大方便佛報恩經 2.53

2.53

The Buddha told the bodhisattva Prītirāja: "Good man, listen attentively! Listen attentively! When bodhisattva-mahāsattvas know kindness, they should generate the mind of anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi; when they repay kindness, they should also instruct all sentient beings to generate the mind of anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi. If one generates the bodhimind, how is it generated? By what cause can a bodhisattva generate it? Good man, when a bodhisattva-mahāsattva first generates the mind of [samyak]saṃbodhi, they make a great vow, speaking thus: 'When I attain anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi, I will greatly benefit all sentient beings. I must certainly establish all sentient beings in great nirvāṇa, and I will also teach and transform all sentient beings, causing them all to become fully endowed with the prajñāpāramitā. This is called benefiting oneself, and it is also called benefiting others.' For this reason, one who first generates the bodhimind can be called the cause and condition of bodhi, the cause and condition of sentient beings, the cause and condition of the true meaning, the cause and condition of the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment, gathering in the root of all wholesome qualities. Therefore, a bodhisattva is called 'great good', and also called the 'wholesome root of all sentient beings', able to destroy the various evils of the three karmas of body, speech, and mind of all sentient beings. Of all vows in the mundane world and all vows beyond the world, none can surpass anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi; such a vow is unsurpassed and supreme. When a bodhisattva-mahāsattva first generates the mind of [samyak]saṃbodhi, there are five matters: first, nature; second, practice; third, sphere; fourth, merit; fifth, increase. If a bodhisattva can generate the bodhimind, they are then called a bodhisattva-mahāsattva, are certain to attain anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi, and cultivate the practices of the Mahāyāna. For this reason, first generating the bodhimind can gather in all wholesome qualities. Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas generate the bodhimind, and through gradual cultivation attain anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi; if they do not generate the mind, they will never be able to attain it. Therefore, generating the mind is attaining the root of anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi. When bodhisattva-mahāsattvas see suffering sentient beings, pity arises in their hearts. Therefore, by cause of the mind of loving-kindness and compassion, bodhisattvas are able to generate the mind of anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi; by cause of the mind of anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi, they are able to train in the thirty-seven factors [of enlightenment]; by cause of the thirty-seven factors, they attain anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi. Therefore, generating the mind is called the root. Because of generating the bodhimind, they practice the bodhisattva śīla. Therefore, generating the mind is called the root, called the cause, called the branches, called the leaves, also called the flowers, called the fruit, and also called the seed. Bodhisattvas' generation of the mind is either definitive or not definitive. The definitive persists even unto attaining anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi and never regresses or is lost; the non-definitive has regression and loss. There are two kinds of regression: definitive regression and non-definitive regression. As for definitive regression, they can never generate the mind of anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi, and cannot seek and cultivate its teachings; as for non-definitive regression, they seek the bodhimind and cultivate its teachings. There are four kinds of this bodhimind: First, when a good man or good woman sees or hears of the inconceivable matters of the buddhas and bodhisattvas, faith and reverence arise in their heart at that time, and they think: 'The matters of buddhas and bodhisattvas are inconceivable. If these inconceivable matters of buddhas and bodhisattvas can be attained, I too should attain anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi.' Therefore, with an utmost mind they keep bodhi in mind and generate the bodhimind. Again, there are those who do not see the inconceivable matters of buddhas and bodhisattvas, but having heard the secret store of the buddhas and bodhisattvas, faith and reverence arise in their hearts; having attained faith, for the sake of anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi and mahāprajñā, they therefore generate the bodhimind. Again, there are those who do not see the inconceivable matters of buddhas and bodhisattvas and also do not hear the Dharma, but seeing the extinction of the Dharma, they think: 'The unsurpassed Buddha-Dharma can extinguish the immeasurable afflictions and distress of sentient beings and bring about great benefit. Only the buddhas and bodhisattvas can cause the Buddha-Dharma to abide long without perishing. I too should now generate the bodhimind, so that sentient beings may be distant from afflictions. May this body of mine undergo great suffering so that I may protect and uphold the Buddha-Dharma to abide long in the world,' and therefore they generate the bodhimind. Again, there are those who do not see the extinction of the Dharma of the buddhas and bodhisattvas, but only see sentient beings in an evil age, endowed with heavy afflictions, greed and desire, anger, delusion, and the like; shamelessness, lack of conscience, stinginess, and the like; jealousy, wrath, suffering and distress, and the like; lack of faith, false doubt, indolence, and the like. Having seen these things, they think: 'In the time of a great evil age, sentient beings cannot cultivate good. In such an evil age, they cannot even generate the mind of the two vehicles, let alone the mind of anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi! I must now generate the bodhimind; having generated the bodhimind, I will then teach all sentient beings to generate the mind of anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi.'"