A Reverent Mind Toward Every Wholesome Root
Fascicle thirty-one opens the ninth of the sūtra's ten dedications: "the dedication of non-attachment, non-bondage, and liberation" (無著無縛解脫迴向). The bodhisattva holds nine kinds of practice in reverence — leaving birth and death, gathering wholesome roots, repenting transgressions, bowing before a stūpa — before dedicating them with a mind free of attachment and bondage, accomplishing Samantabhadra's own action of body, speech, and mind.
Nine Kinds of Reverence, One Freed Mind
Where the eighth dedication opened by comparing itself to true suchness, the ninth opens more simply: with reverence, held toward nine distinct practices from renunciation to devotion. That reverence becomes the ground for a dedication practiced entirely "with a mind of non-attachment, non-bondage, and liberation" — a phrase repeated at the start of nearly every clause that follows, each one naming a different power the bodhisattva accomplishes because of it.
「佛子！云何為菩薩摩訶薩無著無縛解脫迴向？「佛子！是菩薩摩訶薩於一切善根，心生尊重。所謂：於出生死，心生尊重；於攝取一切善根，心生尊重；於希求一切善根，心生尊重；於悔諸過業，心生尊重；於隨喜善根，心生尊重；於禮敬諸佛，心生尊重；於合掌恭敬，心生尊重；於頂禮塔廟，心生尊重；於勸佛說法，心生尊重。於如是等種種善根，皆生尊重，隨順忍可。「佛子！菩薩摩訶薩於彼善根，皆生尊重，隨順忍可時，究竟欣樂，堅固信解；自得安住，令他安住；勤修無著，自在積集；成勝志樂，住如來境；勢力增長，悉得知見。以諸善根如是迴向，所謂：
"Child of the Buddha! What is the bodhisattva mahāsattva's dedication of non-attachment, non-bondage, and liberation? Child of the Buddha! This bodhisattva mahāsattva, regarding every wholesome root, gives rise to a reverent mind. Namely: toward leaving behind birth and death, he gives rise to a reverent mind; toward gathering in every wholesome root, he gives rise to a reverent mind; toward seeking every wholesome root, he gives rise to a reverent mind; toward repenting every past transgression, he gives rise to a reverent mind; toward rejoicing in wholesome roots, he gives rise to a reverent mind; toward bowing in reverence to every buddha, he gives rise to a reverent mind; toward pressing his palms together in respect, he gives rise to a reverent mind; toward bowing his head before a stūpa or shrine, he gives rise to a reverent mind; toward urging a buddha to expound the Dharma, he gives rise to a reverent mind. Toward every kind of wholesome root such as these, he gives rise to reverence in each case, according with them and accepting them. Child of the Buddha! When the bodhisattva mahāsattva, toward these wholesome roots, gives rise to reverence in each case, according with them and accepting them, he ultimately delights in them, his faith and understanding firm; he himself attains abiding security, and causes others to abide securely as well; he diligently cultivates non-attachment, gathering it sovereignly; he accomplishes a supreme aspiration and joy, abiding within the Tathāgata's own domain; his strength and power increase and grow, and he attains complete knowledge and vision. With these wholesome roots he dedicates them in this way, namely:"
『以無著無縛解脫心，成就普賢身業。以無著無縛解脫心，清淨普賢語業。以無著無縛解脫心，圓滿普賢意業。以無著無縛解脫心，發起普賢廣大精進。以無著無縛解脫心，具足普賢無礙音聲陀羅尼門，其聲廣大，普遍十方。以無著無縛解脫心，具足普賢見一切佛陀羅尼門，恒見十方一切諸佛。以無著無縛解脫心，成就解了一切音聲陀羅尼門，同一切音，說無量法。以無著無縛解脫心，成就普賢一切劫住陀羅尼門，普於十方修菩薩行。以無著無縛解脫心，成就普賢自在力，於一眾生身中，示修一切菩薩行，盡未來劫常無間斷；如一眾生身，一切眾生身悉如是。以無著無縛解脫心，成就普賢自在力，普入一切眾道場，普現一切諸佛前，修菩薩行。以無著無縛解脫心，成就普賢佛自在力，於一門中示現，經不可說不可說劫，無有窮盡，令一切眾生皆得悟入。以無著無縛解脫心，成就普賢佛自在力，於種種門中示現，經不可說不可說劫，無有窮盡，令一切眾生皆得悟入，其身普現一切佛前。
'With a mind of non-attachment, non-bondage, and liberation, he accomplishes Samantabhadra's own action of body. With a mind of non-attachment, non-bondage, and liberation, he purifies Samantabhadra's own action of speech. With a mind of non-attachment, non-bondage, and liberation, he perfects Samantabhadra's own action of mind. With a mind of non-attachment, non-bondage, and liberation, he gives rise to Samantabhadra's own vast diligence. With a mind of non-attachment, non-bondage, and liberation, he fully possesses Samantabhadra's own unobstructed dhāraṇī gateway of voice, its sound vast and great, universally pervading the ten directions. With a mind of non-attachment, non-bondage, and liberation, he fully possesses Samantabhadra's own dhāraṇī gateway of beholding every buddha, forever beholding every buddha in the ten directions. With a mind of non-attachment, non-bondage, and liberation, he accomplishes the dhāraṇī gateway of comprehending every sound, matching every sound, expounding immeasurable dharmas. With a mind of non-attachment, non-bondage, and liberation, he accomplishes Samantabhadra's own dhāraṇī gateway of abiding through every kalpa, universally cultivating the practice of a bodhisattva throughout the ten directions. With a mind of non-attachment, non-bondage, and liberation, he accomplishes Samantabhadra's own sovereign power, manifesting the cultivation of every bodhisattva practice within the body of a single sentient being, throughout every future kalpa forever without interruption; and just as within the body of that one sentient being, so too is it within the bodies of every sentient being. With a mind of non-attachment, non-bondage, and liberation, he accomplishes Samantabhadra's own sovereign power, universally entering every assembly's bodhimaṇḍa, universally manifesting himself before every buddha, cultivating the practice of a bodhisattva. With a mind of non-attachment, non-bondage, and liberation, he accomplishes Samantabhadra's own sovereign buddha-power, manifesting himself within a single gateway, passing through inexpressible, inexpressible kalpas without ever being exhausted, causing every sentient being to awaken and enter. With a mind of non-attachment, non-bondage, and liberation, he accomplishes Samantabhadra's own sovereign buddha-power, manifesting himself within every kind of gateway, passing through inexpressible, inexpressible kalpas without ever being exhausted, causing every sentient being to awaken and enter, his body universally manifesting itself before every buddha.'
Reverence toward "pressing his palms together in respect" and "bowing his head before a stūpa or shrine" sits in the same list as reverence toward "leaving behind birth and death" itself — the sūtra treats an ordinary physical gesture of devotion as worthy of exactly the same regard as the most profound liberating insight, refusing to rank the simple bow beneath the philosophical breakthrough.
Part 357 Complete
This opens the ninth dedication and fascicle thirty-one. Chapter 25 continues in Part 358 as the litany of Samantabhadra's sovereign power continues, thought after thought causing inexpressible, inexpressible sentient beings to abide in the wisdom of the ten powers, their minds never weary.