III. Explain the Sutra
Part One

　Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was in the land of Magadha, at the Dharma Seat of Enlightenment in the forest, having just achieved Perfect Awakening. The ground was of adamant, firm and solid. It was adorned with splendid jewelled disks, with many jewelled flowers, and with pure wish-fulfilling gems. A vast array of forms appeared everywhere. There were banners studded with wish-fulfilling gems that constantly emitted light and exquisite sounds. Nets of jewels and fragrant garlands were hanging all around. Superb wish-fulfilling gems spontaneously manifested an endless rain of jewels and wonderful flowers, that lay scattered all over the ground. Jewelled trees, with a profusion of lustrous branches and leaves, stood in rows. All these adornments became manifest at the Seat of Enlightenment as a result of the Buddha’s spiritual power.

　In the Mahayana sutras a certain vagueness commonly attaches to the concept of the Buddha. Take the present case for example: “At one time the Buddha was in the land of Magadha, at the Dharma Seat of Enlightenment in the forest”. Do you know which Buddha is being referred to here? This Buddha is Siddhartha Gautama who achieved Enlightenment under the Bodhi-tree. Apart from the historical figure of Gautama, when the Flower Adornment Sutra (Avatamsaka-sutra) speaks of the Buddha, it is usually referring to the Buddha’s Body of Truth (Dharmakaya) or Body of Recompense (Sambhogakaya).
　Elsewhere I have said that the Buddha’s Enlightenment was achieved in a single instant, and yet his realization was absolutely complete. You must not think that Buddhahood was something he accomplished gradually: there is no such thing as the gradual accomplishment of Buddhahood. It’s like waking up from a dream. Once you are awake, you are awake. You can’t say you’re only eighty percent awake and still twenty percent asleep. Similarly, once you are enlightened, you are enlightened, and it’s quite impossible for anyone to be eighty percent enlightened and twenty percent unenlightened. The reason most people aren’t clear about this is because they confuse the process of ‘gradual cultivation’ with the actual moment of realization.
　Gradual cultivation can be likened to the process of heating hot water. The temperature will keep rising steadily from zero to a hundred degrees, but then, once the temperature goes above a hundred, the hot water will turn into steam. The transformation takes place all of a sudden. So water is water and steam is steam - these are two radically different states.
　We often think of the preparatory stage of practice in terms of becoming enlightened gradually, but this is a mistake. Gradual cultivation will only take us to the final stage of the Bodhisattva Path, which is called ‘Virtual Enlightenment’. But accomplishing the transition from the bodhisattva’s virtual Enlightenment to the complete and perfect Enlightenment of the Buddha is a matter of sudden realization. Thus any genuine realization of the true meaning of the Dharma has to be sudden.
　But to fulfil the conditions required for sudden Enlightenment is by no means easy. In practising the Buddhadharma, the simplest and most direct route to achieving realization in this lifetime is to let go of the self. But while anyone can talk about letting go of the self, if it comes to actually doing so, you’ll find that this self is something you just can’t let go of. Why not? Because we are always looking for a port of refuge where we can feel safe. Where is our safety to come from? From relying on the self. So our body, our physical form, has to be preserved because the self needs it! But if we have no self, our physical form is no longer so important.
　Therefore the first step in our practice must be to try to break through the illusion of the self. But to actually get rid of the self is no simple matter. If somebody insults you, you immediately react - that is the self up to its mischief again! In fact there is nothing to the ‘insult’ but the sound of someone’s voice, but because you don’t like that sound, you feel that you have been insulted. That is merely egotism. If you had discarded the self, such sounds would have no effect on you, since you would be quite free of attachment.

　Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was in the land of Magadha, at the Dharma Seat of Enlightenment in the forest, having just achieved Perfect Awakening.

　People usually understand “thus have I heard” to mean “the following sutra text represents something that I myself heard the Buddha say”, but an interpretation of this kind is far from adequate. The phrase could also be taken to mean: “This is my realization, my comprehension, my true understanding of the realm expounded in the sutra”. Only if that is the case can one really say, “Thus have I heard”.
　Or again the phrase could be read as indicating a correspondence, a perfect accord between one’s own mind and the Sutra. In that case too one could say, “Thus have I heard”.
　“At one time” refers to the moment when this perfect correspondence occurs. Whatever the occasion, as long as you can respond in this way, then that is the “one time”. The Flower Adornment Sutra is the realm of the Buddha’s achievement of Buddhahood, so if you can respond to it appropriately, clearly you too will have achieved Buddhahood. But here I must remind you not to misunderstand what is meant by achieving Buddhahood. We practise Buddhism because we want to become enlightened, to achieve Buddhahood. But Buddhahood is not something that we can acquire by imitating others - it is our own Buddhahood that we must accomplish. Imitation has a very concrete significance for us, and provides us with external encouragement. But what we have to realize now is our own true nature; we must let our Buddha-nature emerge and reveal itself. This is the right way to practise Buddhism. We have to learn how to bring ourselves into perfect accord with the path to Enlightenment, with our spiritual friends, with the Buddha: this is an essential precondition.

　...the Buddha was in the land of Magadha, at the Dharma Seat of Enlightenment in the forest, having just achieved Perfect Awakening.

　The “Buddha” here is the Siddhartha Gautama who achieved Enlightenment. His Enlightenment is a historical fact, but we ourselves are still seeking Enlightenment. If we don’t seek for it, how can we achieve it? But setting up an object to seek for is still just a provisional expedient, for there will come a stage in the process of our seeking when we will find ourselves in perfect accord with what we are seeking for, and then our search will be over. This is a natural phenomenon. Suppose you are learning how to swim, for example. Once you have learnt, you will swim quite naturally if you are thrown into the water, because you have reached a state of “correspondence” or accord with the object of your training.
　The “forest” (aranya) in this case simply represents a quiet and secluded location, as a suitable place for meditation, so the text here can also be read to mean “at a place of Dharma in the forest”. The Buddha achieved Enlightenment here, in a forest in the land of Magadha, by relying on the dharma (truth, reality) of bodhi (awakening, enlightenment); hence this place is called “the Dharma Seat of Enlightenment”. But what truth or “Dharma” does this phrase refer to? In the first place it refers to the truth of the Eightfold Path. The Eightfold Path is one of the most important methods of cultivation that the Buddha taught. It is also an important resource for our next life, for by practising according to the Eightfold Path you can acquire sufficient merit to ensure rebirth in the appropriate circumstances.
　Another Dharma teaching is to keep the doors of the six senses completely open. For this it is necessary to maintain a very high level of alertness. Take the chirping of insects for example, the gentle touch of a passing breeze, or the sight of a sky full of stars - all these things we should perceive with perfect clarity. Once Ananda was sharing a room with the Buddha overnight, and he asked him, “Lord, how is it that I’ve never seen you turn over in your sleep?” The Buddha replied, “I had no need to do so; I’ve already turned over.” Ananda said, “Why didn’t I see it?”, and the Buddha replied, “At that time I was not yet fully enlightened!”
　So after his Enlightenment the Buddha never turned over in his sleep again, for even while he was sleeping he continued to maintain the same high level of alertness. There is an important lesson for us here. According to tradition, the Buddha’s final Awakening took place at the moment he saw the morning star; but why did this come about through the eye, through the visual organ and its object? Why not the ear? So when you engage in Dharma practice, you need to think about the nature of your starting point. If you practise with hearing, you will accomplish one thing; if you practise with sight, you will accomplish something else. The results in each case will not be the same. If all six senses are completely open, you will be free to practise in any way you like - you will be able to decide for yourself.
　“...having just achieved Perfect Awakening.” This refers to the moment of transition when a worldling becomes a saint. But hadn’t the Buddha achieved Enlightenment before? In the Lotus Sutra we are told that the Buddha has already appeared in this world eight thousand times, so clearly he must have achieved Enlightenment long ago. But these eight thousand appearances were all manifestations of the Body of Truth (Dharmakaya) or Body of Recompense (Sambhogakaya). They are what are called “bodies of transformation (Nirmanakaya) according to kind”; that is, they appear to all sorts of sentient beings in order to teach them in accordance with their needs and capacities. But in the present case the Nirmanakaya who has “just achieved Perfect Awakening” is the historical individual Gautama who, having passed through the stages of being unenlightened and seeking for Enlightenment, has now reached the moment when he has finally achieved his goal and become a fully awakened Buddha.

　The ground was of adamant, firm and solid. It was adorned with splendid jewelled disks and jewelled flowers, and with pure wish-fulfilling gems.

　“The ground was of adamant, firm and solid.” The “ground” here is the mind-ground, the basic nature of the mind itself. What this sentence implies is that the Buddha had reached the ultimate goal, that his achievement was absolute and the manifestation of his wisdom complete.

　It was adorned with splendid jewelled disks and many jewelled flowers, and with pure wish-fulfilling gems....

　The disks here represent the Wheel of Dharma (dharmacakra). Anything that is meaningful and can induce beings to see their own true nature can be described as a “jewel”. “Splendid” means that they are of the highest and finest quality. So the “splendid jewelled disks” are something that can lead sentient beings to the highest realm of understanding. As for the “flowers”, they represent the practice of Dharma as the cause for the attainment of Enlightenment. At this causal level there are many methods of practice one can cultivate, so the Sutra speaks of “many flowers”. Since all the practices associated with the six perfections or transcendent virtues (paramita) can enable beings to see their own true nature, they are represented here by “many jewelled flowers”.
　Finally, a “wish-fulfilling gem” (Skt. cintamani) is a magic jewel that gives you complete freedom by granting all your wishes. So if you have a “pure wish-fulfilling gem” you enjoy pure and perfect freedom. Accordingly these three things - the “jewelled disks”, “jewelled flowers” and “wish-fulfilling gems” - are meant to adorn the “ground” of our own mind. The first manifestation of the Lord Buddha’s activity was his turning of the Wheel of Dharma, which shows us that realization is achieved through practice at the causal level, and that every single teaching allows us to perceive our own true nature. At this moment the Buddha’s mind was absolutely clear and even, in a state of perfect freedom.
　The text here can only be understood at this very simple level, for it tells us nothing about how we should practise in order to see our true nature, in what manner the Wheel of Dharma was turned, or how the purity of the pure wish-fulfilling gems is to be defined! If you read through the six hundred fascicles of the Great Sutra on Transcendental Wisdom (Mahaprajnaparamita-sutram), you will find an explanation of “pure wish-fulfilling gems”there. The Sutra of the Great Cessation (Mahaparinirvana-sutram), the Lotus Sutra (Saddharmapundarika-sutram), and the longer and shorter Amita Buddha Sutra (Sukhavativyuha) will all tell you what “splendid jewelled disks” are. Even the texts on monastic discipline (vinaya) and the sutras of the Lesser Vehicle (agama) explain the significance of “jewelled flowers”. That is why we say that the Flower Adornment Sutra is a fundamental teaching and a complete turning of the Wheel of Dharma, for the great commentators of the past, who aimed at breadth and comprehensiveness in their explanations, were at a loss when dealing with scriptures like this that set forth the very nature of reality.
　Thus we can see how these sentences in fact present nothing more than an outline, and we must keep telling ourselves, as we read the Mahayana sutras, that all we have really understood is the words, and that we must go a step further if we would grasp the deeper meaning that underlies them.

　A vast array of forms appeared everywhere. There were banners studded with wish-fulfilling gems that constantly emitted light and exquisite sounds.

　The “forms” referred to here are those of the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind, and the whole sentence - “A vast array of forms appeared everywhere”- indicates everything that can be manifested when the six sense-organs come into contact with their corresponding objects. The “wish-fulfilling gems” symbolize spiritual freedom, and the “banners” signify pre-eminence. In other words, the “banners studded with wish-fulfilling gems” stand for the Buddha’s absolute spiritual freedom, which is the aspect of his Enlightenment that can be perceived most clearly by sentient beings.
　The “light” and “exquisite sounds” that are emitted signify the Buddha’s beneficence, which embraces all beings. The light that is emitted by the Buddha is intended for the benefit of sentient beings, showing them the way to peace and happiness, like the beam of a lighthouse that shines a bright track across the darkness of the ocean.

　Nets of jewels and fragrant garlands were hanging all around.

　This sentence describes the Buddha’s enlightened state of mind. The “jewels” symbolize perception of one’s true nature, and the “nets” stand for conduct or behaviour in general; so the meaning of the “nets of jewels” is that all the Buddha’s behaviour is an expression of his direct perception of the truth.
　The “fragrance” and beauty of the garlands of flowers also represent the Buddha’s spiritual accomplishments, while the fact that they are “hanging all around” implies omnipresence. That is, the conduct which springs from the realm that the Buddha realized at the time of his Enlightenment is something that is all-pervasive, a manifestation of truth, fragrance and beauty.

　Superb wish-fulfilling gems spontaneously manifested an endless rain of jewels and wonderful flowers, that lay scattered all over the ground.

　These “superb wish-fulfilling gems” represent Suchness (tathata) or Buddha-nature. They “manifest spontaneously” through magical transformation, which means that they are free to display any realm whatsoever before our eyes; in other words, the wisdom of Suchness is free to go anywhere it wishes, without let or hindrance.
The longer Amita Buddha Sutra (Sukhavativyuha) says that in the Realm of Great Bliss (Sukhavati), if there is something you would like to eat, you have only to think of it and it will appear before you. And when you have finished eating, the leftover food, the bowls and the plates will all vanish automatically. This is what is meant by “manifesting spontaneously”. But such an account presents the matter in purely practical terms: if you want something you can cause it to appear, without any difficulty or impediment. In the case of the present text, however, the “spontaneous manifestations” do not emerge from the imagination but from the “superb wish-fulfilling gems”. These “superb wish-fulfilling gems”represent Suchness (tathata), for Suchness is capable of manifesting anything at all, in any way you like, with unimpeded freedom.
　The “rain” signifies widespread abundance, for the wish-fulfilling gems can scatter an abundance of precious things far and wide. The flowers are “wonderful” because of their purity, and the flowers themselves symbolize practice of the Dharma at the causal stage. Can we say that this applies to us at our present level of practice? It is an excellent thing to copy the text of the Sutra, or to distribute tapes of the teachings, but if you are always thinking about what you are doing, it is no longer “wonderful”. Are you capable of taking up your task first, of talking about the copying only when it is done, of overcoming difficulties as they arise, of feeling that it would not be “wonderful” if there were no difficulties at all? Great people become great by overcoming all kinds of difficulties; they are transcending themselves at every moment. 　This is what the Sutra means by “wonderful flowers”.
　That the jewels and flowers “lay scattered all over the ground” means that they were present everywhere. In other words, the Buddha can maintain the highest level of awareness, at all times and places, of whatever realm his senses might encounter. In all that he studies and practices, in every single movement he makes, he perceives his own true nature. The Buddha is the ‘fully enlightened one’, and with his fully enlightened nature he contemplates the universe in its entirety. Such is the nature of his accomplishment.
　The “jewelled trees” that “stood in rows” represent the practices that are undertaken at the causal level of spiritual cultivation, such as those of the Bodhisattva Path, the Path to Deliverance, the Path to Enlightenment and so on, which all have their distinctive and extraordinary types of accomplishment. Their spreading “branches and leaves”benefit beings by providing them with shelter. In addition, the “profusion” of these “lustrous” branches and leaves symbolizes the beings’ spiritual accomplishments. Thus the roots, trunk, branches, leaves, flowers and fruit of trees are commonly said to stand for the six perfections or transcendent virtues (paramita).

　All these adornments became manifest at the Seat of Enlightenment as a result of the Buddha’s spiritual power.

　The Buddha’s “spiritual power”is the combined energy of all the causes and conditions that have led to his Enlightenment, and it is this causal energy that makes it possible for the Buddha’s realm to become manifest all at once with such vivid clarity. Then the buddhas of the past, present and future appear together, all at the same time, and it is this realm that is called the “Flower Adornment Ocean Seal Samadhi” (avatamsaka-sagaramudra-samadhi).

　The Bodhi-tree was lofty and outstanding. Its base was of adamant, its trunk of beryl, and its branches were composed of all kinds of wondrous jewels. Its jewelled leaves flourished luxuriantly and cast a cloud-like shade beneath them. There were jewelled flowers of many colours, that scattered their light from the spreading branches. The fruits, too, were formed of wish-fulfilling gems, and contained within them a radiance that blazed forth among the flowers. In the bright light that shone all around the tree wish-fulfilling gems were raining down, from which vast numbers of bodhisattvas emerged all at once. Because of the Tathagata’s great spiritual power, the Bodhi-tree constantly uttered the sublime sound of the Dharma, transmitting the teachings endlessly.

　In this limitless cyle of birth and death, what is it in our lives that is “lofty and outstanding”? This is an extremely important question. Different individuals pursue different goals in life. For some, making money is the most important thing, for others it is studying, for others again it is getting married and having children, or buying a house.... and so on. But have you discovered that all these possessions will turn up again in lifetime after lifetime? Once you understand that, your current experience of birth and death will undergo an expansion. Caught up in this endless cycle of birth and death as you are, have you woken up to what it is that you truly lacked in your previous lives? Wasn’t it precisely that which is most “lofty and outstanding”? As I have often pointed out, knowing how to practise Buddhism is not only the greatest blessing you can have in this lifetime, it is the greatest blessing you will ever have in your entire cycle of births and deaths.
　As for the Bodhi-tree itself, the word bodhi means ‘Enlightenment’, while a tree signifies something that is planted or firmly established. We study Buddhism so that we can learn how to become enlightened, and it is this ‘establishment of Enlightenment’ in ourselves that is the most “lofty and outstanding” thing we can accomplish in all our lifetimes. So how are we to set up this ‘Bodhi-tree’? This should be our main concern. One could say that everyone who becomes a Buddhist wants to become enlightened, but how is this to be achieved? And what does Enlightenment consist of? Perhaps we can find some clues in the rest of this passage from the Sutra.

　Its base was of adamant, its trunk of beryl, and its branches were composed of all kinds of wondrous jewels. Its jewelled leaves flourished luxuriantly and cast a cloud-like shade beneath them. There were jewelled flowers of many colours, that scattered their light from the spreading branches. The fruits, too, were formed of wish-fulfilling gems.

　The Tree of Enlightenment is always adorned with these six precious things, namely, a base of adamant, a trunk of beryl, branches made of all kinds of jewels, a canopy of jewelled leaves, multicoloured jewelled flowers, and fruit consisting of wish-fulfilling gems. These six qualities stand for the six transcendent virtues. Thus the “base of adamant” signifies something fundamental, here indicating the virtue of giving (da\na), the “trunk of beryl” refers to keeping the precepts, the “branches composed of all kinds of wondrous jewels” stand for patience, the “jewelled leaves” are diligence, the “jewelled flowers of many colours” are meditation, and the “fruits formed of wish-fulfilling gems” are wisdom. This list of the six paramitas is something that everybody learns by heart, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that their true meaning has been clearly understood, so at this point I would like to explain them briefly one by one.
　First of all there is giving or generosity (dana), the “base of adamant”. Most people assume that this involves giving money to somebody. Of course making charitable donations or doing relief work can certainly be regarded as examples of giving in the normal sense, but the type of authentic giving that we are talking about here requires that you give up the world, your own body and mind, your sense of self, and your very existence. If you are experiencing grief and suffering, you should be able to give those away also.
　Many people resent the fact that life is full of suffering, and they can spend hours complaining about it on the phone. In reality they just don't want to give their suffering up, and you could even say that they enjoy it. You mustn’t think that giving is a simple thing to do - it isn’t easy at all! In the first place you need to be clear about your reason for giving. You might claim that you practise giving in order to be better off in your next life. Perhaps it is an investment you are making, in the expectation of substantial returns in the forthcoming existence!
　What the Buddhadharma calls true giving has no purpose, not even if there is actual money involved. If someone needs my help, I simply give them what they need. There is no why or wherefore about it, no sense of anticipating any future reward. It is within our power to give assistance, so we are happy to help - it’s as simple as that.
　This is the most fundamental kind of giving. Why is it that we are born again and again into this cycle of life and death? Because the self exists, and as soon as you have a ‘self’ you are bound to be caught up in an endless series of lifetimes. Are you capable of giving up this ideology of the self, for that is what giving really means? If you are, your practice of giving will become extraordinarily firm and solid, and that is why the Sutra describes it as a “base of adamant”.
　Secondly there are the moral precepts (shila) - the trunk of beryl. Beryl (vaidurya) is a gleaming and translucent substance that can display all kinds of colours. The Sutra in Forty-two Sections speaks of one’s whole body becoming “cerulean and fragrant”, implying that the bodies of those who observe the precepts and maintain purity of ethical conduct can actually give off a kind of fragrance.
　The majority of people suppose that keeping the precepts means not killing sentient beings and so on. But this is just observing the letter of the precepts and following the prescribed rules of conduct. The function of the precepts is actually to establish a kind of standard or norm, and the essential quality that they inculcate is an attitude of watchfulness or alertness. If we keep to this norm and apply the precepts with the correct attitude, we will eventually be able to reach our goal and attain Buddhahood. But if we become attached to the norm itself, we will have no hope of succeeding.
　There is a story that illustrates this point. Once there was an old monk who instructed his disciple to have no contact with women. One day however, when the two of them were about to cross a river, they encountered a pregnant woman who also wanted to cross. The current was very swift and the master felt compassion for the woman, so he seated her securely on his back and in this way carried her across the river. The disciple, on observing his master’s conduct, openly rebuked him for breaking the precepts. This shows that the disciple was clinging to the outward form of the rules and so was unable to adapt them to different circumstances. The old monk on the other hand knew very well what he was doing. How could he stick so rigidly to the rules that he would refuse to offer somebody help when they needed it? In showing this kind of flexibility, was he motivated by desire for the woman? If he was, the precepts were indeed broken; but if there was no desire, there was no breaking of the precepts either.
　Buddhists nowadays tend to be be confused about this basic point. They begin to study the Dharma, then they take the precepts, and then they promptly stop sleeping with their husband or wife. Before long the other party is having an affair with somebody else, and they come and complain about it. How could this have happened to them when they were being such good Buddhists? In fact it is all their own fault and has nothing to do with Buddhism at all. Although you yourself may be very ‘pure’, your partner still remains ‘impure’. If you had a perfectly liberal and open-minded attitude, your partner’s conduct wouldn’t cause you any distress, but the fact that it bothers you clearly shows that you too are still subject to erotic impulses. Even though they may not find expression in physical conduct, you are still sexually involved with others in your thoughts.
　So keeping the precepts consists precisely in maintaining this kind of awareness. Most people only know how to stick closely to the rules of moral conduct, but the truth is that human nature has been warped for a very long time, and that is why we are quite unable to perceive that it has the crystalline translucency of beryl.
　Thirdly there is patience (kshanti - the “branches composed of all kinds of wondrous jewels”). In modern terms patience might be described as a ‘controlled response’. If you are able to exercise control over your response to whatever happens in your environment, then you are practising the virtue of patience. All the various types of pressure or attack that we are all subject to can be compared to the jewels that make up the branches of the Bodhi-tree. When you encounter these negative circumstances, can you deal with them patiently? Perhaps you feel you should practise the ‘transcendent virtue of patience’ simply because you are a Buddhist, but in that case you are only suppressing your anger. That’s not real patience at all - bottling up your anger is not the kind of patience the Sutra is talking about. Real patience is when you make an effort to adapt to whatever pressures are being brought to bear on you, in such a way that you can still manage to live freely, without being affected by your adverse circumstances. Only then will it be appropriate to speak of “all kinds of superb jewels”.
　The fourth item is diligence or energy (virya - the “jewelled leaves” that “flourished luxuriantly and cast a cloud-like shade”). There are a lot of people who are indeed very energetic in their practice of the Dharma, but they are so energetic in fact that they end up being more ‘busy’ than ‘diligent’. When they take part in ceremonies, for example, they never fail to put their ritual gown on and drape the ceremonial stole across their shoulders, then they make things pleasantly cool by turning the air conditioning on, take the chime in one hand and the wooden fish in the other, and accompany the chanting till they are panting with the effort and their foreheads are gleaming with sweat. When the service is over and they have had their ‘feast of Dharma’, it is already meal-time and they have to dash into the kitchen to help prepare the food. This is what I mean by busyness as distinct from diligence.
　Real diligence is achieved when we can truly integrate our formal practice with our daily life, but at present we don’t know how to do this. That is why we can be such good bodhisattvas when we are in the presence of the Buddha, but as soon as we leave the shrine room we revert to being ordinary worldlings again. How does this happen? It happens because we keep our Dharma practice and our everyday life separate, so no matter how diligent we are, we still fail to grasp the true meaning of the Buddhadharma.
Take the practice of reciting the name of Amita Buddha (nien fo) for example. This is a way of cultivating mindfulness of the Buddha, so every syllable should be uttered clearly and distinctly. [Note: The term nien fo can refer either to (a) the practice of meditating on the qualities of the Buddha, or (b) the specifically Pure Land practice of repeating “Namo Emito Fo” - “Homage to Amita Buddha”] Many people believe that you should practise reciting the name of the Buddha when walking along the street, while cooking dinner and so on, but this might be more accurately described as blurring the name of the Buddha. When you are walking, you should just walk! If you can walk while being clearly aware at every moment of exactly what you are doing, that in itself is cultivating mindfulness of the Buddha; this clarity of awareness is in itself the practice of the Dharma. If you can train yourself constantly in this way, remaining clearly aware of everything you do, that is true diligence. Then your mind will really be on the path to Enlightenment. So ‘diligence’ or ‘energy’ here means that your thoughts are always directed towards the goal of Buddhahood, that your whole being is oriented towards Enlightenment. Only if that is the case will your “leaves” be able to “cast a cloud-like shade beneath them”.
　The fifth virtue is meditation (dhyana - the “jewelled flowers of many colours, that scattered their light from the spreading branches” ). The jewels here symbolize the perception of one’s true nature, while the flowers represent Dharma practice as the cause for Enlightenment. So the practices one cultivates at the causal level enable one to see one’s own nature, and it is these practices that are the “jewelled flowers of many colours”. The “scattered light from the spreading branches” then represents the various methods of cultivation to be learnt - the “innumerable teachings” that the bodhisattva vows to master.
　What this well-known vow really implies is that when we are learning how to practise, we should first acquire an overall view and then seek an appropriate starting-point for our practice. If our cultivation of the particular practice that we have chosen is sufficiently profound, it will enable us to perceive our own true nature; then if we subsequently take up some other practice, that too will quickly reveal the truth to us.
The sixth and last virtue is wisdom (prajna - the “fruits formed of wish-fulfilling gems”), which represent the result of practice. Wish-fulfilling gems (cintamani) also symbolize spiritual freedom, so the “fruits formed of wish-fulfilling gems”stand for the freedom of Enlightenment which is the result or ‘fruit’ of Dharma practice. The accomplishment of such freedom is true Liberation, and that is why buddhas and advanced bodhisattvas can move in and out of the world as they please. Such bodhisattvas are able to deliver sentient beings from their suffering even in a spiritually ‘impure’ environment. We however have no choice but to cultivate practices that are ‘pure’, for we are simply not capable of making use of ‘impure’ means.
　When we see something we consider impure, we feel a sense of revulsion, but in reality, in the Dharmarealm (dharmadhatu) itself, impurity is not something you can get rid of. Wanting to get rid of impurity is like walking in the sunshine and wanting to get rid of the shadows - it’s just not possible. But if you cease to discriminate, if you no longer cling to the idea of impurity but are able to transform it instead into a resource that can be used to lead beings to Enlightenment, then you will no longer perceive any ‘shadows’. Once you have truly understood this, you too will be able to move freely throughout the universe and be reborn in whatever sphere of existence you wish.

　...and contained within them a radiance that blazed forth among the flowers.

　Here the “the fruits formed of wish-fulfilling gems” and the flowers continue to exist side by side. Normally, once flowers have bloomed and fruit has formed, the fruit will fall, but in this case the fruit and flowers all flourish together. In other words, once your practice has borne fruit in the form of Enlightenment, you must still remain involved with the world in order to free beings from their suffering. At present we find it difficult to do this, so as time goes on, even though we may have some spiritual potential and are not lacking in favourable circumstances or good karma, we continue to bind ourselves in a cocoon of our own making. But in fact it is possible to break out of this cocoon. In the practice of Dharma there is a principle that whatever you can understand you should also teach, for in the process of teaching others you yourself will grow to maturity. It is this that the Sutra describes as “a radiance that blazed forth among the flowers”.

　In the bright light that shone all around the tree wish-fulfilling gems were raining down, from which vast numbers of bodhisattvas emerged all at once.

　This passage refers to the accomplishment of Buddha-wisdom. If you practise, accomplishment will surely follow, but first of all you have to place yourself at the point of origin of the path to Enlightenment. Then, when you actually start to practise, you will begin to emit light from the very first step, although your light may still be relatively faint.
　In the Sutra we often see the Buddha emitting a great light. This light comes from his cultivation. We ourselves have difficulty practising because we still don’t know how to enter the dimension of practice, so here I would like to suggest a little experiment that you can try. Begin by seating yourself in meditation posture, with one or both legs crossed or in the full ‘vajra position’. Keep your spine straight, your head erect, the lower jaw slightly retracted, the tip of the tongue resting lightly against the upper palate, the eyes looking straight ahead, and the shoulders level and relaxed. Your whole body should be resting naturally in an upright position. This is what is called the Seven-point Posture of Vairocana.
　Then you can start the contemplation. First concentrate your vital energy or responsive power in the lower part of your body, then raise it step by step till with a single push you can send it out through the top of your head. This method of contemplation comes to us from Shakyamuni Buddha. The arousal of the vital energy is the essential starting point, but the number of stages you divide the subsequent process into is not important. What you have to do is observe how each stage is transcended in turn as the energy mounts up steadily to the point of ultimate release. After the final breakthrough you will discover that your vitality has already been enhanced, that a radical change has taken place. Now your physical form will be unobstructed in its passage through the world and you will feel a sense of ease and perfect freedom. This is what the Sutra means by a “wish-fulfilling gem”.
　What is the significance of the “vast numbers of bodhisattvas” that “emerge all at once” from within the gems? At this moment the Buddha has realized the ultimate goal: by constant cultivation at the causal level of the ordinary worldling he has now completed his entire spiritual career. As a result, the whole realm of Buddhahood is instantly manifested with perfect clarity, and that is why the bodhisattvas also appear “all at once”.

　Because of the Tathagata’s great spiritual power, ....

　The word tatha\gata, another term for a buddha, consists of two parts: tatha, meaning ‘thus’ and agata, meaning ‘come’. The ‘thus’ refers to the ultimate truth of Thusness or Suchness (tathata), while the ‘come’ indicates the reaffirmation or re-establishment of Suchness. ‘Tathagata‘ therefore also refers to one’s own true nature.
　The “spiritual power” mentioned here is the power of causes and conditions, so the phrase “the Tathagata’s great spiritual power” signifies the manifestation of the power of this true nature through the conjunction of causes and conditions.

　... the Bodhi-tree constantly uttered the sublime sound of the Dharma, transmitting the teachings endlessly.

　This describes what is called ‘function based on substance’, that is, the concrete operation of fundamental truth. Here the Buddha is said to use sound to capture the attention of beings, but in fact anything that can attract beings to the Dharma may be described as a ‘sublime sound’ - it doesn’t have to be sound in the literal sense. So for example the lights that are often depicted in the Sutra as opening beings’ minds to the Dharma could also be called ‘sublime sounds’.
　When this sound is said to “transmit the teachings endlessly”, it means that in various ways the Dharma attracts and benefits all beings so as to establish them in peace and happiness.

　The palace, with its many different buildings, in which the Tathagata dwelt was beautifully adorned and so vast that it pervaded every region of space. It was constructed of wish-fulfilling gems of every hue and embellished with all kinds of jewelled flowers. From all these adornments there flowed clouds of light, and banners took shape from the mass of reflections within the palace.
　A limitless host of bodhisattvas gathered at the place of Enlightenment. They fashioned nets from the radiance of the buddhas, the transcendental sounds and the supreme wish-fulfilling gems that they were able to make manifest, and from these emerged all the realms of the Tathagata’s unhindered spiritual power. Images of the homes and dwellings of all beings appeared therein and, by virtue of the divine power of the buddhas, encompassed the entire Dharmarealm in a single instant.

　The palace, with its many different buildings, in which the Tathagata dwelt was beautifully adorned and so vast that it pervaded every region of space.

　“Tathagata” is another word for one’s own true nature, which is itself a manifestation of the ultimate truth. So how does the ultimate truth that was realized by the Buddha manifest itself? The Sutra says that it is like a palace that is “vast” and “beautifully adorned”, but you must on no account take this to mean that the Buddha was dwelling in some kind of physical building. The “palace” referred to here represents an aspect of the Tathagata himself, which you could also describe as his “mind” (hsin) or “sovereign mind” (hsinwang). It is this mind which is “vast” and “beautifully adorned”, and pervades every region of space. An ordinary worldling’s mind, being hopelessly defiled, cannot be described in these terms. Nevertheless the worldling’s mind too is included within the Tathagata’s palace, since “pure” and “impure” both appear simultaneously with the spontaneous arising of the Dharmarealm; ultimately there is no difference between them at all.
When the Sutra describes the “palace” in which one’s essential nature dwells as “beautifully adorned” and “vast”, what it is really indicating is the depth and breadth of one’s understanding. Unless one’s practice of the Dharma brings about a profound transformation, it is not possible to attain this vastness and beauty; so in vowing to “attain the unsurpassed Enlightenment of the buddhas”, the bodhisattva is aiming at just such a transformation. But if your study and practice of Buddhism always remain at a superficial level, nothing at all can be accomplished.
　In the same way, the vastness that the Sutra refers to corresponds to the bodhisattva’s vow to “master all the innumerable teachings of the Dharma”. One’s study and practice of Buddhism needs both depth and breadth, for only then can it become “vast” and “beautifully adorned”.

　...it pervaded every region of space.

　That is to say, it included everything. It may not be literally possible to cover every region of space with a single teaching or practice, but let me give you a concrete example of how this sort of all-inclusiveness can be achieved. In every individual houshold there are people and objects that the family cares about and regards with affection - this is a natural manifestation of life itself. The Buddhadharma is an all-encompassing method of spiritual practice that gives us greater vitality and allows our lives to develop in a healthy way, so you must never let your practice become something dry and lifeless. If you cultivate the Dharma with this kind of lively attitude, the particular practice you are concentrating on, whatever it may be, will be able to bring about an all-pervasive transformation. This is the key point.
　So when you are walking outdoors and you see a forest, a tree, or even a single fallen leaf, can you feel the kind of loving concern and reverence for life (which is in fact respect for your own humanity) that I have been speaking of? This is what I mean by saying that your practice should increase your vitality; it is also what the Sutra means when it says that the palace “pervaded every region of space”.
　The Buddha showed us how to develop our lives to the full. We shouldn’t drift around like deflated balloons, but should rather make use of this perishable body to awaken our true inner life. The attainment of Buddhahood itself depends on this. The Buddhadharma teaches us that we have to cultivate our minds at the most findamental level. We are therefore obliged to ask ourselves what the true nature of mind is. I hope you don’t think that what I am talking about is something mysterious. It is in fact the very heart of Buddhist practice.

　It was constructed of wish-fulfilling gems of every hue and embellished with all kinds of jewelled flowers.

　The "wish-fulfilling gems of every hue” here represent various kinds of ‘sovereignty’ or spiritual freedom, and the palace is the place where they are to be found. It is within this spiritual freedom that our true nature is present, and indeed the word ‘presence’ or ‘existence’ could be used to refer to this nature itself. All you need do is allow your true nature to remain in its primordial mode of being, and then you will have perfect spiritual freedom. Another way of putting it might be to say that spiritual freedom is simply the result of allowing the truth, the actual nature of things as they are, to maintain its original state of presence.

　From all these adornments there flowed clouds of light,...

　The “adornments” here are methods of Dharma practice, and the flowing light signifies spiritual accomplishment. If you can accomplish something through practice without becoming attached to it, this can be described symbolically as “flowing clouds of light”.

　....banners took shape from the mass of reflections within the palace.

　A banner is used to mark something that is remarkable or outstanding in some way, and reflections have the character of an illusion. But illusoriness is not the same as nonexistence, so it is still possible for illusory things to form banners. The reflections here stand for the idea of process. For example, the water that flows in a river is real enough in itself, but if you consider it in relation to the whole course of the river, it becomes something illusory. If you stand and watch it, you won’t see the water you are looking at now come back to the same place a second time - it just keeps flowing past. If I step into the river, then immediately lift my foot and put it back in the same place, I won’t be treading on the same water that I stepped on the first time, because that water will have already gone past. So when we step into the water, we are always doing it for the first time. Is this not an example of what the Sutra calls a “mass of reflections”?
　It is the same with the great current of life: every day that we experience is something completely new, but we are not aware of this at all. The reflections are only processes, and that why they are “like dreams, illusions, bubbles or reflections”, as the Diamond Sutra says. You should think carefully about this. For the enlightened, every day is a new life, so every day they are able to be “lofty and outstanding”. If you see every day of your life as being just the same as all the other days, you will end up in a depressed state of mind. But if you can rouse up your vital energy through Dharma practice, the quality of your life will also rise steadily till it passes byond the level of normal perception. This is how it is with the Tathagata’s banners that “took shape from the mass of reflections”.
　A limitless host of bodhisattvas gathered at the place of Enlightenment. They fashioned nets from the radiance of the buddhas, the transcendental sounds and the supreme wish-fulfilling gems that they were able to make manifest,....

　Here we see countless bodhisattvas appearing within the palace and manifesting simultaneously in all the realms of existence, turning the Wheel of Dharma in order to liberate beings from their suffering.
　The “radiance of the buddhas” indicates the wisdom that enables the buddhas to enjoy the bliss of the Dharma. There are two factors involved whenever someone attains Buddhahood: the essential nature of the individual, and their primordial nature. The essential nature is the causal basis from which the Aspiration to Enlightenment (bodhicitta) arises. For some people this is the practice of great compassion, for others the cultivation of great wisdom; for some it is sublime conduct, for others unshakeable vows....
　On the surface this essential nature is different for everybody, but if we probe more deeply we will find that ultimately everyone is the same. All those who have attained Enlightenment, all buddhas everywhere, share the same nature - there is no differentiation, no duality. When we undertake practice at the causal level, however, the starting point is different for each individual, which is why the various buddhas and buddharealms all have different names. But though the essential nature may be different in each case, the primordial nature remains the same. It is this primordial nature, which is the same for everybody, that is represented here by the “radiance of the buddhas” that the bodhisattvas “were able to make manifest”.

　...transcendental sounds and the supreme wish-fulfilling gems...

　These sounds and gems represent the wisdom that allows the buddhas to bestow the bliss of the Dharma on others. Using all kinds of skilful means, they respond freely to the needs of beings, teaching them in accordance with their capacities so that they may become free fom suffering. In this way they are able to “adorn” their “palace” by “fashioning nets” from the “sounds” and “gems”.

　...and out of these emerged all the realms of the Tathagata’s unhindered spiritual power. Images of the homes and dwellings of all beings appeared therein....

　From the ordinary worldling’s point of view, the Tathagata appears to be someone with “unhindered spiritual power”, but from the point of view of ultimate truth, the “Tathagata” is simply a mode of existence. Because beings have different faculties and capabilities, they perceive all sorts of changes taking place. But the Tathagata doesn’t change, the real truth never changes - rather, it is we ourselves who change. All the various realms and states emerge from the ultimate source of existence itself.

　Images of the homes and dwellings of all beings appeared therein....

　This sentence is a couterpart to the one which began this section and which stated that “the palace, with its many different buildings, in which the Tathagata dwelt was beautifully adorned and so vast that it pervaded every region of space”. What the present passage implies is that the realms which appear before you will vary according to your own capacities and accomplishments; in other words, the external realm that you see now is a projection of your own inner realm. Therefore the realms perceived by our senses will become steadily more wondrous as our minds become purer.

　...and, by virtue of the divine power of the buddhas, encompassed the entire Dharmarealm in a single instant.
　A buddha is someone who has ‘woken up’ or become enlightened, so the phrase “by virtue of the divine power of the buddhas” refers to their being sustained by the power of all the causes that combine to bring about the realization of Enlightenment.
As for their encompassing “the entire Dharmarealm in a single instant”, it is said of the Tathagata that
His mind takes in the whole of space
And embraces all the worlds.
　The Tathagata is the ultimate truth, and it is this truth that “encompasses the whole Dharmarealm”. But what about us? We are unable to recover this ultimate truth, and so we ourselves cannot encompass the Dharmarealm in the same way. Hence the Tathagata dwells in a “palace” that is described as “beautifully adorned and so vast that it pervaded every region of space”, while for us ordinary sentient beings, the Sutra tells us, there are “images of the homes and dwellings of all beings” that appear within the wish-fulfilling gems. Such is the difference between us and the Tathagata. How then should we practise if we want to improve the essential quality of our life?
　The ‘sevenfold posture’ traditionally recommended for meditation, that I spoke of earlier, in fact represents seven levels of practice, namely, the ten types of faith, the ten stations, the ten practices, the ten dedications (of merit), the ten stages (dashabhumi), virtual enlightenment, and sublime enlightenment. It is by making use of the four elements and five aggregates as vehicles for practice at these seven levels that we will indeed enhance the essential quality of our life, and when we do so, we will discover that by tempering our physical form we will also increase the wisdom of our Body of Truth (dharmaka\ya). This is the correct way to practise Buddhism, for it will enable us to gradually increase the wisdom of our Body of Truth, raising it up through all seven stages, from the ten kinds of faith right to the summit of Sublime Enlightenment.
　So in this way we can elevate the “images of the homes and dwellings of all beings” (referring in this case to those beings who have passed beyond the level of faith but have not yet reached the level of virtual enlightenment) right up to the ultimate stage of Sublime Enlightenment, which is also the realm of the Tathagata’s palace, described by the Sutra as “beautifully adorned and so vast that it pervaded every region of space”. For this a path of practice is required in which the whole process of cultivating Dharma is systematically laid out. Once you have grasped this basic principle, you will discover that the life of a Samantabhadra practitioner is always fresh and full of challenges.

　The splendid lion throne was high and wide. It rested on a platform of wish-fulfilling gems adorned with nets of lotus flowers, with disks of pure and exquisite jewels, and with garlands of flowers of every hue. The halls, kiosks, towers, pavilions, staircases, doorways and windows were lavishly adorned with the images of all things, and jewelled fruit-bearing trees stood here and there on every side. Wish-fulfilling gems illuminated one another with their radiance, and all the buddhas of the ten directions caused regal pearls to manifest, while exquisite gems in the topknots of the bodhisattvas emitted light and produced gleaming torches. These, sustained by the spiritual power of the bodhisattvas, spoke of the vast realm of the Tathagata, and the sublime sound spread far and wide, so that there was no place where it could not be heard.

　From the beginning of the Sutra up till this point there have been four major themes: first the ground that was “firm and solid”; then the Bodhi-tree that was “lofty and outstanding”; thirdly the palace that was “vast” and “beautifully adorned”; and finally the lion throne that was “splendid” and “high and wide”. These four themes are related and together form a sequence.
　The ground here is the ‘mind-ground’, and it comes first because the mind is the foundation of everything and has the greatest importance. Then comes the Bodhi-tree, which stands for the causes that make the achievement of Enlightenment possible. Thirdly there are the palace buildings, which symbolize spiritual accomplishment and gradual progress from the periphery towards the centre. They also represent the wisdom which allows the buddhas to enjoy the bliss of the Dharma. The fourth section, describing the lion throne, then expresses the wisdom through which the bliss of the Dharma is bestowed upon others. In this last section, the practitioner has already entered the very heart of reality.
　These four sections represent four major phases of practice, describing them in terms of phenomena drawn from the ‘receptacle world’ (the physical or material environment). But in truth the receptacle world is a projection of our inner, mental realm, and once we have fully comprehended this, we will discover that the outer, material realm and the inner, mental realm merge into one. So in cultivating the Buddhadharma, we must first rediscover our ‘original face’ for only then will we be in a position to take responsibility for our own lives.

　The splendid lion throne was high and wide.

　The lion throne symbolizes the turning of the Wheel of Dharma. It also symbolizes the vows which enable us to benefit sentient beings, for it is only through the power of the bodhisattva’s vows that we become capable of turning this Wheel. When we succeed in communicating our own inner realization to others, allowing them to enjoy the same benefits that we have obtained, that is the real turning of the Dharma-wheel.
Because the Buddha’s spiritual accomplishment surpasses all others, he has a “lion throne” that is “high and wide”. The size of the throne symbolizes his greatness, while its splendour points to the lofty purpose, skilful means and all-embracing scope of the Dharma.

　It rested on a platform of wish-fulfilling gems adorned with nets of lotus flowers....

　The wish-fulfilling gems represent sovereignty and perfect freedom, and a platform is a kind of base or foundation, so the sense here is that spiritual freedom is the basis; for the main function of the Wheel of Dharma is to guide beings to the freedom of Deliverance from suffering.
　A net covers everything and allows nothing to escape, while the lotus is a symbol of purity. The lotus also represents the simultaneousness of cause and result. In what way are they simultaneous? Here there is a truth that is being communicated to us. Let us start with the mind.
　The mind has two aspects: one is the mind as Suchness, and the other is the mind as birth and death.
　When we speak of the mind as Suchness, we are simply referring to the essential nature of the mind. In this essential nature there is neither purity nor impurity, and since it has always been what it is, neither pure nor impure, we call it Suchness. The other aspect of mind, because it is subject to the processes of birth and death, arising and ceasing, is more complicated. Conventional thinking would contrast Suchness with birth and death, considering one to be pure and the other impure, but this is a very crude way of looking at it. Suchness is neither pure nor impure, but at the same time it is both pure and impure. Consequently, while we may say that purity is the realm of Samantabhadra, we can equally well say that impurity is the realm of Samantabhadra.
　The mind as birth and death has three major aspects: essence, quality and function. It essence is the same as that of the mind as Suchness, for they both share the same characteristics of absolute stillness and immutability. This basic essence is not lost, even when the qualities of the mind manifest and begin to function; in other words, the purity of the essential nature is not obliterated by the arising of ‘pure’ and ‘impure’ phenomena. In other words, the ‘impurity’ of quality or function has no effect on the continuing presence of the authentically pure essence. So at the very moment when quality and function appear - which is the moment when karmic causes are created - the final result (i.e. Suchness or Enlightenment) still exists as it always has. In India the lotus came to be used as an apt symbol for this simultaneous existence of cause and result.

　...with disks of pure and exquisite jewels...

　The disks here symbolize rotation or mutual communication. “Pure” means that they are free from contamination, and the “jewels” in this case stand for anything that is truly useful. “Exquisite jewels” are not necessarily precious metals or minerals. Suppose for example that you don’t understand the Buddhadharma and I use some method that will enable you to understand; then the method I use is also an ‘exquisite jewel’. If you want to drive a nail into a wall to hang something on you will need a hammer, and then that hammer too will become an ‘exquisite jewel’.
　If we pursue this definition to its logical conclusion, is there anyone in the world who is not such a jewel? Of course a tantric master should be regarded as a precious jewel (rinpoche), but then so should a street cleaner! We have not been born into this world for no purpose, but do you really understand what that means? Once we really do understand, a lot of our emotional disturbances will be laid to rest. You mustn’t think this makes you somebody special - that would just be the ego-consciousness up to its old tricks. The “exquisite jewels” that we are talking about here require us to get rid of all such clinging to self, for they can only be produced by those who are free of attachment. When we use “pure and exquisite jewels” to open channels of communication, when we apply skilful means effectively, there can be no place for clinging of any kind.

　... and with garlands of flowers of every hue.

　The flowers here stand for Dharma practice as the ultimate cause for achieving Enlightenment, and the various colours indicate the different methods of practice. A garland is used to adorn things. Why have the flowers been made into this kind of adornment? Their significance here can be understood in terms of the Huayen principle of “the perfect clarity of principal and subordinate endowed with all auspicious qualities”.
　For example, if we take the lotus flowers as principal, then the “garlands of flowers of every hue” will be subordinate. If on the other hand we take the latter as principal, then the lotus flowers will become subordinate. This is how the relationship between principal and subordinate works. In the same way, we can adopt one particular method of Dharma practice as our principal or primary method of cultivation, and the other practices that we do will then be secondary or subordinate ones. Again, as far as this world Endurance (sahaloka) is concerned, Shakyamuni is the principal buddha and all the other buddhas of the ten directions are subordinate to him. But so it is with every buddha that appears in the world: a thousand other buddhas will lend him their support.

　The halls, kiosks, towers, pavilions, staircases, doorways and windows were lavishly adorned with the images of all things....

　The “halls” here are large rooms or separate buildings within the palace grounds, a “kiosk” is a kind of pavilion open to the air, and the “staircases” are flights of steps with banisters. This is easy enough to understand at the literal level, but from the point of view of the Dharma, the lavish adornment “with the images of all things” shows that the whole setting is the result of spiritual cultivation. Why is Shakyamuni’s lion throne surrounded by so much adornment? Because when he was cultivating Dharma at the causal level and began to engage in serious and systematic practice, he began with the transformation of his own mind, transforming a mind that was still subject to error and confusion into the true mind of Enlightenment.
　If we also want to transform ourselves in this way, the first step is to seek the guidance of spiritual friends. Then we have to find a way to realize what we have been taught, and to discover why we are so confused and deluded. Whatever degreee of realization you are able to achieve in this lifetime will be an accomplishment that will allow authentic faith to arise in your mind. The arising of such faith shows that you have already planted seeds of good karma, and once faith has become firmly established and fully developed in your mind, you will be ready to enter on the path to Enlightenment.

　...jewelled fruit-bearing trees stood here and there on every side. Wish-fulfilling gems illuminated one another with their radiance....

　These “jewelled trees” stand for the various methods of practice, all of which can enable you to perceive your own true nature, and the fruit that their branches bear represent spiritual accomplishments. Their standing “here and there on every side” signifies repeated practice, and the “wish-fulfilling gems” symbolize perfect freedom.
So it is only when, after repeated attempts to achieve understanding through your practice, you have finally succeeded in doing so, that the “light of perfect freedom” and the “clouds of perfect freedom” will be able to illuminate one another. What this mutual illumination signifies is that all the different teachings and practices of the Buddhadharma freely interact and are equally effective.

　... all the buddhas of the ten directions caused regal pearls to manifest, while exquisite gems in the topknots of the bodhisattvas emitted light and produced gleaming torches.

　A “buddha” is an awakened or enlightened being, while “regal pearls”(here equivalent to wish-fulfilling gems) are supreme among jewels. So when the Sutra says that “the buddhas of the ten directions caused regal pearls to manifest”, it means that perfect spiritual freedom is a priceless jewel adorning the Enlightenment of all awakened beings throughout the universe.
　As for the “exquisite gems in the topknots of the bodhisattvas”, this refers to the jewel or other ornament in the headdress or crown of hair that bodhisattvas are depicted as wearing. Two of the best-known examples are the buddha-image in the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara’s topknot and the precious vase that Mahasthamaprapta wears. Many other bodhisattvas have a “regal pearl” in their topknots; this pearl stands for the Buddha himself.
　The topknot ornament worn by each bodhisattva indicates the particular method of cultivating the mind that is associated with that individual. So if we want to know what the distinctive virtues associated with a certain bodhisattva are, we can tell by looking at the precious ornament that appears in their headdress. Although these ornaments are of various kinds, they all represent an aspect of either wisdom or compassion.
　A “bodhisattva” is literally an “Enlightenment-being”, while a “buddha” is someone who has achieved ultimate Enlightenment. Buddhas have become fully enlightened in every respect - hence the phrase ‘all buddhas everywhere’, alluding to the universality of their Enlightenment. The Enlightenment of a bodhisattva on the other hand is the manifestation of some particular quality or virtue. So we say that when a buddha achieves Buddhahood, countless bodhisattvas come and gather before him.
Regardless of how many virtues this or that bodhisattva may be endowed with, they all come in a blaze of light to appear before the lion throne. So remarkable is the realm achieved by a buddha at this moment of Enlightenment that all buddhas everywhere also come to confirm and endorse his achievement. From the buddha’s own point of view, the other buddhas are those who were formerly his teachers and fellow-practitioners, while the bodhisattvas are sentient beings to whom he had once taught the Dharma.
　If we take this passage as a purely literal description of the realm of the lion throne, it might seem a bit gaudy, and you could be tempted to think that such a dazzling throne, if it really existed, wouldn’t look out of place surrounded by laser beams in a science-fiction movie! But in fact the light that we see here is the light of wisdom which emerges from the inherent qualities of your own true nature. If we want to convey the significance of this inner realm, we have no choice but to make use of external phenomena in order to describe it. If you want to arrive at a genuine understanding of Buddhism, the most important thing is to look for the real meaning that lies behind the words.
　The Buddhadharma is concerned with truth, with the realm of ultimate reality. Once this realm has become fully apparent, it remains forever present and will never disappear again. This is the realm of calm, eternal light, where the cycle of arising, existing, decaying and vanishing is no more.

　These, sustained by the spiritual power of the bodhisattvas, spoke of the vast realm of the Tathagata....

　This passage speaks of the Huayen realm of the Ocean Seal Samadhi (sagaramudrasamadhi). It is only through the causal efficacy of Enlightenment itself that all the realms of our own true nature can be made to appear with perfect clarity, all at once.
　Here the words “buddha” and “tathagata” occur together, so I would like to remind everybody that the former refers to the realization of Enlightenment and the latter to your own true nature. So by now the two terms have already been distinguished from one another; later on, when we come to the ten great vows of Samantabhadra, we will hear of “honouring the buddhas” and “praising the tathagatas”. Why do we speak of honouring the buddhas? Because the coming together of the causes and conditions for Enlightenment is something that we should revere and cherish. “Praising the tathagatas” on the other hand refers to ceaseless praise of the vast realms contained within the limitless scope of your own nature.

　...and the sublime sound spread far and wide, so that there was no place where it could not be heard.

　Such is the sublime power of Enlightenment that it enables the “sublime sound” which speaks of the vast realms to be found within the essential nature of every sentient being to be heard “far and wide”. When the Sutra says that “there was no place” where this sound could not be heard, it informs us that even now Shakyamuni Buddha continues to preach the Avatamasaka Su\tra. He preaches it throughout the past, present and future: this is what is meant by saying that “the sublime sound spread far and wide”. The Sutra can also be heard everywhere, in every world inhabited by sentient beings throughout the entire universe; hence we are told that that “there was no place where it could not be heard”.