Chapter 24: Conceitedness11471148
Then, once again, the Blessed One addressed the venerable Ānanda: “Ānanda, whenever a bodhisattva great being is training in the transcendent state of wisdom, engaging in meditation in it, or cultivating it, Ānanda, at that time, all the pernicious māras in the billionfold, great order world system fall into a state of uncertainty as to whether the bodhisattva great being will actualize the pinnacle of reality at the levels of the disciples or solitary realizers, or whether he or she will realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening. Moreover, Ānanda, whenever a bodhisattva great being is abiding in the transcendent state of wisdom, at that time the pernicious māras feel deep pangs of grief. And, Ānanda, whenever a bodhisattva great being is training in the transcendent state of wisdom, engaging in meditation in it, or cultivating it, those pernicious māras who harm bodhisattva great beings stir up fear by launching attacks of fiery meteors in all directions or by creating the appearance that the horizon itself is on fire. These māras do so because they think that if they can cause any bodhisattva great being to become deflated or to bristle with fear, it will at least destroy the arising of one mindset aimed at unsurpassed, perfect awakening. To this end, Ānanda, the pernicious Māra does not attack every bodhisattva great being with the deliberate intention to harm him or her. Rather, he attacks just some bodhisattva great beings, not others.”
Ānanda asked, “Blessed One, what sort of bodhisattva great being does the pernicious Māra attack with the deliberate intention to harm him or her?”
The Blessed One said, “Ānanda, if any bodhisattva great being, when he or she was previously discussing the transcendent state of wisdom, failed to develop a mindset with firm conviction in it, then the pernicious Māra would attack that bodhisattva great being with the deliberate intention to harm him or her, and find any vulnerability.
“Furthermore, Ānanda, if any bodhisattva great being has become uncertain when the profound transcendent state of wisdom is being discussed, and is vacillating about whether this is or is not the transcendent state of wisdom, then the pernicious Māra attacks that bodhisattva great being with the deliberate intention to harm him or her, and finds any vulnerability.
“Furthermore, Ānanda, suppose that a bodhisattva great being lacks a virtuous friend or has been taken in by an unvirtuous friend, and does not listen to the extremely profound points when the profound transcendent state of wisdom is being discussed. By not listening, he or she does not understand. By not understanding, he or she does not ask the question about how one should cultivate the transcendent state of wisdom. Then, Ānanda, the pernicious Māra also attacks that bodhisattva great being, with the deliberate intention to harm him or her, and finds any vulnerability.
“Furthermore, Ānanda, suppose that a bodhisattva great being has relied on someone who cleaves to views that are against the genuine Dharma, thinking, ‘He is my friend who never steers me wrong in any worldly affairs. I know many bodhisattva great beings and other friends. But none of them help me fulfill my wishes. Whereas, this friend that I have found is an example worth imitating.1149 He will help me fulfill my wishes.’1150 Ānanda, the pernicious Māra also attacks that bodhisattva great being, with the deliberate intention to harm him or her, and finds any vulnerability.
“Furthermore, Ānanda, suppose that, when the profound transcendent state of wisdom is being discussed, a bodhisattva great being were to say to another bodhisattva, ‘Profound? This transcendent state of wisdom? What is the use of your listening to this? There is no applying oneself to it in the way that the Tathāgata taught in other sūtras, and I myself do not find any bottom to it or enjoyment in it.1151 So what is the use of your listening to that or writing that out?’ In this way, this bodhisattva great being causes other bodhisattva great beings to avoid it. Ānanda, the pernicious Māra also, with the deliberate intention to harm, attacks that bodhisattva great being, and finds any vulnerability.
“Furthermore, Ānanda, suppose that a bodhisattva great being criticizes other bodhisattvas, saying that he or she is abiding in a void state, whereas others are not abiding in a void state, and their voidness cannot be found anywhere. Ānanda, at the time when this happens, the pernicious Māra is pleased, cheerful, gladdened, delighted, and full of joy and satisfaction. His excited mindset is thrilled, overjoyed, and totally delighted. Why is that? Because he thinks that such a bodhisattva great being is getting further away from awakening.
“Furthermore, Ānanda, suppose that Māra mentions a bodhisattva great being’s former names and lineage, and praises his or her practice of ascetic qualities, and, as a result, he or she criticizes other graceful bodhisattvas with spiritual qualities.1152 But he or she lacks those qualities, attributes, indications, and signs—in fact, he or she lacks any qualities of a bodhisattva great being beyond regressing who is going about life in the transcendent state of wisdom. Since he or she lacks these qualities beyond regressing, he or she gives rise to emotional defilements. In particular, he or she brags about him- or herself and disparages others, saying, ‘I am someone in whom such qualities appear, but those bodhisattvas are not.’1153 When this happens, the pernicious Māra thinks, ‘The realms superintended by Māra will not be empty. They will be overcrowded. The great hell, hungry ghost, animal, and asura realms will all be overcrowded hordes.’1154 And, the pernicious Māra will magically influence others so that the bodhisattva great being who acts this way will be smothered with donations and tributes, and whatever they say will be accepted. Since what they say will be accepted, they will gather a following of many people. And a great multitude will think that they should listen to them and have faith in them. After seeing and hearing them speak, those people will fall into imitating him or her. Those who are imitating what is seen and heard will not train to attain the actual nature, not progress to attain the actual nature, and not engage in meditation to attain the actual nature. By not training to attain the actual nature, not progressing to attain the actual nature, and not engaging in meditation to attain the actual nature, their defilement will increase. With their mindstreams deluded, every physical, verbal, or mental action that they undertake will lead them further toward unadvised, undesired, unpleasing, and joyless states.1155 Thus, the great hells will become extremely overcrowded. The great hell, hungry ghost, animal, and asura realms will all be overcrowded hordes. The realms superintended by Māra will be extremely overcrowded. Moreover, Ānanda, upon seeing his purpose fulfilled, the pernicious Māra becomes pleased, cheerful, gladdened, delighted, and full of joy and satisfaction.
“Furthermore, Ānanda, whenever such a bodhisattva great being fights with a person on the disciple path, quarrels with them, argues with them, scolds them, criticizes them, hurts them, or develops a grudge against them, the pernicious Māra thinks, ‘Oh good, this noble son or daughter is distancing him- or herself from the state of complete knowing. He or she will be kept far away from the state of complete knowing.’ But if such a bodhisattva great being fights with another person on the bodhisattva path, quarrels with them, argues with them, scolds them, criticizes them, hurts them, or develops a grudge against them, then the pernicious Māra becomes even more pleased, cheerful, gladdened, delighted, and full of joy and satisfaction about this. And he thinks, ‘Both these bodhisattvas will be kept extremely far away from the state of complete knowing.’
“Furthermore, Ānanda, suppose that a foreordained bodhisattva great being were to fight with an unforeordained bodhisattva great being, quarrel with them, argue with them, scold them, criticize them, hurt them, develop a grudge against them, or develop a hostile mindset toward them. Assuming that such a bodhisattva great being had not completely abandoned the state of complete knowing, he or she would need to don the armor for as many eons as there are moments in the arising of that mindset.”1156
At this, the venerable Ānanda asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, is there some remedy for the arising of such mindsets, or would he or she need to don the armor for as many eons as there are moments in the arising of that mindset?”1157
The Blessed One said, “Ānanda, the Dharma that I have taught for persons on the disciple path, the path of a solitary realizer, and the bodhisattva path includes a remedy.1158 Among these, Ānanda, for a person on the bodhisattva path who fights with another person on the bodhisattva path, quarrels with them, argues with them, scolds them, criticizes them, hurts them, or develops a grudge against them, I have not included a remedy, if afterward such a bodhisattva great being does not confess or practice restraint, while he or she just carries on with the negative propensity and remains bound up in it. Ānanda, it is inevitable that such a person would need to don the armor again and again for eons equal to that duration. However, Ānanda, I have included a remedy for any person on the bodhisattva path who, after fighting with another person on the bodhisattva path, quarreling with them, arguing with them, scolding them, criticizing them, hurting them, or developing a grudge against them, does confess and subsequently practices restraint by developing the proper mindset.1159 In this, he or she would think, ‘I should be helping all sentient beings defuse, reflect upon, and pacify their arguments, disputes, and conflicts. Yet I myself am just quarreling! When I myself lash back against what is said to me, it is a loss for me, not a gain.1160 I should be like a bridge for all sentient beings, but I still say to others, “The same to you!” and give a harsh or rough reply.1161 I should never say even this. Toward fights, quarrels, and arguments, I should be like a dimwit or like a person who cannot hear or speak.1162 When hearing someone else speaking harsh, offensive, or bad words to me, I should not develop a hostile mindset. Concerning others, it is not good or proper of me to conceive of someone else’s various faults. I think it is also not proper of me to even consider others’ faults worth listening to. Why not? Because I should not spoil my altruistic disposition, because of which I should be helping all sentient beings become happy with every source of happiness. And, after I have realized unsurpassed, perfect awakening, I should bring them to complete nirvāṇa. However, I am actually hurting them! I should not be hurtful even toward others who have greatly offended me, yet I become agitated. This I should not do. I should make a heroic effort to be firm in this resolution. Even when my life is being threatened, I should neither create any disturbance nor allow furrowed brows to appear on my face.’ Ānanda, this is the remedy that I teach for such a bodhisattva great being. Also, Ānanda, a bodhisattva great being would be restrained this way toward a person on the disciple path, such that he or she would not get stirred up in the presence of any sentient being but would be restrained just this way toward all sentient beings. And how would the bodhisattva great being be restrained toward other persons belonging to the bodhisattva path? Ānanda, the bodhisattva great being would be restrained toward others in the same way he or she would be toward a teacher, thinking, ‘These bodhisattva great beings are my teachers. Remember, these bodhisattva great beings have ascended in the same vehicle that I have.1163 Remember, they have climbed up the same path that I have. Remember, they have had the same intentions that I have. Remember, they have set out on the same journey that I have. I should train in what they train in, and I should train in the exact same manner that they train.1164 But, if any of them will abide in a completely mixed-up state, then I will not abide in a completely mixed-up state.1165 Yet, if they will abide in a completely unmixed-up state with their attentivenesses connected to the state of complete knowing, then I will train in the same way.’ Ānanda, the bodhisattva great beings who are training in the state of complete knowing in this way do not have obstacles to unsurpassed, perfect awakening, and quickly realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening.”
This ends the chapter “Conceitedness,” the twenty-fourth chapter in “The Noble Transcendent State of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines.”