The Tathāgata's Manifestation Begins
Fascicle six opens the sūtra's second chapter, "The Tathāgata's Manifestation" (如來現相品) — the first new chapter since the extraordinary assembly-gathering that has run continuously since the sūtra's opening line. The bodhisattvas and world-lords silently wonder what the ground, domain, and power of a buddha even are; light from the Buddha's own teeth answers not in words but by revealing ten world-systems in the ten directions, each with its own buddha, land, and bodhisattva leader, who arrive bearing clouds of offering unique to their own world.
The Assembly's Unspoken Question
爾時，諸菩薩及一切世間主，作是思惟：「云何是諸佛地？云何是諸佛境界？云何是諸佛加持？云何是諸佛所行？云何是諸佛力？云何是諸佛無所畏？云何是諸佛三昧？云何是諸佛神通？云何是諸佛自在？云何是諸佛無能攝取？云何是諸佛眼？云何是諸佛耳？云何是諸佛鼻？云何是諸佛舌？云何是諸佛身？云何是諸佛意？云何是諸佛身光？云何是諸佛光明？云何是諸佛聲？云何是諸佛智？唯願世尊，哀愍我等，開示演說！又，十方世界海一切諸佛，皆為諸菩薩說世界海、眾生海、法界安立海、佛海、佛波羅蜜海、佛解脫海、佛變化海、佛演說海、佛名號海、佛壽量海，及一切菩薩誓願海、一切菩薩發趣海、一切菩薩助道海、一切菩薩乘海、一切菩薩行海，一切菩薩出離海、一切菩薩神通海、一切菩薩波羅蜜海、一切菩薩地海、一切菩薩智海。願佛世尊，亦為我等，如是而說！」
At that time, the bodhisattvas and every lord of the world had this thought: "What is the ground of every buddha? What is the domain of every buddha? What is the empowerment of every buddha? What is the conduct of every buddha? What is the power of every buddha? What is the fearlessness of every buddha? What is the samādhi of every buddha? What is the spiritual transmutation of every buddha? What is the sovereignty of every buddha? What is the ungraspable, unequaled nature of every buddha? What is the eye of every buddha? What is the ear of every buddha? What is the nose of every buddha? What is the tongue of every buddha? What is the body of every buddha? What is the mind of every buddha? What is the bodily light of every buddha? What is the radiance of every buddha? What is the voice of every buddha? What is the wisdom of every buddha? We beseech the World-Honored One, in compassion for us, to reveal and expound this! Moreover, every buddha throughout the ocean of worlds of the ten directions teaches every bodhisattva the ocean of world-systems, the ocean of living beings, the ocean of the establishment of the Dharma-realm, the ocean of buddhas, the ocean of the buddhas' pāramitās, the ocean of the buddhas' liberation, the ocean of the buddhas' transformations, the ocean of the buddhas' proclamations, the ocean of the buddhas' names, and the ocean of the buddhas' lifespans, together with the ocean of every bodhisattva's vow, the ocean of every bodhisattva's setting-out, the ocean of every bodhisattva's practices that assist the path, the ocean of every bodhisattva's vehicle, the ocean of every bodhisattva's conduct, the ocean of every bodhisattva's going-forth, the ocean of every bodhisattva's spiritual transmutation, the ocean of every bodhisattva's pāramitās, the ocean of every bodhisattva's grounds, and the ocean of every bodhisattva's wisdom. May the Buddha, the World-Honored One, also teach us in just this way!"
爾時，諸菩薩威神力故，於一切供養具雲中，自然出音而說頌言：
「無量劫中修行滿，菩提樹下成正覺，
為度眾生普現身，如雲充遍盡未來。
眾生有疑皆使斷，廣大信解悉令發，
無邊際苦普使除，諸佛安樂咸令證。
菩薩無數等剎塵，俱來此會同瞻仰，
願隨其意所應受，演說妙法除疑惑！
云何了知諸佛地？云何觀察如來境？
佛所加持無有邊，願示此法令清淨！
云何是佛所行處，而以智慧能明入？
佛力清淨廣無邊，為諸菩薩應開示！
云何廣大諸三昧？云何淨治無畏法？
神通力用不可量，願隨眾生心樂說！
諸佛法王如世主，所行自在無能制，
及餘一切廣大法，為利益故當開演！
佛眼云何無有量？耳鼻舌身亦復然？
意無有量復云何？願示能知此方便！
如諸剎海眾生海，法界所有安立海，
及諸佛海亦無邊，願為佛子咸開暢！
永出思議眾度海，普入解脫方便海，
所有一切法門海，此道場中願宣說！」
At that time, through the majestic, spiritual power of the bodhisattvas, from within every cloud of offering, a voice arose spontaneously, speaking a verse, saying:
"Across immeasurable kalpas, his practice brought to fulfillment, beneath the bodhi tree he accomplished true awakening;
to liberate living beings he manifests his body universally, filling everything like a cloud, to the very end of the future.
Every doubt in living beings he causes to be severed entirely, every vast faith and understanding he causes to arise;
every boundless suffering he causes to be removed universally, and the peace and joy of every buddha he causes all to realize.
Bodhisattvas beyond number, equal to the motes of dust in every land, have come together to this very assembly, gazing up at him together;
may he, according to what is fitting for their minds to receive, expound the wondrous Dharma and remove their doubt and confusion!
How may one understand the ground of every buddha? How may one contemplate the Tathāgata's own domain?
The empowerment of the Buddha is without any bound — may he reveal this Dharma and cause it to become pure!
What is the very place where the Buddha conducts himself, that one might, through wisdom, be able to clearly enter it?
The Buddha's power is pure, vast, and boundless — for the sake of the bodhisattvas, may he reveal it!
What are the vast samādhis of every kind? How is the Dharma of fearlessness purified and cultivated?
The function of his power of spiritual transmutation cannot be measured — may he teach it according to what living beings' minds delight in!
Every buddha, the Dharma-King, is like a sovereign of the world, his own conduct free and sovereign, controlled by nothing;
and every other vast Dharma besides — for the sake of benefiting us, may he open and expound it!
How is the Buddha's eye without any measure? And his ear, nose, tongue, and body likewise so?
And how is his mind, too, without any measure? May he reveal the skillful means by which this may be known!
Just as there is the ocean of every land and the ocean of every living being, and the ocean of the establishment of everything in the Dharma-realm,
and the ocean of every buddha likewise without bound — may he open and expound all of it fully for the sake of the Buddha's children!
Forever going beyond the ocean of every conceivable pāramitā, universally entering the ocean of the skillful means of liberation,
and the ocean of every Dharma-gateway that exists — within this very awakening-site, may he proclaim it!"
This unspoken question, never voiced aloud by any single questioner, functions across the whole sūtra as something close to a table of contents: the ten questions about a buddha's ground, domain, empowerment, and so on, together with the twenty "oceans" of the bodhisattva path, name topics this text and its companion chapters return to at length. The chapter's own answer, notably, does not come as speech — the whole of what follows in this fascicle is the Buddha responding through light, through the arrival of bodhisattvas from countless worlds, and finally through silence, before any teaching is spoken in words at all.
Light from the Buddha's Teeth
爾時，世尊知諸菩薩心之所念，即於面門眾齒之間，放佛剎微塵數光明，所謂：眾寶華遍照光明、出種種音莊嚴法界光明、垂布微妙雲光明、十方佛坐道場現神變光明、一切寶焰雲蓋光明、充滿法界無礙光明、遍莊嚴一切佛剎光明、逈建立清淨金剛寶幢光明、普莊嚴菩薩眾會道場光明、妙音稱揚一切佛名號光明……。如是等佛剎微塵數，一一復有佛剎微塵數光明以為眷屬，其光悉具眾妙寶色，普照十方各一億佛剎微塵數世界海。彼世界海諸菩薩眾，於光明中，各得見此華藏莊嚴世界海。以佛神力，其光於彼一切菩薩眾會之前而說頌言：
At that time, the World-Honored One, knowing what was in the minds and thoughts of the bodhisattvas, then, from between the teeth within the very gate of his face, emitted light as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a buddha-land. These were: the light of every jewel's flower, illumining everywhere; the light adorning the Dharma-realm, sending forth every kind of sound; the light of subtle, wondrous clouds hanging draped down; the light of every buddha of the ten directions, seated at the awakening-site, manifesting spiritual transmutation; the light of every jeweled flame's canopy of clouds; the unobstructed light filling the Dharma-realm entirely; the light universally adorning every buddha-land; the light establishing, towering high, the pure vajra jeweled banner; the light universally adorning the awakening-site of the bodhisattva assembly; and the light of a wondrous voice proclaiming the name of every buddha — lights such as these, as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a buddha-land, and each and every one of them, moreover, had a retinue of light as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a buddha-land, that light entirely endowed with every wondrous jeweled color, universally illumining, throughout the ten directions, a hundred million world-oceans, each as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a buddha-land. The bodhisattva assemblies of those world-oceans, within that very light, each came to behold this Flower-Treasury Adorned World-System Ocean. Through the Buddha's spiritual power, that light, before the whole assembly of every bodhisattva there, spoke a verse, saying:
「無量劫中修行海，供養十方諸佛海，
化度一切眾生海，今成妙覺遍照尊。
毛孔之中出化雲，光明普照於十方，
應受化者咸開覺，令趣菩提淨無礙。
佛昔往來諸趣中，教化成熟諸群生，
神通自在無邊量，一念皆令得解脫。
摩尼妙寶菩提樹，種種莊嚴悉殊特，
佛於其下成正覺，放大光明普威耀。
大音震吼遍十方，普為弘宣寂滅法，
隨諸眾生心所樂，種種方便令開曉。
往修諸度皆圓滿，等於千剎微塵數，
一切諸力悉已成，汝等應往同瞻禮。
十方佛子等剎塵，悉共歡喜而來集，
已雨諸雲為供養，今在佛前專覲仰。
如來一音無有量，能演契經深大海，
普雨妙法應群心，彼兩足尊宜往見。
三世諸佛所有願，菩提樹下皆宣說，
一剎那中悉現前，汝可速詣如來所。
毘盧遮那大智海，面門舒光無不見，
今待眾集將演音，汝可往觀聞所說。」
"Across an immeasurable ocean of kalpas, cultivating the whole ocean of practice, making offerings to the whole ocean of every buddha of the ten directions,
transforming and liberating the whole ocean of every living being, he has now accomplished wondrous awakening, the universally illumining, honored one.
From within his very pores emerge clouds of transformation, their light shining universally throughout the ten directions,
awakening entirely those fit to be transformed, causing them to hasten toward bodhi, pure and unobstructed.
The Buddha, in ages past, came and went amid every realm of rebirth, teaching and ripening every multitude of living beings,
his sovereign power of spiritual transmutation without any bound, causing all, within a single thought, to attain liberation.
Beneath the wondrous bodhi tree of maṇi jewels, adorned in every kind, all singular and excellent,
the Buddha accomplished true awakening, emitting great light, majestically radiant everywhere.
His great voice, roaring, pervades the ten directions, broadly and universally proclaiming the tranquil, extinguished Dharma,
and, according to what the minds of living beings delight in, through every kind of skillful means, he causes them to be opened and enlightened.
Every pāramitā he practiced in ages past is entirely perfected, equal in number to the fine motes of dust in a thousand lands,
and every power is already accomplished entirely — you should all go there together to gaze upon him and pay homage.
The Buddha's children of the ten directions, as numerous as the motes of dust in every land, all rejoice together and gather here,
having already rained down every cloud as their offering, now before the Buddha, gazing up at him with singular devotion.
The Tathāgata's single voice is without any measure, able to proclaim the deep, great ocean of the scriptures,
universally raining down the wondrous Dharma in response to the multitude's minds — that most honored one among the two-footed, it is fitting to go and behold him.
Every vow of every buddha of the three periods of time, he proclaims it fully beneath the bodhi tree,
and within a single instant it is all made manifest before us — you should swiftly go to the Tathāgata's very place.
Vairocana, the great ocean of wisdom, unfurls light from the very gate of his face, seen by all without exception;
now, awaiting the assembly to gather, he is about to proclaim his voice — you should go and behold it, and hear what he teaches."
Bodhisattvas Arrive from the Ten Directions
Summoned by the light, the assembly of every world-ocean throughout the ten directions came to Vairocana's own place. Ten are named as representative — one from each of the four cardinal directions, the four intermediate directions, and above and below — each with its own world-ocean, land, buddha, and bodhisattva leader, and each arriving with clouds of offering unique to that world alone.
East — Pure Light's Lotus Adornment
清淨光蓮華莊嚴 · 摩尼瓔珞金剛藏 · 法水覺虛空無邊王 · 觀察勝法蓮華幢
To the east of this Flower-Treasury Adorned World-System Ocean, there is next a world-ocean named Pure Light's Lotus Adornment. Within that world-seed there is a land named Maṇi Garland's Vajra Treasury, whose buddha is called the King of Dharma-Water's Awakening, Boundless as Space. Within the great ocean of that Tathāgata's assembly there is a bodhisattva-mahāsattva named Contemplating the Supreme Dharma's Lotus Banner, who, together with bodhisattvas as numerous as the fine motes of dust in that world-ocean, came to the Buddha's own place. Each of them manifested ten kinds of clouds of bodhisattva bodily forms, filling the whole of space without ever dispersing; and further manifested clouds raining the light of every jeweled lotus, clouds of Sumeru's jeweled peaks, clouds of the sun-wheel's light, clouds of jeweled flower-garlands, clouds of every kind of music, clouds of powdered-incense trees, clouds of every color of anointing incense and burning incense, and clouds of every kind of fragrant tree — clouds of offering such as these, as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a world-ocean, filling the whole of space entirely without ever dispersing. Having manifested these clouds, they bowed in homage to the Buddha, making of them their offering. Then, in the eastern direction, each conjured a lion-throne of the treasury of light of every kind of flower, and, upon that very throne, sat cross-legged.
South — Every Jewel Moon's Light-Adorned Treasury
一切寶月光明莊嚴藏 · 無邊光圓滿莊嚴 · 普智光明德須彌王 · 普照法海慧
To the south of this Flower-Treasury World-System Ocean, there is next a world-ocean named Every Jewel Moon's Light-Adorned Treasury. Within that world-seed there is a land named Boundless Light's Perfect Adornment, whose buddha is called King Sumeru of Universal Wisdom's Light and Virtue. Within the great ocean of that Tathāgata's assembly there is a bodhisattva-mahāsattva named Universally Illumining Ocean of Dharma's Wisdom, who, together with bodhisattvas as numerous as the fine motes of dust in that world-ocean, came to the Buddha's own place. Each of them manifested ten kinds of sovereign maṇi clouds of the treasury of every adorning light, filling the whole of space without ever dispersing; and further manifested sovereign maṇi clouds raining every jeweled ornament, universally shining; sovereign maṇi clouds of blazing jeweled flame, proclaiming the name of every buddha; sovereign maṇi clouds expounding every buddha-dharma; sovereign maṇi clouds of every wondrous tree adorning the awakening-site; sovereign maṇi clouds of jeweled light universally shining, manifesting every conjured buddha; sovereign maṇi clouds universally manifesting the adorned image of every awakening-site; sovereign maṇi clouds of the hidden flame-lamp expounding the domain of every buddha; sovereign maṇi clouds of the image of every inconceivable buddha-land's palace; and sovereign maṇi clouds universally manifesting the image of the body of every buddha of the three periods of time — sovereign maṇi clouds such as these, as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a world-ocean, filling the whole of space entirely without ever dispersing. Having manifested these clouds, they bowed in homage to the Buddha, making of them their offering. Then, in the southern direction, each conjured a lion-throne of the lotus-treasury of indranīla jewel and Jambūnada gold, and, upon that very throne, sat cross-legged.
West — Delightful Jeweled Light
可愛樂寶光明 · 出生上妙資身具 · 香焰功德寶莊嚴 · 月光香焰普莊嚴
To the west of this Flower-Treasury World-System Ocean, there is next a world-ocean named Delightful Jeweled Light. Within that world-seed there is a land named Bringing Forth Supreme, Wondrous Provisions for the Body, whose buddha is called Fragrant Flame's Meritorious, Jeweled Adornment. Within the great ocean of that Tathāgata's assembly there is a bodhisattva-mahāsattva named Moonlight's Fragrant Flame, Universal Adornment, who, together with bodhisattvas as numerous as the fine motes of dust in that world-ocean, came to the Buddha's own place. Each of them manifested ten kinds of clouds of pavilions of every jeweled fragrance and wondrous flower, filling the whole of space without ever dispersing; and further manifested clouds of pavilions of the sovereign jewel of boundless forms, clouds of pavilions of jeweled lamps and fragrant flame, clouds of pavilions of every pearl, clouds of pavilions of every jeweled flower, clouds of pavilions adorned with jeweled garlands, clouds of pavilions of the treasury of adorning light universally manifest in the ten directions, clouds of pavilions adorned and interspersed with every jeweled powder, clouds of pavilions of every adornment pervading the ten directions, and clouds of pavilions with flower-gates and nets of bells — clouds of pavilions such as these, as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a world-ocean, filling the whole of space entirely without ever dispersing. Having manifested these clouds, they bowed in homage to the Buddha, making of them their offering. Then, in the western direction, each conjured a lion-throne of the great treasury of true gold's leaf, and, upon that very throne, sat cross-legged.
North — Lapis Lazuli's Lotus-Light, Perfect Treasury
毘瑠璃蓮華光圓滿藏 · 優鉢羅華莊嚴 · 普智幢音王 · 師子奮迅光明
To the north of this Flower-Treasury World-System Ocean, there is next a world-ocean named Lapis Lazuli's Lotus-Light, Perfect Treasury. Within that world-seed there is a land named Blue Lotus's Adornment, whose buddha is called King of the Universal Wisdom-Banner's Voice. Within the great ocean of that Tathāgata's assembly there is a bodhisattva-mahāsattva named Lion's Vigorous Light, who, together with bodhisattvas as numerous as the fine motes of dust in that world-ocean, came to the Buddha's own place. Each of them manifested ten kinds of clouds of every wondrous tree of fragrant maṇi, filling the whole of space without ever dispersing; and further manifested clouds of trees adorned with dense leaves and wondrous fragrance, clouds of trees adorned by conjuring every boundless form, clouds of trees adorned and spread universally with every flower, clouds of trees adorned with the perfect light of every jeweled flame, clouds of trees adorned, manifesting the bodhisattva body of every sandalwood fragrance, clouds of trees adorned inconceivably, manifesting the awakening-site of ages past, clouds of trees, a treasury of every jeweled garment like the light of the sun, and clouds of trees universally sending forth every delightful sound — clouds of trees such as these, as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a world-ocean, filling the whole of space entirely without ever dispersing. Having manifested these clouds, they bowed in homage to the Buddha, making of them their offering. Then, in the northern direction, each conjured a lion-throne of the maṇi-lamp lotus-treasury, and, upon that very throne, sat cross-legged.
Northeast — Jambūnada Gold's Crystal-Colored Banner
閻浮檀金玻瓈色幢 · 眾寶莊嚴 · 一切法無畏燈 · 最勝光明燈無盡功德藏
To the northeast of this Flower-Treasury World-System Ocean, there is next a world-ocean named Jambūnada Gold's Crystal-Colored Banner. Within that world-seed there is a land named Every Jewel's Adornment, whose buddha is called the Lamp of Fearlessness in Every Dharma. Within the great ocean of that Tathāgata's assembly there is a bodhisattva-mahāsattva named Supreme Light's Lamp, Inexhaustible Treasury of Merit, who, together with bodhisattvas as numerous as the fine motes of dust in that world-ocean, came to the Buddha's own place. Each of them manifested ten kinds of clouds of lion-thrones, treasuries of jeweled lotus of boundless form, filling the whole of space without ever dispersing; and further manifested clouds of lion-thrones, treasuries of the sovereign maṇi's light, clouds of lion-thrones adorned with every kind of ornament and decoration, clouds of lion-thrones, treasuries of jeweled garland-lamps and flame, clouds of lion-thrones universally raining jeweled garlands, clouds of lion-thrones, treasuries of every fragrant flower and jeweled garland, clouds of lion-thrones revealing the sovereign maṇi treasury adorning every buddha's throne, clouds of lion-thrones adorned entirely with doors, windows, stairs, and every garland, clouds of lion-thrones, treasuries of every maṇi tree's jeweled branch and stem, and clouds of lion-thrones, treasuries of the sun's light interspersed and adorned with jeweled fragrance — clouds of lion-thrones such as these, as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a world-ocean, filling the whole of space entirely without ever dispersing. Having manifested these clouds, they bowed in homage to the Buddha, making of them their offering. Then, in the northeastern direction, each conjured a lion-throne of the jeweled lotus's maṇi light-banner, and, upon that very throne, sat cross-legged.
Southeast — Gold-Adorned Lapis Lazuli Light, Universally Shining
金莊嚴瑠璃光普照 · 清淨香光明 · 普喜深信王 · 慧燈普明
To the southeast of this Flower-Treasury World-System Ocean, there is next a world-ocean named Gold-Adorned Lapis Lazuli Light, Universally Shining. Within that world-seed there is a land named Pure Fragrance's Light, whose buddha is called King of Universal Joy and Profound Faith. Within the great ocean of that Tathāgata's assembly there is a bodhisattva-mahāsattva named Lamp of Wisdom, Universally Bright, who, together with bodhisattvas as numerous as the fine motes of dust in that world-ocean, came to the Buddha's own place. Each of them manifested ten kinds of clouds of canopies of the sovereign, wish-fulfilling maṇi, filling the whole of space without ever dispersing; and further manifested clouds of canopies of indranīla jewel adorned with every flower, clouds of canopies of every fragrant maṇi, clouds of canopies of jeweled flame-lamps, clouds of canopies of the sovereign maṇi revealing the Buddha's spiritual transmutation and teaching of the Dharma, clouds of canopies of maṇi manifesting the adorned form of every garment, clouds of canopies of light from every cluster of jeweled flowers, clouds of canopies with the sound of jeweled nets and bells, clouds of canopies whose dais is maṇi and whose net is lotus flowers, and clouds of canopies manifesting the form of every inconceivable ornament of adornment — clouds of canopies such as these, as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a world-ocean, filling the whole of space entirely without ever dispersing. Having manifested these clouds, they bowed in homage to the Buddha, making of them their offering. Then, in the southeastern direction, each conjured a lion-throne of the jeweled lotus-treasury, and, upon that very throne, sat cross-legged.
Southwest — Sunlight, Shining Everywhere
日光遍照 · 師子日光明 · 普智光明音 · 普華光焰髻
To the southwest of this Flower-Treasury World-System Ocean, there is next a world-ocean named Sunlight, Shining Everywhere. Within that world-seed there is a land named Lion's Sunlight, whose buddha is called the Voice of Universal Wisdom's Light. Within the great ocean of that Tathāgata's assembly there is a bodhisattva-mahāsattva named Universal Flower's Flame-Topknot, who, together with bodhisattvas as numerous as the fine motes of dust in that world-ocean, came to the Buddha's own place. Each of them manifested ten kinds of jeweled canopy-clouds, every wondrous adornment, filling the whole of space without ever dispersing; and further manifested flower-canopy clouds adorned with light, canopy-clouds of pearls of boundless color, canopy-clouds of the sovereign maṇi sending forth the compassionate voice of every bodhisattva, canopy-clouds, garlands of every wondrous jeweled flame, canopy-clouds adorned with wondrous jewels, hanging nets and bells, canopy-clouds adorned with maṇi tree-branches, canopy-clouds of the sovereign maṇi universally shining with sunlight, canopy-clouds of every anointing and burning incense, canopy-clouds, a treasury of sandalwood, and canopy-clouds adorned with the universal light of the Buddha's vast domain — canopy-clouds such as these, as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a world-ocean, filling the whole of space entirely without ever dispersing. Having manifested these clouds, they bowed in homage to the Buddha, making of them their offering. Then, in the southwestern direction, each conjured a lion-throne of the treasury adorned with indranīla jewel's light and flame, and, upon that very throne, sat cross-legged.
Northwest — Jeweled Light's Radiance
寶光照耀 · 眾香莊嚴 · 無量功德海光明 · 無盡光摩尼王
To the northwest of this Flower-Treasury World-System Ocean, there is next a world-ocean named Jeweled Light's Radiance. Within that world-seed there is a land named Every Fragrance's Adornment, whose buddha is called the Light of the Ocean of Immeasurable Merit. Within the great ocean of that Tathāgata's assembly there is a bodhisattva-mahāsattva named the Sovereign Maṇi of Inexhaustible Light, who, together with bodhisattvas as numerous as the fine motes of dust in that world-ocean, came to the Buddha's own place. Each of them manifested ten kinds of clouds of the perfect light of every jewel, filling the whole of space without ever dispersing; and further manifested clouds of the perfect light of every jeweled flame, clouds of the perfect light of every wondrous flower, clouds of the perfect light of every conjured buddha, clouds of the perfect light of every buddha-land of the ten directions, clouds of the perfect light of the jeweled tree of the Buddha's domain's thunder-voice, clouds of the perfect light of the sovereign maṇi of every lapis lazuli jewel, clouds of the perfect light manifesting, within a single thought, the marks of boundless living beings, clouds of the perfect light proclaiming the voice of every Tathāgata's great vow, and clouds of the perfect light of the sovereign maṇi proclaiming the transforming voice of every living being — clouds of the perfect light such as these, as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a world-ocean, filling the whole of space entirely without ever dispersing. Having manifested these clouds, they bowed in homage to the Buddha, making of them their offering. Then, in the northwestern direction, each conjured a lion-throne of the treasury of inexhaustible light and majestic virtue, and, upon that very throne, sat cross-legged.
Below — Lotus Fragrance's Wondrous, Virtuous Treasury
蓮華香妙德藏 · 寶師子光明照耀 · 法界光明 · 法界光焰慧
Below this Flower-Treasury World-System Ocean, there is next a world-ocean named Lotus Fragrance's Wondrous, Virtuous Treasury. Within that world-seed there is a land named Jeweled Lion's Radiant Light, whose buddha is called the Light of the Dharma-Realm. Within the great ocean of that Tathāgata's assembly there is a bodhisattva-mahāsattva named the Wisdom of the Dharma-Realm's Flame-Light, who, together with bodhisattvas as numerous as the fine motes of dust in that world-ocean, came to the Buddha's own place. Each of them manifested ten kinds of clouds of light, a treasury of every maṇi, filling the whole of space without ever dispersing; and further manifested clouds of light of every fragrance, clouds of light of every jeweled flame, clouds of light sending forth the voice of every buddha teaching the Dharma, clouds of light manifesting the adornment of every buddha-land, clouds of light of every wondrous flower's pavilion, clouds of light manifesting the work of every buddha teaching and transforming living beings across every kalpa, clouds of light of the inexhaustible pistil of every jeweled flower, and clouds of light of every adorned throne — clouds of light such as these, as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a world-ocean, filling the whole of space entirely without ever dispersing. Having manifested these clouds, they bowed in homage to the Buddha, making of them their offering. Then, below, each conjured a lion-throne of the jeweled-flame lamp's lotus-treasury, and, upon that very throne, sat cross-legged.
Above — Maṇi Jewel's Radiant Adornment
摩尼寶照耀莊嚴 · 無相妙光明 · 無礙功德光明王 · 無礙力精進慧
Above this Flower-Treasury World-System Ocean, there is next a world-ocean named Maṇi Jewel's Radiant Adornment. Within that world-seed there is a land named Markless, Wondrous Light, whose buddha is called the King of Unobstructed Merit's Light. Within the great ocean of that Tathāgata's assembly there is a bodhisattva-mahāsattva named the Wisdom of Unobstructed Power's Diligence, who, together with bodhisattvas as numerous as the fine motes of dust in that world-ocean, came to the Buddha's own place. Each of them manifested ten kinds of clouds of jeweled light-flame of boundless form, filling the whole of space without ever dispersing; and further manifested clouds of light-flame of maṇi jeweled nets, clouds of light-flame adorning every vast buddha-land, clouds of light-flame of every wondrous fragrance, clouds of light-flame of every adornment, clouds of light-flame of every buddha's transformation, clouds of light-flame of every wondrous tree's flower, clouds of light-flame of every vajra, clouds of maṇi light-flame expounding the boundless conduct of every bodhisattva, and clouds of light-flame of every pearl-lamp — clouds of light-flame such as these, as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a world-ocean, filling the whole of space entirely without ever dispersing. Having manifested these clouds, they bowed in homage to the Buddha, making of them their offering. Then, above, each conjured a lion-throne of the lotus-treasury of light proclaiming the Buddha's own voice, and, upon that very throne, sat cross-legged.
Each of these ten arrivals is structured identically — world-ocean, land, buddha, bodhisattva, then nine or ten named clouds of offering unique to that world alone — and yet no two clouds repeat across all ten descriptions: pavilions in the west, trees in the north, lion-thrones in the northeast, canopies in the southeast, parasols in the southwest, perfect light in the northwest, plain light below, light-flame above. Traditional Huayan reading treats this insistence on structural repetition paired with total content variation as itself a teaching: the same pattern (a world, a buddha, a bodhisattva, an offering) recurs universally across the cosmos without any two instances of it ever being identical — sameness of form holding open, rather than closing down, endless particularity.
A Voice from Every Light
如是等十億佛剎微塵數世界海中，有十億佛剎微塵數菩薩摩訶薩，一一各有世界海微塵數諸菩薩眾前後圍遶而來集會。是諸菩薩，一一各現世界海微塵數種種莊嚴諸供養雲，悉遍虛空而不散滅。現是雲已，向佛作禮，以為供養。隨所來方，各化作種種寶莊嚴師子之座，於其座上，結跏趺坐。如是坐已，其諸菩薩身毛孔中，一一各現十世界海微塵數一切寶種種色光明；一一光中，悉現十世界海微塵數諸菩薩，皆坐蓮華藏師子之座。此諸菩薩，悉能遍入一切法界諸安立海所有微塵；彼一一塵中，皆有十佛世界微塵數諸廣大剎；一一剎中，皆有三世諸佛世尊。此諸菩薩，悉能遍往親近供養；於念念中，以夢自在，示現法門，開悟世界海微塵數眾生；念念中，以示現一切諸天沒生法門，開悟世界海微塵數眾生；念念中，以說一切菩薩行法門，開悟世界海微塵數眾生；念念中，以普震動一切剎歎佛功德神變法門，開悟世界海微塵數眾生；念念中，以嚴淨一切佛國土顯示一切大願海法門，開悟世界海微塵數眾生；念念中，以普攝一切眾生言辭佛音聲法門，開悟世界海微塵數眾生；念念中，以能雨一切佛法雲法門，開悟世界海微塵數眾生；念念中，以光明普照十方國土周遍法界示現神變法門，開悟世界海微塵數眾生；念念中，以普現佛身充遍法界一切如來解脫力法門，開悟世界海微塵數眾生；念念中，以普賢菩薩建立一切眾會道場海法門，開悟世界海微塵數眾生。如是普遍一切法界，隨眾生心，悉令開悟。念念中，一一國土，各令如須彌山微塵數眾生墮惡道者，永離其苦；各令如須彌山微塵數眾生住邪定者，入正定聚；各令如須彌山微塵數眾生，隨其所樂生於天上；各令如須彌山微塵數眾生，安住聲聞、辟支佛地；各令如須彌山微塵數眾生，事善知識具眾福行；各令如須彌山微塵數眾生，發於無上菩提之心；各令如須彌山微塵數眾生，趣於菩薩不退轉地；各令如須彌山微塵數眾生，得淨智眼，見於如來所見一切諸平等法；各令如須彌山微塵數眾生，安住諸力諸願海中，以無盡智而為方便淨諸佛國；各令如須彌山微塵數眾生，皆得安住毘盧遮那廣大願海，生如來家。
Throughout ten hundred million world-oceans, each as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a buddha-land, there were bodhisattva-mahāsattvas as numerous as the fine motes of dust in ten hundred million buddha-lands, each and every one surrounded, before and behind, by an assembly of bodhisattvas as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a world-ocean, who came together to this very assembly. Each and every one of these bodhisattvas manifested clouds of every kind of adornment and offering, as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a world-ocean, filling the whole of space entirely without ever dispersing. Having manifested these clouds, they bowed in homage to the Buddha, making of them their offering. According to whatever direction they had come from, each conjured a lion-throne adorned with every kind of jewel, and, upon that very throne, sat cross-legged.
Having thus taken their seats, from within the very pores of these bodhisattvas' bodies, each and every one manifested light of every jeweled color, as numerous as the fine motes of dust in ten world-oceans; and within each and every ray of that light appeared bodhisattvas as numerous as the fine motes of dust in ten world-oceans, all seated upon lion-thrones of the lotus-treasury. These bodhisattvas were all able to universally enter every mote of dust within the whole ocean of the establishment of the Dharma-realm; and within each and every one of those motes of dust were vast lands as numerous as the fine motes of dust in ten buddha-world-systems; and within each and every one of those lands were the buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, of the three periods of time. These bodhisattvas were all able to go universally to draw near to them and make offerings.
Within every single thought, through the Dharma-gateway of sovereign mastery over dreams, revealing it, they awakened living beings as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a world-ocean; within every single thought, through the Dharma-gateway of revealing the death and rebirth of every deva, they awakened living beings as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a world-ocean; within every single thought, through the Dharma-gateway of teaching the conduct of every bodhisattva, they awakened living beings as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a world-ocean; within every single thought, through the Dharma-gateway of universally shaking every land and praising the Buddha's merit and spiritual transformation, they awakened living beings as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a world-ocean; within every single thought, through the Dharma-gateway of adorning and purifying every buddha-land and revealing the whole ocean of every great vow, they awakened living beings as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a world-ocean; within every single thought, through the Dharma-gateway of universally gathering in the speech of every living being as the Buddha's own voice, they awakened living beings as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a world-ocean; within every single thought, through the Dharma-gateway of being able to rain down the cloud of every buddha-dharma, they awakened living beings as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a world-ocean; within every single thought, through the Dharma-gateway of light universally illumining the lands of the ten directions, pervading the Dharma-realm and revealing spiritual transformation, they awakened living beings as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a world-ocean; within every single thought, through the Dharma-gateway of universally manifesting the Buddha's body, pervading the Dharma-realm entirely with the liberating power of every Tathāgata, they awakened living beings as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a world-ocean; and within every single thought, through the Dharma-gateway of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva establishing the whole ocean of the awakening-site of every assembly, they awakened living beings as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a world-ocean.
Pervading the whole Dharma-realm universally in this way, according to the minds of living beings, they caused all to be awakened entirely. Within every single thought, in each and every land, they caused living beings as numerous as the fine motes of dust in Mount Sumeru who had fallen into an evil destiny to forever depart from their suffering; they caused living beings as numerous as the fine motes of dust in Mount Sumeru who abided in wrong, fixed views to enter the assembly of right, fixed destiny; they caused living beings as numerous as the fine motes of dust in Mount Sumeru, according to what they delighted in, to be born in the heavens above; they caused living beings as numerous as the fine motes of dust in Mount Sumeru to abide securely in the ground of the śrāvaka or the pratyekabuddha; they caused living beings as numerous as the fine motes of dust in Mount Sumeru to serve a good spiritual friend and be endowed with every meritorious deed; they caused living beings as numerous as the fine motes of dust in Mount Sumeru to give rise to the unsurpassed mind of bodhi; they caused living beings as numerous as the fine motes of dust in Mount Sumeru to hasten toward the bodhisattva's ground of never turning back; they caused living beings as numerous as the fine motes of dust in Mount Sumeru to attain the pure eye of wisdom, beholding every equal dharma that the Tathāgata himself beholds; they caused living beings as numerous as the fine motes of dust in Mount Sumeru to abide securely within the ocean of every power and every vow, purifying every buddha-land through inexhaustible wisdom as their skillful means; and they caused living beings as numerous as the fine motes of dust in Mount Sumeru all to abide securely within Vairocana's own vast ocean of vows, born into the very household of the Tathāgata.
爾時，諸菩薩光明中同時發聲，說此頌言：
「諸光明中出妙音，普遍十方一切國，
演說佛子諸功德，能入菩提之妙道。
劫海修行無厭倦，令苦眾生得解脫，
心無下劣及勞疲，佛子善入斯方便。
盡諸劫海修方便，無量無邊無有餘，
一切法門無不入，而恒說彼性寂滅。
三世諸佛所有願，一切修治悉令盡，
即以利益諸眾生，而為自行清淨業。
一切諸佛眾會中，普遍十方無不往，
皆以甚深智慧海，入彼如來寂滅法。
一一光明無有邊，悉入難思諸國土，
清淨智眼普能見，是諸菩薩所行境。
菩薩能住一毛端，遍動十方諸國土，
不令眾生有怖想，是其清淨方便地。
一一塵中無量身，復現種種莊嚴剎，
一念沒生普令見，獲無礙意莊嚴者。
三世所有一切劫，一剎那中悉能現，
知身如幻無體相，證明法性無礙者。
普賢勝行皆能入，一切眾生悉樂見，
佛子能住此法門，諸光明中大音吼。」
At that time, from within the light of these bodhisattvas, a voice arose simultaneously, speaking this verse, saying:
"From within every light a wondrous voice is sent forth, pervading every land of the ten directions universally,
proclaiming every merit of the Buddha's children, able to enter the wondrous path of bodhi.
Practicing across an ocean of kalpas without ever growing weary, causing suffering living beings to attain liberation,
their minds never inferior, never wearied or fatigued — the Buddha's children skillfully enter this very skillful means.
Exhausting every ocean of kalpas cultivating skillful means, immeasurable, boundless, without remainder,
there is no Dharma-gateway they fail to enter, and yet they forever proclaim its nature as tranquil and extinguished.
Every vow of every buddha of the three periods of time, they cultivate and fulfill it entirely,
and, through this very benefit to every living being, make it their own pure deed of practice.
Within the assembly of every buddha, they go universally throughout the ten directions without exception,
entirely through the profound ocean of wisdom, entering that very Tathāgata's own tranquil, extinguished Dharma.
Each and every light is without any bound, entering every land hard to conceive entirely,
and their pure eye of wisdom is universally able to see it — this is the very domain these bodhisattvas walk.
The bodhisattva is able to dwell at the very tip of a single hair, shaking every land of the ten directions entirely,
and yet causing no living being to have any thought of fear — this is their very ground of pure, skillful means.
Within each and every mote of dust are immeasurable bodies, further manifesting every kind of adorned land,
causing death and rebirth to be seen universally within a single thought — this belongs to the one adorned with an unobstructed mind.
Every kalpa that exists across the three periods of time, they are entirely able to manifest within a single instant,
understanding the body to be like an illusion, without any fixed nature — this belongs to the one who has realized the unobstructed nature of the Dharma.
Able to enter entirely into every excellent conduct of Samantabhadra, delighting every living being who beholds them —
the Buddha's children, able to dwell in this very Dharma-gateway, roar with a great voice from within every light."
The sūtra's habit of naming everything at the scale of "as numerous as the fine motes of dust" in some vast unit reaches an almost dizzying density in the summary paragraph above — worlds, bodhisattvas, lights, other bodhisattvas within those lights, motes of dust within the Dharma-realm, and lands within each mote, is a numerical cascade with no final term. Read as cosmology, it is meant to defeat the very attempt to keep count. Read as psychology, the ten Dharma-gateways of awakening this passage lists, from dreams to earthquakes to the simple sharing of Samantabhadra's own vow, suggest something more grounded: that awakening comes through a very wide range of doors, not one privileged method, and that the sheer scale of "as numerous as the fine motes of dust in Mount Sumeru" attached to each kind of person helped — those fallen into evil destinies, those already on the bodhisattva path, everyone in between — insists that no category of being is either too far gone or already too advanced to be included.
Part 12 Complete
This closes Part 12: the bodhisattvas' unspoken question about the nature of buddhahood, the Buddha's answering light from his own teeth, and the arrival of bodhisattvas from ten world-systems in the ten directions of the cosmos, each with its own buddha, land, and leader, bearing clouds of offering unique to their own world alone. Part 13 continues fascicle six with light from the Buddha's brow, the great lotus that appears before him, and ten more bodhisattvas — beginning with one born from the Buddha's own forehead — each singing a hymn on the Buddha's body pervading the whole Dharma-realm.