The Three Natures Finished, and What Follows

The Determination of the Bodhisattva Ground, part three. Further, the summary verse says: what includes them, their being without nature, what is to be known and the rest; the hidden intent and the rest, what they are ranged over by; penetration, and entering upon; their differences, and what they rest upon, last of all. Of the three natures and the five things beginning with characteristic: how many of the five things is the first nature included in? None of them at all. How many is the second nature included in? Four. How many is the third nature included in? One. If the dependently arisen nature is also included in correct knowledge, why was it said earlier that the dependently arisen nature is to be known through the clinging to the pervasively imputed nature? Answer: that passage meant only the defiled portion of the dependently arisen nature, not the purified portion. As for the purified portion, it should be known that it is known through there being no clinging to that.

Further, upon the three natures there are three kinds of absence of own nature: in respect of characteristic, in respect of arising, and in respect of the ultimate. By the absence of own nature in respect of characteristic, the pervasively imputed nature is said to be without own nature. By the absence of own nature in respect of arising, and by the absence of own nature in respect of the ultimate, the dependently arisen nature is said to be without own nature: because it does not exist by any nature of its own, and because it is not what purity takes as its object. And only by the absence of own nature in respect of the ultimate is the perfectly accomplished nature said to be without own nature. Why? Because this nature is itself the ultimate, and is also what the absence of own nature in all phenomena reveals. Of the three natures, how many are to be fully known? All of them. How many are to be abandoned forever? One. How many are to be realized? One. Further, by these three natures all the hidden senses of every scripture whose meaning is not drawn out should be settled: the secret speech of the tathāgatas, and the essential meaning of the secret speech that bodhisattvas use throughout the measureless teachings, should all be settled accordingly by these three natures. As the scriptures speak of the forbearance of the non-arising of phenomena, how is it established? It is established by the three natures. By the pervasively imputed nature is established the forbearance that it is unarisen in its very nature; by the dependently arisen nature, the forbearance that it does not arise of itself; and by the perfectly accomplished nature, the forbearance that afflictions and the stain of suffering are unarisen. It should be known that this forbearance does not fall back. Further, the three doors of liberation are likewise established by the three natures: by the pervasively imputed nature, the door of emptiness; by the dependently arisen nature, the door of wishlessness; and by the perfectly accomplished nature, the door of signlessness.

The pervasively imputed nature — what kind of knowledge ranges over it? An ordinary person's, or a noble one's? No knowledge at all ranges over it, since it has no characteristic. The dependently arisen nature — what kind of knowledge ranges over it? It is ranged over by two knowledges, but not by transcendent noble knowledge. The perfectly accomplished nature — what kind of knowledge ranges over it? Only a noble one's knowledge. When practitioners of contemplation penetrate the pervasively imputed nature, should it be said that they operate upon characteristics or without characteristics? If they penetrate it by worldly knowledge, it should be said to be upon characteristics; if by transcendent knowledge, without characteristics. As with the pervasively imputed nature, so should it be known of the dependently arisen and the perfectly accomplished. If a practitioner truly enters the pervasively imputed nature, what nature should be said to be entered upon? The perfectly accomplished. If the practitioner enters upon the perfectly accomplished nature, what nature should be said to be swept away? The dependently arisen. How many kinds does the pervasively imputed nature have? Whatever the measure of the own natures and differences set up and established within the dependently arisen nature, just that is the measure of the pervasively imputed nature as well. Therefore it should be known that the pervasively imputed nature has measureless differences. And further, within the dependently arisen nature it should be known that there are two kinds of clinging to the pervasively imputed nature: one that accompanies awareness, and one that is the latent tendency of habitual perfuming.

How many kinds does the dependently arisen nature have? It should be known to be as various as the kinds and classes of characteristic. Further, there are two kinds of dependently arisen nature: that which the clinging to the pervasively imputed nature raises, and that which is raised where there is no such clinging. How many kinds does the perfectly accomplished nature have? Because in every place it is of one taste, the perfectly accomplished nature has no established number of classes or divisions. The pervasively imputed nature — what should it be said to rest upon? It should be said to rest upon three things: characteristic, name, and discrimination. The dependently arisen nature — what should it be said to rest upon? It should be said to rest upon the clinging to the pervasively imputed nature and upon its own outflow. The perfectly accomplished nature — what should it be said to rest upon? It should be said to abide nowhere and rest upon nothing. Further, the summary verse says: whether they are absent or present, and their work; the subtle and the rest, and being without substance; arising, clinging and the rest, knowing them rightly; defilement and suffering, similes, and discriminating.

If there were no pervasively imputed nature, what would go wrong? Within the dependently arisen nature there would be no naming and no clinging to naming; and if there were none of that, defilement and purity could not be known. If there were no dependently arisen nature, what would go wrong? Then without any effort at all every defilement would simply not exist; and if there were none, there would be no purity that could be known. If there were no perfectly accomplished nature, what would go wrong? Then nothing of the purified class could be known. How many works can the pervasively imputed nature perform? Five. First, it can produce the dependently arisen nature. Second, upon that nature it can raise speech. Third, it can produce the clinging to a person. Fourth, it can produce the clinging to phenomena. Fifth, it can take up the perfuming and the heaviness of those two clingings. How many works can the dependently arisen nature perform? Also five. First, it can produce all defiled phenomena. Second, it can serve as the support of both the pervasively imputed nature and the perfectly accomplished nature. Third, it can serve as the support of the clinging to a person. Fourth, it can serve as the support of the clinging to phenomena. Fifth, it can serve as the support of the perfuming and heaviness of those two clingings. How many works can the perfectly accomplished nature perform? Also five — because it is the objective sphere by taking which as object there arises what counters those two sets of five works.

Should the pervasively imputed nature be called subtle or coarse? It should be called subtle. And as with subtle, so should it be known of hard to see and hard to understand. Should the dependently arisen nature be called subtle or coarse? It should be called coarse. And yet it is hard to see and hard to understand. Should the perfectly accomplished nature be called subtle or coarse? It should be called extremely subtle. And as with extremely subtle, so should it be known of extremely hard to see and extremely hard to understand. Of these three natures, how many are without substance and yet turn into what has substance? One. How many have substance and turn into what has substance and what does not? One. How many have substance and yet turn into nothing? One. Of these three natures, how many do not arise and yet produce what arises? One. How many arise and produce both what arises and what does not? One. How many neither arise nor produce what arises or does not? One.

How should the clinging and the freedom from clinging with regard to the pervasively imputed nature be known? There are two kinds: clinging or freedom from clinging that is awake, and clinging or freedom from clinging that is latent. If, by provisionally setting up names through speech, one imputes to things a settled own nature, this should be known as the clinging that is awake. If one understands well that there is only a name, and, knowing it to be only a name, does not take those things to have a settled nature, this should be known as freedom from clinging with regard to it. If one has not pulled out the latent tendency of its perfuming, it should be known that there is latent clinging with regard to it, for as long as the perfuming and the heaviness have not been let go. And if that has been cut off forever, it should be known that there is freedom from clinging. How should the clinging and the freedom from clinging with regard to the dependently arisen nature be known? If, because of the awake clinging to the pervasively imputed nature, one further imputes the nature that clinging has produced, this is called the first clinging. If one understands well that there are only the various appearances, and does not impute the nature that clinging has produced, this is called freedom from clinging. If the bondage of characteristics has not been pulled out for good, then whenever anything is attained within the characteristics, that is called the second clinging.

If the bondage of characteristics has been pulled out for good, then, rightly knowing the realm without characteristics, one attains nothing within characteristics; or, at a later time, attaining what there is just as it is, one should be known to be free of clinging. How should the clinging and the freedom from clinging with regard to the perfectly accomplished nature be known? There is no clinging here, since this realm is not a place where clinging can find its footing. But if, with regard to this realm not attained, not touched, not realized, someone raises the overweening pride of having attained, touched, and realized it, that should be known to be the pervasively imputed, and a clinging upon the dependently arisen nature. How should the pervasively imputed nature be known? One should rightly know that there is only its name and only the imputing; that it is without characteristic, without nature, without arising, without ceasing, without defilement, without purity, quiescent from the beginning and of its own nature nirvāṇa; that it is not past, not future, not present; not bound and not freed; not a bondage and not a liberation; not painful, not pleasant, and not neither painful nor pleasant; that it is of one taste alone and, pervading every place, is like space. By these and measureless other aspects the pervasively imputed nature should be rightly known.

How should the dependently arisen nature be known? One should rightly know that it takes in everything conditioned that words point to. And what is everything that words point to? The aggregates, the elements, the sense fields, dependent origination, what is possible and what is not, and the faculties; action, the afflictions, the secondary afflictions, and rebirth; the lower destinies and the higher destinies; being conceived and born, and the classes one is born into; the gods of the four great kings on up to those who wield mastery over others' emanations, the gods of Brahmā's retinue on up to the highest of the form realm, the sphere of boundless space on up to the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception; those who follow through faith, those who follow through the teaching, the wholesome roots leading toward the decisive breakthrough; the path of seeing and the path of cultivation; the fruit of stream-entry on up to the fruit of the worthy one, the solitary realizer, and complete awakening; the cessation of perception and feeling; going to the far shore; the applications of mindfulness on up to the limbs of the path; the absorptions, the immeasurables, and the formless attainments; the cultivation of the perceptions and of the recollections; the liberations, the bases of mastery, and the totalities; the powers, the fearlessnesses, the knowledge born of resolve, the three needing no guarding, the establishments of mindfulness, great compassion, the destroying forever of residual traces, the marks and secondary marks, the wondrous knowledge of all aspects, and all the qualities a buddha does not share. And one should further know it to be the same as an illusion, a dream, a shadow, an echo, the moon in water, a reflection, and a conjured thing; like a mass of foam, like a bubble, like a mirage, like a plantain trunk; like a madman, like a drunk, like an injury, like an enemy; like the friend who made one drink urine, like a foster son, like a box of vipers; empty, not to be wished for, to be kept away from, not to be grasped, false and unclean, and unstable — and differences of this sort are measureless.

How should the perfectly accomplished nature be known? One should rightly know it by the differing aspects already set out — suchness, the real limit, the sphere of phenomena, and measureless differences of that kind. And one should further know the remaining differences: it is without shape or color; it cannot be looked at; it rests on nothing and abides nowhere; it reaches out to nothing as its object; it cannot be made to appear; it cannot be discerned; it cannot be brought about by doing; it cannot be declared in speech; it is apart from all elaboration; there is nothing in it to take up and nothing to put down — and differences of this kind are measureless. Of these three natures, how many are not themselves defiled and yet make other things defiled? One. How many are defiled in themselves alone? One. How many are pure in themselves and make other things pure? One. And as with defilement, so it should be known of suffering. What simile fits the pervasively imputed nature? It is like space. What simile fits the dependently arisen nature? Like an injury and like an enemy. What simile fits the perfectly accomplished nature? Like an inexhaustible store of great treasure buried in the ground.

Why is the pervasively imputed nature said to impute? Because of the dependently arisen nature. Why is the dependently arisen nature said to depend on other things? Because of causes and conditions. Why is the perfectly accomplished nature said to be perfectly accomplished? Because it is not stained by any affliction or any mass of suffering, and further because it is enduring. It has been said that the wisdom which takes up the real is non-discriminating; how should its non-discriminating character be known? Is it by not directing attention? By having passed beyond applied and sustained thought? By there being nothing there at all? By its being of that sort by nature? Or by making an effort upon the object it takes? If it were by not directing attention, then its being joined to attention in accordance with reason would not stand to reason, and deep sleep and raving drunkenness would incur this fault. If it were by having passed beyond applied and sustained thought, how would that not contradict the holy teaching, which says that all the minds and mental factors of the three realms are discrimination? If it were by there being nothing there at all, how would this wisdom not turn out to be no mental factor? If it were by its being of that sort by nature, how would this wisdom not turn out to have the nature of form, and not to be a penetrating realization? And if it were by making an effort upon the object it takes, how would that not slander non-discriminating wisdom as being apart from effort? If all of these fail to stand to reason, how then is non-discriminating wisdom to be known? Because it is apart from effort with regard to the object it takes.

Answer: because it is apart from effort with regard to the object it takes. This object it takes is the suchness of phenomena, apart from any characteristic of presence or absence; and just this is also apart from all discrimination. And because it is drawn forth by the force of what came before, then although it is apart from effort, when the wondrous wisdom joined to concentration upon suchness arises, it can illuminate and take up the characteristic it has as object then and there. Therefore this wisdom is called non-discriminating. So the determination of the section on the real has been given. Further, by five causes it should be known that all the majestic power a bodhisattva has is inconceivable. What are the five? First, because a bodhisattva's majestic power passes beyond every field that searching thought can reach. Second, because no simile in the world can be found for it. Third, because it belongs only to a mind well polished. Fourth, because it shares nothing at all with a mind not established in concentration. And fifth, because it belongs entirely to a mind established in concentration.

Further, within the Great Vehicle there are ten ways of practicing the teaching, by which a bodhisattva can bring beings to ripeness. What are the ten? With regard to the discourses and the rest that belong to the Great Vehicle and are included in the bodhisattva collection: writing them out and preserving them; making offerings; giving them away to others; listening respectfully when another expounds them rightly; reading them over for oneself with delight; taking them in and holding them; having taken them in, reciting them aloud in a full voice; expounding and opening them out at length for others; sitting alone in a quiet place weighing and examining them; and entering into the practice that accords with them. Of these ten ways of practice, how many produce the path of vast merit? All of them. How many are the path of preparatory effort? One: the ninth. How many are the path that purifies the obstructions? One: the tenth. Determinations of this sort that remain will not be set out again. Further, as was said in the section on the wisdom that comes of hearing where the Great Vehicle is taken up, great awakening should be known by five aspects: by its own nature, by its capacity, by its means, by the turning outward, and by the turning back. These were not there analyzed, and are now to be explained. What is the own nature of great awakening? It is a turning of the basis that surpasses that of the śrāvakas and solitary realizers. And it should be known that this turning of the basis has four aspects: being the basis on which arising turns, being the basis on which non-arising turns, being the fruit of having well examined what is to be known, and being the purity of the sphere of phenomena.

Being the basis on which arising turns means that it is the basis on which the transcendent path arises and continues in the continuum of a buddha. If it were not so, and this turning of the basis were not attained, that path ought neither to arise nor to continue; and if that path could occur apart from it, then before the turning of the basis this path ought to have been there already. Being the basis on which non-arising turns means that it is the basis on which all afflictions and all their residual traces do not arise and do not continue. If it were not so, and this turning of the basis were not attained, then all the afflictions and their residues would still find their conditions assembling, and their not arising and not continuing could not be had. Being the fruit of having well examined what is to be known means that this turning of the basis is the fruit of having thoroughly penetrated the reality of what is to be known, the suchness of what is to be known. If it were not so, the own nature of the buddhas would have to be examined further, would have something further to be severed, and something further to be extinguished. And being the purity of the sphere of phenomena means that this turning of the basis, because it has been able to sweep away every characteristic, is what a thoroughly purified sphere of phenomena reveals.

If it were not so, this would have to be impermanent and would have to be conceivable. But this turning of the basis has the character of enduring, and is inconceivable. Further, this inconceivability is called being without two, and should be known by five aspects: by own nature, by place, by abiding, by being one or being several, and by what it accomplishes. How is it inconceivable by own nature? It is inconceivable whether it is identical with form or apart from form; and inconceivable whether it is identical with feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness or apart from them. It is inconceivable whether it is identical with the earth element or apart from it; and inconceivable whether it is identical with the water, fire, and wind elements or apart from them. It is inconceivable whether it is identical with the sphere of the eye or apart from it; and inconceivable whether it is identical with the spheres of ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind or apart from them. And it is inconceivable whether it exists or does not exist. How is it inconceivable by place? It is inconceivable whether it is in the desire realm or apart from the desire realm; and inconceivable whether it is in the form and formless realms or apart from them. It is inconceivable whether it is among human beings or apart from human beings, and whether it is among the gods or apart from the gods. And it is inconceivable whether it is in the east or apart from the east, and whether it is in the south, west, north, above, below, or the intermediate directions, or apart from them.

How is it inconceivable by abiding? Abiding in such and such a kind of pleasant abiding — inconceivable. Abiding in such and such a kind of calm abiding — inconceivable. Abiding in an abiding with mind — inconceivable; abiding in an abiding without mind — inconceivable. Abiding in such a kind of noble abiding — inconceivable; abiding in such a kind of divine abiding or brahmā abiding — inconceivable. How is being one or being several inconceivable? All buddhas abide together in one uncontaminated realm; whether that is being one or being several is inconceivable. How is it inconceivable by what it accomplishes? Such and such tathāgatas, of the same realm, the same knowledge, the same strength, the same valour, abiding in the uncontaminated realm and relying on this turning of the basis, are able to do what benefits all beings — and that is inconceivable. Further, by two causes it should be known to be inconceivable: because its sense is apart from speech, and because it passes beyond the road of language, it is inconceivable. And further, because it is transcendent, there is nothing in the world that can serve as its simile; therefore it is inconceivable.

What is the capacity of great awakening? In brief, there are ten masteries, and these are called its capacity — mastery over lifespan and the rest. As the Basic Section has already set them out. What is the effortful working of great awakening? In brief, there are four manifestations, and these are called its working. First, in order to ripen beings not yet ripened, manifesting the practice of a bodhisattva. Second, in order to liberate beings already ripened, manifesting a tathāgata who is taken up skillfully at one and the same moment throughout a hundred myriads of Jambudvīpas in the three-thousandfold great thousandfold world. Third, manifesting a śrāvaka for those same beings to be trained. And fourth, manifesting a solitary realizer for those same beings to be trained.

It should be known that all the buddhas, the blessed ones, have unobstructed capacity in these four kinds of manifestation throughout the worlds of the ten directions. What is the turning outward? It should be known that this turning is in brief of two kinds: a turning for the time being, and a final turning. The turning for the time being means that so long as beings have not yet been ripened and not yet been liberated, the buddhas, the blessed ones, have a turning that manifests. The final turning means that as the inexhaustible and inconceivable great light of the buddhas' own nature turns, so it turns as the doing of everything that is to be done for all beings.

What is the turning back? It should be known that this too is of two kinds: a turning back for the time being, and a final turning back. The turning back for the time being means that when the beings a buddha has been training are already ripened and already liberated, then, without interval, the buddhas, the blessed ones, manifest final nirvāṇa — and this is not final cessation. The final turning back means that the afflictions and every residual trace of them are exhausted once for all, and with them the suffering that had depended on them is exhausted as well. Why is it that one who praises the Tathāgata can thereby do the Tathāgata some good? Whatever praise is offered simply carries out the work of one's own benefit; it does not, by the praising, make the Tathāgata into anything other than what he is, the way a potter's work makes a pot. Why so? Because the tathāgatas keep their own good qualities hidden and want for almost nothing. Further, there are two wonderful things that come of praising and extolling the Tathāgata: it lets the one praising practice pure self-benefit and generate immeasurable merit; and it accomplishes a good even for the Tathāgata, who himself seeks nothing at all. Further, the tathāgatas have two kinds of thing that beings do: things they do not approve of, and things they approve of.

Further, by six aspects the qualities of the Tathāgata should be known in brief: perfection, freedom from stain, unshakability, having no equal, the working of benefit for beings, and capacity. What is perfection? The tathāgatas have accomplished every quality there is, throughout the three realms and transcending them, and their transcendent qualities pass beyond every path that language can travel, so that no hymn of praise can ever reach them — and for this very reason they deserve to be praised all the more. What is freedom from stain? All qualities are subject to seven kinds of stain: desire, views, doubt, conceit, arrogance, latent tendencies, and stinginess — and the Tathāgata is entirely free of every one of them forever. Why so? Because the Tathāgata's qualities are never sought to be made known, so that others should know he has accomplished such qualities. And there is no clinging opinion toward this quality. And there is no doubt over whether this is a quality or a fault. And he does not measure his own qualities against another's. And he does not contemplate his own qualities with intoxication, agitation, elation, and delight. Nor are those qualities clung to by any affliction's latent tendency, the afflictions and their residual traces having been destroyed forever. And there is no stinginess toward the qualities, no wish to keep others from attaining what he has attained.

What is unshakability? No non-Buddhist teacher can shake the Tathāgata's qualities; no army of demons can shake them; no thief can seize them; no kinsman can ruin them; no king can ruin them; fire, water, and wind cannot alter them; and even when this life's span is exhausted there is no falling away, because the qualities of the tathāgatas are inexhaustible. What is having no equal? The qualities of the tathāgatas are vast beyond measure, exalted beyond measure, many beyond measure, and of great power, so that no being, pure or impure, has any equal to them. What is the working of benefit for beings? A buddha sets aside the vast, faultless ease he has attained and skillfully manifests the effort of benefiting others. And what is capacity? In doing what benefits beings, a buddha accomplishes it perfectly without even having to form the intention first, this skillful knowledge being the very kinship of complete realization, ever single-mindedly devoted to it.

Why are the gods, by their outward form, not a refuge? Because they are not seen to hold discourse with beings toward awakening; because their forms are sometimes fierce and fearsome; because they are habituated to heedlessness and given to craving; because they abandon the benefit of others, having no compassion; and because they do not understand what is to be done and what is not, not having penetrated the real. Why is the Tathāgata, by his outward form, the true refuge? Because he is seen to hold discourse with beings; because his form is calm and composed, inspiring no fear; because he is free of indulgence, apart from craving; because he never abandons the benefit of beings, having compassion always; and because he understands well what is to be done and what is not, having penetrated the real. Further, by five marks the Tathāgata alone is the true refuge. What are the five? First, because he took awakening for the benefit of all beings; second, because he turns well the eye of the true teaching; third, because his benefiting mind is equal toward those who have done him good and those who have wronged him; fourth, because he has given up every clinging attachment to house and kin, his faculties utterly stilled; and fifth, because he is able to resolve every doubt skillfully.

Why are the gods, by their deeds, not a refuge? Because their work is simply to abide enjoying the pleasures of desire, and deeds harmful to other beings are to be found among them. Why is the Tathāgata, by his deeds, the true refuge? Because his work is to abide in vast, stainless absorption, and his work is to bring about the benefit of beings. Why are the gods, by the nature of things, not a refuge? Because every excellent thing, worldly or transcendent, depends on one's own effort alone; without effort, even the utmost honoring of the gods cannot attain it, and without honoring them at all, effort alone can attain it. Why are the gods, by cause and effect, not a refuge? Is a god's body obtained by the action that brings it about, or by making offerings to the gods, or without any cause? If by the action that brings it about, one should take refuge in one's own action, not in the gods. If without cause, one should take refuge in causelessness, not in the gods. If by offerings to the gods, is that body's cause the offering alone, the god's will alone, or both? If offering alone, the gods would be superfluous, since any offering would bring about a god's body. If the god's will alone, offerings would be pointless, since without any offering the god could grant that body. And if both together — the offering winning the god over so that one's wishes are granted — this does not stand to reason either, since there are seven things whose fulfillment is never certain.

Further, there are four purities: purity of name, purity of speech, purity of own nature, and purity of form. And this form has great majesty, severs the net of every doubt, is able to declare rightly what has been and what will be, converts the hardest to convert, is what gods and humans turn to, teaches and guides well, has realized the nature of release, and holds every rival teacher in check.

The consciousness built up by the perfuming of naming takes hold of form and the rest as a thing directly known, and imputes to it a nature of form and the like — and this nature is neither real in substance nor real in the ultimate sense. Therefore this notion of form and the rest is not truly existent; it is only the pervasively imputed nature, and should be known to be provisionally existent. But if the consciousness built up by the perfuming of naming is set aside, then form and the rest, in their nature apart from words, should be known to be real in substance and real in the ultimate sense. Why so? Because the former is only provisionally existent and not real in the ultimate sense. If the consciousness built up by the perfuming of naming takes the pervasively imputed nature as its object, then this nature is found neither within, nor without, nor between the two; it is not already arisen, not yet to arise, not now arising; not already ceased, not yet to cease, not now ceasing; it is quiescent from the beginning and of its own nature nirvāṇa. But if it is the nature of things apart from words, then this nature, taken as the condition for the mistaken clinging ordinary people raise upon it, is already arisen, yet to arise, and now arising; already ceased, yet to cease, and now ceasing. If it has not yet been severed forever and not yet been fully known, it remains defiled; and once it has been severed forever and fully known, it becomes pure.

Further, there are four things that enable a bodhisattva to gather right learning: retaining what is learned, realizing what is learned, the fruit of what is learned, and purifying what is learned. And in this order, they should be known through the aspiration for awakening, attending upon a good friend, the power of reflection, and dwelling in solitude.

What is a bodhisattva's sphere of conviction? It is revealed by confidence and understanding that the Buddhist teachings are real. What is a bodhisattva's sphere of enhancing conviction? It is revealed by confidence and understanding that the Buddhist teachings have excellent qualities. What is a bodhisattva's sphere of resolve? It is revealed by confidence and understanding that the Buddhist teachings can be attained. What is a bodhisattva's sympathy? It is sorrow arising for beings before whom suffering has already come. What is a bodhisattva's compassion? It is grief arising for beings before whom the cause of suffering has come. What is a bodhisattva's discernment? It is penetrating, with regard to what is to be known, the nature things actually have. And what is a bodhisattva's knowledge? It is penetrating, with regard to what is to be known, the full extent of everything there is.

Further, there are three faults of thinking: thinking that does not reach its end, thinking upon what should not be thought about, and thinking turned upside down. Further, as the bodhisattva's practice of giving is set out, this giving is made pure by seven aspects: purity of the thing given, purity of moral discipline, purity of view, purity of mind, purity of speech, purity of knowledge, and purity from stain. And each one of these purities should be known to have ten aspects. What are the ten aspects of purity of the thing given? First, giving broadly, which means giving things of many different kinds. Second, giving equally, which means giving without increase or decrease.

Third, giving at the right time, which means giving in accordance with what the recipient wants at that moment. Fourth, giving what is excellent, which means giving something complete in its color and quality. Fifth, giving what is clean, which means the thing given is not mixed with anything impure. Sixth, giving as the teaching requires, which means giving in a way free of fault. Seventh, giving what is welcome, which means giving what the one who asks delights in. Eighth, giving what benefits, which means giving what suits the recipient's own situation. Ninth, giving all at once or giving gradually, which means giving in whichever way accords with the one who asks. And tenth, giving without interruption, which means giving without ever letting it break off.

What are the ten aspects of purity of moral discipline? First, giving from wealth gained by one's own diligent effort. Second, giving from wealth gained by the strength of one's own hands and arms. Third, giving free of anything tainted. Fourth, giving as the teaching requires. Fifth, giving from what was rightfully gained as the teaching requires. Sixth, giving with every wrong put aside. Seventh, giving with the faculties tamed. Eighth, giving with grave and reverent care. Ninth, giving with one's own hand. And tenth, first caring properly for one's own household and attendants, and only then giving to others who come asking.

What are the ten aspects of purity of view? First, giving without imputing that I am the one who gives or that what is given is mine. Second, giving without measuring oneself against another, thinking oneself superior, equal, or inferior. Third, giving without expecting the recipient to repay it later. Fourth, giving without looking ahead to some excellent, wonderful fortune to come. Fifth, giving without concluding that giving bears no fruit at all. Sixth, giving without concluding that giving bears a fruit unlike its cause. Seventh, giving without concluding that giving bears an inverted fruit. Eighth, giving without holding that killing makes a fitting companion to giving. Ninth, giving without waiting for some marvelous or auspicious sign. And tenth, giving not for worldly fame or praise.

What are the ten aspects of purity of mind? First, a mind of tender affection, arising spontaneously toward beings. Second, a mind that treasures, holding the recipient as a field of merit at the place of giving. Third, a mind of equality, giving alike toward an enemy, a friend, and one who is neither. Fourth, a mind that has tamed the stain of stinginess and the stain of hoarding — not giving to another being the stain of stinginess, and not even using it oneself being the stain of hoarding. Fifth, a mind of delight, which has seven aspects: rejoicing over one who will come to ask; upon seeing one who has come, at once feeling pure confidence; feeling glad at the moment of giving; feeling calm and settled; never feeling one has given enough; giving rise to no intention to harm; and feeling no regret afterward. Sixth, a mind of forbearance, bearing without weariness even when the one who asks forcefully obstructs the giving. Seventh, a mind of loving-kindness toward one who does harm. Eighth, a mind of compassion toward one who suffers. Ninth, a mind of sympathetic joy toward one who has good qualities. And tenth, a mind of equanimity toward one's own kin and friends.

What are the ten aspects of purity of speech? First, letting the one who asks take freely from what is offered. Second, welcoming him on arrival: how good that you have come, please come in. Third, meeting him without a frown, looking him in the face, smiling, and greeting him first. Fourth, speaking gently and offering words of comfort. Fifth, saying without pause: I am about to give you something I myself hold dear, and I am glad to give it. Sixth, making the gift while saying: I now give this to you. Seventh, if he tries to stop the giving, dividing it out calmly all the same, without a harsh word. Eighth, neither disparaging nor speaking ill of him, to his face or behind his back. Ninth, if there is nothing to give, saying so plainly and apologizing, promising to give when there is something. And tenth, never rebuking, driving off, mocking, or making light of him to his face, and never causing him shame.

First, purity of knowledge through giving itself. Second, through the one who asks. Third, through the thing given. Fourth, through the effort of giving. Fifth, through bringing beings to ripeness by giving. Sixth, through skillful means. Seventh, through the faults of desire. Eighth, through removing stain. Ninth, through keeping clear of bad company and taking up good company. And tenth, through the six directions kept covered. What is purity of knowledge through giving itself? Knowing rightly the other names for giving, the substance of giving, the derivation of the word, and the differences among kinds of giving, and giving accordingly.

What is purity of knowledge through the one who asks? Holding every being as a field of merit and giving accordingly, skilled in knowing the differences among them, and giving according to what each one delights in. And beforehand, offering all the things to be given with an intention extended equally to every being, so that when those who ask take freely, one rejoices. What is purity of knowledge through the thing given? Being skilled in every craft so as to gather the needed wealth quickly and give it; or gathering it through the power of a wholesome root, whether from a former life or received in this life; or by manifesting supernormal power, or by wealth received through one's own bodily toil; or using wealth another has accumulated, by persuading him to give or by putting oneself at his service.

What is purity of knowledge through the effort of giving? Being skilled in the effort giving requires, never wearing out the one who asks in body or mind, and giving with a mind free of taint — distributing wisely to the destitute, to those with no one to depend on, even to one of bad conduct, to one of good conduct, and to one's own attendants, in each case according to whether he is poor, of middling means, or wealthy, following the proper measure. What is purity of knowledge through bringing beings to ripeness by giving? Knowing well that giving can ripen other beings, and giving what one has together with the whole assembly so that it too generates immeasurable merit. And toward one who is poor yet delights in giving, sharing one's own wealth so that he too may give; toward one who is not poor but inwardly stingy, likewise giving him wealth so that he may give; and toward one who wishes to make an offering to the three treasures, at once handing over wealth so that he may carry it out. By this cause, through these two approaches, immeasurable merit is generated.

What is purity of knowledge through skillful means? Leading beings to give through instruction; leading them to give by exerting a compelling force upon them; leading them to give by first placing them in one's debt; leading them to give through the very circumstance of one's own birth; or giving through supernormal power.

What is purity of knowledge through the faults of desire? Giving only after truly knowing the many faults and calamities that belong to the desires themselves. And with regard to the suffering-laden aggregates, one may at times know two kinds of fault in them: one belonging to the present life, and one belonging to lives to come.

At other times one may know five kinds of fault, as the scripture on the five faults describes them. At other times one may know six kinds of fault, knowing that these desires are, in the very word for them, a source of dread — and the rest as fully set out in the scriptures. At other times one may know seven kinds of fault, knowing that desires are impermanent, false, unreal, and deceptive as a thing, like a conjured display that bewilders the fool. And at other times one may know eight kinds of fault, knowing desires to be like a rotted skeleton, and so on as the scripture fully explains, down to being like ripe fruit hanging at the tip of a branch.

What is purity of knowledge through removing stain? Giving only after truly knowing that fourteen tainted deeds are to be removed, as the Śikhālaka Discourse explains. What is purity of knowledge through keeping clear of bad company and taking up good company? Being skilled in knowing to keep clear of four kinds of bad friend and to take up four kinds of good friend, and giving accordingly — this too as the Śikhālaka Discourse explains.

What is purity of knowledge through the six directions kept covered? Giving after having covered the six directions — this too as the Śikhālaka Discourse explains.

What are the ten aspects of purity from stain? First, giving free of the stain of laziness, giving constantly whether the wealth is inward or outward, near or far, whether the body is weary or not, frail or not. Second, giving free of the stain of greed, with regard to one's wealth. Third, giving free of the stain of hatred, with regard to the one who asks. And fourth, giving free of the stain of delusion, with regard to cause and effect.

Fifth, giving free of the stain of hindrance. This stain means four kinds of hindrance: not having made it a habit, being short of means, being too attached to give it up, and looking to the fruit. And sixth, giving well distributed, which is exactly freedom from the stain of wrong measure: one who is poor gives only to his own attendants; one of middling wealth gives to his attendants and to the destitute as well; and one of great wealth gives to his attendants, to the destitute, and to everyone else who comes asking.

Seventh, giving through completeness, which is exactly freedom from the stain of diminishment. This has completeness in the matter given and completeness in intention. Completeness in the matter given has seven aspects: giving one's provisions, giving one's land, giving beings such as children and servants, giving ornaments, giving one's house, giving one's dwelling place, and giving one's own body. And completeness in intention means attaining, toward one's own body and toward outward wealth alike, an intention of spontaneous non-attachment.

Eighth, giving through cleanness, which is exactly freedom from the stain of uncleanness. This means the ten kinds of clean giving — giving without holding back, and the rest — as the Basic Section fully explains.

Ninth, giving through careful observation, which is exactly freedom from the stain of wrong understanding. This means observing the thing given, observing one's own intention, and observing the field one gives to. In observing the thing given, one observes that using it oneself is better than hoarding it, and that giving it away is better than using it oneself. Why so? If one only hoards it, one benefits neither oneself nor another. If bodhisattvas only use it themselves, this benefits themselves alone. But if bodhisattvas are able to give it away, this produces vast delight and benefits both themselves and others. In observing one's own intention, the intention has, in brief, four kinds: free of inversion regarding the cause, free of attachment regarding the fruit, compassionate toward beings, and aimed at the perfection of the knowledge of all aspects. In observing the field, one should know this is, in brief, by five marks — as set out above — and these are called the field. And by seven marks a place should be known not to be a field, as set out above.

Tenth, giving endowed with the excellence of skillful means, which is exactly freedom from the fault of being without skillful means. The skillful means meant here are these: making giving into a habit; giving without regard for body or life; feeling compassion for beings; the wisdom that knows the real meaning of things; conviction resolved upon unsurpassed awakening; instructing others toward giving; exerting a compelling force upon them; placing a being where he can bear to receive a kindness and repay it; giving through the very circumstance of one's own birth; and giving through supernormal power.