The Merit and Virtue from First Bringing Forth the Mind

Chapter Seventeen

 

 

Sutra:

“Because of the desire to reveal the causes of the Buddhadharma; In order to obtain all Buddhas’ equality; And in order to comprehend that Dharma realms are without non-duality--they speak the Dharma like this.”

At that time, Dharma Wisdom Bodhisattva universally contemplated, exhausting the realm of space, all the multitudes of assemblies in the lands of the ten directions. Because he desired to bring all living beings to accomplishment; Because he desired to totally purify all karmic retribution; Because he desired to totally reveal the purity of the Dharma Realm; Because he desired to pull out the fundamental root of defilement;

Because he desired to increase vast great faith and understanding; Because he desired to bring about the knowledge of all the roots of limitless living beings; Because he desired to bring about the knowledge of the equality of Dharmas of the three periods of time; Because he desired to bring about the contemplation of the realm of Nirvana; And because he desired to increase his own good roots of purity, he received the Buddhas’ awesome power and spoke these verses, saying:

Commentary:

The Buddha speak because of the desire to reveal the causes of the Buddhadharma. What are the causes of the Buddhadharma? Good causes are just the cause of the Buddhadharma. It’s also in order to obtain all Buddhas’ equality. They also speak in order to cause all iving beings to obtain all Buddhas’ resultant position of equality, which is the Equal and Right Enlightenment; and in order to comprehend that Dharma realms are without non-duality. The Bodhisattvas wish to understand that the Dharma Realms of the ten directions are all one, non-dual, and so they speak the Dharma like this. Therefore, they speak this kind of Dharma on the merit and virtue of the Bodhisattva who first brings forth the mind.

At that time, Dharma wisdom Bodhisattva universally contemplated, exhausting the realm of space. He pervasively contemplated, exhausting the Dharma Realm and the realm of space, all the multitudes of assemblies in the lands of the ten directions, that is, all the Buddha lands of the ten directions.

Because he desired to bring all living beings to accomplishment – he wishes to cause all living beings to become Buddhas, to perfect the fruition of all Buddhas; because he desired to totally purify all karmic retribution, that is, to extirpate all defiled evil karma and to cause all living beings to obtain pure, good karma.

He also wishes to cause all living beings to understand the principle of planting causes and reaping the result. It is also because he desired to totally reveal the purity of the Dharma Realm – the Bodhisattva wishes to cause the Dharma Realm to manifest its basic pure source; also, because he desired to pull out the fundamental root of defilement – he also wants to pull out the fundamental defilements of living beings – their basic greed, hatred, and stupidity, affliction and ignorance; and because he desired to cause all living beings’ good roots to increase and to expand their vast great faith and understanding; and because he desired to bring about the knowledge of all the roots of limitless living beings;

Because he desired to bring about the knowledge of the equality of Dharmas of the three periods of time; Because he desired to bring about the contemplation of the realm of Nirvana, which consists of the four virtues of permanence,bliss, true self, and purity; and because he desired to increase his own good roots of purity, he received the Buddhas’ awesome power and spoke these verses. Because of these various reasons, Dharma Wisdom Bodhisattva receives the Buddhas’ great awesome spiritual power and speaks these verses. He uses verses to re-state the principles in the prose section, saying:

Sutra:

In order to benefit the world he brings forth the great mind.
This mind pervades everywhere in the ten directions:
The Dharmas of living beings, lands, and the three periods of time,
Also, the most supreme sea of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

Ultimately like space and equal to the Dharma realm,
Are all the world systems which exist.
He goes to wherever there is the Buddha or the Dharma.
In this way he brings forth the mind without ever retreating.

He is kindly mindful of living beings, without forsaking them for a moment.
Leaving afflictions and harm, he universally benefits them.
His light shines upon the world as a place of refuge;
The protective mindfulness from the ten powers is difficult to conceive of.

The ten directions’ countries he completely enters;
All forms and shapes are totally made manifest.
Just as the Buddhas’ blessings and wisdom are vast and boundless,
So he accordingly cultivates their causes without any attachments.

There are abiding kshetras facing upwards, or facing downwards;
Coarse, wondrous, or wide, of limitless kinds.
The Bodhisattva who first bring forth the most supreme mind,
Is able to go to all of them without obstruction.

The Bodhisattva’s superior conducts are ineffable.
He cultivates all of them without dwelling anywhere.
He sees all Buddhas and is continuously blissful.
And universally enters the most profound ocean of Dharma.

With pity for the flocks of beings in the five destinies,
He causes them to eradicate their defilements and be universally pure.
So that the Buddha seed continues to flourish without being cut off,
He destroys the demons’ palaces without remainder.

He already abides in the level nature of the Thus Come Ones.
He well cultivates the path of the subtly wondrous skill-in-means.
Towards the state of the Buddhas, he gives rise to a heart of faith,
And he receives the Buddhas’ anointing his crown, with a mind devoid of attachments.  

Commentary:

In order to benefit the world he brings forth the great mind. Why does the Bodhisattva bring forth the Bodhi mind? Because he wants to benefit all the living beings in all worlds. This mind pervades everywhere in the ten directions. He brings forth a great mind which pervades everywhere in the world systems of the ten directions; it includes the Dharmas of living beings, lands, and the three periods of time – all living beings, all countries, and all dharmas of the Buddhas of the ten directions and the three periods of time. Also, the most supreme sea of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. It also includes all of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and all the great oceanic assembly of those who listen to the Dharma.

Ultimately like space and equal to the Dharma realm. Ultimately like space and the Dharma Realm, are all the world systems which exist, that is, all of the world systems in the ten directions. He goes to wherever there is the Buddha and the Dharma. It does not matter what world systems or land, the Bodhisattva goes there.

Wherever there is the Buddha and the Dharma, he vastly cultivates the making of offerings. He worships all Buddhas, and praises the Thus Come Ones. In this way he brings forth the mind without ever retreating. In bringing forth the great Bodhi resolve, his mind never ever retreats. He is kindly mindful of living beings, without forsaking them for a moment. In bringing forth this great Bodhi mind, he always has kind regard for living beings, without forsaking them for a moment. He never forgets living beings.

Leaving afflictions and harm, he universally benefits them. He wishes to leave the activities which bring about afflictions and harm to all living beings. He wants to benefit living beings everywhere. His light shines upon the world as a place of refuge. The Bodhisattva who brings forth the great Bodhi mind emits light which illumines all worlds, and causes all the living beings in all of these worlds to return to and rely upon the Triple Jewel. The protective mindfulness from the ten powers is difficult to conceive of. He uses the Buddha’s ten minds of power to exercise protective thoughts over all living beings. Hew cultivates this inconceivable door of practice.

The ten directions’ countries he completely enters. He goes to all the lands of the ten directions to make offerings. All forms and shapes are totally made manifest. He makes known all of living beings’ shapes and form and all of their various characteristics. Just as the Buddhas’ blessings and wisdom are vast and boundless – Just as the Thus Come Ones’ blessings and meritorious qualities are endless -- So he accordingly cultivates their causes without any attachments. He accords with all Buddha dharmas to cultivate. He always goes along with living beings in his practice of the Bodhisattva Path.

To “cultivate their causes: means that he cultivates on the causal level without any attachments. The wonderful advantage of the Buddha dharma is that it breaks through all of the attachments of living beings. Why are living beings so selfish? Why are they unable to put things down? Because they have attachments. They are attached to their countries, to their homes, to their bodies, and all the wealth which belongs to them.

There are abiding kshetras facing upwards, or facing downwards. There are world systems which face upwards, that is, they are shaped in such a way that they face upwards, and there are those lands which face downwards like a canopy; coarse, wondrous, or wide, of limitless kinds. There are coarse world systems, and there are also wondrous world systems. Coarse world systems are those of the evil time of the five turbidities. An example of a wondrous world system is the Land of Ultimate Bliss, which is pure and adorned. There are also wide world systems and narrow world systems. They are of immeasurable and limitless kinds.

The Bodhisattva who first bring forth the most supreme mind, -- when the Bodhisattva first brings forth the Bodhi mind, he is able to go to all of them without obstruction. He is able to go to all of those coarse, wondrous, vast and small world systems to teach and transform living beings, and to widely make offerings.

The Bodhisattva’s superior conducts are ineffable. Basically, the superior conduct of this Bodhisattva is truly inexpressible. He cultivates all of them without dwelling anywhere. He cultivates all kinds of dharma doors, yet he has no attachments; that is to say, he does not dwell anywhere. He sees all Buddhas and is continuously blissful. He sees all Buddhas and always produces joy in his heart, and universally enters the most profound ocean of Dharma. He everywhere enters the ocean of wisdom taught by the Buddha.

With pity for the flocks of beings in the five destinies. He has pity for those in the five destinies. The three evil destinies are the hells, animals, and hungry ghosts. One adds to these asuras, and human beings, thus making a total of five. He has pity for those living beings in the five destinies who undergo the most suffering, so he causes them to eradicate their defilements and be universally pure.

Why do we people enter the five defiled destinies? Because our greed, hatred, and stupidity are too heavy. Our defilements are extremely deep, but we want to eradicate our defilements and restore our fundamental purity, so that the Buddha seed continues to flourish without being cut off. The Bodhisattva wants the Buddha’s seed-nature to continue and never be cut off, thus he destroys the demons’ palaces without remainder. He wants to destroy the palaces of the demon kinds, so that they are completely obliterated.

He already abides in the level nature of the Thus Come Ones. The Bodhisattva who first brings forth the great Bodhi mind already abides in the Buddhas’ level, oceanic nature. He well cultivates the path of the subtly wondrous skill-in-means. He perfects all the wondrous expedient teaching devices.

Towards the state of the Buddhas, he gives rise to a heart of faith, and he receives the Buddhas’ anointing his crown, with a mind devoid of attachments. He has deep faith in the states of the Buddhas and the Buddhas’ principles, without giving reise to a heart of doubt. Thus he’s able to receive all of the Buddhas’ principles, without giving rise to a heart of doubt. Thus he’s able to receive all of the Buddhas’ anointing his crown, and yet his mind is without attachments. Because he ahs a Bodhi mind which is the same as the Dharma Realm and spacem he is without any attachment.

Sutra:

At the place of the doubly perfected honored ones,
he is mindful of repaying their kindness.
His mind is like Vajra--indestructible.
He can clearly comprehend the Buddhas’ conduct,
And spontaneously cultivates the conduct of Bodhi.  

Commentary:

At the place of the doubly perfected honored ones – Doubly perfected Honored Ones are those who are perfect in blessings and wisdom -- He is mindful of repaying their kindness. In thought after thought he wishes to repay the Buddhas’ kindness, and to repay the kindness of living beings. His mind is like Vajra--indestructible. In cultivating the Bodhisattva path, one’s mind has to be like vajra. One cannot bring forth the Bodhisattva mind today and then tomorrow decide to be a hungry ghost. If one wishes to cultivate the path today, but then doesn’t cultivate tomorrow, this is not being like vajra. Vajra is solid, clear and sharp. Solid means firm and durable.

Clear means bright and clear. Sharp means keen and sharp. One who has strength which is solid, clear and sharp, is indestructible and unchanging. Those who practice the Bodhisattva path should be as solid as vajra and not retreat from the time they bring forth the mind up until the very last thought. In cultivating the Way, one should not suddenly be vigorous and then suddenly be lazy. “Today I’m vigorous and my heart delights in cultivating the Way. Yet tomorrow I’ll be lazy and I won’t cultivate.” You want to have a mind which is as solid as vajra, steadfast and unchanging.

He can clearly comprehend the Buddhas’ conduct. The Bodhisattva is able to clearly understand all the Dharma doors practice by the Buddhas by using the light of wisdom, and spontaneously cultivates the conduct of Bodhi. He always very naturally cultivates the Dharma doors of the Path to enlightenment and never retreats. That person never retreats from Anuttarasamyaksambodhi. He vigorously goes forward, never thinking of turning back. In cultivating the Way, one is more vigorous each day. Day by day one is more patient and able to endure everything. One is patient with what one cannot be patient with, and one endures what cannot be endured. If you can be like this, you will be able to perfect the practices of Bodhi.

Sutra:

All the destinies are different, with thoughts measureless.
The karmic results and minds are also not of one kind.
Up to and including the various differentiations of the root natures:
Upon first bringing forth the great mind, one can clearly see them all.

The mind is vast and expansive, equal to the Dharma realm,
Without reliance and unchanging like space.
One tends toward the Buddha’s wisdom without any grasping,
And comprehends the limits of reality, without discriminations.

He knows the minds of living beings, without the thoughts of living beings.
He penetratingly understands Dharmas without having thoughts of Dharmas.
Although there are differences, everywhere he is without discriminations,
As he travels to all the millions of nayutas of kshetras.

With the treasury of the wondrous Dharmas of limitless Buddhas,
He accords, contemplates, and enters.
He knows all living beings’ basic practices, and
Reaches a place like that of the World Honored One

Commentary:

All the destinies are different, with thoughts measureless. “All the destinies” refers to the five destinies of living beings: the hells, hungry ghosts, and animal realms, as well as the paths of humans and asuras. These are called “the various mixed dwelling places of the five destinies.” One tends toward and then enters the particular path one is destined for. Each destiny has within it all kinds of differences, and every living being’s thoughts are also immeasurable and limitless.

The karmic results and minds are also not of one kind. Living beings give rise to delusion, create karma, and undergo the retribution. Each one is different and the thoughts in their minds are not the same. Up to and including the various differentiations of the root natures: Upon first bringing forth the great mind, one can clearly see them all. When you first bring forth the Bodhi mind, you are able to clearly comprehend the various karmic results, minds and natures spoken of before.

The mind is vast and expansive, equal to the Dharma realm. The mind of the Bodhisattva who first brings forth the Bodhi mind is vast and expansive, and is as great as the Dharma Realm.Without reliance and unchanging like space. This great mind does not rely on anything and it cannot be changed. You can’t grasp it by means of appearances for it has no appearance: it is like space.

One tends toward the Buddha’s wisdom without any grasping. The Bodhisattva who has brought forth the Bodhi mind goes toward the Buddha’s wisdom, yet he knows there is nothing to attain. No Buddha’s wisdom can be obtained. Why? Because it is like space, without any attachment and nothing to attain. So it says, “without any grasping.” And the Bodhisattva comprehends the limits of reality, without discriminations. He examines and clearly comprehends that the substance of the boundary of reality is without any discriminations at all.

He knows the minds of living beings, without the thoughts of living beings. The Bodhisattva who has brought forth the great mind is just the same as living beings, yet he does not have the false thoughts of living beings. He is apart from thoughts. He penetratingly understands Dharmas without having thoughts of Dharmas. He clearly understands the true characteristics of all dharmas and deeply enters the treasury of Sutras and obtains wisdom like the sea, yet he is not attached to dharmas. Not having the thoughts of living beings is being without the attachment to a “self”. Not having thoughts of dharmas is being without the attachment to dharmas. Thus both of the attachments to a self and to dharmas have been emptied.

Although there are differences, everywhere he is without discriminations. Although the Bodhisattva who has first brought forth the Bodhi mind universally enters all worlds to teach and transform al living beings, yet he doesn’t make discriminations. He is without a discriminating mind, as he travels to all the millions of nayutas of kshetras. He also travels to as many as a hundred thousand, ten thousand million nayutas if Buddha kshetra. He goes to them all in order to draw near, make offerings to, and worship all Buddhas.

With the treasury of the wondrous Dharmas of limitless Buddhas, he accords, contemplates, and enters. He is able to deeply enter into the Thus Come One’s Dharma nature, and he is able to enter the treasury of all dharmas. He knows all living beings’ basic practices, and reaches a place like that of the World Honored One. He is able to reach this kind of position and be born in the family of the Dharma Kind – such a position of honor.

Sutra:  

With pure, great, and appropriate vows,
He delights in making offerings to the
Thus Come Ones without retreating.
People and gods never grow weary of seeing him.

And he is always one of whom
the Buddhas are protective and mindful.
His mind is pure and does not rely on anything.
Although he contemplates profound Dharmas, he does not grasp at them.

He considers them like this for limitless kalpas.
In the three periods of time he is without any attachments.
His mind is solid and difficult to defeat.
He tends toward Buddha’s Bodhi without obstruction.

He resolutely seeks the wondrous path which dispels delusions,
And he travels throughout the Dharma Realm without mentioning his toil.
He knows that the Dharmas of speech are still and extinct.
He only enters true suchness to cut off wrong understanding.

He accordingly contemplates the states of all Buddhas,
And penetrates the three periods of time with a mind which is without obstructions.
The Bodhisattva upon first bringing forth the great mind,
Is immediately able to travel to kshetras everywhere in the ten directions.

Dharma doors are limitless and ineffable;
His wisdom light universally illumines so that all is understood by him.
Great compassion which widely takes beings across is most incomparable.
His kind heart pervades everywhere and is equal to space,
Yet he doesn’t discriminate between living beings.
With purity like this, he travels in the worlds.

Commentary:

With pure, great, and appropriate vows. All of the pure great vows of the Bodhisattva who first brings forth the Bodhimind always respond to living beings. In his own cultivation, the Bodhisatrtva always makes vows, and these vows and practices are always appropriate. He delights in making offerings to the Thus Come Ones without retreating. He always wishes to vastly cultivate the making of offerings. He makes offerings to all the Buddhas of the ten directions and the three periods of time, and never retreats in his resolve. People and gods never grow weary of seeing him. People in the world and the gods above who see this Bodhisattva are always happy, and he is always one of whom the Buddhas are protective and mindful. All of the Buddhas in the ten directions and the three periods of time are always protective and mindful of such a person.

His mind is pure and does not rely on anything. The mind of the Bodhisattva who has brought forth the great Bodhi mind is always pure, and doesn’t have the slightest defiled consideration. Although he contemplates profound Dharmas, he does not grasp at them. He deeply enters the treasury of Sutras with wisdom like the sea. But he doesn’t have any attachments to dharmas. He does not grasp at them. He considers them like this for limitless kalpas. He understands all dharmas, yet is not attached to any dharmas. In this way he considers the profound meaning of all dharmas for limitless, immeasurable kalpas. Such a long time, and in the three periods of time he is without any attachments. He also has no attachment to all the Dharma spoken by all Buddhas in the past, present and future.

His mind is solid and difficult to defeat. The mind of the Bodhisattva who has brought forth the Bodhi mind is always solid. No matter how your try, you cannot break it. There is no way you can cause his firm mind to retreat. He tends toward Buddha’s Bodhi without obstruction. He aims for the Bodhi of all Buddhas without any impediments. He resolutely seeks the wondrous path which dispels delusions. He is determined to find the subtle and wondrous fruit of the path, which dispels all kinds of dark stupidityand confusion. And he travels throughout the Dharma Realm without mentioning his toil. He goes to all world systems in the Dharma Realm to teach and transform living beings, yet he never says to all the Buddhas that it’s a lot of suffering to teach and transform living beings.

He knows that the Dharmas of speech are still and extinct. He knows that all speech is empty, still and extinct. He only enters true suchness to cut off wrong understanding. He only wants to enlighten to the substance of true suchness, and to separate from all improper knowledge and views. He accordingly contemplates the states of all Buddhas. He goes along with and contemplates these Buddha state. And penetrates the three periods of time with a mind which is without obstructions. He penetrates the dharmas of non-attachment of the Buddhas of the three periods of time, therefore his mind does not have any obstructions.

The Bodhisattva upon first bringing forth the great mind, at the time the Bodhisattva first gives rise to the great Bodhi mind, he Is immediately able to travel to kshetras everywhere in the ten directions. He is immediately able to go everywhere in the ten directions to make offerings to all Buddhas. This is because if you bring forth a great mind, your Bodhisattva seed will manifest before the Buddhas of the ten directions and you will make offerings to all of them. Dharma doors are limitless and ineffable. Dharma doors are so numerous that they are immeasurable, limitless and doubly ineffable. His wisdom light universally illumines so that all is understood by him. He has opened up great wisdom so that he illumines and comprehends the real appearance of all dharmas. So it says, “So that all is understood.” This means he himselff understands all dharmas.

Great compassion which widely takes beings across is most incomparable. The Bodhisattva who first brings forth the mind has great compassion which pulls living beings out of suffering vastly crosses over all of them. This kind of merit and virtue and heart of compassion is incomparable. His kind heart pervades everywhere and is equal to space. Compassion is able to pull living beings out of suffering and kindness bestows bliss upon them. The Bodhisattva uses a kind heart to rescue and cross over all living beings everywhere. He is without a dwelling place, like the void, and Yet he doesn’t discriminate between living beings. When he teaches and transforms living beings, he doesn’t discriminate between those who are fine or rotten, or those who are good or evil, or whether or not they have any relationship with himself. He doesn’t have any such discrimination. He crosses over, liberates, teaches, and transforms all living beings everywhere without using a discriminating mind. With purity like this, he travels in the worlds. Since he is pure and unconditioned, he travels everywhere to transform all world systems.

previous   next   Contents

Chapter 17 pages:  1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9    10

return to top