Seeking the Dharma, Renouncing All Wealth, and Entering the Eight Absorptions

Sūtra: The bodhisattva, having thus well grown world-weary of every conditioned activity, deeply calls to mind the entire realm of sentient beings, advancing toward the boundless benefit of the wisdom of omniscience. At that very time, relying on the tathāgata's wisdom to rescue and liberate sentient beings, he gives rise to this reflection: these sentient beings have fallen into great suffering, affliction, and karma — by what skillful means shall I pull them out and rescue them, causing them to abide in the ultimate bliss of nirvāṇa?

Commentary: Here, world-weariness, deep mindfulness, and benefit make manifest three kinds of cause: first, the cause of departing from false thought, since he well grows world-weary of every conditioned activity; second, the cause of not abandoning the world, since he deeply calls to mind every sentient being; and third, the cause of arousing diligence, since he advances toward the boundless benefit of the wisdom of omniscience. Herein, "advancing toward the place of benefit" means that he is able to cultivate and practice that very path. "Deep mindfulness" means that he is able to well transform sentient beings. "Relying on the tathāgata's wisdom to rescue and liberate sentient beings" — this phrase makes manifest the arousing of the practice of skillful means that gathers all in — as the sūtra says, "he gives rise to this reflection: these sentient beings have fallen into great suffering, affliction, and karma; by what skillful means shall I pull them out and rescue them, causing them to abide in the ultimate bliss of nirvāṇa." "Fallen into great suffering, affliction, and karma": "suffering" means the false thought of birth; "affliction" means the false thought of affliction; "karma" means the false thought of karma; and "the ultimate bliss of nirvāṇa" means unsurpassed nirvāṇa. Herein, the practice of skillful means that gathers all in is of three kinds: first, the ultimate realization of exhaustion; second, the rising higher and higher toward the ultimate realization of exhaustion; and third, the practice that supports this arising.

Sūtra: This bodhisattva gives rise to this thought: I shall never depart from the abode of the unobstructed, liberating wisdom. That abode of the unobstructed, liberating wisdom never departs from the true, suchness-realization of every dharma. That true, suchness-realization of every dharma never departs from the wisdom of activity without activity, arising without arising. Such a light of wisdom never departs from the skillful means of dhyāna and the resolute contemplation of wisdom. That skillful means of dhyāna and resolute contemplation of wisdom never departs from the skillful means of the wisdom born of hearing.

Commentary: "The ultimate realization of exhaustion" means abiding within the unobstructed, liberating wisdom — as the sūtra says, "this bodhisattva gives rise to this thought: I shall never depart from the abode of the unobstructed, liberating wisdom." That exhaustion arises through according with the true, suchness-realization of every dharma as taught by the tathāgata, and it is by means of this true, suchness-realization that the unobstructed, liberating wisdom arises — as the sūtra says, "that abode of the unobstructed, liberating wisdom never departs from the true, suchness-realization of every dharma." This is the wisdom of activity that discriminates neither the character proper to a dharma nor the character it shares with others — as the sūtra says, "that true, suchness-realization of every dharma never departs from the wisdom of activity without activity, arising without arising." As for "such a light of wisdom never departs from the skillful means of dhyāna and the resolute contemplation of wisdom" — this very wisdom is here named "light," and it is in dependence on this light that the ground is named Prabhākarī, the Luminous Ground. This bodhisattva, within meditative concentration, resolutely contemplates with wisdom by skillful means — as the sūtra says, "that skillful means of dhyāna and resolute contemplation of wisdom never departs from the skillful means of the wisdom born of hearing." "The skillful means of dhyāna" means attaining a dhyāna that surpasses and advances; "resolute" means being resolute with respect to others; and "the contemplation of wisdom" means contemplating with his own wisdom. This is called "the rising higher and higher toward the ultimate realization of exhaustion." This very contemplation of wisdom is attained in dependence on the skillful means of the wisdom born of hearing, and this is "the practice that supports this arising" — the skillful means of the wisdom born of hearing is what this arising relies upon, and so this cultivation and practice is called "the practice that supports this arising." Herein, "practice" means seeking and hearing the Dharma day and night, thus in due order relying on its teaching and relying on its meaning.

Sūtra: The bodhisattva, having thus correctly contemplated and come to know this, turns and further diligently cultivates the practice of seeking the true Dharma. Day and night he constantly seeks it: hearing the Dharma, delighting in the Dharma, taking joy in the Dharma, relying on the Dharma, according with the Dharma, benefiting by the Dharma, reflecting on the Dharma, bringing the Dharma to its consummation, taking refuge in the Dharma, and practicing in accordance with the Dharma.

Commentary: Herein, "the practice of seeking the true Dharma" means relying on its teaching and relying on its meaning, as explained before. "Day and night he constantly seeks it: hearing the Dharma, delighting in the Dharma, taking joy in the Dharma" — this is because he has no mind of pride, no mind of envy, and no mind bent on subduing others when he inquires into its meaning. "Relying on the Dharma" means relying on the teaching of the Great Vehicle, seeing and grasping it correctly for himself, never letting it slip from memory. "According with the Dharma, benefiting by the Dharma, and reflecting on the Dharma" mean, respectively, relying on reading and reciting it, relying on expounding it for others, and relying on reflecting on its meaning in a quiet place. "Bringing the Dharma to its consummation" means relying on cultivating and practicing meditative concentration. "Taking refuge in the Dharma" means relying on transmundane wisdom. "Practicing in accordance with the Dharma" means relying on liberation, according with and practicing the buddhas' own dharmas of liberation. Herein, "seeking the practice of the true Dharma" and "constantly seeking to hear the Dharma" — these first two clauses make manifest his constant, diligent practice; the nine clauses beginning with "delighting in the Dharma" make manifest his correct cultivation and practice. By what cause does he constantly, diligently practice? This makes manifest that his reverence for the Dharma, held in high esteem, is brought to its utmost exhaustion. This bodhisattva takes wealth as the first of his renunciations: amid treasures and riches, and the station of kingship, or birth among the heavens, in the purity of the world, and even his own person, he holds the Dharma alone to be of weight.

Sūtra: This bodhisattva, seeking the buddha-dharma by such skillful means, holds back nothing whatsoever among wealth, coin, grain, storehouse, or treasury — there is nothing among these that he is unable to relinquish. Toward these things he gives rise to no thought that they are hard to part with; it is only toward one who expounds the Dharma that he gives rise to the thought that such a person is hard to encounter. This bodhisattva, for the sake of seeking the buddha-dharma, holds back no outer wealth that he is unable to relinquish; he holds back no inner wealth that he is unable to relinquish; there is nothing he is unable to do in rendering service and homage; there is no pride, no pride of self, no towering pride of any kind that he is unable to relinquish — being upright and gentle in nature — and there is no bodily suffering that he is unable to bear. This bodhisattva attains the accomplishment of the mind that holds the supreme wealth: were he to hear a single phrase of the Dharma never heard before, this would surpass obtaining treasures filling the great trichiliocosm. This bodhisattva, upon hearing a single verse of the true Dharma, gives rise to the thought of it as the highest wealth, surpassing the attainment of the station of a Wheel-Turning King. He further attains the mind that holds the supreme wealth: were he to obtain a Dharma never heard before, able to purify the bodhisattva's practice, this would surpass the attainment of the station of Śakra or the Brahmā king, abiding there for boundless eons. Should someone come to this bodhisattva and speak thus: "I shall give you a single phrase of the Dharma spoken by the Buddha, able to purify the bodhisattva's practice, if you are now able to enter a great blazing pit of fire and undergo great suffering" — this bodhisattva gives rise to this thought: for the sake of receiving a single phrase of the Dharma spoken by the Buddha, able to purify the bodhisattva's practice, I would even fling myself down from the Brahmā heaven into a great fire filling the great trichiliocosm — how much more so into a small pit of fire. According to my own Dharma, I should undergo every suffering of every hell and still seek the Dharma — how much more so the small sufferings among human beings. The bodhisattva, thus arousing diligent practice, cultivates every true dharma, and, according with whatever Dharma he has heard, is everywhere able to correctly contemplate it in a quiet, still place.

Commentary: This bodhisattva, holding the Dharma in high esteem, is able to relinquish every material possession — as the sūtra says, "the bodhisattva, seeking the buddha-dharma by such skillful means," all the way to "it is only toward one who expounds the Dharma that he gives rise to the thought that such a person is hard to encounter." The outer wealth obtained through such wealth — fields, dwellings, and the like — he is also able to relinquish, as the sūtra says, "this bodhisattva, for the sake of seeking the buddha-dharma, holds back no outer wealth that he is unable to relinquish." And the inner matters undertaken for the sake of that wealth, this too he is able to relinquish, as the sūtra says, "he holds back no inner wealth that he is unable to relinquish." And what is done for the sake of these, this too he is able to relinquish — bodily conduct in reverent service and homage, and the rest — as the sūtra says, "there is nothing he is unable to do in rendering service and homage." Who is it that is able to obtain and yet able to relinquish these things? His own lofty, self-important intent, this too he is able to relinquish, as the sūtra says, "there is no pride, no pride of self, no towering pride of any kind that he is unable to relinquish, being upright and gentle in nature." What ought to be protected, this too he is able to relinquish, undergoing every manner of bodily suffering without exception, as the sūtra says, "there is no bodily suffering that he is unable to bear." Toward obtaining a great abundance of supreme, sublime treasures, he yet takes no delight in them, since his mind that holds the Dharma in high esteem is already accomplished — as the sūtra says, "this bodhisattva attains the accomplishment of the mind that holds the supreme wealth," all the way to "this would surpass obtaining treasures filling the great trichiliocosm." This is called excelling with respect to wealth. What is meant by excelling with respect to the station of kingship and the rest? This bodhisattva, attaining the Dharma, gives rise to a mind of joy thereby accomplished, surpassing the attainment of the station of a Wheel-Turning King, or of Śakra or the Brahmā king, and the rest — as the sūtra says, "this bodhisattva, upon hearing a single verse of the true Dharma, gives rise to the thought of it as the highest wealth," all the way to "this would surpass the attainment of the station of Śakra or the Brahmā king, abiding there for boundless eons." For the sake of seeking the Dharma, he flings his own body into a blazing fire filling the great trichiliocosm, and undergoes affliction within the hells for a long time — as the sūtra says, "should someone come to this bodhisattva and speak thus: 'I shall give you a single phrase of the Dharma spoken by the Buddha,'" all the way to "how much more so the small sufferings among human beings." Herein, "hearing a single phrase of the Dharma" means hearing the Dharma in a single word or phrase; "obtaining and hearing a single verse of the Dharma" means hearing the Dharma in a verse; and "able to purify the bodhisattva's practice" means hearing its meaning. As for this correct cultivation and practice, by what cause does it come about? This makes manifest that, relying on a quiet, still place, he reflects and correctly contemplates — as the sūtra says, "the bodhisattva, thus arousing diligent practice," all the way to "is everywhere able to correctly contemplate." What is meant by the division of world-weariness? This bodhisattva, having heard every dharma, knows that only by practicing as it is taught does he attain the buddha-dharma; and so he enters dhyāna, the formless absorptions, and boundless spiritual powers — these are not, for him, a place of delight, and he remains untainted within them, since this is what must necessarily be done.

Sūtra: This bodhisattva, having heard every dharma, subdues his own mind, and, in a quiet and secluded place, gives rise to this thought: only one who practices as it is taught attains the buddha-dharma; one cannot attain purity merely through what is spoken by the mouth. This bodhisattva, dwelling in this Luminous Ground, because he practices as it is taught, thereupon becomes free of desire and every unwholesome, evil dharma; with thought and examination, born of seclusion, filled with joy and bliss, he enters the practice of the first dhyāna. This bodhisattva extinguishes thought and examination; his mind, inwardly purified and unified, without thought and without examination, born of concentration, filled with joy and bliss, he enters the practice of the second dhyāna. This bodhisattva, departing from joy, abiding in equanimity, mindfulness, and clear awareness, experiences bliss in the body — that bliss which the noble ones are able to describe, and, abiding in equanimity and mindfulness, are able to relinquish — and he enters the practice of the third dhyāna. This bodhisattva cuts off suffering and cuts off bliss, having first extinguished dejection and elation; neither suffering nor blissful, with equanimity and mindfulness purified, he enters the practice of the fourth dhyāna. This bodhisattva, passing entirely beyond every perception of form, extinguishing every perception of resistance, giving no thought to any perception of manifold difference, knows the infinity of space, and thereupon enters the practice of the sphere of infinite space. This bodhisattva, passing entirely beyond every perception of infinite space, knows infinite consciousness, and thereupon enters the practice of the sphere of infinite consciousness. This bodhisattva, passing entirely beyond every perception of infinite consciousness, knows there to be nothing whatsoever, and thereupon enters the practice of the sphere of nothingness. This bodhisattva, passing entirely beyond the sphere of nothingness, knows the peace of neither perception nor non-perception, and thereupon enters the practice of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception. Yet it is only in accordance with the practice of the Dharma that he does so, and he takes no delight in or attachment to it.

Commentary: For what meaning does he enter dhyāna, the formless absorptions, and boundless spiritual powers? It is for the sake of five kinds of sentient being. First, for the sake of sentient beings proud with the pride of the bliss of dhyāna, he enters the various dhyānas. Second, for the sake of sentient beings proud with the pride of formless liberation, he enters the formless absorptions. Third, for the sake of sentient beings afflicted with suffering, wishing to settle them in a good and wholesome place and forever bestow bliss upon them, and, being obliged to release them from that suffering so that they no longer undergo it, he enters the immeasurable states of loving-kindness and compassion. Fourth, for the sake of sentient beings who have attained liberation, he enters the immeasurable states of sympathetic joy and equanimity. Fifth, for the sake of sentient beings of wrongful refuge, he enters the supreme power of spiritual penetration, causing them to attain correct faith in its meaning. Since this ground attains a dhyāna from which there is no falling back, it is named the ground of samādhi; it is not that the preceding grounds are without samādhi, but that this ground's samādhi excels.

Herein, the distinction among dhyāna and the formless states is of four kinds: first, departing from hindrance; second, the antidote cultivated and practiced; third, the benefit cultivated and practiced; and fourth, the samādhi on which these two rely. Within the first dhyāna, becoming free of desire and every unwholesome, evil dharma is called departing from hindrance — as the sūtra says, "becomes free of desire and every unwholesome, evil dharma." Having thought and examination is called the antidote cultivated and practiced — as the sūtra says, "with thought and examination." Joy and bliss are called the benefit cultivated and practiced — as the sūtra says, "born of seclusion, filled with joy and bliss." Entering the practice of the first dhyāna is called the samādhi on which these two rely — as the sūtra says, "enters the practice of the first dhyāna." Within the second dhyāna, extinguishing thought and examination is called departing from hindrance — as the sūtra says, "extinguishes thought and examination." Inward purity is called the antidote cultivated and practiced that extinguishes the hindrance of thought and examination — as the sūtra says, "his mind, inwardly purified and unified, without thought and without examination." "The mind unified" means cultivating the unbroken samādhi free of outflow, practicing with a single object. Joy and bliss born of concentration are called the benefit cultivated and practiced — as the sūtra says, "born of concentration, filled with joy and bliss." Entering the practice of the second dhyāna is called the samādhi on which these two rely — as the sūtra says, "enters the practice of the second dhyāna." Within the third dhyāna, departing from joy is called departing from hindrance — as the sūtra says, "departing from joy." Abiding in equanimity, mindfulness, and clear awareness is called the antidote cultivated and practiced — as the sūtra says, "abiding in equanimity, mindfulness, and clear awareness." Bliss experienced in the body is called the benefit cultivated and practiced — as the sūtra says, "experiences bliss in the body." Entering the practice of the third dhyāna is called the samādhi on which these two rely — as the sūtra says, "enters the practice of the third dhyāna." Within the fourth dhyāna, cutting off suffering and cutting off bliss, having first extinguished dejection and elation, is called departing from hindrance — as the sūtra says, "cuts off suffering and cuts off bliss, having first extinguished dejection and elation." Equanimity and mindfulness purified are called the antidote cultivated and practiced — as the sūtra says, "with equanimity and mindfulness purified." Being neither suffering nor blissful is called the benefit cultivated and practiced — as the sūtra says, "neither suffering nor blissful." Entering the practice of the fourth dhyāna is called the samādhi on which these two rely — as the sūtra says, "enters the practice of the fourth dhyāna."

The formless attainments likewise are of four kinds: first, departing from hindrance; second, the antidote cultivated and practiced; third, the benefit cultivated and practiced; and fourth, the samādhi on which these two rely. "Passing entirely beyond every perception of form" means passing beyond the perception belonging to the eye-consciousness. "Extinguishing every perception of resistance" means extinguishing the perception bound up with the ear-, nose-, tongue-, and body-consciousnesses. "Giving no thought to any perception of manifold difference" means giving no thought to the perception bound up with mind-consciousness — since mind-consciousness discriminates every dharma, this perception of manifold difference is called departing from hindrance. Such an antidote, passing beyond the perception of the object-realm of form and the rest, no longer discriminating the object-realm of form and the rest, seeing there to be no self — this is called the antidote cultivated and practiced. Knowing the infinity of space is called the benefit cultivated and practiced. Thereupon entering the practice of the sphere of infinite space is called the samādhi on which these two rely. Passing entirely beyond every perception of infinite space is called departing from hindrance. Such an antidote, passing beyond that infinite space, seeing the fault of the coarse discrimination of external thought, is called the antidote cultivated and practiced. Knowing infinite consciousness is called the benefit cultivated and practiced. Thereupon entering the practice of the sphere of infinite consciousness is called the samādhi on which these two rely. Passing entirely beyond every perception of infinite consciousness is called departing from hindrance. Such an antidote, passing beyond that infinite consciousness, seeing the fault of the coarse discrimination of that very matter, is called the antidote cultivated and practiced. Knowing there to be nothing whatsoever is called the benefit cultivated and practiced. Thereupon entering the practice of the sphere of nothingness is called the samādhi on which these two rely. Passing entirely beyond every perception of nothingness is called departing from hindrance. Such an antidote, passing beyond that nothingness, seeing the fault of coarse discrimination, is called the antidote cultivated and practiced. Knowing the peace of neither perception nor non-perception is called the benefit cultivated and practiced. Thereupon entering the practice of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception is called the samādhi on which these two rely. The division of world-weariness has thus been explained. What is meant by the fruit of world-weariness? It means the four immeasurables, the five spiritual powers, and the rest. What is meant by the four immeasurables?