The Ten Masteries of the Eighth Ground

The Ten Vaśitā (Life · Mind · Wealth · Karma · Birth · Vow · Resolve · Psychic Power · Knowledge · Dharma) · Countering the Ten Fears · Effortless Manifesting · The Causal-Stage Signature of "This Bodhisattva Gains These Bodhisattva's Ten Masteries"

中文主題：不動地十自在——菩薩因位之十自在，因位繫屬而別於如來十自在

I. The Live Question

The preceding part (Part 4) established the cognitive signature of the bodhisattva's mastery: the forbearance of non-arising (P06) — the mind's irreversible settling in reality, making the mastery "immovable and irreversible"; and its marks after the forbearance (P07) — effortless flow (effort-free) and non-regress (avaivartika), the positive and negative faces of "immovable." But P07's effortless flow and non-regress are still a description of the mark (how the mastery runs, how it does not regress); their concrete enumeration on the eighth, Immovable ground — into just which gates of mastery this "mastery after the forbearance" opens out — has not yet been unfolded. This part (Part 5) unfolds that concrete enumeration: the eighth ground's ten masteries (daśa vaśitā).

Why must this book set up a dedicated part here on "the ten masteries"? Because the word "mastery" (vaśitā, 自在) is the core of this book's title, The Attainment Signatures; and the canon's most concrete, most explicit enumeration of the bodhisattva's mastery is just the eighth, Immovable ground's "ten masteries" — life · mind · wealth · karma · birth · vow · resolve · psychic power · knowledge · dharma (the Avataṃsaka's wording). The masteries treated in the earlier papers were largely the signature of one face (the signature of not-taking, P01; of accumulation, P02; of altruism, P05; of cognitive immovability, P06; of effortless flow and non-regress, P07); at the eighth ground's ten masteries, mastery is "named and enumerated" one by one — ten gates of mastery, each set out. So this is the paper of this book's most concrete signature of "mastery."

Yet this "most concrete enumeration" is precisely where the boundary must most be kept. Because the name "ten masteries" belongs to the buddha-fruit too (the buddhas' ten masteries); if the boundary is not kept, it is all too easy to conflate "the eighth-ground bodhisattva's ten masteries" with "the tathāgata's ten masteries," mistaking the eighth-ground bodhisattva for having gained the buddha-fruit's perfect mastery. This paper must mark at the outset: the eighth ground's ten masteries are plainly signed by the sutra as "this bodhisattva gains these bodhisattva's ten masteries" (the word "bodhisattva" repeated) — they are the ten masteries gained at the "bodhisattva's" causal stage (path-bound), not the buddha-fruit's ten masteries; the two are set out as distinct texts in the canon (the buddhas have a separate gate of "the ten masteries of the buddhas, the world-honored ones"), and the buddhas exhort the eighth-ground bodhisattva in person, "the ten powers, the fearlessnesses, the eighteen distinctive dharmas of the buddhas — these you have not yet attained." So the eighth ground's ten masteries, concrete and complete as they are, are still signed at the path-position of the "causal stage" — and this is the causal-stage signature the paper establishes.

But one boundary must be kept with the strictest honesty: this paper marks only the fact that "the eighth ground's ten masteries are at the causal stage, of a path-position other than the tathāgata's ten masteries" (on the three witnesses: these bodhisattva's ten masteries · the separately established buddhas' ten-masteries list · "you have not yet attained"), and does not adjudicate the superiority of the causal versus the fruit stage, nor perform a doctrinal reconciliation between the eighth-ground bodhisattva's ten masteries and the tathāgata's ten masteries of this axis's tathāgata division. Why keep this boundary? Because the judgment of superiority between the two and the seam doctrine (how the bodhisattva's causal-stage ten masteries lead toward, and differ from, the tathāgata's fruit-stage ten masteries) belong to the domain of this axis's "tathāgata" division, and are a seam the author (Shi Huijing) adjudicates; this paper, situated in the "bodhisattva's mastery" division, does only what falls within its part — marking clearly the eighth ground's ten masteries' causal-stage signature and the distinction of its path-position, without overstepping to prejudge the fruit-stage's superiority or to perform, on the author's behalf, a cross-division reconciliation.

The thesis: the eighth ground's ten masteries are the most concrete enumerated signature of the bodhisattva's mastery — the Immovable ground's (effort-free · indestructible) mastery flowing of itself, manifesting in ten gates, countering the ten fears; and the repetition "these bodhisattva's ten masteries" signs precisely its path-bound causal stage, belonging to a list and a path-position other than the separately established tathāgata's ten masteries (superiority and reconciliation left to the author). The argument: §II presents the canon (the ten masteries' three translations side by side · the treatise framework · item-by-item function · the three witnesses of path-binding to the causal stage); §III argues in three layers (the content and treatise framework, 3.1; item-by-item function as the Immovable ground's effortless manifesting, 3.2; path-bound to the causal stage, of a path-position other than the tathāgata's ten masteries, 3.3); §IV is cut; §V corrects misreadings and marks the scope of "translations side by side" and "marking the path-position, not adjudicating superiority, not reconciling"; §VI concludes, takes up P06/P07, binds P04/P05, and opens P09/P10 and the tathāgata division.

Two scope-notes flagged here (detailed in §V): first, the ten masteries' wording and order differ among the three translations (the Avataṃsaka's life/wealth/resolve/psychic; Xuanzang's Daśabhūmika's lifespan/livelihood/conviction/supernormal; Vasubandhu's Daśabhūmika-vyākhyāna sutra-text's life/things/conviction/psychic, with the order of vow and conviction, dharma and knowledge also differing), a matter of translation, set side by side here without selecting a rendering. Second, this paper marks only the fact that "the eighth ground's ten masteries are at the bodhisattva's causal stage (path-bound), belonging to a list and a path-position other than the separately established tathāgata's ten masteries," and does not adjudicate the superiority of the causal versus the fruit stage, nor reconcile doctrinally with the tathāgata division; the judgment of superiority and the seam doctrine are the author's to adjudicate, this paper keeping the boundary of the "bodhisattva's mastery" division, not overstepping. And: the four sources show no text directly marking the ten masteries as "the fruit-function of the non-regress of mindfulness," so this paper does not make the ten masteries the fruit of non-regress of mindfulness directly (taking up P07's gap on the term "non-regress of mindfulness"), their relation left to the author's doctrinal connection.

II. Canonical Basis

This section presents three clusters: the ten masteries' list (three translations side by side · treatise framework, 2.1); the ten masteries' item-by-item function (2.2); and the three witnesses that the ten masteries are path-bound to the causal stage and distinct from the separately established tathāgata's ten masteries (2.3). The sources are the Avataṃsaka (T0279), the Daśabhūmika (Xuanzang, T0287), and the Daśabhūmika-vyākhyāna (Vasubandhu, T1522), all CBETA-verified.

2.1 The Ten Masteries' List (Three Translations Side by Side) · The Treatise Framework (the Threefold-World Mastery-Conduct · Countering the Ten Fears)

The ten masteries the eighth, Immovable ground bodhisattva gains after accomplishing the knowledge-of-body the Avataṃsaka lists:

Sons of the Buddha! The bodhisattva, having accomplished such knowledge-of-body, gains the mastery of life, the mastery of mind, the mastery of wealth, the mastery of karma, the mastery of birth, the mastery of vow, the mastery of resolve, the mastery of psychic power, the mastery of knowledge, the mastery of dharma. Because he gains these ten masteries, he becomes one of inconceivable knowledge, of immeasurable knowledge, of vast knowledge, of indestructible knowledge.¹

The Avataṃsaka gives "life · mind · wealth · karma · birth · vow · resolve · psychic power · knowledge · dharma." The same ten the Daśabhūmika (Xuanzang) and the Daśabhūmika-vyākhyāna (Vasubandhu) render with differing wording and order; the three are set side by side below (a matter of translation, this paper not selecting a rendering):

#	Avataṃsaka T0279	Daśabhūmika (Xuanzang) T0287	Daśabhūmika-vyākhyāna (Vasubandhu) T1522
1	life (命)	lifespan (壽)	life (命)
2	mind (心)	mind (心)	mind (心)
3	wealth (財)	livelihood (資生)	things (物)
4	karma (業)	karma (業)	karma (業)
5	birth (生)	birth (生)	birth (生)
6	vow (願)	conviction (勝解)	vow (願)
7	resolve (解)	vow (願)	conviction (信解)
8	psychic power (如意)	supernormal power (神通)	psychic power (如意)
9	knowledge (智)	dharma (法)	dharma (法)
10	dharma (法)	knowledge (智)	knowledge (智)

(The three orders and renderings differ as a matter of translation, the doctrine being the author's to adjudicate; they are merely set side by side here; the discussion of "countering the ten fears" below follows the sutra-order and wording of Vasubandhu's Daśabhūmika-vyākhyāna.) The treatise framework of the ten masteries Vasubandhu's Daśabhūmika-vyākhyāna judges to be gained from the threefold "container-world / being-world / world-of-awakened-knowing" mastery-conduct, and to counter, one by one, ten fears:

The treatise says: "gaining mastery" — this bodhisattva, cultivating thus, by the threefold mastery-conduct of the container-world, the being-world, and the world-of-awakened-knowing, gains the ten masteries … These ten masteries counter ten fears; thus, in due order, it should be known. What are the ten fears? First, the fear of death; second, the fear of the stain of affliction; third, the fear of poverty; fourth, the fear of evil karma; fifth, the fear of evil destinies; sixth, the fear of not getting what is sought; seventh, the fear of the offense of slandering the Dharma; eighth, the fear, in the time of seeking, of bondage and not surviving; ninth, the fear of doubt, "how? how?"; tenth, the fear of the majesty of the assembly.²

Vasubandhu judges: the eighth-ground bodhisattva gains the ten masteries from the threefold mastery-conduct of the container-world, the being-world, and the world-of-awakened-knowing, and these ten counter, "in due order," ten fears. Pairing the ten masteries (in Vasubandhu's sutra-order: life · mind · things · karma · birth · vow · conviction · psychic · dharma · knowledge) with the ten fears in order: the mastery of life counters the fear of death · the mastery of mind counters the fear of the stain of affliction · the mastery of things (wealth) counters the fear of poverty · the mastery of karma counters the fear of evil karma · the mastery of birth counters the fear of evil destinies · the mastery of vow counters the fear of not getting what is sought · the mastery of conviction (resolve) counters the fear of slandering the Dharma · the mastery of psychic power counters the fear of not surviving · the mastery of dharma counters the fear of doubt · the mastery of knowledge counters the fear of the assembly's majesty. This "ten masteries counter ten fears" is the treatise's defining pivot for the ten masteries.

2.2 The Ten Masteries' Item-by-Item Function (Effortless Manifesting)

The function of each of the ten masteries Vasubandhu's Daśabhūmika-vyākhyāna (in the sutra it cites) marks item by item:

The sutra says: this bodhisattva, well knowing how to give rise to such bodies, gains the mastery of life — for sustaining life for inexpressible, inexpressible eons. He gains the mastery of mind — for entering, with knowledge, immeasurable, incalculable samādhis. He gains the mastery of things — for sustaining and displaying the immeasurable adornments of all worlds. He gains the mastery of karma … the mastery of birth … the mastery of vow … the mastery of conviction … the mastery of psychic power … the mastery of dharma … he gains the mastery of knowledge — for displaying the powers, fearlessnesses, distinctive dharmas, the adornment of marks and signs, and the awakening of the tathāgatas.³

Item by item: the mastery of life = sustaining life (for inexpressible eons) · the mastery of mind = entering immeasurable samādhis with knowledge · the mastery of things (wealth) = sustaining and displaying adornments · the mastery of karma = displaying karmic recompense · the mastery of birth = taking birth · the mastery of vow = manifesting awakening at will · the mastery of conviction = displaying the buddhas' fullness · the mastery of psychic power = displaying transformed things · the mastery of dharma = clearly setting forth dharma-gates · the mastery of knowledge = displaying the tathāgatas' powers, fearlessnesses, distinctive dharmas, marks and signs, awakening. The Daśabhūmika (Xuanzang) likewise marks each mastery's manifesting function, and marks the fruit-title of gaining the ten:

This bodhisattva, having thus been able to draw forth the knowledge-of-body, gains the mastery of lifespan … having gained the mastery of mind … having gained the mastery of livelihood … the mastery of karma … the mastery of birth … having gained the mastery of conviction … the mastery of vow … the mastery of supernormal power … having gained the mastery of dharma … he gains the mastery of knowledge — for displaying the powers, fearlessnesses, distinctive buddha-dharmas, marks, signs, and perfect awakening of the buddhas. Because the bodhisattva gains these ten masteries, he comes to be named one of inconceivable knowledge, of vast knowledge, of knowledge that cannot be outshone.⁴

Xuanzang marks each of lifespan · mind · livelihood · karma · birth · conviction · vow · supernormal power · dharma · knowledge as a function of "displaying," and marks "because he gains these ten masteries, he comes to be named one of inconceivable knowledge, of vast knowledge, of knowledge that cannot be outshone." Combining the two: each of the ten masteries is a function of "displaying / manifesting" (sustaining and displaying adornments · displaying karmic recompense · manifesting awakening at will · displaying the buddhas' fullness · displaying transformed things · clearly setting forth dharma-gates · displaying the buddhas' powers and fearlessnesses, etc.), all ten being a manifesting toward beings. And the name of the Immovable ground the Daśabhūmika-vyākhyāna explains as "indestructible · the effort-free ground":

The sutra says: Sons of the Buddha! This bodhisattva's ground-of-knowledge is named the Immovable ground — because it is indestructible … it is named the effort-free ground — because it well gives rise to the prior path.⁵

The Immovable ground is "indestructible" (nothing can spoil it) and "the effort-free ground" (the path drawn forth from the prior limit arises of itself, well giving rise to the prior path) — this just takes up P07's effortless flow after the forbearance (effort-free). So the ten masteries' "manifesting" is the effortless manifesting of the Immovable ground, "the effort-free ground" (without waiting on effort, the ten gates of manifesting arise of themselves).

2.3 The Ten Masteries Are Path-Bound to the Causal Stage · Distinct from the Separately Established Tathāgata's Ten Masteries (Three Witnesses · Marking the Path-Position Only)

The eighth ground's ten masteries are gained at the "bodhisattva's" causal stage, the Daśabhūmika-vyākhyāna stating "this bodhisattva gains these bodhisattva's ten masteries":

The sutra says: this bodhisattva, having gained these bodhisattva's ten masteries, is then named one of inconceivable knowledge, of immeasurable knowledge, of vast knowledge, of indestructible knowledge.⁶

"This bodhisattva gains these bodhisattva's ten masteries" — the word "bodhisattva" repeated, making clear these ten are the ten masteries gained by the eighth-ground "bodhisattva" (the causal stage), bound to the Immovable ground. And the buddha-fruit has a separate gate of "the ten masteries of the buddhas, the world-honored ones," which the Avataṃsaka (Inconceivable Dharmas of the Buddhas chapter) separately establishes:

Sons of the Buddha! The buddhas, the world-honored ones, have ten kinds of mastery-dharma … and have never used even a little expedient power — this is the buddhas' tenth mastery-dharma.⁷

The Avataṃsaka, in the Inconceivable Dharmas of the Buddhas chapter, separately establishes a gate of "the ten mastery-dharmas of the buddhas, the world-honored ones" — belonging to a list other than the eighth-ground bodhisattva's ten masteries (the buddhas' ten masteries vs. the eighth-ground bodhisattva's ten masteries, set out as distinct texts in the canon). And the eighth-ground bodhisattva's buddha-dharmas are not yet complete, the Avataṃsaka recording the buddhas exhorting him in person when he gains the forbearance of cessation:

"Yet, good man! The ten powers, the fearlessnesses, the eighteen distinctive dharmas of the buddhas that we possess — these you have not yet attained. You should, in order to accomplish these dharmas, apply diligent effort, and do not let go of this gate of forbearance."⁸

The buddhas exhort the eighth-ground bodhisattva in person: "the ten powers, the fearlessnesses, the eighteen distinctive dharmas of the buddhas that we possess — these you have not yet attained" — the buddhas' ten powers, fearlessnesses, and distinctive dharmas are, at this position (the eighth ground), "not yet attained." So the eighth ground's ten masteries are path-bound to the causal stage, not the buddha-fruit's perfection.

Scope (detailed in §V): the three witnesses above (these bodhisattva's ten masteries · the separately established buddhas' ten-masteries list · "you have not yet attained") this paper uses only to mark the fact that "the eighth ground's ten masteries are at the causal stage, of a path-position other than the tathāgata's ten masteries," and does not adjudicate the superiority of the causal versus the fruit stage, nor reconcile doctrinally with this axis's tathāgata division — the question of superiority and the seam doctrine being the author's to adjudicate.

III. Core Argument

§II has shown the canon's express words. This section argues in three layers: the content of the ten masteries and the treatise framework (3.1); item-by-item function as the Immovable ground's effortless manifesting (3.2); path-bound to the causal stage, of a path-position other than the tathāgata's ten masteries (3.3).

3.1 The Content of the Ten Masteries and the Treatise Framework: The Threefold-World Mastery-Conduct · Countering the Ten Fears

The content of the ten masteries is the enumeration of the bodhisattva's mastery in ten gates (2.1). This layer establishes its sense and the treatise framework. "Mastery" (vaśitā) is gaining great mastery, unimpeded and unbound, over some domain. The ten masteries are the bodhisattva's mastery over ten domains: the mastery of life (lifespan) — mastery over sustaining life, able to abide for inexpressible eons; the mastery of mind — mastery over mind and samādhi, able to enter immeasurable samādhis; the mastery of wealth (things, livelihood) — mastery over resources and adornment; the mastery of karma — mastery over karmic recompense; the mastery of birth — mastery over taking birth; the mastery of vow — mastery over manifesting at will according to vow; the mastery of resolve (conviction) — mastery over conviction in the buddha-dharma; the mastery of psychic power (supernormal) — mastery over transformation; the mastery of knowledge — mastery over knowledge and displaying the buddhas' powers; the mastery of dharma — mastery over clearly setting forth dharma-gates. The ten gates together are the bodhisattva's complete mastery over the domains of "his own existence (life · birth) · the inner mind (mind · resolve · knowledge) · the outer realm (wealth · karma · dharma) · the giving-rise to function (vow · psychic power)."

Its treatise framework Vasubandhu judges in two matters (2.1). First, gained from the "threefold-world mastery-conduct": the container-world (the material vessel-realm) · the being-world (the realm of sentient beings) · the world-of-awakened-knowing (the realm of awakened cognition) — three kinds of mastery-conduct; the ten masteries are not happened upon, but accomplished by the bodhisattva's cultivating mastery-conduct over these three worlds (as the mastery of things binds to the container-world · the mastery of birth to the being-world · the mastery of knowledge to the world-of-awakened-knowing). Second, "countering the ten fears": the ten masteries counter, one by one, ten fears (in Vasubandhu's sutra-order: life ↔ death · mind ↔ the stain of affliction · things ↔ poverty · karma ↔ evil karma · birth ↔ evil destinies · vow ↔ not getting what is sought · conviction ↔ slandering the Dharma · psychic ↔ not surviving · dharma ↔ doubt · knowledge ↔ the assembly's majesty). This "countering the fears" framework best shows the sense of the ten masteries: the opposite of "mastery" is precisely "fear" — the ordinary being has, over life, the fear of death; over wealth, the fear of poverty; over dharma, the fear of doubt …; the bodhisattva, gaining the ten masteries, has the ten fears unable, one by one, to bind him (gaining the mastery of life, death cannot make him fear · gaining the mastery of wealth, poverty cannot make him fear · gaining the mastery of dharma, doubt cannot make him fear). So the real sense of "mastery," in this framework, appears as "being free of the binding of the ten fears over the ten domains" — the master is one who, without fear, can run of himself.

A comparison: ten keys opening ten locked gates. A person imprisoned within ten locked gates has, at each gate, the fear of "not getting through" (this gate locked fast · that gate locked too); gaining the ten corresponding keys, he can open the ten gates one by one, dissolve the ten fears one by one, and come and go in mastery among the ten gates. The ten masteries countering the ten fears are just so: the ten gates of life · mind · wealth · karma · birth · vow · resolve · psychic power · knowledge · dharma are originally where the ordinary being's ten fears lie (death · affliction · poverty …); the bodhisattva gaining the ten masteries is like gaining ten keys, the ten fears each unable to bind, flowing in mastery among the ten gates.

✅ Doctrinally sound: the ten masteries are the enumeration of the bodhisattva's mastery in ten gates (life · mind · wealth · karma · birth · vow · resolve · psychic power · knowledge · dharma), the three translations' wording and order set side by side (the Avataṃsaka · Xuanzang's Daśabhūmika · Vasubandhu's Daśabhūmika-vyākhyāna, 2.1, this paper not selecting). The treatise framework in two matters (Vasubandhu, 2.1): gained from the threefold container/being/awakened-knowing-world mastery-conduct · countering the ten fears one by one (death · the stain of affliction · poverty · evil karma · evil destinies · not getting what is sought · slandering the Dharma · not surviving · doubt · the assembly's majesty). The real sense of "mastery" here appears as "flowing of itself, free of the binding of the ten fears over the ten domains."

3.2 Item-by-Item Function as the Immovable Ground's Effortless Manifesting (Taking Up P07's Effort-Free · Taking Up P05's Altruism)

The function of each of the ten masteries is "manifesting" (2.2). This layer establishes why this "manifesting" is the Immovable ground's "effortless" manifesting, and binds it to P07 and P05. Looking at the item-by-item functions (2.2): the mastery of things = "sustaining and displaying adornments" · the mastery of karma = "displaying karmic recompense" · the mastery of vow = "manifesting awakening at will" · the mastery of conviction = "displaying the buddhas' fullness" · the mastery of psychic power = "displaying transformed things" · the mastery of dharma = "clearly setting forth dharma-gates" · the mastery of knowledge = "displaying the buddhas' powers, fearlessnesses, distinctive dharmas" — the greater part of the ten gates have "manifesting / displaying" as their function-word. "Manifesting" is displaying-toward-beings, appearing for beings' sake. So the ten masteries are not a mastery of "self-enjoyment" (mastery for one's own pleasure), but a mastery of "manifesting toward beings" — the mastery of its ten gates is each disclosed toward beings (sustaining life to benefit beings long · displaying adornments to embrace beings · clearly setting forth dharma-gates to teach beings · displaying the buddhas' powers to make beings believe). This just takes up P05's "altruism is mastery": the ten masteries are the concrete manifesting of the mastery of altruism in ten gates.

And this "manifesting" being an "effortless" manifesting binds to P07 and the Immovable ground's name. P07 has established: the mastery after the forbearance (the eighth ground) appears as "effort-free effortless flow" (letting go of effortful conduct · gaining the effort-free dharma · flowing of itself). The name of the Immovable ground the Daśabhūmika-vyākhyāna explains as "the effort-free ground" (the path drawn forth from the prior limit arises of itself, well giving rise to the prior path, 2.2) — so the ten masteries' manifesting is the effortless manifesting of "the effort-free ground": without waiting on the contrivance of deliberate effort, the ten gates of manifesting arise of themselves (as in P07's simile of the boat entering the favorable current, the ten gates of manifesting are like waves welling up of themselves in the current, not waiting on the oar). And the Immovable ground is "indestructible" (2.2), so this effortless manifesting of the ten masteries is also "what nothing can break" (taking up P07's avaivartika non-regress · the wisdom of true reality nothing can break or move) — the Avataṃsaka indeed has, because one gains the ten masteries, "becoming … one of indestructible knowledge" (2.1). So the item-by-item function of the ten masteries is the Immovable ground's (effort-free · indestructible) mastery, manifesting of itself in ten gates to benefit beings (effortless flow · P07; altruistic manifesting · P05).

✅ Doctrinally sound: the greater part of the ten masteries' item-by-item functions have "manifesting / displaying" as their function-word (sustaining and displaying adornments · displaying karmic recompense · manifesting awakening at will · displaying the buddhas' fullness · displaying transformed things · clearly setting forth dharma-gates · displaying the buddhas' powers and fearlessnesses, 2.2), so the ten masteries are an altruistic mastery of "manifesting toward beings" (taking up P05, altruism is mastery), not self-enjoyment. Their "manifesting" is an "effortless" manifesting — the Immovable ground "the effort-free ground" (arising of itself, the prior path, 2.2), so the ten gates of manifesting arise of themselves without waiting on effort (taking up P07's effortless flow); the Immovable ground "indestructible," so this manifesting is "what nothing can break" (taking up P07's avaivartika non-regress · the Avataṃsaka's "one of indestructible knowledge," 2.1).

3.3 Path-Bound to the Causal Stage · Of a Path-Position Other Than the Tathāgata's Ten Masteries (Marking the Path-Position Only · Not Adjudicating Superiority · Not Reconciling)

The last layer establishes the eighth ground's ten masteries' path-binding to the causal stage, and strictly keeps the boundary of "marking the path-position only, not adjudicating superiority, not reconciling." This layer gathers the causal-stage-boundary flags routed here from P04 (2.4 the buddhas exhort "you have not yet attained" · the bodhisattva's ten masteries) and P07 (3.3 / §V the causal-stage boundary), summing them here.

The eighth ground's ten masteries are gained at the "bodhisattva's" causal stage, shown by three witnesses (2.3). First, "this bodhisattva gains these bodhisattva's ten masteries" (5-1 / ⁶) — the sutra repeats the word "bodhisattva," making clear these ten are the "bodhisattva's" (causal stage) ten masteries, bound to the Immovable ground, not the buddha-fruit's ten masteries. This "repetition of bodhisattva" is the causal stage's signature: the sutra does not merely say "gains the ten masteries," but particularly says "gains these bodhisattva's ten masteries," precisely to sign the path-position of the causal stage. Second, the buddha-fruit has a separate, distinctly established ten-masteries list — the Avataṃsaka's Inconceivable Dharmas of the Buddhas chapter separately establishes a gate of "the ten mastery-dharmas of the buddhas, the world-honored ones" (5-2 / ⁷); the buddhas' ten masteries and the eighth-ground bodhisattva's ten masteries are set out as distinct texts in the canon, belonging to different lists. So though the name "ten masteries" is the same, the eighth-ground bodhisattva's ten masteries and the tathāgata's ten masteries are two textually distinct lists, not to be conflated. Third, the buddhas attest in person that the eighth ground's buddha-dharmas are not yet complete — the Avataṃsaka records the buddhas exhorting the eighth-ground bodhisattva in person, "the ten powers, the fearlessnesses, the eighteen distinctive dharmas of the buddhas — these you have not yet attained" (5-3 / ⁸); even with the eighth ground's ten masteries complete, the buddha still plainly admonishes "you have not yet attained (the buddhas' ten powers, fearlessnesses, distinctive dharmas)." The three witnesses together: the eighth ground's ten masteries are path-bound to the causal stage (gained at the bodhisattva-position · a separate list · the buddha-dharmas not yet attained), not the buddha-fruit's perfect mastery.

Yet here a boundary must be strictly kept (where this paper's scope lies). This paper, on the three witnesses, marks only the fact that "the eighth ground's ten masteries are at the causal stage, belonging to a list and a path-position other than the tathāgata's ten masteries," and does not go further: first, it does not adjudicate the superiority of "the causal-stage ten masteries vs. the fruit-stage ten masteries" (it does not judge the eighth ground's ten masteries "inferior to" the tathāgata's, or the tathāgata's "superior to" the eighth ground's — this paper marks only the fact that the two are of differing path-positions, the judgment of superiority not being made here). Second, it does not perform a doctrinal reconciliation between the eighth-ground bodhisattva's ten masteries and the tathāgata's ten masteries of this axis's tathāgata division (how the two communicate, how one proceeds from cause to fruit, the full correlation of their sameness and difference — this seam doctrine belongs to the domain of the tathāgata division). Why keep this boundary? Because the judgment of superiority and the cross-division reconciliation both belong to the seam doctrine the author (Shi Huijing) adjudicates in the "tathāgata" division; this paper, situated in the "bodhisattva's mastery" division, does what falls within its part — marking clearly the eighth ground's ten masteries' causal-stage signature and the distinction of its path-position, and there stopping, without overstepping to prejudge the fruit-stage or to perform, on the author's behalf, a cross-division argument. Where the reader sees this paper's "path-bound · distinct from the tathāgata's ten masteries," let it be known as a factual statement of "marking the distinction of path-position," not a doctrinal adjudication of "judging superiority" or "having reconciled."

So the eighth ground's ten masteries are the "causal-stage enumerated signature" of the bodhisattva's mastery: here mastery is named and enumerated one by one (ten gates complete · countering the ten fears · effortless manifesting), and the repetition "these bodhisattva's ten masteries," its distinctness from the buddhas' ten-masteries list, and the plain admonition "you have not yet attained" together sign the path-position of its path-bound causal stage — and this is the signature of "the bodhisattva's mastery," not of "the tathāgata's mastery." The superiority and reconciliation of the two await the adjudication of the tathāgata division and the author.

⚠️ Scope (detailed in §V): this paper, on the three witnesses (these bodhisattva's ten masteries · the separately established buddhas' ten-masteries list · "you have not yet attained"), marks only the fact that "the eighth ground's ten masteries are path-bound to the causal stage, belonging to a list and a path-position other than the tathāgata's ten masteries," and does not adjudicate the superiority of the causal versus the fruit stage, nor reconcile doctrinally with the tathāgata division — the judgment of superiority and the seam doctrine being the author's (Shi Huijing's) to adjudicate in the tathāgata division. And the four sources show no direct correlation of the ten masteries with "non-regress of mindfulness" (taking up P07), so this paper does not make the ten masteries directly the fruit-function of non-regress of mindfulness.

Three layers together: the ten masteries are the enumeration of the bodhisattva's mastery in ten gates (the threefold-world mastery-conduct · countering the ten fears, 3.1); their item-by-item function is the Immovable ground's effortless altruistic manifesting (effort-free · indestructible · taking up P07, taking up P05, 3.2); the repetition "these bodhisattva's ten masteries" signs the path-bound causal stage, of a path-position other than the tathāgata's ten masteries (marking the path-position only · not adjudicating superiority · not reconciling, 3.3). Together they establish the thesis: the eighth ground's ten masteries are the most concrete causal-stage enumerated signature of the bodhisattva's mastery (the Immovable ground's effortless manifesting · countering the ten fears); their path-binding to the causal stage and distinctness from the tathāgata's ten masteries this paper marks only as fact, the superiority and reconciliation left to the author.

IV. Interdisciplinary Convergence

(This paper deliberately omits the interdisciplinary section; the reason is given in §VI. Its axis is the Mahāyāna ten-grounds doctrine of "the eighth ground's ten masteries as the Immovable ground's effortless manifesting · countering the ten fears · path-bound to the causal stage." Modern models — "the multidimensional enumeration of capability / agency," "empowerment over fears" — superficially resemble the ten masteries countering the ten fears in "gaining capability over many domains so as to be free of the binding of fear," but cannot sustain a three-layer convergence without lapsing into analogy on three points: "the ten masteries gained from the threefold container/being/awakened-knowing-world mastery-conduct (not worldly capability-training)," "each being the Immovable ground's effort-free effortless manifesting (not the conditioned exercise of a capability)," and "the mastery of knowledge = displaying the tathāgatas' powers, fearlessnesses, distinctive dharmas · and being path-bound to the causal stage, the buddha-dharmas 'you have not yet attained.'" On the last especially, "displaying the buddhas' powers, fearlessnesses, distinctive dharmas" and "the causal/fruit path-position distinction" have no counterpart in any capability-science; empowerment psychology's "overcoming fear" is still the growth of a conditioned mind-consciousness's capability, only superficially resembling the realized realm of "effortless manifesting · countering the ten fears." Hence omitted per the series' editorial convention, with this note.)

V. Madhyamaka Corrections

This section clears three misreadings adjacent to the thesis, the latter two bearing on the scope of "translations side by side" and "marking the path-position, not adjudicating superiority, not reconciling," both requiring special honesty.

❌ Misreading one: "the eighth ground's ten masteries = the tathāgata's ten masteries / the eighth-ground bodhisattva has already gained the buddha-fruit's perfect mastery." This the paper broke at the outset, and restates here. Three witnesses show the eighth ground's ten masteries are at the causal stage (2.3, 3.3): first, "this bodhisattva gains these bodhisattva's ten masteries" (the word "bodhisattva" repeated, the causal-stage signature); second, the Avataṃsaka separately establishes a gate of "the ten mastery-dharmas of the buddhas, the world-honored ones" (the buddhas' ten masteries vs. the eighth-ground bodhisattva's, textually distinct lists); third, the buddhas exhort the eighth-ground bodhisattva in person, "the ten powers, the fearlessnesses, the eighteen distinctive dharmas of the buddhas — these you have not yet attained." To read the eighth ground's ten masteries as the buddha-fruit's perfect mastery conflates the causal and the fruit stage, erases the course from the eighth ground upward and through to the buddha-fruit, contravenes the sutra's plain admonition "you have not yet attained," and confuses the two distinct lists of "the eighth-ground bodhisattva's ten masteries" and "the buddhas, the world-honored ones', ten masteries." The eighth ground's ten masteries, complete as they are, are still the "bodhisattva's" causal-stage signature of mastery, not the buddha-fruit.

⚠️ Correction two: the ten masteries' wording and order differ among the three translations; being a matter of translation, this paper sets them side by side without selecting a rendering. To be marked: the Avataṃsaka gives life · mind · wealth · karma · birth · vow · resolve · psychic power · knowledge · dharma; the Daśabhūmika (Xuanzang) gives lifespan · mind · livelihood · karma · birth · conviction · vow · supernormal power · dharma · knowledge (with the order of vow and conviction, dharma and knowledge differing from the Avataṃsaka); the Daśabhūmika-vyākhyāna (Vasubandhu's sutra-text) gives life · mind · things · karma · birth · vow · conviction · psychic power · dharma · knowledge. The three differ in wording (life/lifespan · wealth/livelihood/things · resolve/conviction · psychic/supernormal) and order, a matter of translation. This paper sets the three side by side without selecting any one rendering as standard for the author (in discussing "countering the ten fears" it follows Vasubandhu's sutra-order, but only for convenience of exposition, not selecting Vasubandhu's as the one correct rendering); the fixing of the ten masteries' rendering is the author's to adjudicate. Let the reader not take this paper's use of some rendering in some place as a selection.

⚠️ Correction three: this paper marks only the fact that "the eighth ground's ten masteries are at the causal stage, of a path-position other than the tathāgata's ten masteries," and does not adjudicate the superiority of the causal versus the fruit stage, nor reconcile doctrinally with the tathāgata division. Here lies this paper's scope, to be most strictly kept. What this paper marks, on the three witnesses (these bodhisattva's ten masteries · the separately established buddhas' ten-masteries list · "you have not yet attained"), is a factual statement of "the distinction of path-position" — the eighth ground's ten masteries are bound to the bodhisattva's causal stage (path-bound), the tathāgata's ten masteries are another list (fruit stage), the two of differing path-positions. This paper does not further do two things: first, it does not adjudicate the superiority of the two (it does not judge the eighth ground's ten masteries "inferior to" the tathāgata's, nor the tathāgata's "superior to" the eighth ground's — the judgment of superiority not being made here). Second, it does not perform a doctrinal reconciliation of the two (how the bodhisattva's causal-stage ten masteries lead toward, and how they are the same as or differ from, the tathāgata's fruit-stage ten masteries — this full correlation belonging to the domain of this axis's tathāgata division). Why keep this boundary? Because superiority and the seam reconciliation belong to the seam doctrine the author (Shi Huijing) adjudicates in the "tathāgata" division; this paper, situated in the "bodhisattva's mastery" division, does within its part what marks clearly the causal-stage signature and the distinction of path-position, and there stops, not overstepping. This scope is kept faithfully per the source record that "cluster 5 marks the path-position only, does not adjudicate superiority, does not reconcile."

VI. Conclusion

Restatement. The eighth ground's ten masteries are the most concrete causal-stage enumerated signature of the bodhisattva's mastery. In the canon, the Avataṃsaka, the Daśabhūmika (Xuanzang), and the Daśabhūmika-vyākhyāna (Vasubandhu) set the ten masteries side by side (life/lifespan · mind · wealth/livelihood/things · karma · birth · vow · resolve/conviction · psychic/supernormal · knowledge · dharma, with wording and order differing), Vasubandhu judging that they are gained from the threefold container/being/awakened-knowing-world mastery-conduct and counter the ten fears one by one (death · the stain of affliction · poverty · evil karma · evil destinies · not getting what is sought · slandering the Dharma · not surviving · doubt · the assembly's majesty); their item-by-item functions are largely "manifesting" (sustaining and displaying adornments · displaying karmic recompense · manifesting awakening at will · displaying the buddhas' fullness · displaying transformed things · clearly setting forth dharma-gates · displaying the buddhas' powers, fearlessnesses, distinctive dharmas), the Immovable ground's (effort-free · indestructible) effortless altruistic manifesting; and the three witnesses — the Daśabhūmika-vyākhyāna's "this bodhisattva gains these bodhisattva's ten masteries," the Avataṃsaka's separately established "the buddhas, the world-honored ones', ten masteries," and the buddhas' exhortation "you have not yet attained" — make clear their path-binding to the causal stage. Doctrinally, three layers: the content and treatise framework (the threefold-world mastery-conduct · countering the ten fears, 3.1); each being the Immovable ground's effortless altruistic manifesting (taking up P07's effort-free · taking up P05's altruism, 3.2); path-bound to the causal stage, of a path-position other than the tathāgata's ten masteries (3.3). To be marked with care: this paper marks only the fact of the path-position distinction, and does not adjudicate the superiority of the causal versus the fruit stage, nor reconcile with the tathāgata division (the author's to adjudicate, §V); the three translations are set side by side without selection (§V).

Practice guidance. Here the practitioner should know one real sense of mastery and keep one boundary of the causal stage. To know the real sense of mastery: "mastery" is not what the world calls "having one's way, doing as one pleases," but "being free, over ten domains, of the binding of the ten fears, and manifesting of itself to benefit beings." Looking at the ten masteries countering the ten fears (life ↔ death · wealth ↔ poverty · dharma ↔ doubt …), one knows that the ordinary being's lack of mastery lies precisely in being bound, over the ten domains, by the ten fears; cultivating the bodhisattva-path toward mastery is not to seek worldly having-one's-way, but to seek, over these ten domains, the gradual freedom from the binding of fear (as over wealth, not bound by the fear of poverty · over dharma, not bound by the fear of doubt), and the use of that mastery is "manifesting toward beings" (altruism), not self-enjoyment. To keep the boundary of the causal stage: though one hear of the completeness of the eighth ground's ten masteries, one should know this is still the "bodhisattva's" causal-stage mastery, not the buddha-fruit; in the sutra, even the eighth-ground bodhisattva the buddha still exhorts "you have not yet attained," and exhorts him "do not let go of this gate of forbearance" and advance further. So the practitioner, with the mark of mastery, does not take a momentary gain for the ultimate, nor usurp the fruit-stage's perfection by the causal-stage mastery's name, and so accords with the bodhisattva-path's "advancing further within non-regress" (P07). As for the superiority and reconciliation of the bodhisattva's causal-stage mastery and the tathāgata's fruit-stage mastery, it is not what the practitioner need urgently settle today, awaiting the full unfolding of the teaching (the tathāgata division).

Taking up and opening. This paper takes up the preceding part (Part 4): P06 established the forbearance of non-arising (cognitive immovability), P07 established effortless flow and non-regress after the forbearance (the mark), this paper establishes the concrete enumeration of this mastery after the forbearance on the eighth ground (the ten masteries), and sees that the ten masteries' "effortless manifesting" just takes up P07's "effortless flow" and the Immovable ground's name "the effort-free ground · indestructible" (⁵). Bound to P04/P05: the ten masteries' "manifesting" altruism takes up P05's "altruism is mastery" (the mastery of altruism manifesting in ten gates), and is of one vein with P04's "the four added perfections as the deployment of post-attainment wisdom" (the returning-into-use of mastery); and this paper gathers the causal-stage-boundary flags routed here from P04 2.4 and P07 §V, summing them at 3.3 (the eighth ground's ten masteries bound to the causal stage · "you have not yet attained"). Opening forward: first, the eighth ground's ten masteries' "not abiding in the eighth ground's mastery, advancing further to seek the buddha-fruit" (taking up P07's buddhas' rousing), its ultimate ground (abiding neither in birth-and-death nor in nirvāṇa), belongs to this axis's P09, "Non-Abiding Nirvāṇa." Second, the ultimate adjudication of the bodhisattva's mastery (the causal stage · including the eighth ground's ten masteries) and the arhat's mastery awaits this axis's P10. Third — the superiority and reconciliation of "the eighth-ground bodhisattva's ten masteries vs. the tathāgata's ten masteries" that this paper strictly keeps and does not adjudicate belongs to the domain of this axis's tathāgata division and the author's (Shi Huijing's) seam adjudication; this paper marks only the distinction of path-position, leaving room for that seam without overstepping. As for the Realization axis: this paper's eighth ground's ten masteries correlate thematically with the bodhi-path division's BODHI-P09, "The Immovable Eighth Ground" — the Realization axis walks the course of the Immovable eighth ground (including the gaining of the ten masteries), the Attainment axis (this paper) reads the ten-masteries signature that course enumerates (the causal stage's effortless altruistic manifesting); the seam's doctrine is the author's, and this paper does not speak for the Realization axis.

Open questions. First, the paper cuts §IV (the ten masteries and agency / empowerment models are only superficially alike), as above. Second, the ten masteries' three translations' wording and order differ as a matter of translation, this paper setting them side by side without selection, the fixing of the rendering being the author's. Third, this paper marks only the fact that "the eighth ground's ten masteries are at the causal stage, of a path-position other than the tathāgata's ten masteries," not adjudicating superiority, not reconciling; the judgment of superiority and the seam doctrine belong to the author's adjudication in the tathāgata division. Fourth, the four sources show no direct correlation of the ten masteries with "non-regress of mindfulness" (taking up P07), this paper not making the ten masteries directly the fruit-function of non-regress of mindfulness, their relation left to the author's doctrinal connection. Fifth, the full unfolding of the ten masteries' being gained from the "threefold container/being/awakened-knowing-world mastery-conduct" (Vasubandhu), and the correlation of the ten masteries with the five paths (provisions / preparation / seeing / cultivation / completion) or the Yogācāra stations, this paper does not unfold, awaiting another treatment.

Notes

References

Primary Buddhist Sources

• Avataṃsaka-sūtra (大方廣佛華嚴經, 80-fasc.). Trans. Śikṣānanda. T10, no. 0279《大方廣佛華嚴經》(八十華嚴)Avataṃsaka-sūtra (80-fascicle)T10, No. 279View on CBETA online reader ↗. Fasc. 38 (Ten Grounds · the eighth, Immovable ground · the ten-masteries list · the buddhas exhort "you have not yet attained"); fasc. 46 (Inconceivable Dharmas of the Buddhas · the buddhas, the world-honored ones', ten mastery-dharmas).
• Daśabhūmika-sūtra (十地經). Trans. Xuanzang. T10, no. 0287《佛說十地經》T10, No. 287View on CBETA online reader ↗. Fasc. 7 (the eighth, Immovable bodhisattva-ground · Xuanzang's ten-masteries list · item-by-item manifesting function).
• Daśabhūmika-vyākhyāna (十地經論). By Vasubandhu, trans. Bodhiruci et al. T26, no. 1522《十地經論》Daśabhūmika-sūtra-śāstraT26, No. 1522View on CBETA online reader ↗. Fasc. 10 (the eighth, Immovable ground · the ten masteries from the threefold-world mastery-conduct · countering the ten fears · item-by-item function · "this bodhisattva gains these bodhisattva's ten masteries" · the Immovable ground's name, indestructible, the effort-free ground).

Modern Scholarship

(This paper cites no modern scholarship; its argument rests entirely on the Buddhist canon, in the open-source spirit of "returning to the source." The interdisciplinary section having been cut, there is no associated modern literature. The ten masteries' three translations' wording/order differ as a matter of translation, this paper setting them side by side without selection, no modern study of the renderings pre-cited; the superiority/reconciliation of the eighth-ground bodhisattva's ten masteries and the tathāgata's ten masteries belongs to the author's adjudication in the tathāgata division, no relevant adjudication pre-cited here.)

Sūtra & Śāstra Index

Citation	Source	CBETA id
The eighth ground's ten-masteries list (Avataṃsaka: life·mind·wealth·karma·birth·vow·resolve·psychic·knowledge·dharma) · gaining them, one of indestructible knowledge	Avataṃsaka, fasc. 38, Ten Grounds, eighth ground	T10n0279《大方廣佛華嚴經》(八十華嚴)Avataṃsaka-sūtra (80-fascicle)T10, No. 279View on CBETA online reader ↗_p0200b14
The ten masteries from the threefold container/being/awakened-knowing-world mastery-conduct · countering the ten fears (treatise pivot)	Daśabhūmika-vyākhyāna, fasc. 10, eighth ground, ten-masteries section	T26n1522《十地經論》Daśabhūmika-sūtra-śāstraT26, No. 1522View on CBETA online reader ↗_p0183c11
The ten masteries' item-by-item function (sustaining life · samādhi with knowledge · sustaining and displaying adornments · … · displaying the tathāgatas' powers, fearlessnesses, distinctive dharmas)	Daśabhūmika-vyākhyāna, fasc. 10, eighth ground	T26n1522《十地經論》Daśabhūmika-sūtra-śāstraT26, No. 1522View on CBETA online reader ↗_p0183b29
The ten-masteries list (Xuanzang: lifespan·mind·livelihood·karma·birth·conviction·vow·supernormal·dharma·knowledge) · item-by-item manifesting · one of not-to-be-outshone knowledge	Daśabhūmika, fasc. 7, eighth Immovable ground	T10n0287《佛說十地經》T10, No. 287View on CBETA online reader ↗_p0561a18
The name of the Immovable ground "indestructible · the effort-free ground" (arising of itself, the prior path)	Daśabhūmika-vyākhyāna, fasc. 10, eighth ground	T26n1522《十地經論》Daśabhūmika-sūtra-śāstraT26, No. 1522View on CBETA online reader ↗_p0184b22
"This bodhisattva gains these bodhisattva's ten masteries" (the word "bodhisattva" repeated · the path-bound causal-stage signature)	Daśabhūmika-vyākhyāna, fasc. 10, eighth ground, the section of great excellence	T26n1522《十地經論》Daśabhūmika-sūtra-śāstraT26, No. 1522View on CBETA online reader ↗_p0183c21
Separately established "the buddhas, the world-honored ones', ten mastery-dharmas" (the buddhas' ten masteries · a separate list)	Avataṃsaka, fasc. 46, Inconceivable Dharmas of the Buddhas	T10n0279《大方廣佛華嚴經》(八十華嚴)Avataṃsaka-sūtra (80-fascicle)T10, No. 279View on CBETA online reader ↗_p0245a06
The buddhas exhort the eighth-ground bodhisattva "the ten powers, fearlessnesses, eighteen distinctive buddha-dharmas — you have not yet attained" (the causal stage not yet complete)	Avataṃsaka, fasc. 38, Ten Grounds, eighth ground	T10n0279《大方廣佛華嚴經》(八十華嚴)Avataṃsaka-sūtra (80-fascicle)T10, No. 279View on CBETA online reader ↗_p0199b01

Series Cross-Reference Index

• BODHI-P07, "Irreversibility and Effortless Flow: The Mastery After the Forbearance" §3.1, §3.3, §V: this paper takes it up — P07 established effort-free effortless flow and avaivartika non-regress after the forbearance, this paper establishes the concrete enumeration of this mastery after the forbearance on the eighth ground (the ten masteries); the ten masteries' "effortless manifesting" takes up P07's effortless flow and the Immovable ground's name "the effort-free ground · indestructible" (⁵). The causal-stage-boundary flag routed here from P07 §V is summed at 3.3.
• BODHI-P06, "The Forbearance of Non-Arising: The Cognitive Signature of Entering the Grounds" §3.3: this paper's eighth ground's ten masteries are bound to the eighth, Immovable ground that P06's forbearance of non-arising enters; cognitive immovability (P06) → the mark of effortless flow and non-regress (P07) → the enumerated mastery of ten gates (this paper).
• BODHI-P05, "The Four Embraces: Altruism Is Mastery" §3.2: this paper's 3.2 "the ten masteries' item-by-item functions are largely a manifesting toward beings (altruism)" takes up P05's "altruism is mastery" — the ten masteries are the altruistic mastery manifesting of itself in ten gates, not self-enjoyment.
• BODHI-P04, "The Four Added Perfections and the Grounds" §2.4, §3.2: this paper's causal-stage boundary at 3.3 takes up P04 2.4 (the buddhas exhort "you have not yet attained" · the eighth-ground bodhisattva's ten masteries bound to the causal stage); this paper's "manifesting" returning-into-use is of one vein with P04's "the four added perfections as the deployment of post-attainment wisdom."
• BODHI-P09, "Non-Abiding Nirvāṇa" (forthcoming): this paper's 3.3 / §VI "the eighth ground's ten masteries still not abiding, advancing further to seek the buddha-fruit (the buddhas' rousing)," its ultimate ground (abiding neither in birth-and-death nor in nirvāṇa), belongs to P09.
• BODHI-P10, "The Ultimate Adjudication of the Bodhisattva's and the Arhat's Masteries" (forthcoming · close): this paper's causal-stage ten masteries (including the path-position distinction from the tathāgata's ten masteries), in their ultimate adjudication with the arhat's mastery, await P10.
• ★ This axis's tathāgata division (the ten masteries) (forthcoming division · the author's seam adjudication): the superiority and doctrinal reconciliation of "the eighth-ground bodhisattva's ten masteries vs. the tathāgata's ten masteries" that this paper strictly keeps and does not adjudicate belongs to the domain of the tathāgata division and the author's (Shi Huijing's) seam adjudication; this paper marks only the distinction of path-position (path-bound · a separate list · "you have not yet attained"), leaving room for that seam without overstepping.
• ★ Realization-axis bodhi-path BODHI-P09, "The Immovable Eighth Ground" (parallel · thematically related): the Realization axis walks the course of the Immovable eighth ground (including the gaining of the ten masteries), the Attainment axis (this paper) reads the ten-masteries signature that course enumerates (the causal stage's effortless altruistic manifesting); on the same eighth-ground canon of the Avataṃsaka / Daśabhūmika / Daśabhūmika-vyākhyāna, read severally as conduct (walked) and as the signature of mastery (the Immovable ground's ten masteries).

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Paper: BODHI-P08 · 不動地十自在 · The Bodhisattva's Mastery · Part 5 · The Ten Masteries Author: 釋慧鏡 (Shi Huijing) · Project: 指月 / Pointing-at-the-Moon · Series: The Attainment Signatures（證 自在簽名） License: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 CBETA collation: 全文引用均依 CBETA 電子佛典核校（《大方廣佛華嚴經》T0279、《十地經》T0287、《十地經論》T1522）。本篇為大乘分區，無巴利雙軌義務；引文均待 CBETA XML 實核。The ten masteries' wording and order differ among the three translations (the Avataṃsaka's life/wealth/resolve/psychic · Xuanzang's lifespan/livelihood/conviction/supernormal · Vasubandhu's life/things/conviction/psychic), a matter of translation, set side by side without selection (the discussion of countering the ten fears follows Vasubandhu's sutra-order only for convenience). This paper, on the three witnesses (this bodhisattva gains these bodhisattva's ten masteries · the separately established buddhas' ten-masteries list · "you have not yet attained"), marks only the fact that "the eighth ground's ten masteries are path-bound to the causal stage, of a path-position other than the tathāgata's ten masteries," and does not adjudicate the superiority of the causal versus the fruit stage, nor reconcile doctrinally with this axis's tathāgata division — the superiority and the seam doctrine being the author's (Shi Huijing's) to adjudicate (see §V). The four sources show no direct correlation of the ten masteries with "non-regress of mindfulness," and this paper does not make them its fruit-function directly. Repository: https://github.com/pointing-at-the-moon/attainment-signatures

Footnotes

1. 《大方廣佛華嚴經》（八十華嚴）卷第三十八（十地品·第八不動地）, T10n0279《大方廣佛華嚴經》(八十華嚴)Avataṃsaka-sūtra (80-fascicle)T10, No. 279View on CBETA online reader ↗_p0200b14. Trans. Śikṣānanda. "The bodhisattva, having accomplished such knowledge-of-body, gains the mastery of life, the mastery of mind, the mastery of wealth, the mastery of karma, the mastery of birth, the mastery of vow, the mastery of resolve, the mastery of psychic power, the mastery of knowledge, the mastery of dharma. Because he gains these ten masteries, he becomes one of inconceivable, immeasurable, vast, indestructible knowledge." The eighth ground's ten-masteries list (Avataṃsaka: life · mind · wealth · karma · birth · vow · resolve · psychic · knowledge · dharma). CBETA-verified. ↩

2. 《十地經論》卷第十（不動地第八·十自在分）, T26n1522《十地經論》Daśabhūmika-sūtra-śāstraT26, No. 1522View on CBETA online reader ↗_p0183c11. By Vasubandhu, trans. Bodhiruci et al. "The treatise says … by the threefold mastery-conduct of the container-world, the being-world, and the world-of-awakened-knowing, gains the ten masteries … these ten masteries counter ten fears … first, the fear of death; second, the fear of the stain of affliction; third, the fear of poverty; fourth, the fear of evil karma; fifth, the fear of evil destinies; sixth, the fear of not getting what is sought; seventh, the fear of the offense of slandering the Dharma; eighth, the fear, in the time of seeking, of bondage and not surviving; ninth, the fear of doubt 'how? how?'; tenth, the fear of the majesty of the assembly." The ten masteries gained from the threefold-world mastery-conduct · countering the ten fears one by one (the treatise's defining pivot). ↩

3. 《十地經論》卷第十（不動地第八）, T26n1522《十地經論》Daśabhūmika-sūtra-śāstraT26, No. 1522View on CBETA online reader ↗_p0183b29. The sutra cited by Vasubandhu. "This bodhisattva, well knowing how to give rise to such bodies, gains the mastery of life — for sustaining life for inexpressible eons. Gains the mastery of mind — for entering immeasurable samādhis with knowledge. Gains the mastery of things — for sustaining and displaying the immeasurable adornments of all worlds … gains the mastery of knowledge — for displaying the tathāgatas' powers, fearlessnesses, distinctive dharmas, marks and signs, awakening." The ten masteries' item-by-item function (life = sustaining life · mind = samādhi with knowledge · things = sustaining and displaying adornments · … · knowledge = displaying the tathāgatas' powers, fearlessnesses, distinctive dharmas). ↩

4. 《十地經》卷第七（菩薩不動地第八）, T10n0287《佛說十地經》T10, No. 287View on CBETA online reader ↗_p0561a18. Trans. Xuanzang. "This bodhisattva … gains the mastery of lifespan … the mastery of mind … the mastery of livelihood … the mastery of conviction … the mastery of vow … the mastery of supernormal power … the mastery of dharma … he gains the mastery of knowledge — for displaying the powers, fearlessnesses, distinctive buddha-dharmas, marks, signs, and perfect awakening of the buddhas. Because the bodhisattva gains these ten masteries, he comes to be named one of inconceivable, vast, and not-to-be-outshone knowledge." Xuanzang's ten-masteries list (lifespan · mind · livelihood · karma · birth · conviction · vow · supernormal · dharma · knowledge) · item-by-item manifesting · the fruit-title of inconceivable / vast / not-to-be-outshone knowledge. ↩

5. 《十地經論》卷第十（不動地第八）, T26n1522《十地經論》Daśabhūmika-sūtra-śāstraT26, No. 1522View on CBETA online reader ↗_p0184b22. By Vasubandhu. "This bodhisattva's ground-of-knowledge is named the Immovable ground — because it is indestructible … it is named the effort-free ground — because it well gives rise to the prior path." The name of the Immovable ground: indestructible (nothing can spoil it) · the effort-free ground (the path drawn forth from the prior limit arises of itself). Takes up P07's effort-free flow after the forbearance. ↩ ↩² ↩³

6. 《十地經論》卷第十（不動地第八·大勝分）, T26n1522《十地經論》Daśabhūmika-sūtra-śāstraT26, No. 1522View on CBETA online reader ↗_p0183c21. The sutra cited by Vasubandhu. "This bodhisattva, having gained these bodhisattva's ten masteries, is then named one of inconceivable, immeasurable, vast, indestructible knowledge." The word "bodhisattva" repeated, making clear these ten are gained by the eighth-ground "bodhisattva" (the causal stage), bound to the Immovable ground (the path-bound causal-stage signature). ↩ ↩²

7. 《大方廣佛華嚴經》（八十華嚴）卷第四十六（佛不思議法品第三十三之一·佛十種自在法段）, T10n0279《大方廣佛華嚴經》(八十華嚴)Avataṃsaka-sūtra (80-fascicle)T10, No. 279View on CBETA online reader ↗_p0245a06. Trans. Śikṣānanda. "The buddhas, the world-honored ones, have ten kinds of mastery-dharma … and have never used even a little expedient power — this is the buddhas' tenth mastery-dharma." The Avataṃsaka separately establishes a gate of "the buddhas, the world-honored ones', ten mastery-dharmas" — belonging to a list other than the eighth-ground bodhisattva's ten masteries (the buddhas' ten masteries vs. the eighth-ground bodhisattva's, set out as distinct texts). ↩ ↩²

8. 《大方廣佛華嚴經》（八十華嚴）卷第三十八（十地品·第八不動地）, T10n0279《大方廣佛華嚴經》(八十華嚴)Avataṃsaka-sūtra (80-fascicle)T10, No. 279View on CBETA online reader ↗_p0199b01. Trans. Śikṣānanda. "Yet, good man! The ten powers, the fearlessnesses, the eighteen distinctive dharmas of the buddhas that we possess — these you have not yet attained. You should, in order to accomplish these dharmas, apply diligent effort, and do not let go of this gate of forbearance." The buddhas exhort the eighth-ground bodhisattva in person: the buddhas' ten powers, fearlessnesses, distinctive dharmas at this position (the eighth ground) "not yet attained" — the plain witness that the eighth ground's ten masteries are path-bound to the causal stage, not the buddha-fruit's perfection. ↩ ↩²