outline of avatamsaka sutra

8/12/2019 Outline of Avatamsaka Sutra

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Outline of Avatamsaka Sutra

By Dr. Tony Prince

The First Assembly

Chapter 1 The Sublime A!ornments of the "or!s of the #orl!

The main topic of the first$ lon% chapter is the nature of

Bu!!hahoo!. &t provi!es an intro!uctory overvie' of the basic

teachin%s of the Sutra 'hich 'ill be recapitulate! in more

concrete form in the even lon%er final chapter$ throu%h the story

of Su!hana(s )uest for *nli%htenment an! the conclu!in% hymn

in praise of Bu!!hahoo! by Samantabha!ra.

&t be%ins 'ith a !epiction of the Bu!!ha un!er the Bo!hi+tree.

#hile this is on one level the historical Bo!hi+tree in ,a%a!ha$

it also appears here as a manifestation of ultimate reality. #e

then learn that the Bo!hi+tree is locate! in a vast palace that is

elaborately a!orne! an! shinin% 'ith a multicolore! ra!iance....

an! so on.

The au!ience is then !escribe!. There are not only innumerable

bo!hisattvas$ le! by Samantabha!ra$ but also vast numbers of!eities of all kin!s -ara+'iel!ers$ atten!ant spirits$ %uar!ians

of sites of *nli%htenment$ %o!s of to'ns an! localities$ %o!s of

mountains$ forests$ healin% herbs$ crops$ rivers an! oceans/ %o!s

of 'ater$ of fire$ of 'in!$ of space$ an! of the !irections/ %o!s

of the ni%ht an! of the !ay/ asuras$ %aru!as$ kinnaras$

mahora%as$ yakshas$ na%as$ kumbhan!has$ an! %an!harvas/

%o!s of the moon an! of the sun/ an! all the !eities of the

various heavens of tra!itional Bu!!hist cosmolo%y. These

bein%s represent the entire universe$ in its animate an!

suppose!ly inanimate aspects$ an! they all reoice at the

Bu!!ha(s achievement of *nli%htenment. For each %roup the

names of ten representative fi%ures are %iven$ an! for each ofthe ten$ a stan0a is then recite! in praise of the Bu!!ha(s

*nli%htenment.


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Chapter The Display of the Tatha%ata

The assemble! bo!hisattvas ask a series of )uestions about the

nature of the Bu!!ha an! of Bu!!hahoo!. &n response$ all the

various 'orl!+oceans appear$ ten of 'hich are name! an!

!escribe! 2one for each of the ten !irections3. Bo!hisattvas 'ith

their retinues come from all these 'orl!s to the "otus #orl! of

-airocana an! make offerin%s to the Bu!!ha. 2Shakyamuni an!

the Saha'orl! here reveal their true form as -airocana an! the

"otus #orl!$ 'hile still remainin% 'hat they 'ere 4 the scene

is simultaneously both ,a%a!ha an! the "otus #orl!.3 TheBu!!ha then emits li%ht from his urna$ an! subse)uently a

bo!hisattva also emer%es from the urna an! recites ten stan0as

about the Bu!!ha(s kno'le!%e an! po'ers/ finally ten other

bo!hisattvas appear an! each recites ten similar stan0as.

Chapter 5 Samantabha!ra(s Sama!hi

Samantabha!ra enters sama!hi in the presence of the Bu!!ha/

this is then seen to be repeate! en!lessly throu%hout all time

an! space. The Bu!!ha praises Samantabha!ra an! besto's

kno'le!%e on him. All the bu!!has then place their han!s on

Samantabha!ra(s hea! in a %esture of blessin%. Samantabha!ra

then emer%es from sama!hi. "i%ht ra!iates from the Bu!!ha(spores$ an! this li%ht is hear! to recite ten verses in praise of

Samantabha!ra. All the bo!hisattvas then sin% a further ten

stan0as in praise of Samantabha!ra.

Chapter 6 The Formation of the #orl!s

&n verse an! prose$ Samantabha!ra %ives an! account of the

7uayen cosmolo%y$ an! the number$ variety an! beauty of all

the infinite 'orl!s is !escribe!. Finally Samantabha!ra e8plains

the interpenetration of macrocosm an! microcosm.

Chapter 9 The "otus #orl!

Samantabha!ra(s account of 7uayen cosmolo%y is continue!

first the vast si0e an! intricacy of -airocana(s 'orl! is

!escribe!$ then some of the innumerable 'orl!+systems

surroun!in% it are liste! an! name!. The name of the Bu!!ha


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presi!in% in each one is %iven$ sho'in% that the entire universe

is perva!e! by the presence of *nli%htenment$ an! sometimes

the shape of the 'orl!+system an! other !etails are also %iven.

Finally Samantabha!ra sums up the theme of the chapter in

verse.

Chapter : -airocana

Samantabha!ra tells us somethin% of the early history 2;in the

remote past$ as many aeons a%o as there are atoms in a 'orl!;3

of the bo!hisattva 'ho became -airocana. Thus 'e learn that

bo!hicitta an! the )uest for *nli%htenment not only affect the

in!ivi!ual but shape the very physical form of the universe$ for

the physical environment an! the karma of its inhabitants are

inter!epen!ent 4 as the previous t'o chapters have also ma!e

clear.

The Secon! Assembly

Chapter niversal

"i%ht. ,anusri an! countless other bo!hisattvas arrive from

various 'orl!s in the ten !irections. ,anusri then names someof these 'orl!s an!$ startin% 'ith this 'orl! *n!urance$ an!

thence procee!in% to 'orl!s in the east$ south$ 'est$

north'est.... an! so on$ he %ives$ for each 'orl!$ ten 2?infinite3

names by 'hich the Bu!!ha is kno'n there.

Chapter @ The Four 7oly Truths

A%ain$ startin% 'ith the Saha'orl! an! procee!in% to the same

ten 'orl!s 2thou%h in a !ifferent or!er3$ ,anusri lists the

various names by 'hich the Four Truths are kno'n in those

'orl!s$ %ivin% in each case ten names for each of the Four

Truths. This chapter thus illustrates the universality of the

Dharma.

Chapter A'akenin% by "i%ht

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"i%ht ra!iates from the 'heelmarks on the soles of the

Bu!!has feet$ illuminatin% 'orl!s in all ten !irections. As each

!irection is lit up$ the same scene in the 7all of >niversal "i%ht

appears multiplie! to infinity. All the ,anusri in those

countless 'orl!s chant verses praisin% the Bu!!ha an!

e8poun!in% the Dharma.

Chapter 1 A Bo!hisattva Asks for Clarification

,anusri asks each of the other chief bo!hisattvas from the

other nine !irections 2as in chapter


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Chapter 15 Ascent to the Summit of ,t. Sumeru

The Bu!!ha ascen!s 2thou%h ;'ithout leavin% the foot of the

Bo!hi+tree;3 to the peak of ,t. Sumeru$ to the Trayastrimsa

ealm$ 'here &n!ras palace is locate!. 7e then procee!s to

&n!ras palace$ an! &n!ra 2Sakra3 chants ten 'elcomin% stan0as

in 'hich he allu!es to similar visits by ten previous bu!!has.

Chapter 16 *ulo%ies on ,t. Sumeru

Bo!hisattvas arrive in &n!ras palace from all ten !irections.

The Bu!!ha emits li%ht from his toes$ illuminatin% the entireuniverse. *ach of the ten chief bo!hisattvas then chants ten

stan0as 2%atha3 praisin% Bu!!hahoo! as true kno'le!%e of

reality free from !istortions an! limitations.

Chapter 19 The Ten Abo!es

Dharmamati$ one of the bo!hisattvas 'ho arrive! in chapter 16$

enters sama!hi an! is blesse! by bu!!has ;as numerous as the

atoms in a thousan! bu!!ha+realms;$ all of 'hom are also

calle! Dharmamati. 7e then emer%es from sama!hi an!

e8poun!s the Ten Abo!es$ the secon! section of the 9 Sta%es

of the Path. These ten are

213 A'akenin% the Aspiration to *nli%htenment/

23 Preparin% the Eroun!/

253 Cultivatin% the Practices/

263 =oble Birth i.e. into the family of the bu!!hasG/

293 Perfection of Skilful ,eans/

2:3 ectification of the ,in!/

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Dharmamati then repeats his e8position in a len%thy verse

e8planation in 'hich he !escribes the inspiration$ aspirations$

con!uct an! achievements of the bo!hisattvas.

Chapter 1: Spiritual Con!uct

&n response to a )uestion by one of the !eities$ calle!

Samyaksmriti$ Dharmamati !iscusses the con!uct of

bo!hisattvas 'ho have entere! the monastic life. 7e also

e8plains that *mptiness 2sunyata3 is the basis of all Bu!!hist

practices. This chapter contains the famous statement that

;Perfect *nli%htenment is achieve! the moment on aspires to

it;.

Chapter 1


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Hama. Hama 'elcomes him 'ith ten stan0as similar to those of

&n!ra in chapter 15.

Chapter The *ulo%ies in Hama(s Palace

This chapter is similar to chapter 16. Bo!hisattvas arrive from

all ten !irections$ li%ht ra!iates from the Bu!!ha(s insteps/ then

the ten chief bo!hisattvas each recite ten stan0as praisin% the

Bu!!ha an! speakin% of *mptiness an! the nature of the min!.

This chapter also contains a very famous passa%e comparin% the

min! an! its creation of an e8ternal 'orl! to the creative 'ork

of a painter.

Chapter 1 The Ten Practices

This chapter parallels chapter 19 One of the bo!hisattvas$

calle! Eunavana$ enters sama!hi$ is blesse! by countless

bu!!has$ all of 'hom are also calle! Eunavana$ an! he then

emer%es from sama!hi an! e8poun!s the Ten Practices$ the

thir! set of ten in the tra!itional 9 Sta%es. These Ten Practices

are as follo's

213 Eivin% Deli%ht/

23 Besto'in% Benefits/253 =onresentment/

263 &ne8haustible Practice/

293 Transcen!in% &%norance an! Confusion/

2:3 Skilful ,anifestation/

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bu!!has an! bo!hisattvas an! the universality of their 'is!om

an! of their teachin% activities.

Chapter The Ten &ne8haustible Treasuries

&n this chapter Eunavana %oes on to e8poun! the 1

&ne8haustible Treasuries 4 a further set of ten virtues cultivate!

by bo!hisattvas. 2These are not$ ho'ever$ inclu!e! in the

(official( list of 9 Sta%es.3 The ten are as follo's

213 Faith/

23 *thical Discipline/

253 epentance/

263 Shame 'ith re%ar! to past 'ron%!oin%G/

293 "earnin% or Ac)uirin% Ino'le!%e of the DharmaG/

2:3 Eenerosity/

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As before$ bo!hisattvas assemble from the ten !irections. Then

li%ht ra!iates from the Bu!!ha(s knees$ illuminatin% the

universe. Finally the ten chief bo!hisattvas each sin% ten

stan0as in praise of the Bu!!ha an! of *nli%htenment$ 'hich

;like space is unborn an! imperishable;.

Chapter 9 The Ten Transferences 2of ,erit3

The bo!hisattva -ara!haa enters into sama!hi$ is blesse! by

countless bu!!has$ all calle! -ara!hvaa$ an!$ emer%in% from

sama!hi$ he e8poun!s these ten transferals or !e!ications of

merit. The transferal has t'o aspects 2a3 transferal (up'ar!s( to

*nli%htenment 2i.e. to universal *nli%htenment$ not

*nli%htenment as an in!ivi!ual %oal3/ an! 2b3 transferal

(!o'n'ar!s( to all sentient bein%s.

The Ten Transferences are as follo's

213 Protectin% all bein%s an! !eliverin% them from sufferin%

'hile transcen!in% the very notion of a (bein%(/

23 &n!estructible De!ication of ,erit 2to the Path3/

253 *)uality 'ith All theBu!!has/

263 eachin% All Places 2'ith the merit of one(s practices3/

293 The Treasury of &ne8hautible ,erit/

2:3 Developin% the oots of Eoo!ness in Accor!ance 'ith the

*)uality of All Thin%s/

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the Ean!avyuha Sutra.3 This reflects the %reat importance

place! on the Aspiration to *nli%htenment$ the bo!hisattva(s

career$ an! the Transferal of ,erit throu%hout the Avatamsaka

Sutra.

The Si8th Assembly the Paranirmitavasavartin Palace

Chapter : The Ten Sta%es

The Si8th Assembly consists of a sin%le chapter$ on the ten

levels or sta%es of the Bo!hisattva Path. This chapter still

survives in Sanskrit as an in!epen!ent 'ork un!er the title ofDasabhumika Sutra. This te8t 'as an e8tremely influential

'ork in the ,ahayana tra!ition %enerally$ an! the ten sta%es it

e8plains in such !etail came to be %enerally accepte! as an

authoritative outline of the bo!hisattva(s pro%ress to'ar!s

complete *nli%htenment. 7ere$ in the Avatamsaka Sutra$ it

forms an Assembly by itself. The scene is the principal palace

in the Paranirmitavasavartin realm 2the si8th of the tra!itional

Bu!!hist heavens an! the hi%hest in the #orl! of Pure Form

2rupaloka3. The chief of the assemble! bo!hisattvas$

-ara%arbha$ enters sama!hi an! is blesse! by innumerable

bo!hisattvas$ all calle! -ara%arbha. "i%ht from the Bu!!ha(s

urna illuminates the universe$ an! -ara%arbha$ havin% emer%e!from sama!hi$ e8poun!s the Ten Sta%es$ 'hich are as follo's

213 The Moyful/

23 The &mmaculate/

253 The Brilliant/

263 The Bla0in%/

293 The >ncon)uerable/

2:3 The ,anifest/

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213 The Dharma Clou!.

The Seventh Assembly The 7all of >niversal "i%ht

The Seventh Assembly consists of eleven relatively short

chapters of a miscellaneous character. 2&n the earlier translation

of the Sutra there are only ten chapters$ since it lacks the

chapter on the Ten Concentrations.3 The 'hole Assembly is

suppose! to correspon! to t'o kin!s of ultimate *nli%htenment$

an! the chapters$ as usual$ inclu!e many lists of ten 2virtues$

sama!his$ supernormal po'ers etc.3 that are not inclu!e! in the

official 9 Sta%es.

Chapter niversal

"i%ht/

23 Subtle "i%ht/

253 The Po'er of Travelin% to All Bu!!harealms/263 Practice of the Pure an! Profoun! ,in!/

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293 Ino'le!%e of the Treasury of Past A!ornments 2of

Bu!!harealms3/

2:3 The Bri%ht Treasury of the "i%ht of #is!om/

2n!erstan!in% the A!ornments of the Bu!!has in All the

#orl!s/

2@3 The Different Physical Forms of Bein%s 2assume! by the

bo!hisattvas for teachin% purposes3/

23 The Perfect Free!om of the Dharmarealm/

213 The >nimpe!e! #heel.

Chapter @ The Ten Supernormal Po'ers

&n this chapter Samantabha!ra e8plains the ten supernormal

po'ers 2abhina3 of the bo!hisattvas

213 Telepathy/

23 The Divine *ye/

253 Ino'le!%e of Past "ives/

263 Complete Ino'le!%e of the Future/

293 The Divine *ar/

2:3 Travelin% to All Bu!!harealms #ithout ,ovin%/

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213 "earnin% 2patient acceptance of the Teachin%s3/

23 Compliance/

253 Acceptance of =onori%ination 2anutpattika!harmaksanti3/

263 Acceptance of &llusoriness/

293 Acceptance of Flamelikeness/

2:3 Acceptance of Dreamlikeness/

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The bo!hisattvas pon!er the inconceivability of the )ualities

2!harmas3 of the bu!!has. The Bu!!ha$ rea!in% their min!s$

inspires the bo!hisattva >tpala%arbha to !escribe 5 of these

)ualities.

Chapter 56 The "imitless Attributes of the Ten Bo!ies of the

Tatha%ata

&n this chapter Samantabha!ra !escribes the Bu!!haNs physical

attributes$ of 'hich nearly a hun!re! are liste!.

Chapter 59 The ,erit of the a!iant ,inor Attributes

The Bu!!ha$ speakin% to the bo!hisattva atnapani$ names an!

!escribes certain minor physical attributes of the bu!!has 'hich

emit purifyin% li%ht. 7e also speaks of the past lives of ;the

bo!hisattva -airocana;.

Chapter 5: The Con!uct of Samantabha!ra

&n this chapter Samantabha!ra speaks of 2a3 obstacles to

*nli%htenment that arise from an%er$ attachment an! !elusion$

2b3 practices that all bo!hisattvas shoul! cultivate$ an! 2c3 the

%reat 'is!om an! compassion of the bo!hisattvas.

Chapter 5niversal "i%ht3 remains unchan%e! from the previous

assembly.

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=o' Samantabha!ra enters the Avatamsaka Sama!hi an! the

entire universe )uakes. The bo!hisattva Samantanana asks

Samantabha!ra t'o hun!re! )uestions re%ar!in% the

bo!hisattva(s con!uct an! career. For each )uestion

Samantabha!ra provi!es ten ans'ers$ makin% a total of t'o

thousan! ans'ers !ealin% 'ith !ifferent aspects of the

Bo!hisattva Path. The chapter conclu!es 'ith a lon% section in

verse in 'hich Samantabha!ra sin%s the praises of the

bo!hisattvas an! their con!uct.

The =inth Assembly The Metavana Erove

Chapter 5 *nterin% the Dharmarealm

This final chapter$ 'hich is also the last Assembly$ takes up

nearly a thir! of the entire Avatamsaka Sutra. &t forms the entire

content of the thir! translation of the Sutra 2in 6 fascicles3$ an!

is still e8tant in Sanskrit un!er the title Ean!avyuha Sutra. The

prece!in% parts of the 7HS have !ealt at len%th 'ith the

Bo!hisattva Path an! the nature of *nli%htenment. &n this final

section all these teachin%s are illustrate! by a concrete e8ample$

the story of a youn% man calle! Su!hana(s )uest for

*nli%htenment.

The vision of *nli%htenment 'ith 'hich the Sutra be%an 2an!

'hich in its essentials has remaine! unchan%e!$ ust as the

Bu!!ha has never really left his seat3 is thus %iven concrete

embo!iment in the form of Su!hana(s pil%rima%e. This

movement parallels the path of in!ivi!ual practitioners$ 'ho

first receive a vision of the ultimate truth$ faith in 'hich

sustains them throu%hout their career$ then procee! to cultivate

the innumerable bo!hisattva practices !escribe! in the

follo'in% chapters$ an! finally$ like Su!hana$ learn from their

teachers ho' to reali0e in their o'n lives the *nli%htenment

that 'as sho'n to them at the be%innin% an! that is their o'n

essential an! inalienable nature.

The story opens in the Metavana$ a lar%e park in Sravasti$ in a

2mythical3 buil!in% calle! the Ereat A!orne! ,ultistorie!

Pavilion. The Bu!!ha is teachin% here$ surroun!e! by a retinue

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of some 16 bo!hisattvas 2all name!3 'ith ,anushri an!

Samantabha!ra at their hea!$ 9 arhats an! others. After some

!iscussion$ the Bu!!ha enters a sama!hi calle! the "ion(s Ha'n

or the "ion(s Stretch. The %rove an! pavilion su!!enly appear to

be infinite in e8tent an! to be a!orne! 'ith e'els$ music etc.

2The assemble! Shravakas fail to perceive these phenomena.3

At the same time the same transformation is perceive! to be

takin% place every'here throu%hout the universe.

Bo!hisattvas then arrive in vast numbers from the ten

!irections$ all of them ;sprun% from the practices an! vo's ofSamantabha!ra;. *ach of the ten chief bo!hisattvas recites ten

verses of praise in honor of the Bu!!ha$ 'ho ra!iates li%ht from

his urna$ revealin% infinite bu!!harealms in every atom

throu%hout the universe$ an! causin% all the bo!hisattvas to

enter simultaneously into the "ions Ha'n Sama!hi. The

bo!hisattvas then also ra!iate li%ht from every pore of their

bo!ies an!$ assumin% various forms$ they %o off in !ifferent

!irections to teach bein%s in the lan! of Mambu!vipa 2&n!ia3.

,anushri$ accompanie! by a vast retinue$ sets off to'ar!s the

south$ preachin% the Dharma as he %oes. *ventually he comes

to a city calle! Dhanyakara. A member of his au!ience there$ ayoun% man calle! Su!hana$ is inspire! to a'aken the Aspiration

to *nli%htenment 2bo!hichitta3$ an! he asks ,anushri ho' he

shoul! practice the Bo!hisattva Path. &n response$ ,anushri

sen!s him off on a pil%rima%e throu%hout &n!ia$ visitin% a series

of fifty or so %urus an! learnin% from 'hat they have to teach.

Su!hanas first %uru$ after ,anushri himself$ is a monk calle!

,e%hasri$ an! the rest of the story !escribes ho' Su!hana

travels from %uru to %uru$ each teacher !irectin% him to the ne8t

one in the series. 7e procee!s throu%h the len%th of &n!ia in this

'ay$ from north to south an! finally back to the north a%ain$ to

the Bo!himan!a 2the Seat of *nli%htenment3 itself. 7e

approaches each of these teachers 'ith the same basic

)uestions he has alrea!y a'akene! the Aspiration to

*nli%htenment$ but ho' shoul! he no' cultivate it$ ho' shoul!

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he practice Dharma accor!in% to the Bo!hisattva Path 7is

%urus inclu!e monks an! nuns$ househol!ers$ businessmen$

brahmins$ ascetics$ scholars$ kin%s$ a courtesan$ an! various

!eities. *ach of these has mastere! some particular sama!hi an!

has some particular insi%ht to impart to Su!hana.

The lan!scape an! the cities that Su!hana travels throu%h are

inten!e! to be real places in &n!ia$ but they are seen throu%h the

prism of 7uayen *nli%htenment$ like the Bo!hi+tree at the

be%innin% of the Sutra. So the kin% ,ahaprabha 2=o. 13 says

to Su!hana

#hat one sees varies accor!in% to the heart(s !esires. Hou may

see this place as a tiny$ crampe! to'n or as a vast city/ the

%roun! as ma!e of earth an! san! or as a!orne! 'ith countless

e'els/ you may see it as surroun!e! by an earthen 'all or by

far+flun% e'ele! ramparts. The lan! it is built on may appear to

be uneven an! littere! 'ith shar!s an! stones$ or as level as the

palm of your han! an! ma!e beautiful 'ith countless %ems.

Hou may see buil!in%s of 'oo! an! clay$ or palaces an!

pavilions 'ith staircases$ courtyar!s$ veran!ahs$ an! many

'in!o's an! !oors. &n this 'ay everythin% can become

somethin% rare an! 'on!erful. Houn% man$ if the min!s ofbein%s are pure/ if they have plante! roots of %oo!ness an!

ma!e offerin%s to the Bu!!has/ if they have a'akene! the

Aspiration an! set out on the path to Omniscience$ makin% that

their ultimate %oal/ an! if they have taken up the cultivation of

the practices of a bo!hisattva$ as & !i! lon% a%o/ then they 'ill

see this to'n as pure an! a!orne! 'ith e'els. The rest 'ill see

only rubbish

At the en! of his pil%rima%e Su!hana is !irecte! to the

bo!hisattva ,aitreya. ,aitreya bi!s him enter a %reat to'er

calle! the ,atri8 A!orne! 'ith the Splen!ors of -airochana.

The e'ele! interior of this to'er is infinite in si0e an! contains

an infinite number of e)ually infinite an! i!entical to'ers$ in

each of 'hich Su!hana sees himself. This represents the clima8

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of Su!hana(s )uest an! the moment of his final a'akenin%$ an!

he becomes immerse! in !eep sama!hi.

Su!hana is then rouse! from his sama!hi by ,aitreya$ 'ho has

also entere! the to'er. ,aitreya %ives him further instructions

an! tells him to seek confirmation of his e8perience from his

first %uru$ ,anushri. After a lon% search he finally encounters

,anushri a%ain. ,anushri blesses Su!hana by placin% his

han! on his hea! an! transfers his o'n po'ers an! 'is!om to

him. Su!hana is no' fille! 'ith %reat reverence for all his %urus

an! feels a %reat lon%in% to see Samantabha!ra. 7is final visiontherefore is of the cosmic bo!y of Samantabha!ra$ in 'hich he

sees Samantabha!ra performin% !ee!s of 'is!om an!

compassion every'here throu%hout the universe$ he also sees

himself similarly en%a%e! in bo!hisattva con!uct throu%hout

the universe. Then Samantabha!ra also blesses an! instructs

him$ besto'in% further kno'le!%e an! psychic po'ers 2i.e.

sama!his3 on him. Finally the Sutra conclu!es 'ith a lon%

hymn by Samantabha!ra in praise of the Bu!!has. Thus the

Sutra itself$ like Su!hana(s )uest$ en!s by returnin% to its

startin% point.

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outline of avatamsaka sutra

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