Avatamsaka Sutra
And its relation to my book, Results
from the Heart
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Contents
Foreword from The Dalai Lama to gResults from the
Hearth
Excerpts
from Avatamsaka Sutra
Book
One: The Wonderful Adornments of the Leaders of the World
Book
Two: Appearance of the Buddha
Book
Thirty Three: Inconceivable Qualities of Buddhas
In the fall of 2001, The Dalai Lama gave his foreword to my book, Results from the Heart. (See the next section below.) Out of 300-400 books he is requested for endorsement at any point in time, some wondered why he gave his words to my book with his signature on it. Yet, for some reason, I felt that this might happen even before thinking of contacting him.
The unique thing about this book is its attempt to bring spirituality (heart) in the world of business (brain). But, the key that triggered his interest was, I suspect, the Avatamsaka sutra. As I felt that Avatamsaka (Kegon in Japanese) might provide a way to see the world and develop connection in conducting our life, if I were to find some one who can understand such a viewpoint, he should be that person.
Avatamsaka sutra is a voluminous Mahayana sutra, which is known as something people did not understand since it talks directly about the state of enlightenment – so the story goes. Little I knew about the entire sutra, I had the intuitive sense of allusion to the 'all in all', to the interpenetration of all things, to the fundamental unity and harmony of all things. In Appendix A of my book, I explained this mutually unobstructed interpenetration witnessed in our life and any form of organization where the whole and the individuals foster one another. I pointed this along with Arthur Koestlerfs Holon structure and Bohmfs quantum physics.
There are many references to the pores and hairtips of the Buddha in this scripture. If you happen to meditate as in, for instance, Vipassana or Dogenfs Shikan Taza, this obscure description may be found as something one can experientially witness if not with the sense of absolute affirmation of everything in the universe as it is. Whatever the reason the reader happened to visit here, I would like to share a few paragraphs of this sutra that I found in English. It may require poetic imagination as the English mystical poet, William Blake, may possibly attest:
... a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour.
Certainly, my idea of mini-company that I explained in the book has a lot to do with such viewpoint. Here, mini-company is an entity in itself and at the same time a part of the whole. We can see it operative anywhere in the company, society to all cells of our body or else interconnected with each other. In the book, I wrote;
gUnderstanding the interconnectedness of nature should make us realize that each individual cannot exist without depending on others along with infinitely interconnected events. Then, we may find the words of Christ, gDo unto others what you want like them to do to you,h represent love and wisdom coming out of the realization of such mutual relatedness. Even though power may transform a person into a robot as we may have witnessed, we may also find that the heart can transform a person into a genuinely living being with an infinite potential of wisdom and compassion.h
Without the imagination, interest, and experiential wisdom, however, it may be hard to capture what this book is aiming for or pointing to. I have not done any marketing except that Steven Covey, and CEO of various companies including Toyota had given endorsements for the book (See their comments elsewhere in my home page). Although the book has not sold well in volume, I have no regret that I did what I could do at the time with what I had.
What follows below is the excerpt from the Avatamsaka sutra as taken from: http://www.benjaminroot.com/Philosophy/Buddhism/HuaYen.html (This may represent perhaps 0.1% of the whole sutra) Different from this, there are excerpts I selected from 1-21 chapters, but in Japanese posted at: http://www.geocities.co.jp/NatureLand/7243/kegon1.html
If the time allows, I would like to come back here at least to translate the Japanese version. My intuition says that Kegon/Avatamsaka sutra may provide the foundation where West and East meet and create a world. I hope this short file may bring some insights for the reader in such a direction.
May all Beings be happy! - Kio Suzaki (August 2003)
"As human beings, the one
factor that differentiates us from other species is our intelligence which both
expresses itself and trains itself through education. However, the development of the brain,
the intellectual side of our nature, and the development of a good heart, a
warm heart, must complement each other in a more balanced way. This is why, wherever I go, I always try
to promote human values, the good qualities of the human mind, the good
qualities of human beings. They are
the source of happiness, and happiness is ultimately what each of us wants.
I believe we have both the
ability and the means to solve our problems and improve our world. Perhaps the most important factors that
inhibit us are short-sightedness, narrow-mindedness,
and selfishness. Yet, to look after
yourself is not wrong. Without a strong sense of self we cannot develop self-confidence, determination and
will power. But,
we must be careful, for there is also a narrow -minded selfishness that can
lead to self destruction. To
counter that we have to realize that in reality our own interest is closely
linked to the interests of others and the benefit, happiness
and interests of others are our own.
In modern times, it has become
rarer for people to come up with new and original initiatives and ideas because
the problems we face are so dauntingly complex. However, I understand that Kiyoshi Suzaki has developed strategies to improve people's
participation in business and production from the point of view not only of the
company, but also of the individual.
I agree with him that if we all learned to use the brain, but at the
same time to listen to the heart, we could make our world a happier, more
peaceful and successful place."
The Dalai Lama
Mcleod Ganj
October 4, 2001
THUS HAVE I HEARD. At one time the Buddha was in the land of Magadha, in a state of purity, at the site of enlightenment, having just realized true awareness. The ground was solid and firm, made of diamond, adorned with exquisite jewel disks and myriad precious flowers, with pure clear crystals. The ocean of characteristics of the various colors appeared over an infinite extent. c By the Buddha's spiritual power, he caused all the adornments of this enlightenment site to be reflected therein. c
The palace chamber in which the Buddha was situated was
spacious and beautifully adorned. It extended
throughout the ten directionsc. Also,
by virtue of the aid of the spiritual power of the Buddha, they embraced the
entire cosmos in a single thought. c Furthermore, sustained by
the spiritual powers of the Buddhas, they expounded
the vast perspective of the Enlightened Ones, their subtle tones extending
afar, there being no place they did not reach.
At that time, the Buddha, the World Honored One, in this
setting, attained to the supreme, correct awareness of all things. His knowledge entered into all times with complete
equanimity; his body filled all worlds; his voice universally accorded with all
lands in the ten directions. Like space, which
contains all forms, he made no discrimination among all objects. And, as space extends everywhere, he entered all lands
with equanimity. His body forever sat omnipresent in
all sites of enlightenment. Among the hosts of
enlightening beings, his awesome light shone clearly, like the sun emerging,
illumining the world. The ocean of myriad virtues which he practiced in all times was thoroughly pure,
and he constantly demonstrated the production of all the buddha-lands,
their boundless forms and spheres of light extending throughout the entire
cosmos, equally and impartially.
He expounded all truths, like spreading great clouds. Each of his hairtips was able to
contain all worlds without interference, in each manifesting immeasurable
spiritual powers, teaching and civilizing all spiritual beings. His body extended throughout the ten directions, yet
without coming or going. His knowledge entered into
all forms and realized the emptiness of all things. All
the miraculous displays of the Buddhas of past,
present, and future, were all seen in his light, and
all the adornments of inconceivable eons were revealed.
The buddha body extends throughout
all the great assemblies:
It fills the cosmos, without end
Quiescent, without essence, it cannot be grasped;
It appears just to save things.
The Buddha, King of the Teaching, appears in the world
Able to light the lamp of sublime truth which illumines the world;
His state is boundless and inexhaustible:
This is what Name of Freedom has realizedc.
Buddha sits in the hall of truth with steady gaze,
Brilliantly lighting up the palace.
In accordance with the disposition of all beings
His body appears throughout all landsc.
Everywhere he manifests clouds of mystic displays,
Those clouds teaching throughout the world;
Harmonizing and calming down all sentient beings:
All this appears from the Buddha's palace.
Trees of gems bloom with fine flowers
Having no peer in all the world;
The embellishments of the lands of all times
Reveal their reflections therein.
c.
The Buddha cultivated an ocean of blessings,
Many as the atoms in all lands;
Produced by the powers of his mind and will,
The enlightenment site is pure, without any taintc.
The Buddha's body fills the cosmos,
Appearing before all beings everywhere-
In all conditions, wherever sensed, reaching everywhere,
Yet always on this seat of enlightenment.
In each of the Buddha's pores
Sit Buddhas as many as atoms in all the lands,
Surrounded by masses of enlightening beings
Expounding the supreme practice of the universally good.
Buddha, sitting at rest on the enlightenment seat,
Displays in one hair oceans of fields;
The same is true of every single hair,
Thus pervading the cosmosc..
The profound knowledge of the Buddha
Enters everywhere in the cosmos:
Able to operate in accord with all times,
It is a clear guide for the world.
The Buddhas have the same reality-body -
It depends on nothing, is without distinction;
It causes beings to see Buddha in physical form
According to their intellectsc..
In one Buddha-body
He produces infinite Buddhas,
Thunderous sound pervading all lands
Expounding the teaching, the deep ocean of thusness.
In each hair pore
Are webs of light pervading all quarters,
Intoning the sublime voices of Buddha,
Taming the hard to tamec
Buddha appears before all beings
In accordance with their minds;
What the sentient beings see
Is the Buddha's mystic powerc.
The Buddha's body has no birth
Yet can appear to be born.
The nature of reality is like space:
Therein do the Buddhas dwell.
No abiding, yet no departing:
Everywhere the Buddha's seen;
His light reaches everywhere,
His fame is heard afar.
No substance, no abode,
And no origin that can be found;
No signs, no form:
What appears is like reflections.
p. 164-165
The buddhas have ten things that
pervade the infinite cosmos. What are these ten? All buddhas have unbounded
bodies, with pure forms, entering into all states of being without defilement
or attachment. cc All buddhas
have unbounded minds that dwell on the unobstructed impartial body of reality. All buddhas have unbounded,
unobstructed liberation, manifesting inexhaustible great spiritual powers. All buddhas have unbounded pure
worlds, manifesting buddha-lands according to the
pleasures of sentient beings, replete with infinite adornments, yet without
giving rise to any obsession or attachment to them. All
buddhas have unbounded practical undertakings of
enlightening beings, having complete knowledge, spiritual freedom, and ability
to master all elements of buddhahood. c
The buddhas can produce ten kinds of knowledge. What are they? All buddhas know all things have no aim, yet they can produce knowledge of dedicated undertaking. All buddhas know all things have no body, yet they can produce knowledge of pure bodies. All buddhas know all things are fundamentally nondual, yet they can produce knowledge capable of awareness and understanding. All buddhas know all things have no self and no being, yet they can produce knowledge to civilize beings. All buddhas know all things fundamentally have no marks, yet they can produce knowledge of all marks. All buddhas know all worlds have no becoming or decay, yet they can produce knowledge of becoming and decay. All buddhas know all things have no creation, yet they can produce knowledge of the effects of action. All buddhas know all things have no verbal explanation, yet they can produce knowledge of verbal explanation. All buddhas know all things have no defilement or purity, yet they can produce knowledge of defilement and purity. All buddhas know all things have no birth or extinction, yet they can produce knowledge of birth and extinction.
c. All buddhas
have impartial great compassion and never abandon all sentient beings. All buddhas have profound
meditation concentration and always observe all sentient beings everywhere. All buddhas have roots of
goodness beneficial to others, and civilize sentient beings unceasingly. All buddhas have unobstructed
minds, able to abide calmly in all universes. All buddhas have unimpeded spiritual powers and are able to
manifest the buddhas of past, present and future in
one instant. All buddhas
have unobstructed intellect, in a single instant defining sets of ages of past,
present and future.
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page: www.suzaki.has.it