There are two major translations of the Avatamsaka Sutra (Kegon-kyō):
• The older translation is called “60 Kegon” and is also traditionally known as “晋訳(しんやく) (Shin-yaku)”. It was translated into Chinese by Buddhabhadra in the 5th century and has 34 chapters.
• The newer translation is called “80 Kegon” and is also known as “唐訳(とうやく) (Tō-yaku)”. It was translated by Śikṣānanda in the late 7th century and has 39 chapters.
In Buddhist nations throughout Asia, the “60 Kegon” version has had the strongest impact and most of the important commentaries are based on it.
The English translation by Bhikshu Dharmamitra we are using as a text is a translation of the “80 Kegon” version. Since these lectures will often refer to commentaries on the “60 Kegon” version, it is helpful to know how these two versions are related.
The Sites, the Assemblies and the Themes
In the original “60 Kegon”, the teachings are offered at seven different sites for eight different assemblies. This is why, in Japanese, it is described as “七処八会(しちしょはちえ) (Shichi Sho Hachi-e)” – “Seven Sites and Eight Assemblies.” “80 Kegon” is an extended version of “60 Kegon” and has a similar structure.
The sutra is divided into three themes:
Theme 1: Buddha Dharma: True Nature and Formation of Dharmakaya, i.e. “What it is”.
(Chapters 1 – 6 of “80 Kegon”; Chapter 1 of “60 Kegon”)
Theme 2: Buddha Way: The Actual practices of Bodhisattvas. i.e., “How to be”.
Chapter 7 - 38 of “80 Kegon”; Chapters 2 - 33 in “60 Kegon”）
Theme 3: Buddha Way: Detailed expressions of Bodhisattva practices as depicted in Sudhana’s
Way-seeking journey.
(Chapter 39 of “80 Kegon”; Chapter 34 of “60 Kegon”)
Site 1: The Site of Enlightenment
寂滅道場会
Note: In the following outline, the chapters of the “80 Kegon” are given first and the corresponding chapters in the “60 Kegon” appear in parentheses below them for reference.
Site 1 is in “this world” in Bodhgaya, in the Indian state of Magadha, where the Buddha was enlightened under the Bodhi Tree and began to teach.
Theme１: Buddha Dharma: True Nature and Formation of Dharmakaya, i.e. “What it is”.
Chapter 1
世主妙厳品
Wonderous Adornments of the Leaders of the Worlds
(Chapter 1 世間浄眼品 The world viewed from Enlightened Eyes)
Chapter 2
如来現相品
The Manifest Appearances of the Tathāgata
Chapter 3
普賢三昧品
The Samādis of Samantabhadra
Chapter 4
世界成就品
The Formation of the Worlds
Chapter 5
華厳世界品
The Flower Treasury Ocean of Worlds
Chapter 6
毘盧遮那品
Vairoçana
(Chapter 2 盧舎那仏品 Vairoçana)
Site 2: The Hall of Universal Light
普光法堂会
Site 2 also takes place in “this world” in the “public hall” of a town located at the bend of the Nēranjā River.
Theme ２： Buddha Way: The Actual practices of Bodhisattvas. i.e., “How to be”.
Chapter 7
如来名号品
The Names of the Tathāgatas
(Chapter 3 如来名号品 The names of the Tathāgatas)
Chapter 8
四聖諦品
The Four Truths of the Āryas (The Four Noble Truths)
(Chapter 4 四聖諦品 The Four Noble Truths)
Chapter 9
光明覚品
The Radiant Enlightenment
(Chapter 5 如来光明覚品 Tathāgata’s Radiant Awakening)
Note: 光明 “Kōmyō” is the Japanese equivalent of Aloka (radiant light) in Sanskrit. Dōgen uses the term “kōmyō” in his writing.
Chapter 10
菩薩問明品
A Bodhisattva Asks for Clarification
(Chapter 6 菩薩明難品 The Bodhisattvas’ clarification of issues)
Chapter 11
浄行品
Pure Conduct
(Chapter 7 浄行品 Pure Conduct)
Chapter 12
賢首品
Foremost Worthy
(Chapter 8 賢首菩薩品 Foremost Worthy Boddhisattva)
Site 3: The Trāyastrimśa Heaven Palace
忉利天会
Note: In this sutra, the first sites where assemblies gather to hear teachings are in “this world”, then the teaching sites ascend to the heavenly worlds and finally they return to “this world”.
Six Heavens of Desire Realm六欲天：
1. Heaven of the Four Great Kings 四天王天 Caturmahārāja
2. Trāyastriṃśa heaven 忉利天
3. Yāma heaven 夜摩天
4. Tuṣita heaven 兜率天
5. Nirmāṇarati heaven 化楽天
6. Para-nirmita-vaśa-vartin heaven 他化自在天
Chapter 13
昇須弥山頂品
Ascent to the Summit of Mount Sumeru
(Chapter 9 仏昇須弥頂 Buddha’s Ascent to the Summit of Mount Sumeru)
Chapter 14
須弥頂上偈讃品
The Praise Verses on the Summit of Mount Sumeru
(Chapter 10 菩薩雲集妙勝殿上説偈品 Bodhisattva’s’ Praise Verses at Marvelous Excellence Palace)
Chapter 15
十 住 品
The Ten Abodes
(Chapter 11 菩薩十住品 Bodhisattva’s Ten Abodes)
Chapter 16
梵行品
The Brahman Conduct
(Chapter 12 梵行品 The Brahman Conduct)
Chapter 17
初発心功徳品
The Merit of the Initial Resolve
(Chapter 13 初発心菩薩功徳品 The Merit of Bodhisattvas’ First Arising of Bodhicitta)
Chapter 18
明法品
Clarifying the Dharma
(Chapter 14 明法品 Clarifying the Dharma)
Site 4: The Suyāma Heaven Palace
夜摩天宮会
Chapter 19
昇夜摩天宮品
Ascent to the Suyāma Heaven Palace
(Chapter 15 仏昇夜摩天宮自在品 Buddha’s Ascent to the Suyāma Heaven Palace)
Chapter 20
夜摩宮中偈讃品
Praise Verses in the Suyāma Heaven Palace
(Chapter 16 夜摩宮中菩薩説偈品 Bodhisattvas’ Praise Verses in the Suyāma Heaven Palace)
Chapter 21
十行品
Ten Practices
(Chapter 17 功徳華聚菩薩十行品 Merits of Bodhisattvas’’ Ten Practices)
Chapter 22
十無尽蔵品
Ten Inexhaustible Treasuries
(Chapter 18 菩薩十無尽蔵品 Bodhisattvas’ Ten Inexhaustible Treasuries)
Site 5: The Tuśita Heaven Palace
兜率天宮会
Chapter 23
昇兜率天宮品
The Ascent to the Tuśita Heaven Palace
(Chapter 19 如来昇兜率天宮一切宝蔵品 The Tathāgata’s Ascent to the Tuśita Heaven Palace)
Chapter 24
兜率宮中偈讃品
The Tuśita Heaven Palace Praise Verses
(Chapter 20兜率宮菩薩雲集讃仏品The Tuśita Heaven Palace Bodhisattvas’ Praise Verses)
Chapter 25
十廻向品
The Ten Dedications
(Chapter 21 金剛幢菩薩十廻向品 Vajra Banner Bodhisattva’s Ten Dedications)
Site 6: The Paranirmita-vaśavartin Heaven Palace
他化天宮会
Note: the sites are “ascending” assembly by assembly.
Chapter 26
十地品
The Ten Grounds
(Chapter 22 十地品 The Ten Grounds)
Note: This chapter was originally an independent sutra that pre-existed the Avatamasaka Sutra.
Two important Commentaries have been written on this sutra:
• Daśa-bhūmika-vibhāśā by Nāgārjuna 十住毘婆沙論
• Daśa-bhūmivyākhyāna or Daśa-bhūmika-vivṛti (according to the Tibetan translation, Daśa-bhūmika-vyākhyāna) by Vasubandhu 十地経論
Return to Site 2: The Hall of Universal Light
普光法堂重会
Back to “this world”.
Chapter 27
十定品
The Ten Samādhis
Chapter 28
十通品
The Ten Superknowledges
(Chapter 23 十明品 Ten Clarifying Powers)
Chapter 29
十忍品
The Ten Patiences
(Chapter 24 十忍品 The Ten Patiences)
Chapter 30
阿僧祇品
Asamkhyeyas
(Chapter 25 心王菩薩問阿僧祇品 Asamkhyeyas)
Chapter 31
寿量品
Life Spans
(Chapter 26 寿命品 Life Spans)
Chapter 32
諸菩薩住処品
The Bodhisattva Abodes
(Chapter 27 菩薩住処品The Bodhisattva Abodes)
Chapter 33
仏不思議法品
The Inconceivable Dharmas of the Buddhas
(Chapter 28 仏不思議法品 The Inconceivable Dharmas of the Buddhas)
Chapter 34
如来十身相海品
The Ocean of Major Marks of the Tathāgata’s Ten Bodies
(Chapter 29 如来相海品 The Ocean of Major Marks of the Tathāgata’s Body)
Chapter 35
如来随好光明功徳品
The Qualities of the Light of the Tathāgata’s Subsidiary Signs
(Chapter 30 仏小相光明功徳品 The Radiant Merits of the Tathāgata’s Subsidiary Signs)
Chapter 36
普賢行品
The Practices of Samantabhadra
(Chapter 31 普賢菩薩行品 The Practices of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva)
Chapter 37
如来出現品
The Manifestation of the Tathāgata
(Chapter 32 宝王如来性起品 The Manifestation of the Tathāgata)
Site 2 again: The Hall of Universal Light
普光法堂重会
“This World”.
Chapter 38
離世間品
Transcending the World
(Chapter 33 離世間品 Transcending the World)
Site 7: The Jeta Grove (In the Great Lecture Hall)
重閣講堂会
Teachings are offered in “this world” at the historic site called Jetavana-vihāra jetavane’nāthapiṇḍadasya-ārāme.
Theme 3: The Buddha Way or “How to be” as depicted in Sudhana’s Way-seeking journey.
Chapter 39
入法界品
Entering the Dharma Realm
(Chapter 34 入法界品 Entering the Dharma Realm)
Note: This chapter was originally an individual sutra called the Gaṇḍa-vyūha Sūtra.