廣釋菩提心論

I take refuge in all the Buddhas of the three times,

Briefly gathering the practices of the Mahāyāna dharmas,

Establishing the supreme undertaking from its very beginning,

I now expound at length upon the Mind of Awakening (Bodhicitta).

How is it here? If anyone wishes to realize all-knowing wisdom, then summarizing the source and origin of the mind within the three realms, he gives rise to the mind of compassion. From this mind of compassion there arises the mind of Great Awakening (Mahābodhi).

Therefore, within the Buddha-Dharma it is the most supreme of all. All of it takes the mind of compassion as its root. This mind of compassion arises through the cause of contemplating sentient beings.

As the Noble Compendium of Dharma (Ārya-dharma-saṅgīti) says: At that time the Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara addressed the Buddha, and the World-Honored One taught, saying: The Bodhisattvas need not train in many kinds of Dharma-gates, but rather, with one Dharma-gate alone diligently and devotedly practiced, they at once command all dharmas as though held within the palm of the hand—how much more so a dharma such as Great Compassion.

O Bodhisattvas, by means of this Great Compassion one dwells within all the Buddha-dharmas as if within the palm of one's hand. The World-Honored One is like a Wheel-Turning Sage King who, in the place of good practice, at once obtains the gathering together of all powers; and the Bodhisattvas too are just so. The field of practice of Great Compassion can accomplish the gathering together of all the powers of the Buddha-Dharma.

The World-Honored One is again like a Strong Man (Puruṣa) whose life is firm and enduring, who is able to cause the faculties to be transformed; and the Bodhisattvas too are just so—Great Compassion being firm, they are able to cause the practice of Awakening to flow onward continually.

As the Sūtra of Inexhaustible Intention (Akṣayamati-sūtra) says: Furthermore, Śāriputra! Know that the Great Compassion of the Bodhisattvas is inexhaustible. Why is this so? Because together with all dharmas it leads the way. Śāriputra! It is comparable to a Strong Man (Puruṣa) whose life-faculty goes out and comes in, before and after, leading the way in this manner. The Dharma-gate of the Mahāyāna, vast and widely pervading, is likewise so. The Bodhisattva takes the heart of Great Compassion as foremost.

As the Sūtra of the Elephant's Head (Gajaśīrṣa-sūtra) says: At that time a certain Devaputra asked the Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī (Mañjughoṣa), saying: How can one give rise to all the supreme practices of the Bodhisattva? And wherein do they dwell?

Mañjuśrī said: O Devaputra, Great Compassion is able to give rise to all the supreme practices of the Bodhisattva. The Bodhisattva, taking sentient beings as his object, dwells within their realm. Therefore the Bodhisattva ever gives rise to thoughts of loving all sentient beings, and toward this body there is no limit or bound; single-mindedly, for their sake, he nurtures and increases their benefit. Over a long span of time he does the deeds that are hard to do—thus do the practices arise.

As the Sūtra of the Dharma-Gate of the Power of Faith teaches:

The mind of compassion of those Bodhisattvas is firm; for the sake of seeking to liberate all sentient beings, they do not entertain even the least thought of suffering. And when beings have already been liberated, they hold no notion that they have liberated them. They do not depart from any of the ascetic deeds that are hard to do.

In this way, before long, those deeds are brought to fullness. Their aspirations are accomplished; they vow to realize all-knowing wisdom and to attain all the Buddha-dharmas. In this way, all of it takes the mind of compassion as its root.

Therefore the Buddha, the World-Honored One, manifestly realizes all the wisdoms. His heart of loving-kindness and compassion pervades and embraces, transforming beings. Broadly, for the sake of the world, he performs the most supreme benefit, abiding in the non-abiding Nirvāṇa.

Thus has the Buddha acted. All of it has Great Compassion as its cause. Among these, the Buddhas, in the very causes that give rise to suffering and affliction, at that time take sentient beings as their object and direct their intention, then transform it into increase, never turning back.

As the Buddha has taught in the sūtras: All sentient beings within the various realms have manifold sufferings, and just so they undergo great suffering and affliction. The Bodhisattva ever, for the sake of sentient beings, contemplates them with compassion. Thus, within the hells there is suffering such as being burned by fire for a long time without ceasing, suffering without end, like the punishment in this world inflicted upon thieves and robbers.

Bound fast to iron pillars, beaten, abused, banished, their bodies cut apart, they undergo many sufferings and afflictions. Sufferings such as these—and among the hungry ghosts it is likewise so—there are many kinds of extreme torment, the suffering of hunger and thirst. Their bodies are withered and shriveled.

Merely seeking food and drink, they undergo much suffering and harm. Though they ever seek for themselves through a hundred years, in the end they cannot obtain even the smallest portion; they are harmed, and moreover they remain unpurified. Furthermore, there are hungry ghosts who, being feeble, rely upon those who are strong.

Though they obtain a place of reliance, they gain nothing. What they do obtain is to be transformed into ghosts of greater power, so as to torment and punish other sinners; thus do they undergo immeasurable suffering and affliction. Those who undergo such suffering—among them there are some who delight, free and at ease, in such things.

Because of those evil deeds they fall into the animal destiny. As animals they undergo countless sufferings, giving rise to minds of anger and mutual harm, fighting over food. Some have their noses pierced through, or their bodies are mutilated.

Some are beaten with ropes, never at ease. Their bodies in pain, truly there is not the least portion in which they may rest in joy. Like a person gravely wounded who cannot be rescued, they must remain a long time, not even recalling their weariness.

Again, those animals in the wilds have unrestrained minds. By this they are even less at peace there, harming one another and giving rise to fear. In this realm too there arise many sufferings.

In this way the realms of the hells, hungry ghosts, and animals, arising from the various afflictions and evil deeds as their cause—therefore within those realms beings ever undergo suffering and affliction, like one who has fallen into a place of peril and affliction; it is likewise so. Human beings within their realm also undergo suffering. As it is said there, within the desire realm, even up to the heavens, desire burns and the mind and intention are scattered and confused.

To wish to settle this mind in a single place is likewise not possible. Know that when those desirable pleasures are exhausted, suffering is right before the eyes. What joy is there for one who covets?

Those who crave within the heavenly realms are also ever subject to falling and perishing. Fear, grief and affliction, ruin, and so forth—these too hold no joy.

Even up to the form realm of the devas, because the formations are ever shifting and changing, when the heavenly recompense of the devas is exhausted, they may fall into the hells. In this way, within the various realms, afflictions and karma ever bind one fast, so that one cannot be at ease. From this, suffering and affliction arise.

Therefore one must know that the fire of suffering burns fiercely, burning this whole world without ceasing or rest. When the Bodhisattva has seen suffering such as this, he at once gives rise to the mind of compassion, contemplating all sentient beings. Furthermore, when the Bodhisattva sees sentient beings undergoing many kinds of suffering, he does not distinguish between enemy and kin, but gives rise to a tender and pitying mind, contemplating all with equanimity and rescuing them.

Moreover, all sentient beings, from the beginningless past until now, have revolved and flowed onward in saṃsāra. The Bodhisattva, however, gives rise to friendliness not for the sake of one sentient being alone, but with a mind of equality toward all. Thus does he act.

Then, among all sentient beings in the ten directions, he contemplates all alike. If he sees even one sentient being still suffering and afflicted, the Bodhisattva loves that being as his own child. At once he takes the suffering upon himself in its place, so that the sentient being need suffer no longer.

This is brought about through the heart of loving-kindness and compassion. He is able to cause all the suffering and affliction of sentient beings to be at once extinguished, and he further accomplishes immeasurable loving-kindness.

As the Sūtra of Inexhaustible Intention (Akṣayamati-sūtra) says: When performing this contemplation of loving-kindness—and the World-Honored One, in the Abhidharma, first said: Because I wish to rescue and liberate all sentient beings, I give rise to the power of the compassionate vow; I am not worthy of the unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening (anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi) if I do not liberate sentient beings; thus I will not give rise to the mind of Awakening.

As the Sūtra of the Ten Grounds (Daśabhūmika-sūtra) says: Among all sentient beings, there is none who rescues and aids them, none who is a place of refuge, none to whom they may return, none who sees and knows. When the Bodhisattva has seen this, he at once gives rise to compassionate mindfulness, and further gives rise to the mind of unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening; and if he were not, for their sake, to reveal and teach this, then that Bodhisattva would not be one who has given rise to the mind of unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening. Therefore one must know that the Bodhisattvas, valiantly, give rise to the mind of unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening—meaning that this mind of compassion is exceedingly firm.

As the Sūtra of the Supreme Samādhi of the Tathāgata's Seal of Wisdom (Tathāgata-jñāna-mudrā-samādhi-sūtra) says: The Mind of Awakening is precisely that which is able to dissolve away the suffering of saṃsāra.

As the Sūtra of Maitreya's Liberation (Maitreya-vimokṣa) says: O Son of Good Family! It is as if a person, not keeping the Great Vajra Jewel for himself, were able thereby to relieve and deliver the poor and destitute. O Son of Good Family!

The Bodhisattva too is likewise so. He does not keep for himself alone all the precious wisdom of the Great Vajra so as to obtain for himself alone the full and adorning merits of all the Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas; nor does he cast away the Bodhisattva practice of delivering all those in saṃsāra who are poor and destitute, whom he is able to relieve and deliver. The Bodhisattva is able, for the sake of all-knowing wisdom (sarvajñatā) and all learning, to cultivate practice with equanimity.

This is one among immeasurable supreme practices. Therefore, from the Bodhisattva's mind there issue forth the skillful means that accomplish the fruit of great awakening.

As the Sūtra in Which the Tathāgata Instructs King Prasenajit (Tathāgata-pratibimba... the Sūtra of the Tathāgata's Instruction to King Prasenajit) declares: The Buddha said to the Great King: If you perform many undertakings everywhere, in every place, such as the Perfection of Giving (Dāna-pāramitā) up to the Perfection of Wisdom (Prajñā-pāramitā), and train in just this way—in this way, O Great King, you should thus accomplish complete awakening.

Give rise to faith, seek and aspire, and with the power of the vow turn toward that mind. Even while standing, walking, lying down, or sitting, or while drinking, while eating, or while at work—at all times reflect, direct your intention, and contemplate all Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Pratyekabuddhas, and Śrāvakas. Just as in the case of a foolish person, whether his body has passed away into the past, or in the future, or in the present, gather together in one place all roots of goodness; having given rise to the unsurpassed mind and rejoiced in concord, then, toward the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Pratyekabuddhas, and Śrāvakas, make offerings and serve them, and you at once obtain merit.

And toward all sentient beings it is likewise. Dedicate it to sentient beings, so that, up to the attainment of all-knowing wisdom, all the Buddha-dharmas may be brought to fulfillment. If each day, three times, you dedicate it toward the unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, then, O Great King, you will have performed deeds that are purified.

The practice of Awakening will likewise have been accomplished. Furthermore, Great King! The mind of unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening gives rise to roots of goodness whose recompense is beyond number.

Whether one is born as a human or born among the devas, in all places one will ever attain the most supreme. And just as you, Great King, have now done so—broadly speaking, your Mind of Awakening, Great King, is likewise supreme and most excellent. If those deeds are true and real, then one can accomplish the fruit of great awakening.

As the Sūtra of the Questions of Abhayadatta (Abhayadatta-paripṛcchā) says: To give rise to the Mind of Awakening is a place that gives rise to merit like the realm of empty space, vast and supremely excellent, which cannot be exhausted. It would cause that person to obtain Buddha-fields numberless as the sands of the Ganges. Therein, with abundant treasures, he makes offerings to the World-Honored Ones. Yet if there is a person who merely joins his palms with utmost sincerity and single-mindedly gives rise to the mind of unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, then that merit surpasses the former merit beyond all comparison.

As the Flower Garland Sūtra (Avataṃsaka-sūtra) says: O Son of Good Family, from the Mind of Awakening there arise all the Buddha-dharmas, vast, supremely excellent, and adorned. The Mind of Awakening is moreover of two kinds. The first is the mind of aspiration (praṇidhi-citta); the second is the mind of engagement (prasthāna-citta).

That sūtra also says: O Son of Good Family! For all sentient beings, the unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening is hard to attain. If the practice-and-vow arise vast and great, then one at once attains the unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, abiding in the present.

For the sake of all the world, one is able to perform deeds of benefit and joy. O Son of Good Family! That I have attained Buddhahood up to now is because I gave rise to the Mind of Awakening, and then took that aspiring mind as the root.

Only afterward did I perform the deeds. From the beginning until the end, in performing every deed, I embraced and transformed beings, pervading widely, purifying the mind in the stage of engagement. Therefore, when the power of practice-and-vow has been established, one at once meets a Good and Wise Friend (kalyāṇa-mitra) present before one, who embraces and receives one.

Cast aside all marks of objects that are not real. Just as the Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī above relied upon the king and gave rise to the Mind of Awakening, so a Bodhisattva, having thus given rise to the Mind of Awakening, himself performs the Perfection of Giving in accord with the supreme practices. If a person cannot himself be tamed and disciplined, how can he tame and discipline others?

Therefore one must know: if the Bodhisattva does not himself cultivate the various practices, how can he realize the great fruit of awakening?

Again, as the Sūtra of the Elephant's Head (Gajaśīrṣa-sūtra) says: It is because the deeds of the Bodhisattvas are true and real that they realize Bodhisattvahood. If there were no such deeds performed, then it would not be true and real.

As the Sūtra of the King of Samādhis (Samādhirāja-sūtra) says: O young one (Kumāra), it is because they have done as I have that they attain what is true and real. And the young one should train in just this way. Why is this so, young one? When the deeds performed are true and real, then they are not apart from the unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening.

The Bodhisattvas practice such deeds within the Ten Perfections, the Four Immeasurables, the Four Means of Embracing (Saṃgraha-vastu), and so forth; and broadly speaking it is as set forth in the Sūtra of Inexhaustible Intention, the Heap of Jewels (Ratnamegha), and the like. Furthermore, learning is of two kinds—namely, worldly and supramundane. What is worldly learning?

It means crafts, professions, and the like. And what is supramundane learning? It means meditative concentration (dhyāna) and the like.

For what purpose? For the benefit of sentient beings one performs all undertakings. Here it should be known that as for the deeds of the Bodhisattva, they are only spoken of in brief, yet the words possess wisdom (prajñā) and skillful means (upāya).

Among them, one must not diminish these two dharmas.

As the Vimalakīrti Sūtra says: The Bodhisattva is not bound by any matter that constrains wisdom, for he further possesses the liberating release of skillful means. There is no wisdom that is bound by skillful means. There is the liberation of wisdom and skillful means.

Furthermore, as the Sūtra of the Elephant's Head (Gajaśīrṣa-sūtra) says: Speaking in summary of the Bodhisattvas, there are two paths. In these two paths they are both complete. The Bodhisattvas are thus able to swiftly attain the unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening.

What are the two? They are wisdom and skillful means. If one departs from the practice of the Perfection of Wisdom (Prajñā-pāramitā) together with the Perfections such as the Four Means of Embracing and the like, then how could one purify and adorn a Buddha-field, be rich and free at ease, ripen sentient beings, teach and transform in all matters, and universally embrace all dharmas by skillful means?

Therefore these are wisdom and skillful means. Because there is no nature of distortion, and there is moreover the cause of discernment, from this there arises right skillful means; as it is said, with regard to all dharmas, one gives rise to non-distortion, reflecting and discerning, so that one can ultimately bring benefit and joy to oneself and others. One is able to cause the afflictions not to arise, just as the various poisons, by reason of the spell, do no harm.

Furthermore, this sūtra says: Wisdom embraces skillful means. This is the wisdom of discernment.

Furthermore, as the Sūtra of the Dharma-Gate of the Power of Faith teaches: What is meant by performing skillful means? It means embracing all dharmas completely. What is meant by performing all wisdom? It means that, with regard to all dharmas, one does not destroy what is good.

In this way, wisdom and skillful means are two kinds that enter everywhere, ever practiced and upheld at all times. One must not, therein, cause them to be diminished. Even the Bodhisattvas in the Ten Grounds practice the Ten Perfections, up to practicing this conduct broadly, as is set forth at length in the Sūtra of the Ten Grounds; and the Bodhisattva of the Eighth Ground, from the majestic deportment of the Buddha, gives rise to the cessation of abiding—this too is a practice.

That sūtra says: Furthermore, O Buddha-sons! The Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva should rely upon what has gone before, so as to give rise to the great vow that sustains the roots of goodness and the power to remain. The Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, likewise, from this very Dharma-gate, cause to flow forth the Great Wisdom that perfectly fulfills all deeds. This is indeed the gateway of supreme forbearance (kṣānti). All the Buddha-dharmas are by this perfumed and brought to completion.

Furthermore, O Son of Good Family! You should not, in this way, give rise to a conduct of resting and ceasing, thinking: As for the ten powers, the four kinds of fearlessness, the eighteen distinctive dharmas, the various spiritual penetrations, and so forth, which are all the Buddha-dharmas that I have attained—you have not yet brought them to fullness, and so you should diligently exert yourself with vigor. Give rise to the various vows, seeking to be the same as those practices. Therefore, in the gateway of attained forbearance, you should not turn away or depart.

O Son of Good Family! Do you not see those foolish ones of other lives, accumulating many afflictions, giving rise to their seekings continuously and without interruption? How then could there be a conduct of giving rise to the wish to rest and cease?

Furthermore, O Son of Good Family! You should know that the nature of all dharmas is, of itself, ever abiding. Therefore the Dharma-nature is ever abiding. The Tathāgata means the unborn. It means that the Śrāvakas and the Solitary Buddhas (Pratyekabuddhas) have not yet brought to fullness the dharmas of non-discrimination and non-arising. Therefore the Tathāgata has used skillful and excellent means to appear within this world.

Furthermore, O Son of Good Family! You see that my bodies are many and my wisdom is also great, that the Buddha-lands are many and the radiant light, full and complete, is also abundant; thus you should know that the present is purified and immeasurable in this way, together with all dharmas. Therefore now, as you perform deeds in accord with this practice-and-vow, you should know to reflect for the benefit of sentient beings. Then at once you will enter the gateway of inconceivable wisdom.

As the Sūtra of the Ten Grounds speaks of the marks of practice, it differs from the Vimalakīrti Sūtra. That sūtra says of the Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī: If there is anyone who, when the Tathāgata expounds the Dharma, gives rise to contempt and arrogance and to slander, then although that person speaks words of slander, as I have said, he too attains purification. Here the principle and the matter are again not the same.

As the Sūtra of the Elephant's Head (Gajaśīrṣa-sūtra) says: The Buddha taught Maitreya (the Loving One) and the Bodhisattvas that, for the sake of Awakening, they should accumulate the Six Perfections. Some deluded ones speak words such as this: To train in the Perfection of Wisdom (Prajñā-pāramitā) is to train as a Bodhisattva—why should one further train in anything besides Prajñā? Or, having heard this, they rely upon skillful means together with the Perfections and give rise to a mind that casts those aside. Maitreya! What do you think of this?

When the King of Kāśī himself took flesh from his own body in order to rescue a dove—was that king foolish?

Maitreya answered: He was not, World-Honored One.

The Buddha said: Maitreya! When I cultivated the Bodhisattva practice and broadly cultivated the Six Perfections in accord with the roots of goodness—was that not of benefit?

Maitreya said: It was not without benefit, World-Honored One.

The Buddha taught: Just so, Maitreya! As you, over sixty kalpas, accumulated the Perfection of Giving and so forth, up to accumulating, over sixty kalpas, the Perfection of Wisdom likewise—therein you have practiced the deeds deeply, as has been broadly set forth, in accord with wisdom.

The Extensive Exposition of the Treatise on the Mind of Awakening (Bodhicitta-śāstra) — End of Fascicle One.