Overall Teaching

Bodhisattvas who don’t train properly in PW are those who are open to Māra’s influence, especially if they quarrel with other bodhisattvas. But those who repent and resolve never to give rise to malice, and who consider all other bodhisattvas as their teacher will not have to struggle against quarrels for aeons.

Summary

1.     Conditions which open a Bodhisattva to Māra’s Influence

a.     [1]When a bodhisattva trains in PW, māras will be uncertain about their destiny. Māras are also pierced by the dart of sorrow. They may try to extinguish their thought of awakening by creating meteor showers. [416]

b.     They only try to hurt bodhisattvas who did not initially produce firm belief in PW, have doubt, don’t have the good friends, adhere to teachers who don’t have the True Dharma, [417] those who find it difficult, those who despise other bodhisattvas, those who have pride in their ascetic achievements, [418] who do not have the signs of an irreversible bodhisattva.

i.     Towards these, they are overjoyed, as they know that the hells, etc. will still be overcrowded, for others will imitate them, and being warded from all-knowledge and will end up in lower realms. [419-20]

ii.     However, if they have received predictions to full awakening, and they quarrel, they must struggle against such quarrelling for aeons (with the great armour). [420]

2.     The Bodhisattva’s Right Attitude to Other Bodhisattvas

a.     There is a way to escape having to struggle for aeons: confessing the fault, promising restraint, and removing their latent biases towards hate.

i.     They resolve to never cherish malice in future, e.g. behave like a senseless idiot or a dumb sheep when fights, quarrels, and disputes arise. [421]

ii.     They resolve to never perceive the faults of others or to consider hearing about others’ faults is worth listening to.

iii.     They understand that these acts are contrary to their goal of nirvāṇa and leading others to nirvāṇa: never even allowing a frown to appear.

b.     Such bodhisattvas have an escape.

i.     Such an attitude they should also take towards those of the other vehicles.

ii.     [2]They should also consider other bodhisattvas only as their own teacher.

1.     But only if their practice is uncontaminated dwelling in mental activities associated with all-knowledge. [422-3]

[1] Continuing the enumeration of the 16 increases of Culmination Realisation: (7) the increase that in its nature suppresses all Māras.

[2] (8) the increase marked by a stage where Bodhisattvas see similar people like the Teacher.