The Ground of Joy

Homage to all buddhas, the unsurpassed great path, and the assembly of bodhisattvas, whose firm minds abide upon the ten grounds; to śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, who are free of self and what belongs to self. Now I shall explain the meaning of the ten grounds, following what the Buddha himself has taught.

Question: You wish to explain the meaning of the bodhisattva's ten grounds — for what reason do you set out to expound it?

Answer: Hell-beings, animals, hungry ghosts, humans, devas, and asuras — these six perilous destinies, places of great terror and dread, are the whirling eddies and swirling currents of the great ocean of birth and death in which sentient beings are caught. Coming and going according to karma, these are its surging waves; tears, mother's milk, flowing sweat, pus and blood are the pooled foul waters within it; sores and leprosy, wasting and desiccation, vomiting blood without cease, feverish illness rising through the body, festering boils and running sores, retching and bloating — every manner of such grave disease is its malevolent rākṣasa; grief, sorrow, and affliction are its waters; agitation, weeping, and mournful cries are the sound of its crashing waves; the feelings of suffering and distress are its boiling shoals; death is its shore, which none can cross beyond; the fetters and afflictions, the winds of contaminated karma, blow and churn without settling; the four inversions serve as its deceptions; ignorance and delusion form its vast darkness — and ordinary beings, bound by craving, have wandered within it constantly since beginningless time. Coming and going in this way through the great ocean of birth and death, they have never once reached its farther shore. Yet there are some who do reach it, and who are further able to ferry across immeasurable sentient beings besides. It is for this very reason that I explain the meaning of the bodhisattva's ten grounds.

Question: If a person is unable to cultivate the bodhisattva's ten grounds, does this mean they cannot cross the great ocean of birth and death?

Answer: Should a person practice the vehicle of the śrāvaka or the pratyekabuddha, such a person can indeed cross the great ocean of birth and death. But should a person wish to cross this great ocean by means of the unsurpassed Great Vehicle, such a person must necessarily cultivate the ten grounds in their entirety.

Question: For one who practices the vehicle of the śrāvaka or the pratyekabuddha, how long does it take to cross this great ocean of birth and death?

Answer: One who practices the vehicle of the śrāvaka may cross it within a single lifetime, or within two, or across even more than this number, depending on whether their own faculties are sharp or dull, and on the karmic causes of their own former lives. One who practices the vehicle of the pratyekabuddha may cross it within seven lifetimes, or within eight. But one who practices the Great Vehicle may take a single great kalpa equal to the sands of the Ganges, or two, three, four, up to ten, a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand, a hundred million — or even beyond this number — before finally cultivating the ten grounds in their entirety and accomplishing the path to buddhahood; and this too depends on their own faculties, sharp or dull, and on the causes of their own former lives.

Question: The śrāvaka, the pratyekabuddha, and the buddha all alike reach the farther shore — within their liberation itself, is there any difference between them?

Answer: This matter must be distinguished carefully. In the liberation attained from the afflictions, there is no difference among them; and in entering the nirvāṇa without remainder by means of this liberation, there is likewise no difference, since this state itself is without any mark. But the buddhas alone are liberated from the obstruction to the most profound absorptions, and liberated from the obstruction covering all dharmas — in this there is a difference between them and the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, a difference that cannot be exhausted in words, nor captured by any comparison.

Question: The three vehicles all study toward the very same nirvāṇa without remainder; if there is truly no difference within that nirvāṇa, then of what use is it for us to wander through birth and death across kalpas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, cultivating the ten grounds in their entirety? Would it not be better to extinguish suffering swiftly instead, by means of the vehicle of the śrāvaka or the pratyekabuddha?

Answer: This is a feeble and inferior thing to say, not the beneficial speech of great compassion. Were every bodhisattva to imitate your own petty-minded thinking, lacking any compassionate intent, and were none of them able to diligently cultivate the ten grounds, then by what means would any śrāvaka or pratyekabuddha ever come to cross over at all? Nor would there be any difference among the three vehicles to speak of. And why is this so? Every śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha comes forth by means of a buddha; were there no buddhas, by what means could they come forth at all? And were the ten grounds never cultivated, how could there be any buddhas? Were there no buddhas, there would likewise be no Dharma and no Saṅgha. What you have said, then, would sever the very seed of the Three Jewels — this is not the wise speech of a great person, and it ought not to be heeded.

And why is this so? In this world there are four kinds of persons: first, those who benefit only themselves; second, those who benefit only others; third, those who benefit both together; fourth, those who benefit neither. Among these, the one who benefits both together, able to act with compassion and bring genuine good to others, is called a superior person. As the verse says:

"Pitiable indeed is the world, forever turning its back on its own true benefit, seeking wealth and pleasure with a single mind, and falling into the net of wrong views; ever harboring the fear of death, it revolves through the six destinies — how truly rare, then, are bodhisattvas of great compassion.

"When death comes upon sentient beings, none are able to save or protect them; they sink into deep and utter darkness, bound fast within the net of the afflictions.

"Should there be one able to give rise to and carry out a mind of great compassion, they bear the weight of all sentient beings, and take up this heavy burden on their behalf.

"If a person, with a resolute mind, alone endures every hardship and toil, the fruit of peace and security thereby gained is shared together with all beings.

"Such a one is praised by all the buddhas as the very first and most supreme of persons, one who is likewise rare indeed, a great treasury of merit.

"It is commonly said in this world that a household does not produce an evil son merely because he seeks only his own benefit and cannot benefit others; but should a household produce a good son, one able to benefit others, he is then like the full moon, illuminating that entire household.

"There are those of great merit and virtue who, through causes and conditions of every kind, bring benefit as vast as the great ocean, and likewise as vast as the great earth itself.

"Seeking nothing from this world, dwelling instead in compassion and pity, such a person's life is noble indeed, their span of life the very finest of all."

Thus, though the liberation from the afflictions is no different among the śrāvaka, the pratyekabuddha, and the buddha, there remains a great difference between them, on account of the buddha's crossing over immeasurable sentient beings, dwelling long within birth and death, bringing benefit far and wide, and fully cultivating the bodhisattva's ten grounds.

Question: The Buddha possesses great compassion, and you, as his disciple, have praised this in every way, showing compassion and pity for sentient beings exactly as you have said. Through causes and conditions of every kind, you have made this clear and opened understanding, guiding those who practice compassion — hearing this, my own mind becomes pure, and I am deeply delighted. You have already spoken, in verse, of the meaning of the ten grounds; I now ask that you explain it.

Answer: "Homage" means a mind of reverence; "obeisance" means bowing the body and touching the feet. "All buddhas" refers to the buddhas of the three times and the ten directions. As for "the unsurpassed great path": it is the true seeing and knowing of all dharmas exactly as they are, penetrated in their entirety, with nothing further that could surpass it — hence "unsurpassed"; and it is what a great person practices, hence "the great path." "The assembly of bodhisattvas": one who has given rise to the aspiration for the unsurpassed path is called a bodhisattva.

Question: Does merely giving rise to this aspiration already make one a bodhisattva?

Answer: How could merely giving rise to this aspiration alone make one a bodhisattva! Only when a person gives rise to this aspiration and is certain to accomplish the unsurpassed path is one called a bodhisattva. Yet there are also those who are called bodhisattvas merely upon giving rise to this aspiration. Why is this so? Because, apart from this very first arising of the aspiration, the unsurpassed path could never be accomplished at all. As the Great Sūtra says: "One who has newly given rise to this intent is called a bodhisattva." It is just as a monk, though not yet having attained the path, is nonetheless called a person of the path; such a one is a bodhisattva in name only, who gradually cultivates practice until it turns into the true dharma itself. Later, within the explanation of the Ground of Joy, the true mark of the bodhisattva as it actually is will be expounded at length. "Assembly": from the very first arising of the aspiration up to the vajra-like path of unobstructed liberation, all bodhisattvas within this span — past, future, and present — are together called this assembly. "Firm mind": a mind like Mount Sumeru, king of mountains, which cannot be shaken or destroyed; and likewise like the great earth, which cannot be toppled or moved. "Abiding upon the ten grounds": the ten grounds beginning with the Ground of Joy will be expounded at length later.

Question: If the bodhisattva possesses still further sublime qualities, why does the verse speak only of a "firm mind"?

Answer: It is precisely through the quality of a firm mind that the bodhisattva is able to accomplish this great undertaking, and does not fall into the two lesser vehicles. One of "faint-hearted mind," by contrast, is afraid of birth and death, and thinks to themselves: "Why should I remain so long within birth and death, enduring every suffering! Better to swiftly extinguish all suffering instead, by means of the vehicle of the śrāvaka or the pratyekabuddha." Also, one of faint-hearted mind, reflecting upon the Hell of Repeated Life, the Hell of the Black Rope, the Hell of Crushing Assembly, the Hell of Wailing, the Hell of Great Wailing, the Hell of Burning, the Hell of Great Burning, and the Great Hell of Uninterrupted Suffering, together with their surrounding realms — the Hell of Burning Charcoal, the Hell of Boiling Excrement, the Hell of the Burning Forest, the Hell of the Sword-Leaf Trees, the Hell of the Blade-Path, the Hell of the Bronze Pillar, the Hell of Thorns, and the Hell of the Brackish River — within which axes and blades, spears and halberds, bows and arrows, iron rakes, mallets and clubs, iron pincers and hooks, iron mortars, pestles, and wheels, and every such instrument of punishment are used to hack, hew, cut, and pierce, to beat, club, flay, and rend; where beings are bound in chains, burned, boiled, tortured, and scourged, their bodies ground into pulp; where foxes, dogs, tigers, wolves, lions, and every fierce beast come rushing to devour their flesh; where crows, owls, hawks, and vultures peck at them with beaks of iron; where malevolent demons force them to climb trees of swords, up and down mountains of fire; where carts of iron and fire are yoked about their necks, and rods of burning iron strike them without pause; where a thousand nails are driven into their bodies and blades pare their flesh; where they are cast into utter darkness thick with foul stench; where sheets of burning iron slice their flesh and strip their very skin; where, bound once more, they are boiled within seething cauldrons; where clubs of iron shatter their skulls until their eyes burst forth, where they are impaled upon iron stakes, their whole bodies ablaze; or where they sink into rivers of excrement, walking paths lined with swords that pierce them, while swords fall of their own accord from the sky like driving rain, severing every limb; where rivers of foul, bitter filth soak into their bodies until their flesh rots away, leaving only bare bone; and where the wardens of hell drag and trample them without end. There are torments of this kind, immeasurable in number. Their lifespan there is exceedingly long, and even seeking death, they cannot attain it. Upon seeing or hearing of matters such as these, how could one not be terrified into seeking the vehicle of the śrāvaka or the pratyekabuddha?

Also, within the cold ice hells — the Hell of Blisters, the Hell of Burst Blisters, the Hell of Chattering Teeth, the Hell of Groaning, the Hell of Great Groaning, the Hell of the Blue Lotus, the Hell of the White Lotus, the Hell of the Mottled Lotus, the Hell of the Crimson Lotus, and the Hell of the Red Lotus, always shrouded in gloom, places of the greatest dread — those who have slandered and reviled the worthy and the noble are reborn within them, their forms like collapsing houses or crumbling hillocks, where a harsh, bitter wind, howling fiercely, is a terror to behold. This wind hurls their bodies about like withered grass, their flesh falling away like leaves in winter; frozen and split open, their wounds seep with pus and blood; their bodies foul, their stench unbearable, the freezing wind cuts and rends them with bitter, searing pain. There is nothing left in their minds but grief and lamentation; they wail alone, utterly without refuge — and every one of these offenses stems from having slandered the worthy and the noble. One of faint-hearted mind, seeing and hearing of these matters, how could they not be terrified into seeking the vehicle of the śrāvaka or the pratyekabuddha?

Also, among the animals — pigs, dogs, jackals, cats, civets, monkeys, rats, macaques, gibbons, tigers, wolves, lions, rhinoceroses, leopards, bears, elephants, horses, cattle, and sheep; centipedes, millipedes, lizards, snakes, vipers, scorpions, turtles, fish, and soft-shelled turtles, dragons and hornless dragons, snails and clams; crows and magpies, owls, hawks and doves, and every such kind — these birds and beasts prey upon and destroy one another. They are further caught by snares and nets, lying in wait, and butchered in every different way. While alive, they are hobbled, their noses pierced and their heads bridled, made to bear burdens and struck with whips, hooked and pierced through their bodies until skin and flesh split open — pain unbearable to endure! They are smoked and burned by fire, suffering torments of every sort. Once dead, their skins are stripped and their flesh devoured. There are sufferings of this kind, immeasurable in number. One of faint-hearted mind, hearing and seeing of these matters, how could they not be terrified into seeking the vehicle of the śrāvaka or the pratyekabuddha?

Also, among the Needle-Necked hungry ghosts, the Fire-Mouthed hungry ghosts, the Fire-Goiter hungry ghosts; the Vomit-Eating hungry ghosts, the Rinse-Water-Eating hungry ghosts, the Pus-Eating hungry ghosts, the Excrement-Eating hungry ghosts; and the pūtana ghosts, kumbhāṇḍa ghosts, yakṣa ghosts, rākṣasa ghosts, piśāca ghosts, pūtana, and kaṭapūtana ghosts, and every such spirit — their hair and beards are disheveled, their nails long, their noses huge, their bodies teeming with worms, foul and dreadful to behold. Cut through with every torment, ever consumed by stinginess and envy, tormented by hunger and thirst, they never once obtain food; and when they do, they cannot swallow it. They constantly seek out pus and blood, urine and spittle, filthy rinse-water — and even this, the stronger among them seize away. Naked, without clothing, the cold and the heat afflict them doubly; a foul wind twists their bodies in agony; mosquitoes and venomous insects gnaw at their flesh; and within their bellies, hunger burns constantly like fire. One of faint-hearted mind, seeing and hearing of these matters, how could they not be terrified into seeking the vehicle of the śrāvaka or the pratyekabuddha?

Also, among human beings, there is the suffering of separation from those one loves, the suffering of encountering those one resents, the suffering of old age, sickness, and death, and the suffering of poverty and unfulfilled desire — sufferings of this kind, immeasurable in number — together with the suffering that devas and asuras face at the moment of their own decline and fall. One of faint-hearted mind, beholding all these sufferings, how could they not be terrified into seeking the vehicle of the śrāvaka or the pratyekabuddha?

But one of firm mind, beholding these sufferings endured within hell, among animals, hungry ghosts, devas, humans, and asuras, gives rise instead to a mind of great compassion, entirely without fear, and makes this very vow: "These sentient beings have sunk deep into decline and affliction, having neither protector nor refuge to rely upon — once I myself attain liberation, I shall liberate them all." With this mind of great compassion, diligently exerting themselves, they will not be long before accomplishing this very vow. It is for this reason that I say: among all the qualities of the bodhisattva, a firm mind is foremost.

Furthermore, the bodhisattva possesses eight dharmas capable of gathering every quality of merit: first, great compassion; second, a firm mind; third, wisdom; fourth, skillful means; fifth, freedom from heedlessness; sixth, diligent effort; seventh, constant mindfulness; eighth, good and virtuous friends. It is for this reason that one who has newly given rise to the aspiration should swiftly practice these eight dharmas, as though extinguishing a fire upon one's own head, and only then go on to cultivate every other quality of merit. And it is likewise in reliance upon these eight dharmas that the entire assembly of "śrāvakas," the four pairs and eight classes of persons, comes to be — namely, those approaching stream-entry, those who have attained stream-entry, and so forth. As for "the pratyekabuddha, who is free of self and what belongs to self": at a time when the world is without any buddha and without the Buddhadharma, one who nonetheless attains the path is called a "pratyekabuddha." All the worthy and the noble, having departed from craving attachment to self and to what belongs to self, are therefore called "those free of self and what belongs to self." As for "now I shall explain the meaning of the ten grounds, following what the Buddha himself has taught": the Ten Grounds Sūtra expounds this in due sequence, and I shall now explain it fully, following that very same sequence.

Question: What you have just said is no different from the sūtra itself; the sūtra's own meaning is already complete — why is any further explanation needed? Is this not simply to display your own ability, seeking fame and gain for yourself?

Answer: "It is not to display myself, adorning my own words with fine phrasing, nor out of any craving for gain, that I compose this treatise."

Question: If this is not the reason, then why have you composed this treatise?

Answer: "It is out of a wish for compassion, to bring true benefit to sentient beings, and for no other cause, that I compose this treatise." Seeing sentient beings suffering throughout the six destinies, without protector or refuge, and wishing to save them, I compose this treatise by the power of wisdom alone — not to display my own intellectual power in seeking fame or gain, nor with any mind of envy or self-exaltation, seeking offerings for myself.

Question: The matter of compassionately benefiting sentient beings has already been spoken of within the sūtra itself — why explain it further, wearing yourself out for nothing?

Answer: "There are those who, merely upon seeing the Buddha's own sūtra, penetrate its ultimate meaning directly; and there are others who require a skillful explanation before they can understand its true meaning." There are those of sharp faculties and profound wisdom who, upon hearing the profound sūtras spoken by the Buddha, are immediately able to penetrate their ultimate meaning. As for "the profound sūtras," these are precisely the bodhisattva's ten grounds. As for "the ultimate meaning," this is precisely the true meaning of these ten grounds exactly as it is. There are treatise-masters, moved by compassion, who, following what the Buddha has spoken, compose treatises, adorning their words and phrases; and there are those who, through this very means, come to penetrate the meaning of the ten grounds. As the verse says: "Some delight in ornamented prose, in adorned sections; some delight in verse, some in plain language; some come to understanding only through similes and causal explanations. Since what each delights in differs, I follow each in turn, abandoning none." "Sections and phrases" refers to prose that adorns the meaning of its own sentences, not composed as verse. "Verse" refers to meaning expressed in words arranged within fixed lines, whether of four, five, or seven syllables. Verse is of two kinds: first, the four-line verse, called pāda; second, the six-line verse, called geya. "Plain language" refers to speech stated directly, without ornament. "Simile" means that, since people cannot grasp a profound meaning directly, a comparison is borrowed to make it understood; such comparisons may be either real or merely hypothetical. "Causal explanation" means tracing back the reason from which something arises. Following what each person delights in, I abandon none of these approaches.

Question: Sentient beings each delight in different things of their own accord — what business is this of yours?

Answer: "Because I have given rise to the aspiration for the unsurpassed path, I abandon none of them, but benefit them according to my own ability, whether through material wealth or through the Dharma itself." As the verse says: "Should there be a person of great wisdom, upon hearing a sūtra such as this, no further explanation would be needed at all — the meaning of the ten grounds would already be understood!" Should there be one of great merit and sharp faculties who, merely upon hearing this Ten Grounds Sūtra directly, understands its meaning without any need for further explanation — it is not for such a person that I compose this treatise.

Question: What, then, constitutes a good person?

Answer: "One who, upon hearing the Buddha's own words, is immediately able to understand them on their own. It is just as a grown man is able to swallow bitter medicine directly, while a small child requires it mixed together with honey." To speak briefly, the good person possesses ten qualities. What are these ten? First, faith; second, diligent effort; third, mindfulness; fourth, concentration; fifth, wholesome bodily conduct; sixth, wholesome verbal conduct; seventh, wholesome mental conduct; eighth, freedom from greed; ninth, freedom from anger; tenth, freedom from delusion. As the verse says: "Should a person find the sūtra's own text difficult to recite, then the composing of a vibhāṣā, an explanatory treatise, brings great benefit to just such a person." Should a person be of dull faculties and inclined to laziness, they may be unable to recite the sūtra's own text simply because it is difficult. As for "difficult": the text is lengthy, hard to recite, hard to expound, and hard to commit to memory. Should there be those who delight in adorned language, in varied ornamentation, in similes and verses of every kind, it is for the benefit of just such people that I compose this treatise. This is why what you said earlier — that the Buddha's sūtra alone is already sufficient, and that no further explanation is needed — is simply not so!

As the verse says: "In reflecting upon and composing this treatise, a profound and wholesome mind is given rise to; and by kindling this very Dharma, an offering unequaled is thereby made to the Buddha." While composing this treatise, I am constantly mindful of the Three Jewels and of the assembly of bodhisattvas; and I am mindful, too, of giving, of upholding the precepts, of patient endurance, of diligent effort, of meditative concentration, and of wisdom — and it is through this that a profound and wholesome mind arises, which is itself a benefit to myself. And in expounding and illuminating this true Dharma, this is called an offering unequaled, made to all the buddhas — which is itself a benefit to others. As the verse says: "In expounding the Dharma, one kindles the lamp of the Dharma, and raises up the banner of the Dharma; this banner is the seal and mark of the wondrous Dharma held by the worthy and the noble. In composing this treatise now, truth, generosity, cessation, and wisdom — these four abodes of merit — are, of their own accord, thereby cultivated and gathered together." In composing this treatise now, these four kinds of merit are gathered together of their own accord; it is for this reason that my mind knows no weariness. "Truth": that which is entirely real is called truth; and among all things that are real, the Buddha's own word is the truest of all, being subject to neither change nor decay. In explaining this Buddhadharma, I thereby gather the abode of truth. "Generosity" means giving. Giving is of two kinds: the giving of the Dharma, and the giving of material wealth. Between these two, the giving of the Dharma is superior. As the Buddha told the monks: "First, one should give the Dharma; second, one should give material wealth — and between these two, the giving of the Dharma is superior." It is for this reason that, in giving the Dharma in this way, I thereby gather the abode of generosity. When I expound the meaning of the ten grounds, there is no unwholesome conduct of body, speech, or mind; nor do any thoughts of desire, anger, or delusion arise. In thus obstructing these offenses, this is called gathering the abode of cessation. In explaining the Dharma on behalf of others, one obtains the recompense of great wisdom; and it is through this very act that I thereby gather the abode of wisdom. Thus, in composing this treatise, these four abodes of merit are gathered together.

Furthermore: "In expounding this treatise on the ten grounds, my own mind attains purity; and because I deeply cherish this very mind, I remain diligent and untiring." "Should there be a person who, hearing and upholding this treatise, thereby attains a pure mind, I too deeply delight in this, and compose this treatise with a single, undivided mind." The meaning of these two verses is already evident, and requires no further explanation. It is simply for the sake of purifying both my own mind and the minds of others that I compose this explanation of the ten grounds. A pure mind arrives at precisely the destination it should reach, and obtains a great recompense. Just as the Buddha said to Kālodāyin: "Do not resent Ānanda! Even were I not to prophesy that Ānanda will become an arhat after my own passing, then, by the very causes and conditions of this same pure mind, he would still become the king of the Heaven of Free Enjoyment of Transformations seven times over." This is expounded at length within the sūtra itself.

Question: What you have said has opened my understanding, and my mind is deeply delighted; now, in explaining the ten grounds, this will surely bring great benefit. What, then, are these ten?

Answer: "This very Dharma of the ten grounds has been spoken, is spoken, and will be spoken by the buddhas of the past, future, and present, for the sake of all the sons of the buddhas: the first ground is named the Ground of Joy; the second, the Ground of Freedom from Defilement; the third, the Ground of Light; the fourth, the Ground of Radiance; the fifth, the Ground Difficult to Conquer; the sixth, the Ground of Direct Presence; the seventh, the Ground Gone Far Beyond; the eighth, the Immovable Ground; the ninth, the Ground of Excellent Wisdom; the tenth, the Ground of the Dharma Cloud. The distinguishing marks of these ten grounds will be expounded at length hereafter."

"Herein": within the meaning of the Great Vehicle. "Ten": a numbered dharma. "Ground": the graduated dwelling-place of the bodhisattva's own roots of goodness. "The buddhas": the Thus Come Ones of the ten directions and the three times. "Spoken": opened, revealed, and explained. "The sons of the buddhas": the true sons of all buddhas are the bodhisattvas themselves; it is for this reason that a bodhisattva is called a son of the buddhas. The buddhas of the past, the future, and the present have all alike spoken this teaching of the ten grounds — it is for this reason that it is said, "has been spoken, is spoken, and will be spoken."

When the bodhisattva abides upon the first ground, they first taste the flavor of the wholesome Dharma, and their mind is filled with great joy — it is for this reason that it is named the Ground of Joy. Within the second ground, one practices the ten wholesome paths of action, and thereby departs from every defilement — it is for this reason that it is named the Ground of Freedom from Defilement. Within the third ground, one becomes vastly learned, expounding the Dharma for the assembly, and is able to shine forth illumination — it is for this reason that it is named the Ground of Light. Within the fourth ground, giving, upholding the precepts, and vast learning increase further still, and one's own majestic virtue blazes forth — it is for this reason that it is named the Ground of Radiance. Within the fifth ground, the power of one's own merit grows abundant, and no māra whatsoever is able to destroy it — it is for this reason that it is named the Ground Difficult to Conquer. Within the sixth ground, having already obstructed the deeds of māra, every dharma of the bodhisattva path stands directly present before one — it is for this reason that it is named the Ground of Direct Presence. Within the seventh ground, one has departed far from the three realms, drawing near instead to the very throne of the Dharma King — it is for this reason that it is named the Ground Gone Far Beyond. Within the eighth ground, not even devas, māras, Brahmā, ascetics, or brahmins are able to shake one's own vow — it is for this reason that it is named the Immovable Ground. Within the ninth ground, one's own wisdom grows ever more luminous, gentle and supremely refined — it is for this reason that it is named the Ground of Excellent Wisdom. Within the tenth ground, the bodhisattva is able, throughout the immeasurable worlds of the ten directions, to rain down the rain of the Dharma all at once — just as, once the fire that consumes a kalpa has burned itself out, a great rain then pours down universally — it is for this reason that it is named the Ground of the Dharma Cloud.

Question: Having now heard the names of the ten grounds, how does one enter the first ground, attain the mark proper to this ground, and cultivate this ground in practice?

Answer: "One who has abundantly planted roots of goodness, skillfully practiced every conduct, skillfully gathered every resource and provision, and skillfully made offerings to the buddhas; who is protected by good and virtuous friends, who possesses a mind of full depth, who is compassionate and mindful of sentient beings, and who has faith in and understanding of the unsurpassed Dharma — having fulfilled these eight dharmas, one should then give rise, of one's own accord, to this very vow: 'Having attained liberation myself, I shall then liberate all sentient beings.' In order to attain the ten powers, one enters the assembly of those certain to attain awakening, and is thereby born into the household of the Thus Come One, free of every fault. It is precisely this that transforms the mundane path into the supreme path transcending the world — and it is by this means that the first ground is attained, this ground being named the Ground of Joy."

"Abundantly planted roots of goodness": to cultivate and gather every quality of merit in accordance with the Dharma is called abundantly planting roots of goodness. "Roots of goodness": non-greed, non-anger, and non-delusion — every wholesome dharma arises from these three, and it is for this reason that they are called roots of goodness. Just as every unwholesome dharma arises from greed, anger, and delusion, these three are called the unwholesome roots. Within the Abhidharma, these are distinguished in various ways: those bound to the desire realm, those bound to the form realm, those bound to the formless realm, and those unbound — together making twelve; and each of these as associated with mind or dissociated from mind — together making twenty-four. Among these, the uncontaminated roots of goodness are cultivated at the moment of attaining unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening; the remaining nine are cultivated within the bodhisattva grounds, and also over a long span even before the aspiration first arises. There may be three present within a single mind, or six, or nine, or twelve. Sometimes only those associated with mind are gathered, and not those dissociated from mind, or the reverse; sometimes both are gathered together, or neither. These distinctions are expounded at length within the Abhidharma. Here, "roots of goodness" refers to this: every wholesome dharma practiced for the sake of seeking the unsurpassed path on behalf of sentient beings is called a root of goodness; and because it is able to give rise to the wisdom of omniscience, it is called a root of goodness.

"Skillfully practiced every conduct": "skillful practice" means purity; "every conduct" means upholding the precepts; and one practices, in due sequence, the pure upholding of these precepts. It is through this upholding of the precepts, combined with seven further dharmas, that it is called skillful practice. What are these seven? First, a sense of shame before oneself; second, a sense of shame before others; third, vast learning; fourth, diligent effort; fifth, mindfulness; sixth, wisdom; seventh, a pure livelihood, purifying one's own conduct of body and speech. In practicing these seven dharmas, fully upholding every precept, this is called skillful practice of every conduct. The sūtra further states that the meditative absorptions themselves are this very field of practice; it is for this reason that one who has attained these absorptions is likewise called one who has skillfully practiced every conduct. Within this treatise, however, it is not necessarily the case that this aspiration can only be given rise to by means of the absorptions. And why is this so? Because, while the Buddha was still in the world, immeasurable sentient beings likewise gave rise to this same aspiration without necessarily possessing these absorptions at all; and even a layperson dwelling at home in white robes is likewise said to be engaged in this very practice.

"Skillfully gathered every resource and provision": what the verse above described — abundantly planting roots of goodness, skillfully practicing every conduct, extensively making offerings to the buddhas, being protected by good friends, possessing a mind of full depth, being compassionate and mindful of sentient beings, and having faith in and understanding of the supreme Dharma — this is what is meant by resource and provision. Furthermore, the fundamental wholesome dharmas that must necessarily be cultivated are likewise called resource and provision — namely: giving; patient endurance; a straightforward mind free of flattery; gentleness and the shared joy of dwelling together with others; a nature free of resentment; exhausting one's own faults without concealing them; freedom from partisan attachment; freedom from obstinacy; freedom from contentious dispute; freedom from self-reliance alone; freedom from heedlessness; abandoning arrogance and conceit; departing from pretense; not praising oneself; the capacity to bear with circumstances; a resolute mind; the ability to act with courage; accepting what one receives without abandoning it; being easy to instruct; having few desires and knowing contentment; and delighting in solitude. Having practiced, in accordance with these, every such dharma, one gradually becomes able to fully possess sublime qualities of merit, and because the flavor of this Dharma is firm and enduring, it is called the fundamental practice. Apart from this Dharma, one cannot advance to attain sublime and wondrous qualities of merit. It is for this reason that this fundamental practice, combined with the eight dharmas, constitutes the resource and provision for the first ground.

"Skillfully made offerings to the buddhas": should the bodhisattva, life after life, in accordance with the Dharma, constantly and extensively make offerings to the buddhas. Such offerings are of two kinds: first, skillfully listening to the true Dharma of the Great Vehicle, whether at length or in brief; second, offerings of the four material necessities, reverence, and attendance in homage. Fulfilling both these kinds of offering is called skillfully making offerings to the buddhas.

"Good and virtuous friends": though the bodhisattva has four kinds of good and virtuous friends, what is spoken of here refers specifically to those able to teach one to enter the Great Vehicle, to fully possess the pāramitās, and to enable one to abide upon the ten grounds — namely, the buddhas and bodhisattvas, and the śrāvakas as well, who are able to instruct, benefit, and delight one in the Dharma of the Great Vehicle, causing one never to regress from it. "Protected": to be constantly compassionate and instructive, causing one's own roots of goodness to grow and increase — this is called being protected.

"Possessing a mind of full depth": to deeply delight in the buddha-vehicle, the unsurpassed Great Vehicle, the vehicle of omniscience — this is called possessing a mind of full depth.

Question: Within the Chapter of Harmonious Union, the Bodhisattva Akṣayamati told Śāriputra: "Every arising of the aspiration possessed by bodhisattvas is called a profound mind." Because it advances from ground to ground, it is called the mind that progresses. Because it increases merit, it is called the mind that surpasses. Because it attains the unsurpassed matter, it is called the summit mind. Because it takes hold of the supreme Dharma, it is called the superior mind. Because it attains the dharmas of all buddhas directly before it, it is called the mind of direct presence. Because it gathers every beneficial dharma, it is called the mind of causal connection. Because it penetrates every dharma, it is called the mind that ferries across. Because its vow knows no weariness, it is called the resolute mind. Because it fulfills its own vow, it is called the joyful mind. Because it accomplishes its own task by itself, it is called the mind without companion. Because it departs from every mark of ruin, it is called the harmonious mind. Because it is free of every evil, it is called the wholesome mind. Because it departs far from evil persons, it is called the unmixed mind. Because it gives away even its own head, it is called the mind difficult to relinquish. Because it rescues those who have broken the precepts, it is called the mind that upholds the difficult precept. Because it bears even the addition of the basest evil, it is called the mind difficult to endure. Because, having attained nirvāṇa, it is nonetheless able to relinquish it, it is called the mind of difficult diligence. Because it does not crave the absorptions themselves, it is called the mind of difficult concentration. Because it is never satiated in the roots of goodness that assist the path, it is called the mind of difficult wisdom. Because it is able to accomplish every task, it is called the mind that ferries across every conduct. Because its wisdom reflects skillfully, it is called the mind free of conceit, of great conceit, and of the conceit of self. Because it expects no recompense, it is the mind that serves as a field of merit for all sentient beings. Because it contemplates the profound Dharma of the buddhas, it is called the fearless mind. Because it is free of any obstruction, it is called the mind that increases merit. Because it constantly gives rise to diligent effort, it is called the inexhaustible mind. Because it is able to bear a heavy burden, it is called the mind free of distress. Furthermore, as for the meaning of this profound mind: it thinks equally of all sentient beings, extends its compassion universally, makes offerings to the worthy and the good, holds compassionate thought even for evil persons, and honors one's own teachers. It saves those who have no other savior; it becomes a refuge for those without refuge, an island for those without an island; it becomes an ultimate resting-place for those who have none; it becomes a companion for those who have no companion at all. Among those who are crooked, it practices a straightforward mind; among the corrupt, a mind that is true; among the flattering, a mind free of flattery; among the ungrateful, gratitude itself; among those who do not know how to act, knowing how to act; where there is no benefit at all, it is still able to bring about benefit; among sentient beings gone astray, right conduct; among the arrogant, conduct free of arrogance; among those who do not follow instruction, it remains free of resentment; and among sinful sentient beings, it constantly acts as their protector. Whatever faults sentient beings may possess, it does not dwell upon their shortcomings; it makes offerings to fields of merit, follows instruction with ease, and readily accepts transformation. Dwelling in solitary places of practice, it exerts itself with a single mind, seeking neither gain nor support, and begrudging neither its own body nor its own life. Furthermore, because its inner mind is pure, it engages in no deception; because its verbal conduct is wholesome, it never praises itself; because it knows how to be satisfied, it never resorts to intimidation; because its mind is free of defilement, it acts with gentleness; because it gathers roots of goodness, it is able to enter into birth and death; and for the sake of sentient beings, it endures every form of suffering. Since the bodhisattva possesses marks of this profound mind such as these, they can never be exhausted. Yet you have now spoken of the marks of this profound mind only briefly — how could this not be too few?

Answer: It is not too few! The Chapter of Akṣayamati gathers together every mark of this profound mind and speaks of them all in a single place, whereas here, they are distributed across the several grounds instead. This Sūtra of the Ten Abodes speaks of the marks of this profound mind separately, ground by ground; it is for this reason that the bodhisattva attains this profound mind within each and every ground in turn, the meaning of this profound mind residing precisely within that particular ground. Here, within the first ground, only two aspects of this profound mind are spoken of: first, giving rise to the great vow; second, abiding within the stage of certainty. One should therefore understand that this profound mind is skillfully explained according to each of the ten grounds in turn. What you have said — "how could this not be too few" — is simply not so!

"A mind of compassion toward sentient beings": one who has accomplished compassion is called compassionate. What, then, is meant by compassion? To grieve for and pity sentient beings, and to rescue and relieve them from suffering and hardship. "Having faith in and understanding of the supreme Dharma": to penetrate the Dharma of all buddhas through the power of faith. As for giving rise to the vow, "having attained liberation myself, I shall then liberate sentient beings": among all dharmas, the vow is their very root; apart from this vow, nothing could ever be accomplished — it is for this reason that this vow is given rise to.

Question: Why does it not simply say, "I shall liberate sentient beings," but instead says, "having attained liberation myself, I shall then liberate sentient beings"?

Answer: One who has not yet attained their own liberation cannot liberate another. It is just as a person sunk in mud themselves cannot possibly pull another person out; or just as one who is themselves being swept away by water cannot rescue another from drowning. It is for this very reason that it is said, "having liberated myself, I shall then liberate others." As the verse says: "If a person, still fearing for their own liberation, wishes to liberate those who take refuge in them — while still doubting and regretting their own liberation, how could they possibly liberate those who have taken refuge? If a person is not themselves virtuous, they cannot cause another to become virtuous; if they have not themselves attained tranquility, how could they possibly bring tranquility to another?" It is for this reason that one must first become virtuous and tranquil oneself, and only afterward transform others. And as the Dharmapada verse likewise says: "If one is able to first settle one's own body within a wholesome state, one may then settle others as well, oneself sharing equally in the very benefit bestowed." In every matter, one must first benefit oneself before being able to benefit others. And why is this so? As the verse says: "Only once one has accomplished one's own benefit is one then able to benefit another; should one abandon this and seek to benefit others first, one loses this benefit and comes afterward to regret and sorrow!" It is for this very reason that it is said, "having liberated myself, I shall then liberate sentient beings."

Question: By obtaining what benefit is one able to accomplish this task and enter the stage of certainty? And with what mind is one able to give rise to this very vow?

Answer: It is by obtaining the buddha's ten powers that one is able to accomplish this task, enter the stage of certainty, and give rise to this very vow.

Question: What, then, are the buddha's ten powers?

Answer: The buddha fully comprehends the causes and effects of every dharma without exception — this is called the first power. He knows exactly as it is the karmic effects that arise, and the places of their retribution, throughout the past, the future, and the present — this is called the second power. He knows exactly as it is every meditative absorption and samādhi, distinguishing the marks of their defilement, their purity, their entry, and their emergence — this is called the third power. He knows exactly as it is whether the faculties of sentient beings are sharp or dull — this is called the fourth power. He knows exactly as it is the differing inclinations of sentient beings — this is called the fifth power. He knows exactly as it is the manifold and differing natures found throughout the world — this is called the sixth power. He knows exactly as it is the path that leads to every possible destination — this is called the seventh power. He knows exactly as it is the matters of past lives — this is called the eighth power. He knows exactly as it is the matters of birth and death — this is called the ninth power. He knows exactly as it is the extinction of every outflow — this is called the tenth power. It is in order to obtain these very ten powers that this great mind gives rise to this vow, and thereby enters the assembly of those certain to attain awakening.

Question: Does every initial arising of the aspiration possess a mark such as this?

Answer: There are some who say: "The very first arising of the aspiration already possesses a mark such as this." But this is, in truth, not so! And why is this so? This matter must be carefully distinguished, and cannot be answered with a single fixed reply. And why is this? Because it is not the case that every bodhisattva, at the moment their aspiration first arises, necessarily enters the stage of certainty. There are some who, at the very moment their aspiration first arises, enter this stage of certainty at once. And there are others who gradually cultivate merit — just as Śākyamuni Buddha himself, at the moment his own aspiration first arose, did not yet enter this stage of certainty; only later, having cultivated merit, and having encountered Dīpaṃkara Buddha, did he come to enter this stage of certainty. It is for this reason that what you have said — that every bodhisattva enters this stage of certainty at the very moment their aspiration first arises — is a mistaken view.

Question: If this is indeed a mistaken view, then why did you yourself say, "with this very mind, one enters the stage of certainty"?

Answer: There are indeed bodhisattvas who, at the very moment their aspiration first arises, enter this stage of certainty at once; it is by means of this very mind that they are able to attain the first ground. It is on account of just such persons that it is said, "at the very moment the aspiration first arises, one enters the stage of certainty."

Question: As for this initial mind of the bodhisattva, and Śākyamuni Buddha's own initial arising of the aspiration — what, then, is this mind actually like?

Answer: "This mind is unmixed with any affliction whatsoever. This mind is sustained in unbroken continuity, craving no other vehicle. This mind is firm and unshakeable, so that no adherent of any outside path can overcome it. This mind cannot be destroyed by any host of māras whatsoever. This mind is constant, able to gather roots of goodness continuously. This mind is able to know that all conditioned things are impermanent. This mind is unmoving, able to hold fast to the Buddhadharma. This mind is unconcealed, departed from every deviant conduct. This mind abides in stability, for it cannot be shaken. This mind is beyond compare, for it contradicts nothing. This mind is like vajra, for it penetrates every dharma. This mind is inexhaustible, for it gathers merit that can never be exhausted. This mind is equal, for it regards all sentient beings equally. This mind knows no higher or lower, for it makes no distinction at all. This mind is pure, for its very nature is free of defilement. This mind is free of defilement, for its wisdom shines with clarity. This mind is undefiled, for it never abandons this profound mind. This mind is vast, for its compassion is like empty space itself. This mind is great, for it embraces every sentient being. This mind is unobstructed, for it arrives at wisdom free of every hindrance. This mind reaches everywhere, for its great compassion never ceases. This mind is unbroken, for it dedicates its merit rightly and without fail. This mind is the destination all beings turn toward, for it is praised by the wise. This mind can be beheld, for even the Lesser Vehicle looks up to it in reverence. This mind is difficult to see, for no sentient being is able to perceive it fully. This mind is difficult to destroy, for it is able to enter skillfully into the Buddhadharma. This mind provides a dwelling, for it is the very abode of every joyful provision. This mind is adorned, for merit is its resource. This mind discerns rightly, for wisdom is its resource. This mind is deep and full, for giving is its resource. This mind holds a great vow, for upholding the precepts is its resource. This mind is difficult to obstruct, for patient endurance is its resource. This mind is difficult to conquer, for diligent effort is its resource. This mind is tranquil and still, for meditative concentration is its resource. This mind causes no harm, for wisdom is its resource. This mind holds no obstruction of anger, for its compassion runs deep. This mind is deeply rooted, for its pity runs profound. This mind delights and rejoices, for its joy runs profound. This mind remains unmoved by suffering or pleasure, for its equanimity runs profound. This mind is guarded and protected, for it is upheld by the spiritual power of all buddhas. This mind is sustained in unbroken continuity, for the Three Jewels themselves are never severed."

Immeasurable qualities of merit such as these adorn this initial mind of certainty, as is expounded at length within the Chapter of Akṣayamati. As for "this mind is unmixed with any affliction whatsoever": the two hundred and ninety-four afflictions eliminated through the seeing of truth and through cultivated reflection do not intermingle together with this mind — it is for this reason that it is called unmixed. As for "this mind is sustained in unbroken continuity, craving no other vehicle": from the very moment this initial mind arises in unbroken continuity onward, it craves neither the vehicle of the śrāvaka nor that of the pratyekabuddha, but seeks only unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening — it is for this reason that it is called sustained in unbroken continuity, craving no other vehicle. The remaining forty clauses of this treatise should likewise be understood in just this same manner.

Question: You have said that this mind is constant! Yet every conditioned dharma is impermanent, just as the Dharma-Seal Sūtra states: "The practitioner contemplates the world as empty, with nothing constant that does not change and decay." How could this not be a contradiction?

Answer: You have failed to grasp the correct principle of this meaning, and it is for this reason that you raise this objection! It is not said, within this passage, that this mind is permanent in the ordinary sense. Though the word "constant" is spoken here, the meaning of "constant" refers instead to certainty: once this initial mind arises, it is certain to constantly gather every root of goodness, without ever resting or ceasing — it is for this reason that it is called constant.

"Born into the household of the Tathāgata": the household of the Tathāgata is itself the household of the Buddha. "Tathāgata": "thus" means the real and the true; "come" means to arrive; because one arrives within the very truth itself, it is called Tathāgata. What, then, is this truth and reality? It is nirvāṇa itself, being free of any falsehood, that is called truth and reality. As the sūtra states: "The Buddha told the monks: the first noble truth, free of any falsehood, is precisely this — nirvāṇa itself." Furthermore, "thus" refers to the mark that cannot be destroyed — namely, the true mark of all dharmas itself. "Come" means that wisdom arrives within this very true mark. Because one penetrates this meaning fully, it is called Tathāgata. Furthermore, emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness are together called "thus"; because the buddhas arrive at these three gates of liberation, and likewise cause sentient beings to reach these very gates, they are called Tathāgata. Furthermore, "thus" refers to the four noble truths; because they behold these four truths in every respect, they are called Tathāgata. Furthermore, "thus" refers to the six pāramitās — namely, giving, upholding the precepts, patient endurance, diligent effort, meditative concentration, and wisdom; because it is by means of these six dharmas that one arrives at the very ground of buddhahood, they are called Tathāgata. Furthermore, the four abodes of merit — truth, generosity, cessation, and wisdom — are called "thus"; because it is by means of these four dharmas that one arrives at buddhahood, they are called Tathāgata. Furthermore, the entirety of the Buddhadharma is called "thus"; because one arrives, by means of this "thus," at all the buddhas themselves, they are called Tathāgata. Furthermore, every one of the bodhisattva's grounds — Joy, Freedom from Defilement, Light, Radiance, Difficult to Conquer, Direct Presence, Gone Far Beyond, Immovable, Excellent Wisdom, and the Dharma Cloud — are called "thus"; because the bodhisattvas, by means of these ten grounds, arrive at unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, they are called Tathāgata. And because they arrive by means of the eightfold noble path exactly as it is, they are likewise called Tathāgata. Furthermore, because they arrive at buddhahood by means of the two feet of skillful means and wisdom, they are called Tathāgata. And because they go, in this manner of "thus," without ever returning again, they are called Tathāgata. "Tathāgata," then, refers precisely to the buddhas of the ten directions and the three times. The household of all these buddhas is called the household of the Tathāgata. Now, because this bodhisattva practices the very path of the Tathāgata in unbroken continuity, it is said that they are born into the household of the Tathāgata. And because this bodhisattva is certain to become a Tathāgata, it is likewise said that they are born into the household of the Tathāgata. It is just as one born into the household of a wheel-turning sage-king, possessing the very mark of a wheel-turning sage-king, is certain to become a wheel-turning sage-king in turn; the bodhisattva is likewise so — having been born into the household of the Tathāgata and having given rise to this very mind, they are certain to become a Tathāgata — this is what is meant by being born into the household of the Tathāgata.

As for "the household of the Tathāgata": some say that it is these four abodes of merit — namely, truth, generosity, cessation, and wisdom; since every Tathāgata is born from within these very abodes, they are called the household of the Tathāgata. Some say that the perfection of wisdom together with skillful means is itself the household of the Tathāgata. As the Sūtra on Aids to the Path states: "The perfection of wisdom, boundless, is the mother; skillful and expedient means is the father — for begetting, it is called father; for nurturing, it is called mother." Since everyone in the world takes their father and mother as their own household, and these two are likened to father and mother, they are called this household. Some say that goodness and wisdom are called the household of the buddhas, since it is from these two dharmas that every buddha comes forth, and these two are the very root of every wholesome dharma. As the sūtra states: "It is by these two dharmas practiced together that the true Dharma is accomplished." Goodness is the father, wisdom is the mother; the union of these two is called the household of the buddhas. As the verse says: "The bodhisattva's wholesome dharma is the father, and wisdom serves as the mother; every single Tathāgata is born from these two alone." Some say that the pratyutpanna samādhi together with great compassion is called the household of the buddhas. Every Tathāgata is born from these two dharmas; here, the pratyutpanna samādhi is the father, and great compassion is the mother. Furthermore, the pratyutpanna samādhi is the father, and the acceptance of the non-arising of all dharmas is the mother. As the Aids to Awakening states: "The pratyutpanna samādhi is the father, great compassion and the acceptance of non-arising the mother; every single Tathāgata is born from these two dharmas alone."

"A household free of every fault": because this household is itself pure. "Pure": the six pāramitās, the four abodes of merit, skillful means, the perfection of wisdom, goodness, wisdom, the pratyutpanna samādhi, great compassion, and every form of acceptance — since these dharmas are themselves pure and free of any fault, this household is called pure. Since this bodhisattva takes these very dharmas as their own household, they are free of every fault, and transform every fault that might arise. As for "transforming the mundane path and entering the supreme path transcending the world": "the mundane path" refers to the very path that ordinary beings travel; "transforming" means bringing it to rest. "The path of the ordinary being": one who is unable to reach nirvāṇa ultimately, but constantly comes and goes within birth and death — this is called the path of the ordinary being. "Transcending the world": because it is by means of this path that one is able to depart from the three realms, it is called the path transcending the world. "Supreme": because it is sublime, it is called supreme. "Entering": because one rightly practices this path, it is called entering. It is by means of this very mind that one enters the first ground, named the Ground of Joy.

Question: Why, then, is the first ground named the Ground of Joy?

Answer: "It is just as one who has attained the first fruit is certain to reach nirvāṇa in the end; the bodhisattva, having attained this ground, is likewise constant in great joy of mind. The seed of all buddhas and Tathāgatas naturally grows and increases within them — it is for this reason that such a person comes to be called worthy and good."

"As one who has attained the first fruit": it is just as a person who attains the path of stream-entry has thereby soundly closed the gate to the three evil destinies; they see the Dharma, enter the Dharma, attain the Dharma, and abide within a firm and unshakeable Dharma, certain to reach nirvāṇa in the end. Having severed the dharmas eliminated through the seeing of truth, their mind is filled with great joy — even should they fall into slumber or indolence thereafter, they will not extend beyond twenty-nine further states of existence. It is just as if a single hair were divided into a hundred parts, and with one such part, two or three drops of the great ocean's water were drawn out: the suffering already extinguished is like the great ocean itself, while what remains unextinguished is like these two or three mere drops — and it is for this reason that their mind is filled with great joy.

The bodhisattva, having thus attained the first ground, is said to be born into the household of the Tathāgata. All devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, mahoragas, the kings of the devas, Brahmā kings, ascetics, brahmins, and every śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha alike come together to make offerings to them and revere them. And why is this so? Because this household is free of every fault, having transformed the mundane path and entered the path transcending the world. Delighting solely in reverence for the Buddha, having attained the four abodes of merit, having tasted the very fruit of the six pāramitās, and never severing the seed of the buddhas, their mind is filled with great joy. Whatever suffering remains for this bodhisattva is like these mere two or three drops of water. Though it may take a hundred thousand million kalpas to attain unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, this remaining suffering, set against the beginningless suffering of birth and death, is like these two or three drops of water alone; while the suffering already extinguished is like the great ocean itself. It is for this very reason that this ground is named the Ground of Joy.

Fascicle 1 of the Daśabhūmika-vibhāṣā Śāstra