Three Practitioners, and a Mirror Held to Darkness

Fifth, from "there are further three kinds of sentient beings" onward, this makes plain the distinguishing of capacity — those able to uphold this teaching and cultivate practice according to it. Sixth, from "what are these three" down through "the six mindfulnesses," this makes plain the differing ways in which this teaching is received. There are three points within it.

First, this makes plain a compassionate mind that refrains from killing. Now, the karma of killing is of many kinds — there is killing through speech, killing through the body, and killing through the mind. As for killing through speech: giving one's own order or permission is called killing through speech. As for killing through the body: moving one's own body or hand to direct or carry it out is called killing through the body. As for killing through the mind: thinking, planning, and calculating it is called killing through the mind. Whenever this karma of killing is discussed, it makes no distinction among the four modes of birth — every instance is able to bring about offense and obstruct rebirth in the pure land. But whoever gives rise to a compassionate mind toward every living being thereby bestows upon all sentient beings their own peace and longevity — this is itself the very highest and most excellent precept. This corresponds directly to the third clause of the first blessing described earlier, "a compassionate mind that refrains from killing." Within this, there are two kinds of goodness: restraint and active practice. Refraining from killing oneself is called the goodness of restraint; teaching others not to kill is called the goodness of active practice. Both oneself and others first ceasing this act is called the goodness of restraint; utterly and permanently eliminating it is called the goodness of active practice. Though there are these two kinds of goodness, restraint and its maintenance, together they are gathered into what was earlier called the practice of compassion toward those below oneself.

As for "possessing the full body of precepts": if measured against the capacity of gods, humans, and the two lesser vehicles, these are called the lesser precepts; if measured against a person of great mind and great practice, these are called the bodhisattva precepts. Measured according to grade, these precepts, belonging to these three positions of the upper rank, are themselves called the bodhisattva precepts — precisely because the very position of the person is already fixed at this level, they naturally transform into this. This corresponds to the root of goodness belonging to the precepts described in the second blessing above.

Second, this makes plain reciting the Mahāyāna. This makes plain that sentient beings' own natures and habits differ, each holding to the Dharma in their own distinct way. The first person described above relies only on cultivating compassion and upholding the precepts as their own capacity; this second person relies solely on reciting the Mahāyāna as their own capacity. Yet the precepts are themselves able to uphold the capacities belonging to the five vehicles and the three kinds of buddhas, while the Dharma itself cultivates and perfects the wisdom belonging to the three worthy stages, the ten grounds, and the myriad practices. Comparing their own respective virtue and function, each possesses its own distinct capability. This corresponds to the third clause of the third blessing described earlier, "reciting the Mahāyāna."

Third, this makes plain cultivating the six mindfulnesses. These are mindfulness of the Buddha, of the Dharma, and of the Sangha; mindfulness of the precepts, of generosity, and of the heavens. This too corresponds broadly to the meaning of the Mahāyāna within the third blessing described above.

As for mindfulness of the Buddha: this means single-mindedly holding in mind Amitābha Buddha's own merit of speech, merit of body, and merit of mind — and likewise for every other buddha as well. Further, this means single-mindedly holding in mind the Dharma that every buddha has realized, together with their own retinue of bodhisattvas and the Sangha. Further, this means holding in mind every buddha's own precepts, and holding in mind the buddhas of the past and the bodhisattvas of the present, who accomplish what is difficult to accomplish, relinquish what is difficult to relinquish, relinquishing inwardly, relinquishing outwardly, relinquishing both within and without together. These very bodhisattvas wished only to hold the Dharma in mind, never begrudging their own body or wealth. Practitioners, having come to know this very matter through mindfulness, must constantly look up to and learn from these sages of the past and future, and their own resolve to relinquish body and life itself.

Further, as for mindfulness of the heavens: this refers to the bodhisattvas of their own final body, upon the tenth ground, who have already passed beyond these difficult practices, already transcended the three incalculable kalpas, already accomplished the practice of ten thousand virtues, and already realized the stage of consecration. Practitioners, having come to know this through mindfulness, should then reflect upon themselves, thinking: "My own self, since beginningless time, gave rise to this very vow together with these others, resolving to sever evil and practice the bodhisattva path — yet they, never begrudging their own body or life, advanced along the path and rose through its stages, their cause perfected and their fruit ripened, realizing sagehood in numbers exceeding the very dust motes of this great earth. Yet we ourselves, ordinary beings, have to this very day drifted about in vain, our own afflictions and evil obstructions only ever increasing further, our own merit and wisdom ever more slight — as though holding a bright mirror up before some heavy darkness." Suddenly reflecting upon this very matter, one cannot help but feel one's own heart startled, grieving, and lamenting.