. picture of Master Hua  Master Hsuan Hua
lectured the Avatamsaka Sutra in the U.S. over a nine year period.

 
 
Introduction
Table of Contents
Title
1 World Rulers
2 Thus Come One
3 Universal Worthy
4 Coming into Being
5 Flower Store
6 Vairochana
7 Names
8 Four Holy Truths
9 Enlightenment
10 Clarification
11 Pure Conduct
12 Worthy Leader
13 Mount Sumeru
14 Praises
15 Ten Dwellings
16 Brahma Conduct
17 Bringing Forth
18 Understanding
19 Suyama
20 Praises in Suyama
21 Ten Conducts
22 Ten Treasuries
23 Tushita Heaven
24 Praises in Tushita
25 Ten Transferences
26 Ten Grounds
27 Ten Samadhis
28 Ten Penetrations
29 Ten Patiences
30 Asamkhyeas
31 Life Spans
32 Dwelling Places
33 Dharmas
34 Ten Bodies
35 Characteristics
36 Conduct
37 Appearance
38 Leaving the World
39 Dharma Realm
Conclusion
Acknowledgement
Bibliography
Glossary
Transference
 
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Ten Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas with innumerable Bodhisattvas arrive and draw near to the Buddha. The World Honored One emits light from his feet.
Forest of Merit and Virtue Bodhisattva and the other Great Bodhisattvas, avail themselves of the Buddha’s spiritual might and speak verses.

Forest of Enlightenment Bodhisattva says,
If people wish to understand
All Buddhas of the three periods of time,
They should contemplate the nature of the Dharma Realm:
Everything is made from the Mind Alone.

Annotation
The world is created by the thoughts and karma of living beings. The Dharma Realms of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Hearers, Pratyekabuddhas, gods, asuras, humans, animals, ghosts and hell-beings are all created from the mind. Whatever one’s mind is fond of, one will eventually become that. One’s mind can either become one’s worst enemy or best friend. Depending on how one uses the mind, it can purify or defile, protect or destroy, benefit or harm.
It is said,
When the mind is unguarded, bodily action is unguarded;
speech is also unguarded, thought is also unguarded.
When the mind is guarded, bodily action is guarded,
speech is also guarded, and thought is also guarded.

The mind is the most powerful thing in the world. The atomic bomb, hydrogen bomb, nuclear bomb, and missiles are all products of the thoughts of living beings. The mind can generate tremendous energy.
It is said,
By mind the world is led, by mind is drawn:
And all men own the sovereignty of mind.

Every action is controlled and maneuvered by the mind. The body is merely a tool, which is employed by the mind. The mind is the boss and the body is only its servant.
In the Shastra on the Hundred Dharmas, it mentions the Eight Mind Dharmas. They are,

  1. Eye Consciousness
  2. Ear Consciousness
  3. Nose Consciousness
  4. Tongue Consciousness
  5. Body Consciousness
  6. Mind Consciousness
  7. Manas Consciousness
  8. Alaya Consciousness

The Tripitaka Master Hsuan Hua explains,
The mind consciousness, the sixth or ‘intellectual’ consciousness, is not really the mind, properly speaking. The sixth consciousness is the function of the mind whose substance is the seventh consciousness, the Manas Consciousness, also called the ‘transmitting’ consciousness or the ‘defiling’ consciousness. It is the substance of the mind. It continually takes the functions of the sixth consciousness and transmits them to the eighth consciousness, the Alaya Consciousness. The eighth consciousness is called the alaya, which means ‘store’ because it stores all information transmitted to it by the seventh. If it is turned around, it becomes the nature of the Treasury of the Thus Come One. When the Eight Consciousnesses are turned around, they become the Four Wisdoms.

For a very elaborate, lucid, and profound explanation of the mind, one can investigate the Shurangama Sutra.
Everything is created by the mind. Hence, the Tripitaka Master Hsuan Hua has composed verses about how all the Ten Dharma Realms (of Sages and living beings) are not beyond a single thought. His concluding verses says,

All of these ten realms - a single thought-
Are not apart from your present thought.
If you can awaken to that thought,
You’ll arrive immediately at the other shore.

 Thus, Forest of Enlightenment Bodhisattva says,
…Everything is made from the Mind alone.

To understand the mind, one needs to meditate, and it is best to sit in the full lotus posture during meditation.
 
Tripitaka Master Hsuan Hua says, " If you can sit quietly for an instant and experience unity within yourself, if you can use your pure heart to illumine inwardly, you can leap out of the wearisome involvement with the objective world. Your body and mind will be healthy and at peace, free and crystal clear. "

© 2000 Soo Hoong Liung. All Rights Reserved.