Spiritual Power Unsurpassed and Surpassed
The treatise turns to the Tenth Ground's sixth structural division, 神通力無上有上分, "the division of spiritual powers unsurpassed and surpassed." The sūtra shows what it means for this bodhisattva to attain supreme self-mastery within wisdom, skillfully choosing to manifest great spiritual power entirely as his own mind wishes: narrowing and broadening lands at will, folding every encircling iron mountain of a world into a single mote of dust without the mote growing any larger, filling a single hair's breadth with the adorned splendor of every buddha-realm, multiplying his own body into numbers equal to the dust-motes of inexpressible worlds to scatter flowers and sing the buddhas' praises at once, turning boundless worlds into a single ocean crowned with one great lotus, and shaking the ten directions with nothing more than his own exhaled breath — all without causing a single being fear. The commentary then organizes this entire display into six distinct kinds, and draws, at the very heart of it, the precise line between what this bodhisattva now surpasses in every being short of a buddha, and what even here remains surpassed by the buddhas themselves.
Supreme Self-Mastery Within Wisdom: Six Kinds of Spiritual Power, Unsurpassed and Surpassed
經曰：是菩薩住在此地，於智慧中得上自在力，善擇大智通隨心所念，或以狹國為廣、廣國為狹。復隨心念，或以垢國為淨、淨國為垢。如是廣大無量亂住倒住正住等一切世界，自在力故種種能成。
是菩薩復隨心念，或於一微塵中示一世界所有一切鐵圍山等，然彼微塵而不增長。若二若三四五，若十二十三十四十五十，若百若千若萬若億若百億若千億若百千億若百千億那由他世界，乃至不可說不可說世界，所有一切鐵圍山等入一微塵中，然彼微塵亦不增長。
是菩薩復隨心念，或以一世界莊嚴之事示二世界。復隨心念，或以一世界莊嚴之事乃至示無量不可說不可說世界。復隨心念，或以二世界莊嚴之事示一世界，乃至或以無量不可說不可說世界莊嚴之事示一世界。復隨心念，乃至或以無量不可說不可說世界眾生置一世界中，然諸眾生而不恐怖不覺不知。復隨心念，或以一世界眾生乃至置無量不可說不可說世界中，然諸眾生亦不恐怖不覺不知。復隨心念，或於一毛道示一切佛境界莊嚴之事。復隨心念，乃至或以無量不可說不可說一切佛境界莊嚴之事示一毛道。復隨心念，於一念間示現無量不可說不可說世界微塵等身，於一一身中示如是等微塵數手，以此諸手勤心供養十方諸佛，以一一手執恒河沙等花箱以散諸佛。如是花箱，如是花鬘末香塗香熏香衣服寶蓋幡花寶幢一切莊嚴事亦復如是。於一一身中示如是等微塵數頭，於一一頭中示如是等微塵數舌，以此諸舌讚歎諸佛功德之事，如是等事於念念中遍滿十方。於念念中無量世界示得菩提，乃至示大涅槃莊嚴住持。於三世中示無量身，於自身中示有無量諸佛，示無量佛世界莊嚴之事，亦示世界成壞之事，或於自身一毛孔中出一切風災而不惱眾生。復隨心念，或以無量無邊世界為一海水，此海水中作大蓮花，光明莊嚴遍覆無量無邊世界。於中示現大菩提樹莊嚴妙事，乃至示一切種一切智智。或於自身示十方光明摩尼寶珠電光日月星宿諸光明等，乃至一切世界諸光明等皆於身中現。以口噓氣能動十方無量世界，而不令眾生有驚怖想。示十方世界風災劫盡火災劫盡水災劫盡。隨一切眾生種種心念應現色身莊嚴成就，或以自身作如來身、以如來身作自身，以如來身作自佛國、以自佛國作如來身。如是佛子！是菩薩住此菩薩法雲地中神變如是。復過於此有餘無量無邊百千萬億那由他神通莊嚴，自在示現。
論曰：是中神通力無上有上者，有六種相應知：一、依內；二、依外；三、自相；四、作住持；五、令歡喜；六、大勝。是中神通力無上者，比餘眾生神通力故。有上者，比於如來神通力故。是中依內者，有四種：一、不思議解脫；二、三昧；三、起智陀羅尼；四、神通，如前所說。依外者，外事地等。復有外事，自他身等。
是中自相者有二種：一、轉外事等；二、應化自身等。是中轉者，復有三種：一、略廣轉；二、異事轉；三、自在轉，能作一切眾生種種莊嚴等。云何略廣轉？如經「是菩薩住在此地於智慧中得上自在力，善擇大智通隨心所念，或以狹國為廣廣國為狹」故。云何異事轉？如經「復隨心念，或以垢國為淨淨國為垢乃至一切世界自在力故種種能成」故。云何自在轉？如經「是菩薩復隨心念於一微塵中示一世界乃至然諸眾生亦不恐怖不覺不知」故。云何應化自身等？如經「復隨心念，或於一毛道示一切佛境界莊嚴之事，復隨心念乃至或以不可說不可說一切佛境界莊嚴之事示一毛道」故。是中作住持者，供養門等成就，集助菩提法故，如經「復隨心念於一念間示現無量不可說不可說世界微塵等身，乃至無量無邊百千萬億那由他莊嚴自在示現」故。云何令歡喜？
Sūtra: This bodhisattva, dwelling in this ground, attains supreme self-mastery within wisdom, and, skillfully choosing the penetration of great wisdom, according with whatever his mind wishes, at times makes a narrow land broad, or a broad land narrow. Further, according with his mind's wish, at times makes a defiled land pure, or a pure land defiled. Thus, through the power of self-mastery, he is able to accomplish in every manner such vast, immeasurable worlds — worlds dwelling in disarray, worlds dwelling inverted, worlds dwelling upright, and every other world besides.
This bodhisattva, further according with his mind's wish, at times manifests, within a single mote of dust, every one of the encircling iron mountains and the rest belonging to a single world — and yet that mote of dust does not grow any larger. Whether it be two, or three, four, five; or ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty; or a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand, a koṭi, a hundred koṭis, a thousand koṭis, a hundred thousand koṭis, or a hundred thousand koṭis of niyutas of worlds, all the way to inexpressible, inexpressible worlds — every one of the encircling iron mountains and the rest belonging to them enters into a single mote of dust, and yet that mote of dust likewise does not grow any larger.
This bodhisattva, further according with his mind's wish, at times manifests the adorned splendor of a single world within two worlds. Further according with his mind's wish, at times manifests the adorned splendor of a single world all the way to manifesting it within boundless, inexpressible, inexpressible worlds. Further according with his mind's wish, at times manifests the adorned splendor of two worlds within a single world, all the way to manifesting the adorned splendor of boundless, inexpressible, inexpressible worlds within a single world. Further according with his mind's wish, all the way to placing the sentient beings of boundless, inexpressible, inexpressible worlds within a single world, and yet those sentient beings are not frightened, do not perceive it, do not know it. Further according with his mind's wish, at times places the sentient beings of a single world all the way into boundless, inexpressible, inexpressible worlds, and yet those sentient beings likewise are not frightened, do not perceive it, do not know it. Further according with his mind's wish, at times manifests, within a single hair's breadth, the adorned splendor of every buddha's own realm. Further according with his mind's wish, all the way to manifesting, within a single hair's breadth, the adorned splendor of boundless, inexpressible, inexpressible every buddha's own realm. Further according with his mind's wish, within a single thought-moment, manifests bodies equal in number to the fine motes of dust of boundless, inexpressible, inexpressible worlds; and within each and every one of these bodies, manifests hands equal in number to those same fine motes of dust, and with these hands, diligently and wholeheartedly makes offerings to the buddhas of the ten directions, each and every hand holding flower-caskets as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, scattering them upon the buddhas. And just as with these flower-caskets, so too with garlands of flowers, powdered incense, unguent incense, and fragrant incense, robes, jeweled canopies, banners, flowers, and jeweled pennants — every one of these adornments, likewise. Within each and every one of these bodies, he manifests heads equal in number to those same fine motes of dust, and within each and every one of these heads, manifests tongues equal in number to those same fine motes of dust, and with these tongues praises the merit and virtue of the buddhas — deeds such as these, within thought-moment after thought-moment, fill the ten directions entirely. Within thought-moment after thought-moment, within boundless worlds, he manifests the attainment of bodhi, all the way to manifesting the adorned sustaining of great nirvāṇa. Within the three times, he manifests boundless bodies; within his own body, he manifests the presence of boundless buddhas, manifests the adorned splendor of boundless buddha-worlds, and also manifests the formation and destruction of worlds; at times, from within a single pore of his own body, he emits every kind of wind-catastrophe without troubling sentient beings. Further according with his mind's wish, at times takes boundless, limitless worlds and makes of them a single ocean of water; within this ocean of water, fashions a great lotus flower, whose light and splendor cover boundless, limitless worlds entirely. Within it, he manifests the wondrous adornment of a great bodhi-tree, all the way to manifesting the wisdom of all modes, the wisdom of omniscience. At times, within his own body, he manifests the light of the ten directions, maṇi jewels, flashes of lightning, the sun, moon, and constellations, and every other light, all the way to every world's own lights appearing within his body entirely. Through the breath exhaled from his mouth, he is able to shake the boundless worlds of the ten directions, and yet does not cause sentient beings to feel any alarm or fright. He manifests, throughout the worlds of the ten directions, the ending of the eon through the catastrophe of wind, the ending of the eon through the catastrophe of fire, and the ending of the eon through the catastrophe of water. According with every sentient being's manifold thoughts and mental states, he responsively manifests the accomplished adornment of a physical body; at times he makes of his own body a tathāgata's body, and makes of a tathāgata's body his own body; makes of a tathāgata's body his own buddha-land, and makes of his own buddha-land a tathāgata's body. Thus, son of the Buddha! This bodhisattva, dwelling in this bodhisattva's Dharmameghā Ground, has spiritual transformations such as these. And beyond even these, there remain boundless, limitless hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of niyutas of spiritual-power adornments, manifested at will, in perfect self-mastery.
Commentary: Herein, spiritual power unsurpassed and surpassed has six aspects, which should be known: first, dependent on the inner; second, dependent on the outer; third, its own characteristic; fourth, accomplishing sustaining activity; fifth, causing rejoicing; sixth, great superiority. Herein, "unsurpassed" means compared to the spiritual power of every other sentient being; "surpassed" means compared to the spiritual power of the tathāgatas themselves. Herein, that which is dependent on the inner is of four kinds: first, inconceivable liberation; second, samādhi; third, the dhāraṇī that gives rise to wisdom; fourth, spiritual power — as already explained before. That which is dependent on the outer is: external things such as lands, and so forth; and there is also, further, external things such as one's own and others' bodies, and so forth.
Herein, its own characteristic is of two kinds: first, transforming external things and so forth; second, responsively manifesting his own body and so forth. Herein, that which transforms is, further, of three kinds: first, abridging-and-expanding transformation; second, transformation into different things; third, self-mastering transformation, able to accomplish every manner of adornment for every sentient being. What is abridging-and-expanding transformation? As the sūtra says, "this bodhisattva, dwelling in this ground, attains supreme self-mastery within wisdom, and, skillfully choosing the penetration of great wisdom, according with whatever his mind wishes, at times makes a narrow land broad, or a broad land narrow" — for this reason. What is transformation into different things? As the sūtra says, "further, according with his mind's wish, at times makes a defiled land pure, or a pure land defiled, all the way to being able, through the power of self-mastery, to accomplish every world in every manner" — for this reason. What is self-mastering transformation? As the sūtra says, "this bodhisattva, further according with his mind's wish, within a single mote of dust manifests one world, all the way to — and yet those sentient beings likewise are not frightened, do not perceive it, do not know it" — for this reason. What is responsively manifesting his own body and so forth? As the sūtra says, "further according with his mind's wish, at times, within a single hair's breadth, manifests the adorned splendor of every buddha's own realm; further according with his mind's wish, all the way to manifesting, within a single hair's breadth, the adorned splendor of inexpressible, inexpressible every buddha's own realm" — for this reason. Herein, that which is accomplishing sustaining activity is: the gateway of making offerings and so forth being accomplished, gathering in the dharmas that assist bodhi — for this reason, as the sūtra says, "further according with his mind's wish, within a single thought-moment, manifests bodies equal in number to the fine motes of dust of boundless, inexpressible, inexpressible worlds, all the way to — boundless, limitless hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of niyutas of adornments, manifested at will, in self-mastery" — for this reason. What is causing rejoicing?
Fazang traces the first of the six categories, "dependent on the inner," directly back to material the ground has already established rather than treating it as new territory: 通依內德，此有四種，是前大盡分中五種大，以智大與陀羅尼大合說故為四，以彼並是此地德用，故此同說 — "these generally depend on inner virtue, and are of four kinds; they are the five greatnesses of the earlier division, with the greatness of wisdom and the greatness of dhāraṇī spoken of together as one, hence reduced to four — since these are all this ground's own virtue in function, they are explained together here." He then pauses over a wrinkle in the second category, "dependent on the outer," where the treatise counts the bodhisattva's own body among "external things" — an odd classification he stops to justify: 何故身等說為外邪？釋：以對前解脫大等是內德故，說此身等以為外事 — "why is the body and so forth spoken of as external? Because, set against the earlier liberation and the like, which are inner virtues, this body and so forth is here spoken of as an external thing" — external, that is, only relative to the deeper, uncompounded virtues already named, not external in any absolute sense.
On "accomplishing sustaining activity," Fazang breaks the single sūtra passage into ten distinct feats — 一身口供讚；二八相應機；三身現三世；四身內容剎...五毛孔出風；六海華示佛；七身光遍照；八口噓動地；九廣示三災；十身國相作 — "first, body and speech making offerings and praise; second, the eight marks responding to capacity; third, the body manifesting the three times; fourth, the body containing lands within it... fifth, wind emitted from the pores; sixth, the ocean and lotus displaying a buddha; seventh, the body's light illuminating everywhere; eighth, the exhaled breath shaking the earth; ninth, extensively displaying the three catastrophes; tenth, body and land made into one another" — and flags the fourth of these, the body containing lands within it, as no idle detail: 下文金剛藏依此門用斷眾疑 — "in the text below, Vajragarbha relies on precisely this gateway to resolve the assembly's doubt." He closes by naming what comes next as two question-and-answer exchanges — 初一問答，顯神力無上令眾歡喜；後一問答，明神力有上令眾歡喜 — "the first exchange shows spiritual power unsurpassed, causing the assembly to rejoice; the second exchange shows spiritual power surpassed, causing the assembly to rejoice" — the very structure Part 50 now takes up.
Part 49 Complete
This closes Part 49, the Tenth Ground's sixth structural division, "the division of spiritual powers unsurpassed and surpassed." The sūtra has shown, in vivid and exhaustive detail, what it means for this bodhisattva to attain supreme self-mastery within wisdom — a world's iron-ringed mountains folded into a single mote of dust that never grows larger, a buddha-realm's whole adornment gathered into a single hair's breadth, boundless sentient beings placed into one world and one world's beings scattered into boundless worlds without any of them so much as noticing, dust-mote numbers of his own bodies offering flowers and singing the buddhas' praises at once, and worlds shaken by nothing more than his own exhaled breath, all without causing a single being fear — before the commentary organized this entire display into six kinds, tracing "dependent on the inner" and "dependent on the outer" back through "its own characteristic" to "accomplishing sustaining activity," and marking, at its very outset, the exact boundary of this power: unsurpassed against every being short of a buddha, yet still surpassed by the buddhas' own. Part 50 now turns to the fifth of these six kinds, "causing rejoicing": the entire assembly — bodhisattvas, devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, and every other being present — is shown responding to this very display of spiritual power, its doubt resolved by witnessing precisely what this part has just translated, as Vajragarbha himself takes up the questions Bodhisattva Muktacandra puts to him on the assembly's behalf.
Continue to Part 50 — The Assembly's Doubt Resolved →