Avatamsaka Sutra Summer Program

Description of the Avatamsaka Sutra
(a.k.a. the The Great Flower Garland Sutra of the Buddha's Expanded Mahayana Teachings,
Chinese: Da Fang Guang Fo Hua Yan Jing)
(Excerpt from Buddhism A to Z compiled by Dr. Ron Epstein)

Known as the 'King of Kings' of all Buddhist scriptures because of its profundity and great length (eighty-one rolls containing more than 200,000 characters), this Sutra contains the most complete explanation of the Buddha's state and the Bodhisattva's quest for awakening.

In the words of the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua: "The Flower Garland Sutra is the sutra of the Dharma-realm and the sutra of empty space. To the exhaustion of the Dharma-realm and empty space there is no place where the Flower Garland Sutra is not present. Wherever the Flower Garland Sutra is found, the Buddha is to be found, and also the Dharma and the Sangha of worthy sages. That is why when the Buddha realized proper enlightenment, he wished to speak the Great Flower Garland Sutra, to teach and transform the great masters of the Dharma-body. Since this sutra was a sutra of inconceivable wonder, it was then concealed within the dragon's palace for the dragon king to protect. Afterwards Nagarjuna ('dragon-tree') Bodhisattva went to the dragon's palace, memorized it, and brought it back.

"The Flower Garland Sutra is like an auspicious cloud in empty space, which extends throughout the Three Thousand Great Thousand World-System, raining down the sweet dew of Dharma rain to moisten all living beings. The Flower Garland Sutra is also like the sun, which everywhere illumines the Three Thousand World-Realm, bringing warmth to every single living being. The Flower Garland Sutra is also like the great earth, which can produce and grow the myriad existing things. Therefore, it can be said that any period in which the Flower Garland Sutra exists is a period in which the proper Dharma long remains.

"Consequently, in our daily investigation and lecturing of the Flower Garland Sutra, the essential is to rely upon the Sutra's principles to cultivate to use the Sutra as a cure for our own personal faults. Those who are greedy, after hearing the Flower Garland Sutra, should rid themselves of greed. People who have hatred, upon hearing the Sutra, should give up their hatred; and those who are stupid should stop being stupid. The principles discussed in the Sutra are designed to correct our faults and bad habits. It is absolutely not the case that the Sutra was Dharma spoken for Bodhisattvas with no relation to us, or that it was Dharma spoken for Arhats with no relevance for us. Don't think, 'All I can do as an ordinary person is listen to the Sutra. I could never aspire to the states of a sage.' To think that way is to throw yourself away, to separate yourself from the sages.

"From the beginning to the end of the Flower Garland Sutra, every phrase of the Sutra is an unsurpassed Dharma jewel. If we are able actually to apply the principles and cultivate according to the principles of the Sutra, then we are certain to become Buddhas. For that reason the Flower Garland Sutra can be called the mother of all Buddhas. The Flower Garland Sutra is the Dharma-body of all Buddhas."