Thereupon Wonderful-Voice Bodhisattva entered into a samadhi. He did not rise from his seat or make any other movement. By the power of this samadhi, he caused eighty-four thousand lotus flowers of treasures to appear in a place not far from the seat of the Dharma situated on Mt. Gṛdhrakūṭa.

[The bodhisattva Fine Sound] wishes to come soon [to the Sahā world-sphere]. Hence, he first displays the wondrous omen of numerous flowers, so that living beings in this realm may begin to be fascinated and will long for it.

Thereupon Śākyamuni Buddha said to Mañjuśrī, “This Many-Treasures Tathāgata, who passed away a long time ago, will cause him to appear before you all.”

The purpose of making Many Jewels now [appear and] display marks is twofold: first, to show that Many Jewels will come for the sake of the Dharma Blossom; second, to show that the paths of various Buddhas are identical.

Thereupon Śākyamuni Buddha [faced the east and] emitted rays of light from the fleshy tuft on his head, that is, from one of the marks of a great man, and also from the white curls between his eyebrows.

When the multitude heard of the former affairs of [the bodhisattva] Medicine King, they again praised the meritorious virtues of the Dharma Blossom with all the more faith and respect, all wanting to protect and keep [the sūtra]. The methods of propagating it must have a cause. [Of the possible] practices connected with this cause, in general there is nothing more penetrating than “the samādhi [of the manifestation] of the body of all forms.” What is “the samādhi [of the manifestation] of the body of [all] forms?” It is none other than the wisdom of the Dharma Blossom. When men glorify and spread the Dharma Blossom they manifest this samādhi, easily changing appearances and preaching it in boundlessly varied ways. The [bodhisattva-mahāsattva] Fine Sound (Gadgadasvara) is himself the one [who has attained samādhi]. By resort to traces he goes back and forth [from one realm to another] in order to propagate this sutra. The benefit he gives is very great. [The Buddha] emits a ray of light [from] between his brows to illuminate that realm because he wishes to let [the bodhisattva] Fine Sound come there.

In his next life, he appeared again in the world of Sun-Moon-Pure-Bright-Virtue Buddha.

This man had the cause planted not in vain; consequently the effect likewise is not empty. Those [antinomians] who diligently seek [just] to cleanse themselves may not be practicing acts deeply virtuous enough to induce the wondrous ultimate. This example is cited, therefore, for the purpose of illustrating and proving [the need for practicing virtuous acts].

Then he applied perfumed oil to his skin, put on a heavenly garment of treasures in the presence of Sun-Moon-Pure-Bright-Virtue Buddha, sprinkled various kinds of perfumed oil on the garment, and set fire to his body, making a vow by his supernatural powers.

Now, as it appears here, the burning of (his own) body in the past is referred to as the former affair. What does burning [one’s own] body signify? When it comes to what a man treasures and values, nothing exceeds bodily life, and when one burns it oneself, it is because there is something treasured as much as the body. If one is capable of grasping such meaning, even though one exists with the physical form, one is burning, as it were, all the time. [If] li is perverted in the attempt to understand it, even though one burns oneself all day long, [in reality] one is never burning. [The Buddha] hopes that they attain li free of its traces, and so be not stagnated in worldly facts (shih). The reason why the Sage thought of demanding is articulated here.

In the preceding it has been explicated that the li of cause and that of effect are one, that there is no difference in purport. As the ultimate within became manifest, their understanding and discernment came to have [a distinct] presence. [The theme of] the section following this chapter, concerning the men of three [vehicles] becoming the men of One [Vehicle], clarified that the children of two vehicles cannot help but become identical with those of the Greater [Vehicle]. Having finished preaching the sūtra, [the Buddha] now takes examples of those who propagated the sūtra. Earlier there were some examples of those who testimonially practiced [the teaching of] the sūtra. In the present chapter he marks out several people, showing the traces of their conduct in order to help verify [the effect of] the Dharma Blossom. These people were then in other realms, propagating this canon. Now again in this realm, they transmit and keep this sūtra, enabling the teaching of the Path (Tao) to benefit [beings] in the present time, and the fragrance of its virtues (te) to spread and be known for a thousand years to come, so that those who advance to the destination proper, when they are in compliance with it, may reach it.