大乘莊嚴經論 梵住品

The one mind in which the bodhisattva abides is loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity — and this mind takes root from a single word: compassion.

Where does the bodhisattva's mind abide? This chapter answers beautifully: it abides in the "four immeasurables" — giving pleasure to those who seek pleasure (loving-kindness), drawing out the suffering of those who suffer (compassion), not forsaking those who rejoice (sympathetic joy), and freeing those in affliction (equanimity). The four stand side by side, yet this chapter unfolds "compassion" alone at length, as though the living waters of the four immeasurables all well up from this single word.

Most moving of all is the picture of great compassion as a tree: compassion is the root, endurance the trunk, the deliberation of benefiting others the branch, the great vow the leaf, taking rebirth the flower, and the maturing of beings the fruit. Without the root of compassion, none of the endurance, the vow, or the fruit of delivering beings that follow could grow — the bodhisattva's whole body of practice, it turns out, puts forth its shoots from this one root of compassion. And it is by this very compassion that the bodhisattva, having seen through the suffering of birth-and-death, still refuses to walk away alone: he does not abide in nirvāṇa, nor abide in birth-and-death, but stays on, journey after journey, to see beings across the river.

Now come and watch how this tree of compassion, from a single root, grows into a whole crown of flower and fruit.

The "divine abidings" (梵住, brahmavihāra) are the four immeasurables — loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity. This chapter first sets out the four divine abidings in general, then devotes most of its length to praising great compassion — its objects, its fruits, its non-abiding, its likeness to a tree, its freedom from attachment, the supremacy of its love, its tirelessness, the supremacy of its suffering, the supremacy of its giving, its instruction, its practice of giving, its growing of all the perfections — laid out layer upon layer.

What are the "four divine abidings" that the bodhisattva cultivates?

The divine abidings are four; each one has four marks: curing the obstacle and uniting with knowledge, turning toward objects, and maturing beings.

The "divine abidings" are the four immeasurables — namely loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity. Here one should know that the bodhisattva's four immeasurables each have four kinds of mark: first, curing the obstacle (because what is to be cured is severed); second, uniting with knowledge (because one gains non-conceptual knowledge (無分別智, nirvikalpa-jñāna), whose curative power is supreme); third, turning toward objects (through the three turns — taking beings as object, taking dharmas as object, and taking no object); fourth, maturing beings (by performing supreme deeds that mature beings). 〔Question〕Which beings are the "beings as object"? Which dharmas, and which "no object," are the "dharmas as object" and the "no object"?

Seeking pleasure, in suffering, joyful, afflicted — such are the beings taken as object; "dharmas as object" means those dharmas [just named], and "no object" is the suchness of them.

Four groups of beings are the "beings as object": first, the group seeking pleasure; second, the group in suffering; third, the group that is joyful; fourth, the afflicted group. The one of loving-kindness arouses toward the group seeking pleasure the act of "giving pleasure"; the one of compassion arouses toward the group in suffering the act of "drawing out suffering"; the one of sympathetic joy arouses toward the joyful group the act of "not forsaking them"; the one of equanimity arouses toward the group of beings in whom afflictions arise upon the various feelings the act of "leading them to be free" — this is called "beings as object." "Dharmas as object" means those four divine-abiding dharmas just spoken of; they are called "dharmas as object." "No object" is the suchness of them; because it is free of discrimination, it is called "no object."

And because of the meaning of that suchness, at the stage of acceptance one gains purity; what the deeds of body and speech gather in also exhausts all the afflictions.

Those four kinds of act should be understood [thus]. "Objectless loving-kindness" takes suchness as its object; it is gained at the eighth ground, at the time of the acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas (無生法忍, the patient realization that dharmas do not arise), and all wholesome roots too become complete, because it is purified. Moreover, as for what is gathered in by the deeds of body and speech on which that loving-kindness rests, the afflictions too are exhausted — as when the object [of affliction] is severed, the afflictions in the very substance of the mind are also severed, because their object has been severed. So it is stated in the sūtra. 〔Question〕What are the differences of act among those four divine abidings?

There are the moving and the unmoving, the devouring and the non-devouring: know that the four divine abidings have such differences of act.

Those four divine abidings should be known to have four kinds of difference of act: first, moving; second, unmoving; third, devouring; fourth, non-devouring. The "moving" is the portion liable to regress (because it can regress); the "unmoving" is the abiding portion and the superior portion (because they cannot regress); the "devouring" is the defiled (grasping at the savor of pleasure, without the great mind); the "non-devouring" is the undefiled. These acts — regressing and the rest — are the differences of the divine abidings. Bodhisattvas abide in the "unmoving" and the "non-devouring," and do not abide in the "moving" and the "devouring." 〔Question〕What are the differences of kind among the divine abidings?

The first six, and the first two; the lower grounds, and the lower minds; the resembling and such — these are "lower"; reverse the "lower," then it is "higher."

The difference of lower and higher: as for the nature of the non-concentrated ground, its first six grades are "lower"; the first two grades of all the concentrated grounds are also lower — namely the soft-soft and the soft-middling; the lower grounds are also lower — namely bodhisattvas of the lower seven grounds looking up toward the higher grounds; the lower minds are also lower — namely the various listeners (聲聞, śrāvaka); the resembling is also lower — namely bodhisattvas who have not yet gained the acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas. As with the "lower" just stated, reverse these "lowers," and they become "higher," one should know. 〔Question〕How many fruits can these four divine abidings gain?

Reborn as recompense in the desire-realm, fulfilling the two stores and maturing beings, not parting [from them] and parting from the obstacle: complete with five, these are the fruits.

The bodhisattva, abiding in the divine abidings as cause, fully gains five fruits: first, being reborn among the beings of the desire-realm — this is the fruit of recompense; second, the fulfillment of the two stores [of merit and wisdom] — this is the fruit of dominance; third, the maturing of beings — this is the fruit of the [worthy] person's deed; fourth, in every place of rebirth not parting from the divine abidings — this is the fruit of reliance; fifth, in the place of rebirth ever being free of that obstacle — this is the fruit of separation. 〔Question〕Within these divine abidings, what deed is a mark of the bodhisattva?

Though he meet a grave obstructing condition, and though he himself grow heedless, if you would know the mark of the bodhisattva: his divine mind does not turn back.

The bodhisattva has two deeds of "the divine mind unmoving," which one should know to be the mark of the bodhisattva: first, though he meet a grave obstructing condition, his mind is in the end unchanged — this is the mark of the bodhisattva; second, though he himself grow heedless (that is, when the antidote is not present), his mind too is unchanged — this is the mark of the bodhisattva; how much more so when the immeasurables are present. 〔Question〕What are the obstacles to the divine abidings?

The four divine [abidings] have four obstacles — anger, cruelty, grief, and desire; when the bodhisattva has these obstacles, many kinds of fault arise.

Those four divine [abidings], as to what they cure, have four obstacles, in their order: first, anger; second, cruelty; third, grief; fourth, desire. Because of such obstacles, the divine abidings then have no substance. If one has these four, one further gives rise to many kinds of fault. 〔Question〕What are the many kinds of fault?

When such afflictions as these arise, there are three harms: harm to oneself and harm to the other, and the harm to moral discipline.

This verse shows three harms as faults: first, self-harm (namely, the mental act of causing oneself suffering); second, harm to the other (namely, the mental act of causing another suffering); third, harm to moral discipline (namely, the mental act of causing both suffering, injuring the precepts).

Regret, and the loss of gain, loss of protection and being forsaken by the teacher, punishment and ill repute: such are the six reproaches.

This verse shows six kinds of reproach as faults gained: first, self-reproach, because within there is grief and regret; second, reproach by others, because one has lost material support; third, reproach by the gods, because one has lost their protection; fourth, reproach by the great teacher, because one is forsaken by the great teacher; fifth, reproach by those of pure conduct, because the wise practitioners of pure conduct punish one in accordance with the Dharma; sixth, reproach by people of the ten directions, because one's ill repute has spread abroad.

Falling into the many hardships of the later body, the divine abiding now regressing too, and suffering gained by the mental factors: further, these three faults arise.

This verse shows three kinds of fault gained afterward: first, falling into hardship, because through this evil action one gains an evil recompense in a later life; second, regressing conduct, because one regresses from what was gained and regresses from what was not yet gained, losing the divine abidings of the present and the future; third, the arising of suffering, because the mental factors, arising from that evil action, give rise to great grief and suffering. 〔Question〕Having spoken of the faults, what are the virtues?

The person who abides well in the divine abidings keeps far from all those evils; birth-and-death cannot defile him, and he does not forsake the rescue of the multitude of beings.

One who abides in the divine abidings gains two virtues: first, forsaking the afflictions (all the faults spoken of before are entirely kept far away); second, not forsaking beings (in order to mature beings, birth-and-death cannot defile him). 〔Question〕The virtue is known; how does one know this virtue to be the most honored and the most supreme?

As a person who has a single son endowed with virtue gives rise to utmost love, so the bodhisattva, toward all beings, arouses a divine [love] surpassing even that.

By surpassing this comparison, it is shown that the bodhisattva's four divine abidings are the most honored and the most supreme (as a person gives rise to utmost love toward a virtuous only son, so the divine abiding the bodhisattva arouses toward all beings surpasses even that). 〔Question〕With what beings does great compassion take as its object?

The blazing and the overcome-by-foes, the pressed-by-suffering and the covered-by-darkness, the dwellers-in-peril and the greatly-bound, the poison-eaters and those who have lost the path, and again those who dwell off the path, and the withered-and-barren: such ten kinds of being are the objects of the mind of great compassion.

The bodhisattva's great compassion takes, in brief, ten kinds of being as its field: first, the blazing beings (namely, those who delight in and cling to the defilement of desire); second, the beings overcome by foes (namely, those obstructed by Māra when they cultivate the wholesome); third, the beings pressed by suffering (namely, those in the three evil destinies); fourth, the beings covered by darkness (namely, those who constantly act unwholesomely, because they do not recognize action and its recompense); fifth, the beings dwelling in peril (namely, those who do not delight in nirvāṇa, because the perilous road of birth-and-death is never cut off); sixth, the greatly-bound beings (namely, non-Buddhists holding twisted views, because, wishing to head toward liberation, they are yet firmly bound by all kinds of twisted views); seventh, the poison-eating beings (namely, those who devour the savor of concentration — just as fine food mixed with poison can harm a person, so too with good concentration: grasped by craving, one then regresses and loses it); eighth, the beings who have lost the path (namely, those of overweening pride, because they go astray amid the true path of liberation); ninth, the beings who dwell off the path (namely, those undecided in the lesser vehicle, because they are liable to regress); tenth, the withered-and-barren beings (namely, those bodhisattvas who have not yet fulfilled the two stores). Such ten kinds of being are the field that the bodhisattva's great compassion takes as its object. Having spoken of the objects of great compassion, next is spoken the fruit that great compassion gains.

Severing the obstacle, and the cause of awakening, giving pleasure, and the fruit of love, flowing of itself — because of these five reliances, this person draws near to buddhahood.

"Severing the obstacle" is the fruit of separation (because that obstacle is severed); "the cause of awakening" is the fruit of dominance (because it benefits beings); "giving pleasure" is the fruit of the [worthy] person's deed (because it is what the [worthy] person does); "the fruit of love" is the fruit of recompense (because one gains a lovable recompense); "flowing of itself" is the fruit of reliance (because it gives supreme compassion to the future). Such five fruits are all gained through great compassion. Know that a bodhisattva like this is then not far from the awakening of a buddha. Having spoken of the fruit that great compassion gains, next is spoken the non-abiding of great compassion.

Birth-and-death has suffering for its substance, and the nature of no-self; he neither wearies nor is troubled, because of great compassion and supreme awakening.

All birth-and-death has suffering for its substance and no-self for its nature. The bodhisattva gains the knowledge-as-it-really-is of suffering, and gains the unsurpassed awakening of no-self; having thus known and awakened, because of great compassion he gives rise to no weariness or turning away from birth-and-death, and because of supreme awakening he too is not troubled by the afflictions — therefore the bodhisattva attains non-abiding in nirvāṇa and also does not abide in birth-and-death. Having spoken of the non-abiding of great compassion, next is spoken the virtue of great compassion.

When he sees the very nature of suffering, knowing suffering, he gives rise to the suffering of compassion; he also knows the means of relinquishing it, and ever cultivating [them] he does not weary of [saving] beings.

When the bodhisattva contemplates the suffering of the world and sees its very nature, he at once gives rise to "the suffering of compassion"; and as for that "means of parting from [suffering]," he too seeks to know it as it really is, and having known it, ever cultivates [it] without wearying — this is called the virtue of great compassion. Having spoken of the virtue of great compassion, next is spoken the differences of great compassion.

Own-nature and deliberate discernment, former habit and severance of the obstacle: know that the bodhisattva's compassion has such four differences.

This great compassion, in its order, has four differences: first, own-nature (because it is accomplished spontaneously); second, deliberate discernment (because one sees its virtue and [the] fault [of its absence]); third, former habit (because one has cultivated it long in former lives); fourth, severance of the obstacle (because, having gained freedom from desire and severed the obstacle of cruelty that it cures, it is purified). There are, further, six kinds of difference.

Not equal and not constant, not deep and not compliant, not the path and not "ungraspable": reverse these six, and such is compassion.

Reversing the six differences of "non–great compassion" is precisely the six differences of great compassion: first, equal; second, constant; third, utterly deep; fourth, compliant; fifth, the pure path; sixth, ungraspable. "Equal," because toward beings with pleasant feeling and the rest, all the feelings they have are known to be suffering; "constant," because even up to nirvāṇa-without-remainder it is inexhaustible; "utterly deep," because bodhisattvas who have entered the grounds gain the equality of self and other; "compliant," because the suffering of all beings is drawn out and rescued in accord with reason; "the pure path," because the cruelty it cures is severed; "ungraspable," because at the time of the acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas, dharmas cannot be grasped. Having spoken of the differences of great compassion, next it is spoken that "great compassion is like a tree."

Compassion, endurance, deliberation, vow, birth, maturation — spoken in order: from the great root to the great fruit, the tree of compassion is accomplished by six matters.

This "tree of great compassion" should be known to be accomplished by six matters: first, great compassion; second, endurance; third, deliberation; fourth, the supreme vow; fifth, supreme birth; sixth, maturation — these are precisely the six positions of root, trunk, branch, leaf, flower, and fruit. 〔Question〕How is this? 〔Answer〕This tree has great compassion for its root, endurance for its trunk, the deliberation of benefiting beings for its branch, the vow of supreme birth for its leaf, the supreme birth gained for its flower, and the maturing of beings for its fruit. 〔Question〕Why are these six matters ordered first and later thus?

Without compassion there is no endurance — such is the sequence of six; if supreme birth is not gained, there is no maturing of beings.

If there is no great compassion, one cannot arouse the endurance of great and difficult ascetic practice; if there is no endurance of great and difficult ascetic practice, one cannot arouse the deliberation of benefiting beings; if there is no deliberation of benefiting beings, one cannot arouse the vow of supreme birth; if there is no vow of supreme birth, one cannot head toward the place of supreme birth; if one does not head toward the place of supreme birth, one cannot mature beings. 〔Question〕Their being-before-and-after resembles [a tree] thus; how does "the establishing resembles [a tree]" go?

The root grows, moistened by loving-kindness; the trunk rises up, broadened by [the thought of] pleasure; right mindfulness increases the branch; the continuing vow lengthens the leaf; the inner condition becomes the flower, the outer condition becomes the fruit — know that compassion-as-root and the rest are accomplished in such a sequence.

Herein, as for "the establishing resembles [a tree]": compassion, moistened by loving-kindness, can cause growth — because one who has loving-kindness, seeing another's suffering, gives rise to the suffering of compassion; therefore compassion is the root. Endurance, by the thought of pleasure, can cause the rising-up — because the bodhisattva gives rise to the thought of pleasure toward the suffering of benefiting others, and that thought of pleasure, once arisen, can make endurance vast; therefore endurance is the trunk. Deliberation, by right mindfulness, can cause increase — because, endurance being vast, one can arouse right mindfulness amid the tasks of benefiting others; therefore deliberation is the branch. The vow, by continuity, can cause lengthening — because the former ceases and the latter arises, as a leaf grows and falls and, falling, puts forth a new one; therefore the vow is the leaf. Birth, by the inner condition, becomes the fruit — because, one's own body being matured, one's taking of rebirth is not in vain; therefore birth is the flower. Maturation, by the outer condition, becomes the fruit — because, another's body being matured, the benefit is not in vain; therefore the maturing of beings is the fruit. Established in such a sequence, one should know. Having spoken that "great compassion is like a tree," next great compassion's virtue is praised.

Great compassion works benefit — toward whom would it not arise? Amid suffering, a supreme pleasure is born; that pleasure is born through compassion.

(Praising the virtue of great compassion) This meaning is as the verse states: as for the benefit that great compassion works, toward whom would it not arise? The bodhisattva, amid "suffering," on the contrary brings forth a supreme pleasure — and this pleasure is precisely born through great compassion. Having praised the virtue of great compassion, next is spoken the non-attachment of great compassion.

The bodhisattva, sovereign in compassion, does not abide even in [the] quiescent [nirvāṇa] — worldly pleasure, and body and life: how would this love [for them] arise?

(The non-attachment of great compassion) All the worldly love worldly pleasure and their own body and life; though all listeners and solitary awakeners (緣覺, pratyekabuddha) do not love worldly pleasure and their own body and life, they yet give rise to a mind that abides and clings to nirvāṇa. The bodhisattva is not so — because he is sovereign in great compassion, he does not abide even in nirvāṇa, how much less would he abide amid those two loves of worldly pleasure and body-and-life? Having spoken of the non-attachment of great compassion, next is spoken the supremacy of great compassion's love.

Craving-love is not without obstacle; worldly compassion is also worldly; when the bodhisattva's compassionate love arises, the obstacle is exhausted and it also transcends the world.

(The supremacy of great compassion's love) "Compassionate love is supreme" has of itself two meanings: first, the obstacle is exhausted; second, it transcends the world. The "craving" that loves kin and the like is in its very substance an obstacle; the "compassion" practiced in the world, though its substance is not an obstacle, is yet worldly. The bodhisattva's "compassionate love," in its very substance, both exhausts the obstacle and transcends the world; therefore it is supreme. 〔Question〕How is it seen that "the obstacle is exhausted"?

Being in suffering, and being without knowledge — the great ocean and the great darkness; drawing out and rescuing by [skillful] means: how would the obstacle not be exhausted?

"Being in suffering" is like the great ocean; "being without knowledge" is like the great darkness; and the means that can draw out and rescue is precisely great compassion; having this compassionate love, the obstacle is then exhausted. 〔Question〕How is it seen that "it transcends the world"?

The arhats and the solitary awakeners — even they are without such compassionate love; how much more the rest of the world? How could it not transcend the world?

The arhats and solitary buddhas are even without this "great compassionate love"; how much more, in the rest of the world, could it be found? If it is so, does it not then transcend the world? Having spoken of the supremacy of great compassion's love, next is spoken the tirelessness of great compassion.

The bodhisattvas who have gained compassion relinquish suffering yet give rise to suffering; at first they fear that arising of suffering, but at the time of realization their joy is great.

(The tirelessness of great compassion) "Relinquishing suffering" means that the bodhisattvas, out of great compassion, wish to relinquish the suffering of others; "giving rise to suffering" means that, by relinquishing others' suffering, one's own suffering arises. "At first they fear that arising of suffering" — "at first" means bodhisattvas of the ground of faith-and-practice; amid this "arising of suffering" they give rise to timidity and fear, because they have not yet seen the equality of self and other, and because they have not yet as-it-really-is touched suffering. "At the time of realization their joy is great" — "the time of realization" means bodhisattvas of the ground of the purified mind; amid this "arising of suffering" they give rise to utmost joy, because they have seen the equality of self and other, and because they have as-it-really-is already touched suffering. Having spoken of the tirelessness of great compassion, next is spoken the supremacy of great compassion's suffering.

The suffering of compassion is the rarest of all; its suffering surpasses all pleasure, because a further pleasure is born of compassion — [that pleasure] achieved is not to be had, how much less any other.

(The supremacy of great compassion's suffering) "The suffering of compassion is the rarest of all" means that from another's suffering great compassion is born, and from great compassion one's own suffering is born — how could such suffering-of-compassion be ordinary? Nothing can surpass it, and so it is the rarest. "Its suffering surpasses all pleasure" means that this very suffering-of-compassion surpasses all worldly pleasure. 〔Question〕Why? 〔Answer〕Because "a further pleasure is taken from the suffering of compassion" — these bodhisattvas, on the contrary, take the suffering of compassion as pleasure, because this suffering is born of great compassion. "[That pleasure] achieved is not to be had, how much less any other" — even that "pleasure whose making is already achieved" is not to be had [elsewhere] (its pleasure being beyond compare); how much less could the rest of the world have it? Having spoken of the supremacy of great compassion's suffering, next is spoken the supremacy of great compassion's giving.

When giving arises together with compassion, it can bring the bodhisattva pleasure; of the pleasant feelings within the three realms, compared with this, not one part [resembles it].

(The supremacy of great compassion's giving) If giving arises together with great compassion, it can then bring forth the bodhisattva's supreme pleasure; of all the pleasures made within the three realms, if one would compare them with this "pleasure made by great-compassion's giving," not one part is found to resemble it. Having spoken of the supremacy of great compassion's giving, next is spoken great compassion's endurance of suffering.

Birth-and-death has suffering for its own-nature; not forsaking it is because of compassion; giving rise to suffering is the cause of benefiting others — how could one forsake it and not practice it?

(Great compassion's endurance of suffering) All suffering is wholly gathered into the suffering of birth-and-death. The bodhisattvas do not forsake birth-and-death, because of great compassion. The bodhisattva's "giving rise to suffering" is the cause of benefiting others. When the bodhisattva does not forsake birth-and-death, that is precisely not forsaking all suffering (such suffering, how could it be forsaken and not practiced?). Having spoken of great compassion's endurance of suffering, next is spoken great compassion's fruit of giving.

Compassion, giving, wealth — three fruits; the compassionate one ever increases them; love-born, gathering-born, and sustenance-born — again three pleasures.

(Great compassion's fruit of giving) "Compassion, giving, wealth — three fruits; the compassionate one ever increases them": the bodhisattva's great compassion can increase three kinds of fruit — first, increasing compassion (because, through cultivation, it can make its own substance increase); second, increasing giving (because, being sovereign in compassion, it can make giving increase); third, increasing wealth (because, being sovereign in giving, it can make wealth increase). "Love-born, gathering-born, and sustenance-born — again three pleasures": from these three fruits three pleasures are again born — first, from compassion as cause is born "the pleasure of love-born [beings]"; second, from giving as cause is born "the pleasure of gathering-born [beings]"; third, from wealth as cause is born "the pleasure of sustenance-born [beings]." Having spoken of the increasing fruit of great compassion, next is spoken the urging of great compassion.

Compassion lengthens and giving increases; beings are matured and pleasure too arises; [it] draws [them] hither and again bears [them] away — thus does great compassion urge.

(The urging of great compassion) Great compassion urges the bodhisattva to practice six virtues. Great compassion says, as it were: "Bodhisattva! Cultivate me, make me grow; forsake your goods and possessions, make giving increase; you should, by giving, mature beings; you should, by giving, make your own pleasure arise; if you give, you will draw hither toward yourself the two stores of great awakening and the rest; if you give, you will lead the two stores and the rest away toward great awakening." Having spoken of the urging of great compassion, next is spoken the supremacy of great compassion's pleasure.

The suffering one has compassion for all sufferings — not giving, how would there be pleasure? In order to make one's own pleasure arise, one gives pleasure and draws out others' suffering.

(The supremacy of great compassion's pleasure) "The suffering one has compassion for all sufferings" — the bodhisattvas, through compassion, give rise to all sufferings, and so are called "the suffering one." "Not giving, how would there be pleasure?" — because the bodhisattva, out of great compassion, takes others' suffering as his own suffering, if he does not give others pleasure, how would he gain his own pleasure? "In order to make one's own pleasure arise, one gives pleasure and draws out others' suffering" — when the bodhisattva gives beings pleasure and draws out beings' suffering, that is precisely the bodhisattva making his own pleasure. Having spoken of the supremacy of great compassion's pleasure, next is spoken great compassion's instruction.

The compassionate one teaches: give of yourself, give to others yet do not seek for yourself; vow not to receive the recompense of giving, and if there be [such recompense], give it away again.

(Teaching "giving without seeking") This verse teaches the bodhisattva to practice "giving without seeking." "The compassionate one teaches: give of yourself, give to others yet do not seek for yourself" — great compassion says, as it were: "When you give, giving to others, do not seek your own comfort; if there is no pleasure for the other, there is no pleasure for yourself either. Why? Because pleasure is not to be divided [between self and other]." "Vow not to receive the recompense of giving, and if there be [such recompense], give it away again" — "should I gain a fruit from giving, I too vow not to receive it; and if in fact there be such a fruit, I will still take that fruit and give it away."

Giving, and the fruit of giving, giving both to all universally — because their pleasure is my pleasure, in giving to them there is no need [to hold back] for myself.

(Teaching "giving the fruit of giving") This verse teaches the bodhisattva to practice "giving the fruit of giving" — namely, both "giving" and "the fruit gained from giving" are given universally to all beings. Why? Because the compassionate one takes others' pleasure as his own pleasure; therefore whatever fruits of giving the bodhisattva has should all be given to all beings — great compassion gives such instruction.

Making light of wealth, one gives with it; [wealth] comes in abundance and comes again finer; unused, it comes of itself, and one uses it again to give on and on.

(Teaching "giving that wearies of wealth") This verse teaches the bodhisattva to practice "giving that wearies of wealth." If a person, wearying of wealth, practices giving, this person, though he does not desire wealth, yet has wealth come to him of itself; the utmost breadth and utmost marvel of the principle is thus, because of the "great mind." If there be such self-arriving wealth, and one uses it again to give, then wealth comes and comes again, and the bodhisattva gives and gives again. Why? Not to seek one's own pleasure, but wishing to make giving upon giving endless.

The compassionate one, with great compassion, gives to exhaustion and gives constantly; one should give in such a way, and take care not to seek the fruit of giving.

This verse teaches the bodhisattva to practice "unbroken giving" (giving continuous and unceasing), one should know.

If I do not delight in giving, or, [at] the time of the fruit of giving, do not give, there is not a single moment of giving, because there is no love of giving.

This verse teaches the bodhisattva to practice "giving without weariness" (giving and yet not tiring of it), one should know.

"You do not give a fruit to one who has not done [for you], and you give the fruit to the doer" — this is your fault of eyeing gratitude; [therein] you are not like me.

(Teaching "giving that forsakes gratitude") The bodhisattva says to "giving": "If a person has done [service] to you, only then do you give him a fruit — this is your fault of awaiting the repayment of gratitude; I am not so, and in this you are not like me." Again: "If a person has done [service] to you, you give a fruit only to this [one] person — then you are one who awaits the repayment of gratitude; I am not so, I give the fruit of what I do to all beings — in this you are not like me." Having spoken of great compassion's teaching of giving, next is spoken great compassion's practice of giving.

Without obstacle, and the pure line, benefiting the other and also measuring oneself, without seeking and without attachment: the compassionate one gives in such a way.

(The marks of great compassion's practice of giving) "Without obstacle" means giving without seizing another's goods; "the pure line" means giving with wealth [gained] in accord with the Dharma — namely, not giving poison, weapons, liquor, and the like; "benefiting the other" means that, in gathering the other in through giving, one sets him in wholesome roots; "measuring oneself" means not letting one's own dependents fall into want; "without seeking" means that, whether that being has no mind to ask or no words to ask, seeing him in want one gives of oneself, and one does not select the field of merit; "without attachment" means not seeking the repayment of gratitude or a [karmic] recompense. The compassionate one gives in such a way.

To exhaustion, broadly, finest, constantly, joyfully, free of attachment and also pure, dedicated toward the two places: awakening and wholesome roots.

"To exhaustion" means giving inner and outer things alike; "broadly" means giving many things; "finest" means giving marvelous things; "constantly" means ever giving; "joyfully" means giving free of anger — namely, when the one who begs does something unbeneficial, enduring [it] and joyfully giving; "free of attachment" means without expectation, as stated before under "without attachment"; "pure" means in accord with the Dharma, as stated before under "the pure line." "Dedicated toward awakening" means dedicating [it] toward great awakening; "dedicated toward wholesome roots" means dedicating [it] toward a vessel [worthy] of conforming wholesome roots. Having spoken of great compassion's practice of giving, next is spoken great compassion's difference in enjoyment.

Having wealth, one uses it for oneself, and uses it to give to beings; gaining the joy [of use] and the joy of giving, the joy of giving is supreme, because the three joys nourish the mind.

(Great compassion's difference in enjoyment) The bodhisattva enjoys wealth for himself and gives rise to joy, and gives wealth to beings and gives rise to joy; comparing the two joys, "the joy of giving" is supreme. Why? Because "the three joys nourish the mind" — the three joys being: first, the joy of giving; second, the joy of gathering others in; third, the joy of the fulfillment of the store of awakening. Having spoken of great compassion's difference in enjoyment, next is spoken great compassion's growing of the perfections.

Miserliness, ill conduct, anger, heedlessness, attachment to conditions, and wrong attachment — for those with such six coverings, compassion causes the six perfections to increase.

(Great compassion's growing of the perfections) "Miserliness" means being unable to give up even a little thing; "ill conduct" means breaking the precepts and troubling others; "anger" means, at a slight unbenefit, giving rise to great anger; "heedlessness" means not diligently practicing the various wholesome dharmas; "attachment to conditions" means the five desires disordering the mind; "wrong attachment" means non-Buddhists without wisdom. For those who abide in such six coverings, great compassion has pity and, expounding to them the faults, causes the six perfections to increase. Having spoken of great compassion's growing of the perfections, that this great compassion is born from four conditions should also be shown.

Suffering, pleasure, neither-suffering-nor-pleasure, the power of cause, and the good friend, and the flowing-continuity of its own substance: the meaning of great compassion's four conditions.

"Suffering, pleasure, neither-suffering-nor-pleasure" shows the object-condition together with [its] condition, because the three feelings and the three sufferings all give rise to compassion. 〔Question〕How is the feeling of equanimity suffering? 〔Answer〕Because of the suffering of conditioned formations. "The power of cause" shows the causal condition; "the good friend" shows the dominant condition; "the flowing-continuity of its own substance" shows the immediately-antecedent condition. 〔Question〕Great compassion having thus arisen, how does it attain equality?

Mode of activity and deliberation, compliance and the severance of the obstacle, ungraspability and purity: in six meanings compassion is equal.

Great compassion's equality has six kinds: first, equality in mode of activity (because beings in the positions of the three feelings are equally known to be suffering); second, equality in deliberation (because of equal pity); third, equality in compliance (because of equal rescue); fourth, equality in the severance of the obstacle (because of equally not troubling [them]); fifth, equality in ungraspability (because self, other, and compassion — the three circles — are equally ungraspable); sixth, equality in purity (because at the eighth ground, at the acceptance of non-arising, it is equally gained). 〔Question〕Having thus spoken separately of great compassion, how are these four divine abidings cultivated so as to be made unsurpassed?

Loving-kindness and the rest are made unsurpassed; the cultivation of one's own intent is likewise fivefold: pure faith, [profound] mind, supernormal power, [skillful] means, and union — as stated before.

As stated before of "making offerings to the buddhas" and "attending the good friend," [these] are made unsurpassed through five kinds of cultivation of one's own intent; the divine abidings are likewise so: through "pure faith" (because one gives rise to pure faith toward the divine abidings spoken of in the Mahāyāna scriptures); through "profound mind" (because one cultivates the divine abidings with the nine kinds of mind); through "supernormal power" (because one cultivates relying on such concentrations as [that of] space); through "[skillful] means" (because one is upheld by non-conceptual knowledge); through "union" (because one enters all fruits by way of one fruit).

Here the Chapter on the Divine Abidings reaches its completion.

"The divine abidings" (梵住, brahmavihāra) are the states of mind in which the bodhisattva dwells — that is, the four immeasurables (四無量): loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity. What is striking is this: though the four are set side by side, the treatise singles out compassion alone and spreads it out over one whole expanse — the greater part of the chapter is a discourse on great compassion. In the structure of the chapter, the living wellspring of the four immeasurables, the true engine of the bodhisattva's mind, is that one word "compassion." So the way to read this chapter is: first set firm the frame of the four immeasurables (the four marks, the three objects, the differences of practice and of kind, the five fruits, the mark of the bodhisattva, the obstacles and the faults, the qualities), and then follow "great compassion" all the way to the end — whom it takes as object, what fruit it wins, why it does not abide, how it grows up like a tree, and how it comes in person to teach the bodhisattva to give.

I. The four marks of the four immeasurables: on what does each of the four stand?

The chapter opens by asking a root question: these "four divine abidings" that the bodhisattva cultivates — what, after all, are they? The treatise answers with fine structure — each of the four immeasurables "has four marks apiece." That is to say, loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity each carry, all at once, four aspects:

• Countering an obstacle — each is meant to "counter" and cut off a certain obstacle (only when what it is meant to counter is cut off does that immeasurable truly stand firm);
• Joined with knowledge — each must be joined with non-conceptual knowledge (無分別智), for it becomes supreme by the countering power of that knowledge (not a lump of worldly good feeling, but a compassion joined with wisdom);
• Turning the object — the "object" it takes turns from shallow to deep, rising through three layers, "the object that is beings, the object that is dharmas, and the objectless" (this the next section treats in detail);
• Bringing beings to maturity — in the end it must come down to "maturing beings," truly benefiting them by performing all manner of surpassing deeds.

Hold these four marks in mind and the treatise's range of vision is clear: the four immeasurables are not four soft emotions but each carries a whole apparatus of "cutting off obstacles — joining with knowledge — turning the object — maturing beings." Beneath the single word "loving-kindness" stand these four pillars.

II. The three objects: how love is refined layer by layer — from "toward a person" to "the objectless"

The four immeasurables each have their counterpart: loving-kindness rouses the act of giving joy toward beings who seek joy; compassion rouses the act of drawing out suffering toward beings who bear suffering; sympathetic joy rouses the act of not turning away toward beings who have joy; equanimity rouses the act of causing to be free toward beings in whom the feelings give rise to afflictions. This is the most basic face of the four immeasurables — still turned toward one concrete person after another.

But the treatise at once points out the "three objects" that go from shallow to deep, and this is the first joint of the whole chapter:

• The object that is beings — still turned toward one concrete being after another (the four kinds of gatherings of beings: you, I, he);
• The object that is dharmas — a step further, where what is taken as object is no longer "a person" but "the very dharma of the four divine abidings" itself (the object is the dharma, not some particular person);
• The objectless — at last even the grasper and the grasped are dissolved, and there is only "suchness"; because it is "non-conceptual," it is named "the objectless."

This "objectless loving-kindness" reaches fullness only at the eighth ground, when one attains the forbearance of the non-arising of dharmas — then "suchness is taken as object," and all roots of good are likewise made full and pure; and not the ground of mind alone is pure, but the afflictions gathered under the "actions of body and speech" on which that loving-kindness rests are exhausted along with it as well (when the object is cut off, the afflictions of the mind's own substance are cut off too, for their object has been severed). The treatise says this is taught already in the scriptures.

Following the three objects down, the purity of love is refined upward in just this way, layer by layer: from "I love this one person" (the object that is beings), to "what I take as object is the very principle of suffering" (the object that is dharmas), to "the I who can love and the he who is loved were never two" (the objectless). The highest loving-kindness is no longer an emotion "turned toward someone," but flows out of itself from suchness, without discrimination.

III. The differences of practice among the four immeasurables: which is to be dwelt in, which not?

Having set up the three objects, the treatise asks again: among these four divine abidings, what differences are there in "practice"? It answers, four kinds — moving, unmoving, devouring, not-devouring:

• Moving — this is "the portion that regresses"; this divine abiding can be lost, and so is called moving;
• Unmoving — this is "the portion that abides" and "the portion that surpasses"; it cannot regress, and so is called unmoving;
• Devouring — this is "defiled": it clings to the taste of the joy of meditation and has no great mind, and so is called devouring (gorging on the taste of joy as one gorges on food);
• Not-devouring — this is undefiled.

This passage carries a crucial discrimination: the bodhisattvas dwell only in "the unmoving" and "the not-devouring," not in "the moving" and "the devouring." Cultivating the very same loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity, the bodhisattva does not take up the kind that clings to the taste of meditation and can regress at any moment; only the kind that neither regresses nor is defiled is the bodhisattva's divine abiding. This also points ahead to the root of the later "beings who eat poison": clinging to the taste of meditation is precisely "devouring."

IV. The differences of kind: what is a "lower" divine abiding, what an "upper"?

Next the prose commentary asks about the differences of "kind" among the divine abidings — that is, given that they are all divine abidings, on what basis are they ranked high and low. It lists several kinds of "lower" in a row, then reverses them into "upper":

• The self-nature of "the non-concentrated stage," "the first six degrees," counts as lower;
• Of "the concentrated stage," "the first two degrees" (soft-soft and soft-middle) also count as lower;
• "The lower grounds" count as lower — meaning the bodhisattvas of the lower seven grounds, who, looking up toward the higher grounds, become "lower" on their own side;
• "The lower mind" counts as lower — meaning the śrāvakas (the listeners; the measure of their divine-abiding mind is small);
• "The resembling" counts as lower — meaning the bodhisattvas who have not yet attained the forbearance of the non-arising of dharmas (only resembling, not yet the true).

Turn each of these "lowers" over and you have the "uppers." The passage looks like a heap of small items, but its sense is clear: divine abidings are coarse and fine, shallow and deep — the closer to non-regression, the closer to the forbearance of the non-arising of dharmas, the closer to the great mind, the higher. The bodhisattva must know this measuring-stick and know which way he ought to go.

V. The five fruits: what five fruits does cultivating the divine abidings bear?

The treatise asks: cultivating these four divine abidings, how many fruits does one gain? It answers, "the full five fruits" — reckoning up the whole harvest of cultivating the divine abidings at one stroke:

• The fruit of recompense — birth among the beings of the desire realm (for the sake of delivering beings, one takes on a lovable recompense in the desire realm);
• The fruit of dominance — the "two stores," of merit and of knowledge, made full;
• The fruit of the great person — maturing beings (this is the deed a great person does);
• The fruit that is a support — in every place of birth one is never apart from the divine abidings (the divine abidings have become a support, carried along birth after birth);
• The fruit of separation — the place of birth is ever free of "those obstacles" (free of the four obstacles: hatred, vexation, sorrow, and desire).

The five fruits laid out in a row amount to saying: the one who cultivates the divine abidings gains this whole string — "birth in a good place, merit and knowledge both full, the power to mature beings, life after life never apart from them, and everlasting freedom from all obstacles." Cultivating the four immeasurables is not cultivating a lump of good feeling; it is cultivating out these five real fruits.

VI. The mark of the bodhisattva: how does one recognize a true bodhisattva at a glance?

The treatise asks: within these divine abidings, what matter counts as "the mark of the bodhisattva" (the sign of the bodhisattva)? It answers, two matters in which "the divine mind does not move":

• Though he meets some grave obstructing condition, his mind is in the end unchanged — however great the adversity bearing down, that divine mind does not change;
• Though he himself grows heedless (when the counteragent is not present), his mind too is unchanged — even when for a while he slackens and the wholesome dharma that could counter is not present, that mind is still unchanged.

The treatise adds a line by way of contrast: if even "in the time of heedlessness" it does not change, how much more when the four immeasurables are present and at full work — that need not even be said. This passage holds up a mirror: the mark of a true bodhisattva lies not in a good heart amid favorable conditions, but in this — that in the two worst times, grave obstruction and heedlessness, the divine mind still does not regress.

VII. The obstacles and the faults: if the divine abidings collapse, how far down do they crash?

Having set up the mark, the treatise turns to speak of "obstacles" — what blocks the divine abidings, and what disaster is born when they collapse. First the four obstacles: what the four divine abidings counter is precisely the four — "hatred, vexation, sorrow, and desire" (countering, in order, loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity). Once these four obstacles are present, "the divine has no substance" — the divine abidings cannot stand at all; and not only can they not stand, they go on to breed many faults in a chain.

These faults the treatise sets out in detail at three layers, each reaching farther than the last:

• The three harms (harming right now) — once these afflictions arise, there are three harms: "harm to self" (rousing thoughts that work one's own suffering), "harm to others" (rousing thoughts that work others' suffering), and "harm to the moral discipline" (thoughts that work the suffering of both, wounding even the substance of the precepts).
• The six reproaches (drawing on reproach from six sides) — it draws on six kinds of reproach besides: "self-reproach" (inward sorrow and regret), "others' reproach" (loss of gain and support), "the gods' reproach" (loss of their protection), "the Great Teacher's reproach" (being forsaken by the Great Teacher), "the reproach of those of pure conduct" (being lawfully punished by wise practitioners of pure conduct), and "the reproach of people in the ten directions" (an evil name spreading abroad). From within one's own mind, the reproach reaches all the way to the gods, to the teacher, to the ten directions — there is no standing firm on any side.
• The three later faults (still undergone in a future life) — this deed drags on afterward too: "falling into calamity" (the evil deed drawing an evil recompense in a future life), "regression in practice" (the loss of present and future divine abidings), and "the arising of suffering" (great sorrow and suffering arising from that deed among the mental factors).

Read the three layers together and the treatise is sounding a warning: once the divine abidings are wrecked by hatred, vexation, sorrow, and desire, it is not one place that is wrecked — right now it harms self, harms others, wounds the precepts; in this life it draws down reproach from all four quarters; and in the life to come it still falls into calamity, regresses, and suffers — and so those four obstacles must be cut off, without fail.

VIII. The two qualities: what does the one who holds the divine abidings gain?

Having told the whole tale of the faults, the treatise asks in turn: then what is the "quality"? It answers cleanly — the one who dwells in the divine abidings gains two qualities:

• Casting off the afflictions — that whole long string of faults just told is left utterly behind (hatred, vexation, sorrow, and desire, all gone);
• Not casting off beings — for the sake of maturing beings, "birth-and-death cannot defile him" (he comes and goes in birth-and-death, and it does not stain him).

These two qualities, one positive and one negative, close up the passage before it just right: on one side he casts off the afflictions entirely, and on the other he will not, precisely, cast off beings. Casting off all that can be cast off, holding fast to what cannot — this is the virtue of the divine abidings.

IX. The love surpassing that for an only child: why is this quality called "most honored, most supreme"?

The treatise presses on with one more question: how do we know this quality to be "the most honored, the most supreme"? Here comes the chapter's first moving simile — the love for an only child:

As a man who has an only child, one both virtuous and dear, gives rise to extreme love, so the bodhisattva, toward all beings, gives rise to the divine [abiding], surpassing even that.

If a worldly man has "one only child," and that only child is virtuous and dear besides, his love thickens to the very extreme — the heart of parents in this world toward a single beloved child is already the deepest love there is. Yet the treatise says: the divine abiding the bodhisattva gives rise to toward "all beings" surpasses even that love for an only child. The world's thickest love is turned toward but one person; the bodhisattva's love is turned toward all people, and deeper and richer besides — "by its surpassing this comparison" is shown why the bodhisattva's four divine abidings are the most honored and most supreme. To cherish every being as one's own only child — this is the height of the quality of the divine abidings.

This simile of "the love for an only child" was, at root, a measuring-stick set down by the Buddha himself. 〔exposition-borrowed simile〕 In the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra, Kāśyapa asks: toward one who breaks the precepts, commits the deeds of immediate retribution, and slanders the Dharma, how can one still give rise to "the thought one has for a son?" The Buddha answers with finality: "Toward all such, I give rise to the mind of compassion, the very thought one has for a son, as toward Rāhula." Rāhula was the Buddha's one and only son by blood, yet the Buddha says that even toward those beings hardest of all to cherish, he cherishes them just as he does Rāhula. The sūtra says again and again, "regarding beings with an equal eye, as one regards Rāhula." What the treatise's verse takes up is exactly this stick: the world's love for an only child is already the utmost, and yet the Buddha and the bodhisattva bestow this love for "the one and only child" equally upon all beings — not even the very worst excepted. The love for an only child is the peak of the world; the bodhisattva takes that peak, levels it out, and spreads it over all people, and so it is said to "surpass even that."

X. The ten kinds of beings that great compassion takes as object: on whom should love most be turned?

From here the whole chapter turns into a long paean to great compassion. The first question: on which people, exactly, does great compassion set its object? The treatise points to "ten kinds of beings," and this roster is telling in itself:

The blazing (those steeped in the defilement of desire); those the foe has beaten (who, when they cultivate the good, are obstructed by Māra); the suffering-pressed (fallen into the three lower destinies); the darkness-covered (who work evil yet do not recognize the recompense of deeds); those dwelling in danger (unwilling to seek liberation, unceasingly on the perilous road of birth-and-death); the greatly bound (the outsiders bound fast by all manner of wrong views); those who eat poison (who cling to the taste of meditation); the way-lost (the overweening, gone astray amid the true path of liberation); those dwelling off the way (unsettled within the lesser vehicle); and the lean-and-parched (bodhisattvas whose two stores are not yet full).

Look closely and it is plain: the ones on whom great compassion sets its particular gaze are precisely the most suffering, the most deluded, the hardest to deliver — the more steeped, the more perverse, the more self-certain, the more great compassion means to take them as its object. The line about "beings who eat poison" is especially bracing, and the treatise supplies its own simile for it: "Just as fine food laced with poison can then harm a man; so too with good meditation — clung to by craving, it is then lost." A fine dish is, at root, nourishing, yet once poison is mixed into it, however fragrant it still harms the one who eats; even the fine taste of meditation won by practice, once clung to, becomes an illness, becomes something lost. The eye of great compassion lets go not even this most subtle steeping. Even the one who "has cultivated well but clings to the taste of meditation" is on the roster great compassion means to save.

XI. The five fruits of great compassion: gain great compassion, and the Buddha is not far

The treatise asks: what fruit does great compassion gain? The answer is again "five fruits," but this time each is tied to great compassion, and it closes with one crucial line:

• The cutting off of obstacles is "the fruit of separation" (those obstacles cut off);
• Being a cause of awakening is "the fruit of dominance" (able to benefit beings, a cause of awakening);
• Giving joy is "the fruit of the great person" (to give beings joy is the deed of a great person);
• The lovable fruit is "the fruit of recompense" (gaining a lovable recompense);
• The self-flowing is "the fruit that is a support" (flowing on toward the future, a support for the surpassing compassion to come).

These five fruits "are all gained in dependence on great compassion." And so the treatise declares outright: one who has become such a bodhisattva is already not far from the awakening of the Buddha — great compassion is no small path winding slowly toward buddhahood; it is itself the road nearest to the Buddha.

XII. The non-abiding of great compassion: it dwells neither in nirvāṇa nor in birth-and-death

Birth-and-death has suffering for its substance, and no-self for its nature; he neither wearies of it nor is vexed by it — because of great compassion and surpassing awakening.

This is the most crucial "stance" of great compassion. All birth-and-death has "suffering" for its substance and "no-self" for its nature. The bodhisattva "knows this suffering as it is" and "wins the unsurpassed awakening of this no-self." By all reckoning, having seen through suffering and seen through no-self, he ought to weary of birth-and-death and enter nirvāṇa. But the bodhisattva, precisely, does not:

• By great compassion, he "does not give rise to weariness" toward birth-and-death (unwilling to cast off beings and leave first);
• By surpassing awakening, he "is not vexed by the afflictions" in birth-and-death (having already seen through, he takes no stain from them).

And so the bodhisattva falls into a marvelous position — he dwells neither in nirvāṇa nor in birth-and-death. To have seen through and yet not to leave is compassion; to be within it and yet unstained is awakening. Compassion and awakening joined together set the bodhisattva steadily in this one place of "non-abiding": neither going ashore to save himself alone, nor sinking under in suffering.

This posture of "non-abiding" has a most fitting simile in the Prajñāpāramitā. 〔exposition-borrowed simile〕 A verse in the Ratnaguṇasaṃcaya Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra says: "Like a good ferryman who saves and carries across, attached neither to the two shores nor to the midstream." A good ferryman is out on the river all day, carrying people across: he stops neither on this shore (birth-and-death) nor on the far shore (nirvāṇa), and lingers no more in the midstream — only, back and forth without cease, he ferries people over. Birth-and-death is this shore, nirvāṇa the far shore, and the bodhisattva is just like this ferryman: unwilling to go up onto the far shore alone and rest there (not abiding in nirvāṇa), and unwilling to sink on this shore and drift with the current (not abiding in birth-and-death) — right there "attached to neither of the two shores," he ferries beings across ever by great compassion. The line just above in the sūtra is precisely "he seeks not the peace of quietude" (does not covet the joy of nirvāṇa's quietude), and it answers exactly to this chapter's "because he is sovereign in compassion, he does not abide even in quietude."

XIII. The quality of great compassion: at the sight of suffering, "compassion's suffering" arises, yet he cultivates on without wearying

When he sees the very nature of suffering, knowing suffering, compassion's suffering arises; he knows too the means of relinquishing it, and cultivates on unwearied, never turning away.

The treatise states the quality of great compassion: the moment the bodhisattva "sees the very nature of suffering," at once "compassion's suffering" arises in him — seeing the suffering of beings, his own heart aches too. But he does not stop at the ache: at the same time he "knows the means of relinquishing (leaving) suffering," and seeks too to know it as it is; and having known, he "cultivates on unwearied." This is the virtue of great compassion — not that it is done with once one sees suffering and weeps, but that it aches at the sight of suffering, understands the method of saving from suffering besides, and is still willing to keep at it, on and on, without wearying. To ache and be able to save, to save and not to tire — only when all three are present is it called the quality of great compassion.

XIV. The four differences of great compassion: how does this compassion come to be?

The treatise asks: this great compassion — in order, from what several sources does it come? It answers, four kinds:

• Self-nature — it becomes "spontaneous" (needing no contrivance, flowing forth from one's very nature);
• Repeated discernment — it arises "from seeing the qualities and the faults" (the compassion born of discerning clearly the virtue of benefiting others and the fault of self-interest, and choosing accordingly);
• Habituation of past lives — it comes "from long cultivation in former lives" (perfumed and cultivated over many births, a root of compassion carried over from lives past);
• The cutting off of obstacles — it is made pure "by leaving desire and cutting off the vexing obstacle it counters" (the obstacle once cut off, the compassion is pure).

These four differences, in effect, lay open the compassion's provenance: some of it is one's very nature spontaneous, some born of seeing clearly what helps and what harms, some carried over by long cultivation in past lives, some shown forth once obstacles are cut — four roads meeting in one and the same great compassion.

XV. The six differences of great compassion: what does a full compassion look like?

The treatise sets it up next from the reverse side: turn over the six kinds of "what is not great compassion," and you have the six differences of great compassion —

• Impartial — toward all the feelings of all beings, "the joyful feeling and the rest," it knows "these are suffering" (even the one who seems to be enjoying pleasure — it sees the suffering beneath, and so treats all as one);
• Constant and enduring — even to "the nirvāṇa without remainder" it is without end (not a compassion of one moment, but a compassion unbroken all the way to the ultimate);
• Deep to the utmost — the bodhisattvas who have entered the grounds "gain the equality of self and other" (deep to the point where self and other are not two);
• Conforming — toward the suffering of all beings, "it saves and relieves in accord with reason" (saving in accord with the truth of suffering, not saving at random);
• The pure path — the "vexation" it counters is cut off (this compassion travels a pure path, unmixed with afflictions);
• Non-attained — when the forbearance of the non-arising of dharmas is won, "the dharmas are not to be attained" (at the deepest point, even the one who can be compassionate and the one toward whom compassion is felt are alike not to be attained).

Read the six together: true great compassion is impartial, long-enduring, deep to the point of the non-duality of self and other, saving in accord with reason, pure and unstained, and reaching even to the dissolving of both the compassionate and the object of compassion — a mind of compassion must possess all six of these faces before it is called full.

XVI. Great compassion like a tree: the whole bodhisattva path grows out of the single word "compassion"

The root grows, moistened by loving-kindness; the stem shoots up, made broad by the thought of joy; right mindfulness increases the branches; the continuity of vows lengthens the leaves; the inner condition forms the flower; the outer condition forms the fruit.

This is the loveliest passage in the chapter — the treatise draws great compassion as a tree, letting one see at a glance that the bodhisattva's whole practice grows, in fact, out of this one root of "compassion." It first lists "six matters" matched to "six stations": great compassion, patience, contemplation, the surpassing vow, surpassing birth, and maturing — set, in order, against the root, stem, branch, leaf, flower, and fruit of the tree. It then explains one by one why they generate each other so:

• Compassion is the root — "moistened by loving-kindness, it can make things grow": one who has loving-kindness, at the sight of another's suffering, gives rise to compassion's suffering; compassion takes root from here;
• Patience is the stem — "by the thought of joy it can shoot up": the bodhisattva turns the suffering of benefiting others into "the thought of joy," and once that thought of joy is born, patience shoots up and grows broad;
• Contemplation (the contemplation of benefiting others) is the branch — "by right mindfulness it can advance": patience once broad, one can rouse right mindfulness in the work of benefiting others, and the branches divide out;
• The vow (the vow for surpassing birth) is the leaf — "by continuity it can grow to fullness": the prior thought ceases and the next is born — just as leaves grow and fall, fall and shoot anew — and so the vow grows full in this continuity;
• Birth (the surpassing birth won) is the flower — "by the inner condition it becomes the fruit": one's own self matured, one's taking of birth is not in vain, and the flower opens;
• Maturing beings is the fruit — "by the outer condition it becomes the fruit": others' selves matured, the benefit is not in vain, and the fruit is set.

The treatise also asks this sequence deliberately in reverse, forcing out its necessity: without great compassion, one cannot rouse the patience for that "great, suffering, difficult practice"; without patience, one cannot rouse the contemplation of benefiting others; without contemplation, one cannot send forth the vow for surpassing birth; without the vow, one cannot proceed to the place of birth; failing to proceed there, one cannot mature beings. Link locks into link — the root not growing, the fruit is not set. And so the whole of the bodhisattva — patience, contemplation, vows, taking birth, delivering beings — traced to its ground, is all stem, branch, leaf, flower, and fruit grown from that single "root of compassion." Compassion is the lifeline of the whole tree of bodhisattva practice.

XVII. Praising the virtue of great compassion: amid suffering, on the contrary, a surpassing joy is born

The benefit that great compassion works — toward whom would one not give rise to it? Amid suffering, a surpassing joy is born; that joy is born by reason of compassion.

The treatise praises great compassion: the benefit great compassion works — toward whom would one not give rise to it? And most marvelous of all, the bodhisattva can, amid suffering, "give birth to a surpassing joy" — whence comes this joy? "That joy is born by reason of compassion" — it is precisely out of great compassion that it grows. This line first plants a hidden seed: suffering and joy, here at great compassion, turn face about; the passage below on "the supremacy of suffering" will speak this saying through.

XVIII. The non-attachment of great compassion: it will not abide even in the quietude of nirvāṇa

The bodhisattva, sovereign in compassion, will not abide even in quietude; as for worldly joy and body and life — how should such love arise in him?

The treatise compares three sorts of people: all worldly people "love worldly joy, love their own body and life"; the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, though they no longer love worldly joy or body and life, still "give rise to a mind that clings and abides in nirvāṇa" (coveting that quietude). And the bodhisattva? Because he is "sovereign in compassion," he will not abide even in the quietude of nirvāṇa — how much less would he abide in those two loves, worldly joy and body and life? Layer rises above layer: the ordinary person covets worldly joy, body, and life; the two vehicles covet quietude; and the bodhisattva, by the power of great compassion, will not stay even in the highest "joy of quietude." Compassion sovereign, nothing at all can stick to him.

XIX. The supremacy of great compassion's love: on what does this "love" rest its supremacy?

Craving-love is not without obstacle; worldly compassion too is worldly; the bodhisattva's compassion-love arises with obstacles exhausted and going beyond the world.

The treatise establishes "the supremacy of compassion's love" on two senses — obstacles exhausted, and going beyond the world — and holds up other loves for comparison one by one:

• The "craving" that is love for kin and the like — its very substance is an obstacle;
• The "compassion" of worldly practice — its substance is not an obstacle, yet it is still worldly (it has not gone out beyond the three realms).
• Only the bodhisattva's "compassion-love" is in its very substance both "obstacle-exhausted" and "world-transcending," and so it is supreme.

The treatise then sets out a question and answer, making these two senses concrete, each with its own simile:

• How is its "obstacle-exhausted" seen? — "Suffering, and lack of wisdom; a great ocean, and a great darkness; relieved and saved by the means": the "suffering" of beings is like a great ocean, their "lack of wisdom" like a great darkness; and the means that can "relieve and save" within this ocean of suffering, this night of darkness, is precisely great compassion. Once this compassion-love is set to relieving the ocean of suffering and illumining the night of darkness, the obstacles are naturally exhausted — however deep the ocean of suffering, it ferries across; however dark the ignorance, it illumines.
• How is its "world-transcending" seen? — "Even the arhat and the pratyekabuddha have no such compassion-love": even the arhat and the solitary awakener have not this "great compassion-love" — how much less could any of the rest of the world have it? Since even the sages of the two vehicles lack it, this compassion-love has of course "gone beyond the world."

Join the two similes: the bodhisattva's love is a love that can ferry across the ocean of suffering and pierce the great darkness of ignorance; a love that not even the arhat or the pratyekabuddha has — and so it is called supreme, both obstacle-exhausted and world-transcending.

XX. The tirelessness of great compassion: to shoulder another's suffering, from fear to delight

The bodhisattvas who have gained compassion, in relinquishing suffering, on the contrary take on suffering; at first, they fear that arising of suffering, but at the time of realization, their delight and joy are deep indeed.

Here is hidden a most subtle turn of great compassion. The bodhisattva, in order to "relinquish another's suffering" (to lift the suffering off beings), "takes on his own suffering" (himself, on the contrary, shouldering suffering). And toward this "self-invited suffering" the bodhisattva's frame of mind before and after is utterly different:

• At first, fear at the arising of suffering — "at first" means the bodhisattva on the ground of faith-and-practice, who, facing this self-invited suffering, still grows "timid and afraid." Why afraid? Because he "has not yet seen the equality of self and other, has not yet tasted suffering through as it truly is" — a layer still divides him, and so he fears.
• At the time of realization, delight and joy deep indeed — "the time of realization" means the bodhisattva on the ground of the purified mind, who, facing the very same suffering, gives rise on the contrary to "extreme delight and joy." Why delight? Because he "has already seen the equality of self and other, has already touched suffering through as it truly is" — thoroughly clear now, so this suffering turns into joy instead.

The one and the same suffering shouldered for another — before realization he fears it, after entering realization he loves it. This is the secret of great compassion's "tirelessness": reaching the point of seeing self and other as not two, he no longer wishes to dodge even suffering, but on the contrary gladly shoulders it.

XXI. The supremacy of great compassion's suffering: the suffering shouldered for another, on the contrary, surpasses all joy

Compassion's suffering is the rarest of all; that suffering surpasses all joy, for it is a joy born of compassion — hard to have even accomplished, how much more the rest.

Carrying on from the passage above, the treatise pushes this matter of "suffering turning into joy" to the very extreme. What is called "compassion's suffering" is "great compassion born from another's suffering, and one's own suffering born from great compassion" — this suffering born of a compassionate mind is "the rarest of all" (the world can find nothing rarer than it). And it "surpasses all joy": this compassion's suffering, on the contrary, surpasses all the joy of the world.

Why? "For it is a joy born of compassion" — these bodhisattvas, on the contrary, "take compassion's suffering for their joy," precisely because this suffering grows out of great compassion. The last line, "hard to have even accomplished, how much more the rest": even the one for whom "the joy's work is already accomplished" (that is, this joy in its unmatched fullness) is hard to have — how much more could any of the rest of the world have it?

This answers exactly the hidden seed planted earlier at "amid suffering a surpassing joy is born": this is the flavor found only when great compassion is refined to the extreme — what others' eyes see as bringing suffering on oneself is, to the bodhisattva, the highest joy in the world; suffering and joy, here, turn face about.

XXII. The supremacy of great compassion's giving: giving arises together with compassion, and the joy is beyond compare

When giving arises together with compassion, it can make the bodhisattva joyful; of all the joyful feelings in the three realms, not one part compares to this.

The treatise says: if "giving" arises together with "great compassion," it can rouse the bodhisattva's surpassing joy; and of all the joys done throughout the three realms, held up against this "joy that great compassion and giving work," not even one part resembles it. This pushes the last passage — "compassion's suffering becoming joy" — one step further: when the compassionate mind is transformed in turn into giving that benefits others, that joy is beyond what any joy of the three realms can match.

XXIII. Great compassion's endurance of suffering: not casting off birth-and-death, precisely because he does not cast off beings

Birth-and-death is of the nature of suffering; he does not cast it off, by reason of compassion; the suffering he takes on is a cause of benefiting others — how could he cast it off and not cultivate it?

The treatise says: all suffering is gathered up within "the suffering of birth-and-death." The bodhisattvas "do not cast off birth-and-death," precisely "by reason of great compassion." And this "taking on of suffering" by the bodhisattva (shouldering suffering of his own accord) is at root "a cause of benefiting others." So the bodhisattva, in the very time he does not cast off birth-and-death, is in fact not casting off all suffering — this suffering, shouldered out of compassion and able to benefit others, how could he cast it off and not cultivate it? This passage joins "not abiding in birth-and-death" to "the endurance of suffering": the bodhisattva does not merely bear the suffering of birth-and-death — rather, because this suffering can benefit others, he is on the contrary willing to cultivate it, unwilling to cast it off.

XXIV. The fruits of great compassion's giving: a single compassion grows three fruits and three joys

Compassion, giving, and wealth — the three fruits; the compassionate one ever increases them, with the joy of love, the joy of gathering, and again the joy of sustenance — three joys.

The treatise says great compassion can "ever increase" three fruits, generating each other link by link:

• Increasing compassion — by cultivating without cease, it can make the substance of compassion increase;
• Increasing giving — by being sovereign in compassion, it can make giving increase;
• Increasing wealth — by being sovereign in giving, it can make one's material wealth increase.

And from these three fruits three joys are born besides:

• With "compassion" for cause, there arises the joy of love;
• With "giving" for cause, there arises the joy of gathering (the joy of gathering beings in);
• With "wealth" for cause, there arises the joy of sustenance (the joy of sustaining beings).

Read the three fruits and three joys together: compassion grown makes giving grow, giving grown makes wealth grow, and compassion, giving, and wealth each in turn give birth to a joy of benefiting others — a single mind of compassion rolls out for itself a whole string of fruits and joys.

XXV. Great compassion's urging: great compassion, like a teacher, urges the bodhisattva to practice six matters

Compassion lengthened and giving increased, maturing of beings, and the arising of joy; drawing hither, and again carrying thither — thus does great compassion urge.

From here the treatise lets "great compassion" appear in person and preach, like a teacher opening his mouth to the bodhisattva. First "the urging" of six matters, as if great compassion said: Bodhisattva — "You cultivate me, and make me grow; you relinquish your material wealth, and make giving advance; you should mature beings by giving; you should make your own joy arise by giving; if you give, you draw hither the two stores (of merit and knowledge) of great awakening, making them come toward yourself (drawing hither); if you give, you carry these two stores away toward great awakening, making them go toward it (carrying thither)." — In one "drawing hither, carrying thither," both directions of giving are spoken: giving both draws merit and knowledge onto oneself, and pushes them off toward great awakening.

XXVI. The supremacy of great compassion's joy: taking another's suffering as one's own suffering, the joy of giving is one's own joy

The sufferer, compassionate toward all sufferings — not giving, how should he have joy? Because it makes his own joy arise, the joy of giving draws out another's suffering.

Great compassion goes on to speak the principle of "the supremacy of joy": the bodhisattva "gives rise to all sufferings out of compassion," and so is called "the sufferer." But being a sufferer, "not giving, how should he gain joy?" Because in his great compassion the bodhisattva "takes another's suffering as his own suffering" — another's suffering is his own suffering. And so conversely, at the very time the bodhisattva "gives joy and draws out another's suffering," he is "making his own joy": having given beings joy and drawn out their suffering, his own joy too is accomplished. Another's suffering is my suffering, and so another's joy is my joy — this is the "supremacy of joy" of great compassion.

XXVII. Great compassion teaching giving: great compassion teaches the bodhisattva how to give, line by line (six laws)

Next the treatise uses a run of verses to let great compassion, like a teacher, teach the bodhisattva to give, line by line. This "teaching of giving" is six laws — one in spirit throughout, yet each with its own stress:

• Giving without seeking — "give to him, seek nothing for yourself": great compassion says, when you give to another, seek not your own ease; if the other has no joy, you have no joy either (for joy is without distinction). Even the fruit of recompense won by giving you should "vow not to receive," and should there truly be a fruit, take it and give again.
• Giving of the fruit of giving — "give universally to all": both the giving and the fruit won by giving, give them universally to all beings. Why? "Because the compassionate one takes another's joy for his own joy" — and so whatever fruit of giving the bodhisattva has, he ought to give it all to all beings.
• Giving in weariness of wealth — "the more it comes, the finer it comes": if one gives in weariness of material wealth, this person, though he desires no wealth, has wealth come of itself (by the great mind — the principle is utterly broad and marvelous); come, it is given again, and so wealth comes and comes again, and the bodhisattva gives and gives again. Why? Not seeking his own ease, but wishing to make giving "roll on without end."
• Giving without interval — "give exhaustively and give constantly": give to the full of what one has, give constantly, in unbroken continuity; and "take heed, seek not the fruit of giving."
• Giving without weariness — "not one instant without giving": were I not to delight in giving, there would be a time of "having the fruit of giving yet not giving"; but the bodhisattva has never for a single instant been apart from that "love of the delight of giving," and so his giving is without interval, without weariness.
• Giving that casts off gratitude (the most crucial of all) — "you are not like me": the bodhisattva says to "giving": if only when a person practices you (makes offering to you) do you then give him a fruit, that is your fault of "awaiting a repayment of kindness" — here you are unlike me; and again: if, when a person practices you, you give a fruit only to "this one person," then you are one who "awaits a repayment of kindness," whereas I give the fruit of giving to "all beings" — here too you are unlike me.

The spirit of the six laws is one and the same: true giving is not for one's own ease, seeks no repayment, singles out no object, will not stop its hand, has never had a break, and awaits no return of kindness. And running through them all is still that word "compassion" — precisely because he takes another's joy for his own joy, he can give in this way: without seeking, without end, without waiting.

XXVIII. Great compassion's practice of giving: the six ways giving is done rightly, and "exhaustive, broad, excellent, constant, joyful"

Having taught "how one should set the heart in giving," the treatise speaks next of "the practice of giving" — the several points, on the side of the act, that must be right when one gives it out:

• Without obstruction — not seizing another's goods in order to give;
• A pure line of conduct — giving with "wealth that is according to the Dharma," not giving poison, weapons, liquor, and the like;
• Benefiting the other — when gathering another in by giving, placing him upon the roots of good;
• Measuring oneself — when giving, also not letting one's own dependents fall into want (giving within one's measure);
• Without seeking — seeing beings in want (whether they seek with no mind to, or seek with no word), one gives of oneself naturally, and singles out no field of merit;
• Without attachment — seeking no repayment of kindness and no fruit of recompense.

The treatise then adds a further set of virtuous marks of giving — "exhaustive, broad, excellent, constant, joyful, unattached, pure": "exhaustive" is to give things both inner and outer; "broad" is to give many things; "excellent" is to give fine things; "constant" is to give ever; "joyful" is to give free of hatred (when the beggar does what is not helpful, one still endures it and gives with joy); "unattached" is to be without expectation (as with "without attachment" above); "pure" is to be according to the Dharma (as with "a pure line of conduct" above). And all this giving is "turned over to two places" — turned over to great awakening, and turned over to the roots of good. Giving done without obstruction, pure, within one's measure, singling out no one, seeking nothing — all of it gathered back in the end into awakening and the roots of good: this is the giving that great compassion practices.

XXIX. The difference in great compassion's enjoyment: the joy of using for oneself is not the joy of giving to others

Having wealth and using it oneself, and using it to give to beings — gaining joy, the joy of giving is supreme, for three joys nourish the mind.

The treatise draws out a contrast: the bodhisattva who has wealth gives rise to joy when he "uses it for himself," and gives rise to joy too when he "takes it to give to beings" — and holding these two joys up against each other, the "joy of giving" is the more supreme. Why? Because "three joys nourish the mind": within the joy of giving are three joys — "the joy of giving, the joy of gathering the other in, and the joy of the fullness of the store of awakening." The joy of using for oneself nourishes only oneself for a moment, while the joy of giving to others nourishes all three of these joys at once — and so the joy of giving surpasses the joy of using for oneself.

XXX. Great compassion increasing the perfections: compassion for the six-veiled makes the six perfections increase

Stinginess, wickedness, hatred, heedlessness, attachment to conditions, and wrong attachment — such are the six-veiled, and compassion makes the six perfections increase for them.

The treatise says beings are ever obstructed by "the six veils": "stinginess" (unable to give even a little thing), "wickedness" (breaking the precepts and troubling others), "hatred" (giving rise to great hatred at the least thing that goes against them), "heedlessness" (not diligent in the wholesome dharmas), "attachment to conditions" (the five desires disordering the mind), and "wrong attachment" (the outsiders, without wisdom). These six veils block, precisely, the six perfections (giving, discipline, patience, vigor, meditation, wisdom). And what does great compassion do? — it "has pity" on these veiled people, "expounds their faults for them," and so on the contrary makes those six perfections increase one by one. The six veils are at root obstacles, yet great compassion pities them and expounds to them, and so turns the six obstacles into conditions for nourishing the six perfections — this is yet another marvelous use of great compassion.

XXXI. Great compassion arising from four conditions: how does this compassion come to arise?

Suffering, joy, and neither-suffering-nor-joy; the power of the cause, and the good friend; the flowing-on of its own substance in continuity — these are the sense of great compassion's four conditions.

The treatise matches the "arising" of great compassion to the four conditions (the four conditions for the arising of any dharma):

• The object-condition — "suffering, joy, and neither-suffering-nor-joy": all three feelings, all three sufferings, can arouse compassion (even toward beings who seem to have "joy" or "neither-suffering-nor-joy," the bodhisattva sees their suffering and gives rise to compassion). Should someone ask: how is the feeling of equanimity (neither-suffering-nor-joy) also suffering? The answer: by reason of "the suffering of formations" (the ceaseless flux, which is itself suffering).
• The cause-condition — "the power of the cause" (the inner power of the seed of compassion);
• The dominant-condition — "the good friend" (the aiding condition of the spiritual guide);
• The immediate-condition — "the flowing-on of its own substance in continuity" (the prior thought drawing on the next, the mind of compassion arising in continuity).

With the four conditions matched up, it is made clear that great compassion does not arise out of nowhere: it arises taking beings of the three feelings as object (the object), relying on the inner seed of compassion (the cause), by the drawing-along of a good friend (the dominant), and thought upon thought in continuity (the immediate).

XXXII. The impartiality of great compassion: how does this compassion achieve "regarding all with an equal eye"?

Its aspect and its contemplation, its conforming and its freedom from obstacle, its non-attainment and its purity — in six senses is compassion impartial.

Great compassion once arisen, the treatise asks: how does it "gain impartiality" (truly regard all with an equal eye)? It answers with six senses:

• Impartial in aspect — toward beings in the "three positions of feeling" (suffering, joy, neither-suffering-nor-joy), it impartially "knows these are suffering" (seeing the suffering even in the one enjoying pleasure);
• Impartial in contemplation — pitying impartially (favoring not one over another);
• Impartial in conforming — saving and relieving impartially (saving in accord with reason, singling out no one);
• Impartial in freedom from obstacle — free of vexation impartially (toward none does it mix in affliction);
• Impartial in non-attainment — "self, other, and compassion," the three spheres, impartially not to be attained (the I who can be compassionate, the other toward whom compassion is felt, and the compassion that arises — all three dissolved);
• Impartial in purity — at the eighth ground, at the forbearance of the non-arising, it is gained impartially (the most ultimate impartiality).

Read the six senses together: the "impartiality" of great compassion is an impartiality that sees suffering alike in the objects of suffering and of joy, pities and saves all beings alike, and dissolves besides the three spheres of the compassionate and the object of compassion — not a bowl-of-water-held-level forced on the surface, but an impartiality thoroughgoing from the view to the realization.

XXXIII. Cultivating it to the unsurpassed: how are the four divine abidings cultivated to their highest?

Loving-kindness and the rest, made unsurpassed — the self-intent cultivation is likewise five: faith of mind, the supernormal, and the means, and union — as stated before.

At the very end of the chapter, the treatise gathers back the total method of cultivating the four divine abidings. It says: just as before, when speaking of "making offerings to the buddhas and attending the good friend," so too the divine abidings must rely on "five kinds of self-intent cultivation" to be made "unsurpassed":

• Pure faith — giving rise to pure faith in the divine abidings as taught in the Mahāyāna scriptures;
• A profound mind — cultivating the divine abidings with "the nine kinds of mind";
• The supernormal — cultivating in reliance on "the concentration on space and the like";
• The means — being held by "non-conceptual knowledge" (not apart from non-conceptual knowledge);
• Union — "entering all fruits by a single fruit" (a single fruit gathering in all fruits, fused without obstruction).

When these five are complete, the four immeasurables are cultivated to the unsurpassed. Setting out from pure faith, working with a profound mind, relying on the supernormal and non-conceptual knowledge, and at last a single fruit gathering in all fruits — the divine abidings reach here their ultimate fullness.

Conclusion: the four immeasurables are one mind, great compassion its one root

Taking the whole chapter together, the Chapter on the Divine Abidings speaks of the four immeasurables in which the bodhisattva dwells (loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, equanimity) — from the four marks, the three objects, the differences of practice and of kind, the five fruits, the mark of the bodhisattva, to the four obstacles and their faults and the two qualities, it sets the frame firm; and it takes great compassion alone for its heart, spreading out all along its reach (the ten kinds of beings), its five fruits, its non-abiding, its qualities, its four differences, its six differences, its likeness to a tree, its non-attachment, the supremacy of its love, its tirelessness, the supremacy of its suffering, the supremacy of its giving, its endurance of suffering, and the fruits of its giving — down to great compassion coming in person to teach the bodhisattva to give without seeking and without waiting, to practice giving, and to increase the six perfections, closing at last with the "five kinds of self-intent cultivation" that cultivate it to the unsurpassed.

To gather it in one line: the four immeasurables are the bodhisattva's one mind, and great compassion is the one root of that mind — from the root grow the fruits of patience, contemplation, the great vow, taking birth, and maturing beings (as with that tree of compassion); it takes as object the most suffering and most deluded of people (even the one who clings to the taste of meditation — like fine food laced with poison — is to be saved); it can ferry across the ocean of suffering and pierce the great darkness of ignorance (a love not even the arhat or the pratyekabuddha has); and its deepest secret is this: the suffering shouldered for another, in the end, surpasses all joy — suffering and joy, here at great compassion, turn face about.