Pearls of Universe - Volume XIV

The Buddha said: "Oh, good man! [Suppose that] there is a flat road. Beings walk [along it], and there is nothing to hinder their progress. In the middle of the road there is a tree, whose shade is fresh. The travellers make a stop in this place with their palanquin and take a rest. But there is always the shade of the tree there, and there is no difference. The shade does not die out, and nobody takes it away. The road is the Holy Way, and the shade the Buddha Nature."

Read more at Pearls of Universe - Volume XIV.

Contents

The Kushinagar Castle History  3

The Kapilavastu Castle History  4

The Jetavana Vihara History  5

The Unsurpassed Boy  7

The Eleven Virtues of the Full Moon  7

Right Time To Practice Meditation  8

Right Time To Practice Wisdom  9

Right Time To Practice Equanimity  9

Ten Virtues of the Bodhisattva  10

• Faith  10
• Precepts  11
• Friendship with Good Friends of the Way  11
• Quietude  11
• Effort  12
• Remembrance  12
• Gentleness  12
• Protection of Dharma  12
• Donation  13
• Wisdom  13

Karma Definite and the Indefinite  14

The Karmic Retribution of Bodhisattva  14

True Word  15

Two Kinds of People  16

The Body and the Fire  17

The Practice of the Body  17

The Practice of the Precepts  18

The Practice of the Mind  18

The Practice of Wisdom  19

Getaway from Hell  20

The Bodhi Tree  21

Like the Utpala – The Blue Lotus

Bodhisattva Kasyapa said: "Oh World Honored One! How many things are required of a Bodhisattva-Mahasattva to be perfect, such that he does not quarrel with the world, and does not get impregnated and defiled by what one obtains in the world?"

The Buddha said: "The Bodhisattva-Mahasattva is perfect in ten things, does not quarrel with the world and does not get impregnated and defiled by what one obtains in the world. What are the ten? They are: 1) faith, 2) upholding of the precepts, 3) befriending a good friend, 4) reflects (meditates) well within one's own self, 5) efforts, 6) right remembrance, 7) Wisdom, 8 ) right words, 9) zeal for the Wonderful Dharma, and 10) compassion for all beings. Oh good man! As the Bodhisattva-Mahasattva is perfect in these ten things, he does not quarrel with the world and does not get impregnated and defiled by what one obtains in the world, as in the case of the Utpala."

Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 42 - On Bodhisattva Kasyapa 3.

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Wisdom

"Tenth, his wisdom is perfect. By Wisdom is meant seeing the so-called Tathagata, the Eternal, Bliss, the Self, the Pure, and the fact that all beings possess the Buddha Nature. He sees the two phases of things, which are: Void versus non-Void, Eternal versus non-Eternal, Bliss versus non-Bliss, the Self versus not-Self, what is possible or not possible for crushing out the proposition of dissimilarity ['vaidharmya-drstanta'], the coming about or seeing of dissimilarity that arises out from the causal relations, and the fruition of dissimilarity that arises out from the non-causal relations or non-causality. This is what we call perfection of Wisdom.

Oh, good man! This is how we say that when the Bodhisattva is perfect in these ten things, he can clearly see the formlessness of Nirvana. "

Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 38, on Bodhisattva Lion's Roar 6.

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Donation

"Ninth, if the Bodhisattva sees any of his brethren, or anyone who is upholding the same precepts, lacking in things; he goes to others, and begs for an incense burner, priestly robes, for what is required in nursing practice, clothing, food and drink, bedding, and accommodations. "

Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 38, on Bodhisattva Lion's Roar 6.

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Protection of Dharma

"Eighth, there is protection of Dharma. By protecting the Dharma is meant to love the Wonderful Dharma, be always happy to talk about it, read and recite, write and copy it, think about its meaning and expound it widely, and make it prevail. If there is a person who copies, expounds, recites and praises [Dharma] and think about the meaning, one should seek things and offer him such as support, things such as clothing, food and drink, bedding and medicines. For the protection of Dharma, one must be ready to sacrifice his own body and life. This is protection of Dharma. "

Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 38, on Bodhisattva Lion's Roar 6.

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Gentleness

"Seventh, he has gentleness of speech. By gentleness of speech is meant the true and wonderful words that one utters and queries before the mind acts. It is timely speech and words of truth. We call this 'gentle words'. "

Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 38, on Bodhisattva Lion's Roar 6.

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Remembrance

"Sixth, he is perfect in remembrance. By perfection in remembrance is meant thinking about the Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, the precepts, the heavens, and equanimity. We call this perfection in thought."

Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 38, on Bodhisattva Lion's Roar 6.

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Effort

"Fifth, there is effort. By effort is meant that someone thinks single-mindedly on the Four Noble Truths. Even if that person's head was on fire, he would not cast off this [the weighting on the Four Noble Truths]. This is effort. "

Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 38, on Bodhisattva Lion's Roar 6.

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Quietude

"Fourth, he seeks quietude. By quietude is meant the quietude of body and mind, through which one meditates on the depths of all existences. We call this quietude."

Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 38, on Bodhisattva Lion's Roar 6.

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Friendship with Good Friends of the Way

"Third, the Bodhisattva makes friends with many good friends of the Way. By good friend of the Way is meant a person who speaks well about faith and precepts, erudition (culture), donation, Wisdom, and who makes people practice the Way. Such a person is called the Bodhisattva’s good friend of the Way."

Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 38, on Bodhisattva Lion's Roar 6.

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Precepts

"Second, there is perfection of purity in the observance of moral precepts. Oh, good man! There may be a Bodhisattva who is pure in upholding the precepts. And yet, he does not so for the sake of shila, for the sake of shilaparamita, nor by beings, nor for profit, nor for Bodhi, nor for Nirvana, and nor to [become] a Sravaka or Pratyekabuddha. He only observes the precepts for the highest 'Paramartha-satya’[Ultimate Reality]. Oh, good man! This is what we call perfection in purity of the precepts of a Bodhisattva."

Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 38, on Bodhisattva Lion's Roar 6.

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Faith

"First, he is perfect in faith. How is faith perfect? This is believe deeply that the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha are Eternal, that all the Buddhas of the ten directions effect expedients, and that all beings and icchantikas possess the Buddha Nature. It is not believing that the Tathagata is subject to birth, aging, illness and death, that he has undergone penance, that Devadatta truly caused the Buddha's body to bleed, that the Tathagata ultimately enters Nirvana, and that the Wonderful Dharma dies out. This is when we say that the Bodhisattva is perfect in faith."

Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 38, on Bodhisattva Lion's Roar 6.

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