Samantabhadra's Hand Touches Sudhana's Crown
At that time, the bodhisattva Samantabhadra extended his own right hand and touched Sudhana's crown; having touched it, Sudhana further attained samādhi-gates equal in number to the motes of dust of every world; within every single samādhi-gate, there was, in turn, a retinue of samādhis equal in number to the motes of dust of every world. Within each and every one of these samādhis, he saw oceans of tathāgatas equal in number to the motes of dust of every world, nurturing every merit-endowment equal in number to the motes of dust of every world, giving rise to all-wisdom, filling the ocean of every great vow, abiding in the true path; consummating every one of the bodhisattva's own practices, giving rise to all-wisdom, valiant and diligent, illuminated by the light of every buddha. Just as in this Sahā world, at the presence of the buddha Vairocana, the bodhisattva Samantabhadra touched Sudhana's crown, causing him to be fully endowed with samādhi-gates equal in number to the motes of dust of every world, together with every wondrous merit, so too does the bodhisattva Samantabhadra, at the presence of every tathāgata throughout every world of the ten directions, touch Sudhana's crown — and the merit thereby attained is likewise the very same.
Samādhi Within Samādhi, Multiplying Without End
爾時，普賢菩薩即伸右手，摩善財頂；摩已，善財復得一切世界微塵等諸三昧門；一一三昧門，各有一切世界微塵等三昧，以為眷屬；一一三昧中，見一切世界微塵等諸如來海，長養一切世界微塵等諸功德具，生薩婆若，滿大願海，安住正道；究竟一切諸菩薩行，發薩婆若，勇猛精進，為一切佛光明所照。如此娑婆世界盧舍那佛所，普賢菩薩摩善財頂，令得具足一切世界微塵等三昧門，諸妙功德；普賢菩薩在於十方一切世界諸如來所，摩善財頂，所得功德，亦復如是。
At that time, the bodhisattva Samantabhadra extended his own right hand and touched Sudhana's crown; having touched it, Sudhana further attained samādhi-gates equal in number to the motes of dust of every world; within every single samādhi-gate, there was, in turn, a retinue of samādhis equal in number to the motes of dust of every world. Within each and every one of these samādhis, he saw oceans of tathāgatas equal in number to the motes of dust of every world, nurturing every merit-endowment equal in number to the motes of dust of every world, giving rise to all-wisdom, filling the ocean of every great vow, abiding in the true path; consummating every one of the bodhisattva's own practices, giving rise to all-wisdom, valiant and diligent, illuminated by the light of every buddha. Just as in this Sahā world, at the presence of the buddha Vairocana, the bodhisattva Samantabhadra touched Sudhana's crown, causing him to be fully endowed with samādhi-gates equal in number to the motes of dust of every world, together with every wondrous merit, so too does the bodhisattva Samantabhadra, at the presence of every tathāgata throughout every world of the ten directions, touch Sudhana's crown — and the merit thereby attained is likewise the very same.
This gesture of touching the crown (摩頂) has recurred at several key junctures across this entire pilgrimage — Maitreya touched Sudhana's crown to prophesy his own future equality several parts earlier, and Mañjuśrī touched it upon their reunion at Sumukha — but Samantabhadra's own touch here is the most consequential yet, since it is explicitly repeated, without diminishment, at the presence of every single buddha throughout the ten directions simultaneously. Fazang reads the recursive structure of samādhi containing further samādhi containing further tathāgatas as this passage's own formal device for representing genuine infinity within a finite narration — the text does not attempt to enumerate an endless regress, but states the self-similar pattern once and trusts the reader to understand it continues without limit.
Part 425 Complete
Samantabhadra's crown-touching and its boundless fruit are now given in full. Part 426 turns to Samantabhadra's own direct question to Sudhana — have you seen this? — and to Sudhana's confirming answer, opening the way to Samantabhadra's own extended teaching.
Continue to Part 426 →