四教義 7.6

7.6

Second, practicing the bodhisattva path: this is practicing the six perfections for three asaṃkhyeya kalpas. From the past Śākyamuni Buddha until the time of the Buddha Ratnaśikhin is called one asaṃkhyeya kalpa; from then on, he permanently leaves behind a female body. At that time, he did not know within himself whether he would or would not become a Buddha. This first asaṃkhyeya kalpa is the stage of attaining the fivefold settling of the mind and the four applications of mindfulness considered separately and collectively, using mindfulness of dharmic nature, shared mindfulness, and object-oriented mindfulness to practice the six perfections. The meaning of the three kinds of mindfulness is briefly as described above. Why is this? Cultivating mindfulness of dharmic nature is done to destroy the demonic deeds pertaining to craving and to shatter the six masters of omniscience pertaining to views; cultivating shared mindfulness is done wishing to destroy the fetters of craving and to shatter the six masters of spiritual penetrations; cultivating object-oriented mindfulness is done to preach the Dharma for all sentient beings with craving and views: because that which pertains to craving is destroyed, all retinues of the heavenly māras are destroyed, and because craving and views are destroyed, the three-times-six—eighteen kinds of—six masters and all retinues of heterodox paths are destroyed. Therefore, using the three kinds of mindfulness to practice the six pāramitās, the intention is to subjugate heavenly māras and quell all heterodox practitioners. When the bodhisattva uses the three kinds of mindfulness to practice the six perfections, although he cultivates mindfulness of dharmic nature, he does not cut off the fetters, because he takes birth in the three realms to deliver sentient beings. He always wishes to cultivate mostly the contemplation of shared mindfulness in order to attain spiritual penetrations, accomplish the four methods of winning beings over, and use common activities to subdue sentient beings with craving and views. He also always cultivates mostly the contemplation of object-oriented mindfulness wishing to accomplish the fourfold eloquence, preach the Dharma of the three vehicles, and transform all sentient beings with craving and views so that they together emerge from the burning house of the three realms. This is the practice of the six perfections during the first asaṃkhyeya kalpa, utilizing the four universal vows to bring comfort amid birth-and-death without faint-heartedness, thoroughly eradicating the karma of female embodiment, and constantly receiving a male body. At that time, because he had not yet given rise to the stage of understanding warmth and was an external ordinary being, he did not know within himself whether his own body would or would not attain Buddhahood. Next, explaining from the Buddha Ratnaśikhin to the Buddha Dīpaṃkara constitutes the second asaṃkhyeya kalpa. At this time, the bodhisattva offered seven stems of blue lotus flowers to the Buddha Dīpaṃkara, spread out a deerskin garment, and spread his hair to cover the mud. Then the Buddha Dīpaṃkara bestowed upon him the prediction: "In a future lifetime you will definitely become a Buddha named Śākyamuni." At that time, although the bodhisattva was able to know within himself that 'I will definitely become a Buddha,' his mouth did not proclaim 'I will become a Buddha'; it is said that this is practicing the six perfections using the wisdom of the dharma of warmth. Why is this? Because from the four applications of mindfulness considered collectively, he initially attained the wholesome contaminated five aggregates, which is the position of the initial mind of conforming patience on the stage of nature. Having the faith of realized Dharma, he therefore definitely knew he would become a Buddha; yet practicing the six perfections with the understanding of warmth, his mind was not yet distinct, so he did not speak of it to others. Next, explaining from the Buddha Dīpaṃkara to the Buddha Vipaśyin marks the completion of the third asaṃkhyeya kalpa. At this time, the bodhisattva clearly knew within his mind that he would become a Buddha, and with his mouth he spoke without fear or difficulty: "In a future lifetime I will become a Buddha." Now we say this is the stage of the dharma of the peak: practicing the six pāramitās, his contemplative understanding of the four truths is clear, just like climbing to a mountain peak and looking around in all four directions with distinct clarity; clearly knowing within himself that he would become a Buddha, he also spoke of it to others.