The Stem Array · Gaṇḍavyūha

Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, his mind having acquired Avalokiteśvara’s verses of wisdom,¹²⁶⁸ had not had enough of gazing on the bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara, but so as not to disobey his instruction, Sudhana went to where the bodhisattva Ananyagāmin was.

He bowed his head to the feet of the bodhisattva Ananyagāmin. Then he stood before him and, with his hands placed together in homage, said, “Ārya, I have developed the aspiration for the highest, complete enlightenment, but I do not know how bodhisattvas should train in bodhisattva conduct and in what way they should practice it.

“Ārya, I have heard that you give instruction and teachings to bodhisattvas. Explain to me how bodhisattvas should train in bodhisattva conduct and how they should practice it!”

Then the bodhisattva Ananyagāmin said, “Noble one, I have attained the bodhisattva liberation called the arising of every gateway.”¹²⁶⁹

Sudhana asked, “Ārya, at the feet of which tathāgata did you attain the bodhisattva liberation called the arising of every gateway? How far from here is that world realm? How long did it take to come from that world realm?”

The bodhisattva Ananyagāmin said, “Noble one, this is something that is difficult to comprehend for beings such as the śramaṇas and brahmins in this world with its devas, humans, and asuras. It is the power of the bodhisattvas, the irreversible diligence of the bodhisattvas, and the unsurpassable conduct of the bodhisattvas.

“Noble one, those who are not in the care of a kalyāṇamitra, who are not regarded by the buddhas, who have not accumulated the roots of merit, who do not have a pure motivation, who have not attained the faculties of a bodhisattva, and who do not have the eyes of wisdom will not be able to hear of it, grasp it, believe in it, or comprehend it.”

Sudhana said, “Tell it to me, for I am apprehended¹²⁷⁰ by the buddhas and in the care of kalyāṇamitras, and I have faith and aspiration!”

The bodhisattva Ananyagāmin said, “Noble one, I have come from a world realm in the eastern direction that is called Śrīgarbhavatī, the buddha realm of the Tathāgata Samanta­śrī­saṃbhava. I obtained the bodhisattva liberation called the arising of every gateway at the feet of the Tathāgata Samanta­śrī­saṃbhava.

“Noble one, as many kalpas as there are atoms in an anabhilāpyānabhilāpya of buddha realms passed while I came from the world realm Śrīgarbhavatī.

“With each development of an aspiration, I took as many steps as there are atoms in an anabhilāpyānabhilāpya of buddha realms. With each step, I passed as many buddha realms as there are atoms in an anabhilāpyānabhilāpya of buddha realms. There was a tathāgata in each of those buddha realms, and I perceived all those buddha bhagavats. To all those tathāgatas I made offerings that were authorized by the tathāgatas and were unsurpassable, composed of the mind, and sealed by the noncomposite nature of phenomena, and gave rise to joy in bodhisattvas.

“I saw in those world realms an ocean of beings, and I perceived the ocean of all their minds. I knew the wheels of all their faculties, and I manifested physical bodies in accord with their aspirations, proclaimed the words of the Dharma, radiated a halo of light, brought them the gift of various necessities, and empowered my own body, so that I could continuously be engaged in ripening and guiding them.

“In the same way that I came from the east, I came from the south, from the west, from the north, from the northeast, from the southeast, from the southwest, from the northwest, from below, and from above.

“Noble one, I know only the bodhisattva liberation called the arising of every gateway. How could I know the conduct or describe the qualities of bodhisattvas who face in all directions; who have a scope of wisdom that is without division; who distribute their bodies throughout the realm of phenomena; who act in accord with the thoughts and aspirations of all beings; who pervade all realms with their bodies; who act in conformance with all phenomena; who have arrived at the equality of the three times; who have bodies that are equal to the range of phenomena in every direction; who illuminate every range of worlds of beings; who have no conceptualization of the range of tathāgatas; who enter all regions without impediment; and who dwell in the state that has no location?

“Depart, noble one. In this southern region, there is a city named Dvāravatī. There dwells the deity by the name of Mahādeva. Go to him and ask him, ‘How should a bodhisattva train in bodhisattva conduct? How should a bodhisattva practice it?’ ”

Then Sudhana, the head merchant’s son, bowed his head to the feet of the bodhisattva Ananyagāmin, circumambulated the bodhisattva Ananyagāmin many hundreds of thousands of times, keeping him to his right, and, looking back again and again, departed from the bodhisattva Ananyagāmin.