Toh 275The Sūtra on Buddhahood
Pāli / Sanskrit:Buddhabhūmisūtra
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An Explanation of the Sūtra on Becoming a Buddha (Buddhabhūmisūtra)
Background
The Sūtra on Becoming a Buddha (Buddhabhūmisūtra, Toh 275) is an important sūtra in the Mahāyāna tradition, preserved in the Northern Transmission canon (Tibetan Kangyur). This sūtra belongs to the current of teachings on the stages of spiritual development that lead to buddhahood, what Mahāyānists call the buddha-bhūmi (Buddhabhūmi, “the ground of the Buddha”).
The setting in which the sūtra is taught often occurs when the Blessed Buddha or a high bodhisattva teaches about the path of practice leading to the state of a Buddha. This sūtra reflects the development of Mahāyāna thought, especially the teachings on the bodhisattva path and spiritual transformation through successive stages.
In the context of the Northern Transmission canon, this sūtra is regarded as part of the foundational materials that form a comprehensive system of Dharma methods for attaining buddhahood through systematic practice.
Main Content
The Sūtra on Becoming a Buddha focuses on presenting the grounds (bhūmi) necessary for attaining the state of a Buddha. According to the Mahāyāna teachings, this path is not only for noble disciples or independent arhats, but is open to all sentient beings who can give rise to the bodhisattva resolve, directing themselves toward perfect buddhahood.
The sūtra highlights that the buddha-bhūmi is not a static state, but a living ground of limitless wisdom (prajñā), compassion (karuṇā), and power (bala). Attaining this state requires the accumulation of immeasurable merit over many kalpas and the practice of the six pāramitās: generosity, discipline, patience, diligence, meditation, and wisdom.
The sūtra also emphasizes the important role of bodhicitta, the aspiration for immeasurable sentient beings to be freed from suffering and to become Buddhas. This is not merely an abstract idea, but an actual spiritual power capable of transforming all actions into causes and conditions for buddhahood.
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