華嚴經 白話全本 · 冊10Avataṃsaka Sūtra · Complete Vernacular · Vol. 10

The Place of Speaking: The World-Honored One Sits upon the Lion Seat of the Lotus Treasury in the Palace of Universal Light

(narrated by the compilers of the sūtra)

At that time the World-Honored One was in the palace of Universal Light within the wilderness place of awakening of the Dharma in the country of Magadha, seated upon the lion seat of the lotus treasury — his subtle awakening full and complete in every part, the two mutually opposed practices (the pair that is knowing and not knowing) forever cut off, and the markless Dharma penetrated; abiding in what the buddhas abide in, having gained the substance that is equal with all the buddhas, having reached the place where there is no obstruction, having gained the Dharma that cannot be turned by another; all that he practises without hindrance, what he establishes inconceivable, seeing universally the three times, past, present, and future; his body constantly filling and pervading all lands, his wisdom constantly clear and penetrating all dharmas; knowing all practices, exhausting all doubts, no one able to measure his body; the wisdom that all bodhisattvas alike seek he is furnished with entire, having reached the further shore of the Buddha’s ultimate non-duality, furnished with the equal liberation of the Tathāgata, having realized the ground of the Buddha’s evenness that has neither middle nor border, exhausting the Dharma realm and equalling the realm of empty space.

The Assembly: Bodhisattvas of the Final Birth, Unspeakably Many as Dust-Motes, Gathered from Other Quarters

Together with him there were bodhisattva-mahāsattvas as many as the dust-motes of unspeakably many hundreds of thousands of koṭis of nayutas (the name of an exceedingly great number) of buddha-lands, all of them persons who after one more birth would attain unsurpassed perfect awakening; and each from the various lands of other quarters had come together and gathered here, all of them furnished with the skillful means and the wisdom of a bodhisattva.

The Virtues of the Assembly (First Part): Ten Clauses of the Virtue of Their Own Portion — Well Able to Contemplate, Well Able to Take In, Well Knowing, Able to Uphold Entire

That is to say: well contemplating all beings, and by the power of skillful means causing them to be tamed and to abide in the dharma of a bodhisattva; well contemplating all worlds, and by the power of skillful means able to go and reach them all universally; well contemplating the state of nirvāṇa, pondering and weighing it and so forever leaving behind all frivolous argument and discrimination, and yet cultivating wondrous practice without interruption; well taking in all beings; well entering the measureless and various dharmas of skillful means, knowing that beings are empty and have nothing whatever, and yet not destroying the principle of deeds and their fruits; well knowing the minds and the proclivities of beings (what the mind thinks upon, and the afflictive proclivities that follow upon the mind), the faculties, and the objects of beings, together with the various distinctions among skillful means; able to uphold entire the Dharma of the buddhas of the three times, gaining understanding of it themselves and expounding it for others as well; concerning the measureless dharmas of the world and beyond the world, all of them well abiding and knowing their reality; concerning all dharmas conditioned and unconditioned, all of them well contemplating and knowing that there is no duality.

The Virtues of the Assembly (Second Part): Nine Clauses of the Virtue of Advancing Beyond — In a Single Thought Gaining the Wisdom of the Three Times, in Thought after Thought Displaying the Attaining of the Path

In a single thought they are all able to obtain the wisdom possessed by the buddhas of the three times; in thought after thought they are all able to display the accomplishing of right and equal awakening, causing all beings to give rise to the mind and to attain the path; upon the object that a single being’s mind takes as its condition they know entire the states of all beings; though they have entered the ground of the Tathāgata’s all-knowing wisdom, they do not abandon the various works that are done in the practice of a bodhisattva, using wisdom and skillful means while in truth doing nothing that is made; for the sake of each and every being they abide in the world for measureless kalpas, and in asaṃkhyeya kalpas (kalpas beyond number) they are hard to encounter; in turning the wheel of the right Dharma and taming beings, nothing is spent in vain; the pure practices and vows of the buddhas of the three times they are already furnished with entire; they have accomplished measureless merit such as this, which all the tathāgatas through boundless kalpas could not finish telling.

The Names of the Assembly: The Ten Foremost, Named with “Universal”

Their names were: the bodhisattva Samantabhadra (Universally Worthy), the bodhisattva Universal Eye, the bodhisattva Universal Transformation, the bodhisattva Universal Wisdom, the bodhisattva Universal Seeing, the bodhisattva Universal Light, the bodhisattva Universal Beholding, the bodhisattva Universal Illumining, the bodhisattva Universal Banner, the bodhisattva Universal Awakening … . Of such as these there were unspeakably many hundreds of thousands of koṭis of nayutas of buddha-lands’ dust-motes, ten times over — all of them had accomplished the practices and vows of Samantabhadra, and their deep minds and great vows were already fulfilled; wherever any buddha arises in the world, they are able to go to that place and request the Buddha to turn the wheel of the Dharma; they well uphold the Dharma-eye of the buddhas, and do not let the lineage of any buddha be cut off; they well know the sequence, the names, the lands, the accomplishing of right and equal awakening, and the turning of the wheel of the Dharma in the predictions given at the arising of all the buddhas in the world; in worlds where there is no buddha they manifest a body and become a buddha, and are able to cause all defiled beings to become pure entire; they are able to extinguish the karmic obstructions of all bodhisattvas, and to enter the unobstructed and pure Dharma realm.

The Portion of the Samādhi: Samantabhadra Enters the Vast Samādhi Named “The Adornment of the Buddha-Flower”

At that time the bodhisattva-mahāsattva Samantabhadra entered a vast samādhi, named: The Adornment of the Buddha-Flower;

The Portion of the Prompting and the Portion of the Rising: The Six Kinds and Eighteen Aspects of Quaking in the Ten Directions, a Great Sound Sent Forth, and Then the Rising from the Samādhi

when he entered this samādhi, all the worlds there are in the ten directions quaked in six kinds and in eighteen aspects, and sent forth a great sound that there was no place where it was not heard; and after that he rose up out of that samādhi.

The Portion of the Request (General Heading): Universal Wisdom Knows the Assembly Has Gathered and Puts His Question to Samantabhadra

At that time the bodhisattva Universal Wisdom, knowing that the great assembly had already gathered, asked the bodhisattva Samantabhadra, saying —

The Questions Proper (1): The First Question to the Twentieth

“Son of the Buddha! Expound for us, we pray:

“What is the support of a bodhisattva-mahāsattva (that upon which he leans)? What is the extraordinary thought (a thought out of the common run)? What is practice? What is the good friend? What is diligent exertion? What is the mind’s gaining of peace and ease? What is the bringing of beings to accomplishment? What is moral discipline? What is knowing for oneself that one has received the prediction? What is entering into the bodhisattva? What is entering into the Tathāgata? What is entering into the mind and conduct of beings? What is entering into worlds? What is entering into kalpas (lengths of time)? What is speaking of the three times? What is entering into the three times? What is giving rise to a mind that never wearies? What is the wisdom of distinctions (the wisdom that discriminates the various distinctions)? What is dhāraṇī (total retention, which gathers in and holds in memory without loss)? What is expounding the Buddha?

The Questions Proper (2): The Twenty-First Question to the Fortieth

“What is giving rise to the mind of Samantabhadra? What are the dharmas of the practice of Samantabhadra? By what cause is great compassion given rise to? What are the causes and conditions of giving rise to the mind of awakening? What is giving rise to a mind of reverence toward the good friend? What is purity? What are the pāramitās (the various practices of going to the further shore)? What is wisdom’s following and awakening (wisdom awakening in accord)? What is realizing and knowing? What is power? What is evenness? What is the clause of the real meaning of the Buddha’s Dharma? What is expounding the Dharma? What is holding (holding fast without loss)? What is eloquence? What is mastery? What is the nature of non-attachment (the substance that does not cling)? What is the mind of evenness? What is bringing forth wisdom? What is transformation?

The Questions Proper (3): The Forty-First Question to the Seventieth

“What is upholding by power (sustaining by strength)? What is gaining great gladness and comfort? What is entering deeply into the Buddha’s Dharma? What is reliance? What is giving rise to a fearless mind? What is giving rise to a mind without doubt? What is the inconceivable? What is skillful secret speech (speech that is skillful and hidden)? What is the wisdom of skillful discrimination? What is entering samādhi (entering concentration)? What is entering everywhere? What is the gate of liberation? What are the spiritual penetrations? What is clear knowing (the wisdom that illumines)? What is liberation? What are the gardens and groves? What are the palaces? What is what is delighted in (what is loved and delighted in)? What is adornment? What is giving rise to an unmoving mind? What is not abandoning the deep and great mind? What is contemplation? What is expounding the Dharma? What is purity? What is the seal (the standard sealed fast and unchanging)? What is the shining of the light of wisdom? What is the abiding without equal (the abiding to which nothing can be likened)? What is the mind without anything base? What is the surpassing mind that is like a mountain? What is entering the ocean-like wisdom of unsurpassed awakening?

The Questions Proper (4): The Seventy-First Question to the Hundredth

“What is the abiding that is like a jewel (an abiding like a jewel)? What is giving rise to the mind of the great vow of the Great Vehicle that is like a vajra? What is the great giving rise? What is the ultimate great matter? What is unbreakable faith? What is receiving the prediction? What is the dedication of roots of goodness? What is gaining wisdom? What is giving rise to a boundless and vast mind? What is the hidden treasury (a treasury lying concealed)? What is the code of discipline (the rule that guards against wrong and stops evil)? What is mastery? What is unobstructed operation (an operation with nothing to obstruct it)? What is unobstructed operation upon beings? What is unobstructed operation upon lands (the unobstructed operation in respect of lands)? What is unobstructed operation upon dharmas? What is unobstructed operation upon bodies? What is unobstructed operation upon vows? What is unobstructed operation upon objects? What is unobstructed operation upon wisdom? What is unobstructed operation upon the spiritual penetrations? What is unobstructed operation upon spiritual power? What is unobstructed operation upon power? What is play? What are the objects? What is power? What is fearlessness? What are the exclusive dharmas (the dharmas a bodhisattva alone has and does not share with the two vehicles)? What is karma? What is the body?

The Questions Proper (5): The Hundred-and-First Question to the Hundred-and-Fiftieth

“What is bodily karma? What is the body? What is speech? What is cultivating the karma of speech in purity? What is gaining protection? What is bringing the great matter to accomplishment? What is the mind? What is giving rise to the mind? What is the all-pervading mind? What are the faculties? What is the deep mind? What is the surpassing deep mind? What is diligent cultivation? What is settled resolve (the surpassing resolve that is fixed and does not shift)? What is entering into worlds by settled resolve? What is entering into the realm of beings by settled resolve? What are the habit-energies (the residual force perfumed in by long habit)? What is grasping? What is cultivating? What is accomplishing the Buddha’s Dharma? What is the path of falling away from the Buddha’s Dharma? What is the path of leaving birth (the path of going forth from birth and death)? What is the settled Dharma? What is the path of bringing forth the Buddha’s Dharma? What is the designation of a great man? What is the path? What is the measureless path? What is what aids the path (the equipment that aids in attaining the path)? What is cultivating the path? What is adorning the path? What are the feet? What are the hands? What is the belly? What is the treasury? What is the heart? What is the armor that is put on (the mail that is worn)? What are the weapons that are held (the arms that are grasped)? What is the head? What are the eyes? What are the ears? What is the nose? What is the tongue? What is the body? What is the intent? What is walking? What is standing? What is sitting? What is lying down? What is the place where he abides? What is the place where he walks?

The Questions Proper (6): The Hundred-and-Fifty-First Question to the Two-Hundred-and-First

“What is contemplating? What is contemplating universally? What is the surge of vigor (the momentum of rousing up and going swiftly)? What is the lion’s roar? What is pure giving? What is pure keeping of the precepts? What is pure patience? What is pure exertion? What is pure concentration? What is pure wisdom? What is pure loving-kindness? What is pure compassion? What is pure joy? What is pure equanimity? What is the meaning? What is the Dharma? What is the equipment that aids the path in merit? What is the equipment that aids the path in wisdom? What is the fullness of clear knowing (clear knowing and conduct both fulfilled)? What is seeking the Dharma? What is understanding the Dharma clearly? What is practising the Dharma? What is Māra? What is the work of Māra? What is forsaking the work of Māra? What is seeing the Buddha? What is the work of the Buddha? What is the work of conceit (the karma made by pride and conceit)? What is the work of wisdom? What is being taken in and held by Māra? What is being taken in and held by the Buddha? What is being taken in and held by the Dharma? What is the work done while dwelling in the Tuṣita heaven? Why does he display the ending of his life in the palace of the Tuṣita heaven? Why does he display dwelling within his mother’s womb? What is the subtle destiny that he displays (the subtle state manifested while dwelling in the womb)? Why does he display his first being born? Why does he display his smiling? Why does he display his walking seven steps? Why does he display the stage of a young boy? Why does he display dwelling within the inner palace? Why does he display leaving the household life? Why does he display austerities? How does he go to the place of awakening? How does he sit at the place of awakening? What are the extraordinary marks when he sits at the place of awakening? Why does he display the subduing of Māra? What is accomplishing the powers of the Tathāgata? How does he turn the wheel of the Dharma? Why is it that by turning the wheel of the Dharma he gains the white and pure dharmas? Why does the Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Awakened One, display his entry into parinirvāṇa?

The Closing Request: It Is Good, Son of the Buddha! We Pray You Will Expound

“It is good, son of the Buddha! Dharmas of this sort and the like — we pray you will expound them for us!”

Gate One · The Ten Reliances: What a Practice Has to Stand On

At that time, the bodhisattva Samantabhadra said to the bodhisattva Universal Wisdom and to the other bodhisattvas:

“Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva (one who has roused the great mind and practices) has ten kinds of reliance (the supports upon which one leans). Which are the ten? They are these: he takes the mind of awakening (the mind that seeks enlightenment) as what he relies upon, because he constantly does not forget and lose it; he takes good friends (the good teachers and companions who are able to instruct one) as what he relies upon, because he is joined together with them as though they were one person; he takes roots of goodness as what he relies upon, because he is able to cultivate and gather them so that they increase and grow; he takes the pāramitās (the practices that go to the far shore) as what he relies upon, because he is able to carry out the practice completely; he takes all dharmas as what he relies upon, because in the end it is through them that he comes forth and away; he takes the great vow as what he relies upon, because it is able to make awakening increase and grow; he takes the many kinds of practice as what he relies upon, because they are able to accomplish everything universally; he takes all bodhisattvas as what he relies upon, because he is of one and the same wisdom with them; he takes the making of offerings to the Buddhas as what he relies upon, because faith is thereby made pure; he takes all Tathāgatas as what he relies upon, because their teaching is unbroken, as a kind father’s is. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide in this dharma, they will become the place upon which the unsurpassed great wisdom of a Tathāgata relies.

Gate Two · The Ten Extraordinary Perceptions: Looking at Things with Another Pair of Eyes

“Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva has ten kinds of extraordinary perception (perceptions that go beyond the ordinary). Which are the ten? They are these: toward all roots of goodness he gives rise to the perception that these are his own roots of goodness; toward all roots of goodness he gives rise to the perception that these are the seeds of awakening; toward all beings he gives rise to the perception that these are vessels able to hold awakening; toward all vows he gives rise to the perception that these are his own vows; toward all dharmas he gives rise to the perception that these are dharmas of coming forth and away; toward all practice he gives rise to the perception that this is his own practice; toward all dharmas he gives rise to the perception that these are all the Buddha’s dharmas; toward all dharmas of speech he gives rise to the perception that these are a road that leads through to the sense; toward all Buddhas he gives rise to the perception of a kind father; toward all Tathāgatas he gives rise to the perception that there is no difference between them and himself. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide in this dharma, they will obtain the unsurpassed skillful perception.

Gate Three · The Ten Practices: Bringing the Perception Down into Deeds

“Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva has ten kinds of practice. Which are the ten? They are these: the practice of all beings, for the sake of bringing beings universally to ripeness; the practice of seeking all dharmas, for the sake of cultivating and studying them all; the practice of all roots of goodness, for the sake of making them all increase and grow; the practice of all samādhis (the mind settled and abiding in one place), for the sake of the one mind that is not scattered; the practice of all wisdom, for the sake of there being not one thing that is not clearly known; the practice of all cultivating, for the sake of there being not one thing that cannot be cultivated; the practice of all Buddha-fields (the lands of the Buddhas), for the sake of adorning them all; the practice of all good friends, for the sake of revering them and making offerings to them; the practice of all Tathāgatas, for the sake of honoring them and attending upon them. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide in this dharma, they will obtain the unsurpassed great wisdom-practice of a Tathāgata.

Gate Four · The Ten Good Friends: What Sort of Person Counts as a Good Teacher

“Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva has ten kinds of good friend. Which are the ten? They are these: the good friend who is able to make one abide in the mind of awakening; the good friend who is able to make one give rise to roots of goodness; the good friend who is able to make one practice the pāramitās; the good friend who is able to make one explain all dharmas; the good friend who is able to make one bring all beings to ripeness; the good friend who is able to make one obtain settled eloquence; the good friend who is able to make one not cling to any world; the good friend who is able to make one practice throughout all kalpas without wearying; the good friend who is able to make one abide in the practice of Samantabhadra; the good friend who is able to make one enter where all the wisdom of the Buddhas enters. These are the ten.

Gate Five · The Ten Diligent Exertions: Where the Strength Is to Be Spent

“Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva has ten kinds of diligent exertion. Which are the ten? They are these: the diligent exertion of teaching and transforming all beings; the diligent exertion of entering deeply into all dharmas; the diligent exertion of adorning and purifying all worlds; the diligent exertion of practicing all that a bodhisattva ought to study; the diligent exertion of extinguishing the evil of all beings; the diligent exertion of bringing to rest the suffering of all three evil destinies; the diligent exertion of crushing and breaking all the hosts of Māra; the diligent exertion of vowing to be a pure eye for all beings; the diligent exertion of making offerings to all the Buddhas; the diligent exertion of causing all Tathāgatas to rejoice. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide in this dharma, they will be complete in the unsurpassed pāramitā of exertion of a Tathāgata.

Gate Six · The Ten Ways the Mind Comes to Rest: Only What Is Settled in Oneself Can Settle Another

“Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva has ten ways in which the mind comes to rest (the mind is settled and at ease). Which are the ten? They are these: he himself abides in the mind of awakening, and he ought also to make others abide in the mind of awakening, and the mind comes to rest; he himself utterly departs from anger and quarreling, and he ought also to make others depart from anger and quarreling, and the mind comes to rest; he himself departs from the dharma of the ordinary and the foolish, and he makes others also depart from the dharma of the ordinary and the foolish, and the mind comes to rest; he himself diligently cultivates roots of goodness, and he makes others also diligently cultivate roots of goodness, and the mind comes to rest; he himself abides in the path of the pāramitās, and he makes others also abide in the path of the pāramitās, and the mind comes to rest; he himself is born within the household of the Buddha, and he ought also to make others be born within the household of the Buddha, and the mind comes to rest; he himself enters deeply into the real dharma that has no self-nature, and he makes others also enter the real dharma that has no self-nature, and the mind comes to rest; he himself does not slander any of the Buddha’s dharmas, and he makes others also not slander any of the Buddha’s dharmas, and the mind comes to rest; he himself fulfills the vow of the awakening that is all-wisdom, and he makes others also fulfill the vow of the awakening that is all-wisdom, and the mind comes to rest; he himself enters deeply into the inexhaustible treasury of wisdom of all Tathāgatas, and he makes others also enter the inexhaustible treasury of wisdom of all Tathāgatas, and the mind comes to rest. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide in this dharma, they will obtain the rest of the unsurpassed great wisdom of a Tathāgata.

Gate Seven · The Ten Ways of Bringing Beings to Accomplishment: Ten Roads for Raising People Up

“Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva has ten kinds of dharma for bringing beings to accomplishment (causing beings to be accomplished). Which are the ten? They are these: he brings beings to accomplishment by giving; he brings beings to accomplishment by the body of form; he brings beings to accomplishment by expounding the Dharma; he brings beings to accomplishment by walking the same road as they do; he brings beings to accomplishment by being unstained and unattached; he brings beings to accomplishment by opening up and showing the bodhisattva practice; he brings beings to accomplishment by displaying all worlds ablaze; he brings beings to accomplishment by displaying the great awesome virtue of the Buddha’s Dharma; he brings beings to accomplishment by manifesting supernatural powers of every kind; he brings beings to accomplishment by fine and secret skillful means of every kind. These are the ten. It is by these that a bodhisattva brings to accomplishment the realm of beings.

Gate Eight · The Ten Precepts: A Precept Is Not Only What One Does Not Do

“Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva has ten kinds of precept. Which are the ten? They are these: the precept of not casting away the mind of awakening; the precept of departing far from the ground of the two vehicles (the hearers and the solitary awakened); the precept of contemplating what benefits all beings; the precept of making all beings abide in the Buddha’s Dharma; the precept of cultivating and studying all that a bodhisattva ought to study; the precept obtained by grasping nothing at all in any dharma; the precept of dedicating and directing all roots of goodness toward awakening; the precept of not clinging to the body of any Tathāgata; the precept of pondering all dharmas and leaving grasping and attachment behind; the precept of the restraint of the faculties (eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind each keeping to its own bounds). These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide in this dharma, they will obtain the unsurpassed vast pāramitā of the precepts of a Tathāgata.

Gate Nine · The Ten Dharmas of Receiving the Prediction: How One Knows for Oneself That the Road Is Right

“Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva has ten kinds of dharma of receiving the prediction (receiving from a Buddha the prediction of becoming a Buddha in time to come), and by these a bodhisattva knows of himself that he has already received the prediction. Which are the ten? They are these: he rouses the mind of awakening with a surpassing intent, and knows of himself that he has received the prediction; he never wearies of the bodhisattva practices nor casts them away, and knows of himself that he has received the prediction; he abides throughout all kalpas carrying out the bodhisattva practice, and knows of himself that he has received the prediction; he cultivates all the Buddha’s dharmas, and knows of himself that he has received the prediction; toward all the Buddha’s teaching he has a single-hearted deep faith, and knows of himself that he has received the prediction; he cultivates all roots of goodness and brings them all to accomplishment, and knows of himself that he has received the prediction; he sets all beings within the awakening of the Buddha, and knows of himself that he has received the prediction; toward all good friends he is joined together with them without a second mind, and knows of himself that he has received the prediction; toward all good friends he gives rise to the perception of a Tathāgata, and knows of himself that he has received the prediction; he constantly and diligently guards the original vow of awakening, and knows of himself that he has received the prediction. These are the ten.

Gate Ten · The Ten Enterings into the Bodhisattvas: Getting Inside Another’s Practice

“Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva has ten kinds of entering (entering into), and they enter into the bodhisattvas. Which are the ten? They are these: he enters into their original vows; he enters into their practice; he enters into their gathering (what has been amassed); he enters into the pāramitās; he enters into their accomplishment; he enters into their vows of every difference; he enters into their resolutions of every kind; he enters into the adorning of Buddha-lands; he enters into mastery of supernatural power; he enters into the displaying of the taking of birth. These are the ten. It is by these that a bodhisattva enters universally into all the bodhisattvas of the three times.

Gate Eleven · The Ten Enterings into the Tathāgatas: Getting Inside the Buddha’s Fruit

“Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva has ten kinds of entering, and they enter into the Tathāgatas. Which are the ten? They are these: he enters into the boundless accomplishing of right awakening; he enters into the boundless turning of the wheel of the Dharma; he enters into the boundless dharmas of skillful means; he enters into the boundless sounds and voices of every difference; he enters into the boundless taming of beings; he enters into the boundless mastery of supernatural power; he enters into the boundless bodies of every difference; he enters into the boundless samādhis; he enters into the boundless powers and fearlessnesses; he enters into the boundless displaying of nirvāṇa. These are the ten. It is by these that a bodhisattva enters universally into all the Tathāgatas of the three times.

Gate Twelve · The Ten Enterings into the Practice of Beings: Being Able to Read What People Are Doing

“Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva has ten kinds of entering into the practice of beings. Which are the ten? They are these: he enters into the past practice of all beings; he enters into the future practice of all beings; he enters into the present practice of all beings; he enters into the good practice of all beings; he enters into the not-good practice of all beings; he enters into the mind-practice of all beings; he enters into the practice of the faculties and the disposition of all beings; he enters into the practice of the resolution of all beings; he enters into the practice of the afflictions and the habit-energies of all beings; he enters into the practice of what is the time and what is not the time for the teaching and taming of all beings. These are the ten. It is by these that a bodhisattva enters universally into the practice of all beings.

Gate Thirteen · The Ten Enterings into Worlds: There Is No Kind of World He Cannot Enter

“Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva has ten kinds of entering into worlds. Which are the ten? They are these: he enters into defiled worlds; he enters into pure worlds; he enters into small worlds; he enters into great worlds; he enters into the worlds within a single mote of dust; he enters into fine and minute worlds; he enters into worlds that are turned over and face downward; he enters into worlds that are turned up and face upward; he enters into worlds that have a Buddha; he enters into worlds that have no Buddha. These are the ten. It is by these that a bodhisattva enters universally into all the worlds of the ten directions.

Gate Fourteen · The Ten Enterings into Kalpas: Time Too Is Something One Can Enter

“Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva has ten kinds of entering into kalpas (stretches of time of the utmost length). Which are the ten? They are these: he enters into past kalpas; he enters into future kalpas; he enters into present kalpas; he enters into kalpas that can be counted; he enters into kalpas that cannot be counted; he enters into countable kalpas that are the very kalpas that cannot be counted; he enters into uncountable kalpas that are the very kalpas that can be counted; he enters into all kalpas that are the very absence of kalpas; he enters into the absence of kalpas that is the very whole of all kalpas; he enters into all kalpas that are the very single thought. These are the ten. It is by these that a bodhisattva enters universally into all kalpas.

Gate Fifteen · The Ten Ways of Speaking of the Three Times: How the Three Times Speak Through One Another

“Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva has ten ways of speaking of the three times (past, present, and future). Which are the ten? They are these: in the past age he speaks of the past age; in the past age he speaks of the future age; in the past age he speaks of the present age; in the future age he speaks of the past age; in the future age he speaks of the present age; in the future age he speaks of there being no exhausting; in the present age he speaks of the past age; in the present age he speaks of the future age; in the present age he speaks of evenness; in the present age he speaks of the three times as the very single thought. These are the ten. It is by these that a bodhisattva speaks universally of the three times.

Gate Sixteen · The Ten Ways of Knowing the Three Times: Knowing What Is Held Inside the Three Times

“Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva has ten ways of knowing the three times. Which are the ten? They are these: he knows the many kinds of setting-up (names and marks that are laid down and established); he knows the many kinds of speech; he knows the many kinds of discussion and debate; he knows the many kinds of rule and standard; he knows the many kinds of designation; he knows the many kinds of institution and ordinance; he knows that they are all borrowed names; he knows that they have no exhausting; he knows that they are of themselves quiescent; he knows that all is empty. These are the ten. It is by these that a bodhisattva knows universally all the dharmas of the three times.

Gate Seventeen · The Ten Minds That Do Not Weary: The Mind That Does Not Get Tired

“Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva rouses ten kinds of mind that does not weary (a mind that neither tires nor grows sick of the work). Which are the ten? They are these: the mind that does not weary of making offerings to all the Buddhas; the mind that does not weary of drawing near to all good friends; the mind that does not weary of seeking all dharmas; the mind that does not weary of hearing the true Dharma; the mind that does not weary of proclaiming the true Dharma; the mind that does not weary of teaching and taming all beings; the mind that does not weary of setting all beings within the awakening of the Buddha; the mind that does not weary of passing through kalpas beyond telling and beyond telling in each single world, carrying out the bodhisattva practice; the mind that does not weary of journeying through all worlds; the mind that does not weary of contemplating and pondering all the Buddha’s dharmas. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide in this dharma, they will obtain the unsurpassed great wisdom of a Tathāgata, which neither tires nor wearies.

Gate Eighteen · The Ten Wisdoms of Difference: Only One Who Can Tell Things Apart Can Teach

“Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva has ten kinds of wisdom of difference (the wisdom that is able to tell differences apart). Which are the ten? They are these: the wisdom that knows the differences among beings; the wisdom that knows the differences among the faculties and dispositions; the wisdom that knows the differences among deeds and their fruits; the wisdom that knows the differences in the taking of birth; the wisdom that knows the differences among worlds; the wisdom that knows the differences within the dharma-realm; the wisdom that knows the differences among the Buddhas; the wisdom that knows the differences among the dharmas; the wisdom that knows the differences among the three times; the wisdom that knows the differences among all the roads of speech. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide in this dharma, they will obtain the unsurpassed vast wisdom of difference of a Tathāgata.

Gate Nineteen · The Ten Dhāraṇīs: Only What Is Held Fast Does Not Leak Away

“Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva has ten kinds of dhāraṇī (total holding — that which is able to hold and not lose). Which are the ten? They are these: the dhāraṇī of holding what is heard, because it is able to hold all dharmas and not forget and lose them; the dhāraṇī of practice, because it is able to contemplate all dharmas as they really are and with skill; the dhāraṇī of pondering, because it is able to know clearly the nature of all dharmas; the dhāraṇī of the light of the Dharma, because it is able to illumine and see the inconceivable dharmas of the Buddhas; the dhāraṇī of samādhi, because it is able to hear the true Dharma universally in the presence of all the Buddhas of the present with a mind that is not scattered; the dhāraṇī of the perfect voice, because it is able to understand inconceivable sounds and speech; the dhāraṇī of the three times, because it is able to set forth the inconceivable dharmas of the Buddhas of the three times; the dhāraṇī of eloquence of every kind, because it is able to set forth the boundless dharmas of the Buddhas; the dhāraṇī of bringing forth the unobstructed ear, because the dharmas spoken by Buddhas beyond telling can all be heard; the dhāraṇī of all the Buddha’s dharmas, because it is able to abide in the powers and the fearlessnesses of a Tathāgata. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas wish to obtain this dharma, they ought to cultivate and study it diligently.

Gate Twenty · Speaking of the Ten Buddhas: At the Last, a Word on What a Buddha Is

“Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva speaks of ten kinds of Buddha. Which are the ten? They are these: the Buddha who accomplishes right awakening; the Buddha of the vow; the Buddha of the fruit of deeds; the Buddha who upholds and sustains; the Buddha of nirvāṇa; the Buddha of the dharma-realm; the Buddha of mind; the Buddha of samādhi; the Buddha of original nature; the Buddha who accords with what is delighted in. These are the ten.

Gate 1, the Ten Kinds of Samantabhadra Mind: The Ten Shapes That Giving Rise to the Mind Takes

(Samantabhadra Bodhisattva speaks to Universal Wisdom Bodhisattva and the other bodhisattvas:)

“Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva (a practitioner who has given rise to the great mind) is to give rise to ten kinds of Samantabhadra mind. Which ten? They are: giving rise to the mind of great kindness, for the sake of rescuing and protecting all sentient beings; giving rise to the mind of great compassion, for the sake of bearing the suffering of all sentient beings in their stead; giving rise to the mind that is willing to give everything away, for the sake of letting go of all that he has, every bit of it; giving rise to the mind that takes the recollection of all-knowing wisdom as its head, for the sake of delighting in seeking all the dharmas of the Buddha; giving rise to the mind adorned with merit, for the sake of studying all that the bodhisattvas practice; giving rise to the mind that is like vajra, for the sake of never losing his original vow in whatever place he takes birth; giving rise to the mind that is like the great ocean, for the sake of letting all the white and pure dharmas flow into it; giving rise to the mind that is like the king of the great mountains, for the sake of being able to bear all evil words; giving rise to the mind that makes others secure, for the sake of giving all sentient beings freedom from fear; giving rise to the ultimate mind of prajñā-pāramitā (wisdom that reaches the other shore), for the sake of observing with skill that all dharmas are fundamentally without anything at all. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide in these minds, they will swiftly accomplish the skillful wisdom of Samantabhadra.

Gate 2, the Ten Samantabhadra Practice-Dharmas: Turning the Mind into Vows

“Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva has ten Samantabhadra practice-dharmas. Which ten? They are: vowing to abide and practice throughout all the kalpas of the future — this is a Samantabhadra practice-dharma; vowing to make offerings to and revere all the buddhas of the future — this is a Samantabhadra practice-dharma; vowing to place all sentient beings in the practice-gate of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva — this is a Samantabhadra practice-dharma; vowing to gather together all roots of goodness — this is a Samantabhadra practice-dharma; vowing to enter all the perfections — this is a Samantabhadra practice-dharma; vowing to fulfill all the practice of a bodhisattva — this is a Samantabhadra practice-dharma; vowing to adorn all worlds — this is a Samantabhadra practice-dharma; vowing to be born in all the lands of the buddhas — this is a Samantabhadra practice-dharma; vowing to observe all dharmas well — this is a Samantabhadra practice-dharma; vowing to accomplish unsurpassed awakening in all buddha-lands — this is a Samantabhadra practice-dharma. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas diligently cultivate these dharmas, they will swiftly fulfill the practice and the vow of Samantabhadra.

Gate 3, the Ten Ways of Observing Sentient Beings and Giving Rise to Great Compassion: Compassion Begins from Seeing

“Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva gives rise to great compassion by ten ways of observing sentient beings. Which ten? They are: observing that sentient beings have nothing to lean on and no one to protect them, and thereby giving rise to great compassion; observing that the nature of sentient beings is not pliant and does not go along, and thereby giving rise to great compassion; observing that sentient beings are poor and have no roots of goodness, and thereby giving rise to great compassion; observing that sentient beings sleep on through the long night and do not wake, and thereby giving rise to great compassion; observing that what sentient beings practice is unwholesome dharmas, and thereby giving rise to great compassion; observing that sentient beings are bound tight by the ropes of craving, and thereby giving rise to great compassion; observing that sentient beings are sunk in the great ocean of birth and death, and thereby giving rise to great compassion; observing that sentient beings are long entangled in the suffering of illness, and thereby giving rise to great compassion; observing that sentient beings have no wish for wholesome dharmas, and thereby giving rise to great compassion; observing that sentient beings have lost the dharmas of the buddhas, and thereby giving rise to great compassion. These are the ten. A bodhisattva constantly observes sentient beings with a mind like this.

Gate 4, the Ten Causes and Conditions for Giving Rise to the Mind of Awakening: Why the Mind Is to Be Given Rise To

“Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva has ten causes and conditions for giving rise to the mind of awakening. Which ten? They are: for the sake of teaching and disciplining all sentient beings, he gives rise to the mind of awakening; for the sake of wiping out all the heaped-up sufferings of all sentient beings, he gives rise to the mind of awakening; for the sake of giving all sentient beings complete ease and joy, he gives rise to the mind of awakening; for the sake of cutting off the folly of all sentient beings, he gives rise to the mind of awakening; for the sake of giving all sentient beings the wisdom of a buddha, he gives rise to the mind of awakening; for the sake of revering and making offerings to all the buddhas, he gives rise to the mind of awakening; for the sake of going along with the instruction of the Tathāgata and making the buddhas rejoice, he gives rise to the mind of awakening; for the sake of getting to see the form-bodies and the marks and signs of all the buddhas, he gives rise to the mind of awakening; for the sake of entering the vast wisdom of all the buddhas, he gives rise to the mind of awakening; for the sake of displaying the powers and the fearlessnesses of the buddhas, he gives rise to the mind of awakening. These are the ten.

Gate 5, the Ten Minds to Be Raised in Drawing Near a Good Friend: The Mind for Learning the Dharma from Someone

“Sons of the Buddha! If a bodhisattva gives rise to the unsurpassed mind of awakening, then for the sake of entering into the wisdom of all wisdom (the wisdom of a buddha), at the time of drawing near to and making offerings to a good friend (a fine teacher able to instruct him), he should give rise to ten kinds of mind. Which ten? They are: giving rise to the mind of waiting upon and serving; the mind of gladness; the mind that does not go against; the mind that goes along; the mind that does not seek anything else; the mind that is single and not double; the mind of having one and the same root of goodness with the good friend; the mind of having one and the same vow with the good friend; the mind of regarding the good friend as the Tathāgata; the mind of fulfilling his practice in the same way as the good friend. These are the ten.

Gate 6, the Ten Purities: The Fruit Gained by Drawing Near a Good Friend

“Sons of the Buddha! If a bodhisattva-mahāsattva gives rise to a mind like this, he will gain ten kinds of purity. Which ten? They are: purity of the deep mind, because he is able to reach the ultimate and not fall away from it; purity of the form-body, because he displays himself to sentient beings in whatever shape suits them; purity of voice, because he has mastered all the various kinds of speech; purity of eloquence, because he is good at proclaiming the boundless dharmas of the buddhas; purity of wisdom, because he has left behind all the darkness of folly; purity of taking birth, because he is complete in the bodhisattva's power of mastery; purity of retinue, because he has brought to accomplishment the various roots of goodness of the sentient beings who practiced alongside him in the past; purity of the fruit of recompense, because he has wiped out all the hindrances of karma; purity of the great vow, because there is no difference between his own substance and that of the other bodhisattvas; purity of the practices, because it is by riding the vehicle of Samantabhadra that he comes forth. These are the ten.

Gate 7, the Ten Perfections: Ten Things That Reach the Other Shore

“Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva has ten perfections. Which ten? They are: the perfection of giving, because he lets go of every single thing he has; the perfection of the precepts, because he purifies the precepts laid down by the Buddha; the perfection of patience, because he abides in the patience of a buddha; the perfection of vigor, because in all that he does he does not turn back; the perfection of meditative concentration, because his mindfulness rests upon a single object; the perfection of prajñā, because he observes all dharmas as they really are; the perfection of knowledge, because he enters into the powers of a buddha; the perfection of vows, because he fulfills the various great vows of Samantabhadra; the perfection of spiritual penetration, because he displays the workings of every mastery; the perfection of dharma, because he enters universally into all the dharmas of the buddhas. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide in this dharma, they will be complete in the unsurpassed perfection of great knowledge of the Tathāgata.

Gate 8, the Ten Wisdoms That Awaken in Accordance: Wisdom Awakes Wherever It Is

“Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva has ten wisdoms that awaken in accordance (wisdom that awakens in accordance with things and with principle). Which ten? They are: the wisdom that awakens in accordance with the measureless differences of all worlds; the wisdom that awakens in accordance with the inconceivability of all the realms of sentient beings; the wisdom that awakens in accordance with all dharmas, in which one enters into the various and the various enter into one; the wisdom that awakens in accordance with the vastness of the whole Dharma realm; the wisdom that awakens in accordance with the ultimacy of the whole realm of space; the wisdom that awakens in accordance with all worlds entering into the past age; the wisdom that awakens in accordance with all worlds entering into the future age; the wisdom that awakens in accordance with all worlds entering into the present age; the wisdom that awakens in accordance with the measureless practices and vows of all the Tathāgatas being fulfilled within a single wisdom; the wisdom that awakens in accordance with the buddhas of the three times all coming forth by one and the same practice. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide in this dharma, they will gain the light of mastery over all dharmas, the vows they have made will all be fulfilled, and in the space of a single thought they will be able to understand all the dharmas of the buddhas entirely and accomplish perfect awakening.

Gate 9, the Ten Realized Knowings: Knowing by Realizing It Oneself

“Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva has ten realized knowings (knowing what he has realized for himself). Which ten? They are: knowing that all dharmas have one and the same mark; knowing that all dharmas have measureless marks; knowing that all dharmas are within a single thought; knowing the mental activity of all sentient beings without any obstruction; knowing that the various faculties of all sentient beings are equal; knowing the activity of the afflictions and the latent tendencies of all sentient beings; knowing the activity of the afflictions that follow the mind in all sentient beings; knowing the wholesome and unwholesome activity of all sentient beings; knowing the vowed practice, the mastery, the sustaining and the transforming of all bodhisattvas; knowing that all the Tathāgatas are complete in the ten powers and accomplish perfect awakening. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide in this dharma, they will gain skillful means in all dharmas.

Gate 10, the Ten Powers: Ten Powers for Entering the Dharma

“Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva has ten powers. Which ten? They are: the power of entering the own-nature of all dharmas; the power of entering all dharmas as being like transformations; the power of entering all dharmas as being like illusions; the power of entering all dharmas as being all of them the Buddha's dharmas; the power of giving rise to no defiled attachment toward any dharma; the power of the utmost clear understanding of all dharmas; the power of never abandoning any good friend and of holding him in respect; the power of making all roots of goodness go along and reach the unsurpassed king of wisdom; the power of deep faith in all the dharmas of the buddhas and of not slandering them; the skillful power of not turning back from the mind that heads toward all-knowing wisdom. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide in this dharma, they will be complete in the unsurpassed powers of the Tathāgata.

Gate 11, the Ten Equalities: Ten Places Where No High and Low Arise

“Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva has ten equalities. Which ten? They are: equality toward all sentient beings; equality toward all dharmas; equality toward all lands; equality toward every deep mind; equality toward all roots of goodness; equality toward all bodhisattvas; equality toward all vows; equality toward all the perfections; equality toward all practices; equality toward all buddhas. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide in this dharma, they will gain the unsurpassed dharma of equality of all the buddhas.

Gate 12, the Ten Sentences on the Real Meaning of the Buddha-Dharma: Ten Sentences of Real Meaning

“Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva has ten sentences on the real meaning of the Buddha-Dharma (sentences that display the real meaning of the Buddha's teaching). Which ten? They are: all dharmas have only a name; all dharmas are like illusions; all dharmas are like reflected images; all dharmas arise merely from a gathering of conditions; the karma of all dharmas is of itself pure; all dharmas are merely made by written words; all dharmas are the true limit; all dharmas have no mark of their own; all dharmas are the highest meaning; all dharmas are the Dharma realm. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide in this dharma, they will skillfully enter into the unsurpassed real meaning of the wisdom of all wisdom.

Gate 13, Speaking Ten Kinds of Dharma: The Ten Contents of Preaching

“Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva proclaims ten kinds of dharma. Which ten? They are: proclaiming the profound dharma; proclaiming the vast dharma; proclaiming the various dharmas; proclaiming the dharma of all-knowing wisdom; proclaiming the dharma that goes along with the perfections; proclaiming the dharma that gives rise to the powers of the Tathāgata; proclaiming the dharma that corresponds to the three times; proclaiming the dharma that keeps bodhisattvas from turning back; proclaiming the dharma that praises the merit of the buddhas; proclaiming the dharma in which all bodhisattvas study the equality of all the buddhas and correspond to the field of experience of all the Tathāgatas. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide in this dharma, they will gain the unsurpassed and marvelous preaching of the Tathāgata.

Gate 14, the Ten Holdings: Receiving and Holding without Loss

“Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva has ten holdings (receiving and carrying out). Which ten? They are: holding all the merit and roots of goodness he has gathered; holding all the dharmas spoken by the Tathāgatas; holding all similes; holding the gates of the intent and drift of all dharmas; holding all the gates that give rise to dhāraṇī (total holding); holding all the dharmas that remove doubt; holding the dharmas that bring all bodhisattvas to accomplishment; holding all the gates of the samādhi of equality spoken by the Tathāgatas; holding all the gates that illuminate the dharmas; holding the power of the play of the spiritual penetrations of all the buddhas. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide in this dharma, they will gain the unsurpassed power of the great wisdom of the Tathāgata that sustains and upholds.

Gate 15, the Ten Eloquences: Wisdom That Can Be Spoken Out

“Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva has ten eloquences. Which ten? They are: the eloquence that gives rise to no discrimination toward any dharma; the eloquence that contrives nothing in any dharma; the eloquence that clings to nothing in any dharma; the eloquence that understands the emptiness of all dharmas; the eloquence that has no doubt or dimness about any dharma; the eloquence that is sustained by the Buddha in all dharmas; the eloquence that awakens by itself to all dharmas; the eloquence that is skillful and unobstructed in the differences of the phrases and words of all dharmas; the eloquence that proclaims all dharmas truly; the eloquence that goes along with the minds of all sentient beings and makes them glad. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide in this dharma, they will gain the unsurpassed and marvelous eloquence of the Tathāgata.

Gate 16, the Ten Masteries: Being the Master Everywhere

“Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva has ten masteries. Which ten? They are: mastery in teaching and disciplining all sentient beings; mastery in illuminating all dharmas universally; mastery in cultivating the practice of all roots of goodness; mastery of vast wisdom; mastery of keeping the precepts without leaning on anything; mastery in dedicating all roots of goodness to awakening; mastery of vigor that does not turn back; mastery in crushing all the hosts of demons with wisdom; mastery in causing sentient beings to give rise to the mind of awakening in accordance with what they delight in and desire; mastery in displaying the accomplishment of perfect awakening in accordance with those who are to be taught. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide in this dharma, they will gain the unsurpassed mastery of the great wisdom of the Tathāgata.

Gate 17, the Ten Non-Attachments: Ten Places Where Nothing Sticks

“Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva has ten non-attachments. Which ten? They are: clinging to nothing in any world; clinging to nothing in any sentient being; clinging to nothing in any dharma; clinging to nothing in anything he does; clinging to nothing in any root of goodness; clinging to nothing in any place of taking birth; clinging to nothing in any vow; clinging to nothing in any practice; clinging to nothing in any bodhisattva; clinging to nothing in any buddha. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide in this dharma, they will swiftly turn away all deluded thoughts and gain unsurpassed pure wisdom.

Gate 18, the Ten Minds of Equality: Equality on the Side of the Mind

“Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva has ten minds of equality. Which ten? They are: the mind of equality in gathering together all merit; the mind of equality in giving rise to all the differing vows; the mind of equality toward the bodies of all sentient beings; the mind of equality toward the karmic recompense of all sentient beings; the mind of equality toward all dharmas; the mind of equality toward all pure and defiled lands; the mind of equality toward the understanding of all sentient beings; the mind of equality that gives rise to no discrimination toward any practice; the mind of equality toward the powers and the fearlessnesses of all the buddhas; the mind of equality toward the wisdom of all the Tathāgatas. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide within these, they will gain the unsurpassed great mind of equality of the Tathāgata.

Gate 19, the Ten Ways of Giving Birth to Wisdom: Where Wisdom Is Born From

“Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva has ten ways of giving birth to wisdom. Which ten? They are: the wisdom born of knowing the understanding of all sentient beings; the wisdom born of knowing the various differences among all the buddha-lands; the wisdom born of knowing the bounds and portions of the net of the worlds of the ten directions; the wisdom born of knowing all the worlds, those that lie face down and those that lie face up and the rest; the wisdom born of knowing the one nature and the various natures of all dharmas and their vast abiding; the wisdom born of knowing all the various bodies; the wisdom born of knowing the topsy-turvy deluded thoughts of all the world and yet clinging to none of them; the wisdom born of knowing that all dharmas come forth in the end by one and the same road; the wisdom born of knowing that the spiritual power of the Tathāgata is able to enter the whole Dharma realm; the wisdom born of knowing that the buddha-seed of all sentient beings of the three times is never cut off. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide in this dharma, there is nothing among the dharmas that they do not master.

Gate 20, the Ten Transformations: Able to Turn Wherever He Is

“Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva has ten transformations. Which ten? They are: the transformation of all sentient beings; the transformation of all bodies; the transformation of all lands; the transformation of all offerings; the transformation of all voices; the transformation of all practices and vows; the transformation of teaching and disciplining all sentient beings; the transformation of accomplishing perfect awakening; the transformation of all preaching; the transformation of all sustaining. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide in this dharma, they will be complete in all the unsurpassed dharmas of transformation.

(Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, continuing what he had answered before, speaks to Universal Wisdom Bodhisattva and the other bodhisattvas seated in the assembly. The thirty gates below are spoken straight through in one breath, with no further question inserted anywhere in the middle.)

Gate 1. Sustaining Power: Ten Matters of Empowering and Sustaining, Which Give Rise to All Practices

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of sustaining power (an empowering that sustains — the ten matters that are able to hold up and to set going the various practices). Which are the ten? Namely: the sustaining power of the buddhas; the sustaining power of the Dharma; the sustaining power of sentient beings; the sustaining power of deeds; the sustaining power of practice; the sustaining power of vows; the sustaining power of the objective realm; the sustaining power of time; the sustaining power of good; the sustaining power of wisdom. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain, among all dharmas, the unsurpassed sustaining power of mastery.

Gate 2. Great Gladness of Heart: Ten Thoughts Contemplated, and the Heart Is Greatly Consoled

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of great gladness of heart (contemplating a certain matter, and the heart being glad and consoled). Which are the ten? Namely:

“The bodhisattvas bring forth a thought like this: ‘To the end of the future age, all the buddhas who appear in the world — I would be able to attend upon and serve every one of them, and cause them to give rise to gladness.’ Contemplating in this way, the heart is greatly glad and consoled.

“Again they think thus: ‘Those tathāgatas who appear in the world — I would with unsurpassed articles of offering reverently make offerings to every one of them.’ Contemplating in this way, the heart is greatly glad and consoled.

“Again they think thus: ‘When I set out offerings in the presence of the buddhas, those tathāgatas will certainly reveal and instruct me in the Dharma, and I would with a deep mind reverently listen to it and receive it, and practice according to what is spoken, and upon the grounds of a bodhisattva I would certainly obtain that which has already been born, that which is being born now, and that which is to be born (what was entered in the past, what is being entered in the present, what is to be entered in the future).’ Contemplating in this way, the heart is greatly glad and consoled.

“Again they think thus: ‘Throughout unspeakably unspeakable kalpas I would practice the bodhisattva practice, and would always be together in one place with all the buddhas and bodhisattvas.’ Contemplating in this way, the heart is greatly glad and consoled.

“Again they think thus: ‘In the past, when I had not yet brought forth the unsurpassed great mind of awakening, I had various terrors, namely: the terror of not making a living (the fear of being unable to stay alive), the terror of a bad name (the fear of ill repute), the terror of death, the terror of falling into a bad destiny, the terror of the majesty of the great assembly (stage fright before a multitude). From the moment I brought forth the mind, all of these were left far behind; I am not startled and not alarmed, not fearful and not afraid, not timid and not terrified, and none of the demons and none of the outsiders are able to destroy me.’ Contemplating in this way, the heart is greatly glad and consoled.

“Again they think thus: ‘I would cause all sentient beings to accomplish unsurpassed awakening; and after they have accomplished awakening, I would in the presence of those buddhas practice the bodhisattva practice, and to the end of this one span of life, with a mind of great faith, would set out the various articles of offering that are fit to be offered to a buddha and make offerings with them; and after they have entered nirvāṇa, I would for each of them raise up measureless stūpas to make offerings to their relics, and would receive and uphold and guard all the dharmas they have left behind.’ Contemplating in this way, the heart is greatly glad and consoled.

“Again they think thus: ‘All the worlds in the ten directions — I would adorn every one of them with unsurpassed adornment, and would cause every one of them to be complete in every kind of marvel, evenness, and purity; and would further with the various great spiritual powers sustain them and shake them, their light shining forth everywhere all around.’ Contemplating in this way, the heart is greatly glad and consoled.

“Again they think thus: ‘I would cut off the doubts of all sentient beings, purify the desires and delights of all sentient beings, open up the minds of all sentient beings, extinguish the afflictions of all sentient beings, shut the doors of the bad destinies for all sentient beings, open the doors of the good destinies for all sentient beings, break the darkness of all sentient beings, give light to all sentient beings, cause all sentient beings to leave far behind the deeds of the demons, and make all sentient beings arrive at the place of security.’ Contemplating in this way, the heart is greatly glad and consoled.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas again think thus: ‘The buddhas, the tathāgatas, are like the uḍumbara flower (a flower that appears once in a vast span of kalpas), hard to meet with, and in measureless kalpas one cannot see them even once. I would, in the future age, see the Tathāgata whenever I wish to see him, and the buddhas, the tathāgatas, would never forsake me, but would abide constantly in my presence, causing me to see them and expounding the Dharma for me without a break; and having heard the Dharma, my mind would be pure, far removed from flattery and crookedness, upright and without falsity, and in thought after thought I would constantly see the buddhas.’ Contemplating in this way, the heart is greatly glad and consoled.

“Again they think thus: ‘In the future age I shall attain buddhahood, and by the spiritual power of a buddha, in all the worlds, for all sentient beings I would severally manifest the accomplishing of perfect awakening, the pure and fearless great lion’s roar, and with my original great vow would pervade the Dharma realm, beat the great Dharma drum, rain down the great Dharma rain, make the great gift of the Dharma, and through measureless kalpas would constantly expound the true Dharma, the deeds of body, of speech, and of mind sustained by great compassion knowing no weariness.’ Contemplating in this way, the heart is greatly glad and consoled.

“Sons of the Buddha! These are the ten kinds of great gladness of heart of the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the great gladness of heart of the unsurpassed wisdom of perfect awakening.

Gate 3. Entering Deeply into the Buddha-dharma: Six Enterings and Four Knowings, Realizing Entry and Fully Knowing

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of entering deeply into the Buddha-dharma. Which are the ten? Namely: entering all the worlds of the past age; entering all the worlds of the future age; entering, in the present age, the number of the worlds, the courses of the worlds, the speaking of the worlds, and the purity of the worlds (how many worlds there are, by what causes they are formed, what dharma is spoken within them, and how their substance is pure); entering the various natures of all the worlds (the substance of the differences of defilement, purity, and the rest); entering the various deeds and their fruits of all sentient beings; entering the various practices of all bodhisattvas; knowing the sequence of all the buddhas of the past; knowing the sequence of all the buddhas of the future; knowing, in the present, in the ten directions, in space, and throughout the Dharma realm, all the buddhas, their lands and their assemblies, their expounding of the Dharma and their taming of beings; knowing the dharmas of the world, the dharmas of the śrāvakas, the dharmas of the pratyekabuddhas, the dharmas of the bodhisattvas, and the dharmas of the tathāgatas, and though knowing that all dharmas are without any discrimination, still speaking the various dharmas, for the reason that all of them enter the Dharma realm and yet there is no place that is entered, speaking of a dharma as that dharma is and grasping at nothing. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will enter the profound nature of the great wisdom of unsurpassed perfect awakening.

Gate 4. Reliance: Ten Places as What Is Relied Upon, and Relying on These the Bodhisattva Practice Is Carried Out

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of reliance, and a bodhisattva relies on these ten places to carry out the bodhisattva practice. Which are the ten? Namely: relying on making offerings to all the buddhas, he carries out the bodhisattva practice; relying on taming all sentient beings, he carries out the bodhisattva practice; relying on drawing near to all good friends, he carries out the bodhisattva practice; relying on accumulating all roots of good, he carries out the bodhisattva practice; relying on adorning and purifying all buddha-lands, he carries out the bodhisattva practice; relying on not forsaking any sentient being, he carries out the bodhisattva practice; relying on entering deeply into all the perfections, he carries out the bodhisattva practice; relying on fulfilling all the vows of a bodhisattva, he carries out the bodhisattva practice; relying on the measureless mind of awakening, he carries out the bodhisattva practice; relying on the awakening of all the buddhas, he carries out the bodhisattva practice. These are the ten. A bodhisattva relies on these ten places to carry out the bodhisattva practice.

Gate 5. Bringing Forth the Fearless Mind: Before Ten Hard Matters, the Mind Gives Rise to No Fear

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of bringing forth the fearless mind. Which are the ten? Namely: extinguishing all obstructing deeds, they bring forth the fearless mind; guarding and upholding the true Dharma after the Buddha has passed into extinction, they bring forth the fearless mind; subduing all demons, they bring forth the fearless mind; not begrudging body or life, they bring forth the fearless mind; crushing the wrong doctrines of all outsiders, they bring forth the fearless mind; causing all sentient beings to be glad, they bring forth the fearless mind; causing the whole assembly of every Dharma gathering to be glad, they bring forth the fearless mind; taming all the gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, and mahoragas (the eight kinds of beings), they bring forth the fearless mind; leaving the ground of the two vehicles, the śrāvakas and the pratyekabuddhas, and entering deeply into the most profound dharma, they bring forth the fearless mind; through unspeakably unspeakable kalpas practicing the bodhisattva practice with no weariness in the mind, they bring forth the fearless mind. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the fearless mind of the unsurpassed great wisdom of the Tathāgata.

Gate 6. Bringing Forth the Mind without Doubt: Ten Resolvings of the Will, and the Mind Once Brought Forth Is without Doubt

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas bring forth ten kinds of mind without doubt, and in all the dharmas of a buddha their minds are without doubt. Which are the ten? Namely:

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas bring forth a thought like this: ‘I would with giving gather in all sentient beings; with keeping the precepts, patience, vigor, meditative concentration, wisdom, loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity, I would gather in all sentient beings.’ When they bring forth this thought, it is decided and without doubt; that a doubting mind should arise — there is no such thing. This is the first bringing forth of the mind without doubt.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas again think thus: ‘The buddhas of the future who appear in the world — I would serve and make offerings to every one of them.’ When they bring forth this thought, it is decided and without doubt; that a doubting mind should arise — there is no such thing. This is the second bringing forth of the mind without doubt.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas again think thus: ‘I would with every kind of marvelous net of light adorn all the worlds throughout.’ When they bring forth this thought, it is decided and without doubt; that a doubting mind should arise — there is no such thing. This is the third bringing forth of the mind without doubt.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas again think thus: ‘I would to the end of the kalpas of the future practice the bodhisattva practice. Numberless, measureless, boundless, incomparable, uncountable, unnameable, unthinkable, immeasurable, unspeakable, unspeakably unspeakable, surpassing all reckoning — all the sentient beings to the very end of the Dharma realm and the realm of space, I would with the unsurpassed dharma of teaching and taming bring every one of them to ripeness.’ When they bring forth this thought, it is decided and without doubt; that a doubting mind should arise — there is no such thing. This is the fourth bringing forth of the mind without doubt.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas again think thus: ‘I would practice the bodhisattva practice, fulfill the great vow, be complete in all-knowing wisdom, and abide securely therein.’ When they bring forth this thought, it is decided and without doubt; that a doubting mind should arise — there is no such thing. This is the fifth bringing forth of the mind without doubt.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas again think thus: ‘I would for the whole world everywhere carry out the bodhisattva practice, and be the pure light of all dharmas, illumining all the dharmas of a buddha that there are.’ When they bring forth this thought, it is decided and without doubt; that a doubting mind should arise — there is no such thing. This is the sixth bringing forth of the mind without doubt.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas again think thus: ‘I would fully know that all dharmas are the Buddha-dharma, and following the minds of sentient beings would expound it for them, causing all of them to awaken.’ When they bring forth this thought, it is decided and without doubt; that a doubting mind should arise — there is no such thing. This is the seventh bringing forth of the mind without doubt.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas again think thus: ‘I would among all dharmas obtain the gate of no obstruction, for the reason that I fully know that no obstruction whatever can be got at; and my mind is just so, without doubt, abiding in the nature of the real, and so on up to the accomplishing of unsurpassed perfect awakening.’ When they bring forth this thought, it is decided and without doubt; that a doubting mind should arise — there is no such thing. This is the eighth bringing forth of the mind without doubt.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas again think thus: ‘I would fully know that there is no dharma that is not a world-transcending dharma, and would leave far behind all deluded imagining and inversion, adorning myself with a single adornment and yet in truth adorning nothing at all; and in this I would myself arrive at understanding, and not be awakened by another.’ When they bring forth this thought, it is decided and without doubt; that a doubting mind should arise — there is no such thing. This is the ninth bringing forth of the mind without doubt.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas again think thus: ‘I would among all dharmas accomplish the most perfect awakening, for the reason that it is apart from all deluded imagining and inversion, for the reason that the wisdom that accords in a single thought is obtained, for the reason that neither oneness nor difference can be got at, for the reason that it is apart from all number, for the reason that it is ultimately unconditioned, for the reason that it is apart from all speech, for the reason that it abides at the very limit of the realm that cannot be spoken.’ When they bring forth this thought, it is decided and without doubt; that a doubting mind should arise — there is no such thing. This is the tenth bringing forth of the mind without doubt.

“If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then in all the dharmas of a buddha their minds will be without any doubt.

Gate 7. The Inconceivable: Ten Matters Hard to Fathom, the Provisional and the Real Carried On Together

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of the inconceivable. Which are the ten? Namely:

“All roots of good — inconceivable. All vows — inconceivable. Fully knowing that all dharmas are like an illusion — inconceivable.

“Bringing forth the mind of awakening and practicing the bodhisattva practice, the roots of good not being lost, and yet there being no discrimination — inconceivable.

“Though entering deeply into all dharmas, yet not realizing extinction, for the reason that all the vows are not yet fulfilled — inconceivable.

“Practicing the bodhisattva path and manifesting the descent of the spirit, the entering of the womb, the birth, the leaving of the household life, the ascetic practice, the going to the place of awakening, the subduing of the demons, the accomplishing of the most perfect awakening, the turning of the wheel of the true Dharma, and the entering of parinirvāṇa, the spiritual transformations mastered without rest, not forsaking compassion and vow but rescuing and protecting sentient beings — inconceivable.

“Though able to manifest the spiritual transformations of the ten powers of the Tathāgata, mastered at will, yet not forsaking the mind that is equal to the Dharma realm but teaching sentient beings — inconceivable.

“Fully knowing all dharmas: that no-mark is mark and mark is no-mark, that no-discrimination is discrimination and discrimination is no-discrimination, that what is not existent is existent and what is existent is not existent, that non-doing is doing and doing is non-doing, that non-speaking is speaking and speaking is non-speaking — inconceivable.

“Fully knowing that mind is equal to awakening, fully knowing that awakening is equal to mind, and that mind and awakening are equal to sentient beings, and yet giving rise to no inversion of mind, no inversion of thought, no inversion of view — inconceivable.

“In thought after thought entering the concentration of the cessation of feeling and thought, exhausting all the outflows and yet not realizing the true limit, and yet also not exhausting the roots of good that are with outflows; though fully knowing that all dharmas are without outflows, yet also fully knowing the exhausting of the outflows and fully knowing the extinguishing of the outflows; though fully knowing that the Buddha-dharma is the dharma of the world and the dharma of the world is the Buddha-dharma, yet not within the Buddha-dharma discriminating the dharma of the world and not within the dharma of the world discriminating the Buddha-dharma; all dharmas entering the Dharma realm, for the reason that there is no place that is entered; fully knowing that all dharmas are without duality, for the reason that there is no alteration — this is the tenth inconceivable.

“Sons of the Buddha! These are the ten kinds of the inconceivable of the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas. If the bodhisattvas abide securely therein, then they will obtain the unsurpassed inconceivable dharma of all the buddhas.

Gate 8. Skillful Secret Speech: Skillful and Subtle Words in Ten Places

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of skillful secret speech (speech that is skillful and hidden). Which are the ten? Namely: within all the scriptures of the buddhas, skillful secret speech; within all the places of taking birth, skillful secret speech; within all the spiritual penetrations and transformations of the bodhisattvas and their accomplishing of perfect awakening, skillful secret speech; within the deeds and their fruits of all sentient beings, skillful secret speech; within the defilement and the purity that all sentient beings give rise to, skillful secret speech; within the gate of the ultimate absence of obstruction among all dharmas, skillful secret speech; within the whole realm of space, where in each and every quarter there are worlds either forming or decaying, with no gap in between, skillful secret speech; within the whole Dharma realm and all the ten directions, down to the most minutely subtle place, where the Tathāgata manifests his first birth and so on to attaining buddhahood and entering parinirvāṇa, filling the Dharma realm and yet all of it being severally seen, skillful secret speech; seeing that all sentient beings are equally in nirvāṇa and without alteration, and yet not forsaking the great vow, for the reason that the vow of all-knowing wisdom is not yet fulfilled and is to be made complete, skillful secret speech; though fully knowing that no dharma is awakened to through another, yet not parting from the good friends, being still more reverent in the presence of the Tathāgata, being in harmony and without duality with the good friends, and with regard to the roots of good cultivating and planting them, dedicating and directing them, and abiding in them, having one and the same work, one and the same substance and nature, one and the same going forth, one and the same accomplishment, skillful secret speech. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely therein, then they will obtain the unsurpassed skillful and subtle speech of the Tathāgata.

Gate 9. The Wisdom of Skillful Discernment: Entering in Ten Places and Discerning Well

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of the wisdom of skillful discernment. Which are the ten? Namely: the wisdom of skillful discernment that enters all lands; the wisdom of skillful discernment that enters the dwelling places of all sentient beings; the wisdom of skillful discernment that enters the mental conduct of all sentient beings; the wisdom of skillful discernment that enters the capacities and natures of all sentient beings; the wisdom of skillful discernment that enters the deeds and their fruits of all sentient beings; the wisdom of skillful discernment that enters all the practices of the śrāvakas; the wisdom of skillful discernment that enters all the practices of the pratyekabuddhas; the wisdom of skillful discernment that enters all the practices of the bodhisattvas; the wisdom of skillful discernment that enters all the dharmas of the world; the wisdom of skillful discernment that enters all the dharmas of a buddha. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely therein, then they will obtain the unsurpassed wisdom of all the buddhas that skillfully discerns all dharmas.

Gate 10. Entering Samādhi: Taking Ten Kinds of Object and Entering Concentration

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of entering samādhi (entering right concentration). Which are the ten? Namely: within all the worlds, entering samādhi; within the bodies of all sentient beings, entering samādhi; within all dharmas, entering samādhi; seeing all the buddhas, entering samādhi; abiding in all the kalpas, entering samādhi; rising from samādhi and manifesting an inconceivable body, entering samādhi; within the bodies of all the buddhas, entering samādhi; awakening to the equality of all sentient beings, entering samādhi; within a single thought entering the samādhi-wisdom of all bodhisattvas, entering samādhi; within a single thought, with unobstructed wisdom, accomplishing the practices and vows of all the bodhisattvas without rest, entering samādhi. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely therein, then they will obtain the unsurpassed skillful dharma of samādhi of all the buddhas.

Gate 11. Universal Entering: To Enter One Kind Is to Pervade All

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of universal entering. Which are the ten? Namely: the universal entering of sentient beings; the universal entering of lands; the universal entering of the various marks of the world; the universal entering of the calamity of fire; the universal entering of the calamity of water; the universal entering of the buddhas; the universal entering of adornment; the universal entering of the boundless body of merit of the Tathāgata; the universal entering of all the various expoundings of the Dharma; the universal entering of all the various offerings to the tathāgatas. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely therein, then they will obtain the unsurpassed dharma of the universal entering of the great wisdom of the Tathāgata.

Gate 12. Gates of Liberation: Ten Gates Whose Functioning Is Unobstructed

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of gates of liberation. Which are the ten? Namely: the gate of liberation in which one body pervades all the worlds; the gate of liberation in which measureless forms of every kind are manifested in all the worlds; the gate of liberation in which all the worlds are made to enter one buddha-land; the gate of liberation in which the whole realm of sentient beings is universally empowered; the gate of liberation in which the adorned bodies of all the buddhas fill all the worlds; the gate of liberation in which all the worlds are seen within one’s own body; the gate of liberation in which within a single thought one goes to all the worlds; the gate of liberation in which within a single world the appearing in the world of all the tathāgatas is manifested; the gate of liberation in which one body fills the whole Dharma realm; the gate of liberation in which within a single thought the sporting spiritual penetrations of all the buddhas are manifested. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely therein, then they will obtain the unsurpassed gates of liberation of the Tathāgata.

Gate 13. Spiritual Penetrations: Ten Penetrations of the Wisdom of Skillful Means

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of spiritual penetrations. Which are the ten? Namely: the penetration of the wisdom of skillful means that recollects former lives; the penetration of the wisdom of skillful means of the divine ear without obstruction; the penetration of the wisdom of skillful means that fully knows the inconceivable mental conduct of other sentient beings; the penetration of the wisdom of skillful means of the divine eye that contemplates without obstruction; the penetration of the wisdom of skillful means that, following the minds of sentient beings, manifests inconceivable great spiritual power; the penetration of the wisdom of skillful means in which one body universally manifests measureless worlds; the penetration of the wisdom of skillful means in which within a single thought one enters everywhere into unspeakably unspeakable worlds; the penetration of the wisdom of skillful means that brings forth measureless articles of adornment and adorns inconceivable worlds; the penetration of the wisdom of skillful means that manifests unspeakable transformation bodies; the penetration of the wisdom of skillful means that, following the inconceivable minds of sentient beings, within unspeakable worlds manifests the accomplishing of unsurpassed perfect awakening. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely therein, then they will obtain the unsurpassed and greatly skillful spiritual penetrations of the Tathāgata, manifesting them in every kind of way for all sentient beings and causing them to train in them.

Gate 14. Clarity: Ten Kinds of Skillful Clarity of Wisdom

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of clarity (a wisdom that is clear through). Which are the ten? Namely:

“Fully knowing the deeds and their fruits of all sentient beings — the skillful clarity of wisdom.

“Fully knowing that the realms of all sentient beings are quiescent and pure, without the various frivolous elaborations — the skillful clarity of wisdom.

“Fully knowing that the various objects to which all sentient beings attend are of one mark alone and cannot at all be got at, and that all dharmas are like a diamond (firm and indestructible) — the skillful clarity of wisdom.

“Being able with measureless subtle sounds to be heard everywhere in all the worlds of the ten directions — the skillful clarity of wisdom.

“Universally destroying every place to which the mind is defiled and attached — the skillful clarity of wisdom.

“Being able by skillful means to manifest the taking of birth or the not taking of birth — the skillful clarity of wisdom.

“Forsaking the realms of all thought and feeling — the skillful clarity of wisdom.

“Fully knowing that all dharmas are neither mark nor no-mark, that the one nature is itself no-nature, that there is nothing to be discriminated, and yet being able to know fully the various dharmas, and through measureless kalpas to discriminate and expound them, abiding in the Dharma realm and accomplishing unsurpassed perfect awakening — the skillful clarity of wisdom.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas fully know that the birth of all sentient beings is from the first without birth, for the reason that they arrive at the understanding that the taking of birth cannot be got at; and yet they know causes, know conditions, know things, know realms, know courses, know arising, know ceasing, know speech, know delusion, know the leaving of delusion, know inversion, know the leaving of inversion, know defilement, know purity, know birth-and-death, know nirvāṇa, know what can be got at, know what cannot be got at, know grasping, know the absence of grasping, know abiding, know moving, know going, know returning, know rising, know not rising, know loss and ruin, know going forth, know ripening, know the faculties, know taming; and following what those beings are fit for, they carry out every kind of teaching, and have never lost the practice that a bodhisattva practices. Why is this? Because a bodhisattva, only for the sake of benefiting sentient beings, brings forth the mind of unsurpassed perfect awakening, and has nothing else for which he acts. Therefore a bodhisattva constantly teaches sentient beings, his body knowing no weariness, and does not go against any of the works of the world. This is called the skillful clarity of wisdom of dependent origination.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas grasp at nothing among the buddhas and give rise to no grasping mind; grasp at nothing among the dharmas and give rise to no grasping mind; grasp at nothing among the lands and give rise to no grasping mind; grasp at nothing among sentient beings and give rise to no grasping mind; they do not see any sentient being that can be delivered, and yet still carry out teaching, taming, and expounding the Dharma, and yet also do not forsake the various practices of a bodhisattva or the great compassion and great vow; they see the buddhas and hear the Dharma and practice in accordance with it, relying on the Tathāgata to plant the roots of good, revering and making offerings without rest; they are able by spiritual power to shake the measureless worlds of the ten directions, for the reason that their minds are vast and equal to the Dharma realm; they fully know the various expoundings of the Dharma, fully know the number of sentient beings, fully know the differences among sentient beings, fully know the arising of suffering, fully know the quieting of suffering, fully know that all activities are like reflected images; they carry out the bodhisattva practice and forever cut off the root of all taking of birth, and only for the sake of rescuing and protecting all sentient beings do they carry out the bodhisattva practice, and yet carry out nothing at all; they accord with the family and nature of all the buddhas, bring forth a mind like a great king of mountains, fully know all deluded imagining and inversion, enter the gate of the wisdom of all modes, their wisdom vast and not to be shaken, and in time to come will accomplish perfect awakening, and within the great ocean of birth-and-death equally ferry across all sentient beings — the skillful clarity of wisdom.

“These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely therein, then they will obtain the unsurpassed and greatly skillful clarity of wisdom of the Tathāgata.

Gate 15. Liberation

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of liberation. Which are the ten? Namely: liberation from the afflictions; liberation from wrong views; liberation from the various graspings (the various kinds of clinging); liberation from the aggregates, the elements, and the sense-fields; the liberation that surpasses the two vehicles; the liberation of the forbearance of the non-arising of dharmas; the liberation from attachment to all worlds, all lands, all sentient beings, and all dharmas; the liberation of boundless abiding; the liberation of bringing forth all the practices of a bodhisattva and entering the ground of the Tathāgata that is without discrimination; the liberation of being able within a single thought to fully know all of the three times. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will be able to perform the unsurpassed deeds of a buddha, teaching and ripening all sentient beings.

Gate 16. Gardens and Groves: The Place One Does Not Weary of and Forsake Is Itself a Garden

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of gardens and groves. Which are the ten? Namely: birth-and-death is the garden of a bodhisattva, for the reason that there is nothing he wearies of and forsakes; teaching sentient beings is the garden of a bodhisattva, for the reason that he does not tire; abiding in all the kalpas is the garden of a bodhisattva, for the reason that he takes up and holds the great practices; a purified world is the garden of a bodhisattva, for the reason that it is the place where he himself dwells; the palaces of all the demons are the garden of a bodhisattva, for the reason that he subdues that host of demons; contemplating the dharma he has heard is the garden of a bodhisattva, for the reason that he contemplates it in accordance with the principle; the six perfections, the four means of gathering, and the thirty-seven factors of awakening are the garden of a bodhisattva, for the reason that he carries on the realm of the compassionate father; the ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, the eighteen exclusive dharmas, and so on to all the dharmas of a buddha are the garden of a bodhisattva, for the reason that he does not call to mind any other dharma; manifesting the majestic power and the mastered spiritual penetrations of all bodhisattvas is the garden of a bodhisattva, for the reason that with great spiritual power he turns the wheel of the true Dharma and tames sentient beings without rest; within a single thought manifesting in all places for all sentient beings the accomplishing of perfect awakening is the garden of a bodhisattva, for the reason that the dharma-body pervades to the very end of space and all the worlds. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the unsurpassed practice of great ease, apart from sorrow and vexation, of the Tathāgata.

Gate 17. Palaces: The Place Where One Dwells at Ease Is Itself a Palace

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of palaces. Which are the ten? Namely: the mind of awakening is the palace of a bodhisattva, for the reason that he never forgets and loses it; the merit and wisdom of the ten courses of good deeds are the palace of a bodhisattva, for the reason that he teaches the sentient beings of the realm of desire; the meditative concentration of the four dwellings of Brahmā (the four measureless minds — loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity) is the palace of a bodhisattva, for the reason that he teaches the sentient beings of the realm of form; being born among the gods of the Pure Abodes is the palace of a bodhisattva, for the reason that no affliction defiles him; being born in the formless realm is the palace of a bodhisattva, for the reason that he causes sentient beings to leave far behind the difficult conditions; being born in a defiled world is the palace of a bodhisattva, for the reason that he causes all sentient beings to cut off their afflictions; dwelling manifestly amid the wives and retinue of the inner palace is the palace of a bodhisattva, for the reason that he brings to accomplishment the sentient beings who practiced together with him in former times; dwelling manifestly in the station of a wheel-turning king, of the four world-guarding kings, of Śakra, or of Brahmā is the palace of a bodhisattva, for the reason that he tames those sentient beings whose minds are set on mastery; abiding in all the practices of a bodhisattva and sporting in spiritual penetrations, all of them mastered, is the palace of a bodhisattva, for the reason that he is skilled in sporting in the meditations, the liberations, the samādhis, and wisdom; in the presence of all the buddhas receiving unsurpassed mastery and receiving the prediction sealed by the anointing of the king of all-knowing wisdom is the palace of a bodhisattva, for the reason that he abides in the adornment of the ten powers and performs the mastered works of a king of all dharmas. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely therein, then they will obtain the anointing of the Dharma, and in the whole world their spiritual power will be mastered.

Gate 18. What Is Delighted In: Ten Things Delighted In

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of things delighted in. Which are the ten? Namely: delighting in right mindfulness, for the reason that the mind is not scattered; delighting in wisdom, for the reason that it discriminates the dharmas; delighting in going to the presence of all the buddhas, for the reason that he never has enough of hearing the Dharma; delighting in the buddhas, for the reason that they fill the ten directions and are without bound; delighting in the bodhisattvas, for the reason that with mastery he manifests his body for sentient beings through measureless gates of Dharma; delighting in the gates of samādhi, for the reason that within one gate of samādhi he enters all the gates of samādhi; delighting in the dhāraṇīs (the holding of all things), for the reason that he holds the Dharma without forgetting and hands it on to sentient beings; delighting in unobstructed eloquence, for the reason that with a single graph or a single phrase of a scripture he discriminates and expounds it through unspeakable kalpas without exhausting it; delighting in the accomplishing of perfect awakening, for the reason that for all sentient beings, through measureless gates of Dharma, he manifests it in his body and accomplishes perfect awakening; delighting in turning the wheel of the Dharma, for the reason that he crushes and extinguishes the dharmas of all other paths. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the unsurpassed delight in the Dharma of all the buddhas, the tathāgatas.

Gate 19. Adornment: Ten Virtues with Which to Adorn the Vow

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of adornment. Which are the ten? Namely: the adornment of power, for the reason that it cannot be destroyed; the adornment of fearlessness, for the reason that no one is able to subdue it; the adornment of meaning, for the reason that he speaks meanings that cannot be spoken and does not exhaust them; the adornment of the Dharma, for the reason that he contemplates and expounds the eighty-four thousand collections of Dharma without forgetting or losing them; the adornment of the vow, for the reason that the great oath brought forth by all bodhisattvas does not turn back; the adornment of practice, for the reason that by practicing the practice of Samantabhadra he obtains the going forth; the adornment of the land, for the reason that he makes all lands into one land; the adornment of the universal sound, for the reason that throughout all the worlds of the buddhas he rains down the rain of Dharma; the adornment of sustaining power, for the reason that through all the kalpas he practices numberless practices without a break; the adornment of transformation, for the reason that upon the body of a single sentient being he manifests bodies equal in number to all sentient beings, causing all sentient beings to know and see them, and seeks all-knowing wisdom without turning back. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain all the unsurpassed adornments of the Dharma of the Tathāgata.

Gate 20. Bringing Forth the Unmoving Mind: Outward Conditions Cannot Move the Mind

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas bring forth ten kinds of unmoving mind. Which are the ten? Namely: the unmoving mind that is able to give away all that he has; the unmoving mind that contemplates and considers all the dharmas of a buddha; the unmoving mind that calls to mind and makes offerings to all the buddhas; the unmoving mind that vows never to harm or trouble any sentient being; the unmoving mind that universally gathers in sentient beings without choosing between enemy and kin; the unmoving mind that seeks all the dharmas of a buddha without rest; the unmoving mind that through unspeakably unspeakable kalpas equal in number to all sentient beings carries out the bodhisattva practice, giving rise to no weariness and never turning back; the unmoving mind that accomplishes faith that has a root (a faith with something under it), faith that is unmuddied, pure faith, utterly pure faith, faith free of defilement, faith that is clear through, faith that reveres and makes offerings to all the buddhas, faith that does not turn back, faith that cannot be exhausted, faith that none can destroy, and faith of great gladness and exultation; the unmoving mind that accomplishes the path of skillful means which brings forth all-knowing wisdom; the unmoving mind that hears the dharmas of the practice of all bodhisattvas and believes and accepts them without slandering them. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the unsurpassed unmoving mind of all-knowing wisdom.

Gate 21. The Deep and Great Mind Not Forsaken: Inwardly, Ten Matters Are Never Let Go

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of not forsaking the deep and great mind. Which are the ten? Namely: not forsaking the deep and great mind of bringing to fulfillment the awakening of all the buddhas; not forsaking the deep and great mind of teaching and taming all sentient beings; not forsaking the deep and great mind of not cutting off the family and nature of all the buddhas; not forsaking the deep and great mind of drawing near to all good friends; not forsaking the deep and great mind of making offerings to all the buddhas; not forsaking the deep and great mind of single-mindedly seeking all the dharmas of merit of the Great Vehicle; not forsaking the deep and great mind of practicing the pure conduct and guarding the pure precepts in the presence of all the buddhas; not forsaking the deep and great mind of drawing near to all bodhisattvas; not forsaking the deep and great mind of seeking the skillful means by which all the dharmas of a buddha are guarded and upheld; not forsaking the deep and great mind of fulfilling all the practices and vows of a bodhisattva and gathering all the dharmas of the buddhas. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely therein, then they will not forsake any of the dharmas of a buddha.

Gate 22. Contemplation with Wisdom: Ten Places Illumined by the Contemplation of Wisdom

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of contemplation with wisdom. Which are the ten? Namely: the contemplation with wisdom that skillfully discriminates and proclaims all dharmas; the contemplation with wisdom that fully knows all the roots of good of the three times; the contemplation with wisdom that fully knows the mastered transformations of all the practices of the bodhisattvas; the contemplation with wisdom that fully knows the gates of the meaning of all dharmas; the contemplation with wisdom that fully knows the majestic power of all the buddhas; the contemplation with wisdom that fully knows all the gates of dhāraṇī; the contemplation with wisdom that in all the worlds universally proclaims the true Dharma; the contemplation with wisdom that enters the whole Dharma realm; the contemplation with wisdom that fully knows all that is inconceivable in the ten directions; the contemplation with wisdom that fully knows that the light of the wisdom of all the dharmas of a buddha is without obstruction. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely therein, then they will obtain the unsurpassed contemplation of great wisdom of the Tathāgata.

Gate 23. Expounding the Dharma

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of expounding the Dharma. Which are the ten? Namely: expounding that all dharmas arise from conditions; expounding that all dharmas are like an illusion; expounding that all dharmas are without contrariety or dispute; expounding that all dharmas are without bound; expounding that all dharmas are without anything relied upon; expounding that all dharmas are like a diamond; expounding that all dharmas are all suchness; expounding that all dharmas are all quiescent; expounding that all dharmas are all going forth; expounding that all dharmas all abide in one meaning and are accomplished in their original nature. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely therein, then they will be skilled in proclaiming all dharmas.

Gate 24. Purity: Ten Places Apart from Obstruction and Pure

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of purity. Which are the ten? Namely: purity of the deep mind; purity of cutting off doubt; purity of leaving views behind; purity of the objective realm; purity of seeking all-knowing wisdom; purity of eloquence; purity of fearlessness; purity of abiding in the wisdom of all bodhisattvas; purity of receiving the disciplines of all bodhisattvas; the purity of being complete in the accomplishing of unsurpassed awakening, in the thirty-two marks of a hundredfold merit, in the white and pure dharmas, and in all the roots of good. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely therein, then they will obtain the unsurpassed pure dharma of all the tathāgatas.

Gate 25. The Seal: Ten Decisive Sealings, as a Seal Seals a Thing

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of seal (a decisive sealing, unalterable as a seal sealing a thing). Which are the ten? Namely:

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas fully know the suffering of suffering, the suffering of decay, and the suffering of conditioned activity (the three kinds of suffering), and single-mindedly seek the Buddha-dharma without giving rise to indolence, and practice the bodhisattva practice without weariness or slackening, not startled and not fearful, not alarmed and not terrified, not forsaking the great vow, seeking all-knowing wisdom, firm and not turning back, ultimately reaching unsurpassed perfect awakening: this is the first seal.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas see sentient beings who are foolish and deranged, who may heap abuse upon them with coarse and evil words, or may harm them with knives, staves, tiles, and stones, and to the very end they do not on account of such circumstances forsake the mind of a bodhisattva, but are only patient and gentle, single-mindedly cultivating the Buddha-dharma, abiding in the most surpassing path and entering the station apart from birth: this is the second seal.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas hear the proclaiming of the most profound Buddha-dharma that accords with all-knowing wisdom, and are able with their own wisdom to believe it deeply and accept it, to understand it and enter into it: this is the third seal.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas again think thus: ‘I bring forth the deep mind and seek all-knowing wisdom; I shall attain buddhahood and gain unsurpassed perfect awakening. All sentient beings turn about in the five destinies and undergo measureless suffering; I would also cause them to bring forth the mind of awakening, to believe deeply and be glad, to be diligent and vigorous, firm and not turning back.’ This is the fourth seal.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas fully know that the wisdom of the Tathāgata is without bound, and do not take a limited measure to fathom the wisdom of the Tathāgata; because the bodhisattva has in the presence of measureless buddhas heard that the wisdom of the Tathāgata is without bound, for that reason he is able not to fathom it by a limited measure; all that is spoken in the letters of the whole world has a limit and a measure, and none of it is able to know fully the wisdom of the Tathāgata: this is the fifth seal.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas obtain, with regard to unsurpassed perfect awakening, the most surpassing longing, the most profound longing, the broad longing, the great longing, the various longings, the longing that none can surpass, the unsurpassed longing, the firm longing, the longing that none of the demons and outsiders together with their retinues is able to destroy, and the longing that seeks all-knowing wisdom without turning back; and the bodhisattva, abiding in these various longings, in the end does not turn back from unsurpassed awakening: this is the sixth seal.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas practice the bodhisattva practice, taking no thought for body or life, and none is able to thwart or ruin them, for the reason that they bring forth the mind that goes toward all-knowing wisdom, for the reason that the nature of all-knowing wisdom is constantly present before them, for the reason that they have obtained the light of the wisdom of all the buddhas; to the very end they do not forsake the awakening of the buddhas, and to the very end they do not forsake the good friends: this is the seventh seal.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, if they see a good man or a good woman going toward the Great Vehicle, cause them to increase the mind that seeks the Buddha-dharma, cause them to abide securely in all the roots of good, cause them to take up the mind of all-knowing wisdom, and cause them not to turn back from unsurpassed awakening: this is the eighth seal.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas cause all sentient beings to obtain an even mind, urge them on to diligently cultivate the path of all-knowing wisdom, and with a mind of great compassion expound the Dharma for them, causing them never to turn back from unsurpassed perfect awakening: this is the ninth seal.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas share one and the same root of good with the buddhas of the three times, do not cut off the family and nature of any of the buddhas, and ultimately arrive at the wisdom of all-knowing wisdom: this is the tenth seal.

“Sons of the Buddha! These are the ten kinds of seal of the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas. By these a bodhisattva swiftly accomplishes unsurpassed perfect awakening, and is complete in the unsurpassed seal of wisdom of all the dharmas of the Tathāgata.

Gate 26. The Shining of the Light of Wisdom: In Ten Places the Light of Wisdom Shines Through Unobstructed

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of shining of the light of wisdom. Which are the ten? Namely: the shining of the light of wisdom that fully knows that he himself will decidedly accomplish unsurpassed perfect awakening; the shining of the light of wisdom that sees all the buddhas; the shining of the light of wisdom that sees all sentient beings dying here and being born there; the shining of the light of wisdom that understands all the gates of Dharma of the sūtras (the scriptures); the shining of the light of wisdom that, relying on the good friends, brings forth the mind of awakening and gathers the roots of good; the shining of the light of wisdom that manifests all the buddhas; the shining of the light of wisdom that teaches all sentient beings and causes all of them to abide securely on the ground of the Tathāgata; the shining of the light of wisdom that expounds inconceivable and vast gates of Dharma; the shining of the light of wisdom that skillfully knows fully the spiritual penetrations and majestic power of all the buddhas; the shining of the light of wisdom that fulfills all the perfections. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the unsurpassed shining of the light of wisdom of all the buddhas.

Gate 27. Abidings without Equal

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of abiding without equal, and none among all sentient beings, śrāvakas, and pratyekabuddhas is equal to them. Which are the ten? Namely:

“Though bodhisattva-mahāsattvas contemplate the true limit, they do not realize it, for the reason that all the vows are not yet fulfilled: this is the first abiding without equal.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas plant all the roots of good that are equal to the Dharma realm, and yet within them have not the least grasping: this is the second abiding without equal.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas practice the bodhisattva practice and know that it is like a transformation, for the reason that all dharmas are quiescent, and yet with regard to the Buddha-dharma they give rise to no doubt: this is the third abiding without equal.

“Though bodhisattva-mahāsattvas leave far behind all the deluded imaginings of the world, they are nevertheless able to bring the mind to bear, and through unspeakable kalpas carry out the bodhisattva practice and fulfill the great vow, and to the very end do not midway give rise to a mind of weariness: this is the fourth abiding without equal.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas grasp at nothing among all dharmas, for the reason that the nature of all dharmas is quiescent, and yet do not realize nirvāṇa. Why is this? Because the path of all-knowing wisdom is not yet fulfilled: this is the fifth abiding without equal.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas fully know that all kalpas are themselves no-kalpa, and yet truly proclaim the number of all the kalpas: this is the sixth abiding without equal.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas fully know that all dharmas are without any doing, and yet do not forsake the practice of doing the path but still seek the dharmas of the buddhas: this is the seventh abiding without equal.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas fully know that the three realms are mind-only and that the three times are mind-only, and yet also fully know that this mind is measureless and boundless: this is the eighth abiding without equal.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, for the sake of a single sentient being, through unspeakable kalpas carry out the bodhisattva practice, wishing to cause him to abide securely on the ground of all-knowing wisdom; and as for a single sentient being, so it is also for all sentient beings, and they give rise to no weariness: this is the ninth abiding without equal.

“Though bodhisattva-mahāsattvas fulfill their practice, they do not realize awakening. Why is this? Because a bodhisattva thinks thus: ‘What I do was from the first for the sake of sentient beings, and therefore I ought to dwell long in birth-and-death, and by skillful means benefit them, causing all of them to abide securely in the unsurpassed path of a buddha.’ This is the tenth abiding without equal.

“Sons of the Buddha! These are the ten kinds of abiding without equal of the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas. If the bodhisattvas abide securely therein, then they will obtain the abiding without equal of the unsurpassed great wisdom and of all the dharmas of a buddha.

Gate 28. Bringing Forth the Mind That Is Not Inferior: Ten Surpassing Matters, All Decidedly to Be Done

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas bring forth ten kinds of mind that is not inferior. Which are the ten?

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas think thus: ‘I would subdue all the demons of the heavens together with their retinues.’ This is the first mind that is not inferior.

“Again they think thus: ‘I would utterly destroy all the outsiders together with their wrong dharmas.’ This is the second mind that is not inferior.

“Again they think thus: ‘I would with good words reveal and make plain to all sentient beings, causing all of them to be glad.’ This is the third mind that is not inferior.

“Again they think thus: ‘I would bring to fulfillment the practice of all the perfections that pervades the Dharma realm.’ This is the fourth mind that is not inferior.

“Again they think thus: ‘I would accumulate the whole treasury of merit.’ This is the fifth mind that is not inferior.

“Again they think thus: ‘Unsurpassed awakening is vast and hard to accomplish; I would practice so as to make it wholly complete.’ This is the sixth mind that is not inferior.

“Again they think thus: ‘I would with unsurpassed teaching and unsurpassed taming teach and tame all sentient beings.’ This is the seventh mind that is not inferior.

“Again they think thus: ‘All the worlds are of various kinds and not the same; I would with measureless bodies accomplish perfect awakening within them.’ This is the eighth mind that is not inferior.

“Again they think thus: ‘When I practice the bodhisattva practice, if there are sentient beings who come to beg of me hands and feet, ears and nose, blood and flesh, bone and marrow, wife and children, elephants and horses, and even the throne of a king, all of this I am able to give away, and I give rise to not a single thought of sorrow or regret, only for the sake of benefiting all sentient beings, not seeking a fruit in return, taking great compassion as the forerunner and great loving-kindness as the ultimate end.’ This is the ninth mind that is not inferior.

“Again they think thus: ‘All the buddhas of the three times, all the dharmas of a buddha, all sentient beings, all lands, the whole world, all of the three times, the whole realm of space, the whole Dharma realm, the whole realm of the establishing of speech, the whole realm of quiescent nirvāṇa — all such various dharmas as these, I would with the wisdom that accords in a single thought know them all and awaken to them all, see them all and realize them all, cultivate them all and cut them all off, and yet within them be without discrimination, apart from discrimination, without variety, without difference, without merit, without realm, neither existent nor non-existent, neither one nor two. With the wisdom of non-duality I would fully know all duality; with the wisdom of no-mark I would fully know all marks; with the wisdom of no-discrimination I would fully know all discrimination; with the wisdom of no-otherness I would fully know all otherness; with the wisdom of no-difference I would fully know all difference; with the wisdom of no-world I would fully know the whole world; with the wisdom of no-age I would fully know all the ages; with the wisdom of no-sentient-being I would fully know all sentient beings; with the wisdom of no-grasping I would fully know all grasping; with the wisdom of no-dwelling-place I would fully know all dwelling places; with the wisdom of no-defilement I would fully know all defilement; with the wisdom of no-exhausting I would fully know all exhausting; with the wisdom of the ultimate Dharma realm I would manifest my body in all the worlds; with the wisdom that is apart from the sounds of speech I would manifest unspeakable sounds of speech; with the wisdom of one self-nature I would enter into no-self-nature; with the wisdom of one realm I would manifest the various realms; and fully knowing that all dharmas cannot be spoken, I would give rise to greatly mastered speech and realize the ground of all-knowing wisdom; and for the sake of teaching and taming all sentient beings, I would in the whole world manifest great spiritual transformations.’ This is the tenth mind that is not inferior.

“Sons of the Buddha! These are the ten kinds of mind that is not inferior brought forth by the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this mind, then they will obtain all the highest Buddha-dharma that is not inferior.

Gate 29. The Ascendant Mind Like a Mountain: The Myriad Practices Tower Up, Hard to Look Up To as a Mountain

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have, with regard to unsurpassed perfect awakening, ten kinds of ascendant mind like a mountain. Which are the ten?

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas constantly bring the mind to bear and diligently cultivate the dharma of all-knowing wisdom: this is the first ascendant mind like a mountain.

“Constantly contemplating that all dharmas are in their original nature empty and that nothing is got at: this is the second ascendant mind like a mountain.

“Vowing through measureless kalpas to carry out the bodhisattva practice and to cultivate all the white and pure dharmas, and, for the reason that he abides in all the white and pure dharmas, obtaining the knowing and seeing of the measureless wisdom of the Tathāgata: this is the third ascendant mind like a mountain.

“For the sake of seeking all the dharmas of a buddha, with an even mind honoring and serving the good friends, having no other hope and no mind that steals the Dharma (not calling oneself already understanding upon hearing a single word from another), giving rise only to reverence and never having a second thought, and being able to give away all that he has: this is the fourth ascendant mind like a mountain.

“If there are sentient beings who revile and abuse him, slander him, beat him with staves, butcher and cut him, bringing pain to his very frame, and even cut off his life, all such various things he is able to bear, and to the very end he does not on this account give rise to a disturbed mind or a mind of anger and harm, nor does he draw back and forsake the great compassion and the great oath, but on the contrary causes it to increase without rest. Why is this? Because a bodhisattva, with regard to all dharmas, has truly gone forth and has already accomplished the giving away; because he has realized the dharmas of all the tathāgatas and has already mastered patience and gentleness. This is the fifth ascendant mind like a mountain.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas accomplish the various ascendant great merits, namely: ascendant merit among the gods, ascendant merit among human beings, ascendant merit of form, ascendant merit of strength, ascendant merit of retinue, ascendant merit of desires, ascendant merit of the station of a king, ascendant merit of mastery, ascendant merit of blessings, and ascendant merit of wisdom. Though he has accomplished such merits as these, to the very end he does not give rise to defiled attachment to them, namely: he is not attached to flavors, not attached to the delights of desire, not attached to wealth, not attached to retinue; he only deeply delights in the Dharma, going with the Dharma, abiding with the Dharma, tending toward the Dharma, ultimate with the Dharma, taking the Dharma as what he relies on, taking the Dharma as his rescue and protection, taking the Dharma as his refuge, taking the Dharma as his dwelling house, guarding the Dharma, loving and delighting in the Dharma, longing for the Dharma, contemplating the Dharma. Sons of the Buddha! Though bodhisattva-mahāsattvas fully receive the various delights of the Dharma, yet they constantly leave far behind the realms of the demons. Why is this? Because bodhisattva-mahāsattvas in past ages brought forth a thought like this: ‘I would cause all sentient beings forever to leave the realms of the demons and to abide securely in the realm of a buddha.’ This is the sixth ascendant mind like a mountain.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, seeking unsurpassed perfect awakening, have already through measureless incalculable kalpas carried out the bodhisattva path with diligence and without slackening, and yet still speak thus: ‘I have only now for the first time brought forth the mind of unsurpassed perfect awakening.’ Practicing the bodhisattva practice in this way, they are neither startled nor terrified nor fearful. And though they are able within a single thought to accomplish unsurpassed perfect awakening, yet for the sake of sentient beings they carry out the bodhisattva practice through measureless kalpas without rest: this is the seventh ascendant mind like a mountain.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas fully know that the dispositions of all sentient beings are not gentle, that they are hard to tame and hard to deliver, that they are unable to know a kindness and unable to repay a kindness, and therefore they bring forth the great vow for them, wishing to cause all of them to obtain mastery of mind and to be unobstructed in what they do, to forsake evil thoughts, and not to give rise to any afflictions toward others: this is the eighth ascendant mind like a mountain.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas again think thus: ‘It is not another who causes me to bring forth the mind of awakening, nor need I wait for another to come and help me in my practice. I myself bring forth the mind and gather the dharmas of a buddha, taking an oath and setting a term to spur myself on, and to the end of the kalpas of the future carry out the bodhisattva path and accomplish unsurpassed perfect awakening. Therefore, as I now practice the bodhisattva practice, I ought to purify my own mind and also purify the minds of others; I ought to know fully my own realm and also know fully the realms of others; I would be wholly equal to the realms of the buddhas of the three times.’ This is the ninth ascendant mind like a mountain.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas make a contemplation like this: ‘There is not a single dharma that is practicing the bodhisattva practice; there is not a single dharma that is able to fulfill the bodhisattva practice; there is not a single dharma that is teaching and taming all sentient beings; there is not a single dharma that is making offerings to and revering all the buddhas; there is not a single dharma that with regard to unsurpassed perfect awakening has already accomplished it, is now accomplishing it, or will accomplish it; there is not a single dharma that has already been spoken, is now being spoken, or will be spoken; the one who expounds the Dharma and the Dharma expounded are alike not to be got at, and yet the vow of unsurpassed perfect awakening is not forsaken.’ Why is this? Because a bodhisattva, seeking all dharmas, gets nothing at all, and only thus does unsurpassed perfect awakening come forth. Therefore, though with regard to the dharmas nothing is got at, he still diligently cultivates and increases the ascendant deeds of good, purifies the counteracting, fulfills wisdom, increases in thought after thought, and is complete in every respect. His mind is at this neither startled nor terrified, and he does not think thus: ‘If all dharmas are quiescent, what reason have I to seek the path of unsurpassed awakening?’ This is the tenth ascendant mind like a mountain.

“Sons of the Buddha! These are the ten kinds of ascendant mind like a mountain of the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas with regard to unsurpassed perfect awakening. If the bodhisattvas abide securely therein, then they will obtain the ascendant mind of the unsurpassed great king of the mountain of wisdom of the Tathāgata.

Gate 30. Entering the Ocean-like Wisdom of Unsurpassed Awakening: The Substance of Wisdom Is Deep and Vast, Containing All as an Ocean

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of ocean-like wisdom that enters unsurpassed perfect awakening. Which are the ten? Namely:

“Entering the whole measureless realm of sentient beings: this is the first ocean-like wisdom.

“Entering all the worlds and giving rise to no discrimination: this is the second ocean-like wisdom.

“Fully knowing that the whole realm of space is measureless and unobstructed, and entering everywhere into all the differing nets of worlds of the ten directions: this is the third ocean-like wisdom.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas enter the Dharma realm well, namely: entering without obstruction, entering without cutting off, entering without permanence, entering measurelessly, entering without arising, entering without ceasing, entering wholly, for the reason that they know it all fully: this is the fourth ocean-like wisdom.

“As for the roots of good gathered by the buddhas, the bodhisattvas, the Dharma masters, the śrāvakas, the pratyekabuddhas, and all ordinary beings of the past, the future, and the present — those already gathered, those now being gathered, those to be gathered — and the roots of good of the buddhas of the three times who with regard to unsurpassed perfect awakening have already accomplished it, are now accomplishing it, and will accomplish it, and the roots of good of the buddhas of the three times who in expounding the Dharma and taming all sentient beings have already spoken, are now speaking, and will speak: with regard to all of these, bodhisattva-mahāsattvas are able to know them fully, to believe them deeply and rejoice in them, and to vow and delight to cultivate them, never having enough: this is the fifth ocean-like wisdom.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas in thought after thought enter unspeakable kalpas of the past age, and within one kalpa there may be a hundred koṭi buddhas appearing in the world, or a thousand koṭi buddhas appearing in the world, or a hundred thousand koṭi buddhas appearing in the world, or numberless, or measureless, or boundless, or incomparable, or uncountable, or unnameable, or unthinkable, or immeasurable, or unspeakable, or unspeakably unspeakable buddhas, world-honored ones surpassing all reckoning, appearing in the world; and the śrāvakas and bodhisattvas within the assemblies at the places of awakening of those buddhas, and their expounding the Dharma and taming beings, and the length or brevity of the lifespans of all sentient beings, and the long or short abiding of the true Dharma in the world — all of this they are able to see clearly; and as with one kalpa, so it is also with all the kalpas. As for the sentient beings in those kalpas that have no buddha, if any of them have planted roots of good for the sake of unsurpassed perfect awakening, these too they fully know; and if there are sentient beings whose roots of good are already ripe and who in a future age will attain the sight of a buddha, these too they fully know. Contemplating in this way the unspeakably unspeakable kalpas of the past age, their minds never have enough: this is the sixth ocean-like wisdom.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas enter the future age and contemplate and discriminate all the kalpas, measureless and boundless, fully knowing which kalpa has a buddha and which kalpa has no buddha, how many tathāgatas appear in the world in each kalpa, what the name of each single tathāgata is, in which world he abides, what that world is called, how many sentient beings he delivers, and how long his lifespan is. Contemplating in this way, to the very end of the future they are able to know it all, inexhaustibly and never having enough: this is the seventh ocean-like wisdom.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas enter the present age and contemplate and consider, in thought after thought seeing everywhere the boundless kinds of unspeakable worlds of the ten directions, in every one of which there are buddhas who with regard to unsurpassed awakening have already accomplished it, are now accomplishing it, and will accomplish it, going to the place of awakening beneath the tree of awakening, sitting upon the auspicious grass, subduing the armies of the demons, and accomplishing unsurpassed perfect awakening; and after rising from that seat, entering the cities and towns, ascending to the heavenly palaces, proclaiming the subtle Dharma, turning the great wheel of the Dharma, manifesting spiritual penetrations, taming sentient beings, and so on to entrusting the dharma of unsurpassed perfect awakening to others, giving up the lifespan, and entering parinirvāṇa; and after entering nirvāṇa, the compiling of the treasury of the Dharma so that the true Dharma long abides in the world, and the adorning of the stūpas of the Buddha with offerings of every kind. They also see the sentient beings of those worlds meeting with the Buddha and hearing the true Dharma, receiving and upholding and reciting it, calling it to mind and contemplating it, and increasing in wisdom and understanding. Contemplating in this way everywhere in the ten directions, they are yet without error in the Buddha-dharma. Why is this? Because bodhisattva-mahāsattvas fully know that all the buddhas are like a dream, and yet they are able to go to the presence of all the buddhas and reverently make offerings. At this time the bodhisattva is not attached to his own body, not attached to the buddhas, not attached to the worlds, not attached to the assemblies, not attached to the expounding of the Dharma, not attached to the number of the kalpas, and yet he sees the buddhas and hears the Dharma, contemplates the worlds, and enters the numbers of the kalpas, never having enough: this is the eighth ocean-like wisdom.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, through unspeakably unspeakable kalpas, within each and every kalpa make offerings to and revere unspeakably unspeakable measureless buddhas, manifesting their own bodies passing away here and being born there, and with all the articles of offering that surpass the three realms making offerings, and further making offerings to the bodhisattvas, the śrāvakas, and the whole great assembly; and after each and every tathāgata has entered parinirvāṇa, with unsurpassed articles of offering they make offerings to the relics, and further widely practice generosity so as to satisfy sentient beings. Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, with an inconceivable mind, a mind that seeks no reward, an ultimate mind, and a mind that benefits, through unspeakably unspeakable kalpas, for the sake of unsurpassed perfect awakening, make offerings to the buddhas, benefit sentient beings, guard and uphold the true Dharma, and reveal and expound it: this is the ninth ocean-like wisdom.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, in the presence of all the buddhas, in the presence of all the bodhisattvas, and in the presence of all the Dharma masters, single-mindedly seek the dharma spoken by the bodhisattvas, the dharma studied by the bodhisattvas, the dharma taught by the bodhisattvas, the dharma practiced by the bodhisattvas, the dharma purified by the bodhisattvas, the dharma ripened by the bodhisattvas, the dharma tamed by the bodhisattvas, the dharma of the evenness of the bodhisattvas, the dharma of the going forth of the bodhisattvas, and the dharma of the holding of all things by the bodhisattvas; and having obtained these dharmas, they receive and uphold and recite them, discriminate and explain them, never having enough; and they cause measureless sentient beings within the Buddha-dharma to bring forth the mind that accords with all-knowing wisdom, to enter into the mark of the real, and with regard to unsurpassed perfect awakening to obtain non-retrogression. A bodhisattva in this way, through unspeakably unspeakable kalpas, never has enough: this is the tenth ocean-like wisdom.

“Sons of the Buddha! These are the ten kinds of ocean-like wisdom that enters unsurpassed perfect awakening of the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the unsurpassed great ocean of wisdom of all the buddhas.”

Gate 1. Abiding like a Jewel: Ten Precious Matters of Abiding in Awakening

(Samantabhadra Bodhisattva speaks to Universal Wisdom Bodhisattva and the other bodhisattvas seated in the assembly:)

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, in the matter of unsurpassed perfect awakening, have ten kinds of abiding like a jewel. Which are the ten?

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas are all able to go to the places of all the tathāgatas in measureless worlds, and there to look up in reverence, to bow their heads, to attend upon them and to make offerings to them. This is the first kind of abiding like a jewel.

“In the places of as many tathāgatas as are inconceivable, hearing the true Dharma, receiving it and holding it in mind, not letting it be forgotten and lost, discriminating it and pondering it, causing the wisdom of awakening to grow without ceasing, and what is done in this way filling the ten directions — this is the second kind of abiding like a jewel.

“At the end of the span of life in this one world, appearing and taking birth in another place, and yet having not the slightest confusion about the Buddha-dharma — this is the third kind of abiding like a jewel.

“Knowing that from a single dharma all dharmas can be brought forth, and being able to discriminate and expound them one by one; because the various different meanings of all dharmas are, when brought to the end, one and the same meaning — this is the fourth kind of abiding like a jewel.

“Knowing how to grow weary of and leave the afflictions, knowing how to bring the afflictions to rest, knowing how to guard against the afflictions, knowing how to cut off and remove the afflictions; cultivating the bodhisattva practice and yet not realizing the real limit (not halting upon the principle of emptiness and there entering nirvāṇa), and yet arriving at the end at the far shore of the real limit; being skillful in means, learning well all that is to be learned, causing the vows and practices of former times all to be brought to fullness, and being untired in body and in mind — this is the fifth kind of abiding like a jewel.

“Knowing that the various discriminations that arise in the minds of all sentient beings have in fact no real place that can be got at, and yet still speaking of there being various directions and places; though there is no discriminating and no making, still, in order to tame and subdue all sentient beings, cultivating and doing something — this is the sixth kind of abiding like a jewel.

“Knowing that all dharmas are of one and the same nature, namely: without intrinsic nature, without a nature of various differences, without a nature of the measureless, without a nature that can be counted, without a nature that can be weighed, without shape and without characteristic, and that to call it one or to call it many is alike not to be got at; and yet also determining and understanding clearly: this is the dharma of the buddhas, this is the dharma of the bodhisattvas, this is the dharma of the pratyekabuddhas, this is the dharma of the śrāvakas, this is the dharma of ordinary beings, this is a good dharma, this is a not-good dharma, this is a worldly dharma, this is a world-transcending dharma, this is a dharma with fault, this is a dharma without fault, this is a dharma with outflows, this is a dharma without outflows, and so on to: this is a conditioned dharma, this is an unconditioned dharma — this is the seventh kind of abiding like a jewel.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, seeking a buddha, do not get one; seeking a bodhisattva, do not get one; seeking a dharma, do not get one; seeking a sentient being, do not get one; and yet they do not forsake that vow to ‘tame and subdue sentient beings and cause them to accomplish perfect awakening in respect of all dharmas.’ Why is this? Because bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, contemplating with skill, know the discriminations of all sentient beings and know the objective realms of all sentient beings, and with skillful means lead and convert them so that they obtain nirvāṇa; and in order to fulfill the vow to convert and deliver sentient beings, they therefore blazingly cultivate the bodhisattva practice. This is the eighth kind of abiding like a jewel.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas know that the skillful speaking of the Dharma and the manifesting of nirvāṇa — all these skillful means set up for the sake of delivering sentient beings — are wholly established by the thinking of the mind, and are neither upside-down nor false and deceiving. Why is this? Because the bodhisattva understands that all dharmas are even throughout the three times, are thus and unmoving, and that the real limit is without anything settled upon; he does not see that there is any sentient being who has been converted, is being converted, or is to be converted, and he also understands of himself that in fact there is nothing cultivated, and that not the least dharma is born or ceases and can be got at; and yet he still relies upon all dharmas so that the vows brought forth do not fall empty. This is the ninth kind of abiding like a jewel.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, in the presence of inconceivable measureless buddhas, at the place of each single buddha, hear as many dharmas of prediction as are unspeakably unspeakable, their names each different and the numbers of their kalpas each different too; from one kalpa on to unspeakably unspeakable kalpas they constantly hear in this way, and having heard, they cultivate accordingly, not startled and not alarmed, not confused and not perplexed. This is because they know that the wisdom of the Tathāgata is inconceivable, because what the Tathāgata’s prediction says is without any second meaning, because the practices and vows of their own persons have surpassing power, and because they cause beings to accomplish unsurpassed perfect awakening according to what each is fit to receive and bring to fullness the vows that pervade equally the whole Dharma realm. This is the tenth kind of abiding like a jewel.

“Sons of the Buddha! These are the ten kinds of abiding like a jewel of bodhisattva-mahāsattvas in respect of unsurpassed perfect awakening. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the unsurpassed jewel of great wisdom of the buddhas.

Gate 2. The Mind of Vow of the Great Vehicle like a Vajra: Ten Great Vows That Cannot Be Broken

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas bring forth ten kinds of mind of vow of the Great Vehicle like a vajra. Which are the ten?

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas think in this way: ‘All dharmas are without bound and cannot be exhausted. I would, with a wisdom that exhausts the three times, universally be awake to them all, without the least thing left out.’ This is the first kind of mind of vow of the Great Vehicle like a vajra.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas again think in this way: ‘In a place as small as the tip of a single hair there are measureless and boundless sentient beings — how much more the whole Dharma realm! I would with unsurpassed nirvāṇa deliver them all to extinction.’ This is the second kind of mind of vow of the Great Vehicle like a vajra.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas again think in this way: ‘The worlds of the ten directions are measureless and boundless, without any bounding limit, and cannot be exhausted. I would with the highest adornments of the lands of the buddhas adorn all such worlds, and all the adornments would be real.’ This is the third kind of mind of vow of the Great Vehicle like a vajra.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas again think in this way: ‘All sentient beings are measureless and boundless, without any bounding limit, and cannot be exhausted. I would dedicate and direct all my roots of good toward the unsurpassed light of wisdom for them, to shine upon them.’ This is the fourth kind of mind of vow of the Great Vehicle like a vajra.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas again think in this way: ‘All the buddhas are measureless and boundless, without any bounding limit, and cannot be exhausted. I would dedicate and direct the roots of good I have planted to making offerings, causing the offerings to reach all the buddhas everywhere without any lack, and only then would I accomplish unsurpassed perfect awakening.’ This is the fifth kind of mind of vow of the Great Vehicle like a vajra.

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, seeing all the buddhas and hearing the Dharma that is spoken, give rise to great joy, and yet do not cling to their own bodies nor cling to the bodies of the buddhas; they understand that the body of a tathāgata is neither real nor unreal, neither existent nor nonexistent, neither having a nature nor being without a nature, neither form nor not-form, neither having a characteristic nor being without a characteristic, neither born nor ceasing — truly there is nothing there at all, and yet neither is that which exists destroyed. Why is this? Because it cannot be grasped and clung to by way of any one nature or any one characteristic. This is the sixth kind of mind of vow of the Great Vehicle like a vajra.

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas may meet with sentient beings who revile and abuse and shame them, who whip and beat and cudgel them, or who cut off their hands and feet, or slice off their ears and noses, or gouge out their eyes, or sever their heads; all such things they are able to bear, and in the end they do not on that account give rise to a mind of anger and harm. Through unspeakably unspeakable and measureless kalpas they cultivate the bodhisattva practice, and in gathering in sentient beings they have never once abandoned or forsaken them. Why is this? Because bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have already contemplated well that all dharmas are without the two characteristics of that which acts and that which is acted upon, their minds unshaken and undisturbed, and are able to give up their own bodies and bear that suffering. This is the seventh kind of mind of vow of the Great Vehicle like a vajra.

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas again think in this way: ‘The kalpas of the ages to come are measureless and boundless, without any bounding limit, and cannot be exhausted. I would exhaust all those kalpas, walking the bodhisattva path and teaching and converting sentient beings within one world; and as in one world, so throughout the Dharma realm, the realm of empty space, and all worlds I would do the same, and in my mind be unstartled, unalarmed, and unafraid. Why is this? Because the dharma of the bodhisattva path ought to be just so, and because it is cultivated for the sake of all sentient beings.’ This is the eighth kind of mind of vow of the Great Vehicle like a vajra.

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas again think in this way: ‘Unsurpassed perfect awakening has the mind for its root. If the mind is pure, then all the roots of good can be brought to fullness, and in the awakening of a buddha one will surely gain mastery; wishing to accomplish unsurpassed perfect awakening, one accomplishes it as the mind intends. If I wished to cut off all the conditions of grasping and clinging and to abide securely in the path that heads single-mindedly for quiescence, that too I could do; yet I do not cut them off, and this is for the sake of bringing the awakening of a buddha to its end, and therefore I also do not straightway realize and take up unsurpassed awakening. Why is this? In order to fulfill my original vow, and for the sake of exhausting all worlds in walking the bodhisattva practice and teaching and converting sentient beings.’ This is the ninth kind of mind of vow of the Great Vehicle like a vajra.

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas know: a buddha is not to be got at, awakening is not to be got at, a bodhisattva is not to be got at, all dharmas are not to be got at, sentient beings are not to be got at, the mind is not to be got at, practice is not to be got at, the past is not to be got at, the future is not to be got at, the present is not to be got at, all the worlds are not to be got at, the conditioned and the unconditioned are not to be got at. The bodhisattva in this way abides in quiescence, abides in the profound, abides in extinction, abides in the absence of contention, abides in the absence of speech, abides in the absence of duality, abides in the absence of an equal, abides in self-nature, abides in accordance with principle, abides in liberation, abides in nirvāṇa, abides in the real limit; and yet he does not forsake any of the great vows, does not forsake the mind of omniscience, does not forsake the bodhisattva practice, does not forsake the teaching and converting of sentient beings, does not forsake the perfections, does not forsake the taming and subduing of sentient beings, does not forsake the attending upon the buddhas, does not forsake the expounding of the dharmas, does not forsake the adorning of worlds. Why is this? Because bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have brought forth the great vow, and therefore, though they have already penetrated the characteristics of all dharmas, the mind of great kindness and compassion grows all the greater, and they cultivate measureless merits complete in every part, and toward sentient beings their minds do not forsake them. And why again? ‘All dharmas are altogether without anything there at all, and ordinary beings in their folly do not know it and are not aware of it; I would cause them all to awaken and to shine clearly upon the nature of the dharmas.’ And why again? ‘All the buddhas abide in extinction, and yet with a mind of great compassion they speak the Dharma and teach and convert throughout the worlds without ever resting. How then could I now forsake great compassion? How much more so since I have already before brought forth the mind of the vast and great vow, brought forth the mind determined to benefit all sentient beings, brought forth the mind that gathers together all roots of good, brought forth the mind that abides in the skillful dedicating and directing, brought forth the mind that produces profound wisdom, brought forth the mind that holds within it all sentient beings, brought forth the mind that is even toward all sentient beings; what is spoken is true speech and not false and deceiving speech, and I vow to give all sentient beings the unsurpassed great Dharma, and vow not to let the seed-nature of all the buddhas be cut off. Now all sentient beings have not yet obtained liberation, have not yet accomplished perfect awakening, are not yet complete in the Buddha-dharma, and the great vow is not yet brought to fullness; how then could I wish to forsake great compassion?’ This is the tenth kind of mind of vow of the Great Vehicle like a vajra.

“Sons of the Buddha! These are the ten kinds of mind of vow of the Great Vehicle like a vajra brought forth by bodhisattva-mahāsattvas. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the vajra nature of the Tathāgata and the unsurpassed wisdom of great spiritual penetration.

Gate 3. Great Setting Forth: Ten Great Minds Set Going

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of great setting forth. Which are the ten?

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas think in this way: ‘I would make offerings to and revere all the buddhas.’ This is the first great setting forth.

“Again they think in this way: ‘I would nourish and grow all the roots of good possessed by all the bodhisattvas.’ This is the second great setting forth.

“Again they think in this way: ‘After all the tathāgatas have entered parinirvāṇa, I would adorn their stūpas, and with all flowers, all garlands, all incense, all paste incense, all powdered incense, all robes, all canopies, all banners, and all pennants make offerings, and would receive and uphold and guard the true Dharma of those buddhas.’ This is the third great setting forth.

“Again they think in this way: ‘I would teach, convert, tame, and subdue all sentient beings, and cause them to obtain unsurpassed perfect awakening.’ This is the fourth great setting forth.

“Again they think in this way: ‘I would with the unsurpassed adornments of the lands of the buddhas adorn all worlds.’ This is the fifth great setting forth.

“Again they think in this way: ‘I would bring forth the mind of great compassion, and for the sake of a single sentient being alone, in all worlds, each and every one, would exhaust the kalpas to the end of the future age in walking the bodhisattva practice; and as for a single sentient being, so for all sentient beings I would do the same, causing them all to obtain the unsurpassed awakening of a buddha, and not so much as give rise to a single thought of weariness and indolence.’ This is the sixth great setting forth.

“Again they think in this way: ‘Those tathāgatas are measureless and boundless. I would, in the presence of a single tathāgata, pass through inconceivable kalpas revering and making offerings; and as toward a single tathāgata, so toward all the tathāgatas I would do the same in every case.’ This is the seventh great setting forth.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas again think in this way: ‘After those tathāgatas have passed into extinction, I would for the relics of each and every tathāgata raise up jeweled stūpas, the height and breadth of the stūpas equal in measure to as many worlds as are unspeakable; and I would make images of the buddhas in the same way, and through inconceivable kalpas with all jeweled banners, pennants and canopies, incense and flowers, and robes make offerings, without giving rise to a single thought of weariness. This is for the sake of accomplishing the Buddha-dharma, for the sake of making offerings to the buddhas, for the sake of teaching and converting sentient beings, for the sake of guarding and upholding the true Dharma and revealing and expounding it.’ This is the eighth great setting forth.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas again think in this way: ‘I would with this root of good accomplish unsurpassed awakening, and thereby enter the stage of all the tathāgatas and be even with the nature of all the tathāgatas.’ This is the ninth great setting forth.

“Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas again think in this way: ‘After I have accomplished perfect awakening, in all worlds through unspeakable kalpas I would expound the true Dharma, and manifest inconceivable masterful spiritual penetrations, and in body, in speech, and also in mind give rise to no weariness, and not depart from the true Dharma. This is because it is sustained by the power of the buddhas, because I diligently walk the great vow for the sake of all sentient beings, because great kindness goes before, because great compassion is brought to its end, because I have penetrated the dharma that is without characteristics, because I abide in true speech, because I have realized that all dharmas are extinguished; because I know that all sentient beings are not to be got at and yet do not go against what the various deeds have done, because I am of one and the same substance with the buddhas of the three times, because I pervade the Dharma realm and the realm of empty space, because I have penetrated that the dharmas are without characteristics, because I have accomplished the unborn and unceasing, because I am complete in all the Buddha-dharma; and with the power of the great vow I tame and subdue sentient beings and do the great work of a buddha without resting.’ This is the tenth great setting forth.

“Sons of the Buddha! These are the ten kinds of great setting forth of bodhisattva-mahāsattvas. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will not break off the bodhisattva practice, and will be complete in the unsurpassed great wisdom of the Tathāgata.

Gate 4. Great Matters Brought to the End: Ten Great Matters That Must Be Carried Through

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of great matter brought to the end. Which are the ten? Namely: to revere and make offerings to all the tathāgatas is a great matter brought to the end; to be able to rescue and protect all the sentient beings that come to mind is a great matter brought to the end; to seek out all the Buddha-dharma single-mindedly is a great matter brought to the end; to gather together all roots of good is a great matter brought to the end; to ponder all the Buddha-dharma is a great matter brought to the end; to fulfill all vows is a great matter brought to the end; to accomplish all the bodhisattva practices is a great matter brought to the end; to serve all good friends is a great matter brought to the end; to go to the places of all the tathāgatas in all worlds is a great matter brought to the end; to hear and hold the true Dharma of all the buddhas is a great matter brought to the end. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the great matter of the great wisdom brought to the end of unsurpassed perfect awakening.

Gate 5. Faith That Cannot Be Broken: Faith in Ten Places That Cannot Be Broken

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of faith that cannot be broken. Which are the ten? Namely: faith in all the buddhas that cannot be broken; faith in all the Buddha-dharma that cannot be broken; faith in all the holy Saṅgha that cannot be broken; faith in all the bodhisattvas that cannot be broken; faith in all good friends that cannot be broken; faith in all sentient beings that cannot be broken; faith in the great vows of all the bodhisattvas that cannot be broken; faith in all the bodhisattva practices that cannot be broken; faith in the matter of revering and making offerings to all the buddhas that cannot be broken; faith in the matter of the bodhisattva’s teaching, converting, taming, and subduing all sentient beings by skillful and hidden means that cannot be broken. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the faith that cannot be broken of the unsurpassed great wisdom of the buddhas.

Gate 6. Obtaining a Prediction: Ten Causes and Conditions for Receiving a Prediction

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of obtaining a prediction. Which are the ten? Namely: having a profound understanding within the mind and thereby obtaining a prediction; being able to give rise in accordance to all the roots of good of a bodhisattva and thereby obtaining a prediction; cultivating vast and great practice and thereby obtaining a prediction; being present face to face and thereby obtaining a prediction; not being present (the Buddha giving a prediction for one not in the assembly) and thereby obtaining a prediction; realizing awakening by one’s own mind and thereby obtaining a prediction; accomplishing patient acceptance and thereby obtaining a prediction; teaching, converting, taming, and subduing sentient beings and thereby obtaining a prediction; bringing all the numbers of kalpas to their end and thereby obtaining a prediction; gaining mastery in all the bodhisattva practices and thereby obtaining a prediction. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain a prediction in the presence of all the buddhas.

Gate 7. The Dedicating of Roots of Good: Ten Dedications of ‘Being the Same as the Good Friend, Setting Up No Accomplishment of One’s Own’

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of dedicating of roots of good, and by this the bodhisattva is able to dedicate and direct all his roots of good entirely. Which are the ten? Namely: taking my roots of good to be the same as the vows of the good friend, accomplishing in this way, setting up no separate accomplishment of my own; taking my roots of good to be the same as the mind of the good friend, accomplishing in this way, setting up no separate accomplishment of my own; taking my roots of good to be the same as the practice of the good friend, accomplishing in this way, setting up no separate accomplishment of my own; taking my roots of good to be the same as the roots of good of the good friend, accomplishing in this way, setting up no separate accomplishment of my own; taking my roots of good to be the same as the evenness of the good friend, accomplishing in this way, setting up no separate accomplishment of my own; taking my roots of good to be the same as the mindfulness of the good friend, accomplishing in this way, setting up no separate accomplishment of my own; taking my roots of good to be the same as the purity of the good friend, accomplishing in this way, setting up no separate accomplishment of my own; taking my roots of good to be the same as that in which the good friend abides, accomplishing in this way, setting up no separate accomplishment of my own; taking my roots of good to be the same as the bringing to fullness of the good friend, accomplishing in this way, setting up no separate accomplishment of my own; taking my roots of good to be the same as the unbreakableness of the good friend, accomplishing in this way, setting up no separate accomplishment of my own. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the unsurpassed dedicating of roots of good.

Gate 8. Obtaining Wisdom: Ten Places Where Wisdom Arises

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of obtaining wisdom. Which are the ten? Namely: gaining mastery in giving and thereby obtaining wisdom; understanding all the Buddha-dharma deeply and thereby obtaining wisdom; entering the boundless wisdom of the Tathāgata and thereby obtaining wisdom; being able to cut off doubts in all questioning and answering and thereby obtaining wisdom; entering the meaning set forth by those who have wisdom and thereby obtaining wisdom; understanding deeply the skillfulness of the speech and sounds of all the tathāgatas within all the Buddha-dharma and thereby obtaining wisdom; understanding deeply that the planting of but a few roots of good in the presence of the buddhas will surely be able to bring to fullness all the pure and white dharmas and to gain the measureless wisdom of the Tathāgata, and thereby obtaining wisdom; accomplishing the inconceivable abodes of a bodhisattva and thereby obtaining wisdom; being able within a single thought to go to unspeakable buddha-lands and thereby obtaining wisdom; being awake to the awakening of all the buddhas, entering all the Dharma realms, hearing and holding the dharmas spoken by all the buddhas, and entering deeply into the variously adorned speech and sounds of all the tathāgatas, and thereby obtaining wisdom. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the unsurpassed wisdom of direct knowing and witnessing of all the buddhas.

Gate 9. Bringing Forth the Measureless and Boundless Vast and Great Mind: Ten Places Where the Mind Is Set into the Measureless

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of bringing forth the measureless and boundless vast and great mind. Which are the ten? Namely: in the presence of all the buddhas, bringing forth the measureless and boundless vast and great mind; contemplating the whole realm of sentient beings, bringing forth the measureless and boundless vast and great mind; contemplating all lands, all ages, and all Dharma realms, bringing forth the measureless and boundless vast and great mind; contemplating that all dharmas are like empty space, bringing forth the measureless and boundless vast and great mind; contemplating the vast and great practice of all the bodhisattvas, bringing forth the measureless and boundless vast and great mind; rightly bringing to mind all the buddhas of the three times, bringing forth the measureless and boundless vast and great mind; contemplating the inconceivable fruits and retributions of the various deeds, bringing forth the measureless and boundless vast and great mind; adorning and purifying all buddha-lands, bringing forth the measureless and boundless vast and great mind; entering everywhere into the great assemblies of all the buddhas, bringing forth the measureless and boundless vast and great mind; contemplating the marvelous sounds of all the tathāgatas, bringing forth the measureless and boundless vast and great mind. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this mind, then they will obtain the measureless and boundless vast and great ocean of wisdom of all the Buddha-dharma.

Gate 10. Hidden Treasuries: Ten Treasuries Buried within the Dharma

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of hidden treasury. Which are the ten? Namely: knowing that all dharmas are the treasury that gives rise to the practices of merit; knowing that all dharmas are the treasury of right pondering; knowing that all dharmas are the treasury of the shining clarity of the dhāraṇīs; knowing that all dharmas are the treasury of eloquence that opens up and expounds; knowing that all dharmas are the treasury that cannot be spoken of and yet is well able to be awake to the real; knowing that the masterful spiritual penetrations of all the buddhas are the treasury of contemplating and manifesting; knowing that all dharmas are the treasury of skillfully bringing forth evenness; knowing that all dharmas are the treasury of constantly seeing all the buddhas; knowing that all the inconceivable kalpas are the treasury of being well able to penetrate that all abide as illusions; knowing that all the buddhas and bodhisattvas are the treasury able to bring forth joy and pure faith. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the unsurpassed treasury of the Dharma of wisdom of all the buddhas, and will be able to tame and subdue all sentient beings.

Gate 11. Rules of Discipline: Ten Standards That Hold Fast the Root of Practice

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of rule of discipline. Which are the ten? Namely: the rule of discipline of giving rise to no slander of any Buddha-dharma; the rule of discipline of a mind of faith and delight in all the buddhas that cannot be broken; the rule of discipline of giving rise to honor and reverence toward all bodhisattvas; the rule of discipline of never forsaking a mind of love and delight toward all good friends; the rule of discipline of not giving rise to a thought of wishing to follow after any śrāvaka or pratyekabuddha; the rule of discipline of leaving far behind all matters that cause the bodhisattva path to be turned back from; the rule of discipline of not giving rise to any mind that harms sentient beings; the rule of discipline of cultivating all roots of good and causing them all to be brought to the end; the rule of discipline of being able to subdue all demons; the rule of discipline of causing all the perfections to be brought to fullness. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the unsurpassed rules of discipline of great wisdom.

Gate 12. Mastery: Ten Workings That Move Freely and Unimpeded

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of mastery. Which are the ten? Namely: mastery over the span of life, for the reason that they are able to sustain their life-span through unspeakable kalpas; mastery of mind, for the reason that their wisdom is able to enter measureless samādhis; mastery over the requisites of living, for the reason that they are able with measureless adornments to adorn all worlds; mastery over deeds, for the reason that they are able to receive the retribution at whatever time they will; mastery over taking birth, for the reason that they are able to manifest taking birth in all worlds; mastery of resolute conviction, for the reason that they are able in all worlds to see the buddhas filling them; mastery of vows, for the reason that they accomplish perfect awakening in whatever land they will and at whatever time they will; mastery of spiritual power, for the reason that they manifest all the great spiritual transformations; mastery of the Dharma, for the reason that they manifest boundless gates of the Dharma; mastery of wisdom, for the reason that in thought after thought they manifest the Tathāgata’s ten powers, his fearlessnesses, and his accomplishing of perfect awakening. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will bring to fullness the perfections, the wisdom, the spiritual power, and the mastery in awakening of all the buddhas.

The General Listing and the Question Raised for the Unimpeded Workings: Ten Unimpeded Workings

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of unimpeded working. Which are the ten? Namely: the unimpeded working with regard to sentient beings; the unimpeded working with regard to lands; the unimpeded working with regard to dharmas; the unimpeded working with regard to bodies; the unimpeded working with regard to vows; the unimpeded working with regard to objective realms; the unimpeded working with regard to wisdom; the unimpeded working with regard to spiritual penetrations; the unimpeded working with regard to spiritual power; the unimpeded working with regard to powers.

“Sons of the Buddha! What is called the unimpeded working of a bodhisattva-mahāsattva with regard to sentient beings and the rest?

Gate 13. The Unimpeded Working with Regard to Sentient Beings: Ten Unimpeded Workings on the Side of Sentient Beings

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of unimpeded working with regard to sentient beings. Which are the ten? Namely: the unimpeded working of knowing that in all sentient beings there is in fact no sentient being (no real self that can be got at); the unimpeded working of knowing that all sentient beings are only held in being by thinking; the unimpeded working of speaking the Dharma for all sentient beings without ever missing the right occasion; the unimpeded working of manifesting everywhere throughout all the realms of sentient beings; the unimpeded working of setting all sentient beings within a single pore without their feeling pressed or cramped; the unimpeded working of manifesting for all sentient beings all the worlds of other quarters and causing them all to see; the unimpeded working of manifesting for all sentient beings the bodies of Śakra, of the Brahmā king, and of the world-guarding gods; the unimpeded working of manifesting for all sentient beings the quiescent bearing of a śrāvaka or a pratyekabuddha; the unimpeded working of manifesting the bodhisattva practice for all sentient beings; the unimpeded working of manifesting for all sentient beings the form-bodies with their marks and signs of the buddhas, their power of omniscience, and their accomplishing of perfect awakening. These are the ten.

Gate 14. The Unimpeded Working with Regard to Lands: Ten Unimpeded Workings on the Side of the Lands

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of unimpeded working with regard to lands. Which are the ten? Namely: the unimpeded working of making all lands into one land; the unimpeded working of putting all lands into a single pore; the unimpeded working of knowing that all lands are without exhaustion; the unimpeded working of sitting cross-legged with one body and filling all lands; the unimpeded working of bringing forth all lands within a single body; the unimpeded working of shaking all lands without causing sentient beings to be terrified; the unimpeded working of adorning one land with the adornments of all lands; the unimpeded working of adorning all lands with the adornments of one land; the unimpeded working of causing a single tathāgata and a single assembly to pervade all buddha-lands and to be manifested to sentient beings; the unimpeded working of taking all small lands, middling lands, great lands, broad lands, deep lands, upturned lands, overturned lands, sideways lands, and upright lands, spread throughout the nets of all quarters with measureless differences, and revealing them everywhere to all sentient beings. These are the ten.

Gate 15. The Unimpeded Working with Regard to Dharmas: Ten Unimpeded Workings on the Side of the Dharmas

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of unimpeded working with regard to dharmas. Which are the ten? Namely: the unimpeded working of knowing that all dharmas enter into one dharma and that one dharma enters into all dharmas, and yet not going against the understanding in the minds of sentient beings; the unimpeded working of bringing forth all dharmas from prajñā-pāramitā and explaining them to others so that they all awaken; the unimpeded working of knowing that all dharmas are apart from letters, and yet being able to cause sentient beings all to enter into awakening; the unimpeded working of knowing that all dharmas enter into one characteristic, and yet being able to expound measureless characteristics of the dharmas; the unimpeded working of knowing that all dharmas are apart from speech, and yet being able to speak boundless gates of the Dharma for others; the unimpeded working of turning well the letter-wheel of the universal gate upon all dharmas; the unimpeded working of putting all dharmas into a single gate of the Dharma without their going against one another, and through unspeakable kalpas speaking of them without exhausting them; the unimpeded working of putting all dharmas into the Buddha-dharma and causing sentient beings all to gain understanding; the unimpeded working of knowing that all dharmas are without bound; the unimpeded working of knowing that the limit of all dharmas is without obstruction, like a net of illusion with measureless differences, and through measureless kalpas speaking of them for sentient beings without their being exhausted. These are the ten.

Gate 16. The Unimpeded Working with Regard to Bodies: Ten Unimpeded Workings on the Side of the Body

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of unimpeded working with regard to bodies. Which are the ten? Namely: the unimpeded working of putting the bodies of all sentient beings into one’s own body; the unimpeded working of putting one’s own body into the bodies of all sentient beings; the unimpeded working of all the bodies of the buddhas entering into the body of one buddha; the unimpeded working of the body of one buddha entering into all the bodies of the buddhas; the unimpeded working of all lands entering into one’s own body; the unimpeded working of pervading with a single body all the dharmas of the three times and manifesting them to sentient beings; the unimpeded working of manifesting boundless bodies within a single body and entering samādhi; the unimpeded working of manifesting within a single body bodies equal in number to the sentient beings and accomplishing perfect awakening; the unimpeded working of bringing forth the body of one sentient being within the bodies of all sentient beings and bringing forth the bodies of all sentient beings within the body of one sentient being; the unimpeded working of manifesting the dharma-body upon the bodies of all sentient beings and manifesting the bodies of all sentient beings upon the dharma-body. These are the ten.

Gate 17. The Unimpeded Working with Regard to Vows: Ten Unimpeded Workings on the Side of the Vow

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of unimpeded working with regard to vows. Which are the ten? Namely: the unimpeded working of taking the vows of all bodhisattvas as one’s own vow; the unimpeded working of manifesting one’s own accomplishing of perfect awakening by the power of the vow of all the buddhas to accomplish awakening; the unimpeded working of accomplishing unsurpassed perfect awakening oneself in accordance with the sentient beings to be converted; the unimpeded working of the great vow being unbroken throughout all boundless kalpas; the unimpeded working of leaving far behind the body made of consciousness, and also not clinging to the body made of wisdom, and with a masterful vow manifesting all bodies; the unimpeded working of casting away one’s own body in order to bring to fullness the vows of others; the unimpeded working of teaching and converting all sentient beings everywhere and yet not forsaking the great vow; the unimpeded working of walking the bodhisattva practice through all kalpas with the great vow unbroken; the unimpeded working of manifesting the accomplishing of perfect awakening within a single pore and, by the power of the vow, pervading all the lands of the buddhas, manifesting in this way for every single sentient being throughout unspeakably unspeakable worlds; the unimpeded working of speaking a single phrase of Dharma that pervades the whole Dharma realm, raising up the cloud of the great true Dharma, making shine the lightning-flash of liberation, shaking the thunder-sound of the real Dharma, and raining down the rain of the taste of sweet dew, moistening with the power of the great vow the whole realm of sentient beings. These are the ten.

Gate 18. The Unimpeded Working with Regard to Objective Realms: Ten Pairs of ‘Being Here and Not Forsaking There’

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of unimpeded working with regard to objective realms. Which are the ten? Namely: the unimpeded working of being within the objective realm of the Dharma realm and yet not forsaking the objective realm of sentient beings; the unimpeded working of being within the objective realm of the buddhas and yet not forsaking the objective realm of the demons; the unimpeded working of being within the objective realm of nirvāṇa and yet not forsaking the objective realm of birth-and-death; the unimpeded working of entering the objective realm of omniscience and yet not cutting off the objective realm of the seed-nature of a bodhisattva; the unimpeded working of abiding in the objective realm of quiescence and yet not forsaking the objective realm of distraction; the unimpeded working of abiding in the objective realm that is without going, without coming, without frivolous discourse, without shape, without nature, without speech, and like empty space, and yet not forsaking the objective realm of the frivolous discourse of all sentient beings; the unimpeded working of abiding in the objective realm of the powers and of liberation and yet not forsaking the objective realm of all directions and places; the unimpeded working of entering the objective realm of the limit where there are no sentient beings and yet not forsaking the teaching and converting of all sentient beings; the unimpeded working of abiding in the objective realm of the concentrations and liberations, the spiritual penetrations, the clarities and knowledges, and quiescence, and yet manifesting taking birth in all worlds; the unimpeded working of abiding in the objective realm of accomplishing perfect awakening in the adornment of all the practices of the Tathāgata, and yet manifesting the quiescent bearing of a śrāvaka or a pratyekabuddha. These are the ten.

Gate 19. The Unimpeded Working with Regard to Wisdom: Ten Unimpeded Workings on the Side of Wisdom

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of unimpeded working with regard to wisdom. Which are the ten? Namely: the unimpeded working of eloquence that is without exhaustion; the unimpeded working of all the dhāraṇīs being without forgetting and loss; the unimpeded working of being able to know for certain and to declare for certain all the faculties of all sentient beings; the unimpeded working of knowing within a single thought, with unimpeded wisdom, what is practiced in the minds of all sentient beings; the unimpeded working of knowing the desires and delights, the latent tendencies, the habit-energies, and the sickness of the afflictions of all sentient beings, and giving them the medicine of the Dharma according to what each is fit for; the unimpeded working of being able within a single thought to enter the Tathāgata’s ten powers; the unimpeded working of knowing with unimpeded wisdom all the kalpas of the three times and the sentient beings within them; the unimpeded working of manifesting the accomplishing of perfect awakening in thought after thought and revealing it to sentient beings without ceasing; the unimpeded working of knowing from the thinking of one sentient being the deeds of all sentient beings; the unimpeded working of understanding from the speech-sound of one sentient being the speech of all sentient beings. These are the ten.

Gate 20. The Unimpeded Working with Regard to Spiritual Penetrations: Ten Unimpeded Workings on the Side of the Spiritual Penetrations

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of unimpeded working with regard to spiritual penetrations. Which are the ten? Namely: the unimpeded working of manifesting within a single body the bodies of all worlds; the unimpeded working of hearing and receiving, within the assembly of one buddha, the Dharma spoken in the assemblies of all the buddhas; the unimpeded working of accomplishing, within the thought of one sentient being, unspeakable unsurpassed awakening, and awakening the minds of all sentient beings; the unimpeded working of bringing forth with a single sound the differing speech-sounds of all worlds, causing sentient beings each to gain understanding; the unimpeded working of bringing forth within a single thought the various differences of all the fruits of deeds in all the kalpas that exhaust the limit of the past, causing sentient beings all to know and see; the unimpeded working of bringing forth from within a single mote of dust the measureless adornments of a vast buddha-land; the unimpeded working of causing all worlds to be complete in adornment; the unimpeded working of entering everywhere into all the three times; the unimpeded working of sending forth the great light of the Dharma and bringing forth the awakening of all the buddhas and the practices and vows of sentient beings; the unimpeded working of guarding well all the gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, mahoragas, Śakra, the Brahmā king, the world-guarding gods, the śrāvakas, the pratyekabuddhas, and the bodhisattvas, as well as all the ten powers of the Tathāgata and the roots of good of the bodhisattvas. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas obtain this kind of unimpeded working, then they will enter everywhere into all the Buddha-dharma.

Gate 21. The Unimpeded Working with Regard to Spiritual Power: Ten Unimpeded Workings on the Side of Spiritual Power

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of unimpeded working with regard to spiritual power. Which are the ten? Namely: the unimpeded working of setting unspeakable worlds within a single mote of dust; the unimpeded working of bringing forth within a single mote of dust all the buddha-lands equal to the Dharma realm; the unimpeded working of setting the waters of all the great oceans within a single pore and carrying them round and about through the worlds of the ten directions, without in the least touching or disturbing sentient beings; the unimpeded working of putting unspeakable worlds into one’s own body and manifesting all that the spiritual penetrations do; the unimpeded working of tying with a single hair uncountable Vajra Encircling Mountains and carrying them in journeying through all worlds without causing sentient beings to give rise to a mind of terror; the unimpeded working of making unspeakable kalpas into one kalpa and one kalpa into unspeakable kalpas, and manifesting therein the differences of forming and destroying, without causing terror in the minds of sentient beings; the unimpeded working of bringing forth in all worlds the various signs of destruction by the calamities of water, of fire, and of wind, without vexing or disturbing sentient beings; the unimpeded working of being able, when all the worlds are destroyed by the three calamities, to guard and uphold the requisites of living of all sentient beings so that they are not damaged or lacking; the unimpeded working of lifting up with a single hand inconceivable worlds and hurling them beyond unspeakable worlds, without causing sentient beings to have a thought of alarm and terror; the unimpeded working of declaring that all lands are the same as empty space, causing sentient beings all to gain understanding. These are the ten.

Gate 22. The Unimpeded Working with Regard to Powers: Ten Unimpeded Workings upon the Powers

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of unimpeded working with regard to powers. Which are the ten? Namely: the unimpeded working of the power over sentient beings, for the reason that they teach and convert, tame and subdue, and do not forsake them; the unimpeded working of the power over lands, for the reason that they manifest unspeakable adornments as adornment; the unimpeded working of the power over dharmas, for the reason that they cause all that has the characteristic of a body to enter into bodilessness; the unimpeded working of the power over kalpas, for the reason that their cultivation is unbroken; the unimpeded working of the power of a buddha, for the reason that they awaken those asleep (awakening them from the sleep of ignorance); the unimpeded working of the power of practice, for the reason that they gather in all the bodhisattva practices; the unimpeded working of the power of the Tathāgata, for the reason that they deliver and liberate all sentient beings; the unimpeded working of the power that is without a teacher, for the reason that they awaken by themselves to all dharmas; the unimpeded working of the power of omniscience, for the reason that they accomplish perfect awakening by omniscience; the unimpeded working of the power of great compassion, for the reason that they do not forsake any sentient being. These are the ten.

The General Conclusion of the Unimpeded Workings: After Becoming a Buddha, the Bodhisattva Practice Still Does Not Stop

“Sons of the Buddha! These are what are called the ten kinds of unimpeded working of bodhisattva-mahāsattvas. If one obtains these ten kinds of unimpeded working, then as to unsurpassed perfect awakening, whether to accomplish it or for the while not to accomplish it goes as one’s own mind intends and is not gone against; and though he has accomplished perfect awakening, he does not break off the cultivation of the bodhisattva practice. Why is this? Because bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have brought forth the great vow, have entered the gate of boundless unimpeded working, and manifest with skill.

Gate 23. Sporting: Ten Kinds of Masterful Roaming and Converting That Do Not Damage the Original Character

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of sporting. Which are the ten? Namely: making the bodies of sentient beings into the body of a land, and yet not destroying the bodies of sentient beings — this is the bodhisattva’s sporting; making the body of a land into the bodies of sentient beings, and yet not destroying the body of the land — this is the bodhisattva’s sporting; manifesting upon the body of a buddha the bodies of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, and yet not diminishing the body of the Tathāgata — this is the bodhisattva’s sporting; manifesting upon the bodies of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas the body of a tathāgata, and yet not increasing the bodies of the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas — this is the bodhisattva’s sporting; manifesting upon the body of the bodhisattva practice the body of the accomplishing of perfect awakening, and yet not breaking off the body of the bodhisattva practice — this is the bodhisattva’s sporting; manifesting upon the body of the accomplishing of perfect awakening the body that cultivates the bodhisattva practice, and yet not diminishing the body of the accomplishing of awakening — this is the bodhisattva’s sporting; manifesting within the realm of nirvāṇa the body of birth-and-death, and yet not clinging to birth-and-death — this is the bodhisattva’s sporting; manifesting nirvāṇa within the realm of birth-and-death, and yet not entering nirvāṇa to the end — this is the bodhisattva’s sporting; entering within samādhi and yet manifesting walking, standing, sitting, and lying down and every sort of doing, and yet not forsaking the right reception of samādhi — this is the bodhisattva’s sporting; in the presence of one buddha hearing the Dharma and holding it, his body unmoving, and yet by the power of samādhi manifesting his body severally in the assemblies of unspeakable buddhas, and yet neither dividing his body nor coming out of concentration, while hearing the Dharma and holding it goes on unbroken; and in this way, in thought after thought, from each and every body of samādhi bringing forth severally unspeakably unspeakable bodies of samādhi, and so on in sequence, so that all the kalpas may yet be exhausted, but the bodhisattva’s bodies of samādhi cannot be exhausted — this is the bodhisattva’s sporting. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the unsurpassed sporting of the great wisdom of the Tathāgata.

Gate 24. Objective Realms: Ten Bounds of What the Bodhisattva Walks and What He Reaches

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of objective realm. Which are the ten? Namely: manifesting the gate of the boundless Dharma realm and causing sentient beings to enter it — this is the bodhisattva’s objective realm; manifesting the measureless marvelous adornments of all worlds and causing sentient beings to enter them — this is the bodhisattva’s objective realm; going in transformed bodies to all the realms of sentient beings and causing them all by skillful means to awaken — this is the bodhisattva’s objective realm; bringing forth the body of a bodhisattva upon the body of a tathāgata and bringing forth the body of a tathāgata upon the body of a bodhisattva — this is the bodhisattva’s objective realm; bringing forth worlds within the realm of empty space and bringing forth the realm of empty space within a world — this is the bodhisattva’s objective realm; bringing forth the realm of nirvāṇa within the realm of birth-and-death and bringing forth the realm of birth-and-death within the realm of nirvāṇa — this is the bodhisattva’s objective realm; bringing forth within the speech of one sentient being the speech of all the Buddha-dharma — this is the bodhisattva’s objective realm; making with boundless bodies a single body, and making with a single body all the differing bodies — this is the bodhisattva’s objective realm; filling the whole Dharma realm with a single body — this is the bodhisattva’s objective realm; causing within a single thought all sentient beings to bring forth the mind of awakening, and each of them bringing forth measureless bodies and accomplishing perfect awakening — this is the bodhisattva’s objective realm. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the unsurpassed objective realm of the great wisdom of the Tathāgata.

Gate 25. Powers: Ten Powers Able to Bear the Matter Up

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of power. Which are the ten? Namely: the power of the deep mind, for the reason that it is unmixed with any worldly sentiment; the power of the mind deep and ascendant, for the reason that it does not forsake any Buddha-dharma; the power of skillful means, for the reason that whatever is done is carried through to the end; the power of wisdom, for the reason that it knows all that the mind does; the power of vows, for the reason that all that is sought is brought to fullness; the power of practice, for the reason that it exhausts the limit of the future age unbroken; the power of the vehicle, for the reason that it is able to bring forth all the vehicles and yet does not forsake the Great Vehicle; the power of spiritual transformation, for the reason that within each and every pore it manifests severally all the pure worlds and the arising in the world of all the tathāgatas; the power of awakening, for the reason that it causes all sentient beings to bring forth the mind and become buddhas without ceasing; the power of turning the wheel of the Dharma, for the reason that in speaking one phrase of Dharma it accords with the faculties and desires of all sentient beings. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the unsurpassed ten powers of omniscience of the buddhas.

Gate 26. Fearlessnesses: Ten Fearlessnesses of ‘Not Seeing Any Characteristic to Be Feared’

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of fearlessness. Which are the ten?

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas are all able to hear and hold all that is spoken, and they think in this way: ‘Suppose there were measureless and boundless sentient beings coming from the ten directions to question me with a hundred thousand kinds of great dharmas; as to what they ask, I do not see the least characteristic of anything hard to answer; because I do not see it, my mind obtains fearlessness, and I arrive at the end at that far shore of great fearlessness, able to answer whatever they ask, cutting off their doubts without any timidity.’ This is the bodhisattva’s first fearlessness.

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas obtain the unimpeded eloquence of the Tathāgata’s anointing, and upon all letters and speech-sounds they reveal what is secret and arrive at the far shore, and they think in this way: ‘Suppose there were measureless and boundless sentient beings coming from the ten directions to question me with measureless dharmas; as to what they ask, I do not see the least characteristic of anything hard to answer; because I do not see it, my mind obtains fearlessness, and I arrive at the end at that far shore of great fearlessness, able to answer whatever they ask, cutting off their doubts without any dread.’ This is the bodhisattva’s second fearlessness.

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas know that all dharmas are empty, apart from a self and apart from what belongs to a self, without any doing and without any doer, without a knower, without one who lives, without one who nourishes, without any personal self that takes up the destinies, apart from the aggregates, the elements, and the sense-fields, forever come out of all views, their minds like empty space, and they think in this way: ‘I do not see that sentient beings have the least characteristic that could damage and vex my deeds of body, my deeds of speech, or my deeds of mind.’ Why is this? Because the bodhisattva has left far behind the self and what belongs to a self, and does not see in the dharmas the least nature or characteristic. Because he does not see it, his mind obtains fearlessness, and he arrives at the end at that far shore of great fearlessness, firm and brave, not to be broken. This is the bodhisattva’s third fearlessness.

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas are protected by the power of the buddhas and sustained by the power of the buddhas, they abide in the deportment of a buddha, and what they do is real and without change, and they think in this way: ‘I do not see that there is a single part of my deportment that could cause sentient beings to give rise to a characteristic of reproach.’ Because he does not see it, his mind obtains fearlessness, and he is able within the great assembly to speak the Dharma in peace and security. This is the bodhisattva’s fourth fearlessness.

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas are pure in their deeds of body, of speech, and of mind, fresh and clean and gentle, having left the many evils far behind, and they think in this way: ‘I do not see in my deeds of body, of speech, or of mind a single part with a characteristic that could be reproached.’ Because he does not see it, his mind obtains fearlessness, and he is able to cause sentient beings to abide securely in the Buddha-dharma. This is the bodhisattva’s fifth fearlessness.

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have the vajra-holding warriors and the gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, Śakra, the Brahmā king, the four heavenly kings and the rest constantly attending upon them and guarding them, and all the tathāgatas keep them in mind and do not forsake them. Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas think in this way: ‘I do not see that there are demons or outsiders, or sentient beings who have views, able to come and hinder by a single part the characteristic of my walking the bodhisattva path.’ Because he does not see it, his mind obtains fearlessness, and he arrives at the end at that far shore of great fearlessness, and brings forth a joyful mind and walks the bodhisattva practice. This is the bodhisattva’s sixth fearlessness.

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have already accomplished the foremost faculty of mindfulness, their minds without forgetting or loss, and are approved of by the buddhas, and they think in this way: ‘Of the letters and phrases of the dharma of the path of accomplishing awakening spoken by the Tathāgata, I do not see therein a single part with a characteristic of forgetting and loss.’ Because he does not see it, his mind obtains fearlessness, and he is able to receive and uphold the true Dharma of all the tathāgatas and walk the bodhisattva practice. This is the bodhisattva’s seventh fearlessness.

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have penetrated wisdom and skillful means alike and have brought the powers of a bodhisattva to their end; they are constantly diligent in teaching and converting all sentient beings, and constantly with a vowing mind keep the awakening of a buddha in mind; and for the sake of pitying sentient beings and bringing sentient beings to accomplishment, they manifest taking birth in a defiled world of afflictions, of honorable clan and complete in kinsfolk, what they desire following their mind, joyful and pleasant, and yet they think in this way: ‘Though I am gathered together with these kinsfolk, I do not see the least characteristic that is to be craved and clung to, or that could lay waste my cultivation of the concentrations and liberations, the samādhis, the dhāraṇīs, the eloquences, and the dharmas of the bodhisattva path.’ Why is this? Because bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have gained mastery in all dharmas and arrived at the far shore, and in cultivating the bodhisattva practice have vowed not to break it off, and do not see that there is any objective realm in the world able to confuse or disturb the bodhisattva path. Because he does not see it, his mind obtains fearlessness, and he arrives at the end at that far shore of great fearlessness, and with the power of the great vow manifests taking birth in all worlds. This is the bodhisattva’s eighth fearlessness.

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas constantly do not forget or lose the mind of omniscience; riding upon the Great Vehicle they walk the bodhisattva practice, and with the forceful power of the great mind of omniscience they manifest the quiescent bearing of all the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, and they speak in this way: ‘I do not see that I would take up in the two vehicles a single part of the characteristic of coming out.’ Because he does not see it, his mind obtains fearlessness, and he arrives at that unsurpassed far shore of great fearlessness, able to manifest everywhere the paths of all the vehicles, and brings to fullness at the end the even Great Vehicle. This is the bodhisattva’s ninth fearlessness.

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas accomplish all the pure and white dharmas, are complete in roots of good, bring the spiritual penetrations to fullness, abide at the end in the awakening of the buddhas, fulfill all the bodhisattva practices, and in the presence of the buddhas receive the prediction of the anointing of omniscience, and yet they constantly teach and convert sentient beings and walk the bodhisattva path, and they think in this way: ‘I do not see that there is any sentient being of mine who ought to be brought to ripeness and yet where I could not manifest the mastery of the buddhas so as to ripen him — I see no such characteristic.’ Because he does not see it, his mind obtains fearlessness, and he arrives at the end at that far shore of great fearlessness, not breaking off the bodhisattva practice and not forsaking the bodhisattva vow, and, in accordance with all the sentient beings fit to be converted, manifests the objective realm of a buddha and converts and delivers them. This is the bodhisattva’s tenth fearlessness.

“Sons of the Buddha! These are the ten kinds of fearlessness of bodhisattva-mahāsattvas. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the unsurpassed great fearlessness of the buddhas, and yet will not forsake the fearlessness of a bodhisattva.

Gate 27. Dharmas Not Held in Common: Ten Practices Not Held in Common That Are Not Taught by Another

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of dharma not held in common. Which are the ten?

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, not taught by another, of themselves and of their own accord cultivate the six perfections — constantly delighting in great giving and giving rise to no stinginess; constantly keeping pure the precepts, with nothing broken or violated; complete in patience, their minds unshaken; having great vigor, never once turning back; entering well the concentrations, forever without distraction; skillfully cultivating wisdom, removing all evil views entirely. This is the first dharma not held in common, of being not taught by another and cultivating the six perfections in accordance with the path of the perfections.

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas are able to gather in all sentient beings everywhere. Namely: with goods and with the Dharma they practice giving, right mindfulness present before them, their faces harmonious and their words loving, their minds joyful, revealing the meaning as it really is, causing them to gain understanding of the awakening of the buddhas, without hatred or disdain, benefiting them evenly. This is the second dharma not held in common, of being not taught by another and diligently gathering in sentient beings in accordance with the path of the four means of gathering.

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas dedicate and direct with skill. Namely: the dedicating that does not seek a reward; the dedicating that accords with the awakening of a buddha; the dedicating that does not cling to any worldly concentration or samādhi; the dedicating that is for the benefit of all sentient beings; the dedicating that is for not cutting off the wisdom of the Tathāgata. This is the third dharma not held in common, of being not taught by another and bringing forth roots of good for the sake of sentient beings and seeking the wisdom of a buddha.

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas arrive at the far shore of the end of skillful means, their minds constantly regarding all sentient beings; they do not weary of and reject the objective realm of worldly folly, they do not delight in the path of exit that belongs to the two vehicles, they do not crave and cling to their own peace and pleasure, but only are diligent in converting and delivering; they are well able to enter and come out of the concentrations and liberations, gaining mastery in all the samādhis, going and coming in birth-and-death as though roaming a garden, never once giving rise even for a moment to a mind of weariness and disgust; sometimes they dwell in the palace of the demons, or act as Śakra, as the Brahmā king, as a lord of the world, and among all the places of taking birth there is none where they do not manifest a body; sometimes they leave the household life among the assemblies of the outsiders, and yet constantly leave far behind all wrong views; in all the worldly writings and phrases, the spells, the letter-seals, the arts of reckoning, and even the dharmas of sports and games and of song and dance, there is none they cannot manifest and none in which they are not skilled; sometimes they manifest as a woman of upright form, foremost in the world in wisdom and ability; concerning both worldly dharmas and world-transcending dharmas they are able both to ask and to speak, and their questioning, answering, and cutting off of doubts are all carried through to the end; all matters of the world and beyond the world they likewise penetrate and reach the far shore, and all sentient beings constantly come to look up to them; though they manifest the deportment of a śrāvaka or a pratyekabuddha, they do not lose the mind of the Great Vehicle; though in thought after thought they manifest the accomplishing of perfect awakening, they do not break off the bodhisattva practice. This is the fourth dharma not held in common, of being not taught by another and skillfulness in means reaching the far shore of the end.

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas know well the path of carrying on the provisional and the real together, their wisdom masterful and reaching the end. Namely: abiding in nirvāṇa and yet manifesting birth-and-death; knowing that there is no sentient being and yet diligently practicing teaching and converting; being extinguished to the end and yet manifesting the arising of afflictions; abiding in a single firm and dense wisdom dharma-body and yet manifesting everywhere measureless bodies of sentient beings; constantly entering deep concentration and yet manifesting the receiving of the pleasures of desire; constantly leaving far behind the three realms and yet not forsaking sentient beings; constantly delighting in the joy of the Dharma and yet manifesting having women attendants who sing and sport; though adorning their bodies with the many marks and signs, yet manifesting the receiving of an ugly, poor, and lowly form; constantly gathering together the many goods and being without any evil or fault, and yet manifesting birth in the hells, among the animals, and among the hungry ghosts; though they have already reached the far shore of the wisdom of a buddha, yet not forsaking the wisdom-body of a bodhisattva. Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas accomplish such measureless wisdom that the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas are not even able to know it — how much less all the childish and ignorant sentient beings! This is the fifth dharma not held in common, of being not taught by another and carrying on the provisional and the real together.

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas’ deeds of body, of mouth, and of mind follow upon wisdom in their working and are wholly pure. Namely: complete in great kindness, they forever leave behind the mind of killing, and so on to being complete in right understanding and being without wrong views. This is the sixth dharma not held in common, of being not taught by another and having the deeds of body, of mouth, and of mind follow upon wisdom in their working.

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas are complete in great compassion, do not forsake sentient beings, and undergo the various sufferings on behalf of all sentient beings. Namely: the sufferings of the hells, the sufferings of the animals, the sufferings of the hungry ghosts. For the sake of benefiting sentient beings they do not give rise to weariness, and are devoted solely to delivering and liberating all sentient beings, never once indulging in the objective realms of the five desires, but constantly and diligently extinguishing the many sufferings. This is the seventh dharma not held in common, of being not taught by another and constantly giving rise to great compassion.

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas are constantly delighted in by sentient beings who see them, and the Brahmā king, Śakra, the four heavenly kings and all sentient beings, seeing them, are never satisfied. Why is this? Because bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have from long ago been pure in the working of their deeds and without fault, and therefore sentient beings who see them are not satisfied. This is the eighth dharma not held in common, of being not taught by another and being delighted in by all sentient beings who see them.

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas are firm in their aspiration and delight for the great vow-adornment of omniscience, and though they dwell in such perilous and difficult places as the ordinary beings, the śrāvakas, and the pratyekabuddhas, in the end they do not lose that bright and pure marvelous jewel which is the mind of omniscience. Sons of the Buddha! It is as when there is a jewel named Pure Adornment: placed in mud and standing water its light and color do not change, and it is further able to cause the turbid water to become clear throughout. Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas are likewise: though their bodies are in the places of the foolish, the ordinary, and the mixed and turbid, in the end they do not lose or destroy the pure jewel-mind that seeks omniscience, and they are further able to cause those evil sentient beings to leave far behind deluded views, afflictions, and defiled turbidity, and to obtain the pure mind-jewel that seeks omniscience. This is the ninth dharma not held in common, of being not taught by another and not losing the jewel of the mind of omniscience in the places of the many difficulties.

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas accomplish the wisdom of the objective realm of awakening by oneself, awakening of themselves without a teacher, masterful to the end and reaching the far shore, and with the stainless Dharma-silk crowning their heads, they yet do not forsake the drawing near to good friends, and constantly delight in honoring the tathāgatas. This is the tenth dharma not held in common, of being not taught by another and, having obtained the highest dharma, not departing from the good friend and not forsaking the honoring of the buddhas.

“Sons of the Buddha! These are the ten kinds of dharma not held in common of bodhisattva-mahāsattvas. If the bodhisattvas abide securely therein, then they will obtain the unsurpassed vast and great dharmas not held in common of the Tathāgata.

Gate 28. Deeds: Ten Workings of the Virtues Accomplished

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of deed. Which are the ten? Namely: the deed with regard to all worlds, for the reason that they are all able to be adorned and purified; the deed with regard to all the buddhas, for the reason that offerings can be made to them all; the deed with regard to all bodhisattvas, for the reason that they plant the same roots of good; the deed with regard to all sentient beings, for the reason that they can all be taught and converted; the deed with regard to all that is to come, for the reason that they exhaust the limit of the future age and gather it in; the deed of all spiritual power, for the reason that without departing from one world they reach all worlds; the deed of all light, for the reason that they send forth boundless light of color, and within each and every light there is a lotus seat, and upon each there is a bodhisattva sitting cross-legged and appearing; the deed of the seed of the Three Jewels not being cut off, for the reason that after the buddhas have passed into extinction they guard and sustain the dharmas of the buddhas; the deed of all transformation, for the reason that in all worlds they speak the Dharma and teach and convert sentient beings; the deed of all sustaining, for the reason that within a single thought they manifest for sentient beings whatever their minds desire and cause all their vows to be brought to fullness. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the unsurpassed vast and great deeds of the Tathāgata.

Gate 29. Bodies: Ten Bodies That Display the Substance of Practice

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of body. Which are the ten? Namely: the body that does not come, for the reason that in all worlds it does not take birth; the body that does not go, for the reason that in all worlds it is sought and not to be got at; the body that is not real, for the reason that all worlds are obtained as they really are; the body that is not unreal, for the reason that it manifests in the world by the principle of how things really are; the body that is not exhausted, for the reason that it exhausts the limit of the future age without being cut off; the body that is firm, for the reason that all the demons are unable to destroy it; the body that is unmoving, for the reason that the demons and the outsiders are unable to shake it; the body complete in the marks, for the reason that it manifests the pure marks of a hundredfold merit; the body without characteristics, for the reason that the characteristics of the dharmas, brought to the end, are all without characteristic; the body that reaches everywhere, for the reason that it is of one and the same body with the buddhas of the three times. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the unsurpassed and inexhaustible body of the Tathāgata.

(Samantabhadra Bodhisattva goes on speaking to Universal Wisdom Bodhisattva and the other bodhisattvas. The fifty gates below are each spoken carrying on from what precedes, and all of them call out to the assembly that listens to the Dharma as “Sons of the Buddha.”)

Gate 1. Bodily Deeds: One Body Reaching Everywhere, One Hand Covering the Worlds

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of bodily deed. Which ten? Namely: with a single body to fill all the worlds — this is a bodily deed; before all sentient beings to be able to manifest — this is a bodily deed; within all the destinies (the kinds into which sentient beings take birth) to be able to take birth — this is a bodily deed; to roam through all the worlds — this is a bodily deed; to go to the Dharma assemblies of all the buddhas — this is a bodily deed; to be able with a single hand to cover all the worlds everywhere — this is a bodily deed; to be able with a single hand to grind the encircling mountains of adamant of all the worlds to powder, like fine dust — this is a bodily deed; within his own body to display the forming and the collapsing of all the buddha-fields, showing them to sentient beings — this is a bodily deed; with a single body to contain and receive all the realms of sentient beings — this is a bodily deed; within his own body to display everywhere all the purified buddha-fields, causing all sentient beings to accomplish the path therein — this is a bodily deed. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the unsurpassed buddha-deeds of the Tathāgata, and will be able to awaken all sentient beings.

Gate 2. Bodies: Not One of the Ten Bodies Is a Physical Form

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have, further, ten kinds of body. Which ten? Namely: the body of the perfections (taking as one’s body the practice that reaches the far shore), for the reason that in every case they are rightly cultivated; the body of the four means of gathering (taking as one’s body the gathering in of sentient beings by giving, kind speech, beneficial conduct, and working alongside them), for the reason that not one sentient being is forsaken; the body of great compassion, for the reason that he undergoes measureless suffering on behalf of all sentient beings without weariness; the body of great loving-kindness, for the reason that he rescues and protects all sentient beings; the body of merit, for the reason that he benefits all sentient beings; the body of wisdom, for the reason that it is of one substance with the bodies of all the buddhas; the dharma-body, for the reason that he has left birth in the destinies behind forever; the body of skillful means, for the reason that in all places he is able to be present; the body of spiritual power, for the reason that he manifests all the spiritual penetrations and transformations; the body of awakening, for the reason that in accord with what sentient beings delight in, and in accord with the time, he accomplishes perfect awakening. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the unsurpassed body of great wisdom of the Tathāgata.

Gate 3. Speech: Ten Manners of Speaking

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of speech. Which ten? Namely: gentle speech, for the reason that it causes all sentient beings to obtain security; ambrosial speech, for the reason that it causes all sentient beings to obtain coolness; undeceiving speech, for the reason that everything said is in accord with what is real; true speech, for the reason that even in dreams there is no false speech; vast speech, for the reason that all the Śakras, the Brahmās, the four world-guarding kings, and the rest honor it; profound speech, for the reason that it displays the nature of the Dharma; firm speech, for the reason that his expounding of the Dharma is inexhaustible; upright speech, for the reason that the words he utters are easily understood; speech of many kinds, for the reason that it is manifested in accord with the time; speech that awakens all sentient beings, for the reason that following upon what they desire and delight in he causes them to understand. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the unsurpassed subtle and marvelous speech of the Tathāgata.

Gate 4. Purely Cultivating the Deeds of Speech: Ten Matters That Purify the Deeds of the Mouth

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of purely cultivating the deeds of speech (purely trimming and tending the workings of the mouth). Which ten? Namely: to delight in hearing the voice of the Tathāgata — this is purely cultivating the deeds of speech; to delight in hearing others expound the virtues of the bodhisattvas — this is purely cultivating the deeds of speech; not to say anything that any sentient being does not like to hear — this is purely cultivating the deeds of speech; truly to leave far behind the four faults of speech (false speech, divisive speech, harsh speech, and frivolous speech) — this is purely cultivating the deeds of speech; with gladness and exultation to praise the Tathāgata — this is purely cultivating the deeds of speech; in the place where a stūpa of the Tathāgata stands, with a loud voice to praise the buddha’s virtues as they truly are — this is purely cultivating the deeds of speech; with a deep and pure mind to give the Dharma to sentient beings — this is purely cultivating the deeds of speech; with music to sing and praise the Tathāgata — this is purely cultivating the deeds of speech; in the presence of the buddhas to hear the true Dharma, not sparing body or life — this is purely cultivating the deeds of speech; to give up his body in serving all the bodhisattvas and the masters of the Dharma, and so to receive the marvelous Dharma — this is purely cultivating the deeds of speech. These are the ten.

Gate 5. Guarding: When the Deeds of the Mouth Are Pure, the Eight Classes and the Dharma Masters All Come to Uphold Him

“Sons of the Buddha! If a bodhisattva-mahāsattva purely cultivates the deeds of speech by these ten matters, then he obtains ten kinds of guarding. Which ten? Namely: with the king of the gods at their head, all the multitudes of gods come to guard him; with the king of the dragons at their head, all the multitudes of dragons come to guard him; with the king of the yakṣas at their head, with the king of the gandharvas (the gods of music) at their head, with the king of the asuras at their head, with the king of the garuḍas (the golden-winged birds) at their head, with the king of the kiṃnaras (the gods of song) at their head, with the king of the mahoragas (the great serpent gods) at their head, with the king of Brahmā at their head — each of them, bringing his own following, comes to guard him; with the Tathāgata, the Dharma king, at their head, all the masters of the Dharma come to guard him. These are the ten.

Gate 6. Great Matters: The Ten Great Matters He Can Bring to Completion Once He Has Obtained the Guarding

“Sons of the Buddha! When a bodhisattva-mahāsattva has obtained such guarding, he is then able to bring to completion ten kinds of great matter. Which ten? Namely: to cause all sentient beings to be glad; to be able to go to all the worlds; to be able to know fully all the faculties; to cause every resolute conviction (a view that has been examined and settled) to be pure; to cause all the afflictions to be cut off; to cause all the habit-energies to be relinquished; to cause all desires and delights to be made bright and clean; to cause all deep minds to grow; to cause all the Dharma realms to be pervaded; to cause all nirvāṇa to be seen clearly everywhere. These are the ten.

Gate 7. Minds: Ten Things Used as Similes for the Mind

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of mind. Which ten? Namely: a mind like the great earth, for the reason that it is able to bear up and able to nourish all the roots of good of all sentient beings; a mind like the great ocean, for the reason that the water of the Dharma of the measureless, boundless great wisdom of all the buddhas flows into it; a mind like Sumeru, king of mountains, for the reason that it sets all sentient beings in the place of the highest roots of good that transcend the world; a mind like the maṇi-jewel king, for the reason that what it delights in and desires is pure and without admixed defilement; a mind like adamant, for the reason that it settles upon and enters deeply into all dharmas; a mind like the encircling mountains of adamant, for the reason that the demons and the outsiders cannot shake it; a mind like the lotus flower, for the reason that the dharmas of the world cannot stain it; a mind like the uḍumbara flower, for the reason that in all the kalpas it is hard to meet with; a mind like the pure sun, for the reason that it breaks through the obstruction of darkness; a mind like space, for the reason that it cannot be measured. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely herein, then they will obtain the unsurpassed great and pure mind of the Tathāgata.

Gate 8. Bringing Forth the Mind: Ten Sayings of ‘I Ought’

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of bringing forth the mind. Which ten? Namely: bringing forth the mind that says ‘I ought to liberate all sentient beings’; bringing forth the mind that says ‘I ought to cause all sentient beings to cut off their afflictions’; bringing forth the mind that says ‘I ought to cause all sentient beings to extinguish their habit-energies’; bringing forth the mind that says ‘I ought to cut off every doubt’; bringing forth the mind that says ‘I ought to extinguish the sufferings and vexations of all sentient beings’; bringing forth the mind that says ‘I ought to extinguish all the calamities of the evil destinies’; bringing forth the mind that says ‘I ought to revere and comply with all the tathāgatas’; bringing forth the mind that says ‘I ought to study well everything that all bodhisattvas study’; bringing forth the mind that says ‘I ought, at the tip of every single hair throughout all worlds, to display all the buddhas accomplishing perfect awakening’; bringing forth the mind that says ‘I ought, in all the worlds, to beat the unsurpassed drum of the Dharma, causing sentient beings, according to their faculties and to what they delight in, to gain understanding.’ These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely herein, then they will obtain the unsurpassed mind of the Tathāgata that brings forth what is to be done.

Gate 9. Pervading Minds: The Ten Reaches of the Mind’s Extent

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of pervading mind. Which ten? Namely: the mind that pervades all of space, for the reason that the intent he brings forth is vast; the mind that pervades all the Dharma realm, for the reason that he enters deeply into what is boundless; the mind that pervades all of the three times, for the reason that within a single thought he knows the whole of it; the mind that pervades the appearing of all the buddhas, for the reason that as to entering the womb, being born, leaving the household life, accomplishing the path, turning the wheel of the Dharma, and entering parinirvāṇa, he understands the whole of it; the mind that pervades all sentient beings, for the reason that he knows the whole of their faculties, their desires and delights, and their habit-energies; the mind that pervades all wisdom, for the reason that he knows the Dharma realm in accord with it; the mind that pervades all that is boundless, for the reason that he knows the differences within the nets of illusion; the mind that pervades all that is unborn, for the reason that he does not take dharmas to have an intrinsic nature; the mind that pervades all that is unobstructed, for the reason that he abides neither in his own mind nor in the minds of others; the mind that pervades all mastery, for the reason that within a single thought he displays everywhere the accomplishing of buddhahood. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely herein, then they will obtain the measureless and unsurpassed pervading adornment of the Buddha-dharma.

Gate 10. Faculties: Ten Faculties Turned Toward the Dharma

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of faculty. Which ten? Namely: the faculty of gladness, for the reason that on seeing all the buddhas his faith is not broken; the faculty of aspiration, for the reason that the Buddha-dharma he hears he is able to understand; the faculty of non-retrogression, for the reason that everything he undertakes he is able to bring to its end; the faculty of abiding securely, for the reason that he does not sever the practice of any bodhisattva; the faculty of the fine and subtle, for the reason that he enters deeply into the subtle and marvelous principle of the prajñā-pāramitā; the faculty of no resting, for the reason that he brings the affairs of all sentient beings to their end; the faculty that is like adamant, for the reason that he realizes and knows the nature of all dharmas; the faculty of the flaming light of adamant, for the reason that it shines everywhere upon the realms of all the buddhas; the faculty of no difference, for the reason that all the tathāgatas are together one body; the faculty of the unobstructed limit, for the reason that he enters deeply into the ten powers of the Tathāgata. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely herein, then they will obtain the unsurpassed faculty of the fullness of great wisdom of the Tathāgata.

Gate 11. Deep Minds: Ten Places of Neither Stain nor Admixture

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of deep mind. Which ten? Namely: the deep mind that is not stained by any dharma of the world; the deep mind that is not admixed with any path of the two vehicles; the deep mind that fully comprehends the awakening of all the buddhas; the deep mind that accords with the path of the wisdom of all wisdoms; the deep mind that is not shaken by any of the demons or the outsiders; the deep mind that purely cultivates the perfect wisdom of all the tathāgatas; the deep mind that receives and upholds every dharma he has heard; the deep mind that is not attached to any place of taking birth; the deep mind that is complete in every fine and subtle wisdom; the deep mind that cultivates the dharmas of all the buddhas. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely herein, then they will obtain the unsurpassed pure deep mind of all wisdom.

Gate 12. Surpassing Deep Minds: The Deep Mind Advanced One Layer Further

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of surpassing deep mind (a mind that advances one layer beyond the deep mind). Which ten? Namely: the non-retrogressive surpassing deep mind, for the reason that he gathers up all the roots of good; the surpassing deep mind apart from doubt, for the reason that he understands the hidden words of all the tathāgatas; the rightly upholding surpassing deep mind, for the reason that it flows forth from the great vow and the great practice; the most surpassing deep mind, for the reason that he enters deeply into all the Buddha-dharma; the surpassing deep mind that is master, for the reason that with respect to all the Buddha-dharma he obtains mastery; the vast surpassing deep mind, for the reason that he enters everywhere into the various gates of the Dharma; the foremost surpassing deep mind, for the reason that everything he undertakes he is able to bring to completion; the surpassing deep mind of mastery, for the reason of all the samādhis, the spiritual penetrations, the transformations, and the adornments; the surpassing deep mind of abiding securely, for the reason that he takes up his original vow; the surpassing deep mind of no resting, for the reason that he brings all sentient beings to maturity. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the unsurpassed pure surpassing deep mind of all the buddhas.

Gate 13. Diligent Cultivation: The Six Perfections, with Loving-Kindness, Compassion, and the Powers of a Buddha Added

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of diligent cultivation. Which ten? Namely: the diligent cultivation of giving, for the reason that he gives everything away and seeks no recompense; the diligent cultivation of keeping the precepts, for the reason of the ascetic practices of shaking off the dust (a practice that shakes off the toil of the dust), of few desires and contentment, and of not deceiving anyone; the diligent cultivation of patience, for the reason that he leaves behind the notion of self and other, endures every evil, and in the end does not give rise to a mind of anger and harm; the diligent cultivation of vigor, for the reason that the three deeds of body, speech, and mind have never been scattered, that everything he undertakes is without retrogression, and that he goes on to the very end; the diligent cultivation of meditative concentration, for the reason of the samādhi of liberation, of bringing forth the spiritual penetrations, and of leaving behind every affliction of desire and stain and every quarrelsome company; the diligent cultivation of wisdom, for the reason that he cultivates and accumulates every merit without wearying; the diligent cultivation of great loving-kindness, for the reason that he knows that sentient beings have no intrinsic nature; the diligent cultivation of great compassion, for the reason that he knows that dharmas are empty, and undergoes suffering everywhere on behalf of all sentient beings without weariness; the diligent cultivation of awakening to the ten powers of the Tathāgata, for the reason that he fully comprehends without obstruction and reveals this to sentient beings; the diligent cultivation of the non-retrogressive wheel of the Dharma, for the reason that he turns it into the minds of all sentient beings. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the unsurpassed diligent cultivation of great wisdom of the Tathāgata.

Gate 14. Settled Conviction: Eleven Clauses, and Yet Named Ten Altogether

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of settled conviction (a conviction that has examined and settled upon its object and cannot be drawn away from it). Which ten? Namely: the highest settled conviction, for the reason that he plants roots of good that are held in honor; the settled conviction of adornment, for the reason that it brings forth the various adornments; the vast settled conviction, for the reason that his mind has never been narrow and mean; the settled conviction of quiescence, for the reason that he is able to enter deeply into the profound nature of the Dharma; the universal settled conviction, for the reason that the mind he brings forth reaches everywhere; the settled conviction that is fit to bear, for the reason that he is able to receive the sustaining empowerment of the buddhas; the firm settled conviction, for the reason that he crushes all the deeds of the demons; the settled conviction of clear discernment, for the reason that he knows fully every deed and its fruit; the settled conviction of what is present, for the reason that at will he is able to display the spiritual penetrations; the settled conviction of carrying on and flourishing, for the reason that in the presence of all the buddhas he obtains the prediction; the settled conviction of mastery, for the reason that at will and in accord with the time he accomplishes buddhahood. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the unsurpassed settled conviction of the Tathāgata.

Gate 15. Settled Conviction That Knows the Worlds: How World Enters World

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of settled conviction that knows the worlds. Which ten? Namely: knowing that all the worlds enter into a single world; knowing that a single world enters into all the worlds; knowing that in all the worlds a single body of a tathāgata and a single lotus seat are able to pervade them; knowing that all the worlds are like space; knowing that all the worlds are complete with the adornments of a buddha; knowing that all the worlds are filled with bodhisattvas; knowing that all the worlds enter into a single pore; knowing that all the worlds enter into the body of a single sentient being; knowing that in all the worlds a single tree of a buddha’s awakening and a single site of a buddha’s awakening are able to pervade them; knowing that in all the worlds a single sound reaches everywhere, causing sentient beings each severally to understand it and to give rise to gladness of heart. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the unsurpassed vast settled conviction concerning the buddha-fields of the Tathāgata.

Gate 16. Settled Conviction That Knows the Realms of Sentient Beings: How the Realms of Sentient Beings Enter One Another

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of settled conviction that knows the realms of sentient beings. Which ten? Namely: knowing that all the realms of sentient beings are in their nature not real; knowing that all the realms of sentient beings enter into the body of a single sentient being; knowing that all the realms of sentient beings enter into the body of a bodhisattva; knowing that all the realms of sentient beings enter into the Tathāgata-womb; knowing that the body of a single sentient being enters everywhere into all the realms of sentient beings; knowing that all the realms of sentient beings are fit to serve as vessels for the Dharma of the buddhas; knowing that for all the realms of sentient beings, in accord with what they desire, he displays for them the bodies of Śakra, of Brahmā, and of the four world-guarding kings; knowing that for all the realms of sentient beings, in accord with what they desire, he displays for them the quiescent deportment of the śrāvakas and the pratyekabuddhas; knowing that for all the realms of sentient beings he displays the body adorned with the virtues of a bodhisattva; knowing that for all the realms of sentient beings he displays the quiescent deportment with the marks and signs of a tathāgata, and awakens sentient beings. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the unsurpassed settled conviction of great majestic power of the Tathāgata.

Gate 17. Habit-Energies: Good Matters Spoken of as the Perfuming

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of habit-energy (the residual force formed by perfuming). Which ten? Namely: the habit-energy of the mind of awakening; the habit-energy of the roots of good; the habit-energy of teaching sentient beings; the habit-energy of seeing the buddhas; the habit-energy of taking birth in purified worlds; the habit-energy of practice; the habit-energy of vows; the habit-energy of the perfections; the habit-energy of contemplating the dharma of evenness; the habit-energy of the differences among the various objective realms. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will forever leave behind every habit-energy of affliction, and will obtain the great wisdom of the Tathāgata, the wisdom of habit-energy that is no habit-energy (a habit-energy that is yet no habit-energy).

Gate 18. Grasping: Ten Kinds of Grasping by Which the Bodhisattva Practice Is Not Severed

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of grasping, by which they do not sever the practices of a bodhisattva. Which ten? Namely: grasping all the realms of sentient beings, for the reason that he would teach them to the very end; grasping all the worlds, for the reason that he would adorn and purify them to the very end; grasping the Tathāgata, for the reason that he cultivates the bodhisattva practice in order to make offerings; grasping the roots of good, for the reason that he gathers up the merit of the marks and signs of the buddhas; grasping great compassion, for the reason that he would extinguish the suffering of all sentient beings; grasping great loving-kindness, for the reason that he would give to all sentient beings the joy of all wisdom; grasping the perfections, for the reason that he gathers up all the adornments of a bodhisattva; grasping skillfulness in means, for the reason that in all places he would manifest; grasping awakening, for the reason that he would obtain unobstructed wisdom; stated in brief, the bodhisattva grasps all dharmas, for the reason that in all places, with clear wisdom, he knows them as present before him. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in such grasping, then they will not sever the practices of a bodhisattva, and will obtain the unsurpassed dharma of no grasping of all the tathāgatas.

Gate 19. Cultivation: Ten Matters That Are Cultivated

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of cultivation. Which ten? Namely: cultivating the perfections; cultivating study; cultivating wisdom; cultivating the meaning; cultivating the Dharma; cultivating going forth; cultivating manifesting; cultivating diligent practice without slackening; cultivating the accomplishing of perfect awakening; cultivating the turning of the wheel of the true Dharma. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely herein, then they will obtain unsurpassed cultivation, and will cultivate all dharmas.

Gate 20. Accomplishing the Buddha-dharma: Ten Matters by Which the Buddha-dharma Is Brought to Accomplishment

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of accomplishing the Buddha-dharma. Which ten? Namely: not to part from the good friend — thus is the Buddha-dharma accomplished; to believe deeply in the words of a buddha — thus is the Buddha-dharma accomplished; not to slander the true Dharma — thus is the Buddha-dharma accomplished; to dedicate and direct measureless and inexhaustible roots of good — thus is the Buddha-dharma accomplished; to believe and understand that the realm of the Tathāgata has no bound — thus is the Buddha-dharma accomplished; to know the realm of all the worlds — thus is the Buddha-dharma accomplished; not to forsake the realm of the Dharma realm — thus is the Buddha-dharma accomplished; to leave far behind the realms of the demons — thus is the Buddha-dharma accomplished; rightly to keep in mind the realms of all the buddhas — thus is the Buddha-dharma accomplished; to delight in seeking the realm of the ten powers of the Tathāgata — thus is the Buddha-dharma accomplished. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will accomplish the unsurpassed great wisdom of the Tathāgata.

Gate 21. Falling Away from the Buddha-dharma: Ten Matters That Ought to Be Left Far Behind

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of falling away from the Buddha-dharma, which ought to be left far behind. Which ten? Namely: to slight the good friend — thus does one fall away from the Buddha-dharma; to dread the suffering of birth-and-death — thus does one fall away from the Buddha-dharma; to weary of cultivating the bodhisattva practice — thus does one fall away from the Buddha-dharma; not to delight in dwelling in the world — thus does one fall away from the Buddha-dharma; to be engrossed in and attached to samādhi — thus does one fall away from the Buddha-dharma; to grasp at the roots of good — thus does one fall away from the Buddha-dharma; to slander the true Dharma — thus does one fall away from the Buddha-dharma; to sever the bodhisattva practice — thus does one fall away from the Buddha-dharma; to delight in the path of the two vehicles — thus does one fall away from the Buddha-dharma; to bear ill will toward the bodhisattvas — thus does one fall away from the Buddha-dharma. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas leave these dharmas far behind, then they will enter the bodhisattva’s path that leaves birth behind.

Gate 22. The Path That Leaves Birth Behind: Ten Clauses Whose Two Ends Are Held Apart by ‘and yet’

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of path that leaves birth behind (the path of going forth from birth-and-death). Which ten? Namely: to bring forth the prajñā-pāramitā, and yet constantly to contemplate all sentient beings — this is the first; to leave the views far behind, and yet to liberate all sentient beings who are bound by views — this is the second; not to call to mind any characteristic, and yet not to forsake any sentient being who is attached to characteristics — this is the third; to pass beyond the three realms, and yet always to be within all the worlds — this is the fourth; to leave the afflictions behind forever, and yet to dwell together with all sentient beings — this is the fifth; to obtain the dharma of leaving desire behind, and yet with great compassion always to pity all sentient beings who are attached to desire — this is the sixth; always to delight in quiescence, and yet constantly to display all retinues — this is the seventh; to leave behind birth in the world, and yet to die here and be born there in order to set going the bodhisattva practice — this is the eighth; not to be stained by any dharma of the world, and yet not to sever anything that is done in the world — this is the ninth; to have the awakening of the buddhas already present before him, and yet not to forsake any vow or practice of a bodhisattva — this is the tenth. Sons of the Buddha! These are the ten kinds of path that leaves birth behind of the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas: going forth from the world, not held in common with the world, and yet also not admixed with the practice of the two vehicles. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the settled dharmas of a bodhisattva.

Gate 23. Settled Dharmas: Ten Matters That, Once Settled, Do Not Shift Again

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of settled dharma. Which ten? Namely: settled that he takes birth within the family of the Tathāgata; settled that he abides within the realms of the buddhas; settled that he knows fully the matters that a bodhisattva undertakes; settled that he abides securely in the perfections; settled that he obtains a place in the assemblies of the Tathāgata; settled that he is able to display the lineage-nature of the Tathāgata; settled that he abides securely in the powers of the Tathāgata; settled that he enters deeply into the awakening of a buddha; settled that he is together one body with all the tathāgatas; settled that where he abides and where all the tathāgatas abide are without any duality. These are the ten.

Gate 24. The Path That Brings Forth the Buddha-dharma: Ten Roads by Which the Buddha-dharma Is Made to Arise

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of path that brings forth the Buddha-dharma. Which ten? Namely: to accord with the good friend is a path that brings forth the Buddha-dharma, for the reason that he plants roots of good together with him; deep-minded faith and understanding is a path that brings forth the Buddha-dharma, for the reason that he knows the mastery of a buddha; to bring forth the great vow is a path that brings forth the Buddha-dharma, for the reason that his mind is broad and wide; to accept his own roots of good is a path that brings forth the Buddha-dharma, for the reason that he knows that deeds are not lost; to cultivate throughout all the kalpas without ever having enough is a path that brings forth the Buddha-dharma, for the reason that he goes to the end of the future; to manifest in asaṃkhya (numberless) worlds is a path that brings forth the Buddha-dharma, for the reason that he brings sentient beings to maturity; not to sever the bodhisattva practice is a path that brings forth the Buddha-dharma, for the reason that great compassion grows; the measureless mind is a path that brings forth the Buddha-dharma, for the reason that in a single thought it fills all of space; surpassing practice is a path that brings forth the Buddha-dharma, for the reason that the practice originally cultivated has not been lost; the lineage of the Tathāgata is a path that brings forth the Buddha-dharma, for the reason that it causes all sentient beings to delight in bringing forth the mind of awakening, and with all the dharmas of good aids and sustains them. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the names of a great man.

Gate 25. The Names of a Great Man: Ten Names of a Sattva

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of name of a great man. Which ten? Namely: he is named bodhi-sattva (a sentient being of awakening), for the reason that he is born of the wisdom of awakening; he is named mahā-sattva (a great sentient being), for the reason that he abides securely in the Great Vehicle; he is named the foremost sattva, for the reason that he realizes the foremost dharma; he is named the surpassing sattva, for the reason that he awakens to the surpassing dharma; he is named the most surpassing sattva, for the reason that his wisdom is the most surpassing; he is named the high sattva, for the reason that he brings forth high vigor; he is named the unsurpassed sattva, for the reason that he reveals the unsurpassed dharma; he is named the sattva of power, for the reason that he knows the ten powers broadly; he is named the sattva without equal, for the reason that in the world there is nothing to compare with him; he is named the inconceivable sattva, for the reason that in a single thought he accomplishes buddhahood. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas obtain such names, then they will accomplish the bodhisattva path.

Gate 26. The Path: A Bodhisattva Path Counted from One to Ten

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of path. Which ten? Namely: the one path is the bodhisattva path, for the reason that he does not forsake that single mind of awakening. The two paths are the bodhisattva path, for the reason that they bring forth wisdom and skillful means. The three paths are the bodhisattva path, for the reason that he practices the three gates of liberation — emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness — and yet is not attached to the three realms. The four practices are the bodhisattva path, for the reason that he confesses and clears away the obstruction of offenses, rejoices in the merit of others, reverently and with honor entreats the tathāgatas, and skillfully dedicates and directs, without resting. The five faculties are the bodhisattva path, for the reason that he abides securely in pure faith and is firm and unmoving; brings forth great vigor, so that what he undertakes is brought to its end; is single-mindedly rightly mindful, without any other object of attachment; skillfully knows the means of entering and leaving samādhi; and is well able to discern the realm of wisdom. The six penetrations are the bodhisattva path. Namely: the divine eye, for the reason that he sees fully every form in all the worlds, and knows that sentient beings die here and are born there; the divine ear, for the reason that he hears fully the buddhas expounding the Dharma, receives and upholds and calls it to mind, and broadly sets it forth for sentient beings in accord with their faculties; the knowledge of the minds of others, for the reason that he is able to know the minds of others with mastery and without obstruction; the recollection of former lives, for the reason that he calls to mind and knows all the kalpas of the past, and thereby increases the roots of good; the penetration of the spiritual foot, for the reason that in accord with all the sentient beings who are to be taught, he displays for them various things, and causes them to delight in the Dharma; the knowledge of the exhaustion of the outflows, for the reason that he realizes the true limit here and now, and yet sets going the bodhisattva practice without severing it. The seven recollections are the bodhisattva path. Namely: the recollection of the Buddha, for the reason that within a single pore he sees measureless buddhas and awakens the minds of all sentient beings; the recollection of the Dharma, for the reason that he does not part from the assembly of a single tathāgata, and in the assemblies of all the tathāgatas personally receives the marvelous Dharma, and in accord with the faculties and the delights of sentient beings expounds it for them and causes them to enter into understanding; the recollection of the Saṃgha, for the reason that constantly and without break he sees them without resting, and in all the worlds sees bodhisattvas; the recollection of relinquishing, for the reason that he knows fully the relinquishing practice of all bodhisattvas and increases the vast mind of giving; the recollection of the precepts, for the reason that he does not forsake the mind of awakening and dedicates and directs all his roots of good to sentient beings; the recollection of the gods, for the reason that he constantly calls to mind the final-birth bodhisattva in the palace of the Tuṣita heaven; the recollection of sentient beings, for the reason that with wisdom and skillful means he teaches and tames them, reaching everywhere without break. The eightfold noble path that accords with awakening is the bodhisattva path. Namely: to practice the path of right view, for the reason that he leaves far behind all the wrong views; to bring forth right thought, for the reason that he relinquishes false discrimination and his mind constantly accords with all wisdom; constantly to practice right speech, for the reason that he leaves behind the four faults of speech and complies with the words of the noble ones; ever to cultivate right action, for the reason that he teaches sentient beings and causes them to be tamed; to abide securely in right livelihood, for the reason that with the shaking off of the dust and with contentment, with deportment examined and upright, in accord with awakening he practices the four noble lineages, and every fault is left behind forever; to bring forth right vigor, for the reason that he diligently cultivates all the ascetic practices of a bodhisattva and enters the ten powers of a buddha without hindrance; that his mind is constantly rightly mindful, for the reason that he is able to hold in mind fully every word and sound, and extinguishes the scattered and stirred mind of the world; that his mind is constantly rightly concentrated, for the reason that he is well able to enter the inconceivable gate of liberation of a bodhisattva, and within a single samādhi brings forth all the samādhis. To enter the nine successive concentrations (the four dhyānas, the four formless attainments, and the concentration of the cessation of feeling and perception, entered in succession) is the bodhisattva path. Namely: to leave behind desire, ill will, and harm, and yet with all the deeds of speech to expound the Dharma without obstruction; to extinguish coarse and subtle examination, and yet with the coarse and subtle examination of all wisdom to teach sentient beings; to relinquish joy and love, and yet, when he sees all the buddhas, for his mind to be greatly glad; to leave behind the pleasure of the world, and yet to accord with the pleasure of the bodhisattva path that transcends the world; from this to be unmoving and to enter the formless concentrations, and yet also not to forsake taking birth in the realm of desire and the realm of form; though he abides in the concentration that extinguishes all perception and feeling, yet also not to cease the bodhisattva practice. To study the ten powers of a buddha is the bodhisattva path. Namely: the knowledge that well knows what is possible and what is not possible; the knowledge that well knows the deeds and their fruits, cause and effect, of all sentient beings in the past, the future, and the present; the knowledge that well knows that the faculties of all sentient beings are superior, middling, or inferior, and expounds the Dharma as is fitting; the knowledge that well knows the various measureless natures of substance of all sentient beings; the knowledge of the means by which, well knowing the differences of soft, middling, and superior resolute conviction among all sentient beings, he causes them to enter the Dharma; the knowledge that throughout all the world, all the fields, all of the three times, and all the kalpas, displays everywhere the form and the deportment of a tathāgata, and yet does not forsake what a bodhisattva practices; the knowledge that well knows all the dhyānas and liberations and all the samādhis, whether stained or pure, whether it is the time or not the time, and by skillful means brings forth the gates of liberation of the bodhisattvas; the knowledge of the differences by which all sentient beings, within the destinies, die here and are born there; the knowledge that within a single thought knows fully all the kalpas of the three times; the knowledge that well knows the delights and desires of all sentient beings, the proclivities (the latent tendencies), and the exhausting of the habits of delusion, and yet does not forsake the practices of a bodhisattva. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the unsurpassed path of skillful means of all the tathāgatas.

(The single sentence that follows is a general heading, announcing the four gates below; it does not itself constitute a gate.)

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have measureless paths, measureless auxiliary paths, measureless paths of cultivation, and measureless paths of adornment.

Gate 27. Measureless Paths: Ten Things Are Measureless, and So the Path Too Is Measureless

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of measureless path. Which ten? Namely: for the reason that space is measureless, the bodhisattva path too is measureless; for the reason that the Dharma realm is boundless, the bodhisattva path too is measureless; for the reason that the realm of sentient beings is inexhaustible, the bodhisattva path too is measureless; for the reason that the worlds are without limit, the bodhisattva path too is measureless; for the reason that the number of the kalpas cannot be exhausted, the bodhisattva path too is measureless; for the reason that the dharmas of the languages of all sentient beings are measureless, the bodhisattva path too is measureless; for the reason that the body of the Tathāgata is measureless, the bodhisattva path too is measureless; for the reason that the voice of a buddha is measureless, the bodhisattva path too is measureless; for the reason that the powers of the Tathāgata are measureless, the bodhisattva path too is measureless; for the reason that the wisdom of all wisdoms is measureless, the bodhisattva path too is measureless. These are the ten.

Gate 28. Measureless Auxiliary Paths: What Is Gathered as Provision Is Measureless Too

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of measureless auxiliary path. Which ten? Namely: as the realm of space is measureless, so the auxiliary path gathered by a bodhisattva is measureless; as the Dharma realm is boundless, so the auxiliary path gathered by a bodhisattva is boundless; as the realm of sentient beings is inexhaustible, so the auxiliary path gathered by a bodhisattva is inexhaustible; as the worlds are without limit, so the auxiliary path gathered by a bodhisattva is without limit; as the number of the kalpas cannot be exhausted in the telling, so the auxiliary path gathered by a bodhisattva also cannot be exhausted in the telling by all the world; as the dharmas of the languages of sentient beings are measureless, so the wisdom that a bodhisattva brings forth by gathering the auxiliary path, and his full knowing of the dharmas of language, are measureless too; as the body of the Tathāgata is measureless, so the auxiliary path gathered by a bodhisattva pervades all sentient beings, all the fields, all the ages, and all the kalpas, and is measureless too; as the voice of a buddha is measureless, so — for the reason that a bodhisattva utters a single word and sound that pervades the Dharma realm, and there is no sentient being who does not hear and know it — the auxiliary path he gathers is measureless too; as the powers of a buddha are measureless, so the auxiliary path that a bodhisattva gathers by relying upon the power of the Tathāgata is measureless too; as the wisdom of all wisdoms is measureless, so the auxiliary path that a bodhisattva gathers is in just this way without limit. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the measureless wisdom of the Tathāgata.

Gate 29. Measureless Paths of Cultivation: Ten Manners of Cultivating

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of measureless path of cultivation. Which ten? Namely: the cultivation of neither coming nor going, for the reason that the three deeds of body, speech, and mind are without any movement; the cultivation of neither increase nor decrease, for the reason that it is just as the original nature is; the cultivation of neither existent nor nonexistent, for the reason that there is no intrinsic nature; the cultivation that is like an illusion, like a dream, like a shadow, like an echo, like an image in a mirror, like a shimmering mirage in the heat, like the moon in the water, for the reason that it leaves behind every attachment; the cultivation of emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, and non-action, for the reason that he sees the three realms clearly and yet gathers merit without resting; the cultivation of the unspeakable, the wordless, and that which is apart from words, for the reason that he leaves far behind the dharmas that are set up and established; the cultivation that does not destroy the Dharma realm, for the reason that with wisdom he knows all dharmas as present before him; the cultivation that does not destroy suchness and the true limit, for the reason that he enters everywhere into the limit of suchness, the true limit, and the limit of space; the cultivation of vast wisdom, for the reason that in everything he does the power of it is inexhaustible; the cultivation that abides in the evenness of the ten powers of the Tathāgata, the four fearlessnesses, and the wisdom of all wisdoms, for the reason that he sees all dharmas here and now and is without doubt. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the unsurpassed skillful cultivation of the all-wisdom of the Tathāgata.

Gate 30. Paths of Adornment: Ten Sayings of ‘Although … and yet …’

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of path of adornment. Which ten? Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva does not part from the realm of desire, and yet enters the dhyānas, the liberations, and the samādhis of the realm of form and the formless realm, and yet also does not on that account take birth there — this is the first path of adornment. His wisdom is present before him and he enters the path of the śrāvakas, and yet he does not by that path take up going forth — this is the second path of adornment. His wisdom is present before him and he enters the path of the pratyekabuddhas, and yet he brings forth great compassion without resting — this is the third path of adornment. Although he is surrounded by a retinue of humans and gods, with a hundred thousand palace women singing and dancing in attendance, yet he has never for a moment forsaken the dhyānas, the liberations, and the samādhis — this is the fourth path of adornment. Together with all sentient beings he receives the various desires and delights and takes his pleasure in them, and yet has never for the space of a single thought forsaken the samādhi of evenness of a bodhisattva — this is the fifth path of adornment. He has already reached the far shore of all the world, and with respect to the dharmas of the world grasps at nothing whatever, and yet also does not forsake the practice of liberating sentient beings — this is the sixth path of adornment. He abides securely in the right path, right knowing, and right view, and yet is able to display entering into all the wrong paths, without taking them as real and without grasping them as pure, causing those sentient beings to leave the wrong dharmas far behind — this is the seventh path of adornment. He is constantly and skillfully able to uphold the pure precepts of the Tathāgata, and the three deeds of body, speech, and mind are without any fault; yet in order to teach sentient beings who transgress the precepts, he displays the practice of all the ways of the common and the foolish; and although he is already complete in pure merit and abides in the destiny of a bodhisattva, he displays taking birth in all the hells, among the animals and the hungry ghosts, and in all places of peril, difficulty, and poverty, causing those sentient beings all to obtain liberation — yet in truth the bodhisattva is not born within those destinies — this is the eighth path of adornment. Without being taught by another he obtains unobstructed eloquence; the light of his wisdom is everywhere able to illumine all the Buddha-dharma; he is sustained by the spiritual power of all the tathāgatas; he is together one dharma-body with all the buddhas; he accomplishes the bright and pure hidden dharma of all the firm great persons; he abides securely in all the vehicles evenly; the realms of the buddhas are all present before him; he is complete in the light of the wisdom of all the world; he sees clearly all the realms of sentient beings; he is able to be for sentient beings a master who knows the Dharma — and yet he displays seeking the true Dharma without ever resting; and although he is truly for sentient beings an unsurpassed master, yet he displays reverence for the ācārya (the master of discipline) and the upādhyāya (the preceptor). Why is this? For the reason that a bodhisattva-mahāsattva by skillful means abides in the bodhisattva path, and in accord with what is fitting for sentient beings displays all these things for them. This is the ninth path of adornment. His roots of good are complete and his practices brought to their end; he is anointed on the crown together by all the tathāgatas; he reaches the far shore of mastery in all dharmas; with the unobstructed silken band of the Dharma as his crown, his body reaches everywhere throughout all the worlds and displays everywhere the unobstructed body of a tathāgata; in the Dharma he is masterful and highest and ultimate, and turns the unobstructed and pure wheel of the Dharma; all the dharmas of a bodhisattva’s mastery he has already accomplished — and yet for the sake of sentient beings he displays taking birth in all the lands; he is together with the buddhas of the three times in one realm, and yet he does not abandon the bodhisattva practice, does not forsake the bodhisattva dharma, does not slacken in the bodhisattva work, does not part from the bodhisattva path, does not let slip the bodhisattva deportment, does not sever the bodhisattva grasping, does not cease the bodhisattva skillful means, does not break off the matters the bodhisattva undertakes, does not weary of the bodhisattva’s function of giving rise and bringing to completion, does not halt the bodhisattva’s power of sustaining. Why is this? For the reason that a bodhisattva wishes swiftly to realize anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi (unsurpassed perfect awakening), and contemplates the gate of all wisdom and cultivates the bodhisattva practice without resting. This is the tenth path of adornment. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the unsurpassed great path of adornment of the Tathāgata, and yet also will not forsake the bodhisattva path.

Gate 31. Feet: If He but Lifts a Step, He Reaches Everywhere Throughout All Worlds

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of foot. Which ten? Namely: the foot of keeping the precepts, for the reason that his surpassing great vows are all fulfilled; the foot of vigor, for the reason that he gathers all the factors of awakening without retrogressing; the foot of the spiritual penetrations, for the reason that in accord with what sentient beings intend he causes them to be glad; the foot of spiritual power, for the reason that without parting from a single buddha-field he goes to all the buddha-fields; the foot of the deep mind, for the reason that he vows and seeks every surpassing dharma; the foot of the firm oath, for the reason that everything he undertakes he is able to bring to its end; the foot of according, for the reason that he does not go against the instruction of any elder; the foot of delighting in the Dharma, for the reason that he hears and upholds all the dharmas spoken by the buddhas without wearying or slackening; the foot of the rain of the Dharma, for the reason that he expounds for sentient beings without timidity; the foot of practice, for the reason that every evil he is able to leave far behind. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the unsurpassed and most surpassing foot of the Tathāgata, and if he but lifts a step, he will be able to reach everywhere throughout all the worlds.

Gate 32. Hands: Ten Hands That Draw Sentient Beings In

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of hand. Which ten? Namely: the hand of deep faith, for the reason that as to what a buddha has spoken he single-mindedly accepts it and upholds it to the very end; the hand of giving, for the reason that when there are those who come to beg, in accord with what they desire he causes them all to be filled; the hand that greets and inquires first, for the reason that he extends his right palm to meet them and draw them in; the hand that makes offerings to the buddhas, for the reason that he gathers abundant merit without weariness; the hand of learning much and of skillfulness, for the reason that he fully cuts off the doubts of all sentient beings; the hand that causes them to pass beyond the three realms, for the reason that he gives to sentient beings and draws them out of the mire of desire; the hand that sets them upon the far shore, for the reason that within the four torrents (desire, existence, views, and ignorance) he rescues the sentient beings who are drowning; the hand that is not stingy with the true Dharma, for the reason that all the marvelous dharmas he uses entirely to reveal; the hand that skillfully employs the many treatises, for the reason that with the medicine of wisdom he extinguishes the illnesses of body and mind; the hand that constantly upholds the jewel of wisdom, for the reason that he opens up the light of the Dharma and breaks through the darkness of the afflictions. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the unsurpassed hand of the Tathāgata, which covers everywhere all the worlds of the ten directions.

Gate 33. Bellies: A Ground of Mind That Has Room for Sentient Beings

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of belly. Which ten? Namely: the belly that leaves flattery and crookedness behind, for the reason that his mind is pure; the belly that leaves illusion and falsity behind, for the reason that his nature is upright; the belly that is not false, for the reason that there is nothing treacherous or partial in it; the belly that neither cheats nor seizes, for the reason that with regard to all goods he seeks nothing greedily; the belly that cuts off the afflictions, for the reason that he is complete in wisdom; the belly of the pure mind, for the reason that he leaves the evils behind; the belly that contemplates food and drink, for the reason that he calls to mind the dharma as it truly is; the belly that contemplates non-action, for the reason that he awakens to dependent origination; the belly that awakens to every path of going forth, for the reason that he is well able to bring the deep mind to maturity; the belly that leaves far behind the stain of all the extreme views, for the reason that he causes all sentient beings to be able to enter the belly of a buddha. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the unsurpassed vast belly of the Tathāgata, which is fully able to contain and receive all sentient beings.

Gate 34. Storehouses: Ten Storehouses That Are Not Let to Be Severed

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of storehouse. Which ten? Namely: not to sever the lineage of the Buddha — this is a bodhisattva storehouse, for the reason that he reveals the measureless majestic virtue of the Buddha-dharma; to increase the lineage of the Dharma — this is a bodhisattva storehouse, for the reason that he brings forth the vast light of wisdom; to sustain the lineage of the Saṃgha — this is a bodhisattva storehouse, for the reason that he causes them to be able to enter the non-retrogressive wheel of the Dharma; to awaken the sentient beings of the rightly settled group — this is a bodhisattva storehouse, for the reason that he is well able to accord with the time and does not let a single thought slip by; to bring the sentient beings of the unsettled group to maturity to the very end — this is a bodhisattva storehouse, for the reason that he causes the causes to continue on without break; to bring forth great compassion for the sentient beings of the wrongly settled group — this is a bodhisattva storehouse, for the reason that he causes the causes of the future all to be accomplished; to fulfill the indestructible causes of the ten powers of a buddha — this is a bodhisattva storehouse, for the reason that he is complete in the roots of good that subdue the armies of the demons and against which nothing can stand; the most surpassing and fearless great lion’s roar — this is a bodhisattva storehouse, for the reason that he causes all sentient beings to be glad; to obtain the eighteen exclusive dharmas of a buddha — this is a bodhisattva storehouse, for the reason that his wisdom enters everywhere into all places; to know fully everywhere all sentient beings, all the fields, all dharmas, and all the buddhas — this is a bodhisattva storehouse, for the reason that within a single thought he sees the whole of it clearly. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the unsurpassed storehouse of great wisdom of the Tathāgata, whose roots of good are indestructible.

Gate 35. Minds (the Second Occurrence): Ten Minds for the Doing of Things

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of mind. Which ten? Namely: the diligent mind, for the reason that everything he undertakes he is able to bring to its end; the unslackening mind, for the reason that he gathers the practice of the merit of the marks and signs; the greatly brave and strong mind, for the reason that he crushes all the armies of the demons; the mind that practices in accord with the principle, for the reason that he extinguishes all the afflictions; the non-retrogressive mind, for the reason that even until awakening he never ceases; the mind pure in its nature, for the reason that he knows the mind to be unmoving and grasps at nothing; the mind that knows sentient beings, for the reason that in accord with their understanding and their desires he causes them to go forth; the mind of the great Brahmā-abiding that causes them to enter the Buddha-dharma, for the reason that he knows the various understandings and desires of sentient beings and does not use another vehicle to rescue and protect them; the mind of emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, and non-action, for the reason that he sees the characteristics of the three realms and does not grasp at them; the mind adorned with the mark of the svastika, the surpassing storehouse firm as adamant, for the reason that though demons equal in number to all sentient beings should come, they could not so much as move a single hair of him. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the unsurpassed mind of the Tathāgata that is a storehouse of the light of great wisdom.

Gate 36. The Armor Donned: Ten Coats of Mail Worn upon the Body

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of armor donned (the coat of mail that is worn). Which ten? Namely: to don the armor of great loving-kindness, for the reason that he rescues and protects all sentient beings; to don the armor of great compassion, for the reason that he is able to endure all sufferings; to don the armor of the great vow, for the reason that everything he undertakes he is able to bring to its end; to don the armor of dedicating and directing, for the reason that he establishes the adornments of all the buddhas; to don the armor of merit, for the reason that he benefits all sentient beings; to don the armor of the perfections, for the reason that he liberates all that has consciousness (all sentient things); to don the armor of wisdom, for the reason that he extinguishes the darkness of the afflictions of all sentient beings; to don the armor of skillfulness in means, for the reason that he brings forth the roots of good of the universal gate; to don the armor of the mind of all wisdom, firm and unscattered, for the reason that he does not delight in the other vehicles; to don the armor of the single-minded and settled, for the reason that with regard to all dharmas he leaves doubt behind. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will be able to don the unsurpassed armor and helmet of the Tathāgata, and will be fully able to crush and subdue all the armies of the demons.

Gate 37. Weapons: Even the Afflictions and Birth-and-Death Have Become Arms

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of weapon (arms of war). Which ten? Namely: giving is a bodhisattva’s weapon, for the reason that it crushes all stinginess; keeping the precepts is a bodhisattva’s weapon, for the reason that it casts away all transgression; evenness is a bodhisattva’s weapon, for the reason that it cuts off all discrimination; wisdom is a bodhisattva’s weapon, for the reason that it extinguishes all the afflictions; right livelihood is a bodhisattva’s weapon, for the reason that it leaves far behind all wrong livelihood; skillfulness in means is a bodhisattva’s weapon, for the reason that in all places he is able to manifest; stated in brief, greed, hatred, delusion, and all the afflictions are a bodhisattva’s weapon, for the reason that by the gate of the afflictions he liberates sentient beings; birth-and-death is a bodhisattva’s weapon, for the reason that without severing the bodhisattva practice he teaches sentient beings; to proclaim the dharma as it truly is is a bodhisattva’s weapon, for the reason that it is able to break every attachment; all wisdom is a bodhisattva’s weapon, for the reason that he does not forsake the gate of the bodhisattva practice. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will be able to extinguish the afflictions and the fetters that all sentient beings have gathered through the long night.

Gate 38. Heads: Ten Heads That Stand Above and Yet Do Not Slight Others

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of head. Which ten? Namely: the head of nirvāṇa, for the reason that no one is able to see its crown; the head of reverence, for the reason that all humans and gods pay homage to it; the head of vast resolute conviction, for the reason that within the three-thousandfold world it is the most surpassing; the head of the foremost roots of good, for the reason that the sentient beings of the three realms all come to make offerings; the head that bears sentient beings upon it, for the reason that he accomplishes the mark of the fleshy cowl upon the crown; the head that does not slight or despise others, for the reason that in all places he is constantly honored and surpassing; the head of the prajñā-pāramitā, for the reason that it nourishes and grows all the dharmas of merit; the head of the union with the wisdom of skillful means, for the reason that he displays everywhere bodies of the same kind as others; the head of teaching all sentient beings, for the reason that he takes all sentient beings as his disciples; the head that guards the Dharma-eye of all the buddhas, for the reason that he is able to cause the lineage of the three jewels not to be severed. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the unsurpassed head of great wisdom of the Tathāgata.

Gate 39. Eyes: Ten Kinds of Seeing

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of eye. Namely: the fleshly eye, for the reason that it sees every form; the divine eye, for the reason that it sees the minds of all sentient beings; the eye of wisdom, for the reason that it sees the realms of the faculties of all sentient beings; the Dharma-eye, for the reason that it sees the true characteristic of all dharmas; the buddha-eye, for the reason that it sees the ten powers of the Tathāgata; the eye of knowing, for the reason that it knows and sees dharmas; the eye of light, for the reason that it sees the light of a buddha; the eye that goes forth from birth-and-death, for the reason that it sees nirvāṇa; the unobstructed eye, for the reason that what it sees is without hindrance; the eye of all wisdom, for the reason that it sees the Dharma realm of the universal gate. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the unsurpassed eye of great wisdom of the Tathāgata

Gate 40. Ears: Ten Practices Set Going upon Hearing

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of ear. Which ten? Namely: hearing the sound of praise, he cuts off craving; hearing the sound of reviling (of slander), he cuts off anger; hearing others speak of the two vehicles, he neither grasps at them nor seeks them; hearing others speak of the bodhisattva path, he is glad and exults; hearing of the hells and the other places of suffering and difficulty, he brings forth the mind of great compassion and makes the great vow; hearing others speak of the surpassing and marvelous matters of humans and gods, he knows that these are all impermanent dharmas; hearing someone praise the virtues of the buddhas, he diligently applies vigor, so as to fulfill them swiftly; hearing others speak of the six perfections, the four means of gathering, and the like, he brings forth the mind and cultivates them, vowing to reach the far shore; hearing every sound of the worlds of the ten directions, he knows fully that they are like echoes, and enters into the unspeakable profound and marvelous meaning; from the first bringing forth of the mind until he sits at the site of awakening, the bodhisattva-mahāsattva constantly hears the true Dharma and has never for a moment ceased, and yet constantly does not forsake the work of teaching sentient beings. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas accomplish this dharma, then they will obtain the unsurpassed ear of great wisdom of the Tathāgata.

Gate 41. Noses: Ten Kinds of Smelling Scent Without Being Turned by Scent

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of nose. Which ten? Namely: smelling foul things, he does not take them to be foul; smelling fragrant scents, he does not take them to be fragrant; smelling the fragrant and the foul together, his mind is even; when there is neither the fragrant nor the foul, he abides in equanimity; if he smells the scent of the clothing, the bedding, and all the limbs and members of sentient beings, he is able to know their conduct as to greed, hatred, delusion, and equal portions of these; if he smells the scent of the hidden treasures, the grasses and trees, and the rest, he distinguishes and knows them all as clearly as if they were before his very eyes; if he smells the scent of sentient beings from the Avīci hell below to the Summit of Existence above, he knows the practices they have carried out in the past; if he smells the scent of the wisdom of the giving, the keeping of the precepts, and the learning much of the śrāvakas, he abides in the mind of all wisdom and does not let it be stirred; if he smells the scent of the practice of all bodhisattvas, then with the wisdom of evenness he enters the ground of the Tathāgata; smelling the scent of the realm of the wisdom of all the buddhas, he also does not abandon and forsake the practices of a bodhisattva. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas accomplish this dharma, then they will obtain the measureless and boundless pure nose of the Tathāgata.

Gate 42. Tongues: Ten Tongues That Cannot Be Exhausted in the Speaking

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of tongue. Which ten? Namely: the tongue that reveals and expounds the inexhaustible practices of sentient beings; the tongue that reveals and expounds the inexhaustible gates of the Dharma; the tongue that praises the inexhaustible virtues of the buddhas; the tongue that sets forth inexhaustible eloquence of speech; the tongue that opens up and elucidates the auxiliary path of the Great Vehicle; the tongue that covers everywhere the space of the ten directions; the tongue that illumines everywhere all the buddha-fields; the tongue that everywhere causes sentient beings to understand; the tongue that causes all the buddhas fully to sigh with joy; the tongue that subdues all the demons and the outsiders, extinguishes all the afflictions of birth-and-death, and causes them to reach nirvāṇa. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas accomplish this dharma, then they will obtain the unsurpassed tongue of the Tathāgata, which covers everywhere all the buddha-lands.

Gate 43. Bodies (the Third Occurrence): Ten Bodies Manifested for the Sake of Teaching

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of body. Which ten? Namely: a human body, for the reason of teaching all humans; a nonhuman body, for the reason of teaching those in the hells, the animals, and the hungry ghosts; a god body, for the reason of teaching the sentient beings of the realm of desire, the realm of form, and the formless realm; a body of one in training, for the reason of displaying the stage of one in training; a body of one beyond training, for the reason of displaying the stage of an arhat; a pratyekabuddha body, for the reason of teaching them and causing them to enter the stage of a pratyekabuddha; a bodhisattva body, for the reason of causing them to accomplish the Great Vehicle; a tathāgata body, for the reason of anointing the crown with the water of wisdom; a mind-made body, for the reason that it is brought forth by skillfulness; the untainted dharma-body, for the reason that without any exertion it displays the bodies of all sentient beings. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas accomplish this dharma, then they will obtain the unsurpassed body of the Tathāgata.

Gate 44. Mind: Ten Manners of the Thinking Mind

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of mind. Which ten? Namely: the foremost mind, for the reason that it brings forth all the roots of good; the mind that abides securely, for the reason that deep faith is firm and unmoving; the mind that enters deeply, for the reason that it understands in accord with the Buddha-dharma; the mind that understands within, for the reason that it knows what the minds of sentient beings delight in; the undisturbed mind, for the reason that no affliction is admixed with it; the bright and pure mind, for the reason that the adventitious dust cannot stain it; the mind that contemplates sentient beings well, for the reason that not for a single thought does it miss the moment; the mind that chooses well what is to be done, for the reason that it has never given rise to a fault in a single instance; the mind that closely guards the faculties, for the reason that it tames the faculties and does not let them run scattered; the mind that enters samādhi well, for the reason that it enters deeply into the samādhi of a buddha, without self and without what belongs to a self. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the unsurpassed mind of all the buddhas.

Gate 45. Walking: Ten Directions of Going

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of walking. Which ten? Namely: the walking of hearing the Dharma, for the reason that he loves and delights in the Dharma; the walking of expounding the Dharma, for the reason that he benefits sentient beings; the walking that leaves behind greed, hatred, delusion, and dread, for the reason that he tames his own mind; the walking in the realm of desire, for the reason of teaching the sentient beings of the realm of desire; the walking in the samādhis of the realm of form and the formless realm, for the reason of causing them swiftly to turn back; the walking that heads toward the meaning of the Dharma, for the reason of swiftly obtaining wisdom; the walking in every place of birth, for the reason of teaching sentient beings with mastery; the walking in all the buddha-fields, for the reason of paying homage and making offerings to the buddhas; the walking of nirvāṇa, for the reason that he does not sever the continuity of birth-and-death; the walking that fulfills all the Buddha-dharma, for the reason that he does not forsake the dharma-practice of a bodhisattva. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the Tathāgata’s walking that neither comes nor goes.

Gate 46. Abiding: Ten Places Where One Can Stand Firm

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of abiding. Which ten? Namely: abiding in the mind of awakening, for the reason that he has never forgotten or lost it; abiding in the perfections, for the reason that he does not weary of the dharmas that aid the path; abiding in expounding the Dharma, for the reason that wisdom increases; abiding in the araṇya (abiding in a place of quiet), for the reason that he realizes the great meditative concentration; abiding in the four noble lineages, in accord with all wisdom and with the shaking off of the dust and with contentment, for the reason of few desires and few affairs; abiding in deep faith, for the reason that he shoulders the true Dharma; abiding in drawing near to the Tathāgata, for the reason of learning the deportment of a buddha; abiding in bringing forth the spiritual penetrations, for the reason of fulfilling great wisdom; abiding in the obtaining of forbearance, for the reason of fulfilling the prediction; abiding at the site of awakening, for the reason of being complete in the powers, the fearlessnesses, and all the Buddha-dharma. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the unsurpassed abiding of all wisdom.

Gate 47. Sitting: Ten Seats upon Which He Sits

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of sitting. Which ten? Namely: the sitting of a wheel-turning king, for the reason of raising up the path of the ten good deeds; the sitting of the four world-guarding kings, for the reason of establishing the Buddha-dharma with mastery throughout all the world; the sitting of Śakra, for the reason of being a surpassing lord for all sentient beings; the sitting of Brahmā, for the reason of obtaining mastery over his own mind and the minds of others; the lion seat, for the reason of being able to expound the Dharma; the seat of the true Dharma, for the reason of revealing it by the power of holding all things and of eloquence; the firm seat, for the reason that his oaths and vows are brought to their end; the seat of great loving-kindness, for the reason of causing evil sentient beings all to be glad; the seat of great compassion, for the reason of enduring all sufferings without weariness; the adamantine seat, for the reason of subduing the host of demons and the outsiders. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the unsurpassed seat of perfect awakening of the Tathāgata.

Gate 48. Lying Down: Ten Ways of Lying Down at Ease

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of lying down. Which ten? Namely: the lying down of quiescence, for the reason that body and mind are still and untroubled; the lying down of meditative concentration, for the reason that he cultivates in accord with the principle; the lying down of samādhi, for the reason that body and mind are supple; the lying down of Brahmā, for the reason that he vexes neither himself nor others; the lying down of good deeds, for the reason that afterward he gives rise to no regret; the lying down of right faith, for the reason that he cannot be shaken; the lying down of the right path, for the reason that the good friend reveals and awakens him; the lying down of the marvelous vow, for the reason that he skillfully dedicates and directs; the lying down in which all affairs are finished, for the reason that everything he undertakes has been brought to completion; the lying down that relinquishes all exertion, for the reason that all of it has become habitual and natural. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the unsurpassed lying down in the great Dharma of the Tathāgata, and will be fully able to awaken all sentient beings.

Gate 49. Places of Abiding: Ten Grounds on Which the Body Rests

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of place of abiding. Which ten? Namely: taking great loving-kindness as his place of abiding, for the reason that toward all sentient beings his mind is even; taking great compassion as his place of abiding, for the reason that he does not slight those who have not yet studied; taking great joy as his place of abiding, for the reason that he leaves behind every sorrow and vexation; taking great equanimity as his place of abiding, for the reason that toward the conditioned and the unconditioned he is even; taking all the perfections as his place of abiding, for the reason that he takes the mind of awakening as foremost; taking all emptiness as his place of abiding, for the reason that he contemplates with skillfulness; taking signlessness as his place of abiding, for the reason that he does not go forth from the right station; taking wishlessness as his place of abiding, for the reason that he contemplates taking birth; taking mindfulness and wisdom as his place of abiding, for the reason that the dharma of forbearance is brought to fullness; taking the evenness of all dharmas as his place of abiding, for the reason that he obtains the prediction. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the unsurpassed and unobstructed place of abiding of the Tathāgata.

Gate 50. Places Walked In: Ten Grounds upon Which He Walks

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of place walked in. Which ten? Namely: taking right mindfulness as his place walked in, for the reason that he fulfills the four stations of mindfulness; taking the destinies as his place walked in, for the reason that he perfectly awakens to the destinies of the dharmas; taking wisdom as his place walked in, for the reason that he obtains the gladness of the buddhas; taking the perfections as his place walked in, for the reason that he fulfills the wisdom of all wisdoms; taking the four means of gathering as his place walked in, for the reason of teaching sentient beings; taking birth-and-death as his place walked in, for the reason of gathering the roots of good; taking idle talk and play together with all sentient beings as his place walked in, for the reason that he teaches them as is fitting and causes them to leave it behind forever; taking the spiritual penetrations as his place walked in, for the reason that he knows the realms of the faculties of all sentient beings; taking skillfulness in means as his place walked in, for the reason that it is joined with the prajñā-pāramitā; taking the site of awakening as his place walked in, for the reason that he accomplishes all wisdom and yet does not sever the bodhisattva practice. These are the ten. If the bodhisattvas abide securely in this dharma, then they will obtain the unsurpassed place walked in of the great wisdom of the Tathāgata.

From beginning to end this stretch is Samantabhadra Bodhisattva speaking alone, and those who listen are Universal Wisdom and the other bodhisattvas. Forty-nine of the gates all open with one call from Samantabhadra to the great assembly, “Sons of the Buddha” (gates 29 and 31, carrying on from what precedes them, begin instead with “if the bodhisattvas”). In the last three gates (gates 49 to 51) the grammatical subject shifts to “the Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Awakened One,” and what is spoken of is the affair of a buddha; yet it is still Samantabhadra who is speaking, and not the Buddha himself present and opening his mouth.

Gate 1. Contemplation: Ten Kinds of Eye for Seeing into Things

(Samantabhadra Bodhisattva speaks to Universal Wisdom and the other bodhisattvas:)

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of contemplation. Which are the ten? Namely: the contemplation that knows all deeds — for the reason that even the most subtle of deeds is wholly seen; the contemplation that knows all destinies — for the reason that he sees where sentient beings go as they turn and flow, and yet grasps at no real sentient being; the contemplation that knows all faculties — for the reason that he penetrates through to the faculties having of themselves no fixed nature; the contemplation that knows all dharmas — for the reason that in contemplating he does not destroy the Dharma realm; the contemplation that sees the Buddha-dharma — for the reason that he diligently cultivates the eye of a buddha; the contemplation that obtains wisdom — for the reason that he is able to speak the Dharma in accord with the principle; the contemplation of the forbearance of non-arising — for the reason that with regard to the Buddha-dharma he has decided and understood; the contemplation of the ground of nonretrogression — for the reason that he has extinguished all the afflictions and has passed beyond the three realms and the station of the two vehicles; the contemplation of the ground of consecration — for the reason that with regard to all the dharmas of the buddhas he is master and unshaken; the contemplation of the samādhi of the wisdom of good awakening — for the reason that in all places in the ten directions he is able to do the work of a buddha. These are the ten. If a bodhisattva abides securely in this dharma, then he will obtain the unsurpassed great wisdom of contemplation of a Tathāgata.

Gate 2. Universal Contemplation: Ten Kinds of Looking That Reaches Everywhere

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of universal contemplation. Which are the ten? Namely: universally contemplating all who come to beg — satisfying their wishes with a mind that does not go against them; universally contemplating all sentient beings who break the precepts — settling them in the pure precepts of a Tathāgata; universally contemplating all sentient beings who harbor a harming mind — settling them in the power of patience of a Tathāgata; universally contemplating all indolent sentient beings — urging them to be diligent and not to set down the burden of the Great Vehicle; universally contemplating all sentient beings whose minds are scattered — causing them to abide in the ground of the all-knowing wisdom of a Tathāgata and be scattered and stirred no more; universally contemplating all sentient beings of evil understanding — removing their doubts for them and demolishing the view that things exist; universally contemplating all good friends who are even-minded — following their instruction and abiding in the Buddha-dharma; universally contemplating all the dharmas that are heard — so as swiftly to realize and see the highest meaning; universally contemplating all boundless sentient beings — never forsaking the power of great compassion; universally contemplating all the dharmas of the buddhas — so as swiftly to accomplish all-knowing wisdom. These are the ten. If a bodhisattva abides securely in this dharma, then he will obtain the unsurpassed universal contemplation of the great wisdom of a Tathāgata.

Gate 3. Rousing Might: Ten Marks of Majesty Breaking Forth All at Once

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of rousing might. Which are the ten? Namely: the rousing might of the bull-king — for the reason that it outshines and eclipses all the great assemblies of gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, and the rest; the rousing might of the elephant-king — for the reason that the nature of his mind is well tamed and gentle, and he is able to bear the burden of all sentient beings; the rousing might of the nāga-king — for the reason that he raises up the dense clouds of the great Dharma, makes the lightning of liberation flash, shakes forth the thunder of the meaning as it truly is, and rains down the sweet-dew rain of the faculties, the powers, the limbs of awakening, meditative concentration, liberation, and samādhi; the rousing might of the great garuḍa-king — for the reason that he dries up the water of craving, breaks open the shell of delusion, seizes and snatches those venomous evil nāgas the afflictions, and makes them come forth from the great sea of the suffering of birth-and-death; the rousing might of the great lion-king — for the reason that he abides securely in the fearless, even-minded great wisdom, and taking it as his weapon crushes and subdues the hosts of māra and the outsiders; the rousing might of bravery and strength — for the reason that in that great battle-array of birth-and-death he is able to crush and destroy all the foes that are the afflictions; the rousing might of great wisdom — for the reason that he knows the aggregates, the elements, and the sense-fields and the various dependent originations, and is able with mastery to open up and reveal all dharmas; the rousing might of the dhāraṇī — for the reason that with the power of mindfulness and the power of wisdom he holds the Dharma and does not forget it, and expounds it for sentient beings according to their faculties; the rousing might of eloquence — for the reason that unobstructed and swift he discriminates all things, and causes all who hear to be benefited and glad at heart; the rousing might of a Tathāgata — for the reason that the dharmas that aid the path toward the wisdom of all-knowing wisdom are all of them complete, and with the wisdom of a single thought-moment’s conjunction he obtains all that is to be obtained and awakens to all that is to be awakened to, mounts the lion-seat, subdues the foes that are māra, and accomplishes unsurpassed perfect awakening. These are the ten. If a bodhisattva abides securely in this dharma, then he will obtain the unsurpassed and masterful rousing might of the buddhas with regard to all dharmas.

Gate 4. The Lion’s Roar: Ten Phrases of Decisive and Fearless Proclamation

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of lion’s roar. Which are the ten? Namely: proclaiming, ‘I shall surely accomplish perfect awakening.’ This is the great lion’s roar of the mind of awakening. ‘I shall cause all sentient beings — those not crossed over to be crossed over, those not liberated to be liberated, those who have not gained security to gain security, and those who have not gained nirvāṇa to gain nirvāṇa.’ This is the great lion’s roar of great compassion. ‘I shall cause the three lineages of the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṅgha never to be cut off.’ This is the great lion’s roar of requiting the kindness of the Tathāgata. ‘I shall adorn and purify all buddha-lands.’ This is the great lion’s roar of the ultimately firm oath. ‘I shall extinguish all the evil destinies and all the places of difficulty.’ This is the great lion’s roar of upholding the pure precepts for oneself. ‘I shall fulfill the adornment of the marks and signs of the body, speech, and mind of all the buddhas.’ This is the great lion’s roar of seeking merit without ever tiring of it. ‘I shall completely accomplish all the wisdom that all the buddhas possess.’ This is the great lion’s roar of seeking wisdom without ever tiring of it. ‘I shall extinguish all the hosts of māra and all the deeds of māra.’ This is the great lion’s roar of cultivating right practice and cutting off the afflictions. ‘I shall fully know that all dharmas are without self, without a sentient being, without a life-span, without a pudgala, empty, without mark, without wish, and pure as empty space.’ This is the great lion’s roar of the forbearance of the non-arising of dharmas. The bodhisattva of the final body shakes all the buddha-lands and causes them all to be adorned and purified; and at that time all the Śakras, the Brahmā kings, and the four heavenly kings come to praise and to entreat him: ‘We only pray that the bodhisattva, by the dharma of non-arising, may manifest the taking on of birth!’ Then the bodhisattva, with the unobstructed eye of wisdom, universally contemplates the world and says: ‘Among all sentient beings there is none that is my equal.’ And straightaway he manifests his birth in the royal palace, walks seven steps of himself, and makes a great lion’s roar: ‘In the world I am the most excellent and the first; I shall forever exhaust the far bound of birth-and-death.’ This is the great lion’s roar of doing as one has said. These are the ten. If a bodhisattva abides securely in this dharma, then he will obtain the unsurpassed great lion’s roar of a Tathāgata.

Gate 5. Pure Giving: Ten Kinds of Giving with Nothing Mixed In

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of pure giving. Which are the ten? Namely: even-minded giving — for the reason that he does not pick and choose among sentient beings; giving as they wish — for the reason that he satisfies what they desire; giving without disorder — for the reason that he means to make them truly gain benefit; giving as is fitting — for the reason that he knows the difference of higher, middling, and lower; giving that does not abide — for the reason that he seeks no reward; giving that opens and lets go — for the reason that his mind is not fond and attached; giving of everything — for the reason that it is ultimately pure; giving dedicated and directed to awakening — for the reason that he has left far behind the two extremes of the conditioned and the unconditioned; giving that teaches and transforms sentient beings — for the reason that all the way to the place of the Way he does not forsake them; giving with the three spheres pure — for the reason that with regard to the one who gives, the one who receives, and the thing given he rightly and mindfully contemplates, as though they were empty space. These are the ten. If a bodhisattva abides securely in this dharma, then he will obtain the unsurpassed pure and vast giving of a Tathāgata.

Gate 6. Pure Precepts: Ten Kinds of Keeping the Precepts with Nothing Mixed In

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of pure precepts. Which are the ten? Namely: the pure precept of the body — for the reason that he guards against the three evils of the body; the pure precept of speech — for the reason that he leaves behind the four faults of the mouth; the pure precept of the mind — for the reason that he forever leaves behind greed, anger, and wrong views; the pure precept of not breaking any point of the training — for the reason that he means to be the honored lord among all humans and gods; the pure precept of guarding the mind of awakening — for the reason that he takes no delight in the Lesser Vehicle; the pure precept of guarding what the Tathāgata has laid down — for the reason that toward even the most subtle offense he gives rise to great dread; the pure precept of guarding it in secret — for the reason that he means skillfully to pull out and rescue sentient beings who break the precepts; the pure precept of doing no evil at all — for the reason that he vows to cultivate all the dharmas of good; the pure precept of leaving far behind all views that things exist — for the reason that toward the precepts themselves too he has no attachment; the pure precept of guarding all sentient beings — for the reason that from it great compassion is set going. These are the ten. If a bodhisattva abides securely in this dharma, then he will obtain the unsurpassed and faultless pure precepts of a Tathāgata.

Gate 7. Pure Patience: Ten Kinds of Patience with Nothing Mixed In

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of pure patience. Which are the ten? Namely: the pure patience that calmly bears slander and humiliation — for the reason that he means to guard sentient beings in his thought; the pure patience that calmly bears the knife and the staff — for the reason that he means well to guard himself and others; the pure patience of giving rise to no anger and harm — for the reason that his mind is unmoved; the pure patience of not reproaching the lowly — for the reason that one who occupies the higher place ought of himself to be forbearing; the pure patience of rescuing and guarding all who come and take refuge — for the reason that he is able to give away even his own body and life; the pure patience of leaving far behind the conceit of self — for the reason that he does not look down on those who have not yet learned; the pure patience of not being angry though maimed and reviled — for the reason that he contemplates all this as an illusion; the pure patience of not repaying the offenses of others — for the reason that he sees neither self nor other; the pure patience of not following the afflictions — for the reason that he has left the various objective realms behind; the pure patience that accords with the true wisdom of a bodhisattva and fully knows that all dharmas are without arising — for the reason that, without being taught by another, he has entered the realm of all-knowing wisdom. These are the ten. If a bodhisattva abides securely within this, then he will obtain the unsurpassed forbearance in the Dharma of all the buddhas, awakened to not through another.

Gate 8. Pure Vigor: Ten Kinds of Vigor with Nothing Mixed In

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of pure vigor. Which are the ten? Namely: the pure vigor of the body — serving and making offerings to the buddhas and the bodhisattvas and the various teachers and elders, honoring the fields of merit and not turning back; the pure vigor of speech — expounding at length for others what he has heard of the Dharma, praising the merits of the buddhas without wearying; the pure vigor of the mind — well able to enter and to come forth from loving-kindness, compassion, joy, equanimity, meditative concentration, liberation, and the various samādhis, without any rest; the pure vigor of the upright mind — not deceiving and not flattering, not crooked and not false, diligently cultivating everything and not turning back; the pure vigor of the ascendant mind — his aspiration ever tending toward the wisdom that is higher and higher, wishing to be complete in all the white and pure dharmas; the pure vigor that is not spent in vain — taking in giving, keeping the precepts, patience, much hearing, and non-heedlessness, and all the way to awakening never stopping midway; the pure vigor that crushes and subdues all māras — able wholly to extinguish greed, anger, delusion, wrong views, all the afflictions, and the various entanglements and coverings; the pure vigor that completes the light of wisdom — whatever he does he well contemplates and makes ultimate, not letting himself afterward regret it, and obtaining the dharmas not held in common of all the buddhas; the pure vigor of no coming and no going — obtaining the wisdom of things as they truly are, entering the gate of the Dharma realm, body, speech, and mind all of them even, fully knowing that mark is non-mark, with nothing grasped at; the pure vigor that accomplishes the light of the Dharma — surpassing the various grounds, obtaining the consecration of the buddhas, and with an uncontaminated body manifesting passing away, birth, leaving home, accomplishing the Way, speaking the Dharma, and extinction, complete in affairs of Samantabhadra such as these. These are the ten. If a bodhisattva abides securely in this dharma, then he will obtain the unsurpassed great pure vigor of a Tathāgata.

Gate 9. Pure Meditation: Ten Kinds of Meditation with Nothing Mixed In

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of pure meditation. Which are the ten? Namely: the pure meditation of ever delighting in leaving home — for the reason that he has given away all that he has; the pure meditation of obtaining a true good friend — for the reason that there is one who shows and teaches the right road; the pure meditation of dwelling in an araṇya and being able to endure wind and rain and the rest — for the reason that he has left behind self and what belongs to self; the pure meditation of leaving behind sentient beings who are clamorous — for the reason that he ever delights in stillness; the pure meditation in which the workings of the mind are tamed and gentle — for the reason that he guards the faculties; the pure meditation in which the mind and wisdom are at rest and extinguished — for the reason that no sound whatever and none of the thorns of the meditative concentrations can disturb him; the pure meditation of the skillful means of the way of awakening — for the reason that he contemplates all as realized before him; the pure meditation of leaving behind the relishing of its taste — for the reason that he does not forsake the realm of desire; the pure meditation that sets going the spiritual penetrations and the clarities — for the reason that he knows the nature of the faculties of all sentient beings; the pure meditation of masterful play — for the reason that entering the samādhi of the buddhas, he knows the absence of self. These are the ten. If a bodhisattva abides securely within this, then he will obtain the unsurpassed great pure meditation of a Tathāgata.

Gate 10. Pure Wisdom: Ten Kinds of Wisdom with Nothing Mixed In

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of pure wisdom. Which are the ten? Namely: the pure wisdom that knows all causes — for the reason that he does not destroy the fruit and its recompense; the pure wisdom that knows all conditions — for the reason that he does not go against the principle of coming together; the pure wisdom that knows neither cutting off nor permanence — for the reason that with regard to dependent origination he penetrates through to it all as it truly is; the pure wisdom that pulls out all views — for the reason that toward the marks of sentient beings he neither takes up nor sets down; the pure wisdom that contemplates the movements of the minds of all sentient beings — for the reason that he fully knows them to be like an illusion; the pure wisdom of vast eloquence — for the reason that in discriminating the various dharmas he asks and answers without obstruction; the pure wisdom that none of the māras, the outsiders, the śrāvakas, and the pratyekabuddhas can know — for the reason that he has entered deeply into the wisdom of all the tathāgatas; the pure wisdom that sees the subtle and wondrous dharma-body of all the buddhas, sees the original nature of all sentient beings to be pure, sees all dharmas to be wholly at rest and extinguished, and sees all lands to be the same as empty space — for the reason that he knows all marks to be without obstruction; the pure wisdom of all the holdings-together, the eloquences, and the perfection of skillful means — for the reason that it makes people obtain all the most excellent wisdom; the pure wisdom of the adamantine wisdom of a single thought-moment’s conjunction, fully knowing all dharmas to be even — for the reason that he obtains the most honored wisdom among all dharmas. These are the ten. If a bodhisattva abides securely within this, then he will obtain the unobstructed great wisdom of a Tathāgata.

Gate 11. Pure Loving-Kindness: Ten Kinds of Loving-Kindness with Nothing Mixed In

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of pure loving-kindness. Which are the ten? Namely: the pure loving-kindness of an even mind — for the reason that he universally takes in sentient beings and does not pick and choose among them; the pure loving-kindness of enriching and benefiting — for the reason that whatever he does makes people glad; the pure loving-kindness that treats others as oneself — for the reason that in the end he means to make them come forth from birth-and-death; the pure loving-kindness that does not forsake the world — for the reason that his mind is ever set upon the amassing of roots of good; the pure loving-kindness that is able to reach liberation — for the reason that he universally causes sentient beings to extinguish all the afflictions; the pure loving-kindness that brings forth awakening — for the reason that he universally causes sentient beings to set going the mind that seeks all-knowing wisdom; the pure loving-kindness unobstructed in the world — for the reason that he sends forth a great light that shines everywhere and evenly; the pure loving-kindness that fills empty space — for the reason that in rescuing and guarding sentient beings there is no place he does not reach; the pure loving-kindness that has dharmas as its ground — for the reason that he realizes the real dharma of suchness; the pure loving-kindness that has no ground — for the reason that he enters into the nature of a bodhisattva’s leaving arising behind. These are the ten. If a bodhisattva abides securely in this dharma, then he will obtain the unsurpassed and vast pure loving-kindness of a Tathāgata.

Gate 12. Pure Compassion: Ten Kinds of Compassion with Nothing Mixed In

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of pure compassion. Which are the ten? Namely: the pure compassion that has no companion — for the reason that he sets going this mind alone and by himself. The pure compassion that does not weary and tire — for the reason that he undergoes suffering in place of all sentient beings and does not take it for toil. The pure compassion of taking birth in a place of difficulty — for the reason that it is for the sake of crossing sentient beings over. The pure compassion of taking birth in a good destiny — for the reason that he means to manifest impermanence. The pure compassion set going for sentient beings of the wrong fixity — for the reason that through kalpa after kalpa he does not forsake his great vow. The pure compassion that is not greedily attached to his own ease and joy — for the reason that he means universally to give joy to sentient beings. The pure compassion that seeks no requital of kindness — for the reason that he is only purifying his own mind. The pure compassion that is able to remove inversion — for the reason that he means to speak the dharma as it truly is. Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas know that all dharmas are in their original nature pure, without defiling attachment, without burning distress, and that it is only because of the adventitious afflictions that beings undergo the various sufferings; knowing this, they give rise to great compassion toward sentient beings, and this is named ‘the original nature is pure’ — for the reason that they mean to expound for them the dharma of undefiled, pure light. Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas know that all dharmas are like the track of a bird flying through the sky, and that sentient beings are veiled by the film of delusion and cannot see it clearly; contemplating them, they set going the mind of great compassion, and this is named ‘the wisdom of what is real’ — for the reason that they mean to open up and reveal for them the dharma of nirvāṇa. These are the ten. If a bodhisattva abides securely in this dharma, then he will obtain the unsurpassed and vast pure compassion of a Tathāgata.

Gate 13. Pure Joy: Ten Kinds of Gladness with Nothing Mixed In

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of pure joy. Which are the ten? Namely: the pure joy of giving rise to the aspiration for awakening; the pure joy of giving away all that he has; the pure joy of not disdaining sentient beings who break the precepts but teaching and bringing them to accomplishment; the pure joy of being able to bear with sentient beings who do evil and, moreover, vowing to save and cross them over; the pure joy of giving away his body in seeking the Dharma and giving rise to no regret afterward; the pure joy of casting away the joy of desire for himself and ever delighting in the joy of the Dharma; the pure joy of causing all sentient beings to cast away the joy of the goods of life and ever to delight in the joy of the Dharma; the pure joy of seeing all the buddhas, reverencing and making offerings without ever having enough, the Dharma realm being even; the pure joy of causing all sentient beings to delight in meditative concentration, liberation, and samādhi, entering, coming forth, and playing therein; the pure joy of delighting at heart to be complete in cultivating all the austerities that accord with the way of a bodhisattva, and to realize the unsurpassed concentration and wisdom of silence, stillness, and immovability. These are the ten. If a bodhisattva abides securely in this dharma, then he will obtain the unsurpassed and vast pure joy of a Tathāgata.

Gate 14. Pure Equanimity: Ten Kinds of Even-Minded Letting Go with Nothing Mixed In

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of pure equanimity. Which are the ten? Namely: the pure equanimity in which all sentient beings reverence and make offerings and yet no fond attachment arises; the pure equanimity in which all sentient beings slight, revile, and humiliate and yet no anger arises; the pure equanimity of ever walking within the world and yet not being stained by the eight dharmas of the world; the pure equanimity of waiting for the time to teach and cross over those sentient beings who are fit vessels for the Dharma, and of not giving rise to disdain toward those who are not fit for it either; the pure equanimity of not seeking the dharmas of the two vehicles, of the learner and of the one beyond learning; the pure equanimity of a mind ever leaving far behind all joys of desire and the dharmas that go along with the afflictions; the pure equanimity of not praising the two vehicles and not being weary of and turning from birth-and-death; the pure equanimity of leaving far behind all the speech of the world — whatever is not the speech of nirvāṇa, not the speech of leaving desire behind, speech not in accord with principle, speech that vexes and disturbs others, and the speech of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas: to say it in brief, of leaving far behind all speech that obstructs the way of a bodhisattva; the pure equanimity of waiting for the time to teach and transform those sentient beings whose faculties are already ripe and in whom mindfulness and wisdom have arisen but who still cannot know the highest dharma; the pure equanimity of likewise waiting for the time with those sentient beings whom the bodhisattva has already taught and transformed in former ages and who can be tamed only when they reach the ground of buddhahood; the pure equanimity in which bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, toward these two kinds of persons, are without high and without low, without taking up and without setting down, leaving far behind all the various discriminations, ever abiding in right concentration, entering the dharma of things as they truly are, and gaining a mind that can bear it. These are the ten. If a bodhisattva abides securely within this, then he will obtain the unsurpassed and vast pure equanimity of a Tathāgata.

Gate 15. Meaning: Ten Kinds of Meaning That Is Conveyed

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of meaning. Which are the ten? Namely: the meaning of much hearing — for the reason that it lies in cultivating firmly; the meaning of dharma — for the reason that it lies in deliberating and choosing skillfully; the meaning of emptiness — for the reason that it is the emptiness of the highest truth; the meaning of stillness — for the reason that it leaves behind the clamor of sentient beings; the meaning of the unspeakable — for the reason that he is not attached to any speech; the meaning of things as they truly are — for the reason that he penetrates through to the three times being even; the meaning of the Dharma realm — for the reason that all dharmas are of one taste; the meaning of suchness — for the reason that all the tathāgatas enter in accord with it; the meaning of the true limit — for the reason that he fully knows the ultimate as it truly is; the meaning of the great parinirvāṇa — for the reason that he extinguishes all suffering and yet still cultivates the various practices of a bodhisattva. These are the ten. If a bodhisattva abides securely in this dharma, then he will obtain the unsurpassed meaning of all-knowing wisdom.

Gate 16. Dharma: Ten Dharmas That Are Able to Hold

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of dharma. Which are the ten? Namely: the real dharma — for the reason that he cultivates as it was spoken; the dharma of leaving grasping behind — for the reason that the grasper and the grasped are both of them left behind; the dharma of no contention — for the reason that there is no contention of any confusion; the dharma of being at rest and extinguished — for the reason that it extinguishes all burning distress; the dharma of leaving desire behind — for the reason that all greedy desire is cut off; the dharma of no discrimination — for the reason that clinging and discriminating come forever to rest; the dharma of no arising — for the reason that it is unmoved, like empty space; the unconditioned dharma — for the reason that it has left behind the marks of arising, abiding, and ceasing; the dharma of the original nature — for the reason that its own nature is unstained and pure; the dharma of forsaking all upadhi-nirvāṇa (upadhi, which is to say, having suffering) — for the reason that only by forsaking it can all the practices of a bodhisattva be set going and cultivated without cease. These are the ten. If a bodhisattva abides securely within this, then he will obtain the unsurpassed and vast dharma of a Tathāgata.

Gate 17. The Equipment of Merit That Aids the Path: Ten Kinds of Provision for Completing Merit

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of equipment of merit that aids the path. Which are the ten? Namely: urging sentient beings to give rise to the aspiration for awakening — this is a bodhisattva’s equipment of merit that aids the path, for the reason that thereby the lineage of the three jewels is not cut off. Following upon the ten kinds of dedication — this is a bodhisattva’s equipment of merit that aids the path, for the reason that thereby all dharmas that are not good are cut off and all dharmas of good are gathered together. Guiding and instructing with wisdom — this is a bodhisattva’s equipment of merit that aids the path, for the reason that it surpasses the merit of the three realms. A mind that does not weary — this is a bodhisattva’s equipment of merit that aids the path, for the reason that he means ultimately to deliver and liberate all sentient beings. Giving away entirely everything he has, within and without — this is a bodhisattva’s equipment of merit that aids the path, for the reason that toward all things he has nothing grasped at. Being vigorous and not turning back so as to fulfill the marks and signs — this is a bodhisattva’s equipment of merit that aids the path, for the reason that he gives with the gates thrown wide open, without limit. Dedicating and directing to unsurpassed awakening the roots of good of all three grades, the higher, the middling, and the lower, and in his mind slighting not one portion of them — this is a bodhisattva’s equipment of merit that aids the path, for the reason that it accords with skillfulness in means. Giving rise to great compassion toward sentient beings of the wrong fixity, the low and mean, and the not good, and harboring no mind that holds them cheap — this is a bodhisattva’s equipment of merit that aids the path, for the reason that he ever sets going the great vowing mind of a great person. Reverencing and making offerings to all the tathāgatas, giving rise to the thought of a tathāgata toward all bodhisattvas, and causing all sentient beings to be glad — this is a bodhisattva’s equipment of merit that aids the path, for the reason that he holds to his original vow most firmly. That bodhisattva-mahāsattvas amass roots of good through asaṃkhyeya kalpas, and though the realization of unsurpassed awakening for themselves is already as though in the palm of the hand, give it all away to all sentient beings, with no sorrow and distress in their minds and no regret, that mind being vast and the same as the realm of empty space — this is a bodhisattva’s equipment of merit that aids the path, for the reason that thereby great wisdom is set going and the great Dharma is realized. These are the ten. If a bodhisattva abides securely within this, then he will be complete in the unsurpassed and vast mass of merit of a Tathāgata.

Gate 18. The Equipment of Wisdom That Aids the Path: Ten Kinds of Provision for Completing Wisdom

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of equipment of wisdom that aids the path. Which are the ten? Namely: to draw near to a true good friend of much hearing, to reverence and make offerings to him, to honor and pay homage to him, to follow along with him in all sorts of ways, and not to go against his instruction — this is the first, for the reason that all is upright and there is nothing false and haughty. To leave arrogance forever behind, ever to act with humility and reverence, to have nothing coarse and rough in the deeds of body, speech, and mind, to be gentle and well accordant, not false and not crooked — this is the second, for the reason that a body such as this is fit to be a vessel of the Buddha-dharma. That mindfulness and wisdom keep watch at all times and have never been scattered, that there is a sense of shame and a sense of blame, gentleness, and a mind at ease and unmoved, that he ever recalls the six recollections, ever practices the six points of harmony, and ever abides in accord with the six firm dharmas — this is the third, for the reason that it is the skillful means for accomplishing the ten kinds of wisdom. To delight in the Dharma and delight in its meaning, to take the Dharma as his joy, ever to delight in hearing it without ever having enough, to cast away the disputations of the world and the speech of the world, to listen and receive with a concentrated mind the speech that goes beyond the world, to leave far behind the Lesser Vehicle and to enter the wisdom of the Great Vehicle — this is the fourth, for the reason that with a single mind he recollects and is not scattered and stirred. To shoulder the six perfections with a concentrated mind, to have cultivated the four dwellings of Brahmā until they are ripe, to cultivate well all the dharmas of clarity in accord with them, diligently to ask questions of all the sharp-witted and wise, to leave the evil destinies far behind and to turn toward the good roads, ever to delight in them at heart, to contemplate rightly and mindfully, to tame his own disposition and to guard the intentions of others — this is the fifth, for the reason that he firmly cultivates the practice of what is real. Ever to delight in coming forth and departing, not to be attached to the three kinds of existence, constantly to keep watch upon his own mind, never to have had an evil thought, to have cut off the three thoughts of desire, of anger, and of harming, to be good in the three kinds of deeds, and to know with decision the own-nature of the mind — this is the sixth, for the reason that it is able to make the minds of himself and others pure. To contemplate the five aggregates as all of them illusory affairs, the eighteen elements as venomous snakes, the twelve sense-fields as an empty village, and all dharmas as like an illusion, like a shimmering heat-haze, like the moon in water, like a dream, like a shadow, like an echo, like the image in a mirror, like a painting in the sky, like a whirling wheel of fire, like the colors of a rainbow, like the light of the sun and the moon — without mark and without shape, neither permanent nor cut off, neither coming nor going, and with nothing abiding either; and contemplating thus, to know that all dharmas are without arising and without ceasing — this is the seventh, for the reason that he knows the substance and nature of all dharmas to be empty and still. That bodhisattva-mahāsattvas hear that all dharmas are without self, without a sentient being, without one who lives, without a pudgala, without mind, without object, without greed, anger, and delusion, without body, without thing, without an owner, without anything to depend on, without attachment, and without activity, that all this is nothing at all and wholly comes to rest and extinction, and that having heard it they deeply believe and accept it, neither doubting nor slandering — this is the eighth, for the reason that thereby he is able to accomplish a full and excellent understanding. That bodhisattva-mahāsattvas well tame the faculties, cultivate in accord with the principle, ever abide in calming and contemplating, are still and quiet in mind and intent, so that no stirring thought whatever arises — without self, without person, without one who acts, without activity, reckoning no thought of self and reckoning no deed of self, without sore or wart, without scar or mark, and without even a forbearance obtained here; the deeds of body, speech, and mind neither coming nor going, without vigor and without bravery; contemplating all sentient beings and all dharmas with a mind even and with nothing abiding, neither this shore nor the far shore, the nature of both this and that being left behind, coming from nowhere and going nowhere, and ever thinking in this way with wisdom — this is the ninth, for the reason that he has reached the far shore of the mark of discrimination. That bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, because they see the dharma of dependent origination, see that dharmas are pure; because they see that dharmas are pure, see that the lands are pure; because they see that the lands are pure, see that empty space is pure; because they see that empty space is pure, see that the Dharma realm is pure; because they see that the Dharma realm is pure, see that wisdom is pure — this is the tenth, for the reason that thereby he cultivates and amasses all-knowing wisdom. Sons of the Buddha! These are bodhisattva-mahāsattvas’ ten kinds of equipment of wisdom that aids the path. If a bodhisattva abides securely in this dharma, then he will obtain the pure and subtle and wondrous mass of wisdom of a Tathāgata, unobstructed with regard to all dharmas.

Gate 19. Clarity and Footing: Ten Kinds of Clarity and Footing

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of clarity and footing. Which are the ten? Namely: the clarity and footing of discriminating the various dharmas well; the clarity and footing of not grasping at and being attached to the various dharmas; the clarity and footing of leaving inverted views behind; the clarity and footing of examining the faculties with the light of wisdom; the clarity and footing of skillfully setting going right vigor; the clarity and footing of a wisdom able to enter deeply into the truth of what is real; the clarity and footing of extinguishing the deeds of the afflictions and accomplishing the wisdom of exhaustion and the wisdom of non-arising; the clarity and footing of the wisdom of the divine eye universally contemplating; the clarity and footing of the recollection of former abodes and the purity of knowing the earlier bound; the clarity and footing of the wisdom of the spiritual penetration of the exhaustion of the contaminants, cutting off the contaminants of sentient beings. These are the ten. If a bodhisattva abides securely in this dharma, then he will obtain the unsurpassed great light of a Tathāgata with regard to all the dharmas of a buddha.

Gate 20. Seeking the Dharma: Ten Kinds of Mind That Seeks the Dharma

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of seeking the Dharma. Which are the ten? Namely: seeking the Dharma with an upright mind — for the reason that there is no flattery and deceiving; seeking the Dharma with vigor — for the reason that he leaves indolence and arrogance far behind; seeking the Dharma with a single direction — for the reason that he does not begrudge body and life; seeking the Dharma so as to cut off the afflictions of all sentient beings — for the reason that it is not for the sake of fame, gain, and reverence; seeking the Dharma so as to enrich and benefit all sentient beings, himself and others — for the reason that it is not for his own benefit alone; seeking the Dharma so as to enter wisdom — for the reason that he takes no delight in the letter; seeking the Dharma so as to come forth from birth-and-death — for the reason that he is not greedy for the joys of the world; seeking the Dharma so as to cross sentient beings over — for the reason that he has given rise to the aspiration for awakening; seeking the Dharma so as to cut off the doubts of all sentient beings — for the reason that he means to leave them without hesitation; seeking the Dharma so as to fulfill the Buddha-dharma — for the reason that he takes no delight in the remaining vehicles. These are the ten. If a bodhisattva abides securely in this dharma, then he will obtain the great wisdom of all the dharmas of a buddha, not taught to him by another.

Gate 21. Dharmas Clearly Understood: The Dharma Each of Ten Classes of Persons Clearly Understands

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of dharma clearly understood. Which are the ten? Namely: following along with the ways of the world and growing roots of good — this is the dharma clearly understood by the ordinary person, the childish and untaught; obtaining a faith unobstructed and unbroken and keeping watch upon the own-nature of dharmas — this is the dharma clearly understood by one who practices in accordance with faith; diligently cultivating the Dharma and abiding in accord with the Dharma — this is the dharma clearly understood by one who practices in accordance with the Dharma; leaving far behind the eight wrong ones and turning toward the eightfold right path — this is the dharma clearly understood by the eighth person — the eighth person is the one directed toward the first fruit; extinguishing the various fetters, cutting off the contaminants of birth-and-death, and seeing the truth of what is real — this is the dharma clearly understood by the person of the stream-enterer; contemplating that the taste of desire is itself a danger, and knowing that there is no going and coming — this is the dharma clearly understood by the person of the once-returner; not delighting in the three realms and seeking the exhaustion of the contaminants, and toward the dharma of taking on birth not giving rise to fond attachment even for a single thought — this is the dharma clearly understood by the person of the non-returner; obtaining the six spiritual penetrations, obtaining the eight liberations, and completing the nine successive concentrations and the four unobstructed eloquences — this is the dharma clearly understood by the person of the arhat; being by nature fond of contemplating dependent origination as one taste, a mind ever still, content and with few affairs, understanding by himself and awakening not through another, and accomplishing all sorts of spiritual penetration and wisdom — this is the dharma clearly understood by the person of the pratyekabuddha; wisdom vast, the faculties clear and sharp, ever delighting to deliver and liberate all sentient beings, diligently cultivating the dharmas of merit and wisdom that aid the path, and being complete and full in all that a Tathāgata has, the ten powers, the fearlessnesses, and all merits — this is the dharma clearly understood by the person of the bodhisattva. These are the ten. If a bodhisattva abides securely in this dharma, then he will obtain the dharma clearly understood by the unsurpassed great wisdom of a Tathāgata.

Gate 22. Dharmas of Cultivation: Ten Gates of Practice

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of dharma of cultivation. Which are the ten? Namely: the dharma of cultivation of reverencing and honoring the various good friends; the dharma of cultivation of being ever awakened by the gods; the dharma of cultivation of ever harboring a sense of shame and blame in the presence of the buddhas; the dharma of cultivation of pitying sentient beings and not forsaking birth-and-death; the dharma of cultivation of surely carrying through to the end whatever he does, with a mind that does not change and shift; the dharma of cultivation of recollecting with a concentrated mind and following after the assemblies of bodhisattvas who have given rise to the mind of the Great Vehicle, and diligently cultivating and learning; the dharma of cultivation of leaving wrong views far behind and diligently seeking the right road; the dharma of cultivation of crushing and demolishing the hosts of māra and the deeds of the afflictions; the dharma of cultivation of knowing the superiority and inferiority of the nature of the faculties of sentient beings and speaking the Dharma for them, causing them to abide in the ground of buddhahood; the dharma of cultivation of abiding securely in the boundless and vast Dharma realm, extinguishing the afflictions and making the body pure. These are the ten. If a bodhisattva abides securely within this, then he will obtain the unsurpassed dharma of cultivation of a Tathāgata.

Gate 23. Māra: Ten Māras That Obstruct the Way

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of māra. Which are the ten? Namely: the māra of the aggregates — for the reason that from it the various graspings and attachments are set going; the māra of the afflictions — for the reason that it defiles constantly; the māra of deeds — for the reason that it is able to make obstruction; the māra of the mind — for the reason that from it haughtiness is set going; the māra of death — for the reason that it forsakes the place where one was born; the māra of the heavens — for the reason that he is arrogant and lets himself go; the māra of the roots of good — for the reason that toward the roots of good he grasps constantly; the māra of samādhi — for the reason that he long relishes its taste; the māra of the good friend — for the reason that toward the good friend a mind of attachment has arisen; the māra of the wisdom of the dharma of awakening — for the reason that toward it he is unwilling to let go. These are the ten. Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas ought to make skillful means and swiftly seek to leave them far behind.

Gate 24. Deeds of Māra: Ten Deeds That Corrupt and Ruin the Roots of Good

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of deed of māra. Which are the ten? Namely: forgetting and losing the mind of awakening while cultivating the various roots of good — this is a deed of māra; giving with an evil mind, keeping the precepts with an angry mind, casting away those whose disposition is evil, leaving far behind those who are indolent, slighting those whose minds are scattered, and mocking and disdaining those of evil understanding — this is a deed of māra; toward the profound Dharma giving rise to a stingy mind, and though there be one fit to be taught and crossed over not speaking for him, while if he gets goods, gain, reverence, and offerings, then although the other is no vessel for the Dharma yet forcing himself to speak for him — this is a deed of māra; taking no delight in hearing the various perfections, and even when he has heard them not cultivating them, or though he does cultivate them yet often giving rise to indolence, and by reason of indolence his aspiration and intent being narrow and mean so that he does not seek the unsurpassed dharma of great awakening — this is a deed of māra; leaving good friends far behind and drawing near to evil friends, delighting to seek the two vehicles, taking no delight in taking on birth, and setting his aspiration upon nirvāṇa, the leaving of desire behind, and stillness — this is a deed of māra; toward a bodhisattva giving rise to a mind of anger, looking at him with an evil eye, searching out his offenses, proclaiming his faults and evils, and cutting off all the goods, gain, and offerings that he has — this is a deed of māra; slandering the true Dharma and taking no delight in hearing it, and when he does hear it then giving rise to disparagement, giving rise to no reverence when he sees others speaking the Dharma, and saying that what he himself expounds is right and what others expound is all wrong — this is a deed of māra; delighting to study the disputations of the world, artful techniques, and the ornaments of speech, opening out the two vehicles while hiding and covering over the profound Dharma, or handing a wondrous meaning to one who is not the person for it, leaving awakening far behind and abiding in a false road — this is a deed of māra; toward those already liberated and already at ease ever delighting to draw near and make offerings, and toward those not yet liberated and not yet at ease being unwilling either to draw near or to teach and transform them — this is a deed of māra; increasing the conceit of self, being without reverence, doing much to vex and harm sentient beings, not seeking the true Dharma and the wisdom of what is real, and that mind being wicked and evil and hard to awaken — this is a deed of māra. These are the ten. Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas ought swiftly to leave them far behind and diligently to seek the deeds of a buddha.

Gate 25. Forsaking the Deeds of Māra: Ten Direct Antidotes

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of forsaking the deeds of māra. Which are the ten? Namely: drawing near to good friends and reverencing and making offerings to them is forsaking the deeds of māra; not raising himself up and not praising himself is forsaking the deeds of māra; believing and understanding the profound Dharma of the buddhas and not slandering it is forsaking the deeds of māra; never having forgotten and lost the mind of all-knowing wisdom is forsaking the deeds of māra; diligently cultivating wondrous practice and being constantly non-heedless is forsaking the deeds of māra; ever seeking the dharma of the treasury of all bodhisattvas is forsaking the deeds of māra; constantly expounding the Dharma with a mind that does not weary is forsaking the deeds of māra; taking refuge in all the buddhas of the ten directions and giving rise to the thought of them as rescuers and guardians is forsaking the deeds of māra; believing, accepting, and recollecting all the buddhas and receiving the sustaining of their spiritual power is forsaking the deeds of māra; having the same roots of good as all bodhisattvas, even and without a second is forsaking the deeds of māra. These are the ten. If a bodhisattva abides securely in this dharma, then he will be able to come forth from all the roads of māra.

Gate 26. Seeing the Buddha: Ten Ways of Seeing the Buddha

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of seeing the Buddha. Which are the ten? Namely: toward the buddha who abides in the world and accomplishes perfect awakening, seeing him with non-attachment; toward the buddha of the vow, seeing him with bringing forth; toward the buddha of the recompense of deeds, seeing him with deep faith; toward the buddha who abides and sustains, seeing him with following along; toward the buddha of nirvāṇa, seeing him with entering deeply; toward the buddha of the Dharma realm, seeing him with reaching everywhere; toward the buddha of the mind, seeing him with abiding securely; toward the buddha of samādhi, seeing him with the measureless and the unsupported; toward the buddha of the original nature, seeing him with clear understanding; toward the buddha who accords with what is delighted in, seeing him with universally receiving. These are the ten. If a bodhisattva abides securely in this dharma, then he will constantly be able to see the unsurpassed Tathāgata.

Gate 27. The Deeds of a Buddha: Ten Things That a Buddha Does

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of deed of a buddha. Which are the ten? Namely: opening up, revealing, and guiding at the right time — this is a deed of a buddha, for the reason that he means to make people cultivate rightly. Causing him to see it within a dream — this is a deed of a buddha, for the reason that he means to awaken his roots of good of former ages. Expounding for another a scripture he has not yet heard — this is a deed of a buddha, for the reason that he means to make him give rise to wisdom and cut off doubt. Speaking the dharma of coming forth and departing for one bound by remorse — this is a deed of a buddha, for the reason that he means to make him leave behind the doubting mind. If there be a sentient being in whom a stingy mind has arisen, and even a mind of evil understanding, a mind of the two vehicles, a mind of harming, a mind of doubt, a mind scattered and stirred, or a mind of arrogance, then manifesting for him the body of a Tathāgata adorned with all the marks — this is a deed of a buddha, for the reason that he means to grow his roots of good of the past. In a time when the true Dharma is hard to meet with, expounding the Dharma at length, and causing him, having heard it, to obtain the wisdom of the holdings-together and the wisdom of the spiritual penetrations, so that he can universally benefit measureless sentient beings — this is a deed of a buddha, for the reason that his excellent understanding is pure. If the affairs of māra should arise, being able by skillful means to manifest a sound like the realm of empty space and to speak the dharma of not harming and distressing others as an antidote to it, so that he awakens, and the hosts of māra, hearing it, have their majestic radiance extinguished — this is a deed of a buddha, for the reason that his aspiration and delight are surpassing and his majestic virtue is vast. That mind continuing on unbroken, ever guarding himself, and not letting himself realize and enter the right position of the two vehicles; and if there be a sentient being whose faculties are not yet ripe, never speaking for him of the realm of liberation — this is a deed of a buddha, for the reason that this is what his original vow does. The fetters and contaminants of birth-and-death all of them left behind, cultivating the practice of a bodhisattva continuously and unbroken, and with a mind of great compassion taking in sentient beings, causing them to set going practice and ultimately to be liberated — this is a deed of a buddha, for the reason that his cultivating of the practice of a bodhisattva is unbroken. That bodhisattva-mahāsattvas penetrate through to their own body and to sentient beings being from the first at rest and extinguished, and are not startled and not afraid, and yet still diligently cultivate merit and wisdom without ever having enough; that though they know all dharmas to be without any making, they do not forsake the own-mark of dharmas either; that though toward the various objective realms they have forever left greedy desire behind, they still ever delight to gaze up at and serve the form-bodies of the buddhas; that though they know that awakening to and entering the Dharma is not through another, they still use all sorts of skillful means to seek all-knowing wisdom; that though they know all the lands to be like empty space, they still ever delight to adorn all buddha-lands; that though they constantly contemplate that there is no person and no self, they teach and transform sentient beings without wearying; that though toward the Dharma realm they are from the first unmoved, they manifest all sorts of transformations with the power of the wisdom of the spiritual penetrations; that though they have already accomplished the wisdom of all-knowing wisdom, they cultivate the practice of a bodhisattva without rest; that though they know that the various dharmas cannot be spoken, they turn the pure wheel of the Dharma and make the great assembly glad at heart; that though they are able to manifest the spiritual power of the buddhas, they are not weary of and do not forsake the body of a bodhisattva; that though they manifest entering into the great parinirvāṇa, they manifest the taking on of birth in all places — being able to do a dharma such as this, in which the provisional and the real are carried on together, this is a deed of a buddha. These are the ten. If a bodhisattva abides securely within this, then he will obtain the unsurpassed, teacherless, and vast deeds, not taught to him by another.

Gate 28. Deeds of Conceit: Ten Deeds Brought About by Conceit

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of deed of conceit. Which are the ten? Namely: toward teachers and elders, the assembly of monks, father and mother, śramaṇas, brāhmaṇas, and those who abide in the right road and those who turn toward the right road — toward these places that are honored fields of merit — yet not being reverent: this is a deed of conceit; or if there be a master of the Dharma who has obtained the most excellent Dharma, who rides in the Great Vehicle, who knows the road of coming forth, who has obtained the holdings-together, and who expounds the sūtras and the vast Dharma without rest, yet giving rise to a mind of haughtiness toward him and giving rise to no reverence toward the Dharma he expounds: this is a deed of conceit; in the gathering of the great assembly, hearing a wondrous dharma spoken and being unwilling to praise it and unwilling to make others believe and accept it: this is a deed of conceit; being fond of giving rise to the conceit of excess, exalting himself and riding roughshod over others, not seeing his own faults and not knowing his own shortcomings: this is a deed of conceit; being fond of giving rise to the conceit beyond excess, and when he sees one who has virtue, not praising him though he ought to be praised, and when he sees others praising him, giving rise to no gladness either: this is a deed of conceit; seeing a master of the Dharma speaking the Dharma for others and knowing full well that this is Dharma, is Vinaya, is what is real, is what the Buddha spoke, yet because he dislikes that person also disliking that Dharma along with him, giving rise to slander himself and teaching others to slander it as well: this is a deed of conceit; seeking a high seat for himself, calling himself a master of the Dharma, holding that he ought by rights to be provided for and ought not to do any work, and when he sees one aged and long in cultivation neither rising to greet him nor being willing to serve him: this is a deed of conceit; when he sees one who has virtue, knitting his brows and being displeased, his words coarse and rough, spying out that man’s faults: this is a deed of conceit; when he sees one who is clever and knows the Dharma, being unwilling to draw near, reverence, and make offerings to him, and unwilling to ask, ‘What is good? What is not good? What ought to be done? What ought not to be done? Doing what sort of deeds, may one in the long night obtain all sorts of benefit and ease?’ — deluded and stubborn, swallowed up by the conceit of self, and in the end not able to see the road of coming forth: this is a deed of conceit; and there are sentient beings covered over by a conceited mind, so that though the buddhas appear in the world they cannot draw near, reverence, and make offerings to them, and the good that is new does not arise while the good that is old is extinguished too, and they speak what ought not to be spoken and contend over what ought not to be contended over, and in the time to come will surely fall into a deep pit of peril and difficulty, passing a hundred thousand kalpas without so much as meeting a buddha, how much less hearing the Dharma! — only because they once gave rise to the mind of awakening, in the end they will of themselves awaken: this is a deed of conceit. These are the ten.

Gate 29. Deeds of Wisdom: The Ten Deeds of Wisdom Obtained After Leaving Conceit Behind

“If a bodhisattva leaves these deeds of conceit behind, then he obtains ten kinds of deed of wisdom. Which are the ten? Namely: believing and understanding the recompense of deeds and not destroying cause and fruit — this is a deed of wisdom; not forsaking the mind of awakening and ever recollecting the buddhas — this is a deed of wisdom; drawing near to good friends and reverencing and making offerings to them, that mind honoring them and from first to last never wearying — this is a deed of wisdom; delighting in the Dharma and delighting in its meaning without ever having enough, leaving false thought far behind and diligently cultivating right mindfulness — this is a deed of wisdom; toward all sentient beings leaving the conceit of self behind, toward the various bodhisattvas giving rise to the thought of a tathāgata, cherishing the true Dharma as he cherishes his own body, honoring and serving the Tathāgata as he guards and cherishes his own life, and toward those who cultivate giving rise to the thought of them as buddhas — this is a deed of wisdom; in the deeds of body, speech, and mind having none of the various kinds of the not good, praising the worthy and the noble, and following along with awakening — this is a deed of wisdom; not destroying dependent origination, leaving the various wrong views behind, breaking the darkness and obtaining light, and shining upon and seeing all dharmas — this is a deed of wisdom; toward the ten kinds of dedication cultivating in accord with them, toward the various perfections giving rise to the thought of a loving mother, toward skillfulness in means giving rise to the thought of a loving father, and with a deeply pure mind entering the house of awakening — this is a deed of wisdom; giving, keeping the precepts, much hearing, calming and contemplating, merit and wisdom — all these dharmas that aid the path being ever diligently amassed without wearying — this is a deed of wisdom; if there be any kind of deed that the buddhas praise, that is able to demolish the contention of the hosts of māra and the afflictions, able to leave behind all obstructions, coverings, entanglements, and bonds, able to teach, transform, and tame all sentient beings, able in accord with wisdom to take in the true Dharma, able to adorn and purify buddha-lands, and able to set going the spiritual penetrations and the clarities — diligently cultivating them all without slackening and drawing back — this is a deed of wisdom. These are the ten. If a bodhisattva abides securely within this, then he will obtain the unsurpassed great deeds of wisdom of all the skillful means of a Tathāgata.

Gate 30. Being Held by Māra: Ten Marks of Being Held Fast by Māra

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of being held by māra. Which are the ten? Namely: an indolent mind is being held by māra; aspiration and desire that are narrow and mean is being held by māra; giving rise to contentment with a small portion of cultivation is being held by māra; accepting only one kind and not accepting the rest is being held by māra; not giving rise to the great vow is being held by māra; delighting to dwell in what is at rest and extinguished and seeking only to cut off the afflictions is being held by māra; forever cutting off birth-and-death is being held by māra; forsaking the practice of a bodhisattva is being held by māra; not teaching and crossing over sentient beings is being held by māra; doubting and slandering the true Dharma is being held by māra. These are the ten.

Gate 31. Being Held by the Buddhas: The Ten Holdings of the Buddhas After Casting Off the Holding of Māra

“If a bodhisattva is able to cast off these ways of being held by māra, then he obtains ten kinds of being held by the buddhas. Which are the ten? Namely: at the very first being able to give rise to the mind of awakening is being held by the buddhas; in life after life upholding the mind of awakening and not letting it be forgotten and lost is being held by the buddhas; keeping watch upon the affairs of the māras and being able wholly to leave them far behind is being held by the buddhas; hearing of the various perfections and cultivating as they were spoken is being held by the buddhas; knowing the suffering of birth-and-death and yet not loathing it is being held by the buddhas; contemplating the profound Dharma and obtaining measureless fruit is being held by the buddhas; speaking the dharma of the two vehicles for sentient beings while himself not realizing and grasping the liberation of that vehicle is being held by the buddhas; delighting to contemplate the unconditioned dharma and yet not abiding within it, and toward the conditioned and the unconditioned not giving rise to two thoughts, is being held by the buddhas; having reached the place of non-arising and yet still manifesting the taking on of birth is being held by the buddhas; though he has realized all-knowing wisdom, still setting going the practice of a bodhisattva and not cutting off the lineage of bodhisattvas is being held by the buddhas. These are the ten. If a bodhisattva abides securely within this, then he will obtain the unsurpassed power of holding of the buddhas.

Gate 32. Being Held by the Dharma: Ten Places of Being Held Fast by the Dharma

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of being held by the Dharma. Which are the ten? Namely: knowing that all conditioned activities are impermanent is being held by the Dharma; knowing that all conditioned activities are suffering is being held by the Dharma; knowing that all conditioned activities are without self is being held by the Dharma; knowing that all dharmas are the nirvāṇa that is at rest and extinguished is being held by the Dharma; knowing that the various dharmas arise from conditions, and that without conditions they do not arise, is being held by the Dharma; knowing that it is because of unright thinking that ignorance arises, and that once ignorance has arisen then on to old age and death arise, and that when unright thinking is extinguished then ignorance is extinguished, and that once ignorance is extinguished then on to old age and death are extinguished, is being held by the Dharma; knowing that the three gates of liberation bring forth the vehicle of the śrāvakas, and that realizing the dharma of no contention brings forth the vehicle of the pratyekabuddhas, is being held by the Dharma; knowing that the six perfections and the four means of gathering bring forth the Great Vehicle is being held by the Dharma; knowing that all lands, all dharmas, all sentient beings, and all ages are the realm of the wisdom of a buddha is being held by the Dharma; knowing that one must cut off all thoughts, cast away all grasping, leave behind the earlier bound and the later bound, and follow along with nirvāṇa is being held by the Dharma. These are the ten. If a bodhisattva abides securely within this, then he will obtain the unsurpassed being held by the Dharma of all the buddhas.

Gate 33. The Deeds Done While Dwelling in the Tuṣita Heaven: The First of the Eight Aspects

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas dwelling in the Tuṣita heaven have ten kinds of deed that they do. Which are the ten? Namely: for the sons of the gods of the realm of desire they speak the dharma of weariness and leaving behind, saying: ‘All mastery is impermanent, and all joy will in the end decay and pass away.’ And they urge those gods to give rise to the aspiration for awakening. This is the first deed done. For the gods of the realm of form they expound entering and coming forth from the various meditations, liberations, and samādhis; and if within these there arises in them fond attachment, and because of that fond attachment there arise again the view of a body, wrong views, ignorance, and the rest, then they speak for them the wisdom of things as they truly are; and if toward all form-dharmas and non-form-dharmas they give rise to an inverted thought and take these to be pure, then they speak for them of the impure and say that all this is impermanent, and urge them to give rise to the mind of awakening. This is the second deed done. A bodhisattva-mahāsattva, dwelling in the Tuṣita heaven, enters a samādhi named Adornment of Light, and from his body sends forth a light that shines everywhere over the three-thousandfold great-thousand world-system, and in accordance with the minds of sentient beings speaks the Dharma for them with all sorts of sounds; and sentient beings, having heard it, are pure in the mind of faith, and when their lives end are born in the Tuṣita heaven, and the bodhisattva urges them to give rise to the mind of awakening. This is the third deed done. A bodhisattva-mahāsattva in the Tuṣita heaven, with the unobstructed eye, universally sees all the bodhisattvas in the Tuṣita heavens of the ten directions, and those bodhisattvas likewise all see this bodhisattva; and having seen one another, they discourse upon the wondrous Dharma, namely: the descending of the spirit and the entering of the mother’s womb, the first birth, the leaving of home, the going to the place of the Way, and being complete in the great adornment; and moreover they manifest the practices they have practiced from former ages onward, and that it is because of those practices that they have accomplished a great wisdom such as this; and all the merits do not depart from their own place, and yet they are able to manifest all sorts of things such as these. This is the fourth deed done. When a bodhisattva-mahāsattva dwells in the Tuṣita heaven, all the assemblies of bodhisattvas of all the Tuṣita heavenly palaces of the ten directions come together and gather round him in reverence; and at that time the bodhisattva-mahāsattva, in order to make all those bodhisattvas fulfill their wishes and be glad, expounds gates of Dharma for them in accordance with the ground in which they ought to abide, what they practice and what they cut off, what they cultivate and what they realize; and those bodhisattvas, having heard the Dharma spoken, are all greatly glad and obtain what they never had before, and each returns to the palace in which he dwells in his own land. This is the fifth deed done. When a bodhisattva-mahāsattva dwells in the Tuṣita heaven, the lord of the realm of desire, the heavenly māra Pāpīyān, in order to ruin and disturb the deeds of the bodhisattva, comes to the bodhisattva’s place with his retinue gathered round him; and at that time the bodhisattva, in order to crush and subdue the armies of māra, abides securely in the gate of the wisdom of the skillfulness in means of the perfection of wisdom taken in by the adamantine path, and speaks the Dharma for him with the two kinds of speech, the gentle and the rough, so that the māra Pāpīyān gains no opening; and the māras, seeing the masterful majestic power of the bodhisattva, all give rise to the mind of unsurpassed perfect awakening. This is the sixth deed done. A bodhisattva-mahāsattva, dwelling in the Tuṣita heaven, knows that the sons of the gods of the realm of desire take no delight in hearing the Dharma; and at that time the bodhisattva sends forth a great sound and announces to them everywhere, saying: ‘Today the bodhisattva will manifest rare things within the palace; let those who wish to see come swiftly.’ Then the sons of the gods, hearing these words, come and gather in measureless hundreds of thousands of koṭis of nayutas; and at that time the bodhisattva, seeing that the assembly of the gods has already gathered, manifests for them all sorts of rare things within the palace; and those sons of the gods, who have never seen or heard such things before, having seen them are all greatly glad, and that mind is intoxicated and sunk in them; and the bodhisattva then sends forth a sound within the music and tells them: ‘Sirs! All conditioned activities are impermanent, all conditioned activities are suffering, all dharmas are without self, and nirvāṇa is at rest and extinguished.’ And he tells them further: ‘You ought all to cultivate the practice of a bodhisattva, and ought all to fulfill the wisdom of all-knowing wisdom.’ Those sons of the gods, hearing this sound of the Dharma, sigh in sorrow and lament, and give rise to weariness and the wish to leave, and there is not one who does not give rise to the mind of awakening. This is the seventh deed done. A bodhisattva-mahāsattva, dwelling in the Tuṣita palace, does not forsake his own place, and yet is wholly able to go to the presence of all the measureless buddhas of the ten directions, to see the tathāgatas, to draw near, pay homage, reverence, and hear the Dharma; and at that time the buddhas, in order to make the bodhisattva obtain the highest dharma of consecration, expound for him a ground of the bodhisattva named All Spiritual Penetrations, causing him with the wisdom of a single thought-moment’s conjunction to be complete in all the most excellent merits and to enter the position of the wisdom of all-knowing wisdom. This is the eighth deed done. A bodhisattva-mahāsattva, dwelling in the Tuṣita palace, in order to make offerings to the tathāgatas, with great spiritual power raises up all sorts of articles of offering named Surpassing and Delightful, and throughout the Dharma realm, the realm of empty space, and all worlds makes offerings to the buddhas; and measureless sentient beings in those worlds, seeing this offering, all give rise to the mind of unsurpassed perfect awakening. This is the ninth deed done. A bodhisattva-mahāsattva, dwelling in the Tuṣita heaven, brings forth measureless and boundless gates of Dharma that are like an illusion and like a shadow, pervading all the worlds of the ten directions, and manifests all sorts of colors, all sorts of marks, all sorts of bodily forms, all sorts of bearing, all sorts of undertakings, all sorts of skillful means, all sorts of similes, and all sorts of speech, and in accordance with the minds of sentient beings makes them all glad. This is the tenth deed done. Sons of the Buddha! These are the ten kinds of deed that bodhisattva-mahāsattvas do while dwelling in the Tuṣita heaven. If a bodhisattva accomplishes this dharma, then he will after this descend to be born among human beings.

Gate 34. Ten Things Manifested in Descending to Birth: Ten Lights, Each Doing One Thing

“Sons of the Buddha! When a bodhisattva-mahāsattva is about to descend to birth from the Tuṣita heaven, he manifests ten kinds of thing. Which are the ten? Sons of the Buddha! When a bodhisattva-mahāsattva descends to birth from the Tuṣita heaven, from the soles of his feet he sends forth a great light named Adornment of Ease and Joy, which shines everywhere over all the sentient beings of the evil destinies and the difficulties within the three-thousandfold great-thousand world-system; and there is none touched by this light who does not leave suffering and obtain ease and joy; and having obtained ease and joy, they all know that a rare great person is about to arise in the world. This is the first thing manifested. Sons of the Buddha! When a bodhisattva-mahāsattva descends to birth from the Tuṣita heaven, from the mark of the white hair-tuft between his brows he sends forth a great light named Awakening, which shines everywhere over the three-thousandfold great-thousand world-system and shines upon the bodies of all the bodhisattvas who have practiced together with him in former ages; and those bodhisattvas, having received the shining of the light, all know that the bodhisattva is about to descend to birth, and each raises up measureless articles of offering and comes to the bodhisattva’s place and makes offerings. This is the second thing manifested. Sons of the Buddha! When a bodhisattva-mahāsattva is about to descend to birth from the Tuṣita heaven, from the palm of his right hand he sends forth a great light named Pure Objective Realm, which is able wholly to adorn and purify all the three-thousandfold great-thousand world-systems; and if within them there be a pratyekabuddha who has already obtained freedom from the contaminants and who keeps watch upon this light, then he casts away his life-span; and those who do not keep watch upon it are, by the power of the light, moved and set down in other remaining worlds; and all the māras, together with the outsiders and the sentient beings who hold the view that things exist, are likewise moved and set down in other worlds — only excepting those sentient beings fit to be transformed who are held by the spiritual power of the buddhas. This is the third thing manifested. Sons of the Buddha! When a bodhisattva-mahāsattva is about to descend to birth from the Tuṣita heaven, from his two knees he sends forth a great light named Pure Adornment, which shines everywhere over all the palaces of the gods, from the heaven of the four kings who guard the world below up to the Pure Abode heavens above, and there is no place it does not pervade; and those gods all know that the bodhisattva is about to descend to birth from the Tuṣita heaven, and all harbor longing, lamenting in sorrow and distressed, and each takes up all sorts of flower-garlands, robes, ointments, powdered incense, banners and canopies, and music, and comes to the bodhisattva’s place to reverence and make offerings, and follows after him from his descent to birth all the way to his nirvāṇa. This is the fourth thing manifested. Sons of the Buddha! When a bodhisattva-mahāsattva in the Tuṣita heaven is about to descend to birth, from the heart-treasury adorned with the adamantine svastika he sends forth a great light named Banner That None Can Overcome, which shines everywhere upon the vajra-bearing strongmen of all the worlds of the ten directions; and then a hundred koṭis of vajra-bearing strongmen all come and gather, following after him and standing guard, from his descent to birth all the way to his nirvāṇa. This is the fifth thing manifested. Sons of the Buddha! When a bodhisattva-mahāsattva is about to descend to birth from the Tuṣita heaven, from all the pores of his body he sends forth a great light named Discerning Sentient Beings, which shines everywhere over all the great-thousand worlds and touches everywhere the bodies of all the bodhisattvas, and touches also all the gods and the people of the world; and the bodhisattvas all think in this way: ‘I ought to abide here, make offerings to the Tathāgata, and teach and transform sentient beings.’ This is the sixth thing manifested. Sons of the Buddha! When a bodhisattva-mahāsattva is about to descend to birth from the Tuṣita heaven, from the great maṇi-jewel treasury hall he sends forth a great light named Contemplating What Abides Well, which shines upon the royal palace where this bodhisattva is about to be born and to be entrusted; and after that light has shone, the remaining bodhisattvas all together follow after him down to Jambudvīpa, and manifest the taking on of birth, whether in his household, in his village, or in his city, for the sake of teaching and transforming sentient beings. This is the seventh thing manifested. Sons of the Buddha! When a bodhisattva-mahāsattva is on the point of descending to birth from the Tuṣita heaven, from the heavenly palaces and from the various adornments of the great tiered pavilions he sends forth a great light named Pure Adornment of All the Palaces, which shines upon the womb of the mother who gives him birth; and after that light has shone, it makes the bodhisattva’s mother secure and at ease, complete and accomplished in all merits, and within the mother’s womb there is of itself a vast tiered pavilion adorned with great maṇi jewels, for the sake of settling the body of the bodhisattva there. This is the eighth thing manifested. Sons of the Buddha! When a bodhisattva-mahāsattva is on the point of descending to birth from the Tuṣita heaven, from beneath the soles of his two feet he sends forth a great light named Abiding Well; and if the life-spans of the sons of the gods and of the Brahmā gods are about to end, then having received the touch of the shining of this light they are all able to prolong and stay their life-spans, and to make offerings to the bodhisattva from his first descent to birth all the way to his nirvāṇa. This is the ninth thing manifested. Sons of the Buddha! When a bodhisattva-mahāsattva is on the point of descending to birth from the Tuṣita heaven, from among the secondary marks he sends forth a great light named Adornment of the Eye, which manifests all sorts of deeds of the bodhisattva; and at that time the humans and gods, some see the bodhisattva dwelling in the Tuṣita heaven, some see him entering the womb, some see his first birth, some see him leaving home, some see him accomplishing the Way, some see him subduing māra, some see him turning the wheel of the Dharma, and some see him entering nirvāṇa. This is the tenth thing manifested. Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva, upon his body, upon his seat, within his palace, and within his tiered pavilion, sends forth a million asaṃkhyeya lights such as these, and wholly manifests all sorts of deeds of a bodhisattva; and having manifested these deeds, because he is complete in all the dharmas of merit, he descends to birth among human beings from the Tuṣita heaven.

Gate 35. Ten Matters of Dwelling in the Womb: Why Dwelling in the Womb Is Manifested

“Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva’s manifesting of dwelling in the womb has ten kinds of matter. Which are the ten? Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva, in order to bring to accomplishment sentient beings of small mind and mean understanding, and not wishing to make them give rise to a thought such as this — ‘This bodhisattva now is born of transformation of himself, and his wisdom and roots of good did not come from cultivation’ — therefore the bodhisattva manifests dwelling in the womb. This is the first matter. A bodhisattva-mahāsattva manifests dwelling in the womb in order to ripen the roots of good of his father and mother, of his various relatives, and of the sentient beings who practiced together with him in former ages. Why is this? Because it is only by seeing him dwelling in the womb that all their roots of good ought to be ripened. This is the second matter. When a bodhisattva-mahāsattva enters the mother’s womb, he is rightly mindful and rightly knowing, without confusion; and after he has come to dwell within the mother’s womb, his mind is ever rightly mindful, and there is no disorder either. This is the third matter. A bodhisattva-mahāsattva within the mother’s womb constantly speaks the Dharma, and the great bodhisattvas of the worlds of the ten directions, the Śakras, the Brahmā kings, and the four heavenly kings all come and gather, and he causes them all to obtain measureless spiritual power and boundless wisdom; the bodhisattva’s dwelling in the womb accomplishes eloquence and excellent use such as this. This is the fourth matter. A bodhisattva-mahāsattva within the mother’s womb gathers a great assembly, and with the power of his original vow teaches and transforms all the assemblies of bodhisattvas. This is the fifth matter. Since a bodhisattva-mahāsattva becomes a buddha among human beings, he ought by rights to have the most excellent taking on of birth among human beings, and therefore he manifests dwelling in the mother’s womb. This is the sixth matter. While a bodhisattva-mahāsattva is within the mother’s womb, the sentient beings of the three-thousandfold great-thousand world-system all see the bodhisattva, as one sees the image of one’s own face in a bright mirror; and at that time the great-minded gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, mahoragas, humans, nonhumans, and the rest all come to the bodhisattva’s place to reverence and make offerings. This is the seventh matter. While a bodhisattva-mahāsattva is within the mother’s womb, all the bodhisattvas of the final birth who are within a mother’s womb in the worlds of other quarters all come and meet together, and he expounds a gate of Dharma of the great gathering named Treasury of Vast Wisdom. This is the eighth matter. When a bodhisattva-mahāsattva is within the mother’s womb, he enters a samādhi named Treasury Free of Defilement, and with the power of that samādhi manifests within the mother’s womb a great palace, all sorts of ornaments being utterly wondrous and fine, such that the palace of the Tuṣita heaven cannot be compared with it, and moreover he makes the mother’s body secure, at ease, and without ailment. This is the ninth matter. When a bodhisattva-mahāsattva dwells in the mother’s womb, with great majestic power he raises up articles of offering named Opening the Great Merit of the Treasury Free of Defilement, and throughout all the worlds of the ten directions makes offerings to all the buddhas, the tathāgatas, and those tathāgatas all expound for him the boundless Dharma-realm treasury of the dwelling-places of a bodhisattva. This is the tenth matter. Sons of the Buddha! These are the ten kinds of matter of a bodhisattva-mahāsattva’s manifesting of dwelling in the womb. If a bodhisattva penetrates through to this dharma, then he will be able to manifest the exceedingly subtle resorts.

Gate 36. The Exceedingly Subtle Resorts: Manifesting a Whole Lifetime All at Once Within the Womb

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of exceedingly subtle resort. Which are the ten? Namely: within the mother’s womb, manifesting the first giving rise to the mind of awakening on to the ground of consecration; within the mother’s womb, manifesting dwelling in the Tuṣita heaven; within the mother’s womb, manifesting the first birth; within the mother’s womb, manifesting the stage of a youth; within the mother’s womb, manifesting dwelling in the royal palace; within the mother’s womb, manifesting the leaving of home; within the mother’s womb, manifesting austerities, going to the place of the Way, and accomplishing perfect awakening; within the mother’s womb, manifesting the turning of the wheel of the Dharma; within the mother’s womb, manifesting parinirvāṇa; within the mother’s womb, manifesting the greatly subtle, namely: all the practices of a bodhisattva and the measureless and diverse gates of the masterful spiritual power of all the tathāgatas. Sons of the Buddha! These are the ten kinds of subtle resort of a bodhisattva-mahāsattva within the mother’s womb. If a bodhisattva abides securely in this dharma, then he will obtain the subtle resort of the unsurpassed great wisdom of a Tathāgata.

Gate 37. Ten Kinds of Birth: The Marks of the First Birth

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of birth. Which are the ten? Namely: being born leaving delusion far behind, rightly mindful and rightly knowing; being born sending forth a net of great light that shines everywhere over the three-thousandfold great-thousand world-system; being born abiding in the final existence and taking on a later body no more; being born neither arising nor being set going; being born knowing the three realms to be like an illusion; being born manifesting his body everywhere in the worlds of the ten directions; being born with a body that realizes the wisdom of all-knowing wisdom; being born with a body that sends forth the light of all the buddhas and universally awakens all sentient beings; being born with a body that enters the samādhi of contemplating with great wisdom; Sons of the Buddha! When the bodhisattva is born, he shakes all the buddha-lands, liberates all sentient beings, extinguishes all the evil destinies, outshines and eclipses all the māras, and measureless bodhisattvas all come and gather. Sons of the Buddha! These are the ten kinds of birth of a bodhisattva-mahāsattva, manifested in this way for the sake of taming sentient beings.

Gate 38. Smiling and Inwardly Vowing: The Smile That Follows Ten Thoughts

“Sons of the Buddha! Because of ten matters a bodhisattva-mahāsattva manifests a smile and inwardly vows. Which are the ten? Namely: a bodhisattva-mahāsattva thinks: ‘All the world is sunk in the mire of desire, and apart from me alone there is none able to save them.’ Knowing this, with glad delight he smiles and inwardly vows. He thinks further: ‘All the world is blinded by the afflictions; I alone today am complete in wisdom.’ Knowing this, with glad delight he smiles and inwardly vows. He thinks further: ‘Today, with this body of borrowed name, I shall obtain the unsurpassed dharma-body of a Tathāgata that fills the three times.’ Knowing this, with glad delight he smiles and inwardly vows. At that time the bodhisattva, with the unobstructed eye, contemplates everywhere all the Brahmā gods of the ten directions on to all the gods of Great Mastery, and thinks in this way: ‘These sentient beings all take themselves to have great powers of wisdom.’ Knowing this, with glad delight he smiles and inwardly vows. At that time the bodhisattva contemplates and sees that sentient beings have long planted roots of good and yet today have all fallen away from them; knowing this, with glad delight he smiles and inwardly vows. The bodhisattva contemplates and sees that of the seeds of the world, though what is planted is little, the fruit obtained is very much; knowing this, with glad delight he smiles and inwardly vows. The bodhisattva contemplates and sees that all sentient beings who receive the teaching of the Buddha will surely obtain benefit; knowing this, with glad delight he smiles and inwardly vows. The bodhisattva contemplates and sees that the bodhisattvas who practiced together with him in past ages are stained and attached to other affairs and do not obtain the vast merits of the Buddha-dharma; knowing this, with glad delight he smiles and inwardly vows. The bodhisattva contemplates and sees that the gods and humans and the rest who gathered together with him in past ages are to this day still in the stage of the ordinary person and cannot forsake it, and yet do not feel weary of it either; knowing this, with glad delight he smiles and inwardly vows. At that time the bodhisattva is touched by the light of all the tathāgatas, and is glad and comforted twice over, and with glad delight he smiles and inwardly vows. These are the ten. Sons of the Buddha! The bodhisattva manifests in this way for the sake of taming sentient beings.

Gate 39. Walking Seven Steps: The Ten Reasons for Walking Those Seven Steps

“Sons of the Buddha! Because of ten matters a bodhisattva-mahāsattva manifests the walking of seven steps. Which are the ten? Namely: in order to make manifest the power of a bodhisattva, therefore he manifests the walking of seven steps; in order to make manifest the giving of the seven noble riches, therefore he manifests the walking of seven steps; in order to fulfill the vow of the earth spirits, therefore he manifests the walking of seven steps; in order to make manifest the mark of passing beyond the three realms, therefore he manifests the walking of seven steps; in order to make manifest that the most excellent practice of a bodhisattva surpasses the practice of the elephant-king, the bull-king, and the lion-king, therefore he manifests the walking of seven steps; in order to make manifest the mark of the adamantine ground, therefore he manifests the walking of seven steps; in order to make manifest that he means to give sentient beings the power of bravery, therefore he manifests the walking of seven steps; in order to make manifest the cultivating of the jewels of the seven limbs of awakening, therefore he manifests the walking of seven steps; in order to make manifest that the dharma he has obtained is not taught to him by another, therefore he manifests the walking of seven steps; in order to make manifest that in the world he is the most excellent and beyond compare, therefore he manifests the walking of seven steps. These are the ten. Sons of the Buddha! The bodhisattva manifests in this way for the sake of taming sentient beings.

Gate 40. Dwelling in the Stage of a Youth: The Ten Reasons for Being a Youth

“Sons of the Buddha! Because of ten matters a bodhisattva-mahāsattva manifests dwelling in the stage of a youth. Which are the ten? Namely: in order to make manifest his penetrating mastery of all the letters, reckoning, drawings and books, and seals and signets of the world, and undertakings of all sorts, therefore he dwells in the stage of a youth; in order to make manifest his penetrating mastery of all the elephants and horses, carriages, bows and arrows, and swords and halberds of the world, and undertakings of all sorts, therefore he dwells in the stage of a youth; in order to make manifest his penetrating mastery of all the writing and discoursing, the board games and the amusements of the world, and affairs of all sorts, therefore he dwells in the stage of a youth; in order to make manifest his leaving far behind the faults of all sorts in the deeds of body, speech, and mind, therefore he dwells in the stage of a youth; in order to make manifest his entering concentration, abiding in the gate of nirvāṇa, and pervading the measureless worlds of the ten directions, therefore he dwells in the stage of a youth; in order to make manifest that his power surpasses that of all the gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, mahoragas, Śakras, Brahmā kings, the world-guardians, humans, nonhumans, and the rest, therefore he dwells in the stage of a youth; in order to make manifest that the form, the marks, and the majestic radiance of a bodhisattva surpass those of all the Śakras, the Brahmā kings, and the world-guardians, therefore he dwells in the stage of a youth; in order to make sentient beings who are absorbed in the joys of desire glad and delighted in the Dharma, therefore he dwells in the stage of a youth; in order to honor the true Dharma, to make offerings to the buddhas with diligence, and to pervade all the worlds of the ten directions, therefore he dwells in the stage of a youth; in order to make manifest his obtaining the aid of the buddhas and receiving the light of the Dharma, therefore he dwells in the stage of a youth. These are the ten.

Gate 41. Manifesting Dwelling in the Royal Palace: The Ten Reasons for Living in the Palace

“Sons of the Buddha! After a bodhisattva-mahāsattva has manifested the stage of a youth, because of ten matters he manifests dwelling in the royal palace. Which are the ten? Namely: in order to ripen the roots of good of the sentient beings who practiced together with him in former ages, therefore he manifests dwelling in the royal palace; in order to make manifest the power of a bodhisattva’s roots of good, therefore he manifests dwelling in the royal palace; because the humans and gods are absorbed in the implements of joy, in order to manifest the implements of joy of a bodhisattva’s great majestic virtue, therefore he manifests dwelling in the royal palace; in order to follow along with the minds of the sentient beings of the age of the five turbidities, therefore he manifests dwelling in the royal palace; in order to make manifest that the power of a bodhisattva’s great majestic virtue is able to enter samādhi within the deep palace, therefore he manifests dwelling in the royal palace; in order to make the sentient beings who vowed together with him in former ages fulfill their heart’s intent, therefore he manifests dwelling in the royal palace; in order to make his father and mother, his kin, and his retinue fulfill what they wish, therefore he manifests dwelling in the royal palace; because he wishes with music to send forth the sound of the wondrous Dharma and make offerings to all the tathāgatas, therefore he manifests dwelling in the royal palace; because he wishes within the palace to abide in a subtle and wondrous samādhi and to manifest everything from the accomplishing of buddhahood all the way to nirvāṇa, therefore he manifests dwelling in the royal palace; in order to follow along with and guard the dharma of the buddhas, therefore he manifests dwelling in the royal palace. These are the ten. After the bodhisattva of the final body has in this way manifested dwelling in the royal palace, only then does he leave home.

Gate 42. Manifesting the Leaving of Home: The Ten Reasons for Leaving Home

“Sons of the Buddha! Because of ten matters a bodhisattva-mahāsattva manifests the leaving of home. Which are the ten? Namely: in order to be weary of and to leave behind the dwelling at home, therefore he manifests the leaving of home; in order to make sentient beings who are attached to home forsake it, therefore he manifests the leaving of home; in order to follow along with faith and delight in the road of the noble ones, therefore he manifests the leaving of home; in order to proclaim and praise the merit of leaving home, therefore he manifests the leaving of home; in order to make manifest his forever leaving behind the view of the two extremes, therefore he manifests the leaving of home; in order to make sentient beings leave behind the joys of desire and the joys of self, therefore he manifests the leaving of home; in order first to make manifest the mark of coming forth from the three realms, therefore he manifests the leaving of home; in order to make manifest that he is master of himself and does not belong to another, therefore he manifests the leaving of home; in order to make manifest that he is about to obtain the dharma of a Tathāgata’s ten powers and fearlessnesses, therefore he manifests the leaving of home; because for the bodhisattva of the final body the dharma ought by rights to be thus, therefore he manifests the leaving of home. These are the ten. By this the bodhisattva tames sentient beings.

Gate 43. Manifesting the Practice of Austerities: The Ten Reasons for Cultivating Austerities

“Sons of the Buddha! For the sake of ten matters a bodhisattva-mahāsattva manifests the cultivating of austerities. Which are the ten? Namely: in order to bring to accomplishment sentient beings of mean understanding, therefore he manifests the practice of austerities; in order to pull out the wrong views of sentient beings, therefore he manifests the practice of austerities; in order to make sentient beings who do not believe in the recompense of deeds see the recompense of deeds, therefore he manifests the practice of austerities; because, in following along with the dharma of a defiled world, it ought by rights to be thus, therefore he manifests the practice of austerities; in order to make manifest that he is able to endure toil and hardship and diligently cultivates the Way, therefore he manifests the practice of austerities; in order to make sentient beings delight in seeking the Dharma, therefore he manifests the practice of austerities; for the sake of sentient beings who are attached to the joys of desire and the joys of self, therefore he manifests the practice of austerities; in order to make manifest that the bodhisattva’s setting going of practice is most excellent, and that all the way to the final birth he still does not forsake diligence and vigor, therefore he manifests the practice of austerities; in order to make sentient beings delight in the dharma of stillness and grow their roots of good, therefore he manifests the practice of austerities; because the faculties of the gods and the people of the world are not yet ripe, and he means to await the time and make them ripe, therefore he manifests the practice of austerities. These are the ten. With this skillful means the bodhisattva tames all sentient beings.

Gate 44. Going to the Place of the Way: The Ten Matters of Going to the Foot of the Tree of Awakening

“Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva’s going to the place of the Way has ten kinds of matter. Which are the ten? Namely: when going to the place of the Way, he shines upon all the worlds; when going to the place of the Way, he shakes all the worlds; when going to the place of the Way, he manifests his body everywhere in all the worlds; when going to the place of the Way, he awakens all the bodhisattvas and all the sentient beings who practiced together with him in former ages; when going to the place of the Way, he manifests all the adornments of the place of the Way; when going to the place of the Way, in accordance with what the minds of sentient beings desire he manifests for them a body with bearing of all sorts and all the adornments of the tree of awakening; when going to the place of the Way, he sees present before him all the tathāgatas of the ten directions; when going to the place of the Way, at every raising and setting down of his foot he constantly enters samādhi, and in thought after thought accomplishes buddhahood with no gap between; when going to the place of the Way, all the kings among the gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, mahoragas, Śakras, Brahmā kings, and the world-guardians do not know of one another, and yet each raises up all sorts of surpassing and wondrous offerings; when going to the place of the Way, with unobstructed wisdom he universally contemplates and sees all the buddhas, the tathāgatas, cultivating the practice of a bodhisattva and accomplishing perfect awakening in all the worlds. These are the ten. By this the bodhisattva teaches and transforms sentient beings.

Gate 45. Sitting at the Place of the Way: The Ten Matters of Sitting upon the Diamond Seat

“Sons of the Buddha! A bodhisattva-mahāsattva’s sitting at the place of the Way has ten kinds of matter. Which are the ten? Namely: when sitting at the place of the Way, he shakes all the worlds in all sorts of ways; when sitting at the place of the Way, he shines evenly upon all the worlds; when sitting at the place of the Way, he extinguishes all the sufferings of the evil destinies; when sitting at the place of the Way, he causes all the worlds to be made of adamant; when sitting at the place of the Way, he universally contemplates and sees the lion-seats of all the buddhas, the tathāgatas; when sitting at the place of the Way, his mind is like empty space, with nothing discriminated; when sitting at the place of the Way, in accordance with what is fitting for another he manifests a body with bearing; when sitting at the place of the Way, he abides securely in accordance with the adamantine samādhi; when sitting at the place of the Way, he receives the pure and wondrous place held by the spiritual power of all the tathāgatas; when sitting at the place of the Way, with the power of his own roots of good he is wholly able to aid all sentient beings. These are the ten.

Gate 46. The Unprecedented Matters of Sitting at the Place of the Way: Ten Rare Things That Never Were Before

“Sons of the Buddha! When a bodhisattva-mahāsattva sits at the place of the Way, there are ten kinds of rare and unprecedented matter. Which are the ten? Sons of the Buddha! When a bodhisattva-mahāsattva sits at the place of the Way, all the tathāgatas of the worlds of the ten directions all appear before him, and all raise their right hands and praise him, saying: ‘Excellent, excellent! Unsurpassed guide!’ This is the first unprecedented matter. When a bodhisattva-mahāsattva sits at the place of the Way, all the tathāgatas wholly guard him in their thought and give him majestic power: this is the second unprecedented matter. When a bodhisattva-mahāsattva sits at the place of the Way, the assemblies of bodhisattvas who practiced together with him in former ages all come and gather round him, and with all sorts of articles of adornment reverence and make offerings to him: this is the third unprecedented matter. When a bodhisattva-mahāsattva sits at the place of the Way, the grasses, trees, thickets, and forests of all the worlds and other things without feeling all bend their bodies and lower their shadows and turn toward the place of the Way: this is the fourth unprecedented matter. When a bodhisattva-mahāsattva sits at the place of the Way, he enters a samādhi named Contemplating the Dharma Realm, and the power of that samādhi is able to make all the practices of the bodhisattva wholly full and complete: this is the fifth unprecedented matter. When a bodhisattva-mahāsattva sits at the place of the Way, he obtains a dhāraṇī named Highest Treasury of the Ocean of Subtle Light Free of Defilement, and is able to receive the great cloud and Dharma rain of all the buddhas, the tathāgatas: this is the sixth unprecedented matter. When a bodhisattva-mahāsattva sits at the place of the Way, with the power of his majestic virtue he raises up surpassing and wondrous articles of offering, and throughout all the worlds makes offerings to the buddhas: this is the seventh unprecedented matter. When a bodhisattva-mahāsattva sits at the place of the Way, he abides in the most excellent wisdom, and wholly knows present before him the faculties and the movements of intent of all sentient beings: this is the eighth unprecedented matter. When a bodhisattva-mahāsattva sits at the place of the Way, he enters a samādhi named Good Awakening, and the power of that samādhi is able to make his body fill all the worlds of the three times to the ends of the realm of empty space: this is the ninth unprecedented matter. When a bodhisattva-mahāsattva sits at the place of the Way, he obtains the unobstructed great wisdom of the light free of defilement, and causes his deeds of body universally to enter the three times: this is the tenth unprecedented matter. Sons of the Buddha! These are the ten kinds of rare and unprecedented matter when a bodhisattva-mahāsattva sits at the place of the Way.

Gate 47. Manifesting the Subduing of Māra: The Ten Reasons for Subduing Māra

“Sons of the Buddha! When a bodhisattva-mahāsattva sits at the place of the Way, he contemplates ten kinds of sense and manifests the subduing of māra. Which are the ten? Namely: because the sentient beings of a turbid age delight in battle, in order to bring out the power of the majestic virtue of a bodhisattva, therefore he manifests the subduing of māra; because among the gods and the people of the world there are those who harbor doubt, in order to cut off their doubts, therefore he manifests the subduing of māra; in order to teach, transform, and tame the armies of the māras, therefore he manifests the subduing of māra; in order to make those among the gods and the people of the world who delight in battle-arrays all come and gather to look on, so that their minds are tamed, therefore he manifests the subduing of māra; in order to make manifest that of all the majestic power a bodhisattva has, there is none in the world who can match it, therefore he manifests the subduing of māra; because he wishes to set going the power of bravery of all sentient beings, therefore he manifests the subduing of māra; in order to pity the sentient beings of the last age, therefore he manifests the subduing of māra; because he wishes to make manifest that even up to the place of the Way there are still armies of māra that come to touch and distress him, and that only after this is the realm of māra passed beyond, therefore he manifests the subduing of māra; in order to make manifest that the working of the afflictions is weak and feeble while the power of the roots of good of great loving-kindness is strong, therefore he manifests the subduing of māra; because he wishes to follow along with the dharma practiced in a turbid and evil world, therefore he manifests the subduing of māra. These are the ten.

Gate 48. Accomplishing the Powers of a Tathāgata: The Turn from the Perfected Cause into the Fulfilled Fruit

“Sons of the Buddha! Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas have ten kinds of accomplishing the powers of a Tathāgata. Which are the ten? Namely: because he passes beyond all the deeds of the hosts of māra and the afflictions, therefore he accomplishes the powers of a Tathāgata; because he is complete in all the practices of a bodhisattva and plays in all the gates of a bodhisattva’s samādhi, therefore he accomplishes the powers of a Tathāgata; because he is complete in all the vast meditative concentrations of a bodhisattva, therefore he accomplishes the powers of a Tathāgata; because he is full in all the white and pure dharmas that aid the path, therefore he accomplishes the powers of a Tathāgata; because he obtains the light of the wisdom of all dharmas and thinks and discriminates well, therefore he accomplishes the powers of a Tathāgata; because his body pervades all the worlds, therefore he accomplishes the powers of a Tathāgata; because the sounds of speech he sends forth are all of them equal to the minds of all sentient beings, therefore he accomplishes the powers of a Tathāgata; because he is able with spiritual power to sustain all things, therefore he accomplishes the powers of a Tathāgata; because he is equal to the deeds of body, speech, and mind of the buddhas of the three times without any difference, and within a single thought fully knows the dharmas of the three times, therefore he accomplishes the powers of a Tathāgata; because he obtains the samādhi of the wisdom of good awakening and is complete in the ten powers of a Tathāgata — namely, from the power of the knowledge of what is the case and what is not the case on to the power of the knowledge of the exhaustion of the contaminants — therefore he accomplishes the powers of a Tathāgata. These are the ten. If a bodhisattva is complete in these ten powers, then he is named the Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Awakened One.

Gate 49. Turning the Great Wheel of the Dharma: The Ten Matters of the Tathāgata’s Turning of the Wheel

“Sons of the Buddha! The turning of the great wheel of the Dharma by the Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Awakened One has ten kinds of matter. Which are the ten? First, being complete in the pure wisdom of the four fearlessnesses; second, bringing forth the four kinds of eloquence and sounds that accord; third, being well able to open up and expound the marks of the four truths of what is real; fourth, following along with the unobstructed liberation of the buddhas; fifth, being able to make the minds of sentient beings all give rise to pure faith; sixth, that all the words he speaks are not spent in vain, being able to pull out the poisoned arrows of the sufferings of sentient beings; seventh, being sustained by the power of the vow of great compassion; eighth, that whatever sound he sends forth pervades all the worlds of the ten directions; ninth, that through asaṃkhyeya kalpas he speaks the Dharma without cease; tenth, that whatever dharma he speaks is all able to set going the faculties, the powers, the way of awakening, meditative concentration, liberation, samādhi, and such dharmas. Sons of the Buddha! The turning of the wheel of the Dharma by the buddhas, the tathāgatas, has measureless kinds of matter such as these.

Gate 50. Sowing the White and Pure Dharmas: The Ten Reasons Why No Word of the Teaching Is Spent in Vain

“Sons of the Buddha! When the Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Awakened One turns the wheel of the Dharma, because of ten matters he sows the white and pure dharmas within the minds of sentient beings, and there is not one phrase spent in vain. Which are the ten? Namely: because of the power of his vow in the past; because he is sustained by great compassion; because he does not forsake sentient beings; because his wisdom is masterful, and he speaks the Dharma for them in accordance with what they delight in; because he surely meets their occasion and has never missed it; because he accords with what is fitting for them and has no false speech; because the wisdom that knows the three times understands well; because his body is the most excellent and there is none that can be his equal; because his speech is masterful and none can fathom it; because his wisdom is masterful, and whatever words he sends forth are able to make people awaken. These are the ten.

Gate 51. Manifesting Parinirvāṇa: The Ten Senses of Entering Extinction

“Sons of the Buddha! When the Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Awakened One has finished doing the work of a buddha, he contemplates ten kinds of sense and manifests parinirvāṇa. Which are the ten? Namely: in order to make manifest that all conditioned activities are indeed impermanent; in order to make manifest that all that is conditioned is not secure; in order to make manifest that the great nirvāṇa alone is the place of security, without dread; because the humans and gods delight in and are attached to the form-body, therefore making manifest for them that the form-body is an impermanent dharma, and causing them to vow to abide in the pure dharma-body; in order to make manifest that the power of impermanence cannot be turned back; in order to make manifest that all that is conditioned does not abide in accordance with the mind and is not master of itself; in order to make manifest that all the three kinds of existence are like an illusion and a transformation and are not firm; in order to make manifest that the nature of nirvāṇa is ultimately firm and cannot be destroyed; in order to make manifest that all dharmas are without arising and without being set going, and yet have the marks of gathering together and of scattering and breaking apart; Sons of the Buddha! When the buddhas, the world-honored ones, have finished doing the work of a buddha, have fulfilled what they vowed, have turned the wheel of the Dharma, have already taught and crossed over all who ought to be taught and crossed over, and when those bodhisattvas who ought to receive an honored title have also all been accomplished in receiving their predictions, then by the dharma it ought by rights to be thus that they enter the unchanging great parinirvāṇa. Sons of the Buddha! This is how the Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Awakened One contemplates ten senses and manifests parinirvāṇa.