Alone, Without Companion
Having dedicated every wholesome root, the bodhisattva reflects on a single sun that illuminates every being throughout the four continents without needing a second sun to share the task, and without living beings themselves supplying any light of their own. The bodhisattva applies this directly to their own resolve: since living beings, unable even to save themselves, cannot yet help save others, the bodhisattva vows to labor alone, "solitary and without companion," toward ten distinct purposes for every living being at once.
One Sun Is Enough
The sun simile makes a quietly practical point before it becomes a statement of resolve: a single sun suffices for every being throughout the four continents, not because the task is small, but because one sun is simply enough. The bodhisattva draws the direct parallel — living beings cannot yet save even themselves, so for now the bodhisattva must labor "solitary and without companion," not from pride in being singular, but because the illumination has to come from somewhere, and no other source has yet arrived.
「佛子！菩薩摩訶薩以諸善根正迴向已，作如是念：『不以四天下眾生多故，多日出現；但一日出，悉能普照一切眾生。又，諸眾生不以自身光明故，知有晝夜，遊行觀察，興造諸業；皆由日天子出，成辦斯事，然彼日輪但一無二。』
"Child of the Buddha! Once the bodhisattva mahāsattva has correctly dedicated every wholesome root, they give rise to this thought, saying: 'It is not because living beings throughout the four continents are so numerous that many suns appear; rather, a single sun rises, and is entirely able to universally illuminate every living being. Furthermore, it is not through their own light that living beings come to know day from night, travel about and observe, and carry out their various activities; all of this is accomplished entirely because the sun rises — and yet that solar disk is but a single one, never two.'
菩薩摩訶薩亦復如是，修集善根迴向之時，作是念言：『彼諸眾生不能自救，何能救他？唯我一人，志獨無侶，修集善根如是迴向。所謂：為欲廣度一切眾生故，普照一切眾生故，示導一切眾生故，開悟一切眾生故，顧復一切眾生故，攝受一切眾生故，成就一切眾生故，令一切眾生歡喜故，令一切眾生悅樂故，令一切眾生斷疑故。』
The bodhisattva mahāsattva is likewise just the same. When cultivating and gathering wholesome roots for dedication, they give rise to this thought, saying: 'Those very living beings are unable to save even themselves — how could they save others? I alone, my resolve solitary and without companion, cultivate and gather wholesome roots and dedicate them in just this way. Namely: wishing to broadly ferry across every living being, to universally illuminate every living being, to guide every living being, to awaken every living being, to care for and look after every living being, to gather in and receive every living being, to bring every living being to accomplishment, to cause every living being to rejoice, to cause every living being to feel delight and happiness, and to cause every living being to cut off every doubt.'
"Solitary and without companion" reads, at first, like a burden the bodhisattva is resigned to — but the sun simile reframes it as simply how illumination works: a single sun was never a shortage waiting to be corrected by a second sun, and the bodhisattva's solitary vow is offered in the same spirit, sufficient because it must be, not because help was refused.
Part 218 Complete
This closes Part 218. Chapter 25 continues in Part 219 as the bodhisattva vows to shine like the sun without ever seeking repayment, tolerating every evil in living beings without ever abandoning the vow on account of a single being's fault.