THE SUTRA OF COMPLETE ENLIGHTENMENT Translated from the Chinese of Buddhatrata by Ven. Guo-go Bhikshu. http://www.tranlich.com/phathoc/kinhviengiac.htm Bodhisattva Maitreya how could they sever the roots of cyclic existence? various cyclic existences, how many types of capacities are there? What are the different kinds of cultivation of Buddha’s bodhi? how many expedient methods “Virtuous man, all sentient beings experience illusory cyclic existence due to all kinds of affection, love, craving, and desire since beginningless time. The different types of births in the world - be they from egg, womb, humidity, or by transformation - are created by sexual desire. You should know that attached love is the root of cyclic existence. Because there are all sorts of desirable objects that enhance and augment the activity of attached love, birth and death proceed in unending succession. “Desire arises because of attached love. The existence of life comes from desire. Sentient beings’ love of their lives in turn relies on desire as a base. Therefore, love and desire are the cause, love of life is the consequence. Because the objects of desire vary, like and dislike arise. If the object goes against one’s grasping mind, one gives rise to hatred and jealousy and commits evil karmic deeds. As a result, one is reborn in hell or as a hungry ghost. “Realizing that desire is detestable, if one desires to leave behind karmic paths and abandons evil and delights in doing good, one is reborn in the realms of gods or humans. If, further, one knows that attachment is detestable, and thus abandons attachment and delights in renunciation, one still stirs up the root of attachment. This results in increased worldly meritorious fruit, which, being samsaric, does not lead to accomplishing the holy path. Therefore, if sentient beings wish to be liberated from birth and death and to avoid cyclic existende, they should first sever craving and desire, and eliminate their attached love. “Virtuous man, the transformation and manifestation of bodhisattvas in various forms in the world are not based on attachment. Out of their compassion, they cause sentient beings to abandon attachment by provisionally taking on all kinds of craving and desire so they can enter birth and death. If sentient beings in the Dharma Ending Age can abandon desire, eliminate love and hatred, . permanently sever cyclic existence, and diligently pursue the Tathagata’s state of Complete Enlightenment with a pure mind, they will attain awakening. “Virtuous man, due to the inherent desire in all sentient beings, ignorance flourishes and increases. Thus sentient beings manifest five distinct natures. According to the two obstructions, their hindrances may appear to be deep or shallow. What are the two obstructions? The first is the obstruction of principle, which hinders right views. The second is the obstruction of phenomena, which perpetuates birth and death. the five distinct natures? 1)sentient beings who have not eliminated and extinguished these two obstructions are called ‘those who have not attained Buddhahood.’ 2) Sentient beings who have permanently abandoned craving and desire and have eliminated the obstruction of phenomena, but not the obstruction of principle, can only be enlightened as srackas or pratyekabuddhas. They are unable to manifest and abide in the realm of bodhisattvas. “Virtuous man, if sentient beings in the Dharma Ending Age desire to sail on the Tathagata’s great ocean of Complete Enlightenment, they should first vow to practice with diligence and sever the two obstructions. 3)When these two obstructions have been subdued, they will be able to awaken to the realm of bodhisattvas. 4) If the obstructions of principle and phenomena are permanently severed, they will enter into the subtle and wondrous Complete Enlightenment of Tathagatas and consummate bodhi and great nirvana. “Virtuous man, all sentient beings intrinsically actualize Complete Enlightenment. 5) If they meet a good teacher and can rely on his Dharma practice of the causal ground, their karmic roots for attainments will be either gradual or sudden. However, 5) if they come across the Tathagata’s unsurpassable bodhi and engage in the correct path of practice, they will attain Buddhahood whether they are of great or small karmic roots. 5) If sentient beings, though they seek a good teacher, meet one with erroneous views, they will not gain correct awakening. These people are called ones of outer path nature. This fault is due to the teacher and not to sentient beings. “The above are the five distinct natures of sentient beings. “Virtuous man, with great compassionate expedient methods, a bodhisattva enters the world to ex and mature. He manifests in various forms, amidst favorable or adverse situations so that he may work together with sentient beings in order to guide them to Buddhahood. In so doing, he relies entirely on the power of his pure vows made since beginningless time. “If sentient beings in the Dharma Ending Age can arouse the supreme thought of awakening to great Complete Enlightenment, they should make the pure great vow of bodhisattvas, declaring: ‘May I, from now on, abide in Buddha’s Complete Enlightenment, and may I, in my search for a good teacher, not meet outer paths and practitioners of the Two Vehicles.’ With their practice based on this vow, they will gradually sever all hindrances. When all hindrances are exhausted, their vows will be fulfilled. They will then ascend the pure Dharma hall of liberation and actualize the wondrous, august citadel of great Complete Enlightenment.” At that time, the World Honored One, wishing to clarify his meaning, proclaimed these gathas: Maitreya, you should know that sentient beings cannot attain great liberation because of their craving and desire, which cause them to fall into the cycle of birth and death. If they can sever like and dislike, along with greed, anger, and delusion, regardless of their difference in nature, they will all accomplish the Buddha Path. The two obstructions will also be permanently severed. After correct awakening is attained by meeting a good teacher, one accords with the bodhisattva vow and abides in the great nirvana. All bodhisattvas in the ten directions, relying on the great compassionate vow, manifest the appearance of entering birth and death. Practitioners now and sentient beings in the Dharma Ending Age, should diligently sever all attached views. Then they will return to great Complete Enlightenment. *************************** THE SUTRA OF COMPLETE ENLIGHTENMENT Translated from the Chinese of Buddhatrata by Ven. Guo-go Bhikshu. http://www.tranlich.com/phathoc/kinhviengiac.htm Bodhisattva of Pure Wisdom What are the differences in actualization and attainment between all sentient beings, bodhisattvas, and the World Honored Tathagata? “Virtuous man, the intrinsic nature of Complete Enlightenment is devoid of distinct natures as described before, yet all different natures are endowed with this nature of Complete Enlightenment, which can accord and give rise to various natures. Since these two natures are nondual, there is neither attainment nor actualization. In Absolute Reality, there are indeed no bodhisattvas or sentient beings. Why? Because bodhisattvas and sentient beings are illusory projections. When illusory projections are extinguished, there exists no one who attains or actualizes. For example, eyes cannot see themselves. Likewise, this nature is intrinsically impartial and equal, yet there is no ‘one’ who is equal. “Because sentient beings are confused, they are unable to eliminate and extinguish all illusory projections. Because of the illusory efforts and activities of those who extinguish and those who do not extinguish vexations, there manifest distinctions. If one can attain accordance with the Tathagata’s quiescent-extinction, there is in reality neither quiescent-extinction nor the one who experiences it. “Virtuous man, all sentient beings since beginningless time have deludedly conceived ‘self’ and that which grasps on to the self; never have they known the succession of arising and perishing thoughts! Therefore, they give rise to love and hatred and indulge in the five desires. “If they meet a good teacher who guides them to awaken to the nature of pure Complete Enlightenment and to recognize these arising and perishing thoughts, they will understand that it is the very nature of such rising thoughts that causes toils and anxieties in their lives. “If, further, a man permanently severs all toil and anxiety, he will realize the dharmadhatu in its purity. However, his undermining of purity may become his obstruction and he will not attain freedom and ease regarding Complete Enlightenment. %************************ This is called ‘the ordinary man’s accordance with the nature of enlightenment.” “Virtuous man, all bodhisattvas realize that this very understanding is a hindrance. Although they sever themselves from this hindrance of understanding, they still abide in this realization. The realization of hindrance is yet another hindrance. Therefore they do not have freedom and ease. This is called ‘the bodhisattva before the stage of the first bhumi’s accordance with the nature of enlightenment.” “Virtuous man, ‘attaining’ illumination and realization is a hindrance. Thus a great bodhisattva is constantly in realization without abidance, where the illumination and the illuminator simultaneously become quiescent and vanish. For instance, if a man beheads himself, there exists no executioner after the head has been severed. It is the same with eliminating various hindrances with a mind of hindrance: when the hindrances have been eliminated, there is no eliminator. The teachings of the sutras are like the finger that points to the moon. When one sees the moon, one realizes that the finger is not the moon. Likewise, the various teachings of all Tathagatas in instructing bodhisattvas are also like this. This is called ‘the bodhisattva above the stage of the first bhumi’s accordance with the nature of enlightenment.’ “Virtuous man, all hindrances are themselves the nature of ultimate enlightenment. Having a correct thought or losing it is not different from liberation. Conglomeration and dispersion of dharmas are both called nirvana. Wisdom and stupidity are equally prajna. The Dharma accomplished by bodhisattvas and that by outer path practitioners are both bodhi. Ignorance and true suchness are not different realms. The threefold discipline of sila, samadhi and prajna 9 and the three poisons of greed, anger and delusion are all pure activities. Sentient beings and the world they live in are of one Dharma-nature. Hells and heavens are all Pure Lands. Regardless of their distinct natures, all sentient beings have intrinsically accomplished the Buddha Path. All vexations are ultimate liberation. The Tathagata’s ocean of wisdom, which encompasses the whole dharmadhatu, clearly illuminates all phenomena as empty space. This is called ‘the Tathagata’s accordance with the nature of enlightenment.’ “Virtuous man, all bodhisattvas and sentient beings in the Dharma Ending Age should at no time give rise to deluded thoughts! Yet, when their deluded minds arise, they should not extinguish them. In the midst of deluded concepts, they should not add discriminations. Amidst non-discrimination, they should not distinguish true reality. If sentient beings, upon hearing this Dharma method, believe in, understand, accept, and uphold it and do not generate alarm and fear, they are ‘in accordance with the nature of enlightenment.’ “Virtuous man, you should know that these sentient beings have made offerings to hundreds of thousands of millions of Buddhas and great bodhisattvas as innumerable as the grains of sand of the Ganges, and have planted the roots of all merits. I say that such people will accomplish the Buddha’s Wisdom of All Aspects.” 10 At that time, the World Honored One, wishing to clarify his meaning, proclaimed these gathas: Pure Wisdom, you should know that the nature of perfect bodhi is without attainment or actualization. It is without bodhisattvas or sentient beings. However, when there is enlightenment and unenlightenment, there are distinct progressive stages. Sentient beings are obstructed by understanding. Bodhisattvas before the first bhumi have not left behind realization. Once they enter the first bhumi there is permanent quiescent-extinction with no abidance in any form. Great enlightenment, being complete, is called ‘pervasive accordance.’ If sentient beings in the Dharma Ending Age do not give rise to deluded thoughts, the Buddha says that they are bodhisattvas in this very lifetime. Having made offerings to countless Buddhas as innumerable as the sands of the Ganges, their merits are perfected. Though expedients are many, all are called in accordance with wisdom.