Avatamsaka Sutra
(The Flower Garland Sutra)
{Practices and Vows of the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra}
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[The first part of this document is an excerpt from one of the great Buddhist sutras. (Book One Begins below) Buddha Shakyamuni preached it in heaven shortly after his attainment of Buddhahood. The sutra reveals different causes and ways of cultivation of many great Bodhisattvas, such as Ten Grades of Faith, Ten Stages of Wisdom, Ten Activities, Ten Transference of Merits, Ten Stages of Bodhisattvas, Absolute Universal Enlightenment, Wonderful Enlightenment, etc. It also reveals how to enter Avatamsaka World (Buddha”s world) from the Saha World. "The Flower Adornment Sutra" -- whose full title is the "Great Means Expansive Buddha Flower Adornment Sutra" -- is the longest Sutra in Mahayana Buddhism. Referred to by Buddhist scholars as "the King of Kings of Buddhist scripture" and the "epitome of Buddhist Thought, Buddhist sentiment, and Buddhist experience," the Flower Adornment Sutra is 81 rolls (bamboo scrolls) long and contains more than 700,000 Chinese characters.]
At one time Samantabhadra addressed the assembled, having praised the exalted merits and virtues of Buddha Vairocana, the Bodhisattva Bodhisattvas, along with Sudhana, as follows:
"Good men, even if all the Buddha”s of all the ten directions were to speak continuously, for as many eons as there are fine motes of dust in a incalculable number of Buddha lands (worlds), the merits and virtues of the Buddha could never be fully described.
"Those wishing to achieve these merits and virtues should cultivate ten vast and great practices and vows. What are these ten
First, Pay homage and respect to all Buddha”s.
Second, Praise all the Buddha”s.
Third, Make abundant offerings.
Fourth, Repent misdeeds and evil karma”s (actions).
Fifth, Rejoice in others” merits and virtues.
Sixth, Request the Buddha”s to teach.
Seventh, Request the Buddha”s to remain in the world.
Eighth, Follow the teachings of the Buddha”s at all times.
Ninth, Accommodate and benefit all living beings.
Tenth, Transfer all merits and virtues universally."
After explaining the significance of the first eight vows, the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra continues:
Ninth Vow
"Sudhana, to accommodate and benefit all living beings is explained like this: throughout the oceans of worlds in the ten directions exhausting the Dharma realm (cosmos) and the realms of empty space there are many different kinds of living beings. That is to say, there are those born from eggs, the womb-born, the transformational born, as well as those who live and rely on earth, water, fire and air for their existence. There are beings dwelling in space, and those who are born in and live in plants and trees. This includes all the many species and races with their perse bodies, shapes, appearances, life spans, families, names, and natures. This includes their many varieties of knowledge and views, their various desires and pleasures, their thoughts and deeds, and their many different behaviors, clothing and diets.
"It includes beings who dwell in different villages, towns, cities and palaces, as well as gods, dragons, and others of the eight pisions, Humans and non-humans alike. There are also footless beings, beings with two feet, four feet, and many feet, with form and without form, with thought and not entirely with thought and not entirely without thought.
" I will accord with and take care of all these many kinds of beings, providing all manner of services and offerings for them. I will treat them with the same respect I show my own parents, teachers, elders, Arhats, and even the Buddha”s. I will serve them all equally without differenc…
《華嚴經 AVATAMSAKA SUTRA (excerpts) Translated by The Buddhist Information Society of North America》全文未完，請進入下頁繼續閱讀…