Unit MI 102/07

The Fully Awakened one has these Mind attributes

which must be understood to be not real in a physicl sense.

 

KNOWLEDGE OF SELF AWAKENING

TEN ACTIVITIES

TEN BODIES

TEN PHYSICAL ACTIONS

TEN TRANCENDENTAL BODIES

TEN FORMS OF SPEECH

TEN WAYS OF PURIFYING SPEECH

TEN GREAT WORKS

TEN MINDS

TEN DETERMINATIONS

TEN COMPREHENSIVE MINDS

TEN FACULTIES

TEN KINDS OF PROFOUND MINDS

TEN KINDS OF INTENSE MINDS

TEN KINDS OF DILIGENT PRACTICE

TEN KINDS OF UNDERSTANDING

TEN KINDS OF DEFINITIVE UNDERSTANDING

TEN UNDERSTANDINGS OF SENTIENT BEINGS

 

 

 

KNOWLEDGE OF SELF AWAKENING

These are the unique qualities of enlightening beings, based on which they can attain the Buddha’s supreme, unique qualities.

TEN KINDS OF ACTIVITY

activity related to all worlds, able to purify them all;

activity related to all buddhas, able to provide offerings to them all;

activity related to all enlightening beings, planting the same roots of goodness;

activity relating to all sentient beings, able to teach and transform them all;

activity relating to the future, able to take in the whole future;

activity of all spiritual powers, able to reach all worlds without leaving one world;

activity of all light, emanating lights of infinite colors, with an enlightening being sitting on a lotus seat appearing in each light beam;

activity perpetuating the lineage of the three treasures, preserving and sustaining the buddha’s teachings after the demise of the buddhas;

activity of all miraculous transformations, expounding the truth and teaching the sentient beings in all worlds;

activity of all empowerments, instantly appearing to sentient beings according to their mental inclinations, causing all aspirations to be fulfilled.

TEN KINDS OF BODIES:

the noncoming body, not being born in any world;

the nongoing body, impossible to find in any world;

the nonreal body, realizing all worlds as they really are;

the nonfalse body, showing the world the truth;

the inexhaustible body, never being annihilated;

the stable body, impossible for demons to destroy;

the imperturbable body, impossible for demons and false teachers to disturb;

the formal body, manifesting pure marks of virtue;

the formless body, the forms of all things being ultimately formless;

the omnipresent body, being the same one body as all buddhas of all times.

TEN PHYSICAL ACTIONS

filling all worlds with one body;

ability to appear before all sentient beings;

ability to undertake birth in all states of being;

traveling in all worlds;

going to the assemblies of all buddhas;

ability to cover all worlds with one hand;

ability to grind the iron surrounding mountains of all worlds to dust with one hand;

manifesting the formation and disintegration of all buddha-lands in one's own body to show sentient beings;

admitting all realms of sentient beings into one body;

in one's own body manifesting all pure buddha-lands, with all sentient beings attaining enlightenment therein.

TEN TRANCENDENTAL BODIES

the body of transcendent ways, due to correctly practicing them all;

the body of the four integrative methods, due to not abandoning sentient beings;

the body of great compassion, due to accepting immeasurable suffering in place of all sentient beings without wearying;

the body of great benevolence, due to saving all sentient beings;

the body of blessings and virtue, due to benefiting all sentient beings;

the body of wisdom, being of the same one nature as the bodies of all buddhas;

the body of reality, being forever free from undergoing birth in conditioned states;

the body of expedient means, appearing in all places;

the body of spiritual powers, manifesting all mystic transformations;

the body of enlightenment, achieving true awareness at any time, as desired.

TEN FORMS OF SPEECH

gentle speech, causing all sentient beings to be calm;

sweet elixir speech, causing all sentient beings to be clear and cool;

nondeceptive speech, everything they say being true;

truthful speech, not lying even in dreams;

great speech, being honored by all the gods;

profound speech, revealing the essence of things;

steadfast speech, expounding truth inexhaustibly;

straightforward speech, their statements being easy to understand;

various speech, being spoken according to the occasion;

speech enlightening all sentient beings, enabling them to understand according to their inclinations.

TEN WAYS OF PURIFYING SPEECH

 joyfully listening to the voice of Buddhas;

 joyfully listening to explanations of the virtues of enlightening beings;

not saying anything unpleasant to sentient beings;

truly avoiding all faults of speech;

joyfully praising the enlightened; singing the praises of buddhas aloud at the monuments of deceased buddhas;

giving teachings to sentient beings with a profound, pure mind;

praising Buddha with music and song;

listening to the true Teaching without worrying about one's body or life;

giving oneself up to serve all enlightening beings and teachers of truth,

and receiving the sublime teaching from them.

TEN GREAT WORKS

They are protected by all celestial beings, by all nagas, all yakshas, all gandharvas, all titans, all garudas, all kinnaras, all maharagas, all Brahmas, and all teachers of truth, beginning with the buddhas.

"Having received this protection, great enlightening beings are able to accomplish ten great works:

gladdening all sentient beings;

going to all worlds;

knowing all faculties;

purifying all devotions;

exterminating all afflictions;

getting rid of all habit energy;

purifying all inclinations;

increasing all profound determinations;

causing all to pervade all universes;

causing all nirvanas to be clearly seen.

TEN MIND characteristics

 

a mind like the earth, able to hold the roots of goodness of all sentient beings and make them grow;

a mind like the ocean, with the water of truth of infinite great knowledge of all buddhas all flowing into it;

a mind like the polar mountain, placing all sentient beings on the supreme transmundane foundations of goodness;

a mind like the finest jewel, their desires being pure and unpolluted;

a mind like diamond, deeply penetrating all truths with certainty;

a mind like the adamantine world-surrounding mountains, being invulnerable to disturbance by any demons or false teachers;

a mind like a lotus blossom, which worldly things cannot affect;

a mind like an udumbara flower, difficult to encounter through all time;

a mind like the clear sun, destroying the darkness;

a mind like space, being immeasurable.

TEN DETERMINATIONS

to liberate all beings;

to cause all beings to get rid of their afflictions;

to cause all sentient beings to extinguish their habit energies;

to eliminate all doubts;

to remove all sentient beings' miseries;

to extirpate the difficulties of the states of woe;

to respectfully follow all buddhas;

to study what all enlightening beings should learn;

to show the enlightenment of all buddhas at each point in all worlds;

to beat the drum of the highest teaching in all worlds, to cause all sentient beings to gain understanding in accord with their faculties and inclinations

TEN COMPREHENSIVE MINDS

a mind comprehending all spaces, their intentions far-reaching;

a mind comprehending all realms of reality, deeply penetrating infinity;

a mind comprehending all past, present, and future, knowing them all in a single thought;

a mind comprehending the manifestation of all buddhas, clearly understanding their entry into the womb, birth, leaving home, attainment of enlightenment, teaching activity, and ultimate nirvana;

a mind comprehending all sentient beings, knowing their faculties, inclinations, and habit energies;

a mind comprehending all knowledge, knowing the realms of reality everywhere;

a mind comprehending all infinities, knowing the differentiations of the networks of illusions;

a mind comprehending all nonorigination, not apprehending any intrinsic nature in any thing;

a mind comprehending all nonobstruction, not dwelling on the mind of self or the mind of other;

a mind comprehending all freedoms, manifesting realization of buddhahood everywhere in a single instant.

TEN FACULTIES

joyful faculties, seeing all buddhas, with faith indestructible;

hopeful faculties, understanding whatever Buddha teachings they hear;

nonregressing faculties, consummating all their tasks;

steadfast faculties, not stopping the practices of enlightening beings;

subtle faculties, entering the subtle principle of transcendent wisdom;

unceasing faculties, consummating the tasks of all sentient beings;

adamantine faculties, realizing the nature of all things;

indestructible glowing faculties, illumining all spheres of buddhahood;

undifferentiated faculties, being the same one body as all buddhas;

unobstructed faculties, deeply penetrating the ten powers of the enlightened.

TEN KINDS OF PROFOUND MINDS

a profound mind not stained by any worldly things;

a profound mind not alloyed with the ways of the lesser vehicles of individual salvation;

a profound mind comprehending the enlightenment of all buddhas of past, present, and future;

a profound mind following the path of omniscience;

a profound mind unmoved by any demons or heretics;

a profound mind clarifying the comprehensive knowledge of all enlightened ones;

a profound mind accepting and holding all truths heard;

a profound mind not clinging to any state of life;

a profound mind imbued with all subtle knowledge;

a profound mind cultivating all qualities of buddhahood

TEN KINDS OF INTENSE MINDS

an intense profound mind not backsliding, because they accumulate all roots of goodness;

an intense, profound mind removing doubt, because they understand the esoteric sayings of all buddhas;

an intense profound mind holding truth, being born by great vows and great deeds;

a supremely intense profound mind, deeply penetrating all Buddha teachings;

a masterful intense profound mind, mastering all Buddha teachings;

a vast intense profound mind, entering into various ways of access to truth;

a leading intense profound mind, accomplishing all tasks;

a free intense profound mind, adorned by all concentrations, spiritual powers, and mystical transformations;

an abiding intense profound mind, embracing their past vows;

an unceasing intense profound mind, developing all sentient beings to maturity.

TEN KINDS OF DILIGENT PRACTICE

diligent practice of giving, relinquishing all without seeking reward;

diligent practice of self-control, practicing austerities, having few desires, and being content;

diligent practice of forbearance, detaching from notions of self and other, tolerating all evils without anger or malice;

diligent practice of vigor, their thoughts, worlds, and deeds never confused, not regressing in what they do, reaching the ultimate end;

diligent practice of meditations, liberations, and concentrations, discovering spiritual powers, leaving behind all desires, afflictions, contention, and their congeners;

diligent practice of wisdom, tirelessly cultivating and accumulating virtues;

diligent practice of great benevolence, knowing that all sentient beings have no nature of their own;

diligent practice of great compassion, knowing that all things are empty, accepting suffering in place of all sentient beings without wearying;

diligent practice to awaken the ten powers of enlightenment, realizing them without obstruction, manifesting them for sentient beings;

diligent practice of the nonreceding wheel of teaching, proceeding to reach all sentient beings.

TEN KINDS OF UNDERSTANDING

certain understanding of the supreme, planting roots of goodness of respect;

certain understanding of adornment, producing various adornments;

certain understanding of breadth and magnanimity, their minds never narrow or mean;

certain understanding of quiescence, able to penetrate the most profound essence of things;

certain understanding of universality, their determination for enlightenment extending everywhere;

certain understanding of capacity, able to receive the support of the power of Buddha;

certain understanding of strength, able to crush all demon activities;

certain understanding of clear decision, knowing the consequences of all actions;

certain understanding of presence, able to manifest spiritual powers at will;

certain understanding of succession, receiving the prediction of buddhahood from all buddhas;

certain understanding of freedom, attaining buddhahood at will at any time.

DEFINITIVE UNDERSTANDING

they know all worlds penetrate one world;

they know one world penetrates all worlds;

they know the body and lotus throne of one buddha pervades all worlds;

they know all worlds are like space;

they know all worlds are endowed with the adornments of buddhas;

they now all worlds are filled with enlightening beings;

they know all worlds enter one pore;

they know all worlds enter the body of a single sentient beings;

they know the enlightenment tree and site of enlightenment of one buddha pervade all worlds;

they know all worlds are pervaded by one message that allows sentient beings to hear it differently, to their delight.

TEN UNDERSTANDINGS OF SENTIENT BEINGS

they know that all realms of sentient beings essentially have no reality;

they know that all realms of sentient beings enter the body of one sentient being;

they know that all realms of sentient beings enter the body of an enlightening being;

they know that all realms of sentient beings enter the matrix of enlightenment;

they know the body of one sentient being enters all realms of sentient beings;

they know that all realms of sentient beings can be vessels of the buddhas' teachings;

they know all realms of sentient beings and manifest the bodies of celestial beings for them according to their desires;

they know all realms of sentient beings and manifest the tranquil, composed behavior of saints and individual illuminates for them, according to their inclinations;

they know all realms of sentient beings and manifest to them the bodies of enlightening beings adorned with virtues;

they know all realms of sentient beings and show them the marks and embellishments and the tranquil comportment of buddhas, and enlighten sentient beings.

Now if you have the courage and force to take the pledge, this is what it looks like.

 

                                

THE FOUR BODHISATTVA VOWS

 

However innumerable sentient beings are, I vow to influence those seekers who have planted the causes and conditions along the path in succeeding to achieve it.

However inexhaustible the defilements are, I vow to contribute in extinguishing them.

However immeasurable the dharmas are, I vow to master them.

However unattainable the Way is, I vow to attain it.

 

Now here is a deeper version of the pledge, which one can make alone quietly and with greater profoundness of heart.

 

A MORE PROFOUND FORM OF THE BODHISATTVA VOWS

 

"The Supreme Enlightenment we (I) vow to achieve."

Enlightenment is Bodhi; Supreme Enlightenment is the Anuttara-Samyak-Sambodhi, the Buddha Fruit. With Bodhicitta, using the faith of my stained mind I vow to complete this path. I will develop the impetus  to spread the Buddha-dharma and effect the liberation of all sentient beings. 

 

"Sentient beings without number we (I) vow to enlighten."

The eradication of my own suffering is not apart from the natural impulse to aid in the eradication of the suffering of others. The immeasurable distress and the cause of distress of all sentient beings is my own. With the growth and nourishment of Immeasurable Compassion, I take this vow:

 

"Vexations without number we (I) vow to eradicate."

The desire to win Supreme Bodhi, convert and liberate sentient beings, and aid in the eradication of their distress, is not an impulse based on idle sentimentality or romantic notions of spiritual life. This noble aspiration has its root in the foundation of natural wisdom which I sense is within me, as yet undeveloped. With this wisdom only, and not otherwise, can I spread the Dharma and assist living beings

 

"Limitless approaches to the Dharma we (I) vow to master"

Perceiving at my present level the suffering of sentient beings, I vow to Liberate sentient beings without number. I vow, perceiving the myriad Dharma doors to Enlightenment, to master them all. Perceiving the availability of truth of the Dharma I take this vow to continue with calm, patience, resolution, perseverance and clear introspection upon the path of  the Supreme Bodhi.

 

 

Finally, lest one consider taking the vow is all that one has to do, one must be aware of the main causes of the failure to observe the pledge.

 

THE FOUR DEFEATS (PARAJIKA) OF THE BODHISATTVA DHARMA

 

There are various conditions leading to the deterioration of both the Bodhicitta and the practice of Bodhisattva Dharma. These enter in the stream of thoughts and distract the clear mind.

 

The first specific condition which leads to the defeat of the Bodhicitta is the praising oneself and pulling down others when there is no just Dharma reason for doing so.

The second specific condition leading to defeat is failing to help those who are in genuine need both physically and mentally. One must always help to the limit of one’s potential and when that limit is reached if the person still needs help, aid that person to find that help. 

The third specific condition leading to defeat is not receiving the petitions of those who wish to hear about the Dharma or explaining in an impatient manner the Dharma to those desirous of following the right path. If one teaches the Dharma with bias, grudges or anger then one is walking away from the Bodhisattva state.

 

The fourth condition leading to defeat is the act of foolishly deceiving others with pseudo-dharma. This pseudo-dharma has its roots in the desire to appear with Wisdom when one is not. The True Dharma comes from the Buddha Nature, not the mind.

 

 

Exercise Seven

Three men are walking through the desert. They are lost and about to die from thirst and hunger. They come to a very high wall and the first one climbs up, shouts for joy and jumps over the wall never to return. The next man climbs up the wall and he too, exclaims in ecstasy, jumps off the wall and never comes back. Now the third man climbs up the wall. He gets to the top and sees a sort of Garden of Eden with water and lots of fruit trees. He smiles, turns, goes back down the wall, returning to the desert to help others find their way to this paradise. He chooses to go back into the desert of the world and help others find their way.

Explain why you are prepared to climb the wall. Then explain why you would either jump over or return.  Be as honest as you can.

Then elect three attributes from each of the 17 groups that describe a fully awakened one.  You may be questioned on these later to justify your choice, so choose with caution. Then take five of those and explain why they were chosen.