The Merit and Virtue from First Bringing Forth the Mind

Chapter Seventeen

 

 

Sutra:

He pacifies all living beings of the ten directions.
All that he does is true and actual.
He always has a pure mind and does not use wrong speech,
And is constantly aided and protected by all Buddhas.

He is completely mindful of everything in the past,
He totally differentiates everything in the future;
Universally he enters the worlds of the ten directions,
In order to rescue living beings and effect their escape.

The Bodhisattva perfects the wondrous wisdom light,
And well comprehends causes and conditions without and doubts.
All confusion and delusion are completely cut off:
In this manner he travels throughout the Dharma Realm.

The palaces of demon kings are all broken up.
The obscuring cataract of living beings is extinguished.
He leaves discriminations and has an unmoving mind,
And well comprehends the state of the Thus Come Ones.  

Commentary:

He pacifies all living beings of the ten directions. He causes all living beings to become content, and to have no difficulty or obstructions. All that he does is true and actual. Whatever he does is true and actual, without any falseness. In the Expansive Sutras there is a passage in which the Buddha speaks to Thunderous Causes Bodhisattva about the past causes and conditions of the Dharma Flower Sutra. He said, “In the past there was a Buddha named Words of Praise, who has long since entered Nirvana. When this Buddha was in the world, you and I were the same.”

When that Buddha was in the world there was a Bodhisattva named Superior Leader, who transformationally appeared as a begging monk, a Bhikshu. He went into the city to beg for alms. At the same time there was another Bhikshu whose name was Always Auspicious, who spoke to the begging monk, saying, “Where do you come from?”

The monk responded, “I come from the true and actual.”

Then Always Auspicious further asked him, “What is meant by true and actual?”

The Bodhisattva Superior Leader, who assumed the transformational appearance of a begging monk, replied, “The true and actual is characterized by still extinction.”

The Bhikshu Always Auspicious again asked, “Within that which is characterized by still extinction, is there any seeking or not?”

The begging monk responded, “There is no seeking.”

The Bhikshu Always Auspicious then said, “Why are you still seeking within that which is without seeking?”

The begging monk answered, “Because I am within that which is without seeking, I want to seek.”

Always Auspicious Bhikshu again asked, “Why do you still seek within that which is without seeking?”

The begging monk answered, “All one seeks for, obtains, attaches to, what is true, what can be spoken, what is asked, are all empty. This is what is called the still extinction of Nirvana in which everything, including the world, is empty. Because these are progressively empty dharma, within emptiness I seek the true and actual.”

Always Auspicious Bhikshu asked, “Bodhisattva, where do you seek the true and actual?”

The begging monk said, “Within the Six Paramitas and the Ten Thousand Conducts.”

After Always Auspicious Bhikshu heard the begging monk respond to him in this manner, he was very happy. He sold his own body, and then took the money he received from selling it and offered it to the begging monk. See how people in the past, in their quest for Dharma, gave rise to the great Bodhi mind and made offerings to the Bodhisattvas and the Triple Jewel. He took his own body and sold it in order to make and offering to the begging monk. So it says in the text, “All that he does is true and actual.”

He always has a pure mind and does not use wrong speech. He always maintains a pure mind and does not speak contradictory words. All that he says is true; he does not speak empty and false words. And this Bodhisattva who first brings for the Bodhi mind is constantly aided and protected by all Buddhas of the ten directions.

He is completely mindful of everything in the past. The Buddhas of the past are also always mindful of the Bodhisattva who has first brought forth the Bodhi mind. He totally differentiates everything in the future. All the Buddhas in the future also especially aid and protect this Bodhisattvas. Universally he enters the worlds of the ten directions. From the time he first brings forth the Bodhi mind until he realizesthe Right and Equal Enlightenment, he is able to enter all the world systems of the ten directions, In order to rescue living beings and effect their escape. He does this so as to widely cross over living beings and cause them all to leave suffering and obtain happiness.

The Bodhisattva perfects the wondrous wisdom light. The Bodhisattva perfects wondrous wisdom, And well comprehends causes and conditions without and doubts. He clearly understands all causes and conditions, results and retribution, and he doesn’t have the slightest doubt about them. All confusion and delusion are completely cut off. The Bodhisattva understands any situation he perceives. He sees all living beings and clearly understands all of their actions, so he doesn’t have any confusion; rather, he has cut it off and attained wisdom. In this manner he travels throughout the Dharma Realm. With this kinds of great wisdom, he travels throughout the entire Dharma Realm.

The palaces of demon kings are all broken up. That Bodhisattva is able to cause the palaces of demon kings to be broken up and ruined. The obscuring cataract of living beings is extinguished. Living beings’ ignorance is like an obscuring membrane. It is as if their eyes produce an obscuring film so they can’t see clearly. But now, this cataract is extinguished so it doesn’t exist anymore, which means living beings’ ignorance is destroyed. He leaves discriminations and has an unmoving mind. When the Bodhisattva teaches and transforms living beings, it is done universally with a mind which doesn’t make discriminations and does not move. And he well comprehends the state of the Thus Come Ones. He well understands all of the states attained by the Thus Come Ones.

Sutra:

The net of doubts of the three periods of time has already been obliterated.
In the presence of the Thus Come Ones, he gives rise to pure faith.
By means of faith, he realizes unmoving wisdom.
Because of the purity of his wisdom, he understands the true and actual.

In order to cause living beings to escape,
He universally benefits them, exhausting the boundaries of the future.
For a long time he toils, yet his mind is without repulsion,
To the extent that he also calmly endures the hells.

His blessings and wisdom are limitless and totally perfected.
The roots and desires of living beings are all known to him,
As well as all of their karma and actions.
He speaks the Dharma for them as they like it.

He understands that everything is empty and without a self.
He has kind thoughts for living beings without ever forsaking them.
He enters the world everywhere and proclaims
A single, subtly wondrous sound of great compassion.

He emits great light of various colors,
Which universally shines upon living beings and eradicates their darkness.
Within the light are Bodhisattvas seated upon lotus flowers,
Who for the sake of the multitudes, proclaim Dharmas of purity.

Commentary:

The net of doubts of the three periods of time has already been obliterated. All of his various habits of the past, present, and the future, as well as his confusion and net of doubts, have already been demolished. They don’t exist anymore. In the presence of the Thus Come Ones, he gives rise to pure faith. In the Buddhas’ Way places, he produces a heart of pure faith. By means of faith, he realizes unmoving wisdom. By means of a heart of pure faith, he accomplishes unmoving wisdom. Because of the purity of his wisdom, he understands the true and actual. Because he has pure, unmoving wisdom, he is able to clearly understand true and actual principles.

In order to cause living beings to escape—because he wishes to cross over and liberate all living beings so that they leave suffering and obtain bliss, He universally benefits them, exhausting the boundaries of the future. He exhausts the boundaries of the future in order to pervasively benefit all living beings. For a long time he toils, yet his mind is without repulsion. For a very long time he cultivates all kinds of suffering and undergoes all kinds of practices which do not comply with his heart, yet he does not become distressed or afflicted, To the extent that he also calmly endures the hells. The Bodhisattva, for the sake of teaching and transforming all living beings, bears all kinds of suffering, so he is not afraid to go down to the hells.

His blessings and wisdom are limitless and totally perfected. All of the blessings and wisdom which he has cultivated are full and complete, they are totally perfected. The roots and desires of living beings are all known to him. He also totally understands living beings’ basic natures and what they desire, As well as all of their karma and actions. He clearly understands all living beings’ karma and actions, and He speaks the Dharma for them as they like it. He speaks Dharma for living beings as they like it. He uses giving, kind words, beneficial acts, and identical work – the Four Dharmas of Attraction – to teach and transform living beings.

He understands that everything is empty and without a self. He understands that every single thing is empty and has no true self; therefore, he doesn’t have any attachments. He has kind thoughts for living beings without ever forsaking them. He always thinks of living beings with kindness and compassion, and he never forsakes a single one. He enters the world everywhere and proclaims A single, subtly wondrous sound of great compassion. He enters all world systems everywhere to speak the Dharma for all beings, and uses a single, greatly compassionate, subtle and wondrous sound.

He emits great light of various colors. He puts forth a really great light which has all kinds of colors, Which universally shines upon living beings and eradicates their darkness. It shines upon living beings everywhere and dispels all of their darkness of ignorance. Within the light are Bodhisattvas seated upon lotus flowers. Within the light there are Bodhisattvas seated upon great jeweled lotus flowers, Who for the sake of the multitudes, proclaim Dharmas of purity. For the sake of all living beings, they explain all of the pure, wondrous dharmas.

Sutra:

On the tip of a single hair he manifests a multitude of kshetras,
And all the great Bodhisattvas fill them up.
The wisdom of the assemblies are each different;
All are able to clearly comprehend the hearts of living beings.

Commentary:

The Bodhisattva who first brings forth the mind receives the great awesome spiritual power of all the Buddhas of the ten directions. On the tip of a single hair he manifests a multitude of kshetras, And all the great Bodhisattvas fill them up. He is able to manifest the Buddha kshetras of the ten directions, and all those Buddha kshetras are also filled up with all the great Bodhisattvas. In each land is a pure oceanic assembly of great Bodhisattvas. The wisdom of the assemblies are each different; All are able to clearly comprehend the hearts of living beings. All of these bodhisattvas understand the thoughts in the hearts of living beings.

Sutra:

The world systems of the ten directions are ineffable.
In a single thought he pervasively travels to them without exception.
Benefitting living beings and making offerings to the Buddhas,
At the Buddhas’ places he asks about the profound meanings.

He thinks of all Thus Come Ones as a father,
And for the sake of living beings he cultivates the conduct of awakening.
His wisdom and skillful means penetrate the treasury of Dharmas,
And he enters the place of profound wisdom without any attachments.

Complying with their thoughts he speaks of the Dharma Realm,
Passing through limitless kalpas which cannot be exhausted.
Although his wisdom well enters, he is without a dwelling place,
Being without weariness, satiation, or attachments.

He is born in the family of the Buddhas of the three periods of time,
And is certified to the Thus Come Ones’ wondrous Dharma body.
Universally for the sake of the flocks of beings, he appears in many forms.
Just like magician, there is nothing he cannot do.

Perhaps he manifests to be beginning his cultivation of the most supreme conducts.
Or maybe he manifests birth, or leaving home.
Or he manifests realizing Bodhi under the tree.
Or for the sake of living beings, he manifests entry into nirvana.

The Bodhisattva abides in rare Dharmas;
They are solely the states of the Buddha, not that of the two vehicles.
His body, mouth and mind have been completely renounced.
According to various kinds of opportunities, he is able to manifest.

The Buddhadharmas which the Bodhisattva has obtained:
If living beings would try to consider them, they would go mad.
His wisdom enters ultimate reality and his mind is without obstruction.
He universally manifests the Thus Come Ones’ power of comfort and ease.

In the world he is unequalled,
How much the more his ever-increasing supreme conduct!
Although he has not perfected all wisdom,
Yet he has already attained the Thus Come Ones’ power of self-mastery.

He already abides in the ultimate path of the one vehicle,
And deeply enters the subtly wondrous and most superior Dharma.
He knows well what is and is not appropriate for living beings.
In order to benefit them he manifests spiritual penetrations.  

Commentary:

The world systems of the ten directions are ineffable. World systems are very many. One could never describe them completely with words. In a single thought he pervasively travels to them without exception. Although there are so many world systems, the Bodhisattva in a single thought is able to travel to all of them, Benefitting living beings and making offerings to the Buddhas, He goes to all world systems; “below he transforms living beings, and above, he seeks the Buddha path.” Therefore, he makes offerings to all Buddhas. At the Buddhas’ places he asks about the profound meanings. At the places of all the Buddhas of the ten directions, he asks about the deep, profound, and wondrous meanings.

He thinks of all Thus Come Ones as a father. The Bodhisattva takes all the Thus Come Ones, that is, the Buddhas, as his own compassionate father, so it says he thinks of them like a father. And for the sake of living beings he cultivates the conduct of awakening. Because he wants to benefit living beings he cultivates all the practices of enlightenment. This practice can also be called “feeling and pondering.” “Feeling and Pondering” means having a feeling of something and pondering over it.

There are eight kinds of feelings that one contemplates. The first is the feeling of desire. This is the kind of state where you always want to obtain what your heart desires. The second is the feeling of hatred. The feeling of hatred is to always get angry. When one’s fire of ignorance is very great, one is never able to take a look at oneself but always gets upset with other people. The third is the feeling of arrogance it is the urge of always wanting to trouble other people. One can also say that these first three are greed, hatred, and stupidity.

The fourth is the feeling for one’s relations. One always has thoughts of those whom one is close to, such as one’s relations and friends, and this is not is harmony with the Way. The fifth is the feeling for one’s country. One is always concerned about whether one’s country is at peace or at war. The sixth is the feeling of not wanting to die. One does not seem to know that one day one will die, so one accumulates a lot of wealth to live one, in order to nourish and support one’s life.

The seventh is the feeling of class. This means one is always discriminating between high and low amidst the classes – “this is high class” or “this is low class.” The eight is the feeling of contempt, which may also be called arrogance. One is all puffed up and haughty and always feels that one is better than anyone else. These eight kinds of feelings are not in harmony with the Way. Therefore, they must be transformed so that one becomes in harmony with that Way.

His wisdom and skillful means penetrate the treasury of Dharmas. If one has ample wisdom, then one’s skillful, expedient methods penetrate the true appearance of all dharmas, or the treasury of Dharmas. And he enters the place of profound wisdom without any attachments. The Bodhdisattva enters the Bodhisattva’s most profound door of Prajna wisdom, yet he has no place of attachment.

Complying with their thoughts he speaks of the Dharma Realm. He accords with living beings’ thoughts and speaks of all the Dharma Realms. Passing through limitless kalpas which cannot be exhausted. He passes through immeasurable kalpas – such a long time – which can never be exhausted. One could never finish speaking about them. Although his wisdom well enters, he is without a dwelling place. Although his wisdom well enters the treasury of Dharmas, still he has no dwelling place, and he is without weariness, satiation, or attachments. He feels there is nothing to be got at; it is as though there is nothing to be hot at; it is as though there is nothing at all.

For example, we who study the Buddhadharma, study for one day and feel as if we haven’t gotten anything from it. Or we may study for two days, and also feel as if we haven’t obtained anything; up to the point that we may study for several years and still feel we haven’t obtained anything. Yet, although we haven’t obtained anything, we do not become weary. Whenever we feel we have studied enough Buddhadharma, and then become weary of it, this is not practicing the bodhisattva path without attachments. “Without the Bodhisattva path without attachments. “Without attachments” means one isn’t attached to anything. One is not attached to what one has or has not obtained.

He is born in the family of the Buddhas of the three periods of time. The Bodhisattva who first brings forth the mind, gets born within the family of the Buddhas of the three periods of time and becomes a son of the Dharma King, And is certified to the Thus Come Ones’ wondrous Dharma body. He has realized the Buddhas’ wondrous Dharma nature body. Universally for the sake of the flocks of beings, he appears in many forms. For the sake of living beings everywhere, he appears in all kinds of bodies. Just like magician, there is nothing he cannot do. He is just like a magician who can conjure up thousands of changes and ten thousand tricks – there is nothing he can’t do.

Perhaps he manifests to be beginning his cultivation of the most supreme conducts. Perhaps the Bodhisattva appears to be just beginning to cultivate the most supreme conduct of the Bodhisattva path, Or maybe he manifests birth, or leaving home. Maybe he appears as first being born in the world, or he manifests leaving home to cultivate the Way. Or he manifests realizing Bodhi under the tree. Beneath the Bodhi tree he appears to realize the Buddha fruit of Right of Equal Enlightenment. Or for the sake of living beings, he manifests entry into nirvana. Or perhaps he fears that living beings will be too dependent on him. That is why every Buddha who comes into the world enters Nirvana after a certain period of time has passed.

The Bodhisattva abides in rare Dharmas. The Bodhisattva abides in dharmas which rarely exist. They are solely the states of the Buddha, not that of the two vehicles. Everything he does is for the sake of states of the Buddha, and not for the sake of the Two Vehicles: the Sound Hearers and Those Enlightened to Conditions. His body, mouth and mind have been completely renounced. The Bodhisattva’s three karmas of body, mouth, and mind are pure. He is without the three evil karmas. According to various kinds of opportunities, he is able to manifest. When the Bodhisattva who first brings forth the mind teaches and transforms living beings, he uses all kinds of expedient Dharma doors. He speaks Dharma and manifests all bodies in accordance with what is appropriate.

The Buddhadharmas which the Bodhisattva has obtained – the various supreme Buddha dharmas which the bodhisattva who first brings forth the mind has obtained: If living beings would try to consider them, they would go mad. Living beings do not understand this state, so if they tried to think of the Bodhisattva’s state they would five rise to fear in their hearts and go crazy. His wisdom enters ultimate reality and his mind is without obstruction. The Bodhisattva’s Prajna wisdom enters the substance of reality, and his mind is without impediments. He universally manifests the Thus Come Ones’ power of comfort and ease. He is able to pervasively manifest the Buddhas’ free and easy spiritual powers.

In the world he is unequalled. Within the world there is no one who can compare with him, How much the more his ever-increasing supreme conduct! How much more his very supreme doors of conduct which increase day by day. Although he has not perfected all wisdom, although he has not obtained the Buddhas’ All Wisdom, Yet he has already attained the Thus Come Ones’ power of self-mastery. Yet he has already attained the Buddhas’ free and easy spiritual powers.

He already abides in the ultimate path of the one vehicle. He already dwells in the ultimate Buddha path of the One Vehicle, And deeply enters the subtly wondrous and most superior Dharma. He deeply enters the inconceivable, most superior Dharma doors. He knows well what is and is not appropriate for living beings. He well knows the hearts of living beings and the proper time he should cross them over; he knows whether or not it is the appropriate time. In order to benefit them he manifests spiritual penetrations. Because he wishes to benefit living beings, he manifests all kinds of spiritual penetrations.

Sutra:

His division bodies pervasively fill up all kshetras,
Emitting pure bright light which dispels the world’s darkness,
Just like a dragon king who raises a great cloud,
Everywhere raining down a wondrous rain so all are satisfied.

He knows living beings are like an illusory dream;
Because of the force of karma they always flow and turn.
With great compassion and pity he rescues and pulls them out.
For their sakes he explains the unconditioned pure Dharma nature.

The Buddha’s power is limitless and his is the same way;
Just like space, it has no boundaries.
In order to cause living beings to obtain liberation,
For a million kalpas he diligently cultivates, yet does not become weary.  

Commentary:

His division bodies pervasively fill up all kshetras. The Bodhisattva’s division bodies pervade all Buddha kshetras, Emitting pure bright light which dispels the world’s darkness. He emits great wisdom light, causing all of the world’s darkness to disperse. He is Just like a dragon king who raises a great cloud. This is just like a dragon king in space who produces a great cloud, Everywhere raining down a wondrous rain so all are satisfied. He rains down the wondrous Dharma rain, everywhere causing all living beings who are suffering from thirst to obtain nourishment.

He knows living beings are like an illusory dream. The Bodhisattva sees that all living beings are the same as an illusory dream. Because of the force of karma they always flow and turn. All living beings give rise to delusion, create karma, and undergo retribution, so that within the wheel of the six paths they turn, coming and going. With great compassion and pity he rescues and pulls them out. The Bodhisattva with a heart of great compassion, pities all living beings, and rescues them so they leave suffering and attain happiness. For their sakes he explains the unconditioned pure Dharma nature. For the sake of living beings he teaches them about the unconditioned pure Dharma nature.

The Buddha’s power is limitless and his is the same way. The Buddha’s power is immeasurable and limitless, and the Bodhisattva’s power in teaching and transforming living beings is also immeasurable and limitless. Just like space, it has no boundaries. It is just like space which has no boundaries or limits. In order to cause living beings to obtain liberation – in order to cause all living beings to obtain liberation -- For a million kalpas he diligently cultivates, yet does not become weary. For a long time he diligently cultivates the Buddha dharma, cultivating morality, samadhi and wisdom and destroying greed, hatred and stupidity, in order to cause living beings to obtain liberation. He does not fear becoming weary due to the sufferings he undergoes.

Sutra:

With all kinds of meditation’s wondrous merit and virtue,
He well cultivates the unsurpassed, foremost karma.
Never renouncing all supreme conduct,
He fixes his thoughts on the achievement of all wisdom.

One body manifests measureless bodies,
Which totally pervade all world systems.
His mind is pure, without discriminations:
One thought of his power which is difficult to conceive of, is like this.  

Commentary:

With all kinds of meditation’s wondrous merit and virtue – he uses all kinds of samadhis of dhyana concentrations to cultivate all wondrous merit and virtue. Ch’an bliss serves as his food and he is filled with the happiness of Dharma. He well cultivates the unsurpassed, foremost karma. Well cultivating means always going forward with vigor, without thinking of retreating. “The unsurpassed, foremost karma” is the foremost karma of bringing forth the Bodhi mind and cultivating the path of a Bodhisattva. Never renouncing all supreme conduct—he cultivates all Dharma doors and he never thinks of renouncing the Bodhisattva path, and He fixes his thoughts on the achievement of all wisdom. He fixes his thoughts on all living beings in order to teach and transform them. Therefore, he is determined to realize All Wisdom, and the Wisdom of All Modes.

One body manifests measureless bodies, Which totally pervade all world systems. One body is able to manifest immeasurable bodies and immeasurable bodies are able to become one body. This kinds of wondrous functioning of spiritual penetrations fills us all world systems everywhere and is the manifestation of a Bodhisattva’s spiritual attainments. His mind is pure, without discriminations. The Bodhisattva who practices the path of teaching and transforming living beings does not discriminate living beings’ good and bad or right and wrong. He wants to teach and transform them all no matter how good or bad or right or wrong they are. Within a single thought he is able to totally fill up all the Buddha lands in the ten direstions and three periods of time. One thought of his power which is difficult to conceive of, is like this. His inconceivable power is just this way.

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