大乘入道次第 1.3

1.3

Those who wish to strive toward mahābodhi must understand two matters: first, the practice and abandoning across the stages; second, the bodhi that is sought. The first again has two parts: first, enumerating the stages; next, clarifying practice and abandoning. The order of the stages again has three parts: first, enumerating their names; second, explaining their names; third, identifying their essence. Within the first, there are again two parts: first, the general; and later, the specific. Regarding the general, now relying on treatises such as the Cheng weishi lun and the Saṃgītiparyāya, we briefly open five stages: first, the stage of provisioning; second, the stage of preparatory application; third, [the stage of] penetration; fourth, the stage of cultivation; and fifth, the ultimate stage. The first four are the cause, and the latter one is the fruit. Next, we enumerate the specific names. First, the stage of provisioning has thirty minds: namely, the ten abodes, the ten practices, and the ten dedications of merit. As for the ten abodes: first, the abode of initial resolve; second, the abode of preparing the ground; third, the abode of cultivation; fourth, the abode of noble birth; fifth, the abode of skillful means; sixth, the abode of the upright mind; seventh, the abode of non-retrogression; eighth, the abode of youthfulness; ninth, the abode of the prince of the Dharma; and tenth, the abode of consecration. As for the ten practices: first, the practice of joy; second, the practice of beneficial welfare; third, the practice of non-anger; fourth, the practice of inexhaustibility; fifth, the practice of freedom from delusion and confusion; sixth, the practice of skillful manifestation; seventh, the practice of non-attachment; eighth, the practice of reverence; ninth, the practice of wholesome dharmas; and tenth, the practice of reality. As for the ten dedications of merit: first, the dedication of rescuing and protecting sentient beings while being free from the characteristic of sentient beings; second, the indestructible dedication; third, the dedication equal to all buddhas; fourth, the dedication reaching all places; fifth, the dedication of the inexhaustible treasury of merit; sixth, the dedication of according with all firm wholesome roots; seventh, the dedication of according with all sentient beings with an equal mind; eighth, the dedication according with the mark of suchness; ninth, the dedication with a liberated mind unbound and unattached; and tenth, the immeasurable dedication to the dharmadhātu. Within the second, the stage of preparatory application, there are again four stages: first, the stage of heat; second, the stage of summit; third, the stage of patience; and fourth, the stage of the supreme worldly dharmas. Within the third, the stage of penetration, there are again two kinds: first, the actual path of seeing; and second, the mimetic path of seeing. Within the fourth, the stage of cultivation, there are again ten stages: first, the pramuditā-bhūmi; second, the vimalā-bhūmi; third, the prabhākarī-bhūmi; fourth, the arciṣmatī-bhūmi; fifth, the sudurjayā-bhūmi; sixth, the abhimukhī-bhūmi; seventh, the dūraṅgamā-bhūmi; eighth, the acala-bhūmi; ninth, the sādhumatī-bhūmi; and tenth, the dharmameghā-bhūmi. Its ultimate stage will be explained as in the fruit. Beginning from provisioning and ending with the exhaust of the dharmameghā, three great eons elapse: its initial two stages, provisioning and preparatory application, are the first great eon; from the stage of penetration up to the end of the seventh ground is the second eon; from the eighth ground through the tenth ground is the third eon. When the time of the three asaṃkhyeya [eons] is completed and the practices of the four stages are fully equipped, only then does one ascend to the fruit of ultimate bodhi.