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The Avatamsaka Sūtra (Chinese: 華嚴經; Huayen Jīng; Japanese: Kegon Kyō) in full Mahavaipulya-buddhavatamsaka-sutra (The Great and Vast Buddha Garland Sutra), is one of the longest sutras in the Buddhist Canon and records the highest teaching of Buddha Sakyamuni, immediately after Enlightenment. It is traditionally believed that the Sutra was taught to the Bodhisattvas and other high spiritual beings while the Buddha was in samadhi. The Sutra has been described as “the epitome of Buddhist thought, Buddhist sentiment and Buddhist experience” and is quoted by all schools of Mahayana Buddhism.
The Avatamsaka Sūtra doctrine shows the entire cosmos as a single nexus of conditions in which everything simultaneously depends on, and is depended on by, everything else. Seen in this light, then, everything affects and is affected by, more or less immediately or remotely, everything else; just as this is true of every system of relationships, so is it true of the totality of existence.
The ethics of the Avatamsaka Sūtra is based on this fundamental theme of universal interdependence; while the so-called Bodhisattva, the person devoted to enlightenment, constantly nourishes aspiration and will going beyond the world, nevertheless the striving for completion and perfection, the development of ever greater awareness, knowledge, freedom, and capability, is continually reinvested, as it were, in the world, dedicated to the liberation and enlightenment of all beings.
The main subject of this sutra is the description of the Buddha's enlightenment.
The Avatamsaka Sūtra provides a detail guide for practitioners to pursuit the Bodhisattva's Path, from the awakening of Bodhicitta to the accomplishment of perfect Buddhahood.
The Bodhisattva Path is presented in four sets of ten stages, culminating with the two levels of enlightenment, the final goal of Mahāyāna Buddhism.
The 39 Chapters of the Avatamsaka Sutra are organized in 7 Assemblies, i.e.
First Assembly (1-6)
Chapter 1 The Wondrous Adornments of World Rulers
Ten Kinds of Assemblies Earthquakes
Chapter 2 The Appearance of The Thus Come One
Shakyamuni Buddha’s Buddhaland Is Pure
Vimalakirti Sutra
Chapter 3 Universal Worthy's Samadhi
Chapter 4 The Coming Into Being of Worlds
The Hearers Could Not See or Hear
How the World Comes into Being
Chapter 5 The Flower Store Sea Of Worlds
Scientists Wind Wheels Five Eyes
Chapter 6 Vairochana
Do Not Waste Time
The Second Assembly 7-12
Chapter 7 The Names Of The Thus Come Ones
Buddhas’ Names / Titles
Chapter 8 The Four Holy Truths
Suffering
Chapter 9 Light Enlightenment
Chapter 10 Bodhisattvas Ask For Clarification
Chapter 11 Pure Conduct
Mind Household Life Renunciation Filiality
Chapter 12 Worthy Leader
Faith
The Third Assembly 13-18
Chapter 13 Ascending to the Summit of Mt. Sumeru
- Trayastrimsha Heaven
Chapter 14 Praises Atop Mt. Sumeru
Humility
Chapter 15 The Ten Dwellings
Chapter 16 Brahma Conduct
Chapter 17 The Merit and Virtue from First Bringing Forth the Mind
Bodhi Resolve
Yen Hui
Chapter 18 Understanding Dharmas
Requesting The Dharma
The Fourth Assembly 19-22
Chapter 19 Ascending to the Suyama Heaven
Praising The Buddha
Chapter 20 Praises in the Suyama Heaven
Chapter 21 The Ten Conducts
Non-Opposition Nirvana
Chapter 22 The Ten Inexhaustible Treasuries
Precepts Heavens
The Fifth Assembly 23-25
Chapter 23 Ascending to the Tush:taa Heaven
Bowing
Chapter 24 Praises in the Tush:ta Heaven
The Buddha’s Bodies
Chapter 25 The Ten Transferences
Compassion
Giving
The Sixth Assembly
Chapter 26 The Ten Grounds
Happiness Science Education
The Seventh Assembly: The Hall of Universal Light 27-39
Chapter 27 The Ten Samadhis
Chapter 28 The Ten Penetrations
Judging Logic Greed For Powers
Chapter 29 The Ten Patiences
Patience
Chapter 30 Asamkhyeyas
Mathematics Ineffable
Chapter 31 Life Spans
Amitabha Buddha
Chapter 32 Bodhisattvas’ Dwelling Places
Manjushri Bodhisattva
Chapter 33 The Buddhas’ Inconceivable Dharmas
Why The Buddha Enters Nirvana
Chapter 34 The Sea of the Marks of the Thus Come Ones’ Ten Bodies
The Buddha’s Thirty-Two Marks Of Greatness
Chapter 35 The Light of the Merit and Virtue of the Thus Come Ones’
Minor Characteristics
Repentance
Chapter 36 Universal Worthy’s Conduct
Anger
Chapter 37 The Thus Come Ones’ Appearances
The Buddha’s Five Teaching Periods
Chapter 38 Leaving the World
Serving The Buddha
Filiality Animals
Vegetarianism
Chapter 39 Entering The Dharma Realm
Repaying The Buddha’s Kindness
Manjushri Bodhisattva
Venerable Shariputra
Youth Good Wealth
Good Knowing Advisor
The Shurangama Sutra
Meaning Of South
Upasika Unmoving
Purity
Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva
Compassion
Eye Faculty
Lady Maya
Avatamsaka Syllabary
The Ten Kings of Vows
It's a Mahayana text, isn't it? Though I read that there are claims that some clues or hints are taken as indicating it to be an original teaching of the historical Buddha.
There is an online Buddhist society version but it's copyright.
It's a Mahayana text, isn't it? Though I read that there are claims that some clues or hints are taken as indicating it to be an original teaching of the historical Buddha.
There is an online Buddhist society version but it's copyright.
It is a Mahayana Sutra.
The above claimed the following;
"It is traditionally believed that the Sutra was taught to the Bodhisattvas and other high spiritual beings while the Buddha was in samadhi."
"Some claimed it was the first Sutra that the Buddha preached immediately upon his enlightenment."
However I believe all these claims are not critical and there was no historical Buddha. While most Theravadians will believe in a historical Buddha, the Mahayanists do not emphasize on a historical Buddha.
What is critical is the central theme of the Sutra and whether the contents align with the core principles of Buddhism. From what I have read of the Avatamsaka Sutra, it does deliver that critical requirements plus additional elements [being 2nd longest] in comparison to other Sutras.
In any case as with any approach to Buddhism one should read as many Sutras as possible to get a more thorough account of Buddhism.
I have not read the Avatamsaka Sutra fully yet, but from the commentaries of it, I think it will be worthwhile for the time to be invested into it.
My usual approach is not to read the Sutra straightaway but read up all the accessible commentaries on the Sutra before tackling it directly.
A bit of an aside from the thread, but I totally agree with you. When I first became interested I just jumped into the translated sutras, and usually just as quickly ground to a halt. There was so much about both the material in the Nikayas and the Mahayana sutras that was not paralleled in my Christian religious reading or Western philosophical reading that I really needed the preparation and "coaching" that commentaries can provide.
I feel this is (or should be) a major consideration when embarking on exploring Buddhist writings.
A magnificent and profound sutra in the Mahayana tradition, that has provided guidance for aspiring bodhisattvas for nearly 2000 years.
Here is a little survey of each chapter and background from a disciple of Master Hsuan Hua. Master Hua spent many years lecturing on this huge sutra.
A magnificent and profound sutra in the Mahayana tradition, that has provided guidance for aspiring bodhisattvas for nearly 2000 years.
Here is a little survey of each chapter and background from a disciple of Master Hsuan Hua. Master Hua spent many years lecturing on this huge sutra.
Although another complete English translation will be coming forth from BDK publishers, for now Thomas Cleary's edition is the only one. Here is how his Introduction begins:
Quote:
THE FLOWER ORNAMENT SCRIPTURE, called Avatamsaka in Sanskrit and Huayan in Chinese, is one of the major texts of Buddhism. Also referred
to as the major Scripture of Inconceivable Liberation, it is perhaps the
richest and most grandiose of all Buddhist scriptures, held in high esteem
by all schools of Buddhism that are concerned with universal liberation.
Its incredible wealth of sensual imagery staggers the imagination and
exercises an almost mesmeric effect on the mind as it conveys a wide
range of teachings through its complex structure, its colorful symbolism,
and its mnemonic concentration formulae.
It is not known when or by whom this scripture was composed. It is
thought to have issued from different hands in the Indian cultural sphere
during the first and second centuries AD, but it is written so as to
embrace a broad spectrum of materials and resists rigid systematization.
While standard figures and images from Indian mythology are certainly
in evidence here, as in other Buddhist scriptures, it might be more
appropriate to speak of its provenance in terms of Buddhist culture rather
than Indian culture per se. The Flower Ornament Scripture presents a
compendium of Buddhist teachings; it could variously be said with a
measure of truth in each case that these teachings are set forth in a
system, in a plurality of systems, and without a system. The integrity of
Buddhism as a whole, the specificity of application of its particular
elements, and the interpenetration of those elements are fundamental
points of orientation of the unfolding of the scripture.
The Tathāgata’s wisdom is measureless, unimpeded, and universally able to benefit all beings. It resides in complete abundance within the persons of all beings. It is solely because of all foolish common people’s false conceptions and attachments that they fail to know this, fail to realize this, and fail to acquire its benefits.
Then, the Tathāgata, using his unimpeded pure wisdom eye, universally contemplates all beings throughout the Dharma realm and utters these words: “It is strange. It is strange. It is so strange indeed. How could it be that all of these beings completely possess the Tathāgata’s wisdom, yet, because of their stupidity and delusions, they fail to realize this, even fail to perceive this. I should instruct them in the path of the Sages and cause them to forever abandon false conceptions and attachments. Then they will succeed in seeing that, within their very own persons, they possess vast wisdom of the Tathāgata that is no different from that of the Buddha himself."
This famous chapter 40 on the Ten Vows of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva is now out in hardback from BTTS. This new edition has the sutra chapter alone, plus commentary by Master Hsuan Hua.
Here is an earlier online draft of that same chapter 40:
The first is to worship and respect all Buddhas; the second is to praise the Thus Come Ones; the third is to extensively cultivate making offerings; the fourth is to repent of karmic obstacles and reform; the fifth is to follow along with and rejoice in merit and virtue; the sixth is to request the turning of the Dharma Wheel; the seventh is to request that the Buddhas remain in the world; the eighth is to always study with the Buddhas; the ninth is to constantly accord with living beings; the tenth is to universally transfer all merit and virtue.
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