Ratnamegha 6: Bam po 6

dwell with mindfulness extremely well-established. Noble son, endowed with those ten qualities, bodhisattvas have their minds constantly and continuously settled in meditative equipoise.

The Noble Mahāyāna Sūtra The Jewel Cloud, [Bampo 6].
Noble son, endowed with ten qualities, bodhisattvas are wearers of rags from the dust heap. What are the ten? They are as follows: they are steadfast in what they have undertaken; they are humble in mind; they are untiring; they are unattached to them; they are free from looking upon them as faults; they look upon them as virtues; they do not praise themselves; they do not disparage others; they are consummate in discipline; and gods assemble [around them]. Noble son, in that regard, how is it that a bodhisattva is steadfast in what has been undertaken, up to how gods assemble [around them]? Noble son, in this regard, a bodhisattva has faith and consummate intention, and has faith and trust in the Tathāgatas. Even for the sake of life, they do not break what has been undertaken and do not deviate from what has been undertaken. Because they are steadfast in what has been undertaken, they have consummate intention, and they are humble in mind and free of pride. Because they are free of pride and humble in mind, they collect inferior, discarded rags from dust heaps that all people find unappealing. Having collected them, they wash them. While washing, patching, sewing, and dyeing them, they are without affliction and untiring. With being untiring as a condition, apart from merely fulfilling the need, they are attached to

The bodhisattvas who wear such clothes will not perceive any flaws in them, for they will not think, ‘Alas, my refuse rags have been torn! Alas, my refuse rags are sagging! Alas, my refuse rags are infested with lice! My refuse rags are uncomfortable and make me sweat!’ Bodhisattvas instead perceive excellent qualities in such rags, thinking, ‘Such refuse rags have been worn by the sages. They support the severance from desires, befit noble beings, and are commended by the thus-gone ones, praised by the thus-gone ones.’ Thus, due to such causes, conditions, and bases, they will neither praise themselves nor blame others. Without praising themselves or blaming others, their discipline is excellent. By means of their excellent discipline they will gather the gods and receive the praise of the thus-gone ones. They will be cherished by bodhisattvas and protected by human and nonhuman beings. They will receive the homage of brahmins, nobility, townspeople, and country dwellers, and be extolled by all who keep pure conduct. Noble son, bodhisattvas endowed with these ten qualities are beings who wear refuse rags.”

“Blessed One, why would bodhisattvas who have a vast mind pursue such inferior conduct?” inquired the bodhisattva Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkam­bhin.

“Noble son,” said the Blessed One, “bodhisattvas practice in relation to a mundane mindset. Those who have attained the strength of the powers will practice conduct that is in accord with the world, yet those who are still to accomplish the strength of the powers will not. Noble son, bodhisattvas who have not yet attained the strength of the powers must apply remedies to avoid the arising of affliction. Noble son, moreover, what do you think, do the thus-gone ones prefer the vast or the inferior?”

“I have nothing to say in reply to the Blessed One’s question,” replied the bodhisattva Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkam­bhin. “And why? Blessed One, because although the Thus-Gone One may speak of preference, the Blessed One sees the Dharma, the Bliss-Gone One sees the Dharma. Hence, the Thus-Gone One has no preference for any phenomenon at all.”

“Noble son,” continued the Blessed One, “the thus-gone ones may demonstrate inferior conduct to humans, gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, and other such inhabitants of the four continents who have a preference for the inferior, and before such beings they may praise ascetic practices. Why do you think they do so?”

“Blessed One, they do so to train such beings through those practices,” replied the bodhisattva Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkam­bhin. “Moreover, they may also teach them so as to provide a remedy for the arising of afflictions in bodhisattvas who have just recently entered the vehicle.”

“Noble son,” continued the Blessed One, “similarly, when even bodhisattvas who have accomplished the strength of the powers wear refuse rags it is for the sake of training and not because they have a preference for the inferior. This is, noble son, the reason that bodhisattvas wear refuse rags.

“Noble son, bodhisattvas endowed with ten qualities wear the three Dharma robes. What are those ten? They are contentment, few desires, not searching, not accumulating, not letting what has been accumulated go to waste, freedom from the pain of seeing what was accumulated become wasted, freedom from mental discomforts, freedom from trouble, no appropriation, and engagement to exhaust the defilements.

“Noble son, bodhisattvas are content with Dharma robes of the most inferior quality and have few desires.

Since they have few desires, they do not go searching, and because they do not search, they do not accumulate. Because they do not accumulate, they do not waste what was accumulated, and since they do not waste what was gathered, they do not experience any of the pains that are otherwise associated with that. Free of pain, they are free of mental discomforts, and without mental discomforts, they have no trouble. Free of trouble, they do not appropriate, and without appropriating, they engage themselves in bringing the defilements to exhaustion. Noble son, bodhisattvas endowed with these ten qualities wear the three Dharma robes.

“Noble son, bodhisattvas endowed with ten qualities are felt-wearers. What are those ten? They are as follows. Felt-wearers are known as such because they are not swayed by thoughts of desire. Neither are they swayed by thoughts of anger, dullness, fury and ill will, envy and stinginess, pride, the wish for fame, the wish for mundane attainments, nor the wish for wealth and honor. They do not pay homage to the demons, and they do not become arrogant when pleased. Thus, they are known as ‘felt-wearers.’ Noble son, bodhisattvas endowed with these ten qualities are felt-wearers.

“Noble son, bodhisattvas endowed with ten qualities live as mendicants. What are those ten? They are pursuing the welfare of all beings, accepting alms in order, not becoming weary, being content, being fond of sharing, being detached, consuming alms in moderation, pursuing virtue, gathering roots of virtue on a large scale, and not entertaining the idea of a singular whole.

“You may wonder, noble son, what these qualities may imply, from pursuing the welfare of all beings through to not entertaining the idea of a singular whole.

“Noble son, when bodhisattvas see suffering beings whose roots of virtue are lesser and insignificant, they pledge to go alms begging. Then, as they approach a town, city, or village, they apply keen mindfulness and maintain dignified conduct. Their senses are not restless or wild. With their senses well trained, they look only as far as the length of a yoke and thus, remaining keenly mindful of virtuous qualities, they proceed to collect alms. When in this way they collect alms, they will accept their alms in order. Thus, they do not seek out areas that enjoy high status, such as the neighborhoods where the brahmins, nobility, and householders are all like great and lofty sāla trees. Rather, they begin their mendicant walk at one end and proceed until they have received what they need. Under no circumstances will they enter a place where people eat dogs, dairy cows, or other types of animals of a disagreeable nature. Nor will they go among women, men, boys, or girls who are intent on causing harm. They avoid all places of disgrace.⁷⁷

“As they sequentially proceed on their mendicant route, they do not become weary or disturbed, and develop neither attachment nor aversion to the beings they meet. In this way, without weariness, they each collect whatever alms are appropriate, being content with a bare minimum. Having received their alms, they return to their dwellings. Once there, they put down their alms bowl and Dharma robe, and next wash their feet and hands. Having venerated and worshiped a statue or a shrine devoted to the thus-gone ones,

they go to their own quarters and divide the alms, setting aside one fourth for those who maintain pure conduct, another fourth for those who suffer, another fourth for those who have fallen into error, and the final fourth for themselves. This they consume free of desire. That is to say, they do not eat out of yearning, craving, or attachment. They eat so that their bodies can subsist and survive. They partake of their meals in such a way that their body becomes neither overly weak nor overly heavy. Why is that? Because if they become too weak they will turn their backs on virtue, and if they become too heavy they will become drowsy. Thus, consuming their alms in this way they can pursue virtue.⁷⁸ They will muster diligence, be free of laziness and indolence, and perfect the factors of awakening. As they gather the factors of awakening, they will become free of grasping at a self, and without such grasping they will employ all that they have for the benefit of sentient beings. Noble son, bodhisattvas endowed with these ten qualities live as mendicants.

“Noble son, bodhisattvas endowed with ten qualities remain on a single seat. What are those ten? They are to remain immutably upon the seat of awakening though threatened by demons, as well as to remain immutably in supramundane concentration, supramundane insight, supramundane wisdom, emptiness, and the genuine realization of the qualities of the Buddha, the path, the limit of reality, suchness,

and the seat of omniscience.

“Noble son, the single seat is the seat of omniscience. Noble son, the single seat is the seat of the Dharma. Bodhisattvas remain unmovable from that seat and that is why they are known as adopting the single seat. Noble son, bodhisattvas endowed with these ten qualities remain on a single seat.

“Noble son, bodhisattvas endowed with ten qualities abstain from late meals. What are those ten? They are to be free of yearning and free of craving. Regardless of whether they possess a sundial, when they estimate that the time has come, they do not partake of any physical sustenance, including butter, grain oils, honey, molasses, the sap of roots, the sap of tree trunks, or fruit juices. Moreover, if they see food they do not become aggressive or greedy. Furthermore, if bodhisattvas who refrain from late meals becomes afflicted by a disease that is a threat to their life, or an obstacle to virtuous practice, then, because of the severe disease, those bodhisattvas must partake of food without any regrets or doubts while maintaining the notion of it being medicine. Noble son, such are the bodhisattvas who abstain from late meals. Noble son, bodhisattvas endowed with these ten qualities abstain from late meals.

“Noble son, bodhisattvas endowed with ten qualities remain in the wild. What are those ten? They are maintaining pure conduct for a long time, being expert about the discipline, unimpaired sense faculties, extensive learning, power, freedom from the fears of grasping at a self, being like a deer, maintaining physical distance, aiming for solitude,

and staying clear of displeasure.

“You may wonder, noble son, what these qualities may imply, from maintaining pure conduct for a long time through to staying clear of displeasure.

“Noble son, bodhisattvas receive ordination into the excellent teaching of the Dharma-Vinaya and observe a discipline that is perfectly free from subject, object, and action. They are experts with respect to the intrinsic nature, as well as propriety, conduct, proceeding, and returning. They are experts on the points of training that the thus-gone ones teach for senior, intermediate, and beginning students. They know the relevant meanings, words, and their relationship. They do not depend on the favors of others and cannot be led astray. They know well how to restore their commitments in the case of a downfall, and they give up the bases for such downfalls. They take such downfalls seriously and confess them extensively. Deploring evil, they regret it and confess it. They know clearly what the causes of downfalls are, and they know well how to stay clear of them. They know clearly what the greater, medium, and lesser evils are, just as they know the lengths of time required for karmic actions to ripen. Thus, they endeavor in practice.

“Free of impairments to the visual and auditory faculties, as well as to the major and minor body parts, they remain in the wilderness, or at any location that is free from harm. They stay in places that are neither too far nor too close to where they go to receive alms; places where there is pure and unpolluted water; places that are clean, without bad smells, and with only little hardship; places with excellent trees, flowers, fruits, and leaves; places that are free from attacks by beasts of prey; places with caves;

places where natural medicines can be found; places that are not rugged; places that are delightful to move in; and places that are nothing but peaceful. Such are the places in which they stay.

“In such places they will recite what they previously read and heard, three times during the day and three times at night. Their voices will neither be too loud nor too soft, nor will their senses be agitated, nor their minds outwardly distracted. Nourished by faith, they will recall the words and embrace their meanings, reciting while staying clear of sleep.

“If anyone, whether a king, minister, brahmin, nobleman, townsperson, or country dweller should appear there, the monk should respectfully welcome that person. A king should first be requested to sit on a seat especially prepared for him. If the king sits down, the monk should do the same, yet if he does not, the monk should also not sit down. Should the king become agitated, the monk should praise him, saying, ‘Your Majesty, thanks to you the disciplined, well-trained, and learned monks and brahmins of this land are free from oppression by savages and monkeys. This is indeed a great fortune!’ With that the king may settle down, become gentle, and relax. Then, if appropriate, he should give various Dharma teachings. However, if the king does not appreciate numerous teachings, he should first give a teaching that induces weariness. Then, if the king turns out to be disinclined toward such teaching, one should teach on the magnificence of the thus-gone ones, speaking of their vast qualities. If brahmins, nobility, townspeople, or country dwellers arrive he should receive them in a similar way.

“In this way, those who possess great learning will have the power to satisfy the minds of their listeners, and their listeners will, in turn, experience joy, faith, and delight.⁷⁹ Thus, the learned will also be able to remedy the perpetuation of afflictions.

“Since the bodhisattvas are learned, they are free from the dangers of grasping at self. Being free from such fears, they will also not have any fears, anxieties, or qualms about staying in the wilderness, and so they will turn toward complete solitude. Then, living in the wild and having turned toward complete solitude, they will become uninvolved in ordinary social activities, like deer. However, noble son, unlike deer, bodhisattvas who live in the wild are not constantly afraid and they do not have any of the shortcomings of deer. Deer worry that their pursuers will bring an end to their life, and so they take off, leaving the land behind and crossing the greatest of distances. Bodhisattvas, similarly, worry that their pursuers will bring an end to their commitment and cause them to become distracted. Thus, they avoid socializing with women, men, boys, and girls. Refraining from involvement in worldly distractions, they leave all social ties far behind. In this way they keep their distance, having turned toward complete solitude. Being in this way inclined to utter solitude, they perceive the wilderness to be a place of excellent qualities and a place of peace. Perceiving their hermitage to be excellent and peaceful, they will stay clear of displeasure, and as they stay clear of displeasure they will truly experience the qualities of the wilderness.

“Noble son, from their having maintained pure conduct for a long time through to their staying clear of displeasure, this is how bodhisattvas are. Thus, noble son, bodhisattvas who possess ten such qualities remain in the wild.

“Noble son, bodhisattvas endowed with ten qualities remain at the foot of a tree. What are those ten? They refrain from sitting at a tree that is very near to town, very far from town, full of thorny fruits, covered by malu creepers or vine, has withered leaves, or is the home of monkeys, the home of birds,

the home of aggressive carnivores, the home of herons, or the home of demons. Thus, they reside at trees that are agreeable to the body and delightful to the mind. Noble son, bodhisattvas who possess ten such qualities remain at the foot of a tree.

“Noble son, bodhisattvas endowed with ten qualities are shelterless. What are those ten? They are as follows. Whether it is winter, summer, monsoon, or fall, these bodhisattvas do not remain near walls, trees, or haystacks. They do not stay in mountain caves, and they do not hide from water. Neither do they seek any protection from cold, wind, rain, sun, or frost. However, if shelterless bodhisattvas are physically unable to endure that, they should take up residence at a temple. There they should make the following resolve: ‘The thus-gone ones undertook ascetic practices in order to remedy the afflictions. So now, while I stay at this temple, I will strive by all means to eliminate the afflictions.’ Without developing any craving or attachments with respect to the temple, they will bring to mind, ‘We act for the benefit of the sponsors, and not for the sake of maintaining our own livelihood.’⁸⁰ In this way, they can maintain the notion of always being without any shelter. Noble son, bodhisattvas who possess ten such qualities are the shelterless.

“Noble son, bodhisattvas endowed with ten qualities are charnel ground dwellers. What are those ten? They are to feel greatly disenchanted, wherever they may be, as well as to continuously maintain the notions of death, the devoured, the bloody, the bruised, the rotting,

the decomposing, the burning, the scattered, and the skeletal.

“Noble son, charnel ground-dwelling bodhisattvas should have a loving mind, wishing to be of benefit, and they should have affection for beings. They should be disciplined, observe pure conduct, and be free from worldly concerns.⁸¹ Otherwise, noble son, those who live near the charnel ground may perceive such a bodhisattva to be a flesh-eating demon and lose faith, while malicious nonhuman beings may be attracted.

“Noble son, when the charnel ground-dwelling bodhisattvas enter a temple, they should prostrate to a shrine devoted to the thus-gone ones and to the elder monks. To the younger monks they should show their appreciation and, in their presence, remain standing. They should not sit on any of the seats that are designated for the saṅgha. Noble son, why is that? Because a bodhisattva should have consideration for the mindset of mundane people, and a charnel ground-dwelling bodhisattva is in disharmony with worldly people who are not noble. On the other hand, they are certainly not in disharmony with noble beings. So charnel ground-dwelling bodhisattvas understand that if they adapt themselves to others’ seats, they themselves will be free of any regrets and no one will blame them. Hence, they will first find out the sentiments of the monks and only then take a seat, doing so as humbly as an outcast. Noble son, bodhisattvas who possess ten such qualities are charnel ground dwellers.

“Noble son, bodhisattvas endowed with ten qualities are tent dwellers. What are those ten? They are as follows. Bodhisattvas do not remain in tents so as to torment the body, nor do they do so for the sake of any mental penance. They also do not live in tents because of being overcome by sleep, nor because of being physically exhausted. Rather, they do so for the sake of accomplishing the accumulations for awakening. They do so

in order to achieve a one-pointed mind, actualize the path, proceed to the seat of awakening, benefit sentient beings, and eliminate all afflictions. Noble son, bodhisattvas who possess ten such qualities are tent dwellers.

“Noble son, bodhisattvas endowed with ten qualities stay just where they are. What are those ten? They are as follows. Without any attachment to beds, they neither prepare one for themselves, nor make others prepare one, nor make any gestures for a bed to be prepared. Instead, they sleep on a spot filled with leaves or grass very far from places with snakes, bees, meat flies, or holes in the ground. When sleeping, they lie on their right side, with one leg on top of the other, and the body wrapped in the Dharma robes. They sleep mindfully and with alertness, keeping a sense of light and of being awake. They are not attached to the pleasures of sleep, or of resting. Instead, they sleep for the sake of maintaining and replenishing the great elements, while continuously aiming toward virtue. Noble son, bodhisattvas who possess ten such qualities stay just where they are.⁸²

“Noble son, bodhisattvas endowed with ten qualities engage in yogic practice. What are those ten? They are abundant contemplation of repulsiveness, abundant cultivation of love, abundant contemplation of dependent origination, abundant expertise with regard to flaws, abundant contemplation of emptiness, abundant contemplation of the absence of marks, abundant cultivation of yogic training, abundant and continuous contemplation, absence of regrets, and perfect discipline.

“Noble son, you may wonder what the bodhisattvas’ abundant contemplation of repulsiveness consists in. Noble son, bodhisattvas will go alone into the wilderness and compose themselves, with their minds withdrawn and extremely weary. They will then sit completely upright and slowly loosen their posture. Sitting cross-legged, they will recollect themselves and, without letting their minds wander, they will think as follows: ‘When food and drink enters the human body, it does not matter whether it is clean and fine, or of bad quality. It makes no difference whether it is delicious or has little taste. Once it comes in contact with the body’s fire element, it all becomes filthy and rotten, reviled by the whole world. How then can childish beings be so attached and desirous? Now, we are the followers of the noble ones’ Dharma-Vinaya and, analyzing things by means of genuine insight, we shall not harbor any attachment or craving with regard to the body, and therefore we shall also not give rise to any weariness.’ Such is the bodhisattvas’ abundant contemplation of repulsiveness.

“What, you may wonder, does the bodhisattvas’ abundant cultivation of love consist in? Noble son, bodhisattvas will go alone and compose themselves, with their minds withdrawn and extremely weary. They will then sit completely upright and slowly loosen their posture. Sitting cross-legged, they will recollect themselves and, without letting their minds wander, they will think as follows: ‘Aggressive beings and those who strongly wish to cause harm, those who engage in unvirtuous acts, and those who attack me, seeking enemies and animosity—whether now or in the future, may I completely calm their anger and ill will and establish them all upon the seat of awakening!’ They do not merely say so; they wish it from the bottom of their hearts.

Such is the bodhisattvas’ abundant cultivation of love.

“What, you may wonder, does the bodhisattvas’ abundant contemplation of dependent origination consist in? When desire, anger, or a wish to harm arises, bodhisattvas think as follows: ‘The one for whom this phenomenon arises is dependently arisen, the phenomenon that arises is also dependent origination, and so are the conditions due to which it arises. What wise person would be hurt by a gathering of such dependently arisen phenomena?’ Such is the bodhisattvas’ abundant contemplation of dependent origination.

“What, you may wonder, does the bodhisattvas’ expertise with regard to flaws consist in? Bodhisattvas persist in giving up the flaws in their own being, whereas they remain indifferent to the flaws of others, which are beyond their influence. What does flaw here refer to? The flaws are a lack of respect for the buddhas, as well as a lack of respect for the Dharma, the saṅgha, the training, the noble ones, and those who maintain pure conduct, whether senior, intermediate, or beginners. Likewise, the flaws are to venerate oneself while disparaging others; to pursue objects while turning one’s back on the transcendence of suffering; to believe in a self, a sentient being, a life-force, or a person; to hold a view of annihilation or of permanence; to grasp things as being empty, permanent, or impermanent; to not serve noble beings; to attend to childish beings; to relinquish those who observe discipline; to venerate sentient beings of inferior character; to attend to unvirtuous company; to abandon spiritual teachers; to abandon the profound discourses; to be frightened by the profound discourses;

to be indolent; to be lazy; to disparage oneself; to be undignified; to lack eloquence; to regret what is wrong to regret; to regret what should not be regretted; failing to regret what should be regretted; to be overcome by the eruption of obscurations; to be tied down by deceit; to be oppressed by drowsiness and sleep; to wish for wealth and honor; to be attached to one’s family line; to be attached to caste; to be attached to views; to be attached to country; to be attached to a retinue; to indulge in the spells of the Lokāyatas; to step away from the true Dharma; to give up one’s commitment; to strive for what is unvirtuous; not to strive for what is virtuous; to associate with the ordained; to associate with men; to associate with women; to associate with boys and girls; to associate with non-Buddhists; not to enjoy the wilderness; not knowing moderation with respect to food; failing to go before spiritual masters; not chanting in a timely way; to be ignorant about the key points of practice; to disregard the minor points of training; failing to see lesser evils as frightening; to be dull and with obscured faculties; to be focused on diversions; to act with agitation; to be obstinate; to be stubborn; to grasp at marks and signs concerning delightful and repulsive forms; not loving those who are angry; not loving those who suffer; not being saddened by disease; not being frightened by death; not turning away from the inferno; not examining the body; not examining one’s discipline; not examining one’s past and present actions; to be concerned with what is irrelevant; to examine what should not be examined; to wish for that which should not be desired; to believe that things arise where they do not; to take what is not delightful to be delightful; to take what is not the path