Volume 5

K3 The Buddha manifests portents in response.

Sutra:

Then the World Honored One upon the lion's throne emitted simultaneously from his five extremities a precious light which shone far throughout the ten directions to anoint the crowns of as many Thus Come Ones and Dharma prince Bodhisattvas as there are motes of dust.

Commentary:

Then the World Honored One upon the lion's throne emitted simultaneously from his five extremities a precious light. Sitting on the lion's throne, Shakyamuni Buddha emitted light from his two hands, his two feet, and the top of his head, all at the same time. The light shone far throughout the ten directions to anoint the crowns of as many Thus Come Ones and dharma prince Bodhisattvas as there are motes of dust. Shakyamuni Buddha anointed the crowns of the Thus Come Ones as a representation that his dharma is the highest, the "summit." The Way of all Buddhas is the same. The Thus Come Ones of the ten directions also proclaim this "Summit" dharma, just as Shakyamuni Buddha is doing now.

The Way of all Buddhas is the same.
It is mutually interpenetrating.

L1 He shows the general appearance of perfect penetration.

Sutra:

All those Thus Come Ones also emitted from their five extremities precious lights which were as numerous as motes of dust and which came from the various directions to anoint the crown of the Buddha as well as the crowns of all the great Bodhisattvas and Arhats in the assembly.

Commentary:

All those Thus Come Ones as numerous as the fine motes of dust throughout the ten directions also emitted from their five extremities precious lights which were as numerous as motes of dust and which came from the various directions. Precious light also issued forth from their two hands, two feet, and from the tops of their heads, light just like that which Shakyamuni Buddha had emitted. The light came to anoint the crown of the Buddha, Shakyamuni Buddha, as well as the crowns of all the great Bodhisattvas and Arhats in the assembly.

L2 He shows the specific appearance of perfect penetration.

Sutra:

Groves, trees, pools, and ponds all proclaimed the sound of dharma. The lights blended and criss-crossed like a jeweled silken net. It was an unprecedented event for everyone in the great assembly, and they all attained the vajra samadhi.

Commentary:

Groves, trees, pools, and ponds all proclaimed the sound of dharma. The flowing water, the breath of wind, and the rustle of the trees all expressed the dharma. The lights blended and crisscrossed like a jeweled silken net. The lights of the Buddhas of the ten directions anointed Shakyamuni Buddha's crown and Shakyamuni Buddha's light anointed the Thus Come Ones in the ten directions as numerous as motes of dust. The lights' pattern appeared to create a magnificent net. It was an unprecedented event for everyone in the great assembly, and they all attained the vajra samadhi. They had never before seen such auspicious portents, and everyone there obtained the vajra samadhi.

Sutra:

Then the heavens rained down hundreds of precious lotus flowers of variegated combinations of green, yellow, red, and white. All the space in the ten directions turned the colors of the seven gems.

Commentary:

Then, when everyone in the great assembly attained the vajra samadhi, the heavens rained down hundreds of precious lotus flowers of variegated combinations of green, yellow, red, and white. These four colors appeared in various combinations on the petals of the lotus flowers. Some green lotuses were accented with touches of yellow. Some yellow lotuses had red dots on them. Some white lotuses were flecked with red. All the space in the ten directions turned the colors of the seven gems. The seven gems are gold, silver, lapis lazuli, crystal, mother-of-pearl, red pearl, and carnelian. All the worlds turned these colors.

Sutra:

This Saha world with its mountains, rivers, and great earth disappeared totally, and all that could be seen were lands as numerous as motes of dust coming together as one realm. Pure praises in songs and chants spontaneously pervaded in celebration.

Commentary:

This Saha world with its mountains, rivers, and great earth disappeared totally, and all that could be seen were lands as numerous as motes of dust coming together as one realm. Our world is called the Saha world. The name means "able to be endured," representing that living beings are able to bear the suffering and distress of this world. Actually, it's unbearable, but beings go right on bearing it, not admitting the suffering. They take suffering to be bliss. They think it's fine here.

At this point, however, the Saha world disappeared. That was due to the transforming power of spiritual penetrations which Shakyamuni Buddha used in that assembly. The Buddhalands as numerous as grains of sand multiplied by grains of sand united. They had been distinct and individual, but now they came together as one. Pure praises in songs and chants spontaneously pervaded in celebration. Pure and clear sounds of music were heard everywhere. Before this, the groves and trees, the ponds and pools had expressed the dharma, but in this place everything proclaimed the dharma-sound in subtle songs and chants.

The water flows, the wind blows,
proclaiming the Mahayana.
In pools of seven jewels are lotuses
of four colors and waves of solid gold.

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