The Accomplishment of the Sets of Four Qualities:
The Accomplishment of the Sets of Four Qualities: The Bodhisattvas’ Prātimokṣa Sutra (Toh 248)
Part 2 of 9
“When they apply diligence, they do not conceive of profit. As an analogy, Śāriputra, consider people travelling through a wasteland in the middle of the summer, where there are no humans passing through, no trees or water, and the sun shines down, scorching and burning the ground. If a great river were to appear, flowing in front of those people, it would be a marvelous sight for them.
Similarly, Śāriputra, for the sake of all sentient beings, bodhisattvas follow such a path that brings an end to suffering. Even if, after ten million eons, bodhisattvas who follow that path give rise to a single thought of desire for the relief of a bit of rest, they should encourage themselves, saying, ‘There are many in my care; I will acknowledge my faults for the sake of all sentient beings.’ Śāriputra, this way of quickly awakening in a perfect manner to unexcelled and perfect buddhahood is the fourth aspect of the bodhisattvas’ truth.
“Śāriputra, what is meant by awakening in a perfect manner? It is said to be awakening in a perfect manner since it is the knowledge of what has not been known, and being intent on the phenomena that are known. It is also said to be unexcelled, since not even the slightest particle of any phenomenon is left out or passed over by the thus-gone ones. Therefore, they are said to have gone thus and to have reached the other shore.
“Śāriputra, what is meant by perfect buddhahood? Phenomena are known by a mind that is balanced, clear, and undisturbed. The knowledge of the sameness of all phenomena and of the lack of difference in all phenomena is said to be perfect buddhahood.
“Śāriputra, the diligence of bodhisattvas endowed with those four qualities is insuperable. Untainted by any affliction, they will awaken in a perfect manner to unexcelled and perfect buddhahood.
“Śāriputra, because this fourfold accomplishment of the bodhisattvas’ qualities is known, seen, realized, attained, and actualized by the thus-gone ones, it is awakening in a perfect manner. Because bodhisattvas do not fall from those states and perfect all aspects of accomplishment, they will awaken in a perfect manner to unexcelled and perfect buddhahood.
“Śāriputra, bodhisattvas who have four qualities will be praised. What are these four? Śāriputra, bodhisattvas are not excessively proud—they have set out to annihilate pride. They have no attachments—they have set out to abandon attachment. They have no anger—they delight in cultivating loving-kindness. They are without delusion—they possess the strength of insight. They hew closely to insight. They act insightfully. They are masters of insight. Insight motivates their renunciation.
They have set out to abandon the web of delusion. They have set out to overcome darkness and gloom. They are powerful and dedicated to the causes of insight. They are certain to achieve insight. Śāriputra, bodhisattvas who have these first qualities will be praised.
“Furthermore, Śāriputra, bodhisattvas strive to liberate sentient beings. As an analogy, Śāriputra, if parents were to see their beloved, attractive, and pleasing only son sent by the king to the place of his execution, they would wail and lament, ‘Oh no! Our only son! Alas! Our only son! How can we abandon him?’
Similarly, Śāriputra, when bodhisattvas with perfect intentions see any sentient being engaged in negative actions, compassion will be born in them, and they will exclaim, ‘Oh no! Sentient beings with faulty insight stray from their correct livelihood!’ Śāriputra, those who think about guarding others should guard themselves. Śāriputra, because bodhisattvas have such a desire to benefit, they will not commit a single negative action, even to save their life. Śāriputra, bodhisattvas who have these two qualities will be praised.
“Furthermore, Śāriputra, bodhisattvas devotedly seek out the Dharma, devotedly uphold the Dharma, and devotedly practice giving the gift of the Dharma. Śāriputra, how do bodhisattvas devotedly seek out the Dharma?
Śāriputra, bodhisattvas who wish for the Dharma pay respect to preceptors and teachers while thinking, ‘There is no jewel in the world I would not give away for it! There is nothing I would not do to honor it with my body! There is no distance I would not walk for it! There is no verbal act I would not perform for it! Why? Because the jewel of Dharma is the most precious jewel of all, so I will abandon all other jewels to seek out the jewel of Dharma and uphold it. Why?
Because the Dharma severs all fetters; it severs birth, aging, sickness, death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, and unhappiness!’ Thinking in this way, they arouse the thought that it is precious. They arouse the thought that it is difficult to find. They arouse the thought that it is medicine. Śāriputra, bodhisattvas seek out the Dharma while thinking, ‘Because this Dharma cures the ills of all sentient beings, I should seek this Dharma so as to cure the ills of all sentient beings.’