菩提心義

The Mind of Awakening (Bodhi-citta) is the root of attaining Buddhahood and the very mark of arousing aspiration; it is present in full within every Sutra, and the Great Causes and Conditions [for the Buddha's appearance] do not exceed this. One who wishes rightly to cultivate Awakening cannot fail to understand it; therefore, in accordance with what has been seen and heard, I shall briefly set forth its characteristics.

The meaning of Bodhi-citta is distinguished by five Gates. First, explaining the meaning of the name; second, knowing the Essential Nature; third, analyzing Sameness and Difference (the one and the many); fourth, clarifying the Characteristics; fifth, setting forth the Practices and Vows.

I. Explaining the Meaning of the Name (Name-Meaning):

In Sanskrit one says Bodhi, which is translated by the name Awakening (understanding-knowing). Sentient beings are veiled by delusion and are therefore called Unawakened. Now, encountering a Spiritual Friend (Good-Knowing Adviser) who dispels Ignorance and slays the veil of delusion, one seeks the mind of Awakening (Bodhi), and so it is called the Mind of Awakening (Bodhi-citta).

Because one arouses the seeking for the Mind of Bodhi, it is called Bodhi-citta — this is the explanation according to its purpose. If one Awakens, it is called Awakening; if deluded, it is called Unawakened. It is like a person who, in dependence upon direction, becomes lost; sentient beings are likewise!

In dependence upon Awakening one becomes deluded, for if one departs from Awakening there is no Non-awakening (no failure to understand). Therefore it is said: "Bodhi and Mind cannot be two" — Bodhi and Mind are regarded as mutually reversed explanations of each other.

II. Explaining the Essential Nature:

As in the [foregoing] meaning, gathering and accumulating it together one speaks. III. Analyzing the One and the Many (Sameness and Difference): Mind and the Nature of Bodhi are not two. Because they are not two, they cannot be

distinguished, and this leads to the Gate of the Principle-Essence being without distinction. Therefore the Avatamsaka Sutra (Flower Garland) states: "As is the Mind, so also is the Buddha. As is the Buddha, so also are sentient beings. Mind, Buddha, and Sentient Beings — these three are without difference."

The Akasagarbha Sutra (Treasury of Empty Space), fourth [section], also states: "The World-Honored One constantly expounds the Dharma that is inexhaustible (without end): Sentient beings together with Empty Space, the Mind of Bodhi, and the Buddha-Dharma. If, according to progressive cultivation, one arouses the Gate of Practices and Vows — that is, one arouses the Deluded Mind to seek Bodhi — it is therefore called the Mind of Bodhi."

The Awakening of Faith says: "How does the perfuming arise so that the Pure Dharma is unbroken? It is because there already exists the Dharma of Suchness (Tathata), and therefore it is able to perfume Ignorance. Through the power of this perfuming as cause and condition, the Deluded Mind is made to loathe the suffering of Birth-and-Death and joyfully to seek Nirvana.

Because the Deluded Mind has this loathing and seeking as cause and condition, it then perfumes Suchness; one believes in one's own Nature, knows that the deludedly-moving mind has no objective realm before it, and therefore departs from [grasping] dharmas. Because one knows as it truly is that there is no objective realm before one, all manner of skillful means arise, and one practices in accord with them, neither grasping nor recollecting; and as, over a long duration, the power of perfuming [accumulates], Ignorance is at last extinguished.

Because Ignorance is extinguished, the mind has no arising. Because the mind does not arise, the objective realm accordingly is extinguished. Because cause and condition are together extinguished, the Marks of Mind all cease — this is called Nirvana, and the [spontaneous] accomplishment of Action becomes natural.

This is to abandon the deluded and accomplish the True. To arouse the Deluded Mind in order to arouse True Awakening is the True; the True and the Deluded are made to differ, yet in reality, apart from the True there is no Deluded. The Essence of the Deluded is precisely the True.

Because Non-awakening is precisely Original Awakening, it is therefore not other."

IV. Clarifying the Characteristics:

The Characteristics of Arousing the Mind of Bodhi are of two kinds: First, clarifying the Characteristics of the Stages of Practice; second, analyzing the Characteristics of Function and Use.

— The Characteristics of the Stages of Practice. The Tripitaka Master Druma (Trường Nhĩ) says: "At the very outset, the cultivation of the [Bodhisattva] Lineage is of three kinds: First, Contemplative Arousing; second, Light Contemplative Arousing; third, Faith-Contemplative Arousing.

First, Contemplative Arousing: This is by means of three kinds of Power. First, the Power of the Good Friend, that is, the Spiritual Friend (Good-Knowing Adviser). Second, the Power of Practice, that is, the receiving of the Disciplinary Rules.

Third, the Power of Dharma, that is, the General and the Particular two Causes. The General is the Nature of the Inner Perfuming of the Tathagata-garbha (the Womb of the Thus-Come-One); the Particular is the five faculties of the group of Faith. By these three Powers, one provisionally arouses the seeking of Bodhi, contemplating the benefit of oneself and others, and gradually in due sequence cultivates and practices — like a light feather having no place to lean and cling — this is called Light Contemplative Arousing.

Thereafter, cultivating gradually, the Mind of Faith becomes still and clear and enters the Ten Abodes; this is called Faith-Contemplative Arousing.

The Treatise on the Awakening of Faith states: "Arousing the Mind is of three kinds: First, Arousing the Mind through the Accomplishment of Faith; second, Arousing the Mind through Understanding [and Practice]; third, Arousing the Mind through Realization.

First, Arousing the Mind through the Accomplishment of Faith. This is when Sentient Beings of the Undetermined Group, having the perfuming power of wholesome roots, therefore believe in Karma and its Fruit-Recompense, are able to arouse the ten Wholesome [deeds], loathe the suffering of birth-and-death, and wish to seek Unsurpassed Bodhi…" — and so on, until it says: "Passing through ten thousand kalpas, because the Mind of Faith is accomplished, the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas teach and cause them to arouse the Mind; or by means of Great Compassion they are able themselves to arouse the Mind;

or, because the Right Dharma is about to perish, by the cause and condition of Protecting the Dharma they are able themselves to arouse the Mind and gain entry into the Ten Abodes." This is identical with the earlier Faith-Contemplative Arousing of the Mind.

The Sutra of the Original Acts [of the Bodhisattvas] (Bản Nghiệp) states: "That Faith-Contemplating Bodhisattva, over ten thousand kalpas, practicing the ten Precept-Dharmas, will enter the Ten Faiths of the Mind, and enter the Stage of the First Abode — that is, the Abode of Arousing the Mind."

The Sutra for Humane Kings (Nhân Vương) states: "The cultivated Lineage possesses the Ten Faiths, whereby it surpasses all the Wholesome Stages of the Two Vehicles."

The Awakening of Faith further says: "What is the group of these Minds? Briefly stated, there are three kinds.

First, the Straight Mind, because it rightly recollects the Dharma of Suchness.

Second, the Profound Mind, because it joyfully cultivates all the various Wholesome Practices.

Third, the Mind of Great Compassion, because it wishes to pluck out and uproot all the suffering of sentient beings.

— and so on, until it says: "Because that Bodhisattva arouses the Mind, he therefore attains a small Portion-Vision of the Dharma-body (Dharma-kaya). Because he sees the Dharma-body, in accordance with the power of his Vow he is able to manifest eight kinds of benefit for the various ranks of sentient beings.

Second: Arousing the Mind through Understanding and Practice: One should know that it transforms and excels. Because that Bodhisattva, from the First Right Faith up to the point where the first Asamkhyeya Kalpa is about to be fulfilled, has therefore within the Dharma of Suchness a profound understanding made manifest before him, and has cultivated the departure from all marks and the like.

Third, Arousing the Mind [through Realization]: From the Stage of the Pure Mind up to the Bodhisattva's Ultimate Stage — what realm does he realize? It is Suchness.

— and so on, until it says: "Furthermore, the Characteristic of that Bodhisattva's Arousing of the Mind has three kinds of subtle Minds as its Characteristic. First, the True Mind, which does not discriminate names. Second, the Mind of Skillful Means, which naturally and pervasively acts for the benefit of sentient beings. Third, the Mind of the Action-Consciousness, the subtle group that arises and ceases — the two distinguishing Functions, the Characteristic of Use."

The Vimalakirti Sutra states: "Wishing to attain the body of a Buddha and to sever all the illnesses of sentient beings, one should arouse the Mind of Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi."

The Avatamsaka, [chapter] 18, states: "The Mind of Bodhi is like a seed, able to give birth to all the Dharmas of the Buddhas. The Mind of Bodhi is like fertile soil, able to increase and grow the Pure-White Dharma of sentient beings. The Mind of Bodhi is like the Great Earth, able to hold and sustain all the worlds.

The Mind of Bodhi is like pure water, able to wash away all the dust of affliction. The Mind of Bodhi is like the Wind Element, pervading the worlds without any obstruction. The Mind of Bodhi is like a fierce fire, able to burn up all the firewood of the various [false] Views.

The Mind of Bodhi is like the pure sun, illuminating all the worlds everywhere. The Mind of Bodhi is like the full moon, causing all the Pure-White Dharmas to be perfectly complete. The Mind of Bodhi is like a bright lamp, able to emit all manner of pure light.

The Mind of Bodhi is like a Pure eye, beholding everywhere all places of safety and peril. The Mind of Bodhi is like a great road, causing all to be able to enter the city of Great Wisdom. The Mind of Bodhi is like the right shore (the Right Landing), causing one to be able to depart from all the heterodox Dharmas."

— and so on, until it says: "Good Sons! If there is a person who arouses the Mind of Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, he has thereby given birth to immeasurable Merit, and pervasively embraces the Path of Omniscience (the Wisdom of All).

Good Sons! It is like a person who obtains the Medicine of Fearlessness and departs from five kinds of dreadful things. What are the five? They are: not to be burned by fire, not to be struck by poison, not to be wounded by blade, not to be swept away by water, and not to be steeped in smoke. The Bodhisattva-Mahasattva is likewise: obtaining the medicine of the Mind of Omniscient Bodhi, he is not burned by the fire of Greed, not struck by the poison of Anger, not wounded by the blade of Delusion, not swept away by the current of Existence, and not steeped and harmed by the smoke of the various Sense-Faculties.

Good Sons! It is like a person who obtains the Medicine of Liberation and in the end has no Untoward Calamity (no violent mishap). The Bodhisattva-Mahasattva is likewise: obtaining the medicine of the Wisdom of the Liberating Mind of Bodhi, he will forever depart from all the Untoward Calamities of birth-and-death.

Good Sons! It is like a person who holds and keeps the Medicine of Maha-Aganda; the venomous serpents, smelling its vapor, all at once flee far away. The Bodhisattva-Mahasattva is likewise: holding and keeping the medicine of the Great Aganda of the Mind of Bodhi, the evil and venomous serpents of all the Afflictions, smelling its vapor, are all completely destroyed and dissolved."

V. Clarifying the Practices and Vows:

The Vibhanga (Hiển Dương) states: "Worldly Arousing of the Mind: because before the presence of one of Wisdom, one arouses the Vast Vows of Solemn Oath…"

— and so on, until it says: "From this present day, I arouse the Mind of Unsurpassed Bodhi, because I wish to benefit and enrich all sentient beings. From now onward, whatever among the six Paramitas I have cultivated is all for the realization and attainment of Unsurpassed Bodhi. Now I, together with the Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas, in harmony go forth into homelessness. May the Honored Ones bear witness and know that I am a Bodhisattva."

The Commentary on the Vairocana [Sutra] (Tỳ Lô Giá Na) states: "One who arouses the Mind of Bodhi — that is, one who gives birth to a resolute Vow of Solemn Oath, single-mindedly aspiring to seek the Wisdom-of-All-Wisdom, ought to deliver pervasively all the sentient beings within the Dharma-realm. This Mind is like a banner-pennant, the foremost of all paths of travel; it is like a seed, the root and foundation of the myriad Virtues. If one does not arouse this Mind — even as one who has not yet relied upon the Kalala [embryonic seed] — then how could the Great Compassionate Womb-Treasury (Maha-karuna-garbha) have any place wherein to nourish [the Buddha-nature]?"

It further says: "The sun is a metaphor for the Originally-Pure Mind of Bodhi, which is the Self-Essence of Vairocana. The moon is a metaphor for the Practice of Bodhi; the fifteenth day of the Bright-Moon period is the perfect fullness of all Practices, a metaphor for the Accomplishment of Bodhi; the fifteenth day of the Dark-Moon period is the cessation of all Practices, a metaphor for Parinirvana; and the interval between, with its times of waxing and waning, is a metaphor for the category of Skillful Means."

The Sutra on Arousing the Mind of Bodhi states: "If a Bodhisattva draws near to a Spiritual Friend, makes offerings to the Buddhas, cultivates wholesome roots, aspires to seek the Excellent Dharma, with a Mind that is ever gentle and harmonious, who, meeting suffering, is able to bear it, whose Loving-kindness and Compassion are pure and rich, whose profound mind is even and equal, who joyfully believes in the Great Vehicle and seeks the Wisdom of the Buddha — if a person is able to possess these ten directions [of qualities] in such a way, he is then able to arouse the Mind of Unsurpassed Bodhi.

Moreover, there are four Conditions by which one is able to arouse that Mind: First, reflecting upon the Buddhas; second, contemplating the faults of the body; third, Loving-kindness and pity for sentient beings; fourth, seeking the most excellent Fruit.

1. Reflecting upon the Buddhas: The Buddhas of the three periods of time, when they first aroused the Mind, also possessed the Nature of affliction, just as I do at the present day. They aroused the Great Bright Wisdom; within the egg of Ignorance they erected the Excellent Mind, accumulated Austerities, crossed the sea of birth-and-death, gave up body and life-breath beforehand, sought Omniscience, and now have all attained accomplishment. If this Bodhi is a Dharma that can be attained, then I too ought to attain it; therefore I arouse the Mind of Bodhi.

2. Contemplating the faults within the body: I contemplate my own body — the nine apertures perpetually flowing forth foul and impure things — and thereby give birth to departure and disgust. Again I contemplate the five Aggregates and the four Great Elements, all able to produce immeasurable evil karma, replete with Greed, Anger, and Delusion, immeasurable afflictions, like a bubble of water, like fragmented grains; recollecting impermanence, I seek to let go and depart, therefore I arouse the Mind of Bodhi.

3. Loving-kindness and pity for sentient beings: I see the various sentient beings bound by Ignorance, encircled by all manner of suffering, accumulating unwholesome karma, undergoing intense and extreme suffering, far departed from the Right Dharma, believing in and accepting Heterodox Paths, drowning in the river of affliction, not seeking Liberation, turning round and round producing all manner of evil. Because of compassionate remembrance of such beings, I therefore arouse the Mind of Bodhi.

4. Seeking the most excellent Fruit: I see that the Tathagatas possess the marks of excellent adornment, possess Precepts, Concentration, and Wisdom, with pure Knowledge-and-Vision, the Great Compassion and the three [kinds of] mindfulness, replete with Omniscience, pitying sentient beings, ever abiding in the Dharma-body, pure and undefiled. In order to cultivate [these], I therefore arouse the Mind of Bodhi.

It further says: "One who arouses the Mind of Bodhi should first firmly and resolutely arouse the Right Vow — that is, the group of the four Vast Oaths — establishing a resolve that is firm and strong, performing the Great Essential Oath; and constantly cultivate the Right Practice — that is, the group of the six Paramitas.

Therefore, in the Sutra of the Buddha-Land, Gagana-Raja (the King of Empty Space) established the Oath, saying: 'Before the Great Assembly, I arouse the Mind of Bodhi and vow to deliver all the multitude of beings so that they all depart from every suffering. I vow that from this time onward, if I have a Mind that is defiled, wrathful, or jealous, together with Self-conceit, Greed, and Craving, then I am deceiving the Buddhas of the ten directions.'

— and so on, until it says: "By this truthful word, the earth was shaken in six ways. If I do not speak truly, then I shall be caused by the four Great Elements to be altered and transformed…"

Again, the Sutra on Arousing the Mind of Bodhi states: "Having established the resolute Oath, there are five things to be guarded. First, to be able to make that mind firm; second, to be able to subdue affliction; third, to be able to ward off and cover over heedlessness; fourth, to be able to shatter the five Hindrances; fifth, to be able diligently to cultivate the six Paramitas. If one is endowed with such Vows and Oaths, firmly and valiantly cultivating Giving, Precepts, Patience, Vigor, Concentration, and Wisdom, with Loving-kindness, Compassion, Joy, and Equanimity, without backsliding — this is called Truly Arousing the Mind of Bodhi."

The Vimalakirti Sutra states: "To arouse the Mind of Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi is itself going forth into homelessness, and that is itself complete fulfillment (perfect endowment)."

THE MEANING OF THE MIND OF BODHI (End)