AVATAMSAKA SUTRA: THE TEN GROUNDS

With the Commentary of the Venerable Tripitaka Master Hua, Abbot of Gold Mountain Monastery, and translated by the Buddhist Text Translation Society of the Sino-American Buddhist Association.

SUTRA:

HE FURTHER MAKES GREAT VOWS, VOWING TO MOUNT THE IRREVERSIBLE WHEEL; TO CULTIVATE THE BODHISATTVA PRACTICES; THAT THE KARMAS OF BODY, SPEECH AND MIND ALL BE WITHOUT RUDE REJECTION; THAT ANYONE WHO BRIEFLY SEES HIM WILL THEN CERTAINLY BECOME FIXED IN THE BUDDHADHARMA; THAT ANYONE WHO BRIEFLY HEARS THE SOUND OF HIS VOICE WILL THEN OBTAIN JEWEL-LIKE WISDOM; THAT ANYONE WHO HAS JUST BROUGHT FORTH PURE FAITH WILL THEN FOREVER CUT OFF AFFLICTIONS; TO OBTAIN A BODY LIKE THE GREAT MEDICINE KING TREE; TO OBTAIN A BODY LIKE THE AS-YOU-WILL JEWEL; TO CULTIVATE ALL BODHISATTVAS' PRACTICES--VAST AND GREAT AS THE DHARMA REALM, ULTIMATE AS EMPTY SPACE, EXHAUSTING THE BOUNDARIES OF THE FUTURE, THROUGHOUT ALL NUMBERS OF KALPAS, WITHOUT CEASE.

HE FURTHER MAKES GREAT VOWS, VOWING WITHIN ALL WORLDS TO ACHIEVE ANUTTARASAMYAKSAMBODHI, WITHOUT LEAVING THE PLACE OF THE TIP OF A SINGLE HAIR. IN EVERY PLACE OF A HAIR-TIP, TO MAKE APPEAR BEING BORN, LEAVING HOME, GOING TO THE WAY PLACE, ACCOMPLISHING PROPER ENLIGHTENMENT, TURNING THE DHARMA WHEEL, AND ENTERING NIRVANA; TO OBTAIN THE BUDDHA'S STATE AND THE POWER OF GREAT WISDOM; IN THOUGHT AFTER THOUGHT, IN ACCORD WITH THE MINDS OF LIVING BEINGS, TO DISPLAY THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF BUDDHAHOOD, AND CAUSE THEM TO OBTAIN STILL EXTINCTION;  WITH VERY SAMBODHI TO KNOW ALL DHARMA REALMS ARE CHARACTERIZED BY NIRVANA; WITH A SINGLE SOUND TO SPEAK DHARMA AND CAUSE ALL LIVING BEINGS TO BE DELIGHTED AT HEART; TO DISPLAY ENTRY INTO GREAT NIRVANA, YET NOT CUT OFF THE BODHISATTVA CONDUCT; TO DISPLAY THE GROUND OF GREAT WISDOM, AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF ALL DHARMAS; WITH THE PENETRATION OF DHARMA WISDOM, THE PENETRATION OF SPIRITUAL FULFILLMENTS, THE PENETRATION OF ILLUSIONS, AND COMFORTABLE CHANGES AND TRANSFORMATIONS, COMPLETELY TO FILL THE DHARMA REALM--VAST AND GREAT AS THE DHARMA REALM, ULTIMATE AS EMPTY SPACE, EXHAUSTING THE BOUNDARIES OF THE FUTURE, THROUGHOUT ALL NUMBERS OF KALPAS, WITHOUT CEASE.

Commentary;

HE, the Bodhisattva, FURTHER MAKES GREAT VOWS, VOWING TO MOUNT THE IRREVERSIBLE WHEEL/To mount the irreversible wheel of Dharma. TO CULTIVATE THE BODHISATTVA PRACTICES/To cultivate the Dharma doors that a Bodhisattva practices. THAT THE KARMAS OF BODY, SPEECH AND MIND/That is, that the three karmas of body, speech and mind, all be pure, and ALL BE WITHOUT RUDE REJECTION/None of them can create bad karma, be in vain; they have not the slightest bit of offense. THAT ANYONE WHO BRIEFLY SEES HIM/If someone sees this Bodhisattva for a short interval of time, that person WILL THEN CERTAINLY BECOME FIXED IN THE BUDDHADHARMA/He or she will certainly plant good roots and understand the Buddhadharma. THAT ANYONE WHO BRIEFLY HEARS THE SOUND OF HIS VOICE/For a brief interval of time hearing the sound of this Bodhisattva's voice, that person WILL THEN OBTAIN JEWEL-LIKE WISDOM/He or she attains to wisdom that is like a jewel. THAT ANYONE WHO HAS JUST BROUGHT FORTH TRUE FAITH/Having just brought forth a kind of pure faith, WILL THEN FOREVER CUT OFF AFFLICTIONS/Afflictions will be gone. TO OBTAIN A BODY LIKE THE GREAT MEDICINE KING TREE/A body like the medicine king tree, which can cure all living beings' illnesses. TO OBTAIN A BODY LIKE THE AS-YOU-WILL JEWEL/A body like the as-you-will pearl. TO CULTIVATE ALL BODHISATTVAS' PRACTICES/To cultivate all of the Dharma doors that Bodhisattvas cultivate—VAST AND GREAT AS THE DHARMA REALM, ULTIMATE AS EMPTY SPACE, EXHAUSTING THE BOUNDARIES OF THE FUTURE, THROUGHOUT ALL NUMBERS OF KALPAS, WITHOUT CEASE.

HE FURTHER MAKES GREAT VOWS, VOWING WITHIN ALL WORLDS TO ACHIEVE ANUTTARASAMYAKSAMBODHI/To realize Anuttarasamyaksambodhi, accomplishing the unsurpassed, right and equal, proper enlightenment, WITHOUT LEAVING THE PLACE OF THE TIP OF A SINGLE HAIR/Right Upon the tip of a hair he accomplishes right and equal, proper enlightenment. IN EVERY PLACE OF A HAIR-TIP/In all places of hair-tips, in every single hair-tip, TO MAKE APPEAR/In all of them he can manifest the accomplishment of Buddhahood, and make appear BEING BORN/ Descending from the Tushita Heaven, dwelling in the womb, being born, LEAVING HOME, GOING TO THE WAY PLACE/Going to the Bodhimanda, ACCOMPLISHING PROPER ENLIGHTENMENT/Right and equal, proper enlightenment, becoming a Buddha, TURNING THE DHARMA WHEEL, AND ENTERING NIRVANA/Entering Parinirvana--the various events of the Eight Marks of Accomplishing the Way. TO OBTAIN THE BUDDHA'S STATE AND THE POWER OF GREAT WISDOM/To attain to the State of a Buddha, along with the Buddha's power of great wisdom. IN THOUGHT AFTER THOUGHT/Within each instant of thought, IN ACCORD WITH THE MINDS OF LIVING BEINGS/In accordance with living beings' minds, TO DISPLAY THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF BUDDHAHOOD, AND CAUSE THEM TO OBTAIN STILL EXTINCTION/Causing all living beings also to attain to still extinction.

WITH EVERY SAMBODHI/Using one kind of proper enlightenment, TO KNOW ALL DHARMA REALMS/To know the proper enlightenments of all Buddhas of all Dharma Realms, ARE CHARACTERIZED BY NIRVANA/Knowing that the Dharma Realms are characterized by great Nirvana. WITH A SINGLE SOUND TO SPEAK DHARMA/To speak Dharma with a single sound, AND CAUSE ALL LIVING BEINGS TO BE DELIGHTED AT HEART/All living beings are delighted within their hearts. TO DISPLAY ENTRY INTO GREAT NIRVANA, YET NOT CUT OFF THE BODHISATTVA CONDUCT/He has manifested the entry into great Nirvana, but he still is in the world cultivating the Bodhisattva Way. TO DISPLAY THE GROUND OF GREAT WISDOM/He displays it for living beings, enabling living beings to know about the ground of great wisdom, AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF ALL DHARMAS/The establishment of all Buddha Dharmas. WITH THE PENETRATION OF DHARMA WISDOM/Using the Spiritual penetration of Dharma wisdom, THE PENETRATION OF SPIRITUAL FULFILLMENTS/The spiritual penetration of all Spiritual fulfillments, THE PENETRATION OF ILLUSIONS/The penetration of changes and transformations, AND COMFORTABLE CHANGES AND TRANSFORMATIONS, COMPLETELY TO FILL THE DHARMA REALM—VAST AND GREAT AS THE DHARMA REALM, ULTIMATE AS EMPTY SPACE, EXHAUSTING THE BOUNDARIES OF THE FUTURE, THROUGHOUT ALL NUMBERS OF KALPAS, WITHOUT CEASE.

SUTRA:

DISCIPLES OF THE BUDDHA, THE BODHISATTVA DWELLING ON THE GROUND OF HAPPINESS BRINGS FORTH SUCH GREAT VOWS, SUCH GREAT VIGOR, SUCH GREAT EFFICACY. USING THOSE TEN KINDS OF VOW-DOORS AS FOREMOST, HE FULFILLS A MILLION ASAMKHYEYAS OF GREAT VOWS.

DISCIPLES OF THE BUDDHA, THESE GREAT VOWS THROUGH TEN PROPOSITIONS OF EXHAUSTION COME TO ACCOMPLISHMENT. WHAT ARE THE TEN? THEY ARE: THE EXHAUSTION OF THE REALM OF LIVING BEINGS; THE EXHAUSTION OF WORLD-REALMS; THE EXHAUSTION OF THE REALM OF EMPTY SPACE; THE EXHAUSTION OF THE DHARMA REALM; THE EXHAUSTION OF THE REALM OF NIRVANA; THE EXHAUSTION OF THE REALM OF BUDDHAS' APPEARINGS; THE EXHAUSTION OF THE REALM OF WISDOM OF THUS COME ONES; THE EXHAUSTION OF THE REALM OF WHAT IS THOUGHT BY MIND; THE EXHAUSTION OF THE REALM OF STATES ENTERED BY THE BUDDHA'S WISDOM; THE EXHAUSTION OF THE REALM OF WORLDLY TURNINGS, DHARMA TURNINGS, AND KNOWLEDGE TURNINGS.

IF THE REALM OF LIVING BEINGS IS EXHAUSTED, THEN MY VOWS ARE EXHAUSTED. IF WORLD-REALMS, UP TO AND INCLUDING THE REALM OF WORLDLY TURNINGS, DHARMA TURNINGS, AND KNOWLEDGE TURNINGS ARE EXHAUSTED, THEN MY VOWS ARE EXHAUSTED. BUT THE REALM OF LIVING BEINGS, UP TO AND INCLUDING THE REALM OF WORLDLY TURNINGS, DHARMA TURNINGS, AND KNOWLEDGE TURNINGS CANNOT BE EXHAUSTED. THEREFORE THESE GREAT VOWS AND GOOD ROOTS OF MINE HAVE NO EXHAUSTION OR END.

Commentary:

Vajra Store Bodhisattva, afraid that the Bodhisattvas would sometimes get lax and not pay attention to him speaking the Dharma of the Avatamsaka Sutra, then said again DISCIPLES OF THE BUDDHA/All of you great Buddhist disciples, do you know? THE BODHISATTVA DWELLING ON THE GROUND OF HAPPINESS/ When the Bodhisattva certifies to this Ground of Happiness, it is from having cultivated all kinds of good roots and accomplishing the position of the Paramitas gone to the other shore that he certifies to this Ground of Happiness. He at all times produces great happiness and BRINGS FORTH SUCH GREAT VOWS/He makes the various kinds of great vows that were previously described. SUCH GREAT VIGOR/He is able to bring forth greatly courageous vigor. The Dharma doors living beings-do not dare to cultivate he goes and cultivates. He dares to do what living beings do not dare do—that kind of great courageous vigor. SUCH GREAT EFFICACY/Great activity and great functioning such as was previously described. USING THOSE TEN KINDS OF VOWS/ Employing those ten kinds of great vow-doors AS FOREMOST/As number one; using those great vows, HE FULFILLS A MILLION ASAMKHYEYAS OF GREAT VOWS/The other great vows all come out of those great vows, and, because those great vows are fulfilled, all the limitlessly many remaining great vows are fulfilled too.

DISCIPLES OF THE BUDDHA/Vajra Store Bodhisattva said again, "All of you Buddhist disciples, THESE GREAT VOWS/He said the great vows made by the Bodhisattva who certifies to the Ground of Happiness THROUGH TEN PROPOSITIONS OF EXHAUSTION/By means of ten kinds of sentences, ten kinds of propositions of exhaustion, ten kinds of exhaustions, ten kinds of disappearances of realms COME TO ACCOMPLISHMENT/All of the great vows of this Bodhisattva become accomplished.

WHAT ARE THE TEN? What are the ten propositions of exhaustion, the ten kinds of exhaustions, of non-existences and disappearances? THEY ARE/That is to say THE EXHAUSTION OF THE REALM OF LIVING BEINGS/All living beings disappear. THE EXHAUSTION OF WORLD-REALMS/World-realms as well are all exhausted, all disappear. THE EXHAUSTION OF THE REALM OF EMPTY SPACE/Make the realm of empty space disappear too. THE EXHAUSTION OF THE DHARMA REALM/ Basically the Dharma Realm is inexhaustible. Still, take it as exhausted, as non-existent. That is, no realm of living beings, no world-realm, no realm of empty space, no Dharma Realm. THE EXHAUSTION OF THE REALM OF NIRVANA/It's also gone. THE EXHAUSTION OF BUDDHAS' APPEARINGS/In addition, no Buddhas appear in the world. THE EXHAUSTION OF THE REALM OF THE WISDOM OF THUS COME ONES/The Thus Come Ones' wisdom also does not exist. THE EXHAUSTION OF THE REALM OF WHAT IS THOUGHT BY MIND/What is climbed upon and thought about in the mind also ceases to exist. THE EXHAUSTION OF THE REALM OF STATES ENTERED BY THE BUDDHA'S WISDOM/The states that the Buddha's wisdom understands, realizes and comprehends—all of those states vanish too. THE EXHAUSTION OF THE REALMS OF WORLDLY TURNINGS, DHARMA TURNINGS, AND KNOWLEDGE TURNINGS/ Everything worldly can turn and move. Dharma can also turn, and knowledge can turn as well. Those kinds of realms all disappear. Basically, all of those realms cannot be non-existent, but suppose we say they cease to exist.

IF THE REALM OF LIVING BEINGS IS EXHAUSTED/Should it come to be possible for the realm of living beings to cease to exist, THEN MY VOWS ARE EXHAUSTED/Then and only then can these vows, the great vows that I (this Bodhisattva) have made, cease to exist. If the realm of living beings cannot cease to exist, then my vows will always remain. IF WORLD-REALMS/Living beings up to and including world-realms: if world-realms cease to exist, UP TO AND INCLUDING THE REALM OF WORLDLY TURNINGS, DHARMA TURNINGS, AND KNOWLEDGE TURNINGS ARE EXHAUSTED/All worlds turn, Dharma turns, and knowledge turns as well. If all of those realms become non-existent, THEN MY VOWS ARE EXHAUSTED/Then the vows I have made will cease to exist. BUT THE REALM OF LIVING BEINGS CANNOT BE EXHAUSTED/However, you should be aware that the realm of living beings cannot end, and therefore my vows cannot come to an end. World-realms can't come to an end either, and so my vows can't end. The realm of empty space can't end, so my vows can't end. The Dharma Realm can't end, so my vows can't end. The realm of Nirvana can't end, so my vows can't end. The realm of Buddhas' appearings cannot end, so my vows too will have no end. The realm of the states of wisdom of Thus Come Ones also will not end, and so my vows will eternally remain. Were the realm of what is thought in the mind to cease to exist...However, it cannot cease to exist, and so, too, my vows will never cease to exist. The realm of the states entered by the Buddha's wisdom—what the wisdom of a Buddha can understand, those kinds of states—were it to cease to exist...However, it cannot go out of existence. Therefore my vows too will exist forever. Worldly turnings, Dharma turnings, and knowledge turnings all become non-existent. However, they cannot go out of existence. Therefore my vows too will always remain. UP TO AND INCLUDING THE REALM OF WORLDLY TURNINGS, DHARMA TURNINGS, AND KNOWLEDGE TURNINGS CANNOT BE EXHAUSTED/It cannot end. THEREFORE THESE GREAT VOWS AND GOOD ROOTS OF MINE HAVE NO EXHAUSTION OR END. Therefore the great vows that I have made and the good roots tha