Name

Prabhākarī = Literally, “light-maker.” A name also given to the sun or moon. Other translations include “refulgence” (Cleary) or “luminous.”

Overall Teaching

After developing keen and steadfast minds and entering the third stage, after contemplating the suffering nature of conditioned things, and seeing the lack of wisdom in beings and wishing to free them, they reflect that the key is wisdom, and it comes from learning and meditation, they practice accordingly. They also become willing to give up anything for the Dharma. They see and listen to hundreds of thousands of buddhas and generally are born as Indras.

Summary

1.     Request for the Third Stage (721ii-iii)

a.     The bodhisattvas praise Vajragarbha’s teaching and request for the third stage.

2.     Requisites for Entering the Third Stage (721iv)

a.     After having purified one’s mind on the second stage, one enters the third with the ten conscious focusings of the mind:

                                               i.     Purity

                                             ii.     Stability

                                            iii.     Disillusion

                                            iv.     Dispassion

                                             v.     Non-regression

                                            vi.     Steadfastness

                                          vii.     Ardour

                                         viii.     Tirelessness

                                            ix.     High-mindedness

                                             x.     Magnanimity

3.     Examination of the Nature of All Conditioned Things (721v–722iv)

a.     Bodhisattvas, once on the third stage, examine the nature of all conditioned things in regards to impermanence/non-lasting nature and suffering/painfulness.

                                               i.     Seeing themselves, in consequence, as being best by suffering, without protection and refuge, further seek to be free from all conditioned things and.

b.     They also recognise how awakening saves beings from such things, and once free, beings never turn back from it, being free from distress.

c.     As a result of these considerations, they regard all beings as:

                                               i.     Without a leader or refuge

                                             ii.     Always destitute

                                            iii.     Burned by the fire of the three poisons

                                            iv.     Locked in the prison of existence

                                             v.     Veiled in sleep in the thickets of afflictions

                                            vi.     Incapable of viewing things objectively

                                          vii.     Abandoning the desire for good

                                         viii.     Lost their way to awakening

                                            ix.     Go along with the flow of the mundane whirl

                                             x.     Lost the means to liberation

d.     In this way, they arouse their energy to direct and liberate these beings.

e.     They reflect on how to save beings, and realise it is in unobstructed liberation, which is in knowledge of liberation, which is in Prajñā, which is nowhere but in contemplation in the dhyānas (in meditation), which is nowhere but in skilful listening etc. [1]

4.     Attitude of Dedication to Learning the Buddhadharma (722v–723i)

a.     Day and night those Bodhisattvas apply contemplative knowledge to the Dharma and act in accordance with it.

b.     In being so focused, there is nothing they would not give up for it, including their body: e.g. if one were to request they fling themselves into a pit of fire for a verse by the Buddha, they would comply with heroic vigour.

c.     It is understood that through realization and practice, not by just talk, that the Dharma is followed.

5.     Meditative Practices

a.     For the purpose of practical application of the teachings, and not enjoyment, Bodhisattvas on this stage practice the four form dhyānas. [2]

b.     They also practice the four formless dhyānas of:

                                               i.     Infinite Space

                                             ii.     Infinite Consciousness

                                            iii.     Infinite Nothingness

                                            iv.     Neither Perception nor Non-Perception

c.     Through these practices they develop kind, broad minds, and develop the following super-human skills:

                                               i.     Ability to reach all parts of the cosmos

                                             ii.     Roam to all worlds

                                            iii.     Shake the earth

                                            iv.     Multiply their body

                                             v.     Appear and disappear

                                            vi.     Go through objects like space

                                          vii.     Fly while sitting

                                         viii.     Sink into earth as water, walk on water as earth

                                            ix.     Produce flames and waters

                                             x.     Take in hand the sun and moon and even Brahma’s heaven

                                            xi.     Hear sounds near and far

                                          xii.     Know the mental states of beings as they really are

                                         xiii.     They remember their own and others’ past lives, the arising and disintegrating of worlds, and the details of their past lives, seeing how some arise in heavens and others in hells.

6.     Perceptions of Buddhas (725ii)

a.     Seeing trillions of Buddhas, again, and again providing them with many kinds of offerings, they attend to and listen to their teachings, and practice accordingly.

7.     Qualities of Bodhisattvas on this stage (725ii–726iv)

a.     Observing the non-extinction and conditionality of all things, their desire becomes weaker. Due to aeons of non-accumulation, they no longer produce or accumulate hatred and misguided delusions. As gold in the hands of a skilful smith remains the same weight, they no longer accumulate any more karma from the three poisons, but rather purify their good roots. They purify patience, gentleness, friendliness, calm, and kinds of freedom.

b.     Among the means of salvation, for them, beneficial action is paramount. Among the Perfections, the Perfection of Patience is paramount, and practice the others according to their power.

c.     On this stage, most beings are Indras, and provide means of detaching beings from the three poisons.

d.     Thoughts are always fixed on the triple gem and aspects of the path in order to become the best leaders and guides of beings, as before.

e.     While on the first level they second level, they had a samādhis and saw buddhas, etc., in sets of hundreds, and on the second, in sets of thousands, here they see them in sets of hundreds of thousands.

8.     Verse Summary (726v–278ii)  

Nāgārjuna’s Comments in the Ratnāvalī

445. The third ground is called the Luminous

Because the pacifying light of wisdom arises.

The dhyānas and clairvoyances are generated,

And desire and hatred are completely extinguished.

446. Through the maturation of those [good qualities]

They practice supremely the deeds of patience

And become a great wise monarch of the gods.

They put an end to desire.

[1] “sa ca prajñāloko nānyatra dhyānakauśalyaviniścayabuddhipratyavekṣaṇāt| tacca dhyānakauśalyaviniścayabuddhipratyavekṣaṇaṃ nānyatra śrutakauśalyāditi||” (Vaidya, 19)

Which is to say, one obtains skill in meditation through learning, and thereby obtain the Prajñāparamitā, and thereby obtain liberation.

[2] Chart of the Four Dhyānas. Description in this text and in the Āgama/Nikāyas is identical: