大方廣佛華嚴經

The bodhisattvas, having heard

Of this most excellent, wondrous Ground,

Their minds purified,

All rejoiced.

Together they rose from their seats,

Leapt upward and hovered in the air,

Scattered beautiful precious flowers everywhere,

And praised in unison:

Excellent, Vajragarbha,

Greatly wise and fearless one,

Who has skillfully taught the wholesome dharmas

Of the bodhisattva’s First Ground.

The bodhisattva Vimukticandra,

Knowing that the assembly’s minds were pure

And delighted to hear the characteristics of practice

Of the second, the “Stainless,”

At once requested Vajragarbha:

Greatly wise one, please expound it.

The Buddha’s children all wish to hear

Of the Second Ground, the Stainless.

At that time, the bodhisattva Vajragarbha said to the bodhisattva Vimukticandra: “O Buddha’s child! A great bodhisattva who has cultivated the First Ground and wishes to enter the Second Ground must give rise to ten kinds of profound mind.

“These are the ten kinds of profound mind:

“An upright mind, a gentle mind, a capable mind, a disciplined mind, a tranquil mind, a wholly wholesome mind, an unmixed mind, a mind without attachment, an expansive mind, and a great mind.

“By means of these ten profound minds, the bodhisattva enters the Second Ground, the Stainless Ground.

“O Buddha’s children! When a bodhisattva abides on the Stainless Ground, by nature he remains far removed from all killing. He neither stores knives and clubs nor harbors resentment. Possessing a sense of shame and moral dread, he is fully endowed with benevolence and forgiveness. Toward all living beings endowed with life, he is compassionate and gives rise to loving-kindness for their benefit.

“This bodhisattva does not even entertain the malicious thought of troubling or harming beings, much less deliberately kill them while regarding them as living beings.

“By nature he does not steal. Regarding his own possessions, the bodhisattva always knows contentment; toward others, he is loving and forgiving and never infringes upon or harms them. If an object belongs to another, he regards it as another’s property and never gives rise to a thought of stealing it. Even a leaf of grass that has not been given he does not take, much less any other possession.

“By nature he does not engage in sexual misconduct. Content with his own wife, the bodhisattva does not desire another’s wife. Toward the wives, concubines, or daughters of others, he never gives rise to a defiled thought of desire, much less engages in sexual relations with them, and still less through an improper channel.

“By nature he does not speak falsely. The bodhisattva always speaks truthfully, sincerely, and at the proper time. Even in dreams he does not utter words that conceal, are heedless, or are false, much less deliberately tell a lie.

“By nature he does not engage in divisive speech. Toward sentient beings, the bodhisattva has no intention to cause division or harm. He does not carry one person’s words to another in order to estrange the latter, nor carry the latter’s words to the former in order to estrange the former. Those who are not divided he does not cause to become divided, and those already divided he does not cause to become still further estranged. He does not delight in division, take pleasure in division, or speak divisive words. He does not utter divisive words whether they are true or false.

“By nature he does not use harsh speech, such as poisonous words, coarse words, words that cause others suffering, words that make others angry, words spoken in their presence, words spoken in their absence, vile words, vulgar words, inelegant words, words displeasing and disagreeable to hear, wrathful words, words that burn the heart like fire, resentful words, tormenting words, and words capable of harming oneself and others. He abandons all such harsh speech. He always speaks beneficial words, gentle words, pleasing words, agreeable words, words that bring listeners joy, words that skillfully enter people’s hearts, refined and exemplary words, words beloved by many, words that delight many, and words that gladden body and mind.

“By nature he does not engage in frivolous speech. The bodhisattva always delights in speaking considered words, timely words, truthful words, meaningful words, words in accord with the Dharma, words conforming to reason, words that skillfully discipline, and words carefully considered and determined according to the occasion. Even when joking or amusing himself, this bodhisattva always reflects carefully, much less deliberately utter distracting words.

“By nature he is not covetous. This bodhisattva does not give rise to covetous thoughts toward the wealth and possessions of others, nor does he desire or seek them.

“By nature he is free from anger. Toward all sentient beings, this bodhisattva always gives rise to a mind of loving concern, benefit, compassion, joy, harmony, acceptance, and forever abandons anger, resentment, harm, and torment. He constantly thinks of practicing benevolence for the benefit of others.

“By nature he is free from wrong views. The bodhisattva abides in the right path, does not practice divination, and does not adopt evil, heterodox precepts. His views are right and upright, without deceit, and he has resolute faith in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.

“O Buddha’s children! The great bodhisattva safeguards the ten wholesome courses of karma in this way without interruption. He further reflects: ‘All sentient beings who fall into evil destinies do so because of the ten unwholesome karmas. Therefore, I must myself cultivate right conduct and also encourage others to cultivate right conduct. If I do not cultivate it myself, I cannot tell others to do so.’

“O Buddha’s children! This great bodhisattva further reflects: ‘The ten unwholesome courses of karma are causes for birth in the hells, among animals, and among hungry ghosts. The ten wholesome courses of karma are causes for birth among humans and devas.

Furthermore, when these ten wholesome courses of karma of the highest grade are cultivated with wisdom, but with a narrow and inferior mind, from fear of birth and death, lacking great compassion, and awakening by following another who is a shravaka, they lead to the Shravaka Vehicle. Again, when these ten wholesome courses of karma of the highest grade are cultivated purely, and one awakens by oneself without instruction from another, but lacks the skillful means of great compassion and awakens to the extremely profound Dharma of causes and conditions, they lead to the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle.

Again, when these ten wholesome courses of karma of the highest grade are cultivated purely, because the mind is vast and immeasurable, because compassion is complete, because skillful means are used to gather beings in, because great vows are made, because sentient beings are not abandoned, because Buddha-wisdom is sought, because the wisdom grounds of the bodhisattva are cultivated, and because all paramitas are cultivated purely, they accomplish the vast conduct of a bodhisattva.

Again, through these ten wholesome courses of karma of the very highest grade, because all modes of knowledge are purified, up to the realization of the Ten Powers and Four Fearlessnesses, all Buddha-dharmas are accomplished. For these reasons, I shall impartially practice the ten wholesome karmas and cause them all to become pure and complete.’

“The bodhisattva must train in such skillful means.

“O Buddha’s children! This great bodhisattva further reflects: ‘Among the ten unwholesome courses of karma, those of the highest grade are causes of hell, those of the middle grade are causes of animal birth, and those of the lowest grade are causes of birth as a hungry ghost.

“‘Among them, the offense of killing can cause sentient beings to fall into the hells, the animal realm, or the realm of hungry ghosts. If they are born among humans, they undergo two kinds of retribution: a short life and much illness.

“‘The offense of stealing also causes sentient beings to fall into the three evil destinies. If they are born among humans, they undergo two kinds of retribution: poverty and the inability to use shared property freely.

“‘The offense of sexual misconduct also causes sentient beings to fall into the three evil destinies. If they are born among humans, they undergo two kinds of retribution: an unfaithful spouse and disobedient dependents.

“‘The offense of false speech also causes sentient beings to fall into the three evil destinies. If they are born among humans, they undergo two kinds of retribution: being slandered and being deceived.

“‘The offense of divisive speech also causes sentient beings to fall into the three evil destinies. If they are born among humans, they undergo two kinds of retribution: separation from their dependents and evil relatives.

“‘The offense of harsh speech also causes sentient beings to fall into the three evil destinies. If they are born among humans, they undergo two kinds of retribution: constantly hearing unpleasant sounds and having speech that gives rise to many disputes.

“‘The offense of frivolous speech also causes sentient beings to fall into the three evil destinies. If they are born among humans, they undergo two kinds of retribution: others do not accept their words, and their speech is unclear.

“‘The offense of covetousness also causes sentient beings to fall into the three evil destinies. If they are born among humans, they undergo two kinds of retribution: a discontented mind and excessive, insatiable desire.

“‘The offense of anger also causes sentient beings to fall into the three evil destinies. If they are born among humans, they undergo two kinds of retribution: others constantly seek out their faults, and others continually trouble and harm them.

“‘The offense of wrong views also causes sentient beings to fall into the three evil destinies. If they are born among humans, they undergo two kinds of retribution: birth into a family holding wrong views and a deceitful, crooked mind.’

“O Buddha’s children! The ten unwholesome courses of karma can produce immeasurable and boundless fruits of suffering. Therefore, the bodhisattva reflects: ‘I must remain far removed from the ten unwholesome karmas. I shall create a secure and delightful garden of Dharma, dwell within it myself, and encourage others to dwell there as well.’

“O Buddha’s children! Toward all sentient beings, this great bodhisattva gives rise to a mind of benefit, a mind of peace and happiness, a mind of loving-kindness, a mind of compassion, a mind of pity, a mind of acceptance, a mind of protection, the mind of regarding them as himself, the mind of a teacher, and the mind of a great teacher.

“The bodhisattva reflects: ‘Pitiful sentient beings have fallen into the dense forest of wrong views, evil knowledge, evil desires, and evil paths. I must cause them to abide in right view and cultivate the true path.’

“The bodhisattva further reflects: ‘All sentient beings discriminate between self and other and injure one another. Their conflict, anger, and hatred blaze without cease. I must cause them to abide securely in unsurpassed great loving-kindness.’

“The bodhisattva further reflects: ‘All sentient beings grasp covetously without satisfaction and seek only wealth to sustain themselves through wrong livelihood. I must cause them to abide in right livelihood, with body, speech, and mind purified by the true Dharma.’

“The bodhisattva further reflects: ‘All sentient beings continually follow greed, anger, delusion, and various afflictions, which consequently blaze within them. They do not know to set their resolve upon seeking the means of liberation. I must cause them to extinguish all the great fires of affliction and establish them in the coolness of nirvana.’

“The bodhisattva further reflects: ‘All sentient beings are covered by a thick, dark veil of delusion and false views. They enter a dense forest of blindness, lose the light of wisdom, and travel dangerous wilderness paths where evil views arise. I must cause them to attain the pure and unobstructed eye of wisdom, to know the true character of all dharmas exactly as it is, without relying on another’s instruction.’

“The bodhisattva further reflects: ‘All sentient beings are on the dangerous path of birth and death, about to fall into the hells or be born among animals or hungry ghosts. They enter the net of evil views, are bewildered by the dense forest of delusion, pursue wrong paths, and practice inverted conduct, like blind people without a guide. What is not the path of liberation they regard as the path of liberation. They enter the realm of Mara, are seized by evil bandits, follow the mind of Mara, and depart far from the Buddha’s intent. I must rescue them from such dangers and cause them to abide securely in the fearless city of all-wisdom.’

“The bodhisattva further reflects: ‘All sentient beings are submerged by rushing currents and great waves in the flood of desire, the flood of becoming, the flood of ignorance, and the flood of wrong views. They revolve in birth and death and drift along the river of defiled craving, constantly battered without a moment to observe their condition. Thoughts of desire, anger, and malice never leave their minds, so the rakshasa demon of the view of a self seizes them and confines them entirely within the dense forest of sensual desire. They are deeply attached to objects of craving, dwell upon the mound of self-conceit, and reside in the village of the six sense faculties. Unless a skilled rescuer appears, they cannot be delivered.

“‘I must give rise to great compassion for them and use wholesome roots to rescue and aid them, freeing them from calamity, separating them from defilement, purifying them, and establishing them securely in the precious city of all-wisdom.’

“The bodhisattva further reflects: ‘All sentient beings dwell in the prison of the world and undergo many sufferings and afflictions. Constantly harboring love and hatred, they bear the fetters of fear and craving themselves. The dense forest of ignorance obstructs them, and they cannot escape the three realms. I must cause them to leave the three realms forever and dwell securely in the unobstructed great nirvana.’

“The bodhisattva further reflects: ‘All sentient beings cling to self and what belongs to self and have no wish to leave the prison of the five skandhas. They rely upon the empty village, and through the six sense faculties give rise to the four inverted practices. They are bitten by the four poisonous snakes of the four great elements and slain by the enemy bandits of the five skandhas, undergoing immeasurable suffering.

“‘I must cause them to dwell securely in the supreme place of nonattachment, namely, unsurpassed nirvana, in which every obstruction is ended.’

“The bodhisattva further reflects: ‘The minds of sentient beings are weak and inferior, and they are unwilling to practice the path capable of attaining all-wisdom. Although they desire liberation, they delight only in the two vehicles of the shravakas and pratyekabuddhas. I must cause them to abide in the vast Buddha-Dharma and in vast wisdom.’

“By safeguarding the precepts in this way, this bodhisattva is well able to increase his mind of loving-kindness and compassion.

“O Buddha’s children! Through the power of his vows, the bodhisattva dwelling on this Stainless Ground sees many Buddhas. He sees a hundred Buddhas, a thousand Buddhas, a hundred thousand Buddhas, up to hundreds of thousands of kotis of nayutas of Buddhas.

“In the presence of those Buddhas, with a vast and profound mind, this bodhisattva reveres, honors, serves, and makes offerings of clothing, food and drink, medicines, bedding, and all necessities. He also makes offerings to the entire Sangha. He dedicates this merit to unsurpassed bodhi.

“In the presence of those Buddhas and out of reverence, this bodhisattva also receives and practices the ten wholesome paths of Dharma. Whatever he receives, he never forgets, even until bodhi.

“Because this bodhisattva, throughout immeasurable hundreds of thousands of kotis of nayutas of kalpas, has remained far removed from the offenses of greed, anger, and violating the precepts, his practices of giving and moral discipline become completely purified.

“It is like true gold placed in an alkaline mineral solution and refined according to the proper method: it is freed from every impurity and becomes increasingly bright and pure.

“The bodhisattva dwelling on the Stainless Ground is likewise. Throughout immeasurable hundreds of thousands of kotis of nayutas of kalpas, because he remains far removed from the impurities of greed, anger, and violating the precepts, his practices of giving and moral discipline become pure and complete.

“O Buddha’s children! Among the four means of gathering beings, this bodhisattva chiefly practices kind speech. Among the ten paramitas, he chiefly practices moral discipline. He cultivates the other dharmas according to his capacity and strength.

“O Buddha’s children! This is a brief account of the Stainless Ground.

“A great bodhisattva dwelling on this ground most often manifests as a Wheel-Turning Sage King and a great lord of Dharma, fully endowed with the seven treasures and possessing sovereign power. He can remove the defilements of greed, anger, and violation of precepts from all sentient beings. Through skillful means, he causes them to abide in the ten wholesome courses of karma. He becomes a great donor whose generosity is inexhaustible. In all practices, such as giving, kind speech, beneficial conduct, and cooperation, he never departs from mindfulness of the Buddha, mindfulness of the Dharma, and mindfulness of the Sangha, up to never departing from mindfulness of omniscience in all its modes.

“This bodhisattva further reflects: ‘Among all sentient beings, I shall be the leader, the excellent one, the most excellent, the wondrous, the most wondrous, the supreme, and the unsurpassed, up to becoming one upon whom they rely for omniscience in all its modes.’

“When this bodhisattva wishes to leave home and diligently cultivate within the Buddha-Dharma, he is able at once to renounce his home, wife and children, relatives, and the five sensual desires. After going forth, he cultivates diligently. In a single thought, he attains a thousand samadhis, sees a thousand Buddhas, knows the spiritual powers of a thousand Buddhas, and can shake a thousand worlds. He can even manifest a thousand bodies, each body manifesting a thousand bodhisattvas as its retinue. If he manifests through the sovereign power of superior vows, he surpasses these numbers, and they could not be counted even in hundreds of thousands of kotis of nayutas of kalpas.

“The bodhisattva Vajragarbha, wishing to restate this meaning, then spoke these verses:

Upright, gentle, and capable,

Disciplined, tranquil, and wholly wholesome;

With an expansive mind, swiftly escaping birth and death—

Through these ten minds one enters the Second Ground.

Here one perfects the merit of moral discipline,

Remaining far from killing and causing no harm;

One also leaves behind stealing and sexual misconduct,

And completely abandons false, harsh, divisive, and frivolous speech.

One does not covet wealth and is always compassionate;

One follows the right path with an upright mind, free from deceit.

Leaving danger and abandoning pride, one is deeply gentle,

Practicing according to the teaching without negligence.

Those in hells and among animals suffer misery;

Hungry ghosts starve and thirst, with flames pouring from their mouths.

All these sufferings are caused by evil deeds;

I must leave them far behind and abide in the true Dharma.

One may be born at will among humans,

And even attain the meditations of the form and formless realms,

Or accomplishment as a shravaka or pratyekabuddha.

Reflecting in this way, one is not negligent,

Personally safeguarding pure precepts and teaching others to uphold them.

Seeing living beings undergoing suffering,

One causes great compassion to increase still further.

Ordinary beings hold wrong views and incorrect understanding,

Are constantly angry and resentful, and engage in many disputes.

They covet, cling, and never know satisfaction;

I must deliver them and remove the three poisons.

Dark delusion envelops and conceals them;

They enter the great dangerous path and the net of wrong views.

They are captured and confined in the prison of birth and death;

I must cause them to subdue the bandits of Mara.

The four floods sweep them away, submerging their minds;

The three realms scorch them with immeasurable suffering.

They grasp the skandhas as a house, with a self dwelling within;

Wishing to deliver them, I diligently practice the path.

Although they desire liberation, their minds remain inferior;

They depart far from the unsurpassed wisdom of the Buddha.

I wish to cause them to abide in the Mahayana,

Diligently advancing without ever becoming satisfied.

The bodhisattva here accumulates merit,

Sees immeasurable Buddhas, and makes offerings to them all.

Through kotis of kalpas of practice, he becomes increasingly bright and pure,

Like true gold refined with excellent substances.

The bodhisattva here manifests as a Wheel-Turning King,

Universally guiding sentient beings to cultivate the ten wholesome deeds.

He cultivates every wholesome dharma

To perfect the Ten Powers and rescue the world.

Wishing to relinquish royal rank and precious wealth,

He leaves the household life at once and relies upon the Buddha’s teaching.

With heroic diligence, in a single thought

He attains a thousand samadhis and sees a thousand Buddhas.

All such spiritual powers

Can be manifested by a bodhisattva of the Second Ground.

What is accomplished through the power of vows surpasses even this:

With immeasurable mastery, he delivers living beings.

The one who benefits the entire world

Has cultivated the supreme bodhisattva conduct.

Such is the merit of the Second Ground,

Which has been explained for the Buddha’s children.

The Buddha’s children, hearing of this practice

And the inconceivable realm of bodhisattvas,

All became reverent and joyful,

Scattering flowers through the sky as offerings.

They praised him, saying: “Excellent, great being,

Whose loving heart has compassion for all sentient beings!

You have skillfully taught the discipline of the wise

And the characteristics of practice on the Second Ground.

“These wondrous practices of the bodhisattvas

Are true, without disparity or error.

Wishing to benefit all living beings,

You have expounded them with utmost purity.

“All humans and devas have come to make offerings,

Hoping to hear the teaching of the Third Ground.

Please fully explain the wisdom practices and corresponding dharmas,

And the realm that they encompass.

“The Buddha possesses all dharmas: giving, moral discipline,

Patience, diligence, meditation, and wisdom,

Together with skillful means and the path of loving-kindness and compassion.

Please fully explain the pure practices of a Buddha.”

The bodhisattva Vimukticandra again said:

“May the great bodhisattva Vajragarbha

Explain how one advances into the Third Ground

And all the merits of this stage.”

The bodhisattva Vajragarbha said to the bodhisattva Vimukticandra: “O Buddha’s child! A great bodhisattva who has purified the Second Ground and wishes to enter the Third Ground must give rise to ten profound minds.”

“These are the ten profound minds:

“A pure mind, an abiding mind, a mind of disenchantment and renunciation, a mind free from craving, a nonretrogressing mind, a steadfast mind, a luminous and flourishing mind, a courageous mind, an expansive mind, and a great mind. Through these ten minds, the bodhisattva enters the Third Ground.

“O Buddha’s children! Having securely abided on the Third Ground, the great bodhisattva observes all conditioned dharmas in accordance with their true characteristics. Namely, they are impermanent, painful, impure, insecure, subject to decay, unable to endure, and arising and ceasing from moment to moment. They did not arise in the past, do not perish in the future, and do not abide in the present.

“The bodhisattva further observes that these dharmas offer no rescue and no refuge, but coexist with anxiety, sorrow, suffering, and distress; are bound by love and hatred; and bring ever-increasing grief without cease. Greed, anger, and delusion blaze without interruption, and calamities and afflictions entwine them, increasing day and night. They are entirely like illusions and transformations, devoid of reality.

“Having observed this, the bodhisattva becomes increasingly disenchanted with conditioned dharmas and turns toward the Buddha’s wisdom. He sees that the Buddha’s wisdom is inconceivable, unequaled, immeasurable, and difficult to attain; unmixed, untroubled, and free from sorrow; that it reaches the fearless citadel and never retreats; and that it can rescue immeasurable sentient beings from suffering and distress.

“Seeing the immeasurable benefits of the Buddha’s wisdom and the immeasurable faults of all conditioned dharmas, the bodhisattva gives rise to ten compassionate thoughts toward all sentient beings.

“These are the ten compassionate thoughts:

“Seeing sentient beings alone and without refuge, he gives rise to compassion. Seeing sentient beings poor, distressed, and deprived, he gives rise to compassion. Seeing sentient beings burned by the fire of the three poisons, he gives rise to compassion.

Seeing sentient beings imprisoned, he gives rise to compassion. Seeing sentient beings constantly obstructed by the dense forest of afflictions, he gives rise to compassion. Seeing sentient beings unable to observe skillfully, he gives rise to compassion.

Seeing sentient beings who do not delight in or desire wholesome dharmas, he gives rise to compassion. Seeing sentient beings who have lost the Buddha-Dharma, he gives rise to compassion. Seeing sentient beings following the current of birth and death, he gives rise to compassion.

Seeing sentient beings who have lost the means of liberation, he gives rise to compassion.

“Seeing the immeasurable suffering and affliction of the realm of sentient beings, the bodhisattva arouses great diligence and reflects: ‘I must rescue all these sentient beings. I must liberate them. I must purify them. I must deliver them. I must establish them in a wholesome place, cause them to dwell securely, bring them joy, enable them to see and know, discipline them, and bring them to quiescent cessation.’

“Thus disenchanted with conditioned dharmas and filled with such compassion, the bodhisattva knows the supreme benefit of omniscience in all its modes and wishes to rely upon the Buddha’s wisdom to rescue sentient beings.

“The bodhisattva reflects: ‘These sentient beings have fallen into the great suffering of afflictions. By what means can I rescue and aid them, causing them to abide in the ultimate bliss of nirvana?’ The bodhisattva further reflects: ‘To deliver sentient beings and cause them to abide in nirvana, I certainly cannot dispense with the unobstructed wisdom of liberation. This wisdom cannot be separated from awakening to all dharmas as they truly are. This awakening cannot be separated from the light of wisdom arising from the practice of nonaction and nonarising. This light of wisdom cannot be separated from the skillful meditative wisdom of decisive observation. This meditative wisdom cannot be separated from extensive and skillful learning.’

“Having reflected in this way, the bodhisattva becomes increasingly diligent in cultivating the true Dharma. Day and night, he seeks only to hear the Dharma, delights in the Dharma, relies upon the Dharma, follows the Dharma, understands the Dharma, reaches the Dharma, abides in the Dharma, and practices the true Dharma.

“Seeking the Buddha-Dharma in this way, the bodhisattva begrudges none of his precious possessions and sees nothing difficult to obtain as worthy of being treasured. He gives rise to reverence only toward one who can expound the Buddha-Dharma. Therefore, to seek the Buddha-Dharma, the bodhisattva can relinquish both his possessions and his body. There is no act of reverence he cannot perform, no arrogance he cannot abandon, no service he cannot render, and no hardship he cannot endure.

“If he hears a single sentence of true Dharma never heard before, the bodhisattva rejoices more than if he had obtained precious treasures filling the entire great trichiliocosm. If he hears a verse of true Dharma never heard before, the bodhisattva rejoices more than if he had attained the throne of a Wheel-Turning King. If he hears a verse of true Dharma capable of purifying bodhisattva conduct, he regards it as superior to reigning as Shakra or Brahma King for hundreds of thousands of immeasurable kalpas.

“If someone says: ‘I possess one sentence of the Buddha-Dharma capable of purifying bodhisattva conduct. If you can enter a fiery pit and endure its scorching heat, I shall give it to you,’

“the bodhisattva then reflects: ‘If, through one sentence of Dharma spoken by the Buddha, my bodhisattva conduct can be purified, then even if great flames filled the entire great trichiliocosm, I would still wish to leap into them from the Brahma Heaven to obtain that sentence of the Buddha-Dharma. How much more readily should I enter this small fiery pit! At present, for the sake of the Buddha-Dharma, I ought to endure all the sufferings of the hells, much less the trifling sufferings of the human realm.’

“This bodhisattva arouses such diligence in seeking the Buddha-Dharma, and reflects upon and practices whatever he has heard.

“After hearing the Dharma, this bodhisattva gathers his mind and abides in a secluded place, reflecting: ‘Only by practicing according to the Buddha’s teaching can the Buddha-Dharma be realized; it cannot be purified merely by speaking of it.’

“O Buddha’s children! When this bodhisattva abides on the Luminous Ground, he leaves behind sensual desires and unwholesome dharmas. With applied and sustained thought, and with joy and bliss born of seclusion, he abides in the first dhyana.

Ceasing applied and sustained thought, with inner purity and one-pointed mind, without applied or sustained thought, and with joy and bliss born of concentration, he abides in the second dhyana. Free from joy, he abides in equanimity; mindful and clearly knowing, he experiences bodily bliss, of which the Buddhas say, ‘One who has equanimity and mindfulness dwells in bliss’; thus he abides in the third dhyana. Abandoning bliss and having previously eliminated suffering, joy, and sorrow, he brings neither-suffering-nor-pleasure to cessation and, with equanimity and mindfulness purified, abides in the fourth dhyana.

Transcending all perceptions of form, extinguishing perceptions of resistance, and giving no attention to perceptions of diversity, he enters boundless space and abides in the sphere of boundless space. Transcending the entire sphere of boundless space, he enters boundless consciousness and abides in the sphere of boundless consciousness. Transcending the entire sphere of boundless consciousness, he enters the absence of anything whatsoever and abides in the sphere of nothingness.

Transcending the entire sphere of nothingness, he abides in the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception. He does this only in conformity with wholesome dharmas and never delights in or clings to these attainments.

“O Buddha’s children! This bodhisattva’s mind follows loving-kindness alone—vast, immeasurable, free from enmity, opposition, obstruction, and affliction—reaching everywhere throughout the Dharma realm, the realm of empty space, and all worlds. His abiding in compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity is likewise.

“O Buddha’s children! This bodhisattva attains immeasurable spiritual powers. He can shake the great earth. From one body he manifests many bodies, and many bodies he makes into one. He may disappear or appear, and he passes unhindered through mountains, cliffs, rocks, and every obstruction as though through empty space. Seated cross-legged in empty space, he travels like a bird in flight. He enters the earth as though entering water and walks upon water as though upon land. His body emits smoke and flames like a great mass of fire, and he pours down rain like a great cloud. Though the sun and moon in the sky possess great majesty, he can touch, lift, and grasp them with his hand. With mastery over his body, he reaches as high as the Brahma Heaven.

“This bodhisattva’s divine ear is purer than the human ear. He hears all sounds of devas and humans, even the sounds of mosquitoes and gnats, whether near or far.

“Through the knowledge of others’ minds, this bodhisattva knows the minds of other sentient beings exactly as they truly are. When a sentient being has a mind of greed, he knows it as a mind of greed; when free from greed, he knows it as free from greed. When there is a mind of anger or delusion, he knows there is a mind of anger or delusion; when free from anger or delusion, he knows it is free from anger or delusion. Even distracted minds, concentrated minds, expansive minds, immeasurable minds, and unsurpassed minds—he knows them all exactly as they truly are.

“This bodhisattva recollects the distinctions of immeasurable former lives. He recollects one life, two lives, up to immeasurable hundreds of thousands of lives; kalpas of formation, kalpas of destruction, and immeasurable kalpas of formation and destruction. He recollects: ‘At that time I dwelt in such a place, bore such a name, belonged to such a family, consumed such food and drink, lived for such a length of time, and experienced such suffering and happiness. Dying in that place, I was born in this place, with such a form, such features, and such a voice.’ Thus he can recollect the distinctions of immeasurable past lives.

“This bodhisattva’s divine eye is purer than the human eye. He sees sentient beings at the time of life and death, of fine or ugly appearance, proceeding toward good or evil destinies according to their karma. If those sentient beings create evil karma through body, speech, and thought, ridicule the noble sages, are fully possessed of wrong views, and create karma through causes and conditions of wrong views, then after death they certainly fall into an evil destiny and are born in hell.

If sentient beings create wholesome karma bodily, are also wholesome in speech and thought, do not disparage the noble sages, are fully possessed of right view, and create karma through causes and conditions of right view, then after death they certainly are born in a good destiny among devas or humans. With his divine eye, the bodhisattva sees and knows all this exactly as it truly is.

“This bodhisattva can enter and emerge from the dhyanas, samadhis, and samapattis, but he does not rely upon the power of meditative concentration to take birth. Instead, wherever he can perfect the factors of bodhi, he takes birth there through the power of aspiration.

“O Buddha’s children! Through the power of his vows, the bodhisattva dwelling on the Luminous Ground sees many Buddhas. He sees a hundred Buddhas, a thousand Buddhas, a hundred thousand Buddhas, up to hundreds of thousands of kotis of nayutas of Buddhas. With a vast and profound mind, he reveres, honors, serves, and makes offerings to them all, and also makes offerings to the Sangha. The bodhisattva dedicates these wholesome roots to unsurpassed bodhi. In the presence of the Buddhas, he reverently listens to the Dharma; having heard it, he receives and retains it, then practices according to his strength.

“This bodhisattva observes that all dharmas arising through causes and conditions are neither born nor extinguished, yet the fetter of views remains. He first eliminates all fetters of desire, the fetters of form, and the fetters of existence, while even the fetter of ignorance becomes increasingly weak and subtle. Because he does not accumulate them throughout immeasurable hundreds of thousands of kotis of nayutas of kalpas, greed, anger, and delusion are all eliminated. All his wholesome roots become increasingly bright and pure.

“O Buddha’s children! It is like true gold that has been skillfully refined: its weight does not diminish, while it becomes increasingly bright and pure.

“Likewise, because the bodhisattva dwelling on this Luminous Ground does not accumulate greed, anger, and delusion, they are all eliminated, and all his wholesome roots become increasingly bright and pure.

“This bodhisattva’s qualities of patience, gentleness, concord, agreeableness, freedom from anger, imperturbability, freedom from turbidity, absence of superiority and inferiority, seeking no reward, gratitude, freedom from crookedness, freedom from deceit, and absence of treachery become increasingly pure.

“Among the four means of gathering beings, this bodhisattva chiefly practices beneficial conduct, and among the ten paramitas he chiefly practices patience. He cultivates the other Dharma gates according to his capacity and strength.

“O Buddha’s children! A bodhisattva dwelling on this Third Ground, the Luminous Ground, most often manifests as the king of the Trayastrimsha Heaven and is able through skillful means to cause sentient beings to abandon sensual desire. In all practices of giving, kind speech, beneficial conduct, and cooperation, he never departs from mindfulness of the Buddha, mindfulness of the Dharma, and mindfulness of the Sangha, up to never departing from mindfulness of the complete omniscience of all modes.

“This bodhisattva further reflects: ‘Among all sentient beings, I shall be the leader, the excellent one, the supremely excellent, the wondrous, the most wondrous, the supreme, and the unsurpassed, up to becoming one upon whom they rely for omniscience in all its modes.’

“If this bodhisattva diligently advances, in a single thought he attains a hundred thousand samadhis, sees a hundred thousand Buddhas, knows the spiritual powers of a hundred thousand Buddhas, and can shake a hundred thousand worlds. He can even manifest a hundred thousand Buddha-bodies, each Buddha-body manifesting a hundred thousand bodhisattvas as its retinue. If he employs the power of superior vows, this bodhisattva can sovereignly manifest beyond these numbers, which could not be calculated or known in a hundred kalpas, a thousand kalpas, or even hundreds of thousands of kotis of nayutas of kalpas.

“The bodhisattva Vajragarbha, wishing to restate this meaning, spoke these verses:

A pure, abiding, luminous, and flourishing mind;

A mind disenchanted and detached, free from craving and harm;

A steadfast, courageous, expansive, and great mind—

The wise use these to enter the Third Ground.

The bodhisattva dwelling on the Luminous Ground

Observes conditioned existence as suffering and impermanent,

Impure, decaying, and swiftly dissolving,

Unstable, unenduring, neither coming nor going.

He regards conditioned dharmas as a grave illness,

Bound by anxiety, sorrow, suffering, and distress.

The fierce fire of the three poisons continually blazes,

Never ceasing since beginningless time.

Disenchanted with the three realms, he does not cling to them,

But seeks only the Buddha’s wisdom, without any other thought—

Inconceivable, immeasurable, and beyond compare,

Immeasurable and boundless, free from affliction.

Having seen the Buddha’s wisdom, he pities sentient beings,

Alone, without refuge, rescue, or protection;

The three poisons blaze within them, and they are always deprived,

Imprisoned in the three realms, continually undergoing suffering.

Bound by afflictions, deluded, and without wisdom,

Their aspirations are low, and they have lost the jewel of Dharma.

They follow birth and death and fear nirvana;

I must diligently rescue them.

Seeking wisdom to benefit sentient beings,

He considers what means can bring them liberation.

This cannot be apart from the Tathagata’s unobstructed wisdom,

Which in turn gives rise to the wisdom of nonarising.

He reflects that this wisdom comes from hearing the Dharma;

Reflecting thus, he diligently exerts himself.

Day and night, he hears and cultivates without interruption,

Honoring only the true Dharma.

Kingdoms and cities, money and precious treasures,

Wife and children, relatives, and royal throne—

Because the bodhisattva reveres the Dharma,

He gives them all away.

Head, eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and teeth;

Hands, feet, bones, marrow, heart, blood, and flesh—

To give them all away is not considered difficult;

Only obtaining a hearing of the Dharma is truly difficult.

Even if someone comes and tells the bodhisattva:

“If you can leap into this fiery pit,

I shall transmit to you the precious Buddha-Dharma,”

Hearing this, he enters the fire without fear.

Even if fire filled the great trichiliocosm,

He would leap bodily into it from the Brahma Heaven.

To seek the Buddha-Dharma, he would not regard this as difficult,

Much less the lesser sufferings of the human realm.

From first giving rise to the aspiration until attaining Buddhahood,

He could endure all the sufferings of the Avici Hell

For the sake of hearing the Buddha-Dharma,

Much less the sufferings of the human realm.

Having heard the Buddha-Dharma, he reflects rightly,

And attains the four dhyanas and formless concentrations.

The Four Immeasurables and Five Spiritual Powers arise in sequence,

Yet he does not take birth through the power of concentration.

The bodhisattva here sees many Buddhas,

Makes offerings, hears the Dharma, and becomes resolute.

Eliminating wrong delusions, he becomes increasingly pure,

Like refined true gold whose substance does not diminish.

At this stage he often becomes Shakra, Lord of the Devas,

Guiding immeasurable beings of the heavens,

Causing them to abandon craving and abide in the wholesome path,

Single-mindedly seeking the Buddha’s merit.

The Buddha’s child here diligently advances,

Perfecting a hundred thousand samadhis,

And sees a hundred thousand Buddhas, majestic in body;

Through the power of vows, he surpasses these beyond measure.

Universally benefiting all sentient beings—

Such is the bodhisattva’s supreme practice.

All these qualities belong to the Luminous Ground;

I have explained them according to their meaning.