Mahāvaipulya Mahāśūnyatāsamādhi Bodhisattva Paripṛcchā Sūtra (大集大虛空藏菩薩所問經)

This is what I heard:

At one time, the Bhagavan was in the Jewel-Adorned Dharma Realm of the Tathagata's domain. This Dharma Realm was entirely empowered by the Tathagata, amassed through vast stores of merit and virtue, and accomplished by the unimpeded flow of great practice. It was the palace abode of all bodhisattvas, a place where boundless and profound Dharma was expounded. It was also the Tathagata's playground of spiritual powers, the realm of unobstructed wisdom, capable of giving rise to vast skillful wisdom and insight, and entering the domain of the wisdom of non-attachment. Throughout the endless future, it would be praised for its immeasurable, supreme virtues.

The World-Honored One had fully realized all phenomena as equal and free, skillfully turning the unsurpassed, pure Dharma wheel. He skillfully tamed his disciples, thoroughly understood the inclinations of all sentient beings, perfectly knew the faculties and destinations of all beings, and skillfully severed all afflictions and habitual tendencies. In all Buddha-deeds, he acted spontaneously and without rest.

He was accompanied by a great assembly of six million bhikkhus. These bhikkhus were all Dharma-princes of the Tathagata, their minds well-liberated and their wisdom well-liberated. They had severed all afflictions and fetters, skillfully expounded all profound Buddha-Dharma, and further were able to penetrate the Dharma of signlessness. Majestic and extraordinary, they were fully endowed with dignified conduct, serving as a great field of merit for growth, and abiding well in the Tathagata's teachings.

Furthermore, there were bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, gathered from various Buddha-lands, whose number was immeasurable, inconceivable, beyond analogy, and inexpressible. These bodhisattvas, in a single instant, roam freely through boundless Buddha-worlds, making offerings and serving all Tathāgatas, requesting them to teach the Dharma and listening to the Dharma without weariness, constantly maturing all sentient beings. With skillful means, they are able to reach the supreme shore of purity, abiding in unobstructed understanding, transcending all kinds of conceptual elaborations, and their stages are all close to the wisdom of omniscience. Their names are: Bodhisattva Lightning Deva, Bodhisattva Victorious in Battle, Bodhisattva All-Illuminating, Bodhisattva Courageous and Robust, Bodhisattva Destroyer of Doubts, Bodhisattva Swift and Vigorous, Bodhisattva Observing Eye, Bodhisattva Constantly Extending Hand, together with such foremost bodhisattva-mahāsattvas as these.

At that time, when the World-Honored One was expounding the profound Dharma of the Great Assembly to the great bodhisattvas, the entire assembly was dwelling in a jeweled pavilion in empty space. This pavilion was adorned with extraordinary splendor, no different from the jewel-adorned Buddha-land in the Great Adornment World, where the assemblies of bodhisattvas dwell. All in the great assembly saw one another and each sat within it.

At that moment, all forms and appearances in this three-thousand-great-thousandfold world—Mount Sumeru, the surrounding mountains, the great surrounding mountains, Jambudvīpa, and so forth—along with villages, cities, rivers, streams, ponds, lakes, great oceans, forests, plants, and all earthly palaces, were entirely concealed and no longer visible. The palaces of the heavens in the realms of desire, form, and formlessness, even up to the peak of existence, along with all sentient beings and their various shapes and colors, also completely vanished. It was as if, after the conflagration at the end of a kalpa, when the great earth is burned and scorched, only empty space remains, with not a single form visible to the eye. So it was here: within the three-thousand-great-thousandfold world, not a single form or appearance could be seen by the eyes of sentient beings—except for the jewel-adorned bodhi-mandala, where the śrāvakas, bodhisattvas, devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, and all others in the assembly were clearly and distinctly manifested.

Moreover, from this bodhi-mandala, a lion throne naturally emerged, its height and breadth measuring ten thousand yojanas. This lion throne emitted pure light, illuminating the entire three-thousand-great-thousandfold world, outshining the light of the sun, moon, Śakra, Brahmā, and the guardian deities, so that their radiance was no longer visible. The Buddha sat upon it.

Seeing this extraordinary and wondrous manifestation, the great assembly leaped for joy, filled with delight, and exclaimed in astonishment, "Such splendid, skillfully differentiated adornments of this pavilion—even if we were to live for a kalpa, we could never fully describe them."

Then, Shariputra, empowered by the Buddha's majestic presence, rose from the jeweled pavilion and stood in the open sky. He adjusted his robes, bared his right shoulder, knelt with one knee, joined his palms, and addressed the Buddha, saying: "World-Honored One! What is the reason for this auspicious sign appearing first? All forms and images throughout this three-thousandfold world have vanished, becoming like vast empty space. Only this dwelling—this pavilion adorned with all manner of jewels—naturally shines forth."

The Buddha asked Shariputra, "Do you see this jeweled pavilion now?"

"I have seen it."

The Buddha said, "Shariputra, can you fully express the merits of this precious pavilion?"

Shariputra replied, "Even if I praised your true virtues for my entire lifetime, I could never fully express them."

So it is, Shariputra! There is a world called Great Adornment, where all its wondrous jeweled pavilions and assemblies dwell in empty space. This pavilion now manifests just as that world does.

Shariputra asked the Buddha, "World-Honored One, where is that Great Adornment World located?"

The Buddha said: "Shariputra! Beyond here, past eight Buddha-worlds as numerous as dust motes to the east, there is a world called Great Adornment. In it dwells the Buddha named Jeweled Adornment, the Tathagata, Worthy of Offerings, Perfectly Enlightened, Perfect in Wisdom and Conduct, Well-Gone, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed Leader, Tamer of Men, Teacher of Gods and Humans, the Buddha, the World-Honored One. He is presently teaching the Dharma.

Shariputra! For what reason is it called Great Adornment? All the supremely adorned and magnificent things in that world—if I were to dwell for an entire kalpa and speak of them, I could not exhaust them. Therefore, it is called Great Adornment.

Furthermore, for what reason is he called Jeweled Adornment? That Buddha constantly teaches that only the Great Bodhi Mind is considered the jewel. Therefore, he is called Jeweled Adornment.

That Buddha teaches the Dharma. With the Bodhisattvas, he ascends a lion throne and a jeweled pavilion, which rises into the sky to a height of eighty *kotis* of *tala* trees. There, for the Bodhisattvas, he proclaims the Dharma Seal of Empty Space's Purity:

'Good sons! What is called the Dharma Seal of Empty Space's Purity? It is that all phenomena are devoid of inherent nature and non-nature. How are they devoid of inherent nature and non-nature? It is because all phenomena are without any representation. How are they without representation? It is because all phenomena lack radiance and manifestation. How do they lack radiance and manifestation? It is because all phenomena are free from conceptual grasping. How are they free from conceptual grasping? It is because all phenomena have the characteristic of tranquility. How is it the characteristic of tranquility? It is because all phenomena are without dual characteristics. How are they without dual characteristics? It is because all phenomena are free from differentiation and distinction. How are they free from differentiation and distinction? It is because all phenomena enter the single characteristic of the Path. How do they enter the single characteristic of the Path? It is because the inherent nature of all phenomena is pure. How is the inherent nature pure? It is because all phenomena transcend the three times. How do they transcend the three times? It is because all phenomena have no abiding place. How do they have no abiding place? It is because all phenomena have no image or reflection. How do they have no image or reflection? It is because all phenomena surpass all realms. How do they surpass all realms? It is because all phenomena are pure, internally and externally. How are they pure internally and externally? It is because the nature of all phenomena is without defilement. How is it without defilement? It is because the nature of all phenomena is tranquil. How is the nature tranquil? It is because all phenomena are free from mind, thought, and consciousness. How are they free from mind, thought, and consciousness? It is because the characteristic of liberation for all phenomena is fundamentally unarisen. How is the characteristic of liberation fundamentally unarisen? It is because all phenomena are without the grasping of a self. How are they without the grasping of a self? It is because all phenomena have no master. How do they have no master? It is because the nature of all phenomena is selfless. How is the nature selfless? It is because all phenomena are originally pure. How are they originally pure? It is because for all phenomena, there is fundamentally no Nirvana. How is there no Nirvana? It is because the nature of all phenomena is like an illusion. How is the nature like an illusion? It is because all phenomena have no substantial reality. How do they have no substantial reality? It is because all phenomena have no characteristic of being fabricated. How do they have no characteristic of being fabricated? It is because all phenomena are free from the characteristics of body and mind. How are they free from the characteristics of body and mind? It is because all phenomena are free from characteristics and are without characteristics. How are they free from characteristics and without characteristics? It is because the own-characteristic of all phenomena is unmoving. How is the own-characteristic unmoving? It is because all phenomena have nothing to rely upon or abide in. How do they have nothing to rely upon or abide in? It is because all phenomena have no object of dependence. How do they have no object of dependence? It is because all phenomena are free from the Alaya consciousness.'

Shariputra! That Buddha, Jeweled Adornment, taught these thirty-two Dharma Seals of Empty Space's Purity for the Bodhisattvas. At that time, immeasurable Bodhisattvas realized that the nature of all phenomena is equal to empty space, and they attained the patient acceptance of the wisdom of Dharma mastery and purity."

Shariputra! The bodhisattvas of that Magnificent Adornment World are adorned with generosity, for they have followed the path of giving throughout countless eons. They are adorned with pure morality, their body and mind cleansed of all defilements. They are adorned with patience, harboring no harmful thoughts toward any being. They are adorned with diligence, amassing the provisions for all Dharma practices. They are adorned with meditation, delighting in all liberations, meditative absorptions, and attainments. They are adorned with wisdom, having severed all afflictions and habitual tendencies. They are adorned with great compassion, rescuing all sentient beings. They are adorned with great loving-kindness, never abandoning any being. They are adorned with great empathetic joy, ever rejoicing in the welfare of all beings. They are adorned with great equanimity, free from aversion and attachment toward all beings.

Furthermore, Shariputra! In that world of the Jewel-Adorned Tathagata, there is a great bodhisattva-mahasattva named Great Space Treasury. He is adorned with great merit and great power, possessing unobstructed wisdom. His body is adorned with marks and signs of excellence; his speech is adorned with eloquence; his mind is adorned with supreme meditative concentration; his mindfulness is adorned with vast learning and retention; his reality is adorned with impartial equanimity; his inclinations toward various destinies are adorned with wisdom; his supreme aspiration is adorned with diligent progress, reaching a state free from doubt regarding all phenomena. He is adorned with spiritual powers, playing freely with various supernatural abilities; adorned with merit, possessing the virtue of jeweled hands, constantly giving and renouncing; adorned with knowledge, discerning the diverse inclinations of sentient beings; adorned with awakening, enabling sentient beings to realize the supreme Dharma; adorned with eyes, attaining purity in the five kinds of vision; adorned with ears, hearing the meanings of all dharmas as echoes respond; adorned with unobstructed understanding, expounding the Dharma, its meanings, words, and eloquence without exhaustion; adorned with power, attaining the Buddha's ten powers to destroy the forces of Mara; adorned with fearlessness, crushing external doctrines without being subdued; adorned with virtues, attaining the Buddha's boundless virtues; adorned with the Dharma, from every pore proclaiming the Dharma like an echo; adorned with illumination, able to see all the treasuries of the Buddha's teachings; adorned with light, illuminating all Buddha-lands; adorned with mind-reading, without error; adorned with instruction, enabling practice as taught; adorned with miraculous manifestations, displaying all kinds of appearances; adorned with the praise of all Buddhas, abiding in non-attachment and attaining freedom; adorned with all wholesome dharmas, entering the realm of all Buddha-dharmas.

Shariputra! That Bodhisattva Mahasattva Akashagarbha has accomplished such immeasurable merits and virtues. Together with the assembly of bodhisattvas, he has resolved to come to this Saha World to behold me with reverence, pay homage, serve, and make offerings. He also intends to expound this profound and subtle Dharma teaching of the Great Assembly, so that all the bodhisattvas from the ten directions who have gathered here may give rise to great joy, pure faith, and delight, and further enable the bodhisattvas to embrace and uphold the great path of the Dharma.

At that time, the great being Bodhisattva Mahākāśyapa (the Great Empty Space Treasury Bodhisattva), surrounded by twelve million bodhisattvas in front and behind, all focused their minds and looked up at the One-Jewel Adorned Thus Come One. He said: "World-Honored One! I now wish to go to the Sahā world to pay homage and make offerings to Śākyamuni Buddha. I ask for your permission."

That Buddha spoke, saying: "Now is the time. Go as you wish." Instantly, after bowing at the feet of the Tathagata Adorned with a Single Jewel, he stood facing that Buddha in focused thought: "By the power of the Buddha's effortless, play-like miraculous abilities." Then, disappearing from that land in a single instant—in the same moment it takes to form a thought—he and the assembled bodhisattvas arrived at this Saha world's Jewel-Adorned Enlightenment Hall. They remained suspended in space, raining down all kinds of exquisite fragrances and flowers from that pure land like a downpour: powder incense, paste incense, banners, canopies, silk parasols, moon-flowers, great moon-flowers, wonderfully exquisite flowers, sun-and-moon flowers, sun-lamp flowers, sun-essence flowers, love-flowers, great love-flowers, radiant flowers, *shatala* flowers, sublime *shatala* flowers, all-pure flowers, clear and stainless flowers, golden-light-illuminating flowers, space-illuminating flowers, great-white-fragrance-contact flowers, hundred-petal thousand-stamen flowers, sorrow-dispelling flowers, joy-creating flowers, heaven-praised flowers, dragon-flowers, peaceful-joy-bringing flowers, meditation-branch flowers, body-delighting flowers, heart-gladdening flowers, fragrance-pervading-the-triple-thousand-world flowers, illness-relieving flowers, wonderful-majesty-adornment flowers, immeasurable-merit-flowing flowers, flowers that shine upon and touch the ten-direction bodhisattvas. Raining down such various exquisite flowers, they accumulated knee-deep, spreading throughout the entire great trichiliocosm.

Then the great assembly, having seen these flowers, said to the World-Honored One: "O Lord, such exceptionally wonderful and beautiful flowers, and such diverse and delightful music—things never seen nor heard before—from where have they come? We wish for you to explain."