South to Fertile Field
Sudhana bows farewell to Worthy Supreme and journeys south to the city of Fertile Field, arriving before the elder Firm Liberation to ask his now-familiar question.
An Elder Named Firm Liberation
「爾時，善財禮賢勝足，遶無數匝，戀慕瞻仰，辭退南行。到於彼城，詣長者所，禮足圍遶，合掌恭敬，於一面立，白言：「聖者！我已先發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心，而未知菩薩云何學菩薩行、修菩薩道？我聞聖者善能誘誨，願為我說。」」
At that time, Sudhana bowed at the feet of Worthy Supreme, circled her countless times in longing reverence and admiration, took his leave, and traveled south. Arriving at that city, he went to the elder's place; he bowed at his feet, circled him, and stood to one side with palms joined in reverence, saying: "Noble one, I have already raised the mind set on unsurpassed, perfect awakening, but I do not yet know how a bodhisattva learns the bodhisattva's own practice and cultivates the bodhisattva's own path. I have heard that you, noble one, are skilled in guiding and instructing — I ask that you teach me."
An elder (長者) — typically a senior householder of standing, distinct from a monastic or ascetic teacher — is now the pilgrimage's own good friend, continuing the pattern of drawing teachers from every walk of life. Fazang notes that elders recur several times across the 53 teachers, each holding a distinct liberation despite sharing an identical social role, underscoring that station never determines the content of one's own realization.
Part 237 Complete — Teacher 46 Begins
Sudhana has arrived and asked his question. Part 238 begins Firm Liberation's own answer: his liberation, Unattached Pure Mindfulness.
Continue to Part 238 →