འཕགས་པ་དཀན་མཆག་སྤྲན་ཅས་བྱ་བ་ཐག་པ་ཆན་པའ་མད 6
The Jewel Cloud 6
- Language
- English
6.2
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?”
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“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.
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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.
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“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,
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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,
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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,
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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;
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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.
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“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,
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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,
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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
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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.
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“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.
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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;
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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
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to be the path; to believe that one has attained what has not been attained; to be attached to temporary projects; to be distracted by negative activity; to give up vast factors of virtue; not praising the Great Vehicle; to praise the Hearers’ Vehicle; not praising people who have faith in the Great Vehicle; to praise people who have faith in the Hearers’ Vehicle; to engage in passionate dispute; to be inclined to quarrel; to be abusive; to be vicious; to be haughty; to be impudent; to be ferocious; to be malicious; to be disparaging; to be audacious; to be improper; to denigrate; to lie; to be fond of mental constructs; and to pursue mental constructs.
“Understanding such flaws, bodhisattvas engage in the practice of contemplating emptiness for the sake of going beyond all mental constructs. Through their abundant contemplation of emptiness, they investigate the nature of whatever their minds pursue and have faith in, realizing it all to be empty. They likewise investigate what the mind is, realizing it to be empty. They also realize the means of investigation to be empty.
“With such realization, bodhisattvas take up the practice of the absence of marks. Through this practice they make all manifest inner marks disappear. In this way they avoid any form of observation of the body and any application of mindfulness to the body, and they do not direct their minds to the body. They also do not observe any outer marks, nor do they apply mindfulness to, or direct their minds toward, any outer marks. Thus free from any outer marks and free from the marks of the body, they practice to give up inner marks, finding great joy in their practice.
“In this way they engage in abundant contemplation and are diligent in their training.
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They continuously remain within tranquility and special insight. Tranquility is one-pointed mind. Special insight is to discern phenomena as they actually are.⁸³ As they remain in equipoise in this way, they are free of regrets and very joyful. Why is that? Because in this way their discipline is pure. Bodhisattvas with pure discipline are engaged in practice, and those with perfect discipline accomplish their practice. Those with perfect discipline engage in practice. That is why they are known as those who engage in practice. Noble son, bodhisattvas who possess ten such qualities are engaged in yogic practice.
“Noble son, bodhisattvas endowed with ten qualities are specialists in the discourses. What are those ten? They are as follows. Bodhisattvas retain what they have heard for the sake of protecting the sacred Dharma, and not for the sake of material gain. They retain what they have heard for the sake of protecting all the teachings, and not for the sake of acquisitions. They retain what they have heard for the sake of keeping the lineage of the Three Jewels unbroken, and not for the sake of honor. They retain what they have heard for the sake of protecting those who have truly entered the Great Vehicle, and not for the sake of fame, praise, and glory. They retain what they have heard for the sake of benefiting others who have no protector. They retain what they have heard for the sake of giving happiness to suffering sentient beings. They retain what they have heard for the sake of giving the eye of insight to those who lack it. They retain what they have heard for the sake of showing the path of the hearers to those who have truly entered the Hearers’ Vehicle. They retain what they have heard for the sake of showing the path of the Great Vehicle to those who have truly entered the Great Vehicle. They retain what they have heard so that they themselves will comprehend the unsurpassable wisdom, not out of an aspiration toward the Lesser Vehicle. Noble son, bodhisattvas who possess ten such qualities are specialists in the discourses.
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“Noble son, bodhisattvas endowed with ten qualities are specialists in the discipline. What are those ten? They have full knowledge of the discipline, full knowledge of the way of discipline, full knowledge of the profound discipline, full knowledge of the detailed discipline, full knowledge of what is right and wrong, full knowledge of natural evils, full knowledge of prohibited evils, full knowledge of the circumstances that led to the regulations for prātimokṣa, full knowledge of the discipline of the hearers, and full knowledge of the discipline of the bodhisattvas. Noble son, bodhisattvas who possess ten such qualities are specialists in the discipline.⁸⁴
“Noble son, bodhisattvas who possess ten qualities are perfect in conduct, personal associations, behavior, and deportment. What are those ten? Such bodhisattvas possess an extremely high degree of accomplishment in the training of hearers, an extremely high degree of accomplishment in the training of solitary buddhas, and an extremely high degree of accomplishment in the training of bodhisattvas. With such accomplishments, their conduct and personal associations are excellent, and because their conduct and personal associations are excellent, they avoid any personal associations that are in discord with the way of a spiritual practitioner. Hence, they stay clear of all improper fields, objects, and timings. As they pursue personal associations with spiritual practitioners, their conduct is excellent. They have no hidden faults to expose, by either mendicants or brahmins, due to any kind of impropriety. Instead, they establish others in that very⁸⁵ training. Due to their excellent personal associations, their conduct is perfect and elegant and, as their conduct is very peaceful, they possess conduct that is uncontrived. Noble son, bodhisattvas who possess ten such qualities are perfect in conduct, personal associations, behavior, and deportment.
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“Noble son, bodhisattvas endowed with ten qualities are free from stinginess and envy. What are those ten? They are as follows. When they themselves are donors, they also establish others in the practice of generosity. They praise generosity and rejoice in the generosity of others. With regard to other donors, they encourage and delight them. When donors are giving to others, they have no thoughts such as, ‘Give to us, and not them! May this be ours and not anyone else’s!’ Rather, they wish, ‘May all beings attain whatever they need for their livelihood! May they attain all manner of happiness, both of the world and beyond it!’ Thus, committing themselves to striving and endeavoring for this very purpose, they decide to give up stinginess and envy. Noble son, bodhisattvas who possess ten such qualities are free from stinginess and envy.
“Noble son, bodhisattvas endowed with ten qualities have equal concern for all beings. What are those ten? They are as follows. They engage equally with all sentient beings, have no aversion for any sentient being, nor any wish to harm anyone. In giving, they give exclusively for the sake of all sentient beings, and the same is the case with observing discipline, cultivating patience, mustering diligence, practicing concentration, cultivating insight, and accomplishing even the stage of omniscience. Thus, they do not practice with a mind that is confined to duality, but with a mind that is equally there for all sentient beings, a mind that practices by taking all sentient beings into account. Thus, they practice to attain the intrinsic nature quickly by all means. As they themselves are delivered from the blazing bonfire of cyclic existence, they also deliver others. Moreover, they liberate others with an attitude that treats everyone the same,
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rather than through an attitude of being fond or hostile.
“Noble son, this is how it is. As an analogy, think of a merchant or householder who has six dearly cherished, beloved, and adored children. The merchant or householder loves all of them equally, and he treats them all equally. All the children are infants who crawl around, unaware and unskilled. Now imagine that this merchant’s or householder’s house catches fire while the children are all in different places. Noble son, what do you think? Would that merchant or householder be thinking, ‘Let me get such-and-such child out first, and then the other children’?”
“No, Blessed One, he would not,” answered the bodhisattva Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin. “And why would he not think like this? Because, Blessed One, that merchant or householder has equal concern for all the children. He would, therefore, deliver them from the house whenever he encountered them.”
“Similarly, noble son,” continued the Blessed One, “all infantile sentient beings are like the bodhisattvas’ own children, not noble beings. Bodhisattvas see these infantile, dull, and unskilled beings that are present in each of the six realms. In accordance with these beings’ level of maturation, bodhisattvas will deliver them from the burning house of cyclic existence. Having saved them from the fire, they will gently establish them within the field of the transcendence of suffering. Noble son, bodhisattvas who possess ten such qualities have equal concern for all sentient beings.
“Noble son, bodhisattvas endowed with ten qualities have skill in worshiping and venerating the thus-gone ones. What are those ten? They are as follows. Bodhisattvas worship and venerate the thus-gone ones by means of worshiping the Dharma, not through material worship. They worship with persistence, and act for the welfare and happiness of sentient beings.
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They bring benefit to sentient beings and pursue the aims of sentient beings, never relinquishing their commitment, and never abandoning their bodhisattva activities. They act in accord with what they teach, free of weariness, and without letting go of the mind of awakening. Noble son, this is how they worship and venerate the thus-gone ones. Their worship is not done through material things. And why, noble son, is this so? Because the thus-gone ones are the Dharma body. Hence, in worshiping the Dharma, they worship the thus-gone ones.
“Noble son, the thus-gone ones are firmly established in their accomplishment. They appear for the welfare and happiness of sentient beings, for the sake of benefiting sentient beings, and for the sake of accomplishing the aims of sentient beings. Noble son, the aims of sentient beings could not be accomplished if they were to relinquish their commitment, turn their back on the activities of the bodhisattvas, speak lies, fail to live up to what they had said, fail to abide by their pledge, develop weariness, and separate from the mind of awakening. And why, noble son, is this so? Because the bodhisattvas’ awakening to unexcelled and complete buddhahood depends on accomplishing the aims of sentient beings. If there were no sentient beings, the bodhisattvas could not achieve complete buddhahood. Thus, noble son, they worship and venerate the thus-gone ones by means of worshiping the Dharma. Their worship is not in terms of material things. Noble son, bodhisattvas who possess ten such qualities have skill in worshiping and venerating the thus-gone ones.
“Noble son, bodhisattvas endowed with ten qualities crush pride. What are those ten? They are as follows. Bodhisattvas depart from their households and receive ordination. In this way they crush pride as they think, ‘To my friends, close family, relatives,
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and kinsmen I am now like a dead person.’ They crush pride as they think, ‘I have assumed a repulsive look and I wear ugly clothes. My way is different.’ They crush pride as they think, ‘With my head shaved and holding a begging bowl in my hand, I move from town to town, begging for a poor man’s things.’ They crush pride by thinking, ‘Like the lowliest outcast, I move humbly, in pursuit of alms.’ They crush pride as they think, ‘I am a mendicant; my survival depends on others.’ They crush pride as they think, ‘I accept the most despicable and meager alms.’ They crush their pride as they think, ‘I must please my masters, my gurus, and those worthy of offerings.’ They crush pride as they think, ‘By means of my conduct, personal associations, and deportment I shall please the ones who maintain pure conduct.’ They crush pride as they think, ‘I must gain those buddha qualities that I have not yet gained.’ They crush pride as they think, ‘I shall be patient in the midst of aggressive and hostile beings.’⁸⁶ Noble son, bodhisattvas who possess ten such qualities crush pride.
“Noble son, bodhisattvas endowed with ten qualities have abundant faith. What are those ten? They are steadfastness through merit, which is due to the excellent causes of steadfastness that arise due to past roots of virtue; right view, as they do not depend on the favors of others, are not steered by others, and do not follow other teachers; excellent intent in the absence of deceitful and hypocritical conduct; honesty due to a natural absence of duplicity; excellent insight based on sharp faculties; freedom from obscurations and their eruptions due to having a pure stream of being; reliance on spiritual teachers in the absence of negative company; freedom from special pride because of pursuing excellent advice;
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no misunderstanding of the teaching of Dharma; and excellent knowledge of the thus-gone ones’ greatness because of being inspired by the vast. Noble son, bodhisattvas who possess ten such qualities have abundant faith.”
“Blessed One, please let us hear about a few aspects of the blessed thus-gone ones’ greatness,” requested the bodhisattva Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin.
“Noble son,” replied the Blessed One, “I shall now teach on some aspects of the thus-gone ones’ greatness. Therefore, listen extremely well and keep it in mind.”
“So be it, Blessed One,” said the bodhisattva Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin, and he listened as the Blessed One had instructed.
The Blessed One then said, “Noble son, the thus-gone ones have the same great love for all beings. Just as their love extends to one being, so does it reach all others, pervading throughout all the realms of sentient beings. Pervading all the realms of sentient beings, it pervades the entire field of space. In fact, the great love of the thus-gone ones knows no end or limit.
“Noble son, the thus-gone ones possess great compassion that is unlike that of any hearer, solitary buddha, or bodhisattva. In the same way that they have compassion for a single being, they also have compassion and enact beneficial activity throughout all the realms of sentient beings.
“Noble son, the thus-gone ones’ teaching of the Dharma is inexhaustible. Thus, for numerous eons, for hundreds of thousands of eons, and throughout incalculable numbers of eons, they simultaneously teach the Dharma to all beings, employing all sorts of analogies and approaches, and yet there is no end to their teaching of the Dharma.
“Noble son, the thus-gone ones
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are endowed with a limitless ability to answer questions. Noble son, even if all beings that exist were each simultaneously to ask their own question, each in their own distinct words and syllables, a thus-gone one would be able answer them all in a single instant. And still there would be no end to that thus-gone one’s teaching that answers all questions.
“Noble son, the thus-gone ones engage in all types of unobstructed concentration. Noble son, imagine if all beings had become bodhisattvas dwelling on the tenth level. Even if all of them rested simultaneously in millions of absorptions, resting in all those absorptions for millions of eons, they still would not reach the extent or limit of the thus-gone ones’ meditative absorptions and their respective fields of activity.
“Noble son, the establishment of the form bodies of the thus-gone ones is infinite. Noble son, if all sentient beings were to be tamed by a form of the thus-gone ones, the thus-gone ones would in one instant manifest such a form in front of every single sentient being. And should each sentient being be inspired by their own type of form, then in one instant the thus-gone ones would display such distinct forms before every single sentient being.
“Noble son, the field of the miraculous eye of the thus-gone ones is infinite. Noble son, the thus-gone ones see sentient beings with their miraculous eyes, and not with the eyes of humans. Noble son, the thus-gone ones see every single being within all world realms—utterly beyond number and ideas—as precisely as an amla fruit placed in one’s hand.
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“Noble son, the field of the miraculous ear of the thus-gone ones is infinite. Noble son, even if all the infinite and limitless world realms were filled with beings who all were to speak at the same instant the thus-gone ones would still hear and fully understand each of them individually.
“Noble son, the wisdom of the thus-gone ones is limitless, inexhaustible, endless, and similar to space. Noble son, even if all sentient beings who inhabit all worlds were each to have their own thoughts, each their own concepts, and each their own actions, the thus-gone ones could comprehend them all in one instant, being perfectly aware of what every single being thinks, conceives of, and does, and what the result of it all would be. Moreover, the three times are known, simultaneously and perfectly, in one instant by the unimpeded wisdom of the thus-gone ones.
“Noble son, the thus-gone ones are in constant and continuous equipoise. Noble son, you may wonder how that is so. The thus-gone ones know no forgetfulness, their faculties are flawless, and their minds are free of any disturbance. Noble son, you may wonder how that is so. Because the thus-gone ones have completely relinquished the afflictions along with their imprints, they are at peace, perfectly at peace, thoroughly at peace. Noble son, all minds that contain afflictions are polluted, and when the mind is polluted it will not be in equipoise. The thus-gone ones, however, do not possess any afflictions. They are free of all dust and defilement and have eliminated all imprints of affliction. They have mastered all phenomena and have attained sameness. They have emerged beyond all spheres of meditative absorption and attainments.
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Noble son, every aspect of the thus-gone ones’ conduct is carried out by means of distinct absorptions. Since the thus-gone ones are active in this way throughout the lifespan of the body in which they transcended suffering, it is needless to mention that they are always in equipoise. Noble son, the thus-gone ones gain their true accomplishment over many incalculable eons. Noble son, the thus-gone ones cannot be grasped, conceived of, or examined.”
“Blessed One, do the thus-gone ones not gain their true accomplishment over three incalculable eons?” inquired the bodhisattva Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin.
“No, noble son,” the Blessed One replied. “And why not, noble son? Because the object of a thus-gone one, which a bodhisattva must accomplish, is inconceivable. Therefore, it cannot be accomplished over three incalculable eons. The eons are to be counted from the point at which a bodhisattva enters the sameness of all phenomena, not from the first arousing of the mind of awakening.”
The bodhisattva Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin exclaimed, “Blessed One, whoever hears this exposition of the greatness of the thus-gone ones and experiences joy, faith, and delight will be a dear child who has done well, has relinquished karmic obscurations, possesses abundant faith and inspiration, and is close to awakening! Needless to mention, then, the case of someone who hears it and memorizes it, holds it, reads it, masters it, and extensively teaches it to others. Blessed One, before long they will themselves become vessels of such greatness of the thus-gone ones.”
“Noble son, thus it is,” declared the Blessed One. “Thus it is. Noble son, whoever hears this exposition of the thus-gone ones’ greatness
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will be accepted by the buddhas. Such a being will engender roots of virtue and venerate numerous buddhas. About this no noble son or daughter should have any doubts, hesitation, or reservations. Without being preoccupied or upset, and by means of strong wishes and powerful faith, a noble son or daughter may remain attentive to the greatness of the thus-gone ones for a period of seven nights. When seven days have passed, he or she should observe the procedure for worship, wear freshly cleaned clothes, and give rise to devotion. On that night such a person will then behold the thus-gone ones. Alternatively, if one does not proceed in this way, or if the procedure is incomplete, one may still develop a one-pointed mind, and the thus-gone ones will then arrive before oneself at the time of death.”
“Blessed One, are there no sentient beings who respond to this teaching on the greatness of the thus-gone ones with a lack of faith?” the bodhisattva Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin inquired.
“Noble son,” replied the Blessed One, “there are hardened and fiercely savage beings who hear this teaching on the greatness of the thus-gone ones and respond with ill will, perceiving the Dharma teacher as their enemy. When their bodies have disintegrated such beings will take birth in the realms of hell. Other beings, noble son, will develop faith when this teaching on the greatness of the thus-gone ones is given. They will regard the Dharma teacher as their spiritual friend and teacher. Noble son, it is certain that such noble children have also in their previous lifetimes heard this teaching on the greatness of the thus-gone ones.”
At this point some who were present in the gathering thought, “Ah! Then surely we have also previously received this Dharma teaching that the Blessed One just delivered.”
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The Blessed One now drew forth his tongue, and with his tongue he covered his entire face. Having covered his face, he also covered his head, and once his head was covered he used his tongue to cover his body as well. Having covered his body, he covered his lion throne, and when his throne had disappeared, he covered his retinue of bodhisattvas. He next covered everyone in his retinue of hearers, and thereafter Śakra, Brahmā, and the retinue of the guardians of the world. He then covered everyone who was present in the gathering, and in the end he covered completely the entire trichiliocosm. Then the Blessed One withdrew his tongue. Speaking to the entire gathering, he said, “Noble sons, with a tongue like this the thus-gone ones do not tell lies. Noble sons, you must all have faith. Noble sons, you must all have complete faith. This will give you long-lasting meaning, benefit, and happiness.”
When the Blessed one gave this teaching, 84,000 bodhisattvas gained acceptance that phenomena are nonarising, many hundreds of thousands of beings gained a vision of phenomena through the dustless and stainless eye of the Dharma, and numerous beings, who had not done so before, now gave rise to the mind of awakening.
Now the Blessed One spoke again to the bodhisattva Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin: “Noble son, bodhisattvas endowed with ten qualities are experts on the relative. What are those ten? They are as follows. They may speak of form, yet ultimately form is not observed, and they cannot be attached to it. The same is the case with what are designated as feeling, perception, formation,
Linked texts (1)
- འཕགས་པ་དཀོན་མཆོག་སྤྲིན་ཅེས་བྱ་བ་ཐེག་པ་ཆེན་པོའི་མདོ — Classical Tibetan