Flower Adornment Essay On
The Gold Lion

by Shramana Fa Tsang
Translated into English by
Bhikshu Heng Shun
reviewed by Bhikshuni Heng Hsien

      ONE, UNDERSTANDING CONDITIONED ARISING

      TWO, DISTINGUISHING FORM AND EMPTINESS

      THREE, SUMMARIZING THE THREE NATURES

      FOUR, REVEALING THE MARKLESS

      FIVE, EXPLAINING THE UNPRODUCED

      SIX, DISCUSSING THE FIVE TEACHINGS

      SEVEN, MASTERING THE TEN MYSTERIES

      EIGHT, EMBRACING THE SIX MARKS

      NINE, ACHIEVING BODHI

      TEN, ENTERING NIRVANA

      
ONE, UNDERSTANDING CONDITIONED ARISING

      That is to say, the gold is without a nature of its own. In accordance with the condition of the skillful work of the crafts-man, there arise the marks of the lion. Their arising is only due to this condition. Therefore, this is called conditioned arising.

      TWO, DISTINGUISHING FORM AND EMPTINESS

      That is to say, the marks of the lion are unreal. There is only true gold. The lion does not exist. The gold substance is not non-existent. Therefore they are called form and emptiness.

      "Moreover, emptiness does not have a mark of its own. Through form it is revealed. It does not obstruct illusory existence. Therefore they are called form and emptiness." Also, in Number Seven, Mastering the Ten Mysteries, the Ninth Door should be the Door of the Different Accomplishments of the Ten Periods of Time.

      THREE, SUMMARIZING THE THREE NATURES

      The lion that exists for the emotions is called imaginary. The apparent existence of the lion is called dependent. The nature of the gold does not change; therefore it is called perfected.

      FOUR, REVEALING THE MARKLESS

      That is to say, the gold takes in the lion completely. Outside of the gold there is no mark of the lion which can be obtained. Therefore it is called markless.

      FIVE, EXPLAINING THE UNPRODUCED

      That is to say, at the very time one sees the lion produced, it is only the gold that is produced. Outside of the gold there is not a single other thing. Although the lion has production and destruction, its gold substance fundamentally is without increase or decrease. Therefore it is called unproduced.

      SIX, DISCUSSING THE FIVE TEACHINGS

      First, although the lion is causally conditioned dharma, it is produced and destroyed in every thought. In reality no mark of the lion can be obtained. This is called the Teaching of the Sound-Hearers Who Are Ignorant About Dharmas.

      Second, these very conditionally produced dharmas are each without a nature of their own. At their basis, they are only emptiness. This is called the Beginning Teaching of the Great Vehicle.

      Third, although at their basis they are only emptiness, that still does not obstruct their illusory existence. Conditionally produced, they have a false existence. Therefore both of these two marks remain. This is called the Final Teaching of the Great Vehicle.

      Fourth, these very two marks cancel out each other, so both perish. Emotion's falseness does not remain. Both have no strength; therefore both emptiness and existence come to an end. This is known as the path of words being cut off, and the mind having no place to abide in. This is called the Sudden Teaching of the Great Vehicle.

      Fifth, these very dharmas of emotion's exhaustion and the disclosing of the substance combine to become one mass. Then there is abundant flourishing of great functions. Their arising is absolutely and totally true. The ten thousand appearances in profusion mingle yet are not disordered. All are just one, for all alike are without a nature. One is just all, for causes and results follow in succession. Their strengths and functions intermingle, rolling up and spreading out with freedom and ease. This is called the Perfect Teaching of the One Vehicle.

      SEVEN, MASTERING THE TEN MYSTERIES

      One. The gold and the lion simultaneously come into being, and are perfectly complete. This is called the Door of Simultaneous Completion and Mutual Interaction.

      Two. If the eyes of the lion take in the lion completely, then all of it is singularly the eyes. If the ears take in the lion completely, then all of it is singularly the ears. All of the organs simultaneously take in each other, a11 being fully complete. Therefore each and every one is mixed, yet each and every one is singular, making up a complete treasury. This is called the Door of the Singular Yet Composite Completeness in Virtue of All Treasuries.

      Three. The gold and the lion contain one another to be established. The one and the many do not obstruct one another. Within them, noumena and phenomena are each different. Whether one or many, each abides in its own position. This is called the Door of the One and Many Containing One Another Yet Being Different.

      Four. Every organ of the lion and each of its hair tips, by means of the gold, takes in the lion completely. Each and every one is all pervasive. With respect to the eyes of the lion, the eyes are the ears, the ears are the nose, the nose is the tongue, and the tongue is the body. With freedom and ease they are established, and are unobstructed and unimpeded. This is called the Door of the Mutual Identity of All Dharmas In Freedom and Ease.

      Five. If one looks at the lion, then there is only the lion and not the gold. The lion is revealed, and the gold is hidden. If one looks at the gold, then there is only the gold and not the lion. The gold is revealed, and the lion is hidden. If one looks at both aspects, then they are both hidden and both revealed. If hidden, they are concealed. If revealed, they are apparent. This is called the Door of the Hidden and the Revealed Being Established Together.

      Six. For the gold and the lion--whether hidden or revealed, whether one or many, set as singular or set as mixed, with strength or without strength--this is just that, and host and attendants interilluminate. Noumena and phenomena manifest together and totally contain one another. There is no obstruction of establishment or accomplishment of the subtle and minute. This is called the Door of the Establishment and Intercontainment of the Subtle and Minute.

      Seven. The lion's eyes, ears, and the other members, and each of its hairs has a golden lion. The lions in each hair simultaneously and instaneously enter into a single hair. Within each hair there are limitless lions. Moreover, each and every hair of those limitless lions also returns and enters into a single hair. In this way there is layer upon layer without end, like the pearls in the net of the Heavenly Lord. This is called the Door of the State of Indra's Net.

      Eight. One speaks of the lion in order to represent ignorance. One speaks of its gold substance to reflect the true nature. Discussing noumena and phenomena together further causes the alaya consciousness to be properly understood. This is called the Door of Relying on Phenomena to Reveal Dharmas and Produce Understanding.

      Nine. The lion is conditioned dharma. In thought after thought it is produced and destroyed. Within a kshana it divides up into three boundaries. That is to say, all of the three boundaries--those of the past, the present and the future--each has a past, a present, and a future, making up the nine periods of time. Those all tie together to form a single-piece dharma door. Although there are nine periods of time, each separate, they are established because of each other. They interpenetrate without obstruction, and identically constitute a single thought. This is called the Door of the Different Accomplishment of Separate Dharmas of the Three Periods of Time.

      Ten. The gold and the lion, whether hidden or revealed, whether one or many, are each without a nature of their own. They are caused by the turnings of the mind. When one speaks of phenomena or speaks of noumena, there is coming into being and establishment. This is called the Door of Skillful Accomplishment Through the Turnings of Mind Only.

      NUMBER EIGHT. EMBRACING THE SIX MARKS

      The lion is the mark of generality. The differences of the five organs is the mark of particularity. That all of them arise from a single condition is the mark of sameness. The eyes, ears, and so forth not overlapping is the mark of difference. That all organs assemble for the lion to exist is the mark of coming into being. That each organ abides in its own position is the mark of destruction.

      NUMBER NINE, ACHIEVING BODHI

      Bodhi means the Path and Awakening. That is to say, at the time one sees the lion, that is just seeing how all conditioned dharmas, even before they are destroyed, are 
fundamentally still and extinct. Being apart from grasping and rejecting is just the road which flows to and enters the sea of Sarvajna (All-Wisdom). Therefore, it is called the Path. To understand that, from beginningless time up to now, all upside-downness, from the first is without actuality, is called Awakening. Ultimate endowment with the Wisdom of All Modes is called achieving Bodhi.

      NUMBER TEN, ENTERING NIRVANA

      One looks at the lion and the gold, yet the marks of both are exhausted, and afflictions are not produced. Beauty and ugliness appear before one, yet one's mind is as calm as the ocean. False thoughts are all exhausted. One has no compulsions, escapes from bondage, is free from obstruction, and eternally renounces the wellsprings of suffering. That is called entering Nirvana.