The Ten Grounds

Chapter Twenty-Six

 

 

Sutra:  

His nature does not engage in loose speech. The Bodhisattva always delights in thoughtful, examined speech, in appropriate speech, in true speech, meaningful speech, lawful speech, speech that accords with Way-principle, skillfully taming and regulating speech, speech reckoned and measured according to the time and which is decisive. This Bodhisattva even when making jokes, always weighs his words, so how much less would he deliberately pour out scattered and abandoned talk.  

His nature does not engage in greed. The Bodhisattva, concerning others’ wealth and property, as well as things owned and used by others, does not give rise to greed. He does not wish for them or seek them.  

Commentary:

His nature does not engage in loose speech, the Bodhisattva always delights in thoughtful, examined speech. What is loose speech? It means ridiculing people or intimidating people, or making people who hear it have defiled thoughts. When the Bodhisattva talks, he doesn’t just say whatever he pleases. Before he talks, he thinks over what he’s going to say and examines it well, and then he says it in only appropriate speech.

When he talks it has to be at just the time he is supposed to talk. If it isn’t time to talk, he won’t talk. He’d never say, “I’m going to go ahead and answer questions I shouldn’t answer.” That would be to speak inappropriately, not knowing when it was the right time to talk. What he says is in true speech, very accurate and genuine, without the least bit of falseness. When he talks it is meaningful speech. What he says has principle and is reasonable.

At all times when the Bodhisattva speak it is lawful speech, speech in accord with Dharma. If it were talk not in accord with Dharma, he wouldn’t speak it. His is speech that accords with way-principle. What the Bodhisattva says has to be in accord with Way-principle and not opposed to it. He uses skillfully taming and regulating speech. The Bodhisattva, in teaching and transforming living beings uses very skillful and clever expedient methods to tame and subdue them.

His is speech reckoned and measured according to the time and which is decisive. According to the occasion, he estimates and measures his words, and they have certainty to them. This Bodhisattva, even when making jokes, always weighs his words. Even when he cracks a joke, he thinks it over and asks himself it if is a joke he can make, whether it is appropriate or not, so how much the less would he deliberately pour out scattered and abandoned talk. He would be even less likely to come out with confused and scattered talk.

His nature does not engage in greed. The Bodhisattva’s nature is not greedy, he’s not greedy for sexual misconduct. The Bodhisattva, concerning others’ wealth and property, as well as things owned and used by others-others possessions and the things they use daily, does not give rise to greed. He would never become greedy or grasping. He does not wish for them or seek them. He’d never say, “I really like that. I’d really like to get that,” seeing people and telling them to give him gifts. One shouldn’t be so greedy. No matter what anyone gives you, if you can do without it, do without it. Don’t be greedy and seek for things, and then no matter where you go, everything will go well, and nothing will go badly.

Sutra:  

His nature is free from anger and hatred. The Bodhisattva, towards all living beings, constantly brings forth a mind of kindness; a benefitting mind; a mind of pity and sympathy; a happy mind; a compatible mind; a mind of accepting and gathering them in. He once and for all abandons anger, hatred, resentment, malevolence, rage, and irritation. He is always considerate and cooperative in his conduct, humane, kind, and helpful.  

He is, further, free from deviant views. The Bodhisattva dwells in the proper paths, he does not practice astrology or divination. He does not grasp at evil precepts. His mind’s views are proper and upright. He does not deceive, he does not flatter. Towards the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha he brings forth decisive faith.  

Commentary:

His nature is free from anger and hatred. When the Bodhisattva cultivates, he very naturally, in his own nature, becomes free from anger and from hatred. The Bodhisattva, towards all living beings-the Bodhisattva who cultivates the Bodhisattva Way and accumulates all kinds of good roots towards the living beings of the nine Dharma realms-constantly brings forth a mind of kindness. He at all times has thoughts of kindness and compassion, wishing to give living beings happiness. He has a benefitting mind. He is always benefitting all living beings; that’s the kind of mind he should have. He has a mind of pity and sympathy. He always thinks of living beings as pitiful, and he has much sympathy for them all; and so he always helps them. He has a happy mind.

The Bodhisattva, in his mind, is always very, very happy, and he never worries. The Bodhisattva has a compatible mind. He always gets along with living beings and is kind to them, so living beings all like him. He has a mind of accepting and gathering them in. He can also gather in and accept all living beings. He once and for all abandons anger-he gets rid of his temper, his anger, once and for all-as well as, hatred, resentment, malevolence, rage, and irritation. He stops hating. He also gives up resentment and dislike.

He is always considerate and cooperative in his conduct, humane, kind… He always considers how he can cooperate with others. He is humane and kind towards all living beings, and he sympathizes with them all. And he is helpful to all living beings.

He is, further, free from deviant views. Bodhisattvas at all times maintain proper knowledge and proper views and stay far away from deviant knowledge and deviant views. The Bodhisattva dwells in the proper paths. The Bodhisattva always dwells in the eight proper paths. He does not practice astrology or divination. The Bodhisattva does not consult the Book of Changes to find out if something is going to be lucky or unlucky. He doesn’t use it. People can know about the principles of the Book of Changes, but if you are practicing the Bodhisattva Way, you don’t need to do divination. Why not?

The superior person asks about calamities,
And does not ask about blessings.

The superior person asks whether there are going to be disasters or not. He doesn’t ask, for example, “If I gamble, can I make a million dollars?” He doesn’t ask about his rewards of blessings, wondering, “What good things am I going to get? What advantages will I have?” Because he is that way, the Bodhisattva who practices the Bodhisattva Path does not need to ask about whether events are going to be lucky or not. Since he doesn’t have to find out whether something is auspicious or inauspicious, he doesn’t need to practice divination or astrology. The Bodhisattva is not afraid of disasters, so he doesn’t have to ask about them. Whether things go for him or against him, he accepts them all. He takes whatever he has coming to him. For this reason, he doesn’t practice fortune-telling, and the like.

He does not grasp at evil precepts. The Bodhisattva also does not maintain the precepts of cattle or dogs. For example, in India there are people who adhere to the behavior of dogs and cows, hoping to be reborn in heaven. But, the Bodhisattva doesn’t discipline himself in that way. His mind’s views are proper and upright. His mind is proper and upright, and his views are proper and upright, too. The straight mind is the Way place. He is not crooked. He does not deceive. He would not be able to lie, under any circumstances, to cheat people. He does not flatter. Also, he would never flatter people or play up to them. Towards the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha he brings forth decisive faith. He brings forth a mind of decisive faith towards the Buddha jewel, the Dharma jewel, and the Sangha jewel. He would never be able to have any doubts.

Sutra:  

Disciples of the Buddha, the Bodhisattva, Mahasattva, in this way protects and maintains the Ten Wholesome Karmic Paths constantly without interruption. He further makes the following reflection: “All living beings who fall into the evil destinies, without exception, do so because of the Ten Unwholesome Karmic Acts. Therefore, I should myself practice proper conduct. Why is that? If I, myself, am not able to cultivate proper conduct, it would be impossible to make others cultivate it.”  

Disciples of the Buddha, this Bodhisattva, Mahasattva, further makes the following reflection: “The Ten Unwholesome Karmic Paths are causes for undergoing rebirth in the hells, as an animal, or as a hungry ghost. The Ten Wholesome Karmic Paths are causes for receiving birth as a person or as a god, up to the station of the summit of existence.  

“Furthermore, when the supreme grade of these Ten Wholesome Karmic Paths is cultivated by means of wisdom, and when one’s mind is low and inferior, and when one fears the three realms, and because one is deficient in great compassion, and when one’s understanding comes from hearing the sounds of others, one accomplishes the vehicle of a sound-hearer.  

“Furthermore, when the supreme grade of these Ten Wholesome Karmic Paths is cultivated to purity, and when one has not been taught by others but becomes enlightened on one’s own, when one is not fully endowed with great compassion or expedient means, when one is enlightened through understanding of profound dharmas of causes and conditions, one accomplishes the vehicle of those solitarily enlightened.  

“Furthermore, when the supreme grade of these Ten Wholesome Karmic Paths is cultivated to purity, and when one’s mind is vast and limitless, when one is endowed with compassion and sympathy, when one uses expedient means to gather in beings, when one brings forth great vows, when one does not abandon living beings, when one seeks the great wisdom of all Buddhas, when one purifies and regulates all the Bodhisattva Grounds, when one purely cultivates all the paramitas, one accomplishes the vast, great conduct of a Bodhisattva.  

“Furthermore, as to the most supreme grade of these Ten Wholesome Karmic Paths, when one has purified all modes, up to and including certifying to the ten powers and the four fearlessnesses, then one accomplishes all Buddhadharmas. Therefore, I now equally cultivate the Ten Wholesome Paths, and I should bring them all to perfect purity.”  

The Bodhisattva should study such expedient means as those.  

Commentary:

Vajra Treasury Bodhisattva calls out and says: disciples of the Buddha, do you know or not? The Bodhisattva, Mahasattva, the great Bodhisattva who cultivates the Bodhisattva Way and accumulates all kinds of good roots, in this way protects and maintains the Ten Wholesome Karmic Paths constantly without interruption. He in that way protects and maintains the ten kinds of good ways and never stops doing so.

He further makes the following reflection: he again thinks, “All living beings who fall into the evil destinities, who fall to be hell beings, hungry ghosts, or animals-all, without exception, do so because of the Ten Unwholesome Karmic Acts. It’s because of committing the Ten Unwholesome Deeds that they fall.

Therefore, I should myself practice proper conduct. I, myself, should cultivate the proper conduct of the Ten Wholesome Karmic Acts, and also encourage others to practice proper conduct. I should bring other living beings to cultivate proper conduct, to practice the Ten Wholesome paths of karma. Why is that? If I, myself, am not able to cultivate proper conduct-should I be unable to do it myself, it would be impossible to make others cultivate it. It would not be correct to tell others to cultivate.”

Disciples of the Buddha, this Bodhisattva, Mahasattva-the Bodhisattva who is great among Bodhisattvas, further makes the following reflection: he also thinks, “The Ten Unwholesome Karmic Paths-the ten kinds of bad deeds-are causes for undergoing rebirth in the hells, as an animal, or as a hungry ghost.” If you commit the Ten Unwholesome Acts, then you will fall into the three evil destinies. “The Ten Wholesome Karmic Paths are causes for receiving birth as a person or as a god, up to the station of the summit of existence.” If you practice the Ten Good Deeds, then you may be born a person or be born in the heaven of the summit of existence, which is the highest heaven. It forms that kind of cause.

“Furthermore, when the supreme grade of these Ten Wholesome Karmic Paths, the highest category of the Ten Wholesome Deeds-is cultivated by means of wisdom, and when one’s mind is low and inferior and when one fears the Three Realms-when one has a very small mind or else is afraid of the suffering in the Three Realms-and because one is deficient in great compassion-one should open up one’s mind to become a great compassion mind and when one’s understanding comes from hearing the sounds of others-upon hearing someone else lecture Sutras and speak the Dharma, one understands-one accomplishes the Vehicle of a Sound Hearer.” In that way one can accomplish the Vehicle of a Sound Hearer and become an Arhat.

“Furthermore, when the supreme grade of these Ten Wholesome Karmic Paths-the highest category of the Ten Good Deeds-is cultivated to purity-when well cultivated-and when one has not been taught by others but becomes enlightened on one’s own-when one does not hear others speak, but one becomes enlightened on one’s own refers to the Solitarily Enlightened Ones. When one is not fully endowed with great compassion or expedient means-when on has not yet perfected great compassion or skill in means and so needs to cultivate the Ten Wholesome Acts; when on is enlightened through understanding of profound Dharmas of causes and conditions-one understands the interactions of causes and conditions, those profound Dharmas, one accomplishes the Vehicle of those Solitarily Enlightened.” Then one becomes solitarily enlightened.

“Furthermore, when the supreme grade of these Ten Wholesome Karmic Paths is cultivated to purity-if you can cultivate it to total purity-and when one’s mind is vast and limitless, when on is endowed with compassion and sympathy, when one uses expedient means to gather in beings, when one brings forth great vows, when one does not abandon living beings, but forever teaches and transforms them, when one seeks the great wisdom of all Buddhas; when one purifies and regulates all the Bodhisattva Grounds- to seek the great wisdom of a Buddha, one should cultivate the Dharma doors of the Ten Grounds; when one purely cultivates all the Paramitas-cultivating all the Six Paramitas and the Ten Thousand Practices of a Bodhisattva, one accomplishes the vast, great conduct of a Bodhisattva.

“Furthermore, as to the most supreme grade of these Ten Wholesome Karmic Paths, when one has purified all modes-when one has purified the wisdom of all modes-up to and including certifying to the Ten Powers and the Four Fearlessnesses, then one accomplishes all Buddhadharmas-then one can bring all Buddhadharmas to successful conclusion. Therefore, I now equally cultivate the Ten Wholesome Paths, and I should bring them all to perfect purity. I should equally cultivate all the Ten Wholesome Paths of karma to purity.”

The Bodhisattva should study such expedient means as those. Bodhisattvas should study and practice those kinds of expedient Dharma doors.

Sutra:  

Disciples of the Buddha, this Bodhisattva, Mahasattva, further makes the following reflection, “Of the Ten Unwholesome Karmic Paths, the most severe are causes for the hells, the average degrees are causes for the animals, and the least severe are causes for the hungry ghosts.  

“Among them, the offense of killing can cause living beings to fall to the hells, animals, and hungry ghosts. If they are born among people, they have two kinds of retribution: one, a short life; two, many illnesses. The offense of stealing also causes living beings to fall into the three evil paths. If they are born among people, they have to kinds of retribution: one, they are poor; two, their wealth is held in common, and they do not have free use of it.  

Commentary:

Vajra Treasury Bodhisattva again says: disciples of the Buddha, this Bodhisattva, Mahasattva-this great Bodhisattva who cultivates the Bodhisattva Way and accumulates all kinds of good roots, when he attains the position of the Second Ground, that of Leaving Filth, he further makes the following reflection, he makes another contemplation, saying: “Of the Ten Unwholesome Karmic Paths, the ten kinds of paths of karmic retribution which are not good, the most severe are causes for the hells. The most terrible and serious is that one has to fall into the hells. The average degrees are causes for the animals. The middle degree is that one has to become and animal, and the least severe are causes for the hungry ghosts. The least serious is having to become a hungry ghost.

“Among them, the offense of killing can cause living beings to fall to the hells, animals, and hungry ghosts.” The first among the Ten Unwholesome Karmic Paths is the offense of killing, which makes living beings fall into the destiny of the hells. There are millions upon millions of hells, not just one single hell. Their varieties are limitless. Hells are one of the three evil destinities and so are the animals. There are also millions upon millions of different kinds of animals. There are also countless varieties of hungry ghosts of different species and types. “If they are born among people, they have two kinds of retribution: “If you commit the Ten Unwholesome Karmic Acts, afterwards you fall into the three evil destinies.

When that is over and you are born as a person among people, you have two kinds of retribution coming to you. What are they? “One, a short life.” You like to kill? When you have finished undergoing your retribution in the three evil paths and become a person, you still have a short life. Maybe you will be born for a few days and then die. Or, you may die after a few months, or even a few years. You undergo the retribution of having a short life. “Two, many illnesses.” Perhaps you life won’t be short, but when you are a person you will always be sick. If you don’t have one illness, you will have another. That’s from killing.

“The second is the offense of stealing which also causes living beings to fall into the three evil paths.” It, too, makes all living beings who violate, by committing the offense of stealing, fall into the hells, the animals, and the hungry ghosts, those three evil paths. “If they are born among people, they have two kinds of retribution. One, they are poor.” Now you know why you are so poor. It’s because you committed the offense of stealing too heavily in your previous lives, so now you are destitute. “Two, their wealth is held in common, and they do not have free use of it.” The first was being poor. In the second, you do have a little bit of money, but it is jointly owned with someone else. It’s not entirely your own. Other people can tell you what to do with it. They control it, and so you can’t use it freely as you wish.

Sutra:  

“The offense of sexual misconduct also causes living beings to fall into the three evil paths. If they are born among people, they have two kinds of retribution: one, their wives will not be good or faithful; two, they will not have a retinue that accords with their intent.

The offense of lying also causes living beings to fall into the three evil paths. If they are born among people, they have two kinds of retribution: one, they will be slandered a lot; two, they will be deceived by others.

The offense of double tongue also causes living beings to fall into the three evil paths. If they are born among people, they have two kinds of retribution: one, their retinue will be separated; two, their caste will be base.

The offense of harsh speech also causes living beings to fall into the three evil paths. If they are born among people, they have two kinds of retribution: one, they will always hear disagreeable sounds; two, they will be involved in many lawsuits.  

Commentary:

“The offense of sexual misconduct also causes living beings to fall into the three evil paths.” Sexual misconduct means sexual relations which are not sanctioned by law. It means engaging in sexual relations with someone who is not your legal spouse. As it is said:

Of the myriad evils, lust is foremost.
You should not walk down this road to death.

Lust is the most evil of evils, and it includes all other evils in it. If you indulge in improper sexual relations, then that is the worst kind of offense. You are just heading for death; and it also makes living beings fall into the hells, the animals, and the hungry ghosts, those three evil paths. “If they are born among people-should they obtain a human body-they have two kinds of retribution: one, their wives will not be good or faithful.” The first is that their wife or husband will not be true to them, will not be a good person. The spouse will flagrantly violate the rules and will casually indulge in sexual relationship with anybody at all. “Two, they will not have a retinue that accords with their intent.” The second is that their household or circle of friends will not be in accord with them. They will always be fighting with other members of their retinue and never get along with them.

“The offense of lying also causes living beings to fall into the three evil paths. The offense of constantly telling lies also causes living beings to fall into the hells, the animals, and the hungry ghosts. If they are born among people, they have two kinds of retribution-this, too, entails two kinds of retribution, which are: one, they will be slandered a lot.“ People will always slander you and say you are wrong. “Two, they will be deceived by others.”

The second is that, because you used to life to other people, now people lie to you and cheat you. “The offense of double tongue also causes living beings to fall into the three evil paths, the hells, the animals, and the hungry ghosts. If they are born among people, they have two kinds of retribution: one, their retinue will be separated. Their household, or circle of friends, will not be united. They will always be separated from each other.

Two, their caste will be base. Their relatives and those of the same race or caste as they are will be very ugly people, very unpleasant to look at. The offense of harsh speech-if you constantly commit the offense of harsh speech, this-also causes living beings to fall into the three evil paths, the hells, the animals, the hungry ghosts. If they are born among people, they have two kinds of retribution: one, they will always hear disagreeable sounds-unpleasant sounds. Two, they will be involved in many law-suits.” At the drop of a hat they will be involve din arguments and disputes with people, or perhaps be sued in court, or themselves file law-suits.

Sutra:  

“The offense of loose speech also causes living beings to fall into the three evil paths. If they are born among people, they have two kinds of retribution: one people will not accept what they say; two, their speech will not be clearly understood. The offense of greed and desire also causes living beings to fall into the three evil paths.

If they are born among people, they have two kinds of retribution: one, their minds will never know contentment; two, they will have much desire which will never be satisfied. The offense of anger and hatred also causes living beings to fall into the three evil paths. If they are born among people, they have two kinds of retribution: one, other people will always find fault with them; two, they will constantly be troubled and harmed by others.  

Commentary:  

“The offense of loose speech,” means always talking in ways that are not in accord with the rules, talking wildly and saying whatever one pleases. It is saying all kind of defiled and disordered things, making fun of other people. This offense “also causes living beings to fall into the three evil paths, the hells, the hungry ghosts, and the animals. If they are born among people, when they have paid off their offenses in the three evil realms and become people again, they have two kinds of retribution, again the retribution is of two types, of which one is that people will not accept what they say. Nobody will listen to them when they talk. No one will pay attention.

Two, their speech will not be clearly understood. The second is that when they speak their words will not be clear, so no one will know what they are talking about. When they talk, people won’t clearly hear what they have said.

“The offense of greed and desire also causes living beings to fall into the three evil paths, the hells, the hungry ghosts, and animals. When they have undergone their retribution in the three evil paths, and if they are born among people, they have two kinds of retribution: one, their minds will never know contentment. They will never be satisfied; they will always feel that nothing is right. Two, they will have much desire which will never be satisfied. They will always be greedy for this and greedy for that without satiation. That is because of having committed the offense of greed and desire.

The offense of anger and hatred also causes living beings to fall into the three evil paths. When they have paid off their debts in the three evil destinies, if they are born among people, they have two kinds of retribution: one, other people will always find faults with them.” People will always be saying of the person, “He’s got this wrong with him and that wrong with him, and there is nothing right about him at all.” Two, they will constantly be troubled and harmed by others.” People will always give you a bad time, always give you trouble. No matter how good you are to people, they will try to do you in.

So, when people are not good to us, we should return the light and look within, and think about how in our previous lives we certainly committed the offense of harsh speech, lying, loose speech, and double tongue, greed, hatred, and stupidity, killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct and think “So, that’s why people are so bad to me this life.” And we should quickly repent and reform.

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