大毘盧遮那成佛神變加持經 (Shubhakarasimha & Yixing 724) 1.7

1.7

of immeasurable languages, words, and sounds; know the workings of the minds of beings; be protected by buddhas; remain undefiled even in birthand-death (samsara); not shirk fatigue for the sake of beings throughout the Dharma realm; succeed in abiding in the unconditioned precepts; be free from wrong views; and thoroughly understand right views. Furthermore, Lord of Mysteries, a bodhisattva dwelling in this [samādhi] that removes all obscurations will, through the power of his faith-and-understanding and without prolonged exertion, satisfy all the dharmas (attributes) of a buddha. Lord of Mysteries, in short, this man of good [family] or woman of good [family] will fully achieve the accomplishment of immeasurable merits.”

Then the vajradhara Lord of Mysteries again questioned the Buddha in verse:

How, World-honored One, do you explain the arising of bodhi in

this mind?

And by what signs does one know that one has generated the

bodhi-mind?

I beg you to explain the arising of the knowing mind, the mind, and

excellent spontaneous knowledge.

Great Striving Hero (mahāvīra), through how many stages does the

mind successively arise?

I beg you, O Buddha, to explain in full the characteristics of the

mind and the time [necessary to attain bodhi],

As well as the mass of merits and the practice of cultivated practices,

The mind and the distinctions possessed by the mind—please, O

Great Muni, explain them!

When Vajrapāṇi had finished speaking thus, the World-honored One Mahāvairocana addressed him, saying:

Excellent, true son of the Buddha! With your magnanimousness

you benefit [sentient beings].

The characteristics of the successive arising of the mind, the

supreme state of the Great Vehicle,

Are the great secret of the buddhas, unknowable by non-Buddhists.

I shall now reveal it all: with singlemindedness you should listen

attentively.

By transcending the one hundred and sixty [impure states of the]

mind, vast merits are produced,

And their nature forever firm, one knows that bodhi has arisen.

It is immeasurable like empty space, unblemished, and everlasting;

Dharmas cannot move it, and it is originally quiescent and has no

[differentiating] characteristics.

Immeasurable knowledge is accomplished, and perfect and full

awakening manifests;

Cultivating the practices of worship, one thereby generates the

[bodhi-]mind for the first time.

“Lord of Mysteries, ordinary people, foolish and childlike, [who have

been dwelling in] beginningless birth-and-death, cling to the notion of ‘self’

and to the possessions of the self, and differentiate among immeasurable dis-

tinctions of the self. Lord of Mysteries, if they do not discern the own-nature

of the self, then [notions of] ‘I’ and ‘mine’ are born. Others again imagine

that there exists [as the prime cause] time, the transformation of earth and

other [elements], the self of yoga, established purity, unestablished non-

purity, or the god Īśvara, or emanation, or time, or the revered, or the spon-

taneous, or the inner self, or [self in] the measure of man, or the completely

adorned, or life-force, or pudgala (person), or consciousness, or ālaya (store

[-consciousness]), the knower, the seer, the grasper, the grasped, what knows

internally, what knows externally, jñatvam (intelligence), mind-born, young-

ster, what is eternally and determinately born, sound, and non-sound. Lord

of Mysteries, such distinctions of the self have since times of yore been asso-

ciated with [false] differentiation, and [the adherents of these views] hope

for liberation in accordance with reason.

“Lord of Mysteries, ordinary people and their ilk, foolish and childlike,

are just like rams. At times a dharmic thought may arise, namely, [the thought

of] observing abstinence. Reflecting on this small thing, they engender joy and practice it from time to time. Lord of Mysteries, this represents the initial [stage of the] seed from which wholesome actions arise. Then, with this as the cause, on the six days of abstinence they make gifts to their parents, male and female [children], and kinsmen: this represents the second [stage of] sprouting. Then they present these gifts to those who are not kinsmen or acquaintances: this represents the third [stage of] budding. Then they present these gifts to those of competence and eminent virtue: this represents the fourth [stage of] leafing. Then they joyfully present these gifts to musicians and so on and proffer them to venerable elders: this represents the fifth [stage of] flowering. Then with these gifts they engender thoughts of affection and make offerings of them: this represents the sixth [stage of] bearing fruit. Next, Lord of Mysteries, they observe the precepts so as to be born in heaven: this represents the seventh [stage of] taking in seeds.

“Next, Lord of Mysteries, as they transmigrate through birth-and-death with this mind [of the seventh stage], they hear the following words from a good friend: ‘This is a god, a great god, who bestows all happiness. If you worship him with devotion, all your wishes will be fulfilled. [These gods are,] namely, Īśvara, Brahmā, Nārāyaṇa, Śaṃkara, the Black God (= Rudra), the son of Īśvara (= Skanda), Āditya (Sun), Candra (Moon), the honored nāgas, as well as Kubera, Vaiśravaṇa, Śākya, Virūpākṣa, Viśvakarmā, Yama, Yama’s queen consort (Yamī), Brahmā’s queen consort (Brahmāṇī), Lokanātha, Agni, the son of Garuḍa, Īśvara’s queen consort, [the nāga] Padma, the nāga Takṣaka, the nāgas Vāsuki, Śaṅkha, Karkoṭaka, Mahāpadma, Kulika, Mahāphaṇi, Ādideva, and Sadānanta, or celestial seers, and great masters of the Vedas. Each of these should be duly worshiped.’ Upon hearing this, their hearts are filled with blessed joy, and respectfully revering them, they practice accordingly. Lord of Mysteries, this is called the eighth [stage of the] mind of the young child, the basis of fearlessness for common people, foolish and childlike, as they transmigrate through birth-and-death.

“Lord of Mysteries, next there is a special practice. Following their [friend’s] instructions, they dwell in a special state, whereupon there arises the wisdom that seeks liberation. This is, namely, [the teachings of] permanence, impermanence, and emptiness, and they follow these teachings. Lord of Mysteries, it is not that they understand emptiness and non-emptiness, permanence

and annihilation. With regard to both nonexistence and non-nothingness,

they consider what they differentiate to be without differentiation. How is