The Ten Bhūmis

“From among the ten perfections, the perfection of diligence predominates, and the other perfections are not accomplished fully and completely.

“O jinaputras, this fourth bhūmi of the bodhisattva mahāsattvas is named Brilliance.

“The majority of the bodhisattva mahāsattvas who are on that bhūmi become the deva king Suyāma. He has the power and skill to destroy the view of a self in beings, and in whatever roots of goodness he practices through generosity, kind words, actions that benefit others, and practicing what he preaches, among all beings he becomes supreme, the best, the foremost, the highest, the most excellent, the unsurpassable, the guide, the leader, the commander, and so on, up until becoming the omniscient one who is relied on. His mind is always focused on the Buddha, focused on the Dharma, focused on the Saṅgha, focused on the bodhisattvas, focused on bodhisattva conduct, focused on the bodhisattva bhūmis, focused on the perfections, focused on the strengths, focused on the confidences, focused on the unique qualities of buddhahood, and so on, up until being focused on the omniscient wisdom endowed with the supreme aspects.

“If he wishes to, he can apply himself in such a way that in just one instant he attains and rests in ten million²¹⁶ samādhis, sees ten million buddhas and knows their blessings, causes ten million worlds to shake, goes to ten million buddha realms, illuminates ten million worlds, ripens ten million beings, remains for ten million eons, enters ten million previous eons and ten million future eons, opens ten million Dharma doors, manifests ten million bodies, and manifests each body having a retinue of ten million bodhisattvas.

“From this point on the bodhisattvas have the power of prayer, and through their particular prayers they emanate bodies, lights, miracles, sights, activities, voices, conduct, displays, blessings, transformations, and manifestations for many eons, for many hundreds of eons, for many thousands of eons, for many hundreds of thousands of eons, and for many innumerable and many quintillions of eons.”

Then Vajra­garbha, in order to analyze and to teach this bhūmi, spoke these verses:

The bodhisattva Vajra­garbha said, “O jinaputras! The bodhisattva who has completed the path of the fourth bodhisattva bhūmi enters the fifth bodhisattva bhūmi. He enters it through ten kinds of sameness²²⁶ of the mind’s thoughts²²⁷ on purity. What are these ten? They are these: (1) the sameness of thoughts of the pure qualities²²⁸ of the buddhas of the past; (2) the sameness of thoughts of the pure qualities of the buddhas of the future; (3) the sameness of thoughts of the pure qualities of the buddhas of the present; (4) the sameness of thoughts of the purity of correct conduct; (5) the sameness of thoughts of the purity of mind;²²⁹ (6) the sameness of thoughts of the purity of eliminating views, uncertainty, doubt, and regret;²³⁰ (7) the sameness of thoughts of the purity of knowing what is the path and what is not the path; (8) the sameness of thoughts of the purity of knowing diligence and rejection; (9) the sameness of thoughts of the purity of the increasing development²³¹ of all the factors for enlightenment; and (10) the sameness of thoughts of the purity of completely ripening all beings.

“O jinaputras, it is through these ten qualities of the mind’s thoughts on purity that they enter it.

“O jinaputras, the bodhisattva who has reached the fifth bodhisattva bhūmi has accomplished those factors for enlightenment, those aspects of the path, and has a purified higher motivation.

“Therefore he (1) aspires to the subsequent superior path, (2) follows the true nature, (3) establishes the power of prayer, (4) through compassion and love does not abandon any being, (5) has gathered the accumulations of merit and wisdom, (6) is unceasing, (7) has accomplished skill in methods, (8) is focused on the splendor of the higher and higher bhūmis, (9) has received the blessing of the tathāgatas, and (10) through the development of the power of mindfulness, understanding, and discernment has unimpeded attention.

“He knows completely the noble truth of suffering. He knows completely the noble truths of the origin of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the path that leads to the cessation of suffering.

“(1) He is wise in relative truth, (2) he is wise in ultimate truth, (3) he is wise in the truth of characteristics, (4) he is wise in the truth of classification, (5) he is wise in the truth of accomplishment, (6) he is wise in the truth of things,²³² (7) he is wise in the truth of generation,²³³ (8) he is wise in the truth of termination and nonarising,²³⁴ (9) he is wise in the truth of entering the wisdom of the path,²³⁵ and (10) he is also wise in developing the wisdom of the tathāgatas through accomplishing the transition between the stages of all bodhisattva bhūmis.

“(1) He makes other beings and other individuals happy according to their wishes and therefore knows relative truth perfectly. (2) He gathers all into one way and therefore knows ultimate truth perfectly. (3) He has comprehended the individual²³⁶ characteristics of phenomena and therefore knows the truth of characteristics perfectly. (4) He has comprehended the distinct categories of phenomena and therefore knows the truth of classification perfectly. (5) He has comprehended the distinctions of skandhas, sensory elements, and sensory bases and therefore knows the truth of accomplishment²³⁷ perfectly. (6) Through unveiling the kleśas of mind and body he knows the truth of things perfectly. (7) Through the connections of transition between existences he knows the truth of generation perfectly. (8) Through the pacification of all disease and pain he knows the truth of termination and nonarising perfectly. (9) Through the accomplishment of nonduality he knows the truth of entering the wisdom of the path perfectly. (10) Through becoming enlightened in all aspects and through accomplishing the transitions between the stages of all bodhisattva bhūmis he knows the truth of developing the wisdom of the tathāgatas perfectly.

“This is from possessing the power of wisdom through aspiration, and not from complete wisdom.

“Through this realization, this attaining the wisdom that is wise in truth, he perfectly knows that all that is composite is nothing but hollow, worthless, false, unreliable, and that which deceives fools. With increased compassion for beings he manifests compassion toward all beings. He regards beings with compassion even more than before, and the light of his great love shines.

“He has thus gained possession of the power of wisdom, regards all beings, and wishes for the wisdom of buddhahood. He examines all the mental activities concerning the past and the future. He perfectly knows that it is from past ignorance, becoming, and craving that there has arisen the river of saṃsāra in which beings are swept along, in which they do not transcend the dwelling of the skandhas, and in which there has arisen an increasing mass of suffering. He knows that this has no self, no being, no soul, no spirit, no person, and the absence of anything that belongs to a self. In that way he also knows perfectly whether in the future there will or will not be a cessation, an end, and a release from this ignorant longing for the nonexistent.

“He is astonished that childlike ordinary beings are so ignorant and foolish in this way. They have had countless bodies that have been destroyed, are being destroyed, and will be destroyed, but they do not feel revulsion toward these perishing bodies. They greatly increase the machines of torture. They do not stop the rivers of saṃsāra. They do not reject the dwelling of the skandhas. They are not revolted by the serpents of the elements of perception. They do not pull out the painful splinter of arrogant wrong view. They do not extinguish the flames of desire, anger, and ignorance. They do not dispel the darkness of ignorance. They do not dry up the ocean of craving.²³⁸ They do not seek out the caravan leader who is the ten strengths. They are drawn into the dark forests of the thoughts of Māra and are tossed around in the ocean of saṃsāra, the abode of the sea monsters of all kinds of bad thoughts.²³⁹ He thinks, ‘Those beings are thus afflicted by suffering; they have no savior, no protector, no refuge, no reliance, no foundation, and no basis; they are blind, within the egg of ignorance, and enclosed in darkness. For them, I alone, with no other, will gather the accumulations of merit and wisdom so that through that correct accumulation of merit and wisdom those beings will attain complete purity and so on, until attaining the unimpeded wisdom of the ten strengths.’

“Whatever roots of goodness he undertakes, with an understanding that is attained by knowledge through examination, he undertakes them for the protection of all beings, for the benefit of all beings, for the happiness of all beings, for kindness to all beings, for there being no misfortune for all beings, for the liberation of all beings, for leading all beings, for developing faith within all beings, for taming all beings, and for the nirvāṇa of all beings.

“The bodhisattva who dwells on this fifth bodhisattva bhūmi, called Difficult to Conquer, has memory because he has the quality of never forgetting; he has intelligence because of the certainty of his wisdom; he has knowledge²⁴⁰ because he understands the underlying meaning taught in the sūtras; he has a conscience because he guards himself and others; he has steadfastness²⁴¹ because he does not abandon the conduct of the vows; he has judgment because he has wisely considered well what is possible and what is impossible; he has discernment because he is not led by others; he has knowledge because he is skilled in differentiating between what is and is not the meaning of words; he has attained the accomplishment of clairvoyance because he is skilled in the accomplishment of meditation; he is wise in methods because he acts in accord with the world; he is never satisfied, because he is gathering the accumulation of merit; his diligence is unceasing because he seeks the accumulation of wisdom; he is never wearied in mind because he has accumulated the accumulation of great love and compassion; he is resolutely engaged in his quest because he seeks a tathāgata’s strengths, confidences, and unique buddha qualities; he is intent on accomplishment because he accomplishes the manifestation of buddha-realm adornments; he engages in a variety of good actions because he accomplishes the Buddha’s primary and secondary signs; he applies himself constantly because he seeks the adornments of a tathāgata’s body, speech, and mind; he has a conduct of great respect and service because of his attendance on all bodhisattvas and dharmabhāṇakas; his mind is unimpeded²⁴² because he wanders through the world furnished with the union of bodhicitta and great skillful methods; and he rejects all other thoughts day and night because he is dedicated to ripening all beings.

“He who is thus engaged also ripens beings through generosity, kind words, actions that benefit others, practicing what he preaches,²⁴³ manifesting a physical body, teaching the Dharma, promulgating the conduct of a bodhisattva, describing the greatness of the tathāgatas, teaching the faults of saṃsāra, proclaiming the qualities of a buddha’s wisdom, and engagement in the activity of accomplishing miracles and transformations. He who is thus engaged in ripening beings has a mind dedicated to the wisdom of buddhahood, is irreversibly engaged in the roots of goodness, and is dedicated to seeking the unique Dharma.

“With compassion for beings, in order to gradually lead them to the Buddha’s Dharma, he is accomplished in writing, treatises, hand calculation,²⁴⁴ the calculation of numbers,²⁴⁵ the abacus, and so on; the science of minerals²⁴⁶ and the science of medicine; driving out consumption,²⁴⁷ epilepsy,²⁴⁸ and possession;²⁴⁹ repelling the use of poison and vetālas; entertainment through poetry, dance, storytelling, music, and histories; the creation of villages, towns, parks, rivers, lakes, ponds, lotus pools, flowers, fruits, herbs, and groves; revealing the sources of gold, silver, jewels, pearls, beryls, conch, bitumen, coral, and jewels; determining omens through the moon, the sun, the planets, the stars,²⁵⁰ the constellations, earthquakes, wild animals, birds,²⁵¹ and dreams; the portents of the larger and smaller parts of the body,²⁵² and the omens of ways of walking;²⁵³ the vows, the conduct, the dhyānas, the clairvoyances, the immeasurables, and the formless states; and also all other kinds of activities that are not injurious to beings and bring benefit and happiness to all beings.

“When the bodhisattva is on Difficult to Conquer, the fifth bodhisattva bhūmi, many buddhas will appear to him because of his vast view and the power of his prayers. Many hundreds of buddhas, many thousands of buddhas, many hundreds of thousands of buddhas, many millions of buddhas, many tens of millions of buddhas, many billions of buddhas, many tens of billions of buddhas, many trillions of buddhas, and many quintillions of buddhas will appear to him because of his vast view and the power of his prayers. He will see those tathāgatas, those arhats, those samyak­sambuddhas, and with a vast motivation he will serve them, worship them, honor them, make offerings to them, supply them with robes, alms, bowls, beds, medicine for when they are ill, and implements. He will also offer all the articles that bring happiness to a bodhisattva. He will also offer to the assemblies of the Saṅgha. He will dedicate all those roots of goodness to the highest complete enlightenment. He serves those tathāgata arhat samyak­sambuddhas and he listens to the Dharma, acquires it, and retains it with respect, reverence, and honor. When he has heard it, he accomplishes it through practicing it fully and perfectly. He enters mendicancy within the teaching of many of those tathāgatas. Having become a mendicant he becomes a dharmabhāṇaka who has attained the power to remember all that he has heard.

“The roots of goodness of the bodhisattva who resides on the Difficult to Conquer bodhisattva bhūmi become purer, clearer, and brighter over many eons. They become purer, clearer, and brighter over many hundreds of eons, many thousands of eons, many hundreds of thousands of eons, many trillions of eons, many tens of trillions of eons, many quadrillions of eons, many tens of quadrillions of eons, many quintillions of eons, and many tens of quintillions of eons.

“O jinaputras! When gold is adorned with white coral it becomes clearer, purer, and brighter.

“O jinaputras! In that same way, the roots of goodness of the bodhisattva who is on Difficult to Conquer, the fifth bodhisattva bhūmi, become purer, clearer, and brighter through examination by method and wisdom, and through attaining the qualities of the application of wisdom, they have the perfect examination that cannot be sullied.

“O jinaputras! It is like this: to give an analogy, the bright radiance of the divine palaces of the sun, the moon, the stars, and the constellations cannot be sullied by the circles of air, because it is distinct from the air.

“O jinaputras! In that same way the bodhisattva who is on Difficult to Conquer, the fifth bodhisattva bhūmi, has roots of goodness that are accompanied by an examining mind that has method, wisdom, and knowledge, that cannot be sullied by śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, and that is distinct from that which is mundane.

“From among the ten perfections, the perfection of meditation predominates, and the other perfections are not accomplished fully and completely.

“O jinaputras! That in brief is Difficult to Conquer, the bodhisattva’s fifth bodhisattva bhūmi. The bodhisattva who is on that bhūmi usually becomes the deva king Saṃtuṣita, who is wise and powerful in turning beings away from tīrthikas.²⁵⁴

“In whatever roots of goodness he accomplishes through generosity, kind words, actions that benefit others, and practicing what he preaches, he becomes supreme, the best, the foremost, the highest, the most excellent, the unsurpassable, the guide, the leader, the commander, and so on, up until becoming the omniscient one who is relied on. His mind is always focused on the Buddha, focused on the Dharma, focused on the Saṅgha, focused on the bodhisattvas, focused on bodhisattva conduct, focused on the bodhisattva bhūmis, focused on the perfections, focused on the strengths, focused on the confidences, focused on the unique qualities of buddhahood, and so on, up until being focused on the omniscient wisdom endowed with the supreme aspects.

“If he wishes to, he can apply himself in such a way that in just one instant he attains and rests in ten billion²⁵⁵ samādhis, sees ten billion buddhas and knows their blessings, causes ten billion worlds to shake, goes to ten billion buddha realms, illuminates ten billion worlds, ripens ten billion beings, remains for ten billion eons, enters ten billion previous eons and ten billion future eons, opens ten billion Dharma doors, manifests ten billion bodies, and manifests each body having a retinue of ten billion bodhisattvas.

“From this time onward the bodhisattvas who have the power of prayer through particular prayers manifest bodies, light, miracles, sights, activities, voices, conduct, displays, blessings, transformations, and manifestations for many eons, for many hundreds of eons, many thousands of eons, many hundreds of thousands of eons, and so on, until many quintillions of eons, which are difficult to enumerate.”

Then the bodhisattva Vajra­garbha, in order to teach the meaning of this bhūmi and to analyze it, recited these verses:

The bodhisattva Vajra­garbha said, “O jinaputras! The bodhisattva who has completed the path of the fifth bodhisattva bhūmi enters the sixth bodhisattva bhūmi. He enters it through the ten kinds of sameness of phenomena. What are these ten? He enters the sixth bhūmi through these ten kinds of sameness: (1) the sameness of all phenomena in being without features; (2) the sameness of all phenomena in being without characteristics; (3) the sameness of all phenomena in being without birth; (4) the sameness of all phenomena in being without production; (5) the sameness of all phenomena in being isolated; (6) the sameness of all phenomena in being primordially pure; (7) the sameness of all phenomena in being without elaboration; (8) the sameness of all phenomena being without adoption and without rejection;²⁹⁰ (9) the sameness of all phenomena in being like illusions, dreams, hallucinations, echoes, the moon on water, reflections, and apparitions; and (10) the sameness of all phenomena in being without the duality of existence and nonexistence.²⁹¹

“He examines that nature of all phenomena, clarifying it,²⁹² being in concord with it, and not contradicting it.²⁹³ He attains the sixth bodhisattva bhūmi, Manifested, through this sharp concordant patience but has not yet attained entry into the true patience that comes from knowing phenomena to be unproduced.

“He observes that nature of phenomena, and with increased all-preceding compassion and mastery of compassion, he looks at the origination and destruction of the world in order to fully perfect compassion.

“When he looks at the origination of the world, he thinks, ‘All the activities that arise in every world are produced by attachment to the self. If attachment to the self were to cease, there would be no arising of these activities in the world.’

“He thinks, ‘These beings with childlike understanding have attachment to the self, are enclosed in the darkness of ignorance, and wish for existence and nonexistence; their attention is devoted to the meaningless; they follow wrong paths, seek that which is false, and accumulate meritorious, nonmeritorious, and motionless formations.²⁹⁴ Tainted mental seeds, which are endowed with grasping, are planted²⁹⁵ by those formations, which result in the future generation of birth, old age, death, and rebirth. The basis of the field of karma, the darkness of ignorance, the oil of craving, the water of egotism, and the vast net of false views produce the sprouts of “name-and-form.” Once produced, they develop. When name-and-form have developed there is the generation of the five senses. The coming together of the five senses creates contact. The occurrence of contact generates sensation. Sensation is followed by yearning. From yearning and craving comes the development of grasping. When grasping has developed, becoming occurs. When becoming has occurred, the five skandhas manifest. The manifested five skandhas eventually decay in the five existences. Having decayed, they expire. Through their decay and expiration there is the torment of sorrow. The torment of sorrow causes all misery, lamentation, suffering, unhappiness, and distress to arise, but no one makes them occur.²⁹⁶ They cease naturally and effortlessly; there is no one who makes them cease.’

“The bodhisattva mahāsattva²⁹⁷ examines in that way the natural succession of dependent origination.

“He thinks in this way: ‘Ignorance of the ultimate is due to not understanding the truths. Formations are the ripening of the karma created by ignorance. Consciousness is the first mind that is supported by the formations. Connate with consciousness are the four perpetuating skandhas, which are called name-and-form.

“ ‘The development of name-and-form is the six sensory bases. The tainted meeting of sensory faculty, object, and consciousness is contact. Connate²⁹⁸ with contact is sensation. Clinging to sensations is craving. Craving develops into grasping. The tainted karma that comes from grasping is becoming. The natural result of the karma is birth. Birth is the arising of the skandhas. The ripening of the skandhas is aging. The breaking apart of the skandhas through aging is death. Separation, bewilderment,²⁹⁹ clinging, and anguish at death is misery.³⁰⁰ Expressing words that arise from misery is lamentation. When the five sense faculties are affected, that is suffering. When this affects the mind’s view, that is unhappiness. When much suffering and unhappiness occur, there is distress. In that way this entire mass of suffering, this tree of suffering, is produced. It is devoid of a doer or an experiencer.’³⁰¹

“He thinks, ‘When there is the mistaken belief in a doer, there is the conception of actions. Where there is no doer, actions also cannot ultimately be found.’

“He thinks, ‘These three realms are mind only. These twelve components of becoming, the division into which was taught by the Tathāgata, are also all based in a single³⁰² mind. Why is that? Consciousness is the arising of a mind joined by desire to an object. The object is a formation. Delusion concerning that formation is ignorance. Connate with a mind of ignorance is name-and-form. The development of name-and-form results in the six sensory bases. The connection with the six sensory bases is contact. Connate with contact is sensation. A lack of satisfaction with sensation is craving. Oppressed by craving, clinging to what is accumulated is grasping. The combination³⁰³ of these components is becoming. The emergence of becoming is birth. The ripening of birth is aging. The termination of aging is death.

“ ‘Ignorance has two kinds of activity: it causes beings to be deluded concerning objects of perception, and it provides the cause for the production of formations. Formations also have two kinds of activity: they establish the production of future ripening, and they provide the cause for the production of consciousness. Consciousness also has two activities: it creates the transition to becoming, and it provides the cause for the production of name-and form. Name-and-form also has two activities: it creates mutual dependence, and it provides the cause for the production of the six sensory bases. The six sensory bases also have two activities: they reveal the distinctions between their own ranges of perception, and they provide the cause for the production of contact. Contact also has two activities: it creates contact with the object, and it provides the cause for the production of sensation. Sensation also has two activities: it creates experiences that are pleasant, unpleasant, or neither, and it provides the cause for the production of craving. Craving also has two activities: it creates desire for attractive sensory objects, and it provides the cause for the production of grasping. Grasping also has two activities: it creates the bondage by the kleśas, and it provides the cause for the production of becoming. Becoming also has two activities: it creates the basis for another state of existence, and it provides the cause for the production of birth. Birth also has two activities: it creates the emergence of the skandhas, and it provides the cause for the production of aging. Aging also has two activities: it creates change in the faculties, and it provides the cause for the production of death. Death also has two activities: it creates the destruction of composite³⁰⁴ phenomena, and it provides the cause for the uninterrupted continuity of the lack of understanding.

“ ‘It is said, “the formations are dependent upon ignorance,” which means that ignorance as a condition is the continuation of the formations and a basis for the formations. It is said, “consciousness is dependent upon the formations,” which means that the formations as a condition are the continuation of consciousness and a basis for consciousness. It is said, “name-and-form are dependent upon consciousness,” which means that consciousness as a condition is the continuation of name-and-form and a basis for name-and-form. It is said, “the six sensory bases are dependent upon name-and-form,” which means that name-and-form as a condition is the continuation of the six sensory bases and a basis for the six sensory bases. It is said, “contact is dependent upon the six sensory bases,” which means that the six sensory bases as a condition are the continuation of contact and a basis for contact. It is said, “sensation is dependent upon contact,” which means that contact as a condition is the continuation of sensation and a basis for sensation. It is said, “craving is dependent upon sensation,” which means that sensation as a condition is the continuation of craving and a basis for craving. It is said, “grasping is dependent upon craving,” which means that craving as a condition is the continuation of grasping and a basis for grasping. It is said, “becoming is dependent upon grasping,” which means that grasping as a condition is the continuation of becoming and a basis for becoming. It is said, “birth is dependent upon becoming,” which means that becoming as a condition is the continuation of birth and a basis for birth. It is said, “aging and death is dependent upon birth,” which means that birth as a condition is the continuation of aging and death and a basis for aging and death.

“ ‘It is said, “Through the cessation of ignorance there is the cessation of the formations,” which means that when there is no ignorance as a condition, there is the discontinuity of the formations and the absence of a basis for formations. It is said, “Through the cessation of formation there is the cessation of consciousness,” which means that when there is no formation as a condition, there is the discontinuity of consciousness and the absence of a basis for consciousness. It is said, “Through the cessation of consciousness there is the cessation of the six sensory bases,” which means that when there is no consciousness as a condition, there is the discontinuity of the six sensory bases and the absence of a basis for the six sensory bases. It is said, “Through the cessation of the six sensory bases there is the cessation of contact,” which means that when there are no six sensory bases as a condition, there is the discontinuity of contact and the absence of a basis for contact. It is said, “Through the cessation of contact there is the cessation of sensation,” which means that when there is no contact as a condition, there is the discontinuity of sensation and the absence of a basis for sensation. It is said, “Through the cessation of sensation there is the cessation of craving,” which means that when there is no sensation as a condition, there is the discontinuity of craving and the absence of a basis for craving. It is said, “Through the cessation of craving there is the cessation of becoming,” which means that when there is no craving as a condition, there is the discontinuity and lack of support for becoming. It is said, “Through the cessation of becoming there is the cessation of birth,” which means that when there is no becoming as a condition, there is the discontinuity and lack of support for birth. It is said, “Through the cessation of birth there is the cessation of aging and death,” which means that when there is no birth as a condition, there is the discontinuity and lack of support for aging and death.

“ ‘Ignorance, craving,³⁰⁵ and grasping are the uninterrupted presence³⁰⁶ of the kleśas. Formation and becoming are the uninterrupted presence of karma. The others are the uninterrupted presence of suffering.

“ ‘In terms of this subdivision, when there is the cessation of that which precedes and that which succeeds, their presence is discontinued. In that way these three processes have no self, no being, no soul, no spirit, and no person, and there is the absence of anything that belongs to a self and there is nothing that pertains to a self. They arise and cease. They are like a bundle of reeds.³⁰⁷

“ ‘Also, when it is said, “The formations have ignorance as their condition,” it means that they are related to the past. Consciousness, name-and-form, the six sensory bases, contact, and sensation are related to the present. Craving, grasping, becoming, and birth are related to the future. It is said, “This continues onwards.” It is said, “Through the cessation of ignorance there is the cessation of the formations,” which means that the relationship is discontinued.

“ ‘Moreover, the three sufferings arise in the twelve components of existence. Ignorance, the formations, consciousness, name-and-form, and the six sensory bases are the suffering of composite phenomena. Contact and sensation are the suffering of suffering. Craving, grasping, becoming, birth, and so on, up to distress, are the suffering of change.

“ ‘It is said, “Through the cessation of ignorance there is the cessation of the formations,” which means that the continuity of the three sufferings ceases.

“ ‘It is said, “The formations have ignorance as their condition,” which means that the formations arise from cause and condition. It is the same for the rest.

“ ‘It is said, “Through the cessation of ignorance there is the cessation of the formations,” which means the extinction of the formations. It is the same for the rest.

“ ‘It is said, “The formations have ignorance as their condition,” which means this is a connection through production. It is the same for the rest.

“ ‘It is said, “Through the cessation of ignorance there is the cessation of the formations,” which means this is a connection through elimination. It is the same for the rest.

“ ‘It is said, “The formations have ignorance as their condition,” which means an analysis of progressive generation. It is the same for the rest.

“ ‘It is said, “Through the cessation of ignorance there is the cessation of the formations,” which means an analysis of progressive termination and elimination. It is the same for the rest.’

“He thus investigates ten aspects of dependent origination in their progressive development and negation: he investigates (1) the sequential connection of the components of existence; (2) their combination in one mind; (3) each having its own distinct activity; (4) their not being separate from one another; (5) their following the three processes; (6) their relationship to the past, the present, and the future; (7) their aggregation of the three sufferings; (8) their arising from causes and conditions; (9) their connection through generation and elimination; and (10) the process of becoming³⁰⁸ and of termination.

“In that way, through his examination of the ten aspects of dependent origination, he examines no self, no being, no soul, no person, emptiness by nature, and the natural absence of a doer or experiencer,³⁰⁹ and there arises the door to liberation that is emptiness.

“In that way he comes near to liberation through the cessation of the nature of the components of existence, and there arises the door to liberation that is featurelessness.

“In that way he comprehends³¹⁰ emptiness and featurelessness; there does not arise any desire whatsoever other than for ripening beings, which is preceded by compassion, and there arises the door to liberation that is aspirationlessness.

“He who meditates on these three doors to liberation is freed from the identifications of self and other, freed from the identifications of doer and experiencer, and freed from the identifications of existence and nonexistence. With all-preceding great compassion there is even greater application, and the incomplete factors for enlightenment are completed.

“He thinks, ‘When there are combinations,³¹¹ composite phenomena arise. When there are no combinations, they do not arise. When there are entireties,³¹² composite phenomena arise. When there is the absence of the entirety of necessary factors, composite phenomena do not arise. We, thus knowing that composite phenomena are guilty of having many faults, shall put an end to³¹³ their combinations and entireties, but in order to ripen beings we will not manifest the complete cessation of composite phenomena.’

“O jinaputras! In that way, while comprehending the nature of that which is composite to be guilty of many faults, to be devoid of an inherent nature, and to be without birth or termination, he develops great compassion, he does not abandon beings, and by engaging with manifestation he manifests the state of the perfection of wisdom, which is called the manifestation of unimpeded wisdom.

“He who has that kind of wisdom, who manifests being in the state of the perfection of wisdom, accumulates the conditions for acquiring the factors for enlightenment. He does not remain in involvement with that which is composite. He regards the cessation that is the nature of composite phenomena, but he does not remain absorbed within that, so as not to be lacking in the factors for enlightenment.

“When the bodhisattva is on the Manifested bodhisattva bhūmi, there arises the samādhi named entering emptiness.³¹⁴ There also arise the samādhis named emptiness of inherent nature, ultimate emptiness, supreme emptiness,³¹⁵ great emptiness, emptiness of engagement,³¹⁶ emptiness of accomplishment, emptiness of correct comprehension, emptiness of dependency, emptiness of separation, and emptiness of nonseparation. There also manifest hundreds of thousands of other entrances into the samādhi of emptiness. In that way there also manifest hundreds of thousands of entrances into the samādhi of featurelessness and hundreds of thousands of entrances into the samādhi of aspirationlessness.

“Even more, the bodhisattva residing on this Manifested bodhisattva bhūmi completely attains undivided motivation. He completely attains definite contemplation, good contemplation, profound motivation, irreversible motivation, uninterrupted motivation, stainless motivation, infinite motivation, motivation that aspires to wisdom, and motivation that has method and wisdom. Those ten motivations of the bodhisattva are in accord with the enlightenment of a tathāgata.

“He cannot be countered by any opposing teacher;³¹⁷ he reaches the bhūmi of wisdom; he turns away from the śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha bhūmis; he solely manifests the wisdom of the buddhas; he cannot be surpassed by any of the activities of the māras or kleśas; he remains in the light of a bodhisattva’s wisdom; he is completely immersed in the practice of the Dharma of emptiness, featurelessness, and aspirationlessness; he is engaged in analysis through method, wisdom, and knowledge; and he is permeated by the accomplishment of the factors for enlightenment.

“Thus when he is on the Manifested bodhisattva bhūmi, there arises a superior state of the perfection of wisdom, and with the third sharp concordant patience he acts in accord with these qualities and not contrary to them.

“When he is in that way residing on this Manifested bodhisattva bhūmi, many buddhas will appear to him because of his vast view and the power of his prayers. Because of his vast view and the power of his prayers, many hundreds of buddhas, many thousands of buddhas, many hundreds of thousands of buddhas, many millions of buddhas, many tens of millions of buddhas, many billions of buddhas, many tens of billions of buddhas, many trillions of buddhas, and many quintillions of buddhas will appear to him. He will see those tathāgatas, those arhats, those samyak­sambuddhas, and with a vast motivation he will serve them, worship them, honor them, make offerings to them, supply them with robes, alms, bowls, beds, medicine for when they are ill, and implements. He will also offer all the articles that bring happiness to a bodhisattva. He will also offer to the assemblies of the Saṅgha. He will dedicate all those roots of goodness to the highest complete enlightenment. He serves those tathāgata arhat samyak­sambuddhas, and he listens to the Dharma with respect, reverence, and honor and remembers it. Having heard it he correctly applies himself to the light of meditation, wisdom, and knowledge³¹⁸ and possesses its attainment. He becomes, even more than before, someone who possesses the treasure of the Dharma of the tathāgatas.

“The roots of goodness of the bodhisattva who resides on the bodhisattva bhūmi Manifested become purer, clearer, and brighter over many eons. They become purer, clearer, and brighter over many hundreds of eons, many thousands of eons, many hundreds of thousands of eons, many millions of eons, many tens of millions of eons, many billions of eons, many tens of billions of eons, many trillions of eons, and many quintillions of eons.

“O jinaputras! This is like when gold is adorned with beryl and it becomes clearer, purer, and brighter.

“O jinaputras! In that same way the roots of goodness of the bodhisattva who is on the sixth bodhisattva bhūmi, Manifested, become purer, clearer, and brighter through the analysis of method, wisdom, and knowledge, and furthermore become indestructible peace.

“O jinaputras! It is like this: to give an analogy, moonlight soothes the bodies of beings and cannot be destroyed by the four circles of the air.

“O jinaputras! In that same way the roots of goodness of the bodhisattva mahāsattva who is on the sixth bodhisattva bhūmi, Manifested, pacify and soothe the fire of the kleśas in many quintillions³¹⁹ of beings and cannot be destroyed by the activities of the four māras.

“From among the ten perfections, the perfection of wisdom predominates, and the other perfections are not accomplished fully and completely.

“O jinaputras! That in brief is the bodhisattva bhūmi that is the sixth bodhisattva bhūmi, which is named Manifested.

“The bodhisattva who is on that bhūmi usually becomes the deva king Sunirmita. He is wise and powerful in pacifying pride in beings. He is not impeded by questions from any śrāvaka.

“In whatever roots of goodness he accomplishes through generosity, kind words, actions that benefit others, and practicing what he preaches, he becomes supreme, the best, the foremost, the highest, the most excellent, the unsurpassable, the guide, the leader, the commander, and so on, up until becoming the omniscient one who is relied on. His mind is always focused on the Buddha, focused on the Dharma, focused on the Saṅgha, focused on the bodhisattvas, focused on bodhisattva conduct, focused on the bodhisattva bhūmis, focused on the perfections, focused on the strengths, focused on the confidences, focused on the unique qualities of buddhahood, and so on, up until being focused on the omniscient wisdom endowed with the supreme aspects.

“If he wishes to, he can apply himself in such a way that in just one instant he attains and rests in a trillion samādhis, sees a trillion buddhas and knows their blessings, causes a trillion worlds to shake, goes to a trillion buddha realms, illuminates a trillion worlds, ripens a trillion beings, remains for a trillion eons, enters a trillion previous eons and a trillion future eons, opens a trillion Dharma doors, manifests a trillion bodies, and manifests each body having a retinue of a trillion bodhisattvas.

“From this time onward the bodhisattvas who have the power of prayer through particular prayers manifest bodies, light, miracles, sights, activities, voices, conduct, displays, blessings, transformations, and manifestations for many eons, for many hundreds of eons, many thousands of eons, many hundreds of thousands of eons, and so on, until many quintillions of eons, which are difficult to enumerate.”

Then the bodhisattva Vajra­garbha, in order to analyze and teach the meaning of this bhūmi, recited these verses: