The World-Seeds of the East and South
Fascicle nine opens the second half of "The Flower-Treasury World-System" chapter, moving outward from the central world-seed described in fascicle eight to the ten world-seeds surrounding it — one in each direction. Samantabhadra describes each with the same structure as before: a name, a lotus, an essence, and twenty stacked tiers of worlds, each with its own name and buddha. This installment covers the first two: the world-seeds to the east and south.
The World-Seed to the East
爾時，普賢菩薩復告大眾言：「諸佛子！此無邊妙華光香水海東，次有香水海，名：離垢焰藏；出大蓮華，名：一切香摩尼王妙莊嚴；有世界種而住其上，名：遍照剎旋，以菩薩行吼音為體。此中最下方，有世界，名：宮殿莊嚴幢；其形四方，依一切寶莊嚴海住，蓮華光網雲彌覆其上，佛剎微塵數世界圍遶，純一清淨，佛號：眉間光遍照。此上過佛剎微塵數世界，有世界，名：德華藏；其形周圓，依一切寶華蘂海住，真珠幢師子座雲彌覆其上，二佛剎微塵數世界圍遶，佛號：一切無邊法海慧。此上過佛剎微塵數世界，有世界，名：善變化妙香輪；形如金剛，依一切寶莊嚴鈴網海住，種種莊嚴圓光雲彌覆其上，三佛剎微塵數世界圍遶，佛號：功德相光明普照。此上過佛剎微塵數世界，有世界，名：妙色光明；其狀猶如摩尼寶輪，依無邊色寶香水海住，普光明真珠樓閣雲彌覆其上，四佛剎微塵數世界圍遶，純一清淨，佛號：善眷屬出興遍照。此上過佛剎微塵數世界，有世界，名：善蓋覆；狀如蓮華，依金剛香水海住，離塵光明香水雲彌覆其上，五佛剎微塵數世界圍遶，佛號：法喜無盡慧。此上過佛剎微塵數世界，有世界，名：尸利華光輪；其形三角，依一切堅固寶莊嚴海住，菩薩摩尼冠光明雲彌覆其上，六佛剎微塵數世界圍遶，佛號：清淨普光明雲。此上過佛剎微塵數世界，有世界，名：寶蓮華莊嚴；形如半月，依一切蓮華莊嚴海住，一切寶華雲彌覆其上，七佛剎微塵數世界圍遶，純一清淨，佛號：功德華清淨眼。此上過佛剎微塵數世界，有世界，名：無垢焰莊嚴；其狀猶如寶燈行列，依寶焰藏海住，常雨香水種種身雲彌覆其上，八佛剎微塵數世界圍遶，佛號：慧力無能勝。此上過佛剎微塵數世界，有世界，名：妙梵音；形如卐字，依寶衣幢海住，一切華莊嚴帳雲彌覆其上，九佛剎微塵數世界圍遶，佛號：廣大目如空中淨月。此上過佛剎微塵數世界，有世界，名：微塵數音聲；其狀猶如因陀羅網，依一切寶水海住，一切樂音寶蓋雲彌覆其上，十佛剎微塵數世界圍遶，純一清淨，佛號：金色須彌燈。此上過佛剎微塵數世界，有世界，名：寶色莊嚴；形如卐字，依帝釋形寶王海住，日光明華雲彌覆其上，十一佛剎微塵數世界圍遶，佛號：迥照法界光明智。此上過佛剎微塵數世界，有世界，名：金色妙光；其狀猶如廣大城廓，依一切寶莊嚴海住，道場寶華雲彌覆其上，十二佛剎微塵數世界圍遶，佛號：寶燈普照幢。此上過佛剎微塵數世界，有世界，名：遍照光明輪；狀如華旋，依寶衣旋海住，佛音聲寶王樓閣雲彌覆其上，十三佛剎微塵數世界圍遶，純一清淨，佛號：蓮華焰遍照。此上過佛剎微塵數世界，有世界，名：寶藏莊嚴；狀如四洲，依寶瓔珞須彌住，寶焰摩尼雲彌覆其上，十四佛剎微塵數世界圍遶，佛號：無盡福開敷華。此上過佛剎微塵數世界，有世界，名：如鏡像普現；其狀猶如阿脩羅身，依金剛蓮華海住，寶冠光影雲彌覆其上，十五佛剎微塵數世界圍遶，佛號：甘露音。此上過佛剎微塵數世界，有世界，名：栴檀月；其形八隅，依金剛栴檀寶海住，真珠華摩尼雲彌覆其上，十六佛剎微塵數世界圍遶，純一清淨，佛號：最勝法無等智。此上過佛剎微塵數世界，有世界，名：離垢光明；其狀猶如香水漩流，依無邊色寶光海住，妙香光明雲彌覆其上，十七佛剎微塵數世界圍遶，佛號：遍照虛空光明音。此上過佛剎微塵數世界，有世界，名：妙華莊嚴；其狀猶如旋遶之形，依一切華海住，一切樂音摩尼雲彌覆其上，十八佛剎微塵數世界圍遶，佛號：普現勝光明。此上過佛剎微塵數世界，有世界，名：勝音莊嚴；其狀猶如師子之座，依金師子座海住，眾色蓮華藏師子座雲彌覆其上，十九佛剎微塵數世界圍遶，佛號：無邊功德稱普光明。此上過佛剎微塵數世界，有世界，名：高勝燈；狀如佛掌，依寶衣服香幢海住，日輪普照寶王樓閣雲彌覆其上，二十佛剎微塵數世界圍遶，純一清淨，佛號：普照虛空燈。」
At that time, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva further addressed the great assembly, saying: "Buddha's children! To the east of this Boundless, Wondrous Flower-Light fragrant water ocean, there is next a fragrant water ocean named the Treasury of Flame Free of Defilement; from it emerges a great lotus flower, named the Wondrous Adornment of the Sovereign Maṇi of Every Fragrance; and a world-seed abides upon it, named the Whirl of Lands Universally Illumining, taking the roaring voice of bodhisattva conduct as its essence. At its very lowest is a world named the Banner of Palace Adornment; its shape is square, abiding resting upon an ocean of every jewel's adornment, and a cloud, a net of lotus-flower light, covers over it entirely. Worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a buddha-land encircle it all around, purely one and entirely pure. Its buddha is named the Light Between the Brows, Universally Illumining. Above this, past worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a buddha-land, there is a world named the Treasury of Virtue's Flower; its shape is entirely round, abiding resting upon an ocean of every jewel's flower-pistil, and a cloud of lion-thrones, banners of true pearls, covers over it entirely. Worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in two buddha-lands encircle it all around. Its buddha is named the Wisdom of Every Boundless Ocean of the Dharma. Above this, past worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a buddha-land, there is a world named the Wondrous Fragrance-Wheel of Excellent Transformation; its shape is like vajra, abiding resting upon an ocean of nets of bells adorned by every jewel, and a cloud of round light adorned in every kind covers over it entirely. Worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in three buddha-lands encircle it all around. Its buddha is named the Light of the Mark of Merit, Universally Illumining. Above this, past worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a buddha-land, there is a world named Wondrous Light of Form; its shape is just like a maṇi jeweled wheel, abiding resting upon a fragrant water ocean of jewels of boundless color, and a cloud of pavilions of true pearls, universal light, covers over it entirely. Worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in four buddha-lands encircle it all around, purely one and entirely pure. Its buddha is named Excellent Retinue's Appearing, Universally Illumining. Above this, past worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a buddha-land, there is a world named Excellent Covering Canopy; its shape is like a lotus flower, abiding resting upon a vajra fragrant water ocean, and a cloud of fragrant water, light free of defilement, covers over it entirely. Worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in five buddha-lands encircle it all around. Its buddha is named the Inexhaustible Wisdom of Dharma-Joy. Above this, past worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a buddha-land, there is a world named the Wheel of Śrī's Flower-Light; its shape is triangular, abiding resting upon an ocean adorned by every firm jewel, and a cloud of light, a bodhisattva's own maṇi crown, covers over it entirely. Worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in six buddha-lands encircle it all around. Its buddha is named the Cloud of Pure, Universal Light. Above this, past worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a buddha-land, there is a world named the Adornment of a Jeweled Lotus Flower; its shape is like a half-moon, abiding resting upon an ocean adorned by every lotus flower, and a cloud of every jeweled flower covers over it entirely. Worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in seven buddha-lands encircle it all around, purely one and entirely pure. Its buddha is named the Pure Eye of Merit's Flower. Above this, past worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a buddha-land, there is a world named the Adornment of Flame Free of Defilement; its shape is just like jeweled lamps arrayed in rows, abiding resting upon an ocean, a treasury of jeweled flame, and a cloud of every kind of body, forever raining fragrant water, covers over it entirely. Worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in eight buddha-lands encircle it all around. Its buddha is named the Power of Wisdom, Unable to Be Surpassed. Above this, past worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a buddha-land, there is a world named Wondrous Brahmā-Voice; its shape is like the svastika mark, abiding resting upon an ocean of jeweled-garment banners, and a cloud of canopies adorned by every flower covers over it entirely. Worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in nine buddha-lands encircle it all around. Its buddha is named the Vast Eye, Like the Pure Moon Within the Sky. Above this, past worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a buddha-land, there is a world named Voices as Numerous as Motes of Dust; its shape is just like Indra's own net, abiding resting upon an ocean of every jeweled water, and a cloud of jeweled canopies, every kind of music, covers over it entirely. Worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in ten buddha-lands encircle it all around, purely one and entirely pure. Its buddha is named the Golden Lamp of Sumeru. Above this, past worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a buddha-land, there is a world named the Adornment of Jeweled Color; its shape is like the svastika mark, abiding resting upon an ocean of the sovereign jewel in the form of Śakra, and a cloud of flowers, the sun's own bright light, covers over it entirely. Worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in eleven buddha-lands encircle it all around. Its buddha is named the Wisdom of Light Illumining the Dharma-Realm Afar. Above this, past worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a buddha-land, there is a world named Golden, Wondrous Light; its shape is just like a vast city wall, abiding resting upon an ocean adorned by every jewel, and a cloud of the awakening-site's own jeweled flowers covers over it entirely. Worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in twelve buddha-lands encircle it all around. Its buddha is named the Banner of the Jeweled Lamp's Universal Illumination. Above this, past worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a buddha-land, there is a world named the Wheel of Light Universally Illumining; its shape is like a whirl of flowers, abiding resting upon an ocean whirling with jeweled garments, and a cloud of pavilions, the sovereign jewel of the Buddha's own voice, covers over it entirely. Worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in thirteen buddha-lands encircle it all around, purely one and entirely pure. Its buddha is named the Lotus Flame, Universally Illumining. Above this, past worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a buddha-land, there is a world named the Adornment of a Jeweled Treasury; its shape is like four continents, abiding resting upon a Sumeru of jeweled necklaces, and a cloud of jeweled flame maṇi covers over it entirely. Worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in fourteen buddha-lands encircle it all around. Its buddha is named the Blossoming Flower of Inexhaustible Blessing. Above this, past worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a buddha-land, there is a world named Universally Manifesting Like a Mirror's Reflection; its shape is just like the body of an asura, abiding resting upon a vajra ocean of lotus flowers, and a cloud, the shadow of a jeweled crown's light, covers over it entirely. Worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in fifteen buddha-lands encircle it all around. Its buddha is named the Voice of Ambrosia. Above this, past worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a buddha-land, there is a world named Sandalwood Moon; its shape is eight-cornered, abiding resting upon a vajra ocean of sandalwood jewel, and a cloud of maṇi, a true pearl's flower, covers over it entirely. Worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in sixteen buddha-lands encircle it all around, purely one and entirely pure. Its buddha is named the Supreme Dharma's Wisdom Without Equal. Above this, past worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a buddha-land, there is a world named Light Free of Defilement; its shape is just like a whirlpool of fragrant water, abiding resting upon a jeweled light ocean of boundless color, and a cloud of wondrous, fragrant light covers over it entirely. Worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in seventeen buddha-lands encircle it all around. Its buddha is named the Voice of Light Universally Illumining Empty Space. Above this, past worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a buddha-land, there is a world named the Adornment of Wondrous Flowers; its shape is just like a whirling, encircling form, abiding resting upon an ocean of every flower, and a cloud of maṇi, every kind of music, covers over it entirely. Worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in eighteen buddha-lands encircle it all around. Its buddha is named Universally Manifesting Supreme Light. Above this, past worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a buddha-land, there is a world named the Adornment of Supreme Voice; its shape is just like a lion's throne, abiding resting upon an ocean of golden lion-thrones, and a cloud of lion-thrones, a treasury of lotus flowers of every color, covers over it entirely. Worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in nineteen buddha-lands encircle it all around. Its buddha is named the Universal Light of Boundless Merit's Renown. Above this, past worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a buddha-land, there is a world named the Lofty, Supreme Lamp; its shape is like the Buddha's own palm, abiding resting upon an ocean of jeweled garment banners, fragrant, and a cloud of pavilions, the sovereign jewel universally illumined by the sun's own wheel, covers over it entirely. Worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in twenty buddha-lands encircle it all around, purely one and entirely pure. Its buddha is named the Lamp Universally Illumining Empty Space."
This world-seed to the east is given the same full treatment as the central one in Part 21: every one of its twenty tiers named individually, with its own shape, its own foundation, its own covering cloud, and its own buddha. Nothing here is compressed into "and so on," in keeping with this project's practice of never abbreviating a list the source itself states in full — even when, as here, the sheer accumulation of names is clearly part of the passage's own rhetorical effect.
The World-Seed to the South
「諸佛子！此離垢焰藏香水海南，次有香水海，名：無盡光明輪；世界種，名：佛幢莊嚴；以一切佛功德海音聲為體。此中最下方，有世界，名：愛見華；狀如寶輪，依摩尼樹藏寶王海住，化現菩薩形寶藏雲彌覆其上，佛剎微塵數世界圍遶，純一清淨，佛號：蓮華光歡喜面。此上過佛剎微塵數世界，有世界，名：妙音；佛號：須彌寶燈。此上過佛剎微塵數世界，有世界，名：眾寶莊嚴光；佛號：法界音聲幢。此上過佛剎微塵數世界，有世界，名：香藏金剛；佛號：光明音。此上過佛剎微塵數世界，有世界，名：淨妙音；佛號：最勝精進力。此上過佛剎微塵數世界，有世界，名：寶蓮華莊嚴；佛號：法城雲雷音。此上過佛剎微塵數世界，有世界，名：與安樂；佛號：大名稱智慧燈。此上過佛剎微塵數世界，有世界，名：無垢網；佛號：師子光功德海。此上過佛剎微塵數世界，有世界，名：華林幢遍照；佛號：大智蓮華光。此上過佛剎微塵數世界，有世界，名：無量莊嚴；佛號：普眼法界幢。此上過佛剎微塵數世界，有世界，名：普光寶莊嚴；佛號：勝智大商主。此上過佛剎微塵數世界，有世界，名：華王；佛號：月光幢。此上過佛剎微塵數世界，有世界，名：離垢藏；佛號：清淨覺。此上過佛剎微塵數世界，有世界，名：寶光明；佛號：一切智虛空燈。此上過佛剎微塵數世界，有世界，名：出生寶瓔珞；佛號：諸度福海相光明。此上過佛剎微塵數世界，有世界，名：妙輪遍覆；佛號：調伏一切染著心令歡喜。此上過佛剎微塵數世界，有世界，名：寶華幢；佛號：廣博功德音大名稱。此上過佛剎微塵數世界，有世界，名：無量莊嚴；佛號：平等智光明功德海。此上過佛剎微塵數世界，有世界，名：無盡光莊嚴幢；狀如蓮華，依一切寶網海住，蓮華光摩尼網彌覆其上，二十佛剎微塵數世界圍遶，純一清淨，佛號：法界淨光明。」
"Buddha's children! To the south of this Treasury of Flame Free of Defilement fragrant water ocean, there is next a fragrant water ocean named the Wheel of Inexhaustible Light; its world-seed is named the Adornment of the Buddha's Banner, taking the voice of the ocean of every buddha's merit as its essence. At its very lowest is a world named the Flower of Love and Vision; its shape is like a jeweled wheel, abiding resting upon an ocean of the sovereign jewel, a treasury of maṇi trees, and a cloud, a treasury of jewels conjuring bodhisattva forms, covers over it entirely. Worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a buddha-land encircle it all around, purely one and entirely pure. Its buddha is named the Joyful Face of Lotus-Flower Light. Above this, past worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a buddha-land, there is a world named Wondrous Voice. Its buddha is named the Jeweled Lamp of Sumeru. Above this, past worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a buddha-land, there is a world named Every Jewel's Adorning Light. Its buddha is named the Banner of the Dharma-Realm's Voice. Above this, past worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a buddha-land, there is a world named Vajra, Treasury of Fragrance. Its buddha is named the Voice of Light. Above this, past worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a buddha-land, there is a world named Pure, Wondrous Voice. Its buddha is named the Supreme Power of Diligence. Above this, past worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a buddha-land, there is a world named the Adornment of a Jeweled Lotus Flower. Its buddha is named the Dharma-City's Thundercloud Voice. Above this, past worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a buddha-land, there is a world named Bestowing Peace and Bliss. Its buddha is named the Lamp of Wisdom's Great Renown. Above this, past worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a buddha-land, there is a world named the Net Free of Defilement. Its buddha is named the Ocean of Merit of the Lion's Light. Above this, past worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a buddha-land, there is a world named the Banner of a Flower-Forest, Universally Illumining. Its buddha is named the Lotus-Flower Light of Great Wisdom. Above this, past worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a buddha-land, there is a world named Immeasurable Adornment. Its buddha is named the Banner of the Universal Eye's Dharma-Realm. Above this, past worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a buddha-land, there is a world named the Jeweled Adornment of Universal Light. Its buddha is named the Great Caravan-Leader of Supreme Wisdom. Above this, past worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a buddha-land, there is a world named the King of Flowers. Its buddha is named the Banner of Moonlight. Above this, past worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a buddha-land, there is a world named the Treasury Free of Defilement. Its buddha is named Pure Awakening. Above this, past worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a buddha-land, there is a world named Jeweled Light. Its buddha is named the Lamp of Empty Space's Omniscience. Above this, past worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a buddha-land, there is a world named Bringing Forth Jeweled Necklaces. Its buddha is named the Light of the Mark of the Ocean of Blessing of Every Pāramitā. Above this, past worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a buddha-land, there is a world named the Wondrous Wheel Covering Everywhere. Its buddha is named Taming Every Defiled and Attached Mind, Causing It to Rejoice. Above this, past worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a buddha-land, there is a world named the Banner of Jeweled Flowers. Its buddha is named the Vast Voice of Merit's Great Renown. Above this, past worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a buddha-land, there is a world named Immeasurable Adornment. Its buddha is named the Ocean of Merit, the Light of Equal Wisdom. Above this, past worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in a buddha-land, there is a world named the Banner of Inexhaustible Light's Adornment; its shape is like a lotus flower, abiding resting upon an ocean of every jeweled net, and a net of maṇi, lotus-flower light, covers over it entirely. Worlds as numerous as the fine motes of dust in twenty buddha-lands encircle it all around, purely one and entirely pure. Its buddha is named the Pure Light of the Dharma-Realm."
Notice the shift in the source text's own density between this world-seed and the previous one: where the eastern world-seed gave a full shape, foundation, and covering cloud for every one of its twenty tiers, this southern one supplies that level of detail only for its lowest and highest tiers, giving every tier in between simply a name and a buddha. This is not an inconsistency this translation has smoothed over — it is a feature of the Chinese source itself, and it will recur through the remaining eight world-seeds still to come: some fully elaborated, most given in this terser register. Twice in this list a world is named "無量莊嚴," Immeasurable Adornment — the source repeats itself, and so does this translation, since nothing here licenses inventing a distinguishing epithet the text does not supply.
Part 22 Complete
This closes Part 22, opening fascicle nine and continuing the sūtra's fifth chapter, "The Flower-Treasury World-System" (華藏世界品第五): the first two of ten world-seeds that surround the central one described in fascicle eight, to the east and to the south, each with its own twenty tiers of worlds and buddhas. Part 23 continues with the world-seeds in the next two directions around the circle.