Chapter 14: The Comparisons803
Then the venerable Subhūti said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, when just by hearing this profound transcendent state of wisdom, a bodhisattva great being has firm conviction in it, he or she is not deflated, not depressed, and does not turn back from it. He or she is not confused, doubtful, or worried about the transcendent state of wisdom, but rather delights in it. Blessed One, in what realm will such a bodhisattva great being die and where will he or she be reborn?”
The Blessed One said, “Subhūti, when just by hearing this profound transcendent state of wisdom, a bodhisattva great being has firm conviction in it, he or she is not deflated, not depressed, and does not turn back from it. That bodhisattva great being is not confused about the transcendent state of wisdom, not doubtful about it, and not worried about it, but rather delights in seeing and hearing it, keeps it in mind, and cultivates it.804 That bodhisattva great being does not depart from the attentiveness associated with the transcendent state of wisdom and does not become mentally discouraged about it, but rather develops the longing to take it in, keep it in mind, chant it, master it, and pass it on. And that bodhisattva great being forms a connection with a Dharma teacher, follows them, and does not abandon them. As an analogy, in the very same way that a cow with a newborn calf does not abandon it, Subhūti, that bodhisattva great being who has listened to the transcendent state of wisdom does not abandon the Dharma teacher, while keeping the transcendent state of wisdom on him or her physically or in the form of a book.805 Such a bodhisattva great being will die exclusively among humans and then be reborn exclusively among humans.”
Subhūti asked, “Blessed One, could any bodhisattva great being who is endowed with these same positive qualities have been reborn here after having died in other buddhafields?”
The Blessed One said, “Subhūti, one should understand that any bodhisattva great being endowed with these same positive qualities could have been reborn here after having died in other buddhafields, where he or she served other blessed buddhas, made inquiries, and fully pursued his or her questions.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, one should understand that any bodhisattva great being endowed with these same positive qualities also could have been reborn here after having died in the Tuṣita god realm, where he or she served the bodhisattva great being Maitreya, asked him about the transcendent state of wisdom, inquired about it, and fully pursued his or her questions about it. On the other hand, Subhūti, a bodhisattva great being could be reborn among humans after having previously listened to this profound transcendent state of wisdom, but neither asked about it, nor inquired about it, nor fully pursued his or her questions about it. But if, when this profound transcendent state of wisdom is being taught, he or she is confused, worried, or has a deflated mindset, then one should understand such a bodhisattva great being not to have been an inquiring type in the past either. How so? Because when this profound transcendent state of wisdom is being taught, that bodhisattva great being becomes confused, worried, and has a deflated mindset.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, that bodhisattva great being may previously have heard this profound transcendent state of wisdom, asked about it, inquired about it, and fully pursued his or her questions about it for one, two, three, four, or five days, but now may have only a passing faith that repeatedly gets sidetracked, and hence he or she loses interest in inquiring about it. Why is that? Because, Subhūti, he or she previously did not thoroughly ask about it, thoroughly inquire about it, and fully pursue his or her questions about it. Such a bodhisattva great being sometimes follows this transcendent state of wisdom in order to listen to it, but sometimes has no desire to do so. He or she repeatedly tosses it aside, becomes disheartened, has an unstable mind, and is like cotton wool.806 One should know such a bodhisattva great being to have traveled the path only for a brief time. Having only recently arrived at the path, such a bodhisattva abandons any faith, trust, or longing. He or she does not uphold this profound transcendent state of wisdom, follow it, or embrace it.807 Instead, he or she might desire either one of the two other levels, namely, the disciple level or the solitary realizer level.
808“As an analogy, Subhūti, it is like being in the middle of the ocean after a shipwreck. One can be sure that until people have reached the other shore, they will drown if they do not grab hold of a piece of wood or a plank, or find support on a dead body. But, Subhūti, during a shipwreck in the middle of that ocean, one can be sure that those people will not drown if they do grab hold of a piece of wood or a plank, or find support on a dead body. They will successfully cross to the other shore without hindrance and come to abide on dry ground, unharmed and uninjured. Likewise, Subhūti, any bodhisattva who only has a small amount of faith, trust, appreciation, and longing does not depend for support on the transcendent state of wisdom. Subhūti, one can be sure that such a bodhisattva will meet with a downfall midway along the path. Without ever reaching the state of complete knowing, he or she will come to abide in the states of the disciples or solitary realizers. But there are bodhisattva great beings who have faith, acceptance, predilection, longing, heroic perseverance, interest, firm conviction, altruistic disposition, renunciation, devotion, joy, delight, trust, appreciation, and unflinching endurance to realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening, and they depend for support on the transcendent state of wisdom. And those bodhisattva great beings who do have such faith, acceptance, predilection, longing, heroic perseverance, interest, firm conviction, altruistic disposition, renunciation, devotion, joy, delight, trust, appreciation, and unflinching endurance to realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening will attain the transcendent state of wisdom and come to abide in the state of complete knowing.
“Subhūti, as an analogy, it is like a woman or man carrying around water with an unfired clay pot. Subhūti, one can be sure that the pot will not last long and will quickly break apart and disintegrate. Why is that? Since the pot has not been fired, it will come to be nothing but earth in the end. Likewise, Subhūti, and even more so, a bodhisattva might have the faith, the acceptance, the predilection, the longing, the heroic perseverance, the interest, the firm conviction, the altruistic disposition, the renunciation, the devotion, the joy, the delight, the trust, the appreciation, and the unflinching endurance to realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening, but if such a bodhisattva great being is not completely supported by the transcendent state of wisdom and the skill in means, then, Subhūti, one can be sure that he or she will meet with a downfall midway along the path. Subhūti, what is the downfall midway along the path? It is the level of a disciple or the level of a solitary realizer.
“Subhūti, as an analogy, it is like a woman or man carrying around water from a river, a lake, a well, or another water source with a well-fired clay pot. Subhūti, one can be sure that, when carrying that water, the pot will reach the house successfully without hindrance. Why is that? Because the pot is well fired. Likewise, Subhūti, and even more so, a bodhisattva might have the faith, the acceptance, the predilection, the longing, the heroic perseverance, the interest, the firm conviction, the altruistic disposition, the renunciation, the devotion, the joy, the delight, the trust, the appreciation, and the unflinching endurance to realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening, and if they are completely supported by the transcendent state of wisdom and the skill in means, then, Subhūti, one can be sure that they will not meet with a downfall midway along the path. Unharmed and uninjured, they will come to abide in the state of complete knowing.
“Subhūti, as an analogy, it is like an unwise man who launches into the water a seafaring boat that has been hitched to its moorings for a long time. Without caulking the holes and without doing any repairs, he might board the ship, which is buckling beneath its load with its goods piled up and overflowing.809 But, Subhūti, one can be sure that the boat, as it is, will sink without his cargo making it across the water. Since his goods will be falling to one side while his boat falls apart on the other, that unwise merchant lacking in skill in means will suffer a great loss of wealth and will have lost a great source of riches. Likewise, and even more so, Subhūti, a bodhisattva might have the faith, the acceptance, the predilection, the longing, the heroic perseverance, the interest, the firm conviction, the altruistic disposition, the renunciation, the devotion, the joy, the delight, the trust, the appreciation, and the unflinching endurance to realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening, but if such a bodhisattva lacks the transcendent state of wisdom and the skill in means, then, Subhūti, one can be sure that he or she will sink midway without ever reaching the ocean-like state of complete knowing. When that bodhisattva meets with a downfall, he or she will have lost masses of his own and other’s wealth and riches, specifically because he or she has been deprived of the state of complete knowing, the source of great wealth. But, Subhūti, what is the downfall of a bodhisattva midway along the path? It is the level of a disciple or the level of a solitary realizer.
“On the other hand, Subhūti, as an analogy, it is like an intelligent merchant whose seafaring boat is well hitched with its moorings, the boat’s holes well caulked, and the boat’s repairs well done. After all this has been done, he might launch the boat in the water, load his goods, and fill it up with everything evenly secured. Then, when the wind is suitable, he might sail gradually in the direction intended for his voyage. Subhūti, one can be sure that this boat will not sink in the water. It will go to any place to which it needs to go. Also, this merchant will come to have great profits, namely, worldly riches. Likewise, Subhūti, bodhisattvas might have the faith, the acceptance, the predilection, the longing, the heroic perseverance, the interest, the firm conviction, the altruistic disposition, the renunciation, the devotion, the joy, the delight, the trust, the appreciation, and the unflinching endurance to realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening. If such a bodhisattva great being is supported by the transcendent state of wisdom and not lacking in the skill in means, then, Subhūti, one can be sure that this bodhisattva great being will not sink midway and meet with a downfall. Instead, he or she will come to abide in unsurpassed, perfect awakening. Why is that? Subhūti, it is this way because such a bodhisattva great being has the faith, the acceptance, the predilection, the longing, the heroic perseverance, the interest, the firm conviction, the altruistic disposition, the renunciation, the devotion, the joy, the delight, the trust, the appreciation, and the unflinching endurance to realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening. That bodhisattva great being also has the qualities supported by the transcendent state of wisdom and does not lack the skill in means. So, he or she will not proceed to the level of the disciple or the level of the solitary realizer. Rather, he or she will be oriented toward the qualities that become the state of complete knowing, progress toward them, and lead to realizing unsurpassed, perfect awakening.
“Subhūti, as an analogy, it is like a very aged, decrepit old man, one hundred twenty years old. Suppose he were to develop a physical illness because of a wind disorder, a bile disorder, a phlegm disorder, or a mixture of all these. Subhūti, what do you think? Would this man be able get up out of bed without being supported?”
“Blessed One, definitely not,” said Subhūti.
The Blessed One continued, “But, Subhūti, if that man were able to get up out of bed, he would definitely not have the strength to proceed a half mile. Even if he could somehow get up out of bed, that man, who had degenerated because of old age and sickness, would lack the strength to proceed farther. Likewise, and even more so, Subhūti, a bodhisattva might have the faith, the acceptance, the predilection, the longing, the heroic perseverance, the interest, the firm conviction, the altruistic disposition, the renunciation, the devotion, the joy, the delight, the trust, the appreciation, and the unflinching endurance to realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening. But if, without being supported by the transcendent state of wisdom and without skill in means, such a bodhisattva were nevertheless to set out to realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening, then, Subhūti, one can be sure that he or she would sink down and meet with a downfall midway along the path. That is to say, he or she would come to abide on the level of a disciple or on the level of a solitary realizer. Why is that? Because he or she is not supported by the transcendent state of wisdom and lacks the skill in means.
“Subhūti, as an analogy, it is like a very aged, decrepit old man, one hundred twenty years old. Suppose he were to develop a physical illness because of a wind disorder, a bile disorder, a phlegm disorder, or a mixture of all these. But suppose two strong men supported him well from beneath the left and right armpits and held him up well, saying, ‘Sir, just go wherever you desire, and as far as you desire to go, we will hold you up. You should have no fear of falling on the path to where you need to go until you have reached a resting place.’ Likewise, Subhūti, a bodhisattva might have the faith, the acceptance, the predilection, the longing, the heroic perseverance, the interest, the firm conviction, the altruistic disposition, the renunciation, the devotion, the joy, the delight, the trust, the appreciation, and the unflinching endurance to realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening. But if such a bodhisattva is helped up by the transcendent state of wisdom and endowed with the skill in means, then, Subhūti, one can be sure that this bodhisattva great being will not sink down or meet with a downfall midway along the path. Rather, this bodhisattva great being has the strength to reach his or her destination, namely, that of unsurpassed, perfect awakening.”
This ends the chapter “The Comparisons,” the fourteenth chapter in “The Noble Transcendent State of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines.”