At that time, Foremost Wisdom Bodhisattva inquired of Manjushri Bodhisattva saying…Disciples of the Buddha, how does a Bodhisattva attain faultless karma of body, speech, and mind? How does he attain non-harming karma of body, speech, and mind?
How does he attain unruinable karma of body, speech, and mind?
How does he attain indestructible karma of body, speech, and mind?
How does he attain non-retreating karma of body, speech, and mind?
How does he attain immovable karma of body, speech, and mind?
How does he attain the most excellent karma of body, speech, and mind? How does he attain purity of the karma of body, speech, and mind?
How does he attain undefiled karma of body, speech, and mind?
How does he attain the karma of body, speech, and mind that is primarily guided by wisdom?
How does he attain an ideal place of birth? An ideal lineage? An ideal family? A perfect appearance? Perfect hallmarks? Perfect mindfulness? Perfect wisdom? Perfect practice? Perfect fearlessness? Perfect enlightenment?
How does a Bodhisattva attain excellent wisdom? Foremost wisdom? Most superior wisdom? Most excellent wisdom? Limitless wisdom? Unreckonable wisdom? Inconceivable wisdom? Unequaled wisdom? Immeasurable wisdom? Ineffable wisdom?
How does he attain the power of causes? The power of zeal? The power of expedients? The power of conditions? The power of that which is conditioned? The power of his faculties? The power of investigation? The power of shamatha? The power of vipashyana ? The power of reflection?
How does he attain skillfulness with the skandhas? Skillfulness with the realms?
How does a Bodhisattva attain skillfulness with the places? Skillfulness with the arisal of conditions? Skillfulness with the desire realm? Skillfulness with the form realm? Skillfulness with the formless realm? Skillfulness with the past? Skillfulness with the future? Skillfulness with the present?
How does a Bodhisattva skillfully cultivate the enlightenment factor of mindfulness? The enlightenment factor of selecting a Dharma? The enlightenment factor of vigor? The enlightenment factor of joy? The enlightenment factor of light ease? The enlightenment factor of samadhi? The enlightenment factor of renunciation? The state of emptiness, marklessness, and wishlessness?
How does a Bodhisattva attain the perfection of dana paramita, shila paramita, kshanti paramita, virya paramita, dhyana paramita, prajna paramita, and also the perfection of kindness, compassion, joy, and giving?
How does he attain the wisdom power to distinguish principle from nonprinciple; the wisdom power to know the retributions for karma created in the past, present, and future; the wisdom power to know the levels of the dispositions of all sentient beings; the wisdom power to know the various realms of sentient beings; the wisdom power to know the various understandings of sentient beings; the wisdom power to know the destinations of all paths; the wisdom power to know the defilement and purity of the dhyanas, liberations, and samadhis; the wisdom power to know previous lives; the wisdom power of the unobstructed heavenly eye; the wisdom power to sever all habits?
How does a Bodhisattva attain the protection, veneration, and offerings of heavenly kings, dragon kings, yaksha kings, gandharva kings, asura kings, garuda kings, kinnara kings, mahoraga kings, human kings, and Brahma kings?
How does one become the reliance, the salvation, the refuge, the destiny, the torch, the light, the illumination, a guide, an excellent guide, a universal guide for all beings?
How does one become the foremost, the greatest, the excellent, the most excellent, the wonderful, the ultimately wonderful, the superior, the unsurpassed, unequaled, doubly unequaled among all sentient beings?”
At that time, Manjushri Bodhisattva said to Foremost Wisdom Bodhisattva, “Good indeed! Disciple of the Buddha, out of a wish to bring great benefit and peace to all beings in the world, on whom you take pity, and to benefit and delight gods and humans, you have now asked about such principles.
Disciple of the Buddha, if Bodhisattvas skillfully apply their minds, they will attain all kinds of excellent and fine meritorious virtues. Their minds will be unimpeded with regard to all of the Buddhadharma. They will dwell in the Path of all Buddhas of the past, present, and future. They will constantly abide in accordance with sentient beings and never forsake them. They will fully understand the characteristics of all dharmas. They will sever all evil and perfect all manner of goodness. They will have an exceptional physical appearance like that of Universal Worthy. All of their practices and vows will be perfected. They will be at ease with all dharmas without exception. They will act as the second guiding teacher for sentient beings. Disciple of the Buddha, how does one use his mind to attain all of these excellent and fine meritorious virtues?
A Bodhisattva of the lay life,
Should vow that sentient beings
Will realize the empty nature of the household
And avoid oppression from it.
When I serve my parents in filiality,
I vow that sentient beings
Will serve the Buddhas skillfully,
And protect and nourish everything.
When I am together with my wife,
I vow that sentient beings
Will treat friend and foe alike,
And renounce forever the attachments of greed.
When I obtain the five desires,
I vow that sentient beings
Will pull out the arrow of desire,
And experience the ultimate peace and serenity.
When I am in a musical gathering or among songstresses,
I vow that sentient beings
Will entertain themselves with the Dharma,
And understand those talents are not real.
When I am in a palace or a house,
I vow that sentient beings
Will enter the level of a sage,
And entirely eradicate filthy desires.
When I wear a necklace of precious gems,
I vow that sentient beings
Will renounce all false ornaments,
And reach the place of true reality.
When I ascend a tower,
I vow that sentient beings
Will ascend the tower of Proper Dharma,
And clearly see through everything.
When I have something to give,
I vow that sentient beings
Will be able to renounce everything,
Without any love or attachment in their minds.
In a gathering of multitudes,
I vow that sentient beings
Will renounce the multiplicity of dharmas ,
And accomplish All Wisdom.
When in suffering and difficulty,
I vow that sentient beings
Will achieve their goals and be at ease,
And meet no obstructions in their endeavors.
When I renounce the household,
I vow that sentient beings
Will leave the home-life without any obstruction,
And attain liberation in their minds.
When I enter into the sangharama,
I vow that sentient beings
Will proclaim all kinds of Dharmas
Which are free of error and contention.
When I visit senior or junior teachers,
I vow that sentient beings
Will skillfully serve their teachers and elders,
And practice wholesome dharmas.
When I request permission to leave the home-life,
I vow that sentient beings
Will become irreversible in their practice,
Their minds free of impediments.
When I cast off my worldly clothes,
I vow that sentient beings
Will diligently cultivate good roots,
And renounce all obstructive offenses.
When I shave my head,
I vow that sentient beings
Will be forever free from afflictions
And achieve ultimate tranquility.
When I don the kashaya sash,
I vow that sentient beings
Will have untainted minds
And perfect the Path of the Great Immortal.
When I have actually left the home life,
I vow that sentient beings
Will leave the home life with the Buddha,
And rescue and protect all beings.
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