Chapter 2: The Arising of the Sutra on the True Reality of All Buddhas' Realms

At that time, the Buddha, the Bhagavān Mahāvairocana Tathāgata, abiding in the mind of Samantabhadra, manifested inconceivable marvels from the jeweled crown upon His head. Within it appeared the images of all transformation Buddhas—these Tathāgatas are the great Avalokiteśvara, who have attained the great wisdom of the pāramitā of dharma, the unimpeded and unfailing karma of all Tathāgatas, skillful in all deeds to be done and accomplished, fulfilling every aspiration without exception—relying on great divine power, they adorn the Dharmakāya, placing the bodies of all Buddhas within their own hearts.

At that time, the Tathāgata entered the samaya of all buddhas and the samādhi of Vajrasattva, born from the universal virtue of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, possessing vast and majestic power. Having arisen from this concentration, from within his own heart he uttered the secret mantra:

Oṃ Vajra Satva

At that time, when Vairocana Buddha expounded this profound Dharma of the True Yoga of the Secret Heart-Ground of All Buddhas’ Realms, the six kinds of tremors shook the immeasurable and boundless Buddha-lands in the ten directions. The supreme pavilion of great mani jewels in the palace of Śakra, Lord of the Thirty-Three Heavens atop Mount Sumeru, also quaked. Heavenly mandārava flowers, great mandārava flowers, mañjūṣaka flowers, and great mañjūṣaka flowers rained down, scattering upon the Buddha and the great assembly.

At that time, the great assembly witnessed these ten directions—countless, immeasurable as the sands of the Ganges—all Buddha‑lands shaken by six kinds of tremors. They also saw the supreme jeweled pavilion atop Mount Sumeru, in the palace of Śakra, Lord of the Devas, shaken by six transformations. And they thought, “Now the Tathāgata manifests this great supernatural transformation—for what cause and condition does this auspicious sign appear?”

At that time, the Tathāgata, knowing the thoughts in the minds of the great assembly, addressed them, saying: “Do not give rise to doubt or perplexity regarding this. I have now expounded this profound and wondrous Dharma—the heart within the hearts of all buddhas of the three times. All buddhadharmas are gathered into this sūtra; all buddhadharmas arise from this sūtra. This Dharma is called ‘The Great Vehicle Yoga Subtle Dharma of the True Realm of All Tathāgatas.’ It is the supreme secret vajra mantra of the heart of all Tathāgatas.”

Then, from the hearts of all Buddhas emerged this Dharma, and at that very moment the Bhagavān Samantabhadra Dhāraṇī—this secret Dharma—transformed into immeasurable, countless perfect moon-discs. These perfect moon-discs enable all beings to attain purity in their great bodhi-mind. These countless perfect moon-discs abide to the left and right of all Tathāgatas, and from these moon-discs manifest the immeasurable, countless great wisdom vajras of all Tathāgatas. These great wisdom vajras emerge from the perfect moons and again enter the heart of Vairocana Tathāgata. By the power of the samādhi of Vajrasattva, wondrous and unshakable, and by the power of the great majestic virtue of all Tathāgatas, the immeasurable, countless wisdom vajras unite into a single mass, measureless as space, appearing as a great garland of light. This garland of light then transforms into the adamantine nature of the sublime body, speech, and mind of all Tathāgatas—the five-pronged vajra, firm and steadfast. It emerges from the hearts of all Buddhas and abides in the two palms of Vairocana Tathāgata. From this vajra issue vajra forms of various colored lights, immeasurable and countless, filling all worlds with radiance, equal and unobstructed. This vajra light further emerges from the mouth, manifesting Tathāgatas as numerous as the dust-motes in the realms of the ten directions—their unobstructed Dharma-bodies pervading the ocean of the Dharma-realm. By what cause does it pervade the Dharma-realm? It is because all Tathāgatas have attained equal Wisdom and great spiritual powers, and now awaken all beings, causing them to arouse the unsurpassed great bodhi-mind, skillfully accomplishing Samantabhadra’s inconceivable, wondrous practices of every kind. By the power of their lineage, all Tathāgatas are able to intimately approach, revere, and make offerings to the great bodhi-tree; they are able to destroy all evil māras and pāpīyans, realize great bodhi, awaken themselves, turn the unsurpassed, most sublime Dharma-wheel, and even protect all beings throughout empty space, bestowing every benefit and peace. All Tathāgatas skillfully accomplish the supreme siddhi of great wisdom and spiritual power; all Tathāgatas skillfully display various spiritual powers. By the subtle, firm, and harmonious power of the essence of Samantabhadra-samādhi and vajra-samādhi, the body of the great bodhisattva Samantabhadra appears. At that time, the bodhisattva Samantabhadra stood within the heart of Vairocana Tathāgata and spoke these verses:

At that time, the great Bodhisattva Samantabhadra emerged from the heart of Vairocana Tathāgata and, seated before all Buddhas within a moon disc, held a vajra in his right hand and turned it upon his palm. Then Vairocana Tathāgata entered the samaya-samādhi of the great indestructible wisdom of all Tathāgatas. By the power of this samādhi, for the sake of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, he manifested the great samaya of skillful means and wisdom—the subtle, great Dharma-wheel of the aggregates of precepts, meditation, wisdom, liberation, and knowledge of liberation—to benefit sentient beings, to protect all, to be the sovereign of all sentient realms, to bring profound joy and supreme bliss, and even to bestow such fruits as the equality wisdom of all Tathāgatas, the supreme supernormal powers, the great vehicle teachings, and the supreme accomplishments. This is the accomplishment vajra of all Tathāgatas.

In order to confer it upon the great Bodhisattva Samantabhadra, to bestow the body of the wheel-turning king of all Tathāgatas, to grant the inconceivable Buddha-activities of all Tathāgatas, and to bestow the coronation with jeweled crown and white silk, Vairocana Tathāgata presented the vajra seal with his own two hands. Then all Tathāgatas conferred the name-abhiṣeka, proclaiming him Vajrapāṇi. At that time, the great Bodhisattva Vajrapāṇi, having received this vajra, held the vajra scepter in his right hand, turned it upon his palm, placed it at his heart, and spoke this verse: