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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
  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
  2. To benefit all sentient beings
  3. To bring joy to all sentient beings
  4. With sympathy for all sentient beings
  5. To liberate all sentient beings
  6. For all sentient beings to be free of calamities
  7. For all sentient beings to be escape the suffering of Birth & Death
  8. For all sentient beings to develop pure faith
  9. For all sentient beings to attain total self-mastery
  10. For all sentient beings to completely realize Nirvana

Ten Dharmas to Study

  1. Knowledge of the limitlessness of sentient beings
  2. Knowledge of the immeasurability of sentient beings
  3. Knowledge of the incalculability of sentient beings
  4. Knowledge of the inconceivability of sentient beings
  5. Knowledge of the immeasurable forms of sentient beings
  6. Knowledge of the incapacity of measure of sentient beings
  7. Knowledge of the emptiness of sentient beings
  8. Knowledge of the uncreatedness of sentient beings
  9. Knowledge of the inexistence of sentient beings
  10. Knowledge of the lack of inherent existence of sentient beings

6th Abode - Correct Mind

Hearing ten kinds of Dharmas, the mind is unmoved

  1. Hearing the Buddha praised or reviled
  2. Hearing the Dharma praised, or reviled
  3. Hearing bodhisattvas praised or reviled
  4. Hearing the practices of the bodhisattva praised or reviled
  5. Hearing that sentient beings are finite or infinite
  6. Hearing that sentient beings are defiled or without defilement
  7. Hearing that sentient beings are easy or difficult to liberate
  8. Hearing that the Dharma Realm is finite or infinite
  9. Hearing that the Dharma Realm has a becoming and a disintegration
  10. Hearing whether the Dharma Realm exists or does not exis

Ten Dharmas to Study

  1. That all dharmas are characteristicless
  2. That all dharmas are essenceless
  3. That all dharmas cannot be cultivated
  4. That all dharmas are without anything to exist
  5. That all dharmas have no validity
  6. That all dharmas are empty
  7. That all dharmas are without inherent nature
  8. That all dharmas are like illusions
  9. That all dharmas are like dream-things
  10. That all dharmas are undifferentiatable

7th Abode - Non-regression

Hearing ten kinds of dharmas, they are steadfast and non-regressing

  1. Hearing there is or is not the Buddha
  2. Hearing there is or is not the Dharma
  3. Hearing there are or are not bodhisattvas
  4. Hearing there are or are not the practices of a bodhisattva
  5. Hearing bodhisattvas are or are not liberated through practice
  6. Hearing there were or were not buddhas in the past
  7. Hearing there will or will not be buddhas in the future
  8. Hearing there are or are not buddhas in the present
  9. Hearing Buddha Knowledge is exhaustible or inexhaustible
  10. Hearing the three times are or are not of a single characteristic

Ten Dharmas to Study

  1. Explanations of how one is many
  2. Explanations of how many are one
  3. Letters in accord with meaning
  4. Meaning in accord with letter
  5. That the non existent is existent
  6. That the existent is not existent
  7. That characteristiclessness is the characteristic
  8. That characteristics are characteristiclessness
  9. Naturelessness is nature
  10. Nature is naturelessness

8th Abode - Youthful Nature

Abiding in ten kinds of karma

  1. Physical action without error
  2. Verbal action without error
  3. Mental action without error
  4. Being born according to will
  5. Knowing the various desires of sentient beings
  6. Knowing the various understandings of sentient beings
  7. Knowing the various realms of sentient beings
  8. Knowing the various karma of sentient beings
  9. Knowing the becoming and decay of the world
  10. Traveling unobstructed by sovereign mastery of spiritual power

Ten Dharmas to Study

  1. Knowledge of all buddha fields
  2. Moving (quaking?) all buddha fields
  3. Maintaining all buddha fields
  4. Observing all buddha fields
  5. Visiting all buddha fields
  6. Roaming around countless world systems
  7. Receiving countless Buddha Dharma
  8. Manifesting a sovereign body by transformation
  9. Emitting a broad, all-pervading voice
  10. Serving and providing for countless buddhas in a single kṣaṇa

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

Knowing ten kinds of dharmas well.

  1. Knowing well how all sentient beings come to be born
  2. Knowing well the arising of all afflictions
  3. Knowing well the continuity of habit energy
  4. Knowing well what upāya are to be used
  5. Knowing well immeasurable dharma
  6. Understanding well all modes of dignified behavior
  7. Knowing well worldly differentiations
  8. Knowing well past and future affairs (matters)
  9. Knowing well explanations of worldly truths
  10. Knowing well explanations of the truth of ultimate (foremost) meaning

Ten Dharmas to Study

  1. The Skills Proper to a Dharma King
  2. The Regulations Proper to a Dharma King
  3. The Abode Proper to a Dharma King
  4. The Destinies Entered that are Proper to a Dharma King
  5. The Contemplations Proper to a Dharma King
  6. The Coronation of a Dharma King
  7. The Power Retained by a Dharma King
  8. The Fearlessness of a Dharma King
  9. The Repose of a Dharma King
  10. The Praise [received] by a Dharma King

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