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Ch 15 - The Ten Abodes

DESCIPTION

Dharma Wisdom Bodhisattva enters “the bodhisattva’s countless expedients samādhi,” whereupon, due to the power of this samādhi, buddhas as numerous as the atoms in a thousand buddha kṣetras arrive from beyond a number of worlds in each of the ten directions as numerous as the atoms in a thousand buddha kṣetras, all identically named “Dharma Wisdom,” all of whom manifest before him and empower him to explain the ten abodes:

1st Abode - The Initial Generation of [Bodhi]citta

Bodhisattvas hear about the the Ten Powers, ten rarely acquired dharmas as the bases for generating bodhicitta:

Ten Difficult to Attain Dharmas (i.e. the Ten Powers)

  1. Knowledge of what is so and not so
  2. Knowledge of the consequences of good and bad karma
  3. Knowledge of superior and inferior faculties
  4. Knowledge of differences in understandings
  5. Knowledge of differences in realms
  6. Knowledge of where all paths lead
  7. Knowledge of all dhyanas, vimoksas and samadhis
  8. Knowledge without obstruction of past lives
  9. Knowledge without obstruction by the Divine Eye
  10. Knowledge of the ending of outflows in the three times

Ten Dharmas to Study

  1. Being moved to make offerings to buddhas
  2. Gladly abiding in Birth & Death
  3. Guiding worldly people to reject evil karma
  4. Practicing instruction by means of the most sublime dharma
  5. Praising the highest Dharma
  6. Studying the merit of the buddhas
  7. Being born before buddhas and being embraced by their company
  8. Expediently explaining the tranquility of samadhi
  9. Praising detachment from the cycle of Birth & Death
  10. Being a refuge for suffering sentient beings

“What is the reason? To cause bodhisattvas’ minds to broaden in the Buddha Dharma and be able to understand whatever Dharma they hear without depending upon another’s instruction.”

2nd Abode - Preparing the Ground

Ten mind-states generated toward sentient beings

  1. Beneficial (Helpful) Mind
  2. Greatly Compassionate Mind
  3. Joyful Mind
  4. Safe (Secure, Peaceful) Mind
  5. Commiserating Mind
  6. Embracing (Caring, Accepting) Mind
  7. Protective Mind
  8. Identifying [as them] Mind
  9. [Considering them] Teachers Mind
  10. [Considering them] Guides Mind

Ten Dharmas to Study

  1. Reading, reciting, and learning
  2. Uncluttered tranquility
  3. Association with kalyāṇamitra ‘good spiritual guides’
  4. Generating pleasing, kind words
  5. Speech appropriate to the time
  6. Fearlessness of Mind
  7. Understanding of Meaning
  8. Cultivation of Practices in accord with Dharma
  9. Avoiding foolish confusion
  10. Abiding securely in Immovability

3rd Abode - Cultivating Practice

Ten Kinds of Practice of Observing All Dharmas

  1. Observing that all dharmas are impermanent
  2. That all dharmas are suffering
  3. That all dharmas are empty
  4. That all dharmas are without self
  5. That all dharmas are without creation
  6. That all dharmas are flavorless
  7. That all dharmas do not correspond to their names
  8. That all dharmas have no location
  9. That all dharmas are beyond being differentiated
  10. That all dharmas are without a stable [objective] reality

Ten Dharmas to Study

  1. Observing the realm of sentient beings
  2. …The Realm of Dharma
  3. …Worldly Realms
  4. Observing the Earth Realm
  5. …Water Realm
  6. …Fire Realm
  7. …Wind Realm
  8. Observing the Realm of Desire
  9. …The Realm of Form
  10. …The Formless Realm

4th Abode - Noble Birth

Born from Wise Teachings, Perfecting Ten Dharmas

  1. Never regressing from the presence of all buddhas
  2. The Profound Arising of Pure Faith
  3. Careful Observation of all Dharmas
  4. Understanding Sentient Beings
  5. Understanding Countries
  6. Understanding World Systems
  7. Understanding Karmic Conditioning
  8. Understanding Resulting Consequences
  9. Understanding Birth & Death
  10. Understanding Nirvana

Ten Dharmas to Study

  1. Understanding the Dharma of all Past Buddhas 了知過去
  2. Future Buddhas
  3. And Present Buddhas
  4. Cultivating and accumulating the Dharma of all Past Buddhas
  5. Future Buddhas
  6. And Present Buddhas
  7. Fulfillment of all the Dharma of all the past Buddhas
  8. Future Buddhas
  9. And Present Buddhas
  10. Understanding the Equality of all Buddhas

5th Abode - Completing Upaya

In cultivating good roots, it is entirely:

  1. To rescue all sentient beings 救護一切眾生
  2. To benefit all sentient beings 饒益一切眾生
  3. To bring joy to all sentient beings 安樂一切眾生
  4. With sympathy for all sentient beings 哀愍一切眾生
  5. To liberate all sentient beings 度脫一切眾生，
  6. For all sentient beings to be free of calamities 令一切眾生離諸災難
  7. For all sentient beings to be escape the suffering of Birth & Death 令一切眾生出生死苦
  8. For all sentient beings to develop pure faith 令一切眾生發生淨信
  9. For all sentient beings to attain total self-mastery 令一切眾生悉得調伏
  10. For all sentient beings to completely realize Nirvana 令一切眾生咸證涅槃

Ten Dharmas to Study

  1. Knowledge of the limitlessness of sentient beings 知眾生無邊
  2. Knowledge of the immeasurability of sentient beings 知眾生無量
  3. Knowledge of the incalculability of sentient beings 知眾生無數
  4. Knowledge of the inconceivability of sentient beings 知眾生不思議
  5. Knowledge of the immeasurable forms of sentient beings 知眾生無量色
  6. Knowledge of the incapacity of measure of sentient beings 知眾生不可量
  7. Knowledge of the emptiness of sentient beings 知眾生空
  8. Knowledge of the uncreatedness of sentient beings 知眾生無所作
  9. Knowledge of the inexistence of sentient beings 知眾生無所有
  10. Knowledge of the lack of inherent existence of sentient beings 知眾生無自性

6th Abode - Correct Mind 正心住

Hearing ten kinds of Dharmas, the mind is unmoved 聞十種法，心定不動

  1. Hearing the Buddha praised or reviled 聞讚佛、毀佛
  2. Hearing the Dharma praised, or reviled 聞讚法、毀法
  3. Hearing bodhisattvas praised or reviled 聞讚菩薩、毀菩薩
  4. Hearing the practices of the bodhisattva praised or reviled 聞讚菩薩、毀菩薩所行法
  5. Hearing that sentient beings are finite or infinite 聞說眾生有量、無量
  6. Hearing that sentient beings are defiled or without defilement 聞說眾生有垢、無垢
  7. Hearing that sentient beings are easy or difficult to liberate 聞說眾生易度、難度
  8. Hearing that the Dharma Realm is finite or infinite 聞說法界有量、無量
  9. Hearing that the Dharma Realm has a becoming and a disintegration 聞說法界有成、有壞
  10. Hearing whether the Dharma Realm exists or does not exist 聞說法界若有、若無

Ten Dharmas to Study

  1. That all dharmas are characteristicless 一切法無相
  2. That all dharmas are essenceless一切法無體
  3. That all dharmas cannot be cultivated 一切法不可修
  4. That all dharmas are without anything to exist 一切法無所有
  5. That all dharmas have no validity 一切法無真實
  6. That all dharmas are empty 一切法空
  7. That all dharmas are without inherent nature 一切法無性
  8. That all dharmas are like illusions 一切法如幻
  9. That all dharmas are like dream-things一切法如夢
  10. That all dharmas are undifferentiatable 一切法無分別

7th Abode - Non-regression 不退住

Hearing ten kinds of dharmas, they are steadfast and non-regressing 聞十種法，堅固不退

  1. Hearing there is or is not the Buddha 聞有佛、無佛
  2. Hearing there is or is not the Dharma 聞有法、無法
  3. Hearing there are or are not bodhisattvas 聞有菩薩、無菩薩
  4. Hearing there are or are not the practices of a bodhisattva 聞有菩薩行、無菩薩行
  5. Hearing bodhisattvas are or are not liberated through practice 聞有菩薩修行出離、修行不出離
  6. Hearing there were or were not buddhas in the past 聞過去有佛、過去無佛
  7. Hearing there will or will not be buddhas in the future 聞未來有佛、未來無佛
  8. Hearing there are or are not buddhas in the present 聞現在有佛、現在無佛
  9. Hearing Buddha Knowledge is exhaustible or inexhaustible 聞佛智有盡、佛智無盡
  10. Hearing the three times are or are not of a single characteristic 聞三世一相、三世非一相，

Ten Dharmas to Study

  1. Explanations of how one is many 說一即多
  2. Explanations of how many are one 說多即一
  3. Letters in accord with meaning 文隨於義
  4. Meaning in accord with letter 義隨於文
  5. That the non existent is existent 非有即有
  6. That the existent is not existent 有即非有
  7. That characteristiclessness is the characteristic 無相即相
  8. That characteristics are characteristiclessness 相即無相
  9. Naturelessness is nature 無性即性
  10. Nature is naturelessness 性即無性

8th Abode - Youthful Nature 童真住

Abiding in ten kinds of karma 住十種業

  1. Physical action without error 身行無失
  2. Verbal action without error 語行無失
  3. Mental action without error 意行無失
  4. Being born according to will 隨意受生
  5. Knowing the various desires of sentient beings 知眾生種種欲
  6. Knowing the various understandings of sentient beings 知眾生種種解
  7. Knowing the various realms of sentient beings 知眾生種種界
  8. Knowing the various karma of sentient beings 知眾生種種業
  9. Knowing the becoming and decay of the world 知世界成壞
  10. Traveling unobstructed by sovereign mastery of spiritual power 神足自在、所行無礙。

Ten Dharmas to Study

  1. Knowledge of all buddha fields 知一切佛剎
  2. Moving (quaking?) all buddha fields 動一切佛剎
  3. Maintaining all buddha fields 持一切佛剎
  4. Observing all buddha fields 觀一切佛剎
  5. Visiting all buddha fields 詣一切佛剎
  6. Roaming around countless world systems 遊行無數世界
  7. Receiving countless Buddha Dharma 領受無數佛法
  8. Manifesting a sovereign body by transformation 現變化自在身
  9. Emitting a broad, all-pervading voice 出廣大遍滿音
  10. Serving and providing for countless buddhas in a single kṣaṇa 一剎那中承事供養無數諸佛

9th Abode - The Prince (’Dharma Heir’) 王子住

Knowing ten kinds of dharmas well. 善知十種法

  1. Knowing well how all sentient beings come to be born 善知諸眾生受生
  2. Knowing well the arising of all afflictions 善知諸煩惱現起
  3. Knowing well the continuity of habit energy 善知習氣相續
  4. Knowing well what upāya are to be used 善知所行方便
  5. Knowing well immeasurable dharma 善知無量法
  6. Understanding well all modes of dignified behavior 善解諸威儀
  7. Knowing well worldly differentiations 善知世界差別
  8. Knowing well past and future affairs (matters) 善知前際後際事
  9. Knowing well explanations of worldly truths 善知演說世諦
  10. Knowing well explanations of the truth of ultimate (foremost) meaning 善知演說第一義諦

Ten Dharmas to Study

  1. The Skills Proper to a Dharma King 法王處善巧
  2. The Regulations Proper to a Dharma King 法王處軌度
  3. The Abode Proper to a Dharma King 法王處宮殿
  4. The Destinies Entered that are Proper to a Dharma King 法王處趣入
  5. The Contemplations Proper to a Dharma King 法王處觀察
  6. The Coronation of a Dharma King 法王灌頂
  7. The Power Retained by a Dharma King 法王力持
  8. The Fearlessness of a Dharma King 法王無畏
  9. The Repose of a Dharma King 法王宴寢
  10. The Praise [received] by a Dharma King 法王讚歎

10the Abode - Coronation (abhiṣeka)

Attaining perfection of ten kinds of knowledge

  1. [Knowledge that] quakes immeasurable world systems
  2. Illuminates immeasurable world systems
  3. Supports immeasurable world systems
  4. Travels to immeasurable world systems
  5. Adorns with purity immeasurable world systems
  6. Demonstrates for immeasurable sentient beings
  7. Contemplates immeasurable sentient beings
  8. Understands the roots of immeasurable sentient beings
  9. Causes immeasurable sentient beings’ entry
  10. Causes immeasurable sentient beings to be disciplined

Ten Dharma to Study (proper to Buddhas)

  1. Knowledge of the Three Times [past, present, and future]
  2. Knowledge of Buddha Dharma
  3. Unobstructed Knowledge of the Dharma Realm
  4. Boundless Knowledge of the Dharma Realm
  5. Knowledge Filling all World Systems
  6. Knowledge Illuminating all World Systems
  7. Knowledge Sustaining all World Systems
  8. Knowledge of Knowing all Sentient Beings
  9. Knowledge of Knowing all Dharma
  10. Knowledge Knowing Boundless Buddha Knowledge