往復無際，動靜一源，含眾妙而有餘，超言思而逈出者，其唯法界歟！剖裂玄微，昭廓心境，窮理盡性，徹果該因，汪洋沖融，廣大悉備者，其唯大方廣佛華嚴經焉！故我世尊十身初滿，正覺始成，乘願行以彌綸，混虗空為體性，富有萬德，蕩為纖塵。湛智海之澄波，虗含萬象；皎性空之滿月，頓落百川。不起樹王，羅七處於法界；無違後際，暢九會於初成。盡宏廓之幽宗，被難思之海會。圓音落落，該十剎而頓周；主伴重重，極十方而齊唱。雖空空絕迹，而義天之星象燦然；湛湛亡言，而教海之波瀾浩瀚。若乃千門潛注，與眾典為洪源；萬德交歸，攝群經為眷屬。其為旨也，冥真體於萬化之域，顯德相於重玄之門。用繁興以恒如，智周鑒而常靜。真妄交徹，即凡心而見佛心；事理雙修，依本智而求佛智。理隨事變，則一多緣起之無邊；事得理融，則千差涉入而無礙。故得十身歷然而相作，六位不亂以更收。廣大即入於無間，塵毛包納而無外。炳然齊現，猶彼芥缾；具足同時，方之海滴。一多無礙，等虗室之千燈；隱顯俱成，似秋空之片月。重重交映，若帝網之垂珠；念念圓融，類夕夢之經世。法門重疊，若雲起長空；萬行芬披，比華開錦上。若夫高不可仰，則積行菩薩曝鰓鱗於龍門；深不可窺，則上德聲聞杜視聽於嘉會。見聞為種，八難超十地之階；解行在躬，一生圓曠劫之果。師子奮迅，眾海頓證於林中；象王迴旋，六千道成於言下。啟明東廟，智滿不異於初心；寄位南求，因圓不踰於毛孔。剖微塵之經卷，則念念果成；盡眾生之願門，則塵塵行滿。真可謂常恒之妙說，通方之洪規，稱性之極談，一乘之要軌也。尋斯玄旨，却覧餘經，其猶杲日麗天，奪眾景之耀；須彌橫海，落群峯之高。是以菩薩搜秘於龍宮，大賢闡揚於東夏。顧惟正法之代，尚匿清輝；幸哉像季之時，偶斯玄化。況逢聖主，得在靈山，竭思幽宗，豈無慶躍？題稱大方廣佛華嚴經者，即無盡修多羅之總名；世主妙嚴品第一者，即眾篇義類之別目。大以曠兼無際，方以正法自持，廣則稱體而周，佛謂覺斯玄妙，華喻功德萬行，嚴謂飾法成人。經乃法無竭之涌泉，貫玄凝之妙義，攝無邊之海會，作終古之常規。佛及諸王，並稱世主；法門依正，俱曰妙嚴。分義類以彰品名，冠群篇而稱第一。斯經有三十九品，此品建初，故云大方廣佛華嚴經世主妙嚴品第一。
Boundless in reach, where motion and stillness share one source, containing all wonders yet surpassing them, transcending words and thought—such is the realm of reality itself! To dissect its profound mysteries, illuminate the mind and its world, exhaust principle and nature, encompass both cause and effect, vast and deep, encompassing all—such is the *Avatamsaka Sutra*, the *Flower Adornment Sutra of the Great and Vast Buddha*. Thus our World-Honored One, having perfected his ten bodies at the dawn of enlightenment, rode forth on his vows and deeds, merging with empty space as his very essence, fully endowed with myriad virtues, yet as subtle as a speck of dust. The clear waves of his wisdom sea quietly contain all phenomena; the full moon of his empty nature suddenly reflects in a hundred rivers. Without leaving the Bodhi tree, he arrays the seven locations across the realm of reality; without violating the future, he unfolds the nine assemblies at the moment of his first awakening. He exhausts the vast and profound fundamental teachings, reaching the inconceivable ocean assembly. His perfect voice, clear and far-reaching, instantly fills the ten directions; the host and attendant countless, resonating simultaneously throughout the ten directions. Though emptiness leaves no trace, the stars of the truth-sky shine brilliantly; though stillness is wordless, the waves of the teaching ocean ripple boundlessly.
Thus a thousand streams secretly flow, becoming the great source of all scriptures; ten thousand virtues converge together, embracing all sutras as their retinue. Its meaning: it merges with true essence within the realm of ten thousand transformations, manifests the marks of virtue at the gate of profound mystery. The function arises ceaselessly, yet remains ever such; wisdom universally illumines, yet abides in constant stillness. True and false interpenetrate; through the ordinary mind, the Buddha-mind is seen. Principle and phenomena are cultivated together; based on innate wisdom, one seeks Buddha-wisdom. Principle adapts to phenomena, so one and many conditions arise without limit; phenomena merge with principle, so a thousand differences interpenetrate without obstruction. Thus the ten bodies are distinct yet mutually active; the six stages are orderly yet interwoven. The vast enters the infinitesimal, a dust-mote contains the infinite. Brilliantly appearing together, like mustard seeds in a bottle; simultaneously complete, like drops in the ocean. One and many are unobstructed, like a thousand lamps in an empty room; hidden and manifest together, like a single moon in the autumn sky. Interwoven and reflecting, like the net of Indra with its hanging pearls; moment-fused and perfect, like a dream spanning a lifetime. The Dharma-doors layer upon layer, like clouds rising in the vast sky; myriad practices blossom forth, like flowers embroidered on brocade.
As for its height, unattainable, the bodhisattva of accumulated practice gasps like a fish at the Dragon Gate; as for its depth, unfathomable, the noble hearers lose sight and hearing at the great assembly. Seeing and hearing sow seeds; those in the eight difficulties transcend the ten stages. Understanding and practice embodied in oneself, one completes in a single life the fruit of countless eons. Like a lion's vigorous leap, the assembly suddenly attains amidst the grove; like an elephant king's majestic turn, six thousand achieve the path at his words. Dawn breaks at the eastern hall; full wisdom is no different from the initial resolve. The stage is sought in the south; perfect cause is not beyond a pore. Opening the sutra scroll of a dust-mote, moment by moment the fruit is achieved; exhausting the gate of sentient beings' vows, dust upon dust practices are fulfilled. Truly this is the eternal wondrous teaching, the great norm fitting all directions, the ultimate discourse on true nature, the essential path of the One Vehicle.
To delve into these profound teachings and then look back at other scriptures is like seeing the bright sun in the sky, eclipsing the light of all other stars; like Mount Sumeru standing in the sea, towering above all other peaks. Thus the bodhisattvas sought this secret in the Dragon Palace, and the great sages expounded it in the East. In the age of the True Dharma, its pure radiance was still hidden; fortunate indeed, in this age of semblance, we encounter this profound transformation. Especially as we meet the sacred sovereign and find ourselves on Vulture Peak, to exhaust our thoughts on this profound teaching, how could we not rejoice?
The title *Mahāvaipulya Buddhāvataṃsaka Sūtra* is the general name for the endless scriptures; "Chapter on the Wondrous Adornment of World Sovereigns, Part One" is the specific title for this category of meanings. "Great" means encompassing all without limit; "Vast" means upholding the right Dharma itself; "Extensive" means encompassing all in accord with essence; "Buddha" means awakening to this profound wonder; "Flower" symbolizes the myriad virtues and practices; "Adornment" means adorning the Dharma to perfect beings; "Sutra" is the inexhaustible spring of the Dharma, stringing together profound and subtle meanings, including the boundless ocean assembly, serving as the eternal norm for all time. The Buddha and all kings are both called "World Sovereigns"; the teachings, beings, and their environments are all called "Wondrous Adornment." Dividing the categories of meaning to establish the chapter name, placing it first among all chapters, it is called "Chapter on the Wondrous Adornment of World Sovereigns, Part One." This sutra has thirty-nine chapters; this chapter begins the whole, hence it is called *Mahāvaipulya Buddhāvataṃsaka Sūtra*, Chapter on the Wondrous Adornment of World Sovereigns, Part One.
歸命十方極三際， 塵剎圓明調御師。
法界功德大悲雲， 毗盧遮那大智海，
所住甚深真法性， 所流圓滿脩多羅，
一一塵方佛會中， 普賢文殊諸大士，
我今欲以一毛智， 測量無邊法界空，
願承三寶同體慈， 句句冥符諸佛意。
俾令法眼常無缺， 盡眾生界如普賢。
迴茲勝善洽群生， 速證菩提常樂果。
I take refuge in the Buddhas of the ten directions, who transcend the three periods of time; The perfect, clear Teachers who fill realms like atoms and illuminate the world.
To the ocean of virtue and compassion in the Dharmadhātu, And Mahāvairocana, the great ocean of wisdom;
To the profound true nature of reality where they dwell, And the perfect sutras that flow forth from them;
To Samantabhadra, Mañjuśrī, and all great bodhisattvas, In each Buddha-assembly on every mote of dust,
I now wish to use a single hair's worth of wisdom To fathom the boundless space of the Dharmadhātu.
May I rely on the kindness of the Three Jewels, as one body, So each phrase perfectly accords with the Buddhas’ intent.
May the Dharma-eye thus remain ever without defect, And may I reach the realm of all beings as Samantabhadra does.
I dedicate this merit to all living beings, So they swiftly realize enlightenment and attain the bliss of nirvana.
將釋經義，總啟十門：一教起因緣，二藏教所攝，三義理分齊，四教所被機，五教體淺深，六宗趣通局，七部類品會，八傳譯感通，九總釋經題，十別解文義。
To explain the meaning of the sutra, I have organized it into ten general sections:
1. The causes and conditions for teaching the sutra. 2. Which scriptural collection and teaching category it belongs to. 3. The scope and depth of its principles. 4. The capacities of beings it is meant for. 5. The degrees of depth in the essence of the teachings. 6. The overall theme and its range of application. 7. The chapters, sections, and assemblies included. 8. The history of its transmission and translation. 9. A general explanation of the sutra's title. 10. A detailed explanation of the text itself.