A Cloud of Sovereign Power, Seen by All
The ocean catalogue continues: fulfilling the ocean of every buddha's own vow, traveling to the ocean of every land, beholding the ocean of every buddha, entering the ocean of every retinue, and drinking the ocean of the sublime Dharma — before Sudhana manifests a cloud of sovereign power that not a single sentient being fails to behold, and enters the very place of every buddha, every Dharma-gate, and every samādhi.
Every Buddha's Own Vow, Land, and Offering
「……成滿一切諸佛願海；詣諸剎海；見諸佛海；入眷屬海；行供養海；聞正法海；飲妙法海；成滿一切菩薩力海。顯現一切自在力雲，一切眾生，無不見者。滅一切煩惱處；入一切佛處；入諸法門處；入諸三昧處；住諸通明……」
"… he fulfills the ocean of every buddha's own vow; he goes to the ocean of every land; he beholds the ocean of every buddha; he enters the ocean of every retinue; he practices the ocean of every offering; he hears the ocean of the true Dharma; he drinks the ocean of the sublime Dharma; he fulfills the ocean of every bodhisattva power. He manifests a cloud of every sovereign power, and there is no sentient being who does not behold it. He extinguishes the place of every affliction; he enters the place of every buddha; he enters the place of every Dharma-gate; he enters the place of every samādhi; he abides in the place of every penetrating … [the catalogue continues]"
"There is no sentient being who does not behold it" marks a shift within this ocean-catalogue from Sudhana's own private accomplishment to something universally witnessed — the cloud of sovereign power is not merely attained but made visible to every being without exception. Fazang reads the sudden turn to "place" (處) after eight consecutive "ocean" items as this teaching's own habitual variation of vocabulary to avoid monotony even while maintaining an unbroken structure of parallel clauses, the same technique the earlier verse hymn used when shifting its own refrain.
Part 310 In Progress
This catalogue continues to build. Part 311 continues with dwelling in the place of penetrating wisdom, and being unattached to any mark, like a bird ranging through empty space.
Continue to Part 311 →