大乘理趣六波羅蜜多經

Chapter 3: GIVING RISE TO THE BODHI-MIND

When the World-Honored One had uttered words like the roar of the Lion (2), revealing the Secret Gate of Dhāraṇī (Total Retention) (3), at once the Great Bodhisattva Maitreya (the Compassionate One) rose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, knelt with his right knee upon the ground, and with all his heart, joining his palms, faced upward toward the Buddha and addressed Him, saying: "How excellent, how excellent! Great Sage, World-Honored One, who ever, with a mind of great compassion, praises and proclaims such a 'Secret Sweet-Dew Supreme Dhāraṇī' (4) in order to guard and protect the lands of the kingdom.

I respectfully beseech the World-Honored One, in pity for sentient beings, to expound the Dharma of Supreme Bodhi: how may those sentient beings (living beings) who have not yet given rise to the mind be able to give rise to it? Once sentient beings have given rise to the mind, how are they able to cultivate the practice? And, through what causes and conditions are they able not to retrogress from the Mind of the Great Vehicle? (5)

At that time, the World-Honored One said to the Great Bodhisattva Maitreya: "If there be a good son or good daughter who, for the sake of sentient beings, wishes to cultivate the practice of the Great Vehicle and wishes to ferry sentient beings across to the great Nirvāṇa, he must first give rise to five supreme minds. What are these five supreme minds? — First, toward all sentient beings, to give rise to a mind of great loving-kindness and compassion, equal and all-pervading.

Second, toward the All-Knowledge-of-Modes (Knowledge of All Aspects) (6), to have a mind that does not retrogress. Third, toward all sentient beings, to give rise to the thought of them as close friends, and amid every peril and calamity, to vow to rescue and protect them. Fourth, toward sentient beings, ever to give rise to the thought that one is in debt to them.

Fifth, ever to bear a mind of shame and contrition, pondering: when will the debt owed to them be repaid in full? One who can give rise to such five minds will surely and swiftly realize the fruit of Supreme, Perfect Enlightenment (Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi)." (7)

Furthermore, Great Bodhisattva Maitreya! How is it that, within the Great Vehicle, with single-minded cultivation of the practice, one attains non-retrogression? — In olden times, there was a merchant, intelligent and clear-minded, who ever performed deeds of kindness and filial obedience. Seeing his parents and kinsfolk in poverty and hardship, he was often sorrowful, his body and mind oppressed, wondering by what means he might provide for and help them.

That merchant reflected thus: "There is nothing better than to enter the sea and gather the Wish-Fulfilling Jewel (8), and bring it back to provide for them, so that we may escape this poverty and hardship!" For this cause and condition, that merchant gave rise to a mind of valiant courage, sparing not his own body and life. Then he set out from his home, and by every kind of means sought provisions (food and supplies), and likewise sought good companions, a ship, and a ship-master (helmsman).

While that merchant was traveling, when he had gone halfway, he met a stranger returning from the sea. That stranger asked the merchant, saying: "Where do you wish to go, and what do you seek, that you hasten so?" The merchant answered fully, recounting all the causes and conditions as above: because he wished to rescue and help those who were destitute, he now wished to enter the sea, seek the Wish-Fulfilling Jewel, and bring it back to provide for them.

The stranger said: "Formerly I too left my home and set out, just like this, because I wished to rescue and help my kinsfolk who suffered the afflictions of destitution. After I gave rise to the resolve and left my home, upon the road I met with many perils and calamities: passing through vast plains, crossing boundless stretches of gravel and sand (deserts), where there was not the least bit of water nor a single tree or blade of grass, and where, moreover, there were many wild elephants, tigers, leopards, jackals and wolves, venomous serpents, lions...; or I encountered bandits and robbers, great mountains and mighty rivers, hunger and thirst, cold and heat, terror and dread.

Having passed through that place, I, together with the ship-master, entered the great sea, where again we met great winds, huge fish, evil dragons, thunder and lightning, hail, pounding waves, whirlpools of water... there were many drifting perils that cannot all be told. Though I endured such hardships and calamities, still I did not find the Wish-Fulfilling Jewel, but obtained only such things as sustain the body, barely enough to provide for myself, and was not yet able to rescue and help my kinsfolk from their poverty and want.

Now I advise you, virtuous one, that you should not force yourself to endure such hardship and suffering, which will only weary and exhaust you to no purpose! I wish, together with you, virtuous one, to arrange some other undertaking, in some other place. Why is this so?

Because in that great sea there are many calamities — not just one calamity — such as black winds, black mountains, Yakṣas, Rākṣasas, whale-monsters, crafty dragons...; yet one has only ever heard the very name of the Wish-Fulfilling Jewel; in truth, of the thousands and tens of thousands who go to seek the jewel, it is not certain that even one or two have obtained that precious jewel. For this cause and condition, I advise you, virtuous one, that you should turn back home as soon as may be!"

Then, when that merchant-chief had heard these words, he grew all the more advanced and increased, giving rise to three supreme minds, resolved to enter the sea to seek the jewel without retreating. What are these three supreme minds? — First, he thought: my parents, brothers, and kinsfolk are in such poverty and hardship; how could I bear to return empty-handed, with nothing wherewith to rescue and help one another? Second, he thought: my kinsfolk, who in former times were wealthy and bestowed favor upon me, giving me food to eat and clothing to wear, and pitying me greatly — they are now fallen into destitution, unable to preserve their bodies and lives; how could I bear to cast them off thus, and wish to turn back and return?

Third, he thought: when I was at home, overseeing the household affairs, I ordered about the servants great and small, and moreover chided and reproached them over every matter; how could I bear that, when they are poor and in hardship, I should not love and help them, that they might be glad, but rather should wish to turn back and return? For this cause and condition, mindful of repaying their kindness and merit, that merchant gave rise to a mind of great valiant courage, resolutely advancing, intent upon entering the sea, seeking the Wish-Fulfilling Jewel; and once it was obtained, he would return home and bring it to aid his kinsfolk, so that they might use it freely and escape hardship and utter want forever. (9)

The Great Bodhisattva is likewise: the Great Bodhisattva gives rise to the Bodhi-mind, and contemplates that the beings of the six destinies and four modes of birth (10) throughout the ten directions are all his parents of former lives, who, out of love and pity for him, committed every kind of evil deed, and so fell into the hells, the realm of hungry ghosts, and the realm of beasts, undergoing every kind of suffering and affliction.

For this cause and condition, he reflects within himself: "By what means may I rescue and help those who suffer such calamities?" Having given rise to this thought, he sees that only by entering the great Dharma-sea of the Six Pāramitās (Perfections) and seeking the Buddha's Knowledge-of-Modes can he rescue and help sentient beings from the suffering of birth-and-death! Having reflected thus, the Bodhisattva gives rise to a mind of great valiant courage, not retrogressing nor bending back, diligently and energetically striving and seeking, without sloth, weariness, or discouragement; and by every kind of means he seeks provisions, seeks good companions of enlightenment (Bodhi), together with the Dharma (the right Dharma) and the Dharma-master.

When the Bodhisattva has traveled halfway, he meets a Māra-king (Demon-king) leading his host of followers. The Māra may manifest in the bodily form of a being of the heaven-realm, or manifest in the form of a man, or manifest in the bodily form of a Brāhmaṇa, or manifest in the form of a merchant-chief, or manifest in the bodily form of a Bhikṣu or a Bhikṣuṇī, or manifest in the bodily form of other kinds of beings. That Māra-king then asks the Bodhisattva who has given rise to the resolve, saying: "Where do you now wish to go, that you hasten so?" — The Bodhisattva answers: "For the sake of all sentient beings who suffer afflictions, I now wish to enter the great sea of the Six Perfections, to seek the Wish-Fulfilling Jewel of the Buddha's Knowledge-of-Modes,

in order to rescue and help all sentient beings who are poor and in want." The Māra-king then says: "When I first gave rise to the resolve, I was likewise, for I wished to ferry all sentient beings who suffer afflictions out of the house of birth-and-death.

I crossed the plains and deserts of the great drifting (ceaselessly adrift, rolling and wallowing on), enduring all the hunger and thirst, the thieves and bandits, the terror, and every calamity — not just one calamity — before I was able to reach the great Dharma-sea of the Six Perfections. At times I met one who begged for my head, or met one who begged for my eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, hands, feet, joints and limbs, heart, lungs, intestines, stomach, liver, gall, spleen, kidneys, and even my lakes, my cities, my wife, my children, my male servants, my female servants, my attendants — all such things as these, whatever anyone begged for, that I would give, giving rise to no mind of grudging or sparing, seeking only the precious Jewel of Wisdom (the jewel of wisdom, that is,

the Buddha-wisdom).

Through measureless aeons of drifting in birth-and-death within the sea of suffering, though I endured every kind of suffering and calamity, still I did not attain Supreme Bodhi, but only turned back to seek the fruit of the Arhat, and so was able to escape the three realms and attain the Nirvāṇa of quiescent cessation. Now I advise you that you should not force yourself to endure such toil and suffering, but should cultivate and uphold the practice for yourself; I wish, together with you, to ascend to the stage of that fruit.

Why is this so? Because I consider that within the three evil destinies one ever endures the suffering of hunger: the mind dwells upon eating and drinking, and one lifts one's face up to empty space — yet who would put even a single mouthful of rice into one's mouth to satisfy hunger? Every suffering and calamity oppresses body and mind; a human life is impermanent, swifter than water rushing down a mountain; a wise friend and good teacher is hard to meet — if one does not trust and follow him, and accept and receive his words, then to repent afterward will come too late!

Within the sea of birth-and-death, drifting without certainty, the mind is like the moon at the bottom of the water — what reality is there in it? An evil counselor, a bad friend, is easy to behold and easy to meet, and ever urges people to practice the path of the Bodhisattva, to renounce their wealth and possessions, to renounce body and life, in hope of attaining the path of Bodhi. Moreover, the Buddhas appear in the world only once after immense spans of time; of the thousands and tens of thousands who seek the path of Bodhi, it is not certain that even one or two attain it.

Therefore I advise you, virtuous one, that you should not endure such toil and suffering, but should rather seek liberation and realize Nirvāṇa for yourself. Again, throughout three incalculable aeons one endures every kind of toil and hardship before one can realize the Buddha-fruit of Bodhi; whereas here, in this very life, or within but three lives, one shall realize the fruit of the Arhat, becoming one of the rank Beyond Learning — why endure such suffering?

Foolish and witless people, whose minds aspire to seek the Buddha-fruit, pass through measureless aeons enduring every kind of hardship, and still it is not heard that they have realized even the fruit of the Arhat — how much less that they have realized the supreme path-fruit of Bodhi! It is like a man who has caught a small bird, and then beholds a Garuḍa, the Golden-Winged Bird: that man then releases the bird he has caught and held in his hand, and advances forward, chasing to catch that Golden-Winged Bird; but the great bird flaps its wings and soars high, and the little bird too flies away and is lost.

The fool who seeks the Buddha-fruit is likewise: he renounces this fruit of the Arhat to seek that Buddha-fruit, and both fruits are altogether lost. Now that you know this, I hope you will soon turn your mind around, and in this very life you shall surely realize the fruit of the Arhat!"

Thereupon, when the Bodhisattva had heard these words, he grew all the more valiant and courageous, and gave rise to three minds. What are these three minds? — First, he thought: all sentient beings, from the beginningless birth-and-death down to the present, are all my kinsfolk, or else my companions and friends; they are now undergoing suffering and affliction, not yet able to escape it; how could I bear to retreat a step and turn back?

Second, he thought: all sentient beings, from the beginningless past down to the present, have provided me with food to eat and clothing to wear, and have pitied me profoundly and deeply; now they must endure many sufferings and calamities within the round of rebirth (saṃsāra), and I have not yet been able to requite them; how could I bear to give rise to a mind of retrogression? Third, he thought: all sentient beings, from the beginningless past down to the present, are all my kinsmen, whom I have ordered about and at times chided and reproached; I have not yet repaid even the least of their kindness!

For this cause and condition, I ought not to retrogress and bend back, but should grow all the more valiant in order to seek and realize the path-fruit of Bodhi. If one realizes the precious All-Knowledge of Bodhi, and uses it to rescue and help sentient beings who suffer calamities within birth-and-death — this is called a Great Bodhisattva who, within the Great Vehicle, with single-minded cultivation of the practice, attains non-retrogression. (11)

Furthermore, Bodhisattva Maitreya! You should know that this is how the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the practice of the Great Vehicle and gives rise to the five minds. Among these five minds: the first mind is, toward all sentient beings, to give rise to a mind of great compassion; the second mind is, for the sake of all sentient beings, to seek the All-Knowledge, with a mind that does not retrogress; these two minds, with regard to the Dharma of the Great Vehicle, the Bodhisattva must diligently and energetically cultivate.

The third mind is that all sentient beings are my close friends; the fourth mind is that all sentient beings are, toward me, those to whom I owe kindness, and I have not yet requited them in the least; the fifth mind is that all sentient beings are all my kinsfolk, toward whom I have at times given rise to unwholesome deeds, chiding, scolding, and chastising them unreasonably, so that with deepest heart I feel shame and contrition: when will the debt be repaid in full!

These three minds cause the Bodhisattvas to be valiant and non-retrogressing, until they realize the path-fruit of Supreme, Perfect Enlightenment." (12)

Notes:

(1) This sūtra is scroll number 261 in the Great Treasury of Scriptures (Tripiṭaka). The title of this sūtra has already been explained in detail in the volume "Taking Refuge in the Three Jewels." This sūtra has ten chapters: the first chapter being the chapter on Taking Refuge in the Three Jewels, the second the chapter on Dhāraṇī, and this chapter on Giving Rise to the Bodhi-Mind being the third. The Bodhi-mind is of three kinds: the Bodhi-mind of the Śrāvaka (Hearer), the Bodhi-mind of the Pratyekabuddha (Solitary Realizer), and the Bodhi-mind of the Buddha.

Here it speaks of the Supreme Bodhi-mind, that is, the Bodhi-mind of the Buddha. Bodhi: Formerly translated as "the Way," now translated as "Awakening." To give rise to the Bodhi-mind means to give rise to the mind that seeks the True Way, or to give rise to the mind that seeks Perfect Awakening.

(2) The roar of the Lion: The lion is the chief of beasts; at a single roar of its voice, all other kinds of beasts are terrified. As for the Buddha, who is replete with awesome virtue, whatever words He utters amid the great assembly carry a sense of resolute certainty and fearlessness; and conversely, when the assembly hears them, their afflictions are dispelled and the Māra-kings are terrified — therefore the Buddha's words are likened to the roar of the Lion.

(3) The Gate of Total Retention: That is, the Gate of Dhāraṇī. Dhāraṇī, translated in China as "Total Retention," has the meaning of holding good deeds so they are not lost, and holding so that evil does not arise. It takes recollection (smṛti), concentration (samādhi), and wisdom (prajñā) as its essence; the Bodhisattva who cultivates recollection, concentration, and wisdom completely attains this merit and virtue. "Gate" here has the meaning of "Dharma-gate" (gateway of the teaching). The Dharma-gate of Total Retention properly comprises four kinds: of the Dharma, of the meaning, of the mantra (dhāraṇī-spell), and of forbearance; but it commonly refers to the mantra-gate of the Esoteric Teaching (Mantrayāna), called the Gate of Total Retention.

(4) This Gate of Dhāraṇī is most secret, subtle and wondrous, supreme, and has the savor of the sweet dew of liberation.

(5) This is the introductory occasion (the arising of conditions): the Bodhisattva Maitreya praises the merit and virtue of the Buddha in revealing the secret Gate of Total Retention, and at the same time the Bodhisattva Maitreya asks the Buddha: how may one cause sentient beings to give rise to the Supreme Bodhi-mind; once they have given rise to the mind, how may they cultivate the practice; and how may they not retrogress?

(6) All-Knowledge-of-Modes (Knowledge of All Aspects): That is, the Buddha-wisdom. It means that, with the single perfect and luminous wisdom of the Buddha, one knows all the doctrines and Dharmas of all the Buddhas and knows all the causes and conditions of sentient beings.

(7) In the foregoing, the Buddha answers the question of the Bodhisattva Maitreya: that sentient beings who wish to cultivate the practice of the Great Vehicle and to reach Nirvāṇa must give rise to the five supreme minds. One who can give rise to these five minds will not retrogress and will swiftly realize the path-fruit of Supreme Bodhi.

(8) The Wish-Fulfilling Jewel (Cintāmaṇi): Also called the Maṇi-pearl, meaning that from this jewel there issues forth everything that accords with the wishes and aspirations that sentient beings seek and long for. The Wish-Fulfilling Jewel here is a simile for the Buddha-wisdom, that is, the All-Knowledge-of-Modes.

(9) In the passage above, the Buddha speaks of the merchant who, because he had intelligent wisdom and was able to observe and penetrate thoroughly, and knew how to love and pity his parents and kinsfolk, resolutely made the vow to enter the sea to seek the Wish-Fulfilling Jewel and bring it back to rescue and help them all; and although on the way someone dissuaded him and he met with many perils and calamities, still his heart did not waver nor his will grow discouraged, and he reached the goal of his aspiration — this being a simile that the Bodhisattva who gives rise to the resolve to cultivate the practice of the Great Vehicle must likewise be so.

(10) The Six Destinies: the heaven-dwellers (devas), human beings, the Asuras, the hells, the hungry ghosts (pretas), and the beasts. The Four Modes of Birth: beings born from eggs, beings born from the womb, beings born from moisture, and beings of spontaneous transformation.

(11) The above speaks of how the Bodhisattva who gives rise to the resolve to cultivate the practice of the Great Vehicle and to reach Supreme Bodhi must, above all, be single-minded and energetic, even though he meets with many obstacles and the enticements of the Māra-king.

(12) The passage above is the conclusion concerning the five supreme minds.