Explanation of the Mahāyāna Sūtra of the Revelation of Consciousness

Original text:尔时。诸比丘。在世尊所。多有疲睡。失容阿委。不能自持。于是世尊。面门晖发。如莲花开。时诸比丘。咸悉醒悟。各自严正。作如是念。今佛世尊。颜容晖焕。面光照朗,。欲开何法眼。作大饶益。

Explanation: At this time, the bhikṣu disciples in the World-Honored One's lecture hall were mostly somewhat weary, drowsy and bleary-eyed, their faces listless, about to lose their composure and on the verge of falling asleep. While the Buddha was preaching the Dharma above, some of the bhikṣus below had grown tired and were about to doze off, their posture no longer dignified—some were yawning, some were nodding off, and their bodies could no longer remain upright.

Seeing this situation, the World-Honored One, in order to rouse these bhikṣus to wakefulness, manifested supernatural powers. "面门晖发" means that His face radiated brilliance like a lotus flower in bloom. When the bhikṣus saw the Buddha manifesting supernatural powers and radiating light, all of them lost their drowsiness, became fully energized, and each straightened their sitting posture, thinking: "The Buddha is now manifesting supernatural powers, His countenance radiant and luminous. What great Dharma is He about to expound, to bring great benefit to sentient beings?"

原文：尔时。贤护胜上童真。修容丰美。柔和光泽。色相具足。六万商主。前后围绕。侍从轰郁。声如地震。来诣佛所。见佛世尊。寂静安隐。众德之藏。巍巍赫朗。如大金树。深心信重。合掌思惟。作如是念。众共称赞。佛一切智。普见一切。是如来阿罗诃。正等觉。诚实不虚。顶礼佛足。谛视而住。

Explanation: At this time, there was a layperson named Bhadrapāla, a noble youth of pure virtue. "童真" (of pure youth) means that he was still a youth, and "胜上" (surpassingly excellent) indicates that this person was rather extraordinary, surpassing ordinary people either in merit or in wisdom. His appearance was refined and handsome, gentle and lustrous, his physical features complete and beautiful—here it is hinting that the bodhisattva Bhadrapāla had cultivated great merit in past lives, which resulted in such an adorned physical appearance. Sixty thousand caravan leaders surrounded him front and back, and his retinue of attendants was numerous; the sound made by the crowd moving together was like an earthquake, showing how vast and profound the bodhisattva Bhadrapāla's merit was.

At this time, the whole crowd escorted Bhadrapāla as they came to the place where the Buddha was preaching the Dharma. The bodhisattva Bhadrapāla saw the World-Honored One seated upright on his seat, appearing tranquil and at ease; within his peaceful and harmonious demeanor was hidden a treasury of immense majestic virtues. In the Buddha's five aggregates, in his speech, conduct, and countenance, were hidden the Buddha's countless virtues, everywhere revealing that the Buddha was a treasury of all virtues. The Buddha's external appearance of the thirty-two marks was majestic and dignified, awe-inspiring yet compassionate, resplendent and luminous, like a tall golden tree.

Seeing the Buddha so adorned with major and minor marks (lakṣaṇa-vyañjana-sampad), Bhadrapāla the noble youth of pure virtue gave rise to a deep feeling of reverence toward the World-Honored One. Then, with palms joined in contemplation, he thought: "All beings together praise the Buddha, whose omniscient wisdom universally sees all things." According to the Hīnayāna, omniscience (sarvākārajñatā) represents the wisdom by which the Buddha could liberate himself from the cycle of birth and death in the three realms, while the Buddha's Mahāyāna wisdom of all aspects (sarvākārajñatā) represents that the Buddha had realized all dharmas, both worldly and transcendent. All the seed functions and activities contained within the Buddha's undefiled consciousness (amala-vijñāna), the Buddha knew completely without remainder; there was not a single dharma he did not understand or know—this is called the wisdom of all aspects.

The bodhisattva Bhadrapāla then continued thinking: "The World-Honored One is indeed the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the Perfectly and Fully Awakened One—true and not false." The bodhisattva Bhadrapāla praised the World-Honored One as having perfected the merit of the Buddha's ten epithets. The Buddha's ten epithets are: Tathāgata, Arhat (Worthy of Offerings), Perfectly and Completely Knowing One, Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, Well-Gone One, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed One, Tamer of Beings, Teacher of Gods and Humans, Buddha, World-Honored One. Thereupon, Bhadrapāla the noble youth of pure virtue bowed at the Buddha's feet and gazed attentively upon the World-Honored One.