大乘入道次第 1.17

1.17

Sixth, in discussing the measure of its virtues, a verse in the Avataṃsaka-sūtra states: "The merit of generating the mind is immeasurable, / Filling the realms of all sentient beings. / Even if all the wise were together to explain it, they could not exhaust it, / How much less the remainder of the various wondrous practices." It also says: "If there is a bodhisattva who initially generates the mind, / Vowing to seek the eventual realization of the Buddha's bodhi, / His merit is boundless, / Incalculable, and without equal." It also says: "When a bodhisattva, within saṃsāra, / Initially generates the mind, / Single-mindedly seeking bodhi, / He is steadfast and immovable. / The merit of that single thought-moment / Is profound, vast, and boundless. / Even if the Tathāgata were to explain it analytically, / He would still not exhaust it to the end of kalpas." The Bodhicittotpāda-śāstra states: "The Tathāgata said: 'The karmic reward of merit from a single humble thought-moment of the initial generation of the mind by bodhisattvas cannot be fully explained in hundreds of thousands of myriads of kalpas. How much less could one possibly explain the karmic reward of merit from the minds cultivated over a day, a month, a year, or even hundreds of thousands of years! Why is this? Because the practice of a bodhisattva is inexhaustible, wishing to cause all sentient beings to abide in the patience of non-arising and attain unexcelled bodhi.'" The Madhyāntavibhāga-bhāṣya also states: "'Because of being superior and because of being inexhaustible,' due to unceasingly benefiting others."