Good-Wealth's Second Teacher Is Named
Virtue-Cloud sends Good-Wealth onward with nine specific promises of what the next teacher will do for him, and Good-Wealth departs — not distracted, but turning over ten distinct gates of teaching in his own mind the entire way south, until he stands once more before a stranger, ready to ask.
Nine Promises for the Road Ahead
Virtue-Cloud does not simply name a place and a name; he tells Good-Wealth exactly what to expect from Ocean-Cloud — nine distinct things this next teacher will cause him to enter, cultivate, or give rise to, from the stage that aids the path to the power of vast compassion itself.
「善男子！南方有國，名曰：海門；彼有比丘，名為：海雲。汝往彼問：菩薩云何學菩薩行、修菩薩道？海雲比丘能分別說發起廣大善根因緣。善男子！海雲比丘當令汝入廣大助道位，當令汝生廣大善根力，當為汝說發菩提心因，當令汝生廣大乘光明，當令汝修廣大波羅蜜，當令汝入廣大諸行海，當令汝滿廣大誓願輪，當令汝淨廣大莊嚴門，當令汝生廣大慈悲力。」時，善財童子禮德雲比丘足，右遶觀察，辭退而去。
"Good son! To the south there is a country, named: Ocean-Gate; there is a monk there, named: Ocean-Cloud. Go there and ask him: how does a bodhisattva study the bodhisattva's own practice and cultivate the bodhisattva's own path? The monk Ocean-Cloud is able to distinguish and speak of the causes and conditions that give rise to vast roots of goodness. Good son! The monk Ocean-Cloud shall cause you to enter the vast stage that aids the path; shall cause you to give rise to the power of vast roots of goodness; shall speak for you of the causes for giving rise to the mind of enlightenment; shall cause you to give rise to the light of the vast vehicle; shall cause you to cultivate the vast pāramitās; shall cause you to enter the vast ocean of every practice; shall cause you to fulfill the vast wheel of every vow; shall cause you to purify the vast gate of adornment; and shall cause you to give rise to the power of vast compassion." At that time, the boy Good-Wealth bowed at the feet of the monk Virtue-Cloud, circled him to the right while gazing upon him, and took his leave and departed.
當令汝入廣大助道位……當令汝生廣大慈悲力 — shall cause you to enter the vast stage that aids the path … shall cause you to give rise to the power of vast compassion. Virtue-Cloud gives Good-Wealth nine concrete expectations before he has even met Ocean-Cloud — a kind of advance itinerary for what a single meeting is about to accomplish.
Ten Gates, Held in Mind While Walking
Good-Wealth's journey south is not empty travel; he spends it turning over ten distinct gates of teaching in his own mind, one after another, before arriving at last in the country of Ocean-Gate and standing, once again, with palms joined before a teacher he has never met.
爾時，善財童子一心思惟善知識教，正念觀察智慧光明門，正念觀察菩薩解脫門，正念觀察菩薩三昧門，正念觀察菩薩大海門，正念觀察諸佛現前門，正念觀察諸佛方所門，正念觀察諸佛軌則門，正念觀察諸佛等虛空界門，正念觀察諸佛出現次第門，正念觀察諸佛所入方便門。漸次南行，至海門國，向海雲比丘所頂禮其足，右遶畢已，於前合掌，作如是言：
At that time, the boy Good-Wealth, single-mindedly reflecting on the good spiritual friend's own teaching, with right mindfulness observed the gate of wisdom's own light; with right mindfulness observed the bodhisattva's own gate of liberation; with right mindfulness observed the bodhisattva's own gate of samādhi; with right mindfulness observed the bodhisattva's own gate of the great ocean; with right mindfulness observed the gate of every buddha's own presence; with right mindfulness observed the gate of every buddha's own places and directions; with right mindfulness observed the gate of every buddha's own principles and patterns; with right mindfulness observed the gate of every buddha's own equality with the realm of empty space; with right mindfulness observed the gate of every buddha's own sequence of appearing; with right mindfulness observed the gate of every buddha's own skillful means of entry. He traveled south by stages, and arrived at the country of Ocean-Gate; going to the place of the monk Ocean-Cloud, he bowed his head at his feet, and once he had finished circling him, he stood before him with palms joined together, speaking these words:
一心思惟善知識教 — single-mindedly reflecting on the good spiritual friend's own teaching. Good-Wealth's travel between teachers is never described as idle; every journey south is filled with the previous teaching turned over and held in mind, so that arrival at the next teacher comes only after the last one has already been absorbed.
Part 905 Complete
This continues chapter thirty-nine, 入法界品, in fascicle sixty-two. Part 906 turns to Good-Wealth's own new question, put to Ocean-Cloud: how does a bodhisattva leave behind the household of the world and be born into the household of the tathāgata?