WHAT THIS BODHISATTVA DILIGENTLY CULTIVATES, THE MAKING OF OFFERINGS TO ALL BUDDHAS, THE TEACHING AND TRANSFORMING OF LIVING BEINGS, AND ALL OF THE GOOD ROOTS FROM CULTIVATING THE DHARMAS OF PURIFICATION OF THE GROUNDS, HE COMPLETELY TRANSFERS TO THE GROUND OF ALL-WISDOM, BECOMING PROGRESSIVELY MORE BRIGHT AND PURE, SUBDUED, COMPLIANT  AND ACCOMPLISHED, AND CAPABLE OF ACTING IN ACCORD WITH HIS INTENT.

Commentary;

      Vajra Store Bodhisattva again said to all the Bodhisattvas, "All of you DISCIPLES OF THE BUDDHA, THIS BODHISATTVA who has certified to the Ground of Happiness, BECAUSE OF MAKING OFFERINGS TO ALL BUDDHAS/Due to his vastly cultivating the giving of offerings to all Buddhas, OBTAINS THE DHARMAS FOR ACCOMPLISHING LIVING BEINGS/He obtains the meritorious virtues  of the Four Dharmas of Attraction for accomplishing all living beings. USING THE FORMER TWO ATTRACTIONS, HE ATTRACTS AND GATHERS IN LIVING BEINGS/Employing the former two dharmas for attracting and. gathering in living beings, two of the Dharmas of Attraction, he attracts and gathers in all living beings. THAT IS to say: GIVING AND LOVING WORDS/The Bodhisattva vastly cultivates the practice of giving—giving all of his own wealth and treasures to living beings--and loving words, always speaking talk that is cherishing and protective of living beings to living beings which is just the kind of talk they like to hear. He uses a mind of kindness and compassion to cherish and protect all living beings. Even if it is the very worst sort of living being, he still brings forth the Bodhi resolve to save that being  and teach it.

THE LATTER TWO DHARMAS OF ATTRACTION/The last two Dharmas of Attraction, that is, beneficial conduct and similarity in deeds, those latter two of the Dharmas of Attraction, BECAUSE HE ONLY USES THE POWER OF FAITH AND UNDERSTANDING/He is always using the power of faith and understanding, yet HIS PRACTICE HAS NOT YET WELL-PENETRATED/He cultivates but has not yet perfected that kind of Bodhisattva conduct. THAT BODHISATTVA, AMONG THE TEN PARAMITAS/This Bodhisattva, among the ten kinds of Paramitas which are the Six Crossings to the Other Shore:

1. Giving

2. Holding Precepts

3. Patience

4. Vigor

5. Dhyana-samadhi

6. Wisdom

with the addition of:

7. Expedients

8. Vows

9. Strength

10. Knowledge

making the Ten Crossings, those ten kinds of Dharma doors for arrival at the other shore, EMPHASIZES THE PARAMITA OF GIVING/The use of Giving Arrived at the Other Shore, that kind of dharma, is most stressed. He cultivates that kind of dharma. IT IS NOT THAT HE FAILS TO CULTIVATE THE REMAINING PARAMITAS/ It's not a case of his not employing the other nine Paramitas to cultivate, BUT HE ONLY DOES SO ACCORDING TO HIS STRENGTH AND PROPORTIONATELY/He does as much with them as he can, according to what his strength permits, and does as much as possible in proportion to the causes and conditions.

WHAT THIS BODHISATTVA/The Bodhisattva whom we have been discussing, DILIGENTLY CULTIVATES/The dharmas that he diligently cultivates, his diligent cultivation of THE MAKING OF OFFERINGS TO ALL BUDDHAS/In accordance with what his strength permits him to do, he diligently cultivates the making of offerings to all Buddhas and then THE TEACHING AND TRANSFORMING OF LIVING BEINGS, AND ALL OF THE GOOD ROOTS FROM CULTIVATING THE DHARMAS OF PURIFICATION OF THE GROUNDS/The Dharma doors which enable one to purify the Ten Grounds, HE COMPLETELY TRANSFERS TO THE GROUND OF ALL-WISDOM/All of the good roots that he has amassed he entirely uses to make transference to the Ground of All-Wisdom, to the fruit position of All-Wisdom, BECOMING PROGRESSIVELY MORE BRIGHT AND PURE/He becomes more and more bright and pure, making more progress in his cultivation every day, and SUBDUED, COMPLIANT AND ACCOMPLISHED, AND CAPABLE OF ACTING IN ACCORD WITH HIS INTENT/He causes his mind and nature constantly to be yielding and compliant, patient and forbearing, accomplished, and capable of acting in accord with his intent,  in accordance with his own wishes, he is capable of putting all Buddhadharmas into action, and using them to teach and transform living beings.

SUTRA:

DISCIPLES OF THE BUDDHA, JUST AS WHEN A GOLDSMITH WELL-SKILLED AT SMELTING GOLD REPEATEDLY PUTS IT THROUGH THE FIRE, IT BECOME PROGRESSIVELY MORE BRIGHT AND PURE, SUBDUED, COMPLIANT AND ACCOMPLISHED, AND CAPABLE OF ACTING IN ACCORD WITH HIS INTENT; THE BODHISATTVA ALSO IN THAT "AY, IN MAKING OFFERINGS TO ALL BUDDHAS AND TEACHING AND TRANSFORMING LIVING BEINGS—ALL THAT MAKES FOR CULTIVATION OF THE DHARMAS OF PURIFICATION OF THE GROUNDS--AND TAKING ALL OF THOSE GOOD ROOTS AND COMPLETELY TRANSFERRING THEM TO THE GROUND OF ALL-WISDOM, BECOMES PROGRESSIVELY MORE BRIGHT AND PURE, SUBDUED, COMPLIANT AND ACCOMPLISHED, AND CAPABLE OF ACTING IN ACCORD WITH HIS INTENT.

DISCIPLES OF THE BUDDHA, THE BODHISATTVA MAHASATTVA, WHEN DWELLING UPON THIS THE FIRST GROUND, SHOULD FROM WHERE ALL BUDDHAS, BODHISATTVAS, AND GOOD, WISE ADVISORS ARE, SEARCH OUT AND REQUEST WITHIN THESE GROUNDS THE MARKS AND THE FRUIT OBTAINED, WITH NO WEARINESS OR SATIATION, IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH THE DHARMAS OF THESE GROUNDS. HE SHOULD ALSO FROM WHERE ALL BUDDHAS, BODHISATTVAS, AND GOOD, WISE ADVISORS ARE, SEARCH OUT AND REQUEST WITHIN THE SECOND GROUND THE MARKS AND THE FRUIT OBTAINED, WITH NO WEARINESS OR SATIATION, IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH THE DHARMAS OF THAT GROUND. HE SHOULD ALSO IN THAT WAY SEARCH OUT AND REQUEST WITHIN THE THIRD, THE FOURTH, THE FIFTH, THE SIXTH, THE SEVENTH, THE EIGHTH, THE NINTH, AND THE TENTH GROUND, THE MARKS AND THE FRUIT OBTAINED, WITH NO WEARINESS OR SATIATION, IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH THE DHARMAS OF THOSE GROUNDS.

THIS BODHISATTVA IS GOOD AT KNOWING REMEDIES FOR ALL OBSTRUCTIONS TO THE GROUNDS, GOOD AT KNOWING THE ACCOMPLISHMENT AND DESTRUCTION OF THE GROUNDS, GOOD AT KNOWING THE MARKS AND FRUITS OF THE GROUNDS.

Commentary:

Vajra Store Bodhisattva again said to all the Bodhisattvas, "All of you DISCIPLES OF THE BUDDHA, I'll give you an analogy for this principle. What is it like? It is like a person who refines gold, a goldsmith. JUST AS WHEN A GOLDSMITH WELL-SKILLED AT SMELTING GOLD uses all kinds of clever and skillful methods to smelt gold and refine, and REPEATEDLY PUTS IT THROUGH THE FIRE/Time after time he uses fire on it, and IT BECOMES PROGRESSIVELY MORE BRIGHT AND PURE/When it has been through the fire once, the gold is just that much more purified. After repeated smeltings, it becomes unalloyed gold, without the least admixture, and SUBDUED, COMPLIANT AND ACCOMPLISHED, AND CAPABLE OF ACTING IN ACCORD WITH HIS INTENT/When the gold has been fired to the point of being very soft and pliant, so there is no way it could break, it is compliant and accomplished, and capable of acting in accord with his intent. You can make whatever you want out of it, in accord with your intent. One can use the gold to make all kinds of ornaments to adorn one's person. That all becomes possible.

THE BODHISATTVA ALSO IN THAT WAY/The Bodhisattva in cultivating all of the dharmas of regulating the Grounds is also like that. First of all IN MAKING OFFERINGS TO ALL BUDDHAS/Vastly cultivating the giving of offerings, AND TEACHING AND TRANSFORMING LIVING BEINGS/Using kindness, compassion, joy, giving, patience, vigor--those kinds of Paramitas—to teach and transform living beings—ALL THAT MAKES FOR CULTIVATION OF/Causing all living beings all to be able to cultivate THE DHARMAS OF PURIFICATION OF THE GROUNDS/The Dharma doors of purification of the Ten Grounds, AND TAKING ALL OF THOSE GOOD ROOTS AND COMPLETELY TRANSFERRING THEM/The good roots that have been amassed from cultivation he completely uses to make transference TO THE GROUND OF ALL-WISDOM/The Ground of All-Wisdom, the dharmas of the Ten Grounds. He BECOMES PROGRESSIVELY MORE BRIGHT AND PURE/Every day he understands the Dharma doors of the Ten Grounds better, and each day he is more pure, SUBDUED, COMPLIANT AND ACCOMPLISHED/His skill in cultivation becomes accomplished. That he is subdued and compliant means this Bodhisattva hasn't the least bit of temper, and not the slightest affliction. At all times he is very kind, compassionate, joyous and giving, and accomplishes the door of practice of patience; AND CAPABLE OF ACTING IN ACCORD WITH HIS INTENT/Whatever Dharma door he wants to employ he is able to employ.

DISCIPLES OF THE BUDDHA/Vajra Store Bodhisattva again said to all the Bodhisattvas, "All of you Buddhist disciples, the  Great Bodhisattva who cultivates the Bodhisattva conduct and amasses all kinds of good roots, WHEN DWELLING UPON THE FIRST GROUND/When he certifies to the position of the Ground of Happiness, SHOULD FROM WHERE ALL BUDDHAS/He should from where all Buddhas and BODHISATTVAS/All of the Great Bodhisattvas, AND GOOD, WISE ADVISORS ARE/Or else in places where all Good-Knowing Advisors are, SEARCH OUT AND REQUEST/To search out is to investigate, investigating the Dharma doors of all the Grounds. If there are places one does not understand, one requests the Buddhas, requests of the Bodhisattvas, and requests of the good, wise advisors WITHIN THESE GROUNDS/Within these, the Ten Grounds, THE MARKS AND THE FRUIT OBTAINED/What the marks gone through, the characteristics experienced in cultivating the Ten Grounds, along with what the fruit-positions to be obtained in the future are like, WITHOUT WEARINESS OR SATIATION/One does the seeking out oneself, and the requesting is that of requesting all the Buddhas, the Bodhisattvas, and all Good-Knowing Advisors. It's that way every day, it's all the time that way, with no weariness or satiation. There's no saying, "I've cultivated enough," and not investigating, or any laziness. There's none of that. It's that way all the time, IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH THE DHARMAS OF THESE GROUNDS/The reason is that he wants to bring the dharmas of the Ten Grounds to accomplishment.

HE SHOULD ALSO, FROM WHERE ALL BUDDHAS, BODHISATTVAS, AND GOOD, WISE ADVISORS ARE, SEARCH OUT AND REQUEST/The First Ground is that way, and if one wishes to cultivate the dharmas of the second of the Ten Grounds, one should again request them from where the Buddhas, the Bodhisattvas, and the Good-Knowing Advisors are. One should seek them out and investigate them. If there are places one does not understand, one requests, WITHIN THE SECOND GROUND/ Upon the Second Ground, THE MARKS AND THE FRUIT OBTAINED/The characteristics of what one experiences, along with the fruit-position one obtains, WITH NO WEARINESS OR SATIATION/This, too, with no time of weariness or satiation, IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH THE DHARMAS OF THAT GROUND/When one intends to bring the dharmas of the Third Ground, the Fourth Ground, up to and including the dharmas of the Tenth Ground to accomplishment, HE SHOULD ALSO IN THAT WAY/He should in the same manner, SEARCH OUT/Investigate, AND REQUEST/Requesting of all Buddhas, ail Bodhisattvas, and all Good-Knowing Advisors WITHIN THE THIRD, THE FOURTH, THE FIFTH, THE SIXTH, THE SEVENTH, THE EIGHTH, THE NINTH, AND THE TENTH GROUND, THE MARKS/The characteristics of what one goes through, AND THE FRUIT OBTAINED/The fruit-position one obtains, WITH NO WEARINESS OR SATIATION/This too is without a time of weariness or satiation, IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH THE DHARMAS OF THOSE GROUNDS/This is also because of wanting to accomplish the dharmas of the Ten Grounds.

THIS BODHISATTVA/The Bodhisattva in question, IS GOOD AT KNOWING REMEDIES FOR ALL OBSTRUCTIONS TO THE GROUNDS/He is skilled in the knowledge of what obstacles arise on each Ground, and what methods to employ to counteract them. He is GOOD AT KNOWING THE ACCOMPLISHMENT AND DESTRUCTION OF THE GROUNDS/He is skilled in knowing how the Dharma doors of the Ten Grounds are accomplished, and how they are not accomplished; and GOOD AT KNOWING THE MARKS AND FRUITS OF THE GROUNDS/He is also skilled in the knowledge of the characteristics of the Ten Grounds, and how one attains to their fruit- positions. He should understand all of that.

AVATAMSAKA DHARMA RAIN 
AT THE CITY OF TEN THOUSAND BUDDHAS

California’s three-year drought, which had reached critical proportions, has broken since the Venerable Master Hua began to lecture the Avatamsaka Sutra on a permanent basis at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas in Talmage, California, near Ukiah. The rain of the Dharma matches the downpours of the sky in its profusion, and the Dharma Assembly drinks it in as thirstily as the parched California soil absorbs the longed-for moisture. This is the first time the Avatamsaka Sutra has been lectured on any Western ground, and in response the Master lectures two full times each day that he is present in the City. Watch for translations by the BTTS of SABA.