This merit means that he reveals an unusual, incomprehensible event to the great assembly. Seeing it, the great assembly is struck with wonder. Delighted, they want to hear about it and think: “The Tathāgata should now explain something to us.” Therefore it is called the accomplishment of a basis to explain the motive. That is why the Tathāgata emits a great ray of light that reveals various events occurring in the worlds of another direction.

The Tathāgata first displays for the great assembly external events, such as the earth quaking in six ways. Then he reveals the profound and subtle truth (Dharma) within this religious discourse that he realized by himself. He also utilizes the physical and human worlds; a variety of types and dimensions; the different defilements and purities possessed; the different buddhas, doctrines (Dharmas), and disciples in order to illustrate the Three Jewels; the different vehicles; the worlds with buddhas and those without buddhas. He causes living beings to see practitioners who have not yet attained the result [of the path] as well as those who have gained the path and attained the result. Just as it says in the Lotus Sutra, “[A]ll who had achieved the path through practice…”

“A variety of types” means various sights. Briefly expressed, there are four: 1) nourishment, 2) listening to the Dharma, 3) practice, and 4) delight. Just as it says in the Lotus Sutra:

At that moment the Buddha emitted a ray of light from the tuft of white hair between his eyebrows [which totally illuminated all of the eighteen thousand worlds in the east, down as far as the lowest hell and up as far as the highest heaven. In those lands the beings of the six destinies were completely visible. Moreover the buddhas present in those lands were seen and the Dharma they were teaching was heard. Also seen there were the monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen who had achieved the path through practice. Moreover, all the bodhisattvas, great beings, possessed of various inclinations, motives, and appearances, were seen practicing the bodhisattva path.

Furthermore all the buddhas in final nirvana (parinirvāṇa) were seen. Also seen were all the buddhas after their final nirvana], and their buddha-relic stupas made of the seven precious treasures.

It should be known that those practicing the bodhisattva path give guidance to living beings using the expedient means of the four methods of conversion. [The four methods of conversion] should be individually applied in accordance with what is taught in the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka-sūtra.