The Rising Sun of the Wonderful Dharma

Then Kasyapa said in a gatha before the Buddha:

"Oh Great Holy One of the Gautama clan!
Stand up, I pray you, and tell us about the All-Wonderful Dharma!
Do not recline on the bed like some child,
or someone who is sick.
The Trainer, the Teacher of gods and humans,
lies between the sal trees.
The humble and the ignorant

may certainly say that he will enter Nirvana.

They know nothing about the Vaipulya,
or what the Buddha does.
Like the blind, they do not see
the hidden storehouse of the Tathagata.
Only all the Bodhisattvas and Manjushri
well know the depths,
like a good archer.

All Buddhas of the Three Times [past, present and future]
rest on the Great Compassion.
What is the worth now of such Great Compassion?
Without compassion, there is no one called Buddha.
If the Buddha definitely enters Nirvana,
this is not the eternal, oh Unsurpassed One!
Take pity on us, answer our prayers,
bestow benefits to all beings,
and subdue all Tirthikas!"

Then the World Honored One, his mind of great compassion kindled, realized all the things that each being wanted to have, in accordance with [their wishes], to answer their prayers and bestow them benefits, raised himself from his seat, and sat cross-legged. His visage was shiny and smooth like a ball of molten gold. His serene face and eyes shone like the full moon. His form was pure, without any imperfection. A great light filled the sky. The light was as bright as that of more than 100 thousand suns. It shone over the east, south, west, north, in the four intermediate directions, the worlds above and below, and over all the Buddha Lands. It gave beings the torch of Wisdom, illuminated the gloom, and enabled 100 thousand billion nayutas of beings to live in the irreversible mind of Bodhi [Enlightenment].

Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 18 - On Actual Illnesses.

Pearls of Universe - Volume XIII

“In the Path of Bodhi, there is not someone who turns back. Oh, good man! The one who regretted after having start out, now sees those who went before and who have gained the treasures, sees them return undisturbed, and make offerings to their parents, giving to their relatives, enjoying much peace. Seeing this, a fire burns again in his mind, he adorns his body, starts out on the way again, spares no effort, endures all kinds of hardships, and goes to the Mountain of the Seven Treasures.”

Read more on Pearls of Universe - Volume XIII



CONTENTS

BODHISATTVA PRECEPTS 3
WHY UPHOLD PRECEPTS 4
ABOUT SEE THE TATHAGATA AND THE BUDDHA NATURE 5
SEE WHAT WE HAVE IN COMMON 6
CAUSE AND CONDITION OF UNSURPASSED BODHI 7
SANGHA IS HARMONY 7
THIRTEEN FACTORS LEADING TO RETROGRESSION OF THE BODHISATTVA 8
SIX FACTORS WHICH DESTROY THE BODHI MIND 9
THE MIND THAT IS NOT RETROGRESSIVE 10
PARABLE OF THE CLEAR SPRING 10
BACK TO THE MOUNTAIN OF THE SEVEN TREASURES 12
AVAIVARTIKA - 1 12
AVAIVARTIKA - 2 13
AVAIVARTIKA - 3 13
AVAIVARTIKA - 4 14
AVAIVARTIKA - 5 15
AVAIVARTIKA - 6 15
AVAIVARTIKA - 7 16
AVAIVARTIKA - 8 16
AVAIVARTIKA - 9 17
AVAIVARTIKA - 10 18
THE STAMP AND THE CLAY 18
THE EXTINCTION OF THE FIVE SKANDHAS 19
THE PILLARS OF SAMSARA 19
THE PRACTICE OF THE WAY 20
HOW TO PRACTICE THE PRECEPTS 21
HOW TO PRACTICE SAMADHI 21
HOW TO PRACTICE WISDOM 22
WHY WE PRACTICE 23

Avaivartika - 10

The Avaivartika and the causal relations of the 32 Marks of Perfection of the Tathagata.

"The Bodhisattva-Mahasattva (30) does not speak ill of the shortcomings of others and does not slander the Wonderful Dharma. Because of this, he acquires the Voice-of-Buddha.

The Bodhisattva-Mahasattva (31) sees all the enmities and gains a happy mind. Because of this, he gains the blue tone of his eyes.

The Bodhisattva-Mahasattva (32) does not conceal the virtues of others, but praises the good which they have. Because of this, he gains a face with a white hair tuft on his brow.

Oh, good man! When the Bodhisattva-Mahasattva practices these 32 kinds of causal relations, he gains a thought that will not retrogress from the mind that seeks the Bodhi. "

Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 34, on Bodhisattva Lion's Roar 2.

avaivartika 10.mp3

Back to the Mountain of the Seven Treasures

“In the Path of Bodhi, there is not someone who turns back. Oh, good man! The one who regretted after having start out, now sees those who went before and who have gained the treasures, sees them return undisturbed, and make offerings to their parents, giving to their relatives, enjoying much peace. Seeing this, a fire burns again in his mind, he adorns his body, starts out on the way again, spares no effort, endures all kinds of hardships, and goes to the Mountain of the Seven Treasures. Thus things happen with the retrogressing Bodhisattva.”

Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 34, on Bodhisattva Lion's Roar 2.

back to the mountain of the seven treasures.mp3

Parable of the Clear Spring

"Oh, good man! Do not say that beings do not have the Buddha Nature just because of the retrogressive mind. For example, two people hear: ‘In another land, there is a mountain made of the seven treasures. On the mountain, there is a clear spring, whose water is sweet. Should any person reach this source, it will make away with poverty, and anyone who drinks its water will get a long life. But the way there is long and steep. Then, both men desire to go there. One of the persons goes equipped with various travelling utensils, while the other goes unprepared, not even keeping to the food rations. They are walking together, when along the way they meet a man who has plenty of treasures, perfect in the seven rarities. The two go to that person and ask: 'Is there any mountain of the seven treasures in that land'? The man replies: 'Actually, there is such a land, this is not false. I have already gained the treasures. I have tasted the water. The only thing to worry about is that the path is steep, and there are many thieves, gravel and thorns, aqueous plants (succulents) are rare. Thousands of millions (of people) go, but few reach the end’. Upon hearing this, one of the men feels regret and says: 'The way is long and there is more than one trouble. Countless are those who go and few arrive to the end. How can I expect reach this place? At present, I have what I need. If I stick to what I have, will not lose my life. If life is at stake, how can I think of longevity '? The other man also says: ‘People indeed go, I will go also. If I really reach that place, I will have the rarities and taste the sweet water. If I can not, let my life end there'. Now, one regrets after having started out and draws back, while the other goes on, reaches the mountain and rarities, and tastes the water that he desired to taste. Loading all that he has gained, he comes back to where he lives, serves his parents and ancestors.

Then, the one who regretted after having started out the journey, and who turned back, sees this and goes down with a fever. 'He went and is now back. How can I stay here'? And equipping himself, he starts out on the journey again.

The seven treasures can be compared to the Great Nirvana, the sweet water to the Buddha Nature, the two persons to two Bodhisattvas who first aspire to Bodhi, the steep path to birth and death, the man whom they meet on the way to the Buddha-World-Honored-One, the thieves to the four Maras, the gravel and thorns to defilements, the lack of watery plants to the non-practicing of the Way of Bodhi, the one who turns back to the retrogressing Bodhisattva, and the one who goes on alone to the non-retrogressing Bodhisattva.”

Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 34, on Bodhisattva Lion's Roar 2.

parable of the clear spring.mp3

The Mind That is not Retrogressive

"What is the mind that is not retrogressive? Again, a man hears that the Buddha actually leads beings across the sea of birth, old age, illness, and death. He does not ask of a teacher to be taught and gains the unsurpassed Bodhi spontaneously practicing the Way. (And thinks:) 'If the Bodhi is something we can indeed gain, I shall assuredly practice the Way and unfailingly attain it'. Thinking thus, he aspires to Bodhi and transfers all [the merits] that he has amassed, be it great or small, to unsurpassed Bodhi. He takes this vow: 'I pray that I shall draw near to all Buddhas and Buddhist disciples, listen to sermons, so that the five sense organs are all perfect, and this mind will not get lost even if I encounter hardships. Also, I pray, oh all Buddhas and disciples, that I shall always have a gladdened mind and be perfect in the five good deeds. If all beings slash my body, hands and feet, head and eyes, and other parts, I shall gain a feeling of Great Loving- Kindness towards all and feel happy. All such persons will contribute to the growth of my own Bodhi. If not, how could I accomplish the unsurpassed Bodhi’?"

Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 34, on Bodhisattva Lion's Roar 2.

the mind that is not retrogressive.mp3

Six Factors Which Destroy the Bodhi Mind

"Further, there are six things which destroy the Bodhi Mind. What are they? They are: 1) parsimony (stinginess), 2) entertain an evil thought towards all beings, 3) make friends with evil people, 4) non-effort, 5) arrogance, and 6) carrying on worldly business. These six things destroy the Bodhi Mind.

Oh, good man! A person hears that the Buddha-All-World Honored One is the teacher of the humans and gods, that he is the best, incomparable and superior to Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas, that his Dharma-eye is clear, that he is unhindered, that he leads all the beings in crossing the great sea of suffering. Upon hearing this, the person takes a great vow: 'If there is such a person, also I will be like him’. Through this causal relation, he aspires to unsurpassed Enlightenment. Or taught by some others, a person can aspire to unsurpassed Enlightenment. Or a person can hear that the Bodhisattva underwent stringent penances for asamkhyas of kalpas and later attained unsurpassed Enlightenment. Upon hearing this, he thinks: 'I can not endure such penance, so how will I be able to achieve it'? Thus, he retrogresses. "

Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 34, on Bodhisattva Lion's Roar 2.

six factors which destroy the bodhi mind.mp3