Sutra of Immeasurable Pure Equanimity and Enlightenment (佛說無量清淨平等覺經)

Sutra of Immeasurable Pure Equanimity and Enlightenment, Spoken by the Buddha, Volume 2

Translated by Lokaksema, Tripitaka Master from Yuezhi, Later Han Dynasty

The Buddha said to Ananda: "Suppose someone says this is so. Take a king or emperor—though he may be incomparably handsome among human beings—if you place him beside a Chakravartin king, his face and features are utterly ugly and unpleasing, no better than a beggar standing beside a king or emperor. The emperor's face is ugly, and it is not equal to the Chakravartin king's complexion, which is a hundred thousand billion times more beautiful. Again, though a Chakravartin king may be peerlessly beautiful in the world, if you place him beside the second heaven's Lord Shakra, King of the Devas, his face is utterly ugly and unpleasing, and not equal to Lord Shakra's face, which is a hundred thousand billion times more upright and beautiful. Again, though Lord Shakra may be placed beside the sixth heaven's king, his face is utterly ugly and unpleasing, and not equal to the sixth heaven's king's face, which is a hundred thousand billion times more upright and beautiful. Again, though the sixth heaven's king may be placed beside the bodhisattvas and arhats in the land of the Buddha of Immeasurable Purity, his face is utterly ugly, and not equal to the faces of the bodhisattvas and arhats in the land of the Buddha of Immeasurable Purity, which are a hundred thousand billion times more upright and beautiful."

The Buddha said: "The bodhisattvas and arhats of the Buddha Immeasurable Pure Light all have features that are perfectly upright and incomparably beautiful, second only to the Path to Cessation."

The Buddha told Ananda: "In the land of the Buddha of Infinite Purity, as well as for all the bodhisattvas and arhats—in their lecture halls, meditation lodges, and the dwellings where they live, both inside and out, and above the bathing pools—there are trees of the seven treasures everywhere. Among them are trees made purely of silver, trees made purely of gold, trees made purely of crystal, trees made purely of lapis lazuli, trees made purely of white jade, trees made purely of coral, trees made purely of amber, and trees made purely of carnelian—each kind distinct in its own array."

Among them, there were also trees made of two precious substances together forming a single tree: a silver tree with silver roots, golden trunk, silver branches, golden leaves, silver blossoms, and golden fruit; and a golden tree with golden roots, silver trunk, golden branches, silver leaves, golden blossoms, and silver fruit. These two precious trees were thus mutually formed together, each with its own distinct arrangement.

Among these, there are also three precious substances together forming a single tree: a silver tree, with silver roots, gold trunk, crystal branches, silver leaves, gold blossoms, and crystal fruits; a gold tree, with gold roots, silver trunk, crystal branches, gold leaves, silver blossoms, and crystal fruits; and a crystal tree, with crystal roots, silver trunk, gold branches, crystal leaves, silver blossoms, and gold fruits. These three precious trees mutually complete one another, each arrayed distinctly within its own form.

There is also the case of four precious substances together forming a single tree: a silver tree has silver roots, a gold trunk, crystal branches, lapis lazuli leaves, silver blossoms, and gold fruit; a gold tree has gold roots, a silver trunk, crystal branches, lapis lazuli leaves, gold blossoms, and silver fruit; a crystal tree has crystal roots, a lapis lazuli trunk, silver branches, gold leaves, crystal blossoms, and lapis lazuli fruit; a lapis lazuli tree has lapis lazuli roots, a crystal trunk, gold branches, silver leaves, lapis lazuli blossoms, and crystal fruit. These four precious trees are formed by each other in turn, each one distinct in its own arrangement.

There are also five kinds of precious trees, each made of a combination of treasures.

The silver tree has silver roots, golden trunk, crystal branches, lapis lazuli leaves, coral flowers, and golden fruit.

The golden tree has golden roots, silver trunk, crystal branches, lapis lazuli leaves, coral flowers, and silver fruit.

The crystal tree has crystal roots, lapis lazuli trunk, coral branches, silver leaves, golden flowers, and lapis lazuli fruit.

The lapis lazuli tree has lapis lazuli roots, coral trunk, crystal branches, golden leaves, silver flowers, and coral fruit.

The coral tree has coral roots, lapis lazuli trunk, crystal branches, golden leaves, silver flowers, and lapis lazuli fruit.

These five precious trees mutually bring one another into being, each distinct in its own arrangement.

There are also six kinds of treasures that together form a single tree. A silver tree has silver roots, gold stems, crystal branches, lapis lazuli leaves, coral blossoms, and amber fruits. A gold tree has gold roots, silver stems, crystal branches, lapis lazuli leaves, amber blossoms, and coral fruits. A crystal tree has crystal roots, lapis lazuli stems, coral branches, silver leaves, amber blossoms, and gold fruits. A lapis lazuli tree has lapis lazuli roots, coral stems, amber branches, crystal leaves, gold blossoms, and silver fruits. A coral tree has coral roots, amber stems, silver branches, gold leaves, crystal blossoms, and lapis lazuli fruits. An amber tree has amber roots, coral stems, gold branches, silver leaves, lapis lazuli blossoms, and crystal fruits. These six treasure trees mutually complete one another, each arrayed in its own distinct way.

There are also seven jewels that together form a single tree:

For a silver tree: silver root, gold trunk, crystal joints, lapis lazuli branches, coral leaves, amber flowers, and carnelian fruit.

For a gold tree: gold root, crystal trunk, lapis lazuli joints, coral branches, amber leaves, carnelian flowers, and silver fruit.

For a crystal tree: crystal root, lapis lazuli trunk, coral joints, amber branches, carnelian leaves, white jade flowers, and gold fruit.

For a lapis lazuli tree: lapis lazuli root, coral trunk, amber joints, white jade branches, carnelian leaves, crystal flowers, and silver fruit.

For a coral tree: coral root, amber trunk, white jade joints, silver branches, moon-bright pearl leaves, gold flowers, and crystal fruit.

For an amber tree: amber root, white jade trunk, coral joints, lapis lazuli branches, carnelian leaves, crystal flowers, and gold fruit.

For a white jade tree: white jade root, carnelian trunk, lapis lazuli joints, coral branches, amber leaves, gold flowers, and mani jewel fruit.

These seven-jewel trees are formed together in mutual support: each kind and each row is distinct, yet row matches row, trunk aligns with trunk, branch meets branch, leaf faces leaf, flower gazes toward flower, exceedingly soft and lovely, and fruit matches fruit.

The Buddha said: "In the lecture hall and the monastery of the Buddha Infinite Pure Light, as well as around the seven-jewel bathing pools inside and out, there are seven-jewel trees of various kinds. And outside the seven-jewel dwellings of the bodhisattvas and arhats, inside and out, around the seven-jewel bathing pools there are seven-jewel trees, arranged in hundreds and thousands of rows, each and every one like this. Each row naturally produces five tones, with a sound exceedingly beautiful beyond compare."

The Buddha said to Ananda, "Suppose you take all the countless kinds of instrumental music in the world of ordinary kings—they are not equal to a single sound of the music of a Chakravartin king; that one sound is a hundred thousand million times more beautiful. Suppose you take all the countless kinds of instrumental music of a Chakravartin king—they are still not equal to a single sound of the music in the second heaven, the Heaven of the Thirty-Three; that one sound is a hundred thousand million times more beautiful. Suppose you take all the countless kinds of music in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three—they are still not equal to a single sound of the music in the sixth heaven; that one sound is a hundred thousand million times more beautiful. Suppose you take all the countless kinds of music in the sixth heaven—they are still not equal to a single sound from one of the seven-jeweled trees in the land of the Buddha of Infinite Purity; that one sound is a hundred thousand million times more beautiful. In the land of the Buddha of Infinite Purity there are also countless kinds of spontaneously arising music, beyond all measure."

When Infinite Pure Buddha and the bodhisattvas and arhats wish to bathe, each of them enters one of the seven-jewel ponds and bathes there. If the bodhisattvas and arhats want the water to cover their feet, it covers their feet. If they want the water to reach their knees, it reaches their knees. If they want the water to reach their waists, it reaches their waists. If they want the water to reach their underarms, it reaches their underarms. If they want the water to reach their necks, it reaches their necks. If they want the water to pour over their bodies, it pours over their bodies. If they want the water to return to how it was before, it returns to how it was before—freely, according to whatever each one wishes and delights in.

The Buddha said: "When the Buddha of Infinite Purity and all the bodhisattvas and arhats had finished bathing, each of them seated themselves upon a single lotus flower. Then from the four directions a natural scattered wind arose. That scattered wind is not a wind of the world, nor is it a wind of the heavens. This scattered wind is born naturally from among all the winds of the eight directions and above and below, all coming together and transforming into being. That scattered wind is neither too cold nor too warm; it is always harmonious and balanced, perfectly and incomparably cool and pleasant. The scattered wind rises gently, neither too slow nor too fast, just right and moderate. It blows upon the seven-jeweled trees in that land, and the seven-jeweled trees each of themselves produce the five-toned sounds. The scattered wind blows the flowers, covering the entire land. The flowers all scatter of themselves upon the Buddha of Infinite Purity and all the bodhisattvas and arhats. When the flowers fall to the ground, they form a layer four inches thick, incomparably soft and lovely. When the flowers begin to wither, the natural scattered wind blows the withered flowers away, and they all disappear of themselves. Then again from the four directions a natural scattered wind arises, blowing the seven-jeweled trees, and the seven-jeweled trees each of themselves produce the five-toned sounds. The scattered wind blows the flowers, scattering them of themselves upon the Buddha of Infinite Purity and all the bodhisattvas and arhats. When the flowers fall to the ground, the natural scattered wind again blows the withered flowers away, and they all disappear of themselves. Then again from the four directions a natural scattered wind arises, blowing the seven-jeweled trees and flowers — and this happens four times over."

Among the bodhisattvas and arhats, some wish only to hear the sutra, some wish only to hear the sounds of music, some wish only to hear about flowers' fragrance; some do not wish to hear the sutra, some do not wish to hear the five tones, some do not wish to hear about flowers' fragrance. Whatever they wish to hear, they hear just that alone; whatever they do not wish to hear, they do not hear at all. Thus all naturally follow their own minds, dwelling in whatever they delight in and enjoy, without going against what their hearts desire and wish for.

Once Infinite Pure Buddha and all the bodhisattvas and arhats had finished bathing, each went their own way. As the bodhisattvas and arhats each pursued their practice, some were on the ground expounding the scriptures, some on the ground reciting the scriptures, some on the ground preaching the scriptures, some on the ground receiving the scriptures orally, some on the ground listening to the scriptures, some on the ground recollecting the scriptures, some on the ground contemplating the Path, some on the ground sitting in meditation with a unified mind, and some on the ground practicing walking meditation. Some were in the open sky expounding the scriptures, some in the open sky reciting the scriptures, some in the open sky preaching the scriptures, some in the open sky receiving the scriptures orally, some in the open sky listening to the scriptures, some in the open sky recollecting the scriptures, some in the open sky contemplating the Path, some in the open sky sitting in meditation with a unified mind, and some in the open sky practicing walking meditation. Among them, those who had not yet attained the Path of Stream-Entry attained the Path of Stream-Entry; those who had not yet attained the Path of Once-Returning attained the Path of Once-Returning; those who had not yet attained the Path of Non-Returning attained the Path of Non-Returning; those who had not yet attained the Path of Arhatship attained the Path of Arhatship; and those who had not yet attained the stage of the non-retrogressing bodhisattva attained the stage of the non-retrogressing bodhisattva. The bodhisattvas and arhats, each expounding the scriptures and practicing the Path, all attained the Path, and there was not one who did not leap with joy.

Among these bodhisattvas, there were those who wished to make offerings to the countless Buddhas in the eight directions and above and below. They all came forward together, paid homage to Buddha Infinite Pure Light, stepped back, knelt on the ground with palms joined, and addressed the Buddha, taking their leave: "We wish to make offerings to the countless Buddhas in the eight directions and above and below." Buddha Infinite Pure Light approved, and let them go to make their offerings. All these bodhisattvas were overjoyed. Several thousand hundred million people — countless and beyond reckoning — all with wisdom and courage, each soaring into the air, following one another in company, all flew off together and at once arrived at the places of the countless Buddhas in the eight directions and above and below. Each came before those Buddhas, paid homage, and made offerings to them.

Whatever these bodhisattvas wish to have—ten thousand kinds of natural things appearing before them—then naturally a hundred varieties of multicolored flowers, a hundred kinds of naturally occurring embroidered banners and colored streamers, a hundred kinds of natural objects, naturally occurring kapok garments, naturally occurring seven treasures, naturally occurring lamps and fire, naturally occurring ten thousand kinds of music—all appear before them. These ten thousand kinds of naturally occurring things, such as flowers and fragrances, are not things of this world, nor are they things of the heavens; all these ten thousand kinds of things simply come together and are spontaneously produced by transformation from all the things of the eight directions and above and below. If one wishes to have them, they spontaneously appear before one through transformation; if one does not want them, they spontaneously vanish. All the bodhisattvas then together hold them in offering to all the Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and arhats, circling around them on every side, before, behind, and all around; whatever they wish for comes to them at once. At that time, the joy is beyond words.

Each of the bodhisattvas thought of wanting flowers forty li in size, and at once flowers forty li in size appeared before them. All the bodhisattvas together held the flowers in the sky and scattered them over the Buddhas, the bodhisattvas, and the arhats. The flowers all drifted downward through the sky, and they were most fragrant and lovely. As soon as the flowers wilted even slightly, they fell to the ground of themselves, and at once a gentle wind arose naturally and blew the withered flowers all away of themselves.

Each of the bodhisattvas then wished to obtain flowers eighty li in size, and at once flowers eighty li in size appeared before them. All the bodhisattvas together, in the sky, held flowers and scattered them over the bodhisattvas and arhats, and the flowers all drifted down through the sky. As soon as a flower began to wither it fell to the ground by itself, and at once a swirling wind blew the withered flowers away.

The minds of the bodhisattvas each wished to obtain flowers a hundred and sixty li across, and at once flowers a hundred and sixty li across appeared before them. All the bodhisattvas together held those flowers in the sky and scattered them over the Buddhas and the bodhisattvas and the arhats. The flowers then all drifted downward through the sky. As soon as the flowers wilted even slightly, they fell to the ground of themselves, and then a natural scattering wind blew, and the flowers all vanished of themselves.

Each of the bodhisattvas then wished to obtain flowers three hundred and twenty li in size, and at once flowers three hundred and twenty li in size appeared before them. All the bodhisattvas then together held the flowers in the sky and scattered them over the Buddhas, the bodhisattvas, and the arhats, and the flowers all then hung in the sky, drifting downward. As soon as the flowers began to wither even slightly, they fell to the ground, and at once a gentle wind arose naturally and blew, and the flowers all naturally disappeared.

All the bodhisattvas then each wished to obtain flowers six hundred and forty li across, and at once flowers six hundred and forty li across appeared before them. Then all the bodhisattvas together, in the open sky, took up those flowers and scattered them over the Buddhas, the bodhisattvas, and the Arhats, and the flowers all drifted down through the open sky. As soon as the flowers began to wilt even slightly, they fell to the ground of themselves, and then a natural swirling wind blew, and the flowers all vanished of themselves.

Each of the bodhisattvas then wished to obtain flowers twelve hundred and eighty li in size, and at once flowers twelve hundred and eighty li in size appeared before them. All the bodhisattvas together, in the open sky, held those flowers and scattered them over the Buddhas, the bodhisattvas, and the arhats; and the flowers all drifted downward through the open sky. As soon as the flowers began to wither even slightly, they fell to the ground of themselves, and then a naturally arising scattered wind blew, and the flowers all disappeared of themselves.

Each of the bodhisattvas then wished to obtain flowers two thousand five hundred sixty li in size, and at once flowers two thousand five hundred sixty li in size appeared before them. All the bodhisattvas together, in the sky, held those flowers and scattered them over the Buddhas, the bodhisattvas, and the arhats, and the flowers then descended downward through the sky. As soon as the flowers began to wilt slightly, they fell to the ground of themselves, and at once a natural scattered wind blew, and the flowers all vanished of themselves.

All the bodhisattvas each wished to obtain flowers five thousand one hundred and twenty li in size, and at once flowers five thousand one hundred and twenty li in size appeared before them. All the bodhisattvas together held those flowers in the sky and scattered them over the buddhas, the bodhisattvas, and the arhats, and the flowers all hung down from the sky. As soon as the flowers began to wilt slightly, they fell to the ground by themselves, and then a natural scattered wind blew, and the flowers were all naturally swept away.

Each of the Bodhisattvas then wished to obtain flowers twelve thousand two hundred forty li in size, and immediately flowers of that size appeared before them. All the Bodhisattvas together, in the open sky, held those flowers and scattered them over the Buddhas, the Bodhisattvas, and the Arhats, and the flowers all descended from the open sky. As soon as the flowers slightly withered, they fell to the ground on their own, and immediately a natural scattering wind blew, and the flowers were naturally swept away.

Each of the bodhisattvas then thought that they wished to receive flowers two hundred forty-eight thousand li across, and immediately flowers two hundred forty-eight thousand li across appeared before them. All the bodhisattvas then, in the open sky, held those flowers and scattered them over the Buddhas, the bodhisattvas, and the arhats, and the flowers then drifted downward through the open sky. As soon as the flowers began to wither even slightly, they fell to the ground of themselves, and a natural swirling wind blew, and the flowers all vanished of themselves.

Each of the bodhisattvas then wished to obtain flowers five thousand li in size, and at once flowers five thousand li in size appeared before them. All the bodhisattvas together, in the sky, held those flowers and scattered them over the Buddhas, the bodhisattvas, and the arhats. The flowers all hung in the sky, drifting downward. As soon as a flower wilted even slightly, it fell to the ground on its own, and then a natural swirling wind arose and blew all the flowers away by themselves.

Each of the bodhisattvas then wished to obtain flowers ten thousand miles wide, and at once flowers ten thousand miles wide appeared before them. All the bodhisattvas together held the flowers in the sky and scattered them over the Buddhas, the bodhisattvas, and the arhats. The flowers all hung in the sky, drifting downward. As soon as the flowers began to wilt even slightly, they fell to the ground on their own, and then a natural whirlwind blew, and the flowers all vanished naturally.

All the bodhisattvas each wished to obtain flowers spanning two hundred thousand li, and immediately flowers spanning two hundred thousand li appeared before them. All the bodhisattvas together held the flowers in the sky and scattered them over the Buddhas, the bodhisattvas, and the Arhats. The flowers all faced downward as they drifted in the sky. As soon as the flowers began to wither slightly, they fell to the ground on their own, and then a natural swirling wind blew, and the flowers all vanished by themselves.

Each of the bodhisattvas then wished to obtain flowers forty thousand miles wide, and immediately flowers forty thousand miles wide appeared before them. All the bodhisattvas together held these flowers in the sky and scattered them over the Buddhas and the bodhisattvas and arhats. The flowers all hung in the sky, drifting downward. As soon as the flowers began to wilt just slightly, they fell to the ground on their own, and then naturally a scattered wind arose and blew the flowers all away by themselves.

All the Bodhisattvas each wished to obtain flowers eighty thousand li in size, and at once flowers eighty thousand li in size appeared before them. All the Bodhisattvas then, together in the sky, held the flowers and scattered them over the Buddhas, the Bodhisattvas, and the Arhats. The flowers all hung down from the sky. As soon as the flowers withered slightly, they fell to the ground of themselves, and then a natural scattered wind blew, and the flowers were carried away of themselves.

Each of those bodhisattvas then wanted to obtain flowers spanning a million six hundred thousand li, and at once flowers spanning a million six hundred thousand li appeared before them. All those bodhisattvas together held the flowers in the open sky and scattered them over the Buddhas, the bodhisattvas, and the arhats. The flowers all hung in the open sky, drifting downward. As soon as the flowers withered even slightly, they fell to the ground of themselves, and then a natural swirling wind arose and blew, and the flowers all vanished of themselves.

Each of the bodhisattvas then wished to obtain flowers three million li in size, and at once flowers three million li in size appeared before them. All the bodhisattvas together held the flowers in the sky and scattered them over the Buddhas, the bodhisattvas, and the arhats; the flowers all drifted downward through the air. As soon as the flowers began to wilt slightly, they fell to the ground by themselves, and then a gentle breeze arose naturally and blew the flowers all away by themselves.

Each of those Bodhisattvas then thought that they wished to obtain flowers four million li across, and at once flowers four million li across appeared before them. The minds of all those Bodhisattvas were filled with great joy and exultation, and together in open space they held those flowers and scattered them over the Buddhas, the Bodhisattvas, and the Arhats. All the flowers then naturally joined into a single flower, perfectly round and even on every side, each part exactly equal. This flower was many times softer and more beautiful than the previous ones, surpassing the earlier flowers in beauty, with hundreds of thousands of colors, each color with a different fragrance, so fragrant that it cannot be described. All the Bodhisattvas were overjoyed, and together in open space they made all kinds of music, both vocal and instrumental, spontaneously arising, as an offering of delight to the Buddhas, the Bodhisattvas, and the Arhats. At that time the happiness was beyond words. All the Bodhisattvas then withdrew to their seats to listen to the sutra, and when they had finished listening, they all recited it fluently and with full command, understood the path of the sutra anew, and their wisdom became ever clearer. When those flowers and their fragrance had slightly withered, they fell to the ground of themselves, and then a natural scattering wind blew the flowers, and they all vanished of themselves.

Then, in all the Buddha lands, from the first heaven of the Four Heavenly Kings up to the thirty-sixth heaven, all the bodhisattvas, arhats, devas, and humans together filled the sky with a great concert of music and song. The devas and humans who had arrived earlier moved aside to make way for those arriving later, and those arriving later in turn made offerings just as before, each yielding to the other. The devas and humans, joyfully listening to the sutra, all joined together in making music. At that time, their happiness was boundless.

After the bodhisattvas had finished making offerings and listening to the teaching, they all rose, paid reverence to the buddhas, and departed. They then flew to countless buddhas in the eight directions and above and below, where they again made offerings and listened to the teachings, just as before, until they had done so everywhere. Later, before the sun reached midday, the bodhisattvas all flew away and returned to their own lands. They went before the Buddha of Immeasurable Pure Light, paid reverence, and then sat to one side to listen to the teaching. When the teaching was finished, they were all filled with great joy.

The Buddha said: "When Wuliang Qingjing Buddha and the bodhisattvas and arhats wish to eat, naturally appearing seven-jeweled stands, naturally appearing kapok cushions, and naturally appearing woolen mats serve as their seats. When Wuliang Qingjing Buddha and the bodhisattvas and arhats have all sat down, before each of them there naturally appears a seven-jeweled bowl, and in each bowl there is naturally appearing food and drink of a hundred flavors. This food and drink is not like the taste of food and drink in the world, nor is it like the taste of food and drink in the heavens; this food and drink of a hundred flavors is the finest essence among all the naturally occurring food and drink of the eight directions, above and below, and its flavor is most fragrant and delicious, beyond compare, all naturally brought forth by transformation. The food and drink is freely at will: whatever flavor one desires, sweet or sour, the bowl provides just as one wishes.

Among the bodhisattvas and arhats, some wished to have silver bowls, some wished to have golden bowls, some wished to have crystal bowls, some wished to have lapis lazuli bowls, some wished to have coral bowls, some wished to have amber bowls, some wished to have white jade bowls, some wished to have carnelian bowls, some wished to have agate bowls, some wished to have moon-bright pearl bowls, some wished to have mani jewel bowls, some wished to have purple-gold bowls — all were filled full, with a hundred flavors of food and drink freely as they pleased, arriving according to their wish. Yet it came from nowhere, and there was no one who provided it; it arose spontaneously by transformation.

All the Bodhisattvas and Arhats ate, and the food was neither too much nor too little—it was all naturally equal. When the Bodhisattvas and Arhats ate, they did not speak of it as delicious or bad, nor were they pleased because it was delicious. After eating, the bowls of food, the bowls, the tables, and the seats all naturally vanished; when it was time to eat again, they simply reappeared. The minds of all the Bodhisattvas and Arhats were pure and clean, and they did not crave food—they used it only to gain strength. It all naturally dispersed and dissolved away, completely gone.

The Buddha said to Ananda: "When Amitabha Buddha teaches the Dharma to the bodhisattvas and arhats, they all assemble in the lecture hall. The bodhisattvas, arhats, devas, and people in that land are countless and beyond all reckoning. They all fly to where Amitabha Buddha is, each comes forward to pay homage to Amitabha Buddha, and then withdraws to sit and listen to the sutra. Amitabha Buddha then broadly expounds for the assembly of monks, the bodhisattvas, arhats, devas, and people the great sutra of the wisdom of the Path. All of them hear and understand the sutra and the Path, and every one of them is joyful and elated, their minds opened and awakened."

Then a natural chaotic wind arose from the four directions and blew through the seven-jeweled trees throughout that land, and all the seven-jeweled trees again gave forth the five tones. The chaotic wind blew the seven-jeweled flowers, and the flowers covered that land, all descending downward from the sky. The flowers were very fragrant, extremely soft and lovely, and their fragrance pervaded the entire land. The flowers of themselves scattered over the Buddha of Immeasurable Purity, the bodhisattvas, and the arhats. When the flowers fell to the ground they formed a layer four inches thick. As soon as the flowers began to wither slightly, a natural chaotic wind blew and the withered flowers of themselves disappeared.

Then a natural chaotic wind arose from all four directions and blew through the seven-jeweled trees, and the seven-jeweled trees again produced the five kinds of sound on their own. The chaotic wind blew the blossoms of the seven-jeweled trees, and the blossoms, as before, all naturally scattered over the Buddha of Immeasurable Purity and all the bodhisattvas and arhats. When the blossoms fell to the ground, they lay four inches deep. When the blossoms had slightly withered, a natural chaotic wind blew and all the withered blossoms were naturally removed. The chaotic wind blew the blossoms in this way four times over.

Then the celestial beings of the first heaven of the Four Great Kings, the celestial beings of the second heaven of Trayastrimsa, the celestial beings of the third heaven, the celestial beings of the fourth heaven, the celestial beings of the fifth heaven, the celestial beings of the sixth heaven, the celestial beings of the seventh heaven of Brahma, up to the celestial beings of the sixteenth heaven, up to the celestial beings of the thirty-sixth heaven—all brought ten thousand kinds of heavenly natural objects: a hundred kinds of flowers of various colors, a hundred kinds of various incense, a hundred kinds of various silken fabrics and colored silks, a hundred kinds of kapok-woven garments—and ten thousand kinds of music, each succeeding one more excellent and surpassing than the last. Each brought them down and paid homage to the Buddha of Immeasurable Purity, and made offerings to the Buddha of Immeasurable Purity and to all the bodhisattvas and arhats. All the celestial beings again performed great music, delighting the Buddha of Immeasurable Purity and all the bodhisattvas and arhats. At that time, the joy was beyond words. The celestial beings who had come earlier withdrew to make way for those arriving later, and those arriving later in turn made offerings as before, each yielding and making way for one another.

"Then from the countless Buddha-lands in the east—beyond all reckoning, like the flowing sands at the banks of the Ganges, one grain of sand for each Buddha, their number is like this—each of those Buddhas sent countless, incalculable numbers of Bodhisattvas, who all flew to the place of the Buddha of Infinite Purity. There they paid homage to the Buddha of Infinite Purity, touching their heads to the Buddha's feet, and all withdrew to sit to one side to hear the teachings. When the teaching was finished, all those Bodhisattvas were filled with great joy, and they all rose, paid homage to the Buddha of Infinite Purity, and departed."

"Thus, in the Western direction, there are countless Buddha-lands—again like the flowing sands along the Ganges River, one grain of sand for each Buddha, and their number is like this—each of those Buddhas in turn sent countless Bodhisattvas beyond all reckoning, all of whom flew to the place of the Buddha of Measureless Purity. They then bowed to the Buddha of Measureless Purity, touching their heads to the Buddha's feet, and all withdrew to sit to one side to hear the teaching. When the teaching was finished, all those Bodhisattvas were filled with great joy, rose, bowed to the Buddha of Measureless Purity, and departed."

From the northern direction, countless Buddha lands—again like the flowing sands at the banks of the Ganges, one grain of sand for each Buddha, their number was like this—each of those Buddhas likewise sent countless, utterly incalculable bodhisattvas, who all flew to where the Buddha of Measureless Purity was. They then bowed before the Buddha of Measureless Purity, touching their heads to the Buddha's feet, and all withdrew to sit to one side to listen to the teaching. When the teaching was finished, all those bodhisattvas were filled with great joy, rose, bowed to the Buddha of Measureless Purity, and departed.

From the southern direction, countless Buddha lands—again like the flowing sands along the Ganges River, one grain of sand for each Buddha, their number like this—each of those Buddhas likewise sent countless Bodhisattvas beyond all reckoning, who all flew to the realm of the Buddha of Immeasurable Pure Light, and there paid homage to the Buddha of Immeasurable Pure Light before departing.

"Then again, from the countless Buddha-lands in the four directions—each again like the flowing sands along the Ganges, one grain of sand being one Buddha, and their number being that countless in each case—all those Buddhas each again sent bodhisattvas beyond number and beyond all reckoning. They all flew to where the Buddha of Measureless Purity was. Having bowed before the Buddha of Measureless Purity, touching their heads to the Buddha's feet, they all withdrew and sat to one side to hear the teaching. When the teaching was finished, all those bodhisattvas were filled with great joy; they rose, bowed to the Buddha of Measureless Purity, and departed."

The Buddha said: "The countless Buddhas throughout the eight directions and above and below all send bodhisattvas flying to the realm of the Buddha of Infinite Purity, to hear the sutra and make offerings, and each in turn gives way to the next."

Thus, the countless Buddhas from the infinite Buddha lands in the eight directions below — in each direction, each one as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, where each grain of sand is one Buddha, and their number is again like this — each of those Buddhas sent countless, incalculable Bodhisattvas, who all flew to the realm of the Buddha of Infinite Purity, approached Amitabha Buddha and paid homage, touching their heads to the Buddha's feet, then all withdrew and sat down to hear the teaching. When the teaching was finished, all the Bodhisattvas were filled with great joy, rose, paid homage to the Buddha of Infinite Purity, and departed.

The Buddhas of the higher realms further sent bodhisattvas flying to the realm of Buddha Infinite Purity, to listen to the sutra and make offerings to one another in turn. Those who arrived earlier would step aside for those arriving later, and those who arrived later made their offerings in just the same way, with no end or interruption ever.

The Buddha said to Ananda: "When Amitabha Buddha, the Buddha of Infinite Purity, finished teaching the sutras to the bodhisattvas and arhats, among the devas and humans some who had not yet attained the path of stream-entry attained the path of stream-entry; some who had not yet attained the path of once-returning attained the path of once-returning; some who had not yet attained the path of non-returning attained the path of non-returning; some who had not yet attained the path of arhatship attained the path of arhatship; and some who had not yet attained the stage of non-retrogression as bodhisattvas attained the stage of non-retrogression as bodhisattvas. Amitabha Buddha would then, according to each one's past karma and the wishes they had formed in the smaller or greater scope of their aspiration for the path when seeking enlightenment, teach the sutras as suited their minds and bestow the teaching upon them, causing them to swiftly open up and understand and attain the path. All were bright and wise. Whatever sutra teachings each personally delighted in and aspired to, there were none who did not rejoice in and recite them; each recited and practiced those sutra teachings, mastering them thoroughly with tireless and boundless zeal. Among those bodhisattvas and arhats, some who recited the sutras had voices like thunder; some who expounded the sutras spoke like a swift wind and violent rain. At that time, all the bodhisattvas and arhats expounded the sutras and practiced the path in just this way, and throughout an entire kalpa they never at any time grew weary or lax. All were wise and courageous, their bodies all light, and so they never had any pain or itching. At all times when walking, standing, sitting, or rising, all were vigorous and courageous—like the king of lions in a deep forest when it moves toward some goal, in that moment none dares stand against it.

The bodhisattvas and arhats in the Buddha-land of Infinite Purity, when teaching the Dharma and practicing the Path, are all so courageous and vigorous that they have no trace of doubt or hesitation in their minds. Whatever they undertake in their minds, without prior calculation, surpasses that of others a hundred thousand billion ten-thousandfold—they are like kings among mighty lions. Even a king among mighty lions such as this, a hundred thousand billion ten-thousandfold over, still does not match the courage and vigor of my second disciple, Maudgalyayana, a hundred thousand billion ten-thousandfold over. Yet all the bodhisattvas and arhats in the Land of Infinite Purity surpass my second disciple Maudgalyayana.

The Buddha said, "Take Mahamaudgalyayana, for example—his bravery and vigor are unmatched among the Buddhas' lands and among all the arhats. Mahamaudgalyayana's ability to travel through the air, his wisdom and courage, his penetrating sight and hearing—knowing all things in the eight directions, above and below, past and future—if all of this, multiplied a hundred thousand billion times over and combined into a single measure of wisdom and courage, were placed among the arhats of the Land of Immeasurable Purity, its merit would still not equal one billionth of the wisdom and courage of just one arhat in the Land of Immeasurable Purity."

At that time, among those seated in the assembly, there was a Bodhisattva by the name of Ajita Bodhisattva. Ajita Bodhisattva then rose, came forward, knelt with joined palms, and asked the Buddha: "Do the Arhats in the land of Amitabha Buddha ever pass into Parinirvana? I wish to hear about this."

The Buddha asked the Bodhisattva Ajita, "If you wanted to know, could you see all the stars in the four continents?"

Ajita Bodhisattva said, "Yes, indeed. We all see them."

The Buddha said: "Moreover, my second disciple Mahamaudgalyayana could fly across the four continents, and in a single day and night he could count all the stars, knowing exactly how many there were. Even so, the stars across the four continents are so numerous they cannot be counted, yet those are still a hundred thousand billion times more than the stars over the four continents."

The Buddha said: "Suppose from the great ocean waters of the world you removed a single drop. Could that make the ocean's waters diminish?"

Ajita Bodhisattva said, "Even if one were to remove hundreds of thousands of billions of dou and shi of water from the great ocean, one still could not make the ocean diminish at all."

The Buddha said: "Even though some of the arhats in Amitabha Buddha's land pass into parinirvana, it is like a great ocean losing a single drop of water—it cannot make the arhats still remaining there diminish in number or seem fewer."

The Buddha said, "If you were to remove a single stream's worth of water from the great ocean, could that diminish the ocean's water?"

Ajita Bodhisattva said, "Even if one drained hundreds of thousands of millions of billions of streams from the great ocean, one still could not make the ocean's water diminish in any perceptible way."

The Buddha said: "Among the arhats in the land of Amitabha Buddha, even if some pass into parinirvana, it is like a single stream's water being taken from the great ocean—it cannot diminish the arhats who remain, so little is the decrease."

The Buddha said, "If the great ocean were reduced by one Ganges River's worth of water, could that diminish the ocean's water?"

Ajita Bodhisattva said: "Even if one were to remove a hundred thousand million times the water of the Ganges in drops from the great ocean, one still could not make the great ocean diminish by even a measurable amount."

The Buddha said: "The number of arhats in Amitabha Buddha's land who have passed into parinirvana is incalculable; those still present and those who have newly attained arhatship are likewise incalculable. There is neither increase nor decrease at all."

The Buddha said: "Suppose all the waters in the world were to flow into the great ocean—could that make the ocean's water increase?"

Ajita Bodhisattva said: "It cannot make the seawater increase. Why is that? Because the great ocean is the king among all the waters and all that is good in the world, and so it is able to be thus."

The Buddha said: "The land of the Buddha of Immeasurable Pure Light is likewise like this. Even if all the countless Buddha lands in the eight directions and above and below, with their countless heavenly beings, people, and creatures that fly, crawl, or wriggle, were all to be reborn in the land of the Buddha of Immeasurable Pure Light—that multitude would be exceedingly vast and numerous, beyond all reckoning—still the bodhisattvas, arhats, and communities of monks in the land of the Buddha of Immeasurable Pure Light would remain just as they always are, not one bit different, without any increase. Why is that? Because the land of the Buddha of Immeasurable Pure Light is the most superb. Among the countless Buddha lands in the eight directions and above and below, and among all their bodhisattvas, it is the king. The land of the Buddha of Immeasurable Pure Light is the heroic land among all countless Buddha lands. The land of the Buddha of Immeasurable Pure Light is the treasure among all countless Buddha lands. The land of the Buddha of Immeasurable Pure Light is the most enduring among all countless Buddha lands. The land of the Buddha of Immeasurable Pure Light is the foremost among all countless Buddha lands. The land of the Buddha of Immeasurable Pure Light is the most vast among all countless Buddha lands. The land of the Buddha of Immeasurable Pure Light is wholly spontaneous and unconditioned among all countless Buddha lands. The land of the Buddha of Immeasurable Pure Light is the most superb, luminous, beautiful, and blissful beyond all limits. Why is the land of the Buddha of Immeasurable Pure Light alone supreme? Because in the past, when he was a bodhisattva seeking the Path, his Vow was courageous and fierce, his Diligence was unflagging, and this is the result of the merit he accumulated—that is why it is so."

Bodhisattva Ajita was overjoyed. Kneeling with joined palms, he said: "The Buddha has taught that in the Land of Immeasurable Pure Buddha, the arhats who have passed into parinirvana are extremely numerous. Is this land's excellence, its radiance and beauty beyond compare, unique in all the countless buddha-lands?"

The Buddha said: "In the land of the Buddha Infinite Pure Light, the bodhisattvas and arhats dwell in dwellings of the seven treasures. Some live in dwellings suspended in the air, and some live in dwellings on the ground. Some among them wish to make their dwelling the tallest, and their dwelling becomes the tallest. Some wish to make their dwelling the largest, and their dwelling becomes the largest. Some wish to make their dwelling be in the air, and their dwelling is in the air. All spontaneously follow their intentions and do as they wish. But some among them are simply unable to make their dwellings do as they wish. Why is that? Those who are able—all of them, in past lives when they sought the Path, had compassionate minds and were diligent, and increasingly performed all kinds of good, so the weight of their virtue is what enables them to bring this about. Those who are unable to bring it about—all of them, in past lives when they sought the Path, lacked compassionate minds and diligence, performed little good, and had little virtue. Yet all of them naturally obtain their dwellings, and their clothing, bedding, food, and drink are all naturally equal. That is why they differ: because their virtue is great or small, and this distinguishes their courage and vigor, so that the assembly may see it."

The Buddha asked Bodhisattva Ajita, "Do you see the place where the heavenly king of the sixth heaven resides?"

Ajita Bodhisattva said, "Yes, indeed. We all see them."

The Buddha said: "The lecture halls and dwellings in the land of the Buddha of Measureless Pure Light are a hundred thousand million times more magnificent than the places where the Sixth Heaven King resides.

In the Land of the Buddha of Infinite Purity, all the bodhisattvas and arhats can see clearly and hear perfectly. They can all see and know the events of the eight directions, above and below, past and future, and the present. They also know the minds of countless celestial beings and human beings in the heavens and the world below, as well as of crawling and flying creatures; they know all their thoughts, whether good or evil, and what they wish to say. They all know in what year and in what kalpa each being will attain liberation and be born among humans, and will be reborn in the Land of the Buddha of Infinite Purity; they know who will follow the bodhisattva path and who will attain the arhat path — all of this they know in advance.

In the Land of the Buddha of Infinite Purity, the bodhisattvas and arhats each have light radiating from between their brows, and the range of what that light illuminates differs from one to another.

Among those bodhisattvas, there are two most exalted bodhisattvas who always sit in attendance beside the seat of the Buddha Infinite Pure Light, discussing the teachings. The Buddha Infinite Pure Light always sits face to face with these two bodhisattvas, deliberating over matters of the eight directions, above and below, past and future, and the present. If the Buddha Infinite Pure Light wishes these two bodhisattvas to go to the countless buddhas in the eight directions, above and below, these two bodhisattvas then fly there and arrive at the countless buddhas in the eight directions, above and below. Whichever direction and whichever buddha's realm they wish to reach in their hearts, these two bodhisattvas fly there together, and their flight is swift and rapid like the Buddha's, matchless in courage and power.

One of the bodhisattvas was named Valgu, and another was named Mahāna. Their radiance and wisdom were foremost of all. The light from the crowns of these two bodhisattvas each shone upon Buddha-lands a thousand Mount Sumerus away in other directions, always brilliantly illuminating them. The light from the crowns of those bodhisattvas each illumined a thousand billion ten-thousand li, and the light from the crowns of the arhats each illumined seven zhang.

The Buddha said: "When worldly people—good men and good women—face any urgent danger or trouble with government officials, they need only take refuge in the Bodhisattva Adorned with Splendor, and there is nothing from which they will not be liberated."

Sutra of Immeasurable Pure Equanimity and Enlightenment, Spoken by the Buddha, Volume 2