འཕགས་པ་འཇམ་དཔལ་གྱ་རྩ་བའ་རྒྱད 382

382

While abiding in the ultimate reality.
The limit of beings cannot be conceived of,
Nor can the methods for ripening them.

“The teachings of the buddhas are inconceivable,
And so is the conduct of awakening.
When it comes to beings who require guidance,
A bodhisattva’s mode of acting is inconceivable.

“The conduct of the bodhisattvas
Is proclaimed as inconceivable.
Among all of the mantras,
The power of this mantra-method is inconceivable.²⁵⁸⁷

“The extent of the miraculous power of the mantra²⁵⁸⁸
Of Lord of Wrath Yamāntaka, the great being,
Is inconceivable, and so is the greatness
Of mastering it.

“Śāntamati, the conduct of the bodhisattvas, the great beings, which manifests throughout the entire domain of sentient beings, is inconceivable. Accordingly, Śāntamati, a bodhisattva who recites the mantra should think, ‘Supposing the aims of the target [were fulfilled], he would accumulate a lot of negativity and would fall into one of the great hells. But this being should not make his store of negativity even greater. May he never be separated from the three realizations.’²⁵⁸⁹

“Only after forming this wish, Śāntamati, can a bodhisattva who recites the mantra perform a violent rite of assault, applying the skillful means. In all [such] rites, he must be aware of his motive and avoid any unwholesome motives. When undertaking to guide beings, he must strive to do this with a mind full of compassion.

“Moreover, son of the victors, because of the greatness of their comprehension of Dharma and non-Dharma, virtue and nonvirtue, and good and bad, the blessed buddhas mastered the ability to skillfully guide beings. They have attained the realization of the sphere of phenomena,