DESCRIPTION
This is the final chapter of the Mahāvaipulya Buddhāvataṃsaka Sūtra. It is called either ‘Entering the Dharmadhātu’ or the Gaṇḍavyūha Sutra (’Array of Stems’). It is primarily the story of a young bodhisattva named Sudhana who is sent on a spiritual quest by the bodhisattva Mañjuśrī to go meet over fifty different kalyāṇamitra (’Good Spiritual Friends’). Unlike the first eight assemblies of the Avataṃsaka Sutra, which are, in a sense, located at the foot of the Bodhi Tree (i.e. the ‘site of enlightenment’), the sole chapter of the ninth assembly is located in this Jeta grove, in the park of Anāthapiṇḍaka.
The chapter begins with a listing of the names of bodhisattvas in attendance, who are headed by Samantabhadra and Mañjuśrī, the two primary bodhisattvas of the entire sutra. It is also noted that there were śrāvakas and ‘leaders of the world’, echoing Chapter One. Responding to the thoughts of a variety of questions by the congregation, the Buddha enters the siṃha-vijṛmbhita-samādhi (’Lion’s Yawn/Stretch/Sprint/Pounce’ 師子奮迅三昧) - a samādhi by which one is able to quickly enter the first dhyāna and ascend through all eight dhyānas to the cessation of feeling and perception absorption and then come back down through all of these absorptions in sequence to then emerge again from the first dhyāna. As a result the entire world becomes purified, consisting entirely of marvelous jewels, adorned with infinite arrays of clouds of things above the Jetavana, preceding the miraculous arrival of bodhisattvas with large retinues from the Ten Directions who offer clouds of all kinds of marvelous things. The śrāvakas, however, do not see any of it for a variety of reasons, while the bodhisattvas do and the samādhis they rely upon are described after the Buddha emits a great light from between the eyebrows.
Then the Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī summarizes the feats of spiritual transformations that had occurred in verse. The next major event that occurs is when Mañjuśrī the Youth comes out of his ‘tower’
The Ten Abodes
1 - Meghaśrī / Glorious Clouds
From Rāmāvarānta (’Supreme Bliss’), on a mountain called Sugrīvo (’Marvelous Peak’), a bhikṣu who has acquired the Universal Vision Dharma Door, seeing infinite buddhas and going to make offerings to them. He represents the First Abode: The Initial Generation of the Will for Enlightenment.
2 - Sāgaramegha / Ocean Cloud
From Sāgaramuka (’Ocean Gateway’), a bhikṣu who has acquired the Universal Eye Dharma Door, seeing an immense lotus flower with a buddha on it bestowing teachings.” He represents the Second Abode: Preparing the Ground
3 - Supratiṣṭhita / Well Established
From a village off the side of Lanka Road known as Sāgaratīra (’Ocean Shore’), a bhikṣu who had acquired the bodhisattva’s unimpeded liberation, and is unobstructed, able to stand, walk, sit, or lay down in mid-air. He represents the Third Abode: Cultivating Practice
4 - Megha / Cloud
From Drāviḍa, in a city named Vaśitā (’Sovereign Mastery’), a man who had acquired the Light of the Bodhisattva’s Sublime Sounds Dhāraṇī, sending forth many different kinds of light from his mouth, everywhere illuminating worlds. He represents the Fourth Abode: Noble Birth
5 - Muktaka / Liberated One
From a village known as Vanavāsī (’Forest Abode’), an elder who enters a bodhisattva samādhi gateway known as “The Boundless Revolving Dhāraṇī of the Universal Integration of All Buddha Kṣetras,” in which he acquires a pure body within which are revealed buddhas of ten directions. He represents the Fifth Abode: Fulfilling Expedient Means
6 - Sāgaradhvaja / Ocean Banner
From the village of Mali, at the borderlands of Jambudvipa, a bhikṣu who has acquired the Universal Adornment and Purification” samadhi, emitting lights from all parts of the body. He represents the Sixth Abode: Correct Mind
7 - Āśā / Wish
In an abode known as Samudravetāḍī (’Ocean Tides’ or ‘Keeper of the Ocean Door’), where there is a park known as Samantavyūha (’Universal Array’), an upāsikā who abides in the “Banner of Sorrowless Security” aśokakṣemadhvajo, to whom Buddhas come from the Ten Directions to preach the Dharma for her. She represents the Seventh Abode: Nonregression
8 - Bhīṣmottaranirghoṣa / Utters a Fearsome Sound
Still in Samudravetāḍī, in a country known as Nālayus, a rishi who takes Sudhana’s hand and he enters infinite worlds in all directions by virtue of being illuminated with the bodhisattva’s “Banner of Invincibility.” He represents the Eighth Abode: Youthful Nature
9 - Jayoṣmāyatana / Supreme Heat
From a village known as Īṣāṇa (’Greatness’), a brahman who cultivates the austerities by fire and has acquired the Endless Wheel Liberation, who gets Sudhana to throw himself off a mountain onto fire. He represents the Ninth Abode: Dharma Heir
10 - Maitrāyaṇī / Friendly Practice
From the city Siṃhavijṛmbhita (Lion Sprint), a ‘maiden’ (童女) who demonstrates the Prajñāpāramitā Universal Adornment Gateway, consisting of many dhāraṇīs. She represents the Tenth Abode: Abhiṣeka (’Anointment’)
The Ten Practices
11 - Sudarśana / Good to Behold
From Trinayana (’Three Eyes’), a bhikṣu who demonstrates the Lamp of Compliance liberation gateway, who bares all the auspicious characteristics. He represents the First Practice: Bestowing Joy
12 - Indriyśvara / Sovereign Lord
From Sumukha (’Renowned’ or ‘Beautiful Face’), living on an island in the river, a youth who uses all kinds of ‘worldly arts’ to benefit sentient beings, the Dharma Gateway into the Light of Knowledge of All Skills, Arts, and Great Spiritual Super-Knowledges. He represents the Second Practice: Abundantly Benefiting (all Sentient Beings)
13 - Prabhūtā / Fully Complete
From the great city Samudrapratiṣṭhāna (’Ocean Dwelling’), an upāsikā living in a vastly decorated house of upaya, demonstrates the liberation gateway of the Treasury of Endless Merit, giving everything to everyone. She represents the Third Practice: Non-opposition
14 - Vidvān / The Knower
From the city known as Mahāsaṃbhava (’Great Flourishing’), a householder who sits on a stage made of the seven treasures in the middle of the market fulfilling people’s wishes, having acquired the liberation gateway of producing at will a treasury of merit by which to completely fulfill all wishes. He represents the Fourth Practice: Indomitability
15 - Ratnacūḍa / Jewel Topknot
From a great city known as Siṁhapota (’Lion Temple’), an elder who, taking Sudhana by the hand, shows him his multi-tiered house made of jewels full of bodhisattvas on differing bhūmi grounds, having acquired the bodhisattva’s liberation gateway of the jewel treasury of measureless merit. He represents the Fifth Practice: Non-Confusion
16 - Samantanetra / Universal Eye
From the land known as Vetramūlaka (’Cane Root’), in a city known as Samantamukha (’Universal Gateway’), an elder, a perfumer who cures peoples ills with fragrances, having acquired the Dharma Gateway of Delighting all Beings by enabling them to everywhere see all buddhas. He represents the Sixth Practice: Good Manifestation
17 - Anala / Tireless
From a great city known a Tāladhvaja (’Tāla Banner’), an ‘evil’ king who uses the upaya of Dharma Door Illusion Knowledge to frighten citizens into good behavior. He represents the Seventh Practice: Nonattachment (asaṅga)
18 - Mahāprabha / Great Light
From a city known as Suprabha (’Marvelous Radiance’), a ‘good’ king who uses the Banner of Great Kindness to reveal the jeweled adornments of his city. He represents the Eighth Practice: Difficult to Attain
19 - Acalā / Immovable
From a royal capital known as Sthirā (’Peaceful Abiding’), an upāsikā living in a house of light with her mother and father and family, having acquired the liberation gateway, the Treasury of Invincible Wisdom and others, she had a vision of the Buddha will looking at the stars, and she demonstrate the light of the samadhi of the insatiable quest for all dharmas with which to speak of the sublime dharma for the sake of all beings. She represents the Ninth Practice: Good Dharma
20 - Sarvagāmin / Going Everywhere
From a great city known as Amitatosala (’Limitless Tosala’), a wandering ascetic on a mountain called Sulabha (’Good Gain’) who practices the Bodhisattva Practice of Going Everywhere, appearing infinite different ways for the entire human population. He represents the Tenth Practice: True Suchness
The Ten Transferences of Merit
21 - Utpalabhūti / Blue Lotus Rising
From the country of Pṛthurāṣṭra (’Vastness’), an elder who distinguishes and knows and can make all ‘fragrances’. He represents the First Transference (of Merit): To All Sentient Beings Without the Concept of Sentient Beings.
22 - Vaira / Independent (?)
From the city Kūṭāgāra, a ships captain at the ocean shore who practices the Banner of Great Compassion, first using worldly things to satisfy the wishes of all beings, then providing them with the ‘wealth’ of the Dharma, transporting everyone in the Great Ship across the Ocean of Samsara. He represents the Second Transference of Merit: Indestructible Transference
23 - Jayottama / Unsurpassed Supremacy
From Nandihāraṃ (’Delightful’), an elder east of the city, at the great adornment banner in the Aśoka Forest with along with many merchants and laymen, who has perfect the bodhisattva practice gateway of ‘Going Everywhere Using the Independent and Effortless Powers of the Spiritual Superknowledges’ thereby going to all the beings of the Realm of Desire and all the beings of the Realm of Form and teaching them the Dharma. He represents the Third Transference: Equal to All Buddhas
24 - Siṃhavijṛmbhitā / Lion Stretch’ or ‘Lion’s Yawn’
From the land known as Śroṇāparānta, which has a city called Kaliṅgavana, a bhikṣuṇī who resides in Sunlight park, donated by King Supreme Light, where there are all kinds of magnificent trees, and Sudhana saw her teaching all kinds of gateways in different places at the same time, in different ways, to different audiences, having aquired the liberation known as ‘The Perfection of All Knowledge.’ She represents the Fourth Transference: Reaching all Locations
25 - Vasumitrā / Friend of the World
From the Land of Danger (Durga ’Dangerous Difficulty’) where there is a city called Ratnavyūha (’Jewel Adornment’), ‘The Lady Vasumitrā‘ who lives in a house north of the Market. She has acquired the bodhisattva liberation “The Pinnacle of Non-Attraction (rāga)” by which everyone who sees her sees the most beautiful thing (to them), and they abandon sensual desire after so much as seeing her, or holding her hand, or ‘getting onto her couch’ or kissing, etc. She represents the Fifth Transference: Inexhaustible Treasuries of Merit
26 - Veṣṭhila / The Embarcer
From a city known as Śubhapāraṃgama (’Beautiful Crossing’), a layman who has aquired the bodhisattva liberation of “Nonentry Into The Apex of Parinirvana.” He represents the Sixth Transference: Causing all Good Roots to Endure
27 - Avalokiteśvara / Sovereign Who Looks over the World
On Potalaka, a mountain out at sea, a Bodhisattva having perfected the bodhisattva liberation gateway The Practice of the Great Compassion, by which beings are rescued from fears if they call out his/her name. He represents the Seventh Transference: Universally Adapting to all Beings
28 - Ananyagāmin / Proceeding Directly
Who appears ‘out of the sky’ during the Avalokiteśvara section, a bodhisattva who had attained the liberation known as ‘Swift Travel Through the Universal Gateway.’ He represents the Eighth Transference: Characteristic of True Suchness
29 - Mahādeva / Great God
From a city known as Dvāravatī (’Having a Door’), a ‘sky’ spirit who has attained the liberation known as ‘Net of Clouds’ that showers the rain of the Dharma. She represents the Ninth Transference: Liberating Understanding without Attachment
30 - Sthāvarā / Peaceful Abiding
At the site of enlightenment in Magadha, the female earth spirit who has attained the liberation known as the ‘Indestructible Treasury of Wisdom.’ She represents the Tenth Transference: Equal to the Dharmadhatu
The Ten Stages
31 - Vāsantī / (a kind of plant)
On the continent of Jambudvipa, in the state of Magadha, in the city of Kapilavastu, a female night spirit who has attained the liberation known as ‘The Dharma Light the Dispels the Darkness of all Beings.’ She represents the First Bhumi: Extreme Joy
32 - Samantagambhīraśrīvimalaprabhā / Pure Light of Universal Virtue
At the site of enlightenment in Magadha, a female night sprit who has acquired the liberation known as ‘Roaming Everywhere in the Bliss of Quiescent Dhyana,’ seeing all Buddhas and all sites of enlightenment, everywhere. She represents the Second Bhumi: Stainless
33 - Pramuditanayanajagadvirocanā / Observing Beings with Delighted Eyes
To the right of the site of enlightenment, a female night spirit who has acquired the bodhisattvas inconceivable liberation known as “The Immensely Powerful Banner of Universal Joy,” which Sudhana also acquires after witnessing all of the inconceivable transformation bodies of the night spirit explain the 10 paramitas, etc. She represents the Third Bhumi: Refulgence.
34 - Samantasattvatrāṇojaḥśrī / Universal Rescuer of Beings
In the same audience as Pramuditanayanajagadvirocanā, a female night spirit who has acquired the bodhisattvas ‘liberation for the training of beings,’ appearing in all worlds before all beings performing upāya, and Sudhana sees the bodhisattva within every atom everywhere doing so. After some laudatory verses, Sudhana asks the night spirit how long it has been since she acquired this liberation. She explains that in an ancient kalpa known as ‘Sphere of Purity’ in a world known as Vairocana’s Great Awesome Virtue, in a four-continent land known as Jeweled Lamp Flower Banner 寶燈華幢, in a country called Jewel Flower Lamp 寶華燈 there was a wheel-turning sage king known as Vairocana’s Marvelous Bejeweled Lotus Topknot, who has a wife known as Perfectly Full Countenance 圓滿面, who has a daughter named Eyes of Universal Wisdom’s Flaming Radiance and Marvelous Virtue 普智焰妙德眼. At that time, there was a Bodhi Tree with a pond in front of it with a giant lotus flower that announces, thousands of years beforehand, the future arrival of Buddhas. When the Tathagata Banner of the Universal Wisdom Jewel’s Flaming Radiance and Marvelous Qualities appears, because the beings in that world have grown arrogant, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva appears in the sky and announces the Tathagata’s arrival. Upon seeing Samantabhadra, the kings daughter, Eyes of Marvelous Virtue, aspires to be a bodhisattva, and Samantabhadra encourages her to repair a statue of the Buddha sitting on a lotus, and she offers all her jewelry to the Tathagata and he gives her teachings. Eyes of Marvelous Virtue is revealed to have been the night spirit, Samantasattvatrāṇojaḥśrī, in a previous life, the king, Vairocana’s Marvelous Bejeweled Lotus Topknot, is revealed to have been Maitreya Bodhisattva, and the kings wife Perfectly Full Countenance is revealed to be a pervious life of the next kalyāṇamitra - Praśāntarutasāgaravatī (’Sea of Serene Sounds’). She represents the Fourth Bhumi: Radiant Intellect
35 - Praśāntarutasāgaravatī / Sea of Serene Sounds
‘Not for from here’, a female night spirit who has acquired the ‘Liberation that Produces the Adornment of Vast Joy in every mind-moment.’ Sudhana asks about her: karmic works 事業, viṣaya境界, upaya 方便, and investigation pravicaya 觀察. She explains her many kinds of ‘resolve’ and then her many kinds of upāya for teaching beings. This is followed by her immense joy at contemplating the Tathagata. Sudhana asks about her past generation of bodhicitta and she recalls an ocean of worlds beyond this ocean of worlds, where she was a bodhi tree spirit. She represents the Fifth Bhumi: Difficult to Conquer
36 - Sarvanagararaksāsambhavatejahśrī / Protector of All Cities
Also at the site of enlightenment, a female night spirit who has acquired the ‘extremely profound and miraculous sublime sound’ liberation. She gives the names of many buddhas who have appeared in past kalpas, the long recitation of which creates a wonderous ‘drone’ that fulfills the promise of a sublime sound. She also acquired ten of the Tathagata’s immensely awesome ‘dhāraṇī maṇḍalas’ 陀羅尼輪. She represents the Sixth Bhumi: Direct Presence
37 - Sarvavṛkṣapraphullanasukhasaṃvāsā / Bringing Forth All Trees’ Blossoms
Also at the site of enlightenment, a female night spirit in a jewel tower, surrounded by night spirits, who has perfected the bodhisattva liberation gateway of ‘The Generation of the Light of Vast Joy’ and uses the knowledge of upaya of the Ten Paramitas to ‘universally harmonize all beings (sarvasattvaparigraha 普攝眾生巧方便智)’, clearly seeing the ocean of past bodhisattva practices of Vairocana. Sudhana asks when she first generated bodhicitta, to which she gives an inconceivable answer involving a past life, long ago, of a king (who is revealed to be Vairocana) named Perfect Canopy of all Dharma Sounds in a world that falls into turbidity, with no one to rely upon. A destitute mob goes to the king who practices [6th Transference of Merit style] giving of everything to save humanity. At that time, there was an elder’s daughter named Ratnaprabhā (’Jewel Light’, who is revealed to be the night spirit, herself) along with sixty maidens, who generate bodhicitta due to the King’s practice. The story of the King’s miraculous birth atop a lotus flower is told in verse, regarding his father, Pure Light, and mother, Lotus Light. They are revealed to be Śuddhodana and Lady Māyā, the Buddha’s parents. This night spirit represents the Seventh Bhumi: Gone Afar
38 - Sarvajagadrakṣāpraṇidhānavīryaprabha / Light of the Vigor of the Vow to Protect all Beings
Also at the site of the enlightenment, a female night spirit who has attained the gateway, ‘Teaching Beings to Produce Roots of Goodness.’ Her body reflects the images of inconceivably many different kinds of things. Conceiving thoughts of the good spiritual guide, Sudhana acquires the same aspects of practice as her, pages of comparable aspects of which are given. He asks how long it has been since she generated bodhicitta. She emanates varieties of form bodies, many of which are listed. She then gives a variety of similes for the bodhisattvas wisdom, followed by a past-life story of a kalpa, Fine Radiance, in which there was a world, Jewel Radiance, wherein ten thousand buddhas appeared, the first being King Illuming Space with the Voice of the Dharma Wheel Tathāgata. At the time there was a king, Light of Victory, who built a prison for all the people breaking precepts. The king had a son, Prince Fine Conqueror, who was very handsome. Seeing his father’s prison filled with suffering beings, he asks to take their place. His mother, the Queen, intervenes and has the Prince go to ‘Sunlight Park’ and practice great giving, like in the previous story. At the time, King Illuming Space with the Voice of the Dharma Wheel Tathāgata gathers everyone and teaches a sutra and the Prince attains the gateway ‘Teaching Beings to Produce Roots of Goodness.’ The Prince is then revealed to be the night spirit. The criminals in the prison are revealed to be Krakucchanda and the other buddhas of this kalpa, and the King is revealed to be Satyaka-nirgranthi-putra and his servants are the present day Nigranthas (Jains). The night spirit then reveals her next many rebirth destinies and the buddhas to whom she made offerings. She concludes with a long verse. This night spirit represents the Eighth Bhumi: Immovable
39 - Sutejomaṇḍalaratiśrī / Radiant Circle of Marvelous Virtue
In the Lumbini Grove, the birth place of the buddha, a female night spirit who has attained the Bodhisattva Miraculous ‘Taking on Births in All Places for Countless Kaplas’ liberation. She describes the ten ‘rebirth treasuries’ of the bodhisattva:
- Vowing the make offerings to all Buddhas
- Generating bodhicitta
- Contemplating all Dharma gateways
- Illuminating all three periods of time with a deep, pure resolve
- Illuminating uniformly and equally
- Being born into the family of the Tathāgata
- The light of the Buddha’s power
- Contemplating the gateways to all-knowledge
- Everything manifesting adornments
- Entering the ground of the Tathāgata
She was reborn in the Lumbini Grove and witnessed the miraculous signs preceding the bodhisattva’s descent from the Tusita Heaven, and Lady Maya’s arrival there and giving birth to Vairocana. This night spirit represents the Ninth Bhumi: The Subtle Mind.
40 - Gopā / ‘watching over’
In the city of Kapilavastu, a young lady of the Śākya clan, seated on a jeweled lotus lion throne inside lecture hall known as Universally Manifesting the Light of the Dharmadhatu surrounded by 84,000 female attendants, who has perfected the liberation gateway of Contemplating the Ocean of all Bodhisattva Samadhis, allowing her to see everything throughout the entire history of the Saha World, as well as worlds as numerous as the atoms in the Saha World. In response to Sudhana’s question about how long it has been since attaining this Liberation, she recalls a time in the remote past, in a world called Fearless, a king called Lord of Wealth and a crown prince named Lord of Awesome Virtue, who was very handsome and everyone like to look at. At that time there was a mother named Most Beautiful who had a daughter, Replete in Marvelous Virtue who falls in love with the Prince in the Garden of Fragrant Buds. The prince explains that he has made the bodhisattva vow. They all go together to see the Solar Body Tathagata at the Dharma Cloud Radiance site of enlightenment. Gopā represents the Tenth Bhumi: Dharma Cloud.
41 - Māyā
In this world, the mother of the Buddha. Sudhana first encounters a city spirit named Jewel Eye who encourages him to guard, adorn, purify, etc. the ‘city of the mind.’ Then he encounters a multiple-bodied spirit named Lotus Dharma Virtue, and a rakṣasa-king named Good Eye before finally encountering Māyā on a lotus throne, in a viewing tower, atop a giant jewel lotus flower that spontaneously arouse from the earth. She has perfected the ‘Illusion-Like Manifestation of the Knowledge of Great Vows, serving as the ‘mother of all bodhisattvas’ past, present, and future.
42 - Surendrābhā / Celestial Lord’s Light
Daughter of a king of the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven who has acquired the ‘purified adornment of unimpeded recollection’ liberation. She recalls kalpas in which there buddhas to whom she made offerings.
43 - Viśvāmitra / Universally Friendly
A teacher of youths in Kapilavastu who immediately directs Sudhana to the next spiritual guide. This is the same ‘school teacher’ found in Chapter Ten of the Lalitavistara Sūtra.
44 - Śilapābhijña / Skilled in the Knowledge of the Many Arts
A youth in Kapilavastu who has acquired the ‘Skillful Knowledge of the Many Arts’ and chants a Prajñāpāramitā dhāraṇī of the a-ra-pa-ca-na syllabary.
45 - Bhadrottamā / Supreme Among the Worthy
An upāsikā in Magadha in the district of Vatanaka who has acquired the ‘The Mandala of Independence’ liberation.
46 - Muktisāra / Solid Liberation
An elder, a goldsmith, from a city called Bharukaccha who has attained the ‘Pure Adornment of Unattached Mindfulness” liberation.
47 - Sucandra / Marvelous Moon
An elder, also in the city of Bharukaccha, who has attained the “Light of Pure Wisdom” liberation.
48 - Ajitasena / Invincible Army
An elder from the city of Roruk (’Generation’) who has attained the “Inexhaustible Appearance” liberation.
49 - Śivarāga / Supreme Quiescence
A brahman from the village of Dharma who has attained the “Speech Arising from the Vow to be Truthful” liberation.
50 - Śrīsambhava and Śrīmati / Born of Virtue & Mind of Virtue
A boy and a girl from the city known as Sumanamukha (’Gateway to the flower of the Sublime Mind’) who have realized the liberation “Illusory Existence.” Together, they tell Sudhana to go see Maitreya, in the country of Samudrakaccho (’Ocean Shores’) where there is a park known as ‘Great Adornment’ with a great tower called ‘The Chamber of Vairocana’s Adornments’ (vairocana-vyūhā-laṃkāra-garbho)