Aspects of Mahayana Buddhism and its Relation to Hinayana c8.s5.5

c8.s5.5

Realising this state of things, the bodhisattva again resolves to rescue beings and strive for them. He then thinks over the means by which he can rescue them and finds that it is possible only by anāvaraṇavimokṣajñāna (the unscreened knowledge of emancipation). He observes that it is attainable only by hearing and practising the dharma. So he turns his mind to perfecting himself in the dharma and resolves to sacrifice all earthly wealth and enjoyment, and undergo all sorts of suffering.² He now sees that mere purification in speech and action would not be sufficient and that he must observe the dharmas and anudharmas.³ With that end in view, he practises the dhyānas, the four brahmavihāras, viz., maitrī, karuṇā, muditā, and upekṣā, and acquires the abhijñās, viz., ṛddhividha (power of performing miracles), divyaśrota (supernatural power of hearing), paracittajñāna (power of reading the thoughts of others), pūrvanivāsānusmaraṇa (power of remembering former births), and divyacakṣu (supernatural power of vision⁴).