Overall Teaching

A bodhisattva who practices and propagates PW surpasses all the devas, and all beings, up to and including bodhisattvas with 5 perfections but not PW (6th). The devas and buddhas will protect a bodhisattva who practices PW. Śakra states all this through the power of the buddha. He is not capable of uttering it by his own power.

Summary

1.     The Superior Position of Bodhisattvas

a.     [1]Śakra praises the depth of PW.

i.     The Buddha affirms this praise: it is deep as space, it is hard to see due to its isolation, it is hard to understand due to its emptiness.

b.     Śakra declares that the wholesome roots of those who practice and propagate it must be more than puny.

i.     The Buddha affirms this [410]. It is greater than that if everyone in Jambudvīpa would observe the ten ways of wholesome action.

c.     A monk declares that Śakra has been surpassed by a monk who so practices and propagates PW.

i.     Śakra affirms this, but not only that, he is event surpassed by one who has raised a single thought to awakening. [411]

ii.     How much more so if they practice in and for Thusness who surpass the entire world and those on the four stages and bodhisattvas without PW, as well as those who have the 5 perfections but not PW & skilful means. [412]

iii.     Such a one will soon attain buddhahood, and thereby rescue beings sunk in the defilements. [413-4]

2.     Rewards of Perfect Wisdom

a.     [2]The four Great Kings will encourage a bodhisattva to train in PW, as with Śakra himself and the other devas and the tathāgatas. Worldly ills will be prevented from affecting him. [414]

b.     After reading Ānanda’s thoughts on the matter, Śakra declares that he did not declare this through his own might, but through the Tathāgata’s might, for he is incapable of uttering anything relevant related to bodhisattvas. [414-5]

c.     The Buddha then affirms this. [415]

[1] Continuing the enumeration of the 16 increases of Culmination Realisation: (5) the increase endowed with special wholesome roots.

[2] (6) the increase that by its own nature causes all the classes of gods to approach.