Constantly Anointed by Every Buddha's Own Ambrosia
From hearing this Dharma, Sudhana himself now manifests sovereign power, protected and held in mind by every buddha, gathered in by the bodhisattvas. Before long, Maitreya tells him, he shall be equal to every buddha's own child, constantly anointed by their ambrosia upon his own crown, causing sentient beings to attain supreme, sublime fruits through their own cultivated goodness.
Soon You Shall Be Equal to Every Buddha's Own Child
「……從彼聞法，現自在力，為一切佛之所護念，菩薩所攝；隨順彼教，得大善利，長養一切諸菩薩性，學諸功德，不斷佛種；常為諸佛甘露灌頂，不久當與諸佛子等，隨前眾生，因其修善，皆悉令獲勝妙果報。善財！汝應發大歡喜；……」
"… From hearing their Dharma, you manifest sovereign power, protected and held in mind by every buddha, gathered in by the bodhisattvas; according with their teaching, you have gained great benefit, nurturing every bodhisattva nature, learning every merit, never cutting off the buddha-lineage; constantly anointed by every buddha's own ambrosia upon your crown, before long you shall be equal to every one of these buddha-children, and, according with the sentient beings before you, through their own cultivated goodness, you shall cause them all to attain supreme, sublime fruits of retribution. Sudhana! You should give rise to great joy … [the address continues]"
"Constantly anointed by every buddha's own ambrosia upon your crown" applies to Sudhana himself the very same image the earlier narration used to describe Maitreya's own arrival — the crown-anointing that marks a bodhisattva formally confirmed for buddhahood. Fazang reads Maitreya's declaration, "before long you shall be equal to every one of these buddha-children," as this section's own decisive turning point: what Sudhana has received from fifty teachers and now confirmed by Maitreya is no longer described merely as accumulated learning, but as an imminent, formal attainment of the same rank his own teachers already hold.
Part 314 In Progress
Maitreya's own confirmation continues to build toward its climax. Part 315 continues with why Sudhana should rejoice — accomplishing in a single lifetime what boundless bodhisattvas elsewhere require uncountable kalpas to achieve.
Continue to Part 315 →