Part 213 of the collection · Teacher 41 of 53: Lady Māyā (26 of ~?) · Fascicle 56 of 60 · T278

Continuing the Buddha-List

The Bhadrakalpa buddha-list passes its midpoint, thirty more names from Sublime-Virtue-Treasury Buddha through Viśākhā-Deva Buddha.

Translator: Ru-Yi Meditation Center Status: Part 213 of 454 complete Source: Taishō T278, 入法界品第三十四之十四 (Buddhabhadra, Eastern Jin) Reading notes after Fazang's 華嚴經探玄記 (T1733)

From Sublime-Virtue-Treasury to Viśākhā-Deva

Chinese Source

「……妙德藏佛、寶網嚴身佛、善慧佛、自在天佛、大地天佛、無著功德佛、眾牙佛、慧光佛、妙德天佛、無上坐佛、無上德佛、仙人伏根佛、隨順語佛、自在德幢佛、明淨幢佛、分別支佛、毘舍佉佛、放一切眾生香光明佛、金剛寶嚴佛、歡喜眼佛、滅欲塵佛、高大身佛、善天佛、無上天佛、向寂滅佛、覺智佛、離塵垢佛、光焰王佛、安住佛、毘舍佉天佛、……」

Ru-Yi Translation

"… Sublime-Virtue-Treasury Buddha, Jeweled-Net-Adorned-Body Buddha, Good-Wisdom Buddha, Sovereign-Deva Buddha, Great-Earth-Deva Buddha, Unattached-Merit Buddha, Every-Tusk Buddha, Wisdom-Light Buddha, Sublime-Virtue-Deva Buddha, Supreme-Seat Buddha, Supreme-Virtue Buddha, Seer-Who-Subdued-the-Faculties Buddha, Accordant-Speech Buddha, Sovereign-Virtue-Banner Buddha, Bright-Pure-Banner Buddha, Discerning-Distinctions Buddha, Viśākhā Buddha, Buddha-Who-Emits-Fragrant-Light-Upon-Every-Sentient-Being, Vajra-Jewel-Adorned Buddha, Joyful-Eye Buddha, Desire-Dust-Extinguishing Buddha, Lofty-Great-Body Buddha, Good-Deva Buddha, Supreme-Deva Buddha, Turned-Toward-Quiescence Buddha, Awakened-Wisdom Buddha, Dust-and-Defilement-Transcending Buddha, Light-Flame-King Buddha, Firmly-Abiding Buddha, Viśākhā-Deva Buddha … [the list continues]"

Reading note — after Fazang

Viśākhā appears twice in close succession here — once alone, once as "Viśākhā-Deva" — a name otherwise known in the canon as a lunar asterism and, separately, as the great laywoman donor of the Jetavana's sister monastery; its use as a buddha-epithet here follows the list's general practice of drawing freely on names already carrying auspicious associations elsewhere in the tradition, repurposed as names for buddhas of an age this world does not otherwise remember in any detail.

Part 213 In Progress

The list is now well past its midpoint. It continues in Part 214.

Continue to Part 214 →