Disciples of the Buddha, when the Bodhisattva accomplishes such purification and regulation of the grounds that is called Securely Dwelling on the Bodhisattva’s Ground of Happiness. Disciples of the Buddha, the Bodhisattva who dwells upon this Ground of Happiness is able to accomplish such great vows, such great vigor, and such great efficacy. That is, he brings forth vast, great, pure, decisive understanding and uses all kinds’ of objects as offerings to worship and make offerings to all Buddhas, omitting none – vast and great as the Dharma Realm, ultimate as empty space, exhausting the boundaries of the future, throughout all numbers of kalpas, without cease. ”
“He further makes great vows, vowing to receive all Buddhas’ Dharma wheel, vowing to gather in all Buddhas’ Bodhi, vowing to protect all Buddhas’ teachings, vowing to maintain all Buddhas’ Dharmas – vast and great as the Dharma Realm, ultimate as empty space, exhausting the boundaries of the future, throughout all numbers of kalpas, without cease. ”
“He further makes great vows, vowing that in all worlds, when a Buddha appears in the world, descending from the Tushita Heaven, entering the womb, dwelling in the womb, being born, leaving home, accomplishing the Way, speaking Dharma, and manifesting Nirvana, he will go to all of them, draw near and make offerings, act as the head of the assembly, and receive and practice the Proper Dharma, in every place at one time turning – vast and great as the Dharma Realm, ultimate as empty space, exhausting the boundaries of the future, throughout all numbers of kalpas, without cease. ”
“He further makes great vows, vowing that the Bodhisattva practices: vast, great, limitless, unbreakable, and unmixed, including all Paramitas, purifying and regulating all Grounds, characterized by generality, characterized by particularity, characterized by identity, characterized by difference, characterized by production, and characterized by extinction – all the Bodhisattva practices – be spoken as they truly are, to teach and transform all, causing them to accept and practice, and their thought to increase and grow – vast and great as the Dharma Realm, ultimate as empty space, exhausting the boundaries of the future, throughout all numbers of kalpas, without cease.”
“He further makes great vows, vowing that all the realms of living beings: those with form, without form, with thought, without thought, neither with thought nor without thought, egg-born, womb-born, moisture-born, transformational born, bound in the three realms, who have entered the six destinies, in all such places of rebirth, comprised of name and form – all such categories – I shall teach and transform, causing them to enter the Buddhadharma, causing them once and for all to cut off all worldly destinies, and causing them to dwell in the way of all wisdom – vast and great as the Dharma Realm, ultimate as empty space, exhausting the boundaries of the future, throughout all numbers of kalpas, without cease.”
“He further makes great vows, vowing that all worlds: vast, great, limitless; gross, subtle, disarrayed, upside-down, orderly; whether entering, moving, or going out; with distinctions like Shakra’s net; in the ten directions of limitless dissimilar varieties – his wisdom will understand them all, with direct knowledge and perception – vast and great as the Dharma Realm, ultimate as empty space, exhausting the boundaries of the future, throughout all numbers of kalpas, without cease.”
“He further makes great vows, vowing that all countries enter one country, and that one country enter all countries; that limitless Buddhalands universally be purified; that light and multitudes of ornaments adorn them; that they be free from all afflictions; that they accomplish the way of purity; that limitless wise living beings fill them; that they universally enter all Buddhas’ vast, great states; that they appear in accordance with the minds of living beings, causing them all to be happy – vast and great as the Dharma Realm, ultimate as empty space, exhausting the boundaries of the future, throughout all numbers of kalpas, without cease.”
“He further makes great vows, vowing to be connected with all Bodhisattvas in resolution and practice, without resentment or jealousy; to accumulate all good roots; to be of one and the same condition will all Bodhisattvas; constantly to assemble together and never leave each other; to make appear at will various kinds of Buddha bodies; always to bear in his own mind the ability to know all Thus Come Ones’ states, their awesome powers, and their wisdom; to attain to irreversibility and spiritual penetrations according to intent; freely to roam to all worlds and appear in all assemblies; universally to enter all places of birth; to accomplish the inconceivable great vehicle; to cultivate the practices of Bodhisattvas – vast and great as the Dharma Realm, ultimate as empty space, exhausting the boundaries of the future, throughout all numbers of kalpas, without cease. ”
“He further makes great vows, vowing to mount the irreversible wheel; to cultivate the Bodhisattva practices; that the karmas of body, speech, and mind not be in vain; that anyone who briefly sees him will then certainly become fixed in the Buddhdharma; that anyone who briefly hears the sound of his voice will then obtain jewel-like wisdom; that anyone who has just brought forth pure faith will then forever cut off afflictions; to obtain a body like the great medicine king tree; to obtain a body like the as-you-will jewel; to cultivate all Bodhisattvas’ practices – vast and great as the Dharma Realm, ultimate as empty space, exhausting the boundaries of the future, throughout all numbers of kalpas, without cease.”
“He further makes great vows, vowing within all worlds to achieve annuttarasamyaksambodhi, without leaving the place of the tip of a single hair; in every place of a hair-tip, to make appear being born, leaving home, going to the Way Place, accomplishing proper enlightenment, turning the Dharma Wheel, and entering Nirvana; to obtain the Buddha’s state and the power of great wisdom; in thought after thought, in accord with the minds of living beings, to display the accomplishment of Buddhahood, and cause them to obtain still extinction; with every sambodhi, to know all Dharma Realms are characterized by Nirvana; with a single sound to speak Dharma and cause living beings to be delighted at heart; to display entry into great Nirvana, yet not cut off the Bodhisattva conduct; to display the ground of great wisdom, and the establishment of all Dharmas; with the penetration of Dharma wisdom, the penetration of spiritual fulfillments, the penetration of illusions, and comfortable changes and transformations, completely to fill the Dharma Realm – vast and great as the Dharma Realm, ultimate as empty space, exhausting the boundaries of the future, throughout all numbers of kalpas, without cease.”
“Disciples of the Buddha, the Bodhisattva dwelling on the Ground of Happiness brings forth such great vows, such great vigor, such great efficacy. Using those ten kinds of vow-doors as foremost, he fulfills a million asamkhyeyas of great vows.”
“Disciples of the Buddha, these great vows through ten propositions of finality come to accomplishment. What are the ten? They are: the end of the realm of living beings; the end of the world-realms; the end of the realm of empty space; the end of the Dharma Realm; the end of the Realm of Nirvana; the end of the realm of Buddhas’ appearing; the end of the realm of wisdom of Thus Come Ones; the end of the realm of what is thought by mind; the end of the realm of states entered by the Buddha’s wisdom; the end of the realm of worldly turnings, dharma turnings, and knowledge turnings. ”
“If the realm of living beings is ended, then my vows are ended. If world-realms, up to and including the realm of worldly turnings, dharma turnings, and knowledge turnings are ended, then my vows are ended. But, the realm of living beings up to and including the realm of worldly turnings, dharma turnings, and knowledge turnings, cannot be ended. Therefore, these great vows and good roots of mine have no end.”
“Disciples of the Buddha, after the Bodhisattva has made such great vows, he then obtains a beneficent mind, a compliant mind, an accordant mind, a quiet mind, a subdued mind, a still and extinct mind, a humble mind, a moistened mind, an unmoving mind, a non-turbid mind. ”
“He becomes one of pure faith and has the operative use of faith. He can believe in the Thus Come One’s original practices which are entered: believing in the accomplishment of all the Paramitas; believing in the entry to all the supreme grounds; believing in the accomplishment of the powers; believing in the perfection of the fearlessnesses; believing in the growth of the indestructible uncommon Buddha Dharmas; believing in the production of the Buddha’s states which are not to either side of middle; believing in the production of the Buddha’s states which are not either side of middle; believing in the entry to the limitless states of a Thus Come One; believing in the accomplishment of the fruit. To mention the essential, it is because he believes in all Bodhisattvas’ practices up to and including the description of all powers of the Thus Come One’s wisdom ground.”
“Disciples of the Buddha, this Bodhisattva further makes the following reflections: ‘all Buddhas’ power proper Dharmas are so profound, so quiet, so still and extinct, so empty, so markless, so wishless, so undefiled, so limitless, so vast and great, while ordinary beings in their minds fall into deviant views. They are covered by the film of ignorance. They erect the banner of pride and arrogance. They enter into the net of thirsty love, and course in the dense forest of flattery and deceit, unable to extricate themselves. Their minds are conjoined with stinginess and jealousy which they never abandon. They constantly create the causal conditions for undergoing birth in the destinies. With greed, hatred, and stupidity, they accumulate all karma, which day and night increases and grows. With the wind of resentment, they fan the fire of mind-consciousness, whose blaze never ceases. All of the karma they create is conjoined with inversion. In the flow of desire, the flow of existence, the flow of ignorance, and the flow of views, the seeds of mind-consciousness continually arise. Within the field of the three Realms , the sprouts of suffering are repeatedly produced. ”
“That is, name and form arise together and do not separate. Because name and form increase, the assemblage of the six places arises. Amidst their junctures, contact arises: because of contact, feeling arises. Because of feeling, love arises. Love increases, therefore grasping arises. Grasping increases, therefore existence arises. Because existence arises, birth, old age, anxiety, sorrow, suffering, and vexation come to exist. Such living beings as those produce and increase the mass of suffering. Within it, all is empty: free of self and what belongs to self, devoid of knowing and awareness, with no doer and no receiver, like grass and wood, like rocks and walls, and also like reflections. Still, living beings are unaware and do not know. The Bodhisattva sees all living beings within this mass of suffering, unable to get out. Therefore, he immediately brings forth wisdom of great compassion and makes the following reflections: ‘all these living beings I should rescue and save and set in the place of ultimate peace and joy.’ Therefore, he immediately brings forth bright wisdom of great kindness.”
“Disciples of the Buddha, the Bodhisattva Mahasattva accords with such great compassion and great kindness. Using deep, profound thought, at the time of dwelling on the First Ground, he gives away all objects without grudging or stinginess. Seeking the Buddha’s great wisdom, he cultivates great renunciation. Whatever he possesses, he is able to give away completely. That is, such objects as wealth and granaries, gold, silver, mani, pearls, lapis lazuli, shells, jade, and coral; jeweled ornamental articles to decorate the body; elephants, horses, chariots and conveyances; servants and citizens; cities, towns, and villages; parks, groves, pavilions with vistas; wives, concubines, sons, daughters; the inner and outer retinues, and all remaining enjoyable possessions; his head, eyes, hands, and feet; his blood, flesh, marrow and all the parts of his body, begrudging none of them, in order to seek all Buddhas’ vast, great wisdom. That is called the Bodhisattva Who Dwells Upon the First Ground’s Accomplishment of Great Renunciation. ”
“Disciples of Buddha, the Bodhisattva, using this kind of compassionate mind of great renunciation, wishing to rescue and protect all living beings, further enlarges the scope of his search for all worldly and world-transcending beneficial matters, never being tired or weary. Therefore, he immediately attains to the accomplishment of an untiring, unwearied mind. Once he has obtained an untiring, unwearied mind, concerning all Sutras and shastras, his mind is not nervous or afraid. Because he is not nervous or afraid, he immediately attains to the accomplishment of the wisdom of all Sutras and shastras. Once he has acquired that wisdom, he is skilled at estimating what should be done and what should not be done. Towards all superior, average, and inferior living beings, as is appropriate, and according to his strength, in accord with what they like, he acts in that way. ”
“Therefore, this Bodhisattva attains to the accomplishment of worldly wisdom. Once he has accomplished worldly wisdom, he knows the times and he knows the capacities, and using the adornments of repentance and reform, he diligently cultivates the path of benefiting self while benefiting others. Therefore, he accomplishes the adornments of repentance and reform. In the midst of these practices, he diligently cultivates escape, without retreating or deflecting, and accomplishes the power of solidity. Once he has acquired the power of solidity, he diligently makes offerings to all Buddhas. With regard to the Buddhas’ teaching Dharmas, he is able thus to speak and practice.”
“Disciples of the Buddha, the Bodhisattva in that way accomplishes ten kinds of Dharmas of purification of all grounds. That is: faith, compassion, kindness, renunciation, non-weariness, knowing all Sutras and shastras, skill at understanding worldly dharmas, repentance and reform, the power of solidity, making offerings to all Buddhas, relying on the teachings to cultivate.”
“Disciples of the Buddha, when the Bodhisattva has come to dwell on this Ground of Happiness, by means of the power of great vows, he comes to see many Buddhas. That is: he sees many hundreds of Buddhas, many thousands of Buddhas, many hundreds of thousands of Buddhas, many millions of Buddhas, many hundreds of millions of Buddhas, many thousands of millions of Buddhas, many hundreds of thousands of millions of Buddhas, many millions of nayutas of Buddhas, many hundreds of millions of nayutas of Buddhas, many thousands of millions of nayutas of Buddhas, many hundreds of thousands of millions of nayutas of Buddhas, and completely, with a great and profound mind, he worships and reveres them, attends upon and makes offerings to them, using clothing, food and drink, bedding and medicines – all of the necessities of life – completely offering them up. He makes offerings as well to all members of the sangha, and taking those good roots, he transfers them all to unsurpassed Bodhi.”
“Disciples of the Buddha, this Bodhisattva, because of making offerings to all Buddhas, obtains the Dharmas for accomplishing living beings using the former two attractions, he attracts and gathers in living beings, that is, giving and kind words. As to the latter two dharmas of attraction, because he only uses the power of faith and understanding, his practice has not yet well-penetrated these. That Bodhisattva, among the ten Paramitas, emphasizes the Paramita of giving. It is not that he fails to cultivate the remaining Paramitas, but he only does so according to his strength and proportionately.”
“What this Bodhisattva diligently cultivates – the making of offerings to all Buddhas, the teaching and transforming of living beings, and all of the good roots from cultivating the Dharmas of purification of the Grounds – he completely transfers to the Ground of all-wisdom, becoming progressively more bright and pure, subdued, compliant and accomplished, and capable of acting in accord with his intent.”
“Disciples of the Buddha, for instance, when a goldsmith well-skilled at smelting gold repeatedly puts it through the fire, it becomes progressively more bright and pure, supple, pliant, and accomplished, and capable of being worked in accord with his intent. The Bodhisattva is also like this. He makes offerings to all Buddhas and teaches and transforms living beings, all of which is cultivation of the d Dharmas of p Purification of the Grounds. Then he takes all of those good roots and completely transfers them to the Ground of all-wisdom. Thus, he becomes progressively more bright and pure, subdued, compliant, and accomplished, and capable of acting in accord with his intent. ”
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