Part 939 of the collection · Fascicle 63 of 80 · 入法界品第三十九之四 · T279

Good-Wealth Watches, Unmoving, for Six Months

After every named part of Sea-Banner's own body has given rise to its own emanation, his final act needs no part at all — light-networks pouring from every single pore at once. Good-Wealth's own response matches the scale of what he witnesses: standing in place, watching, for six months and six days without moving.

Translator: Ru-Yi Meditation Center Status: Part 939 — Good-Wealth watches, unmoving, for six months Source: Taishō T279 (Śikṣānanda, Tang, 695–699 CE)

Every Pore, an Asaṃkhyeya of Light

Where every prior emanation came from a single named part of the body, this final one comes from all of it at once — every pore, without exception, each one producing its own light-network complete with its own countless forms, adornments, domains, and deeds.

Chinese Source

海幢比丘又於其身一切毛孔,一一皆出阿僧祇佛剎微塵數光明網,一一光明網具阿僧祇色相、阿僧祇莊嚴、阿僧祇境界、阿僧祇事業,充滿十方一切法界。

Ru-Yi Translation

The monk Sea-Banner further, from every single pore of his own body, emitted from each and every one an asaṃkhyeya of light-networks as numerous as motes of dust in every buddha-land, and each and every one of those light-networks was complete with an asaṃkhyeya of forms, an asaṃkhyeya of adornments, an asaṃkhyeya of domains, and an asaṃkhyeya of deeds, filling the entire dharma-realm throughout the ten directions.

Reading note — Ru-Yi Meditation Center

又於其身一切毛孔 — further, from every single pore of his own body. After feet, knees, waist, ribs, chest, back, shoulders, belly, face, eyes, brow, forehead, head, and crown have each given their own distinct emanation, this final act needs no location at all — every pore, everywhere on the body, all at once.

Six Months and Six Days, Unmoving

Good-Wealth's own response scales to match what he has just witnessed: nine distinct objects held in reflection, and a duration that stretches, without a single interruption named, from one day to seven, to half a month, to a full month, to six months, and then six days more.

Chinese Source

爾時,善財童子一心觀察海幢比丘,深生渴仰,憶念彼三昧解脫,思惟彼不思議菩薩三昧,思惟彼不思議利益眾生方便海,思惟彼不思議無作用普莊嚴門,思惟彼莊嚴法界清淨智,思惟彼受佛加持智,思惟彼出生菩薩自在力,思惟彼堅固菩薩大願力,思惟彼增廣菩薩諸行力。如是住立,思惟觀察,經一日一夜,乃至經於七日七夜、半月、一月,乃至六月,復經六日。過此已後,海幢比丘從三昧出。

Ru-Yi Translation

At that time, the boy Good-Wealth single-mindedly observed the monk Sea-Banner, deeply giving rise to thirst and longing, calling to mind that samādhi of liberation, reflecting on that inconceivable bodhisattva samādhi, reflecting on that inconceivable ocean of skillful means for benefiting sentient beings, reflecting on that inconceivable gate of universal adornment without exertion, reflecting on that pure wisdom that adorns the dharma-realm, reflecting on that wisdom of receiving the buddha's own empowerment, reflecting on that power that gives rise to the bodhisattva's own self-mastery, reflecting on that power that makes firm the bodhisattva's own great vow, and reflecting on that power that broadens and increases every one of the bodhisattva's own practices. Standing there in this way, reflecting and observing, one day and one night passed, and on up to seven days and seven nights, half a month, a full month, and on up to six months — and then a further six days passed. After this had passed, the monk Sea-Banner emerged from his own samādhi.

Reading note — Ru-Yi Meditation Center

如是住立,思惟觀察 — standing there in this way, reflecting and observing. No teacher in this pilgrimage has held Good-Wealth's own attention this long. The text does not describe him eating, sleeping, or leaving; the entire span from one night to over six months is compressed into a single, unbroken act of standing and watching.

Part 939 Complete

This continues chapter thirty-nine, 入法界品, in fascicle sixty-three. Part 940 turns to Good-Wealth's own praise of this samādhi, naming it superlative in ten different ways before asking Sea-Banner directly what it is called.