Ten Reasons for the Royal Palace, Ten Reasons for Going Forth
Ten reasons for dwelling in the royal palace move from bringing former companions' roots of goodness to maturity to entering samādhi even within the depths of the palace. Ten reasons for going forth from home follow immediately after, closing on the plainest reason of all: it is simply the nature of the dharma for a bodhisattva in his final birth to do so.
Samādhi Inside the Palace Walls
The fifth reason for dwelling in the royal palace makes a claim that could easily go unnoticed: a bodhisattva's great, awesome power is manifested precisely by being able to enter samādhi even within the depths of a palace built for pleasure — the palace does not need to be renounced first for the deepest concentration to be possible there.
「佛子！菩薩摩訶薩現童子地已，以十事故現處王宮。何等為十？所謂：為令宿世同行眾生善根成熟故，現處王宮；為顯示菩薩善根力故，現處王宮；為諸人、天耽著樂具，示現菩薩大威德樂具故，現處王宮；順五濁世眾生心故，現處王宮；為現菩薩大威德力能於深宮入三昧故，現處王宮；為令宿世同願眾生滿其意故，現處王宮；欲令父母、親戚、眷屬滿所願故，現處王宮；欲以妓樂出妙法音供養一切諸如來故，現處王宮；欲於宮內住微妙三昧，始從成佛乃至涅槃皆示現故，現處王宮；為隨順守護諸佛法故，現處王宮。是為十。最後身菩薩如是示現處王宮已，然後出家。
"Son of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva, having manifested the stage of youth, for ten reasons manifests dwelling in the royal palace. What are these ten? Namely: in order to bring to maturity the roots of goodness of sentient beings who practiced alongside him in ages past, he manifests dwelling in the royal palace; in order to display the power of a bodhisattva's own roots of goodness, he manifests dwelling in the royal palace; because various humans and devas are indulging in objects of pleasure, in order to manifest a bodhisattva's own great and awesome objects of pleasure, he manifests dwelling in the royal palace; in order to accord with the minds of sentient beings in an age of the five defilements, he manifests dwelling in the royal palace; in order to manifest a bodhisattva's own great, awesome power, able to enter samādhi even within the depths of the palace, he manifests dwelling in the royal palace; in order to fulfill the intentions of sentient beings who shared the same vow with him in ages past, he manifests dwelling in the royal palace; wishing to fulfill the vows of his parents, relatives, and household, he manifests dwelling in the royal palace; wishing to bring forth the wondrous sound of the dharma through music, making offerings to every tathāgata, he manifests dwelling in the royal palace; wishing to dwell within the palace in a subtle and wondrous samādhi, manifesting everything from the attainment of buddhahood all the way to nirvāṇa, he manifests dwelling in the royal palace; and in order to accord with and guard the dharma of every buddha, he manifests dwelling in the royal palace. These are the ten. A bodhisattva in his final birth, having manifested dwelling in the royal palace in this way, thereafter goes forth from home.
「佛子！菩薩摩訶薩以十事故，示現出家。何等為十？所謂：為厭居家故，示現出家；為著家眾生令捨離故，示現出家；為隨順信樂聖人道故，示現出家；為宣揚讚歎出家功德故，示現出家；為顯永離二邊見故，示現出家；為令眾生離欲樂、我樂故，示現出家；為先現出三界相故，示現出家；為現自在不屬他故，示現出家；為顯當得如來十力、無畏法故，示現出家；最後菩薩法應爾故，示現出家。是為十。菩薩以此調伏眾生。
Son of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva, for ten reasons, manifests going forth from home. What are these ten? Namely: in order to manifest renunciation of household life, he manifests going forth from home; in order to cause sentient beings attached to household life to relinquish it, he manifests going forth from home; in order to accord with faith and delight in the path of the noble ones, he manifests going forth from home; in order to proclaim and praise the merit of going forth from home, he manifests going forth from home; in order to display forever leaving behind the two extreme views, he manifests going forth from home; in order to cause sentient beings to leave behind the pleasure of desire and the pleasure of self, he manifests going forth from home; in order to first manifest the mark of transcending the three realms, he manifests going forth from home; in order to manifest sovereignty, belonging to no other, he manifests going forth from home; in order to display that he will attain the tathāgata's own ten powers and fearlessnesses, he manifests going forth from home; and because it is simply the nature of the dharma for a bodhisattva in his final birth to be so, he manifests going forth from home. These are the ten. It is by means of these that the bodhisattva tames sentient beings.
最後菩薩法應爾故，示現出家 — because it is simply the nature of the dharma for a bodhisattva in his final birth to be so, he manifests going forth from home. After nine reasons each carrying its own specific purpose — renouncing household life, guiding others, displaying sovereignty — the tenth offers no purpose at all beyond necessity itself: at this stage of the path, going forth is simply what happens, without further justification required.
Part 797 Complete
This continues chapter thirty-eight, 離世間品, in fascicle fifty-nine. Part 798 opens ten reasons a bodhisattva manifests austere practice, beginning with bringing beings of inferior understanding to maturity.