Bodhisattva of Universal Vision please expound on the gradual stages of the bodhisattva’s practice. How should one contemplate? What should one abide in and uphold? What expedient methods should one devise to guide unenlightened sentient beings, to universally enable them to reach enlightenment? you have asked the Tathagata about the gradual stages of cultivation, what contemplation one should abide in and uphold, as well as the various expedient methods one should use. newly initiated bodhisattvas and sentient beings should hold the right thought of separating from myriad illusions. First, they should rely on the samatha practice of the Tathagatas and strictly observe the precepts. “They should always be mindful that the body is a union of the four elements. When the four elements are separated from one another, where is this illusory body? Thus one knows that the physical body ultimately has no substance and owes its appearance to the union of the four elements. In reality it is not different from an illusory projection. “Due to the provisional union of the four conditions of vision, hearing, perception, and awareness, the illusory six sense faculties come to exist. The inward and outward combination of the six sense faculties and the four elements of earth, water, fire, and wind gives rise to the illusory existence of conditioned energy. In this process, there ‘seems to be’ something which is cognizant. This is provisionally called ‘mind.’ this illusory mind cannot exist without the six sense objects of sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, thought. When the four elements disperse, the six sense objects cannot be found. Once the elements and the sense objects disperse and and are extinguished, ultimately there is no cognizant mind to be seen. when the illusory bodies of sentient beings become extinguished, the illusory minds also become extinguished. When the illusory minds become extinguished, the illusory sense objects also become extinguished. When the illusory sense objects become extinguished, the illusory extinguishing also becomes extinguished. When the illusory extinguishing becomes extinguished, that which is not illusory is not extinguished. It is like polishing a mirror. When the defilements are wiped off, brightness appears. you should know that both body and mind are illusory defilements. When these appearances of defilement are permanently extinguished, purity will pervade all ten directions. the pure mani jewel reflects the five colors as they appear before it, yet the ignorant see the mani as actually possessing the five colors. although the pure nature of Complete Enlightenment likewise manifests as body and mind, people respond in accordance with their capacities, yet the ignorant speak of the pure Complete Enlightenment as having intrinsic characteristics of body and mind. For this reason, they are unable to depart from illusion. Therefore, I say that body and mind are illusory defilements. It is in terms of separating from illusory defilements that bodhisattvas are defined. When defilements are thoroughly removed, their corresponding cognition is completely eliminated. Since there is nothing corresponding to defilement, there is also no ‘one’ there to designate. “Virtuous man, if sentient beings realize the awakening of the extinction of illusory appearances, at that time unlimited purity and infinite emptiness will be revealed and manifested in their enlightenment. Because the enlightenment is complete and illuminnating, it reveals the mind in its purity. Because the mind is pure, objects of vision are pure. Because vision is pure, the eye faculty is pure. Because that faculty is pure, the consciousness is pure. Because the consciousness is pure, perception is pure. The same holds true for the nose, tongue, body, and mind. because the six sense objects are pure, the earth element is pure. Because the earth element is pure, the water element is pure. The same holds for the elements of fire and wind. since empty space is equal, identical, and unmoving as such, you should know that the nature of enlightenment is also equal, identical, and unmoving. the nature of enlightenment is pervasive and full, pure, and unmoving, being perfect and boundless, “Virtuous man, because the nature of wondrous enlightenment pervades everything fully, the nature of the sense faculties and the sense objects is indestructible and clear. Because the sense faculties and the sense objects are indestructible, everything up to all the dharani doors is indestructible and clear. It is like hundreds of thousands of lamps illuminating a room: their illumination pervades fully and is indestructible and clear. a bodhisattva neither is bound by dharmas nor seeks to be free from dharmas. He neither detests birth and death nor clings to nirvana; neither reveres those who uphold the precepts nor condemns those who violate them; n either esteems experienced practitioners nor slights beginners. it has no likes or dislikes. Why? Because the essence of this clarity is nondual and itself has no likes or dislikes. Complete Enlightenment is universally illuminating in quiescent-extinction without duality. Since there is no bondage or liberation, one begins to realize that sentient beings have intrinsically accom­plished Buddhahood, and that birth and death and nirvana are like yesterday’s dream. One who truly actualizes enlightenment does not contrive, stop, allow things to be as they are, nor annihilate vexations. In the midst of the actualization, there is neither a subject nor an object. Ultimately there is neither actual­ization nor one who actualizes! Universal Vision, you should know that the minds and bodies of all sentient beings are illusory. The body is the union of the four elements. The nature of mind is reducible to the six sensory objects. When the four elements are separated from one another, who is the unifier? If one practices gradual cultivation like this, all will be pure. The nature of Complete Enlightenment is umnoving and pervades the dharmadhatu. There is no contrivance, stopping, allowing things to be as they are, annihilation, nor is there one who actualizes enlightenment. All Buddha worlds are like flowers in the sky. Past, present and future are all impartially equal. Ultimately there is no coming or going. The newly initiated bodhisattvas and sentient beings in the Dharma Ending Age, in their quest to enter the Buddha Path, should thus cultivate themselves. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ THE SUTRA OF COMPLETE ENLIGHTENMENT Translated from the Chinese of Buddhatrata by Ven. Guo-go Bhikshu. http://www.tranlich.com/phathoc/kinhviengiac.htm Bodhisattva Vajragarbha if sentient beings have intrinsically accomplished Buddhahood, how can there be so much ignorance? If all sentient beings originally have ignorance, why does the Tathagata say that they have intrinsically accomplished Buddhahood? If sentient beings in all ten directions intrinsically accomplished the Buddha Path and afterward gave rise to ignorance, then when will the Tathagata give rise to vexations again? you have asked the Tathagata about the v ery secret and profound ultimate expedient methods, which are the highest teaching for bodhisattvas and the ultimate truth in the Mahayana. “Virtuous man, all worlds begin and end, are born and perish, have a before and after, exist and do not exist, coalesce and disperse, arise and cease. Thoughts follow one another in succession, going and coming in a ceaseless circle. With all sorts of grasping and rejecting, these changing processes are all cyclic existences. If one were to discern Complete Enlightenment while still in cyclic existence, then this nature of Complete Enlightennient would have the same nature as the turning flow of cyclic existence! If one wished to be free from cyclic existence, then there would be no place where Complete Enlightenment could exist. For instance, when one moves one’s eyes, still water appears to have waves; when one fixes one’s gaze, a circling flame appears to be a wheel of fire. The fact that moving clouds make it seem as if the moon were moving and a sailing boat makes one feel as if the shore were moving also exhibits the same principle. “Virtuous man, while the motion is going on, it is impossible for those things to be still. How much more would this be so if one were to discern the Complete Enlightenment of the Buddha with the defiled mind of birth and death, which has never been pure; “Virtuous man, for example, because of an illusory illness of the eye, a flower is falsely seen in an empty sky. When the illusory illness of the eye is eliminated, one does not say: ‘Now that this illness is eliminated, when will other illnesses arise?’ Why? Because the illness and the flower are not in opposition. Likewise, when the flower vanishes into the empty sky, one does not say: ‘When will flowers appear in the sky again?’ Why? Because the sky originally has no flowers! There is no such thing as appearing and vanishing. Birth and death and nirvana are like the appearing and vanishing flowers in the sky, while the perfect illumination of wondrous enlightenment is free from flowers or illnesses. “Virtuous man, you should know that the empty sky does not temporarily exist and then temporarily not exist. How much more so in the case of the Tathagata who is in accordance with Complete Enlightenment, which is omparable to the equal intrinsic nature of empty space. “Virtuous man, it is like smelting gold ore. The gold does not exist because of the smelting. As it has become perfect gold, it will not become ore again. Even after an inexhaustible period of time, the nature of the gold will not deteriorate. Therefore, one should not say that gold is not intrinsically perfect in itself. Likewise, the same holds true with Tathagata’s Complete Enlightenment. “Virtuous Man, the wondrous and completely enlightened mind of all Tathagatas is originally without bodhi or nirvana; it has nothing to do with accomplishing Buddhahood or not accomplishing Buddhahood, illusory cyclic existence or noncyclic existence. “Virtuous man, even the sravakas, who have perfected the state where the karmic activities of body, mind, and speech are entirely severed, are still unable to enter the nirvana that is personally experienced and manifested by the Tathagata. How can one possibly use one’s conceptual mind to measure the realm of the Tathagata’s Complete Enlightenment? It is comparable to using the light of a firefly to scorch Mount Sumeru; one would never be able to burn it! He who attempts to enter the Tathagata’s ocean of great quiescent-extinction by using the cyclic mind and giving rise to cyclic views will never succeed. Therefore, I say that all bodhisattvas and sentient beings in the Dharma Ending Age should first sever the root of beginningless cyclic existence. “Virtuous man, contrived conceptualizations come from the existence of a mind, which is a conditioned conglomeration of the six sense objects. The conditioned impressions of deluded thoughts are not the true essence of mind; rather, they are like flowers in the sky. The discernment of the realm of Buddhahood with such conceptualization is comparable to the production of empty fruit by the empty flower. One merely revolves in this entanglement of deluded thoughts and gains no result. “Virtuous man, deluded groundless thinking and cunning views cannot accomplish the expedient methods of Complete Enlightenment. Discriminations such as these are not correct.” At that time, the World Honored One, wishing to clarify his meaning, proclaimed these gathas: Vajragarbha, you should know that the quiescent and extinct nature of the Tathagata never had a beginning or end. To conceptualize this with the cyclic mind results in rotations in cyclic existence. One will then remain in cyclic existence unable to enter the ocean of the Buddha. Like smelting gold ore, the gold does not exist as the result of smelting. Though it regains the original golden quality, it is perfected only after the process of smelting. Once it becomes true gold, it cannot become ore again. Birth and death and nirvana, ordinary beings and all Buddhas, are but appearances of flowers in the sky. Conceptualizations are illusory projections. How much more so are such questions asked with an illusory mind? If one can put an end to this illusory mind, Complete Enlightenment can be sought.