Toh 70The Noble Great Vehicle Sūtra “The Question of Subāhu”

Summary

In this scripture Śākyamuni Buddha describes how a bodhisattva should
ideally train in the six perfections. In the Veṇuvana near Rājagṛha, the Buddha teaches
this sūtra in response to a single question put to him by the bodhisattva Subāhu:
what are the qualities a bodhisattva should have in order to progress to perfect
awakening? The Buddha responds by first listing the six perfections of generosity,
ethical discipline, patience, diligence, concentration, and insight, and then
expounding in greater detail on each perfection in turn.

Acknowledgements

Translated by the Dharmachakra Translation Committee under the guidance of
Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche. This translation was produced by Chloé Cramer, Ben Ewing,
Lowell Cook, Oriane Lavole, and Sarah Evers. It was then checked against
the Tibetan and edited by James Gentry, who also wrote the introduction.

The translation was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.

Introduction

The Sūtra of the Question of Subāhu is a Great Vehicle sūtra in
which Śākyamuni Buddha teaches how a bodhisattva should ideally practice the six
perfections. According to the opening and closing phrases appended to its Tibetan
translation, it constitutes “the twenty-sixth section of the Noble Dharma Discourse,
the Great Heap of Jewels, in one hundred thousand sections.”

Although it is no longer
extant in Sanskrit and little can be known for certain about its provenance, there is some
indication that it was well known in India. It was translated into Chinese in
the fifth century ce by the famed translator
Kumārajīva (344–413). The Tibetan,
according to its colophon, was translated, edited, and finalized, based on
revisions done according to the language reform,
by a translation team consisting of the Indian preceptors Dānaśīla and Jinamitra,
and the Tibetan chief editor-translator Bandé Yeshé Dé, who were active in
Tibet in the late eighth and early ninth centuries. Indeed, the sūtra is listed in
the Denkarma (ldan/lhan dkar
ma) catalog of imperial translations usually dated to
812, and the mention
of the “language reform” suggests that the translation may have been finalized only after
783/795. Korean and Mongolian
translations were also made, and the Degé edition of the Tibetan Tengyur includes
an aspiration prayer derived from it as well. Finally, to avoid confusion it should be noted that
there is another Kangyur text that has the same Sanskrit title as The
Question of Subāhu but that has no relationship to it, being a tantra of the
Action (Kriyā) class.

The sūtra is set at the Kalandakanivāpa, in the Veṇuvana
near Rājagṛha, where the Buddha is accompanied by
a large assembly of monks. A bodhisattva great being by the name of Subāhu,
with servants in tow, visits the Buddha from the nearby town of Rājagṛha to pose a
single question: what are the qualities bodhisattvas should have in order to progress
to perfect awakening? The entire sūtra consists of the Buddha’s response to this
question. He begins by simply listing the six perfections of generosity, ethical
discipline, patience, diligence, concentration, and insight, and then expounds
in greater detail on each perfection in turn. Each of the six sections of the
ensuing discourse stipulates first how bodhisattvas should ideally practice the
perfection in question, and then how bodhisattvas should gradually train in that
perfection if they lack the requisite capacity to undertake it as ideally
stipulated. Each section ends by emphasizing how the aspiration to
undertake that perfection ideally is, just by itself, the most sublime form of the
perfection; it is the cultivation of this mental attitude, stresses the Buddha,
suffused with compassion for all beings, that will enable bodhisattvas to swiftly
and easily complete the perfections.

Subāhu himself, as the sūtra’s opening frame seems to
suggest, is probably a lay bodhisattva, and the stipulations for a bodhisattva’s
ideal practice of generosity and ethical discipline thus reflect a resolutely
lay orientation. For instance, a bodhisattva should give gifts as extravagant as
land; he should never give in a way that harms his children, wives, male and
female slaves, or servants and laborers; and his ethical discipline should consist
primarily of observing the five lay vows of an upāsaka. Along with the explanations of paths of gradual
training, and the emphasis on aspiring to practice it as the highest form of each perfection, these
features taken together suggest an open appeal to an audience that extends beyond
the circle of strict ascetics.

If The Sūtra of the Question of
Subāhu was therefore primarily intended for an audience of lay
Buddhist practitioners, that is by no means exclusively so. Throughout the text, the Buddha presents
the “Hearers’ Vehicle” as a perfectly viable approach. The ideal bodhisattva he describes
should strive to preserve the integrity of the vehicles of the hearers (śrāvaka),
solitary buddhas (pratyekabuddha), and bodhisattvas, teach each one as appropriate, and even
acquire his own “great saṅgha of hearer attendants.” Despite this relative absence of
perceived incompatibility between hearer and bodhisattva practitioners here in comparison to
more disparaging statements in some other Mahāyāna sūtras, there is nonetheless a discernible hierarchy
in the Buddha’s presentation that reflects the presumed superiority of the
Bodhisattvas’ Vehicle.

The present translation is based mainly on the Tibetan version of the
sūtra present in the Degé Kangyur, in consultation with the variant readings
presented in the Comparative Edition (dpe bsdur
ma) and the Stok Palace version.

The Translation

The Noble Great Vehicle Sūtra

The Question of Subāhu

Homage to all buddhas and bodhisattvas.

Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was at the Kalandakanivāpa
in the Veṇuvana, by Rājagṛha, together with a great assembly of monks. At
that time a bodhisattva great being named Subāhu set out with his servants from
the city of Rājagṛha for the Kalandakanivāpa in the Veṇuvana, where the Blessed One
was staying. As soon as he arrived, Subāhu touched his head to the feet of the
Blessed One, circumambulated him three times, and sat down to one side. With palms
joined, the bodhisattva great being Subāhu bowed to the Blessed One and asked him,
“Blessed One, what are the qualities bodhisattva great beings should have if they are
to awaken swiftly and completely to unsurpassed and perfect awakening?”

The Blessed One replied to the bodhisattva great being Subāhu as follows:
“Subāhu, if bodhisattva great beings are to awaken swiftly and perfectly,
they must constantly and relentlessly complete the six perfections. What are these
six? They are the perfection of generosity, the perfection of ethical discipline,
the perfection of patience, the perfection of diligence, the
perfection of concentration, and the perfection of insight. Subāhu, bodhisattva
great beings must constantly and relentlessly complete these six perfections.”

“Subāhu, how do bodhisattva great beings complete the perfection of
generosity? Subāhu, they seek resources in accordance with the Dharma, and not
contrary to the Dharma. They practice generosity without bias, and not with bias.
They practice generosity without harming or causing distress to creatures or other
beings. It is not done for fame, reputation, or praise. It is not done out of
cowardice, fear, hoping for reward, or for the sake of a high rebirth. It does not
involve hypocrisy, pretense, or disdain. Bodhisattvas respect, venerate, serve,
and honor the recipients no matter whether or not they are particularly worthy,
have superknowledge, have ethical discipline, are familiar
to them, or are their relatives. With great inspiration, intense joy, and strong
faith, they give little if they possess but
little, they give much if they possess much, they give excellent things if they
possess excellent things, they give modest
things if they possess but modest things, and they give exquisite things if they
possess exquisite things. Subāhu, just as bodhisattvas give one hundred thousand
gifts with a magnanimous and cheerful attitude, so do they give a simple coin with
a magnanimous and cheerful attitude.

“To enable all beings to gain stability through the strength of the
unsurpassed wisdom of omniscience, bodhisattvas give nourishment to those who
desire nourishment. To enable all beings to gain the
strength that entirely quenches the thirst of afflictions, they give drink to
those who desire drink. To enable all beings to acquire the clothing of shame and
decency, they give clothing to those who desire clothing. To enable all beings to
acquire the vehicle of bodhisattvas and the unsurpassed vehicle of complete
buddhas, they give mounts to those who desire mounts. To enable all beings to
acquire the fragrance of the buddhas’ ethical discipline, they give perfume to
those who desire perfume. To enable all beings to acquire the unsurpassable flower
of the thus-gone ones’ seven branches of awakening, they give flowers to those who
desire flowers. To enable all beings to gain the strength of overcoming the stench of
wrongdoing, they give fragrant powder to those who desire fragrant powder. To
enable all beings to acquire the unguent of faultless ethical discipline and
conduct, they give scented unguents to those who desire scented unguents. To
enable all beings to acquire the strength that thoroughly pacifies any torment of
afflictions, they give parasols to those who desire parasols. To enable all beings
to attain the unsurpassable comfort of superknowledge, they give shoes to those who desire shoes. To enable all
beings to gain the strength to prepare for the comfort of bedding in the abodes of
the gods, Brahmā, and the noble ones, they give bedding to those who desire
bedding. To enable all beings to acquire the throne of the Hero, the seat of
awakening unmoved by all the obstacles of māras and afflictions, they give seats
to those who desire seats. To enable all beings to attain bodies that will serve
as shelter, abode, protection, and refuge, they give shelter to those who desire
shelter. To enable all beings to attain bodies that will
serve as reservoirs for the Dharma, they give pots, vases, and utensils to those
who desire them.

To enable all beings to attain all the absorptions and attainments of
unsurpassed tranquility and quiescence, bodhisattvas give the gift of
groves for ascetic practice to the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha. To enable all beings to attain the
thirty-two major and eighty minor marks of a great man, they give the gift of
adornments to stūpas. To enable all beings to gain the limitless divine vision of
the thus-gone ones, they give the gift of lamps at darkened stūpas and paths. To
enable all beings to acquire the limitless divine hearing of the thus-gone ones,
they give the gift of melodious music in their worship of the Buddha, Dharma, and
Saṅgha. To enable all beings to gain unsurpassed, exquisite appearance, ethical
discipline, and conduct, bodhisattvas give the gift of alms bowls and monastic
robes. To enable all beings to gain the power to give relief, they give the gift
of sieves. To enable all beings to attain the completion of the accumulation of
great insight, they give the gift of reed brushes, ink, palm leaves, and Dharma
seats. To eliminate all the illnesses of afflictions from all beings, bodhisattvas
give the gift of medicines to cure the sick and other standard resources. To
enable all beings to attain the ground of the three kinds of awakening and the
ground of the expanse of ambrosia, they give the gift of land. To enable all
beings to obtain the lofty, sublime Dharma without a teacher,
they build lofty stūpas and statues.

“To enable all beings to quickly acquire the different kinds of
superknowledge upon seeing what they have acquired, bodhisattvas give gifts
quickly and without reluctance. To enable beings to attain complete awakening
without hindrance, they give suitable gifts, not unsuitable ones. To enable all
beings to acquire unimpeded great eloquence, they give gifts limitlessly. To
enable all beings to acquire unparalleled great compassion, they give equally to
all beings. To enable all beings to perfectly and completely awaken to the Dharma
that cannot be destroyed or harmed by any māras or non-Buddhists, bodhisattvas
give gifts that do no harm to others.

“Subāhu, if bodhisattvas are without the wealth and means to give these
gifts, they make aspirations, mentally yearning and wishing to give these
limitless, immeasurable gifts to all beings throughout all world systems. Subāhu,
whether or not bodhisattvas have the capacity to give these gifts, they make
aspirations, mentally yearning and wishing as follows: ‘May all beings throughout
all world systems become connected to and filled with my own happiness! May
absolutely all their intentions be effortlessly fulfilled in all ways, and may all their wishes without exception be fulfilled,
so that they may abide in happiness! May this aspiration of mine be auspicious!
May this aspiration of mine be virtuous!’

“Bodhisattvas make such aspirations, yearning and
wishing to give oceans of jewels to all beings throughout all world systems.
Bodhisattvas make aspirations, yearning and wishing to give endless, immeasurable
mountains of wealth, mountains of gold, mountains of clothing, mountains of all
utensils, oceans of food, oceans of drink, and finely wrought abodes where one can
comfortably dwell. They also delight and rejoice at least three times a day in all
the acts of giving, offering, and bestowing material possessions, protection from
fear, and the gifts of Dharma performed by all beings of the past, future, and
present throughout all the world systems in the entirety of cyclic existence.

“Even if bodhisattvas are unable to give wealth to those who request it,
they offer them their own share of food, provide them with assistance, or show
them the means to seek what they want, and then eradicate their desire with a
Dharma discourse.

“Should bodhisattvas even just wish to give those gifts, they dedicate
this generosity to unsurpassable, perfect, and complete awakening so that all
beings are ferried across, liberated, and relieved, and so that they may transcend
suffering, attain omniscience, and perfect all the qualities of a buddha. Having
offered their gift, they again dedicate this generosity to unsurpassable, perfect,
and complete awakening so that all beings are ferried across, liberated, and
relieved, and so that they may transcend suffering, attain omniscience, and
perfect all the qualities of a buddha.

“Should bodhisattvas lack the capacity to train in giving, offering, and
bestowing, this is how they properly train: From time to time, or little by little, they strive and exert themselves in abandoning, forsaking,
and eliminating attachment, stinginess, and fear of giving. From time to time, or
little by little, they also strive and exert themselves in training, developing,
and perfecting the acts of giving, offering, and bestowing. Even when they take
another birth, they do not lose heart or become discouraged. Subāhu, bodhisattvas’
formation of the resolve to awaken, their recollection and cultivation of the
resolve to awaken, and their wishes and aspirations to awaken are themselves their
immeasurable, incalculable great acts of giving, offering, and bestowing. Why is
that? It is because among all acts of giving, offering, and bestowing, the
foremost and supreme is the wish to give, offer, and bestow to all beings in all
world systems a shower of sublime Dharma and a shower of the expanse of ambrosia.

“Subāhu, in this way bodhisattvas will very quickly complete the
perfection of generosity, with ease and pleasure, little difficulty, and little
pain.

“Subāhu, bodhisattvas do not cut off limbs or other body parts when
requested by beggars, nor would they offer them to beggars, even if they were cut
off. Why is that? Because by that very act the beggars would fall into the severe
hells and incur more severe non-virtuous deeds. Yet it
is not the case that they would not surrender their own limbs and body parts for
the sake of other beings, or their benefit.

“Subāhu, if beggars ask bodhisattva great beings for all their
possessions, bodhisattvas do not give away all their possessions in a way that
harms, neglects, or causes suffering for their parents, or in a way that harms,
neglects, or causes suffering for their children, wives, male and female slaves,
or servants and laborers.

“Why is that? Bodhisattvas love all beings equally. Just as they practice
generosity without harming, neglecting, or causing suffering for their parents,
and without harming, neglecting, or causing suffering for their children, spouses,
male and female slaves, or servants and laborers, so do they care the same for all
beings. Yet, it is also not the case that they would not surrender all their
possessions for the sake and benefit of other beings.

“Subāhu, the thus-gone ones have not praised generosity that brings harm
to beings. Therefore, how could they do so regarding bodhisattvas’ cutting off of
limbs?”

“Subāhu, how do bodhisattvas complete the perfection of ethical
discipline? Subāhu, even at the cost of their own lives, bodhisattvas do not
beat, kill, or rejoice in the killing of other creatures and beings. Even at the
cost of their own lives, they do not take what is not given, incite others to take
what is not given, or rejoice in the taking of what is not given. Even at the cost
of their own lives, they do not engage in sexual misconduct, incite others to
engage in sexual misconduct, or rejoice in sexual
misconduct. Even at the cost of their own lives, they do not tell lies, incite
others to tell lies, or rejoice in the telling of lies. Even at the cost of their
own lives, they do not drink alcohol, incite others to drink alcohol, or rejoice
in the drinking of alcohol. They practice these five moral precepts, adhering to
them at length, resolutely, firmly, and without lapsing. Similarly, they endeavor
to abandon, discard, and relinquish the activities of tilling fields and having
others till fields; tethering beings and having others tether beings; entrapping
beings and having others entrap beings; beating beings and having others beat
beings; or slaughtering beings and having others slaughter beings. Thus do they
practice these five moral precepts at length, resolutely, firmly, and without
lapsing. They similarly abandon, discard, and relinquish divisive words, harsh
speech, and idle chatter.

“Bodhisattvas train in the following line of thinking: ‘All creatures and
all beings are just like my parents. They are just like a beloved only son. If my
parents or my beloved only son were to harm me, I would not harm them back. Even
if my parents or beloved only son were to strike me with their hands, clods of
earth, sticks, knives, or arrows, I would not strike them back. Even if they
attempted to kill me, I would not attempt to kill them back. Just as I would not
harm my parents or beloved only son even if they were to harm me, I would not
strike back even if all people and all beings were to strike me with their hands,
clods of earth, sticks, knives, or arrows. Even if they attempted to kill me, I
would not attempt to kill them back.’ Just as when one is, for example, glad and
overjoyed upon seeing one’s father, mother, or only beloved son return after
traveling abroad for a long time, so too, Subāhu,
bodhisattva great beings are pleased and overjoyed upon seeing all creatures and
beings.

“Bodhisattvas keep the ethical discipline of abandoning killing in order
to establish all beings in the ethical discipline of abandoning killing at the
level of no-more-training. They keep the ethical discipline of abandoning taking
what is not given in order to establish all beings in the ethical discipline of
abandoning taking what is not given at the level of no-more-training. They keep
the ethical discipline of abandoning sexual misconduct in order to establish all
beings in the ethical discipline of pure conduct at the level of no-more-training.
They keep the ethical discipline of abandoning lying in order to establish all
beings in the ethical discipline of abandoning lying at the level of
no-more-training. They keep the ethical discipline of abandoning alcohol in order
to establish all beings in the ethical discipline of abandoning alcohol at the
level of no-more-training.

“Bodhisattvas keep the ethical discipline of abandoning tilling fields
and having others till fields so that all beings may attain undivided, vajra-like
absorption. They keep the ethical discipline of abandoning tethering and having
others tether so that all the bonds of afflictions may be shorn from all beings.
They keep the ethical discipline of abandoning entrapping and having others entrap
so that all beings may be prevented from and divested of the five destinies. Bodhisattvas keep
the ethical discipline of abandoning beating and inciting beatings so that all
beings may attain the intrinsic nature that is not overpowered by any of the
obstacles of māras and afflictive obscurations. They keep the ethical discipline
of abandoning cutting and having others cut so that all beings may be protected in
all actions of body, speech, and mind.

“Bodhisattvas keep the ethical discipline of abandoning divisive speech
in order to obtain an undivided great saṅgha of hearer attendants.
They keep the ethical discipline of abandoning harsh speech in
order to acquire the melodiousness of Brahmā, and be imbued with a voice that has the
five aspects of clarity. They keep the ethical discipline of abandoning idle
chatter for the sake of acquiring unimpeded speech that is worthy of
retaining.

“Bodhisattvas keep the ethical discipline of sheltering those terrified
by death in order to put all beings at peace from fear of birth, aging,
sickness, death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, unhappiness, and despair. They
keep the ethical discipline of guarding against the squandering and destruction of
others’ wealth and belongings so that all beings may obtain the unsurpassable
wealth of the factors conducive to awakening.

“Bodhisattvas keep the ethical discipline of giving up attachment to
others’ spouses and enabling others to give up such attachment for the sake of
obtaining the unwavering intrinsic nature. They keep the ethical discipline of
giving up exerting control over others and having others exert control so that all
beings may obtain mastery over their own minds. They keep the ethical discipline
of untying bonds and of having others untie bonds in order to destroy all the
fetters of the armies of māras and the afflictions on the throne of the Hero, the
seat of awakening. Their ethical discipline of going forth from the household is in order
to attain a liberated, undefiled mind.

“Bodhisattvas keep the ethical discipline of confessing to striking others
for the sake of uprooting fear through the four kinds of fearlessness. They keep
the ethical discipline of averting quarrels in order to obtain the four
features of protection. They keep the ethical discipline of using non-deceptive
speech in order to obtain the intrinsic nature that cannot be controverted by any
obstacles of māras or afflictive obscurations, while on the throne of the Hero,
the seat of awakening. They keep the ethical discipline of reconciling those who
are divided and stabilizing relations so that there is no schism in the great
saṅgha of noble hearer attendants. They keep the ethical
discipline of using gentle and pleasant words so that truthful speech that is
melodious and pleasing may reach the ears of all beings. They keep the ethical
discipline of harmonious speech so that they may receive fruitful Dharma teachings
that are inviolable and worthy of retention. They keep the ethical discipline of
praising the qualities of the Buddha so that they may obtain a great saṅgha
entourage endowed with the qualities
of the noble ones.

“Bodhisattvas keep the ethical discipline of prostrating three times a
day to the innumerable, immeasurable buddhas, dharmas, saṅghas, and bodhisattvas
of the past, present, and future throughout all world systems, touching the five
points of their bodies to the ground. This is so that all beings may obtain the
five sublime properties of supreme faith, diligence, mindfulness, absorption, and
insight, which are so stable that beings will be unwavering and firm on the throne
of the Hero, the seat of awakening. They keep the ethical discipline of venerating
all stūpas of the buddhas three times a day so that they may attain the
fulfillment of all the qualities of a buddha.

“Bodhisattvas keep the ethical discipline of extolling the qualities of
the Dharma three times a day so that the unsurpassable, non-abiding wheel of
Dharma will be turned. They keep the ethical discipline of extolling the qualities
of the saṅgha three times a day, in order to obtain the great entourage of an
undivided saṅgha of noble ones. They keep the ethical discipline of going for
refuge to the supreme Three Jewels three times a day, for the sake of giving
unsurpassable refuge to all beings. They keep the ethical discipline of
supplicating three times a day that all world systems may never be bereft of the
Three Jewels and bodhisattvas, in order to attain perfect awakening, which is
the only certain promise of well-being. They keep the ethical
discipline of supplicating three times a day that all the buddhas teach the Dharma
for an eon, in order to attain the tenth bodhisattva level, the Cloud of
Dharma. They keep the ethical discipline of confessing, forsaking,
and condemning every misdeed three times a day, in order to destroy the entire
sequence of habitual tendencies. They keep the ethical discipline of taking up all
roots of virtue three times a day, in order to complete all the perfections. They
keep the ethical discipline of rejoicing three times a day in all the roots of
virtue of the past, present, and future buddhas, solitary buddhas, the noble saṅgha of
hearers, bodhisattvas, and all beings in all destinies belonging to all world
systems, in order to complete the infinite, immeasurable accumulations of
awakening. They keep the ethical discipline of aspiring for complete awakening
three times a day, in order to reach certainty in attaining perfect awakening.
They keep the ethical discipline of dedicating all roots of virtue to the
attainment of perfect awakening three times a day, solely in order to obtain the
different kinds of power and fearlessness of the thus-gone ones.

“Bodhisattvas keep the ethical discipline of serving their parents, teachers, elders, preceptors, and
masters in order to attain the unassailable intrinsic nature. They keep the
ethical discipline of comforting the frightened, the terrified, the destitute, and
the defenseless, in order to become skilled in tirelessly elucidating the answers
to all questions. They keep the ethical discipline of protecting and helping those
who are immersed in suffering caused by kings, thieves, fire, water, or
retribution, in order to obtain the protection of
the great states, levels, and perfections.

“Bodhisattvas keep the ethical discipline of praising the miraculous
feats performed by the buddhas, solitary buddhas, noble hearers, and bodhisattvas,
in order to obtain the unsurpassable miraculous powers of the thus-gone ones. They
keep the ethical discipline of performing bodily actions that are conducive to
protecting the minds of others, bodily actions that delight and gladden others’
minds, verbal actions conducive to protecting the minds of others, and verbal
actions that delight and gladden others’ minds, in order to obtain the infinite
power of the thus-gone ones to know the minds of others. They keep the ethical
discipline of properly engendering mindfulness of the goal of this life, other
lifetimes, the Hearers’ Vehicle, the Solitary Buddhas’ Vehicle, and the Perfect
Awakening Vehicle, as well as the ethical discipline of making this mindfulness
arise in those who are forgetful and careless, in order to attain the
unforgettable intrinsic nature. They keep the ethical discipline of listening to,
retaining, cultivating, and expounding the Dharma in order to attain the
discriminations and perfections.

“Should they even just wish to take up and practice ethical discipline,
bodhisattvas dedicate all of their roots of virtue of body, speech, and mind so
that all beings are ferried across, liberated, and relieved,
and so that they may attain omniscience and perfect all the qualities of a buddha.
While taking up and practicing ethical discipline, and again after having done so,
they dedicate it so that all beings are ferried across, liberated, and relieved,
and so that they may attain omniscience and perfect all the qualities of a
buddha.

“Should they lack the capacity to train in that ethical discipline
without breaching, violating, or corrupting it, this is how they properly train:
From time to time, or little by little, they strive and exert themselves in
abandoning, forsaking, and eliminating non-virtue. From time to time, or little by
little, they also strive and exert themselves in training in, developing, and
perfecting virtue. Even when they take another rebirth, they do not lose heart or
become discouraged.

“Subāhu, bodhisattvas’ formation of the resolve to awaken, their
recollection and cultivation of the resolve to awaken, and their wishes and
aspirations to awaken are themselves the bodhisattvas’ incalculable and
immeasurable acts of undertaking and engaging in ethical discipline.

“Why is that? It is because among all the ways of undertaking and
engaging in virtuous ethical discipline, foremost and supreme is the wish to
engender undefiled ethical discipline and ethical discipline at the level of
no-more-training, and to do so perfectly, in all beings throughout all world
systems.

“Subāhu, in this way bodhisattvas will very quickly complete the
perfection of ethical discipline, with ease and pleasure, little difficulty, and
little pain.”

“Subāhu, how do bodhisattvas complete the perfection of patience? Subāhu,
even if others take their lives, steal all their possessions, ravish their spouses,
or lie, slander, speak harshly, or idly gossip about them—even if they abuse them,
kill them, seize them, hit them, or cut them—bodhisattvas do not retaliate, get
angry in return, or harbor animosity or resentment toward them.

“This is how they train: They think, ‘This is the result of the negative
actions I have committed and accumulated in previous lives and in this one. This
is their karmic ripening. Why should I retaliate, get angry in return, or harbor
animosity or resentment, when I am experiencing the results and karmic ripening of
my own actions?’

“Furthermore, Subāhu, bodhisattvas properly train by thinking the
following: ‘Even if others were to take my life, steal all my possessions, ravish
my spouse, or lie, slander, speak harshly, or idly gossip about me—even if they
were to abuse me, kill me, seize me, hit me, or cut me—should I retaliate, get
angry in return, or harbor animosity or resentment toward them, I will incur the
further unwanted, unpleasant, and disagreeable suffering of fully ripened effects
and effects similar to their cause that are more severe than this unwanted,
unpleasant, and disagreeable sensation of suffering—that are a hundred times
greater, or a thousand times, or more.’

“Moreover, Subāhu, bodhisattvas properly train by thinking as follows:
‘Because I have life, my life is taken. Because I have possessions, my possessions
are stolen. Because I have an ear faculty, I hear lies, slander, harsh words, and
idle gossip. Because I have a body, my body is led along, fettered, seized,
beaten, and cut. Since I myself have assumed the life faculty, the ear faculty,
and the body that form the substance and basis of my suffering, how could I
retaliate, get angry in return, or harbor hostility or enmity?’

“Moreover, Subāhu, bodhisattvas properly train by thinking the following:
‘For example, the defining feature of the earth element is solidity. That is its
identity, its character, and its nature. The defining feature of the water element
is moisture. The defining feature of the fire element is heat. The defining
feature of the wind element is lightness and movement. These are their identities,
their characters, their natures. In the same way, all life forms have the
character of exhaustion, abandonment, and extinction. Moreover, all faculties are
characterized by contact with suffering and the experience of suffering. All
bodies, for that matter, have the quality of suffering, the quality of contact
with suffering, and the quality of the experience of suffering. That is their
identity, their character, and their nature. How could I retaliate, get angry in
return, or harbor hostility or enmity just
because the life faculty, which
is characterized by exhaustion, abandonment, and extinction, is exhausted,
dissolved, and extinguished, or because the six faculties, which are characterized
by suffering, contact with suffering, and the experience of suffering,
are in contact with suffering? Why is that? It is because that
is their identity, their character, and their nature.’

“Moreover, Subāhu, bodhisattvas properly train by thinking as follows:
‘My eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind are neither “me” nor “mine.” Others’
eyes, ears, noses, tongues, bodies, and minds are also neither them nor theirs. Such
being the case, how could the wise, knowing the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body,
and mind to be neither them nor theirs, delight in, be attached to, or truly enjoy
them? And how could they retaliate by hitting, harming, getting angry, or
harboring hostility or enmity toward others?’

“Moreover, Subāhu, bodhisattvas properly train by thinking as follows:
‘The sufferings experienced by humans are few and minor. Yet, the sufferings of
anguished spirits are much more terrible and difficult to endure, while the
sufferings of the animal realm and the hells are even more terrible and difficult
to endure than those. Such being the case, why would I, on account of just a few
minor sufferings, retaliate, get angry in return, or harbor hostility or
enmity?’

“Moreover, Subāhu, bodhisattvas properly train by thinking as follows:
‘It is unreasonable and improper for someone who wishes only for their own
happiness and welfare to retaliate, get angry in return, or harbor hostility or
enmity. Such being the case, how much more unreasonable and improper would it be
for someone who wishes for the happiness of all worlds, wishes to benefit all
worlds, has donned the great armor, has taken a vow with great resolve, has
entered the Great Vehicle, and who wishes to perfect the
vast qualities of a buddha? One will not gather, develop, or perfect the qualities
of a buddha by being impatient, retaliating, getting angry in return, or harboring
hostility or enmity. Rather, one will gather, develop, and perfect the qualities
of a buddha through having patience, not retaliating, not getting angry in return,
and not harboring hostility or enmity.’

“Subāhu, sons or daughters of noble family who wish to fulfill all the
qualities of a buddha should not retaliate, get angry in return, or harbor
hostility and enmity, even if they are subjected to the sufferings of the Hell of
Endless Torment, let alone the sufferings of humans. Even if they are insulted,
reviled, deprecated, or disgraced, they endure and embrace it in order to acquire
the sentiment of love, the sentiment of compassion, and the immaculate, pure, and
pristine awakened mind of the thus-gone ones. Even if they are dragged away,
bound, and captured, they endure and embrace it for the sake of the sentiment of
love, the sentiment of compassion, and in order to crack the shell of the
obscuration of ignorance for a single instant. Even if they are beaten, they
endure and embrace it for the sake of the sentiment of love, the sentiment of
compassion, and to divest all beings of their passion and aggression.

“Even if their ears are cut off, they endure and embrace it for the sake
of the sentiment of love, the sentiment of compassion, and to engender in all
beings the ear for Dharma that arouses faith. Even if their noses are cut off, they
endure and embrace it for the sake of the sentiment of love, the sentiment of
compassion, and to enable all beings to enjoy the exquisite and unsurpassable
qualities of ethical discipline. Even if their legs are cut
off, they endure and embrace it for the sake of the sentiment of love, the
sentiment of compassion, and for all beings to obtain the thus-gone ones’ four
bases of miraculous power. Even if their hands are cut off, they endure and
embrace it for the sake of the sentiment of love, the sentiment of compassion, and
for all beings to obtain the generosity of the
outstretched hand of the Dharma—peace and tranquility. Even if all their limbs are cut
off, they endure and embrace it for the sake of the sentiment of love, the
sentiment of compassion, and in order to complete all the major and minor limbs of
the six perfections. Even if their eyes are gouged out, they endure and embrace it
for the sake of the sentiment of love, the sentiment of compassion, and for all
beings to obtain the eternal eye of vigilance. Even if their heads are cut off, they
endure and embrace it for the sake of the sentiment of love, the sentiment of
compassion, and for all beings to obtain the summit of Dharma—omniscience.

“Should they even just wish to focus upon and bring to mind these kinds
of patience and acquiescence, they dedicate this so that all beings are ferried
across, liberated, and relieved, and so that they may attain omniscience and
perfect all the qualities of a buddha. While focusing upon and bringing them to
mind, and again after, they dedicate this so that all beings are ferried across,
liberated, and relieved, and so that they may attain omniscience and perfect all
the qualities of a buddha.

“Should they lack the capacity to be unwavering, flawless, and
uncorrupted in training in these kinds of patience and acquiescence, this is how
they properly train: From time to time, or little by little,
they strive and exert themselves in abandoning, forsaking, and eliminating their
lack of patience and acquiescence. From time to time, or little by little, they
also strive and exert themselves in training, developing, and perfecting their
patience and acquiescence. Even when they take another rebirth, they neither lose
heart, nor get discouraged. Subāhu, bodhisattvas’ formation of the resolve set on
awakening, their recollection and cultivation of the resolve for awakening, and
their wishes and aspirations for awakening are themselves the bodhisattvas’
immeasurable and incalculable virtues of practicing and truly accomplishing
patience.

“Why is that? It is because among all the virtues of practicing and truly
accomplishing patience, foremost and supreme is the wish to engender undefiled
patience and patience at the level of no-more-training, and to do so perfectly, in
all beings throughout all world systems.

“Subāhu, in this way bodhisattvas very quickly complete the perfection of
patience with ease and pleasure, little difficulty, and little pain.”

“Subāhu, how do bodhisattvas complete the perfection of diligence?
Subāhu, bodhisattvas properly train in this by thinking as follows: ‘In each of
the ten directions, there are infinite and limitless world systems, and in each of
these world systems there are infinite beings. Thus, this infinite and limitless
multitude of beings has neither limit nor end. I shall don armor to benefit this
infinite multitude of beings. If I don armor to bring
happiness to the infinite multitude of beings, then even when I am careless,
distracted, or asleep, the infinite roots of virtue from the infinite goal of
benefiting and bringing happiness to all beings will grow, expand, and be
perfected in each and every
moment of thought, throughout the day and night. Thus, since in each and every
moment of thought there will arise infinite roots of virtue and infinite heaps of
accumulations conducive to awakening, it will not be difficult to obtain perfect
awakening. That being the case, I shall now sincerely tend to the infinite growth
and expansion of these roots of virtue in each and every moment of thought. On
that basis, I will ensure that perfect awakening will not be difficult to obtain.
In so doing, why would I slacken my diligence, even at the cost of my own life,
when it enables me to attain perfect awakening?’

“Moreover, Subāhu, bodhisattvas train properly by thinking as follows:
‘Even those who wish to eliminate and overcome only the suffering of aging on
behalf of the infinite multitude of beings will have roots of virtue grow and
expand in each and every moment of thought. Such being the case, how much more so
will that be the case for those who wish to eliminate the infinite multitude of
beings’ suffering of birth and death, their suffering of being separated from what
they like and encountering what they dislike, their suffering of not acquiring
what they want, the suffering of animal births and Yama’s world, and the suffering
of the hells, the cold hells, and the hot hells?’

“Moreover, Subāhu, bodhisattvas train properly by thinking as follows:
‘Even those who wish to eliminate the infinite multitude of beings’ suffering for
just a single moment of thought will have infinite roots of virtue grow and expand
in each and every moment of thought. Such being the case, how much more so will
that be the case for those who wish to eliminate all the suffering—from the
suffering of birth up to that of
becoming —of the
infinite multitude of beings throughout the infinite and immeasurable eons that
have yet to come and go?’

“In addition, Subāhu, bodhisattvas train properly with the following
thought: ‘Even those who wish for the qualities of a solitary buddha or a hearer
will have roots of virtue grow and expand throughout each and every moment of
thought. Such being the case, how much more so will that be the case for the sons
or daughters of noble family who seek, wish, and aspire to perfect the
mastery of the infinite and boundless
qualities and powers of a buddha? For even when they are careless or asleep, the
four causes, four conditions, and four aims will grow and expand in each and every
moment of thought into four infinite and boundless heaps of roots of virtue and
four infinite and boundless heaps of accumulations conducive to awakening. With
the emergence in each and every moment of thought of the four infinite heaps of
roots of virtue and the four infinite and boundless heaps of accumulations
conducive to awakening it will not be difficult to attain awakening. Therefore, I
shall now tend to the four infinite heaps of roots of virtue
and the four infinite heaps of accumulations for perfect awakening in each and
every moment of thought. On that basis, I will ensure that perfect awakening will
not be difficult to obtain. In so doing, why would I slacken my diligence, even at
the cost of my own life, when it enables me to attain perfect awakening?

“ ‘The four great oceans are evidently finite and limited in the east.
They are obviously finite and limited as well in the south, west, north, nadir,
and zenith. Yet, the four infinite and boundless great oceans of the accumulations
of roots of virtue and factors conducive to awakening have neither end nor limit.
Thus, given that I will attain perfect awakening once these four great oceans of
the accumulations of roots of virtue and factors conducive to awakening have grown
and expanded throughout each and every moment of thought, why would I slacken my
diligence, even at the cost of my life?’

“Furthermore, Subāhu, bodhisattvas train properly by thinking as follows:
‘If even lions, tigers, dogs, jackals, vultures, curlews, crows, owls, worms,
bees, horseflies, and gadflies can perfectly and completely awaken to buddhahood,
then as a human being, why should I slacken my diligence, even at the cost of my
own life, when it allows me to attain perfect awakening?’

“Moreover, Subāhu, bodhisattvas train properly by thinking as follows:
‘If even a hundred or a thousand people can realize and attain buddhahood, why
should I not also realize and attain buddhahood now? Thus-gone ones, worthy ones,
perfect buddhas equal in number to the grains of sand in the Ganges River have
also realized and attained it. If thus-gone ones, worthy ones, perfect buddhas
equal in number to the grains of sand in the Ganges River have realized and
attained it, then why should I slacken my diligence, even at
the cost of my life, when it allows me to attain perfect awakening?’

“Furthermore, Subāhu, bodhisattvas have applied diligence, whenever they
constantly and perpetually listen to, ascertain, and reflect upon—as though their
hair and clothes were on fire—any Dharma teaching that is reported to be a
teaching by a buddha, whether it be taught by a buddha, explained by a worthy one,
explained by a bodhisattva, or even explained by madmen, as well as any Dharma
teaching that leads to the completion of the perfections of generosity, ethical
discipline, patience, diligence, concentration, and insight, and that leads to the
attainment of the qualities of a buddha, and the attainment of perfect awakening
and omniscience.

“By carefully heeding and keeping in mind the Dharma, the wise and
industrious constantly and perpetually receive, master, explain, recite,
contemplate, teach, and convey to others those Dharma teachings as if their own
hair and clothes were on fire, even if they are turned back with spears.

“By carefully heeding and keeping in mind the Dharma, the wise and
industrious use their own bodies as instruments in the service of all beings’
welfare and to practice any activity connected with the Dharma for happiness in this and other worlds, whether
they are turned back with spears, or whether they have been entrusted with this or
not. Just as the four great elements, unobstructed and unbound, are like
instruments in the service of all beings, likewise, Subāhu, do bodhisattvas use
their own bodies as instruments in the service of all beings. For they are
distinguished by venerating the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha; serving bodhisattvas,
preceptors, and teachers; and attending upon the elderly,
sick, and defenseless. As if their hair and clothes were on fire, they attract
others, inspiring faith in them by being agreeable with them through speech that
brings joy to others’ hearts and minds; by acting in conformity with them; by
sharing liberally with them, supporting them, and serving as their companions; and
by acting in harmony with virtue.

“They induct, tame, and establish in the Hearers’ Vehicle those suited to
the Hearers’ Vehicle. They induct, tame, and establish in the Solitary Buddhas’
Vehicle those suited to the Solitary Buddhas’ Vehicle. They induct, tame, and
establish in the Perfect Awakening Vehicle those suited to the Perfect Awakening Vehicle. Even if they are turned back with spears, the wise and
industrious act as if their hair and clothes were on fire, disregarding cold for
the sake and purpose of the sublime Dharma, for the sake and purpose of the six
perfections, and for the sake and purpose of virtue. They also disregard heat,
hunger, thirst, gadflies, horseflies, wind, sun, encounters with scorpions and
snakes, others’ offensive words, insulting name-calling, leisure, misfortune, sleep,
displeasure, their bodies, and their lives. For the sake and purpose of perfect
awakening, the wise and industrious, even if turned back with spears, also
disregard the sufferings of gods; the sufferings of asuras, humans, and anguished
spirits; and the sufferings of the animal realms and hells. The wise and
industrious, even if turned back with spears, maintain firm diligence and courage
in order to attain the fulfillment of the unequaled qualities of a buddha and to attain the completion of all conduct and perfections.

“Should they even just wish to focus on and apply this diligence and
courage, they dedicate this so that all beings are ferried across, liberated, and
relieved, and so that they may attain omniscience and perfect all the qualities of
a buddha. While focusing upon and applying diligence and courage, and again after
having done so, they dedicate this so that all beings are ferried across,
liberated, and relieved, and so that they may attain omniscience and perfect all
the qualities of a buddha.

“Should they lack the capacity to be unwavering, flawless, and
uncorrupted in training in this diligence, bodhisattvas train as follows: From
time to time, or little by little, they strive and exert themselves in abandoning,
forsaking, and eliminating indolence and laziness. From time to time, or little by
little, they also strive and exert themselves in training, developing, and
perfecting diligence and courage. Even when they take another rebirth, they become
neither disheartened nor discouraged. Subāhu, bodhisattvas’ formation of the
resolve set on awakening, their recollection and cultivation of the resolve for
awakening, and their wishes and aspirations for awakening are themselves the
bodhisattvas’ immeasurable and incalculable virtues of diligence and exertion.

“Why is that? It is because among all the virtues of diligence and
exertion, foremost and supreme is the wish to engender undefiled diligence and
diligence at the level of no-more training, and to do so
perfectly, in all beings throughout all world systems. Subāhu, in this way
bodhisattvas very quickly complete the perfection of diligence with ease and
pleasure, little difficulty, and little pain.”

“Subāhu, how do bodhisattvas complete the perfection of concentration?
Subāhu, when bodhisattvas see sights with their eyes they do not cling to their
characteristics and features. They are attentive and vigilant about restraining
the mind’s movements toward worldly covetousness, unhappiness, and factors
connected with evil deeds and non-virtues that occur when the eye faculty is left
uncontrolled by restraint. Thus, they control the eye faculty with the eye
faculty. Similarly, when their ears hear sounds, their noses perceive smells,
their tongues experience tastes, their bodies feel contact, and their minds cognize
phenomena, they do not cling to characteristics and features. They are attentive
and vigilant about restraining the mind’s movements toward worldly covetousness,
unhappiness, and factors connected with evil deeds and non-virtues that occur when
the mental faculty is left uncontrolled by restraint. Thus, they control the
mental faculty with the mental faculty.

“Whether they are walking, standing, sitting, lying, or silent,
bodhisattvas neither dispense with nor forsake the states of meditative equipoise
and calm abiding. Whether they are in solitude or not, their behavior is
uncorrupted: their hands are not restless, they do not talk nonsense, they do not
speak too much, their eyes and other sense faculties are neither distracted nor
agitated, they do not indulge in idle talk, and they are constant physically,
verbally, and mentally. They are content with their amenities
of food, drink, bedding, mats, dwelling places, and medicines to cure sicknesses, no
matter what they are; they are easily sustained, easily satisfied, and easily
served; their conduct and personal associations are virtuous, and in their
personal associations they are withdrawn from society.

“Bodhisattvas remain neutral and unchanged with regard to obtaining or
not obtaining things; they are neither proud nor humble. They remain neutral and
unchanged with regard to happiness and suffering, praise and blame, fame and
anonymity, and life and death; they are neither proud nor humble. They remain
neutral and unchanged with regard to loved ones and enemies, fortune and
misfortune, pleasant agreeable things and unpleasant disagreeable things, noble
and ignoble things, and solitude and crowds; they are neither proud nor humble.
Likewise, attractive and unattractive sights are neither agreeable nor
disagreeable to bodhisattvas. Attractive and unattractive sounds, smells, tastes,
tangibles, and mental phenomena are also neither agreeable nor disagreeable to
them. Since objects of desire are experienced based on misconception, driven by
their own mind, bodhisattvas think of them as skeletons. Since objects
of desire are a host of enemies, they think of them as lumps of flesh. Since one suffers
when indulging in desires, but is happy when forsaking them, they think of them as
a brush fire. Since desires cause much harm, they think of them as fruits on
the tips of trees. Since desires are not under control, they think of them as
beggars. Since one takes pleasure in desires due to momentary confusion, they
think of them as dreams. Since desires are produced by the distorted perception of
suffering as happiness, they think of them as leprosy. Since desires are the
object of all evil behavior, , and cause one to fall into
negative destinies and reach the brink of hell, they think of them as metal hooks.
Since desires do not satiate but only increase one’s thirst, they think of them as
salt water.

“Bodhisattvas perfect and settle into the first concentration—a state
secluded from desires, secluded from any factors connected with evil deeds and
non-virtues, accompanied by reflection and analysis, and imbued with the joy and
pleasure born of seclusion.

“When they have brought about the cessation of reflection and analysis,
they become inwardly serene, and therefore their minds become concentrated.
Through this they perfect and settle into the second concentration, which is free
of reflection and analysis and is imbued with the joy and pleasure born of
meditative absorption.

“Through disenchantment with joy, they remain impartial, maintain
mindfulness and introspection, and experience physical pleasure. They thus perfect
and settle into the third concentration. The noble ones call such people
impartial ones dwelling on pleasure that is imbued with
mindfulness.

“Through also relinquishing pleasure, and having formerly relinquished
pain in the past, both happiness and unhappiness vanish. Thus they perfect and
settle into the fourth concentration, which is pure impartiality and mindfulness,
unconnected with pleasure or pain.

“By bringing to mind the perception of happiness for all beings,
bodhisattvas perfect and settle into immeasurable love. By bringing to mind the
perception of the suffering of all beings, they perfect and settle into
immeasurable compassion. By bringing to mind the perception of rejoicing for all
beings, they perfect and settle into immeasurable joy. By bringing to mind neither
pain nor pleasure with respect to any being, they perfect and settle into
immeasurable impartiality.

“By bringing to mind the perception of form as coarse, and the perception
of space as tranquil, bodhisattvas perfect and settle into the sphere of infinite
space. By bringing to mind the perception of consciousness
as tranquil, they perfect and settle into the sphere of infinite consciousness. By
bringing to mind the perception of absolute nothingness as tranquil, they perfect
and settle into the sense sphere of absolute
nothingness. By bringing to mind the perception of a state with neither perception
nor non-perception as tranquil, they perfect and settle into the sphere of neither
perception nor non-perception.

“By bringing to mind the perception of their
inhalations and exhalations of shorter duration as having shorter duration and
those of longer duration as having longer duration, precisely in accordance with
how long their inhalations and exhalations last and endure, they perfect and
settle into the mindfulness of breathing. By bringing to mind the marks of
repulsiveness in the bodies of beings, they perfect and settle into the perception
of repulsiveness. By bringing to mind the marks of death, they perfect and settle
into the perception of death. By bringing to mind the marks of sickness and aging,
they perfect and settle into the perception of their defects. By bringing to mind
that the search for food and its transience are causes for disease and harm, they
perfect and settle into the perception of food as disagreeable. By bringing to
mind the marks of the entire world, with its households, villages, cities, and
countries, as devoid of wealth and devoid of wondrous forests and delightful
groves, they perfect and settle into the perception that the entire world is
unpleasant.

“With a perception of internal physical matter, bodhisattvas bring to
mind a small amount of external physical matter characterized by appealing and
unappealing colors, and thereby perfect and settle into the first stage of mastery
over the senses. With a perception of internal physical matter, they bring to mind
an immeasurable amount of external physical matter characterized by appealing and
unappealing colors, and thereby perfect and settle into the second stage of
mastery over the senses. They cultivate and accomplish disintegration as the
perception that, due to wind or water, even the ash of a cremated corpse does not
remain, and as the perception that after something has
broken and disintegrated even powder and dust do not remain. Thus, with a
perception that there is no internal physical matter, bodhisattvas bring to mind a
minute amount of external physical matter characterized by appealing and
unappealing colors, and thereby perfect and settle into the third stage of mastery
over the senses. Similarly, with a perception that there is no internal physical
matter, they bring to mind an immeasurable amount of external physical matter
characterized by appealing and unappealing colors, and thereby perfect and settle
into the fourth stage of mastery over the senses. Similarly, with a perception
that there is no internal physical matter, they bring to mind an immeasurable
amount of external physical matter characterized by an immeasurable and attractive
blue color, and thereby perfect and settle into the fifth stage of mastery over
the senses. Similarly, with a perception that there is no internal physical
matter, they bring to mind an immeasurable amount of external physical matter
characterized in turn by an immeasurable and attractive yellow, red, and white
color, and thereby perfect and settle into the sixth, seventh, and eighth stages
of mastery over the senses.

“Saying, ‘The earth element is limitless,’ bodhisattvas bring its
characteristics to mind and thereby perfect and settle into the totality of earth.
Saying, ‘Water, fire, wind, blue, yellow, red, white, space, and consciousness are
limitless,’ they bring their characteristics to mind and thereby perfect and
settle within the totality of water, the totality of fire, the totality of wind,
the totality of blue, the totality of yellow, the totality of red, the totality of
white, the totality of space, and the totality of consciousness.

“Upon settling into equilibrium, bodhisattvas apply their minds to focus
on all roots of virtue. They apply their minds to focus on great compassion, on
obtaining the sublime Dharma, on ensuring that the lineage of the Three Jewels
is not cut off, on the body and ornaments of the Buddha, on
the Brahmā-like voice of the Buddha’s speech, on previous aspirations, on ripening
all beings, on purifying all the worlds, on the arrangement of the seat of
awakening, on turning the wheel of Dharma, and on conquering the afflictions in
all beings.

“When practicing concentration, they practice it free from the four
objects of consciousness.
They practice concentration without dwelling on the element of earth, the element
of water, the element of fire, the element of wind, the element of space, the
element of consciousness, this world, or future worlds. In order to attain all
unsurpassed states of absorption and equilibrium, they settle into concentration
and delight in it.

“Should bodhisattvas even just wish to practice concentration and rest
in equilibrium with respect to those concentrations and absorptions, they dedicate
this so that all beings are ferried across, liberated, and relieved, and so that
they may attain omniscience and perfect all the qualities of a buddha. While doing
these practices, and again after doing them, they dedicate this so that all beings
are ferried across, liberated, and relieved, and so that they may attain
omniscience and perfect all the qualities of a buddha.

“Should they lack the capacity to train in those concentrations and
absorptions then this is how they properly train: From time to time, or little by
little, they strive and exert themselves in abandoning, forsaking, and eliminating
distraction and non-absorption. From time to time, or little
by little, they also strive and exert themselves in training, developing, and
perfecting the practice of single-pointedly focusing their minds and resting them
in equipoise. Even when they take another rebirth, they do not become disheartened
or discouraged. Subāhu, bodhisattvas’ formation of the resolve set on awakening,
their recollection and cultivation of the resolve set on awakening, and their
aspirations and prayers for awakening are themselves the bodhisattvas’
incalculable and immeasurable virtues of resting their minds in equipoise and
focusing their minds single-pointedly.

“Why is that? It is because the wish to engender undefiled concentration
and concentration at the level of no-more-training, and to do so perfectly, in all
beings throughout all world systems, is the infinite and boundless virtue of
resting one’s mind in equipoise and focusing one’s minds single-pointedly.

“Subāhu, in this way bodhisattvas complete the perfection of
concentration, with ease and pleasure, little difficulty, and little pain.”

“Subāhu, how do bodhisattvas complete the perfection of insight? Subāhu,
even if they are turned back with spears, they approach, rely upon, and venerate
individuals who are learned, retain what they have learned, and have collected
what they have learned, as well as those who understand the content, are
well-spoken, are discerning, and who have reflected upon the significance of what they have learned.
For the sake of learning, explanations, content, reflecting upon the significance,
and venerating masters and preceptors, they disregard cold,
heat, hunger, thirst, gadflies, horseflies, wind, sun, encounters with scorpions
and snakes, others’ offensive words and insulting name-calling, violent, rough, or
unbearable physical sensations, and even being killed. They maintain the
perception that Dharma teachings are precious jewels. They observe the perception
that Dharma preachers are treasuries of precious jewels. They observe the
perception that listening to the Dharma is discovering something rare. They
observe the perception that retaining the Dharma is as important as life. They
observe the perception that amassing the qualities of Dharma is vitally important.
They observe the perception that reflecting on the Dharma is an opportunity that
will not be found again within a hundred lifetimes.

“When bodhisattvas hear those Dharma teachings, and, retaining them,
study and reflect upon them, they will come to know the constituents. They will
also come to know the aggregates, the sense spheres, the truths of noble beings,
dependent origination, time, the vehicles, and the accumulation of virtue.

“How do bodhisattvas understand the constituents? The constituents are
twofold, known as conditioned and unconditioned. These are the two constituents.
What are conditioned and unconditioned constituents? A conditioned
constituent is anything whatsoever that arises, remains, and ceases.
An unconditioned constituent is anything whatsoever that does
not arise, remain, or cease. Thus do they understand the conditioned and
unconditioned constituents.

“Moreover, bodhisattvas know the three constituents: virtuous,
non-virtuous, and neutral constituents. What are virtuous, non-virtuous, and
neutral constituents? A virtuous constituent is anything
whatsoever that lacks attachment or is associated with a lack of attachment,
anything whatsoever that lacks anger or is associated with a lack of anger, and
anything whatsoever that lacks ignorance or is associated
with a lack of ignorance. A non-virtuous constituent is
anything whatsoever that has attachment or is associated with attachment, anything
whatsoever that has anger or is associated with anger, and anything whatsoever
that has ignorance or is associated with ignorance.
Neutrality is anything not included within those two. Thus
do bodhisattvas understand the three constituents.

“Moreover, bodhisattvas know the three realms. What are the three? The
desire realm, the form realm, and the formless realm. What is the desire realm?
The desire realm comprises the beings in the hells, animals,
anguished spirits, asuras, humans, and the gods of the Heaven of the Four Great
Kings, Heaven of the Thirty-Three, Heaven Free from Strife, Heaven of Joy, Heaven
of Delighting in Emanations, and Heaven of Making Use of Others’ Emanations, as
well as anyone who yearns for, is attached to, is angry at, is ignorant of, wishes
for, makes aspirations for, or conditions themselves to those types of beings.

“What is the form realm? The form realm comprises
the gods in the Brahmā Realm, and the gods in the heavens of the High Priests of
Brahmā, Mahābrahmā, Limited Light, Limitless Light, Luminous, Limited Virtue,
Limitless Virtue, Perfected Virtue, Cloudless, Increased Merit, Great Fruition,
Concept-Free Beings, Unlofty, No Hardship, Sublime, Gorgeous, and
Highest, as well as anyone who yearns for, is attached to, is
angry at, is ignorant of, wishes for, makes aspirations for, or conditions
themselves to those types of beings.

“What is the formless realm? The formless realm
comprises the gods who move about in the Sphere of Infinite Space, the gods who
move about in the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness, the gods who move about in the
Sphere of Absolute Nothingness, the gods who move about in the Sphere of Neither
Perception nor Non-Perception, as well as anyone who yearns
for, is attached to, is angry at, is ignorant of, wishes for, makes aspirations
for, or conditions themselves to those types of beings. Thus do bodhisattvas know
the three realms.

“Moreover, they know the four realms. What are the four? The four are
known as the desire realm, the form realm, the formless realm, and the
unconditioned realm. Thus do they know the four realms.

“Moreover, they know the six realms. What are the six? They are the
realms of desire, malice, harm, deliverance, freedom from malice, and freedom from
harm. Thus do they know the six realms.

“In addition to that, they know the six elements. What are the six? They
are the elements of earth, water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness. They know
these six elements. Among them, the earth element bears the qualities of being
impermanent, unstable, and subject to change—and that which is impermanent is
suffering, and that which is suffering is selfless. In the same way, the elements
of water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness also bear the qualities of being
impermanent, unstable, and subject to change—and that which is impermanent is
suffering, and that which is suffering is selfless. Thus do they know the six
elements accordingly.

“When bodhisattvas hear those teachings and, retaining them, study and
consider them, they come to understand the five aggregates. These five are the
aggregates of forms, sensations, perceptions, formations, and consciousness.

“As for forms, they are like bubbles: worthless, fragile, and fleeting.
Sensations are like foam on water: worthless, fragile, and fleeting. Perceptions
are like a mirage: worthless, fragile, and fleeting. Formations are like the
plantain tree: worthless, fragile, and fleeting. Consciousness is like an
illusion: worthless, fragile, and fleeting. Thus do bodhisattvas understand the
five aggregates.

“When bodhisattva hear those teachings and, retaining them, study and
consider them, they come to understand the six inner sense spheres. The six inner
sense spheres are known as the inner sense spheres of the eyes, ears, nose,
tongue, body, and mind.

“Among them, bodhisattvas understand that the inner sense sphere of the
eyes is subject to sickness, aging, and death; is empty of both ‘me’ and ‘mine’;
is ablaze with the fires of desire, aversion, and ignorance; is ablaze with birth,
aging, sickness, death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, unhappiness, and despair;
and is ablaze with suffering.

“Likewise, bodhisattvas know that the inner sense spheres of the ears,
nose, tongue, body, and mind are also subject to sickness, aging, and death; are
empty of both ‘me’ and ‘mine’; are ablaze with the fires of desire, aversion, and
ignorance; are ablaze with birth, aging, sickness, death, sorrow, lamentation,
suffering, unhappiness, and despair; and ablaze with suffering. Thus do they
understand the six inner sense spheres.

“Furthermore, bodhisattvas understand the six outer sense spheres as the forms cognized through the eyes, the sounds cognized
through the ears, the smells cognized through the nose, the tastes cognized
through the tongue, the tangibles cognized through the body, and the phenomena
cognized by the mind. These six are known as the outer sense spheres.

“Among them, the outer sense sphere of forms cognized through the eyes is
unreliable, undependable, powerless, and fragile, for it utterly lacks permanence,
solidity, endurance, reality, unmistaken reality, or incontrovertible reality. All
that it has is illusion, the creation of illusion, and the capacity to delude the
mind. Likewise, the outer sense spheres of the sounds cognized through the ears,
the smells cognized through the nose, the tastes cognized through the tongue, the
tangibles cognized through the body, and the phenomena cognized by the mind are
unreliable, undependable, powerless, and fragile, for they utterly lack
permanence, solidity, endurance, reality, unmistaken reality, or incontrovertible
reality. All that they have is illusion, the creation of illusion, and the
capacity to delude the mind. Thus do bodhisattvas understand the six outer sense
spheres.

“So, when bodhisattvas hear those teachings and, retaining them, study
and consider them, they come to understand the four truths of noble beings. What
are the four? They are the truths, according to noble beings, of suffering, the
source of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the path to the cessation of
suffering. Those are known as the truths of noble beings.

“The truth of noble beings of the source of suffering
refers to desire, aversion, delusion, and pride; fixation on
the notion of ‘I’; fixation on the notion of ‘this is my self’; and fixation on
self with regard to the following notions: it will emerge; it will not emerge; it
will have form; it will be formless; it will have perception; it will not have
perception; it will neither have perception, nor will it not have perception; the
self is the aggregates; the self is separate from the aggregates; the self is in
the aggregates; the aggregates are in the self; the self is the elements and sense
spheres; the self is separate from the sense spheres;
the self is in the sense spheres; the sense spheres are in the self; the self is
sensation; the self is what feels; the self is a tiny material entity; the self is
a tiny formless entity; the self is an infinite material entity; the self is an
infinite formless entity; the self is permanent; the self is impermanent; the self
is both permanent and impermanent; the self is neither permanent nor impermanent;
the self is finite; the self is infinite; the self is both finite and infinite;
the self is neither finite nor infinite; the self will emerge after death; the
self will not emerge after death; the self will and will not
emerge after death; the self will neither emerge nor not emerge after death; life
is the body; life and the body are separate; where does this being come from and
where will it go after death?; beings are cut off from existence in that they
perish and cease to exist; the doer is the experiencer; the doer and the
experiencer are separate; because the self exists, what belongs to the self also
exists; the self exists because what belongs to the self exists; the self is
present here in this manner; the self is turning into something else; it will be
the same; it will turn into something else; it will emerge here; it will emerge in
that manner; it will emerge elsewhere; the self was here in the past; the self has
now emerged; or the self emerged before as something else. Thus, the truth of the
source of suffering of noble beings includes false views about perishable
composites, egotistical pride, mental states, fixation, latent impulses of pride,
arrogance, self-aggrandizement, assertions in which a self is propounded, desire,
aversion, delusion, and all kinds of pride; actions of body, speech, or mind that
are meritorious, non-meritorious, or unchanging; as well as everything else
included in the desire, form, or formless realms.

“The truth of noble beings of the cessation of suffering
refers to the exhaustion of desire, aversion, delusion, and
pride, as well as the absence of fixation on the self and assertions in which a
self is propounded.

“The truth of noble beings of the path to the cessation of
suffering is attentiveness to suffering as suffering, the source as the
source, cessation as cessation, and the path as the path; it
is regarding conditioned phenomena as faulty and maintaining that observation; it
is regarding nirvāṇa as beneficial and maintaining that observation; as well as
the right view of seeing things as they are and having discernment regarding
actions performed, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood,
right effort, right mindfulness, and right absorption.

“These are the four truths of noble beings.

“When, upon analyzing and reflecting on those four truths of noble
beings, bodhisattvas comprehend and cultivate them,
they regard conditioned elements as impermanent, painful, empty, and selfless.
They also regard unconditioned elements as a shelter, abode, protection, and
refuge; yet, they do not make manifest the uncompounded elements. Thus do they
understand the four truths of noble beings.

“So, when bodhisattvas hear those teachings and, retaining them, study
and consider them, they come to understand dependent origination. Ignorance
creates the condition for formations. Formations create the condition for
consciousness. Consciousness creates the condition for name and form. Name and
form create the condition for the six sense spheres. The six sense spheres create
the condition for contact. Contact creates the condition for sensation. Sensation
creates the condition for craving. Craving creates the condition for clinging.
Clinging creates the condition for becoming. Becoming creates the condition for
birth. Birth creates the condition for aging and death. This process is known as
dependent origination.

“Ignorance refers to not understanding and not
recognizing the four truths of noble beings and dependent origination.

“Formations refers to any action of the body,
speech, and mind, no matter how minor, that is meritorious, non-meritorious, or
unchanging, or anything that leads to the desire, form, or
formless realms.

“Consciousness is the mind or mental faculty
that arises from even the most minor formation.

“Name and form refers to both ‘name’—any sensation,
perception, thought, contact, or consideration of any kind that comes from
consciousness—and ‘form’—any embryonic form, miraculous form, or perceptible form
of any kind that appears together with ‘name.’

“The six sense spheres refers to the eyes, ears,
nose, tongue, body, and mind that emerge from name and form.

“Contact refers to the convergence of eye, form,
and eye consciousness, where the eye consciousness arises based on the eyes and
form. It also refers to the convergence of the triad of mental consciousness,
mind, and mental objects, where the mental consciousness arises based on the mind
and mental objects, as well as the other triads inclusive of ears, nose, tongue,
and body.

“Sensation, which is of three types, refers to the
painful, pleasurable, and neutral sensations that arise from contact.

“Craving refers to the desire, attachment, and
infatuation that arise from sensation.

“Clinging refers to the yearning, beliefs, ethical
discipline, asceticism, and claims about self that arise from craving.

“Becoming refers to the forms, sensations,
perceptions, formations, and consciousness that arise from clinging.

“Birth refers to the emergence, birth, and
formation of whatever has come into existence.

“Aging refers to the change, decay, and
degeneration of whatever has come into existence.

“Death refers to the passing away and separation of
whatever has come into existence.

“When, upon analyzing and reflecting on dependent origination,
bodhisattvas comprehend and cultivate it, they do not make assumptions. They do not make assumptions about earth. They do not make the
assumption that earth belongs to them. Nor do they delight in earth. They also do
not make any assumption that water, fire, wind, sky, and consciousness are
singular, different, visible, hearable, distinguishable, perceivable, and beyond
suffering. Neither do they make assumptions about nirvāṇa, assuming that nirvāṇa
is theirs, or delight in nirvāṇa.

“When they consider dependently arisen phenomena, they comprehend and
cultivate the three gates of liberation: the emptiness, signlessness, and
wishlessness of phenomena.

“When they consider dependently arisen phenomena, they comprehend and
cultivate the cessation of dependent origination as follows: the cessation of
ignorance will cause the cessation of formations. The cessation of formations will
cause the cessation of consciousness. The cessation of consciousness will cause
the cessation of name and form. The cessation of name and form will cause the
cessation of the six sense spheres. The cessation of the six sense spheres will
cause the cessation of contact. The cessation of contact will cause the cessation
of sensation. The cessation of sensation will cause the cessation of craving. The
cessation of craving will cause the cessation of clinging. The cessation of
clinging will cause the cessation of becoming. The cessation of becoming will
cause the cessation of birth. The cessation of birth will cause the cessation of
aging and death.

“Although they consider the cessation of dependent origination in that
manner, they do not make manifest the cessation of dependent origination; thus do
bodhisattvas understand the cessation of dependent origination.

“So, when bodhisattvas hear those teachings and, retaining them, study
and consider them, they come to understand the three times. What are the three?
They are the past, the future, and the present; these are known as the three
times. The past refers to any conditioned phenomenon that has
ceased.
The future refers to any conditioned phenomenon that has not
yet come into existence and arisen. The present refers to any
conditioned phenomenon that has arisen and exists currently.

“So, when bodhisattvas recollect the roots of their past non-virtues,
they revile and condemn them, giving them up for good.

“They regard even the most miniscule root of their future non-virtues as
coming to fruition unequivocally, and becoming something repulsive, unpleasant,
and frightening; they then settle into that observation.

“Bodhisattvas do not provide the opportunity for their roots of
non-virtue to develop presently; they control with restraint their body, speech,
mind, and six senses.

“Bodhisattvas recollect the roots of their past virtue, their resolve
set on awakening, their wishes and aspirations for the mind of awakening and, with
fervent yearning, joy, and faith, they dedicate these so that all beings are
ferried across, liberated, and relieved, and so that they may completely transcend
suffering, attain omniscience, and perfect all the qualities of a buddha.

“With fervent yearning, joy, and faith they wish, long, and aspire that
their future roots of virtue, intention set on awakening, and wishes and
aspirations for awakening may also enable all beings to be ferried across,
liberated, and relieved, and so that they may completely transcend suffering,
attain omniscience, and perfect all the qualities of a buddha.

“So that all sentient beings may be ferried across, liberated, and
relieved, and so that they may attain omniscience, and
perfect all the qualities of a buddha, bodhisattvas never ever forsake, diminish,
forget, or neglect their present virtuous streams and trains of thought.

“All past aggregates, sensory elements, and sense spheres are past,
done, absent, and no longer exist. Thus, presently, they are devoid of a self and
anything belonging to a self. All future aggregates, sensory elements, and sense
spheres have not yet arisen, appeared, or come into existence. Thus, presently,
they are devoid of a self and anything belonging to a self. All present
aggregates, sensory elements, and sense spheres neither remain nor endure.

“Why is that? It is because the world does not remain for more than a
moment. And that moment itself, whose time of arising, remaining, and ceasing are
all separate, neither remains nor endures. The duration of a moment is in terms of
the inner and outer aggregates, the sensory elements, and the sense spheres. The
inner and outer aggregates, the sensory elements, and the sense spheres exist in
terms of duration. The present aggregates, sensory elements, and sense spheres
neither remain nor endure for even a mere moment, and that which neither remains
nor endures is devoid of a self and anything belonging to a self. Moreover, the
future has not arisen, appeared, or come into existence, so it is devoid of a self
and anything belonging to a self. Moreover, the past is over, not arisen, and does
not exist, so it is naturally devoid of a self and anything belonging to a self.
Since the lack of a self and the lack of anything belonging to a self has never
arisen or come into existence throughout the three times, it is inappropriate for
the wise and circumspect to believe in a self, thinking, ‘This is mine,’ ‘This is
me,’ or ‘This possession of mine exists.’

“Bodhisattvas maintain the perception that all existences and
conditioned phenomena are devoid of self, the perception of being free of
attachment toward them, the perception of having discarded
them, and the perception of their cessation; it is not the case, however, that
cessation is made manifest.

“When bodhisattvas, who thus understand the three times, hear those
teachings and, retaining them, study and consider them, they come to understand
the three vehicles. What are the three? The three vehicles
refers to the Gods’ Vehicle, Brahmā’s Vehicle, and the Noble Ones’ Vehicle. The Gods’ Vehicle is the first concentration, as well as the second,
third, and fourth concentrations. Brahmā’s Vehicle is love, as well as
compassion, joy, and impartiality. The Noble Ones’ Vehicle is the eightfold
path of the noble ones: right view, right intention, right speech, right action,
right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right absorption.

“Bodhisattvas sometimes cultivate the Gods’ Vehicle and establish
beings in it; sometimes they cultivate Brahmā’s Vehicle and establish beings
in it; and sometimes they cultivate the Noble Ones’ Vehicle and establish beings
in it. And yet, they do not make manifest the liberation of the noble ones.

“Furthermore, they also know three further vehicles. What are the three?
These three vehicles are the Hearers’ Vehicle, the Solitary Buddhas’ Vehicle,
and the Great Vehicle.

“The Hearers’ Vehicle pertains to those with
lesser inclinations and faculties who have not a mere moment’s interest in
existence, and do not perpetuate existence, but reject it. Through seeing the
advantages of attaining nirvāṇa, it is as if their hair and clothes were on
fire—they acquire the strongest of intentions and efforts to comprehend and
realize the four truths of noble beings.

“The Solitary Buddhas’ Vehicle pertains to those
with middling inclinations and faculties, who delight in solitude, are devoted to
their own aims, strive to dwell in the concentrations and attainments, are skilled in discerning dependent origination, and wish and
make aspirations for their own awakening.

“The Great Vehicle pertains to those with
especially exalted inclinations and faculties, who wish to fulfill all the
qualities of a buddha and all six perfections so that all sentient beings may be
ferried across, liberated, relieved, and obtain omniscience. It pertains to those
who, for the benefit of the world, disregard the suffering of saṁsāra, and have
much contempt for the pleasures of saṁsāra, let alone its sufferings. It pertains
to those who observe superior conduct and ethical discipline, and who endeavor to
chant, recite, explain, and reflect upon the sūtras
about the Perfect Awakening Vehicle. It also pertains to bodhisattva great
beings who are virtuous spiritual friends, train in the four kinds of
blessing—truth, generosity, tranquility, and insight—and hear, receive, memorize,
and enjoy analyzing all objects of knowledge. It pertains to those who wish to
authentically cultivate all absorptions and attainments, who disregard their own
welfare and strive for the welfare of the world, and who wish to establish, and
delight in establishing, all beings in the three vehicles in accordance with their
capacity. It also pertains to those who themselves firmly adhere to the vehicle of
awakening, and with steadfast, unshakable, and vajra-like minds, continuously wish
and make aspirations for awakening. This is how bodhisattvas understand the three
vehicles.

“When bodhisattvas hear those teachings and, retaining them, study and
consider them, they come to understand the virtuous method: prostrating to the
Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha. They do so by observing as follows: ‘I prostrate to
all the past, future, and present buddhas, dharmas, and saṅghas throughout all the
world systems.’ When practicing a single prostration, they form the intention of
awakening, imagining that they prostrate boundlessly and immeasurably. When
aspiring for awakening, they dedicate it so that all beings may be ferried across,
liberated, relieved, attain omniscience, and perfect all the qualities of a
buddha. Similarly, when going for refuge they also form the intention of
awakening. When practicing any activity—walking, standing, sitting, sleeping,
washing, eating, drinking, plowing the fields, or planting seeds—they form and
cultivate the mind of awakening through making aspirations for awakening
boundlessly and immeasurably.

“When practicing meditative equipoise and concentration, they also form
and cultivate the mind of awakening by making aspirations for awakening,
boundlessly and immeasurably, that all beings may be ferried across, liberated,
relieved, attain omniscience, and perfect all the qualities of a buddha.

“They arouse and cultivate the mind of awakening by making aspirations
to completely perfect all the qualities of a buddha—an omniscient one who is
supreme throughout the whole world, a tamer of all beings, a peerless one, an
incomparable one, a reliever of the whole world, a liberator of the whole world, a
truly complete buddha.

“Whatever virtue bodhisattvas practice, they dedicate it so that all
beings will be free of fear, their chain of bad destinies will be severed, their
sufferings and afflictions will be utterly pacified, and they will attain
nirvāṇa.

“They dedicate it so that those belonging to the Hearers’ Vehicle now
and in the future will complete the Hearers’ Vehicle. They dedicate it so that those
belonging to the Solitary Buddhas’ Vehicle now and in the future will complete
the Solitary Buddhas’ Vehicle. They dedicate it so that those belonging to the
Bodhisattvas’ Vehicle now and in the future will complete the Bodhisattvas’ Vehicle.
They dedicate it so that past, future, and present thus-gone ones
throughout all world systems will remain for an eon, teach the Dharma for an eon,
and their saṅghas will be harmonious for an eon.

“Bodhisattvas also understand that establishing beings on the path of
the higher realms, the path of hearers, the path of solitary buddhas, or the path
of perfect awakening; or conforming with beings through generosity, pleasant
speech, meaningful conduct, or practicing what they preach; or anything else, for
that matter, as appropriate, can truly give rise to virtuous factors and become
roots of virtue and the like.

“Bodhisattvas think, ‘I will practice these Dharma verses three times
daily.’ The verses are as follows:

“Wherever I wander, I bow my head infinite times

To the perfect Buddhas, Dharmas, Saṅghas,

And bodhisattvas dwelling

Throughout every world system.

“I reverentially go for refuge infinite times

To all those whose qualities are unequaled among beings,

To the sources of incomparable qualities,

And to those possessing immeasurable qualities.

“I make infinite supplications

That no world system whatsoever,

Even rarely, be bereft

Of the Buddha, Dharma, Saṅgha, and bodhisattvas!

“I reverentially make infinite supplications

To the well-gone ones throughout all the world systems,

So that they remain for every eon

Teaching the tranquil Dharma!

“I condemn

And abandon all evil deeds—

Each and every negative deed I have ever committed

In the past and present, however momentary!

“I will wholly embrace virtue,

However momentary.

In this life, for as long as I shall live,

May I abide by all virtues!

“May all the virtues

Of the buddhas and bodhisattvas,

Past, present, and yet to come to this world,

Who turn the wheel of the Dharma of awakening,

As well as the ethical discipline, insight, absorption,

Liberation, life, and qualities

Of all the victorious and noble ones,

Bring benefit to all world systems!

“I repeatedly and reverentially rejoice, infinite times,

In the virtues

Of all beings of the five destinies,

Past, present, and yet to come!

“I make infinite aspirations

That each and every being without exception,

Myself included, may have all those

Authentic qualities and infinite virtues!

“Through all my virtue

From the past, present, and future,

May the Three Jewels always appear

In every world system!

“May we not be bereft for eons

Of the Three Jewels’ and bodhisattvas’ presence!

May we complete awakening

And the perfections without hindrance!

“May beings have every happiness,

Be without fear, transcend the lower realms,

Be free from all non-virtues,

And perfect all roots of virtue!

“May they fulfill their aspiration prayers

According to all of the three vehicles!

May they have long life, liberation,

And fulfill their extraordinary purpose!

“When making aspirations for complete awakening,

May they be cast infinitely and immeasurably!

May the suffering and afflictions

Of all beings be utterly quelled!

“I offer my own body with conviction

To all victorious ones and bodhisattvas

Of each and every world system

For use in actions whose purpose is Dharma!

“I will make infinite aspirations

That in the future, until attaining perfect
awakening,

I may serve the Three Jewels

In each and every lifetime!

“May I worship the Three Jewels and bodhisattvas

Of each and every world system

With sublime, divine perfume, garlands, and bouquets of flowers

Equal to the reaches of the sky!

“May I give them heaps of silver and gold,

Clothing and precious substances,

Infinite chariots with steeds,

And infinite bedding and food, equal to the reaches of Mount Sumeru!

“May I be like a sanctuary, a foundation, and a parent to beings,

Fulfilling their wishes through the path!

May I delight in patience, be pure in ethical discipline,

And teach the Dharma to beings!

“May I discover the sublime vehicle of awakening

And don sturdy armor for the sake of the Three Jewels!

May I complete the perfections

And the qualities of a buddha!

“May I be free of all evil deeds

And may my activities of body, speech, and mind be supremely virtuous!

May I not regress from awakening!

May I delight in awakening and become a bodhisattva!

“I will train in all the virtues of the buddhas and bodhisattvas,

In each and every existence!

And I will also orient all worlds

Toward all of those qualities!

“Thus do bodhisattvas understand the accumulation of their own and
others’ roots of virtue.

“Should bodhisattvas so much as wish to turn toward and bring to mind
that insight and wisdom, they dedicate this so that all beings may be ferried
across, liberated, relieved, attain omniscience, and perfect all the qualities of
a buddha. While turning toward it and bringing it to mind, as well as after having
done so, they dedicate this so that all beings may be ferried across, liberated,
relieved, attain omniscience, and perfect all the qualities of a buddha.

“Should bodhisattvas lack the capacity to train in that insight and
wisdom, then this is how they properly train: From time to time, or little by
little, they strive and exert themselves in abandoning, forsaking, and eliminating
misunderstanding and ignorance. From time to time, or little by little, they also
strive and exert themselves in training in, developing, and perfecting insight and
wisdom. Even when they take another rebirth, they do not become disheartened or
discouraged.

“Subāhu, bodhisattvas’ formation of the resolve set on awakening , their recollection and cultivation of the resolve for
awakening, and their aspiration and prayers for awakening are themselves the
immeasurable, incalculable virtues of insight and wisdom.

“Why is that? It is because among all the virtues of insight and wisdom,
foremost and supreme is the wish to engender undefiled insight and wisdom at the
level of no-more-training, and to do so perfectly, in all beings throughout all
world systems.

“Subāhu, thus do bodhisattvas quickly complete the perfection of insight
with ease and pleasure, little difficulty, and little pain. Bodhisattvas who
complete all the perfections will quickly and perfectly awaken to unsurpassable,
perfect, and complete awakening.

“When this Dharma discourse is taught, the goals of the three vehicles
and birth in the higher realms are accomplished for all the countless and
unfathomable divine and human beings.”

After the Blessed One had thus spoken, the bodhisattva great being
Subāhu, the other bodhisattvas, the great hearers, and the world with its gods,
humans, asuras, and gandharvas rejoiced and praised what the Blessed One had
said.

This concludes The Question of Subāhu, the twenty-sixth
of the one hundred thousand sections of of the Dharma discourse known as The Noble Great Heap of Jewels.

Colophon

Translated, edited, and finalized, based on revisions done
according to the language reform, by the Indian preceptors Dānaśīla and Jinamitra,
and the chief editor-translator Bandé Yeshé Dé.

Notes

Abbreviations

C
Choné Kangyur (co)

D
Degé Kangyur

H
Lhasa Kangyur (zhol)

J
’jang sa tham / Lithang Kangyur (li)

K
Peking Kangxi 1684/92 Kangyur (pe)

Y
Peking Yongle Kangyur (g.yung)

N
Narthang Kangyur (snar)

S
Stok Palace Kangyur

U
Urga Kangyur (khu)

Bibliography

Primary sources

Secondary sources