Never Departing From the Buddhas
Firm Banner Bodhisattva speaks the chapter's second verse, opening with the Tathāgata's own profundity beyond words, then turning to a paradox of his own: the Lion Among Humankind has already left behind discrimination, and yet he causes discriminating vision. The verse closes on a devotional promise — whoever reveres the Buddha, mindful of repaying his kindness, will never depart from abiding together with every buddha.
Leaving Behind Discrimination, Yet Causing It to Be Seen
The verse's second stanza holds a paradox typical of this sūtra's praise-verses: the Lion Among Humankind has already left behind discrimination entirely, and yet his very sovereign power causes discriminating vision to arise in those who behold him. The remaining stanzas draw out the practical consequence — nearness to the Buddha, purity of mental karma, and a devotion that never tires, closing with a question posed rather than answered: how could anyone of wisdom, having seen and heard the Buddha, fail to walk the path he has walked?
「如來勝無比，甚深不可說，
出過言語道，清淨如虛空。
汝觀人師子，自在神通力，
已離於分別，而令分別見。
導師為開演，甚深微妙法，
以是因緣故，現此無比身。
此是大智慧，諸佛所行處，
若欲了知者，常應親近佛。
意業常清淨，供養諸如來，
終無疲厭心，能入於佛道。
具無盡功德，堅住菩提心，
以是疑網除，觀佛無厭足。
"The Tathāgata is supremely unequaled, profound beyond all words; he transcends the path of language entirely, pure like empty space. Behold the Lion Among Humankind's own sovereign spiritual power; he has already left behind discrimination, and yet he causes discriminating vision to arise. The Guiding Teacher opens up and expounds the profound and subtle Dharma; it is for this very reason that he manifests this unequaled body. This is the very place where great wisdom, where every buddha, moves; whoever wishes to understand it should forever draw near to the Buddha.
Their mental karma forever pure, they make offerings to every Tathāgata; never giving rise to a weary or disheartened mind, they are able to enter the buddha's own path. Possessed of inexhaustible merit, firmly abiding in the mind of bodhi; through this, the net of doubt is removed, and they behold the Buddha without ever tiring.
通達一切法，是乃真佛子，
此人能了知，諸佛自在力。
廣大智所說，欲為諸法本，
應起勝希望，志求無上覺。
若有尊敬佛，念報於佛恩，
彼人終不離，一切諸佛住。
何有智慧人，於佛得見聞，
不修清淨願，履佛所行道？」
Penetrating through every dharma entirely — this is a true child of the Buddha; this person is able to understand the sovereign power of every buddha. What vast and expansive wisdom proclaims wishes to be the very root of every dharma; one should give rise to a supreme aspiration, resolved to seek unsurpassed awakening. If there is anyone who reveres the Buddha, mindful of repaying the Buddha's own kindness, that person will never depart from abiding together with every buddha. How could there be any person of wisdom who, having come to see and hear the Buddha, fail to cultivate a pure vow, and walk the very path the Buddha has walked?"
"He has already left behind discrimination, and yet he causes discriminating vision to arise" restates, from a different angle, the paradox at the heart of Part 198's verse — that the Buddha's own nature is neither identical with, nor separable from, what an ordinary mind perceives. Here the emphasis shifts from metaphysics toward practice: the verse's closing question — how could anyone of wisdom fail to walk the path, having seen and heard the Buddha — turns the paradox into an appeal rather than leaving it as a puzzle.
Part 199 Complete
This closes Part 199. Chapter 24 continues in Part 200 with Valiant Banner Bodhisattva's own verse.