'What is "Universal"? It means his way pervades everywhere. What does "Worthy" mean? It means "his virtue is a sage's virtue." His conduct is identical to the conduct of the foremost sages.
'There are four great Bodhisattvas. Manjushri Bodhisattva is foremost in wisdom (Maha Prajna Paramita); the Bodhisattva Who Observes the Sounds of the World (Avalokiteshvara, Guanyin or Chenrezig) is foremost in great compassion (Maha Karuna); Earth Store (Ksitigarbha, Kshitigarbha, or Di Zang) Bodhisattva is foremost in strength of vows (Maha Pranidhana); Universal Worthy (Samantabhadra) Bodhisattva is foremost in practice.' (UW 5-6)
Universal Worthy Bodhisattva arose from his seat, bowed at the Buddha's feet, and said to the Buddha, 'I have been a Dharma Prince with as many Thus Come Ones as there are sands in the Ganges. The Thus Come Ones of the ten directions tell their disciples who have the roots of a Bodhisattva to cultivate the Universal Worthy Conduct, which is named after me.
'World Honored One, I use my mind to listen and distinguish the knowledge and views of living beings. In other regions as many realms away as there are sands in the Ganges, if there is any living being who discovers the conduct of Universal Worthy, I immediately mount my six-tusked elephant and create hundreds of thousands of reduplicated bodies which go to those places. Although their obstacles may be so heavy that they do not see me, I secretly rub the crowns of their heads, protect and comfort them, and help them to be successful.' (SS V 65-67)
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1) Chinese Mandarin: pu syan pu sa ; 2) Sanskrit: samantabhadra-bodhisattva.
See also: The Eight Great Bodhisattvas: Avalokiteshvara, Manjushri, Samantabhadra, Ksitigarbha, Vajrapani, Medicine King Bodhisattva, Bodhisattva, dharani, mantra, Five School of Buddhism - Esoteric
Buddhist Text Translation Society (http://www.BTTSonline.org) References: UW 5; SS V 65-68.
Source: http://online.sfsu.edu/%7Erone/Buddhism/BuddhistDict/BDU.html
Universal Worthy: A bodhisattva who is the subject of chapter
twenty-eight of the
Lotus Sutra. He is symbolic of religious practice and is usually depicted
riding a white elephant.
Source: Lotus Sutra Glossary
Source: http://www.sgi-usa.org/cgi-bin/lexicon.cgi?exact=on&term=Universal+Worthy
N2 Universal Worthy: the ear consciousness.
Sutra:
Universal Worthy Bodhisattva arose from his seat, bowed at
the Buddha’s feet, and said to the Buddha, "I have been a
Dharma Prince with as many Thus Come Ones as there are
sands in the Ganges. The Thus Come Ones of the ten directions
Volume One – Twenty-five Means to Enlightenment 68
tell their disciples who have the roots of a Bodhisattva to
cultivate the Universal Worthy conduct, which is named after
me.
Commentary:
Universal Worthy Bodhisattva
is a Bodhisattva of GreatConduct. He has ten great, royal vows which we recite at Morning
Recitation. They are:
1) To worship and respect all Buddhas.
2) To praise the Thus Come Ones.
3) To cultivate the giving of offerings.
4) To repent and reform all karmic faults.
5) To compliantly rejoice in merit and virtue.
6) To request the turning of the Dharma wheel
7) To request that the Buddha remain in the world.
8) To always follow the Buddhas in study.
9) To forever accord with living beings.
10) To universally transfer all merit and virtue.
These are called the Ten Kings of Vows of Universal Worthy
Bodhisattva. In the
Avatamsaka Sutra there is an entire chaptercalled, "The Conduct and Vows of Universal Worthy." His practices
and the power of his vows are especially great, and so he has a lot
of affinities with living beings. He rides a six-tusked white
elephant. The color white represents the One Buddha Vehicle, and
the six tusks represent the Six Paramitas.
Universal Worthy Bodhisattva
arose from his seat, bowed atthe Buddha’s feet, and said to the Buddha, "I have been a
Dharma Prince with as many Thus Come Ones as there are
sands in the Ganges. In the past, with that many Buddhas, I have
been a disciple of the Dharma King.
The Thus Come Ones of theten directions tell their disciples who have the roots of a
Bodhisattva – that is, if they have the propensity for Bodhisattvahood
–
to cultivate the Universal Worthy conduct. They shouldThe Six Consciousnesses 69
cultivate the Ten Kings of Vows. This conduct is one
which isnamed after me.
Sutra:
"World Honored One, I use my mind to listen and
distinguish the knowledge and views of living beings. In other
regions as many realms away as there are sands in the Ganges,
if there is any living being who discovers the conduct of
Universal Worthy, I immediately mount my six-tusked elephant
and create hundreds of thousands of reduplicated bodies which
go to those places. Although their obstacles may be so heavy
that they do not see me, I secretly rub their crowns, protect and
comfort them, and help them be successful.
Commentary:
"
World Honored One, I use my mind to listen – I don’t usethe organ of the ear to hear with; I use my mind –
and distinguishthe knowledge and views of living beings. When I make
distinctions about living beings, it is not with the discriminating
mind, but with the true mind, to determine the faculties of all living
beings. I do this not only in this world, but even
in other regions asmany realms away as there are sands in the Ganges – even in
places very, very far away from here.
If there is any living beingwho discovers and wants to cultivate the conduct
the conduct ofUniversal Worthy, I immediately mount my six-tusked elephant
and create hundreds of thousands of reduplicated bodies which
go to those places. I make myriad transformation bodies and go to
those places.
Although their obstacles may be so heavy that theydo not see me, I still give to that person.
I secretly rub theircrowns, invisible to them though I may be." People who cultivate
the Dharma sometimes will feel as if there were a bug crawling on
the top of their head or as if someone were patting them on the
head. Sometimes one will feel as though there were an insect
crawling on one’s face. When this happens, you should not try to
brush the feeling away with your hand. The reason is that it is
actually a Buddha or Bodhisattva rubbing you on the crown. If you
Volume One – Twenty-five Means to Enlightenment 70
are attentive, you will notice it. They are blessing us, so you should
not try to brush them away. If you are sincere, you can experience
this feeling. "I
protect and comfort them, and help them besuccessful. I help them become accomplished in their cultivation."
Sutra:
"The Buddha asks about perfect penetration. The basic
cause I speak of in my case is listening with the mind to discover
and distinguish at ease. This is the foremost method."
Commentary:
"
The Buddha asks about perfect penetration. The basiccause I speak of in my case is the experience I had on the causeground.
It
is listening with the mind to discover and distinguishat ease. I listen in order to discover the knowledge and views of
living beings. These discriminations of the true mind are done with
ease, and I have obtained self-mastery.
This is the foremostmethod, I consider this Dharma-door the best."
People should not get angry, because if they do, demonic
obstacles can arise. Be a little less fiery and a little more intent upon
your study of the Buddhadharma.