网者，开以智剑；住界城者，示诸脱门；在险难者，导安隐处；惧结贼者，与无畏法；堕恶趣者，授慈悲手；拘害蕴者，示涅槃城；界蛇所缠，解以圣道；著于六处空聚落者，以智慧光引之令出；住邪济者，令入正济；近恶友者，示其善友；乐凡法者，诲以圣法；著生死者，令其趣入一切智城。
“诸仁者！此长者子，恒以此行救护众生，发菩提心未尝休息，求大乘道曾无懈倦，饮诸法水不生厌足，恒勤积集助道之行，常乐清净一切法门，修菩萨行不舍精进，成满诸愿善行方便，见善知识情无厌足，事善知识身不疲懈，闻善知识所有教诲常乐顺行未曾违逆。
“诸仁者！若有众生能发阿耨多罗三藐三菩提心，是为希有；若发心已，又能如是精进方便集诸佛法，倍为希有；又能如是求菩萨道，又能如是净菩萨行，又能如是事善知识，又能如是如救头然，又能如是顺知识教，又能如是坚固修行，又能如是集菩提分，又能如是不求一切名闻利养，又能如是不舍菩萨纯一之心，又能如是不乐家宅、不著欲乐、不恋父母亲戚知识，但乐追求菩萨伴侣，又能如是不顾身命，唯愿勤修一切智道，应知展转倍更难得。
“诸仁者！余诸菩萨经于无量百千万亿那由他劫，乃能满足菩萨愿行，乃能亲近诸佛菩提；此长者子，于一生内，则能净佛刹，则能化众生，则能以智慧深入法界，则能成就诸波罗蜜，则能增广一切诸行，则能圆满一切大愿，则能超出一切魔业，则能承事一切善友，则能清净诸菩萨道，则能具足普贤诸行。”
尔时，弥勒菩萨摩诃萨如是称叹善财童子种种功德，令无量百千众生发菩提心已，告善财言：
“善哉善哉！善男子！汝为饶益一切世间，汝为救护一切众生，汝为勤求一切佛法故，发阿耨多罗三藐三菩提心。
“善男子！汝获善利，汝善得人身，汝善住寿命，汝善值如来出现，汝善见文殊师利大善知识。汝身是善器，为诸善根之所润泽。汝为白法之所资持，所有解欲悉已清净，已为诸佛共所护念，已为善友共所摄受。何以故？
“善男子！菩提心者，犹如种子，能生一切诸佛法故；菩提心者，犹如良田，能长众生白净法故；菩提心者，犹如大地，能持一切诸世间故；菩提心者，犹如净水，能洗一切烦恼垢故；菩提心者，犹如大风，普于世间无所碍故；菩提心者，犹如盛火，能烧一切诸见薪故；菩提心者，犹如净日，普照一切诸世间故；菩提心者，犹如盛月，诸白净法悉圆满故；菩提心者，犹如明灯，能放种种法光明故；菩提心者，犹如净目，普见一切安危处故；菩提心者，犹如大道，普令得入大智城故；菩提心者，犹如正济，令其得离诸邪法故；菩提心者，犹如大车，普能运载诸菩萨故；菩提心者，犹如门户，开示一切菩萨行故；菩提心者，犹如宫殿，安住修习三昧法故；菩提心者，犹如园苑，于中游戏受法乐故；菩提心者，犹如舍宅，安隐一切诸众生故；菩提心者，则为所归，利益一切诸世间故；菩提心者，则为所依，诸菩萨行所依处故；菩提心者，犹如慈父，训导一切诸菩萨故；菩提心者，犹如慈母，生长一切诸菩萨故；菩提心者，犹如乳母，养育一切诸菩萨故；菩提心者，犹如善友，成益一切诸菩萨故；菩提心者，犹如君主，胜出一切二乘人故；菩提心者，犹如帝王，一切愿中得自在故；菩提心者，犹如大海，一切功德悉入中故；菩提心者，如须弥山，于诸众生心平等故；菩提心者，如铁围山，摄持一切诸世间故；菩提心者，犹如雪山，长养一切智慧药故；菩提心者，犹如香山，出生一切功德香故；菩提心者，犹如虚空，诸妙功德广无边故；菩提心者，犹如莲华，不染一切世间法故；菩提心者，如调慧象，其心善顺不犷戾故；菩提心者，如良善马，远离一切诸恶性故；菩提心者，如调御师，守护大乘一切法故；菩提心者，犹如良药，能治一切烦恼病故；菩提心者，犹如坑阱，陷没一切诸恶法故；菩提心者，犹如金刚，悉能穿彻一切法故；菩提心者，犹如香箧，能贮一切功德香故；菩提心者，犹如妙华，一切世间所乐见故；菩提心者，如白栴檀，除众欲热使清凉故；菩提心者，如黑沉香，能熏法界悉周遍故；菩提心者，如善见药王，能破一切烦恼病故；菩提心者，如毗笈摩药，能拔一切诸惑箭故；菩提心者，犹如帝释，一切主中最为尊故；菩提心者，如毗沙门，能断一切贫穷苦故；菩提心者，如功德天，一切功德所庄严故；菩提心者，如庄严具，庄严一切诸菩萨故；菩提心者，如劫烧火，能烧一切诸有为故；菩提心者，如无生根药，长养一切诸佛法故；菩提心者，犹如龙珠，能消一切烦恼毒故；菩提心者，如水清珠，能清一切烦恼浊故；菩提心者，如如意珠，周给一切诸贫乏故；菩提心者，如功德瓶，满足一切众生心故；菩提心者，如如意树，能雨一切庄严具故；菩提心者，如鹅羽衣，不受一切生死垢故；菩提心者，如白氎线，从本已来性清净故；菩提心者，如快利犁，能治一切众生田故；菩提心者，如那罗延，能摧一切我见敌故；菩提心者，犹如快箭，能破一切诸苦的故；菩提心者，犹如利矛，能穿一切烦恼甲故；菩提心者，犹如坚甲，能护一切如理心故；菩提心者，犹如利刀，能斩一切烦恼首故；菩提心者，犹如利剑，能断一切憍慢铠故；菩提心者，如勇将幢，能伏一切诸魔军故；菩提心者，犹如利锯，能截一切无明树故；菩提心者，犹如利斧，能伐一切诸苦树故；菩提心者，犹如兵仗，能防一切诸苦难故；菩提心者，犹如善手，防护一切诸度身故；菩提心者，犹如好足，安立一切诸功德故；菩提心者，犹如眼药，灭除一切无明翳故；菩提心者，犹如钳镊，能拔一切身见刺故；菩提心者，犹如卧具，息除生死诸劳苦故；菩提心者，如善知识，能解一切生死缚故；菩提心者，如好珍财，能除一切贫穷事故；菩提心者，如大导师，善知菩萨出要道故；菩提心者，犹如伏藏，出功德财无匮乏故；菩提心者，犹如涌泉，生智慧水无穷尽故；菩提心者，犹如明镜，普现一切法门像故；菩提心者，犹如莲华，不染一切诸罪垢故；菩提心者，犹如大河，流引一切度摄法故；菩提心者，如大龙王，能雨一切妙法雨故；菩提心者，犹如命根，任持菩萨大悲身故；菩提心者，犹如甘露，能令安住不死界故；菩提心者，犹如大网，普摄一切诸众生故；菩提心者，犹如罥索，摄取一切所应化故；菩提心者，犹如钩饵，出有渊中所居者故；菩提心者，如阿伽陀药，能令无病永安隐故；菩提心者，如除毒药，悉能消歇贪爱毒故；菩提心者，如善持咒，能除一切颠倒毒故；菩提心者，犹如疾风，能卷一切诸障雾故；菩提心者，如大宝洲，出生一切觉分宝故；菩提心者，如好种性，出生一切白净法故；菩提心者，犹如住宅，诸功德法所依处故；菩提心者，犹如市肆，菩萨商人贸易处故；菩提心者，如炼金药，能治一切烦恼垢故；菩提心者，犹如好蜜，圆满一切功德味故；菩提心者，犹如正道，令诸菩萨入智城故；菩提心者，犹如好器，能持一切白净法故；菩提心者，犹如时雨，能灭一切烦恼尘故；菩提心者，则为住处，一切菩萨所住处故；菩提心者，则为寿行，不取声闻解脱果故；菩提心者，如净琉璃，自性明洁无诸垢故；菩提心者，如帝青宝，出过世间二乘智故；菩提心者，如更漏鼓，觉诸众生烦恼睡故；菩提心者，如清净水，性本澄洁无垢浊故；菩提心者，如阎浮金，映夺一切有为善故；菩提心者，如大山王，超出一切诸世间故；菩提心者，则为所归，不拒一切诸来者故；菩提心者，则为义利，能除一切衰恼事故；菩提心者，则为妙宝，能令一切心欢喜故；菩提心者，如大施会，充满一切众生心故；菩提心者，则为尊胜，诸众生心无与等故；菩提心者，犹如伏藏，能摄一切诸佛法故；菩提心者，如因陀罗网，能伏烦恼阿修罗故；菩提心者，如婆楼那风，能动一切所应化故；菩提心者，如因陀罗火，能烧一切诸惑习故；菩提心者，如佛支提，一切世间应供养故。
“善男子！菩提心者，成就如是无量功德；举要言之，应知悉与一切佛法诸功德等。何以故？因菩提心出生一切诸菩萨行，三世如来从菩提心而出生故。是故，善男子！若有发阿耨多罗三藐三菩提心者，则已出生无量功德，普能摄取一切智道。
“善男子！譬如有人，得无畏药，离五恐怖。何等为五？所谓：火不能烧，毒不能中，刀不能伤，水不能漂，烟不能熏。菩萨摩诃萨亦复如是，得一切智菩提心药，贪火不烧，瞋毒不中，惑刀不伤，有流不漂，诸觉观烟不能熏害。
“善男子！譬如有人，得解脱药，终无横难。菩萨摩诃萨亦复如是，得菩提心解脱智药，永离一切生死横难。
“善男子！譬如有人，持摩诃应伽药，毒蛇闻气，即皆远去。菩萨摩诃萨亦复如是，持菩提心大应伽药，一切烦恼诸恶毒蛇，闻其气者，悉皆散灭。
“善男子！譬如有人，持无胜药，一切怨敌无能胜者。菩萨摩诃萨亦复如是，持菩提心无能胜药，悉能降伏一切魔军。
“善男子！譬如有人，持毗笈摩药，能令毒箭自然堕落。菩萨摩诃萨亦复如是，持菩提心毗笈摩药，令贪、恚、痴、诸邪见箭自然堕落。
“善男子！譬如有人，持善见药，能除一切所有诸病。菩萨摩诃萨亦复如是，持菩提心善见药王，悉除一切诸烦恼病。
“善男子！如有药树，名：珊陀那，有取其皮以涂疮者，疮即除愈；然其树皮，随取随生，终不可尽。菩萨摩诃萨从菩提心生一切智树亦复如是，若有得见而生信者，烦恼业疮悉得消灭，一切智树初无所损。
“善男子！如有药树，名：无生根，以其力故，增长一切阎浮提树。菩萨摩诃萨菩提心树亦复如是，以其力故，增长一切学与无学及诸菩萨所有善法。
“善男子！譬如有药，名：阿蓝婆，若用涂身，身之与心咸有堪能。菩萨摩诃萨得菩提心阿蓝婆药亦复如是，令其身心增长善法。
“善男子！譬如有人，得念力药，凡所闻事忆持不忘。菩萨摩诃萨得菩提心念力妙药，悉能闻持一切佛法皆无忘失。
“善男子！譬如有药，名：大莲华，其有服者住寿一劫。菩萨摩诃萨服菩提心大莲华药亦复如是，于无数劫，寿命自在。
“善男子！譬如有人，执翳形药，人与非人悉不能见。菩萨摩诃萨执菩提心翳形妙药，一切诸魔不能得见。
“善男子！如海有珠，名：普集众宝，此珠若在，假使劫火焚烧世间，能令此海减于一滴，无有是处。菩萨摩诃萨菩提心珠亦复如是，住于菩萨大愿海中，若常忆持不令退失，能坏菩萨一善根者，终无是处；若退其心，一切善法即皆散灭。
“善男子！如有摩尼，名：大光明，有以此珠璎珞身者，映蔽一切宝庄严具，所有光明悉皆不现。菩萨摩诃萨菩提心宝亦复如是，璎珞其身，映蔽一切二乘心宝，诸庄严具悉无光彩。
“善男子！如水清珠，能清浊水。菩萨摩诃萨菩提心珠亦复如是，能清一切烦恼垢浊。
“善男子！譬如有人，得住水宝，系其身上，入大海中，不为水害。菩萨摩诃萨亦复如是，得菩提心住水妙宝，入于一切生死海中，终不沉没。
“善男子！譬如有人，得龙宝珠，持入龙宫，一切龙蛇不能为害。菩萨摩诃萨亦复如是，得菩提心大龙宝珠，入欲界中，烦恼龙蛇不能为害。
“善男子！譬如帝释，著摩尼冠，映蔽一切诸余天众。菩萨摩诃萨亦复如是，著菩提心大愿宝冠，超过一切三界众生。
“善男子！譬如有人，得如意珠，除灭一切贫穷之苦。菩萨摩诃萨亦复如是，得菩提心如意宝珠，远离一切邪命怖畏。
“善男子！譬如有人，得日精珠，持向日光而生于火。菩萨摩诃萨亦复如是，得菩提心智日宝珠，持向智光而生智火。
“善男子！譬如有人，得月精珠，持向月光而生于水。菩萨摩诃萨亦复如是，得菩提心月精宝珠，持此心珠，鉴回向光，而生一切善根愿水。
“善男子！譬如龙王，首戴如意摩尼宝冠，远离一切怨敌怖畏。菩萨摩诃萨亦复如是，著菩提心大悲宝冠，远离一切恶道诸难。
“善男子！如有宝珠，名：一切世间庄严藏，若有得者，令其所欲悉得充满，而此宝珠无所损减。菩提心宝亦复如是，若有得者，令其所愿悉得满足，而菩提心无有损减。
“善男子！如转轮王，有摩尼宝，置于宫中，放大光明，破一切暗。菩萨摩诃萨亦复如是，以菩提心大摩尼宝，住于欲界，放大智光，悉破诸趣无明黑暗。
“善男子！譬如帝青大摩尼宝，若有为此光明所触，即同其色。菩萨摩诃萨菩提心宝亦复如是，观察诸法回向善根，靡不即同菩提心色。
“善男子！如琉璃宝，于百千岁处不净中，不为臭秽之所染著，性本净故。菩萨摩诃萨菩提心宝亦复如是，于百千劫住欲界中，不为欲界过患所染，犹如法界性清净故。
“善男子！譬如有宝，名：净光明，悉能映蔽一切宝色。菩萨摩诃萨菩提心宝亦复如是，悉能映蔽一切凡夫二乘功德。
“善男子！譬如有宝，名为：火焰，悉能除灭一切暗冥。菩萨摩诃萨菩提心宝亦复如是，能灭一切无知暗冥。
“善男子！譬如海中有无价宝，商人采得，船载入城；诸余摩尼百千万种，光色、价直无与等者。菩提心宝亦复如是，住于生死大海之中，菩萨摩诃萨乘大愿船，深心相续，载之来入解脱城中，二乘功德无能及者。
“善男子！如有宝珠，名：自在王，处阎浮洲，去日月轮四万由旬，日月宫中所有庄严，其珠影现悉皆具足。菩萨摩诃萨发菩提心净功德宝亦复如是，住生死中，照法界空，佛智日月一切功德悉于中现。
“善男子！如有宝珠，名：自在王，日月光明所照之处，一切财宝、衣服等物，所有价直悉不能及。菩萨摩诃萨发菩提心自在王宝亦复如是，一切智光所照之处，三世所有天人、二乘漏无漏善一切功德皆不能及。
“善男子！海中有宝，名曰：海藏，普现海中诸庄严事。菩萨摩诃萨菩提心宝亦复如是，普能显现一切智海诸庄严事。
“善男子！譬如天上阎浮檀金，唯除心王大摩尼宝，余无及者。菩萨摩诃萨发菩提心阎浮檀金亦复如是，除一切智心王大宝，余无及者。
“善男子！譬如有人，善调龙法，于诸龙中而得自在。菩萨摩诃萨亦复如是，得菩提心善调龙法，于诸一切烦恼龙中而得自在。
“善男子！譬如勇士，被执铠仗，一切怨敌无能降伏。菩萨摩诃萨亦复如是，被执菩提大心铠仗，一切业惑诸恶怨敌无能屈伏。
“善男子！譬如天上黑栴檀香，若烧一铢，其香普熏小千世界，三千世界满中珍宝所有价直皆不能及。菩萨摩诃萨菩提心香亦复如是，一念功德普熏法界，声闻、缘觉一切功德皆所不及。
“善男子！如白栴檀，若以涂身，悉能除灭一切热恼，令其身心普得清凉；菩萨摩诃萨菩提心香亦复如是，能除一切虚妄、分别、贪、恚、痴等诸惑热恼，令其具足智慧清凉。
“善男子！如须弥山，若有近者，即同其色。菩萨摩诃萨菩提心山亦复如是，若有近者，悉得同其一切智色。
“善男子！譬如波利质多罗树，其皮香气，阎浮提中若婆师迦、若薝卜迦、若苏摩那，如是等华所有香气皆不能及。菩萨摩诃萨菩提心树亦复如是，所发大愿功德之香，一切二乘无漏戒定、智慧解脱、解脱知见诸功德香悉不能及。
“善男子！譬如波利质多罗树，虽未开华，应知即是无量诸华出生之处。菩萨摩诃萨菩提心树亦复如是，虽未开发一切智华，应知即是无数天人众菩提华所生之处。
“善男子！譬如波利质多罗华，一日熏衣，薝卜迦华、婆利师华、苏摩那华虽千岁熏亦不能及。菩萨摩诃萨菩提心华亦复如是，一生所熏诸功德香，普彻十方一切佛所，一切二乘无漏功德百千劫熏所不能及。
“善男子！如海岛中生椰子树，根、茎、枝、叶及以华果，一切众生恒取受用无时暂歇。菩萨摩诃萨菩提心树亦复如是，始从发起悲愿之心，乃至成佛，正法住世，常时利益一切世间无有间歇。
“善男子！如有药汁，名：诃宅迦，人或得之，以其一两变千两铜，悉成真金，非千两铜能变此药。菩萨摩诃萨亦复如是，以菩提心回向智药，普变一切业惑等法，悉使成于一切智相，非业惑等能变其心。
“善男子！譬如小火，随所焚烧，其焰转炽。菩萨摩诃萨菩提心火亦复如是，随所攀缘，智焰增长。
“善男子！譬如一灯，然百千灯，其本一灯无减无尽。菩萨摩诃萨菩提心灯亦复如是，普然三世诸佛智灯，而其心灯无减无尽。
“善男子！譬如一灯，入于暗室，百千年暗悉能破尽。菩萨摩诃萨菩提心灯亦复如是，入于众生心室之内，百千万亿不可说劫诸业烦恼、种种暗障悉能除尽。
“善男子！譬如灯炷，随其大小而发光明；若益膏油，明终不绝。菩萨摩诃萨菩提心灯亦复如是，大愿为炷，光照法界；益大悲油，教化众生，庄严国土，施作佛事，无有休息。
“善男子！譬如他化自在天王，冠阎浮檀真金天冠，欲界天子诸庄严具皆不能及。菩萨摩诃萨亦复如是，冠菩提心大愿天冠，一切凡夫、二乘功德皆不能及。
“善男子！如师子王哮吼之时，师子儿闻皆增勇健，余兽闻之即皆窜伏。佛师子王菩提心吼应知亦尔，诸菩萨闻增长功德，有所得者闻皆退散。
“善男子！譬如有人，以师子筋而为乐弦；其音既奏，余弦悉绝。菩萨摩诃萨亦复如是，以如来师子波罗蜜身菩提心筋为法乐弦；其音既奏，一切五欲及以二乘诸功德弦悉皆断灭。
“善男子！譬如有人，以牛羊等种种诸乳，假使积集盈于大海，以师子乳一滴投中，悉皆变坏，直过无碍。菩萨摩诃萨亦复如是，以如来师子菩提心乳，著无量劫业烦恼乳大海之中，悉令坏灭，直过无碍，终不住于二乘解脱。
“善男子！譬如迦陵频伽鸟，在卵榖（注）中有大势力，一切诸鸟所不能及。菩萨摩诃萨亦复如是，于生死榖（注）发菩提心，所有大悲功德势力，声闻、缘觉无能及者。
“善男子！如金翅鸟王子，初始生时，目则明利，飞则劲捷，一切诸鸟虽久成长无能及者。菩萨摩诃萨亦复如是，发菩提心，为佛王子，智慧清净，大悲勇猛，一切二乘虽百千劫久修道行所不能及。
“善男子！如有壮夫，手执利矛，刺坚密甲，直过无碍。菩萨摩诃萨亦复如是，执菩提心铦利快矛，刺诸邪见随眠密甲，悉能穿彻无有障碍。
“善男子！譬如摩诃那伽大力勇士，若奋威怒，于其额上必生疮疱；疮若未合，阎浮提中一切人民无能制伏。菩萨摩诃萨亦复如是，若起大悲，必定发于菩提之心；心未舍来，一切世间魔及魔民不能为害。
“善男子！譬如射师有诸弟子，虽未惯习其师技艺，然其智慧、方便、善巧，余一切人所不能及。菩萨摩诃萨初始发心亦复如是，虽未惯习一切智行，然其所有愿、智、解、欲，一切世间凡夫、二乘悉不能及。
“善男子！如人学射，先安其足，后习其法。菩萨摩诃萨亦复如是，欲学如来一切智道，先当安住菩提之心，然后修行一切佛法。
“善男子！譬如幻师，将作幻事，先当起意忆持幻法，然后所作悉得成就。菩萨摩诃萨亦复如是，将起一切诸佛菩萨神通幻事，先当起意发菩提心，然后一切悉得成就。
“善男子！譬如幻术，无色现色。菩萨摩诃萨菩提心相亦复如是，虽无有色，不可睹见，然能普于十方法界示现种种功德庄严。
“善男子！譬如猫狸，才见于鼠，鼠即入穴不敢复出。菩萨摩诃萨发菩提心亦复如是，暂以慧眼观诸惑业，皆即窜匿不复出生。
“善男子！譬如有人，著阎浮金庄严之具，映蔽一切皆如聚墨。菩萨摩诃萨亦复如是，著菩提心庄严之具，映蔽一切凡夫二乘功德庄严悉无光色。
“善男子！如好磁石，少分之力，即能吸坏诸铁钩锁。菩萨摩诃萨发菩提心亦复如是，若起一念，悉能坏灭一切见欲无明钩锁。
“善男子！如有磁石，铁若见之，即皆散去，无留住者。菩萨摩诃萨发菩提心亦复如是，诸业烦恼、二乘解脱，若暂见之，即皆散灭，亦无住者。
“善男子！譬如有人，善入大海，一切水族无能为害；假使入于摩竭鱼口，亦不为彼之所吞噬。菩萨摩诃萨亦复如是，发菩提心入生死海，诸业烦恼不能为害；假使入于声闻、缘觉实际法中，亦不为其之所留难。
“善男子！譬如有人，饮甘露浆，一切诸物不能为害。菩萨摩诃萨亦复如是，饮菩提心甘露法浆，不堕声闻、辟支佛地，以具广大悲愿力故。
“善男子！譬如有人，得安缮那药以涂其目，虽行人间，人所不见。菩萨摩诃萨亦复如是，得菩提心安缮那药，能以方便入魔境界，一切众魔所不能见。
“善男子！譬如有人，依附于王，不畏余人。菩萨摩诃萨亦复如是，依菩提心大势力王，不畏障、盖、恶道之难。
“善男子！譬如有人，住于水中，不畏火焚。菩萨摩诃萨亦复如是，住菩提心善根水中，不畏二乘解脱智火。
“善男子！譬如有人，依倚猛将，即不怖畏一切怨敌。菩萨摩诃萨亦复如是，依菩提心勇猛大将，不畏一切恶行怨敌。
“善男子！如释天王，执金刚杵，摧伏一切阿修罗众。菩萨摩诃萨亦复如是，持菩提心金刚之杵，摧伏一切诸魔外道。
“善男子！譬如有人，服延龄药，长得充健，不老不瘦。菩萨摩诃萨亦复如是，服菩提心延龄之药，于无数劫修菩萨行，心无疲厌亦无染著。
“善男子！譬如有人，调和药汁，必当先取好清净水。菩萨摩诃萨亦复如是，欲修菩萨一切行愿，先当发起菩提之心。
“善男子！如人护身，先护命根。菩萨摩诃萨亦复如是，护持佛法，亦当先护菩提之心。
“善男子！譬如有人，命根若断，不能利益父母、宗亲。菩萨摩诃萨亦复如是，舍菩提心，不能利益一切众生，不能成就诸佛功德。
“善男子！譬如大海，无能坏者。菩提心海亦复如是，诸业烦恼、二乘之心所不能坏。
“善男子！譬如日光，星宿光明不能映蔽。菩提心日亦复如是，一切二乘无漏智光所不能蔽。
“善男子！如王子初生，即为大臣之所尊重，以种性自在故。菩萨摩诃萨亦复如是，于佛法中发菩提心，即为耆宿久修梵行声闻、缘觉所共尊重，以大悲自在故。
“善男子！譬如王子，年虽幼稚，一切大臣皆悉敬礼。菩萨摩诃萨亦复如是，虽初发心修菩萨行，二乘耆旧皆应敬礼。
“善男子！譬如王子，虽于一切臣佐之中未得自在，已具王相，不与一切诸臣佐等，以生处尊胜故。菩萨摩诃萨亦复如是，虽于一切业烦恼中未得自在，然已具足菩提之相，不与一切二乘齐等，以种性第一故。
“善男子！譬如清净摩尼妙宝，眼有翳故见为不净。菩萨摩诃萨菩提心宝亦复如是，无智不信谓为不净。
“善男子！譬如有药，为咒所持，若有众生见、闻、同住，一切诸病皆得消灭。菩萨摩诃萨菩提心药亦复如是，一切善根、智慧、方便、菩萨愿智共所摄持，若有众生见、闻、同住、忆念之者，诸烦恼病悉得除灭。
“善男子！譬如有人，常持甘露，其身毕竟不变不坏。菩萨摩诃萨亦复如是，若常忆持菩提心露，令愿智身毕竟不坏。
“善男子！如机关木人，若无有楔，身即离散，不能运动。菩萨摩诃萨亦复如是，无菩提心，行即分散，不能成就一切佛法。
“善男子！如转轮王，有沉香宝，名曰：象藏；若烧此香，王四种兵悉腾虚空。菩萨摩诃萨菩提心香亦复如是，若发此意，即令菩萨一切善根永出三界，行如来智无为空中。“善男子！譬如金刚，唯从金刚处及金处生，非余宝处生。菩萨摩诃萨菩提心金刚亦复如是，唯从大悲救护众生金刚处、一切智智殊胜境界金处而生，非余众生善根处生。
“善男子！譬如有树，名曰：无根，不从根生，而枝、叶、华、果悉皆繁茂。菩萨摩诃萨菩提心树亦复如是，无根可得，而能长养一切智智神通大愿；枝、叶、华、果，扶疏荫映，普覆世间。
“善男子！譬如金刚，非劣恶器及以破器所能容持，唯除全具上妙之器。菩提心金刚亦复如是，非下劣众生悭、嫉、破戒、懈怠、妄念、无智器中所能容持，亦非退失殊胜志愿、散乱、恶觉众生器中所能容持，唯除菩萨深心宝器。
“善男子！譬如金刚，能穿众宝。菩提心金刚亦复如是，悉能穿彻一切法宝。
“善男子！譬如金刚，能坏众山。菩提心金刚亦复如是，悉能摧坏诸邪见山。
“善男子！譬如金刚，虽破不全，一切众宝犹不能及。菩提心金刚亦复如是，虽复志劣，少有亏损，犹胜一切二乘功德。
“善男子！譬如金刚，虽有损缺，犹能除灭一切贫穷。菩提心金刚亦复如是，虽有损缺，不进诸行，犹能舍离一切生死。
“善男子！如小金刚，悉能破坏一切诸物。菩提心金刚亦复如是，入少境界，即破一切无知诸惑。
“善男子！譬如金刚，非凡人所得。菩提心金刚亦复如是，非劣意众生之所能得。
“善男子！譬如金刚，不识宝人不知其能、不得其用。菩提心金刚亦复如是，不知法人不了其能、不得其用。
“善男子！譬如金刚，无能销灭。菩提心金刚亦复如是，一切诸法无能销灭。
“善男子！如金刚杵，诸大力人皆不能持，唯除有大那罗延力。菩提之心亦复如是，一切二乘皆不能持，唯除菩萨广大因缘坚固善力。
“善男子！譬如金刚，一切诸物无能坏者，而能普坏一切诸物，然其体性无所损减。菩提之心亦复如是，普于三世无数劫中，教化众生，修行苦行，声闻、缘觉所不能者咸能作之，然其毕竟无有疲厌亦无损坏。
“善男子！譬如金刚，余不能持，唯金刚地之所能持。菩提之心亦复如是，声闻、缘觉皆不能持，唯除趣向萨婆若者。
“善男子！如金刚器，无有瑕缺用盛于水，永不渗漏而入于地。菩提心金刚器亦复如是，盛善根水，永不渗漏，令入诸趣。
“善男子！如金刚际，能持大地，不令坠没。菩提之心亦复如是，能持菩萨一切行愿，不令坠没入于三界。
“善男子！譬如金刚，久处水中，不烂不湿。菩提之心亦复如是，于一切劫处，在生死业惑水中，无坏无变。
“善男子！譬如金刚，一切诸火不能烧然、不能令热。菩提之心亦复如是，一切生死诸烦恼火不能烧然、不能令热。
“善男子！譬如三千世界之中金刚座上，能持诸佛坐于道场、降伏诸魔、成等正觉，非是余座之所能持。菩提心座亦复如是，能持菩萨一切愿行、诸波罗蜜、诸忍、诸地、回向、受记、修集菩提助道之法、供养诸佛、闻法受行，一切余心所不能持。
“善男子！菩提心者，成就如是无量无边乃至不可说不可说殊胜功德。若有众生发阿耨多罗三藐三菩提心，则获如是胜功德法。是故，善男子！汝获善利！汝发阿耨多罗三藐三菩提心，求菩萨行，已得如是大功德故。
“善男子！如汝所问：菩萨云何学菩萨行、修菩萨道？善男子！汝可入此毗卢遮那庄严藏大楼阁中周遍观察，则能了知学菩萨行，学已成就无量功德。”
尔时，善财童子恭敬右绕弥勒菩萨摩诃萨已，而白之言：“唯愿大圣开楼阁门，令我得入！”
时，弥勒菩萨前诣楼阁，弹指出声，其门即开，命善财入。善财心喜，入已还闭。
见其楼阁广博无量同于虚空，阿僧祇宝以为其地；阿僧祇宫殿、阿僧祇门闼、阿僧祇窗牖、阿僧祇阶陛、阿僧祇栏楯、阿僧祇道路，皆七宝成；阿僧祇幡、阿僧祇幢、阿僧祇盖，周回间列；阿僧祇众宝璎珞、阿僧祇真珠璎珞、阿僧祇赤真珠璎珞、阿僧祇师子珠璎珞，处处垂下；阿僧祇半月、阿僧祇缯带、阿僧祇宝网，以为严饰；阿僧祇宝铎风动成音，散阿僧祇天诸杂华，悬阿僧祇天宝鬘带，严阿僧祇众宝香炉，雨阿僧祇细末金屑，悬阿僧祇宝镜，然阿僧祇宝灯，布阿僧祇宝衣，列阿僧祇宝帐，设阿僧祇宝坐，阿僧祇宝缯以敷座上；阿僧祇阎浮檀金童女像、阿僧祇杂宝诸形像、阿僧祇妙宝菩萨像，处处充遍；阿僧祇众鸟出和雅音；阿僧祇宝优钵罗华、阿僧祇宝波头摩华、阿僧祇宝拘物头华、阿僧祇宝芬陀利华，以为庄严；阿僧祇宝树次第行列，阿僧祇摩尼宝放大光明。如是等无量阿僧祇诸庄严具，以为庄严。
又见其中，有无量百千诸妙楼阁，一一严饰悉如上说；广博严丽皆同虚空，不相障碍亦无杂乱。善财童子于一处中见一切处，一切诸处悉如是见。
尔时，善财童子见毗卢遮那庄严藏楼阁如是种种不可思议自在境界，生大欢喜，踊跃无量，身心柔软，离一切想，除一切障，灭一切惑，所见不忘，所闻能忆，所思不乱，入于无碍解脱之门。普运其心，普见一切，普申敬礼，才始稽首，以弥勒菩萨威神之力，自见其身遍在一切诸楼阁中，具见种种不可思议自在境界。
所谓：或见弥勒菩萨初发无上菩提心时如是名字、如是种族，如是善友之所开悟，令其种植如是善根、住如是寿、在如是劫、值如是佛、处于如是庄严刹土、修如是行、发如是愿；彼诸如来如是众会、如是寿命，经尔许时亲近供养。──悉皆明见。
或见弥勒最初证得慈心三昧，从是已来，号为慈氏；或见弥勒修诸妙行，成满一切诸波罗蜜；或见得忍，或见住地，或见成就清净国土，或见护持如来正教，为大法师，得无生忍，某时、某处、某如来所受于无上菩提之记。
或见弥勒为转轮王，劝诸众生住十善道；或为护世，饶益众生；或为释天，呵责五欲；或为焰摩天王，赞不放逸；或为兜率天王，称叹一生菩萨功德；或为化乐天王，为诸天众现诸菩萨变化庄严；或为他化自在天王，为诸天众演说一切诸佛之法；或作魔王，说一切法皆悉无常；或为梵王，说诸禅定无量喜乐；或为阿修罗王，入大智海，了法如幻，为其众会常演说法，断除一切憍慢醉慠。
或复见其处阎罗界，放大光明，救地狱苦；或见在于饿鬼之处，施诸饮食，济彼饥渴；或见在于畜生之道，种种方便，调伏众生。
或复见为护世天王众会说法，或复见为忉利天王众会说法，或复见为焰摩天王众会说法，或复见为兜率天王众会说法，或复见为化乐天王众会说法，或复见为他化自在天王众会说法，或复见为大梵王众会说法，或复见为龙王众会说法，或复见为夜叉、罗刹王众会说法，或复见为乾闼婆、紧那罗王众会说法，或复见为阿修罗、陀那婆王众会说法，或复见为迦楼罗、摩睺罗伽王众会说法，或复见为其余一切人、非人等众会说法，或复见为声闻众会说法，或复见为缘觉众会说法，或复见为初发心乃至一生所系已灌顶者诸菩萨众而演说法。
或见赞说初地乃至十地所有功德，或见赞说满足一切诸波罗蜜，或见赞说入诸忍门，或见赞说诸大三昧门，或见赞说甚深解脱门，或见赞说诸禅三昧神通境界，或见赞说诸菩萨行，或见赞说诸大誓愿，或见与诸同行菩萨赞说世间资生工巧种种方便利众生事，或见与诸一生菩萨赞说一切佛灌顶门。
或见弥勒于百千年，经行、读诵、书写经卷，勤求观察，为众说法，或入诸禅四无量心，或入遍处及诸解脱，或入三昧以方便力现诸神变。
或见诸菩萨入变化三昧，各于其身一一毛孔，出于一切变化身云；或见出天众身云，或见出龙众身云，或见出夜叉、乾闼婆、紧那罗、阿修罗、迦楼罗、摩睺罗伽、释、梵、护世、转轮圣王、小王、王子、大臣、官属、长者、居士身云，或见出声闻、缘觉及诸菩萨、如来身云，或见出一切众生身云。
或见出妙音，赞诸菩萨种种法门。所谓：赞说菩提心功德门；赞说檀波罗蜜乃至智波罗蜜功德门；赞说诸摄、诸禅、诸无量心，及诸三昧、三摩钵底、诸通、诸明、总持、辩才、诸谛、诸智、止观、解脱、诸缘、诸依、诸说法门；赞说念、处、正勤、神足、根、力、七菩提分、八圣道分、诸声闻乘、诸独觉乘、诸菩萨乘、诸地、诸忍、诸行、诸愿，如是等一切诸功德门。
或复于中，见诸如来，大众围绕；亦见其佛生处、种姓、身形、寿命、刹劫、名号、说法利益、教住久近，乃至所有道场众会种种不同，悉皆明见。
又复于彼庄严藏内诸楼阁中，见一楼阁，高广严饰，最上无比；于中悉见三千世界百亿四天下、百亿兜率陀天，一一皆有弥勒菩萨降神诞生、释梵天王捧持顶戴、游行七步、观察十方、大师子吼、现为童子、居处宫殿、游戏园苑、为一切智出家苦行、示受乳糜、往诣道场、降伏诸魔、成等正觉、观菩提树、梵王劝请转正法轮、升天宫殿而演说法、劫数寿量、众会庄严、所净国土、所修行愿、教化成熟众生方便、分布舍利、住持教法，皆悉不同。
尔时，善财自见其身，在彼一切诸如来所；亦见于彼一切众会、一切佛事，忆持不忘，通达无碍。复闻一切诸楼阁内，宝网铃铎及诸乐器，皆悉演畅不可思议微妙法音，说种种法。所谓：或说菩萨发菩提心，或说修行波罗蜜行，或说诸愿，或说诸地，或说恭敬供养如来，或说庄严诸佛国土，或说诸佛说法差别。如上所说一切佛法，悉闻其音，敷畅辩了。
又闻某处，有某菩萨，闻某法门，某善知识之所劝导发菩提心，于某劫、某刹、某如来所、某大众中，闻于某佛如是功德，发如是心，起如是愿，种于如是广大善根；经若干劫修菩萨行，于尔许时当成正觉，如是名号，如是寿量，如是国土，具足庄严，满如是愿，化如是众，如是声闻、菩萨众会；般涅槃后，正法住世，经尔许劫，利益如是无量众生。
或闻某处，有某菩萨，布施、持戒、忍辱、精进、禅定、智慧，修习如是诸波罗蜜。或闻某处有某菩萨，为求法故，弃舍王位及诸珍宝、妻子、眷属、手、足、头、目，一切身分皆无所悋。或闻某处，有某菩萨，守护如来所说正法，为大法师，广行法施，建法幢，吹法螺，击法鼓，雨法雨，造佛塔庙，作佛形像，施诸众生一切乐具。或闻某处，有某如来，于某劫中，成等正觉，如是国土，如是众会，如是寿命，说如是法，满如是愿，教化如是无量众生。
善财童子闻如是等不可思议微妙法音，身心欢喜，柔软悦怿，即得无量诸总持门、诸辩才门、诸禅、诸忍、诸愿、诸度、诸通、诸明，及诸解脱、诸三昧门。
又见一切诸宝镜中种种形像。所谓：或见诸佛众会道场，或见菩萨众会道场，或见声闻众会道场，或见缘觉众会道场，或见净世界，或见不净世界，或见净不净世界，或见不净净世界，或见有佛世界，或见无佛世界，或见小世界，或见中世界，或见大世界，或见因陀罗网世界，或见覆世界，或见仰世界，或见平坦世界，或见地狱、畜生、饿鬼所住世界，或见天人充满世界。于如是等诸世界中，见有无数大菩萨众，或行或坐作诸事业，或起大悲怜愍众生，或造诸论利益世间，或受或持，或书或诵，或问或答，三时忏悔，回向发愿。
又见一切诸宝柱中，放摩尼王大光明网，或青、或黄、或赤、或白、或玻璃色、或水精色、或帝青色、或虹霓色、或阎浮檀金色，或作一切诸光明色。
又见彼阎浮檀金童女及众宝像，或以其手而执华云，或执衣云，或执幢幡，或执鬘盖，或持种种涂香、末香，或持上妙摩尼宝网，或垂金锁，或挂璎珞，或举其臂捧庄严具，或低其首垂摩尼冠，曲躬瞻仰，目不暂舍。
又见彼真珠璎珞，常出香水，具八功德；琉璃、璎珞，百千光明，同时照耀；幢、幡、网、盖，如是等物，一切皆以众宝庄严。
又复见彼优钵罗华、波头摩华、拘物头华、芬陀利华，各各生于无量诸华，或大一手，或长一肘，或复纵广犹如车轮，一一华中皆悉示现种种色像以为严饰。所谓：男色像、女色像、童男色像、童女色像、释、梵、护世、天、龙、夜叉、乾闼婆、阿修罗、迦楼罗、紧那罗、摩睺罗伽、声闻、缘觉及诸菩萨。如是一切众生色像，皆悉合掌，曲躬礼敬。
亦见如来结跏趺坐，三十二相庄严其身。
又复见彼净琉璃地，一一步间，现不思议种种色像。所谓：世界色像、菩萨色像、如来色像及诸楼阁庄严色像。
又于宝树枝、叶、华、果一一事中，悉见种种半身色像。所谓：佛半身色像、菩萨半身色像，天、龙、夜叉，乃至护世、转轮圣王、小王、王子、大臣、官长，及以四众半身色像。其诸色像，或执华鬘，或执璎珞，或持一切诸庄严具；或有曲躬合掌礼敬，一心瞻仰，目不暂舍；或有赞叹，或入三昧。其身悉以相好庄严，普放种种诸色光明，所谓：金色光明、银色光明、珊瑚色光明、兜沙罗色光明、帝青色光明、毗卢遮那宝色光明、一切众宝色光明、瞻波迦华色光明。
又见诸楼阁半月像中，出阿僧祇日月星宿种种光明普照十方。
又见诸楼阁周回四壁，一一步内，一切众宝以为庄严。一一宝中，皆现弥勒曩劫修行菩萨道时，或施头目，或施手足、唇舌、牙齿、耳鼻、血肉、皮肤、骨髓乃至爪发，如是一切，悉皆能舍；妻妾、男女、城邑、聚落、国土、王位，随其所须，尽皆施与。处牢狱者，令得出离；被系缚者，使其解脱；有疾病者，为其救疗；入邪径者，示其正道。或为船师，令度大海；或为马王，救护恶难；或为大仙，善说诸论；或为轮王，劝修十善；或为医王，善疗众病；或孝顺父母，或亲近善友，或作声闻，或作缘觉，或作菩萨，或作如来，教化调伏一切众生；或为法师，奉行佛教，受持读诵，如理思惟，立佛支提，作佛形像，若自供养，若劝于他，涂香散华，恭敬礼拜。如是等事，相续不绝。或见坐于师子之座，广演说法，劝诸众生安住十善，一心归向佛、法、僧宝，受持五戒及八斋戒，出家听法，受持读诵，如理修行。
乃至见于弥勒菩萨，百千亿那由他阿僧祇劫，修行诸度一切色像；又见弥勒曾所承事诸善知识，悉以一切功德庄严；亦见弥勒在彼一一善知识所，亲近供养，受行其教，乃至住于灌顶之地。
时，诸知识告善财言：“善来童子！汝观此菩萨不思议事，莫生疲厌。”
尔时，善财童子得不忘失忆念力故，得见十方清净眼故，得善观察无碍智故，得诸菩萨自在智故，得诸菩萨已入智地广大解故，于一切楼阁一一物中，悉见如是及余无量不可思议自在境界诸庄严事。
譬如有人，于睡梦中见种种物，所谓：城邑、聚落、宫殿、园苑、山林、河池、衣服、饮食乃至一切资生之具；或见自身父母兄弟、内外亲属；或见大海须弥山王，乃至一切诸天宫殿、阎浮提等四天下事；或见其身形量广大百千由旬，房舍、衣服悉皆相称，谓于昼日经无量时不眠不寝受诸安乐。从睡觉已，乃知是梦，而能明记所见之事。善财童子亦复如是，以弥勒菩萨力所持故，知三界法皆如梦故，灭诸众生狭劣想故，得无障碍广大解故，住诸菩萨胜境界故，入不思议方便智故，能见如是自在境界。譬如有人，将欲命终，见随其业所受报相：行恶业者，见于地狱、畜生、饿鬼所有一切众苦境界，或见狱卒手持兵仗或瞋或骂囚执将去，亦闻号叫、悲叹之声，或见灰河，或见镬汤，或见刀山，或见剑树，种种逼迫，受诸苦恼；作善业者，即见一切诸天宫殿无量天众、天诸采女，种种衣服具足庄严，宫殿、园林尽皆妙好。身虽未死，而由业力见如是事。善财童子亦复如是，以菩萨业不思议力，得见一切庄严境界。
譬如有人，为鬼所持，见种种事，随其所问，悉皆能答。善财童子亦复如是，菩萨智慧之所持故，见彼一切诸庄严事，若有问者，靡不能答。
譬如有人，为龙所持，自谓是龙，入于龙宫，于少时间，自谓已经日月年载。善财童子亦复如是，以住菩萨智慧想故，弥勒菩萨所加持故，于少时间谓无量劫。
譬如梵宫，名：庄严藏，于中悉见三千世界一切诸物不相杂乱。善财童子亦复如是，于楼观中，普见一切庄严境界种种差别不相杂乱。
譬如比丘，入遍处定，若行、若住、若坐、若卧，随所入定，境界现前。善财童子亦复如是，入于楼观，一切境界悉皆明了。
譬如有人，于虚空中见乾闼婆城具足庄严，悉分别知，无有障碍；譬如夜叉宫殿与人宫殿，同在一处而不相杂，各随其业，所见不同；譬如大海，于中悉见三千世界一切色像；譬如幻师，以幻力故，现诸幻事种种作业。善财童子亦复如是，以弥勒菩萨威神力故，及不思议幻智力故，能以幻智知诸法故，得诸菩萨自在力故，见楼阁中一切庄严自在境界。
尔时，弥勒菩萨摩诃萨即摄神力入楼阁中，弹指作声，告善财言：“善男子起！法性如是，此是菩萨知诸法智因缘聚集所现之相。如是自性，如幻、如梦、如影、如像，悉不成就。”尔时，善财闻弹指声，从三昧起。
弥勒告言：“善男子！汝住菩萨不可思议自在解脱，受诸菩萨三昧喜乐，能见菩萨神力所持、助道所流、愿智所现种种上妙庄严宫殿；见菩萨行，闻菩萨法，知菩萨德，了如来愿。”
善财白言：“唯然！圣者！是善知识加被忆念威神之力。圣者！此解脱门，其名何等？”
弥勒告言：“善男子！此解脱门，名：入三世一切境界不忘念智庄严藏。善男子！此解脱门中，有不可说不可说解脱门，一生菩萨之所能得。”
善财问言：“此庄严事，何处去耶？”
弥勒答言：“于来处去。”
曰：“从何处来？”
曰：“从菩萨智慧神力中来，依菩萨智慧神力而住，无有去处，亦无住处，非集非常，远离一切。善男子！如龙王降雨，不从身出，不从心出，无有积集，而非不见；但以龙王心念力故，霈然洪霔，周遍天下，如是境界不可思议。善男子！彼庄严事亦复如是，不住于内，亦不住外，而非不见；但由菩萨威神之力、汝善根力，见如是事。善男子！譬如幻师作诸幻事，无所从来，无所至去；虽无来去，以幻力故，分明可见。彼庄严事亦复如是，无所从来，亦无所去；虽无来去，然以惯习不可思议幻智力故，及由往昔大愿力故，如是显现。”
善财童子言：“大圣从何处来？”
弥勒言：
“善男子！诸菩萨无来无去，如是而来；无行无住，如是而来；无处无著，不没不生，不住不迁，不动不起，无恋无著，无业无报，无起无灭，不断不常，如是而来。善男子！菩萨从大悲处来，为欲调伏诸众生故；从大慈处来，为欲救护诸众生故；从净戒处来，随其所乐而受生故；从大愿处来，往昔愿力之所持故；从神通处来，于一切处随乐现故；从无动摇处来，恒不舍离一切佛故；从无取舍处来，不役身心使往来故；从智慧方便处来，随顺一切诸众生故；从示现变化处来，犹如影像而化现故。
然，善男子！汝问于我从何处来者。善男子！我从生处摩罗提国而来于此。善男子！彼有聚落，名为：房舍；有长者子，名：瞿波罗。为化其人，令入佛法，而住于彼；又为生处一切人民随所应化而为说法，亦为父母及诸眷属、婆罗门等演说大乘，令其趣入故住于彼。而从彼来。”
善财童子言：“圣者！何者是菩萨生处？”
答言：
“善男子！菩萨有十种生处。何者为十？善男子！菩提心是菩萨生处，生菩萨家故；深心是菩萨生处，生善知识家故；诸地是菩萨生处，生波罗蜜家故；大愿是菩萨生处，生妙行家故；大悲是菩萨生处，生四摄家故；如理观察是菩萨生处，生般若波罗蜜家故；大乘是菩萨生处，生方便善巧家故；教化众生是菩萨生处，生佛家故；智慧方便是菩萨生处，生无生法忍家故；修行一切法是菩萨生处，生过、现、未来一切如来家故。
“善男子！菩萨摩诃萨，以般若波罗蜜为母，方便善巧为父，檀波罗蜜为乳母，尸波罗蜜为养母，忍波罗蜜为庄严具，勤波罗蜜为养育者，禅波罗蜜为浣濯人，善知识为教授师，一切菩提分为伴侣，一切善法为眷属，一切菩萨为兄弟，菩提心为家，如理修行为家法，诸地为家处，诸忍为家族，大愿为家教，满足诸行为顺家法，劝发大乘为绍家业，法水灌顶一生所系菩萨为王太子，成就菩提为能净家族。
“善男子！菩萨如是超凡夫地，入菩萨位，生如来家，住佛种性，能修诸行，不断三宝，善能守护菩萨种族，净菩萨种，生处尊胜，无诸过恶，一切世间天、人、魔、梵、沙门、婆罗门恭敬赞叹。
“善男子！菩萨摩诃萨生于如是尊胜家已，知一切法如影像故，于诸世间无所恶贱；知一切法如变化故，于诸有趣无所染著；知一切法无有我故，教化众生心无疲厌；以大慈悲为体性故，摄受众生不觉劳苦；了达生死犹如梦故，经一切劫而无怖畏；了知诸蕴皆如幻故，示现受生而无疲厌；知诸界、处同法界故，于诸境界无所坏灭；知一切想如阳焰故，入于诸趣不生倒惑；达一切法皆如幻故，入魔境界不起染著；知法身故，一切烦恼不能欺诳；得自在故，于一切趣通达无碍。
“善男子！我身普生一切法界，等一切众生差别色相，等一切众生殊异言音，等一切众生种种名号，等一切众生所乐威仪，随顺世间教化调伏；等一切清净众生示现受生，等一切凡夫众生所作事业，等一切众生想，等一切菩萨愿，而现其身充满法界。
“善男子！我为化度与我往昔同修诸行，今时退失菩提心者；亦为教化父母、亲属；亦为教化诸婆罗门，令其离于种族憍慢，得生如来种性之中。──而生于此阎浮提界、摩罗提国、拘吒聚落、婆罗门家。善男子！我住于此大楼阁中，随诸众生心之所乐，种种方便教化调伏。善男子！我为随顺众生心故，我为成熟兜率天中同行天故，我为示现菩萨福智变化庄严；超过一切诸欲界故，令其舍离诸欲乐故，令知有为皆无常故，令知诸天盛必衰故，为欲示现将降生时大智法门；与一生菩萨共谈论故，为欲摄化诸同行故，为欲教化释迦如来所遣来者令如莲华悉开悟故，于此命终，生兜率天。善男子！我愿满足，成一切智，得菩提时，汝及文殊俱得见我。
“善男子！汝当往诣文殊师利善知识所而问之言：‘菩萨云何学菩萨行？云何而入普贤行门？云何成就？云何广大？云何随顺？云何清净？云何圆满？’善男子！彼当为汝分别演说。何以故？文殊师利所有大愿，非余无量百千亿那由他菩萨之所能有。
“善男子！文殊师利童子，其行广大，其愿无边，出生一切菩萨功德无有休息。善男子！文殊师利常为无量百千亿那由他诸佛母，常为无量百千亿那由他菩萨师，教化成熟一切众生，名称普闻十方世界；常于一切诸佛众中为说法师，一切如来之所赞叹；住甚深智，能如实见一切诸法，通达一切解脱境界，究竟普贤所行诸行。
“善男子！文殊师利童子是汝善知识，令汝得生如来家，长养一切诸善根，发起一切助道法，值遇真实善知识；令汝修一切功德，入一切愿网，住一切大愿；为汝说一切菩萨秘密法，现一切菩萨难思行；与汝往昔同生同行。
“是故，善男子！汝应往诣文殊之所莫生疲厌，文殊师利当为汝说一切功德。何以故？汝先所见诸善知识闻菩萨行、入解脱门、满足大愿，皆是文殊威神之力，文殊师利于一切处咸得究竟。”
时，善财童子顶礼其足，绕无量匝，殷勤瞻仰，辞退而去。
Maitreya
Then Sudhana, his mind enriched by the instructions of spiritual benefactors, went to the region of Samudrakaccha, contemplating that instruction in the conduct of enlightening beings, strengthening his body by thinking of past activities inconsistent with proper conduct, controlling his thoughts by thinking of past mundane mental behavior not conducive to purification of body and mind, contemplating the greater common weal in the present by thinking of the vanity of past involvement in harmful mundane activities, establishing the power of forming correct ideas of the practice of enlightening beings by thinking of former untrue notions based on mere fancy, strengthening the will based on the excellence of striving for the welfare of all beings by thinking of the ills of past striving for his own personal benefit, increasing the energy of his faculties with great inspiration to strive to attain all elements of buddhahood by thinking of past indulgence in pleasure seeking; purifying his being with the vow of enlightening beings connected with correct perception in the present free from delusion by thinking of past endeavors made up of error inextricably bound up with delusion; unifying body and mind with great vigor in action by thinking of past accomplishment of tasks through exertion of great vigor and striving for the attainment of complete buddhahood in the present; developing great joy and happiness by thinking how it would be to go on forever as in the past—helpless amid the ills of unenlightened life—and instead dedicating himself to the aid and benefit of all beings by establishing all the teachings of enlightenment, developing energy in his faculties rooted in inconceivable good by seeing this present life as a cause of old age, sickness, death, and grief, an abode of assemblage and disintegration, and yet the basis and condition of carrying out the practice of enlightening beings forever, absorbing the buddha-teachings that mature sentient beings, seeing the buddhas and going to all their lands, attending all teachers of truth, keeping the instructions of all buddhas, seeking all truths, meeting all spiritual friends, realizing all elements of buddhahood, and embodying the vows of enlightening beings.
In this frame of mind, with these thoughts, engaged in such reasoning, with faith in the grace of all enlightening beings, with admiration for the determination of all enlightening beings, with respect for the determination of all enlightening beings, with reverence for the purity of the senses of all enlightening beings, with the powers of purity of sense derived from attentiveness to the teachings of all enlightening beings, with clarity of mind deriving from respecting all enlightening beings, with provisions of roots of goodness deriving from faith in all enlightening beings, with varieties of offerings deriving from the accomplishments of all enlightening beings, with expressions of respect made equally to all enlightening beings, with observations of the variety of eyes developed in the bodies of all beings, with productions of arrays of descriptions of the conceptual worlds of all beings made with the clarity of expression of all enlightening beings, with perception of the state of presence in the abodes of all buddhas by fulfillment of the mystic power of all enlightening beings of past and present, with awareness of the miracles of buddhas and enlightening beings everywhere, following the all-pervasiveness of the bodies of all buddhas and enlightening beings in every single point, with perception of the light of superknowledge of the purity of vision of all enlightening beings, with a mind sense comprehending the network of all places as a whole, pervading all levels of the cosmos, with the power of accomplishment of vows, extending everywhere throughout the entirety of space, continuous through past, present, and future, ceaselessly penetrating all truths, entering all areas illumined by the instructions of all spiritual benefactors, by the penetrating power of faith and resolve, Sudhana, his mind pursuing such thoughts of respect, reverence, honor, submission, regard, empowerment, and determination, with the eye of knowledge intent upon the ground of the realm of such infinite knowledge, prostrated himself in front of the door of the great tower, chamber of the adornments of Vairocana, the illuminator.
Contemplating such application of accomplishment for a while, by the power of effectuation of resolute vows, deriving from intense faith, Sudhana projected himself continuously into the presence of all buddhas, and likewise into the presence of all enlightening beings, to the abodes of all spiritual benefactors, to all monuments of buddhas, to all statues of buddhas, to the abodes of all enlightening beings and buddhas, to the locations of all treasures of true teaching, to the presence of all monuments to saints and individual illuminates, to the vicinities of all groups of sages, worthies, and parents: he continuously projected himself into the presence of all beings, by entering into the totality of the body of knowledge, extending everywhere, by focusing attention through knowledge of control of formation of mental images.
And just as he prostrated himself before the great tower of the chamber of the adornments of Vairocana, in the same way he prostrated himself before all the aforementioned beings and objects throughout the cosmos.
“In this way, continuously mystically manifesting the eons of the endless future, by equanimity like the infinity of space, equanimity like the nonobstruction of the reality realm, equanimity toward the omnipresent ultimate limit of reality, the equanimity of absence of false notions in those who realize Thusness, the pervasiveness of perceptions of reflectional knowledge, equanimity toward thoughts as being like dreams, equanimity toward the representations of all worlds as being like reflections, equanimity toward conditional origins being like echoes, equanimity toward nonorigination, equanimity toward formation and disintegration, and equanimity toward the evolution of causal conditions as being equal to nonexistence, believing that development takes place according to actions, believing that results come about according to causes, believing that all Three Vehicles come to be according to accumulation of spiritual practices, believing that the appearance of all buddhas comes from faith, believing that all creations of offerings to buddhas come from devotion, believing that all projections of buddhas derive from respect, believing that the nature of all buddhas derives from the accumulation of virtues, believing that all arrays of mental adornments derive from wisdom and technique, believing that all buddha-teachings derive from vows, believing all the arrays of adornments spreading throughout the realm of realities, the sphere of omniscience, by the practices of all enlightening beings, derive from dedication; and by elimination of nihilism by knowledge of dedication, by elimination of the notion of permanence by knowledge of nonorigination, by elimination of erroneous views of causality by knowledge of causality, by elimination of false views by independent knowledge, by elimination of notions of self and others by knowledge of interdependence, by elimination of views attached to extremes by knowledge of the reality realm without extremes or mean, by elimination of the notion of transmigration by knowledge of the equal extinction of all abodes, by elimination of notions of becoming and decay by knowledge of nonorigination and nonextinction, by elimination of all views by knowledge of the nonorigination of emptiness, by dealing with the nonindependent nature of things with the power of knowledge of how to accomplish vows, by detachment from all notions of appearances by knowledge of the signless ultimate, due to the nature of things being unperishing like seeds producing sprouts, due to the nature of things being like the impression of a stamp, due to the nature of things being like seeing reflected images, due to the nature of things as being represented by sounds that are like echoes, due to the nature of things as arising from acts that are like illusions, due to the nature of things as rousing the formless world of mind, due to the nature of things as results conforming to the accumulation of causes and conditions, due to the nature of things as like developments according to accumulation of acts, due to the nature of things as outgrowths of skill in means, due to the nature of things as flowing into the transcendent equality of reality and unreality—with conscious thought accomplishing entry into knowledge thus, Sudhana prostrated himself before the great tower, the chamber of adornments of Vairocana.
After a long while, his being flooded by the energy of inconceivable roots of goodness, his body and mind refreshed, he rose from the doorstep of the tower, gazed with unblinking eyes at the great tower containing the adornments of Vairocana, circled it respectfully hundreds of thousands of times, and voiced these thoughts: “This is abode of those who dwell in the state of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; this is the abode of those who dwell in the state of nonconceptualization of all things, those who dwell in the state of the unity of the cosmos, those who dwell in the state of ungraspability of the realm of beings, those who dwell in the state of the nonorigination of all things, those who dwell in the state of nonattachment to all worlds, those who dwell in the state of nonreliance on what all worldlings rely on, those who dwell in the state of having shed everything those who dwell in the state of independence from all supports, those who dwell in the state of independence of all bodily existence, those who dwell in the state of annihilation of all afflictive notions, those who dwell in the state of the essence of all things, those who dwell in the state of freedom from false imaginings, those who dwell in the state of detachment from all thought, those who dwell in the state of neither entering nor leaving all perceptions, those who dwell in the state of entry into profound transcendent wisdom, those who dwell in the state of capacity to penetrate the realm of reality in all its aspects, those who dwell in the state of ability to extinguish all afflictions, those who dwell in the higher state of wisdom free from all views, cravings, and conceits, those who dwell in the state of freedom arising from higher knowledge of all meditations, liberations, concentrations and spiritual attainments, those who dwell in the state of development of all spheres of concentration of enlightening beings, those who dwell in the state of presence with all buddhas. This is the abode of those who dwell in the state where one eon enters all eons and all eons enter one eon; those who dwell in the state of the totality of one land and all lands as one land; those who dwell in the state where one thing and all things, all things and one thing, harmonize without conflict; those who dwell in the state of the unity of one being and all beings as one being; those who dwell in the state of nonduality of one buddha and all buddhas, all buddhas and one buddha; those who dwell in the state of instantaneous penetration of all meanings; those who dwell in the state of going to all lands in a single mental pulse; those who dwell in the state of appearance in the abodes of all beings; those who dwell in the state of willing welfare and happiness for all beings; those who dwell in the state of attainment of complete independence.
“This is the abode of those who have dropped all attachments to the world yet appear in the abodes of all beings in order to develop them to maturity; those who are not attached to any land but travel in all lands in the service of buddhas, those who travel in all lands to encompass the arrangement of all buddha-lands, without leaving where they are; those who are in the presence of all buddhas while free from attachment to the conception of Buddha; those who continue to associate with spiritual friends, even though they have no peer in any world in terms of knowledge; those who dwell in the abodes of all demons while yet being detached from passion; those who dwell in the state of comprehension of all ideas while their minds are clear of all ideas; those who adapt to all beings without duality between self and other; those who are physically present in all worldly realms without being cut off from the realm of reality; those who vow to remain in the world for all time without dwelling on the idea of long or short periods; those who appear in all worlds without moving from one spot.
“This is the abode of those who abide in the state of entering everywhere into the recondite realms of truth; those who dwell in the state hard to know; those who dwell in the profound state; those who dwell in the nondual state; those who dwell in the signless state; those who dwell in the unopposed state; those who dwell in the ungraspable state; those who dwell in the nonconceptual state; those who dwell in the state inconceivable to all individual illuminates; those who dwell in the state that is beyond the sphere of all demons; those who dwell in the state that is undefiled by any worldly objects; those who dwell in the state of the transcendent ways of enlightening beings; those who dwell in the state of conformity to the state of all buddhas.
“This is the abode of those who dwell in the state that is void of signs yet do not enter the unchangeability of individual illuminates; those who dwell in the abode of nonorigination of all things and yet do not fall into the condition of nonorigination; those who dwell in contemplation of impurity yet do not make the condition of dispassion their final realization, nor do they live with elements of passion; those who dwell in the state of love, their minds not stained by hatred; those who dwell on interdependent origination, ultimately free from delusion in regard to all things; those who dwell in the four meditation states, yet do not come under the sway of meditation; those who dwell on the four immeasurables, yet do not go to the world of pure form, so that they may develop all sentient beings; those who dwell in the states of the four formless attainments, yet do not go to the formless world, because of universal compassion; those who dwell in the state of tranquillity and insight, yet do not realize knowledge and liberation for themselves alone, so that they may develop all sentient beings; those who dwell in the state of universal equanimity, yet do not abandon the realm of sentient beings; those who dwell in the state of emptiness yet do not stick to it as a view; those whose sphere is not in appearances yet who confront the guidance of beings who act on appearances; those who have no wishes at all, yet do not give up the vows of enlightening beings; those who can control all active afflictions, yet for the sake of developing sentient beings appear to act under the influence of afflictions; those who have ended death and birth by perfect knowledge, yet appear to be born and die; those who are detached from all conditions of existence, yet go into all conditions of existence by the power to guide all beings; those who dwell in love but have no emotional attachment; those who dwell in compassion but show no hesitation; those who dwell in joy but are always grieving because they watch all who are suffering; those who dwell in equanimity while working for others; those who dwell in the attainments of the nine successive stages of meditation, yet do not disdain the realm of desire; those who are independent of all becoming yet do not dwell in the experience of the absolute; those who dwell in the three liberations but do not dwell in the feeling of liberation of individual saints; those who observe the four holy truths but do not dwell in the experience of the result; those who dwell in profound contemplation of interdependent origination but do not dwell in attachment to the ultimate; those who practice the eightfold holy path but do not dwell in ultimate emancipation; those who transcend the states of sentient beings but do not dwell in attachment to individual liberation; those who have perfect knowledge of the five grasping clusters but do not dwell in ultimate extinction of the clusters; those who are beyond the four demons but do not dwell on the idea of demons; those who have transcended the senses yet do not remain ultimately inoperative; those who dwell in Thusness, but do not dwell in the absolute limit of reality; those who show all vehicles of emancipation but do not leave the Great Vehicle—this is the abode of those who abide in all virtues.”
Then Sudhana spoke these verses:
Here is the compassionate, pure-minded Maitreya,
Radiant with love, striving for the good of the world;
At the stage of coronation, heir of the buddhas,
He dwells in contemplation of the enlightened realm.
This is the realm of great knowledge
Of the illustrious offspring of buddhas, secure in liberation;
This is the abode of those unrivaled ones
Who travel the realm of reality without attachment.
This is the abode of those risen from the power of discipline, generosity, patience, and vigor,
Who have reached perfection of the power of mystic knowledge by meditations,
Who are firm in wisdom, technique, resolve, and power,
Who have reached the goal of the Great Vehicle.
This is the abode of those of unobstructed intellect and broad mind,
Enjoying the realm of space, free from dependence,
Penetrating all times, free from obstruction,
Clearly perceiving all being and becoming.
Those who understand the principle of nonorigination of all things
Realize the nature of things as of the essence of space;
They do not rest on anything, like a bird in the sky—
This is the abode of those who are perfect in knowledge.
Those who, knowing the nature of passion, hatred, and delusion
As unreal, evolving from thoughts,
Go to dispassion, free from conception—
This is their abode, who have realized peace and tranquillity.
Investigating the doors of liberation, the truths, their meanings,
The path, the clusters, the senses, beings, and relativity,
Those who do not become attached to quiescience,
This is the abode of those who have entered the realm of unobstructed knowledge,
In whom vain imaginings and false thoughts of lands and beings have ceased,
Who have abandoned the notion of self-existence of things,
Do not grasp things, and are filled with peace.
Those who traverse this cosmos unattached and unhindered
Roam free of existents, like the wind in the sky;
Free from all dependence, acting independently,
This is their abode, those of independent wisdom.
This is the abode of the compassionate ones
Who radiate love to extinguish all the ills
Of all beings in the miserable states of views
Suffering grievous pains.
In the confines of the mundane whirl, having lost the path of the wise,
Like a troop of people born blind without a guide;
Those who see the world like this and guide them to the path of liberation,
Like the leader of a caravan—this is their abode.
This is the abode of those invincible warriors
Who see the world in the snare of demons,
Mastered by birth, sorrow, old age, and death,
And lead the way to safety, peace, and emancipation.
Seeing this world afflicted, diseased,
They gather the medicines of immortal knowledge
And foster release, with great compassion;
This is the abode of those like master physicians.
This is the abode of those like mariners
Who make a ship of good ways
To save those fallen in the sea of death, a mass of sorrows,
Soothing troubled, helpless beings.
Those of pure minds devoted to omniscience
Who relieve beings in the sea of affliction,
Cross the ocean of existence and pull them out—
This is their abode, who are like fishers.
This is the abode of those like giant birds
Who watch the abodes of all beings
With love and compassion, based on great vows,
And pull beings out of the sea of existence.
This is the abode of those who course in the sky of reality,
As suns and moons illumining the abodes of beings,
With the orb of vows and rays of knowledge
Lighting up the world.
This is the abode of the steadfast
Who remain for eons to develop even one being,
And as for one do the same for all,
As refuges for the world.
This is the abode of those of adamant will
Who spend endless ages in a single land
Working tirelessly for the benefit of the world,
And as in one land, do the same everywhere in the ten directions.
This is the abode of those like oceans of intellect
Who imbibe the multitudes of teachings of buddhas
In the ten directions at a single sitting
And continue forever, alert and never complacent.
This is the abode of those unobstructed in action
Who go forth to untold oceans of lands,
Enter the assemblies of the Guides,
And serve the buddhas in various ways.
This is the abode of the mines of all virtue
Who have entered the infinite ocean of practice,
Steadfast, plunging into the ocean of vows,
Acting for the weal of the world for myriad eons.
This is the abode of those with unobstructed eyes
Who perceive infinite lands, buddhas, beings,
And ages, in a single point, going in and out
Without encountering any boundaries.
This is the abode of those exalted in perfection of virtue
Who perceive myriad eons, lands, buddhas, and beings
In a single moment of awareness,
Based on unobstructed knowledge.
This is the abode of those unattached and unhindered in action
Who carry out as many vows
As atoms in all lands
And drops of water in the oceans.
They enter holy undertakings, mnemonic powers, concentrations,
Meditations, liberations, and vows,
Practicing these for endless eons;
The mindful offspring of Buddha are in here.
Here abide the offspring of Buddha, various, diverse;
They carry out many instructive talks,
And, considering arts and sciences beneficial to the world,
They dwell here, in the abode of the wise.
Here they dwell, in knowledge of means of supercognition,
Of all the different patterns of existence everywhere;
They see births and deaths everywhere,
While grounded in liberation within illusion, unhindered in action.
Abiding here, from their first determination,
They show spiritual practice based on the good;
Filling the cosmos with multitudes of emanations,
Thus they show hundreds of miracles.
Those who awaken to enlightenment in an instant of awareness
Enter an endless variety of acts of knowledge;
This is the abode of those who have reached what is hard to attain,
Such that the thought of it would drive the worldling mad.
This is the abode of those whose minds are unhindered,
Who course in the unobstructed reality realm,
Whose sphere is that of nongrasping,
Whose will and intellect are pure.
This is the abode of the peerless ones
Who live and act in all worlds
Without attachment, who abide
In knowledge of nonduality.
This is the abode of the dispassionate
Who realize phenomena are like space in essence,
Without any basis, quiescent,
And live among them as in space.
Here abide the merciful
Who see the world injured by pain and sorrow
And concentrate on the welfare of the world,
Filled with great compassion.
Here the infinitely liberated
Appear in the abodes of all beings
Like the sun and moon,
Free from the snare of the mundane whirl.
Here the offspring of Buddha stay,
Yet in the presence of all buddhas,
Appearing in all lands,
Throughout endless eons.
While here they pervade all directions
With multitudes of emanations,
As many as the bodies of all enlightening beings,
Equal to the universe.
The valiant ones are all in here
Examining the sphere of the enlightened;
They abide for countless eons
Yet never become surfeited.
Here, in each instant awakening
To untold millions of concentrations,
They reveal the realm of buddhahood
In accord with the concentration they enter.
Those of vast perception here
Instantly gain access to
Eons, lands, and buddha-names,
Throughout measureless eons.
In a single thought,
Free of false ideas,
By control of thoughts of the world.
Here, in the abode of concentration,
They see past, present, and future,
Pinpointed on each instant,
As they roam in the palace of liberation.
While here in this abode,
Sitting cross-legged, without disappearing
They simultaneously appear
In all lands, everywhere.
Abiding here, these mighty ones
Drink of the ocean of buddhas’ teachings,
Having gone into the sea of knowledge
And reached the other shore of inexhaustible virtue.
Here, with unobstructed thought,
They think of the number of all buddhas,
The number of all lands and ages,
And the number of all phenomena as well.
Staying here, the offspring of buddhas
Instantly discern the formation and decay
In past, present, and future.
Here, in the palace of enlightening beings,
They observe in all their difference
The action of the buddhas,
The aspirations and faculties of beings.
In a single atom they see
Congregations, lands, beings, and ages,
As numerous as all atoms,
All there without obstruction.
In the same way
They see in all atoms
Congregations, lands, beings, and ages,
Here they discern the essence of things,
Of all lands, ages, and buddhas,
As without inherent existence,
Through the principles of nonbecoming.
Here they observe the equality
Of beings, phenomena, and buddhas,
And discern the equality of lands and endeavors
Of past, present, and future.
The steadfast ones here in this best of abodes
Guide millions of other beings,
Glorify millions of buddhas,
And also contemplate phenomena.
In millions of eons I could not tell
The scope of the undertakings and knowledge
Of the wise, beyond thought,
So endlessly vast is it.
I bow in respect to the abode
Of the blameless ones in the realm of nonobstruction
And to the noble Maitreya, best of enlightening beings,
Unhindered in action, incomparably pure in mind, always aware.
Having praised and honored the enlightening beings dwelling in the great tower of the chamber of adornments of Vairocana in this way with innumerable eulogies of enlightening beings, Sudhana stood at the foot of the tower wishing to see the great enlightening being, desirous of meeting Maitreya. Then he saw Maitreya outside the tower, coming from somewhere else, followed by a great number of beings, respectfully flanked by the gods Indra, Brahma, and the world guardians, surrounded by many relatives and priests, coming toward the great tower of the chamber of the adornments of Vairocana. Seeing Maitreya, Sudhana was uplifted in mind, very happy and joyful, and prostrated himself before Maitreya from afar.
Now Maitreya, seeing Sudhana, pointed him out to the crowd with his right hand and spoke these verses eulogizing the virtuous qualities he had actualized:
Look at Sudhana, pure in mind, born of enduring riches;
Seeking the practice of supreme enlightenment, this wise one has come to me.
Welcome, son of compassion and love, universally kind;
Welcome, tranquil eyes; do not flag in practice.
Welcome, pure of heart, tireless in mind;
Welcome, buoyant in sense; do not flag in practice.
Having set out to contemplate all truths, guide all beings,
And follow all spiritual benefactors,
You are welcome, with your unshakable, steadfast resolve.
You are welcome, having come by a good path, on the path of virtue;
You are welcome, having set forth on the path of the Victors;
May you succeed, never stopping.
Welcome, full of virtue, enriched by goodness;
Your scope of action is endless; it is rare to see such as you in the world.
You consider gain and not gaining equal, you are beyond censure,
Misery, and ill repute; like a lotus, unstained by worldly things,
You are undistracted in mind.
Free from pride and conceit; free from anger, not arrogant,
You are a welcome sight.
Attentive to all fields of awareness, born of the treasures of every dimension,
Developing the treasuries of all buddhas; welcome, indefatigable one.
Aware of past, present, and future, absorbed in the reality realm,
Born of the womb of virtues of all buddhas; welcome, tireless hero.
Sprung from the ground of Manjushri’s knowledge, grown by the watering
Of Meghashri, having sought out all enlightening beings, come—
I will show you the unimpeded realm.
See this net of vows, pervading the cosmos, inconceivable;
Spreading it, drawing forth the path of enlightening practice, Sudhana has come.
Seeking the realm of the Victors, pursuing the practice of the undefiled,
Inquiring into the ocean of vows, this indefatigable one has arrived.
Asking where the past guides have studied, what the future ones will learn,
And what the present ones practice, he has come here.
He comes with the thought of spiritual teachers,
Guides to the realization of all truths,
Teachers of the path of enlightening practice—
Thus he has come here.
He comes with these thoughts: “Enlightening beings increase my wisdom
And grant me enlightenment, they are praised by the buddhas.
“They are my parents, my wet nurses of virtue, always protecting my limbs of enlightenment, keeping me free from all harm.
“As physicians they release me from old age and death,
As celestial beings they shower the ambrosia of immortality;
They are like the moon, clear and full, like the sun,
Showing the way to peace.
“They are like polar mountains, impartial to friend and foe,
Like oceans, unshakable in mind, like pilots and protectors.
“They are valiant givers of fearlessness, reliable caravan leaders, guides who give me well-being”—with these thoughts he serves the Friends.
“They always show all spheres of truth,
Showing the virtue and knowledge of all buddhas;
Removing the ills of all states of woe,
They show me what is good.
“They bestow the treasures of buddhas,
They guard the treasuries of the Victors;
They are holders of the secrets of the buddhas”—
Thus this wise one follows the Friends.
See this wise one of lofty aspiration serving the Friends;
You should study as he indicates.
By virtue of past goodness he saw Manjushri and set out for enlightenment,
Acting on Manjushri’s instructions; observe his perseverance.
Having given up all comforts, home, family, and wealth, like an immortal,
He attends the Friends as a servant.
Having purified his mind and relinquished his body, this wise one
Will see the abode of all buddhas and henceforth develop this fruit.
Seeing people afflicted with sickness, beings tortured by a hundred pains,
Burning with the fears and sorrows of birth and death,
He compassionately acts for their benefit.
Seeing the world beaten by the mechanisms of suffering,
In the repetitious circle of conditioning,
He seeks the adamantine knowledge
Aiming to clear all lands of the weeds and brambles of lust and hatred,
Infestations of clinging to views, sprouts of harm,
He seeks the strong plow of wisdom.
The mind of the world is thick with delusion and ignorance,
Bereft of the eye of wisdom, without a guide;
He will become a leader of the world,
Showing the way to the abode of safety.
He will be a conveyor of tolerance and liberation,
Assailing the enemy afflictions with the sword of knowledge,
Heroic bestower of freedom from fear, teacher of the world.
He is assembling the ship of the Teaching,
Having learned the route of the ocean of knowledge;
He is a helmsman on the sea of existence,
Leading to the treasure island of peace.
This buddha-sun will rise in the sky of reality, a great light,
An orb of vows with rays of knowledge, illumining the abodes of all beings.
This buddha-moon will rise, a full orb of virtues
Equally cooling with higher love, exquisite light impartial toward all.
Based on a firm ground of will, enlightenment practice gradually rising,
He will become an ocean of knowledge, mine of all spiritual jewels.
Born of the dragon of the mind of enlightenment, ascended into the sky of reality,
Raining the teachings everywhere, he fosters all good fruits.
He will light the lamp of truth, the pure wick,
Dispelling the darkness of defilement,
The lamp in a strong vessel of love and awareness,
Glowing with the pure flame of the spirit of enlightenment.
From the embryo of the aspiration for enlightenment, compassion, and love,
Gradually developing the limbs of enlightenment, this baby buddha is growing.
He will develop the embryo of virtue and clarify the path of knowledge;
He is recognized as an embryo of knowledge, developed in accord
With the womb of vows.
One like this, girt with compassion and love,
An altruist determined to liberate beings,
Is hard to find in the world, celestial or human,
So pure is his mind.
Based on good roots of mind, grown through steadfast effort,
Shading the three realms of being—such a fruit-bearing tree of knowledge
Is hard to find.
Aiming to develop all virtues, inquire into all truths,
And break through all doubts, he serves the Friends with diligence.
Destroying the afflictions of demons, clearing away views, defilement, and craving,
Intent on freeing all beings, he has learned to do what is best.
He will clear away the states of woe and show heaven; he will lead the world
On the road of liberation, on which virtuous path he stands.
He will become a destroyer of conditioned existence,
Cutting through the net of all states of being,
Liberating beings in all states from misery
And giving them well-being.
He will free them from the straits of views,
Cut through the entanglements of the web of craving,
Clear away blameworthy passions,
And become a guide on the path for the world.
He will be a refuge for the world, providing light for all beings,
A guide in the three realms of existence, knowing becoming and decay everywhere.
He will purify people asleep in affliction, wisely pulling them from the mud of lust,
Freeing them from clinging to notions, liberating them from bondage.
Rejoice, Sudhana, for you will illumine the various aspects of reality,
Illumine the various aspects of the world,
And reach the goal of the various aspects of all truths.
As your behavior is mild, as your faith is impeccable,
As your intention is virtuous, you shall fulfill them all.
You will see all buddhas soon, you will soon go to all lands,
You will soon know all truths—such good have you done on your own.
You will purify many lands and liberate masses of beings;
You will fulfill myriad practices—such are your many attainments.
You will be a vessel of virtues, a source of good;
You will be equal to the offspring of buddhas, in accord with your devotion.
You have conquered the demons and purified your actions;
You have cleared away the afflictions in accord with your vows.
You will clear the path of knowledge and realize the path of truth;
Before long you will halt the course of the mechanism of suffering,
Which is due to afflictions in action.
You will turn the supreme wheel of truth, breaking the cycle of suffering
Of all beings, which is based on the routines of the world,
The circle of becoming, gone astray in repetition of mundane states.
You will preserve the lineage of buddhas, purify the lineage of the Teaching,
Support the spiritual Community, and become a source of treasures.
You will remove the web of craving and the dense net of views,
You will free the world from the net of suffering,
Having purified such a network of vows.
You will perfect beings, purify the world, and establish
The realm of knowledge—such is your intention.
You will bring greater felicity, beneficially gladdening sentient beings,
Gladdening the family of enlightening beings, satisfying the wishes of all buddhas.
You will be a buddha clearly seeing the abodes of all states of being,
Seeing reflections of all lands and the scope of all truths.
You will be a light illumining the reality realm,
Extinguishing all states of woe, bringing felicity to existence.
You will show the door of heaven and open the door of enlightenment in the world;
You will lead the world to the door of liberation, the doorway you have cleared.
You will lead away from false paths into the path of sages;
You will humbly follow the path of enlightenment, resolute and diligent.
Intent on freeing beings in the sea of existence from suffering,
You will save the world from the sea of existence—
Become such an ocean of virtue.
You will evaporate the sea of afflictions of beings
With the transcendent lights of the sun of knowledge;
Introducing them to the ocean of spiritual practice,
You will lead them into the ocean of knowledge.
You will increase the ocean of understanding
And purify the ocean of practice;
Soon you will plunge deep into the ocean
Of the vows of all buddhas.
You will view many oceans of lands and see the oceans of congregations therein;
By the power of the ocean of understanding, you will imbibe the ocean of teachings.
You will see multitudes of buddhas and will make myriads of offerings;
You will hear millions of truths—such are the vows you make.
You will go to the abodes of all lands, to all the abodes of beings,
And will observe the abodes of all buddhas—this is the direction you are taking.
You will observe the abode of concentration and tell of the abodes of liberation;
You will dwell in spiritual powers, grounded in the reality realm.
You will rise over the abodes of all beings, like the light of sun and moon,
And ascend to the presence of the buddhas—such is your climb on the great path.
You will walk in the realm of good, in the realm unattached to any world,
And attain supreme peace—such is your realm of higher knowledge.
The differentiations of the cosmic network,
And all the differentiations of the network of lands,
Soon you will see, pervading, like the wind unhindered in the sky.
You will see the extent of the reality realm,
You will go to the reaches of the worlds,
You will see all buddhas of all times;
So rejoice, Sudhana.
Do not be downhearted, be happy and content,
In that you have seen, see, and will see yet such liberation as this.
Sudhana, you are a good vessel of virtues, following the instructions of Buddha;
You are fit to bear this Teaching—by it you see this wonder.
Such as are hard to see in millions of eons, much more to reveal their virtues,
You have seen carrying out good practice, enlightening beings
In the realm of nonattachment.
You are welcome in the human world; inconceivably great is your gain,
That you have seen Manjushri face to face and made such a vessel of virtue.
You have left all states of woe, cleared away the misfortune of situations
Inopportune for attaining enlightenment, transcended all evil things—
Do not be weary or distressed.
You have left the stage of the ignorant and are firmly grounded
In the virtues of enlightening beings; having fulfilled
The greatest knowledge, soon you will attain buddhahood.
Enlightening practice is like an ocean, enlightened knowledge is like space,
The ocean of vows is equally vast—you should be happy with these.
The Friends are indefatigable, firm in will, and sure in application;
Those who follow such Friends as these will soon become guides themselves.
Seeing how various are the many practices of enlightening beings
To educate sentient beings, do not become perplexed
About enlightenment practice that confronts all realities.
Your achievement of virtue is inconceivable;
You are useful, righteous, virtuous, and faithful.
By this accomplishment today you see such enlightening beings.
See how great is your gain in seeing enlightening beings continuously;
They each show you your vows, and you follow them all.
Hard to find even in hundreds of lifetimes
Is such a participant in the practices of enlightening beings;
Therefore the enlightening beings, one after another,
Show you their ways of liberation.
People live with enlightening beings for millions and billions of ages
Yet do not know of their state, nor make themselves vessels of virtue.
You hear this teaching, and see what is hard to find in the world,
The spiritual manifestation of greatness of enlightening beings—
You should be uplifted in mind.
All the buddhas are minding you, the enlightening beings are caring for you,
And you are grounded in their teaching—bravo, Sudhana, you live a good life.
You live according to the principles of the family of enlightening beings,
And learn the qualities of the offspring of buddhas;
You will prolong the lineage of buddhas—you should be most joyful.
All buddhas are your peerless parents, all enlightening beings your siblings;
The elements of enlightenment are all your relatives—
Nobly born are you, as an offspring of the buddhas.
Sustainer of the lineage of spiritual sovereigns,
Prolonger of the lineage of enlightening beings,
You will attain buddhahood soon, so be happy, Sudhana, full of joy.
Soon you will receive the supreme marvelous coronation of all buddhas
And become equal to the peerless heirs of the Victors.
As a man sows a seed, so shall he reap the fruit;
Today I bring you glad tidings, that you may find inconceivable joy.
Even unthinkable millions of enlightening beings
Who have carried out this practice for millions of eons
Have not attained such accomplishment
As you have realized in one lifetime.
This is all the fruit of devotion and firmness and vigor of will;
Those who admire this practice should take up what Sudhana has done.
All practice derives from vows, all qualities derive from application;
Sudhana, you have accomplished this, forever the best course of conduct.
The extent to which the dragons will is the extent to which rain is produced;
The extent of the scope of vows and knowledge is the extent of pervasion
This should be shown to you, Sudhana, by the practice of the good;
Once one realizes this, one will be serving the Friends thereby.
Remember the millions of bodies past that you squandered uselessly for lust;
Now pursuing the path of enlightenment, this body, well disciplined,
Should be critical.
Over millions of eons past you experienced all miseries in conditioned states;
Having turned away from myriad buddhas, you did not hear such a doctrine as this.
Now you have got your chance as a human, in the presence of Buddha,
With such spiritual friends; how could one not be purified
when one has heard of the practice of supreme enlightenment?
Even if there are buddhas existing and the Teaching is heard
From spiritual friends and benefactors,
If one does not listen to this doctrine one’s mind will not be purified.
By it an attitude of faith and devotion is produced, supreme respect;
Getting rid of desire, views, and lassitude, listen to this Teaching more and more.
Hearing of such an entry into practice, whoever accomplishes this undertaking
Makes a supreme gain, inconceivable—this human life is worthwhile.
For one whose mind is thus purified, the buddhas are not hard to find,
The enlightening beings are all friends, and there is no more doubt of enlightenment.
One who has entered such a teaching keeps all the precepts,
Abandons all causes of misery, and embraces all virtues.
Soon, relinquishing this body, you will go to a buddha-land, purified;
You will see the abode of enlightening beings and behold the buddhas everywhere.
You have completed a set of past causes, Sudhana, based on your devotion;
You serve the Friends with the highest aim, thereby growing like a lotus in water.
Intent on rapport with all spiritual friends and with all buddhas,
Intent on seeking out all truths, arise, well disciplined, and do not weary.
Set out to apply all truths and follow all the paths; offspring of Buddha,
Grounded on vows, arise, vessel of all virtues.
Through such perfect devotion you have paid this honor to me;
Soon you will come into the presence of the assemblies of all buddhas.
Bravo, Sudhana, buoyant in mind, conscious of the vows of all buddhas;
Firm in resolve, you soon will reach the perfection of virtue of buddhas.
Ask Manjushri about ultimate liberation in the realm of knowledge;
He will initiate you into the highest practice of good in your final existence.
Thus Maitreya, seeing Sudhana arrive, imbued with virtues, in the realm of nonobstruction, revealed him to the assembly, speaking of his treasury of qualities. Sudhana, hearing such supreme direction and instruction, was flooded with joy and burst into tears. His hair stood on end and he sighed with delight. He rose and paid his respects to Maitreya. Then, by the mental power of Manjushri, there appeared in his hands beautiful flower garlands and jewels, produced by the vows of enlightening beings; blissfully, Sudhana showered these on Maitreya. Then Maitreya patted him on the head and said, “It is good that you are so indefatigable, Sudhana; you will be a vessel of virtues, like Manjushri and me.”
Hearing this, Sudhana disclosed the joy of his heart: “It is hard to find, even in hundreds of lifetimes, such Friends as these whom I have now met. It is good for me to have come here today. By the direction of the honorable Manjushri, perfect in true virtue, I have found this rare Friend. I should quickly meet Manjushri himself.”
Then Sudhana stood respectfully before Maitreya and said, “Noble one, I have set out for supreme perfect enlightenment, but I do not know how an enlightening being is to learn and carry out the practice of enlightening beings. It has been predicted by all the buddhas that noble Maitreya will become supremely perfectly enlightened in one lifetime; and one who is sure of supreme perfect enlightenment in one lifetime has gone beyond all the stations of enlightening beings, entered the certainty of enlightening beings, fulfilled all the transcendent ways, entered all doors of tolerance, attained all states of enlightening beings, mastered all ways of liberation, perfected all concentrations, reached the goal of all courses of action of enlightening beings, attained all powers of memory, intellect, and methods of elucidation, mastered all powers of enlightening beings, gathered all provisions of enlightening beings, mastered the methods of wisdom and skill in means, developed the illumination of higher knowledge, mastered all learning, purified all practices of enlightening beings, accomplished all methods of carrying out vows, received the directions of all buddhas, comprehended all vehicles of liberation, taken on the empowerment of all buddhas, embraced the enlightenment of all buddhas, preserved the treasuries of all buddhas, stored the secrets of all buddhas, gained leadership of the esoteric circle of all enlightening beings. Such a one is a hero in all assaults against afflictions, a guide to those in the wilderness of the mundane whirl, a physician for those sick with afflictions, a chief of all beings, a leader, preeminent among all noble people, highest of all saints, a pilot for those in the sea of the mundane whirl; such a one draws the net of means to guide sentient beings, observes the faculties of people who have matured, is united with all sentient beings, is engaged in protecting all enlightening beings, is in concert with all the works of enlightening beings, is in the circles of all buddhas, is reflected in the abodes of all beings, is unstained by the things of the world, is beyond the reach of all demons, is in accord with the realm of all buddhas, has attained nonobstruction in the sphere of all enlightening beings, is engaged in the service of all buddhas, is one with all enlightened qualities, wears the turban of coronation, sits on the throne of spiritual sovereignty, is initiated into the realm of omniscience, is a source of all enlightened teachings, has attained enlightenment and mastery of omniscience.
“So please tell me, noble one, how an enlightening being is to learn and carry out the practice of enlightening beings, by which practice an enlightening being attains enlightenment and understands all enlightened teachings, responds when called upon, rescues sentient beings, fulfills the commitment to carry out the practice of enlightenment, comforts and inspires people, keeps true to one’s word, ascertains all the myriad buddha-teachings, sustains the lineage of buddhas and enlightening beings, and preserves the eye of enlightenment.”
Then the enlightening being Maitreya, looking over the whole crowd, pointed out Sudhana and said, “Good people, look at this fine young man, who asks me about the perfection of the virtues of enlightening practice. With this diligence, this purposefulness, this zealous commitment, this steadfast will, this unflagging vigor, this thirst for enlightened teaching, this excellent questing, this burning urgency, this desire to meet spiritual friends and benefactors, this indefatigability in attendance on spiritual friends and benefactors, he left his city in search of spiritual benefactors at the direction of Manjushri and traveled south, inquiring of a hundred and ten spiritual benefactors, until finally he has come to me, his mind thoroughly unwearied.
“Good people, it is hard even to get to hear of the name of those like this who have set forth on the Great Vehicle of universal enlightenment, who have undertaken the great vow, who are resolute in the great endeavor, who are girt with great compassion, who are intent on saving sentient beings with great love, who act with transcendental energy, who are engaged in protecting the great caravan of beings, who are carrying beings across the ocean of the mundane whirl, who are on the road to omniscience, who are engaged in assembling the spiritual ark, who are determined to assemble the great wealth of the treasures of the Teaching, who are engaged in assembling the preparations for the great spiritual activity—it is hard to even hear their names, to see them in person, to associate with them, or to share in their practice.
“Why is this? This sincere good person has set out to save all beings, undertaken to liberate all beings from misery, to evaporate all bad tendencies, to put an end to all states that are inopportune for attaining enlightenment, to block off all perilous roads, to dispel all darkness of ignorance, to cross all the wastelands of the mundane whirl, to stop all vicious circles, to get beyond the reach of all demons, to remove all attachment and dependence, to rescue people from the mire of lust, to abandon passion for joy, to remove the fetters of views, stop attachment to the body as real, cut through the snare of conception, stop the pursuit of error, to pluck out the thorns of delusion, to break through obstacles, to shatter the mountains of obstructions, to remove the net of craving, to dissolve the bonds of ignorance, to illuminate existence, to do away with guile and deceit, to clear mental disturbance, to remove doubt and confusion, to get out of the current of ignorance and delusion, to repel all the ills of the mundane whirl.
“Indeed, good people, this worthy wishes to assemble the ship of the Teaching, a precious gift, to rescue beings from the four torrents. He wishes to set up the great bridge of the Teaching for those sunk in the morass of views. He wishes to produce the light of knowledge for those in the darkness of delusion. He wishes to point out the path of sages to those lost in the wilderness of the mundane whirl. He wishes to dispense the medicine of the teaching to those suffering from the illness of afflictions. He wishes to give the element of immortality to those assailed by birth, old age, and death. He wishes to cool those burning with the three fires by means of the water of tranquillity. He wishes to give great comfort to those suffering from sorrow, grief, misery, and depression. He wishes to give those bound in the prison of existence the knowledge of how to break out. He wishes to give the sword of wisdom to those tied up in the bonds of views. He wishes to show the door of liberation to those locked in the city of the triple world. He wishes to show the direction of safety to those headed in dangerous directions. He wishes to comfort those suffering from the joint operation of afflictions. He wishes to lend a hand to those terrorized by the perils of falling into states of woe. He wishes to show the citadel of nirvana to those struck by the murderous clusters. He wishes to tell those surrounded by the serpents of the elements how to escape. To those loitering in the ghost town of the sense media, he wishes to show the way out by the light of wisdom. Those on wrong paths he wishes to lead into the right path. To the friendless he wishes to show true spiritual friends. Those clinging to the realm of the infantile unenlightened condition he wishes to initiate into the teachings of sages. Those clinging to the city of the mundane whirl he wishes to lead away into the city of omniscience.
“Thus, for the salvation of sentient beings, this worthy, ceaselessly pursuing the complete purification of the aspiration for enlightenment, is tireless in mastering the Great Vehicle, never complacent in seeking all means of conveying truth, constantly engaged in fulfilling all the provisions for enlightenment, always bearing the responsibility of clarifying all avenues of truth, carrying out all practices of enlightening beings with vigor, not stopping anywhere, carrying out all vows with unbending effort, meeting all spiritual benefactors without complacence, tireless in attendance on all spiritual benefactors, properly following the advice and instruction of all spiritual benefactors.
“In all the world it is hard to find people who aspire to supreme true enlightenment; it is even harder to find those who set out for supreme true enlightenment, who master the teachings of buddhas with such diligent application, seek the path of enlightening beings with such ardor, purify the practice of enlightening beings with such purposefulness, attend spiritual benefactors with such diligence, follow the knowledge of spiritual benefactors with such urgency, carry out the instructions of spiritual benefactors with such unbending determination, assemble the elements of enlightenment with such correct understanding, be so indifferent to gain, honor, and praise as not to ruin the will appropriate to an enlightening being, seek the Great Vehicle of enlightening beings with such detachment from home and family, comforts, enjoyments, and material goods, and seek omniscience with such indifference to joy and life. Other enlightening beings will not, in millions of eons, attain the fulfillment of the practice and vows of enlightening beings, abide in enlightenment, purify a buddha-land, guide sentient beings, know the reality realm, attain the transcendent ways, extend the network of practices, fulfill the undertakings of vows, transcend the works of demons, develop rapport with spiritual friends, perfect all the practices of enlightening beings, or accomplish the power to carry out the practice of the universally good enlightening being, to the extent that this Sudhana will achieve these things in one lifetime.”
Then Maitreya, having eulogized the true virtues of Sudhana, and thereby strengthened the determination for enlightenment in hundreds of thousands of people, said to Sudhana, “It is good that you have set your mind on supreme perfect enlightenment for the welfare and happiness of all worlds, for the salvation of all beings, for the attainment of all enlightened qualities. You have made a great gain, and your existence amid humanity is indeed welcome. You live the good life among the living and have satisfied the purpose of the emergence of Buddha in the world. You have met the benefactor Manjushri and have made yourself a worthy vessel of truth. You have been nourished with virtues and stabilized on good qualities. You have purified high resolve and good intention. You are minded by all buddhas, and you are in the care of all spiritual friends. By this intent of yours you have developed the determination for supreme perfect enlightenment.
“What is the reason? The determination for enlightenment is the seed of all elements of buddhahood; it is like a field, growing good qualities in all beings; it is like the earth, being a support for all beings; it is like water, washing away all afflictions; it is like wind, unattached to all worlds,; it is like fire, burning up the deadwood of clinging to views; it is like the sun, illumining the abodes of all beings; it is like the moon, fulfilling the sphere of all good qualities; it is like a lamp, producing spiritual light; it is like an eye, seeing the even and the uneven; it is like a road, leading to the city of omniscience; it is like a passageway, leading away from all wrong paths; it is like a vehicle, carrying all enlightening beings; it is like a door, leading into all the practices of enlightening beings; it is like a mansion, because of determination to abide in concentration; it is like a park, because of experience of spiritual pleasures; it is like a home, protecting all beings; it is like a basis, being the practice of all enlightening beings, it is like a father, protecting all enlightening beings; it is like a mother to all beings; it is like a nurse, protecting in every way; it is like a king, overwhelming the mentality of all individually liberated ones; it is like an overlord, because of the excellence of all vows; it is like the ocean, containing all jewels of virtue; it is like the polar mountain, being impartial toward all beings; it is like the surrounding mountains, being a refuge for all beings; it is like the Himalaya, growing the herb of knowledge; it is like intoxicating fragrance, being the seat of all scents of virtue; it is like the sky, because of the great extent of its virtue; it is like a lotus, unstained by any things of the world; it is like an elephant, patient and noble; it is like a horse of good breed, free from all unruliness; it is like a charioteer, being the driver of the Great Vehicle; it is like medicine, curing the ills of afflictions; it is like a pit, because in it all bad qualities disappear; it is like a thunderbolt, penetrating all things; it is like a chest of incense, producing the aroma of all virtues; it is like a great flower, pleasant to the sight of all beings; it is like cooling sandalwood, cooling off the burning of passion; it is like the moon, pervading the cosmos; it is like the medicine ‘good to see,’ obliterating all ills due to afflictions; it is like an extracting drug, as it extracts the arrows of evil propensities; it is like a chief of gods, because of mastery of all the faculties; it is like the god of wealth, because it puts an end to all poverty; it is like the goddess of beauty, being adorned with all virtues; it is like jewelry, gracing all enlightening beings; it is like the conflagration that ends an eon, burning up all evildoing; it is like medicine for underdevelopment, because it increases the growth of all enlightened qualities; it is like a dragon pearl, repelling the poison of all afflictions; it is like a water-clearing jewel, because it removes all turbidity and pollution; it is like a wish-fulfilling jewel, granting success in all aims; it is like the horn of plenty, fulfilling all wishes; it is like the desire-granting tree, as it showers the ornaments of all virtues; it is like a goose-feather robe, as it does not absorb any of the ills of the mundane whirl; it is like cotton fiber, being soft in nature; it is like a plow, clearing the mind-field of sentient beings; it is like a warrior, striking down the self; it is like an arrow, piercing its target of suffering; it is like power, overcoming its enemy, afflictions; it is like armor, protecting logical thought; it is like a scimitar, cutting off the head of affliction; it is like a sword blade, slashing through the armor of pride, conceit, and arrogance; it is like a razor, slicing off compulsive propensities; it is like the banner of a hero, bringing down the banner of pride; it is like a machete, felling the tree of ignorance; it is like an ax, cutting through the tree of suffering; it is like combat, being a savior from all attacks; it is like hands, protecting the body of the transcendent ways; it is like feet, being the base of all virtue and knowledge; it is like a surgical probe, cleaning away the covering of the sheath of ignorance; it is like an extracting instrument, extracting the thorn of the notion of self; it is like a hoe, dragging away the thorns of propensities; it is like a benefactor, freeing you from the bonds of the mundane whirl; it is like wealth, rejecting all that is useless; it is like a teacher, knowing the way to carry out all enlightening practices; it is like a mine, having inexhaustible blessings; it is like a fountain, having inexhaustible knowledge; it is like a mirror, showing the reflection of all ways into truth; it is like a white lotus, free from defilement; it is like a great river, carrying forth the streams of the ways of transcendence and the ways of integration; it is like the chief water spirit, causing the clouds of the Teaching to shower; it is like the root of life, sustaining the universal compassion of all enlightening beings; it is like the elixir of immortality, bringing you to the deathless realm; it is like an all-encompassing net, taking in all beings who can be guided; it is like health, producing endless health; it is like an antidote to poison, vitiating the poison of desire; it is like a spell, destroying the poison of all folly; it is like wind, removing all barriers and obstacles; it is like an island of jewels, being a mine of the spiritual jewels of all the limbs of enlightenment; it is like a family, producing all good qualities; it is like a home, being the abode of all virtuous qualities; it is like a market, attended by all enlightening ‘merchants’; it is like liquid metal, clearing all obstructions caused by actions and afflictions; it is like a honeybee, filling the stores of provisions for omniscience; it is like a road, whereby all enlightening beings approach the city of omniscience; it is like a vessel, holding all pure qualities; it is like rain, settling the dust of afflictions; it is like a basis, defining the respective stations of all enlightening beings; it is like a magnet, unaffected by individual liberation; it is like a jewel, inherently pure; it is like an emerald, being totally beyond the knowledge of all individual illuminates and worldlings; it is like the drum that sounds the hour, because it wakes up beings sleeping in affliction; it is like still, clear water, being pure; it is like an ornament of the finest gold, obscuring all collections of virtue in the conditioned realm; it is like an enormous mountain, being invulnerable to anything in the triple world; it is like a savior, not abandoning any who take refuge in it; it is like motivation, because it draws you toward your aim; it is like intelligence, because it creates contentment of the heart; it is like sacrifice, because it satisfies all beings; it is like understanding, because it is what is best in the minds of all beings; it is like a treasury, preserving all enlightened qualities; it is like a summary, containing all the practices and vows of enlightening beings; it is like a protector, protecting all beings; it is like a guardian, repelling all evils; it is like the net of Indra, rounding up the titans of afflictions; it is like the snare of the sky god, rounding up the teachable; it is like the fire of Indra, burning up all habitual propensities and afflictions; it is like a monument for the world. In sum, the virtues of the determination for enlightenment are equal to all the qualities and virtues of buddhas. Why? Because it is the source of all the practices of enlightening beings, and from it come all buddhas of past, future, and present. Therefore, whoever has aroused the determination for supreme perfect enlightenment becomes imbued with measureless virtues because of being absorbed by the will for omniscience.
“Just as there is a medicine called ‘fearless’ that prevents five perils—one is not burned by fire, not affected by poison, not wounded by weapons, not swept away by water, not suffocated by smoke—in the same way, an enlightening being who has taken the medicine of the will for omniscience is not burned by the fire of passion, not affected by the poison of objects, not wounded by the weapons of afflictions, not swept away by the torrent of existence, not suffocated by the smoke of false discrimination.
“Just as there is a medicine called ‘liberated’ that frees one from fear of attack, in the same way an enlightening being who has taken the medicine of knowledge of aspiration for enlightenment has no fear of being impinged upon by the mundane whirl.
“Just as there is an herb whose scent repels all poisonous snakes, in the same way the scent of the determination for enlightenment wards off the vipers of afflictions.
“Just as a person who has taken the herb of invincibility is victorious over all enemies, the enlightening being who has taken the herb of invincibility of the will for omniscience is invulnerable to all opposing demons.
“Just as there is a medicine called ‘extracting’ that removes all barbs, so all barbs of passion, hatred, delusion, and views drop out of the enlightening being who has taken the extracting medicine of the determination for enlightenment.
“Just as there is a medicine called ‘good to see’ that cures all illnesses, the enlightening being who has taken the good-to-see medicine of the aspiration for enlightenment is cured of all the illnesses of afflictions and ignorance.
“Just as there is a medicinal tree called ‘continuity’ whose bark heals all wounds and ulcers upon application and which itself regrows as it is stripped, the tree of continuity of omniscience, which grows from the seed of the essence of enlightenment, heals the wounds and ulcers of actions and afflictions of the faithful on sight, and the tree of omniscience cannot be exhausted or killed by all beings.
“Just as there is a kind of herb that promotes growth, by the efficacy of which all the trees in the continent grow, similarly by the efficacy of the growth-promoting drug of the will for enlightenment, the saints and enlightening beings all grow.
“Just as there is an herb called ‘attainment of pleasure,’ which when applied to the body produces physical and mental health, in the same way the ‘attainment of pleasure’ herb of the aspiration for omniscience produces physical and mental health in enlightening beings.
“Just as there is an herb called ‘gaining memory’ that purifies the conscious memory, in the same way the memory herb of the aspiration for enlightenment produces in enlightening beings purity of unhindered memory of all buddha-teachings.
“Just as there is an herb called ‘great lotus’ by which one may live for an eon, the enlightening being who keeps taking the great spiritual medicine of the will for enlightenment becomes able to live for countless eons.
“Just as there is an herb of invisibility that renders one invisible to any humans or nonhumans, the enlightening being under the protection of the invisibility herb of the will for enlightenment, who is assured of buddhahood, cannot be seen in the range of all demons.
“Just as there is a great jewel in the ocean called ‘totality of all jewels,’ which is such that it is impossible for all the eonic fires to evaporate even a drop of the ocean where it is, in the same way it is impossible that enlightening beings whose mental course is imbued with the ‘totality of all jewels’ gem of the determination for omniscience could lose even one virtue dedicated to omniscience; whereas if they abandon the determination for omniscience, all of their roots of goodness would evaporate.
“Just as there is a great jewel called ‘collection of all lights,’ which in a necklace obscures all jewelry, in the same way an enlightening being wearing the ornament of the ‘collection of all lights’ mind-jewel of the aspiration for enlightenment is unsurpassed by all aspirations to individual salvation.
“Just as there is a water-clarifying jewel that will clear all turbidity and foulness from water in which it is placed, in the same way the water-clarifying jewel of the determination for enlightenment clears all the murk and turbidity of afflictions.
“Just as fishers wearing the water dwelling gem do not die in water, in the same way an enlightening being protected by the water-dwelling gem of the will for omniscience does not die in the sea of the mundane whirl.
“Just as there is a jewel called ‘dragon scale gem,’ with which fishers and others who live from the sea enter the abodes of the dragons without being attacked by dragons or sea serpents, in the same way an enlightening being holding the spiritual jewel of the dragon of knowledge of the determination for omniscience enters the abodes of the realm of desire without being harmed.
“Just as the chief of gods overwhelms other gods when wearing the jewel of lordship, in the same way the enlightening being wearing the crown of vows with the regal jewel of the aspiration for omniscience overwhelms all in the triple world.
“Just as someone with a wish-fulfilling jewel does not fear poverty, the enlightening being with the wish-fulfilling jewel of the aspiration for omniscience has no fears about livelihood.
“Just as a ‘sun beauty’ jewel emanates fire when exposed to the sun, in the same way the sunny jewel of the will for omniscience emanates the fire of knowledge when touched by the light rays of the jewel of wisdom.
“Just as the moon beauty jewel emits water when touched by moonlight, in the same way the moon beauty jewel of the aspiration for enlightenment emits the water of commitment to all good when touched by the light of the moon of dedication of roots of goodness.
“Just as great elephants wearing a crown of wish-fulfilling jewels have no fear of attack, in the same way those wearing the crown of wish-fulfilling jewels of great compassion of the aspiration for enlightenment have no fear of the ills of the state of misery.
“Just as a jewel called ‘repository of the adornments of the world’ fulfills the wishes of all beings without ever being exhausted, in the same way the aspiration for enlightenment, the great jewel containing the adornments of all worlds, is never exhausted because of fulfilling the undertaking of enlightenment, which is the wish of all beings.
“Just as the great jewel of a sovereign king dispels darkness and lights up the palace, in the same way the royal jewel of the aspiration for omniscience dispels the darkness of ignorance in all states of being and radiates the great light of knowledge in the realm of desire.
“Just as everything bathed in sapphire light becomes blue, wherever the sapphire of the aspiration for omniscience is taken, and whatever roots of goodness are dedicated by the will for omniscience, all become the color of the jewel of omniscience.
“Just as a jewel in a shower of filth does not absorb any foul odors, in the same way the jewel of the aspiration for enlightenment is not defiled though in the realm of desire, because it is essentially pure.
“Just as the jewel ‘pure light’ outshines all other jewels, in the same way the jewel of ultimately pure light of the aspiration for omniscience is not overcome by the accumulated virtues of all ordinary people, or all learners, saints, and solitary illuminates.
“Just as one fiery jewel disperses all darkness, in the same way one fiery jewel of the aspiration for omniscience, coupled with objective observation and correct thought, dispels the darkness of ignorance.
“Just as a priceless jewel in the hand of a merchant in a boat on the sea is superior in beauty and value to hundreds of thousands of crystals in town, in the same way the priceless jewel of the aspiration for omniscience, even in the ocean of the mundane whirl, in the boat of vows, in the determination of an enlightening being who has just aspired to enlightenment for the first time, even though not having yet reached the city of omniscience, is still superior to the crystals of all hearers and individual illuminates in the town of liberation.
“Just as the jewel known as the ‘powerful king,’ even when on the surface of the earth, shows the arrays of appearances of the abodes on the far-distant sun and moon, in the same way the powerful king jewel of the aspiration for omniscience, in which all virtues are purified, even while in the mundane whirl shows the arrays of appearances of the spheres of all buddhas in the great sun and moon of knowledge of those who realize Thusness in the reaches of the sky of the cosmos of reality.
“Just as all the wealth, jewels, silver, gold, flowers, perfumes, garlands, clothes, and furnishings there are as far as the sun and moon shine do not match the worth of the powerful king jewel, in the same way, all the virtues of celestials and humans, all Buddhist disciples and self-illuminates, tainted or untainted, as far as the scope of the reality-realm reveals, do not match the worth of the powerful king jewel of the determination for enlightenment.
“Just as the jewel known as ‘containing the arrays of the oceans’ shows the arrays of all oceans, in the same way the determination for enlightenment shows the array of the ocean of the scope of all-knowledge.
“Just as nothing surpasses celestial gold, with the exception of a wish-fulfilling jewel, there is nothing except the wish-fulfilling jewel of omniscience, which surpasses the celestial gold of the aspiration for enlightenment.
“Just as a master snake-catcher can place all serpents under his control, the enlightening snake-catcher who has mastered the will for enlightenment can place all the serpents of affliction under control.
“Just as an armed warrior is invulnerable to enemy troops, the enlightening being armed with the determination for omniscience becomes invulnerable to the enemy troops of afflictions.
“Just as one handful of celestial serpent sandalwood powder perfumes a thousand worlds, and three thousand worlds full of jewels cannot match the worth of an ounce of it, in the same way one element of the celestial serpent sandalwood of the aspiration for omniscience perfumes the whole cosmos with virtue and surpasses the minds of all learners, those who are beyond learning, and self-illuminates.
“Just as the precious snowy sandalwood stops all burning and cools the whole body, in the same way the snowy sandalwood of the aspiration for omniscience stops the burning of all afflictions, false notions, lust, hatred and delusion, and cools the body of knowledge.
“Just as all who come to the polar mountain become one color, gold, in the same way all who approach enlightening beings who are entirely dedicated to omniscience become one color, the color of omniscience.
“Just as the bark of a tree of paradise emits a fragrance that is not found in all the flowers on earth, in the same way the fragrance of the bark of virtue and knowledge of the tree of vows grown from the seed of enlightening beings’ determination for omniscience is not found in any of the flowers of hearers and individual illuminates, who have lesser roots of goodness, in their untainted discipline, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and knowledge and vision of liberation.
“Just as it can be known of a budding tree of paradise that it will produce hundreds of thousands of blossoms, in the same way it can be known that the paradise tree of the aspiration for omniscience budding with roots of goodness will produce countless flowers of enlightenment, imperfect and perfect, in celestials and humans.
“Just as the fragrance of cloth or oil perfumed for one day with paradise tree flowers is not to be found in cloth or oil perfumed for a hundred thousand days with jasmine flowers, in the same way the fragrance of enlightening beings’ virtue and knowledge, of the mind and body infused for one lifetime with the determination for omniscience, wafts to the presence of all buddhas in the ten directions, and is not to be found in the fragrance of untainted virtue and spiritual knowledge of those infused for a hundred thousand eons with the aspirations of those who seek individual salvation.
“Just as there is a kind of tree that grows in an ocean, on all of which, from its roots to its flowers and fruits, all beings are at all times living, in the same way the world is sustained by the process of enlightening, growing from the root of vows based on great compassion, from the initial aspiration for omniscience through the duration and ending of the true teaching.
“Just as there is an ointment called ‘golden light,’ one ounce of which will make a thousand ounces of copper gold, while those thousand ounces of copper cannot appropriate the ounce of ointment and make it copper, in the same way the one element of the essence of the aspiration for omniscience, concentrated by knowledge of dedication of roots of goodness, takes away the copper of the barriers caused by actions and afflictions and makes them into the color of total knowledge of all things, and the essential element of the aspiration for omniscience cannot be defiled or appropriated by any actions or afflictions.
“Just as even a little bit of fire will produce as much flame as the amount of fuel it gets, in the same way even a little bit of the fire of the determination for omniscience, because of mixing with objects, will increase in its production of flames of knowledge to the extent of the provisions it is supplied with.
“Just as millions of lamps can be lit from one lamp, without the one lamp being exhausted or diminished by all the lamps taking their flame from it, in the same way from the one lamp of the aspiration for omniscience the lamps of aspiration for omniscience of all buddhas of past, future, and present are lit, yet the one lamp of aspiration for omniscience is not exhausted, and shines undiminished by the lights of the lamps of aspiration to omniscience proceeding from it.
“Just as when a lamp is put into a room, even a thousand years of darkness immediately vanishes and it lights up the place, in the same way when the lamp of the aspiration for omniscience enters the room of the mind of sentient beings, dark with ignorance, immediately untold eons of darkness caused by the obstruction by afflictions is dispelled, and the lamp produces the light of knowledge.
“Just as a lamp makes light according to the condition of its wick, and burns as long as there is a supply of oil, in the same way the lamp of the aspiration for omniscience lights up the realm of reality according to the excellence of the wick of vows of the enlightening being, and as long as there is a supply of the oil of the practice of universal compassion, so long will there be the power for the buddha-tasks of guiding sentient beings and purifying lands.
“Just as celestial gold ornaments on the head of the king of gods of control over others’ emanations cannot be outshone by any of the celestials in the realm of desire, in the same way the celestial gold ornament of the aspiration for omniscience, set on perfected virtue and fastened on the head of universal vows of nonregressing enlightening beings, cannot be outshone by ordinary people or by learners or attainers of individual liberation.
“Just as lion cubs thrive on the roar of the lion, king of beasts, while the other animals all hide, in the same way by the roar of omniscience of the Buddha, the human lion, extolling the determination for enlightenment, the lion-cub beginning enlightening beings thrive on the enlightened teachings, while all grasping, clinging people hide.
“Just as the strings of all instruments snap at the sound of an instrument strung with lion sinew, in the same way at the virtue-extolling sound of the instrument strung with the sinew of the aspiration for enlightenment of the buddha-lion whose body is the transcendent ways, the strings of the lute of sensuality snap and the songs of praise of the virtues of the individually liberated fade out.
“Just as a drop of lion milk in an ocean of cow milk causes all the milk to separate and does not mix with it, in the same way the ocean of milk of acts and afflictions accumulated over hundreds of thousands of eons is destroyed by putting into it one drop of the milk of the determination for omniscience of the Buddha, the human lion, and it does not mix with the liberation of those who are only enlightened for themselves alone.
“Just as the extraordinary power of the cry of a kalavinka chick still in the shell is not found in any of the birds of the mountains, even when they are full grown, in the same way the extraordinary power of the cry of universal compassion of the aspiration for enlightenment of a fledgling enlightening being still in the shell of the mundane whirl is not found in the individually liberated.
“Just as the wing flapping power and clear vision of a newborn garuda is not found even in fully grown birds of other species, in the same way the power of the determination for enlightenment and the purity of the mind of compassion in a beginning enlightening being born in the family of the buddhas is not found even in seekers of individual liberation and self-illuminates who have been practicing for a long time.
“Just as a spear in the hand of a powerful man can pierce any armor, however strong it is, in the same way the spear of the determination for omniscience, in the hand of an enlightening being of steadfast vigor, pierces the armor of all views and propensities.
“Just as a mighty man full of wrath cannot be defeated by any man on earth as long as there are eruptions on his forehead, in the same way a mighty enlightening being filled with universal love and compassion cannot be overcome by any devils or actions in any world as long as the eruptions of the determination for omniscience do not disappear from the face of will.
“Just as the special strength of application to technique of a student of archery is not found in a teacher of archery who has already learned it all, the special strength of zealous practice of beginning enlightening beings is not found in those who seek and attain personal salvation without the aspiration for universal enlightenment.
“Just as the first step in learning archery is to learn the stance, in the same way for an enlightening being learning about omniscience is the first step to understanding all the buddha-teachings in the act of setting out with the determination for omniscience.
“Just as when a magician is going to make a display of magical effects, all the effects are accomplished by first thinking of the magical formula, in the same way when manifesting the spheres of buddhas and enlightening beings, the establishing of the spheres of buddhas and enlightening beings takes place by first evoking the vow to accomplish enlightenment.
“Just as all magical formulas are formless and invisible but produce magical phantoms with form by mental activity, in the same way the determination for omniscience is formless and invisible, yet it fashions all spiritual realms with arrays of ornaments of all virtues merely by control of mental activity.
“Just as all rats and mice take cover as soon as they see a wildcat on the prowl, in the same way all conditioning and affliction flee just from the proceeding of application of intense determination for omniscience.
“Just as when one puts on an ornament of the finest gold it outshines all bangles, in the same way the enlightening being wearing the gold ornament of the determination for omniscience outshines the ornaments of virtue of all hearers and individual illuminates.
“Just as even the smallest bit of the most powerful magnet can burst strong chains asunder, in the same way even the smallest bit of aspiration for omniscience with powerful determination can burst asunder the chains of views, ignorance, and craving.
“Just as wherever a magnet is used, all metals that it expels are repelled and do not remain there or join with it, in the same way wherever the determination for omniscience is used, whether in the midst of actions or afflictions or the liberation of hearers and individual illuminates, those actions and afflictions and individual liberation are expelled and do not remain or join with it.
“Just as a fisher with knowledge of sea monsters is free from fear of any creatures of the sea and is safe from harm even in the mouth of a whale, in the same way the enlightening being with the knowledge of the powerful determination of the aspiration for enlightenment is free from fear of all the actions and afflictions of the mundane whirl and cannot be annihilated even in the midst of realization of individual liberation, because of not falling into the extinction produced by witness of ultimate reality.
“Just as one who has drunk the elixir of immortality does not die from the attacks of others, in the same way the enlightening being who has drunk the immortality elixir of the aspiration for omniscience does not die in the stages of learners of individual salvation and does not cease acting on the vow of universal compassion of enlightening beings.
“Just as a man who has perfected the ointment of invisibility can wander through people’s houses unseen by anyone, the enlightening being grounded on the wisdom and commitment of the determination for enlightenment can roam in the realms of all demons without being seen by any demons.
“Just as a person who cleaves to a great king does not fear ordinary people, the enlightening being who cleaves to the spiritual king of the determination for omniscience does not fear any obstacles, hindrances, or states of misery.
“Just as someone in water is in no danger from fire, the enlightening being who is soaked in the virtue of the aspiration for enlightenment is in no danger from the fire of knowledge of individual liberation.
“Just as a person who cleaves to a heroic warrior does not fear enemies, the enlightening being who cleaves to the heroic warrior of the determination for omniscience does not fear the enemies that are evil actions.
“Just as the king of gods with the thunderbolt weapon crushes all the titans, the enlightening being with the thunderbolt of the steadfast will of the aspiration for omniscience crushes all the titans of demons and false teachers.
“Just as a person who takes the elixir of life lives for a long time and does not grow weak, the enlightening being who uses the elixir of the aspiration for omniscience goes around in the mundane whirl for countless eons without becoming exhausted and without being stained by the ills of the mundane whirl.
“Just as in all compounds of herbal extracts potable water is primary, never spoiling, in the same way in the application of preparations of all enlightening beings’ practices and vows the determination for omniscience is primary, never becoming corrupt.
“Just as in all of a person’s doing the faculty of life is the primary necessity, for an enlightening being to absorb the buddha-teachings the aspiration for enlightenment is the primary necessity.
“Just as a person who has lost the faculty of life has no way to live, being unable to do anything for his people, in the same way an enlightening being without the life root of the determination for omniscience has no way to live, being unable to obtain enlightened knowledge for all beings.
“Just as the ocean cannot be ruined by any poisons, the ocean of aspiration for omniscience cannot be ruined by any of the poisons of compulsive actions, afflictions, or aspirations for personal liberation alone.
“Just as the sun is not outshone by the lights of all the stars, the sun of aspiration to omniscience is not outshone by the taintless virtues of those who are personally liberated.
“Just as a newborn prince is not inferior to fully grown ministers, because of his superior birth, a beginning enlightening being, born in the family of the enlightened spiritual kings, is not inferior to Buddhist disciples with long experience in religious practice, because of the superiority of universal compassion of the aspiration for enlightenment.
“Just as a minister, no matter how old, should pay respect to a prince, no matter how young, and a prince need not honor a minister, in the same way Buddhist disciples and self-illuminates, no matter how long they have performed religious practice, should pay respect to even a beginning enlightening being, and the enlightening being need not honor those who are enlightened only for themselves.
“Just as a prince, without any power yet never without the character of royalty, is not equaled even by the ministers who have gained eminence, because of his superior birth, in the same way a beginning enlightening being, no matter how much under the sway of action and affliction, is never without the character of the aspiration for omniscience, and is not equaled even by eminent Buddhist disciples and self-illuminates, because of being of the family of enlightened ones.
“Just as a clear jewel appears impure to a clouded eye, the inherently pure jewel of the aspiration to omniscience is perceived as impure by those whose eye of unbelief is beclouded by ignorance.
“Just as a body of medicine endowed with all medical knowledge and medicinal herbs curse the diseases of sentient beings by sight, contact, and association, in the same way the body of vows and knowledge of enlightening beings, sustained by the knowledge and medicine of wisdom and means assembling all roots of goodness, endowed with the will for enlightenment, cures sentient beings’ diseases of afflictions by hearing, seeing, association, recollection, and application.
“Just as a goose-feather robe is not stained by any dirt, the goose-feather robe of the aspiration for enlightenment is not stained by the dirt of afflictions of the mundane whirl.
“Just as a wooden figure held together by the main pin does not fall apart and can perform any kind of movement, in the same way the body of the vow and knowledge of omniscience, held together by the main pin of the vow of enlightenment, can perform the tasks of enlightening beings, and does not fall apart as the embodiment of the vow of omniscience.
“Just as a machine without its pins cannot work, even though the parts are the same, similarly, the enlightening being without the commanding will of the aspiration to omniscience cannot attain buddhahood, even though the preparations of the parts of enlightenment be the same.
“Just as a sovereign ruler has a precious incense by the perfume of which his four armies are levitated into the air, in the same way the roots of goodness of an enlightening being, perfumed by the incense of the determination for omniscience, leave the mundane and end up in the unconditioned realm of the sky of enlightened knowledge.
“Just as diamond comes from nowhere else but a jewel mine, from a diamond or gold mine, in the same way the diamond like aspiration for omniscience comes from nowhere else but the jewel mine of roots of goodness in sentient beings’ minds, from the diamond mine of universal compassion saving all beings, or from the gold mine of concentration on omniscience.
“Just as there is a kind of tree called ‘rootless’ whose roots cannot be found, yet branches, leaves, and flowers appear luxuriantly on the tree, in the same way the root of the aspiration for omniscience cannot be found, yet it appears in all worlds, blooming with all virtues, knowledge, and mystic capacities, forming a web of vows.
“Just as a diamond does not shine beautifully in another kind of vessel, and cannot be held in an imperfect, perforated vessel, only in a perfect vessel, in the same way the diamond of the aspiration for omniscience does not shine in the vessels of people with inferior resolutions, in the envious, in the immoral, in the mentally corrupt, in the lazy, in the heedless, or in the stupid, and it cannot be held by a vessel of a wavering, inconstant mind with defective will, only in the precious vessel of the powerful will of an enlightening being.
“Just as diamond pierces all jewels, the diamond of the determination for omniscience pierces the jewels of all truth.
“Just as adamant splits all mountains, the adamant of the aspiration for omniscience splits the mountains of all views.
“Just as even a cracked diamond is better than an ornament of gold, the finest of precious metals, in the same way the diamond of the aspiration for omniscience is better than the gold ornaments of the virtues of hearers and individual illuminates, even if the will is broken by adversity.
“Just as a diamond, even if cracked, relieves poverty, in the same way the diamond of the determination for omniscience, even if split, relieves the poverty of the mundane whirl.
“Just as a diamond, however little, breaks all gems and stones, in the same way the diamond of the aspiration for omniscience, focused on however small an object, breaks all ignorance.
“Just as a diamond does not come into the hands of an ordinary man, the diamond of the determination for omniscience does not come into the hands of those of low intentions and poor roots of goodness.
“Just as someone who has no knowledge of gems does not recognize the qualities of diamonds or understand their excellence, in the same way a stupid person does not know the qualities of the diamond of wisdom of the aspiration for enlightenment and does not understand its excellence.
“Just as a diamond cannot be worn out, the diamond of the aspiration for enlightenment, the basis of omniscience, cannot be worn out.
“Just as the thunderbolt weapon cannot be held even by a strong man unless he has superhuman strength, likewise the thunderbolt of the aspiration for enlightenment cannot be held even by the mighty saints and sages, only by the great enlightening beings with great illumination, excelling in the superhuman might of infinite roots of goodness based on the power of the cause of omniscience.
“Just as a thunderbolt can prevail where all other weapons cannot, and will not be destroyed, in the same way where the weapons of vows and knowledge of all Buddhist disciples and self-enlightened ones cannot prevail, in developing and guiding people or living through the toils of practice through the ages of past, present, and future, there the enlightening being who holds the great thunderbolt weapon of the determination for omniscience, indefatigable, prevails unharmed.
“Just as adamant cannot be held on any spot on the earth except on an adamantine surface, in the same way the adamant vows of emancipation of enlightening beings cannot be held by those whose goal is personal salvation only; it can only be supported by the adamantine ground of the resolute determination for universal enlightenment.
“Just as the ocean does not leak any water because it is a solid container with an unyielding ground, in the same way the roots of goodness of an enlightening being, grounded on adamant, solid, unyielding dedication to enlightening, do not die out in any states of existence.
“Just as earth set on an adamantine base does not collapse or sink, in the same way the vows of enlightening beings, grounded on the adamantine base of the determination for enlightenment, are not rent apart and do not collapse in any mundane realm.
“Just as a diamond does not rot in water, the diamond of the aspiration for enlightenment does not decompose or soften even though it remain in the water of action and affliction for all ages.
“Just as a diamond is not burnt or heated by fire, the diamond of the determination for omniscience is not burnt by the fires of suffering of the mundane whirl and is not heated up by the fires of afflictions.
“Just as the seat of buddhas sitting on the site of enlightenment battling the devil and awakening to omniscience cannot be supported by any spot on earth except the earth surface of the adamantine center of the universe, in the same way the great force of power of the roots of goodness of enlightening beings aspiring to perfect enlightenment, carrying out the practice, fulfilling the transcendent ways, entering into tolerance, attaining spiritual station, dedicating roots of goodness, receiving assurance of buddahood, providing the necessities for the path of enlightening beings, and holding the multitudes of teachings of all buddhas, cannot be sustained by mind other than the mind set on omniscience, the adamantine core of all vows and knowledge.
“The aspiration for omniscience has these and untold other extraordinary virtues; and those who have set their minds on supreme perfect enlightenment are, have been, and will be endowed with such virtues. Therefore you have made a great gain in having aspired to supreme perfect enlightenment and seeking the practice of enlightening beings, because of attainment of these virtues.
“Also, you ask how an enlightening being is to learn and carry out the practice of enlightening beings. Go into this great tower containing the adornments of Vairocana and look—then you will know how to learn the practice of enlightening beings, and what kind of virtues are perfected in those who learn this.”
Then Sudhana respectfully circumbulated the enlightening being Maitreya and said, “Please open the door of the tower, and I will enter.” Then Maitreya went up to the door of the tower containing the adornments of Vairocana, and with his right hand snapped his fingers; the door of the tower opened, and Maitreya bade Sudhana to enter. Then Sudhana, in greatest wonder, went into the tower. As soon as he had entered, the door shut.
He saw the tower immensely vast and wide, hundreds of thousands of leagues wide, as measureless as the sky, as vast as all of space, adorned with countless attributes; countless canopies, banners, pennants, jewels, garlands of pearls and gems, moons and half moons, multicolored streamers, jewel nets, gold nets, strings of jewels, jewels on golden threads, sweetly ringing bells and nets of chimes, flowers showering, celestial garlands and streamers, censers giving off fragrant fumes, showers of gold dust, networks of upper chambers, round windows, arches, turrets, mirrors, jewel figurines of women, jewel chips, pillars, clouds of precious cloths, jewel trees, jewel railings, jeweled pathways, jeweled awnings, various arrays of the floor, chambers of jewels, jeweled promenades, rows of golden banana trees, statues made of all kinds of jewels, images of enlightening beings, singing birds, jewel lotuses, lotus ponds, jewel stairways, ground of masses of various jewels, radiant gems, arrays of all kinds of jewels. Also, inside the great tower he saw hundreds of thousands of other towers similarly arrayed; he saw those towers as infinitely vast as space, evenly arrayed in all directions, yet these towers were not mixed up with one another, being each mutually distinct, while appearing reflected in each and every object of all the other towers.
Then Sudhana, seeing this miraculous manifestation of the inconceivable realm of the great tower containing the adornments of Vairocana, was flooded with joy and bliss; his mind was cleared of all conceptions and freed from all obstructions. Stripped of all delusion, he became clairvoyant without distortion, and could hear all sounds with unimpeded mindfulness. He was freed from all scattering of attention, and his intellect followed the unobstructed eye of liberation. With physical tranquillity, seeing all objects without hindrance, by the power of production everywhere he bowed in all directions with his whole body.
The moment he bowed, by the power of Maitreya, Sudhana perceived himself in all of those towers; and in all those towers he saw various diverse inconceivable miraculous scenes. In one tower he saw where the enlightening being Maitreya first aspired to supreme perfect enlightenment, what his family was, what his basic goodness was, how he was inspired, how he was encouraged by spiritual friends, how long he lived, what age he lived in, what buddha he met, what land he adorned, what assembly he was in, and what kind of special vows he undertook. He also perceived the length of life of the beings and the buddha of that time, and saw himself in the presence of that buddha, and saw all of his works.
In one tower he saw where Maitreya first attained absorption in love, whence came his name, “The Loving One.” In another he saw where he carried out spiritual practice; in another, where he fulfilled the transcendent ways; in another, where he attained acceptance of things as unoriginated; in another, where he was assured of supreme perfect enlightenment, how he was assured, by whom, and how long it was predicted it would be before he was enlightened.
In one tower he saw Maitreya as a sovereign king directing people to virtuous action; in another he saw Maitreya as a world guardian bestowing well-being and happiness on the world; in another he saw Maitreya as Indra, fostering detachment in those obsessed with pleasure; in another he saw Maitreya as Brahma, describing to people the measureless pleasure of meditation; in another he saw Maitreya as the chief of the gods of timely portion, describing to people the virtues of attentiveness and diligence; in another he saw Maitreya as the chief of the heaven of contentment, revealin the virtues of enlightening beings bound to become buddhas in one lifetime; in another he saw Maitreya as a king of the heaven of good emanations, showing a company of celestials the array of emanations of all enlightening beings; in another he saw Maitreya as a lord of the heaven of control, explaining to the gods control over all phenomena; in another he saw Maitreya causing the devil to act, showing the gods the impermanence of all states of being; in another he saw Maitreya born in the palace of titans, teaching the titans truth so that they might do away with all conceit, pride, and arrogance, plunge into the ocean of knowledge, enter the ocean of spiritual knowledge, and attain the magic of knowledge of truth.
In one tower he saw the underworld and saw Maitreya illumine the great hells with light and relieve the hellish pains of the beings in hell. In another tower he saw the ghost world and saw Maitreya giving much food and drink to the ghosts, relieving their hunger and thirst. In another tower he saw Maitreya guiding the beings in the animal realm.
In one tower he saw Maitreya expounding the Teaching to world guardians in an assembly of celestial kings; in another he saw him in a group of chief gods of the thirty-three-fold heavens; in another he saw him in a group of chiefs of the heaven of timely portion; in another he saw him in a group of lords of the heaven of contentment; in another he saw him in a group of chiefs of the heaven of good emanations; in another he saw him in a group of kings, of the heaven of control; in another tower he saw Maitreya as a Great Brahma in a group of Brahma lords, expounding the Teaching.
In one tower he saw Maitreya in a group of dragons and serpents; in another, in a group of goblins and fiends; in another, in a group of titans and demons; in another, in a group of giant serpents; in another, in a group of human chiefs; in another tower, he saw the enlightening being Maitreya in a group of gods, dragons, goblins, fiends, cherubs, titans, birds, minotaurs, serpents, humans, and nonhumans, expounding the Teaching to them.
In one tower he saw Maitreya in a group of hearers; in another, in a group of individual illuminates; in another, in a group of enlightening beings; in another tower, he saw Maitreya expounding the Teaching to beginning enlightening beings who had just set their minds on enlightenment. In another tower he saw Maitreya extolling the excellences of the stages to those who had undertaken practice; in another, to those who had attained tolerance and were irreversible; in another, to those bound to be enlightened in one lifetime who had attained coronation; in another tower, to enlightening beings in the first stage.
In another tower he saw Maitreya with enlightening beings in stages up to the tenth, extolling the excellence of all the stages. In another tower he saw Maitreya speaking of the infinity of fulfillment of the transcendent ways; in another, of impartiality in approaching and entering into all studies; in another, of breadth of entry into concentration; in another, of depth of liberation; in another, of pervasion of the realm of higher knowledge of quiescent meditation, concentration, and trance; in another, of entry into the methods of guidance in enlightening practice; in another, of breadth of performance of vows; in another tower he saw Maitreya with a group of enlightening beings engaged in the same practice as he, speaking of the relevance of providing for the welfare and happiness of all beings, of the various arts and sciences to be employed for the benefit of the world.
In another tower he saw Maitreya with a group of enlightening beings bound to be enlightened in one life, telling them about coronation with the knowledge of all buddhas. In another tower he saw Maitreya perambulating ceaselessly for hundreds of thousands of years; in another, he saw him engaged in recitation; in another, engaged in contemplation of doctrine; in another, engaged in exposition of doctrine; in another, engaged in writing down the Teaching; in another, absorbed in concentration on universal love; in another, absorbed in all the meditations and immeasurables; in another, absorbed in the points of totality and the liberations; in another tower he saw Maitreya absorbed in the practice of bringing forth the higher knowledge of enlightening beings.
In one tower he saw enlightening beings absorbed in an enlightening concentration which emanated phantoms, and saw multitudes of all kinds of emanations coming from every pore of their bodies. From the pores of some he saw multitudes of celestial hosts emerging; from some he saw multitudes of dragons, goblins, cherubs, titans, birds, minotaurs, serpents, Indras, Brahmas, world guardians, and emperors; from some he saw multitudes of princes; from some he saw multitudes of grandees, ministers, and gentlemen; from some he saw multitudes of hearers, individual illuminates, and enlightening beings; from some he saw multitudes of buddha-bodies; from the pores of some he saw measureless multitudes of phantoms of all sentient beings emerge. He heard various aspects of the Teaching being broadcast from the pores of some of the enlightening beings—teachings of the virtues of enlightening beings, transcendent generosity, discipline, tolerance, vigor, meditation, wisdom, methods, vows, power, knowledge, the means of integration, the immeasurables, concentrations, trance, superknowledge, mystic spells, intellectual powers of analysis and exposition, tranquillity and observation, means of liberation, interdependent origination, the reliances, summarization of teachings, the points of mindfulness, the right efforts, the bases of mystic powers, the religious faculties and powers, the limbs of enlightenment, the paths, explanation of the vehicle of hearers, explanation of the vehicle of individual illuminates, explanation of the Great Vehicle, the stages, tolerances, practices, and vows—in this way he heard voices expressing all the ways into the Teaching being broadcast.
In another tower he saw gatherings of the audiences of buddhas, as well as the various differences among those buddhas, their different families, the infinite variety of their physical adornments, the variety of their life spans, the differences in their lands and eras, the variety of their teachings, the variety of the outwardness of their projected manifestations, the differences in the duration of their true teachings, and all the differences in their assemblies.
In the middle of the great tower containing the adornments of Vairocana he saw one tower which was bigger than all the others and arrayed with adornments surpassing all the other towers. In that tower he saw a billion-world universe, in which he saw a hundred million sets of four continents, with a hundred million Jambudvipas and a hundred million heavens of contentment. In those Jambudvipa continents he saw the enlightening being Maitreya being born in a lotus calyx; he also saw Maitreya taking seven steps as Indra and Brahma watched, looking over the ten directions, making the lion roar, showing all the stages of childhood, in the palace, out in the garden, setting out for omniscience, appearing to undertake ascetic practice, finally eating food, going to the site of enlightenment, conquering the devil, awakening to enlightenment, steadily gazing on the tree of enlightenment, being asked by Brahma to teach, and turning the wheel of the teaching, going into the celestial abodes, with various different manifestations of enlightening teaching, using various names of eras in different ways, with various different spans of life, various different arrays of gatherings, with various demonstrations of ways of purification of lands, carrying out various practices and vows, with various structures of teaching used as means to develop and mature all concerned, showing various distributions of relics and bases of maintaining the teachings. And everywhere there Sudhana perceived himself at Maitreya’s feet.
In all those assemblies, in all the manifestations of works, in the varieties of spans of life, by means of the knowledge based on clear recollection, standing on the ground of knowledge, sure to reach omniscience, Sudhana heard, from all the objects in all those towers, the nets of bells and chimes, the drums and songs, and so on, and from the beings therein, the thunder of inconceivable multitudes of voices. From some he heard of the variety of aspirations for enlightenment; from some, about the variety of offerings to buddhas; from some, about the variety of arrays of buddha-lands; from some, about the infinite variety of teachings of buddhas—thus he heard the voices of all the teachings as they had been expounded in the past.
He also heard about setting out for omniscience—in such-and-such a land the enlightening being so-and-so aspired to enlightenment, heard such-and-such a teaching, was inspired by the spiritual benefactor so-and-so, went to such-and-such a congregation at the foot of the buddha so-and-so in such-and-such a land in such-and-such an age, planted such-and-such roots of goodness, heard about such-and-such qualities of buddhahood, undertook such-and-such a variety of vows with such-and-such an intention, will realize supreme perfect enlightenment in so many eons after having carried out practice for so many eons, will be named so-and-so, will live so long, in a buddha-land with such-and-such qualities, with such-and-such higher commitments, such-and-such guidance of beings, such-and-such a congregation of disciples, individual illuminates, and enlightening beings, the true teaching to last for so many ages after the death of the Buddha, with such-and-such benefits.
He heard another voice saying that in such-and-such a world the enlightening being so-and-so makes so many hundreds of difficult sacrifices in the practice of transcendent giving; the enlightening being so-and-so keeps the precepts, cultivates tolerance, acquires vigor, attains meditations, engages in the investigation of wisdom; the enlightening being so-and-so, in search of truth, relinquishes kingship, wealth, family, hands and feet, eyes and head, and practices self-mortification by fire; the enlightening being so-and-so, advanced in the teaching of those who arrive at Thusness, works as a spiritual preacher, giving the gift of religion, performs the service of religion, raises the banner of religion, beats the drum and blows the horn of religion, showers the rain of religion, preserves the teaching of the enlightened, adorns monuments to the enlightened, has images of buddhas made, comforts beings, and guards the treasury of truth.
He heard another voice say that the buddha so-and-so now is in such-and-such a world, currently existing and expounding the Teaching, with such-and-such an initiation, in such-and-such an assembly in such-and-such a land in such-and-such an age, with such-and-such a life span, with such-and-such a doctrine guiding people in such-and-such a way, realizing such-and-such vows.
In this manner, from each object Sudhana heard articulations of an infinite variety of aspects of the Teaching, and by listening to all those voices he heard those facets of the Teaching with a mind flooded with joy. From some he got facets of mental command; from others, facets of commitment, tolerance, conduct, transcendence, higher perceptions, mystic knowledge, liberation, and concentration.
He also saw measureless arrays of reflections in the mirrors, reflections of assemblies of buddhas, circles of enlightening beings, congregations of disciples, groups of self-illuminates, defiled lands, pure lands, defiled and pure lands, reflections of all buddhas in one world, worlds with buddhas, small worlds, large worlds, subtle worlds, gross worlds, worlds in the cosmic net of Indra, inverted worlds, level worlds, worlds of hells, animals, and ghosts, worlds full of celestials and humans.
He also saw countless enlightening beings on the promenades or sitting on their seats, engaged in various activities. Some were walking around, some were doing spiritual exercises, some were practicing observation, some were projecting universal compassion, some were working on various sciences having to do with the welfare of the world, some were instructing, some were reciting, some were writing, some were asking questions, some were engaged in ripening conduct, concentration, and knowledge, some were undertaking vows.
He saw webs of jewel lights coming from the pillars, some sapphire, some topaz, some ruby, some white, some crystal, some golden, some emerald, some diamond, some rainbow, some the colors of all lights, delightful to the body and mind, supremely pleasant to the eye.
He also saw the golden statues of women and all the jewel statues with their hands extended downward, holding myriads of flowers, garlands, parasols, banners and pennants, incense and perfume, various jewels on gold strings, various pearl necklaces, garlands of various jewels, holding all kinds of ornaments in their hands. He saw some figures bowing, crowned with jewels, with steady gaze, palms joined, in gestures of respect. He also saw delicate clouds of pure water imbued with all fragrances coming from the pearl necklaces, and saw long streams flowing from the webs of strings of lapis lazuli. He also saw all the jewel parasols embellished with all kinds of ornaments, and he saw the inner chamber adorned with jewel bells, sets of chimes, silk streamers, strings of bells, slivers of jewels, and heaps of various gems. He saw countless superb red, blue, and white lotuses growing in the lotus ponds, some a foot across, some a fathom across, some as big as a wagon wheel; and in them he saw arrays of various figures—figures of women, men, boys, girls, Indra, Brahma, the world guardians, gods, dragons, goblins, cherubs, titans, birds, centaurs, serpents, sages, saints, and enlightening beings—bodies in the forms of all living beings, various in appearance, joining their palms and bowing in gestures of respect. He also saw figures of buddhas adorned with the thirty-two marks of great people, sitting in the lotus posture.
Also, on the checkerboard lapis-lazuli surface of the ground, he saw inconceivable reflections in each square; here he saw the reflection of a land, there the reflection of a buddha. All the arrays of adornments in those towers he saw reflected in each of the squares.
Also, in all the flowers, fruits, and buds of the jewel trees he saw golden busts of all kinds of beings—buddhas, enlightening beings, gods, dragons, goblins, cherubs, titans, birds, serpents, Indras, Brahmas, the world guardians, human emperors, princes, grandees, ministers, women, men, boys, girls, monks, nuns, male and female devotees, some with flower garlands hanging from their hands, some with strings of jewels hanging from their hands, some holding all kinds of ornaments, some bowing with their palms joined and gaze steady, paying respect, some singing hymns of praise, some in trance, some with a golden luster, some with a silver luster, some with a frosty luster, some with a sapphire luster, some with a shining jewel luster, some shining with the colors of all jewels, some with a saffron luster, some shining like bodies of light, some with bodies adorned with the marks of greatness.
From the crescents adorning the towers he saw reflections of countless moons, suns, stars, and planets emerge and illumine the ten directions.
He also saw the walls of the palatial towers resplendent with checkerboards of all jewels, and in all of the jewel square he saw Maitreya carrying out all the practices of enlightening beings, as he had done while performing enlightening practice in the past: in one square he saw Maitreya giving away his head; in another, giving away clothing; in another, giving away his topknot jewel; in another, giving the crown jewel of truth; in another, giving away his teeth; in another, giving away his tongue; in another, giving away his ears and nose; in another, giving away his heart; in another giving away his marrow and flesh; in another, giving away his blood; in another, giving away his skin; in another, giving away his limbs; in another, giving away his body; in another, giving away his sons, daughters, and wife; in another, giving away heaps of jewels; in another, giving away village, town, city, and country; in another, giving away the continent; in another, giving away four continents; in another, giving away all powers of rulership; in another, giving away the throne; in another, giving away servants; in another, giving away the palace and harem; in another, giving away parks and retreats; in another, giving parasols, banners, and pennants; in another, giving garlands and perfumes; in another, giving medicines; in another, giving all kinds of food and drink; in another, giving all kinds of implements; in another, giving all kinds of furniture, cushions, and shelters; in another, giving precious copper vessels; in another, giving excellent vehicles; in another, freeing those in bondage; in another, freeing the condemned; in another, giving medical care to the young; in another, showing the right path to those on the path of destruction; in another, navigating the rivers as a boatman; in another, as a wonder horse, rescuing people on the isle of demons in the ocean; in another, as a great seer, practicing the sciences; in another, as a ruler, leading people into the paths of righteous conduct; in another, as a physician, engaged in treating the sick; in another, serving his mother and father; in another, listening to spiritual benefactors; in another, in the form of a Buddhist disciple, engaged in teaching people; in another in the form of a self-illuminate, in another in the form of an enlightening being, in another in the form of a buddha, engaged in teaching people; in another, manifesting existence as paragons of types of beings, developing beings to maturity; in another, as a religious preacher expounding experience of the teachings of buddhas, reciting the teachings, reflecting deeply on them, decorating monuments of buddhas, having statues of buddhas made, enjoining people to honor the buddhas, giving out perfumes, making all kinds of offerings to buddhas, leading people into paths of actions based on virtuous ways, directing people to the precepts, to refuge in the Buddha, the Teaching, and the Community, to listening to the Teaching, to discussion, recital, and profound contemplation of the Teaching, sitting on the lion seat to talk of the Teaching, revealing the enlightenment of buddhas. Thus Sudhana saw Maitreya’s practices of the six ways of transcendence over countless eons, projected from each of the squares of the checkerboard walls. In one tower he saw magical arrays of all the spiritual benefactors whom Maitreya attended, and he perceived himself in the presence of all those spiritual benefactors, being welcomed and told not to be weary, to behold this wonder of the enlightening being.
So Sudhana saw these and other inconceivable projections of magnificent scenes from each of the towers and each object in the towers. By the power of unwavering mindfulness, by all-encompassing purity of vision, by unobstructed knowledge of observational skill, by attainment of control over the basis of knowledge of enlightening beings, standing on the ground of knowledge issuing from the perceptions of enlightening beings, he saw this whole endless manifestation of marvelous scenes.
It was like someone asleep seeing various things in a dream—nice houses and mansions, charming villages, towns, and cities, agreeable clothing, food and drink, or delightful performances of music, song, and dance; or as one might see pleasant parks, gardens, and retreats, trees, rivers, lotus ponds, and mountains, or perceive oneself together with family and friends, or as one might see the ocean, or the polar mountain, or the celestial abodes on the highest mountains, or the whole continent, or perceive oneself to be many miles tall, in which case one would see one’s house and surroundings as enormous; one sees all the elements arrayed together, as if it were daytime, and one does not know the length or brevity of the night, nor realize one is asleep. If one sees oneself in a pleasant situation, one’s body will be at rest, one will be free from torpor and drowsiness, with all attachments removed, feeling great joy and bliss; it will seem to last long—a day, a week, a fortnight, a year, a century, or even more—and when one awakes, one will remember it all. In the same way Sudhana, by the power of the enlightening being, by the knowledge of the collection of dreams that constitutes the world, the notion of smallness gone from his mind, abiding in the immensely vast unobstructed perception of enlightening beings, with the mental scope of enlightening beings, his intellect having entered into the inconceivable wisdom of enlightening beings, saw the whole supernal manifestation, was perfectly aware of it, understood it, contemplated it, used it as a means, beheld it, and saw himself there.
It was like the case of a dying man hovering in his final mental state, on the brink of the mental state immediately preceding rebirth, faced with the state of being which is caused by his actions, as a result of the accumulation of whatever actions he has done; he will see hell if he has done evil, or the state of animals, ghosts, or the underworld, and may see angry, abusive henchmen of the underworld carrying weapons, and hear the cries of lament and anger of the beings in hell. He will also see the great hells burning, blazing masses of flames, and will see the copper cauldrons and the tortures being carried out, and will perceive those undergoing them. He will also see and feel the pains of the burning of the fires of hell. But by accumulation of good actions one will see heaven, and will see the assemblies of gods and goddesses and all the magnificent arrays of heaven; one will see and experience the enjoyments of the parks, palaces, rivers, lotus ponds, mountains of jewels, and wish-fulfilling trees. At the end of one’s life one will feel one has passed away from this world and been reborn in the next, even though one has not yet died; thus by the wonder of the mental realms caused by actions one will see and experience these events. In the same way Sudhana, by the wonder of the states caused by the actions of an enlightening being, saw that whole supernal manifestation of the tower of Vairocana.
Just as a man possessed by a spirit sees various things, and tells of what he is asked about, in the same way Sudhana, by the power of knowledge of an enlightening being, saw all those arrays.
Just as a man who has entered the abode of water spirits, by entering into the perception of water spirits, thinks a day or a week or a fortnight or a month or a year or a century has passed, merely in his perception, and when leaving the perception of water spirits for the perception of humans sees that it was only a short time, in the same way, with the mindfulness of the perception of an enlightening being, by the power of Maitreya, in that short time Sudhana had the sense of the passage of billions of eons.
There is a celestial mansion called “chamber of the finest ornaments of all worlds,” wherein the whole universe is seen by reflection, with all objects clearly defined; in the same way Sudhana saw all those arrays, unconfused, reflected in all the objects.
Just as a monk in the trance of absorption in one of the points of totality is single-minded and undivided whether walking, standing still, sitting, or reclining, and sees and experiences the whole world through entry into the sphere of total absorption in whatever point of totality he is focused on, by the marvel of meditation, in the same way Sudhana saw all those arrays whatever object he immersed himself in.
Just as all the adornments of the cities of celestial musicians are visible in the sky, without constituting a barrier to anyone, just as human abodes within demonic abodes, each distinct within the demonic abodes, are visible according to the purity of the objects of desire, just as reflections of the worlds of the universe are seen in the ocean, just as a magician sees all forms and activities by the power of spells and drugs, in the same way Sudhana, by the inconceivable direction of the magic of the enlightening mystic knowledge of Maitreya, saw all those miraculous displays, by bringing forth the power of magic of knowledge of truth, by the power of mystic knowledge mastered by the enlightening being.
Then the enlightening being Maitreya, entering the tower and relaxing his magical force, snapped his fingers and said to Sudhana, “Arise. This is the nature of things; characterized by nonfixity, all things are stabilized by the knowledge of enlightening beings, thus they are inherently unreal, and are like illusions, dreams, reflections.”
Then, at a finger snap, Sudhana emerged from that trance and Maitreya said to him, “Did you see the miraculous display of the magical power of enlightening beings? Did you see the results of the power of enlightening beings’ preparations for enlightenment? Did you see the creations of the vows and knowledge of enlightening beings? Did you see the practices and attainments of enlightening beings? Did you hear the enlightening beings’ ways of emancipation? Did you see the infinity of adornments of buddha-lands? Did you see the excellence of the vows and expertise of buddhas? Did you realize the inconceivability of the liberation of enlightening beings? Did you experience enlightening beings’ bliss of absorption?”
Sudhana said, “I saw, noble one, by the empowerment and spiritual force of the benefactor. And what is this liberation called?”
Maitreya said, “This liberation is called the sanctum of supernal manifestations of unconfused recollection entering into knowledge of all objects of past, present, and future. And an enlightening being assured of enlightenment in one lifetime attains untold liberations like this.”
Sudhana said, “Where has that magnificent display gone?”
Maitreya said, “Where it came from.”
Sudhana said, “Where did it come from?”
Maitreya said, “It came from the effectuation of the magical power of knowledge of enlightening beings, and it resides in that very magical power. It does not go or come at all, it is not an aggregate or an accumulation, it is not uniform and unchangeable, it is not abiding or fixed in existence, it is not located in any place. It is like the network of clouds of the water spirits which do not appear from body or mind and yet are indeed seen in masses; by the mental power of the water spirits measureless clouds emerge, by the wonder of the realm of the water spirits. In the same way, those supernal manifestations are not internal or external, yet it is not that they are not seen, by the magical power of the enlightening being, and because of your own capacity.
“Just as the illusions of a magician manifesting illusory objects do not come from anywhere or go away, nor are they in transit, yet they appear by the power of spells and drugs, in the same way those supernal arrays have never gone or come, nor accumulated, but they appear by proper learning of the inconceivable magic of knowledge of enlightening beings, by mastery of knowledge empowered by past vows.”
Sudhana said, “From how far away do you come?”
Maitreya said, “In the state where there is no coming; the state of enlightening beings is the state of neither motion nor stasis, the state of no support or abode, the state of no passing away or rebirth, the state neither static nor transient, the state of no stirring or arising, the state of no concern or attachment, the state of no deeds or fruition, the state of no origination or destruction, the state of no annihilation or eternity. Furthermore, great compassion is the state of enlightening beings, as they attend to sentient beings who can be guided; great kindness is the state of enlightening beings, as they rescue suffering beings; discipline is the state of enlightening beings, as they become reconstituted according to will; commitment is the state of enlightening beings, based on past vows; spiritual power is the state of enlightening beings, as they manifest all that is pleasant; nondoing is the state of enlightening beings, as they do not leave the presence of all buddhas; neither grasping nor rejecting is the state of enlightening beings, as they are not obsessed with body or mind; wisdom and means is the state of enlightening beings, as they adapt to sentient beings, manifesting emanations is the state of enlightening beings, their bodies being equivalent to reflected images.
“And you ask how far away I come from—I come here from the village of Kuti in the territories of the Malada people, land of my birth. There is a gentleman there named Gopalaka, who guides people into the buddha-teachings, teaches the native people according to their capacities, and establishes family and relatives, priests and householders, in the Great Vehicle.”
Sudhana asked, “What are the native lands of enlightening beings?”
Maitreya said, “There are ten native lands of enlightening beings. What are they? The arousal of the aspiration for enlightenment is a native land of enlightening beings, causing one to be born in the family of enlightening beings. Strong will is a native land of enlightening beings, causing one to be born in the family of spiritual friends. The stages are a native land of enlightening beings, causing one to be born in the family of the transcendent ways. Carrying out vows is a native land of enlightening beings, causing one to be born in the family of sublime acts. Universal compassion is a native land of enlightening beings, causing one to be born in the house of means of salvation. Profound contemplation is a native land of enlightening beings, causing one to be born in the house of transcendent wisdom. The Great Vehicle is a native land of enlightening beings, causing one to be born in the house of skill in means. Educating sentient beings is a native land of enlightening beings, causing one to be born in the house of buddhas. Knowledge and means is a native land of enlightening beings, causing one to be born in the house of tolerance of things as unoriginated. Practicing and realizing all truths is a native land of enlightening beings, causing one to be born in the house of all buddhas of past, future, and present.
“Transcendent wisdom is the mother of enlightening beings, skill in means is the father of enlightening beings, transcendent generosity is the milk of enlightening beings, transcendent discipline is their nurse, transcendent tolerance is their adornment, transcendent vigor is what makes them grow, transcendent meditation purifies their practice, spiritual friends teach them, the elements of enlightenment are their companions, all enlightening beings are their siblings, the determination for enlightenment is their family, practice is the rule of their family, the stages are their residence, attainment of tolerance is birth in the family, carrying out vows is acquisition of the knowledge of the family, purity of conduct is following the rule of the family, promoting the Great Vehicle is preserving the continuity of the family, consecration as one bound to attain buddhahood in one life is princehood among spiritual kings, and the attainment of all who arrive at Thusness is complete purification of the family.
“Thus the enlightening being has gone beyond the stage of the ignorant and has entered the certainty of enlightening beings, has been born in the family of buddhas, has been established in the lineage of buddhas, has become capable of perpetuating the three treasures, has become involved in protecting the family of enlightening beings, has become socially pure and impeccable, blameless among all people, has become well born in the highest family of buddhas, the body a repository of great vows.
“Enlightening beings who have succeeded in being born in the family this way do not shrink away from existence in any world, because they realize all things are like reflections; they are not defiled by life in any state of existence, because they realize birth in all states of being is phantom like; they are tireless in guiding and perfecting all beings, because they are aware all is selfless; they never cease taking care of all beings, because they embody universal love and compassion; they do not fear living through all ages, because they believe the mundane whirl is like a dream; they are not afflicted by the appearance of birth and death, because they realize the clusters of mental and physical elements are illusory; they are not injured in the midst of all objects, because they realize they are of the nature of the reality realm; they are not deluded by any of the states of the mundane whirl, because they have thoroughly realized they are like mirages; they are unaffected by any bedeviling objects because they are familiar with the illusoriness of all things; they are incapable of being deceived by any afflictions, because they have mastered the spiritual body; they reach their goal in all states of being, because they have attained control over becoming.
“With a body existing in all worlds, in forms like all beings, with different powers, with distinct forms of speech like those of all beings, with modes of conduct like those approved by all beings, with adaptations to the world as extensive as the precepts of all beings, appearing to be born in families consonant with all kinds of purity, by entries into the perceptions and ideas of all beings through engagement in activity, by powers of physical manifestation equal to the creations of vows of all enlightening beings, I pervade all universes, and arrived here in the south, in the village of Kuta in the Malada region, in order to develop to maturity those who carried out the same practices as I in the past but have lost the aspiration for enlightenment, and to manifest birth on this continent, to guide parents and relatives born in the priestly caste, and to generate the family of enlightened ones so as to free them from the pride and conceit of the superiority of the priestly caste.
“Here in the south, by that means guiding beings according to their mentalities and according to their capacity for being taught, I live in this tower containing the adornments of Vairocana. When I have passed away from here, I will manifest birth in Tushita, the celestial abode of happiness and contentment, in order to adapt to beings according to mentality, and to mature the celestials of that heaven engaged in the same practice, to manifest supernal arrays of emanations of the virtue and knowledge of enlightening beings beyond all realms of desire, to dispel all craving for sensual enjoyment, to make it clear that all mundane routines are impermanent, to show that all celestial existence ultimately declines and passes away, to join with the enlightening beings bound for buddhahood in one life in proclaiming the teaching of great knowledge called ‘appearance of descent from heaven into rebirth on earth,’ to take care of those matured together in that state of existence, and to enlighten those sent forth by Shakyamuni when the time comes to be guided. At that time I will realize omniscience, the fulfillment of my aspiration; and when I have attained enlightenment, you will see me again, with the spiritual benefactor Manjushri.
“Now go back to Manjushri and ask him how an enlightening being is to learn and carry out the practice of enlightening beings, enter the sphere of universally good practice, undertake and carry it out, expand it, follow it, purify it, enter fully into it, and fulfill it. He will show you the real benefactor. Why? The best of vows of decillions of enlightening beings is Manjushri’s; vast is the outcome of the practice of Manjushri; measureless is the accomplishment of vows of Manjushri; ceaseless is Manjushri’s achievement of the best of virtues of all enlightening beings; Manjushri is the mother of decillions of buddhas; Manjushri is the teacher of decillions of enlightening beings; Manjushri is engaged in the perfection of all beings; widespread is the name of Manjushri in all worlds of the ten directions; Manjushri is the interlocutor in the assemblies of untold buddhas; Manjushri is praised by all buddhas; abiding in the knowledge of profound truth, Manjushri sees all things according to their true significance; Manjushri has ranged far into all modes of liberation; he is immersed in the practice of universally good enlightening beings. He is the progenitor of spiritual benefactors, who makes you grow in the family of the enlightened, causes you to establish roots of goodness, shows you the provisions for enlightenment, introduces you to true benefactors, immerses you in all virtues, establishes you in the network of universal vows, causes you to hear of the accomplishment of all vows, shows the secrets of all enlightening beings, and has similarly practiced the wonder of all enlightening beings together with you in past lives.
“Therefore when you go to Manjushri, do not be faint-hearted, do not become weary in receiving instruction in all virtues. Why? All the spiritual benefactors you have seen, all the ways of practice you have heard, all the modes of liberation you have entered, all the vows you have plunged into, should all be looked upon as the empowerment of Manjushri; and Manjushri has reached the ultimate perfection.”
Then Sudhana paid his respects to Maitreya the enlightening being 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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