Practices and Vows of
Samantabhadra Bodhisattva

Chapter Forty, New Edition

 

To Constantly Conform with Living Beings

 

SUTRA:

 

Moreover, Good Man, to constantly conform with living beings is explained like this. Throughout the oceans of kshetra-lands in the ten directions exhausting the dharma-realm and the reaches of space, all living beings have all kinds of differences. That is to say, there are those born from eggs, womb-born, moisture-born, born by transformation, as well as those who live in dependence upon earth, water, fire, or wind. There are also beings that dwell in space or live in plants and trees.

This includes all the many kinds of living beings, with diverse bodies, shapes, appearances, lifespans, clans, names, and mental natures. This includes their many kinds of knowledge and views, desires and pleasures, intentional activities and modes of deportment, clothing and diets. They dwell in many different villages, towns, cities, and palaces. They include gods, dragons, others of the eightfold pantheon of spiritual beings, as well as humans, non-humans, and others. There are beings without feet, with two feet, four feet, or many feet, with form or without form, with thought or without thought, and not entirely with thought and not entirely without thought.

I will conform with all these many kinds of beings. I will make offerings to and serve them in various ways, just as I honor my own father and mother and serve my teachers, elders, Arhats, up to and including the Tathagatas, equally without difference.

COMMENTARY: 

Moreover, Good Man, to constantly conform with living beings is explained like this, said Samantabhadra Bodhisattva. “I will again explain for you the principle of constantly conforming with living beings. Throughout the oceans of kshetra-lands in the ten directions, in all the Buddha-lands of the ten directions, exhausting the dharma-realm and the reaches of space, all living beings have all kinds of differences. All the many kinds of living beings with all their differences are born due to the union of a myriad of conditions, and thus each one has its own special conditions. Therefore, they are of many different kinds. Living beings are not of just of one kind, but are of many different kinds and species.

That is to say, there are those born from eggs. The Shurangama Sutra says,

Birth from a womb comes about because of emotion. Birth from eggs comes about because of thought. Birth from moisture depends on a union, and birth by transformation depends on separation.

Womb-born are creatures born from emotions. How are living beings born from wombs? Through emotional or sensual love. Birth from eggs takes place because of thought. For example, a mother hen sits on her eggs and constantly thinks about her baby chicks, and eventually she hatches them. Moisture-born beings come about because of a union of moisture and consciousness. Those born by transformation come about from separation and change. For example, a caterpillar becomes a butterfly or a mouse transforms into a bat. This is called birth by transformation, which depends on separation. This happens when it separates from its original body and then changes to become a body of another species.

As well as those who live in dependence upon earth, water, fire, or wind. There are also living beings who rely on the four elements—earth, water, fire, and wind, for their life. There are also beings that dwell in space or live in plants or trees. There are also living beings that live in space or on flowers, grasses, plants, and trees. This includes all the many kinds of living beings, with diverse bodies, shapes, their different shapes, their features and appearances, and their different lifespans, some long and some short. They also have their clans; many kinds of animals have clans. Tigers have their own clans; bears have their own clans; deer have their own clans; and so forth. All species have their own clans, and each clan has its own special names.

Living beings have their own mental natures as well. For example, the nature of tigers is that they like to harm living beings, while the deer’s nature is to be kind and to eat only plants and not eat other living beings. Each living being’s nature is unique. Some are bold and some are timid. Some run off when they see people. And others see people and want to eat them.

This includes their many kinds of knowledge and views. Their knowledge and views are different. Their various desires and pleasures. The things that they delight in are not the same. Their various intentional activities. The things they do are also different. And their many different modes of deportment. The way they walk, their attitude, and deportment are each different.

Even their clothing is different. People wear clothes, animals have skin as their clothing, while birds wear the clothing of feathers. And diets. Some living beings eat raw meat, whereas others eat grass; some eat dirt, whereas others eat many kinds of nourishment. They dwell in many different kinds of villages. Living beings live in a wide variety of places, such as villages, towns, cities, and palaces.

They include gods, dragons, others of the eightfold pantheon of spiritual beings, as well as humans, non-humans, and others. This includes all the gods, dragons, ghosts, spirits, gandharvas, asuras, kinnaras, garudas, and mahoragas. There are beings without feet. Some beings, like snakes, do not have feet. Some have two legs, some have four legs, and some have many legs. Some are with form and some are without form. Some are with thought and some are without thought. Some neither have thought nor lack thought. And some are not entirely with thought and not entirely without thought.

I will conform with all these many kinds of beings. I will change into all their many kinds of bodies to teach and transform all these different kinds of living beings. I will make offerings to and serve them in various ways. I will serve them in different ways and make offerings to them, just as I honor my own father and mother. I will constantly conform with all living beings and respect them in the same way I revere my parents, serve my teachers, elders, Arhats, who have “realized the fruition,” up to and including the Tathagatas equally without difference. I will regard them all the same way that I regard the Buddhas, to whom I make offerings. I serve them all equally without difference or discrimination.

SUTRA: 

I will be a good doctor for those suffering from sickness. I will show the right road to those who have lost their way. I will be a beacon of light for those in the dark night. And I will enable the poor and destitute to uncover hidden treasures. The Bodhisattva impartially benefits all living beings in this manner.

COMMENTARY: 

There are many kinds of illnesses. Living beings have 84,000 kinds of illness and the Bodhisattva uses 84,000 kinds of good medicine to cure these illnesses. So the text reads, I will be a good doctor for those suffering from sickness. A good doctor is one who is a very skillful expert in the field of medicine. He treats the illnesses of other beings as he would treat his own illnesses. He uses all the possible different methods to cure the illnesses of living beings.

I will show the right road to those who have lost their way. Sometimes living beings take the wrong road. Although they have two eyes, sometimes they cannot tell which road is right and which road is improper. Sometimes they have gone astray and have taken the wrong road. If you know they have taken the wrong road, you should point out the right road for them to follow.

For example, today there are many young people who do not know the proper road to follow. Their minds are engrossed in laziness, drinking, and taking illicit drugs, and they go down the wrong road. At times like these the Bodhisattva uses different kinds of methods to lead them towards the proper road, so they do not take the wrong path.

I will be a beacon of light for those in the dark night. What is “the dark night?” Those who do not understand the Buddha-dharma are in the dark night, but after they understand the Buddha-dharma, they have seen the light. Why do I say this? People who do not understand the Buddha-dharma do everything in a confused way. Once they understand the Buddha-dharma, they realize the great, bright, and proper path. You should enable living beings who do not understand the Buddha-dharma to understand it and see the light.

And I will enable the poor and destitute to uncover hidden treasures. He enables them to obtain a treasure trove, which contains gold, silver, or other precious jewels found in the earth.

The Bodhisattva impartially benefits all living beings in this manner. Without discriminating, the Bodhisattva equally benefits and aids all living beings by teaching and transforming them.

SUTRA: 

Why? If a Bodhisattva conforms with living beings, then he conforms with and makes offerings to all Buddhas. If he honors and serves living beings, then he honors and serves the Tathagatas. If he makes living beings happy, he makes all Tathagatas happy. Why? Because all Buddhas, the Tathagatas, take the heart of great compassion as their substance. Because of living beings, they bring forth the heart of great compassion. From the heart of great compassion, the Bodhi-mind is born. And because of the Bodhi-mind, Equal and Right Enlightenment is accomplished.

This is like a great king of trees growing in the rocks and sand of a vast wasteland. If its roots get water, the branches, leaves, flowers, and fruits will all flourish. The Bodhi-tree king growing in the vast wasteland of birth and death (Samsara) is the same. All living beings are the roots of the tree and all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are its flowers and fruits. By using the water of great compassion to benefit living beings, one can realize the flowers and fruit of the Buddhas’ and Bodhisattvas’ wisdom.

COMMENTARY: 

The previous text mentioned the Bodhisattva conforming with living beings. When living beings are sick, he is a good doctor for them, and when living beings mistakenly take the wrong road, he points out the proper road for them. Bodhisattvas are beacons of light for living beings in the dark of night and cause those who are suffering in poverty to find hidden treasures.

In this way, Bodhisattvas should benefit all living beings impartially. Why? If a Bodhisattva conforms with living beings, if a Bodhisattva who practices the Bodhisattva path constantly conforms with living beings, fulfilling their likes, then he conforms with and makes offerings to all Buddhas. If you conform with all living beings, just this is conforming with and making offerings to all Buddhas. Why? This is because there is no difference between these three: the mind, Buddhas, and living beings.

If he honors and serves living beings, then he honors and serves the Tathagatas. If you are respectful to and serve all living beings, then you honor and serve the Tathagatas; it is equivalent to honoring, respecting, and making offerings to the Tathagatas. If he makes living beings happy, he makes all Tathagatas happy. If living beings are happy, then the Tathagatas are happy, and so those who have left the home-life say,

Guard your mouth, collect your mind,
And do not transgress with your body.
Don’t trouble any living beings,
And stay far away from non-beneficial ascetic practices.
One who cultivates like this can rescue the world.

Do not cause any living being to become afflicted, and do not cultivate unbeneficial ascetic practices. Stay far away from them. If you are like this, then you can teach and transform living beings. If you can cause all living beings to be happy, then all the Buddhas, Tathagatas, will be happy too.

Why? Why is it that if all living beings are happy then the Buddhas are happy? It is because the Buddhas and living beings are one. Buddhas are living beings, and living beings are Buddhas; Buddhas are living beings who have become Buddhas, and living beings are beings who have not yet become Buddhas but will do so in the future. They are the same as the Buddhas, and in the future they will be equal and identical with the Buddhas. Buddhism is different from all other religions in this regard because it is the most impartial.

Why is it that if living beings are happy, the Buddhas are happy? Because all Buddhas, the Tathagatas, take the heart of great compassion as their substance. What is the substance of all Buddhas? The heart of great compassion, and it is because of living beings that they bring forth the heart of great compassion. The Buddhas bring forth the heart of great compassion because of living beings.

From the heart of great compassion, the Bodhi-mind is born. Because they give rise to a heart of great compassion, the mind of enlightenment arises. And because of the Bodhi-mind, Equal and Right Enlightenment is accomplished. Because of the mind of enlightenment, they realize Equal and Right Enlightenment.

Next the text presents a simile. This is like a great king of trees growing in the rocks and sand of a vast wasteland. If its roots get water, the branches, leaves, flowers, and fruit will all flourish. In the sandy ground there stands a great king of trees. If the roots of this tree get water, the branches and leaves will flourish, and the flowers and fruits will be fragrant and sweet.

The Bodhi-tree king growing in the vast wasteland of birth and death (Samsara) is the same. We living beings are now in the vast wasteland or desert of birth and death. The Bodhi-tree king, that is, Shakyamuni Buddha, who obtained enlightenment beneath this tree, is like the king of trees described above in the rocks and sand of a vast wasteland.

All living beings are the roots of the tree. Why are living beings inter-related with the Buddhas? All living beings are like the roots of the tree, and all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are its flowers and fruit. All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are like the flowers that bloom and the fruits that ripen on the tree. By using the water of great compassion to benefit living beings, the Buddhas use the wisdom-water of great compassion to enable living beings to obtain benefit, and then one can realize the flowers and fruit of the Buddhas’ and Bodhisattvas’ wisdom. In this way the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas can accomplish the limitless and boundless flowers and fruit of wisdom.

SUTRA: 

Why? If a Bodhisattva benefits living beings with the water of great compassion, he is able to attain Anuttara-Samyak-Sambodhi. Therefore, Bodhi depends upon living beings. If there were no living beings, no Bodhisattva could ever realize the Unsurpassed Proper Enlightenment.

Good Man, you should understand these principles in this way. When the mind is impartial towards living beings, one can accomplish perfect great compassion. By using the heart of great compassion to conform with living beings, one successfully makes offerings to the Tathagatas. In this way the Bodhisattva conforms with living beings.

So it is that even if the reaches of space, the realms of living beings, the karma of living beings, or the afflictions of living beings come to an end, my conforming with living beings is without end. It continues in thought after thought without cease. I never tire of this karma in body, speech, and thought.

COMMENTARY: 

Why? Why is it the case that the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are the flowers and fruits, and living beings are the roots of the tree? If a Buddha or Bodhisattva benefits living beings with the water of great compassion…What is the water of great compassion? It is the nature of the mind when one is kind and compassionate. One has kindness, compassion, and sympathy towards all living beings. It is for this reason that Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva and all the other Bodhisattvas recite the Great Compassion Mantra to imbue the water of great compassion with spiritual power to benefit living beings.

Among the Forty-Two hands of Avalokiteshvara (Guan Shi Yin) Bodhisattva are the Willow Branch Hand and the Pure Bottle Hand. They are used together; the willow branch is dipped into the pure bottle to draw out the water of compassion. Avalokiteshvara continuously recites the Great Compassion Mantra to imbue the water of great compassion with spiritual power and dispense it from the pure bottle to benefit living beings. In the verse in praise of Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, there is a line that reads, “The sweet dew in the vase is constantly sprinkled everywhere.” The liquid in the pure bottle is called both the water of compassion and sweet dew, and it is constantly sprinkled everywhere to benefit living beings.

The water of great compassion is used to benefit living beings so that he is able to attain Anuttara-Samyak-Sambodhi. Because Bodhisattvas use the heart of great compassion to benefit living beings, they advance in their position and are able to perfect Unsurpassed, Right and Equal, Proper Enlightenment. Anuttara-Samyak-Sambodhi is a Sanskrit term, which is translated as “the Unsurpassed, Right and Equal, Proper Enlightenment.”

Proper Enlightenment is the fruit or stage of enlightenment realized by those of the Two Vehicles, the Shravakas and Those Enlightened to Conditions. This means that they have enlightened themselves, a state called Proper Enlightenment. Although they have enlightened themselves, they have not reached the stage of Right and Equal Enlightenment. The stage of enlightenment of Bodhisattvas is called Right and Equal Enlightenment. It is right and equal to the Buddhas. But even though they have obtained Right and Equal Enlightenment, they still have not obtained the Unsurpassed Enlightenment. Bodhisattvas are called those who are surpassed by others, and Buddhas are called those who are unsurpassed. Unsurpassed Enlightenment is the position or stage of enlightenment of the Buddhas.

To attain the Unsurpassed, Right and Equal Enlightenment is to attain the position of a Buddha. If Bodhisattvas do not benefit living beings, if they do not use the water of great compassion to teach and transform living beings, then they can never become Buddhas. How does one become a Buddha? A Bodhisattva must benefit living beings in order to become a Buddha. This is called benefiting oneself and benefiting others.

Therefore, Bodhi depends upon living beings. Where does Bodhi, the Way of enlightenment, come from? It comes from living beings. If there were no living beings, suppose there weren’t any living beings, no Bodhisattva could ever realize the Unsurpassed Proper Enlightenment. Without living beings, no Bodhisattva could become a Buddha. Why? This is because there would be no place for them to create merit and virtue. Living beings create merit and virtue before the Three Jewels. What about Bodhisattvas? Bodhisattvas create merit and virtue before living beings. How do Bodhisattvas create merit and virtue before living beings? They do this by benefiting living beings, causing them to leave suffering and obtain happiness, causing them to put an end to birth and death, and causing them to turn away from confusion and return to enlightenment. This is what is meant by benefiting living beings.

Good Man, you should understand these principles in this way. You good people who cultivate the path should understand these principles and meanings. You should interpret this in the following way. When the mind is impartial towards living beings. With respect to the Buddhas, living beings, and the mind, these three are one, and the one is three. They are inconceivable. The Buddha is inconceivable, living beings are inconceivable, and the mind is inconceivable. Therefore, the three, the mind, the Buddha, and living beings, are not different. The Buddha, living beings, and the mind are of one substance. In an indiscernible way, they are one. One can accomplish perfect great compassion. If you can understand this principle, then you can perfect the heart of great compassion. By using the heart of great compassion to conform with living beings, one successfully makes offerings to the Tathagatas. If you use a mind of great kindness and compassion to comply with living beings, then you can accomplish the merit and virtue of making offerings to the Tathagatas.

In this way the Bodhisattva conforms with living beings. Bodhisattvas who cultivate the path and practices of a Bodhisattva conform with living beings in this manner.

In making the vow to conform with living beings, so it is that even if the reaches of space, the realms of living beings, the karma of living beings, or the afflictions of living beings come to an end—even if these four were to come to an end, still my vow to conform with living beings would never end. It cannot cease. Basically the reaches of space, the dharma-realm, living beings, living beings’ karma, and the afflictions of living beings can never end. But even if they did, still I would continue my vow. Therefore, my conforming with living beings is without end. It continues in thought after thought without cease. Just as in the mind one thought after another continues without interruption, I will continue my vow like this in thought after thought without cease. I never tire of this karma in body, speech, and thought. My actions in body, mouth, and mind will continue, and I will never get tired. I will always practice and maintain this vow and act accordingly.

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