Early Monastic Buddhism v2.c42.s2.t5.36

v2.c42.s2.t5.36

In the 9th and 10th *bhūmis* (*Yauvarājya* and *Abhiṣeka*)¹ therefore the Bodhisattva has nothing more to attain. Now he can take rebirth in whatever form he likes; he can also become a universal monarch. These two *bhūmis*, evidently, were reached by Gautama Buddha in his last two existences in the Tuṣita heaven and in the mortal world.² He decided to take rebirth as a human being for imparting instructions to men and gods, leading them to *arhat*hood or other attainments. In the later Mahāyānic texts, the Bodhisattva in the eighth *bhūmi* becomes a Buddha *in esse*, a member of the Buddha family with Buddha *gotra*, and guarded henceforward by the gods and Vajrapāṇi.³ In the 9th *bhūmi*, according to these texts, the Bodhisattva becomes a *dharma* preacher, a guide to other beings. In the 10th *bhūmi* he obtains the resplendent body and omniscience while in meditation;¹ he is now consecrated as the *Samyaksambuddha* and so this *bhūmi* is called *Abhiṣeka*.