Part 361 of the collection · Fascicle 31 of 80 · 十迴向品第二十五之九 · T279

A Single Thought Manifests Every Mental State

The litany turns to a series of images about scale and containment without loss: a single thought manifesting the mental states of every sentient being across inexpressible kalpas; a single body containing every body in the Dharma-realm while the realm of sentient beings neither grows nor shrinks; and finally, entering every world of Indra's net at once, "without destroying the mark of their establishment" — each world remaining fully itself even while contained within every other.

Translator: Ru-Yi Meditation Center Status: Part 361 — every mental state manifested, Indra's net entered whole Source: Taishō T279 (Śikṣānanda, Tang, 695–699 CE)

Contained Without Being Diminished

Each image in this passage shares the same underlying structure: containment that does not compress, and multiplication that does not divide. A single body holds every body in the Dharma-realm, "and yet the realm of sentient beings neither increases nor decreases"; every world enters a single world, "and yet without destroying the mark of their establishment" — the logic of Indra's net stated here almost as a formula.

Chinese Source

以無著無縛解脫心,成就普賢深心方便,於一念心中現一眾生不可說不可說劫念心,如是乃至現一切眾生爾許劫念心。以無著無縛解脫心,入普賢迴向,行方便地,於一身中悉能包納盡法界不可說不可說身,而眾生界無所增減;如一身,乃至周遍法界一切身悉亦如是。以無著無縛解脫心,成就普賢大願方便,捨離一切想倒、心倒、見倒,普入一切諸佛境界;常見諸佛虛空界等清淨法身,相好莊嚴,神力自在;常以妙音開示演說無礙無斷,令其聞者如說受持,於如來身了無所得。以無著無縛解脫心,修普賢行,住菩薩地,於一念中入一切世界,所謂:入仰世界、覆世界、不可說不可說十方網一切處廣大世界,以因陀羅網分別方便普分別一切法界,以種種世界入一世界,以不可說不可說無量世界入一世界,以一切法界所安立無量世界入一世界,以一切虛空界所安立無量世界入一世界,而亦不壞安立之相,悉令明見。

Ru-Yi Translation

With a mind of non-attachment, non-bondage, and liberation, he accomplishes Samantabhadra's own profound mind and skillful means, within a single thought manifesting the mental states of a single sentient being across inexpressible, inexpressible kalpas, and in this same way, manifesting the mental states of every sentient being across that same span of kalpas. With a mind of non-attachment, non-bondage, and liberation, he enters Samantabhadra's own dedication, practicing the ground of skillful means, within a single body entirely able to contain every inexpressible, inexpressible body throughout the whole Dharma-realm, and yet the realm of sentient beings neither increases nor decreases; and just as within that single body, so too is it within every body pervading the Dharma-realm entirely. With a mind of non-attachment, non-bondage, and liberation, he accomplishes Samantabhadra's own great vow and skillful means, relinquishing every inverted perception, inverted mind, and inverted view, universally entering the domain of every buddha; forever beholding every buddha's own pure Dharma-body equal to the realm of empty space, adorned with excellent marks, sovereign in spiritual power; forever with a wondrous voice revealing and expounding without obstruction or interruption, causing every listener to receive and uphold it just as it was spoken, and yet regarding the Tathāgata's own body, comprehending that there is nothing at all to be attained. With a mind of non-attachment, non-bondage, and liberation, he cultivates Samantabhadra's own practice, abiding on the ground of a bodhisattva, within a single thought entering every world, namely: entering upward-facing worlds, downward-facing worlds, and the inexpressible, inexpressible vast worlds of Indra's net spread throughout every place in the ten directions, universally discerning the entire Dharma-realm through the skillful means of discerning Indra's net; entering a single world with every kind of world, entering a single world with inexpressible, inexpressible immeasurable worlds, entering a single world with the immeasurable worlds established throughout the entire Dharma-realm, and entering a single world with the immeasurable worlds established throughout the entire realm of empty space, and yet without destroying the mark of their establishment, causing them all to be seen clearly.

Reading note — Ru-Yi Meditation Center

"Regarding the Tathāgata's own body, comprehending that there is nothing at all to be attained" arrives right after a description of beholding every buddha's Dharma-body, adorned with excellent marks and sovereign spiritual power — a reminder, placed exactly where the vision is at its most vivid, that even this beholding is not something to be grasped or possessed as an accomplishment.

Part 361 Complete

This continues the ninth dedication's litany of Samantabhadra's practice. Chapter 25 continues in Part 362 as the bodhisattva, having received consecration from every buddha, comes to know within a single thought nearly fifty distinct kinds of conception — of sentient beings, of dharmas, of lands, of time itself — while remaining free of every one of them.