THE TEN BHUMIS (GROUNDS)
of the Avatamsaka Sutra
The first bhūmi, the Very Joyous. (Skt. Paramudita): one rejoices at realizing a partial aspect of the truth.
The second bhūmi, the Stainless. (Skt. Vimala): one is free from all defilement.
The third bhūmi, the Luminous. (Skt. Prabhakari): one radiates the light of wisdom.
The fourth bhūmi, the Radiant. (Skt. Archishmati): the radiant flame of wisdom burns away earthly desires.
The fifth bhūmi, the Difficult to Cultivate. (Skt. Sudurjaya): one surmounts the illusions of ignorance as the Middle Way.
The sixth bhūmi, the Manifest. (Skt. Abhimukhi): supreme wisdom begins to manifest.
The seventh bhūmi, the Gone Afar. (Skt. Duramgama): in which one rises above the states of the Two vehicles;
The eighth bhūmi, the Immovable. (Skt. Achala): one dwells firmly in the truth of and cannot be perturbed by anything;
The ninth bhūmi, the Good Intelligence. (Skt. Sadhumati): one preaches the Law freely and without restriction.
The tenth bhūmi, the Cloud of Doctrine. (Skt. Dharmamegha): one benefits all sentient beings with the Dharma, just as a cloud sends down rain impartially on all things.
Since the ten grounds are levels to be attained and cannot be attained by cognitive means, it is therefore important that the means to attain each level be explained clearly and without ambiguous esoteric rhetoric.
Since the human mind, with dissonance and without, is capable of errors of judgment, particularly where self-evaluation is concerned, all must be warned about either moving too fast from one ground to another without stabilizing that ground and are particularly warned against a first "auto-evaluation" that could generate the mistaken belief that one has already passed by earlier grounds. Believe me, too much is at stake to allow pride and such to destroy possible correct entry upon the Avaivartika way.