Knowing One's Own Prediction, Entering Bodhisattvas, Tathāgatas, and Worlds
Ten dharmas let a bodhisattva know their own prediction of future buddhahood without ever being told, and four further ten-fold lists describe what it means to "enter" — into every bodhisattva's own vow and practice, every tathāgata's boundless awakening, every sentient being's conduct across the three times, and every kind of world from the defiled to the pure.
A Prediction Known Without Being Told
The first list answers a striking question — how does a bodhisattva know their own prediction of awakening without anyone telling them? — with ten qualities of conduct rather than any sign or vision; from there the questions pivot to a repeated verb, "entering," applied in turn to bodhisattvas, tathāgatas, sentient beings' own conduct, and the full range of worlds, from the defiled to the pure, from the vast to a single dust-mote.
「佛子！菩薩摩訶薩有十種受記法，菩薩以此自知受記。何等為十？所謂：以殊勝意發菩提心，自知受記；永不厭捨諸菩薩行，自知受記；住一切劫行菩薩行，自知受記；修一切佛法，自知受記；於一切佛教一向深信，自知受記；修一切善根皆令成就，自知受記；置一切眾生於佛菩提，自知受記；於一切善知識和合無二，自知受記；於一切善知識起如來想，自知受記；恒勤守護菩提本願，自知受記。是為十。「佛子！菩薩摩訶薩有十種入，入諸菩薩。何等為十？所謂：入本願；入行；入聚；入諸波羅蜜；入成就；入差別願；入種種解；入莊嚴佛土；入神力自在；入示現受生。是為十。菩薩以此普入三世一切菩薩。
"Son of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva has ten dharmas of receiving a prediction, through which a bodhisattva knows their own prediction without being told. What are these ten? Namely: giving rise to the mind of awakening with a supreme intention — they know their own prediction; forever never growing weary of or abandoning bodhisattva practice — they know their own prediction; abiding through every kalpa while carrying out bodhisattva practice — they know their own prediction; cultivating every dharma of the Buddha — they know their own prediction; having single-minded, profound faith in every teaching of the buddhas — they know their own prediction; cultivating every root of goodness and bringing every one of them to fulfillment — they know their own prediction; placing every sentient being upon the Buddha's own awakening — they know their own prediction; being harmonized with every good spiritual friend as without duality — they know their own prediction; giving rise to the thought of the tathāgata toward every good spiritual friend — they know their own prediction; and forever diligently guarding their own original vow for awakening — they know their own prediction. These are the ten. Son of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva has ten kinds of entry, entering into every bodhisattva. What are these ten? Namely: entering their original vow; entering their practice; entering their assembly; entering the pāramitās; entering their accomplishment; entering their distinct vows; entering their various understandings; entering their adornment of buddha-lands; entering their sovereign freedom of spiritual power; and entering their manifested taking of birth. These are the ten. Through these, a bodhisattva universally enters every bodhisattva of the three times.
「佛子！菩薩摩訶薩有十種入，入諸如來。何等為十？所謂：入無邊成正覺；入無邊轉法輪；入無邊方便法；入無邊差別音聲；入無邊調伏眾生；入無邊神力自在；入無邊種種差別身；入無邊三昧；入無邊力、無所畏；入無邊示現涅槃。是為十。菩薩以此普入三世一切如來。「佛子！菩薩摩訶薩有十種入眾生行。何等為十？所謂：入一切眾生過去行；入一切眾生未來行；入一切眾生現在行；入一切眾生善行；入一切眾生不善行；入一切眾生心行；入一切眾生根行；入一切眾生解行；入一切眾生煩惱習氣行；入一切眾生教化調伏時、非時行。是為十。菩薩以此普入一切諸眾生行。「佛子！菩薩摩訶薩有十種入世界。何等為十？所謂：入染世界；入淨世界；入小世界；入大世界；入微塵中世界；入微細世界；入覆世界；入仰世界；入有佛世界；入無佛世界。是為十。
Son of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva has ten kinds of entry, entering into every tathāgata. What are these ten? Namely: entering their boundless attainment of perfect awakening; entering their boundless turning of the dharma-wheel; entering their boundless dharmas of skillful means; entering their boundless, distinct spoken sounds; entering their boundless taming of sentient beings; entering their boundless sovereign freedom of spiritual power; entering their boundless variety of distinct bodies; entering their boundless samādhis; entering their boundless powers and fearlessnesses; and entering their boundless manifestation of nirvāṇa. These are the ten. Through these, a bodhisattva universally enters every tathāgata of the three times. Son of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva has ten kinds of entry into the conduct of sentient beings. What are these ten? Namely: entering every sentient being's past conduct; entering every sentient being's future conduct; entering every sentient being's present conduct; entering every sentient being's wholesome conduct; entering every sentient being's unwholesome conduct; entering every sentient being's mental conduct; entering every sentient being's conduct of faculties; entering every sentient being's conduct of understanding; entering every sentient being's conduct shaped by afflictive habitual tendency; and entering the timeliness or untimeliness of teaching and taming every sentient being's conduct. These are the ten. Through these, a bodhisattva universally enters the conduct of every sentient being. Son of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva has ten kinds of entry into the world. What are these ten? Namely: entering defiled worlds; entering pure worlds; entering small worlds; entering great worlds; entering worlds within a single dust-mote; entering minute worlds; entering worlds turned face-down; entering worlds turned face-up; entering worlds with a buddha; and entering worlds without a buddha. These are the ten.
以殊勝意發菩提心，自知受記 — giving rise to the mind of awakening with a supreme intention — they know their own prediction. None of the ten signs of a self-known prediction is a vision, a voice, or an external confirmation of any kind; every single one is simply a description of sustained conduct — never wearying, never doubting, never abandoning the original vow. The prediction, on this account, is not something received from outside so much as something a bodhisattva can read directly off the shape of their own practice.
Part 689 Complete
This continues chapter thirty-eight, 離世間品, in fascicle fifty-three. Part 690 answers the next questions on entering a kalpa and speaking of the three times, including the striking claim that all kalpas are, in the end, a single thought.