The first stage, the stage of joy, is characterized by calmness, happiness, ebullience, exaltation, delight, vigor, geniality, and freedom from anger. The practitioners of this stage become extremely joyful thinking of the enlightened ones and their teachings, of those working for enlightenment and their practices, of the ways of transcendence, and of the ability to help people. [...] Practitioners in this stage also make a preparatory study of the indications of all the stages, becoming versed in the problems and solutions of the stages, the attainments and cultivation of the stages, and the step-by-step progression through the stages. (p. 1559)
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
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