The Spiritual Powers and Dharma Power of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas

Question: How should the following scripture passage be understood?

Original Text: "Transformation" refers to the sovereign mastery attained by Buddhas and Bodhisattvas through meditative concentration. If they generate a superior realization of water upon land, that land immediately becomes water, truly without any other substances; likewise for fire and wind. If they generate a superior realization of land upon water, that water immediately becomes land, truly without any other substances; likewise for fire and wind. If they generate a superior realization of land upon fire, that fire immediately becomes land, truly without any other substances; likewise for water and wind. If they generate a superior realization of land upon wind, that wind immediately becomes land, truly without any other substances; likewise for water and fire.

Answer: All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, relying on the sovereign power of profound meditative absorption (dhyāna), can transform the elements of earth, water, fire, and wind, thereby altering the world. For example, when Buddhas and Bodhisattvas see the great earth and wish to transform its earth-nature into water-nature, the earth element ceases to appear to them. Instead, they perceive the water element upon the earth element, causing mountains, rivers, and land to transform into oceans, rivers, and streams, with nothing remaining but these waters and no other material phenomena. When Buddhas and Bodhisattvas see a great fire and forcibly perceive water upon the fire, the seed of the fire element transforms into the seed of the water element, turning the great fire into great water, with nothing remaining but this water and no other material phenomena. When Buddhas and Bodhisattvas see a great wind arising and wish to extinguish it, forcibly visualizing the great wind as great water, the seed of the wind element transforms into the seed of the water element, turning the great wind into great water, with nothing remaining but this water and no other material phenomena.

If Buddhas and Bodhisattvas see great water and wish to extinguish it, forcibly visualizing the great water as great earth, the seed of the water element transforms into the seed of the earth element, turning the great water into great earth, with nothing remaining but this earth and no other material phenomena. If Buddhas and Bodhisattvas see a great fire and do not wish it to exist, forcibly visualizing the great fire as great earth, the seed of the fire element transforms into the seed of the earth element, turning the great fire into great earth, with nothing remaining but this earth and no other material phenomena. If Buddhas and Bodhisattvas see a great wind approaching and do not wish it to exist, forcibly visualizing the great wind as great earth, the seed of the wind element transforms into the seed of the earth element, turning the great wind into great earth, with nothing remaining but this earth and no other material phenomena.

In summary, because Buddhas and Bodhisattvas possess profound meditative absorption, their minds are sovereign. They can freely transform the seeds of the four great elements, alter all material phenomena (rūpa-dharma), and change all worlds at will. With immeasurable spiritual powers and skillful means, they guide all sentient beings into the Buddha Way.

By focusing the mind in one place, nothing remains unaccomplished. Non-Buddhist practitioners can focus their minds in one place; Arhats and Pratyekabuddhas can focus their minds in one place; great Bodhisattvas can focus their minds in one place; Buddhas can certainly focus their minds in one place. All can attain mastery of mind, all can accordingly act according to their will, and all can accomplish corresponding deeds. However, due to differences in the depth of their meditative absorption, differences in wisdom, and differences in the scope of their minds, the degree of their mental mastery differs, and thus the deeds they accomplish also differ.