Golden Roads, and Towers Filling the Sky

Third, from "upon the lapis lazuli ground" down through "each and every boundary perfectly distinct," this makes plain the adornment upon the ground itself, revealing and marking its own surpassing excellence. This makes plain the relation of what is depended upon to what depends upon it, in complete and perfect purity. The seven-jeweled ponds and groves and the rest are that which depends; the lapis lazuli jeweled ground is that which is depended upon. The ground is what upholds; the ponds, terraces, and trees are what is upheld. This comes about because Amitābha's own causal practice was thoroughly complete, bringing about a retribution perfectly luminous in return. The meaning of brightness and purity here has, as its very substance, that which is free of all defilement.

A verse of praise says: "This jeweled ground's adornment is beyond all measure or compare, its light shining everywhere, illuminating the ten directions; jeweled pavilions and flowered terraces fill every space entire, their mingled colors so brilliant they defy all measure. Jeweled clouds and jeweled canopies hang suspended over the sky, sacred assemblies flying back and forth, coming and going freely; jeweled banners and streaming pennants turn with every breath of wind, jeweled music, radiant with light, circles round in answer to each thought. Those still bound by doubt and delusion have their lotus not yet opened, palms joined together, enclosed as though still within the womb; within, they receive the joy of the Dharma, without the slightest suffering, and, once their obstructions are exhausted, in but a moment the lotus opens of itself. Ears and eyes grown clear and keen, the body itself the color of gold, bodhisattvas slowly bestow upon them their own jeweled robes; touched by this light, the body attains the three forms of acceptance, and, wishing at once to behold the Buddha, descends from the golden platform; companions in the Dharma come forth to welcome them into the great assembly, gazing up in reverence at the honored countenance, praising it as excellent indeed."

As for "golden cords" and what follows, this makes plain that roads are formed of yellow gold, resembling in form golden cords themselves. Or the ground may be formed of an assortment of jewels, with roads of lapis lazuli. Or the ground may be formed of lapis lazuli, with roads of white jade. Or the ground may be formed of purple gold and white silver, with roads of a hundred jewels. Or the ground may be formed of jewels beyond all description, with roads likewise formed of jewels beyond all description. Or the ground may be formed of a thousand myriad jewels, with roads of only two or three kinds. In this way, each interweaves and alternates with the other, each combining together with the other, each illuminating the other in turn, each bringing out the other's own brilliance — light upon light, color upon color, each entirely distinct from the rest, and yet never once falling into disorder. Let practitioners never say that there are only roads of gold, and no roads formed of other jewels as well.

Fourth, from "within each and every jewel are five hundred colors of light" down through "and musical instruments, forming its own adornment," this makes plain the adornment filling the sky itself. There are six points within it. First, this makes plain that these jewels emit manifold light. Second, this makes plain the use of analogy to reveal their own appearance. Third, this makes plain that this light transforms into towers. Fourth, this makes plain that this light transforms into pavilions and upper chambers. Fifth, this makes plain that this light transforms into flowered banners. Sixth, this makes plain that this light transforms into the sound of jeweled music. It further makes plain that the manifold jewels upon the ground each emit five hundred colors of light, and each of these colored lights rises up into the sky, forming a single platform of light — and within each and every such platform are a thousand myriad jeweled towers, each formed and adorned by combinations of one, two, three, four, or even jewels beyond all description. As for "resembling flowers, and resembling also the stars and the moon": the Buddha, out of compassion, fearing that people might fail to recognize what is meant, therefore borrowed this analogy to make it plain. As for "on either side of each platform are a hundred koṭis of flowered banners": the jeweled ground's own manifold light is immeasurable, and each and every ray of light transforms likewise into a platform of light, filling the entire sky. Practitioners, whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, should constantly form this very contemplative thought.