Overall Teaching

After developing transcendent deeds based on the Perfection of Wisdom, bodhisattvas enter the seventh stage. On this stage they engage in infinite realms and practices, and achieve the ten perfections—these are achieve in all stages, but only from the eighth to tenth are they achieved constantly. They teach all beings except Buddhas and transcend the stages of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas. They enter and exit nirvāṇa every moment, but they don’t fall into it—they remain engaged in the world. They are generally reborn in the realm of delight of others’ creations and their samādhis, visions of buddhas, manifestations, etc., are in the quadrillions.

Summary

1.     Request for the Teaching on the Seventh Stage [754ii]

a.     The devas, noting that the assembly is calm, request a teaching on the seventh stage.

2.     Requisites for Entering the Seventh Stage [754iii–755i]

a.     Bodhisattvas who develop, through skilful means, the Perfection of Wisdom, and knowledge, ten special undertakings, enter onto the seventh stage:

                                               i.     Develop a mind focused on emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness while collecting provisions of virtue and knowledge.

                                             ii.     Enter into selflessness, while not giving up the four immeasurables.

                                            iii.     Perform transcendent practices while not clinging to anything.

                                            iv.     Become detached from the world while producing arrays of adornments for the world.

                                             v.     Become ultimately tranquil, having removed one’s own afflictions, while undertaking to remove others’ afflictions

                                            vi.     Realise non-duality of being and non-being, while engaging in innumerable different deeds and works.

                                          vii.     Perceive all lands as equal to space, while adorning buddha-lands.

                                         viii.     Understand the nature of all buddhas as essentially the dharma-body, but undertake the production of the marks of the form-body of a buddha.

                                            ix.     Understand the voice of the Buddhas as ultimately silent, and yet produce the arrays of different tones to communicate with all beings.

                                             x.     Enter the buddhas’ awareness of the three times, while distinguishing various appearances, ages, and reckonings by discerning beings’ minds.

3.     Infinite Entrances [755ii-iii]

a.     On this stage, bodhisattvas enter into the following infinite realms and practices:

                                               i.     Realms of beings

                                             ii.     Acts of guidance for developing beings

                                            iii.     Networks of worlds

                                            iv.     Purification of buddha-lands

                                             v.     Variety of phenomena

                                            vi.     Realization of knowledge of buddhas

                                          vii.     Methods of calculating ages

                                         viii.     Immeasurable awareness of the times

                                            ix.     Differences in beings’ interests

                                             x.     Variety of manifestations of form-body

                                            xi.     Variety of mental dispositions of beings

                                          xii.     Gladdening of the stream of beings through utterances of the Buddha

                                         xiii.     Variety of mental actions

                                         xiv.     Following of the progress of knowledge

                                          xv.     Variety of application to the ways of emancipation of the śrāvakas

                                         xvi.     Manifestations of teachings of the path of buddhas

                                       xvii.     Consummation of the attainment of the vehicle of pratyekabuddhas

                                      xviii.     Teachings of ways of ingress into profound knowledge of buddhas

                                         xix.     Application of bodhisattvas to the conduct of bodhisattvas

                                          xx.     Buddhas infinite teachings of entry into the assembly of the Mahāyāna

b.     They realise that the spheres of the buddhas are infinite and that they should effortlessly fulfil them all without discrimination.

4.     The Ten Perfections [756ii-

a.     They never part from cultivating this path at any time: while walking, sitting, standing, reclining, and sleeping. They dedicate each thought to awakening through:

                                               i.     Perfection of Generosity: giving roots of goodness to all beings

                                             ii.     Perfection of Discipline: extinguishing burning of all afflictions

                                            iii.     Perfection of Patience: patience to all out of compassion

                                            iv.     Perfection of Effort: tireless undertaking of all good practices

                                             v.     Perfection of Meditation: proceeding to all-knowledge without distraction

                                            vi.     Perfection of Wisdom: patience towards non-origination of all things

                                          vii.     Perfection of Skilful Means: accomplishing unlimited knowledge

                                         viii.     Perfection of Vowing: realising the penetration of knowledge of ultimate deeds

                                            ix.     Perfection of Power: not allowing path to be cut off by demons or opponents

                                             x.     Perfection of Knowledge: knowing all things as they are

b.     In this way, by the seventh stage, all ten perfections are fulfilled in every moment on this stage. Likewise the four means of salvation,[1] four resolutions (adhiṣṭhāna, Cleary: powers),[2] thirty-seven dharmas of awakening, and three doors of liberation.[3]

c.     Vimukticandra asks whether these ten are fulfilled moment to moment on all ten stages, or only on the seventh stage:

                                               i.     Vajragarbha replies that they are fulfilled moment to moment on all stages, but until the eighth stage, they all require effort, after the eighth stage, they are effortless.

1.     On the first, they do it by focusing on all vows

2.     On the second, by removal of mental defilements

3.     On the third, by increase in commitment & attaining illumination of the Dharma

4.     On the fourth, by entry to the path

5.     On the fifth, by going along with worldly occupations

6.     On the sixth, by entering the door of the teaching of profundity

7.     On the seventh, by the establishment of all qualities of Buddhahood

                                             ii.     It is like two worlds: before the fulfilment of great vows, skilful means, and higher mystic knowledge, it is hard to bridge the gap to pure practice, but after, it is always bridged.

d.     Vimukticandra asks whether practice on the seventh stage if still defiled or pure.

                                               i.     Vajragarbha replies that from the first to the seventh stage, while their practices are pure, they don’t completely transcend afflictions. Just like a king on an elephant can see suffering all around him, but isn’t affected, but still isn’t completely free from the possibility of affliction—however, if he were to be born in Brahma’s heaven, he would observe the world’s sufferings but be completely free from the possibility of affliction: this is what the eighth to tenth stages are like, beyond all worldly action.

1.     However, on the seventh stage, while they transcend afflicted action, they have not fulfilled their aspiration for buddha-knowledge, they are still afflicted in that regard.

5.     Actions on the Seventh Stage [757vi–758ii]

a.     Their actions of body, speech and mind are pure. The worldly actions they do for beings’ benefit on the fifth stage are now effortless. Become accepted as teachers, except for Buddhas. All meditations and attainments are present to them as cultivation, but not completely accomplished and fulfilled.

b.     They attain a variety of hundreds of thousands of great samādhis and from there purify means and wisdom and here go beyond the stages of all śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas and their actions of body speech and mind proceed without specific marks and in acceptance of non-origination of all.

6.     Comparison to the Śrāvaka and Pratyekabuddha Stages [758iii–759iv]

a.     Vimukticandra asks whether the unlimited actions of the first stage are not beyond the practices of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas already.

                                               i.     Vajragarbha explains that they are, but only because they are on the buddha-path, not because of the power of their contemplation, which only occurs on the seventh level: this is like a prince, while he has less power than ministers when he is born, he has more potential power, and when he grows to maturity and becomes a king, he goes beyond the power of the ministers. Thus, all bodhisattvas are superior due to their aspiration, though not necessarily contemplation/realisation. Moreover, bodhisattvas continue to seek greater excellence after nirvāṇa (with remainder).

b.     Vimukticandra asks when bodhisattvas achieve nirvāṇa (with remainder).

                                               i.     Vajragarbha explains that it is on the sixth stage, and on the seventh stage they enter and exit it every moment, but they don’t actually experience it because of their inconceivable action of body, speech, and mind. This is like how someone becomes familiar with the oceans and can sail on the oceans without having to touch the oceans, similarly, on the seventh level, one enters the ocean of omniscience of the Mahāyāna on the vessel of the perfections, and abides in ultimate reality, the reality-limit, but doesn’t experience nirvāṇa, while also not being affected by any ills.

                                             ii.     Through great awareness and skilful means their minds go to nirvāṇa and are surrounded by a great company. They are reborn in the world to help beings, without being stained by it. They burn without being burned. They thus reach the knowledge of buddhas, while appearing to be in the world of demons and non-Buddhists.

7.     Other Qualities of Bodhisattvas on this Stage [759v–761ii]

a.     In their visions of many buddhas, they act as before, but now they purify it more, and are unfazed by the intelligent questions of all śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas.

b.     Their roots of goodness cannot be outshone by any śrāvakas or pratyekabuddhas, and dry up delusions and their swamps of afflictions and make defiled bodies become wholesome.

c.     They are foremost in the Perfection of Skilful Means.

d.     In this stage, most bodhisattvas become sovereigns of the realm of the enjoyment of others’ emanations (Parinirmitavaśavartin Heaven).

e.     Again, their actions are never apart from the triple gem in order to become omniscient refuges for all beings.

f.      Their samādhis, visions of buddhas, and manifestations, etc., are all in the quadrillions.

8.     Verse Summary [761iii–763i]

9.     Praise of Devas [763ii]

a.     The devas praise this teaching and offer to the Buddha and bodhisattvas many auspicious goods, and praise them in verse.

                                               i.     They describe the whole world as being on a hair tip, and how the buddhas teach all beings through skilful means, adapting to their needs, including beings within the bodies of beings.

Nāgārjuna’s Comments from Ratnāvalī

453. The seventh is the Gone Afar

Because the number [of good qualities] has increased.

Moment by moment they [can] enter

The equipoise of cessation.

454. Through the maturation of those [good qualities]

They become masters of the gods [in the land] of Control over Others' Emanations. [means]

They become great leaders of teachers

Who know direct realization of the [four] noble truths.

[1] 1. Giving, 2. Kind words, 3. Equality, 4. Acting for the sake of others.

[2] 1. To gain wisdom, 2. To gain truth, 3. To gain relinquishment, 4. To gain tranquility.

[3] 1. Emptiness, 2. Signlessness, 3. Wishlessness.