How Buddhas Appear, How Kalpas Turn, and the Non-Difference of Every World-Ocean
This installment completes fascicle seven with the remaining four of the ten matters Samantabhadra set out to teach: the varied ways buddhas appear within world-oceans, how long a world-ocean endures, how its very duration transforms according to the karma of the beings who dwell in it, and — closing the sequence — how, beneath every distinction of shape, essence, adornment, and duration named so far, no world-ocean differs in kind from any other.
The Seventh Matter: How Buddhas Appear
爾時，普賢菩薩復告大眾言：「諸佛子！應知一一世界海有世界海微塵數佛出現差別。所謂：或現小身，或現大身，或現短壽，或現長壽，或唯嚴淨一佛國土，或有嚴淨無量佛土，或唯顯示一乘法輪，或有顯示不可思議諸乘法輪，或現調伏少分眾生，或示調伏無邊眾生……。如是等，有世界海微塵數。」
At that time, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva further addressed the great assembly, saying: "Buddha's children! You should know that each and every world-ocean has distinct kinds of buddha-appearance as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a world-ocean. That is to say: some manifest a small body, some manifest a great body; some manifest a short lifespan, some manifest a long lifespan; some adorn and purify only a single buddha-land, some adorn and purify immeasurable buddha-lands; some reveal only the single-vehicle Dharma-wheel, some reveal the inconceivable Dharma-wheel of every vehicle; some manifest the taming of only a small portion of living beings, some reveal the taming of boundless living beings... Such as these, there are as many as the fine motes of dust in a world-ocean."
爾時，普賢菩薩欲重宣其義，承佛威力，觀察十方而說頌言：
「諸佛種種方便門，出興一切諸剎海，
皆隨眾生心所樂，此是如來善權力。
諸佛法身不思議，無色無形無影像，
能為眾生現眾相，隨其心樂悉令見。
或為眾生現短壽，或現住壽無量劫，
法身十方普現前，隨宜出現於世間。
或有嚴淨不思議，十方所有諸剎海；
或唯嚴淨一國土，於一示現悉無餘。
或隨眾生心所樂，示現難思種種乘；
或有唯宣一乘法，一中方便現無量。
或有自然成正覺，令少眾生住於道；
或有能於一念中，開悟群迷無有數。
或於毛孔出化雲，示現無量無邊佛，
一切世間皆現覩，種種方便度群生。
或有言音普周遍，隨其心樂而說法，
不可思議大劫中，調伏無量眾生海。
或有無量莊嚴國，眾會清淨儼然坐，
佛如雲布在其中，十方剎海靡不充。
諸佛方便不思議，隨眾生心悉現前，
普住種種莊嚴剎，一切國土皆周遍。」
At that time, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, wishing to proclaim this meaning once more, sustained by the Buddha's majestic power, contemplated the ten directions, and spoke a verse, saying:
"Every buddha's every kind of skillful gateway appears throughout every land-ocean,
each entirely according to what is in the minds and delight of living beings — such is the Tathāgata's own power of skillful means.
Every buddha's Dharma-body is inconceivable, without color, without form, without any reflected image,
yet able, for the sake of living beings, to manifest every mark, according to their mind's own delight, causing them all to see it.
Some, for the sake of living beings, manifest a short lifespan; some manifest a lifespan of immeasurable kalpas,
the Dharma-body universally appearing throughout the ten directions, appearing in the world according to what is fitting.
Some adorn and purify inconceivably every land-ocean that exists in the ten directions;
some adorn and purify only a single land, revealing everything entirely within that one alone.
Some, according to what is in the minds and delight of living beings, reveal every kind of vehicle, hard to conceive;
some proclaim only the single-vehicle Dharma, and within that one, through skillful means, manifest the immeasurable.
Some accomplish true awakening naturally, causing only a small number of living beings to abide upon the path;
some are able, within a single thought, to awaken and enlighten a multitude of the deluded, beyond number.
Some, from within their very pores, send forth a cloud of transformation, manifesting immeasurable, boundless buddhas,
beheld entirely throughout every world, ferrying the multitude of living beings across through every kind of skillful means.
Some have a voice that universally pervades everywhere, teaching the Dharma according to the mind's own delight,
taming the immeasurable ocean of living beings across inconceivable, great kalpas.
Some have immeasurable, adorned lands, where the assembly sits in dignified purity,
and buddhas, like clouds spread out, dwell within them, filling the land-oceans of the ten directions without exception.
Every buddha's skillful means is inconceivable, appearing entirely according to the mind of every living being,
universally dwelling within every kind of adorned land, pervading every land completely."
The Eighth Matter: How Long Every World-Ocean Endures
爾時，普賢菩薩復告大眾言：「諸佛子！應知世界海有世界海微塵數劫住。所謂：或有阿僧祇劫住，或有無量劫住，或有無邊劫住，或有無等劫住，或有不可數劫住，或有不可稱劫住，或有不可思劫住，或有不可量劫住，或有不可說劫住……。如是等，有世界海微塵數。」
At that time, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva further addressed the great assembly, saying: "Buddha's children! You should know that the world-ocean abides through kalpas as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a world-ocean. That is to say: some abide through asaṃkhyeya kalpas; some abide through immeasurable kalpas; some abide through boundless kalpas; some abide through unequaled kalpas; some abide through uncountable kalpas; some abide through inexpressible kalpas; some abide through inconceivable kalpas; some abide through kalpas beyond measure; some abide through kalpas beyond all telling... Such as these, there are as many as the fine motes of dust in a world-ocean."
爾時，普賢菩薩欲重宣其義，承佛威力，觀察十方而說頌言：
「世界海中種種劫，廣大方便所莊嚴，
十方國土咸觀見，數量差別悉明了。
我見十方世界海，劫數無量等眾生，
或長或短或無邊，以佛音聲今演說。
我見十方諸剎海，或住國土微塵劫，
或有一劫或無數，以願種種各不同。
或有純淨或純染，或復染淨二俱雜，
願海安立種種殊，住於眾生心想中。
往昔修行剎塵劫，獲大清淨世界海，
諸佛境界具莊嚴，永住無邊廣大劫。
有名種種寶光明，或名等音焰眼藏，
離塵光明及賢劫，此清淨劫攝一切。
有清淨劫一佛興，或一劫中無量現，
無盡方便大願力，入於一切種種劫。
或無量劫入一劫，或復一劫入多劫，
一切劫海種種門，十方國土皆明現。
或一切劫莊嚴事，於一劫中皆現覩，
或一劫內所莊嚴，普入一切無邊劫。
始從一念終成劫，悉依眾生心想生，
一切剎海劫無邊，以一方便皆清淨。」
At that time, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, wishing to proclaim this meaning once more, sustained by the Buddha's majestic power, contemplated the ten directions, and spoke a verse, saying:
"Within the world-ocean, every kind of kalpa is adorned by vast skillful means,
and every land of the ten directions is beheld entirely, its number and distinction fully clear.
I behold the world-ocean of the ten directions, the number of kalpas immeasurable, equal to living beings,
some long, some short, some without any bound — through the Buddha's own voice I now proclaim it.
I behold every land-ocean of the ten directions, some abiding for kalpas as numerous as the motes of dust in a land,
some for a single kalpa, some for countless kalpas — through every kind of vow, each distinct from the other.
Some are purely pure, some purely defiled, and some are mixed, both defiled and pure together,
the ocean of vows established in every distinct kind, dwelling within the very thoughts of living beings' minds.
Cultivating practice in ages past for kalpas as numerous as the motes of dust in a land, one attains a great, pure world-ocean,
fully adorned with the domain of every buddha, abiding forever through boundless, vast kalpas.
Some are named Every Kind of Jeweled Light, some named Equal Sound's Flame-Eye Treasury,
Dust-Free Light, and the Fortunate Kalpa — this pure kalpa gathers in everything entirely.
In some pure kalpas a single buddha appears; in some, within a single kalpa, immeasurable buddhas manifest,
through the inexhaustible power of skillful means and great vows, entering into every kind of kalpa entirely.
Some cause immeasurable kalpas to enter a single kalpa; some cause a single kalpa to enter many kalpas,
every gateway of the ocean of kalpas manifest clearly throughout every land of the ten directions.
Some cause the adornment of every kalpa to be beheld entirely within a single kalpa;
some cause the adornment within a single kalpa to universally enter every boundless kalpa.
Beginning from a single thought and ending in the completion of a kalpa, all of it arises entirely from the very thoughts of living beings' minds,
and every land-ocean's kalpas, boundless as they are, are made entirely pure through a single skillful means."
The Ninth Matter: How Every World-Ocean Transforms Through Kalpas
爾時，普賢菩薩復告大眾言：「諸佛子！應知世界海有世界海微塵數劫轉變差別。所謂：法如是故，世界海無量成壞劫轉變；染污眾生住故，世界海成染污劫轉變；修廣大福眾生住故，世界海成染淨劫轉變；信解菩薩住故，世界海成染淨劫轉變；無量眾生發菩提心故，世界海純清淨劫轉變；諸菩薩各各遊諸世界故，世界海無邊莊嚴劫轉變；十方一切世界海諸菩薩雲集故，世界海無量大莊嚴劫轉變；諸佛世尊入涅槃故，世界海莊嚴滅劫轉變；諸佛出現於世故，一切世界海廣博嚴淨劫轉變；如來神通變化故，世界海普清淨劫轉變……。如是等，有世界海微塵數。」
At that time, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva further addressed the great assembly, saying: "Buddha's children! You should know that the world-ocean has distinct kinds of transformation through kalpas as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a world-ocean. That is to say: because the Dharma is naturally so, the world-ocean transforms through immeasurable kalpas of formation and dissolution; because defiled living beings dwell there, the world-ocean transforms through kalpas of becoming defiled; because living beings who cultivate vast blessing dwell there, the world-ocean transforms through kalpas of becoming both defiled and pure; because bodhisattvas of faith and understanding dwell there, the world-ocean transforms through kalpas of becoming both defiled and pure; because immeasurable living beings give rise to bodhicitta, the world-ocean transforms through kalpas of becoming purely pure; because every bodhisattva, each in their own way, journeys throughout every world, the world-ocean transforms through kalpas of boundless adornment; because every bodhisattva of every world-ocean of the ten directions gathers together like clouds, the world-ocean transforms through kalpas of immeasurable, great adornment; because every buddha, every World-Honored One, enters nirvāṇa, the world-ocean transforms through kalpas of the dissolution of adornment; because every buddha appears in the world, every world-ocean transforms through kalpas of vast, complete adornment and purity; and because of the Tathāgata's own spiritual transmutation and transformation, the world-ocean transforms through kalpas of universal purity... Such as these, there are as many as the fine motes of dust in a world-ocean."
爾時，普賢菩薩欲重宣其義，承佛威力，觀察十方而說頌言：
「一切諸國土，皆隨業力生，
汝等應觀察，轉變相如是。
染污諸眾生，業惑纏可怖，
彼心令剎海，一切成染污。
若有清淨心，修諸福德行，
彼心令剎海，雜染及清淨。
信解諸菩薩，於彼劫中生，
隨其心所有，雜染清淨見。
無量諸眾生，悉發菩提心，
彼心令剎海，住劫恒清淨。
無量億菩薩，往詣於十方，
莊嚴無有殊，劫中差別見。
一一微塵內，佛剎如塵數，
菩薩共雲集，國土皆清淨。
世尊入涅槃，彼土莊嚴滅，
眾生無法器，世界成雜染。
若有佛興世，一切悉珍好，
隨其心清淨，莊嚴皆具足。
諸佛神通力，示現不思議，
是時諸剎海，一切普清淨。」
At that time, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, wishing to proclaim this meaning once more, sustained by the Buddha's majestic power, contemplated the ten directions, and spoke a verse, saying:
"Every land that exists is born entirely according to the power of karma,
and all of you should contemplate — the marks of its transformation are just like this.
Living beings defiled, entangled by karma and affliction, fearsome indeed,
their very minds cause the land-ocean to become entirely defiled.
If there is a pure mind, cultivating every practice of blessing and virtue,
that very mind causes the land-ocean to become mixed, both defiled and pure.
Bodhisattvas of faith and understanding, born within that very kalpa,
according to what is in their own minds, behold it as either defiled or pure.
Immeasurable living beings, all giving rise to bodhicitta,
their very minds cause the land-ocean to abide through kalpas forever pure.
Immeasurable hundreds of millions of bodhisattvas go forth to the ten directions,
their adornment without any difference, yet seen distinctly within the kalpa.
Within each and every mote of dust, buddha-lands as numerous as motes of dust,
bodhisattvas gathering together like clouds, every land entirely pure.
When the World-Honored One enters nirvāṇa, the adornment of that land is extinguished,
and living beings, no longer vessels for the Dharma, cause the world to become mixed and defiled.
If there is a buddha appearing in the world, everything becomes entirely precious and good,
and, according to the purity of their own minds, every adornment is fully complete.
Through the power of every buddha's spiritual transmutation, manifest inconceivably,
at that time every land-ocean becomes universally and entirely pure."
These two matters, taken together, make explicit what the whole chapter has been implying: duration itself is not a neutral backdrop against which karma unfolds, but is itself among the things karma produces. A world-ocean does not simply last for however many kalpas and then, separately, become defiled or pure within that span — its very abiding through kalpas, purely, mixed, or defiled, is caused by the minds of the beings within it. Even a buddha's parinirvāṇa is folded into this account not as an ending imposed on the world-ocean from outside, but as one more transformation belonging to the same causal fabric as everything else named here.
The Tenth Matter: The Non-Difference of Every World-Ocean
爾時，普賢菩薩復告大眾言：「諸佛子！應知世界海有世界海微塵數無差別。所謂：一一世界海中，有世界海微塵數世界無差別；一一世界海中，諸佛出現所有威力無差別；一一世界海中，一切道場遍十方法界無差別；一一世界海中，一切如來道場眾會無差別；一一世界海中，一切佛光明遍法界無差別；一一世界海中，一切佛變化名號無差別；一一世界海中，一切佛音聲普遍世界海無邊劫住無差別；一一世界海中，法輪方便無差別；一一世界海中，一切世界海普入一塵無差別；一一世界海中，一一微塵，一切三世諸佛世尊廣大境界皆於中現無差別。諸佛子！世界海無差別，略說如是；若廣說者，有世界海微塵數。」
At that time, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva further addressed the great assembly, saying: "Buddha's children! You should know that the world-ocean has non-differences as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a world-ocean. That is to say: within each and every world-ocean, there is non-difference among worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a world-ocean; within each and every world-ocean, there is non-difference in the entire majestic power of every buddha's appearance; within each and every world-ocean, there is non-difference among every awakening-site pervading the Dharma-realm of the ten directions; within each and every world-ocean, there is non-difference among the assembly at every Tathāgata's awakening-site; within each and every world-ocean, there is non-difference in the light of every buddha pervading the Dharma-realm; within each and every world-ocean, there is non-difference in the name of every buddha's transformation; within each and every world-ocean, there is non-difference in the voice of every buddha universally pervading the world-ocean and abiding through boundless kalpas; within each and every world-ocean, there is non-difference in the skillful means of the Dharma-wheel; within each and every world-ocean, there is non-difference in every world-ocean universally entering a single mote of dust; within each and every world-ocean, within each and every mote of dust, there is non-difference in the vast domain of every buddha, every World-Honored One, of the three periods of time, all manifest therein. Buddha's children! The non-difference of the world-ocean, briefly stated, is like this; were it to be stated fully, there would be as many as the fine motes of dust in a world-ocean."
爾時，普賢菩薩欲重宣其義，承佛威力，觀察十方而說頌言：
「一微塵中多剎海，處所各別悉嚴淨，
如是無量入一中，一一區分無雜越。
一一塵內難思佛，隨眾生心普現前，
一切剎海靡不周，如是方便無差別。
一一塵中諸樹王，種種莊嚴悉垂布，
十方國土皆同現，如是一切無差別。
一一塵內微塵眾，悉共圍遶人中主，
出過一切遍世間，亦不迫隘相雜亂。
一一塵中無量光，普遍十方諸國土，
悉現諸佛菩提行，一切剎海無差別。
一一塵中無量身，變化如雲普周遍，
以佛神通導群品，十方國土亦無別。
一一塵中說眾法，其法清淨如輪轉，
種種方便自在門，一切皆演無差別。
一塵普演諸佛音，充滿法器諸眾生，
遍住剎海無央劫，如是音聲亦無異。
剎海無量妙莊嚴，於一塵中無不入，
如是諸佛神通力，一切皆由業性起。
一一塵中三世佛，隨其所樂悉令見，
體性無來亦無去，以願力故遍世間。」
At that time, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, wishing to proclaim this meaning once more, sustained by the Buddha's majestic power, contemplated the ten directions, and spoke a verse, saying:
"Within a single mote of dust, many land-oceans, each place distinct and yet entirely adorned and pure,
thus the immeasurable enters into the single, each and every one distinct without ever mixing or overstepping.
Within each and every mote of dust, buddhas hard to conceive, universally appearing according to the minds of living beings,
reaching every land-ocean without exception — such skillful means is without any distinction.
Within each and every mote of dust, every king of trees, adorned in every kind, spread out entirely,
every land of the ten directions manifest equally — such is everything, without any distinction.
Within each and every mote of dust, a multitude as numerous as motes of dust, entirely surrounding the lord among men,
surpassing everything, pervading the world, and yet never crowded or confused with one another.
Within each and every mote of dust, immeasurable light, pervading every land of the ten directions,
manifesting entirely the conduct toward bodhi of every buddha — every land-ocean without any distinction.
Within each and every mote of dust, immeasurable bodies, transforming like clouds, universally pervading,
guiding the multitude of beings through the Buddha's own spiritual transmutation — every land of the ten directions likewise without distinction.
Within each and every mote of dust, every dharma is taught, that dharma pure, turning like a wheel,
every kind of skillful gateway of sovereign mastery, proclaimed entirely, without any distinction.
A single mote of dust universally proclaims the voice of every buddha, filling every living being who is a vessel for the Dharma,
dwelling throughout every land-ocean for boundless kalpas — such a voice is likewise without any difference.
The immeasurable, wondrous adornment of every land-ocean enters entirely within a single mote of dust, without exception,
and such is the spiritual transmutation of every buddha — all of it arisen entirely from the nature of karma.
Within each and every mote of dust, the buddhas of the three periods of time, causing all to see them according to their own delight,
their very nature neither coming nor going — through the power of vow, they pervade the world entirely."
The chapter's list closes not on a further distinction but on its own dissolution: after nine matters cataloguing everything that makes world-oceans different from one another — origin, foundation, shape, essence, adornment, purity, buddha-appearance, duration, transformation — the tenth names ten more ways in which, "within each and every world-ocean," none of it is different at all. This is not a contradiction to be resolved so much as the chapter's actual point: Chengguan reads passages like this as the concrete working of "phenomenon unobstructed by phenomenon" (事事無礙) — every mote of dust holding every land, every land distinct and yet nothing crowding or displacing anything else. Fascicle seven ends here, on a single mote of dust in which the buddhas of all three periods of time appear, "neither coming nor going," sustained by nothing but the power of vow.
Part 17 Complete — Fascicle Seven Complete
This closes Part 17 and fascicle seven: the sūtra's third chapter, "Samantabhadra's Samādhi" (普賢三昧品第三), complete in Part 14, followed by the opening of the fourth chapter, "The World's Formation" (世界成就品第四) — Samantabhadra's survey of ten oceans of the inconceivable, and his teaching, in prose and verse, on all ten matters that account for every world-ocean: how they arise, what they rest upon, their shape, essence, adornment, purity, the buddhas who appear within them, how long they endure, how they transform, and their ultimate non-difference from one another. Fascicle eight opens the sūtra's fifth chapter, "The Flower-Treasury World-System" (華藏世界品第五), with an account of the wind-wheels, the great encircling mountain, and the ground upon which this very world-ocean rests.