The Supernatural Powers of All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas

Question: How should the following sutra passage be understood?

Original text: 转变者，谓佛菩薩依定自在。若于其地起水胜解，即令成水如实非余；火、风胜解亦复如是。若与其水起地胜解，即令成地如实非余；火、风胜解亦复如是。若于其火起地胜解，即令成地如实非余；水、风胜解亦复如是。若于其风起地胜解，即令成地如实非余；水、火胜解亦复如是。

Answer: The Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, relying on the power of freedom attained through profound meditative concentration (samādhi), can transform earth, water, fire, and wind, thereby transforming worlds. For example, when the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas see the great earth and wish to transform its earth-nature into water-nature, they no longer perceive the earth element, but instead perceive the water element upon the earth element; thus the great earth, mountains, and rivers turn into rivers, seas, and flowing waters, with nothing but rivers, seas, and flowing waters—no other material sense-objects remain. When the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas see a great fire, they forcefully perceive water upon the great fire; thus the fire-element seeds transform into water-element seeds, the great fire becomes a great flood, and nothing but the great flood remains—no other material sense-objects remain. When the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas see a great wind arising and wish to extinguish it, they forcefully contemplate the great wind as a great flood; thus the wind-element seeds transform into water-element seeds, the great wind turns into a great flood, and nothing but the great flood remains—no other material sense-objects remain.

If the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas see a great flood and wish to extinguish it, they forcefully contemplate the great flood as the great earth; thus the water-element seeds transform into earth-element seeds, the great flood changes into the great earth, and nothing but the great earth is seen—no other material sense-objects remain. If the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas see a great fire and do not wish the fire to exist, they forcefully contemplate the great fire as the great earth; thus the fire-element seeds transform into earth-element seeds, the great fire becomes the great earth, and nothing but the great earth is seen—no other material sense-objects remain. If the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas see a great wind blowing and do not wish the wind to exist, they forcefully contemplate the great wind as the great earth; thus the wind-element seeds transform into earth-element seeds, the great wind changes into the great earth, and nothing but the great earth is seen—no other material sense-objects remain.

In short, because the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas possess profound meditative concentration, their minds are at ease and free; they can transform the seeds of the four great elements at will, alter all material form (rūpa), and manifest all worlds according to their wishes. With immeasurable superknowledges, mastery of the Path, and power, they guide and transform all sentient beings, leading them to enter the Buddha's Way.

When the mind is brought to a single point, nothing cannot be accomplished. Non-Buddhist practitioners can bring the mind to a single point; arhats and pratyekabuddhas can also bring the mind to a single point; the great Bodhisattvas can bring the mind to a single point; and the Buddhas can do so even more. All of them can attain freedom of mind, all can act in accordance with their wishes, and all can accomplish their corresponding endeavors. However, because the depth of their meditative concentration differs, their wisdom differs, and their mental capacity differs, the degree of freedom of their minds also differs, and the endeavors they accomplish will accordingly differ.