The Tenth Practice: Truth

The tenth [practice], the practice of truth, is based on transcendent knowledge. Here the practitioners develop knowledge of what is and what is not so; knowledge of consequences of past, present, and future actions; knowledge of faculties, realms, and understandings; knowledge of where all paths lead; knowledge of defilement or purity and proper or improper timing of all meditations, liberations, and concentrations; knowledge of past abodes in all worlds; knowledge of clairvoyance; and knowledge of the end of all taints. (pp. 1554-1555)

Excerpted from "Commentary on Book 39 by Li Tongxuan: Translator's Introduction" in The Flower Ornament Scripture: A Translation of the Avatamsaka Sutra by Thomas Cleary

The Ninth Practice: Good Teaching

The ninth [practice], the practice of good teaching, is based on transcendent power. Here practitioners attain inexhaustible intellectual powers and boundless versatility in teaching, their compassion extending to all beings. They adapt to the faculties, natures, and inclinations of the people they address, and respond inexhaustibly to whatever questions or difficulties people bring them. (p. 1554)

Excerpted from "Commentary on Book 39 by Li Tongxuan: Translator's Introduction" in The Flower Ornament Scripture: A Translation of the Avatamsaka Sutra by Thomas Cleary

The Eighth Practice: The Difficult-to-Attain

The eighth [practice], the practice of the difficult-to-attain, is based on transcendent vows. Here practitioners perfect virtues that are difficult to attain and never abandon or weary of the vow of universal salvation. (p. 1554)

Excerpted from "Commentary on Book 39 by Li Tongxuan: Translator's Introduction" in The Flower Ornament Scripture: A Translation of the Avatamsaka Sutra by Thomas Cleary

The Seventh Practice: Nonattachment

The seventh [practice], the practice of nonattachment, is based on transcendent skill in means. Practitioners neither form attachments to the sacred nor feel aversion towards the mundane, holding the Teaching without proprietary sentiments and teaching people without emotional involvement. By virtue of their great commitment and will power, practitioners remain secure while teaching others, not becoming disturbed or discouraged, having attained nonattachment and independence. (pp. 1553-1554)

Excerpted from "Commentary on Book 39 by Li Tongxuan: Translator's Introduction" in The Flower Ornament Scripture: A Translation of the Avatamsaka Sutra by Thomas Cleary

The Sixth Practice: Good Manifestation

The sixth [practice], called the practice of good manifestation, is based on transcendent wisdom. Here practitioners are pure and nonacquisitive in thought, word, and deed, realizing that thoughts, words, and deeds have no absolute existence. Free from falsehood, they are accordingly freed from bondage; they abide in the absolute essence of reality yet appear in life expediently, having no retribution for their actions. (p. 1553)

Excerpted from "Commentary on Book 39 by Li Tongxuan: Translator's Introduction" in The Flower Ornament Scripture: A Translation of the Avatamsaka Sutra by Thomas Cleary

The Fifth Practice: Nonconfusion

The fifth [practice], the practice of nonconfusion, is based on transcendent meditation. Practitioners develop perfect mindfulness, so that their minds become undistracted, imperturbable, pure, open, and free from confusion. (p. 1553)

Excerpted from "Commentary on Book 39 by Li Tongxuan: Translator's Introduction" in The Flower Ornament Scripture: A Translation of the Avatamsaka Sutra by Thomas Cleary

The Fourth Practice: Indomitability

The fourth [practice], the practice of indomitability, is based on transcendent energy. Practitioners become free from mental poisons and direct their energy towards ending psychological afflictions; uprooting confusion; eliminating the compulsion of habit; and learning all about people, phenomena, time, and the powers and qualities of the enlightened. (p. 1553)

Excerpted from "Commentary on Book 39 by Li Tongxuan: Translator's Introduction" in The Flower Ornament Scripture: A Translation of the Avatamsaka Sutra by Thomas Cleary

The Third Practice: Nonopposition

The third [practice], the practice of nonopposition, is based on transcendent tolerance. Practitioners develop humility and forbearance, refraining from harming others. (pp. 1552-1553)

Excerpted from "Commentary on Book 39 by Li Tongxuan: Translator's Introduction" in The Flower Ornament Scripture: A Translation of the Avatamsaka Sutra by Thomas Cleary

The Second Practice: Beneficial Practice

[The second practice] is known as beneficial practice, based on transcendent morality. The practitioner maintains pure discipline and self-control, free from attachment to material senses, without seeking power, status, wealth, or dominion. (p. 1552)

Excerpted from "Commentary on Book 39 by Li Tongxuan: Translator's Introduction" in The Flower Ornament Scripture: A Translation of the Avatamsaka Sutra by Thomas Cleary

The First Practice: Giving Joy

[T]he practice of joy, or giving joy, is based on transcendent generosity. The practitioner is magnanimous in giving, without any concept of person, personality, human being, giver, or receiver. (p. 1552)

Excerpted from "Commentary on Book 39 by Li Tongxuan: Translator's Introduction" in The Flower Ornament Scripture: A Translation of the Avatamsaka Sutra by Thomas Cleary

The Tenth Abode: Coronation

In the tenth abode, the abode of coronation, the spiritual monarchs analyze, illumine, support, visit, and purify countless worlds; they observe and teach countless people, knowing their faculties, and cause countless people to strive for enlightenment and realize peace and harmony. (p. 1552)

Excerpted from "Commentary on Book 39 by Li Tongxuan: Translator's Introduction" in The Flower Ornament Scripture: A Translation of the Avatamsaka Sutra by Thomas Cleary

The Ninth Abode: Spiritual Prince

In the ninth abode, the abode of the spiritual prince, practitioners know how people are born, how afflictions arise, how habits continue, and what techniques are to be employed to liberate people. They know innumerable teachings and understand manners. They know the differentiations of the world, they know past and future events, and they know how to explain both conventional and ultimate truth. (pp. 1551-1552)

Excerpted from "Commentary on Book 39 by Li Tongxuan: Translator's Introduction" in The Flower Ornament Scripture: A Translation of the Avatamsaka Sutra by Thomas Cleary

The Eighth Abode: Youthful Nature

The eighth abode, called the abode of youthful nature, or innocence, is characterized by flawless thought, word, and deed. (p. 1551)

Excerpted from "Commentary on Book 39 by Li Tongxuan: Translator's Introduction" in The Flower Ornament Scripture: A Translation of the Avatamsaka Sutra by Thomas Cleary

The Seventh Abode: Nonregression

In the seventh abode, the abode of nonregression, the practitioner is firm and does not backslide[.] (p. 1551)

Excerpted from "Commentary on Book 39 by Li Tongxuan: Translator's Introduction" in The Flower Ornament Scripture: A Translation of the Avatamsaka Sutra by Thomas Cleary

The Sixth Abode: Correct State of Mind

In the sixth abode, called the abode of the correct state of mind, the practitioners' minds are unwavering[.] (p. 1550)

Excerpted from "Commentary on Book 39 by Li Tongxuan: Translator's Introduction" in The Flower Ornament Scripture: A Translation of the Avatamsaka Sutra by Thomas Cleary

The Fifth Abode: Skill in Means

The fifth abode, called the abode of full equipment with skill in means, calls for practitioners to cultivate virtues for the salvation and benefit of others, to free others from trouble, to free others from the miseries of compulsive routines, to inspire pure faith, to harmonize and pacify others, and to enable others to experience perfect peace. (p. 1550)

Excerpted from "Commentary on Book 39 by Li Tongxuan: Translator's Introduction" in The Flower Ornament Scripture: A Translation of the Avatamsaka Sutra by Thomas Cleary

The Fourth Abode: Noble Birth

The fourth abode, called the abode of noble birth, is characterized by permanent access to the presence of the enlightened; deep and pure faith; careful examination of things; and knowledge of beings, lands, worlds, actions, consequences, birth and death, and nirvana. (p. 1550)

Excerpted from "Commentary on Book 39 by Li Tongxuan: Translator's Introduction" in The Flower Ornament Scripture: A Translation of the Avatamsaka Sutra by Thomas Cleary

The Third Abode: Practice

The third abode, called the abode of practice, involves contemplation of phenomena in certain specific ways: as impermanent, as irritating, as empty of ultimate reality, as selfless, as having no creation, as senseless, as not corresponding to the names conventionally given to them, as having no locus, as being beyond conception, and as lacking stable solidity. (p. 1550)

Excerpted from "Commentary on Book 39 by Li Tongxuan: Translator's Introduction" in The Flower Ornament Scripture: A Translation of the Avatamsaka Sutra by Thomas Cleary