The Dharma Teacher's Skillful Means and the First Three Thickets

Commentary: Within the Ninth Ground there are four distinct divisions: first, accomplishing the skillful means of a Dharma teacher; second, accomplishing wisdom; third, accomplishing entry into practice; and fourth, accomplishing teaching. Within the Eighth Ground, he merely purified buddha-lands and taught sentient beings; within this Ninth Ground, through the power of eloquence, he teaches and transforms sentient beings to accomplish every characteristic — being able to teach, this surpasses that. What, then, is accomplishing the skillful means of a Dharma teacher?

Sūtra: At that time the bodhisattva Vajragarbha said: Son of the Buddha! A bodhisattva, through wisdom such as this — immeasurable wisdom, well-considering wisdom — seeks ever more excellent, profound liberation of quiescent cessation. Turning further, he seeks the tathāgatas' own ultimate wisdom, entering into the tathāgatas' own profound and secret Dharma, reflecting upon and selecting inconceivable great wisdom, selecting every dhāraṇī, samādhi, and wisdom, causing them to become pure. He manifests every spiritual power in vast, expansive practice, thoroughly penetrating the practice of the world's own distinctions, cultivating the tathāgatas' own strength, fearlessness, and unshared buddha-dharmas, unobstructed and well-tempered, thoroughly penetrating the tathāgatas' own adornment of turning the wheel of the Dharma, never abandoning the power of great compassion and great vow — and thereby attains entry into the Ninth Ground of the bodhisattva.

Commentary: Here, accomplishing the skillful means of a Dharma teacher is manifest through benefiting others and benefiting himself, in the pattern of one clause, one clause, five clauses, and three clauses. In dependence on the formless attainment of the thought of liberation, he benefits the sentient beings who can be transformed — as the sūtra says, "at that time the bodhisattva Vajragarbha said: Son of the Buddha! A bodhisattva, through wisdom such as this — immeasurable wisdom, well-considering wisdom — seeks ever more excellent, profound liberation of quiescent cessation." In dependence on not yet having attained the buddhas' own ultimate wisdom, he benefits himself — as the sūtra says, "turning further, he seeks the tathāgatas' own ultimate wisdom." In dependence on bodhisattvas whose faculties are ripened, in dependence on sentient beings who can be transformed who cultivate practice through mistaken mindfulness, and in dependence on sentient beings who do not yet know the Dharma, he turns the wheel of the Dharma, causing them to come to know it. In dependence on sentient beings with mistaken refuge, and in dependence on sentient beings who have faith and are born in the heavens — in this way, five clauses in turn show the practice of benefiting others. As the sūtra says, "entering into the tathāgatas' own profound and secret Dharma," "reflecting upon and selecting inconceivable great wisdom," "selecting every dhāraṇī, samādhi, and wisdom, causing them to become pure," "manifesting every spiritual power in vast, expansive practice," "thoroughly penetrating the practice of the world's own distinctions," and "manifesting a pure buddha-land, turning sentient beings of faith who are born in the heavens so that they enter the buddha-dharma." In dependence on correct enlightenment, in dependence on turning the wheel of the Dharma, and in dependence on nirvāṇa — these, in this way, three clauses in turn show the practice of benefiting himself. As the sūtra says, "cultivating the tathāgatas' own strength, fearlessness, and unshared buddha-dharmas, unobstructed and well-tempered," "thoroughly penetrating the tathāgatas' own adornment of turning the wheel of the Dharma," and "never abandoning the power of great compassion and great vow, he attains entry into the Ninth Ground of the bodhisattva."

"Never abandoning the benefiting of sentient beings" is manifest as the great nirvāṇa — this should be understood through his attaining the power of never abandoning great compassion and great vow. In this way, the division of accomplishing the skillful means of a Dharma teacher within the Ninth Ground has now been explained. What, then, is accomplishing wisdom?

Sūtra: This bodhisattva, dwelling within this bodhisattva's Sādhumatī, the Ground of Excellent Wisdom, truly knows the activity of wholesome, unwholesome, and indeterminate dharmas; the activity of defiled and undefiled dharmas; the activity of worldly and supramundane dharmas; the activity of conceivable and inconceivable dharmas; the activity of determinate and indeterminate dharmas; the activity of the dharmas of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, the activity of the dharma of bodhisattva practice, and the activity of the dharma of the tathāgata-ground; the activity of conditioned dharmas; and truly knows the activity of unconditioned dharmas.

Commentary: Here, accomplishing wisdom — in dependence on what sort of dharmas is the Dharma taught? It should be understood that these dharmas are not dual, whether pure or defiled — as the sūtra says, "this bodhisattva, dwelling within this bodhisattva's Ground of Excellent Wisdom, truly knows the activity of wholesome, unwholesome, and indeterminate dharmas." Within pure dharmas there are the defiled and the undefiled — as the sūtra says, "the activity of defiled and undefiled dharmas." Further, within undefiled dharmas, there is the activity of worldly and supramundane dharmas — as the sūtra says, "the activity of worldly and supramundane dharmas." Further, these dharmas have the conceivable and the inconceivable — as the sūtra says, "the activity of conceivable and inconceivable dharmas." Within the conceivable, there is further the determinate and the indeterminate — as the sūtra says, "the activity of determinate and indeterminate dharmas." This, further, is within the three vehicles — as the sūtra says, "the activity of the dharmas of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas," "the activity of the dharma of bodhisattva practice," and "the activity of the dharma of the tathāgata-ground." This, further, within the dharmas of the three vehicles, shows the conditioned and the unconditioned, in dependence on the practice he accords with — as the sūtra says, "the activity of conditioned dharmas" and "truly knows the activity of unconditioned dharmas." In this way, the division of accomplishing wisdom within the Ninth Ground has now been explained. What, then, is accomplishing entry into practice?

Sūtra: This bodhisattva, according with wisdom such as this, truly knows the thicket of sentient beings' own mental activity, the thicket of afflictions' own activity, the thicket of karma's own activity, the thicket of faculties' own activity, the thicket of faith's own activity, the thicket of nature's own activity, the thicket of deep mind's own activity, the thicket of latent tendencies' own activity, the thicket of birth's own activity, and the thicket of habitual tendencies' own activity; and truly knows the thicket of the activity of the distinctions among the three groups.

Commentary: Here, accomplishing entry into practice is in dependence on what is shared, in dependence on affliction, karma, and birth, in dependence on shared defilement — affliction, defilement and purity, and the rest — and in dependence on determinate and indeterminate time. As the sūtra says, "this bodhisattva, according with wisdom such as this, truly knows the thicket of sentient beings' own mental activity," all the way to "the thicket of the activity of the distinctions among the three groups." This, further, concerns determinate and indeterminate time, the faculties and the rest, the sequence of the faculties and the rest, and the resemblance of faith and the rest — as the sūtra says, "the thicket of faculties' own activity," "the thicket of faith's own activity," "the thicket of nature's own activity," "the thicket of deep mind's own activity," "the thicket of latent tendencies' own activity," "the thicket of birth's own activity," "the thicket of habitual tendencies' own activity," and "truly knows the thicket of the activity of the distinctions among the three groups." "Thicket" means the meaning of being many, and the meaning of being difficult to know. "Activity" means the meaning of faith not being correct. What, then, are the distinctions of the thicket of the mind's own activity?

Sūtra: This bodhisattva truly knows the manifold marks of sentient beings' every mind: the mark of the mind's admixture, the mark of the mind's swift turning, arising and not arising, the mark of the mind's formlessness, the mark of the mind's boundless multiplicity throughout every place, the mark of the mind's purity, the mark of the mind's defilement and non-defilement, the mark of the mind's bondage and liberation, the mark of the mind's illusory arising, and the mark of the mind's arising in accordance with the path — all the way to boundless hundreds of thousands of manifold distinct marks of mind, he truly knows every one.

Commentary: Here, the distinctions of the thicket of the mind's own activity mean that the mind has manifold, distinct differences — as the sūtra says, "this bodhisattva truly knows the manifold marks of sentient beings' every mind." These manifold marks of mind are of eight kinds: first, the mark of distinction, since mind, mentation, and consciousness have six distinct kinds — as the sūtra says, "the mark of the mind's admixture." Second, the mark of activity, since abiding, change, arising, and ceasing are its activity — as the sūtra says, "the mark of the mind's swift turning, arising and not arising." Third, the mark of ultimate meaning: contemplating that this mind is free of mind, since mind and its embodiment cannot be apprehended — as the sūtra says, "the mark of the mind's formlessness." Fourth, its own mark, since it accords in practice with the apprehension of boundless object-realms — as the sūtra says, "the mark of the mind's boundless multiplicity throughout every place." Fifth, the mark of its own nature being undefiled — as the sūtra says, "the mark of the mind's purity."

Sixth, the mark of being the same as affliction and not the same as affliction — as the sūtra says, "the mark of the mind's defilement and non-defilement." Seventh, the mark of being the same as the latent tendencies and not the same as the latent tendencies — as the sūtra says, "the mark of the mind's bondage and liberation." Eighth, the mark of cause, since bodhisattvas are born through the power of vow while other sentient beings are born through the power of their own karma — as the sūtra says, "the mark of the mind's illusory arising," "the mark of the mind's arising in accordance with the path," all the way to "boundless hundreds of thousands of manifold distinct marks of mind, he truly knows every one" — since the mind, in its own nature, is pure. The sixth and seventh — "the mind's defilement and non-defilement" and "the mind's bondage and liberation" — these two clauses manifest the defilement of affliction. The eighth clause, "the mind's arising in accordance with the path," manifests the defilement of birth. What, then, are the distinctions of the thicket of afflictions' own activity?

Sūtra: This bodhisattva truly knows every affliction's mark of penetrating deeply, the mark of its boundless activity, the mark of its arising together, inseparable, the mark of afflictions and latent tendencies being of a single meaning, the mark of the mind's association and non-association, the mark of receiving retribution according to the place of birth on the path, the mark of distinctions among the three realms, the mark of the great fault of the arrows of craving, ignorance, and views, and the mark of the threefold cause of karma remaining unbroken — briefly stated, all the way to truly knowing the eighty-four thousand distinct marks of the activity of afflictions.

Commentary: The distinctions of the thicket of afflictions' own activity are manifest through three matters: first, penetrating far, reaching even to the Peak of Existence — as the sūtra says, "this bodhisattva truly knows every affliction's mark of penetrating deeply." Second, being difficult to know, since it is the practice gathered through boundless roots of goodness and the rest — as the sūtra says, "the mark of its boundless activity." Third, the defilement of karma, since affliction gives rise to defilement. Here, what is bound according to, by what it is bound, and the matter that is bound — this matter is spoken of to manifest the defiled matter of affliction's own defilement — as the sūtra says, "the mark of arising together, inseparable," "the mark of afflictions and latent tendencies being of a single meaning," and "the mark of the mind's association and non-association." Here, "what is bound according to" means that mind and affliction mutually share the same function and mutually depend on each other, arising together, inseparable. "By what it is bound" means that, because there is the latent tendency, one cannot attain liberation — since affliction and the latent tendency are of a single meaning. "The matter that is bound" means the mind's association and non-association. "Non-association" shows that liberation can be attained. Since the matter of the body is the cause of the realm of birth on the path, the defilement of birth's own affliction is manifest. As the sūtra says, "the mark of receiving retribution according to the place of birth on the path," "the mark of distinctions among the three realms," "within the three portions, the cause of karma hinders liberation," "according with the world's own action of body, speech, and mind," and "the cause that ceaselessly arises." The defilement of karma, affliction, and false conceptualization is manifest — as the sūtra says, "the mark of the great fault of the arrows of craving, ignorance, and views," "the mark of the threefold root of karma remaining unbroken," all the way to "truly knowing the eighty-four thousand distinct marks of the activity of afflictions." The three portions are: first, sentient beings whose activity is craving desire; second, sentient beings without precepts; third, sentient beings of other paths. What, then, are the distinctions of the thicket of karma's own activity?

Sūtra: This bodhisattva truly knows the mark of every karma's wholesomeness, unwholesomeness, and indeterminacy, the mark of having been done and not yet done, the mark of the mind's arising together, inseparable, the mark of the cause's own nature exhausting, gathering, and its fruit not being lost in sequence, the mark of having retribution and having no retribution, the mark of the distinctions of black karma, white karma, black-and-white karma, neither-black-nor-white karma, and karma directly experienced, the mark of the boundlessness of the cause of karma, the mark of the distinction between the noble and the worldly, the mark of retribution in this very life, retribution in the next birth, and retribution thereafter, and the mark of the determinacy and indeterminacy of vehicle and non-vehicle — all the way to truly knowing the eighty-four thousand distinct marks of every karma.

Commentary: The distinctions of the thicket of karma's own activity are manifest through the distinction of the cause of the path — as the sūtra says, "this bodhisattva truly knows the mark of every karma's wholesomeness, unwholesomeness, and indeterminacy." The distinction of its own nature — as the sūtra says, "the mark of having been done and not yet done." The distinction of skillful means — as the sūtra says, "the mark of the mind's arising together, inseparable." The distinction of the exhausting and gathering of the fruit — as the sūtra says, "the mark of the cause's own nature exhausting, gathering, and its fruit not being lost in sequence." The distinction between the fruit already received and the fruit not yet received — as the sūtra says, "the mark of having retribution and having no retribution." The distinction of opposition — as the sūtra says, "the mark of the distinctions of black karma, white karma, black-and-white karma, neither-black-nor-white karma, and karma directly experienced." The distinction of cause and condition — as the sūtra says, "the mark of the boundlessness of the cause of karma." The distinction between not yet gathered and already gathered — as the sūtra says, "the mark of the distinction between the noble and the worldly." The distinction of determinate and indeterminate retribution — as the sūtra says, "the mark of retribution in this very life, retribution in the next birth, and retribution thereafter," "the mark of the determinacy and indeterminacy of vehicle and non-vehicle," all the way to "truly knowing the eighty-four thousand distinct marks of every karma." Here, the distinction of its own nature has two kinds of karma: first, the time of deliberation; second, the time of performing the action. The distinction of skillful means means that the mind, arising together with the intention, perfumes the mind, without giving rise to any separate fruit. The distinction of the exhausting and gathering of the fruit means that karma, from beginningless time, naturally ceases and perishes moment by moment, yet what is gathered is not lost, since the conditioned cause of the action performed is exhausted and gathered. The distinction between the fruit already received and the fruit not yet received should be understood as retribution in the next birth and retribution thereafter, whether received or not yet received. The distinction of opposition should be understood as: black karma opposed to white karma, white karma opposed to black karma, neither-black-nor-white karma opposed to the two karmas, and the two karmas opposed to neither-black-nor-white karma — the distinctions of karma's own gathering and accomplishment. The distinction of determinacy and indeterminacy means the determinacy and indeterminacy of the three times, and the determinacy and indeterminacy of the three vehicles. "Non-vehicle" should be understood as the determinacy and indeterminacy of the world. What, then, are the distinctions of the thicket of faculties' own activity?