Overall Teaching

Vasumitrā creates dispassion in people through skilful means of sense-desires.

Summary

1.     With a mind illuminated by great vision, Sudhana proceeds to Ratnavyūha[1] in Durga,[2] to find Vasumitrā.[3]

a. Asking people where she was, those who did not of her virtues were surprised by how calm Sudhana’s mind appears to be, and told her that he should not have any impure thoughts towards her or have any desires towards her.

b. Those who know her virtues said that he really knew good, and must surely be a bodhisattva, and directed him to her house north of the town square.[4]

2.     Going to Vasumitra’s house, Sudhana saw that it was surrounded by various jewel trees, ponds, towers, and had high arched doorways and windows, and all was adorned with jewels and had ten large gardens around it.

3.     He saw Vasumitra, who was more beautiful than any being in the desire realm, and had a

voice that was perfect. She was wearing clothing adorned with jewellery, and emanated a blissful light. She was a treasury of goodness and knowledge.

4.     He requested her to teach him bodhisattva practice. In reply she explained:

a. She has attained the liberation called “Ultimately Dispassionate.” She appears in the form of the species of those who are viewing her to teach them to be free from passions. Those who hear her teaching attain dispassionate samādhi called “realm of nonattachment.”[5]

b.    She explained that some attain dispassion by:

i.      Holding her hand.[6]

ii.     Getting on her couch.[7]

iii. Gazing at her.[8] iv. Embracing her.[9]

v. Kissing her.[10]

5.     Sudhana asked her what kind of roots of virtue she planted to be this way. She explained:

a. When a past buddha entered the capital, the world quaked, music sounded, and signs occurred. She went to present a coin as a gift to the Buddha. Mañjuśrī was present with that buddha and it was then that she was inspired with bodhicitta.[11]

b. Despite knowing this liberation of dispassion, how can she tell the virtues of bodhisattvas who are endowed with the skill of endless means and knowledge, thus Sudhana should go south to Śubhaparaṃgama where the householder Veṣṭhila lives, offering to a buddha’s sandalwood throne, and can teach him.

6.     Sudhana paid respects and left.

[1] By means of meditation she entered into defiled realms and turned them all into spheres of knowledge, by virtue of great compassion she remained in the ordinary world and by virtue of knowledge she remained unaffected, so her city was called City of Jewel Arrays.”

[2] Meaning Danger, because “This woman was settled in a polluted, fearsome realm, making it hard for people to believe in her.”

[3] She represents the fifth dedication: Infinite Stores of Virtue. Her name “means ‘Friend of the world,’ meaning that she was a teacher and friend to people. Her femaleness represents being in the absolute without being absorbed by it, while being in the midst of bondage without being affected by it. She gave the appearance of impassioned behaviour yet her heart was dispassionate. She appeared to be a woman yet in ultimate reality one is neither male nor female; she is just portrayed as a female to represent the compassion of the real universe (Dharmadhātu).

 “In the realm of the magic of knowledge of Samantabhadra one’s own body is like a magical effect, the world is like a projected image; with no mind influenced by objects, there are no objects that can influence the mind. The mind having no nature of its own, objects are also basically non-existent. This is inconceivable to common sense and inaccessible to the folly and confusion of subjective views. It is necessary that knowledge penetrate the true source and that practice match the real universe before one can embody this Way.”

[4] “This woman was living in her house north of the town square; this means that the dangerous road of folly in the long night of birth and death is the house of bodhisattvas, and that they have no other house.” (1599)

[5] “Vasumitrā said she had attained the liberation of ultimate dispassion, because by means of the supreme knowledge of the real universe she lived in the midst of pollution without becoming defiled. One attains the joy of meditation just by believing in this, so Vasumitrā said that anyone who looked at her became free from desire and attained absorbing joy. Because insight produced from concentration understands the nature of sound, she said that anyone who conversed with her for a while attained mastery of sound.” (1599-1600)

[6] Represents “seeking salvation.”

[7] Represents “ascendency of seeking salvation.”

[8] Represents “seeing truth.”

[9] Represents “not departing from truth.”

[10] Represents “receiving instructions.”

 “This illustrates how all who come near enter a door of total knowledge, unlike those who only seek to get out of bondage and do not arrive at the ultimate dispassion—supreme knowledge of the real universe that remains in the polluted world without being defiled, freely helping the living, neither bound nor freed.”

[11] “The encouragement of Mañjuśrī represents producing concentration from knowledge, the wealth [she donated] represents the ability of concentration to permeate everything totally.”

 “Inspiration with bodhicitta is detachment from lust, giving of wealth is detachment from greed. A single coin may not be much money, but if the mentality of ability to give up what is valued is the same as when giving a lot of money, then this is what is called infinite stores of virtue.” (1600)