The Ten Grounds

Chapter Twenty-Six

 

 

Sutra:

This Bodhisattva remembers and knows the particulars of limitless past lives. That is, he remembers and knows for one life, remembers and knows for two lives, three lives, four lives, up to ten lives, twenty, thirty, and so on, including a hundred lives, limitless hundreds of lives, limitless thousands of lives, limitless hundreds of thousands of lives, for the coming into being of a kalpa, the decaying of a kalpa, for limitless coming into being and decayings of kalpas how, “I was born in such and such a clan, and such and such a race, with such and such food and drink, having such and such a life span, dwelling such and such a length of time, with such and such suffering and happiness.

Having died there, I was reborn in such and such a place. Having died in such and such a place, I was reborn in this place, with such and such a form, with such and such characteristics and appearance, and such and such a mode of speech.” In that way he can remember and call to mind the limitless particulars of the past.

Commentary:

This Bodhisattva remembers and knows the particulars of limitless past lives, possessing the wisdom to perceive one-does-not-know-how-many previous lives of living beings with their differences. That is, he remembers and knows for one life, the events of one lifetime, remembers and knows the events for two lives, three lives’ events, those of four lives, up to ten lives, twenty, thirty, and so on, including the events of a hundred lives, all of which he knows, along with limitless hundreds of lives’ events, those of limitless thousands of lives, and limitless hundreds of thousands of lives.

The Bodhisattva even knows what happened for the coming into being of a kalpa and the decaying of a kalpa, and the events during both taken together. He knows everything that went on for limitless comings into being and decayings of kalpas, such as how “I was born in such and such a place with such and such a name. I was called so-and-so when I lived in that particular place, and was of such and such a clan. My family name was that one when I was in that particular place, and was of such and such a clan. My family name was that one when I was in that particular location, and I was someone of such and such a race while there, with such and such food and drink.

Those were the kinds of things I used to consume, having such and such a life span. My life was that long, dwelling such and such a length of time in the world, with such and such sufferings and happiness.” He knows all the bitterness he underwent, along with the enjoyment. “Having died there, I was reborn in such and such a place. Having died in such and such a place, I was reborn in this place, with such and such a form, with such and such characteristics and appearance. I looked like that, and had such and such a mode of speech. That’s what my voice sounded like in each case.” In that way he can remember and call to mind, understand r know, all the limitless particulars of the states of his lives of the past.

How is one able to have the penetration of past lives? Here’s an analogy to illustrate it somewhat. If you consider it life that is past, the penetration of past life on the part of average, ordinary people is whatever they can remember of their present life that’s already past-they can’t remember previous lives at all the way Sages can. The reason one person can know of another’s past lives is that there is interconnected karma among us all. The person we see are those we have affinities or other conditions with, another way of saying karmic links.

Yesterday most of us, for instance, were at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas holding the Kuan Yin Recitation Session, and there were a lot more people there, too. Today there are fewer of us back at Gold Mountain Temple, but we can think of and remember who was there yesterday and what was done, how there were flies and mosquitoes, too, reciting Kuan Yin’s name with us. The flies were buzzing and the mosquitoes were humming, each with its own work and sound. Last night the text talked about the Bodhisattva knowing what mosquitoes were saying-each mosquito yesterday was telling us, “Give me a little blood. Give me a little blood. It won’t kill you, and that way I won’t go hungry.” That’s the song they sang as they begged from you, saying, “Be compassionate, donate some blood to sustain my life. It won’t hurt you much and will help me a lot.”

Today as we think of what happened yesterday, that’s the penetration of past life. It works the same for previous lives, so that’s why I say everyone has penetration of past life if you can remember yesterday, and greater penetration if you recall past lives. It just depends upon the amplitude of your memory power how much of the past you can know-but, actually, it’s better not to remember. What’s the point of knowing all that anyway? It will just give you that many more afflictions. See how Mahamaudgalyayana cried when he saw his parents of past lives suffering in the hells? That’s the advantage of that penetration: crying. If you don’t know, you won’t have to cry. So, even though Bodhisattvas have the penetration of past lives, or other spiritual penetrations they don’t necessarily use them. It’s like people with money-they don’t necessarily spend it, but just use it when they have to, for example, to practice giving. That’s how I feel it is. If you don’t agree, bring up your objections for discussion.

Objection:

“Although we might have more afflictions if we knew the events of past lives, which is undesirable, we might want to know the vows we made in previous existences in order to fulfill them now.”

Answer:

“That’s right. What I was saying before was cautioning you not to have afflictions or be turned by states if you do possess the penetration of past lives. It wasn’t to say that to have that penetration is not good. The points is that whatever state comes, you yourself shouldn’t move but should retain your Samadhi.”

Sutra:

This Bodhisattva’s heavenly eye is purified, surpassing human sight. He sees all living beings when they’re born and when they die, with good forms or bad forms, in accordance with their karma going to good or evil destinies. He sees how, if those living beings have performed evil actions of the body, performed evil actions of speech, or performed evil actions of mind, how if they slandered worthies and sages, held deviant views, and had the causes and conditions for karma of deviant view, when their bodies decline and their lives come to an end, they certainly fall into the evil destinies and are reborn in the hells.

He sees how if those living beings have performed wholesome actions with the body, wholesome actions of speech, and wholesome actions of mind, and have not slandered worthies and sages, but have held proper views and had the causes and conditions for karma of wholesome views, when their bodies decline and their lives come to an end, they certainly are reborn in the good destinies within the heavens. The Bodhisattva knows that all accurately with his heavenly eye.

Commentary:

This, the Third Ground Bodhisattva’s heavenly eye is purified. Our human eyes aren’t pure, and so we can’t see what the gods and the heavens are like. If our heavenly eye was pure, it would be surpassing human sight, transcending the average eyes of people. He sees all living beings and how they’re born, when they’re born, and he also see how they die when they die, and whether they are beings with good forms or bad forms. All of that is clear to him, along with how in accordance with their karma they are going to good or evil destinies.

If the karma they created was good, they go to wholesome destinies, but if they created evil karma, they go to evil destinies. He sees how, if those living beings have performed evil actions of the body, violations of killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct; of if with their mouths they have performed evil actions of speech-loose speech, lying, harsh speech, or double-tongued speech; or if they have performed evil actions of mind by being greedy, angry, or stupid; and how if they slandered people who were worthies and people who were sages; and how if they held deviant views-which was why they did that slandering-and had the causes and conditions for karma of deviant views-those karmic obstacles-when their bodies decline and their lives come to an end, they certainly fall into the three or the four evil destinies and are reborn in the hells due to their deviant views.

He sees how if those living beings have refrained from killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct, wholesome actions of speech, their bodies not engaging in loose, false, harsh, or double-tongued speech, and wholesome actions of mind, not being greedy, angry, or stupid, and have not slandered worthies and sages, but have held proper knowledge and proper views and had the causes and conditions for karma of wholesome views, when their bodies decline and their lives come to an end, they certainly are reborn in the good destinies, either as wealthy and honored people in the human realm, or else within the heaves as gods. The Bodhisattva knows that all accurately with his heavenly eye, seeing it all with utmost precision.

Sutra:

This Bodhisattva is able to enter and come out of all dhyanas, samadhis, and samapattis, and yet does not undergo birth through their power. It is just according to his ability to fulfill the stations of three Bodhi shares, through the power of his intent and his vows, that he is born within them.

Commentary:

This Bodhisattva is able to enter and come out of all dhyanas, samadhis, and samapattis-the various stoppings and contemplatings. He can go into all samadhis and leave them as he wishes, and yet does not undergo birth through their power. Even though he goes to all those locations, he isn’t forced to by some power of evil. It is just according to this ability to fulfill the stations of the Bodhi shares wherever he is born, in every single birth, through the power of his intent and his vows, that he is born within them. It’s only from having decided to do so and made those vows in the past that he goes to be reborn in the various destinies, whether the three evil or three wholesome ones.

Sutra:

Disciples of the Buddha, when this Bodhisattva dwells upon this Ground of Emitting Light, because of the power of his vows he comes to see many Buddhas. That is, he sees many hundreds of Buddhas, sees many thousands of Buddhas, sees many hundreds of thousands of Buddhas, sees many hundreds of thousands of Buddhas, up to and including seeing many hundreds of thousands of millions of nayutas of Buddhas. He reveres and honors them completely with a vast and great mind and a profound mind, attends upon and makes offerings to them. He offers up all the necessities of life-clothing, food and drink, bedding and medicines. He also makes offerings to all the multitudes of the Sangha, and he transfers those good roots to Anuttarasamyaksambodhi.

Commentary:

Disciples of the Buddha, Vajra Treasury Bodhisattva calls out again, when this Bodhisattva dwells upon this ground of emitting light, because of the power of his vows he comes to see many Buddhas. That is, he sees many hundreds of Buddhas, sees many thousands of Buddhas, sees many hundreds of thousands of Buddhas, sees many hundreds of thousands of Buddhas, up to and including seeing many hundreds of thousands of millions of nayutas of Buddhas. He reveres and honors them completely with a vast and great mind and a profound mind, attends upon and makes offerings to them, all those Buddhas. He offers up all the necessities of life-clothing, food and drink, bedding and medicines. He also makes offerings of all those things to all left-home people, the multitudes of the Sangha, and he transfers those good roots to Anuttarasamyaksambodhi, Unsurpassed Proper and Equal Right Enlightenment, so that all living beings will become Buddhas soon.

Sutra:

In the presence of those Buddhas, he reverently listens to the Dharma. Having heard it, he accepts and holds it and cultivates it according to his power. This Bodhisattva contemplates all dharmas as not produced and not destroyed, as existing due to causes and conditions. He first eradicates the bonds of views, then all the bonds of desire, the bonds of form, the bonds of existence, and the bonds of ignorance, which decrease to threads. Throughout limitless hundreds of thousands of millions of nayutas of kalpas, because of non-accumulation, his deviant greed, deviant hatred, and deviant stupidity all become extinguished, and all of his good roots become brighter and more pure.

Disciples of the Buddha, it is just like real gold, which, when expertly refined, does not decrease in weight, and becomes brighter and more pure. For the Bodhisattva it is also that way, while dwelling upon this Ground of Emitting Light, because of non-accumulation, his deviant greed, deviant hatred, and deviant stupidity all become extinguished, and all of his good roots become brighter and more pure.

Commentary:

The Bodhisattva on the Ground of Emitting Light makes offerings to limitless hundreds of thousands of millions of Buddhas, cultivating and amassing all good roots. He also makes offerings to the Dharma spoken by limitless hundreds of thousands of millions of Buddhas, along with as many members of the Sangha. Then he transfers those good roots to Anuttarasamyaksambodhi. In the presence of those Buddhas, in the Way Place of every single one of those Buddhas, he reverently listens to the Dharma. With great reverence and respect he listens to all Buddhas’ Dharma. Having heard it, he accepts and holds it. After hearing the Dharma, you should cultivate according to the Dharma you have heard.

If you merely listen to the Dharma, but don’t cultivate, it is of no benefit. Therefore, all of us who are here investigating the Buddhadharma together, should go on to cultivate according to the teachings we have investigated and put the principles discussed in the Buddhist Sutras into practice. That is having the Dharma to accept and hold it. Acceptance is with the mind, being able to remember the Dharma. Holding is done with the body, actually putting the Dharma into practice and really doing what has to be done. Then it is of use. And he, therefore, cultivates it according to his power. In cultivating, you do not need to force things. You should cultivate according to what you are able to do, and do as much as you can. If you can manage one percent of cultivation, then cultivate one percent. Cultivate 100% if that is your capacity. The point is to actually cultivate.

This Bodhisattva, on the Ground of Emitting Light, contemplates all dharmas as not produced and not destroyed, as existing due to causes and conditions. His contemplation is that:

All dharmas from conditions are produced;
All dharmas from conditions are destroyed;

Since they are produced from conditions and perish due to conditions as well, they have no substance of their own. Having no substance of their own, they are neither produced nor destroyed. He first eradicates the bond of views. We people are bound up by view delusions. “Views” here means deviant knowledge and deviant views, not proper knowledge and proper views. He first gets rid of the bonds of deviant knowledge and deviant views, then all the bonds of desire.

After that he extinguishes the bonds of desire. Sexual desire is like a cord or rope that ties you up. If you can get rid of views, then you won’t have desire, and those bonds of desire will be extinguished. Without desire, the bonds of form will be gone, too. You won’t have any attachment to form. When the bonds of form are gone, then the bonds of existence are extinguished as well, as so are the bonds of ignorance. Once rid of existence’s bonds, you also rid yourself of the bonds of ignorance, which decrease to threads. They become thinner and light, so that they are not so heavy and severe.

Throughout limitless hundreds of thousands of millions of nayutas of kalpas, during that many great kalpas, because of non-accumulation of those kinds of bonds of views, of desire, of form, of existence, or of ignorance, his deviants greed, deviant hatred, and deviant stupidity, all become extinguished. He will never again have unprincipled greed, unprincipled hatred, and unprincipled stupidity. Deviant knowledge, deviant views, and deviant greed, hatred, and stupidity are gone for good, and all of his good roots become brighter and more pure. His good roots will keep increasing day by day.

Disciples of the Buddha, all of you, it is just like real gold. It is as when a goldsmith refines gold, which, when expertly refined, does not decrease in weight. When he employs a variety of scientific and other methods to refine and smelt the gold, it does not weigh the least bit less, and becomes brighter and more pure. The gold is daily refined better. For the Bodhisattva it is also that way. The same holds true of the Bodhisattva, while dwelling upon this Ground of Emitting Light, because of non-accumulation. Because he does not accumulate, his deviant greed, deviant hatred, and deviant stupidity, those three poisons, all become extinguished, and all of his good roots become brighter and more pure. His good roots are increasingly brighter, purer, and more numerous.

Sutra:

This Bodhisattva’s patient mind, compliant mind, harmonious mind, cheerful mind, non-hating mind, unmoving mind, non-turbid mind, mind of no high or low, mind not seeking reward, mind of repaying kindness, non-flattering mind, non-deceitful mind, and non-treacherous mind all increase in purity.

This Bodhisattva, among the four dharmas of attraction, emphasizes beneficial conduct. Among the Ten Paramitas, he emphasizes the Paramita of Patience. He does not fail to cultivate the others, but only does so according to his power and proportionately.

Disciples of the Buddha, this is called the Bodhisattva’s Third Ground, that of Emitting Light. The Bodhisattva who dwells upon this ground for the most part becomes ruler of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, able to employ expedients to cause living beings to abandon greed and desire, using giving, kind words, beneficial conduct, and similar work. All such karmic actions which he performs are not separate from mindfulness of the Buddha, mindfulness of the Dharma, and mindfulness of the Sangha, up to and including not being separate from mindfulness of endowment with the wisdom of the wisdom of all-modes.

Commentary:

This Bodhisattva cultivates the giving of offerings and accumulates all kinds of good roots, which daily increase and become more perfect. Therefore it says this Bodhisattva’s mind is especially patient. He can bear what others cannot bear. His mind is also a compliant mind. He is not obstinate, stubborn, difficult to tame and subdue the way we living beings are with our huge view of self. The Bodhisattva has none of that. Instead he has a harmonious mind.

The Bodhisattva gets along with everyone and has no malicious thoughts. He is happy and cheerful in mind about everything, and has a non-hating mind, and an unmoving mind. No matter what sates he encounters, he is unmoved, and since he is free from greed, his mind does not move. He has a non-turbid mind. As this Bodhisattva cultivates and accumulates all sorts of good roots, his mind is extremely clear and pure, with no turbid thoughts. His attitude of mind toward all living beings is at all times impartial and fair, with no thought of high or low.

When the Bodhisattva practices giving, he has a mind not seeking any reward. He benefits living beings and is kind to them and does not hope they will repay his kindness towards them. When it is the Bodhisattva who gives to other beings, he does not seek repayment of that kindness from those beings. However, the Bodhisattva has a mind of repaying kindness. He does want to repay all kindness that living beings show towards him, and keeps that in mind.

The Bodhisattva’s is a non-flattering mind. He would never play up to anybody. He also has a non-deceitful mind, and would never dream of cheating people or lying to them. He would never take anyone for a ride or deceive them with a fine spiel, so those previous minds and his non-treacherous mind all increase in purity. All improper attitudes diminish, and his wisdom is daily brighter and more pure.

This Bodhisattva, among the four Dharmas of Attraction-Giving, Kind Words, Beneficial conduct, and Similar Work-emphasizes beneficial conduct. He stresses the door of practice of benefitting others. Among the Ten Paramitas, he emphasizes the Paramita of Patience. He particularly works on perfecting patience. He does not fail to cultivate the others. It’s that he doesn’t cultivate the other three Dharmas of Attraction or the other nine Paramita, but only does so according to this power and proportionately. He does so in proportion to his strength and as suits the circumstances in which he finds himself.

Disciples of the Buddha, this is called the Bodhisattva’s Third Ground, that of Emitting Light. Do you disciples of the Buddha know? This is the Third Bodhisattva Ground, the Ground of Emitting Light. The Bodhisattva who dwells upon this ground for the most part becomes ruler of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

Generally, he will be Lord God of the Trayastrimsha Heaven and be able to employ expedients to cause living beings to abandon greed and desire. He will be able to use all kinds of clever and expedient methods to teach and transform living beings, getting them to give up their craving and desire, using giving, kind words, beneficial conduct, and similar work. He is able to use those Four Dharmas of Attraction. All such karmic actions which he performs are not separate from mindfulness of the Buddha, mindfulness of the Dharma, and mindfulness of the Sangha, up to and including not being separate from mindfulness of endowment with the wisdom of the wisdom of all modes. He practices to the point of not failing to be mindful of endowment with All Wisdom, the wisdom of the wisdom of all modes.

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