二 供養觀門
Chapter 2: The Contemplation of Offerings
(然供養稱讚禮敬懺悔勸請隨喜迴向發願等八重。是修行人之本事。非別行法。世尊於離垢慧菩薩所聞經中〔其〕列也。亦是超入華嚴境界之妙門。故彼經廣說諸佛功德妙用已。最後云。若欲成就此功德。應修十種廣大行願。故西域本宗道流。皆於經中。錄出別行。諷念修習。前後三譯。一晉朝佛度䟦陀羅三藏譯。二唐朝不空三藏譯。三貞觀中華嚴疏主等譯。其十行願。即是此供養等八也。但於勸請中。開為轉法輪久住世二門。又於迴向中。分出隨佛學順眾生二門。故成其十。此八重雖總是入聖境之門。然各有別相功德。謂禮敬除無量劫來我慢之障。得尊貴身。稱讚除無量劫來惡口等障。得四無礙辨。供養除多劫嫉妬障。生生得大財富。懺悔總際三障。得依報正報具足。隨喜除多劫慳貪。生生得廣大善知識眷屬。勸請除多劫謗法障。生生得多聞辨才。迴向除狹劣障。得廣大無量福善。發願除退屈障。總持諸行。得速成佛果也)是諸眾等人各胡跪。嚴持香花。如法供養。願此香花雲。徧滿十方界。供養一切佛。
(Yet these eight practices—making offerings, praising, prostrating, confessing, urging, rejoicing, dedicating merit, and making vows—are the essential tasks of a cultivator, not separate practices. The World-Honored One listed them in the sutra heard by the Bodhisattva Li Gou Hui. They are also the wonderful gate to enter the realm of the Avatamsaka Sutra. Therefore, after that sutra extensively explains the wonderful virtues and functions of the Buddhas, it concludes by saying, "If you wish to realize this merit, you should cultivate the ten great vows and practices." Thus, in the original tradition of this school in the Western Regions, practitioners extracted these ten practices from the sutra and practiced them separately. There have been three translations: the first by Tripitaka Master Buddhabhadra of the Jin Dynasty, the second by Tripitaka Master Amoghavajra of the Tang Dynasty, and the third by the Avatamsaka commentator and others during the Zhenguan era. These ten vows and practices are actually these eight practices. However, within the act of urging, it is divided into two: turning the Dharma wheel and abiding long in the world. Within the act of dedicating merit, it is further divided into two: following the Buddha's example and benefiting all beings. Thus, there are ten. Although these eight are ways to enter the realm of the noble ones, each has its own distinct merit. Specifically: Prostration removes the obstacle of arrogance accumulated over countless eons, leading to a noble and honorable body. Praise removes the obstacle of harsh speech accumulated over countless eons, leading to the four kinds of unobstructed eloquence. Making offerings removes the obstacle of jealousy over many eons, leading to great wealth in every life. Confession removes obstacles of karma, afflictions, and retribution from beginningless time, leading to a perfect environment and body. Rejoicing removes the obstacle of stinginess over many eons, leading to a vast retinue of good spiritual friends in every life. Urging removes the obstacle of slandering the Dharma over many eons, leading to great learning and eloquence in every life. Dedicating merit removes the obstacle of narrow-mindedness, leading to vast, limitless blessings and goodness. Making vows removes the obstacle of discouragement and laziness, uniting all practices, leading to the swift attainment of Buddhahood.)
Then all these people, each kneeling on one knee, respectfully held incense and flowers and made offerings according to the Dharma. They vowed: "May this cloud of incense and flowers pervade the worlds in all ten directions. May it be offered to all Buddhas."
化佛并菩薩。緣覺聲聞眾。受此香花雲。以為光明臺。廣於無邊界。無量作佛事(華嚴經云。所有盡法界。虗空界。十方三世一切佛剎。極微塵數諸佛世尊。一一佛所。皆有海會圍遶。我今悉以一切上妙諸供養具。而為供養。所謂華雲鬘雲天樂雲。乃至衣服諸香雲等。一一量如須彌大海。問。此文乃彼經皆云。香花徧滿十方界供養等者。如何辦得如是多多供養具。得如上多多佛耶。答。准華嚴緣起章第三供養門中云。菩薩凡所施設。乃至一華一香。一衣一蓋供養具。無不稱真理。等虗空界。即以全法界之身。遊諸佛剎。稱真之物。供養於佛。是故菩薩不虗行。於所修值諸〔仙〕恒不失時。一切供養。常稱理而成就。何以故。法施於佛。稱真理故。釋曰。准此云一香一華等。又云常稱理而成就者。即知經中所列皆以稱理。即一之多等也。故修行者。但安心觀行。物物自多。皆偏諸佛也。故云願此香華雲。徧滿十方界。供養一切佛。次下經說。迷心中供養。比此觀行供養。百千萬俱胝那由他迦羅等喻沙陀不及一也。皆云天者。是自然義。表法界中法爾有如是不思議德用也。皆言雲者。是隨緣義。表由行願行力故見也。謂此供是色相顯然。智照無性。從法性空無生法起。能見所見逈無所依。應用而來。來無所從。用謝而去。去無所至。而能含慈潤霔法雨。益萬物以重重無盡。有雲象焉)。
Transformation Buddhas, along with bodhisattvas, pratyekabuddhas, and śrāvakas, receive this cloud of fragrant flowers, which becomes a platform of radiant light. It extends boundlessly, performing countless acts of enlightenment.
*Note: The Avataṃsaka Sūtra states: "All throughout the realm of reality, the empty space of the universe, in all the Buddha-lands of the ten directions and three times, as numerous as atoms in the most subtle dust, at each Buddha's presence, there are vast assemblies surrounding them. Now, with all supreme offerings, I make offerings. These include clouds of flowers, garlands, heavenly music, and even clouds of incense and clothes—each as vast as Mount Sumeru and the great sea."
*Question: This passage says that fragrant flowers fill the ten directions to make offerings. But how can someone produce so many offerings to so many Buddhas?*
*Answer: According to the Avataṃsaka Sūtra's chapter on the causal conditions of enlightenment, in the third section on offerings: "Whatever a bodhisattva sets forth—even a single flower, incense, robe, or canopy—is in accord with ultimate truth, equal to the realm of empty space. They use their whole reality-body to journey through all Buddha-lands, offering things that are true to reality to the Buddhas. Thus, a bodhisattva does not act in vain; their practice always meets the Buddhas without missing the right time. All offerings are constantly accomplished in accordance with ultimate truth. Why? Because offering Dharma to the Buddha aligns with ultimate truth."*
*Explanation: Based on this, even a single flower or incense, being in accord with ultimate truth, becomes many. So practitioners who settle their mind in contemplative practice will see each thing multiply—every offering reaches all Buddhas. Therefore, it is said: "May this cloud of fragrant flowers fill the ten directions, making offerings to all Buddhas."*
*The sūtra further states that offerings made from a confused mind cannot compare to offerings made through this contemplative practice, not even by a hundred thousand times, a million times, or any imaginable measure.*
*The word "heavenly" means natural—showing that such inconceivable qualities and functions naturally exist in the realm of reality. The word "cloud" means conditioned—showing that these appear through the power of vows and practice. These offerings, though visibly manifest, are seen by wisdom as without inherent nature. They arise from the emptiness and unconditioned nature of reality. The seer and seen have no independent foundation, coming without origin, departing without destination. Yet they contain compassion, rain the Dharma, and benefit all beings in infinite, layered ways—just like a cloud.*