Every Buddhist desires that he will be cared for and protected by the Buddha. This passage in the Flower Adornment Sutra teaches us the way. May all living beings leave sufferings in the light of the Buddha.
Faith enables one to be replete with clear and sharp roots.
When the strength of faith is firm and solid, it is indestructible.
All the source of afflictions is forever put to extinction with the endowment of faith.
With faith one will be directed towards the merits and virtues of Buddha.
With faith one is not attached to external states.
One will stay away from disaster and have no difficulties.
Faith enables one to far-surpass all roads of Mara.
The Unsurpassed Path of Liberation is revealed.
Faith is the non-decaying seed of merits and virtues.
Faith enables the growth of the Bodhi tree
Faith enhances and increases the most supreme wisdom,
Faith is able to reveal all the Buddha.
As such I speak on the sequence in the practice of the Dharma.
To be rejoiced in faith is the most supreme, the most difficult practice.
It resembles the wish fulfilling wonderful pearly jewel,
That exists in the worldly realm.
If we truly have faith in the Buddha,
We will surely abide by the dwelling of upholding the precepts.
If we often abide by the dwelling of upholding the precepts,
We will fully be replete with merits and virtues.
The upholding of precepts opens up the root base of Bodhi.
By upholding the precepts we are cultivating the ground of merits and virtues diligently.
We will always learn and act in accord with the precepts,
All the Thus Come One will rejoice and praise us.
When a man has good faith in all the Buddha,
He will definitely accumulate and make great offerings to the Buddha.
When he is able to accumulate the great offerings,
He will believe in the inconceivable Buddha.
When a man has good faith in the Dharma,
He will enjoy listening to the Dharma without getting tired.
If he learns the Dharma untiringly,
He will believe that the Dharma is inconceivable.
If he has good faith in the Pure Sangha
He will obtain the faith of no retreating.
When his faith is in non-retrogression
The strength of his faith is immovable.
When he obtains the immovable strength in faith
He will obtain the pure, bright and sharp roots.
When his roots are pure, bright and sharp,
He will be able to stay away from the evil friends and teachers.
If he stays away from the evil friends and teachers,
He will get closed to the good knowing advisers.
If he can learn from the good knowing advisers,
He will be able to cultivate the great and expansive goodness.
When he is able to cultivate the great and expansive wholesomeness,
He is accomplishing the strength of great causes.
When a man accomplishes the strength of great causes,
He will obtain the most supreme, unwavering understanding.
When a man obtains the supreme and unhesitating understanding
He will be well protected and mindful of by all the Buddha.
When a man is cared for and protected by all the Buddha,
He will surely bring forth the Bodhi Mind.
When a man is able to bring forth the Bodhi Mind
He will be able to cultivate the merits and virtues of the Buddha.
When a man cultivates the merits and virtues of the Buddha diligently,
He will be born in the household of the Buddha.
When he is born in the household of the Buddha,
He will be able good at practising the expedients skills in means.
When he is good at cultivating the expedients skills in means,
He will rejoice in faith and his mind is purified.
When his mind is pure with the bliss of good faith
He will obtain the most supreme mind of great enhancement.
When the supreme mind of great enhancement is attained,
He will always cultivate the paramitas.
When he often cultivates the paramitas,
He is replete with the Mahayana.
When he is replete with the Mahayana,
He will be able to make offering to the Buddha in accord with the Dharma.
When he is able to make offerings to the Buddha in accord with the Dharma,
He is able to be mindful of the Buddha with an immovable mind.
When he is able to be mindful of the Buddha with a steadfast mind,
He will often see the immeasurable Buddha.
When he often sees the immeasurable Buddha,
He will witness the Thus Come One’s body dwelling permanently.
If he sees the permanent dwelling body of the Thus Come One,
He will know that the Dharma will never become extinct.
When he knows that the Dharma will not become extinct,
He will obtain the eloquence in speech with no obstruction.
When he is eloquent in speech with no obstacles,
He is able to teach and reveal the limitless Dharma.
When he is able to teach and propound the limitless Dharma,
He will be endowed with kindness and compassion to teach the living beings.
When he is able to transform living beings with kindness and compassion,
His mind of Great Compassion is firm and solid.
When he obtains the firm and solid mind of Great Compassion,
He will rejoice in all the deep and profound Dharma.
When he is able to rejoice in the deep and profound Dharma,
He will be able to leave behind all the defects of conditioned dharma.
When he is able to renounce all the faults of conditioned dharma,
He will surely stay apart from being proud, arrogant and heedlessness.
When he is able to leave all arrogance, pride and heedlessness,
He is qualified to benefit all living beings.
If he is able to benefit all living beings,
He will not feel tired dwelling long in birth and death.
When he is able to dwell in birth and death untiringly,
He will be replete with the unsurpassed bravery and courage with no comparison.
Flower Adornment Sutra Roll 14
An extract of the Sutra in chapter 12 on Foremost in Worthiness
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